content for it is not much that nature wants it is lesse that she requires Take up therefore the care of riches only to serve thy turne in this life and as thou findest thy selfe drawing neerer home the more disburthen thy selfe of them knowing that he is but a foolish traveller that will furnish himselfe for a litle way as if his journey were of many Miles and if in thy journey thou meete with any crosse or affliction which the good are most subject unto being heere from home in a strange place in body goods or good name first looke backe to thy selfe what thou hast deserved and then looking up to heaven 1 Sam. 3.18 say with Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier 2. Tim. 2. ver 4. 2 IT ill becommeth a Souldier that is upon service for his King and Countrey when hee should be bending both wit and force for the annoying of the enemy then to bee contriving or making Merchandise with him and as ill or rather worse it becommeth a Christian when hee hath given up his name to become the Souldier of Christ Iesus then to be traffiqueing and trading with the Devill dealing with him about worldly affaires Thou therefore that hast by Baptisme put on Christ Iesus Gal. 3.27 proclaming him to be thy King and vowing thy selfe to be his Souldier stand to thy tackling be strong and quite thee like a Man feare none but God and yeelde to nothing but godlinesse which hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come Turne thine eyes from the things of this World and fix them upon heavenly consider it is a Crowne thou runnest for a kingdome thou fightest for fight therefore manfully and so at last having fought that good fight of faith thou shalt inherit the Kingdome and raine regally without opposition or annoyance for ever for thou shalt please him whose Souldier thou art 1 Sam. 2.30 and who hath thus honoured thee NOVV will I arise sayeth the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my selfe Esay 33. ver 10. 3 AS the nource to weane her child from the too earnest desire after her breast layes some bitter thing thereupon which having prevailed shee eyther wipes it off or throwes it away So deales God with the bitter enemies which he stirreth up against his peopl to weane them frō sin the love of the World hee at the last turnes their rage and fury upon themselves though they bee for the present Thornes in his Churches side Numb 33.55 and Prickes in their eyes and vexe them in the land wherein they dwell yet having executed and brought to effect his purpose hee at the last sweepes them away with the besome of destruction Esay 14.23 and kills their roote with famine For their actions proceeding from an hatred against Gods people and not from obedience they are at the last justly punished of God for that they have in such cruell manner made havocke of his people Let this then arme thee with patience when the Hand of God is upon thee Job 13.15 To trust in him though hee slay thee or when he doth exercise thy faith by wicked instruments yet still to relie upon him for deliverance for he will in his due time deliver thee he will arise and be exalted so that thou shalt see thy desire upon thine enemies O. JOB 21. vers 23.25 ONE dyeth in his full strength being in all ease prosperity And another dyeth in the bitternesse of his soule and never eateth with pleasure 1. VVHAT is the life of mā but a journey or pilgrimage through the desart of Sin toward the land of Promise the heavenly Ierusalem Esay 33.24 where no inhabitant shall say I am sick In which progresse some parents see their childrē consumed for presumption like Nadab and Abihu Leut. 10.2 Some both parents and children are devoured for rebellion like Corah his company Numb 16.31 but most children see their parents interred in the Wildernesse for their manifold transgressions and disobedience Man is borne with a condition to die and not only old men must but the youngest and lustiest may die Nay our whole life is a continuall death Infancy dies in childhood childhood in youth youth in strong age that in old age and old age is our Nebo from whence having taken a veiw of the holy Land we die according to the word of the Lord for it was Satans language he first spake the word yee shall not die at all Deut. 34.5 Some depart out of this World like a guest out of his Inne willingly others leave it like a Man pluckt out of his house Gen. 3.4 against their will one dyes like a Lampe or Candle wasted and consumed so dyes the old man the other like fier quenched with water violently so ends the yong man so that will they nill they yet all returne to Golgotha The workes of God are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out wherefore the godly and the wicked are many times deceived in the end God aimes at The wicked doe many times so flourish and end in such pompe and the godly are so afflicted and die so despisedly in the eye of the World that the one thinkes the godly mans life to be but madnes Wisd 5.4 and the other that he hath clensed his heart in vaine but the time will come when the wicked shall be scattered away like chaffe Psal 1.5 and the righteous shall stand in great boldnes before the face of such as have tormented him Wisd 5.1 Therefore judge not thou thy selfe hated of God because thou art poore and endest thy dayes without pleasure neyther judge thy selfe beloved because thou art rich and departest in prosperity but labour in both estates to die the Servant of the Lord and so bee thou low Wis 5.5 or high rich or poore thou shalt have thy Portion among the Saints ONELY by Pride doth Man make contention Pro. 13 10. 2. PRIDE is a disease of the minde whose efficient cause is the good gift of God abused to wit a wealthy estate yea so easilie doth prosperity infect that hardly can a Man be rich and not tainted with this disease While the families of Abraham Lot were not greate there was peace and quiet but assoone as they were encreased peace was excluded and debate admitted into the roome then began the hearts to bee possest with that contentious rhetorique of Mine and Thine which parted those whom neither adversity nor peril 's in famine or exile could sever or part assunder It is commonly sayd that poverty parts good company but it is more often seene that those have bin severed by prosperity whom a meaner estate had lovingly knit in a firmer bond for wealth inflameth the
hart with a desier of priority so that he now scornes to budge a foote who a litle before would have bin content to have licked up the very dust of thy feete Hinc Rixae I this is it Wealth begets pride which dies not issuelesse but brings forth contention Art thou rich be not high minded 1 Tim. 6.17 18.9 trust not in uncertain riches but in the living Lord which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy doe good and bee rich in good works bee ready to distribute and communicate laying up in store for your selfe a good foundatiō against the time to come that you may obtaine eternall life OPEN thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destruction Pro. 31. ver 8. 3 THERE is a dumbe oratour who by his silent thetorique implores our aide The poore and helplesse wretch whom God or none cares for We say to our lazers God helpe you but God sayeth to them that are godly and want helpe I will helpe where Man will not If no man else will pleade their cause God will out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings ordaine helpe for his Oh therefore joyne in Commission with God Pro 31.9 open thy mouth judge righteously and judge the afflicted and the poore defend their cause who are not able to helpe themselves Pro. 3.8 So health shal be to thy navell and marrow to thy bones when time hath consumed it selfe and wasted these when time shall bee no more time then shalt thou inherit an eternall life P. PROVERBS 4. Vers 26. PONDER the path of thy feete and let all thy wayes be ordered aright 1. THE Devill perceiving that man by humble obedience may ascend thither from whence hee by his pride is fallen envieth him and is become a Satan that is an adversary unto him and that a malicious one a strong one and a politique one hee hath set infinite snares before our feete and filled all our wayes with traps to catch our soules he putteth into our hearts evill thoughts into our Mouths lewd speeches into our members sinfull actions when wee are awake hee stirreth us up to unlawfull deeds in our sleepe to filthy dreames if wee bee merry hee maks us dissolute if wee be sad hee laboureth to drive us to desperation Nay he doth not only labour to lead us out of the way by manifest errour but where hee sees us walking by good works there he seeketh to insnare us Seeing then thou art beset with so many temptations thou hadst need to have Argus eyes and the faces of Ianus that thou mayst looke round about on every side for feare of danger Wherefore as they that know they have enemies lying in waite for them will not goe abroade without their weapōs So thou knowing that the devill continually lieth in waite for thee seeking to devour thee shouldst have a care to thy paths that hee may never take thee at advantage for as hee finds thee he will take thee Ephes 6.11 Stand therefore alwayes compleately furnished with the whole armour of God that so thou mayst be able to withstand the assaults of the Devill and as a peice most necessarie and bee-hovefull take unto thee prayer which is a strong Tower the righteous runneth to it and is exalted Pro. 18 18. PRIDE goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall Pro. 16.18 2 IT is Gods ordinary proceeding against proud persons to subdue and bring under their pride by vile and base meanes and then to bring them to shame when their hearts are puft up with a fond conceipt of their owne worth when Herod was lifted up and swelled in pride at the acclamations of those flatterers who told him he spake more like a God then a man Acts 12.22 then was he suddainly smitten by the Angel of the Lord and miserably consumed being eaten up of wormes Therfore labour thou for humilitie thinke basely of thy selfe and be lowly in thine owne eyes and so shalt thou be exalted in the sight of God The Sunne the higher hee is in the firmament the shorter shadow hee maketh and the neerer he commeth to the Earth the shadowes of all things are the longer So vertue the higher and the more eminent it is the lesse ostentation it maketh whereas where vertue is wanting there is nothing but pride and arrogancy even as the eares of Corne that have nothing in them but light stuffe stand perching up above all the rest but those that are laden with full graines hang downe their heads The deeper the Well is the sweeter is the Water so the more humble any man is in his owne conceipt the more acceptable he is to God and when the other in their high conceipts imagining they stand fast come tottering downe this man stands fast indeede and at the length shall be exalted with glory PREPARE thy worke without and make ready the things in the field and after build thine house Pro. 24.27 3 IN Worldly affaires deliberation is very necessary and it is held a great point of policy for a man to deliberate long before hee determine any thing for want of this wise forecast many men worthily undergoe the censure of inconsiderate and receive nothing else but a mocke for what they take in hand When Israel without the Commandement of the Lord Numb 14.40.41.42 nay contrary to his appoyntment would bee so forward as to goe up and fight against the Amalekites what was the issue presuming obstinately and rashly to goe up to the top of the Mountaine they became a prey to their enemies the Amalekits and Canaanites Num. 14.45 who smote them and consumed them unto Hormah In all thy affaires therfore whether spirituall or temporall be not too forward eyther with tongue or hand but take hands with advice in worldly busines bee sure of meanes how to compasse it before thou take any enterprise in hand and in Spirituall matters when thou purposest to give up thy Name to Christ first sit downe cast thine accompts what it will cost thee to become a Christian least not being able to undergoe the troubles that shall accompany that profession thou be found unworthy to be his Disciple Q. PSAL. 30. vers 18. QVICKEN us and we will call upon thy Name 1. NITIMVR in vetitum is not more old then true the forbidden Fruit still hangs in our eyes and we long to be tasting and whereas wee are dead Colos 3.3 and therefore should minde worldly things no more then dead men doe yet neverthelesse wee are sprightly and lively in worldly affaires but heavy and lumpish nay dead in spirituall matters So that unlesse Christ say to us Marke 4 41. as sometime to the Mayden I say unto you arise There could not bee the least endeavour in any of us to further the worke of grace in himselfe by calling upon God for as the Apostle sayeth It is not in him that willeth Rom. 9.16
others Which may bee a warning not onely to Princes themselves but to all that be in authority to have a care that they become not publique and notorious offenders Let me counsaile you in particular as S. Barnard did Eugenius the Pope It makes much to thy perfection to avoide both evill and the shew of evill in the one thou shalt provide for thy conscience in the other for thy credite REMEMBER thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the evill dayes come not nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Ecclus 12. ver 1. 3 THERE are many enemies to grace but none more to bee feared then those that fight within us against us and though all Ages bee fruitfull in evill yet none more then Youth which besides all other enemies hath it selfe the greatest enemie to it selfe being destitute of its owne and scorning the good advise of others That which Salomon spake in jest and derision the Young man takes in good earnest Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the light of thine eyes c. And therefore takes his swinge in pleasures presuming that old age is the onely fit time to turne to God So that many times by continuance and longer custome in sinne hee makes his sinnes of a double die even Crimson sinnes yea his sins Esay 1.18 become like a Disease in the bones whereof if one recover many doe rot away Oh therefore harden not thy heart but to day heare Gods voyce calling thee to repentance remember the evill dayes will come Ecclus 12.1 wherein if thou presume to doe great matters to frequent the Church to heare the Word c. thou mayst peradventure bee deceived It is reported of Alexander that great Conquerour that when his Master Aristotle perswaded him to forbeare the Warres till hee were growne to a full and perfect age that hee answered I feare that if I tarry till I come to that age I shall loose much of the heate and vigour of my youth So doe thou answere all temptations whatsoever which shall perswade thee to put off thy repentance till thou beest old Old Age hath enough to doe with its owne griefes there are so many Aches in thy bones so many Crampes in thy joynts and so many paynes in all parts of thy body that thou shalt have litle leasure to think on any thing that is good Would not all Men condemne him for a foole or a mad-man that should lay the heaviest burthen upon the weakest beast who hath enough to doe to beare up it selfe and should let a stronger goe empty by So remember that it is no lesse folly to exempt thy youth which is strong and lusty from the taske of repentance and to impose the same upon thy decrepit old age already sinking under it's owne burthen And that it is the greatest injury unto the Lord that can bee for a man to consecrate the prime day of his youth to the service of the Devill in the pursuite of sinfull pleasures and to serve God with the rotten bones of his doating old age herein men deale with God like the Israelites who if they had ever a Lame a Scabhed Mat. 1.8 or a sick beast that they would bring to the Altar as if any thing had bin good enough for the LORD but all the fat and well-liking they kept to them selves and as to the Israelites so wil God say to such men as these I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept your offerings at your hands Mal 1.10 O therfore let it be thy care to turne unto the Lord betimes And to seeke him while he may be found Esay 55.6 Eccles 12.3 before the keepers of the house doe tremble and the strong men bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are few and they waxe darke that looke out by the windowes So shalt thou be an happy old man in thy Youth as too too many by deferring the worke of their Repentance are unhappily yong in their Age. S. JOB 2. vers 4. SKINNE for skinne and all that everâ—d man hath will hee give for his life 1. VVEe are easilie glewed to the things of this life and doe quicklie fasten our minds upon each smale contentment we finde heere and hence it is that wee are so hardly drawne from them being is loath to part from them as from our dearest lives and onely in this case wee sing loath to depart yea with an eye in Sodome and an hoofe in Egypt with much auckwardnesse and backwardnesse wee forsake the one to save the other how dearelie soever wee prise these wordlie commodities yet wee set life at an higher rate and gladly fell all that wee have to purchase this Iewell Doe not thou then staine the glorious Splendor of this pretious jem by vitious living much more take heede thou prove not a Rebell against GOD by a willfull destroying of his workeman-ship doe not thou eyther for the avoyding of evill or procuring of good lay violent hands upon thy selfe least seeking to shunne a temporall calamitie thou fall into an eternall misery like the fish that leapeth out of the broyling Pan into the burning flame The Crocadiles of Nilus pursue such only as flie from them but flie such as stand to them so doth the Devill if hee bee resisted hee turneth his backe and onely preasseth upon such as give him ground Give not place therefore to the Devill Ephel 4.27 nor to such horrible motions as he will bee ready to suggest â—ohn 5.39 but have recourse to the Scriptures search them for the sweete and gracious comforts which they afford arme thy selfe with a constant faith in them Ephes 6.16 and so shalt thou bee able to quench all the fiery Darts of Satan doe thou stoutlie and valiantly resist him Iam. 4.7 and hee will flie from thee but if thou yeeld unto him thou must needs fal into his fearefull Snares and offer violence to that which should be most charily preserved and wilfully perish by thine owne hand SHALL wee receive good at the hand of God and not receive evill Iob 11. ver 10. 2 GOD alone knowes best When to wound and when to heale Deu 32.39 when to kill and when to make alive when to afflict with sorrow when to send comfort thus doth hee many times deale with his deare Children putting into all their Cups of comfort and contentment the bitter drams of sorrow and greife And all this to teach us not to expect any perpetuity of felicity heere wee are all subject to vicissitude change and alteration and what wee are to day wee cannot say with warrant and make it good that wee shall bee the same to morrow Doe thou therefore from hence learne how to entertaine comforts when GOD sends them to use them