marred all therefore she must teach no longer Some women indeed have been servants of the Church but they were Deaconisses to minister to the sick Dr. Bastwick against Indepen and such like Not Praedicantisses to preach or have Peters Keyes at their girdles Requiritur in Praedicatore Audacia Preces Labor diligentia Jeremiah was not timerous when the Priests the people the Kings resisted his words but he was bould even unto death and you see that which at first they despised at the second preaching they willingly embraced Vid. Cap. 26.8 11 16. A preacher also must not onely instruct his people but also pray for them neither must he be so bold as to take Gods glory from him by saying so or so shall it happen but if the Word of the Lord be with him he will intreat And withal he must be diligent and laborious Ministers must not be married to their Livings as our Church had man and wife married for ever hereafter to hold their peace Too many notwithstanding there were if not still are who like Elocution a Romish god will never hold their peace till they have a Temple dedicated to them but after they have obtained seldome or never are heard to speak again Praedicat vivà voce qui predicat vita voce he doth preach most that lives best As it was said of John Baptist Cum miraculum nullum fecerit perpetuum fuit ipse miraculum A good man doth alwayes preach though he never come in the Pulpit whereas such a Minister as is no where a Minister but in the Church is like Achitophel who set his house in order and then hanged himselfe The Word preached is like Aarons rod if in the preachers hand it is comely but if he cast it from him it will prove a serpent But if the Preacher be a wicked man Vvam carpe spinam cave Consider what he saith not what he doth Hear him as long as he sits in Moses chaire but meddle not with him sitting in the seat of the scornful De scriptis Gentilium libenter assumit Ecclesia Innocent 3. l. 4. De sacr Alt. myst c. 4. siquid in â—eis probe dictum vel factum agnoscit tanquam mulieris captiva resecat ungues pilosque superfluos ut ab alienâ superstuitate mundata thalamumque veritatis digna sit introire Thomas the Apostle converted the Indians as Vesputius witnesseth Whose text was always Mat. 10.34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword He and his company preached so powerfully that the hearers have wept and bled and died for hearing their doctrine Of Chrysostome in his preaching it is said he was used not Aures titillare but corda pungere not to tickle mens eares but to prick their hearts He stoutly told Eudoxia the Empresse that for her covetousnesse she would be called a second Jesabel and to her threatning message he answered go tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I am affraid of nothing but sin He so took with hearts that when he should have been silenced the people cryed out Satius est ut sol non luceat quà m non doceat Chrysostomâ—s It were better the sun should not shine than that Crysostome should not teach Austin wished when Christ came he might find him Aut precantem aut praedicantem It s storied of Bonaventure his words were not inflantia but inflammantia Of Wallaus that when he left Middleborough it seemed rather the children were to part with their father than people with their Pastor Dionisius Areopagita begged these two things of God 1. That he might know the truth himself 2. And that he might preach it as he ought to others A congregation or multitude of several tempers and conditions said Greg. Naz. is like an Harp of many strings hard to give every one a touch in preaching especially as may please all and offend none Many will hear the Preacher for a little as the People did Jeremy but if he please them not Populus expetant placentia please them not they will even go so far in malice as they will rise up against him and seek his life But they who find fault with the Ministers for preaching damnation to the wicked come somewhat neer that Blasphemy of Alphonsus King of Spain who said That if he had been at the Creation he would have made things better than now they are He found fault with Gods works these with his word If they had penned the Scriptures I suppose it would have been without damnation A Bucket either above or beside the cock gets no water and people that are either above or withdraw from the Ordinances Ruth 2. get no benefit If Ruth will glean eares of corn she must keep in Boaz field and close by his servants Cry aloud Isa 58.1 spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Preach the word 2 Tim. 4.2 be instant in season out of season Necessity is laid upon me 1 Cor. 9.16 yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Eloquence There is the vein of speaking and there is vain speaking It is reported of Cyneas that he conquered more Cities by his Eloquence than his Master Pyrrhus did by his puissance Jerome stiled Eusebius Romani Eloquii tubam Paul's speech and preaching was not with wisedome of words nor with entising words of mans wisedome Floridè potius qâ—à m solidè Ut placeret quà m ut doceret Sanctè magis quà m scitâ— but in demonstration of the spirit and of power And truely it is not good to put the sword of the Spirit into a velvet scabbard that it cannot pierce More to tickle the ear than to affect the heart It repented Austin as well it might that when he was young he had preached more to please than to profit The window must not be so painted as to keep out the light Gods holy things must be handled with fear and reverence rather than with wit and dalliance Yet there is a lawful use of Rhetorick in Sermons so it be free from ostentation Let Ministers set out the Word of God as skilfully and adornedly as they can so as they still aym at the winning of souls Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. It 's excellent at once both to please and profit both to tickle the ear and take the heart The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words Eccles 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verba desideâ—i Contempt Judaeis primum erat apud Deum gratia sed illi negligentes indisciplinati superbi postmedum facti fiducia patrum inslati dum divina praecepta contemnunt datam sibi gratiam perdiderunt Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia Good turns aggravate unkindnesses and mens offences are encreased by their obligations Ideò deteriores sumus saith Salvian
out of their bellies For which cause also the Hebrews called them Oboth or bottles because the bellies of those women that were thus made use of by the Devil were swelled as big as bottles In the year of Grace 1536. a certain Damsel at Frankfort in Germany being possessed with a Devil and stark mad swallowed down pieces of money with much gnashing of her teeth which monies were presently wrung out of her hands and kept by divers Bucholc Chr. Luther's advice being requested it was this To pray hard for her Vrbanus Regius in a Sermon of his at Wittenberg made mention of a certain Maid possessed by the Devil and when she should have been prayed for in the Congregation the Devil made as if he had been departed out of her But before the next publike meeting Satan returned and drove the Maid into a deep water where she presently perished Melanchton tells a story of an Aunt of his that had her hand burnt to a coal by the Devil appearing to her in the likeness of her deceased husband And Pareus relates an example of a Bakers daughter in their countrey possest and pent up in a Cave she had digg'd as in a grave to her dying day Much like unto that poor creature mentioned Mat. 8.28 It is to be feared the Devil that was cast out of the Demoniacks bodies is got into many mens hearts oft casting them into the fire of Lust and water of Drunkenuess Athanasius had a conceit that the Devil may be driven out of a body by repeating the 68. Psalm Possessed with Devils Mat. 4.24 and lunatick Sorrow Secundum Deum 2 Cor. 7.10 Mundum 2 Cor. 7.10 For the first Sin bred sorrow and sorrow being right destroyeth sin as the worm that breeds in the wood eats into it and devours it So that of this sorrow according to God we may say as the Romans did of Pompey the Great Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother But the sorrow of the world is that which carnal men conceive Act. Mon. fol. 1901. either for the want or loss of good or for the sense or fear of evil Thus Queen Mary who died as some supposed by her much sighing before her death of thought and sorrow either for the departure of King Philip or the loss of Calice or both Thus Nabal sorrowed To these may be added a third An hellish sorrow a desperate grief for sin Virtus nolentium nulla est as was that of Judas Fained or forced grief is nothing worth He grieved and yet miscarried It was squeezed out of him as verjuice out of crabs But Peter went forth to weep bitterly Gods people are commanded to afflict themselves with voluntary sorrow Some shadow of it we have in Epaminondas the Theban General who the next day after the Victory and Triumph went drooping and hanging down his head And being asked why he did so He answered Blur. Yesterday I found my self too much tickled with vainglory therefore I correst my self for it to day But we have a better example in holy David whose heart smote him and made him smart inwardly saith the text 2 Sam. 24.10 after he had numbred the people The soundness and sincerity of sorrow is shewed by the secrecy of it Ille dolet verâ— qui sine teste dolet He grieves with a witness that grieves without a witness Zech. 12.12 Sorrow is a breaker It breaks no bones but it breaks the heart Worldly sorrow breaks the heart to death Godly sorrow breaks the heart to life Sorrow shortneth the spirit of man that is Sorrow over-acted weakens the whole man and leaves him unable to put himself forth in action Joy is the dilatation or widening of the heart much joy makes the spirit free to act So sorrow is a straitner of it it makes a man narrow-hearted and narrow-handed it stops him in his actings or stays him from acting We commonly say Sorrow is dry 'T is so because it is a drier A broken spirit drieth the bones Pro. 17.22 Aristotle in his book of Long and short Life assignes Grief for a chief cause of death All immoderations saith Hippocrates are great enemies to health We have heard of some whose hearts being filled with vexing cares Quia spiritus tristis exiceat â—ssa have filled their heads with gray hairs in a very short time As some have an art to ripen fruits before nature ripens them so the Lord hath a power to hasten old age before nature makes us old Many troubles in one year may make a man as old as many years Grief is like Lead to the soul heavy and cold It sinks downward and carries the soul with it Mans Mind is like the stone Tyrrhenus which so long as it is whole swimmeth but being once broke sinketh David was decrepit with much grief at seventy years of age Jacob attained not to the days of the years of the life of his fathers as being a man of many sorrows And this some think was the reason our Saviour Christ at little past thirty was reckoned to be towards fifty Lam. 3.1 Joh. 8.57 He was the man that had seen affliction Mention is made of a German Captain at the Siege of Buda Anno 1541. Turk Hist. who seeing the dead body of his unfortunate but valiant Son presented to him a sudden and inward grief did so surprise him and strike to his heart that after he had stood a while speechless with his eyes set in his head he suddenly fell down dead The Casuists and Schoolmen affirm sorrow for sin to be the greatest of all sorrows In 1. Conatu 2. Extensione 3. Appreciatione 4. Intensione Though other Mourning coming down hill having Nature to work with it and nothing to hinder it make more noise Mine eye is consumed because of grief Psal 6.7 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop Prov. 12.25 When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me c. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am in trouble Mine eye is consumed with grief Psal 42.4 yea my soul and my belly For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing My strength faileth because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed Psal 31.9 10. Desire It is a passion which we have to attain to a good thing which we enjoy not Est voluntarius affectus ut res quae bona existimatur deâ—st vel existat vel possideatur that we may imagine is fitting for us There is a threefold desire 1. Natural 2. Reasonable 3. Spiritual And every one of these by their order are subordinate to another and there is no repugnancie amongst them In Fevers we desire to drink and yet we will not And so in Apoplexies to sleep and yet we will not A mans hand is gangren'd a Chyrurgeon comes to cut it off The
pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us The benefit that redounds to us by this is this in general that hereby we are made the brethren of Jesus Christ which principally consists in our conformity with him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Hence it is that we are 〈◊〉 with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance called the Spirit of adoption and the Spirit of the Son because sons only are capable of it Talis Spiritus non datur servis sed solis filiis sons not servants are partakers of this Spirit sons not servants use to cry Abba Father There is a spirit of bondage which servants receive which Spirit ye have not received again to fear There is a Spirit of adoption assuring us of the liberty of sons by which we cry Abba Father Hence it is again that the righteousnesse of Christ is made ours Rom. 8.29 made ours by predestination by imputation on Gods part made ours by faith in apprehension in application on our parts for whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many beethren moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And thus it comes about that we receive an inheritance in the heavens whereof albeit we are not as yet compleat possessors yet out title is good our interest firm in that the possession was purchased for us unto the praise of the glory of God and shall be given to us in the day of our full and our perfect redemption Stand fast therefore my beloved in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free children of the free-woman Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem heirs of an eternal Kingdom Great is our dignity over that it was by nature ye were limbs of Satan servants to sin enemies to God sons of wrath but by the grace of adoption we are the members of Christ servants to righteousnesse friends nay more than friends the sons of God Be thankful therefore unto him honour him as sons let your obedience be joyned with all faithfulnesse unto the fulfilling of his will who hath in his infinite goodnesse made you his sons and taking from you the spirit of bondage hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without and. Amen SAINT PAUL'S Apology GALAT. 1.18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes THere is no child to Gods Child no man to the man of God look what he saith what he doth he will make good maugre the hearts of his enemies Thus Moses resisted Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. Thus Elijah opposed Ahabs and Jezabels bawsing Prophets of Baal 1 King 1.18 Thus Micajah withstood four hundred false Prophets 1 King 22. Thus our Saviour confounded the Scribes and Pharisees the Apostles the Jews and Paul here false Apostles and all by the same Spirit As there is a Spirit of truth so there is a spirit of lying God is said to put a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets But here spirits of lying lye in the very hearts of some imaginary Apostles that blatter out they know not what against Paul but he graced and strengthened with the Spirit and grace of God would not be nonplust or put to silence with such facility he had spirit enough to oppose the false allegations of these deceitful brethren who endeavoured to pervert the Churches of Galatia to bring them from Christianity to Judaisme maintaining that circumcision and other ceremonies of the law were to be retained as necessary to salvation Alledging also that Pauls doctrine was no true doctrine in all points and what he had he had received from the Apostles at the second hand as well as they and therefore they teaching one thing and he another quite contrary to what they taught what reason had they to believe him more than them more in number But the Apostle in this chapter clears himself from the scandalous imputations of these insinuating Cavillers as we may see by taking a brief survey of the chapter which may guide us unto Paul's journey First he was an Apostle himself The people said of King Saul is Saul also among the Prophets So said the people of this Saul now Paul is not this he that persecuted the Church of God extreamly what is Paul also among the Apostles But now no more persecuting Paul but Paul an Apostle not of the Apostles making not of men neither by man why by whom then but by Jesus Christ and God the Father vers 1. First then he was an Apostle of Gods making As for his doctrine it was the Gospel he spake nothing but Gospel that which in time past he persecuted no other than that the Apostles preached and Christ taught the Apostles Hence he comes with a curse anathematizing them that offer to preach any other Gospel be he man or Angel vers 8 9. As for his teachers who they were that he answers in a word not man but God I received it by the Revelation of Jesus Christ vers 12. Again he shews how he was converted it was by Gods good pleasure calling him by grace vers 15. And to what end was he called that is briefly to reveale his Son in him that he might do the like unto others To reveale his Son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles vers 16. When he was thus called he confer'd not with flesh and blood as too too weak to teach him he would not build on the sandy foundations of mans braine that shakes like a quagmire he would surer or none at all I confer'd not with flesh and blood I but some might except against that that he went up to Jerusalem and was conversant with the Apostles and so learned the Gospel by hear-say Nay that 's a lye neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned into Damascus He went not up to Jerusalem indeed so suddenly but three years after his conversion he went thither to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes In the first three years space of his conversion he saw not an Apostle but when three years were past which was the matter of five or sixe years after the Passion of our Saviour the last year of the reigne of Tiberius or the beginning of Caligula's he went
and irrevocability of Gods decrees concerning the number of our days doth not disengage us from the use of means and second helps for the continuance and lengthening of them Man must not say God hath decreed how long I shall live therefore I need not take any care of my life this were to resist the Command of God while we think we submit to his Decree whereas indeed all the commands of God are subordinate and ministerial to the fulfilling of his decrees Will any man say God hath determined my days which I cannot pass therefore when I am hungry I will not eat when I am sick Hominum excusationes sunt Dei tentationes I will not take physick not use medicines When Satan tempted Christ to throw himself down from the pinacle of the Temple he answers Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And then much more in reference to spiritual and eternal life Some will say God hath made a Decree which cannot pass who shall be saved and who damned therefore what need we use the means of salvation what need we avoid the ways of damnation But remember the same word bids us depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 which saith The foundation of God standeth sure and he knoweth who are his 'T is as much our duty to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure as it is to believe that the election and calling of God are sure It is our part to say Amen to Gods Amen and to put our Fiat and Placet to his saying in every thing The will of the Lord be done Thy judgments are a great deep The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever Psal 36 6. Psal 33.11 the thoughts of his heart to all generations De Creatione WHat God did or how be imployed himself before the Creation is a Sea Creatiâ— est actiâ— Dei exterua quâ in principle temporâ—â— sex dierum spatlâ— mundum produxit sole voluntatis suae imperio ad nominis sui gloriam Wendelinus Picus Mirand over which no ship hath sailed a Mine into which no spade hath deived an Abyss into which no bucket hath dived Our sight is too tender to behold this Sun Wisely and well said that Italian Philosophy seeks after truth Divinity onely finds it Religion improves it Whatever therefore the Chaldaean and Egyptian Astronomers or some other natural Philosophers have fancied of the Worlds eternity or at least for the first matter of it to be coeternal with the Creator We will look upon it as an error repugnant both to true Religion and right reason and will take the truth which is contrary to it though not for a Maxim in Philosophy yet for an Article of Faith Aufer Argumenta ubi Fides quaritur I believe and that 's enough though I cannot prove Principles Aristotle held That the world was eternal Plato Plus apud me valent illa quinque verba In principio creavit Deus coelum terram quà m omnia Aristotelis caterâ—ruÌ„mque Philosophorum argumenta quibus docent mundum carere initio Eras Epist Pellicano 1.19 That God made the heavens and Angels but the Angels made the bodies of men and beasts and that there was praeexistent matter or materia prima And thus professing themselves to be wise they became fools But In principio creavit Deus decides all doubts A Picture of Apelles making would be in great request The World is the glorious workmanship of God Almighty therefore to be admired of us all We see what a goodly coat the Earth hath Solomon in all his royalty was not so clothed as it We see the Sun in the Firmament the Moon the Stars God Almighty his candles the Birds of the Air the Beasts of the Field Fishes of the Sea The Gentiles had no book but this to look upon yet it left them without excuse But though the World be a worthy work yet let us not admire it too much As there was a time when it was set up so there is a time when it shall be pulled down The Disciples stood gazing on the Temple wondring at the workmanship of it but Christ told them that one stone should not be left upon another So the time shall come as S. Peter speaketh when the whole world shall pase away with a noise The World was made in time hath continued in time and shall end in time Here let me insert a word concerning that of the Apostle Rom. 8.20 21. For the creature was made subject to vanity But it shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption The creature is defiled by mans sin and must therefore be purged by the fire of the last day aâ— the vessels that held the sin-offering were purged by the sire of the Sanctuary The creature is said to be subject to vanity Mr. Trapp and bondage of corruption 1. As corruptible 2. As teachers of men 3. As they are instruments of mans punishment 4. As they are forced to serve wicked mens turns and uses who have no peace with the creature and should have no service from them The vanity of the creatures is not natural Parr but accidental by sin which though it be expiate by the blood of Christ yet the creature shall not be freed till sin be taken out of the nature of things Sin hath involved the creature under the curse and makes it to groan not the sin of it but of us The manner how the creature shall be restored is difficult to determine There are three opinions The first opinion holdeth That this earth and visible heaven even the whole nature of these things shall perish This heaven and earth being appointed by God to be the habitation of man while he is Viator and therefore that there shall be no need of it when he shall be Comprehensor The second opinion is That some of the creatures shall be abolished and some restored The heavens and the elements to remain the rest to perish The third opinion That all creatures shall be restored remembring that we speak not of reasonable creatures nor of the Heaven of heavens The two first opinions seem unlikely the third is most probable if the restoring be only to some singulars of all kinds But it is not safe walking in the dark without a light We know not how it shall be but this we may be sure of that all things shall be most wisely and excellently brought to pass The loast and meanest of Gods creatures serve to set forth the glory of him their Creator and may be in their places some way or other useful to man For saith Mr. Ramolds as in Musick every prick and quaver and rest do serve in their order to commend the cunning of the Artist and to delight the ear of the hearer as well as the more perfect notes So the least and meanest of the creatures were at first filled with so much goodness as might not only declare the glory of God but
The Angels themselves sing at lamentation for sins neither doth the earth afford any sweeter musick in the eares of God This heavinesse is the way to joy never sin repented of was punished the good God accounts of our will as our deed If God should require sorrow proportionable to the hainousnesse of our sin there were no end of mourning but his mercy doth not regard so much the measure as the manner of it Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Paenitudine commissa delentur if you say you mourn Christ saith you are blessed now either distrust your Saviour or else confess your happiness and with patience expect his promised consolation If a man mourn not enough stay but Gods leasure and he will make your eyes run over with teares Weep still and still desire to weep but let your teares be according to the rain in sun-shine comfortable and hopeful These teares are reserved this hungring after Spiritual grace shall be satisfied this sorrow shall be comforted there is nothing betwixt God and you but time Theodosius the Emperor when reproved by Ambrose Theod. Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 18. for the slaughtet at Thessalonica he lay on the ground and humbly begged pardon using these words Psal 119.25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according unto thy word Too late repentance did never man yet good Therefore as it is required of repentance to be true so likewise speedy for paenitentia sera rarò vera That Carrier is a fool that will lay the heaviest burden upon the weakest feeblest beast So also who doth intend to lay the great load of repentance upon his faint and feeble dotage Almighty God requires the first fruits the firstlings are his darlings the fattest lambs are fittest for sacrifice Repent ye Except ye repent ye shall all perish Matth. 3.2 Luke 13.3 Acts 3.19 Cap. 17.30 Luke 15.7 10. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out The times of ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent I say unto you that joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over many just persons which need no repentance There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth God hath raised up Jesus Act. 5.31 Hebr. 6.1 2 Cor. 7.10 and exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance Repentance from dead works Repentance to salvation not to be repented of Impenitency Shew me a man that hath not some hardness of heart and we will send him to heaven without Jacobs ladder There is a threefold hardness of heart 1. Natural 2. Actual 3. Judiciary Natural and hereditary Impenitence perfectly conforms one to Satan who is in male obsirmatus and sins without remorse in malo perseverare diabolicum whereby all men are by nature not onely averse from but also adverse to the motions of Grace This is called a neck possessed with an iron sinew Isa 48.4 Actual adventitious or voluntary which is when by often choaking good motions a man hath quit his heart of them being arived at that dead and dedolent disposition Eph. 4.18 past feeling and ripe for destruction This is called a brow of brasse in the above-named text Isa 48.4 Judiciary or penal hardness which is when God for a punishment of the former with-holds his grace and delivers a man up to Satan to be further hardened and to his own hearts lusts which is worse The incestuous person was delivered up to Satan and yet repented but he that is delivered up to his own heart to a reprobate mind cannot be renewed by repentance but is in the ready rode to that unpardonable sin The hardest creatures are flexible to some agents flints to the rain iron to the fire stones to the hammer but mans heart yields to nothing neither the showers of mercy nor the hammer of reproof nor the fire of judgment but like the stithy is still the harder for beating All the plagues in Egyt could not mollify Pharaoh's heart Because the Jews were so stony hearted They were saith one rigidiores lupis duriores lapidibus Jerusalem became a heap of stones and the conquering Romans dasht them against those stones which they exceeded in hardness Here let the wicked see their doom the stones that will not be softned shall be broken there is no changing the decree of God but change thy nature then know thou art not decreed to death Stony hearts shall be broken to pieces with vengeance do not strive to alter that doom but strive to alter thy heart make of a stony heart a fleshly heart and so prevent it in thy particular Thou after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Make you a new heart Ezek. 18.31 and a new spirit for why will ye die O House of Israel Faith Partes fidei salvifica sunt tres Illud est optimum cujus privatie est pessima 1. Notitia verbi Dei imprimis promissionis gratiae 2. Assentio eidem ad hibita 3. Persuasio seu siducia de certò obtinendâ gratiâ promissâ In Faith there is a 1. Direct 2. Reflex Act. There is also certitudo 1. Subjecti 2. Objecti The first is rather justificati than justificans God the Father adopteth us as the fountain of adoption God the Son as the conduit God the Holy Ghost as the Cistern and Faith as the cock whereby it runs into our hearts Tantum possumus quantùm credimus Cyâ—â— We say that the ring stancheth the blood when indeed it is the stone with in it There are many that make Faith an Almighty Idol it shall save but thus they make themselves idle making Faith a meritorious cause of justification a Doctrine which in time will trample Christs blood under foot There is such affinity between Faith and Hope that as Luther said it is hard to find one without the other they cannot be well seperated as the Cherubims on the Mercy-seat yet they differ much Especially in the 1. Object 2. Subject 3. Order 4. Office 1. For the first Faith hath for her object the Truth Hope for her object the goodness of God Faith as Aug. notes is of good things and bad but Hope looks on good things only The Christian believes that there is a hell as well as a heaven but he fears the one and hopes only for the other Faith believes 1. Things past Christ was dead and buried and is risen again 2. Present he sitteth at the right hand of God 3. Future he will come to judge the quick and dead But Hope only things to come 2. For the second Faith is in the understanding Hope in the will 3. For the third Faith is the ground of
ambition promised him for when one seeing him give away all his present inheritances said what Sir will you make your selfe a beggar No saith he I will reserve hope for my self But certainly Hope is a greater and better possession unto the people of God here than all the great and good things which they possesse Put as much into their hands as you can there is more than that put in their hearts by hope A child of God lookes over all his possessions and pitcheth upon expectation as his portion The estate which a believer hath in the promises is more than the estate he hath in possession Riches in the promise is better than riches in the chest There is no enjoyment but that in Heaven where we shall enjoy all that ever was promised so good as hope for what is promised Fides intuetur verbum rei spes autem rem verbi Luther Unto faith must be annexed hope faith makes a Christian hope nourisheth and sustains a Christian Spes alet agricolas Jam mala finissem letho sed credula vitam Spes foveâ— melius cras fore semper ait It is our duty patiently and cheerfully to wait and hope for a mercy promised cheering our selves up with such hope as do they that bear with their cookes making them to stay long for their dinner in hope thereby to fare the better Hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 As a ship cannot be without an anchor no more can we without hope The ship is the soul of a Christian the anchor is Hope the sea where it is tossed is the world and the place whereinto the anchor is cast is heaven As the anchor in a storm or tempest holdeth the ship fast that it is not tossed up and down nor shaken with wind and waves So doth hope the ship of our souls in the tempestuous sea of this world Onely an anchor goes downward this upward that into the bottome of the Sea this into the top of Heaven Anchora in imo spes in summo The hopes of the wicked are not long liv'd they are soon dashed and disappointed Pro. 11.7 It 's likened to a spiders web Job 8.14 a little thing a beso in easily and speedily sweeps away the house and inhabitant together such is the hope of the wicked it s suddenly ruin'd That 's true hope that runs out into holynes for faith and hope work a suitableness in the soul to the things beleeved and hoped for 1 Joh. 3.3 c. Let us desire God to encrease our hope and to strengthen it daily more and more That this anchor being in heaven already may put us in an assured hope of heaven And the Lord in mercy so fortify this grace that no storms of afflictions may be ever able to prevail against it Lord increase our hope This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope For we are saved by hope Lam. 3.11 Rom. 8.24 but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth Why doth he yet hope for But if we hope for that We see not then do We With patience Wait for it If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Prov. 14.32 But the righteous hath hope in his death Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 Which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Presumption There are two sorts of persons saith a learned Divine among others observable in the Church namely infirmi glorioli weak Saints and presumptuous hypocrites Ille vincit qui gratiam Dei sperat non qui de suâ virtuâ—e praesumit Tertul. Quicquid à vabis minor extimesciâ— major hoc vobis Dominus minatur these are usually cast down with an apprehension of their own sinfulness these are commonly lifted up with an opinion of their own righteousnesse Those abhore themselves as the worst of sinners these boast themselves to be the best of Saints Those account themselves to be nothing but sin these think themselves to have no sin Presumptuous sinners promise to themselves the future vision of Gods face whilest they go on in the wilfull breach of Gods law They perswade themselves that their condition shall be happy though their conversation is wicked Impudently laying as full claim to heaven as the exactest Saint Presumption usually springs from the false reasonings which are in the minds of men Concerning 1. The freeness of Gods grace in electing 2. The fulness of his mercy in forgiving 3. The worthiness of Christs blood in redeeming Thus is the sweetest honey turned into gall by bad stomachs the most wholesome Antidotes become poison to wicked men and the precious supports of a lively faith are abused to be props of presumption by arrogant hypocrites Origen did too much presume of the mercy of God when he carried sticks to an Idol Damascene when he did service unto Mahomet Cranmer when he did subscribe to the Pope Aaron when he made the calfe and Solomon when he fell to idolatry yet these men were prompted on either by passion and perturbation within or temptation from without The greatest example we have of a godly person falling into presumptuous sin is David for we see him with all crast and subtilty studying how to accomplish that which the very light of nature condemns and when he hath so done we see him covering and excusing of it Oh there the Philistines were upon this Sampson and his strength was gone there presumptuous sins did for awhila prevail over him When the heart at any time Saith Dr. Preston deliberates and yet that word is not sufficient to expresse it Of Gods alsufficiency But when the heart works according to its own proper inclination and then wilfully disobeye the Lord in any commandment certainly then it casts God away Austin calls sins of Presumption Peccata vastantia conscientiam sins that lay waste the conscience This is that great transgression that wickednesse with a witnesse He that heareth the words of the curse Deut. 29.19 20. and yet blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I Walk in the imagination of my heart to addâ— drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven The soul that doth ought presumptuously Num. 15.30 31 the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people Because he hath despised the Word of the Lord and hath broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Psal 19.13 Châ—ys in
killeth the foolish man and envy slayeth the silly one It begins at the eyes but rots down into the bones Invidi◠Sicul◠non invenere Tyranui tormentum Hor Epist It is the same to the whole man that rust is to iron Socrates called it serram animae the souls saw and wished that envious men had more ears and eyes than others that they might have the more torment by beholding and hearing of other mens happinesses Invidia simul peccat plectitur For because it cannot come at another mans heart it feeds upon its own Like the little Fly to put out the candle it burns it self Or like the Bee it loseth its sting and life together Or like the Viper that leapt upon Pauls hand to hurt him but perished in the fire Or as the Snake in the fable that licked off her own tongue envying teeth to the File in the forge Or like him in Pausanius who envying the glory of Theagines a famous Wrestler whipt his Statue set up in honour of him after his death every night so long till at length it fell upon him and killed him Of the party whom he envieth at least in his heart because he wisheth him out of the world as Caracalla did his brother Geta of whom he said Divus sit modo non sit vivus I would he were any where so as I were rid of him Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer In a word Envy looketh with a spightful eye like that of the Basilisk that hurteth the object upon which it sixeth Bitter envying Jam 3.14 15. It is earthly sensual and devilish Enmity Enmity is opposed to Amity and is Hatred irreconcileable Nothing can be said more this way for an Enemy may be reconciled but Enmity cannot It is a mutual malevolence between parties with a mutual desire to hurt and destroy each other There is Antipathy amongst creatures The mortal hatred between the Horse and the Bear the Swan and the Eagle the lesser Birds and the Owle c. The report is also though by some refuted between the Toad and Spider Magirus that they poisonously destroy each other As also that a Lyon is afraid of a Cock. Pliny saith The brood of Serpents and the generation of Mankind are irreconcileable enemies to each other And Bodinus saith there is such a capital antipathy between the Woman and the Serpent that in a great multitude of Men if there be but one Woman amongst them he makes at her and stings her about the heel But the sharpest hostility is betwixt the godly seed of the Woman and the wicked seed of the spiritual serpent Satan who so far as he is discovered to be what he is indeed is hated and abhorred of Mankind in general as he hates all Mankind without exception I will put enmity between thee and the woman Gen. 3.15 and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Self-denial In the very root of it 't is such a disposition or frame of heart in a man which inclines him that is makes him willing and ready to neglect himself in all personal and self-accommodations especially in outward things when and as the glory of God and general good of men require it for their furtherance and advancement He submits all interests ends and enjoyments whatsoever to the glory of God and good of men according to the occasions and exigencies of thes◠He doth things contrary to his own interests and to the discommodating of himself in a manner denying any such person in being as himself This is prest 1. By express precept and command 1 Cor. 10.24 2. By the great example of Jesus Christ himself the Lord of all the Pattern in the Mount He laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Rom. 15.3 3. By the example of some Saints 1 Cor. 9.9 Phil. 2.3 4. By the great promise of life and salvation Mat. 19.29 10.30 Mark 10.29.30 alibi Thus he casts the world into this heavenly Ecstasie by provoking men to drink their fill of the hope and expectation of the glory and great things of the world to come 5. By a formidable Engine able to batter and break in peeces the most adamantine heart Mat. 10.37 38 39. cap. 5.29 30. It 's the greatest slavery in the world to be subject to our own passions For Just Martyr a man may be overcome of his enemy either by fortune or advantage which when they alter he may recover his honour and repair his loss because he still bath the heart and courage which he had at first But he that is overcome of his own passions is in desperate case because the inward hold which was his own is lost It is the greatest victory to overcome ones self and to give his judgment power over his affections which will ever advise him to unmask those blind guides and to look to that course which is most for his honour and safety Valentinian the Emperor dying affirmed That he was proud of one of his victories only viz. That he had overcome his own flesh that worst of enemies Darius in fight against Alexander cast the Crown from his head that he might run away with more speed Let us much more cast away every impediment and run with patience the race that is set before us A man must deny 1. Suos his friends 2. Sua his goods 3. Seipsum himself This last is the most difficult A man will rather say nay to all the world Proximus egomet mibi than to himself yet either this must be done or else he himself is undone If any man will come after me Mat. 16.24 let him deny himself Self-love He that is wholly shut up within himself is an odious person And the place he lives in longs for a vomit to spue him out It is his Pleasure his Profit and Preferment Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet saith one that is the natural mans Trinity and his Carnal self that is these in Unity Self-love writes as that Emperor did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for mine own use only It makes men like those envious Athenians who sacrificed for none but themselves and their neighbors of Chios Contrariwise true Christian love wisheth well to Community Quoted by Mr. Burroughs His heart divis I would to God said Mr. Dod I were the worst Minister in England Not wishing himself worse but others better Much like that of Paul Act. 26.29 Self must be shouldred out all private interests let fall and all self-respects drowned in the glory of God and the publick good or else we want that pious ingenuity that becometh Saints It is said of Cato Lucan that he did Toti genitum se credere mundo And Timothy was of a choise and excellent spirit that naturally cared for the Churches welfare Phil. 2.20 Men shall be lovers of their own selves 2 Tim. 3.2 For all
Quia exercitiis stultitiae delectatur Pro. 10.23 5. Quia stultitiam suam spargere aliis communicare amat Pro. 12.23.13.16 6. Quia contemnit opponit sese mediis instructionis Pro. 15.5 7. Mediis illis quae maximè faciunt ad sapientiam abutitur Pro. 26.9 8. Omnes suas facultates applicat ad nequitiam exercendam manifestandam Pro. 6.12.13.14 Thus Sin and Folly are more than like one another for they are the same He is a fool who hath not wisdom to direct himself but he is the fool who will not follow the counsel and direction of the wise He is a fool that hath no knowledge and he is a fool who makes no use of the knowledge which he hath A fool is not able to judge of the nature of things and therefore he is angry with every thing that hits not his nature or his humour Hence Solomon Eccl. 7.9 Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosom of fools They that are emptiest of understanding are fullest of will and usually so full that we call them wilful And surely those men are more foolish than others inasmuch as they think themselves wiser than all Stustorum plena sunt omnia Wisdom like the Rayl flyes alone but foolishness Partridge-like by covies Mr. Adams There is the 1. Sad fool 2. Glad fool 3. Haughty fool 4. Naughty fool The sad fool that 's the envious man an enemy to all Gods favours if they fall from him he dies languishing The glad foll or rather mad fooll the dissolute man ready with a jest to put goodnesse out of fashion he dies laughing The haughty fool the ambitious man ever climbing towers though he never looks how to get down he forsakes peace at home to seek war abroad The naughty fool the coveteous man the very fool of all losing his friend time body soul and yet having no pleasure for it Jer. 17.11 He wasts him self to preserve his meanes Christ calls him fool which might best do it Luk. 12.20 As for the Atheistical fool he is that meer animal that hath no more than a reasonable soul and for little other purpose than as salt to keep his body from putrefying When an heire is impleaded for an Ideot the Judge commands an apple or a counter with a peece of gold to be set before him to try which he will take if he takes the apple or the counter and leaves the gold he is then cast for a fool and unable to mannage his estate for he knows not the value of things or how to make a true election Wicked men are thus foolish and more for when which is infinitely more sottish Heaven and hell life and death are set before them they chuse hell rather than heaven and death rather than life They take the mean transitory trifling things of the world before the favour of God Pardon of sin a part in Jesus Christ and an inheritance among the Saints in light Fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 Shame shall be the promotion of fools Cap. 3.35 Sèe then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wìse Eph. 5.15 Sincerity It is the bottome grace especially commending us to God It is conceived not to be so properly a distinct grace as the perfection of every grace It s the filling up of all our duties without this they are as empty sounds A sincere man is like a Chrystal-Glass with a light in the midst which appeareth through every part thereof so as that truth within breaketh out in every parcel of his life There is in his obedience to God 1. An universality 2. Uniformity 3 Ubiquity He hath respect unto all Gods Commandments so far as he knows them without prejudice or partiality and is the same at home as abroad in the closet as in the Congregation His faith is unfained his love cordial his wisdom undissembled his repentance a renting of the heart he truly aims at pleasing God and not at by-respects Christ is said to be girt about the paps with a golden girdle Rev. 1.13 So the Angels are brought in girded there Cap. 15.6 to signifie the best estate of their Pastours coming nearest then in sincerity to Christ In the first age of the Church they wore their girdle about their middle but the more spiritual they became their girdle went the more upward To this the Apostle may seem to allude Eph. 6.14 And truely here as one saith well if ever unbelt unblest he is a loose man that wants this girdle of sincerity There is a devilish proverb passeth amongst men That plain dealing is a Jewel but he that useth it shall die a beggar But the contrary may be asserted that it is both a means formally enabling to outward happinesse and also a special qualification that hath in a peculiar manner the promises annexed to it Pro. 14.11 Cap. 11.3.2 Chro. 16.9 And whereas it may be said that it often falls out that uprightness is oppressed This is easily answered if we consider 1. That many of the outward calamities that befal godly persons are not simply evils as the world judgeth but rather markes of special honour God puts upon them Jobs body was full of ulcers but his heart was pure and those tribulations he grapled with were onely probatory to trie his strength to draw out his graces and increase his glory 2. We must not limit God to every moment of time when he will honour and cleer his people The world at first was a confused Chaos but at the end of six dayes it was a curious work So God hath his time and we should not desire God should break off his work before he hath made an end of it Jam. 5.11 And David calls upon us to mark the upright man Psal 33.37 The beginning may be trouble but the end is peace Qualis Majorisreatus minoris infamia es tali◠appare For secret sins 1. They are as visible to God as the most open 2. As damnable to the soul 3. And what they want in number they have in nature and frequently in delight Encouragements to sincerity 1. It s the onely perfection we attain here Deut. 30.6 2. It makes us acceptable to God Eph. 6. ult 3. Where it is God passeth by many infirmities 2 Chro. 30.19 4. It is the best policy Psal 101.1 Pro. 11.3 5. It brings wonderful comfort and support under all afflictions and temptations 2 King 20.3 2 Cor. 1.12 That sincerity is most opposed by Satan is plain Job 2.3 As if the Holy Ghost would intimate this unto us that Satan pulled more at that than at his estate Satan did not care at all to pull Jobs Oxen c. from him but to pull his grace and sincerity from him As this gotten and improved is the joy of Angels so could it be stoln away or destroyed it would be the joy of Devils Sinceritas quasi sine carâ pure honey without the wax
thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Meekness Since the fall graces are best known by their contraries Meekness excludeth 1. Wrathful fierceness 2. Proud stubbornness 3. Contentious wrangling It includeth 1. Humility 2. Tractableness of spirit Or an ingenuous not culpable facility Such a one was Moses Numb 12.3 So free from passions if Josephus may be beleeved that he knew no such thing in his own soul he onely knew the names of such things and saw them in others rather than in himself Diogenes the Emperour taken by the Turks being brought before the Sultan Turk Hist fol. 10. and humbling himself in such sort as best beseemed his heavy fortune The Sultan presently took him up and thus cheerfully spoke unto him Grieve not noble Emperour Vt generosi nobiles equi meliùs facili fâ—aenu reguntur sic natura hominum c. said he at thy mishap for such is the chance of war over whelming sometimes one sometimes another neither fear thou any harm for I will use thee not as a Prisoner but as an Emperour Fierce ruffianly spirits do not become christianity no more than the wolves would the lambs bosome It was not the shape of a bird of Prey in which the Spirit appeared but a Dove Felle columba caret rostro non cadit ungues possidet innocuos Meeknesse is the best Christian temper The world counteth it an effeminate softnesse God counteth it an ornament A Christians words and carriage should be like the waters of Siloe at the foot of Zion that ran softly Quid pulchrius est quà m vivere optantibus cunctis Senec. The more true wisdom the more meek Men that are but morally wise we see are so much more the heavenly wise are lesse angry and more humble Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Mat. 5.5 Perversness There is Perversitas 1. Verbis 2. Factis Against both which that is an excellent prayer of Zuinglius viz. Deum Opt. Max. Precor ut vias nostras dirigat ac sicubi simus Bileami in morem veritati pertinaciter obluctaturi angelum suum opponat Epist lib. tertiâ— qui machaerae suae minis hunc asinum inscitiam audaciam dico nostram sic ad maceriem affligat ut fractum pedem hoc est impurum illicitumque carnis sensum auferamus ne ultra blasphememus nomen Domini Dei nostri A man shall be commended according to his wisdom Prov. 12.8 but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised Goodness Referred to man it is that unperfect agreement of all our faculties and powers with Gods will or integrity of heart and manners As also that quality whereby men become beneficial and helpful to others after Gods example This is created goodnesse Those who have hearts full of goodness and lives full of good works shall not misse of a full reward Abbat de mendâ—â—â—o Vbi benè est vestigia premito ubi malè cautus aversare I my self am perswaded of you Rom. 15.14 my brethren that ye also are full of goodness Ever follow that which is good 1 Thes 5.15 both among your selves and to all men Wickedness There are some who are called civil honest men and many conceit that these are good men and not a few that these are in a middle state between good and evil but the truth is there is nothing between a godly and wicked man no medium of participation between these extreames Good and evil in a remiss degree may mingle in the same subject but no mans person is in a middle state between good and evil Scripture sets all men in two orders to shew this division runs through the whole world Eccl. 2.9 He is to be numbred among the wicked 1. In whom sin reigneth He yielding ready and free obedience to it as to his natural Lord. 2. He that is a customary sinner or driveth a trade in sin Instead of pleading against sin which a godly man doth pleading for it And instead of making prepuration to resist the lusts of the flesh making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof 3. A wicked man preserves in himself a purpose to sin whiles he seems to pray and protest against it as Aug. before his conversion He may put up prayers against sin but he puts up no desires against it As sinful custome is the rode of his life so sinful purposes are the rode of his heart Isa 56.12 Ezek. 11.21 4. Wickednesse carries fulnesse of consent in sin Olim haec meminisse juvabit A wicked man may have many checks at sin and some motions to good from his conscience but he hath none from his will so that as he is taken captive at Satans will 2 Tim. 2.26 So also at his own will The Devil takes him captive when he pleaseth and he is pleased to be taken captive by the Devil 5. Where there is wickednesse in sinning there is delight in sin Pure delight in sin is impurest wickednesse To delight in sin as sin is inconsistent with any degree of grace There is both industry and also Art in wickednesse some are curious and exact in shaping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 polishing and setting off their sin So the Holy Ghost intimates Rev. 21.27 To work an abomination or a lye is more than to do an abomination or to tell a lye It notes a person not onely industrious but also crafty Or as the Prophet speakes wise to do evil Jer. 4.22 So that wickednesse denotes not ordinary but great sin for though every wicked man be a sinner yet every sinner is not properly a wicked man It 's a fearful signe of a man given over by God to be forward eager craftily and coveteously sinful so was Judas who having left the Lord the Lord left him And if the Lord once leave us fire shall sooner cease to flie upward than we shall cease to pursue sin with greedinesse and in this pursuit shall be as little able to stay our selves as a man running down a steep hill that cannot recover himself till he come at the bottome It was given in answer to a godly man who desired to know of God why Phocas was set up for the Emperour because there could not be a worse man found and that the sins of Christians required it Lipsius maketh mention of one Tubulus about Tullies time who was so desperately wicked Hest 7.6 Pessimus isle Vt ejus nomen non hominis sed vitii esse videretur That his name seemed to be not the name of a man but of wickednesse it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a one was Haman a very breathing Devil Bipedum nequissimus as wicked a man as went on two legges a Merum scaelus a man made up of mischief Young serpents may be more dangerous than old ones because not so much feared So many little evils be Senec. If onely one be sick
Vsurer neither shalt thou lay upon him Vsury You exact Vsury every one of his brother I pray you let us leave off this Vsury Restitution It is necessary to the remission of sin Things stollen must be restored and fraud is no better than theft Restituere est aliquem iteratò in possessionenâ— dominium rei substituere Aquin. Restitution is a constitution of a man in the right possession of the thing again The wrongs whereof restitution is to be made are bona 1. Animi 2. Corporis 3. Famae 4. Fortunae The goods of the Mind if we have been the means of the distraction of any The goods of the Body Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum Ep. 54. if we have wounded any The goods of Fame if we have defamed any And the goods of Fortune as we call them If we have wronged any this way let us be careful to make restitution Sin is not remitted saith Aug. unless the thing taken away be restored De quà nto how much is to be restored we will not curiously dispute At the least simplum the same thing if it be possible If not yet something equivalent thereunto and according to the quantity of the wrong If the party have susteined much wrong by a long detention of it then duplum or triplum as the Schoolmen speak Zacheus offers a fourfold restitution The person to whom restitution is to be made Et ubi non est bares ecclesia baeres De vit Const lib. God hates Holocaustum ex rapinâ Isa 61.8 Mal. 1.13 is the party himself if he be alive or else his heirs And where there is none saith Eusebius the Church is heir Sultan Selymus told his Counsellor Pyrrhus who perswaded him to bestow the great wealth he had taken from the persian Merchants upon some notable Hospital for relief of the poor That it ought rather to be restored to the right owners which at his command was done accordingly Mr. Burroughs in his Commentary on Hosea saith I my self know one man that had wronged another but of five shillings and fifty years after could not be quiet till he had restored it Father Latimer saith He that makes no restitution of goods deteined shall cough in hell and the Devils shall laugh at him And he further saith that preaching upon this subject divers were so wrought upon that they presently came in and made restitution of goods unjustly gotten considerable summs Amongst whom Mr. Bradford was struck in the heart for one dash of a pen which he had made without the knowledge of his Master and could never be quiet till by Latimer's advice restitution was made for which he did willingly forgo all the private and certain patrimony which he had on earth If our Conscience tells us we have wronged any let us make satisfaction for the wrong 1. It is Gods precept Ezek. 33.15 2. They are worse than Judas that restore not Mat. 27.3 3. The thing remaining will ruinate thee and thy house too as Naboth's Vineyard did Ahab Whâ—se oxe have I taken 1 Sam. 12.3 Luk. 19.8 and I will restore it If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold If he hath wronged thee Philem. 1â— or oweth thee ought put that on mine account I will repay it Piety It is a kind of heavenly impression or propension in the heart and soul of a man which inclines and is apt to carry it in all the motions and tendencies of it upon God or towards God that is to cause it to remember God and his glory in all the actings and workings thereof and to raise frame and order these in a regular and due proportion thereunto 1. God commands it in this sense 1 Cor. 10.31 To do a thing to Gods glory requires 1. That the deed be such for the nature and kind as is apt to yield matter or opportunity to men to glorifie God 2. That such actions be qualified with dueness of circumstance in time and place 3. That a man consult with the glory of God and steadily inform himself what that would have done for its exaltation 4. That the heart or soul in or before the doing of it make a secret deed of consecration or dedication of it to this end 2. It is prest by great and precious promises 1 Tim. 4.8 With what an high hand is it lifted up by the most high when as he layes down both heaven and earth at the feet of it 3. By threatnings Psal 14.5 6. 1 Pet. 4.18 2 Pet. 1.6.3.7 All these arrows are levell'd at the face of ungodliness 4. It 's very powerful Many have a form but few the true power of godliness Heathens themselves shewed a veneration of their Gods by imitating them To profess Christ in words and decline him in practice is no less than to disclaim him and pronounce him a Cheat. 1 Joh. 2.6 The goodness of Gold is not only tried by ringing but also by the touchstone So the trial of Godliness and Faith is to be made not of words only but by action and performance of deeds Ea est enim vera pietas quae proponit divina humanis perpetua temporalibus Exeat Aulâ qui vult esse pius is too often verified Follow after Godliness 1 Tim. 6.11 Verse 6.1 Tim. 4.8 For Godliness with contentment is great gain Yea Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Impiety Turn a Child loose into an Apothecaries shop or an Idiot and that Gally-pot which looks fairest shall have his first hand though full of poysonous drugs whereas the judicious would choose the wholsomest being led not by sense but by skill So the Impious is taken with the specious shew of sinful pleasures at least he supposeth that Gain is godliness but the truly wise know the danger being fully assured that Godliness with contentment is great gaâ—n Antiochus intemerantià vitiorum ita fascinatus ut Judaeos cogere caepit Ioseph de bello Iud. ut abrogato more patrio nec infantes suos circumciderent porcósque super aram immolarent quibus omnes quidem adversabantur optimus vero quisquis propterea trucidabatur The wrath of God is revealed from heaven Rom. 1.18 â— against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Sanctity It is an honorable impression property or quality in the rational nature or being which disposeth the subject to an absolute and utter separation and abhorrency in affection from whatsoever is sinful or such And such wayes and actions which proceed from such a principle as this may be called holy Some do difference it from Godliness thus Holiness is as before described but Godliness is a disposition which inclines the person in whose soul it taketh place to act for God and to make the advancement of his glory the supreme end of their wayes and actions Holiness may be compared
suffered for me We are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Luk. 17.10 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants Rom. 3.20 We have done that which was our duty to do Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight The Church true and false Ecclesia WHen the Original world was overwhelmed with waters Ecclesia Coetus est hominum è turbâ reliquorum mortatium â—vocatus advitam aeternam none were saved but such as were in the Ark when Sodom was burnt with sire none were saved but those of the family of Lot when Jericho was destroyed none were preserved but those which were in the family of Rahab These are figures shadowing to us that when the Lord comes to cut down the wicked to cast them for ever into the wine-presse of his wrath Salvation shall belong to the houshold of faith even that family whereof God in Christ Jesus is the Father Ecclesia 1. Invisibilis 2. Visibilis But when we say Extra Ecclesiam non est salus it is not ment of a visible but of the invisible or universal Church which is the whole company of the elect in heaven in earth and not yet born for the visible Church or particular Congregations it may be said there are many Wolves within and Sheep without Therefore it is not satisfactory to us to be gathered out of the general masse of mankind into the fellowship of the Church visible but we must examine how we are in the Lords floor whether as Chaffe or Corne for a day of winnowing will assuredly come wherein the Lord shall gather his good Corne into his Garner and the cast Chaffe into unquenchable fire Many would deal with the Church as Amnon with his sister Tamar first ravish her then defile her and then turn her out of doors The Church of God in this world is like a man of war at sea whose Master is Christ whose Mast his Crosse whose Sails his Sanctimony whose tackle patience and perseverance whose cast-peeces the Prophets Apostles Preachers Premuntur justi ut pressi clament clamentes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum Quint. Curâ— 1.8 whose Mariners the Angels whose Fraught is the souls of just men whose Rudder is Charity whose Anchor is hope whose Flag in the top of her is Faith and the word written in it is this Premimur non opprimimur we are cast down but we perish not 2 Cor. 4.8 The Church Militant is sometime fluctuant as the Ark of Noah sometime movable as the Ark in the Wildernesse sometime at rest as the Ark in the Temple In persecution in removes in peace What is the colour of the Church saith one but black her armes but the Crosse her song but the note the oppressed servant in Aristophanes sung I suffer affliction For the world is a Sea a threshing-floore a Presse a Furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church the Ship the Wheat the Grape the Gold and afflictions the winds the waves the flaile the fire O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted Isa 54.11 Yet Built upon the rock that the gates of Hell shall not prevail aaginst Mat. 16.18 And Glorious things are spoken of thee dicta praedicta O City of God Psal 87.3 Saints The word signifies a thing or person separated or set a part from common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dedicated to a special especially a holy use Holinesse in the general nature of it is nothing else but a seperation from common and dedication to a divine service such are the Saints persons separated from the world and set apart unto God The Church in general which is a company of Saints is taken out of and severed from the world The Church is a fountain sealed and a Garden inclosed so also every particular Saint is a person severed and inclosed from the common throng and multitude of the world 2 Cor. 6.17 Or thus A Saint is an holy one or a person called to holinesse having the perfect holinesse of Christ put upon him by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holinesse poured into his heart by the spirit of sanctification Unless even ancient professors saith a Divine look very well to themselves they may take a great deal of pâ—ins and when all comâ— to all after all their praying fasting hearing c. they may be found to be nothing in the world but men that walk after the flesh that is according to the refined and well educated Principles of old Adam Men may be Ishmaels brought up in Isaach's family and yet be built upon Mount Sinai when all is done Now the way that God judgeth of all men is as they are the Children either of the old or of the new Adam and not as men do according to such a proportion of strictness in their lives for the Pharisees went beyond many weak Professours in common righteousness Saints therefore are not to be judged according to some kind of holinesse they may come up to but according to the Principles they walk by either as they walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit And thus Paul distinguisheth Saints and others 2 Cor. 5.16 Saints are called Eagles for their 1. Delight in high flying 2. Sharp-sightednes and stedfast looking into the sun of righttousness 3. Singular sagacity in smelling out Christ and resenting things above 4. Feeding upon the bloody sacrifice of Christ Mat. 24.28 Saints must walk in a divers way to a world of wicked people as Noah did really reproving their darkness by his light Solus ipse diversâ ambulavit viâ Chrys their pride by his lowliness their vain-glory by his modesty their ostentation by his secret devotion Not onely Planet-like keeping a constant counter-motion to the corrupt manners of the most but also shining forth fair with a singularity of heavenly light spiritual goodness and Gods sincere service in the darkest mid-night of damned impiety True Saints of God are earthly Angels So Chrysostom calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem And Dr. Taylor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angel of God John Bradford Aâ—â— Mon. Saints may be called Heaven and that in a double respect 1. Because God is said to dwell in the Saints they are his habitation And wheresoever God dwells he makes a Heaven 2. Because the Saints not onely those of Heaven but they on earth have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 So that as carnal and earthly minded men are called earth because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth so spiritual and heavenly-minded men may be called Heaven because their hearts and conversations are fixed in heaven Thus Saints are glorious wonderful magnificent Princes in all lands of an excellent spirit more excellent than their neighbours A Crown of glory a
act of the practical understanding whereby it reflects and stayes upon its own intentions and comparing them with the rule it proceeds to lay a command upon the will and affections to put them in execution Without this though a man had all possible knowledge lockt up in his brain and breast it would be but like fire in a flint-stone insensible and unprofitable till beaten out by sound consideration But when consideration hath soundly inlightned a mans mind informed his judgment and determined his will according to rule then it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and practices Solomon got much of his wisedome by this means as appeareth by his Ecclesiastes which some have not unfitly called Solomons Soliloquy Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4.4 Study A wise mans tongue runs not before his wit but he weighs his words before he utters them He dippeth his words in his mind as Plutarch saith Phocian did ere men see what colour they are of Such a one was Melanchton who when some hard question was propounded to him would take three dayes deliberation to answer it In some that is verefied Studium partium maxima parâ— studiorum Above all let us study to go to Heaven 1. We have a place to study in enter often into the closet of our own hearts examine whether we be in regia via or not that leadeth to heaven 2. We have a book to study on the book of books the sacred book of holy Scriptures 3. We have a light to study by Gods Spirit who must enlighten our eyes that we may see the wonders of Gods lawes 4. And we have a time to study in from infancy to old age from the cradle to the grave the terme of our life so far as is possible In which study we must use all diligence 2 Pet. 1.10 Aquinas at Lewis the French Kings table was so deep in his study when others were chatting that he forgate himself and smiting upon the table said Jam contra Minichaeos conclusum est When Rainolds friends desired him he would not perdere substantiam propter accidentia his answer was Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causas One calls Scaliger Portentosi ingenii juvenem of a stupendious wit And it is said of Willet that when he preached in Cambridge he shewed himself to be the man Quem rus non infuscavit Study to shew thy self approved unto God 2 Tim. 2.15 Read Pro. 15.28 Eccl. 12.12 Heb. 4.11 c. Soliloquy A wise man can never want with whom to discourse though he be alone It s good to have our eyes in our head with Solomons wise man yea to have our eyes like the windowes in Solomons Temple broad inward But mens minds are naturally as ill set as their eyes they turn neither of them inward Lamiae-like they are sharp-sighted abroad to discern other mens faults but mole-like blind at home to take notice of their own Corrupt nature shews no sin Men deal with their souls as some do with their bodies who when their beauty is decayed they desire to hide it from themselves by false glasses and from others by painting So their sins from themselves by false-glasses and from others by excuses A good mans businesse lyeth much within doors and he taketh the fittest time for the better dispatch of it when he is in secret putting his hand into his bosom and recoiling upon his own heart by self-reflection But as it is a signe that there are great distempers in that family where husband and wife go divers days together and speak not the one to the other So in that soul that flieth from it self and can go long without self-examination Fanne your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea fanne your selves Zeph. 2.1 So Tremel Excutite vos iterumque excutite Read 2 Cor. 13.5 Lam. 3.4 Psal 4.4 Psal 77.6 Confession There is no way to purge the sick soul but upwards Confessio peccati ost vomitus sordium animae But to shew how unwilling men are to confess their sins they are apt saith one to decline sin through every case as In Nominativo per superbiam striving to get them a name In Genitivo per luxuriam In Dativo per symoniam In Accusativo per detractationem In Vocativo per adulationem And in Ablativo per rapinam But yet they will not confesse so much in any case Per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei. Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit Man no sooner confesseth the debt but God crosseth the book Certainly Bellarmine with reverence to his learning missed the cusheon wretchedly when he could not find in all the book of God any Promise made to confession of sin to God If we confesse our sins 1 John 1 9. God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Read 2 Sam. 12.13 Prov. 28.13 Psal 32.5 Contrition The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Great comfort to a soul that is at the next door to despair This comforted Bernard on his death-bed he died with this sentence in his mouth And Austin caused it to be written on the wall over against the bed where he lay sick and died Happy when a man with those converts Act. 2. is so pricked and pierced that he feels the nails wherewith he hath crucified Christ sticking fast in his own heart as so many sharp daggers or stings of Scorpions But it is the Spirit that convinceth of sin These waters flow not till his wind bloweth Neither can a sigh for sin be breathed out untill he imbreath it into us the eye is the instrument both of sight and sorrow What the eye never sees the heart neveâ— ruâ—s Sight of sinne must precede sorrow for sin Let us therefore get our eyes anointed with this eye-salve I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Zech. 12.10 the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first-born Teares All tears are not pleasing to God There be 1. Lachrymae rancoris indignationis such were the tears of Esau he wept more upon stomack being vexed in his mind that he should be thus defrauded by his brother than for any grief for sin More for the loss than the fault 2. Lachrymae Simulationis such are Crocodiles tears Vt flâ—rent oculos erudiere suos Ovid. and as they say some womens tears that have them at command 3. Lachrymae compunctionis being pricked with sorrow for sin These be good tears which the Angels in heaven rejoyce at Some report of Mary Magdalen that after our Saviours resurrection Adeò ut lachrymae cutem genarum exederint she
the two Altars in Solomons Temple in the outer Court whereof beasts were sacrificed in the inner Court an Altar of Incense The first representing mortification or slaying of our beastly appetites The second the offering up our prayers Without our spirits be mortified we neither can love to pray nor God love to hear us It was Bishop Hoopers speech before a Christian can be brought to perfection Sic mihi res eadem vulnus opemque feret Ovid. he must first be brought to nothing Unmortified men and women are no creatures fit for God Origen through a grosse mistake made himself an Eunuch Demosthenes put out his own eyes Crates cast his money into the Sea And Thracius cut down his own vines Peccata sepae raduntur sed non eradicantur Sin hath a strong heart and is not easily brought down It is the hardest task in all Christianity yet must be none or we are undone Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication c. Colos 3.5 Solitude A solitary condition is a sad condition a sorrowful condition Indeed there is a solitarinesse which is the sweetest part of our lives when we retire awhile from the world from the throng of men and businesse that we may be more intimate with Christ and take our fill in communion with him This is to go alone that we may meet with God in heaven upon earth But to be so left alone that we cannot meet with men is one of the greatest afflictions upon the earth Such solitary times are sad times There is an elective alonenesse or retirednesse at sometimes very useful for contemplation and prayer and thus we are never lesse alone than when we are alone for then God is more specially with us and we with him It is said Gen. 32.24 Jacob was left alone that is he stayed alone purposely that he might have freer communion with God in that recesse and retirement from the creature So the Church gets her into the clefts of the roks Cant. 2.14 Sed quid prodest solitudo corporis si non sit solitudo cerdis Greg. Isaac into the fields Daniel to the rivers side Christ into the Mount Peter up to the leads or house top that they might pour out their prayers and solace themselves with God in secret Thus it is good for man to be alone from the company of man that he may enjoy more fully the presence of God It 's a desirable solitarinesse to talk with God and with our selves Yet solitarinesse is to be well and carefully managed for Satan is readiest to assault when none is by to assist Neither is there a greater tye to constancy than the society of the Saints This the Heathen Persecutors perceived and therefore banished and confined the confessors to Isles and Mines where they could not come together for mutual edification Communion of Saints is to be accounted a point of practice as well as an Article of belief All solitarinesse therefore is not to be affected because it is the hour of temptation I watch Psal 102.7 and am as a Sparrow alone upon the house top Society God is for society he is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints Psal 89.7 Christ sent out his Disciples by two and two Mark 6.7 He himself came from heaven to converse with us therefore we may not like Stoicks stye up our selves A mild affablenesse and amicable conversation is to be preferred before a stern froward austerity or wild retirednesse Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Philosopher a sociable creature or Natures good-fellow Aâ—ist Polit. 1. He that loves to be alone is either a beast or a God Yea one subordinate end of mans creation is that man might live with man in holy society and communion Let two cold flints be smitten together and fire will come forth so let two dul Christians conferre and communicate their soul-secrets and they shall find the benefit of it We see saith a late writer that God will have the sweetest works in nature to be performed with natural help Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades Saith God to Job Chap. 38.21 These Pleiades be the seven starres that have all one name because they all help one another in their work which is to bring on the spring and like seven sisters so are they joined together in one constellation and in one company Now the best time of the year the sweetest warmth cometh with those Pleiades And the best time of our life cometh when we keep together in true love and fellowship Optimum solatium sodalitium There is great comfort in good company Quid sit vera amicitia nondum novit qui vult alium esse mercedem quam ipsam saith Austin Lib de Amicitia What true friendship is he doth not as yet know who desireth any other reward than it self No sooner had the Philippians received the Gospel but they were in fellowship to a day Cap. 1.5 Noscitur ex socio qui non dignoscitur exse As sincerity is the life of Religion so is society the life of sincerity Besides Vis unita fortior Jonathan will not go without his Armer-bearer Christ when to begin his passion in the garden took Peter James and John with him for the benifit of their prayers and company though they served him but sorrily Christs Dove is but one Jerusalem is a City compact together The Church is terrible as an Army with banners the gates of hell cannot prevail against her Unity hath victory but division breeds dissolution Quanto plures boni in amicitia constituti sunt tanto status corum melioratur The more they are that unite so they be good the better it is with them We lose much of our strength in the losse of friends our Cable is as it were untwisted Hence David so much bemoans the losse of Jonathan and Paul counts it a special mercy to him that Epaphroditus recovered 2 Sam. 1. Phil. 1.27 I conclude then It s not so much perfection to live immur'd in a cell as to converse with the world and yet live abstracted from it and dead to it for so did Christ Two are better than one Eccl. 4.9 Way Domine sequemur te per te ad te te quia veritas per te quia via ad te quia vita saith Bernard Christ hath paved us a new and living way to God with his own meritorious blood Heb. 10.20 And his flesh stands as a skreen betwixt us and those everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 There are the wayes of Gods 1. Counsel and Decrees past finding out Rom. 11.33 2. Providence and outward administration Psal 145.17 Psal 77.19 3. Commandments or rules of life of two sorts Ways of 1. Worship 1. Practice Furthermore the way of a man in his walking with God is twofold 1. Internal there is a secret path which the soul treads in converse with God which no eye
ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus How healing then are his salves whose very sores are a salve For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Job 5.18 Sickness Health in it self is an invaluable jewel We know not how to prize it Carendo magit quà m fruâ—nde but when we want it 1. When a man is sick he can do nothing so well as in his health we cannot pray so well pain draws us away we cannot read so well follow the works of our calling so conveniently attend upon the means of grace visit our friends c. 2. Sin pulls sickness upon us because all have sinned all are sick at one time or other in some measure or other Behold he whom thou lovest is sick Joh. 11. 3. A sick man is a Prisoner confined to his bed or house a man in health is at liberty to go where he will yet in the Lord. 4. What is wealth without health Nec domus aut fundus Horas non aris acervus auri Aegroto Domini deducunt corpore fabres Though thou hast the riches of Craesus yet they could not rid thee of an Ague So displeasing is sickness so pleasing is health Bernard tells us of a brother of his that when he gave him many good instructions and he being a souldier minded them not he put his finger to his sides and said One day a spear shall make way to this heart of thine for instructions and admonitions to enter Read Job 33.16 19. Psal 107.17 18. Mic. 6.13 A promise contrary to those threatnings is that And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein Isa 33.24 shall be forgiven their iniquity Imbecillity This is imbecillity in a man either 1. To assume too much on himself without his own merit 2. Or to presume too much on Gods mercy Sorry man is like Simon Magus the Sorcerer counting himself for some great man As Martin Luther said All of us have a Pope bred in us an opinion of our own works albeit there be in us no real vertue nor true substance yet Narcissus-like we are enamoured with our own shadows and this is the Serpents head the beginning of evil Wherefore we must labour every day to dig this huge Mountain down we must descend that we may ascend as we fell by ascending so we must be raised by descending Vide te magnum miraculum saith Austin Lo here a great miracle God is on high and yet the higher thou liftest up thy self the farther thou art from him The lower thou humblest thy self the nearer he draweth to thee Low things he looketh close upon that he may raise them proud things he knoweth afar off that he may depress them The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood aloof off yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican Whosoever shall exalt himself Mat. 23.12 shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted Infirmity The best of Saints have their infirmities They are of two sorts Viz. 1. Natural 2. Sinful We must so distinguish for when Christ took our nature into the unity of his person with it he took upon him all our infirmities but not our sinful ones For he was like man in all things but sin Sins of infirmity Noe fuit aliquando ebrius qumvis absit ut fucrit abriosus Aug. are usually 1. Sins of incogitancy Mat. 26.35 2. They have commonly for their ground some strong passion in nature as fear shame disgrace 3. The consent is not without some reluctation 4. They end in mourning Psal 6.6 Mat. 26.27 5. They are no sins of custom if gross sins seldom or never iterated James sir-named the just affirmeth both of himself and other sanctified persons Triste mortalita is Privilegium In many things we offend all This is the sad priviledge of mankind as one phraseth it to have leave to offend sometime And it is the honour of God alone to be perfect It is wittily and well observed that Nicodemus who came to our Saviour by night was a Disciple though a dastard infirmities if disclaimed discard us not Vzziah ceased not to be a King when he began to be a leper Christ did not abhor the presence of Jehoshuah the High-Priest though ill-clothed but he stood before the Angel The Church calleth her self black but Christ calls her fair And under the Law in peace-offerings they might offer leavened bread to shew that God will bear with his peoples infirmities Calvin saith of Luther that as he excelled with great vertues so he was not without his great sailings Arque utinam recognoscendis suis vitiis plus operae dedisset Ep. Bulling And I would saith he that he had spent less time in declaiming against others and more in Recognizing his own faults Hence in our carriage towards the Saints we should avoid two extreams 1. The one is we must not have such high thoughts of them as above infirmities We may over-act this way as they of Lystra did in overestimating Paul and Barnabas when they said The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men We may have no mans person in admiration though in a due estimation 2. And the other is neither must we traduce them as hypocrites because of infirmities but afford them their grains of allowance If we will have Saints made perfect we must seek them in heaven not on earth An accomplished man and well accoutred yet in wrestling may be overcome so as to take a fall because upon slippery ground Or a strong City with a treacherous party in it may soon be surprized Even so is it with the best while we have flesh as well as spirit And I said This is my infirmity Psal 77.10 Contingency Casus est inopinatae rei eventus Arist. Imperitia casum fecit Therefore it is good judiciously to ponder things past Hierom. prudently to order things present and providently to foresee and prevent dangers like to ensue The wise mans eyes are in his head Eccl. 2.14 Will of God Operienda cum patientiâ divina voluntas The Will of God is twofold 1. Secret 2. Revealed His revealed Will is fourfold 1. Determining Eph. 1.5 2. Prescribing Eph. 1.9 3. Approving Mat. 18.14 4. Disposing or the Will of his Providence 1 Cor. 1.1 Rom. 1.10 Now we should resign our selves over to his determining Will as the highest cause of all things Rest in his approving Will as our chiefest happiness Obey his prescribing Will as the absolutest and perfectest form of holiness And be subject to his disposing Will being patient in all trials and troubles because he did it Psal 39.9 There is no bound to the power of God but only his own Will Psal 115.3 He will not indure to have any Articles
8.36 For Christ hath freed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed And liberty from the bondage of sin Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin saith our Saviour Joh. 8.34 But he that hath the peace of a good conscience is not in subjection to the dominion of sin but is servant to righteousness having obtained the liberty proper to the sons of God to which he is called Liberty from the burden of humane traditions and superstitious inventions of men either crept into the Church through the subtilty of Satan or neglect of the Pastors or impiously imposed by the Antichristian Hierarchy under the shew of piety and Religion 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Liberty from the fear of Tyrants in matters concerning the solemn worship of God or fear of danger in matters indifferent The conscience of a man rightly informed and guided by discretion is apt to undertake all that may make for Gods glory the Churches good and his own salvation Fear not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom The last effect of this peace is Joy and it is called Joy unspeakable in the Holy Ghost such an excess of joy as we want utterance to express it A good conscience that is a pacified conscience saith Solomon is a continual feast it frollicks and merries the heart in the very prease of adversity it encourages a man to alacrity of spirit and a certain hope of victory and it admits no bitter invective to be cast out against us to deject us nor produceth any clamorous accusation to ruine us Amâ—s but being calm and quiet excusat absolvit consolatur saith Amesius it pleads our excuse it frees us from condemnation it brings in an ebullition or a springtide-like overflow of all soveraign comforts Balaam did wish that he might die the death of the righteous I for my part wish to live the life of the righteous None under heaven can live a more truly jocund life or at greater hearts ease than he that hath an upright conscience towards God and towards man His soul in the midst of tribulation is full ballasted with rejoicing which the world cannot take away Hab. 3.18 It was Habbakkuk's resolution that notwithstanding all misery he would rejoice in the Lord he would joy in the God of his salvation But is it so with the wicked can they participate of saving consolation It cannot be Yet my charity forceth this good wish for them I would they did for then would they bid adieu to all sinful courses which in the end prove dismal I am sure I have seen the wicked rejoice in their wickedness yet that rejoicing as it is like crackling of thorns under a pot of short continuance so it is never hearty And wot you why surely because their conscience can never be at rest There is no peace Isa 57.21 saith my God unto the wicked For their consciences tell them that the Lord hath a quarrel unto them for their sins they see their condemnation printed in their soul as it were with red letters in an Almanack How can it be otherwise Where there is no zealous reluctation to evil but a constant gliding into mischief and study to transgress when sinners confident in the imagination of their giddy heads like Tumblers that stand upon their heads kick against Heaven what expectation of peace or joy or what hope of Divine solace can they have On the contrary They that war against the flesh and will not admit any composition th Satan they that spend themselves to please God and to be in league with heaven It cannot be but being that all your aims bend at peace Isa 57.2 you shall end in peace and rest in joy and glory everlasting Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever There remains yet two other kinds of peace to be treated of peace with one another and with the creatures Sin the cause of all confusion hath so distempered the whole fabrick of man and bred such malignant humors in our nature that unlesse the God of order take us in hand we are apt upon the least occasion to lay violent hands one upon another or else by secret contrivances to work one anothers downfal If unbridled passions once get but an head in man nothing unlesse Gods restringent grace stop him shall hold him from breaking out into outragious disorders Wherefore to cure this malady this running sore it seemed good to the God of peace to send his beloved Son the Prince of peace into the world Part of whose function was not to put men together by the eares Sacrosancta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nobis committitur non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to combine their hearts together by a loving union He came and preached peace to you that were afar off and to them that were nigh My peace saith Christ I give unto you And this is my commandment saith love it self that ye love one another Ephes 2.17 John 14.27 cap. 15.12 17. History reports that the Temple of Janus in Rome Paynim at the time of Christs Nativity had all the gates thereof laid open Histor Rom. which was interpreted to be a manifest intimation of a general peace over all the world And out of doubt in whom the Spirit of Christ beareth rule they are ever addicted to a peaceful life for peace whereof the turbulent spirit makes no reckoning is reckoned among the fruits of the blessed spirit Seeing then that Christ brought it preacht it gives it commands it I shall therefore briefly presse it This kind of peace is twofold Civil and Ecclesiastical As Religion is the King upon which the Government of the Political State depends and moves so Peace is the Raile that keeps both close together Truth hath aver'd it that Kingdoms Cities and houses divided against themselves cannot stand Factious spirits in the Commonwealth and schismatical hot-brains in the Church by their unhappy divisions lay a gap open for destruction to enter in by For the preventing whereof be ever observant of the Apostles wholsome advice which is 1 Thes 4.11 5.13 to study to be quiet and to be at peace among your selves We must not let loose the raines to precipitate passion or let flie distastful language unbeseeming the professors of the Gospel of Christ but ever by a sanctified discretion moderate our minds in love and keep our selves within the precise circuit of Piety and Religion Reason it self pleadeth for a civil behaviour towards all which in reason cannot be denied
gather stones together a time to embrace and a time to refraine from embracing a time to get and a time to lose a time to keep and a time to cast away a time to rent and a time to sow a time to keep silence and a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate a time of warre and a time of peace here time is not lost but all these times well used in their time the Devil hath no time to tempt us sin hath no time to over-power us Now then we must make account of our time By 1. Numbring our days 2. Redeeming the time For the first Lord saith David teach me so to number my dayes that I may apply mine heart unto wisdom God gives a number of dayes but few number them or make account of them but I fear it is because few know how to number them this therefore I shew briefly To number our dayes is to consider the misery which we purchased to our selves by the evil of sin the evil of guilt the evil of punishment It is to make a recapitulation or take a just account or summe of all the ungodly acts we have committed as neere as we can in thought word and deed It is to look narrowly into the crooked passages of our lives to see what we have omitted in Gods service and what we have committed against him that we may mend what is amisse We must come to our tryal every day which is called Examen Pythagoricum thus we become more wise every day than other Hence we must take a note of all our impious acts and summom them up in the Court in our hearts to appear before conscience as Judge which if it play the honest Judge condemnes us racks us This done we are pincht with a sense of our misery causing us to run with all speed to God for his mercy Hard and stony are their consciences that make no conscience no reckoning of numbring their years or days they cast up one grosse sin on another in grosse they adde they multiply never subduct never divide But he that learns Davids Arithmetick which is Ars bene numerandi the Art of numbring well all his ill is a good Artist divides subducts and casts away all sin reserves nothing in his mind but adds vertue to vertue multiplies one good deed on the head of another he remembers Gods Ordinance Crescite multiplicamini increase and multiply as well in grace as in other businesses Make we but a due computation of our daily actions we shall find a tincture of sin that cannot be separated Prie we into our thoughts the imaginations and purposes of mans heart are only evil continually Gen. 6. Examine we our words we shall find that our tongues ost over-run our wits our wits wisdom Observe we our habitual sins whereby we get a kind of dexterity in Rhetorical repetition of the same sins we shall smell out in our hearts a den of theeves Habits are acquired by continual actions so that sinful actions make rank sinners Those that continue this custome of sinning without numbring their dayes that they may apply their hearts unto wisdom are like to make a fair reckoning at the years end the end of their dayes but he that would prevent all mischief must make a profession of making a daily inquisition and casting up all those fractions of the Law of God that God may make him whole upon confession This should be our daily work thus to number our dayes neither is it to any end except it be continued to the end of our dayes Secondly We must redeem the time for the dayes are evil saith the Apostle A forcible reason Eph. 5. I promise you We are to make the best we can of our time because the dayes are evil In evil dayes we must do good dâ—y-deeds and out of evil draw good as God out of darkness drew light If we redeem not the time we cast away our selves like Cast-aways without redemption Now would we know what it is to redeem the time It is only to take time while time serves to serve our turn Austin was a Manichee nine years he took his time to turn bias another way for the good of Gods Church Luther was a Monk a long time but he shortned the time by redeeming it he found after that he had done nothing when he thought he had done something worth the doing Paul was a blasphemous Persecutor of the Christian Church but he in time redeemed the time and proved a faithful Minister of the Gospel of grace Titus the Vespasian never thought the day well spent wherein he had not done some work of charity Theodosius the Younger conferr'd daily with the learned Bishops of his time whereof his Court was full Sigismund the Emperor did delight always to do good works of piety and religion Idle creatures think the time tedious but those that are taken up in serious affairs especially of Salvation think the time to pass away too soon No time too soon to do good for to do good is always high time Therefore to pretermit no occasion which once past there is no looking for it after no time of performing what God requires and avoiding what God disallows is to redeem the time and to make evil days good days for us our best days Those then may justly be reproved who neither number their days nor redeem the time They run on the score till the day of payment come then they impoverished through sin and found unable to satisfie or pay God God pays them home with a witness And these are such as betake themselves to no lawful Calling but calling for alms they live rambling up and down like catholick or universal men upon every mans devotion or at every mans elbow who scarce ever call upon God but for Gods sake on man These are Common Beggars But I pass by these without any more adoe Again They are worthy to be reproved who neglect the affairs of their general or particular Calling or both to follow their Pleasures altogether God gave Adam a Garden as well for action as for contemplation as well to busie himself about the dressing of it as to recreate himself in it Praestat otiosum esse quà m nihil agere 't is true it is better indeed to do something though it be nothing to the purpose than to do nothing at all What needs either Nero will cage himself up in a Closet to catch Flies rather than do nothing but hoc aliquid nihil est this doing is as good as do nothing for haply they are acting that which the Devil would tempt them unto had they been with Solomons sluggard altogether wrapt up in idleness This cannot excuse them The fellow that we read of in the Gospel that married newly he was busie at home with his wife he could not come to do what he should have done I am married I cannot come but that excused him not
from One unchangeable God on whom if we rest contented not overruled with prejudicate opinions never shall fear distract us Plura sunt quae nos terrent Senec. ep 13. saepius opinione laboramus quà m re I borrow this from Seneca Many things terrifie us and we are oftner vext and pain'd in opinion by furmises than in very deed by truth But it is otherwise with the well-inform'd Christian who ponders all events and examineth the causes the defect whereof sets some at their wits end 'T is ignorance and rashness that makes way for misprision and misprision for fear The best things sometimes scare us Gods merciful goodness not understood puts us to a stand his very favourable presence which should move joy did and shall move fear in some I do not think there lives that man this day on earth so resolute did God appear not in flaming fire in thundering and lightening to render vengeance but in a soft wind as to Elijah or as here another way to Jacob in every respect full of respect but would be sore afraid Devout Jacob whose dream portended nothing but happiness at the end of his Divine rapture was afraid What he saw and fear'd was no other but a welcom prediction of his future glory and perpetual safety and yet was afraid That magnificent greatness and blessed eminency to which the Lord promised to advance him left him not undaunted Yet this must I needs say he was more afraid than hurt 'T is a certain truth though God terrifie his children yet he harms them not No disadvantage is taken to undo them by it but to raise their spiritual fortunes After the fall of their courage one way at the brightness of his Majesty he puts spirit into them another way to further their exaltation thorugh a sense of his mercy Thus he doth with this religious man whose fear gave the occasion of my writing Here men may admire so good a man would be taken napping and then fear when he had most reason to rejoice The Father of Heaven did from Heaven look upon him with a benigne aspect yet he trembles Observe what ensues and cease to wonder Religious hearts are in a continual awe of God yet not bereft of comfort 'T is their blessedness Pro. 28.14 that they always fear Happy is the man that feareth always So it is to be referr'd the well ordering of our conversation aright Piety puts all things straight in us that rectifies all the passions of the soul directeth our hearts to the fear of the Lord which brings in time a crown of rejoycing Hence he requires it of us upon our Allegiance to his Supremacie Royal which should we deny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 timor were no less than Rebellion than Atheism The Greeks therefore derive the Name of God from a word that signifies fear intimating that God above all must be feared of all as well as acknowledged Hereupon the Heathen Latine Poet grounded his invention Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor Fear first made Gods on earth Divine Truth sometime calleth God by the name of Fear Jacob sware by the Fear of his father Isaac Gen. 31.53 that is by that God whom his father Isaac feared If any desire to know what kind of fear this of Jacob's was I dare not entangle better thoughts in the perplexing briars of School-niceties sprung out of the rank grounds of acute Philosophers but will use my endeavours to satisfie expectation by painting out a smoother way of far less danger and of more profit This holy Pilgrim as he was deckt with the ornaments of Grace so was he clogg'd with the infirmities of Nature As he was of a good heart so withal without disgrace of a timorous disposition His fear might well consist with his goodness It was not carnal or worldly arising out of an afflicting distrust of Gods providence Nor yet humane begotten by an excessive desire to this fugitive life Nor servile as proceeding from self-love so from the threatned judgments of an angry God for the violations of his pure sanctions This with the rest is sever'd from grace Gregor Mag. Ignorat mens gratiam libertatis quam ligat servitus timoris saith Gregory in his Pastorals The grace of liberty proper to the sons of God is unknown to the mind tyed to the slavery of a base fear A Divine calls it Esau's with which Jacob had no medling he bought his brothers birthright not his vices Jacob's fear was natural initial filial Natural whereby he declined hurtful objects when presented to him initial whereby for the love of God he rejected all desire of sinning filial whereby his obedience to the Highest Power was kept sound and entire None of the sons of men are exempted from the first since the first man The first man had it not actually in his Integrity because there was nothing to hurt him his Apostacie gave it a being in time Our blessed Saviour the Lord Jesus had it but without sin 't was long of sinful men he was so weak so infirm Who foreseeing the bitter Cup he was to drink to the Worlds health Aug. Enchir. cap. 24. his heart drew back his soul was heavy even unto death Austin defines it Fugitantis animi motum the motion or passion of a yielding mind which is no more separable from us than our nature This makes good that expression of it in the Book of Wisdom A betraying of the succours which Reason offereth Wisd 17.12 So powerful is our weakness above the strength of Reason that the very suspition or conceit of approaching evil puts us oft out of heart Nothing almost lays open our imperfections to the worlds eye more than it Faintness of heart at the sight of unavoidable mischiefs seifeth upon our choicest metallâ—d men upon our most heroick spirits Wherefore Origen upon the Book of Judges notes it to be Humanae fragilitatis indioium Orig. in cap. 7. lib. Judic Hom. 9. a bewraying note of humane insufficiency Take it in the excess it unmans a man and makes him like a Sword-fish to which Themistocles compar'd a Coward which hath a weapon but wants a heart Take it in the mediocrity and just temper it subscribes to what Reason dictates and then doth us good If Religion moderate it as it allays the â—orce of its corruption so it gives it a purer essence and brings us off with a greater grace This I believe in part was Jacob's case who frightned with the suddenness of such an unaccustomed spectacle as was presented to his view gave place to fear which be knew not speedily how to shun Yet without doing Jacob wrong we may not say this was his onely fear but as he was by nature thus inclin'd so was he by a spiritual emanation of grace above nature indued with initial fear All that are born of God have by the transcendent working of his Almighty power all that is old in them renewed and
Christianity it is compared to things made for strength defence Timor nihil aliud est quâ—m murus munimentum turris inexpugnabilisâ— Chrysest Cypr. It is only a wall a bulwark an invincible tower To descend lower Cyprian makes it fundamentum firmamentum spei fidel the basis the stability of hope of faith There is good ground for this assertion Take but it away faith and hope fall I appeal to Bernard Omne virtutum aedificium c. Let the building that consists of all Vertues want it and ere long 't will shatter into pieces Airship without an anchor on the Ocean Bern. is in danger of being overwhelmed with the proud waves so the soul without this fear If a Pope's word be of any value aâ—iâ— is when he tels truth Gregor 22. then shall that of Gregory pass Anâ—hora mentis est pendus timoris The souls anchor is the weight of fear Wherefore Sirach's son did not amiss in allotting the highest place to them that fear God Oh how great is he that findeth wisdom yet there is none above him that feareth the Lord. I know not how true it is that fearful-natur'd men are the most witty But I am sure the filially-fearful are the best religiously affected the most wise for they walk surely to the height of Heaven where they are crowned Kings without end Here Jacob is to be found to his immortal praise who while he lived lived in awe of God like a son now being dead hath a sons portion in a better countrey And thus Jacob was afraid Aquinas Rome's Angelical Doctor gathereth out of Philosophical traditions Aquin. two causes of fear Amorem Defectum love and weakness Love in it self is strong where true but withal fearful if fix'd upon an object not yet obtained but hoped for though upon good presumptions 't is in fear of being croft If fully possest of what it did greatly desire 't is in fear of losing it The more violent this affection is upon the least appearance of a succeeding cross the more perplexities it raiseth and worketh the soul into many rending and jealous cogitations Infomuch that good men because somewhat inclin'd to evil are afraid of missing their he avenly purposes wherewith they are deeply enamored and when they have found God here beneath whom above all they love yet because they are not free from provocations they fear to be deprived of him Never did Heathen Poet sing any thing more truly than did he that left this behind him in this Ovid. Res est solliciti plena timoris amor Love is a thing full of vexatious fear Hence issue those careful thoughts wherewith the heart is cumbred in plotting a perpetuity of that union love hath wrought Weakness again and inability to resist and overcome what may hurt us lays us open under sundry fears Infinite are the events which because not usual prove inductions unto error And such is the impotency of frail man that through the consciousness of his natural defects he is soon dejected Let him have what his heart can wish on earth yet is he heartily afraid he shall not keep it long The thought of a greater Power than is in him raiseth such a dusky cloud of doubts that he is not so well pleased with the sight of his present happiness as troubled with the expectation of a dismal change So variable are our earthly courses that as they afford us no sure footing so neither can they establish unto us any permanent content 'T was the royal word of a wise King inspired of God Eccles All is but vanity and vexation of spirit And the King his father delivers it as the property of the wicked to fear where no fear is Psal 53. When the understanding is infatuated with carnal delights when the judgment fascinated with sinful pleasure what marvel though man become pusillanimous This is the condition of transgressors A glimpse of danger is able to make them stagger like a drunken man or like a Prodigie put them to an amazed stand with a Ne plus ultra The regenerate themselves are subject to the same passion though not in the like measure nor the like manner They commonly stand upon their keeping into whose hearts fear enters not so suddenly yet enters but daunteth not deads not clear Reason and sure Religion preserve them from astonishment Let Satans fiery darts of temptations flie in their face they fear but little flesh and blood will a little tremble but their hearts are not wounded Hence therefore are they so ready to encounter them Zanch. because confident of a glorious issue Let the Chiefest good God appear to them in unaccustomed forms and manifest his propitious presence in an unwonted manner they cannot but fear so awful is his Majesty so weak their nature But when once well acquainted with the ways and courses of the most High grace fortifieth their hearts and maketh passages extraordinary proceeding from him seem familiar at least to them not so full of dread as to others Briefly to be more distinct Love and weakness beget fear The love of God sear initial filial the love of our selves and weakness fear natural weakness and love of the world fear carnal humane servile So then Jacob being strong in love with God which was the act of grace weak in himself which was the propriety of his nature was naturally initially filially afraid Tender is the disposition of men sanctified their affections thoughts actions are for the most part carried in a constant motion within the verge of a religious Providence If peradventure things though good happen out of course beyond expectation they suspect their own indignity in a fear of offending The issue at first sight they see not yet hope the best and in that â—ope are afraid Just Jacobs case He was afraid Musculus faith Musculus because he lodged there that night without a religious regard He dreamed not of the sanctity of the place before he was in it Little did he think that God was there as he was but as he was there Jacob knew that honour was due to him which was not vouchsafed him whence proceeded his fear Which may warn us that wheresoever we are we be religiously behaved as in Gods eye more especially where in token of his love he favourably sheweth himself Calv. in loc This demeanour of this holy Father as one saith condemns him of rashness if not why should he fear but extolleth the goodness of his gracious God who was found of him where he sought him not One renowned for learning judg'd that Jacob hereby modestly intimates more was got than in modesty his hope durst to aspire to which as I take it was the judgment of ingenious Bernard Bern. in dedic Eccles Miratur Jacob dignationis magnitudinem expavescit Jacob admires in his admiration is abasht at the greatness of Gods loving kindness 'T was strange to
him that the Supreme Majesty would hold him in such reputation as so friendly to reveal himself to him or to make such large promises of grace as he did which his best endeavours could never compass to merit I think Jacob thought not the news to be too good to be true God told him but too great for a sinful creature to receive from a spotless Creator However beside the glory and largeness of the Promise the rarity of the Apparition did put him into a religious extasie being unacquainted with the Lords designs or with his manner of working But soft a while Should not Jacob the Almighty thus freely opening his heart unto him rather rejoyce than be afraid Is it fit he should be muffled up in a pitchy cloud of dejecting fear who ought to be clothed with the bright garment of refreshing joy Surely did the dead ashes of this grave Father revive his reply I believe would be to no other purpose Paraeus in lot than that of that famous German Divine whom the best learned honour in the dust Sancti quidem laetantur patefactionibus Dei sed cum timore tremore The Saints indeed rejoyce at the gracious presence of the Lord of glory but 't is with fear with trembling When the Majesty of God who is a consuming fire approacheth neer although his mercy raise up their spirits to an height of joy yet the experience of their unworthiness and the exquisite sense of their manifold infirmities beget in them a shivering fear and that fear humility Cicero Cicero Pagan Rome's chiefest Orator averred as much of that fear Nature did possess him of And by the best Divine France ever bred the fear bred by Religion Calv. in loc is entituled Piae submissionis magister the master of a pious lowliness Neither is it without reason God makes his servants to rejoice as the Prophet speaks with trembling but that in an obedient subjection and denial of themselves Psal 63.3 they might embrace and depend upon his favour better as King David saith than life it self Thus having vindicated good Jacobs credit from the unjust taxe or hard censure of the severest Criticks I may make this Application To the Perverse Malefactor Penitent Delinquent Setled Christian Perverse Malefactors must efther fear or perish Necessity is laid upon them to perform the one or undergo the other If through a careless security they shake off all fear of God I see not how they can decline Divine vengeance Wherefore as the Spirit of God terms them children of disobedience because of their obstinate rebellion so because thereby they make themselves liable to his eternal indignation Ephes 2.3 are they called by the same Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of wrath whereupon the Lord challengeth vengeance unto himself Nemo crimen gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo Nemesis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vengeance â—elongeth unto me and I will recompence As sure as he is in heaven if sinners will not filially fear him for his mercies he will for his justice make them slavishly fear him with a vengeance Look then to your tacklings ye that without fear or wit hurry into manifold impieties Ye heap up wrath against the day of wrath when not a glimpse of comfort shall be vouchsafed you Let the loose Epicure glory in his joyous voluptuousness let the licentious Libertine exult in his ungodly courses let the miserable Wordling rejoyce in his Idol-god of Gold let the luxurious Adulterer whose wandring eye sparkles at the sight of a fond Beauty prostrate himself at the shrine of his bewitching goddess let the revelling Drunkard beset his soul with continual exhausting of intemperate Cups let the light-finger'd Pilferer and deceitful Tradesman with sleight of hand in false weights of measures inrich himself to the impoverishing of others let the debaucht Blasphemer who with execrable oaths tears God and the Son of God in a thousand pieces triumph in his unrighteous dealing let the sacrilegious Sabbath-breaker who makes that day the onely day of his repast and unlawful dalliances cheer up his heart the best he may let the irreligious Prophaner of the sacred Temple of the Lord who buyes and fells within the holy limits cheer up himself with his ungodly gain let the griping Officers whose unjust exactions had wont to creep in under the modest cloke of voluntary courtesie or fair consideration of a befriended expedition now come like Eli's sons Nay but thou shalt give it me now and if not I will take it by force Hall in conscion in Act. 2.37 1 Sam. 2.16 In a word I should be infinite should I insist upon particulars Let the legal Thefts of professed Usurers the crafty Compacts of slie Oppressors the conniv'd at Idolatry of superstitious Papists dare throw down the gantlet to Justice and insolent disobediences do so to Authority without the fear of God yet for all this shall these come to judgment when base fear shall so seise upon their confounded souls that they shall in vain cry to the hills to hide them to the mountains to cover them from the presence of the Lord. Jeer not at this ye obdurate sinners Ask not in derision the Disciples question in a worse sense Domine quando fient haec Master when shall these things be Believe Christians the time 's at hand when all impenitent offenders and flie fellows void of Jacob's fear shall receive their doom to be sent as into utter darkness so into unquenchable fire Next Penitent sinners must fear the Almighty hence a token of their conversion but not despair Whose fear albeit it be somewhat servile at first the nature of it is changed into a better condition or abolished They are led saith one by the Spirit from the fear of Slaves through the fear of Penitents Chrysoft to the fear of Sons Hence faith Chrysostom doubtless upon this gradation Geheunae timor Regni nobis adfert coronam The fear of Hell which is servile brings us at length a Diadem of glory Be not ye therefore in a melancholy mood dismaid ye afflicted souls humbled in the sight of God for sin The true fear of God it advanceth you to perfection Doubt not to be encountred by a strong opposition yet fear none but that God that can cast both soul and body into hell A truly Noble spirit reported That who feareth the most High feareth neither flesh nor blood principalities nor powers the rulers of the darkness of this world nor spiritual wickedness in high places Origen gives the reason Origen Non corporis robore sed fidei virtute pugnatur non jaculis ferreis sed orationum telis victoria quaeritur We fight not by the strength of body but of faith we conquer not with darts of steel but of prayer Let not your heart be troubled neither let is be afraid said Christ to his Disciples say I to