the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell Great cause to look unto it to guard it well as nature teacheth us with all our care But he that can master his passion and this master passion can master his tongue also that is supposed For the tongue as we heard is but angers first weapon And if we can binde the strong-man we can spoile him of his weapons that 's out of question for it is first done I will say but this then for I have spoken to it before in the first part It is the wisdome of a man to see himselfe speake That is well first to observe the way his tongue is travelling in That he may be sure and certaine that the way is safe Remembring still what was said too That a man hath falne more 1. 〈◊〉 dangerously by his tongue then he hath by his foot § 5. Of Censure I would charm the tongue here before I leave it but so it is hard for man to do nay impossible yet I will lesson it in point of Censure Which is a bold libertie the tongue takes as if it had a a K. â— Daemono-Log lib. 3. cap. 1. patent for prating or had received another edict that all the world should be taxed The lessons are these 1. Take no evidence from heare-say It is the greatest liar in the world Report will sully the whitest name upon earth and when it hath done and you would finde the authour you cannot he walks as undiscerneable as if he had his head in the clouds b Caput inter nubila condit vide Scal. Poâ—â— lib. 5. cap. 3. pag. 524. Report nothing upon bare report especially nothing touching any ones good-name which the purer it is like a white ball the more sullied with tossing 2. Where thou wantest certaintie judge charitably the best and leave that thou canst not know to the Searcher of hearts Indeed sometimes a mans out-side actions words gestures do make an easie and plain Commentary upon the heart we may expound the heart by them There is a speaking with the feet and a teaching with the c Prov. 6. 13. 14. fingers The organ or instrument of speech is the tongue What can the feet speak What can the fingers teach why the feet can speak and the fingers can teach what is in the heart Their commentary is so plain that a man may reade frowardnesse is there But now when a mans actions his meaning and intent are of as doubtfull construction as some old Characters worn out and decayed Take we heed now that we reade them not according to our sense unlesse it be most agreeable to charitie It is a good rule d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must shew all the favour that may be We must stretch out charities mantle as wide as we can that is as wide as heaven is wide saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Acta Apost 21. Hom. 44 Chrysostome and we must note it We are bound to give the fairest and most candid interpretations of actions and meaning as possible may be It is Mr Perkins rule and but the rule of charitie Be as tender of a mans meaning as with his eye so of his actions as perhaps he did not so as it is suggested if he did it then not with a minde to do me hurt or if with that purpose then by some temptation which might have carried my self too and upon a worse evil Still deale tenderly we should with our brothers Name with his Conscience with his meaning as tender of all this we must be as we are of our eye or of a glasse of Chrystall 3. Speak well of the dead or nothing at all It is for such to trouble them that are at rest who are of his generation who did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pitie and his anger did tear perpetually and kept his wrath for ever f Amos â— 11. Mark well how sadly and confidently Job speakes touching the securitie of the dead mark it I can but point to it g Job 3. from 13 to the 20 verse And learn we may something from the devil when he feigned himself Samuel That it is no point of Civilitie to disquiet the dead h 1. Sam. 28. 15. 4. No nor to disquiet those that are absent in conjuring up their names for they are dead to us and cannot speak for themselves Stay a little till Mephibosheth i 2 Sam. 16. 2. Chap. 19. 27. He hath slandered thy servant verse 27. Not slanderers 1. Tim. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can be heard to tell his own tale he will prove himself as sound at the heart as he is lame in his feet and Ziba shall be counted as he is a Devil 5 If the name of thy neighbour be in question and thou canst relieve it by a word and that word but the very truth Take heed now Let not that pretious name of thy neighbour faint and die under thy hearing for want of a word thy speaking what thou knowest and standest bound to speak by the bond of charitie If thou shalt be faulty in this point of charitie it is a privative censure I keep the chief lesson last I take it from a rule in Herauldry this it is 6. All k Joh. Guil. display of Herauldry pag. 163. Animalls born in Armes or Ensignes must in blazoning be interpreted in the best sense according to their generous and noble qualities if a fox be the charge of an Escutchen we must conceive his qualitie represented to be wit and cunning not pilfering and stealing c. I may finde bad qualities in the King of beasts I must in blazoning take the most noble Then much more in blazoning my brothers Name I must finde-out his good qualities So the Apostle with Iob l James 5. 11. we have heard of the patience of Iob not a word of his impatience And observeable it is how David fills his mouth with Sauls m 2. Sam. 1. vertues But how if my brother have not one good qualitie I must not think so not that any one is so buried under the rubbish of his own and Adams ruines but some good may be found in him if with the Chymist we would set the fire of our charitie on work some good might be extracted for as there is some rubbish in the best of men so there is some ore too something of God some good in the very Worst doubt it not while thou canst see a poore woman puddering in the dust-heap and finding some good there And let this teach us how we deale with our brother not worse then with a dust-heap I hope pick-out his good and let go the bad But if thou must fix upon the bad as so the case may require do it tenderly like a brother as one knowing thy self and thy common nature in love in meeknesse in the spirit
was how I should be fed to morrow and clothed to morrow that had sufficient for the day The Lord beheld the wrigling of the worme and forbare to crush it notwithstanding my intermedling with His charge which is to keep and feed his people and the neglect of my owne which is to give all faithfull diligence And so as in Pauls passage He brake the Ship yet brought safe to land He crossed my friends designes and dashed all our projects and placed me in such a calling and in that place which was least thought of And in all this there was nothing but Grace and goodnesse A gracious hand a good providence and now I can track it That very instrument hath brought in a competency which I thought impossible to be And in such a place hath God proâ—â—ded for me that is of the best note whereas if I could have found the way I would have crept into a mouse-hole That is a happy Infirmitie which makes a man stick and cleave to God that depresseth man no matter how low so it advanceth God An happie weaknesse that makes the creature leane cling and rowle it selfe upon Him in Whom is everlasting strength There cannot be so much want in Man as there is helpe in God and helpe He will if we can depend and waite upon him And in the conclusion we shall see and say He hath done all things well k Mark 7. 37. When we know the power and wisedome of our Physician we doubt not of his prescriptions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys in Gen. Cap. 17. Hom. 40. â— We may reade an observable answer from a grieved mother to the demand of a Prophet It went very ill with her so to sense and with her husband too for God had taken away their deare and onely childe his breath was newly departed and then the father and mother both were sadded to the heart we may be sure And yet when the question was is it well with thee with thy husband with thy childe She answered it is well l 2 King 4. 26. Well indeed which God doth For as He made all things very good at the first so what He doth is very good still And therefore though it be not well to sense neither with the Father nor with the Mother nor with the Childe yet to Faith it is well for God hath done it and he doth all things well And if parents and children can waite in silence and expect with patience they shall say it is very well and now they shall say as the Mother said it shall be well I speake not this as if verse 23. so I had done so depended so waited it is my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Abimelech said well to Isaac Thou art much mightier then we he was indeed and needs he must be so for an Almighty Hand went along with Isaac hand in hand in all things in all places Nothing is of more power then he is who is assisted from above as Nothing is weaker then is he who is forsaken of that Almighty helpe Chrysost in Gen. 26. 16. Hom. 52. Cant. 8. 5. shame that I have pâ—ofited so little by so fit a correction But therefore I speake it that we may learne under any affliction whatsoever To waite without wearinesse And the more weary and weake we are the faster to cling to The Almighty For weaknesse with such a support shall doe and suffer great things things beyond expression or imaginationâ— Of such consequence it is To be Nothing in our selves All in God To feele our owne weaknesse and in sense thereof to leane the more strongly upon the Beloved The instructions I would give from hence seasonable for a parent and as usefull for a Childe are these First Let the parent give the Childe his breeding what ever imperfection lyeth upon it yet let the Childe be taught what it is any way Capable of Capable will the Parent say what can a poore weake stammering child be taught or what can he doe with his teaching This is the common Accent which Parents put upon their childrens defects The childe is wanting the parent will make him more wanting and he will busie and vexe himselfe about Gods charge and in the meane time neglect his owne Let the Parent doe the work of the day upon the day and leave the morrow to God And let him doe it cheerefully and in hope Camerarius m cap. 37. tels of one who did write with his feete very exactly and made his Pen without his hands for he had no Armes He tels us also in the same Chapter of two a brother and a sister both deafe and dumbe but strange things of both They could heare with their eyes and speake with their hands So solicitous saith my Authour n Adeo Natura veluti fidelis mater compensando solicita c. quod enim in aliquibus sensibus adimit in aliis restituit Ibid. Nature is to recompence and make up what is wanting restoring that to one sense which it took away from the other And we know many who have learned without their eyes and have proved no ordinary Proficients not in the Arts onely but in the tongues also wherein the least jot or tittle must be taken notice of The eare is that great Instrument of knowledge A Parent knows not whither that qualitie which is easily taught may bring the Childe Davids Harpe set him before his King And we know of what use ordinary qualities have beene to great Schollars they have supplied their necessities when the Book could not So Ramus tels us so Alsted I have heard a Parent say upon observation of some defects in his Childe whereof many times the Parent is the worst judge that his Childe is fit for nothing for nothing Then make him a Parson or a Vicar he is not so waÌ„ting but you may make him either the one or both This was the old conceit and I doubt it is not old enough to die But we must be serious speaking the words of truth and sobrietie If the Childe be so deficient as the Parent thinks him fit for nothing then the rather give him Instruction Certainly that will make it good for something If the Childe be not monstrously deficient and Gods Image doubly defaced in it whereat and in which glasse the Parent may behold himselfe and be greatly humbled at the sight some instruction may fit its capacitie and fit it for some imployment in afterwards I know well there are some whom nature and parts have fixed in a lower Sphere as uncapable of rising higher or being greater as the earth is of becoming a Star in Heaven But o Nemo reperitur qui sit studio nihil conseâ—utus Quint. 1. 1. yet where a Parent sees all this wanting he must not be so farre wanting to the Childe that he suffers Breeding to be wanting to it also For if so this will fall out That the
like Treatises This Author hath more punctually and pertinently handled all kinde of duties from ones first entrance into this world to his going out thereof then any of the fore-named Authors or any other that have written of the like subject Such varietie of matter is here couched as it will prove usefull to all of all sorts that will reade and heed it The Lord give a blessing to this and all other like labours of his faithfull servants Amen William Gouge THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOK CHAP. I. WHat the Parents dutie when it begins Gods gracious work upon the Childe framing it in the wombe and giving it its due proportion of parts what thanks therefore pag. 1. 2. How Sinne defaceth Gods Image How repaired Of Baptisme and the solemnitie thereof The Mother the Nurse to pag. 4. The Mother is most imployed about the head of the Childe my head my head saith the Childe carry him to the Mother saith the Father 2 Kings 4. 19. The Mother is charged with the head Father and Mother both with the heart and this work is for the closset pag. 4. What Infancy is called an Innocent Age but miscalled Something may be done even then for the rectifying the Childes body and his heart too Grave considerations pressing to that Dutie from pag. 5. to pag. 9. CHAP. II. CHild-hood and youth how they differ whereâ—â— they agree unhappy Ages both The period of this Age not easily defined The Parent makes it longer or shorter as their care is more or lesse pag. 10. Parents not discharged in point of care when they have charged the Schoole with their childe how vain that thought pag. 12. How preposterous the Parents care How much Father and Mother both do crosse their own ends What a point of wisdome it is well to Time our beginnings When the Seed-Time what their imployment there to pag. 15. CHAP. III. A Two-fold imployment which lyeth in the order of Nature and right reason Lets hindring this twofold dutie two fondnesse fiercenesse extreames yet ordinarily in one and the same Parent I. Of fondnesse what causeth it Youth more profitable Child-hood 〈◊〉 delightfull * Fructuosior est adolescentia liberâ—rum sed Infantia dulcior Sen. epist 9. What hurt fondnesse doth The Divels â—â—â—â—theâ—ing engine to pag. 18. Foure mightie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fortifie us against it from pag. 19. to pag. 2◠〈◊〉 â—xamples evidencing how destroying it is to pag â—â— Repeated concluded in Mr. Bâ—ltoâ—s words with some use of the whole to all Parents to page 26. II. Fiercenesse whose fruit it is and how much it hinders to pag. 27. It helps not to unroot evill but rather roots it more in to pag. 29. It hinders much the Implanting of good to pag. 30. Considerations which may help to calme a Parent when in heat of spirit he is about to unroot evill are three very worth his consideration to pag. 33. Considerations which may arrest a Parents hand when he is about the implanting of good are foure which being considered will command an answerable practise to pag. 35. CHAP. IIII. OVr nature like a soyle fruitfull of weeds what they are and how unrooted 1. Pride the heart-string of corruption Chrysostomes note upon it how cherished how the contrary grace may and ought to be instilled to pag. 38. 2. Frowardnesse a spice of the former The Parents dutie here how the contrary grace may be inforced to pag. 40. 3. The way of lying and the way the Parent must take to prevent the course of it a great work if it may be done if not the Childe is fit for no societie to pag. 41. 4. Idlenesse how corrupting and provoking Labour how naturall to a man how he is provoked thereunto to pag. 43. 5. A bad Maligâ—us comeâ— quamvâ—s candâ—do simplici râ—biginem suam suam affricuit Sen. epist 7. companion how infectious and corrupting he will defile the best and most candid nature with his foule example pag. 44. 6. The evill of the Tongue prevented by teaching the Childe silence and this the Parent must teach himself and his Childe under five notions The briefe of that which concernes the Childes Instruction is while it is a Childe let its words be answers Nature teacheth much at this point and they more who walked by an higher light pag. 47. 7. An oath a word cloathed with death in a Childes mouth the Parent as in all so here very exemplary yea yea nay nay The Friers note upon those words No more must be heard from a Childe pag. 48. 8. The Childe must be taught what weight there is in those words yea yea c. A good hint there-from to teach the Childe to abhorre that religion which gives no weight to words nor oathes neither pag. 51. 9 10 11 12. Nick-names and abuses that way are ordinary with Children and a fruit of corrupt nature so quarrelling uncovering their nakednesse mocking scorning the meaner sort Great evills to be corrected and prevented in Children betimes a notable example to presse us thereunto to use our Inferiours kindely to pag. 53. 13. Cursing a great evill so imprecations against our selves Foure great examples full of instructions who spake rashly and were payed home in that they spake to pag. 57. 14. As Childrens Tongues must be watched over for the Tongue is a world of wickednesse so must their hands They will spill more then they eate how to teach Children to prize the good creatures pag. 59. 15. Children delight in the pain and vexation of those weake creatures that are in their power A great evill to be looked unto and prevented betimes considering our natures what they are page 61. 16. Nature fruitfull of evills more then can be pointed at or prevented but that is the true and genuine order of nature to prevent the evills thereof first pag. 62. 17. Teaching by examples the best way of teaching and the shortest they make the deepest impression pag. 64. CHAP. V. THe implanting of good the order therein The foure seasons in the day seasonable therefore 1. How uncomfortable darknesse is how comfortable the light A notable lesson there-from wherein our light and the true light differ to pag. 67. The Sun knoweth his appointed Time what that teacheth The Sun is glorious in his rising and refresheth how that instructeth pag. 68. Sin and sorrow will sowre the sweetest earthly Blessings where the root of our comfort pag. 69. The Sun a publique servant teacheth man so to be even to serve his brother in Love and to shew to him the kindnesse of the Lord what the Idol of the world what makes man an abomination from pag. 69. to pag. 71. The Morning the first fruits of the day our season what a Mercy to have it but a greater to take it what our first work and with whom what our engagements to set about it what may be instilled by continuall dropping from pag. 71. to pag. 77. CHAP. VI. VVE eat bread at Noon What that implieth
unapt we were when we were children learning something now would make it fresh again though the difference is much betwixt a man and a childe and it must be considered What we understand fully we think a childe might understand more readily and hence proceeds more hastinesse then is fitting which shews the Teacher to be the verier childe 4. Lastly let the Parent consider how long he hath been a disciple and how little he hath learnt It may be an Elephant or some imitating creature may be taught more in one moneth then he hath learnt in a whole yeer in matters most necessary this consideration if it be put home would calme him sure enough And so much for the removing of the Lets CHAP. IIII. Our nature like a soil fruitfull of weeds What her evils are How unrooted or prevented NOw we look to the preventing of evils which while they are but in the seed may be crushed as it were in the egge before there comes forth a flying Serpent or Cockatrice and I begin with that which is most radically in us and first sheweth it self that is †1. Pride it is the sinne of our nature and runs forth to seed rank and luxuriant the soonest of any It is the first sinne which declares its life in a childe and last dies in a man We read a Judg 9. 34. that Abimelechs skull was broke with a milstone thrown down upon him by the hand of a woman then he called out hastily unto his Armour-bearer Slay me that men say not A woman slew him Observe saith Chrysostome a Tom. 6. sâ—r 1. The man was dying yet his pride would not die Indeed it is the very heart-string of our corrupt Nature cut it and that beast will die but like the heart in the body it will hold out the longest I shall speak more hereof in my second part where we shall see the root of this sinne and the fruit of it too In this place being upon the dutie of a parent I shall onely shew how farre we parents fall short at this point and what our folly is for what we should soonest suppresse in children we first cherish and maintain Indeed all that are imployed about them b Quint. de claris Orat. are for the most part teachers of vanity unto them but of nothing more then of priding themselves and over-valuing their worth which is nothing whereto I conceive this makes a way verie ready and compendious †1. If a childe have some portion in the world above its fellows then it is presently a master or mistresse and others its servants He I include both sexes is taught to command when he should learn to obey and hath titles of respect given unto him before he knows how to deserve them or give them where they are due he hath others under him when he should be under others and not differ from a servant c Gal 4. 1 2 in point of subjection and obedience it is the old and standing rule though Lord of all This inhanceth our nature above the worth of it and makes the childe think it self some body d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8. 9. some great one when it is a very little one to that he thinks himself a very nothing I have observed they that have been masters when they were but Boyes and in theâ—â— season to learn subjection have proved the basest servants afterwards and boyes all the dayes of their life †2. Another way there is to blow up this little bladder which is by putting on the childe such ornaments so the parent intends them as serve neither for necessitie nor ornament nor decency and then bidding the childe looke where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys 〈◊〉 41. m Gen 18. it is fine An ordinary custome and very effectuall to lift up the minde To teach the childe so much to looke on it selfe that afterwards it cannot looke of I remember a merry fellow if he did intend hurt to any person would then give him a rich sute of apparell A 〈◊〉 cui 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vestimenta dabat 〈◊〉 Hor. strange kinde of injury a man would thinke but he found it a sure way and certain to hurt He should finde his enemy looking work enough he would so looke upon his fine costly cloathes that he would forget the vilenesse of his body And for the minde of this man so prancked-up now it would be as new and as gay as his cloathes and then he would hurt him sure enough For this is a compendious way to take hurt or a fall To looke upon the cloathes and forget a mans selfe and his first principles Sr. Thomas More tells us of a countrey wherein the men went very plaine but the children were as gay as jewells bracelets and feathers would make them It was his fiction but it findes some realitie and truth amongst us with whom children are so decked up and some also who passe for and walke as men of whom we may say as the Prophet in a case not very different for they also lavish gold out of the bag to adorne their Idoll Remember this and shew your selves men But sure enough Isa 46. 8. our rule teacheth us otherwise touching our children That they are worse trusted with superfluities till they have learnt from us the nature use and end of apparell why it was first put on and since continued In the meane time an handsome neat but plaine dresse doth best and is the safest garb A wise man can see his way here and guide himselfe and his childe between a cynicall affected plainnesse scanting themselves and a pageant like ostentation fomenting pride and strange conceits Reade Chrysost upon 〈◊〉 3. 1 vers 21. Hom. 18. Abusing that most fearefully to most contrary ends which God hath given to make us humble and thankfull Our Proverbe forbids us to stirre up a sleeping dogge and the Greeks have another to the same purpose We must not cast up fire with a sword Both the one and the other teacheth us not to foment or stirre up corrupt nature but by all fitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de Educat meanes to keep it down so may we prevent this evill But we see the contrary is practised we doe stirre fire with a sword we doe foment corrupt nature by vain and phantasticall fashions such as if the Divell were in mans shape they were the words of a grave and learned Divine he D. G. could not be more disguised then now in mans cut and garb A great and a provoking evill this our dutie is to prevent it what may be and betimes Here is a fit place to plant in the Grace of humilitie lowlinesse of carriage how the viler a man is in his own eyes the more gracious he will be in every mans eye besides The lower his deportment is so it be in truth and sinceritie and not below himselfe the higher he is
thoughts very seasonably when the darknesse of the night is past and the comfort of the day is come And it may set an edge upon our desires after the principall thing o Eccles 2. 13. 14. knowledge wisdome understanding For wisdome excelleth folly as light excelleth darknesse And the wise-mans eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darknesse Knowledge in the minde is as the eye in our little world or as the Sun in the great Thus much by way of Analogie or agreement betwixt the eye or great light of the world and the true light Note we now wherein they disagree and their operation is contrary for it yeelds a great lesson The great eye of the world doth lighten those who have eyes and by a naturall power can apprehend that light They whose eyes are dark have no benefit by it But the true Light lightneth them p Lege Cal. Inst 2. 2 25. who have no principle of light within them them and them onely who are all darknesse and know themselves so to be and for such who think themselves lightsome and seeing men they are left to the vanitie of their own thoughts If q John 9. 41. ye were blinde ye should have no sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth It is of high g use and specially requires our consideration 2. The day is come and the sunne appeareth so the Creatour thereof hath appointed that it should know its rising and thereby to renew and and refresh the face of things The instruction is touching the might of His power and the riches of His grace creating light in the Soul who at the first brought it out of the wombe of darknesse and causing the light of comfort to arise unto His servants in the darkest night of affliction for it is He also that turneth the shadow of Death into the Morning r Amos 5. 8. And this affordeth a righteous people an hint for a glorious dependance they know that as sure as the morning follows the night so the Sun of righteousnesse will appeare with healing under his wings for if the Sun know his appointed time much more the Lord knoweth His and the Sun of righteousnesse His season when and how to comfort those that wait for Him as they that wait for the morning 3. The appearance of the Sun instructs us touching the glory of His appearance and the exceeding joy the righteous shall be filled with all at that Day For if it be so comfortable to see the light how comfortable will it be to see Him that is the Light of that light If this elementary Sun be so glorious and full of light what then is the Sun of Righteousnesse And if it be so comfortable to see this light how ravishing ſ Lege Basil Hex Hom. 6. will that joy be in beholding His face in that Day when we shall know Him as He is the Lord of glory But for the wicked it is not so with them for the morning is now unto them as the shadow t Job 24. 17. of death what then will be the morning of their resurrection when the hidden works of darknesse shall be brought to light and the secrets of all hearts opened and made cleare before all Israel and before the Sunne 4. We learne againe how sinne and sorrow can sower our blessings and make us disrelish the greatest earthly comforts Amongst them the chiefest is the light yet to him that is hurried or oppressed with his sinne this light is grievous And to him that is in paine the day is dolesome as he is wearyed with tossings in the night so is he tyred in the day complaining thereof for In the Deut. 28. 67. morning he shall say would God it were evening God can cause the Sunne to go down at noon and darkens the earth in a cleare day Amos 8. 9. That is as the x Chrysost Ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Father expounds the place He can so cloud the spirit of a man with sorrow that it cannot see the light or if he see it it shall not be lightsome to him Our cisternes of comfort are below but they are filled above All my springs of my life saith David Psal 87. 7. are in Thee Some fruits of comfort we gather from the earth but the root of our comfort is in heaven And this That our heart may have no dependance but on Him and that we may feare before Him Who can turn our y Amos 8. 10. feasts into mourning and our songs into lamentations A pleasant morning into a bitter day And a day of mirth into a night of sorrow as He can also turne the shadow of death into the morning 5. The Sunne though it be in an infinite distance from us to our finite understanding yet doth it send its influence downward cleane contrary to the nature of light or fire unto the lowest of creatures Thus This great light doth as if the Great Creator thereof had charged it thus to do Send forth thy light against the nature of the same cast thy beames down towards Man to guide and direct him there do so for for him thou wast made His candle z Ad Popul Antioch Hom. 9. cannot do so it is against its nature whose flame tends upward but so shalt Thou do that Thou maist serve man for whom Thou wast made thy light shall tend downward so Chrysostome It teacheth those that are highest in place and gifts to have an eye as the eye of the body hath to the foot to those that are lowest in regard of both and to be the more servant unto all we see That the Sunne riseth not for it selfe but to be the common candle of the world that we may see by it and worke by it It teacheth as before that whether we labour in our callings or to fit us for a calling we should in all intend the publique rather then our private interest This selfe is a poore and an unworthy Center for our actions to tend to or rest in yet is it the great Idoll a Self-love builds the citie of the Divell c. Aug. de Civit. lib. 14. cap. 28. ◠of the world as self pleasing so self-seeking the measuring the publick good by private interest And this sinne is clearely evinced and reproved by the language of the Sunne and all those creatures that in their ranks obey their Maker and serve us They serve man not themselves to teach man not to serve himself onely or principally but in subordination to God and in due reference to his brother The Sun as the great eye of the world is so divided by the Lord of the same that all parts partake of it in their season Nay the eye of our little world hath sight not to enjoy but to lighten the members so the wise man hath wisdome not for himself but for those of simple and shallow
we have it or have it not Ezek. 16. a fit glasse it is to see our selves in If we could lay our selves cloâ—e up on it as the Prophet applyed himself to the child the proud heart would fall the haughtie looks would down And therefore That thou mayst take shame to thy self as thy just portion and the more advance God and the riches of His goodnesse m Here is ground of coÌ„fort and for firme resolution said Staupitius to Luthâ—r in that you stand for that Doctrin which gives All to God to Man nothing at all for this is according to the Truth of the Gospel And in sure confidence hereof I shall set my faceâ—â—kâ— a flâ—nt said Luther Com. â—â— Galâ—â— 1 12. ch 2. 6. according to the doctrin of the Gospel God is never exalted till man is laid low nor is Christ precious till we are vile Consider thy selfe well and begin there where thou tookest thy beginning There thou shalt finde the first Corner-stone in thy foundation was laid in bloody iniquities in which thou wast conceived The very materialls of soul and body whereof thou dost consist were temper'd with sinne like the stone in the wall and beame out of the timber so as they cryed out even the same moment thou wast born rase this building rase it even to the ground And the cry had been heard and thou hadst been sent before this time to thy own place but that mercy came betwixt even the cry of that bloud which speaks better things then the bloud of Abel And that cry was heard so thou wast graciously spared and behold what riches of grace here are shew'd unto thee for thou wast then as wholly naked and stript of all goodnesse as thy body was being newly born and as wholly invested with the worst filthinesse for it is expressed by such things which are not comely to name as thy body was with skin and thy bones with flesh So thou camest in n Tanâ—â—llus pâ—â—r â—aâ—â—us peccâ—â—or a very little childe but a very great sinner not after the similitude of Adams transgression for sinne was actuall in him breaking a Commandement Originall in thee for thou brougâ—t'st it into the world with thee And a world of wickednesse it is defiling thy Body sâ—tâ—ing on fire not tâ—inâ— owâ— only but the whole â—ourse of nature â—or thou haâ—st an hanâ— to â—se Mr. Boltons words in that fire-work which blew up all mankinde he means in Adams transgression in whose â—oâ—â—s thou wast as a branch in a common stock which brought forth such a bloudy sea of sinne and sorrow into the world I will hold thy thoughts at the wombe so may'st thou the better know thy selfe for ever after From thence thou cam'st into the world a finke a Sodome of all filth and impuritie Thou hast inherent in thy bowels secret seeds and â—mbred inclinations of all sinne The principles of Hazaels bloudy cruelties of Athaliahs treasons and Iâ—zebels lusts The wombe the seed of all the villanies that have been acted in the world which Saint Paul hath sum'd up together in his first chapter to the Romanes 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Thou hast within thee the spawn the somenter the formative vertue of all that hellish stuffe All those flouds of ungodlinesse have no other originall fountain from which they issue then this sinne thou art now taking a view off Thy Heart is the Treasury of all that wickednesse and if the Lord shall rip up the foundations of thy nature as He may and in mercy also then wilt thou know I do not speak parables But if thou canst not follow sinne to its first originall if thou could'st so do thou would'st feare it more and flie from it faster then Moses from the serpent for more active it is and hurtfull if thou hast not learnt so much yet then learne now and follow the streames they leade to the Spring-head Know then whatsoever vanitie ignorance or darknesse is in our minde whatsoever swarmes of foolish thoughts whatsoever insensiblenesse in our conscience whatsoever disabilitie or enmitie is in our Will whatsoever unfaithfulnesse o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—eb 2. 1. leaking or running out in our memory whatever leaven or corruption in doctrine or manners whatsoever bitternesse dissentions wars devouring words To conclude whatsoever we have found in our selves or observed from others to breake out of the mouth at the eye like the purging of a corps now the soule is out All this is but the issue of this body of sinne which thou carryest about thee All that hath no other originall fountain from which they issue then this sinne When we let our tongues and eyes and eares loose and at libertie keeping no watch over the one nor making no covenant with the other when I say we doe thus set the doores windows and all open we then commonly excuse our selves thus That though we speake merrily yet our minde is good And though our eyes wander yet ouâ— heart walkes not after our eyes p Job 31. 7. And though we let in vanitie by the â—are as the wooll sucks in water yet we can keepe the inwâ—rd man cleane and pure this is our excuse and we would be pardoned But the excuse is worse then the fault for we must know That the tongue the eare and the eye these doores and windows of the soule The feet and the fingers there is a q Prov. 6. 13. speaking with the one and a teaching with the other All these are but as a little Comentary upon the great Text of the heart they do but serve to make plaine so as he that runs may read what lewdnesse and frowardnesse lyes in that depth involved there in more hid darke and obscure characters Or to use a plainer metaphor and according to the sacred Scripture The heart is the treasury the ever going mint wherein our thoughts r Fabricatur Prov. 6. 14. hammer mischiefe Out of that aboundance the mouth so of the rest filleth and emptyeth it selfe If there be a little vanitie upon the tongue we must conclude there is much in the heart if the eyes be full of adultery then the measure of the heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pressed down running over That vanitie which is shewed openly by the outward members is but like the money a rich man carryes in his purse to be laid forth upon all occasions compared Chrysost Tom. 6. Relâ—g p. 597. What wickednesse will they stick at in sâ—cret who pâ—oclâ—ime thâ—ir folly openly â—â— saith Isâ—â— Pelâ—sit lib. 2. p. 153. with that which is in the bag or chest there is the store The mouth is but as the cistern the heart is the well that fills it The aboundance is in the heart there is the treasury And this thou carryest about thee Nay it is within our earth more inwrapped within our nature then the Ivy within the wall as fast as with a band of Iron
shame my selfe or hurt them Did not he that made them make me Have we not both the same masters over us on earth and would we not be used kindely and gently by them And have we not all one Master in heaven See the first Part. chap. 4. sect 12. and would we not all finde mercy there Yea but he is thus and thus and doth so and so and so often he hath provoked me I must check my selfe now with this and it will surely calme and coole my spirit how m Chrysost in ep ad Rom. cap. 8. Hom. 14. pag. 206. 2 Pet. 3. 15. Rom. 2. â— much and how long God hath borne and forborn me And can I be impatient now The long suffering of the Lord is salvation It was salvation to Saul waiting till he became a Paul so was it to Peter waiting till he went out To us else we had been before this consumed Marke this and enlarge thy meditation upon it I it will be a meanes to frame upon thee that ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price for if I can say to my selfe but thus much how long suffering hath the Lord been to me ward I cannot be short and eager spirited toward my brother I cannot say more which is more pressing and availeable to subdue my passionate spirit and to gaine that constant and comfortable temper which resembles the highest region of the ayre where there is still a perpetuall serenitie and peace Lastly are they the wrongs and unworthy usage from others hands and tongues that have put me out of the possession of my selfe or are they crosses in my estate that trouble and disquiet me Then thus I must check my selfe By looking narrowly into my selfe and up to an higher hand as the children of wisdome have done I must remember the ten thousand talents There is nothing that can be thought of of more force to win upon a passionate spirit and to frame it to lowlinesse lovelinesse calmenesse and unpassionatenesse which is the cement of societie and sweet converse nothing I say of such force as these considerations First of Gods all disposing over-ruling hand who is so good that He would suffer no evill to be were He not so powerfull that out of the greatest evill He can extract the greatest good Secondly The riches of His mercy that forgave ten thousand talents And should I flye at the throat of my fellow servant for a few pence Thoughts hereof will frame us to a setled reposed estate and an unpassionate spirit But the remedy of remedies the most certain and excellent remedy whereby to shoare-up and underprop the soule against the shakings and impetuous blustering of this weake but impotent distemper which bloweth hard and boasteth great things The best remedy I say is To addresse our spirits before the Lord To look to Him who rebuked the winds and Seas and they were still We may say of this fiery exhalation as is said of the tongue n James 3. 8. a fire too and angers first o Prima semper irarâ— tela maledicta sunt quicquid non possumus imbecilli optamus irati Salv. De Gub. lib. 3. pag. â—1 weapon But this unruly evill can no man tame we must then pray and in our prayer p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 17. pray that is we must pray earnestly we must wrestle and weep in our prayer before the Lord That He would hold in our spirits calme and meeken the same We are taught of God to love one another saith the Apostle we are so indeed saith the Father For no man can teach it and if God teach not we shall flye off and all to pieces like an unserviceable piece of Ordnance before we are discharged We shall bite and devoure on another Vpon every occasion we shall flye out into sparkles of heat like the sonnes of the coale as one speaketh which if you blow it will sparkle in your face behold then how great a matter a little fire kindleth q Jam. 3. 5. We may allude here to what we reade spoken of the Leviathan r Job 41. 21. An angry-mans breath kindleth coales and a flame goeth out of his mouth But if God meekens the spirit if He humbles the heart all this fire will be quenched or if not so yet so kept in this fire shall be that no burning lamps no sparks shall leap out I meane nothing shall be done or spoken which may kindle wrath but much yeelding there will be much forbearing in the spirit of meeknesse as we learne by the example of Abraham who yeelds unto the younger rather then difference shall arise And the true sonne of a gracious father will yeeld not to Abimelech only but to the Heardsmen of Gerar though the place shall Chrysost Ibid. carry a memoriall of the contention there and injury done to Iacob there the taking from him that which God and nature makes common yet rather then there shall be any contention Isaac yeelds and accepts of an apologie or defence afterwards though never a word thereof true And this is meeknesse and patience indeed mildly to yeeld not to superiours only against whom perhaps we cannot stirre and be safe but to yeeld to inferiours such we would have disdained as Iob saith Å¿ Chap. 30. 1. to have set with the dogs of our flocke This is a point of a meeke spirit indeed And this is a spirit of Gods own framing even His to whom these two things do of right belong To subduâ— iniquitie and pardon sinne Marke it The Lord He it is who subdueth every distemper of the soul which vexeth there and pardons all the iniquity t Micah 7. 18 19. therefrom casting it as into the bottome of the Sea therefore to Him we must seeke I conclude with the wise mans lessons v Prov. 16. 23. 24. Verse 32. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips Pleasant words are as an honey-combe sweet to the soule and health to the bones He that is slow to anger is better then the mightie and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a citie I know That before I came off from this point I should have spoken more concerning the tongue and the government thereof But the subject is so large and 〈◊〉 largely handled That we cannot say a little of it It is me thinks observeable That he who wrote a booke thereof was a whole yeare so himselfe saith bethinking Drexelius himselfe what to call his booke which if I remember he was ten yeares in composing At the length he intituled his booke Phaeton and we know what is faigned of him as we do know what was the originall of that fiction But the Title fits very well and the Spirit gives good warrant to it For the tongue is a fire a world of iniquitie x Jam. 3. 6. it defileth