of bondage their minde was so taken up with their griefe that there was no body within to give Moses an answere their soules went altogether after their ill usage Therefore we should all endeavour and labour for a calmed spirit that we may the better serve God in praying to him and praising of him and serve one another in love that we may be fitted to doe and receive good that wee may make our passage to heaven more easie and cheerefull without drooping and hanging the wing So much as wee are quiet and cheerefull upon good grounds so much we live and are as it were in heaven So much as we yeeld to discouragement we lose so much of our life and happinesse cheerefulnesse being as it were that life of our lives and the spirit of our spirits by which they are more inlarged to receive happinesse and to expresse it CAP. V. Remedies of casting downe To cite the soule and presse it to give an account BUt to come to some helpes First in that hee expostulates with himselfe wee may observe that One way to raise a dejected soule is to cite it before it selfe and as it were to reason the case God hath set up a court in mans heart wherein the conscience hath the office both of Informer accuser witnesse and judge And if matters were well caryed within our selves this prejudging would be a prevention of future judging It is a great mercy of God that the credit and comfort of man are so provided for that hee may take up matters in himselfe and so prevent publike disgrace But if there be not a faire dispatch and transaction in this inferiour court within us there will bee a review in a higher court Therefore by slubbering over our matters we put God and our selves to more trouble then needs For a judgement must passe first or last either within us or without us upon all unwarrantable distempers We must not onely be ready to give an account of our faith upon what Grounds we beleeve but of all our actions upon what grounds wee doe what wee doe and of our Passions upon what ground we are passionate as in a well governed state uprore and sedition is never stirred but account must be given Now in a mutiny the presence and speech of a venerable man composeth the mindes of the disordered multitude so likewise in a mutiny of the spirit the authority that God hath put into reason as a beame of himselfe commands silence and puts all in order againe And there is good reason for it for man is an understanding creature and hath a rule given him to live by and therefore is to be countable of every thought word action passion Therefore the first way to quiet the soule is to aske a reason of the tumult raised and then many of our distempers for shame will not appeare because though they rage in silent darknesse yet they can say nothing for themselves being summoned before strength of judgement and reason Which is the reason why passionate men are loath that any court should be kept within them but labour to stop judgement all they can If men would but give themselves leave to consider better of it they would never yeeld to such unreasonable motions of the soule If they could but gaine so much of their unruly passions as to reason the matter within themselves to heare what their consciences can tell them in secret there would not be such offensive breakings out And therefore if we be ashamed to heare others upbraidingus let us for shame heare our selves And if no reason can be given what an unreasonable thing is it for a man endowed with reason to contrary his owne principles and to be caried as a beast without reason or if there be any reason to be given then this is the way to scanne it see whether it will hold water or not We shall finde some reasons if they may be so called to be so corrupt and foule that if the judgement be not corrupted by them they dare not bee brought to light but alwaies appeare under some colour and pretext for sin like the devill is affraid to appeare in its owne likenesse and men seek out faire glosses for foule intentions The hidden secret reason is one the open is another the heart being corrupt sets the wit a worke to satisfie corrupt will such kinde of men are afraid of their owne consciences as Ahab of Michaiah because they feare it would deale truly with them and therefore they take either present order for their consciences or else as Felix put off Paul they adjorne the court for another time Such men are strangers at home afraid of nothing more then of themselves and therefore in a fearefull condition because they are reserved for the judgement of the great day if God doth not before that set upon them in this world If men caried away with their own lusts would give but a little check and stop themselves in their posting to hell and aske What have I done What am I now about Whither will this course tend How will it end c. Undoubtedly men would begin to be wise Would the blasphemer give away his soule for nothing for there is no engagement of profit or pleasure in this as in other sins but it issues meerly out of irreverence and a superfluity of prophanesse would he I say draw so heavy a guilt upon himselfe for nothing if he would but make use of his reason Would an old man when he is very neare his journies end make longer provision for a short way if he would aske himselfe a Reason But indeed Covetousnesse is an unreasonable vice If those also of the younger sort woulâ—… aske of themselves Why God should 〈◊〉 have the flower and marrow of their ageâ—… and why they should give their strength tâ—… the devill It might a little take them off from the devils service But sinâ—… is a worke of darknesse and therefore shunnes not onely the light of grace bâ—… even the light of reason Yet sinne sâ—…dome wants a seeming reason Men wiâ—… not goe to hell without a shew of reason Bâ—… such be sophisticall fallacies not reasons and therefore sinners are said to play the sophisters with themselvâ—… Satan could not deceive us unlesse wee deceived our selves first and are willingly deceived wilfull sinners are blinde because they put out the light of reason and so thinke God like themselves blinde too and therefore they are deservedly termed mad men and fooles for did they but make use of that spaâ—… of reason it would teach them to reason thus I cannot give an account of 〈◊〉 wayes to my selfe what account shall I 〈◊〉 can I give then to the judge of all flesh 〈◊〉 it be long And as it is a ground of repentance in stopping our course to ask what have I done So likewise of faith and new obedience to
devices turned upon their owne heads will more torment them In this case it will much comfort to goe into the Sanctuary for there wee shall be able to say Yet God is good to 〈◊〉 God hath an Arke for his there is no condition so ill but there is Balme in Gilead comfort in Israel The depths â—…f misery are never beyond the depths of mercy God oft for this very end strips his Church of all helpes below that it may onely rely upon him and that it may appeare that the Church is ruled by an higher power then it is opposed by And then is the time when we may exâ—…ct great deliverances of the Church when there is a great faith in the great God From all that hath beene said wee see that the only way to quiet the soul is to lay a charge upon it to trust God â—…d that unquietnesse and impatiency me symtomes and discoveries of an unâ—… leeving heart CHAP. XXVI Of divine reasons in a beleever Of his minding to praise God more then to bee delivered TO goe on I shall yet praise him In these words David expresseth the reasons and grounds of his trust namely from the interest hee had in God by experience and speciall covenant wherein in generall we may observe that those who truly trust in God labour to back their faith with sound arguments faith is an understanding grace it knowes whom it trusts and for what and upon what grounds it trusts Reason of it selfe cannot finde what we should beleeve yet when God hath discovered the same faith tells us there is great reason to beleeve it faith useth reason though not as a ground yet as a sanctified instrument to finde out Gods grounds that it may rely upon them He beleeves best that knowes best why hee should beleeve Confidence and love and other affections of the soule though they have no reason grafted in them yet thus farre they are reasonable as that they are in a wise man raised up guided and laid downe with reason or else men were neither to be blamed nor praised for ordering their affections a right whereas not only civill vertue but grace it selfe is especially conversant in ruling the affections by sanctified reason The soule guides the will and affections otherwise then it doth the outward members of the body It swayes the affections of confidence love joy c. as a Prince doth his wiser subjects and as Counsellors doe a well ordered State 〈◊〉 ministring reasons to them but the â—…le governes the outward members by command as a master doth a slave â—…his will is enough The hand and foot â—…ve upon command without regarding any reason but wee will not trust 〈◊〉 rejoyce in God without reason or a 〈◊〉 of reason at the least Sinne it selfe never wanted a reason 〈◊〉 as it is but we call it unreasonable â—…use it hath no good reason for it for reason being a beame of God cannot strengthen any worke of darknesse God having made man an understanding creature guides him by a way sutable to such a condition and that is the reason why God in mercy yeelds so far to us in his word as to give us so many reasons of our affiance in him What is encouragement and comfort but a demonstration to us of greater reasons to raise us up then there are to cast us downe Davids reasons here are drawne partly from some promise of deliverance and partly from Gods nature and dealing with him whom as he had formerly found an healing a saving God so he expects to finde him still and partly from the covenant of grace hee is my God The chiefe of his reasons are fetched from God what he is in himselfe and what hee is and will be to his children and what to him in particular though godly men have reasons for their trst yet those reasons be divine and spirituall as faith it selfe is for as naturally as beames come from the Sunne and branches from the roote even so by divine discourse one truth issueth from another And as the beames and the Sunne as the roote and branches are all of one nature so the grounds of comfortable truths and reasons taken from those grounds are both of same divinity and authority though in time of temptation discourse is oft so troubled that it cannot see how one truth riseth from another this is one priviledge of heaven that our knowledge there shall not be so much discoursive proving one thing by another as definitive seeing things in their grounds with a more present view the soule being then raised and enlarged to a present conceiving of things and there being no flesh and blood in us to raise objections that must be satisfied with reasoning Sometimes in a clearer state of the soule faith hath not so much use of reasons but upon neere and sweet communion with God and by reason of some likenesse betweene the soule that hath a divine nature stamped upon it and God it presently without any long discourse runneth to God as it were by a supernaturall instinct as by a naturall instinct a childe runneth to his Father in any distresse Yea and from that common light of nature which discovereth there is a God even naturall men in extremities will runne to God and God as the Author of nature will sometimes heare them as he doth the yong Ravens that cry unto him but comfortably and with assurance onely those have a familiar recourse unto him that have a sanctified sutable disposition unto God as being well acquainted with him Sometimes againe faith is put to it to use reasons to strengthen it selfe and therefore the soule studieth arguments to help it selfe by either from inward store laid up in the soule or else it hearkeneth and yeelds to reasons suggested by others and there is no gracious heart but hath a frame sutable and agreeable to any holy and comfortable truth that shall be brought and enforced upon it there is something in his spirit that answers what ever comes from the spirit of God though perhaps it never heard of it before yet it presently claimes kindred of it as comming from the same blessed Spring the â—…ly Spirit and therefore a gracious heart sooner takes comfort then another as being prepared to close with it The reasons here brought by David are not so much arguments to convince his judgement as motives and inducements to encline his will to trust in God for trusting being a holy relying upon God carieth especially the will to him now the will is led with the goodnesse of things as the understanding is led with truth the heart must be sweetned with consideration of love and mercy in him whom we trust as well as convinced of his ability to doe us good the cords that draw the heart to trust are the cords of love and the cords of love are especially the love of him to us whom we love and therefore the most prevailing reasons that
aske what shall I doe for the time to come and then upon setling the soule in way of thankes will be ready to aske of it selfe What shall I returne to the Lord c. So that the soule by this dealing with it selfe promoteth it selfe to all holy duties till it come to heaven The reason why wee are thus backward to the keeping of this court in our selves is selfelove we love to flatter our owne affections but this selfe-love is but selfe-hatred in the end as the wiseman saies he that regards not this part of wisdome hates his owne soule and shall eate the fruits of his owne wayes 2. As likewise it issues from an irksomnesse of labour which makes us rather willing to seeme base and vile to our selves and others then to take paines with our owne hearts to be better as those that are weary of holding the reines give them up unto the horse necke and so are driven whither the rage of the horse caryeth them sparing a little trouble at first doubles it in the end as he who will not take the paines to cast up his bookes his bookes will cast up him in the end It is a blessed trouble that brings sound and long peace Thâ—… labour saves God a labour for therefore he judgeth us because wee would not take paines with our selves befor 3. And Pride also with a desire of liberty makes men thinke it to be a diminishing of greatnesse and freedome either to be curbed or to curbe oâ—… selves We love to be absolute and independant but this as it brought ruiâ—… upon our nature in Adam so it will upon our persons Men as Luther wâ—… wont to say are borne with a Pope iâ—… their belly they are loath to give 〈◊〉 account although it be to themselves their wils are instead of a kingdome 〈◊〉 them Let us therefore when any lawleâ—… passions begin to stir deale with oâ—… soules as God did with Ionah Doest thâ—… well to be angry to fret thus This wâ—… be a meanes to make us quiet For alâ—… what weake reasons have we often of strong motions such a man gave mee no respect such another lookt more kindly upon another man then upon me c. You have some of Hamans spirit that for a little neglect would ruine a whole nation Passion presents men that are innocent as guilty to us and because we will not seeme to bee mad without reason Pride commands the wit to justifie anger and so one Passion maintaines and feeds another Neither is it sufficient to cite the soule before it selfe but it must be pressed to give an account as we see here David doubles and trebles the expostulation as oft as any distemper did arise so oft did he labour to keep it downe If passions grow too insolent Elies mildnesse will doe no good It would prevent much trouble in this kinde to subdue betimes in our selves and others the first beginnings of any unruly passions and affections which if they be not well tutord and disciplined at the first prove as headstrong unruly and ill nurtured children who being not chastened in time take such a head thâ—… it is oft above the power of parenâ—… to bring them in order A childe set 〈◊〉 liberty saith Salomon breeds shame 〈◊〉 length to his parents Adonizeths example shewes this The like may be saâ—… of the affections set at liberty It is dangerous to redeeme a little quiet by yeelding to our affections which is never safely gotten but by mortificatioâ—… of them Those that are in great place 〈◊〉 most in danger by yeelding to themselves to loose themselves for they 〈◊〉 so taken up with the person for a tiâ—… put upon them that they both in loâ—… and speech and cariage often shâ—… that they forget both their natuâ—… condition as men and much more thâ—… supernaturall as Christians and theâ—… fore are scarce counsellable by othâ—… or themselves in those things that coâ—…cerne their severed condition that coâ—…cerneth another world Whereas iâ—… were most wisdome so to think of thâ—… place they beare whereby they are 〈◊〉 led gods as not to forget they must 〈◊〉 their person aside and die like men David himselfe that in this afflicted condition could advise with himselfe and checke himselfe yet in his free and flourishing estate neglected the counsell of his friends Agur was in jealousie of a full condition and lest instead of saying what have I done why am I thus cast downe c he should say Who is the Lord Meaner men in their lesser sphaere often shew what their spirits would be if their compasse were inlarged It is a great fault in breeding youth for feard of taking downe of their spirits not to take downe their pride and get victory of their affections whereas a proud unbroken heart raiseth us more trouble often then all the world beside Of all troubles the trouble of a proud heart is the greatest It was a great trouble to Haman to lead Mordecaies horse which another man would not have thought so the moving of a straw is troublesome to proud flesh And therefore it is good to heare the yoake from our youth It is better to bee taken downe in youth then to be broken in pieces by great crosses in age First or last selfe-deniall and victory over our selves is absolutely necessary otherwise faith which is a grace that requireth selfe-deniall will never bâ—… brought into the soule and beare ruâ—… there But what if pressing upon our soulâ—… will not help Then speake to God to Jesus Chriâ—… by prayer that as hee rebuked the windes and the waves and went upâ—… the Sea so hee would walke upon oâ—… soules and command a calme there 〈◊〉 is no lesse power to settle a peace in thâ—… soule then to command the seas to 〈◊〉 quiet It is Gods prerogative to rule 〈◊〉 the heart as likewise to give it up toâ—… selfe which next to hell is the greatâ—… judgement which should draw us 〈◊〉 the greater reverence and feare of 〈◊〉 pleasing God It was no ill wish of hiâ—… that desired God to free him from 〈◊〉 ill man himselfe CAP. VI. Other Observations of the same nature MOreover we see that a godly man can cast a restraint upon himselfe as David here staies himselfe in falling There is a principle of grace that stops the heart and puls in the reines againe when the affections are loose A carnall man when he begins to be cast down sinkes lower and lower untill he sinks into despaire as leade sinkes into the bottome of the sea They sunke they sunke like leade in the mighty waters A carnall man sinkes as a heavy body to the center of the earth and staies not if it be not stopped There is nothing in him to stay him in falling as we see in Achitophel and Saul who wanting a support found no other stay but the swords
point And the greater their parts and places are the more they intangle themselves and no wonder for they are to encounter with God and his deputy conscience who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords When Cain was cast out of his fatheâ—… house his heart and countenance wâ—… alwaies cast downe for he had nothing in him to lift it upwards But a godly man though he may give a little wâ—… to passion yet as David he recover himselfe Therefore as we would have any good evidence that we have a â—…ter spirit in us then our owne greate then the flesh or the world Let us 〈◊〉 all troubles we meet with gather 〈◊〉 our selves that the streame of our 〈◊〉 affections cary us not away too farre There is an art or skill of bearâ—… troubles If we could learne it with out overmuch troubling of our selves As in bearing of a burden there is a way so to poize it that it weigheth 〈◊〉 over heavy If it hanges all in one side it poizes the body downe The greater part of our troubles we pull upoâ—… our selves by not parting our care 〈◊〉 as to take upon us onely the care 〈◊〉 duty and leave the rest to God aâ—… by mingling our passions with oâ—… crosses like a foolish patient châ—…ing the pills which we should swallow downe We dwell too much upon the griefe when wee should remove the soule higher Wee are nearest neighbours unto our selves when we suffer griefe like a canker to eate into the soule and like a fire in the bones to consume the marrow and drink up the spirits we are accessary to the wrong done both to our bodies and soules we wast our owne candle and put out our light We see here againe that a godly man can make a good use of Privacy When he is forced to be alone he can talke with his God and himselfe one reason whereof is that his heart is a treasury and storehouse of divine truthes whence he can speake to himselfe by way of checke or incouragement of himselfe he hath a spirit over his own spirit to teach him to make use of that store he hath laid up in his heart the spirit is never neerer him then when by way of witnesse to his spirit he is thus comforted wherein the childe of God differs from another man who cannot endure solitarinesse because his heart is empty he was a stranger to God before and God is a stranger to him now So that hee cannot goe to God as a friend And for his conscience that is ready to speake to him that which he is loath to heare and therefore hee counts himselfe a torment to himselfe especially in privacy We read of great Princes who after some bloody designes were as terrible to themselves as they were formerly to others and therefore could never endure to be awaked in the night without Musique or some like diversion It may bee wee may bee cast into such a condition where we have none in the world to comfort us as in contagioâ—… sicknesse when none may come neare us we may be in such an estate wherein no friend will owne us And therefore let us labour now to bee acquainted with God and our owne hearts anâ—… acquaint our hearts with the comforâ—… of the holy Ghost then though wee have not so much as a booke to looke on or a friend to talke with yet weâ—… may looke with comfort into the book of our own heart and reade what God hath written there by the finger of his spirit all bookes are written to amend this one booke of our heart and conscience by this meanes we shall neverwant a Divine to comfort us a Physitian to cure us a Counseller to direct us a Musitian to cheare us a Controller to check us because by help of the word and spirit we can be all these to our selves Another thing we see here that God hath made every man a Governour over himselfe The poore man that hath none to governe him yet may bee a King in himselfe It is the naturall ambition of mans heart to desire governement as we see in the Braemble Well then let us make use of this disposition to rule our selves Absolom had high thoughts O If I were a King I would doe so and so So our hearts are ready to promise if I were as such and such a man in such and such a place I would doe this and that But how dost thou manage thine owne affections how dost thou rule in thine owne house in thy selfe doe not passions get the upper hand and keepe reason under foot When wee have learned to rule over our owâ—… spirits well then we may be fit to rule over others He that is faithfull in a little shall be set over more Hee that câ—… governe himselfe In the Wise-man judgement is better then he that can governe a City Hee that cannot is like a Citie without a wall where those that are in may goe out and the enemies without may come in at their pleasure So where there is not a governmeâ—… set up there finne breaks out and Setan breaks in without controule See againe the excellency of the soule that can reflect upon it selfe 〈◊〉 judge of whatsoever comes from it 〈◊〉 godly mans care and trouble is especially about his soule as David heâ—… looks principally to that because 〈◊〉 outward troubles are for to helpe thâ—… when God touches our bodies our estates or our friends hee aimes at 〈◊〉 soule in all God will never remove 〈◊〉 hand till something be wrought upon the soule as Davids moisture was as the drought in Summer so that hee roared and carried himselfe unseemely for so great and holy a man till his heart was subdued to deale without all guile with God in confessing his sinne and then GOD forgave him the iniquitie thereof and healed his body too In sicknesse or in any other trouble It is best the Divine should bee before the Physician and that men begin where God begins In great fires men looke first to their Jewels and then to their lumber so our soule is our best Jewel A carnall worldly man is called and well called a fleshly man because his very soule is flesh and there is nothing but the world in him And therefore when all is not well within hee cries out My Body is troubled my state is broken my friends faile me c. but all this while there is no care for the poor soule to settle a peace in that The possession of the soule is the richest possession no jewell so precious the account for our owne soules and the soules of others is the greatest account and therefore the care of soules should bee the greatest care What an indignity is it that we should forget such soules to satisfie our lusts to have our wils to bee vexed with any who by their judgement example or authority stopp as we suppose
unto blasphemy they imagine good men to be led with vaine conceits but good men know them to bee so led Not onely St. Paul but CHRIST himselfe were counted besides themselves when they were earnest for God and the soules of his people But there is enough in Religion to beare up the soule against all imputations laid upon it the true children of wisedome are alwayes able to justifie their Mother and the conscionable practise of holy duties is founded upon such solid grounds as shall hold out when heaven and earth shall vanish 2. Wee must know that as there is great danger in false conceits of the way to heaven when we make it broader than it is for by this meanes wee are like men going over a bridge who thinke it broader then it is but being deceived by some shadow sinck downe and are suddenly drowned So men mistaking the strait way to life and trusting to the shadow of their owne imagination fall into the bottomlesse pit of hell before they are aware In like manner the danger is great in making the way to heaven narrower then indeed it is by weake and superstitious imaginations making more sinnes than God hath made The Wisemans counsell is that we should not make our selves over wicked nor bee foolisher than we are by devising more sinnes in our imagination than we are guilty of It is good in this respect to know our Christian liberty which being one of the fruits of Christs death we cannot neglect the same without much wrong not onely to our selves but to the rich bounty and goodnesse of God So that the due rules of limitation bee observed from authority piety sobriety needlesse offence of others c. we may with better leave use all those comforts which God hath given to refresh us in the way to heaven then refuse them the care of the outward man bindes conscience so farre as that wee should neglect nothing which may helpe us in a cheerefull serving of GOD in our places and tend to the due honour of our bodies which are the temples of the Holy Ghost and companions with our soules in all performances So that under this pretence wee take not too much liberty to satisfie the lusts of the body Intemperate use of the creatures is the nurse of all passions because our spirits which are the soules instruments are hereby inflamed and disturbed it is no wonder to see an intemperate man transported into any passion 3. Some out of their high and ayery imaginations and out of their iron and flintie Philosophy will needs thinke outward good and ill together with the affections of griefe and delight stirred up thereby to bee but opinions and conceits of good and evill onely not true and really so founded in nature but taken up of our selves But though our fancy be ready to conceit a greater hurt in outward evils then indeed there is as in poverty paine of body death of friends c. yet wee must not deny them to bee evills that wormewood is bitter it is not a conceit onely but the nature of the thing it selfe yet to abstaine from it altogether for the bitternesse thereof is a hurtfull conceit That honey is sweet it is not a conceit onely but the naturall quality of it is so yet out of a taste of the sweetnesse to think wee cannot take too much of it is a misâ—…ceit paid home with loathsome bitternesse Outward good and outward evill and the affections of delight and sorrâ—… rising thence are naturally so and depend not upon our opinion This were to offer violence to nature and to take man out of man as if hee were not flesh but steele Universall experience from the sensiblenesse of our nature in any outward grievance is sufficient to damâ—… this conceit The way to comfort a man in griefe is not to tell him that it is onely a conceit of evill and no evill indeed that he suffers this kinde of learning will not downe with him as being contrary to his present feeling but the way is to yeeld unto him that there is cause of grieving though not of ever-grieving and to shew him grounds of comfort stronger then the griefe he suffers We should weigh the degrees of evill in a right ballance and not suffer fancie to make them greater then they are So as that for obtaining the greatest outward good or avoiding the greatest outward ill of suffering wee should give way to the least evill of sinne This is but a policy of the flesh to take away the sensiblenesse of evill that so those cheeks of conscience and repentance for Sinne which is oft occasioned thereby might be taken away that so men may goe on enjoying a stupid happinesse never laying any thing to heart nor afflicting their soules untill their consciences awaken in the place of the damned and then they feele that griefe reâ—…ne upon them for ever which they laboured to put away when it might have beene seasonable to them §. 7. I have stood the longer upon this because Sathan and his instruments by bewitching the imagination with false appearances misleadeth not onely the world but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world whose estate is laid up safe in Christ who notwithstanding passe their few dayes here in an uncomfortable wearisome and unnecessary sadnesse of spirit being kept in ignorance of their happy condition by Sathans jugling and their own mistakes and so come to heaven before they are aware Some againe passe their dayes in a golden dreame and drop into hell before they thinke of it but it is farre better to dreame of ill and when wee awake to finde it but a dreame then to dreame of some great good and when we awake to finde the contrary As the distemper of the fancie disturbing the act of reason oftentimes breeds madnesse in regard of civill conversation So it breeds likewise spirituall madnesse carrying men to those things which if they were in their right wits they would utterly abhorre therefore wee cannot have too much care upon what wee fixe our thoughts And what a glorious discovery is there of the excellencies of Religion that would even ravish an Angell which may raise up exercise fill our hearts We see our fancie hath so great a force in naturall conceptions that it oft sets a marke and impression upon that which is conceived in the wombe So likewise strong and holy conceits of things having a divine vertue accompanying of them transforme the soule and breed spirituall impressions answerable to our spirituall apprehensions It would prevent many crosses if we would conceive of things as they are When trouble of minde or sicknesse of body and death it selfe commeth what will remaine of all that greatnesse which filled our fancies before then we can judge soberly and speake gravely of things The best way of happinesse is not to multiply honours or riches c. but to cure our
5. 24. Exodus 9. Vse Obser. 1. The court of conscience in man Iudgement must passe first or last without or within upon us Reason Distempers fall downe when they are arraigned before Reason Want of consideration raises and maintaines our distempers In discouragement we crosse our own principles Corruption of the heart sets the wit a worke 1 King 22 Acts 24. 25 The soules expostulation Blaspheming vvhence A lesson for young men Sin is unreasonable so much the more as without reason it pretends reasons Psal. 50. Reas. 1. Why wee are so backward to keepe court in our selves Proverbs 2. Irksomenesse of labour 1 Cor. 11. 31. 3. Pride Mens mihi pro regne Jonah 4. Esther 5. Faâ—…it ira nocentes Obser. 2. 1 Sam. 2. 24. Pro. 29. 15. Psal. 82. 6 7. 2 Sam. 24. 4. Prov. 30. 9. Esther 6. 1. Lam. 3. 27. Quest. Answ. Domine libera me a male homine meipso Obser. 3. Exod. 15. 5 2 Sam. 17. 23. There is an art of bearing troubles Obser. 4. The cause why vvicked men cannot endure solitarinesse As Charles the ninth after the Masâ—…cre in France Thuanus li. 57. Somnâ—… post casum Sanâ—…tholomaeum nocturni horrores plerumque interrumpebant rursus adhibiti sympl oniaci expergefacto conciliabant Ideo scribantur omnes libri ut emendetur unus Obser. 5. Iudges 9. Mat. 25. 21 Pro. 16. 32. Obser. 6. All outward troubles are for to helpe the soule Psalm 32. Job 1. 2. Sam. 17. 23. We should set the soul first in order Obser. 7. Jam 1. 13. 1. Sam. 16. Matt. 27. 3. Ephes. 4. 〈◊〉 Obser. 8. Obser. 8. 1. 2. 3. Major sum ad majora natus quam ut corporis mei fim mancipium Senec. 2. Kings 12. 2. 4. 5. Quest. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Evils of sinne 1. 2. 3. 4. 7 Psal. 66. 18 Psal. 119. 5 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Vse Obser. 9. Quest. Answ. 1 2. 3 Quest. Answ. 1 Luk. 23. 42 2 Psal. 118. 24. 1. Thes. 5. 16. 3. Quest. Answ. Jude 23. 1. Right grief hovv raised Levit. 16. 29. 2. Ierem. 9. 1. Si nil curarem nil orarem 2. Griefe to be bounded 1. When our affections are pliable 2. WheÌ„ fit to have communion with God Gen. 22. 5. 3. When our affections are suber dinate 4. When our affections become graces 5 When fit to perform duties In case of Gods dishonour exceeding affection is no excesse Cant. 25. 1 Sam. 6. 12 The life of a Christiâ—… an is a life of trouble Ioh. 11. 13. Obser. 1. Obser. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 22. Obser. 3. Vnitas â—…te unionem 1. Changes must be fore-thought of Quae alii diu patiendo levia faciuÌ„t sapiens levia facit diu cogitando Ioh. 16. 33. Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 14. 13. Caution 1 Sam. 27. 1 2. Col. 3. 1. 5. 3 2 Sam. 12. 9 Mat 26. 72. Luke 22. 3. Iob 1. Aperta perdunt odia vindictae locum Solve Leâ—…nem senties 4. 5. We must crush the first motions of sin Psal. 4. Psal. 73. 22. 6. Iam. 2. 5. 7. Anima nunquam melius agit quaÌ„ ex imperio alicujus insignis affectus Math. 11. 29. 1 Cor. 14. 33. There must be an uniformity in the lives of Christians 8 Christians must deny themselves Ioh. 12. 43. Mat. 19. 22 Mat. 13 22. Rom. 8. Mic. 6. Quest. Answ. 1. 2 Kings 10. 16. 2. 3. 4. 2. Sam. 12. 4. 5. 6. Object Answ. Job 〈◊〉 7. Neh. 2. 3. How to get the mastery of our selves Te vince mundus tibi victus est c. Rom. 7. Psal. 51. Gen. 19. 9. 1 Sam. 24. 6 Psal. 30. 6. Most of the most dangerous opinions of Popery as Justification by works state of perfection merit satisfaction supererogation c. spring froÌ„ hence that they have sleight coÌ„ceits of coÌ„cupiscence as a condition of nature Yet some of them as Michael Bayns professor at Lovane c. are sound in the point Answ. Gen. 1. 1 2. 3. Quest. Answ. Nemo se palpet de suo Satan est c. Aug Suspiraâ—…a ligatus non ferro aliquâ—… sed mea ferreavoluÌ„tate velleÌ„ meum tenebet iniâ—…icus inde mihi catenam secerit Aug. Confess Quicquid siâ—… imperavit animus 〈◊〉 Seneca Câ—…sset voluntas propria non erit infernus Ephes. 3. 18 Sixefold duty in respect of naturall corruption 1. 2. Evills of not bewailing our corrupt nature 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 3. Rom. 7. 9. Iob 42. 6. 4. Caution 5. 6. 2 Cor. 12. 8 Ezek. 36. 25. 27. Zach. 13. 1. 2. 3. 4. Sinfulnes and vanity seated in the imagination is a cause of much disquiet Act. 28. 22 Dan. 36. How sinfull imaginatioÌ„s work upon the soule Matt. 15. 9 Esay 1. 12. The 1. remedy for hurtfull imaginations 2. Cor. 10. 5. 2 Psal. 39. 6. Luke 15. 9. Pro. 23. 5. 3 Mat. 12. 35. Ma'a mens maltis animus 1 Sam. 24. 13. 1 Cor. 13. 5 Mat. 22. 27 2 Kings 2. 20. Esay 59. 5. Gen. 6. 5. 5. Zach. 12. 10. 1 Pet. 18. Luk. 19. 47 Bernard 6. Ephes. 5. 15 Ier. 4. 14. 7. Phil. 4. 8. 8. Eccles. 1. 2. Iob 31. 1. Pro. 17. 24. Praeclara cogitatio Beza in his life Doctrinae praedestinationis incipit a vulneribus Christi 2. Tim. 1. 9 Eccles. 12. 10. Luk. 10. 32 Pro. 15. 15 1 Cor. 2. 9. Est atiquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias 9. Object Answ. Imaginations and thoughts not free 2 Cor. 10. 5 1 Cor. 14. 25. 1. 2. 3 Job 27. 12. Ioh 6. 46. Similitude mater errorum Eph. 4. 22. 1 Tim. 6. 9. Prov. 19. 2. Ioh. 4. 24. Object Answ. Not impossible to â—…ule the imagination and how Misconceits about imagination to be avoided 1. 1. Thess. 5 22. Act. 26. 24. Mat. 11. 19 2. Eccles. 7. 17. 1. Cor. 3. 16 17. 3. This a very pertinent doctrine and why Laesa phantasia Divers principles of mans actions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. There is a helpe for us against troublesin others Pro. 17. 17. 1. 2. 3. 1. Sam. 2. 25. Pro. 14. 14. Ideo amicus deest quia nihildeest Prov. 29. 1. Iob 2. 12. Iob 6. 14. 1. 2. 3 Luk. 1. 41. Graces necessary in dealing with another 1. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 13. 6. Act. 13 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non est I de â—…re si quid ferendam est probare si quid probanduns non est Further directions 3. Acts 16. 31 Col. 3. 14. Psal. 41. 1. 1. Thess. 5. 14. Ezek. 34 4 Si illatas molestias lingua dicat a conscientia dolor emanat vulnera enim clausa plus cruciant Greg. Mat. 4. Gen. 3. Eccles. 4. 9. 1. 2. 3. Solatium vitae haeere cuipectus aperias Ambros. 2. Sam. 1. 20. Phil. 2. 27. Miscarriages in the party that needs to be comforted 1. 2. Sam. 23. 15. 3. Iob 2. Quest. Quest. Answ. Ergone it a liberi esse volunt ut nec Deum volunt habere Dominum Aug. de Spir. Lit. Iohn 15. Certum