malice most sauage and vile that is discharged vpon the body or good name of the dead so I would haue also a charitable conceit follow the soule of the departed so farre as spirituall wisdome a good conscience diuine truth the glory of God the safetie of the soules of the liuing will giue leaue But no further Thirdly neither doe I mislike or condemne Funerall Sermons I could rather wish that as the death of his Saints is precious in the sight of God so that it might be glorious in the eyes of men I could rather desire that the iust prayses and true sincerity of the child of God were published euen by some Seraphicall tongue that both the glory of his graces might passe along and shine bright to all posterity and that such a fire of zeale for imitation might be enkindled in the hearts of all the hearers especially the present occasion making their minds more capable of persuasion that they passing thorow the same course of holinesse might at length be made partakers of the same happinesse with the Saints of God Only in these cases I would haue that spirituall discretion truth and conscience vsed that neither the godly be iustly grieued and offended the wicked heartned and hardened in their courses false conceit of happines nor the faithfulnes and sincerity of the ministery disgraced and scandalized Thus farre I haue laid open vnto you the state of formall hypocrisie in which may concurre immunity from notorious sinnes all naturall and morall perfections admirable variety of learning policy and all other acquired ornaments of the mind an outward performance of all duties of religion some measure of inward illumination a resemblance and shadow of the whole body of true regeneration and a persuasion as you haue now last heard of being in state of grace Euen thus farre a man may goe in the profession of Christian religion and yet be a stranger from the power of faith and from the life of godlinesse I now come by reasons and arguments to disable it in those points which haue not beene touched for challenging any interest in the true happinesse of a man And first to proue that a performance of outward duties of religion without the power of grace vpon the soule and an vniuersall sanctification in all the faculties thereof cannot produce any sound comfort in the heart or acceptation with God My first reason is that Principle generally receiued with all schoole Diuines and very sound and Orthodox in true Diuinity The iniquitie defect or exorbitancie of any particular of one circumstance maketh an action euill but an absolute integritie of all concurrents is required to make a good worke acceptable to God comfortable and profitable to a Christian The end must be good the glory of God the action it selfe in it owne nature must be iust warrantable the circumstances honest and seasonable the meanes direct and lawfull the fountaine the hart sincere and sanctified If this last be wanting especially though otherwise it be neuer so gloriously conucied neuer so wisely managed of neuer so goodly a shew to the eyes of the world yet it is not only mard and defaced and no action of grace but odious and abominable in the sight of God The Moralists by the light of nature saw a truth proportionable to this euen in the actions of vertue The truth and worth wherof they did censure and esteeme not by the bare outward action but by the inward free and independent vprightnesse of the mind And therefore to an action truely vertuous they required a resolued knowledge an irrespectiue and aduised freedome of spirit a constant and easie habit of the mind an entire loue to the fairenesse of vertue So that whatsoeuer honest actions sprung from passion humour scare respect ambition or the like they accounted vertuous and good onely by accident and occasion not inwardly and essentially whereupon they hold that many great and honourable atchieuements of ancient Worthies amongst the Heathens howsoeuer they were admirable in the eyes of men and beneficiall to the publicke State for sometimes out of some sudden eleuation of spirit or pang of vaine-glorie they were euen prodigall of their liues and blood for the good and deliuerance of their countrie yet to the authours and actors themselues they were not the true workes of vertue but of ambition and a desire of immortall fame It is euen so in the higher actions of grace and religion Besides the outward performance God requires sinceritie of heart and truth in the inward parts to make them gratious and acceptable And howsoeuer otherwise they may purchase them a name amongst men prosperity in the world some lesse torment in hell and procure good vnto others yet except they proceed from a faith vnfained and a pure conscience to the Christians themselues in respect of all heauenly happinesse they are fruitles and vnprofitable My second proofe is out of the 5. of Matth. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen The outward righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies was famous in those times and much admired So that if God did not principally respect the heart if that were not true in the 16. of Luke That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God they might not onely haue carried away the garland for piety on earth but haue iustly seemed to haue beene the onely heires to a crowne of immortality in the heauens For besides their forbearance and protestation against grosser sinnes Murther Theft Adulterie Idolatrie and the like they were frequent and solemne in prayers fastings almes-deeds and that with farre greater strictnesse and deuotion then the religious actions of formall hypocrisie are performed in these times of the Gospell Besides I doubt not but many of them were persuaded that their way was the way of life and that they were in the state of true happinesse And yet for all this except wee exceede their righteousnesse the speech is peremptorie we shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen For we see in the 23. of Mat. what a chaine of curses out of the mouth of our blessed Sauiour did iustly draw them into the bottome of hell Thirdly this truth is manifest out of the Doctrine of the Prophets Esai 1 Mich. 6. Hag. 2. Psal. 50. and many other places Whence ariseth this conclusion That the principall and holiest exercises the most solemne and sacred actions of religion without sinceritie and sanctification of heart are but as the cutting off a Dogs necke and the offering of swines blood Their sacrifices oblations and incense Their nâ—w Moonâ—s their Sabbaths and solemne feasts were things commanded by Gods ownâ— mouth yeâ— where they were performed with impure and propâ—ane hearts he telâ— them that his soule hated them that they were a burthen vnto him and that he was wearie of them For if the Lords contentment had finally rested in
ciuill honestie makes no great conscience of smaller sinnes as lying lesser oathes gaming prophane iesting idlenesse and pastime on the Sabbath day and the like But righteousnesse of faith hauing a sensible feeling of the heauie weight of sinne from those anguishes which the conscience felt before the infusion of faith and being still stung with a checke and smart for all kind of transgressions doth seasonably and proportionablie hate and make resistance to all knowne sinnes Sixthly ciuill honestie doth not vse to make opposition against the sinnes of the time but is euen willing to be caried with the streame onely vpon more faire and probable tearmes then notorious sinfulnesse and therefore will goe on and encourage a man in godly courses and good causes vntill he meet with either a wound to his state a disgrace to his person a disturbance to his pleasures an imputation to his forwardnesse a stop to his preferments losse of friends imminencie of danger or any such crosse and discouragement and then it teacheth him to step backe as a man ready to tread vpon a serpent and to start aside like a broken â—ow But righteousnesse of faith doth stand out for the honour of God and ordinarily goes thorow stitch in good causes come what come can crosses or calumniations good report or euill report men or diuels For it is compleatly armed with confidence of future happinesse and hath sixt the eye vpon the crowne of immortality which if heauen and earth conspired they were not able to pull it out of his hand that reserues it in the heauens for all those that sight a good fight that keepe the faith and run with constancie the race of sanctification The next point of the negatiue part of my doctrine is formall hypocrisie Which that you may more cleerely vnderstand consider with me three kinds of hypocrisie priuy hypocrisie grosse hypocrisie formal hypocrisie Priuie hypocrisie is that by which a man makes profession of more then is in his hart And this somtimes doth mixe it self euen with the fairest and most sanctified actions of Gods dearest children and doth soonest insinuate into a hart stored with the rich treasures of true godlines For Satan if he cannot detain a mans soule in notorious sinfulnes in meere ciuil honestie or formality but that by the sacred inspirations of Gods good spirit it is pulled out of the mouth of hell from the slauery of sin and courses of darkenes into the glorious light liberty of Christs kingdom he is inraged with fierce and implacable furie doth euer certainly with eager pursuit persecute that soule both by his owne immediate malice and by the cruell agencie of prophane men And if so be he cannot procure a scandalous relapse into grâ—sse sins yet that he may in some measure worke the dishonour of God and the discomfort of his noblest creature the two maine ends of all the policies of hell hee doth labour to distaine the pure streames of diuine grace in the soule puddle of our corrupted nature and at least to fasten the spots of priuie hypocrisie vpon the best actions and the very face of innocency This hypocrisie as I take it ariseth from spirituall pride For when a godly man by the great worke of regeneration is become more excellent then his neighbour as indeed he incomparablie is howsoeuer the worlds estimation be otherwise Because the one is as yet a limme of Satan receiuing from him the cursed influence of scule pollutions of vncleannes and lying of malice and reuenge of pride and prophanenes c The other is already a blessed member of Christs mysticall body continually inspired with holy motions and the life of grace The one lies polluted in his owne blood encompassed with the menstruous clouts of loathsome corruptions of all natures except onely the diuell and his angels the most wretched and woefull of the familie of hell heire of horrour and desolation The other by the immortall seed of the pure and powerfull word of God is made partaker of the diuine nature clothed with the rich and vnualuable robe of Christs iustice guarded with an inuincible troope of heauenly Angels iustly intituled to a kingdome of vnconceiueable glory and pleasures moe then the starres of the firmament in number The one is a wrongfull vsurper of the riches honours and preferments of this life for which hereafter hee must be condemned to chaines of eternall darkenes and a dungeon of endlesse miserie and confusion the other while he continues in this world is a rightfull owner and possessor of the earth and all the creatures and blessings of God and when hee departs hence he shall bee made a glorious inhabitant of those sacred mansions where constant peace vnmixed ioyes and blessed immortality euen for euer and euer doe dwell Which great difference when the godly man perceiues and his owne prerogatiues he is filled with a strange and ioyfull amazement and admiration at his owne happinesse which Satan seeing who is perfectly experienced in all aduantages and opportunities for spirituall assaults and working vpon the reliques of mans proud nature doth cunningly draw him to aduance aboue that which is meet within himselfe in his owne opinion the worth of his owne graces and vertues Which that he may conuey and reprâ—sent to the view of the world with an excellencie proportionable to his owne ouerweening conceite he is forced to admit the secret and insensible poyson of priuie hypocrisie which he doth more easily at the first entertaine because the pestilencie and bitternesse thereof is not discernable by reason of the predominancie and sweetnesse of the fresh present graces of Gods spirit in his soule But when by afflictions or disgraces by some extraordinary temptation or particular checkes from the Ministery of the word the vglinesse of it is discouered to his conscience hee for euer abhorres it as a consuming canker that would fret out the very heart of grace and extinguish the life of sincerity and therefore with much humiliation and feruencie doth pray against it striue against it and by the mercies of God preuaile against it This kind of Hypocrisie belongs not to my present purpose onely by the way let mee giue aduertisement to the child of God for to him onely I speake in this point to the end he may keepe his heart vnblameable in holinesse and preserue the true relish and sound ioy of good actions entire and vndistempered that he would strongly fence his heart with a gracious and vnfained humility against priuie pride the mother of this hypocrisie as against a close vndermining and a most dangerous enemie and the more seriously and watchfully for these reasons partly drawne from the nature of the sinne and partly from the state of his soule From the nature of the sinne First other sinnes grow from poysonous and pestilent roots as Adulterie from idlenesse Faction from discontent Murder from malice Iesting out of the word of God from a a prophane heart the
that out of his cruell malice hee may mixe some hellish poison son with these riuers of comfort labours to cast into his mind euen some thoughts of impossibilitie of the performance of the promises of saluation and of the attainement of that excellent waight of glorie and would gladly make him thinke it incredible that hee should euer bee crowned with immortalitie or be so gloriouslie partaker thorow all eternitie of vnspeakeable comforts aboue This temptation as I take it doth not much disquiet the formall hypocrite or any vnregenerate man For because his perswasion of happinesse to come is false and misgrounded and that hee hath no sound assurance of heauen Satan is too wilie to suggest vnto him doubts and distractions of this nature But wheresoeuer it lights it is of feareful consequence and therfore not to bee debated vpon by the thoughts or disputed with Satan that is not the way to conquer this temptation but suddenly and resolutely to bee repeld by the power of prayer and out of an holy contempt of so base and lying malice to be cast as dung vpon the face of the tempter So that the faithfull Christian for al this may maintaine and possesse his hart in patience and vnconquerable comfort out of these two considerations First if hee bee a diuell and prince of hell as Gods child feeles sensibly and certainely by this present immediate suggestion why then vndoubtedly there is the glory of infinite Maiestie in heauen Angels Saints boundlesse and endlesse blessednesse of euerlasting time Secondly he is to consider that in the daies of his securitie and worldlinesse no such scruples arose in his thoughts And therefore it is onely a malicious tricke of the enemie of all true comfort to defeate vs of our heauen vpon earth our assurance of heauen in the world to come A fourth way of weakening our faith is this If Satan by taking in the nicke the tide of our fraile and impotent affections by casting vs vnawares vpon occasions and allurements or by the suddennesse subtiltie or violence of some temptation be able to hale vs againe into some grosse and scandalous sinne to which by reason of our naturall disposition and custome wee were often and most principally obnoxious before our calling why then from thâ—nce he drawes and enforceth vpon vs discomfortable and faith-killing conclusions He presently infers vpon such relapses that we haue deceiued our owne soules that our holinesse indeed is but hypocrisie that our faith is but temporary and our conuersion counterfeit Otherwise the grace of God would be sufficient for vs and the power of his sanctifying spirit would at the least so farre restraine vs bridle and mortifie our corruptions that we should not breake out againe and backslide into a sinne so much loathed and repented of Otherwise as our sweet and master-sinne in the time of our vnregeneration made the deepest gash the widest gap into our consciences so if we were indeed in the state of grace wee should most carefully and tenderly close vp that wound and bee most vigilanâ— and solicitous in fencing and fortifying that breach before any other By this meanes Satan many times giues a sore blow to our faith and breeds much heauinesse and discomfort in the soule Thus Satan in his temptations sometimes proceedes by a method a it were of nature in striking at faith the roote and heart of our spirituall life But if hâ— be not able to fasten his fierie darts vpon the shield of faiâ—h why then he takes a contrary course and method as it may best fit his aduantage and more easie insinuation For he attempts the dulling and diminishing of our zeale and forwardnesse in religion and other fruits of faith and inferiour parts of sanctification And that by such meanes as these One weapon by which he labours to wound our feruencie and faithfulnesse in duties of holinesse and to hinder the entire exercise of the graces of sanctification is prosperitiâ— and freedome from discomforts and miserie For if he once espie vs to be encompassed with worldly peace reputation amongst men honours and offices plenty of wealth and preserments he is euer then in good hope by the helpe of the natural aptnes of worldly happines to ensnare and intangle to beget in our hearts worldlinesse and securitie the two great and dangerous consumptions of spirituall life For if worldlinesse once take possession of our hearts it wasts by little and little our ioy in heauenly things our comfort in the communion of Saints our longings for the incomprehensible and euerlasting happinesse it banisheth all thought of the worth of our soules of the spirituall state of our conscience of the vanitie and change of this present life of the glorious rising againe of our bodies and the immortalitie of the second life and in stead thereof filleth vs with earthlie cares with feares iealousies griefe hopes wishes independance vpon the prouidence of God and a thousand platformes for the encreasement and securing of our outward felicitie And securitie it makes vs insensible of Gods iudgements of our falling from our first loue of the danger wherein we stand It makes vs put farre from vs the euill day and to thinke our mountaine so strong that wee shall neuer bee mooued but continue in our happie state and die in the nest Secondly he seekes to weaken our practise of godlinesse by fastening vpon vs vncheerefulnesse and vnprofitablenesse in the meanes of the preseruation of grace For if he can once make vs cold and negligent or onely formall and cursorie in the daily examination of our consciences in hearing the word of God in the godly exercises with our schollers or families in publike prayer or our more priuate striuing with God by groanes and sighes for the supplie of some grace or remooueall of some corruption then there euer followes a languishing and decay of the life of grace If we but perfunctorily receiue the heauenly food into our vnderstandings and being hindered by distractions carelesnesse or worldlie cares not digest it by meditation and conference and by spirituall exercise of seruent prayer conuey it into the seuerall parts of our soules our new man wil quickly fall into a consumption Thirdly hee doth notably dull and darken our holinesse and sinceritie by casting vs vpon vngodlie and prophane company which hath I know not what secret and bewitching power to transforme others into their owne fashions and conditions and to make them sometimes to condemne their former forwardnes and zeale in the seruice of God For as the feed cast into the earth drawes vnto it self by little and little the property of that soyle whereunto it is transported vntil at length it becomes like y t which doth there naturally grow so the spirits and manners of men commonly conforme themselues to those with whom they ordinarily conuerse Lamentable then is their case base their resolution and miserable their comfort who for aduantage faction foresight and hope of future gratifications or
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
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
be no better then a broken staffe of reede whereupon if a man leane it will goe into his hand and pearce it yea and strike his heart too thorow with many sorrowes and that in the time of trouble they will all prooue but as a broken tooth and sliding foot To let them therefore passe and die and perish I come to two other branches of the negatiue part ciuill honestie and formall hypocrisie These indeed are the two great engines by which in this full light and glorious noonetide of the Gospell the prince of this world draweth many multitudes into his snares in this life and into chaines of darknesse in the life to come Sweetnesse of nature louelines of disposition fairenes of conditions a pleasing affability in cariage and conuersation an vnswaied vprightnes in ciuill actions and negotiations with men make a goodly shew But if there be an accession of profession of the Gospell of outward performance of religious exercises of some correspondence with the seruants of God why then the matter is strike dead There is the perfection Whatsoeuer is aboue is proud hypocrisie vaine-glorious singularitie phantasticke precisenesse when God knowes there may be all this and yet no power of religion no life of grace no true happinesse no hope of eternitie To the demonstration of which point before I proceed let mee preuent two obiections First I denie not but that morall vertuousnesse is good and excellent in it self the outward performance of religious duties and the exercise of the meanes of our conuersion are necessarie But if morall vertuousnesse were able to put on the greatest magnificence and applause that euer it anciently enioyed amongst the precisest Romans whereby it might worthily draw into admiration and iust challenge euen these times of Christianity yet in respect of acceptance with God and conformitie to his will and being not guided and â—anctified by supernaturall grace it is but at the best the very filthinesse of a menstruous clout And outward actions of religion be they performed with as glorious a shew and vndiscernable conueiance as euer they were by the most formal Pharisie yet seuered from a sound and sanctified hart the fountaine which giues 〈◊〉 sâ—eetnesse and acceptation to all outward seruices they are but all as the cutting off of a dogs necke and the offering of swines blood Secondly I doe not here by any meanes purpose the discomfort of that man whose soule is yet wrastling with the grieuous afflictions and terrors of conscience in the fore trauell of his new-birth I wish vnto him the sweetest comforts that either he in his deepest agonies can desire or the bowels of Gods tenderest compassions are wont to powre into broken and bleeding hearts and that the ioyfull light of his Sauiours countenance may break forth vpon his cloudy and drouping conscience with farre greater brightnesse then euer the clearest Sun vpon the face of the earth Neither doe I purpose the discouragement of him who hath happily passed the fearfull but necessarie pangs of remorse for sins and hath already by the grace of God laid hold vpon the merits and mercies of Christ by a true though a weake faith I wish that his soule as a new-borne babe in Christ may bee touched with the smoothest hand of the most wise charitable discretion and that it may be nourished with the sweetest milke of the most gratious and comfortable promises I euer esteemed it most bloody cruelty to quench the smoking flaxe or breake the bruised reed or to adde sorrow to him whom the Lord hath wounded and therefore rather infinitely desire to turne the smoking flaxe into a burning fire of zeale to refresh the weake and wounded heart with softest oyle of Gods dearest mercies to make the bruised reed a piller of brasse that it may stand strong and sure at the day of triall Whereupon I pronounce out of most certaine grounds of Gods eternall truth vnto the weakest faith if true and sound that the gates of hell with all the furie and malice of the prince and powers of darkenesse shall neuer preuaile against it That neither Angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor depthes below nor heights aboue nor the creatures of tenne thousand worlds shall euer bee able to worke a separation of it from that infinite loue of God which first planted it in the heart or a disunion of it from Christ which inspires it continually with life spirit and motion It is not difference of degrees and measure that takes away the nature and being of it A small drop of water is as well and truely water as the whole Ocean a little sparke is as truely fire both in essence and quality as the mightiest flame the hand of a little child may receiue a pearle as well as the hand of the greatest Giant though not hold it so strongly a weake faith may be a true faith and so a sauing faith as well as the full perswasion and height of assurance This onely I must aduise in this point that if this graine of mustard seed watered with the dew of grace grow not towards a great tree if this sparke enkindled by the spirit of God spread not into a big flame if this small measure of faith be not edged with a longing feruencie after fulnesse of perswasion and seconded with an assiduous and serious endeauor after more perfection it was no sound and sauing faith but onely a counterfeit shew and a deceiuing shadow But yet for all this I cannot without a woe speake good of euill and euill of good I must not put darkenesse for light and light for darkenes Wise Salomon hath taught vs that hee that iustiâ—ieth the wicked and hee that condemneth the iust euen they both are an abomination to the Lord. And therefore I must tell you that a man may be great in the eye of the world and in the iudgement of the greater part for his ciuill honesty and solemne performances of outward duties of religion to which many thousands neuer attaine and yet himselfe be not onely a stranger from the life of God and right happinesse and holden fast vnder the power and tyrannie of the first death but also by accident being pust vp with a conceit of an imaginarie perfection become a violent opposite to the power of religion and true godlinesse The reason whereof may bee this Our corrupt nature as in matters of vnderstanding and opinion worketh in euery man a too too much loue of his owne inuentions and conclusions all opposition inflames the affection and sets on foot the wit to find out arguments for their proofe lest hee seeme to haue beene too weake of iudgement in framing them or too inconstant in not defending them euen so also in matters of life and conuersation and the more plausible a mans course is and the more gloriously it is entertained of the world the stronger is his resolution to continue in it and the more impatient hee is
man professeth that which is not in his heart at all and so deceiues others but not his owne heart And this is most properly hypocrisie For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a stage-plaier who sometimes putteth on the roabes and maiestie of a Prince himselfe being of a base and neglected state Or the grauitie and wisdome of a Counseller himself being of roguish dissolute conditions Sometimes he representeth a chast and modest louer his owne life being a practise of vncleannesse Sometimes he assumeth a good and honest vocation his own being accursed and vnwarrantable Euen such is the grosse hypocrite vpon the stage of this world a very painted sepulchre and whited wall glorious indeed in outward fashions and solennities in shewes and representations to the eie of the world but if it were possible for a man to make an exact inquirie into the close and hidden passage of his heart he should find many black and bloodie proiects for compassing reuenge euen vpon surmised opposites many ambitious steps built vpon flatterie and dissembling basenesse and briberie for his rising and preferments many stinging swarmes of fierie lusts and impure thoughts which are either spent in speculatiue wantonnesse and the adulteries of the heart or else for feare of the worlds notice breake out onely into a strange and secret filthinesse In a word vnder the vaile of his outward religiousnesse hee should see a perfect anatome of the infinite and deceitfull corruptions of the heart of man and many plausible and politicke conuâ—iances to bleare the eies of the world howsoeuer wretched man vpon his owne fillie and forlorne soule he certainely drawes an exceeding waight of vengeance This kind of hypocrite is more miserable and of lesse hope then the open sinner First because he sinneth against the light of his conscience which manner of sinning makes him incapable of sauing graces For how can that heart which to naturall hardnesse addeth a voluntary obfirmation in sinne and resistance to godly motions receiue the softening and sanctifying spirit of God How should those vnrulie affections be tamed by the power of religion who please themselues and hold it their greatest glory to seeme most moderate outwardly when inwardly they boile most intemperately in lust pride malice contempt of zealous simplicity and in other soulest pollutions How should the brightnesse of wisedome shine where the windowes of the soule are shut close wilfully and vpon set purpose Secondly by reason of the shining lampe of an outward profession howsoeuer he want the oyle of grace in his heart he so dazles the eyes of men that he barres himselfe of those reproofes and wholesome admonitions whereby the open sinner is many times confounded and amazed in his conscience humbled and cast downe in himselfe and happily reclaimed and conuerted Thirdly all publicke reprehensions and aduertisements from the Ministery of the word although they be as so many loud cries sounding in his cares to awake him out of the dead slumber of hypocrisie he either interprets to proceed from some particular malice or indiscreet heate and so passes them ouer with a bitter and peremptorâ—e censure or else out of the pride of his heart hee posteth them ouer from himselfe as not infamous or notorious in the worlds opinion and transfers them vpon the open sinners being assured that in the iudgement of others whom hee blinds and deludes by his Art of Seeming they belong not to him Fourthly he is iustly obnoxious to an extraordinarie measure of Gods hatred and indignation For euery ingenuous man out of the grounds of morality holdeth in greatest detestation a doubling and dissembling companion as a fellow of extreme basenesse and seruility most vnworthie to be entertained either into his inward affections and approbation or outward seruices and imployments how much more the God of heauen and earth who seeth cleerely into the inmost closet of the heart For hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sons of men I say how much more must he needs double his infinite hatred of sin against the double iniquity of hypocrisie how must his soule abhorre that wretched creature which beares the world in hand and makes a shew vnto men that he stands for God and his honour and seruice but indeed is a close factor for Satan his owne pleasures and the powers of darkenes And as the hypocrite is subiect to Gods extraordinarie hatred so is hee liable to an extraordinarie weight of vengeance For when the wrath of the Lord is once enkindled against him it is powred out like fire and burnes euen to the bottome of hell His feare commeth like an horrible desolation and his destruction like a whirlewind Terrors shall take him as waters and a tempest shall carrie him away by night And so certaine are these plagues that as though the hypocrite were already turned into a diuell or into the very fierie lake it is said in the Gospell of other sinners that they shall haue their portion with the hypocrite where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Good Lord it is strange and fearefull that so noble and excellent a creature as man endewed with reason and vnderstanding like an Angell of God hauing besides the pretiousnes of the holy booke of God those great and vniuersall motiues the immortality of the soule the resurrection of the dead the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen the endlesse paines of the wicked which except he be a damned Atheist he doth certainely beleeue and whereas hee might liue on earth with vnconquerable comfort and shine hereafter as the brightnes of the firmament bee a companion of Saints and Angels and stand in the glorious presence of the highest Maiestie for euer and euer yet for all this will euen wilfully against the light of his conscience and with the certaine knowledge of his heart by his grosse hypocrisie secret abominations and vncleannes priuie practises for some wretched pleasures and preferments make himselfe in the eyes of God howsoeuer he deceiue men a very incarnate diuell vpon earth and after this life iustly heape vpon his body and soule all the horrours and despaires tortures and plagues which a created nature is capable of Oh that the hypocrite would consider these things in time lest the wrath and fierie ielousie of the Lord breake forth vpon him suddenly and ineuitably like sorrowes vpon a woman in trauell and teare him in pieces when there bee none that can deliuer him Well may he carrie the matter smoothly for a time and by his iugling dissimulation cast a mist about him and inwrap himselfe in darkenesse from the eye of the world yet let him know that in the meane time his sinnes are writing by the hand of Gods iustice with the point of a Diamond in the register of his conscience and when their number and measure is accomplished the Lord will come against him euen with whole armies of plagues and vengeance as against the most hatefull
obiect of his reuenging iustice the most base and vnnaturall Opposite to so pure a Maiesty and the most notorious and transcendent instrument of Satans deepest malice This kind of hypocrite belongs not to my present purpose and therefore I leaue him without sound and timely repentance to some strange and markeable iudgement euen in this life Or if he passe these few daies honourably and prosperouslie as it is many times the lot of the wicked lot him expect vpon his deaths-bed the fierie darts of Satan empoysoned with hellish malice and cruelty to be fastned deepely in his soule and such pangs and anguish of conscience that will possesse him of hell before hand Or if he depart out of this world without sense of his sinne or else at the best with some formall and perfunctorie shew of penitencie yet let his heart tremble for the feares that it shall feare at the great and terrible day of the Lord when the vizard of his hypocrisie shall certainely be pulde off his face and he ashamed and confounded in the presence of the blessed Trinity of Angels and all the men that euer were and irrecouerably abandoned from the face of God and from the fruition of his ioyes to the most consuming flame of the fire of hell and the lothsomest dungeon of the bottomlesse pit The third kind of hypocrisie is Formall hypocrisie by which a man doth not onely deceiue others with a shew of piety and outward forme of religion but also his owne heart with a false conceit and persuasion that he is in a happie state when as in truth his soule was neuer yet seasoned with sauing grace and the power of religion And I beseech you marke me in this point it is of greatest consequence to euery one for a sound triall and examination of the state of his conscience whether he yet liue the life of God and stand in the state of grace or lie enthralled in the setters and slauerie of sinne and Satan For herein I must tell you how farre a man may proceed in outward profession of the truth in supernaturall decrease of sinfulnesse in some kinds and measure of inward graces and yet come vtterly short of true happinesse and without an addition of the truth of regeneration and a sound conuersion shall bee cut off for euer from all hope of immortality and shall neuer bee able to stand firme and sure in the day of the Lord Iesus For a more perspicuous explication of this point conceiue with me those perfections which may befall a man as yet vnregenerate and in state of damnation We may suppose in him first all those gifts which the possibility of nature can conferre vpon him all ornaments of Arts and knowledge of wisedome and policie not onely that which is purchased by experience obseruation and imployment in points of State but also the spirit of gouernment as Saul had To these wee may adde gentlenesse and fairenesse of conditions an exactnesse of ciuill honesty and morall iustice immunity from grosse and infamous sinnes And thus far the heathens may goe And thus far we proceeded in our last Discourse But in these times of Christianity a reprobate may goe farre further then euer the most innocent Heathen that euer liued could possibly though some of them were admirable for their mild and mercifull disposition some for their vertuous seueritie some for integritie of life some for constancie and resolution in goodnes some for preferring the vnspottednesse of their life before most exquisit tortures For to all these he may adde a glorious profession of the Gospell a performance of all outward duties and exercises of religion many workes of charity and monuments of his rich magnificence Nay besides all this he may be made partaker of some measure of inward illumination of a shadow of true regeneration there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithfull whereof a resemblance may not be sound in the vnregenerate This last point will more clearely appeare vnto you out of the 8. of Luke and the 6. to the Hebrewes In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite who is there said to beleeue for a time and therefore by the inward though more generall and inferior working of the spirit may haue a temporarie faith begot in him In which faith we may consider these degrees First he may be endewed with vnderstanding and knowledge in the word of God He may be perswaded that it is diuinely inspired and that it is most true He may see clearely by the Law of God the grieuous intollerablenesse of his sinnes and the heauie iudgements due vnto them He may bee amazed and terrified with fearefull horror and remorse of conscience for his sinnes He may giue assent vnto the couenant of grace in Christ as most certaine and sure and may conceiue that Christs merits are of an inualuable price and a most pretious restoratiue to a languishing soule He may be perswaded in a generalitie and confused manner that the Lord will make good his couenant of grace vnto the members of his Church and that he will plentifully performe all the promises of happinesse vpon his children He may be troubled in mind with grudgings and distractions with reluctation and scruples before the commission of sinne out of the strength of naturall conscience seconded with a seruile apprehension of diuine vengeance but especially illightned with some glimmerings of this temporarie faith Much adoe was there euen with Pilate inward trouble and tergiuersation before he would bee brought to giue iudgement on Christ. Herod was sorie before he beheaded Iohn Baptist. And these men I hope were farre short of the perfections attaineable by the formall hypocrite After a sinne committed besides the outward formes of humiliation by the power of this temporarie faith he may bee inwardly touched and affected with some kind and degree of repentance and sorrow I meane not onely that which is a preparatiue to despaire and hellish horror but which may sometimes preuent temporall iudgements as in Achab and with a slumbering and superficiall quiet secure the conscience for a time And from this faith may spring fruits Some kind and measure of hope loue patience and other graces It is said in the Euangelists that that hearer which we call the formall hypocrite receiues the word with ioy Whence may be gathered First that with willingnesse and cheerefulnesse hee may submit himselfe to the ministerie of the word With forwardnesse and ioyfulnesse hee may follow and frequent Sermons With a discourse of the sufferings of Christ he may be moued euen vnto teares for compassionate indignation that so glorious and infinite innocencie should be vext with al manner of indignities and torments for the grosse and willfull impieties of sinfull men He may loue and reuerence giue countenance and patronage to the Ministers whom he heares with gladnesse For it is the nature of man to be kindly and louingly affected vnto him
must either enioy it in some kind and measure or it will waste and consume it selfe Hence it is that those who want inward and spirituall ioy arising from the testimonie of a good conscience from an assurance of remission of their sinnes and the fauour of God hunt after worldly contentments and carnall ioies At home in their owne hearts they find little comfort rather much terrour if their consciences awake and therefore they seeke to refresh themselues amid their treasures honors and sports at Plaies in Tauernes with merrie companie and many other such miserable comforters nay they had rather be necessarily imploied then solitarie not so much to auoid idlenesse as bitings of conscience Yea some had rather cease to be men then that their consciences should awake vpon them and therefore they labour to keepe it asleepe and to drowne sorrow for sinne with powring in of strong drinke But let them looke vnto it though it goe downe pleasantly yet secretly and insensiblie it strengthens the rage and sharpens the sting of the worme that neuer dies against the day of their visitation for in the end saith Salomon it will bite like a serpent and hurt like a cockâ—trice This outward and worldly ioy because the children of God doe not pursue because they will not relie vpon those broken staues of reed they are estâ—emed the onely melancholike and discontented men But I maruell when or with what eyes the worldlings looke vpon the faithfull Christian. It may be while hee is yet in the sore trauell of his new-birth and humbled vnder the mightie hand of God with affliction of conscience for his sinne If so then they should know that men must mourne for their sins as one that mourneth for his onely son and be sorie for them as one is sorie for the death of his first borne There must be in them a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon as it is Zac. 12.11 And this sorrow is a blessed sorrow for it brings forth immortality And either themselues must haue a part in it or they shall neuer be made partakers of the fulnesse of ioy at Gods right hand What though the child of God lie for a night in the darkenesse of sorrow and weeping for his sins marke a while and the day will dawne and a day-starre will arise in his hart that will neuer set vntill it hath conducted him vnto the light that no man can attaine vnto The sunne of righteousnesse will presently appeare and will drie away his teares and with euerlasting light will shine vpon him for euermore But it may bee the worldlings take notice euen of the whole course and best state of the child of God and yet can see nothing therein but vncomfortable strictnesse and sad austerity But then I must tell them they looke onely vpon him with carnall eyes and deceiue themselues for so indeed he doth not appeare a boisterous Nimrode or dissolute Ruffler amid the vanities and delicacies of the world that is for Satans reuellers who haue smiling countenances but bleeding consciences glorious outsides but within nothing but rottennesse and prophanenes much laughing when the heart is sorrowfull But if they were able with illightened eyes to pierce into the inward parts of Gods child they should see within hope alreadie feasting vpon the ioyes of eternity they should see faith holding fast the writings by which the kingdome of heauen is conueied vnto his soule sealed with the precious blood of the sonne of God that nor man nor diuell is able to wrest out of it hand They should see the white stone mentioned in the Reuelation wherein there is a new name written which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it Whence springeth such a strong comfort and high resolution in the affaires of heauen that no sword of the Tyrant no flame of cruelty not the combination of heauen and earth shall euer be able to amaze abate or extinguish Fifthly the formall hypocrite doth more confidently continue in a selfe liking of his owne state though the state of vnregeneration because he seeth those that besides his outward forme of religion are indewed with an inward and vnfained sinceritie in all their waies to be reputed but as the ofscouring of all things the simple fellowes and precise fooles of the world They haue indeed beene so accounted in all ages For the hearts of wicked men being stuft with prophanenes and earthly pleasures being swelled with ambition and worldly wisedome easilie bring forth pride and contempt And therefore they looke a farre off at the children of God as at fellowes of base and neglected condition of low spirits of humble resolutions of weake minds vnable to manage affaires and occurrents for their preferments of no dexterity to plant themselues in the face and glorie of the world when God knowes if they could be perswaded that there were no heauen but vpon earth and that the power and exercise of godlines were nothing but an vnnecessarie precisenes if they would enlarge their consciences proportionablie to the vast gulfe of the times corruptions if they durst make a couenant with death and an agreement with hell and put the euill day farre from them sure they might outstep many of these great Ones in their Proiects of policie and the precedencies of the world but sith they cannot they daâ—e not they will neuer by the grace of God be so perswaded they are well content with their continuall feast a good conscience while the others are fatted with their wine and their corne and their oyle against the day of slaughter And then at that day they will change their minds For goe I beseech you into the sanctuarie of the Lord and vnderstand their end they are now vpon the stage of this world in their full glory but were they as mighty as Leuiathan as cruell as Dragons could they reare their honours to the height of the clouds nay aduance their thrones aboue beside the starres of God yet they must downe they haue but one part to play they must make their beds in the dust and then when they are once disroabde of their greatnes and glory and stript naked of their honours and preferments and without all mitigation by worldly comforts left vnto the ful rage of a stinging conscience then they change their note and alter their iudgements and sigh for griefe of mind and say within themselues These are they whom we sometime had in derision and in a parable of reproch we fooles thought their life madnes and their end without honour How are they counted among the children of God and their portion is among the Saints Therefore wee haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined vnto vs and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and wee haue gone thorow dangerous waies but we haue not knowne the way of the
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
God and staying it selfe vpon his authoritie Or Acquired which is produced by the light of reason discourse and created testimony The latter is to bee found in the diuels for they beleeue and tremble And in the Papists for their faith is no better according to their grounds and principles My reason is this briefly for I will deliuer my selfe of this point in a word The Iesuites by their iugling haue cast themselues into a circle about the faith of the truth and diuinitie of Scriptures and that is this Ask any Papist in this land how he beleeues Scripture to be the word of God and diuinely inspired he will answere Because thâ— Church deliuereth it so to be And why beleeueth he the testimonie of the Church Because it it is infallibly guided by the spirit And how doth that appeare Because it is so contained in Scripture as in Iohn 16. The Spirit will leade you into all truth And how shall wee know this scripture of Iohn to bee the word of God and diuinely inspired Because the Church deliuereth it so to bee and so they must needs run round in this circulation Now I would propose to the Papists the choice of these three one of which they must of necessitie accept First whether they wil run round in this circle wax giddy and fall and sink into that pit where Poperie was first hatcht or they wil break the circle at the authoritie of the Scriptures and so by consequent they must fall to our side and the truth or they will breake it at the testimonie of the Church and so all their faith as I told you must needs be onely acquired because it depends on a finite and created testimonie and consequently comes farre short of saluation I doubt not but the Papists will acknowledge and approoue that difference betwixt infused and acquired faith consented vpon by the Schoolemen That infused faith relieth immediately vpon an increated authoritie but acquired vpon a finite and created testimonie I know the Iesuites a kind of men inspired with a transcendencie of Antichristian imposture labour busilie to passe plausibly and handsomly out of this circle but if their shifts be thorowly sisted they followed with force of argument it is certaine they will either be driuen into the circle againe or enforced to start out at the one of those breaches I told you of Becaâ—us one of them after hee had long tired himselfe in this circle and at last by the helpe of Gregorius de Val. and former Iesuites got out but with shamefull absurditie and inconuenience in a poore reuenge to relieue himselfe he threatens vs with another circle and so writes a Treatise de Circulo Caluinistico but very weakely and falsly as might be demonstrated euen out of the sounder Schoolemen in their question of the last resolution of faith But I intended no discourse of controuersie but of sanctification and therefore I proceed and take the formall hypocrite along further towards the state of grace For besides knowing and assenting to the truth of Gods word by an historicall faith hee may by the vertue of a temporarie faith adde three degrees moe That is He may moreouer professe it in outward seruices of religion He may inwardlie reioice in it He may bring forth some kind of fruit But these things are onely found in him so long as they do not mainely crâ—sse but are compatible with his worldly peace wealth libertie and other delightfull contentments Here therefore I must leaue him and acquaint you with those workings and degrees of sauing faith which qualified as I shall propose them are peculiar to Gods child and so distinguish and diuide the regenerate man from the state of formall hypocrisie They are these A feeling and speciall approbation of the word of life and promises of saluation a most feruent expetition and thirsting for the enioyment of them an effectuall apprehension a particular application a full perswasion a delight and ioy thence rising sound and vnconquerable That you may vnderstand these you must conceiue that the soule of Gods child comming fresh out of the pangs and terrors of his new-birth a mysterie to the formall hypocrite humbled vnder the mightie hand of God by a sight and sense of his sinnes lookes vpon the whole body of diuine truth as vpon a precious iewel wherin Christ his gratious promises shine vnto him especially as a stone of inestimable worth and valuation whereupon with a peculiar dearenes he sets such a liking that with it hee holds himselfe an heire of heauen without it a child of endlesse perdition Hence followes an expetition and desire of it enforced with groanes vnutterable and a gasping for it as the dry and thirstie ground for drops of raine Thirdly hee apprehends it with a fast and euerlasting hold Fourthly hee applies it closely and particularly to his owne soule Fifthly he is truely and fully perswaded by Gods good spirit out of a consideration of his vniuersall change that it is his owne for euer Lastâ—y he lies downe in peace that passeth all vnderstanding He is filled with ioy that no man can take from him He delights in the grace apprehended as in a treasure farre more deare vnto him then the glory of infinite worlds or life it selfe From the power and workings of this inward grace spring outward actions both in his generall calling of Christianity and his particular vocation which by the mercies of God are faithfull constant vniforme impartiall resolute vniuersall comfortable Whereas those which are produced by the more weake and inferiour degrees of temporarie faith incident to the formall hypocrite are weake wauering many times interrupted variable guided much by occasions the time forced by hope or feare swayed by secret respects to priuate ends and worldly contentments But these more inward markes of difference howsoeuer by a sweete and gratious experience they be felt and acknowledged of the child of God yet generally and to the vnregenerate they are hidden mysteries and vndiscernable to the brightest eye of the naturall man Therefore I will come to those markes of difference betwixt the state of formall hypocrisie and sauing grace which are more outward familiar and more generally and casilie discernable Of which one may be this The power of grace doth beget in a regenerate man a watchfulnesse care and conscience of smaller offences of secret sins of sinfull thoughts of appearances of euill of all occasions of sinne of prophane companie of giuing iust offence in indifferent actions and the like whereas the formall hypocrite taketh not such things as these much to heart but either makes no conscience of them at all holding it a point of precisenes to be too conscionable or else proportions it to serue his owne turne or to giue satisfaction to others And in forbearance of sinnes he hath an especiall eye onely at those that may notoriously disgrace him in the world entangle him in danger of law or vexe his conscience
irregular and stirring heads of some busie and pragmaticall fellowes shadowed onely with a number of faire shewes and pretences but really existent and acted no where And that they may more securely and obstinately rest vpon this persuasion he furnisheth them with a notable art of misconceiuing and misinterpreting the actions of grace and of making by odious exaggerations a little hole in the coate of a sound Christian as wide as hell Hence it is that Dauid is many times made sport with and merrilie iested vpon by them with the false scoffers at their feasts and bankets and hath things laid to his charge with much confidence but without al conscience which God thou knowest he neuer knew Hence it is that many times those actions in which for the truth and vprightnesse of his heart and the iustnesse and innocency of his cause he dare appeale to the tribunal of God the impartiall searcher of the inmost thoughts and seuere reuenger of all falshood yet are racked by vile and base misconstructions and interprâ—ted to be the workes of darknes and deceit And if they take a godly man but tripping in some lesser error in his cariage and that perhaps but forged in their owne wilfull misconceit they thence raise matter not only of triumph and insultation but which is much more feareful of chearing applauding and confirming themselues in their present wretched state But if Satan meete with a man that by the grace of God is already entred into the panges of his trauell in the new birth and with sorrow for his sinnes is smitten downe into the place of dragons and couered with the shadow of death then he eagerly striues to stiffle the new man in the wombe and by presenting to his view the vgly visage of his many and outragious transgressions the curse of the Law and the wrath of God which he yet makes more grizlie and fierce by his owne hellish malice to plunge him into the bottomlesse gulfe of irrecouerable horror and desperation But if by the mercies of God hee sinke not but betime lay hold vpon the iustice of Christ and that boundlesse compassion which neuer knew how to breake the bruised reed or quench the smoaking flaxe but holds a broken and contrite heart farre more pretious then a sacrifice of the beasts on a thousand mountaines and then ten thousand riuers of oile why then he stands like a great red Dragon in his way at the very first entrance into the Kingdome of light and profession of sinceritie and casts out of his mouth flouds of persecutions vexations and oppositions that so he may ouerwhelme and crush him before he come to any growth or strength in Christ and a full comprehension of the mysterie of grace And to this end hee sets on foot and fire too and whets with keene razors many a leaud and prophane tongue to scoffe disgrace and discourage him in his narrow but blessed passage to immortalitie by reproches slanders exprobration of his former life by odious names of Hypocrite Singularist Puritane a fellow of irregular conscience and stirring humour of a factious and contradictious spirit and such like But if hee also passe these pikes and these sharpe swords for so Dauid calles spitefull tongues out of a consideration of that truth in Paul Euery one that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution and that in the calmest time of the Church amongst many other he shall be sure at the least to bee continually scourged and vext with strife of tongues for euerie faithfull Christian knowes by good experience that euer now and then as he shall stirre in a good cause stand against the corruptions of the place where he liues with conscience and faithfulnesse discharge his calling hee shall presentlie haue the spirit of prophanenesse to slie in his face with brutish and implacable malice and insolencie But yet I say if he be able with his Lord and Sauiour to endure this speaking against of sinners and to esteeme it as it is indeed his crowne and comfort why then Satan casts about another way and hee labours sometimes to fasten vpon him some vnwarrantable opinions thereby scandalously and vnnecessarliy to disquiet him to defraud him of an entire fruition of the comforts of holinesse and to hinder and interrupt him in the prosecution of his glorious seruice of God Sometimes to puffe him vp with a selfe-conceit of his owne excellencie seeing himselfe aduanced as farre aboue the common condition of men and the richest and happiest worldling as heauen aboue earth light aboue darkenesse endlesse happinesse aboue eternall miserie that so as the Apothecaries ointment by a dead flie his good actions and spirituall graces may receiue staine and infection by priuie pride of the nature and remedies whereof I haue before discoursed These and many others be the temptations of a babe in Christ and fitted to the infancie of regeneration But if Satan meet with a strong man in Christ he tempts him by those two methods I told you of before somtimes by wasting his zeale sometimes by weakening his faith and a thousand moe Amid which infinite varietie he is for the most part constant in one point of policy and that is this He coÌ„ceales his greatest fury his most desperate assault vnto the last He reserues his fieriest dart his deadliest poison his sharpest sting his Gunpouder-plot vntill he meete vs on our deaths bed Wherefore beloued in Christ Iesus we had need euery man to be strongly and soundly prepared and armed against that great and last encounter with Satan vpon which depends our euerlasting estate either in the ioies of heauen or paines of hell Oh at that day and we little know how neere it is it is not our deepe reaches and vnfathomd policies and proiects the countenance and patronage of great personages our merrie and plesant companions or the pluralitie of liuings and preferments that can yeeld vs any comfort or assistance in that terrible and fearefull combat Nay though we now little thinke vpon it all the worldly contentments that we haue either indirectly purchased or vnconscionably imploid he will then turne vnto vs into Scorpions stings and wormes of conscience Onely at that day a good conscience will hold out as armour of proofe which as it hath bin on earth a continuall feast so their it will bee vnto vs a great and euerlasting Iubilee for euermore By this time you easily perceiue and I am very sensible of the digression I haue made but I haue done it onely to giue you a taste of that part of diuine knowledge about the depths of Satan and spirituall state of sanctified soules and afflicted consciences which I take to be Gods childs peculiar and in which the formall hypocrite hath little skil or exercise For the deepe and diuine ponderations of this nature vpon these points doe not much take vp or trouble his mind and meditations It is a pretious knowledge abstracted by an holy experience from
the practise and actions of true and sound regeneration and therefore it is transcendent to his most happie naturall capacitie to the depth of his worldly wisedome and to the greatest height of his speculations though otherwise neuer so vniuersall and profound Now as concerning other parts of diuine knowledge and other points of religion hee may be furnished with store of rare and excellent learning in Fathers Schoolemen Commentaries Cōtrouersies he may be endewed with suttletie in disputing and defending the truth of God yea and in resoluing cases of cōscience too so far as a formal obseruatiō and Popish Doctors can leade him For their resolutions in that kind are only busied about cases incident to their Antichristian Hierarchy about perplexities arising out of their wil-worship and bloudy superstition and determination of some particulars in the Commandements which may fall within the capacitie of an vnregenerate man but their profession I meane the Papacie cannot possibly reach vnto the heart of godlines the mysterie of regeneration and the sauing power of the life to come Nay yet besides this the formall hypocrite may be made partaker of some degrees of the spirit of illumination in vnderstanding and interpreting the book of God for the good of his Church and children For I doubt not but many haue much light of iudgement that haue little integritie of conscience and are inspired with the spirit of illumination for the good of others that haue no part in the spirit of sanctification and sound conuersion for their owne happinesse But yet me thinks there may be conceiued some differences betwixt the child of God and the formall hypocrite in the very speculation and knowledge of Gods truth and in apprehension of things diuine in the vnderstanding Which I take to be such as these First the light of diuine knowledge in the formall hypocrite doth onely discharge his beames and brightnes vpon others but neuer returnes and reflect◠on his owne soule to an exact discouerie of the darkenesse of his owne vnderstanding the disorder of his affections the slumber of his conscience the deadnesse of his heart but euery child of God is euer in some measure both a burning and shining Lampe he is both illightned and inflamed inwardly in his owne vnderstanding heart and affections and also the brightnesse of his Christian vertues are euer dispersed and working vpon others Wheresoeuer hee liues he shines as a light amid a naughtie and crooked generation in the sight and censure of God the blessed Angels and good men though to the iudgement of the world and eye of prophanenesse his glorious graces euer did and euer will appeare to bee nothing but darkenesse and dissembling You may conceiue this difference thus The sun beames you know are not onely cast and shed into the inferior Orbs and aire but are first rooted in the sunne and doe inwardly and vniuersally fill with light that faire and glorious body It is otherwise in the moone for howsoeuer she receiue light for the cheering and comforting other bodies yet she remaines darke within and in respect of her selfe it serues onely to make her spots more conspicuous It is iust so in the point wee haue in hand The light of diuine knowledge in the child of God doth not onely shine vpon the soules of others for their instruction and refreshing but doth first fully illuminate his owne though not to an excellencie of degree for that is reserued for heauen yet to a perfection of parts of which only our mortalitie is capable But in the formall hypocrite howsoeuer it may sometimes dispell ignorance and errors from the minds of others yet within he is darkenesse in the Abstract in respect of sauing light as is euery vnregenerate man Ephes. 5.8 And his light of knowledge in respect of himselfe serues onely to make his sinnes more soule and sinfull his damnation more iust and himselfe more inexcusable For he that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Secondly the knowledge of diuine mysteries in Gods child is entertained and enioyed with a peculiar kind of sweetnes with an impression of incomparable ioy and pleasure It is far sweeter vnto him then hony and the hony combe Hee hath more delight in it then in all manner of riches It is more precious vnto him then gold yea then much fine gold It begets and stirres in him flagrant desires and affections correspondent to it pretiousnesse and excellencie But it is not so with the formall hypocrite for his earthly-mindednesse by which his affections are as it were glued vnto the fashions of the world if he were sensible of it would tell him that it is many times not so sweete vnto him as his pleasures His close couetousnes or other vnconscionablenes in his calling if his conscience were illightned would informe him that many times it is not so deare vnto him as gold Thirdly the child of God hath an humble and gratious resolution a sweet and willing submission euer mixt with his diuine knowledge of being mastered guided and gouerned by it though against the violent bent of his owne inclination and the current of the time but the formall hypocrite if he deale faithfully with his owne heart may feele in himselfe a secret subordination and subiection of his vnderstanding therein to his wealth honours and worldly preferments Fourthly in apprehension of diuine truth in the formall hypocrite the power of naturall discourse and light of reason beares the chiefest sway and therefore hee stickes as it were in the bone and barke in generalities and vncertainties but in the child of God the sacred illustration of Gods spirit doth plentifully concurre and therefore hee is able to prie into and pierce the marrow and pith of Gods holy truth the particular veines and the sauing sense thereof I come now to the other habit which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall prudence by which the word and faith take no root in the vnderstanding of the formall hypocrite This habit I told you is a spirituall prudence or a sanctified vnderstanding in the practicall affaires of the soule by which a regenerate man is inabled with a iudicious sinceritie to deliberate and determine in cases of conscience in the perplexities of tentations in all straites ambiguities and difficulties incident to the consideration and cariage of a Christian and with spirituall discretion to guide and conduct all the actions of grace and euery particular both in his generall and speciall calling This wisedome as I take it is an attendant vpon iustifying faith and onely and inseparablie annexed vnto sauing grace and therefore the formall hypocrite though I place him in the highest perfection that is attaineable in the state of vnregeneration is vtterly vncapable of it and a meere stranger vnto it as he is vnto the life of God By this holy wisedome Dauid Psalm 119. vers 99. is said to be wiser then his aduersaries that is then Saul and
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
of sinner but fully as soule and abominable For if we could look into his heart though his outward life be ordered smoothly and ciuilly yet we should see within a bloody slaughter-house of malice crueltie and reuenge an hateful stewes of impure imaginations and adulteries of the heart a forge of much mischiefe of furious and fierie rage against the power of grace an insatiable gulfe of greedie desires for wealth and riches for vndeserued respect and reuerence in the world indeed a cage of all vncleane and rauenous birds Here is only the differeÌ„ce the notorious sinner dares act and execute the abominations of his hart in the sight of the Sun but the grosse hypocrite would gladly sinne vnseene and go to hell with as little noise and notice of the world as may be and therefore he drawes a curtaine of cosenage and hypocrisie betwixt the sight of the world and foulenesse of his sinne In the hearts of Ahab and Iezebel was nothing but blood and murder couetousnesse oppression and mercilesse enclosure onely vpon the vgly visages of these soule fiends they put a vizard of a fast formall witnesses and legall proceeding The ordinarie thoughts then of the grosse hypocrite are the same as vile and hellish as those of the notorious sinner Nay he doubles his iniquitie and addes waight â—o the vengeance preparing for him in that he straines the vtmost veine of his wit and founds the depth of his damned policie to clothe them with faire pretences and colourable shifts as they passe and present themselues vnto the world in words and actions and in that he labours to seeme a Saint while he is in truth an incarnat diuell But the thoughts of the formall hypocrite for with him I am specially to deale I haue onely added in this point the notorious sinner and grosse hypocrite for further distinction and illustration I say his thoughts as they come certainly short of true sanctification so they are farre better then these now mentioned For we suppose his heart to be seasoned with goodnesse of nature and ciuill honesty to haue tasted of the generall graces of Gods spirit and in some sort of the powers of the world to come and therefore his thoughts are more faire ingenuous sober and moderate then those soule and hateful ones of the notorious sinner and grosse hypocrite His heart will rise and be affrighted with suggestions of infamous consequence and markeable horror as those of Atheisme Crueltie Drunkennesse Adulterie Herâ—sie and such like but notwithstanding because it is not softned and sanctified by speciall grace without much scruple or conscience it will let the imaginations loose to much idlenesse and vanitie to many fruitlesse conceits impertinencies and prophane wandrings but especially into the endlesse maze of worldly cares earthlymindednes For he doth in some sort in his practise approue and iustifie that wicked and pestilent prouerb Thoughts are free They are free indeed in respect of obnoxiousnes to humane iustice in respect of discouerie and danger from any creature but the eie and vengeance of heauen takes first and speciall notice of them and holds them punishable as the principals and chiefe plotters of al transgressions Words and actions are as it were sinnes at second hand the very first life and freshest vigour of all ill is immediately receiued and inspired into the thoughts Hence it is that Peter aduiseth Simon Magus to pray God if it were possible that the thought of his heart might be forgiuen him as though there lay the greatest guilt and deepest staine before God By the way before I passe to the thoughts of Gods child obserue one speciall marke of difference in this point betwixt the true Christian and formall hypocrite The formall hypocrite doth euer harbour and maintaine in himselfe one sweet pleasing bosome sinne or other as voluptuousnes worldlinesse a greedy pursuit of temporall felicitie an excessiue desire of greatnesse and note in the world an opposition to sinceritie a delight in good fellowship or some such like carnall contentment or secret sinne on which his mind most runs whereupon the best and the flower the feruency and dearenes of his thoughts are spent Gods word honor and seruice checkes of conscience motions of the spirit ministrie of the word admonition of friends saluation of soule by an vnreasonable and inconsequent discourse of his sensuall reason are all made subordinate and seruiceable to this Idoll To which with much delight he daily sacrificeth the noblest and immediate workes and issues of his soule As for the state of his conscience spirituall affaires care of heauen that One necessarie thing these things take vp his thoughts but at reuersion by starts by accident and when they come into the heart their entertainement is very cold and strange their abode short and while they stay they are apprehended and enioyed with much wearinesse and weaknesse I conceiue this to be the reason Hee hath a full taste and present feeling of the pleasures of his sweet sinne hee hath sensible and certaine possession of worldly contentments but no reall and sound assurance by sauing faith and his forsaking all sinne of the ioyes and comforts aboue and therefore doth greedily follow and feed vpon the present with consent of his erring iudgement delight of heart the best of his affections and most of his thoughts And as for hereafter sith he is conscious to himselfe of an honest ciuill life of a sober formall cariage in the affaires of religion and that he is not infamous with any notoriousnesse in the world but as good as the best a few precise fellowes of purer straine onely excepted whose pretence and profession of extraordinary sanctity is nothing in his conceit but humour and hypocrisie he therefore I say for hereafter referres himselfe at all aduentures vnto the mercy of God and to the lot and condition of many thousands which are in the same case and state with himselfe But it is otherwise with Gods child For by the power of sanctifying grace as hee hath also mortified all other so specially he hath broke the very heart of the sweete sinne of his vnregeneration And as in a besieged citie where the greatest and most dangerous breach is made there the inhabitants concurre with chiefest care and highest resolution to fortifie and make resistance euen so sith he knowes and feeles that before his calling his delightfull and darling sinne most fearefully wasted his soule and wounded his conscience hee makes sure to imploy his thoughts with speciall edge and indignation to countermine preuent resist abominate and abandon all thought of that sinne And now by the grace of God sitâ— the heart the fountaine is purged and sanctified the streame and heate of their intention and delight is caried another way For he hath found that rich and inestimable Treasure in the Gospell and therfore he sels all that he hath he parts with euery pleasure he casts out of his conceit whatsoeuer hath beene formerly deare
and pretious vnto him and lets all his thoughts with loose raines greatest ioyfulnesse and oftenest meditation run after it and sweetly refresh themselues with the glory and comfort of it If a man vpon the way should find some pretious orient pearle hardly could he keepe his eyes from gazing vpon it his excesse of ioy would easâ—ly command and confine the sight to so rare and hopefull an object vntill hee meet with some skilfull Lapidarie or come where hee might thorowly bee acquainted with the worth and fully enioy the wealth of it Euen so after a man by the illightened eye of his soule and the hand of sauing faith once seaze and lay sure hold vpon the pearle of great price the graces of Gods spirit and eternall life the heart is presently so filled with loue and admiration that for euer after it spends the most the dearest and the noblest thoughts vpon it and they once set on foot are so cheered and rauished with the heauenly beautie thereof that they follow with continuall increase of feruencie and longing vntill they come vnto the cleere vision and full possession of it at the right hand of God in the endlesse ioyes of the world aboue The thoughts then of a true Christian are of a farre more heauenly temper diuine nature and higher straine then the largest heart of the best vnregenerate man can or doth possiblie comprehend The formall hypocrit may haue his mind worthily busied in points of deepest learning in the mysteries of State affaires of kingdomes in the best and highest considerations which nature art moralitie or policy can afford nay he may sometimes entertaine into his thoughts with ioy the promises of grace the happinesse of the Saints the ioyes of heauen and the like though these haue neuer any root or long residence in him But that the word of grace should so emplant it selfe into the inner man that the thoughts should neuer be so well or welcome to the heart as when they are wading in the great mysterie of godlines and with an holy wisedome plotting for the inlargement of Christs glorious kingdome in himselfe and others That it should make all other discourses of the mind subordinate and contributarie to such heauenly meditations and to this end set bounds and limits to the millions of imaginations that daily arise and erect an holy regiment amongst them I say this is the speciall prerogatiue of a sanctified man For he alone because of his truth sincerity and vprightnesse in the inner parts makes conscience of idle vaine and wandring thoughts of which the formall hypocrite either takes no notice at all or not much to heart Hee is as much cast downe vext and grieued with their disorder and exorbitancie as with the errors and infirmities of his words and actions and therefore establisheth as it were a gratious gouernment amongst them to keepe out confusion idlenes and rebellion He confines them to a reuerent and feeling meditation vpon Gods word and workes to a care of conscionable managing the affaires of his calling onely sometimes but sparingly with many cautions exceptions and seasonablenes letting them out to honest recreations Whatsoeuer thought is wandring without this compasse or within it vnsincere is sinful so that if he take any stragling without these limits any enticers to vanities and impertinencies any obtruders and disturbers of so happie inward peace he presently apprehends them by the watchfull eye of his spirituall wisedome examines them by the law of God arraignes them in the consistorie of an illightened conscience and so cuts them off in time by the power of grace and sword of the spirit that is by opposing against them at the first rising in the heart by present repentance prayer and after-watchfulnesse he blessedly rids himselfe of the miseries and distraction of prophane and troublesome thoughts That this is no Idea I now propose vnto you howsoeuer it so be to euery vnregenerate man and so when hee heares it he conceiues of it for little knowes hee what adoe euery child of God hath with his thoughts I say that this is no Idea or idle abstraction appeares pregnantly and plentifully in Dauids practise who for all the strong enticements ordinarilie incident to the pleasures of a Court and naturall libertie of Princes although the cares and waight of a kingdome lay vpon him and that his Royall innocencie was still haunted and assailed with such indignities and vexations which might almost haue swayed the blessed and quiet thoughts of a glorious Angell to distraction and discontentment yet for all this the law of God did still principally take vp his heart and that day and night Gods word and workes his statutes and iudgements were meate and drinke vnto his mind and his meditation continually as is more then plaine in many places of the 119. Psalm Oh saith he in the 13. portion how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually So vnexpresseable here was his pang of holy loue vnto Gods law that hee prefixeth a particle of zeale and extraordinarie passion Oh saith hee And where the heart hath once truely and sixedly set it loue there all the thoughts feast themselues with dearest apprehensions and with greatest impatiencie of all other imployment This is the verie case then of all Gods seruants they meditate on the word of God most contentedly and continually because they loue it farre before and aboue all earthly things and so dearely doe they loue it because in it with speciall security are conueied vnto them all the rich treasures of mercy remission of sinnes spirituall comfort and eternall life and particularly sealed vnto them by 〈◊〉 Spirit of the same word Salomon confirmes this worthie 〈◊〉 of his Father by his testimony Prou. 12.5 The thoughts of the iust are right iudgement or iustice for so the word signifies in the Originall but the suttle deuices of the wicked are deceit The thoughts of all vnregenerate men are commonly either rooting in the earth or drowned in pleasures or running after preferment or ranging vp and downe idly and prophanely or fruitleslie melancholike or if sometimes they glance or settle themselues vpon good things they are still as a menstruous clout and abomination to the Lord because their consciences are not renewed their hearts purged their persons sanctified and accepted But the thoughts of euery child of God are ordinarily working for the maintenance and furthering of Gods glory and good causes for procuring true good to their brethren especially in spirituall things for increasing grace in themselues and their store of comfort against the day of triall And if so be which sometimes befals the best they be crost by sinful motions in themselues or suggestions of Satan yet by their surprizing and suppressing them at the very first rising and assault and by present repentance they are vndoubtedly euer pardoned vnto them in Christ Iesus Giue me leaue I pray you to illustrate this varietie and difference of thoughts which I haue
now largely laid downe vnto you in our selues for the neerer pressing of our consciences and that in the matter of Elections Let vs imagine a notorious sinner to haue a voice and hand in such businesse His very first thoughts would bee to haue no thought at all of Oath or Statute of conscience or honestie of honour of his Colledge or good of the Church but would resolue out of the prophane principles of his vast conscience and by the benefit of a large acception of charitie to bee indifferent for all commers Only in his choâ—ce hâ—e would haue an eie to the maine that the state of good-fellowship should take no disparagement or diminution and therefore he would most carefully cast about with himselfe by all meanes to defeate and preuent the purposes and to stoppe the passage especially of all Puritanes You must know by the way that these are a very dangerous kind of men able to blow vp whole Houses by their too fierie zeale against idlenesse drunkennesse other shamefull corruptions close and politike cariages of many rotten and vnconscionable causes and the like For by Puritanes in this place I only vnderstand them for euen such are so branded who make conscience of studie and religious education of Schollers who are readie euer and resolute to vphold goodnesse in a House though they be crusht disgraced and disoffic'd who out of a gracious and ingenuous freedom of Spirit wil be their owne men in Elections and other Collegiate seruices and not suffer their consciences to be led hood-winkt to serue other mens humours and priuate ends who chuse rather in a neglected state sweetly to enioy the continuall feast and perpetuall paradise of a sincere heart true and inward comfort the societie of Gods seruants then for many times full dearely bought fauours and offices to enthrall and violence both their iudgements and affections to liue reseruedly vnder a maske and at a haires breadth for all occasions and obseruances so wearing out a little miserable time in a glorious and countenanced slauery In a word who of the two would rather saue their soules then prosper in the world Now such fellowes as these thinks he with himselfe which seeme as it were by an hypocriticall Monopoly to haue engrost all sinceritie honestie and good conscience must be kept out or if by some dysaster they creep in amoÌ„gst vs be curbd and kept vnder else shal not we sway and domineere Hereupon all the labour of his wit and toile of his thoughts would bee to plant a thorne where a vine should grow and to burden these sacred and honourable Mansions designed onely for gracious and golden wits with leaden drones and swarmes of worthlesse and witlesse creatures Secondly the thoughts of the grosse hypocrite in this waightie businesse of Elections would bee as vtterly void of all conscionable and ingenuous considerations as the notorious sinners First he would commune with his own couetous heart for commonly worldlinesse is the master sinne in the grosse hypocrite therefore I follow the thoughts rising thence he would within himselfe cast a greedy and rauenous eie vpon the condition of all the competitours for the place and at length conclude and be sure to seaze vpon that party let his learning or honestie be what it would where in all likelihood he might make the richest pray and sucke out the greatest aduantage Either purchase a great friend strengthen his faction gratifie his fauourites receiue a present bribe or else which is a secret but a sinfull policie by weighing circumstances marking insinuations and former cariages expect the largest after gratification close and indirect considerations and the most liberal New-yeeres gifts for in them certainely sometimes lurkes corruption These things thus thought vpon there followes now in him an addition to the iniquitie of the notorious sinner He is not content to be thus starke naught but he must double his sin by seeming good it is not enough for him to be thus cursedly pestilent to the place where he liues but hee must enlarge the mischiefe by putting on a vizard of piety He therfore in a second place would beate his braines how he might varnish ouer this villany with most probable and fairest pretences The bribe must come in vpon other termes with other circumstances then the grossenesse of that vile sinne is wont to be conuaied hee thinkes how he may deale openly and in the eie of the world with men without all suspition while the matter is carried vnderhand by suttle mediate and most exercisde Agents in the goodly affaires of abominable corruption Lastly he is much troubled in mind how for all this he may continue a good opinion with good men and giue satisfaction to those whom he deceiues by his seeming but by much practise he makes this reasonable easie for politicke hypocrisie hath so many faces turnings and euasions that it can too easily insinuate with and satisfie vnsuspicious innocent and charitable sinceritie Hee can tell them of some depths in the mysterie of gouernment which euery precise vnderling cannot comprehend that some libertie and dispensation must be giuen to statute-discretion against the bare letter and strict meaning of the statute that wee liue not in Platoes common-wealth or Mores Eutopia but in corrupt times in the very confluence of all the sins of former ages and therfore it is vtterly impossible to keepe a mans selfe so passingly pure from all spice of contagion that something must needs be yeelded to the times else there is no liuing at least no prospering in the world Thus the grosse hypocrite is euer as thoughtfull for outward plaistering as secret plotting Thirdly let vs conceiue what would bee the inward discourse and workings of the heart in the formall hypocrite about disposing his voice in Elections His thoughts in these cases perhaps would not be extremely base nor grosly wicked it may be he would be able to cleare euen his conscience and inmost conceit much more to wash his hands from the hatefull and crying sinne of downe-right briberie This horriblenes is onely for notorious sinners and grosse hypocrites Nay out of some sudden pang of highest resolution that ingenuousnesse of nature or morall honestie can produce he might take heart to answer and withstand the suites and importunitie of Greatnesse and great meanes only with this reseruation so that his present happines be not therby mainly hazarded nor hope of his future preferment certainely cut off For we must still hold this principle concerning the formall hypocrite if hee bee brought to a iumpe hee will euer make euen Gods holy word conscience religion desires and intreaties of godly men and all to yeeld and stoope to the worldly comforts hee presently enioies but vpon as faire termes and with as plausible conueiance as may be It may be he will be good in many things and outwardly in all but say the Prophets what they will he must into the house of Rimmon God must be mercifull vnto
him in one thing or other he is short of the state of grace and by consequent hath no sound and reall assurance of heauen aboue and therefore he will haue some sweetnesse in the meane time he wil inioy some shadow at least of one heauen or other vpon earth So that if we suppose such an one to take a view in his thoughts of al that stand for a place he would resolue for goodnes and honesty so far as the security safety of his maine contentments would giue him leaue so far as the light of reason and glimmerings of generall graces were able to leade him but because he is still too respectiue of his own particular wants the eie of spiritual discretion suffers his conscience to be cooled and countermanded by worldly wisedome he may I grant by constraint occasionally or by accident consent and concur vpon the worthiest but ordinarily for meere loue of religiousnesse hee doth not make within his owne heart a free vnpassionate impartiall sincere and conscionable choice For let him otherwise bee neuer so wise or honest yet he is a meere stranger to the mysterie of godlines vtterly vnapprehensiue of the singular and supernaturall operations of the life of grace and therefore cannot discerne betwixt resolute sincerity and true turbulencie whereupon it may often come to passe that by a promiscuous confusion of these two most different spirits he may so much as in him lies repell farre the best to the vnsatisfiable wrong of the partie and the vnualuable losse of the House which should enioy him There is one point further in deliberations of this nature in which hee would iumpe with the notorious sinner In aduising with himselfe for a fit man if by the way his thoughts should be crossed with a man of knowne professed and practised forwardnesse in religion hee would passe him ouer with contempt and indignation for thus would he thinke with himselfe If such a fellow come in amongst vs we shall haue all moulded anew after the strict modell of his irregular conscience wee should be troubled with new tricks and erections for the encreasement of study and reformation of manners he would bee stil standing and striuing for an Ideall and abstractiue purity in Elections and other affaires of the Colledge so that our former quietnesse and peace would be much dissweetned with his tartnesse and too much precisenesse Thus would he bee as hote and heady against the power of grace as the notorious sinner For though there bee many different degrees of ilnesse of vnregenerate men some are farre more sober tolerable and moderate then others yet all commonly agree in this that they are bitter and implacable Opposites to the profession and practise of sound and sauing sinceritie Gods faithfull Ones euer were and euer will bee Signes and Wonders euen in Israel Isa. 8.18 Monsters vnto the great men of the world as Dauid was Psalm 71.7 A scorne reproch and derision to them that are round about them Psalm 79.4 They shall euer be accounted men of an odde fashion and singular cariage from other men Wisd. 2.15 precise humorous hypocriticall and the like Mistake me not I apologize not for any vnwarrantable opinion tending to Separation it is onely sanctification true and vndissembled holinesse without which none shall euer see the face of God or glory of heauen which I stand for and intend in all my Discourse But by the way let mee tell you this in this generall and ioynt-conspiracie of all kinds of naturall men against the spirituall state of true Christians and the soueraignty of Gods sanctifying spirit in them the meere ciuill honest man and formall hypocrite as I take it are transported with more fiercenesse and rage against them then the grosse hypocrite and notorious sinner This I take to be the reason The grosse hypocrite hee sins against the light of his owne conscience and with the certaine knowledge of his heart and therefore doth not much enuie and grudge the righteous man his excellencie aboue his neighbour and saluation of his soule The notorious sinner in his more sober mood and cold blood will confesse himselfe to be out of the way promise and protest amendment or at least reserues in his heart a resolution to repent when he is old but the meere ciuill honest man and the formall hypocrite thinke their owne state to bee as good as the best and whatsoeuer is more and besides that which they find in themselues to be but needlesse precisenes and affected singularity and therefore are many times gauld and grieued that the truely gratious and conscionable cariage of Gods seruants doth censure and condemne their outwardnes and formalitie in religion and make it plainely appeare that their case without sound conuersion and imbracement of sinceritie is the very state of wretchednes and of death But now fourthly and lastly in Elections the thoughts of Gods child in whose heart alone the word of God doth chiefly rule and is deepely rooted would bee these or the like In the first place there comes into his mind a reuerent feare of that God who hath mercifully aduanced him to his place wherein hee expecteth conscience and faithfulnesse He considers that solemne and sacred oath which hee takes in the sight of him who seeth all hearts and cogitations for a resolute and vnswayed vprightnesse in the disposing of his voice that vpon the integritie or vnconscionablenesse in Election depends the miserie and confusion or happinesse and flourishing of an House Hee further calleth to mind out of his experience that commonly those fellowes who thrust into societies offices and high roomes by shufling and violence by faction and preposterous fauour by cunning or corruption become pernicious and dishonorable to the places where they liue they are still thornes in the sides and pricks in the eyes of all that loue grace and goodnesse they either turne idle truly factious or notoriously scandalous by misspending the vnualuable pretiousnesse of their golden houres in Tauerns Ale-houses or some other course of good-fellowship to the inexpiable and eternall dishonour of those Houses of which they should bee ornaments and when they haue done much hurt and mischiefe here they are the onely men to bargaine for buy or compasse by indirect and sinister dealing Benefices and spirituall promotions abroad of which being possest they either by vnconscionable and cruell negligence and Non-residence in their charge betray the soules of their people to wildnesse and barbarisme to ignorance prophanenesse or poperie or else by a prophane and vnhallowed handling of Gods word by daubing with vntempered morter as the Prophet speakes so strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot returne from their wicked waies and kill the heart of the righteous and make them sad whom the Lord hath not made sad that the bruised reed is quite broken and the smoaking flaxe vtterly put out Now thinkes the child of God with himselfe out of his spirituall wisedome
if such an one as these should bee chosen by my default and faintheartednesse I should in some sort and measure be iustly guiltie and answerable before that high and euerlasting Iudge of the many miseries and mischiefes which ordinarily ensue vpon so vnhappie a choice Hereupon after a mature and impartiall suruay of all circumstances considerable in the partie the statute and whole businesse he singles out him with sinceritie and singlenesse of heart whom in conscience he thinks most sufficient and there hee stickes with a truely Christian and vnshaken resolution pitcht by the verie power and strength of heauen and come what come will tempests or faire weather preferment or pouertie threatnings or flatterie policie or persuasion priuate importunities or frownings of Greatnesse he is at a point infinitely rather to keepe a good conscience and saue his soule then to enioy the present and gaine the whole world For hee well knowes that the day is at hand euen that great and fearefull Day when the consciousnesse of one gratious action performed with vprightnesse of heart will breed more comfort then the glory riches and soueraignty of the whole earth To conclude this point As vnregenerate and sanctified thoughts differ much in their workings euen about the same Obiects so there are some which are Gods childs peculiar with which the state of vnregeneration is vtterly vnacquainted They are such as these First thoughts full of scare and astonishment all hell and horrour which rise out of the heart when it is first stricken with sense of Gods wrath at the sight of his sinnes These are scorched in verie manie euen with the flames of hell in their conuersion They burne sometimes the verie marrow out of their bones and turne the best moysture in them into the drought of Summer No print or skarre of these wofull and wounded thoughts appeare in the heart of the formall hypocrite This hell vpon earth is onely passed thorow by the heires of heauen while the children of hell haue commonlie their heauen vpon earth 2 Secondly thoughts composed al of pure comfort ioy heauen immortalitie the sweet and louely issues of the spirit of adoption These flow onely from the fountaine of grace and spring vp in that soule alone which hauing newly passed the strange agonies and sore pangs of the new-birth is presently bathed in the blood of Christ lulled in the bosome of Gods dearest mercies and secured with the seale and secret impression of his eternall loue and sacred spirit not only from the rage of hell but also of an euerlasting and roiall inheritance aboue Oâ— the heart of the vnregenerate man is farre too narrow base and earthy to comprehend the vnmixed pleasureâ— the glorious Sunshine of those blessed and ioyfull thoughts which immediatelie follow vpon the stormes of feares and terrour ordinarily incident to a sound conuersion 3 Thirdly thoughts of spirituall rauishment and vnutterable rapture slashes of eternall light raised sometimes in the hearts of the Saints and occasionally inspired by the Spirit of all endlesse comfort which with vnconceiueable amazement and admiration feed vpon and fill themselues with the ioies of the second life in such an vncouth extasie and excesse as is farre aboue and without the compasse and concâ—it of all worldly comforts the tongue of Angels or heart of man In this point I appeale to the conscience of the true Christian for I know full well that all my Discourse is a parable and paradoxe to the prophane whether hee hath not sometimes as it were a sea of comfort rained vpon his heart in a sweet shower from heauen and such a sensible taste of the euerlasting pleasures by the glorious presence of inward ioy and peace as if he had the one foot in heauen alreadie and with the one hand had laid hold vpon the crown of life especially after a zealous heate feeling feruencie in praier after an entire gracious and profitable sanctifictation of the Sabbath at the time of some great and extraordinarie humiliation entertaind and exercised with fruit and sinceritie when he hath freshly with deepest groanes and sighes and new struglings of spirit renewed his repentance vpon occasion of relapse into some old or fall into some new sin when the empoisoned arrowes of cruell and fierie tongues pointed with malice policy and prophanenesse come thickest vpon him and yet retyring into his owne innocent heart he finds no cause of such mercilesse vexation but defence of Gods truth and profession of holinesse Nay sometimes vpon on the deaths-bed to a soule conscious of an vpright and vnspotted life the ioies of heauen present themselues before the time so longing a sympathy is there betwixt the life of grace and endles glory Such like ioyfull springings and heauenly eleuations of hart as these which I haue now mentioned are the true Christians peculiar no stranger can meddle with them no heart can conceiue them but that which is the Temple of Gods pure and blessed Spirit Thus farre of the difference of their thoughts in respect of their nature and manner of working Now in a second place Gods child is notably differenced from the formall hypocrite by the seasonablenesse of his thoughts and their holy seruing the time In a body of best and exactest constitution the senses are quicke and nimble and sharpliest discerne with greatest life and vigour apprehend their obiects and are most sensibly affected or displeased with their conuenience or antipathy Euen so in a hart of a true spiritual temper seasoned and softned with the dew of grace the thoughts are actiue readie and addrest with zeale contentment to encline and apply themselues to the condition of the times and varietie of occasions offered for some holy vse to the bettering of the soule and the enlarging of Gods glory In the time of fasts sackcloth if Gods iudgements be threatned out of the Pulpit or executed from heauen when the Church weares her mourning weed sincerity droupes and the godly hang down their heades in such blacke and dismall daies they are impatient of all temporall comfort they willingly put on sadnesse to entertaine penitencie humiliation and sorrow but they are clothed with ioy and lightsomnesse when mercie and saluation are wisely and seasonably proclaimed out of the booke of life when religion spreads and prospers and diuine truth hath free passage when whole States haue escaped the bloodie Papists Gunpowder and the roiall breasts of Kings their empoisoned kniues and in such like ioyful and happy times Thus the thoughts and inmost affections of Gods child haue their changes their seueral seasons and successions as it pleaseth the Lord to offer or execute mercie or iudgement out of his word or in the world abroad But the thoughts of the formall hypocrite though they suffer indeed many alterations and distractions about earthly obiects they ebbe and flow with discontent or comfort as his outward state is fauoured or frowned vpon by the world yet spirituall
occurrents obseruable with deuotion and reuerence for the good of the soule haue no great power to worke vpon them sacred times or daies of affliction are not wont to make any such impression or to breed extraordinary stirrings and motions in them Let iudgements blast or mercies blesse a kingdome let Gods word find smooth and euen way or rubs and opposition let prophanenesse be countenanced or sinceritie cherished he takes no thought so he may sleepe in a whole skinne and keepe entire his worldly comforts his thoughts continue heauie dull and formall Hee may conforme and consort with the times in his outward gestures words and actions but ordinarily his thoughts admit no change saue onely so farre as his priuate temporall felicitie is endangered by publicke iudgements or enlarged by showers of mercies and blessings from heauen I cannot enlarge this point at this time only I will giue one instance in their difference of thoughts vpon the Sabbath day The Sabbath day is as it were the faire day of the soule wherein it should not onely repaire and furnish it selfe with new spiritual streÌ„gth with greater store of knowledge grace and comfort but also feast with it heauenly friends the blessed Saints and Angels vpon those glorious ioies and happie rest which neuer shall haue end Euery child of God therefore which hath alreadie a reall interest in that eternall rest makes not only conscience of doing his owne waies seeking his owne will speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure makes it the very delight of his heart the loue and comfort of his inward thoughts so that he may consecrate it as glorious to the Lord. He doth not onely giue quiet and cessation to his body from worldly businesse and works of his calling but also empties his head and disburdens his thoughts of al earthly cares that so they may wholly and entirely intend the holy motions of Gods Spirit and spend themselues in godly and extraordinarie meditations fitting the feast day of the soule and the Lords holy day This is the desire longing and endeuour of his heart thus to sanctifie the Sabbath and if at any time he be turned awrie from this vprightnesse by companie or his owne corruptions he is after much grieued and vext with it repents and praies for more zeale conscience and care for the time to come But the formall hypocrite howsoeuer he may on that day forbeare and abstaine from his ordinarie sinnes labours sports and idlenes howsoeuer he may outwardly exercise and execute all duties and seruices of religion though indeed more of custome and for fashion then with heartie and true deuotion nay he may haue other thoughts on that day but onely so farre as the bare solemnitie of the time and the greater Presence can alter them yet I dare boldly say it no formall hypocrite no kind of vnregenerate man can possibly make the Sabbath his delight as is required Isai. 58.13 And which is presupposed to make vs capable of the blessings following in the same place Then shalt thou delite in the Lord and I will make thee to mounâ— vpon the high places of the earth feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it He cannot for his life sequester his thoughts at all not euen on that day from worldlinesse and earthly pleasures to diuine and sacred meditations Doe what hee can he cannot beate and keepe them off from worldly Obiects they will not leaue their former hants or be restrained from plotting or pleasing themselues with weeke-day businesses Lord it is strange that the soule of a man so noblely furnished with powers of highest contemplation being so strongly and sensiblie possest with consciousnesse and conceit of it owne immortality and hauing the restlesse and vnsatisfied desires of it wide capacity neuer fild but with the Maiestie of God himselfe and the glory of an immortall crowne should be such a stranger to heauen the place of it birth and euerlasting abode that vpon that day whereon as vpon the golden spot and pearle of the weeke the Lord hath stamped his owne sacred Seale of institution and solemne consecration for his owne particular seruice and speciall honour yet I say vpon that day it cannot settle and continue it owne thoughts and motions vpon those vnmixed and blessed ioyes and the way vnto them without which it shall bee euerlastingly miserable and burne hereafter in that fierie lake whose flames are fed with infinite riuers of Brimstone and the endlesse wrath of God for euer and euer Now I pray you tell mee when wee shall haue raigned hereafter many millions of yeeres in heauen what thoughts will remaine of this little inch of time vpon earth When we haue passed thorow a peece of eternitie where will appeare the minute of this miserable life and yet our thoughts and affections are so glued vnto the world as though eternitie were vpon earth and time only in heauen You are men capable of worthiest and highest eleuations of spirit I beseech you resume this meditation at your leisure methinks it should be able to breed thoughts of a far more noble and heauenly temper then ordinarilie arise and are nourished in the hearts of men But to follow my yurpose Certaine it is not the best vnâ—egenerate men can endure an entire and exact sanctification of the Sabbath it is not a Iubilie to their hearts and the ioy of their thoughts for they cannot abide to haue their minds stay long in a feeling meditation vpon spirituall affaires vpon the examination of their former life the state of the other world the sleights and tentations of Satan the day of death the tribunall of heauen and such like For though the best of them may haue a persuasion of their being in the state of grace as I haue largely proued heretofore yet sith it is wrongly and falsely grounded it cannot abide the search and touchstone Hence it is that of all things they loue not to bee alone They may please themselues well enough in solitarinesse vpon some priuate businesse for the more profound plotting and contriuing worldly matters for a more free but filthie exercise of the adulteries of the heart and contemplatiue fornication to feed vpon dull and fruitles melancholie to let their thoughts wildly range and runne riot into a world of imaginations to diue into the mysteries of nature or depths of State but to be alone onely for this purpose that the mind may more fully and immediately worke vpon the spirituall state of the soule and impartially inquire into the conscience they cannot they will not endure it and therefore commonly cast themselues into one knot of goodfellowship or other that they may merrily passe away that time for an houre of which the time of grace being once expired they would giue ten thousand worlds yet shall neuer bee able to purchase it againe But Gods children when they are alone haue inward
way vnto his first sinfull motions Lastly a principall imployment of holy wisedome in guarding the thoughts is spent in giuing a wise and humble entertainement vnto the good motions of Gods blessed spirit and in furnishing and supplying the mind with store of profitable and godly meditations For as vnregenerate men giue commonly easie passage to pleasing worldly thoughts but suppresse gratious stirrings inclinations to godly sorrow repentance sincerity as though they were tentations to precisenes so contrarily Gods child labours by all meanes to stoppe the way to the first sinfull sensuall thoughts but alwaies desires with speciall humilitie and reuerence to imbrace all the motions of Gods spirit warranted and grounded in his word Hee deerely and highly esteemes them cherisheth and feeds them with spirituall ioy and thankfulnesse of heart with prayer meditation and practise For if a man begin once to be neglectiue of godly motions by little and little he grieues the spirit at length he quencheth it at last he is in danger of despighting it if not by profession and directly yet in his practise and by an indirect opposition in slandering and persecuting spirituall graces in Gods children Besides this worthie care of entertaining and nourishing good motions hee is prouident to gather and treasure vp store of good matter and heauenly businesses for the continuall exercise of his mind left that noble power of his soule should be taken vp with trisles and vanitie feede vpon earth or weare and wast it selfe with barren and lumpish melancholie Hee is much grieued and vexed if he find at any time his heart caried away with transitorie delights carnall and vnprofitable thoughts or his mind musing impertinently and gazing vpon the painted and vanishing glory of the world Especially sith there is such plentifull and pretious choice of best meditations obuious to euery Christian able to fill with endlesse contentment all the vnderstandings of men and Angels for euer As the incomprehensible gloriousnesse of God in the infinite beauty of his owne immediate Maiesty and sacred attributes in his word and workes in his iudgements and mercies in his Church and Sacraments The miraculousnesse of our redemption and all the comfortable and glorious passages thereof The great mysterie of godlinesse the power of grace trade of Christianity and course of sanctification matter of sweetest contemplation Concerning our selues there is to be thought vpon all the affaires of our calling the particulars perplexities and cases of conscience incident vnto them Our present vilenesse and fearefull infirmities the miseries and frailtie of this life the traines of Satan the terrors of hell that great iudgement euen at hand In our spirituall state how to preserue our first loue escape relapses grow in grace keepe a good conscience come to heauen And when the â—ie of our vnderstanding is dazled with those higher considerations or wearied with these inferiour it might refresh it selfe with the speculatiue fruition of many inuisible comforts with variety of heauenly things concerning the immortality of our soules the large promises of euerlasting blessednesse the glorious rising againe of our bodies the ioyes and rest of Gods saints aboue and that which is the crowne and conclusion of all our owne most certaine blissefull state of happinesse and eternity in the second world If men had grace and comfort to enlarge their harts to such meditations as these what roome would there be for earthli-mindednes vanities and impertinencies much lesse for proud ambitious couetous lustfull enuious and reuengefull thoughts Thus far of the care and conscience of the true Christian in watching ouer and guiding his thoughts which is a speciall marke of difference from all states of vnregeneration for the regenerate onely keepe the last commandement which rectifies the inward motions of the heart Now lastly in a fourth place and in a word Gods child is distinguished from the formall hypocrite in respect of the issue of his thoughts The most comfortable and sanctified soule is neuer in such perpetuall serenitie but that it is sometimes as it were ouerclouded with dumps of heauinesse and inwardly disquieted with it owne motions or the suggestions of Satan While this flesh is vpon it it shall be sorrowfull and while it is in this vale of teares it must mourne There is not an heart so sweetely and resoluedly composed for heauen but is sometimes dissetled with thoughts of indignation And that especially as appeareth by Dauid Psalm 37. and 73. When follie is set in great excellencie when men neither of worth conscience or ingenuitie are aduanced to high roomes domineere in the world and imperiously insult ouer sincerity when the wicked prosper and spread themselues in fresh pleasures and honours like greene Bay-trees when those haue their eyes standing out for fatnes and more then heart can wish to whom pride and insolencie are as a chaine and who are couered with prophanenesse and crueltie as with a garment But here marke the diffâ—â—ence Discontentfull discourses in the mind of the formall hypocrite either breake out into desperate conclusions and fearefull horrour although this be but seldome for commonly this kind of vnregenerate man liues flourishingly and dies fairely in the eye of the world exemplarie and irrecouerable despaire in this life doth oftnest befall either the notorious sinner the meere ciuill honest man or especially the grosse hypocriâ—e therefore I would rather say that in him such discontentfull debatements are either appeased by some opposite conceit of stronger worldly comfort abandoned by entertainment of outward mirth diuerted by companie pleasures and ioyfull accidents composed by worldly wisedome or the like But heauie-hearted thoughts in Gods child though for a while not vtterly without some aspersion of distrust fretting and discontent yet commonly at length being mingled with faith and managed with spirituall wisedom by the grace of God breake out into fairer lightening of comfort greater heate of zeale more liuely exercise of faith gratious speeches and many blessed resolutions I will but onely giue one instance and that in Dauid a man of singular experience in spirituall affaires Looke the beginnings of the 62. and 73. Psalmes And you shall find Dauid to haue beene in a heauie dumpe and sore conflict in his owne heart with strong tentations vnto impatiencie He recounts the issue of the dispute with himselfe in the beginnings of these Psalmes Yet saith he in the 73. for all this God is good vnto Israel euen to the pure in heart In the 62. Yet let diuels and men rage and combine yet my soule keepeth silence vnto God of him commeth my saluation c. His many wrongs vexations and indignities together with the implacable malice and impotent insultations of his aduersaries had no doubt a little before much run in his mind Let vs conceiue such as these to haue beene his thoughts and that thus or in the like maner hee communed and confered with his royall selfe Lord thinks he with himselfe I haue with lowest humilitie and
with some extraordinarie terror Let those then examine themselues at this marke who howsoeuer shame keepe them from vncleane practises and grosser acts of filthines yet inwardly boyle in speculatiue wantonnesse and adulteries of the heart Those who howsoeuer their indirect meanes speed not for mounting themselues to high estate yet spend their best thoughts all their life long in proiecting and contriuing as though they were borne to aduance themselues and not to honour God in their â—allings Those who though they doe not enclose oppresse and grind the faces of the poore yet haue their hearts exercised in couetousnes Those who though they haue forsakeÌ„ some sins yet maintain in themselues one known sweet sinne Those who though lawes and feare of danger restraine from railing with open mouthes against our State yet harbour secret repinings murmurings vnthankfulnesse and discontentments Euen a contemptuous thought of a king or lawfull authority is a sinne of high nature and me thinkes for the miraculousnesse of the discouerie is paralleld in Ecclesiastes to the bloodinesse of actuall murther That which hath wings saith the Preacher shall declare the matter Lastly let those examine themselues at this marke who offer themselues to those sinfull occasions breeders of many strange and fearefull mischiefes I meane prophane and obscene Playes Pardon me beloued I cannot passe by those abominable spectacles without particular indignation For I did euer esteeme them since I had any vnderstanding in the waies of God the Grand empoysoners of grace ingenuousnes and all manly resolution Greater plagues and infections to your soules then the contagious pestilence to your bodies The inexpiable staine and dishonour to this famous City The noisome wormes that canker and blast the generous and noble buds of this land and doe by a slie and bewitching insinuation so empoyson all seeds of vertue and so weaken and emasculate all the operations of the soule with a prophane if not vnnaturall dissolutenes that whereas they are planted in these worthie houses of Law to be fitted and enabled for great and honourable actions for the publicke good and the continuance of the glory and happinesse of this kingdome they licentiously dissolue into wicked vanities and pleasures and all hope of their euer doing good either vnto God the Church their Countrie or owne soules melteth as the winter ice and floweth away as vnprofitable waters These infamous spectacles are condemned by all kind of sound learning both diuine and humane Distinctions deuised for their vpholding and defence may giue some shallow and weake contentment to partiall and sensuall affections possest with preiudice but how shall they be able to satisfie and secure a conscience sensible of all appearance of euill How can they preserue the inclinablenesse of our corrupt nature from infection at those Schooles of leaudnes and Sâ—nkes of all sins as to omit Diuines Councels Fathers Moralists because the point is not directly incident euen a Polititian calleth them Alas are not our wretched corruptions raging and fierie enough being left to themselues dispersed at their naturall liberty but they must be vnited at these accursed Theaters as in a hollow glasse to set on flame the whole body of our natural vitiousnesse at once and to enrage it further with lust fiercenesse and effeminatenes beyond the compasse of nature Doth any man thinke it possible that the power of sauing grace or the pure spirit of God can reside in his hart that willingly with ful consent seeds his inward concupiscence with such variety of sinfulll vanities and leaud occasions which the Lord himselfe hath pronounced to be an abomination vnto him How can any man that euer felt in his hart either true loue or feare of so dreadfull a Maiestie as the Lord of heauen and earth endure to be present especially with delight and contentment at Oathes Blasphemies Obscenities and the abusing sometimes of the most pretious things in the booke of God whereat wee should tremble to most base and scurrill iests Certainely euery child of God is of a right noble and heroicall spirit and therfore is most impatient in hearing any wrong indignitie or dishonour offered to the word name or glory of his Almightie Father A second marke of difference may be this The power of sauing grace doth subdue and sanctifie our affections with a conscionable and holy moderation so that they become seruiceable to the glory of God and for a more resolute cariage of good causes and zealous discharge of all Christian duties But the bridling of passions in the formall hypocrite is not so much of conscience as artificiall politique for aduantage and by the guidance of morall discretion so that if they be tempted by strong occasions and violent obiects they many times breake out to the dishonour of God the disgrace of a Christian profession and the discouery of their hypocrisie Let euery man then examine himselfe at this marke and with a single eye and vpright heart take a view of his affections whether his ioy be inward and spirituall that is in the assurance of Gods fauour in his word in his children in prayer and a continuall practise of godlinesse or outward and caâ—uall that is in the attainement of greatnesse and woâ—dly pleasures in the increase of his corne and wine and oile Whether he loue the peace of conscience farre more deâ—rely then the fauour of men or his owne life Whether hee bee more zealous for the honour and praise of God then his owne Whether he be more affraid of secret sinnes then open shame of offending God then outward afflictions Whether he be more angry in the cause of religion and concerning Gods glory or for his owne priuat wrongs And so thorow out the rest of his affections Let the fierce and desperate gallants consider this point which vpon euery light occasion and termes of disgrace are ready out of a graceles vngrounded opinion of declining cowardize to sheath their swords in the bodie of their brother And let them assure themselues that the meeke and mercifull spirit of God will neuer consist with such bloodie and vntamed affections his holy motions will not come into their secret neither will his sauing grace be ioyned with their assembly For in their wrath they will kill a man and in their selfe-will they will destroy the image of God Cursed bee their wrath for it is fierce and their rage for it is cruell Oh that they would but marke and foresee into what an ineuitable and endlesse maze of certaine misery and vengeance they enter when they enter into the field vpon either offer or acceptance of challenge If they be slaine they are accessaries to their owne vntimely murder They violentlie and wilfully pull themselues from the land of the liuing to the abhorred regions of death They cruelly and irrecouerably rent their owne poore soules from time of grace and repentance They extinguish all hope of posteritie and perhaps their house and family determines in