r. thy dele own p. 19. l 3 marg r. in Trinitate p. 12. l. 14. r. covet p. 23. l. 10. r. this p. 24. l. 12. r. all miseries p 25. l. 19. r. all whose prayers p. 27. l. 7. marg r. but. p. 35. r. storm p. 44. l. 13. r. but rebellion p 49 l. 6. r. erected p. 50. l. 25. r. pittacus p. 51. l. 24. r. eutrapelus p. 51. l. 19. marg r. Frilby p. 52. l. 22. r. juvandi p. 53. l. 22. r. is l. 36. r. patientia p. 54 l. 9. r. with Isaack p. 55. l. 7. r. quest p. 56. 10. r. dum sitiâ— sitare â—item p. 57. l. 21. r. visiting p. 61. l. 36. r. dark p. 62. l. 2. r. delight in p. 68. l. 27. r. their p. 71. l. 14. r. pleased p. 76. l. 15. r sheds l. 22 r. in the Center p. 89. l. 2. r. as l. 11. God in all things ends the parenthesis p 90. l. 5. r. clean p. 94. l. 16. r. expressions p. 95. l. 12. r. which p. 103. l. 8. r. leaden p. 104. l. 20. r. a Nathan p. 117. l. 31 del that p. 122. l. 9. r. pessimus p. 132. l. 21. r. and in the margenâ— r. and articles of the Ch. of England 23. A little Box of pils p. 13. l. 29. for Varius r. Narius p. 18 l. 23. r. down Reader thou art desired to take notice that all the Pages from 48 are false folied that instead of 49 there is 45 c but we have kept them in this â—rrata as they should be that is in order MISCELLANEA OR Serious Usefull Considerations Morall Historical Theologicall I. Of God THE nature of God who is the deepest Ocean of being cannot be measured by the short the snarled line of mans shallow dark erroneous understanding nay t is equal madness and presumption to attempt it For how can that which is narrow and finite contain or comprehend that which is infinite Deus religione intelligendus est pietate profitendus sensu vero persequendus non est sed adorandus His glorious essence so dazles the purblinde eyes of reason and naturall knowledge that the more they look on him the blinder they are We can at best but spell him in his wonderfull works of Creation Providence Preservation and his Gubernation of the world as Men as Christians we may and can read much of him and see his back parts in his Attributes Word Ordinances by his holy Spirit teaching illuminating and applying the spirituall eye-salve of heavenly wisdome and saving knowledge to our bemisted darkned benighted minds But when we are Saints in Heaven the Prospectives of Glory and Immortality being given unto us we shal then see him face to face and know him as he is Here on earth where we are but strangers guests pilgrims it is our duty to serve obey admire adore him There which is our City Heaven home it will be our both delight happinesse reward and portion to behold possess enjoy him for ever and this is the very Apex and completion of a Christians felicity Here it 's presumption danger sin to peep into the secret Cabinet the Sacred Ark of his unrevealed will there God will discover and the soul will with fresh unwearied renewed desires sweetest pleasures most refined blisse purest Joies and fullest contentment without all possibility of either sorrowing sinning losing them or being satiated with them see and possesse whatever can afford it blessedness glory or satisfaction Here errors crimes miseries and judgments are the fruits effects rewards of a busy bold curious profane inquiry into the essence of that thrice blessed incomprehensible Majestie and therefore we must be sober fearful humble modest in our search of it in our approach towards it and not dare or presume to touch that glorious Mount by any irreligious irreverent unwarrantable notions opinions or expressions of this great God blessed for ever for otherwise in stead of a discovering light to guide and comfort us we shal be sure to meet with a fire that will consume us Lâ—qui volentes de Dei profundo merst sunt in profundum It is honour comfort and happinesse enough for us to know him by a justifying faith to be our God in Christ while our souls abide in the Tents of our bodies in the Wildernesse of this world and that when death hath taken them down we shall have spiritual Mansions and a glorious inheritance in the Canaan of Heaven This Almighty yet most mercifull God is the sole Landlord of the whole world we are his Tenants at will and the Rents which he requires of us and hath obliged us to pay duly truly and not only yearly but daily unto him are obedience holinesse love praises praier and thankfulnesse This God is both omniscient omnipresent omnipotent and just and pure therefore he both knoweth all those sins that are acted though never so secretly or cunningly by the sons of men abhors them and will certainly yea severely punish them Yet he is also patient pitiful gracious and merciful therefore he is not only willing but ready yea desirous to forgive them and to be reconciled to all truly penitent transgressors a Aelius Spartianus Trajane the Emperour of Rome being on horseback to go to the Warrs he alighted again to hear the complaint of a poor Romane If the Lord of Hosts be marching against a poor soul in a way of wrath he will yet both stay to hear the Petition of an humble sorrowful sinner being that God who heareth prayers and he will also turn from his fierce wrath being that God who delighteth in shewing mercy b Thucidides Admetus Molossorum Rex ignovit Hosti suo Themistocli filiolum proprium intuens quem Themistocles supplex utraque manu complexus patri ostentabat This good God who is infinitely more compassionate then the most pitifull Prince yea then the most affectionate father and which is yet more then the most indulgent tender hearted * Esay 49. 15. Mother ever was or possibly can be to the child of her own womb wil both freely and fully pardon all those who bring his own his only son Jesus Christ in the Armes of faith and love with humility and supplication unto him for the life of their souls c Marc. Aurelius in a Letter to his friend Cornelius It was a custome amongst the Romanes after they had proclaimed open wars against an Enemy and when they had sent their Armies against them for all the Romane Senatours to go into the Temple of Jupiter and in it to swear that if those enemies against whom they were going to fight did desire to enter into a league with Rome or aske pardon for their faults that then all revenge laid aside they should grant them mercy The Lord of Hosts hath proclaimed open wars * Esay 3. 11. against all impenitent Sinners who are implacable enemies to his Majesty to the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ his son and to
signum esset quam principii lenitas Suctonius like the heavy bloudy and condemning sentence of that cruell Emperour Domitian it do begin with a preface of Clemency with pleasure and outward prosperity yet it like his mercilesse Judgement will be sure to have a wofull horrible and most miserable Conclusion The Prayer O LORD thou hast acquainted us with the vanity frailty and uncertainty of this naturall Life in those lively reall teaching resemblances and comparisons of it in thy Word of Truth to a Post a Race a Shuttle a Vapour Span Bubble Flower Grasse And thou hast also informed us that as short brittle mutable as it is we must either whilest our Souls so journ in these houses of Clay our bodies whose foundations are in the dust both make our peace with God and get our Pardons sealed or else we shall lye under thy dreadful intolerable yet unavoidable vengeance for ever O Grant therefore most gracious God that we may not ravel out those Golden Skeans of precious opportunities offers of Grace and means of Salvation which thy mercy bounty patience have both given and continued unto us to make our callings and elections sure Suffer us not holy God to play loyter sinne or sleep away our precious Time seasons of Grace our Talents Gifts Hopes Comforts Promises lest while we live those daies come upon us wherein like Pashur thou in wrath and justice make us a burden to our selves Lest thou make our lives so bitter and grievous that we shall digge for death as Riches and seek it as for hid treasures even couâ—t crave court it and yet not be able to find it or prevaile to be taken out of our Misery by it And lest after all these terrors sufferings sorrows agonies and languishings our sinful Souls be for ever separated divorced banished from the God of love light life and cast into utter darknesse and eternal death amongst cursed Reprobates and damned Devills when we go hence and shall be seen no more Amen Vita vere religiosa optimum est medicamentum contra Timorem Terrorem Mortis Stimulum Bonus semper Vivit Abit enim non obit Asbconditnr non abscinditur Dormit non perit Mutatur non moritur XXIV Of Death T Is the Souls convoy to Heaven or Hell 'T is the Porter that lets a true sanctified mortified Christian into Paradise through the narrow Gate of Life The Pilot that steers him over the rough raging troublesome Sea of this World and lands him safe at the Haven of Happinesse Heaven 'T is the first statute in Magna Charta A Law made Primo mundi which can never be repealed * Hebr. 9. 27. For it 's appointed It 's inacted ordained in the High Court of Parliament in Heaven for all men once to dye 'T is to a Child of God the Soules Coronation day gaudy-day its glad day as a Mr. Fox B. of Martyr vol. 3 p. 431. Wolsey its wedding day as b Idem vol. 3. p. 502. Bishop Ridly the night before he was to be burned being at Supper he was very cheerful and did bid Ms. Irish his keepers Wise and the rest of the company at Boord with him to his Wedding For saith he to morrow I must be married blessed Bishop Ridley called it and its year of Jubilee But it 's a sluce pulled up to drown the wicked It 's an impenitent sinners ship-wrack 'T is the death buriall and period of his prosperity delights pleasures The funerall of all his comforts and the nativity of his eternall torments 'T is the Bâ—kers going out of Prison to execution a Josephs inlargement and promotion a Queene Elizabeths Exaltation to a Throne 'T is a good Mans Spring a Reprobates Autumne a Nuâ—c dimittis to a pious Simeon a Take him Gaoler bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness to an impious Soul A quietus est a writ of ease to the godly a warrant signed and delivered for the destruction of the Wicked 'T is an Ahimaaz bringing good tidings to the righteous but the last and worst of all Jobs messengers to him that is unholy relating his sad his irrecoverable irreparable losse of all soul body goods riches pleasures friends children house lands honors mirth hopes offices power earth and Heaven unto him It lets that Dove the Soul out of the Cage the Ark of the body It knocks off those bolts mortality and frailty and sets it at liberty It 's the taking up of Jeremiah the Soul out of the dark filthy noysome irksome Dungeon of the flesh and the safe delivery of that Daniel from those hungry cruell terrible Lyons sin Satan Hell Christ hath disarmed death and now to the Godly Mors nomen est tantum c Owen Epiâ— Introitus non interitus So that what Camerarius appointed by his last will should be written on his monument may also most truly be ingraved upon the Tomb of every one that dies in the Lord Vita mihi mors est mors mihi nova vita est Life to me is death and death to me is a new a true a blessed a glorious Life Death t is both unavoidable and certainly uncertain d Apollonius Thyaneus who had travailed over the greatest part of Europe Asia and Affrica being asked at his return n Dial of Princes what wonderful things he had seen in those Countries through which he had travailed answered That he wondred most at two things 1. That in all the parts of the World where he had been he had seen quiet men troubled by seditious persons the humble subject to the proud the just obedient to the Tyrant the cruell commanding the merciful the ignoâ—ant teaching the wise and above all That he had seen great Thieves hang the innocent on the Gallows 2ly That the other thing at which he marvailed was that in aâ—l the Countries and places where he had been he knew not neither could he find any man who was immortal but that at length both high and low had an end And as Death is inevitable so it is also in it self terrible For groans sighs tears convulsions cries palenesse blacks and Funeralls are the Harbingers Heralds and the train thereof And yet to the Godly t is but like a Kings visit to his beloved Subjects in his progresse acceptable honorable welcome and comfortable Nam pompa mortis magis terret quam mors ipsa e Augustus Caesar died in a complement Vespasian in a Jest Galba with a Sentence Septimius Severus in dispatch c. Bacon Essâ—ys 2. p. 8. The very Heathens entertained it without fear embraced it without sorrow The * Hâ—rodotus lib. 5. Thracians or rather Thrausians wept at the birth of their Children and †In the primitive times Câ—ristians were wont at Funerals to sing Psalms of Thanksgiving Kinet Cathol Orthod Quest rejoyced at the death of their Friends Solon could say to rich Croesus Ante obitum nemo beatus No man is happy till
inauguration in Constantinople had severall sorts of stone presented to them by a Mason out of which they was to choose one to make them a Tomb to be buryed in o Joseph of Arimathea had his Tomb in a Garden and so had their great men also Mat. 27 60. 2 Kings 21. 18. The Jewes had their Sepulchers in their Gardens that so in the the midst of their delights they might remember their mortality And others have had a Deaths head served up to their Tables that they might in that perspicuous mortifying glasse behold their own frailty in the midst of their mirth pleasures jollity And certainly serious frequent and pious meditation of death will beget in us a vigilant continual expectation of death expectation of it will p Vivere in in tota vita discendum est Quod magis mirum est in tota vita dissendam est mori Seneca de brevitate vita ad Paulinam perswade and spurre us on to preparation for it so that we shall be able not only to look it in the face with comfort but triumphingly to say O Death where is thy sting c. It being nothing to such as have the Lamps of their Souls filled with saving Grace and their Garments washed white in the bloud of the Lamb but the Death and period of all their sins sorrows fears dangers troubles enemies yea and of death it self Mors vita duello conflixere mirando Rex mortuus regnat vivuâ— In hoc duello mors et vita in arenam descenderunt sed tandem vicit vita et gloriose exiit e sepulcro de morte triumphans Irrideamus ergo mortem cum Apostolo dicamâ—s Vbi mors victoria For q Quid ipsa mors quam timemus g Lips Epist p. 75. Requies gaudium et vera vita aut siquid in ea mali malis tantum What is that death which we so much fear and at the very name whereof we tremble 'T is rest joy and life or if there be any evill in it 't is only so to those that are evill And indeed 't is very sad yea wofull to all ungracious persons who have this punishment In dying they forget themselves because in their life time they forgat God But besides this grievous punishment and heavy judgment most justly inflicted by the Lord upon them because when he came to them in their health prosperity life and offered them mercy they refused with equall madnesse and cruelty to their own souls to hear and imbrace the tenders of love and salvation when their Life is lost and ended all hope comfort help all means of Grace and seasons of mercy all possibility of pardon together with the society of the Glorious Angels and glorified Saints the beatificall vision and blessed fruition of the thrice blessed Trinity and those ineffable pleasures which are prepared for all that love God will then be lost for ever Deus amissus est mors animae anima amissa est mors corporis The Death of the body is but the body of death therefore disce non metuendum existimare quae metuenda finit But the death of the Soul the losse of God and his favour is the Soul of Death Fear therefore by sin to provoke that God who can and for sin unrepented of and continued in will inflict eternal death both upon the body and soul and make all impenitent transgressors ever living objects of his never-dying wrath I shall conclude all with presenting and commending the Lord Gabriel Simeons Glasse to your view and perusall Beauty is deceitful money flyeth away Rule-bearing is odious victory doubtfull peace fraudulent old age miserable the fame of wisdome everlasting Life short death to the Godly * Mark the perfect man behold the upright for the end of that man is peace happy Psalm 37. 37 The Prayer O LORD Man hath but one Door to let him into the World by Life but there are a thousand Posterns Wickets and Passages to let him out of it by Death We are born both Mortall and Miserable O give us blessed God so to live that at the end of our daies we may be immortally happy we came into the World Sinners O grant that we may go out of it Saints We were unclean at our birth O let us be pure and holy at our dissolution The hand of every moment winds off some of the little clue of Life The string and plummet of our daies creep and descend every minute nearer and nearer to the ground our Graves The Sunne of this naturall Life never stands still but moves or rather flies from the East and morning of our birth and infancy to the South and noon of Youth and Manhood and then hastens to the West the evening of old Age. Grant therefore holy God that when this Sunne shall set in the night of Death our Soules may rise and shine with the Sunne of Righteousnesse in Glory That as we grow older we may grow holyer every day then other That we may passe the time of sojourning in these Tents of flesh in thy way and Fear that so the Conscience Evidence and Comfort of a wel-spent Life may both Antidote and Arme us against the Sting and Power of Death before it comes and free us from the Horreus and Misery of it when it doth come O let it be no Stranger to our thoughts and then it will be no terrour to our Hearts O let us get death into our mindes and that will put life into all our Actions O grant good God that our Lives may be pious and then our Death will be peaceable joyfull welcome unto us and precious in the sight of the Lord. And give us I beseech thee most mercifull Father some clusters of Grapes of the good Land of Canaan here even the Graces of thy holy Spirit and some fore-tasts of thy speciall Love in Christ while we continue in the Wildernesse of this World that when we die our Souls may enter into and for ever possesse the spirituall Canaan of Heaven Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Amen Diu vixit qui pie moritur Fructus est laboris finis operis placere melioribus FINIS Soli Deo Gloria THE CHARACTERS OF A True Beleever IN PARADOXES AND Seeming Contradictions AN ESSAY By THO. GODDARD Gent. Vetera legendo et metitando nova invenimus Quintil. Placere cupio prodesse precor laboro LONDON Printed by E. C. For Thomas Williams at the Bible in Litle-Brittain and William Thompson at Harborough in Leicestershire 1661. THE CHARACTERS OF A True Beleever In PARADOXES AND Seeming Contradictions 1. HE beleeveth that which he cannot comprehend because it is above reason That there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead yet but one God that God is the Father of Christ that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from them both and yet that they are all three Coeternall and but one in substance 2. He beleeveth that Christ who was
gemms Joy Peace Honour Riches Comfort Light Life and Blisse O let us all-blessed God make thee our end our Center and Rest our Portion Our Treasure and our All and let us never be quiet till we know and experience thee to be a reconciled God and our merciful Father in and through thy dear Son Jesus Christ that so we may both enjoy thy Love O God which is better then life whilst we sojourne upon earth and live Crowned with the God of Love in glory when these Mud-wall'd Cottages of our fraile Bodies shall be crumbled and resolved into Dust by Death Grant this O God for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Sine Deo nec Gratia Gaudium Bonum nec Coelum II. Of Jesus Christ and A Christians Duty unto Christ HEE is truly really both God and man God that he might satisfie the Lords justice appease his wrath justifie and acquit guilty condemned man * Propter hominem homo Deus factus est man that he might die for sin purchase life for those who were spiritually dead and redeem them both from their woful slavery and from eternall misery He put off those Royall robes of Majesty and Glory and put on in his Incarnation the course rotten Garments or rather rags of flesh and frailty and so became like us in all things sin only excepted Behold here infinite astonishing miraculous debasement Compassion Condescension The Creator of the world became a mortall man the King of Kings a subject Man sins and his God willingly dies to expiate his Crimes The Actions and passion of this blessed Jesus are a continued series of miracles a golden chain let down from heaven to earth all whose links are love mercy goodnesse pity wonder a Dio Cassius Trajanum ferunt suorum vulneribus medicam manum adhibuisse cum fasciae dificerent nec fuaelquidem vesti pepercisse sed eam totam in ligamenta fomenta discidisse But this and ten thousand times more Compassion affection charity is not so much as a drop to the Ocean a beam of light to the Sun or a dust in the ballance to the whole earth compared with the love of Christ to undone man For never did the most tender hearted Soveraign do that for a wounded Souldier nor yet the most faithful lover for his dearest friend which Jesus Christ did for his deadlyest enemies What Prince did ever give his Throne Kingdome to his chiefest Rebells What Physitian did ever let the bloud out of his own heart to cure a most malitious unthankfull Patient What Judge did ever freely sacrifice his own life to save a condemned malefactor who did not only desire and resolve but indeavour to murther him upon the Bench What Generall or Commander did ever suffer willingly himself to be mortally wounded to cure the hurts or save the lives of those Souldiers who conspired to betray him Yet Jesus Christ did all this and infinitely more for he left heaven descended out of the Chariot and came down from the Throne of his Glory to sit upon his foot-stool the earth He willingly indured a close imprisonment in that dark Dungeon the womb of his both Mother and Creature for a time and afterwards he removed himself into that greater Gaole the world into which he was no sooner entred by his birth but disregard dishonor contempt dangers attended on him saluted him and was the best entertainment the chief Rent and Homage which his Tenants Subjects Creatures afforded presented paid unto him their Lord King Creator Immediately yea constantly after this cold uncivil unkind ingrateful usage till his death bloudy enemies hunted this Royal Lion of the Tribe of Juda to destroy him cruell Eagles pursued this harmlesse galless Dove to prey upon him Malitious cunning Foxes attempted to catch this innocent meek Lamb of God whom they should have worshipped to worrey him some openly persecuted others secretly combined against him some impudently affronted others subtilly by questions varnished with Religion and gilded with pretence of conscience laboured to insnare him some scorned and derided others blasphemed him This golden Ball was continually bandied and tossed up and down in the Tennis Court of this world by wicked men with the Rackets of Implacable malice inraged ignorance blind ambition and barbarous persecution till he was stricken into the hazzard of his Grave by the hand of death And yet all this was kindnesse Comdie to those injuries to that Tragedie which he received and soone after acted for they consulted apprehended accused buffeted derided reviled undervalued insulted slandered crowned with thornes at once to mock and wound him arraigned condemned and then crucifi'd him And yet all this too was love ease pleasure mercy to that ineffable yea unconceivable misery which their own and the sins of the whole world burthened and afflicted him withall in that bloudy violent terrible conflict of his upon the cross with sin Satan and the wrath of God the dreadfulnesse weight horror and fiercenesse whereof was such that it amazed affrighted nature and almost unhinged the whole Creation * Matth. 27. For the sun of heaven whilest the son of God was suffering upon earth hid his resplendent face under a pitchy cloud at once blushing grieving and fearing to behold so sad a spectacle The heavens put themselves into mourning wore a sable garment and gave a black livery to the world when that prodigious fact was committed that so they might both weare an habite sutable to the crime and apparell heaven aâ—d earth in a dresse fit to attend their maker withal to his grave expressing their sorrows in showers of tears The very Rocks to upbraid his more then flinty hearted Enemies to teach them and us compassion when others especially those who are innocent do suffer and compunction when we by sinning do crucifie our Saviour did relent yea break and because man was dumbâ— or rather silent and would not they clave themselves into mouths and tongues to proclaim and preach his Majesty mercy Divinity torments funerall The senselesse earth seemed to apprehend grew aguish and falling into a cold fit she did quake and tremble as if shee had both understood and been terrified with those wofull dismall dreadful calamities plagues and judgments with her equally stupid cruell and rebellious Children were then with both hands deliberately diligently certainly pulling downe upon their own wicked heads and by that fearfull bloudy prevailing Imprecation * Matth. 6 25. his bloud be upon us and our Children importuning an omnipotent just and highly offended God to intail upon their unborne posterity The vail of the Temple rent from the top to the bottome in twain and by that Sympathizing mysterious Act did declare assure and publish both to them and all the world 1. That the vail of ignorance and superstition which had so long covered and blinded the minds of men should be immediately taken way and torne in pieces by the promulgation of the glorious precious comfortable Gospell
with wonder love and thankfulnes◠meditate of and acknowledg the unparallel'd unspeakable * Solus pro nobis suscipit sine malis meritis paenam ut nos per illum sine bonis meritis consequeremur gratiam Aug. affection and compassion of Jesus Christ in dying not only to redeeme Captives but which is much more to purchase pardon for those who were implacable enemies to him and bloudy Rebells in armes against him And lastly they will abhorre and loath all sin and express their detestation thereof by never committing delighting or living in those impieties transgressions and abominations which Jesus Christ hates which cost him so much anguish griefe trouble and which brought him to so horrible so painfull and so ignominious a death They being those Jewes that crucified him that Crown of Thorns which wounded his head who is the head of his Church and members those hands and whips that scourged him those nails that fastned him to the Crosse and that speare which pierced his very heart and kill'd the Lord of life Nor yet is this all the duty we are to performe all the tribute we are to pay or all the gratitude or praise which wee must express and return to Jesus Christ for we are most justly and strongly obliged not only to avoid carefully to oppose resolutely to strangle impartially and to hate implacably all sin though never so dear sweet or profitable to us but we must also carefully conscionably sincerely constantly strive and resolve to tread in the steps of Christ to make him our rule and to measure our conversation by the straight line of his most holy †life it being the summe of all religion to imitate him whom we worship * Matth. 11. 29 Et frustra appellamur Christiani si imitatores non simus Christi qui ideo se viam dixit esse ut conversatio magistri esset forma discipuli et illam humilitatem eligeret servus quam sectatus est Dominus If he be not our Exemplar he will not be our Saviour If we will not learne of him here we shall not live with him hereafter Besides the great the unavoydable danger which we incurre and the insupportable miseries which we are sure to bring upon our selves by refusing to walk in those paths of piety and Righteousnesse which Christ hath chalked out for us we have many and great incouragements to follow him in those blessed waies which he hath troden before us For we can never ingage with such a Captaine nor choose such a Husband nor follow such a Guide nor serve such a Master nor imitate such a pattern as Jesus Christ Because he is a Captain invincible a Husband most rich wise faithfull great honourable a guide infallible a most munificent loving bountiful master and a pattern unmatchable Verbi verba sunt nobis documenta Verbi facta sunt nobis exempla The words of this word who is * John 1. 1. God the Word are our instructions and the actions of this Word are our examples This glorious this gracious Jesus is the good the great Shepherd of our soules he speaks to his flock his people as * Judges 7. 17. Gideon did to his little Army looke on me and do likewise and his sheepe will not only hearken to his voyce but obey him also This King of Saints saith to his Subjects as i Edward the 3d. g Speed Cronic p. 704. King of England did to his souldiers when he entred into a Foord in the River Some notwithstanding a thousand horse and ten thousand foot were sent thither by the French to impeach his passage over it he that loves me let him follow me they will cheerfully couragiously march after him for they are such Cordelyons that the greatest dangers cannot affright them nor Enemies though Anakims Gyants both in power might malice and cruelty discourage or dispirit them nor sufferings and torments though never so sharp bitter or painful disswade or deter them Nay death it self though presenting it selfe in its grimmest hue and most ghastly shape cannot dismay or appale them for their Captain is their Bridegroome and rather then they will not injoy him they will meete and celebrate their Nuptials to him in a flame They will embrace him with hands and armes burning for him as well as with hearts fired with Love unto him Yea they will welcome both miseries and death when they are the messengers to invite them unto and the means to hasten effect and solemnize their longed for marriage to Jesus Christ h Fox book of Martyrs vol. 3 p. 140. As Mr. Sanders did who being brought to the stake to be burned kissed it saying Welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome everlasting life i idem vol. 2. p. 554. and as Anthony Person did too who being brought to the place of Execution with a cheerfull countenance he embraced the post to which he was to be bound in his armes and kissed it saying Now welcome mine own sweet wife for this day shalt thou and I be married together in the love and peace of God And rather then they will either desert or dishonour their Captain or his Cause they will freely constantly undauntedly sacrifice their lives in it and prefer death for Christ before life yea and all the world too without him as another faithful Souldier of his k Fox book of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 200. Stephen Knight did who being come to the place where he was to be burned he kneeled down and said Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in worldly wealth to worship a false God and honour thine enemies I choose rather the torment of the body and losse of this life and have counted all things but vile dust and dung that I might win thee which death is dearer to me then thousands of gold and silver And which is yet more they not only have and will meekly willingly invincibly carry the crosse of Christ but like the blessed * Mercatura est quadam amittere ut majora lucreris Tertul. Apostles they have heretofore * Acts. 5. 41. do at present and wil◠hereafter rejoyce also that they were and are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ But that which is more then all that which I have yet said or these have done or suffered for their husband and Generall is this some of them have exalted yea sung in the midst of such tortures torments and miseries as have caused palenesse to sit upon the faces trembling to seize upon the joynts and sighs terrors griefe amazement and horrour to fill and wound the hearts of their Spectators persecutors Executioners even whilst they were joyfully suffering of them l Fox B. of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 390. Master Denley sung a Pslame in the midst of the fire when it was kindled and he was burning in it and having a Faggot thrown at him by one of the tormentors at the command of cruel Doctor Storie
stubble fully dry therefore God wil be a consuming fire to them that they have walked so far and so long in the broad way of death that it 's now too late to turn into the narrow way of life that their iniquities have made them too filthy for Gods pure eyes to pity them that they have turned a deaf care to their Makers commands and therefore he will not now hear their cries that they have both lockt and bolted the iron doors of their hearts against Christ and therefore God will not open the gate of mercy to them that they have sinned against infinite love admirable patience glorious light c. and therefore the Lord will now in fury both pour out the fullest vials of his dreadfull wrath upon them and cast their souls into utter darknesse that they have troden the precious bloud of Jesus Christ under their profane feet and therefore God will never set a Crown of glory on their heads that they have chosen to have their portion in this world and therefore God will not give them an inheritance in Heaven With these and such like Milstones of temptation which he strives to hang about the necks of their guilty awakened amazed perplexed consciences he both endeavours and hopes to sink and drown their souls in the Dead sea of despair For our groans are the Devils musick our sins his Banquet our sufferings his solace our torments his pleasure our sorrow his Joy our evills his doth desire and satisfaction our wickednesse his very wisâ— our destruction his delight and our eternal ruine his Triumph And our sins are those murdering peeces wherewith this politick cunning active cruell enemy of mankind both wounds and kils so many immortal souls They are the wheels of that Chariot wherein this Prince of the Aire rideth triumphing up and down the World over vanquished captivated murdered men and women They are the Rocks and quick-sands which split and swallow up so many millions of precious souls It is then a dear bargain when men purchase a few empty transient delights with infinite endless pain grief torments when they sell heaven and their souls to buy Hâ—ll yet thus do all wicked profane persons Breve est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat for impenitent sinners shal be alwaies burning in streams and drowning in flames without all hope or possibility of ever being either drowned or consumed Those that are truly wise will therefore fear Sinne. But a fool for so the wisest of men * Prov. 1. 7. 32. Solomon calls every one that is wicked makes a mock at it sports with it and like one that I have read of Joco venenum bibit serio mortem obiit He drinks the poysoned waters of sin in jest but murders his own soul in earnest And as i Julius Caesar was killed with daggers Fabius was cheaked with an hair some have been killed with a plumbstone and others have been choakâ—d with a bit of Châ—ese And the lâ—ast sin without Râ—pentance will be deadly to the soul because it 's an essence and contempt done and committed against an infinite puâ—e holy just God Cleopatra killed her self with a little serpent called Apis So wicked men do destroy themselves not only with great Scarlet and gross sins but with little ones also because the soul may be strangled with cords of vanity as well as with the Cart-ropes of iniquitie And the greatest wisest man in the world if wicked will or however hath just cause when he dies to say as Nero did Heu qualis Artifeâ— pereo since if he be not rich in grace and wise to salvation in this life at his death he will find himself to have been the veriest Idiot and the poorest Lazar that ever had a being upon Earth What was said of Domiâ—ian namely That all those evils which were scattered in others met and were united in him is most true of sin it being that Ocean from which all those streams of miserie and mischief flow which over whelm and destroy the ungodly If sin reign the man is dead since Grace and sin like Mezentius his couples cannot live together Like light and darknesse Heaven and Hell they are irreconcileable so that what was at first said of those two Princes Conradine of Sicily and Charles of Anjou and afterwards k Camden Annal. of Q. Elizabeth lib. 2. p. 142. applied to Elizabeth Queen of England and Mary Queen of Scots The death of Mary is the Life of Elizabeth and the Life of Mary the death of Elizabeth is most true of them for the life of piety is the death of iniquity and the life of impiety is the death of Sanctity and the Soul Besides all this both danger and misery to which a wicked person renders himself obnoxious by his sins enough one would think to rouse affright and humble the most Atheistical wretch in the world every impenitent transgressor doth yet add more fewell to the fire of Gods wrath and more weight to the already insupportable burden of his sins by his ingratefull injurious dishonourable undervaluing of Christ for he prefers Barabbas before Jesus his lusts before his Lord and which is a crime both most horrible and abominable Satan that roaring lyon who seeks daily to devour him before his Saviour the Lyon of the tribe of Judah who laid down his life to deliver him For Christ commands and he rebels Christ woo's and he will not love Christ knocks and he will not open the door to him but now let the Devill call and he will run let the Devill perswade and he will obey let the Devill knock by a temptation and he will let him in either at the gate or window and rather then he shall be kept out his ears eyes mouth heart and all shall be unlockt for him His condition is most sad and woful for bloudy cut-throats are got into his house his heart yet he fears no danger he is mortally sick yet he feels no pain death stands at the door and destruction is ready to come over his Threshold and yet he sayes Soul take thine ease Nihil enim est miserius misero se non miserante Let then all unholy ungratious men and women consider that if they do live and dye on earth fast asleep in a sinful * Quisquis desolationem non novit nec Consolationem agnoscere potest et quisquis ignorat consolationem esse necessariam super est ut non habeat gratiam Dei Inde est quod homines seculi negotiis flagitiis implicati dum miseriam non sentiunt â—o attendum misericordiam Bern. security their souls will most certainly awaken in Hell in unavoydable never dying misery for if impiety and impenitency be the praemises eternal damnation both of body and soul will be the conclusion Peâ—â—atum puniendum est aut ate aut a deo si punitur ate tunc punitur sine te si vero non punitura te tecum punietur To
peace of Sion and the prospeâ—ity of Jerusalem but is grieved for the afflictions of Joseph and above all for the dishonour done to his God for his own worldly interest relations or life are not so dear to him as the glory of his Maker and Redeemer He accounts Gods ordinances the rarest dainties the sweetest delicates and with Job esteems Gods holy word and them more then his necessary food He stumbles often seldome falls but never lies down in sin so as not to rise up out of it He like a laboriqus Bee doth industriously daily delightfully suck not only the sweet and beautifull flowers of Gods precious promises heavenly counsells and holy commands but also the bitter yet wholesome hearbs of Gods just and terrible threatnings growing in that rare garden or rather Paradise the sacred Scriptures that so he may fill the hive of his Soul with the honey and wax of holinesse and honesty He 's a good Theodosius who had rather be a living member of that true Church whereof Christ is the glorious head then an Emperour in the World And saith with holy Ignatius who perswaded his friends not to disswade him from suffering Martyrdome It is better for me to die in Jesus Christ then to reign in the ends of the earth because Jesus Christ is the life of the faithful and life without Christ is death And because as blessed Bradford h Fox B. of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 283. said when the Queens mercy was offered him if he would recant and forsake his Religion Life in Gods displeasure is worse then death and death with his true favour is true life He is one in whom the house of David prevails against the house of Saul And is not †gilt but Gold He hath no sweet sin nor secret lust lapped close up within the folds of guile or hypocrisie in his heart He like * Qualis animus talis oratio qualis oratio talis vita His life as well as his lips his works as well as his words do praise God for he doth not flatter but truly fear the Lord. Enoch walke with God Like Caleb and Josuah his heart follows the Lordsfully while he is travailing through the wildernesse of this world towards Canaan Heaven And he is an * Genes 5. 22. Abraham a friend of God Sincerity 't is the highest round and pitch of Grace and goodnesse that the Soul can fly or climb to while it 's pinioned and loaden with the flesh * Esay 41 8. 2 Chron. 26. 7. 'T is the Souls cordial when fainting its bladder when sinking its leg when stumbling staffe when falling comfort while living Joy when dying and its Crown after death But without sincerity we are but light without heat mudwals pargetted Rotten posts gilded ugly wrinkled creatures painted professors blanched without it we are odious and loathsome both to God and Man God hates us for not being * Quid tibi prodest nomen usurpare alienum et vocari quod non es It wil be no real profit advantage or comfort unto us either to be called Saint or to be accounted the children of God by men if we be but whited Tombs but carnal rotten dissembling Christians and professors in the sight and esteem of God nay we are much more odious to the Lord for being pious only in shew and appearance really and man for being seemingly religious so that we are too bad for Heaven too good for earth and therefore only fit for Hell An Hypocrite is like an Aegyptian Temple which was very curious glorious and beautifull without but had nothing within except a Serpent or an Ape Though he professeth himself to be a Temple of the Holy Ghost yet his heart hath nothing in it but either filthy or foolish venemous or vain lusts and desires He is like that tree in Pliny whose leaf is as broad as a hat but its fruit no bigger then a Bean. Like that Oxe slain and sacrificed in Rome the same day that Caesar was murdered in the Senat without an Heart at least without a good one for * Prov. 10. 20. the heart of the wicked is little worth Like that shield which had God painted on the one side and the Devill on the other Hee hangs like Mahomets Tomb or as the Papists picture Erasmus betwixt Heaven and Hell Like Janus he hath two faces being intus Nero foris Cato Loquituâ— ut Psâ—â— vivitur ut Gallonius audi nemo melius specta nemo pejus He is like a man with corrupted Lungs a bad Liver rotten teeth and an artificiall perfumed breath Like a stinking carcasse stuck with lillies violets and roses like a rotten dunghill covered with snow like one cloathed in white with a plague-sore upon him and like a thiefs coat plush or scarlet without and cloth within of another colour He 's like Nebuchadnezzars Image whose feet were clay for his affections though his words be gilt with golden 1 Camden Annal Of Queen Elizabeth lib. 4. p. 489. holy expressions and his outward behaviour with a silver civill specious religious profession are carnal earthly vile and sinfull i Squire when he anointed the Pummel of Queen Elizabeths Saddle with poyson to destroy her cried with a loud voice God save the Queen An Hypocrite when he seems most zealous to honour Christ even then murders him he cries Hosanna with his tongue but his heart sayes Crucifie him for it loves and preferreth some Dalilah more then him and before him He hath certainly a Diana in the Temple a Dagon in the Ark of his heart like those * 2 Kings 17. 35. that feared the Lord and served other Gods And like k Speed Chro. p. 297 Redwald the 7th Monarch of the English men who in the same Temple erected an Altar for Christ and another little altar for burnt sacrifices to his Idols He is like those leones Syriaci l Aristotle Solinus qui primo quinque foetus pariunt deinceps quatuor post ad singulos partus uno pauciores donec ad extremum omnino steriles nullum foetum pariunt He is like the Cypresse tree beautiful but barren m Fox B. of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 967. 'T is reported of Castellanus an Apostate professor who persecuted the Christians at Orleans that he was stricken by the hand of God with this most strange judgment the one half of his body burned as hot as fire and the other part of it was as cold as Ice and thus crying and lamenting he continued till his death The fire of piety kindles in the mouth burns upon the tongue and blazes out in the verball expression of an Hypocrite but his heart is frozen and cold as snow for all that because there is not so much as one spark of true grace therein to thaw or heat it while he lives here nor to prevent his sufferings hereafter in that place where through Gods just judgment upon him he shall both freeze and fry
Jesus Christ a Don Anthony de Guevare Diall of Princ. Fol. 9. When the Romans created any Knights they caused them to swear 1. That they should spend all the days of their lives in Wars 2. That they should never through fear poverty for riches or any other thing take Wages but of Rome only Lastly that they would rather choose to dye in liberty then to live in Captivity In our Baptismal Covenant which is an honor and happinesse infinitely beyond that of being a Romane Knight for thereby we are made members of Christs body and as I may say Peers and Nobles of his Kingdom we do solemnly and faithfully promise and engage 1. To fight the Lords battails under the great Captain of our Salvation Jesus Christ against sin temptations the World the flesh and the Devill untill Death 2. That we will not be hired corrupted allured nor prevailed withall either by pleasure power credit profit or any thing to serve the Devill or our own Lusts against Christ And Lastly that we will neither willingly suffer our selves to be pinioned or manacled by our spiritual enemies nor live in cursed slavery or captivity under them but that we will as Hannibal solemnly swore to Amilcar that he would be an irreconcileable enemy to Rome both live and dye in a Christian couragious constant implacable hatred against them and opposition of them Baptisme it 's the brand whereby we are known being thereby brought within the pale of Christs visible Church and also whereby we are distinguished from Heathens and Pagans Certainly then those parents are very unwise unnaturall yea cruell to their Children who will not suffer the covenant of Grace nor that Deed of an heavenly inheritance which God hath drawn and is ready made to be sealed by this Sacrament to which they have an unquestionable right by vertue of Gods promise which is made unto and entailed upon them as well as their Parents unto them But instead thereof do without all both pity and affection not only keep those Lambs out of Christs fold In Baptismo Cyprianus seatit omnia peccata deponi diabolum opprimi spiritum sanctum accipi Idem Cent. 3. p. 247. but also expose them to Wolves and wild beasts Hereticks and Seducers to be devoured And rather choose to have them continue foul and filthy then to have them * Not per illud sacramentum ablutis delictis nostrae cacitatis in vitam aeternam liberari inquit Tertul. de Baptismo lib. de Baptist Hist eccles Magdeburgens cent 3. p. 239. washed in the laver of Regeneration Besides they do grievously sin against their own souls in slighting opposing and despising so sacred an institution For although the want and in some cases the neglect of Gods ordinances be not yet the contempt of them is damnable Woe to them Et Origen docuit peccati fordes per Baptismum deponiâ— omne genus delictorum auserri Idem Hist Ecclesiast Magdeburg Cent. 3. p. 253. saith a learned man that in the Administration of this Sacrament of Baptisme deny their duty to dying infants under pretence of I know not what discipline And wo 't is sadly to be feared will pursue and overtake those who will not suffer Ministers to perform their duty to Infants neither living nor dying through their dangerous delusions and under both vain and ungrounded pretences For the administration of this Sacrament of Baptisme hath both the best foundation and text the * Mark 1. 4. Acts â—38 39. Genes 17. compared with Coloss â— 11. 12. word of God to warrant it and the best clearest and safest comment to wit the practise of the Apostles and also both the judgement and practise of all Christian Churches in the world for some hundred of years to confirm it c The Baptisme of Infants was not derived from the authority of man neither of councess but from the tradition or doctrine of the Apostles saith S. Augustine contra Donatist lib. 4. cap. 23. 24. Baptisme hath its beginning from Gods word and from the use of the primitive Church saith Mr. Philpot. d And the Ecclesiasticall History and others acquaint us that Auxentius who was an Arrian with his adherents was one of the first that denyed infant Baptisme and next after him that Heretick Pelagius And then the Anabaptists These are the spoysoned springs and muddy channels from which and down which this dirty unwholesome dangerous stream of Antipedo baptism did flow run into this vertiginous truthsick and truth-despising if not loathing age into which the former times have conveyed and emptyed their dregs froth and filth and wherein gray-headed errors and Heresies are not only grown young again but vamped furbished and new gilt on purpose to vent them unto such Mr. Simpsons History of the Church Mr. Philpot c. either ignorant inconsiderate or profane chapmen as without care or conscience will sell their souls to purchase their Lusts For now it 's become a gainfull trade to retaile those damnable and dangerous Heresies and principles that are sent by wholesale out of Italy by the Popes Factors and which is more all that will may set up and be free of any Company they like best 'T is no wonder then that Gods Temple and Table have but a few guests when the Devill is permitted to revell and keep open-house for all comers or that truth should be opposed when the Father of lyes hath liberty to speak against it Infant-baptisme being heretofore questioned after so many years quiet enjoyment of its undoubtted Right as inabled it to plead prescription for it It was Defendent in the cause and produced such cleer strong and good evidences that it got both a verdict and judgment upon it which still hangs upon record in the Court of antiquity against the adversaries thereof But of late time it hath been forced through the unjust disturbance of some turbulent spirits to be Plaintiffe also And through the good providence and the divine assistance of him who hath given e That pious and learned Divine Mr. Baxter cum multis aâ—iis and amongst them that emnently learned Dr. Hammond pract catech some of his Servants such a mouth and wisdome as none of its enemies are able to resist It hath again cast the most cunning active and irreconcileable enemies thereof to the glory of God the vindication of truth the comfort of his people and the everlasting both shame and silence of those whose either passion or interests have blinded their Reasons or corrupted their affections so as that they either know not or love not the truth For f Cypr. Epist 59 ad Fidam A baptismo post Christum prohiberi non debet infans recens natus saith Cyprian †and with him agree so many both pious and learned men * Vide Dr. Hammond pract catech p. 212. to 219. that but to name them their arguments and sayings would swell this Subject into a Volume