Life like beautiful Flowers in the Garden of the World making a Rape up the beholders Eye courting all the senses to gather them which fades away in the space of a day Let not then O Lord the Magick of these outward Prosperities so charm my Senses as to idolize such fleeting objects which glide away as a water-brook but arrest thou my Thoughts upon a more permanent beauty the injoyment of thy self that when Death shall gloom me the light of this life thou mayst beam my Soul with eternal Glory 45. Of uncertain Friends Solomon tells us That Riches take wings and fly away so doth uncertain Friends follow after leaving their quondam Cor-rival a pitiful object of Misery and Poverty whose Affections doth ebb and flow according to the turning Tides of Prosperity and Adversity as if Nature created a new Metamorphosis in their souls But happily O forsaken man mayst thou find some sure Friend some faithful Achilles who will cleave unto thee in thy necessity whose love is grounded upon some better Principles than upon such afleeting Foundation of inconsistancy Sanctifie O Lord every Condition with Contentment unto me If in thy righteous Judgment thou take from me all outward support 〈◊〉 is that I may lean more surely upon thy self though the Gusts of Adversity storm the out-work of my Body let my Soul through thy Grace retreat unto thee as a stronger Fort. And be thou O Lord a faithful Jonathan to chear my Spirit in my extremity with thy oyl of Charity 46. Of Poverty There is no greater Tryal to a Child of God than to bring him to the Touchstone of Poverty which will discover him Christian proof or not whether his Graces be true or false Gold or Brass so was the Patience of Job proved by that grand Artist Satan whose Arguments to God was Doth Job fear God for naught wherefore God suffered him to touch Job in his Estate in his Children in his Body and all to try this Saints Patience and to defeat the Policy of the Liar If in wisdom O Lord for my Souls good thou take from me what I have it is but what thou freely gavest me at first If thou strippest my body of outward raiment clothe my Soul I pray thee with thy righteous garment If thou nippest my outward man with Winter Poverty Summer my inward man with the grace of integrity that so I may appear in thy gracious Eye a right-begotten Child and not a Bastard 47. Of Prosperity and Adversity Prosperity and Adversity are two great Engines with which the Devil useth to batter the heart of man to make it malleable to his designs If the scorching rays of Prosperity will not make man forsake his garment of Integrity he will endeavour by the boisterous blasts of Adversity to drive it from him both was experimented upon Job but in a different manner God gave Job Riches for his Uprightness but the Devil made him Poor by taking them away but not his righteousness to his sorrow leaving him an Addition of Boils and Botches which made his body as sore as his soul which was grieved with uncomfortable Friends So able art thou O Lord to preserve man in every Condition manger all the malice of Satan but since there is such danger in these extreams fix I beseech thee my unstable Soul in a middle Sphere that Prosperity may not make me forget thee nor Adversity forsake thee but feed me with Food convenient for me 48. Of Afflictions Some men are so licentiously wicked that having rioted away their Fathers blessing they make themselves miserable by demerit even to feed upon sharp and short Commons till by the scourge of Affliction they are made to retreat to their Fathers house for better Provision So God oftimes deals with his rebellious Children as a loving Father with his extravagant Son who will not give him according to his lavish Appetite to make him worse but with the Prodigals Father sends him abroad to feed upon the Husks of Misery till he return better qualified happily appointing him a Garden to relieve him from starving O merciful Father since my Exorbitances hath made me uncapable of a more immediate blessing from thy own hand yet bless me O my Father in that providential way thou appointest for me so I may have Food and Raiment I will thankfully be content not repining at the Prosperity of others whose better Ingenuity hath made them capable of a greater Portion but shall account it a happiness that thy offended Clemency doth place me in the lowest forme above my deservings and if thou shalt think it needful for me to feed upon the Wormwood of Adversity to quell my luxurious Appetite Oh! may it be as wholesome diet to prepare my stomach for the bread of Life As the waters of Marah could not be drunk by the thirsty Israelites they were so bitter till sweetned with a bough cut from a Tree so are the Waters of Affliction when seasoned with the Branch of Christ Jesus to comfort the Vitals of a sin-sick soul and is as a Julip to cool the fevorish distemper of our Concupiscence If thou Lord still please to hold forth a bitter Portion to me let me receive it by the hand of Faith and drink it as the Cup of my Salvation Some things in appearance seem Instruments of much Cruelty as the Caustick Saw and knife which being put into the hands of a wise Chirurgeon are of excellent use for the preservation of life in the cutting off a putrid member so are Afflictions in the hand of God to pare away the proud flesh from our sin-swoln hearts and to dismember us of our sinew-corruptions Wise God which knowest a Remedy for every Disease where my soul is festred with the Gangreen of sin let the Caustick of thy word be my Cure that so I may come to thee though halting with the loss of a right eye or right hand Experience teacheth That the nature of Thunder and Lightning is to purge the Air of hurtful Vapours which infests our Bodies Such are the Judgments of God to clear away the foggy Meteors from our clouded souls raised by the fiery suggestions of Satan Since thou the great Commander of Heaven and Earth directest the Intelligences for the health of our bodies how much more good art thou unto our souls the images of thee our Creator If the Lightning of thy Grace will not tender our obdurate hearts it is requisite that the Thunder of thy displeasure should fright us into obedience rather than that our souls should perish so shall it be good for us that we have been afflicted He that goeth out of the path of Gods Commandments forsaketh his own safety runs out of life into the shadow of death out of the Protection of the Almighty into the Liberties of Satan where his life is in hazard every hour through the wounds of sin without the mercy of a gracious Samaritan Lord if my unwary soul chance to stray
let him not go without a blessing so shalt thou gain by the battery of Prayer a Kingdom by violence 17. Of Hope In the greatest difficulties Hope is a comfortable support to an afflicted Soul When Epimetheus unadvisedly opened Pandoras's Box he let out all the miseries in the world upon himself but hastily shutting the lid reserved hope in the Bottom for his comfort When the waves of Affliction come rowling like a Land-flood upon a man Hope buoys up his Spirits that he swims above water it lightens fears lessens cares expelleth dispair fills the Soul with magnanimity against all disanimosity it is a cordial Grace which revives a fainting Spirit from death yea though the Lord writes bitter things against a man and hedgeth him up on every side with thorns of Affliction yet Hope breaketh through inclining the Lord to pity Though he kill 〈◊〉 saith Job yet will I trust in him When Ahasaâ—erus's Decree of Death went forth for the Destruction of the Jews though Esther had failed of her duty yet Mordecai's hope expected deliverance some other way Endeavour we then to lodge our Hope in the bosom of Heaven that when the high winds of dessolation the bitter storms of Persecution shall beat down our clay-buildings upon their sandy foundations our souls may be safely housed upon the stable rock of our Salvation 18. Of Charity Amongst all the herbs of Grace planted by the Spirit of God in the Garden of a gracious heart Charity hath the supreme vertue it is like the Oyle that was poured upon Aarons head oderiferous to God and Man This Oyl of Charity is an excellent Remedy to heal the sinful Bruises of the Soul It expelleth the Poyson of Revenge it cureth the Plague sores of Envy Hatred and Malice and is of a magnetick power to attract the Iron hearts of Enemies to brotherly Kindness yea though a man had all Gifts and Graces as is expressed by the Apostle and wanted Charity he is nothing Charity is kind envyeth not vaunteth not is not puffed up beareth all things believeth all things indureth all things So rare are the fruits that spring from the root of Charity Pour upon my Soul O Lord this Oyl of Love this Balm of Gilead this blessed Vnction of thy holy Spirit for the savour of which the Virgins love thee let me I beseech thee experiment the healing vertue the comfortable effects and fruits thereof in my Conversation to the joy of my spirit the benefit of my Neighbours and all to the praise of thee my Creator 19. Of Faith Hope and Love Faith Hope and Love as they are the three Theological Graces of the Soul so they are Handmaids to wait upon her all exercised upon an object of promise Faith beholds it Hope expects it Love imbraceth it Faith looks upon it with assurance to obtain it Hope waits for it with patience to get it Love receiveth it with comfort to enjoy it Rouze up then thy self O my drooping Soul from the slumbers of Sorrow and despair and milk Consolation from the dugs of the Promises Art thou poor and needy the Lord is thy Portion doth every one reject thee thy God careth for thee who hath said he will not leave thee or forsake thee Lay hold on these Promises with thy hand of Faith secure them unto thee through Hope in thy extremity so shalt thou enjoy them in Gods opportunity 20. Of Nocturnal Devotion In the deep of silence when Morpheus the black Jayler of the night shackles the outward senses and lays them to rest under his sable Canopy then and then only is the time of a gracious Soul that waits upon God breaking off sluggish slumbers to awake in God and to have sweet Communion with him by Meditation Supplication and Ejaculation entring into the secret closet of the heart where he may examine and read over the Errata's of the mispent day and with the holy Prophet with tears of Repentance wash them away This kind of Devotion hath ever been of the Coram at all times nothing to interrupt a zealous Votary but a Clock or a Cock which are pleasing Monitors of his well-spent minutes it puts the heart into a holy frame making it better for the succession of the next day as Plato's Royal guest with homely but wholesom Collations of green herbs being well seasoned with the savory Discourse of the Philosopher Enter then thou King of glory into the heart of thy Servant though I can give thee but mean entertainment yet if thou please to honour my Soul with the Graces of thy Spirit thy own beauty shall bid thee welcome Be thou O Lord a Saviour unto me both by night and by day rouze my Soul from the slumbers of sin and unfetter it from the gives of carnal security from the swadling bands of spiritual darkness that I sleep not in death set it at liberty as a bird from the snare that it may soar up unto thee by the wings of Prayer and have sweet society with thee before the morning Watch yea I say before the Morning and be thou as a bundle of Myrrh between my Breasts and let Love be thy Banner over me and since it is thy Precept that I should watch and pray lest I fall into Temptation though my outward Man sleep for the support of my Spirit yet let my Heart wait and wake for thee that when thou comest whether in the Evening Watch Midnight Cock-crowing or dawning I may open unto thee and give thee Entertainment 21. The Nature of Sin No sooner is Man Born into the World but sin like a Vulture seizeth the Faculties of his Infant Soul So that his Body becomes a Living Monument of his better part till like Lazarus from his four days Tomb it be Miraculously re-animated by the Word of Life As it is the greater Miracle O Lord to raise my Soul from the Grave of sin which hath not only been four days but many Years under the power and shadow of Death so shall it be through thy grace the greater Obligation to make me look upon thee by the Eye of Faith as the Object of my Soul and God of my Salvation 22. The Devil and the Spider In beholding the Spider methinks I see some resemblance of the Devil both Venemous Creatures and begin their Work alike one in the centre of her Web the other in the centre of the Heart both aiming at one end which is to kill and destroy both forming their inviting works out of their Poysonous Bowels The Spiders Web so curious that prying Flies are intangled in it The Devils Work so glorious that beautified with Objects of Pleasure and Profit every one more or less is snared in it Sweep away O Lord these Cobwebs of sin from my Captivated Soul set it at Liberty from the thraldom of Satan so shall it be delivered as thy Ransomed one as a Bird from the Fowler 23. Of Vanity Great is Diana was the cry of the Ephesians to which not
that Golden Hesperides that the red Dragon Guarded for his Minions till slain by Hercules which all passionately enquire after the greedy Miser for Wealth the Ambitious for Honour the Luxurious for Pleasure all being Avaritious of Beautiful Apples no Labour no Danger seems difficult to obtain their desires whereas the poor Soul lyes Hunger-starved for want of the sincere Milk of the Word that it may grow thereby Convert we then our thoughts from these perishing things to a holy Covetousness after a more durable substance than this eyely Fruit which like the Apples of Sodom will fade into dust hunger we after that Tree of Life which beareth twelve manner of Fruits the Doctrine of the Apostles which are for the healing of the Nations through the vertue of the Lord of life our great Hercules pray we him to cut down both root and branch of this Hesperides and slay the Dragon which keepeth Possession and that he will please to replant us with better fruit to wit the graces of his spirit that we may grow up as fruitful Trees by the water-brooks of Repentance bringing forth our fruit in due season 34. Of Prodigality It is no Paradox to say That the Prodigal is very covetous in that all his Lavishments are to gratifie his greedy Passions that could he enjoy perpetual health and strength with the unlimited Addition of large Revenues as fuel to feed his sinful humours his luxurious Appetite would never be satisfied yet is he not so unprofitable a member in a Common-wealth as the covetous miser who defrauds his Genius to indulge his lustful eye being a Thief to the Common-wealth robbing it of Treasure which should relieve his Brother Whereas the Prodigal is his own greatest enemy others partaking of his wild Disbursements though not of his sin his whole life being as a Dream his profuse phansie feeding upon all kind of Delights which may cherish the flesh and pamper Nature till awakened by the storms and pinches of Poverty which haply makes him return by weeping cross to his Fathers house for better shelter and more wholsome Diet. O thou Almighty Giver who dispensest of thy goodness to every one as in thy wisdom thou knowest convenient for them if thou please to intrust me with two or three Talents suffer me not to be so prodigally vitious as to wanton them away upon my sinful Lusts or so wretchedly avaritious as to hoard them up unprofitably in the ground of my sensual heart but that I may improve them as thy faithful steward to the best advantage of thee my Lord and Master that when thou callest me to an account I may chearfully appear before thee not fearing thy Curse but expecting thy Blessing 35. Of Vain-glory. The Vain-glorious man is a bundle of Folly swadled up in ambitious Bravery whose airy thoughts words and gestures doth metamorphize his Soul by a kind of Pithagorean metempsuchosis into a puff of Vanity his wild phansie draws the circuit of his conceit beyond the Moon his words like wind bladders him up into a fond opinion of his frothy humor his gestures so affectionately mimical that they make him more than ridiculous Come not O my Soul into this aiery Element let not vain-glory swell thee like a Bladder in an overprizing conceit of thine own weakness but let Sobriety moderate thy Passions Temperance regulate thy Affections Humility bridle thy desires that thou mayest be a friend to thy self and not a foe to others 36. Of Presumption and Desparation The Serpent having bitten our first Parents with this infectious sin of Presumption afterwards sets upon Cain with that stinging sin of Desparation Both which are the great Master-pieces he useth to batter the Rampire of our Righteousness that so he may the more easily let in death into the heart the Souls Citadel one commonly follows the other as that little ravenous beast follows the Lyon for the reversion of his Prey 〈◊〉 the great design of Satan to hush a man 〈…〉 a carnal security that he may spend 〈…〉 and flower of his years in a presumptive way of sinning in hope of an after Repentance but if he chance to look back in the Evening of his age the Devil rouzes the Conscience as a sleepy Lyon to to fly in his face which returns him into his former way of Presumption or else exposes him to the devouring teeth of Desparation Shield me O my God with thy preventing Grace from such miscarriage that passing through the Red Sea of this World I may steer my course by the gale of thy favour between Silla and Carybdis the rocks of Presumption and the Gulf of Desparation till I safely arive upon the coast of Canaan the promised harbour of eternal Rest 37. Of Vertue and Vice Narrow is the way that leads unto life and few there be that find it but broad is the way that leads unto death and many there are that go in thereat At the entrance of the one stands Vertue in her sable dress like Rachel mourning for the loss of her Children and will not be comforted crying with Wisdom in the open places of concourse How long will ye simple ones love Simplicity ye Scorners delight in scorning and Fools hate knowledge Turn ye at my Reproof behold I will shew you the way of life though it may seem cragged rough and hard yet by it you shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven But at the other way stands gawdy Vice in her rich habiliments like Solomons Harlot curiously bedect with all sensual Invitements with which she commits a rape upon the Eyes of her Beholders her lips drop as the Honey-comb and her words are smoother than Oyl her feet go down to death and her steps take hold on Hell she opens unto them the gate of Vanity which leads into a spacious place where are Gamesters of all sorts sporting themselves with the Rackets of Pleasures and Profits in the Tennis-Court of this World till unwisely unwarily and unhappily they court their own Destruction Prevent me O my God in the day of Grace with thy blessing of wisdom that I may listen to the call of Virtue and not to the Courtship of Vice that I may creep with the fewest on the knees of humility in the narrow way to eternal life and not run with the most on the feet of Folly in the broad way to eternal death 38. Of the World As the Wilderness of sin was a place of tryal and trouble to the murmuring Israelites in their way to Canaan sufferin hunger and thirst with the sting of Serpents for Rebellion and Disobedience so is the World in general to us all full of variety of Vexation of Spirit for Sin and Transgression Some are hungry and thirsty and cold and naked pinched with poverty others surfeiting with prosperity throughfulness of flesh sticking in their teeth their fiery Lusts as so many Serpents gendred by Satan upon their Sin-bearing hearts sting them to death without the mercy of a Saviour Blessed
Earth Let 's never frown upon Friends departure but rather see if possible the Messenger of this good tidings and bless the Lord for our advancement in theirs Indeed beloved we weep too fast when tears deny sight of Mercies In the death of Samuel there is gain to him as well as loss to us both should be remembred I know many present to be sensible of the one I shall be wrongful to conceal the other Truth it is there is fallen a great Man in Israel But how fallen Like Abner upon a violent Hand Or dyed he like a Fool Was he unsensible of his Estate Were his Hands his Mouth his Heart tyed Was his end without Honour No Brethren he died in a ripe Age when the Lord had made the most of his Life he died in Peace he died with hopes of Life in his heart with words of Grace in his lips and his Sun did set in the highest point in greatest brightness time place manner company Men Angels God and all conspired together to do him all Honour in his death Bless the God of all spirits for this all ye that are Interessed in the same Profession and Religion Bless the Lord for this that he so died in such a place in such a time in such a sort as the Devil hath received a foil and Religion grace and honour by it And thus Israel hath done his part in Mourning in Burying Samuel at his House at Ramah And now the more particular Application of all this brings me directly to the sad occasion of this present Meeting even to lament the fall of that Choice and Excellent Person Mr. John Dunton in whose Death the Almighty testifies against us and even fills us with Gall and Wormwood I know you come hither to mourn so fully prepared for it that although I am but a dull Oratour to move Passion I may serve well enough to draw out those Tears wherewith your Hearts and Eyes are so big and full There is no need to call for the Mourning Women that they may come and for Cunning Women that they may take up a wailing to help your Eyes to run down with Tears and your Eye-lids to gush out with Waters The very looking down upon this Bier and the naming of the Man whose Corps is here placed and a very little speech of his Worth and our miserable Loss is enough to make this Assembly like Rachel not only to lift up a voice of Mourning but even to refuse to be Comforted Dearly Beloved I must needs confess I am this day called to speak of a Man so eminent and excellent so wise and gracious so good and useful whose Works so praise him in every Gate that if I should now altogether hold my Tongue the Children and Babes I had almost said the stones would speak upon whose Herse could I scatter the sweetest Flowers the highest Expressions of Rhetorick and Eloquence you would think I fell short of his worth you would say his very Name expresseth more than all my words could do Should I say of him as they of Titus that he was Amor Deliciae generis Humani Should I say of his Death as once the Sicilians upon the Grecians departure Totum ver periit ex anno Siciliano should I say he was not only as one of David's Thirty Worthies but one of the three one of the first three even the first and Chief of them the only Man in these Parts who Preach'd as he liv'd should I say our whole Land groaneth at his Death as the Earth at the fall of a great Mountain I might do it without Envy in this great Assembly Yea should I write a whole Book in his Commendation and Publish it many of you would say as a Philosopher once did who falling on a Book Entituled Encomium Herculis said with Indignation Et quis Lacedaemoniorum eum vituperat He thought it time ill spent to praise him whom none could blame And I believe your selves are resolved to make some such Monument of your high Esteem of him that after-ages as well as the present shall know you valued him above my words I know large Encomiastical praises of the Dead unless their Lives were Eminent in Goodness and free from any notable blot are much condemned by the most Judicious and godly Divines as a thing of very evil consequence because they often prove Confections of Poyson to the Living for many whose Lives speak nothing for them will draw the Example into consequence and be thereby led into hope that they may Press a Hackney Funeral Sermon to carry them to Heaven when they dye On the other hand it may be said that though common Graves deserve no Inscription yet Marble Tombs are not without some Epitaph Heroical and Vertuous Examples should not go with a common Pass but with a Trumpet Since then it must be so jacta est alea I shall impose upon my self this Law not to Build his Monument of common stones nor trouble my self and you to gather such Flowers to cast upon his Grave as grow in common Fields nor descend or stoop to any thing which is not worthy of your highest Imitation First then For his Personal Endowments he was certainly 1. A Person of a very sweet Nature and Temper so affable and Courteous and chearful that he gained upon all that conversed with him and if any tax'd him with any Pride or Moroseness or distantialness in his carriage it must be only such as did not know him he had so winning a way with him he might bid himself welcom into whatsoever House he enter'd Pride and Moroseness are bad qualities for a Man of his Employ and make men afraid of the ways of God for fear they should never enjoy a good day after 2. A Person of a very great Gravity and could carry a Majesty in his Face when there was occasion and make the least Guilt tremble in his presence with his very Countenance I never knew a Man better loved nor more dreaded God had given him such a spirit with power that his very frowns were darts and his reproofs sharper than swords he would not contemn familiarity but hated that familiarity that bred contempt 3. A Person of a very large Charity He had large Bowels and a large Heart a great dexterity in the opening of the bowels of others as well as his own to works of Mercy that I think I may say there is not a Church in England that hath more often and more liberal Contributions for poor Ministers and other poor Christians than this hath according to the proportion of their abilities 4. A Person of a wonderful Patience Notwithstanding the many Weaknesses and Infirmities which for a long time have been continually without ceasing as it were trying their skill to pull down his frail Body to the dust and at last effected it yet I never heard an impatient word drop from him When I came to visit him and asked him How do
Judgment shall be to us no day of wrath but a day of Redemption Thus we have seen the Point proved Now it remains to apply it And first this serveth then to condemn such as nip the bud so soon as ever it peeps forth and quench every spark that at any time appeareth yea wilfully set themselves to repell all good motions hasting to their cursed Company to chase away those which they call profanely qualms of Devotion sweet inspirements of Gods Holy Spirit So some have some kind of Remorse wrought at some times upon the hearing of a Sermon and seem to be much grieved and are a while perplexed but they soon quench this grief being not willing to torment themselves before the time and therefore run into merry Company and drink down sorrow not being willing to be overmuch disquieted with this melancholy And therefore in the next place let it serve for Admonition to thee and me and to us all that we beware how we suffer that blessed heat to slake which by Gods grace begins to be enkindled in our Hearts Suffer not that coal that holy motion which the Lord hath cast into thy bosom to die within thee but blow it up lay on more fuel add daily more and more matter to it and tremble to lose the least measure of Gods gracious gifts Be frequent in Spiritual exercises as in Hearing Reading Meditation Christian Conference Prayer and the like Let no means be neglected that God hath ordained for the working of establishment A second Doctrine that may hence be gathered is this Where spiritual life and new birth is once begun there will be a growth and an increase in Grace There will be no standing at a stay but a proceeding by degrees After a rising there will be a going First then let this serve for Examination Try thy self hereby see what growth of Grace is in thee what increase of Faith Love Zeal Patience and what strengthning of the inward man Doth Grace get more strength every day than other Doth it grow to some bigness Doth it shoot up in tallness and stature Surely then it is out of Question that Grace is true Grace and thou art made partaker of the New Birth But doth it remain still Infant-like and feeble without any stirring or shewing of it self Then hast thou cause to fear it is but the counterfeit and not true Grace indeed the withering of the blade is a shrewd sign of a stony ground Secondly this may serve to Reprove such as stand at a stay and go not forward but are like the George on Horse-back ever riding but never go a step further Where you leave them this Year there you may find them the next This is a fearful sign and a most uncomfortable thing In the third place let this Admonish every one to grow in Grace Let us forget that which is behind and endeavour to that which is before let us press hard towards the Mark for the price of the high calling of God Let us not be evermore as smoaking Flax or bruised Reeds or as new set Plants but let us abound more and more To my Father Not to my Brother or Fathers Servants or to my Harlots But to my Father Hence learn Relief is to be sought for only at Gods hands in time of Misery and Distress To him are we to betake our selves and to none but him Let this serve to Reprove such as betake themselves to other helps in time of Misery seeking to be relieved either by Saints or Angels in Heaven or by Conjurers Witches or such like unlawful means here upon the Earth This was King Ahaziah's sin who being sick sent Messengers and said unto them Go enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron whether I shall recover of this Disease contrary to that charge which God doth give his People Regard not them that have Familiar Spirits neither seek after Wizards to be defiled by them I am the Lord your God Secondly let this teach us to betake our selves unto the Lord when sorrows and griefs assails us Seek help from him and that by means yet only by such Lawful means as he hath warranted in his Word and beware of trusting in the means that God hath warranted It is Lawful to seek to the Physitian and use of his help yet to trust in the help of the Physitian more than in the help of God and to seek first and rather to the Physitian than unto God is sinful And say unto him Father He doth here fore-think what he should speak when as he comes into his Fathers presence for as yet he was not From his Practise learn Not to come into Gods presence without preparation but consider what to say and what to seek before you speak Be not rash saith the Wise man with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God We must confer with our own Hearts and prepare them before we come into the Lords presence To this doth the Prophet Hosea seem to exhort Israel Take unto you words and turn to the Lord and say unto him And so our Saviour in his direction for Prayer sets not down the Petitions abruptly but beginneth with a Solemn Preface to shew that before we Pray there ought to be a disposition of our selves and compossng of the Affections to the Duty So Psal 108.10 57.7 8. The Reasons of this Solomon gives in the place before cited For first God saith he is in Heaven As if he should say God is full of Majesty and Wisdom He is both Lord and Judge it is not a Man nor an Earthly Power that you have to deal with but that God who hath the Angels attending on him and a thousand times ten thousands of Angels administring unto him at whose feet all Kings on Earth cast down their Crowns and Scepters Secondly thou art upon the Earth i. e. a weak unwise unworthy Creature infinitely inferiour in degree unto thy Creator And therefore it becomes not thee to speak unto him but with the greatest Fear Reverence and Advisedness And therefore First this serves to Reprove many who rashly come into Gods presence without any preparation or due meditation of what they are to say or crave Small is the number indeed of such as do Pray but smaller is the number indeed of such as prepare themselves to Pray In the Second place let this Admonish us to prepare our selves before we come to appear before the Lord to call upon his Name whether in Publick or Private You know Goodly Buildings have some Magnificence in the Gate and great Personages have seemly Ushers to go before them who by their uncovered Heads command reverence and way So should Holy Duties be undertaken Exod. 19.10 1 Sam. 16.5 2 Chron. 19.3 And thus much may be spoken of this point We are now to speak of the words themselves which he devised to speak Father I have sinned c. In these words of his acknowledgment
exceedingly and make sin out of measure sinful Secondly we rob God of his Honour and give not that unto him which is his right we would pluck out his Eyes that he should not see or at least judge him to be blind To think God seeth us not is a kind of Atheism for after a sort we deny him to be God And am no more worthy to be called thy Son See how he humbleth and abaseth himself even to the uttermost I am not worthy to be thy Son nay not worthy of the name of a Son make me but as an hired Servant and I shall think my self most happy Oh rare Humility yet greatly necessary because God is good to such But as for the Proud he beholds them afar off But to come to the Lesson and this it is Where there is true Repentance there is a sight and sense of a mans own unworthiness And it stands with good Reason for the Affections must needs follow the temperature of the Mind so that as the conceit of Holiness and Happiness doth puff up a Man in Pride and Presumption so the true sight and sense of his sinful and wretched estate must needs cast him down with shame and sorrow Let us then examine our Repentance by our Humility Hast thou truly Repented Then thou art truly Humbled and cast down with a sight and sense of thy sins and transgressions But in the second place I must fall from Exhorting to Lamenting for certainly there is but small store of true Repentance upon the Earth there is so little Humility among Men and Women Thirdly this may serve for Terror to all such who as yet have not this mean and base esteem of themselves Let all such know they are void of Grace I have Gods Word for my Warrant Behold saith the Prophet his Soul which is lifted up is not upright within him All those that are void of Humility are far from uprightness The higher the Sun is the shorter is the shadow the more grace the less conceit The emptiest Vessel ever sounds loudest and the fuller the less Wood that in burning yields the greatest smoak doth commonly give the smallest heat Those boughs which are most laden with Fruit those ears which are fullest of Corn do ever bend downward when the barren bough and empty ear stands upright So those that are emptiest of Grace evermore make the greatest ostentation and crack most of their own goodness Make me as one of thy hired Servants As if he should have said I dare not I do not make suit to be as before I was a Son I am unworthy of such favour yet vouchsafe me that favour that I may belong unto thee and although I am not worthy to be called a Son yet vouchsafe me to be a hanger-on let me have a Room and Service in thy House though it be amongst the company of thy hired Servants Here we see the case is altered while he was in the House no place was good enough for him but now that he hath been a while in a far Countrey and wanted of that Bread which his Fathers Servants had he doth desire to be in the basest Office This teacheth us this Lesson Gods blessings are better known and more esteemed by the wanting of them than by their enjoying The worth and value of Gods good Blessings are not known till we be without them Thus Vision was precious in the days of Ely when that was wanting And the Prophet Esay telleth the People of Israel that the blessings of the Lord should be excellent and pleasant to them after they had been pinched with the want thereof in their Captivity yea the bud shall then be beautiful c. The Use of this in a word is to teach us to esteem more of the good Blessings we receive from God and beware of undervaluing them lest we give the Lord occasion to deprive us of them These common blessings of the shining of the Sun breathing in the Air Meat Drink preservation in our going out in our coming in use of the Senses strength of Body and the like let them be more esteemed of thee alas consider how miserable thou art without these The Lord is fain so great is his Mercy and our Corruption to deprive his Children of many of these good 〈…〉 inferiour in degree unto thy Creator And therefore it becomes not thee to speak unto him but with the greatest Fear Reverence and Advisedness And therefore First this serves to Reprove many who rainy come into Gods presence without any preparation or due meditation of what they are to say or crave Small is the number indeed of such as do Pray but smaller is the number indeed of such as prepare themselves to Pray In the Second place let this Admonish us to prepare our selves before we come to appear before the Lord to call upon his Name whether in Publick or Private You know Goodly Buildings have some Magnificence in the Gate and great Personages Text saith He arose and came unto his Father Where we have first the parts of his Repentance which are two Aversion from his sin He arose Secondly Conversion to his God And came unto his Father Secondly We have to consider the circumstance of time when he did it which is implyed in this word And or So that is immediately he deferred no time but 〈…〉 and kindness of so good a Father This was that which made him so much to insist upon the name of Father I will go to my Father I will say Father The 〈…〉 and other Necessaries no doubt was grievous yet all this troubled him not so much as this that he had carried himself so undutifully towards so gracious a Parent Let this then be noted That nothing is so grievous to a true Penitent as this that by committing of sin he hath offended God This was that which most troubled David and went nighest to his Soul that he had sinned against the Lord and offended his Majesty by his committing of evil Against thee against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight The Reason of this the Apostle St. Paul giveth They have not received the spirit of Bondage again to fear but they have received the spirit of Adoption Which Spirit doth make them love the Lord and fear to offend and exceedingly grieve when he is offended As it is with a true Lover towards his Beloved Now for the Uses and first we may see here a difference between the sorrow of the Godly and of the Wicked Both grieve both mourn Ahab as well as David Judas as well as Peter Yet the sorrow of the one is Godly and bringeth Life the sorrow of the other Worldly and bringeth Death And therefore for thy further establishment know if thou dost truly grieve these things shalt thou find in thee First thou wilt grieve for sins of all sorts Original and Actual of Ignorance and of Knowledge of Commission and of Omission Secret and Open
Prophet his Soul which is lifted up is not upright within him All those that are void of Humility are far from uprightness The higher the Sun is the shorter is the shadow the more grace the less conceit The emptiest Vessel ever sounds loudest and the fuller the less Wood that in burning yields the greatest smoak doth commonly give the smallest heat Those boughs which are most laden with Fruit those ears which are fullest of Corn do ever bend downward when the barren bough and empty ear stands upright So those that are emptiest of Grace evermore make the greatest ostentation and crack most of their own goodness Make me as one of thy hired Servants As if he should have said I dare not I do not make suit to be as before I was a Son I am unworthy of such favour yet vouchsafe me that favour that I may belong unto thee and although I am not worthy to be called a Son yet vouchsafe me to be a hanger-on let me have a Room and Service in thy House though it be amongst the company of thy hired Servants Here we see the case is altered while he was in the House no place was good enough for him but now that he hath been a while in a far Countrey and wanted of that Bread which his Fathers Servants had he doth desire to be in the basest Office This teacheth us this Lesson Gods blessings are better known and more esteemed by the wanting of them than by their enjoying The worth and value of Gods good Blessings are not known till we be without them Thus Vision was precious in the days of Ely when that was wanting And the Prophet Esay telleth the People of Israel that the blessings of the Lord should be excellent and pleasant to them after they had been pinched with the want thereof in their Captivity yea the bud shall then be beautiful c. The Use of this in a word is to teach us to esteem more of the good Blessings we receive from God and beware of undervaluing them lest we give the Lord occasion to deprive us of them These common blessings of the shining of the Sun breathing in the Air Meat Drink preservation in our going out in our coming in use of the Senses strength of Body and the like let them be more esteemed of thee alas consider how miserable thou art without these The Lord is fain so great is his Mercy and our Corruption to deprive his Children of many of these good Blessings till they know the price and worth of them and in their restraint make them enjoy the smallest blessing more thankfully and comfortably Hunger is good sawce and giveth good relish and taste to course Meats and homely Fare when for want hereof dainty Dishes are but contemned Should the Lord deprive thee of thy Health Strength Sense Sleep then wouldst thou see what a benefit thou hast enjoyed Bewail therefore thy own corruption in this kind and pray for this Wisdom that thou mayst rather know the worth of Gods blessings by the enjoying than by the wanting of them And he arose and came to his Father c. This Prodigal now puts in Practice what formerly he had resolved to do As resolved to arise So he arofe In this his practise we must consider First what he did Secondly what he said For the first the Text saith He arose and came unto his Father Where we have first the parts of his Repentance which are two Aversion from his sin He arose Secondly Conversion to his God And came unto his Father Secondly We have to consider the circumstance of time when he did it which is implyed in this word And or So that is immediately he deferred no time but presently put in execution what was before but in purpose and resolution He arose and came to his Father His arising is nothing else but his leaving of sin as formerly we have heard and his coming to his Father is his turning to the Lord. So then here we have the parts of true Repentance laid down which are in number two first Aversion from sin Secondly Conversion to God He arose The point we may observe hence is this Where there is true Repentance there is a rising from sin there is a leaving and a forsaking of all former evil ways and courses This point might be confirmed by many Examples As of Paul Peter Zacheus with others who left their former courses and committed them no more The Vses follow First hereby try thy Repentance whether it be good or no Hath it wrought a change and alteration in thy Affections Words and Actions Are all old things done away and new come in the place thereof Is there a forsaking of sin a reformation of Life If it be thus then it is well for thus it is and must be with every true Penitent Secondly this may serve for terror to such as find no change in themselves but are the same still that ever they were of whom it cannot be said as of the Corinthians such were you but now you are changed But such are you and so still continue unchanged Adulterers you were Covetous you were Drunkards you were c. and so are still as Proud as ever as Profane as ever as Worldly as ever as irreligious as ever if not worse than ever In the Third place this may serve for the comfort of all such as do find this change in them who can say as that blind man who had his sight restored One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see Whereas I was filthy and unclean I am now washed and cleansed Oh happy is the condition of such a one thrice blessed is thy Estate indeed only let me admonish thee that thou manifest this change unto the World that others may also say How is this man changed from what he was Ambrose makes Report of a Young Man who having a long time lived in Lust and Uncleanness at length Travelled and in his Travel was Converted Afterwards returning home meets with one of his old Acquaintance with whom he had been often naught but passed away and would not Salute her at which the Strumpet wondring speaks to him after this manner What have you forgotten me It is I His Reply unto her again was this yea I know it but I am not I. Thus it becomes thee to manifest this change thou findest to be in thee that as others have been Witnesses of thy sin so they may be also Witnesses of thy Repentance And came to his Father From hence we learn In true Repentance there is not only a rising from sin but also a turning to the Lord and a setting of our hearts towards him and his Kingdom The Reason is this As by Faith we are ingrafted into Christ Jesus and so made partakers of his Death and the power of it which causeth us to die unto sin So also by the same Faith we are made partakers of his Resurrection
the influences of that Righteousness be upon them If unrighteousness be found in our Courts of Judicature in our Streets and in our Houses and the Land be not purged of Blood and Justice be not done upon the Achans the Troublers of our Peace our Peace will be forced to depart again as soon as it is procured The third is Holiness Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holiness joyntly but not equally Peace for Holiness sake and holiness above peace for this is implyed in the force of the Reason For without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. We may see the Lord without having peace with all men but not without the having of Holiness Let there be no strife between thee and me saith peace to truth peace to righteousness peace to holiness But let there be nothing but strife between me and thee saith peace to error peace to injustice peace to profaneness And if any Minister should be so bold to separate those whom God hath joyned or to joyn those whom God hath separated he should indeed Preach Sedition but not against Man but against a Holy and Jealous God That true-righteous-holy-Peace that blessed Daughter of Heaven will certainly forbid all Contracts that shall be published between error injustice profaneness and her self there is no peace to the wicked saith my God nor no peace with the wicked Or if it were possible that Peace should own such Contracts Christ himself who is the Prince of Peace would never own her for his Daughter for in this case he saith I come not to send Peace on the Earth but the Sword In a word let go either of these sister-graces and your Peace be what it will it will undo you This is now the first Rule in order to a Godly Peace The second I have to lay before you is this That if we will needs be striving let Massah and Meribah those Waters of strife run in their right Channels And now to break the strength of our unhappy contentions I would fix them upon their true and proper Objects There are two which I shall propound unto you 1. That which you should contend for 2. That which you should contend against First That which you should contend for is that to which Jude exhorts you Jude 2. that you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints There is Faith a Grace and Faith the object of that Grace Faith a Grace is that whereby we close with all Divine Revelations not only by a consent unto the truth of them in our understandings but by a taste of the sweetness of them in our wills and affections and those Divine Revelations are also called the Faith of Saints Because they are those things which Saints by Faith do live upon Now Saints must contend for both but that which Jude doth here intend is the Doctrine of Faith and for this we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contend above all that strength we contend with The word is a compound borrowed from those that did strive for Masteries in the Olympick Games whose strife was vigorous as for Life yet here we must strive above that and we have a supernatural strength given unto us to strive with we must put forth all that which Nature or Grace can minister unto us Our Lives must not be dear unto us or any thing that is dearer than our Lives to preserve those saving truths which are the purchase of so many Martyrs Blood yea of the precious Blood of the Son of God our New Testament is the New Testament of his Blood There are three energetical Arguments in this perswasive of Jude inciting the Duty he perswades unto First The transcendent excellency of that which we contend for Secondly The mighty opposition which is against it Thirdly The irreparable loss of it being once gone First The transcendent excellency of that which we contend for It is the Imperial gift the treasury the inheritance of Saints Naboth would rather part with his Life than with his Inheritance but an Inheritance of a Life Immortal how much is it to be preferred before a Mortal Life or Inheritance It is storied of Troy that in the Grecian Siege it had an Oracle that if it could keep its Palladium the Image of their Goddess of Wisdom their City should not be lost Beloved this is our Palladium lose it and lose all The Glory of God in Ezekiels Visions did soon depart from the City when it was once departed from the Sanctuary If the Lord take coals from the Altar to scatter over a Kingdom the Judgment of it shall speed after with a Vengeance When Hymeneus and Alexander did make shipwrack of Faith they made shipwrack of a good Conscience with it It was the great comfort of Pauls Conscience upon his death-bed that he had kept the Faith and his keeping the Faith was the main prop of his Confidence that from thenceforth there was laid up for him a Crown of Righteousness If you let go Faith you lose your Comfort your Confidence your Crown If therefore you will contend contend as earnestly as you will for this Contend for the Faith once given to the Saints The second Argument to provoke unto this holy Contention is the mighty opposition which Saints find against the Faith therefore would the Apostle have us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contend earnestly so we translate it but that is too low you must more than contend as Paul speaks in another sense not only according to your power but beyond your power The Doctrine of Faith as it never wanted some Witnesses to defend it so it ever had many Adversaries to oppose it The Gates of Hell though they cannot prevail against it yet they will do against it all the spite they can Heresie is like that Triple-headed Serpent if one head be cut off three will arise in the place of it And Hereticks like those Romans in their Wars with Carthage they will never be quiet either Conquerors or Conquered Surely if ever the Gates of Hell were set open in England they are now set wide open and the Locusts of the bottomless pit even cover the face of the Land It yields yet some comfortable hopes unto us that the Lord hath a most beautiful work of Reformation upon the wheel in England for that the Devil and the Jesuit are so put to it to bestir themselves Never did Heresie and Blasphemy with that whorish impudence oppose the fundamental Truths of Gospel Grace as now they do but blessed be God who hath awakened the zeal of so many faithful Servants of the Lord Jesus in all parts of the Kingdom to give Testimony to his truth My Brethren let us resolve not to spend our breath only but our blood in a good Confession if God should call for it Josephus hath a story worthy our observance That when Pontius Pilate would have
inforced the Statue of Nero into the Temple of the Jews the zeal of the people inkindled against it it being against the Law of their holy Religion Pilate purposing to inforce that by the Sword which his Rhetorick could not perswade drew them into a place where he had laid an Ambuscado of Armed men who upon his signal were to do execution upon those who withstood his command The Jews being constant to their Principle of Religion espying their danger approaching did all as one man open their naked breasts to the pointed Swords of their Executioners resolving rather upon and honorable death with the safety of their Religion than an ignominious life with the loss of it The third Argument for this holy Contention is the irrecoverable loss of our Faith being once gone It was once given unto the Saints and but once It was once given unto Rome and once unto Macedonia and once unto the seven Churches of Asia minor and when once they had lost it it was never as yet given to them again Sol occidere redire potest If the Sun in the firmament doth set it will rise again but if this Sun of Righteousness once set upon a Land an irrecoverable midnight of spiritual darkness succeeds upon it If we lose our Estates we may recover them again if we lose our Friends God may raise us up some other if we lose our Lives we may exchange them for a better but if we lose the Faith once given to the Saints being once lost it is lost for ever and we lose with it our Souls our Heaven our Christ our God and these irrevocably Ah dear Christians if ever ye will contend for any thing contend for the Faith once given unto the Saints And that is how the first object of your holy Contention that which you should contend for The second is that which you should contend against and here I shall propound two objects first of persons secondly of things First for Persons the Royal Prophet writes us a Copy Psal 139.21 22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and do I not earnestly contend with those that rise up against thee yea I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine utter enemies Certainly there is a Generation of men in this Age whose hearts rise up against God and against the power of Godliness Gods right hand hath already found out many and will certainly find out more of those that hate him Take heed good Friends how you confederate with those against whom the Lord is ingaged Will you be tutor'd alittle from that story of Judah in Ahaz's time in the seventh and eighth Chapters of Isaiah when prophane Syria and Apostate Israel combined together against honest Judah their hearts did shake as Aspy leaves The Lord sends a Prophet to assure them that these two smoaking fire-brands which had more smoke than fire in them should not hurt them Judah though with much ado believing prospered and he combined Armies are scattered Discontented Israel not humbled under Gods hand so visibly against them resolve yet to recruit greater Forces against Judah The Bricks are fallen but we will build with hewen stones the Siccamores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars Judah forgetting Gods former Promise and deliverance sends to the Assyrian for aid The Lord sends his Prophet to them again and tells them That because they had refused the soft running waters of Siloa the mighty waters of Assyria should overflow them Now what were those waters of Siloa Siloa was a River that brake out at the foot of Mount Sion and ran through the Streets of Jerusalem to which the Church alludes Psal 46.4 There is a River the streams thereof shall make glad the City of God This River here is Jesus Christ the Fountain of Gods pleasures the streams are his promises in which he makes out himself for the comfort of his people in saddest confusions Now Judah had a special intimation of the Covenant of Grace to assertain their former deliverance as all temporary promises must have their strength and blessing out of that But forgetting both their mercy and their duty and seeking strength from an arm of flesh which God had despised they were not strengthened but distressed by it saith the story 2 Chron. 28.20 Lo this is all the kindness we are like to receive from such Confederates the Lord therefore counsels the upright-hearted in Judah Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid but sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread and he shall be for a sanctuary unto you But what got Apostate Israel by her prophane Confederates Why Isay 9.11 12. we shall find that they tasted the same bitter sauce with unbelieving Judah they were with open mouth devoured by their good Friends the Syrians with whom they had before combined against Judah Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum I wish that Judah's and Israels sufferings may cautionate the godly in London how they confederate with those that are ungodly Surely they shall not strengthen but distress themselves by combining with those that are manifest enemies to God and Goodness In Judges the second and the first we read of an Angel of the Lord that came up from Gilgal to Bochim to mind the Israel of God of their Forgetfulness of Gods great mercy in delivering them out of Egypt and of their breach of Covenant in making a League with those Canaanites whom the Lord had cursed And he wrought so effectually upon their hearts as that they wept abundantly Certainly London shall know that they have had a Prophet amongst them And they shall one day weep for their Confederacy with wicked men if the Grace of God doth not now provoke their Tears the wrath of God will hereafter The second Object which we are to strive against are our own Lusts striving against sin saith the Apostle Heb. 12.4 I am sure this is without all question that sin is our enemy breaking our Peace both with God and man and killing as well with kisses as with blows God hath no enemy but this or such whom this doth make to be his enemies Now spend all your Arrows as long as strong as you can upon this Enemy here strive and spare not If you spare any one that one may undo your Souls as soon as a thousand There is more evil in one sin than there is worth in all the good you do or can do yea more than the vertue of the whole Creation is able to expiate One Achan is enough to disturb the peace of all Israel and never let England think to have a firm peace if Englands sins remain unreformed Now strive as much against your Achans as your Absoloms your Dalilahs as your Thamars your Rimmons as your Mammons your Davids as your Goliahs
I mean your covert as your open sins your loved as your loathed lusts your Heart-abominations as your Life-scandals your Babe-iniquities as your Giant-provocations And Oh my dear Friends How much was the Lord of Sabbaths and his Ordinances honoured when our Tribes with their Servants did march in good array unto the Temple of the Lord A great complaint there is every where of bad Servants but let Governours of Families lay their hands on their own Hearts and see if the fault be not mostly their own who take no more care to make their Servants good I know well that all Governours have not ability alike to provoke their Servants unto Good but all have Authority alike to keep them from evil And if they be not as Eagles to carry them on their Wings to Heaven yet they should be as Sparrows to lead them unto Gods House Solomon did so order his Family as that the Queen of Sheba did think them happy that lived under his Roof You have the choicest Youth of all the Families in England trusted with you in your City if they should miscarry through your neglect how publick how great will that mischief be In a word may I say to you as that Prophet to the King of Israel If thou let any escape if thou connive at any sin or sinner thy life shall go for his life but if as the Syrian sword did the King of Israel you would single out some lusts let me bring forth to justice especially these 1. Strive against that evil heart of unbelief which is in some degree in the best of us There is no sin damns but unbelief is in the company of it When the Israelites were upon the borders of the Holy Land their unbelief did send them back to wander forty years in the wilderness till all their carkasses were wasted in it We lately thought our selves even entring into our rest into the possession of those glorious promises which we have long waited for but now we are in a wilderness we know not what to do we know not what to say we know not what to think and our great Provocation is our unbelief If we had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed we should remove mountains we should cast out Devils Every lust is a mountain that stands up against the work of Reformation And all unbelief is that dumb and deaf Devil that casts us so often into fire and water now some Mountains some Devils are too hard for Ordinances for Apostles themselves if they were alive only Faith calls forth the fulness of God in Jesus Christ to overcome them In Isaiah 41.14 and 15. verses the Lord sets a Worm on work to thresh the mountains Alas what proportion is there between a small Worm and a huge Mountain But fear not I am with thee saith the Lord. Here is a word for Faith to live upon and to call out an Omnipotent arm to its aid whereas our unbelief doth not only weaken us but even Omnipotency it self as the Lord Christ saith He could do no great thing in Nazareth because of their unbelief Beloved if you would live as Brethren in love peace and unity then see that your Faith do call in God and his Christ unto the Treaty See that your peace hath a word of Faith to bottom upon otherwise every Storm will shake if not overturn the sandy foundation of it All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever There is more in one word of God to establish a lasting peace and union among us than in all the Counsels of perishing Creatures who look beside it Had we Caleb's spirit to follow God fully in the guidance and assurance of his Word what a great measure of self-denial and Christian condescention might we obtain to work towards a Religious and a firm Peace and Unity Whatsoever therefore you strive against strive especially against the unbelief of your own Hearts Secondly Against your Pride This is a Proclaimed Rebel against Heaven God will have no Peace with it And little hope of a stable peace with men if our Pride stands up to wage War with God He that serves his Lusts will not spare any thing that may serve them neither with Haman the Blood of an whole Nation nor with Absalom the blood of nearest Relations nor with Herodias the blood of most Eminent Ministers nor Conscience nor Religion nor Christ nor God nor any thing that will suit his Design When Donatus was cross'd in the Bishoprick of Carthage he turned Heretick and fired the whole Empire with his Faction I fear lest Ambition and Malice have made many Malignants in these days Shall I say as he Fight not against small nor great No fight against all your Lusts But above all against this great Lust this Pride of your Hearts and against all those Corruptions that strengthen themselves by it O that I could in this prevail with you this day fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit maenia He is stronger that ruleth his spirit than he that winneth a City Could you overcome these Lusts of yours you may not only win a City but preserve and crown your own My Brethren take heed how you serve their ends who do serve their own Lusts How should they govern you aright that cannot govern their own Passions Fleshly Corruption will ever lay before us specious pretences in all those ways into which our Pride or Passion doth prompt us but Grace will ever have a jealous eye over them I never suffered my Passion to work but I suffered by it and so undoubtedly shall all they which give way unto it I will only bring hither that passage of our Saviour in Luke 17. and the beginning of the Chapter where he shews the danger of those that give Offences and the Duty of those that suffer Offences First for those that give Offences And mark your danger you that do it It were better for him saith Christ that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the Sea then that he should offend one of these little ones Secondly for those that suffer offences your Duty is to forgive and Christ well knowing how hard this Duty is to Corrupt Nature how apt we are to make Peter's Question How oft shall we forgive Preoccupates this Objection and tells us that if every day our Brother should offend us and seven times in every day and should as often declare himself to be sorry for his Offence it is our Duty to forgive Hereupon the Apostles startle and cry out O Lord increase our Faith who hath Faith strong enough to close with such a Duty as this Our Faith can hardly work us to forgive our Brother if he offends us but once but if every day and if seven times in every day he doth offend where 's the Faith that
my soul a zealous Holocaust to the flame of thy Altar 11. Of Chastity This single Grace of Chastity will admit of no Cor-rival but God himself in her Virgin-heart in which she erects a Temple of Love for the Lords delight scourging out all uncleanness with the rod of Sorrow dedicating it wholly to the Service and Honour of the Lord where Love and Beauty God and the Soul are espoused together in holy affection and sweet communion Give me O Lord what wilt thou give a clean heart truly devoted to thy service Though the stains of impure Cogitations and verbal Transgressions may unwillingly and unwarily break in to defile thy Temple O may the rod of Repentance drive them out but shield it I pray thee from that great abomination of desolation those deathful wounds of actual pollution to make it a stink of all iniquity but deck and adorn it with the graces of thy spirit that it may be made a beautiful habitation for thy honours reception 12. Temperance Temperance is as a comly Matron which walks soberly and warily in the wholesom path of Mediocrity between excess and defect her actings are to the health both of Body and Soul avoiding in order to Food and Raiment Superfluity and Sordidness being fed with Frugality and clothed with Decency as to the Soul her Religion very Orthodox running a most even course between blind Zeal and open Profaneness like the Sun in its Aequinox between the Winter and the Summer Solstice hating Enthusiasm Papism and Atheism with other giddy opinions coyned out of the Mint of inconsiderate Brains which begetteth nothing but Division Contention and Disaffection Most holy Lord who art holiness it self and delightest in the beauty of holiness pious hearts as mansions where thy honour will please to dwell square my Religion to the straight rule of thy word and so fashion my Devotion as may be most agreeable to thy own mind neither ceremoniously superstitious or irreverently rude but zealously affected in a decent and orderly manner as may be most sutable to piety and the honour of thy Majesty 13. Of Obedience and Disobedience A good natured Child will grieve that he hath offended his indulgent Father whereas a more rugged disposition will not come into the School of Obedience without much swinging Make me O Lord a child of Obedience by the smiles of thy mercy rather than by the frowns of thy Justice draw me by the silken twines of thy Affections and not by the ruff Cords of thy Corrections but if I be so ill-natured that the rays of thy love will not mollifie my hard heart let the awful stripes of thy fear make it tender so shall thy rod and thy staff comfort me 14. Of Gratitude and Ingratitude Thankfulness is the tribute of our Affections which we pay as a Rent-charge to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth by which we acknowledge his property in us and our Loyalty to him for all his blessings both for Soul and Body and nothing can out us of Possession discard us of our freedom or cancel the obligation of his love to us but Ingratitude that monster in nature which was one of the grand sins which ejected Adam out of his Garden of Paradice into a wilderness of Sin transformed Nebuchadnezar from a man to a Beast till he returned better manner'd and smote Herod in his Judgment-seat because he gave not God the glory Great God! in whose hands are all the Corners of the earth and the fulness thereof in whatsoever possession of thy blessings thy goodness please to place me as Tenant for life O may I esteem it far beyond my deservings that I may learn to be thankful And suffer not I pray thee my nature so ill to degenerate into Ingratitude as to alienate thy affections from me to out me of the Eden of thy favour and let me not be so blockishly dull as not to acknowledge thy property or so arrogantly peccant to rob thee of thy honour lest deservedly I incur thy righteous displeasure but ingratiate my heart I beseech thee with so good a nature as I may render my self a more perfect Creature to give thee thy dues belonging to thy honour and my self the comfort of thy gracious dispensations towards me 15. Of Mercy and Justice Mercy and Justice are the righteous Ballances of Heaven poized by the Hand of Truth which weighs to every one the Rewards of Life and death Mercy is filled with promises of life Justice with wages of death Faith lays hold on the Scale of Mercy through the merits of a Saviour Infidelity draws down Justice as a Recompence for Iniquity So righteous art thou O Lord in thy ways and just in thy Judgments who dispensest to every one after their deservings Merciful Father though the magnitude and multitude of my Transgressions be so heavy to draw down the Ballance of thy Indignation upon me yet being Counterpoized with thy Sons merits in the Ballance of Mercy they shall be found too light to condemn me and my Faith of sufficient weight to save me 16. Of Faith Faith is the Souls Optick which discovereth things afar off as if near at hand though darkly as in a Glass yet far surpassing all the Opticks of Astrology which takes the dimensions of the Orbs according to the sense whereas Faith maketh search into Heaven seeth God Almighty with all his Attributes in the beauty of Holiness Jesus Christ his Son sitting at his right hand interceeding for us the Holy Ghost proceeding coming down like fire to baptize the Saints with all the Heavenly Quires of Saints and Angels singing Allelujah to the King of Glory yea it discovereth Hell afar off with all its monstrosity the reward of our Iniquity seeth Satan compassing the Earth in persuite of the Mother and her Child to devour them but overcome by the blood of the Lamb. Thus O my Soul with this Optick of Faith thou mayest survey all the wonders of God making things invisible to the eye of sense visible to the eye of Reason Thus beholding thee O my God in thy glorious perfections in thy marvelous works in thy gracious Attributes let me experiment thy spirit of grace quickning thy wisdom teaching thy power supporting thy love comforting thy Justice tenderly chastising and thy mercy saving me let the light of thy countenance the splendor of thy Majesty so dart upon my soul through this Glass of Faith that thou mayest be in love with thy own beauty Faith again may be said to be the compass of the Soul which centers one part upon God the other upon the heart of man rounding a Sphear of a new Creation with circles of love through which she draws a Diameter by the Rule of the word which is as a Jacobs Ladder by the hand of an Angel to convey the Graces of God to man and the Prayers of man unto God Scale O my soul by this Ladder of Faith the Battlements of Heaven contend with thy Maker and
Redeemer who hast healing under thy wings for every disease cure I beseech thee my wounded heart being sorely bitten with the venomous Teeth of my Viperous Passions direct the eye of my soul as the Israelites to their Brazen Serpent to look up unto thee for my speedy Remedy that so passing through the briers of this wilderness of sin or sinful wilderness I may safely enter by the Conduct of thee my great Joshua into the promised land of Eternal Rest 39. Of the Earth When I look upon the Earth invellopt in her misty weeds methinks I see her sit as a disconsolate widow mourning the Suns absence to exhale those Vapours from her clouded brow by the vertue of his glorious beams So if my foggy Soul sit benighted under the dark Canopy of sin and Error Lord let the shining of thy Wisdom enlighten the eyes of my understanding that I may see thee in thy beauty to the great comfort of my Soul in the fruition of thy Spirit 40. Of Light Light is a comfortable emanation breath'd from the mouth of God Let there be light and there was light without which the Fabrick of Heaven and Earth was an abortive swadled up in the mantle of obscurity it distinguisheth Colours discriminates objects of various forms properties and qualities with their several dimensions it shews the great perfections of the Creator in the visibility of the Creatures especially in that choice piece called Man the model of the greater World whose intellective Soul is made capable of a twofold light like the Sun and Moon Grace and Nature the one giving shine to the Science of Divinity the other of Morality whereby we come to know God in us and us in him Lighten O Lord I intreat thee my dark heart which indeed is no better than a confused Chaos invellopt with the clouds of sin and ignorance shine upon it with the light of thy countenance which may discover unto me my deformity making me seek for better perfection in the knowledge of thy will and practice of thy word which is a Lanthorn to my feet and a light unto my paths 41. Of the Sun That glorious Lamp the Sun hath several Properties according to the Subject-matter it meets with it hardens Clay and melteth Wax its beams lighting on a stinking Dunghil causeth a noisom savour but darting on a fragrant Garden produceth a pleasant smell Cleanse my heart thou Son of Righteousness of the filth of sin by the vertue of thy precious blood that it may not be exposed to the influence of thy rays as a putrid substance but as a Nursery of graceful herbs not as stubborn Clay but as soft Wax capable of the Impresses of thy Image so shalt thou be unto it the savour of life unto salvation and not the savour of death unto Damnation 42. Of mans Heart The Heart of man came a rich soil out of the hand of God capable of bringing forth rare fruits of Righteousness but the wild Boar breaking in upon it so rooted and digged it that it became a Wilderness of sinful Weeds O may that gracious hand so husband my wild and barren heart pulling up those brambles of iniquity and sowing in it such seeds of Grace and plants of Vertue watering it with the dew of his spirit and fencing it with his blessing it may become a Garden inclosed fit for the Lords delight 43. Of Riches Riches are but golden balls which the world trundels before her Minions in the race of this life which they with Atlanta greedily snatch up to their utter undoing losing the benefit of a better prize the Graces of Heaven For earthly Riches do but clog the wheels of the Soul which drives Heavily on like the Chariots of Pharaoh to destruction not but that Riches are the Gifts of God and Instruments of much good if rightly stewarded but man being over apt to bless his soul in them he honours the Creature more than the Creator Admit O Worldling that thou couldst with Alexander compass the whole World and that thy Lordships were richly stored with all kind of Cattel feeding with more sober security than thy self thy Egyptian Granaries stuffed with Corn thy Coffers filled with Gold and Silver sumptuous houses promising perpetuity to thy Name and Posterity with all which thou mightest indulge thy soul for many years yet consider the casualties thy Goods may be driven away with Sabeans thy Barns eaten with Rats and Mice Thieves break in and steal thy Treasure the Elements enemies to thy Houses and Children and lastly death with the Fool in the Gospel robs thee of thy soul who then art of all men most miserable if thou hast not with Job laid up inward Riches in the Treasury of a good Conscience which will strongly fortifie thee against all Assaults and chearfully bear thy Charges to Heaven whereas other Riches as heavy Plummets will sink thee to Hell What got Midas in the Fable by his Grant from Apollo to make his fingers as Philosophers stones to convert by touch all things into Gold that when he would have taken pleasure in his glittering Joys his stomach craving more suitable meat was choakt to death with Golden Morsels Convert we then this Fable into a real truth which will afford us better profit Be thou avaritious in the pursuit of a better Treasure by thy Orisons summon Heaven to instruct thee in this Art of Conversion this holy Chimistry that thou mayest change all things into the Gold of Grace Art thou in love with rich Pastures Christ the Shepherd of thy Soul will feed thee in fair Meadows with running Rivers Doth full Barns delight thee make Heaven thy Store-house for Bread of Life Doth glittering Wealth steal away thy heart cast it upon the waters of Poverty and it will bring thee an income of everlasting Riches Doth costly Buildings take up thy heart lay thy Foundation on that Corner-stone where thou shalt have a building made without hands not to be devoured by the teeth of time Wouldst thou establish thy Name to all Posterity get that white stone in which is a new Name written to perpetuity And which beside all these external Accommodations superads that Joy which is unspeakable and full of Glory which will be lengthned out to Eternity 44. Of Honour Honour is as light as a Feather pufft up and down by a popular breath according to the ebbing and flowing Tides of inconstant Affections witness proud Haman who in his conceited thoughts did herauldize to himself his own Dignity in riding upon the Kings horse with Royal Habiliments How gloriously did the Sun of his Honour arise upon the sphere of Ahasuerus's favour and how suddenly was it blown amongst the clouds of his Displeasure by the breath of a Woman With what Admiration did Marcillus ride in his Chariot of Triumph after his great Victories and presently by the turning wheel of Providence his Reputation overthrown and Laid in the dirt So inconstant are the Felicities of this
to have spoken Blasphemy and the Fact to be notorious he then asked their Votes What think ye And they answered and said he is guilty of Death They durst not deny what Caiaphas had said they knew his Faction was very Potent and his Malice great and his Heart was set upon the business and therefore they all conspire and say as he would have them He is guilty of Death Oh here is Jesus's Sentence which should have been mine He is guilty of Death But this Sentence was but like strong dispositions to an enraged Fever they had no power at that time to inflict Death or such a Death as that of the Cross they only declared him apt and worthy and guilty of Death 5. For Peter's denial and abjuration While these things were thus acting concerning Christ a sad Accident happened to his Servant Peter at first a Damosel comes to him and tells him Thou wast with Jesus of Galilee and then another Maid tells the by-standers This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth And after a while they that stood by spake themselves surely thou art one of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee q. d. thy very Idiom declares thee to be a Galilean thou art as Christ is of the same Countrey and Sect and therefore thou art one of his Disciples Peter thus surprized without any time to deliberate he shamefully denies his Lord And 1. He doth it with a kind of subterfuge I know not what thou sayest He seems to elude the Accusation with this Evasion I know not thy meaning I understand not thy words I skill not what thou sayest 2. At the next turn he goes on to a licentious boldness denying Christ with an Oath I know not the man and lastly he aggravates his sin so far that he grows to impudence and so denies his Lord with cursing and swearing I know not the man Here 's a Lie an Oath and a Curse the sin is begun at the voice of a Woman silly Damosel not any of the greatest Ladies she was only a poor Serving-maid that kept the Doors but it grew to ripeness when the Men-Servants fell upon him now he swears and vows and curses himfelf if he knew he Man O Peter is the man so vile that thou wilt not own him Hadst thou not before confess'd him to be the Christ the Son of the living God and dost thou not know him to be Man as well as God Say is not this the Man-God God-Man that called thee and thy Brother Andrew at the Sea of Galilee saying follow me and I will make you Fishers of men Is not this he whom thou sawest on Mount Tabor shining more gloriously than the Sun Is this not he whom thou sawest walking on the water and to whom thou said'st Lord if it be thou bid me to come unto thee on the water How is it then that thou sayst I know not the man Surely here 's a sad example of human infirmity if Peter fell so foully how much more may lesser Stars And yet withal here 's a blessed example of serious through Repentance no sooner the Cock crew and Christ gave a look of Peter but he goes out and weeps bitterly The Cock was the Preacher and the look of Jesus was the Grace that made the Sermon effectual O the Mercy of Christ he looked back on him that had forgot himself he revives his servants memory to think on his Master's words he sends him out to weep bitterly that so he might restore him mereifully to his favour again 6. For the abuses and delusions of the base Attendants offered to Christ the Evangelist tells us then did they spit in his face and buffetted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee And as Luke adds many other things blasphemously speak they against him what those many other things were it is not discovered only some ancient Writers say That Christ in that night suffered so many and such hideous things that the whole knowledge of them is reserved only for the last day of Judgment Mallonius writes thus after Caiaphas and the Priests had sentenced Christ worthy of death they committed him to their Ministers warily to be kept till day and they immediately threw him into the Dungeon in Caiaphas 's House there they bound him to a stony Pillar with his hands bound on his back and then they fell upon him with their palms and sists Others add that the Soldiers not yet content they threw him into a silthy dirty puddle where he abode for the remainder of that night But we need not borrow light from Candles or lesser Stars the Scripture it self is plain Observe we these Particulars 1. They spit in his face this was accounted among the Jews a matter of great Infamy and Reproach And the Lord said unto Moses if her Father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days We our selves account this a great affront and so did Job I am their Song and their By word they abhor me they fly far from me and spare not to spit in my face 2. They buffet him We heard before that one of the Officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand but now they buffet him some observe this difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one is given with the open hand but the other with the fist shut up and thus they used him at this time they struck him with their fists and so the stroke was greater and more offensive By this means they made his face to swell and to become full of Bunches all over One gives it in thus By these blows of their sists his whole head was swoln his face became black and blew and his teeth ready to fall out of his Jaws 3. They covered his face Mark 14.65 Several Reasons are rendred for it As 1. That they might smite him more boldly and without shame 2. That they might not have that object of Pitty in their view it is supposed that the very sight of his admirable form so lamentably abused would have mollified the hardest heart under Heaven and therefore they veiled and hood-wink'd that alluring drawing Countenance 4. They smote him with the palms of their Hands saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee To pass away that doleful tedious night they interchangeably sport at him first one and then another gives him a stroke we usually call it a Box on the Ear and being hood-wink'd they bid him a-read who it is that smote him And now the dismal Night is done what remains but that we follow Christ and observe him in his Sufferings the next day The Psalmist tells us Sorrow may endure for a night but joy cometh in the Morning only Christ can find none of this joy neither Morning nor Evening for after a dismal Night he meets with as dark a day what the passages of the