the practise and actions of true and sound regeneration and therefore it is transcendent to his most happie naturall capacitie to the depth of his worldly wisedome and to the greatest height of his speculations though otherwise neuer so vniuersall and profound Now as concerning other parts of diuine knowledge and other points of religion hee may be furnished with store of rare and excellent learning in Fathers Schoolemen Commentaries Cōtrouersies he may be endewed with suttletie in disputing and defending the truth of God yea and in resoluing cases of cōscience too so far as a formal obseruatiō and Popish Doctors can leade him For their resolutions in that kind are only busied about cases incident to their Antichristian Hierarchy about perplexities arising out of their wil-worship and bloudy superstition and determination of some particulars in the Commandements which may fall within the capacitie of an vnregenerate man but their profession I meane the Papacie cannot possibly reach vnto the heart of godlines the mysterie of regeneration and the sauing power of the life to come Nay yet besides this the formall hypocrite may be made partaker of some degrees of the spirit of illumination in vnderstanding and interpreting the book of God for the good of his Church and children For I doubt not but many haue much light of iudgement that haue little integritie of conscience and are inspired with the spirit of illumination for the good of others that haue no part in the spirit of sanctification and sound conuersion for their owne happinesse But yet me thinks there may be conceiued some differences betwixt the child of God and the formall hypocrite in the very speculation and knowledge of Gods truth and in apprehension of things diuine in the vnderstanding Which I take to be such as these First the light of diuine knowledge in the formall hypocrite doth onely discharge his beames and brightnes vpon others but neuer returnes and reflect◠on his owne soule to an exact discouerie of the darkenesse of his owne vnderstanding the disorder of his affections the slumber of his conscience the deadnesse of his heart but euery child of God is euer in some measure both a burning and shining Lampe he is both illightned and inflamed inwardly in his owne vnderstanding heart and affections and also the brightnesse of his Christian vertues are euer dispersed and working vpon others Wheresoeuer hee liues he shines as a light amid a naughtie and crooked generation in the sight and censure of God the blessed Angels and good men though to the iudgement of the world and eye of prophanenesse his glorious graces euer did and euer will appeare to bee nothing but darkenesse and dissembling You may conceiue this difference thus The sun beames you know are not onely cast and shed into the inferior Orbs and aire but are first rooted in the sunne and doe inwardly and vniuersally fill with light that faire and glorious body It is otherwise in the moone for howsoeuer she receiue light for the cheering and comforting other bodies yet she remaines darke within and in respect of her selfe it serues onely to make her spots more conspicuous It is iust so in the point wee haue in hand The light of diuine knowledge in the child of God doth not onely shine vpon the soules of others for their instruction and refreshing but doth first fully illuminate his owne though not to an excellencie of degree for that is reserued for heauen yet to a perfection of parts of which only our mortalitie is capable But in the formall hypocrite howsoeuer it may sometimes dispell ignorance and errors from the minds of others yet within he is darkenesse in the Abstract in respect of sauing light as is euery vnregenerate man Ephes. 5.8 And his light of knowledge in respect of himselfe serues onely to make his sinnes more soule and sinfull his damnation more iust and himselfe more inexcusable For he that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Secondly the knowledge of diuine mysteries in Gods child is entertained and enioyed with a peculiar kind of sweetnes with an impression of incomparable ioy and pleasure It is far sweeter vnto him then hony and the hony combe Hee hath more delight in it then in all manner of riches It is more precious vnto him then gold yea then much fine gold It begets and stirres in him flagrant desires and affections correspondent to it pretiousnesse and excellencie But it is not so with the formall hypocrite for his earthly-mindednesse by which his affections are as it were glued vnto the fashions of the world if he were sensible of it would tell him that it is many times not so sweete vnto him as his pleasures His close couetousnes or other vnconscionablenes in his calling if his conscience were illightned would informe him that many times it is not so deare vnto him as gold Thirdly the child of God hath an humble and gratious resolution a sweet and willing submission euer mixt with his diuine knowledge of being mastered guided and gouerned by it though against the violent bent of his owne inclination and the current of the time but the formall hypocrite if he deale faithfully with his owne heart may feele in himselfe a secret subordination and subiection of his vnderstanding therein to his wealth honours and worldly preferments Fourthly in apprehension of diuine truth in the formall hypocrite the power of naturall discourse and light of reason beares the chiefest sway and therefore hee stickes as it were in the bone and barke in generalities and vncertainties but in the child of God the sacred illustration of Gods spirit doth plentifully concurre and therefore hee is able to prie into and pierce the marrow and pith of Gods holy truth the particular veines and the sauing sense thereof I come now to the other habit which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall prudence by which the word and faith take no root in the vnderstanding of the formall hypocrite This habit I told you is a spirituall prudence or a sanctified vnderstanding in the practicall affaires of the soule by which a regenerate man is inabled with a iudicious sinceritie to deliberate and determine in cases of conscience in the perplexities of tentations in all straites ambiguities and difficulties incident to the consideration and cariage of a Christian and with spirituall discretion to guide and conduct all the actions of grace and euery particular both in his generall and speciall calling This wisedome as I take it is an attendant vpon iustifying faith and onely and inseparablie annexed vnto sauing grace and therefore the formall hypocrite though I place him in the highest perfection that is attaineable in the state of vnregeneration is vtterly vncapable of it and a meere stranger vnto it as he is vnto the life of God By this holy wisedome Dauid Psalm 119. vers 99. is said to be wiser then his aduersaries that is then Saul and
himselfe in darknes but that in his cold blood and more sober consideration will acknowledge and confesse that the state of notorious sinfulnes is the state of wretchednes and of death And that there is no hope for the Drunkard the Swearer the Lier the Vsurer the vncleane person the Sabbath-breaker the Sacrilegious Simoniacall and sinners of such infamous ranke but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and without repentance and forsaking their sinnes an eternall separation both from al possibilitie of grace and sound comfort in this life and from the fruition of the ioyes and blessednes of heauen hereafter I therefore endeuour and desire to come neerer and closer to mens consciences and to tell them that out of a conceit of their morall honestie and outward religiousnes they may perswade themselues that they are rich and encreased in spirituall store and haue need of no more for the attainment of heauen when in deed and truth as concerning the power of sauing grace and sincere exercise of religion they are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked In these luke-warme times many there are who with the fruites of a temporarie faith and some light of the generall graces of the Spirit make a faire shew and win good reputation for their spirituall state both with their owne hearts and with the world abroad when to the eie of heauenly wisdom and in truth they are but only Blazing-stars and earthly minded not fixed in the same firmament with the Sunne of righteousnes nor of an heauenly stampe And if they rise not higher in their affections and conuersation from earth and earthly vanities when their rootlesse graces shall be withered and wasted away their fall will bee sudden and fearfull and their former vanishing flashes of vaine hope for future happinesse will be turned into horror and extremest miseries of despaire Most behooffull then is it for euery man in time to search and examine himselfe whether Christ Iesus be in him or no. And it is one of the worthiest and noblest imployment of the soule to reflect vpon it selfe and with an vndazeled and vndissembling eye thorowly to trie and descrie cleerely it owne state whether it be already washed with the blood of Christ and enliued with a supernaturall vigour and life of grace or yet lie polluted in it owne blood and vnder the power of the first death I wonder how any man can bee at rest and quiet vntill he be assured and secur'd in this point sith vpon it depends his euerlasting estate in another world Nay sith euen in this world euery vnregenerate man let him be otherwise neuer so great or adored aboue others neuer so absolute in all other excellencies and perfections whatsoeuer yet being out of the state of grace is a very limbe of Satan a child of darknesse and one of the familie of Hell The wrath and vengeance of God all the furie of the kingdom of darknesse the rage of all the creatures though hee little thinke vpon it are euerie houre readie and addrest to seize vpon him as a traitor and rebell to the highest Maiestie and to dragge him downe into the bottome of Hell Whereas the state of true Christians and Gods faithfull Ones is most comfortable and glorious euen in this life in this vale of teares and in these Tabernacles of clay For their comforts are not fading and earthly springing out of the sinfull pleasures transitorie glorie of the world not fastned vnto honors greatnes and possessions to the encrease of Corne and Wine and Oyle but they are of a right noble and heauenly temper framed and emplanted in the sanctified soule by the spirit of all comfort and therefore euerlasting and vnconquerable able to keepe a man in heart and resolution against the malice and cruelties of all aduersaries of all creatures They only are truly and soundly perswaded by the sweet and secret testimonie of the spirit and by the euidence and experience of their own holy life that after the approching and much longed for period of a few and euill daies they shall raigne with God almightie the holy Angels and glorified Saints in vnutterable and endlesse pleasures for euer and euer and therfore easily and resolutely with much indignation contempt ouer-looke and throw out of their hearts all worldly thoughtfulnes all excessiue desires of earth and earthly vanities all restlesse aspirations after transitorie honors the noble miseries of this wretched life They alone haue fastned the eye of their mindes illightned from aboue with sauing faith vpon the vnualuable pretiousnes and lasting beauty of their immortall crownes in heauen and therfore all the glittering and golden representations with which the flattering world hath formerly deceiued and dazled their eyes appeare to be nothing but darknes and desolations Their glorie indeed heere vpon earth doth not consist in outward pompe and state it doth not shine to carnall eyes it is vndiscernable to the sharpest sight of worldly wisedome and policie but inwardly and with spirituall fairenes their diuine graces make them so truly honorable and louely that somewhere in Scripture they are called the Glory of God and are as deare vnto him as the pretious ball and apple of his owne eye They are in so high esteeme and account with Angels that those excellent creatures with much ioy alacrity become their Guardians and seruiceable vnto them with extraordinarie care and tendernes All the creatures groane and desire to bee deliuered into their glorious libertie and in the meane time with a secret and insensible reuerence they adore the sacred character of diuinitie that is stampt vpon them All the Saints acknowledge them to bee more excellent then their neighbours of the household of God and heires of heauen Nay the wicked themselues many times are confounded and stand amazed at the height of spirit and resolution that possesseth their hearts and at the sober vndanted maiestie that shines in their faces This and a thousand times more then this is the blisfull state of Gods children euen in this life Howsoeuer they be neglected and trampled vpon by the world and wicked men yet in the iudgement of God himselfe the blessed spirits and all men of true worth indeed they are the only Angels vpon earth and the royall citizens of this kingdome of Grace The prosecution of this point would bee comfortable but so I should be more tedious No more but this therfore at this time Certaine it is if a man were crowned with the royall state and imperiall command of all the kingdomes vpon earth if his heart were enlarged to the vtmost of all created capacitie filled with all the exquisite and vnmixed pleasures that the reach of mortalitie and most ambitious curiositie could possibly deuise and might without interruption and distast enioy them the length of the worlds duration they were all nothing to the enioyment of the pretious and peereles comforts of the state of Grace but euen for an houre
of all controlement and contradiction So that morall honesty and outward religiousnesse being in themselues good and necessarie and a good step to Christianity yet by accident are many times a strong barre to keepe men from the power of godlinesse and vnfained sincerity Because when they consider their present course is in good acceptance with the world and that it may well consist with the free enioyment of their honours and pleasures at least arising from their beloued and secret sinnes they willingly and peremptorily rest and repose vpon it contented with a probable error of being in the state of grace and with a plausible passage vnto eternal death And the rather because they know full well if they should step forward vnto forwardnesse in religion and that inward holinesse without which they shall neuer see the face of God they should not onely raise vp against themselues many thundring tempests of the worlds insolent false and spitefull censures but also euen from the bottome of hell many disturbances and fearefull tentations For I am perswaded while a man lies secure in the course of vnregeneration if the diuell can procure it he shall enioy his hearts desire he shall bring his enterprises to passe and not fall into trouble like other men He onely then begins to bestirre himselfe when a man begins to stirre towards grace or that by his traines he hath brought him to some point of aduantage to some dead lift to his death-bed that he may haue a full stroke at his destruction that he may suddenly and certainely swallow him vp body and soule and then he paies him home with a witnesse for either through senselesnesse or despaire hee sinkes him downe irrecouerably into the bottome of hell These two obiections thus preuented I come to the proofe of the point in hand And first these reasons following may demonstrate that he which reaches but to ciuill honesty comes farre short of being in Christ and consequently of true happinesse First some of the heathens out of those weake notions and inclinations to vertuousnesse which corrupted nature confusedly imprinted in their minds attained a great measure of morall perfection This Elogie the Historian giues of the Romane Cato Cato was a man which did animate the faire speculatiue image of vertue with liuely executions and practise Goodnesse was so habitually incorporated into his honest mind that he did good not for respects and reseruedly but because he could possibly doe no otherwise Impartiall indifferency was the rule of his actions and being free from the corruptions of the time he was the same man and had a free command ouer his passions both in time of acceptation and disgrace It is further reported of Fabricius that a man might sooner turne the sun from his course then to sway Fabricius by respects from honest and ingenuous dealing And yet all these excellencies of morality are iustly and truely censured by Diuinity to be but glorious sinnes Austin that great disputer and worthie father confirmes it vnanswerable especially froÌ„ that ground in the Epistle to the Hebrues Without faith it is impossible to please God Let a mans workes bee in shew neuer so good so magnificent so charitable except the heart be purged from dead workes by a liuely faith and pure from an euill conscience hee is but a painted sepulchre or whited wall But yet take this by the way if these Heathens in the twilight of reason became such admirable lights of vprightnesse and honesty and yet Christians in these daies when all the beames of Christs blessed Gospell are shining and shed round about them continue still in darkenesse cold and frozen in prophannesse and security certainely as it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sidon at the day of iudgement then for Chorazin and Bethsaida so it shall be easier for many Heathens though to them impossible then for those Christians that passe not them in vertue and integrity Cato and Fabricius at that day shall rise vp against many luke warme professors of our times to their eternall shame confusion and condemnation The second reason is grounded vpon the words of saint Paul 1. Cor 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned In this place by natural man is not ment only the carnal and sensuall man swinishly wallowing in vanities and pleasures but as the best and soundest interpreters conceiue it euen a man considered with the whole compasse of the reasonable soules possibility And maÌ„s reasonable soule by that strength it yet retains since it was by God iustly disinherited of alspirituall patrimonie for Adams rebellion may purchase some kind of perfections First in it selfe it may be excellent if endowed with a sharp wit a quick apprehension a strong mind a piercing iudgement a faithful memory a more moderate wil and milder affections But if by industry and art it furnish and fil euery seueral faculty with those ornaments and qualities of which they are naturally capable the perfection is much more admirable And yet besides these excellencies in it self it may shine gloriously to others it may go further and inable it self by action experience obseruation with such an vniuersal wisdom that it may not only be fit and qualified for notable offices of society and entercourse in politick Bodies but also reach vnto y â— depth of foresight and large comprehension of circumstances that it may be worthie imploiment in affaires of State and in the direction and guidance of whole kingdomes All these perfections may concurre vpon the soule and yet it remaine starke blind in the mysteries of saluation Imagine them all iointly in one man and in the highest degree of perfection of which vnsanctified mortalitie is capable and let them bee neuer so much admired and flattered of the world yet without the salt of grace to season them and the life of faith to animate them they are but as gay and rich attire vpon a leprous bodie as iewels chaines and bracelets vpon a dead and rotten carcasse Let no man then deceiue his owne heart he may be enriched with singular pregnancie of all the faculties of the soule hee may be stored with varietie of the choisest and profoundest learning he may expresse in action and ciuill honestie the absolute portraiture of Aristotles moral vertues he may be as politike as Ahitophel Whose counsell which he counselled in those daies was like as one â—ad asked counsell at the Oracle of God and yet without supernaturall illumination and the diuine graces of faith loue zeale sinceritie spirituall wisedome a sanctified contention of spirit in making towards God in all kind of duties which onely put a man into possession of true happinesse and sit him for a blessed association with God Angels and holy men I say without these supernaturall graces he cannot onely not perceiue the things of the spirit of God but
earthly minded fellow that preferres a little transitorie trash before the pretiousnesse of his owne soule and the lasting treasures of immortalitie why he can easily prouide a golden wedge and cast in his way to enrich him he can compasse for him though by bloudy meanes and mercilesse enclosure a Naboths vineyard to enlarge his possessions For all is one to him so he keepe him his owne whether by want and pouertie he driue a man to impatiencie murmuring and independencie vpon the prouidence of God or by heaping vpon him abundance of wealth and filling him a full cup of temporall happinesse he cast him into a deepe sleepe of carnall securitie and a senselesnesse in al matters of sanctification and saluation But whereas Satan hath found by much experience that such as are fenced with riches and honours doe many times falsely assume vnto themselues a conceit of greatnesse and goodnesse of protection and immunitie from dangers so that they are more fearelesse of the iudgements of God because they are not plagued like other men more carelesse of storing themselues with spirituall comfort against the day of visitation because they are in the meane time plentifully encompassed with worldly contentments more regardles and neglectiue of the ministery of the word because they would not willingly be tormented before their time therefore I say hee followes with more hope and better successe this temptation by prosperitie And the rather because crosses afflictions and heauie accidents are many times liuely instructions and compulsions to bring a man to the knowledge of God and himselfe to abandon all confidence in earthlie things and to embrace the most comfortable and heauenlie state of true Christians Wherefore if any man be content to stand for Satans kingdom either by open and profest impietie or by close conueiances and secret practises and conniuencie he will be sure to prepare incline and dispose all occasions meanes and circumstances for his aduancement into reputation with the world And how potent he is in these cases yâ—u may conceiue sith he swaies the corruptions of the time sith he rules and raignes in the hearts and affections of the most men and is euer the arch-plotter in all Simoniacall indirect corrupt and vnconscionable consultations and compacts The second reason of the flourishing of the wicked in this life is their large and vnlimited consciences For if a man once haue so hardned his heart by often grieuing the good spirit of God and repelling his holy motions if he haue once so darkned the eie of his conscience by offering violence to the tendernesse and neglecting the checks thereof that hee can now entertaine and digest without scruple or reluctation any meanes though neuer so indirect any condition though neuer so base any aduantage though neuer so vnconscionable or dishonourable it will be easie enough for him to thriue in the world and raise himselfe For what I pray you were not the Papists now able to do who haue enlarged their consciences like hell nay they haue stretched them beyond the whole compasse of all hellish darkenesse euen into a vault of their owne what I say were not they able to do except they were countermanded by that irrefragable eternall and particular decree of God that Babylon must now downe as irrecouerably as the great milstone in the Reuelation cast with violence into the sea Why certainly they were able by their policies principles not onely to reestablish their former Antichristian tyranny but to cast the whole Christian world nay this and the other world and the whole frame of nature into combustion darknesse and confusion And no maruell for these fellowes consciences can without â—emorse digest euen the sacred bloud of Kings and swallow downe with delight the ruines and desolations of whole kingdomes Their bloudie superstition hath so quite and fearefully extinguisht all sense of common honesty and put out the light of natural equity and the common notions of right and wrong that they broch with bold faces the cursed poison of equiuocation the diuels old imposture in Oracles a very straight passage to damned Atheisme and the dissolution of all humaine society that to them the breach of the lawes of God of nature and nations is meritorious and worthie canonization if it serue any way to the aduancement of their execrable idolatrie to the repairing of their decaying Babylon and to reare their Italian Idoll the Priest of Rome yet a little higher aboue all that is called God In this respect then that the wicked dare enlarge their consciences to the vtmost bounds of any pleasure gaine or preferment they haue great aduantage for the ingrossing of all worldly happinesse and may easily purchase a Monopoly of earthly prosperity Out of this widenes of conscience proceed much mincing and excusing many interpretations fauourable constructions and distinctions of sinnes As for example that Vsurie is of two sorts biting and toothlesse when all kind of Vsurie is pestilent and most certainely damned in the booke of God That Symonie is either buying the gifts of the holy Ghost or buying Church-liuings as though this latter were not so soule and enormous when it is able in short time to bring a curse and confusion vpon the most glorious and best setled Church in the world That of lies some are pernicious some are officious and for a greater good whenas euen the learneder sohoolemen who are far enough from precisenes hold euery kind of lie to be a sin indispensable whenas Aâ—stinâ— that worthy father great disputer admits not a lie for the saluation of a mans soule which is farre more worth then the whole world Nay when a man is not to tell a lie for the glory of God as it appeareth Iob 13. then which there can be no greater good Of Oaths that some are greater and more bloody some are lesser ordinary and more tolerable as though custome and commonnesse made these latter excusable and vnpunishable when as the plague of God hangs continually ouer the head of what swearer soeuer ready euery houre to seaze vpon him and sinke him downe into the bottome of hell The flying booke of Gods curse and vengeance shall enter into the house of the swearer and shall not onely cut him off but shall consume the very timber thereof and the stones thereof Neither doth this plague rest within priuate walles but it wastes the glory and prosperitie of whole kingdomes Because of Oathes saith Ieremie the land mouâ—neth and the pleasant places of the wildernes are dried vp nay if it were possible that the breath of the swearer should reach vnto the heauens it would euen staine the glory of the starres and rot those faire and immortall bodies it is infected with such a canker and pestilencie and so immediatâ—ly strikes at the face of Almightie God Many other such leaud distinctions of sinnes there are framed and followed by the sensuall greedy and ambitious affections of prophane men that they may more
with some extraordinarie terror Let those then examine themselues at this marke who howsoeuer shame keepe them from vncleane practises and grosser acts of filthines yet inwardly boyle in speculatiue wantonnesse and adulteries of the heart Those who howsoeuer their indirect meanes speed not for mounting themselues to high estate yet spend their best thoughts all their life long in proiecting and contriuing as though they were borne to aduance themselues and not to honour God in their â—allings Those who though they doe not enclose oppresse and grind the faces of the poore yet haue their hearts exercised in couetousnes Those who though they haue forsakeÌ„ some sins yet maintain in themselues one known sweet sinne Those who though lawes and feare of danger restraine from railing with open mouthes against our State yet harbour secret repinings murmurings vnthankfulnesse and discontentments Euen a contemptuous thought of a king or lawfull authority is a sinne of high nature and me thinkes for the miraculousnesse of the discouerie is paralleld in Ecclesiastes to the bloodinesse of actuall murther That which hath wings saith the Preacher shall declare the matter Lastly let those examine themselues at this marke who offer themselues to those sinfull occasions breeders of many strange and fearefull mischiefes I meane prophane and obscene Playes Pardon me beloued I cannot passe by those abominable spectacles without particular indignation For I did euer esteeme them since I had any vnderstanding in the waies of God the Grand empoysoners of grace ingenuousnes and all manly resolution Greater plagues and infections to your soules then the contagious pestilence to your bodies The inexpiable staine and dishonour to this famous City The noisome wormes that canker and blast the generous and noble buds of this land and doe by a slie and bewitching insinuation so empoyson all seeds of vertue and so weaken and emasculate all the operations of the soule with a prophane if not vnnaturall dissolutenes that whereas they are planted in these worthie houses of Law to be fitted and enabled for great and honourable actions for the publicke good and the continuance of the glory and happinesse of this kingdome they licentiously dissolue into wicked vanities and pleasures and all hope of their euer doing good either vnto God the Church their Countrie or owne soules melteth as the winter ice and floweth away as vnprofitable waters These infamous spectacles are condemned by all kind of sound learning both diuine and humane Distinctions deuised for their vpholding and defence may giue some shallow and weake contentment to partiall and sensuall affections possest with preiudice but how shall they be able to satisfie and secure a conscience sensible of all appearance of euill How can they preserue the inclinablenesse of our corrupt nature from infection at those Schooles of leaudnes and Sâ—nkes of all sins as to omit Diuines Councels Fathers Moralists because the point is not directly incident euen a Polititian calleth them Alas are not our wretched corruptions raging and fierie enough being left to themselues dispersed at their naturall liberty but they must be vnited at these accursed Theaters as in a hollow glasse to set on flame the whole body of our natural vitiousnesse at once and to enrage it further with lust fiercenesse and effeminatenes beyond the compasse of nature Doth any man thinke it possible that the power of sauing grace or the pure spirit of God can reside in his hart that willingly with ful consent seeds his inward concupiscence with such variety of sinfulll vanities and leaud occasions which the Lord himselfe hath pronounced to be an abomination vnto him How can any man that euer felt in his hart either true loue or feare of so dreadfull a Maiestie as the Lord of heauen and earth endure to be present especially with delight and contentment at Oathes Blasphemies Obscenities and the abusing sometimes of the most pretious things in the booke of God whereat wee should tremble to most base and scurrill iests Certainely euery child of God is of a right noble and heroicall spirit and therfore is most impatient in hearing any wrong indignitie or dishonour offered to the word name or glory of his Almightie Father A second marke of difference may be this The power of sauing grace doth subdue and sanctifie our affections with a conscionable and holy moderation so that they become seruiceable to the glory of God and for a more resolute cariage of good causes and zealous discharge of all Christian duties But the bridling of passions in the formall hypocrite is not so much of conscience as artificiall politique for aduantage and by the guidance of morall discretion so that if they be tempted by strong occasions and violent obiects they many times breake out to the dishonour of God the disgrace of a Christian profession and the discouery of their hypocrisie Let euery man then examine himselfe at this marke and with a single eye and vpright heart take a view of his affections whether his ioy be inward and spirituall that is in the assurance of Gods fauour in his word in his children in prayer and a continuall practise of godlinesse or outward and caâ—uall that is in the attainement of greatnesse and woâ—dly pleasures in the increase of his corne and wine and oile Whether he loue the peace of conscience farre more deâ—rely then the fauour of men or his owne life Whether hee bee more zealous for the honour and praise of God then his owne Whether he be more affraid of secret sinnes then open shame of offending God then outward afflictions Whether he be more angry in the cause of religion and concerning Gods glory or for his owne priuat wrongs And so thorow out the rest of his affections Let the fierce and desperate gallants consider this point which vpon euery light occasion and termes of disgrace are ready out of a graceles vngrounded opinion of declining cowardize to sheath their swords in the bodie of their brother And let them assure themselues that the meeke and mercifull spirit of God will neuer consist with such bloodie and vntamed affections his holy motions will not come into their secret neither will his sauing grace be ioyned with their assembly For in their wrath they will kill a man and in their selfe-will they will destroy the image of God Cursed bee their wrath for it is fierce and their rage for it is cruell Oh that they would but marke and foresee into what an ineuitable and endlesse maze of certaine misery and vengeance they enter when they enter into the field vpon either offer or acceptance of challenge If they be slaine they are accessaries to their owne vntimely murder They violentlie and wilfully pull themselues from the land of the liuing to the abhorred regions of death They cruelly and irrecouerably rent their owne poore soules from time of grace and repentance They extinguish all hope of posteritie and perhaps their house and family determines in
any other by-respect plunge themselues into such companies where perhaps they may enioy many pleasant passages of wit set and artificiall disports and passing the time direction in their worldly affaires combination against the power of religion and the true professors thereof but where they shall find no furtherance in the way to heauen no comfort in heauenly things no encouragement to piety no counsell in tentations no consolation vpon their deaths-bed O how much better were it for these few and wretched daies to sort and solacâ— themselues amongst the Saints of God with whom they might shine as glorious lights together in the earth and hereafter in the heauens aboue the brightnesse of the sun for euermore rather then prophanely to sport themselues in Meshech and for a season proudly to ruffle it in the tents of Kedar where there is no light of grace no ioynt expectation of eternity but darkenesse of sinne and shadow of death Mistake me not in this point I would not haue men goe out of the world or become Separists I would rather haue them if they will vnderstand Paul aright be made all things to all men that they might by all meanes saue some That is I would haue the children of God not be wanting in any offices of kindnesse or pietie but to yeeld and communicate themselues so far as dutie charity humanitie necessitie of their generall or particular calling vpon good warrant and iust occasion mâ—y challenge and exact at their hands But as for a free and full communication of the secrets of their soule of their dearest affections of their spirituall estate of their ioyfullest and best expence of time I would haue that onely vouchsafed and conueied into the faithfull bosome of a true Christian and confined to grace as it peculiar and principall Object Let their goodnesse and good deeds spread without limit but their delight and intimatenes is to bee restrained and appropriated to the Saints that are on the earth and to the truely excellent which are onely the godly Hence it is that Gods children are many times censured for morositie vnsociablenes disdainefulnesse of spirit and opposition to good fellowship when God knowes they can find no taste in the white of an egge no strength in a broken staffe of reed no comfort in the men of the world who haue their portion in this life and therefore they would not part with their Paradise of communion of Saints or comfortable communication with God in their solitarines for the companie of kings and a world of carnall contentments Fourthly Satan doth sometime worke a soule decay of grace and exercise of godlinesse by putting into our heads some inordinate plot and forecast for preferment and greatnes For if he can once set our thoughts busily on foot for proiecting and contriuing with excessiue desire ambition and greedinesse some honour office or high place why then farwell zeale farwell taking part with Gods children farwell an vnshaken resolution in standing for the honour truth and seruice of God and a Christian courage in reprouing sins For then we must liue reseruedly we must be content to part with our libertie and be depriued of our selues We must labour to satisâ—ie and accommodate our selues to the humours pleasures and passions of men In a word our whole cariage must hold a necessarie and exact correspondence with the men and meanes that are able to promote vs for so vâ—certaine and irregular are the reuolutions of mens fauours that many times if a man but misse or mistime one ceremony or circumstantiall obseruance it is enough to cast him off and vtterly cashire him from his hopes ends Most miserable and seruile is their life that thus forsake the strong tower of their saluation and claspe their hand of faith about the arme of flesh For they do not onely bereaue themselues of that worthie freedome of spirit which an honest Heathen would not exchange for his life but also as they grow into a habit of seruitude and base engagements vnto men so they grow into a flauerie vnto sinne and bondage vnto the corruptions of the time And the higher they rise into fauor with prophane greatnes and policie the deeper they sinke into the miseries of basenes and flatterie and the high displeasure of almightie God And at length if they attaine their ends for sometimes they die in the tedious prosecution of some vndeserued dignitie they double their discomforts and encrease their account For commonly where the pursuit and purchase of any honour and preferment hath beene base and indirect there the discharge and execution is formall vaineglorious and vnconscionable Thus you see a second method of Satan whereby he goes about to kill the fruits of faith and to cause if not an vtter cessation yet much weakenes and interruptions in the operations of grace Many moe such depths and proceedings hee hath in his tentations As for example If he meet with notoriously wicked men as Drunkards Swearers vncleane persons and the like he tempts them to Atheisme a reprobate sense contempt of Gods worship and seruice and to the great offence To defend their leaud and gracelesse courses to glorie in their sinnes and in their dexterity of making others drunke with the same iniquitie He stickles strikes the bargaine betwixt them and death and hell and enters as it were bond for the performance of the couenant Hee tempts them to scorning and by their scoffings and railings in some fort to the despiting of the spirit of grace in the children of light which is a soule signe of a feared conscience and a fearefull preparatiue to sinne against the holy Ghost These are Satans standard-bearers and theâ—fore he inspires them with extraordinarie boldnes and desperatenesse in sinning and teacheth them to march furiouslie in variety of rebellions against the Maiestie of heauen If he meete with honest ciuill men heelabours to perswade them that iust and vpright dealing with their neighbours good meanings and intentions in matters of religion are the verie life of the seruice of God and a sufficient way to heauen And to conceiue sinne and sinceritie to be nothing else but morall vertues and vices the power of sanctification to be nothing but good education the practise of godlinesse to be nothing but sober and honest behauiour and the whole mysterie of Christianity to be onely a graue and stayed ciuilitie And the much adoe about faithfull and conscionable preaching to bee onely the humor of some odde fellowes that would be accounted singular and seraphicall If he meete with formall hypocrites who besides immunitie from grosse sinnes and their ciuill honestie are carefull and fashionable in the outward duties of religion yet short of a sound conuersion hee labours might and maine to settle in them an opinion that the state of regeneration is nothing but precisenesse and puritanisme that sauing sincerity and a true practise of holines is onely a transcendent Idea consisting in pure abstraction conceiued in the
if such an one as these should bee chosen by my default and faintheartednesse I should in some sort and measure be iustly guiltie and answerable before that high and euerlasting Iudge of the many miseries and mischiefes which ordinarily ensue vpon so vnhappie a choice Hereupon after a mature and impartiall suruay of all circumstances considerable in the partie the statute and whole businesse he singles out him with sinceritie and singlenesse of heart whom in conscience he thinks most sufficient and there hee stickes with a truely Christian and vnshaken resolution pitcht by the verie power and strength of heauen and come what come will tempests or faire weather preferment or pouertie threatnings or flatterie policie or persuasion priuate importunities or frownings of Greatnesse he is at a point infinitely rather to keepe a good conscience and saue his soule then to enioy the present and gaine the whole world For hee well knowes that the day is at hand euen that great and fearefull Day when the consciousnesse of one gratious action performed with vprightnesse of heart will breed more comfort then the glory riches and soueraignty of the whole earth To conclude this point As vnregenerate and sanctified thoughts differ much in their workings euen about the same Obiects so there are some which are Gods childs peculiar with which the state of vnregeneration is vtterly vnacquainted They are such as these First thoughts full of scare and astonishment all hell and horrour which rise out of the heart when it is first stricken with sense of Gods wrath at the sight of his sinnes These are scorched in verie manie euen with the flames of hell in their conuersion They burne sometimes the verie marrow out of their bones and turne the best moysture in them into the drought of Summer No print or skarre of these wofull and wounded thoughts appeare in the heart of the formall hypocrite This hell vpon earth is onely passed thorow by the heires of heauen while the children of hell haue commonlie their heauen vpon earth 2 Secondly thoughts composed al of pure comfort ioy heauen immortalitie the sweet and louely issues of the spirit of adoption These flow onely from the fountaine of grace and spring vp in that soule alone which hauing newly passed the strange agonies and sore pangs of the new-birth is presently bathed in the blood of Christ lulled in the bosome of Gods dearest mercies and secured with the seale and secret impression of his eternall loue and sacred spirit not only from the rage of hell but also of an euerlasting and roiall inheritance aboue Oâ— the heart of the vnregenerate man is farre too narrow base and earthy to comprehend the vnmixed pleasureâ— the glorious Sunshine of those blessed and ioyfull thoughts which immediatelie follow vpon the stormes of feares and terrour ordinarily incident to a sound conuersion 3 Thirdly thoughts of spirituall rauishment and vnutterable rapture slashes of eternall light raised sometimes in the hearts of the Saints and occasionally inspired by the Spirit of all endlesse comfort which with vnconceiueable amazement and admiration feed vpon and fill themselues with the ioies of the second life in such an vncouth extasie and excesse as is farre aboue and without the compasse and concâ—it of all worldly comforts the tongue of Angels or heart of man In this point I appeale to the conscience of the true Christian for I know full well that all my Discourse is a parable and paradoxe to the prophane whether hee hath not sometimes as it were a sea of comfort rained vpon his heart in a sweet shower from heauen and such a sensible taste of the euerlasting pleasures by the glorious presence of inward ioy and peace as if he had the one foot in heauen alreadie and with the one hand had laid hold vpon the crown of life especially after a zealous heate feeling feruencie in praier after an entire gracious and profitable sanctifictation of the Sabbath at the time of some great and extraordinarie humiliation entertaind and exercised with fruit and sinceritie when he hath freshly with deepest groanes and sighes and new struglings of spirit renewed his repentance vpon occasion of relapse into some old or fall into some new sin when the empoisoned arrowes of cruell and fierie tongues pointed with malice policy and prophanenesse come thickest vpon him and yet retyring into his owne innocent heart he finds no cause of such mercilesse vexation but defence of Gods truth and profession of holinesse Nay sometimes vpon on the deaths-bed to a soule conscious of an vpright and vnspotted life the ioies of heauen present themselues before the time so longing a sympathy is there betwixt the life of grace and endles glory Such like ioyfull springings and heauenly eleuations of hart as these which I haue now mentioned are the true Christians peculiar no stranger can meddle with them no heart can conceiue them but that which is the Temple of Gods pure and blessed Spirit Thus farre of the difference of their thoughts in respect of their nature and manner of working Now in a second place Gods child is notably differenced from the formall hypocrite by the seasonablenesse of his thoughts and their holy seruing the time In a body of best and exactest constitution the senses are quicke and nimble and sharpliest discerne with greatest life and vigour apprehend their obiects and are most sensibly affected or displeased with their conuenience or antipathy Euen so in a hart of a true spiritual temper seasoned and softned with the dew of grace the thoughts are actiue readie and addrest with zeale contentment to encline and apply themselues to the condition of the times and varietie of occasions offered for some holy vse to the bettering of the soule and the enlarging of Gods glory In the time of fasts sackcloth if Gods iudgements be threatned out of the Pulpit or executed from heauen when the Church weares her mourning weed sincerity droupes and the godly hang down their heades in such blacke and dismall daies they are impatient of all temporall comfort they willingly put on sadnesse to entertaine penitencie humiliation and sorrow but they are clothed with ioy and lightsomnesse when mercie and saluation are wisely and seasonably proclaimed out of the booke of life when religion spreads and prospers and diuine truth hath free passage when whole States haue escaped the bloodie Papists Gunpowder and the roiall breasts of Kings their empoisoned kniues and in such like ioyful and happy times Thus the thoughts and inmost affections of Gods child haue their changes their seueral seasons and successions as it pleaseth the Lord to offer or execute mercie or iudgement out of his word or in the world abroad But the thoughts of the formall hypocrite though they suffer indeed many alterations and distractions about earthly obiects they ebbe and flow with discontent or comfort as his outward state is fauoured or frowned vpon by the world yet spirituall
occurrents obseruable with deuotion and reuerence for the good of the soule haue no great power to worke vpon them sacred times or daies of affliction are not wont to make any such impression or to breed extraordinary stirrings and motions in them Let iudgements blast or mercies blesse a kingdome let Gods word find smooth and euen way or rubs and opposition let prophanenesse be countenanced or sinceritie cherished he takes no thought so he may sleepe in a whole skinne and keepe entire his worldly comforts his thoughts continue heauie dull and formall Hee may conforme and consort with the times in his outward gestures words and actions but ordinarily his thoughts admit no change saue onely so farre as his priuate temporall felicitie is endangered by publicke iudgements or enlarged by showers of mercies and blessings from heauen I cannot enlarge this point at this time only I will giue one instance in their difference of thoughts vpon the Sabbath day The Sabbath day is as it were the faire day of the soule wherein it should not onely repaire and furnish it selfe with new spiritual streÌ„gth with greater store of knowledge grace and comfort but also feast with it heauenly friends the blessed Saints and Angels vpon those glorious ioies and happie rest which neuer shall haue end Euery child of God therefore which hath alreadie a reall interest in that eternall rest makes not only conscience of doing his owne waies seeking his owne will speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure makes it the very delight of his heart the loue and comfort of his inward thoughts so that he may consecrate it as glorious to the Lord. He doth not onely giue quiet and cessation to his body from worldly businesse and works of his calling but also empties his head and disburdens his thoughts of al earthly cares that so they may wholly and entirely intend the holy motions of Gods Spirit and spend themselues in godly and extraordinarie meditations fitting the feast day of the soule and the Lords holy day This is the desire longing and endeuour of his heart thus to sanctifie the Sabbath and if at any time he be turned awrie from this vprightnesse by companie or his owne corruptions he is after much grieued and vext with it repents and praies for more zeale conscience and care for the time to come But the formall hypocrite howsoeuer he may on that day forbeare and abstaine from his ordinarie sinnes labours sports and idlenes howsoeuer he may outwardly exercise and execute all duties and seruices of religion though indeed more of custome and for fashion then with heartie and true deuotion nay he may haue other thoughts on that day but onely so farre as the bare solemnitie of the time and the greater Presence can alter them yet I dare boldly say it no formall hypocrite no kind of vnregenerate man can possibly make the Sabbath his delight as is required Isai. 58.13 And which is presupposed to make vs capable of the blessings following in the same place Then shalt thou delite in the Lord and I will make thee to mounâ— vpon the high places of the earth feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it He cannot for his life sequester his thoughts at all not euen on that day from worldlinesse and earthly pleasures to diuine and sacred meditations Doe what hee can he cannot beate and keepe them off from worldly Obiects they will not leaue their former hants or be restrained from plotting or pleasing themselues with weeke-day businesses Lord it is strange that the soule of a man so noblely furnished with powers of highest contemplation being so strongly and sensiblie possest with consciousnesse and conceit of it owne immortality and hauing the restlesse and vnsatisfied desires of it wide capacity neuer fild but with the Maiestie of God himselfe and the glory of an immortall crowne should be such a stranger to heauen the place of it birth and euerlasting abode that vpon that day whereon as vpon the golden spot and pearle of the weeke the Lord hath stamped his owne sacred Seale of institution and solemne consecration for his owne particular seruice and speciall honour yet I say vpon that day it cannot settle and continue it owne thoughts and motions vpon those vnmixed and blessed ioyes and the way vnto them without which it shall bee euerlastingly miserable and burne hereafter in that fierie lake whose flames are fed with infinite riuers of Brimstone and the endlesse wrath of God for euer and euer Now I pray you tell mee when wee shall haue raigned hereafter many millions of yeeres in heauen what thoughts will remaine of this little inch of time vpon earth When we haue passed thorow a peece of eternitie where will appeare the minute of this miserable life and yet our thoughts and affections are so glued vnto the world as though eternitie were vpon earth and time only in heauen You are men capable of worthiest and highest eleuations of spirit I beseech you resume this meditation at your leisure methinks it should be able to breed thoughts of a far more noble and heauenly temper then ordinarilie arise and are nourished in the hearts of men But to follow my yurpose Certaine it is not the best vnâ—egenerate men can endure an entire and exact sanctification of the Sabbath it is not a Iubilie to their hearts and the ioy of their thoughts for they cannot abide to haue their minds stay long in a feeling meditation vpon spirituall affaires vpon the examination of their former life the state of the other world the sleights and tentations of Satan the day of death the tribunall of heauen and such like For though the best of them may haue a persuasion of their being in the state of grace as I haue largely proued heretofore yet sith it is wrongly and falsely grounded it cannot abide the search and touchstone Hence it is that of all things they loue not to bee alone They may please themselues well enough in solitarinesse vpon some priuate businesse for the more profound plotting and contriuing worldly matters for a more free but filthie exercise of the adulteries of the heart and contemplatiue fornication to feed vpon dull and fruitles melancholie to let their thoughts wildly range and runne riot into a world of imaginations to diue into the mysteries of nature or depths of State but to be alone onely for this purpose that the mind may more fully and immediately worke vpon the spirituall state of the soule and impartially inquire into the conscience they cannot they will not endure it and therefore commonly cast themselues into one knot of goodfellowship or other that they may merrily passe away that time for an houre of which the time of grace being once expired they would giue ten thousand worlds yet shall neuer bee able to purchase it againe But Gods children when they are alone haue inward