from the common sort of the world for my praise If you had loved them prized them and honoured them as the choice of the earth if if you had followed their example I had not slain you but now you shall perish everlastingly CAP VII No dishonor to be singular Seven notes to discover that godly mens differing from other men proceeds not from proud humourous singularity but from the choicenesse and excellencie of their spirits IF godly men be men of another spirit and this be their commendation why then should any account it to be a dishonour to be singular from the world Singularity is cast upon Gods servants as their disgrace but certainly it is their glory they are singular and their wayes are singular it is true and they avouch it they rejoyce in it and blesse God for it it is impossible but that it should be so for they are of another spirit a peculiar people separated from the world set apart for God their separation is a wonderfull separation Exod. 33. 16. So shall we bee separated sayes Moses I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the earth the word is in the Originall We shall be wonderfully separated No marvell then though their singularity bee such as the world who knowes not their principles wonder at it Their wayes are different from other men I that is true indeed who can thinke otherwise Their principles their estates their dignites their hopes are raised higher then other mens Would Saul have been offended if his former acquaintance had complained Oh now Saul hee mindes other things goes on in other waies lives after another fashion then we doe I that is true indeed for his condition is altered his estate is raised higher then yours he hath an other spirit To complaine of Gods servants that they are singular from others is all one as if you should complaine of Pearles that they are more glistering than dirt and gravell Their way their lives are singular Why how would you have them live would you have them live according to the common course of the world they cannot for they have not received the spirit of the world but another spirit When the Spirit of God would set out the greatest misery of men when they are the children of wrath without God in the world without hope it is that they lived according to the common course of the world Ephes 2. 2. And those two are joyned together living according to the common couse of the world and according to that spirit that rules in the children of disobedience So long as they were acted by that spirit they did live so but now there is another spirit that they are acted by and would you have them live so still as they did before Certainly it cannot be You cry out of dissimulation and that justly But what is dissimulation if this be not where there is not a sutablenesse between the inward principles the inward frame and disposition of the spirit and the outward actions Now if Gods people should not live singular lives certainly their outward actions would not be agreeable to the inward principles frames and dispositions of their spirits for they are singular differing from other mens As there may be dissembling for a man to seeme better than he is so there may be dissembling to seeme worse than we are Is there not as much evill in a life differing from the spirit as in a spirit differing from the life If a man seemes to be godly and is not it is an argument the man is vile who will thus play the hypocrite but it is a commendation to godlinesse that men will account the very seeming of it to be honourable but if a man hath godlinesse in his heart and yet his life be no other than other mens this would argue that a man were ashamed of godlinesse it selfe here godlinesse it selfe would suffer as if it were such a dishonourable thing as would bring shame to a man if it did appeare as if though indeed it must be reserved in the heart for necessity sake yet it must be kept downe not suffered to appeare in the life for feare it be a disgrace to men Is not here then as great an evill in this way of dissimulation as in the other Better all the men of the world had shame cast upon them than that godlinesse should have the least staine Surely then where the spirits of men be other spirits singular choice spirits their lives ought and must needs be other lives singular from other men Their conscience witnesse to them that their spirits are changed that they are other from that they were yea and witnesses for them that their lives are other lives singular from other men and in this witnesse their soules rejoyce But is there not a proud phantasticall singularity may not pride sullennesse and fancie carry men on in singular wayes differing from other men conceiting themselves to be wiser than others loving to satisfie some odde humours of their own If it were any choicenesse or excellency of their spirits it were another matter we would not speake against them but it is this proud hypocriticall humorous singularity we speake against To this I answer If you indeed should do as they doe if you should live after a different manner from the common course of the world having no other principles than those you have it would certainly bee singularity pride hypocrisie and humour in you and thus your consciences would tell you and that because you had not principles to carry you out in this way you have not spirits sutable to it and you judging of others by that you seele in your selves this makes you to thinke the different wayes of Gods servants is onely from pride and humourous singularity yea and they themselves know that there was a time indeede where in if they should have done as now they doe it would have beene no other in them then that you now accuse them of namely when their spirits were as other mens spirits are but now they know they have other principles other qualifications of spirit then formerly they had But surely you doe not thinke indeed that their different lives doe come from proud and humourous singularitie for if you did why doe your consciences so well approve of them when you lie on your sicke beds when you apprehend your selves going before the great God then you could wish it were with you as it is with them But what say you if you thought it were not from this pride and conceitednesse you speake of then you would thinke it were well then you would joyne in justifying of them if you were sure it were from a choyce excellent spirit in them Well then let Gods servants rejoyce in this that they know it is not from pride that it is not from humour that they run not into excesse of riot as others doe but from the worke of
the compasse of its own nature and was to enjoy this and the fuller it doth enjoy it the more perfected it is Now then there are required principles of life accordingly to carry these creatures higher than their owne natures to have the fruitiō of that good they were made for and to bee blessed in the enjoyment of it Now these are the principles of Grace with which this other spirit is indued higher above the principles of reason than the principles of reason are above the principles of sense and thus it is another spirit Secondly it works by another rule every thing is guided to its end by some rule which is a beame of Gods wisedome no creature under the reasonable knowes either its end or rule but is acted by God to that it was made for but the reasonable creature is of such a nature as is capable of the knowledge of both and therefore cannot bee happy without the knowledge of both and working accordingly Now it is a great mercy not to mistake in the rule that leades to eternall life to see it and act by it most of the world mistake here their spirits are led by false rules they goe according to sense according to their own carnall apprehēsion of things accordings to their owne wils would have the rule of their actions from their own spirits or else according to the common course of the world as Eph. 2. 2. That which men blesse themselves in that they goe according to the common course is one of the most apparent arguments that is that yet they are strangers from the way of life but the godly they make the Word their rule they looke up to the minde of God to see the beame of Divine wisdome let down from heaven to guide them in their way they looke to it for direction give up themselves to it dare venture their comforts estates safeties soules upon it Thou shalt guide mee by thy counsell sayes David and so bring mee to thy glory Psalm 73. 24. A godly man thinkes it a most dishonorable thing to make the examples of men his rules it is for beasts to follow the Herd Examples of men cannot satisfie his conscience A godly man workes for eternity and therefore is carefull to worke by rule as a man when hee workes in a worke that concernes his life erects a frame that must be for continuance he makes sure of his rule layes often his rule to his worke When God erected the frame of the world which was to last but for a sew yeares hee made all by waight and measure The frame of mans actions here must be for eternity and therefore a godly man dares venture upon no other rule but that which is divine hee lookes at the Word not only at the notions of it and that excellency and beauty he sees in it shining a great way off but as a light to his feet a Lanterne to his steps holds it close to his feet to guide him in his going knowing that every step he goes is either to hell or to heaven and this doing he may look up with comfort for that blessing of God upon his servants 1 Sam. 2. 9. He keeps the feet of his Saints His way is like the way of the Mariner guided by the heavens 3. Thirdly another spirit that is imployed about other things it is not for meane base services but set on worke about high and honourable employments As men of place and dignity have or ought to have other spirits differing from ordinary spirits they cannot endure to be employed in mean and dishonorable workes no those fit for meane base spirits While other mens spirits are busied about low poore things and are content in these minding nothing higher they are busied about great affaires of State the high things of the Kingdome consultations about and transactions of the great businesses of the Common-wealth It was the basenesse and dishonor of Domitians spirit who though a great Emperor yet busied himselfe and spent great part of his time in catching of flies and so of Artaxerxes his spirit who spent a great deale of time in making hafts of knives of Boxe Thus godly men account it too mean a thing for their spirits to bee busied about low base employments while the spirits of other men are busied about meat drink clothes play money lust and are taken up in these poore things the spirits of the godly are taken up in contemplation of the glory of the blessed God the beauty and high excellency of Jesus Christ the great Counsels of God in the greatest worke that ever he did the worke of mans Redemption the great mysteries of the Gospell the glorious things of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ the great things of eternity the interest they have in all the good in God Christ Heaven about the setting out the glory of the blessed God in the World lifting up his Name working together with God in glorifying himselfe observing Gods wayes in his glorious workes of Creation and Providence preparing and fitting themselves for the glorious appearing of the great God joyning with those blessed creatures the Angels and Saints in heaven magnifying praising worshipping and adoring the Lord of all these are things fit for the spirits of the godly they are not suteable to the spirits of the world as Psal 92. 6. A brutish man knowes not neither doth a foole understand this A godly man sometimes may be busied in meane low things but his spirit not contented not taken up not satisfied in those things as adequate objects for him as the spirits of the world are they are objects adequate to any principles they have A man sometimes that is understanding may condescend to sport with children in low things but these take not up his spirit as adequate objects to what hee hath in him if indeed hee should take content and satisfaction in such things it would argue a childish spirit in him So here Fourthly this spirit is carried to other ends the spirit of the world looks at ease pleasure honour gaine and Selfe in all it is a low spirit in an ill sense subjecteth not only ordinary actions but the best things it doth even the duties of Gods worship to base low unworthy ends At the highest the most excellent of the Heathen who had the most brave spirits the World had in their time aimed no higher than to work according to reason to satisfie the dictates of rationall principles and a naturall conscience knew not what it was to honour God to aime at God in all they did but the spirit of the godly is a raised spirit looks at God and eternity in all it doth carries things up to the highest good restlesse till it gets through all creatures and closes with God it accounts the excellency of what it is and what it hath to be in order to God and directs what it doth to him and in this comes as neere the working of
a great and sore evill Ninthly the eyes of many are upon you the Name of God the cause of God is engaged in you Tenthly you are appointed by God to be the Judges of other men 1 Cor. 6. 2. Doe you not know that the Saints shall judge the world yea Verse 3. Know you not that wee shall judge the Angels God will bring your lives and wayes before all the world to judge the world by and therefore they had need to bee very exact and to have something in them more than ordinary It is a shamefull way of reasoning for any man to reason for sinne by examples as it like a theese he would faine scape in the crowd but much more shamefull is it that any godly man should bee found to argue for sinne this way for this is an aggravation of sinne not a lessening of it as if I should say God hath dishonour by such and such and therefore why may he not have some more by me Sinne is a striking at God and every sinner strikes at him and thou commest running for thy stroake too What wilt thou have thy blow also at him and what thou for whom the Lord hath done such great things as Caesar said to Brutus when in the Senate-house tho Senators had wounded him with many sore wounds and Brutus hee comes also for his stroake whereupon Caesar lookes on him and sayes to him What and thou my sonne Brutus too Conceive as if thou sawest the Lord looking on thee and saying thus to thee when thou ventrest upon any sinfull way upon the example of others But in what particulars should we manifest this choicenes of our spirits in wayes differing from others Answ In these especially 1 In selfe deniall shew that you can deny your opiniōs your desires your wills though you have a strong mind to a thing though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your desires yet if you see God may have more honor any other way you can freely readily without disturbance without vexing yeeld and doe not deceive your selves in this be easily convinced in particulars which are for God against your selves the excellency of a mans spirit is much seen in this Many conceit an excellency of spirit to bee in selfe-willednesse in being passionate froward and boisterous Certainly this comes from weaknes of spirit no excellency is required for this every foole can bee thus but that is excellency to bee able to ovērcome to rule ones spirit to have command of ones spirit to subdue and bring in order passions and violent stirrings of spirits this is pretious and honourable in the eyes of God and man this is a well tempered spirit indeed that can be strong zealous full of courage unyeeldable in the cause of God and the Church but meeke quiet yeeldable selfedeniable in its own cause those who usually are the most boisterous and passionate for themselves are the poorest spirited men and the most basely yeelding when it comes to the cause of God 2 Shew the excellency of your spirits enabling you to doe that which others cannot doe by loving your enemies praying for them doing them all the good you can this is the speciall thing our Saviour commands to his Disciples in that 5. Mat. when he would have them doe more than others doe 3 Feare the least sinne more than the greatest suffering Morality raises the spirit highest next to Grace and yet a meere morall man accounts it foolishnes to be so nice as not to yeeld in little things for the avoyding of great sufferings but a gracious spirit thinks the least truth of God worthy to bee witnessed to by the losse of his dearest comforts and suffering the greatest evils yea he accounts suffering for small things the most honourable sufferings of all as testifying the greatest love as Davids Worthies shewed their dearest love to him in ventring their lives to get him a little water 4 Prize opportunities of service more than al outward contentments in the world a gracious heart thinks it honor enough that Gods imploies it he is not onely willing to goe on in his worke though outward contentments come not in but increase of service for God hee esteemes so great a good as hee accounts the want of outward things made up in it Though I get not so much by that I doe as others yet I blesse God I can goe on in my worke as chearefully as others for contentment is made up to mee in this that God will imploy mee in his service more than others 5 Make conscience of time this felv doe few regard the fillings up of their time their spirits having no excellencie in them they cannot make use of their time in any worthy employments for God to themselves or others but a man of an excellent spirit knows how to employ himself in things that are excellent and therfore prizes the time he hath to worke in and is conscientious in the spending of it 6 Make conscience of thoughts and secret workings of heart of secret sinnes to avoid them and secret duties to performe them a man that hath a pretious spirit doth not like to have it runne wast in extravagant thoughts and affections the thoughts of his minde are pretious the affections of his heart are pretious as his spirit is pretious Wee let water runne wast because wee put no price upon it we think it little worth and therefore we let it run to no use but if it were some pretious liquor some pretious oyle compounded of deare ingredients wee would not doe so but would be carefull to save every drop this is a pretious spirited man indeed who knowes how to lay out his thoughts and his affections at the best advantage and will not lavish them our to no purpose 7 Make conscience of the manner of performing holy duties as well as of the doing of them and looke after them what becomes of them when they are done this is not according to the common spirits of the world who thinke to put off God with flat poore and dead services A gracious spirit hath much of the excellency of his spirit acting in holy duties and therefore hee doth much mind them and lookes much after them but others have little of their spirits acting in them and therfore they are little regarded little looked after by them 8 Rejoyce in the good of others though it eclipses thy light though it makes thy parts thy abilities thy excellencies dimmer in the eyes of others were it not for the eminency of some above thee thy parts perhaps would shine bright and bee of high esteeme yet to rejoyce in this from the heart from the soule to blesse God for his gifts and graces in others that his Name may be glorified more by others than I can glorifie it my selfe to bee able truly to say Though I can do little yet blessed be God there are some who can doe more for God than
where he had much gold a Lord came to him and wished him to go to his Chamber and not lie there his answer was I am well where I am so long as I can tarry for I am neare unto my friends meaning his Coffers and his gold What drossie corporall soules have such men The Gadarens drove Christ out of their Country they esteemed their Swine above a Saviour Demas embraceth the present world Ananias and Saphyra reserve a portion for themselves such spirits ever have been and will be in the world Spirits they are as much beneath common reason as those mentioned in this work are above it It is choyce not common spirits that will honour God in stormy times Had not a choyce and excellent spirit been in Nehemiah the plots and practices of enemies would have daunted him but take a view of his spirit Should such a man as I am flee and who is there that being as I am would go into the Temple to save his life I will not go in He had a good cause a good conscience a good God which advanced his spirit to such resolvednesse that hee would not take Sanctuary and disparage either of them by his feare or faint-heartednesse wheÌ„ he saw the Sabbath prophaned he hid not his eyes from it but contended with the Nobles about it What Divine spirits were in the three Children Could Nebuchanezars greatnesse mandates threats of the fiery Fornace force their spirits to false worship Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods Here they did obediently disobey knowing that nothing pleases God but what hee hath commanded in his Word they would not deliberate in this case Wee are not carefull to answer thee say they When any enticements come to draw us from the pure worship of God wee should stop our eares charme the Charmers never so wisely Charles the Emperour and two great persons in this Kingdome solliciting King Edward the sixt to allow his sister the Lady Mary to have â—â—asse would not listen but bade them be conceâ—â—t for he would spend his life and all he had rather than agree and grant to that hee knew certainly to be against the truth the suit being yet pressed he brust out into bitter weeping and sobbing desiring them to desist The motioners seeing his zeale and constancy wept as fast as he and told one he had more Divinity in his little finger than they had in all their bodies What a choyce spirit was in that young Lord Harrington who was a man of prayer he prayed twice a day in secret twice with his servants in his chamber and joyned at appointed times with the family in prayer he would never be idle but alwaies well if not religiously imployed he meditated on 4. or 5. Sermons every day retaining five or six in his memory alwayes he kept an exact account of his life every day very conscientious of honouring God to purpose in publike and private on the Lords day he would repeat both the Sermons with his servants before supper and write them down in his night booke before hee slept and on the morning of that day he would as he made him ready repeat those Sermons hee had heard the Lords day before and for the Sacrament he received it very frequently and alwayes fasted the Saturday before spending the whole day in examination prayer and humbling himselfe that so he might be fitted to feast with Christ he gave away the tenth of his estate unto the poore pious uses besides his occasionall charity when he was abroad Here was a choyce spirit beautified with variety of graces not unfit for great mean to propound for their pattern Daniel in Babylon would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he dranke hee had rather eat pulse than defile his conscience When the writing was signed the Lions den threatned did he mussle up his Religion and shrink up his spirit he would not shut up his window nor diminish his prayers but thrice a day prayed and gave thankes unto his God as he did afore time here was a spirit for God and his wayes and not for the times Happily some temporizing politician will charge Daniel of indiscretion no it was the excellency of his spirit that in case of danger and that of life he would not separate external profession from inward faith when God should lose by it And what dost thou charge him with indiscretion whom the Scripture commends for his wisdome It was a proverbiall speech Wiser than Daniel Ezek. 32. 3. and his heart did not accuse him for that indiscretion when he was in the Lions den for he saith Innocency was found in him he was not ashamed of his godlinesse that had raised him and hee would maintaine the honour of it Such spirits have true excellency in them are not shie of the wayes or servants of God when the flouds of iniquity overflow threaten to beare down all Fearefulnesse to appeare in Gods cause is a part of the old man when God puts into his another a new spirit that wasts thy fearefulnes the more thou hast of Gods Spirit the more thy old timorous cowardly spirit is abated Mat. 9. 16. That is put in to fill up takes from the garment and when grace fils up a man it takes away from the old man the old basenesse feare and dastardlinesse in the cause of God and a holy undaunted resolution is begotteÌ„ in thee to justifie wisdom although thou daÌ„nifie thy self According to the fulnesse of mens spirits are their carriages with more or lesse confidence in their undertakings If Satan have filled the heart men will boldly serve him Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost Satan had filled his heart and therefore he feared not to lie unto God himselfe Dieu saith upon the place Implere cor alterius est audacem eum reddere he cites that place Hest 7. 5. Quis hic est qui implevit cor suum ad faciendum sic Who is he that hath filled his heart in our Translations That durst presume in his heart to doe so Hamans heart was filled with malice and that made him bold to attempt the destruction of all the Jewes And where godlinesse fils the heart there will be as venturous bold attempts for God Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost set his eyes on Elymas and so thundred and lightned against him that presently his proud malitious spirit was blasted When the heart of a man is filled with divine truths it is not the presence of men in highest place can daunt it Elisha had a double portion of the spirit of Elijah and did the greatnesse or wickednesse of Iehoram daunt him There appeared a Deity in his very speech and spirit 2 Kings 3. 14. As the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it
as well as Caleb 1 Some thinke that Ioshuah at the first did conceale himselfe although after hee did declare himselfe fully but certainly this had been a very great sinne of his to conceale himselfe in such a Cause of God to have stood as Neuter for the saving himselfe hee would not have passed without some signification of Gods displeasure against him for this But Verse 30. God promises Ioshua that hee shall enter into the Land together with Caleb Others therefore thinke that at the first Caleb was the more forward of the two in speaking because hee was of the more honourable Tribe one of the chiefe of the Tribe of Iudah and Ioshua was of Ephraim And besides Ioshua being Moses Minister to attend on him it might bee the more suspected that he might speake to gratifie Moses against whom the people now murmured because of the straits they were brought into by him And besides others thinke that Moses here relates this by Ioshua That Ioshua was used in the penning of this relation and therefore the lesse is said concerning Ioshua Another spirit The spirits of the rest were base and cowardly poore dead unworthy spirits but hee had another spirit went not that way There is a strange conceit some of the Jewish Interpreters have of this other spirit that is say they Caleb and Ioshua when they were in the Land and in their journey they said as the rest of the Spies did and concealed their purpose of declaring any other opinion they had of the Land than the others had and this they did for feare of their lives but when they came before Moses and the children of Israel then they had another spirit and spake plainly what they thought Many such chaffy interpretations of Scriptute wee finde amongst them God having given them over to the spirit of blindnesse Hee sollowed me fully The words are Hee fufilled to follow mee Nothing could take him off from mee what ever therefore becomes of the rest hee shall possesse the Land and his seed with him I intend only to handle the two latter commendations of Caleb First that hee was a man of another spirit Secondly that hee followed God fully And herein first severally secondly in the reference of the one to the other For the first the Point is It is the excellency of godly men to be men of other spirits of choice spirits differing from the common spirits of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world sayes the Apostle but the spirit which is of God There is a great deale of difference betweene our spirits and the common spirits of the world There is a vile spirit ruling in the world As Eph. 2. 2. A spirit that workes strongly and actively in the children of disohedience But of the godly it may be said as it was of Daniel Chap. 6. 3. An excellent spirit was found in him so surely an excellent spirit is found in them Herein first what this other spirit is Secondly wherein the excellency of it lies Thirdly apply it For the first it is first a spirit that hath other principles a better principled spirit than the spirit of the world The spirits of worldly men have base corrupt principles by which they judge of things by which they are led according to which they favour rellish whatsoever is propounded to them The vilenesse and power of these appeares in the wayes of the world but the spirits of the godly are acted by Divine heavenly holy principles that carry them to God to divine and heavenly things they carry them by a kind of naturall instinct the frame of their spirits is so principled that by as it were a naturall instinct naturall I mean the new nature they savour of spirituall and heavenly things their hearts worke after them cloze with them unite themselves to them finde much sweet and contentment in them are fastned and setled unto them What is the reason the same truths propounded set before divers spirits whose naturall parts are equall one sees much excellency in them receives them rellishes them the other looks on them as mean and foolish things wonders what men see and finde in them they are unsavory to them their hearts turne away from them This is from their divers principles Where the spirit is well principled it is carryed on sweetly and strongly in Gods wayes though the naturall parts bee weake though obiections against them many pretences for evill wayes fayre yet these divine principles are as a pondus a waight upon these spirits that carries on the soule still towards God when all is said that can bee against Gods wayes and for sinnefull wayes it will it cannot but hold the conclusion Surely Gods wayes are good As that blessed Martyr said I cannot dispute for the truth but I can dye for the truth These principles cause if not a disputative knowledge yet a savory knowledge Perswade a man by most subtill arguments eloquent orations that what he tasts sweet is bitter perhaps he cannot answer all you say but yet hee knowes the thing is sweet So the Spirit principled right with grace having the savour of the knowledge as the Apostle speakes though many subtill wiles of Satan and cloquent perswasions from the wisdome of the flesh be brought to perswade to the contrary yet still it sayes It is good to walke in the wayes of godlinesse Every life hath principles according to the nature of it receiving to it selfe things sutable or turning from things disagreeable to it the vegetative life according to the nature of it so the sensitive and the rationall life and the life of grace according to it Most mens spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life few live so high as rationall principles reach to There is a death of the soule in this respect onely God puts in by a common worke of his Spirit some common notions which appeare in some which give but a glimmering light and are very weake but where the life of grace is in any soule there are principles of an higher nature full of light and beauty carrying the soule to high spirituall supernaturall things for the attaining to and injoyment of the highest good Other creatures under the rationall are made for the enjoyment of no higher good than is within the cōpasse of their owne natures therfore their principles are onely to receive in such good things as are sutable to those natures and in them they rest satisfied for they are capable of enjoyment of no higher I say they cannot enjoy any higher indeed they are of use to and were made for that end that they might be serviceable to some higher good than themselves but this they enjoy not The destruction of their natures is the highest use that creatures which are above them have of them But the rationall creature was made for a higher good than is within
God himselfe workes as like him as may be it is the glory of God to bee the first cause and last end and to worke from himselfe and for himselfe No creature can worke from it selfe but as it hath his principle from God so it workes for him giving him the glory as the first cause and last end and this is the great worship that God hath from his creature both in this world and eternally in heaven We speake much of honouring God and serving God and worshipping of him wee doe nothing except wee doe this God made the world that hee might have some creatures to worke thus to make him the highest and last end of all many who have excellent naturall parts are often busied about deeper things then other men but their spirits being corrupt not carried to God in that they doe they dive deepe but all comes to nothing are like children diving deepe in the water and bring up nothing but shels and gravell Now where the spirit is carried to God as the last end there first the beauty excellency glory of what ever it hath or doth is iudged according to the reference it hath to God It s true I have these mercies I do such and such things but is God honoured by all al things are as dead to this spirit where it sees not Gods Name lifted up and so the excellency and beauty of what others have or do if God is not honoured by them it lookes on them as dead things Secondly all it hath is or doth lies in an absolute subiection under God to bee at his dispose all things are absolutely subject to the last end Thirdly where God is aimed at as the highest end there Gods glory is willed infinitely no limits no bounds set to the desires or endeavours of the soule after it Fiftly thjs spirit hath other qualifications the spirits of the godly are glorious within As 1. it is an enlightned spirit the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath shined into it and transformed it into the same image Dan. 5. 11. They said he was a man in whom the spirit of the holy Gods was because light and understanding and wisdome was found in him surely the spirit of the living God is here for light understanding wisdome is found here this is the true light the light of life that hath a quickning power and influence of life in it There is a great difference between the light of the Sunne shining in a garden and the light of torches there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one not in the other such difference there is between the light in the spirits of wicked men and the light in the spirits of the godly it is the knowledge of the holy that is true understanding Prov. 9. 10. And a man of such understanding is of an excellent spirit indeed Prov. 17. 27. This is that which the Holy Ghost calls Spirituall understanding Col. 1. 9. to distinguish it from that understanding there is in naturall men they see into Spirituall things after another manner than other men they see the reality beauty excellency glory of them which are hidden from drossie vile spirits the Gospell is said to bee a mystery revealed to the Saints Col. 1. 26. The Law and Testimonies are sealed and bound up amongst the disciples Esay 2. 16. The Lord delights to reveale himselfe to men of excellent spirits who are onely fit to close with divine and spirituall truths As none can teach so as God teacheth Iob 30. 22. so none knowes the things of God so as the godly doe they behold them as with open face they walke on in the light of the face of God Psal 89. 15. their spirits elevated by such a light as is sutable to that light there is in God himselfe and that lustre of his Image that shines in the face of Iesus Christ but the spirit of the world is a spirit of darknesse even that light which is in them is darknesse Secondly it is a free spirit Psa 51. 12. Establish me with thy free Spirit and this freedome makes it indeed a true royall princely spirit for so the word signifies that is translated in that place a free spirit The words are Establish mee with thy royall princely spirit 1. A free disingaged spirit not entangled nor insnared with base earthly engagements like the spirits of the world but a spirit that is at liberty Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. How doe the engagements of worldly spirits miserably enthrall them that notwithstanding convictions of conscience notwithstanding much unquietnesse of their hearts in their way many checks secret wounds of spirit sinking damps and feares yet they cannot get off their hearts from those engagements they are so miserably so dangerously entangled in this is a woefull bondage Those who are godly can remember a time since their hearts were thus insnared but it was the blessed worke of the Lord to set them at liberty and now they have ease now sweer quiet and rest to their spirits 2. Free from the bondage of sinne not under the power and command of it it hath command over it selfe over its owne passions not in a base slavery to Satan not in servile subjection to men not brought under the power of any creature It was a notable free expression of two blessed Martyrs Surgius and Bacchus who were two great Courtiers being accused for Christians and commanded to offer unto the Idols they refused to goe to the Temple and gave this answer unto the Emperour Wee o Emperour are bound unto you onely in an earthly warfare you have no right over our soules God onely is the Lord of them It will not be forced to any thing that is base God leaves the body and estates of his servants to the power of men oft times but their spirits are free It is to base a disposition of a servant of GOD to plead necessity of sinning no creature can compell another to sinne Tertullia◠hath an excellent expression to this purpose The state of faith doth not admit the alledging a necessity of sinning in those to whom the onely necessity is not to offend 3. It 's free in regard of slavish feare it 's able to looke upon the face of God with ioy Iob 22. 6. Thou shalt have delight in the Almighty and shalt li 〈…〉 up thy face to God The Scripture speaks of a spirit of feare and a spirit of bondage from both which this spirit is set a liberty it can looke upon the power soveraignty justice holinesse of God and rejoyce in them glad that God is so holy and just and that it hath to deale with such a God It hath accesse to his presence with boldnesse and liberty of speech Ephes 3. 12. as the word signifies there It hath sweet and blessed freedome in the performance of holy duties
one riding on with strength in his journey hindred by the barking of whappets at his horse heeles hee rides on and minds them not and as for railings and revilings at the wayes of God by which many are discouraged the spirit of a godly man can shake them off as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand and feele no hurt it beares off many hardships that are like to bee very grievous to flesh and bloud that it is like to meet with which discourages the hearts of many both from beginning to enter upon Gods ways and from continuance in them after some entrance made as the other Spies that were sent with Caleb and Ioshua their hearts fainted they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with The land indeed is good but there are children of Anak there and walls that reach up to Heaven but this was the brave heroicall spirit of Caleb and Ioshua their spirits were undaunted they would goe up and possesse the Land let what ever could bee stand in their way Thus many have convictiōs of conscience that the wayes of God indeed are good but the great hardships that they are like to suffer in those ways keep them off But a true godly spirit is willing to embrace Religion with all the hard terms annex'd unto it it is a poore meane spirit that must indent with God a forehand If I were sure to hold out to have at last that which I desire then I would venture upon the wayes of godlines but I am afraid it will never be and so sinks and hath no mind to set upon the work But this spirit will set upon the worke with all the hazards as Ester If I perish I perish this was a brave spirit indeed If she had had such a base cowardly spirit as many to think Alas what good shall I do I may hazard my selfe and bring my selfe into trouble but no likelihood of any good will come of it she is content to venture all upon a meere possibility of good To breake thorow armies of difficulties as Davids Worthies shewed the excellency of their spirits in breaking thorow an Hoste to gratifie their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times had stood upon every difficulty what had been done in Gods cause No this spirit sets upon that which God cals it to doth what it can and leaves it self and the issue of its work to God as Ioab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good It was a brave speech of him that shewed an excellent brave spirit in him A poor low spirit thinks every difficulty an impossibility but this spirit will not easily entertain thoughts of impossibility in services that are noble and worthy of choice spirits it will rather thinke with it selfe Was there never any such thing done before or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it that was as unlikely as this to come to a good issue and yet was at last accomplished why may not this then be done and so sets about it without any more objectings against it with this resolution Quic quid sieri potuit potest That which hath been done may be done Such a spirit as this is ashamed to see and heare reade what great things have beene done by others and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in Suetonius reports of Iulius Caesar that seeing Alexanders Statue he fetched a deepe sigh because he at that age had done so little Yea so farre is a true heroicall spirit from being discouraged by difficulties as it s raised by difficulties thus it s said of a true godly man that hee stirres up himselfe against the hypocrite that hee holdes on his way and growes stronger and stronger Iob 17. 8 9. When a difficulty when any opposition or danger comes in Gods wayes now it sees an opportunity offered of shewing so much the more love to Iesus Christ so much the more sincerity and power of grace to bring so much the more honour to God and his cause and in this it rejoyces this was the reason why the Apostles and Martyrs rejoyced so much in their sufferings for Christ When Ignatius felt his flesh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beasts now sayes he I begin to be a Christian When Alexander saw an apparant great danger neare him his spirit workes on this manner Now sayes he here 's a danger fit for the minde of Alexander to encounter withall When David at first heard of being the Kings sonne in law he was troubled at it 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew what a difficult and hazardable service hee was to undertake for it then saies the Text in the 26 Verse It pleased David well to be the Kings sonne in law that which would have discouraged others who would gladly have had the preferment that raised the spirit of David and made him like the offer the better and surely this was not an ordinary common spirit it was the true magnanimity of the spirit of David Tenthly A solid serious spirit other spirits are sleight empty vaine frothy rash spirits which are exceeding great evils in the spirits of men sleightnesse of spirit makes men almost uncapable of any good what ever judge ment the Lord laies upon mee in this world yet the Lord deliver me from a vain sleight frothy spirit how doe the blessed glorious truths of God which are of infinite consequence passe by such and are never minded nothing sticks by them nothing abides with them that may be usefull for their everlasting good but this spirit is put into a serious solid frame it examines the ground of actions compares one thing with another looks much at the issue of things this must needs bee because the feare of the great God and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it Esay 11. 2. These are joyned together the spirit of knowledge wisedome the spirit of counsell and the fear of the Lord it converses so much with serious things of high and infinite consequence that it must needs be put in a serious frame Eleventhy It is an active lively spirit serious but not sullen not heavy dull solid but not stupid 1 Pet. 2. 5. The godly are called lively stones stones because of their solidnesse lively because of their activenesse God is himselfe a pure act and these spirits have some likenesse to him and nearenesse with him the higher things are the more active water more than earth aire more than water fire more than all these spirits are raised to the highest excellencies of any creature in this world They are of quick understanding as Esay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The most noble excellent activenesse is from life and the more noble excellent the
life the more noble and excellent activenesse as sense more than the plants and the rationall life more than the sense and grace more than that and glory more than all the more spirituall the more active the more power the forme hath over the matter the more active the thing is and the more the forme is sunk as it were into the matter there the lesse activenesse as in the earth and all heavy bodies now where life is there the forme hath most power and the higher the life the greater the power Godly spirits therefore are not melancholy for melancholy makes dul but they are active and lively though they may bee heavy and sad if put to some imployment not sutable to their spirits but put them upon spirituall imployments and then you shall find them lively and active when they have to deale with God when drawing neare unto him in spirituall exercises then they are full of life they are fervent in spirit serving the Lord as Rom. 12. 11. Boyling in spirit so the word signifies when serving the Lord. The effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availes much saith S. Iames 5. Chapter 16. verse The working prayer so the word signifies and such a working that notes the most liveliest activity that can bee Birds whose motion is on high fly swiftly when they are got up but slutter when they are below so the spirits of the godly when they are got up on high to God in spirituall exercises then they move lively but when they are busied in inferiour things they are oft-times dull and heavy Twelfthly the spirits of the godly are faithfull spirits faithfull to God and men such as will certainly stick to and will bee true to their principles you may know where to finde them if you know their principles which are sound good as before The righteous is as an everlasting foundation Prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him there is an evennesse in all his wayes a constancy an universality of truth and faithfulnesse for it proceeds from the holinesse of their spirits as the faithfulnesse of God proceeds from his holinesse and therfore those mercies that are called the sure mercies of David Esay 55. 3. they are called the holy sure things of David Acts 13. 34. Gods holinesse makes them sure being once promised There may bee a particular faithfulnesse in some things betweene man and man where but some common gifts and the spirit not this choice spirit but that faithfulnesse comes not from a holy frame and therefore there is not an universality in it These are the speciall qualifications of this other spirit these are the bright glistering Pearles with which a godly soule the Kings daughter the Spouse of Iesus Christ is beautifull within and enlightned free royall sublime humble sanctified publike heroicall serious active faithfull spirit this is another spirit indeed not the common ordinary spirit Sixtly another spirit it feeds upon other comforts differing from those that common spirits feed upon Every life draws to it things sutable to the nature of it and findes some kinde of content and comfort in the enjoyment of such things We account life no life except it hath the fillings of it with things sutable from whence it may have comfort according to the variety of severall principles whereby every creature that hath life lives such is the variety of comforts in the world So the life of this spirit must have comforts sutable to it and because it differs from the life of other spirits therefore the comforts of it are different it lives upon other comforts The life of a Dog is maintained by carrion of a Swine by swill of a Toade by poyson but what doth a man care for these though Carrion lie in the ditch though Swill bee in the kennell though poyson cast upon the dunghill he cares not for them for his life is maintained by and hee feeds upon other comforts Thus though the men of the world living by sense and lust have no other comforts to feed upon but such as are sutable to them but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles they feed upon higher and more noble comforts While Nebuchadnezzar lived the life of a beast hee fed on grasse but after when he was restored to his Kingdome and began to live the life of a King he had other comforts to feed upon and delight himselfe in The joy of the spirits of the godly are like the light of the Sunne fed by heavenly influence but the joyes of other men are as the light of a Candle fed by base and stinking matter for so Solomon makes the comparison Prov. 4. 18. The righteous is as the Sunne that shines more and more unto the perfect day and the joyes of the wicked he compares to a Candle Prov. 24. 20. The Candle of the wicked shall be put out The men of the world have seduced spirits they seed upon ashes Esa 44. 20. The curse of the Serpent is upon them upon their bellies they goe dust they eate while they feed upon their Swill and Huskes the spirits of the Saints finde bread in their fathers house their comforts are inward A good man is satisfied from himselfe Prov. 13. 14. hee hath a spring within in his own brest he need not shark abroad Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 6. Godlinesse with selfe-sufficiency so the word signifies When Oecolampadius lay sick his friends askt him whether the light did not offend him hee clapt his hand on his brest and said Hic sat lucis Here is light enough this is soirituall comfort that which arises from a right frame of spirit Hence the word in Saint Iames chap. 5. 13 translated merry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rectitude of the minde noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the minde As for other mirth I have said of laughter it is mad and of mirth What dost thou As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body much more in the spirit when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper Spirituall comforts are such as are above the soule and therefore put an excellency upon it the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty cannot but bee meane and doe debase it How much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man is the flesh of beasts the juyce of the Grape or any vaine sports or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part but there are comforts that are above the soule spirituall heavenly divine things and these this spirit feeds upon they are comforts that the spirit rejoyces in before the Lord That a sweet and blessed joy indeed that is enjoyed before the Lord and when the Lord most present most enjoyed Other vaine sensuall spirits have joy but not before the
bee well-favoured and skilfull in all wisdome and cunning in knowledge understanding science and taught the learning and the tongue of the Caldeans Every spirit is not fit to stand before the King of heaven to have converse with him none but the reasonable creature is capable of any such thing as communion with God and it must bee the reasonable creature thus raised they must bee men of other spirits A man of an excellent spirit cannot endure converse with base sordid spirits much lesse can God who is that blessed holy Spirit No creature can have communion with another but such as live the same life hence the beast cannot have communion with man because mans proper life is rationall these are the spirits who being partakers of the life of God are fitted for converse and communion with him Likenesse is the ground of all liking in communion it is the likenesse they have to God that makes God to delight in communion with them God loves to dwell with these and that in a speciall manner 2 Corin. 6. 16. As God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them I will bee their God and they shall be my people the words are very significant in the Originall I will in-dwell in them so the words are There are two in s in the Originall as if God could never have near enough communion with them Psal 4 1. 12. Hee sets them before his face for ever as loving to look upon them Now how great how inconceiveable a dignity is this for the poor creature to have this neare communion with God Cursed bee that man saies that noble Marquesse Marcus Galeaceus that prizes all the gold and silver in the world worth one dayes enjoyment of communion with Iesus Christ he was a man of another spirit who spake from his owne experience of that sweet he had found of communion with Christ who had parted with much honour and riches for him Enoch and Noah who were men of other spirits in their generations are said to walke with God God tooke them up even in this world to walke with him many a sweet turne have these spirits with their God God delights to have them neare him that he might reveale and cōmunicate himselfe to them these know much of Gods minde the secrets of the Lord are with these and to them he reveales his Covenant God doth not love to hide his face from these That hidden wisdome which the Princes of the World knew not which eye hath not seene eare heard neither hath entred into the hearts of men to conceive yet hath the Lord revealed them to us by his Spirit saith the Apostle 1 Corin. 2. 10. even by that Spirit that searches the deepe things of God and by vertue of this communion these can prevaile much with God As it is said of Iacob Gen. 32. 28. as a Prince hee had power with God and prevailed Hence S. Bernard in his meditatiös giving divers rules of strictnesse of purging the heart of being humble holy and when thou art thus saith he then remember me as knowing the prayers of such a one would much prevaile with God for blessing Sixtly this spirit is fit for any service any employment God cals it to it is a vessell of mercy sitted for the Masters use Many honourable services God hath to be done in the world men of ordinary common spirits are not sit for them if they should be set about them they would spoile the work and dishonour God in it If a man have a choice peece of work he will not employ one that hath not abilitie to reach to it hee knowes the work would faile and it would be his disgrace When God would imploy some about building his Tabernacle hee fils them first with his Spirit so he saith of Bezaliel and Aholiab If a man bee employed in government hee had need be a man in whom the Spirit of God is as Pharaoh said concerning Ioseph Gen. 4 1. 3 8. When God chose Saul for government hee gave him another spirit so that hee was another man When God had a peece of work to doe of high esteeme beyond Sauls reach hee lookes out for another who had a more excellent spirit than Saul and saith I have found a man according to mine owne heart who shall fulfill all my will The excellency of a thing is in the use of it What can it do The excellency of the Angels is in that they are ministring spirits and the excellency of man is to be serviceable his excellency is not that he can eat and drinke and sport and goe fine but that he is of use fitted for what service God hath to doe in the world that he can further Gods ends in his workes that God may say of him I have found a man according to mine owne heart that is prepared to fulfill all my will When Esay Chap. 6. had his spirit purged signified by that signe of one of the Cherubims touching his tongue with a coale from the Altar he presently shewes the excellency of his spirit in this that when God had a choice piece of worke to doe and askes whom he shall send The Prophet readily and cheerfully answers Lord here am I send me doe but set the truth of God before these it is enough their spirits being gracious close with it yeeld to it obey it set about the work it shewes they should doe but when mens spirits are corrupt and unsavory there is such a stirre to convince them of Gods mind in that which is not agreeable to them so much a doe to prevaile with them to the practice though convinced that it would grieve a man to have to deale with them The excellency of the spirits of Gods people is set out to us very sweetly in that expression of the Psalmist Psalm 18. 44 As soone as they heare they shall obey me There is a wilingnesse of spirit to their worke what God would have what ever it be if they apprehend it above their reach they cast not off their worke but seeke to God for supply of ability knowing that there is spirit enough in God that God hath wayes enough to enable the spirits of his servants unto and carry them on in any worke he sets them about they know that God will never put any man upon any services but by one meanes or other he will fit his spirit for them for it is the great delight of God to have men in service to be of spirits fitted for service When the Devill himselfe hath any worke to doe he chooseth men who have spirits fitted for his worke and in them he delights If the worke requires boldnesse and impudence he hath men of daring spirits who will set upon it and goe thorow with it If it requires subtilty hee chooseth men of more moderate spirits who can keepe in their passions and secretly and insensibly worke their owne ends Wee reade
Revel 12. the Devill there opposeth Gods Saints in fiery and open violence as a Dragon but afterward Chap. 13. he gives his power to the Beast who had seven heads who would worke with more subtilty to draw the world after him and as wee reade Hos 7. 4 6 7 verses those who laboured to set up the Calves in Dan and Bethel were as hot as an Oven in their purposes intentions and desires but because they saw the best way to have the worke succeed was not to carry it on at first by open violence therefore they were content to stay As the Baker ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough untill it be leavened and when it is once leavened then hee puts it into the Oven so they were content to forbeare a while untill they had sent fit instruments abroad amongst the people to leaven them to prepare them by perswading them that if such a thing were done it were no great matter they should still worship the true God the difference was but the circumstance of the place and thus when they were leavened then they were fit for the Oven that is for the purposes and intentions of those who desired to set up the Calves which were as hot as an Oven According to any service the Devill hath for men he hath devices to raise their spirits to that height of wickednesse as shall fit them for it We have a notable relation of Hospinian cōcerning this When the Jesuits have made choice of an Instrument for that King-killing service that they intend to set him about they doe not put him upon it untill they have first raised and sitted his spirit for the service by these meanes 1. They bring him to a very private place in a Chappell or Oratory where the knife lies wrapt up in a cloth with an Ivory sheath with divers characters and Agnus Dei upon it they draw the knife and bedew it with holy water and hang on the haft of it some Beads consecrated with this Indulgence That so many blowes as he gives in the killing the King so many soules hee shall save out of Purgatory then they give the knife to him commending it to him in these words O thou chosen son of God take to thee the sword of Iephte Sampson David Gideon Iudith of Machaheus of julius the second who defended himself from the Princes by his sword goe and bee wisely couragious and GOD strengthen thy hand then they all fal upon their knees with this praier Be present O ye Cherubins and Seraphins bee present yee Thrones Powers holy Angels fill this holy vessell with glory give him the crowne of all the holy Martyrs he is no longer ours but your companion and thou O God strengthen his arme that he may doe thy will give him thyhelmet and wings to flie from his enemies give him thy comforting beames which may joy him in the midst of all his sorrows Then they bring him to the Altar where the picture of Iacobus Clemens is who killed Henry the third of France the Angels protecting of him and then they shew him a crown of glory and say Lord respect this thy arme and executioner of thy justice then foure Iesuits are appointed privately to speak with him they tell him that they see a divine lustre in his face which moves them to fall downe and kisse his feet and now he is no more a mortall man they envy his happinesse every one sighing and saying Would to God I were in your roome that I might escape Purgatory and go immediatly into Paradise but if they perceive him to shrink and be troubled after all this they will sometimes affright him with terrible apparitions in the night and sometimes have the Virgin Mary and the Angels appear before him c. Thus you see how the Devill will have mens spirits fit for their worke and when they are fit then he uses them and not before much more will God looke to have the spirits of his servants fit for their employments and then onely he delights to use them and those are the spirits who are higly accounted of who are exceedingly honourable in the sight of God who are fitted for his owne service Seventhly this puts a lustre of Majesty and beautic upon a man Wisedome much more all the excellencies of this Spirit makes a mans face to shine as the light of a Lanterne puts a lustre upon the Lanterne so the brightnesse of these spirits puts a lustre upon the men in whom they are Men of such spirits as these are have a daunting presence in the eyes of those who behold them It is reported of Basil that such was the Majesty lustre of hisspirit appearing in his very countenance that when the Emperor Valens came unto him while he was in holy exercises that it struck such a terror into him that hee reeled and had sallen had he not been upheld by those that were with him When the Officers came to take Christ he did but say I am hee and let out a beam of the Majesty of his Deity it strucke such a feare in them as made them all fall backward This Spirit hath a beame of this Majesty and somewhat of the daunting power of it how unable are wicked men to converse with men of such spirits They often goe from their company convinced self-condemned their consciencestroubled and their hearts daunted in them Eighthly this spirit makes men fit for any condition that God shall put them into they know how to yeeld to God to sinde out Gods meaning to carry themselves in every condition so as to worke out that which God would have by it which men of ordinary spirits cannot doe S. Paul was a man of a most admirable sweet spirit and he shewes it much in this I know sayes he how to want and how to abound how to be full and how to be empty Hee could goe through good report and evill report and keep his way still and carry his work before him It is the weaknesse and vanity of our spirits that makes us thinke that if wee were in such and such a condition then we could doe thus or thus this is a temptation to hinder us from the duties of the present condition by putting our thoughts upon another It is the excellency of ones spirit if the present condition bee not sutable to the minde to make the minde sutable to the condition that the present which God calls to may goe on When a joynt in the body is set right it enables not onely to move one way without paine but to move any way according to the use of the member so where ones spirit is set right it doth not onely enable to go on with some comfort in one condition but in any condition that God calls unto to carry on the work of that condition with joy and hence the recovering of the spirit from a distempered condition to a right
David Gideon Barak others who through faith subdued Kingdomes Hebr. 11. 32 33. That is basenesse of spirit and want of valour that makes a man a slave to sin and the Devill so a slave as he hath no heart to any worthy service to free himselfe from it but lies down under it and carries the fetters and yoake of his bondage about with him withersoever he goes That is cowardly basenesse that brings conscience into a servile subjection that cowardly basenesse that will suffer the cause of God to be betrayed rather than venture any thing for it what greater argument that men want true spirit than this Godlinesse puts a spirit of fortitude into men that will not suffer them to bee thus debased and where appeares the like courage in any as in these when they are called to stand for the truth Though all the Tiles of the houses in the City of Wormes were Devils yet thither would I goe to testifie to the truth saith Luther Againe it is not a turbulent spirit for turbulency of spirit makes men cruell and malicious this spirit causes men to love their enemies to do all the good they can to them turbulent spirits seeke onely their own ends they care not what becomes of others so it bee that they may but warme themselves they care not what house bee on fire They are boysterous in things that concerne themselves But the Saints of God in whom this other spirit rules they are meeke and gentle and yeeldable in their owne cause ready to put up wrong in all quietnesse take them in things that onely concerne themselves and you shall find none so readily so freely so chearfully denying themselves as they And againe turbulent spirits doe not love to examine things by rule to call things to account but follow their owne fiery humour and set upon their own will with violence but godlinesse takes off men from this ruggednesse and turbulency of spirit makes them gentle and peaceable let them bee never so active never so forward never so zealous in any thing yet if you wil call them to examine things by rule they will meekly and patiently heare you yea a childe shall leade them Esay 11. 6. And yet further turbulēt they are not for none more obedient to authoritie than they none see that Majestie of God in Autority as they doe none obey Authority out of conscience so as they doe If the will of men in authority rather than authority shall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids that they do not because they cannot obey for conscience sake And so sacred do they account Authority that they would have no obedience performed to it but obedience for conscience sake Blind obediēce the Church of God hath long agoe exploded as too servile for Christian spirits this were more servile than selling mens bodies in the Market for slaves which Christianity abhors It were too uncharitable a conceit of Christian Magistrates to thinke that they should require of or expect from any other obedience than in and for the Lord and in this obedience those who are godly are so forward as they are judged turbulent for being over-forward to maintaine the honor of Authority as some think when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority and that of those lawes which are of the highest consequence for the furtherance of Piety and Peace Againe factious spirits they are not because they seeke above all things to keep to the maintenance of obedience to the Primitive truth that is faction that sides against that Tertullian hath a notable expression in his Apology for the Christians against the Gentiles to cleare Gods people from being men of factious spirits it seemes that aspersion was cast upon them then which was about 1400 yeares agoe his expression was this When good men when honest men meet together when godly men are gathered together it is not to bee called a faction but a Court and on the contrary the name of faction sayes hee is to bee applyed to them who conspire to the hatred of good and honest men And thus much of the first branch of the Vse which was the reprehension of the vile cōceits that men had of this other spirit Now the second followes which is the rebuking of the men of the world for the ill use they give to men who are of such excellent spirits The excellencies of the spirits of the godly do challenge all the good use that can bee but it is little they meet withall they are for the most part abused by the men of this vile world as if they were the vilest scurfe and filth of the earth yea so indeed they account them so saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Why what was S. Paul and what were those that were with him who was so accounted of were they not men of most excellent and admirable spirits S. Paul was one of the most excellent spirited men that ever lived upon the earth and did as much service for God as ever any meere man did since the beginning of the world and yet how vilie was he thought of how contemptibly was hee used put into stocks and whipped wanted cloathes and victuals And for the others that were with S. Paul they were men of whom the Holy Ghost gives this witnesse that they were the very glory of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh unworthy world that ever they should have such men live amongst them Those who are the delight of Angels yea of God himselfe how are they abused in this wicked world as if they were dogges or the basest scumme and filth of the earth What scorne and contempt is cast upon them the most abject of men think themselves good enough to reproach and abuse them Were it not a grievous sight to see some base drudge to have power over the body of some noble Prince to abuse it by stripes or any other contumelious sordid manner but a more grievous thing it is to see the vile and base spirits of the world who are nothing but sinks of filth themselves to abuse men of such noble and excellent spirits as if they were more vile than dirt It was the bitter complaint of Ieremy Lament 4. 2. that the pretious sonnes of Sion comparable to fine gold were esteemed as earthen pitchers Such as blessed spirits would honour if they had them with them yet here they are cast out as filth What griefe sufficent to lament the seeing of such filthy swine to trample under their feet such pretious pearles in all ages thus it hath beene Those who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth such pretious and excellent spirited men as of whom the world was not worthy and yet they have beene most vilely abused and are so still by this wretched world
who know not wherein true worth and excellency consists Matth. 5. 12. Christ telling his Disciples how ill the world would use them he tels them they have as good use from it as the Prophets had before them How was Micaiah a man of a very sweet and excellent spirit contumeliously used hee was strucke on the mouth shut up in prison to be fed with water bread yea with the water and bread of affliction while 430 false Prophets most base spirited men were fed delicately at Iesabels table How was Ieremiah used hee was thrown into the dungeon stuck up almost to the eares in the myre the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto him daily David before them a man in whom Gods soule delighted yet he complaines of himselfe that he was a reproach of men and despised of the people all that saw him laughed him to scorne they shot out the lip and shook their head at him Psal 22. 6 7. and Iob before him he was made a by-word of the people and as a Tabret unto them as he sayes of himselfe Chap. 17. 6. The same use had the blessed Apostles who were filled with the Spirit of God none more scorned persecuted cōtemned than they The most worthy and famous men in the Primitive times found no better use than these It were infinite to instance in particulars Ignatius Polycarpus Athanasius Chrysostome Basil and the rest reproached banished from their people persecuted and exceedingly contumeliously used In later times the more excellent the spirits of men were the worse use did they ever finde from the world Wee might instance in Wickliffe Hus Luther Zwinglius Musculus c. I cannot passe by that sad example of Musculus who was a man of as brave a spirit as any lived in his time and a very learned and godly man yet after he had much laboured in the work of the Lord in his publike Ministery was so ill used of the world that he was faine to get into a Weavers house and learne to weave that by it he might get himselfe and his family bread and within a while he was accounted unworthy of that preferment and was thrust out of the house by his Master the Weaver and then was forced to goe to the common ditch of the Town and worke with his spade to get his living Whose heart bleeds not to heare of these former examples and divers others men of most pretious spirits thus ill used by this unworthy world even such in whom Christ rejoyces that ever he shed his blood for them Esay 53. 11. such as hee will glory in before his Father and the blessed Angels yet thus are they abused by this wicked world The more eminently the spirit of Christ appeares in any the more is the rage of evill men against them As it is reported of Tygers that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices the fragrancy of the Graces of Gods spirit in his people which are delightfull to God his Saints puts wicked men into a rage when as base spirited men have the world smile on them according to their hearts desire Oh the providence of God who suffers such indignities to bee offered to his most pretious and choice servants but by this meanes the excellency of their spirits appears in greater brightnes their graces shine in the more cleare lustre All Gods servants have his spirit in them but when any of them suffer reproach and ill use of the world then the Spirit of God and glory rests on them then the glorious Spirit of God is upon thē according to the promise of God unto them 1 Pèt. 4. 14. and they may in part perceive even while they are using them ill that they are men not of common not of ordinary spirits who are thus ill used by them they may see in that meeknesse that patience that humility selfe-denyall faith holy carriage requiting good for evill praying for doing all the good they can to those who use them worst that constancy spirituall chearfulnesse sweet contentednesse that holy boldnesse humble courage heavenly magnanimity that it is a wonder their conscience should not misgive them even while they are abusing of them that their conscience doth not tell them Surely these men we doe mistake in they are led by other principles than we know of they have something within that doth support them wee understand not It is a wonder men are not afraid to abuse them as they doe As Num. 1. 2. 8. The Lord said to Miriam and Aaron concerning Moses when they spoke against him Were you not afraid to speake against my servant Moses The words are very emphaticall in the Hebrew they are thus Were yee not afraid to speak against my servant against Moses Were hee onely my servant though he were not Moses were you not afraid but when my servant and Moses that is such an eminent servant of mine in whom so much of my Spirit appeared were you not afraid to speak against him Certainly the Lord will not alwayes suffer pretious choice-spirited men to be trampled under feet he lookes upō them in their lowest estate as his Jewels even while they are in the dirt but time wil come when he will make up his Jewels as Malac. 3. 17. and then there shall be seene a difference between the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not verse 18. God will owne the excellency of the spirits of his servants to be the Image of himselfe and what confusion will this be to the ungodly of the world when the Lord before men and Angels shall own that for the lustre and beauty of his owne excellency which they when time was made matter of their scorn objects of their hatred when God shall come to them as Gideon to Zeba and Zalmana Iudges 8. 18. What manner of men were they sayes Gideon to them whom ye slew at Tabor They answered As thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King Then hee said They were my brethren the sonnes of my mother as the Lord liveth if you had saved them alive I would not have slaine you but now he sayes to Iether his first borne Vp and slay them So shall God hereafter say to the men of the world What were those men and what did they whom yee so hated and abused what were they some vile-spirited men how did they carry themselves Your consciences shall be forced then to answer O Lord we must confesse They were those who kept themselves from the common pollutions of the world they lived strictly in their wayes they walked unblameable in their course they were very forward in the duties of the worship and service of God The Lord shall then answer What these men they were my Saints this was my holinesse my image my glory these were not common ordinary men these were my choice ones men pretious in my eyes separated
God to receive the sentence of their eternall doome when they are to enter upon eternity how many then blesse God that ever he put it into their hearts to go another way not according to the common course of the world Though humour and conceitednesse may please and give content for a while yet it can never bring such peace and joy in sicknesse and death and when the soule sees it hath to deale with such an infinite holy God such a dreadfull Majesty none apprehend the glory and Majesty of God so as the godly doe none understand what eternity means so as they doe the sight of these things would shake men out of an humour it is not humour that can stand before God and the eternall misery or happinesse of the creature rightly apprehended it is time now to lay aside humours and conceits and yet then when these things are most clearely most powerfully apprehended by Gods servants even then they are most for the wayes of God in which they differed from the world than ever they were before it is now their greatest griefe that they have no more differed from them than they have and if they were to begin againe they would differ farre more than ever they did Sixtly Surely it is not humourous conceited singularity because most men who have enlightned consciences when they are most serious in their best moods are of this mind If you will needs go by multitudes we dare venture upon this yea we dare challenge upon this argument onely with these two Cautions 1 That the men you bring in be men of inlightned consciences for what have we to doe with others who are blind and ignorant though there were never so many thousands of them they can adde nothing at all to the cause 2 Let the judgements of men be taken when they are most serious when they are best able to judge doe not take them when they are in passion when their lusts are up but when their spirits are calmed and in the best temper when conscience hath the most liberty to speake indeed what it thinkes and of such men in such times we shall have the most on our side and therefore surely it is not a humour of singularity that acts the in the way of godlinesse Seventhly It is not singularity for we have the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Saints of God before us cloudes of witnesses thousand thousands of them and every one of them worth ten thousands of others as S. Chrysostome hath an expression in one of his Sermons to the people of Antioch It is better to have one pretious stone than to have many halfpenies so one godly man is better than multitudes of others And S. Cyprian hath the like expression in one of his Epistles Doe not attend to the number of them sayes he for one that feares God is better than a thousand wicked It is safe to follow the way of good men according to that in the Proverbs 2. 20. Walke thou in the wayes of good men and keep the wayes of the righteous Now then let neither the wayes of godlinesse or godly men ever be blamed for their singularity other spirits must needs lead into other wayes It was laid to Luthers charge that he was an Apostate he confesses himselfe to be one but a blessed and a holy Apostate one that had fallen off from the devill So wee confesse this is singularitie but a blessed and a holy singularity which differences Gods servants from this vile wicked world in which they live whereby they live as men of another world as indeed they are CAP. VIII Blesse God for making this difference betweene your spirit and the vile spirits of the men of the world SEeing this other spirit is so excellent and blessed then doe you to whom God hath given other spirits learne to blesse GOD for them the mercies of GOD to mens spirits are the greatest mercies though your conditions be meaner than others in other respects yet if your spirits be raised to an higher excellency than others you have infinite cause to blesse the Lord as S. Paul Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be the Lord which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ What though God hath not abounded to you in outward honours estates delights yet if he hath abounded to you in wisdome holinesse faith humility c. you have no cause to complaine Where God gives his Spirit in the gifts and graces of it there hee gives all good things hence whereas S. Matthew sayes Chap. 7. 11. How much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to them that aske him S. Luke 11. 13. bringing in Christ speaking upon the same occasion sayes How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them that aske him as if all one to give his Spirit and to give all good things Spirituall blessings make all outward crosses light and easie as Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities Spirituall blessings have this excellency in them they cause a man to feele no need of many outward things which others know not how to want and it is as good to bee in such an estate to have no need of a thing as to enjoy it when we want it And further it is the excellency of spirituall blessings to keep downe the body and to carry the spirit above the body It was the excellencie and glory of the Martyrs that their spirits were so satisfied with mercies they had that they so little regarded their bodies when they suffered grievous torments as if they had not been their own Thus Zozomen reports of them Spirituall blessings are such as inable men to improve all other blessings they enjoy without these the greatest of other blessings would prove to bee the greatest curses to us and yet further These blessings upon our spirits cost God infinitely more than other blessings doe Other blessings God can give at a lower rate but these cost the dearest heart blood of his owne Sonne and therefore above all let God have the praise of these Outward bodily mercies we are unworthy of but when we consider of these let us say as David Psal 66. 14. Come and hearken all ye that feare God I will tell you what he hath done to my soule There God hath magnified his mercies toward me indeed You may remember how base your spirits once were how blinde foolish drossie sensuall and it may bee malicious This S. Paul cals to minde to stirre up himselfe and others to praise God for that blessed change he had wrought in his and in their spirits Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves also were in times past saith hee unwise disobedient deceived serving divers lusts living in maliciousnesse and envie hatefull and hating one another but when the bountifulnesse and love of God our Saviour appeared c. But if your spirits have not beene so vile as
some others if they have been faire and ingenuous if you have beene of sweet natures and tractable dispositions you have cause to blesse God in some respects so much the more for the change hee hath wrought in them for his mercie towards you that you did not rest in those naturall excellencies and mistake them for saving graces as many doe with much danger to their soules and when you see the base corrupt spirits of other men as those who have any thing to doe in the world shall meet with exceeding vile corrupt spirits not onely in the worst sort of men but in those who seeme to be faire in whom a man would never have thought to have met with such base workings of spirit that would make a man wonder Oh Lord what are the spirits of men Then I say when you see this blesse the Lord let your spirits and all that is within them blesse his name who hath put such difference betweene your spirits and theirs as you cannot but acknowledge except you should be exceedingly injurious to the grace of God in you Cap. IX Communion and converse with men of such excellent spirits is a most blessed thing IF the godly be of such excellent spirits then converse and communion with them is a most blessed thing no greater heaven upon earth than this for here you may see the beauty and lustre of Gods graces shining the brightnesse of which darkens all the beauty and glory of the world to a spirituall eye Seneca saw so much excellency that Moralitie put upon a man that hee sayes that the very looke of a good man delights one The very sight of such servants of God who walke close with God who are carefull to keep their spirits clear and shining truly it is very delightfull it hath much quickening in it the uprightnesse holines spirituall enlightnings that their soules have will guide them to advise for God in safe and good wayes The advise of godly men in things concerning God is much to be prized It was a good speech of Shechaniah to Ezra Chap. 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God c. according to the counsell of the Lord and of those that feare the Commandement of our GOD. It was good to follow their counsell The spirits of these are favory in their discourse in their duties in all their carriage their example exceeding powerfull and profitable The blessing of Abigail upon David was The Lord binde up his soule in the bundle of life Enjoyment of communion with Gods people is the binding up of our soules in the bundle of life for every one of them hath life in him Doctor Taylor the Martyr rejoyced that ever he came into prison because he came there to have acquaintance with that Angel of God Iohn Bradford as he cals him If the society of one sweet heavenly spirited man bee enough to make a prison chearfull what a blessing then is the enjoyment of cōmunion with many All my delight saith David is in the Saints in them that excell in the earth It is the blessing of the Gospell to come to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. when we are amongst them we may in the beholding the worke of their spirits come to see many failings in our own that we saw not before and so be humbled for them and be put on to seeke helpe We may see the same graces shining in them that we feele in our owne hearts and so be strengthened and encouraged in them and stirred up to blesse God for them and the sutablenesse betweene their spirits and ours if ours be right will cause such a closing and mingling as from thence there will arise an unspeakable delight and incomparable sweetnesse No society under heaven hath that pleasantnesse sweetnesse in it as the society of the Saints no mens spirits close so fully one with another as theirs no mens spirits bound so firmly by such indissoluble bonds together as theirs they know the excellency of one anothers spirits so as they can freely open themselves unbosome their hearts one to another and venture their lives one upon another and it is the most honourable society in the world for it is the association of the most excellent and glorious creatures God himself delights to joyne himselfe with them to be amongst them as 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell among them saith the Lord and walke there and I will be their God and they shall be my people But the words are more significant in the Originall they expresse Gods delight not onely to dwell among them and walke with them but to dwell in them and walke in them And hence that expression of Tertullian that wee made use of before in another case is very pertinent for our purpose here likewise When good men meet sayes hee when godly men are gathered together this is not to bee called a faction but a Court What place is accounted so honourable and excels in more delights than the Courts of Princes The society of Gods Saints communion with Gods people hath more honour is filled with more delights than any Court in the world where this is wanting the society of the wicked that is unsavory and tedious because their spirits are so vile and corrupt like the slime and filth there is congealed when many Toades and venomous filthy creatures doe joyne together How abominable is their breathings together to a gracious spirit how loathsome is the mixture of their spirits Zach. 13. 2. we have a promise that God will in his due time take away the uncleane spirit out of the Land and oh what a blessed time will that bee How happy would Gods servants thinke themselves if they might bee delivered from the noysomnes of corrupt unclean spirits Let us keep our selves what we can now from mingling with them wee shall within a while be for ever delivered from them CAP. X. That all those whose spirits God hath thus differenced should improve this Mercy by walking not as other men IF God hath beene mercifull to you in giving you another spirit improve this mercy shew in all your wayes that you are acted by another spirit let the renewed spirit guide you let the beauty and excellency of it appeare If wee live in the spirit let us walke in the spirit sayes the Apostle Gal. 5. 25. The works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5. 19. Why should not the works of the spirit be so too God hath beautified your spirits with his owne Image in this hee hath honoured you that you might honour him in holding forth the beauty and excellency of his Image he hath made you a peculiar people to that end that you might shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknes into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a dishonor to a parent or any special friend to hang his picture in some
there neither wants multitude nor fortitude And Cap. 12. he reports of him that in the time of a famine he caused all his vessels of gold and silver to bee melted to buy corne withall for the reliefe of the poore That Herod likewise which S. Luke speakes of in the 12. Acts 23. who was smote by the Angel and eaten of wormes yet even this man had many excellent morall gifts Iosephus reports of him That hee was a man of a most milde disposition readie to helpe those which were in adversitie free from outward grosse defilements and that there was no day past him in which he did not offer Sacrifice and for a testimony of his mild gentle temper he tels a notable story of him that when one Simon a Lawyer in his absence had scandalized him with many grievous accusations before the people As that hee was a profane man and that upon just cause he was forbidden to enter the Temple when Herod was certified of these things and came to the Theatre he commanded that this Simon should be brought to him and would have him sit downe next to him and in peaceable and kinde manner hee spake thus to him Tell me I prethee what thing thou seest fault-worthy or contrary to the Law in me This Simon not having any thing to answer besought him to pardon him the King grew friends with him and dismissed him bestowing gifts on him What a shame is this example to many Christians and yet wee would all be loath to bee in this mans condition It is reported likewise of Titus whom God made a grievous scourge to the Jewes yet hee was so meeke so liberall so mercifull of so milde and sweet a nature that he was usually called The love and delights of mankind If hee had done no good in any day hee would use to say I have lost this day Suetonius tels of him that hee was wont to use this speech That none should goe away sad from speaking with a Prince Excellent things are likewise reported of Trajan he was accounted a patterne of upright dealing in as much as when a new Emperour was afterwards elected the people were wont to wish him The good successe of Augustus and the uprightnesse of Trajanus and yet the persecution of Christians under him was very grievous It is likewise said of Antoninus Philosophus that he was of such a sweet temper that hee was never much puft up in prosperity nor cast downe in adversitie Thus we see men may have excellent gifts of morality and yet all these but as the flowers that grow on brambles far different from those graces of this other spirit that wee speake of which only growes upon the tree of life As many a faire flower may grow out of a stinking root so many sweet dispositions and faire actions may bee where there is onely the corrupt root of nature It is true learning and moralitie are lovely they are pearles highly to be esteemed they are great blessings of God but there is a pearle of price that is beyond them all which the true wise Merchant will labour to get and will be content to sell all to obtaine as Matth. 13. 45 46. And this pearle of price is that by which this other spirit comes to be so excellent above all that learning and morality or any common gifts can make it It is said in that place of S. Matthew That the wise merchant sought other goodly pearles common gifts are to bee sought after as things that have much excellency in their kind but it was that one pearle of great price that hee sold all for It is that grace of God in Christ that raises the spirit above all other excellencies and is to bee prized and sought after above all things whatsoever And that you may know that there is a great deale of difference betweene naturall endowments morall vertues and true spirituall excellencies that this other spirit is farre beyond the excellencies of these take these notes of difference 1 This other spirit is a renewâ—d spirit A new spirit will I give ya saith the Lord in 11. Ezek 19. It doth not arise out of principles bid up with us the Lord makes the spirit sensible of its natural corruption and weakenesse and of the Almighty worke of his grace upon it It 〈◊〉 made another spirit by a high and supernaturall worke of God upon the soule working a mighty change in it creating new principles new habits Examine what change have you found in your spirits if they be no other then ever have beene yea if the change be onely graduall not essentiall if it be onely the raising of some naturall principles so as to enable you to live in somewhat a fairer way then you did if it bee not the worke of God breaking your spirits in pieces and making of them anew if it bee not a new creation in you surely then yet your spirits are void of that true blessed excellency that this other spirit hath 2 This other spirit workes from God and for God it is sensible of the need it hath of continuall influence from heaven it drawes vertue and efficacy from God conveying his grace to the soule through that blessed covenant that hee hath made with the children of men in Jesus Christ receiving thus grace from on high it is acted up to God himselfe it lookes at God in what it doth it is carried out of love to him with unfained desires to lift up his great Name Morall vertues are wrought by that reasonablenesse the soule sees in such vertuous actions and the highest pitch they reach to is the love to that equity which appeares in them to a mans reason and therefore the spirit of a man that is raised no higher then these blesseth it selfe rather then God in the exercise of them It is farre from drawing any vertue from God in a way of covenant of grace or from denying it selfe and returning all the praise and honour to God Seneca was a man of as brave a spirit for Morality almost as ever lived and yet see how farre hee was from working from God and for God observe a strange expression of his in one of his Epistles The cause and foundation of a blessed life is to trust ones selfe to bee confident in ones selfe it is a shamefull thing to weary God saith hee in prayer for it What needs prayer Make thy selfe happy It s a foolish thing to desire a good mind when thou mayest have it from thy self right reason is enough to fill up the happynesse of a man 3 Where true spirituall excellency is there is a connexion of all spirituall excellencies of all graces Ephes 5. 9. The fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth and the reason is because all are united in one root namely in love to God and holinesse The beauty and comelinesse that God puts upon the spirit
God than others is more capable of the presence of God than others and God delights to let out himselfe more to him than to others These are filled with all the fulnesse of God according to that expression of the Apostle Ephes 3. 19. Now this fulnesse of God in their spirits must needs carry them on because it so satisfies them as they feele no need of other things Empty spirits are alwayes sucking and drawing of comfort from the creatures that are about them hence it is that their hearts are taken off from God so much Againe a spirit that is filled with God is not so sensible of any evils that are without so as empty spirits are as it is in the body when it is filled with good nourishment with good blood and spirits it is not sensible of cold and alteration of weather as the body is that is empty and filled onely with winde Secondly the choicenesse of a mans spirit raiseth it to converse with high things and so carries it above the rubs the snares and hindrances that are below and being above these it goes on freely and fully in its course and is not in that danger of miscarrying as other poore spirits are who converse so much with the things upon the earth as Birds that flie high are not catched by the Fowler they are not taken by his Lime-twigs by his Net or Pit fall so as others are who are much below upon the ground Broverb 15. 24. The way of Life is above to the wise that hee may depart from hell beneath It is the keeping in his way above that delivers him from the dangers snares that are laid for him below Thunders and Lightnings tempests and stormes make no alteration in the highest Region so the threats and oppositions against the wayes of godlinesse and all the troubles that the world causeth make no alterations in heavenly hearts that keepe above When the tree growes low it is subject to bee bitten by the Beasts but when it is growne up on high it is out of danger The lower the heart is the nearer the earth the more danger but when it is got up on high the danger is past and now what should hinder it from the growing up to the full measure of it in Christ Thirdly the choicenesse of a mans spirit changeth his end and so carries him on fully after the Lord for when the end is changed all is changed when there are but particular changes it is a certaine argument that the highest end is not changed but when that is changed there must of necessity bee an universall change upon these two grounds 1 Because the last end is alwayes loved for it selfe and therefore infinitely loved 2 It is the rule of all other things that are under it the good of all things under it is measured by it and is subordinate to it Fourthly this choicenesse of spirit causeth a suteablenesse a sympathy between the frame of the heart and the wayes of holinesse Now sympathies first are alwayes between the generall natures of things and not individuals not particulars as thus where there is a sympathy betweene one creature and another it is alwayes betweene the whole kind of those creatures wheresoever such Natures are found there will be this agreement Wee may see it more clearely in that which is contrary that contrariety of nature which wee call Antipathy it is not betweene any particulars so much as betweene the whole natures of things as between the Wolf the Sheep there is such a contrariety Now the nature of the Wolfe is not contrary so much to any particular sheep but to the whole nature of sheepe wheresoever the nature of it is found and therefore to all sheep Thus it is in the soule where there is such a kinde of opposition of it against sinne it is not against any particular sinne so much as against the whole nature of sinne wheresoever it is so where there is such an agreement which wee call a sympathie it is not so much with any particular way of holinesse or perticular Act but with the whole nature of holinesse wheresoever it is found and therefore such a soule must needs follow God fully Againe sympathies doe alwayes worke without labour and paine and therefore where there is such an agreement betweene the frame of the heart and the wayes of God the heart must needs worke fully because it workes delightfully and yet further this agreeablenes of sympathie is deepely rooted in the very principles of the creature it is founded in the very being of it and therefore it must needs worke strongly and constantly Vaine reasonings carnall objections subtill arguments strong oppositions can never prevaile against that soule where there is this deep-rooted agreeablenesse betweene the frame of it the wayes of holinesse But that you may see further what a wonderfull agreeablenesse Grace makes betweene the spirits of the godly and the Law of God which is the rule of those wayes wherein God would have the soule to follow him in observe the severall expressions by which the Scripture sets it out First it is written in the tables of their hearts Secondly it is their meditation day and night Psal 1. Thirdly it is the joy of their souls Psal 119. 14 vers and 47. verse Fourthly they love it above gold above fine gold Fifthly their hearts breake for the longing it hath after it Sixthly they lift up their hands to it Psal 119. 48. Seventhly their mouthes talke of it Psal 119. 13. ver 46. ver Eighthly their feet run in it Psal 119. 32. Ninthly their soule keeps it Psal 119. 167. Tenthly they will never forget it Psal 119. 16. Eleventhly they give up their members as instruments of the righteousnesse of it Rom. 6. 13. And lastly to name no more though there be many more expressiōs in Scripture to set this out they apply their hearts to it to fulfill it alwaies even to the end Psal 119. 103. Fifthly This choicenesse of spirit causeth a man to looke to his duty and not to regard what may follow The thing that hinders most in their following the Lord it is want of this it is not want of conviction what should be done but the reasonings of their heart about the hard and troublesome consequences that will follow if the things bee done But a true gracious heart saith onely Let mee know what is my duty let the right bee done though heaven and earth meet together Sixthly The choicenesse of a mans spirit causeth a man that if he doth looke at any consequences that may follow upon his way he lookes onely at the last issue of all what his way will prove in his last conclusion how things will goe with him when he comes to the last triall what will be the ultimate end of all Will it then be peace shall I then be glad of these wayes I now walke in Seventhly The choicenesse of a
mans spirit strengthens it against the impressions that sensitive objects use to leave upon soft and weake spirits Most men have their spirits formed and fashioned according to sensitive objects it is not what they apprehend in abstract notions that works upon them let them bee what they will yet when they have to deale with sensitive things the sweetnesse desireablenesse glory of them works the most powerfully their hearts are altered according to the impression that they leave upon them and this is great weaknesse and an effeminate softnesse of spirit Hence the word translated Effeminate 1 Cor. 6. 9. signifies soft-spirited men This distēper in the spirit is like that in the flesh when it is corrupted with the dropsie the flesh is soft and if you put your finger to it the impression of your finger sticks in it and pits the flesh so the impression of sensitive objects sticks in distempered weake soft spirits as it was in the other Spies who were sent with Caleb and Ioshuah the terrible things they saw in the land stucke mightily in their hearts they brought with them the impressiō of them fastened in their spirits hence Numb 13. 33. according to the translation of the Greek Translators it is They brought the feare of the land with them But this choicenesse of spirit that was in Caleb and is in those who are truely godly keepeth from this and there must bee this firmnesse in the spirit of a man or else it will never cary him after the Lord fully 2 Sam. 22. 26. With the upright thou wilt shew thy selfe upright the word translated upright signifies strong and perfect There is required strength and that more than ordinary too to cary on the soule to perfection Thus you see what there is in this choice spirit that caries it on fully after the Lord Now there must of necessity be this or else this full following of the Lord will never be nothing else will doe it And that 1 Because the wayes of God are supernaturall and therefore there must bee something in the spirit of a man which is supernaturall that must reach to them this which is supernaturall in the spirits of godly men wee see it in the effects and we know it is above reason and all naturall principles whatsoever But what is is very hard to expresse and therefore men of parts in the World are madde to think that any should imagine that those who are of weaker parts than themselves should have any thing in them to carry them on in other wayes than they walke in which they doe not understand because they doe not know what that same thing is which is called supernaturall they will rather think it a conceit and phansie than any reall excellency because they can apprehend other things better than others they thinke why should they not apprehend this better than others if there were any reall excellencie in it 2 The wayes of God are not only above nature but contrary to nature and therefore there must bee needs some speciall choycenesse of spirit to carry a man on in them there must bee a contrary streame to over-power the streame of nature and this streame must be fed by some living fountaine or else there will never bee a holding out In following after the Lord all naturall abilities and common grace will doe no more but stop the streame of corrupt nature they cannot so overpower it as to carry the soule another way but the worke of grace in this choicenesse of spirit will doe it 3 The streame of times and examples of men are exceeding strong and it is not a little matter that will carry on the soule against them The dead fish is carried down the streame though the winde serves to blow it up all naturall abilities of the soule will no more helpe a man against the streame of examples than the winde can carry the dead fish up the stream but if there were life put into the fish it were able then to move against the winde and streame too 4 There are so many strong alluring temptations where in the wiles subtilties depths of Satan are very powerfull to draw the heart away from God that except there bee some speciall worke of Gods grace to give wisdome to discerne the deceits of sin to make the soule spiritually subtill to find out the cunning devices of Satan and to discerne the danger of them the soule most certainly could never hold on in the way of its following after the Lord. 5 There are so many troubles oppositions that it meets withall in this way that most certainly would drive it out were it not for some choyce Worke of Gods grace in it but this choycenesse of spirit will carry a man through all them It is Gods promise Esay 59. 19. That when the enemy shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him We made use of this Scripture before for opposition of strong corruptions but it is true here now for the resisting of strong spirituall enemies of strong oppositions when they come in like a floud against the soule to carry it out of Gods wayes the Spirit of God in it doth lift up a standard against them were it not for this it could not hold It is this good and sound constitution of the soule that makes it endure those oppositions that it meets withall An aguish heat may bee greater than that which ariseth from a good constitution but it is not able to resist cold so there may be a naturall violence in a mans spirit for a while in the profession of Religion which may seeme to be zeale but not arising from the good constitution of the soule when troubles come it vanishes giving no strength at all 6 There are so many scandals and reproaches that rise against the ways of God so many aspersions that are cast upon them that if a man hath not more than an ordinary spirit hee most certainly will be offended Blessed are they that are not offended in mee saith Christ It is a great blessing when there fals out scandals and when we see grievous aspersions cast upon Gods wayes yet not to be offended there needs be some more than ordinary light to discover to a man the certainty of that good there is in the ways of God he had need be sure of his principles and know in whom he hath beleeved 7 Yea God many times hides himselfe from his servants while they are following after him and this oftentimes proves the sorest temptation of all and a greater discouragement then all the rest for as for oppositions scandals reproaches these are things they make account of and can often lightly passe them over but when God hides his face this puts them at a stand now they are in the dark and know not what to doe Christ was not much troubled at the reproaches of men at the oppositions hee met withall