pleasingly to themselues and more plausiblie to the world compasse their ends and desires No maruell then though they haue the wicked world at will The third reason of the flourishing of the wicked is because they are men of this world and therefore they haue onely their portion and full felicitie here Their heauen is vpon earth their pleasures in their life time with the rich man in the Gospell For as the euerlasting couenant of inward peace grace and glory is peculiarly confirmed to the children of the spirit so many times in great measure the temporall promises of outward happinesses are performed vpon the children of the flesh When God had established vpon Isaak the euerlasting promises of loue mercy and blessednesse yet he was content to make Ismael a great man vpon earth Concerning Ismael saith he to Abraham I haue heard thee loe I haue blessed him and will make him fruitfull and will multiplie him exceedingly Twelue Princes shall hee beget and I will make a great nation of him Fourthly and lastly the prosperitie of the wicked makes them more inexcusable and their damnation more iust before the Tribunall of God For it is iust with him to bring a greater measure of tribulation and anguish vpon them in whom his many fauors aâ—d louing kindnesses haue brought forth vnthankfulnes rebellion that wrath is most iustly returned vpon their heads which by despising the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance leading them to repentance they haue heapt vp as a treasure vnto themselues against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God You haue heard the reasons of the happinesse of the wicked in this life but it is not so with Gods children For they must mourn in this vale of teares while the world reioyceth And as the wicked are fild and fatted with worldly happinesse and plentie against the day of wrath so Gods children must bee prepared and fitted with afflictions for the glory which shall be reuealed They are shortly to become inhabitants of that great and glorious city whose foundations are pretious stones whose gates are Margarites whose streets are pure gold as the shining glasse they must bee companions of the blessed Angels and stand in the presence of that great and sacred Maiesty and therefore in this life they must be cast into the Lords furnace that in the fire of affliction they may be more and more purified from earthlines and corruption and so with holinesse and humilitie prepared for that high perfection of heauenly beautie glory and blisse Let euery godly man then with comfort and benefit vndergoe those crosses which the Lord layeth vpon him for they are vnto him as looking glasses wherein God sees his faith and dependance vpon his prouidence the world his patiâ—nce and constancie himselfe the spots of his soule his decayes of grace the breaches of his conscience his neglect of the duties of his calling his coldnes in religigious seruices his fall from his first loue So that by them God is pleased and glorified others edified and instructed himselfe humbled recouered by repentance and more sanctified I haue staied long vpon the third reason of the formall hypocrites false persuasion of being in state of grace The reason is because ciuill honesty performance of outward duties of religion and worldly prosperitie meeting together in an vnregenerate man many times breed a very strong conceit of his being the child of God and an obstinate impatiencie of hearkning stepping forward to grace or any further perfection I come now to the fourth reason wherby the formall hypocrite doth falsly persuade himselfe to be in the state of true happinesse and saluation and that is A misconceit of Gods iustice and a straining and racking of his mercy beyond his truth and promise so making the way to heauen broder then the Scripture hath made it and himselfe more blessed then he is indeed Mans heart is naturally empoysoned with pride and hypocrisie and therefore is hardly drawne hartily to acknowledge the horrible vglinesse of his sin or that Gods proceeding against it with such waight of vengeance is equall Hence comes much indulgence and partiall censuring of our owne sinnes transferring them vpon allurements occasions circumstances necessitie and the like much lessening and impairing Gods iustice but amplifying his mercies euen to the securing of vnwarrantable courses Adam immediately after his fall shifteth off his sin vpon his wife nay he is so blind in spirituall iudgement of diuine purity that rather then hee will crie guiltie he will fasten the fault by consequent vpon God himselfe The woman saith hee which thou gauest to bee with mee shee gaue mee of the tree and I did eate So gladly would sensuall men persuade themselues that either their sinnes deserue not so strict account and great iudgements or that God doth exercise too much rigour in inflicting them For out of their worldly wisedome they measure and esteeme the vnspotted and infinite Ocean of the iustice of God by the finite muddie and imperfect streame of humane iustice Lawes and constitutions of states and kingdomes are bridles to curbe and moderate our corruption that we become sociable and peaceable but they cut off only from the Body politique by finall execution those that are of notorious and desperate condition such as are Theeues Murtherers Traitors and the like A verie proportionable conceit I am persuaded of diuine iustice and comminations in the law of God lurkes in the hearts of many they thinke that those sinnes that arise ineuitably out of our corrupt nature or that are committed by strong temptation or that are lesse pernicious are I know not how naturally pardonable and that if they bee of the ciuiller sort if they bee outwardly conformable in their liues and harbour good meanings and intentions in matters of religion though they neuer trouble themselues with more strictnesse and a course of sanctification yet they thinke that God will bee mercifull in the end and that it will goe well enough with them and that onely fellowes of infamous note such as are swearers liers vsurers adulterers and the like shall be excluded finally out of heauen But I would haue these men know that though the sea of Gods mercie be bottomlesse though the promises of grace be many and pretious yet not one drop of all that great sea not one iot of all those gracious promises belongs to any saue onely vnto him that groanes and sighs vnder the heauie waight and burthen of his sins that is of a broken and contrite hart that trembles at his word that vndissembledly sorrowes and repents for al his sins forsakes them and resignes vp himselfe in holy obedience to all his commandements I would haue them know that he is as infinitely iust as hee is infinitely mercifull and will as certainelie powre all the plagues and curses in his booke vpon the impenitent sinner as he will performe all his promises of grace to
A DISCOVRSE ABOVT THE STATE OF TRVE HAPPINESSE DELIVERED IN CERTAINE Sermons in Oxford and at Pauls Crosse By ROBERT BOLTON 2. CORINTH 13.5 Prooue your selues whether yee are in the faith examine your selues know yee not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except yee be reprobates AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for EDMVND WEAVER and are to be sold at his shop at the great North-gate of Pauls Church 1611. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL HIS VERY GOOD PATRONE SIR AVGVSTIN NICOLS Knight Serieant at the Law the glorious comforts of Grace here and the blessednesse of immortalitie hereafter SIR I hauing been often and much solicited with varietie and iteration of strong importunitie to publish and let passe into the eie of this censorious world these thevery first fruites and essaies of mine imployment and businesse in the Ministerie did apprehend and embrace this season with better contentment and with more cheerefulnes addresse and compose my self thereunto because I did see opportunitie offered thereby to let appeare abroad my thankfull acknowledgement of your respectfull and more then ordinary fauour vnto me and a publike testimonie of your worthie and exemplarie integritie in discharging your hands and faithfully disposing that portion of the Church his patrimonie committed to your trust and conscience An affaire though in these desperately sinfull times fearfully and accursedly abused of high and waightie consequence and of great power as it shall be discharged with conscience or corruption either further to ruine our Church and bring it to more miserie and desolation or to repaire and aduance it to better state more happinesse For mine owne particular it hath so pleased God to guide your heart in this busines and to blesse me with his prouidence that wheras too many Patrones now adaies either by detaining sacrilegiouslie Gods portion agaiâ—â—â— all grounds of equitie both diuine humane or by furnishing Church-liuings simoniacally and corruptly do certainly pull vpon their own heads soules and bodies goods and posteritie an heauie and horrible curse and shall thereby make their account to be without fauour at the last day and whereas many worthie men after they haue wearied and wasted their bodies and mindes their spirits and patrimonie in studie and worne out their hopes with long and tedious expectation pursuit and dependance come at length with much adoe to no great matters and when all is done it is well if they escape all galling and gash of conscience such is the strange iniquitie of the times yet I say so worthily haue you dealt with me so vprightly in the Church his cause that vpon your owne first motion you sent vnto me to accept the place I now enioy from you and offered me a faire a free and comfortable passage to the exercise of my Ministerie abroad which next vnto the saluation of mine own soule I hold most deare and precious when I neither sought after nor thought vpon preferment This your rare and singular bountie did at the very first affect me with a secret sense of an extraordinary obligation for all inward affectionatnes and with a desire of representing it in some visible forme of outward testification But when I did after further consider first how that Sacriledge and Simonie that damned couple of crying sins like two rauenous Harpies and the two insatiable daughters of the Horsleech had seazd euen vpon the Heart of our Church readie to rent and teare in peeces her very heart-strings and to sucke out the inmost blood and last life of our dearest Mother when I looked aboue me in this famous Vniuersitie where I haue liued and saw many reuerend and learned men full of the light of diuine truth and of the water of life able gloriouslie and comfortablie to illighten many darke places and drie soules in this land readie to expire and powre out their soules in the bosome of this their famous Nurce not brought vp by her to die at her breasts but if they might haue honest and lawfull passage readie and resolute to enlarge Christs kingdome abroad and to oppose with all their power against the bloodie torrent of Poperie and rage of Antichrist lastly when I weighed with my selfe mine owne naturall declination and resolued vnfitnes to make a noise and stirre in the world for preferment I did finde that as these considerations did before giue small hope of changing my station so now they were of power yet further to double the impression of your worthie and extraordinarie goodnesse vnto mee and freshly to renew the thankfull deuotions and apprehensions of mine heart Out of which hath sprung in me a thirsting earnestnes and contention of spirit to returne vnto you for these temporall fauours so farre as the nature of that high Ministeriall function wherein I stand shall guide me and the power of my poore abilitie can reach the Blessings of Heauen and comforts of a better world To which end I here present vnto you this Treatise which I haue intended to be so farre as my gracious God hath giuen me vnderstanding in the point as it were a looking-Glasse or Touchstone to whomsoeuer it shall please to take thorow notice thereof for the discerning and trying in some good measure whether he alreadie bee of the number of those fewe which truly liue the life of God and vnder the Scepter of his Sonne or lie as yet enthralled in the inuisible chaines of damnation and death and vnder the large and powerfull raigne of Satan For I am perswaded that in this glorious noontide of the Gospell many thousands deceiue not only the world and others but euen themselues and their owne soules about their spirituall state thinking if they finde in themselues a freedome from grosse and notorious sinnes fairenes of conditions ciuil honestie a formall profession of Christianitie outward performances of religious seruices that then their case is good enough for heauen though there bee wanting the sauing power of inward sanctification and the truth of a sound conuersion though they bee strangers to the great mysterie of Godlinesse and disacquainted with a conscionable and constant course of Holinesse in their liues and actions But we must conceiue that ouer and besides these degrees of goodnesse with which millions of men content and deceiue themselues yea and quite beyond and vtterly without the compasse of all worldly glorie all visible pompe the most admited greatnesse and sufficiency vpon earth for which a great part of the world exchange the euerlasting happinesse of their soules there is a Paradise of Christian comforts a Royall Peculiar a victorious Simplicitie a neglected Innocencie a marueilous Light an inuisible Kingdome an Heauen vpon Earth which I call the state of Grace and labour in the ensuing Discourse to difference from al perfections and sufficiencies attaineable in the state of vnregeneration I meddle not purposely with the notorious sinner for me thinkes in these daies of light there should none so wilfully and deeply inwrap
our first loue Would to God that we would keepe fresh in our minds but this one consideration That the same God which against the expectation both of heauen and earth of Rome and hell of diuels and Papists turned our feares and amazements at the death of that glorious Saint the late Queene into safetie and a sure foundation by the most happie succession of our gracious Soueraigne and his roiall seed can out of his iust iudgements for our vnthankefulnesse and securitie in the very turning of an hand and closing of an eie dash all our hopes and shut vp the whole Body of this flourishing kingdom in the pit of irrecouerable destruction It had bin done had Fauks fired the powder and who knowes what those busie and bloody heads are euen now hammering in the same kind Besides these two now mentioned there is another capitall cause of Gods heauie displeasure which though iâ— make no great noise nor be much taken notice of vpon earth yet â—t is much lothed of God almighty and cries loud in heauen for vengeance vpon vs It is a Lukewarmenesse and vnzealousnesse a cold and carelesse mediocritie in spirituall matters and as it were a neutralitie betwixt notorious sinfulnes and sauing sinceritie When men perhaps with diligence willingnesse and forwardnesse submit themselues to the hearing of the word but subordinate the power and practise thereof to their â—ase honours and worldly contentments When they wil needs hold an outward correspondence with the world and yet inwardly maintaine and nourish hope of saluation in themselues When they straine their wits and striue to partake both of the comfortable fauour of God and corrupt fashions of the times both of the pleasures of their sweet sinne and the sweetnesse of the true peace of conscience which are as inconcurrent as two parallel lines and as incompatible as light and darkenesse These men though in the worlds opinion they be of ciuill honest cariage of moderate spirits and of a stated temper in religion and in their owne conceits rich and enriched and want nothing yet indeed they are meere staruelings and starke beggers in respect of the true riches and lasting treasures of sauing grace and in the very case of those except in the meane time they buy of him gold garments and oile which shall neuer see Christ Iesus in his Kingdome to their comfort for Amen the faithfull and true witnesse hath vowed it that he will spue such out of his mouth and wishes much rather that they were key-cold then such formall Christians His speech imports thus much I had rather you were Pagans and Infidels then professors without zeale Now my chiefe and speciall aime is with all humble submission to beâ—ter iudgements and the censure of the Prophets to lay open the state of thâ—se men because besides their fearefull deceiuing their owne soules and particular certaine damnation if they so continue they mightily inceâ—se the Lords wrath against this laâ—d with an insensible and vnacknowledgde prouocation and mainly hazard the continuance of his glorious Gospell amongst vs. It is commonly conceiued indeed both of themselues and of the world that if they bee morally honest and outwardly conformable to the ministery of the word so that they bee hurtlesse and innocent in respect of humane iustice that they are also I know not how harmelesse and guiltlesse before the Tribunall of God But the Euangelist telles vs That that which is highlie esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God And God himselfe by Isaiah That his thoughts are not our thoughts neither are his waies our waies For certainely the state of Lukewarmnesse and formalitiâ— in religion howsoeuer it may be full of worldly applause and happinesse and beare away the bell vpon earth yet it is as burdensome and hatefull vnto God as luke-warme water or the most lothsome potion to the nicest stomacke And doth with a more naturall importunitie then other sinnes knock at the gates of diuine iustice for the remooueall of our candlesticke and the glory of his Gospell from amongst vs. All kinds of sinnes according to their nature measure and ripenesse haue proportionally a part and hand in drawing downe all manner of plagues vpon the sonnes of men but this hath a peculiar and predominant power in hastening that particular and greatest of all iudgements the famine of the word For God cannot endure without speciall indignation that his word which is his power vnto saluation should recâ—iue such limitation and prescription from mens wisdome that it should worke no further vpon them nor beget more change and holinesse then may consist with the enioyment of their worldly contentments reputation and the pleasures of their beloued sinne He cannot abide that men discontented with the straâ—tnesse of the gate of grace and impatient of a strict course of godlinesse should labor to find out and follow another way to heauen then that which is sanctified by his word and which hath and must be troden by all those that will euer see the Lord. Knowledge and profession of Gods truth without sanctification and zeale are but meanes in the meane time to put out the glory of Israel and will hereafter but encrease the number of stripes and adde waight vnto endlesse torment In the name of God therefore let all luke-warme and formall Christians be contented to take notice of their state and before the Sun goe downâ— ouer the Prophets suffer their hearts to be thorowly heated with true zeale and besides their outward reformation and generall lightnings of the Spirit to entertaine that speciall sauing and sanctifying grace which onely can saue their soules and prepare them for the glory that is to be reuealed Lest now at length for he hath borne with vs miraculously our iust God cause our Sunne to goe downe at noone and darkenesse to surprize vs in the cleare day Lâ—st he roote vs out of this good land as a fruitlesse and faithles nation turne vs out of our houses of peace as the vnworthiest and vnthankefullest people vnder heauen and let out his vineyard to other husbandmen which will deliuer him the fruites in their seasons And the more secure and fearelesse wee bee as wee were neuer more the more sudden and ineuitable is like to bee our surprizall and destruction For as Gods mercies are then most magnified when they relieue the extremest miserie and shine into the depth of discomfort and darkenesse when all other helpe is vtterly despaired of so his iudgements are most glorious when they strike at the height and top of pride and impenitencie while they thinke themselues most sure and with greatest confidence repose vpon the arme of flesh and policie of man The third reason and motiue why I insist so long in the point of formal hypocrisie was taken from the condition of mine auditors who being of deepest vnderstanding are naturally aptest and stroÌ„gliest tempted to mistake vnderualue the mystery of godlines and to deceiue their owne
the soule with comfortable cheerefulnesse and fill the whole body with a liuely vigour bee it selfe wounded with vexation and terâ—or how comfortlesse is that man Iâ— his strength were the strength of stones and his flesh of brasse yet would the torment of a bitter afflicted soule grinde him to powder and melt as the dew before the sunne whatsoeuer hee accounteth strongest and most powerfull to relieue his heauinesse it would turne all his choisest and dearest pleasures into worme wood and bitternesse And this vâ—xation with which riches honours or what other vanitie desirable in this life doth afflict the vnregenerate heart is twofold In the verie pursuit of them is much anguish many greeuances feares iâ—alousies disgraces interruptions discontentments But after the vnsanctified enioying of them followes the sting of conscience that will euerlastingly vâ—xe the soule which is the very earnest of the fire of hell by which a man doth expect with vnconceiueable horrour the consummation of the wrath of God which burneth farre hotter and more vnquenchably then any fire though augmented with infinite riuers of brimstone to be powred vpon his body and soule for euermore in the world to come How then possibly can there be any happinesse in these vexations Wherefore Salomon hauing proued the negatiue part of my doctrine concludes the positiue in the last chapter That to feare God with reuerent regard to keepe his commandements is the onely way to be possest of true happinesse to find peace of conscience and assurance of the fauor of God For let a man while he will in this world of vanity either sport himselfe in the soft and greene way of fading pleasures or please himselfe in the glorious miseries of honours and high places or tire himselfe in the toyles of vnsatiable greedinesse or braue it in his othes blasphemies and strength of powring in strong drinke or tread the fearefull and desperate path of contempt of the power of religion the truth of God and sincerity of his saints all the while when he is at the best hee is but as the raging sea that cannot rest For so Isaiah compares the wicked Chap. 57.20 The sea you know is not onely many times tossed and tumbled vp and downe with windes and tempests but euer inwardly disquieted euen with her owne motions casting vp continually mire and dirt vpon the shore and breaking into some her proudest waues against the rockes Euen so the heart of that man which hath reposed his affections vpon the glory of this life is not onely many times disquieted and cast downe with outward crosses and occurrents as with losse of friends discountenance of great ones disappointment of his hopes and preferments with wrongfull railings and disgraces with looking vpon the day of his death and vengeance vpon the wicked with all disturbers of his security in his pleasures and dignities but is also besides the restlesse torture of his conscience euer from within foaming out his owne shame the dishonour of God and the vexation of his brethren But it is not so with him that holds the feare of God for his surest sanctuarie that hath resolued to resigne vp himselfe in holy obedience to the will of God His heart is like the vpper part of the world which is euer full of serenitie constancie and brightnesse be the aire below neuer so troubled with stormes and thunders or the earth with commotions and tumults For let there be about him the deuouring sword of the Tyrant the consuming flames of persecution the keene razours of lying tongues the mouthes of Lions the cruell combinations of his enemies nay let the earth be moued and let the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea yet his heart is ioyfull patient resolute and contented But to descend more specially to the particulars of the negatiue part of my Doctrine let me adde to the many and strong reasons of the ancient Philosophers and late Schoolmen against pleasures riches and honours these three which will for euer vtterly disable them for claiming any shew of interest in mans happinesse First they cannot possibly fill the vnlimited desire of the soule For although the treasures the greatnes the delights of all men liuing were in the present possession of one yet somewhat besides and aboue all this there would still bee sought and earnestly thirsted for Nay it is certaine if one man were not onely crowned with the soueraignty of all the kingdomes of the earth but besides were made commander of the motions of the sunne and the glory of the starres yet the restlesse eye of his vnsatisfied vnderstanding would peepe and prie beyond the heauens for some hidden excellencie and supposed felicity which the whole compasse of this created world cannot yeeld So vnquenchable is the thirst of mans soule vntill it bathe it selfe in the riuer of life and in the immeasurable Ocean of goodnesse and wisedome So impossible is it that this materiall world with all her perfections should be a proportionable obiect to so pretious a nature or that so diuine a sparkle should cease rising and aspiring vntill it ioyne it selfe to that infinite flame of glory and maiesty from whence it first issued Secondly they cannot secure the conscience distressed with the apprehension of the wrath of God or preuent his iudgements Memorable is that horrible amazement that surprised the heart of Belshazzar 〈◊〉 his greatest iollities Melting hee was in pleasures and deliciousnesse solacing himselfe amongst his wiues and concubines carousing in the golden and siluer vessels of the Temple But when there appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the Candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall a remembrancer vnto his conscience how contemptuously and sacrilegiously he had dishonoured the highest Maiestie and that the vials of Gods heauie vengeance were ready to bee powred vpon his head all the ioyes of his royall pompe vanished as the smoke For then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his Ioynes were loosed and his knees smote one against the other And now one pang of his wounded conscience did much more torment him then the kingdome maiestie glory and honour which he receiued from his father Nabuchadnezzar could euer comfort him So I doubt not but many times the hearts of many glorious Ones in this life that are not in trouble like other men but spread themselues as greene bay-trees when they heare the certaine iudgements of God denounced out of his booke by his Ministers against those sinnes to which by long custome and vowed resolution they haue fastned their affections because thereon depend their pleasures honours states reputations contented passing the time or the like I say that many times except their consciences be feared vp with an hote iron against the day of vengeance and then their case is vnspeakably wofull their hearts tremble euen as the trees of the forrest that are shaken with the wind Amid their laughing their hearts are
sorrowfull Or if their mirth be entire it is but like the noise of the thornes vnder the pot Thornes vnder a pot you know make a great crackling and noise for a little time they blaze faire and bright but are suddenly extinct and brought to nothing Neither are these cold comforters able to quench Gods fierie ielousie when it breakes forth in plagues and iudgements against a sinfull people Witnesse the Prophets Zepha Chap. 1.17.18 Their blood shall bee powred out as dust and their flesh as the dung Neither their siluer nor their gold shall bee able to deliuer them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be deuoured by the fire of his iealousie Ezech. 7.19 Their siluer and their gold cannot deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their soules neither fill their bowels for this ruinâ— is for their iniquitie Obad. 4. Though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and make thy nest among the starres thence will I bring thee downe saith the Lord. It is not then any wedge of gold or height of place can priuiledge or protect vs when our sins are ripe and readie to take the flame of Gods fierce wrath and indignation Thirdly they cannot stretch themselues vnto eternity For there are no contentments of this life whether they lie in honours riches pleasures friends or the like let them be neuer so many in number so potent in the world or in our own perswasions so exempt from mixture of discomfort that can possibly bring vs farther then our death bed It may be for a few and wretched daies of our life they haue detained vs in a fooles paradise yet full of Vipers and Scorpions It may be they haue left some obscure prints of vnfound ioies in our passages but then at their farwell they are vtterly despoiled of their weake and imaginarie sweetnes and are wholly turned into wounds and wormewood into gall and vexation They leaue a sting indeed in the conscience that neuer dies but themselues die all at our deaths and lie downe with vs in our graues Why then when the immortal soule being dislodged from this tabernacle of clay shall now begin to enter the confines of eternitie what shall comfort it thorow that endlesse duration For if it looke backe to this inch of time which it consumed in vanitie it may aske Why haue I bin troubled about many things Why haue I disquieted my selfe in vaine Why haue I insolently insulted ouer innocencie and accounted sinceritie madnes What hath pride profited me or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought me And it may be answered All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a poste that passeth by as a ship that passeth ouer the waues of the water which when it is gone by the trace thereof cannot bee found neither the path of it in the flouds or as a bird that flieth thorow in the aire and no man can see any token of her passage but onely heare the noise of her wings beating the light wind parting the aire through the vehemencie of her going and flieth on shaking her wings whereas afterward no token of her way can be found If then the expiration of all worldly comforts be most certain and ineuitable at the furthest at our departure from this life it is impossible there should be any absolute ioy found in them for there is wanting the very life and accomplishment of true happinesse assurance of perpetuitie Imagine therefore a man to be abundantly encompassed euen with all the desires of his heart let him wash his paths with butter and let the rocke powre him out riuers of oile let him heape vp siluer as the dust and gold as the mire of the streetes let him decke himselfe with maiestie and excellencie and aray himselfe with beautie and glorie let him drinke vp the pleasures of this world in as great abundance as Behemoth the riuer Iordan yet all is nothing himselfe being couered with corruption and mortalitie and the fruition of them with vanitie and change One generation passeth away and another generation commeth He must at length necessarilie make resignation of al into the hands of a new succession And he shall take nothing away when he dies neither shall his pompe or pleasures descend after him Yet if a man besides an entire and vninterrupted possession of his worldly contentments which is neuer to be looked for in this life for as Iob speakes While his flesh is vpon him he shall be sorrowfull and while his soule is in him it shall mourne yet I say if besides he were able to extend his life to many millions of yeeres the matter were a little more tolerable But alas the life of a man at the most is but a hand breath or a span long that which makes it much more miserable he knowes not in what part of that short span how suddenly or how soone he shall be cut off from the land of the liuing and goe and shall not returne euen vnto the land of darkenesse and shadow of death For the reioycing of the wicked is short and the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment Though his excellency mount vp to the heauen his head reach vnto the cloudes yet shall he perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is he He shall flee away as a dreame and they shal not find him and shal passe away as a vision of the night So that the eie which had seene him shall doe so no more and his place shall see him no more And in this respect mans condition is farre inferiour to other creatures One generation passeth and another generation succeedeth but the earth remaineth for euer The Sun seemes euery night to lie downe in a bed of darknesse but he rises in the morning clothed with the same glorie and brightnesse and reioyceth as a Giant to run his course But man saith Iob is sicke and dieth and man perisheth and where is he As the waters passe from the sea and as the flood decaieth and drieth vp so man sleepeth and riseth not for he shall not wake againe nor be raised from his sleepe till the heauen be no more To let therefore these wretched vanities passe as vnworthie to be insisted on thus long For howsoeuer the worldly minded man wanting vtterly the eie of faith and hauing his eie of reason dimmed with mists that rise from his tumultuous and fierie passions grosse ignorance and wilfull malice so that he onely lookes vpon the honours riches and pleasures of this life with a carnall and sensual eie may seeme to see in them some glimmerings of happinesse and thereafter conforme and proportion his desires endeuours and proiects because he hath his portion onely in this life yet certainely the truly generous mind may clearely out of the very apprehension of nature and light of reason discerne them al to
Lord. But here by the way I must giue this caueat lest I bee mistaken in this last point or that which followes I doe not diuide by necessary and ineuitable diuorce greatnesse and godlinesse holines and high places God forbid I make betwixt them no other opposition then Dauid doth in the 73. Psal. himselfe being most holy and most honourable I rather infinitely desire to inflame the noble and worthie spirits of all those whom the Lord hath aduanced iâ— gifts in greatnesse in honours in gouernment or any kind of precedencie aboue their brethren to a proportionable excellencie of zeale and sanctification For certainely as power policie authority being abused and not sanctified to the owners become in the meane time strong pillars for the supporting of the kingdome of darkenesse pestilent instruments of much mischiefe and hereafter shall be soundly payed with an answerable degree of extraordinarie vengeance horrour and torment so great wisedome great knowledge great honours being imployed impartially resolutely and vnreseruedly in soliciting and furthering the causes of God in strengthening the cold and languishing state of his religion in refreshing the hearts of his Saints which ordinarily are opprest and disgraced by the cruelties of prophane men procure in the meane time great honour to his great name great good vnto his Church great ioy vnto his Angels great comfort vnto the soules of the owners and fairer and brighter crownes of glory to their heads in the world to come And so I come to the Third reason whereby the formall hypocrite doth falsly perswade himselfe to be in the state of true happines and saluation And that is an outward happinesse and successe in worldly matters much plenty and prosperity in his outward state For thus he reasons in his owne thoughts and plaies the cunning sophister to deceiue his owne soule The Lord thinks he with himselfe hath maruellously encreased me in riches and honours he hath strangely continued vnto me my health and harts desires The secret influence of his blessing hath still followed and prospered me in all my businesses and affaires therefore doth he conclude vndoubtedly I am protected from aboue my state is the state of grace these many louing fauours must needs argue that I am in high sauour with God and these outward blessings are signes that my seruices are sanctified and accepted of him But in the Schooles we should tell him that this is a fallacy à non-causa For all outward happinesses are for speciall reasons and by particular indulgence more often and very plentifully in this world vouchsafed to the wicked and prophane This appeares Ierem. 12. vers 1.2 Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse Thou hast planted them and they haue taken roote they grow and bring forth fruit Mal. 3. vers 15. Euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God yâ—a they are deliuered Iob 21. vers 7. c. Wherefore doe the wicked liue and wax old and grow in wealth Their seed is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eies Their houses are peaceable and the rod of God is not vpon them They send foorth their children like sheepe and their sonnes dance They take the Tabret and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs Let him therefore that thus concludes the happines of his soule from his worldly prosperitie know and consider that as the end and reward of the godly and wicked is different in place and nature the one being the highest heauens and the highest aduancement of the soule to the fulnesse of glorie and blisse the other the lowest hell and the very extremitie of the greatest miseries and vexations which a created nature can possibly endure So experience of all times teacheth vs and heauenly iustice requires a contrarie manner of passage and proceeding to these ends The wicked in this world doe easily run vp without rub or interruption many times with acclamation and applause all the golden steps of honours and preferments but vpon the highest staire they find the most slipperie standing and the top of their earthly felicitie is the most immediate and certaine descent vnto their greatest downefall They are roially mounted here vpon earth and gallop swiftly ouer the faire and greene plaines of plentie and pleasures but at the end of their race they are ouerturned horse and man and tumbled headlong into the pit of destruction They fairelie glide ouer the sea of this world with full saile with much calmenesse and serenitiâ— and richly laden but in the brightest Sunshine and when they least suspect it they suddenlie and without recouerie sincke into the gulfe of darknes and desolation But it is iust otherwise with the children of God for they many times in this their pilgrimage sticke fast in the mirie clay of pouertie and contempt sometimes they are inclosed euen in a horrible pit as Dauid speakes of feare and terrour of conscience for their sinnes They are by the way companions to Dragons and Ostriches they walke among rebels thornes and Scorpions that rent and teare aâ—d sting them with many oppressions and cruell slanders Neither is the danger in the way all they haue persequuters which are swifter then the Eagles of the heauen who pursue and hunt them vpon the mountaines euen like Partridges and lurk for them in the wildernesse as those that lie in wait for blood Nay yet besides all these vexations from the world the immediate malice of hell raiseth many tempests of temptation against them and sometimes euen all the waues and flouds of God himselfe goe ouer their heads This the way the race and the euening of Gods children in this world but ioy comes in the morning their end is peace their reward is a bright morning starre their hauen is endlesse happines and life eternall The reasons of this contrarie state and condition of the wicked and godly in this life may bee these First for the flourishing of the wicked One reason may be the notable cunning and policie of Satan in plotting and contriuing the prosperity of those whom he perceiues hopes it wil insnare and in whose harts it begets hardnes pride insolency and forgetting of God For we must vnderstand that the diuel euer proportiones his traines and temptations most exactly euen at a haires breadth to the tempers humours and dispositions of men If he meete with an ambitious and working spirit he is well enough content to lighten him the way to hell with some ray or beame of al that great glory of the world which hee offered Christ if hee will fall downe and worship him Little cares hee so that he may keepe a man fast in his hold vntill the day of execution whether in the meane time he lie in a lower dungeon of discontented retirednesse or in the golden fetters or some more honourable seruitude and glorious miserie If he meete with a base and
earthly minded fellow that preferres a little transitorie trash before the pretiousnesse of his owne soule and the lasting treasures of immortalitie why he can easily prouide a golden wedge and cast in his way to enrich him he can compasse for him though by bloudy meanes and mercilesse enclosure a Naboths vineyard to enlarge his possessions For all is one to him so he keepe him his owne whether by want and pouertie he driue a man to impatiencie murmuring and independencie vpon the prouidence of God or by heaping vpon him abundance of wealth and filling him a full cup of temporall happinesse he cast him into a deepe sleepe of carnall securitie and a senselesnesse in al matters of sanctification and saluation But whereas Satan hath found by much experience that such as are fenced with riches and honours doe many times falsely assume vnto themselues a conceit of greatnesse and goodnesse of protection and immunitie from dangers so that they are more fearelesse of the iudgements of God because they are not plagued like other men more carelesse of storing themselues with spirituall comfort against the day of visitation because they are in the meane time plentifully encompassed with worldly contentments more regardles and neglectiue of the ministery of the word because they would not willingly be tormented before their time therefore I say hee followes with more hope and better successe this temptation by prosperitie And the rather because crosses afflictions and heauie accidents are many times liuely instructions and compulsions to bring a man to the knowledge of God and himselfe to abandon all confidence in earthlie things and to embrace the most comfortable and heauenlie state of true Christians Wherefore if any man be content to stand for Satans kingdom either by open and profest impietie or by close conueiances and secret practises and conniuencie he will be sure to prepare incline and dispose all occasions meanes and circumstances for his aduancement into reputation with the world And how potent he is in these cases yâ—u may conceiue sith he swaies the corruptions of the time sith he rules and raignes in the hearts and affections of the most men and is euer the arch-plotter in all Simoniacall indirect corrupt and vnconscionable consultations and compacts The second reason of the flourishing of the wicked in this life is their large and vnlimited consciences For if a man once haue so hardned his heart by often grieuing the good spirit of God and repelling his holy motions if he haue once so darkned the eie of his conscience by offering violence to the tendernesse and neglecting the checks thereof that hee can now entertaine and digest without scruple or reluctation any meanes though neuer so indirect any condition though neuer so base any aduantage though neuer so vnconscionable or dishonourable it will be easie enough for him to thriue in the world and raise himselfe For what I pray you were not the Papists now able to do who haue enlarged their consciences like hell nay they haue stretched them beyond the whole compasse of all hellish darkenesse euen into a vault of their owne what I say were not they able to do except they were countermanded by that irrefragable eternall and particular decree of God that Babylon must now downe as irrecouerably as the great milstone in the Reuelation cast with violence into the sea Why certainly they were able by their policies principles not onely to reestablish their former Antichristian tyranny but to cast the whole Christian world nay this and the other world and the whole frame of nature into combustion darknesse and confusion And no maruell for these fellowes consciences can without â—emorse digest euen the sacred bloud of Kings and swallow downe with delight the ruines and desolations of whole kingdomes Their bloudie superstition hath so quite and fearefully extinguisht all sense of common honesty and put out the light of natural equity and the common notions of right and wrong that they broch with bold faces the cursed poison of equiuocation the diuels old imposture in Oracles a very straight passage to damned Atheisme and the dissolution of all humaine society that to them the breach of the lawes of God of nature and nations is meritorious and worthie canonization if it serue any way to the aduancement of their execrable idolatrie to the repairing of their decaying Babylon and to reare their Italian Idoll the Priest of Rome yet a little higher aboue all that is called God In this respect then that the wicked dare enlarge their consciences to the vtmost bounds of any pleasure gaine or preferment they haue great aduantage for the ingrossing of all worldly happinesse and may easily purchase a Monopoly of earthly prosperity Out of this widenes of conscience proceed much mincing and excusing many interpretations fauourable constructions and distinctions of sinnes As for example that Vsurie is of two sorts biting and toothlesse when all kind of Vsurie is pestilent and most certainely damned in the booke of God That Symonie is either buying the gifts of the holy Ghost or buying Church-liuings as though this latter were not so soule and enormous when it is able in short time to bring a curse and confusion vpon the most glorious and best setled Church in the world That of lies some are pernicious some are officious and for a greater good whenas euen the learneder sohoolemen who are far enough from precisenes hold euery kind of lie to be a sin indispensable whenas Aâ—stinâ— that worthy father great disputer admits not a lie for the saluation of a mans soule which is farre more worth then the whole world Nay when a man is not to tell a lie for the glory of God as it appeareth Iob 13. then which there can be no greater good Of Oaths that some are greater and more bloody some are lesser ordinary and more tolerable as though custome and commonnesse made these latter excusable and vnpunishable when as the plague of God hangs continually ouer the head of what swearer soeuer ready euery houre to seaze vpon him and sinke him downe into the bottome of hell The flying booke of Gods curse and vengeance shall enter into the house of the swearer and shall not onely cut him off but shall consume the very timber thereof and the stones thereof Neither doth this plague rest within priuate walles but it wastes the glory and prosperitie of whole kingdomes Because of Oathes saith Ieremie the land mouâ—neth and the pleasant places of the wildernes are dried vp nay if it were possible that the breath of the swearer should reach vnto the heauens it would euen staine the glory of the starres and rot those faire and immortall bodies it is infected with such a canker and pestilencie and so immediatâ—ly strikes at the face of Almightie God Many other such leaud distinctions of sinnes there are framed and followed by the sensuall greedy and ambitious affections of prophane men that they may more
in their sins But sith I know not how soone I shall come to iudgement my poore soule shall not appeare before my blessed Sauiour red with the blood of those soules for which his precious blood was shed Therefore I will not be Non-resident You see here a restraint from Non-residencie that bloodie gangrene that with remorselesse greedines eates and deuoures the pretious soules of men This short explication of the nature of conscience thus premised you may easily conceiue with mee thus much that Accordingly as the practicall vnderstanding of a man is furnished with principles and rules for guiding his actions according to the nature of them and soueraignty they hold in the conscience such and thereafter commonly is his life and actions I except the grosse hypocrite for hee sinneth against the knowledge of his heart and light of his conscience Therefore the sound of feare is already in his eares and in his prosperitie the destroyer shall come vpon him Hee beleeueth not to returne out of darkenesse for he seeth the sword before him Affliction and anguish shall make him afraid They shall preuaile against him as a king ready to the battel God shall run vpon him euen vpon his necke and against the most thicke part of his shield because hee hath couered his face with falshood and inwrapped himselfe in a cloud of hypocrisie The point then must bee exemplified in other sorts of men First the notorious sinner by reason of his delightfull conuersing with the wicked and custome in the workes of darkenesse doth obscure smother and in some measure extinguish in his conscience not onely the light of supernaturall truth but of nature too Therefore hee runnes headlong without restraint or bridle into desperate villanies and outragious rebellions He drawes in sinne with cartropes and worketh all maner of vncleanenesse with greedinesse He is bound with his sinnes and couered with iniquities as a field is hedged in with bushes and the path therof couered with thorns whereby no man may trauell It is shut vp and is appointed to be deliuered by fire Secondly The Papist he entertaines and treasures vp for his practicall principles the bloodie Dictates of the Pope of Rome that man of sinne and vicegerent of Satan which are so farre from receiuing strength or warrant either from nature or diuine truth that they hold strong contradiction and eternall opposition to both and therefore his conscience is enlarged like Tophet For it can without scruple or remorse nay with hope of heauen and a brighter crowne of glory digest euen the sacred blood of kings and swallow downe with ease the ruines and desolations of whole kingdomes He can meritoriously butcher his brother in the streets with prodigious cruelty as in that horrible massacre at Parâ—s He can bee dispensed with and discharged from oaths and truth of speech the necessarie and soueraigne instruments of all iustice and society amongst men He may expect canonization for blowing vp of Parliaments and tearing in peeces the royall limbes of the Lords Anoynted and the strong sinewes of the worthiest State vnder heauen and after saile towards the Popish Paradise which is indeed the pit of hell thorow a sea of innocent blood without any checke or counterblast of conscience Thirdly the ciuill honest man hath his conscience informed with rules of naturall honesty and generall notions of right and wrong and therewith contents himselfe And therefore he frames himselfe with sober cariage faire conditions iust and vpright dealing towards men so that he is well spoken of and reputed by the world a good neighbour a sober wise man of harmelesse behauiour no medler a peaceable man and these are excellent if not seuered but seruiceable to true pietie and sauing knowledge Peace is a pretious thing if it may bee purchased and possest without impeach and preiudice to holinesse and a good conscâ—â—nce Follow peace with all mâ—n and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Peace and holinesse must goe together If otherwise it is an holy peace to bee at warre with the corruptions of the time and to be at peace with sinne is to war against God and his owne soule But the meerely ciuill honest man by his practicall principles is led no further but to the executions of morall honestie as for instruction in heauenly mysteries and diuine knowledge hee doth not much meddle with care for or seeke after but onely for companie and fashion Fourthly the formall hypocrite besides the direction of naturall light in his conscience doth interesse and acquaint himselfe with practicall principles out of supernaturall truths and the word of God for the performance of religious duties and seruices but hee puts them in practise with reseruation with his owne exceptions and limitations Hee is onely so farre guided by them in his life and conuersation as they are compatible with his worldly happines And therefore in the time of persecution as it is in the parable hee falleth away But by persecution you must vnderstand not onely the fierie triall and striuing vnto blood but also inferiour and not so smarting afflictions and tentations as it is cleere if we compare the three Euangelists in their narration of the parable It is many times disgraces and contumelies for his profession displeasure and discountenance of great Ones the hazarding of some profit and preferment the losse of friends and fauour of the world or the like that makes him slinke and yeeld and desperately to cast himselfe into the current of the times there to swimme with others for a while with full saile of outward prosperitie vntill he drowne himselfe in perdition and sincks suddenly into the gulfe of endlesse woe and miserie Hence it is that Mat. 13.21 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Temporizer Hee is not thorow sound resolute and true-hearted for godlines good causes and to good men For many times when the honour of God is put as it were in the one scale of the balance and his owne contentment in the other he suffers some worldly profit or pleasure the gratification or satisfaction of some great man the purchase of some Fellowship Benefice or spirituall dignitie for sometimes it proues perhaps as deere as a purchase the greedie desire and pursuit of some vndeserued office or honour the enioyment of prophane company or coherence with worldly wise men the pleasure of some secret and sweet sinne or such like I say he suffers these to weigh downe the exceeding waight of heauenly blisse the vnualuable treasure of a good conscience and the infinit glory of God Which is strangely miserable sith all the worth wisdome power excellencie and whatsoeuer other happinesse of man al the highest and greatest treasures and glory vnder the Sunne without the feare and fauour of God if they were put in the waights with vanitie vanitie would waigh them all downe So thought Dauid Psal. 62. The children of men are vanitie the chiefemen are lies to lay them
vpon a balance they are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe Lastly the child of God besides the better and more speciall apprehensions of nature stores his conscience his treasurie of practicall principles with many sacred and sauing lessons and rules out of heauenlie truth and Gods holie word but so that in his practise of them he stands not vpon termes of pleasure profit or preferments but doth whollie and entirely resigne vp himselfe in obedience and humilitie to be guided and gouerned by them without restriction or cuasion in his thoughts affections and actions thorow the whole course of his life Therefore Luke 8.15 the hearer compared vnto the good ground which is the child of God to whom in al my Discourse I oppose the stony ground which I call the formall hypocrite is said to be of an honest and good heart that is downe-right for godlinesse and good men without hollownesse faintheartednesse or slinking Hee makes Christianitie as it were his trade he sweates and toiles in it as the end for which he was created and placed in this world And as he receiues the word of God into his honest and good heart so there he treasures it vp and keeps it faithfully The word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He keeps it though it be with much difficultie strugling and colluctation with his owne corruptions the temptations of Satan and vanities of the world who cunninglie conspire and labour ioyntlie to plucke it vp and wrest it from him and he brings foorth fruite with patience He yeelds no ground though he meete a a Lion in the way or a Tyrant in the face In the day of trial and encountring with dangers and vngodly oppositions he shrinkes not but stands fast and suffers himselfe rather to be ouerflowne then to be carried downe the streame of the sinfull fashions and wicked waies of the world He knowes full well howsoeuer he goes now on his way weeping yet he caries precious seed and therefore the time will come shortly that he shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him Crosses disgraces and tribulations may beget in the formall hypocrite fainting and defection but in Gods child they bring foorth patience experience hope and resolution Euer when he enters consultation with himselfe whether God must be obaied and glorified or man pleased and satisfied he is quickly resolued out of that in Isai. 51.12 I euen I am he that comfort you Who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man which shall bee made as grasse And forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath spread out the heauens and laid the foundations of the earth He considers the heauie iudgement determined and reserued for all fearefull men al spirituall cowards and saint-hearted in the Christian warfare who more feare men then God and for their fauour and countenance part with the protection of the Almightie and the comforts of a good conscience They shall be punished with vnbeleeuers with the abominable with murtherers and whoremongers with idolaters and hers in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21.8 You may now cleerely conceiue the point I haue in hand how the word of God is not rooted in the conscience of the formall hypocrite The ordinarie intelligencers to his conscience are examples custome opinion worldly wisdome common preiudice against a strict course of sanctification precedencie and practise of greater men for true goodnesse many times ouerprized and misualued by the worlds flattering censure the common naturall notions of right and wrong But if vpon some extraordinarie good motion by guidance of diuine rules he sometimes crosse the current of the times enter a profession of sinceritie and some correspondence with Gods children it is but for a spirt an essay like a morning cloud and as the morning dew For as soone as his feruour in religious affaires and furtherance of good things doth once by the fury of hell crueltie of prophane men malice of the world enkindle and stirre vp against him I say not onely a fierie triall but euen some smarting heate of lesser persecution some railing and slanderous tongue which schorches like coales of Iuniper a disconccit and dereliction in his friends and old acquaintance disgrace with the world discountenance of Greatnesse vnlikelihood of rising and preferment if it once raise against him stormes of iealousies enuies and molestations why then he is gone he slinks and starts aside like a broken bow All his former good motions purposes and endeauours melt as the winter ice and goe away like the morning dew For the formall hypocrite euer when he seeles disturbance in his present securitie interruption of his former contentments hazard of his temporall felicitie he begins strongly to suspect himselfe of too much forwardnesse of vnseasonable and preposterous zeale of distemper and indiscretion in matters of religion and therfore giues backe and falles away into his former plodding course of formalitie and that perhaps without any check of conscience but if any scruples and reluctation arise in his heart out of his worldly wisdome he Interprets this yeelding to the times to be but an ordinarie and pardonable infirmitie and therfore notwithstanding slatters and deceiues himselfe with hope of heauen which is a strong barre to keepe him out of the state of grace and vnacquainted with the glorious comforts of sound and sauing sinceritie But the sacred light of Gods holy truth is habituated and incorporated into the conscience of Gods child and is the onely and constant rule and square by which with all humilitie vprightnesse of heart a free entire submission and obedience vnto it he frames al his thoughts affections and actions And in this light he walkes with a settled constancie and grounded resolution thorow pouertie and oppression contumelies and contempt slanders and indignities good report or ill report For he hath his eie still fastned vpon eternitie he hath the crowne of glory alreadie in sight the inestimable pretiousnesse and euerlasting beautie whereof rauisheth and possesseth his truly free and great heart with such a longing and feruencie that hee is at a point with all that is vnder the Sunne that he doth not only contemne patiently endure and vanquish al asperities and difficulties but euen with reioycing entertaine and embrace if the tyranny of the times so require the vtmost that malice and crueltie can inflict vpon him There is no other consideration or creature either in heauen or earth can separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus or from his glorious seruice in al good conscience And as the word of God is planted and rooted in the conscience of Gods child for his direction and constancie in the waies of godlinesse so is it also there fastned for his forbearance of sinnes by these three properties which are not to be found in the formall hypocrite Remorse for sinnes past by which he is saued from
comfort and heauenly matter enough to worke vpon a pleasing contentment and satisfaction arising from an humble and sober remembrance of a well spent life doth infinitely more refresh them then all the reuellings and pleasant deuices of merrie companions nay manie times in their seasonable solitarinesse diuine graces are more operatiue and stirring and raise inflamed motions of delight and ioy Now in a third place we are to consider that the child of God is yet further very much differenced from the formall hypocrite by his skill and dexteritie in ruling by his holy wisedome and godly iealousie in watching ouer his thoughts The heart in which Gods spirit is not resident with speciall grace and sanctifying power howsoeuer the words may be watched ouer and the outward actions reformed lies commonly still naked and open without speciall guard or settled gouernment For the best naturall man is too impatient of restraint and seuerity ouer the power of imagination and freedome of his thoughts they being naturally exempted and priuiledged from all humane and created soueraignty and the vncâ—ssantnesse of their workings and perpetuall presence in the mind would make the abridgement of their libertie more sensible and distastfull It may be out of the natural grounds of ciuill honesty some generall apprehension of the power of the world to come he may be so farre solicitous about his thoughts thaâ— if any start vp of more soule and monstrous shape enticing him to some grosse and infamous sinne which would disgrace him in the world or breed extraordinarie horrour in his conscience he presently sets against it disclaimes abandons and expels it He may bee of experience and skill to conquer and suppresse thoughts of heauinesse and melancholie although in this point he many times fearefully deceiues himselfe taking the holy motions of Gods spirit enclining him to godly sorrow for his sinnes to be melancholicke thoughts tending towards too much strictnes and vnnecessarie discomfort So grieuing the good spirit and stopping against himselfe the verie first and necessarie passage to saluation Thus the formall hypocrite may haue sometimes and in part a sleight misguided and generall care and ouersight of his thoughts But because the depth of his deceitfull heart and the many corruptions that are daily and hourely hatched in it were neuer ript vp and reuealed vnto him by the power and light of sauing grace he cannot hold that hand ouer his heart as he ought hee doth not keepe a solemne particular and continual watch and ward ouer his thoughts which is little enough to keepe a Christian in sound comfort and inward peace he hath no heart with such anxiety and care to looke vnto his heart he doth not so often and seriously thinke vpon his thoughts holding it the last and least of a thousand cares But euery child of God certainly makes it his chiefest care and one of his greatest Christian toiles to guard his heart and guide his thoughts Hee followes in some good measure by his practise that holy counsell of Salomon Prou. 4.23 Aboue all watch and ward keepe thine heart The word in the Originall is borrowed from the affaires of warre Let vs imagine a citie not onely begirt with a strait and dangerous siege of cruel and blood-thirstie enemies but also within infested with lurking Commotioners and traitors to the State how much doe you thinke would it stand that citie vpon with all vigilant policie to stand vpon it guard for preuention of danger It is iust so with the heart not onely Satan is euer waiting opportunitie to throw in his fierie darts and sensuall Obiects from abroad like false Simons to insinuate themselues but also it feeles to it much vexation many rebellious stirrings within it owne bowels The tender conscience of a true Christian is verie sensible of all this danger and by his owne experimentall and practicall knowledge hee is acquainted with the many breaches and desolations made in the soule both by these open enemies and secret rebels and therefore furnisheth himselfe daily with much holy wisedome and watchfulnesse with experience and dexteritie in this great spiritual affaire of guarding and guiding his hart We may take a view of this his sanctified and Christian wisedome in gouerning his thoughts in these foure points In a timely discouerie and wise defeatment of Satans stratagems and policies whether hee deale by suggestions raised from the occasions and aduantages of his temper and naturall constitution of his temporall state either happinesse or contempt of his infancie or growth weaknes or strength in Christianity of the condition of his calling companie place where hee liues or the like Or whether he come addrest with his owne more fearefull immediat Iniections which he sometimes presents in his owne likenesse As when he casts into the Christians mind distrusts and doubts about the truth of heauen and of diuine and heauenly truth concerning the certaintie and being of all that maiestie and glory aboue for such thoughts as these are somtimes offered to the most sanctified soule Bernard cals theÌ„ terribilia de side horribilia de diuinitate But marke here the cariage of Gods child hee doth not wrastle with these hel-bred thoughts he sets not his naturall reason vpon them for thence perhaps would follow inclinations to Atheisme desperatenessâ—â— in sinning and other fearefull consequents but at the very first approch abandons and abominates them to the very pit of hell whence they came he praies repents and is humbled by them and thence clearely sees they are none of his and so in despite of such diuellish malice walkes on comfortably in his way to heauen If Satan speed not in this blacke shape he at othertimes puts on the glorie of an Angell and perhaps may bring into his remembrance euen good things but out of their due time that he may hinder him of some greater good As at the preaching of the word he may cast into his mind vnseasonably godly meditations that so he may distract and depriue him of the blessings of a profitable hearer At the time of prayer he may fil his head with holy instructions that so hee may coole his seruencie and bereaue him of the benefit of so blessed an exercise With these and a thousand moe such like vexations in his thoughts the child of God is sore troubled and much exercised Secondly another branch of spiritual wisdome in watching ouer his thoughts is busied about those sinfull pleasures which vpon the remembrance of his former old iniquities may reinfect the soule For a man may commit the same sin a thousand times by renewing the pleasures of it in his thoughts Though the act be past yet as often as the mind runnes ouer the passages and circumstances of the same sin with the same delight so often the soule is polluted with a new staine and laden with more guiltinesse Whereas therfore the sensuall sweetnes of a mans beloued sinnes hath before his calling got such strong hold and hant