graue Gods strict Tribunall the last Iudgement and endlesse miseries of the other world the sting poyson and terrors of which he shall neuer be able either to auoide or abide I say Shall such a fellow fleere in the face And shall not a true hearted Nathanael to whom Iesus Christ hath bequeathed a legacy of peace whom the Spirit of God bids reioyce euermore and who which way soeuer he lookes if he open his eye of faith shall see nothing but matter of sweetest contemplation infinite cause of truest ioy and spirituall rauishment If he looke backward vpon the time whilest he yet lay vnder the â—…yranny of the Diuell and dominion of the first death hee shall see the Catalogue of all his former sinnes should it be as blacke as hell as soule as Sodom as red as scarlet fairely and for euer washed away in that fountaine opened for sinne and for vncleannesse euen the precious blood of that immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ the Holy and the righteous If hee looke vpon his present state he shall finde himselfe preserued as a Iewell most safe in the precious Cabinet of Gods dearest prouidence enuironed with a glorious guard of mighty Angels kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation ready to be reuealed in the last time If hee looke forward hee shall see death indeed but the stâ—…g taken out of it by the death of Christ the graue perfumed to his hand by his Sauiours blessed Buriall wherein hee may lye downe as in a bed of Downe fenced with the omnipotent arme of God for the glory of the Resurrection the Throne of grace in Heauen standing vpon pillars of mercy and loue where Iesus Christ sits as Iudge who shed his hearts bloud for him and is his Aduocate while he yet abides in this vale of teares the bosome of Abraham the armes of God Almighty wide open and stretched out to receiue him at the end of his Pilgrimage into his Masters ioy I say shall such a happy soule not haue an Heauen in his heart but be heauy-hearted Shall a vassall of the Diuell laugh and an hâ—…ire of Heauen looke heauy Monstrous absurditie 2. Euery Christian after his new creation hath euer incomparably more matter of mirth theÌ„ mourning infinitely greater cause to bee rauished with spirituall ioy then to bee deiected by griefe Though this may seeme a paradox to the clearest eye and best apprehension of worldly wisedome yet in truth it is a true principle in the mysterie of Christ. I doe thus manifest it and make it good to the saddest mourner in Sion if hee doe not giue more care to the lying malicious dictates of the Diuell and distrusts of his owne heart then to the well-grounded counsell of the Prophets and impregnable truth of Gods blessed Word In the right estimate and valuation all the afflictions and sufferings of this life whether of soule bodie outward state or any way are but dust in the ballance in respect of that exceeding excessiue eternall weight of glory purchased and prepared for him by the bloud of his dearest Lord. In the originall it is as a worthy Diuine sayes well a superlatiue transcendent phrase of speech which farre passeth the height of all humane Oratory and all the Râ—…toricke of the most eloquent Heathens because they neuer treated vpon such a Theame they were not inspired with such a spirit Whereupon saith the Apostle in another place Ireckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall bee reuealed in vs. Whence it followeth that a very fore-imagination of that most vnconceiueable happinesse to bee had hereafter to wit the shining splendour and sun-like glory of our bodies the vnspeakeable perfections and excellencies of our soules the admirable beauty of the place the glorious comfort of our heauenly company the beatificall fruition of the most blessed Trinity c. and that which crownes our blisse with impossibility of further addition endlesnesse of all these I say a serious preconceit hereof illightened and strengthened by saith is able to hold vp the Christians heart with infinite strength and to refresh it with a secret vnutterable gladnesse euen amidst varietie and extremiâ—…ie of all worldly troubles and doth minister as farre more matter of reioycing then these of mourning as that forementioned exceeding excessiue euerlasting weight of glory is to bee preferred before a little momentany light affliction Hence it is that the holy Martyrs of Iesus were so merry and sweetly contented in the middest of all their outward miseries pressures persecutions and Martyrdome it selfe I was in prison saith one of them till I goe into prison I feele no more paine saith another in the fire then if I were in a bed of Downe it is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses I beleeue saith a third there is not a 〈◊〉 heart in the world at this instant then mine it To One obiecting to a fourth Christs agâ—…ny and sadnesse to his cheâ—…refulnesse Yea saith he Christ was sad that I might be merry He had my sinnes and I haue his merit and righteousnesse But specially let vs looke vpon Paul a blessed and precious patterne for vs to imitate in this point He was troubled on euery side Without were fightings within were feares He was in stripes aboue measure in prisons more frequent in deaths â—…t Of the Iewes fiue times receiued he forty stripes saue one Thrice was hee beaten with rods Once was hee stoned Thrice hee suffered Shipwracke A night and a day was hee in the deepe In iourneying often in perils of water in pâ—…ils of robbers in perill by his owne countrymâ—…n in perils by the heathen in perils in the Citie in perils in the Wildernessâ—… in perils in the Sea in perils amongst false brethren In wearinesse and painefulnesse in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse He was called a pestilent fellow He was accounted as thâ—… filth of thâ—… world and off scouring of all things And yet for all this he professeth of himselfe that hee tooke pleasure iâ—… infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake Nay which is more and more punctuall for my purpose hee saith in another place That he was filled with comfort and exceeding ioyfull in all his tribulation Now euery sincere-hearted Professor is bound to ouer-abound exceedingly in this ioy as well as Paul Not so saith the weake Christian for Paul had a stronger faith then I and more grace It is true but yet thy faith is as true as his And it is not so much the muchnesse as the truth of faith which giues right and interest to a Crowne of life comfort in all afflictions and euerlasting lightsomenesse Therefore well said a worthy witnesse to the truth Paul and Peter were more honorable members of Christ then I but I am a
SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALKING with God DELIVERED IN THE LECTVRE AT KETTERING IN NORTHhamptonshire with enlargement By Robert Bolton Preacherof Gods Word at Broughton in the same County The second Edition corrected and amended with a Table thereunto annexed AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and are to be sold at his shop at the great North doore of Pauls Church 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE EDWARD Lord Mountague of Boughton a fruitfull increase of all heauenly graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be reuealed Much Honored and Noble Lord ALthough the eminency of your other personall worth great Wisdome and noble parts a sufficient attractiue to euery honest heart by reason of the particular interest it hath in the common state of goodnes or your speciall bounty to my selfe which ought to stir vp an ingenuous minde to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserued acknowledgement or your publike deportment in the face of our Country so worthy and Honorable and managed with such true honesty graue moderation and noblenesse of spirit which cannot but draw from euery heart truely sound to our great Lord in Heauen and His Royall Deputy our highest Soueraigne vpon earth a great deale of reuerence loue I say though any of these seuerally might exact from me a more exact and able demonstration of the thankefull deuotions of my heart yet my Lord and you may beleeue mee there is another thing besides all these which was the strongest and most predominant motiue to quicken mee to this Duty and Dedication euen your sincere and inuincible affection to the Gospell of Iesus Christ His faithfull Ministers and most precious Wayes And this to tell you the truth is farre the fairest and most orient flower in the Garland of all your goodnesse and incomparably aboue all your Greatnesse were you aduanced euen to desert nay to the highest top of all earthly felicities and mortall honour For howsoeuer the world euer beside it selfe in point of faluation and starke blind in the right apprehension of Heauenly things doth ◅ote vpon guilded miseries stinging vanities golden setters and wickedly deemes pursuite of purity the height of folly yet I can assure you in the Word of life and truth the richest and rarest con◅luence of all humane happinesses the most exquisite excellencie and variety of the greatest worldly pompe and splendour that euer the Sunne saw since the first moment of its creation or shall looke vpon while it shines in Heauen is but dust in the ballance to one graine of grace it is but dung to an humble minde sauingly illightened with a forecast but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endlesse glory which shall shortly be reuealed It is all in the true valuation but as a vaine smoake which doth not onely vanish as it riseth and vtterly looseth it selfe at the highest but also drawes teares frō a mans eyes nay at last wrings the very heart-strings of euery impenitent soule with that extremest euerlasting horrour which would burst ten thousand hearts seriously and sensibly to thinke vpon before-hand It is not onely vanity but also vexation of spirit Let worldly wisdome say what it will and hold them melancholike and madde who by the helpe of the holy Ghost hold a constant counter-motion to the course of the world and corruptions of the time that they may keep a good conscience the richest treasure and dearest Iewell that euer the heart of man was acquainted with who infinitely desire rather to be religious then rich to bee good then great to enioy the fauour of God then the soueraignty and pleasures of all the kingdomes of the earth yet assuredly when all is said and truely summed vp it is onely the true feare of Gods blessed Name a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes at this day vnhappily and to the ruine of infinite soules called by the world pragmaticalnesse and Too much precisenesse which can truely beautifie and adorne both all other personall sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publike imployments and seruices of State For the first A Professor euen something Popish doth yet truely teach that Heroicall nobilitie is an illustrious eminency shining in a man by the heauenly infusions of supernaturall grace whereby he is made by adoption the sonne of God the Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost without which all other Nobilities are nothing not worth a button Suppose a faire and goodly horse to the eye as exquisitely featured colourd paced as that fained by Bartas to be managed by Cain yet if he wāted mettle he were worth nothing to a man of spirit Giue me the most magnificent glorious Worldling that euer trod vpō earthly mould richly crowned with all the ornaments and excellencies of nature art policy preferment or what heart can wish besides yet without the life of grace to animate and ennoble them hee were to the eye of heauenly Wisdome but as a rotten carkasse stucke ouer with flowers magnified dung guilded rottennesse golden damnation And that which is more dreadfull when the sunne of his short Summers day is set the hot gleame of transitorie prosperity past and the bitter tempestuous winters night of death approacheth from which all the Gold and Pearle of East West can no more deliuer him then can an handfull of dust I say then shall bee powred vpon his head that terrible showre of snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest His soule sinkes immediatly in a moment into the depth of remedilesse misery and is desperately plunged for euer into the bottome of the burning Lake His body descends into the graue as into a dungeon of rottennesse horror arrested as it were by the second death in the deuils name and at length haled and dragged vnto the terror of that great and last Day where no creature can rescue him no mountaine couer him from that vnquenchable wrath neuer-dying Worme which shall euer lastingly day and night feed vpon his soule and flesh Wheras now on the other side that poore neglected One who hath in truth giuen his name vnto Christ and his gainefull seruice perhaps by the World most disdainfully and contemptuously trampled vpon euen into the dust with the feet of cruelty and pride at least most certainly euer made extremely vile and contemptible by the villany of tongues and cruell mockings yet is such an One as the World is not worthy of in the meane time in the meaning of the holy Ghost a Crowne of glory in the hand of Iehouah as beautifull and amiable as the bloud of Christ and his righteous roabe can make him crowned full gloriously with Gods owne comelinesse which hee hath put vpon him designed from all eternitie in due time for so his sanctification now assures him to weare an euerlasting Crowne of blisse And when his pilgrimage is past
transfuse spirituall vigour into each other Presume not vpon any knowledge without an humble inflamed affection neither build too much vpon the heate of zeale without the light of knowledge Either of these may be single in some and that in singularitie who after may fall away shamefully 5. Aboue all looke vnto thy heart If thy change were Angelicall in words actions and all outward carriage and yet thy thoughts still the same and reserued thou art but a guilded Tombe and cannot bee saued Let a man take a Wolfe beate him blacke and blue breake his bones knocke out his teeth cut away his clawes put vpon him a Sheepes skinne yet still hee retaines his Woluish nature Let a man become neuer so harmelesse outwardly yet without a new heart all is naught 6. Incorporate thy selfe into the company of Gods people by all engagements and obligations of a profitable intimate and comfortable fellowship in the Gospell There is a secret tie vnto constancie in the communion of Saints Hee is not like to walke long that walketh alone especially if he might enioy good company Shunning society with the godly is too shrowde a signe of a temporarie 7. Consider well for the contrary is a notable discouerie of counterfeits that thy calling to grace must settle thee more surely in thine honest particular calling and make thee therein more faithfull conscionable and painefull Let Christians also of longer standing and more strength in their assaults about perseuerance haue recourse vnto this Tower of Truth and labour to preuent that which they feare 1. By constancie in a carefull vse of all the meanes the Word Prayer Conference Meditation Sacraments c. To which let them preserue appetite and practise that they heare without omission or delay Hee that giues way to a heartlesse neglect or customarie hardnesse of heart in the vse of the Ordinances may iustly suspect his neerenesse to some fearefull sinne or fierce temptation to some heauy iudgement or dangerous Apostacie 2. Assoone as they discouer any spirituall weakenesse or decay assault or temptation let them complaine betime vnto the Throne of Grace and mightily oppose with the feruentest prayers of extraordinarie priuate humiliation 3. Let them keepe perfection still in their eye and aime and towards the attainment thereof acquire and acquaint themselues with Rules of holy life daily directions courses of most mortified men c. 4. Let them watchfully decline all occasions of falling backe Spirituall pride knowne Hypocrisie desire to bee rich vnder-valuing declining the most searching meanes forme and perfunctorinesse in religious duties discontinuance of intimatenesse with the godly neglect of distractions vpon the Lords Day c. 5. Let them consider that all is lost which is past if they fall off 2. Ioh. 8. This former Point of constancie in grace did arise from consideration of blessed Noahs continuance in goodnesse through so many ages Now in that hee did not conforme to the iniquities of the times but did stand vnstained amidst the wickedst generations that euer dwelt vpon earth I collect the necessitie of another constancie and that is in respect of opposition to the corruptions of times Doct. The seruant of God must not serue the times Or thus The true Christian ought to stand at staues end with the corruptions of the time Reason Hee is bound vnto it by his Baptisme Of such as prophaned themselues being Christians with irreligious delight in the Ensignes of Idolatry heathenish spectacles showes and stage-playes Tertullian to strike them the more deepe claimeth the promise which they made in Baptisme Hee is not of the world Ioh. 15. 19. His life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3. 3. There is a secret heauenly vigour infused into euery gracious Soule by the sanctifying Spirit which deads it to the world and makes it delight in God He ought to shine in the world as a light in the midst of a crooked and peruerse nation Phil. 2. 15. Light and darknesse cannot endure one another neither the power of Grace those workes of darknesse in which the world lyes drowned Hee is by no meanes to bee conformed to this world Rom. 12. 2. nor to runne with the wicked to the same excesse of riot 1. Pet. 4. 4. He is now new-borne and become a Child of Eternity whereby his heart is falâ—…e in loue with new and euerlasting delights and the eye of his soule turned from the dung of this world towards the glory of the second Life As the worldling cannot rellish the sweet ioyes of gracious exercises so neither can the Christian the frothy pleasures of good-fellowship You can as hardly draw the sound Professor to a Conuenticle of swaggering companions as a good-fellow to a day of humiliation Vses 1. Howsoeuer then thou mayst seeme to stand on Gods side by an artificiall acting of some affected formes in Religion by countenancing the Ministerie if thou beest a great Man and outwardly conforming to the Ordinances yet if in thy practise thou beest plunged into the corruptions of the present and thine heart hanker still and hunt in secret after youthfull delights the lusts of men most applauded fashions of the greater part thou art not a Christian in truth but a true counterfeite Assure thy selfe if thou swim downe the current and saile with the tide of the time thou mayest iustly looke euery moment to fall vpon the sudden perhaps in the height of thy temporall happinesse and hottest gleame of thy worldly glory into the irrecouerable and euerlasting Lake of brimstone and fire c. 2. Let euery one who hath giuen his name vnto Christ euer hold it his Crowne and comfort to hold a strong and vnconquerable counter-motion to the courses of the world Let him still discouer the true noblenesse of his Christian spirit and of a mind spiritually generous by gathering vigour and growing inuincible from the very oppositions of the wicked and villanies of the time See Psal. 119. 126 127. 1. King 19. 14. 1. Thes. 2. 2. It was the saying of a morall Heathen That to doe well where was no danger was a common thing but to doe well where was both perill and opposition was the peculiar office of a man of vertue much more say I of a man of God And Noah walked with God Walking with God is the top and flower of all Noahs excellencies and spirituall felicities vpon earth Whence note Doct. That walking with God is the Crowne of the Christians character It is the dutie and propertie of euery true Christian to walke with his God By walking with God I meane a sincere endeauour punctually and percisely to manage conduct and dispose all our affaires thoughts words and deeds all our behauiours courses carriage and whole conuersation in reuerence and feare with humilitie and singlenesse of heart as in the sight of an inuisible God vnder the perpetuall presence of his All-seeing glorious pure eye and by a comfortable consequent to enioy by the
assistance and exercise of Faith an vnutterable sweete communion and humble familiarity with his holy Maiestie In a word to liue in Heauen vpon earth Proofes Gods Couenant and commandement to Abraeham and in him to all the faithfull vnto the Worlds end requires it Gen. 17. 1. The practise and protestations of the Saints and seruants of God seale vnto it Enochs walking with God chap. 5. was an happy preparatiue to his extraordinary translating to glory The Lord before whom I walk saith Abraham chap. 24. 40. will doe thus and thus I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing saith Dauid Psal. 116. 9. O Lord God of Israel saith Salomon 2. Chron. 6. 14. There is no God like thee in the Heauen nor in the Earth which keepest couenant and shewest mercy vnto thy seruants that walke before thee with all their hearts I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart saith Hezechiah 2. King 20. 3. And herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwaies a conscience voyde of offence toward God and toward men saith Paul Acts 24. 16. which sounds the same way Let their money perish with them who esteeme all the gold in the World worth one dayes societie with Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit said that Noble Marquesse of Vico well skilled and experienced in an heauenly conuersing with his God Reas. 1. And it must needs be so For howsoeuer naturall men and worldlings out of their obnoxiousnesse and secret terrors slauishly retyre doe not willingly neither dare they draw neere to that God which to them is a consuming fire yet all those who haue truly tasted how gracious and glorious he is shall find their hearts out of a secret sence of Gods loue vnto them first kindlily inflamed with infinite desire to liue vnder the comfortable influence of his pleased countenance to enioy his holy Maiestie with constant peace and an humble spirituall accesse and acquaintance continually His spirit of Prayer infinite loue exercise of repentance temptations and troubles from Satan pressures and oppressions from the World losse of inward peace faintnesse of Faith want of spirituall strength assault of some speciall sinne sweetnesse of meditation daily fauours showred downe vpon him without number and aboue measure sore-thought of the great and last Account motions of the blessed Spirit spirituall desertion c. but aboue all the inexplicable blessâ—…dnesse goodnesse and excellency of that highest Maiestie it selfe driues him to his God many times a day 2. All Gods loues vnto vs His louing kindnesses protections preseruations bounty patience diuine illuminations spirituall blessings in a word euery linke of that golden chaine of Mercy Grace and Glory farre thicker set with sweetest blessings in all kinds then the Heauen with Starres which our happy Soules haue doe or shall enioy from the first springing of it vp if euerlasting could haue any beginning out of the adored Fountaine of his free Grace to the last moment of eternitie in highest heauenly blisse if eternitie could possibly euer determine should be so many keene spurres deepest oblâ—…gations strongest chaines to draw our hearts most greedily to this infinite delight in him and thus with an humble familiaritie to conuerse with his holy Maiestie 3. Consciousnesse of our former walking comfortably with God sanctified by the life of Faith will mightily and incredibly support our spirits and courage in the times of confusions and feare The hearts of sensuall worldlings for want of reconcilement and acquaintance with God in calme and comfortable times sinke and tremble in the Day of distresse and Gods dreadfull visitations as the heart of a woman in her pangs and fall asunder in their brests like drops of water But that happy One who in his prosperity hath made God his portion and walked humbly in his presence shall in the time of trouble stand like a strong vnmoueable mountaine impregnable against the rage of wind and weather against the cruell incursions of all aduersarie power when the wicked shall tire the Mountaines with bootelesse cries to couer them he shall be able to say with Dauid The Lord is my refuge and my strength c. therefore will I not feare though the earth be moued and the Mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea He shall by the mercies of God and humble dependance vpon his omnipotent Arme encounter and entertaine the terrours euen of the euill day of the houre of temptation of the King of feare and last Iudgement with confidence and peace 4. Thy walking with God will make thee extraordinarily powerfull and mightily preuaile in prayer one of the greatest blessings and sweetest comforts which can be named or enioyed in this life As the Kings Fauourite who stands still in his presence and vnder the immediate and gracious influence of his Royall eye doth farre sooner and much more easily obtaine both his owne and friends suites then those who are more estranged from the Court So it is in this case 5. But aboue all that which should most quicken and keene vs to this duty is that particular interest we haue by Iesus Christ in Iehoua himselfe blessed for euer A mysterie which if I should offer to open and enlarge I should be endlesse and yet come infinitely short Oh then let vs infinitely loue and learne exactly the most sweete and heauenly Art of walking with God! For a more comfortable illightning and guiding vs wherein before I come to giue some generall instructions giue mee leaue to premise these quickning preparatiues 1. Looke that thou lyest not in any one knowne sinne against thy conscience hating to be reformed do not cherish allow or goe on in any lust corruption or lewd way in thine heart life or calling suffer not any worke of darknesse or seruice of Satan to reigne and domineere in thee For if so thou art so farre from abilitie or possibilitie of walking with God or delighting in him that thou wearest the Diuels brand and art yet most certainely one of his See and search the true meaning of such places as these 1. Ioh. 3. 3. 6 8 9. Iames 2. 10. Ezech. 18. 21. Psalm 66. 18. and 119. 6 101. Ezech. 18. 30. Matth. 18. 8 9. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Sutable hereunto is the concurrent iudgement and doctrine of our best Diuines and worthiest Writers graciously instructed vnto the Kingdome of Heauen These are their seuerall assertions to the same sense in their owne words 1. A man can haue no peace in his conscience that fauoureth and retaineth any one sinne in himselfe against his conscience 2. A man is in a damnable state whatsoeuer good deeds seeme to be in him if he yeeld not to the worke of the holy Ghost for the leauing but of any one knowne sinne which fighteth against peace of conscience 3. So long as the power of mortification destroyeth thy sinfull affections and so long as thou art vnfainedly displeased with all sinne and doest
neuer come neere the requitall of the least inch of His infinite loue towards thee which reacheth from euerlasting to euerlasting 1. He bore thee in the bosome of this His free loue from all eternitie and that so dearely that from the same eternity He decreed that His owne deare Sonne should die for thee 2. Hee brought thee out of the abhorred state of being nothing into the ranke of his reasonable and noblest creatures 3. Hee bought thee againe when thou hadst wilfully lost thy selfe with the hearts-blood of His onely Sonne 4. He preserues thee euery day from a thousand dangers a thousand deaths which might seize vpon thee both from within and from without 5 He will shortly crowne thee with euerlasting life fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his right hand for euermore 3. Thirdly confider the vnquenchable impatiencie of Christs inflamed loue vnto thee now washed with His Blood and beautified with His grace Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast rauished my heart saith He to the Church and by consequent to euery true Christian my sister my spouse thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy necke Now loue is of that alluring nature that many times it will draw loue from a man when there is no louely part in the partie louing What a deale of loue then doth the Soueraigne Lord of all goodnesse the well-spring of all beauty excellencie and sweetnesse exact at our hands especially sith wee are his meere creatures in respect both of our naturall being outward state gracious state and state of glory See how His spirituall amiablenesse is shadowed by outward beauties Cant. 5. 10. VIII Prize the fruition of Gods pleased face a neerer communion and acquaintance with His blessed Maiestie the loue and light of His countenance and thereupon a free and frequent accesse with an humble boldnes vnto the throne of Grace at a far higher and more vnualuable rate than heauen and earth as a very reall fruitfull fore-taste of eternall ioyes For to say no more at this time If thou hold an holy familiaritie with thy God and He looke pleasedly vpon thee thou shalt graspe Iesus Christ more sweetly and feelingly in the armes of thy Faith partake more plentifully of the ioyfull freedome presence and communication of His comforting Spirit be garded more strongly and narrowly by His glorious Angels sucke more sweetnesse and heauenly Manna out of the Ministerie and other His blessed Ordinances walke in safetie amongst the creatures like an vnconquerable Lyon Thou shalt bee in a league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee when thou goest thy gate shall not be straite and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall when thou sleepest thy sleepe shall be sweet thou shalt dwell safely and none shall make thee afraid Thou shalt neuer more be afraid of any euill tidings or of destruction when it commeth when thou passest thorow the waters thy God shall bee with thee and thorow riuers they shall not ouerflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee c. And if at any time thou bee seized vpon with any crosse or calamitie from any of the creatures any trouble or temptation from man or Deuill any lowring or crueltie from the iniquitie of the times or persecuters of the Truth yet the refreshing beames of Gods pleased face shining vpon thy heart through the darknesse of such discomforts will sweetly mitigate reuiue and infinitely make amends for all The poyson and curse of them shall neuer come neere thy soule The Lord in the meane time like an Eagle flutttering about her nest will most tenderly defend and protect thee Esa. 31. 5. and at length most certainly come like a yong Lyon roaring on his prey for thy rescue and glorious enlargement Isa. 31. 4. IX Labour by a constant watch to keepe thy heart in a spirituall temper still and still sweetly content and fruitfully conuersant in the Mystery of Christ and Secrets of His Kingdome which thou shalt more easily doe If thou first reioyce in God his Word Graces as thy chiefest ioy and greatest aduantage 2. By all earthly things be drawne to the loue of heauenly For though God hath appointed but one Sabbath in seuen dayes for his more solemne publike worship yet to a Christian euery day is sanctified to be a rest from all the deeds of the flesh wherein he is to walke with his God and shew forth the religious keeping of his heart and good conscience in euery action of his whole life so making euery passage of his particular Calling a part of Christian obedience and dutie vnto God 3. Let the noblenesse of thine inlarged Spirit as infinitely disdaine to be any wayes vpon any termes in bondage to the corruptions of the times so finde a farre sweeter rellish and take incomparably more contentment in the seruices of thy Lord and his holy Ordinances then in all his outward benefits and fauours of this life For as the best of these abused will most certainly at the Barre of God turne scourges and Scorpions to the worldling conscience and in the meane time there is no man so assured of his honour of his riches health or life but that hee may be depriued of either or all the very next houre or day to come so the other will prooue vnto the Christian hauing beene conscionably and constantly exercised in them as a rich stocke to bring in comfort patience and inward peace in his most neede and greatest extremity 4. Assoone as thou discouerest any spirituall weakenesse or decay any extraordinarie assault temptation deadnesse c. complaine betime cry mightily vnto God giue him no rest neither giue ouer seeking vntill hee returne vnto thy soule with power and life againe If ordinarie meanes will not preuaile presse vpon him with extraordinary if then he doe not reuiue thee with woonted quickning vigour waite with a patient wakefull longing of all the powers of thy soule and then all this while thy soule is still in its true spirituall temper and a most blessed state See Isa. 30. 18. 5. Decline watchfully all occasions of falling from thy first loue feruencie and heauenly-mindednesse as spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie desire to be rich discontinuance of thine intimatenesse with the godly neglect of thy particular Calling or dayly watch ouer thy heart vngodly company forme in religious duties coldnesse and customarinesse in the vse of the meanes c. 6. Suffer not thine affections to bee chained downe and set too much vpon those things which the common sort and greatest part of men seeke after insatiably and slauishly sinke vnder praise profit credit acceptation with the world fauour of great Ones mirth pleasures ease feare sorrow earthly contentment preferment wealth long life or any worldly thing but debase and dis-esteeme all other delights in respect of doing Gods will
pretence and purpose to sollicit them for saluation and preuaile with them about the best things and yet before thou be aware bee plunged and insnared in the woonted vnwarrantable delights of good fellowship pleasant passages of wit idle and impertinent follies and familiarities which thou wast accustomed to exchange and enioy with them in thy vnregenerate time So that in stead of the discharge of a Christian duty thou mayest both hurt thy selfe and harden them 3. As Physicians of the body arme and animate themselues with strong repercussiues preseruatiues and counterpoysons when they visit contagious and pestilentiall patients so in such cases be thou sure to furnish and fortifie thy selfe before-hand with prayer meditation the sword of the Spirit store of perswasiue matter strength of reasons and vnshaken resolution to repell and beate backe all noysome insinuations of spirituall infection 3. Into Christian company which thou shouldest prize thine only Paradise and Heauen vpon Earth the very flowre and festiuall of all thy refreshing time in this vale of teares euer bring 1. A cheerefull and lightsome heart Me-thinks though thou shouldest come amongst the Saints with a sad heart and something ouer-cast with mists and clouds of heauinesse and discomfort yet the presence and faces of those whom hereafter thou shalt meet in Heauen and there with incomparable ioy behold for euer clothed and shining with eminencie and eternitie of glory should disperse and dispell them all and infuse comfortable beames of heauenly lightsomnesse and spirituall mirth I know them who being cast sometimes full sore against their wils amongst profane company are quite out of their element all the while strucke dead in the place as they say as solitary as in the silentest Desart But let them come amongst Christians and they are quite other men as full of lightsomnes and life as full of heart and Heauen as if they had the one foot in the Porch of Paradise already-Sadnesse is not seasonable where such precepts as these haue place Be glad in the Lord. and reioyce yee righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart 2. A fruitfull heart full as the Moone with gracious matter to vphold edifying conference and sanctified talke Being forward and free without any hurtfull bashfulnesse or vaine-glorious aime both to communicate to others the hidden treasures of heauenly knowledge which thou hast happily digged out of the precious quarry as it were of the great mystery of Grace also by moouing of questions and ministring occasion mutually to draw from them with an holy greedinesse the waters of life for a reciprocall refreshing and quickning of the deadnesse and vnheauenlinesse of thine owne heart And here it will bee a profitable wisedome to take notice of and obserue each others singularitie of gifts and seuerall endowments and thereafter with wise insinuations to prouoke and presse them to powre out themselues in those things wherein they haue best experience and most excellency Some are more dexterous and skilfull in discussing controuersed points others in resoluing cases of conscience some in discouering the Deuils depths and treading the Maze of his manifold temptations others in comforting afflicted spirits and speaking to the heart of mourners in Zion c. I am perswaded many times many worthy discourses lie buried in the brests of vnderstanding men by reason of the finfull silence I think I may say so and barrennesse of those about them And therefore Christians ought to be more forth-putting actiue and fruitfull this way 3. An humble heart ready and reioycing to exchange and enioy common comforts soule-secrets heauenly consultations with the poorest and most neglected Christian. If thou bee haunted with the white Deuill of spirituall pride it is likely thou wilt bee either too prodigall and profuse and so ingrosse all the talke which is sometimes incident to new conuerts or counterfeits or else too reserued and curious and so say no more then may serue to breed an applause and admiration of thy worth which is a very filthy and fearefull fault There is no depth of knowledge no height of zeale no measure of Grace but may be further inlarged more inflamed blessedly encreased by conference with the poorest faithfull Christian See Rom. 1. 12. and 15. 24. how Paul that great learned and diuinely inspired Doctor of the Gentiles stood affected in this point V. But aboue all bee most busie with thy heart for it is the roote that either empoysons or ensweetens all the rest that is the fountaine which causes all the streames of thy desires purposes affections speeches and the whole current of thy conuersation to runne either muddy or cleere Ply therefore amongst others these three points of speciall and precious consequence for the present purpose with all seriousnesse and zeale 1. Captiuation and conformitie of the thoughts and imaginations of thy heart to the soueraignty and rules of grace If thy change in words actions and all outward carriage were Angelicall yet if thy thoughts were the same and vnsanctified still thou wert still a limbe of Satan Purity in the inward parts is the most sound and vndeceiuing euidence of our portion and interest in the power and purity of Christs sauing Passion and sanctifying Blood-shed See Ier. 4. 14. Isa. 55. 7. Now that thou mayest the better conquer and keepe the thoughts of thy heart in subiection and obedience vnto Christ be perswaded and acknowledge 1. The pestilencie of that wicked Prouerbe Thoughts are free It is true the immediate inuisible productions and proiects of the heart lie not within the walke of humane Iustice neither are liable to the censure of earthly Courts and Consistories But there is an All-seeing and Omniscient Eye in Heauen to which the blackest Mid-night is as the brightest Noone-tide Psal. 139. 12. which sees our secretest thoughts afarre off ver 2. and sets them in the light of his countenance Psal. 90. 8. Hence it is that many humble soules sensible of their secret prouoking the glory of Gods pure Eye are more grieued setting aside the ill of example and scandall ordinary attendants vpon open and visible miscarriages for the rebelliousnesse of their thoughts then the exorbitancie of their actions For the sting of these is something eased and lessened as they thinke by the absence of Hypocrisie and because the world sees the worst But concerning the other it cuts them to the very heart that they are not as well able to preserue their inward parts in puritie toward the All-searching Eye of that God who stretched foorth the heauens and laid the foundations of the earth as their words and actions in plausiblenesse towards man who shall die and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse Whereas then the naturall man is woont to let his heart runne riot and at randome into a world of idle imaginations without remorse or restraint doe thou make thy sanctification sure vnto thy selfe by this infallible signe That thou sufferst the consideration of Gods
All-seeing Eye the curbe of the last Commandement and checke of a tender conscience to range thy thoughts into order to confine and keepe them within a holy compasse from their vaine and impertinent vagaries 2. That thou must be accountable and answerable for euery wandring thought as well as for idle words and wicked actions Now consider what numberlesse swarmes of imaginations passe the Forge of thy phantasie euery day and therefore if thou be not extraordinarily and exactly vigilant eye-full ouer thy heart thou mayest iustly feare that vpon the opening and illightning of the booke of thy conscience at those two dreadfull dayes of Death and the last Iudgement innumerable armies of exorbitant thoughts which haue lyen in ambush as it were in the secret corners of thy deceitfull heart will charge vpon thee with a farre heauier account then perhaps thou art aware of or hast seriously thought vpon heretofore 3. That Gods glory must aswell shine in thy thoughts in the inuisible workings intentions desires and eleuatious of the heart as in thine outward conuersation As God exacts and expects honour and seruice from his Children in words and workes so there is also a Thought-seruice a Thought-worship that I may so call it which is very pleasing and precious in his eyes as springing more immediately from the heart wherein he principally delights and because the secrecie of it is attended with more sincerity Remember therfore to render with all reuerence and zeale vnto the Father of Spirits and Lord of thy soule the dayly tribute of thy Thought-seruice as well as the Tongue-seruice and Handseruice And the rather and more plentifully 1. Because opportunities abilities and meanes may faile for outward performancee but the heart is euer at leasure and libertie to thinke nobly No times no tyrants no wants or restraint can hinder it from an inuisible fruition of Gods owne Selfe with thoughts of sweetest rapture and reuerence of loue and lowliest adoration from bathing it selfe in the meritorious Blood of the Immaculate Lambe with thoughts of inexplicable peace ioy and triumph from cleauing to the promises of life and diuing into the Mysterie of Grace with extraordinary dearenesse purest delight victorious faith from being as a mountaine of Myrrh and Incense sending vp a spirituall Sacrifice of praise-full thoughts infinitely admiring and magnifying the glory and goodnesse of that mercifull Hand which writ thy name with the golden Characters of his endlesse loue in the Booke of Life from all beginnings suffered the dearest and warmest Blood in His Sonnes Heart to be spilt as water vpon the ground for the washing of thy body and soule from sinne and after a span of time will set a Crowne of Eternitie vpon thy head composed of all comfort rest and peace ioyes pleasures and felicities c. And also because besides Gods more speciall acceptation and more certaine sinceritie of this inward inuisible seruice it is ordinarily full of more spiritualnesse intention and life by reason that it is neerest and most immediate to the obiect of Adoration The best man though he may labour to doe his best euery way yet he shall find a difference and degrees in his ability to discharge and the executions of his Duties Deuotions and seruices towards God His workes doe not euer answere with that exactnesse to his words His words cannot expresse so to the life the thoughts of his heart The thoughts of his heart come infinitely short of the excellency of God Those streames which are next to the well-head are strongest and purest The thoughts of a sanctified heart laying hold vpon with immediate apprehension and neerest imbracements that most amiable holy and glorious Obiect God Himselfe blessed for euer and his sweetest Attributes giue Him His due and reuerent Attributions with more heartinesse life and heauenlinesse then his words or Actions are woont though all a mans best and vtmost in thought word and deed falls too fearefully short of that which we owe and ought to doe 2. A continuall excubation and narrow watchfull guard ouer thy heart It is like a Citie liable euery moment both to inward commotion and outward assault The fountaine of Originall impuritie though its mayne streame and bloodie issue bee stayed and in some good measure stopt by the sanctifying power of Christs sauing Blood yet it doth still lesse or more bubble vp rebelliously The world doth labour continually with her three great battering Engines of Pleasures Riches and Honours to lay it waste and rob it of all heauenly treasures The Deuill watches euery opportunity to hurle in his fiery darts to cast all into combustion and thereby further to enuenome and inrage the already too much impoysoned viciousnesse and impetuousnesse of our corrupt nature Precious therefore and worthy all practise is that Precept of Salomon Keepe thy heart aboue all keeping Prou. 4. 23. which thou mayest doe with more successe and comfort if first thou watch ouer the windowes of thy soule the sences as the Worthies of old were woont with extraordinarie ward See Iob 31. 1. Psal. 119. 37. It is incredible what a deale of pollution and ill the Deuill conueyes insensibly through these Flood gates of sinne into their bosomes who are carelesse and watchlesse this way To instance in the eare and eye What balles of Wild-fire as it were doth many an obscene and filthy tongue set on fire of hel throw thorow their eares into mens hearts with rotten and ribald talke which after begets within worlds of speculatiue wantonnesse and flames of Lust Many false reports drop from the slanderers mouth into the eare which after in the heart becomes the cursed seed of heart-burning spite and mentall murder at the least And such wicked weeds cannot but fructifie very rankely in such a naturally sinfull soile A Tale-bearer tells thee that such an one said of thee so and so when as in truth it was neither so nor so Thou presently thereupon conceiuest thoughts of vnkindnesse displeasure and it may be of rage against that man that neuer thought the ill Heere thou spillest innocent blood for thy heart may kill as well as thy tongue and hand It is fit therefore for euery honest face to furnish and fill it selfe with frownes of distaste and indignation at the approach of any Tale-teller As the North wind driueth away raine so doth an angry countenance a back-biting tongue Pro. 25. 23. Concerning the Eye Dauids wofull example may warne the holiest men to the worlds end to bee very watchfull with a most restlesse and eye-full iealousie ouer that wandring sence An idle glance vpon Bathsheba was like a theeuish boy thrust in at a rich mans window which lets in a number of villanous desperate Cut-throats to ransacke and robbe the house it being not resisted at the first drew after it such a blacke and bloody traine that robbed his royall heart of much heauenly wealth and wounded his soule as deepely and dangerously as perhaps any of Gods seruants
euer since 2. Resist and crush euery exorbitant thought which drawes to sinne at the very first rising Encounter it with this dreadfull Dilemma Say vnto thy selfe If I commit this sinne it will cost mee vnvaluably more heart-breake and spirituall smart before I can purchase assurance of pardon and peace of conscience then the sensuall pleasure is worth If I neuer repent it will bee the death and damnation of my soule See what a world of misery man brings vpon himselfe by giuing way to the first wicked thought Disc. of true Happinesse pag. 150. 3. Entertaine euer with all holy greedinesse and make exceedingly much of all good motions put into thy heart by the blessed Spirit howsoeuer occasioned whether by the Ministery of the Word mindfulnesse of death Christian admonition reading some good Booke some speciall crosse extraordinary mercy any way at any time Feede enlarge and improoue them to the vtmost with Meditation Prayer and Practise So thou shalt preserue thine heart in a soft holy comfortable temper and heauenward which is a singular happinesse 3. Eleuation and often lifting vp of the heart towards heauen What Christian heart can indure to discontinue its sweet familiaritie and humble entercourse with God for one day Let thy broken heart therefore euery day besides solemne and ordinarie eiaculations Euening and Morning and vpon other speciall occasions bee sure 1. To bathe it selfe deliciously in the blisfull depths of Gods boundlesse mercies in Christ that it may bee happily kept spiritually merry thankefull and in heart to all holy duties 2. To kisse sweetly the glorified Body of our crucified Lord with the lips of infinitely dearest and vnexpressably affectionate loue though the distance bee great yet the hand of Faith will bring them easily together that it may be preserued in peace puritie and reuengefull opposition vnto sinne for as the application of his meritorious Blood is a soueraigne Plaister to heale the wounded conscience to turne Crimsin and Scarlet into snow and wooll so me-thinkes a serious and compassionate commemoration of the deare effusion thereof should bee both a precious corrosiue to eate out the heart of corruption and a speciall preseruatiue to keepe from sinne sith sinne was the principall in slaughtering the Lord of life 3. To cast the eye of hope vpon the glory euerlastingnesse and vnutterable excellencies of that immortall shining Crowne aboue which after this life and this life is but a bubble a smoake a shadow a thought shall be set vpon thy head by the hand of God a very glimpse of the goodly splendour and rauishing beauty whereof is able both to sweeten the bitterest villanies and basest wrongs from the world and wicked men and to dispell those mists of fading vanities and hurtfull fumes of honours riches and earthly pleasures which this great dunghil of the world heated by the fire of inordinate lusts is wont to euaporate and interpose betwixt the sight of mens soules and the blisse of Heauen VI. Be very watchfull ouer thy most predominant and troublesome passion whether it be feare sorrow loue anger c. All of them are vnruly and raging enough but yet commonly one ouer-rules all the rest and playes Rex as they say in the vnregenerate man nay too often offers to rise in rebellion euen against the most sanctified soule Whatsoeuer it be 1. In thy priuate morning sacrifice be sure to lay on loade of deepest groanes and strongest cries for mortifying grace against it and comfortable conquest ouer it Let that period and passage of thy prayers bee enforced and enlarged with an extraordinarie pang of feruencie and feelingly sealed as it were with the most Seraphicall Selah 2. Cut off all occasions whatsoeuer it cost thee which may any wayes stirre awaken and kindle it Withdraw the fewel that ministers food vnto that passionate flame though it should bee as painefull vnto thee as the plucking out of thy right eye or the cutting off of thy right hand Assuredly the pleasures of inward quiet and sweet spirituall calmnesse of thy so vnderstanding Soule will infinitely recompence any paines in oppositions and resistances in that nature 3. Consider seriously before-hand what a deale of disturbance and vnsettlednesse the visible exorbitancy and breaking of it out will breede and bring vpon thy inward man It will be like a dead Flie in a boxe of precious oyntment disgrace all thy graces and full foully darken the glory of thy profession It will be like fire in the Thatch and for the while cast into combustion as it were the whole frame of thy spiritual building and turne the heauenly peace of thy appeased conscience into a bitter tempest Tell mee whether after a lawlesse transgression of those bonds of moderation to which thy Christian resolution hath confinde it and that it hath preuailed against thee with any notorious excesse I say whether at night thou finde not thy spirit quite downe and much deaded to the exercise of prayer or any other euening duty And if vpon thy waking in the night there should be any terrible winde dreadfull thunder or other affrighting accident whether thy heart would not smite thee vpon that occasion with much more feare and apprehensions of horrour I will suppose thy raigning or rather rebelling passion for I speake to the Christian to be choler and anger and then first listen to the counsell which the very morall Sages minister against this spirituall maladie and to the rules and remedies which the light of reason leades vs vnto 1. Cut off say they the causes and the effect wil vanish Quench the firebrands which enrage this fury and thou shalt be at quiet They are such as these 1. Weakenesse of spirit vnmanlinesse of minde Hence it is that old men infantâ—… and sicke folkes are commonly more cholericke then others Impotency and excesse of passion euer argues the disgrace and inferiority of the vnderstanding part the noblest power of the soule And therefore if we would be armed against the sallies and assaults of this domineering raging distemper we must suffer the hiest and heauenliest part of our soule to know and exercise its place and strength Wee must not make our vnderstandings vnder-lings but giue reason his right and regiment 2. Selfe-loue a foolish doting vpon and adoring our selues which springs from the cursed root of Selfe-ignorance and quite puts out that light of Natures law in our consciences Doe as thou wouldest be done by If before thou lose the reines to that short phrensie thou wouldst suppose and set thy selfe in the place of the party with whom thou art angry and then say and doe no more then if thine owne person were the patient it would bee a notable meanes to curbe thy choler and keepe the credit of dipassionatenesse and moderation and make thee patiently suffer that which perhaps thou hast often confidently offered to others 3. An ouertendernesse and delicate nicenesse in bearing wrongs an impetuous impatiencie for being abused Whereas insensibilitie and
which is common in carnall worldlings to rage with extreme folly and basenesse against thy wife children seruants cattell or any thing that comes in thy way for euery crosse accident worldly losse domesticall miscarriage nay many times to torture thine owne heart and trouble others in this kinde vpon meete mis-takings groundlesse surmizes and misconstructions but rather take this gracious lesson from the Lord Iesus his owne mouth Math. 11. 29. Learne of mee for I am lowly of heart and an example of patience from his first Martyr Act. 7. 60. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge 3. Let the sweet experience of Gods patient and mercifull dealing with thee soften thine heart with a compassionate sence of other mens weakenesses and a melting forwardnesse to forgiue If hee out of the riches of his mercy hath remitted vnto thee ten thousand Talents what a base wretchednesse were it to fly in the face of thy fellow-seruant and to take him by the throat for an hundred pence If he intreated thee of all loues and with all long-suffering to come into his stretched out armes of mercy when thou layst wallowing abominably in the gore-blood of thy many scarlet and crimsin sinnes foughtest on the Deuils side to the losse of the very life-blood of thy soule and euery time thou camest to the Lords Supper shedst the precious blood of his blessed Sonne what a shame is it vnto thee to fall a raging and swell with anger for the meere ouer-sight many times vnwilling miscarriage and vnpurposed errour of those perhaps which otherwise obserue thee with obsequiousnesse and loue 4. If a man will not bee mooued with more faire and ingenuous motiues to master and mortifie this Bedlam rage I speake in this passage to him that hates to be reformed let him bee amazed and amend for shame sith the holy Ghost hath charged euery man not to meddle or make any league of friendship with him while he nourisheth and giues the reines to this bosome-Rebell Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Pro. 22. 24. What a monster is a man of anger that Salomon should set such a brand vpon him whereby euery one is warned to beware of him and fly from him as from a nettling dangerous vnsociable creature A word or two of another passion before I passe out of the point and that is Feare which I had not toucht at this time had it bin only a Rack wheron the hearts of couetous ambitious and carnall men are wofully rent and torne tortured all their life long and not also a cruell engrosser of too much golden time euen from Gods children not without impressions of much fruitlesse sadnesse and vnnecessarie discontent The vanitie and tyrannie of this passion is specially seene and exercised 1. In putting all reall stings into imaginarie euils and drawing true and bitter sorrowes from supposed sufferings 2. In an ouer-greedy apprehension and anticipation of sorrowes to come so that a man by too much forethoughtfulnesse and painefull preconceit doth suffer them many times before they seize vpon him 1. For the first who feeles not the phantasticalnesse of opinion to forge and fasten vpon him many dreadfull obiects which of themselues haue no vigour to vexe because no reall being and existence yet truely torture and afflict by the onely strength of imagination Thus one eates his owne heart with griefe for losse of those riches and that superfluous wealth which if hee had euer still possessed hee would neuer haue vsed Another lies vnder the continuall slauerie of restlesse feare lost fire or robbery some alteration in the State or desolation of warre should disperse his hoard or hazard his temporall happinesse One is haunted with much thoughtfulnesse and carking what shall become of his children after his death what men will say of him when hee is gone lest his wife should marrie after his departure For naturally our minds are so vaine that besides the abundance and burden of present cares they will transport our desires and affections beyond our selues and being Another frettingly feares that hee shall be vndone in a deare yeere or the next Rot of sheepe and tires himselfe with varietie of plots for commings in for many yeeres to come when many times he dies in the meane time Some take vp too much precious time from present and more profitable meditations by troubling their hearts lest if the times turne they should not be able to endure the fierie triall whereas afterward perhaps they end their life in the peacefull noone-tide of the glorious Gospel Others vpon thought or talke of death are ready to entertaine fearefull apprehensions lest they should disgrace their Christian life with an vncomfortable end and by some extraordinarie temptation rauing furious carriage lye open to the worlds interpretation sinister censures misconstructions of their former courses when as after it may be they conclude their dayes calmely in good memory to the last gaspe without any storme or cloud of feared horrour and discomfort except former distrustfull feares iustly bring vpon them that which they feared For sith euery one whose life hath been consecrated to Gods glory with truth of heart doth certainely passe thorow those dreadfull pangs and last paine into pleasures endlesse and vnspeakeable hee ought also to submit with all patience and quiet to glorifie him and to be seruiceable to his secret ends with what kind of death he please whether it be 1. Glorious and vntempted 2. Discomfortable by reason of bodily distemper and by consequent interpretable by vndiscerning spirits 3. Mingled of temptations and triumphs 4. Or ordinarie and without any great shew or remarkeable speeches after extraordinarie singularities of an holy life which promised an end of speciall note and obseruation 2. For the second besides these vtterly vnnecessarie and meerely imaginarie miseries many fearefull spirits especially haunted with the humour of melancholy will not suffer also certaine and ineuitable euils which at length must needs befall them to sleepe and keepe in their stings vntill the time appointed but many times awake them by the cry of Feare like so many sleeping Lyons and cowardlily prouoke them with timorous expectation to rent their hearts and sting terribly before the time Thus our vaine mindes torment vs more with the feare of euils then with the euils which we feare spurre vs on with much vnmanly folly to meete in the mid-way nay to ouertake out-run sorrowes to come and make vs a thousand times miserable with one indiuiduall misery For instance Thou hast a child and perhaps but one which thou louest most dearely for that affection which would be seuerely strong towards ten or how many soeuer is vnited in it alone Thou enioyest a wife whose death would be vnto thee as the losse of halfe thy heart and so proportionably of any worldly comfort Now certaine it is thou must at length part from all these or what else soeuer most deare and
confine his thoughts the workings and agitations of his spirit to the managing of the affaires and mastering the miseries of the present day The strongest minde and best composed is weake enough to sustaine the brunt and encounter of euery dayes crosses Temporall troubles or spirituall temptations fightings without or terrours within are the certaine portion of the Saints in this vale of teares And what day so faire comes ouer the Christians head wherin he scapes Scot-free as they say herein Sith therefore euery day brings foorth sorrow sufficient for the exercise of the retiredst presence of the most recollected spirit and the heartiest man shall haue his handfull in passing patiently and profitably thorow present troubles which many times fall as thicke vpon him as one waue in the necke of another what a base and vnworthy weakenesse is it to vnfit and disable our already too weake minds for a comfortable dispatch and digesting of dayly vncomfortable occurrents by such needlesse sencelesse fruitlesse distractions vagaries of vanity and Vtopian peregrinations As either 1. To loose them in the endlesse maze of imaginary afflictions 2. Or to waste them by vntimely wrastling with certaine euils to come 3. Or wound them with a painefull remembrance of sorrowes already past For some there are so ouer-greedie of grieuing themselues and transported with the tyrannicall vanity of their owne mindes that besides their trouble with present fained and future miseries collect also matter of mournefulnesse from time past For instance Thou hast lost thy dearest child which is one of the extremest earthly crosses and goes neerest the heart but long since so that if reasons from reason and Religion asswaged not the immoderation and excesse of thy sorrow yet time hath worne out and wiped away thy teares and made thee weary of weeping but notwithstanding thy vaine minde will not suffer that griefe which euen length of time hath buried long agoe to lie quietly in the graue but drawes into consideration and remembers for the nonce its speeches fauour pretty behauiour and other louely circumstances to make thy heart bleed afresh and wring from thine eyes new torrents of teares c. Soueraigne therefore against these Harpies and deuourers of the heart is that counsell of Christ which I haue commended vnto you from his owne mouth seconded also by the Apostle Philip. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing That is with tearing and torturing the heart with carking thoughtfulnesse anxiety fretting impatiencie Doe not waste and weaken thy minde immoderately vnseasonably imaginarily vntimelily with distrustfull anguish pensiuenesse and base prostitution of the flower and sinew of thine immortall spirit to fruitlesse and endlesse impertinencies and mis-imployments For by the way we must take notice and acknowledge notwithstanding what hath beene said against carking and other needlesse distractions and exorbitancies of vaine mindes that a moderate Christian prouident care and fore-cast is both conuenient and commanded both for prouision of things necessary and preuention of dangers But this is not distressefull but delightfull because enioyned by God See 1. Timoth. 5. 8. For performance of Gods Commandement and the very act of Obedience with sincerity should beget much spirituall sweetnesse delight and ioy in the heart And a faire easie vnangry prouidence for things needfull and time to come sweetned with the life of Faith and a patient relyance vpon Gods wise and mercifull disposing all our affaires and their successe is one thing and a restlesse carking and pursuite after things vnnecessary imaginary and sometimes impossible embittered with many slauish feares of fained or future euils is another It is profitable also to gather matter from time past by contemplation of youthfull pollutions crosses and corrections for sinfull courses companions in iniquity or any other aggrauating circumstance for the increase of godly sorrow and hatred of sinne But this is ioyfull and easeth the heart for howsoeuer carnall ioy and sorrow can neuer consist together at the same time yet that which is Christian sweetly ought and may of what sort soeuer the sorrow be For first causes of it from without as reproches persecutions shame crowne the Christians head with aboundance of glory his heart with ioy his soule with blessednesse 1. Pet. 4. 14. Acts 5. 41. Matth. 5. 10. Secondly if it bee inward for sinne and corruption there is great matter of much ioy for it sweetly signifies the sofâ—…ning and melting of the heart and by consequent the presence of Gods sanctifying Spirit Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne are like an Aprill showre which though it wet a little yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes flowers and fruites of the earth A great man guiltie of high Treason comes to the Blocke to loose his head In the very nicke when hee is ready to lay downe his necke a gracious Pardon is shewne from the King whereupon he bursts out abundantly into teares springing partly from an angry indignation against himselfe for his trayterous carriage towards so tender-hearted a Prince partly from an inexplicable ioyfull sence of his owne safety It is proportionably so when wee mourne for Him whom wee haue pierced and in Euangelicall repentance God hath so mercifully ordered all things for his that if they be not wanting to themselues they may be euer merry and finde continuall matter of reioycing See 1. Thes. 5. 10. For he well knowes what great need their poore hearts haue of this ioyfull affection both to sweeten their outward sufferings and bitternesse from the world and also to season their spirituall sacrifices and seruices vnto himselfe And besides it is one thing to rake with our remembrance into the graue of buried griefes for sharpning the teeth of worldly sorrow to eate our hearts Another thing to make our memories minister matter from former times of more humiliation vnder Gods mighty hand deeper detestation of our abominable vilenesse and to make our hearts many and many a time melt againe and bleed afresh with comfortable softnesse and godly sorrow for youthfull sinnes VII Prize and ply as a most sweet excellency and comfortable perfection in Christianitie a right and religious ordering of thy tongue It is very materiall and of speciall importance for preseruation both of outward and inward peace Originall corruption hath naturally put vpon euery mans tongue an empoysoned fierie edge whereby like a sword in a Bedlams hand it kils and slayes on all sides wofully wounds his owne conscience infects and enuenomes mortally the soules of the present mangles the good names of the absent with deadly malice and so bathes it selfe remorselesly in continuall bloodshed for there is heart-murther and tongue-murther as well as hand-murther vntill the attainment of this grace and mortifying circumcision of such an vnruly euill That it may therefore neither be vnseasonably idle nor sinfully exercised besides many other caueats and constant watchfulnesse take notice of and to heart and practise
bee cast in their way I meane a seasonable reproofe ministred vnto them they trample it in the mire and with a bruitish basenesse tread it vnder foote because indeed they hate to be reformed and are sottishly and stubbornly resolued not to exchange these worldly pleasures which they haue in present possession and pursuite for the glory of an hundred heauens which Preachers so much talke of but they cannot taste of or tell when to come thither 2. Other Swine there are as it were both in practise and profession who besides their hating to bee reformed and obstinate resolution not to forgoe their present pleasures or forsake their former wayes are also possessed with a spirit of scoffing These are rather wild Boares for with a furious and Giant-like insolency and outrage they prouoke and challenge the mighty Lord of heauen about the truth of his Iudgements and Promises making a mocke of them Let all sensuall and Swinish wretches consider this and tr◅mble who with sinnefull greedinesse feed vpon earthlinesse and Epicurisme and hate to be reformed who wilfully wallow in the mud and filth of vanishing pleasures and will not be washed who many and many times come vnto continue at and depart from the house of God with a settled purpose and resolution not to suffer their hearts to bee mastered by the power of the Ministery or to change their old fashions say the Preacher what he will but to liue and end their dayes in their ordinary former courses of prophanenes and good-fellowship They may reade their doome and vengeance that dogs them at the heeles Psalm 50. 21 22. Cursed also is the condition of all you that are scoffers at godlinesse and good men You haue wearied your selues so long in walking and standing in wicked wayes that you are not set downe at rest in the chaire of scorners And therefore all those that stand on the Lords side are commanded by Christ there to leaue you in your damned case and to disquiet you no further And what an horrible depth of spirituall misery is this That you runne furiously towards the pit of hell and must haue no body to stay you not a man to call and cry vnto you to tell you that the fiery Lake is a little before you Though we haue thus much light from the natural properties of Dogs and Swine to descrie and delineate those fellows to whom by Christs commandement Pearles and holy things admonitions and reproofes are not to be vouchsafed yet Christians are sore troubled many times how to behaue themselues whē to speake when to hold their peace whom to repute Dogs and Swine whom not when vpon some vnauoidable necessitie or by the exigency of their Calling they are vnwillingly and vnawares plunged into the company of prophane wretches whose ordinary talke is the language of Hell oathes scurrill iests iesting vpon the holy conuersation of the Saints slandering good men disgracing the wayes of sinceritie and such other base and Bedlam-discourse But I do not see how any constant rules or immutable direction can be giuen for Christian carriage in this case it is so variable and clothed with such varietie of circumstances and constancy of alterations The aduice which I would giue in this point to the Christian is this when he is perplext what to do in this regard amongst prophane company let him consult with these bosome counsellours looke vnto his spirituall wisedome to his heart and to his conscience These must bee his guides and informers in these cases and they are counsellors euer at hand he carries thē in his bosom 1. His spirituall wisedome is to guide him in a right apprehension and discretion of circumstances and to define the opportunitie and seasonablenesse when hee is to interpose and in what manner to oppose against their furious and rotten speeches It must tell him secretly and suggest vnto him when the cause of God or the innocency of a good man calls specially vpon him for an apologie and at what time he hath a calling thereunto It must informe him how he must reprooue whether directly and downe-right or by intimation and indirectly whether personally or in the generall whether in a faire and milder manner or with a more bold and resolute spirit whether presently vpon it and in hot blood as it were or afterward to take occasion to censure the same sinne with aggrauation of the odiousnes and damnation of it whether only by discountenance or discourse by a silent disapplause which I think may be sufficient for some men at some times in some companies or with solemne protestation a professed opposition and dislike c. 2. Let him also looke to his heart That his reproofe spring not from any imperious humour of censuring and medling with his brethren from a proud veine of contradicting and controlling others out of a Scoical sowrenesse and commanding surlinesse from any purpose to disgrace and grieuethe partie from a formall affectation of Pharisaicall seuerity from a secret ambitious desire of purchasing an opinion and reputation of forwardnesse by being forward in finding faults or from any other by-respect but from an heart truly humbled with ◅ight and sence of its owne infirmities zealously thankfull vnto God for preseruing him from the like outrage and excesse in sinne graciously resolued into compassion and commiseration of the offender lifted vp in a secret supplication for the pardon of its owne sinne successe of the reproofe and saluation of the party all at once vnto the Throne of Grace c. 3. His conscience must guide and hold him in the right path and golden meane betweene two extremes which ordinarily in these cases men are very apt to incurre I meane faint-hearted silence and furious zeale 1. Men many times by reason of a sinfull irresolution and vnchristian cowardlinesse would gladly make all such offenders Dogs and Swine that thereby they might challenge the priuiledge of exemption from the discharge of that Christian dutie of reproofe Though their eares be filled with the oathes and blasphemies of those that are about them and grated vpon with gracelesse raylings against good men and foule disgracements of the wayes of God yet they neuer open their mouth as though there could bee any nobler obiect or exercise of their best eloquence and greatest courage then the iust defence of Gods glory and Christians innocency Oh! these are vile cowards in good causes and a kind of traitors to the state of Christianitie By such sinfull silence they labour to purchase a name of No-meddlers in other mens matters of mercifull men to their Brethrens infirmities of plausible companions of wiser and more moderete Christians But let them know that such No-medling is a kind of soule-murthering such mercifulnesse is crueltie such plausiblenesse is pernicious such wisedome is not that of the Serpent commended by Christ but the wilynesse of that great red Dragon suggested by Hell Nay some men are so strangely lewd and gracelesse that they can
sense with some Pomander or other sweete perfume and so they may declaime noysomnesse of the smell and repell the contagious insinuation so when any prophane wretch hath let fall any rotten speech the Christian with a present counter-poyson as it were of a seasonable reproofe should stop his owne apprehension lest any baser infection insinuate staine the soule and to preserue in heat and life a fresh and strong opposition of the heart and affections to all such lewdnes and scuâ—…ility 2. Silence at such a time will seeme to bewray either thy cowardlinesse in the cause of God or hypocrisy in thy profession For it will seeme strange that thou which makest shew of standing on the Lords side and professest thy selfe to bee a party in that glorious Communion of Saints shouldst heare the name of God prophaned in a base and blasphemous manner and the innocency sometimes of a good man carried in triumph by the slanderous tongues of wretches and trampled vpon as it were euen vnto dust by the feete of pride and malice and yet neuer open thy mouth As thou therefore desirest to preserue the glory of thy Christian reputation entire and shining and hold it thy crowne and honour to bee Champion vnto the mighty Lord of heauen a Proctor in his Spirituall Causes and the protector of the good names of good men be euer ready to open thy mouth when a iust apologie in any of these respects is needefull and required at thy hands 3. If thy conscience be inlightened awake tender and rightly informed it will smite and checke thee after the omission of such a duty when afterwards thou considerest with thy selfe that by thy cowardly vnseasonable silence thy soule is entangled in the guiltinesse and hath incurred an accountablenesse for that sinne As thou then wouldest keepe all in quiet at home in thine owne bosome and still possesse the paradise of a peacefull heart suffer not blasphemies obscenities raylings and other such ribald and rotten talke passe vncensured and vnsorrowed for Nay and in so doing besides the vnualuable comfort of a peacefull conscience thou shalt also purchase vnto thine heart a sound testimony of that gracious tender-heartednesse which is wont to melt and resolue the hearts of Gods children into compassion and commiseration in such cases and which they vse to expresse and exercise euen towards the lewdest wretches and such as haue no pitty vpon the spirituall miseries of their owne poore and wofull soules See 1. Sam. 15. 35. and 16. 1. Ier. 9. 1. Phil. 3. 18 19. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Luk. 19. 41 42 c. It was the dogged and damned voyce of cruell and cursed Cain to say Am I my brothers keeper But euery true and tender-hearted Christian doth grieue to see so many of his brethren sticke fast in the clutches of that roring Lyon and betweene the teeth of that Red Dragon and therefore labours by all meanes hee can to rescue them to see so many about him runne as fast and furious as they can to drowne themselues in the pit of endlesse perdition and therefore as occasion serues cals and cryes vnto them to stay their course before the hellish Gulfe of confusion and horrour hath shut her mouth vpon them Thirdly in respect of those which be present 1. By thy speaking in such a case thou mayest lay as it were the spirit of profanenesse for that time so that it doe not rage and ouer-rule in the rest as otherwise it would For wee may sometimes obserue that a seasonable reproofe passing from a man of vnderstanding with resolution and authority vpon a fellow that so behaues himselfe as though swearing were his profession and traducing the Saints his Trade doth so quell and confound the swaggering humour of the rest of the same crue in the company that they are quite put out of their humour as they say perhaps hang downe their heads all the while and thinke in their hearts if once they get out they will come no more amongst such precise fellowes which cannot abide an oath or where they cannot haue their fling and forth in their profane villanies and cursed reuelling 2. Thou mayest hereby hold in the weake that they be not scandalized 3. Thou mayest hold vp the hearts of stronger Christians that they be not grieued and cast downe with the domineering of prophanenesse and out-swaggering rage of Satans Reuellers Fourthly in respect of God Himselfe 1. That though the dayes wherein we liue be strangely prophane and desperately naught for this old age of the world is pestred with all the pollutions and abominations which the course and current of all former ages haue conueied and carried into it though iniquity mightily abound with much tyranny and triumph and fearefully preuaile in all places yet I say that it may appeare that God hath some to speake for Him That though Satan more is the pitty hath innumerable swarmes of knights of the Post as they say that are ready at a becke to doe him any desperate seruice yet notwithstanding heere there God hath a Champion who fearelesse of the face of man dare with an vndaunted and holy resolution defend His wayes and stand on His side 2. But aboue all let that strict charge from Gods owne mouth Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him fright and fire euery one of vs out of our sinfull silence and cowardlinesse this way and keene vs with resolution and forwardnesse to a seasonable discharge of this holy duty Take notice of a three-fold duty which lies vpon euery Christian in his carriage towards men in their presence and before their faces 1. Christian admonition 2. Christian reproofe 3. Christian silence and forbearance in such cases 1. If a brother bee ouertaken with a fault or some lesse offence we are to admonish him in the spirit of meekenesse Gal. 6. 1. 2. If hee offend more grieuously wee are freely to reprooue him and not to suffer sinne to rest vpon him Leu. 19. 17. 3. If hee be a sonne of Belial a scoffing Ishmael a dog or a swine wee are commanded by Christ to say nothing Matth. 7. 6. Neither priuate admonition nor brotherly reproofe is to be vouchsafed to desperate sinners or prophane Ruffians who would entertaine it with crueltie or scurrilitie II. Obserue a sanctified silence from 1. Rash censuring which is seuerely censured by Christ Himselfe and set as a visible Brand vpon the face of the Hypocrite Let it euer bee onely the peeuish property of those who are naught and most obnoxious themselues of Pharises and false-hearts to bee the greatest finde-faults vncharitably to entertaine causlesse disconceits and to passe rash censures against those who are farre better then themselues Which they will ordinarily doe because 1. They were neuer truely humbled with sight and sence of their owne sinfull and accursed state They neuer trembled nor
were thorowly frighted with the wrathfull countenance of God for their infinite pollutions and prouocations of the eyes of his glory Their consciences were neuer awaked out of their dead sensuall sleepe by the Trumpet of the Law nor receiued any speciall and particular illumination from the sanctifying Spirit In a word they haue no terrour no trouble no worke or businesse at home about their owne finnes in their owne consciences and therefore they haue leasure enough to looke about them and are full enough of sinfull curiositie and vnnecessarie medling to pry and enquire into other mens courses and carriages of malice and spitefulnesse to mistake and misinterpret of pride and peremptorinesse to proclaime many times with great noise and selfe-applause their owne idle malignant forgeries and fancies for faults of those who are much more righteous thē they When they looke forward or any wayes about them they are very sharpe-sighted into the fashions and failings of others most exact in obseruing their neighbours wayes Eagle-eyed to pierce beyond the Moone to spy the least moate in the Sun I meane the smallest infirmity in the most glorious Saint Nay they are of such a refined and sublimated eye-sight that they can discerne some errours and exorbitancies especially in Professours of Religion which neuer had any existence But when they should reflect vpon themselues and turne their eyes to contemplate and consider their owne corruptions there lyes a great beame of hypocrisie betweene them and themselues so that they cannot possibly fee so much as those huge mountaines of many crying sinnes which full heauily presse downe their owne soules towards hell those vnnumbred swarmes of beastly lusts which rage remorslesly within their owne bosomes 2. It is a point of their hypocriticall policie cunningly and confidently to impute those sinnes vnto others which are grosly predominant in themselues that thereby they might purchase an opinion of a supposed innocencie and freedome from the like faults For when they cry out with great noise and clamour vpon other men they thinke they still the cry and stop the mouth of their owne sinnes and labour to fasten a perswasion vpon their owne hearts that sith they with such confidence and bold faces reprooue and censure others others will not out of the congruity of a charitable ingenuousnesse thinke them so shamelesse as to bee iustly liable to the same imputations except some few wiser and more iudicious Christians who are able by spirituall experience to discouer the depths and mysteries of their hypocrisie and for such they care not much for in point of reputation they rely most vpon the common sort and greater part 3. It is the naturall humour of an hypocrite to bee supercilious and censorious Pride is no where more naturally bred so proudly seated and highly enthroned as in his heart And therefore it is his common practise to hunt after estimation by disgracing and disabling others Sith hee wants worth in himselfe he labours to shine by darkening others misconceiuing that euery detraction from other mens reputations is an addition to his owne 4. They hold it a point and proofe of forwardnesse to be forward in finding faults As though the flame of an holy zeale were enkindled in any mans heart onely to giue him light for the discouery of other mens sinnes and not as a sacred fire to burne vp the noysome lusts which boyle in his owne brest Thus and vpon such grounds as these it is the hatefull propertie of Hypocrites and selfe-guiltie ones and a common marke of their cruell seueritie to wade deepely into the search and censure of other mens wayes and to gore verie bloodily into the consciences of others whereas they neuer purged their owne But true zeale euer casts the first stone at a mans selfe and plucks the beame out of his owne eye that he may better discerne and draw the mote out of anothers eye I meane a sincere heart is euer most censorious and seuere against it selfe most searching into and sensible of its owne sinnes prying with speciall curiositie and inquisitiuenesse into the endlesse maze of its owne wicked windings and depths of guile Though it heartily and vnfainedly detest all sinne in whomsoeuer yet it s owne iniquities and pollutions sticke closest and goe neerest and beget in it a more particular and extraordinary impression of remorse and loathing The reason is it hath truly tasted the terrors of a wounded conscience been scorched with the secret sence of Gods angry face and formerly full sorely crusht vnder the most grieuous burthen of innumerable sinnes It knowes right well by wofull experience what bitternesse of spirit and anguish of soule springs naturally from the retired suruey of scandalous transgressions in cold blood It feeles from time to time deadnesse of heart lessening of graces losse of comfort to ensue vpon euery grosse relapse or willing fall It findes too often to its much griefe that if it foster and nuzzle in it selfe any sensuall corruption or secret lust the Lord will not heare its prayers It is full well acquainted with the vnualuable preciousnesse of a peacefull conscience and Gods fauourable countenance which it cannot possibly enioy if it lie delightfully in any one sinne against its knowledge c. This being the experience exercise and constitution of an vpright heart it is most angry and displeased with most Eagle-eyde and watchfull ouer most strict and seuere against its owne sinnes Which home-imployment happily hinders and moderates a man from too much medling abroad This world of worke within about his owne soule in discouering opposing and mortifying his owne vnruly lusts and rebellions ties his tongue from being so busie in censuring other mens faults As therefore thou wouldest haue a true testimonie of taking thine owne sinnes to heart and of hauing beene sincerely humbled vnder Gods mighty hand thy selfe keepe a constant and narrow watch ouer thy tongue be very sparing in speaking the euill which thou knowest by others iudge no man rashly out of spleene humour passion pride preiudice Pharisaisme c. or of his finall state For all sound Conuerts and truely mortified men desire and labour to be very charitable mercifull and seasonable in their censures Consciousnesse of their owne corruptions makes them compassionate towards others in this kinde Obiect Yea but will some say howsoeuer you put it vpon prophane men and hypocrites yet it is well knowne your Professours are the onely shrewd censurers very sightfull and seuere about other mens faults and are still ready vpon all occasion by their peremptory iudging to send all others vnto hell saue themselues and those of their owne sect as they speake And so was the way to heauen stiled many a yeere agoe Answer This I grant is many times the prophane mans censure of the true Christian and therein he discouers himselfe to be a true hypocrite for with much bitternesse and malice hee censures sincere-hearted men to be censorious when himselfe is the only
rate then and with what eagernesse and thirst is that true sweet vnmixed glorious ioy springing out of the Fountaine of comfort in an honest and holy heart to bee set and sought after 3. The differences betweene spirituall and carnall ioy in respect 1. Of Lastingnesse A spiritually merry heart is a continuall feast saith Salomon whereas the ioy of the hypocrite is but for a moment Iob chap. 20. 5. Carnall ioy is like lightning spirituall like the light of the Sunne While the Play lasts the sensualist laughs but hee falls into his dumps when all is done The Drunkard is merry whilest hee reuels it amongst his pot-companions in the Ale-house but when he comes home there is many times wofull worke Whilest the Gamester is at play he is well enough pleased but when hee hath made away all hee is ready to make away himselfe also A cunning and prosperous Worldling I confesse by Gods permission may patch together his pleasures all his life long but at furthest at death comes the deadly and euerlasting dampe whereas hee that walkes with God is contented and comfortable all the day and death is the day-breake to him of euerlasting brightnesse Carnall ioy I say is like lightning a flash and away leaues the minde in more extreme and deeper darknesse blasts the heart and affections with all spirituall deadnesse and desolations with many boyling distempers much raging wild-fire and vnquenchable thirst after sensualitie earthlinesse and Epicurisme and first or last it is euer certainly followed with renting and roaring of the spirit spirituall terrours thunders darknesse and damnation But godly ioy is like the light of the Sunne which though it may for a time bee ouercast with clouds of temptations mists of troubles and persecutions darknesse of melancholy yet it ordinarily breakes out againe with more sweetnesse and splendour when the storme is ouer but howsoeuer it hath euer the Sunne of righteousnesse and Fountaine of all comfort so resident and rooted in the heart that not all the darknesse and gates of Hell shall euer be able to displant or distaine it no more then a mortall man can pull the Sunne out of his Sphere or put out his glorious eye 2. Of puritie The edge and rellish of carnall ioy is euer much rebated and imbittered with many sowre sauces and enuenomed mixtures impatiencie of delay difficulty and danger in attainment vnanswerablenesse to fore-conceits and expectation many secret terrours fretting iealousies discontented indignations against their discontinuance and vanishing c. And besides those three ensuing indiuiduall stings which to an illightned conscience as inseparably and sensibly dogge them at the heeles as a shadow the body in the Sun-shine cut the very throat and burst the heart of all worldly pleasures 1. One of them is as it were naturall immediately attending all earthly mirth more melancholy and heauy-heartednesse afterward For as the Riuers of sweete water runne their course to die in the salt sea so the hony of all earthly pleasure euer endeth in the gall of griefe Voluptuousnesse euen in her dearest minions ordinarily expires with anguish and anger that it is gone The transitorie flashes of sensuall delight are like the light of a candle which leaue at the cloze a noisome vexing snuffe behinde And that sweetenesse which sensualists swallow downe so greedily turnes to grauell in their guts and at farewell fills their spirit with the returne of a more heauy melancholicke humour then before the receite 2. The other I call a temporarie sting for all the wayes of worldly pleasure are strowed also with needles and nettles that I may so speak which euer and anon pricke and sting her darlings as they plucke her fading flowres So that at best they are but like Beares robbing a Waspes nest who rauenously rifle the combes and with much adoe sucke out a little hony but in the meane time are soundly stung and swolne about head for their painefull pleasure In their seuerall walkes of a fooles paradise they hunt both vnreasonably and vnseasonably after transitorie delights but they are euen pained and payed home with a witnesse in the very pursuite For instance The couetous man accounts worldly wealth and an â—…oard of gold his heauen vpon earth but in heaping it together his heart is wofully rent and torne asunder with carking thoughtfulnesse restlesse rooting in the earth anxious and endlesse casting about and forecasting In a word with much care in gathering more feare in keeping and most griefe in parting from it So that for feeding his greedy eye vpon a little vanishing heape of yellow earth his heart is continually haunted with such vexing Harpies I meane wasting cares and false feares that dry vp euen his vitall moisture and cut his very heart-strings in pieces Good-fellow meetings and Ale-house reuellings are the drunkards delight but all the while hee sits at it hee is perhaps in a bodily feare of the Puritane-Constable when towards night he goes grunting homewards hee becomes a gazing and laughing stocke to children in the streets no sooner comes hee reeling into his own house but he wrings fresh cries and teares of shame and griefe from his wife and family for the reproach beggerie and miserie he brings vpon them And as hee goes on in this drunken good-fellowship and takes a pride and pleasure in powring in of strong drinke there many times insensibly grow vpon him many loathsome diseases and deformities of body Rheumes Dropsies Palsies a fearefull face spuing falling and neuer rising againe sometimes not euen out of a little gutter that would scarce choake a child The lasciuious wanton that wanders in the twilight in the euening in the black and darke night after the strange woman besides the dart which sticks fast and ranckles in his Liuer meetes in the meane time with rottennesse in his bones a consumption of his marrow a wound and dishonour and reproach that shall not bee wiped away The boisterous aspiring Nimrod out of a gluttonous desire of grasping offices and honors scrues himselfe vijs modis into some high place as his onely Paradise and when hee is gotten vp dances full merrily in golden fetters vpon his slipperie standing but couldest thou see into his inside thou shouldest behold his heart miserably fretting and vexing it selfe raging with many passionate distempers for the indignation of good men contempt of inferiours thwarting of competitors enuie of compeeres vnderminings of counter-factionists iealousies of Princes c. How many great mens hearts haue burst with the blasting frownes of a Kings forehead Nay and which is a Bedlam misery vpon the ambitious man hee is many times more grieued for an affront of some grand opposite because hee cannot haue his will of this or that man that stands in his way or for the neglect of some expected complementall respect and obseruance then pleased with all the other brauery and iollitie of his high roome This is cleare in Haman though hee was
from all stormes of violence oppressions and wrong nay and perhaps by their countenance procure them a great deale of credit and esteeme if not obseruance and awfulnesse from those amongst whom they liue 3. To call to mind out of too many wofull experiences that in the frownes and angry foreheads of great men are infolded many times many secret complots of cunning cruelty and plausible malice which when time serues fall full heauy vpon the hearts and heads of inferiours which are not in all poinis pliable to their humours And out of such carnall considerations as these by a rash vnaduised yeeldingnesse they too often plunge themselues hand ouer head into vnworthy engagements and become instruments of ill offices the basenesse and iniquitie whereof doth afterward in cold blood strike full cold vnto their hearts and leaues a gash and grieuous wound in their consciences comforts and Christian reputations 4. At such entertainments and tables of Great men not friends to the truth thou wilt be ready to vomit thy morsels and shalt loose thy sweet words Thy dainty fare may bee sawced perhaps with many bitter girds much rotten talke enforced healths if not empoisoned with blasphemies obscenities and horrible oathes Thy musicke wil be merry lies fained iests scofs scurrilities against Gods best seruants and the Kings best subiects commonly calumniated as pestilent fellowes For so the Church complaines Lam. 3. 63. I am their musicke Few feasts where the founder is not Gods friend but after his good-fellow guests bee well heated with variety of dishes and strong drinke as their faces are inflamed with fiery reflections one from another so their hearts will be enraged with mutuall infection of furious malice to belch out most prodigious dunghill villanous lies hammered by the very foulest Fiend in the darkest nooke of hell against those that are true of heart Lord thou knowest The complementall formes and flourishes of thy welcome may prooue as a pitfall to plunge thee into some dishonourable imployment or one way or other to betray thee to an vncomfortable entanglement of thy conscience So that if thy generous spirit will nobly rise against such froth and folly ribaldry and railing the vnworthy degenerations of these worst times if it bee sensible of Gods dishonour the disgrace of the Saints and thine owne danger thou canst not choose but be wearie of such good cheere Nay besides the resolution of thy iudgement that in such a case thou wouldest farre rather haue stayed at home with a dinner of greene hearbs then to haue thine eares so grated and heart grieued all the while at a great table euen in nature thou shalt fare worse For thy iust indignation discontentment and sadnesse vpon such ground will naturally contract thine heart thicken thy blood chill thy spirits that naturall heare will faint and faile in the ordinary current and course of concoction No maruaile then though thou be readier to vomit thy morsels then to reioyce in those high entertainments or variety of messes which are dissweetened with such distastfull and bitter mixtures And thou shalt loose thy sweet words both of humanity and Christianity For the first out of the ingenuous simplicitie and honesty of thy heart thou wilt returne reall sincere affectionate demonstrations of thankfulnesse for meere dissembled formall ceremonies of entertainment and welcome For the other thou shalt be so farre from finding a free and comfortable vent and entertainment to any good talke that if thou meddle that way thou marrest all the mirth Mention of heauenly things our last account the life to come iudgements against sinne priuiledges of the Saints happinesse of the holy Ones c. which might sweetly season and as it were sanctifie their meeting and those good creatures of God they so plentifully enioy would presently cast all the company into dumps of melancholy The Word of God writ vpon the wall in the very height and ruffe of their greatest iollitie and reuelling did make the heart ioynts and knees of that mighty King Belshazzer to tremble as the leaues of the forrest when they are shaken with the winde How often may we obserue many goodly and gracious discourses buried in the bosomes of men of vnderstanding and worth placed below by reason of the domineering talkatiuenesse and imperious ignorance of some silken Idoll sitting at the head of the table Horses and Hounds Hawks deuoure full often and eate vp not onely spirituall and holy but euen all morall and manly talke For the more conuenient declining and preuention of any ensnarement and inconuenience in this kinde let mee commend to the Christian such cautions and considerations as these 1. Euer before thou enter out of thy doores vpon any occasion businesse iourney visitation weigh well with due deliberation in the ballance of an holy wisedome all circumstances concurrents company probabilitie of all euents and consequents on both sides of staying at home or going abroad visiting this or that friend vndertaking that or the other businesse and euer constantly encline and resolue that way which in all likelyhood will bring most glory vnto God good vnto others and comfort vnto thine owne conscience Let it onely bee the sinfull libertie of hopelesse worldlings to waste their time and labour for the needlesse expence of euery moment of the one and motion of the other they must very shortly be full dearely accountable at Gods strict Tribunall in those impertinent vagaries and idle visitations which haue no other motiue but a desire to be rid of time and to feede a gadding and restlesse humor no other end but vanity or vaine-glorie no issue but temptation and greater disabilitie to good duties But let euery wisely resolute and truly iudicious Christian disdaine howsoeuer worldly wisdome deride it to step ouer his threshold without a warrantable Calling aime at some honest end probable foresight of some good to come thereon honour to God furtherance of some good cause good vnto our brethren discharge of some dutie of our Calling performance of Christian offices of charitie humanitie naturall affection mutuall comforting confirming refreshing and building vp one another in our most holy faith and the like Otherwise hee shall bee in great danger to returne home farre worse then when he went out laden both with more personall guiltinesse and accessarinesse to others sinne bleeding with some fresh bruise of conscience by falling scandalously or failing in some Christian dutie growne into a further disacquaintance and estrangement from God deepelier sunke perhaps into some sinfull societie and sensuall conformities with men of this World Some actions I confesse and vndertakings in their owne nature and in respect of the obiect as the Schoole men speake are indifferent but cloathed with circumstances and indiuiduated by the actuall working of a particular Agent are not so but necessarily become morally good or euill to the doer And therefore the assertion of Catarinus in the Councell of Trent to this purpose
very spectacle of commiseration to euery spirituall eye euen as that body is which adorned with a goodly feature and many other admirable beauties yet wanteth eye-sight the comfort of life whereby it walkes in perpetuall darkenesse and desperate danger Goodnesse though attended with contempt and disgrace is incomparably more amiable in the eye of an honest Cato much more of an holy Christian then all the vaine-glorious boisterous representations of any greatnesse or pompe Memorable and remarkable to this purpose was the magnanimitie and resolution of that holy Prophet 2. Kings 3. 14. As the Lord of hosts liueth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee Miserable then is the vanity and vaine-glorious slauery of such as with great eagernesse and impotency hunt so ambitiously after high dependances and hold it a strange happinesse to insinuate into the bosome of the worlds Fauourites though it be by basenesse bribery an vniuersall obsequiousnesse and vile accommodations They many times with vaunting intimation also to others proudly applaud and please themselues for their accesse countenance and entertainement with Great men as though it argued in them some rare extraordinary sufficiencie and worth when as perhaps it is their owne flattering insinuations and intrusion their instrumentall agencie and imployment in some ill offices lewd seruices which brings them into such request and acceptation But let such know it is a thousand times more comfort and true credit to be receiued with Christian loue and armes of grace into the heart and affections of a good man then to be entertained with greatest brauery and worldly applause into grace and fauour with the greatest gracelesse One vpon earth For alas when a man hath done all he can to please the humours of vngodly great Ones by an vnconscionable satisfaction of their carnall desires and to gratifie them hath vnhappily grieued his owne conscience hee can at last when Gods dreadfull visitation and flaming vengeance shall seize vpon him for that sinne looke for no better reward and reply than that cold comfort and cutting answere which Iudas in the extremity of his anguish and horrour receiued from the High Priests and Elders Matth. 27. 4. That cursed man came vnto them ready out of the rage of his vexed conscience to teare his traiterous heart out of his body with his own bloody hands and threw the thirty pieces of siluer amongst them and cryed out I haue sinned in that I haue betrayed the innocent blood But what recompence doe they returne for his imployment in villany to serue their turne Their reply is What is that to vs See thou to that And such a man shall certainely in the day of distresse bee enforced to take vp some rufull complaint proportionable to Wolseyes heauy groane Had I beene as carefull to serue the God of heauen as my great Master on earth He had neuer left me in my gray haires And wee see in the meane time fauour is deceitfull and transitory euen in priuate men much more in great personages The volubility of whose nature is soone glutted and very variable for kinds of satisfaction A thousand experiences in all Stories and times teach vs how irregular and many times retrograde the reuolutions of highest fauours runne They haue their paroxysmes and declinations and euer at length their most certaine expiration and euerlasting period But on the other side consciousnesse of hauing held an vnfained fruitfull correspondence and communion with Gods people the onely excellent Ones by all neerest and dearest engagements and Obligations of a profitable and comfortable fellowship in the Gospell and mutuall entercourse of godly conference heauenly counsell spirituall encouragements consideration one of another confirmation in grace and well-grounded testification of meeting together in heauen will incomparably more refresh the trembling heart of a dying man than if he had been crowned all his life long with the Imperiall glory of all earthly kingdomes And in the meane time there is nothing in this world to be admired but the illustrious splendour of heauenly graces shed and shining from Gods mercifull Throne by his sanctifying Spirit into the soules of the Saints Neither any thing so to bee desired no such prerogatiue and Paradise in this vale of teares as a mutuall communicating of their diuine brightnesse and the sweete ioy issuing thence a very glimpse and earnest of euerlasting glory to the humble hearts one of another 4. When thou visitest others or thy selfe inuitest them take notice euer before-hand with as punctuall and special suruey as thou canst possibly of their humours dispositions carriages opinions and behauiours and thereupon premeditate and prepare conuenient and seasonable matter whereby thou maist more successefully addresse and apply thy selfe with all meekenesse of wisedome and patient discretion to insinuate interpose argue answere reprooue reply and so demeane thy selfe in thy whole discourse that through thy default neither the glory of God the honour of his Truth the reputation of Christianitie or thine owne conscience receiue any indignitie disgrace diminution or wound Would Christians take this counsell hold this course they would at such times not so often depart with spirituall discontent and so smitten with consciousnesse afterward of their silence omissions cowardlinesse and vnprofitablenesse in company For want of care and conscience in this point countrey people meet many times in their Conuenticles of goodfellowship at Ale-houses Bake-houses Gossippings as they call them c. as at a common Mart of Tale-telling back-byting disgracing their neighbours raging against Professors sawcily and vnseasonably medling with and miscensuring other mens matters yea and would you thinke it sometimes euen highest Mysteries of State reuiling the Ministerie especially if managed with manifestation of the Spirit and an holy impatiency to see the deuill domineere and reuell it in the blood of the peoples soules without contradiction When they come together at such times euery one opens his packe of tales for I haue told you heretofore that a Tale-bearer is compared to a Pedlar as the word in the Originall cleerely intimates who hauing furnished himselfe and filled his packe with variety of peddling and petty stuffes trots vp and downe for vent from house to house where he finds best custome and speall entertainement I say at such meetings it is their manner to open euery one his packe of false and slanderous tales which they haue raked and scraped together by their owne malicious surmises listnings whisperings pragmaticall inquisitiuenesse into other mens businesses or some odde idle Intilligencers whom they entertaine for that purpose and there out of an itching humor of talkatiuenesse and tattling they lay abroad such rotten wares to the empoysoning of the eares of those that heare them the defaming of their brethren farre better then themselues and certaine remonstration to their owne consciences that they are as yet the children of the deuill the
through his pouertie might bee rich Shall the onely deare innocent Sonne of the All-powerfull and euer-blessed Lord and King of heauen and earth dis inrich as it were and disrobe his heauenly Highnesse of that Royaltie and Maiestie aboue and become so poore that whereas the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the ayre haue nests yet Hee not where to lay his head that through his pouerty and powring out his hearts blood hee might crowne vs with the inestimable riches of heauenly glory with ioyes and pleasures more then the starres of the firmament euen for euer and euer and shall not we Wormes and wretches most vnworthy the least bit of bread we put into our mouthes part with our superfluities sometimes both in respect of the necessity of nature and exigencie of estate as the Schoolemen speake to relieue the fainting soule of him for whom Christ died and which he would take as done vnto himselfe Matth. 25. 40. were it but a cup of cold water onely Mar. 9. 41. Monstrous vnthankfull cruelty mercilesnesse meriting without Gods singular mercy and turning mercifull our selues the fiercest flame in the dungeon of fire and brimstone 4. The last and euerlasting doome at that great and dreadfull Day must passe vpon vs according to our carriage in this kinde Then shall there be a seuere and sincere search and enquirie made after workes as the signes euidences and outward demonstrations of faith and the roote of grace in the heart or of vnbeliefe and rottennesse at the heart-roote and consequently as arguments of a righteous doome passed vpon the Sheepe and Goates That glorious sentence of absolution Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world which sounds out nothing but pleasures ioyes delights glories beauties felicities crownes kingdomes Angelicall entertainments beatificall-visions spirituall rauishments highest perfections vnutterable exultations of spirit sweetest varieties eternities shall be pronounced vpon the godly according to the effects and fruits of their faith to teach vs in the meane time what faith to trust vnto and rest vpon for iustification euen that which works by loue and at that day to let all the world see Angels men and deuils that the kingdome of Heauen is giuen onely to true-hearted Nathaneels honest Professours working beleeuers Now in the text for this purpose there is singled out with special choice an eminent Synechdochicall instance in one of the worthiest effects of faith and noblest fruit of grace euen the point I now presse and labour to perswade an open-hearted reall fruitfull bounty and loue to Gods people and distressed members of Christ Iesus for Christs and their goodnesse sake But that other doome of damnation Depart from me you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels which breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone stings and horrours woe and alasse flames of wrath and the Worme that neuer dyeth trembling and gnashing of teeth seas of vengeance torments without end and past imagination shall passe vpon the reprobates for omission and neglect of this noble dutie For mercilesnesse to the poore members of Christ vnkindnesse to Christians hard-heartednesse towards the houshold of faith is one of the ranckest bitterest weeds which growes out of a gracelesse heart a cleare pregnant euidence that all was naught and a notable remembrancer as it were to that high and euerlasting Iudge that his blessed Spirit neuer dwelt there How deeply then doth it concerne euery Christian to practise and ply vpon all opportunities that most gainefull art of almes-giuing which shall be so highly honoured at that great Day before that glorious vniuersall presence when euery mercilesse man shall cry to that Rocke this mountaine to fall vpon him and hide him from the wrath of that iust God which will flame vnquenchably and euerlastingly against all those who in this life haue shut vp their bowels of pitty against His poore and been dogged towards the dearely beloued of his Soule I know Bellarmine labours to empoyson this last passage with his false glosse and Popish sophistry The causall coniunction For Matth. 25. 35. as hee there cauils intimates and implyes workes meritoriousnesse I say no. For is there a Note of consequence and order not of the cause or any meritorious causality The causall coniunction in Grammar doth indeed serue to shew the reason of a former sentence but it doth not necessarily shew a reason from the cause of a thing but many times also from the effect and other kind of arguments And Logick also reacheth that there be diuers kinds of causes principall and lesse principall c. Bellarmine replyes Doth not Christ there speake in the same manner of the rewards of the godly and of the punishments of the wicked But no man can say that in these words Goe ye cursed c. that the cause is not rendred but onely the order and consequence implyed For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. I answer By the like fallacy also doe the Popish Impostors pleade for Iustification by Workes Euill workes damne therefore good workes saue Most falsely as appeares by that rule in the Topicks The consequence is of no validitie where there is not a perfect contrarietie Now betweene good and euill workes there is no perfect contrarietie for euill workes are perfectly euill against the Law of God but good workes are not perfectly good according to the Law of God By the same reason neither doth it follow Eternall death is the wages of sinne therefore eternall life is the wages of good workes 5. If thou lay out to the poore cheerefully seasonably liberally and yet but according to thy abilitie thou shalt become which besides the onely course of growing comfortably rich is also a Crowne of infinite honour Creditor euen to thy Creator Hee that hath pitie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which he hath giuen will he pay him againe Prou. 19. 17. And in the meane time for repayment in due time thou hast securitie infinitely aboue all exception a Bill vnder his owne hand euen his owne blessed Booke wherein to faile were to forfeit his Deity if I may so speake which is prodigious blasphemie to imagine Now what a keene spurre and inflaming motiue is this to bee mercifull that wee shall make God himselfe our Debter the euer springing Fountaine of Blisse and Lord of all goodnesse who doth all things like himselfe omnipotently bountifully aboue all expectation as becomes the mighty Soueraigne of Heauen and Earth If he worke he makes a world If he be angry he drownes the whole face of the Earth If he loue the hearts-blood of his dearest Sonne is not too deare If he stand vpon his peoples fide he makes the Sunne to stand still and the Starres to fight If he repay hee giues his owne All-sufficient Selfe with the ouerflowing torrents
resolution to saue a mans soule more is the pitie is many times a notable curbe to keepe him from growing rich and into reputation with the world Gods blessings euen in temporall things I deny not are sometimes very plentifully vpon the right owners Gods owne children and both heauenly and earthly happinesse haue beene wreathed together by the mercifull hand of God and set vpon their heads but if wee looke vpon the common courses holden in the world that way and in all forecast of carnall reason hee is likeliest to grow rich and rise who is resolued to damne his soule In ordinary conceit of prophane policie and apprehensions of worldly wisdome Ioseph mist a great deale of earthly contentment and in a precise humour put from him much possibilitie of preferment by not yeelding to the impure sollicitations of his wanton Mistris Micaiah in not iumping with the foure hundred false prophets in their lying flatterie to please the two Kings Ionathan in not ioyning with his father Saul for the preuention and confusion of Dauid Had a sensuall worldling beene in Iosephs case an vnsanctified Minister in Micaiahs an ambitious Absalom in Ionathans assuredly they had all yeelded to the seuerall temptations The conscience of an vnregenerate man will marueilously stretch it selfe and grant out very large dispensations especially when any speciall glory profit or pleasure of the world is in pursuit and possibilitie It was so in all ages and at this day many a good man many times of great spirit worth and vnderstanding sits obscurely in a very low roome and is kept vnder in meane estate by the worlds oppressions because he dare not displease God or enlarge his conscience proportionably to the vast gulfe of the times corruptions This is the very true reason why folly is set in so great excellency and sinceritie seated in the low place why so many seruants are on horsebacke and so many Princes walking as seruants on the ground Sith therefore the Christian is happily restrained by the checks and tendernesse of a good conscience from all vnwarrantable meanes and vnconscionable courses of getting though his bowels bee most compassionate his heart heated with true charitie and his desires enlarged to doe good vnto all and all the good he can yet he is many times kept short by reason of his short pittance from those outward reall expressions and effects of charitie to which his tender-hearted zealous affection is inwardly truely inflamed and from those more bountifull effusions and liberalities which rich worldlings may out of the tythe nay the thousandth part of their ill gotten goods plentifully performe 3. Thirdly Christians know themselues bound in conscience to a carefull prouision for their Families to diligence and faithfulnesse in their callings from all vnnecessarie expences and the prodigall effusions of goodfellowship from ambitious affectation of applause and vaineglory by Pharisaicall ostentations and therefore to the greedy obseruation of carnall eyes and vndiscerning spirits of vnregeneration which want no malice to mistake or cunning to apprehend any shadow or shew of any seeming aduantage for the disgrace of good men they seeme and are miscensured to hold vpon the world to feede vpon earthly-mindednesse not to bee so open-hearted good-natur'd and charitably affected as other good fellowes as they call them which make no such profession of purity and precisenesse And this misconceit of Gods children is made more passable by the prophane plausiblenesse of vaineglorious worldlings It is sooner and more easily entertained because vnconscionable men take any compendious course of growing rich which their couetous humour suggests vnto them and by allowance and exercise of vnlawfull meanes of getting bring in many times great store of wealth with much ease and therefore neede not toyle so in their trades or follow the businesses of their proper callings with such attention and exactnesse And if at any time they resolue to be more bountifull and liberall they commonly make choyce of those times places persons and other circumstances whereby as they thinke their good natures may be most noted and their names grow greatest for extraordinarie kindnesse and good-fellowship 4. The Christian doth encline and enlarge the bowels of his speciall compassion towards the necessities of the Saints and conueyes the noblest issues and effects of his inflamed charitie into the bosome of Gods child And indeed hee is so prest by the commandement Doe good vnto all men but especially vnto them who are of the houshold of Faith And there was neuer more need For howsoeuer worldlings may bee bountifull one to another and exercise many mutuall offices of kindnesse and carnall loue among themselues yet for the most part they are very vncompassionate straitlaced and hard-hearted toward distressed Christians Nay ordinarily they are rather ready to combine and contribute their malices policies and purses to throw them downe lower into outward want and misery then to put to their helping hands for their recouery comfort and enlargement though it were in their sufferings for Gods cause and testimony of a good conscience So that as Christian distresses are the principall obiect of the Christians compassion and bounty So worldlings are onely heartily kind and openhearted to the men of the World Now that you may rightly vnderstand the point you must conceiue that the good deeds and commendable parts of an vnregenerate man are euer carried more boisterously and with greater noyse are entertained of the World with a farre more general applause and notice then the godly actions and diuine Graces of Gods children The World deales with men in this case saith a worthy Diuine as it deales with Witches and Physicions the Witch though shee faile in twenty things yet if she doe some one thing aright though it be but small the world loueth and commendeth her for a good and wise woman But the Physicion if hee worke sixe hundred cures yet if through the waywardnesse of his Patient or for the punishment of his Patients sinne he faile but in one that one faile doth more turne to his discredit then his manifold goodly and notable cures doe get him praise In this manner saith hee doth the world deale with men If a worldly man haue but an outward gift of strength of speech or of comelinesse he shall be greatly praised and counted a goodly man though he be an Idolater or a prophane person and though hee swimme and flow ouer in all manner of vices But let the child of God bee truely zealous in true Religion let him bee honest and holy in conuersation yet if there be but one infirmitie in him or if he haue through weakenesse fallen into some one sinne that one infirmitie against which he striueth or that one sinne for which he is grieued shall drowne all the Graces of God in him bee they neuer so great and the World will account him a most wicked man It is iust so in this particular A prophane man many times
forgerer and murtherer I would little doubt but to get the day It is proportionably so in this present point I meane betweene my regenerate illightned conscience and Satan Nay in this case should all the Deuils in Hell sweare the contrary did carnall reason naturall distrust or any other aduersary power cauill and contradict with neuer such irksome tediousnesse yet by the mercy of God I will not withstand that heauenly light standing in my conscience like an armed man I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe vntill I die But how do you know that you truly beleeue We may know perhaps that we haue some kind of faith but not that we haue the true liuely faith which will serue the turne for saluation I answer Saint Paul bids vs try and prooue our selues whether we haue that Faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which is the faith of such as are accepted with God 2. Cor. 13. 5. Now it were strange if the blessed Spirit should bid vs examine and search for that which could not possibly be found out Againe if a man cannot be certaine that he beleeues with all his heart that is truly and sincerely Philips interrogatorie to the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. had beene in vaine and the Eunuchs reply rash and vnaduised Austin was cleerely of this mind that a man may be acquainted with the sincerity of his faith There is saith he a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling But many say they beleeue and are deceiued thinking they haue that which they haue not How then can a man be certaine Answer So thousands amongst vs by the false spectacles of presumption making the bridge of Gods mercy broader then it is and larger then his truth which confines it onely to broken hearts are wofully deluded and ready euery moment to be drowned in the dungeon of fire and brimstone must therefore those few who are sincerely humbled for their sinnes truly beleeue and vpon good ground haue part in it be also deceiued Because mad men and men asleepe know not well that they are asleepe and rage must therefore men truly waking and wise not know certainely they are awake and in their wits The common people generally conceiue of the Sunnes magnitude that it is not past a foote round must therefore the certainetie of knowledge that it is many times bigger then the Earth be denied to the skilfull Astronomer Some men dreame that they are rich tumble themselues amongst their golden heapes and it is not so indeed when they awake doth no man therefore certainely know whether he be rich or no Conceiue proportionably of repentance an inseparable companion and effect of true faith which is then sauing when it is serious sincere and without hypocrisie and that may be manifest and cleerely discerneable to the heart that hath it Doe you thinke the seriousnesse of the Niniuites repentance was not certaine vnto them We haue receiued the Spirit of God saith Paul that we might know the things that are freely giuen vs of God which are not onely life euerlasting c. but iustification sanctification and such like I say sauingnesse of repentance as of faith consists not in the measure and muchnesse but in the sincerity and truth of which the true penitent may bee certaine as well as of his sorrow But now whereas the Popish Doctors being blind guides leade their hoodwinkt followers into such perplexed mazes of vncertainties and indeed impossibilities about contrition in respect of extension intension appretiation equiualence to sin no maruell though they pleade pertinaciously for the point and purgatory of doubting 3. By the effects and fruits growing from the roote of grace in the heart But there may be in the hypocrite an exact outward conformity and obedience I answer true it is that for the outside and carkasse as it were the workes of vnsactified men may be like to those of the godly but they are without the soule life and spirit which is in the worke of a true beleeuer to which he is no lesse priuy in his heart then to the outward worke which passeth thorow his hands And wee hold that workes done in vprightnesse of heart onely are they which truly testifie in this case Let euery true-hearted Nathaneel then comfortably conclude pardon and peace vnto his owne soule from all such fruits so qualified For instance in one Wee know that we haue passed from death to life because wee loue the Brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. I loue the Brethren therefore I am translated from death to life But is it possible for a man to know that he loues his Brethren as he ought and as the Apostle requires Saint Iohn makes it a signe of our being so translated therfore it may be knowne For signes manifesting other things must themselues be more manifest And Austin tels vs that a man knowes more the loue with which he loues then his brother whom he loues Thus may the Christian infallibly collect the sanctifying Spirit iustifying Faith sauing Grace to dwell in his heart by all good deeds holy duties inward or outward fruits springing from an vpright heart For as it followes and may be inferred infallibly and demonstratiuely from the effect to the proper cause in other things For example It is day therefore the Sunne is risen because day cannot be caused but by the Sunnes rising so in this point also explained as before If wee pursue and ply with true hearts the whole Trade of Christianity If we be sincerely exercised in the workes of holinesse iustice mercy and truth and walke humbly with our God we may build vpon it that we are truly blessed All such sound fruits of Faith are euident signes and demonstrations of our spirituall safety and standing fast for euer If ye doe these things saith Peter yee shall neuer fall 4. By the testimony of the Spirit which sometimes as in the time of more feruent prayer holy retyrednesse of mind heauenly meditation or in some quickning exercises of extraordinary humiliation or after some speciall important seruice done to God and his Church with humble sincerity and in true zeale or vpon the soule-searching passage of some well grounded Sermon of comfort and seasonable application of mercy or in the beginning of spirituall and end of naturall life as most needfull times or in the time of martyrdome and sincere sufferings for the Name of Christ c. I say at such times the Spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience with a secret still hart-rauishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the Child of God Thou art in the number of those that shall be saued Thou shalt inherit life euerlasting And that as certainely and comfortably as if that Angell from Heauen should say to thee as he did to Daniel Greatly beloued And why should any Popish cauiller contradict this sith
A sound and vndeceiuing perswasion that thou art euerlastingly lockt in the armes of Gods mercy and loue grounded vpon the Word seconded and set on by the Spirit is a most rare and rich Iewell which doth infinitely out-shine and ouerweigh in sweetenesse and worth any rocke of Diamond Cristall Mountaine or this great Creation were it all conuerted into one vnualuable Pearle and therefore is infinitely enuied and assaulted mightily on all sides It is continually hunted like a Partridge on the Mountaines by naturall distrust the policy of Satan and all the powers of darkenesse There is not a wicked spirit but is transported with implacable indignation against that heauen vpon earth and therefore rages and roares about thee still to rob and bereaue thy humble brest of such an heauenly Iemme Besides the two maine ends and generall aimes of all the malice and machinations of those apostated angels 1. the dishonour of God and 2. the discomfort of mens soules In this poynt they are peculiarly enraged with extreme hellish anger to see a mortall man a childe of Adam crowned by Gods mercifull hand euen in this life with right and interest and as it were an earnest penny of the Inheritance with the Saints in light and of those blessed Mansions of glory and rest of which by their Apostacy and pride they haue vnhappily and euerlastingly depriued themselues Neither onely so but they imploy also their Agents enuious to the grace of God and thine owne fearefull heart to charge falsely many times vpon thee Hypocrisie and delusion left that white stone giuen thee by the holy Ghost the splendor and sweetnesse whereof none knoweth but hee that hath it should fairely shine vpon thy sad soule with that lightsomenesse and comfort as it both may and ought Whereupon it must needes follow that if thy perswasion be well grounded and assurance true it will be accompanied and often exercised with feares iealousies doubts distrusts varieties of temptations Satans firiest darts iniected scruples contradictions of flesh and blood cauils of carnall reasons want of comfortable feelign c. which will many times necessarily driue thee to cry mightily to God and complaine at the Throne of grace against all this hellish ordnance and assaults of thy vnbeleeuing heart by the wrastling of faith to warme thy â—…oule with meditation vpon the promises to re examine and reuise thy grounds to confirme thy watch to resort for counsell strength and comfort to the quickening meanes experience of former sweet feelings and motions of the Spirit to truly iudicious Diuines experienced Christians dayes of humiliation bookes of best rellish to a spirituall taste c. But now on the contrary side his presumptuous confidence and groundlesse conceit lyes in the Pharises bosome with much quietnesse and security without doubting difficulty contradiction or any such adoe The reason is his carnall heart is well enough content and meddles not because it still feedes vpon the delights of his darling sinne without disturbance Satan is too subtill to interpose tempt or interrupt in such a case For he well knoweth that his foundation is falsehood his hope of heauen but a golden dreame and therefore in policy he holds his peace that hee may hold him the faster Take notice by the way that that very thing which makes many a truehearted Christian to doubt of himselfe and of the soundnesse of his spirituall state should put him out of all doubt euen often exercise with doubts temptations multiplyed attempts against his faith and assurance of Gods loue prayed against humbly resisted and opposed with cleauing vnto the tenderheartednes of Christ truth of his promises though for the present he hath little or no feeling no such ioy and peace in so beleeuing And that very thing vpon which the deluded Ones doe build and many times boast themselues to wit that they are vntroubled vntempted in point of faith and pretended assurance may returne an infallible remonstrance to their own consciences that they are certainely deceiued For doubtlesse that faith which is neuer assaulted with doubting is but a fancy Assuredly that assurance which is euer secure is but a dreame Many a Pharise stands by the bedside of the sincere Professor visited with affliction of conscience and many heauy temptations secretly and sinfully pleasing himselfe in the vnblessed calmenesse of a groundlesse confidence and in his freedome from such terrors and spirituall troubles when as himselfe is like an Oxe fatting in the greene pastures of impunity and outward prosperity for the day of slaughter But the afflicted party is as precious gold purifying in the Lords refining furnace that hee may afterward come out and shine more gloriously 4. In that heart to which the Spirit of God testifies that we are His children Ro. 8. 16. doth the same Spirit create many feruent eiaculations strong cryes vnutterable groanings verse 26. The testimony of the Spirit is euer attended with the Spirit of prayer That glorious glimpse shining into the soule and assuring it of saluation is so sweete so heauenly so rauishing so transcendent and incomparably aboue all earthly ioy that it warmes the spirit of a man with quickning life liberty to powre out it selfe in the presence of his Lord and his God before the Throne of Grace sometimes in more hearty triumphant and as it were winged prayers at other times in those which are more faint and cold yet edged with infinite desires that they were more feruent and therefore by the way as it were mingled and perfumed with the soueraigne satisfactory incense in the Golden Censer which the Angell of the Couenant holds in his hand are graciously accepted of him which by an excellency and title of highest honour is stiled the Hearer of Prayers or at least with vnexpressable groanes and inward wrastlings for preseruation recouery enlargement of that same comfortable assurance it selfe and of all other holy graces and fruits of the Spirit purity of heart conquest ouer corruption neerer communion with God spirituallmindednesse and such other heauenly guests amongst whom it is woont to dwell with delight and represent it selfe more comfortably But now on the other side euery deluded Pharise is a meere stranger to the power of Prayer His presumption and groundlesse confidence is but a weede which will grow of its owne accord and therefore is not sensible of any necessity neither feeles any want of constant prayer from a broken heart vniuersall obedience or the holy precisenesse of the Saints to support it 5 An assurance of Gods Loue vpon sure ground doth mightily quicken keene and spurre forward the ingenuous Christian to more holinesse hatred of sinne resolution in good causes watchfulnesse ouer his heart walking with God Hauing these promises saith he let me cleanse my selfe from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hauing this hope I will labour to purifie my selfe euen as He is pure To
let the principall motiue passe it is impossible but that the feeling consciousnesse that Gods free loue through Christ hath freed vs from eternity of torments one houre wherein is infinitely more stinging and terrible then all the tortures that all mankind hath doth or shall endure from the Creation to the end of the world and certainely interessed vs to eternity of ioyes one houre wherein doth incomparably surpasse all the delights of this wide world were they collected into one lumpe of pleasure I say it cannot be but that such an assurance should stirre vp the blessed soule to do or suffer any thing for Christs sake rather to die then turne Papist to doe worthily in Ephrata and bee famous in Bethlehem But now the other groundlesse confidence being in truth but a fancie must needes bee powerlesse fruitlesse vnactiue and makes the deluded rather secure carelesse presumptuous onely formall 6. The blessed Spirit is woont to spring in our hearts with heauenly refreshing and his sweetest testimonie especially at such times as these When wee retire and recollect our selues to conuerse with God in a more solemne and solitary manner opening our consciences breaking our hearts and powring out our soules into his bosome when wee are preparedly and fruitfully exercised in the ordinances in our innocent patient sufferings for good causes and conscience sake when we feele that wee haue conquered or well curbed some corruption by the power of Prayer in the beleeuing contemplation and reuise of our change and the infallible markes thereof when we meditate effectually vpon the bottomlesse depth of Gods free loue vnto vs with which hee hath loued vs from euerlasting to euerlasting vpon dayes of humiliation c. But that other counterfeit flash keepes a deluded Pharise in a fooles Paradise continually he is ordinarily at all times alike peremptory in the point of assurance You shall not take him any weeke in the yeere any day in the weeke any houre in the day without a bold perswasion and protestation if neede be That he hopes to bee saued as well as the precisest Hee is as confident this way when he is cauilling against the purity of the Saints and power of Godlinesse as when he is the deepest in his Pharisaicall deuotions 7. The presumption of the Pharise is ordinarily at the height in his height of outward prosperity and when Gods Candle shineth faireliest vpon his head with worldly blessings But the perswasion of the Christian is for the most part then strongest when the world most frowneth vpon him for his forwardnesse and in heate of persecution 8. Those that are deluded with a groundlesse confidence haue ordinarily beene so conceited of themselues euer since they may remember or had any thoughts of heauen and that without consciousnesse of any conuersion change or supernaturall sauing worke vpon their soules at all For though the deuill seales it with more security vpon their hearts by his counterfeit Angelicall glory yet hee findes matter enough in our corrupt nature ministred originally for such a golden dreame and imaginary castle in the aire But the testimony of the Spirit and that other true perswasion is supernaturall and neuer felt before conuersion nor euer to be found but in a regenerate soule I doubt not but many Christians to their singular comfort further assurance can tell their experiēce of both Their bold peremptory ill grounded presumption in their vnregenerate time and their now true kindly sweet perswasion so much enuied and assaulted by Satan accompanying their conuersion 9. Naturall presumption guilded ouer with the deuils delusion euer shrinkes in the wetting Troubles of conscience fiery tryals heauy crosses the face of the Prince of terrour disastrous and dismall times dissolue it into nothing But the oher true testimony holds out like armour of proofe against thickest haileshot of all aduersary power Nay it is woont to shine and shew it selfe with vnited vigor and more lightsomnesse within in the greatest dampe of outward discomforts and most confusions abroad 10. The Christian can giue sound reasons for his resolution in the point of assurance from his conuersion holy conuersation loue of the brethren vniuersal obedience c. those meanes I mentioned before proper to the Child of God But put the Pharise to prooue in this case and perhaps hee will not bee able to say so much as his formall deluded brother Luk. 18. 11 12. Sure I am all that hee can produce for that purpose being tryed by the Touchstone of Gods Truth will prooue too light and inconsequent Reuise the false mediums and insufficient grounds discouered before and you shall perceiue that none of them can possibly inferre a comfortable conclusion 11. The Laodicean longs farre more for gold then growth in grace thinkes himselfe already rich enough in Religion and that he hath attained that very temper which euery wise man should rest vpon without any more medling that if hee should stirre forward he should be too precise if he should grow any worse he should be too prophane and therefore concludes I haue need of nothing But the illightened Christian hauing truely tasted of the assurance of Gods loue is infinitely greedy of growing in grace of conquering corruptions of neerer communion with his Christ of doing his God all the most glorious sincere seruice hee can possibly before hee goe downe into the pit and be seene no more His performances by the grace of God are many his endeauours moe but his desires endlesse and euer vnsatisfied with his degree of well-doing his present pitch of grace and measure of obedience Thus hauing premised a discouery of spiritual self-deceit whereby many so ouervalew themselues in point of their spiritual estate that they conceiue they are very right whereas in truth and tryall they are starke rotten at the root Their case herein is like that mans who lying fast asleepe vpon the edge of a steepe Rocke dreames merrily of Crownes Kingdomes and the very confluence of all earthly contentments conceiuing that hee wallowes himselfe in the ouerflowings of all worldly felicities but vpon the sudden starting for ioy breakes his necke and tumbles into the bottome of the Sea They are lulled asleepe by the deluding charmes of the Deuill vpon their beds of presumptuous security all their life long dreaming of no danger at all but euer confident their case is good enough to God-ward but their consciences being awaked vpon their beds of death or at farthest at Gods Tribunall they are suddenly swallowed vp of despaire and drowned in euerlasting perdition I come now to forewarne and forearme the true Christian that with all watchfulnesse and constancie hee would euer labour to preuent and defeate the secret assaults and insinuations of that white Deuill as a worthy Diuine calls it Spirituall pride A guilded poyson which Satan that cunning Alchymist and hellish Spider doth first extract out of the very sweetest and fairest flowers in Christs Garden I meane the most holy vertues and
vnreseruedly and indifferently for all places times and persons where and when he may bring glory vnto God good vnto others comfort to his owne soule in discharging a good conscience He dares not for his heart either out of humour or for feare he should make himselfe too cheape as they say or any other vaine respect conceale any thing in his heart or braine were it the highest straine of his heauenly skill or any experimentall secret in the mysterie of Christ from the meanest Christian could hee wisely and seasonably thereby doe him any spirituall good Let vs therefore infinitely abhorre by filthy vaine-glory to staine the glory and blast the fruitfulnesse of our graces but rather with all humilitie and watchfulnesse obserue and apprehend all the wayes occasions and callings whereby wee may glorifie God most with them and improoue them best for our Lords aduantage that so we may giue vp our account at the great and vniuersall Audite with more fauour and enter more comfortably into our Masters ioy 7. Let the feare and foresight of the many fearefull effects and much ill that certainely followes and is euer found where this white Diuell spirituall pride haunts hunt it out of thy heart and keepe a continuall narrow watch against all its slie insinuations Besides that it plagues the soule that harbours it with many spirituall miseries distempers disacquaintance with God for Hee is euer most familiar with those who are most humble Pharisaicall swellings inflamations of furious zeale and the like it euer prooues also of pestilent consequence and preiudice to the common state of goodnesse to the honour and acceptation of Christianitie 1. A truely proud professour puffed vp with his gifts and supposed sufficiencies which wickedly aimes more at vaineglory then glorifying God at his owne praise then profiting others is for the most part very irkesome tedious and burdensome to the company of humble wise iudicious Christians For ordinarily hee is ouertalkatiue swift to speake and too full of words farre more forward to ouer-rule and domineere in opposing moderating resoluing then seuen men that can render a reason An itching humour after applause and of carrying away the credit for abilitie to discourse and eminencie aboue others puts him on too often to powre out himselfe indiscreetly and impertinently in all companies to presse and obtrude vpon others with much verball importunitie and vnconquerable stifnesse his master-like conceits without due respect or seasonable obseruation of the humble abilities and sufficiencies of by-standers that many times when he hath neither calling fitnes efficacy of matter or power of the holy Ghost And if a man doe not presently vpon the bare and first proposition accord and accommodate his iudgement to euery circumstance of whatsoeuer he holds and square exactly to his Oracles hee begins to shake the head as though hee were a lost man and is ready ipso facto to excommunicate him out of his conscience I speake not thus to stop the current of comfortable talk edifying discourse and fruitful conference in any true-hearted Nathaneels There is infinitely more need to stirre them vp and quicken them to more forwardnesse and foorth-putting this way at Christian meetings but onely to intimate the vaine-glorious empty opinionatiue talkatiuenesse of such as are possessed with this white Diuell 2. Such an One also is woont to be too austere censorious sowre and imperious in his cariage towards those which are without whereby he becommeth both a stumbling blocke to them in their way to Christianity and brings also an vnnecessary scandalous false aspersion vpon the wayes of God and yoke of Christ as though they were harsh heauy and vnpleasant when as they are most sweet easie and amiable I know full well there is not the wisest holiest humblest discreetest Christian aliue can so possibly beare and behaue himselfe but prophanenesse will plague him with slanderous imputations of any kinde Iesus Christ our Master was not free this way which of his seruants then can dare or will expect and desire exemption Blessed bee God that our good names are oyled so that the inke will not sticke which is cast vpon them There is scarce a religious Professor especially of resolution and spirit to bee found but some men of the world will charge him with surlinesse and pride Whereas many times not only the imputation is misgrounded mistaken misse-imputed fastened vpon him for the most part by reason of his 1. inconformity to the courses of the world and corruptions of the times 2. vnsociablenesse with profane men 3. resolution and vndauntednesse in good causes 4. innocency and independency which beget boldnesse and brauenesse of minde c. but also those fellowes themselues who so slander him because their consciences were neuer illightened with sight sence and acknowledgement of the foulenesse of sinne their own vilenesse the exactnesse of Gods Law purity of his most holy Nature seueritie and certainty of his Iudgements cannot possibly chuse but be passingly proud Yet for all this I would aduise all those who haue in earnest giuen their names to Christ that they would walke warily and so demeane themselues that they giue no iust offence in this kinde For when they haue tryed both wayes they shall finde that mercifulnesse and meekenesse to those which are without humilitie and humanitie affable courteous and louing deportment and so becomming all things to all men in Pauls sence and so farre as wee may with a good conscience is the better way subscribed vnto by the manifold experiences of wisest and worthiest Christians to winne honour to our profession to gaine moe vnto Gods side and to preserue our selues in as much peace amidst a naughty and crooked generation as holinesse will possibly permit 3. God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such an One sometimes to santasticall opinions odde and absurd tenents swaruing brainelessely and senselessely from the holy harmony of confessions and our blessed pure Orthodoxe Articles of Religion the truth whereof euery honest Man if need required ought to seale with his bloud which when superficialnesse and its ordinary consort selfeconceitednesse haue vnhappily brought forth by the midwifery of a kind of spirituall wantonnesse be they neuer so monstrous and mis-shapen yet some giddy heads will hearken and hanker after them so that many times many weake vngrounded vnstable young beginners in Profession are limed and wofully entangled as wee see too often in our chiefest Citie whence ensues an incredible deale of preiudice hurt and hindrance euen to the common state of goodnesse to the honour and acceptation of Christianitie For thereupon is raised a cry in all conuenticles of good fellowship and consistories of worldly wisdome That these forward professours will all turne phantasticall Familists Anabaptists Arrians any thing Which cry awakes the eye of State-iealousie and so by an vnworthy consequent drawes vpon those who are true of heart euen Gods best seruants and the Kings best subiects discountenance suspicions if not
brests of euerlasting consolations And sith hee is incorporated into Iesus Christ and vpon all assayes hath the wings of faith in a readinesse to outsoare the height of all humane miseries let him for euer stand like Mount Zion inexpugnable and vnshaken with the most furious incursions of the floods and tempests of all worldly troubles pressures and persecutions Let all those monstrous and most abhorred iniections filthy temptations and fiery darts pointed with the very malice of hell ordinarily offered to the imagination of the best bee resolutely repelled by the shield of faith and retorted as dung vpon the Tempters face Let all vngodly oppositions from man or deuill or fearefull distrust be but as so many proud and swelling waues dashing against a mighty Rocke which the more boisterously they beate vpon it the more are they broken and turned into a vaine foame and froth But to descend with thee more punctually to some particulars Tell mee truly thou which hast giuen thy name to Christ in truth what it is that troubles thee what is it that still detaines thine heauy heart in the chaines and fetters of horrour and sadnesse and lockes it vp so long from the entrance and entertainement of spirituall lightsomenesse and ioy And if I bee not able to confront and confound it by some well-grounded counter-comfort and Antidote out of the Oracle of truth if I be not able to discouer it to bee a selfe-created crosse and to dissolue it into an imaginary and groundlesse fancie by the light of the Word then walke heauily still Onely beleeue the Prophets and thou shalt prosper Thou must then bee contented to be counselled by the faithfull Physicions of thy soule who can shew vnto man his vprightnesse and are instructed vnto the kingdome of heauen especially fetching all their prescriptions receits and counterpoysons out of the rich Treasurie of the Booke of Life Thou must learne 1. To put a difference betweene nullity of grace and imperfection of grace Many good soules desire sincerely that their hearts were broken in pieces and bled at the root for their many and hainous sinnes grieuing much that they can grieue no more They hunger and thirst for Christs righteousnesse more then for the wealth of the whole world They groane mightily in spirit for Gods fauour pardon of sinne power ouer their corruptions ability to pray better c. But yet because they feele not that measure of sensible smart and anguish of heart in lamenting their former life as they desire because they haue not their wished ioy and peace in beleeuing because they cannot now pray as feruently and feelingly as they perhaps were formerly woont not with that freedome and heartinesse as they would in a word because they are yet but smoaking flaxe and bruised reedes not full shining lampes and strong Pillars in the House of God they will needs haue all to be nought Whereby they I will not say belie the Spirit but most vnworthily deny and in their conceites nullifie his already wonderfull glorious worke vpon their soules to their I know not how great spirituall hurt and hinderance For such intolerable vnthankefulnesse may bee iustly punished and paide home with longer detainement vpon the Racke of distrustfull slauish feare and vnder the bondage of Legall terrours It is a speciall point then of spirituall wisedome and of singular consequence for the soules quiet and welfare to discerne weakenesse of grace from want of grace Christ Iesus declaring in his heauenly Sermon who are blessed doth not instance in the perfections excellencies and heights of Christianity though all that are true of heart sincerely pray for and presse after them but in the least and lowest degrees lest the smoking flaxe should bee quenched and bruised reedes bee broken He doeth not say Blessed are the stong in Faith the full assured Blessed are those that take on for their sinnes as for their onely sonne and for their first borne but Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Blessed are the poore in spirit c. 2. Not alwayes to make sence and feeling the Touchstone for the truth of thy spirituall state A man in a swoone or a sleepe feeles not his life and yet is a liuing man It is one thing to haue grace another to feele grace One thing the life of faith another the life of sence 3. Not to disgrace thy owne graces by casting thine eye too deiectedly vpon other Christians perfections and precedencies Let it not fare with thee in this case as it doth with one gazing too much vpon the Sunne who looking downewards againe can see iust nothing whereas before he cleerely discerned all colours about him Looke vpon them for imitation and quickning not for slauish deiection and selfe-blinding 4. To acknowledge and expect that heauenly graces as Faith c. while they inhabite these earthly houses ebbe and flow waxe and wane faint and flourish by reason of the combate betweene the flesh and the Spirit So that if a man should tell mee that he hath euer prayed alike without temptation or dampes without any sence at any time of deadnesse or spirituall distempers that he hath euer beleeued alike without those doubts and scruples that faintnesse and feare of which most Christians so much complaine I durst confidently reply that then he neuer either prayed acceptably or beleeued sauingly The Fathers fitly resemble the state of the Church to the variable condition of the Moone which sometimes shines more gloriously sometimes not so It is so also with euery true member thereof in respect of the exercise of grace comfort in holy duties sence of Gods fauour spirituall feeling 5. To beleeue the Spirit of Truth the Word of God and voice of Christ before the father of lies dictates of naturall distrust and suggestions of flesh and blood To which methinks thou shouldest be easily perswaded and then all the mists of thy spirituall miseries would be quickly dispersed It is a mighty worke if not a great miracle to get any softnesse at all or true remorse for sinne into the heart of a man it is naturally so stony and impatient of griefe and the deuill such a stirrer against it so that the most are meere strangers vnto it yet for all that when this penitent sorrow is once sincerely on foote in an afflicted soule so endlessely and on euery side are wee prest with the policies of Hell it is too often too forward to feede vpon teares still and still too wilfull in refusing to bee comforted Satan then will bee ready to say Thou seest now thy conscience being illightened thy sinnes are so horrible and haiâ—…ous that they are too heauy a burden for thee to beare there is no way with thee but to sinke into horrour and despaire But what saith Christ Nay now is the season Come vnto me thus weary and heauy laden with thy sinne and I will refresh thee Here now if thou wilt beleeue the