OBSERVATIONS DIVINE AND MORALL FOR THE FURTHERING of knowledg and vertue By Iohn Robbinson Prov. 9. 9. Give Instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser teach a just man and he will encrease in learning Printed in the year M. DC XXV THE PREFACE IN framing these myne OBSERVATIONS Christian Reader I have had as is meet first and most regard to the holy Scriptures in which respect I call them DIVINE next to the memorable Sayings of wise learned men which I have read or heard and carefully stored up as a pretious treasure for mine own and others benefit and lastly to the great volume of mens manners which I have diligently observed and from them gathered no small part thereof having also had in the dayes of my pilgrimage speciall opportunitie of conversing with persons of divers nations estates and dispositions in great varietie The names of the authors specially known out of whom I gathered any thing I have for the most part expressed partly to give them their due and partly that the authoritie of their persons might procure freer passage for their worthy and wise sayings with others and make the deeper impression of them in the readers heart In the method I have been neyther curious nor altogether negligent as the reader may observ Now as this kinde of study and meditation hath been unto me full sweet and delightfull and that wherein I have often refreshed my soul and spirit amids many sad sorrowfull thoughts unto which God hath called me so if it may finde answerable acceptance with the christian Reader and a blessing from the Lord it is that which I humbly crave specially at his hands who both ministreth seed to the sower fruit to the reaper Amen IOHN ROBBINSON CAP. I. Of Mans knowledg of God THe Lord giveth wisdom and out of his mouth cometh knowledg and understanding saith Salomon and therein warneth us to lay our ear close to the mouth of God and when he speaketh once we may hear twice and having our closed hearts opened by his Spirit may attend to the words of grace and wisdom which proceed from him and are able to make us wise to salvation As all our wisdom to happinesse consists summarily in the knowledg of God and of our selues so is it not easie to determine whether of the two goes before the other But as neither can be without other in any competent or profitable measure or manner and as in vain the ey of the mind is lifted up to see God which is not fit to see it self so seem the reasons of most weight which prefer the knowledg of God to the first place For first God in his Word and Works is the rule and measure of mans goodnesse and man at his best but formed and reformed after Gods Image As in Nature the rule is before that which is to be ruled by it so must it be in our knowledg Secondly such is our in-bred pride and hipocrisie as that whilst we looke only upon our selus and upon other Creatures here below we think we are some-body for goodnesse and vertue but are then brought to that confusion in our selus which is requisite for our humiliation when we come to take some knowledg of the super-excellencie of God even as our bodily ey forth-with dazeleth being cast upon the bright Sun how quick and strong-sighted soever it seem whilst it is set onely upon earthly objects Thirdly so absolutely necessarie is the knowledg of God as that we can ascribe nothing as is meet unto him of whom and for whom we and all things are till we first know him in his Word and Works but even in our best devotions with the superstitious Athenians shall build our Altars to the unknown God and with the blinde Samaritans worship we know not what To conclude He that pretends the service of God yet knows him not in his Word and Works of Creation Redemption also wherein his face is seen is like him that counterfeits himself to be the houshold Servant of some great Lord whose face he never saw nor once came within his Court gates Some ambitious and curious wits but not able no marvail to raise up advance their notions to God his infinitenesse for the comprehending of it have laboured to depresse pull him down to their dwarfish conceptions of him and have indeed rather made him some great and giant like man or Angel then as he is in truth an infinite God allowing him an essence power and wisdom hugely great but not properly infinite and immence as though God could not be that which they cannot conceive of him The essence of God is known onely to himself but is undiscernable to all men and Angels partly by reason of its infinitenes which therefore no finite understanding can comprehend and partly for that no voice signe or form can sufficiently expresse it either to sence or reason And if God have placed such light glorie in some created bodies as that we cannot intentively fix our bodily ey upon them without dazeling what marvail is it though the ey of the understanding of all men and Angels dazle in the too curious intentive contemplation of his infinite infinitely glorious Majestie it self So as if the most wise learned Christians should with the heathen Phylosopher undertake to descry Gods being they would be compelled as he was after one daies respite to crave two and after two four so still to double the time with acknowledgment that the more they searched into it the more unsearchable it appeared Albeit the understanding of man though glorified cannot possibly comprehend Gods infinite being yet shall we coming to enjoy the blessed uision of God where of the Angels and Spirits of iust men perfited are made partakers know in a far both greater measure more excellent and immediate manner then now we do We now walk by faith not by sight as we then shall do We now see through a glasse darkly but then face to face knowing him even as we are known of him And for the present we are by the means of revelation vouchsafed us his Word Works partly within and partly without us to be led in our praiers praises meditations of God to such a being for the object thereof as in which first there is nothing which hath the least affinity with the imperfection found in any creature for the expressing whereof those attributes serve which we call negative as immortall invisible a spirit that is no body the like shewing what God is not though not what he is 2 Which is that eminently infinitely essentially which we in the creature call power wisdom goodnesse whatsoever els imports any perfection and thirdly which is that first fountain originall of all goodnes in all creatures And by these three stayers doth our understanding raise up it self frō created things
true goodnes He who gets this generall grace to have his heart indeed and seriously bent upon the course of piety towards God and innocency towards men the Lord wil not so far suffer to erre in his way as to misse of heauen in the end notwithstanding his particular aberrations of humayn frailty which God will cover under the veyl of his rich mercy by the persons sincere fayth and generall repentance CHAP. XXV Of Means MEans are so called of the middle place which they hold betweene the efficient and finall causes serving the one for the furthering and atcheiving of the other And so all creatures whether persons or things come under this account in respect of him from whom and for whom all things are God is able without meanes to doe whatsoever work of power he doth or can doe by them and the reason is playne for that he both creates and provides the meanes and also giues the blessing upon them by which they are avayleable Neyther if we minde it hath the Lord ever done greater workes then those which the hand of his power hath wrought eyther immediately or by meanes very weake and feeble which being improved by Gods omnipotency haue produced wonderfull effects Thus God and froggs could plague Pharaoh and all Egipt So can the H. Ghost and simple preaching make men wise unto salvation God often useth meanes verie weake and base not because he wants better but partly for his owne glory as first for the glorie of his goodnes that being so mightie and excellent in majestie he will vouchsafe to imploy them and secondly of his greatnes in bringing to passe what he will by them as he tould Gedeon the people were too many for him to saue Israel by when men make wars they geâ—t the powerfullest helps they can therein bewraying their owne weaknes whereas God on the contrary wanting no mans help oft times makes choyse of weake meanes as needing none Partly the Lord doth this for the means themselvs that they which God so farr honours specially for good to men should not be despised and partly for others that none should be overmuch affected with or to them To trust to means is Idolatry to abuse them want of wisdom or of conscience or both to neglect them eyther desperatenes when a man is without hope of good by them or presumptuous tempting of God when he expects good without them or sloath when he will not trouble himself with them With all which unthankfulnes to the Lord is joyned who provides them as helps against our infirmities and therewith profane sawcines also if with the contempt of the means which we have we long after such as we have not as did the Israelites in the wildernes in loathing manna and lusting after flesh and the Iewes in despiseing Christs miracles upon earth and desiring to see a signe from heaven of him We must then as one sayth mingle our owne sweate with faith to make a sweete odour withall to God For though his power be not bound to means yet his will bindes us to such as he in mercie affoardeth partly as helps of our fayth which need such glasses wherein to see Gods helping hand and partly to exercise our obedience and partly to stir up our diligence And this we must do the rayther for that when God purposeth good to or by a man eyther he commonly provides him means accordingly which when opportunity servs he expecteth he should use in good conscience for atteyning to the good unto which they as it were lead him which to neglect is to disobey a kynde of reall calling from God In the carefull use of naturall means we shew most wisdom and that we are not like beasts without understanding and of supernaturall means prayer and the like the most grace and that we are not as men which know not God A man must be sure in his most carefull use of means alwayes to bear in mynde the end for which he useth them that he be not like the messenger who so myndes his way as he forgets his errand To sever the means and end to which they lead ordinately is vanity in all courses in divine matters mere madnes He that sinning without repentance looks to escape hell separates the end from the means He that without fayth and obedience lookes for heauen separates the means from the end which he aymes at Both would pervert Gods word and work of providence CHAP. XXVI Of Labour and Idlenes GOD who would have our first father even in innocency and being Lord of the whole world to labour though without payne or wearisomnes in dressing the Garden and when he had sinned to eat his bread with the sweat of his brows would haue none of his sinfull posteritie lead their life in Idlenes no nor without exerciseing themselvs diligently in some lawfull calling or other I say diligently For as poore men play for recreation now and then so do rich men work But that sufficeth not For God who hath in the naturall body appointed unto every member its office and function which it is constantly to exercise would have no member in any societie or body of men ordinarily unimployed Neyther doth that man how great or rich soever keep a good conscience before God who makes labour but an accessorie and not a principall and that which takes up his ordinarie tyme. Man is borne to sore labour in body or minde as the spark to fly upward In heauen is onely rest without labour in hell restles payn and torment and as sin makes the earth which is between both liker to hell then heauen so God for sin hath given to the sons of man soar travail to afflict them upon earth And that in most wise and gratious providence considering the mischiefs that come by idlenes as The weakning of the endowments of nature whereas labour brings strength to the body and vigour to the mynde yea the consumption of grace as rust consumes the iron for want of using yea whereas idlenes brings bodily poverty like an armed man it brings not onely spirituall povertie in graces with it but withall a legion of vices like so many armed divels puffing up the flesh with pride and makeing the heart Sathans anvile who is commonly least idle when men are most whereon to forge a thowsand vanities and sinfull lusts as having a fit opportunity to perswade men to doe evill when he findes them doing nothing that so they who will not sweat in earth eyther with the labour of the hand or heart though king Alphonsus sayd that God and nature had given kings hands as well as other men might sweat in hell and that if they will not bear their part in the payns of men they might partake in the payns of the Divils Whereas on the contrary if we doe that which is good and well done though with labour and
certain destruction We must therefore in this scrutiny neither trust our selvs nor any other creature but God alone in the testimony of his Word Spirit which knows makes known the minde of God and by which we may unerringly learn First what the tokens of his love are and secondly who they are which partake of them and thirdly that we our selvs are of that blessed number Now amongst them all there is none so certain and infallible though those of feeling be more joifull as the gracious work of true repentance in the mortifying of the old man in his sinfull affections and in the quickning power of Christs Spirit to willing though weak obedience to all Gods Commandments As we may certainly know that the Sun shines by the beams and heat thereof below though we climbe not into Heauen to see so may we haue certain knowledge of Gods gracious love towards us without searching further then our own hearts and waies and by finding them truly and effectually turned from sin to God As God may so far hate some evill in a person for example the Adultrie of David and other sins accompanying it as to punish the same severely in this World and yet not hate the person himself so may he on the other side love some good in a man so far as to reward it highly in this life and neverthelesse not love but hate the person-in whom it is found as may be seen in the zeal of Iehu for the Lord against wicked Ahab and his House And if our narrow and partiall hearts can upon occasion hold and preserve this difference between persons and things how much more may and doth the same right well stand with the distribution of rewards and punishments made by the most holy and wise God As then when the Lord manifests some signes of his anger at us and hatred against the evils in us we must take heed we conclude not presently that therefore we in our persons are hated of him and cast-awaies except the evils raign in us without repentance so must we on the other side take more care considering how by selflove we are commonly in more danger thereof that we câ—oclude not of the love of God towards our persons from everie effect of some kinde of love and likeing of some particular good things in us and not except those good things be such as make us good also as Faith and holines do trans-forming us as it were into their Nature and kinde as in the Parable of the Wheat and Tares the good Seed is expounded the Children of the Kingdom because they grow of the good Seed of the Gospel and by their regeneration as it were turn verie Word and Spirit CAP. III. Of Gods promises THe promises of God are a kinde of midle thing between his purpose and performance of good unto them whom he loveth And as wicked Iezabel could not satisfie her hatred of Elyas the Prophet in intending evill to him and executing it upon him in time as she could unlesse with all she thundred out against him terrible threatnings in the mean while So much lesse can the love of our good God satisfie it self in a gracious purpose of good towards us in his heart and actuall performance of it accordingly in due time except with all he make it known unto us before hand both for our present comfort in the knowledg thereof and for the ground of our hope and expectation of the good things promised and accordingly to be receaved at his hands in their time He haveing by his promise bound over unto us both his love and truth and other Attributes for performance And herein the Lord provides verie graciously for his poore Servants who are oft-times brought into that distressed state both outward and inward as they have verie litle els save the promises of God wherewith to comfort themselvs Which yet are sufficient if we improve them as we ought considering first his love moveing him to promise and the unchangeablenesse of it secondly his wisdom directing him to promise nothing unfit thirdly his power enabling him and fourthly his truth bindeing him to all performance In regard whereof God hath made himself a debtor though not by receaving from us yet by promising unto us promise being as we say due debt God ever performeth what and as he promiseth and not one good thing for another as some think no not Heauenly for Earthly nor a greater good for a lesse For howsoever so to do might stand with his bountie and goodnesse yet his truth bindes him to his Word which is Truth Spirituall good things necessarily accompanying Salvation he promiseth absolutely unto his other good things ordinarily upon condition Which considering that through our abuse of them they may prove prejudiciall to our Spirituall man if so be the Lord should promise absolutely as the former it were many times indeed not to promise a benefit but to threaten a hurt rather And truly we may observe in the dangerous fals miscariages of the wise Salomon unto whom temporall good things were absolutely promised in the fullest measure and accordingly performed how graciously our wise and good God provides for our slipperie state in scantling his promise of good things of that kinde to our Spirituall skill and care of useing them for the advantage of our true and eternall happinesse We are therefore first to beware that we expect not absolutely temporall prosperitie lest by so doing we both wrong the Lords truth and our own Faith in the things promised indeed by doubting of them because we have failed of obtaining of other things by us presumed of but not promised by the Lord. Secondly We must as firmly beleeve and expect the performance of temporall promises as the Lord hath made them as of eternall For albeit his loue do not manifest it self in like degree in promiseing both yet his truth is alike bound to exhibit both being once promised Neither is that person in earnest with God who pretending Faith for eternall good things yet dare not trust his Word for temporall Such as despise Heavenly things and loue earthly usually pretend their trusting of God for the former of which they are indeed profanely secure but will trust themselvs and their own fingers for Earthly which in truth they set by I must therefore thus conclude with my self touching those matters Seeing God hath promised all good things to them that love him If this or that bodily good thing good in it self be indeed for my good I shall receave it from him in due time And if I receave it not it is a reall testimonie from him that indeed it is not good for me how much soever I desire it As Gods goodnesse shines most clearly in his promises so mans perversnesse abuseth and misapplieth them above all other parts of his Word A great many divide Gods promises from the other parts of his revealed
person that sinneth with all his parts and powers of soul and body is Gods work so is the preservation and sustentation of both person and personall abilities so is the naturall motion it self whether within or without the person in which the sin is like the halting in the Horses going and lastly so is not onely the voluntarie permission of the sin which he could easily hinder by his omnipotent power if he would oppose it but also the ordering both of sin and sinner to his own supernaturall ends For example The act of Iudah and Thamar morally considered was sinfull and impure but naturally good and blessed of God with a Son of whom Christ came according to the flesh So the abhominable sins of Absolom were ordered of God unto most just punishments of the sins of his Father David There is a two-fold use of the world and works of God in it the one naturall the other supernaturall The former is common to men with beasts who are alike cherished with the heat and influence of the Sun alike nourished by the Fruits of the Earth The other is peculiar to men with the holy Angels by which they behold the face of the Creators power wisdom goodnesse c. as in a most clear Looking-glasse and are provoked accordingly to praise and glorifie him in his wonderfull works even as by beholding some curious piece of workmanship much more if therewith we have singular use of it of a skilfull Artificer we are led in the view of the work to the commendation of the workman And look how much the Soul excelleth the body yea the Spirituall man the naturall so much is this use of Gods creatures more excellent then the former And so the opinion of the Philosopher who thought he was born to look upon the Sun and Heavens was not wide but short nor absurd but defective For he should have pierced further even through the Heavens unto him that made and governs them whose glorious power and goodnesse shineth in them that so he might have glorified him as God in his works For though by that glimpse of light in the Creatures we cannot attain to the knowledg of God as our Father in Christ yet are we both to honour him according to it and to be provoked by it to further search and enquirie after him in such means of revelation as by which he further manifests himself which are his Word and Gospel of Salvation Even as he that lying in a dark Dungeon spies some small glimpse of light will groap toward it by the wall hoping to finde some dore or window by which it comes in For neglect of this the verie wisest of the Heathens were left inexcusable and not glorifying God whom they knew in his works of creation of the World but vanishing in their own imaginations and serving the Creature rather then the Creator who is blessed for ever were given over of God to a minde void of judgment to do the things which are inconvenient Now of how much sorer punishment shall we be guiltie if together with this lesser glimpse of Divine light by the creatures we despise also the more glorious light of the Gospel not honouring God aright either as our powerfull Creatour or mercifull Redeemer by Christ Iesus But if we so honour him and make him great in our own hearts and before men what we can as he hath manifested and made known himself in his Word and Works he will honour us with himself for ever in glorie CAP. V. Of created goodnesse EVerie thing that is and hath being is in that regard good and of God The naturall parts and powers of body and Soul of most wicked men remain in themselvs notwithstanding all infection of evill in them Gods good Creatures so do the naturall acts and motions of those parts and powers in themselvs considered notwithstanding any morall accessorie of evill in them ariseing either from the evill affection wherewith or unlawfull object upon which they are performed There can be no evill in the Work which is not first in the Worker as the cause And so a wicked person being worse then a wicked action if the sin prevail not so far as to make the part or facultie of the person in which it is to cease to be a part or power created of God neither doth it so far prevail in the action or work as to make it cease to be in it self a created motion and therein a naturall good thing God is and so by all is to be acknowledged for the giver of everie good gift that is of everie thing save sin which sin is nothing that hath being in nature but an absence of and crosnesse to that which should be as darknesse is of and unto light And so the good Father would not say that his Mother gave him Milk but God by her And though the good which we enjoy come unto us by never so ready and ample means yet must we alwaies religiously minde that both the means are of Gods raysing and ordering and the blessing upon them for our good And if Iob saw by Faith that all the evils and harms that came unto him and his though by the Divels and wicked mens means were from the Lord as supream orderer of all things how much more should we look upon God as the Authour and worker of all the good that befalleth us Notwithstanding if God so far honour any persons as to make them hands and instruments specially voluntarie for the reaching of any blessing unto us from himself we also and that even therefore are to love and honour them as David not onely blessed the Lord as the Authour but Abigail also as the Minister of the good counsell which she gave him for the not avenging of himself upon Nabal Actions besides their naturall entitie or being are by one distinguished and that aptly according to a four-fold goodnesse First An action is sometimes good in it self and to them to whom it is done but not to the doer as works of mercie done but not for God Secondly Good in it self and in the doer but not to him to whom it is done as the Preaching of the Word to them that despise it Thirdly Good in it self and the doers and to them to whom it is done as the same Preaching to him that receivs it Fourthly Though neither good in it self nor in the doer nor for him to whom it is done as an evill or injurie yet good as it is ordered by God to an end supernaturally good Who as saith another would not suffer evill but as knowing how to work good out of it In actions of the third kinde onely goodnesse is entire in all it parts and relations A man should never glorie in that good how great soever which is common to a beast with him nor a wise man in that which is common to a fool with him no
nor a good man in that which is common to a wicked man with him seeing notwithstanding it the person may be out of Gods fauour and accursed And therefore Christ our Lord would not have his Disciples rejoyce or glorie that the Divels were subiect unto them which was though much yet common to the workers of iniquitie with them but that their names were written in Heaven Many so measure the good which they affoard others by the list of their own will as they deceav themselvs in the whole piece of their goodnesse by the bad list that goes about it They will do what good they list and when they list and where they list and as they list as though their goodnesse were not due debt though not immediately to men yet to God and so to men for and according unto God for whom even they ow love to all men who ow nothing els to any and the same upon Bill and therefore to be payed in Law whensoever and by whomsoever the Lord will call for it and not when and as pleaseth them These conditions are requisite that we may do well in doing good First we must do things in obedience to Gods Commandments and in honour of his Name and Gospel and must ever have that end in our ey as Archers have their Mark. Secondly That we do it at all times as we have opportunitie sowing our Seed in the Morning and in the Euening not holding our hand We must beware of that agueish goodnesse which comes by fits onely and when men are pleased for so they say the Divel is good Thirdly We must do good readily and whilst we have opportunitie not saying to our neighbour go and come again to morrow and we will do it if it be in our power to day For who knoweth what a day will bring forth and whether the opportunitie of doing good will continue till to morrow or no He that giveth or doth other good readily giveth twice He scarce once or at all that doth it slackly He rather in truth suffers a good turn to be drawn from him then doth it Living springs send out streams of water Dead pits must have all that they affoard drawn out with buckets We should therefore have the minde though we want the abilitie of Theodosius the Emperour who did much good upon request but more of his own accord and unasked and so meet as one saith a just request in the teeth and grant it before it be made as God many times doth ours He that defers a good turn looseth two things the time and manifestation of a loving affection Both which are precious And without which loving affection all the kindnesses which we shew to any are but so many false witnesses to the unbeleeving and unkind heart Fourthly According to our abilitie knowing that as our receavings are from God greater or lesse so must our accounts be for good doing It is true that God lookes to the heart of the doer and measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the work but this according to that which a man hath Els albeit poore men may love as much as the richer though they have not so much money to do good withall yet is not the will good except they do the good they are able And this our abilitie we must not measure according to our wantonnesse and unbelief but according to the truth of the thing and equitie of the case which is that our superfluities give way to our brethrens conveniencies our conveniencies to their necessities yea even our though great necessities to their extreamities for the supplying of them Fifthly We must have respect to mens present wants and not onely consider what we can best spare but withall what they stand most need of as having learnt of our Lord and Master in his Gospel that our dutie is to feed the hungry cloath the naked visit the sick c. as their need is whereby we may do a great good turn in a small matter even one loaf yea a shive to him that is hungry and the shewing of a spring of water to him that is thirstie being a benefit Sixthly We must do good to all knowing that wheresoever a man is there is place for a good turn but more specially to some according to the singular bond Naturall Civill or Religious wherewith God hath tied us together To good men we must do good because they do deserv it to strangers because they may deserv it and do stand in need of it to all men because God deservs it at our hands for them to our friends because we ow it them and to our enemies to heap coals of fire upon their heads the coals of charitie to thaw and soften their hardnesse if it may be and at which we must aim or els the coals of anger from God for their unplacablenesse towards us Lastly A good man how gracious soever and readie to do good guideth his affairs with discretion not sowing his seed in barren ground by bestowing favours without difference for that is rather to throw away then to bestow a benefit And it is not the least difference between mans good nature and Gods good grace that whereas the former makes men much-what alike kind to all the latter though also to all yet with great difference put between person and person as men sow their seed diversly in soils that differ Although this good nature and the grace of God be as different as Heaven and Earth the one being of our selvs that is of nature created and the other the gift of God by supernaturall grace and that a man be neither the neerer God for his good nature where the grace of God is wanting nor the further of for his ill where it pleaseth God to use his alsufficient work of grace yet the sweet and kind naturall disposition in some much advantageth the manifestation of their smaller measure which an ill nature as we speak so much obscures as it can scarse be seen of other men though the Lords ey peirce through all such humain prejudices It is the main order which God hath set both in grace and nature that the superiour should do good to the inferiour So God doth good to all and receavs good from none Our goodnesse reacheth not to him The Sun and Stars give their light and influence to the Earth but receav no thing back from it Parents lay up for their Children not Children for their Parents And for this end God bestows good things both inward and outward upon some above others in ample measure that their aboundance might supply the others want It were good for other men that the Mightie of the Earth duly considered this but better for themselvs as it is better to do good to others then to receav good from them But this most wise and
fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire The oppositions intended in Scriptures are diligently to be observed upon mistaking whereof errour followeth upon neglect maimed obedience For example The Apostle in teaching that there is but one God the Father and one Lord Iesus Christ doth not oppose the Father to the Son nor the Son to the Father for either is God either Lord but both to all whether Creatures or Idols So where Christ bids his Apostles baptize them that beleev he doth not exclude their infants but such as beleev not the Gospel being preached unto them Likewise where Paul saith of the incestuous man that he was rebuked of many he opposeth not many to all as some conceav but to one viz. himself Lastly He that will expound the Scriptures ought in honour of the graces of God bestowed upon other men and in conscience of his own infirmitie with the holy use of other means to joyn the reading and searching of the commentaries expositions of such speciall Instruments as God in mercie hath raised up for the opening of them and edifying of the Church thereby remembring alwaies that the Word of God neither came from him nor to him alone He that depends too much upon other mens judgment makes as if the Word of God came not to himself at all He that neglects it as if it came to him onely Of which two evils the latter is so much the worse as arrogancie in a mans self is more odious both to God and men then either slacknesse in examining or dulnesse in discerning or excessive fear of departing from the opinion specially receaved of others It is strange and lamentable that in the great profession of the Scriptures made in our dayes so many should be ignorant of the difference between the Law and the Gospel of which two heads the Scriptures consist making the Gospel nothing els but a more favourable and easie Law and thereby transforming grace into nature a promise to be receaved into a commandment to be fulfilled and the offering of new life even the life of Christ into the exacting of old and due debt onely God as an absolute Lord gives his holy Law saying Do this and live and therein properly exacts obedience as a naturall debt of the reasonable creature thereunto enabled by creation But as a gracious Father publisheth the Gospel in it offering help to the miserable and helplesse creature and working withall according to the election of grace power will to receav the help and hand offered This if many considered as they ought they would not as they do plead the power of mans free-will in Spirituall things against the free grace of God nor exclude as some of them do the infants of beleevers from the covenant and baptism of the Church as though God could not shew grace because they cannot shew free-will to receav it The utmost ordinarie means of revelation of Gods will for mans salvation and happines is the Gospell When the Law written in mans heart by creation was almost worn out God gave it written in tables of stone But life and freedom from sin and death being impossible to the Law in that it was weak through the flesh and all men by it whether considered as written in tables of stone or of the heart by creation comming short of the glory of God it hath pleased the same God by the Gospell of his son Christ to provide a gracious remedy that the sick to death by the justice of the Law might be cured yea the dead revived by the grace of the Gospell and mercy of God therein And other remedy besides and beyond this for the obteyning of salvation God hath not revealed He that fulfils not the righteousnesse of the Law violates Gods justice but remaining obstinate against the grace of the Gospel also he despises with Gods justice his mercy and his authority in both And what remains for such but a fearful expectation of the work of his terrible power of the revelation of his wrath from Heaven against all specially such ungodlinesse of men For if the word of the Law spoken by Angels was steadfast and everie transgression and disobedience receaved a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation of the Gospel which at first began to be preached by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him CAP. IX Of Authoritie and Reason AVthoritie leads us to the Authour of a thing and bids us rest in his word whether for credence to his relation or obedience to his commandment Reason wils us to look to the thing it self and to the arguments for or against it taken either from common sense or naturall principles and conclusions or other undoubted grounds of truth or goodnesse of matter The ground in Authoritie is in a sort personall in Reason reall It is a kind of impeachment of Authoritie to examine the Reasons of things so is it a prejudice to Reasons work to call Authoritie to counsell save onely when God speaks for then the Authoritie justifies the Reason and Reason bids receav the Authoritie and do all things commanded without reasonings The Authoritie and credit of him that relates a matter whether man or Angel yea or God himself makes it not the truer in it self but the more readily to be beleeved by them that hear it The testimonie of God in his Word that in the beginning he made the World of nothing and will judg men and Angels at that day by Iesus Christ is onely therefore true in it self because God indeed hath done the one and will do the other but is therefore by us to be beleeved as true because he so testifies in his Word Divine Authoritie is to sway with us aboue all Reason yea Reason teacheth that God is both to be beleeved and obeyed in the things for which man can see no Reason And hence it is that the Lord hath so severely punished mens transgressing his Laws of Ceremonies and Divine Institutions called by the Schoolmen voluntarie precepts for that in commanding of them Gods absolute Authoritie most clearly appears and mans pure obedience in observing them Humain Authoritie hath more or lesse weight according to the worth of the person or other circumstances But as the moneys of all men high and low good and bad are alike so are the Reasons The meanest mans Reason specially in matter of Faith and obedience to God is to be preferred before all Authoritie of all men I say specially of Faith yet not excluding other subjects For though I will and ought to do some things simply because I am commanded yet I will not therefore simply beleev that any thing is good in it self And albeit I am bound to obey humain Authoritie in sundry things for the commanding of which I know no Reason yea know there is no Reason yet know I Reason for mine
to be The advised consideration partly of the cause and partly of the end which the Lord will make aboundantly sweetens all the sowrnes of the reproaches which he suffers and such a one may know himself to have atteyned to the highest pitch of Christianitie and conformitie with Christ when for wel-doing he is ill dealt with It is kingly sayth one say we Christian like to do well and to be ill spoken of Yet is it not enough that when we are slaundred we be from under the desert of it directly but we must withall consider whether we have not drawn it upon our selvs deservedly in regard of God by slaundering others that so God payes us home in our kinde or by some other scandalous sin which the Lord will punish in us by slaunderous tongues as he did David by Shemei or whether we have not given vehement occasion of mens suspecting us and so accusing our selvs as one sayth of suspicion what marvayl if others think and speak evill of us CHAP. XLII Of Flatterie THE reproof by Diogenes is not more known then just upon flatterers that as tyrants are the worst of all wild beasts so are they of all tame And yet there is and the same verie common a worse beast then eyther of them severally to wit a monster-gendred of them both Men flatter their superiours or others able to oppose them to the intent they may tyrannize over their inferiours the more freely without danger or fear and so become both flatterers and tyrants A man needs no other flatterer then his own partiall heart to infatuate him Notwithstanding though few would rayther buy a false then a true glasse to see their faces in yet how fewer are there so truely haâ—eing their own vices as that they had not rayther seek or at least enterteyn such freinds as may rayther cover their faults by flatterie then cure them by faythfull reproofs And this benefit men of a poore and despised condition may set against divers miseryes incident thereunto that they are thereby out of danger of being much flattered Every one will be bould to call a poore man fool or knave and to speak of and to him all the ill which he knows more also Whereas the rich and mightie in the world are for the most part soothed up to their destruction as the fat ox is clawed by the same hand that strikes him down And this is just from God upon the most of them because they desire rayther to be pleased by flatteries then bettered by hearing the truth Few coming near Davids order will say as he did Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindenes let him reprove me it shall be a pretious oyl Where yet the excuse is not nothing which the Phylosopher makes that as worms soonest breed in soft and sweet woods so gentle and noble spirits do most easily admit flatteryes He that reads the Epistles dedicatorie of learned meâ—s books in all faculties divinitie not excepted if eyther he knew not the contrarie by experience or suspected not how easily ambition the canker of learning and mother of flatterie might grow in learned mens breasts would soon be brought to think that almost all the great men in the world were so good so vertuous so religious such so wise and worthy patriots as nothing more could be wished or hoped for But how oft God and men know whilst they labour to honour many of them unjustly do they most justly shame themselvs in proclayming those things of their benefactours to the world with all confidence which a modest man that knows the persons cannot read without blushing and giving men just cause to suspect as Lactantius speaks of a Philosopher in Bithynia writing against Christians and pouring out himself into the prayses of persequuting princes that oft times they write their books rayther to flatter in their prefaces then for other matters prosequâ—ted in the treatises themselvs Flatterie is in all cases and persons a base sin and which will make one man dog-like to fawn upon another for a morsell of bread But in the ministers of Gods holy word above all other men it is most pernitious For whereas in other cases a man makes himself a claw-back in this he makes God himself in whose name he speaks no better what in him lyes Besides that he turns into deadly poyson the onely sovereign medcine of the soul. This made the Apostle take God to witnesse that he never used flattering words and to protest against others that they in doing it served not the Lord Iesus but their own bellyes Such are not to be accounted the servants of Christ whom they make their stayl nor yet of their flattered Lords and maysters how lowd soever they professe themselvs their obedient servants but they have a base mayster whom they serve and are ashamed to own their belly and the divell in it It is not for nothing that the prophets and Apostles have so thundered against the flatterers of the mightie who both look so much for it as that they think themselvs half maligned and envyed if they be but sparingly flattered and yet are so deeply endangered by it Here notwithstanding we must beware that to avoyd the note of flatterers we become not raylers affecting to speak evill of dignities eyther in pride as many scorn to flatter that is love to revile or out of discontentment in our selvs or to nourish it in others CHAP. XLIII Of Suspicion SVspicion as it is commonly taken is as it were a looking under an hidden thing with an inclination to judg it evill and amisse It sets the person suspected in a kinde of middle state but something bended the worse way and neyther quit because he is suspected nor condemned because he is but suspected He that should deal by all persons and things as Caesar did by his wife whom he put away because she was suspected of uncleannes though solemnly cleared in judgment should leav himself neyther friend nor wit nor honestie neyther For all these and whatsoever els he hath that good is are subject to unjust suspicion by others Suspicion indeed how unjust so ever is a blemish and so may justly occasion refusall where there is free libertie but not rejection in way of punishment This is to right a former wrong by a second greater Some suspect all men and some none both are in fault the former in the more sinfull fault the latter in the more honest but more dangerous to themselvs And yet even for that there want not who by causlesse suspicion teach their servants friends yea wives and children also to deceav them For many respecting more their credit with men then a good conscience before God by being suspected though causlesly grow desperate yea think themselvs half priviledged to deceav them that suspect them seeing that by so doing they but become that which they
of the spirit of God which searcheth the minde of God and so acquaynts him therewith in whom it dwels and also because such a disposition hath fayth not onely joyned with it as a companion but as the very parent of it which fayth on mans part ever presupposeth a promise on Gods From the use and fruit of this heavenly grace of prayer nothing can keep him that keeps himself in the favour of God though many things can from other exercises of religion Not want of fellowship of men nor solitarines of place nor depth of dungeon nor darknes of the night nor thicknes of wals neyther but his devout prayers will finde way of ascending unto God Blessed be his name who hath provided for his poore servants in their most dolefull and desolate estate this ready means of divine comfort whereof they in whom his spirit dwels cannot possibly be deprived Prayer in secret and by him that is alone with God hath these advantages above that which is publique and in the church First that it is lesse in danger of the taynt of hypocrisy The proud Pharisee as well as the humble publican goes to the temple to pray And the hypocrites love to pray standing in the Synagoguâ—s and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men He that prayes in secret doth it to be seen of God Secondly In private a christian may descend to such particulars as in publique or before others he will not nor ought to mention Thirdly He may in private use such expressions and outward manifestations for the better passage of his hearts affection specially being perplexed with sorrow or fear as before others were unseemly and immodest In that day of the great mourning in Ierusalem when they shall look upon him whom they have peirced and shall mourn for him in bitternes everie house and family shall mourn apart and their wives apart On the other side publique prayer wants not its prerogatives as first that it is performed in the order and ordinance of the church which the other is not Secondly that in the Church and Congregation many agreeing touching a thing to be asked have a speciall promise that it shall be done for them of their father in heaven upon whom they set by their prayers as it were in a troup Lastly in our publique prayers and prayses of God we do give testimonie of his providence in governing the world and all our affayrs and that he is present with his Church and hears their requests for the convinceing of Atheists and Epicures and confirmation of others in beleeving undoubtedly his care over his people and servants CHAP. XLIX Of Oaths and Lots THere is great affinity between an Oath and a Lot Both the one and other serv to end controversies and cause contentions to cease not easily or conveniently otherwise to be decided In both men as it were renounce themselvs and all other creatures and appeal to Gods speciall providence In an oath we appeal to God as a wise and righteous witnesse and judg knowing what is truth and hating and punishing falshood and lyes In a Lot we appeal to God as to an absolute Lord for the disposing of persons and things by his more singular work of providence unto which alone he that casts the Lot referrs himself if he mock not both God and man wholy renounceing his own wit and skil every way for the furthering of this chance event or Lot rayther then that Some may be and are too scrupulous in both But a thousand times more are too profanely prodigall of the one and other In an oath we desire God as the searcher of hearts and patron of truth to testifie with us that we deceav not and withall to take vengeance on us if we do deceav It is a part of Gods worship though much used civily as civill things are religiously in which we make clear and solemn confession of Gods presence wisdom truth justice and omnipotency There is in it no shadow of any shadow or type and therefore no colour why it should not be morall and perpetuall and as lawfull for us now as for the Church before Christ. It must be taken in truth in wisdom and in righteousnes In truth of thing so the same known to him that takes it in an oath assertory and with firm purpose of heart in an oath promisorie There are sayth one three bonds or degrees of confirmation of truth First a bare affirmation Secondly an assertion Thirdly an oath In the first of the three we onely give our word as they say by yea or nay and whatsoever is above this to wit in ordinary communication is of evill When our bare word will not be taken and the weight of the matter requires it we do pawn our best jewels as our truth fayth and veritie in an asseveration as Christ our Lord confirmed divers his weightie sayings with a doubled Amen But now if men will not accept of our pledg neyther we procure God for our surety in an oath unto whose justice we also enter counter-bond for punishment by him if we deceav And an oath being the strongest bond of truth that is and so avowed by God himself who when he would confirm unto the heyrs of promise the immutabilitie of his counsayl when he had no stronger bond interposed an oath and sware and when he had no greater to swear by sware by himself it followeth that they who are eyther without conscience what they swear or can dispence or be dispensed with in their consciences having sworn though to their own hinderance are both impious towards God and treaâ—herous to men and such as do really out-law themselvs from all humayn societies as neyther deserving credit with them nor fellowship amongst them Secondly we must swear in judgment with prudent consideration of the thing together with the circumstances to which we so streytly bynde our selvs as in an oath promissorie first that it be possible unto us els we mock both men to whom and God by whom we swear Secondly that the thing be lawfull which we tye our selvs unto To bynde our selvs to that which is evill by an oath is to make sure work to do evill Lastly the matter must be of some weight and such as becomes the Majestie of God whom we thus far interest in it Now what Christian heart any way tender of Gods glorie bleeds not at the worlds impietie this way which fears not to call the glorious majestie of God to witnesse upon such trifling occasions as for which no wise man but would be ashamed to call his meanest neighbour yea or servant eyther Lastly we must swear in righteousnes that is both according to his meaning being made known unto us to whom and for whose satisfaction we swear as also for warrantable and good ends as the glory of God our own and others
a great evill be committed in a small matter Hereupon he that but gathered sticks on the Sabaoth with a high hand viz. in contempt of Moses and of God in him was to be stoned to death without mercy The sin is also greater as the temptation or occasion is lesse and therefore the rich man that having many sheep of his own took his poore neighbours lamb to enterteyn his stranger withall was adjudged worthy of death whether we take the words as they seemed to David or as Nathan meant them Likewise the forecasting of evill exceedingly aggrevates it as with him who devised mischeif upon his bed and after set himself in a way to practise it Others are overtaken by sin but such overtake sin So doth it not a litle if men sin that they may sin as it seems many swear that they may swear and as Austin confesseth of himself that being a boy he stole apples and cast them away when he had done He stole that he might steal Lastly sin becomes more sinfull if it have scandall and offence of men or other damage joyned with it Yet even for the least sin if any sin by any being against Gods infinite majestie may be accounted litle if God should presse the same upon the conscience and suffer Sathan to urge it to the full it would be a burthen intollerable and such as neyther the heavens could bear for the angels that sinned were cast from thence nor paradise for Adam for transgression was driven from thence nor the earth for that swallowed up Dathan and Abiram for their sin neyther could any men or angels undergo it without being born down into the bottom of hell by it and there onely it rests as in its proper center Happy are they who in the sense and feeling of the intollerable burthen therof come to Christ by fayth that he may ease them The sin against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven in this world or the world to come is not onely committed by them who have sometimes professed the gospell but by others also though never coming so far but being convinced of the truth thereof do maliciously hate blaspheme and persecute it and therein sin against the work of the Holy Ghost in their own hearts And this Christ insinuates against the Scribes Pharisees who yet never came to professe Christianitie The reason of the 〈◊〉 of this sin is not any deâ—ect eyther in the mercy of God or merâ—â—s of Christ as though the evill in it were greater then the good in them but for that God hath sâ—t those boâ—nds of his grace and mercy that he will never voâ—câ—â—afe fayth and repenâ—â—â—ce to that person who once so despyteth his spirit in that its holy work And considering how oft the Scriptures speak of this sin not onely for warning of persons in themselvs but also for direction â—oâ—ching others so â—inning it is to be feared that the same is more ordinarie where the gospell is preached then the most make account of and that many malitiously haâ—eing and persequuting specially after some singular profession made and forsaken true and conscionable gospellers would do the same by the gospell it self if they were not restreyned by fear of men and shame of the times The Lord oftens punisheth men in the same kinde wherein they have sinned and causeth to be â—eaâ—â—d unto them with the measure wherewith they meat to others Thus he drâ—â—â—ed Phâ—raoâ— in the sea who had formerly drowned the Israelitish infants and served king Aâ—oâ—â—bezek as he had served other kings before And this God doth to make his justice the more conspicuous and that mens punishments may be as glasses wherein their sins may be seen more clearly if not for their repentance yet for the warning of others When I seriously weigh and consider the fearfull greivous punishments which God so good and gratious hath partly exequuted in this life as upon the old world Sodom and Gomorrah Corah and his company and the like and partly threatned as in the end of this life in the soul so in the end of the world both in soul and body and the same for measure intollerable and endles in continuance Lord think I what sin can procure such punishment But when on the contrarie I consider the horrible contempt of God his word even in them to whom it is dayly and diligently offered Lord think I what punishment can be sufficient for such sin What is it then Man is fearfully wicked in sinning and God fearfully just in punishing where by fayth and repentance mercy is not obteyned My flesh trembleth for dread of thee and I fear for thy judgments CHAP. LIII Of Rewards and punishments by men MEN that are able and ready accordingly to reward the vertues of good men and well-deserving do therein not onely give them and God in them their due but doe give others incouragement also to apply themselvs to vertuous courses which finde so good acceptance and reward at mens hands specially at theirs who are of place and abilitie in the world Whereas on the contrarie for such to favour wicked and leaud persons is really to invite and perswade men to evill and litle better then plainly to hyre both them and others to doe naughtily The former in that their approbation and remuneration of goodnes and vertue bear the Image of God who plenteously rewards the well-doers the latter plainly resemble the divell who offered Christ the glorie of the kingdoms of the earth if he would fall down and worship him It is a known and approved saying that by rewards and punishments societies are preserved And of these two though occasion of rewards be more to be desired yet the exequution of punishments is more diligently to be looked unto for the preserving of humayn societies The reason is because whereas vertue as the phylosopher sayd rewards it self or more truely if it be true expects it reward from God vice and vileny on the contrary can be restreyned in the most and worst onely by the fear of punishment Neyther serv humayn laws to make men good but to keep them from such outrages and extreamities of evill as into which otherwise they were in danger to break The speciall use of the law of God it self where by his spirit he puts it not in mens minde and writes it not in their hearts is to restreyn lawlesse persons as murtherers whoremongers and the like how much more of mens There is then a mercifull crueltie when men save by severitie the persons themselvs that are punished and others also the punishment reaching to one or a few and the fear and warning to many There is on the other side a cruell mercy when men by spareing spoyl both the persons offending and others who by their impunity take boldnes to offend This foolish pitty spoyls the cittie if the magistrate use it so doth the