merit But if wee think of our deliverance from the fire of Hell â—his is cause enough to make us both pâ—tient and thankfull though the trifles weâ— delight in bee taken from us Lord take away what thou pleasest for thy glory and my good so long as thou savest mee from the fire of Hell and thy everlasting wrath Neither is there a better remedy for impatience than to cast up our receipts and to compare them with ouâ— deservingâ— if thou lookest upon thy sufferingâ— thou shalt find them far easier than thy sins have deserved nothing to what thy fellow Saints and Christ thy elder brother hath suffered before thee at a Lyons den or a fiery furnace not to turn tâ—ile were a commendation worthy a Crown do but compare thy own estate with theirs and thou shalt find cause to bee thankfull that thou art above any rather than of envy or malice that any is above thee to domineer and insult over thee Yea compare thine own estate with thine enemies thou shalt see yet greater cause to bee thankfull for if these temporary dolors which God afflicts his people with are so grievous to thee how shall thine and Gods enemies though they suggest to themselvs that God is all mercy as if hee wanted the other hand of his justice endure that devouring fire that everlasting burning Isa. 33.14 Psal. 68.21 Doth he make bloody wayls on the backs of his Children and shall bastards escape doth hee deal thus with his Sons what will hee do with his Slaves cannot all the obedience of his beloved ones bear out one sin against God as wee see in Moses David Zachary c. Where will they appear that do evill onely evill and that continually The meditation whereof may bee of some use to thee Thales beeing asked how adversity might best bee born answered By seeing our Enemies in worse estate than our selves CHAP. 39. That the more wee suffer here so it bee for righteousness sake the greater our reward shall be heareafter 5 FIâ—thly wee shall bear the Cross with more patience and comfort if with Moses wee shall have respect unto the recompence of reward which is promised to all that notwithstanding what they shall suffer persevere in well doing Great are our tryals but salvation in heaven will one day make amends when we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes when wee shall cease to grieve cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin when God shall turn all the water of our tears into the wine of endless comfort Yea when our reward shall bee so much the more joyous by how much more the course of our life hath been grievous First see what promises are made to suffering Blessed are they which mourn saith our Saviour for they shall bee comforted Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven ver 10. They that suffer here for well-doing shall bee Crowned hereafter for well-suffering Blessed shall you bee when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake fasly Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven ver 11.12 And nothing wee suffer here can bee compared either with those woes wee have deserved in Hell or those joyes wee are reserved to in Heaven When Maâ—cus Marcellus who was the first that saw the back of Hanniball in the field was asked how hee durst enter into battaile with him hee answered I am a Romane born and a Souldier and by him I shall make my â—â—own everlasting How much more should the hope of life immortall wâ—â—ch is the life of our lives mortall whet our sortiâ—ude and encourage us in the Christian warfare And so it hath done with thousands Origen was so earnest to suffer with his Father when hee was but sixteen years of age that if his Mother had not kept his cloaths from him hee would have run to the place where his Father suffered to profess himself a Christian and to have suffered with him which was a common thing with the Martyrs making all hast lest they should miss of that noble entertainment Yea it hath not onely been common for men in a bravado to encounter death for a small flâ—sh of honour but you shall see a hired servant venture his life for his new master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him not Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended 1 Sam. 22. Nor Towns and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundred-fold more than wee part withall in this life and eternall mansions in Heaven Iohn 14 2. Therefore Bazil when hee was offered money and preferments to tempt him answered Can you give me money that can last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish And certainly nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure forever Yea if the love of gain makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea if the sweetness of honey makes the Bears break in upon th hives contemning the stings Who would not get heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever But to go on Behold saith God it shall come to pass that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison that yee may bee tried and yee shall have tribulation ten days yet fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer For be but thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the Crown of life Rev. 2.10 And again Blessed is the man that endureth temtatation for when hee is tried hee shall receive the Crown of life Jam. 1. veâ— 12. A Crown without cares without rivals without envy without end Now if you consider it The gain with hardness makes it far less hard The danger 's great but so is the reward The sight of glory future mitigate the sence of misery present For if Iacob thought not his service tedious because his beloved Rachell was in his eye what can be thought grievous to him that hath Heaven in his eye Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things hee asked why they would endure such misery when they might by retracting free themselvs to which one of them aleadged that text Eye hath not seen nor ear heard c. the nameing whereof and seeing them suffer so cheerfully did so convert him that afterwards hee became a Martyr too Lastly not to enlarge my self as I might in promises of reward Whosoever shall forsake Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake he shall receive an hundred-fold more and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19.29 This is â— treasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives Wherefore eye not the stream thou wadest through but the firm Land thou tendest to And indeed who is there that shall hear these promises and compare
instead of all their posterity before they had issue and the Covenant being made with them as publick persons not for themselves onely but for their Posterity who were to stand or fall with them they being left to the freedom of their own wills in transgressing the commandment of God by eating the forbidden fruit through the temptation of Satan have made us and all mankind descending from them by ordinary generation as guilty of their sin as any heir is liable to his fathers debt Their act being ours as the act of a Knight or Burgess in the Parliament House is the act of the whole County in whose name and room they sit and whom they represent by which means our Nature is so corrupted that we are utterly indisposed and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good and wholly inclined to all evil and that continually and have also lost our communion with God incurred his displeasure and curse so as we are justly liable to all punishments both in this life and in the life to come Now for the fuller confirming and amplifying of what hath been said touching Original sin take only these ensuing Scriptures and Auhorisms without any needless connexion that I may be so much the briefer Sect. X. Amongst many others the most pregnant Scriptures for the confirming of this point I hold to be these The fathâ—rs have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge Jer. 31.29 was a true proverb though by them abused By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned Rom. 5.12 to 21. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 See Chap. 15.14 15 16. We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Isa. 64 6. By the works of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Rom. 3.20 There is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.21 22 23. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually And it repented the Lord that he had made man Gen. 6 5 6. Both Iews and Gentiles are all under sin As it is written there is none righteous no not one There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God They are all gone on t of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doeth good no not one Their throat is an open sepulchre the poyson of Asps is under their lips there is no fear of God before their eyes Rom. 3.9 to 20. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies Mat. 15.19 See Gal. 5.19 20 21. Whence come wars and sightings amongst you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members James 4.1 Unto them that are unbelieving is nothing pure but even their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death c Rom. 7.14 to 25. where the Apostle speaks all this and a great deal more of himself see Ephes. 2.2 3. Gal. 3.10 Yet how many that grieve for their other sins which are never troubled for their Original corruption which should above all be bewailed even as the mother and nurse of all the rest and thought worthy not of our sighs alone but of our tears For this is the great wheel of the Clock that sets all the other wheels a moving while it seems to move slowest And never did any truly and orderly repent that began not here esteeming it the most foul and hatefull of all as David Psal. 51.5 And Paul crying out of it as the most secret deceitfull and powerfull evil Rom. 7.23 24. And indeed if we but clearly saw the foulness and deceitfulness of it we would not suffer our eyes to sleep nor our eye-lids to slumber until a happy change had wrought these hearts of ours which by nature are no better then so many styes of unclean Devils to become habitations for the God of Iacob Sect. XI We are the cursed seed of rebellious parents neither need we anymore to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us In Adam the root of all we all so sinned that if we had no inherent sin of our own this imputed sin of his were enough to damn us 〈…〉 Utter the branches cannot be better They were the fountain we the springs if the fountain be filthy so must the springs VVhence it is that holy David cries out Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Psal. 51.5 Tantillus puer tantus peccator saith St Austin when a little childe I was a great sinner As in the little and tender bud is infolded the leaf the blossom and the fruit so even in the heart of a young child there is a bundle and pack of folly laid up as Solomon affirms Pro. 22.15 And as Moses Speaks The thoughts of mans heart are evil even from his childhood Gen. 6.5 8.21 VVe brought a world of sin into the world with us and were condemned so soon as conceived we were adjudged to eternal death before we lived a temporal life As admit thou hadst never offended in the least thought word or deed all thy life yea admit thou couldest now keep all the commandments actually and spiritually yet all this were nothing it could not keep thee out of Hell since that Original sin which we drew from the loins of our first Parents is enough to damn us Sin and corruption are the riches that we bequeath to our children rebellion the inheritance that we have purchased for them death the wages that we have procured them God made us after his own image but by sin we have turned the image of God into the image of Satan Yea like Satan we can do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who would not so sin but for us As a furnace continually sparkles as the raging Sea foams and casts up mire and dirt and as a filthy dunghil does continually reak forth and evaporate odious odors so do our hearts naturally stream forth unsavory eructations unholy lusts and motions even continually As O the infinitely intricate windings and turnings of the dark labyrinths of mans heart who findes not in himself an indisposition of minde to all good and an inclination to all evil O the strange monsters the ugly odious hideous fiends the swarms litters legions of noisom lusts that are coâ—ched in the stinking styes of every one of our deceitfull hearts insomuch that if all our thoughts did but break forth into action
the satisfying of his justice and also freeing us from the guilt and punishment of either And that with as much brevity as may stand with perspicuity First in general we must undoubtedly know that the sole perfection of a Christian is â—he imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not imputation of his own unrighteousnesse as appears by the whole current of Scripture of which a few Even the Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many Mark 10.45 As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous c. Rom. 5.18 19. As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the justifying of one the benefit abounded towards all men to the justification of life Rom. 5.18 Unto Iesus Christ that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1.5 The blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 he is the reconciliation for our sins c. 1 Joh. 2 1 2. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 He was delivered to death for our sins and is risen again for our justification Rom. 4.25 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree by whose stripes we were healed 1 Pet. 2.24 He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we were healed Isa. 53.5 Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given none other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeveth in me although he were dead yet shall he live John 11.25 You hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins Ephes. 2.1 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 4.16 to 20. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5 6. to 11 read to the end of the Chapter See more Iohn 1.29 Acts 13.39 Rom. 6.4 to 23. and 8.2 3. and 10. 3,4 1 Cor. 15.56 Col. 1.14 Gal 3.22 Heb. 9.28 1 Pet. 1.18 19 20. 1 Joh. 3.8 Sect. XVIII As Christ was a sinner onely by the imputation of our sins so we are just onely by the imputation of his righteousness Our good works were they never so many and rare cannot justify us or deserve any thing at Gods hands it is onely in Christ that they are accepted and only for Christ that they are rewarded Yea the opinion of thine own righteousnesse makes thy condition far worse then the wickedest mans alive For Christ that came to save all weary and heavy laden sinners be they never so wicked neither came to save or once to call thee that hast no sin but art righteous enough without him As hear his own words to the proud Pharisees who had the same thoughts of themselves as thou hast They that be whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The lost sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 9.13 and 10.6 and 15.24 and 18.11 Nor can any soul be so dangerously sick as thou who art least sensible of thy being sick Briefly until with Saint Paul thou renounceth thine own righteousness seest thy self the greatest of sinners art able to discern sin in every thing thou canst think speak or do and that thy very righteousness is no better then a menstruous cloth Isai. 64.6 thou canst have no part in Christ. And untill Christ shall become thine by Regeneration and a lively faith Thou art bound to keep the whole Law actually and spiritually with thy whole man thy whole life or else suffer eternal death and destruction of body and soul in Hell for thy not keeping it So that thou hast yet to answer and I pray mind it seriously for all the sins that ever thou hast committed who art not able to answer for one of the least of them For the wages of sin any sin be it never so small is eternal death Rom. 6.23 Gal. 2.16 19 20 21. Neither let Satan nor thy own deceitfull heart delude thee in thinking that thou hast faith when thine own words declare the contrary Nor would I ask any more evidence against thee in this then thine own mouth in saying that thou never doubtedst in all thy life for this makes it plain that thou never hadst faith nor ever knewest what saith means For he who never doubted never believed and Satan hath none so sure as those whom he never yet assaulted Sect. XIX But this being a main fundamental point which every man is bound to know I will more particularly and fully explain it as thus Man being in a most miserable and undone condition by reason of Original and actual sin and of the curse due to both being liable to all miseries in this life and adjudged to suffer eternal torments in hell-fire after death having no possibility to escape the fierce wrath of Almighty God who had already pronounced sentence upon him VVhen neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yeilded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God of his infinite wisdome and goodness did not onely find out a way to satisfie his justice and the Law but even gave us his own Son out of his bosome and his Son gave himself to die even the most shameful painful and cursed death of the Cross to redeem us that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven VVherefore wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the eternal God would die to redeem our worse then lost souls that we might not die eternally O the deepnesse of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God who can sufficiently admire thy love or commend thy pity or extol thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man
should we admire the love and bounty of God and bless his Name who for the performance of so small a work hath proposed so great a Reward And for the obtaining of such an happy state hath imposed such an easie task Yea more is Heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable and Hell so unutterably dolefull Then let nothing be thought too much that we can either do or suffer for Christ who hath freed us from the one and purchased for us the other Though indeed nothing that we are able to do or suffer here can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven And indeed that we are now out of hell there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone never to be freed that we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven we are onely beholding to him We are all by nature as hell-fire being onely reprieved for a timâ— But from this extremity and eternity of torment Iesus hath freed and delivered us O think then yea be ever thinking of it how rich the mercy of our Redeemer was in freeing us and that by laying down his own life to redeem us Yea How can we be thankfull enough for so great a blessing It was a mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Which being so 〈…〉 can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerable and thankfull demeanour If a Friend had given us but a thousand part of what God and Christ hath we should heartily love him all our lâ—ves and think no thankâ— sufficient What price then should we set upon Iesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls Do we then for Christs sake what we would do for a Friends sake Yea let us abhor our selves for our former unthankfulness and our wonderfull provoking of him Hearken we unto Christs voyce in all that he saith unto us without being swayed one way or another as the most are Let us whom Christ hath redeemed express our thankâ—ulness by obeying all that he saith unto us whatever it shall cost us since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure for ever As Who would not obtain Heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever In Heaven is a Crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteousâ—ess even a Crown without cares without rivals without envy without end And is not this reward enough for all that men or Devils can do against us Who would not serve a short apprentiship in Gods service here â—o be made for ever free in glory Yea Who would not be a Philpot for a moneth or a Lazarus for a day or a Steven for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever Nothing can be too much to endure fâ—r those pleasures that endure for ever Yea what pain can we think too much to suffer What little enough to do to obtain eternity for this incorruptible Crown of Glory in Heaven 1 Pet. 5.4 where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes Where we shall cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin Where God shall turn all the water of our afflictions into the pure wine of endless and unâ—xpressible comfort You shall sometimes see an hired servant venture his life for his new Master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end and can we suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him â—ot Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended 1 Sam 22 7. c. nor Towns and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundred-â—old more than we part withall here in this life and eternal Mansâ—ons in Heaven hereafter John 14.2 St. Paul saith Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparable and infinitive difference between the woâ—k and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary affliction eternal glory Suitable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless Their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternal Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life â—am 1.12 〈…〉 what folly is it then or rather madness for the small pleasure of some base lust some paltry profit or fleeting vanity which passeth away in the very act as the taste of a pleasant drink dieth so soon as it is down to bring upon our selves in another world torments without end and beyond all compass of conceit Fourthly Is it so that God hath set before us life and death Heaven and Hell as a reward of good and evil leaving us as it were to our choyce whether we will be compleatly and everlastingly happy or miserable with what resolution and zeal should we strive to make our calling and election sure nor making our greatest business our least and last care I know well thou hadst rather when thou diest go to reign with Christ in his Kingdom for evermore than be confined to a perpetual Prison or Furnace of fire and brimstone there to be tormented with the Dâ—vil and his Angels If so provoke not the Lord who is great and terrible of most glorious Majesty and of infinite purity and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his Commandments and threatned eternal death and destruction to those who break them For as he is to all repentant sinners a most mercifull God Exod. 34.6 so to all wilfull and impenitant sinners he is a consuming fire and a jealous God Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4 24. There was a King who having no issue to succeed him espied one day a well-favoured and towardly youth he took him to the Court and committed him to Tutors to instruct him provâ—ding by his Will that if he proved fit for Government he should be crowned King if not he should be kept in chains and made a Gally-slave the youth was mâ—sled and neglected both his Tutors good Counsâ—l and his Book so as his Master corâ—ected him and said O that thou knewest what honour is prepared for thee and what thou art lâ—ke to loose by this thy idle and loose carriage Well thou wilt afterwards when 't is to late sorely rue this And when he grew to years the King died whose Councâ—l and Executours perceiving him to be utterly unfit for State Government called him before them and declared the Kings will and pleasure which was accordingly performed for they caused him to be fettered and committed to the Galleys there to toil and tug at the Oaâ—s perpetually where he was whipt and lasht
number of those that by professing themselves Protestants discredit the Protestant Religion Who because they have been Christened as Simon Magus was received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper like Iudas and for company go to Church also as Dogs do are called Christians as we call the Heathen Images gods yea and being blinded by the Prince of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.4 think to be saved by Christ though they take up Arms against him and are no more like Christians then Michols Image of Goats hair was like David Who make the world only their god and pleasure or profit alone their Religion Who are so gracelesse that God is not in all their thoughts except to blaspheme him and to spend his daies in the Divel's service Who being Christians in name will scoffe at a Christian indeed Who honour the dead Saints in a cold profession while they worrey the living Saints in a cruel persecution Who so hate Holiness that they will hate a man for it and say of good living as Festus of great Learning It makes a man mad whose hearts will rise at the â—ight of a good man as some stomachs will rise at the sight of sweet meats Whose Religion is to oppose the power of Religion and whose knowledge of the Truth to know how to argue against the Truth Who justifie the wicked and condemne the â—ust who call Zeal madness and Religion foolishness Who love their sins so much above their souls that they will not onely mock their Admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make themselves merry with their own damnations but even hate one to the death for shewing them the way to eternal life who will condemne all for Round-heads that have more Religion then an Heathen or knowledg of heavenly things then a childe in the womb hath of the things of this life or conscience then an Atheist or care of his soul then a Beast and are mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Divel Who with Adam will become Satans bond-slaves for an Apple and like Esau sell their Birth-right of Grace here and their Blessing of Glory hereafter for a messe of Pottage Who prefer the pleasing of their palates before the saving of their souls who have not onely cast off Religion that should make them good men but reason also that should make them men Who waste virtues faster then riches and riches faster then any virtues can â—et them Who do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who spend their time and patrimonies in Riot and upon Dice Drabs Drunkennesse who place all their felicity in a Tavern or Brothel house where Harlots and Sycophants rifle their Estates and then send them to rob Who will borrow of every one but never intend to satisfie any one Who glory in their shame and are ashamed of that which should and would be their glory Who desire not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Who instead of quenching their thirst drown their senses and had rather leave their wits then the wine behinde them Who place their paradise in their throats heaven in their guts and make their belly their god Who pour their Patrimonies down their throats and throw the house so long out at windows that at length their house throws them out of doors Who think every one exorbitant that walks not after their rule Who will traduce all whom they cannot seduce even condemning with their tongues what they commend in their consciences Who as they have no reason so they will hear none Who are not more blinde to their own faults then quick-sighted in other mens Who being displeased with others will flie in their Makers face and tear their Saviours Name in pieces with oaths and execrations as being worse then any mad dog that flies in his Masters face that keeps him Who swear and curse even ouâ— of custome as currs bark yea they have so sworn away all grace thar they count it a grace to swear and being reproved for swearing they will swear that they swore not Or perhaps they are covetous Cormorants greedy Gripers miserly Muck-worms all whose reaches are at riches Who make gold their god and commodity the stern of their consciences Who hold every thing lawful if it be gainful Who prefer a little base peâ—f before God and their own salvations and who being faâ—ted with Gods blessings do spurn at his precepts Who like men sleeping in a boat are carried down the stream of this World until they arrive at their graves-end Death without once waking to bethink themselves whether they are a going to Heaveu or Hell Or Ignorant and Formal Hypocrites who do as they see others do without either conscience of sin or guidance of reason Who do what is morally good more for fear of the Law then for love of the Gospel Who fear the Magistrate more then they fear God or the Divel regard more the blasts of men's breath then the fire of God's wrath will tremble more at â—â—e thought of a Bayliffe or a Prison then of Satan or Hell and everlasting perdition Who will say they love God and Christ yet hate all that any way resemble him are slint unto God wax to Satan have their ears alwaies open to the Tempter shut to their Maker and Redeemer will chuse rather to disobey God then displease great Ones fear more the Worlds scorns then His anger and rather then abridge themselves of their pleasure will incur the displeasure of God Who will do what God forbids yet confidently hope to escape what He threatens Who will do the Divels works onely and yet look for Christs wages expect that Heaven will meet them at their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten Road towards Hell Who expect to have Christ their Redeemer and Advocate when their consciences tell them that they seldom remember him but to blaspheme him and more often name him in their Oaths and Curses then in their Praiers Who will persecute Honest and Orthodox Christians and say they mean base and dissâ—â—bling Hypocrites Who think they do God service in killing his servants Joh. 10.2 Who will boast of a strong faith and yet fall short of the Divels in believing Jam. 2.19 Who turn the grace of God into wantonness as if a condemned person should head his Drum of Rebellion with his Pardon resolving to be evil because God is good Who will not believe what is written till they feel what is written and whom nothing will confute but fire and brimstone Who think their villainy is unseen because it is unpunished and therefore live like beasts because they think they shall die like beasts Considering the swarms Legions Millions of these I say and many the like which I cannot stand to repeat As also in reference to Levit. 19.17 Isa. 58.1 And out of compassion to their pretious souls there are above twenty several Books purposely composed wherein are proper remedies of
minde in their mouth his heart in their lips his Arrow shot by mans Bow He lendeth them his lyes and malice and borrowâ—th their tongues to utter them because thâ— Devill wants a tongue True they have sworn themselves Christs faithfull servants and souldiers but they will fight only for sin and Satan And least their owne sins should not damn them deep enough they do what in them lyes draw others to damnation For it is not enough for them to be â—ad themselves except they raile at and persecute the good and that against their owne consciences As for example Pilate judged Christ guiltlesse yet he put him to death and Festus acknowledged Paul without crime yet he left him in prison Onely they have some wit in their anger For how should Naboth be clenly put to death if he be not first accused of blasphemy 1 Kings 21.13 And the like of Ioseph Elias Ieremiah Paul Stephen and our Saviour Christ himself Indeed these want that power that their fellow persecutors have had and therefore can onely shew their teeth otherwise their hearts are as bloody and as full of the Serpents enmity as Doegs was In the mean time we are safe enough since their words are but like a boyes squib that flashes and cracks and stincks but is nothing And how little is that man hurt whom malice condemns on earth and God commends in heaven Onely I wish they would take notice that he is bottomlesly ill who is so farre from being good himselfe that he hates goodness in others They are desperately wicked that cannot so much as indure the sight of godlinesse that are displeased with others because they please God and murmur like the Scribes and Pharisees at the same things whereat the Angels rejoyce Such an one is upon the very threshold of Hell and none but a Cain or a Devill in condition will do so Nor coâ—ld they do it if the Devill were not in their hearts Sect. 9. Object But their usual objection is why will you be so singular are you wiser then all this is but want of discretion Answ. Suppose such do think as they speak Shall Lot leave his Righteousnesse for such an imputation of singularity Or shall he not depart Sodome because the whole City thinks it better to stay there still Shall Noah leave building the Arke and so himself and his whole houshold perish because all the world else thinks him hare-brain'd Or shall the name of Round-head dishearten us from the service of God No but after the way which to prophane men is most ridiculous let our soules desire to serve Iesus Christ Acts 24.14 It was Noah's happinesse that he followed not the Old worlds fashions It was Lots happinesse that he was singular in Sodome It was good for Nichodemus that he was singular among the Rulers Yea it was happy for Ruben that he was opposite to all his brethren Happy for Caleb and Ioshuah that they were opposite to the rest of the Spyes Happy for Luther that he was opposite to the rest of his Countrey And in case Iesus Christ and his twelve Apostles be on your side no matter if all the world be against you For better be saved with a few as Noe was in the Arke then be drowned with the world and damned for company Sect. 10. And now for conclusion Let all Scoffers take notice that as they scoffe at us so God laughes at them in Psal. 2.4 Yea judgements are prepared for these scorners and stripes for the bracks of these fools Pro. 19.29 God shall rain down fire brimstone upon such scorners of his word and blasphemers of his people as thou art said Mr. Philpâ—t the Martyr to mocking Morgan and the rest of his persecutors But on the contrary let not the taunts of an Ishmael make any Isaac out of love with his Inheritance A wise man will not be scoft out of his money nor a just man be flouted out of his Faith Yea for a man to be scoft out of his goodnesse by those that are lewd is all one as if a man that seeth should blinde-fold himself or put out his eyes because some blinde wretches revile and scoffe at him for seeing Or as if one that is sound of limbs should limp or maym himselfe to please the Criple and avoid his taunts Wherefore proceed good Sir without ever growing faint Let others serve the God of this world resolve you to serve the God of heaven Now if any swearer curser or scoffer hath the wit let him read those four Books formerly mentioned which for his and others good are all together with this to be had for a penny being an hundred and eleven pages contain as much matter as is usually to be found in a book of half a crown price The place where any one may have them is at the first door on your left hand in Bores-head Court by Criplegate Ox at the Black Swan by Moore-gate FINIS Farewel my little Benjamin go out into the world and prosper And the blessing of him that dwelt in the bush Deut. 33.16 even the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ex â— 6 go along with thee For otherwise Old Adam will prove too strong for Young Melancâ—â—on To such as for my great love and no little cost do hate me and for using the likeliest meanes to stop them in their way to destruction do scoff and traduce me Who so rewardeth evill for good evill shall not depart from his house Prov. 17.13 But ARe you Christians Or do you own him that made you and that hath bestowed so many millions of mercies upon you 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 2 Pet. 1.4 If so fight not for Satan against your Saviour 2 Chro. 13.12 Acts 5.39 23.9 who hath done and suffered so much for you Rom. 4.25 5 6. to 20. 6.23 8.2 Rev. 1.5 1 Pet. 2.24 For this is an unkindness next door to unpardonable Mar. 3.22 29 30. Hate me not to the death for shewing you the way to eternall life Acts 11.14 as those Libertines did Stephen Acts 7.54 and the Iewes Christ Mat. 27.27 Or if you do what shall you gain or I loose thereby when this your malice is a sure token to you of perdition but to me of salvation as the Apostle tells you Phil. 1.28 Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet for that flout he is by the Holy Ghost branded for a persecutor and shall fry in hell flames everlastingly Gal. 4.29 Those little children 2 King 2. did but mock Elisha but for that mock 42. of them were devoured of wilde Beares vers 24. C ham did but deride Noah but that alone brought his Fathers curse upon him and Gods upon that Gen. 9.25 which Prophetical curse lies so heavy upon Chams posterity the Ethiopians to this day though almost four thousand years since and they are so devoted to slavery that Parents will sell their own children to be slaves to such as trade in Negroes And yet the
thou on thy face said God to Ioshua Israel hath sinned up search diligently c. Iosh. 7.10 11. What evill hast thou done said the Mariners to the distressed Prophet that this evill is come upon us Let every such Ionas reflect upon himself and say What evill have I done What sin have I committed or admitted or what good have I omitted or intermitted be it but one single sin whether spiritual pride or railing upon honest men in an handsome Language or the like and having found out the cause grieve for it turn from it One flaw in a Diamond takes away the lustre and the price one man in Law may keep possession one Puddle if we wallow in it will defile us one piece of Ward-land makes the Heire liable to the King one sin keeps possession for Satan as well as twenty one poison-full Herb amongst many good ones may put death in the pot and so take away the goodnesse from the rest as if there were none in it wholesome Besides how were the Angels in heaven punished for one fault Achan for one sacriledge Miriam for one slander Moses for one unbelief Ananias for one lie Ely for his Indulgence onely David for his love to Bathsheba onely c. wherefore look to it for if we spare but one Agag it may cost us a Kingdome and such a Kingdome as is far better than the Kingdome of Saul 1 Pet. 1.4 Neither say of thy sin as once Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one for though men may yet God will not wink at small faults especially in his own A little prick being neglected may fester to a gangrene As what is a mountain of Earth but an accumulation of many little dusts or what is a flood but a concurrence of many little drops a small leak will sink the Vessel unstopt whereas a great one will not do it if well kalked The weakest Instrument be it but a Bodkin can pierce the flesh and take away the life unarmed whereas Armour of proof will even beat off Bullets Besides whereas our greatest goodnesse merits not the least glory our least wickednesse deserves great pain The wages of sin small or great is death Rom. 6.23 bad work sad wages Wherefore let his correction bring forth conversion cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4.8 Not your hands onely with Pilate but your hearts with David yea and your eyes too with Mary Magdalen if it be possible though dry sorrow may be as good as wet whose eyes were a Laver and hair a Towel to wash and wipe the feet of Christ. Humble thy self like the Ninevites Ionah 3.6 Who put sackcloth upon their loins and ashes on their heads as those that had deserved to be as far under ground as they were now above it An humble submission is the only way to disarm Gods indignation and be rid of his Rod 1 Pet. 5.6 By such a course as this Iacob appeased that rough man Esau Abigale diverted David from his bloody purpose the Syrians found favour with Ahab that none-such as the Scriptâ—re stiles him 1 Kings 20.32 33. Sin bringeth judgement and onely Repentance preventeth it Thy sin hath kindled the fire of Gods wrath and only Repentance is as water to quench this fire King Edward the First riding furiously after a servant of his that had displeased him with a drawn sword in his hand as purposing to kill him seeing him submit and upon bended knee sue for his life not onely spared him but received him into favour Go thou and do the like be thou but throughly sorry for thy sin my soul for thine God will be throughly satisfied yea grow better by it and God will love thee the better for it As Lovers are wont to be best friends after falling out for as bones out of joynt joyned again are stronger then before so when God and we are reconciled by repentance his affections are stronger to us then before The repenting Prodigal received such tokens of favour as his elder brother who never brake out into that Riot never did And whom did Christ honour with his first appearance but Mary Magdalen and the Angel but Peter Go saith he and tell his Disciples and Peter that he will go before you into Galilee Mark 16.7 Though Peter had sinned above the rest yet repenting he is named above the rest Otherwise Contrition without reformation which is but like the crouching of a Fox that being taken in a snare looks lamentably but it is only to get out will not prevail with God he will never leave pursuing thee till the traitors head be thrown over the wall None so lewd but will seem conformable when apprehended or if they Riot in the Goale of their durance yet when the Sessions comes they begin to be a little calme put off their disguises of dissolutenesse and put on some modesty and semblance of humiliation yea then they change their apparel their garbes their looks and all to appear civil Or let the Fox be chained up he will no more worry the Lambs Pharaoh could relent when he felt the plagues but when they were over so was his repentance but what saith the Scripture He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercy Prov. 28.13 Confession and confusion of sinne must go together yea there must be a parting with the right Eye in regard of pleasure and the right Hand in regard of profit As for example hast thou swallowed some unlawful gain and wouldest thou pacifie God and thy Conscience Vomit it up again by restitution for where is no restitution of things unjustly gotten their sins shall never be forgiven as Saint Augustine speaks Non tollitur peccatum nisi restituitur ablatum For repentance without restitution is as if a thief should take away thy purse ask thee pardon say he is sorrie for it but keeps it still in which case thou wouldst say he did but mock thee But Pallas with all the graces may call Briareus with his hundred hands to binde this Iupiter and all in vain Wherefore I proceed The skilful Chirurgion when he is lancing a wound or cutting off a limbe will not hear the patient though he cry never so until the cure be ended but let there be once a healing of thy errours and the plaister will fall off of it self for the plaister will not stick on when the sore is healed If the Fathers word can correct the child he will fling away the rod otherwise he must look to have his eyes ever winterly Thus as the two Angels that came to Lot lodged with him for a night and when they had dispatched their errand went away in the morning So afflictions which are the Angels or the Messengers of God are sent by him to do an errand to us to tell us we forget God we forget our selves we are too proud too self-conceited and such like and when they have said as they were bid then
cold doth keep in and double their inward heat And so of mans body the more extream the cold is without the more doth the natural heat fortifie it self within and guard the heart The Corn receives an inward heat and comfort from the Frost and Snow which lieth upon it Trees lopt and pruned flourish the more and bear the fuller for it The Grape when it is most pressed and trodden maketh the more and better Wine The drossie gold is by the fire refined Windes and Thunder clears the Air Working Seas purge the Wine Fire increaseth the sent of any Perfume Pounding makes all Spices smell the sweeter Linnen when it is buckt and washt and wrung and beaten becomes the whiter and fairer the Earth being torn up by the Plough becomes more rich and fruitful Is there a piece of ground naturally good Let it lie neglected it becomes wilde and barren yea and the more rich and fertile it is of it self the more waste and fruitless it proveth for want of Tillage and Husbandry The Razor though it be tempered with a due proportion of Steel yet if it pass not the Grindstone or Whetstone is never the less unapt to cut yea though it be made once never so sharp if it be not often whelted it waxeth dul All which are lively emblemes of that truth which the Apostle delivers 2 Cor. 4.16 We faint not for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Even as a Lambe is much more lively and nimble for shearing If by enmity and persecution as with a knife the Lord pareth and pruneth us it is that we may bring forth the more and better fruit and unless we degenerate we shall bear the better for bleeding as Anteus every time rose up the stronger when Hercules threw him to the ground because he got new strength by touching of his Mother O admirable use of affliction health from a wound cure from a disease out of grief joy gain out of loss out of infirmity strength out of sin holiness out of death life yea we shall redeem something of Gods dishonour by sin if we shall thence grow holy But this is a harder Riddle then Sampsons to these Philistims CHAP. 6. That it stirs them up to Prayer 3 THirdly because they quicken our devotion make us pray unto God with more fervency Lord saith Isaiah in trouble they will visit thee they poured out prayers when thy chastening was upon them Isay 26.16 In their affliction saith Hosea they will seek thee diligently Hosea 5.15 That we never pray so feelingly fervently forcibly as in time of affliction may be seen in the examples of the children of Israel Judges 3.9 15. Elisha 2 Kings 6.18 Hezekiah 2 Kings 19.15 16. Stephen Acts 7.59 60. And lastly in Iehosaphat who being told that there was a great multitude coming against him from beyond the Sâ—a out of Aram it follows That Jehosaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a Fast throughout all Judeah Yea they came out of all parts and joyned with him to enquire of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.3 4 13. Neither doth it make us alone which suffer earnest in prayer but it makes others also labour in prayer to God for us 2 Cor. 1.10 11. Acts 12.5 12. As what true members participate not some way of the bodies smart It is only a Nero can sit and sing while Rome burns Whence we are taught to pray in the plural number Our Father and certainly he cannot pray or be heard for himself that is no mans friend but his own No prayer without faith no faith without Charity no Charity without mutual intercession But I proceed Crosses are the files and whetstones that set an edge on our Devotions without which they grow dull and ineffectual Ionah sleeps in the Ship but prays hard in the Whales belly Prayer is the wing of the soul wherewith it flies to Heaven as meditation is the Eye wherewith we see God But our hearts are like flint-stones which must be smitâ—en ere they will send out these sparks of devotion Christ never heard of the Canaanitish woman until her daughter was miserably vexed with a Devil but then she comes to him and doth not speak but cry need and desire have raised her voice to an importunate clamour The God of mercy is light of hearing yet he loves a loud and vehement solicitation not to make himself inclinable to grant but to make us capable to receive blessings And indeed the very purpose of affliction is to make us importunate he that hears the secret murmurs of our grief yet wil not seem to hear us till our cries be loud and strong as Demosthenâ—s would not plead for his Client till he cried to him but then answered his sorrow Now I feel thy cause Prayer is as an arrow if it be drawn up but a little it goes not far but if it be pâ—ll'd up to the head flies strongly pierces deep if it be but dribled forth of careless lips it falls down at our feet the strength of our ejaculations sends them up into Heaven and fetches down a blessing The Childe hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying and the very unjust Iudge cannot endure the widows clamour So unto fervent prayer God will deny nothing Whereas heartless motions do but teach us to deny Fervent suites offer violence both to Earth and Heaven So that if we ask and miss it is because we ask amiss we beat back the flame not with a purpose to suppress it but to raise it higher and to diffuse it We stop the stream that it may swell the more and a denial doth but invite the importunate as we see in the Canaanitish woman Matth. 15. Our holy longings are increased with delayes it whets our appetite to be held fasting and whom will not Need make both humble and â—loquent If the case be woful it will be exprest accordingly the despair of all other helps sends us importunately to the God of power but while money can buy Physick or friends procâ—re enlargement the great Physician and helper is not sought unto nor throughly trusted in It is written of the children of Israel that so soon as they cried unto the Lord he delivered them from their servitude under Eglon King of Moab yet it is plain they were eighteen years under this bondage undelivered Iudges 3.14 15. Doubtless they were not so unsensible of their own misery as not to complain sooner then the end of eighteen years the first hour they sighed for themselves but now they cried unto God They are words and not prayers which fall from careless lips if we would prevail with God we must wrestle and if we would wrestle happily with God we must wrestle first with our own dulness Yea if we felt our want or wanted not desire we could speak to God in no tune but cries and nothing but cries can pierce Heaven The best mens zeal is but
2.21 Again The Disciple saith Christ is not above his Master but whosoever will be a perfect Disciple shall be as his Master Luke 6.40 Yea Saint Paul made this the most certain testimony and seal of his Adoption hâ—re and glory â—fterwards his words are these having delivered that the spirit of God heareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and â—â—â—ving added If we be children we are also heires even the heirs of God and heirs annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him making suffering as a principall condition annexed which is as if he had said it is impossible we should be glorified with him except we first suffer with him Rom. 8.16 17. Whereupon having in another place reckoned up all priviledges which might minister unto him occasion of boasting he concludeth that what things were gain unto him those he accounted losse for Christ that he might know the fellowship of his sufferings and be made conformable to his death Phil. 3.10 So that as he bare his crosse before he wore his crown and began to us in the cup of his Fathers displeasure so we must pledge him our part and fill up that which is behinde of his sufferings Colos. 1.24 Whence the Church which is mysticall Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 is called Gods threshing-floor Isa. 21.10 A Brand taken out of the fire Zach. 3.2 compared to Noahs Ark which was tossed to and fro upon the waves to Moses Bush burning with fire Exod. 3.2 to the stones of the Temple which were first hewn in the Mountain before set in the building And set forth by that white Horse in the Revelation that is ever followed and chased by the Red Apoc. 6.2 4. by the sacrifices of the Law which were to pass the fire ere accepted Rom. 12.1 So that there is no Heaven to be had without touching upon Hell coasts as the Calendar tels us we come not to Ascension-day till the Passion-week be past Suffering is the way to reigning Through many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14.22 And indeed who would not be ambitious of the same entertainment which Christ himself had Godfrey of Boloigne refused to be crownd in Ierusalem with a Crown of Gold because Christ his Master had in that place been crowned with a Crown of Thorns It was told a poor Martyr in Queen Maries dayes for a great favour forsooth that he should put his leg in the same hole of the Stocks that Iohn Philpot had done before And yet thy sufferings as they are nothing to what thy sins have deserved so they are nothing to what thy Saviour hath suffered for he endured many a little death all his life long for thy sake and at length that painful and cursed death of the cross To say nothing of the soul of his sufferings which his soul then suffered when he sweat cloâ—s of blood in the Garden Now why must we pledge our Saviour and sill up the measure of his sufferings Not that Christs sufferings are incompleat nor to satisfie Gods justice for sin for that 's done already once for all by him who bare our sins in his body on the Tree the just suffering for the unjust and indenting for our freedom as the Articles of Agreement fiâ—ly and fairly drawn out by himself declare Iohn 3.15 16. and 18.8 And Gods Acquittance which we have to shew under his own hand Mat. 3.17 Neither doth God afflict his Church for any delight he takes in their trouble for he afflicts not willingly Lament 3.33 Ier. 31.20 Isa. 63.9 Nor yet to shew his sovereignty Isai. 45.9 Rom. 9.29 to 24. Nor lastly is it meerly for his own glory without any other respect but out of pure necessity and abundant love to us as the Reasons both before and after shew Again by suffering we become followers of our Brethren who went before us Brethren saith Saint Paul ye are become followers of the Churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Iesus because ye have also suffered the same things of your own Countrey-men even as they have of the Iews 1 Thess. 2.14 It was the lot of Christ and must be of all his followers to do good and to suffer evil Wherefore let us be exhorted in the words of Saint Peter to rejoyce in suffering forasmuch as we with all the Saints are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall appear we may be glad and rejoyce 1 Pet. 4.13 And what greater promotion can flesh and blood be capable of then a conformity to the Lord of glory Christ wore a Crown of Thorns for me and shall I grudge to wear this Paper-cap for him said Iohn Husse when they put a Cap upon him that had ugly Devils painted on it with the Title of Heresie Never did Neck-kerchief become me so well as this Chain said Alice Drivers when they fastened her to the Stake to be burnt And what said a French Martyr when a Rope was pur about his fellow Give me that Gold Chain and dub me a Knight of that Noble Order CHAP. 13. That it increaseth their faith 10 TEnthly because the malice of our enemies serves to increase our faith for the time to come when we consider how the Lord hath delivered us formerly God hath delivered me saith Paul out of the mouth of the Lion meaning Nero and he will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.17 18. When Saul tells David Thou art not able to go against this great Philistine to fight with him for thou art a boy and he is a man of war from his youth What saith David Thy servant kept his fathers Sheep and there came a Lion and likewise a Bear and took a Sheep out of the flock and I went out after him and smote him and took it out of his mouth and when he rose against me I caught him by the beard and smote him and slue him so thy servant slue both the Lion and the Bear Therefore mark the inference this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them Yea saith he the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of Lion and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hands of this Philistine 1 Sam. 17.33 to 37. Observe how confidently he speaks That Tree is deepest rooted in the Earth which is most shaken by the windes and they weak usually that are planted in pleasant Valleys so the Tree of Faith the more it is shaken with the violent storms of trouble the faster it becomes rooted by patience Alexander being trained up in huge and mighty enterprizes when he was to fight with men and beasts haughty enemies and huge Elephants said Lo a danger somewhat equivalent to my minde He can never be a good Souldier that hath not felt the toil of a battel Ease and plenty made Hannibal say he
patient in his sufferings but joyfull esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt For saith the Text he had respect unto the recompence of the reward Heb. 11.26 And well it might for whereas the highest degree of suffering is not worthy of the least and lowest degree of this glory Rom. 8.18 St Paul witnesseth that our light affliction which is but â—or a moment if it be borne with patience causeth unto us a far most excellent and eternall weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparablenesse and infinite difference between the work and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary afflictions eternall glory answerable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their insufferable punishment is interminable and endlesse As it fared with Pope Sixtus the fifth who sold his soul to the Devill to enjoy the glory and pleasure of the Popedom for seven years their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternall What will not men undergo so their pay may be answerable The old experiencâ—â— Souldier fears not the rain and storms above him nor the numbers falling before him nor the troops of enemies against him nor the shot of thundring Ordnance about him but looks to the honourable reward promised him When Philip asked Democritus if he did not fear to lose his head he answered No for quoth he if I die the Athenians will give me a life immortall meaning he should be statued in the treasury of eternall fame if the immortality as they thought of their names was such as strong reason to perswade them to patience and all kind of worthinesse what should the immortality of the soul be to us Alas vertue were a poor thing if fame only should be all the Garland that did crown her but the Christian knowes that if every pain he suffers were a death and every crosse an hell he shall have amends enough Why said Ambrose on his death-bed we are happy in this we serve a good Master that will not suffer us to be losers Which made the Martyrs such Lambs in suffering that their persecutors were more weary with striking than they with suffering and many of them as willing to die as dine When Modestus the Emperours Lieutenant told Basil what he should suffer as confiscation of goods cruell tortures death c. He answered If this be all I fear not yea had I as many lives as I have hairs on my head I would lay them all down for Christ nor can your master more benefit me than in this I could abound with examples of this nature No matter quoth one of them what I suffer on earth so I may be crowned in Heaven I care not quoth another what becometh of this frail Bark my flesh so I have the passenger my soul safely conducted And another If Lord at night thou grant'st me Lazarus boon Let Dives dogs lick all my sores at noon And a valiant Souldier going about a Christian atchievement My comfort is though I lose my life for Christs sake yet I shall not lose my labour yea I cannot endure enough to come to Heaven Lastly Ignatius going to his Martyrdom was so strongly ravished with the joyes of Heaven that he burst out into these words Nay come fire come beasts come breaking my bones racking of my body come all the torments of the Devill together upon me come what can come in the whole earth or in hell so I may enjoy Iesus Christ in the end They were content to smart so they might gain and it was not long but light which was exacted of them in respect of what was expected by them and promised to them 2 Cor. 4.17 Neither did they think that God is bound to reward them any way for their sufferings no if he accepts me when I have given my body to be burned saith the beleever I may account it a mercy I might shew the like touching temptations on the right hand which have commonly more strength in them and are therefore more dangerous because more plausible and glorious When Valence sent to offer Basil great preferments and to tell him what a great man he might be Basil answers Offer these things to Children not to Christians When some bad stop Luthers mouth with preferment one of his adversaries answered it is in vain he cares neither for Gold nor Honour When Pyrrhus tempted Fabritius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seen the next day with Money and promises of Honour he answered I fear not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud But I shall be censured for exceeding Thus hope refresheth a Christian as much as misery depresseth him it makes him defie all that men or Devils can do saying Take away my goods my good name my friends my liberty my life and what else thou canst imagin yet I am well enough so long as thou canst not take away the reward of all which is an hundred fold more even in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10.29 30. As when a Courtier gave it out that Queen Mary being displeased with the City threatned to divert both Terme and Parliament to Oxford an Alderman askt whether she meant to turn the Channell of the Thames thither or no if not saith he by Gods grace we shall do well enough For what are the things our enemies can take from us in comparison of Christ the Ocean of our comfort and Heaven the place of our rest where is joy without heavinesse or interruption peace without perturbation blessednesse without misery light without darknesse health without sicknesse beauty without blemish abundance without want ease without labour satiety without loathing liberty without restraint security without fear glory without ignominy knowledge without ignorance eyes without tears hearts without sorrow souls without sinne where shall be no evill present or good absent for we shall have what we can desire and we shall desire nothing but what is good In fine that I may darkly shadow it out sith the lively representation of it is meerly impossible this life everlasting is the perfection of all good things for fullnesse is the perfection of measure and everlastingnesse the perfection of time and infinitenesse the perfection of number and immutability the perfection of state and immensity the perfection of place and immortality the perfection of life and God the perfection of all who shall be all in all to us meat to our tast beauty to our eyes perfumes to our smell musick to our ears and what shall I say more but as the Psalmist saith Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God but alas such is mans parvity that he is as far from comprehending it
as his arms be from compassing it Heaven shall receive us we cannot conceive Heaven Do you ask what Heaven is saith one when I meet you there I will tell you for could this ear hear it or this tongue utter it or this heart conceive it it must needs follow that they were translated already thither Now if this be so how acceptable should death be when in dying we sleep and in sleeping we rest from all the travels of a toylsome life to live in joy and rest for evermore Let us then make that voluntary which is necessary and yeeld it to God as a gift which we stand bound to pay as a due debt saith Chrysostom Yea how should we not with a great deal of comfort and security passe through a Sea of troubles that we may come to that haven of eternall rest How should we not cheer up one another as the mother of Melitho did her sonne when she saw his leggs broken and his body bruised being ready to yeeld up his spirit in martyrdome saying O my sonne hold on yet but a little and behold Christ standeth by ready to bring help to thee in thy torments and a large reward for thy sufferings Or as Iewell did his friends in banishment saying This world will not last ever And indeed we do but stay the tyde as a fish left upon the sands Ob. I but in the mean time my sufferings are intollerable saith the fainting soul Sol. It is no victory to conquer an easie and weak crosse these main evils have crowns answerable to their difficulty Rev. 7.14 No low attempt a star-like glory brings but so long as the hardnesse of the victory shall increase the glory of the tryumph indure it patiently cheerfully 2. Secondly As patience in suffering brings an eternall reward with it in Heaven so it procureth a reward here also Suffer him to curse saith David touching Shemei here was patience for a King to suffer his impotent subject even in the heat of blood and midst of warre to speak swords and cast stones at his Soveraign and that with a purpose to encrease the rebellion and strengthen the adverse part but mark his reason It may be the Lord will look upon mine affliction and do me good Why even for his cursing this day 2 Sam. 16.12 And well might he expect it for he knew this was Gods manner of dealing as when he turned Balaams curse into a blessing upon the children of Israel Numb 23. And their malice who sold Ioseph to his great advantage Indeed these Shemois and Balaams whose hearts and tongues are so ready to curse and rail upon the people of God are not seldom the very means to procure a contrary blessing unto them so that if there were no offence to God in it nor hurt to themselves we might wish and call for their contempt cruelty and curses for so many curses so many blessings I could add many examples to the former as how the malice of Haman turned to the good of the Iews the malice of Achitophel to the good of David when his counsell was turned by God into foolishnesse the malice of the Pharisees to him that was born blinde when Christ upon their casting him out of the Synagogue admitted him into the Communion of Saints Joh. 9.34 The malice of Herod to the Babes whom he could never have pleasured so much with his kindnesse as he did with his cruelty for where his impiery did abound there Christs pitty did super-abound translating them from their earthly mothers arms in this valley of tears unto their heavenly Fathers bosome in his Kingdom of glory But more pertinent to the matter in hand is that of Aaron and Miriam to Moses when they murmured against him Numb 12. where it is evident that God had never so much magnified him to them but for their envy And that of the Arians to Paphnuâ—ius when they put out one of his eyes for withstanding their Heresie whom Constantine the Emperour even for that very cause had in such reverence and estimation that he would often send for him to his Court lovingly imbracing him and greedily kissing the eye which had lost his own light for maintaining that of the Catholike Doctrine so that we cannot devise to pleasure Gods servants so much as by despiting them And thus you see how patient suffering is rewarded both here and hereafter that we lose what ever we do lose by our enemies no otherwise than the husbandman loseth his seed for whatever we part withall is but as seed cast into the ground which shall even in this life according to our Saviours promise return unto us the increase of an hundred fold and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10.29 30. But admit patience should neither be rewarded here not hereafter yet it is a sufficient reward to it self for hope and patience are two soveraign and universall remedies for all diseases Patience is a counterpoyson or antipoyson for all grief It is like the Tree which Moses cast into the waters Exod. 15.25 for as that Tree made the waters sweet so Patience sweetens affliction It is as Larde to the lean meat of adversity It makes the poor beggar rich teacheth the bondman in a narrow prison to enjoy all liberty and society for the patient beleever though he be alone yet he never wants company though his diet be penury his sawce is content all his miseries cannot make him sick because they are digested by patience And indeed It is not so much the greatnesse of their pain as the smalnesse of their patience that makes many miserable whence some have and not unfitly resembled our fancies to those multiplying glasses made at Venice which being put to the eye make twenty men in Arms shew like a terrible Army And every man is truly calamitous that supposeth himself so as oftentimes we die in conceit before we be truly sick we give the battell for lost when as yet we see not the enemy Now crosses are either ponderous or light as the Disciples or Scholers esteem them every man is so wretched as he beleeveth himself to be The tast of goods or evils doth greatly depend on the opinion we have of them and contentation like an old mans spectacles make those Characters easie and familiar that otherwise would puzzle him shrewdly Afflictions are as we use them there is nothing grievous if the thought make it not so even pain it self saith the Philosopher is in our power if not to be disanulled yet at least to be diminished through patience very Gally slaves setting light by their captivity finde freedom in bondage Patience is like a golden shield in the hand to break the stroak of every crosse and save the heart though the body suffer A sound spirit saith Salomon will hear his infirmity Prov. 18.14 Patience to the soul is as the lid to the eye for as the lid being shut when occasion requires saves it exceedingly so Patience
a shepheard and of a Wolf a Sheep of Christs fold 4. And lastly If we consider our own future estate we have no lesse cause to contemn their evil words for it is not materiall to our well or ill being what censures passe upon us the tongues of the living avail nothing to the good or hurt of those that lye in their graves they can neither diminish their joy nor yet add to their torment if they finde any There is no Common Law in the New Ierusalem there truth will be received though either plaintiff or defendant speaks it Yea there shall be a resurrection of our credits as well as of our bodies Nay suppose they should turn their words into blowes and in stead of using their tongues take up their swords and kill us they shall rather pleasure than hurt us When Iohn Baptist was delivered from a double prison of his own of Herods and placed in the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God what did he lose by it His head was taken off that it might be crowned with glory he had no ill bargain of it they did but hasten him to immortality and the Churches daily prayer is Come Lord Iesus come quickly Yea what said blessed Bradford In Christs cause to suffer death is the way to Heaven on Horsback which hath made some even slight the sentence of death and make nothing of it It is recorded of one Martyr that hearing the sentence of his condemnation read wherein was exprest many severall tortures of starving killing boyling burning and the like which he should suffer he turns to the People and with a smiling countenance saies And all this is but one death and each Christian may say of what kinde soever his sufferings be The sooner I get home the sooner I shall be at ease Yea whatever threatens to befall him he may answer it as once that noble Spartan who being told of the death of his Children answered I knew well they were all begot mortall Secondly that his goods were confiscate I knew what was but for my use was not mine Thirdly that his honour was gone I knew no glory could be everlasting on this miserable Earth Fourthly that his sentence was to dye That 's nothing Nature hath given like sentence both of my condemners and me Wicked men have the advantage of the way but godly men of the end Who fear not death because they feared God in their life So we see the cudgell is not of use when the Beast but only barks nay tell me how wouldest thou endure wounds for thy Saviour that canst not endure words for him if when a man reviles thee thou art impatient how wouldest thou afford thy ashes to Christ and write patience with thine own bloud CHAP. XXV That their expectation may not be answered 3. BEcause he will not answer his enemies expectation in which kinde he is revenged of his enemy even while he refuseth to revenge himself For as there is no such grief to a Iester or Iugler as when he doth see that with all his jests tricks and â—ooleries he cannot move mirth nor change the countenances of them that see and hear him so there can be no greater vexation to a wicked and malicious enemy than to see thee no whit grieved nor moved at his malice against thee but that thou dost so bear his injuries as if they were none at all Yea he which makes the tryall shall finde that his enemy is more vexed with his silence than if he should return like for like Dion of Alexandria was wont to take this revenge of his enemies amongst whom there was one who perceiving that by injuring and reviling of him he could not move him to impatience whereby he might have more scope to rayl went and made away with himself as Brusonius reports And Montaigne tells us of a Citizen that having a Scold to his Wife would play on his Drum when she brawled and rather seem to be pleased with it than angry and this for the present did so mad her that she was more vexed with her self than with him but when she saw how it succeeded and that this would not prevail in the end it made her quite leave off the same and prove a loving wife that so she might overcome him with kindnesse and win him to her bow by bending as much the other way that so like a prudent Wife she might command heâ— Husband by obeying And whosoever makes the tryall shall finde that Christian patience and magnanimous contempt will in time either drain the gall out of bitter spirits or make it more overflow to their own disgrace At least it will still the barking tongue and that alone will be worth our labour Satan and his instruments cannot so vex us with sufferings as we vex them with our patience It hath been a torment to Tyrants to see that they were no way able either with threats or promises kindnesse or cruelty to make the Christians yeeld but that they were as immoveable as a Rock it being true of them which is but fained of Iupiter namely that neither Iuno through her riches nor Mercury through his eloquence nor Vonus through her beauty nor Mars through his threats nor all the rest of the gods though they conspired together could pull him out of Heaven Neither feared they to die knowing that death was but their passage to a state of immortality But to go on you cannot anger a wicked man worse than to do well yea he hates you more bitterly for this and the credit you gain thereby then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your own discredit nor do they more envy our grace than they rejoyce is see us sin For what makes God angry makes them merry And they so hunger and thirst after our discredit that should we through passion but overshoot our selves in returning like for like or in doing more than befits us they would feed themselves with the report of it for like flesh-flies our wounds are their chief nourishment and nothing so glads their hearts or opens their mouthes with insolency and triumph Besides what is scarce thought a fault in other men is held in us a hainous crime When they could not accuse Christ of sinne they accused him for companying with sinners and doing good on the Sabboth day When the Rulers and Governours could finde no fault in Daniel concerning the Kingdom he was so faithfull they alledged his praying to God and brought that within compasse of a Premunire Dan. 6.4.13 The World is ever taxing the least fault yea no fault or rather the want of faults in the best men because one imaginary cloud in a just man shall in their censure darken all the starres of his graces yea the smallest spot in his face shall excuse all the sores and ulcers in their bodies so that by answering their expectation or by returning like for like we shall both wrong our selves and pleasure them which
also in much Luk. 16 10. He that will corrupt his conscience for a pound what would he do for a thousand If Iudas will sell his Mâ—ster for thirty pence what would he not have done for the Treasury Alas there are no sins small but comparatively These things speaking of Mint and Cummin ought ye to have done sayes our Saviour and not have left the other undone Luk. 11.42 Wherefore it is with a good and tender conscience as it is with the apple of the eye for as the least hair or dust grieves and offends that which the skin of the eye-lid could not once complain of so a good and tender conscience is disquieted not only with beams but moates even such as the world accounts trifles it strains not only at Cammels but Gnats also A sincere heart is like a neat spruce man that no sooner spies the least speck or spot on his garment but he gets it washt or scrap't off the common Christian like a nasty sloven who though he be all foul and besmeared can indure it well enough yea it offends him that another should be more neat than himself But such men should consider that though they have large consciences that can swallow down any thing yet the sincere and tender conscience is not so wide A strait shooe cannot indure the least pibble stone which will hardly be felt in a wider neither will God allow those things in his Children which he permits in his enemies no man but will permit that in another mans Wife or Child which he would abhor in his own A box of precious oyntment may not have the least fly in it nor a delicate Garden the least weed though the Wildernesse be overgrown with them I know the blind world so blames the Religious and their Religion also for this nicenesse that they think them Hypocrites for it but this was Iobs comfort in the aspersion of Hypocrisie My witnesse is in Heaven and my record on high And as touching others that are offended their answer is Take thou O God who needest not our sinne to further thy work of Grace the charge of thy Glory give us grace to take charge of thy Precepts For sure we are that what is absolutely evill can by no circumstance be made good poyson may be qualified and become medicinall there is use to be made of an enemy sicknesse may turn to our better health and death it self to the faithfull is but a door to life but sinne be it never so small can never be made good Thus you have seen their fear but look also upon their courage for they more fear the least sinne than the greatest torment All the fear of Satan and his instruments ariseth from the want of the true fear of God but the more a man fears God the lesse he fears every thing else Fear God honour the King 1 Pet. 2.14 17. He that fears God doth but honour the King he need not fear him Rom. 13.3 the Law hath not power to smite the vertuous True many have an opinion not wise That Piety and Religion abates fortitude and makes valour Feminine but it is a foundationlesse conceit The true beleever fears nothing but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sinne Indeed he is not like our hot-spurs that will fight in no cause but a bad that fear where they should not fear and fear not where they should fear that fear the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Gods wrath that fear more to have the world call them Cowards for refusing than God to judge them rebels for undertaking that tremble at the thought of a Prison and yet not fear Hell fire That can govern Towns and Cities and let a silly woman over-rule them at home it may be a servant or a Childe as Themistocles Sonne did in Greece What I will said he my Mother will have done and what my Mother will have my Father doeth That will undertake a long journey by Sea in a Wherry as the desperate Marriner hoyseth sayl in a storm and sayes None of his Ancestors were drowned That will rush fearlesly into infected houses and say The Plague never ceizeth on valiant blood it kills none but Cowards That languishing of some sicknesse will strive to drink it away and so make hast to dispatch both body and soul at once that will run on high battlements gallop down steep hils ride over narrow bridges walk on weak Ice and never think what if I fall but what if I passe over and fall not No he is not thus fearlesse for this is presumption and desperate madnesse not that courage and fortitude which ariseth from faith and the true fear of God but from blindnesse and invincible ignorance of their own estate As what think you Would any man put his life to a venture if he knew that when he died he should presently drop into hell I think not But let the beleeving Christian who knowes he hath a place reserved for him in Heaven have a warrant from Gods word you cannot name the service or danger that he will stick at Nor can he lightly fail of successe It is observed that Trajan was never vanquished because he never undertook warre without just cause In fine as he is most fearfull to offend so he is most couragious in a good cause as abundance of examples witnesse whereof I 'le but instance two for the time would be too short to tell of Abraham and Moses and Caleb and David and Gideon and Baruck and Sampson and Ieptha and many others of whom the holy Ghost gives this generall testimony that by faith of weak they were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the Armies of the Aliants subdued Kingdoms stopt the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of the fire c. Heb. 11.22 to 35. Nor will I pitch upon Ioshua whom neither Caesar nor Pompey nor Alexander the Great nor William the Conquerour nor any other ever came near either for valour or victories but even Ionathan before and the Martyrs after Christ shall make it good As what think you of Ionathan whom neither steepnesse of Rocks nor multitude of enemies could discourage or disswade from so unlikely an assault Is it possible if the divine power of Faith did not add spirit and courage making men more than men that two should dare to think of encountering so many thousands and yet behold Ionathan and his Armour-bearer put to flight and terrified the hearts of all the Philistims being thirty thousand Chariots six thousand Horse-men and Foot-men like the sand of the Sea-shore 1 Sam. 14.15 O divine power of faith that in all attempts and difficulties makes us more than men and regards no more Armies of adversaries than swarms of flies A naturall man in a project so unlikely would have had many thoughts of discouragement and strong reasons to disswade him but his faith dissolves impediments as the Sunne doth dewes
yea he contemns all fears overlooks all impossibilities breaks through all difficulties with a resolute courage and flies over all carnall objections with celestiall wings because the strength of his God was the ground of his strength in God But secondly To shew that their courage is no lesse passive than active look upon that Noble Army of Martyrs mentioned in Ecclesiasticall History who went as willingly and cheerfully to the stake as our Gallants to a Play and leapt into their beds of flames as if they had been beds of down yea even weak women and young striplings when with one dash of a pen they might have been released If any shall yet doubt which of the two the Religious or Prophane are most valiant and couragious let them look upon the demeanour of the twelve Spies Numb the 13th and 14th Chapters and observe the difference between the two faithfull and true hearted and the other ten then will they conclude that Piety and Religion doth not make men Cowards or if it do that as there is no feast to the Churles so there is no fight to the Cowards True they are not soon nor easily provoked but all the better the longer the cold fit in an Ague the stronger the hot sit I know men of the Sword will be loth to allow of this Doctrine but truth is truth as well when it is not acknowledged as when it is and experience tells us that he who fears not to do evill is alwayes afraid to suffer evill Yea the Word of God is expresse That none can be truly valarous but such as are truly religious The wicked fly when none pursueth but the righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 The reason whereof is If they live they know by whom they stand if they die they know for whose sake they fall But what speak I of their not fearing death when they shall not fear even the day of Iudgement 1 Joh. 4.17 Hast not thou O Saviour bidden us when the Elements shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be flaming about our ears to lift up our heads with joy because our redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21.25 to 29. Wherefore saith the valiant Beleever come death come fire come whirlewinde they are worthy to be welcome that shall carry us to immortality Let Pagans and Infidels fear death saith St Cyprian who never feared God in their life but let Christians go to it as travellers unto their native home as Children unto their loving Father willingly joyfully Let such fear to die as have no hope to live a better life well may the brute beast fear death whose end of life is the conclusion of their being well may the Epicure tremble at it who with his life looketh to lose his felicity well may ignorant and unrepentant sinners quake at it whose death begins their damnation well may all those make much of this life who are not sure of a better because they are conscious to themselves that this dying life will but bring them to a living death they have all sown in sinne and what can they look to reap but misery and vanity sinne was their traffique and grief will be their gain detestable was their life and damnable will be their decease But it is otherwise with the Godly they may be killed but cannot be hurt for even death that fiend is to them a friend like the Red Sea to the Israelites which put them over to the Land of Promise while it drowned their enemies It is to the faithfull as the Angels were to Lot who snatcht him out of Sodome while the rest were consumed with fire and brimstone Every beleever is Christs betrothed Spouse and death is but a messenger to bring her home to her Husband and what chaste or loving Spouse will not earnestly desire the presence of her Bridegroom as St Austin speaks Yea the day of death to them is the day of their Coronation and what Princely heir does â—â—t long for the day of his instalment and rejoyce when it comes Certainly it was the sweetest voice that ever the Thief heard in this life when Christ said unto him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23.43 In a word as death to the wicked puts an end to their short joyes and begins their everlasting sorrowes so to the Elect it is the end of all sorrow and the beginning of their everlasting joyes The end of their sorrow for whereas complaint of evils past sense of present and fear of future have shared our lives amongst them death is 1. A Supersedeas for all diseases the Resurrection knows no imperfection 2. It is a Writ of ease to free us from labour and servitude like Moses that delivered Gods people out of bondage and from brick-making in Aegypt 3. Whereas our ingresse into the world our progresse in it our egresse out of it is nothing but sorrow for we are born crying live grumbling and die sighing death is a medicine which drives away all these for we shall rise triumphing 4. It shall revive our reputations and cleer our Names from all ignominy and reproach yea the more contemptible here the more glorious hereafter Now a very Duellist will go into the field to seek death and finde honour 5. Death to the godly is as a Goal-delivery to let the Soul out of the prison of the body and set it free 6. Death frees us from sinne an Inmate that spite of our teeth will â—oust with us so long as life affords it house-room for what is it to the faithfull but the funerall of their vices and the resurrection of their vertues And thus we see that death to the Saints is not a penalty but a remedy that it acquits us of all our bonds as sicknesse labour sorrow disgrace imprisonment and that which is worse than all sinne that it is not so much the death of nature as of corruption and calamity But this is not half the good it doth us for it delivers us up and lets us into such Ioyes as eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 Yea a man may as well with a coal paint out the Sunne in all his splendor as with his pen or tongue expresse or with his heart were it as deep as the Sea conceive the fullnesse of those joyes and sweetnesse of those pleasures which the Saints shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16.11 In thy presence is the sullnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore For quality they are pleasures for quantity fullnesse for dignity at Gods right hand for eternity for evermore and millions of years multiplied by millions make not up a minute to this eternity Our dissolution is nothing else but aeterni natalis the birth-day of eternity as Seneca calls it more truly than he was aware for when we are born we are mortall but when we are dead we are
immortall yea even their mortall wounds make the sufferers immortall and presently transport us from the contemplation of felicity unto the fruition Whereas if the corn of our bodies be not cast into the earth by death we can have none of this increase which is the reason first that we celebrate the memory of the Saints not upon their birth-dayes but upon their death-dayes to shew how the day of our death is better than the day of our birth And secondly that many Holy men have wisht for death as Ieremy Iob Paul c. As who can either marvell or blame the desire of advantage for the weary traveller to long for rest the prisoner for liberty the banished for home it is so naturall that the contrary disposition were monstrous And indeed it is our ignorance and infidelity at least our impreparation that makes death seem other than advantage And look to it for he hardly mourns for the sinnes of the time who longs not to be freed from the time of sinne he but little loves his Saviour who is not willing to go unto him and is too fond of himself that would not go out of himself to God True he that beleeveth will not make haste Isa. 28.16 that is he will not go out by a back-door seek redresse by unlawfull means for though here he hath his pain and in Heaven he looks for his payment yet he will not make more haste than good speed Though he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 24. Yet he is content to live yea he lives patiently though he dies joyfully In his wisdome he could chuse the gain of death but in his obedience he refuseth not the service of life and it is to be feared that God will refuse that soul which leaves the body before himself calls for it as Seneca speaks like a Divine Now what are we to learn from this double lesson but a two-fold instruction 〈…〉 unsent is death to the godly no other then the Brazen Serpent to the Israelites which was so farre from hurting them that contrarily it healed them And wouldest thou not fear death for to labour not to die is labour in vain and Kings in this are Subjects First Look through death at glory as lâ—t but the unfolded Heavens give way to Stevens eyes to behold Christ in the glory of his Father how willing is he to ascend by that stony passage Acts 7.56 59. Secondly Fear to commit the least sinne which is forbidden by so great a God and suffered for by so loving a Saviour Now God hath so farre forth forbidden revenge that he hath forbidden all kinde of hatred and malice for the Law in every Commandement is spirituall and bindes the heart as well as the hand and to thy power thou hast slain him whom thou hatest he is alive and yet thou hast kil'd him saith St Augustine and therefore these two hatred and murther are coupled together as yoak-fellowes in that long teame of the fleshes beastly works which draw men to perdition Rom. 1.29 Gal. 5.21 and wherein do they differ but as the Father and the Sonne or as Devill and evill only in a letter Yea saith Christ in the places before quoted Love your enemies do well to them that hate you overcome evill with good c. Luk 6.27 Rom. 12.21 Be so farre from snatching Gods weapon out of his hand that you rather master unkindnesse with kindnesse And as this is Gods word so hearing what the word speaks is an ear-mark of Christs sheep as witnesseth the chief sheepherd Joh. 8. He that is of God heareth Gods word and he is of an uncircumcised ear and one of the Devils Goats that wants this mark for he heareth it not because he is not of God Vers. 47. Wherefore lay it to heart lose not the priviledge of Gods protection by an unwarrantable righting of thy self Do not like the Fool that leapt in the water for fear of being drowned in the boat But above all fears fear him which after he hath kil'd hath power to cast into hell Luk. 12.5 compare the present with the future the action with the reward think thou seest beyond pleasing thy appetite and doing thine own will sinne against God beyond that death beyond death judgement beyond judgement hell beyond that no limits of time or torments but all easelesse and endlesse Thou cryest God be mercifull to me but be thou also mercifull to thy self Fear God fear sinne and fear nothing for sinne is the sting of all troubles pull out the sting and deride the malice of the Serpent Yea have but Gods warrant for what thou goest about and then let death happen it shall not happen amisse for the assurance of Gods call and protection when a mans actions are warranted by the Word will even take away the very fear of death for death as a Father well notes hath nothing terrible but what our life hath made so He that hath lived well is seldom unwilling to die life or death is alike welcome unto him for he knowes whiles he is here God will protect him and when he goes hence God will receive him I have so behaved my self saith St Ambrose to the Nobles of Millain that I am not asha 〈…〉 Hilarion These seventy years and upwards thou hast served the Lord therefore now go forth my soul with joy c. Whereas he that hath lived wickedly had rather lose any thing even his soul than his life whereby he tels us though his tongue expresse it not that he expects a worse estate hereafter How oft doth guiltinesse make one avoid what another would wish in this case Yea death was much facilitated by the vertues of a well-led life even in the Heathen Phocion being condemned to die and the executioner refusing to do his office unlesse he had twelve Drachmes paid him in hand Phocion borrowed it of a friend and gave it him ne mora fieret morti Again Cato was so resolute that he told Caesar he feared his pardon more than the pain he threatned him with And Aristippus as I take it though I may be mistaken told the Saylers that wondred why he was not as well as they afraid in a storm that the odds was much for they feared the torments due to a wicked life and he expected the reward of a good one It s a solid and sweet reason being rightly applied Vicâ— drawes death with a horrid look with a whip and flames and terrors but so doth not vertue Whence it was that death was ugly and fearfull unto Cicero wished for and desired of Cato and indifferent to Socrates Obj. But a violent and painfull death is by far more terrible and intollerable than a naturall Answ. Seldom have the Martyrs found it so but often the contrary which made them kisse the wheele that must kill them and think the stayres of the scaffold of their Martyrdom but so many degrees of
stick in filthy mud But thou dreamest of a saith without doubting which some doting by boast they have but as no righteousness can bee perfect without sin so no assurance can bee perfect without doubting Take the evenest ballances and the most equall weights yet at the first putting in there will bee some in-equality though presently after they settle themselvs in a 〈…〉 is a cloud that often hinders the Sun from our eyes yet it is still a Sun the vision or feeling of this comfort may bee somtime suspended the Union with Christ is never dissolved An usuall thing with beleevers to have their ebbing and flowing waâ—ing and waning Summer and Winter to bee somtimes so comfortable and couragious that wee can say with David Though I were in the valley of death yet would I fear none ill Psal. â—3 4 otherwhiles again so deâ—ded and â—â—jected in our spirits that wee are like him when hee said One day I shall die by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 Somtimes so strong in faith that wee can overcome the greatest assaults and with Peter can walk upon the swâ—lling waves by and by so faint and brought to so low an ebbe that wee fall down even in far less dangers as Peter began to sink at the rising of the winde Matth. 14.29.30 And indeed if the wings of our faith bee clipp'd either by our own sins or Satans temptations how should not our spirits lye groveling on the ground Sect. 9. But thirdly and lastly for I hâ—â—â—â—n suppose thou art at the last-cast even at the very brink of despair and that thy conscience speaks nothing but bitter things of Gods wrath hell and damnation and that thou hast no feeling of faith or grace yet know that it is Gods use and I wish wee could all take notice of it to worke in and by contraries For instance in creating of the world hee brought light out of darkness and made all things not of somthing but of nothing clean contrary to the course of Nature In his preserving of it hee hath given us the Rain-bow which is a signe of rain as a certain pledge that the world shall never the second time bee drowned Hee caused waterâ— and feâ—cheth hard stones out of the mid'st of thin vaâ—ours When he meant to blesseâ— Iacob hee wrestled with him as an Adversaâ—yâ— even till he lamed him When he meant to preferr Ioseph to the Throne hee â—â—rew him down into the Dungeon and to a golden chaine about his neck he laâ—ed him with Iron ones about his legges Thus Christ opened the eyes of the blind by annointing them with clay and spittle more likely to put them out And would not cure Lazarus till after hee was dead buried and stunk again no question to teach us that wee must bee cast down by the Law before wee can bee raised up by the Gospell that wee must dye unto sin before wee can live unto righteousness and become fools before wee can â—ee truly wise In the work of Redemption hee gives life not by life but by death and that a most câ—â—sed death making that the best instrument of life which was the worst kind of death Optimum seciâ— instrumentum vitae quod eraâ— pessimum moriis genus In our effectuall voâ—ation hee calls us by the Gospell unto the Iews â— stumbling-block and unto the world meer foolishness And when it is his pleasure that any should depend upon his goodness and providence hee makes them feel his anger and to bee nothing in themselvs that they may rely altogether upon him Thus God works joy out of fear light out of darkness and brings us to the Kingdom of heaven by the Gates of hell according to that 1 Sam. 2. 〈◊〉 â— 7 And wherein does thy case differ Hee sends his Serfeant to 〈◊〉 thee for thy debt commands thee and all thou hast to bee sold. But why onely to shew thee thy misery without Christ that so thou 〈◊〉 seck so him for mercy for although hee hide â—â— is futherly affections as Ioseph once did his brotherly his meaning is in conclusion to forgive thee every â—arthing Matth. â—8 26 27. And dost thou make thy flight sufferings an argument of his displeasure for shame mutter not at the matter but bee silent It is not said God will not suffer us to bee tempted at all but that wee shall not bee tempted above that wee are able to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 And assure thy self what ever thy sufferings bee thy faith shall not fail to get the victory as oil over-swims the greatest quantity of water you can powr upon it True let none presume no not the most righteous for hee shall scarcely bee saved 1 Pet. 4.18 yet let him not despair for hee shall be saved Rom. 8.35 Onely accept with all thankfulness the mercy offered and apply the promises to thine own soul for the benefit of a good thing is in the use wisdom is good but not to us if it bee not exercised cloth is good but not to us except it be worn the light is comfortable but not to him that will live in darkness a preservative in our pocket never taken cannot yield us health nor baggs of money being ever sealed up do us any pleasure no more will the promises no nor Christ himself that onely summum bonum except they are applied Yea better there were no promises than not applied The Physician is more offended at the contempt of his Physick in the Patient than with the loathsomness of the disease And this I can assure thee if the blood of Christ bee applied to thy soul it will soon staâ—ch the blood of thy conscience and keep thee from bleeding to death 1 Ioh. 1.7 But secondly instead of mourning continually as the tempterâ—ids â—ids thee rather rejoice continually as the Apostle bids thee 1 Thes. 5.16 Neither think it an indifferent thing to rejoice or not to rejoice but know that we are commanded to rejoice to shew that wee break a commandement if wee rejoice not Yea wee cannot beleeve if wee rejoice not for â—aith in the commandements breeds obedience in the threatnings fear in the promises comfort True thou thinkest thou dost well to mourn continually yea it is the common disease of the innocentest souls but thou dost very ill in it for when you forget to rejoice in the Lord then you begin to muse and after to fear and after to distrust and at last to despair and then every thought seems to be a sin against the holy Ghost Yea how many sins doth the afflicted conscience record against it selfe repoâ—ting for breaking this commandement and that commandement and never repenteth for brâ—â—â—ing this commandement rejoice evermore But what 's the reason Ignoranceâ— thou thinkest thy self poor and miserable and onely therefore thinkest so because thou knowest not thy riches and happiness in Obâ—â—st for else thou wouldest say with the Prophet Habbakuck in the want of all other things I will rejoice in the
to Paul Act. 9.15 16. 23. ver 11. and our Saviour Christs words to his Apostles Ast. 1.8 yea to suffer for Christ saith Father Latimer is the greatest privilege that God gives in this world and the story of Iob is a book-case to prove it for did not God by him as sometimes a Schoolmaster with his Pupill who when he hath polished and perfected a good Scholar brings him sorth provokes adversaries to set upon him with hard questions and takes a pride to see the fruit of his own labours And in the warrs to have the hottect and most dangerous services imposed upon them by their General is accounted the greatest honour neither will he confer the same upon any but the stoutest and most valiant This Rod of the Lord like Ahasuerus his Scepter is never stretcht forth toward any of his but in great love and favour It is like the kisse which Cyrus in Xenophon gave to Chrysanthas which was accounted a greater and more special savour than the Cup of gold which he gave to Artabazus Which being so let us in this particular imitaâ—e the Muscovitish women who will not think their husbands love them unlesse they chastise them and the Indians who are ambitious to be burnt with them and the Thracians who are proud to wear their scarrs Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11.25 26. And the Apostles esteemed it a grace to be disgraced for him and shall we grumble or think much at it No in the greatest extremity of straights let us acknowledge it a favour and give him thanks and so much the rather for that it is more acceptable to God to give him thanks once in adversity then six hundred times in prosperity as a grave Divine well observs and indeed it is the summe of all Religion to be thankfull to God in the midst of miseries True it is hard for Iob when the terrours of God fight against him and the arrows of the Almighty stick so â—ast in him that the venome thereof hath drunk up his spirit Iob 6.2 3 4. to think it a special favour and dignity but so it was being rightly considered It was hard for Iosephs brethren to hear him speak roughly unto them take them for spies accuse them of theft and commit them to prison Gen. 42.30 and think it is all out of love much more hard for Simeon to bee cull'd out from the rest and committed to ward while his brethren are set at libertie Vers. 24. and yet it was so yea he loved him best whom he seemed to favour least yet such is the infirmitie of our nature that as weak eies are dazled with the light which should comfort them so there is nothing more common with God's Children than to be afflicted with the causes of their joy and astonied with that which is intended for their confirmation Even Manoah conceivs death in that vision of God wherein alone his life and happinesse did consist Iudg. 13.22 And the Shepherds Luk. 2. who were sore afraid when the Angel of the Lord came to bring them good tidings of great joy to all people viz. their Saviours Birth which was Christ the Lord Vers. 9.10 But what hath been the answer of GOD alwaies to his children in such their extasies but his Fear not Gideon Judg. 6.23 Fear not Ioseph Mat. 1.20 Fear not Zachary Luk. 1.12 13. Fear not Abraham for I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 Fear not Paul for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to do thee hurt c. Acts. 18.9 10. the words are often repeated as Pharaohs dreams were doubled for the surenesse Yea to the end that we should be fearlesse in all our sufferings so long as we suffer not as evil doers 1 Pet. 4.15 Fear not as one well notes is the first word in the Annunciation of Christs Conception and the first word in the first Annunciation of his Birth and the first word in the first Annuuntiation of his Resurrection and almost the last words in his last exhortation a little before his death are Let not your hearts be troubled and be of good comfort strengthening his followers and sweetning his Crosse by diverse forcible reasons Luke 21. Mark 13. And the words of dying men have ever been most emphatical most effectual Nay more than all this if yet thou wilt not be comforted look but Ioh. 16.20 and thou shalt have thy Saviour assure thee by a double bond His Word I say Verily verily I say unto you His Oath I say Verily verily I say unto you that though for the present you do fear and sorrow and weep yet all shall be turned into joy 〈◊〉 that joy shal no man be able to take from you v. 22. And so much of the Patience of the Womans seed Innocency of the Womans seed Felicity of the Womans seed If you will see the Malice of the Serpents seed Subtilty of the Serpents seed Misery of the Serpents seed Read the three foregoing parts viz. The canse and cure of Ignorance Error c. The cure of Misprision Characters of the kinds of preaching The last whereof sold only by Iames Crump in Little Bartholomeâ— Well-yard A two-fold PRAYER for the Morning and for the Evening as also another to be said at any time Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon them that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy name Psal. 145.18 Rom. 10.12 The Lord is nigh and rich unto all that call upon him in truth Isa. 65.24 Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear Jer. 33.3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not 1 Joh. 5.14 If wee ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Joh. 16.23 Mat. 21.22 Whatsoever yee shall ask the Father in my Name believing he will give it you Psal. 55.17 Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities befoâ—e we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Iudas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as we brought a world of sinne into the World with us and deserved to dye so soon as wee began to live so ever since that thou hast spared us we have done nothing but add sinne unto sinne as
nor desire life except thou be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custome to the life of grace Apt wee are to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the means thereof Wee are altogether of our selvs unable to resist the force of our mighty adversaries but do thou fâ—ee our wills and set to thy helping hand in casting down by thy Spirit our raging lusts and by thy grace subdue our untamed affections and we shall henceforth as much honor thee as by your wickednesse we have formerly dishonored thee Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls Reform and change our minds wills and affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thee and direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast directed our eternal salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevail in causing us to defer our repentance since we know that late repentance is seldom sincere and that sicknesse is no fit time for so great a work as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our feeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the flower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sin until sin left us Yea O Lord give us firmly to resolve speedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Inform and reform us so that we may neither mis-believe not misâ—live subdue our lusts to our wills submit our wills to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wills our selvs to thy blessed Word and Will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sins which corrupt our souls and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy sight also we most humbly beseech thee as far as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Son pardon and forgive us all those evils which either in thought word or deed we have this day or any time heretoâ—ore committed against thee whether they be the sins of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of â—gnorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy holy â—pirit And now O Lord seeing the time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because wee can neither wake nor sleep without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our souls and bodies beseeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve us from all our spiritual and bodily enemies from thievs fire and from all other dangers ☞ These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Maâ—esty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us â—haâ— wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we cover still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence We no sooner lived then we deâ—served to die neither need we any more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us but thou hast spared us to this hour to try if we would turn unto thee by repentance as our first Parents and wee have turned from thee by sin yet thy mercy seems to have been in vain and thy long-suffering to no end For whereas many have been won by thy Word wee would not suffer it to change us many have been reformed by the Crosse but we would not suffer it to purge us many have been moved by thy benefits but we would not suffer them to perswade us yea as if we had contracted with the Divel that we would abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come â—hy blessings make us proud thy riches covetous thy peace wanton thy meats intemperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve us but as weapons to rebell against thee We have prophaned thy daies contemned thy ordinances resisted thy Word grieved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecuted thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours opened the mouths of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and far weaker means have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospel who may justly rise up in judgment against us Besides which makes ouâ— case far more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we do we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we defer untill we be old men and when we be old men we shall defer it until death if thou prevent us not and yet we look for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Perhaps we have a form of godlinesse but thou who search stâ—â—he heart and triest the reins knowest that too often we deny the power of it and that ouâ— Religion is much of it hypocrisie our zeal envie our wisedom policie our peace security our life rebellion our devotion deadnesse and that we live so securely as if we had no souls to save Indeed thy Word and Spirit
sensible how evil and wicked it is that so thou maist have a more humble conceit of thy self lay to heart these three particulars 1 The corruption of our nature by reason of Original Sin 2. Our manifold breach of Gods righteous Law by actual sin 3. The guilt and punishment due to us for them both This being done thou wilt see and find thy necessity of a Redeemer And it is thirst only that makes us relish our drink hunger our meat The full stomach of a Pharisee surcharged with the superfluities of his own merits will loath the honey-comb of Christs righteousnesse This was it which made the young Prodigal to relish even servants fare though before wanton when full fed at home No more relish feels the Pharisaical heart in Christs blood than in a chip But O how acceptable is the fountain of living waters to the chased hart panting and braying The blood of Christ to the weary and tyred soul to the thirsty conscience scorched with the sense of Gods wrath he that presents him with it how welcome is he even as a special choice man one of a thousand And the deeper the sense of misery is the sweeter the sense of mercy is Sect. XXXVIII Then if you would be satisfied for time to come whether your Repentance and conversion be true and sound these particulars will infallibly inform you If you shall persevere when this trouble for sin is over in doing that which now you purpose it is an infallible sign your repentance is sound otherwise not If thou dost call to mind the Vow which thou madst in Baptism and dost thy endeavour to perform that which then thou didst promise If thou dost square thy life according to the rule of Gods Word and not after the rudiments of the world If thou art willing to forsake all sin without reserving one for otherwise that one sin may prove the bane of all thy graces even as Gideon had seventy Sons and but one Bastard and yet that Bastard destroyed all the rest that were Legitimate Judg 9.5 Sin is like the Ivy in the wall cut off bough branch body stump yet some strings or other will sprout out again Till the root be pluck't up or the wall be pulled down and ruined it will never utterly die Regeneration or new birth is a creation of new qualities in the soul as being by nature only evil disposed Gods children are known by this mark they walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 If Christ have called you to his service your life will appear more spiritual and excellent than others As for your fails 't is a sign that sin hath not gained your consent but committed a rape upon your soul when you cry out to God If the ravished Virgin under the Law cried out she was pronounced guiltlesse A sheep may fall into the mire but a swine delights to wallow in the mire Great difference between a woman that is forced though she cries out and strives and an alluring Adulteresse Again The thoughts of the godly are godly of the wicked worldly and by these good and evil men are best and truliest differenced one from another Would we know our own hearts and whether they be changed by a new birth Examine we our thoughts words actions passions especially our thoughts will inform us for these cannot be subject to hypoâ—â—risie as words and deeds are Sect. XXXIX Then by way of caution know that a child may as soon create it self a man in the state of Nature regenerate himself We cannot act in the leasâ— unlesse God bestows upon us daily privative grace to defend us from evil and daily positive grace inabling us to do good And those that are of Christ teaching know both from the word and by experience that of themselve they are not only weak but even dead to what is good moving no morâ— than they are moved that their best works are faulty all their sins deadâ—ly all their natures corrupted originally You hath he quickned that werâ— dead in trespasses and sins Ephes. 2.1 Yea we are altogether so dead in sinâ— that we cannot stir the least joynt no not so much as feel our own deadness nor desire life except God be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custom to the life of grace Apt we arâ— to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodness yeaâ— to all the meanes thereof My powers are all corrupt corrupt my will Marble to good but wax to what is ill Insomuch that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse 〈◊〉 speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3.5 Joh. 15.4 5. I we have power to choose or refuse the object to do these well we have no power We have ability we have will enough to undo our selves scopâ— enough hell-ward but neither motion nor will to do good that must bâ— put into us by him that gives both power and will and power to will Finally Each sanctified heart feels this but no words are able sufficiently to expresse what impotent wretches we are when we are not sustainâ—ed So that we have no merit but the mercy of God to save us nothinâ— but the blood of Christ and his mediation to cleanse and redeem us nothinâ— but his obedience to inrich us As for our good works we are altogether beâ— holding to God for them not God to us nor we to our selves becausâ— they are only his works in us Whatsoever thou art thou owest to him that made thee whatever thoâ— hast thou owest to him that Redeemed thee Therefore if we do any thinâ— amisse let us accuse our selves if any thing well let us give all the praise 〈◊〉 God And indeed this is the test of a true or false Religion that which teacheth us to exalt God most and most to depresse our selves is the true that which doth most prank up our selves and detract from God is thâ— false As Bonaventure well notes Sect. XL. Now to wind up with a word of exhortation if thou beest convinced are resolvest upon a new course let thy resolution be peremptory anâ— constant and take heed you harden not again as Pharaoh the Philistinâ— the young man in the Gospel Pilate and Iudas did resemble not the iroâ— which is no longer soft than it is in the fire for that good saith Gregâ—â—ry will do us no good which is not made good by perseverance If wiâ—â— these premonitions the Spirit hath vouchsafed to stir up in thine heart anâ— good motions and holy purposes to obey God in letting thy sins go quench not grieve not the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 Return not with the Dog to thy vomit lest thy latter end prove seven-fold worse than thy beginning Matth. 12.43 45. O it is a fearfull thing to receive the grace of God in vain and a desperate thing being warned of a rock willfully to cast our selves
receive what-ever comes or is offered them be it bribe or other sinful bait not once thinking this is forbidden fruit and thou shalt die the death That think the vowed enemy of their souls can offer them a bait without a hook you cannot but acknowledg them stark fools though thou thy self beest one of the number Again for men to dishonour God and blaspheme his Name while he does support and relieve them to runne from him while he does call them and forget him while he does seed them To imitate the Common Protestants in Queen Maries time who laughed the Martyrs to scorn and esteemed them superstitious fools to lose their lives and fortunes for matters of Religion accounting faith holinesse immortality of the soul c. meer fopperies and illusions To be quick-sighted in other mens failings and blinde to their own Are not these so many infallible properties of a fool and yet these are the lively characters of every sensuallist In so much that if I should give you a list or Catalogue of all the fools in one City or County You would blesse your selves that there are so few Bedlam houses and yet so many out of their wits that can not perceive or discern the same And yet no wonder for as I told you-ere-while Sensual men are so be-nighted and puzled with blindnesse that they know no other way then the flesh leads them Yea many by losse of conscience become Atheists and by losse of reason Beasts Yea to any thing that is spiritually good the natural man is blinde and deafe and dead as ye may see by these ensuing Scriptures 1 Tim. 5.6 Rom. 1.21 22 25. Ephes. 5.14 Isa. 6.9 10. John 12 40. Psal. 69.23 Matth. 4.16 15.14 Ephes. 4.18 19. 5.8 1 Pet. â—9 Acts 28.27 Rom. 11.8 Matth. 23.16 17.19.24.26 27.3 4 5. 2 Pet. 2.16 Revel 3.17 Rom. 6.13 8.11 Micah 7.16 Psal. 58.4 Eph. 2.1 If our Gospel he hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4â— 3 4. But it is otherwise with the godly as let Satan or the world offer a wise Christian the bait of pleasure or profit his answer shall be I will not buy repentance so dear I will not lose my soul to please my sense If affliction comes he will consider that Gods punishments for sinne calls for conversion from sin and in case God speaks to him by his Word to forsake his evill wayes and turn again to him he will amend his course lest if he heare not the word he should feel the sword Whereas nothing will confute a fool but fire and brimstone The Lord spake to Manasses and to his people but they would not regard Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the Captains of the Host of the King of Ashur that took Manasses and put him in fetters and brought him in chains and carried him to Babel 2 Chron. 33.10 11. Fools saith holy David by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquity Psal. 107.17 From which words Musculus infers that all wilfull transgressors are arrant fools And it is the saying of Cardan That dishonesty is nothing else but folly and madnesse Yea Solomon throughout all his Proverbs by a fool means the natural man and by a wise man a man sanctified O that it were rightly learned and laid to heart by all that are yet in the state of un-regeneracy for it is every one of their cases To conclude in a word Without knowledge the soul is not good Prov. 19.2 The ignorant cannot be innocent I am the light of the world sayes our Saviour John 8.12 12.46 Where light is not Christ is not for Christ is light § 59. And so according to my skill I have performed what I at first promised It remains before we leave it that some use be made thereof that so both wise and weak may learn something from what hath been spoken of this subject Wherefore in the first place If it be so that both the sensual and rational even all that are yet in their natural estate are uncapable of divine and super-natural knowledge that they are blinde touching spiritual things Then let not any carnal wretch hereafter dare to speak evill of the things actions or persons that are out of the reach of his capacity but silently suspend his judgement untill he be better informed For as it pertaineth not to the Rustick to jugde of letters So it belongeth not to natural men to judg of spiritual things Yea let those ignorant ones that have used to speak evill of the way of truth learn to kick no more against the pricks lest they bring upon themselves the same curse that their fellows did who brought up an evill report of the Holy Land Num. 13 32 33. 14.23 14. Yea put case they shall think they do God good service in it as many do in persecuting and putting to death his children and Ambassadors John 16.2 as a world of examples witnesse Yea the Iews thought they did marvellous well in crucifying the Lord of life But what says the holy Ghost Prov. 14. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death vers 12. Even the Powder-traytors thought they merited when they intended to blow up the whole State Alass Natural men are no more fit to judge of spiritual matters then blinde men are sit to judge of colours And yet none more forward then they as you may see by those blinde Sodomites that dealt so roughly and coursely with Lot and his two Angels Gen. 19.1 to 12. That they are ignorant and so unfit is evident of what is recorded of â—ichâ—l 2 Sam. 6.16 Of Nichodemus John 3.4 Of Festus Acts 26.24 And lastly of Paul before his conversion I was saith he a blasphemer a persecutor and an opposer of Christ and his members but I did it ignoâ—â—â—â—ly through unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 It 's worth your observing too that 〈◊〉 no sooner enlightned with the saving knowledge of Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 was of a contrary judgement and preached that faith which before â—e â—â—â—demned and persecuted And this will be every one of their cases 〈…〉 if not in this life yet hereafter when Hell flames hath opened their eyes they will confesse We fools thought his life madnesse and his end to be without honour How is he now numbred with the children of God and his lot among the Saints And when they shall see it they shall be troubled with horrible fear and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation so far beyond all that they looked for and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves This is he whom we once had in deâ—ision and in a proverb of reproach therefore have we erred from the way of truth we wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and destruction but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it The light of
the clock esteeming every minute a month and thy present misery unsupportable What then will it be to lie in stames of fire to which our fire is but ayre in comparison fire and brimstone kept in the highest flame by the unquenchable wrath of God world without end where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darkness and horrour wayling and wringing of hands desperate yellings and gnashing of teeth thy old companions in vanity and sin to ban and curse thee the Devils insulting over thee with cruelty and scorn the never-dying worm of conscience to feed upon thy soul and flesh for ever and ever O everlasting eternity a never-dying life an ever-living death Which yet is but just with God for if thou mightest have lived for ever thou wouldst have sinned for ever If God would everlastingly have spared thee thou wouldest have everlastingly hated and provoked him What then can be more equal then that thou shouldst suffer everlastingly O then bethink thy self of this word eternal and everlasting and ponder upon it yea do but indeed believe it and it will be enough to break thine hard heart and make it relent and repent and thereby prevent the wrath to come It will put thee to a demur What have I done what am I now about whether will this course tend how will it end what will become of me if I go on in chambering and wantonness surfeting and drunkenness strife and envying swearing prophaneness earthly-mindedness and the like For indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evil and continueth therein as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 2.8 9. O then break off thy sins without delay and let there be an healing of thine errors Sect. 3. Neither is the extremity of pain inferiour to the perpetuity of it it is a place full of horrour and amazedness where is no remission of sin no dismission of pain no intermission of sense no permission of comfort its torments are both intollerable and interminable and 〈◊〉 neither he enda 〈…〉 The pangs of the first death are pleasant compared with those of the second For mountains of sand were lighter and millions of years shorter than a tithe of those torments Rev. 20.10 Iude 7. It is a death which hath no death it hath a beginning it hath no ending Matth. 3.12 Isa. 66 24. The pain of the body is but the body of pain the anguish of the soul is the soul of anguish For should we first burn off one hand then another after that each arm and so all the parts of the body it would be deemed intollerable and no man would endure it for all the profits and pleasures this world can afford and yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soul in hell Should we endure ten thousand years torments in hell it were grievous but nothing to eternity Should we suffer one pain it were miserable enough but if ever we come there our pains shall be for number and kinds infinitely various as our pleasures have been here every sence and member each power and faculty both of soul and body shall have their several objects of wretchedness and that without intermission or end or easâ— or patience to endure it Luke 12 5. 16.23 Matth. 3.12 5.22 22.23 The Schools affirm that the least torture in Hell exceeds the greatest that can be devised by all the men on earth even as the least joy in Heaven surpasseth the greatest comfort here on earth There is scarce any pain here on earth but there is ever some hope of ease mitigation or intermission of some relief or deliverance but in Hell their torments are easeless endless and remediless unsufferable and yet ineviteable and themselves left hopeless helpless pittyless It were misery enough to have the head-ach tooth-ach Collick gowt burning in the fire or if there be any thing more grievous Yea should all these and many more meet together in one man at one instant they would come infinitely short of the pains of Hell Yea they would all bâ— bar as the stinging of Antes to the lashes of those Scorpions but as drâ—pes to those Vials of wrath as sparks to that flame as Chrysostome speaks The Furnace of Babell was but a flea-biting to this tormenting Tophet prepared of old Isa. 30. He hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it vers 32. So that it were happy for reprobate spirits if they were in no worse condition than so many Toads or Serpents As consider If a dark dungeon here be so loathsome what is that dungeon of eternal of utter darkness If material fire be so terrible what is Hell fire Here we cry out of a burning feaver or if a very coal from the hearth do but light on our flesh O how it grieves us we cannot hold our finger for one minute in scalding lead but there both body and soul shall fry in everlasting flames and be continually tormented by infernal fiends whose society alone would be sufficiently frightfull Sect. 4. Now consider Is one hours twitches of tâ—â—â—orm of conscience here yoâ— one minutes tâ—â—ch of a tooth pulling out so unsufferable what is a 〈…〉 mented in that flame what think we shall that torment be when body and soul come to be united in torment since the pains of Hell are more exquisite than all the united torments that the earth can invent Yea the pains and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart under heaven and can rather through necessity be endured than expressed It is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pencil nor art nor heart can comprehend it Matth. 18.8 9 10. 25.30 Luke 16 23 24. 2 Pet. 2.4 Isa. 5.14 30 33. Prov. 15.11 Yea were all the land paper and all the water ink every plant a pen and every other creature a ready Writer yet they could not set down the least piece of the great pains of hell-fire Now add eternity to extremity and then consider hell to be hell indeed For if the Ague of a year or the Collick of a month or the Rack of a day or the burning of an hour be so bitter here how will it break the hearts of the wicked to feel all these beyond all measure beyond all time So that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from the living God We poor mortals until God does bring us from under the power of Satan unto himself do live in the world as if hell were not so hot noâ— the Devil so black as indeed they are as if Hell and Heaven were the one not worth the avoiding the other not worth the enjoying but the heat of fire was never painted and the Devil is more deformed than represented on the wall There are unexpressible torments in Hell as well
as unspeakable joyes in Heaven Nor will this be their case alone that are desparately wicked cursing and blaspheming Drunkards and sheders of blood but of all impenitent persons As for instance They who have lived in the fire of lust here must not think much to be scorched in the flames of Hell hereafter Heb. 13.4 Rev. 21.8 22.15 The detractor is a devil above ground his tongue is already set on fire from hell James 3.6 Rev. 16.10 11. which does sadly presage what will be his portion for ever unless repentaâ—ce quench those flames and so of the like offenders Psal. 9.17 Revel 22.12 As what sayes the Apostle Neither fornicators nor thieves nor murtherers nor drunkards nor swearers nor raylors nor lyers nor covetous persons nor unbelievers nor no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with the fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 which did they well consider they durst not continue in the practise of these sins without fear or remorse or care of amendment Sect. 5. Now what heart would not bleed to see men run headlong into these tortures that are thus intollerable Dance hoodwinkt into this perdition O that it were allowed to the desperate russians of our dayes that swear and curse drink and drab rob shed blood c. as if Heaven were blind and deaf to what they do to have but a sight of this Hell how would it charm their mouths appale their spirits strikâ— fear and astonishment into their hearts Yea if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or be suffered to look one moment into that fiery Lake he would rath 〈…〉 sin Nor can I think they would do as they do if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel And indeed therefore are we dissolute because we do not think what a judgment there is after our dissolution because we make it the least and last thing we think on yea it is death we think to think upon death and we cannot endure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgment Lam. 1.9 Deut. 32.29 Oh that men would believe and consider this truth and do accordingly Oh that thou wouldest remember that there is a day of account a day of death a day of judgment coming Heb. 9.27 Matth. 25. wherein the Lord Iesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them which obey not his Gospel and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power as the Apostle speaks 2 Thes. 1.7 8 9. Iude 15. Isa. 33 14. Mat. 25.46 As consider seriously I beseech you whether it will not be worth the while so to foresee the torments of Hell that you may prevent them Or if otherwise will you not one day wish you had when death comes and arrests you to appear before the great and terrible Iudge of all the world Luke 16 23. to 32. Matth. 13.30 38. at which time an Assizes or Quarter-Sessions shall be held within thee where Reason shall sit as Iudge and Satan shall put in a Bill of Indictment as long as that Book in Zechary Chap. 5.2 Ezek. 2.9 10. wherein shall be alleged all the evil deeds that ever thou hast committed and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted with their several circumstances that may aggravate them Eccles. 11.9 12.14 2 Cor. 5.10 and all the curses and judgments that are due to every sin Thine own Conscience shall accuse thee and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee and thou shalt condemn thy self before the just condemnation of thy Iudg who knows all thy misdeeds better than thy self 1 Iohn 3 20. Which sins of thine will not then leave thee but cry unto thee We are thy works and we will follow thee Rev. 14.13 And then who can sufficiently express what thy grief and anguish will be when the summons both of the first and second death do overtake thee at once Prov. 1.27 And when at once thou shalt think of thy sins past thy present misery and the terrour of thy torments to come and how thou hast made Earth thy Paradise thy belly thy God and lust thy Law so sowing vanity and reaping misery And finding that as in thy prosperity thou neglectedst to serve God so now in thy adversity God refuseth to save thee Prov. 1.24 to 32. Ezek. 23.35 When thou shalt call to mind the many warnings thou hast had of this dolefull day from Christs faithfull Ambassadours and how thou then madest but a mock or jeer at it Prov. 1 25. and think how for the short sinfull pleasures thou hast enjoyed thou must endure eternal pains Luk. 16.24 25. Rev. 6.12.10.18 Which yet thou shalt think most just and equal saying As I have deserved so I am served for I was oft enough offered mercy yea 〈◊〉 to accept thereof but I preferrâ—◠〈◊〉 pleasing of my 〈…〉 and the allurements of Satan than the Word of God or the motions of his holy Spirit Prov. 1.24 c. Mark 16.16 And which I would have thee think upon Hell fire is made more hot by neglecting so great salvation Heb. 2.3 This is the condemnation saith our Saviour none like this that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Joh. 3.29 Now salvation is freely offered but men reject it hereafter they would accept of salvation but God will reject them Yea then a whole world if thou hadst it for one hours delay or â—â—spite that thou mightest have space to repent and sue unto God for mercy but it cannot be because thy body which joyned with thy soul in thy sinfull actions is now altogether unfit to joyn with her in the exercise of repentance and repentance must be of the whole man Besides death will take no pitty the Devil knows no mercy and the God of mercy will have utterly forsaken thee Then wilt thou say Oh that I had been more wise or that I were now to begin my life again then would I contemn the world with all its vanities yea if Satan should then offer me all the treasures pleasures and promotions of this world he should never entice me to forget the terrours of this dreadfull hour and those worse which are to follow Luke 16.24 c. 13.28 But Oh wretched Caitiff that I am how hath the Devil and my own deceitfull and devilish heart deluded me and how am I served accordingly For now is my case more miserable than the most despised Toad or Serpent that perisheth when it dieth in that I must go to answer at the great Judgement-seat for all my sins that am not able to answer for one of the least of them Eccles. 12.14 Mat. 18.34 that I
sick A very likely matter thou believest in Christ and hopest to be saved by him when thoâ— wilt neither imitate his actions nor follow his Precepts How does this hang together Let me ask thee a question or two that may convince thee of thy unbelief If a Physitian should say to his Patient here stands a cordial which if you take will cure you but touch not this other vial for that is deadly poyson and he wittingly refuseth the cordial to take the poyson will not every one conclude that either he believed not his Physician or preferred death before life If Lots Sons-in-law had believed thâ—â—r Father when he told them the City should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone and that by flying they might escape it they would have obeyed his counsel If the old World had believed that God would indeed and in good earnest bring such a stood upon them as he threatned they would have entred the Ark and not have scoft at Noah for building it So if you did firmly believe what God in the Scriptures speaks of Hell you would need no entreaties to avoid the same Sect. 4. But alas men of thy condition are so far from believing what God threatens in his Word against their sins that they bless themselves in their hearts saying we shall have peace although we walk according to the stubbornness of our own wills so adding drunkenness to thirst Deut. 29.19 Yea they preferre their condition before others who are so abstemious and make conscience of their waies thinking that they delude themselves with needless fears and scruples 2 King 18.22 30 33 35. Alas if they dâ—d in good earnest believe that there is either God or Devil Heaven or Hell or that they have immortal souls which shall everlastingly live in bliss or woe and receive according to what they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evil 2 Cor. 5.10 They could not but live thereafter and make it their principal care how to be saved â—ut alas they believe what they see and feell and know they be 〈…〉 this makes them abstain from murther felony and the like but they believe not things invisible and to come For if they did they would as well yea much more fear him that hath power to cast both body and soul into Hell as they do the temporal Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body they would think it a very hard bargain to win the whole world and lose Heaven and their own souls Luk. 9 25. Men fear a Gaol more then they fear Hell and stand more upon their silver or sides smarting than upon their souls and regard more the blasts of mens breath than the fire of God's wrath and tremble more at the thought of a Serjeant or Bailiff than of Satan and everlasting perdition Else they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth multiplied as many times as there be sands on the Sea shore to hazard in the least the loss of those everlasting Joys before spoken of or to purchase and plunge themselves into those caseless and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in Hell there to fry body and soul where shall be an innumerable company of Devils and damned Spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them Confident I am thou wouldest not endure here to hold thy hand in a fiery crusible the space of a day or an hour for all the worlds wealth and splendour How then if thou bethinkest thy self wilt thou hereafter endure that and ten thousand thousand times more for millions of millions of ages Look Revel 20.10 and bethink thy self how thou wilt brook to be cast into a doleâ—ull disconsolate dungeon to lie in utter darkness in eternal chains in a little ease a no ease for ever and ever Canst thou endure to dwell with the devouring fire with the everlasting burning Sect. 5. Wherefore let me my Brethren beseech you not to be such Atheists and Fools as to fall into Hell before you will fear it when by fearing it you may avoid it and by neglecting it you cannot but fall into it What though it be usual with men to have no sense of their souls till they must leave their bodies yet do not you therefore leap into Hell to keep them company but be perswaded to bethink your selves now rather than when it will be too late when the Draw bridge will be taken up and whâ—n it will vex every vein of your hearts that you had no more care of your souls Yet there is grace offered if we will not shut our hearts and wills against it and refuse our own mercy but how long God will yet wait thy leisure or how soon he will in his so long provoked Justice pronounce thy irrevocable sentence thou knowest not nor canst thou promise thy self one minutes time Oh that men would believe the God of truth that cannot lie touching spiritual and eternal things but as they do these temporary and transitory Oh that thou who art the sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldest give them hearts to believe at least thus much That things themselves are in the invisible World in the World visible but their shadows onely And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a River of sorrow and displeasure And whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery 〈…〉 Iudg of all the World comest slowly to judgment yet thou wilt come surely As the Clock comes slowly and by minutes to the stroak yet it strikes at last That those are onely true riches which being once had can never be lost That Heaven is a Treasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives That when all is done how to be saved is the best plot That there is not mention of one in the whole Bible that ever sinned without repentance but he was punished without mercy For then there would not be a Fornicator or prophane person as Esau who for a portion of meat sold his inheritance Heb. 12.16 Then they would not be of the number of those that so doted upon Purchases and Farms and Oxen that they made light of going to the Lords Supper Luke 14.18 19 20. Nor of the Gadarens mind who preferred their Hogs before Christ. Then would they know it better to want all things then that one needfull thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needfull They would hold it far better and in good sadness to be saved with a few as Noah was in the Ark than in good fellowship with the multitude to be drowned in sin and damned for company Nor would they think it any disparagement to their wisdoms to change their minds and be of another judgment to what they are CHAP. XXIII Sect. 1. SEcondly Are the joyes of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious How then
anguish of death he started up in his bed and sware by the former oath that bell toled for him whereupon immediately the bloud most fearfully issued as it were in streams from all parts of his body not one place left free and so dyed Popiel King of Poland had over this wish in his mouth If it be not true I would the Rats might eat me and so it came to passe for he was so assailed by them at a banquet that neither his guards nor fire nor water could defend him from them as Munster mentions The Iews said Let his bloud be upon us and upon our children and what followed sixteen hundred years are now past since they wished themselves thus wretched and have they not ever since been the hate and scorne of the world Did they not many of them live to see their City buried in ashes and drowned in bloud to see themselves no Nation Was there ever any people under heaven that was made so fa 〈…〉 〈…〉 Nor is it seldome that God payes them in their own coin men prophane Gods name and he makes their names to stinke When the pestilence rageth in our streets blasphemy and execration must confesse that they have their dâ—e wages Blasphemers live swearing and dye raving it is but their wages 2. § He punisheth some in the Suburbs of hell that they might never come into the City it self The evill he now suffers uncorrected he refers to be condemned Sin knows the doom it must smart here or hereafter Outward plagues are but favour in comparison of spirituall judgments and spirituall judgments but light to eternall torments God does not punish all flagitious sinners here that he may allow some space to repent and that none may doubt his promise of a Generall Iudgement nor does he forbear all here lest the world should deny his providence and question his justice MEMB. 6. 1. § But what do I urge reason to men of a reprobate judgment to admonish them is to no more purpose then if one should speak to life-lesse stones or sense-lesse plants or wit-lesse beasts for they will never fear any thing till they be in Hell fire wherefore God leaves them to be confuted with fire and brimstone since nothing else wil doe it If there be any here that beleeve a Resurrection as I hope better things of some of you all such I would beseech by the mercies of God before mentioned that they would not be so desparately wicked as to mock their admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make themselves merry with their owne damnations but that they would entertain this messuage as if it were an Epistle sent from God himself to invite and call them to repentance Yea consider seriously what I have said and do not Oh do not mock at Gods Word nor sport away your souls into those pains which are easelesse endlesse and remedilesse Shal we give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word we speak Mat. 12.36 and never give a reckoning for our wicked swearing and cursing we shall be judged by our words v. 37. Are you willing to be saved if you are Break off your sins by repentance Dan. 4.27 Cease to do evill learn to doe well Isai. 1.16.17 Seriously grieve and bewail for the millions of times that you have blasphemed God and pierced your Saviour and never more commit the like impiety Yea doe not only leave your swearing but fear an Oath and make conscience of it resolve not to take the glorious name of God in vain nor place any otheâ— creature in his roome though the Devill should say unto you as once hâ— did to Christ All this will I give thee For it is not enough that we abstained from evill unlesse we hate it also and doe the contrary good Sanctifie the Lord God in your heart 1 Pet. 3.15 Make a covenant with your mouth as Joâ— did with his eyes and set a watch before the door of your lips that you thuâ— offend not with your tongue Psal. 141.3 2. § Which if you doe rightly the like care to avoid all other sins wilâ— necessarily follow because he that fears to commit one sin out of conscience and because God forbids it will upon the same ground fear all the 〈…〉 commit it as that God should never impure it 2 Tim. 2.19 Neither can a regenerate mind consist with a determination to continue in any one sin as when Christ cast out one Devill we read that he cast out all even the whole Legion Mark 5.2 c. And he that makes not some consience of all sin makes no true conscience of any sin And the same is to be understood also of duties commanded for the same law which injoins us to hate and for sake all sin commands us also to strive after universal obedience to every precept And it is a true rule he that hath not in him all Christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all He that is not sanctified in every part is truly sanctified in no part 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Pet. 3.11 Mat. 5.48 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Cor. 7.1 And the least sin allowed of be it but a vaine thought or one duty omitted is enough to cast thee into hell for the wages of sin any sin be it never so little is death Rom. 6.23 Jam. 1.15 Yea admit thou hadst never acted any the least evill in all thy life it were not enough to save thee from hell much lesse to bring thee to heaven for we need no more to condemn us then what we brought into the World with us Gen. 2.17 Psal. 51.5 Rom. 5.12 Whence the new born child in the law was commanded to offer a sin offering Lev. 12.6 3. § Wherefore as you tender the good of your own soul set upon the work presently before the Drawbridge be taken up provide with Ioseph for the dearth to come With Noah in the days of thine hâ—alth build the Ark of a good conscience against the floods of sicknesse Imitate the Ant who provides her meat in Summer for the Winter following Yea do it whilst the yearning bowels the bleeding wounds and compassionate arms of Jesus Christ lie open to receive you Whiles you have health and life and means and time to repent and make your peace with God in Christ as you tender I say the everlasting happinesse wel-fare of your almost lost and drowned soul as you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for heaven and salvation for endlesse blisse and glory at the last As you would escape the direful wrath of God the bitter sentence and doom of Christ the never dying sting and worm of conscience the tormenting and soul scorching flames of hel and everlasting separation from Gods blissfull presence abjure utterly renounce all wilfull and affected evill and in the first place this abominable sin of swearing and cursing 4. § The which Grace if you
happinesse So that you may take this for a rule They that have but a shew of holinesse have but a shew of wisdome § 5. Men of the world believe the things of the world they believe what they see and feel and know they believe the Lawes of the Land that there are places and kindes of punishment here below and that they have bodies to suffer temporal smart if they transgresse and this makes them abstain from murther felonie and the like but they believe not things invisible and to come for if they did they would as well yea much more fear him that hath power to cast both body and soul into hell as they do the Temporall Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body they would think it a very hard bargain to win the whole world and lose their own souls But if visible powers were not more feared then the invisible God and the Halter more then Hell natural men being like beasts that are more sensible of the flash of powder then of the bullet the world would be over-run without rage Or § 6. Secondly they believe the Devil and the Flesh that prophesie prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised the Powder-Traitors for though men do the Devils works yet they look for Christs wages and there is scarce a man on earth but he thinks to go to heaven yea the Devil and sin so infatuate and befor many that they can even apply Christs passion as a warrant for their licentiousnesse and take his Death as a license to sin his Crosse as a Letters Pattent to do mischief So turning the grace of God into wantonnesse As if a condemned person should head his Drum of Rebellion with his Pardon resolving therefore to be evill because he is good which is to sin with an high hand or with a witnesse and to make themselves uncapable of forgiveneesse And yet wretched and senseless men they presume to have part in that merit which in every part they have so abused to be purged by that blood which now they take all occasions to disgrace to be saved by the same wounds which they swear by and so often swear away to have Christ an Advocate for them in the next life when they are Advocates against Christ in this And that Heaven will meet them at their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten road towards Hell § 7. The Devil makes large promises to his but ever disappoints them of their hopes as he did our first Parents You shall die saith God You shall not die at all saith Satan Yea you shall be as Gods saith he when his drift was to make them Devils Yet the Devil was believed when God could not be credited Diabolus mentitur ut fallat vitam pollicetur ut perimat saith Cyprian And ever since our first parents gave more credit to Satan then their Maker Our hearts naturally have been flint unto God wax to Satan so that Satan may in a manner triumph over Christ and say I have more servants then Christ they do more for me then his servants do for him and yet I never died for them as Christ hath done for his I never promised them so great reward as Christ hath done to his c. § 8. Well may these men think they believe the Gospel as the Jews who persecuted Iesus and sought to slay him thought they believed Moses writings Ioh. 5.38 39 46 47. But it 's altogether impossible as Christ who knew their hearts better then themselves affirmes of them for certainly they would never speak as they speak think as they think do as they do if they thought their thoughts words and deeds should ever come to judgement Did men believe that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Swearers nor Railers nor the Fearfull nor Vnbelieving nor Murtherers nor Sorcerers nor Liars nor no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven as the Scripture expresly speaks but shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death They durst not continue in the practice of these sins without fear or remorse or care of amendment As for instance If sons-in-Law had believed their Father when he told them from God that the City should suddenly be destroyed with fire brimstone and that by flying they might escape it they would have obeyed his counsel Or if the old world had believed that God would indeed and in good earnest bring such a flood upon them as he threatened they would not have neglected the opportunity of entring into the Ark before it was shut and the windows of heaven opened much less would they have scoffed and flowted at Noah while he was a bulding it So if men did firmly believe what God speaks of â—ell it would keep them innocent make them officious they would need no intreaty to avoid it Men love themselves well enough to avoid a known pain yea there would be more fear and danger of their despair then of their security And the like of heaven if men but believed what fulness of joy and what pleasures are reserved at Gods right hand for evermore for them that love and serve him in sincerity Psal. 16.11 they would be more obedient upon earth CHAP. III. § 1. WHat believe the former Scriptures and nothing appear in mens lives in the whole Land almost but pride covetousness cruelty damnable Hypocrisie prophaning of the Sabbath cursed swearing and cursing abominable and worse then beast-like drunkenness adultery lying slandering persecuting contempt of Religion and all goodness grinding of faces like edged tools spilling of blood like water racking of Rents detension of Wages and workmens hire incredible cruelty to Servants inclosing of Commons ingrossing of Commodities griping exactions with straining the advantages of greatness unequal levies of legal payments spiteful suits biting usury bribery perjury partiality sacriledge simoniacal contracts and soul-murder scurrility and prophaneness cozening in bargains breaking of promises persidious underminings Luxury wantonness contempt of Gods Messengers neglect of his Ordinances violation of his days and the like as if these were fruits of faith not of Atheism rather § 2. Yea as if we had contracted with the Devil that we would abuse all Gods gifts so fast as they come his blessings make us proud his riches covetous his peace wanton his meats intemperate his mercy secure And all his benefits serve us but as weapons to rebel against him so that we turn his grace into wantonness and make a trade of sin yea it is our least ill to do evil for behold we speak for it joy in it boast of it tempt and inforce to it yea mock them that dislike it as if we would send challenges into heaven and make love to destruction § 3. And yet we are Christians forsooth I am even ashamed to think that men that rational men should be
in ill designes and ungracions courses to go on in sin uncontrouled for he that useth to do evil and speeds well seldome rests until he come to that evil from which there is no redemption Besides Forbearance is no acquittance the wickedness of the Old World is as abundant in the New World yet is not the World drowned with water But why because God hath ordained for it a deluge of fire The sins of Sodome are practised every where in our City and Kingdome yet do the committters escape fire and brimstone on earth because they are reserved to fire and brimstone in Hell Do not many persecute the Church as violently as Pharaoh with Chariots and Armies who yet escape drowning there is a reservation of a deeper and bottomless Sea for them divers murmur at the passages of Gods providence in these times of retribution and Reformation who are not stung with fiery Serpents as the Israelites because they are reserved to a fiery serpent in Hell Many yea the most that can come by them take Bribes like Gehazi without a Leprosie because of that eternal Leprosie which waits for them How many a deceitful Executor and Trustee sayes and swears with a little inversion of Ananias his lie I received but so much I disbursed so much yet are not stricken with death temporal because they are reserved to death eternal Have not many Monopolists with us done as bad as those Philippians Act. 16.16.19 who compounded with the Devil for a Pattent to bring them in gain and yet grow rich and prosper and leave a great deal of substance to their heires whose gain will be found losse when Satan shall seize upon their bodies and soules and hurry them to Hell And so of other Sinners for the like is appliable to the whole Nation except some few despised ones and he is a rare man that does not either mis-believe or grosly mislive that is not a worshipper of one of these three the lust of the flesh voluptuousness the lust of the eyes covetousness or the pride of life ambition which is all the Trinity the world worships But of all the rest let all envious Cains scoffing Ishmaels reviling Goliahs bloody-minded Hamans and Doegs cursing Shimeis railing Rabshake's flouting Tobiahs and Sanballats cruel Herods all the like God-â—aters that carry an aking tooth against every good man they know and will even hate one for his being holy though poor ignorant souls they know it not look for a whole volume of plagues in the next life though they escape in this if they repent not For it hell-fire shall be their portion that obey not the Gospel how can they look to escape that oppose it Or if at the great day men shall be bid Depart into everlasting torments for not feeding clothing visiting what shall become of those that maliciously scoffe at Religion and persecute Christ in his members which is the depth of sin For he that despiseth traduceth or any way wrongs one that believes in Christ especially one of his Ambassadors of the Ministery strikes at the Image of God in him by whose Spirit he both speakâ— and acts And God takes it as if it were done to himself for proof of both seâ— Psal. 44.22 74.4 10 18 22 23. 83.2 5 6. 89.50 51. 139.20 Prov. 19. â— Rom. 1.30 9.20 Matth. 10.22 25.45 â— Sam. 17.45 Isai. 37.4 22 23 28. 54.17 Acts 5.39 9.4 5. Iob 9.4 1 Thes. 4.8 Iohn 15.20 to 26. Numb 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 Mark 9.42 Ier. 17.18 Psal. 79.12 2 Kings 2.24 O that my old acquaintance the Formal Hypocrite and my feigned friend the Civil Iusticiary and my well-meaning neighbour the Loose Libertine with millions more would but seriously consider these Scriptures and he warned by them before the Draw-bridge be taken up For if the bountifulness and long-suffering of God do not lead us to repentance it will increase our condemnation Besides God owes that man a grievous payment whom he suffers to run on so long unquestioned and his punishment shall be the greater when he comes to reckon with him for all his faults together CHAP. IV. § 1. BUt admit mens unbelief impenitency and prophanenesse in such glorious times of light and means of grace as ours is were not enough to provoke God to inflict this heavy grievous judgement upon them how well do they deserve this and much more for their horrible and abominable ingratitude to so good a God so gracious a Saviour and Redeemer that hath done and suffered or would do more for them then can either be expressed or conceived by any heart were it as deep as the Sea As mark well what I the meanest of a million shall but paint or draw ouâ— as it were with a cole of his unspeakable goodnesse to sinners I will according to my slender ability but give you a drop to taste out of that ocean Touching what God and Christ hath done for us In the first place he gave us our selves and all the creatures to be our servants yea he created us after his own Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and in perfect knowledg of the truth with a power to stand and for ever to continue in a most blessed and happy condition and this deserves all possible thankfulnesse but this was nothing in comparison for when we were in a sad condition when we had forfeited all this our selves when by sin we had turned that image of God into the image of Satan and wilfully plunged our souls and bodies into eternal torments when we were become his enemies mortally hating him and to our utmost fighting against him and taking part with his only enemies Sin and Satan not having the least thought or desire of reconcilement but a perverse and obstinate will to resist all means tending thereunto He did redeem us not onely without asking but even against our wills so making of us his cursed enemies servants of servants sons of sons heirs and coheirs with Christ Gal. 4.7 Here was a fathomless depth a wonder beyond all wonders § 2. But that we may the better consider what an alms or boon God gave us when he gave us his Son Observe that when neither heaven earth nor hell could have yielded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited heaven for us then O then God in his infinite wisdom and goodness did not onely finde out a way to satisfie his Justice and the Law but gave us his Son his only begotten Son his only beloved Son out of his bosome And his Son gave himself to die even the most shameful painful and cursed death of the Cross to redeem us That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 The very thought of which death before he came to it together with the weight and burthen of our sins put him into such an Agony in the Garden that it made him to
men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith being before of old ordained to condemnation 2 Tim. 3.1 to 13. 2 Pet. 2. 2 and 3.3 Jude 4 10.16 18 19. And so much of the third particular CHAP. VII FOurthly It would be considered that what you suffer is far short of what others have suffered before you for whereas you suffer a little tongue-persecution your betters and such as the world was not worthy of have suffered 〈…〉 and scourgings bonds and imprisonments were stoned sawn 〈…〉 the sword endured the violence of fire were rackt 〈…〉 desarts and mountains in dens and caves of the earth in sheâ—p 〈…〉 〈…〉 destitute afflicted and tormented Not â—â—â—â—epting delive 〈…〉 might obtain a better 〈…〉 stoned some crucified some beheaded some thrust thorow with spears some burnt with fire some broiled some brained with many the like and worse kinds of death for we read of no lesse then twenty nine several deaths they were put unto But to clear your sight I le give you some particular instances of the several wayes that the best of Gods people have suffered before you First You shall finde that it hath been the manner of wicked men out of this enmity to envy the vertuous and good estate of the godly as Cain envied Abâ—l Gen. 4.5 Secondly To contemn their supposed mean estate as Sanballat Tobiah and Gershom with the rest of that crue contemned Nehemiah and the Iewes Nehem. 4.1 2 3. Thirdly To rejoyce at their supposed evill estate as the Princes of the Philistins did at Sampsons blindness and bondage Judg. 16.25 Fourthly To hate them as all carnal men hate the members of Christ Matth. 10.22 Fiftly To murmure against them as the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron Numb 11.1 and 14 2 3. Sixthly To censure their actions and misconster their intentions as Eliab did Davids zeal for Gods glory in fighting with Goliah 1 Sam. 17.28 and those wicked ones his fasting and mourning Psal. 35.13 to 17. Seventhly By carrying tales of them unto others as Doeg did to Saul of David and Ahimeleck 1 Sam. 22.9 10. and the Ziphims 1 Sam. 23.19 20. and 26 1. Eightly To perswade and give divelish counsel to others like themselves to persecute them as the Princes and Rulers did to Zedekiah the King against Ieremiah Jer. 38.4 Ninthly To scoff at them as Ishmael scoft at Isaac Gen. 21.9 Tenthly To nick-name them as the Iews did Paul Acts 24.14 and all the Disciples 1 Cor. 4.9 10. Eleventhly To revile and rail on them as the Iews did upon Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.45 Twelfthly To raise slanders of them as those wicked men slandered Naboth confirming the same with an Oath 1 Kings 21. Thirteenthly To curse them as Goliah cursed David 1 Sam. 17.43 and also Shemei 2 Sam. 16.7 to 15. Fourteenthly To threaten them as all the men of Sodom did Lot Gen. 19.9 Fifteenthly By subtilty to undermine them in talk that they might betray them as the false Prophets and other enemies of the truth undermined Ieremiah seeking every way to destroy him Ier. 18. 18 c. Sixteenthly By using scornful and disdainful gestures to despight them as Goliah against David 1 Sam. 17.42 and also those wicked ones Psal. 22.7.13 and 35.16 and 109.25 Seventeenthly To withstand and contrary the doctrine which they are commanded by God to deliver As Elymas the Socerer withstood Paul and Barnabas in their preaching Acts 13. 8. Eighteenthly To combine themselves together and lay divellish plot to destroy them as Demetrius with the rest of the Craftsmen conspired the death of Pauls companions Acts 19. and likewise more then forty of the Iews which bound themselves by a curse not to eat nor drink till they had killed 〈◊〉 in which conspiracy the chief Priests were likewise assistants Acts 23.12 14. Nineteenthly To imprison them as the malicious Priests did 〈◊〉 Jer. 36.5 Twentieth To strike them as Zedekiah the false Prophe◠〈◊〉 Micaiah 1 Kings 22 24. Twenty one To hurt and maim them 〈…〉 of Antiochia and Iconium did Paul Acts 14.19 Twenty two and 〈◊〉 slay them as Iezabel did all the Prophets of the Lord 〈◊〉 1 Kings 18.4 CHAP. VIII Now to speak nothing in this place of the diversity of deaths and tortures that millions of Martyrs have suffered for professing of Christs Name and keeping of a good Conscience though their sufferings were nothing either to what their sins hâ—d deserved or to what their Saviour had done and suffered for them for he enduâ—ed many a little death all his life for our sakes and at length that painful shameful and cursed death of the Crosse yea he suffered every one of these two and twenty ways before-mentioned and that from his own countrymen and kinsfolks yea of the Chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees who were teachers and expounders of the Law and which sate in Moses chair For he was Envied Matth. 26.15 Contemned Mat. 12.24 and 13.55 Rejoyced at in his misery and distresse Matth. 27.29 Hated Joh. 77. Murmured against Luke 15.2 Had his actions and intentions mis-construed Matth. 11.19 Had tales carried of him Matth. 12.14 and divelish counsel given against him Matth. 27.20 was scoffed at Matth. 27.42 Nicknamed Matth. 13.55 Railed on Luke 23.39 Slandered Matth. 28.13 Cursed Gal. 3.13 Threatned John 11.53 Undermined in talk that they might accuse him Matth. 22.15 They used disdainful gestures before him Matth. 27.29 39. Withstood him in his preaching and contraried his doctrine Luke 5.21 Matth. 9.34 Combined together and laid divelish plots to destroy him Mat. 12.14 Took him prisoner Matth. 26.57 Smote him Luke 22.64 Hurt and wounded him Matth. 27.29 John 19.34 And lastly they put him to death Mat. 27. 35. And why all this not for any evil they found in him for their own words are He hath done all things well Mark 7 37. He hath done such was his power all things such was his wisdom well such was his goodness and yet crucified and every way abused he must be But it was for his zeal purity and holiness and because his life and practice was clean contrary to theirs his doctrine too powerfull and pure for such carnal hearts to imbrace or endure Now cast up thy Receits and compare them with thy deservings look upon thy deliverance from the fire of hell Yea look but upon thy sufferings single and thou shalt finde them nothing to what thy fellow Saints and Christ thy Elder brother hath suffered before thee At a Lions Den or a fiery furnace not to turn tail were something worthy a Christian. Yea compare thine own estate with thine enemies and thou shalt see yet greater cause to be not only patient but thankful For if these scoffs and flouts of men like thy self are so grievous to thee how will thine and Gods enemies indure those mocks and flouts of the divels in hell how will they indure that devouring fire that everlasting â—urning Isa. 33.14 Psal. 68.21 And the way not to repine at those above
Learned as that which proceeds from Religion He that upright in his wayes saith Solomon is an abomination to the wicked Prov. â—7 My â—â—me sayes Luther is more odious to them then any thief or 〈…〉 Christ was more detestable to the Iews then Barabas And it 〈…〉 enough for the Pope was so busie and hot against Luther that he 〈…〉 all Christandom against the Turk which declared that he would easier digest Mahometisme then Lutheranisme The case of two many in our dayes in opposing the Reformation Behold saith David mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred Psal. 25.19 Yea so cruel that it makes their teeth gnash and their hearts burst again as it fared with those that stoned Stephen Acts 7.54 This made the truths adversarâ—es give St. Paul stripes above measure 2 Cor. 11.23 And the Heathen Emperors to devise such cruel tortures for all those that but profest themselves Christians This made Ahab so hate Eliah that there was not one Kingdom or Nation where he had not sent to take away his life 1 King 18.10 And this made the Papists dig many of our choice Ministers out of their graves that they might the better curse them with Bell Book and Candle Yea ask from East to West from one Pole to the other search all records under Heaven if ever there was the like of the intended Powder-plot Neither does this hatred extend it self to this or that person alone but to the whole generation of the godly as is well exprest Psal. 83. Come let us cut them off from being a Nation and let the Name of Israel be no more in remembrance ver 4.12 And the like we see in Haman whose hatred to Mordecai was so deadly that he thought it too little to lay hands on him only except he destroyed all the Iews his people that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahashuerosh Esth. 3.5 6. For the effecting whereof he offered ten thousand talents of silver into the Kings treasury ver 9.13 And of his mind was Herodias who preferred the head of Iohn Baptist before the half of Herods Kingdom And such another was cruel Arundale Archbishop of Canterbury who swore he would not leave a slip of professors in this Land And the world is no changling for this age hath but two many such Hamans and Arundales who so hate the children of God that they wish as Caligula once did of the Romans that they had all but one neck that so they might cut it off at a blow were it in their power As why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles and our Beds made to swim with our Bloods but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balack and their wickedness doth not prosper For their studies are the plots of our ruine and the best they intend is the destruction and overthrow of Religion or the religious or both Mat. 24.9 Iohn 16.2 Yea their enmity and hatred is so virulent and bitter that were their power answerable to their wills and malice the brother would betray the brother to death the father the son and the children would rise up against their parents and cause them to die the kinsman against the kinsman and the friend against the friend only for profeâ—â—â—â— Christs Name and being religious as himself affirms Matth. 10.34 35 36. 〈◊〉 21.16 17. Neither is it strange for this was one of the ends of Christs 〈◊〉 into the world as appears Matth. 10.34 35. where himself saith Think 〈…〉 I am come to send peace but the sword meaning between the seed of the â—â—â—â—pent and the seed of the woman for I am come to set a man at variance 〈…〉 his father the daughter in law against the mother in law and 〈…〉 shall be they of his own housheld Luke 12.51 52 53. Neither want we Presidents of this For by whom was upright 〈…〉 cuted and slain but by his own brother Cain who scoft at righteou 〈…〉 hara put to death for imbracing the Christian faith but by her own Father Dioscorus who made Serena the Empress a Martyr for her faith in Christ but her own husband Dioclesian who helped to burn Bradford but Bourn whose life he had formerly saved And lastly By whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed but by his own Disciple Iudas CHAP. XI Convert WHerein consists their unlikeness and contrariety Minister There be more differences between the children of God and the children of the Devil then there are between men and beasts But principally they differ in their judgements affections and actions How they differ in their judgements and affections I have shewn upon another occasion How in their actions and practice which occasions the greatest strife and discord I will acquaint you as briefly as I can There is nothing more common then for all sorts and kindes of men to hate scorn persecute reproach revile accuse slander and condemn the religious because their own works are evil and wicked and the others good holy and righteous As wherefore slew Cain his brother saith S. Iohn but because his own works were evil and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 Why was Ioseph accused of his Mistress for an adulterer and thereupon committed to prison but because he would not be an adulterer like her Gen. 39 yea it was his party coloured coat composed of all kinds of graces and blessings that formerly procured his brethrens hate Wherefore was holy David as himself complains almost in every Psalm had in derision hated slandered reviled contemned and made a proverb and song of the drunkards and other wicked men which sate in the gate but because he followed the things that were good and pleasing unto God and in him put his trust Psal. 11.2 and 22.6 7 8. and 37.14 and 69.10 11 12. And lastly for I might be endlesse in the prosecution of this Why were all the just in Solomons time had in abomination and mockt of the wicked but because they were upright in their way and holy in their conversation Pro. 29.27 Or those numberless Martyrs whose souls S. John saw under the Altar Rev. 6.9 killed but for the Word of God and for the testimony which they maintained And the Mister himself not for any evil as themselvs are forced to confess Mar. â— 37 Which examples sufficiently prove that that great Dragon the Devil and these his Subjects are wroth with none but the woman and the remnant of her 〈◊〉 which keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus 〈◊〉 12.17 All was quiet at Ephesus before S. Paul came thither but then 〈◊〉 arose no small strife about that way Acts 19.23 c. A wolf flies not upon 〈…〉 sheep we can with delight look upon the picture of a Toad It is your 〈◊〉 Christian that is most spighted and persecuted As how many with 〈◊〉 may complain with Ieremy that because they live a godly life themselves 〈…〉 all upon others to do the same they
we cannot miscarry if we trust to his Yet this is to be considered that God does not work upon us as upon blocks and stones in all and every respect passive but converts our wils to will our own conversion He that made thee without thy self will not justifie nor save thee without thy self Without thy merit indeed not without thine endeavour When those deadly waters were healed by the Prophet the outward act must be his the power Gods he cast the salt into the spring and said Yhus saith the Lord I have healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barrennesse Elisha was the Instrument but far was he from challenging ought to himself Wherefore be sure to use that power which Christ shall give thee and then my soul for thine he will not be wanting on his part And amongst other thine endeavour exercise Prayer Omit not to beg of God for the grace thou wantest and praise him for what thou obtainest Abhor to attribute or ascribe ought to thy doing trust only to Christs obedience in whom only what we do is accepted and for whom only it is rewarded Now you are to know that as no Sacrifice was without Incense so must no service be performed without Prayer And Prayer is like the Merchants Ship to fetch in heavenly commodities It is the Key of Heaven as St Austin terms it and the Hand of a Christian which is able to reach from earth to Heaven and to take forth every manner of good gift out of the Lords Treasury Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name saies Christ believing he will give it you John 16.23 Matth. 21.22 Unto fervent Prayer God will deny nothing It is like Sauls Sword and Ionathans bow that never returned empty Like Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tydings It is worth the obseâ—ving how Cornelius his serious exercise of this duty of Prayer brought unto him first an Angel then an Apostle and then the Holy Ghost himself Hast thou then a desire after that happinesse before spoken of seek first to have the asistance of Gods Spirit and his love shed abroad in thine heart by the Holy Ghost Wouldst thou have the love of God and the asistance of his Spirit ask it of him by Prayer who saith If any of you lack in this kind let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him James 1.5 Wouldst thou pray that thou maist be heard Ask in faith and waver not for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea tost of the wind and carried away Vers. 6. Wouldst thou have faith be diligent to hear the Word preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot that battereth and beateth down all the strong holds of sinne and Satan Rom. 10.17 Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think I commend thee CHAP. XIV Lastly For conclusion of this point Wouldst thou be a contented and Happy man then strive to be a Thankefull man and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much Wouldest thou become thankefull then bethink thy self what cause thou hast by calling to mind and considering what God and Christ hath done for thee As first That he is the Authour of thy natural life For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 Secondly Of thy spiritual life Thus I live saies Paul yet not I now but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 Thirdly Of thy eternal life 1 Joh. 1. He is the way the truth and the life John 14.6 The resurrection and the life John 11.25 Or more particularly thus In the first place He gave us our selves and all the creatures to be our servants yea he created us after his own Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and in perfect knowledge of the truth with a power to stand and for ever to continue in a most blessed and happy condition and this deserves all possible thankfulnesse But this was nothing in comparison For when we were in a sad condition when we had forfeited all this and our selves when by sinne we had turned that Image of God into the Image of Satan and wilfully plunged our souls and bodies into eternal torments when we were become his enemies mortally hating him and to our utmost fighting against him and taking part with his only enemies Sin and Satan not having the least thought or desire of reconcilement but a perverse and obstinate will to resist all means tending thereunto He did redeem us not only without asking but even against our wils so making of us his cursed enemies servants of servants sons of sons heirs and coheirs with Christ Gal 4.7 Here was a fathomlesse depth a wonder beyond all wonders 2. But that we may the better consider what an alms or boon God gave us when he gave us his Son Observe that when neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yielded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God in his infinite wisdom and goodnesse did not only find out a way to satisfie his Justice and the Law but gave us his Sonne his only begotten Son his only beloved Son out of his bosome And his Son gave himself to die even the most shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Crosse to redeem us That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 The very thought of which death before he come to it together with the weight and burthen of our sinnes put him into such an Agony in the Garden that it made him to sweat even drops of blood A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sonnes of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Wherefore O wonder at this you that wonder at nothing That the Lord should come with such a price to redeem our worse than lost souls and to bring salvation to us even against our wils The Lord Iesus Christ being rich for our sakes became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Even the eternal God would die that we might not die eternally O the deepnesse of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God! who can sufficiently expresse thy love Or commend thy pity Or extol thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy self that thou shouldest die to save us 3. And which is further considerable It cost God more to redeem the world than to make it In the Creation he gave thee thy self but in the Redemption he gave thee himself The Creation of all things cost him but six daies to finish it the Redemption of man cost him
rather then unto them Dan. 4.27 Prov. 11.24 Why then should we thinke the poor so mightily bound and beholding unto us for our scraps and superfluâ—us reliques or that we do such a meritorious businesse when we largely relieve them And not rather thinke our selves beholding unto them and to God for them seeing they are the occasions of such inestimable gaine for such trifling disbursements as Austine speaks And to speak rightly giving is not more an act of Charity then Christian policy since we shall not onely receive our own again bâ—â— have a far greater return then can be expected upon an adventure 〈◊〉 the East Indies Since we are more happy that there are poore upoâ— whom we may exercise our charity then they are that there are ricâ— who do relieve their wants though with never so great supply for aâ— Austine speaks if there were not some to receive thine alms thou couldâ—est not give Earth and receive Heaven Wherefore give thanks untâ— him who hath given thee means by such a small prise to procure 〈◊〉 thing so precious Besides we may boldly aver with Chrysostom That without poverty riches would be unprofitable As consider that if with Adam and Eve wâ— had a whole world but no body to make ready provision and to attend upon us nor do any thing for us what joy could great men take of their riches if there were not poore men to do mean offices for them what low imployments should the highest be forced to descend unto if there were no inferiours to perform them How then should not a considerate man love be liberall to them and exceedingly bless God for them and not do as dâ— the most scorne them and not think them worthy a familiar word era courteous look CHAP. XXXI And certainly he wants both grace and wit who does not admire the bounty and goodness of God in that he hath offered us the opportunity of such sowing such reaping yea O Lord what are we that thou shouldst give us plenty of all things here also which unto them thou hast denied so that every way it is as our Saviour tells us a more blessed thing to give then to receive which the Apostle would have us to remember Acts 20.34 35. Yet no reason can we alleadge on our behalf but O the depth Rom. 11.33 Wherefore do thou O my God and Redeemer inlarge my heart with thankfulnesse and implant this grace in my heart O make me liberall of my mony as thou wast of thy blood O let me have an heart to give Food and Rayment to those for whom thou gavest thy self a ransome Yea of all other graces inlarge my heart with Christian Charity and compassion since it is a grace so universally profitable and withall so amiable As O the loveliness and profitableness of this Christian grace For to do good to the poore is more then a treble good it pleasures them most of all pleasures the doer for it brings blessings upon their Soules Bodies Estates Names Posterity it increaseth their reward cause the poore to pray for and praise God for us and also others to glorifie him it is an odoâ—r that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God who will fulfill all our necessities through his riches with glory in Iesus Christ as the Apostle delivers it Phil. 4.16 to 20. VVhence that great praise of it 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abides Faith Hope and Charity but the chiefest of these is Charity Whence Sozomen calls it 〈◊〉 sure â—oaken of a most vertuous mind and Laâ—tâ—â—tius a principall vertue and Calvin the chiefest office of humanity amongst us and Aretius the most elegant ornament of a Christian life and the holy Ghost a never failing grace 1 Cor. 13.8 whence also it is so highly commended in the Saints in all ages As how is Abraham commended for his hospitality and almes deeds And Lot Cornelius of whose almes there was in the presence of God a memorandum made Acts 10.31 and Doxcas whose good works and almes-deeds were to be seen and shewn when she her selfe was not and the poore could not tell how with patience to take her death she had done so much good for them all the time of her life Acts 9.36.39 And those Christians Acts 11.29 30. for the care they had of the poor in the Apostles time Acts 2.45 Thus the Macedonians are highly commended and much honoured for their freenesse and forwardnesse in relieving of the poor brethren at Ierusalem as is seen upon record Rom. 15.26 And again 2 Cor. 8.1 â— c. And the like of the Philippians and many more whom I must passe over in silence CHAP. XXXII And as bounty is the most beneficiall grace and giving the greatest gaine in every respect For almes to the poore is like powring a paile of water into a dry Pump that fetcheth up much more then was put in So contrariwise to be unmercifull to the poor and hard-hearted or to wrong them whereby to enrich our selves is alike heynous sin and the ready way to want here and to find no mercy hereafter as might most plentifully be shewn Prov. 22.16 Iames 2.13 It is said Prov. 11. He that with-holdeth more then is meet shall surely come to poverty ver 24. And so Ver. 25 26. He that with-draweth hic corne the people shall curse him but blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth corne And Prov. 28. He that giveth unto the poor shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse vers 27. And Prov. 22.16 He that oppresseth â—he poor to increase his riches and he that giveth to the rich shall surely come to poverty Give then that you may never want hide not your eyes that you may not inherite many a curse But of this by the way onely for I would have you specially to take notice that if we shew no mercy here if we will not heare the suits of the poor when they crave of us for reliefe neither will God give us audience when we shall sue unto him hereafter According to that Prov 21.13 Who so stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himselfe and not be heard Yea he shall have judgement without mercy that shewes no mercy James 2.13 For whereas to those that have fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke c. Christ shall say Come ye blessed of my Father c. Contrariwise to those that have not done these duties he shall say depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate I was thirsty and ye gave me no drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not For inasmuch as ye did it not to my poore members ye did it not to me So these shall go away into everlasting punishment but
the other into life eteâ—nall Matth. 25.31 to 47. Where are two things considerable They to save their purses would not be at a little cost for the poore while they lived and what have they got by it Now they are dead bâ—t firâ—t an everlasting separation from Gods blisfull presence and thâ—se unutterable joyes before mentioned and to be for ever confined in a bed of quenchlesse flames For this departure is not for a day nor for years of dayes nor for millions of yeares but for eternity into such paynes as can neither be expressed nor conceived There shall be no end of plagues to the wicked and unmercifull Math. 25.41 Mark 9.44 Their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched Isa. 66.24 Neither is the extremity of paine inferiour to the perpetuity of it Rev. 19.20 20.14 18.6 2 Pet. 2.4 Heb. 10 2â— Jude 6. The plagues of the first death are pleasant compared with those of the second For mountaines of sand were lighter and millions of yeares shorter then a tythe of these torments Rev. 20.10 Iude 7. The pain of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish For should we first burn off one hand then another after that each arme and so all the parts of the body it would be deemed intolerable and no man would endure it for all the pleasures and profits this world can afford and yet it is nothing to that burning of body and soule in Hell Should we endure ten thousand yeares torments in Hell it were grievous but nothing to eternity should we suffer one paine it were miserable enough but if ever we come there our payns shall be for number and kinds infinitely various as our pleasures have been here Every sense and member each power and faculty both of soul and body shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to endure it Luke 12.5 16. â—4 Matth. 3.12 Yea the paynes and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart under heaven It is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pensill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Mat. 18.8 9. 25 30. 2 Pet. 2.4 Isa. 5.14 30.33 CHAP. XXXIII Now what heart would not bleed to see men yea multitudes run head long into these tortures that are thus intolerable dance hood-wink'd iâ—to this perdition O the folly and madnesse of those that prefer earth yea hell to heaven time to eternity the body before the soule yea the outward estate before either soule or body These are the worlds fooles meer children that prefer an apple before their inheritance Besotted sensualists that consider not how this life of ours if it were not short yet it is miserable and if it were not miserable yet it is short that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht with the love of their money and their hearts to be rivered to the earth to be so inslaved to covetousnesse as to make gold their God Certainly were they allowed to have but a fight of this Hell they woâ—ld not do thus if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of or to purchase and plunge themselves into those caselesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell there to fry body and soule where shall be an innumerable company of Devils and damned spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them But O that thou who art the Sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldst give them hearts to believe at least that the soule of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soule that as painted fire is to materiall such is materiall to hell fire That things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shadowes onely And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure and whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory Then would they thinke it better to want all things then that one needfull thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needfull They would be glad to spare something from their superfluities yea if need requâ—re even from their necessaries that they might relieve and cherish the poor distressed members of Iesus Christ. And let so much serve to have been spoken of the reasons that concern our selves in particular and how God hath promised to blesse the merciful man in his soule body name and estate I should now go on to declare that what the liberall man gâ—ves his seed shall inherâ—t But I consider that if for the increasing of their estates for the obtaining of heaven and the avoyding of everlasting destruction of body and soule in Hell will not prevail with rich men to do some good with their goods while they lâ—ve whatsoever else can be spoken will be lost labour and to no purpose I grant there are some of them such desperate doting fools that they can find in their hearts to damn their own souls and go to hell to leave their sonnes rich and therefore it will not be amisse to set down or poynt them to a few of those promises which God hath made to the mercifull or liberall mans seed and posterity after him I 'le alleadge but three places onely CHAP. XXXIV That if we bountifully relieve the poor the reward of onr charity shall not onely extend to us but also to our Off-spring and Progeny the Prophet Esay witnesseth Chap. 58. where he tells us that if we will draw out our soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule the Lord will not onely satisfie our soules in drought make fat our bones but that those also that some of us sâ—â—ll prosper unto many generations ver 10 11 12. And also the Psalmist Psal. 37. I have been young and now am old saith hee yet have I not seene the righteous forsaken not his â—ood begging bread vers 26â— then gives the reason He is ever mercâ—full and endeth and his seed enjoyes the blessing vers 26. And so Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Vers. 2. to 6. Now what better inheritance can we leave to our Children then the blessing of God which like an ever-springing fountaine will nourish and comfort them in the time of drought when as our owne provision which we have left unto them may faile and when the heate of affliction ariseth will like standing waters be dried up Nor is this only probable but God hath set down
the blood of Christ so he buildâ— an Almesâ—house or Hospitall for the Children with their Fathers bones Nor is that out of conscience or love to the poore but rather he thinkes by this and a piece of Marble to raise his name and revive his credit which hâ— had long since lost though it no whit avails him with men of judgement Again he thinkes that a little almes will make amends for a great deal of injustice But this pleaseth God like the offering of Cain or as that of Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange fire unto the Lord Levit. 10. For certainly as the Lord would not in the law receive as an offering the price of a dog or the hire of a whore so it is no going about to corrupt God with presents and call him to take part of the spoyle which he hath gotten by fraudulent meanes and extortion No he that offereth to the Lord of the goods of the poor is as he that sacrificeth the sonne in the sight of the Father Eccl. 3.4 Yea â—ven Plato an Heathen could say Neither the gods nor honest men will accept the offerings of a wicked man Nay a generous Roâ—an would scorne to have his life given him by such a sordid Pinch gut As when Sylla the Dictator had condemned to death all the Inhabitants of Perâ—â—za pardoning none but his Host he would needs dye also saying he scorned to hold his life of the murtherer of his Countrey as Appian relates And for my part I had rather endure some extremity then to be beholding to the almes of Avarice He that overvalues what he gives never thinks he hath thanks enough and I had better shift hardly then owe to an insatiable creditor Now herein is the difference between grace and corrupt nature the Christian exerciseth himselfe in the works of mercy in the whole course of his life and giveth his goods to the poor while he might enjoy them himself but the wordling is only liberal at the approach of death and then alone he is content to employ them this way when as he seeth he can keep them no longer And that not out of love towards God or the poor but out of feare of approaching judgement and that dreadfull account which he must presently make before a just and terrible Judge Or out of self-love either that he may gaine the vain glory of the world or that he may satisfie for his sins and so escape eternall condemnation In which respect he giveth to the poor and casts his bread upon the face of the waters as the Merchant casts his goods into the sea in time of a storme to preserve the ship from sinking and himselfe from drowning For were he not in danger to make shipwrack of his soul and of sincking into the gulfe of hell and condemnation he would be no more liberall at his death then he hath always been in the whole course of his life But what do I speak of his being liberall aâ— the approach of Death for not one of a thousand of these ever entertain such a thought Yea they love all the world so little that if it were possible they would with Hermocrates make themselves their owne Executors and bequeath their goods to none else As he that gives not till he dies shewes that he would not give if he could help it and so it appears by their not parting with it till they be plucked from it For to give when they dye and when they can keep it no longer is not worth thanks it is not in some sense their own to bestow but rather to be liberall of that which is indeed none of their own but other mens Neither will God then accept of it or hereafter reward it which proves the covetous man no less foolish then wicked for as one light carried before us does us more good then many that are brought after so does a ltitle given in a mans life-time more benefit him then thousands at the hour of death Because what the charitable man gives while he is alive and in health he shall carry with him being dead whereas the uncharitable man shall leave his gold behind him but carry the guilt with him into everlasting fire So that Misers may fitly be likened to the Mules of Princes that go all day laden with treasure and covered with gay cloaths and at night after a tedious and wearisome journey their treasure is taken from them and they shaken off into a sorry stable much galled and bruised witâ— the carriage of those treasures their galled backs onâ—ly left unto themselves For after all these mens toyle and slavery what they have shall be taken from them and they turned off with their wounded consciences to that loathsome and irksome stable of hell and damnation Wherefore he that hath either grace or wit will make 〈◊〉 owne hands his Executors and his eyes his Overseers Nor are we 〈◊〉 of Christs fold but goats and swine if we do not benefit others more in our lives then by our deaths CHAP. XL. It is no small wonder to me that any wise man should so dote and set his affections upon that which is so uncertain and that will do him so little good in time of greatest need As oh the uncertainty of riches whom either casualty by fire or inundation of waters or robbery of Thieves or negligence of servants or suretyship of friends or over-â—ight of reckonings or trusting of Customers or unfaithfulnesse of Factors or unexpected falls of Markets or piracy by Sea or unskilfulnesse of Pilots or violence of Tempests may bring to an hasty and speedy poverty It is in the power of one gale of winde or a farthing candle to make many rich men beggars And then as the greatest floods have often the lowest ebbs so are they most poor and miserable that were formerly most rich and in the mindes esteem most happy 2. Or in case our riches thus leave not us yet we know not how soon we may leave our riches For for ought we know this very night may be our last night That rich man in the Gospell reckoned up a large bill of particulars great barnes much goods many yeares but the sum was short one night He that reckons without God shall be sure to reckon twice And so it may fare with thee There is but one way to come into the world there is a thousand wayes to go out of it In Plinies time Physitians had found out above three hundred diseases between the crown of the head and the sole of the foot all which do lye lingring and lurking for our lives Nor is that all Anacreon that drunken Poet was choaked with the huske of a grape Euripides returning home from King Archelaus his supper was toâ—â—e in pieces of Dogs Archemâ—rus sonne to Lycurgus King of Thrace was slain by an Adder Lucia sister to M. Aurelius was killed with a needle which stuch on her breast being thrust in by her Childe
as she held it in her armes Heliogabalus was slaine upon a Privy Antiochus the Tyrant rotted alive Herennus the Sicilian being taken prisoner fall downe dead with very feare of what he should suffer being a co-partâ—er â—n the conspiracy of Cajus Gracchus And Plautinus the Numidian at the very sight of his dead Wife took it so to heart that he fell upon her and rose no more I have read of a Captaine that having murthered many on hors-back was killed with his owne sword falling out of his scabbard as he did alight Bibulus riding through Rome in triumph a tyle stone fell from the roofe of a house and killed him And the like of King Pyrrhus Tullius Hostilius was slain with a Thunder bolt How easily may some sudden sickenesse an Impostum or the like cut in two the threâ—â— of life when we thinke the least of death There be as many little Sculs as great ones in Golgotha sayes the Hebrew Proverb for one Apple that falleth from the tree ten are pulled before they he ripe And the parents mourn for the death of their children as oft as the children for the death of their parents Which were it well considered would make men more wise then so to value the things of this life and under-value those of the next For that which the sterne is to the ship the eye to the body the Compasse to the Pilot the same is the consideration of his end to a wise Christian. Or 3. If he still enjoyes his wealth together with his life for many yeares yet what will it profit him when sicknesse comes All the wealth in the world will not remove paine neither will honour or greatnesse if they be added to wealth It is not the imbroydered slipper that will drive away the painfull gowt Nor the golden Diadem the cruell head ache nor the Diamond ring the angry Whitflow nor the long Velvet Roab the burning Feaver Yea the aking of a tooth the pricke of a thorne or some passion of the minde is able to deprive us of the pleasures of the whole worlds Monarchy Whence all earthly enjoyments are so often called vanities because they are vain things to trust to or dote upon they cannot profit or deliver in time of sickness or death 1 Sam. 12.21 4. And lastly he cannot carry the leaft part of his riches away with him For as with Iob he came naked into the world so he shalt returne naked out of it onely his evill deeds and his accusing conscience if he repents not shall beare him company Bona sequuntur mala persequuntur Be not thou afraid saith the Psalmist when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is encreased For he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him Psal. 49.16 17. And also Solomon As he came forth of his mothers belly he shall return naked to go as he came and shall beare away nothing of his labour which he hath caused to passe by his hand Eccles 5.15 And likewise the Apostle We brought nothing into the world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out of it 1 Tim. 6 7. Oh my brethren think of it it is but a poor comfort to have wealth and want grace It is far better while our health lasteth to sow the seed of godly actions in the field of this world that at the Autumne or end of our age we may reap the fruit of euerlasting comfort For to every man that doth good shall be glory and hunour immortality and eternall life to the Iew first and also to the Gentile Rom. 2.10 And so on the contrary For unto them that do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile vers 5. to 10. God hath said it and they shall finde it And that is it to flourish for a time and perish for ever Whence let us learne this lesson That Iustice hath lincked as with 〈◊〉 iron chaine goodnesse and blessednesse sinne and punishment together 〈…〉 the cause and the effect as the body and the shadow as the worke and the wages as the Parent and the Childe one begettiâ—â— another He that sowes the seed of godly actions in the field of a repentant heart shall at the Autumn or end of his life reap the fruits of everlasting comfort and so on the contrary And so much of the time when we are to give I should now come to tho meanes enabling thereunto which are principally two Labour Industry in lawfull getting and frugality or thriftinesse in spending our goods lawfully gotten that so having greater plenty we may be the richer in good works according to the French proverb A seasonable gathering and a reasonable spending make a good house-keeping But of these I have spoken in the means to attain riches Chap. 32 33. beginning at page 50. Onely I will add a few lines CHAP. XLI First touching Labour or Industry in lawfull getting and encreasing by all lawfull meanes in our Callings that it enables a man to perform this duty the Apostle sheweth in prescribing it to the Ephesians as a means of bounty and beneficence Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his owne hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needs And Solomon describing the vertuous woman saith in the first place that she seekes wool and flaxe and workes willingly with her hands that she layes her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe and then that she stretches out her hands to the poore yea she reaches forth her hands to the needy And St. Luke having testified of Dorcas that she was full of good works and almesdeeds which she did He soone after sheweth the meanes and fountaine of her beneficence to wit her labour and industry in making coats and garments So Peter Martyrs Wife is commended for having been a prudent and painfull housewife and bountifull to the poor and needy the former good quality enabling her to the latter Be we therefore painfull and industrious in our severall callings that GOD may prosper and replenish us with good things that so we may the better communicate them tâ— others Secondly Frugality or thriftinesse in spending our goods lawfully gotten For thrift which is a due saving from sinfull and needlesse expences must be as the purveyor for liberality Be sparing in unnecessary expences that thou mayest be liberall in good uses and this will mightily manifest thy heart to be right The fuell of charity is frugality and the flame piety as we may see in Boaz whom we finde to be thrifty religious charitable For as by lopping off the superfluous branches a good tree is made more fruitfull So by cutting off all needlesse expences a liberall man abounds more in good works Whence observe that rule of our
a great favour We would willingly do it without any reluctancy yea rather then fail we would borrow it though we had our selves many children yea there is no man when he sows his ground thinks that it is lost and cast away or so buryed in the Earth that he shal never see it more No he lookes that that should bring him in a great deal more and pay him with overplus for all his cost and this hope makes him prodigal of his Seed so that it shal have as much by his good wil as the ground can bear or bring forth And does not this plainly prove that we wil give credit to a man's Word or Bond yea that we wil trust the very ground it self rather then take God's or Christ's Bond or the Bible-Security You know the place wel enough where God hath given his Bill to you for the re-payment of what you give to the poor Prov. 19.17 He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given he will repay him again Lo brethren the bil of Gods own hand as I may call it in which he hath both acknowledged the Debt and promised payment Be it known unto all men by this present promise That I the Lord God of Heaven Earth do own and acknowledge my self to be indebted to every merciful or liberal man all those sums of money which he hath bestowed or shal bestow in relieving the distressed to be paid back unto him whensoever he shal demand it for a Bond or Bill that names no day of payment binds to pay it at demand and to this payment wel and truly to be paid I bind my self firmly by this present promise sent sealed and delivered by Solomon my known Secretary or Scribe So that not to give readily upon this consideration is to proclaim the Lord an insufficient or a dishonest Pay-Master either that we do not believe Godâ—s â—s Promises nor give that credit unto him on his Word which we would give to a Turk or Infidel dwelling among us or that we do not esteem the payment of his spiritual Grace or Heavenly Glory vvhich together vvith pecuniary pay is super-added for current money or of equal value to these transitory trifles which we impart unto the poor for if a man of any credit should promise for the laying out of an hundred pounds that we should have Annuity of a hundred pounds a yeare for term of life how eagerly would we catch at such an offer though the quick approach of Death might make us loosers by the bargain But God promiseth that if we wil lay out our money on these uses wee shal have an hundred for one of these Earthly trifles together with Spiritual heavenly everlasting Treasures to boot in the Life to come So that it is undeniable if we do not obey the Precept of God herein we charge God with flat falshood For consider God saith he wil repay it thou saist He wil not He saith That to give is the onely vvay to have and to grovv rich yea never â—o want nor to have thy Children want Thou sayst if I give so much I shal neveâ— be rich yea I shal be a Beggar What is this but to give God the Lie and to make the excuse worse then the fault For shame then let us acknowledge the sufficiency and faithâ—ulness of God and go away assured that he wil abundantly perform more then we can imagine according to the riches of his grace in Iesus Christ. Nor can we doubt but God is as good a Debtor as a giver for if he freely give us wherewithal to lend and grace to give he wil much more pay us what we have lent and give us because we have given that is his Bounty this his Justice As what says Saint Paul God is not unrighteous that he should forget your work and labour of love which ye shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister As if hee should say that God were unrighteous if he should do so Heb. 6.10 Dost thou then love thy mony and wouldst thou have it increased Deliver it not into the hands of men saith Saint Austin who wil rejoice when they borrow and mourn when they repay it intreat that they may receive and calumniate when they should restore who may be bankrupt and cannot or deceitful and wil not pay or who wil put thee off with many delays and trouble thee with expecting as they have formerly troubled thee with their importunity in borrowing But if thou be a wise Usurer chuse God and Christ for thy Debtors who are owners of the whole world and all-sufficient sureties not subject to any casualties and just beyond all exceptions or comparison Nihil promittâ—t non reddit fidelis ille factus est debitor esto tiâ— avarus exactor as Austin on Psalm 32. And as the payment is most assured so the gain is inestimable so that we cannot lay up our wealth in a safer or better hand we cannot have a better Debtor then our Makerâ— nor a better Bond then the Bible Prov. 19.17 Luk. 6.35 CHAP. LXII BUt thou seest not this increase in thy worldly estate by giving Alms nor dost thou perceive that it brings thee any such blessedness as hath been talked of Answer This Objection makes me conclude that thou art a Miser and deservest not the name of an Alms-giver or if so let me add that if thou believest no more then thou seest why dost thou take upon thee the name of a Christian who liveth by Faith rather then by Sence For by how many secret passages can God conveigh unto thee the reward of thy Alms-deeds though he writeth no Superscription upon them to certifie thee for what it is sent it is sufficient that thou hast it and that thou knowest that he sent it As for the reasons which moved him to give these benefits unto thee he wil acquaint thee with them more particularly when he shal cal thee to make up thy recknoning Thou growest in thy stature from a Child unto a Man and thou seest not thy growing though thou perceivest that thou art grown neither knowest thou the particular time and means when or whereby thou comest to this height And thou knowest and acknowledgest that thou art nourished by thy meat though thou seest not the secret passages whereby it is carried from the stomach to the several parts nor canst tell at what time or by what food thou hast been chiefly nourished Why then hast thou not the like faith and much stronger in spiritual then thou hast in respect of natural things seeing they are much more secret and insensible and when thou hast God's promise of reward and seest it performed by his blessings multiplied upon thee why dost thou doubt or call them into question or ascribe them to thy self or other helps seeing whatsoever the means are they are of God's sending Finally if thou sayest that
In which laborious travels and affairs of the Church in teaching writing confuting exhorting expounding he continued about fifty two years unto the times of Decius Gallus divers and great persecutions he sustained but especially under Decius in his Body he sustained Bonds and Torments Rackings with Bars of Iron stinking and dark Dungeons be sides terrible threats of Death and Burning all which he manfully and constantly suffered for Christ Yet at length like an Isickle he that could endure the rough Northern wind of Persecution wel enough melted with the heat of the Sun sweet Allurements and fair Promises of Satan and his Adherents his own flesh also proving a treacherous Solicitor For in the end being brought by the Idolatrous Infidels to an Altar of theirs he shamefully condescended to offer Incense thereupon in manner as followeth by his own Confession When saith he I sought to allure win these Idolaters by cunning means to the knowledge of the Son of God after much fisting they promimised me unhappy man that they would by crafty conveyances avoid the subtilty of Satan and be baptized But being ignorant and unskilful in their divers cunning sleights they together with the Devil undermined my simplicity and Satan turning himself into an Angel of light reasoned with me that same night saying When thou art up in the Morning go on and perswade them and bring them unto God and in case they demand ought of thee so they will hearken and condescend unto thee do what thou shalt think necessary without staggering at all at the matter to the end many may besaved And again the Devil going before to prepare the way whetted their Wits to devise mischief against me silly Wretch and sowed in their minds hypocrisie dissimulation and deceit But I O unhappy creature skipping out of my Bed at the dawning of the day could not finish my wonted Devotions neither accomplish my usual prayer But wishing that all men might be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth I folded and wrapped my self in the snares of the Devil I got me unto the wicked Assembly I required of them to perform the Covenant made the night before and coming as I thought unto the Baptism I silly soul not knowing of any thing answered but in a word and became reproachfully defamed I spake without malice yet felt I their inveterate and deadly spite for instantly the Divel raised an Assembly about me who carried me to an Altar of theirs where a foul filthy Ethopian being appointed this option or choice was offered unto me namely Whether I would sacrifice to the Idol or have my Body polluted with that foul and ugly Ethiopian In which strait I having ever kept my Chastity undefiled and much abhorring that filthy villany to be done to my body brake out into many moans lamentations and cryes against both Yet O wretched man that I am at length yeilded rather to sacrifice Whereupon the Judge putting Incense into my hand caused me to set it to the fire upon the Altar for the which impiety I was delivered both from that and Martyrdom But upon my discharge the Devil raised such an out-cry in the City in pronouncing against me that just and yet unjust sentence Origen hath sacrificed Whereupon he was excommunicated out of the Church and driven with shame and sorrow out of Alexandria and going to Ierusalem and being there among the Congregation was requested by the Priests to make some Exhortation in the Church to the people the which he refused to do for a great while but at length being constrained through importunity he rose up and turning the booke as though he would have expounded some place of the Scripture he hap'ned upon read onely the 16. verse of the 50. Psalm where he found it thus written But God said unto the sinner What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my Word behind thee Which being read he shut the Book and sate down weeping and wailing the whole Congregation weeping and lamenting with him he said unto the Church Wo is me my Mother which brought me forth as an high and lofty Terret yet suddenly I am turned down to the ground as a fruitful Tree yet quickly withered as a burning Light yet forthwith darkned as a running Fountain yet by and by dried up Wo is me that ever I was decked with all gifts and graces and now seem pitifully to be deprived of all The Lord hath made and ingrafted me a fruitful Vine but instead of pleasant Clusters of Grapes I brought forth pricking Thorns Let the Well-springs of tears be stirred up and let my Cheeks be watered let them flow upon the earth and moisten it for that I am soaked in sin and bound in mine iniquity every creature sorroweth and may well pity my case for that I was wont heretofore to pour out my prayers unto God for them all but now there is no salve for me Where is he that went down from Ierusalem to Iericho who also salved and cured him that was wounded of the Thieves Whenas I went about to enlighten others I darkned my self when I endeavoured to bring others from death to life I brought my self from life to death Oh blinded heart how didst thou not remember O foolish mind how didst thou not bethink thy self O witless brain how didst thou not understand O thou Sence of Understanding Where didst thou sleep But it was the Devil which provoked thee to slumber and sleep and in the end to slay thy unhappy wretched soul He bound my power and might and wounded me I bewail sometime the fall of Sampson but now have I faln far worse my self I bewailed heretofore the fall of Solomon yet now am I faln far worse my self I have bewailed heretofore the estate of all sinners yet now am I plunged worse then them all Sampson had the hair of his head clipt off but the Crown of Glory is faln off my head Sampson lost the carnal eyes of his body but my spiritual eyes are digged out Even as he was severed from the Israelites and held captive among Idolaters so I have separated my self from the Church of God and am joined with evil spirits Alas my Church liveth yet am I a Widower Alas my Sons be alive yet am I barren Alas O Spirit which camest heretofore down upon me why hast thou forsaken me O thou Devil what hast thou done unto me O Satan how hast thou wounded me It was the wiliness of a Woman that brought Sampson to his confusion but it was my own Tongue that brought me to this sinful Fall Alas every Creature rejoiceth and I alone forsaken and sorrowful Bewaile him that is bereaved of the Holy Ghost bewail me that am thrust out of the Wedding-Chamber of Christ bewail me that am tormented with the prick of Conscience for now it behoveth me to shed infinite tears