books of Homer in which were his joy But surely the richest Cabinet that is is in the soul of man and that 's the memory the Ark of Heavenly knowledge where like Mary we should lay up all that we know and hear of God It is a rich Cabinet indeed and therefore the fitter for the richest Iewel the Word of God to be treasured up in The retaining of one sin spoiles a great deal of good in the soul. AS the Philosopher saith A cup or some such thing that hath a hole in it is no cup it will hold nothing and therefore cannot perform the use of a cup though it have but one hold in it So if the heart have but one hole in it if it retain the Devil but in one thing if it make choice but of any one sin to lye and wallow and tumble in it doth evacuate all the other good by the entertainment of that one evil the whole box of ointment will be spoiled by the dropping of that one flie into it By the Laws of our Kingdom a man can never have true possession till he have voided all and in the State of Grace no man can have a full interest in Christ till all sin i. e. all raigning domineering sin be rooted out Weak beginnings of Grace not to be despised THough a man have a Palsey-shaking hand yet it is a hand A sick weak man that lies crying oh oh that can scarce turn himself on his bed is a man a living man a poor child that is newly born and hath nothing that discovereth Reason almost but the shape of a man that poor child is a reasonable Creature So that faith that beginneth with weak apprehensions and faint leanings on Christ is notwithstanding a true faith and therefore to be cherished Deep godly sorrow and other parts of Repentance do begin many times to run in a slender channel yet they must not be straightned amendment of life begins sometimes at a low foundation at small sins yet there may be encrease of such small grace and a man may be blessed for all the weaknesse of them It behoves every man therefore to take comfort in a little and be thankfull for it and that is the onely way to get more How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments A Child may handle the Mothers breasts may play with them may kiss them but all this while the child is never the fuller Therefore the child when it would be satisfied layes its mouth to the breast gets the nipple fast and then sucks and draws with its strength and might and so fetches forth the milk out of the Mothers breast Thus the Word and Sacraments are the breasts of Consolation and they be full of very sweet milk indeed but there can be no satisfaction till there be sucking Men may come to the Sacrament and gaze upon the Elements and eat and drink them and yet not receive the sweet of the Ordinance but if they would have the milk out of his breast they must fall to sucking and drawing with all their power and strength Now it is faith actuated that sucks vertue out of the Sacrament that sucks from Christ in the Sacrament mortifying vertue to kill lusts healing vertue to cure the pollutions of the â—eart and quickning vertue to enable to duties and actions of spiritual life Faith in the time of trial needful AS a Ship without his ballast is toss'd and rock'd at Sea and cannot endure the waves so is that soul right unstable and every hour apt to perish which hath not faith in Temptation It is written of the Cranes that when they do intend in stormy and troublesome weather to flie over the Sea fearing left that by the blasts of the wind their bodies which be but light should be beaten into the Sea or be kept from the place whither they intend they swallow some sand and little stones into their bellies whereby they are so moderately piezed that they are able to resist the raging of the wind So it must be with every Christian whilst they do cross this troublesome world of sin and great temptation It is faith that must be their ballast it is faith that must keep them upright or recover them when they are a going Good Laws and good men are the Pillars of State THe Pillars of State are good Laws and good Men good Laws are the Pillars that bear up men and men being so born up by good Laws do bear up the whole State of a Land Licinius therefore the Emperor spake barbarously when as Eusebius reports he said That Iuris cognitio was Vâ—rus pestis Reipublicae And the Iews who as Ambrose observes said That Leges were Crimina spake but as Iews that is as a Rebellious people And the Anabaptists that hold Laws to be contrary to Christian liberty do but by their doctrine give us to understand the qualities of their lives which is Epicurial licentiousness but Christians must give Laws their right and repute them as they are The Pillars of the State Man's corrupt Judgement upon the bare appearance of things condemned GOd is the Lord of Hoasts he is the great Commander of Heaven and Earth he it is that directs the conflicts neither are any put to try mastery no field pitched on battel fought but by his special Order and Commission and all for the accomplishment of his glory But it befalleth us as it doth with them which stand in the same level wherein two huge Armies are ready to engage they conceive them to be a disordered multitude whom notwithstanding if they behold from a high hill they will discern that they are artificially ranged they will see how every one serveth under his own colours even so men which behold the state of the world with the eyes of flesh and blood dim by reason of the weakness of their Judgements and wickedness of their affections thinks all thing are out of order that there is nothing but confusion and disorder to see men reeling in Iudgement one against the other servants riding on horses Princes going on foot bonis malè malis benè That the worse men are the better they fare and they fare the worse the better they are But if they did but once ascend into the Sanctuary of God and judge of occurrents by Heavenly Principles then they would confess that no Army on Earth can be better marshalled then the great Army of all the Creatures of Heaven and Earth yea and of Hell too and that notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary all is well and will end well that God who is the God of Order will bring light out of darkness and Order out of the greatest confusion could they but have patience and let him alone with his own work Beginnings of Goodness to be encouraged and why CIcero maketh mention of Marcus Crassus who walking one day by the Sea-shore saw a Boy
Officer to call in the Company of Brewers before him instead of them he warned in the Vintners to appear whom the Lord Maior no sooner espied in the Court but asked What they made there The Officer replyed that upon his Lordships command he had warned them in But saith the Lord Maâ—or I gave order for the Brewers True my Lord said the Officer And these be the greatest Brewers in the Kingdom or grand Impostors in corrupting the Queen of liquors as I and my â—ellows find by woful experience whereupon the Lord Maior and Aldermen approved the Officers wit and took the matter into consideration Thus the Judges are in a most special manner Patres legis the Patrons of the Law the great Masters of the Wine-cellar of Justice but if they once mix wine and water and turn judgement into Warm-wood they are then the Brewers the grand Impostors that poyson the State because they corrupt the Fountain of the peoples birth-right in making the known Laws of the Kingdom speak according to their pleasure An argument of extream folly not to be mindful of death IF a man were tyed fast to a stake at whom a most cunning Archer did shoot and wounding many about him some above and some below some beyond and some short some on this hand and some on that and the poor wretch himself so fast bound to the stake that it were not any way possible for him to escape VVould it not be deemed madnesse in him if in the mean time forgetting his misery and danger he should carelesly fall to bib and quaff to laugh and be merry as if he could not be touched at all who would not judge such a man besides himself that should not provide for his end yet such Gotamists such Bedlamites such mad men are most amongst us who knowing and understanding that the most expert Archer that ever was even God himself hath whet his sword and bent his bow and made it ready and hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death and ordained his arrows Psal. 7. 12 13. Yea that he hath already shot forth his darts and arrows of death and hath hit those that are above us Superiors and Elders such as be right against us companions and equals such as be very neer us kinred and Allyes on the right hand our friends on the left hand our Enemies yet we think to be shot-free sit still as men and women unconcerned not so much as once thinking of our latter end The sins of Blasphemy and Swearing the commonness of them IT is no wonder that in Italy vvhich is a parcell of Antichrists Kingdom Blasphemies should be darted out against God and his Christ openly being made phrases of gallantry to the Brewer and very interjections of speech to the Vulgar But in England where the Scepter of Christs Kingdom hath a long time flourished it cannot but wound the heart of such as mourn for the sins of the Land to consider hovv commonly not onely the Ruffian in the Tavern and the Rascal on the Stage but also the Labourer at his work and the Gentleman at his recreation and the very Boyes yea the Babes in the streets curse their Maker and revile their Redeemer The consideration of eternall pain to deter from the commission of sinne A Grave and chast Matron being moved to commit folly with a lewd Ruffian after long discourse and tedious solicitations she called for a pan of hot burning coles requesting him for her sake to hold his finger in them but one hour He answered that it was an unkind request To vvhom she replied That seeing he would not so much as hold his finger in a few coles for one hour she could not yeeld to do the thing for which she should be tormented body and soul in hell fire for ever And thus should all men reason with themselves when they are about to sin none will be brought to do a thing that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake If a man be but to snuffe a candle he will spit on his finger because he cannot endure a small and tender flame What care is then requisite to leave sin whereby we bring endless torments to body and soul in hell sire to which our fire is but Ice by way of comparison Seasonable Repentance is safe Repentance A Good Husband will repair his House while the weather is fair not put off till winter a careful Pilot vvill take advantages of wine and tide and so put out to Sea not stay till a storm arise The Travailer will take his time in his journey and mend his pace when the night comes on least darkness overtake him The Smith vvill strike while the Iron is hot least it grow cool and so he â—ose his labour So we ought to make every day the day of our Repentance to make use of the present time that vvhen vve come to dye we may have nothing to do but to dye for there vvill be a time vvhen there will be no place for Repentance vvhen time vvill be no more when the Door vvill be shut vvhen there vvill be no entrance at all The godly mans desires are above his reach A Godly man cannot do that which he would Rom. 7. 18. And wherein he is like a Prisoner that is got out of the Goal vvho that he might escape the hands of the Keeper desires and strives vvith all his heart to run an hundreth miles in a day but by reason of the heavy bolts and fetters that hang at his heels cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain and that too vvith chaâ—ing his flesh and tormenting himself And thus it is that the servants of God do heartily desire and endeavour to run in the vvaies of Gods commandements as it is said of that good King Iosias to serve God with all their heart 2 King 23. 25. Yet because they are clogged vvith the bolts of the flesh they performe obedience very slowly and weakly with many slips and failings The good of Government VVHen one comforted a poor Widow which had lately lost her Husband for that he vvas an unthrift and unkind she replyed Well though he were but a bad Husband yet he was a Husband and such an one is better then none So the commodities of Government are so great that a very bad Husband to the Common-wealth is better then none at all For whereas in a corrupt Monarchy there may be one Tyrant in an Oligarchy some few Tyrants in a Democracy many Tyrants in an Anarchy they are all Tyrants Death the good Mans gain IN the Ceremonial Law Levit. 25. there was an year they accompted the year of Iubilee and this was with the poor Iews a very acceptable year because that every man that had lost or sold his Lands upon the blowing of a Trumpet returned and had possession of his estate
Nec propter deum haec res coepta est nec propter deum â—inietur c. This businesse was neither begun for God nor shall be ended for him Not to serve Time but Eternity VVHen the Master of the House failes the Family is out of order and at the point of dissolution So miserable will be the condition of base Time-servers when their great Master is taken from them and the Angel hath sworn That Time shall be no longer Rev. 10. 6. It is best therefore serâ—ing of him who is Eternity a Master that can ever protect us Gods tryal of his Children by Afflictions THe manner of the Psylli which are a kind of People of that temper and constitution that no venome will hurt them is that if they suspect any child to be none of their own they set an Adder upon it to sting it and if it cry and the flesh swell they cast it away as a spurious issue but if it never so much as quatch nor be the worse for it then they account it for their own and make very much of it In like manner Almighty God tryes his children by enduring crosses and afflictions he suffereth the old Serpent to sting them and bring troubles and sorrows upon them and if they patiently endure them and make good use of them he offereth himself to them as to his own children and will make them heirs of his Kingdom but if they fall a roaring and crying and storming and fretting and can no waies abide the pain he accompteth them as bastards and no children Heb. 12. 8. Cares and Crowns inseparable THe Emblem of King Henry the seventh in all his buildings in the windows was still a Crown in a bush of Thornes wherefore or with what historicall allusion he did so is uncertain but surely it was to imply thus much That great places are not free from great cares that no man knows the weight of a Scepter but he that swayes it This made Saul hide himselfe amongst the stuffe when he should have been made a King Many a sleepless night many a restless day and many a busie shift wil their ambition cost them them that affect such places of eminency besides Aulae culmen lubricum High places are slippery and as it is easie to fall so the ruine is deep and the recovery difficult God wills not the death of a sinner SHould a prisoner led to execution hear the Iudge or Sheriff call to him and say Turn back put in sureties for thy good behaviour hereaâ—ter and live would he not suddainly leap out of his fetters embrace the condition and thank the Iudge or Sheriff upon his bare knees And what can be thought if God should send a Prophet to preach a Sermon of repentance to the devills and say Knock off your bolts shake off your fetters and turn unto the Lord and live would not Hell be soon broke loose and rid before the Prophet could make an end of his exhortation Such a Sermon the Prophet Ezekiel now maketh to all sinners As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turn from his waies and live Turn ye turn ye from your evill waies c. Ezek. 33. 11 18 30 31. Shake off the shakles of your sins quit the company of the prisoners of death and gally-slaves of Sathan put in sureties for your good behaviour hereafter turn to the Lord your God and live yea lâ—ve gloriously live happily live eternally Married men better Common-wealths-men than Batchelers 'T Is the policy of the Londoners when they send a ship into the Levant or Mediâ—erranean sea to make every Marriner therein a Merchant each sea-man â—â—venâ—uring somewhat of his own which will make him more wary to avoid and more valiant to undergo dangers Thus married men especially if having posterity are the deeper sharers in the State wherein they live which engagetâ— their affections to the greater loyalty And though Batchelers be the strongest stakes yet married men are the best binders in the hedge of the Common-wealth One foul sin spoyleth a great deal of grace WOuld it not vex a Scrivener after he had spent many daies and taken much pains upon a large Patent or Lease to make such a blot at the last word that he should be forced to write it all over again Yet so it is that one foul and enormous crime dasheth and obliterateth the fairest copy of a vertuous life it razeth all the golden characters of divine graces printed in the soul. As one drop of ink coloureth a whole glasse of clear water so one sinfull and shamefull action staineth all the fâ—rmer good life All our fastings and prayers all our sufferings for righteousnesse all the good thoughts we ever conceived all the good words we ever uttered all the good works we ever performed are lost at the very instant of our recidivation The benefit of keeping close to good Principles HE that intends to meet with one in a great Fair and knowes not where he is may sooner find him by standing still in some eminent place there than by trâ—versing it up and down Thus having taken thy stand upon some ground in Religion and keeping thy station in a fixed posture never hunting after the times to follow them 't is a hundred to one but they will come to thee once in thy life-time Do but fear God and reverence thy Superiours stick close to the principles of obedience to the one and â—â—â—pect to the other and it is more then an â—even lay that such as are given â—aâ—rdâ— châ—nge such as have betaken themselves to new lights in the waies of God 〈…〉 dispence with their engagement to him that is set over them will come abouâ— and begin to see at the last how they have been deluded The sinner's Memento BAlthazars quaffing in the Church-plate proved a fatall draught unto him Korah Dathan and Abiram had no sooner opened their rebellious mouths against Moses but the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up quick Ananias and Saphira had no sooner told a lie and stand to it but they are struck dead to the ground Herod had scarcely made an end of his Oration to the People and received their applause but the Angel of the Lord smote him and made an end of him On that â—iâ—ners of all sorts blasphemous swearers bloody murtherers unclean adulterers and sacrilegious Church-robbers when the devill egges them on to any impiety or villany would but cast this rub in their way and say to themselves What if God should take me in the manner and strike me in the very act and cast me into the dungeon of hell there to be tormented with the devill and his angels for evermore Do I not provoke him to it do I not dare him hath he not threatned as much hath he not done as much That which is one mans case may be any
Learned he made scruple of committing not onely the least known sin but of embarking into any action which was questionable amongst those that love the truth in sincerity This was in him a good frame of spirit and it were heartily to be wished that Mens actions were sutable to their professions that they would consult with God in all things that as they carry a Bible in their hand so they would make that their Master to direct them not listening to the close whisperings of the Iesuite in one ear for matters of Religion or to Nicholas the Florentine at the other ear in point of Policy but in all the changes and chances of this mortal life commit themselves to Gods guidance and so they shall be sure to prosper Minding of the great day of Judgement a meanes to live Godlily WHen Sapores King of Persia raised a violent persecution against the Christians Usthazanes an old Nobleman a Courtier that had Sapores Government in his minority being a Christian was so terrified that he left off his profession But he sitting at the Court-gate when Simeon an aged holy Bishop was leading to prison and rising up to salute him the good Bishop frowned upon him and turned away his face with indignation as being 〈◊〉 to look upon a Man that had denyed the faith Usthazanes fell a weeping went into his Chamber put off his courtly attire and brake out into these or the like words Ah how shall I appear before the great God of Heaven whom I have denyed when Simeon but a Man will not endure to look upon me if he frown how will God behold me when I come before his Tribunal The thought of Gods Iudgement seat wrought so strongly upon him that he recovered his spiritual strength and dyed a glorious Martyr Thus did but Men consider that they must one day stand before the bar of Gods Tribunal they would then be casting up how things stood betwixt him and their own Souls Would any man loyter away the day when he knows that he must shew his work to his Master at night Let every Man then in all his doings remeâ—ber his end and so he shall never do amiss remember that all must come to a reckoning in that great day and that though here in this world a Man may wear white gloves upon foul hands and a crooked body may be bolstered under a silken gown yet when they shall consider that these gloves shall be plucked off in that day and the body be shewed naked before God with whom they shall then have to do it will be a meanes to order and regulate their lives so that their appearance may be with comfort The great power of faith seated in the heart of Man THe Philosoper when he would perswade the King to settle his Court and place of residence in the heart of his dominion laid before him a Bull hide ready tan'd upon which when he stood upon any one side of it and so kept down that the other side would rise up when he removed to the side that rose up and kept down that then the side he came from would rise as high but when he stood in the middle he kept down all alike Thus Faith is this great King which being seated in the Heart makes provision against every Rebellion keeps down every mutiny marshals and orders every action and affection takes a Man off from all servile dependances and by-respects and makes him profess Gods name boldly evenly and without halting it cleanseth the whole heart seasons every affection alters the taste of every appetite strengthens every propension to good and fortifies the Soul against all evill Blasphemous language condemned CAto being very much struck in years would by all means study the Greek tongue and being asked by one Why in his old age he would set upon such an exotick language O said he I am informed that the Greek is a copious and fluent tongue and withall such a tongue as the Gods speak in I would therefore learn it that I may be able to converse with the Gods in their own Dialect This was Catoes conceit in those darker times of Nature but there is a generation amongst us in these clearer times of Grace Ranters Roaring boyes such as are great proficients in all manner of blasphemous language such as belch out nothing but oathes and direful execrations in the very face of Heaven What can this else be but to practise here on Earth what by a sad Prolepsis they are sure to come to hereafter that is to be roaring boyes and girls in Hell to all eternity Drowsiness in Prayer to be avoided IT is reported of Queen Katharine Dowager of King Henry the eighth that in her devotions to God she was poplite flexo nudo c on her bended knees naked upon the bare floore it was without doubt that she might be the more watchfull over her heart which otherwise might be apt to slumber and take a nod in the performance of so holy a duty It is not hereby meant to take away the use of Cushions but to mind us that we do not lay cushions of sloath under our knees nor pillowes of idleness under our elbowes nor to be drowsily devoted but to be active and sprightly upon the bended knees of our hearts when we approach unto God in the spirituall exercises of Prayer and heavenly meditation The least measure of true faith rewarded A Man having many Children and one amongst the rest a small undergrowth a very weakling Doth he cast off this child doth he cease to be a Father therefore No his bowels are the more enlarged he provides for it supports it cherisheth it more than all the rest till in some measure it be enabled to help it selfe Thus God if we be weak in faith though we be but as younglings of Christ's flock we must not therefore be discouraged he will take care of us not cast us off he hath a Crown for the least works if there be but singultus fidei a sob or a sigh of faith nay which is less if but a pant of faith present it self Surgam dicit Dominus c. I will up saith the Lord help them and set them at rest yet further which is the least of all though the pulse of faith beat not at all though David be like a deaf Man that heareth not or as one that is dumb not opening his mouth yet God will look down from his Sanctuary and make deliverance for David as he did also for tâ—e poor Man sick of the Palsie Mat. 19. 2. Hypocrisie the generality of it THe Emperour Frederick the third who when one said unto him he would go find some place where no Hypocrites inhabited he told him He must travell then far enough beyond the Sauromatae or the frozen Ocean and yet when he came there he should find an Hypocrite if he
Berengarius So may we say of the Publicans prayer much more of the Lords prayer set in flat opposition to the Heathenish Battologyes and vain repetitions of some that would be held good Christians It is not the length but the strength of Prayer that is required not the labour of the lip but the travell of the heart that prevails with God The Baalites prayer was not more tedious then Eliah's short yet more pitthy then short Let thy words then be few saith Solomon but full to the purpose Take unto you words saies the Prophet neither over-curious nor over-carelesse but such as are humble earnest direct to the point avoiding vain â—ablings needlesse and endlesse repetitions heartlesse digressions tedious prolixities wild and idle impertinencies such extemporary petitioners as not disposing their matter in due order by premeditation and withall being word-bound are forced to go forward and backward just like hounds at a losse and having hastily begun they know not how handsomly to make an end Division the great danger thereof IF two ships at sea being of one and the same squadron shall be scattered by storm from each other how shall they come in to the relief of each other If again they clash together and fall foul how shall the one endanger the other and her self too It was of old the Dutch device of two earthen Pots swimming upon the water with this Motto Praâ—gimur si collidimur If we knock together we sink together And most true it is that if spleen or discontent set us too far one from another or choller and anger bring us too near it cannot be but that intendment or designe whatsoever it be like Ionah's gourd shall perish in a moment especially if the viperous and hatefull worm of dissention do but smite it Desperation the Complement of all sins THere is mention made in Daniel's prophecy chap. 7. of four beasts the first a Lion the second a Bear the third a Leopard but the fourth without distinction of either kind or sex or name is said to be very fearfull and terrible and strong and had great iron teeth destroyed and brake in pieces and stamped under his feet and had horns c. Such a thing is desperation others sins are fearfull and terrible enough and have as it were the rage of Lions and Bears and Leopards to spoil and make desolate the soul of man but desperation hath horns too horns to push at God with blasphemy at his brethren with injury and at his own soul with distrust of mercy Desperation is a complicated sin the complement of all sins The greatest sins are said to be those which are opposed to the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charity infidelity to faith desperation to hope hatred to charity amongst which infidelity and hatred the one not believing the other hating God are in themselves worse but in regard of him that sinneth desperation exceedeth them both in the danger that is annexed unto it for Quid miserius misero non miseranti seipsum What can be more miserable what more full then for a poor miserable wretch not to take pitty of his own soul. A covetous man never satisfied IT is said of Catiline that he was ever alieni appetens sui profusus not more prodigall of his own as desirous of other mens estates A ship may be over-laden with silver even unto sinking and yet compasse and bulk enough to hold ten times more So a covetous wretch though he have enough to sink him yet never hath he enough to satisfie him like that miserable Cariff mentioned by Theocritus first wishing Mille me is errent in montibus agni That he had a thousand sheep in his stock and then when he has them Pauperis est numerare pecus He would have cattle without number Thus a circle cannot fill a triangle so neither can the whole world if it were to be compassed the heart of man a man may as easily fill a chest with grace as the heart with gold Non plus 〈◊〉 cor aâ—ro quam â—orpus aura The air fills not the body neither doth mony the coâ—â—â—tous mind of man A true child of God half in Heaven whils the is on Earth TEnorius Arch-Bishop of Toledâ— making question whether Solomon were saved or damned caused his picture to be drawn in his Chappell half in Heaven and half in Hell Now what was painted of Solomon imaginarily may be said of Gods children truly though they dwell upon Earth yet their Burgesship is in Heaven Earth is patria loci but Heaven patria juris just like Irishmen that are dwellers in Ireland but Denisons of England half in Heaven and half on Earth in Heaven by their godly life and conversation in Heaven by reason of their assurance of glory and salvation But on Earth by reason of that body of sin and death which they carry about them having the flesh pressing with continuall fight and oppressing with often conquest Hope in God the best hold-fast FAmous is that history of Cynegirus a valiant and thrice renowned Athenian who being in a great sea-sight against the Medes spying a ship of the Enemies well man'd and fitted for service when no other means would serve he grasped it with his hands to maintain the fight and when his right hand was cut off he held close with his left but both hands being taken off he held it fast with his teeth till he lost his life Such is the hold-fast of him that hopes in God dum spirat sperat as long as there is any breath he hopes The voice of hope is according to her nature Spes mea Christus God is my hope In the winter and deadest time of calamity Hope springeth and cannot die nay she crieth within her self Whether I live or die though I walk into the chambers of death and the doors be shut upon me I will not loose my hope for I shall see the day when the Lord shall know me by my name again righten my wrongs finish my sorrowes wipe the tears from my cheeks tread down my enemies fulfill my desires and bring me to his glory Whereas the nature of all earthly hope is like a sick mans pulse full of intermission there being rarely seen sperate miseri on the inscription but it is subscribed Cavete foelices An account of Gods knowledge not to he made out by the wisest of men THere is a place in Wiltshire called Stonage for divers great stones lying and standing there together Of which stones it is said That though a man number them one by one never so carefully yet that he cannot find the true number of them but finds a different number from that he found before This may serve to shew very well the crring of mans labour in seeking to give an account of divine wisdom and knowledge for all his Arrowes
the day-time because of the exceeding great whitenesse she hath in her eyes which so scattereth the sight that the Opticks thereof cannot perfectly discern the objects And such are all those that are self-conceited of themselves in matters of Religion that are pure in their own eyes wise and pruâ—ent in their own sight yet are not washed from their filthinesse that stink in the nostrâ—lls of all that come near them such as the Novatians of whom St. Cyprian speaketh qui aurum se pronunciant that pronounce themselves to be pure gold But if they be gold saith he it is then that gold in quo delicta populi Israelis c. in which the sinnes of the People of Israel are denoted they are but golden Calves or rather golden Asses It it better therefore to be at Sea tossed with a tempestuous storm in the ship with those that humbly professe themselves to be Sinners than on the shoare with the rabble of those that justifie themselves and are so self-conceited of their own graces that they think no one good enough to be their fellow The wrath of God to be appeased by timely Repentance SEasonably and timely came in the provision of Abigail when for her Husbands churlish behaviour David in his wrath had girded his sword upon his thigh and threatned destruction to his whole houshold she delay'd not the time but made haste and went out to meet him with Asses laden with frails of Resins bottles of wine and sheep ready dressed to appease his wrath which David took so kindly at her hands that he forgot his anger and gave order that she should be returned in peace and safety to her husband and family So it is that Davids Son according to his Humanity and Davids Lord according to his Divinity even David the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the great God of Heaven and Earth is angry with every Son of Man for his unthankful and ingratefull behaviour towards him He hath bent his bow and whetted his arrowes girded his sword on his thigh and which is much to be feared hath already drawnit out to punish us let us then by a seasonable and timely Repentance go out and humbly meet him in the way And as Abigail had her Asses laden with fruit so let us have our bodies laden with Repentance and contrition even these bodies of ours which have been too too long Porters to carry the heavy burthen of Sin and wickedness And as she had her bottles of Wine so let us have our eyes as two bottles nay rather two fountains of tears to bewail the sadnesse of our lost condition And as she had her sheep ready dressed so let us have our hearts ready prepared and addressed to serve the Lord and then the Lord will say unto us as David to Abigail Return again unto your houses in peace be of good chear your Sins are forgiven you Rash inconsiderate Service or worship of God condemned IT is observed by Physiognomists that the most couragious and discreet Men have not the speediest pace but rather a quiet decent and setled kind of gate whereas an hasty pace is looked on as a certain sign of a rash foolish and illiberall Man Thus it is that rashnesse is not altogether so hurtfull in other businesse as it is most dangerous in Gods service and the duties of Religion All rashnesse must be banished from Gods service it must not be any suddain work yea rather it is such a businesse as requireth our exactest care our greatest attention our bestwits nay wisdome it selfe to go about it the greatest care we can take is not enough Hence is that charge of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it have a care take heed that you walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circum spectly exactly warily not as fools but as wise .i. to do the service of God advisedly to walk decently and orderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a comely pace and that with another caution too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the day time when all Men see us that so we may not be ashamed of what we do Faith though weak yet rewarded And why so THey that did look on the brazen Serpent but with one eye yea but with half an eye were as well and as fully cured of the deadly stings of the fiery Serpents as those that beheld it with both And again suppose that a Prince be disposed to bestow on sundry and severall Malefactors a pardon of grace or some precious Iewels as signalls of his civill respects unto meer beggars Is not the one as fully acquitted from his offences and the other made as actually rich by the possession of such Jewels though but received with a palsie-shaking hand as they that receive them with one that is more strong and lusty Even so the case is here Hast thou whosoever thou be but a dimmish darkish faith a weak waterish eye of faith yet for thy comfort if it be such an one as doth look up to Christ and onely to him for Salvation such a hand as doth reach out unto Christ and the pardon of lins offered in and by him and dost clasp it about him with all thy feeble strength Make not doubt but that thou art justified in the sight of God and dost stand clearly acquitted from all thy sins and shalt be healed from the deadly stings thereof for it is the possession of the Iewell not the strong holding of it that made those beggars rich and the Kings pardon relieveth none but such as are willing to accept of it and plead to it and so it is not our strong or weak faith that is our Righteousnesse and full discharge before God but Jesus Christ and his obedience that is it that doth all This only is required on our part that we accept of Christ offered in the Gospel and relye on him for full Righteousnesse and Redemption all which a weak and feeble faith doth as truly and intirely if not more as the strongest Nay which is yet more for the comfort of such as are weak in faith and cannot yet in an express and explicite manner believe on Christ they have Christ and enjoy him unto Righteousnesse and the pardon of all their sinnes and transgressions committed All must dye THe Heathens usually compared the Sons of Adam to Counters the game at Chesse and Stages-playes because that Counters have their severall places and use for a time but in the end they are jumbled into a heap In a game at Chesse some are Kings some Bishops some Knights c. but after a while they go all into one and the same bagge On the stage one is in his raggs another in his robes One is the Master another is the Man and very busie they be but in the end the Play ends the bravery ends and each returns to his place Such and
a nayl in the work yet all serve for the good of the building The least starre gives light the least drops moystens the least Minister is no lesse then an Angell the least nayl in the Ministery serves for the fastning of Souls unto Christ there is some use to be made even of the lowest parts of Men the weakest Minister may help to strengthen ones Faith Though all are not Apostles all are not Evangelists all have not the same dexterous abilities in the Work yet all edifie And oftentimes so it cometh to passe that God crowns his labours and sends most Fish into his net who though he may be lesse skilfull is more faithfull and though he have lesse of the brain yet he may have more of the Heart and therefore not to be contemned The Minister and Magistrate to go hand in hand together IT is reported of Queen Elizabeth that coming her progresse into the County of Suffolk when she observed that the Gentlemen of the County who came out to meet her had every one his Minister by his side said Now I have learned why my County of Suffolk is so well governed it is because the Magistrates and Ministers go together And most true it is That they are the two leggs on which a Church and State do stand And whosoever he be that would saw off the one cannot mean well to the other An Anti-Ministerial spirit is an Antimagistratical spirit The Pulpit guards the Throne Be but once perswaded to take that away and you give the Magistrates Enemies room to fetch a full blow at them as the Duke of Somerset in King Edward the sixth's dayes by consenting to his Brother's death made way for his own by the same ax and hand The great danger in commission of little Sins WHat is lesser then a grain of â—and yet when it comes to be multiplyed What is heavier then the Sands of the Sea A little sum multiplyed riseth high So a little Sin unrepented of will damn us as one leak in the Ship if it be not well lookt to will drown us Little Sins as the World calls them but great Sins against the Majesty of God Almighty who doth accent and inhance them if not repented of One would think it no great matter to forget God yet it hath an heavy doom attending on it Psal. 50. 22. The non-improvement of Talents the non-exercising of Graces the World looks upon as a small thing yet we read of him that hid his Talent in the earth Matth. 25. 25. he had not spent it onely not trading it is senâ—enced such and so great is the danger of the least Sin whatsoever The Worldling's inordinate desires And why so THe Countryman in the Fable would needs stay till the River was run all away and then go over dry-shod but the River did run on still and he was deceived in his expectation Such are the Worldling's inordinate desires the deceitfull heart promiseth to see them run over and gone when they are attained to such a measure and then they are stronger and wider more impotent and unruly then before For a Covetous heart grasps at no lesse then the whole World would fain be Master of all and dwell alone like a Wen in the body which drawes all to it self let it have never so much it will reach after more adde house to house and field to field till there be no more place to compasse like a bladder it swells wider and wider the more of this empty World is put into it so boundlesse so endlesse so inordinate are the corrupt desires of Worldly-minded Men. To beware of masked specious Sins IT is said of Alcibiades That he embroydered a Curtain with Lyons and Eagles the most stately of Beasts and birds that he might the more closely hide the picture that was under full of Owls and Satyrs the most sadly remarkable of other Creatures Thus Satan embroyders the Curtain with the image of virtue that he may easily hide the foul picture of Sin that is under it Sin that in the eye of the World is looked on as Grace coloured and masqued over with Zeal for God good intentions c. such as hath a fine glosse put upon it that it may be the more vendible Wherein the Devill like the Spider first she weaves her Web and then hangs the Fly in it So he helps Men to weave the web of Sin with specious shews and Religious pretences and then he hangs them in the snare and sets all their Sins in order before them No true Happinesse to be found in the best of Creatures here below SOlomon having made a Critical enquiry after the excellency of all Creature-comforts gives this in as the Ultimate extraction from them all Vanity of vanities all is vanity And have not all of us great experience how loose the World hangs about us If you go to the Creature to make you happy the Earth will tell you that happinesse growes not in the â—urrows of the Field the Sea that it is not in the Treasures of the deep Cattel will say It is not on our backs Crowns will say It is too pretious a gem to be found in us we can adorn the head but we cannot satisfie the heart It is true that these Worldly earthly things can benefit the outward and the Natural Man but to look for peace of Conscience â—oy in the Holy Ghost inward and durable comfort in any thing which the World affords is to seek for treasure in a Cole-pit a thing altogether improbable to be found there How it is that Faith challengeth a superiority above other Graces TAke a piece of Wax and a piece of Gold of the same Magnitude the Wax is not valuable with the Gold but as this Wax hangs at the labell of some Will by vertue of which some great Estate is confirmed and conveyed so it may be worth many hundred pounds So Faith considered purely in it self doth challenge nothing more then other Graces nay in some sense it is inferiour it being an empty hand But as this hand receives the pretious Alms of Christ's Merits and is an Instrument or channel thorow which the blessed streams of life flow to us from him so it doth challenge a superiority over and is more excellent then all other Graces whatsoever Men not living as if they had Souls to save reproved SOcrates in his time wondred when he observed Statuaries how careful they were and how industrious to make stones like Men and Men in the mean time turning themselves into very blocks and stones The case is ours Men walk not as Men that have Souls to be saved many walk as if they had nothing but bellies to fill and backs to cloath fancies to be tickled with vanity eyes and ears to look after pleasure brains to entertain empty notions and tongues to utter them as for their Souls
but the work made him had quite lost him the Kings favour Thus it is that God is jealous of his honour he cannot endure that the Creature should have any share primarily therein but as derived and participated onely let every Man then especially such whose greatnesse makes them too apt to take too much unto them selves ascribe all unto God give all the glory to God and when they begin to give unto God never give over giving till they have given all that they are all that is his due all honour and glory praise power and dominion for evermore Man to be thankfull unto God upon consideration of the Creatures IT was a divine saying of Epictetus that Heathenish Philosopher admiring the singing of birds Si luscinia essem c. If I had been made a Nightingale I should have sung like a Nightingale now that I am made a Man a reasonable Creature shall I not serve God and praise him in that station wherein he hath set me Thus he an Heathen and thus we Christians are to consider the Creatures leading the way unto the duty of thankfulnesse First what they are mutually to each other and then what they are to us and lastly what they are to God in their kind ever thankfull so that it is conceived that one of the foulest and shamefullest things that the Creatures shall lay to mans charge at the day of Judgment is that all other Creatures from the Creation have been obedient to God without the least digression onely Man for whom and for whose service all else were made hath failed in his service and proved rebellious and unthankfull Riches the danger of them being not well used IN an Artichock there is a little picking meat not so wholesome as delicious and nothing to that it shews for more then the tenth part is unprofitable leaves and besides there 's a core in the midst of it that will choak a Man if he take not good heed Such a thing is Wealth that Men so covetously desire It is like some kind of Fish so full of bones and unseen that no Man can eat of them without great danger The Rich Mans Wealth is very troublesome to the outward Man like a long garment that is too side if he tread upon it he may chance to catch a fall a fall into much discontent and envy of the World But to the Soul Riches if not well imployed prove very pernitious making a Man vainly confident thinking that he is so walâ—'d and moated about that he is out of all Gunshot when he is more open to danger then a poorer Man then they make him proud And Pride saith S. Bernard is the Rich mans cosen it blows him up like a bladder with a quill then he growes secure and so falls into suddain ruine Mortification the great necessity thereof SOme Physitians hold that in every two years there is such store of ill humours and excrementitious matter ingendred in the body of Man that if not by Physick purged out a vessel of one hundreth ounces will scarce contain them so that according to this accompt in a short time the whole body would be morbus complicatus nothing but diseases If it be so then in the Body What shall we think of the Soul Certainly there 's a World of Wickednesse and superfluity of naughtinesse even a bed of spirituall diseases daily gathered and got together in the Sin-sick Soul purged therefore it must needs be by the practice of Mortification according to that of the Apostle Mortiâ—ie therefore your Earthly members not as those Religious Roman Bedlams that whip and lash their bodies but to dead that body of Sin that it may not have dominion over us nor reign in our mortal bodies The excellency of Vnity in Church and Common-weale PLiny writes of a certain stone called Lapis Tyrrhenus that grandis innatat comminutus mergitur While it is whole and entire it swims aloft but if it be broken into pieces every piece and parcel sinks to the bottom So the Church and Common-weal by Unity float and swim aloft and are supported and kept above water but if they crumble into sects and factions and divide into parts and parties like those that fled to Franckford in Q. Maries dayes or that uncommunion-like Sacramentarian difference that made Strigelius wish himself in his grave they are near unto destruction For Unity is the life and Soul of both Church and State Daunum et Populus est tolle unum et turba est a disgregation rather then a Congregation Confusion rather then Order or Government Love the great want thereof to be deplored AS in the dayes of Deborah there was neither Spear nor Shield As in the dayes of Saul there was no Smith in Israel As in the dayes of Solomon there was no Manna to be found As on the Mountains of Gilboa no rain In Gilead no Balm No flowers in Bashan in Sichem no corn being sowed with salt In Tyrus no ships In Cimmeria no light So in England no Love or which is to be deplored but a little We have plenty of all things but of Love If there be an hundred Men in a Town or place scarce two love together and agree as they should and in this worse then Devills seven of them could agree in Mary Magdalen and a Legion in another which is seven thousand six hundred twenty two as Vegetius and Varro affirm but scarce seven Men of seven hundred love as brethren It cannot be said with S. Paul As touching brotherly love you need not that I write unto you For most Men in our dayes are either brethren and not good fellowes or else good fellowes and not brethren The composition is rare there be few Philadelphians in the World Schismaticks are all for the brotherhood and nothing for Fellowship on the contrary wicked Atheists are all for Fellowship and nothing for Brotherhood So that such are the divisions that are to be found in the midst of us not as Labans sheep into three Companies some white some black some speckled but into threescore if possible into more so that there is little Love and lesse agreement but God it is to be hoped will make us Friends in Heaven where all Injuries shall be forgotten Alms-giving how to be regulated SElymus the great Turk as he lay languishing his incurable disease still increasing leaning his head in the lap of Pyrrhus the Bassa whom of all others he most loved I see said he O Pyrrhus I must shortly die without remedy Whereupon the great Bassa took occasion to talk with him of many great matters And amongst others that it would please him to give order for the well bestowing of the great wealth taken from the Persian Merchants in divers places of his Empire perswading him to bestow the same upon some notable Hospital for relief of the Poor
Disciples of active charity as they are for the most part Doctors of the passive the work would soon be done It is confessed that Charity begins at home How is that In regard of order but not in regard of time For so soon as a Man begins to love himself he must love his Neighbour as himself neither may any Man at any time hide himself from his own flesh that is from his Neighbour of the same stock with himself God exercising the Graces of his Children THe Nurse goeth aside from the Child to teach it to find its feet and see how it will go alone The Eagle when her young ones are fledg'd turneth them out of the nest not beareth them on her wings as at other times she was wont to do but that she may enure them to flie flyeth from them and leaveth them to shift for themselves Thus God seems to withdraw himself from his Children no exercise those excellent Graces of Patience and confidence in him that like Tapers burn clearest in the dark to teach them to swim without bladders and to go without crutches as not to trust in themselves so not to trust in the means but in him that worketh by them and can as well work for them without them when they fail Inhumanity condemned BEnzo relating the Spaniards cruelty upon the poor Natives of America saith that in one of their Islands called Hispaniola of twenty hundred thousand when the People stood untouch't he did not think that at the time when he penn'd his History there were above one â—undred and fifty Souls 〈◊〉 alive Whereupon he breaks out into a passionate exclamation upon the horror of such Inhumanity O quot Nerones quot Domitiani quot Commodi quot Bassiani quot immites Dionysâ—i eas terras peragravêre O How many Neroes how many Domitians with other the like infamous egregious Tyrants have harrowed those Coâ—ntries But had Benzo lived to have written the history of our times he might have truly said Barbarous and inhumane Christendome Men of blood and cruelty whose hearts are so bound and confirm'd with sinews of Iron that they are no more moved with the life of a Man then if a dog had fallen before them so fallen from their kind as if Rocks had fathered them and they had suck'd the Dragons in the Deserts rather then the daughters of Men Non in compendium sed occidendi causa occidentes murthering upon every occasion and killing because they delight in killing whereas the care and study not only of Christians but of Civil and good natur'd People should be Parce Civium sanguini spare the bloud of Men because they are all Kinsmen and Brethren in the flesh How far there may be a lawful compliance with others of different Judgment ST Augustine preaching to the Roman Colonies in Africa spake broken barâ—arous Latine to the end they might understand him When I come to Rome saith S. Ambrose to Monica the Mother of S. Augustine I fast on the Saturday When I am at Millain I fast not Calvin was cast out of Geneva for refusing to administer the Lords Supper with Water-cakes or unleavened bread de quo restitutus nunquam contendendum putavit of which being afterwards restored he thought best to make no more words but to yield though he let them know that he had rather it were otherwise Thus it was that Christ himself is said to come eating and drinking and to sit at meâ—t with Publicans and Sinners And thus must all of us do with S. Paul be all things to all Men that we may win some to turn our selves into all shapes and fashions both of speech and spirit to win Men unto God to make use of things indifferent to do what we can to preserve our good esteem with others that we may the sooner prevail with them And whatsoever Church we come to ejus morem servare to do as they do not giving offence carelesly nor taking offence causelesly the defect whereof is charged upon the best when Christ said The Children of this World are wiser in their generation then the Children of Light Rulers and Men in Authority subject to many failings in Government THe Bythinians being convented before Claudius the Emperor cry down Iunius Clio that he may be President over them no longer The noyse being somewhat confused the Emperor understood not their desires and thereupon demanded of those next him What the People would have Narcissus a Familiar or rather an auricular buzze of the Court answered like a false Eccho That the People gave his Excellency great thanks for their last President and requested the continuance of him to be still over them The Emperor meaning well but ill-informed to gratifie them as he thought assigned them their old President again whereby the Emperor was abused and the People still oppressed whereas they had been eased had it not been for the mis-interpretation of a crooked Interpreter Thus it is that Rulers and Men in power by reason of Flesh and blood do travail with infirmity and bring forth escapes The wisest Governors that in speculation of Iustice are admirable in their practice may be quite transported They that in thesi are sharp in the application are oft-times very dull They may do wrong non voluntate nocendi not with purpose to do ill sed necessitate nesciendi because they cannot come to the knowledg of the right Many byasses they have to draw them awry Affection at one time may dazle their eyes and wrong Intelligence at another time abuse their ear The least degree of true saving Faith accepted by God SMoake is of the same nature with flame For what is flame but smoake set on fire The least spark of Fire if cherished will endeavour to rise above the ayr as well as the greatest So a little Grace may be true Grace as the filings of Gold are as good Gold though nothing so much of it as the whole wedge A Reed shaken with the wind is taken for a thing very contemptible at the best Matth. 11. 7. How much more when it is bruised The wick of a Candle is little worth and yet lesse when it comes to smoak as yielding neither light nor heat but onely stink and annoyance such as men bear not with but â—read out So doth not God who hath a singular sagacity and can soon resent the least of provocations yet the bruised Reed he will not break and the smoaking Flax he will not quench Nay the very pantings inquietations and the unsatissiablenesse in the matter of Grace spring from the truth of Grace and are such as God makes high esteem of Gods Children afflicted to make them perfect A Physitian or Surgeon when he meeteth with a soare festered or full of dead flâ—sh he applyeth some sharp Corrosive to eat out the dead flesh that would otherwise spoyl the cure Which being done the
modii but lux mundi that light of the World in whom there is not so much as the least shadow of darknesse Small buddings of Grace in the Soul an argument of greater growth VVHen we behold Prime-Roses and Violets fairly to flourish we conclude the dead of the Winter is past though as yet no Roses or Iuly-flowers do appear which long after lye hid in their leaves or lurk in their roots but in due time will discover themselves Thus if some small buddings of Grace do but appear in the Soul it is an argument of far greater growth if some signs be but above-ground in sight others are under-ground in the heart and though the former started first the other will follow in order It being plain that such a Man is passed from death unto life by this hopeful and happy spring of some signs in the heart Magistrates Rulers c. the great comfort of good ones THe People of Rome were very jocund when they had made Galba their Emperour but he had not been long in till they began to change their note For they found by woful experience that they had met with a carelesse and cruel Goverâ—our A sad thing when it is either with Magistrates or Ministers as Pope Urban writ to a Prelate in his time very scoffingly Monacho fervido Abbatic calido Episcopo verò tepido et Archiepiscopo â—rigido still the higher in means the worse in manners But there is then good hope when Men in power and authority can say Non nobis sed populo that they aym at the publique good And happy is that People that place that Common-wealth whose Rulers think no time too long no pains too great nor no patience too much whereby they may glorifie God and seek the publique good in the appointed places of their dignity Godly Company the benefit thereof IT is observable of many houses in the City of London that they have so weak walls and are of so slender and slight building that were they set alone in the Fields probably they would not stand one hour which now ranged into streets receive support in themselves and mutually return it to others Such is the danger of solitarinesse and the great benefit of association with good and godly Company Such as want skill or boldnesse to begin or set a Psalm may competently follow tune in consort with others and such are the blessed fruits of good Society that a Man may not onely be reserved from much mischief but also be strengthened and confirmed in many godly Exercises which he could not perform of himself alone The excellency of Sonday or Lords day above other dayes WHat the Fire is amongst the Elements the Eagle among the Fowls the Whale among the Fishes the Lyon amongst the beasts Gold among the other mettals and Wheat amongst other grain the same is the Lords day above other dayes of the week differing as much from the rest as doth that wax to which a Kings great seal is put from ordinary wax Or that silver upon which the King's Arms and Image are stamped from Silver unrefined or in bullion It is a day the most holy Festival in relation to the Initiation of the World and Mans Regeneration the Queen and Princesse of dayes a Royall day a day that shines amongst other dayes as doth the Dominical letter clad in scarlet among the other letters in the Calender or as the Sun imparts light to all the other Stars so doth this day bearing the name of Sonday afford both light and life to all other dayes of the week Men to be as well industrious in their Callings as zealous in their devotions THe Inhabitants of the Bishoprick of Durham pleaded a Priviledg That King Edward the first had no power although on necessary occasion to presse them to go out of their Country because forsooth they termed themselves Haly-work-folk onely to be used in defending the holy shrine of S. Cuthbert Thus it is that many in the World are much mistaken thinking that if they be but once entred into the trade of Godlinesse they may cancell all Indentures of service and have a full dispensation to be idle in their Callings whereas the best way to make the service of God comfortable within their own Souls is to take pains without in their lawful Vocations there being ever some secret good accrewing to such who are diligent therein Variety of gifts in the Ordinance of Preaching IT is a received Aphorism amongst Physitians that the Constitutions of all Mens bodies are of a mixt nature hot dry cold and moyst and yet the Wisdom of God hath so diversly tempered these that scarce in the World are two Men to be found in every point of like temper The face of a Man is not above a span over yet let ten thousand Men be together and their countenances shall all differ So in the Church as to the variety of gifts in the matter of Preaching let divers Men take one and the same Text yet scarce two of a hundred though all soundly and to the Point are to be found that have in all things the like gift either for matter or utterance some having five talents some but two some but one some have a more excellent gift of Conference some of Prayer some of Exhortation some in opening of a Text some in application c. every one though not all alike some one way or other profitable unto Gods people to help onward the building up of the body of the Lord Iesus in the edification of those that are committed to their charge To be more strict in the holy observation of the Sabbath then heretofore and why so SOme Popish People make a superstitious Almanack of the Sonday by the fairnesse or foulnesse thereof guessing of the weather all the week after according to that old Monkish rime If it rains on Sonday before Messe It will rain all week more or lesse However it may be boldly affirmed That from our well or ill spending of the Lord day a probable conjecture may be made how the following week will be employed yea it is to be conceived that we are bound as matters now stand in England to a stricter observation of the Lords day then ever before That a time was due to Gods service no Christian in this Nation ever did deny That the same was weekly dispersed into the Lords day Holy-dayes Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays some have earnestly maintained seeing therefore all the last are generally neglected the former must be more strictly observed It being otherwise impious that our devotion having a narrower channel should also carry a narrower stream along with it Gods gracious return of his Peoples Prayers in the time of their distresse IT is said of Martin Luther that perceiving the cause of the Gospel to be brought into a great strait he flyes unto God layes hold on him by Faith and
Sayest thou so replyed the King then thou art he that art worthy to govern the whole Covent Thus it is that every good Man is contented to be in his station to sit below till he hear the Governours voyce calling unto him Friend sit up higher to walk before God in the light of his own candle to keep in the warrantable circuit of his Vocation and if he see dangerous honours pursue him he flyes for it and with David wishes that he had the wings of a Dove that he might flye away and be at rest But what a sad thing must it needs be then to see Ministers Men in holy orders greedy after and trucking for Church-preferment ravelling out their lives in progging after great Friends and Fortunes as if Godlinesse were a Bustrophe a course of going backward and forward to the right and left hand for advantage sake God onely able to perswade the Heart fully A Smith that undertakes to make a Key to open such a lock that is out of order must of necessity first know all the wards else he may make a key that will not fit he may endeavour but not be able to turn the lock Thus it is that whereas there are in the heart of Man so many windings so many turnings such a Labyrinth such a depth in it that in the eye of humane reason there 's no possibility to find out the bottom thereof How then is it to be imagined that the most knowing quick-sighted Man should be able fully to persâ—ade the Heart He cannot that 's peculiar to God onely He is that great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that onely knowes all the inwards all the secret passages all the cunning contrivances and all the crosse-wards of the Heart to him onely belongeth that especiall key of David It is he that can best unlock the Heart answer all objections enlighten all the corners turn all the wheels of the Soul suit and fit the Heart with such arguments as shall be effectual to Perswasion Ingratitude condemned PHilip of Macedon hearing of one in his Kingdom that refused most unthankfully to receive a stranger of whom he had been formerly succoured in a time of extream need as having lost all he had by a wrack at Sea caused him to be worthily punished by branding in his Forehead these two letters J. H. i. e. Ingratus Hospes The unthankful guest Now if every unthankful Man were thus used there would be many a blistered Fore-head amongst us O the unthankfulnesse that we shew unto God who when we were strangers to him ship-wrackt even in an Ocean of Sin sent his Son Christ Iesus to deliver us yet we refuse to receive him to relieve him in his distressed Members and to be obedient to his blessed commands And then our Ingratitude to one another is such that though we come off with smooth fronts here in this World yet such characters of shame and confusion are engraven on our Souls that Men and Angels shall read them with amazement when the books shall be laid open Dan. 7. 10. The unhappinesse of a disordered Family IT is said of that right Religious and worthy George Prince of Anhalt That his very Bed-Chamber was a Church a University and a Court wherein besides the dispatch of civil businesse there was daily praying reading writing yea and preaching too so that it cannot be imagined that the noble Earl having a Church for God in his Chamber should suffer a Temple to Bacchus in his Cellar But which is to be lamented in too too many Families Venus hath her Altar in the Chamber and Bacchus his Sacrifice in the Buttery which two having shared their Devoto's What a poor third must be left for God and his People to delight in Ioshua's resolution for the better ordering his houshould and Davids vow for reformation of his Family are little set by Let but a servant fail in the neglect of his Masters profit or in the carelesse performance of his place what ado is there yet in the mean time though the same servant be ignorant scandalous and what not altum silentium there 's no notice taken of it at all Signs of Heaven as Sun Moon with their Eclipses c. as we are not to be dismaied at them so not to be contemners of them PEricles the great and famous Athenian who in the beginning of the Peloponesian war being ready with a great Fleet of an hundreth and Fifty Ships to Loyse up sail was presented even as he went up into his Gally with a great and terrible Eclipse of the Sun which made the sky so dark that some of the bigger Stars appeared At which the Governour of the Ship was sore affrighted and the reupon with therest of the company refused to set sail which when Pericles perceived either truly contemning the threatnings of the Stars or fearing that the hearts of his Souldiers should fail he put his cloak for a while before the Governours eyes and then by and by taking it away again asked him If that which he had done with his Cloak portended any thing To whom the Governour answered No No more saith he maist thou think is signified by this Eclipse though the Moon be now betwixt the Sun and our sight Which being said he commanded that they should hoyse up Sail and be gon about the intended expedition But this of Pericles was surely an overbold presumption as in the end appeared there being soon after not onely misery brought upon his own Country and dishonour upon himself but all Greece wasted under the sad calamity of a long lasting War Thus it is that as the signs of Heaven such as the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon Comets c. are not things whereat we should after an Heathenish manner be dismaid so should we not contemn them nor the signification intended by them they are called by the name of influences Iob 38. 31. from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super et fluo that is to flow into or upon they must needs then have some object to flow into or work upon and by their working they speak to all those who will but lend an Ear to hear them that is to us who are here below who inhabit this dull dark Globe of Mortality over whose heads they hang that casting our eyes upon them we may not onely behold them but according to that Wisedome which God hath given us look into their significations by considering their motions configurations Risings Settings Aspects Occultations Eclipses Conjunctions and the like The severall books of God slighted and neglected by the most of Men. IT is usual and well-known that Children sport themselves and play with the pictures in a book gaze upon the golden cover and admire the Silken strings but all this while they little mind what is in the
be carefull in the censure of others 232. Men not to be censurers one of another 365. To be favourable in the censure of others 477. The danger of introducing uselesse Ceremonies in the Church 168. Ceremonials and circumstantials in Religion not to be much contended for 93. Why God delivered the Law with such Majestick Ceremonies 93. The Romanists errour in the point of antiquity of Ceremonies 151. Ceremonies in the Church not to be cause of separation 440. It is Man not God that changeth 117. Charity to the poor to be reall not verball 8. The Charity of former times abused by these times 198. Charity mistaken 239. To be well ordered 561. 674. To be Charitable Christians and why so 262. To be charitable to the poor and needy 300. Why it is that we must be charitable to all Men 342. Charity rewarded to the full 373. Men to be carefull of what they promise unto God in matter of Charity 494. Charity attended by the certainty of reward 529. Children of God must have Gods qualities 9. Why God suffereth the dearest of his children to want these outward things 301. A true child of God half in Heaven whilest he is upon Earth 317. Being delivered out of the bondage of Satan made more careful for the future 318. Children to be brought up in the fear of God 48. 461. 481. To be well principled 57. To be begged of God by prayer 289. Childrens Christian instruction the great benefit thereof 312. How it is that Children are very hardly drawn from their naturall inclinations 336. Children to be ready to relieve their Parents necessities 460. To have Children Male and Female Gods great blessing 467. Children to submit to their Parents correction 481. Children to set their hands to all honest employments 482. To be fruitfull in children a great blessing of God 496. Wicked children a great grief to their Parents 576. Not to repine at a great charge of Children 592. Christ voluntarily engaging himself to take away the sins of the World 569. Men to be ready to dye for Christ 578. The comfortable sight of Christ Iesus crucified to the poor Repentant sinner 634. The excellency of Christ Iesus 640. Christ the Saints wonder and admiration 663. Christs watchfulnesse over his people for good 664. Christ a â—ure pay-master 666. Christ fully revealed in the New Testament 6. Christs Victory over Sathan 24. Christ and the good Christian are companions inseparable 18. Christ is the true Christians All in all 63. How Christs sufferings are made ours 69. Wisdome of Christ above all other wisdome even to admiration 102. Christ in all his excellencies to be the Christians object 142. S. Augustines Judgment of the time of Christs birth 157. Christ compared to an Eagle 174. All have not the same measure of Christ 175. The excellencies of Christ are theirs that are in him 185. Nothing but Christ to be esteemed as of any worth 195. Christ is the proper food of the Soul To make Christ our Lord and Master 224. Christ the onely object of the devout Soul 273. Christ nothing but love all over 299. Christ the eternall Son of God properly and significantly called The Word Ioh. 1. 1. 326. Christ making himself and all that he hath over to the good of his Church and People 327. The great love of Christ to be at an high esteem and why so 344. Christ the true light 538. The joyfull coming of Christ Iesus in the flesh 365. The all-sufficient goodnesse of Christ Jesus 385. The inestimable value of Christ Iesus 407. Consideration of the Name of Christ to be a motive from sin 448. The necessity of being found with Christ's righteousnesse 472. Christ's wounds the onely hiding place of a Christian 490. Christ Iesus the good man's chief portion 505. The excellency of Christ's intercession 518. Christ freely discovering himself to all that truly seek him 535. Christ's humanity asserted 537. A true Christian to be a true picture of Christ 92. The worth of a true Christian 123. The best Christian is the best Artist 137. True Christians are fruitful Christians 326. As we are called Christians to bear up our selves like Christians 348. The weaknesse of a Christian without Christ 393. The good Christians Library 417. The Christians claim to Heaven what it is Christianity the best Nobility 592. Every one to strive for eminency in Christianity 664. The Churches distresse and comfort 582. Gods readinesse to maintain the cause of his Church 621. The bare enjoyment of Church-priviledges doth not make up a true Christian 639. God ordering all things for the good of his Church 641. The Churches fall the Churches rise 658. Christ ready to revenge himself upon the Enemies of his Church 663. Ruine of the Churches enemies to be desired 119. The fiery tryall on the Church of God 130. The Churche's enemies become the Churche's good 131. Spoylers of Church and State condemned 209. Men not repairing to the Church of God reproved 245. The sad condition of Church and State not to be sleighted 270. 424. Reverend and devout behaviour to be used in the Church of God 320. God looking upon his Church with a more especiall eye of Providence 328. Gods ends and Mans ends as to the persecution of his Church the vast difference betwixt them 345. The not laying of the Churches troubles to heart condemned 346. How it is tha War there may and must be in the Church of God but not contention 364. The Church of the Gospel its amplitude above that under the Law 437. The good Christians comfort in time of the Churches trouble 310. Church of God still on the decaying hand 6. The Churches Enemies in Gods hands 13. The Church robbed of her maintenance upon pretence of Reformation 17. Peace of the Chruch precious 32. Prayers and tears are the Weapons of the Church 52. The Churches complaint for want of maintenance 63. Order both in Church and State commanded and commended 101. Carelesse Church-men to be condemned 62. The Churche's conditions under the two Testaments 174. Church-spoylers condemned 201. God seeketh for his own People more especially in his own house the Church 227. The great danger of slighting Church-Assemblies 304. True comfort in God onely 647. A Caveat for unworthy Communicants 109. The danger of unworthy Communicating 111. Unworthy Communicants condemned 142. 151. 156. 164. A good Man tedious to bad Company 564. Godly Company the benefit thereof 539. How a Man should demean himself in bad Company 454. Ill Company to be avoided 45. 187. 437. A godly Man is bettered in evill Company 106. Man to be of Company or sociable 188. How to come off well in ill Company 190. Evil Company a great hindrance in the wayes of God 362. The confident Christian 243. Confesâ—ion of sins irksome to the Devil 676. The Laity abused by the Roman Clergy in Confession 587. Men by naâ—ure hardly brought to Confession of sin 661. Contemplaâ—ion and action requisite for every good Christian 18. Gods