the new life we ascribe glory to him for our Election for our Iustification for our Regeneration which are the maine works of our saluation and are the ioynt-workes of the vndiuided Trinitie But yet we can follow this truth no farder then it goes before vs. Therfore when we come to regeneration there must we stop and looke no further for saluation for therein is our saluation accomplished and all the parts thereof perfected If after we will goe on to workes as to further causes of our saluation we goe beyond the truth being past the God-head and come vnto man For though it may be said that God worketh these workes in man yet man ioyneth therein with God Now the saluation of man is deriued into man from God alone and is then absolute and full in parts whē Election Iustification and Regeneration the absolute and only workes of the Trinity haue wrought vpon him For regeneration hauing put into man the seede of God which is the seede of life Man is then translated from death to life and hauing begotten him the Sonne of God hee is then the heire of promised glory and eternitie Indeed works comming after the state and right of life and glorie their goodnesse as it comes from God so it shall be rewarded by God increasing the degrees of that glory wherein before we had an vndeniable property and title Therefore works adde not a new part of saluation but only increase the issues and fruit of a part formerly possessed Accordingly doth the Diuine song of that rauished soule orderly declare Gods sauing of vs from our enemies to goe before our seruing of God in holinesse all the daies of our life So workes themselues are placed as fruits of our saluation and therefore the glory giuen to workes is but as the fruite of the fruite of saluation But why then shall it be said Come yee blessed for ye fed mee and blessed are they that keepe the commandements that their right may bee in the tree of Life So that good works seeme to iustifie and saue in the day of iudgement Herein comparisons may inlighten though not prooue If a man haue a wife of a suspected life whose many children when the dying husband calleth before him hee saith to those that liuely represent him Come to mee the true sonnes of Mee your Father you truely resemble mee therefore to you shall bee giuen the inheritance of your Father Here for their countenance and proportion is the inheritance adiudged to them yet is it not for that indeed giuen them but because thereby they are iudged to be sonnes for which Son-ship the inheritance is verily giuen them So doth God in his great iudgement he will iudge men to bee his sonnes by their good workes it being impossible that good works can come from any cause but Regeneration and for the regenerate sonnes was the kingdome of glorie long agone prepared euen by that election which was before the world So the word For doth not still imply the cause it selfe but sometimes an inseparable signe annexed to the cause as if it should be said My sonnes are heires of my kingdome those which are my sonnes and they only bring forth the works of loue these workes haue I seene in you therefore do I acknowledge you to bee my sonnes enter into your Fathers ioy 28 There are two things without in the word which witnesse it to bee excellent aboue nature A supernaturall truth and a supernaturall holinesse There are also two supernaturall things within a Christian which ioyne their inward witnessing to the outward A supernaturall inlightning to acknowledge and beleeue this truth and a supernaturall vertue changing the will into a conformity with this holinesse So in the mouth of many witnesses standeth firme the truth of diuine truth 29 Man and the earth are growne wilde by the fall of Adam both bring foorth weedes of their owne nature But as the earth is cured by husbandrie good seed so by the regeneration of Christ the chiefe husbandman and the seede of the word man is brought into a fruitfull nature and hath a remedy for the first Adam by the last Blessed be the word which is God and reuerenced and desired be the word of that Word which is of God for of them is our life and health 30 As a man in his first conuersion yeelded himselfe into a generall submission vnto the spirit so must hee doe in euery particular action and then most resolutely when sin tempteth most strongly our selues Wee made our couenant at first for the whole and continually we must performe the parts of the promised whole When we gaue our selues to the spirit of dead branches to be made liuely branches withall inclusiuely we gaue our selues to bring forth the continuall fruite of liuing branches which is done by a continuall sucking of life from the spirit which quickneth vs. Now if we rest contented onely with our first ingrafting though the Almightinesse of him whose seed is immortall and who wil not faile of his end may preserue vs aliue yet do we what wee may to kill our selues and to falsifie our couenant with him who therefore beeing offended will chastise vs with temporall iudgements and desertions and will shew that when hee is angry he is a consuming fire But let the true sonnes keepe neere to their father let them keepe close to his spirit moouing at euery motion of it and filling the wants in their Lampes with the continuall oyle thereof for this spirit is our very life and the witnesse thereof By our generall resignation this life entred and by particular resignation this life increaseth so the more we sow to this spirit the more we shal reape of life eternal Again as a mā in his great main conuersion from a sinner guilty to a sanctified and iustified man goeth ouer himself in general with y t iudgement of the Law whereby finding himselfe a man of death he flieth vnto Christ who baptizeth him from his guilt and sinfulnesse by his Bloud and Spirit giuing both his actuall righteousnes and the spirits habitual righteousnesse so after the committing of euery particular sin we shold go ouer it with a particular iudgment of y e Law wherby acknowledging it to be a worke of death wee should flie to a particular applicatiō of the great Baptisme that so putting away the particular guilt of that sinne by the washing of Christs blood and the particular vncleannesse of that sinne by the washing of Christs Spirit we which before were generally clensed and iustified may also haue a particular and continual clensing and iustification For our inward and outward Baptisme though at once performed is of continual vse and daily wee must haue a recourse thereto to wit by the outward remembring and passing to the inward that the stocke of iustification and sanctification at first imparted may be daily applied and distributed to our particular necessities And thogh being in Christ we
MEDITATIONS OF INSTRVCTION OF EXHORTATION OF REPROFE INDEAVOVRING THE edification and reparation of the house of God 1. PET. 4. 10. As euery man hath receiued the gift so minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God LONDON Printed by I. L. for George Gibbs and Francis Constable 1616. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE THE SONNES of the most High his blessed Brethren by the best that is the second Birth TRuly Honorable whose Father is God and whose Inheritance a Kingdome the diuers sparks of holy fire which haue issued from the Spirit that baptizeth with fire I haue gathered together by their vnited heate to kindle a flame where is none or to increase it where it is alreadie kindled This blessing must come from God and therefore of God haue I desired it And surely the best as ye well know haue turnes of winter euen vpon their hottest zeale and then woe to him that is alone for how should he haue heate Therfore if in the time of cooling some spirituall worke be ioyned to the heart it may bee warmth will grow betweene them So haue I often from Elisha applied euen some Prophet of God receiued life and I wish that some quickning may proceede also from this worke which in all writings is more or lesse as the Spirit therein more or lesse speaketh These Meditations are indeede diuers in their matter being diuersly borne both in regard of time and occasion yet tend they to one ende and this profit often comes from variety that some one thing among many fitteth euery one and giues an answere to the particular question of his heart The glorie of God by your benefite is that which I seeke desiring also to be holpen by you both in prayer and exhortation As for an idle name made vp still of perishing and often of corrupt breaths I leaue it to them for an end to whom God is not an end sufficient But let our chiefe ioy and glory be to glorifie God and by being written in heauen to bee admitted vnto the beholding of his glory To that mark my beloued let vs steadily aime and sending our hearts before vnto Christ let vs goe on lustily to ouertake them Let vs draw hard vp the hill toward heauen and though the flesh presse downe the world and Satan draw backe yet strengthened by the Spirit incouraged by the word and fortified with the mutuall and vnited force of mightie loue let vs carry the Arke of God euen the soule wherein Gods Image dwells and his will is written from the Countrey of the Philistims to the Land of promise And though heere our fleshly brethren Ismael and his heires mocke and despise vs though Esau with his foure hundred men looke big vpon vs yet are we sure that their time is short and but for life whereas wee haue an inheritance eternally glorious Thither the sonnes of the flesh though with long pedegrees and large treasures can neuer enter but sitting without where is weeping and gnashing of teeth they shallsee despised holinesse triumph vpon magnificent and powerfull wickednes God our strength whose cloud and pillar guided Israel to Canaan guide vs to the heauenly Ierusalem by the grace of his Spirit This I humbly desire through Christ his first borne the purchaser of our inheritance and doore of all the mercy that issueth from God vnto man One of your least worthy brethren but a great louer of you and your peace F. R. 1 THe maine Faultinesse of these Times is a Disproportion betweene Knowledge and Action or rather a meere resting in knowledge short of Action So are we come from no knowledge to knowledge alone which will not lessen but increase our iudgement and from the ouerualuing of workes to the Neglect of them Surely the errour of workes without knowledge is lesse dangerous then the error of knowledge without works But this is the best of it it is the doctrine of our Nature not of our Diuinitie For while it is taught that workes deserue not some are content to thinke they are vselesse others being truly perswaded of their vse yet slouthfull to goodnesse lie down in knowledge and will not goe on to the labour of action But as hereafter the paine will follow the fault so now let the shame for certainly it is a great shame that so much knowledge should be idle and that skilful men should sleepe in this Midday light for the light was made for walking and working not for idlenesse The Father sheweth his will because he will haue it done wee are called to be sonnes because we should do the will of our Father and Nebuchadnezzar giues the greatest title when hee calls the three children the seruants of the most high God In the Spirit wherein is Life is also Actiuenesse If we nourish not the actiuitie of it we decay the Life so kill our selues with eternall Death Christ hath no dead or vnprofitable Limbes they all beare fruite or are not his and Faith which our slouth would magnifie by resting in her thrusts vs on for her life to action for shee liues onely when she is actiue If then faith not working bee dead and dead faith quickens not the vnactiue beleeuer may speedily with a Heathen see himselfe without life As these things may driue vs so the value of workes may draw vs for by Christ who worketh them in vs they are accepted of God and haue a valuation stamped vpon them by his Grace for Grace And first though workes iustifie not vs they iustifie our Faith in the day of iustice they shall goe so farre toward iustifying vs that they shall declare vs iust In the meane time they please and glorifie God the giuer of such gifts vnto men and then euen the least of them shall haue a reward of glory which they shall set as a crowne on their heads that wrought them Let vs not therefore bee wanting to this glorie belonging to God from vs and issuing from God to vs. Besides if we will cōsider what works are in themselues we shall finde that they are streames of the Deity their fountain and sparkes of that heauenly and eternall fire Accordingly they present and expresse something that is Diuine and supernaturally excellēt whence it was that a Reuerend Ancient wel said The deedes and conuersation of the Primitiue Christians had in them a perfume and sweetnesse wherwith they exceedingly delighted those with whome they conuersed And how can it otherwise be for whē he that is blessednesse and excellence powreth vertue from himselfe into these workes they must needs haue a resemblance partaking of their original And surely there are two things in them which as they are the most pleasant of all other so they most resemble and approach to the Creator One of these is Light and the other is Loue both which put life and soule into euery good worke God is Light and God is Loue and it is a pleasant thing to
behold the Light and Loue is as the precious oyntment which was powred on the head of Aaron Wherefore good workes beeing a Diuine heauenly off-spring let them bee highly respected and carefully cherished by vs. Againe workes are to vs strong euidences of the Spirit of Life and therefore as sure as wee would be of our saluation so carefull let vs be of good works shamefull it were for them who are so scrupulous and eagre for security cōcerning temporall things not to bee more eagre for the ensuing of their Election Lastly they are excellent in regard of the benefite they doe to mankinde which also is manifold They doe good by the worke wrought and so they are as the dewe of Heauen which refresheth and nourisheth the drie and thirstie land Surely to a good Christian there is nothing more pleasant then to do good For as he especially delighteth therein to please his Maker so he exceedingly reioyceth thereby to profit his neighbour They doe good also by example for they come before men as patternes their sound goes forth and tels mankinde what should bee done what may be done and so they palpably perswade men to be followers of them that are followers of Christ. Againe workes doe good vnto men while they are mooued by them to lift vp their hearts and eyes vnto the heauenly Father to glorifie him that giueth such gifts to earthen and corrupted vessels And whensoeuer God is glorified by man man that glorifies him shall be blessed of God whensoeuer glorie is giuen to God on high peace and good will shall be bestowed on Men below If these things will not yet mooue vs at least let vs preuent the taking away of our candlesticke the remoouing of it to a nation that will bring forth more fruite Let vs preuent the scandall and shame which we purchase to our selues from the enemies of our Religion Let vs preuent the vpbrayding of Chorazin and Bethsaida Finally let vs preuent that fearefull sentence I know ye not depart from me all ye workers of iniquitie This shall we doe if wee becom right Christians in whome faith worketh by loue For the soule that is rooted in Christ hath from this root the life of Loue Diuine and Humane which expresseth it selfe outwardly in the fruite of good actions 2 It is a great vnhappinesse to many that they mistake good nature for grace For so doing they set vp their rest in it thinking they are gone farre enough towards God because they wish all well no hurt to any But it must bee knowne that good nature at the best is not grace yea it is full of enmities that fight against Grace For though it bee somewhat apt and appliable to the second Table yet it is euer far short of the first not hauing in it that true knowledge loue of God nor that inward purenesse which therein is required So the obseruing of the second Table is faulty for want of the first for if a man do neuer so many seeming good workes if they proceede not from a heart truely sanctified by God they are glittering sinnes issuing from a corrupt fountaine and tending to the sea of death For nature is exceedingly blinde toward God neither beholding nor worshipping him as god yea it is peruerted from God against God chuseth many things to it selfe in stead of God Now that which is blind cannot leade vs the right way and that which straieth leadeth vs a false way euen a way from life Therefore let-vs employ our iudgements vpon our owne estates that we may know whether there bee in vs something more then Nature and by which Nature it self may be rectified and directed to the true scope and marke which is God If there be in vs this godly and immortall seede let vs water it let vs cherish it as the life of our life if it be not in vs let vs violently knock at the doore of heauen with grones with panting desires with vehement supplications vntill there be an opening to our knocking a giuing to our asking and vntill they that thirst may drinke freely of the waters of life Otherwise if in a lazy contentednesse we lie along vpon the streame of Nature suffering it to carry vs whither it listeth certainly it slideth along to death and all the benefit wee can pick out of it is this that we go thither pleasantly 3 The goodnes of any worldly thing which so much pleaseth and moueth vs is but a spark of infinite goodnesse which dwells in God the author of it If then wee loue these small and transitorie things with so great an affection proportionably should wee raise our affection if it were possible toward God as much aboue it as God is aboue his creature At least let the creature when it giueth vs any comfort bee a remembrancer vnto vs of God pointing to him as the Author of euery good thing and our soueraigne Good 4 Hauing vndertaken the profession of Christians and considering in our owne thoughts the persecutions and tentations that may befal vs or cōferring of them with others let vs not promise to our selues or others ouermuch strength or constancy let vs not promise ouer confidently what we will do lest with Peter wee performe nothing of that which we promise For the strength which must do this worke of resisting and ouercomming temptation is not our owne but Gods and how canst thou promise that which is anothers That which is ours is onely the strength of flesh and bloud now flesh and bloud bee it neuer so lusty is no match for temptations and persecutions Indeede the spirits of men in prosperitie are prompt and forward their imaginatiōs of themselues are high and they dare boast of great things But let vs know that the diuell ouercame man at the best and what may wee not doubt of our selues the weake issue of man fallen to the worst Let vs therefore rather mistrust our owne strength confessing it to be weakenesse and in humility and confession of our weakenesse runne to God call him our Rocke and our strength Let vs say By my God I can break through an hoste and by him I can leape ouer a wall of temptations And that we may obtaine God to be our strength let vs instantly beg of him that Spirit of Fire which makes men strongly to endure the fiery tryall Let vs pray to him that he will continue to do in vs what hee hath bin accustomed to do in others euen in infirmitie to make his strength plaine and euident And that we may be fully capable of the grace we pray for let vs present our selues as vessels empty and altogether voide that of fulnesse we may receiue fulnesse In summe let vs so speake let vs so thinke of our selues as holy Paul In vs that is in our flesh there is no goodnesse but wee hope and desire to doe all things through Christ that strengthens vs euen to be more then Conquerours
incest and himselfe by his owne bowels was driuen from his palace into the fields of the wildernes Remember Hezekiah for the lifting vp of whose heart the Treasures must be carried into Babilon Remember the Corinthians of whom many were sicke and many slept because they had sinned and slept in their sinnes Wherfore make hast run to God right early acknowledge thy sinne against thy selfe and humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God that in due time he may exalt thee That is the onely right exaltation which is done by God and humiliation of thy selfe is the onely way to it but an exaltation of thy selfe without God will turne to an humiliation by God if not a confusion But if thou washest away the pleasure of sin by the sorrow of repentance if thou washest away the pollution and deformitie of sinne by cleannesse of heart and rightnesse of Spirit then mayst thou lay hold on the satisfaction of Christ to wash away the guilt of thy sin and so thou art wholly made cleane As God will not haue his mercie to bee made an encouragement to sinne so hee will not haue his iustice to bee a discouragement to them that turne from their sinnes but iustice belongs to the presumptuous to humble them and mercy to the humble and broken hearted to refresh them Come therefore thou that art heauy laden which feelest thy sinnes as a burden intolerable take the refreshing which belongeth to thee and looke not on the terror of iustice any longer which belongeth to the presumptuous and not to thee God will not that the reed brused by the Law should bee vtterly broken but that it be healed by the Gospell Gods aime in thy humbling is not despaire but Faith Hope and Loue his end is thy amendment and not thy torment But if thou doubtest that so great a sinne hath cut thee off from Christ and therefore thou darest not to make vse of his merits know this that by thy faith which made a generall surrender of thee vnto Christ thou wast ingrafted into Christ Christ was thine and thou wert his Now this Vnion is indissoluble nothing can put asunder what God hath thus put together Besides Christ in his Vnion with thee did not wholly take away thy wilde nature but powring in a godly nature left also some remainder of thy former wildnes If then this wilde nature bring forth the fruit of the wilde oliue it is no wonder for it is so left that sometimes when God hideth his face it may leade vs away captiue vnto the execution of sinne Yet the Spirit of Christ euen thē liueth in vs though in bondage for the time and grace is then not put to death but only made prisoner The seed of Christ remaines immortal he is stil in thee though sometimes thou bearest thy own fruite and not his A generall dominion of sinne excludeth a generall dominion of Christ but a particular sinne may yet leaue a generall dominion to Christ. Thou mislikest thy selfe because thou art not holy in all things thou dost well to loue and desire perfection yet though thou offendest in some thing doe not despaire for God hath not giuen any man in this life so much grace as may giue him a generall rest from sin he leaueth this world as a place of battaile and combate and referreth perfect rest vnto the world to come Now the same God though in iustice hee requires a full obedience yet in mercy he accepteth according to that wee haue hee knowes we haue nothing but what wee haue receiued and we haue receiued only so much grace as may exclude the dominion of sinne but not abolish the being of it Let vs therfore not so much busie our selues in superfluous and vnprofitable vexation of our own soules as in the study of purging our selues from our sins that wee may bring forth more fruit This is it which God especially lookes for after sin and so doing we shall vndeniably proue to our selues that we are still the liuely branches of Christ. A mans seruant doth sometimes his owne worke yet if he presently returne to the worke of his Master and makes that his chiefe and maine employment he ceaseth not to bee his seruant since most hee serueth him So and much more is it betweene Christ and vs We are his though somtimes seruing our selues especially being held by him out of whose hand nothing can take vs. Therfore thou distressed soule goe thy waies and indeuour to sinne no more and then thy faith shall make thee whole 10 The diuell hath put the world out of frame that in two ouerspreading confusions One is sinne the other misery Now Christ came to vnloose the works of the diuel and performes it both in himselfe and in his members His owne part he hath fully perfected in himselfe and now it remaines that we ioyne with him to performe that part which is to bee done by Christ in vs. Therefore against sin wherin the world blindly walketh let vs oppose sanctification seeking to place it in the stead therof both in our selues and others Against misery let vs employ the inward outward consolations which God hath giuen vs releeuing refreshing and encouraging all distressed patients This must we doe yet we may not expect that the worke shall bee perfected vntill the great day come Then onely shall be a pure separation of things now confounded Then onely shall the sinne and misery which now cleaue to the Saints fully be wiped away and then shall a kingdome come wherein holinesse and happinesse lifted vp farre aboue sinne and misery shall eternally dwell together In the meane time we must patiently behold many crooked things which no man can make streight and yet we must striue to reforme the crookednesse that may be made streight Blessed are wee if when our Lord commeth he shall finde vs so doing wee shall haue our part in the sentence of blessing and our workes of mercie righteousnesse shal praise vs in the gates of heauen And the same Christ who hath here wrought mightily in vs vnto the perfecting and aduancing of his kingdome shall there worke maruellously for vs vnto the aduancing of vs in his kingdome 11 There is great reason though it breed but little practise that we should put the loue of the creature far below the loue of the Creator the loue of things perishing below the loue of things enduring for euer the loue of things made for vs below the loue of him that made vs for whom we were made With this reasō there is ioyned great reward for at last things transitory will part from vs and the loue placed on them but God continues for euer euen after the other haue forsaken vs and then rewards the loue built on him with an euerlasting loue and on this loue attend Ioyes vnspeakable and a crowne of glory Immarcessible 12 Our knowledge in this world is little and imperfect but they that haue Christ by
second for he that commeth after is preferred before for he was before Then are we translated from death to life then are we Citizens of the new Ierusalem wee are passed from the old things which must be blotted out and are come into the new world which abideth for euer Where bee now these pedegrees from Adam and the sonnes of Adam with their swelling glory They often come forth to amate Gods children of low degree yet are these the pedegrees of death they prooue their owners to be the glorious sonnes of sinne and mortalitie But O the infinite happinesse and priuiledge of the sons of God borne of the best Father in the best image to the best inheritance God their Father begets them to his owne image and becomes their inheritance in whom is the fulnesse of glory beyond whome is nothing and therfore nothing to be sought beyond him Let vs in comparison of this new birth and life despise the glory of earthly birth and earthly life not as if we had neither eminence of birth nor pleasures of life which perchance was a reason to Philosophers but must not be to Christians and to many it needs not but because they are grosse miserable and base in respect of the other For this cause let vs especially dote on our heauenly pedegree and celestiall happinesse growing still stronger in loue with heauen as we grow nearer vnto it Let vs refuse to be called the sonnes of Pharaohs daughter in respect of being the sonnes of Pharaohs Creator And though this descent and inheritance be inuisible yet therefore are they the better for that which may be seene shall vanish away but that which may not bee seene endures for euer that which may be seene is grosse but that which may not be seene is pure and glorious and only discernable by a glorified sight 20 Gods time and our time are often different but surely he that is wisest appointeth the fittest times Accordingly God who is wisedome giueth both meate and all things in due season Let vs therfore with patience surrēder our selues vp to him in all our necessities suffering willingly his time to be ours For he will come though he seeme to tarry and that in the fittest time Luk. 18. his comming being quicke enough in his iudgement when sometimes it seemes slow to ours 21 The children of Anak and Achitophel out of the acknowledgement of their owne strength and cunning thinke that if God would haue any seruants he would chuse such able men as themselues and not the meaner sort whome they despise with the Pharisies saying Doth any of the Pharisies beleeue in him but this base people which is accursed Againe they are perswaded that if God would not finde out them they could finde out God sooner then the simple swaine that beleeues as they thinke only out of a low spirited feare But let them know that the more earthen the vessell is the more is the glory of him that doth great workes in it For the basenesse of the vessell puts away all the glory from it selfe vnto God Therefore according to Gods speech of Gideons armie They are too many for me to ouercome Midian by them wee may say of these iolly men They are too good for God to worke his glory by them yet humility acknowledging all sufficiency to bee from God and to bee nothing without him might take them downe and so make them fit for God But as for the finding of God in Christ without his owne light surely they may as well finde the Sunne in the night and the secrets of the spirit of man when the man himselfe is silent God must shine if hee will bee seene he must both tell his secrets and giue an vnderstanding to conceiue them if man shall receiue them As no man can see God liue so no naturall man can see Christ who is God as long as he liues a meere naturall man He must dy and especially to his owne wisedome and his very sight which hee magnifies for clearnes must be acknowledged for blindnesse and be brought to be cured by the lightsome Spirit of Christ which then will shew him from whome it selfe proceeded 22 We are gods and not our owne so are our children by creation if not by sealing Why should we doubt that God will not prouide for his owne and in this doubt seeke to piece out his prouidence with a distrustfull prouidence of our owne which indeed at the best is but a shrid of his Surely our selues and our children being more his then ours and his loue to his owne being purer and wiser then ours we might rest well contented with that portion which is granted by him to our lawfull endeauours For the heauenly Father giueth good yea the best gifts though the earthly fathers would faine sometimes giue greater ones But the greatnesse which the earthly desire is earthly but the good which also is great that the heauenly giues is heauēly And this God knows to be a substantiall blessing for it is blessednesse it selfe stretching beyond time reaching in place aboue moth and rust Be we then thankesgiuers not murmurers when wee or our children haue store of grace though with little wealth for we are then very rich in the true treasure though not in the vanishing and our Father hath prouided for vs many cities and a large inheritance Luk. 19. 17. in the land of the liuing 23 The Scripture hath authority selfe-vpholding in it selfe because it is the word of God and this it hath and is whether men receiue it or not Truth is as much truth whē it is not acknowledged as when it is But the true manner of receiuing it is this At first the Church inlightned by Gods Spirit saw beheld in it the truth of God receiued it and commended it to all to be beleeued Now the learners of Christianity receiue it first on this commendation of the Church before by it they receiue the Spirit to discerne it As children beleeue rules giuen by their Masters vpon trust before that by the rules they come to the knowledge that they are right rules But after hauing beene inlightned by the Spirit they receiue it then vpō their own knowledge as the first Church did And thus proceeding they come at last to iudge the Church it selfe by that word which before they receiued from the Church So while I am a naturall man I receiue the word of men but when I become a spirituall man which discerneth all things I then discerne it to be the word by the Spirit And the beleefe which comes from this spirituall discerning is truly and onely faith the former is only credence and trust the one hath the very word for the obiect thereof the other the persons of men Now miserable is the estate of that Church that hedgeth in men within that trust and neuer doth suffer them or at least incourage them to proceede to faith Where it is taught
haue in him iustification and sanctification yet God expecteth wee shall not let either of them shift for it selfe and to worke on vs not working therwith But hee looketh that daily sinning against him we should daily offer vp to him the iustificatiō of Christ to purge away the guilt of sinne and daily request of him the Spirit of sanctification and the increase thereof to purge away the defiling of sin Thus doing we keepe our selues in cōtinuall purenesse and to be pure wee must do thus And because the latter is most painfull but absolutely necessary we must giue great heede therto For all sinne leauing on vs guilt and a staine the guilt is not ordinarily forgiuen except the staine bee taken away therefore as oft as we would be forgiuen of the guilt by Christs bloud let vs aske Christs Spirit to wash away the spot contracted by sinne When Dauid will hopefully pray to bee deliuered from bloud-guiltinesse hee must pray also Create in me a cleane hart and renew a right spirit in me Thus must the sonnes and daughters of God put away euery vncleannesse from among them beeing perfect in their purposes and endeauours as their heauenly Father is perfect And when they intreate this Spirit to clense the blemish of their soule they must doe it with a submission to the spirit to be wholly guided changed therby and particularly to haue that very sin slaine which before defiled them that the spirit may be as it were reuenged on the sin which grieued it and that it may be restored to the true place and power thereof euen of raigning dominion ouer vs and our sinfull lusts from which it was degraded by that rebellious sinner which therefore must now bee subiected and cast downe vnder it 31 Death in respect of this life seemeth to bee a great euill because it is an end of life and of all the pleasures thereof But the same death is rather a most excellent benefit which putteth vs out of this life subiect to euill and whose natural happinesse is in the creature into an eternall life beyond the reach of euill whose happinesse is the enioying of the infinite fulnes of the Creator in whom the goodnesse of the creature is also included Therefore death is a gate whose neare side though it seeme couered with blacknesse yet the inner side is couered with shining gold and the purest light hath her dwelling there Let vs therefore with the holy men of God by faith looke to the farther side of this partition let vs pierce beyond darknes vnto light beyond the shade vnto glorie not sticking altogether with the blind multitude on the darknes which is on this side as bounded therewith Then with Paul shall we crie to be dissolued to be with Christ wee shall so admire the inside that wee shall despise the outside wee shall with the holy Martyrs Saints push at this gate saying Open the euerlasting doores that wee may enter in vnto the King of glorie Besides if wee will looke from our selues to other creatures wormes birds and cattell die for the profit of men yea for their pleasure yet man created them not neither can claime any right to this power of their liues but by gift But God by creation hath a right to man and for his glorie hath appointed man to die which oweth infinitely more to God then the creatures to man yet man is loth to do that for God which without feeling he will haue the beasts doe for him But O man yeeld to thy Maker be thou for him who hath made the beasts for thee and therefore himselfe Breake not this appointed order thou hast this addition of comfort thou goest to happinesse when thou diest and so God doth not kill thee but call for thee He takes thee not from being but alters thy being and makes it better follow him gladly therfore remouing thee to blisse and the Law which thou willingly allowest on the creature to his extinguishment allow also vpon thy selfe for thy aduantage But if thou wilt not yet away thou must thou maist lose the benefit which might be made of it but escape thou canst not the decree of heauen must stand in despight of thee and to conforme our selues to it is our chiefe wisdome and ease 32 Many things are troublesome and full of worke one thing is easie readie and mannageable Many things can tend no farther then this world which tendeth but to vanitie and corruption one thing tendeth to eternitie and to happinesse in eternitie Againe these many things leading to vanity hinder much that one thing which leadeth to eternall felicitie Let men therefore chuse that one which is easie and rewardeth with happines rather then the many which comber vs only for vanitie But especially let them beware that with those many things of vanitie they comber and hinder not that one thing of felicitie Let them beware that with temporal trouble they purchase not trouble eternall and so take paines neuer to bee out of trouble Many there are who haue a smoking flaxe of religion in them and ambition or couetousnesse allureth them to put into their harts the many things which are combersome thinking still to retaine roome for that one thing which is necessarie But by little and little the many things so possesse the heart that the one thing is thronged out and the smoke which might haue been a fire is no longer a smoke Thus doe they kill the spirituall life which began in them and with many cares buy death eternall But pittie your selues O ye sons of Adam know your strength and take heed you sell not your soules for the whole world Some indeed haue a greater force and dispatch to turne ouer many worldly businesses but take heed thou ouerlay it not Some are weake and a little ouerthroweth them Let not a horse vndertake the burthen of a Camell and let neither goe beyond his strength the surest way is to bee faultie if on any side on the best and surest side therefore bee sure thou allow enough to that one thing which is necessarie though thou abridge and lessen those many things which are troublesome and transitorie But if thou fillest and ladest thy selfe with care thou becommest indeed a Camell euen a beast of burden thou canst not goe through the eye of the needle thou hast too much about thee to goe in at the straight gate of the Kingdome of heauen 33 Mankind hath rooted in it a facultie or rather an impotencie of desiring which cleaueth fast to him through his whole life Whatsoeuer outward changes befall or whatsoeuer prosperity without change there is a roote of lust and desire in man which still will bud foorth and if it fasten on nothing to be desired it is in paine and desireth earnestly to desire something The reason of this is the saying of Christ That which is born of flesh is flesh to wit that which is borne of fleshly lust is lustfull flesh
being filled with multitude nor with a spirituall the multitude hauing in them though fewest seuen thousand that bow not to Baal nor any dispensation from God for it but a law of God against it this neere intermarriage is a loathsome abomination in the eies of God It is a sinne against nature and so abominable euen to mans first and naturall apprehension 44 The course of the children of God through this world vnto heauen is the very course of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan Israel is born in Egypt vnder the seruice of Pharaoh and brought from vnder him by a mightie and outstretched Arme escaping the death of Egypt by the blood of the Lamb. Gods children are begotten in the Kingdome of Satan and drawne from his subiection by his mighty power who can onely bind the strong man and take away his goods By the blood of the Lamb Christ Iesus they also escape that death which is due to them by being borne in the kingdome of Satan The Israelites by the red Sea were cleared from the prosecution and danger of Egypt and through it found a path toward the land of promise The true Israelites by spirituall and inward baptisme are dead vnto sinne and the kingdome of Satan and by that death escape from them hauing also a way painted out by the sanctification thereof to the Kingdom of blessednesse Forty yeeres long after their man-hood did the Israelites wander in the wildernesse vntill they came into Canaan and fortie yeeres are the vsuall time appointed to the children of God to trauell in this world before they come to rest And in this fortie yeeres the onely ordinarie food of Israel that gaue them life and comfort was Manna from heauen and the chiefe food of the regenerate is the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in them and is their life and comfort Slender and light did that Manna seeme to the Israelites yet sufficed to bring them to the land of Promise and small doth the life and comfort appeare of this Spirit to fleshly reason euen of the regenerate but it will serue to bring them to heauen and to comfort and strengthen them by the way Manna shewed that man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie word which proceedeth from the mouth of God to teach vs that by this Spirit which proceedeth from the breath of God we haue as certaine a life as wee haue by bread But as at first there was an host to fetch Israel backe into bondage and at last there were hosts giants gates of brasse to keepe thē frō the possession of the Land of Promise Accordingly when Christians are escaped from the kingdome of Satan by regeneration and walking to Ierusalem which is aboue Legions and armies of wicked spirits the gates of hell yea Og the King of Basan the huge Prince of hel and the Principalities of darknesse fight against them and seek to turne backe and stop their progresse vnto rest But vnto Israel their enemies were as bread euen a prey and a triumph and to vs the God of peace will tread Satan vnder our feet the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs but their temptations shall bee our aduancements and their resistance shall giue vs the title of conquerours And that we may make full benefit of this example let vs especially be carefull to walke like those Israelites which continued and perfected their course from Egypt to Canaan the chiefe resemblances among the Israelites of the true Christians among vs. Let vs auoide the sinnes of them who fell by the way let vs make great reckoning of the Manna of the Spirit feeding comforting and contenting our selues in all estates therewith in all estates trials and changes For this small dram of our new birth though it seeme to melt sometimes before the heate of tentation and the bread thereof tasts not so strong as the onions and flesh pots of naturall lust and pleasures yet it is of the wombe of the morning it comes from the day-spring on high it hath life eternall in it and this little seed shall raise vs vp in the glorious image of the incorruptible and euerliuing sonnes of God For the weake things of God are euer strong inough to accomplish their appointed end they are backt with omnipotence and if they wanted any thing in thēselues yet from that shall they draw perfect sufficiencie 45 The sanctified soule in this world is a widdow Christ is her husband and he is absent from her The senses haue their pleasant obiects to delight them the flesh hath grosse matter enough to satisfie the lusts thereof But the soule beholdeth not an obiect for her pure ioy for hee whom the soule loueth and should only loue is gone to a farre countrey yet is her heart towards him shee thinkes still vpon him though a pilgrime in a strange land shee breaketh out into longing passions and inquireth of the sheepheards for him she lookes by a chinke with the eye of spirituall light into heauen and so hath a glimse of him for whom shee is sicke of loue for he stands behinde a wall this earth of ours is a partition betwixt vs and him and he lookes through it but by a little grate yet still is shee his only as he is hers shee reioyceth in him and remembers his loue more then wine shee entreates him to draw her that shee may run after him to set her as a seale on his heart and as a signet on his arme for her Loue is as strong as death She fitteth her selfe for him by being all glorious within and chastly reserues her selfe vnto him as a garden inclosed and a spring shut vp Shee is decked with fruitfulnesse euen with fulnesse of all sweete fruits trees of incense al sweete spices Thus louing thus glorious thus chaste thus holy thus fruitfull in goodnesse shee waiteth for his returne vntill the eternall day breake and the earthly shadowes flie away This is a sanctified soule goe thou and doe the like 46 Herein is that in expressible height of Gods mercy to his elect much expressed that the most wise and laborious men in morall goodnesse yet not hauing grace passe vnder the Law and their very goodnesse is condemned to be sin For such indeede it is not comming from him who is the only Author of goodnesse nor returning to him who is the true end of all things Yet weake and sinful soules though laden with great infirmities by the mercie of God are taken from the Law into grace so their many sinnes are forgiuen them that weake and fraile men if striuing against sin though often falling into it might yet comfort themselues in that high mercie which laid hold on them and singled them out for its owne sake and not for theirs and that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe for the glory of flesh without the mercy of God is but shame to it selfe and matter for iustice As therefore we haue an infinite benefit freely
bestowed let vs thankfully glorifie the giuer who gaue it vs chiefely for his owne glory and withall let vs take heede that though there bee so great mercy with God yet wee make not worke for mercie lest mercy tempted turne into iudgement 47 The obedience of insensible and brute creatures vnto the will of God is a great checke and reproofe vnto the disobedience of man Man is the chiefest of creatures and they the lowest yet doe they as farre exceede him in obedience as he doth them in naturall eminence The will of God is a straight and fixed line to which all things created by the same will should so fit and fashion themselues that they should not bowe from it in any degree This doe the baser things stedfastly following the imprinted light law of their first Creation So the storke and swallow know their appointed times the oxe knowes his owner and the Asse his masters crib the sea moueth in setled and vnmoouing course the starres fit their many changes to a steadie rule answerable to the will of him that neuer changeth But man that had a burning Lampe euen a fountaine of light in his soule whereas brute beasts haue but a light determined and certaine and liuelesse things haue no light of reason but an orderly influence and moouing power fixed into thē this reasonable man is wholly gone astray from his rule and not onely runneth from it but against it Thus is he farre worse then things worse then himself and openly shewes that he hath fallen and not they What now remaines but that as this abased Lord of creatures hath beene checked and reprooued by the creatures his vassals so he should also bee instructed by them Therefore ô thou man goe willingly hereafter to the Oxe and Asse to learne thy duty There is in them as in the Asse of Balaam that which may instruct thee Be ashamed of thy corruption and fall but bee not ashamed by any thing not falne to bring thy selfe back to the place from whence thou fellest when thou seest creatures obedient to thee thence know that obedience is also due to God from thee who is infinitely more aboue thee then thou aboue them When thou seest mutuall loue betweene creatures of one kinde learne thence Charitie to thy owne kind In sum when thou seest any creature continuing the steady appointed course of his kinde call thereby to minde that there is a certaine and appointed course to thee also wherein thou shouldest as certainly satisfie the will of thy Creator who requireth a conformitie of all things in their place and order and the chiefest of the chiefest 48 It hath beene an often pollicy of Satan when hee could not pull downe good things with euill to pull them downe by setting them together by the eares betweene themselues Not to mention the too-much opposition betweene the reformed Christians I can example it in the quarrels which haue been betweene faith and workes prayer preaching and the commendation of the learned workes of some in a comparatiue despite of as profitable works of others But this is an vnkindly debate and issueth by no meanes out of the nature of the things thēselues but from mans contentiousnes want of iudgement or ouer-prising our owne apprehensions Each vertue hath her seuerall place and in that place shee excelleth hath commendation and thrusteth out no other vertue either from place or worth The place of faith is first in the vnderstanding but working downward on the wil and affections it ioynes vs to Christ so is it the hand of the ingraffer it sets the eye of the soule euer on God in Christ it is excellent for vnion for all the benefits and fruites comming from that vniō wherof workes are a part The place of workes is chiefely in the will and affections yet grounded in the vnderstanding springing forth at the members They expresse the vertue of the vnion they praise and glorifie him that bestowed this vnion they are excellent as fruits but they haue both being excellence frō him whom faith apprehendeth Preaching deliuers words of knowledge of reproch of comfort of exhortation to our ignorance to our sinnefulnesse to our despaire to our deadnesse of heart yea it teacheth vs how to pray it perswadeth vs to pray prayer fetcheth downe grace from the Author of grace by which preaching it selfe is made profitable and life is put into the dead letter it prouides vs for hearing and makes vs able to doe what we heare In summe it procures helpe in all things from him without whom we can doe nothing Thus it seemes both faith and workes prayer and preaching bee of kinne mutuall embracers and farre from that contention which is fastned to them each desire that their fellowes may haue appointed time and place because in their prosperitie themselues doe Horish Now for the last kind of debate which hath been set betweene excellent writers discretion and charitie might serue for a full remedie If any one bee in any thing good and profitable charitie and wisedome will rather commēd that worth of his then obscure it by comparisons if another be more learned it may bee the lesse learned doth more edifie and sure it is that such contention doth not edifie at all The Schoolemen are excellent in subtilties they search how things are they dig for the roote and in sum if sifted from errors and clearely cōceiued they may giue great light to the vnderstanding Another Diuine goeth more plainely to worke he sets foorth the matter without curious search of the manner herather shewes that it is then how it is yet he shewes enough for saluation hee shewes enough for the most general capacitie and withall he mooues the will and stirres vp the affections to receiue life refuse death The first make a few men excellent but find not often a fit great audiēce they are good teachers of teachers The later doth generally profit he goeth into the wil affections vnlockes the heart for God the seate where he delights to dwell Of this kind hath this age most neede of of which prophecies foretold that the loue of many shold now waxe cold that men should loue their pleasures more then God and of which experience telles vs that knowledge hath farre out-run obedience which should follow close at the heeles of it and therefore of the two lacks most nourishment and incouragement Generally let them that build the house of God if they hold a sword in one hand yet hold it against the enemy not one against another much lesse let the by-standers take their swords out of their hands and fight for them when they will not themselues The building is not promoted by this meanes but hindered yea pulled downe 49 The euils of this life are great and many whereof some are immediately from the hand of God others from the wickednesse of men others from the malice of Satan and of these also God hath the
command These euils are by men diuersly receiued some entertaine them only with passion and these cure one vexation with another and adde sorrow to sorrow Some by reasons morall or naturall seeke to preserue their owne quietnesse and these obtaine not often what they seeke and if they doe they haue but a fading and transitorie rest which being past is all one with sorrow past for then they are both like vanitie and nothing But a third sort of receiuers are they that receiue them with faith euen a beleeuing soule whose obiect is God in Christ and which looking vp to God both sees him and in him sees what hee sees in these euils this is the going into the Sanctuarie where the euils of this life are only truly discerned and so thereby conquered For looking vp to God we see him our mercifull Father vnchangeable Sauiour and our stedfast happinesse we see that the euils which he sends or directs to vs are rods of loue and their stripes are healers they punish the flesh and that but temporally that the spirit may liue eternally And for the wicked who are somtimes gods executioners he tels vs that he beholds their wicked actiōs that they stand in the slipperie place of a transitorie and dying life and that they and their works shall come to iudgement and then their wrongs shall turn into eternal tormēts to thē to vs into eternal glory And euils thus receiued are comfortable euils for by faith we see affliction to be a treasure euerlasting farre better then treasures of Egypt they are edifying euils for they build vs vp being beaten downe in the body of sinne wee are built vp in grace and truth So these beleeuers onely make benefit of euils and in stead of being vexed by them or receiuing no aduantage of them they turne them into spiritual nourishment therfore let vs goe still armed with this faith which only ouercommeth the world and makes it seruiceable It is the onely strength and support of a Christiā in this vale of miseries and that which keepes him from being oppressed of them and that helps him to suppresse and vse them As much faith as wee haue so much strength we haue and if we lack strength we lack faith If then euils pursue thee and thou faintest vnder them know that thou wantest faith as surely as Peter did when he began to sink For how can the beleeuing soule be ouercome which beholdeth the Almightie on her side euen when ten thousand hemme her in yea which then beholdeth these euils short and transitory yet by transitory lightnesse working eternall glorie Beleeuest thou these things and yet art thou afraid it cannot bee that thou shouldest be afraid of happinesse though entred into through affliction but that thou dost not verily behold and apprehend it Therefore hencefoorth in thy troubles goe out of thy flesh and consider not therwith for flesh and blood will adde waight vnto them but goe into the Spirit where the Comforter dwels by his anointing working faith in thy soule there shalt thou find wherwith to conquer there shalt thou finde wherewith to comfort yea to better thy selfe by euils 50 If it be asked who is the greatest foole it may be answered The worldly wisest man For true wisedome is that onely which finds out true happines and agreeth with the highest wisedome the begotten of God proportionably that is the greatest folly which is most laborious curious and effectuall in seeking vanitie instead of happinesse and the whilest goeth astray with all the might thereof from him who onely is the soueraigne good Therefore when thou seest a man by wicked craft gathering about him thicke clay and setling his hope and heart thereon know him to bee the great spirituall foole and his good successe therin to bee but prosperitie in folly For his deceiued hart feedeth on dust and vanity he hath forsaken the fountaine of liuing waters and hath hath made cesternes for waters that faile this the end will make euident for then it will appeare euen to the foole himselfe that the foundation can no longer stand then the thing on which it was founded But in the ende the earth shall melt away the elements shall consume with heate and therefore the hopes built on earth and earthly things must needes fall downe and wholly be ruined But that infinite and eternall happinesse whose name is I am hee is for euer The hopes built on him cannot be shaken the heart fixed on him cannot be ouerthrowne that foundation remaineth sure and the building thereon is Mount Sion which cannot be moued he will bee left after all things to receiue and crowne thee Be wise therefore O ye Princes yea be wise O yee wise men of the earth Kisse the Sonne euen that eternal wisedom be yee instructed by him and then ye shall be truely wise his Spirit will teach you that truest wisdome to lay your out money that for food of eternall life to forsake these drie cesternes which containe those fading and dying pleasures and to seeke the fountaine of liuing waters euen the God of Gods in whose presence only is the fulnesse of ioy and with whom onely are the pleasures for euermore 51 A great burthen of this Iland is blasphemy the prophanation of the name of God a heauy yet vnprofitable sinne it is by which God is dishonoured and man damned at a very low rate So doth this people sel himself for nothing and as seekers of death rather then they will not die they will anger God of set purpose and without profit procure their owne destruction Surely as it hath bin well obserued this sin hath a more pure corruption and venome in it then most of his fellowes for other sinnes haue commonly some sensible profit or pleasure to Midwife them into the world but this in it selfe is neither pleasing nor profitable but issueth out of the meere prophanenesse of hart euen of a carelesnesse and contempt of God For how can it be but God is exceedingly despised and neglected when his name is vsed to make vp idle places of a hollow or vnfilled sentence or to vent or vtter with some grace force the choler malice of a displeased man But be it knowne to thee O man of what sort or degree soeuer thou bee that God made thee to serue him and in part of seruice to feare and sanctifie his name indeed thou art not of thy self worthy to serue or to name him How then darest thou to make him and his name to serue thee thy prophane discourse thy rash and vntempered anger It was written anciently Holines to the Lord and surely where God is holinesse is about him where God will bring any to him hee puts holines vpon them and where his very name is he will haue holinesse applied and appropriated to it Therefore his name must bee brought foorth onely in holy vses and an extreamely vnfit match it is to ioyne the
farre that we feele not the power thereof yet our vnion still remaineth with him and wee are not parted from Christ though his vertue somewhat depart from vs wee are grounded on the Rocke and hell gates cannot preuaile against vs we are one with life and life cannot wholly forsake vs. Yea after desertions when God hath drawne vs to giue him the glory which is his owne and so instructed and bettered vs by his chastisements for punish vs meerely hee will not because wee are his sonnes hee addeth to this benefit another euen an increase of grace beyond the old bounds So that though out of our selues he giues vs humiliation yet from our vnion with him he giueth vs exaltation that he which glorieth may glorie in the Lord and that hee which wanteth may seeke him onely who onely filleth the hungrie with goodnesse 55 Death at y e diuels first bringing in of it was a fearfull punishment cutting off man from all ioy and comfort But when God in his mercy annexed infinite and euerlasting ioies vnto death death became then aduantage and that an especiall one as being the gate of eternall happinesse But the naturall man seeing onely with naturall eies beholdeth therfore only the sensible and visible comforts of this life not knowing the second ioyes wherfore his desire being bounded with his knowledge resteth onely in them and accordingly he accounts death a chiefly miserable feareful thing by which he must be depriued of such ioyes But the spirituall man by the spirituall eye of faith which the other hath not discerning spirituall things beholdeth euidently the infinite endles ioyes which are in the glorious presence of the highest happines euen God the Creator and valuing them according to the ods of their worth hee longeth after them he thirsteth to inioy them hee accounteth death that which it is euen a great aduantage as that which doth not take away life altogether from a Christian man but most happily changeth it turning a life fraile miserable and sinfull into a life mortall secure holy and happie And as that which doth not take away ioy but changeth it turning the impure narrow and the interrupted ioyes which here we take in the creatures into a pure vnbounded incessant ioies in God the Creator Now herein is the great difference betweene a naturall man and a Christian. The naturall man is in bondage while he liueth for feare of death hee goes on casting an eye still on this vizard as a thing of terror affrightmēt he is troubled with the darknesse of not being the fearefull shadow of death But the true Christian is bold as a Lion hee treadeth vpon death as hauing lost the sting by which it may kill vnto a second death he gladly makes vse of it willingly giuing himself to it as to a messēger of God which comes to fetch him from earth to heauen from miserie to felicitie from the workes of the sixe daies which could not blesse their daies to that blessed rest of the Maker of those workes which rest blessed the seuenth day it being indeed blessednesse it selfe and there being no other blessednesse but it selfe Be it therefore the high priuiledge of the Christian to enioy death to reioyce in it to account it the dore of felicitie And that euery Christian may make vse of this priuiledge this must also be the practise of a Christian euen often with the eie of faith cleared by prayer and meditation to behold the ioyes which are at the right hand of God euen the glory of the new Ierusalem whereof God is the Sunne For as much as we se it so much shall we see it to surmount all worldly ioy and as much as we see it to surmount so much shall our desire to it surmount our desire to the world and finally so much greater shal be our loue of death as our desire to that ioy is greater Wherefore if thou louest death but a litle thy sight of that ioy is but little but see it more thy affection to death shal be more If nature run to the eie and eare to draw thee to life run thou to the word spirit to draw thee to heauen These will shew thee more reason why to desire God thē flesh can why to loue this life But thou likest as thou saist the bargaine well and dost account it gainfull exchange but thou likest not the means death is painful and thou art not cōtented to be happy by paine Surely sicknes is paine but death absolutely in it self seemes not to be paine For the setting of a ioint is many times more paine then death by a consumption The conuulsions which appeare are cōmonly from the strife of nature with diseases but death followeth vsually after nature is ouercome and then life goes out gently like a consumed taper But if it must be cōfessed that there is paine in the sicknesse of death or in death it self get thou again into the spirit yet shalt thou see that death is aduātage Al the suffrings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shal be reuealed For the weight of y t ioy is an exceeding weight and ouerweyes farre all temporall and momentany affliction Therefore if by lesser weight of temporall griefe thou purchase y e exceeding weight of eternall ioy thou art yet a great gainer thou hast made a most profitable exchange thou maist yet reioyce and goe gladly through paine vnto a surpassing happines Go thou therefore and follow the patterne of our faith Christ Iesus who for the ioy set before him endured the crosse despised the shame Follow the seruants of Christ who reioyced in tribulations and went ioyfully through all persecutions scourgings stonings burnings and death it selfe vnto that glory which is aboue Yea let vs say with the seruants of God If God commanded vs yet a greathing should we not doe it for the end shall aboundantly recompence the way the end which is happines the way which is griefe and the way passeth away but y e end is endles endures for euer Let vs go on therefore hopefully and chearefully through al sorrowes bitternesses limited transitory vnto happines large without end or bound solid without lightnes continuing without cessation let y e sight of this felicity counterpoise yea ouerwey with comfort the trouble imparted by the feeling of griefe 56 A main cause of much of the griefe and folly of men is this That men resolue to make something of this world They raise great plots vpon it and intend to bring it into a Method and out of things so ordered to draw some great happines and contentment But God hath resolued the contrary to make nothing of the world but to turne it into vanity of vanities he hath set it forth as a thing to be shaken to be remooued to resolue with the lost fire and only to be a schole and nurcery for the next world Therefore doth hee
wicked so blind so subiect to euery passion and vice was neuer let out as he now is from the hands of a most wise and powerfull essence and that to gouerne a great world whereof hee is not worthy as he is to be a partie he being so extremely vitious and corrupt and most creatures being more orderly then himselfe 7. Part. Againe another folly and blindnesse of theirs is that they see not the resurrection it is impossible that the end of mans bodie should bee this present life For then might we say with these Author that there might be some pleasure taken aboue in the torments here below For what generally doe wee see here but miseries paines oppression diuers tortures diuers deaths diuers heart-breakings care within and labour without a few onely liuing in some ease of which again but a few scape a great taste of miserie Indeed were there no life but this we might verily think that man was appointed to be borne to liue and die in a Iayle wherein hee is tied and bound vp to miserie and that this world was set forth for a spectacle of torments massacres wherein wee should infinitely wrong the infinite wisdom and goodnesse of the great cause of al things But as we haue learnd of God our own fall and present miserie so withall wee haue learned a remedie for our fall and a way out of this miserie into felicitie We know and belieue that the bodie dying returnes into that which it was and that is dust and if being dust at first it was then quickned wee know hee that quickned dust at first can quicken dust at last hee being the same for euer yea wee know that small portion of his Spirit which is in vs is abundantly able to performe it Wee doubt not but a little power included in an Acorne is able to raise out of it a mightie Oake because wee see it and we may as easily belieue that this Spirit which now shewes a farre greater power in our sanctification may also raise out of our dust a heauenly and glorious bodie To him that hath done so great workes daily seene there wanteth no power to do as great things yet vnseene For God hath not bounded his power by his works but if his wil be to worke more his power is still sufficient to proceede in working Now that it is his will his word doth plainely shew blessed bee hee who hath both willed it and shewed it and God the Author of these and all other good gifts stablish vs which belong to him in the knowledge and embracement of this his sauing truth that liuing and dying therein we may passe from this life which is worse then death vnto a true life of blisse and happinesse Part. 8. Another thing which flesh and blood hath not fully discouered and which hath been the author both of our fall and miserie and implieth a necessitie of a preseruer and redeemer is a State body politicke and kingdome of euill spirits which effectuall in craft mightie in power diligent in watchfulnesse and hauing all these their powers emploied and moued by an endles and great malice towards mākind go stil about seeking the mischiefe and ruine of weak silly man vnable of himselfe to stand against this Leuiathan and therefore necessarily wanting the helpe of a preseruer and redeemer Without a preseruer we cannot preuent the euils to come for against so mighty enemies we must bee hedged about with a prouidence mightier then the force of our enemies els can we not be safe from our enemies but shold be continually deuoured by them And we neede a redeemer for y e euils already by these enemies brought vpon vs for these euils we our selues can by no meanes take from our selues nor free our selues from the tyranny which Satan hath alreadie brought vpon vs. Therefore this strong man must bee bound by some stronger then himselfe and so we which were before his possession may be made free from that bondage Now the highest power only is master of this power of darknesse and therefore he only must performe this worke Some short and small viewes of some outward bodily and dissembled workings of these Principalities the Heathen haue obserued in their stories of witchcrafts oracles and apparitions which witnesse against themselues that there are such a people and that at times they are very mischieuous and malicious but the craft of this kingdome is so great the ignorance of man so grosse that sometimes vnder the shew of doing good as cures and the like and sometimes by foretelling future euents so hiding still their principall malice which was to the soule and eternall life of man they haue won silly men to take them for gods who are their sworne and most fierce enemies so farre are men from knowing they are a kingdome combined against mankind But Christ by his doctrine and the doctrine of his seruants the Apostles hath described them by name hath shewed their nature hath set foorth their malice and rage against man which begunne with the first man and continuing from thence increase now towardes the last of men Hee hath also set foorth a remedie against all his hurt and power and that is euen in this flesh which in the first man the Diuell conquered For God will shew to his owne glorie and the vtter confusion of this proud malicious Prince that by that verie weake creature which no way heeretofore was not able to match with him God is able to breake his head if hee doe but vnite and ioyne himselfe therewith And that of these men which thus were in the first man foyled and ouercome hee is able to set vp a kingdome mighty and durable which shall stand invincible in this world against the powerfull kingdome of Satan and the vnpreuailing gates of hell and shall at last ouercomming these mightie enemies passe victorious vnto glorie and life euerlasting Euen this performe in vs O Lord thy weake seruants weake in our selues but strong in thee Let thy power in vs ouercome that power which without thee would ouercome vs. And let vs being strengthned by thee march valiantly against our enemies being assured of conquest through that mightie one who loueth and supporteth vs. 58 The end seemes to vs to bee caused by the meanes and so at last it is but the end is indeed first and most chiefely the cause of the meanes for God proposing his end this end caleth out such meanes as shall accomplish it selfe so that it causeth that to be which causeth it selfe So in the Scripture when diuers things happened it is said that they happened that it might bee fulfilled which God had before purposed so that Gods purpose was the cause of the beeing of those actions which fulfilled his purpose Therefore if we go to the roote of the matter wee may perceiue that foolishly wee reason when we are discontented with the meanes saying If this meanes had not beene this
seeth them not that there should bee miracles by the diuell wrought or forged to stand betweene the eyes of men and this reuealed Antichrist that there should be distinctions coined subtill enough for lesse subtill soules to distinguish to the manifest Antichrist from it selfe Yet all these things are prouided by the seruants of this sonne of perdition and so powerfull that it is Gods election onely which mainely preserues those that stand and withstands this Mysterie of Satan And indeede how can that ignorance which is inioyned to the disciples of Rome be brokē through by them which are bound thereunto by a solemne vow and vnder feareful penalties They must know but what deceiueth them vntill they be so throughly deceiued that it is almost impossible to bee vndeceiued againe But this let them take with it that the same ignorance will serue to breede vp a man in any religiō be it neuer so grosse and at this day it equally serues the diuels turne to nurse two of his goodliest children the erroneous doctrines of Mahomet and the Pope Yet lest ignorance should faile and perchance a glimse of light might shine in vpon the seeled eies there are miracles daily prouided to set before the sight of men These draw them to say that Simon Magus is the great power of God but wee are taught to goe from these signes to the Law to the Testimony to the Word and this Word telleth vs that miracles in the latter times shall be fixed and vnseparable companions of the man of sin So in stead of conuerting vs they are acknowledged by vs to be the badge of Satan fastned on Antichrists sleeue and they tell vs to whom he belongs Wee neede no miracles now but to reueale Antichrist for wee beleeue the doctrine of Christ once fully confirmed by his own miracles Lastly if yet some greater light dazle the eies which neither ignorance can keepe out nor miracles employ in drawing the eies wholly to themselues then are there prouided subtill nice and sublimated distinctions and reasons whose office is to confound and intangle the vnderstanding rather then to enlighten it Falshoods are purified and refined and made as like truths as possibly they may that the vndistinguishing mind may equally accept them and so led by a little mistaking vnto a grosse error And hereof at this time is there a stedy forge in the Church of Rome which doth but expect what the Pope and his Priuie Councell say and instantly they are ready with their excellent inuentions to prooue it the voice of God and not of man Surely the wit of man is a powerfull thing in regard of man but in regard of the Spirit which made it alas weake it is and the effect cannot striue with his cause which is mightier then he Therefore this Babel of mans wit built vp against the Lord must needs be destroied by the Spirit of his mouth In the meane time vntill this victory of Christ vpon Antichrist be fully performed let vs pray vnto God that he will adde easily vnto the Church those who belong vnto him and that they may plainely see that hee who seeketh earthly things more then heauenly is of the earth earthly and farre from being the Deputie of the Lord of heauen 60 The second resurrection needes not to seeme very strange if wee consider the first already done in vs for whereas there is naturally in vs but a carnall wisedom that seeth and alloweth only present visible things for happinesse wee haue in our regeneration a wisedome placed in vs which blotting out the former wisedome and the happinesse thereof beholdeth God which is inuisible as our onely true happinesse We haue also in stead of our fleshly will which onely sauoureth fleshly obiects a will directly contrary therunto planted in stead of it which hateth the former will and the sinful pleasures wherein that wil chiefly delighted and loueth euen the persecutions of Christ which the naturall will especially hated Thus by the new birth light being created in darknesse out of no former creature a rightnesse of will being framed where was nothing but crookednesse and such a light and will that they alter the affections actions whole course of mā why may not the same new birth haue also another power with it euen to change the mortalitie of the body into immortality as it hath to change the corruption of the soule and body into puritie incorruption it being alike easie to go to giue life vnto death as light vnto darknes and good to euill 61 Because wee see not God or at lest we do not see how he seeth vs wee rather thinke that he sees vs not or are careles of his seeing So our blindnesse toward God casteth the likenesse of it selfe on God towards vs and imagineth him to bee vnto vs as we are to him Herein men are to God as some birds are to men who hiding their heads from seeing men think that men the whilest doe not see them But since the knowledge of God is the cause of men the being of men can reach no farther then the knowledge of God So whosoeuer takes the knowledge of God from him takes from himselfe his owne being for where the knowledge of God ceaseth to know him there he ceaseth to bee otherwise should man who is but the effect of Gods knowledge go farder then his cause which cannot be But surely God that made mā by his knowledge knoweth the man that he hath made he hath not placed him out of his owne reach but as at first after he made his creatures he saw euen through them that they were throughly good so for euer he veweth and pierceth them searching all things by that very wisedom which made thē Since then we are manifest and naked before our glorious God who both seeth and hateth all vncleannes but beholdeth with pleasure holinesse and purenes let vs take heede to our hearts yea our whole selues that no filthinesse appeare to him lest we bee shut out from the City into which no vncleane thing may enter But that God seeing vs to be pure in hart euen in soule body may at length be called vp to see God who is the fulnesse and perfection of all felicitie 62 The very being as well as the discoursing of our naturall reason may well prooue that man was not made onely for this world For if first it be granted that a great and excellent wisedome created this Vniuerse which the curious subtiltie of the parts and frame therof will inforce vpon vs it must also be belieued that wisedome doth all things wisely both in regard of order and end euery thing bringing forth his like now the beasts hauing a more easie and vninterrupted enioying of the world as not tilling or reaping neither building Barnes nor filling thē not foreapprehending griefes nor long retaining them what doth this reasonable soule in man I speake of the generall if his bound be this world
which fight and strike one at another and seek to teare that asunder which God hath vnseparably ioyned together And lamentable indeed is this madnesse and folly for the main busines of Christ effected by a bloudy death and bitter passion is to set in vnitie and peace the things in heauen and earth Besides he hath left as a legacie to his Church the preseruation and continuance of the vnitie which himselfe began As I haue loued you so loue yee one another Againe Christ hath prayed to his Father that we may be one as hee and his Father is one Now cursed is hee that goes about to breake this three-fold cord and endeuours to frustrate the death of Christ the cōmandement of Christ and the prayer of Christ. But thou wilt say I diuide my selfe from him and oppose my selfe against him because he opposeth himselfe against Christ in some vncurable errour But take thou heed that this error separate him frō Christ and remooue the foundation else thou canst not hate him For when men agree in the sauing foundation they become one body and one building vnited vpon that foundation and vnto it Now when men acknowledge Christ in whom is the Trinitie vnited to man to be happinesse and the onely meanes of happinesse euen the Doore the Way and the Life and to this Christ wholly resigne and surrender themselues to be iustified to be sanctified by him these haue receiued into themselues the roote of Life they are one with Christ and one among themselues But that these vnited members because one receiued this faith of Paul another of Peter because one beleeueth something more another somthing lesse in matters not absolutely necessarie to saluation nor directly ouerthrowing the foundation should mutually hate and reuile one another should shunne mutuall conuersation should prosecute and persecute one another with enuenomed tongues is most vnreasonable and lamentable Is not the solide vnion betweene them a more cause of loue then the slight difference a cause of hate Nay will Christ allow that there is any cause sufficiēt to make his members hate one another whom he hath tied in the bond of peace by such mighty knots Especially right lothsome is it to him to haue his name vsed for a pretence of such hatred which aboue all names is the name of loue and peace Surely Christ knowes that when men in this kind pretend to serue Christ they indeede serue Satan Hee knowes that vnitie is the preseruation of his kingdome and diuision the destruction of all kingdomes Therfore if thou wilt please Christ preserue his Kingdome by preseruing vnity it pleaseth not the head to haue his member brused bitten or hurt He allowes not the member of greater knowledge to bee proud ouer a member of lesse knowledge much lesse to make their difference of knowledge a ground of hatred He himselfe forgiues this ignorance and errour for which thou hatest thy brother and offers vp his bloud to the Father that he may be forgiuen Yea hee loueth this brother notwithstanding his error and what art thou then to hate one whom Christ loueth Euen thy selfe also though perchance thou thinke it not art by Christ borne with and forgiuen for greater errours and ignorances for of thee and vs stil Christ knowes this to be true that yet wee know but in part Therefore thou that pretendest to please thy Head bee truly conformable to him and thou shalt indeed please him Loue where he loues and beare with him with whom he beareth Obey that new commandement of his That yee loue one another Expresse this loue in instructing thy brother if he be ignorant and hate him not though he be so weake that hee cannot receiue thy instruction He is yet grounded on Christ hee is yet a liuing member of Christ he is still a souldier for Christ therefore still ioyne with him and comfort him in the battels of the Lord. Take heed thou quench not that which smoketh nor beate downe the weake hands which should be lifted vp against Satan and that thou diminish not one of Christs Band. But assemble rather incourage and vnite the army of God perswading them to grow strong by growing on that so being mutually strengthened by vnion we may be more victorious in our fighting for God and ouercomming may be admitted to eate of the Manna which is hid and to reigne with Christ for euermore Let vs bee glad of company in this our pilgrimage to heauen and farre bee it from vs to lessen it by diuision But let vs reioyce when any saith though in some infirmitie Let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord to the Citie of the liuing God 17 God is one and immutable so may we as certainely know what he will be hereafter as what he hath been alreadie Heretofore if men feared him they might bee without all other feare for he was their Father Defender and Maintainer This hauing been tride we say it is certaine and with as much certaintie may wee pronounce of the time to come that if we feare him he will also to vs be a mercifull God Let vs not therfore doubt any change in him but in our selues and striuing by all holy contention praier fasting aud watching to keepe our selues stedfast toward him let vs assure our selues that hee is the Rocke immoueable whom we shall euer find in one and the same place 18 If God commands vs to doe a thing and all worldly profits and pleasures mustering themselues together like the kingdomes of the world before Christ perswade the contrary wee must then winke with the eie of flesh and so not see or at least not regard any of them But then looking wide open with the eye of faith let vs stedfastly behold God and his glory remembring our dutie to him our couenant with him our happinesse in him If thus we can guide the eie of our soule that it looke on the things eternall which are not seene and not vpon the things temporall which may be seene we shall be allured forward toward that Kingdome of rest where our hope is fixed and wee shal passe along as pilgrims through this world of lusts vnhurt and vnhindred by them 19 Christ as he tooke flesh of the Virgin so was he the sonne of Adam which hee was to bee subiect to the Law laid on Adam that by subiection to it hee might fulfill and satisfie it But Christ as he was begotten of God and one with the second person so was he an Adam himselfe euen a father of mankinde by a new kinde of generation and the first Adam from whom Christ came must by Christ be begotten if he will liue in the new world euen the new heauens and the new earth Thus wee see two rootes of generation one carnall another spirituall one ingendring to bondage and death another to life and happinesse Wee must pray to the great Husbandman that hee will cut vs off from the first roote and ingraffe vs into the
raised If they haue done all it is a shame wee should not doe something wee should rather bee glad though not of the cause yet of this effect that there is matter left for our charitie to expresse it selfe in this kind and to let blind deuotion know that if our ancestors had not founded such spiritual maintenance it might and should yet haue bin done by vs. There are many godly deuout persons who haue in these daies of light made and increase dwellings portions for the bodies of the poore and needy Excellent indeed is this worke it is a blessed thing to giue and blessed are they that feede the hungrie and clothe the naked But yet of all Almes houses the spiritual Almes-house is the best and Paul that willeth you to desire the best gifts would haue you vse your gifts to the best aduantage Wherefore I shew you a more excellent way As the soule is infinitely better then the bodie and life eternall then life present so the food of the soule is farre better then that of the body and the sauing of the spirituall life better then the preseruation of the temporall life If thou giuest to the body thou dost well but thou giuest to that which shall die but if thou giue to the soule thou dost better for thou giuest to that which by thy gift may liue for euer in happines and make the body liue for euer in the same blisse with it If thou giue naturall bread thou dost well but thou giuest that which perisheth with the vsing but thou most resemblest Christ thy head and giuest the best Almes when thou giuest the bread of heauen What a comfortable and ioyfull thing to thy soule and heart will it be to see a whole Congregation fed on Gods holy day with thy Almes to see many soules receiuing saluation as it were from thy hand to heare many blesse glorifie God for his gifts to thee thine to them yea to blesse thee therefore in the name of the Lord Surely such ioy is infinitely better sounder and fuller of waight then the ioy of mony corne and oyle but the ioy that God shall giue thee in the great marriage day in the day of the gladnes of thy heart in that day will againe infinitely exceed this Thē shal Christ say vnto thee come thou blessed of my Father for when I was hungry naked and cold in the very soule of my little ones thou diddest buy Manna long white robes fire of the Altar to feede cloth warme me thou gauest the best gifts and which most nearely and inwardly cherish me therefore shalt thou haue the best reward come and sit nearest vnto me But if some backeward withdrawing hearts in whome God hath no delight put this grace and glory from themselues by a perswasion that this businesse concernes them not but that euery horse should beare his owne burthen and each congregation maintaine a Preacher for themselues Let them know that naturall men not vsed to instruction for want of it haue no desire to it Things not known are vnsought much lesse will a naturall man part from things knowne for things vnknowne It is the propertie of teaching to make men desire to be taught expect not then this desire from them which haue not the meanes to attaine it the sweetnesse of the word must be first sounded in their eares before they will loue the sound thereof it must teach them the worth of it selfe before they will part from any of their worth for it He must be partly or wholly a spirituall man that hungers for spirituall foode vnto the losse of his temporall substance and how shall many such be expected where the word by which the spirit entereth hath not bin fitly opened vnto them Therefore if thou wilt haue them doe for themselues do thou something first though but a little for them whereby they may heare the word And then it is likely the word heard will make way for it selfe and perswade for increase of maintenance for it perswades the truly sanctified to a farre greater degree euen to fell all to giue life all for the Treasure of happinesse Christ Iesus whome lying more closely in the Cabinet of the word preaching deliuers vnto vs opened and displaied in full glorie and Lustre Yea it may bee by the word so communicated by thee there wil be some prouoked to doe that for others which thou hast done for them and so a generation of goodnesse may bee continued of which thou hast beene the father and a chaine of good works may be lengthned of which the first linke framed by thee is both the beginning and cause Hereunto may be added this other reason of forrein helpe That such places beare already as great a burden without the benefite of preaching as others do that haue it Wherfore that Saint Pauls rule of equity may bee obserued which will not haue some eased to haue others doubly grieued and that rule of Charity Beare yee one anothers burden it is fit that the burthen of such places should be deuided among many so to take away the griefe of surcharging by an equalitie and to ease the weight of the burthen by deuiding it with others 5. Part. As these great blowes of Satan haue afflicted the Ministery in these latter times so doe daily buffets lesser pinchings of the seruants of Satan follow and persecute continually the same Ministerie His plot and his hatred still are one though the limitation of his power by Gods ouer-ruling suffer him not at all times to bring forth like effects He is God be praised tied vp somewhat from appropriating of spirituall liuings yet what he cannot get in a rent hee striues to obtaine in a fine The Patron that cannot haue the yearely profit must haue a grosse summe in consideration of it and a scholler hauing spent much of his portion spirits and time in studie to make himselfe worthie of a place in the Church yet after must he studie for sureties or readie mony to throw into the mouth of Cerberus euen of these porters of hell that they stoppe not his way into the deserued Benefice And this also is a vertue if they will bestow it in this kinde of bestowing on a man able and sufficient for if such a one bee not very neere as finable as a meere dumbe and vnlearned fellow sufficiency shall bee bought out profitable ignorance shall be preferred before edifying knowledge The great God Mammon must chuse the Priest that fitteth him best the greatest truest God whose Priest is thoght thē to be choosing hath least to do in y t choise But ô thou Marchant of hel Factor for Satā know y t cursed is thy mony with thee thy mony is the price of Soules euen of spirituall blood the life of spirits Thou hast for that summe giuen ouer so many soules to Satan thou hast giuen their throats to the Butcher and thou hast done
worse then slaine them for thou killest them with death eternall Christ hath said what shall a man giue for his soule yea to giue a whole world and to lose his soule is a bad bargaine but what a beggerly and bloudy bargaine hast thou made which for litle pieces and shrids of the world hast sold many soules But to what end is it to speake to a man of clay that hath no sense nor feeling of heauen To what end is it to speake to a mule that hath no vnderstanding Such men are more dead then the Altar which heard the word of the Lord. They are stonie at the very heart and nothing but mony makes any sound by striking such a heart Otherwise euen to common reason it wold grosly appeare that a lanterne without a candle can giue no light that a man without sight cannot bee a guide to the blinde that men led by such guides must needes fall with their guides into the pit of eternall destruction But if it happen that a man of some sufficiencie hath like the Centurion by a great summe obtained the freedome of this Benefice then is the Patron readie to go into the Temple with the Pharisie to giue thankes that hee is not like other men There is a fit man in the place and hee hath taken no mony for the Benefice but for the Aduowson which a man may honestly doe But know thou Circumuenter of thy owne soule That if it were lawfull to sell an Aduowson thou shouldest sell it at the price of an Aduowson To finde out this consider what either thou payest for the patronage and so make some proportion by that or what a lay-man would giue for it that would make no vse of it but the bestowing For whatsoeuer is giuen beyond that which a man would giue to haue the meere naming of the Minister is the price of the benefice and not of the Aduowson it paies for the profit of the liuing not for the particular appointment of the man Mingle things as cunningly and confusedly as thou canst the iudgement of God shal single thē as perfectly and the euill shal be takē out shewed thee by it self in the great terrible day of the Lords displeasure Yet neither do I cōmend y e selling of Aduousons though at the easier rate for a Patronage is an excellent priuiledge a patrone hath the power of a great and high worke euen in the chiefest businesse of God Why wilt thou for a little mony let another doe God acceptable seruice when thou maist do it thy selfe Or why perchance dost thou suffer another to doe Gods seruice negligently and corruptly when thou maist doe it faithfully Take heede hereunto for if by thy sale the sheepe be vnfed for whome Christ died thou maist go among the cursed to whom it shall be said When I was an hungrie thou hadst food in thy hand and yet thou fedst me not Part. 6. But after all this is not the Minister fully escaped hauing paide the Patron for his passage he falles after into the hands of his Parish then is hee like a man rid of a Lyon falne among Wolues euery one almost if not wholly rubs vp his wit and makes it a principall conquest to deceiue the Parson Howsoeuer the Vsurer haue his ten of the hundred the Lawyer his grossefee and the workman his wages the Minister who layes out his stock for their saluation shall not haue his tenne of the hundred nay but a leane fee for the most pretious counsell nor his full wages for his most excellent worke It is a speciall part of thrift if we cannot conceale and defraud some tithes yet to make a good bargaine with the Minister and to get somewhat by him and if he will not bee so wrought on he must goe for a couetous and hard man But O thou ouerthriftie Tither what thinkest thou while thou dealest thus hast thou a soule or not If thou hast none at least if thou thinkest so words wil be vseles vntill thou feele one day by the torments of thy soule that thou hast one and then they will also bee vselesse But if thou hast one it is better then thy body which is also better then thy goods Thou gladly giuest to the Phisition to maintaine the health of thy body and to the Lawyers to preserue thy goods how doth not thy hand willingly chiefly stretch foorth it selfe to him which saueth thy soule which is infinitely better then these It sheweth too euidently that thou valuest things backwards since thou esteemest not thy soule as thou dost thy goods and body nor the eternall saluation thereof as thy present preseruation But they that haue had a glimse of heauenly glorie despise earthly things in comparison thereof and in disdaine say Is it a great matter to giue carnall things for spirituall such men know they cannot giue so good things to them as they receiue from them Therefore they would euen take out of their owne bowels to doe good to their teachers at least they wold thrust their right vpon them though ignorant of it they would by all meanes desire that they might liue plentifully in this world whose life is imploied to make them liue euerlastingly in the next Farre be it then from vs to vexe and discourage by robberie and impouerishing those who are the guides vnto heauen Let diuine loue iustifie them in taking their right yea help them to it and bring after them what they haue left of it Let vs entertaine them as embassadours of Christ with bountifull allowance and not shew our small regard of the Lord that sent them by our ill rewarding of his messengers Their estate is but for life and naturall affection towards their family is commendable in them as in vs therefore a prouident care if without wrong is not to be censured but allowed in them and a willing and a plentifull contribution is requisite in vs. And herein I deserue speedier assent because I am none of those I speake for Part. 7. A third cunning of Satan is to make sanctification an odious thing and to fasten on it some vile reproch that men may bee ashamed to serue God and to be saued And that this may worke the more effectually he suffers many to goe so farre in religion as they may without losing them that is in a morall and ciuill profession thereof but that degree beyond which indeed is onely the very life and power of sanctification is very offensiue to them and appeares to such to bee but hypocrisie and scrupulositie Hence it is that among most of these ciuilians regeneration and sanctification which they attaine not is Puritanisme and a true Saint is called a Puritan which in their English meanes a dissembling or scrupulous fellow And this being the verdit of those who account thēselues for honest men and their neighbours think the same to whom these ciuill men are almost Puritans like a kennel of