Verus Christianus Or DIRECTIONS For Private DEVOTIONS And Retirements Dedicated to the Most Reverend Father in God GILBERT L d Arch Bishop of Canterbury Primate c. By DAVID STOKES D. D. and Fellow of Eaton Colledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Basil. de abdic reruÌ„ To which is added by the same Authour an APPENDIX Containing in it some private Devotions of the late Learned Bishop Andrewes never before extant OXFORD Printed by A. L. LICHFIELD Printers to the University for R. DAVIS 1668. The Preface With some praevious Advice to the true-Christian Reader A True Christian doth not intend to serve his own turn of Christ servirsi de Christo as the Italians say but is His true faithfull humble and hearty servant to his power to make him the more able to be so He admits of good Helps and Advice and till he hath gotten the habit of Devotion he is not unwilling to be made devout by the book as we use to speak He cannot but think that service a hard task at the first For true Christianity is the conformity of our selves to Christ and an undertaking to fight under Christ's Banner against Sin the World and the Devil and so continuing Christ's faithful Soldiers and servants to our lives end This we undertook in our Baptism at our Initiation and Admission into the Church Militant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet who settles himself seriously and quietly about it though upon that depends Etennity Who makes the holy Scripture his chief Oracle and daily Counsellour in that point taking-in other Helps as they offer them selves till our Lord Jesus Christ by His own glorious Epiphany takes him off and disposeth of him according to his blessed will and pleasure But this end of all things is at hand It 's high time to serve Christ indeed and in this practice of Christianity we may well make use of others labours and devotions But let us withall be ready to second all their good thoughts and Memorandum's by our own fervent prayers and such like endeavours for the little time of our short life and Christian warfare So shall we end in Rest and Glory and Immortality having lived the life and died the death of such true Christians In order to that 1. Let our sorrow for our sinnes and our combates with our future infirmities keep some Analogy with our former offences 2. Let not us misapply our sorrow to any of those troubles that may cause death but spend all our sorrow upon our sinnes in a true Repentance And let us not allay or charm any stormes that arise from sin by speculations of the Book of Life or other mysteries that exceed our capacity but by an Oracle within us the answer or stipulation of a good conscience that saies Amen to the better performance of God's Will hereafter which being well done the trouble of the soul will be accepted as a welcome sacrifice 3. Let our purged and sanctified Hearts be the more pltale to obey God hereafter and more open to receive his holy Graces and more dilated in giving Praise and Thanks to God for them 4. Let us while we walk still upon Nets and Snares be the more wary and attent to our Christian duty keeping our Tinder from dangerous Sparks and our Matches from Fire 5. Let us employ our Anger in chiding our sinnes and our Fear in keeping Gentinel that they may creep into our hearts no more 6 Let the notice of Gods threats against sinners make us scorn the allurements and temptations of sin hereafter 7. Let our Good-Fellowship spend it self most in the entertaining and cherishing of good thoughts and resolutions that they may grow up the faster into divine Comforts 8. Let our zealous opposing of bad thoughts be like the bruising of the Cockatrice Egges in the sâ—…ell and dashing those children of Fdom against the stons If that will not serve let us bring a counterpoise a Meditation of Death and Hell that may roughly turn them out 9. Let us if we meet with troops of sorrow not look upon them but upon Him that is the Lord of Hostes and can turn all our sorrowes into joyes as easily as he turned Water into Wine 10. Let us give a serious check with some authority to those Idle devices that are hatched by a luxurious fancy and spend the animal spirits upon mere toyes 11. Let us noâ—… forget that all things are transient as we our selves are our bodies being like houses of clay or Earthen Uessels quickly broken and become of no use therefore let us hasten to be setled in Religious duties 12. Let us contract and correct our buisiest worldly thoughts and never show them much welcome but in their due time 13. Let our care of this world like stubble and straw be burned with the fire of divine love and the zeal of God's Honour 14. Let some private Humiliation be used upon our bodies if not a kind of buffetting in St. Paul's way yet some other way of punishing them that God may shew the more Mercy and Pittie to our Souls 15. Let us instead of Idle Visites and fruitless discourses with others be often retired to a Parly with our own Souls in a Soliloquie and visitation of them which are the richest Jewels in the world and for which cheifly our Saviour laid down his pretious blood 16. Let our ardent desire of Heavenly things confound our love of Earthly For a little viaticum will serve a short life and a little is more then God owes us But A little of God's favour is of more value then much wealth and prosperity He can make us amends where it will be most welcome i. e. Where many that are last shall be first and the first last 17. Let us look narrowly even to our Meditations of Divine comforts the good aspects of Heaven that we be not deceived in them and take an ignis fatuus a sodain flash for a sacred burning bush That 's ever false fire that brings any thing with it against the restraint of sin or care of amendment of life 18. Let this be our great care to keep our Soul in that state wherein we would have it leave this world and in the mean time anticipate our assumption to Heaven by earnest wishes to be with Christ. So may we take our flight towards God before hand like clouds elevated to Heaven and in our flight drop down somewhat that may advance the growing Goodness of some that we leave behind us 19. Let not our good Resolutions through excuses and delayes be spunne out in little Threds and so by degrees come to nothing 20. Let our Prayers be as ready for doing as asking i. e. Let 's labour to doc what we pray we may doe I conclude with Hierocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same sense A Transition of what follows in the Booke it self YOu have had the Preface to the whole Book with a general previous Advise by way of
suck it in at the other senses and make our selves senseles by the organ of sense When our wild apprehensions expose us to scorn and contempt if not to the danger of Schism and Heresy or what else may proceed from the rash and disordered notions of the weak brain of man When we make our selves sick of the Epidemical diseases of self-discontent and the desire of change though a thousand to one for that which is far worse We can pick misery out of others seeming Felicity and like all but what we have â—…ot And when we have got what we longâ—…d for we can long as much to be rid of that 〈◊〉 exchange for a new Vanity of another â—…ame Thus we tire our selves out of one â—…ish into another and through severall Emâ—…loyments run our selves out of breath As if â—…ur short miserable life had not shortnes and â—…isery enough of it selfe but we must catch â—…t all meanes and devises that may shorten the â—…ne and fill up the other If all that we have hitherto said be not eâ—…ough to fill the bosome with excesse of miseâ—…y there is nothing about us but is able to â—…rompt our memories with the sad accesses that â—…re often made to all the former dangers by â—…ome heavy and disastrous event The Earth we tread on hath often deceived â—…er inhabitants and devoured whole Cities on 〈◊〉 suddain The Air we live by hath often infected â—…hole whole Countries anf made the most â—…opulous places a solitary wildernes Fire and Water that we refresh our selves â—…ithall have been the unexpected destructiâ—…n and ruine of many healthy bodies and â—…ourishing states The like may be said of other Creatures â—…at some time or other seem to conspire â—…gainst us But from no Creature do we sufâ—…er more then we do from those of our own â—…ind Man's greatest â—…isery is to fall into the hands of man Homo homini Daemon Nature hath not armed any one Creature with such shrewd weapons to fight against menâ—… as we have invented engines and stratagems and malititious devises to make away one another by whole troupes And yet forsooth Man is he that is naturally Animal politicum a lover of society Man is he that Nature brings forth unarmed as if she intended him for Peace and Charity How many of us then are very unnatural For we find it too true there is no such cruelty as the cruelty of one man to another No such variance as that between man and maâ—… between brother and brother Nay I may come nearer No such variance no such civil wars 〈◊〉 those which we have within our selves 〈◊〉 own Affections and Reason are at the greateâ—… oddes The Body and Soul are not so united but that their dissentions are as great 〈◊〉 any Therefore no wonder if we are often affâ—…cted and vext with other men with our beâ—… friends and kindred For we seldome continue long in peace and good termes with ouâ—…selves And which of us is not conscious of somâ—… bitter conflicts that we have had with ouâ—… own passions if we be not ruled by them which is far worse To say nothing of the cruel whippes and lashes that some have had from their own conscience too This is the top of all the misery that can fall upon man Hardly can we adde any thing to this fulnes Put altogether you will say we have heard enough in confirmation of this truth though only by way of Instance and Induction Where the very reckoning up of the Particulars is able to tire and convince us and make us willing to be freed from any further proof XX. The close and fruit of the former Meditations I Hope the pious and heedfull Reader will find out sometime seriously to weigh the former Advertisements which are fit and proper Motives not onely to humble us but to weane us from too much love of a short and miserable life and from doting upon wealth and honour which may leave us or we them we know not soone For our life is so uncertaine that in our greatest strength and hope it is but a puff of breath in our nostrels that puts a difference between our estate and the estate of the dead And againe in this little uncertaine time so full of trouble that every particular Day hath his full measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sufficient to the day is the evill thereof saith our blessed Saviour himself Mat 6. 34. And if that move us not yet remember that while we procrastinate and spin out the time that spends so fast of it self Vengeance and Damnation do not sleep 2 Pet. 2. 3. While we go on securely live as we list and rant it we know not who sets all upon the score Therefore let us not defer our amendment and reconcilement to God and our selves Let us quickly make sure for those Cordials and Supports that will stand us in most stead when the cup of our Affliction is fullest and the tide of our miseries begin to overflow And withall Let the short continuance of us and our misery here teach us not only to be the more patient our short sufferings working an eternal weight of Glory but the more valiant too and the more desirous of employment wherein to expresse our selves In other cases the more the hazard is the more we rouse up and are pleased with the fair occasions that we have to show our Valour Optat Aprum aut fulvum descendere monte leonem i e. the love of our credit will make us slight all danger But in all cases we take good encouragement from the thought of the reward And why should we not here For If shortnes of time and fulnes of misery cannot awake us this I hope will that they which live well shall have them both answered with length of time and fulnes of joy in the presence of God where there are pleasures for evermore I intend to say more of that fulnes but first I will conclude what hath been said with this Morning prayer following that may help to prepare us for the busines of the day A Morning Prayer IN all that we shall do this day prosper thou O Lord the work of our hands O prosper thou our handy-work Ps. 90. 17. In all that we shall think or say let the words of our mouth and the Meditations of our heart be such as may be ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our Redeemer Ps. 19. 14. that thou maist for ever vouchsafe to be with us both in life and death Wherein for the short time of our life here give us grace so to behave our selves as in thy presence fearing nothing so much as thy displeasure hating and sorrowing for nothing so much as our sins loving and joying in nothing so much as in Thee and thy glory And for the time of our Death wee beseech thee in thy good providence and mercy so to order it that we be not found either unprovided or unwilling to
Introduction fitted for them that desire to live like true Christians Wherein if I have said somewhat which by the Good Grace and Blessing of God hath so moved the Heart of some One of my Readers that he wisheth himself worthy the name of Veruâ—… Christianus and that Salvation may this day come to his House as it did to Zacheus's upon the first hearing Christ's voice Let him remember qui non est Hodie Cras minus And if he be but as well affected as Agrippa seemed to be when he said he was almost perswaded to be a Christian. Then I will use the like words to him that the Angel did to Gedeon Dominus tecum i. e. I will say God be with thy good heart goe on in this thy strength God and Men and Angels will be thy Spectators Take Christ's Crosse upon thâ—… and â—…ight under his Banner And that thou mayest pâ—…evail with others Wrastle with God Himself first as Jacob did in his importunate Prayers and let Him not goe without a blessing Then let St. Paul acquaint thee with all the Armour of God and ceâ—…se not to use it till thou hast taken the Kingdome of God by violence It is likely upon such good intentions our worst enemie will rouse himself and prepare to have about with thee and threaten some of his fiery darts and subtle assaults drawn from the greatness of thy sinnes and late Repentance wherein he will as good as say to thee what David's enemies said to him upon occasion of his Two Scandalous Sinnes and the punishments that flew after them For then Many there were that said unto his Soul there was no help for him in his God None in this world none in the world to come as Kimchi doth well expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pregnant double word as the Jewish Grammarians call it Many said so but He was not troubled at it He laid himself down and slept quietly and so rose again in confidence that God would protect him and strike his enemies upon the Cheek Bone i. e. with a blow of disgrace Vse you the like faithfull prayers and such a blow will be enough to silence your stoutest enemies Trust God for this Cherish the good Motions of his Holy Spirit and goe on with your Resolutions and you have done well for this day Betake your selves to your quiet rest close-up the day with these Meditations upon your Pillow And you shall not want a supply of more particular advise I will be ready for you as soon as you awake GENERAL ADVICE more briefly set down for their sakes that have much other businesse In the Morning 1. When we are fully awake we may use these or the like Ejaculations PRaise the Lord O my Soul that hath delivered me from the dangers of this night and by a sweet and quiet rest fitted me the better for his service this day And O my Soul let his service be the chief work of this day O let the first-fruits of this and every day be His and the first opening of my mouth the blessing of his holy name Let my hearty prayers and praises come before him like the Incense to season and sweeten my thoughts for the whole Day that I may the more chearfully serve my God the God of all Mercy and Consolation 2. When we are retired into our Closets or Studies some Ejaculations or prayers may be used to this purpose Lord give me grace to study how I may love Thee above all in whom are all things most eminently that are most worthy of our love Teach me how to serve and honour Thee above all whose Service is both perfect freedom from the slavery of sin and the most honourable way of Employment Teach me how to fear thee above all that I may need to fear nothing else Before we come out of our Closets let us ask our selves how we mean to spend the present day in what actions or entertainments And that we may choose the best let us take a short Memorandum from the wise man which may serve as a short Sermon or Instruction for every day A short Sermon taken chiefly out of the first and last words in the book of the Preacher VAnity of vanities saith the Preacher Eccl. 1. that is All things in the world whatsoever they may be in our mistaken opinion are indeed extreme vanity in respect of those things which are above which should be the chief object of our desires If you will hear the Preacher This is the summe of all that is worth the hearing c. ult v. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandements for that is the whole Dutie of man who being a reasonable Creature owes that service to his Creator and to Him alone Therefore the Preacher adds v. 14. that God will bring every thing unto Judgment discovering all our secret thoughts and actions good or bad and passing his last irrevocable sentence upon them all The best Use that can be made of this truth may be gathered out of the Preachers own words directed to every one of us c. 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand that is Lay hold upon all opportunities of doing good every day Begin and persevere to the end and do it with all thy might as well as thou canst c. 9. 10. For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou art going apace This short Sermon may sharpen our desires endeavours to make this everyday a Preparation to the last day that we may be fitted for mercy before that day come after which it cannot be done in all the infinite length of Eternity And in all our Meditations of Death and the last Judgment let me comfort my self with this that He only is to be my Judge that is my blessed Saviour and hath fully paid the ransom for my Sinnes and desires not the death of a Sinner but the death of Sin 3. Before we leave our Closets let us have recourse to some sett form of Devotion wherein we may faithfully and thankfully expresse God's tender mercies and our bounden duty Such expressions we may find in the Psalms and Hymns and Anthems or other parts of our publick Service and such are these Be merciful to me O Lord the God of all mercy and consolation give me grace not to pore too much upon the greatnesse of my sins but to fix my thoughts rather upon the greatness of my Saviours love that suffered for them and so purchased my lihertie changing my slavery under sin and Sathan into the happy and honourable Title of the Servant of the most high God which carrieth perfect freedom along with it Teach me to make thy holy praecepts sweeter to me then the hony and the hony comb and of more value then the richest treasures and beauties honours of the world For thou O Lord art the thing that I long for Ps. 7. 4. Thy loving kindness
hath moved us I know not But shall we recall to memory what we have read of our Saviour himself Jesus rising up before day went into a solitary place and there prayed Marc. 1. 35 So he did to preach too and the people flocked as early together to hear Him Luc. 21. 37. If he rose so early to pray for us and teach us shall not we sometime rise as early to pray for our selves and read and meditate upon that which he hath taught Nor must we forget that he hath done more then so For we find him Luc. 26. 23. continuing all night in prayer in our behalf That is more then our rising early in the morning to do it for our selves But without such a high Pattern may not even this of it self prevaile with us Now and then to see the beauty of the rising Sun which declares the glory of the Creator or to heare the Birds of the Aire betimes in the Morning melodiously chanting his praise While we then looke upon the Sun going forth as a gyâ—…nt to run his race it might prompt us with the memory of our race who run here for a crowne of Immortality And while we are taken with the melody of the chearfull Birds our selves might be provoked to call upon God that He would open our lips that our mouthes that are filled with more blessings may shew forth his praise IV. The entertainment of our selves at our waking looking up attiring washing c. IT were well done of us if we would se order our thoughts that every day they might first be initiated with some divine Meditation some ejaculation or expression of our Love and Service to God Upon that first good tincture and seasoning they might be the better preserved the whole day after And we may take a hint of good Meditations from some such passages as these 1. When we wake and looke up How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep c. Prov 6. 9. As a dore turneth upon the hinges so doth the slothfull upon his bed Prov 26. 14. Awake Arisâ—… be Enlightned Isai. 60. 1. For the true light is come the knowledge of thy Saviour the Sun of Righteousnesse that enlightens every man and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Ephes 5. 14. before thou couldest wake and beg his grace to raise thee from death in sinne by the light of his countenance graciously shining upon thy dull and drousie Soule Arise for thou hast a great journey to goe I Kings 19. 7. and many obstacles in the way It is high time to awake out of our sleepe in sin For now since we have received the light of the Gospell our salvation is nearer then when we first believed Rom 13. 11. The Night is farre spent the Day is at Hand Let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of Light 1 Thess 5. 5. For we are all Children of the Light and Children of the Day We have free liberty to make our addresses to the Father of Lights and as great encouragement to expect help and succour from the power of darkness Yet a little while is the Light with us Let us walk while we have the Light Joh. 12. 35. Otherwise This will adde much to our sin and heavy punishment that Light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evil But Open thou mine eyes O Lord that I may see the wonders of thy Law Ps. 119. 18. And love him that said I am the light of the world He that follows me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of life Joh 8. 12. Open thou mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in Death Ps. 13. 3. Let not ease and security flatter me into a dangerous sleep again nor any thing else be interposed betwixt me and the true light Rather Anoint thou mine eyes with that eye-salve that will make me see clearly Rev. 3. 18. Above all shew me the light of thy countenance and be merciful to me Ps. 67. 1. and remove from me the hazard of that blindnesse which I am apt to bring upon my self Shew me the true light which is the light and life of men The light that shineth in darknesse though the darknesse comprehend it not Joh. 1. 4. The Lord blesse me and keep me The Lord make his face to shine upon me and be gratious unto me The Lord lift up his countenance upon me and give me peace Num. 6 24. That is The Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one Lord and God blesse me be favourable and merciful unto me and preserve me in his Peace the peace of God that passeth all understanding 2. When we put on our apparrel we may take some hints of holy ejaculations from these following places of Scripture Take not much thought for rayment but consider the Lilies of the field how they grow they toyl not neither do they spin and yet Solomon in all his glory which cost him dear is not arrayed like one of these in their natural attire saith our Saviour Mat. 6. 28. Therefore at least let us take no thought how to make that an Instrument or Accesse to our Pride which had no other end at first then to cover our shame after the discovery of our sin as the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may put us in mind that carry a memorandum of them both That may put us in mind to follow the advice of John the Divine Rev. 3. 8. to purchase the white Robe belonging to them that are willing to lay down their lives for Christ as he did his for them that so in that cloathing the shame of our nakednesse may not appear Then should we be secure though our Saviour himself should come suddenly upon us like a thief in the night Rev. 16. 15. that we should not be found naked to the discoverie of our shame This should be our chief aim for apparrell that apparell that will hide our fin rather then show it as pride doth So far should we be from too much adorning the bodie that may this day be committed to putrefaction And so much it concerns us to labour for the hope of being clothed hereafter with Immortalitie 2 Cor. 5. 2. To that end Let us endeavour more and more to put off the old man with his deeds and put on the nâ—…w man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him saith St Paul Col. 3. 9. And St Peter speakes to the same purpose Our adorning let it not be that outward adorning but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible We that have been baptized into Christ let us every day put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. put on our Lord Jesus Christ with Him all Christian vertues making provision
depart in that kind of Death and by that means which thou shalt appoint But so to be ever affected in Faith and Love as they that long to be delivered from this body of sin into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God In this Hope we rest and into thy blessed Protection and mercy this day we commend our souls and bodies Beseeching thee so to sanctifie and direct us in the wayes of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandements and to give thine Angels such charge over us that through thy most mighty Protection both here and ever we may be preserved in body and soul to serve thee the onely true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen XXI The Fulnes of misery here answered with the best Fulnes hereafter IN the close of the last Meditation I promised to say somewhat of a better fulnes that we might not be too much dejected by the fulnes of our misery and now I shall do it There is a happy fulnes proposed to our desires and endeavours if we will labour to be in the number of those that have no inordinate appetite to the things of this life but rather ardenâ—…ly desire and long for an extraordinary pitch of a holie and virtuous life Never counting our selves to have apprehended nor looking back to those which are behind us but pressing forward towards the Mark that is set before us which is the way and means to the price of eternal glory Phil. 3. 12 13. To such our Saviour's promise is thus delivered with his blessing Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnes for they shall be filled or satisfied Mat. 5. 6. But wherewithall with so much as cannot be fully expressed to our dull capacities Therefore it is left indefinite being far above our language or desire This Fulnes and satisfaction may seem to be the perfect expletion of all the natural desires of the soul and body and person of man with their own proper Objects as far as he is capable 1. The Soul In the Understanding with Truth it self In the Will with Goodnes it self 2. The Body 1. with Life in the true land of the living 2. With health and chearfulnes where all tears will plainly appear to be wiped away and all maladies cured 3. With Beauty where our Bodies shall be like to our Saviour's glorious body Phil. 3. 21. in some conformity to his now most glorious estate 3. The whole Person 1. With glory and honour which we earnestly expect and wait for St. Paul's word is most Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. With the best society and conversation Innumerable company of Angels 10000 times ten thousand ministring Spirits and with them the glorious company of Apostles Prophets Martyrs Confessors Virgins and other Saints that make up one quire to sing Hallelujahs in Heaven 3. With such union with God as we are capable of For nothing else will satisfie the little triangle of the heart of Man but the Trinity it self Nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sufficient is our objectum adaequatum The height of saturabuntur must rest upon that Who can fully expresse these things But we are to be excused if we endeavour to expresse what we can For there is a blessed hunger and thirst after the knowledge of them Who is not delighted to heare that howsoever we are here dispersed and persecuted we shall be hereafter as Fellow-Citizens in the same heavenly Jerusalem Hebr. 13. 14. Hebr. 11. 10. as we are already Fellow-Citizens of a lower Jerusalem which is the Christian Church built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ Himself being the head corner-stone Ephes. 2. 19. 20. We shall be Fellow-Servants in the same glorious Family of the King of Glory as we are already Fellow-servants of the same Houshold of Faith Gal 9. 10. Ephes. 2. 19 We shall be as Children of the same Heavenly Father not only in filiall Love and Obedience but also in the fruition of an eternal Inheritance Hebr. 9. 15. We shall be as the Spouse of Christ. The Prophets speak of him as of our Lord and Husband Isai. 54 5. and St Paul makes mention of it as of a great Mysterie Ephes. 5. 32. It began in our Saviour's assuming our Nature and it will be consummate at the great marriage Supper of the Lamb when we see his new Bride prepared and adorned for her Husband Rev. 197. 21. 2. We shall all be members of the same mysticall body whereof Christ is the head And the Holy Spirit will diffuse Himself into every mystical member making us all of one Spirit Not by way of Éssence and Information but by way of Inhabitance and Participation In this divine Union to the Understanding we shall know God fully not extinsively but diffusively As we see the Sea distinctly from all other bodies and know it to be the Sea and see what the largenes of the Object will suffer In this Union to the Will we shall be filled with the love of God and find a divine influence of his favour Hence are those strange expressions in the holy Scripture wherein we are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of Christ Hebr. 3. 14. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Holy Ghâ—…st Hebr. 64 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Which one would think enough to expresse the fulnes of our Felicity All this Fulnes and Satisfaction cannot but strike a lustre upon the whole Person upon our very dark bodies as the splendor of the Sun doth upon the dark body of the Moon But if any man doubt how a spirituall Substance if I may so speak can thus sparkle and be visible in the Body Let him remember how the life of the Body can clear the looks of that when it is powerful within and the Heart well pleased Let him consider how a little glimpse of the divine Vision dressed the whole countenance of suffering Steven so that his face became as the face of an Angel Let him conceive how the sight of his new-born Saviour carried the heart of old Simeon into such an exstasie that the earth could hold him no longer he was presently come to his Nunc dimittis What should I strive to say more of this fulnes and satiety which hath a veile drawn before it and cannot be clearly discovered The Devil might undertake at a venter to show the glory of all the world in a Mountain and in a Moment but there is no Mountain high enough no Time long enough to show us the fulnes of this Joy and Glory God hath purposely concealed it that we might rather love Him for Himself then be ravished with the powerful love of any reward Therefore if I had the tongue of Men and Angels my words would be but like Counters that must stand for a greater Summe For there is no fulnes like this and yet there is nothing but
longer from the Duty VVe must now learn what it is to eschew evill or rather first what it is not 1. Recedere à malo To eschew or recede from evil is not to go from one sin to another to passe from Prodigality to Covetousnes to shift from swearing to lying from adhorring Idols to rush upon sacriledge Rom. 2. 22. Thus to cast out one sin by another is but to cast our Devils in the name of Belzebub That is not to recede from evil but to change the name of evil 2. Much lesse is it to return from any Sin to the same sin again That is but to go from the mire to the water and thence to the mire and so to keep in a maze and circle of sin VVhat is it then to recede from evil I will tell you it by the several degrees 1. If we cannot prevent sin at least not to stay by it not to dwell in it not to like it but to use the best meanes to avoid it and as soon as we can to bid defiance to it for ever 2. To make such a quick recesse that our sins do not overtake us to renew their acquaintance and couzen us far worse then they did before especially those that haunt us at set times and places As some men's sins do in their Shops and other places of gain some in their chambers or Feasts or at other times of mirth and recreation some in their walks and melancholly retirements From these we must have a quick recesse 3. Not onely to be quick at it but to make such a sure recess that we fail not of our purpose For the wayes of wickednes are slippery and perplexed we walk upon snares we are compassed with Briars and pits Our ignorance or our blind zeal our rashnes or carelesnes may plunge us into perdition before we are well advised how to find the way out 4. And Lastly Receding from evil implies the forsaking of all sin without exemption or dispensation for any For the least sin can let in another and so let in death And the breach of the least Commandement can make us guilty of the breach of the whole Law All these together make up our recesle from sin and shew what need we have to fly often into the Sanctuary of Prayer and beg this grace of God that we may eschew all sin And yet in stead of eschewing how many hug and applaud themselves in it Some in their sweet sacriledg and Bread stolen from the Altar Some in their gainful Vsury some in other false delights Till those delights prove the very Theeves that steal away their time and the peace of their Souls Here were a happier imployment for such men to study how they may leave fin before it leave them and so make one step toward the purchase of their best peace by eschewing evil From eschewing evil we must now go on to entertain our thoughts with doing good And no more then needs For to decline from evil and do no harm will not serve our turn in it self To decline from evil is a principle of our Repentance and the task of a young Beginner or a new Convert who must thence go on to Fruits worthy of Repentance or else he may fall short of the reward At the best to go by weeping-cross from our sins is but like Mary Magdalens washing our Saviours feet with her tears From thence we should go on to the imitation of her pretious ointments and filling the Church with some sweet odour of our Virtues Our eschewing evill is but our coming out of darknes and the shadow of Death Our doeing good is our walking in the glory and lustre of a good Life that others seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Lastly our eschewing evil is but the circumcising and paring off our carnal desires which profits nothing unles we keep the law of good works Rom. 2. 25. For that we may apply the words of the Apostle Circumcisto prodest si legem observes Which would be observed by them that dream of a miraculous Faith which is meerly a dead thing without good works and hath no such Spell as to turn Hypocrites and fruitles Professors into Angels of Light Nor have we any reason to expect it should whether we look to the end of our Creation or our Redemption For the Apostle tels us that we were created to walk in good works Eph. 2. 10. and redeemed to be a people zealously given to good works Tit. 2. 14. And more then once God himself tels us that it is his good will and pleasure and not his onely but our glory and perfection So that holy David's advice both to eschew evil and do good may be taken for Evangelical advice at least it wiâ—…l prove so when we come to see that piece of the Gospel fulfilled of our Saviour's rewarding every man according to his works Math. 16. 27. when we come to see that they which have done no good as well as they that have done evill must go into Hell fire I should adde another thing of this doeing good for the extent of it That our goodnes should not be shrunk up into one or two good deeds For as eschewing evil was found to be the receding from all evil so doing good is doing all the good that may be The more the better and the sooner the better that we be not taken off by Death or Sicknes or some other inability before our work is well done But I may say the lesse here of this Extent because I spoke of it before in the 25 Section XXVIII A Transition to that which immediately followes with the designe of it And therein first a Defence against assaults from without us HAving taken a little view of our frailty and misery by nature and of the Happines which notwithstanding by the Grace and Mercy of God we may attain unto and of the steps by which we climb so high from so low a condition We must not think this enough though upon this information and advise we resolve to follow the best course It is one thing to know and resolve and another thing to put in execution and persevere to the end of our Christian race Many Diversions and Impediments may obstruct us in the way Saint Paul forewarnes us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of cheating wily circumventions and subtle malitious devises of wicked men and evill spirits that oppose the Heart of man Ephes. 4. 14. 6. 12. And the Prophet Jeremy tells us of a false friend in our own bosome A Dangerous Heart of our owne that is dâ—…ceitfull above all things hard to be knowne and harder to be regulated as it should be Jer. 17. 9. Let us be content to bestow a little time to enquire what advise may be given to secure us in both these cases And first in the first 1. Against all Assaults and Stratagems and