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at the Haven of Happinesse Heaven 'T is the first statute in Magna Charta A Law made Primo mundi which can never be repealed * Hebr. 9. 27.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
much aâ— to see both Heaven and earth on fire He trembles at the presence of God yet longeâ—h for and will both rejoice and triumph at his glorious appearing because then he shall meet Christ as a Saviour and husband not as a dreadful confounding Jâ—dge He beleeves his mortal body though it be burned drowned devoured by wild Beasts or buried in the earth and consumed to dust and although that very dust should be scattered lost sâ—al yet be collected raised again intire and beautiful though before it was deformed and be made a glorious Body And that both his Body Soul though they have been absent and strangers unto one another for many hundrâ—â—s â—ea thousands of years shall meet again be marryed in joy blisse and injoy one another without all fear or possibility of ever being separated any more in felicity and glory to all Eternity S. D. G. FINIS A little Box of safe Purgative and Restorative Pills to be constantly taken by all those that desire either to get their Souls into or to keep them in an healthfull holy heavenly Frame and Temper 1. HE that doth not love God above all things dethrones him and sets up the Prince of Lies and darknesse above the God of Truth Light and Glory 2. He that refusâ—th to take Jesus Christ for his husband shall one day find him a dreadful condemning Judge And his condition will be wofull that refuses to love and imbrace Christ that woo's him and would free him from his woful condition 3. He that shuts the Holy Ghost out of his heart loâ—ks the narrow gate of Life against his own Soul and sets the door of hell wide open for himself to enter thereat into everlasting ever-tormenting sorrows 4. He that commits sin with delight doth delight sinfully to murder at once his Saviour his Soul his Neighbour and his Companions in evill who have been his evill Companions 5. He that makes no conscience to honour God by sanctifying the Sabbath-day will make no scruple to dishonour the Gospell Religion and himself or to wrong others all the week after 6. He that accounts any sin little is a great sinner and without great sorrow for so doing he will be a great sufferer 7. He only is a Christian indeed that is a Christian in his deeds 8 He that preaches well and lives il perswades men to profanenesse and disswades them from piety 9. He that doth not hear the word of God to his humiliation Reformation Renovation shall hear God the Word pronounce the sentence of eternall condemnation against him for being an unfruitful an unprofitable hearer of Gods word 10. He that sees not his own blindnesse is blind thouâ—h he sees And therefore he can neither find the way to true happinesse nor be truly happy in his waies 11. He that doth not mourn for sin while he lives shall burn in hell for his sin when he dies For as a Saints Sorrow is his reall unspeakable Joy so a sinners Joy will be his eternall Sorrow 12. He that is not Gods Servant is a slave to the worst of Masters the Devill 13. He that is in League and confederacy with his Lusts is a volunteer under Satan in armes and in open not only hostility but Rebellion against the Lord of hosts 14. He that prays not daily to God for grace mercy and pardon provokes God to punish him for his neglect of prayer and is liable being out of Gods protection every moment to become a prey to that roaring Lyon the Devil who seeks daily his destruction 15. He that is content to want Christ is sure to want content And he that thinks to deceive God and the world with a shew of holiness God will make it appear to the world and himself that his holinesse was but in shew 16. He that was never humbled for the sins of his prayers hath great cause to pray that he may be humbled for that as well as his others sins 17. He that doth neither care nor fear to appear evill will neither be afraid to be really evill nor to have his evill appear 18. The surest way to conquer sin is to fly from it 19. He that doth not resist temptations invites Satan to besiege him and hath given him Hostages that he will without striking or fighting surrender up the sort of his heart unto him 20. The Soul of true Religion is to be truly religious in Soul And a pious life is the life of piety 21. He that makes this world his God shall have his portion in Hell with the God of this world 22. They of all other persons are the most ill-favoured and deformed that have fair faces and â—oul hearts For the beauty of the body is but the body of beauty But a soul deformed by sin hath in it the very soul of Deformity 23. He is in Gods account a good Christian that sincerely indeavours to be good and grieves heartily that he is no better 24. He â—ulfils the will of God whose will and heart are fully fixed and willing to do it though he cannot perfectly keep the Commandements of God Because the Lord will never impute the unwilling failings of his people unto them 25. He runs the race that is set before him who walks uprightly in the way of holinesse 26. They are the Devils Cocks not Christs Doves that crow when they have enjoyed their Lusts that boast of or glory in their sin and shame and in their shamefull sins 27. He is a bad man that is only good that he may get goods by bad means and by seeming to be good For he that serves God only for gain makes gain only his God 28. Heaven will never be fit for him that doth not labour to fit himself for heaven 29. He must needs love sinfully that loves sinne And both his care and crimes must needs be very great that cares not how great his crimes are so he be but great 30. He is the worst of fools that never as yet became a fool that he might be wife 31. He that delights in his iniquities kisses his chain huggs his bolts rejoyces in his fetters and is well pleased to be led by the Devill in triumph to hell 32. He that despises the means of grace and comfort hath little cause to expect any grace or comfort by the means 33. He can never miscarry or be cast away in the harbour or Death that carries the ballast of a good Conscience and keeps the Anchor of a lively saving hope both sure and stedfast whilest he sailes over the Sea of life 34. He that feels not the want of Christ while he lives shall be sure to find the want of Christ when he dies 35. He that is a true Child of God will be truly grieved and afflicted for the afflictions of Gods Children 36. The only way for Christians never to repent hereafter that they have committed any Sins is ever while they live here unfeignedly to repent of all the
intreat them to joine science and conscience together to live up to their knowledge and duty by burning inwardly with a well-grounded well-guided zeal for God and by shining outwardly towards men with sobriety innocency sanctity Since great gifts parts and abilities without honesty and grace are great snares temptations mischiefs and plagues both to themselves and others And since without a holy diligent careful improvement of them both to Gods glory and the good of others all those whom God hath honoured and enriched with them will by him be greatly and grievously punished for abusing or not using and imploying of them And as for those who are yet in the petty school and lower forms that have not overgrown nor travailed beyond their A. B. C. in understanding and religion nor as yet rightly learned to know themselves sin the world or their Christs crosse that great work duty and comfort of true Christians there are lessens offered and set by me very necessary for them to be acquainted with instructed in imminded of and seasoned withall 5. Lastly because I know that although many instead of accepting my poor indeavours and receiving the truth in the love of it will not only reject and disregard it but also censure yea bite and revile the Author with their invenomed teeth and frothy filthy tongues yet my labour will not shall not be in vain because it 's in the Lord and for the Lord. In his name and fear this plain not mosaick or carved work was undertaken to his glory it was and is intended directed and by his assistance it is finished I do not I dare not say perfected His blessing his powerful gracious fruitful influence I do therefore most humbly beg upon it And do only desire these few very reasonable things and favours of my Readers First that they would instead of carping snarling or barking at my book which I confesse hath too much Alloy and drosse but no poison in it communicate their own more pure and better refined labours to the world It will be I assure them my joy and contentment not envy or sorrow to see and their own not only honour but comfort to build marble and magnificent fabricks where such low mudwalâ—'d Cottages as mine is are erected 2. Secondly that they would prize welcome and imbrace truth though it curb crosse or kill their carnall Joies profane waies and worldly interests 3. Thirdly That they would seriously consider that Jewels are both as precious and resplendent in a woodden box or in an earthen pot as in a cabinet of Pearl That there may be usefull wholesome and savoury herbs in that Garden which wants the bravery beauty glories and the gaudey embroidery of curious flowers And that sweet meats may do well for sauce or to taste of but are not fit or safe to be made our daily bread 4 Fourthly that they would not be their own murderers and Executioners by loving vice and hating vertue by adoring earth and trampling Heaven under their feet by forsaking Christ to follow the world by poisoning their souls to please their senses by deferring their repentance and an holy Life till death or by leaving the safe and pleasant ways of truth and righteousnesse to walk in the dangerous destructive paths of error heresies and wickednesse 5. Lastly I do earnestly intreat them to read what I have written without partiality passion prejudice and prepossession that Maxim being most true here Intus existens prohibet altenum For vessels top full of earth cannot receive without being emptied either gold or gemms And the most precious cordial the most soveraign Julep must needs be lost and spilt if it be put into a dish that is brim-ful of dung or muck-hill-pit water Read them then once more I do importunately pray and request you with hearts willing desirous and resolved to be informed imminded convinced reformed confirmed and if you receive any good by my weak labours remember to give God the glory of his own work and mercy and instead of your praises Crown me with your prayers But if you do not profit by them consider That bad disaffected and distempered stomacks do turn the best meats into ill humours and into dangerous if not mortall diseases That none are more either sure to languish or likely to die then those that refuse loath and cast away the Physick that should cure them That those who hate the light shall one day when 't is too late clearly see their folly sin and misery in outerdarknesse That glorified Saints would be Gaolers Angels tormentors and heaven it self an hell to those that are unholy unheavenly unregenerated on earth That they who have forgotten forsaken left and lost God and Jesus Christ shall never without humbling their souls mourning for their sins and returning to the Lord find or feel any true comfort peace or happinesse either in life or death That they who do not with the spiritual eye of a justifying faith stedfastly behold the sun of righteousnesse Jesus Christ as 't is said the eagle can with her natural eyes the sun of heaven will and do like the kite with the eyes of sense corrupt reason look earnestly yea longingly at stâ—op eagerly unto and feed greedily upon the carrion and garbage of creature-comforts which do only fit and fat the wicked as the richest soil doth beasts for the day of slaughter vengeance and damnation That they who do not impâ— the wings of their knowledge and reason with the golden feathers of vertue and piety will never be able to soar above the World or to mount up to Heaven a Solus vir bonus est revera prudens Arist Ethic. 6. Contrae inquit alius stolidi et imprudentes sunt mali Keck syst Ethic. lib. 1. c. 3. p. 148. That they only are really wise and good who are sincerely religious because discoursing learnedly is but the bark the shell of knowledge and because professing zealously is but the husk the leaf of sanctity for only honesty and piety are the kernell fruit head heart bloud spirits light heat soul and body of true wisdome and saving grace That therefore Christians ought to conform their practise to their principles their works to their words and their Lives to their light That they whose actions are eccentrick to Gods honour word and will will never without repentance and reformation be found weight in the ballance of the sanctuary That it 's infinitely more both honour and happiness to be a truly holy Christian than it is to be a victorious Caesar a famous Scipio a renowned Castriot or an invincible Alexander That it 's transcendently unspeakably yea unconceiveably more both glory comfort and felicity to and for Christians to morâ—ifie their sins lusts and passions then to overcome own or command the whole world Praeclarum quidem est inquit b Xevoph in Orat. de Agâ—filio Agesilaus inexpugnabiles hostium muros superare multo verum praeclarius animum parare suum
weep and gnash his teeth without all possibility of ease or end An Hypocrite then is both a self-destroyer and a self-deceiver Patroclus exultabat Armis Achillis sensit Hector nihil aliud esse quam Patroclum For although with his glittering shewes of piety like a Jugler he may delude the eyes of men yet he cannot cast a mist before * Jerem. 17. 10. nor draw a curtain betwixt the the All-seeing eye of God and his soul because the Lord both searches tries knows and weighs the heart and spirit and the darkest angles together with those darling corruptions that lurk the closest in them What was said of Cicero Linguam omnes fere mirantur pectus non ita is true of an Hypocrite most men may admire his tongue even whilest God abhorreth his heart that may be most eloquent and pious while this is most unclean impious n Speed He is like Tiberius aliud ore aliud mente omnia dissimulans And like o Guicciardine Pope Alexander the 6th who was so cunning a dissembler that he never spoke as he meant And therefore he is abominable to God who loves and requires truth in the inward parts being non corticis sed cordis Deus the God of the heart and not of the bark An Hypocrite deals with Christ as * Ruth 1. 14. 17. Orpah did with Naomi he kisses and leaves professes and forsakes him And therefore God will both reject him eclipse or rather kill his Joyes in * Job 20. 5. a moment * Matth. 22. 13 14 15 16. and inflict eternall woes †upon him But a sincere Christian carries himself towards his Saviour as Ruth did to Naomi he forsakes all for him cleaves stedfastly to him and resolves nothing shall part divide or divorce him from him and therefore God will both own honour and crown him with felicity and glory to all eternity For that with Galba the Emperour of Rome once said to his Souldiers may both most comfortably and truly be affirmed of Christ and all true Nathaniels Zachary's and Elizabeths I mean all sincere Christians viz. ego vestor vos mei Jesus Christ is and * Hosea 2. 19. will be theirs faithfully yea everlastingly and they are his most intirely cordially constantly My beloved is mine and I am his saith the spouse of Christ her Husband The Prayer O LORD since thou hast acquainted those that enjoy thy Gospell wherein thy will and their own duties comforts priviledges and happinesse are revealed to them that a double heart is an evil heart Let us not I beseech thee be contented much lesse well-pleased or resolved like Solomons Harlot to have that Child divided betwixt thee and our Lusts Vnder the Law thou didst command that the Altar upon which thy people sacrificed unto thee should be made of whole Stones But under the Gospell thou requirest that the Spirits of those who serve and seek thee be contrite fleshie tender yet intirely devoted to thee O Let not blessed God our hearts who sit under the droopings of the Sanctuary be stonehard barren sensless dead hearts but take them into thine own hands O Lord and mould fashion form and frame them so that they may be soft broken and yet wholly only and sincerely thine And that so thou mayst delight in them take possession of them set up thy glorious Throne and dwell in them O let us remember that sincerity will be our Comfort in the midst of our sorrows and a welspring of Joy peace gladnesse hope and happinesse to us hath in life and death whereas Hypocrisie will both bring us unto and leave us in eternal woes and horrour Let us also consider that the paint of Hypocrisie and the varnish of formality will not cannot either hide our loathsome deformity from the 〈◊〉 pure All-seeing eye or abide and stick on when we shall appear before our God by death and judgment who is a consuming 〈…〉 us not therefore O thou that requirest truth in the inward parts to content our selves with shewes of goodnesse and a form of Godlinesse but grant that we may labour to get the life and power of Religion into our hearts to depart from all iniquity to walk in all the Commandements of our God without reproof and cordially to serve the Lord that so living here without Guile we may dye in the Lord and after death riegn with the God of truth in Glory Amen Sinceritas pietatis est medulla anima Gratiae Antidotum contra desperationem XV. Of Afflictions T Is the * Esay 48. 10. Ier. 9. 7. Furnace into which God casts his people to refine them his enemies to consume them It 's a comfortable pillar of fire to lead his Israel towards Canaan but a fearfull flame like that from Heaven upon Nadab and Abihu to destroy the wicked 'T is a Scullion a file to make Christians bright and clean 'T is the gall and Wormwood that God layeth upon those breasts of the world power pleasure honour profit to wean his children from it 'T is the hand the friend that pulleth them out and will not suffer them to dabble soile drown themselves in the puddles sinks or streams of earthly vanities carnall pleasures or creature comforts 'T is the Kings professor of Divinity in the Academy of the World 'T is the a Scholacrucis â—ehola lucis Calamitas virtutis est occasio Seneca dedivin provident School of Christ where a Christian learns to take out lessons of patience humility submission to Gods will contempt of the World Repentance and dependence upon God It gives a tongue to the heart and as the extream danger Croesus was in by Cyrus and his enemies in the battle made his till then dumb Son cry out b Rex est caeve ne â—ccidas Heyl. Geogr. p. 528. O do not kill King Croesus maketh men and women both to break open and knock off all the doores locks barres and obstructions of speech and also to * Hosea 5. 15. cry out for mercy acceptance forgivenesse deliverance safety and salvation although they had never before spoken one word to God by prayer for the lives of their indangered wounded dying souls What the barren women of Rome did foolishly conceive of and vainly expect from the Priests of Mars when they danced stark naked up and down the streets with whips in their hands to keep off Doggs from biting them namely that if they were lashed by them it would make them fruitfull Christians find it experimentally to be most true of the Rod of God for it makes them * Psal 119 67â— 71. bring forth fruit meet for repentance Affliction like Aloes is bitter in tast but sweet in operation for it kills sin that Cancer that cruell deadly worm which doth so dangerously wound so grievously pain and so intolerably torment the Soul 'T is to an Israelite a Jordan but a Red sea to an Egyptian A child of God may say of Troubles as
against her or any part of her be cast over-boord by her vigilant and valiant Pilots pious orthodoxe and zealous Magistrates * O quâ—m beati erunt in illo die judcii Magistratus illi qui subditos non modo honestis legibus judiciis disciplinâ— rexerunt sed etiam omnium maxime in hoc studium incubucrunt ut incorrupta Religio apud suos exculta sit doctrina coelestis per fidos eruditos et constantes Ministros sit tradita ingens hominum multitudo per spiritum et verbum renata in conspectum Christi prodeat quae tali Magistratui aeternas gra ias agat E contra quam infelices qui c. Religionem per varâ—as corruptelas passi sunt adulterare sayes one And an Heathen could say In nauâ—ragio Rector laudandus quem obruit more clavum tenentem Senec. ad Petil. c. 6. and Ministers that Pirates strangers and enemies the profest cruel subtle and secret adversaries opposers and underminers of thy Glory Gospel ordinances and Ministers may neither be inriched by her woful wrack nor pleased with the birth and sight of those grievous miseries and overwhelming calamities which too often proceed from her contentious and disagreeing Children but let the desires and designs O Lord of Sions enemies be blasted and frustrated And let blessed God all those spiritual Merchants those heavenly Mariners thy Saints thy faithful Souldiers and Servants that are resolved or shal resolve to venture all their treasures their souls lives and worldly interests in that Arke thy Church and to imbarque themselves in her for a voyage to the Holy Land to that new and glorious Jerusalem which is above Let them dear God I once more humbly beseech thee be crowned with a calm with quietnesse serenity and safety in their passage over the brackish boysterous dangerous Ocean of life and when they shall put into and cast Anchor in the port of Death then let them find that they are safely arrived at the Isles of Paradise the Kingdome of Heaven Glory and Felicity Amen Qui pugnat sine mandato poenam accipit non mercedem Qui praedicat sine vocatione peccat non prodest XXII Of a good and a bad Conscience A Good Conscence 't is the suburbs of Heaven 'T is the Sanctuary of the Soul when it 's pursued by sin Satan fear or temptation 'T is Heaven in hell riches in poverty honour in disgrace health in sicknesse in bonds liberty and light in darknesse 'T is Balm that healeth all woundâ— A medicine infinitely more precious then all the Benedicta Medicamenta of Physitians for it cures all spirituall maladies and antidotes the mind against all temporall miseries T is the best Mithridate to expell all troubles from the heart T is Gods temple Christs Bed-chamber and the Spirits Mansion for the highest Heavens and the humblest purest holiest heart are the two places of Gods most glorious * Esay 57. 15. Residence 'T is the souls soft Bed whereon it resteth quietly and sweetly with a pillow of Gospel promises and the left hand of Christ under its head his right hand also imbracing it when it 's either troubled dejected or distressed T is an admirable Soveraign Balsome against the stinging perplexing fears and all the dreadfull dismaying apprehensions of sin Gods wrath Satan Death judgment and Hell 'T is an Ark that keepeth the Soul safe and preserves it from sinking under the heaviest burden of sin or sorrow in the greatest deluge of inward or outward troubles 'T is a ship with Christ in it Heaven in a little volume 'T is divine love and speciall mercy printed usually upon the soul by the Spirit of God in the presse either of Gods ordinances or afflictions in great and golden characters with notes of choicest favour tenderest mercies and free grace upon it T is a Kingdome of fortified rich safe and happy 't is the daughter of faith and repentance and the Mother of all reall ineffable endlesse Joy comforts pleasures 'T is a serene skie with the Sun and Moon of Faith and repentance fixed and shining in the â—irmament of the Soul together with the brightest sparkling stars of all other saving graces which beautifie bespangle it and make a glorious constellation therein 'T is a feast in a famine an haven in a storm life in death 'T is an invincible fort in a Leaguer when the outworks City and Castle of health riches liberty are taken 'T is a Paradise with a tree of Life in it 'T is the Vialactea in a Laetitia bonae conscientiae paradisus est â—nimarum gaudium angelorum hortus deliciarum ager benedictionis templam Sclomonis aula Dei habâ—tac ulum spiritus heavenly heart The vena porta of * 2 Corinth 1. 12. gladnesse joy and a consolation to the spirit here and the beginning of that matchlesse felicity which will out-live time and run parallel with the longest line of eternity 'T is a Dove that brings an Olive branch of peace to a Noah a righteous person in the greatest inundation of perplexity and sorrow of heart 'T is the way to a life without fear or trouble 'T is a John lying in the bosome of Jesus 'T is a transcript a true copy of eternall felicity 'T is a consolatory epistle written with the bloud of Jesus Christ by the finger of the Holy Ghost sent by love and read by faith to a languishing mourning drooping bleeding Soul 'T is ipsum coelum saith Augustine a continuall feast saith Solomon Yea it is a Goshen in Aegypt an Angell in a Dungeon an harbour in a Tempest an Heaven upon earth and the day-star of Glory 'T is an immarcescible Crown A treasure which once got can never be lost for what that b Cicere parâ—dâ—x ad sinem Prince of Orators saith of vertue is most true of a good conscience Nec eripi nec surripi potest â—nquam Neque naufragio neque incendio amittitur nâ—â— tempestatum nec temporum permutatione mutatur But a bad conscience it 's the souls inquisition and strappado It 's the epitome or abridgment of eternall torments 'T is the gloomâ—e evening to the black day of Damnation 'T is the terrible Harbinger of that dreadfull furious cruell train and troop of dismall intolerable unconceiveable woes and plagues which are marching â—ay at the door to take up their everlasting Quarters and abode in the miserable Soul 'T is secretum ftagellum an hell in the soul before the Soul be in Hell 'T is the lightening of those horrors which the thunder of that confounding â—â—ntence Goye cursed into Hel-fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels c. will suddainly inflict upon the for ever undone impenitent sinners Perillus his brasen Bull when hottest was a Down-bed warmed to the scorching anguish of an evill Conscience Nam urit caedit lancinat et eo gravius quia sine morte The stinging of the most venemous Serpent is pleasure and delight to the agonies
of such a wounded Spirit That poor wretch who was flayed alive and then laid upon a bed of Salt till he expired by the barbarous command of Solyman â—elt no pain and rested upon a soft couch-chair compared with him or her that hangeth upon the gibbet of an evill conscience Yea the greatest sharpest deadliest pangs and throws of that woman who hath the hardest labour in child-bearing are not only ease and refreshments but cordialls in respect of the horrible unavoidable insupportable tortures lashings bitings and gnawings of the whip and worm of a bad conscience An evill conscience is the outward court of Hell 'T is the earnest and foretast of those torments which are easelesse endlesse remedilesse 'T is like that * Ezck 2. 9 10. Book in Ezekiel wherein was written both within and without lamentation and mourning and wo. Weigh them seriously and hearken attentively to the God of Wisdome and truth who assureth us †Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man willsustain his inâ—irmities but a wounded spirit who can bear That a Spirit wounded with the sense of its guilt and misery is insupportable for by putting the question he puts it out of all question that it is so And also to that doleful eccho of the damned souls in Hell c See the life of Spira Francis Spira that compleat map of misery that so you may both judge impartially what it is fear it and carefully timely resolutely oppose hate decline and fly that which will bring you unto and hang your souls upon the same rack on which all his bones were broken viz. Sin against convictions covenants promises profession love light knowledg and conscience committed relapsed into and unrepented of I now feel saith he Gods heavy wrath that burns like the torments of hell-fire within me and afflicteth my soul with pangs unutterable And again the gnawing worms of an unquenchable horror confusion and which is worst of all Desperation continually torture me My pangs faith he are such that the damned wights in Hell endure not the like misery O let us then hear and fear yea let us be instructed warned and perswaded by his and * Cain Judas c. others sufferings to pray and labour to get good consciences and to keep them voyd of offence both towards God and towards men that so we may never feel and endure the exquisite the insufferable torments of a double Hell Desperation and Damnation And since unicuique liber est propria conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii inventi Since every mans conscience is his book and that all books are written for the reading correcting and expunging the errata's thereof It is therefore the great duty and concernment of every one vigilantly conscientiously constantly to take heed that it be neither interlined with sin nor blotted and blurred with crimes vices nor defaced with foul and filthy lusts Because if it be not kept pure fair and undefiled God will one day command it to be burned by the common hangman the Devill in the fire of Hell But if it be preserved unstained God will then love and delight in it For facies animi est câ—nscientia sicut in conspectu hominum gratiosa est facies pulcra sic in conspectu Dei speciosa est conscientia munda The face of the mind is the conscience And an unspotted conscience is as beautiful in the sight of God as the most renowned and celebrated Beauty either is or ever was amiable in the eyes of men If then thou wouldest be free from the anguish agonies and miseries of an evill Conscience do thou in this case what one advised Domitian to do in another who being asked by Domitian how he might so rule as not to be hated like many of his predecessors answered him Tu fac contra do thou contrary to that they have done Do thou confesse repent hate and forsake every known sin and take heed of relapsing into wickednesse for sin is both the root and fewell of outward troubles inward terrors temporall punishments spirituall Judgments and eternall torments The Prayer O LORD thou hast not only forbidden us upon pain of High Treason Death and Damnation to commit the least sinne and acquainted yea assured us that all things are naked and opened to the eyes of that God with whom we have to do But thou hast also placed a comptrouler a Register a Notary conscience in every Child of Adam to observe record and remember all our thoughts words and actions whether good or evil And thy great design in all this is to make us afraid of acting any either open wickednesse or secret filthinesse since even all our closest iniquities impurities villanies and our midnight abominations are perpetrated upon a stage at noonday and in the sight of the Sun not only in respect of thine all-seeing eye to whom the darknesse and light are both alike but also in respect of that impartiall witnesse that all-observing Sentinel which thou hast placed within us that will most certainly reveal all those hidden hideous horrible and loathsome crimes we are guilty of which the eye or ear of Man never saw nor heard accuse us to God of them and both evidently and undenyably to the Lord and our own selves proves us conscious of them Give us therefore O Lord I beseech thee Grace care and resolutions to live walk and behave our selves to think speak and act as under thine eye and in thy presence at all times in all places in all company in all conditions in all our callings duties services recreations and imployments that so our consciences may acquit and not condemn us Let us prize seek and keep the happinesse peace and comfort of a good conscience more then pleasure plenty prosperity liberty yea then Life And let us fear the plague and torment of a bad Conscience more then Death And since O Lord thou wilt most certainly bring every work unto Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evill O give us Grace to fear thee and to keep thy Commandements that so we may both injoy the peace of God here and the God of peace hereafter This grant for his sake who is the Prince of peace and dyed to make our peace with thee thine only Son and our alone Saviour Amen Conscientia est index judex vindex Bona coeli est Porta primitiae Mala damnationis Prodromus Et Gehennae miseriarum principum XXIII Of Life IT is the seed-time both of Grace and Glory 'T is a short craggy thorny narrow way to a sad or joyfull to a blessed or cursed eternity 'T is a tree from which some blooms doe fall in their infancy on which some buds are blasted when but just set in their child-hood from which some green fruits are snatched off in their youth upon which some hang till Manhood and then are violently stricken down or pulled off by the hand of death
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
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
fell so low from off those highest pinacles Empire and Majesty as to become Tamerlanes footstool The wise valiant and victorious Romanes were so sensible of the danger and inconstancy of the highest worldly honour and the greatest earthly felicity that in their triumphs the Generall or Emperour that rode in honour through the City of Rome with the principal of his enemies bound in Chains behind his chariot had alwaies a servant running along by him with this Corrective of his Glory Respice post te hominem memento te As if he had said Look behind thee and in those truest faithfull Mirrors set by the angry yet most just hand of providencâ— in a sable frame thou shalt clearly see the vanity o When Pompâ—y's head was presented to Julius Caesar he wept bitterly saying I lament Pompey's fall and fear mine own Fortune Leigh Choice Obser p. 17. mutability misery of all terrestrial greatnesse glory and prosperitie For those Captives who adorn thy Triumph may be thy executioners Those ratling chains which are now thy musick may become hells to ring thy passing peal That Chariot wherein thou now ridest in so much state may be the Coffin wherein before night thou mayest be carried to thy grave and those friends which now so much rejoyce at thy dearly earned or purchased honour may be to day sad mourners at thy Funerall Thou dwellest but in a house of clay whose foundation is in the dust and therefore maist lie levell suddenly with the Earth although at present thou art rear'd up to such a height and built so many stories higher then those feeble tottering and rotten supporters of thy pomp those unwilling mourning miserable witnesses of thy dangerous Exaltations Remember thou art but a man thy victory cannot deifie thee nor conquer thy mortality nor can thy triumph protect or secure thee from being vanquished and led into captivity by death * Mortalia eminent cadunt deterunâ—ur crescunâ— exâ—uriuntuâ— implentur Divinorum una natura est Sen. Epist 66. 645. Seianus fell suddenly from those slippery Battlements where thou now standest both reâ—ling and giddie Let not therefore thy success or Eminency make thee forget either thine own frailty or their inconstancy since calamity stands at that door where Securitie is Porter to the house fearlesse greatnesse and blind presumptuous prosperitie being like that p Arist Problem Sect. 13. Quest 5. Sea wherein ships use to be cast away in the midst of a Calme Crowns then are not so bright as burdensome nor so glorious as dangerous nor so pleasing as they are painful to those that owne carry them The sad experience whereof made that potent King Seleucus often to say * Thorne is the Anagram of Throne Mihi credite mori mallem quam imperare Otho That if a man knew with what cares a Diadem was clogged he would not take it up though it lay in the dust If then either Subjects knew how dearly Princes buy their power or Princes how sweet comfortable and happy a thing it is to live in quiet free from cares * Timeo incustoditos aditus timeo ipsos custodes Tiberius fears dangers Jealousie those evill spirits which alwaies haunt affright vex torment and imbitter greatnesse Subjects would pity their rulers aod Kings would envy their Subjects For without a saving interest in the Sun of Righteousnesse Jesus Christ the mightiest Monarchs both live and dye in a black perplexing afflicting night of trouble distraction and misery notwithstanding all the Stars of Pomp Power and Wealth which shine or rather glimmer in the firmament of Soveraignty The whole world is not able to give the soul one satisfying meale much more unable is she then to feast it She may spread and cover her table with variety of costly curious dainty dishes but she serves them up with such bitter unsavory yea deadly sauces that her best and kindest treatment of her noblest dearest friends proves either their sicknesse or death Her guests sit down indeed to a rare a pleasant banquet but swords hang over their heads tyed to nothing but single horse-hairs What contentment or delight then can it afford or they receive and enjoy when they know not whether they shall live or die feast or perish at her board Luther calls the Turkish Empire nothing but a crumb given by the Master of the family God Almighty to dogs The World like a Lottery gives a hundred blanks for one prize to those that venture their whole estates even body soul name and posterity at it And if any one doe happen to draw out a Throne yet will not that reimburse him or pay his Bill of charges which he hath laid out for it * Fortuna vitrea est quae cum splendet frangitur because when he hath gotten it he 's not sure to injoy it For the strongest Kingdomes are but tottering Fabricks whose foundations are laid though they dig never so deep in sand And although they may seem to be founded on a Rock or to be so deeply rooted as that they need not fear a period nor that they shall be overturned or swallowed up by either the most furious tempest of Forraign Invasions or the raging inexorable Billows of domestick divisions and intestine Rebellions yet q Sir Walter Raleâ—gh pâ—aeface to his Hist of the World dies hora momentum sufficit evertendis iis dominationibus quae Adamantinis radicibus videbantur esse fundatae But this innate inevitable insuperable not only mutability but also mortality of Kingdoms as well as * Nonne telluris tres tantum cubiti te expectant Basil Kings which yet is enough to render the sweetest earthly enjoyments and comforts that the cousening deluding world can afford to those who have the greatest interest in her and share of her both sowr flat and dead to the intellectuall palat of a truly wise man is not either the only Ghost that disquiets Magna sâ—rvitus est magna fortuna Seneca de Bervit viâ—â— ad Pauliâ—um or misery that waits and attends upon Empire from its Birth to its buriall from its Cradle to its Coffin For the Aâ—pes of honour and greatnesse are ascended always by the troublesome steps of danger †drudgery difficulty and too often also by the fatall stairs of Treachery Tyranny and Impiety And when such men after all their sweating toiling and striving do get up to the top of them 't is true they have a delightfull prospect but withall they perceive and finde that they do stand upon r Domitian said That the condition of Princes was most miserable who could not be credited touching a conspiracy plainly detected unless they were first slain a dangerous praecipice and that it will cost them no lesse care and vigilancie to preserve themselves from falling into the bottomlesse gulf of Ruine then it did pains and perils to attain that which they are now assured has more vexation then satisfaction more thorns then Roses and more
Wealth and Happinesse Jesus Christ Amen Divitiae sine Gratia nocent affligunt vexant premunt opprimunt irretiant interficiunt VII Of Covetousnesse And Covetous Persons 'T is a Thief that steals a man from himself leaving him his treasures but robbing him of an heart to use them T is a Wolf in the heart that must daily be fed yet at length kills the Caterer who provides for it and besides while he lives it torments him with continuall pain fear trouble T is a gulf which cannot be filled up with the Curtius of plenty A whirl-pool which though it should suck in and swallow up both the Indies yea and the whole World would yet be both empty and hungry T is the rickets of the soul that keeps it from growing in grace T is the spring from which flow those muddy stinking streams of baseness and dishonesty The Center in which the lines of cruelty bribery ambition theft murder usury oppression injustice meet Yea all evils grow sprout and proceed from this bitter * 1 Timothy 6. 10. Root and are bred in the womb of avarice T is the shop the forgeâ— where all wickedness is wrought and formed Avariâ—ia fornix est in qua omnia Jesu Christi opprobria sputa clavi lancea flagella spinae crux mors caetera passionis instrumenta procusa et formata T is the Boulimia of the mind which inlarges mans appetite and desires beyond all capacity and possibility of being either pleased or satisfied for Dum sitiat sedare sitim sitis altera crescit The heart like the Horse-leech still crying Give Give The gluttonous earth may as soon be satisfied yea cloyd with dead bodies put into its hungry stomack its empty Bowells as an avaritious heart can be fild with baggs of gold or silver The Sea can as soon be calm in a violent tempest yea in the most furious Herricano as that mind can be quiet which is stirred with stormie desires after wealth A covetous person is an Ahab longing sickning dying for a Naboths vineyard He 's a Leviathan in the Ocean a Pike in the pool of this world devouring by oppression depopulation uncharitablenesse c. the lesser frie the poor like Saul he 's busie and diligent in seeking of Asses even when a great a glorious Kingdome is offered unto him He 's sick of such a disease as makes a man die of famine in the midst of plenty he 's a Bank-rupt with a great estate a Marsil Ficinus Lib. Epi. 3â— Non est bonum haec habere quae dicuntur bonae nisi bonis dignus fueris Bonis enim non fruitur nisi bonus And both in life and death he is a felo ' de se He alwaies wants what he hath and this is part of his punishment as one said to Alexander the Great that he shall neither with enough nor yet with too much be contented He hath Caninum appetitum so that nothing but either Death or Grace can take the greedy Muck-worm of avarice from him He 's like that Lapis chelidonius which retains its vertue no longer then it 's set in Gold Wealth and his heart like Hippocrates Twins laugh and cry live and dye together Like those Barbarians who rejoice at and blesse the Sunrising but mourn and curse it when setting he 's only thankful foe prosperity and pleased with plenty for losses wants and crosses do fret torment distract him b Hackw Apolog p. 404. et Sive tonius Avarice t is the souls madnesse witnesse Caligula who set up Stews in his Court and Palace prostituting therein Boyes and Women to get money by it and not herewith content he would sometimes walk upon heaps of Gold and Silver and sometimes as they lay spread abroad in a large Room roul himself up and down stark naked upon them Bias his Probleme Qua re non es lassus luerum faciendo Quid maxime delectat Lucrari is if not a Covetous mans whole Bible yet at least a most Canonical Text therein upon which his life is a commentary and to which he conforms his Actions his practise with very much delight yea with all his heart He is an Alchymist that extracts gold not only out of dirt or dung but sin also and saies with c Hackw Apolog p 4â—4 Vespasian bonus est odor lucri ex re qualibet He like a Lapwing hath a Coronet an immortall soul to prize and to take care of yet feeds upon excrements and like a Worm both lives and dies in a dung-hill he like the conclusion of a Syllogisme semper sequitur deteriorem 〈◊〉 and his Motto may well be Iâ—opem miserum me copia fecit Wealth hath made me a miserable begger What Diogenes said to Alexander iâ—iting and perswading him to leave his Tub and follow him every man may truly say to Avarice tempting him In following thee Alexander thee Avarice I shall forsake my self and in being thine I shall cease to be my own A worldling with Alcibiades placeth his chiefest felicity in getting and keeping of goods and is most troubled that when he dies he cannot like Hermocrates make himself his own Executor being as unwilling to be divorced from them to whom he hath espoused his affections as he was who when he found the certain symtoms of death upon him commanded his bed to be set up betwixt two Chests which he had filled with money and himself to be layd thereon saying let me lye betwixt my friends and enjoy them as long as I can these I have most loved and when we are parted I have no hope to find any other friends d Rainold Orat p. 128. Tyridates King of Armenia called Nero his God a covetous person e Heylyn Geog like the Romans who erected a Temple to Dea pecunia and worshipped her in it in the figure of a woman holding a Cornucopia in one hand c. at if all happiness did consist in Riches only makes Gold his God and hath that infamous brand of * Ephes 5. 5. Idolatry set upon him by the hand of truth it self How more then bruâ—ish then are all those men and women who adore that which they should trample under their feet That hope to find fresh and sweet springs in a wildernesse where no water is nay in a broken Cistern That promise to themselves beautifull and pleasant fruits from a dry root or a dead tree That expect without making any other provision for themselves to live upon flying birds because sometimes they light and settle upon their ground That have no other Balm to apply unto their wounded Consciences but Money That neither have not care for any other Evidences but their Deeds for their lands That think to unlock the narrow Gate of Life with a Golden key That like a Silk-worm kill themselves with working for others spinning the thred of wealth out of their own Bowels and yet can make with all 〈◊〉 toile art and pains but a
it be not animated by striving and resolving to please Gâ—od in all things in all his actions to honour God and so though he shoot many Bowes short yet he both reaches and hits the mark the white because his heart aimes chiefly ultimately in all his services waies and works at Gods glory who requires not of us in this world perfection but integrity He 's alwaies afraid of sinning and that prevents his both offending and suffering b Probus Mater timidi non solet flere * Vis in timore esse securus securitatem time He fears falling and by that means stands fast upon an hill of Ice the world Qui semper timet securus Hâ— will not endure a Rimmon in his heart because he knows that God like Alexander will have no Co-partner nor corrival Aut Caesar aut nullus That inscription which the Common-wealth of Venice hath politically written in their Magazine c Burt. Melanch Felix civitas quae tempore pacis de bello cogitat he hath religiously ingraved in his memory and mind and therefore 't is both his resolution and care in health to provide for sicknesse in a calm to prepare for a storme in Life for death He strives and aspires to be greater stronger higher in grace and Gods favour every day then other and gives this which was Pompeys for his Motto Ego cupio praecellere et esse supremus He can neither rest nor be quiet till like Saul he be grown taller then worldly morall hypocriticall men by the shoulders neck and head in honesty vertue piety And never as t is said of the Crocodile gives over * Psalm 92. 13. 14. Job 17. 9. growing in goodnesse and godlinesse till his death What Alexander the great said to one of his Captains named Alexander Recordare nominis Alexandri see thou do nothing that will smut stain or darken the fair the illustrious name of Alexander He being like the Ermin to whom nothing is so troublesome as to be soul for it will rather dye then be soyled indeavours carefully to observe and conscionably to perform and therefore he labours to keep himself unspotted from the world to get and to keep a pure heart and clear hands to be undefiled in Gods Law and to wash his heart from all wickednesse He doth as really endeavour never to commit sin as he doth unfaignedly desire never to be damned for sin He doth think speak and act at all times in all duties and places as under the eye and in the presence of God because he knows d Seneca Epist ad Luc 83. p. 711. Sic certe vivendum est tanquam in conspectu vivamus sic cogitandum tanquam aliquis in pectus intimum inspicere possit potest Quid enim prodest ab homine aliquid esse secretum Nihil deo clausum interest animis nostris cogitatiocibus nostris intervenit And also because he knows that although man can make no through lights to look clearly into the heart yet it lies unbowelled dissected unto his all-seeing eye to whom all things even the most dark hidden and undiscernable are both naked opened and transparent He makes God his center and so enjoyes both rest happinesse and stability in the midst of all either national or personal overturnings and shakings e Let their money perish with them who esteem all the gold in the world worth one days society with Jesus Christ and his holy spirit said that noble and pious Marquesse of Vico Gealacius Caraciolus when a Jesuit offered him huge sums of money to forsake his Religon and to turn Papist again videte jus vitam He like an Eagle disdains to pursue flies earthly enjoyments and sublunary comforts because like flies they are only to be seen and found in the sun-shine and summer of prosperity but flye away and hide themselves in the dark cloudy dayes and winter of adversity spirituall desertion and death Thou art not said Cleopatra to Mark Anthony to fish for Gudgeons and Trouts but thou art to angle for Castles and Towers and Forts and Cities When the heart of a true Nathaniel like Dinah begins to gad abroad to hanker and thirst inordinately after creature-comforts he considers and tells his Soul Soul thou wert not created by an omnipotent power nor sent into the world by an omniscient holy just glorious and dreadful God to fish for Gudgeons or Trouts for pleasure wealth honour or greatnesse to love and mind such poor contemptible empty treacherous worthlesse things as these burby faith and prayer holinesse hope and perseverance in a constant course of sanctification to angle to seek wait and labour for the impregnable Castle of a good Conscience for the strong rich and beautifull Forts of vertue and piety for the Citie of Heaven and for the Towers of glory felicity and immortality He desires and delights in the society of the brethren the people and servants of God because he sees the superscription of Caesar upon them the Image of Christ lively and truly drawn and stamped by the Spirit of God upon their souls And also because he doth experimentally find that f Socrates Bonorum conversatio est virtutis exercitatio he gets good by good company He doth with an ardent zeal and pious care set up the worship of God in his family because he knows that the prisons stink but yet not so much as those sweet houses where the fear and true honour of God is wanting As that blessed Martyr g Fox B. of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 156. Bishop Hooper said And he desires to serve God who is the purest of Spirits with spirituall puritie If the candle of the Lord shine upon his Tabernacle so that his riches or honours increase he notwithstanding both longs and seeks for higher and better things and sayes as Luther did when many of the great ones of Saxony sent very rich gifts unto him Lord thou shalt not put me off so for he will not take or accept outward things for his portion or inheritance nor exchange Heaven for earth He is the Epistle the letter of Christ wherein men may run and read saving grace written by the finger of the Holy Ghost therefore he is exceedingly yea constantly carefull to keep both his heart and life fair and free from the spots of vice and the stains of sin That King of Rivers in Germany the rhine crosseth the muddy lake of Constance with a clean cours and keeps his streams both pure and clear So a sincere Christian keeps himself free from the corruptions sins and pollutions of the world and like Lot in Sodom he is grieved for but not defiled with the crimes vices and filthy conversation of the wicked for though he be in the world yet he is not of the world He mourns for the abominations of the land wherein * Psalm 119. 158. idem ver 136. and of the ungodly amongst whom he lives He rejoyceth in the
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
where you will meet with aboundant satisfaction in this particular In short therefore for it 's not my design to be Polemicall herein to me it seems to be a very safe and good rule which g Arist Ethic. lib. 10. c. 3. That rule also of St. Augustine is very sate and good viz. Quod universa tenet ecclesia nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur Aug. Baptis contr Donatist lib. 2. c. 7. Aristotle layes down sc That whatsoever hath been affirmed by almost all should not hastily be denyed by any because h Vincent â—yrinensis Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus tenetur Ecclestis id demum Catholicum 'T is a Merldian shining truth that all new waies are false waies and therefore they must be carefully declined by all those that really desire to walk in that good old way of life that leads to blisse and glory And 't is as true that they must needs wander stumble and fall that resolve to walk in crooked uneven blind and slippery foot-paths of their own making The Prayer O LORD it is no less then a signall a singular and a very great Mercy to thy Church and Children that thou hast provided and given them a remedy for Infants against the danger the poyson and the pollution of Originall Sinne wherein they are born and thereby come into the world both defiled and spiritually deformed In that thou hast set open the door of Baptisme for them at which they enter and are admitted to come within the pale of thy visible Church Lord still continue this great Priviledge nnto them And as then and there they are listed under and Covenant with the great the glorious the victorious and invincible Captain of our Salvation to fight under him against the implacable Enemies of their gracious both Saviour and Soveraign and their own immortall Souls the World the Devill and the flesh O let them be conscientiously carefull to pay their Vows to discharge their solemn ingagements and to expresse their fidelity piety and loyalty by continuing Christs faithfull Souldiers and Servants unto death Amen Baptismus janua est Vitae Christianitatis Ostium Regenerationis Sacramentum XVIII Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper T Is the Souls Banqnet 'T is one of those * Certainly then those Ministers are very not only unkind but cruel and injurious to their flocks and people that either cut off this breast by absolutely â—â—susing or dry it up by deferring and neglecting to administer this necessity food this holy and comfortable Sacrament unto them Breasts wherewith our Mother the Church nurseth and nourisheth the Children of Christ 'T is both the food and fewell of Grace Jesus Christ is in this necessary Holy Sacrament a Pelican in deed and reality for he feeds his faithfull ones with his own Bloud 'T is a lively representation of Christ crucified to the eye of faith 'T is spirituall glue which joynes and cements Christians one to another in Love and Unity 'T is a Christians commemoration-day of his best and greatest Benefactor 'T is the last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ whereby he bequeathed the precious ineftimiable everlasting Treasures comforts and blessing of his Death and passion to all worthy Receivers I acknowledg the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ administred according to Christs institution to be one of the greatest treasures and comforts that he left us upon the earth a Fox B of Marty 5 vol. 3. p. 556. col 1. Those Ministers then do rob defraud wrong their people that either take away or keep from them this precious treasure faith Mr. Philpot. 'T is a deed of Guift A Conveyance from Jesus Christ of himself and all his merits both sealed and delivered with livery and seisin to all true Beleevers whereby they have a just right an unquestionable title unto and a saving interest in the Lord Jesus and all the sweet blessed and glorious benefits of his death resurrection and intercession b Camerar lib. 1. p. 64. Darius King of Persia had in his Bedchamber a vine all of Gold which was inriched with precious stones and did bear grapes made of pearl of an inestimable value And yet this Vine was but a barren figstree and its orient Gemms but dry and withered leaves compared with that * Joâ—n 15. 1. true vine Jesus Christ and the most precious fruit thereof For if all the Gold Jewells rarities and wealth of the whole world were put into one scale of the ballance and but one drop of that invaluable bloud which flowed from this vine when it was cut when Christ was crucified upon the cross in the other Scale all those would be but feathers chaffe or mosse light vain and worthlesse things in respect of the excellency and necessity of this Since 't is only the bloud of Christ that cleanses us from fin and makes the soul beautifull in the eyes of God and redeemeth it from eternall damnation For it is not in the power either of all the glorious Angels and blessed Saints in Heaven or of all the Christians upon earth to satisfie the Justice of God for one Soul much lesse then can stones or clay reconcile an angry God and free a sinner from everlasting misery To neglect this holy Sacrament then wherein this precious bloud of Christ is freely offered to us to purge and save us is both dangerous and sinfull to contemne it without repentance damnable Si qui Sacramentorum usum ac si opus iis non 〈◊〉 erent aspernarentur non modo arrogantiae summae sed etiam impietatis in Deum merito damnari debent quum non suae tantum infiâ—mitatis subsidia sed et Deum ipsorum authorem contemnant ipsius gratiam respuant et spiritum quantum in ipsis est extinguant saith one c â—â—akwel Apolog p. 417. Aesops Son at a Feast which he made dissolved Pearls in Vinegar and gave to each guest one to drink And yet his bounty was but parsimony his pearls below pebbles compared with the love and excellency of this true Magarite this pearl of infinite price and value the Lord Jesus Christ which every rightly qualified and prepared communicant both drinks and eateth also at this Supper of the Lamb. And Cleopatras draught when she swallowed an Exchequer and drunk an Indies was but puddle muddy water to those pure refreshing life-preserving streams which flow into the Soul from that Rock of living-water Jesus Christ through the golden conduit-pipe of this blessed Sacrament â—on Anthory de Guevara Dial of Princ. Fol. 417. d When the feast of the God Janus was celebrated in Rome none were suffered to go into his Temple but those that had new apparell That day also the Emperor put on his imperiall Robes and all the Captives who could with their hand touch them were delivered prisoners for debt were discharged
Noble Rich who have the most Talents to account for as well as the poorest and meanest would but either frequently view and seriously reflect upon their pedegree which they may find and see if they will * Job 17. 4. I have said to corruption Thou art my Father to the Worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17. 4. Or if they would but diligently hearken unto and meditate upon those Lectures and Catechisms of their own frailty and mortality which God not only reads to their ears but presenteth also to their eyes in the sicknesse and death of others certainly they would neither be proud nor profane And they would also learn rightly to know both the brevity and the uncertainty of this life which is indeed so uncertain that for ought thou canst tell how great or good soever thou art that art now looking upon this dark picture this unlively description of it death may have an Attachment against thee or an Habeas corpus to remove and carry thee out of the Land of the living before thou hast read one line nay one word more and serve it upon thee without warning respect and all possibility of being either rescued concealed bailed or protected from it We are all pilgrims and travaile towards our long home before we can go Every day is a step every week a walk every moneth a stage and every year a long Journey towards our Graves Life 't is a swift Race we are making ready for it in our conception our Birth is the starting poste the time of our so journing in this World is the Green or course over which we gallop with a winged speed and our death is the Gaole or end of it Orimur Morimur Child-hood is both the death and Tomb of infancy Child-houd lies buryed in youth Manhood interr's youth and old age is the Sepulchre of them all And when these five pages which are all the leaves that Nature or rather the God of Nature hath bound up together in the book of Life are turned over by the nimble hand of flying Time Death claspeth it up and then carryeth and layeth us all down in the University Library of the Grave where the greatest best and the most curiously with honour wealth power guilded and embellished Folio's as well as the worst least and plainest pamphlets and Decimo-sexto's high low rich poor learned ignorant good bad young old men and women are deposited and lockt up untill the Author the creator of them all God Almighty at the day of judgment shall open the door raise them all out of their graves take them up and peruse them to burn or preserve them according to the Contents of every one of them the actions of their lives good or evill How much then doth it concern us to live innocently uprightly purely piously unblameably since every letter word and line in the books of our lives and consciences all our thoughts words and actions how darkly secretly or cunningly soever they have been either conceived or committed will one day be read by all the world And since at that last great day of Judgment they e Mr. Bolton Quatuor Novisâ—t p. 92. will be as legible as if they were written with the brightest starrs or the most glistering Sun-beams upon a Wall of Crystall Besides an holy life is the hand that writes a Christians name in the volume of honour that hangs it on the File of Fame and that sets the best and the most glorious Crown upon his head Triasunt coronarum genera Goronalegis Corona sacerdotis Corona Regni * A good name is better then precious ointment Cant. 7. 1. sed corona bonae famae omnes superat And this Diadem all that truly fear God shall wear for ever †Psalm 112. 6. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Their names will be fresh fragrant and flourishing to all posterity f Camerarius Some of the West-indians had this custome They used to deck with Jewels of Gold and with precious stones dead bodies And we know that in England â—nd other Countries the bodies of Noble persons are usually imbalmed Let us who professe our selves to be Christians do that for our souls which these do unto dead bodies Let us carefully and speedily labour both to inrich adorn and perfume our souls and memories by getting and gathering the Gold Gemms and sweet spices of grace godlinesse vertue and honesty because if our lives be vitious and impious our souls will not only burn in Hell and our bodies yeild an unsavory stench in the Grave but our names too will * Prov. 10. 7. rot in the World Weigh and judge then which of these ought to be preferred immortal Glory or eternall misery And whether it be not bâ—â—ter to be coffind up in silence and buried in oblivion then to live though dead everlastingly infamous Life t is an Interlude the womb is the attiring room wherein we are drest the world is the Theater whereon we act our birth is the curtain drawn to let us out upon the stage our life is the part we act death is our exit and the plaudit if we perform our part well if we live religiously and persevere in piety wil be * Matth. 25. 23 Euge Wel done good and faithfull Servant enter thou into thy masters joy Lo this honour this happinesse have all the Saints This is the portion the Crown of a Ridley not a Roscius Life 't is an hedge of thornes upon which we must not only tread but walk to our Graves 'T is a boule of Gall with a few drops of Rose-water in it 'T is a Garden full of nettles and briers not flowers Tricae et spinae haec omnis vita et falleris si quaeris in ea gaudiorum Flores To conclude since every man may truly say and ought practically to speak to live like one that both knows and believes the truth thereof with him g Lips Epist 330. Quid natus sim scio imbecillum corpus fragile morbi pabulum mortis victima Since the strongest wisest greatest richest yea the holyest of meere men is but h Aristotle imbecillitatis exemplum temporis spolium inconstantiae imago invidiae et calamitatis trutina reliqua vero pituita et bilis And since it 's better to improve then pourtray it to spend our time holily then to speak our life elegantly I shall say but this A good gracious godly life is a near sure strait way to a comfortable peacefull blissefull death And a good death is the birth-pay of a blessed glorious life that shall never end Although then the morning of a pious Christians dayes may be tempestuous and lowring yet his evening will be calm and bright whereas the life of him that is impenitently wicked though i Nun quam tristiorem sententiam Domitianus sine praefatione clementiae pronunciavit ut non aliud jam certius atrâ—cis exitus
for givenesse because he sins willingly even at that very time when he seems earnestly to beg of the Lord the pardon of his sins and so doth not please or serve but mock God For the God of love and life doth infinitely hate and will not hear those that love hatred and live in it But he will avenge himself severely upon all those that desire and delight to revenge themselves implacably upon others 64. 'T is midnight with an impenitent transgressor when he hath the brightest noontide of prosperity And 't is a serene a shining Noontide with a Saint when he is in the cloudiest midnight of adversity 65. A Saint is a great gainer though he lose all that he hath in the world But a wicked man is a great loser though he gain all that the world hath in it 66. He is mercifully cruell to his own Soul that spares the lives of those Amalekites his Sinnes But he is both cruelly merciful and merciful without any cruelty to his soul that kils them all without mercy 67. He that would live when he dies must kill by mortification all his deadly sins in his life And he that would never die * Mortibus viâ—imus Senec. must die daily 68. The sins of others will increase his sorrow that doth not sorrow for others sins 69. He that would be married to Jesus Christ must get his heart divorced from an inordinate love of worldly things because Christ Jesus will give him a Bill of Divorce that loves the things of the world inordinately For he that makes earth his Heaven or Paradise by suffering a sinful love thereof to enter into his Soul his Soul shal never enter into the Paradise of Heaven 70. He that hath a saving interest in Christ shall be full and rich even when he is empty wantful and deprived of all creature-creature-comforts But he that wants a saving interest in Christ will be poor and empty in the midst of his fullest injoyments and greatest plenty 71. His Soul is sick to death that neither is nor ever yet was heart-sick with grief for the sins of his Life which will be without true repentance the death of his Soul nor love sick for the great and good physitian of the soul Jesus Christ who is both lovely and loving to those only that are sick of love for him 72. His sins are most both odious and hainous that after he hath repented of them returns again with delight to the commission of his hainous sinnes Because he hath laid God in one and put the Devill into the other Scale of the ballance and suffered the Devill to weigh down the Lord. He hath also heard God and the Devill argue and plead and after a full hearing he doth deliberately by wilful relapsing decree for Satan against his Saviour And so he doth both undervalue dishonour and provoke God and also repent that he did repent God will therefore most certainly judge him for his sins without mercy that gives so sinful a judgment against the God of mercy 73. It 's reported that when Caesar saw M. Brutus come running upon him amongst those that murdered him he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou my son The sins of Gods Children do grieve and offend Christ more then the iniquities of his Enemies Because a contempt or an injury from a friend doth both dishonour him more highly and wound him more deeply then an affront or an abuse from a professed Adversary 74. He is a bad Magistrate that is not good for nothing And as pious Governors do clothe a Nation with the Robâ—â— of Joy and gladnesse So wicked Rulers do put it into Sackcloth and mourning 75. He that undermines the Church of God doth at once labour sweat and weary himself to dig a hole down to hel for his Soul to fall irrecoverably into the bottomlesse pit And he that persecutes the people of God by shedding their innocent crying bloud puls up a sluce to let in a crimson deluge to drown him 76. Never did any wicked men attempt to pull down God from his Throne by setting up themselves their lusts interests and idols above him or his glory but the God of glory pulled or rather tumbled them down headlong for that wicked attempt Either by humbling their proud presumptuous hearts or else by destroying their persons or blasting their cursed designes or which is yet more dreadful by damning their rebellious Souls 'T is then a fearful thing not to fear falling into the omnipotent Arms and the angry hands of that terrible God who both can and will with one irresistable blow kil and confound the offender and with one frown or stroke send him at once both to his Grave and Hâ—ll 77. A pious Christian though he hates no mans person is yet the worst most inexorable and invincible enemy of all mortall creatures to the ungodly whose works and waies his Soul doth loath and detest For by his faithful prayers he can prevail with God to infatuate their Counses dispirit their stout hearts blast their designs wither their flourishing hopes to break the Arme of their power and to rescue himself and those that fear God out of the Jawes of Enemies dangers and death 'T is therefore a stupendious astonishing madnesse in wicked men to hate those whom God loves to destroy those for whose sakes themselves are preserved to hope to build themselves houses upon earth by pulling the pillars thereof to condemn them that shall one day be their Judges and to plot and presume to plant themselves or their Posterities in the World by supplanting and rooting out the upright * Prov. 2. 1. who shall dwell in the Land whereas the * Prov. 3. 33. wicked * in whose house the curse of the Lord is shall be cut off from the earth †Prov. 2. 22. For if Cedars vinâ—â— olive and orenge trees be cut down then brambles briers and barren Fig-trees will certainly suddainly miserably be cursed burned and consumed 78. He is the worst malignant and Incendiary in a State that is a wicked man For he not only hates goodnesse and good Christians but he also both kindles the fire of Gods wrath against it and keeps it burning and flaming by casting continually the oyle of sinne upon it 79. Those Governours and great ones who are so bewitched with the fading dying and killing glories of this World as for the Love of them to slight Heaven neglect the great Salvation offered them and to reject Jesus Christ their pomp will end in pain their honour in Infamy and their Glory in eternal misery 80. He that slights opposes robs and wrongs the Ambassadours of Jesus Christ Gods faithful Ministers doth dishonour displease and bid defiance to their Master the Lord of Hosts He must therefore without repentance restitution and submission expect to receive neither peace pardon nor quarter but death without mercy that steals from or fights against the God of bounty Justice and Mercy and