better way then to come to him with Christ in our armes to present our suits by him We have so far provoked the Almighty by our sins that he may justly fall on us with a back-blow that we never yet dreamt of And who in Heaven or Earth can or dare treat for our peace but Christ our Peace-maker Ille oculus est per quem Deum videmus c. saith Ambrose He is our eye with which we see God our hand by which we offer to him and our mouth by which we speak unto him The Vanity of heaping up Riches IT is a great deal of care and pains that the Spider takes in weaving her web she runneth much and often up and down she fetcheth a compass this way and that way and returneth often to the same point she spendeth her self in multitudes of fine threads to make her self a round Cabinet she exenterateth her self and worketh out her own bowels to make an artificial and curious piece of work which when it is made is apt to be blown away with every pusse of wind she hangeth it up aloft she fastneth it to the roof of the house she strengthneth it with many a thread wheeling often round about not sparing her own bowels but spending them willingly upon her work And when she hath done all this spun her fine threads weaved them one within another wrought her self a fine Canopy hanged it aloft and thinks all 's sure on a sudden in the twinckling of an eye with a little sweep of a Beesom all falls to the ground and so her labour perisheth But here is not all Poor Spider she is killed either in her own web or else she is taken in her own snare haled to death and trodden under foot Thus the silly Animal may be truly said either to weave her own winding sheet or to make a snare to hang her self Just so do many Men wast and consume themselves to get preferment to enjoy pleasures to heap up riches and encrease them and to that end they spend all their wit and oftentimes the health of their bodies running up and down labouring and sweating carking and caring And when they have done all this they have but weaved the Spiders web to catch flyes yea oftentimes are caught in their own nets are made instruments of their own destruction they take a great deal of pains with little success to no end or purpose The way to God is a cross-way to the World A Man that walks by a River if he follow the River against the stream it will at length bring him to the Spring-head from whence it issueth but if he go along with the stream it will drill him on to the salt Sea So he that is cross-grained to the humours of the World that swims against the stream of sensual delights and pleasures that well improveth these outward things to God's glory shall at the length be brought to God the sweet fountain of them all but if he sail with wind and tide in the abuse of the good Creatures of God they will carry him down like a Torrent into the mare mortuum of perdition How to know God's dwelling-place Heaven WHen in our travel we chance to cast our eye upon some goodly structure of inestimable value we presently conceive it to be the pallace of a Prince So when we see the frame of Heaven so full of wonders where Stars are but as dust and Angels are but servants where every word is unspeakable and every motion is a miracle we may safely conclude it to be the dwelling of him whose name is Wonderful The dissolution of all ages past is to be a Memento for Posterity ONe Guerricus hearing these words read in the Church out of the book of Genesis Chap. 15. And all the dayes that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years and he dyed All the dayes of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years and he dyed And all the dayes of Enos were nine hundred and five years and he dyed And all the dayes of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years and he dyed c. Hearing I say these words read the very conceit of death wrought so strongly upon him and made so deep an impression in his mind that he retired himself from the world and gave himself wholly to devotion that so he might dye the death of the godly and arrive more safely at the haven of felicity which is no where to be found in this world And thus should we do when we look back to the many ages that are past before us but thus we do not Like those that go to the Indies we look not on the many that have been swallowed up by the waves but on some few that have got by the Voyage we regard not the millions that are dead before us but have our eyes set on the lesser number that survive with us and hence it comes to pass that our passage out of this world is so little minded National knowledge of God no true knowledge LOok upon a common beggar he knows the road-way from place to place can tell you the distance from Town to Town nay more can inform you of such a Noble-mans such a Knights such a Gentlemans house though it stand a great way off from the Road of such a Farmers and such a Yeomans house though it be in never so obscure a Village yet all this while hath no setled home no abiding place of his own Such is the knowledge of every Christian except a true Christian he can tell you of the pleasures that are at the right hand of God in the highest Heavens can talk and prate of God discourse of goodnesse but all this while is not good himself nor can make our unto himself any assurance of Interest in those heavenly things which he so much talketh of A formal specious Christian no true Christian. RAchel was very fair a goodly Woman to see to beautiful to the eye O but she was barren that mar'd all So there are many in the world such as make specious shews of Religion such as vvould seem to be Saints O but they are barren they are fruitless sap-less leave-less Christians they would seem to honour God but not with their substance they would seem to be religious but they will not refrain their tongues they would seem to be charitable but they will not part with a penny they have all form but little or no power of gâ—dliness many goodly blossoms of profession no râ—al fruits of confession appearing outside specious not true not real Christians Order both in Church and State commanded and commended GOd is not the God of confusion but of order Confusion is from the Devil Order is from God especially in the Church which St. Paul resembles to our body wherein the parts are fitly disposed and every one keepeth his place The eye
making but set in a plain frame not gilded And a deformed man is also his Workmanship but not drawn with even lines and lively colours The former not for want of wealth as the latter not for want of skill but both for the pleasure of the Maker and many times their Souls have been the Chappels of Sanctity whose bodies have been the Spitals of deformity Profession and Practice to go together THe Prophet Esay chap. 58. 1. is willed to lift up his voyce like a Trumpet there are many things that sound lowder than a Trumpeâ— as the roaring of the Sea the claps of Thunder and such like yet he sayes not Lift up thy voyce as the Sea or lift up thy voyce as Thunder but lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet Why as a Trumpet Because a Trumpeter when he sounds his Trumpet he winds it with his mouth and holds it up with his hand And so every faithfull heart which is as it were a spirituall Trumpet to â—ound out the prayses of God must not onely report them with his mouth but also support them with his hand When Profession and Practice meet together quà m benè conveniunt What a Harmony is in that Soul When the tongue is made Gods Advocate and the hand Executor of Gods will then doth a Man truly lift up his voice like a Trumpet All men and things subject to Mortality VVHen the Emperour Constantius came to Rome in triumph and beheld the Companies that entertained him he repeated a saying of Cyneas the Epirote that he had seen so many Kings as Citisens But viewing the buildings of the City the stately Arches of the Gates so lofty that at his entrance he needed not to have stooped like a Goose at a barn-door the Turrets Tombs Temples Theaters Aquaeducts Baths and some of the work so high like Babel that the eye of Man could scarcely reach unto them he was amazed and said That Nature had emptied all her strength and invention upon that one City He spake to Hormisda the Master of his works to erect him a brazen horse in Constantinople like unto that of Trajan the Emperour which he there saw Hormisda answered him that if he desired the like horse he must then provide him the like stable All this and much more in the honour of Rome At length he asked Hormisda What he thought of the City who told him that he took no pleasure in any thing there but in learning one lesson That men also dyed in Rome and that he perceived well the end of that Lady City which in the judgement of Quintilian was the onely City and all the rest but Towns would be the same with all her Predecessors the ruines whereof are even gone to Ruine this is the doom that attendeth both Men and Places be they never so great and stately The consideration whereof made a learned Gent. close up that his admirable History of the World in these words O eloquent just and mighty death whom none could advise thou onely hast perswaded what none hath dared thou hast done and whom all the world hath flattered thou onely hast cast out out of the world and despised Thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness all the pride cruelty and ambition of Man and covered it over with these two narrow words HIC JACET Faith in Christ the onely support in the time of Trouble IN that famous battle at Leuctrum where the Thebans got a signall Victory but their Captain Epaminondas his deaths wound It is reported that Epaminondas a little before his death demanded whether his Buckler were taken by the enemy and when he understood that it was safe and that they had not so much as laid their hands on it he dyed most willingly and cheerfully Suâ—h is the resolution of a valiant souldier of Christ Iesus when he is wounded even to death he hath an eye to his shield of faith and finding that to be safe out of the enemies danger his soul marcheth couragiously out of this world singing S. Paul's triumphant ditty I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. Nothing but Christ to be esteemed as of any worth AS the Iewes use to cast to the ground the book of Esther before they read it because the Name of God is not in it And as St. Augustine cast by Tullies works because they contained not the Name of Christ. So must we throw all aside thâ—t hath not the Name of Iesus on it If honour riches preferment c. come not in the â—ame of Iesus away with them set them by as not worth the taking up give them no entertainment further than as they have reference to Christ and Eternity Humility the way to Glory WE say in our Creed that Christ descended into hell descendit ut ascendat He took his rising from the lowest place to ascend into the highest And herein Christ readeth a good lecture unto us he teacheth us that humility is the way to glory and the more we are humbled the more we shall be exalted Adam and those once glorious Angells were both ambitious both desired to climb but they mistook their rise and so in climbing both had grievous falls If we then would climb without harm we must learn of Christ to climb so shall we be sure to tread the steps of Iacob's ladder which from earth will reach even to the highest heavens A Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand MElanchton perswading the divided Protestants of his time to peace and unity illustrateth his argument by a notable parable of the woolves and the dogs who were marching onward to fight one against another The woolves that they might the better know the strength of their adversary sent forth a master-woolf as their scout The scout returns and tells the woolves That indeed the dogs were more in number but yet they should not be discouraged for he observed that the dogs were not one like another a few mâ—stiffs there wâ—re but the most were little currs which could onely bark but not bite and would be affraid of their own shadow Another thing also he observed which would much encourage them and that was That the dogs did march as if they were more offended at themselves than with us not keeping their ranks but grinning and snarling and biting and tearing one another as if they would save us a labour And therefore let us march on resolutely for our enemies are their own enemies enemies to themselves and their own peace they bite and devour each other and therefore we shall certainly devour them Thus though a Kingdom or State be never so well provided with Men Arms Ammunition Ships Walls Forts and Bulwarks yet notwithstanding if divisions and heart-burnings get into that Kingdom that State or that City like a spreading gangreen they will
to use her endeavours to gather and to glean it and bear it out too when shee had gleaned it Thus God gives grace and the knowledg of his Truth as Boaz gave Ruth corn not but that he can if it so please him give knowledg by immediate Revelation and Grace by immediate infusion yet he will have us to use the means of hearing reading conference c. and so leave the issue of all our labours and endeavours to his good Will and pleasure The great benefit of Hearing and practising Gods Word AS we see in the siege of some strong hold when Men have been long coop'd up and have not had meat to eat they have come out like so many dead carcases as it were so many Sceletons so weak so poor with such gastly looks as it were enough to scare any Man with the sight of them But now eating mends all this upon eating follows strength to walk and strength to work upon eating follows fatnesse and goodnesse of Complexion And thus it is upon eating of the Word when Men with râ—adinesse and forwardnesse receive the Word of God and practise what they hear then it is that they have strength in their Souls to walk in the wayes of God then it is that they grow up as Calves of the stall full of good fat and flourishing and then it is that they have fair and good complexions their Wisedome and other Graces cause their faces to shine in the fair and lovely carriage of their lives and conversations Meditation the difficulty in the first entrance thereupon AS in the heating of an Oven the Fewel is set on fire yet not without some pains to blow it up into a flame but afterwards when the Oven begins to be somewhat hot the Fewel will catch and kindle of it self and no sooner is it thrown in but it is all in a blaze on a sodain Such is the difficuâ—â—â— of Meditation at the first When there is but as it were a little spark of Love in the heart it will cost a Man some pains to blow it up into a Flame but afterwards when the heart is once heated with those flames of Love then it will enflame all the thoughts and set the affections on fire In so much that the duty of Meditation will not be onely easie and delightfull but so necessary that a Man cannot tell how to avoid it Sathan's subtilty to ensnare THere is a story of an excellent Painter that to shew the rarily of his Art drew a white line so small that it could hardly be discerned Whereupon another that was looked on as a very able Artist to shew that he could excel him drew a black line through the middle of it so exactly that it required an exquisite sight to discern either Thus it is that the Devill slily insinuateth into and craftily worketh upon the hearts of the sons of Men the thread of his Policy being so finely spun the train of his subtilty so privily laid and the black line of his Temptations made so small that it is almost impossible to discover the secret destruction that runs through the plausibility thereof Purity of Heart no comfortable sight of god without it AS the eye that hath dust in it without or thick vapours stopping the nerves within cannot see except it be cleansed from the one and purged from the other And as the Glasse on which there is a thick mist does not represent ones face clearly before it be wiped off So neither can we see God in his Creatures in his Word in his Sacraments or in those secret inward and sweet manifestations of comfort and joy whereby he often reveals himself even in this life to them that love him so long as there is any impurity cleaves to us The pure in Heart are the onely ones that shall see God Matth. 5. 8. It is not Learning nor a clear understanding not Religious education not any one of these not all of these together but holinesse and purity of Heart that fits a Man for such a blessed Sight at God is Active Christian the best Christian. PLutarch speaks of two Men that were hired at Athens for some publique work whereof the one was full of tongue but slow at hand and the other blanck in speech yet an excellent Workman Being called upon by the Magistrates to expresse themselves and to declare at large how they would procâ—ed When the first had made a large speech and described it from point to point the other seconded him in few words saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye Men oâ— Athens What this Man hath said in words that will I Make 〈◊〉 in true performance And as he was adjudged the better Artisan so is the Man of action the better Christian It is not the Man of words but the Man of deeds not the learie but the fruitfull not the discoursing but the doing Christian that shall be blessed here in this world and happy in that which is to come The good Christians Hope at the death of a Child of God AS Papinius Statius reports of the old Arcadians That mourning all night for the setting of the Sun they were comforted notwithstanding at the break of day when they saw him in his sphere again And as the People enraged at the death 〈◊〉 â—omulus were quieted by and by with Proculus his newes that he saw him in glory riding up to Heaven So it is that such as are without Hope are extreamly troubled at the death of their intimate Friend and acquaintance as if he were lost and they should never see him again but the good Christian remaines full of Hope at the death of any Child of God well knowing that Mors janua vitae he had no way but by this Mortality to cloath himself with Immortality and that as he is gone before into glory they shall both meet in Heaven with comfort Blessing of God attendant on People listning to the doctrine of their own Minister PHysitians say That the Mothers milk though not so weighty as anothers if no noxious humour be tasted in it is more proper for the Child then any strangers can be because it is more natural And certainly it would not be an error if a Man should say as much of the milk which the Minister gives to his own Flock and that a People conscientiously lying at the breasts of their own Minister if the milk he gives be wholesome the doctrine preached be sound and Orthodox may expect the blessing of God for their nourishment though it hath not so much lushiousnesse to please the curious raster so much of Rhetorick to tickle the itching car as some others have State of Nature an absolute state of impotency IF a Ship that is lanch'd rigg'd and with her sayls spread cannot stirre till the wind comes fair and fills them much lesse
Officer to call in the Company of Brewers before him instead of them he warned in the Vintners to appear whom the Lord Maior no sooner espied in the Court but asked What they made there The Officer replyed that upon his Lordships command he had warned them in But saith the Lord Maâ—or I gave order for the Brewers True my Lord said the Officer And these be the greatest Brewers in the Kingdom or grand Impostors in corrupting the Queen of liquors as I and my â—ellows find by woful experience whereupon the Lord Maior and Aldermen approved the Officers wit and took the matter into consideration Thus the Judges are in a most special manner Patres legis the Patrons of the Law the great Masters of the Wine-cellar of Justice but if they once mix wine and water and turn judgement into Warm-wood they are then the Brewers the grand Impostors that poyson the State because they corrupt the Fountain of the peoples birth-right in making the known Laws of the Kingdom speak according to their pleasure An argument of extream folly not to be mindful of death IF a man were tyed fast to a stake at whom a most cunning Archer did shoot and wounding many about him some above and some below some beyond and some short some on this hand and some on that and the poor wretch himself so fast bound to the stake that it were not any way possible for him to escape VVould it not be deemed madnesse in him if in the mean time forgetting his misery and danger he should carelesly fall to bib and quaff to laugh and be merry as if he could not be touched at all who would not judge such a man besides himself that should not provide for his end yet such Gotamists such Bedlamites such mad men are most amongst us who knowing and understanding that the most expert Archer that ever was even God himself hath whet his sword and bent his bow and made it ready and hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death and ordained his arrows Psal. 7. 12 13. Yea that he hath already shot forth his darts and arrows of death and hath hit those that are above us Superiors and Elders such as be right against us companions and equals such as be very neer us kinred and Allyes on the right hand our friends on the left hand our Enemies yet we think to be shot-free sit still as men and women unconcerned not so much as once thinking of our latter end The sins of Blasphemy and Swearing the commonness of them IT is no wonder that in Italy vvhich is a parcell of Antichrists Kingdom Blasphemies should be darted out against God and his Christ openly being made phrases of gallantry to the Brewer and very interjections of speech to the Vulgar But in England where the Scepter of Christs Kingdom hath a long time flourished it cannot but wound the heart of such as mourn for the sins of the Land to consider hovv commonly not onely the Ruffian in the Tavern and the Rascal on the Stage but also the Labourer at his work and the Gentleman at his recreation and the very Boyes yea the Babes in the streets curse their Maker and revile their Redeemer The consideration of eternall pain to deter from the commission of sinne A Grave and chast Matron being moved to commit folly with a lewd Ruffian after long discourse and tedious solicitations she called for a pan of hot burning coles requesting him for her sake to hold his finger in them but one hour He answered that it was an unkind request To vvhom she replied That seeing he would not so much as hold his finger in a few coles for one hour she could not yeeld to do the thing for which she should be tormented body and soul in hell fire for ever And thus should all men reason with themselves when they are about to sin none will be brought to do a thing that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake If a man be but to snuffe a candle he will spit on his finger because he cannot endure a small and tender flame What care is then requisite to leave sin whereby we bring endless torments to body and soul in hell sire to which our fire is but Ice by way of comparison Seasonable Repentance is safe Repentance A Good Husband will repair his House while the weather is fair not put off till winter a careful Pilot vvill take advantages of wine and tide and so put out to Sea not stay till a storm arise The Travailer will take his time in his journey and mend his pace when the night comes on least darkness overtake him The Smith vvill strike while the Iron is hot least it grow cool and so he â—ose his labour So we ought to make every day the day of our Repentance to make use of the present time that vvhen vve come to dye we may have nothing to do but to dye for there vvill be a time vvhen there will be no place for Repentance vvhen time vvill be no more when the Door vvill be shut vvhen there vvill be no entrance at all The godly mans desires are above his reach A Godly man cannot do that which he would Rom. 7. 18. And wherein he is like a Prisoner that is got out of the Goal vvho that he might escape the hands of the Keeper desires and strives vvith all his heart to run an hundreth miles in a day but by reason of the heavy bolts and fetters that hang at his heels cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain and that too vvith chaâ—ing his flesh and tormenting himself And thus it is that the servants of God do heartily desire and endeavour to run in the vvaies of Gods commandements as it is said of that good King Iosias to serve God with all their heart 2 King 23. 25. Yet because they are clogged vvith the bolts of the flesh they performe obedience very slowly and weakly with many slips and failings The good of Government VVHen one comforted a poor Widow which had lately lost her Husband for that he vvas an unthrift and unkind she replyed Well though he were but a bad Husband yet he was a Husband and such an one is better then none So the commodities of Government are so great that a very bad Husband to the Common-wealth is better then none at all For whereas in a corrupt Monarchy there may be one Tyrant in an Oligarchy some few Tyrants in a Democracy many Tyrants in an Anarchy they are all Tyrants Death the good Mans gain IN the Ceremonial Law Levit. 25. there was an year they accompted the year of Iubilee and this was with the poor Iews a very acceptable year because that every man that had lost or sold his Lands upon the blowing of a Trumpet returned and had possession of his estate
cause quoth he wherefore your fellow was condemned to death and therefore you must dye and to the third You Centurion because you have not learned to obey the voice of your General shall dye also for company Excogitaverat quomodo tria crimina faceret c. He devised how he might make three faults because he found not one But the just Iudge of all the world needs not do so with us no beating of his brains to invent an accusation against us he needs not draw three faults into one or find one where there is none there 's matter enough within us to condemn us our thoughts our words our deeds do yield him cause enough to pronounce the sentence of death upon us The giving up of our selves an acceptable Sacrifice to God IT is reported of Aeschines when he saw his fellow Scholars give great gifts to his Master Socrates he being poor and having nothing else to bestow did give himself to Socrates as confessing to be his in heart and good will and wholly at his devotion And the Philosopher took this most kindly esteeming it above all other presents and returned him love accordingly Even so the gratious disposition of our heavenly Father taketh in far better part then any man can take it the laying down of our souls the submitting of our selves unto his direction the melâ—ing of our wills down into his Will The Widows two mites were welcome into his Treasury because her heart was full though her purse were empty He accounteth that the best sacrifice which is of the heart External things do well but Internal things do far better Heaven worth contending for IF a man were assured that there were made for him a great purchase in Spain Turkey or some other parts more remote would be not adventure the dangers of the Seas and of his Enemies also if need were that he might come to the enjoyment of his own Well behold Iesus Christ hath made a purchase for us in Heaven and there is nothing required on our parts but that we will come and enjoy it Why then should we refuse any pains or fear any thing in the way nay we must strive to get in It may be that we shall be pinched in the entrance for the gate is strait and low not like the Gates of Princes lofty roof'd and arched so that we must be fain to leave our wealth behind us and the pleasures of this life behind us yet enter we must though we leave our skins nay our very lives behind us for the purchase that is made is worth ten thousand Worlds not all the silks of Persia â—ot all the spices of Egypt not all the gold of Ophir not all the Treasures of bot\â—h Indies are to be compared to it Who therefore would not contend for such a bargain though he sold all to have it Adoption of God's children known by their Sanctification FIre is known to be no painted or imaginary fire by two notes by heat and by the flame Now if the case so fall out that the fire want a slame it is stil known by the heat In like manner there be two witnesses of our adoption or sanctification Gods spirit and our spirit Now if it so fall out that a man feel not the Principal which is the spirit of adoption he must then have recourse to the second VVitness and search out in himself the signs and tokens of the sanctification of his own spirit by which he may certainly assure himself of his adoption as fire may be known to be fire by the heat though it want a flame The danger of Worldly mindedness IT is seen by experience that a man swiming in a River as long as he is able to hold up his head and keep it above water he is in no danger but safely swimeth and cometh to the shore with good contentment but if once his head for want of strength begin to dive then shaketh he the hearts of all that do behold him and himself may know that he is not far from death So is it in this wretched world and swimers of all sorts if the Lord give us strength to keep up our heads i. e. to love God and Religion above the world and before it and all the pleasures of it there is then no danger but after a time of swiming in it up and down we shall arrive in a firm place with happiness and safety but if once we dive and the head go under water if once the world get the victory and our hearts are set upon it and go under it in a sinful love and liking of it O then take heed of drowning Gods delight in a relapsed Sinners repentance AS a Husbandman delights much in that ground that after long barrenness becomes fruitful As a Captain loves that Souldier that once fled away cowardly and afterwards returns valiantly Even so God is wonderfully enamoured with a sinner that having once made shipwrack of a good Conscience yet at last returns and swims to Heaven upon the plank of Faith and Repentance Vnworthy Communicants condemned CHildren when they first put on new shooes are very curious to keep them clean scarce will they set their foot on the ground for fear to dirty the soles of their shooes yea rather they will wipe them clean with their Coats and yet perchance the next day they will trample with the same shooes up to the ancles Alas childrens play is our earnest On that day we receive the Sacrament we are often over-precise scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may But we who are more then curious that day are not so much as careful the next day and too often what shall I say go on in sin up to the ancles yea our sins go over our heads Psal. 28. 5. A sense of the want of Grace a true sign of Grace IT is the first step unto Grace for a man to see no Grace and it is the first degree of Grace for a man to desire Grace as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it and why It is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself there hath wrought Let no man say I have no Faith no Repentance no Love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of these things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all
Grace Iudas carried the bag he was good for nothing else and a rich Man laden with thick clay having outward things in abundance is good for no body but himself so true it is that as Greatness and Goodness so Gold and Grace â—eldom meet together To beware of erronious Doctrine IT is recorded by Theodoret that when Lucius an Arrian Bishop came and preached amongst the Aâ—tiochians broaching his damnable errours the People forsook the Congregation at least for the present having indeed been soundly taught before by worthy Athanasius Thus it were to be wished that the People of this age had their wits thus exercised to distinguish betwixt truth and falshood then false doctrines would not thrive as they do now amongst us and Errours though never so closly masked with a pretence of zeal would not so readily be received for Truths as now they are by the Multitude nor so much countenanced by those that make profession of better things Atheism punished IT was somewhat a strange punishment which the Romans inflicted upon Parricides they sewed them up in a mail of leather and threw them into the Sea yet so that neither the water of the Sea could soak through nor any other Element of Nature earth air or fire approach unto them And certainly every Creature is too good for him that denyes the Creator nor can they be further separated from Heaven or pitched deeper into Hell than they deserve that will believe neither The God they deny shall condemn them and those Malignant spiritâ— whom they never feared shall torment them and that for ever Truth beloved in the generall but not in the particular AS the Fryer wittily told the People that the Truth he then preached unto them seemed to be like Holy-water which every one called for a pace yet when it came to be cast upon them they turned aside their face as though they did not like it Just so it is that almost every Man calls fast for Truth commends Truth nothing will down but Truth yet they cannot endure to have it cast in their faces They love Truth in universali when it onely pleads it selfe and shewes it self but they cannot abide it in particulari when it presses upon them and shewes them themselves they love it lucentem but hate it redarguentem they would have it shine out unto all the world in its glory but by no means so much as peep out to reprove their own errors The confident Christian. THe Merchant adventurer puts to Sea rides out many a bitter storm runs many a desperate hazard upon the bare hope of a gainful return The valiant Souldier takes his life into his hands runs upon the very mouth of the Cannon dares the Lion in his Den meerly upon the hope of Victory Every Man hazards one way or other in his Calling yet are but uncertain venturers ignorant of the issue But so it often falls out that the greedy Adventurer seeking to encrease his stock loseth many times both it and himself The covetous Souldier gaping after spoil and Victory findeth himselfe at last spoiled captivated But the confident Christian the true child of God runs at no such uncertainty he is sure of the Goal when he first sets out certain of the day before he enter the field sounds the Trumpet before victory and when he puts on his harnesse dares boast as he that puts it off witnesse Davids encounter with Goliah Gedeons march against the Midianites and the christian resolution of those three Worthies Dan. 3. 17. To take Time while time serves IT was a curious observation of Cardinal Bellarmine when he had the full prospect of the Sun going down to try a conclusion of the quicknesse of its motion took a Psalter into his hand And before saith he I had twice read the 51 Psalm the whole body of the Sun was set whereby he did â—onclude that the Earth being twenty thousand thousand miles in compasse the Sun must needs run in half a quarter of an hour seven thouâ—and miles and in the revolution of twenty four hours six hundred seventy two thousand miles a large progresse in so short a time And herein though the Cardinal's compute as well as his doctrin in debates Polemicall doth very much fall short of truth yet his experience in this gives some proof of the extraordinary swiftnesse of the Suns motion Is then the course of the Sun so swift is time so passant then let time be as pretious lay hold upon all opportunity of doing good labour while it is day for night will come and time will be no more The Sun was down before the Cardinal could twice read the Psalm Miserere mei Deus and the light of thy life such is the velocity thereof may be put out before thou canst say once Lord be mercifull to me a sinner The workings of God and Man very different THe first and highest Heaven drawes by its motion the rest of the Planets and that not by a crooked but by a right motion yet the Orbs of the planets so moved move of themselves obliquely If you enquire whence is the obliquity of this motion in the Planets Certainly not from the first mover but from the nature of the Planets Thus in one and the same manner Man aimes at one end God at another the same that man worketh sinfully God worketh most holily and therefore they work idem but not ad idem The motion of our wills do exceedingly vary from Gods will and seem to drive a contrary end than that which God aimeth at yet are they so over-ruled by his power that at last they meet together and bend that way where he intendeth A wicked life hath usually a wicked end THere is a story of one that being often reproved for his ungodly and vitious life and exhorted to repentance would still answer That it was but saying three words at his death and he was sure to be saved perhaps the three words he meant were Miserere meî Deus Lord have mercy upon me But one day riding over a bridge his horse stumbled and both were falling into the River and in the article of that precipitation he onely cryed Capiat omnia diabolus Horse and man and all to the devill Three words he had but not such as he should have had he had been so familiar with the devill all his life that he thinks of none else at his death Thus it is that usually a wicked life hath a wicked end He that travells the way of hell all his life-time it is impossible in the end of his journey he should arrive at heaven A worldly man dies rather thinking of his gold than his God some die jeering some raging some in one distemper some in another Why They lived so and so they die But the godly man is full of comfort in his death because he was full of heaven
of the bulk and body the spreading fairnesse of the branches the glory of the leaves and flowers the commodity of the fruits proceed from the root by that the whole subsisteth So Faith seemes to be but a sorry grace a vertue of no regard Devotion is acceptable for it honours God Charity is noble for it does good to men Holinesse is the Image of Heaven therefore beautious Thankfulnesse is the tune of Angels therefore melodious But ad quid fides what is faith good for Yes it is good for every good purpose the foundation and root of all graces All the prayers made by Devotion all the good works done by Charity all the actuall expressions of Holinesse all the praises founded forth by Thankfulnesse come from the root of Faith that is the life of them all Faith doth animate Works as the body lives by the soul. Doubtlesse faith hath saved some without works but it was never read that works saved any without faith The Ministers partiality in the reproof of sin condemned THere is mention made of a sort of people called Gastromantae such as speak out of their belly so hollow that a stander by would think that some body else spoke in the next room unto them Just such are those byas'd Ministers the trencher Chaplains of our daies that when they speak of sin especially in great ones they may be said to speak out of their bellies not out of their hearts a dinner or a great parishioner or a good Dame will make them shoot the reprehension of sin like pellets through a Trunk with no more strength than will kill a sparrow Hence is it that there are so many no-sins so many distinctions of sins that with a little of Iesabels paint Adams weaknesse in regard of his wife is called tendernesse Abraham's lye equivocation Lots incest and adultery good nature Noahs drunkenness the weakness of age Aaron Solomons idolatry policy oppression justice treason religion faction faith madnesse zeal pride handsomenesse and covetousnesse good husbandry whereas sin should be set out in his right colours and the sinner pointed out as Nathan did David Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. To be charitable Christians and why so IF a man should at his own proper cost and charges build a fair Bridge upon some River in a convenient place thereof leading the ready way to some City or Market-town can it be thought amisse if he should demand a small kind of tribute or pontage for horse or man that should passe over whether it were to keep the Bridge in repair that so posterity might have the benefit thereof or for the acknowledgment of so great a benefit or for the satisfaction of the builder Surely it could not Thus Christ Iesus our blessed Saviour and Redeemer hath with the price his own most precious bloud built a bridge of mercy to pass over and is himselfe become a new and living way for all repentant sinners to walk in there being no other way no other bridge for passage into Heaven It is but just then that something should be done on our parts not that he hath any need but because he looks for it some tribute something by way of acknowledgement something as a Toll-penny for the reliefe of his poor distressed Members with this assurance That Eleemosyna Viaticum in Mundo thesaurus in Caelo What we lay out in this world by way of Charity shall be doubled in the next by way of Retribution Regeneration the necessity thereof ONe bargain'd with a Painter to paint him a Horse running as it were in a full careere The Painter having done his work presents it with the heels upward Why said the Man I bespake the Picture of a running Horse but thou hast brought me a horse kicking up his heels O but quoth the Painter turn the frame set the picture right and then you shall find it to be a running horse such an one as you bespake Such is every son of Man in his naturall condition his head and his heart is all downward groveling on the Earth whilst his heels are kicking at Heaven but let the Table be once turned let but God come into his Soul by the operation of his blessed spirit then there will be a renewing of the mind then that Tongue which ere-while was set on fire in Hell wil become a Trumpet of Gods glory those hands which were once reached out to do wickedly will now work that which is honest those feet which were swift to shed bloud will now walk in the paths of peace instead of an itching ear there will be an attentive ear instead of a wanton eye there will be a covenanting eye not to look upon a strange woman there will be a new will new affections new qualities a new disposition all new A man of Learning speaks little VVHen a Rabbi little learned and lesse modest usurped all the discourse at Table one much admiring him asked his friend in private Whether he did not take such a Man for a great Scholar to whom he plainly answered For ought I know he may be learned but I never heard Learning make such a noyse So when a modest Man gave thanks to God with a low and submiss voyce an impudent criticall Gallant found fault with him that he said Grace no louder but he gave him a bitter reply Make me but a fool and I shall speak as loud as you but that will marre the Grace quite Thus it is that the Sun shews least when it is at the highest that deep waters run most silent But what a murmur and bubling yea sometimes what a roaring do they make in the shallows Empty Vessels make the greatest sound but the full ones give a soft answer Profound knowledge sayes little and Men by their unseasonable noyse are known to be none of the wisest whereas a Man of parts and learning sayes little Death the end of all MAn is as it were a Book his birth is the Title-page his Baptism the Epistle Dedicatory his groans and crying the Epistle to the Reader his Infancy and Child-hood the Argument or Content of the whole ensuing Treatises his life and actions are the subject his sinnes and errours the faults escaped his Repentance the Correction As for the Volums some are in folio some in quarto some in Octavo c. some are fairer bound some plainer some have piety and godlinesse for their subject othersome and they too many mere Romanees Pamphlets of wantonness and folly but in the last page of every one there stands a word which is Finis and this is the last word in every Book Such is the life of Man some longer some shorter some stronger some weaker some fairer some coorser some holy some prophane but Death comes in like Finis at the last and closes up all for that is the end of all The incorrigible Sinners stupidity IT is reported of Silkworms
that at the noyse of Thunder they are oft-times even terrified unto death insomuch that they which keep them use to beat a drum amongst them that they being accustomed to the softer noyse of the drum may not be daunted with louder claps of Thunder Thus it is with incorrigible sinners of all sorts they are so affected with the whisperings of wordly pleasures so taken up with the jingling noyse of Riches so delighted with the empty sound of popular applause and secular preferments so sottish and besotted are they that they are not sensible of Gods anger against them the very custome of sinne hath taken away the sense of sin that they do not so much as hear that which all the world besides heareth with trembling and amazement the dreadful voyce of Gods wrathful and everlasting displeasure Regeneration the onely work of Gods spirit IT is said of the Bear that of all Creatures she bringeth the most ugly mishapen whelps but by licking of them she brings them to a better form yet it is a Bear still Thus all of us are ugly and deformed in our inward man 'T is true good breeding learning living in good Neighbourhood may lick us fair and put us into a better shape but shall never change our nature without the operation of the blessed Spirit A Man may be able to discourse of the great mysteries of Salvation yet not be changed may repeat Sermons yet not renewed pertake of the Ordinances yet not regenerated not any of these nor any of all these put together will stand in stead till it hath pleased God to square them and fit them and sanctifie them unto us by the blessed assistance of his holy Spirit Scripture-comforts the onely true comforts IT is storyed of an ancient and Reverend Rabbi who that he might by some demonstration win the People to look after Scripture-knowledge put himselfe into the habit of a Mountebank or travelling Aqua-vitae man and in the Market-place made Proclamation of a soveraign Cordial or Water of life that he had to sell Divers call him in and desire him to shew it whereupon â—he opens the Bible and directs them to several places of comfort in it And to say truth there is the greatest comfort to be had being the word of the everliving God The waters of life which are to be thirsted after whereby we may learn to live holy and dye happy The deaths of friends and others not be sleighted THe Frogs in the Fable desire a King Iupiter casteth a stock amongst them which at the first fall made such a plunge in the water that with the dashing thereof they were all affrighted and ran into their holes but seeing no further harme to ensue they came forth took courage leapt on it and made themselves sport with that which was first their fear till at length Iupiter sent a Stork among them and he devoured them all Thus it is that we make the death of others but as a Stock that somewhat at firstâ— affecteth us but we soon â—orget it until the Stâ—rk come and we our selves become a miserable prey Do they who close the eyes and cover the faces of their deceased friends consider that their eyes must be so closed their faces thus covered Or they who shrowd the Coarse remember that they themselves must be so shrowded Or they who ring the knell consider that shortly the bells must go to the same tune for them Or they that make the grave even while they are in it remember that shortly they must inhabite such a narrow house as they are now a building Peradventure they do a little but it takes no deep impression in them Prayers to be made unto God in Christs name JOseph gives strict command unto his brethren that if ever they looked for him to do them any good or to see his face with comfort they should be sure to bring the lad Benjamin their brother along with them Thus if ever we expect any comfortable return of our Prayers we must be sure to bring our elder Brother Christ Iesus in our hearts by faith and to put up all our requests in his Name They of old called upon God using the names of Abraham Isaac and Iacob three of Gods friends Afterwards they entreated God for his servant Davids sake Others drew up Arguments to move God drawn from the Creation of the World and from his loving kindnesse These were very good wayes then and very good to engage the great God of Heaven to us But unto us is shewed a more excellent way by how much the appellation of an onely begotten Son exceeds that of friend and servant and the benefit of Redemption excells that of creation and favour Dulce nomen Christi O the sweet name Iesus Christ no man ever asked any thing of God truly in that Name but he had his asking To be mindfull of Death at all times THere was once a discourse betwixt a Citizen and a Marriner My Ancestors sayes the Marriner were all Seamen and all of them dyed at Sea my Father my Grand-father and my Great-grand-father were all buried in the Sea Then sayes the Citizen what great cause have you then when you set out to Sea to remember your death and to commit your soul to the hands of God yea but sayes the Marriner to the Citizen Where I pray did your Father and your Grand-father dye Why sayes he they dyed all of them in their beds Truly then sayes the Marriner What a care had you need to have every night when you go to bed to think of your bed as the grave and the clothes that cover you as the Earth that must one day be thrown upon you for the very Heathens themselves that implored as many Deities as they conceived Chimaera's in their fancies yet were never known to erect an Altar to Death because that was ever held uncertain and implacable Thus whether it be at Sea or Land that Man is alwaies in a good posture of defence that is mindfull of death that so lives in this World as though he must shortly leave it that concludes within himselfe I must dye this day may be my last day this place the last that I shall come in this Sermon the last Sermon that I shall hear this Sabbath the last Sabbath that I shall enjoy the next Arrow that is shot may hit me and the time will come how soon God knows that I must lay aside this cloathing of Mortality and lie down in the dust Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice MUsicall Instruments without handling will warp and become nothing worth a sprightly horse will lose his Mettall by standing unbreathed in a Stable Rust will take the sword that hangs by the walls The Cynick rather then want work would be still removing his Tub Thus it is not Gods meaning that any Grace should lie
compassionate one towards another IT was an act of Licinius one of the Roman Tribunes whether more cruell or foolish let the world Judge that when Christians were put to their torture he forbad all the lookers on to shew the least pitty towards them threatning the same pains to them that did shew it which the Martyrs then suffered His malice was greater then his power for he could not hinder those from suffering with them that daily suffer in them And this is the way that all good Christians are to walk in if they cannot through disability relieve others with their goods which is the mercy of contribution yet what can hinder their confortable words to them which is the mercy of consolation or their prayers and tears for them which is the mercy of intercession or their pitty and sensible sympathy of their grief which is the mercy of compassion The impartiality of Death IN the reigne of K. Henry the sixth there is mention made of Henry Beaâ—â—ord that rich and wretched Cardinall vvho lying on his death-bed and perceiving his time to be but short expostulated with himself thus Wherefore should I die being thus rich If the whole world were able to save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie fie said he will not death be hired will mony dâ— nothing No such is the impartiality of death that ready mony will do nothing there 's no protection against the arrest of death So true is that which one writeth vvittily of the Grammarian of every son of Adam that being able to decline all other Nouns in every Case he could decline Death in no case Never vvas there Oratour so eloquent nor Monarch so potent that could either perswade or withstand the stroak of death vvhen it came Unhappy prosperity of the wicked IT is Davids observation that the vvicked are in great prosperity and flourish like a green bay-tree vvhich is vvell knovvn to be green all the vvinter long vvhen Oak-trees and Apple-trees and all other far more profitable and fruitfull trees do wither decay and shed their leaves stand naked and bare and look as if they vvere rotten and dead then it is that the Bay-tree looks as fresh and green as it vvere in the midst of the Spring So fares it with all wicked men in such vvinter-times of the vvorld as vve are novv in they prosper and God sends them no crosse nor disease nor judgment to interrupt them but lets them take their svving in the very height of their rebellions against him vvhen many a â—oor Christian is fain to fast and fare hard and go with many a hungry meal to bed then it is that God suffers a company of flagitious villains such as arâ— Mercatores humanarum calamitatum that make merchandise of poor mens miseries to have their will without controle and to thrive and have a great deal of outward unhappy prosperity Heaven the way to it through tribulation JOnathan and his Armour-bearer being upon their march against the Philistins were to passe betwixt two rocks the one called Bozez which signifies dirty the other called Seneh which signifies thorny a hard passage But on they went as we say through thick and thin and at last gained the victory The Israelites were first brought to the bitter waters of Marah before they might taste of the pleasant fountains or the milk and honey of Canaan And in vain shall any man expect the River of Gods pleasures before he hath pledged Christ in the cup of bitternesse When we have pledged him in his gall and vinegar then he will drink to us in the new wine of his Kingdom He that is the Door and the Way hath taught us that there is but one way one door one passage to Heaven and that a strait one through which though we do passe with much pressure and tugging having our superfluous rags torn away from us here in the croud of this world yet we shall be happy He that will be Knighted must kneel for it and he that will enter in at the strait gate must croud for it a gate made so on purpose narrow and hard in the entrance yet after we are entred wide and glorious that after our pain our joy may be the sweeter The Scriptures not to be plaid withall IT was simply done of Cardinall Bobba who speaking in commendation of the Library at Bononia which being a very spacious room hath under it a victualling house and under that a wine-cellar thought he had hit it in applying that text Wisdom hath built her house hath mingled her wine and furnished her table The rudenesse of this application did not in the least become the gravity of a red Hat But let all such know that non est bonum ludere cum sanctis there 's no jesting with edge-tools no playing with the two-edged sword of Gods Word Is there no place but the Font for a man to wash his hands in no cup but the Chalice to drink healths in Certainly they were ordained for a better use and the Scriptures pen'd for a better end then to be plaid withall Vncertain prosperity of the wicked A Man that stands in lubrico in a slippery place as on Ice or Glasse shall have much ado to keep himself upright though no body touch him but if one should come upon him unawares and give him a suddain justle or a suddain rush he hath no power in the world to uphold himself but must fall and that dangerously And this is the case of wicked wealthy men such as are laden with ease and honour such as are blest like Esau with the dew of Heaven and fatnesse of the Earth Such gracelesse Ruffians as feast without fear drink without measure swear without feeling live without God thinking that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unmovable and fastned on a Rock that never shall be moved But they are deceived God that knowes their standing tells us he hath set them in slippery places and it will not be long ere he send some death some judgment some evill Angell or other to give them such a suddain justle such a suddain rush that without great mercy on â—is part and great Repentance on their part they must fall irrecoverably into the pit of Hell for ever Atheism will unman any Man TAke a Dog and marke what a generosity and courage he will put on when he is maintained by a Man who is to him instead of a God or at least melior Natura whereby it is manifest that the poor Creature without the confidence of a better Nature then his own could never be so couragious Thus it is with Man when he roleth himselfe upon God and resteth on his divine protection then he gathers a force and ability which humane nature it selfe could never attain But when
spiritual Crosses and been prepared for the worst of times that could be Mans Extremity Gods Opportunity PHilo the Iew being employed as an Ambassador or Messenger to Caius Caligula then Emperor of the Romans his entertainment was but sleight for he had no sooner spoke on the behalf of his Country but was commanded to depart the Court Whereupon he told his People That he was verily perswaded that God would now do something for them because the Emperor was so earnestly bent against them And certainly Gods help is then nearest when Man 's is furthest off the one's extremity made the otâ—er's opportunity Ubi desinâ—t Pâ—ilosophus incipit Medicus c. Where the Philosopher ends there the Physitian begins and where the Physitian endeth there the Minister beginneth and where Mans ayd endeth there Gods beginneth Deliverance is oft nearest when destruction seemeth surest Parents not to be too much dejected for the death of an onely Sonne or Child ABraham was ready to have sacrificed his onely son Isaac And God gave his onely Sonne Christ Iesus to death for our salvation It is most true that the death of an onely Sonne must neeâ—s be grievous and the cause of great heavinesse and lamentation But let all disconsolate Parents take notice what Elkanah said to Anna Am not I better to you then ten Sons So doth God say What though I have taken away your onely Sonne the child of your delight there is no just cause of complaint I have taken but my own I will be better then ten hundred sons to you and you shall one day find that he is but gone before as your Feoâ—â—ee in trust to take possession and keep a place for you in Heaven How it is that Men may be said to learn of little Children dumb shews c. SExtus Tarquinius the sonne of Lucius being suborned by his Father pretending to be banished fled fraudulently to the Gabii where having screwed himself so much into their bosomes as he thought was sufficient for his design sent secretly to know his Fathers pleasure who leading the Messenger into the Garden walked a while and not speaking one word with his staffe strake off the heads of the Dazies which grew there the Messenger reports this to his Son who thereupon put the chief Noble-men of the Gaâ—ii to death and so by force and Injustice usurped a power over that Common-weal Such was the tacite Counsell that Periander the Corinthian gave unto Thrasibulus the Tyrant of Athens when pulling the upper ears he made all the standing corn equall intimating thereby what a Tyrant must do that would live safe and quiet Thus it was but in a better way and a far better sense that when the Disciples were building Castles in the ayr quaerentes non quaerenda seeking who should be highest in Heaven when they should rather have been enquiring how to get thither Christ sets a little Child before them who neither thinks great things of himself nor seeks great things for himself conâ—uting hereby their preposterous ambition and affectation of Primacy And thus it is that dumb shews may be said to speak out much to the purpose and speechlesse Children read many a significant Lecture to the Sons of Men as of simplicity humility innocency ignoscency c. not of childishnesse peevishnesse open-heartednesse c. Non praecipitur ut habeant aetatem sed innocentiam parvulorum not of their age but innocency Whereupon some mis-understanding the Text in a Nichodemicall way as one Goldsmith an Anabaptist and Masseus a Franciscan Fryer to abundance of more then childish folly Gods Judgments the causes of them to be considered LAy a book open before a Child or one that cannot read he may stare and gaze upon it but he can make no use of it at all because he understandeth nothing in it yet bring it to one that can read and understandeth the language that is written in it hee 'l read you many stories and instructions out of it It is dumb and silent to the one but speaketh to and talketh with the other In like manner it is with Gods Iudgments as S. Augustine well applyes it All sorts of Men see them but few are able aright to read them or to understand them what they say Every Iudgment of God is a reall Sermon of Reformation and Repentance every Iudgment hath a voice but every one understands not this voice as Paul's companions when Christ spake to him they heard a voyce and no more But it is the duty of every good Christian to listen to the Rod and him that sent it to spell out the meaning of Gods aâ—ger to enquire and find out the cause of the Crosse and the ground of Gods hiding his face Why it is that he dealeth so harshly with them and carrieth himself so austerely towards theâ— The Love of God the onely true Love EVery beam of Light proceeding from the body of the Sun is either direct broken or reflex direct when it shineth out upon the Center in a lineary motion without any obliquity broken when it meets with some grosser body so that it cannot shine out-right but is enforced to incline to one part or other and therefore called a collaterall or broken light reflex when lighting upon some more grosse body it is beaten back and so reflects upon its first principle Thus let the Sons of Men pretend never so much to the Love of God their Love is either a broken or reflecting Love seldome direct broken when it is fixed upon the things of this World reflex when it ayms at self-Interest Whereas the Love of God is the onely true Love a direct Love without obliquity a sincere Love without reflexion such a Love as breaks through all impediments and hath nothing in Heaven but God and desireth nothing on Earth in comparison of him such a Love as looketh upon the World by way of subordination but upon God by way of eminency The Active Christian object of the Devil and Wicked Mens malice LUther was offered to be made a Cardinal if he would be quiet He answered No not if I might be Pope and defends himself thus against those that thought him haply a proud Fool for his pains Inveniar sane superbus c. Let me be counted Fool or any thing said he so I be not found guilty of cowardly silence The Papists when they could not rule him rayl'd at him and called him an Apostate He confesseth the action and saith I am indeed an Apostate but a blessed and holy Apostate one that hath fallen off from the Devil Then they called him Devil But what said he Prorsus Sathan est Lutherus c. Luther is a Devill be it so but Christ liveth and reigneth that 's enough for Luther So be it Nay such was the activity of Luther's spirit that when Erasmus was asked by the Elector of Saxony Why
Men take heed then how they multiply their cups as in that Feast of Ahashuerus at Shushan where every Man drank as much as he lift but content themselves with Timothy's Modicum prescribed by S. Paul One cup is enough two are too much and three too little but How may that be When a Man hath taken off three he is fit if possible for three hundred and then ab hilaritate ad ebrietatem lubricus est gradus He shall find to his sorrow that from mirth to madnesse the step is very slippery The great pains that Wicked Men take to go to Hell IT is observed of Antiochus Epiphanes one of the Kings of Syria that he was a most cruel Persecutor of the Church and undertook more troublesome journeys and went upon more hazardous designs meerly to trouble vex and oppose the Church of the Iews then ever any of his Predecessors did about any other conquest or noble enterprize that he travelled more miles to do mischief as he that compareth their journeys then any of the Saints did to do good And thereupon concludes the Story of him with this general truth concerning all wicked Men That they go with more pains to eternal death then the Saints to eternal rest that they toyl themselves more and suffer more hardship to work out their own damnation then the godly do to work out their Salvation Thus it is that a Wicked ungodly Man is said to travell with pain all the dayes of his life and wearying himself in the way to Hell doing the Devils drudgery And whereas a good Man is mercifull to his beast he is unmercifull to himself and tires himself more then a good Man will tire his beast For he that will follow Sin and serve his own lusts especially the lust of Pride and oppression serveth a hard Master one that will make him sweat for it and pay him home at last with eternal death so that the work of Sin is bad enough but as to the Sinner the wages is worse Proper Names of Men not to be so much regarded as Appellative A Poor Shepherd in Germany when divers observing the Cardinal of Colein and admiring his pomp as a Prince whereas his calling was but a Bishop O sayes the Shepherd Cum damnatus fuerit Rex quid fiet de Episcopo If the great Duke should go to Hell for pride What would become of the humble Bishop Thus as with Titles so is it with the Names of Men It is not the proper Name but the Appellative not the Nominal but the Reall that makes a good Construction in Gods grammer Abraham is a good Name but the Father of the Faithfull is a better Moses a good Name but the servant of God much better David a good Name but a Man after Gods own heart far better so it may be said of S. Iohn he had a good Name but to be the beloved Disciple of Iesus Christ was much beyond it Paul a good Name but to be a chosen vessell of the Lord much more So that Grace is not tyed to Names Theodorus Theodosius Dorotheus Theodatus Deodatus Adeodatus all signifying the gift of God may well be given to our Children but it is the Grace of God that maketh happy No Man hath the mystery of his Fortune written in his Name Names are not Propheticall much lesse Magicall yet the Civill use of them is for distinction Nomen quasi Notamen and the Religious use of them hath by good antiquity been alwaies observed in the Sacrament of Baptism Excessive drinking condemned A Nacharsis had a saying that the first draught of Wine is for thirst the second for nourishment the third for mirth the fourth for madnesse Whereupon Calisthenes being pressed to quaffe off a great Bowl of Wine which bowl they called Alexander gravely replyed That he would not for drinking of Alexander stand in need of Aesculapius i. e. he would drink no more then what should do him good And it were heartily to be wished that all Men were of his mind but so it is that now adayes a drunken health like the Conclusion in a Syllogism must not be denyed yea such and so excessive is the custom of high drinking that S. Basil makes it a wonder How the bodies of Drunkards being by Nature framed of Earth do not with so much moysture dissolve into clay and water Books of Piety and Religion testimoniall at the great day of Iudgment IT is usual in Scripture to ascribe a testimony to the more notable circumstances and accidents of humane life as to the rust of hoarded money to the solemn publications of the Gospel the dust of the Apostles feet And so downward in the Primitive times when grown persons were baptized they were wont to leave a stole or white garment in the vestry for a Testimony and witnesse of their Baptism Wherefore when one Elpidophorus had revolted from the Faith the Deacon of the Church came and told him O Elpidophorus I will keep this stole as a Monument against thee to all Eternity And thus it is that Books of Piety and devotion being publique Monuments are much of this Nature a testimony likely to be produced in the day of Iudgment not only against the Authors but the Persons into whose hands they shall happen to be perused in case on either side there be any defection in Iudgment or manners from the Truths therein expressed Atheistical Wicked Men at the hour of Death forced to confesse Gods Iudgments IT is the report of a Reverend Divine now with God concerning an Atheist in England A young Man sayes he was a Papist but soon fell into dislike of their superstition He became a Protestant but that did not please him long England could not content him he reels to Amsterdam there he fell from one sect to another till he lighted upon the Familists The first Principle they taught him was this There is no God as indeed they had need to sear up their Consciences and dam up all natural light that turn Familists hereupon he fell to a loose life committed a Robbery was convicted condemned and brought to die At the Execution he desired a little time uttering these words Say what you will surely there is a God loving to his Friends terrible to his Enemies And thus it is that the lewdest Reprobates the most wretched Atheists that spit in the face of Heaven and wade deepest in bloud are forced at the time of Death when they see the hand-writing of Gods Iudgments upon the wall to confesse there is a God who is just in all his wayes and wondrous in all his works Fleshly-lusts the danger of them IT is said of the Torpedo a kind of dangerous Sea-fish that it is of so venomous a Nature that if it chance to touch but the line of him that angles the poyson is thereby
book Thus it is that whereas God hath four especiall books First that of the Creation a large and visible book Secondly that of ordinary providence which is a kind of Chronicle or Diurnal of a God-head and a testimony that there is a God Thirdly that of the extraordinary works reaching upon occasion even to Nations without the borders of the visible Church Lastly the book of Mans Conscience a book that though here by reason of our sinfull blindnesse it may seem to be uncorrected dim printed and written with white and waterish ink so that God is not at present sâ—en distinctly in it yet this book together with the rest are but plaid withall slighted and neglected the most of Men looking upon them but not into them are able to discourse of them but have no mind to be truly informed by them so that if the Heathen be left without excuse What shall become of Christians knowing Christians to whom is shewed a more excellent way Psalm 19. 7 Gods decree of Election not to be made the proper object of Faith SUppose a rope cast down into the Sea for the relief of a company of poor ship-wrack't Men ready to perish and that the People in the Ship or on the shore should cry out unto them to lay hold on the rope that they may be saved Were it not unseasonable and foolish curiosity for any of those poor distressed Creatures now at the point of death to dispute whether did the Man that cast the rope intend and purpose to save me or not and so minding that which helpeth not neglect the means of safety offered Or as a Prince proclaiming a free market of Gold fine linnen rich garments pretious Jewells and the like to a number of poor Men upon a purpose to enrich some few of them whom of his meer Grace he purposeth to make honourable Courtiers and great Officers of State Were it fitting that all these Men should stand to dispute the Kings favour but rather that they should repair to the Market and by that means improve his favour so gratiously tendered unto them Thus it is that Christ holdeth forth as it were a Rope of Mercy to poor drowned and lost Sinners and setteth out an open Market of Heavenly treasure it is our parts then without any further dispute to look upon it as a Principle afterwards to be made good that Christ hath gratious thoughts towards us but for the present to lay hold on the rope ply the Market and husband well the Grace that is offered And as the condemned Man believeth first the Kings favour to all humble supplyants before he believe it to himself so the order is being humbled for sin to adhere to the goodnesse of the promise not to look to Gods intention in a personall way but to his complacency and tendernesse of heart to all repentant Sinners this was S. Pauls method embracing by all means that good and faithfull saying Iesus Christ came to save Sinners before he ranked himself in the front of those sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Justice moderated IT is observeable that by the place of that sign in the Zodiack which according to the doctrine of the Astronomers is called The Virgin the Lyon is placed on the one side and the Ballance on the other The Lyon bidding as it were the Virgin Iustice be stout and fearlesse the Ballance minding her to weigh all with moderation and be cautious Thus it is that Iustice may be said to be remisse when it spares where it ought to punish and such sparing is Cruelty And Iudgment may be said to be too severe when it punisheth where it ought to spare and rigorous if at any time it be more then the Law requires and if at all times it be so much Extream right often proves extream wrong And he that alwaies doth so much as the Law allows shall often do more then the Law requires Whereas the Righteousnesse of God calls not for an Arithmeticall proportion i. e. at all times and on all occasions to give the same award upon the same Law but leaves a Geometricall proportion that the consideration of circumstances may either encrease or allay the censure Neutrality in Church or State condemned THere is mention made of a certain Despot of Servia which in the Eastern parts of the World is as much as a Governour or Ruler of the Country that living among the Christians kept correspondence with the Turks was a publick worshipper of Christ yet a secret circumcised Turk so that the Turkish mark might save him if need were And such are all Neutralists whether in Church or State such as under pretence of benefactors for Christ drive a Trade for the Devill and Antichrist such as Trade in both India's have a stock going on both sides that so they may save their own stake which side soever win or lose and live in a whole skin whatever become of Church or State and by this means procuring external safety with the certain ruine of their most pretious and immortall Souls The great danger of not standing fast in the Profession of Religion IT is observeable that an heard of Cattel being ship'â— for Sea when the storm doth roll the Ship on the one side the brutish heard run all over to the other thinking thereby to avoid the tosse but their weight soon brings back the Vessel and then they flee over to the old side again and so the ship is oft-times over-set and all are drown'd at last And such is the danger of all those who do not stand fast in their holy Profession that do not maintain their ground keep close to their station and stand upright in the wayes of God For whilst they are not true to their Principles but affected with every novelty in Religion now of this Church or Congregation anon of that and it may be after a while of neither no wonder if being given over to strong delusions they believe a lye and make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience to their eternall ruine Life liberty estate c. to be undervalued when Religion is in danger of losing IT is storied of Epaminondas that exquisite Theban Commander that having received his deaths wound by a spear in a battel against the Lacedemonians the Spears head remained in the wound till he heard that his Army had got the Victory and then he rejoycingly commanded it to plucked out his bloud and life issuing out both together with these words in his mouth Satis vixi invictus enim morior I have lived enough that dye unconquered And being told a little before his death That however he had lost his life yet his shield was safe he broke out by way of exultation Vester Epaminondas cum sic moritur non moritur your Epaminondas thus dying doth not dye Thus it is that life liberty estate relation of Wife
little to cover their great eyes they do sleep with their eyes somewhat open and shining which hath occasioned it to be supposed that they slept not at all But most true it is that Iesus Christ who is the keeper of Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth never shuts his eyes but hath them alwaies open upon the Just he winks not so much as to the twinkling of an eye He alwaies stands Centinel for his People and ever looking about him to see if any danger be approaching he watcheth over his People for good Times redemption THere is mention made of Archias a Lacedemonian that whilst he was riotting and quaffing in the midst of his cups one delivers him a letter purposely to signify that there were some that lay in wait to take away his life and withall desires him to read it presently because 't was a serious businesse and matter of high concernment Oh said he seria cras I will think of serious things to morrow but that night he was slain Thus it is very dangerous putting off that to another day which must be done to day or else undone to morrow Nunc aut nunquam Now or never was the saying of old If not done now it may never be done and then undone for ever Eternity depends on this moment of time What would not a man give for a day when it is a day too late Let every Man therefore consider in this his day to day whilst it is day to do the things of his peace least they should be hid from his eyes and so whilst like a blind Sodomite he grope to find a dore of hope sire and Brimstone rain about his ears from Heaven against which he hath so highly offended Men not easily brought to believe the Worlds vanity A Gentlewoman some piece of Vanity no doubt being told that the World and all the glory thereof was but Vanity Vanity of Vanities all 's but Vanity so said Solomon 'T is true said she Solomon did say so but he tried first whether it were so or not and so will I Thus it is that most of us are very hardly drawn to believe the Worlds vanity as that he Wisedome thereof is but enmity with God the riches thereof nothing available the Honours thereof but dependant and apt to lye in the dust the pleasures thereof but momentany and all of them such whereupon may be truly written Vanity but here 's the misery Men will not take Gods word for it that it is so they cannot believe till â—or scarce when they see The World hath bewitched them before they will believe it to be a Witch neither will they believe it to be a poyson till they are poysoned therewith Every one to strive for eminency in Christianity A Ristides was so famous amongst the Athenians for his Justice that he was called Aristides the just when two came before him said he that accused the other O Aristides this Man did you such an injury at such a time as thinking by such a suggestion to have made him partiall in the businesse Whereunto Aristides made answer Friend I sit not here to hear what he hath done against me but what he hath done against thee O that Christians were so famous for holinesse and Justice that it might be said There 's such an one The humble such an one The meek such an one The holy such an one The just such an one The patient It could have been said so of Noah Abraham Moses and Iob c. And why should not every Man strive to be the like The Will of God to be resigned unto in all things THere is mention made of a good woman who when she was sick being asked Whether she were willing to live or dye answered Which God pleaseth but saith one that stood by If God should refer it to you Which would you choose Truly said she If God should refer it to me I would ee'n refer it to him again Here now was a good Woman and a good resolve well met And it were to be wished that there were many such in these loose licentious times of ours that would not be almost but altogether perswaded to lay aside themselves and their self-will and in all occurrences of time and all occasions of Interest whether publike or private to lye down in the dust and to submit to the good will of God whether it be for good or evill that shall in this life happen unto them The great benefit of Faith truly appropriated IN the Book of Iudges there is mention made of a War betwixt the Men of Gilead and the Ephraimites wherein the men of Gilead had the Victory and pursuit upon the Ephraimites but the men of Gilead having gain'd a passe upon the River Iordan over which the Ephraimites were to run homewards it so fell out that every single Man was forced to beg his way whereupon the men of Gilead question'd their Country Whether they were Ephraimites or not They poor Creatures being struck with fear answered in the negative They were no Ephraimites but the men of Gilead distrusting them commanded that every Man as he passed should clearly pronounce the word Shibboleth which signifies a Foord or passage whereby the Ephraimites were discovered for pronouncing Sibboleth instead of Shibboleth two and fourty thousand of them were put to the sword in that day Thus it is that all of us are to passe through the gates of Death and to give an accompt for what we have done here in the Flesh whether it be good or bad And then he that can clearly pronounce Shibboleth that can say with David Daniel and many others My Lord and my God that can by Faith appropriate the merits of Christ Iesus unto his own Soul and say with holy Iob I know that my Redeemer liveth shall enter into his Masters joy whereas he that lispeth out Sibboleth that with those five foolish Virgins and those other hopelesse Creatures shall without the least sense of Faith barely cry out Lord Lord shall be shut out for evermore True Grace in the Soul may be seemingly but not really at a losse AS it is amongst us in a Court of Record the Seal being once passed is as true a Seal and as good evidence in Law though the print be defaced diminished and not so apparent as any that is most fair fresh full and not defaced at all So it is that the least drop of true Grace in the Soul can never be exhausted nor the least dram of true spiritual joy be quite dryed up or annihilated And why so because that in the Court of Heaven when on a sealing day the Graces of Gods Spirit are stamped on the Soul it may and doth oftentimes so fall out that there may be afterwards a dimnesse of the Seal and the marks as it were may be worn out so that the