that one slender word all the greatness of the rest is included the King being the Fountain of Honour from whence all their glory is derived Thus it is that if all the created goodnesse all the Priviledges of Gods children all the Kingdomes of the Earth and the glory of them were to be presented at one view they would all appear as nothing and emptiness in comparison of the excellency and fullness that is to be found in Christ Iesus The Ministers joy in the conversion of Souls IF it cannot but delight the Husbandman when he seeth his plants grow his fruits ripen his Trees flourish If it must needs rejoice the Shepheard to behold his sheep sound fat and fertile If it glad the heart of a Schoolmaster or Tutor to observe his Schollers thrive in Learning and encrease in knowledg It must needs be matter of abundant joy to any Minister of the Gospell when People are brought to Fellowship with God in Christ Iesus when they are as it were snatched out of the slavery of sin the jaws of Death and Hell and brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God then it is that he may be said to reap the fruits of his labours in the great comfort of his own Soul Gods pardoning other Repentan◠Sinners a great motive to perswade us that he will pardon us also IF one should come to a Physitian of whom he hath had a large report of his skill and should meet with hundreths by the way such as were at that time his Patients and all of them should tell him how he hath cured and healed them of their severall infirmities this must needs encourage him to go on with confidence of his skill that he will recover him also So should every Repentant Sinner run to Christ the great Physitian of his Soul because so many thousands have been healed so many great Sinners have been forgiven such as Manasses Mary Magdalen S. Paul c. This may be a great motive to perswade us all that upon Repentance he is and will be ready to forgive us also according to that of the Apostle He hath shewed Mercy unto me that others might believe in God Men to be carefull in the triall of their Faith Whether it be sound or not IF one be told that his Corn is blasted that all the Trees in his Orchard are dead that all his Money is counterfeit that the deeds and Evidences upon which his Lands and whole estate depend are false it must needs affect him much and make him look about him to see if these things be so or no. And shall not Men look then to the Faith they have upon which depends the eternall Welfare of their immortall Souls seeing God accepteth none except it be sound effectuall lively and accompanied with good works such a Faith as worketh by love purifieth the heart and shews it self in fruits worthy amendment of life 1 Thes. 1. 3. Men not to be ashamed of their Godly Profession though the Wicked speak evill of them SUppose a Geometrician should be drawing of lines and Figures and there should come in some silly ignorant fellow who seeing him should laugh at him Would the Artist think you leave off his employment because of his derision Surely no For he knows that he laughs at him out of his ignorance as not knowing his Art and the grounds thereof Thus let no Man be ashamed of his godly Profession because Wicked Men speak evill of it And why do they so but because they understand it not it is strange to them they see the actions of Godly Men but the rules and principles that they go by they know not and hence is it that they throw dirt in the face of Religious profession but a Wife man will soon wipe it off again God ordering all things for the good of his Church PUt the case all were turned upside down as it was in the confused Chaos wherein Heaven and Earth were mingled together and the waters overcoming all the rest yet as when the Spirit of the Lord did but move upon the Waters many beautifull Creatures wee produced and the Sea divided from the rest so that those waters which then seemed to spoil all serve now to water all without which 〈◊〉 cannot possibly subsist Even so were the Church in never so confused 〈◊〉 yet God will in his great Wisedome so order the things that seem to undo us that they shall make much for us and bring forth something of speciall use for the Churches good something to water and make fruitfull the house and People of God Sin the godly Mans hatred thereof IT is said of the Dove that she is afraid of every Feather that hath grown upon on Hauk and brings as much terrour upon her as if the Hauk were present such a native dread is as it seems implanted in her that it detests and abhors the very sight of any such feather So the Godly man that hath conceived a detestation against Sin cannot endure any thing that belongs to it or that comes from it No not the least motion or inclination though it bring along with it never so fair pretences never so specious shews shall have the least welcome or entertainment Vanity of the Creature without God TAke a beam of the Sun the way to preserve it is not to keep it by it self the being of it depends upon the Sun take the Sun away and it perisheth for ever but yet though it should come to be obscured and so cut off for a while yet because the Sun remains still therefore when the Sun shines forth again it will be renewed again Such a thing is the Creature compared with God If you would preserve the Creature in it self it is impossible for it to stand like a broken glasse without a bottom it must fall and break It is well known that the being of an accident is more in the subject then in it self insomuch that to take away the subject the very separation is a destruction to it So it is with the Creature which hath no bottom of it self so as the sepaeration of it from God is the destruction of it as on the contrary the keeping of it close unto God though in a case that seems to be the ruine of it is its happinesse and perfection How it is that God is to every one of his Children alone IT is observed That a Mathematicall point hath no parts it is one indivisible For let a thousand lines come to one point every one hath the whole and ye◠there is but one that answers all because it is indivisible and every one hath all So it is with God though there be many thousands that he loves dearly yet every one of them hath the Lord wholly For that which is infinite hath no parts and therefore he bestowes himself
cause quoth he wherefore your fellow was condemned to death and therefore you must dye and to the third You Centurion because you have not learned to obey the voice of your General shall dye also for company Excogitaverat quomodo tria crimina faceret c. He devised how he might make three faults because he found not one But the just Iudge of all the world needs not do so with us no beating of his brains to invent an accusation against us he needs not draw three faults into one or find one where there is none there 's matter enough within us to condemn us our thoughts our words our deeds do yield him cause enough to pronounce the sentence of death upon us The giving up of our selves an acceptable Sacrifice to God IT is reported of Aeschines when he saw his fellow Scholars give great gifts to his Master Socrates he being poor and having nothing else to bestow did give himself to Socrates as confessing to be his in heart and good will and wholly at his devotion And the Philosopher took this most kindly esteeming it above all other presents and returned him love accordingly Even so the gratious disposition of our heavenly Father taketh in far better part then any man can take it the laying down of our souls the submitting of our selves unto his direction the melâ—ing of our wills down into his Will The Widows two mites were welcome into his Treasury because her heart was full though her purse were empty He accounteth that the best sacrifice which is of the heart External things do well but Internal things do far better Heaven worth contending for IF a man were assured that there were made for him a great purchase in Spain Turkey or some other parts more remote would be not adventure the dangers of the Seas and of his Enemies also if need were that he might come to the enjoyment of his own Well behold Iesus Christ hath made a purchase for us in Heaven and there is nothing required on our parts but that we will come and enjoy it Why then should we refuse any pains or fear any thing in the way nay we must strive to get in It may be that we shall be pinched in the entrance for the gate is strait and low not like the Gates of Princes lofty roof'd and arched so that we must be fain to leave our wealth behind us and the pleasures of this life behind us yet enter we must though we leave our skins nay our very lives behind us for the purchase that is made is worth ten thousand Worlds not all the silks of Persia â—ot all the spices of Egypt not all the gold of Ophir not all the Treasures of bot\â—h Indies are to be compared to it Who therefore would not contend for such a bargain though he sold all to have it Adoption of God's children known by their Sanctification FIre is known to be no painted or imaginary fire by two notes by heat and by the flame Now if the case so fall out that the fire want a slame it is stil known by the heat In like manner there be two witnesses of our adoption or sanctification Gods spirit and our spirit Now if it so fall out that a man feel not the Principal which is the spirit of adoption he must then have recourse to the second VVitness and search out in himself the signs and tokens of the sanctification of his own spirit by which he may certainly assure himself of his adoption as fire may be known to be fire by the heat though it want a flame The danger of Worldly mindedness IT is seen by experience that a man swiming in a River as long as he is able to hold up his head and keep it above water he is in no danger but safely swimeth and cometh to the shore with good contentment but if once his head for want of strength begin to dive then shaketh he the hearts of all that do behold him and himself may know that he is not far from death So is it in this wretched world and swimers of all sorts if the Lord give us strength to keep up our heads i. e. to love God and Religion above the world and before it and all the pleasures of it there is then no danger but after a time of swiming in it up and down we shall arrive in a firm place with happiness and safety but if once we dive and the head go under water if once the world get the victory and our hearts are set upon it and go under it in a sinful love and liking of it O then take heed of drowning Gods delight in a relapsed Sinners repentance AS a Husbandman delights much in that ground that after long barrenness becomes fruitful As a Captain loves that Souldier that once fled away cowardly and afterwards returns valiantly Even so God is wonderfully enamoured with a sinner that having once made shipwrack of a good Conscience yet at last returns and swims to Heaven upon the plank of Faith and Repentance Vnworthy Communicants condemned CHildren when they first put on new shooes are very curious to keep them clean scarce will they set their foot on the ground for fear to dirty the soles of their shooes yea rather they will wipe them clean with their Coats and yet perchance the next day they will trample with the same shooes up to the ancles Alas childrens play is our earnest On that day we receive the Sacrament we are often over-precise scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may But we who are more then curious that day are not so much as careful the next day and too often what shall I say go on in sin up to the ancles yea our sins go over our heads Psal. 28. 5. A sense of the want of Grace a true sign of Grace IT is the first step unto Grace for a man to see no Grace and it is the first degree of Grace for a man to desire Grace as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it and why It is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself there hath wrought Let no man say I have no Faith no Repentance no Love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of these things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all
and in the end uncomfortable singularities To take heed of strife vain-glory and pride in their own conceits to have such humble judgments as that they can be willing to learn any though unwelcome Truth to unlearn any though darling Error have such humble lives and purposes as that they can resolve to obey with duty whatsoever they are not able with reason to gainsay And thus it is that War may be in the Church but not Contention and jarring Difference of Judgment hath and ever will be in the Minds of Men And why so THere was never any Instrument so perfectly in tune in which the next hand that â—ouched it did not amend some thing Nor is there any Iudgment so strong and perspicatious from which another will not in somethings find ground of Variance See we not in the ancient Churches those great lights in their severall Ages at variance amongst themselves Ireneus with Victor Cyprian with Stephen Ierome with Austin Basil with Damasus Chrysostome with Epiphanius Cyril with Theodoret. Desired it may be Desired it may be but hoped it cannot That in the Church of God there would be no noyse of Axes and Hammers no diâ—â—erence in judgments and conceits For while there is corruption in our Nature narrownesse in our Faculties sleepinesse in our Eyes difâ—iculty in our Profession cunning in our Enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard things in the Scripture and an envious Man to superseminate there will still be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men that will be differently minded In this hard necessity therefore when the first evil cannot be easily avoided our Wisdome must be to prevent the second that where there is not Perfection yet there may be Peace that dissentions of Iudgments break not forth into dis-union of hearts but that amidst the variety of our several conceits we preserve still the Unity of Faith and Love by which onely we are known to be Christ's Disciples Men not to be Censurers of one another IT was an old trick of the Gentiles as Gregory Nazianzen Arnobius and Minutius tell us to object illiteratenenesse unto the Christians But a very unfit way certainly it is for Christian Men amongst themselves to refute adverse opinions or to insinuate their own by their mutual undervalewing of each others parts and persons to censure every one for dull and bruitish who in judgment Varieth from their own conceits If then they must needs be censuring let them look to what is wanting in themselves and to what is usefull in their brethren The one will make them humble the other charitable and both peaceable The joyful coming of Christ Jesus in the Flesh. WHen Solomon was made King they did eat and drink with great gladâ—â—â—â— before the Lord 1 Chron. 29. 42. And at the solemn Inaugurations of such Kings and Princes the Trumpets sound the People shout the Conduits run wiâ—e Honours are dispensed gifts distributed prisons opened Offenders pardoned Acts of Grace published nothing suffered to eclipse the beauty of such a Festivity Thus it was at the coming of Christ Iesus in the Flesh Wisemen of the East brought Presents unto him rejoycing with exceeding great joy Matth. 2. 10 11. The glory of God shines on that day and an Heavenly hoast proclaim that joy Luke 2. 9 14. Iohn the Baptist leapeth in the Womb Mary rejoyceth in God her Saviour Zachary glorifieth God for the Horn of salvation in tâ—e house of David Simeon and Hanna blesse the Lord for the glory of Israel And after when he came to Ierusalem the whole Multitude spread garments strewed branches cryed before him and behind him Hosanna to the Son of David Hosanna in the highest Matth. 21. 9. And the Psalmist Prophesying long before of it said This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it Psal. 118. 24. Hard to be drawn from Custome in Sin WAter may be easily dam'd up but no art or industry can make it run backward in its own channel It was by a Miracle that the River Iordan was driven back And it is very near if not altogether a Miracle that a Man accustomed to do evil should learn to do well That the Tyde of Sin which before did run so strong should be so easily turned That the Sinner which before was sailing Hell-ward and wanted neither wind nor tide to carry him should now alter his course and tack about for Heaven Hic labor hoc opus est this is a work indeed and that a hard one too To see the Earthly Man become Heavenly to see a Sinner move contrary to himself in the wayes of Christ and Holinesse is as strange as to see the Earth fly upward or the bowl run contrary to its own byass The commodity and discommodity of Learning AS the juice of the same Earth is sweet in the grape but bitter in the Wormwood Or as the same odour is a refreshment to the Dove but a poyson to the Scarabaeus So the same Learning qualified with Charity piety and meeknesse may be admirably usefull to edifie the Church which with Pride contempt and corrupt judgment may be used unto harmfull purposes as the Philosopher speaks Nothing is more dangerous then Wickednesse in armour Hence is it that Satan hath usually set on work the greatest Witts in sowing Errors in the Church as Agrippina gave Claudius poyson in his delicatest meat Or as Thieves use to pursue their prey with the swiâ—test horses so the Devill made choyce of Licentius a Man of rare parts but a corrupt mind Wherein Satan would fail of his end if Men would make no other use of their Gifts and Learning then to make them as engines and Instruments for the more happy promoting of Piety and pure Religion Holinesse an excellent thing ALexander coming with his Army against Ierusalem Jaddus the high Priest went out of the City to meet him adorned with his Priestly robes an upper garment of Purple embroydered with gold and a golden Plate on the fore-side wherein the Name of God was written The sight was so grave and solemn that the Emperour fell to the ground as reverencing the Name that was thereon inscribed Thus it is that in Holinesse there is such a sparkling luster that whosoever behold it must needs be astonished at it Nay even those that oppose it cannot but admire it Holinesse is an excellent thing a beautiful thing it carries a gracefull Majesty along with it wheresoever or in whomsoever it is truly and sincerely professed The least Man in the Ministery not to be contemned AS in a building some bring stones some timber others morter and some perhaps bring onely nails yet these are usefull these serve to fasten the work in the building Thus the Church of God is a spiritual building some Ministers bring stones are more eminent and useful others Timber others lesse they have but
not partly on one and partly on another but he bestowes all himself on every one and expects that every one should do the like unto him Excesse of Apparrell condemned WHat heavy things are thundred against those curious Dames of Ierusalem by the Prophet Isaiah who being himself a Courtier inveighs as puncutally against the Noble vanity of Apparrell as if he had late viewed the Ladies Wardrobes And our Saviour finds fault with the Scribes that loved to go in long cloathing But to come nearer In the year 1580 great ruffs with huge wide sets and cloaks reaching almost to the ancles no lesse comely then of great expence were restrained here by Proclamation saith Mr. Cambden And need we not the like Law now when so many Prodigals turn Rents into ruffes and lands into lace singulis auribuâ— bina aut terna pendunt Patrimonia as Seneca hath it hang two or three Patrimonies at their ears a pretty grove upon their backs a reasonable Lordship or living about their necks from whence both S. Cyprian and S. Augustine drew up this conclusion That superfluous Apparrel is worse then Whoredome because Whoredome onely corrupts Chastity but this corrupts Nature God to be seen in the works of the Creation A Godly Antient being asked by a Prophane Philosopher How he could contemplate high things sith he had no books wisely answered That he had the whole World for his book ready open at all times and in all places and that he could therein read things Heavenly and divine And most true it is that God is to be seen and admired in the works of the Creation there 's not a Flower in the Field not a pile of grasse we tread on but sets forth God unto us in very lively colours so that not to see him is to incur the curse he hath denounced against such as regard not the work of the Lord i. the first making neither consider the operation of his hands i. the wise disposing of his Creatures for our good Esay 5. 12. To keep close to the Word of God in seeking after Christ. IT is the observation of a good Man now with God That the Wise-men travelling to find Christ followed onely the starre and as long as they saw it they were assured that they were in the right way and had great mirth in their journey but when they entred into Ierusalem whereas the starre led them not thither but unto Bethlem and there would be instructed where Christ was born they were not onely ignorant of the place Where but they had lost the sight of the Starre that should guide them thither Whereof we learn in any case that whilest we be going to learn Christ to seek Christ which is above to beware we lose not the Star of Gods Word which onely is the mark that shews us where Christ is and which way we may come to him These are the good Man 's own words whereunto may be added That whereas David made the Word of God a lanthorn to his feet and a light unto his paths we would not suffer our selves to be led aside by every ignis fatuus every false fire that presents it self unto us but to keep close to the Word of God which will bring us to the Knowledg of Christ here and the full enjoyment of him hereafter What it is to trust in God really and truly THere was a King of this Land that being engaged in Warre sent to the Generall of his Army to spare such a City yet he had a command under the broad Seal and the King 's own hand to do it and to disobey his warrant was death but withall the King gave him private instructions to destroy the City and in so doing he would save him harmlesse The Generall did so and trusted the King for his life so that if he had failed him he had been utterly destroyed Thus if a Man be brought to such an exigent if he will trust God in such a case as wherein if he fayl him he is undone so to lean upon God that if he slip away he sinketh so to be unbottom'd off himself and every Creature so to cast himself upon God that if he step aside he is like to perish this is to trust in God really and truly The monstrous Sin of Ingratitude Q. Elizabeth in a letter of hers to Hen. 4th King of France amongst many other expressions hath this upon the sin of Ingratitude That if there were any unpardonable sin in the World such as the sin against the Holy Ghost it was Ingratitude Call me unthankfull said another and you call me all that naught is And without all doubt such a Vice it is that Nature frowns at though she smile at many others Nay It is a Monster in Nature a Solecism in manners a Paradox in Divinity an ugly sinl Insomuch that Christ himself joyned the Evill and unthankfull together Luke 6. 35. How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by Works AS one that professeth That he hath an art and that he is able to do this and that by his art Now if he make up some exquisite piece of Workmanship by that he is said to make good his Art Or as when we say such and such Trees are good because they have sap in them they are not dead Trees yet for all this the Tree is made perfect by the fruit So Faith by Works is made perfect Not that works put life into Faith the sap must first be in the Tree and then it bringeth forth fruit so there must be first a life in Faith and then it bringeth forth good works So that when it is said Faith is made perfect by Works the meaning is that Faith is made good by Works that Works declare Faith to be right as the Fruit doth declare the Tree to have sap How to make tryall of Faith whether it be right or not TAke a cup of Wine and if you would know whether it be good or not drink it off but if it heat you not warm you not at the Hearâ— quicken you not nor in any way revive your spirits you will say It is â—aught flat and dead had it been good Wine it would have done all this Then if you come to Plants and find no fruit nor leaves you say This plant is dead If you come to take a dram of Physick and it do not work you say It is bad Physick And so if you take leaven and put it into the dough if it sowr not the lump you say it is a dead leaven a counterfeit Thus if a Man find not Faith in the operation thereof that it works not a generall change in the Soul that it fire not the heart with love to Christ if there be no life in it then let such a Man know that he is deceived his Faith is not right not effectuall not any way
giving himself up to God AEschines perceiving every one give Socrates something for a present said unto him Because I have nothing else to give I will give thee my self Do so saith Socrates and I will give thee back again to thy self better then when I received thee So saies God if thou wilt give thy self to me in thy prayers in thy praises in thy affections and in all thy actions I will give thy self back so much mended that thou shalt receive thy self and Me too thy self in a holy liberty to walk in the world in a calling My self in giving a blessing upon all the works of thy calling and imprinting in thee a holy desire to do all things to My glory Excellency of the Robe of Iustice. THere is a story of a certain old woman in the Low-Countries that she being neer her end required her keeper of all loves and in any case to put upon her the Cowle of a Fryer Minorite when she should be ready to give up the ghost which she had prepared for that purpose And said she if death happen to come so suddainly that thou canst not put the whole Cowle upon me yet fail not at the least to put one of my arms into it that by vertue thereof three parts of my sins may be forgiven me and the fourth expiated in Purgatory Thus Meteranus of the old wifes perswasion touching the vertue of the â—ryer's Cowle which perswasion superstition bred covetousnesse tendered and folly entertained It cannot be said so of the vertue of the Robe of Iustice of Equity and square dealing whether distributive or commutative private or publick though all very good that they should have power to forgive sins no The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth from all sins But this may be boldly said that it is an excellent Robe and a Diadem such a one that yieldeth a sweet savour unto the nostrills of God as Esau's garment upon Iacob's back did to Isaac their father Of all the garments you can put on after Faith and Love there is none to be compared to it Courtiers may have soft cloathingâ— a garment of needle-work is onely for the Queen 's wearing garments of divers colours are suitable for King's Daughters and there was a Babylonish garment which Achan purloyned to his destruction Herod's glittering apparell mentioned by Iosephus garments of gold and silver at which Dionysius jested That they were too cold in the winter and too heavy in the summer Perfumed garments such as were the undoing of Muliasses King of Tunis as Paulus Iovius relateth These were for some persons but not for others for some certain times but not for all But Iustice is a roâ—e for all sorts of men to put on for all times of the year sweet without fulsomnesse pretious without burthensomnesse safe without dangerousnesse indifferent to all degrees to all persons common equall glorious full of majesty and full of good works Miracles why ceased A Gardiner when he transplanteth a Tree out of one ground into another before the â— ree take root he sets stayes to it he powreâ—th water at the root of it dayly but when it once taketh root he ceaseth to water it any more and pulleth away the staies that he set to uphold it and suffereth it to grow with the ordinary influence of the Heavens So the Lord in planting of Religion he put-to the help of Miracles as helps to stay it but when it was once confirmed and fastened and had taken deep rooting he took away such helps so that as St. Augustine hath it Qui expectat miraculum miraculum est He that looketh for a miracle is a miracle himselfe for if the death of Christ will not work faith all the miracles in the world will not do it Other mens harms to be our arms WHen the Lion was sick all the Beasts of the field went to visit him onely the Fox stayed behind and would not go unto him being asked the reason he answered I find the track of many going in but of none comming out and I am not so desperate as to cast my self wilfully away when I may sleep in a whole skin Thus other men's punishments ought to be our instructions nocumenta documenta their harms our arms And that man is a fool whom other men's harms cannot make to beware The â—ootsteps of the Angells that fell may minde us of pride the ashes of Sodom tell us of our filthinesse Absolâ—m's hanging by the hair forwarn us of rebellion c. Encompassed by death on all sides IN the beginning of every Almanack there is usually the picture of a naked man miserably beset on all sides the Ram pusheth at the head the Bull goareth the neck the Lion teareth the heart the Scorpion stings the privy parts another shoots at the thighes c. Every man living is but an emblem of that livelesse Anatomy one dyes of an Apoplexy in the head another of a Struma in the neck a third of a Squinancy in the throat a fourth of a Gough and Consumption of the lungs others of Obstructions Inflammations Pluriâ—ies Gouts Dropsies c. and him that escapeth the sword of Hazael him doth Iehu slay and him that escapeth the sword of Iehu doth Elisha slay Let but God arm the least of all his creatures against the strongest man it is present death and dissolution A rich man had rather part with God than his gold TAke a narrow mouthed botâ—le it will receive the wine or beer that is poured into it without any noise at all but if you turn the bottle upside down the bottom upward it will not let any thing out but with a grâ—at deal of bubling and rumbling Thus it is with every worldly man he would quietly without any noise or reluâ—tation if possible suck in the graces of God's Spirit into his heart but tell him that the bottle must first be emptyed that he must sell all that he hath and giâ—e to the poor durus est hic sermo this is a hard saying how doth he murmuâ— and repine at this choosing with that prophane wretch rather to have his part in Paris than in Paradise the pleasures of sin for a season here in this world than the pleasures which are at Gods right hand â—or evermore How sin is made the prevention of sin WHen children begin to go they use to be so well conceited of the strength of their leggs that they need not any help of their Nurse to let them see their folly the Nurse will leave them to their selves that so smarting by a â—aâ—l they may better be brought to find what need they have of their Nurse The best of us all are but babes in grace yet do we think that we can stand of our selves yea and run the waies of God too now God doth refute us by our own experience and by this
Constellation to another he is able to give account of all Thus take a man in his pure naturalls set him in the midst of the Ordinances let the Administrations be never so pure the Dispensations never so clear he sees nothing of God but as it were through chinks and crannies of Nature some glimpse and glimmer onely of divine light O but the child of God having the perspective-glasses of the Old and New Testaments in his hand especially that of the New-Testament a very clear-sighted glass he walks from star to star from one Attribute of God to another he discovers stars of the first magnitude as Faith and Hope and Charity nothing in order to salvation is hid from his eyes Christians ought to be loving one to another ME-thinks Philadelphia the name of one of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. is a very proper fitting name for a Church which signifies Brotherly love and every Congregation ought to be in a good sense the family of Love breaches and divisions distractions and heart-burnings may happen in other Kingdomes which are without God in the world and strangers to the Covenant of Grace yet let Ierusalem the Church of â—od be alwaies like a City which is at unity within it self Discord in Church or Commonwealth prejudiciall IN the ringing of bells whilst every one keeps his due time and order what a sweet and harmonious sound they make all the neighbour villages are cheared with the sound of them but when once they jarre and check each other either jangling together or striking preposterously how harsh and unpleasing is that noise So that as we testifie our publick rejoycing by an orderly and well tun'd peal so when we would signifie the Town is on fire we ring the bells backward in a confused manner It is just thus in Church and Commonwealth when every one knowes his station and keeps their due ranks there is a melodious consort of comfort and contentment but when either States or Persons will be clashing with each other the discord is grievous and extreamly prejudicial And such a confusion either notifieth a fire already kindled or portendeth it and that of all other must be a dangerous fire that begins in the bed-straw Popular States may ring the changes with safety but the Monarchial government requires a constant and regular course of Rule and inferiority Government and subjection which cannot be violated without a sensible discontent and danger And so in the Church take away Discipline and the Doctrine will not be long after Sin to be renounced as the cause of Christ's death SUppose a Man should come to a Table and there is a knife laid at his trencher and it should be told him This is the knife that cut the throat of your child or your Father if he could now use that knife as any other knife would not one say Surely there was but little love either to the Father or to the child So when there is a Temptation to any sin this is the knife that cut the throat of Christ that pierced his sides that was the cause of his sufferings that made Christ to be a curse Now wilt thou not look on that as a cursed thing that made Christ to be a curse Oh with what detestation should a man or woman fling away such a kniâ—e and with the like detestation it is required that a man should renounce sin for that and that onely was the cause of the death of Christ. Ministers not to be afraid of the faces of Men. POpilius a Roman Embassador sent to Antiochus the great having delivered his message and the King deferring his answer and demurring on it drew a circle round about him with his wand and conjured him to determine and resolve whether he would have Peace or War before he went a foot out of the circle which wondrous resolution and confidence caused him presently to define Peace And do we not see how bold every petty Constable will bear himself upon the higher Power I charge you in the Kings name c. And why then should God's Ambassadors onely be afraid like children of shadows and bug-bears Courage and Resolution becomes them best their Commission is large and will bear them out the penalty great if they faint in the execution Fear not their faces saith the Lord of Ieremy lest I destroy thee The Creature moves not but in and by God THe Creature can do nothing but as it is commanded by God It is the vanity of the Creature that it can do nothing of it self except there be an influence from God As for example Take the hand it moves because there is an imperceptible influence from the Will that stirs it So the Creature moving and giving comfort unto us it is God's will it should do it and so it is applied to this or that action The Artificer using a hatchet to make a stool or the like there is an influence from his Art that guides his hand to the work So the creatures working is by a secret concourse from God doing thus or thus whether it be this way or that way all is from God The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture IT is reported of one Procrustes a notorious theevish Inn-keeper who when any Travellers came to lodge at his house would make his guest's stature equal with his bed either by stretching them out to the length of it if they were too short or by cutting some part of them if they were too long He would not fit his bed to his guests but his guests to his bed Nothing more common shall we find amongst Hereticks and Schismaticks than either with false senses to stretch and enlarge or with loud lyes to mince and mangle the sacred Scripture that so they may frame them to their likings and make them serve their own turnes at all essayes They will either suppress the words or else not express the sense they will either blot out or else blemish the Scriptures rather then they will abolish or any whit alter their own fantasies Of their own opinion and writings they will not abide the least amendment but of the holy word of God they care not what havock they make A fearful Minister is a Soul-murthering Minister MAuritius the Emperor said of Phocas who conspired against him having enquired of his disposition and hearing that he was fearful Si timidus est homicida est said he So it may be said in this case The Cowardice of the Ministery is cruelty he that fears the faces of men he is a murtherer of the souls of Men. Sins in men regenerate and unregenerate the difference REgenerate-men sin yet the Peace is not broke betwixt God and them because their minds never yielded to sin As it is betwixt Princes they are at peace â—hough Pirates of either Nation rob the others subjects yet it breaks not the
by Iohn Baptist afterwards by our Saviour personally and when they have killed that just One yet forty years shalâ— pass before it be quite destroyed Six dayes made the world but almost six thousand years have been afforded to it before the end overtake it Harmony of the Scriptures VVHen a man is drawing water out of a Wel it is Epiphanius his observation with two vessels of a different mettal the water at the first seemeth to be of a different colour but when he draweth up the Vessels nearer to him the diversity of colours vanish and the water appeareth to be of one and the same colour and when he tasteth them they have one and the same relish Thus although at the first sight there may seem to be some contradictions in the Scriptures yet when we look nearer and nearer into them and compare one place with another we shall find no contrariety in them no repugnancy at all but a perfect harmony and full consent of one place with another As the Patriarks relating to the promises made to Abraham before the Law the Prophets grounding themselves upon Moses under the Law and the faith of the Church relying upon the doctrine of the Apostles under the Gospel all of them agreeing in one nothing at all contradictory Reformation pretended Deformation intended THe Poet Aratus made this answer to one that asked him How he might have Homers Poems free from corruption faults Get saith he an old Copy not reformed and he gives this reason That curious wits labouring to amend things well done commonly quite mar them or at least make them worse Thus have the Innovators of our times done they have cryed out for Reformation Reformation both in Church and State but behold a Deformation they will not inquire for the good old way they will not write by any primitive Copy the Reformation must be in their own way And thus have they wrought the same mischiefe here which the turbulent Orators of Lacedemonia did in that Common-wealth so wisely settled by Licurgus his Lawes which whilst they took upon them to amend they miserably defaced and deformed Prayers not prevailing at present with God how to be regulated ANglers when they have long waited and perceive that nothing doth as much as nibble at the bait do not impatiently throw away the Rod or break the hook and line but pull up and look upon the bait and so throw it in again Thus should every good Christian do though he hath fished all night and caught nothing though he hath been much in prayers unto God yet after long expectation not a syllyble of comfort appearing no return made at all let him not break off his prayers but look to his prayers that they be not mingled with corruptions that they be not bare of grace naked of faith void of love c. and so mend them and no doubt but Christ will appear at a time he thinks not of with such a gracious answer as shall abundantly satisfie his longing expectation The great danger of security in times of danger DIodorus Siculus writeth that in Aethiopia there is a people of that quality that they are not at all moved with the speech of them who sayl by them or with the sight of strangers approaching to them but onely looking upon the earth they use to stand unmoveable as if their senses took knowledge of no man If any saith he should strike them with a drawn sword they fly not but bear the blows neither is any of them moved with the vvounds or hurts of another but oftentimes they behold their Wives and Children slain before their faces vvithout any reluctancy at all An insensible sort of people surely they are if any such there be which hardly can be believed yet are not vve the same Many years last past the sword hath been glutted vvith eating of flesh and drinking of German blood and what the sword left famine seized on Which of us vvere then affected with those things or remembred Joseph in those his sad affictions Who did think that his part was in that Tragedy his share in that bargain or that ever that cup should come to him to tast on but so it is that we who were then idle spectators are now made sad Actors we that were like so many Gallioes as it were men caring not for those things as men unconcerned are now encompassed on all sides and ripe for destruction if God in mercy prevent not Promises of the Gospel are the poor mans supporter THe Fishermans Net is so framed that there are leaden waights to make it sink at the bottom and Corks to make it swim on the top And thus it is that the leaden heavy weight of poverty and wordly crâ—sses keep the poor man down and make him ready to sink under the burthen were it not for the comfortable promises of the Gospel that buoy up his confidence and make him swim and hold up his head above all opposition whatsoever Rasâ— inconsiderate Preaching condemned IT is said of Archbishop Whitguift that though he preached often yet he never durst adventure into the Pulpit but he first wrote his Notes in Latine and afterwards kept them by him during his life And he would say himself That whosoever took that pains before his preaching the elder he waxed the better he would discharge that duty but he if he trusted to his memory onely his Preaching in time would become pratling What shall we then say to those that rush into the Pulpit without any preparation at all that presume upon a dabitur in illa hora so that quicqnid in buccam out comes that which lies uppermost whether sense or non-sense all 's one running like an Horse with an empty Cart over Hedge and Ditch till the Hour-glass stop them It was the complaint of S. Ierome of such shallow brains in his Comment on Ecclesiastes 9. 11. Nam videas in Ecclesia imperitissimos quosque florere c. You may see how in the Church the most ignorant are most esteemed and because they have profited in boldness of front and volubility of tongue they are accompted the onely Preachers of the time and to speak truth Impudence and Ignorance are the onely qualifications of such Preachers It is Man not God that changeth THe Sun hath but one simple act of shining yet do we not see that it doth unite clay and straw dissolve Ice and water it hardens clay and melteth wax it makes the flowers to smell sweetly and a dead Corps to scent loathsomly the hot fire to be colder and the cold water hotter cures one man with its heat yet therewith kills another What 's the reason the cause is in the severall objects and their divers dispositions and constitutions and not in the Suns act of shining which is one and the same thing or tell a Looking-glass be set in the Window Will it not represent
you which he applying to himself besought St. Augustine to strengthen him in the Truth as Christ commanded Peter Tu conversus confirma fratres which task he so well performed that with a little travell in a short space two twins were brought forth to the Church at one time Thus the VVord of God whether heard or read Non ut sonus non ut litera not as it is ink and paper not as it is a sound or collision of the Air but as it is an Instrument of God and the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. maketh the man of God perfect 2 Tit. 3. 17. It frameth and mouldeth the heart it printeth it like a stamp melteth it like wax bruiseth it like a hammer pricketh it like a nail and cutteth it asunder like a sword A good mans life preserved for the good of others RIvers of themselves would run the straightest and directest way to the Sea as being greedy to pay tribute unto their great Master the Ocean but God in his wise disposal of all things hath set here a Mountain there a hill in the way that so by turning and winding now this way now that way and going further about they might enrich the earth as they pass along with fertility and abundance Thus a good man and a good Christian man having but once tasted of Gods love O how he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ he prayes but still with reference to Gods will that his hope may be turned into fruition his faith into vision and his love into perfect comprehension but God in his providence hath resolved upon the negative that his dayes shall be prolonged to do good unto others that he may be serviceable in his place to him and his Country The great difference of both good and bad in life and death THe Hawk flies high and is as highly prized being set upon a pearch vervel'd with the gingling bells of encouragement and carryed on his Master's fist but being once dead and picked over the pearch is cast upon the dunghill as good for nothing The Hen scrapes in the dust not any thing rewarded when she is alive but being dead is brought as a choice dish to her Master's Table Thus wicked men are commonly set in high places and prosper in this life and good men lye groveling with their mouths in the dust as the very underlings of the world but being once dead the one is cast into the dungeon of Hell the other advanced to the Kingdom of Heaven the one is into Abrahams bosom whilst the other is tormented with the Devil and his Angels Opportunities of sin to be avoided ST Augustine in his Confessions maketh mention of his friend Alipius that having resolved with himself never to look upon the Fencers prizes was up on a time through the importunity of his friends drawn along to the Theater where these bloody sports were performed protesting that he would keep his eyes shut all the while and not so much as once open them yet it so fell out that upon a sudden great shout of the people be looked about to see what the matter was whereupon he became another man and altered his former course so that his hatred to the sport was turned into love and liking of it It is opportunity we say that makes Thieves Look what a clear fountain is to the thirsty what a shade to the scorâ—hed Traveller such is occasion to a man that is accustomed to do evil He that walketh in the Sun is suâ—e to be tan'd he that toucheth Pitch shall be defilâ—â— Physitians may converse with sick men and cure them but if their diseases be dangerous contagious they will not easily adventure on them lest that in curing others they should kill themselves Vices are of the same nature and vitiouâ— persons and places are alike dangerous and therefore to be shunned How the good and the bad look upon death in a different manner A Child at School when he seeth one riding Post through the streets as if he would run over him or tread upon him cryeth out But when he perceives that it is his Father's man sent to bring him home from School all the feaâ— is past then he laugheth and rejoyceth So whilst men are in the state of nature they look upon Death as an Enemy as a spoyler as one that would bereave them of all their worldly delights but being once the sons and daughters of God by adoption then they apprehend Death as their Heavenly Father's man riding on the pale horse sent to bring them home from a prison on Earth to a place of perfect liberty in Heaven The confidence of much knowledge an argument of no knowledge THales sent the golden Tripos which the Fisher-men took up in their Net and the Oracle commanded to be given to the wisest to Bias Bias to Solon and then they had but seven wise men and if you will but believe the times there are now hardly so many fools to be found If such a thing were now to be had we should all fight for it as the three Goddesses did for the golden apple we are so wise We have now women Polititians women Preachers Preaching Souldiers Teaching Tradesmen Children Metaphysitians every silly fellow can square a Circle make perpetual motions find out the Philosopher's stone interpret the Revelation of St. John make new Theoricks new Logick dispute de omni scibili Town and Country are now so full of deified spirits divine souls that you may sooner find a God than a man amongst us we think so well of our selves and that is an ample Testimony a sufficient demonstration that there is a great deal of folly much ignorance much indiscretion to be found amongst us Afflictions follow the godly man close in this world HE that goeth towards the Sun shall have his shadow follow him but he that runneth from it shall have it flie before him So he that marcheth with his face towards the Sun of Righteousness that setteth himself to do the things that may be without offence to God and Man shall be sure to have afflictions close at his heels as for him that hath his back upon Christ that maketh a Trade of sin his sorrows and vexations of spirit like the shadow are still before him in this world but they will be sure to meet him in another How to read the Scriptures and books Apocryphal WHen Moses saw an Egyptian and an Israelite striving together he killed the Egyptian and saved the Israelite Exod. 2. 12. But when he saw two Israelites striving together he laboured to reconcile them saying Ye are brethren why do ye strive So when we read or see the Apocryphal books or Heathen story or Popish traditions contradicting the Scriptures As for instance Jacob cursed Simeon and Levi for murthering the Sichemites Gen. 49. 7. And Iudeth blessed God for killing
good of others we see it in the frame of the whole world in Heaven and in Earth neither of them is more beautiful then usefull yea the more glorious the more commodious are the parts of the great World which should make this Microcosm this little world of ours blush if we use our endowments as many do their Garments for pride and not for profit that fools may gaze on us and no body be the better for us The health of the Soul is the true health of the body THe Earth is a huge Globe made to be the Nurcery of Plants Herbs Birds c. While the Sun shineth upon them comfortably How cheerfully doe all things look how well do they prove and prosper but remove the Sun from it as in winter or Eclipse the beams thereof how squalid is the face thereof how do all things languish and die Even so fareth it between our Souls and our Bodies according to the influence of the soul is the true health and strength of the body Our bodies may be then said to be in good liking and Summer-like when they be cherished by our souls but if our souls neglect them then they grow Winter-like and droop Sorrows in this life not comparable to the joyes of the other life AS the Globe of the Earth which improperly for his great show and bignesse we tearm the World and is after the Mathematician's accompt many thousands of miles in compaâ—ss yet being compared unto the greatnesse of the starry Skie's circumference is but a Center or a little prick So the troubles and afflictions and sorrows of this life temporall in respect of the joyes eternall in the world to come bears not any proportion but are to be reputed as nothing or as a dark cloud that cometh and goeth in a moment Dangerous to pry into Gods Counsells and Secrets WIse Solomon sayes The light is a pleasant thing and so certainly it is but there is no true outward light which proceedeth not from some fire The light of that fire is not more pleasing then the fire of that light is dangerous and that pleasure doth not more draw on our fight then that danger forbids our approach How foolish then is that fly that in the love and admiration of the Candle-light will know no distance but puts it selfe heedlesly into that flame whereinâ— it perisheth How many bouts it fetcheth every one nearer then other ere it make the last adventure And so the merciless fire taking no notice of the affection of an over-fond Clyent sindgeth his wings and suddanly consumes it Thus do those bold and busie spirits who will needs draw too near unto that inaccessible Light and look into things too wonderfull for them so long do they hover about the secret Counsels of the Almighty till the wings of their presumptuous conceits be scorched and their daring curiosity hath paid them with everlasting destruction We die daily IErusalem was once finally sacked by Titus and Vespasian where besides an infinite number which were otherwise spoiled ten hundreth thousand Men were down-right 〈◊〉 by the sword altogether as Iosephus a Greek Writer and Iosâ—â—pus an Hebrew Author â—estifie But that which happened oâ—ce to them happeneth every day to us We dye daily 1 Cor. 15. 31. How faith justifieth alone Bethulia is in danger of Holofernes the terror of the East as we are or ought to be of the justice of God and as the strength of Bethulia was thought too weak to encounter him so all our Obedience to the Law of God is weak and insufficient to defend us Iudeth undertakes for the people of the City Faith for us Iudeth goes accompanied with her Hand-maids Faith with her Works and though the eyes of her Hand-maid were ever towards her Lady to carry the Scrip c. yet in performing the act of deliverance Iudeth is alone her Maid standing and waiting at the door not so much as setting her foot within the Chamber door Thus it is that faith goeth formost and good works follow after and although our love and obedience be as attendant to Faith as ever that servant was to Iudeth yet in performing the mighty Act of deliverance acquitting the conscience from the curse of the Law pacifying the anger of God and presenting us blameless before his holy eyes all which standeth in the apprehension of the merits of Christ Iesus and a stedfast perswasion that he hath assured for us Faith is soly and wholly alonâ— our VVâ—rks not claiming any part in that sacred action To be mercifully minded is praise-worthy APpius in the Roman story was a very great Oppressor of the liberties of the Commons and particularly he took away all appeals to the People in case of life and death Not long after this decree he being called in question for forcing the Wife of Virginius found all the Bench of Iudges against him and was constrained for saving his life to prefer an appeal to the people which was denyed him with great shouts and out-cryes of all saying Ecce provocat qui provocaâ—ionem sustulit he is forced to appeal who by barring all appeals in case of life and death was the death of many a man Thus Iustice revenged Mercies quarrel upon this unmerciful man and certainly if we expect mercy at the hands of God or Man we must shew mercy for there shall be judgement without mercy to him that will shew no mercy and that happeneth many times even in this life when God is pleased to reckon with hard hearted men that have no bowells of compassion To do as we would be done by DO as you would be done by is a golden Rule If the Iudge that sits on the Bench the Landlord that deals with his Tenant the Tradesman that venteth his commodities and every man that dealeth with another did square his carriage by this Rule there would be much less wrong in society and much more comfort in mens consciences for pulcher liber cor tuum every man beareth in his own bosom a fair Table-book engraven legibly by the finger of nature wherein if he would read he might learn without any other help what usage is fit for his neighbour and if men were as prompt Scholars in learning active charity as they are acute Doctors and Teachers of the Passive of that charity they expect from others the Moralists and Casuists might save much of their pains in discoursing and determining our mutual duties Wisdom of the World proves folly CRuelty is forbidden Courage is commanded we may partake the gâ—od of the Lion but not the evil of the Lion It was and is a gross mistake a very large conceit of Nicholas the Florentine to think that those properties of the Dove to be without guil have been the bane of Christendom whilst the enemies thereof have taken advantage of their simplicity to ensnare them and of their pitty to devour
them It is true well may imprudent simplicity and cowaraly pitty disadvantage the Prudent the Couragious they nâ—ver can nay sincerity in the end overcometh infidelity and pitty triumpheth over cruelty none ever dealt more plainly then Christ none was dealt withal more deceitfully none used more pitty none was used more cruelly And what was the issue he proved the wisdom of his enemies plain folly and their fury turned to his greater glory And there was never any crafty wit that was not unto himself a snare nor cruel heart whose hands did not give himself the deadliest wounds in the conclusion Destruction is from our selves IUlian the Apostate gave for his Arms in his Scotcheon an Eagle struck through the heart with a flight-shaft feathered out of her own wing wâ—tâ— this Motto Propriis configimur alâ—s our death flies to us with our own feathers and our wings pierce us to the very heart The Eagle struck dead is the Church and Common-wealth the Arrow is the swift judgement of God the feathers shed out of her own wings which carryâ—d the arrow so swift to destruction are the sins of a Church and Commonwealth a lamentable thing it is to hear of the ruine of any Kingdom but when it comes to Perditio tua ex te that Israel should be Israels overthrow that any Church or Common-wealth should be felo de se that any particular man should by sin be accessary to his own death is a thing to be much lamented The Worlds Opposition no obstacle to a child of God ALciat hath it in one of his Emblems That a dog then barketh most when the Moon is at the fullest whether it be by some special influence that it then worketh in the dog or whether it be occasioned by the maculaes or spots in the Moâ—n represented unto him in the form and shape of another dog let the dog bark never so much yet the Moon walks her station securely through the Heavens And thus though Tyranny persecution afflictions bark never so much at the just man yet he doth not stay to take up a stone at every foul mouth'd dog that barks he makes not a stand in every cross way that he meets with but rides on through the storm and comes to his journeys end in safety Opposition is no obstacle to him Unworthy Communicants condemned IT was a smart and piercing speech of St. Ambrose to Theodosius offering himself to the Table of the Lord Istasne adhuc stillantes injustae caedis cruore manus â—xtendes c What wilt thou reach forth those hands of thine yet dropping with the blood of Innocents slaughtered at Thessalonica and with them lay hold upon the most holy body of the Lord Or wilt thou offer to put that pretious blood in thy mouth c The like may be said to many coming to the Sacrament that instead of washing their hands in innocency they rinse them in the blood of Inâ—ocents What will they reach forth those hands of theirs defiled with blood with the blood of Oppression those fingers of theirs defiled with iniquity and with those hands and fingers touch those holy mysteries with those lips of theirs that have driveled out such a deal of filthy communication with those mouths which have drunk of the cup of devils with those mouths and lips will they offer to drink the pretious blood of Christ is it not sin enough that with their sins they have already defiled their hands fingers lips mouths but that now also they will needs come and defile the Lords Table and impudently crowd in to the Sacrament when they come piping hot out of their sins and provocations Not to be children in understanding A Little child never thinks he shall be a man himself and â—aintain himself and live in the world by his own labour or by the Patâ—mony which at years of discretion shall be due unto him he cares for nothing but meaâ— and drink looks after nothing but sport and pastime come day go day God send night that 's all his care Nomine 〈◊〉 de nobis fabâ—la Most of us are even such we 〈◊〉 the childs folly and laugh at it as ridiculous yet we build houses purchase lands lay house to house land to land and all to raisâ— up a glorious name to posterity and to make a great shewâ—d the world but for the getting of grace for the gaining of faith and hope and love and repentance none of our thoughts are so bestowed and is not this to be children in understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. A competent Estate the best Estate VVHen a man is to travel into a far Country a great 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 back will but â—inder him in his journey One 〈◊〉 in his hand may comfortably support him but a bundle of sâ—aves would be troublesome Thus a competency of these outward things may happily help us in the way to Heaven whereas abundance may be hurtful and like long garments to a man that walks on in the way will trip up our heeâ—s too if we look not well about us Not to continue angry WHat Silenus spake of the life of man Optimum non nasci c. The best thing was not to be born or being born to dye may be fitly applyed to all quarrels and contentions amongst brethren especially Christian brethren it were the happiest thing in the world that such dissentions never saw light but if they should arise and come into the world that they might dye as soon as they were born at the most that they might but be like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 small creatures Aristotle speaks of whose life exceeds not a Summers day not to let the Sun go down upon our wrath Hearers and not doers of the Word condemned SOme say that the Weezel doth aure concipere ore párere conceive in the ear and bring forth by the mouth Sure it is that there are many such wild conceptions amongst us many that hear tales with their ears and enlarge them with their tongues and such there are too that are zealous to hear the Word preached but all their practise is onely in prating of what they have heard all their Religion is at their tongues end which rather should be at the bottom of their hearts Rich poor men THe Philosopher reckoneth the Camel amongst the beasts that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which bring forth but one at once and generally it is observed That among the Creatures The greater do bring forth the fewest young and so it is in the spiritual birth Not many mighty not many Noble are called It is noted that the richest men have fewest children whereas the poor are most prolifical and fertile and men that are rich and abounding in the wealth of this world are usually most barren in the fruits of the spirit Greatness and goodness seldom meet together Riches and Religion
a man cuts down his chiefest timber-trees it is an argument that he intends to part with his land And hath not God of late cut down many of the tallest Cedars in this our Lebanon And what can we expect such and so many are our wickednesses but that he will either part with or depart from this sinfull Nation of ours It is high time therefore to lay hold upon him by faith saying Help Lord for there is not one godly man left c. Psal. 12. 1. Neutrality in Religion dangerous THere is mention made of a kind of bastard-Eagle that hath one leg like the Goofe close at the foot the other open and armed with talents like that of the ordinary eagle with the close foot she swimmeth on the water and dives for fishes there with the open foot she soareth into the air and seizeth on her prey there But so it is that participating thus of two severall natures her strength is weakened and she her self made at last a prey to every ordinary crow Thus fares it with all Neuters all Hermophrodites all Ambo-dexters in Religâ—on such as have one close foot for sea and land for the world and worldly things and another open-foot for the aire above for heaven and heavenly things so that they may not be seen to float on the sea of this world altogether they take themselves to their wing and will seem to be religious and make some small fluttering up of their hearts towards Heaven but all in vain for being divided in their thoughts the act of their souls being not set upon the onely object God and the powers and faculties thereof not contracted to Himward no marvell if they wax faint in their duty and weak in all holy performances so that the devill like the ordinary crow set upon them conquer them and lead them captive at his will The Devill most busie in time of Prayer IT is an usuall custom that two being at law together when the suit comes to tryall the Plantiff by his Counsell labours all that he can to hinder the Defendant that the Judge may not hear him speak out what he is to say in his own defence So the devill the common plantiff and accuser of all mankind when he sees us upon our knees in addresses unto God who is the Judge of all the earth pleading for our selves by prayer and seeking the favour of God in the remission of our sins by the merits of his Son Christ Iesus then doth he stir most to interrupt us by weakening our evidence by throwing strange thoughts into our hearts so distracting our devotions that we may not be heard in what we pray for Sense of sin is from God onely AS when the pool of Bethesda was troubled the poor Cripples that lay there for cure did absolutely conclude that it was not any naturall motion of the water but an Angell that came down at a certain season and did it So when the heart of a sinner is troubled for his sin let him know for his comfort that this shaking of his soul ariseth not from any principle of corrupt nature that will defend it self nor from the devill he will not destroy his own Kingdom but from some seeds of grace sown in the heart which the Spirit of God greatly breathing upon the soul is thereby made sensible of sins and transgressions committed Leud Ministers what they are like unto LEud debauched Ministers whose doctrin and lives are as distant as the two Polar Lines cosmographically described on the Globe terrestriall are like those statuae Mercuriales on the road that point out unto a man which is the way to London but move not a foot thitherward themselves like those Carpenters that built the Ark to save others and were drowned themselves or like Porters of great mens gates that let in others but lodge without themselves So that what was said of Christ falsly and malitiously may be spoken of them really and truly He saved others himself he cannot save For 〈◊〉 as another by his good life sets a seal to his doctrin he by his bad life puts a lie upon the truth his words prove unprofitable because his life is abominable Not to admit of impediments in our way to Heaven A Certain Heathen making an Oration as he was sacrificing to his god in the midst of his devotion word was brought him that his onely son was dead whereat being nothing at all moved he made this answer Scio me genuisse mortalem I did not get him to live for ever and so went on with his businesse Thus when we are entring into the sight of Gods favour it may so please him to try us by afflictions there may newes come of a ship wrack'd at sea of a chapman broke in the country of the death of friends and allies c. Yet ought we not for all this to leave off our course in the service of him but rather whatsoever comes crosse make it as it were a Parenthesis an ornament not remora an hinderance in our progresse to Heaven But one sure way to Heaven THe Phrygian Fabulist hath a story of a Fox and a Cat as they wâ—re discoursing their evasions in the midst of danger I saies the Fox have many holes to earth in if hindred of one I have another to run to Let me alone to shift for my self to save my life and sleep in a whole skin Well saies the Cat I must do as well as I can I have but one way to save my life and that 's to climb for it As they were thus conferring the toiles were laid the dogs began to open the hunt was up and the Fox for all his cunning for all his tricks and devices was torn in pieces by the hounds whilst the Cat getting up into a tree secured her self from danger Thus there may seem to be many waies to Heaven but there is one onely true safe way There 's many a man in these daies that thinks to go to God by the way of two Religions one at home another abroad one publick another private And whilst he is thus divided and halting betwixt two the Hunt is up that roaring Lion the devill laies hold upon him and devoures him Whereas the true reall well-affected Christian cleaving close unto one God one Faith one Baptism gets upon that scala coeli and so by prayer and meditation climbs up to Heaven where the enemies gun-shot shall never be able to reach him Love of the World enmity to God THere 's no one sublunary thing in the World can make an Eclipse of the body of the Sun but the interposition of the Earth betwixt it and the Moon So there 's nothing can eclipse the Sun of Righteousnesse Christ Iesus but the Earth the love of earthly things the love of this world being Enmity to God If then our Conscience
beware of Relapses in sin THe Workmans first care is to lay the foundation sure ne corruat left it fall like the house built on the sands the next to perfect the roofe ne perpluat that it do not rain through and rot the principals The Poet did put no lesse virtue into Tueri than into Quaerere nor will the Lawyer pass a Conveyance with a meer Habendum but he will have a Tenendum too The Physitian ends not the cure of his Patient with the cure of his disease but after all minds the preventing of a Relapse And so must we though we stand take heedlest we fall beware of Relapses in sin St. Peters Cavere ne excidatis is but an exposition of his Masters Memores estote both as fortifications against Recidivation we may fall therefore let us look to our standing we may be lead away the Devil will ventureto try us therefore let us not budg nor give him one foot of ground but if he beckens one way be sure to take the other He labours to trip up our heels and it must be our care to take heed of falling And as we desire to have our faith blessed into vision our hope changed into fruition our love into perfect comprehension our Repentance comforted with pardon our Charity crowned with glory and all our services rewarded with eternal life let us keep the Graces of Gods holy spirit ever in breath and motion alwayes in the Ascendent climing higher and higher till they come to the top of immortality And as when Rivers towards their end approach near unto the Sea then the Tide comes and meets them So when the course of our Piety draws near to the end of our life God comes and meets us comforts us with a taste of Heaven before our death and gives us after death the everlasting possession of it through Iesus Christ. Excellency of the Scripture-phrase EUripides saith the Orator hath in his well-composed Tragedies more sentences then saying And Thucidides hath so stuff'd every syllable of his History with substance that the one runs parallel along with the other Lysias his works are so well couch't that you cannot take out the least word but you take away the whole sense with it And Phocion had a speciall faculty of speaking much in few words The Cretians in Plato's time however degenerated in S. Paul's were more weighty then wordy Timanthes was famous in this that in his Pictures more things were intended then deciphered And of Homer it is said that none could ever peer him for Poetry Then how much more apt and apposite are these high prayses to the book of God rightly called The Bible As if it were as indeed it is both for fitnesse of terms and fulnesse of Truth the onely Book to which as Luther saith all the Books in the World are but waste-paper It is called the Word by way of eminency because it must be the But and boundary of all our words And the Scripture as the Lord Paramount above all other words or writings of Men collected into Volums there being as the Rabines say a Mountain of sense hanging upon every tittle of it whence may be gathered flowers and phrases to polish our spceches with even sound words that have a healing property in them far above all filed phrases of humane â—locution Christian Apparrelling THey that put on the Lord Jesus are cloathed with a fourfold garment First With a Garment of Christs imputed Righteousness 2. With a Garment of sanctification 3. With a Garment of protection 4. With a Garment of Glory The first Garment may be called a winters Garment quia tegit because it covers us The second a summers Garment quia ornat because it adorns us The third a Coat armour quia protegit because it keeps us safe The fourth a wedding-Garment quia admittit because there 's no admission to the supper of the Lamb without it The first three may be called our work-aday suits because we must put them on all the dayes of our lives but the fourth our Holiday-suit because we must not put it on till the week of our Pilgrimage in Baca be ended and the Saboth of our eternall rest in the new Jerusalem begun Changing of this life for a better no matter of griefe IF a Man should come to a Merchant and of two stones laid before him the one false and counterfeit the other true and precious and laying down the price of the worser should get the better Would ye think the Merchant had dealt hardly with him No he could not but would rather admire his love and courtesie in the bargain In like manner there are two lives proposed to all Men the one temporall the other eternal both these he sets to sale but he sels us the eternall Why then like silly Children are we sad because we have received the best it being a great favour to be taken from the evill to come Drunkennesse Whoredom c. the generality of them amongst us THere is a tale of St. Bridget that she heard the blessed Virgin say to her Son Rome is a fruitful Land to whom he answered sed zizaniae tantum onely fruitfull of tares And as Hugo Cardinalis said of Innocentius when he departed from Lyons in France That whereas there were four stews at his coming thither he had left them but one urbs tota lupanar that one reached from one end of the City to the other Thus it is that Drunkards were heretofore as rare as Woolvs in England now they are as common as Hogs Whores were like Owls onely night-birds now they keep open house pay scot and lot with their honest Neighbours Heretofore we had but some Families of Papists Schismaticks and Sectarians now there 's whole Colonyes Streets Lanes and Parishes of the brood of that spotted Harlot and crooked Generation Ministers to preach plainly as well as learnedly to the capacity of their Hearers IT is observable that the profoundest Prophets accommodated themsâ—lves to their Hearers capacities as of Fishes to the Egyptians droves of Cattle to the Arabians Trade and traffique to the Tyrians So our blessed Saviour tells his Fishermen that they shall be Fishers of men And after many plain Parables to the People as if the father the essential word had been at a losse for a fit word familiar and low enough for our dull and shallow apprehensions Whereunto saith he shall we liken the Kingdom of Heaven Yea the Evangelists spake vulgarly many times for their Hearers sakes even to a manifest incongruity In after ages those two great lights of the Church St. Augustine and St. Ambrose the one confesseth that he was fain to use some words sometimes to those Roman Colonies in Africa where he preached that were not Latine as ossum for os dolus for dolor floriet for florebit to the end they might
to be made use of accordingly extream sottishnesse were it therefore to defer the practise of Wisdom till the next opportunity and to procrastinate Repeâ—tance upon the groundless hope of a few uncertain dayes yet for our comfort there is this priviledge in the Nature of Time that though that which is past cannot be recalled again yet it may be redeemed by the double diligence of the wise Ephes. 6. 15. Hence it is that the penitent Redeemer of Time may be lively set out in Medea with two contrary affections appearing in his face on the one side sorrow for the lamentable losse of that occasion which is past and on the other side joy for the Redemption of opportunity present The sick Mans sorrow AS a Traveller that rides a tired horse is utterly disappointed and cannot reach but with much difficulty the end of his journey And so by sicknesse this body of ours is deprived of all chearfulnesse and activity and our Souls so farre â—rustrated that they can neither receive that good nor do that good which otherwise they would perform Such is the sick-mans sorrow that no Man knows it but he that feels it what a disadvantage it is to the Soul to be so ill lodged in a ruinous body being even stifled within its selfe for want of motion and move it cannot for want of Organs but very lamely because the understanding is clouded Memory weakned Judgement dazled phantasie distracted Affections distempered and in brief the whole frame of nature dis-joynted that like broken bones it can neither rest nor move Nor is the stroak onely upon natural actions but upon Morall also In diseases chronicall the Body becomes lazy listlesse neutrall that it hath no mind to pray no stomack to food no heart to do any thing for it selfe And in diseases more acute is so taken up and transported with pain and anguish that it minds nothing but what cannot be had as sleep ease c. Hence may be put that difference betwixt sick and jound as the Heathen put between poor and rich The healthfull Man may walk when he will eat when he will sleep when he will work play â—ast feast ride run when he will But the sick-man must travell eat drink sleep when â—e can He is not his own to command he is deprived of himself He hath wit but not the use of it Memory but not the benefit of it so that he is almost turned into an image he hath eyes and scarcely sees ears and hears not mouth and speaks not feet but walks not Nay which is more those senses and parts which let in comfort to the sound occasion the â—ick Mans trouble the sight of his Cups Glasses Boxes make him sick the smell of his meat sick the taste of his drink sick the least noyse offends him the lest aire pierces him his bed tires him his chayr troubles him his friends disquiet him their absence offends him so does their presence their silence troubles him so doth their talk somewhat he would have but he cannot telll What to be short he is not well and therefore nothing is well about him True saving faith though never so weak is all in all AS a dim dazeling eye that looked on the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness was of more avail to a poor Israelite then stung with a fiery Serpent than any use that could possibly be made of all his other Members little could the swiftnesse of his feet strength of body nimblenesse of hands volubility of tongue quicknesse of the ear or any thing else have prevailed had there not been an eye to have looked on it So without faith we lie dead in sins and trespâ—sses and cannot but perish of the mortal stings which Sathan hath blistered us withall so that had we perfect Repentance sound knowledge and sincere Love not one of them nor all of them together could possibly cure us if there were not faith to apprehend Christ for our satisfaction and a propitiation for all our sins It is onely faith in Christ a true faith though a weak dim-sighted faith that looking up to the typified Serpent Christ Iesus can cure our wounded sin-sick souls and make us here to live unto God and hereafter in all happinesse with him God onely to be sought unto for safety in the time of eminent distresse THe Poet describing the manifold miseries of Aneas that Trojan Prince in his long and weary voyage sheweth the great perill that he and his Company were in and the great speed they made to escape the danger of the cruel Cyclops who together with his Gigantick Army mustered on the shoare as strong as so many sturdy Oaks and tall as lofty Cedars whose very Countenances threatned death and destruction to all that came near them It was then no time for them to stay there but high time to hoist up the sayls nimbly to betake themselves to their Oars and rather then the Giants should offer violence to them to lay violent hands on their Tackle and so quit a dangerous coast that could promise nothing but mischief So the onely way that we have to prevent any eminent danger which by our sins we draw upon our heads dayly and such as are even at the shoare ready to assault us nay such as have already even boarded these our poor brittle barks of Mortality is swiftly to sayl away in the waters of unfeigned Repentance and every Man of us to betake himselfe speedily to the Oars of true contrition and invocation to Almighty God and to row painfully in the Sea of our sinfull hearts seeking and never giving over till we are upon the Rock of our defence and have found the God of our salvation The abundant love of Christ in dying for our Sins IT is said of the Pellican beholding her young ones to be slain by the Serpent much thirsting after their bloud she is so much grieved that she beats her sides with her own wings in such a manner that the blood issues abundantly which being as yet warm falleth upon the young ones so slain and restoreth them to life again Thus the soul of Man being the true bird of Paradise for there was her nest first built by God having as it were her lively blood suck'd out by that old Serpent the Devill Christ became that Heavenly Pelican that with the wings of his Love and Mercy shed out of his most precious side his dearest heart-blood to revive us that we might live for ever How it is that the Hypocrite deceives himselfe in seeking after God IT is said of Zeuxis and Parrasius that the one deceived his fellow Painter with the picture of a sheet and the other deceived birds with his counterfeit grapes Thus the Hypocrite whose devotion is like a shadow something in shew but nothing at all in substance deceives himself with a sheet or shadow of Holiness
neither or some kind of Monster betwixt both new devices for gain new wayes of cheating new wayes of breaking So that without all doubt God is devising some new manner of Iudgment as was said of Korah and his complices Numb 16. 29. To blesse God for all THere is a kind of Dialogue betwixt one Doctor Thaulerus and a poor Man that lay begging by the high-way side Good morrow poor Man 〈◊〉 the Doctor I never had any bad morrow said the beggar No sayes the Doctor Thou art a miserable poor Man thou art as good as naked without any cloaths on thy back no Friends nor any one to relieve thee How can it then be true that thou sayest thou never hadst any bad morrow I 'le tell you sayes the beggar Whether I am sick or in health whether it be warm or cold weather whether I be cloathed or naked rich or poor I blesse God for all O but Friend said the Doctor What if Christ should cast thee into Hell If he should sayes he I would be contented but I have two arms the one of Faith the other of Love wherewith I would lay such fast hold on him that I would have him along with me and then I am sure that Hell would be Heaven if he were there And thus it is that we should blesse God at all times in all places upon all occasions and in all conditions as well for years of Dearth as years of Plenty times of Warre as well as times of Peace for Adversity as well as Pâ—osperity in sicknesse and in health in weal and in woe in liberty and restraint whether it be that the Lord giveth or whether he taketh away still to blesse the Name of the Lord. Godlinesse a great mystery and why so THe World hath her mysteries in all Arts and Trades yea Mechanical appertaining to this life which are imparted to none but filiis scientiae Apprentices to them These have their mysteries have them nay are nothing but mysteries So they delight to stile themselves by such and such a Mystery such and such a Craft c. Now if Godlinesse be great gain and profitable unto all things a Trade of good return and in request with all good Men then to be allow'd her Mysteries At least such as all other trades have And the rather for that that there is Mysterium iniquitatis a Mystery of iniquity so that it would be somewhat hard if there were not Mysterium pietatis a Myâ—â—ery of Godlinesse to encounter it That Babylon should be allowed the name of a Mystery and Sion not that there should be profunda Satanae deep things of Satans and there should not be deep and profound things of God and Godlinesse for the Spirit to search out and dive into Apoc. 2. 24. How a Man should demean himself being fallen into bad Company IT is said of Antigonus that being invited to a great Feast where a notable Harlot was to be present he asked Counsel of Menedemus a disâ—reet Man What he should do and how he should behave himself in such Company Who bade him onely to remember this that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of a King So good Men may be invited where none of the best may â—eet Many an honest Man may fall into a Knaves company the best counsel is Keep ever in mind that they are Kings Sons Gods Children and therefore it were a base thing for them to be allured by the Wicked to do things unseemly and that they should much degenerate if they should make any sinfull compliance with such as are notoriously wicked The desperate Sinner's madnesse ST Ambrose reports of one Theotymus that being troubled with a sore disease upon his body when the Physitian told him that exâ—ept he did abstain from intemperance as drunkennesse and excesle he was like to lose his eyes his heart was so desperately set upon his sin that he said Vale lumen amicum Farewell sweet light then I must have my pleasure in that Sin I must drink though I drink out my eyes thea farewell eyes and farewell light and all O desperate madnesse for Men to venture upon Sin to the losse not onely of the light of the eye but the light of Gods loving Countenance for evermore It is to be supposed that no Man will be so far owned by his words as to say Farewell God and Christ and eternal life and all I must have my Sin yet though directly they say not so they do in effect say it They know that the Scripture saith that no Drunkard Whoremonger nor Covetous nor unclean person shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven then whosoever that knowing this goeth for all that in such a way doth as it were say Farewell God and Heaven and farewell all that God hath purchased by his bloud rather then I will lose my Sin I will lose all Christ-masse day to be held in remembrance AS Kings keep the day of their Inauguration As Cities have their Palilia when the trench is first cast up And Churche's their Encaenia's when they are first dedicate As Men their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they first came into the World So all good Christians celebrate the day of Christ's Nativity a day of Joy both in Heaven and on Earth In Heaven for a day of glory unto God on high On Earth for a day of Peace here below and good-will towards Men A day of joy to all People past present and to come such a day as wherein after long expectation the best return was made that ever came to the poor Sons of Men such a day as the Lord himself made let us therefore rejoyce therein How to Feast comfortably JOseph had his Tomb in his Garden to season his delight with Meditations of his death The Egyptians had a Skeleton or carcasse brought into their Feasts for the same purpose At Prester-Iohn's Table a Deaths-head is the first thing set on And Philip had not onely a Boy every Morning but a Dead-Man's skull on his Table every meal to put him in mind of his Mortality And thus ought we all to do mingle our Feasting with the meditation of our Farewell out of this wretched life when we sit at dinner to think of our dissolution and ever â—o set our own carcasse before the eyes of our mind saying within our selves Alas this feeding and Feasting is but a little repairing and propping up of a poor ruinous house that ere long will fall down to the ground and come to nothing Heaven not to be found upon Earth IT is storied of a King of Persia that he must have an imaginary Heaven and thereupon he is at the charge of a stately brave Pallace where in the top he caused the Heavens to be artificially moulded and the Sun Moon and Stars to be painted and under them the clowds that by art moved up and down distilled
Horse would needs have him foaming at the mouth but could not by any means do it Whereupon in a great rage he took the sponge wherewith he made his pensils clean and thrâ—w it at the picture intending to have utterly defared it but it so fell out that the spunge having sucked in severall sorts of colours effected that by chance which the Artist by all his industry could not compasse Thus it is with them that strive to make themselves great and eminent in the World How do they cark and care flatter lie and dissemble and all to be thought some body amongst their fearful Neighbours But all in vain this is not the way to do it for as Charles and Fifth told his sonne That Fortune was just like a Woman the more you woe her the further she flings off Let every good Christian then take up the spunge of contempt and throw it at these outward eminencies Moses did so and found to his exceeding joy that the abjection of vain glory was the acquisition of that which was true and reall The difference of good and bad Men in their preparation for Death A Wife that hath been faithfull to her Husband and waits his coming home let him knock when he will she is alwayes ready to open the door unto him but another Woman that is false to her husband and hath other Lovers in the house if her husband chance to knock at the door she does not immediately go to the door and let him in but there is a shuffling up and down in the house and she delayes the time till she have go the others out of the way Thus it is when Death knocks at the door of these Earthly Tabernacles of ours here 's the difference A good man is willing and ready to open to Death his Heart is in such an Heavenly frame that he is alwayes prepared for Death and seeing 〈…〉 Death that so he may take possession Whereas the Atheist he dares not die for fear of a Non esse that he shall be no more the prophane Person is afraid of Death because of a male esse to be made miserable and every wicked ungodly Man is loath to die for having espoused himself to the things of this World he shrinks at the very thought of Death and cryes out to his Soul as sometimes Pope Adrian did O my Soul whither goest thou thou shalâ— never be merry more Or as those ten Men Stay us not for we have Treasures in the Field of Wheat and of Barley and of Oyl and of Honey c. Jer. 41. 8. Christ to be the summe of all our Actions THere is mention made of one in the Primitive times who being asked What he was answered A Christian. What is thy name he answered Christian. What is thy Profession He answered Christian. Wâ—at are thy thoughts He answered Christian. Thy words and deeds What are they He answered Christian. What life leadest thou He answered still Christian. He had so digested Christ into his Soul by Faith that he could speak nothing but Christians And thus it is that Christ is to be made the summe and ultimate of all our actions we must labour that Christ may be made one with us and we with him that in all our Works begun continued and ended we may still conclude with that expression of the Church Through Iesus Christ our Lord. Gods Immutability A Man travelling upon the Road espies some great Castle sometimes it seems to be nigh another time afar off now on this hand anon on that now before by and by behind when all the while it standeth still unmoved So a Man that goes in a boat by water thinks the shore moveth whereas it is not the shore but the boat that passeth away Thus it is with God sometimes he seemeth to be angry with the Sons of Men another time to be well pleased now to be at hand anon at a distance now shewing the light of his Countenance by and by hiding his face in displeasure yet he is not changed at all It is we not he that is changed He is Immutable in his Nature in his Counsels and in all his Promises whereas all Creatures have and are subject to change having their dependance on some more powerfull Agent but God being onely independent is as the School-men say omninò immutabilis altogether immutable The Godly Man rejoycing in Death IT is storied of Godfrey Duke of Boloigne that when in that his expedition to the Holy Land he came within view of Ierusalem his Army seeing the high Turrets goodly Buildings and fair fronts though but as it were as so many Skeletons of far more glorious bodies being even transported with the joyfulnesse of such a sight gave a mighty showt that the Earth was verily thought to ring with the noyse thereof Such is the rejoycing of a Godly Man in death when he doth not see the Turrets and Towers of an Earthly but the spirituall building of an Heavenly Ierusalem and his Soul ready to take possession of them How doth he delight in his dissolution Especially when he sees Grace changing into Glory Hope inâ—o fruition Faith into vision and Love into perfect comprehension such and so great are the exultations of his Spirit such mighty workings and shoutings of the Heart as cannot be expressed Sin to be looked upon as the cause of all sorrow IN the course of Justice we say and say truly When a Party is put to death that the Executioner cannot be said to be the cause of his death nor the Sheriff by whose command he doth it neither yet the Iudge by whose sentence nor the twelve Men by whose verdict nor the Law it self by whose Authority it is proceeded in for God forbid that we should endite these or any of these of Murther Solum peccatum Homicidae Sin and sin onely is the cause and occasion of all sorrows It is not the looking upon any accidentals any Instrumentals of our Miseries and vexations but upon the principal the prime Agent and that 's Sin to take a wreak or holy Revenge upon that to send out an enquiry in our Souls after that and having found it to passe sentence thereupon The Good Mans comfort in matter of Worldly losse IT was a handsome conceit of a great Duke of Florence that had for his Arms a fair spread Tree having one branch onely lopped off with this Motto Uâ—o avulso non deficit alter intimating thereby that as long as the Trunk or body of the Teee was well rooted there was no fear though a branch or two were withered Thus a good Man bears up himself in the matter of temporal losse As to the matter of Government if a David be gathered to his Fathers a Solomon may succeed him in his Throne If a Iohn be cast into Prison rather then the Pulpit shall stand empty a greater then
a serious communication clear intelligence and acquaintance with their own hearts saying Heart how doest thou How is it with thee for thy spiritual estate Heart how wilt thou do or what doest thou think will become of thee when thou and I must part and never have the happinesse to talk with one another again Faithfull Soul and an Unbeliever their difference in relying upon God LOok how it is with two Watermen the one hales his Boat about the shore and cannot gâ—t off but tugs and pulls hard yet never puts her forth to the â—ide the other having more skill puts off presently 〈◊〉 up his Sail and then sits still committing himself to wind and tide which eaâ—â—ly carry him whither he is to go Just thus it is with a Faithfull Soul and an Unbeliever all the care of the one is to puchimself upon the stream of Gods providence to set up the Sail of Hope to take the gale of Gods Mercy and so he goes on cheerfully And why but because he is not moved by any externall Principle it is Faith in Christ Iesus that puts him on it is by Faith that he hath got a skill and a kind of slight to put over all cares to another and though he take up the Crosse yet he hurls all the care upon Christ and then it is an easy matter to lye under the burthen when another bears the weight But the unfaithfull unbelieving Soul thinking by his own wit and power to bring things about tugs and puls hard yet finds neither ease nor successe but sinks under the pressure of every carnal Worldly â—â—â—â—rrent that betides him Self-deniall the excellency thereof THere is mention made of a certain godly Man that was in his time sore tempted by Sathan the Man was much in duty to whom Sathan said Why takest thou this pains thou dost watch and fast and pray and abstainest from the sins of the times But O Man What dost thou more then I do Art thou no Drunkard no Adulterer No more am I Dost thou watch and fast Why let me tell thee I never slept I never ate nor drank What dost thou more then I do I will tell thee said the good Man I pray I serve the Lord nay more then all this which is indeed the sum of all I deny my self Nay then saies Sathan thou goest beyond me For I am proud I exalt my self and so vanished O the excellency of self-deniall when Christ may be said to rule within a man when in every way a Man subjects himself to Christ in his understanding to know Christ in his will to choose and embrace Christ in his thoughts to meditate upon Christ in his fear to serve and honour Christ in his Faith to trust and depend upon Christ in his love to aâ—â—ect Christ in his joy to delight in Christ in his desires to long after Christ in his endeavours to exalt Christ in all his duties graces gifts and abilities to make them serviceable to Christ so that he may be said to live yet not he but Christ that liveth in him Gal 2. 20. Graces divine not parts humane hold out in the end AS it is with two Children playing together in the day when night comes one Child goes to his Father and the other to his Father It may be all the day they are so like that you cannot say whose Child is this or that but when night comes the Father then cometh to his Child and saith Come my Child come in at dores And if the other do but offer to come in No child you must go home to your Father So while we are living Grace and gifts are mingled together some men have gifts and some Men have graces and they look very like Ah but when night comes when Death comes then saith God to those that have Grace Come my Children enter in but if those that have gifts onely come he sends them another way so that if a Man have never such parts and gifts yet if he have not Grace withall he may go to Hell and perish to all Eternity How it is that Graces of the Spirit may at present seem to be lost AS in a Fire the fewel may be quite burnt out the flame abated and quite extinguished but yet there still remains an heap of Coals on the hearth and in them a good Fire though all may seem to be quenched And it is obvious to every eye that the Sun doth not alwaies shine out in its lustre a cloud may interpose and so intercept its beams yet for all that the body of it is in the Heavens as the Fountain of all other light whatever So it is that the Graces of the Spirit such as Faith Hope Love cannot be finally and totally extinguished in the Soul when they are once wrought there by the Spirit yet their lustre their radiancy their shine and flame may be clouded for some time And so it comes to passe that though a Man cannot lose his hope yet he may at present lose the comfort and confidence of his hope though he cannot lose his Love yet he may cool the heat and fervour of his Love The flame of the Spirit the feeling and sense of it may in the secondary causes thereof for a time be quenched but yet the Spirit it self and the Cardinal graces thereof remain still in their full glory and splendor Sin to be removed as the cause of all Sorrow IF a Man have a thorn in his foot it puts him to a great deal of pain it swells and is full of anguish Now let him anoint his foot let him lap it up and keep it warm let him sit still and not walk upon it yet all the while the thorn is still in his foot he hath no ease but it akes and throbs and goes to the very Heart of him The way then for ease in such a case is to remove the cause of the sorrow by all means to get the thorn pluck'd out to get that drawn forth So when a Mans Conscience is in trouble and disquiet he may use plaisters of ease may seek to quiet his Spirit with merry Company good fellowship following his Pleasures minding his businesse he may be padling with these plaisters and Poultesses that Men of the World seek ease by but yet so long as the thorn is in the Heart guilt in the Conscience and Sin in the Soul all these slabberments will do not good the â—horn must be pluck'd out Sin must be removed as the cause of all sorrows whatsoever Means in the attainment of Grace and the use thereof enjoyned by God IT was as easy for Boaz and might have been done with as little charges to have given Ruth as much corn at once as would have yielded her an Ephah of Barly and so have sent her home without any more ado but he would have her
by it What comfort reap they by it None at all their Consciences bearing them witnesse that they are none such as the World takes them to be The losse of an onely Son or nearest relation not to be over-much lamented IT is said of Cleobis and Biton that in absence of the Horses they drew their Mothers Chariot to the Temple themselves for which obedient act of theiâ—s she prayed that they might be both of them rewarded with the greatest blessings that could possibly happen from God to Man but so it hapned that they were both of them found dead in their beds the next morning News thereof was brought to their Mother as matter of great misfortune which she in a manner slighted saying I will never account my self unfortunate that was the Mother of two such Sons whom the Gods have invested with immortality for their pious and obedient actions And shall then a Pagan Mother having no other light but that of dusk nature take it for a divine favour that her two Sons did so early quit this life And shall Christian Parents or any others within the pale of the Church such as are better enlightned pule and repine and look sowre upon Heaven and upon God when in mercy he hath done for theirs not what is pleasing to them but what is most fit and commodious for both nothing being done but for the best to them that love him so that for the most part life is not so much taken away as death given for a speciall favour and advantage Noreturn from Hell THere is a story of an ignorant Man that being at Church and hearing the Preacher set out the pains of Hell as a just reward of all those that forget God said That he would not believe there was any such thing as Hell or any such pains at all To whom the Preacher replied That if one should come thence and tell him the truth thereof yet he would not believe or take any care to avoid it For as the party came thence to tell him of it so he would hope to do as much when he was there to warm another But let no Man be deceived that cannot be Vestigia null a retrorsum there 's no return from Hell Dives being there may make it his suit but all in vain Luk. 16. For as the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave or Hell as it is sometimes expressed shall come up no more i. e. shall never converse or transact any businesse upon the Earth again Powerfull Preaching of the Gospell IT is said in the Revelation of S. Iohn that amongst many other visions He saw an Angell fly in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospell to preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth and to every Nation and Kinred and Tongue and People saying with a loud Voice Fear God and give glory to him c. And what next followed Another Angell saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Babylon the great City is fallen c. Apoc. 14. 7. 8. See here now the efficacy and power of Gospell preaching let but the Gospell be sincerely preached Babylon must down the Devill and Dagon must fall before the Ark of Gods presence Whatsoever the purposes projects pretences policies conspiracies combinations and consederacies of lâ—ud Atheistical and wicked men be yet they shall never be able to stop the stream of Gods word dam up the wells of Salvation or hinder the free passage of the Gospell no more then to bind up the wind in their fists or stop the rain of Heaven from watering the Earth It is true that the Ministers of the Gospell may be the Instruments of Sathan be stocked stoned hewen asunder burned with fire slain with the sword clap'd up in Prison fettered in chains sequestred plundred decimated c. yet the Gospell it self may be nay is in lively operation a light that cannot be put out a heat that cannot be smothered a power that cannot be broken For even then the constant sufferings and patient bearing of the crosse doth as by a lively voice publish and proclaim the truth of the Gospel for which they suffer and serveth to win many to the Faith of Christ Jesus Punishments of the Wicked in this life nothing in comparison of those in Hell hereafter IT is said of Christ that going up to Ierusalem and finding in the Temple those that sold Oxen and sheep and Doves and the changers of Money sitting he made a scourge of small cords quasi flagellum as it were a scourge saith the vulgar translation made up of small cords such as he gathered up from amongst the People in the binding of their Sacrifices bearing the likenesse and form of a Scourge and with this he drove them out of the Temple And so it is that the sorrows troubles vexations and punishments that befall the Wicked in this life they are but quasi tales as it were such they are but the type the Figure the similitude of such the meer beginnings of sorrows but flea-bitings in comparison of what shall befall them hereafter For when Christ shall come to Judgment he will make a whip indeed such an one that by the stripes thereof the Wicked shall be whipped into Hell and all such as forget God Faith and Love inseparable IT is a Rule published by the Heathen that all Vertues are so interwoven and linked together in a chain that he that hath one hath all and he that wanteth but one wanteâ—h all So it is with that worthy pair of Graces that Heavenly couple Faith and Love Faith not without Love nor Love without Faith but both together Not Faith without works nor works without Faith but the one must be fruitfull to bring forth works and the other thankfull to confesse them Faith must work by Love and Love live by Faith for Faith without Love is but seeming and Love without Faith is disordered Then as it is Christ's own rule that the things which God hath joyned together no Man should put a sunder so Faith and Love being lodged as two guests in one house and locked up as two Iewels in one Cabinet they should by no Man whatsoever be dis-joyned or divided Sacrilegious persons condemned THe antient Romans by the light of Nature disliked and checked Quint. Fulvius Flaccus because he had uncovered a great part of Iuno's Temple to cover another Temple of Fortune with the same tiles they told him that Pyrrhus and Hannibal would not have done the like and that it had been too much to have done to a private dwelling house being a place far inferiour to a Temple and in conclusion forced and compelled him by a publique decree in Senate to send home those tiles again What a shame then is it for Christians such as pretend to be knowing Christians to come behind the Heathen who did more for their Idols then they will do for
of his childre 139. The Soul's delight once set upon God hardly to be removed 183. Gods time the best time for deliveâ—ance 5. God doth not onely deliver but comfort his Children 25. In all deliverances spiritual and temporall to give God the glory 339. God raising up Instruments for the deliverance of his people 551. The workings of God in the deliverance of his people various 648. Spiritual desertions no distractions to the child of God 49. How it is that there may be partial desâ—rtions of spirituall grace in the Souls of Gods dearest children but never totall nor final ones 383. Gods love to his children in the midst of spiritual desertions 395. Gods comfortable presence in the midst of spiritual desertions 397. Not to be over-hasty in the desire of Justice for wrongs sustained 7. The godly Man's desires are above his reach 122. The true Christian's desires are all for Heaven 394. Desperation the complement of all sins 317. The desperate Sinner's madnesse 454. Dâ—struction is from our selves 164. 659. Not so much the quantity as the quality of Devotion acceptable to God 15. The great benefit of devotion at bed time 247. The Devil a deceiver deceived by Christ 30. The Devil suiting himself to all humours 48. Satan's restlesse uncessant employment 49. Satan tempteth by degrees 68. Despâ—rate Devils 85. Satan subdued by Christs death 126. His policy to defile the Soul with sin 289. The Devill rewarding his servants 500. The Devils cunning to deceive 578 637. The Devils rage and arguments of the Judgment day at hand 626. Why it is that the children of God die usually sooner then others 522. All must die 341 522. We dye daily 162. Wisemen dye as well as Fools 478. Many seem to be willing yet are loath to dye 64 76. Man alwaies in a dying condition 12. We must learn to live well before we desire to dye 65. Dâ—scretion the guid of all Religious actions 574. A main part of true Wisedome 650. Discord ill-becomes the Disciples of Christ 43. Discord in Church or Common-wealth prejudicial 58. The deepest dissembler at one time or other discovered 478. Civill Dissention attended by uncivill destruction 13. Dissention the Fore-runner of confusion 626. Distractions will prove destructions 8. Englands distractions to be Englands peaceable directions 193. Dangerous to interpose with a divided People 74. Division amongst Christians is the disgrace of Christians 44. All divisions are against Nature 75. The danger of Divisions 94 317. Divisions usher in destruction 204. The evill of Division 474. Divisions in Church and State to be prevented 559. The stuâ—y of Divinity necessary 220. The study of School-divinity not altogether necessary 241. False doctrine is treason against God 44. To do as we would be done by is praise-worthy 163. Dreams not altogether to be sleighted 1. The right use that is to be made of Dreams 237. A drunkard hardly to be reclaimed 87. Drunkennesse condâ—mned 140. Drunkennesse the shame of England 190. The encrease of drunkennesse in England 206. Drunkennesse Whoredome c. the generality of them 281. The scoffing drunkards sad condition 472. To be careful of extraordinary drinking 474. Excessive drinking condemned 475 580. Drunkennesse a great punishment of it self 483. To be carefull of our Duty of God and Man 10. Not to rest in outward performance of duty because dangerous 178. Compleat Christian duty 383. Neglect of the main duties of Christianity reproved 388. Men to be constant in performance of holy duties 396. Constancy of holy duties makes the performance of thâ—m easy 442. Holy duties call for holy preparation 469. The sins of our Religious duties corrected by Christ and then presented to his Father 633. E GOds decree of Election not to be made the proper objâ—ct of Faith 656. Mans happinesse consistech onely in Gods free Election 288. The true comfort of Election 586. How to be assured of our Election 586. Election known by Sanctification 76. Gods fundamentall love of Election and actuall love of Adoption how distinguished 261. To make our calling and Election sure 488. Eloquence if not affected an excellent gift of God 284. Eloquence not to be abused 306. Good endeavours assisted by God 157. All endeavours to be sanctified by prayer 551. The Churches Enemies in Gods hands 13. A Forreign Enemy to be prevented 34. To love our Enemies and do them good 73. How it is that we may hate our Enemies 138. 112. The great good which cometh by Enemies 112. Not to envy each others gifts and prefermenâ—s 29. The great power of Envy 173. The destructive quality of Envy 518. The incorrigibility of Errour 184. To beware of erronious doctrine 243 417. The obstinate Sinner deserving Eternity of punishment and why so 12. Eternity of punishment in Hell 97. to be considered 442. In all our doings we should have our eye uppon Eternity 103 443. Not to serve time but Eternity 202. Nothing but Eternity will satisfy the gratious Soul 438. In the midst of worldly enjoyments to mind Eternity 440. The evill of Excesse 616. A wicked Man hardly drawn to examine himself 107. Daily Examination of our selves the comfort of it 294. Gods choice of eminent persons to be Exemplary to others 13. Rulers actions Exemplary 32. A good Man will be a good Example to others 127. The dangerous Example of wicked Governours 192. The prevalency of a good Example 256. Christ to be our Example and pattern of imitation in life and death 484. Wicked men reserved for exemplary judgment 507. Magistrates and men in authority to be exemplary to others 516 531. Christ to be our example in bearing the Cross 624. The sufferings of Christ as so many Examples to teach us how to suffer 677. Experience of Gods love to be a motive unto better obedience 126. The experimented Christian the onely undaunted Christian 596. Mans extermity Gods opportunity 408. F. A Factious-spirited Man unfit for the work of the Ministery 21. Ring-leaders of Faction and Schism their condition deplorable 391. Factious hearers of the Word condemned 460. The happy succession of a Christian Family 423. Wicked persons may be in a good Family 461. The unhappinesse of a disordered Family 655. How to make tryall of Faith whether it be perfect or not 644. The great benefit of Faith truly appropriated 665. Faith and love inseperable 671. Complaint of the want of Faith an argument of true Faith 35. More comfort in a strong Faith then a weak one 435. The life of Faith the happy life 40. Faith is the Fountain of all Graces 51. The gradation of Faith 53. The tryall of Faith is the enlargement of Faith 74. Justifying Faith accompanied with good works 98. The certainty of Faith 111. Faith makes partakers of every good thing in Gods ordinances 113. Faith in the time of tryall needful 150. How Faith justifieth alone 163 151. The power of Faith reviving the deadly sin-sick Soul 177. The great power of Faith seated in the heart of Man 229. The least measure
Longaque alit assuetudine flammas Ovid. Met. lib. 10. R. Hooker's Eccles. polit in preface Mr. Edwards Antopology p. 296. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Ephr. Pagett Heresâ—â—graph Ephes. 6. 11. Aeliani Var. hist. Jos. Hall Exon. Sem. at Court 1632. Quid superbis terra ac cinâ—s Bern. in Serm. W. Jores Serm. in the Isle of Wight 1633. Prov. 4. 25. Universalâ—â— debet esse poenitentia c. Ben. Needler Serm. at S. Giles Crippâ—egate 1655. Gaudium est Quod non datur impiis nec ab impiis videtur Isid. de sum bon Herodoti Clio. Joh. Servilius de mirandis D. Joh. Gauden Apology for the Ministery Quaest. 9. Symposiat lib. 6. Pier du Moulin traicte de l'amour de Dieu T. W. A Fast-Serm at S. Giles Cripplegate Lond. 3655. Iugum Christi grave cum tuler is leve cum tulitur Aristoteles Is. Ambros. de Regenerat Gen. 35. 18. Is. Ambrose ut suprà Tu ne cede malis sed contra audâ—ntior ito Quà tua te fortuna siâ—et Virgil. Si me hujus causa pietat c. Theodoret hist. Ecccles lib. 5. cap. 28. etâ—bdura â—bdura dolor hic tibi proderit olim Ovid. 3. amor Is Ambrose Media Pro nobis apud Patrem interpellans ut Advocatus noster c. Rom. 8. 34. Is. Ambrose ut suprà Christi passio solatium in tribulatione internae devotionis exercitiam c. Tho. a Kâ—â—pis * R. J. Lightfoot in a Serm. before the House of Commons on Psalm 4. 4. Aut nibil aut malè aut aliud agendo Redi ad cor tuum et subtiliter discute â—eipsum considera unde venis quâ— tendis c. Hugo de anima lib. 3. Is. Ambrose ut anteà Per fidem attingit inaccessa deprehendit ignâ—ta comprehendit immensa c. Bern. super Cant. Tho. de Wann Serm. de tempore Is. Ambrose ut anteà 〈…〉 cis satu est si coetera nescis Hier. Drexelius in Zodaico Christiano Rich. de Mediavilla Progres Coeleslis Gratia sine qua nec insantes nec aetate graveâ— salvi fieri posunt Aug. 〈◊〉 nat et gratia Jer. Dyke Sermon on 1 Thâ—ss 1. 19. 1. Thess. 1. 19. Gaudium salutis aâ—ittere gratiâ Dei non excidere possunt eecti G. Frbricius in Psal. 51. 14. Paul Wann Serm. de 7. Vitiis Alphons ab Avendan Com. in Matth. Delinquendi materia debet in omnibus praescindi Cyprian lib. 2. ep 2. Jer. Dyke Sermon on Prov. 23. 23. Ruth 2. 15. Illud quod medium est atque inter utrumque probatur Martial 1 Kings 19. 8. Aloys Novariâ—us in Elect. Sacrit Nehem. 9. 25. Dan. 1. 13. Ier. 15. 16. Rom. 15. 24. Psalm 92. 14. T. White Art of Divine Meditation Nihil est quod ampliorem curam postulet quâ—m cogitare quid gerendum sit Auson Phil. Diez sum Praedicant Mille-aâ—â—sex est Satonas Varias illius fraudes resâ—rare nemo potess Laur. Justinianus de vita Monast. c. 12. Vinc de â—a Nuzae tract Evang. Hinc illud Hâ—rmenii Malo mori quà m corde foedari In libra Politic. Ioh. B. of Lincoln Serm. at Funeral of K. James 1625. Ioh. 13. 17. Thebaid 4. Plin. Secund. de viris illustribus cap. 2. Piis mors ultrà non est mors sed nomen tantum habet mortis c. Chrysost. in Matib Hippocrat de nâ—t pueri W. Gurnall Christ. Compl. Armour in Epist. ded Hieron Drexelii Gymnasium Patientiae Natura i. corrupta nec dum regenita nihil per se potest boni c. Eucher Lugdunens W. Gurnall Christian in compleat armour In lib. de corona Militis O caecas hominum mentes O pectora dura W. Gurnall Christian compleatly armed in the Epiâ—â— dedicat Praedicatoris vox corda torpentia hominum excitat plus quam lectionis c. Greg. super Evang. Anno 1. Eliz. Pulton's Collect. of Statutes W. Cambdeni Annal. Reg. Elizabet W. Gurnall Christian in compl armour Re non nomine Christiani Agathocles Willigis see B. Smith's Sermons Dr. Prideaux late B. Wigorn. * Dr. Prideaux late B. Wigorn. Beneficia Dei omnibus boris et omni tempore consider and a sunt Chrys. in Gen. hom 67 Alphons ab Avendano moralitat in cap. 1. S. Matth. Incassum laborat in acqui sitione Virtutum qui eas alibi quà m in Christo quaerit Bern. in Cant. Sen. ep 24. Ven. Beda in ep 1 Ioh. 2. 4. Auditores benevoli alacres reddunt Pradicatores Chrys. in Heb. J. Preston Breast-plate of Faith and Love 2 Chron. 33. 13. Luâ—â— 7. 32. Act. 9. 18. O pâ—enitentia quid de te novi referam c. Cyprian Treat of Effect Faith ut suprà Non bove mactato calestia numina gaudent sed fide quà praestanda est Ovid. J. Preston Golden Scepteer 1 Pet. 4. 4. Id maâ—â—â—ice quod inâ—ergo est non vident Rudis indigestaque moles Ovid. Serm. at Linc. Inne on Gen. 22. 14. ut suprà Ulysses Aldrovandi Ornitholog lib. 14. J. Preston Churches Marriage Esse accidentis plus est in subjecto c. Aristoâ— Creatura sine Deo niâ—il potest c. I fidor Pier du Moulin traicte d'Amour de Dicu Mark 12. 38. In vita Elizab. Joh. Trap Com. on Matth. 6. 29. Ant. Eremita apud Augustin aâ— doct Christ. lib. 1. resert quaelibet herba Deum Ovid. B. Hooper in a Letter to Mistr. Anne Warcup Acts Monuments of the Church by J. Fox Psalm 119. Recurrendum est ad solas Scripturas P. de Alliaco in Sent. J. Preston of Effect Love on the 1. Thess 1. 3. Si saeviat mundus si fremat malignus c. Tu es spes mea Domine Barnard Gulielm Cambd. Eliz. Ingratum si dixeris c. David Pareus in Matth. cap. 5. v. 6. J. P. Treat of Effectual Faith Per fructum dignoscitur arbor Rich. de Mediavilla clavis David Tune enim fidelâ—s veraciter sumus c. Greg. hom 29. Tu dicis quod credis sac quod dicis et fides est c. Aug. in Ioh. J. Preston Golden Scepter Praemiis etiam magnorum virorum animi excitantur Arn. Ferron lib. 2. Eccles. 1. 5. Iob. Iamque opus exegi c. Ovid. ult Gab. Inchinâ— scala Coeli Et tibi crede mihi tempora veris erunt Ovid. Fast. 1. T. Fuller Serm. at S. Brides Lond. 1655. occasioned by a motion of bringing in of the Iews into England Eheu quà m miseros tramite devio Abducit ignorantia c. Boet. 3. 8. Athenaeus Geo. Hall Serm at s. Pauls to the Sons of Ministers 1655. St. Marshall Serm. at Westm. 1651. Heu mortem invisam c. Maph Vegius in appendice Virgil. * Mich. Paleâ—logus T. Brooks Unsearchable Riches of Christ. Diog. Laert. lib. 6. cap. 6. Lib. 5. cap. 4. Aquin. 1a 2ae qu. 169. art 1. ad 3. Val. Max. lib. 9. cap. 3. Dr. Stoughâ—on Serm. at S. Pauls Loâ—d 1624. Plin. hist. lib. 2. cap. 103. Rob. Dallington Aphorisms Civil and Military Sorte sua contentus abi