is or can be false in Divinitie The truth in the inferiour facultie is subordinate to that in the superiour in all things and comes short of it in many things but can in nothing be contrarie unto it seeing God and his Spirits work cannot be contrarie to himself I ad though the truth be uttered by the Divel himself yet is it originally of God When he speaks a ly he speaks of himself but when he speaks the truth he speaks of God who so far useth or rather abuseth him as to utter and professe that which he hateth We ought to reverence excellent men but the truth more as Dionisius said of Nepos and Aristotle of Plato and Socrates And good reason seeing a main cause of our reverencing of men is their knowledg and profession of the truth No prescription say the Lawyers lies against the King say we with the Father against the truth which by the Verdict of a great King himself and his Nobles with him is greater then the King no space of time no patronage of person no priviledg of place from which blind or simple custom commonly getting footing and growing into use by succession is brought to coap with truth it self and that the most violently where the persons are the most bruitish and godlesse But our Lord Christ called himself Truth not Custom neither is Falshood Errour or Heresie convinced by Noveltie but by Truth This Truth is alwayes the same whilst The God of Truth is in Heaven what entertainment soever it finde with men upon Earth It is alwayes praise-worthy though no man praise it and hath no reason or just cause to be ashamed though it oft go with a scratcht face They that fight against it are like the Floods beating upon the strong Rocks which are so much the more miserably dashed in pieces by how much they are the more violently carried Though Fire and Sword assault it yet will it not be killed or dy and though by violence it be buried quick yet will it rise again and if not before yet when all Flesh shall rise again and when Truth which was first and before Falshood and Errour shall be last and abide for ever We must love and attain to the knowledg of the Truth in our selvs First Lest we be Clouds without rain promising that to others which we our selvs want and must in our places afterwards make manifestation and profession of it and not be like the grave insatiable in receaving in and barren in returning any thing back but must be alwayes readie as we see hope of doing good to propagate it like the Phylosopher who being found fault with for disputing with all that he met with wished that the bruit beasts also could understand him that he might impart something even to them yea in our kind like God himself that gives wisdom to all that asks it of him and to Christ the Lord that Word of God and true Light which inlightens everie one that comes into the World and sometimes even when we see no hope of doing good if dutie bind us though hope fail us that so the non-proficients may have cause rather to complain of themselvs for not learning then of us for not manifesting the truth unto them And albeit all truth is not to be spoken at all times A fool uttereth all his mind but a wise man keeps it in for afterwards yet nothing not true at any time or for any cause He that hath but a right Philosophicall spirit and is but morally honest would rather suffer many deaths then call a Pin a Point or speak the least thing against his understanding or perswasion A man in pleading for the Truth may shew his judgment and understanding best in the matter but his grace and godlinesse in the manner when he handles a good cause well and the Lords cause after the Lords manner Sometimes men pretend Gods Truth and zeal for it when indeed they make their pleas for Truth serv onely for hackneys for their lusts to ride on whither they would have them Sometimes men seriously intend Truth and yet mingle both with their good intention and it may be true assertion also such their personall corruptions and distempers as Christ looseth more by their inordinatenesse that way then he gaines both by their sound knowledg and fervent zeal of and for his Truth The most account a ly more shamefull then sinfull and therefore make it a matter of great disgrace to take the ly specially in the hearing of others and yet make it no matter of conscience to make the ly before God and his Angels Ah foollish People thus to honour your selvs and other vile men your likes more then God himself and the Angels with him and with all base in your Pryde who will rather bear the ly at your own mouth then at an others When a man speakes against his knowledg his own heart tels his tongue it lyeth which to put up quietly argues both a gracelesse and an abject spirit Whereas both grace and true courage also may be shewen in bearing the ly at an others mouth by overcoming such indignation and anger ryseing thereat as is harder to conquer then a Citty The Divell is the father of lyes which whilst they in the womb of whose heart he begets them impute to other and better causes mooveing them thereunto they are but like harlots who for theyr credits sake father theyr bastards upon honest men Many things even good may occasion lying as all good may do all evill but no thing can bring it forth and cause it save the womb of our own corrupt heart imprignated by the divell Now if both by the Law of God and light of nature it be an abhominable confusion for a woman to lie down before a beast what is it for man or woman to prostitute themselvs to Sathan for the gendring of so mis-shapen a monster as a ly is And very rightly is a ly called monstrous considering both the divels kindes of which it comes and also the disproportion in it often between the speach and the thing spoken and alwayes between the tongue and heart of the speaker Neyther doth the goodnes of the meaning though never so good excuse the evill of the doing when as a ly is told He that tels a ly for God is an accepter of persons and God wil surely reprove him saith Iob. And no marvayl Since his own heart condemnes him God which is greater then his heart and knoweth all things will condemn him much more And if a ly told that through it the truth of God may more abound to his glory procure just condemnation what may they expect that use to ly for meaner though good ends He that tels a ly for a good end puts the Divell into Gods service which neyther his truth needs nor his holynes will endure but he that tels a ly for an evill
wherein men make a will of God which is not and so a God willing which is not or els in an act of worship in it self though neither professed nor judged such by him that performs it Such mens actions reprove both their intention in heart and profession in word and can not be excused by either from Idolatrous This sin in Gods people is usually compared by the Holy Ghost to the whoredom of a Wife and Gods anger at it to the Husbands jealousie in that case And as Adulterie most directly impeacheth the mariage bond and so procures the Bill of Divorce so doth Idolatry the Churches Covenant with the Lord and provokes to sequestration from him Yet herein two rules must be held The former that not onely speciall Idolatry but even all or any other wickednesse with profane obstinacie adjoyned separates from God Secondly that all sin whatsoever is founded upon a kind of Idolatry In sins of omission we acknowledg not God for our God as we ought in doing what he commands In sins of commission we make some other thing our God as our riches if we trust to them as to God or our belly if for it we do what God forbids the doing of CAP. XII Of Heresie and Schism IT is an ancient and receaved saying that Heresie ariseth from want of Faith and Schism from want of Love which also hath its truth being rightly understood Yet if we mark we shall find the Scriptures to speak something otherwise of both the one and other then men commonly understand We usually call obstinate Errour in the foundation Heresie but the Scriptures many times seem rather to place it in the peruersnesse of the will and affections whether the matter be great or small then in the errour of the judgment the word also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying any election or choise of will which a man makes or Sect which he followeth whether good or bad whether in matters of greater or smaller moment Besides men are oftens accounted Heretiques with greater sin through want of charitie in the Iudges then in the judged through defect of Faith Of old some have been branded for Heretiques for holding Antipodes others for holding the originall of the Soul by traduction others for thinking that Marie the Mother of Christ had other Children by her Husband Ioseph the first being a certain truth and the second a Philosophicall doubt and the third though an errour yet neither against foundation nor post of the Scriptures building As there are certain Elements and foundations of the Oracles of God and of Christian Faith which must first be layed and upon which other truths are to be built so must not the foundation be confounded with the wals or roof nor errours lightly be made fundamentall or unavoidably damnable Yea who can say with how little and unperfit Faith in Christ both for degree and parts God both can and doth save the sincere in heart Whose Salvation depends not upon the perfection of the Instrument Faith but of the Object Christ. As on the contrarie there are some vulgar and common errours though lesse severely censured which are apparently damnable as by name for a man to beleev and expect mercie from God and salvation by Christ though going on in affected ignorance of or prophane disobedience to Gods Commandments And for Schism The Scriptures note it as sometimes made from the Church but most commonly in it From it by the ten Trybes sequestring themselvs from Iudah and Ierusalem the onely place where the Lord had promised to dwell by his solemn Church presence and after Christ by certain of the Hebrews forsaking the assemblies of the Christians The former was from the onely true instituted and ministeriall Church in the World which was then one individuall and not many as now and that by Idolatry The latter from all Christian Churches and persons by totall defection from Christ himself The other Schisms mentioned were made in the Church either through the carnall lusts bearing two great sway of envie strife and uncharitablenesse whilst the stronger despised the weaker and the weaker judged the stronger or by Heresie and prophanenesse of manners of which the Apostles Peter Iude and Iohn speak That which is commonly called Schism ariseth if it be affected from the conceipt of Faith and want of Love but may fall out upon simple errour of judgment or scrupulositie of conscience By occasion whereof a person may seqester himself eyther in or from some particular Church in some inferior courses of religion from them towards whom he yet bears much more true and hearty Christian affection then the most of them do who unite with them therein And if onely an uncharitable heart make an uncharitable person before God and a proud heart a proud person then he who upon due examination and certain knowledg of his heart findes and feels the same truly disposed to union with all Christians so far as possibly he can see it lawfull though through errour or frailtie he may step aside into some by-path that way yet hath that person a Supersedeas from the Lord in his bosom securing him from being attached for a schismaticall person and so found in the Court of Heaven what blame soever he may bear from men upon Earth or correction from God for his failing upon infirmitie therein No man can endure to be withdrawn from nor easily dissented from by another in his way of Religion in which above all other things he makes account that he himself draws nearest unto God Therefore to do this causlesly for not the seperation but the cause makes the Schismatick though out of errour or scrupulositie is evill more to do it out of wantonnesse of mind or lust to contend or affectation of singularitie most of all to do it out of proud contempt or cruell revenge against others CAP. XIII Of Truth and Falshood TRuth is either naturall or morall Naturall Truth stands first in the conveniencie and agreement of the notions of the mind with the thing conceaved and secondly of the means of manifesting it especially speech with the thing to be manifested Morall Truth stands in the conveniencie and agreement of a person with himself namely of his heart with his tongue and speech The same consideration is to be had of Truths contrarie in its kind which is Falshood Whereupon also it comes that a man may sin and speak falsly not onely in speaking that which he knows or may know to be false for what end soever he speak it yea though it be that he may not deceav but also in speaking that which is true in it self if he know it not that he might or so as he may deceav by it All truth by whomsoever spoken is of God and of his Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth in some its manner and degree of working Whereupon it followeth that nothing true in right reason and sound Phylosophy
pardon of them then the removing of the bodily punishment as who having understanding in him would not raither haue the bodily soar healed then the playster though byting taken from it And withall when we acknowledge that our afflictions are infinitely lesse then our sins Which they that do not neyther know Gods justice nor their own demerits as they ought Neyther yet is it sufficient that in such cases wee confesse our sins and how we have walked contrarie unto God but we must withall confesse our miserie and that God hath walked contrary unto us and brought our present afflictions upon us In Confessing our sins we shame our selvs and declare our naughtines but in ackowledging our selvs justly punished for them we honour God as a wise powerfull and just Iudg. Notwithstanding there be alwayes the desert of sin procuring punishment yet God doth not alwayes principally aym at that but sometimes that his power may be seen as in the man born blinde sometimes for the honour of his holy name having been blasphemed of his enemies by the sins of his servants as it was by Davids adulterie and other mischeifs following thereupon sometymes for mans salvation as we see in the sufferings of Christ sometimes for the confirmation of others by testimonie given to the truth as in the case of Steven whose sufferings sayth one exhort to the confession thereof sometimes for the tryall of our faith seeing without afflictions neyther others knew us nor we our selvs and for the shameing of the divell therein as in the case of Iob sometimes to draw men nearer to himself by humiliation and repentance which is a generall end sometimes to wean us from the love of the world unto which we are too much addicted notwithstanding all the sorrows which we do finde in it and like foolish travaylers love our way though troublesome in stead of our country sometimes to prevent some sin ready to break out in us as physitians let blood to prevent sicknes Lastly to make the glorie which shall be shewed and whereof our afflictions are not worthy the more glorious as the sun is when the clouds are driven away wherewith for a time it hath been darkned Now as it were to be wished that we could alwaies certainly know the Lords particular ends in afflicting us as we may gather much ordinarily by the knowledge of his word observation of his dealing towards our selvs and others and due examination of our estate and wayes in his sight so is it most necessarie for all his people ever to hold this generall conclusion that in all their afflictions the justice and mercy of God meet together and that he begins in justice and wil end in mercy with them God hath in a peculiar manner entayled afflictions to the sincere profession of the gospel above that of the law before Christ. The law was given by Moyses whose ministerie began with killing the Egiptian that oppressed the Israelite and was prosequuted with leading the people out of Egipt through the sea and wildernes with great might and a strong hand and lastly was finished with bloody victorie over Sihon and Og the kings of Canaan But Christs dispensation was all of an other kynde his birth mean his life sorrowfull and his death shamefull And albeit the love of God towards his people be alwaies the same in it self yet is the manifestation thereof very divers Before Christs coming in the flesh in whom the grace of God appeared God shewed his love more fully in earthly blessings and peace and more sparingly in spirituall and heavenly But now on the other side he dealeth forth temporall blessings more sparingly and spirituall with a fuller hand It is not unprobably gathered that after the destruction of the dragon and beast and recalling of the Iewes after their long divorse from the Lord the blessings of both kindes shall meet together and the Church enjoy for a time a verie gracefull state upon earth both in regard of spirituall and bodily good things In the mean while many would fayn have their worldly advantage and the obedience of the gospell to agree together further then they will And when they cannot frame the world and their worldly conveniencie to the gospell they will fashion the gospel to the world and to their carnall courses in it Pitty it is that such men were not of the Lords councell when he first contrived and preached his gospel that they might have helped him in some such discreet and middle course as might have served the turn both for Heaven and earth But let the world in its foolish wisdom say and do what it will or can the way is narrow which leads unto life and considering mans naughtines it is neyther fit nor hardly possible that it should be broader All the afflictions which Christians suffer are not afflictions of Christ nor all the crosses which they take up the crosses of Christ. The afflictions of Christ may be set in three ranks The first and those most properly so called are when men for Christs cause hate revile and persequute us The second when we suffer evils which we might be free from and escape if we durst deny in word or deed any part of Christs truth The third and last sort are such as befall us in the course of godlines though humayn and as they do all other men as bodily sicknes death of freinds crosses and losses by sea and land and the like If we be members of Christ our such afflictions are the afflictions of Christ els the mercy shewed and good done to such were not done to Christ. But now if he that in his person is a true Christian suffer for evil doing he takes not up the crosse of Christ but of the divel therein and if he put himself upon needlesse danger and difficulties he takes not up Christs crosse but his own herein and so hath his amends in his own hands Yet may even afflictions so coming by our true repentance be sanctified unto us and we please God in their use though not in their cause Both good conscience and wisdom must be used in applying such scriptures as speak of the afflictions of Christians for well doing neyther is all that can be sayd out of everie text thereabout to be applyed to all times For howsoever hardly at any time or in any place things go so well especially in our dayes which even they who are none of the best themselvs will confesse yea complayn to be extreamly evill but that truth goes with a scratcht face lesse or more yet the differences of times and state of things must be observed and put this way Yea further though the times in the generall should be very evill yet for a person who himself is wel furnished with earthly good things wel fed and glad and in outward peace to dwel much upon the afflictions of Christians specially
to the knowledg of God This knowledg we must seek with all earnest diligence and store it up carefully in the treasurie of our hearts that knowing God we may love him and trust to him and fear him and honour him that as the Daughters of Ierusalem though before marvailing what ailed the Spouse of Christ to be so affectioned towards her beloved and so earnestly to seek after him as she did when they once came to take knowledg of his perfit beautie would then seek him with her So we knowing God specially in the face of Christ Iesus may so be ravished with love of his Majestie as to have our whole heart set to seek and find him in whose presence is satietie of joyes evermore CAP. II. Of Gods love GOd loveth himself first and most as the cheifest good and all other good things as he communicates with them lesse or more the effects of his own goodnesse And from this infinit love of his own infinit goodnesse is it that he so severely punisheth some Creatures though the Work of his own Hands which he alwaies loveth For first The Creature by sin violating Gods Holinesse and despising his authoritie in his righteous Commandments and so going on in impenitencie and unbelief and withall it being impossible that Gods love of his own Holinesse and Iustice and the honour of the same and the love of the Creatures happinesse so obstinatly dishonouring him should stand togither it cannot be but that the latter must give way to the former and greater and the Creature so sinning become miserable rather then God forgetfull of his own honour and glorie God reveales his glorious Majestie in the highest Heavens his fearfull Iustice in the Hell of the Damned His wise and powerfull Prouidence is manifest through-out the whole World but his gracious love and mercie in and unto his Church here upon Earth which he therefore hath chosen and taken near unto himself that in it might be seen the riches of his glorious grace And albeit all things in God are infinit and one yet are the effects of his love more wonderfull and excellent then of any other his Attributes as appeares in that his greatest and strangest work of giving his only begotten Son to the cursed death of the Crosse for his Enemies out of his love and mercie This the Scriptures and worthily call a great mysterie and which for the rarenesse of it was not onely hidden from the Sons of Men but also from the verie Angels in their perfection of created knowledg Which manifold grace and wisdom of God they therefore desire to look into and learn by the Church Love in the Creature ever presupposeth some good true or apparent in the thing loved by which that affection of union is drawn as the Iron by the Load-stone But the love of God on the contrarie causeth all good wrought or to be wrought in the Creature He first liveth vs in the free purpose of his will and thence worketh good for and in us and then loves us actually for his own good work for and in us and so still more and more for his own further work And hence ariseth the unchangablenesse of Gods love towards us because it is founded in himself and in the stablenesse of the good pleasure of his own will And although the arguments of comfort be great which we draw from the certain knowledg of our love to him yet are those infinitely greater which are taken from the consideration of his love to us as being not onely the ground of the other but in him also infinite and vnchangable And hereupon it was that the Sisters of Lazarus seeking help for their sick Brother sent Christ word not that he who loved him though that were not nothing but that he whom he loved was sick As by the hand of a friend reached unto us we are made partakers of the strength of his whole body to hold or help us up so by the hand of the love of God reached down from Heaven in the Gospel we become interessed in the most comfortable apprehension and happy use of all other his attributes whatsoeuer The more wise powerfull holy glorious eternall and infinite God is the more happy are we by means of his love and mercy in Christ which moveth him to use and improve them all for our good and to communicate them with us as his friends in their effects so far as serves for our happinesse He whom God loves though he know it not is an happy man He that knows it knows himself to be happy Which caused the Apostle to make in his own name and in the names of all the beloved of God that glorious insultation over all the enemies of his their happines that they could not seperate him or them not from the power or wisdom or holinesse but not from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus From this love of God as from a Spring head issueth all good both for grace and glory Yea by it which is more all evill by all Creatures intended or done against us is turned to good to us By it our afflictions work together with our election redemption vocation c. for our good By reason of it the stones of the Feild are at league with us the beasts of the Feild at peace with us yea even the very Sword that killeth us the Fire that burneth us and the Water that drowneth us is a kinde of Spirituall and invisible league with us to do us good Vpon the knowledg of this love of God shed abroad into our hearts by the Holy Ghost is laid the foundation and ground-work of whatsoever good thing we return again unto God with acceptation at his hands Vpon this we do build our Faith and confidence in him By this our cold and frozen hearts are not onely thawed but inflamed also with love again to him and to men for him As the Earth being heated by the beams of the Sun beating upon it reflecteth heat again towards the Heavens upon all the bodies between it and them Lastly from hence arise all the pleasing services wherewith we present his Majesty For howsoever we ow our selvs and whatsoever we are or can do vnto him as our gracious and powerfull Creatour absolute Lord yet can we do nothing heartily as we ought but from the Faith feeling of his love in Christ by the motion of the Spirit of a sound minde given unto us But being once drawn sweetly by the coards of Gods goodnes love we readily pleasingly follow after him as being debters and constrained not by necessity but w ch binds more strongly by love The tokens of this love of God in Christ are not onely by us highly to be prized but carefully to be discerned lest we bring our selves into a fools paradise and grow presumptuously secure which is the fore-runner of suddain and
by this he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in the Heavens and in the Earth The former will which stands in commanding promiseing and the like may be and is too oft resisted and made ineffectuall by men this latter neuer possibly except men be stronger then God By it his power availeth to make things to be which were not to continue them that are to work all good and to order all evill unto good And as the works of Gods power according to his will are manifold so hath he wrought them all in wisdom For notwithstanding both the absolutenesse of his will and infinitenesse of his power in regard whereof one saith It is more becoming God to ascribe any power to him then to make him impotent yet is he neither wilfull in willing nor unwealdy in working By his wisdom he not onely eternally and infallibly knoweth himself and all Creatures that are or can be and what either he or they or both together will do or can do and that upon supposition of whatsoever can be supposed but both willeth and doth in time himself what he willeth and doth it also for good cause and to good purpose and accordingly either on the one side hinders or on the other sustains effects and orders everie motion of everie Creature By exerciseing these Attributes God worketh all his works whether immediate by himself alone or mediate by the creatures which he useth of all kindes and everie one according to his kinde whether good or evill reasonable or without reason By Gods works I mean all things whatsoever are in the World or haue any being and existence In nature For He hath made the whole World and all things therein In him we live and move and have our being He giveth all to all things And of him and through him and for him are all things As he gives being unto all things that are by communicateing the effects of his being with them so is there nothing either so casuall in regard of men as that he directs it not or so voluntarie as that he determines it not Nothing so firm but he sustains it nor so small but he regards it nor so great but he rules it nor so evill but he over-rules it Neither can any of the works of God possibly be other then verie good and righteous seeing they are all wrought by the exerciseing of his holy will divine power and godly wisdom And if a simple man ow the honour to him that is of greater wisdom and understanding then himself to think upon occasion that the other hath reason for that which he speaks or does though he in his shallownes cannot reach unto it how much more do all men and Angels ow this honour unto God to beleev alwaies that whatsoever he saith is true and whatsoever he doth good and righteous though they discern not the reason of it Some of the works of God are such as we can rather admire at them then discern of them Some again are such as at which proud flesh is ready to repine and murmur Amongst the works of Gods most wise and powerfull providence upon bodily things it is most admirable that the Heavenly bodies the Sun Moon and Starres should by their influence and operation have such power and effects upon the bodies here below as to change order and dispose the Ayer Earth and Water with all things framed and compounded of them as they appear to do by Scripture sence and experience Yet if we consider besides the two greatest lights and most powerfull agents the Sun and Moon the numberlesse number of the Stars their huge greatnesse the varietie and excellencie of vertues wherewith they are furnished far above the most precious Pearls or any earthly quintessence and with all these the infinite power and wisdom of him that made and constituted them it will not seem incredible unto us that the least suddainest naturall change in the Ayer Water or other Elementarie bodies should be wrought by the position and disposition of the Stars and Celestiall bodies Neither doth this at all diminish or detract from the honour of the Lord in governing the World but rather amplifieth it as it ads to the honour of the skilfull Artificer so at the first to frame his Clock or other work of like curious deuise as that the severall parts should constantly move and order ech other in infinite varietie he as the Maker and first Mover moveing and ordering all Where yet this difference must alwaies be minded that the Artisan leavs his work being once framed to it self but God by continuall influx preservs and orders both the being and motions of all Creatures Here also we except both unnaturall accidents and specially supernaturall miraculous events which are as it were so many particular creations by the immediate hand of God In them that are made partakers of the grace of God the remainders of corrupt reason is readiest to rise up at the work of Gods providence in the prosperitie of the way of the wicked and workers of iniquitie especially if they themselvs be pressed with any singular afflictions as we may see in David Ieremy and other But the same men of God who were in their persons present exampls of humain frailtie do in their writeings by the Holy Ghost affoard us matter sufficient for Divine comfort and direction As first that before we come to plead with God how his works are righteous we know and acknowledg them all to be righteous that so we may learn how and wherein their righteousnesse consists Secondly that God is both as good to those whom he loves in their afflictions as in their prosperitie and as wroth with his enemies in their momentarie prosperitie as if his rod were already upon their backs Thirdly that he hath appointed a day in which he will right whatsoever seemeth crooked in the mean while and will fully and for ever recompence both the good and evill In the expectation of which day and of the work of the Lord in it we should satisfie our selvs for the present and suspend our thoughts till the manifestation of his righteous Iudgment therein In them that desire to establish mans righteousnesse rather then Gods either righteousnesse or power fleshly reason is most apt to quarrell partly that work of Gods mercie by which he freely justifies a sinner and partly those his just dispensations upon which followeth the Creatures sin and miserie for sin But for the former It stands not with the riches of Gods mercie and grace whereof he would make full manifestation in the justifying of sinners to borrow any thing of mans merit but well becomes his bountie freely to bestow both the gift and hand to receav it For the latter It must be considered that Gods work so far as it is his is good as well in the sinfull doings or miserable sufferings of men as in their most holy and happy estate The
person that sinneth with all his parts and powers of soul and body is Gods work so is the preservation and sustentation of both person and personall abilities so is the naturall motion it self whether within or without the person in which the sin is like the halting in the Horses going and lastly so is not onely the voluntarie permission of the sin which he could easily hinder by his omnipotent power if he would oppose it but also the ordering both of sin and sinner to his own supernaturall ends For example The act of Iudah and Thamar morally considered was sinfull and impure but naturally good and blessed of God with a Son of whom Christ came according to the flesh So the abhominable sins of Absolom were ordered of God unto most just punishments of the sins of his Father David There is a two-fold use of the world and works of God in it the one naturall the other supernaturall The former is common to men with beasts who are alike cherished with the heat and influence of the Sun alike nourished by the Fruits of the Earth The other is peculiar to men with the holy Angels by which they behold the face of the Creators power wisdom goodnesse c. as in a most clear Looking-glasse and are provoked accordingly to praise and glorifie him in his wonderfull works even as by beholding some curious piece of workmanship much more if therewith we have singular use of it of a skilfull Artificer we are led in the view of the work to the commendation of the workman And look how much the Soul excelleth the body yea the Spirituall man the naturall so much is this use of Gods creatures more excellent then the former And so the opinion of the Philosopher who thought he was born to look upon the Sun and Heavens was not wide but short nor absurd but defective For he should have pierced further even through the Heavens unto him that made and governs them whose glorious power and goodnesse shineth in them that so he might have glorified him as God in his works For though by that glimpse of light in the Creatures we cannot attain to the knowledg of God as our Father in Christ yet are we both to honour him according to it and to be provoked by it to further search and enquirie after him in such means of revelation as by which he further manifests himself which are his Word and Gospel of Salvation Even as he that lying in a dark Dungeon spies some small glimpse of light will groap toward it by the wall hoping to finde some dore or window by which it comes in For neglect of this the verie wisest of the Heathens were left inexcusable and not glorifying God whom they knew in his works of creation of the World but vanishing in their own imaginations and serving the Creature rather then the Creator who is blessed for ever were given over of God to a minde void of judgment to do the things which are inconvenient Now of how much sorer punishment shall we be guiltie if together with this lesser glimpse of Divine light by the creatures we despise also the more glorious light of the Gospel not honouring God aright either as our powerfull Creatour or mercifull Redeemer by Christ Iesus But if we so honour him and make him great in our own hearts and before men what we can as he hath manifested and made known himself in his Word and Works he will honour us with himself for ever in glorie CAP. V. Of created goodnesse EVerie thing that is and hath being is in that regard good and of God The naturall parts and powers of body and Soul of most wicked men remain in themselvs notwithstanding all infection of evill in them Gods good Creatures so do the naturall acts and motions of those parts and powers in themselvs considered notwithstanding any morall accessorie of evill in them ariseing either from the evill affection wherewith or unlawfull object upon which they are performed There can be no evill in the Work which is not first in the Worker as the cause And so a wicked person being worse then a wicked action if the sin prevail not so far as to make the part or facultie of the person in which it is to cease to be a part or power created of God neither doth it so far prevail in the action or work as to make it cease to be in it self a created motion and therein a naturall good thing God is and so by all is to be acknowledged for the giver of everie good gift that is of everie thing save sin which sin is nothing that hath being in nature but an absence of and crosnesse to that which should be as darknesse is of and unto light And so the good Father would not say that his Mother gave him Milk but God by her And though the good which we enjoy come unto us by never so ready and ample means yet must we alwaies religiously minde that both the means are of Gods raysing and ordering and the blessing upon them for our good And if Iob saw by Faith that all the evils and harms that came unto him and his though by the Divels and wicked mens means were from the Lord as supream orderer of all things how much more should we look upon God as the Authour and worker of all the good that befalleth us Notwithstanding if God so far honour any persons as to make them hands and instruments specially voluntarie for the reaching of any blessing unto us from himself we also and that even therefore are to love and honour them as David not onely blessed the Lord as the Authour but Abigail also as the Minister of the good counsell which she gave him for the not avenging of himself upon Nabal Actions besides their naturall entitie or being are by one distinguished and that aptly according to a four-fold goodnesse First An action is sometimes good in it self and to them to whom it is done but not to the doer as works of mercie done but not for God Secondly Good in it self and in the doer but not to him to whom it is done as the Preaching of the Word to them that despise it Thirdly Good in it self and the doers and to them to whom it is done as the same Preaching to him that receivs it Fourthly Though neither good in it self nor in the doer nor for him to whom it is done as an evill or injurie yet good as it is ordered by God to an end supernaturally good Who as saith another would not suffer evill but as knowing how to work good out of it In actions of the third kinde onely goodnesse is entire in all it parts and relations A man should never glorie in that good how great soever which is common to a beast with him nor a wise man in that which is common to a fool with him no
nor a good man in that which is common to a wicked man with him seeing notwithstanding it the person may be out of Gods fauour and accursed And therefore Christ our Lord would not have his Disciples rejoyce or glorie that the Divels were subiect unto them which was though much yet common to the workers of iniquitie with them but that their names were written in Heaven Many so measure the good which they affoard others by the list of their own will as they deceav themselvs in the whole piece of their goodnesse by the bad list that goes about it They will do what good they list and when they list and where they list and as they list as though their goodnesse were not due debt though not immediately to men yet to God and so to men for and according unto God for whom even they ow love to all men who ow nothing els to any and the same upon Bill and therefore to be payed in Law whensoever and by whomsoever the Lord will call for it and not when and as pleaseth them These conditions are requisite that we may do well in doing good First we must do things in obedience to Gods Commandments and in honour of his Name and Gospel and must ever have that end in our ey as Archers have their Mark. Secondly That we do it at all times as we have opportunitie sowing our Seed in the Morning and in the Euening not holding our hand We must beware of that agueish goodnesse which comes by fits onely and when men are pleased for so they say the Divel is good Thirdly We must do good readily and whilst we have opportunitie not saying to our neighbour go and come again to morrow and we will do it if it be in our power to day For who knoweth what a day will bring forth and whether the opportunitie of doing good will continue till to morrow or no He that giveth or doth other good readily giveth twice He scarce once or at all that doth it slackly He rather in truth suffers a good turn to be drawn from him then doth it Living springs send out streams of water Dead pits must have all that they affoard drawn out with buckets We should therefore have the minde though we want the abilitie of Theodosius the Emperour who did much good upon request but more of his own accord and unasked and so meet as one saith a just request in the teeth and grant it before it be made as God many times doth ours He that defers a good turn looseth two things the time and manifestation of a loving affection Both which are precious And without which loving affection all the kindnesses which we shew to any are but so many false witnesses to the unbeleeving and unkind heart Fourthly According to our abilitie knowing that as our receavings are from God greater or lesse so must our accounts be for good doing It is true that God lookes to the heart of the doer and measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the work but this according to that which a man hath Els albeit poore men may love as much as the richer though they have not so much money to do good withall yet is not the will good except they do the good they are able And this our abilitie we must not measure according to our wantonnesse and unbelief but according to the truth of the thing and equitie of the case which is that our superfluities give way to our brethrens conveniencies our conveniencies to their necessities yea even our though great necessities to their extreamities for the supplying of them Fifthly We must have respect to mens present wants and not onely consider what we can best spare but withall what they stand most need of as having learnt of our Lord and Master in his Gospel that our dutie is to feed the hungry cloath the naked visit the sick c. as their need is whereby we may do a great good turn in a small matter even one loaf yea a shive to him that is hungry and the shewing of a spring of water to him that is thirstie being a benefit Sixthly We must do good to all knowing that wheresoever a man is there is place for a good turn but more specially to some according to the singular bond Naturall Civill or Religious wherewith God hath tied us together To good men we must do good because they do deserv it to strangers because they may deserv it and do stand in need of it to all men because God deservs it at our hands for them to our friends because we ow it them and to our enemies to heap coals of fire upon their heads the coals of charitie to thaw and soften their hardnesse if it may be and at which we must aim or els the coals of anger from God for their unplacablenesse towards us Lastly A good man how gracious soever and readie to do good guideth his affairs with discretion not sowing his seed in barren ground by bestowing favours without difference for that is rather to throw away then to bestow a benefit And it is not the least difference between mans good nature and Gods good grace that whereas the former makes men much-what alike kind to all the latter though also to all yet with great difference put between person and person as men sow their seed diversly in soils that differ Although this good nature and the grace of God be as different as Heaven and Earth the one being of our selvs that is of nature created and the other the gift of God by supernaturall grace and that a man be neither the neerer God for his good nature where the grace of God is wanting nor the further of for his ill where it pleaseth God to use his alsufficient work of grace yet the sweet and kind naturall disposition in some much advantageth the manifestation of their smaller measure which an ill nature as we speak so much obscures as it can scarse be seen of other men though the Lords ey peirce through all such humain prejudices It is the main order which God hath set both in grace and nature that the superiour should do good to the inferiour So God doth good to all and receavs good from none Our goodnesse reacheth not to him The Sun and Stars give their light and influence to the Earth but receav no thing back from it Parents lay up for their Children not Children for their Parents And for this end God bestows good things both inward and outward upon some above others in ample measure that their aboundance might supply the others want It were good for other men that the Mightie of the Earth duly considered this but better for themselvs as it is better to do good to others then to receav good from them But this most wise and
in respect of men howsoever such wiâ—y-beguiliâ—s may for a time if they carrie close amongst other advantages get the opinion of prudent and politick persons and be accounted the more wise by how much they have the more skill to deceav yet if their craftinesse come to be found out and appear they become oftens a prey to all alwaies a scorn to the most simple like the wily fox who being once catched hath his skin pluckt over his ears wherewith everie fool will have his cap furred as a worthy Lord was wont to say Such are heirs apparent to Achitophels comfort and reward His rule was peremptorie that said A wise man will not deceav nor cannot be deceaved So was his profession both of wisdom and honestie lowd who chose this Motto Fâ—llere vel falli res odiosa mihi And though usually it be worse to deceav then to be deceaved though Austin and who not met with many that would deceav but never with any that would be deceaved as a sin is worse then a crosse yet whereas to be deceaved is alwayes either a crosse or a sin or both a man may in some case and manner deceav without either as did Athanasius the President Lucius who pursuing him and approaching neer the boat wherein he was asked for Athanasius and was answered by him whom he knew by name but not by face that Athanasius was hard before him and that if he made hast he might presently overtake him who thus escaped deceaving his Arian persecuter by speaking nothing but the truth and that both wisely and with good conscience CAP. XVI Of Wisdom and Folly SOme have been found not onely contented with but glorying in the name of irreligious and unhonest but hardly ever any were willing to bear the note of foolish or unwise And even of them in whom is found some true love of vertue and goodnesse how few are there that either indeed do or would be thought to do any thing in fauour thereof which might in the least degree impeach the credit of their wisdom in the eyes of the partiall world So fain would all be counted though few in truth be wise The main reason of this seems to be that whereas the want of wisdom imports impotencie and inabilitie Irreligion and dishonestie are by election and free choyse The pride of men if Gods grace correct it not makes them more impatient of a want either inward or outward arguing them to be weak and impotent then of a grosser vice in either upon their own free election and choyse of will And hence it is that many boast of things done by them for some particular advantage which they know to be evill and unlawfull It is the first and a great point of wisdom to know wherein true wisdom stands specially seeing that the thing which God cals wisdom and which the world cals wisdom are as different as Heaven and Earth yea as Heaven and Hell That cannot but be best which God so valueth It is known from the Worlds wisdom by first its object Secondly the properties which attend it Thirdly the School where it is learnt Fourthly the end to which it tends The object is Christ primarily who of God is made unto us wisdom and in whom are hidden all the treasures thereof which the Gospel the wisdom of God openeth unto us He that knows Christ aright in the Gospel knows both God and man and the most gracious and glorious effects of both united in one Secondly The wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercie and good fruits without jangling and without hypocrisie The other is clean contrarily qualified thick and muddie with lusts and monstrously compounded arrogant self-willing and self-loving inexorable quarrelsom craftie and cruell Thirdly The wisdom of God is learnt in the School of Christ and upon the Book of Holy Scriptures the other hath so many Masters as there are corrupt either lusts within a man or customs in the World Lastly The wisdom of God teacheth to provide surely for the Spirituall and Eternall state though with prejudice to the bodily and temporall The other bids make sure worke for the flesh and pinch not it though the Spirituall man speed hardly by it He that will be wise to God must be a fool to the World which yet makes him not a fool in worldly affairs but skilfull how to order them aright both for the Spirituall life and naturall also as far as it is subordinate unto it The high-way to wisdom Divine or humain is to observ and consider the reasons and causes of things He that beleevs a thing because God affirms it shews faith he that does it because God commands it obedience but he that joyns with these the reasons of the Doctrine or exhortation in the Word gets into his heart the props of wisdom against the storms of temptation both of unbelief and disobedience So in humain affairs he that minds or remembers things to be thus or thus gets skill in the things but he that observs and learns the reasons and causes why they come so to passe or are so done he takes the right course to become wise in the matter of what kind soever A wise man is the same though his outward state be changeable yea changed from a prosperous to an afflicted or the contrarie way els he but hits right at aventure when he doth well in either of both His condition is rather happily fitted to him as the howre once a day comes to the hand of the Clock that stands alwayes still then he to it by true wisdom A wise man will wish the more prosperous state but fear the more afflicted and use that which falls and his wisdom in it The Sayler which wants skill may misse his course or drown his Ship in a fair wind but he needs most skill in a tempest So is the wisdom of a man most seen in the right guiding of himself and his affairs in a stresse of trouble and affliction I have seen it in experience that many specially women and women like men who have shewed forth much goodnesse in a quiet and prosperous state of things if any great storm of tryall have happened to have overtaken them have through the want of wisdoms chart and compasse lost all and not onely been altogether uncomfortable but above measure burthensom both to others and themselvs The Apostle by the work of the wisdom of God knew both how to be abused and how to abound He that is not wise for himself first cannot be wise for another either in bodily or spirituall things though he may do him good in both But that is rather by occasion or in humour then upon ground of true wisdom God and nature which teach everie man to love himself most and his neighbour truly and heartily as himself teach him withall to use his best wit and
of Abraham the Father of the Faithfull in beleeving under hope against hope and of Iob in keeping patience in extreamitie of tryals and the like are as a Cloud of witnesses going before us as did the Pillar of Cloud before the Israelites in the Wildernesse to shew them the way and do testifie against our withdrawing hearts that other frayl men as we are by the power of the same grace of God whereof we are made partakers have performed due obedience unto God in such and greater tryals then ours are So that as in precepts we have the Word of God and his will in it to direct us so in those patterns of godlinesse we have his work and as it were his visible hand reached down from Heaven to lead us in the way which by his Word we are appointed to walk in By which if we profit not we take the Name of our God in vain both in his Word and Works in which he makes himself known for our good He who makes another his ensample really acknowledgeth both the want and the desire of that perfection in himself which he imitates in the other And so Parmeno in his how artificiall soever imitating of the gruntling of a Sow aymed but at a swinish perfection The like is to be said of childrens playing of Bulls and Bears and Horses To which purpose tended the saying of a great Lord that Womens imitation of men as their perfection in apparrell gesture and the like might better be born then mens effeminate and degenerate imitation of Women Which also the practise of Lycurgus confirmed in trayning up maids in manly exercises and making them thereby after a sort masculine whereas usually by riot and wantonnesse men are transformed into women and made feminine Many think themselvs good enough if there be any worse then they But we should not strive with the worst but with the best rather makeing apace and as fast as we can after them though we come never so far behinde them in wisdom and goodnesse as the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians to be followers of him as he was of Christ. Yea further as Eupompus would imitate Nature and no workman in Painting So neither should we stint our endeavours and desires absolutely at the degree of goodnesse to which any meer man is come before us but should aym at the verie perfection which the Law of God requires Men in shooting aym at the White though sometime they misse the But. Onely the Law of God which onely is perfect must be made by us the absolute rule of our life and wayes As Land-marks are set up by the Sea-shore not onely to teach men which way to take but sometimes also which to leav So are sundry examples even of good men propounded in Holy Scripture not for imitation but for warning And a verie preposterous course it is to follow good men wherein they do evill which they that use are like unto Apes and Dotterels that are aptest to imitate men in their mops and mows and unseemly gestures And if it were folly in the Persians to esteem such men the fairest as had hooked noses because Cyrus their King had such a one It is meer madnesse in Christians to deem vices vertues and errours truths or either the one or other to be embraced through superstitious admiration of some mens persons in which they are found But as the Egyptians following the Israelites with the dark part of the Cloud towards them were drowned in the Sea which the other passed thorow safely so they who follow good men in their faylings and not in their vertues shall surely be punished when the other escape Notwithstanding although examples of others great and antient cannot make sins to be no sins yet doth it something lessen their blame who are misâ—â—d by such guides as it was in the Polygamy of the Patriarcks and both hath been and is in other the like traditionall evils Some pretend the examples of good men in their faylings for the excuse of the evils which they themselvs have a minde to do and would do though none ever had done them before them or should do them after them Others are indeed misled by their aberrations In both the Divel shews himself his crafts-master And hardly can he more improve evill then when he so works that a good or great mans vertues which he cannot abolish should countenance and commend his vices to others By how much therefore the more any person excelleth in knowledg wisdom vertue or authoritie by so much the carefuller must he be that he furnish not from thence the enemie of Gods glorie and mans salvation with weapons of advantage for evill from whence the speciall means of his overthrow therein are to be taken as by Gods appointment they are from great and good men And if any thing possibly could surely this would make the verie Saints in Heaven sorrowfull for their faylings upon Earth that others having by their example oâ— other provocations been drawn to evill whereof they never repenting as the principals did do for the same suffer the eternall wrath of God which they by true repentance have escaped Examples of Superiours are strong coards to draw on others either to good or evill in which regard it is rightly said that great men have no small either vertues or vices with which that of Austin consorts The joy for the great is great if they be good because it is not for them alone So on the contrarie when Peter dissembled for fear of them of the Circumcision not onely the other Iews dissembled likewise with him but Barnabas also was carried away with that their dissimulation How good were it for inferiours that Superiours minded this â—s they ought How much better for themselvs That they might be warned to take heed that they encrease not the guilt and extent of their personall sins by making them exemplarie He that having many standing under him falls from aloft may easily bruise others besides himself with his fall And if the blinde do lead the blinde though both fall into the ditch yet the guide falls under and so is pressed besides his own with the others burthen that falls after and upon him As on the contrarie he that furthers others by his holy ensample in vertue and godlinesse hath his part in their goodnesse also both in the eyes of God and men CAP. XX. Of Counsell COunsell by which we consider wisely whither what and how things are to be done for profitable ends is a sacret thing and withall so necessarie to be taken not onely with God and a mans self but with others also as that Salomon though peerlesse in wisdom yet had his Councellors about him Without counsell people perish and purposes are disapointed but in the multitude of Conncellors there is both safetie and stabilitie It is Gods peculiar to be all sufficient
true goodnes He who gets this generall grace to have his heart indeed and seriously bent upon the course of piety towards God and innocency towards men the Lord wil not so far suffer to erre in his way as to misse of heauen in the end notwithstanding his particular aberrations of humayn frailty which God will cover under the veyl of his rich mercy by the persons sincere fayth and generall repentance CHAP. XXV Of Means MEans are so called of the middle place which they hold betweene the efficient and finall causes serving the one for the furthering and atcheiving of the other And so all creatures whether persons or things come under this account in respect of him from whom and for whom all things are God is able without meanes to doe whatsoever work of power he doth or can doe by them and the reason is playne for that he both creates and provides the meanes and also giues the blessing upon them by which they are avayleable Neyther if we minde it hath the Lord ever done greater workes then those which the hand of his power hath wrought eyther immediately or by meanes very weake and feeble which being improved by Gods omnipotency haue produced wonderfull effects Thus God and froggs could plague Pharaoh and all Egipt So can the H. Ghost and simple preaching make men wise unto salvation God often useth meanes verie weake and base not because he wants better but partly for his owne glory as first for the glorie of his goodnes that being so mightie and excellent in majestie he will vouchsafe to imploy them and secondly of his greatnes in bringing to passe what he will by them as he tould Gedeon the people were too many for him to saue Israel by when men make wars they geâ—t the powerfullest helps they can therein bewraying their owne weaknes whereas God on the contrary wanting no mans help oft times makes choyse of weake meanes as needing none Partly the Lord doth this for the means themselvs that they which God so farr honours specially for good to men should not be despised and partly for others that none should be overmuch affected with or to them To trust to means is Idolatry to abuse them want of wisdom or of conscience or both to neglect them eyther desperatenes when a man is without hope of good by them or presumptuous tempting of God when he expects good without them or sloath when he will not trouble himself with them With all which unthankfulnes to the Lord is joyned who provides them as helps against our infirmities and therewith profane sawcines also if with the contempt of the means which we have we long after such as we have not as did the Israelites in the wildernes in loathing manna and lusting after flesh and the Iewes in despiseing Christs miracles upon earth and desiring to see a signe from heaven of him We must then as one sayth mingle our owne sweate with faith to make a sweete odour withall to God For though his power be not bound to means yet his will bindes us to such as he in mercie affoardeth partly as helps of our fayth which need such glasses wherein to see Gods helping hand and partly to exercise our obedience and partly to stir up our diligence And this we must do the rayther for that when God purposeth good to or by a man eyther he commonly provides him means accordingly which when opportunity servs he expecteth he should use in good conscience for atteyning to the good unto which they as it were lead him which to neglect is to disobey a kynde of reall calling from God In the carefull use of naturall means we shew most wisdom and that we are not like beasts without understanding and of supernaturall means prayer and the like the most grace and that we are not as men which know not God A man must be sure in his most carefull use of means alwayes to bear in mynde the end for which he useth them that he be not like the messenger who so myndes his way as he forgets his errand To sever the means and end to which they lead ordinately is vanity in all courses in divine matters mere madnes He that sinning without repentance looks to escape hell separates the end from the means He that without fayth and obedience lookes for heauen separates the means from the end which he aymes at Both would pervert Gods word and work of providence CHAP. XXVI Of Labour and Idlenes GOD who would have our first father even in innocency and being Lord of the whole world to labour though without payne or wearisomnes in dressing the Garden and when he had sinned to eat his bread with the sweat of his brows would haue none of his sinfull posteritie lead their life in Idlenes no nor without exerciseing themselvs diligently in some lawfull calling or other I say diligently For as poore men play for recreation now and then so do rich men work But that sufficeth not For God who hath in the naturall body appointed unto every member its office and function which it is constantly to exercise would have no member in any societie or body of men ordinarily unimployed Neyther doth that man how great or rich soever keep a good conscience before God who makes labour but an accessorie and not a principall and that which takes up his ordinarie tyme. Man is borne to sore labour in body or minde as the spark to fly upward In heauen is onely rest without labour in hell restles payn and torment and as sin makes the earth which is between both liker to hell then heauen so God for sin hath given to the sons of man soar travail to afflict them upon earth And that in most wise and gratious providence considering the mischiefs that come by idlenes as The weakning of the endowments of nature whereas labour brings strength to the body and vigour to the mynde yea the consumption of grace as rust consumes the iron for want of using yea whereas idlenes brings bodily poverty like an armed man it brings not onely spirituall povertie in graces with it but withall a legion of vices like so many armed divels puffing up the flesh with pride and makeing the heart Sathans anvile who is commonly least idle when men are most whereon to forge a thowsand vanities and sinfull lusts as having a fit opportunity to perswade men to doe evill when he findes them doing nothing that so they who will not sweat in earth eyther with the labour of the hand or heart though king Alphonsus sayd that God and nature had given kings hands as well as other men might sweat in hell and that if they will not bear their part in the payns of men they might partake in the payns of the Divils Whereas on the contrary if we doe that which is good and well done though with labour and
use of all earthly things that we may watch and to watch that we may escape the danger of spiritual enimies which watch for our destruction When thou sittest to eat with a ruler sayth the wise man consider diligently what is before thee and put thy knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to thine appetite They that eat with rulers or where there is varietie of delicates are apt enough to consider diligently what is before them but it is for the most part not to restreyn their appetite as it should be but rayther to provoke it But a wise man will consider of his temptations to escape the danger of them a foole to provoke himself to swallow them the more greedily as the fish doth the bayt with the hook under it He onely is not overtaken with unlawfull things who inureth himself at times to absteyn from many things lawfull He that will go as near the ditch as he can will at some time or other fall in So he who will take all the libertie that possibly he may lawfully cannot but fall into many unlawfull things Thereupon Austins mother would not allow the young mayds committed to her government to drink as much water as they would least afterwards becomming wives and having plentie they should use excesse in wyne CHAP. XXXI Of Liberality and its contraries LIberalitie teacheth us to bestow our worldly goods when upon whom and as we ought in obedience unto God and for mens good This is to be done without hope of requitall from them as not being a mercinary vertue but that wherein a man looks to his dutie to others and not to profit from them Els it is not liberality rightly performed but a bargayn well made Neyther is that to be accounted liberalitie which is done for vayn glory seeing the work is named from the affection Least of all that when men give to some that they may take from others This is rayther theeverie upon condition Many account themselvs and are by others accounted not onely liberall but even bounteous because they give great gifts whereas if we consider the persons on whom and the ends for which they so pour out themselvs and their mony and other mens also oft tymes we shall see that in truth they deserv no more the name of liberall then those prodigals do who bestow their goods upon harlots for the satisfying of their lusts For as that is not a benefit which wants the best part of it namely to be given in iudgment so neyther is that liberalitie which wants that part but the casting away of a mans goods This vertue exercised in great states and gifts is called bountie and a hingly vertue But may preserv the due respect of liberalitie in the smallest matters and by the poorest persons if it be constant which rayther teacheth to give a litle to many then much to few This was verifyed in the churches of Macedonia towards the poore Saints in Ierusaelem whose deep povertie abounded unto their rich liberalitie The same is confirmed by our Saviours testimonie of the poore widows contribution of two mites that she gave therein more then all the rich men None can give more and therein be more liberall then he that leavs himself litle or nothing On the contrary None can spare more and therein be more covetous then he that will not do the litle which he can do and his neighbour stands in need of It is the dangerous errour of poore men that onely the rich are covetous or liberall They may be and oft are as very mizers and odiously covetous in their penny as the other in their pound So may they be as liberall Every one sayth Solomon is a freind to a man of gifts which have in them sayth another a kinde of secret force to draw the mindes of men as the loadstone draweth iron and that not onely of them that desire to use the liberalitie of others but of such also as neither need nor would use the same Look what liberalitie looseth a man in his purse it gets him in a better place not onely in heauen but in earth also and the best place there the hearts of men and their loving affection On the contrarie covetous men are contemned and hated not onely of them whom they wrong by unjust getting or keeping but by all others that know them though all dare not so manifest Their credit with others and comfort in themselvs is onely in their purses It is a question amongst learned men whether of the two extreames of liberalitie prodigalitie in the excesse or covetousnes in the defect is worse but something the lesse needfull to be determined considering how often they meet together in the same person and beget eyther the other Many lust and desire to have and sometimes obteyn that they may consume upon their pleasures like unto kites and gleads and other ravenous birds who are ever watching and catching for prey and yet remain ever caryon-lean converting the greatest part of their nourishment into long feathers As some desire riches that they may haue them so a great part of the covetousnes reigning in the world is to maintayn prodigall expences that look what covetousnes hath gathered together ryot may lash out and consume For men as well as women being with child of ryot and excesse in diet apparrel and other worldly vanities long â—or riches and great gettings to nourish and maintain their lusts without which they are in danger to cast their calf On the other side they who scape best with prodigalitie are driven to repair their too great lavishnes in one thing by too great nigardlines in another But as it was said of Cataline that he was prodigall of his own and covetous of other mens so the greatest mispenders for the most part are constreyned to be as great misgetters to feed one vice by another Hence some borrow without means or meaning to pay again circumvent others if they haue more cunning then they oppresse them if they have more power and some are driven to plain theeverie violent or secret Yet if we will compare together these two naughts we shall finde covetousnes the worse of the twayn For first it is the root of all evill for that there is no evill fruit but will grow of it Iudas sould Christ for it And manie thousand daylie sell their bodies and souls to sin and hell for it and would sell Christ if he were in their hands whereas wise men and lawyers count the prodigall raither vayn or at the worst but half mad and not capable of governing his own goods then mischeivous Secondly Covetousnes is â—â— the Apostle called Idolatrie not in the common condition of all sinns in which men either in affection or effect esteeme of transitorie vanities aboue God and despise him in comparison of them but especially for that they
do hurt without worldly prejudice to himself therein the more carefull had he need be that he take not to himself any lawlesse liberty that way remembring alwayes that he hath also a master in heaven and that he who is higher then the highest regardeth who also may with more right and reason destroy him for ever then he how great soever do the least hurt to the sillyest worm that crawls upon the face of the earth They who use injurious dealings themselvs hate them in others and them that offer them as do they also who take knowledge of them For whom men fear they hate Now there is cause for all to fear him to his power that hurts any seeing in wronging one he threatens all that he hath power to hurt Yet if we will look upon things a litle spiritually such persons are more to be pittied then eyther hated or feared as being though cruell to others yet more to themselvs hurting others in their bodies and bodily states themselvs in their hearts and consciences before the Lord which is far the greatest damage And upon this ground it was that the ancient father desyred Scapula that he would pitty himself if he would not pittie the Christians whom he cruelly persequuted seeing the most hurt came to himself thereby When therefore we thus suffer any heynous injuries of any kinde by any we must pray the Lord both to deliver us out of their hands and them out of the divels whose instruments they are in so doing For any one man whosoever to offer injurie to any other whomsoever is unnaturall and inhumayn but especially odious in these four sorts of persons The first is Magistrates and men in authoritie whom God hath therefore furnished therewith that they might prevent and redresse injuries by others and exequute wrath upon evill doers Which if they become themselvs they transform the image of the Lords power and justice which they susteyn into the image of Gods enemy Sathan whom therein they resemble and become after a sort wickednesses in high places as the divels are The second are freinds whose office it is by help counsayl riches or otherwise to succour their wronged freinds and if no other way at least by condoling with them and comforting them A man that hath freinds should shew himself friendly sayth the wise man and for such a one to shew himself enemie-like is very greivous as we may see in Iobs and Davids case Now if it be here demanded whether the injuries offered by freinds or by others be lesse tolerable Answer must be made with distinction that some injuries are such and so notorious as cannot stand with a true freindly heart but do plainly discover an evil and enimious affection and of these by false freinds David and worthily complayns as more greivous then by strangers Some again are such as may scape him that truly loveth through negligence rashnes or other infirmitie Such the heat of love should digest And they who in this kinde will bear more at the hands of others then of freinds are unworthy of them A third sort are men religious whose professed pietie towards God promiseth honest dealing with men as on the contrary Abraham looked for all injurious dealing in that place where the fear of God was not The fourth and last are men themselvs oppressed by others specially lying under the injuries of the times When one poore man oppresseth another it is like a sweeping rayn which leaveth no food Yet is it found by certain experience that it oft rayns from this coast and that the poore by oppressing one another teach the rich to oppresse both and this not onely in bodily things but in spirituall also none being found more injurious and unmercifull then are some out of the favours of the times themselvs to others that are a litle more in their disgrace then they None of the heathens were so cruelly bent against the christians as the Iews though themselvs but scattered amongst the Heathens to be tolerated by them Such should think of the brethren of Ioseph who being themselvs in danger to be violently oppressed remembred and bewayled the violence and wrong which they had formerly offered to their brother Ioseph There are two things causing inordinate stirring and indignation at injuries offered the one naturall the other morall The naturall is the aboundance of hoat choler boyling in the veyns by which the blood and spirits are attenuated and so apt to be inordinately stirred and inflamed upon apprehension of a wrong done This cause may something be helped by naturall means and medicines and the effect by true wisdom and government which represseth all inordinate motions in the minde The morall cause is pride and self-love for men having themselvs in high estimation make account that if they be a litle wronged some great and heynous offence is committed and that at which there is just cause of high indignation The injury to such seems great because they seem great to themselvs whereas to him that is litle and lowly in his own eyes injuryes and wrongs seem lesse specially if he set this low price and valuation upon himself in conscience of his sins against God as it was with David What strange thing is it if an earthen pot get a crack or if a silly worme be troden upon or that he who is litle be litle set by It is wisdom in cases not to seem to take knowledge of an injurie as eyther when it is small and scarse worthy the myndeing and such the stately gravitie of some persons make many to be which to others seem intollerable witnesse Cato who being asked pardon of him that had given him a bob on the mouth answered that there was no injurie done and so no pardon needfull or when the greatnes and mallice withall of the injurious is such as that to expostulate a wrong is to provoke to the doubling of it to which purpose his answer fitted well that sayd he had grown old in a tyrants court by thanking men when he had received an injurie from them Sometimes again it is wisdom to let persons know that we account our selvs yll used by them and that cheifly when our expostulation is like to prove their warning by working eyther fear or shame in them If the commendation given of Caesar had not been by him who was too good a courtjer that he was wont to forget nothing but injuries he though a pagan might therein have been a mirrour to all Christians considering the mischeivousnes of our corrupt nature this way which is apter to remember a wrong done then any thing els specially then a benefit because as one sayth we account thanks a burden and revenge an ease In regard whereof it was not without cause that Christ our Lord in our directorie of prayer which we must dayly use reinforceth nothing but the condition of the fifth
indeed he is in a miserable case considering unto how many calamities all mortall men are subject against which they can neyther promise themselvs before hand nor finde in time other sufficient remedy then this of patience which is a salv for all soars and the same also so approved that though it make not miseries cease to be miseries yet it keeps the person that hath it and suffers them from being miserable Yea as deadly poysons may be and are so mixed and tempered as they become in cases more wholesom then meat so do calamities deadly in themselvs tempered with patience become better then their contrarie delights Sicknes with this is better then health without it and poverty so tempered then riches otherwise and so all the works of Gods justice unto which the faythfull are lyable are better to them then any work of his mercy to others Lastly so absolutely necessarie is this grace and the use of it for all Christians as that the Apostle tels the beleeving Hebrews and other beleevers in them that they had need of patience that having done the will of God they might receav the promise With which accords an others exhortation that patience may have its perfit work in the Saints that they may be perfit and intire lacking nothing A man would think in reason that he who hath done the will of God and been carefull in all things to keep a good conscience towards God and men should have nothing lacking for the receaving of the promised reward But the wisdom of God tels us that we must first doe our duetie in all things and then afterwards suffer evill with patience before we receav the reward promised In which our patient suffering for or in the way of righteousnes we please God more if it may be then in our former weldoing as Christ our Lord performed the greatest work of his obedience unto his father and of our redemption therein by his innocent and patient suffering of death Of all manner of crosses none are so hard to bear by Gods servants without despayr as those wherein the Lord seems to theyr sense and reason to be their enemy by reason of some strange and unusuall working against them as we have Iob for an example Nor any so hardly born by them without inordinate stirring and spurning again as those in which a man must be a meer patient using as they call it that passive patience and may or can say or do nothing in defending himself or offending an adversarie A blow or wound receaved in fight or action is scarse perceaved But if a man must sit still and suffer himself to be bobbed on the mouth or as the Prophet sayth must give his back to the smyters and his cheeks to them that pluck of the hayr or must be coupt up alone in a dungeon or prison where none may come at him this goes near him and tryes his patience and how he hath hearkened to the Lord God the holy one of Israell saying In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietnes and in confidence shall be your strength Where mens injuries are joyned and concur with Gods providence in a crosse there the flesh and fleshly passions take more libertie I haue known some who have atteyned to a good measure of patient bearing calamities and crosses by other ordinarie hand of Gods providence and yet have been most impatient of any prejudice or damage by mens injurious dealing And this may seem not to want reason To be stirred against God for a crosse is divelish against unreasonable creatures brutish but hath a shew of manlines for a man to be stirred against a man that injuries him But be the shew what it will the truth of the ground for the most part is that pride causeth this swelling of the heart against him who is deemed to injurie us specially if we conceav it to be out of contempt whereof all men are impatient Against the pang of impatiencie this way it is best we labour not to overvalue our selvs nor easily to think that others dispise us and as we have Iob for a pattern of patience so to follow his steps who looking through the violence and wrongs of men the Sabeans and Chaldeans beheld by the eye of fayth which sees a far of Gods providence as the soul of the worlds body and ruling all things in it and thence took instruction for quiet and patient submission unto the Lord seeing saying in all the outragious practises against him by the divell and wicked men that God who had given had taken away CHAP. XXXVI Of Peace THE Hebrews by comprehending under the name of peace all both safety prosperitie whether bodily or spirituall do shew therein how both pleasant and profitable a thing peace is for all persons and societies And though to strive contend yea and wage war also be in cases and at times not onely lawfull but also necessarie yet are they never so much as tolerable for themselvs but onely for peace as the launching of the wound is for the cureing of it From peace with God through the forgivenes of sins by faith and a good conscience aryseth peace with a mans self with the angels with all men after a sort yea with all creatures in the world Such a one is in league with the stones of the field and at peace with the beasts of the field sayth Eliphaz Yea his very enemies sayth the wise man are at peace with him I add that though he be burnt in the fire drowned in the water or otherwise killed yet that fire water and other instrument of his bodily destruction and therewith all other creatures are in a kinde of secret league with him and do even in killing him bodily work for his spirituall and eternall good And if they which are at peace with a king have his subjects at peace with them how much more shall Gods servants and people have all the creatures in heaven and earth at peace with them for their true good by the favour of him their absolute king and Lord. God to shew how peaceable man should be hath denyed him such instruments of offence and naturall weapons as many other creatures are furnished withall of which some have horns some hoofs some paws some tushes some talents But alasse how hath sin armed man with hatred and mallice and they with weapons of violence and destruction so as more men are destroyed by men then by all other creatures When the Lord would shew himself to Elijah he did it not in the great and strong winde nor in the earthquake nor in the fire but in the small still voyce which came after them And when he would have a temple built to dwell in he would not have David build it because his hands were full of bood though of Gods enemies but Salomon the king of peace In the building of which there was
a great evill be committed in a small matter Hereupon he that but gathered sticks on the Sabaoth with a high hand viz. in contempt of Moses and of God in him was to be stoned to death without mercy The sin is also greater as the temptation or occasion is lesse and therefore the rich man that having many sheep of his own took his poore neighbours lamb to enterteyn his stranger withall was adjudged worthy of death whether we take the words as they seemed to David or as Nathan meant them Likewise the forecasting of evill exceedingly aggrevates it as with him who devised mischeif upon his bed and after set himself in a way to practise it Others are overtaken by sin but such overtake sin So doth it not a litle if men sin that they may sin as it seems many swear that they may swear and as Austin confesseth of himself that being a boy he stole apples and cast them away when he had done He stole that he might steal Lastly sin becomes more sinfull if it have scandall and offence of men or other damage joyned with it Yet even for the least sin if any sin by any being against Gods infinite majestie may be accounted litle if God should presse the same upon the conscience and suffer Sathan to urge it to the full it would be a burthen intollerable and such as neyther the heavens could bear for the angels that sinned were cast from thence nor paradise for Adam for transgression was driven from thence nor the earth for that swallowed up Dathan and Abiram for their sin neyther could any men or angels undergo it without being born down into the bottom of hell by it and there onely it rests as in its proper center Happy are they who in the sense and feeling of the intollerable burthen therof come to Christ by fayth that he may ease them The sin against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven in this world or the world to come is not onely committed by them who have sometimes professed the gospell but by others also though never coming so far but being convinced of the truth thereof do maliciously hate blaspheme and persecute it and therein sin against the work of the Holy Ghost in their own hearts And this Christ insinuates against the Scribes Pharisees who yet never came to professe Christianitie The reason of the 〈◊〉 of this sin is not any deâ—ect eyther in the mercy of God or merâ—â—s of Christ as though the evill in it were greater then the good in them but for that God hath sâ—t those boâ—nds of his grace and mercy that he will never voâ—câ—â—afe fayth and repenâ—â—â—ce to that person who once so despyteth his spirit in that its holy work And considering how oft the Scriptures speak of this sin not onely for warning of persons in themselvs but also for direction â—oâ—ching others so â—inning it is to be feared that the same is more ordinarie where the gospell is preached then the most make account of and that many malitiously haâ—eing and persequuting specially after some singular profession made and forsaken true and conscionable gospellers would do the same by the gospell it self if they were not restreyned by fear of men and shame of the times The Lord oftens punisheth men in the same kinde wherein they have sinned and causeth to be â—eaâ—â—d unto them with the measure wherewith they meat to others Thus he drâ—â—â—ed Phâ—raoâ— in the sea who had formerly drowned the Israelitish infants and served king Aâ—oâ—â—bezek as he had served other kings before And this God doth to make his justice the more conspicuous and that mens punishments may be as glasses wherein their sins may be seen more clearly if not for their repentance yet for the warning of others When I seriously weigh and consider the fearfull greivous punishments which God so good and gratious hath partly exequuted in this life as upon the old world Sodom and Gomorrah Corah and his company and the like and partly threatned as in the end of this life in the soul so in the end of the world both in soul and body and the same for measure intollerable and endles in continuance Lord think I what sin can procure such punishment But when on the contrarie I consider the horrible contempt of God his word even in them to whom it is dayly and diligently offered Lord think I what punishment can be sufficient for such sin What is it then Man is fearfully wicked in sinning and God fearfully just in punishing where by fayth and repentance mercy is not obteyned My flesh trembleth for dread of thee and I fear for thy judgments CHAP. LIII Of Rewards and punishments by men MEN that are able and ready accordingly to reward the vertues of good men and well-deserving do therein not onely give them and God in them their due but doe give others incouragement also to apply themselvs to vertuous courses which finde so good acceptance and reward at mens hands specially at theirs who are of place and abilitie in the world Whereas on the contrarie for such to favour wicked and leaud persons is really to invite and perswade men to evill and litle better then plainly to hyre both them and others to doe naughtily The former in that their approbation and remuneration of goodnes and vertue bear the Image of God who plenteously rewards the well-doers the latter plainly resemble the divell who offered Christ the glorie of the kingdoms of the earth if he would fall down and worship him It is a known and approved saying that by rewards and punishments societies are preserved And of these two though occasion of rewards be more to be desired yet the exequution of punishments is more diligently to be looked unto for the preserving of humayn societies The reason is because whereas vertue as the phylosopher sayd rewards it self or more truely if it be true expects it reward from God vice and vileny on the contrary can be restreyned in the most and worst onely by the fear of punishment Neyther serv humayn laws to make men good but to keep them from such outrages and extreamities of evill as into which otherwise they were in danger to break The speciall use of the law of God it self where by his spirit he puts it not in mens minde and writes it not in their hearts is to restreyn lawlesse persons as murtherers whoremongers and the like how much more of mens There is then a mercifull crueltie when men save by severitie the persons themselvs that are punished and others also the punishment reaching to one or a few and the fear and warning to many There is on the other side a cruell mercy when men by spareing spoyl both the persons offending and others who by their impunity take boldnes to offend This foolish pitty spoyls the cittie if the magistrate use it so doth the
giveing therein an ensample to all how far they ought to put from them a secure and impudent heart countenance And though that monster of men Caligula accounted it the most commendable thing in his nature that he was ashamed of nothing yet doth both nature and grace teach it to be a most odious thing for a man to have a dogs face as the proverb is or as the prophet speaks a whâ—res forehead that refuses to be ashamed It is piâ—ttie any should speed so well by mere boldnes without reason or other defect as many do who become thereby of audacious impudent having once broken the bounds of modestie specially to their advantage Towards men of such foreheads the proverb must be put in practise A bold begger must have a bold nay-sayer It was the unrighteous judg that did that for the widows importunitie which conscience would have had him done for the goodnes of her cause and povertie of her person Though to speak as the thing is to be overcome by importunitie argues noâ— so properly injustice in what case soever as impotency of minde to resist Peter and Iohn with the other Apostles prayed to the Lord for boldnes in the speaking of his word Many others also pray for boldnes as they did but forget that they are not Apostles nor infallibly directed as they were Who if they knew themselvs aright and how prone they are to speak their own word in stead of Gods would rayther pray for modestie and advisednes that they rush not upon the rock of errour Besides they so prayed in regard of the threatnings of unbeleevers with whom they had to do But amongst brethren and christians let us rayther affect the lambs bleat then the Lions roar CHAP. LIX Of Mariage GOD hath ordeyned maryage amongst other good means for the benefit of mans naturall and spirituall life in an individual societie as the Lawjers speak between one man and one woman and hath blessed it alone with this prerogative that by it in lawfull order our kinde should be preserved and posteritie propagated And though the Lord have sometimes suffered that almost unreproved by the prophets other bodily conjunctions then between the proper husband and wife and altogether unpunished by the magistrate and withall shewed the effect of his powerfull providence as still he doth so far as for the procreateing of children in that disorder yet did he never approve of any other or exempt the same from guilt of sin in the court of conscience and seldom from manifest signes of his displeasure as experience and the scriptures teach Not onely heathen poets which were more tolerable but also wanton Christians have nick-named women necessarie evils But with as much shame to men as wrong to women to Gods singular ordinance withall When the Lord amongst all the good creatures which he had made could finde none fit and good enough for the man he made the woman of a rib of him and for a help unto him neyther is she since the creation more degenerated then he from the primative goodnes Besides if the woman be a necessarie evill how evill is the man for whom she is necessarie Some have sayd and that in their own and others judgment both wittily and devoutly that Mariage fils the earth and virginitie heaven But others have better answered How should heaven be full if the earth were empty I ad that because Christ hath sayd that the children of the regeneration neyther marry wives nor are marryed but are like the angels in heaven many whilst they would by preposterous imitation become like the angels in heaven have in truth become liker the divels in hell for they also neyther marry wives nor are marryed But this is indeed the very drâ—gs of poperie to place speciall pietie in things eyther evill or indifferent at the best as is abstinence from mariage and the mariage bed which is no more a vertue then abstinence from wine or other pleasing naturall things Both maryage and wine are of God and good in themselvs eyther of them may in their abuse prejudice the naturall or spirituall life neyther of them is unlawfull no not for them which simply need them noâ— which also not to need argues bodily strength in the one but a kinde of weaknes in the other The ancient heathen used to place Mercurie by Venus to shew what need the affections of mariage have of the rule of reason and wisdom to order them Neyther in truth is there any thing wherein persons more need lesse use reason and true discretion then in their maryage choyse in which the most are unreasonably transported by one affection or other And if he moralized well who made this a reason why God cast Adam into a heavie sleep whilst he prepared and made him a wife of one of his ribs that the affections ought to sleep about this work the reason to wâ—kâ— how do they misse whose manner is to have their affections onely wakeing or working in this busines whilst their reason and conscience also is fast asleep I have alwayes thought that good men crossed with ill wives or good wives with ill husbands are ordinarily least to be pittyed of any others in misery considering how wilfully and presumptuously for the most part they tempt God in their choyse I ad herewithall that there is no one particular in which men and women bewray whether their hearts be set upon worldly riches and honours or sensual pleasures on the one side or on the other side upon the nourishing and promoteing of vertue and godlynes both in themselvs and their posteritie then in their choyse this way When the sons of God take for wives the daughters of men Gyants are born and all monstrous confusion followeth first in the family and after in church and common wealth But when the sons of God take the daughters of God to wives and the daughters of God are taken by the sons of God there is an equall yoak for the persons themselvs to draw in with comfort and a right course taken for the leaving of an holy seed behinde them Some marry by their eye as did those sons of God formerly mentioned and therein follow favour which is deceipâ—full and beauty which is a vain thing others by their fingers as mynding what the woman is worth in the worlds sense Others by the ear as specially respecting their wives title and high birth and so many times get themselvs so many Lords and maysters over them as she hath freinds But they that specially respect vertue and godlynes which being attended by the other handmayds as Hester by her seaven mayds is the more beautifull and desireable they marry not onely the daughters of such or such men but the daughters of God himself A woman that feareth the Lord she shall so be praysed and the man so blessed that marryâ—th her We say
that speciall blot and blemish wherewith this sin steyns the body which never after can be wiped of though the guilt of the sin may be repentance He that committeth adultery lacketh understanding getteth a wound and dishonour and his reproach shall not be wiped away sayth Salomon As maryage is a medicine against uncleannes so adulterie is the disease of maryage and divorce the medicine of adulterie though not properly for the cureing of the guiltie but for the easing of the innocent which remedy he may but is not simply bound to use as some are the former Some have sayd that he who conceals the fault of his wife this way becomes a patron of her â—â—â—â—hynes but this is rightly restreyned by others to certain cases The divorce for adulterie both under and before the Law was to be made by the magistrates sword Where that is not drawn the innocent may use this remedy against the peccant as directly violateing the maryage bond which other sins though greater otherwise do not In other cases divorce though much used amongst the Iews was never approved by the Lord in the court of heaven as no sin but permitted onely in civill courts without bodily punishment and onely the giving of the bill commanded and that for the advantage of the divorced and to testifie that the housband had so freed the wife as he might not require her after-returning unto him though he would This permission unto the Iews being onely for the hardnes of their hearts may justly by the magistrate be denyed to Christians whose hearts should be more softned by the blood of Christ. As a man may surfet at his own table or be drunken with his own drink so may he play the adulterer with his own wife both by inordinate affection and action For howsoever the mariage bed cover much inordinatenes this way yet must modestie be observed by the maryed left the bed which is honourable and undefiled in its right use become by abuse hatefull and filthy in Gods sight It hath been by some well observed that divers of the patriarks conversed with many wives whom they took out of a singular desire of a plentifull progeny more chastly then many others did and do with their one CAP. LX. Of Children and their education GOD that made all things good and blessed them imparted expresly this blessing first to his creatures capable thereof that they should encrease and multiplie in their kinde More specially God created our first parents male and female and blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiplie and fill the earth This order then set he hath preserved to this day and mankinde by it By this parents when they are dead live in their children as parts of them and imps taken from their stock in speciall manner one with them This onenes Gods gratious covenant with the faythful and their seed confirms and commends blessing even the godly dead parents in their living children and so cursing the wicked in theirs and that oftens sundry ages afterwards as both the Scriptures common sense and experience teach Such parents as leav their seed under Gods covenant and blessing as heyrs of their fathers pietie as Ambrose sayd of Theodosius provide a good inheritance for them if they afterwards by their own rebellion and unthankfulnes disinherit not themselvs And a sweet comfort it is to Christian parents when they can commend their litle ones liveing or dying into Christs hands in heaven who being upon earth testified both in word and deed their interest in his blessing The generation of the upright shall be blessed but the posteritie of the wicked shall be cut off And as we judg of the plant or graffe by the stock whence it was taken till it be grown able to bring forth its proper fruit and that the tree be known by the fruit so do we of children by their parents till coming to years of discretion they chuse their own way Not that grace is derived by naturall generation but by the supernaturall covenant with beleevers and their seed confirmed in Christ and by godly education on the parents part which promise of blessing as it is ever effectuall in some according to the election of grace so where it follows not usually the negligence and indulgencie of the parents and alwayes the parties proper rebellion is the cause thereof as we may see both in the word of God and dayly experience We read of Dionisius the tyrant that meaning to revenge himself upon Dion who made war against him he caused his son whom he had in his power to be brought up in riot and wantonnes This labour many save their enemies and do it themselvs and so prove miserable parents of dissolute children It was an odious thing in the Israelites to sacrifice to divels their sons and daughters which they had born unto God and whom he avoweth for his children Which in a spirituall sense we certeynly do if we eyther neglect instructing them or praying to God for them or walking exemplarily as we ought before them or correcting them duely or any other such means as by which the seeds of grace may grow and prosper in them And let us remember that as bruits bring forth in their kinde and all parents their children so we being in the Lords covenant of grace bring forth as by nature ours so by supernatural covenant and grace his children also and that he trusts us with the bringing them up for him and in his nourture and instruction which is a great matter and wherein we must deal faythfully with him that so under his blessing we may fit them for his heavenly inheritance provided for them with us It is a during fruit of Gods gracious covenant when good parents by their godly care have gracious children and that by which our fayth is much confirmed Children in their first dayes have the greater benefit of good mothers not onely because they suck their milk but in a sort their manners also by being continually with them and receaving their first impressions from them But afterwards when they come to riper years good fathers are more behooffull for their forming in vertue and good manners by their greater wisdom and authoritie and oft times also by correcting the fruits of their mothers indulgencie by their severitie They are a blessing great but dangerous They come into the world at first with danger both in respect of themselvs as passing sometimes from the womb to the grave sometimes being born deformed in body sometimes uncapable of understanding as also in regard of the Mother the first day of their being in the world being oftens her last in it After their coming into the world through so many dangers they come even into a world of dangers In their infancie how soon is the tender bud nipped or bruised by sicknes or otherwise In their ventersom dayes
ready blessed is he whom his Lord when he cometh findes so doing Young folk may dye shortly but the aged cannot live long The green apple may be pluckt off or shaken down by violence but the ripe will fall of it self It is wisdom therefore to provide for death in youth there being many more that dye in youth or childehood then that survive till old age but madnes it is to neglect preparation when age commeth Though in truth few dye well in age that have not lived well in youth That we may once dye the great death aright and in peace it is requisite that we dye dayly many litle deaths both by outward afflictions inward mortifyings of our worldly and corrupt lusts We should so live as being content to dye when God calls us hence and that upon knowledg of the nature cause and event of death and out of a good conscience towards God and men And not in senseles blockishnes overcomeing death as the most do by forgetting it as if a man overcame his enemy by getting as far from him as he could nor yet by desperate wearisomnes of life for any troubles in it but as being willing yea desyrous to live to serv Gods providence for good upon earth It is ill sayth the wise heathen to wish death but worse to fear it But godly Christians are to doe both in different respects To desire it as it stands with Gods will that they may be free from sin and misery it being best for them to be dissolved and to be with the Lord To fear it as being in it self a fearfull punishment of sin the dissolution of the most excellent creature upon earth and an end of further praysing God in his church and performing particular offices of goodnes and love to men And in truth though grace have this effect with them that desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ that they do not dye onely patiently but even dye with delight and live patiently yet nature causeth that not onely they that know they must dye as all doe but they also which beleev that after death they shall enjoy a more happie state desire the deferring of it so loath to part are the two old acquayntances the body and soul. Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saincts when they dye for or in â—ayth and a good conscience as the gold melting and dissolving in the furnace is as much esteemed by the gold-smith as any in his shop or purse Pretious also it is whilst they live and that which God will not lightly suffer to befall them And if he put their tears in his bottle he will not neglect their blood nor easily suffer it to be shed Neyther doth death when it comes part him and them though it part man and man yea man and wife yea man in himself his soul and body Freinds shew themselvs faythfull in sticking to their freinds in sicknes and all other afflictions but they how affectionate soever must leav them in death and are glad to remove them and to haue their dead buried out of their sight But the fruit of Gods love reacheth unâ—o death it self in which he doth his beloved ones the greatest good when freinds can do no more for them He that sayd Before death and the funerall no man is happy spake the truth as he meant of the happines which can be found in worldly things But both he and they who have so admyred his saying should have considered that he who is not happie before death in worldly things cannot be happy in them by it which deprives him of them all and of life it self which is better then they and for which they are But miserable indeed is the happines whereof a man hath neyther beginning nor certainâ—ie but by ceasing to be a man The godly are truly happy both in life and death the wicked in neyther We are not to mourn for the death of our christian freinds as they which are without hope eyther in regard of them or of our selvs Not of them because such as are asleep with Iesus God will bring with him to a more glorious life in which we in our time and theirs shall ever remayn with the Lord and them Not of our selvs as if that because they had left us God had left us also But we should take occasion by their deaths to love this world the lesse out of which they are taken heaven the more whether they are gone before us and where we shall ever enjoy them Amen FINIS THE TABLE Conteyning the Contents of everie Chapter CHap. j. Of mans knowledg of God fol. 1. Ch. ij Of Gods love 4. Chapt. iij. Of Gods promises 9. Chapt. iiij Of the works of God his power wisdom will goodnes c. shineing in them 13. Chapt. v. Of created goodnes 21. Chap. vj. Of Equabâ—litie and perseverance in wel-doing 29. Chap. vij Of religion and differences and disputations thereabout 38. Chap. viij Of the holy Scriptures 53. Chapt. ix Of authoritie and reason 65. Chapt. x. Of fayth Hope and Love Of fayth Reason and Sense 73. Chapt. xj Of Atheisme and Idolatrie 84. Chapt. xij Of Heresy and Schism 87. Chap. xiij Of truth and falshood 90. Cha. xiiij Of knowledg and ignorance 95. Chapt. xv Of simplicitie and craftines 101. Chap. xvj Of wisdom and folly 104. Chap. xvij Of discretion 110. Cha. xviij Of Experience 112. Chap. xix Of examples 114. Chapt. xx Of counsell 119. Chap. xxj Of thoughts 124. Cha. xxij Of speach and silence 127. Cha. xxiij Of books and writings 135. Cha. xxiiij Of good intentions 139. Cha. xxv Of means 141. Cha. xxvj Of labour 143. Ch. xxvij Of callings 147. Ch. xxviij Of the use and abuse of things 152. Cha. xxix Of riches and povertie 155. Chapt. xxx Of sobrietie 162. Chap. xxxj Of liberalitie 166. Chap. xxxij Of health 172. Cha. xxxiij Of afflictions 176. Ch. xxxiiij Of iniuries 184. Chap. xxxv Of patience 190. Cha. xxxvj Of peace 195. Ch. xxxvij Of Societie and friendship 199. Ch. xxxviij Of Credit and good name 209. Cha. xxxix Of contempt and contumelie 214. Chapt. xl Of envie 218. Chapt. xlj Of slander 221. Chap. xlij Of flatterie 225. Chap. xliij Of suspicion 227. Chap. xliiij Of appearances 231. Chapt. xlv Of offences 235. Chap. xlvj Of temptations 238. Chap. xlvij Of conscience 244. Cha. xlviij Of prayer 247. Chap. xlix Of oaths and lots 253. Chapt. l. Of zeale 257. Chapt. lj Of hipocrisy 260. Chapt. lij Of sin and punishment from God 264. Chapt. liij Of rewards and punishments by men 270. Chap. liiij Of affections 273. Chap. lv Of fear 278. Chapt. lvj Of anger 283. Chap. lvij Of humilitie and meeknes 287. Chap. lviij Of Modestie 293. Chapt. lix Of mariage 296. Chapt. lx Of children and their education 304. Chap. lxj Of youth and old age 314. Chap. lxij