with the weapons of unrighteousnesse is our pastime and delight as if there were no God to revenge nor hell to torment Luke 18. 2. like the unjust Judge in Luke we feare not God neither regard man Animas mortuas multi in corpore vivo habent Aug. Alas we have dead souls in living bodies neither Gods mercie that sweet language of his love could woe us to repentance Isa 26. 10. nor can his judgements as a fierce Lion deterre us from O mentes amentes perdidistis utilitatem calamitatis Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 33. running in the broad way of wickednesse insomuch that as Augustine complained of the Romans reason is sequestred from our minds and it is not so much our error as our fury which makes us loose the profit of our calamity Ah the trumpet is blowne Amor. 3. in the Citie and the people are not afrayd the Lion roareth and yet we tremble not so dead are we in sinnes and trespasses In this overflowing of our iniquity Quòd vivitis Dei est qui vobis parcendo admonet ut corrigamini paenitendo Aug. ibid. if we do not all perish as the old world did by deluge it is not because we are lesse sinful but because God is more mercyfull It is his mercie that we live and he spares us onely to admonish us how we should improve his patience and long-suffering by our repentance But God may justly complaine of us saying I Isa 65. 2 3. have spread out my hands all the day unto a Rebellious People which walketh in a way that is not good after their owne thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face As Cyprian once complained Inter Populum frequente strage morientem nemo considerat se esse mortalem Cyprian of the plague of pestilence in Carthage saying that among a people continually slaine by the destroying Angel no man considereth himself to be mortall So we of this kingdome plagued with warre pestilence and famine turne not unto him that smiteth us neither do we seeke the Lord of Hosts as if we would make the Prophet a lyer Isa 9. 13. who saith when thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants Isa 26. 9. of the world will learne righteousnesse Surely God hath a controversie with the inhabitants of this Land because by swearing and Hose 4. lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne When rebellion against Heaven blows the trumpet and beats up the drum desolation commonly begins the march destruction hangs over our heads as the sword over the head of Damocles but by a horse haire a twine thread I feare 't will suddenly fall upon us according to that of the Apostle When they 1 Thas 5. 3. say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape We have grieved Gods spirit by our multiplyed transgressions so that we may sighe out this lamentation The joy of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning the Crown is fallen from our head Woe unto Lam. 5. 15 16. us that we have sinned Consider this therefore all ye that forget God stand in awe Rom. 6. 33. and sin not The nature of sin is deadly the least sin hath in it the stinge of death and I may say every sin is great because it is against the greatest It may seem at first a Zoar but at last it may prove a Sodome drawing a hell from heaven upon it The wicked shall be turned into hell and the Nations that forget God When the sentence is passed there is no reprieve to be expected Psal 9. 17. Nequaquam misericordia parcentis liberat quos semel justitia judicantis damnat Greg. lib. 9. Moral tears of blood cannot obtaine pardon there is no hope of mercie in the place of Justice nor of life in the Region of death Here in the world is the Sunne shineth on the just and unjust both but in the darkesome dungeon of eternall death it is not so darknesse and sorrow there barre out all light and solace In hell there is a towfold punishment 1. Paena sensus the punishment of sense which is so great that the heart of man cannot conceive it nor the tongue utter it the fire burnes but not consumes the worme gnaws but not devoures and as the joyes on earth were torments compared with the unspeakable joyes of heaven so the greatest torments in this world are very joyes in respect of the paines of hell in this lake that burneth with fire and brimstone the Rev. 20. 10. damned are tormented day and night for ever and ever death there alwayes begins and never ends 2. Paenadamni the punishment of losse which is the greatest punishment of all sinne at once opens the gates of hell and shuts the door of heaven the damned wretches feeling the horrible weight of Gods wrath then weepe gnash their teeth and roar in the bitternesse of their souls for the losse of his favour then by the Logick of Opposites they find there is a heaven by their being cast into hell O fearfull Topicks when they are taught pugno contracto with the fist of Gods fury Oh it is most lamentable to read sweet mercy lost by the bloody characters of an enraged justice and to measure the blessed estate of the glorified Saints by the want of that happinesse not by the fruition it is another hell in hell to know the love of Jesus Christ as a Saviour by his severity as a Judge only O how much would he Aquinas Maluerâ—â—t Saguntini se suáque omnia igne consumere quà m aut faederati populi amicitiam deseretere c. Liv. Bell. lib. 1. that now lies frying in hell rejoice if he might have but the least moment of time wherein he might get Gods favour It is lamentable to hear much more to read the woefull Tragedie of Saguntus a City of Spaine destroyed by Hannabal saith Saint Augustine but I may rather say that it is most terrible to hear the story of hell but infinitely wretched to feele the fury of that unquenchable fire by reason of an immortall death and a deadly life ever dying and yet never dead What David Psal 55. 15. therefore wished unto his foes I will wish unto my best friends even that they may go down quick into hell by holy meditation to prevent their casting into it by condemnation with an Ite Imparati ad paratum go ye cursed souls which were unprepared for heaven to hell a place prepared for the Devil and his Angels ye have sinned without repentance and therefore ye must be damned without remedy Omnis anima aut Christi sponsa aut Diaboli adultera est Aug. in Gen. If the soul be Satans Adulteress and not Christ's Spouse then hell must
be her inheritance whose worke was sinne and companion Satan let us therefore labour to espouse our souls to Jesus Christ who will here decorateus with grace and hereafter when he bring us home to his Palace he will cloath us with robes of glory and put a Crown of pure gold upon ouâ— heads in the kingdome of his Father Where God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes and Rev. 7. 17. we shall have happiness without any heavinesse light without any darkness and all this without any end Let us now commune with our own hearts and consider As there is a Pallace of glory so there is a dungeon of eternall miserie both receptacles for the souls of men the way to the one is pleasant but the journeys-end is most painefull the way to the other is paineful but the journeys-end is most pleasant the voiage is tempestuous but the arrivall is beyond al expression joyfull as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard 1 Cor. 2. 9. neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him O then let not us sell this everlasting kingdome of glory for a cup of cold comfort a draught of deadly poison as Lysimachus sold his kingdome for a cup of cold water but as it is Satans heaven even in hell it selfe to bring wretched men into utter darknesse counting himselfe happy when he can make others like himselfe most unhappy So let it be our heaven on earth to fight against this cursed enemie under the banner of the Lord Jesus till we have beat down all his strong holds and utterly subdued him under our feet insomuch Rom. 6. 14. that sinne shall have no more dominion over us Now we must fight against this enemy in the Spring even in youth we must labour to walke in the paths of holinesse whilst we are able to run in the wayes of wickednesse we must serve our best Master in our best daies least we offer up the best of our service unto the worst and the worst of our service unto the best if Satan hath had our Magnificat all our daies God wil scarce accept of our Nunâ— Dimittis at the last gaspe if our soules are dedicated at first to Satan as his Synagogue it is to be feared they will never be consecrated to God as his Sanctuary Grace will hardly be courted by the old man which was rejected by the young and he shall scarce winne her in sicknesse or on the death-bead who did not woo her in perfect health if God come in youth and find no fruit beware the fig-rrees curse Never fruit grow on thee hereafter Mat. 21. 19. Manna is to be gathered in the morning and grace to be embraced in youth As Solomon whose heart was the Throne of wisedome and whose tongue was made up of harmonie adviseth us saying Remember now Eccles 12. 1 thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou Frangas citius quam corrigas quae in malum induruerunt Quintilian shalt say I have no pleasure in them It is il graffing upon an old stock and to put the Nectar of vertue into the old stincking Cask of vice is as impertinent as to put new wine into old botles therefore while we are young men let us cast off the old man with his works and put on the new man the Lord Jesus Christ who of 1 Cor. 1. 30. God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Would we then embosome our selves in Christ do we desire to behold a gracious mercie-seat in the midst of a just tribunal let us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God that he may 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. exalt us in due time casting all our care upon him for he careth for us He forgetteh not the cry Psal 9. 12. of the humble it climbes the batlements of Olympus and wrestles with God till it obtaines a blessing it pierceth the clouds of the air and by the strength of Christs out-stretched arme it dispells the clouds of Gods displeasure and causeâ—h the light of his countenance to shine upon us miserable sinners Now therefore I beseech you that are my dear friends and old acquaintance Ubi nullus metus ibi nulla religio Psal 2. 11. to set Gods mercie his justice evermore before your eyes the one to keepe you from presumption and the other from despair serve the Lord Mal. 3. 14. with fear and rejoyce with trembling Say not within your selves it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we keep his ordinance and that we walk mournfully before the Lord of Hostes O what greater deformity is Quid indecentius quam curvum recto corpore gerere animum Bern. in Cant. Ser. 14. A praefinibus arcendus est hostis Sen. there then to have such crooked souls in upright bodies But I hope better things of you shew your valour therefore by driving the enemie back in the frontiears deal with your sinnes as the Pygmies deal with the Cranes crack them in the shel sin is as the Sea if it once make but a small breach it threatens a great deluge that which first seems but a peccadillo may at last without deception of sight be seen in a multiplying glasâ—e Non est securum inter serpentes dormire Hieron it is not safe to sleepe among serpents Peccatum dulce in faucibus tormenmentum invisceribus Aug. nor slumber in transgressions for they which run the hazard commonly like men stung with Aspes they hasten to death not feeling their dying but are dead before they thought themselves to have been sick Sin is indeed a poisonous pill sugred and candied over it is sweet in the mouth but Peccati dolor et maximus et aeternus est Cicero Attic. sowre in the maw pleasent to the sense but destructive to the soul the taking of it is delicious but the operation deadly for if Rom. 8. 13. ye live after the flesh ye shal die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Though wickednesse Job 20. 12. 13. 14. saith Job be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spareit forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth yet his meate in his bowells is turned it is the gall of Aspes in the midst of him He forsakes his own mercie Lay Jonah 2. 8. Iam. 5. 9. your hands therefore upon your hearts behold the Judge standeth before the door Jesus Christ is ready to descend in a Throne of clouds to judge the world and if ye have not your Quietus est in the soul before death with a cold hand presents one to you in the body eternally miserable must ye be When the righteous shall at the great day and
generall Assizes come out of their graves as Miners out of their pits laden with gold and glory ye like wretched Malefactors shal come out of the dungeon see him whom ye have pierced and receive your just condemnation from him ye shall for a moment Rom. 1. 7. behold the light to make your everlasting darknesse the more grievous to you Therefore now while it is called to day harden not your hearts procrastinate not your repentance Hose 13. 14. least it be hid from your eyes he that promiseth to him that repenteth pardon doth not promise to him that sins repentance Presume not ye which have an houre to day know not whether ye shall have life to marrow Wherefore brethren give diligence to make your caland election sure for if ye do 2 Pet. 1. 10. these things ye shall never fall Draw neere to God with a Heb. 10. 22. true heart in full assurance of faith having your hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and your bodies washed with pure water Your Loyalty to the King commands you much but your love to God will command Qui sequntus es Davidem peccantem sequaris Davidem paenitentem Ambr. you more and indeed ye cannot well honour the one unlesse ye feare the other And as for my part I must speak to you as Saint Ambrose did to Theodosius excusing a sin because David did the like if any of you have followed me sinning I beseech you to follow me repenting and let your passing an act of oblivion on my ill example put you in remembrance of my precept for as David to Bathsheba and Paul to the Galatians so I to you As the Lord liveth that 1 Kings 1. 29. hath redeemed my soule out of all distresse wherein I trust I had Gal. 4. 19. the pangs of a new birth I travaile in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Now to conclude if any shall say Physician heale thy self Luke 4. 23. or if with my former sinnes I am upbraided as Saint Augustine was In vita Aug. by the Donatists give me leave to answere with that Reverend Father saying Looke how much they blame my former faults by so much the more I commend and praise my Physician who Ier. 30. 13. hath restored health unto me and healed me of my wounds because they called me an Out-cast Therefore having good 2 Thes 2. 16. hope through grace I will sing unto the Lord as long I live I Psal 104. 33 34. will sing praise to my God while I have my being My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. I will labour to lighten Duo suut tibi necessaria conscientia fama constiencia propter rem fama propter proximum Ambr. Epist ad Constantin in my life and thunder in my doctrine that by the one I might beate downe vice by the other approve and improve vertue Two things will I hold necessary for me towit a good conscience a good name the one to edifie my neighbours and the other to comfort my self in both will I seeke Gods glory in neither mine own praise I desire Sic vivendum est tanquam in conspectu â—ivamus sic cogitandum tanquam aliquis pectus intimum prospicere possit Sen. lib. de Moribus so to live as if mine enemies were still beholding me I will not as if I were borne under the Planet Mercurie through Gods grace that worketh in me be good with the good and bad with the bad but labour by a pure conversation to confirme the good and convert the bad or else eschew them for I may have a bad acquiantance but I will never have an incorrigible companion I will be afraid of sinning not as a servant but as a sonne I will more feare the displeasure of my God as a loving Father then his dreadfull menaces as a severe Judge I will by Gods assistance Heb. 10. 13. hold fast the profession of our holy saith without wavering and if any prevailing power shall vote in opposition to it I will pray for their conversion but not act with them to mine own confusion I had rather suffer for the Gospel then let the Gospel suffer for me God may give mine enemies leave to make no conscience of my Ship-wracke but I trust he will never give me 1 Tim. 1. 19. leave to make Ship-wracke of my conscience The testimonie whereof is that I resolve to feare Prov. 24. 21. God and the King and not meddle with them that are given to change My soul longeth for the consolation of Israel in the restoring the beauty of holinesse Revel 9. in the sanctuary which is polluted with Hereticks and Schismaticks that cloud the glory of our Church as locusts coming out of the smoke of the bottomlesse pit As Solomon saith the Prov. 30. 27. locusts have no King So these locusts will have no mortal King on earth but the King over them is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon but in the Greeke Apollyon Rev. 9. 11. Be not thou of their councell O my soul neither enter into their path but avoid it passe not by it turne from it and passe away Prov. 4. 15. My ambition shall be to imbrace truth and my studie to learne Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge as in a Divine celestial Col. 2. 3. Academie I will looke on other learning as the trimming but on this alone as the vesture of my soul other arts and sciences are Vae tibi Aristoteles laudaris ubi non es c. cruciaris ubi es Aug. called liberales but they cannot liberare me ab inferno free me from hell therefore that knowledge shall be to me the most precious which is the most gracious and saving I care not by humane learning to be as a Meteor advanced above the height of an ordinarie capacity so I may by learning Christ be as a Starre fixed in the Orbe of grace above the beggarly Elements of naturall abilities Neither do I speake against humane learning which I esteeme in the positive but only in the comparative When I mention the Sublime Raptures of a soul which is Christs Pupill the Sunne of naturall light and humane understanding must suffer a grand Eclipse I will ever account him the best scholler who is the best Christian preferring an Abcedarian in Gods O Economicks before a profound Sophie in the worlds Politicks And concerning outward estate I deem that the best which God declares by his dispensations so to be if heaven be entailed to my soul I am rich enough for had I all things in the world without hope of that I were very poor Whilst I am in the world I will take heed that the world come not into me I will esteeme it as my servant not my master as my road not my home as a wildernesse not a Canaan the pleasures thereof shall be my Vacation not my Terme God alone shall be the delight of my soule who is the soul of my delight and so do I desire to finish my course in the Church Militant that the High Priest Jesus Christ may give me a blessed induction into the Church Triumphant In confidence whereof One thing have I desired Psal 27. 4. of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple I had rather Psal 84. 10. be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse For I have put off Cant. 5. 3. my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Gloria in excelsis Deo FINIS