part in the connexion though they seem the onely rings and links whereof it is framed Hence is it we so often see unruly and disorderly activity and pursuit of some appropriation occasion a separation from the world as falling out with it upon the rejection of some unduly affected propriety And upon these terms many do often break with the world and retire in defiance of all other company after this defeature of their particular pretence and so in effect they rather flie from the world upon a repulse in their assault then leave it in neglect of what it possesseth Wherefore in this quarrel with the worlds party many do often change their side at first in despight rather then their minde in a sincere distance of their affections from it yet on our first estrangement from the world upon difference with it God is so Divinely compassionate as he doth not upbraid us with our first infidelity in adhering so firmly to the advers party in all our successfulnesses which we take as the pay of his enemies All which truly understood are but the excesses of Gods plenitude who can afford even to his enemies as his waste and redundancy these his temporal Bounties since The earth is his and the fulness thereof Insomuch as the infiniteness of the Divine goodness is very often manifested most in the reception of such as come in to him upon the worlds cashiering of them For God accepts even his enemies Reformado's and preferreth them often to great Trusts in his house We cannot therefore discountenance this breach with the world though at first it be not in direct order to the following of Christ for he to whom St. John forbade the casting out of Devils because he was not of Christs train was notwithstanding authorized by Christ himself God resolveth often in this case of an indirect address to him as Christ answered St. John in the forecited occasion He taketh those to be for him who are not against him for many of such who are but so near Christs side as a declaration against the world he doth often retain and setle in his service S. Pauls Charity was a copy of this his Masters who rejoyced at an accession to Christ whether it were either by pretence or in truth So God is glorified in some degree in many such relinquishments of the world which have at first more animosity then sincerity of Devotion because this defiance hath always some apparence of victory over the world which still gives a kinde of alarm to the worlds party and shews them the contempt of the world standing before them in such a posture as stirs up some reflexion upon the despicableness of it or at least upon the distresses and dangers in it and so moves in some measure towards a consultation on their estates Yet do I not upon this foundation advise any hasty inconsiderate Sequestration of our selves from the world though there are many who like some criminal and Banditi retiring into the the Sanctuary onely for safety have by the frequenting Gods domesticks been sincerely converted into the family and have taken up the arms of the Spirit with which they have combated onely the rest of their life against themselves by continual mortification In this maner many upon civil enmities with the world have in their retreat out of it and taking the Sanctuary of Solitude found by degrees that Sanctification which at first they did not chiefly seek as God said to the Prophet I am sought of those that asked not for me before and I am found of them that sought me not This was the case of many who sought Christ at first meerly for recoveries from incurable diseases by the worlds Art which had given them over and found Spiritual reparations of their Souls above what they projected Many such bedrid Palâ—ies benumb'd and stupified in their passions which are fain to be carried out of the world by the violent hands of divers afflictions being brought to Christ into such solitudes wherein he doth most manifestly reside receive not onely the cure of their passions which they sought chiefly at first but are often staid and scaled with a Divine impression of the contempt of the whole world and a sincere consecration of themselves to Spiritual affections This happeneth when God in some rare cases useth instrumentally the worlds sharp tools as fit and proportionate to work on some stony hearts wherein his Image is much defaced which he hath notwithstanding from all eternity designed for figures to stand in his house But such are precedents of Gods Mercy to reverence onely not to relie upon for God as the Prophet saith doth often take out a stony heart and put one of flesh in the room of it whence the Apostle telleth us He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth yet he will harden none but such as like fire-stones resist and grow harder by the heat of his love or the flames of his judgements which he hath first applyed to soften them They who study Gods hand in all the various designs and colourings of his Works shall discern it even in all those pieces of Providence which are of such different maners as have made many mistakes in the world upon this Conclusion §. III. How God worketh and how the Devil countermineth in this vocation wherein a safe course is directed THere is no notion under which we can more apply look upon God then as a Physician to our weak Nature He who knows all the properties of Actives and Passives applyes to all constitutions their proper remedies and as some Medicines are not proper both for Beasts and Man in regard of their different tempers So for brutish sensual persons there are required stronger Drugs then to more reasonable and ingenious dispositions The Word of God makes this difference often between voluptuous and sensual habitudes and between pious and vertuous constitutions calling the one Dogs and the other Children wherefore as the Physicians minister to some tempers onely such Drugs which they call Benedicta blessed simples which work kindly and yet effectually upon them to others they are fain to prescribe Minerals and more violent Ingredients to move them So there are some such insensible habits of minde as Gods Benedicta his Blessings and his gentle voyce of vocation doth not move but their strong Nature rather works upon them and alters them turning them into the nourishment of their passions while all their temporal Benedictions are converted into aliment of their sensualities Therefore to such indurate tempers God ministers often rude and violent Minerals so unprepared as they seem to the world to be poysons these we may call Affronts Losses Dishonors and all kinde of Disappointments and these violent compositions work upon their Natures and alter it by which their cure is performed so that oftentimes the worlds Injuries prove Râ—ceits ministred when it intends ruines For while the enemies of our
to viz. whether they make that cozening advantage by them or no with the creature they must answer for as much to the Creator as they projected to make of them and thus as the Prophet saith As much Wind as they have sowed so much Tempest they shall reape §. VI. Presumption upon our vertue discussed and the danger thereof remonstrated THere are many Lovers who when they find no direct design of impurity at first in their passions conclude them competent with their salvation and care not how neare the wind they steere nor how many boards they make as long as they believe they can reach the Port with this wind which is so faire for their senses therefore they pretend they need not stand so strait a course as making Jobs covenant with their eyes nor setting Davids watch over their lips provided they set a guard over their heart that no foule possession enter upon that seate thus do they expose many faire models of their love which in speculation may seem designed according to the square of Religion but how hard it is to build adequately to the speculative measures in this structure none can tell that presume to know it our senses are not inanimate materials that obey the order of the spirits designe but rather labourers which are easily debauched to worke contrary to the measures and rule of the Spirit hence it is that they who will undertake in this case all they can argue possibly for humane nature render it impossible by their undertaking it for they reckon not their presumption as any impediment which in the practise as being an irritation of God out-weighs all the other difficulties and the more alwayes the lesse it is weighed in the designe therefore as Solomon saith The wise man declineth evil and the foole heapes on and is confident The beliefe of impossibility is the most prudent supposition in such experiments as cannot be essayed without some desperate exposure of our selves it may be demonstrate by reason that we may have halfe of our body over a precipice so the centre of the weight be kept in an exact aequilibrium that part which is pensile can never weigh down the other which is supported but we should thinke one mad that would try this conclusion when the least motion changeth the Position and consequently destroyeth the practicer of this speculation so those that pretend to keept their soules equally poised in the just measures between piety and prophane love their eyes hanging over the precipice of temptations which do so easily turne their heads and then alter all the positions of their mind adventure upon just such a spirituall experiment He that seeketh danger shall perish in it is attested by the unhappy president of the wisest of men and it is superfluous to instance other testimonies of this truth When David and Solomon the two brazen pillars of the Temple being the direction and fortitude of the Princes of Israel were melted and poured out like water as David himselfe confesseth by the ardors of his flesh and so they seem to stand in holy record as two high eminent markes set upon these sands to advertise the strongest vessels not to venture to passe over them and if Saint Paul that vessel of election after his having seen the beauty of Heaven to possesse his heart thought himselfe hard matched with the Angell of Sathan and cryed out to heaven for helpe against him shall any presume to entertain and cherish this ill Angell and hope to overcome him with flattery and civility for they make this tryall who lodge in their thoughts and serve with their fancies strong impressions of humane beauty and propose to keepe their body in order even by the vertue of such a guest pretending that the very object infuseth a remembrance and reverence of purity With this and the like glittering conceipts do many vain Lovers fondly satisfy and abuse themselves which is to answer the question of the Holy Spirit that the fire they carry in their bosomes preserveth them from being enflamed by it we may fitly say to such in answer from the Prophet God laughs at you when all Gods advices are that there is no security against this bosome enemy but violence and diffidence there is no meane between the flesh's being slave or master this treaty of Friendship between it and the spirit proves but Dalilahs kind holding of Sampsons head in her lap while she is shaving him How often do we see the Spirit thus betraid and lye bound by this confidence And truly all those chaines which vain Lovers forge for the figuring out the powerfulnesse of beauty may be said to be those irons the flesh hath cast off and set upon the Spirit which is truly captivated alwayes by the others liberty This considered let none presume that while they deny the 〈…〉 eyes nothing which they covet they can deny their hearts any undue cupidity for this seemeth such an experiment as if one of the children of Israel should have carryed a fiery Serpent in his bosome presuming that while he looked upon the Brazen Serpent he could not be stung sure such a perverted confidence would not have proved safe to the projector So those who believe while they have the love of God before their eyes they may expose them to all the fiery darts of lustfull eyes seem to tempt God by such a vain presumption these are such of whom we may fitly say with the Apostle that Erring themselves they lead others into errour and have a forme of Godlinesse but deny the Power of it being lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God Let no body then trust to any confederacy between the flesh the spirit which is of humane loves making for of all reconciled enemies the flesh is least to be trusted after the accord and love the least for the arbitration therefore let none believe their souls out of danger because in the first paces of their passion they meet no insolent temptations that face them and declare the danger of their advance for the Devill keepes likely his first Method still with those he findeth in the state of innocence he taketh the shape of the serpent and creeps up by insinuation and then changeth his shape into the figure of his power and this transmigration of the evil spirits from one body into another is truer then the fancy of Pythagoras for we find often this Metamorphosis of the devill from the form of a dove unto a serpent from a lamb into a lion since it is the same spirit that moves in the poetical doves of Venus as was acting in Eves serpent thus what hath at first in our love an innocent form passeth quickly into a venemous nature Wherefore severe caution and repulse of the first motions of our sensitive appetite is the onely guard our soules can trust against our bodyes in this case for certainly many lovers sink into temptations in
may justly be noted as Malignants which legally in Religion ought to be sequestered nay even friendship it selfe with persons to be feared lyeth under some cloud as requiring a continual suspitious eye upon it to keepe it safe from all intelligence with sensual appetites in so much as when it is sincerest it must be watched with great prudence to be kept safe for which cause in stead of all these perillous commerces of our love I will preferre so secure an object to it as Saint Augustine saith of it Love but and do what you will this is the increated beauty of God in which there is not only no feare to be had of our over-loving it but even there is no fear of our not being out-loved by it and so our love is alwayes secured to us Therefore O Soule Why doest thou halt and hesitate about the loving him who must needs love thee faithfully and art so prone to love that which if it love thee at all must do it perfidiously either deceiving thee or some other thou shalt alwayes be unhappy in loving such which if another love thou shalt be offended or if they love another thou shalt be tormented The love of God is exempted from all griefe or care for in his loving of others thou shalt joy and that all may be in love with him thou shalt wish This is the transcendent sufficiency of Gods good that he may love all and be beloved of all without any detriment or diminution of either the lover or the beloved but with a fuller joy of both All other things are infirme scanted and indigent which are not sufficient for the loving of two or the being beloved by two without defrauding of one of them You then that by love seeke contentment why do you love that which even the loving of is disquiet O love him who even in the necessary disquiets of this life can make you happy how idle is it to love such goods which by loving thou deservest to want and not to love that good where the act of loving is the fruition of it for God being beloved becommeth yours other goods when you love you become theirs and so indeed you want even your selfe by such loves God is only to be wanted by not being loved and all other things which you leave for God you find again in his Love O then love that only which alone is all things To conclude all you who have much to be forgiven for other loves transferre betimes all your affections upon him where you may hope with the blessed Penitent To have much forgiven you for loving much Thus only you can hope to attain to the state Saint Paul prescribeth to abstain from all appearance of evill that your whole spirit and soule and body may be preserved blamelesse to the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ and God grant that our soules may meet him with the lamps of the wise Virgins only lighted in them and then we shall be no more in danger of ceasing to love what we should when we enter into our masters joy which is eternall love The fourteenth Treatise The Test and Ballance of Filiall and Mercenary Love In five Sections §. I. Of the value of Love and Gods tolerating some mixture of selfe-respects in it WHen Esdras had cleared to the seduced people that the Law of God could not dispense with their retaining of such strange women of the Land as lay in their bosomes they pleaded for some time to make this painfull divorce saying It was not the worke of a day or two So methinks many who are convinced in this point of the prohibition of this alien and strange conjunction of our Love which is the child of God with vain passion the daughter of the earth pretend that by degrees they will sever this impurity from their loves because it requireth some time and much grace to make this division I confesse it is not the worke of a few good motions or remorses it asketh as it were a melting and liquefaction of our hearts to separate this drosse from the pure substance of love but we are so much furthered towards this operation as the fire we must worke it in costeth nothing but the asking It is that which the Spouse saith are coales of fire and have a vehement flame and hath a speciall vertue to purge and calcine our affections according to the Prophets advice of separating the pure from the impure and we may confidently call for this fire downe from heaven by the Spirit of our master to consume these his enemies the concupiscence of the eye and the concupiscence of the flesh that are the opposers of this purgation and refinement of our hearts which he demandeth of us as silver seven times tryed Reflecting upon the exactnes of this receiver of hearts if we resolve to trade with our loves for the Kingdome of heaven we must examine sincerely what temper of purity is currant with God for as passion doth both lighten and vitiate them in one kind so is there another sort of drossines in our nature which doth often too much imbase our love by an over-allay of selfe respect that rendereth it too mercenary and of too low a value it is very requisite then to be rightly enformed of the Standard by whose purity all our love that passeth for the purchase of the Kingdom of heaven must be tryed tested In our contract for heaven there is a strange singularity since both the paiment and the purchase are one and the same thing differing only in degrees of intension and purification for infirme and imperfect love is our price and love perfected and consummate is our possession namely God who is love is all as love is the best thing even in heaven as well as in earth it is consonantly appointed for the chiefe commerce between them wherefore God asketh but the heart of man even for all himself knowing that the heart in the most entire transaction of it selfe in this life can remit but imperfect and defective love we must examine severely what rates of imperfectnes God admitteth in our affections for in favour of our poverty he accepteth some part of our payment in that which is as I may say the base money of our nature mercenary love which he alloweth for the conveniency of our indigent and decayed estate Methinks by this allusion we may appositely explain what degree of allowablenes mercenary love may be accepted at for as base money is a meanes of commerce between the rich and the poore and is not commonly allowed in payments above some low summe so God in condescendence to the poverty and incommodity of our nature permitteth mercenary love in some proportion to be currant between his plenty and our penury but will not accept our totall discharge in it we may have some selfe-respect in our affections to God that may represent to us our rewards as a beneficiall traffique
Nature viz. all kinde of crosses and vexations seem to chase us out of the field they convey us into that retreat whereunto God hath designed us This is a frequent contrivement by Gods Providence to secure his friends by the chase and pursuit of his enemies and theirs as he preserved David from acting against him by the malevolence of the Princes of the Philistines who thought they had shamed him by rejecting and casting him out of their Troops when indeed they preserved him innocent from staining himself in the blood of his Brethren So God excites very familiarly the adversities of this world to remove and seemingly to expel his servants out of it to deliver them from the guilt of loving the world providing thus against their longer engagement with his Adversary who is the Prince of this World And as God vouchsafes to serve himself sometimes of the storms which the Prince of the Ayr raiseth in this world by making them carry such wracks upon his coast of Solitude as he designs to save with the loss onely of their temporal fraights So the Prince of the World doth sometime make use of this Shore for the casting away of many to whom he shews it as a secure harbor or shelter which they have under their Lee and can reach when they please upon any distress of weather And thus as an Angel of Light he promiseth this Sanctuary of retiring to God as a security which cannot fail even after all the provocations of him whereby he perswades many to sport themselves with him in his large alleys in the days of their youth and fortune Leave no flower ungathered as the Wise man says of thâ—s season And when either the winter of Nature or of Fortune hath withered and blasted all those sweets then it is time enough to retire to Gods cover for shelter who refuseth no sort of Refugiats These insinuations do work with many so as to embolden them to live profusely upon the present stock of their Time and Fortune with this purpose of taking Sanctuary either at some assigned time of their Age or upon any pressing Contingency Hence is it that taking their Councel of Gods Enemy he presents such Clients to him as have robb'd him all their life in a purpose to repair to him for protection against the Law and exemption from his hand of Justice and thus in effect the house of Prayer is turned and designed by such Projectors to be but an harbor of Theeves How often doth the Prince of Darkness amuse many with this falacy who walk with him in his large alleys even by this light he shews them by which they conceive to see a safe issue out of this broad way into the narrow paths of the Kingdom of Light But alas how many lose themselves in this labyrinth and are founder'd in this calm Sea of the world even while they have this coast of retreat and Solitude in their eye And how many others who are entred into the Port sink there by those leaks they bring in with them never being able to stop those overtures in their mindes through which worldly affections and passions soak continually into their thoughts some ill habit or other still keeping intelligence with the world And for this cause many either revolt back openly to it or else hold some private treacherous correspondence with it in a nauseousness and distaste of all Spiritual aliment and a tepid irresolution between breaking off and holding on that course and remaining in this nauseousness we know how disagreeable this temper is to Gods stomack so that many presuming to take this Water of Tryal being polluted by a long co-habitation with temporal loves it proves to them rather putrifaction then purgation and their mindes in stead of a Spiritual conception and improvement break out into an unsound and fruitless dissipation Likewise as this deceitful project of relinquishing the world is often preferred by the Father of Lyes to many sensual and brutish lives so me thinks it hath this property common to many Animals who believe when they have hid their head that their whole body is covered because such whom St. Jude calls bruâ—e beasts seem to conclude that when their bodies shall be retired and sequestred from the world their mindes are removed and estranged from it But they quickly finde the brutality of that opinion by the blows and wounds wherewith the Images of the world assault and charge their mindes by this disabuse they perceive her nakedness and exposure to all those vexations from which they thought themselves guarded and covered and God who regards only the posture and nearness of the heart to him doth adjudge a punishment sâ—ted to this presumption in revenge of their promising themselves the being able to carry their mindes out of the world into his Sanctuary at their own assignments he often receives the body onely and leaves the minde still in this habitual loosness making the bodies division in this separation from the world the revenger of this presumption of adventuring to dispose of one of the most dear properties of Grace namely the retreat of our mindes by the right of Nature For nothing is more peculiar to Grace then to impart the joy and peace of the Spirit in a state of contradiction to all the cases of the Flesh It is in some sort a design of Simony to expect the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon the exchange of a local transaction of our persons Holy King David had not onely stept into the way but was running in the way of God when he had his heart dilated and enlarged unto him so as his Flesh and his Spirit both joyned in an exultation in the living God Therefore it is very useful Animadversion not to relie upon the Covenants of our own private Spirit for the conveyance of this so happy condition to us of a godly retreat and â—eposure of our selves since the more Nature promiseth the less interest she hath in it this self-arrogation being an evidence against our title to this possession of Grace Upon these considerations I may advise such as are come to labor under the burthen of their mundanities which they have been less cautious in loading themselves with in respect of this final discharge they have proposed to remember when they come to Christ to be disburthened that precedent in the Gospel which relates aptly to their cases which is that of the ten Lepers who when they came to Christ stood after off and lifted up their voyces with JESUS have mercy upon us the consciousness of their pollution kept them at that reverend distance And Christs answer in this case is a very pertinent direction to such Spiritual Lepâ—â—s Go and show your selves to the Priests take advise of Gods Ministers and their opinions of the clâ—anness and purity of their intentions before they venture into the communion of this Sanctuary of holy Solitude otherwise their present offering may prove of as