through his pouertie might bee rich Shall the onely deare innocent Sonne of the All-powerfull and euer-blessed Lord and King of heauen and earth dis inrich as it were and disrobe his heauenly Highnesse of that Royaltie and Maiestie aboue and become so poore that whereas the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the ayre haue nests yet Hee not where to lay his head that through his pouerty and powring out his hearts blood hee might crowne vs with the inestimable riches of heauenly glory with ioyes and pleasures more then the starres of the firmament euen for euer and euer and shall not we Wormes and wretches most vnworthy the least bit of bread we put into our mouthes part with our superfluities sometimes both in respect of the necessity of nature and exigencie of estate as the Schoolemen speake to relieue the fainting soule of him for whom Christ died and which he would take as done vnto himselfe Matth. 25. 40. were it but a cup of cold water onely Mar. 9. 41. Monstrous vnthankfull cruelty mercilesnesse meriting without Gods singular mercy and turning mercifull our selues the fiercest flame in the dungeon of fire and brimstone 4. The last and euerlasting doome at that great and dreadfull Day must passe vpon vs according to our carriage in this kinde Then shall there be a seuere and sincere search and enquirie made after workes as the signes euidences and outward demonstrations of faith and the roote of grace in the heart or of vnbeliefe and rottennesse at the heart-roote and consequently as arguments of a righteous doome passed vpon the Sheepe and Goates That glorious sentence of absolution Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world which sounds out nothing but pleasures ioyes delights glories beauties felicities crownes kingdomes Angelicall entertainments beatificall-visions spirituall rauishments highest perfections vnutterable exultations of spirit sweetest varieties eternities shall be pronounced vpon the godly according to the effects and fruits of their faith to teach vs in the meane time what faith to trust vnto and rest vpon for iustification euen that which works by loue and at that day to let all the world see Angels men and deuils that the kingdome of Heauen is giuen onely to true-hearted Nathaneels honest Professours working beleeuers Now in the text for this purpose there is singled out with special choice an eminent Synechdochicall instance in one of the worthiest effects of faith and noblest fruit of grace euen the point I now presse and labour to perswade an open-hearted reall fruitfull bounty and loue to Gods people and distressed members of Christ Iesus for Christs and their goodnesse sake But that other doome of damnation Depart from me you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels which breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone stings and horrours woe and alasse flames of wrath and the Worme that neuer dyeth trembling and gnashing of teeth seas of vengeance torments without end and past imagination shall passe vpon the reprobates for omission and neglect of this noble dutie For mercilesnesse to the poore members of Christ vnkindnesse to Christians hard-heartednesse towards the houshold of faith is one of the ranckest bitterest weeds which growes out of a gracelesse heart a cleare pregnant euidence that all was naught and a notable remembrancer as it were to that high and euerlasting Iudge that his blessed Spirit neuer dwelt there How deeply then doth it concerne euery Christian to practise and ply vpon all opportunities that most gainefull art of almes-giuing which shall be so highly honoured at that great Day before that glorious vniuersall presence when euery mercilesse man shall cry to that Rocke this mountaine to fall vpon him and hide him from the wrath of that iust God which will flame vnquenchably and euerlastingly against all those who in this life haue shut vp their bowels of pitty against His poore and been dogged towards the dearely beloued of his Soule I know Bellarmine labours to empoyson this last passage with his false glosse and Popish sophistry The causall coniunction For Matth. 25. 35. as hee there cauils intimates and implyes workes meritoriousnesse I say no. For is there a Note of consequence and order not of the cause or any meritorious causality The causall coniunction in Grammar doth indeed serue to shew the reason of a former sentence but it doth not necessarily shew a reason from the cause of a thing but many times also from the effect and other kind of arguments And Logick also reacheth that there be diuers kinds of causes principall and lesse principall c. Bellarmine replyes Doth not Christ there speake in the same manner of the rewards of the godly and of the punishments of the wicked But no man can say that in these words Goe ye cursed c. that the cause is not rendred but onely the order and consequence implyed For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. I answer By the like fallacy also doe the Popish Impostors pleade for Iustification by Workes Euill workes damne therefore good workes saue Most falsely as appeares by that rule in the Topicks The consequence is of no validitie where there is not a perfect contrarietie Now betweene good and euill workes there is no perfect contrarietie for euill workes are perfectly euill against the Law of God but good workes are not perfectly good according to the Law of God By the same reason neither doth it follow Eternall death is the wages of sinne therefore eternall life is the wages of good workes 5. If thou lay out to the poore cheerefully seasonably liberally and yet but according to thy abilitie thou shalt become which besides the onely course of growing comfortably rich is also a Crowne of infinite honour Creditor euen to thy Creator Hee that hath pitie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which he hath giuen will he pay him againe Prou. 19. 17. And in the meane time for repayment in due time thou hast securitie infinitely aboue all exception a Bill vnder his owne hand euen his owne blessed Booke wherein to faile were to forfeit his Deity if I may so speake which is prodigious blasphemie to imagine Now what a keene spurre and inflaming motiue is this to bee mercifull that wee shall make God himselfe our Debter the euer springing Fountaine of Blisse and Lord of all goodnesse who doth all things like himselfe omnipotently bountifully aboue all expectation as becomes the mighty Soueraigne of Heauen and Earth If he worke he makes a world If he be angry he drownes the whole face of the Earth If he loue the hearts-blood of his dearest Sonne is not too deare If he stand vpon his peoples fide he makes the Sunne to stand still and the Starres to fight If he repay hee giues his owne All-sufficient Selfe with the ouerflowing torrents
mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit thy case is the case of saluation 4. A good conscience stands not with a purpose of sinning no not with an irresolution against sinne 5. The rich and precious boxe of a good conscience is polluted and made impure if but one dead Flie be suffered in it He meanes any one knowne sinne lyen and delighted in impenitently 6. Where there is but any one sinne nourished and fostered all other our graces are not onely blemished but abolished they are no graces 7. Most true is that saying of Aquinas That all sinnes are coupled together though not in regard of conuersion to temporall good for some looke to the good of gaine some of glory some of pleasure c. yet in regard of auersion from eternall Good that is God So that he that lookes but toward one sinne is as much auerted and turned backe from God as if he looked to all In which respect Saint Iames sayes He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all 8. Euery Christian should carry in his heart a constant and resolute purpose not to sinne in anything for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together Thou seest then if Satan keep possession but by one reigning sinne it will be thine euerlasting ruine Thou shalt then bee so farre from euer enioying any humble holy acquaintance with our God that thou art gone body and soule for euer One breach in the walles of a Citie exposeth it to the surprize of the enemy one leake in a ship neglected will sinke it at length into the bottome of the Sea the stab of a penknife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the daggers that kild Caesar in the Senate-house If thou hedge thy Close as high as the middle Region of the Aire in all other places and leaue but one gap all thy grasse will bee gone If the Fowler catch the bird either by the head or the foote or the wing she is sure his owne It is so in the present case If thou liue and lye with allowance and delight in any one knowne sinne without particular remorse or resolution to part with it thou as yet carriest the Diuels brand he hath thereby markt thee out for his owne As obedience is vniuersall and Catholike if sincere so repentance if true is also generall It sâ—…rips vs starke naked as a worthy Diuine saies well of all the garments of the old Adam and leaues not so much as the shirt behind in this rotten building it leaues not a stone vpon a stone As the flood drowned Noahs owne friends and seruants so must the flood of repenting teares drowne our sweetest and most profitable sinnes The premonition therefore I tender in the first place is this Thou canst neuer possibly be fitly qualified either for the right vnderstanding or sauing practise of this sacred and sweetest Art of walking with God except thou resolue to stand for euer sincerely at the swords point against all sinne Euen thy bosome sinne must be abandoned if thou look for any blessing in this kinde Thou must put off the shirt from thy sinfull soule for as the shirt is to the body so is the beloued sinne to the soule it sticks closest and neerest and is done off with most adoe And because this darling-pleasure minion-delight Peccatum in delicijs as the Fathers call it is Satans strongest Hold his Tower of greatest confidence and securitie when he is driuen out elsewhere and so by consequent most powerfull and peremptorie to keepe a mans heart estranged with largest distance and incompatible auersion from all holy acquaintance with God I will in short labour to illighten and dis-intangle any one who vnfainedly desires an vtter diuorce from this bosome-deuill by telling him first what it is secondly what his is thirdly how he may be deceiued about it 1. As in euery man there is one element one humour and ordinarily one passion predominant so also one worke of darknesse and way of death And it is that which his corrupt and originall crookednesse vpon the first electiue suruay and prospect ouer the fooles Paradise of worldly pleasures fleshly lusts and vanities of this life by a secret sensuall inclination and bewitching infusion of Satan singles out and makes speciall choice of to follow and feede vpon with greatest delight and predominant sweetnesse afterward by custome and continuance growes so powerfull and attractiue that it extraordinarily endeares and drawes vnto it the heate of all his desires and strongest workings of his heart with much affectionate impatiencie and headlongnesse and at the height by an vnresistable tyranny it makes all occasions and occurrences friends and followers the deepest reach of policie and vtmost proiects of wit Religion conscience credit with the world the vniuersall possibilitie of body soule outward state seruiceable and contributarie vnto it as the Captaine and commanding sin as to the Deuils vice-roy domineering in the wasted conscience In some it is worldlinesse wantonnesse ambition opposicion to godlinesse vsurie pride reuenge or the like In others it may bee drunkennesse the swaggering vanitie of good fellowship gluttony pleasures of Play-house hanting gaming scurrill iesting c. obstinate insatiablenesse in allowed recreations idlenesse or such like 2. Thou mayest discouer it by such markes as these 1. It is that which thy truest friends thine owne conscience and the finger of God in the Ministerie many times finds out meetes with and chiefely checks thee for 2. It is that which if it breake out into act and be visible to the eye of the world thine enemies most eagerly obserue and obiect as matter of their most insultation and thy greatest disgrace 3. That which thou art lothest to leaue art oftenest tempted vnto hast least power to resist and which most hinders the resignation and submission of soule and body of all thy courses and carriage heartily and vnreseruedly to the Word and will of God 4. It is that which God oftnest corrects in thee euen in the interpretation and guiltie acknowledgement of thy selfe-accusing heart It may be at seuerall times thou hast bin afflicted with some heauy crosse in thine outward state losse of a child some fits and pangs of bodily paine terrours and troubles of mind or some such proportionable visitations now in all these and like afflictions vpon the first smarting apprehension thy conscience if any whit awaked on its owne accord seized vpon that sinne we now seeke for as the principall Achan and author of all thy misery 5. If euer thou wast so sicke as out of extremitie to receiue sentence of death against thy selfe and despaire of recouerie if thy conscience was stirring this sinne afrighted thee most and gaue the deadliest blow to driue thee to finall despaire And if thou shouldest die in it without repentance which God forbid it would infuse most hellish vigor and venome into the neuer-dying worme which would thereby more mightily gnaw vpon thy
that they finde no such acceptation and applause with worldlings by reason of their worthlesnesse and that naturall men entertaine them not with that estimation and account proportionable to their proud expectation and conceiuing also that by their association and siding with the Saints who in preciousnesse of regard and dearenesse of loue euer infinitely preferre the poorest Christian before the proudest Nimrod for one Larke is worth a thousand Kites they shall be prized aboue vulgar esteeme and ordinary valuation purposely put on a vizour of outward conformity to the courses of Christianity that thereby they may procure and purchase some speciall credit and remarkable respect and with some at least bee accounted some body in the world 2. Others there are who seeing they cannot so easily and excessiuely satisfie and glut their greedy humours by their commerce dealings and mutuall negotiations with naturall men for such are well able with equall cunning to counter-mine against their craftie and coozening vnderminings their consciences will serue them to encouhter retalliate their vnconscionablenesse with like ouer-reaching retributions of circumuention and wrong they can well enough sound and fathome with the crooked line of their owne deceitfull hearts the inuisible depths of their Machiuellian proiects and plots and knaueâ—…y I say others there are who vpon such occasion that they may thriue in the world and grow in wealth more easily and vnobseruedly put on a cloke of outward profession and in policie onely and hypocrisie draw towards the better side mixe and ioyne themselues with Gods children hang vpon and adhere vnto true Christians because they pitch vpon them make speciall choice of and single out such vpon purpose as those from whom by reason of the singlenesse and simplicitie of their hearts vnsuspiciousnesse of their charitie the equitie and conscionablenesse of their dealings in these coozening supplanting and vndermining dayes they may most fairely and easily sucke out the greatest aduantage and prey vpon most plentifully with the deuouring teeth of couetousnesse and craft guilded ouer only with a vaile of seeming and vernish of hypocrisie 3. Some there may be whom onely the very terrours and sting of slauish feare and fore-thought of the wrath and torment to come may driue and restraine from the execution of grosser villanies excite and enchaine to the outward exercises of holy duties and many actual religious conformities For instance some may repaire to the House of God vpon the Lords Day not for any such great loue vnto Gods Truth or conscionable Ministerie but for feare that being then alone or walking idlely abroad their guilty consciences should worke more fearefully and fiercely vpon them and that thoughts of their sinnes death hell damnation and other such terrible considerations would come into their mindes with affrighting griesly formes and apparitions of horrour Some it may be for feare they should bee iustly censured and marked out by men acquainted and experienced in the mysterie of grace and wayes of God with the odious deserued brand of Prayerlesse and Atheisticall wretches or lest they should bee seized vpon with some remarkeable iudgement in their owne persons families or goods by fire robbery tempest ill successe death horrour despaire or other fearefull accident dare not for their liues but continue a course and formall taske of Prayer Euening and Morning in their houses Some also in times of trouble and terrour especially as of extraordinarie thunders impetuous tempests dreadfull apparitions in the ayre c. flie into the company and communion of Christians driuen thither by the fearefulnesse of their spirits and hope to receiue protection of their guiltinesse and preseruation from wrath by the prayers presence and acceptation of such holy Ones Wee see in mens carriages to humane lawes that euen feare of them restraines many from many lawlesse outrages and constraines to many ciuill conformities against which their sensuall hearts and humours doe infinitely rise and reclaime with much distaste and auersion Doe you not thinke that many drunkards would as well liue in murther and vpon the spoile as in their present abominable swinishnesse did they not hold it a more horrible thing to be hanged than to pay fiue shillings or sit in the stocks Would not many at Sermon time rather be in the Ale-house than in the House of God were not the constitutions of men a curbe vnto their corruptions Would not some desperate wretches as well strike thorow at once and quite dispatch those they hate as kill them all the yeere long with their cruell thoughts and bloody malice were not thought free and actuall murther death by the lawes of men Would not many malicious Papists thinke you as well speake traiterously of the King as teare Gods glorious name with their oathes and blasphemous tongues were they not terrified with feare of Tyburne It may be so proportionably in mens behauiours towards diuine Lawes the holy Statutes of Heauen and that highest Tribunall But as in the former we ought to be subiect not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake so in the latter much more not onely for terrour of Gods Iudgements but also for loue of His Truth A worthy Diuine summes vp all I would say in this point thus Sometimes saith he the feare of Gods Iudgements as of the racke of an accusing conscience of the torments of hell fire c. holdeth men in a slauish obedience I feare me there are too many abroad in the world especially great Ones who by forbearance of other grosse sinnes to which their sensuall affections are not so endeared outward performance of some holy duties formall presence at religious exercises countenancing and patronage of godly Ministers and good men hope to make amends as it were and to purchase protection and dispensation for the vengeance due vnto the sinfull pleasures of some bosome and beloued lust wherein they secretly lie And therefore their outside conformitie in other things is caused by feare of being horribly and remarkably plagued for that close darling-delight 4 Others there are who by reason of awefulnesse vnto correspondence with dependance vpon gainfull expectation from some gracious great One Christian friend reuerend Pastour Patrone Land-lord or Gouernour religious rich kinred c or other such by-respects conforme to the outward formes of Religion and liue â—…seruedly vnder the Canopie of a counterfeite profession The false and hollow hearts of men harbour many times many priuate ends in their outward seruices of God and howsoeuer they openly pretend Religion yet they secretly intend and plot the satisfaction of their humour and seruing of their owne turnes by an artificiall enforced temporarie taking part with the better part Such seruile Professours as these ordinarily in the meane time stand at a stay in an externall conformitie to Christian courses for no spirituall life warmes their affections no roote of grace growes in their hearts Formalitie in this kinde is euer voide of all vitall vigour vegetation and actiuitie
and rare felicitie in pitching iust vpon the golden meane as they conceiue betweene prophanenesse and precisenesse infamous notoriousnesse and persecuted strictnesse But that Prouerbe in the meane time falls pat vpon their pates There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse And at length most certainely the iust execution of that terrible commination Reuel 3. 16. will crush their hearts with euerlasting horrour confusion and woe But I should be endlesse in the discouery of this hidden and hellish gulph of hypocrisie wherein thousands are swallowed vp euen in this glorious Mid-day of the Gospell For a man may assoone find out the way of an Eagle in the Ayre the way of a Serpent vpon a Rocke the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea and the way of a man with a maid as to tracke the cunning and crooked footsteps of this foule fiend in the false hearts of Satans followers Only take notice that thou canst neuer possibly delight in God or euer comfortably come neere him if thou giue any entertainment vnto it in what forme soeuer it represent it selfe or whatsoeuer vizor it offers vnto thee though neuer so fairely varnished and guilded ouer with the Deuils angelicall glory III. Build and erect all thy resolutions and conclusions for Heauen and Gods seruice vpon that strong and purest pillar that maine and most precious Principle of Christianitie Selfe-deniall No walking with God no sweete communion and sound peace at his Mercy-Seate except for his sake and keeping a good conscience thou be content to denie thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall reason acceptation with the world excellencie of learning fauour of great Ones credit and applause with the most thy passions profit pleasures preferment neerest friends ease libertie life euery thing any thing And feare no losse for all things else are nothing to the least comfortable glimpse of Gods pleased face From this Principle sprung all those noble resolutions and replies of Gods worthiest Saints and Souldiers That of Hester for the preseruation of the people of God Well saith she I wil goe in vnto the King which is not according to the law and if I perish I perish That of Micaiah sollicited strongly by the messenger to temporize in managing his Ministery with sutablenesse and conformity to the Kings pleasure and plausiblenesse of the false prophets As the Lord liueth what the Lord saith vnto mee that will I speake That of Nehemiah Should such a man as I flee As if he should haue said Tell not mee of fleeing my resolution was pitcht long agoe if need require to lay downe my life and lose my blood in the Lords battels That of Paul when his friends were weeping and wailing about him What meane you to weepe said hee and to breake mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus That of Ierome If my father stood weeping on his knees before mee and my mother hanging on my necke behind me and all my brethren sisters children kinsfolke howling on euery side to retaine me in sinfull life with them I would fling my mother to the ground despise all my kinred run ouer my father and tread him vnder my feet thereby to run to Christ when hee calleth me That of Luther dealt with earnestly and eagerly not to venture himselfe amongst a number of perfidious and blood-thirstie Papists As touching me saith he since I am sent for I am resolued and certainely determined to enter Wormes in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ yea although I knew there were so many Deuils to resist me as there are tiles to couer the houses in Wormes That of a most renowned Italian Marquesse Galeacius Carracciolus tempted by a Iesuite with a great sum of money to returne from Gods Blessing at Geneua to the warme Sunne in Italy Let their money perish with them who esteeme all the Gold in the world worth one dayes societie with Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit That of George Carpenter Martyr My wife and my children are so dearely beloued vnto me that they cannot bee bought from mee for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bauaria but for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them That of Kilian a Dutch Schoole-master to such as asked him if he loued not his wife and children Yes said he If the world were Gold and were mine to dispose of I would giue it to liue with them though it were but in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all IV. Exercise thy selfe continually and bee excellent in that onely Heauen vpon Earth and sweetest Sanctuarie to an hunted soule the Life of faith Which to liue in some good measure is the duty and property of euery liuing member of Christ Iesus Loue therefore and labour to liue by the power of faith the life of saluation sanctification preseruation 1. Of saluation thus Let thy truely-humbled soule grieued and groaning vnder the burden of sinne throw it self into the meritorious and merciful armes of Iesus Christ wounded broken and bleeding vpon the Crosse and there let it hold and hide it selfe for euer in full assurance of eternall life by vertue of that promise Ioh. 3. 36. Hee that beleeueth on the Son hath euerlasting life For hauing thus laid hold vpon him He by his Spirit doth communicate first himselfe vnto thee then both the merit of his death for remission of thy sinnes and of his actiue obedience for thy right to saluation and happinesse and withall the power of his Spirit to quicken thee to the life of grace in this World and to raise vp thy body to the life of glory at the last day 2. Of sanctification If thou keepe thy faith the fountaine roote and heart as it were from which all thine other graces spring in life and vigour thou shalt pray more comfortably bee more couragiously patient heare the Word more fruitfully receiue the Sacraments more ioyfully passe the Sabbaths more delightfully conferre more cheerefully meditate more heauenly walke in all the wayes of new obedience with more strength and conquest ouer corruptions For ordinarily euery Christian shall finde the exercise of other graces to bee comfortable or cold according to the liuelinesse or languishing of his faith 3. Of preseruation both temporall and spirituall In crosses afflictions and all Gods outward angry visitations by the power of such promises as those Psal. 89. 33. and 50. 15. Heb. 12. 7 8 11. 1. Thes. 3. 3. Act. 14. 22. Luke 9. 23. Isai. 63. 9. In the course and carriage of thy particular Calling the duties and workes whereof if thou discharge with conscience diligence and prayer thou mayest goe on with comfort contentment and freedome from that torturing and racking thoughtfulnesse from those restlesse and cursed carkings of carnal worldlings
neuer come neere the requitall of the least inch of His infinite loue towards thee which reacheth from euerlasting to euerlasting 1. He bore thee in the bosome of this His free loue from all eternitie and that so dearely that from the same eternity He decreed that His owne deare Sonne should die for thee 2. Hee brought thee out of the abhorred state of being nothing into the ranke of his reasonable and noblest creatures 3. Hee bought thee againe when thou hadst wilfully lost thy selfe with the hearts-blood of His onely Sonne 4. He preserues thee euery day from a thousand dangers a thousand deaths which might seize vpon thee both from within and from without 5 He will shortly crowne thee with euerlasting life fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his right hand for euermore 3. Thirdly confider the vnquenchable impatiencie of Christs inflamed loue vnto thee now washed with His Blood and beautified with His grace Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast rauished my heart saith He to the Church and by consequent to euery true Christian my sister my spouse thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy necke Now loue is of that alluring nature that many times it will draw loue from a man when there is no louely part in the partie louing What a deale of loue then doth the Soueraigne Lord of all goodnesse the well-spring of all beauty excellencie and sweetnesse exact at our hands especially sith wee are his meere creatures in respect both of our naturall being outward state gracious state and state of glory See how His spirituall amiablenesse is shadowed by outward beauties Cant. 5. 10. VIII Prize the fruition of Gods pleased face a neerer communion and acquaintance with His blessed Maiestie the loue and light of His countenance and thereupon a free and frequent accesse with an humble boldnes vnto the throne of Grace at a far higher and more vnualuable rate than heauen and earth as a very reall fruitfull fore-taste of eternall ioyes For to say no more at this time If thou hold an holy familiaritie with thy God and He looke pleasedly vpon thee thou shalt graspe Iesus Christ more sweetly and feelingly in the armes of thy Faith partake more plentifully of the ioyfull freedome presence and communication of His comforting Spirit be garded more strongly and narrowly by His glorious Angels sucke more sweetnesse and heauenly Manna out of the Ministerie and other His blessed Ordinances walke in safetie amongst the creatures like an vnconquerable Lyon Thou shalt bee in a league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee when thou goest thy gate shall not be straite and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall when thou sleepest thy sleepe shall be sweet thou shalt dwell safely and none shall make thee afraid Thou shalt neuer more be afraid of any euill tidings or of destruction when it commeth when thou passest thorow the waters thy God shall bee with thee and thorow riuers they shall not ouerflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee c. And if at any time thou bee seized vpon with any crosse or calamitie from any of the creatures any trouble or temptation from man or Deuill any lowring or crueltie from the iniquitie of the times or persecuters of the Truth yet the refreshing beames of Gods pleased face shining vpon thy heart through the darknesse of such discomforts will sweetly mitigate reuiue and infinitely make amends for all The poyson and curse of them shall neuer come neere thy soule The Lord in the meane time like an Eagle flutttering about her nest will most tenderly defend and protect thee Esa. 31. 5. and at length most certainly come like a yong Lyon roaring on his prey for thy rescue and glorious enlargement Isa. 31. 4. IX Labour by a constant watch to keepe thy heart in a spirituall temper still and still sweetly content and fruitfully conuersant in the Mystery of Christ and Secrets of His Kingdome which thou shalt more easily doe If thou first reioyce in God his Word Graces as thy chiefest ioy and greatest aduantage 2. By all earthly things be drawne to the loue of heauenly For though God hath appointed but one Sabbath in seuen dayes for his more solemne publike worship yet to a Christian euery day is sanctified to be a rest from all the deeds of the flesh wherein he is to walke with his God and shew forth the religious keeping of his heart and good conscience in euery action of his whole life so making euery passage of his particular Calling a part of Christian obedience and dutie vnto God 3. Let the noblenesse of thine inlarged Spirit as infinitely disdaine to be any wayes vpon any termes in bondage to the corruptions of the times so finde a farre sweeter rellish and take incomparably more contentment in the seruices of thy Lord and his holy Ordinances then in all his outward benefits and fauours of this life For as the best of these abused will most certainly at the Barre of God turne scourges and Scorpions to the worldling conscience and in the meane time there is no man so assured of his honour of his riches health or life but that hee may be depriued of either or all the very next houre or day to come so the other will prooue vnto the Christian hauing beene conscionably and constantly exercised in them as a rich stocke to bring in comfort patience and inward peace in his most neede and greatest extremity 4. Assoone as thou discouerest any spirituall weakenesse or decay any extraordinarie assault temptation deadnesse c. complaine betime cry mightily vnto God giue him no rest neither giue ouer seeking vntill hee returne vnto thy soule with power and life againe If ordinarie meanes will not preuaile presse vpon him with extraordinary if then he doe not reuiue thee with woonted quickning vigour waite with a patient wakefull longing of all the powers of thy soule and then all this while thy soule is still in its true spirituall temper and a most blessed state See Isa. 30. 18. 5. Decline watchfully all occasions of falling from thy first loue feruencie and heauenly-mindednesse as spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie desire to be rich discontinuance of thine intimatenesse with the godly neglect of thy particular Calling or dayly watch ouer thy heart vngodly company forme in religious duties coldnesse and customarinesse in the vse of the meanes c. 6. Suffer not thine affections to bee chained downe and set too much vpon those things which the common sort and greatest part of men seeke after insatiably and slauishly sinke vnder praise profit credit acceptation with the world fauour of great Ones mirth pleasures ease feare sorrow earthly contentment preferment wealth long life or any worldly thing but debase and dis-esteeme all other delights in respect of doing Gods will
which is common in carnall worldlings to rage with extreme folly and basenesse against thy wife children seruants cattell or any thing that comes in thy way for euery crosse accident worldly losse domesticall miscarriage nay many times to torture thine owne heart and trouble others in this kinde vpon meete mis-takings groundlesse surmizes and misconstructions but rather take this gracious lesson from the Lord Iesus his owne mouth Math. 11. 29. Learne of mee for I am lowly of heart and an example of patience from his first Martyr Act. 7. 60. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge 3. Let the sweet experience of Gods patient and mercifull dealing with thee soften thine heart with a compassionate sence of other mens weakenesses and a melting forwardnesse to forgiue If hee out of the riches of his mercy hath remitted vnto thee ten thousand Talents what a base wretchednesse were it to fly in the face of thy fellow-seruant and to take him by the throat for an hundred pence If he intreated thee of all loues and with all long-suffering to come into his stretched out armes of mercy when thou layst wallowing abominably in the gore-blood of thy many scarlet and crimsin sinnes foughtest on the Deuils side to the losse of the very life-blood of thy soule and euery time thou camest to the Lords Supper shedst the precious blood of his blessed Sonne what a shame is it vnto thee to fall a raging and swell with anger for the meere ouer-sight many times vnwilling miscarriage and vnpurposed errour of those perhaps which otherwise obserue thee with obsequiousnesse and loue 4. If a man will not bee mooued with more faire and ingenuous motiues to master and mortifie this Bedlam rage I speake in this passage to him that hates to be reformed let him bee amazed and amend for shame sith the holy Ghost hath charged euery man not to meddle or make any league of friendship with him while he nourisheth and giues the reines to this bosome-Rebell Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Pro. 22. 24. What a monster is a man of anger that Salomon should set such a brand vpon him whereby euery one is warned to beware of him and fly from him as from a nettling dangerous vnsociable creature A word or two of another passion before I passe out of the point and that is Feare which I had not toucht at this time had it bin only a Rack wheron the hearts of couetous ambitious and carnall men are wofully rent and torne tortured all their life long and not also a cruell engrosser of too much golden time euen from Gods children not without impressions of much fruitlesse sadnesse and vnnecessarie discontent The vanitie and tyrannie of this passion is specially seene and exercised 1. In putting all reall stings into imaginarie euils and drawing true and bitter sorrowes from supposed sufferings 2. In an ouer-greedy apprehension and anticipation of sorrowes to come so that a man by too much forethoughtfulnesse and painefull preconceit doth suffer them many times before they seize vpon him 1. For the first who feeles not the phantasticalnesse of opinion to forge and fasten vpon him many dreadfull obiects which of themselues haue no vigour to vexe because no reall being and existence yet truely torture and afflict by the onely strength of imagination Thus one eates his owne heart with griefe for losse of those riches and that superfluous wealth which if hee had euer still possessed hee would neuer haue vsed Another lies vnder the continuall slauerie of restlesse feare lost fire or robbery some alteration in the State or desolation of warre should disperse his hoard or hazard his temporall happinesse One is haunted with much thoughtfulnesse and carking what shall become of his children after his death what men will say of him when hee is gone lest his wife should marrie after his departure For naturally our minds are so vaine that besides the abundance and burden of present cares they will transport our desires and affections beyond our selues and being Another frettingly feares that hee shall be vndone in a deare yeere or the next Rot of sheepe and tires himselfe with varietie of plots for commings in for many yeeres to come when many times he dies in the meane time Some take vp too much precious time from present and more profitable meditations by troubling their hearts lest if the times turne they should not be able to endure the fierie triall whereas afterward perhaps they end their life in the peacefull noone-tide of the glorious Gospel Others vpon thought or talke of death are ready to entertaine fearefull apprehensions lest they should disgrace their Christian life with an vncomfortable end and by some extraordinarie temptation rauing furious carriage lye open to the worlds interpretation sinister censures misconstructions of their former courses when as after it may be they conclude their dayes calmely in good memory to the last gaspe without any storme or cloud of feared horrour and discomfort except former distrustfull feares iustly bring vpon them that which they feared For sith euery one whose life hath been consecrated to Gods glory with truth of heart doth certainely passe thorow those dreadfull pangs and last paine into pleasures endlesse and vnspeakeable hee ought also to submit with all patience and quiet to glorifie him and to be seruiceable to his secret ends with what kind of death he please whether it be 1. Glorious and vntempted 2. Discomfortable by reason of bodily distemper and by consequent interpretable by vndiscerning spirits 3. Mingled of temptations and triumphs 4. Or ordinarie and without any great shew or remarkeable speeches after extraordinarie singularities of an holy life which promised an end of speciall note and obseruation 2. For the second besides these vtterly vnnecessarie and meerely imaginarie miseries many fearefull spirits especially haunted with the humour of melancholy will not suffer also certaine and ineuitable euils which at length must needs befall them to sleepe and keepe in their stings vntill the time appointed but many times awake them by the cry of Feare like so many sleeping Lyons and cowardlily prouoke them with timorous expectation to rent their hearts and sting terribly before the time Thus our vaine mindes torment vs more with the feare of euils then with the euils which we feare spurre vs on with much vnmanly folly to meete in the mid-way nay to ouertake out-run sorrowes to come and make vs a thousand times miserable with one indiuiduall misery For instance Thou hast a child and perhaps but one which thou louest most dearely for that affection which would be seuerely strong towards ten or how many soeuer is vnited in it alone Thou enioyest a wife whose death would be vnto thee as the losse of halfe thy heart and so proportionably of any worldly comfort Now certaine it is thou must at length part from all these or what else soeuer most deare and
encompassed and crowned with much vndeserued and extraordinarie precedency and pompe yet this one little thing to wit because Mordecai would not bow the knee and doe reuerence vnto him at the Kings gate did vtterly marre and dissweeten all the other excellencies and extraordinarinesse of the Kings fauour See Hester Chap. 5. Vers. 10 11 12 13. And Haman told his friends and wife of the glory of his riches c. But all this saith hee doth nothing auaile me as long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the Kings gate 3. The third is an eternall sting which to a waking and working conscience ariseth out of a serious consideration and sence of Gods causefull iust and holy indignation reuealed in his Booke against impenitents in such kindes Whereupon it is no maruaile though many times their hearts hating to bee reformed and hearing their seuerall doomes denounced against them from Gods owne mouth in that Word by which they shall be iudged at the last Day be full sorely smitten with inward bitter gripings and secret guilty stings the very hellish flashings and foretasts of that neuer-dying worme which hereafter without timely repentance will gnaw vpon their consciences with full rage and vnquenchable horrour world without end The worldling therefore may iustly tremble and roare when he reades that cutting Commination Iam. 5. 1 2. Goe to now ye rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you Your riches are corrupted and your garments moth eaten your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped treasure together for the last dayes The wanton when he well weighs that flaming place Heb. 13. 4. so full of vengeance against him But whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge The drunkard when hee finds himselfe in the cursed Catalogue of that damned crue 1. Cor. 6. 9. Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor drunkards c. shall inherit the Kingdome of God The Ambitionist when he casts his eye from the top of his vsurped honours vpon that dreadful downefall Obadiah 4. Though thou exalt thy selfe as an Eagle and though thou set thy nest among the starres thence I will bring thee downe saith the Lord. But now on the other side spirituall Ioy which springs out of the wells of saluation and is a ray and representation as it were of the Sunne of Righteousnesse and that eternall Fountaine of soundest and lasting comfort is all sweete pure shining calme hearty vnspeakeable vtterly free from those fore-grumblings and reluctations of conscience enuenomed mixtures and slauish apprehensions after-repentings stings and melancholike dumps though it may be assaulted and something dimmed with some doubts distrusts and weakenesse of degree by reason of our vnglorified state of mortalitie yet in respect of its creation substance truth and blissefull issue it is a very glimpse of heauenly glory a pure taste of the riuers of Life and first fruits of euerlasting ioyes Thus the blessing of the Lord maketh the heart spiritually merry with incomparable sweetnesse and he addeth no sorrow with it 3. Of dignitie and diuine temper Carnall ioyes haue for their foundation the fading arme of flesh and the fashion of this world fraile and fleeting as themselues earthly power and policie for their prop and support For their Obiect the Garbage of the earth Gold and Siluer foode for swinish worldlings noble captiuities guilded fetters I meane vndeserued dignities honours offices greatnesse and high roomes the onely ayme of ambitious Shebnaes the filth and froth of brutish pleasures fewell for Sodomiticall flames and such like trash pelfe and vanity For their companions feares iealousies guilty gripings The sences for their seate Time for their limit for their end endlesse griefe and horrour of heart For all earthly pleasure determines in heauinesse as the Sunne sets in darknesse But now on the other side spirituall Ioy is the blessed Spirits sweet and louely Babe grounded vpon the sure Couenant of euerlasting Loue Mercie and Peace in Iesus Christ The matter of it is the light of Gods countenance the Garments of saluation the precious Robe of Christs righteousnesse interest in his dearest Blood and all the rich purchases of his Passion looking vpon our names in heauen through the glasse of sanctification Gods holy Image renued vpon our soules and the illustrious beames of heauenly graces shed from the Throne of Grace shining there euery sweet promise in his blessed Booke In a word Iehoua Isa. 61. 10. Habakkuk 3. 18. Phil. 4 4. And that glorious Name proclaimed Exod. 34. 6 7. a well-spring of vnspeakable refreshing to euery truely broken and bleeding heart being well opened by a feeling and a fruitfull meditation For measure it is immeasurable without bound or stint and passeth all vnderstanding no stranger doth intermeddle with it neither can any man possibly conceiue it but he that enioyes it It is as it were the amiable splendour and sparkle of that white Stone in the Reuelation Chap. 2. 17. which only shines vpon heauenly hearts with delight vnspeakable glorious For seate and certainty It is engrauen by the Finger of God with an heauenly Sun-beame as it were shining from the face of Christ in the very center of the heart which not all the powers of darknesse or hellish mists can finally dimme or dispell the world neither giue nor take from vs neither man nor deuill nor shadow of death euer raze or roote out It is honoured with that supernaturall singularitie and sacred temper that vtterly against nature all naturall possibilitie it extracts sweetnesse and life out of ordinary causes of deiection and sinking Troubles persecutions and reproaches doe fortifie it and serue as fewell to enlarge its lightsomnesse See Act. 5. 41. 16. 25. Acts and Monum pag. 2003. where the glorious Martyr Woodman speakes thus When I haue been in prison wearing otherwhile bolts otherwhiles shackles otherwhile lying on the bare ground somtime sitting in the stocks sometimes bound with cords that all my body hath been swolne much like to be ouercome for the paine that hath been in my flesh sometime faine to lye without in the woods and fields wandring to and fro few I say that durst to keepe my company forâ—…feare of the Rulers sometime brought before the Iustices Sheriffes Lords Doctors and Bishops sometime called Dogge sometime Deuill Heretike Whoremonger Traytor Thiefe Deceiuer with diuers other such like yea and euen they that did eate of my bread that should haue been most my friends by nature haue betrayed meâ—… Yet for all this I praise my Lord God that hath separated mee from my mothers wombe all this that hath happened to me hath beene easie light and most delectable and ioyfull of any treasure that euer I possessed For duration It is a very glimpse of heauenly glory which springing vp in a sanctified heart out of the wells of saluation and
royall heart by imbruing his hands in his brothers blood and with vnnaturall trayterous violence and villany snatching at the Imperiall Crowne vpon Dauids head Another famous instance to this purpose we find in the story of the Greeke Emperours The old Emperour Andronicus doted with such extreme impotency of partiall affection vpon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he did not onely disregard the rest of his Nephewes but also his owne children and as the Storie tels vs was not willing to spare him out of sight either day or night But what were the consequents of this cockering When he was stept further into yeeres besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grandfather in the meane time at length pressing without resistance vpon his Palace with purpose to surprize his person though the old Emperour intreated him with much affectionate Royall eloquence which might haue pierced an heart of steele or Adamant That he would reuerence those hands which had oftentimes most louingly embraced him yet crying in his swathing clothes that he would reuerence those lips which had oftentimes most louingly kissed him and called him his other Soule that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life c. For all this after some kind words and courteous embracement at first indeed premised and in hot blood in conclusion being polled and shauen was made a Monke and the Anuile of much dunghill scorne and vilest indignities vntill the workemanship of death had finished the sorrowfull businesse of a wretched life A third and very remarkeable to fright all Parents from foolish doting heare out of Austin By reason of a terrible dreadfull accident he called his people together as it seemes to a Sermon the third time the same day thinking no doubt out of his watchful spiritual wisdom to work more succesfully and to leaue more strong and lasting impressions in their hearts while the bloody vnnaturall villany was yet fresh in their eyes and eares And when they were met together he relates the dolefull storie Our noble Citizen saith he here of Hippo Cyrillus a man mightie amongst vs both in worke and word and much beloued had as you know one onely sonne and because he had but onely one he loued him immeasurably and aboue God And so being drunke with immoderate doting hee neglected to correct him and gaue him liberty to doe whatsoeuer he list Now this very day this same fellow thus long suffered in his dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with child would haue violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death O mightie domination of the Deuill c. But I need not prosecute this point by further illustration out of strange Stories Daily experience presents vnto our eyes and eares the many wofull discomforts vnkind requitales and vnnaturall vsages which Parents receiue at the hands of those children which in their younger yeeres they made wanton with their loue and vndiscreetly doted vpon 2. Or in some other kind for example If thine heart be set vpon riches God may iustly and mercifully too exercise and afflict thee with his heauy hand vpon thy body with sicknesse vpon thy conscience with terror vpon thy reputation with disgrace or the like thereby to vnglue thy noble spirit from the dust and rent it from grouelingnesse vpon the earth If thou be ambitiously enamoured vpon honours and high roomes after wasting thy wealth wounding thy conscience wearying thy selfe with bribery basenesse and irkesome waiting thou mayest bee taken away vntimely in the very pursuite or presently after the attainement of them c. Thus it is not strange or extraordinary with God to preuent or take off our hearts from taking selfe-conceited pleasure or pride in any thing we enioy by crossing and correcting vs in other kindes Euen Paul that blessed Saint and seruant of the Lord lest his heart should be too much pleased and puft vp with abundance of reuelations he was vext and crost with his owne concupiscence there was giuen to him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2. Cor. 12. 7. that is as I conceiue hee felt his originall corruption sharpened and eneagered against him and let loose in some sort vpon him which is a terrible cut to a tender conscience 3. For the third howsoeuer it fare with thee otherwise if thou settle thine heart vpon any earthly thing with inordinate desire and delight thou shalt be sure to be haunted with a double curse 1. The rage of vnsatiablenesse vnsatisfiablenesse 2. That greatest plague hardnesse of heart 1. The Father of Spirits hath inspired into our immortall soules a large capacity and such an infinite appetite that no finite excellency created comfort or earthly thing can possibly fill Gold siluer riches honours crownes kingdomes are no fit matter or adequate obiect for such an immateriall and heauenly borne spirit to repose and feed vpon with finall rest and full contentment Nay not this whole materiall world were it beautified and set out with all the amiablenesse splendour and allurements which the deuill by his iugling Alchymy put vpon it when he presented it to the eye of Christ Iesus Math. 4. 8. with addition of the starry and Empyrean heauen shining with all their admirable beauty and glorious inhabitants could by any meanes confine satisfie and content the irke some wandrings vnlimited desire and vast comprehensiuenesse of the soule but it would still bee transported with the passionate disquietnesse of selfe vexation and tortured vpon the racke of restlesse discontent vntill it fasten and fixe vpon an obiect infinite both in excellency and endlesnesse wherin is contained the whole latitude of Entity and goodnesse the euer-blessed and onlyadored Trinity Where and when alone it softly and sweetly with the hight and fulnesse of all desireable contentment rests in the armes of God and bosome of eternall blisse which all blessed soules attaine thus and by these meanes When it pleased God by the mercifull violence of his Almighty hand to turne the sensuall bent and powerfull current of the seduced soule from the creature to the Creator from the painted brauery of this vaine world to the heauenly beautie of his blessed Word from carking encumbrance about many things to pursue and ply that One needfull thing by a sound and vniuersall change of the whole man and translation of him from the darkenesse of naturall ignorance death in sinne and power of the deuill to the light of sauing knowledge the life of sanctifying grace and the liuing God I say then the restlesse wandrings of the vnsatisfied soule begins first to settle with some sweet contentment vpon the flowers of Paradise glimpses of heauenly glory infallible earnests of euerlasting blisse sauing graces and its infinite appetite is well stayed in the meane time with that
forgerer and murtherer I would little doubt but to get the day It is proportionably so in this present point I meane betweene my regenerate illightned conscience and Satan Nay in this case should all the Deuils in Hell sweare the contrary did carnall reason naturall distrust or any other aduersary power cauill and contradict with neuer such irksome tediousnesse yet by the mercy of God I will not withstand that heauenly light standing in my conscience like an armed man I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe vntill I die But how do you know that you truly beleeue We may know perhaps that we haue some kind of faith but not that we haue the true liuely faith which will serue the turne for saluation I answer Saint Paul bids vs try and prooue our selues whether we haue that Faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which is the faith of such as are accepted with God 2. Cor. 13. 5. Now it were strange if the blessed Spirit should bid vs examine and search for that which could not possibly be found out Againe if a man cannot be certaine that he beleeues with all his heart that is truly and sincerely Philips interrogatorie to the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. had beene in vaine and the Eunuchs reply rash and vnaduised Austin was cleerely of this mind that a man may be acquainted with the sincerity of his faith There is saith he a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling But many say they beleeue and are deceiued thinking they haue that which they haue not How then can a man be certaine Answer So thousands amongst vs by the false spectacles of presumption making the bridge of Gods mercy broader then it is and larger then his truth which confines it onely to broken hearts are wofully deluded and ready euery moment to be drowned in the dungeon of fire and brimstone must therefore those few who are sincerely humbled for their sinnes truly beleeue and vpon good ground haue part in it be also deceiued Because mad men and men asleepe know not well that they are asleepe and rage must therefore men truly waking and wise not know certainely they are awake and in their wits The common people generally conceiue of the Sunnes magnitude that it is not past a foote round must therefore the certainetie of knowledge that it is many times bigger then the Earth be denied to the skilfull Astronomer Some men dreame that they are rich tumble themselues amongst their golden heapes and it is not so indeed when they awake doth no man therefore certainely know whether he be rich or no Conceiue proportionably of repentance an inseparable companion and effect of true faith which is then sauing when it is serious sincere and without hypocrisie and that may be manifest and cleerely discerneable to the heart that hath it Doe you thinke the seriousnesse of the Niniuites repentance was not certaine vnto them We haue receiued the Spirit of God saith Paul that we might know the things that are freely giuen vs of God which are not onely life euerlasting c. but iustification sanctification and such like I say sauingnesse of repentance as of faith consists not in the measure and muchnesse but in the sincerity and truth of which the true penitent may bee certaine as well as of his sorrow But now whereas the Popish Doctors being blind guides leade their hoodwinkt followers into such perplexed mazes of vncertainties and indeed impossibilities about contrition in respect of extension intension appretiation equiualence to sin no maruell though they pleade pertinaciously for the point and purgatory of doubting 3. By the effects and fruits growing from the roote of grace in the heart But there may be in the hypocrite an exact outward conformity and obedience I answer true it is that for the outside and carkasse as it were the workes of vnsactified men may be like to those of the godly but they are without the soule life and spirit which is in the worke of a true beleeuer to which he is no lesse priuy in his heart then to the outward worke which passeth thorow his hands And wee hold that workes done in vprightnesse of heart onely are they which truly testifie in this case Let euery true-hearted Nathaneel then comfortably conclude pardon and peace vnto his owne soule from all such fruits so qualified For instance in one Wee know that we haue passed from death to life because wee loue the Brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. I loue the Brethren therefore I am translated from death to life But is it possible for a man to know that he loues his Brethren as he ought and as the Apostle requires Saint Iohn makes it a signe of our being so translated therfore it may be knowne For signes manifesting other things must themselues be more manifest And Austin tels vs that a man knowes more the loue with which he loues then his brother whom he loues Thus may the Christian infallibly collect the sanctifying Spirit iustifying Faith sauing Grace to dwell in his heart by all good deeds holy duties inward or outward fruits springing from an vpright heart For as it followes and may be inferred infallibly and demonstratiuely from the effect to the proper cause in other things For example It is day therefore the Sunne is risen because day cannot be caused but by the Sunnes rising so in this point also explained as before If wee pursue and ply with true hearts the whole Trade of Christianity If we be sincerely exercised in the workes of holinesse iustice mercy and truth and walke humbly with our God we may build vpon it that we are truly blessed All such sound fruits of Faith are euident signes and demonstrations of our spirituall safety and standing fast for euer If ye doe these things saith Peter yee shall neuer fall 4. By the testimony of the Spirit which sometimes as in the time of more feruent prayer holy retyrednesse of mind heauenly meditation or in some quickning exercises of extraordinary humiliation or after some speciall important seruice done to God and his Church with humble sincerity and in true zeale or vpon the soule-searching passage of some well grounded Sermon of comfort and seasonable application of mercy or in the beginning of spirituall and end of naturall life as most needfull times or in the time of martyrdome and sincere sufferings for the Name of Christ c. I say at such times the Spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience with a secret still hart-rauishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the Child of God Thou art in the number of those that shall be saued Thou shalt inherit life euerlasting And that as certainely and comfortably as if that Angell from Heauen should say to thee as he did to Daniel Greatly beloued And why should any Popish cauiller contradict this sith
and scorne from the World for thy profession which naturally much nettles a noble spirit doe crowne thy head and should fill thy heart with abundance of glory blessednesse and ioy If ye be reproched for the Name of Christ happy are yee saith Peter for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth vpon you 1. Pet. 4. 14. Blessed are yee saith Christ himselfe when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my sake reioyce and be exceeding glad Math. 5. 11. 12. Scurrilities and scoffes all spitefull speeches odious nick-names lying imputations cast vpon thee in this kind by tongues which cut like a sharpe rasor are in their due estimate and true account as so many honorable badges Let no cowardly Christian then decline them with wounding of his conscience of thy Christian magnanimitie and resolute standing on the Lords side and at the Throne of Christ will be certainely reputed as characters of speciall honour and remembrancers of thy worthy seruice whereby thou shalt appeare more acceptable and amiable in the eyes of Almightie God and all that glorious triumphant Church aboue 5. If thou rightly temper and well weigh euen thy sorest sorrow and the very bleeding of thy heart for sinne it should bee so farre from damping the lightsomnesse of thy spirit that it ought to open vnto thee a well-spring of purest ioy For the penitent melting of our affections and kindly mourning ouer Him whom we haue pierced with our sinnes argues infallibly and sweetely assures the presence and sanctifying power of the holy Spirit And what greater comfort or sweeter delight then that which ariseth from a well grounded euidence that the Fountaine of all comfort dwels in our soules Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne are like an April showre which though it wet a little yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes flowers and fruits of the earth As euen in laughing the heart of the wicked is sorrowfull so contrarily euen in such mourning the heart of the true penitent is lightsome and comfortable For habituall ioy may not onely consist with actuall sorrow and contrarily but also euen actuall ioy with actuall sorrow This is no strange thing in other cases when wee see a good man persecuted for a good cause stand to it nobly wee grieue for his troubles but reioyce in his resolution and vndauntednes As wee ought then to grieue bitterly for our sinnes so let vs reioyce immeasurably for such ingenuous grieuing Let vs lament heartily ouer him whom we haue wounded with our abominable lusts but let vs also bee infinitely glad at the very heart roote that they are all pardoned by the powring out of his blood Not the most exquisite quintessence and extraction of all manner of Musicke Sets or Consorts vocall or instrumentall can possibly conuey so delicious a touch and rellish to the outward eare of a man as a certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit sealed with Christs blood to the bruised heart and grieued soule of an humble sinner in the very depth of his sorrow 6. If thou be troubled with temptations and exercised euen with varietie of them heare the holy Ghost Count it all ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations To let other particulars passe From the very foulest and most griesly suggestions of Satan thou mayst collect this common glorious comfort That thou art none of his For as hee is wont to keepe vnconuerted men in as merry a moode and faire a calme of outward contentment and inward securitie as he can possibly retiring and reseruing his most fiery darts and hideous temptations vntill hee haue them at some dead lift and vnauoidable strait so all that are broke out of his hellish prison by the help of the holy Ghost he ordinarily pursues with deadly rage and all the powers of darknesse Hee hunts them in his fittest seasons like a Partridge in the Mountaines with troubles without and terrours within The lesse peace thou hast therefore from him the more pleasure mayst thou take in thine escape out of his clutches The more restlessely he followes thee with the fury and variety of his temptations the more sweetly and securely if thou wilt giue way to the counsell of the Prophets and the worke of â—…aith mayst thou repose thy wearied soule vpon the comfortable assurance of being certainly Gods 5. Euery one that hath part in Christs death is bound in conscience and bidden by the blessed Spirit to leade a most merry life euen to keepe a Feast a spirituall Holyday as it were from all seruile terrours slauish sadnesse vncomfortable deiections of spirit For euen Christour Passeouer is sacrificed for vs therefore let vs keepe the Feast 1. Cor. 5. 7. The sweetnesse and excellency of this Feast is notably set out and amplified by 1. the beautifull garments wee put on and weare when we are admitted vnto it 2. The matter and magnificent prouision 3. The musicke 4. The franke and bountifull entertainment and plenty 5. The extraordinarie pompe and princelinesse 1. For the first meditate ioyfully vpon that rich attire and those Royall attributes glorifying and crowning Christs blessed Spouse with most admirable and rauishing beauty Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with Banners And know that all the essentiall glory and fairenesse which is to be found in the whole Church the Woman clothed with the Sunne as that of iustification and sanctification c. belongs to euery member thereof to euery faithfull Christian. As the morning 1. The morning springs out of the greatest darknesse the night is most darke as they say a little before day the illuminated soule arises out of the most darksome and damned graue of ignorance and sinne 2. The beauty of the morning is principally seene in her ruddinesse The soule that is newly deliuered out of the horror of Egyptian darknesse and hands of the hellish Pharaoh is all ruddy with passing thorow the red Sea of Christs blood that is the ground vpon which all its beauty and blessednesse is built 2. The glory of the morning after its first peeping in the East spreads fairer and fairer in all beauty and brightnesse vntill the mid-day and full illustration of the World Grace in the soule after the first plantation growes stronger and stronger shines fairer and fairer vntil it set in the bottomlesse Ocean of endlesse Glory See Prou. 4. 18. Faire as the Moone 1. The Moone receiues all her light and lustre from the Sunne all the graces holinesse inherent righteousnesse shining in a sanctified soule are the image and impressions of the Sunne of righteousnesse 2. The Moone hath some spots in her face but yet is a very beautifull creature by her borrowed light The Christian is somewhat blacke with the remnants of
desireable things in this life they must be taken from thee or thou from them In this case then if thou giue way and forth vnto this faint-hearted tyrant and malicious passion it will wound thine heart many and many a time with sence of their losse before thou loose them and mingle amidst thy dearest and most doting apprehensions of their sweetnesse and worth many bitter thoughts of the day of diuorce and stings of much worldly griefe for such onely I meane from a torturing preconceit of painefull heart-breake at parting But the most tormenting racke in this kind vpon which this tyrannicall passion doth much terrifie and teare the hearts of carnall men specially is death It is called the Prince of terror by reason of its owne extreme ineuitable pangs and to them also it is a certaine passage to torments without end and past imagination and therefore if their consciences be not desperately seared and sealed vp securely with the spirit of slumber against the Day of vengeance they are woont to dye almost euery day by a slauish feare of death see Heb. 2. 15. O death saith the wise man how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things Oh how the heart of such a man doth shrug together for horrour quake like an Aspen leafe and die all the while when this feare doth represent vnto it in the glasse of his imagination the griesly formes and ougly face of death with those other dreadfull circumstances as the wailings and out-cries of wife children and friends about his last bed parting from all worldly pleasures for euer rotting in the graue dragging to the Tribunall and terror of the last Day c Besides these imaginarie sufferings and vntimely sorrowes take notice of three other base pestilent effects and mischiefes which this naturall slauish distrustfull feare for that I onely meane in the whole point puts vpon a man 1. It may bring vpon him the thing which he feares by fearing to become miserable he may become that he feares and so turne his vaine feare into certaine miseries according to that of Salomon Prou. 10. 24. That which the wicked feareth shall come vpon him And that of Isai. 66. 4. I will bring their feares vpon them Thou hast a wife a child an outward state an hie place which thou art immoderately afraid to loose now this very distrustfull feare derogating from the glory of Gods mercifull prouidence which sweetly and wisely disposeth all things may iustly prouoke him to depriue thee of them whereas other wise thou mightst haue enioyed them still 2. It robs and bereaues thee of the kindly rellish and comfortable inioyment euen of good things A man can take no delight in the fruition of that good which hee feareth to loose Life it selfe is loathsome if a man slauishly feare to dye That good breeds the truest present contentment against the losse whereof we are alwayes prepared And therefore those who liue in continuall feare to loose their child goods libertie life or any other thing that is deare vnto them loose a great deale of that honest ioy and allowed pleasure they maight haue euen in these outward things 3. It deiects and debases his noble nature below the miseries and basenesse of beasts in this point for they are fenced from this folly and vanitie by the benefit of their weakenesse and want of reason neuer re-afflicting themselues with euils past or fearing any to come but thorow their whole life enioy intirely and with full securitie all contentments and pleasures incident to their natures saue onely when they are pinched with sence of present paine What a shame then is it to man who being honoured with the excellencie of an vnderstanding reasonable and prouident spirit whereby hee out-shines all other creatures like an Angell vpon earth should by the abuse and mis-imployment thereof make it a meanes vnto himselfe to become more miserable in this respect then a brute beast Now many and sweete are the places and promises in Gods Booke which may serue as precious counter-poisons and cordials against this carking venome which haunts with too often insinuations euen the most heauenly minde but eates continually like a Canker into the carnall heart They are such as these I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Shouldest thou fall into the fiery tryall assuredly thy mercifull God would either supply thee with a supernaturall and extraordinary power and patience ouer that most exquisite paine or else abate lessen the rage of the flames for thy sake All things worke together for good to them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. Sin in it own nature is the deadliest and rankest poyson to the soule and in it selfe the greatest euill that is or can be yet Gods infinite Power and Wisedome which at first drew light out of darknesse as a skilfull Apothecary deales with poyson so orders and tempers it to his that by accident it proues medicinable much more doth He turn to their good crosses disgraces losses of earthly things pouertie want life death any thing euery thing God is faithfull who will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. It is Gods Childs peculiar in the case of afflictions and all future troubles to expect supportation in them benefit by them deliuerance out of them He that spared not his owne Sonne how shall hee not with him also freely giue vs all things Rom. 8. 32 If Iesus Christ be ours it is infinitely absurd to feare slauishly either hurt by ill or want of good Hee is incomparably more worth then ten thousand worlds were they all extant If thou enioyest then such a Iewell what a cursed vanity is it to torture and teare thy heart with feare of any earthly losse or of euer being preuailed against by any created power Take yet more spirituall armour and Heroicall resolution against the assaults of this cowardly Tyrant which doth so vnworthily afflict the spirits of men not onely with imminent ills but also with those which are not and perhaps shall neuer be nay sometimes which cannot possibly bee out of those two sweetest Psalmes for promises of future protection 91. and 121. Esa. 43. 2. But the speciall preseruatiue which at this time I would commend vnto you against this distrustfull hearts-poyson may bee extracted from Christs owne words Mat. 6. 34. After many strong and precious Arguments against thoughtfulnesse and carking our heauenly Doctor concludes Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it selfe sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof Whence I collect and counsell that the Christian ought in respect of any torturing care or carking forecast to vnite and