right hand Which may for euer with sweetest peace and freedome from slauish trembling assure vs of our rootednesse in Christ constancie in grace and euerlasting abode with him in the other World Hee that will rent vs from Christs mysticall Body being once implanted into Him by a liuely fruitfull Faith and blessedly knit vnto Him by His Spirit as fast as the sinewes of His precious Body are knit vnto His bones His flesh to his sinewes and his skinne to His flesh must pull Him out of heauen and remoue Him from the right hand of His Father What so furious or infernall power can or dare lay a finger on vs in this kinde Hee hath taken the poisoning power out of euery thing that should hurt vs or hale vs backe to hell He hath conquered captiuated carried in triumph and chained vp for euer all the enemies of our soules and enuiers of our saluation They may exercise vs in the meane time for our good but they shall neuer be able to execute their malicious wils or any mortall hurt vpon vs either heere or in the next life 3. The irreuocable obsignation of the blessed Spirit Eph. 1. 13 14. 4. 30. And who or what can or dare reuerse the Deede or breake vp the Seale of the holy Ghost Heere then as you see the blessed Trinity is the vnmooueable ground of our going on in grace 4. The lasting and immortall power of the Word once rooted in a good and honest heart Luke 8. 15. 1. Pet. 1. â—…3 5. The certainety and sweetnesse of promises to this purpose Ier. 32. 39 40. Zech. 10. 12. Ioh. 8. 12. 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 6. The force and might of Faith 1. Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. 7. The efficacie of Christs Prayer Luk. 22. 32. Ioh. 17. 15 20. Rom. 8. 34. 8. The durable vigour of sauing graces Ioh. 4. 14. Rom. 11. 29. 9. The inabilitie nay impossibilitie of all causes or creatures to plucke out of Gods hand Ioh. 10. 29. or to draw any of His to a totall or finall falling away 1. It is not the Diuell himselfe can doe it 1. Iohn 5. 18. 2. It is not the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. Ioh. 16. 33. 3. It is not the concurrent fury and vnited forces of all the powers of darknesse Math. 16. 18. 4. It is not sinne 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 5. It is not weakenesse of Faith and other graces Mat. 12. 20. Esa. 42. 3. 6. It is not the imposture of false prophets Matth. 24. 24. 7. It is no creature or created power Rom. 8. 38 39. Vses 1. This Point thus confirmed doth confound that forlorne Tenent of the Popish Doctors which tels vs that a iustified and sanctified Man may fall finally and totally from grace In which I haue heretofore vpon other occasion in your-hearing punctually refuted those which I conceiued Bellarmines best Arguments I wil not then trouble you now with his Sophistry againe 2. This sweet and precious Truth may crowne the hearts of all those that are truly Christs with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Let new Conuerts and Babes in Christ who are woont to bee very fearefull and much troubled lest they should not hold out because vpon their first entrance into the wayes of Christianitie they are cunningly and concurrently encountred with so many oppositions From the Deuill which then rageth extraordinarily From the World which then tendereth moe and more alluring baites From the Flesh which naturally is very impatient of any spirituall snaffle From carnall Friends who cannot endure their forwardnesse From their old Companions who cry out They are turning Puritanes From the Times which lowre and looke fowre vpon their zeale Sometimes from the Father which begat them from the Mother which gaue them suck from the Wife which lies in their bosome from a world of enemies to grace I say in such a case let them graspe in the armes of their Faith the proofes and promises in the present Point and ride on because of the Word of Truth Let them sweetly with full assurance and vnconquerable resolution repose vpon that euerlasting encouragement for the finishing of their spirituall building which Zerubbabel receiued from the mouth of God Himselfe for successe of the materiall a Type of this Not by might and power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O great mountaine before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine and hee shall bring foorth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace vnto it And that they may more comfortably and constantly go on let them cast their eyes betime vpon these and the like cautions at their very first giuing their names vnto Christ. 1. Propose such interrogatories as these to thine owne heart Art thou content to abandon thy bosome sinne the sensuall froth of former pleasures hereafter to delight in God as thy chiefest ioy Canst thou take vp thy crosse and follow Christ His Truth and holy tracke amidst the many by-paths that leade to hell and different opinions of multitudes of men Art thou willing to suffer aduersitie disgrace and discountenance with the righteous and contemned godly Ones Canst thou endure to haue things laid vnto thy charge thou neuer didst thoughtst or dreamdst on To become the Drunkards song a By-word to those that are vilâ—…r then the earth musicke at the feasts of those that sit in the gate c In a word for Christs sake to deny thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall friends old companions pleasures profits preferments ease excellency of learning acceptation with the world outward state liberty life or what else thou canst name dearest vnto flesh and blood If thine heart answere not affirmatiuely I meane out of the resolution of a well-aduised regenerate iudgement for I know the flesh will grumble and reclaime thou wilt certainly fâ—…ll away or end in formality 2. Looke to thy repentance that it be sincere vniuersall constant from the heart-roote for all knowne sinnes to thy dying day 1. If some worldly crosse be the continued principall motiue 2. Or the humour of melancholy 3. If it bee confusedly onely for sinne and in generall 4. Or for some one speciall notorious sinne onely 5. Or for some lesser sinnes with neglect of greater as for tything Mint c. 6. If it be onely legall 7. But for some sinnes of what kinde soeuer leauing but so much as one knowne sinne not taken to heart 8. Or but for a time All will come to naught A foundation of godly sorrow leasurely aduisedly and sincerely laid at first will be for euer after a comfortable encouragement to Faith spirituall ioy well-doing and walking with God 3. Take the touch-stone of fruitfull powerfull and speciall markes to discerne and difference iustifying sauing Faith from all false and insufficient faiths For a temporarie may goe farre 4. Let knowledge and affection like two indiuiduall twins grow vp together in thee and mutually
contempt all the vile raylings and contradictions of Satans Reuellers and Popish insolencie For vainely to affect the acclamations and applause of worthlesse men or to bee deiected vnmanlily with their vniust accusations and anger are both equally ignoble and most vnworthy a man of Honour and vertuous resolution Yours shall bee the Crowne and comfort when all Popery and prophanenesse shall lye buried in the dust and dungeon of Hell In a word the thirstie longing of my heart and heartiest prayer shall euer be That you may shine euery day more and more gloriously in all personall sanctitie plantation of godlinesse in your owne Family and where you haue any thing to doe and in an holy zeale for setting forward the affaires of God when and wheresoeuer you haue any power or Calling That when the last period of your mortall abode in this Vale of teares which drawes on apace shall present it selfe You may looke death in the face without dread the graue without feare the Lord Iesus with comfort and Iehouah blessed for euer with euerlasting Ioy. Thus let all the sauing blessings of our most bountifull heauenly Father through Iesus Christ by the Holy Ghost be plentifully and for euer vpon your Honourable Selfe and all your sweet and Noble Children Your Honours most truely in all seruices for the saluation of your Soule ROBERT BOLTON A Table of the generall heads as they lye in order in the Booke SEruants of God singular from others in Sanctitie Puritie c. pag. 2 Gods free grace the 〈◊〉 of all our good p. 9 His wonderfull mercies to vs our horrible ingratitude p. 12 Personall goodnesse brings comfort and blessings vpon posteritie p. 18 True sauing grace neuer lost p. 22 Câ—…tions and meanes of perseuerance 25. 27 Gods seruants must noâ—… sâ—…ue the times p. 28 Euery Christians duty to walke with God p. 29. The reasons 30 To the performing of this there are 1. Generall preparatiues 1. Abandon resoluedly thy beloued sinne See 1. What it is 35 2. What thine is 36 3. Thine owne imposture in exchanging it 38 2. Hatâ—… Hypocrisie 43. Many here guilty meere pretenders to Religion ibid. Particular calling not to be left 48 3. Build thy resolutions on that maiâ—… principle Selfe-dâ—…iall 51 4. Liue the life of faith 〈◊〉 in all 〈◊〉 53 5. Settle in thine heart a right conceit of the substance power and materials of Christianitie 157 6. Fortifie thy Spirit against the canker of worldly-mindednesse 60 7. Be infinitely rauisht with the loue of God The motiues 61 8. Prize inualuably the fruition of Gods pleased face 62 9. Watch ouer thy heart and keepe it in a spirituall temper 63 10. Meditate on thy future blisse 64 1. Obserâ—…e 〈◊〉 duties and our Carriage after them 69 3. Vse well thy solitariâ—… seasons of Meditation 71 4. And thy company 73. Here Danger of propâ—… company 74 How to conuerse with friends vnconuerted 86 5. Continually ply thy heart by 1. Captiuating it to grace 88 2. Watchfull guard ouer it 9â—… 3 〈◊〉 it toward Heauen 9â—… 6. Labour to represse thy raging passions as Anger the 〈◊〉 Morall 95 Religious 100 feare the Vanity tyraâ—…y of it 104 〈◊〉 10â—… 7. Order religiously thy tongue by Christian reproofe A duty 112 Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 114. who dogs 〈◊〉 115 Directioâ—… iâ—… it 118 Extremes fainthearted silence 119 〈◊〉 Zeale 119 Reasons eâ—…orcing it 120 Holding silence 1. From vncharitable 〈◊〉 differenced from the censures of holy men 130 2. Sâ—…dering false accusing 137 3. Vnsauourie communication Hereof Heaâ—…enly discourse 146 8. Manage conscâ—…bly eâ—…ry action thou vndertakest Circumstances requisite iâ—… a comfortable action â—…b particularly 149 1. Thy Recreations See they be not Costly 154 Cruell 155 Wasting of time most precious 157 Incrâ—…aching vpon heauenly comforts 168 Differences betweene ioy spirituall and carnall 170 2. Visitations of great Ones vnsanctified Dangerous 181 Herein cautions 185 3. Naturall actions thus against Gluttony 195 Drunkennesse 200 Excessiue sleepe 205 4. Ciuill affaires Generall Here Doe as thou wouldest be done by 207 Abhorre wrongfull and vnconscionable dealing 210 Desire not delight not immoderately in any earthly thing For This is thy bosome sinnes parent 225 Thou wilt finde thy selfe insatiable vnsatisfiable 219 Particular for Marriage 1. Enter vpon it conueniently 234 2. Vse it comfortably here are duties Common to both 237 Peculiar to the Husband 244 Wife 250 5. Workes of mercy as well Spirituall as 257 Corporall Motiues to almes-deeds 261 Gods children often falsly charged with coâ—…etousnesse worldlinesse occasions of this imputation 276 Earthly mindednesse infinitely vnbecomming an heire of heauen 289 6. Spirituallestate where carefully auoide two extreames 1. Self-admiration proud oâ—…er-prizing of our owne graces 294 Here 1. The mysterie of selfe-deceit opened 299 2. Worke of Grace in the true Conuert 308 3. Sanctified men may be assured of their spirituall safety 317. and how 4. Sound perswasion distinguished from delusion 329 5. Preseruatiues against ouerweening 341 2. Deiected distrustfull vndervaluing of Gods mercies our graces the promises of life Here Against the heauy sad pensiue walking of some Saints 354 Reall causes and motiues of their ioy 359 Conceits and occasions of discomforts remoued 380 FINIS SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALking with God GEN. 6. 8 9. 8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9. These are the generations of Noah Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God IN this dreadfull and dismall story of the old Worlds degeneration and destruction falling away and final ruine here stands in my Text a right orient and illustrious Starre shining full faire with singularitie of heauenly light spiritual goodnes and Gods sincerer seruice in the darkest midnight of Satans vniuersall raigne and amidst the horriblest hell of the strangest confusions idolatrous corruptions cruelties oppressions and lust that euer the earth bore Noah I meane a very precious Man and Preacher of Righteousnesse to whose Family alone the true worship of God was confinde when all the world besides lay drowned in Idolatrie and Paganisme ready to bee swallowed vp into an vniuersall graue of Waters which was already fashioned in the clouds by the angry vnresistable hand of the all-powerfull God who was now so implacably but most iustly prouoked by those rebellious and cruell generations that Hee would not suffer His Spirit to striue any more with them but inexorably resolued to open the windowes or floudgates of heauen giuing extraordinarie strength of influence to the Stars abundance to the Fountaines of the great deepe commanding them to cast out the whole treasure and heape of their waters taking away the retentiue power from the clouds that they might powre downe immeasurably for the burying of all liuing creatures which breathed in the ayre Noah and his family excepted From whence by the way before I breake into my text take this Note Doctr. The seruants of God are men of
contempt would better become a great spirit an effeminate facilitie to bee mooued and toucht with euery trifle A spot or wrinkle vpon their garment a dish misplaced vpon their table some errour in their dressing a Bird a Dogge a Glasse c. or some lesser toy will turne some kinde of people quite out of tune and put them out of their humour into a pelting chafe as they say Great mindes and victorious ouer this furious Arch-Rebell are not moued but with great matters It is a speciall point of manly wisedome to passe by many petty prouocations to wrath without notice or acknowledgement without wound or passion and to digest many times the brawlings and indiscretions of hasty men with the same patience that Surgeons do the iniuries and blowes of mad men when they let them blood 4. Credulitie lightnesse in beleeuing whatsoeuer comes first to the eare That is the high way to hold choler still in combustion For so the tongues of slanderers Tale-bearers Whisperers Pick-thanks will prooue as so many Bellowes blowne by the Deuill himselfe to keepe this fire in height and fulnesse of flame 5. Curiositie an itching humour and needlesse inquisitiuenesse to know euery thing that is done or said If a man will needs bee so meddling he shall finde matter inough to fill his gall Some men out of this humour are eager to know what is said against them in such and such company listen to heare what their seruants talke concerning them and if a letter fall into their hands wherein they thinke themselues to bee mentioned they will make no bones against the lawes of humanitie to breake it open Busie-bodies in this kind neuer want wrath and woe Antigonus as it is said of him was wise to abandon this vanitie For when he heard two of his subiects speaking ill of him in the night neere his Tent willed them to goe further off lest the King should heare them 6. Couetousnesse the Cut-throate of Grace and canker of the soule like an eating insatiable Wolfe will either still feede vpon gaine or else gnaw vpon the heart with fretting and therefore the very losse of a penny sometimes the omission of a good bargaine the miscarriage of some domesticall trifle the death of a beast c. will presently put a couetous man into choler for his eyes are so earthly that they looke onely vpon the secondary not vpon the supreme cause 7. A conceit of being contemned by others in word deed countenance Many are so weake this way that if they spy but any secret smiling two whispering together in the company or any talking especially with their eyes now and then cast towards them they presently thinke that themselues certainely are their aime and obiect of their scornefull obseruation and so grow sowre out of tune and vnfit for company all the while after Such as these are extremely troubled and take on to themselues if they haue not the chiefe place and vpper hand at meetings respect and resalutation from those that they salute exact obseruance and obeisance from their inferiours the wall from all commers if they be not begun vnto in matters of complement and seruices of humanitie c. A riddance and restraint of these and the like maladies of the minde will bee a notable meanes to preuent and hinder the assaults and surpriz all of this furious and foule fiend 2. But if at any time thou feele this Viper to receiue heate in thy bosome and that occasions of choler are offered then say they 1. Containe thy bodie in quiet and tongue in silence The stirring and agitation of thy bodie by stamping or flinging about inflames the blood and humours and the walking of thy tongue keepes both the passionate heate in thine owne heart and many times sets on fire those that thou art angry with The barking of one Dogge sets all the curres in a towne a bawling Thy breaking forth into raging termes may raise the spirit of rauing in others And therefore silence is a singular cooler to this cholericke distemper If the swelling and boisterous waues rebound from the soft and euen sands there is no great adoe but if they encounter a Rocke they returne with great turbulencie and turne into foame Silence or a soft answer stops the ouer-flowing of the gall on both sides but if fury be set vpon with rage they grow both almost starke mad for the time 2. Giue reason leaue to interpose and resolue It was good counsell which was giuen to Augustus That when the obiect and occasions of choler were in his eye hee should not bee moued before hee had pronounced ouer the letters of the Alphabet It is as absurd for a passion to vsurpe and domineere ouer iudgement as for an intemperate Scold to iustle a reuerend Iudge out of his place and there to take on in her talkatiue and scurrill manner If thou giue the swinge and reines vnto it at the first rising it will presently quite banish reason and iudgement and bee like a man that puts the Master out of the house and sets it on fire and burnes himselfe aliue within or like a Ship that hath neither Sterne nor Pilot nor Sailes nor Oares exposed to the mercy of the waues windes and tempest in the midst of a furious Sea 3. Diuert to some other businesse company place pleasant imployment thoughts of content c. These are notable coolers and very conuenient to flake this passionate fire when it first begins to burne in thy bosome 3. Habituate thy heart and keepe it exercised and seasoned with considerations 1. Not onely of melancholy a ferall passion and other bodily distempers which it naturally breeds by stirring choler heating the bloud and the vitall spirits but also euen of the brutish deformities and vgly distortions with which this rage disfigures those which are transported with it as the fierinesse of the eyes inflamation of the face furiousnesse of the lookes extraordinary panting of the heart beating of the pulse swelling of the veines stammering of the tongue gnashing of the teeth a very harsh and hatefull intention of the voice many other extremely impotent and vnmanly behauiours Hence it was that angry men were anciently counselled in the heate of their fit to looke themselues in a Glasse The monstrous representations of that deformed Fury were able for euer to fright them out of their cholericke humour 2. Of the sweete louelinesse and amiable acceptation of a milde vnpassionate spirit It is the sinew as it were and cyment of all delightfull society the flower of humanity the very sweetenesse of ciuill conuersation As it is a singular preseruatiue to keepe a mans owne heart in much calmnesse and quiet so it s also an attractiue Load-stone to draw vnto him the hearts and loues of others 3. Of the aime and aspirations of morall wisedome which labours to draw a mans heart to that vnshaken constant and comfortable temper that beautifull and noble disposition which
satisfaction to its expectation and large capacitie Hence it is that giue Rome to Caesar as they say and he will ambitiously pursue the Soueraigntie of the whole earth Let Alexander conquer the world and he will aske for moe let those be subdued he would climbe vp the staires of his vast desires towards the starres if hee could aspire thither hee would peepe beyond the heauens c. No rest vnto mans soule but in Gods eternall rest 3. That there being no proportion betweene spirits and bodies thou maiest aswell vndertake to fill a bag with wisedome a chest with vertue as thine immortall soule with gold siluer riches high roomes this whole materiall world or any earthly thing See Eccles. 5. 10. 4. I say Besides these three causes of vnsatisfiablenesse God himselfe doth iustly put that property and poyson into all worldly things doted vpon and desired immoderately that they shall plague the heart that pursues them by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse longings iealousies and many miserable discontentments So that they become vnto it as drinke vnto a drunkard a man in a dropsie or burning feauer serue onely to inflame it with new heate and fierie additions of insatiable thirst and inordinate lust No maruaile then though the working heart of euery naturall man vnreconciled to God be like the raging sea that cānot rest That roaring Element to which the Spirit of God resembles a wicked man must needes bee a much troubled and very restlesse creature sith it is continually tossed turmoyled with variety of contrary and confused motions that of estuation reuolution reflectiō descension and agitation by the windes semblably if thou couldest see the inside of the greatest gracelesse Monopolist and ingrosser of all the most desireable excellencies vnder the Sunne glistering in the highest Emperiall Throne vpon the earth thou shouldest behold his heart for all that rent asunder with many raging distempers and tempestuous whirlewindes of contrary lusts a very hiue of vnnumbred cares sorrowes and passions boyling incessantly with irkesome suspitions false feares insatiable longings secret grumblings of conscience torturing distractions and tumultuations of hell By the way let me tell you that this immoderate desire inordinate delight which I speake of glued to some speciall sensuall obiect which naturall corruption singles out and makes chiefest choice of to follow and feed vpon with greatest contentment and carnall sweetnesse become the parents of euery mans bosome sinne If it fall in loue with honours and greatnesse it breeds and brings forth ambition which is an vnquenchable thirst after visible glory and a gluttonous hunting after high roomes As it inhabiteth the highest and haughtiest spirits and is superlatiue and transcendent in its obiect and aspirations so of all the stormy perturbations which rent and rage in the heart of man it is most tempestuous and desperate Ventrous it is to climbe vp any staires of basenesse bribery blood to tread vpon the ruines of the noblest innocency vpon the mercilesse desolations of dearest friends and neerest kindred to domineere for a while though it be damned euerlastingly afterwards as it is too cleere in the Turkish Emperors and in that great Master of mischiefe and Machiauelisme Richard the third of this Kingdome who with a bloody hand pressed out the breath of those two orient Princes in the Tower his Nephewes and naturall Lords It is victorious ouer all other affections and masters euen the sensuality of lustfull pleasures as appeares in the greatest Warriours and ancient Worthies amongst the Heathen who tempted with the exquisitenesse and variety of choisest beauties yet forbore that villany not for conscience sake and feare of God whom they knew not but lest they should interrupt the course and stop the current of their warlike reputation ambitious designes and atchiuements of state But whatsoeuer other pestilent properties empoyson it it neuer failes to ingender in the heart which harbours it as its proper Thunder-bolt and blasting feares cares iealousies enuies enraged thirst of rising still impatiencie of competition vncapablenesse of satiety which is most for my purpose For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse pit of hell or stop the vnsatiable iawes of death neither can the greedie humour of an haughtie spirit the aspiring insolencie of a boisterous Nimrod be possibly stayed or stinted no not with the top and variety of highest honours though hee should alone and absolutely be crowned with the Soueraignitie of the whole earth and command the felicities of this wide world If it fall in loue with riches it breeds and brings forth couetousnesse the vilest and basest of all the infections of the soule in the most contemptible and dunghill disposition For this kyte-footed corruption wheresoeuer it seizeth and domineeres blasts and banisheth all noblenesse of spirit naturall affection humanity discretion reason wisedome manlinesse mutuall entertainements entercourse of kindnesse and loue and turnes all euen the soule it selfe into earth and mudde It drawes by a cunning reserued basenesse all occasions circumstances aduantages witte policy euen friends and acquaintance nay religion conscience and all to bee seruiceable and contributary to a greedy wolfe and raging gangren of hoarding vp Gold and worldly pelfe In a word it makes a man with a Bedlam cruelty to contemne himselfe body and soule for a little transitory trash wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enioyment of the short time of this present mortality and all hope of the length of that blessed eternity to come And as the obiect of it is most earthly base and incompetent so of all other vile affections it is most sottishly and senselesly vnsatisfiable For how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall and heauen-borne spirit of a man It can not be and the Spirit of God hath said it shall not be Eccles. 5. 10. 4. 8. He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer The eye is not satisfied with riches Hence it is that the deepelier and more eagerly the dropsie heart of the couetous man doth drinke of this golden streame the more furiously still it is inflamed with vnsatiable thirst nay certaine it is that if he should purchase and possesse a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world were he able to empty the Westerne parts of Gold and the East of all her Spices and precious things should hee enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heauen to another and heape vp his hoard to the starres yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches as if he had neuer a penny and much more If it fall in loue with beauty and the swaggering brauery of good fellowship it begets lust and sensuality which make their minions madde with bitternesse and malice against the very least glimpse of holinesse or any religious restraint enrage them
SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALKING with God DELIVERED IN THE LECTVRE AT KETTERING IN NORTHhamptonshire with enlargement By Robert Bolton Preacherof Gods Word at Broughton in the same County The second Edition corrected and amended with a Table thereunto annexed AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and are to be sold at his shop at the great North doore of Pauls Church 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE EDWARD Lord Mountague of Boughton a fruitfull increase of all heauenly graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be reuealed Much Honored and Noble Lord ALthough the eminency of your other personall worth great Wisdome and noble parts a sufficient attractiue to euery honest heart by reason of the particular interest it hath in the common state of goodnes or your speciall bounty to my selfe which ought to stir vp an ingenuous minde to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserued acknowledgement or your publike deportment in the face of our Country so worthy and Honorable and managed with such true honesty graue moderation and noblenesse of spirit which cannot but draw from euery heart truely sound to our great Lord in Heauen and His Royall Deputy our highest Soueraigne vpon earth a great deale of reuerence loue I say though any of these seuerally might exact from me a more exact and able demonstration of the thankefull deuotions of my heart yet my Lord and you may beleeue mee there is another thing besides all these which was the strongest and most predominant motiue to quicken mee to this Duty and Dedication euen your sincere and inuincible affection to the Gospell of Iesus Christ His faithfull Ministers and most precious Wayes And this to tell you the truth is farre the fairest and most orient flower in the Garland of all your goodnesse and incomparably aboue all your Greatnesse were you aduanced euen to desert nay to the highest top of all earthly felicities and mortall honour For howsoeuer the world euer beside it selfe in point of faluation and starke blind in the right apprehension of Heauenly things doth ◅ote vpon guilded miseries stinging vanities golden setters and wickedly deemes pursuite of purity the height of folly yet I can assure you in the Word of life and truth the richest and rarest con◅luence of all humane happinesses the most exquisite excellencie and variety of the greatest worldly pompe and splendour that euer the Sunne saw since the first moment of its creation or shall looke vpon while it shines in Heauen is but dust in the ballance to one graine of grace it is but dung to an humble minde sauingly illightened with a forecast but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endlesse glory which shall shortly be reuealed It is all in the true valuation but as a vaine smoake which doth not onely vanish as it riseth and vtterly looseth it selfe at the highest but also drawes teares frō a mans eyes nay at last wrings the very heart-strings of euery impenitent soule with that extremest euerlasting horrour which would burst ten thousand hearts seriously and sensibly to thinke vpon before-hand It is not onely vanity but also vexation of spirit Let worldly wisdome say what it will and hold them melancholike and madde who by the helpe of the holy Ghost hold a constant counter-motion to the course of the world and corruptions of the time that they may keep a good conscience the richest treasure and dearest Iewell that euer the heart of man was acquainted with who infinitely desire rather to be religious then rich to bee good then great to enioy the fauour of God then the soueraignty and pleasures of all the kingdomes of the earth yet assuredly when all is said and truely summed vp it is onely the true feare of Gods blessed Name a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes at this day vnhappily and to the ruine of infinite soules called by the world pragmaticalnesse and Too much precisenesse which can truely beautifie and adorne both all other personall sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publike imployments and seruices of State For the first A Professor euen something Popish doth yet truely teach that Heroicall nobilitie is an illustrious eminency shining in a man by the heauenly infusions of supernaturall grace whereby he is made by adoption the sonne of God the Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost without which all other Nobilities are nothing not worth a button Suppose a faire and goodly horse to the eye as exquisitely featured colourd paced as that fained by Bartas to be managed by Cain yet if he wāted mettle he were worth nothing to a man of spirit Giue me the most magnificent glorious Worldling that euer trod vpō earthly mould richly crowned with all the ornaments and excellencies of nature art policy preferment or what heart can wish besides yet without the life of grace to animate and ennoble them hee were to the eye of heauenly Wisdome but as a rotten carkasse stucke ouer with flowers magnified dung guilded rottennesse golden damnation And that which is more dreadfull when the sunne of his short Summers day is set the hot gleame of transitorie prosperity past and the bitter tempestuous winters night of death approacheth from which all the Gold and Pearle of East West can no more deliuer him then can an handfull of dust I say then shall bee powred vpon his head that terrible showre of snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest His soule sinkes immediatly in a moment into the depth of remedilesse misery and is desperately plunged for euer into the bottome of the burning Lake His body descends into the graue as into a dungeon of rottennesse horror arrested as it were by the second death in the deuils name and at length haled and dragged vnto the terror of that great and last Day where no creature can rescue him no mountaine couer him from that vnquenchable wrath neuer-dying Worme which shall euer lastingly day and night feed vpon his soule and flesh Wheras now on the other side that poore neglected One who hath in truth giuen his name vnto Christ and his gainefull seruice perhaps by the World most disdainfully and contemptuously trampled vpon euen into the dust with the feet of cruelty and pride at least most certainly euer made extremely vile and contemptible by the villany of tongues and cruell mockings yet is such an One as the World is not worthy of in the meane time in the meaning of the holy Ghost a Crowne of glory in the hand of Iehouah as beautifull and amiable as the bloud of Christ and his righteous roabe can make him crowned full gloriously with Gods owne comelinesse which hee hath put vpon him designed from all eternitie in due time for so his sanctification now assures him to weare an euerlasting Crowne of blisse And when his pilgrimage is past
was and a by-word amongst the sonnes of Belial as was Iob If the world lowre and looke sowre vpon thee for thy looking towards Heauen and thy good-fellow companions abandon Thee as too precise If thy life be not like other mens and thy waies of another fashion as the Epicures of those times charged the righteous man when the booke of Wisedome was written In a word if thou walkest in the narrow way and be one of that little flock which liues amongst Wolues and therefore must needs bee little so that by all the Leopards Lions and Beares about thee I meane all sorts of vnregenerate men thou art hunted for thy holinesse as a Partridge on the mountaines at least by the poison and persecution of the tongue I say then thou art certainly in the hie way to Heauen 2. If the Saints of God bee men of singularitie in the sence I haue said then away with those base and brainelesse cauils against those who are wise vnto saluation What are you wiser then your fore-fathers then all the Towne then such and such learned men then your owne Parents Are you wiser then your Head may the Husband say c. Nay further to Noah it might haue been said by the wretches of those times Art thou wiser then all the world He out of the height of his heroicall resolution easily endured and digested the affronts and indignities of this kinde from millions of men But take thou these spitefull taunts and binde them in the meane time as a Crowne vnto thee and aduance forward in thine holy singularitie with all sweete content and vndauntednesse of spirit towards that glorious immortall Crowne aboue and let those miserable men whose eyes are hood-winkt by Satan and so blinded with earthly dust that they cannot possibly discerne the inuisible excellencies and true noblenesse of the neglected Saints follow the folly of their worldly wisdome and sway of the greater part to endlesse woe and then giue losers leaue to talke 3. Let euery one who in sinceritie of heart seekes to be saued euer hold it a speciall happinesse and his hiest honor to be singled out from the vniuersall pestilent contagion of common prophanenes and the sinfull courses of the greatest part and to be censured as singular in that respect Neither is this a singular thing that I now suggest but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages to be trod vpon with the feete of imperious contempt as a number of odde despised vnderlings whereas indeed they are Gods Iewels and the onely excellent vpon earth Behold saith Isaiah chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath giuen me and for signes and wonders in Israel I am as a monster vnto many saith Dauid Psalm 71. 7. I am in derision dayly euery one mocketh mee saith Ieremy chap. 20. 7. We are made saith Paul a spectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world the off-scowring of all things v. 13. In Austins time those that made conscience of their waies durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times and play the good fellowes were scornefully pointed at not onely by Pagans but euen by vnreformed Professors Professors at large as we call them as fellowes that affected a precisenesse and purity aboue ordinary and others They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one You are a great man sure you are a iust man you are an Elias you are a Peter you come from Heauen c. In after-times if a man were but meerely ciuill ingenuous chaste temperate hee was made a by-word and laughing stocke to those about him They presently said Hee was proud singular beside himselfe Hypocrite c. Thus it was is at this time and will bee to the worlds end that euery stigmaticall Whoremonger beastly Drunkard ignorant Lozell scoffing Ismael and Selfe-guilty wretch will haue a bitter gird a dry blow as they say a scurrill gibe to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people as though they were a company of odde humorous fellowes and a contemptible generation This I say euer was and euer will bee the worlds opinion of the wayes of God The children of darknesse euer harbour such conceits and peremptorily passe such censures vpon the children of light It is strange men are content to be singular in any thing saue in the seruice of God and saluation of their soules They desire and labour too to be singularly rich and the wealthiest in a Town to be singularly proud and in fashion by themselues to be the strongest in the company to powre in strong drinke They would with all their hearts be in honour alone and adored aboue others They would dwell alone and not suffer a poore mans house to be within sight They affect singularitie in wit learning wisedome valour worldly reputation and in all other earthly precedencies but they can by no means endure alonenesse and singularity in zeale and the Lords seruice In matters of Religion they are resolued to doe as the most doe tho in so doing they certainly damne their owne soules Math. 7. 13. Basest cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse fit for such a doome Reuel 21. 8. They are afraid of taking Gods part too much of fighting too valiantly vnder the Colours of Christ of being too busie about the saluation of their soules lest they should bee accounted too precise fellowes of an odde humour and engrossers of more grace than ordinarie It is one of Satans dreadfull depths as wide as hell and brimme-full with the blood of infinite soules To make men ambitious and couetous of singularitie in all other things but in godlinesse and Gods seruices not to suffer it in themselues and to persecute it in others Now in this Story of Noah so highly honoured with singularity of freedome from the sinfull contagion of those desperate times and happily exempted from that most generall and greatest Iudgement vpon earth that euer the Sunne saw an vniuersall drowning gloriously mounting vp vpon the wings of saluation and safety both of soule and body when a world of Giant-like Rebels sunke to the bottome of that new Sea as a stone or lead I consider 1. The cause of such a singular blessed preseruation which was the free grace and fauour of God But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord vers 8. 2. The renowne and honour of Noahs name in that he stands heere as the Father of the new world holy seede and progenitors of Iesus Christ These are the generations of Noah verse 9. 3. The description of Noahs 1. Personall goodnesse 2. Preseruation 3. Posteritie These two latter follow His personall description stands in the end of verse 9. Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God Where wee finde him honoured with three noble Attributes which make vp the Character
Duels c And was not the discouery and deliuerance from the Powder-plot that great astonishment of Men and Angels one of the most vnparalelled and mercifull Miracles that euer the Church of God tasted Is it not admirable in the eyes of all Christendome that the only Daughter of our King vnworthily hunted vp and downe like a Partridge in the Mountaines should with such Heroicall height of spirit passe thorow so many insupportable dangers difficulties and indignities impossible to be forced vpon Ladies by generous spirits and as impossible to bee borne and ouercome but by an inuincible spirit and that Shee and all her Royall little Ones should bee still safe in the golden Cabinet of Gods sweetest prouidence And to crowne all with a wonder of greatest astonishment doe not we all that are the Kings faithfullest Subiects almost feare still lest we be in a dreame that Prince Charles the Flowre of Christendome should returne home so To say no more Away then with all sowre melancholike causelesse sinfull discontent And Praise ye the Lord sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of the Saints Let Israel reioyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be ioyfull in their King For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people Hee will beautifie the meeke with saluation Let the Saints be ioyfull in glory let them sing aloud vpon their beds In a word let vs of this Iland as we haue iust cause aboue all the Nations of the earth and aboue all Ages of the Church from the very first creation of it praise Iehoua most heartily infinitely and for euer 2. Neuer hit any in the teeth with deformity of bodie dulnesse of conceit weaknesse of wit poorenesse in outward state basenesse of birth c. For who makes thee to differ from another Either In naturall gifts as comelines of body beauty feature stature wit strength c. See Iob 10. 10 11. Psal. 139. 13 14 15. In ciuill endowments or any artificiall skill vntill it come euen vnto matters of Husbandry See Esay 28. 26. In outward things see Psalm 127. More particularly in preferment and promotion see Psal. 75. 6 7. In children 1. Sam. 1. 27. Psal. 127. 3. In a good wife see Prou. 19. 14. In spirituall things see Ezech. 16. In any thing thou canst name We are all framed of the same mold hewed out of the same Rocke made as it were of the same cloth the sheares as they say onely going betweene it is therefore onely the free loue and grace of God which makes all the difference Whereupon it was an excellent speech of the last French King as his Chronicler reports When I was borne there were a thousand other soules more borne what haue I done vnto God more then they It is his meere grace and mercie which doth often bind me more vnto his iustice for the faults of great men are neuer small Let none then I say ouer-looke disdaine or brow-beate their brethren by reason of any extraordinarinesse of gifts eminency of parts singularitie of Gods speciall fauour or indulgence towards him in any good thing which he denies to others Especially thy selfe being vouchsafed the mercy of conuersion neuer insolently and imperiously insult ouer those poore soules who are beside themselues in matter of saluation who like miserable drudges damne themselues in the Deuils slauery and suffer their corrupt nature to carrie them to any villanie lust or lewd course Alas our hearts should bleed within vs to behold so many about vs to imbrew their cruell hands in the bloud of their owne soules by their ignorance worldlinesse drunkennesse lust lying scoffing at profession hating to be reformed c. What heart except it be hewed out of the hardest rocke or hath suckt the brests of mercilesse Tygers but would yerne and weepe to see a man made of the same mold with himselfe wilfully as it were against the Ministery of the Word a thousand warnings and Gods many compassionate inuitations to cast himselfe body and soule into the endlesse easelesse and remedilesse miseries of Hell And the rather should we pittie and pray for such an one who followes the swinge of his owne heart to his owne euerlasting perdition because as I said before there went but the sheares betweene the matter whereof we were all made onely the free mercy goodnesse and grace of God makes the difference If he should giue vs ouer to the vnbridled current of our corrupt nature wee might be as bad and run riot into a world of wickednesse as well as he if the same God visit him in mercy he might become euery way as good or better then we 3. If the free loue of God bee the fountaine of all our good away then with that fained fore-sight of faith right vse of free-will good workes which should mooue God to elect before all eternitie and that Luciferian selfe-conceite of present merit fit monstrous broode of that Beast of Rome who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God For workes meritorious fore-seene are equally opposite to Grace as workes meritorious really existing Here you must cal to mind those eight considerations which I opposed against that wicked Tenent of Merit which doth iustly merit neuer to taste of Gods free mercy From the second point in these words These are the generations of Noah whereas the fame and memoriall of all the Families vpon Earth besides lay buried and rotting in the gulfe of euerlasting obliuion as their bodies in the vniuersall graue of Waters the family of Noah a righteous and holy man is not onely preserued in safetie from the generall Deluge but his generations registred and renowned in the Booke of God and conueyed along towards the Lord Iesus as his Progenitors and precedent Royall Line I obserue this point Doct. Personall goodnesse is a good meanes to bring safety honour and many comfortable blessings vpon posteritie see Deut. 5. 29. Exod. 20. 6. Psal. 37. 26. Prou. 20. 7. and 11. 21. Psal. 112. 1 3. Act. 2. 39. Reas. 1. Parents professing Religion in truth make conscience of praying for their children before they haue them as did Isaac Hannah When they are quicke in the wombe as did Rebeckah When they are borne as did Zachariah In the whole course of their life as did Iob At their death as did Isaack And prayers we know are for the purchasing of all fauour at the hands of God either for our selues or others the most vndoubted soueraigne meanes we can possibly vse 2. Godly Parents doe infinitely more desire to see the true feare of God planted in their childrens hearts then if it were possible the Imperiall Diadem of the whole Earth set vpon their heads And therefore their principall care is and the Crowne of their greatest ioy would bee by good example religious education daily instruction louing admonitions seasonable reproofes restraint from wicked company the
constant onely in an heartlesse plodding course and coldnesse and many times at length when the motiue of their religious representations and shewes is remooued and the end compassed for which they counterfeited they put off their vizours and appeare againe plaine carnall men and downe-right good-fellowes as they were before The Play being done they are Rogues againe 5. Some there may be who out of a greedy pursuite of a generall applause from all sorts of men and ambitious hunting after a promi◅uous reputation and equall acceptance both with Professours of Religion and men of this world put on a show of religious deportment at least in the company of such as are ready and forward to commend their cōformitie and forwardnesse that way and by relation abroad to enrole their names amongst the number of those who are noted to be on the best side In a word such fellowes as these out of a base and vnblessed ambition to be well spoken of by all though a woe waites vpon such Luke 6. 26. furnish themselues both with a forme of profession to content Christians and flourishes of good-fellowship to please the prophane 6. Others there are who may gloriously pretend and protest with great brauery and confidence their assent and assistance to the best and holiest courses put on a temporary counterfeite profession and fashionable conformity to the communion of Saints that thereby they may passe more fairely and plausibly out of one calling into another from a baser lower more neglected and toilesome Trade into some other of more liberty acceptation and ease or else breake out of all Callings and so by the vnhallowed mystery of a sacred coozening if I may so call it liue vpon their profession and by amusing the tender consciences of weake Christians with the controuling and countermanding tyrannies as it were of an affected furious zeale sucke out of them no small aduantage and prey too plentifully vpon the people of God Such as these are ready to pretend and intimate that such base earthly and worldly imployment and spending of their time is disgracefull and derogatory to the prouidence of God and their Christian liberty that with vnworthy detainments and auocations it interrupts them in the pursuite of their generall Calling disables and hinders them in the discharge of holy duties But let them know that Christianity if sound and true doth not nullifie but sanctifie our particular Callings Thou oughtest to continue with conscionablenesse and constancy in that personall Calling wherein thy calling to grace did finde the◅ if it be warrantable and lawfull See 1. Cor. 7. 20. No comfortable change of a Calling but in case of 1. priuate necessity or 2. common Good and that truly so not hypocritically pretended or for by-respects If any man then vpon giuing his name to Religion shall grow into neglect distaste or dereliction of his honest particular Calling wee may euer strongly suspect him of hollownesse and hypocrisie It is the confident conclusion of a very learned and holy Diuine Though a man bee indued with excellent gifts and bee able to speake well conceiue Prayer and with some reuerence to heare the Word and receiue the Sacraments yet if hee practise not the duties of godlinesse within his owne Calling all is but hypocrisie 1. What sonne or daughter of Adam can challenge and plead exemption from that common charge laid vpon them by the Lord of Heauen In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne vnto the ground Either by trauaile of body or toyle of minde or both 2. Diligence in a ciuill Calling is necessary for a comfortable prouision of earthly necessaries 3. Hee is a cursed Drone a child of idlenesse and sloth the very Tennis-ball of temptation most vnworthy the blessings and benefits of humane societie who doeth not one way or other cooperate as it were and contribute to the common Good with his best endeauours in some honest particular Calling 4. A seasonable imployment in a ciuill Calling is a Soueraigne preseruatiue and curbe for preuention of infinite swarmes of idle melancholike and exorbitant thoughts and for restraint from many wicked and vnwarrantable medlings and miscarriages 5. An honest Calling is a Schoole of Christianitie In which a man performing duties for the Lords sake may daily profit in the practise and increase of many heauenly graces Faith Obedience Patience Meekenesse Constancie Truth Fidelitie Inuocation Thanksgiuing experience of Gods prouidence c. A true Conuert therefore is so farre from casting off his personall Calling that after his calling to Christianitie he is woont to discharge the duties thereof with farre more care and conscience though with a better minde more moderate affections and for a blesseder end 7. Some there may bee who seeing the iniquity of these last and worst times lying in weight for the surprize and suppression of forwardnesse and zeale and that they may gaine or grow into credit with the world by some speciall seruice against the forwarder sort serue themselues in the meane time plausiblenesse of profession taking away the sense of their intrusion into the company and communion of the most noted religious people that at length they may doe them the more mischiefe and driue to the head the bitternesse of their lurking malice with a more desperate and deadly sting These are men of great imposture and cunning in their carriage They informe themselues thorowly and exactly in the wayes and zealous behauiour of Profession and so with great satisfaction and contentment apply and accommodate themselues for a time to their desires and deuotions But if once they pry into a point of seeming aduantage which by their wresting outfacing may create matter of molestation and spy their supposed season to winne by betraying they turne Turkes and traitors to those which are true of heart to serue their owne turnes 8. Many there are who out of a fond and groundlesse conceit that onely an outward conformitie to the Word Sacraments and other religious exercises will serue their turne for saluation giue their names to profession and so walke on plodding in the comfortlesse vnzealous formes of a frozen outside Christianity many times euen vnto their dying day These men marre and vnsanctifie themselues by making moderation in Religion a Saint and vndoe their soules by adoring discretion as an Idoll Moderation and discretion truly so called and rightly defined by the rules of God are blessed and beautifying ornaments to the best and most zealous Christians but being tempered with their coldnesse and edged with their eagernesse against forwardnesse and ferue◅cy in spirit which the Apostle enioynes Rom. 12. 11. become the very desperate cut-throates to the power of godlinesse and pestilent consumption of the spirits heart and life of true zeale These fellowes are most insolent and confident in their Pharisaicall brags spirituall security and hopes for Heauen They admire and applaude with much selfe-estimation of ther singular skill
wherein they basely languish and lose their soules and leaue the successe issue and euent of all thy labours and vndertakings vnto the Lord whatsoeuer it may bee resting sweetly and euer relying vpon that gracious promise Heb. 13. 5. I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee In ordering and guiding the affaires of thy family depend by faith vpon Gods blessing the strength and sinew of all sound comfort and true contentation that way See Psal. 127. In the losse of outward things for thy loue and seruice vnto God by beleeuing that Man of God 2. Chron. 25. 9. The Lord is able to giue thee much more then this Nay in the losse of all earthly things in euery kind see Habac. 3. 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Oliue shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalles yet I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation Consider also for this purpose Iobs patient blessing of God vpon the surprize and concurrence of an vniuersall misery Iob 1. 21. In pangs of the New-birth spirituall infancy weakenesses of faith prayer godly sorrow and other graces by those cordiall refreshing promises Reu. 21. 6. Math. 5. 6. Isa. 42. 3. and 40. 11. and 57. 15. In oppositions against the raising or restauration of spirituall buildings by the Ministery of the Word or in temptations against a mans personall progresse and holding out against Gods waies vnto the end by renouncing our owne strength disclaiming the arme of flesh and crying in euery encounter Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hoasts What art thou O great mountaine c In languishings and tremblings after relapse into some old or fall into some new sinne by such precious places as these 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Luk. 17. 4. 1. Sam. 12. 20. 1. Iohn 1. 9. From this last place a reuerend Diuine collects this comfort If we see our vnworthinesse and with broken hearts acknowledge it God is faithfull and iust to forgiue it bee it neuer so great But this is a iewell fit onely for the eare of a sincere Christian when out of the fearefulnesse of his distrustfull spirit he puts off all comfort though truely humbled after ensnarement in some more speciall affrighting sinne Let no swine trample vpon it In all kindes of temptations by the power of that promise 1. Cor. 10. 13. Nay euen amidst varietie of them by obeying that precept Iam. 1. 2. My brethren count it all ioy when you fall into diuers temptations In spirituall desertion by refreshing and resting thy sinking soule in the meane time vntill the Lord returne vpon that surest Rocke Isa. 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for him Most blessed deare and sweetest Sanctuary If the Christian die in that waiting state he shall be certainely saued For the holy Ghost pronounceth him blessed In the deepe and almost despairing apprehensions of thine extreme vilenesse and as it were nothingnesse in grace by apprehending that most mercifull promise from Gods owne mouth Isa. 43. 25. In thy perplexed and troubled thoughts about returne after backsliding by those comfortable encouragements Ier. 3. 1 12 13 14 22. Hos. 14. 1 2 4. In doubts of losing the loue of God and life of Grace by consideration of those passages in Gods Booke where it appeares that the loue of God vnto his child in respect of tendernesse and constancy is infinitely dearer then that of a most louing mother to her little one Isai. 49. 15. stronger then the stony Mountaines and Rocks of flint Isa. 54. 10. as constant as the courses of the Sunne and of the Moone and of the Starres and of the day and of the night Ier. 31. 36. and 33. 20. nay as sure as God himselfe Psal. 89. 33 34 35. In the Haile stormes of slanderous arrowes and empoysoned darts of disgrace by cleauing to most glorious promises 1. Pet. 4. 14. Mat. 5. 11. In the valley of the shadow of death by an assurance of Gods mercifull omnipotent presence Psal. 23. 4. In the extremitie depth of such desperate distresses and perplexities wherein in thy present feeling thou canst see and find no possibilitie of helpe from Heauen or Earth God or Man but art both helpelesse and hopelesse as the Church complaines Lam. 3. 18. by such like places as those Isai. 33. 9 10. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Gen. 22. 14. Exod. 14. 13. Psal. 78. 65. In euery thing or any thing that shall or can possibly befall thee prosperitie or pouertie crosse or comfort calmnesse of conscience or tempests of terror life or death c. by extracting abundance of vnconquerable patience and peace of soule from those three heauenly golden conduits of sweetest comfort Rom. 8. ver 18 28 32. Thus in any trouble of soule body good name outward state present or to come thou mayest by the soueraigne power of faith working vpon the Word not onely draw out the sting and expell the poison of it but also create a great deale of comfort to thy truly-humbled soule and maintaine it in despite of all mortall or infernall opposition in a constant spirituall gladnesse For all those promises whereupon thy heauy heart in such cases may repose and refresh it selfe haue their being from the blessed name Iehoua see Exo. 6. 3. and therefore are as sure as God himselfe they are sealed with the bloody sufferings of his onely Sonne and therefore as true as truth it selfe and if thou be in Christ are all as certainely thine as the heart in thy body or blood that runnes in thy veines Nay and a little more for thy comfort the glory of Gods truth is mightily aduanced and himselfe extraordinarily pleased by thy more resolute stedfast and triumphant cleauing vnto them What a blessed sweete and heauenly life then is the life of faith V. Apprehend in thy minde and settle in thine heart a true estimate and right conceit of the substance and power marrow and materials of Christianitie Which doth not consist as too many suppose In outward shewes profession talking in holding strict points defending precise opinions contesting against the corruptions of the times in the worke wrought externall formes of religious exercises set-taskes of hearing reading conference and the like in some solemne outward extraordinarie abstinences and forbearances censuring others c. But in righteousnesse peace ioy in the holy Ghost in meekenesse tender-heartednesse loue in patience humilitie contentednesse in mortification of sinne moderation of passion holy guidance of the tongue in workes of mercy iustice and truth in fidelitie painfulnesse in our Callings conscionable conuersing with men in reuerence vnto superiours loue of our enemies an open-hearted reall fruitfull affectionatenesse and bounty to Gods people in heauenly-mindednesse selfe-deniall the life of faith in dis-esteeme of earthly things
furious and filthy proiects in outward acts and vpon obiects abroad their abominable desires rebounding as it were with an impetuous and vnsatisfied rage vpon their heated and enuenomed passions act and execute any kinde of villany vpon the inuisible forge of a cursed contemplation It is strange to consider how many who carry a counterfeit heauen in their outward behauiour should harbour such execrable hells in their hearts 3. Let not passe such a golden opportunitie for thy spirituall good without some sweet comfortable conference with thy God in secret Call and cry out towards Heauen for some speciall Graces by which thou mayest bee most inabled to glorifie God most and to keepe in thy brest a chearefull and heauenly spirit as for precious and incomparable iewels to be purchased with the losse of ten thousand Worlds but not to bee parted with for as many Worlds as thou hast haires vpon thy head Begge with greatest earnestnesse and extraordinarie intention of spirit mortifying grace and spirituall strength for the crushing and conquering of those speciall lusts and vnruly passions that most hant thee and hurt the peace of thy conscience Let a sorrowfull suruay of all thy sinnes draw from thee some hearty groane and feruent eiaculations for mercy and pardon or a summary view of Gods blessings and fauours towards thee fill thy heart with many ioyfull lowly and most thankfull thoughts c. Thus or in the like manner let some part of thy solitarie time be sure to be seasoned with holy musings and talke with God IV. Concerning company I aduise I. That thou neuer cast thy selfe into wicked company or presse amongst the profane especially vpon choice voluntarily and delightfully and abide no longer with them at any time vpon any occasion then thou hast sound warrant and a calling thereunto It is vncomely and incompatible with good conscience it is not for the honour or comfort of Gods children to keepe company or familiarly conuerse with gracelesse men In which point to preuent misconceits and mistakings consider there is a double fellowship 1. Common cold and more generall In treading bargayning buying selling saluting eating and drinking together and in other passages of humanity and entercourse of ciuill society to which charity nature necessity or the exigents of our generall or particular calling doe warrantably lead vs. 2. Speciall deare intimate In consultations and counsels about matters of speciall secrecy greatest weight and highest consequence In spirituall refreshments religious conferences prayer marriage all manner of neerest engagements In a free vnreserued communication of their soules mutuall exchange of the thoughts of their hearts faithfull reuelations of the spirituall state of their consciences one vnto another and in such like blissefull pangs and passages of Christian loue and ardent sanctified affection The former of these the Christian must of necessitie entertaine and exercise sometimes with the men of this world except he will goe out of the world 1. Cor. 5. 10. But the second fellowship is the Saints peculiar The Christian is bound out by the Booke of God the Law of heauen vpon his alleageance to his Lord and Soueraigne and by the common Charter of Gods children from conuersing with delightfull intimatenesse and from the exchange and exercise of those speciall passages of dearest acquaintance with profane men children of darkenesse and enemies of God For these and the like reasons 1. He thereby incurres a double hazard The one of infection with sinne the other of infliction of punishment 1. He that toucheth Pitch saith the Wise man shall be defiled therewith and hee that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like vnto him Can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Can a man goe vpon hot coales and his feete not be burnt Prou. 6. 27 28. Neither can any familiarly and intimately conuerse with a profane man but he shall be corrupted There is a strange attractiue and imperious power in ill company to empoyson and peruert euen the best dispositions 1. By holding familiar correspondence with lewd companions there first steales vpon a man a secret and insensible dislike of his former sober courses Hee begins within himselfe to censure and renounce his former wayes of innocency and harmelesse conuersation as too restrayning and distastfull to the ordinary liberty of youth and common frailty of flesh and blood and as too much dissweetned and straitned with vnnecessary strictnesse and abridgement 2. Secondly there slyly insinuates into his heart a pleasing approbation and delightfull assent to the sensuall courses and sinfull pleasures of his lewd companions 3. Thirdly there followes a resolued and habituall change of affections and conuersation a transformation into the manners and conditions of those with whom he doth so familiarly conuerse 4. Fourthly he growes ill-affected and disconceited towards good men and godly exercises because in their prophane boysterous and furious conuenticles of good-fellowship hee heares them dayly rayled vpon iested at belyed and slandered and not a man amongst them to take their parts and to stand on Gods side And therefore by little and little hee himselfe is also transformed into a scoffing Ishmael a breathing-Deuill and so becomes at last as much the child of hell as any of that gracelesse company and damned crew Thus and by such steps and degrees as these many many times especially in the Uniuersities and Innes of Court of good nature honest disposition and perhaps religious education are by little and little caught and fearefully corrupted and at length brought to horrible and vtter confusion both of reputation and outward state both of soule and body by the infectious villanies of lewd and naughty companions But ordinarily Gods children are not in such danger from notorious sinners and from men of such desperate and reprobate conuersation For who in his right wits will runne vpon a man which he cleerely sees hath the plague sore running vpon him What Christian in his right minde spiritually hauing any feare of God in his heart life in his soule or tendernesse in his conscience will delightfully thrust himselfe into the company of swearers drunkards scorners filthy talkers prophane iesters or any fellowes of such infamous ranke especially sith the soule is a thousand times more capable of the contagion of sin then the body of any infectious disease The hurt which the Christian doth take in this regard is most from meerely ciuill men as such as onely professe in forme who being more tolerable and plausible comp anons and yet disacquainted with the great Mystery of Godlinesse vnseasoned with the power of inward sanctification and vnpractised in the wayes of sincerity doe secretly and insensibly infuse if not a notorious infection with some scandalous sinne yet many times a fearefull defection from zeale forwardnesse and feruencie in the wayes and seruices of God Throw a blazing fire-brand into the snow or raine and its brightnesse and heate will bee quickly put out
which is common in carnall worldlings to rage with extreme folly and basenesse against thy wife children seruants cattell or any thing that comes in thy way for euery crosse accident worldly losse domesticall miscarriage nay many times to torture thine owne heart and trouble others in this kinde vpon meete mis-takings groundlesse surmizes and misconstructions but rather take this gracious lesson from the Lord Iesus his owne mouth Math. 11. 29. Learne of mee for I am lowly of heart and an example of patience from his first Martyr Act. 7. 60. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge 3. Let the sweet experience of Gods patient and mercifull dealing with thee soften thine heart with a compassionate sence of other mens weakenesses and a melting forwardnesse to forgiue If hee out of the riches of his mercy hath remitted vnto thee ten thousand Talents what a base wretchednesse were it to fly in the face of thy fellow-seruant and to take him by the throat for an hundred pence If he intreated thee of all loues and with all long-suffering to come into his stretched out armes of mercy when thou layst wallowing abominably in the gore-blood of thy many scarlet and crimsin sinnes foughtest on the Deuils side to the losse of the very life-blood of thy soule and euery time thou camest to the Lords Supper shedst the precious blood of his blessed Sonne what a shame is it vnto thee to fall a raging and swell with anger for the meere ouer-sight many times vnwilling miscarriage and vnpurposed errour of those perhaps which otherwise obserue thee with obsequiousnesse and loue 4. If a man will not bee mooued with more faire and ingenuous motiues to master and mortifie this Bedlam rage I speake in this passage to him that hates to be reformed let him bee amazed and amend for shame sith the holy Ghost hath charged euery man not to meddle or make any league of friendship with him while he nourisheth and giues the reines to this bosome-Rebell Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Pro. 22. 24. What a monster is a man of anger that Salomon should set such a brand vpon him whereby euery one is warned to beware of him and fly from him as from a nettling dangerous vnsociable creature A word or two of another passion before I passe out of the point and that is Feare which I had not toucht at this time had it bin only a Rack wheron the hearts of couetous ambitious and carnall men are wofully rent and torne tortured all their life long and not also a cruell engrosser of too much golden time euen from Gods children not without impressions of much fruitlesse sadnesse and vnnecessarie discontent The vanitie and tyrannie of this passion is specially seene and exercised 1. In putting all reall stings into imaginarie euils and drawing true and bitter sorrowes from supposed sufferings 2. In an ouer-greedy apprehension and anticipation of sorrowes to come so that a man by too much forethoughtfulnesse and painefull preconceit doth suffer them many times before they seize vpon him 1. For the first who feeles not the phantasticalnesse of opinion to forge and fasten vpon him many dreadfull obiects which of themselues haue no vigour to vexe because no reall being and existence yet truely torture and afflict by the onely strength of imagination Thus one eates his owne heart with griefe for losse of those riches and that superfluous wealth which if hee had euer still possessed hee would neuer haue vsed Another lies vnder the continuall slauerie of restlesse feare lost fire or robbery some alteration in the State or desolation of warre should disperse his hoard or hazard his temporall happinesse One is haunted with much thoughtfulnesse and carking what shall become of his children after his death what men will say of him when hee is gone lest his wife should marrie after his departure For naturally our minds are so vaine that besides the abundance and burden of present cares they will transport our desires and affections beyond our selues and being Another frettingly feares that hee shall be vndone in a deare yeere or the next Rot of sheepe and tires himselfe with varietie of plots for commings in for many yeeres to come when many times he dies in the meane time Some take vp too much precious time from present and more profitable meditations by troubling their hearts lest if the times turne they should not be able to endure the fierie triall whereas afterward perhaps they end their life in the peacefull noone-tide of the glorious Gospel Others vpon thought or talke of death are ready to entertaine fearefull apprehensions lest they should disgrace their Christian life with an vncomfortable end and by some extraordinarie temptation rauing furious carriage lye open to the worlds interpretation sinister censures misconstructions of their former courses when as after it may be they conclude their dayes calmely in good memory to the last gaspe without any storme or cloud of feared horrour and discomfort except former distrustfull feares iustly bring vpon them that which they feared For sith euery one whose life hath been consecrated to Gods glory with truth of heart doth certainely passe thorow those dreadfull pangs and last paine into pleasures endlesse and vnspeakeable hee ought also to submit with all patience and quiet to glorifie him and to be seruiceable to his secret ends with what kind of death he please whether it be 1. Glorious and vntempted 2. Discomfortable by reason of bodily distemper and by consequent interpretable by vndiscerning spirits 3. Mingled of temptations and triumphs 4. Or ordinarie and without any great shew or remarkeable speeches after extraordinarie singularities of an holy life which promised an end of speciall note and obseruation 2. For the second besides these vtterly vnnecessarie and meerely imaginarie miseries many fearefull spirits especially haunted with the humour of melancholy will not suffer also certaine and ineuitable euils which at length must needs befall them to sleepe and keepe in their stings vntill the time appointed but many times awake them by the cry of Feare like so many sleeping Lyons and cowardlily prouoke them with timorous expectation to rent their hearts and sting terribly before the time Thus our vaine mindes torment vs more with the feare of euils then with the euils which we feare spurre vs on with much vnmanly folly to meete in the mid-way nay to ouertake out-run sorrowes to come and make vs a thousand times miserable with one indiuiduall misery For instance Thou hast a child and perhaps but one which thou louest most dearely for that affection which would be seuerely strong towards ten or how many soeuer is vnited in it alone Thou enioyest a wife whose death would be vnto thee as the losse of halfe thy heart and so proportionably of any worldly comfort Now certaine it is thou must at length part from all these or what else soeuer most deare and
confine his thoughts the workings and agitations of his spirit to the managing of the affaires and mastering the miseries of the present day The strongest minde and best composed is weake enough to sustaine the brunt and encounter of euery dayes crosses Temporall troubles or spirituall temptations fightings without or terrours within are the certaine portion of the Saints in this vale of teares And what day so faire comes ouer the Christians head wherin he scapes Scot-free as they say herein Sith therefore euery day brings foorth sorrow sufficient for the exercise of the retiredst presence of the most recollected spirit and the heartiest man shall haue his handfull in passing patiently and profitably thorow present troubles which many times fall as thicke vpon him as one waue in the necke of another what a base and vnworthy weakenesse is it to vnfit and disable our already too weake minds for a comfortable dispatch and digesting of dayly vncomfortable occurrents by such needlesse sencelesse fruitlesse distractions vagaries of vanity and Vtopian peregrinations As either 1. To loose them in the endlesse maze of imaginary afflictions 2. Or to waste them by vntimely wrastling with certaine euils to come 3. Or wound them with a painefull remembrance of sorrowes already past For some there are so ouer-greedie of grieuing themselues and transported with the tyrannicall vanity of their owne mindes that besides their trouble with present fained and future miseries collect also matter of mournefulnesse from time past For instance Thou hast lost thy dearest child which is one of the extremest earthly crosses and goes neerest the heart but long since so that if reasons from reason and Religion asswaged not the immoderation and excesse of thy sorrow yet time hath worne out and wiped away thy teares and made thee weary of weeping but notwithstanding thy vaine minde will not suffer that griefe which euen length of time hath buried long agoe to lie quietly in the graue but drawes into consideration and remembers for the nonce its speeches fauour pretty behauiour and other louely circumstances to make thy heart bleed afresh and wring from thine eyes new torrents of teares c. Soueraigne therefore against these Harpies and deuourers of the heart is that counsell of Christ which I haue commended vnto you from his owne mouth seconded also by the Apostle Philip. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing That is with tearing and torturing the heart with carking thoughtfulnesse anxiety fretting impatiencie Doe not waste and weaken thy minde immoderately vnseasonably imaginarily vntimelily with distrustfull anguish pensiuenesse and base prostitution of the flower and sinew of thine immortall spirit to fruitlesse and endlesse impertinencies and mis-imployments For by the way we must take notice and acknowledge notwithstanding what hath beene said against carking and other needlesse distractions and exorbitancies of vaine mindes that a moderate Christian prouident care and fore-cast is both conuenient and commanded both for prouision of things necessary and preuention of dangers But this is not distressefull but delightfull because enioyned by God See 1. Timoth. 5. 8. For performance of Gods Commandement and the very act of Obedience with sincerity should beget much spirituall sweetnesse delight and ioy in the heart And a faire easie vnangry prouidence for things needfull and time to come sweetned with the life of Faith and a patient relyance vpon Gods wise and mercifull disposing all our affaires and their successe is one thing and a restlesse carking and pursuite after things vnnecessary imaginary and sometimes impossible embittered with many slauish feares of fained or future euils is another It is profitable also to gather matter from time past by contemplation of youthfull pollutions crosses and corrections for sinfull courses companions in iniquity or any other aggrauating circumstance for the increase of godly sorrow and hatred of sinne But this is ioyfull and easeth the heart for howsoeuer carnall ioy and sorrow can neuer consist together at the same time yet that which is Christian sweetly ought and may of what sort soeuer the sorrow be For first causes of it from without as reproches persecutions shame crowne the Christians head with aboundance of glory his heart with ioy his soule with blessednesse 1. Pet. 4. 14. Acts 5. 41. Matth. 5. 10. Secondly if it bee inward for sinne and corruption there is great matter of much ioy for it sweetly signifies the sofâ—…ning and melting of the heart and by consequent the presence of Gods sanctifying Spirit Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne are like an Aprill showre which though it wet a little yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes flowers and fruites of the earth A great man guiltie of high Treason comes to the Blocke to loose his head In the very nicke when hee is ready to lay downe his necke a gracious Pardon is shewne from the King whereupon he bursts out abundantly into teares springing partly from an angry indignation against himselfe for his trayterous carriage towards so tender-hearted a Prince partly from an inexplicable ioyfull sence of his owne safety It is proportionably so when wee mourne for Him whom wee haue pierced and in Euangelicall repentance God hath so mercifully ordered all things for his that if they be not wanting to themselues they may be euer merry and finde continuall matter of reioycing See 1. Thes. 5. 10. For he well knowes what great need their poore hearts haue of this ioyfull affection both to sweeten their outward sufferings and bitternesse from the world and also to season their spirituall sacrifices and seruices vnto himselfe And besides it is one thing to rake with our remembrance into the graue of buried griefes for sharpning the teeth of worldly sorrow to eate our hearts Another thing to make our memories minister matter from former times of more humiliation vnder Gods mighty hand deeper detestation of our abominable vilenesse and to make our hearts many and many a time melt againe and bleed afresh with comfortable softnesse and godly sorrow for youthfull sinnes VII Prize and ply as a most sweet excellency and comfortable perfection in Christianitie a right and religious ordering of thy tongue It is very materiall and of speciall importance for preseruation both of outward and inward peace Originall corruption hath naturally put vpon euery mans tongue an empoysoned fierie edge whereby like a sword in a Bedlams hand it kils and slayes on all sides wofully wounds his owne conscience infects and enuenomes mortally the soules of the present mangles the good names of the absent with deadly malice and so bathes it selfe remorselesly in continuall bloodshed for there is heart-murther and tongue-murther as well as hand-murther vntill the attainment of this grace and mortifying circumcision of such an vnruly euill That it may therefore neither be vnseasonably idle nor sinfully exercised besides many other caueats and constant watchfulnesse take notice of and to heart and practise
of conscience bee fearelesse and senselesse of the wrath of God the wrong of his neighbour and the wretchednesse of his owne soule yet if he desire as hee doth with a raging vnsatiablenesse like the graue or hell to thriue in his outward state and prosper in the world let him not meddle so much as with a sticke or a straw a pin or a point of another mans neither at any time put his hand to any wicked way of getting lest beside the losse of his soule at last and a world of miseries in the meane time hee misse the very marke so eagerly aimed at of making him and his great in the world For hope of which hee is cursedly content to part with all true contentment in this life and a Crowne of blisse in the Kingdome of heauen For this purpose and to perswade and presse this point vnanswerably let vs take a view in Gods Booke of the diuers waies how he is wont in wrath to deale with wrong-doers and vnconscionable dealers It comes to passe sometimes that the wicked worldling insatiable earth-worme God cursing his couetousnesse and cruelty may see an end of his wealth euen in this world according to that Ier. 17. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on egges and hatcheth them not so hee that gettethriches and not by right shall leaue them in the middest of his dayes and at his end shall be a foole Iob 20. 15 28. Hee hath swallowed downe riches and he shall vomit them vp againe God shall cast them out of his belly The increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath Or it is no strange thing to see him prosper by vnconseionablenesse and craft vsurious and other iniurious practises all his life long but then hauing scraped together his hoard of iniquity with a great deale of carking thoughtfulnesse and selfe vexation kept it with extreme feare slauish distrust and heart-gnawing iealousies parted from it with much anguish horrour and almost with as painfull diuorce as that of the soule from the body at last after the losse of it soule and all 1. He either leaues it to them who will liberally let flie abroad and enlarge those golden heapes which greedinesse had formerly confinde and strongly guarded with bolts and barres According to that Prou. 28. 8. He that by vsurie and vniust gaine increaseth his substance hee shall gather it for him that will pitie the poore See also Prou. 13. 22. Iob 27. vers 16 17. 2. Or it may be wholly scattered amongst meere strangers according to that Eccles. 6. 2. But a strange man shall eate it vp See also Psalm 39. 6. Eccles. 4. 8. and 2. 18 19. 3. Or being bequeathed to his owne children and blasted by Gods secret curse it may melt away in their hands as snow before the Sunne according to that Eccles. 5. 13 14. There is a sore euill which I haue seene vnder the Sunne namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt But these riches perish by euill trauell and he begetteth a sonne and there is nothing in his hand But howsoeuer whether ill gotten goods perish or prosper in the owners hands or his posteritie sure I am the ineuitable plague and iust vengeance of God cleaues inseparably vnto his soule and hunts that man to destruction whosoeuer he be that enricheth himselfe by wicked and wrongfull meanes without timely repentance and true restitution if he be able He that hath oppressed the poore and needy or hath spoyled by violence or hath giuen vpon vsury or hath taken increase the same reason is also of all indirect and vnlawfull getting shall he liue He shall not liue he hath done all these abominations hee shall surely die his blood shall bee vpon him Ezek. 18. vers 12 13. And maruaile not neither be mis-led though thou obserue sometimes wicked worldlings themselues their heires and heires heires to wallow also in that wealth which the Grandfathers got wrongfully For they are for all this but as so many sensuall earth rooting hogs fatted for the knife and haue this wofull brand set vpon them by the Spirit of God Psal. 17. 14. They are men of the world and haue their portion in this life But euer hold this as a terrible and true principle It is one of the greatest curses vnder the Sunne to prosper in our wayes and be out of the way to Heauen 3. Thirdly it is a ruled case and concurrent resolution amongst Diuines That if thou doest not restore being able whatsoeuer thou hast any waies got wrongfully and wickedly thou canst haue neither well grounded assurance of vnfained repentance nor true comfort of the pardon of that sinne A cutting conclusion against all cut-throat Vsurers Simonists Sacrilegians Bribe-takers Grinders of poore mens faces Hoarders by fraud Oppressors of all vnder them of the same trade by some Machiuillian tricke and the rest of that cruell crue How can he be said to repent soundly that lies still soaking in his sinne wittingly and willingly Now whosoeuer keepes still in his hands any thing wickedly got continues a wrong doer still and therefore doth it not faithfully but only faineth repentance Whereupon saith Austin If a man restore not ill gotten goods being able his repentance is not comfortable but counterfeite Dreadfull also is the doome of the said Father vpon all wrong-doers The sinne is not remitted except that which hath been vniustly taken be restored Either in act if thou be able or at least in vnfained affection if thy state be wasted What a bedlam folly is it then and cursed cruelty to thine owne soule to heape vp those riches of iniquity by basenesse and wrong which thou must afterward restore in the sense I haue said or else neuer enioy any comfortable assurance of a true conuersion or pardon of sinne Were he not a foolish thiefe that would keep his stollen goods both in the face of his accuser and Iudge Though in the meane time thou conceale thy cunning conueiances from the discouery and doome of humane iustice yet assure thy selfe besides the secret grumbling of thy selfe-accusing conscience the angry eye of God also sees cleerely and will shortly most certainely reuenge 4. Almesdeeds charitable erections of Colledges Hospitalls Free-Schooles and other inferiour bountifull contributions when God inables by good meanes the necessities of his Poore cry for reliefe and the sanctified heart with affectionate sincerity aimes at Gods glory are sweete-smelling sacrifices with which God is well pleased Philip. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. But if his slauish gifts and good deedes largesses and liberalities in this kinde be impoysoned with former fraud oppression and wrong though it bee well that the Church of God sometimes the backes and bellies of the poore bee better thereby yet to the impenitent and not restoring vsurer himselfe or any other wicked dealer in respect of acceptation with God and true comfort to his
let her brests satisfie thee at all times be thou rauished alwayes with her loue See also Eph. 5. 25. Methinkes this charge from the holy Ghost being often reuerently remembred should euer beate backe and banish from both their hearts all heart-rising and bitternesse distaste and disaffection all wicked wishes that they had neuer met together that they had neuer seene one anothers faces c. When the knot is once tied euery man should thinke his wife and euery wife her husband the fittest for him of any in the world Otherwise so often as he sees a better he will wish that his choise were to make againe so fall off from respect to this Commandement and from kindnesse and loue to his owne Which is an inexpiable disparagement to Gods prouidence and an execrable empoysoner of Marriage comforts 2. That by the power of the honourable Ordinance of Marriage the two are made one And therefore they ought to be as louingly and tenderly affected one vnto the other as they would be to their owne flesh 3. The compassionate and melting compellations which Christ and his Spouse exchange in the Canticles My faire one my sister my loue my Doue my vndefiled my welbeloued the chiefe of ten thousand c. whose chaste and feruent loue that of married couples should resemble and imitate 4. That these mutuall expressions and exercise of this matrimoniall loue are very powerfull to preserue chastity and purenesse in body and spirit on both sides It is noted of Isaac that he loued Rebekah dearely and this was a speciall preseruatiue that hee fell not to Polygamy or concubines as many of the Patriarkes did II. Faithfulnesse 1. In respect of the Marriage-Bed which they ought on both sides to keepe inuiolable vndefiled and honourable Wherein if they transgresse besides an whole hell of spirituall miseries they strike at the very sinew heart and life of the Marriage Knot and become liable if the Magistrate should doe as God commanded amongst his people to the bloody stroke of a violent death And therefore it behooues all that enter this state to bee humbled and repent for all former wantonnesse or else a thousand to one it will breake out either into a sensuall immoderate abuse of the Marriage which the Fathers call Adultery with a mans owne wife or else into a lustfull hankering after the strange woman 2. In respect of domesticall affaires and businesses of the family The care and burthen whereof is common to them both The Husband that hath a prodigall and slothfull wife doth but draw water with a Siue as the Heathen man said and casts his labours into a bottomlesse sacke And the wife that is maâ—…cht with an idle vnthristy Husband drawes a Cart heauy laden through a sandy way without a Horse By which is intimated an impossibility of thriuing in the world and prospering in their outward state 3. In the concealement of each others secrets It is a very vnnaturall and monstrous treachery to publish one anothers faults and frailties or any thing which in hope of keeping counsell they haue communicated one to another They are ill birds as they say that defile their owne-nests and franticke Bedlams that so throw dirt in each others faces III. Patience Which is as precious and needfull an holy dutie as I can possibly commend in this case for comfortable conuersing together For a more prepared and constant exercise whereof consider 1. That two Angels are not met together in a Matrimoniall state but a sonne and daughter of Adam And therefore they must looke for infirmities frailties imperfections passions and prouocations on both sides 2. That it is a charge giuen to all That the Sunne must not goe downe vpon their wrath much more to Man and Wife linked together in the neerest bond 3. That there neuer did nor euer will come any good by the falling out of Man and Wife Well may they thereby become ridiculous to their seruants a by-word to their neighbours Table-talke to the Countrey troublers of their owne house and as a continuall dropping one vnto another but they shall neuer gaine by their mutuall hastinesse passions and impatiencie What good can come by a mans anger and indignation against his owne flesh What prodigious madnesse is it for them to grow strange whom so many and perpetuall bands haue tyed so fast and who without dearest and most intimate familiarity can neither enioy ciuill contentment or peace of conscience Suppose that the heart should fall out with the head and deny vnto it those spirits which become animall in the braine and serue for exercise both of sence and by consequent of the higher part of the soule What would follow but distemper distraction and madnes Or that the head should fall out with the body and thereupon restraine from it the influence of animall spirits the instruments of the quickning and moouing it What would become of the head when the body were dead Proportionable mischiefes and miseries fall out vpon the Marriage-state by falling out strangenesse bitternesse and angry reseruednesse betweene the parties This grace then will be of excellent vse and must be exercised many wayes 1. In bearing with the wants and weakenesses infirmities and deformities of each other And let the man for the woman is the weaker vessell remember for this purpose how many faults frailties and falls and how many times Christ remits and pardons to his Spouse the Church And hee ought to loue his wife as Christ doth the Church Eph. 5. 25. The body doth not reiect the head because it is bald or but one eyed The head rageth not against the body because it is deformed or diseased but doth rather condole and sympathize 2. About crosse accidents in the family losses in their outward state going backward of businesses c. They must not lay the fault one vpon another to the breaking out into choler impatiencie and stamping but both ioyne with blessed Iob in that sweet and meeke submission to Gods pleasure The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. 3. In waiting for the conuersion of one another if either prooue vnconuerted In which case be patient pray and expect Gods good time We haue God himselfe a sweet Patterne for this purpose See before pag. 102. Or if the one be but a Babe in Christ weake in Christianity deale fairely louingly and meekely Let our Lord Iesus his tender-heartednesse to spirituall younglings teach vs mercy this way See Isa. 40. 11. IV. An holy care and conscience to preserue between themselues for there is a coniugall as well as virginall and viduall chastity the marriage bed vndefiled and in all honour and Christian purity It ought by no meanes to be stained and dishonoured with sensuall excesses wonton speeches foolish dalliance and other vncleane incentiues of lust which marriage should quench not inflame Euen in wedlocke intemperate and vnbridled lust immoderation and excesse is deemed
through his pouertie might bee rich Shall the onely deare innocent Sonne of the All-powerfull and euer-blessed Lord and King of heauen and earth dis inrich as it were and disrobe his heauenly Highnesse of that Royaltie and Maiestie aboue and become so poore that whereas the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the ayre haue nests yet Hee not where to lay his head that through his pouerty and powring out his hearts blood hee might crowne vs with the inestimable riches of heauenly glory with ioyes and pleasures more then the starres of the firmament euen for euer and euer and shall not we Wormes and wretches most vnworthy the least bit of bread we put into our mouthes part with our superfluities sometimes both in respect of the necessity of nature and exigencie of estate as the Schoolemen speake to relieue the fainting soule of him for whom Christ died and which he would take as done vnto himselfe Matth. 25. 40. were it but a cup of cold water onely Mar. 9. 41. Monstrous vnthankfull cruelty mercilesnesse meriting without Gods singular mercy and turning mercifull our selues the fiercest flame in the dungeon of fire and brimstone 4. The last and euerlasting doome at that great and dreadfull Day must passe vpon vs according to our carriage in this kinde Then shall there be a seuere and sincere search and enquirie made after workes as the signes euidences and outward demonstrations of faith and the roote of grace in the heart or of vnbeliefe and rottennesse at the heart-roote and consequently as arguments of a righteous doome passed vpon the Sheepe and Goates That glorious sentence of absolution Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world which sounds out nothing but pleasures ioyes delights glories beauties felicities crownes kingdomes Angelicall entertainments beatificall-visions spirituall rauishments highest perfections vnutterable exultations of spirit sweetest varieties eternities shall be pronounced vpon the godly according to the effects and fruits of their faith to teach vs in the meane time what faith to trust vnto and rest vpon for iustification euen that which works by loue and at that day to let all the world see Angels men and deuils that the kingdome of Heauen is giuen onely to true-hearted Nathaneels honest Professours working beleeuers Now in the text for this purpose there is singled out with special choice an eminent Synechdochicall instance in one of the worthiest effects of faith and noblest fruit of grace euen the point I now presse and labour to perswade an open-hearted reall fruitfull bounty and loue to Gods people and distressed members of Christ Iesus for Christs and their goodnesse sake But that other doome of damnation Depart from me you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his angels which breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone stings and horrours woe and alasse flames of wrath and the Worme that neuer dyeth trembling and gnashing of teeth seas of vengeance torments without end and past imagination shall passe vpon the reprobates for omission and neglect of this noble dutie For mercilesnesse to the poore members of Christ vnkindnesse to Christians hard-heartednesse towards the houshold of faith is one of the ranckest bitterest weeds which growes out of a gracelesse heart a cleare pregnant euidence that all was naught and a notable remembrancer as it were to that high and euerlasting Iudge that his blessed Spirit neuer dwelt there How deeply then doth it concerne euery Christian to practise and ply vpon all opportunities that most gainefull art of almes-giuing which shall be so highly honoured at that great Day before that glorious vniuersall presence when euery mercilesse man shall cry to that Rocke this mountaine to fall vpon him and hide him from the wrath of that iust God which will flame vnquenchably and euerlastingly against all those who in this life haue shut vp their bowels of pitty against His poore and been dogged towards the dearely beloued of his Soule I know Bellarmine labours to empoyson this last passage with his false glosse and Popish sophistry The causall coniunction For Matth. 25. 35. as hee there cauils intimates and implyes workes meritoriousnesse I say no. For is there a Note of consequence and order not of the cause or any meritorious causality The causall coniunction in Grammar doth indeed serue to shew the reason of a former sentence but it doth not necessarily shew a reason from the cause of a thing but many times also from the effect and other kind of arguments And Logick also reacheth that there be diuers kinds of causes principall and lesse principall c. Bellarmine replyes Doth not Christ there speake in the same manner of the rewards of the godly and of the punishments of the wicked But no man can say that in these words Goe ye cursed c. that the cause is not rendred but onely the order and consequence implyed For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. I answer By the like fallacy also doe the Popish Impostors pleade for Iustification by Workes Euill workes damne therefore good workes saue Most falsely as appeares by that rule in the Topicks The consequence is of no validitie where there is not a perfect contrarietie Now betweene good and euill workes there is no perfect contrarietie for euill workes are perfectly euill against the Law of God but good workes are not perfectly good according to the Law of God By the same reason neither doth it follow Eternall death is the wages of sinne therefore eternall life is the wages of good workes 5. If thou lay out to the poore cheerefully seasonably liberally and yet but according to thy abilitie thou shalt become which besides the onely course of growing comfortably rich is also a Crowne of infinite honour Creditor euen to thy Creator Hee that hath pitie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which he hath giuen will he pay him againe Prou. 19. 17. And in the meane time for repayment in due time thou hast securitie infinitely aboue all exception a Bill vnder his owne hand euen his owne blessed Booke wherein to faile were to forfeit his Deity if I may so speake which is prodigious blasphemie to imagine Now what a keene spurre and inflaming motiue is this to bee mercifull that wee shall make God himselfe our Debter the euer springing Fountaine of Blisse and Lord of all goodnesse who doth all things like himselfe omnipotently bountifully aboue all expectation as becomes the mighty Soueraigne of Heauen and Earth If he worke he makes a world If he be angry he drownes the whole face of the Earth If he loue the hearts-blood of his dearest Sonne is not too deare If he stand vpon his peoples fide he makes the Sunne to stand still and the Starres to fight If he repay hee giues his owne All-sufficient Selfe with the ouerflowing torrents
of the faithfull For that which the Deuill putting on the glory of an Angell of light puts vpon his followers in this kinde falsely and groundlessely That the blessed Spirit performes to those who are true of heart truely and vpon good ground For it is not the vniuersalitie and excellencie of all naturall ciuill meerely morall politicke and learned endowments and sufficiencies but aboue and besides all these a supernaturall heauenly and speciall worke of the Spirit sanctifying thē all for Gods glorious seruice It is not a bare taske of holy duties religious exercises presence at the ordinances outwardly performed but the soule as it were of sauing grace animating and informing them with spirituall life reuerent heartinesse and fruitful improouement It is not the glistering blaze of a visible forward profession of Religion but the power of godlinesse and sincere practise of workes of iustice mercy and truth It is not a generall participation of the Spirit the Spirit onely of illumination or largest speculatiue cōprehensions of sacred knowledge but an humble fruitfull experimental skill and dexterity in the mystery of Christ and of walking humbly with our God which doth soundly comfort the heart of a man spiritually wise about assurance of his happy estate to Godward And therefore the true Christian when he would refresh his spirits with the sweet contemplation of his spirituall safety and comfortable being in a gracious state causeth his sincere conscience to answer in truth to such like interrogatories as those which I haue proposed for triall in such a case in my Discourse of true happinesse pag. 85. c. Reuiew the place and ponder well vpon them He ordinarily hath recourse vnto and runs ouer in his mind with an humble rauishing commemoration the heauenly footsteps and mighty works of the holy Ghost in his conuersion speciall watchfulnesse ouer his wayes sincere-heartednesse holy strictnesse and sanctified singularities in his conuersation which as they are peculiar to Gods people so are the mysteries and strange things to the best vnregenerate man and that thus or in the like manner Blessed be God saith hee within himselfe that euer it was so yet so it was The holy Ministery of the Word sanctified and guided particularly for that purpose by the finger of God happily seized vpon mee while I did yet abide in the armes of darkenesse and the Deuils snares a most polluted carnall abominable wretch and effectually exercised its sauing power vpon my soule both by the workings of the Law and of the Gospell It was first as an hammer to my heart and broke it in pieces By a terrible cutting piercing power it strooke a shaking and trembling into the very center of my soule by this double effect 1. It first opened the booke of my conscience wherein I read with a most heauy heart ready to fall asunder euen like drops of water for horror of the sight the execrable abominations of my youth the innumerable swarmes of lewd and lawlesse thoughts that all my life long had stained mine inward parts with strange pollutions the continuall wicked walking of my tongue the cursed prophanation of Gods blessed Sabbaths Sacraments and all the meanes of saluation I euer meddled with In a word all the hels sinkes and Sodoms of lusts and sinne of vanities and villanies I had remorselesly wallowed in euer since I was borne I say I looked vpon all these engrauen by Gods angry hand vpon the face of my conscience in bloody and burning lines 2. Whereupon in a second place it opened vpon mee the Armory of Gods flaming wrath and fiery indignations nay and the very mouth of hell ready to empty themselues and execute their vtmost vpon mine amazed and guilty soule In these restlesse and raging perplexities wherewith my poore soule was extremely scorched and parched with penitent paine His wrath who is a consuming fire wringing my very heart-strings with vnspeakeable anguish Iesus Christ blessed for euer was lifted vp vnto me in the Gospell as an Antitype to the erecting of the brazen Serpent in the Wildernesse In whom dying and bleeding vpon the Crosse I beheld an infinite treasurie of mercy and loue a boundlesse and bottomelesse sea of tender-heartednesse and pitie a whole heauen of sweetnesse peace and spirituall pleasures Whereupon there sprung vp and was inkindled in mine heart an extreme thirst ardent desires vehement longings after that soueraigne sauing blood which alone could ease my grieued soule and turne my foulest sinnes into the whitest snow So that in the case I then was had I had in full taste and sole command the pleasures profits ioyes and glory of many worlds willingly would I haue parted with them all and had I had a thousand liues freely would I haue layd them all downe nay with all mine heart would I haue beene content to haue lyen for a season in the very flames of Hell to haue had the present horrour of my confounded spirit comforted from heauen and my spirituall thirst allayed and a little cooled but with one drop of Christs precious blood the darknesse desolations of my wofull heart refresht and reuiued but with the least glimpse of Gods fauourable countenance The edge eagernesse of which inflamed affections made me cast about with infinite care how to compasse so deare a comfort Then came into my minde the holy Spirit being my mercifull Remembrancer those many melting compassionate inuitations more warming and welcome to my heauy heart then many golden worlds more delicious then delight it selfe Matth. 11. 28. Reu. 21. 6. Ioh. 7. 37. Isa. 55. 1. 57. 15 16. Ezek. 18. 30 31 32. 33. 11. So that at last O blessed worke of faith staying my selfe and resting my sinking soule vpon the Rocke of eternity and the impregnable truth of these sweetest promises sealed with the blood of the Lord Iesus and as sure as God himselfe I threw my selfe into the mercifull and meritorious armes of my crucified Lord with this resolution and reply to all terrors and temptations to the contrary that if I must needs be cast away they shall teare and rent me from the tender bowels of Gods dearest compassions vpon which I haue cast my selfe If they will haue me to hell they shall pull and hale me from the bleeding wounds of my blessed Redeemer to which my soule is fled Whereupon I found and felt and I blesse God infinitely and will through all eternity that euer it was so conueied and deriued vpon me from my blessed Iesus the welspring of immortality and life a quickening influence of his mighty Spirit and heauenly vigour of sauing grace wherby I became a new man quite changed new created By this vitall moouing and incubation as it were of the Spirit of Christ vpon the face of my soule all things became new mine heart affections thoughts words actions delights desires sorrowes society c. Old things passed away behold all things become new And I am sure my change is sound
A sound and vndeceiuing perswasion that thou art euerlastingly lockt in the armes of Gods mercy and loue grounded vpon the Word seconded and set on by the Spirit is a most rare and rich Iewell which doth infinitely out-shine and ouerweigh in sweetenesse and worth any rocke of Diamond Cristall Mountaine or this great Creation were it all conuerted into one vnualuable Pearle and therefore is infinitely enuied and assaulted mightily on all sides It is continually hunted like a Partridge on the Mountaines by naturall distrust the policy of Satan and all the powers of darkenesse There is not a wicked spirit but is transported with implacable indignation against that heauen vpon earth and therefore rages and roares about thee still to rob and bereaue thy humble brest of such an heauenly Iemme Besides the two maine ends and generall aimes of all the malice and machinations of those apostated angels 1. the dishonour of God and 2. the discomfort of mens soules In this poynt they are peculiarly enraged with extreme hellish anger to see a mortall man a childe of Adam crowned by Gods mercifull hand euen in this life with right and interest and as it were an earnest penny of the Inheritance with the Saints in light and of those blessed Mansions of glory and rest of which by their Apostacy and pride they haue vnhappily and euerlastingly depriued themselues Neither onely so but they imploy also their Agents enuious to the grace of God and thine owne fearefull heart to charge falsely many times vpon thee Hypocrisie and delusion left that white stone giuen thee by the holy Ghost the splendor and sweetnesse whereof none knoweth but hee that hath it should fairely shine vpon thy sad soule with that lightsomenesse and comfort as it both may and ought Whereupon it must needes follow that if thy perswasion be well grounded and assurance true it will be accompanied and often exercised with feares iealousies doubts distrusts varieties of temptations Satans firiest darts iniected scruples contradictions of flesh and blood cauils of carnall reasons want of comfortable feelign c. which will many times necessarily driue thee to cry mightily to God and complaine at the Throne of grace against all this hellish ordnance and assaults of thy vnbeleeuing heart by the wrastling of faith to warme thy â—…oule with meditation vpon the promises to re examine and reuise thy grounds to confirme thy watch to resort for counsell strength and comfort to the quickening meanes experience of former sweet feelings and motions of the Spirit to truly iudicious Diuines experienced Christians dayes of humiliation bookes of best rellish to a spirituall taste c. But now on the contrary side his presumptuous confidence and groundlesse conceit lyes in the Pharises bosome with much quietnesse and security without doubting difficulty contradiction or any such adoe The reason is his carnall heart is well enough content and meddles not because it still feedes vpon the delights of his darling sinne without disturbance Satan is too subtill to interpose tempt or interrupt in such a case For he well knoweth that his foundation is falsehood his hope of heauen but a golden dreame and therefore in policy he holds his peace that hee may hold him the faster Take notice by the way that that very thing which makes many a truehearted Christian to doubt of himselfe and of the soundnesse of his spirituall state should put him out of all doubt euen often exercise with doubts temptations multiplyed attempts against his faith and assurance of Gods loue prayed against humbly resisted and opposed with cleauing vnto the tenderheartednes of Christ truth of his promises though for the present he hath little or no feeling no such ioy and peace in so beleeuing And that very thing vpon which the deluded Ones doe build and many times boast themselues to wit that they are vntroubled vntempted in point of faith and pretended assurance may returne an infallible remonstrance to their own consciences that they are certainely deceiued For doubtlesse that faith which is neuer assaulted with doubting is but a fancy Assuredly that assurance which is euer secure is but a dreame Many a Pharise stands by the bedside of the sincere Professor visited with affliction of conscience and many heauy temptations secretly and sinfully pleasing himselfe in the vnblessed calmenesse of a groundlesse confidence and in his freedome from such terrors and spirituall troubles when as himselfe is like an Oxe fatting in the greene pastures of impunity and outward prosperity for the day of slaughter But the afflicted party is as precious gold purifying in the Lords refining furnace that hee may afterward come out and shine more gloriously 4. In that heart to which the Spirit of God testifies that we are His children Ro. 8. 16. doth the same Spirit create many feruent eiaculations strong cryes vnutterable groanings verse 26. The testimony of the Spirit is euer attended with the Spirit of prayer That glorious glimpse shining into the soule and assuring it of saluation is so sweete so heauenly so rauishing so transcendent and incomparably aboue all earthly ioy that it warmes the spirit of a man with quickning life liberty to powre out it selfe in the presence of his Lord and his God before the Throne of Grace sometimes in more hearty triumphant and as it were winged prayers at other times in those which are more faint and cold yet edged with infinite desires that they were more feruent and therefore by the way as it were mingled and perfumed with the soueraigne satisfactory incense in the Golden Censer which the Angell of the Couenant holds in his hand are graciously accepted of him which by an excellency and title of highest honour is stiled the Hearer of Prayers or at least with vnexpressable groanes and inward wrastlings for preseruation recouery enlargement of that same comfortable assurance it selfe and of all other holy graces and fruits of the Spirit purity of heart conquest ouer corruption neerer communion with God spirituallmindednesse and such other heauenly guests amongst whom it is woont to dwell with delight and represent it selfe more comfortably But now on the other side euery deluded Pharise is a meere stranger to the power of Prayer His presumption and groundlesse confidence is but a weede which will grow of its owne accord and therefore is not sensible of any necessity neither feeles any want of constant prayer from a broken heart vniuersall obedience or the holy precisenesse of the Saints to support it 5 An assurance of Gods Loue vpon sure ground doth mightily quicken keene and spurre forward the ingenuous Christian to more holinesse hatred of sinne resolution in good causes watchfulnesse ouer his heart walking with God Hauing these promises saith he let me cleanse my selfe from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hauing this hope I will labour to purifie my selfe euen as He is pure To
and scorne from the World for thy profession which naturally much nettles a noble spirit doe crowne thy head and should fill thy heart with abundance of glory blessednesse and ioy If ye be reproched for the Name of Christ happy are yee saith Peter for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth vpon you 1. Pet. 4. 14. Blessed are yee saith Christ himselfe when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my sake reioyce and be exceeding glad Math. 5. 11. 12. Scurrilities and scoffes all spitefull speeches odious nick-names lying imputations cast vpon thee in this kind by tongues which cut like a sharpe rasor are in their due estimate and true account as so many honorable badges Let no cowardly Christian then decline them with wounding of his conscience of thy Christian magnanimitie and resolute standing on the Lords side and at the Throne of Christ will be certainely reputed as characters of speciall honour and remembrancers of thy worthy seruice whereby thou shalt appeare more acceptable and amiable in the eyes of Almightie God and all that glorious triumphant Church aboue 5. If thou rightly temper and well weigh euen thy sorest sorrow and the very bleeding of thy heart for sinne it should bee so farre from damping the lightsomnesse of thy spirit that it ought to open vnto thee a well-spring of purest ioy For the penitent melting of our affections and kindly mourning ouer Him whom we haue pierced with our sinnes argues infallibly and sweetely assures the presence and sanctifying power of the holy Spirit And what greater comfort or sweeter delight then that which ariseth from a well grounded euidence that the Fountaine of all comfort dwels in our soules Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne are like an April showre which though it wet a little yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes flowers and fruits of the earth As euen in laughing the heart of the wicked is sorrowfull so contrarily euen in such mourning the heart of the true penitent is lightsome and comfortable For habituall ioy may not onely consist with actuall sorrow and contrarily but also euen actuall ioy with actuall sorrow This is no strange thing in other cases when wee see a good man persecuted for a good cause stand to it nobly wee grieue for his troubles but reioyce in his resolution and vndauntednes As wee ought then to grieue bitterly for our sinnes so let vs reioyce immeasurably for such ingenuous grieuing Let vs lament heartily ouer him whom we haue wounded with our abominable lusts but let vs also bee infinitely glad at the very heart roote that they are all pardoned by the powring out of his blood Not the most exquisite quintessence and extraction of all manner of Musicke Sets or Consorts vocall or instrumentall can possibly conuey so delicious a touch and rellish to the outward eare of a man as a certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit sealed with Christs blood to the bruised heart and grieued soule of an humble sinner in the very depth of his sorrow 6. If thou be troubled with temptations and exercised euen with varietie of them heare the holy Ghost Count it all ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations To let other particulars passe From the very foulest and most griesly suggestions of Satan thou mayst collect this common glorious comfort That thou art none of his For as hee is wont to keepe vnconuerted men in as merry a moode and faire a calme of outward contentment and inward securitie as he can possibly retiring and reseruing his most fiery darts and hideous temptations vntill hee haue them at some dead lift and vnauoidable strait so all that are broke out of his hellish prison by the help of the holy Ghost he ordinarily pursues with deadly rage and all the powers of darknesse Hee hunts them in his fittest seasons like a Partridge in the Mountaines with troubles without and terrours within The lesse peace thou hast therefore from him the more pleasure mayst thou take in thine escape out of his clutches The more restlessely he followes thee with the fury and variety of his temptations the more sweetly and securely if thou wilt giue way to the counsell of the Prophets and the worke of â—…aith mayst thou repose thy wearied soule vpon the comfortable assurance of being certainly Gods 5. Euery one that hath part in Christs death is bound in conscience and bidden by the blessed Spirit to leade a most merry life euen to keepe a Feast a spirituall Holyday as it were from all seruile terrours slauish sadnesse vncomfortable deiections of spirit For euen Christour Passeouer is sacrificed for vs therefore let vs keepe the Feast 1. Cor. 5. 7. The sweetnesse and excellency of this Feast is notably set out and amplified by 1. the beautifull garments wee put on and weare when we are admitted vnto it 2. The matter and magnificent prouision 3. The musicke 4. The franke and bountifull entertainment and plenty 5. The extraordinarie pompe and princelinesse 1. For the first meditate ioyfully vpon that rich attire and those Royall attributes glorifying and crowning Christs blessed Spouse with most admirable and rauishing beauty Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with Banners And know that all the essentiall glory and fairenesse which is to be found in the whole Church the Woman clothed with the Sunne as that of iustification and sanctification c. belongs to euery member thereof to euery faithfull Christian. As the morning 1. The morning springs out of the greatest darknesse the night is most darke as they say a little before day the illuminated soule arises out of the most darksome and damned graue of ignorance and sinne 2. The beauty of the morning is principally seene in her ruddinesse The soule that is newly deliuered out of the horror of Egyptian darknesse and hands of the hellish Pharaoh is all ruddy with passing thorow the red Sea of Christs blood that is the ground vpon which all its beauty and blessednesse is built 2. The glory of the morning after its first peeping in the East spreads fairer and fairer in all beauty and brightnesse vntill the mid-day and full illustration of the World Grace in the soule after the first plantation growes stronger and stronger shines fairer and fairer vntil it set in the bottomlesse Ocean of endlesse Glory See Prou. 4. 18. Faire as the Moone 1. The Moone receiues all her light and lustre from the Sunne all the graces holinesse inherent righteousnesse shining in a sanctified soule are the image and impressions of the Sunne of righteousnesse 2. The Moone hath some spots in her face but yet is a very beautifull creature by her borrowed light The Christian is somewhat blacke with the remnants of
originall corruption and by reason of his vnauoideable frailties and imperfections but yet comely as the curtaines of Salomon by the glory of his new creation and gracious beames that shine vpon his soule from the face of Christ. 3. The further the Moone is remoued from the Sunne the fairer she is and fuller of light The more an humble soule vpon sight of that holy Maiestie and purest eye ten thousand times brighter then the Sun which cannot look on iniquitie doth retire with lowliest thoughts into himselfe to abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes as most vile and farre worthier to be throwne into the lowest dungeon of the kingdome of darknesse then to bee honoured with the loue and light of his countenance is more beautifull and amiable in the eyes of God Fure as the Sunne The Moone shadowes out inherent fairenesse the Sunne resembles and represents our imputed puritie So that this Royall Robe the Sunne of righteousnesse the vnspotted Iustice of Iesus Christ doth glorifie the soule 1. With an entire vnstained beautie our inherent holinesse hath some spots and staines of imperfection like the Moone but that imputed for our iustification is much more spotlesse and orient then the Sunne 2 Vniuersally Wee are washed as it were from top to toe in the blood of Christ and couered wholly with his perfect righteousnesse 3. Constantly The exercise of spirituall graces and sence of inward comfort may sometimes ebbe and waâ—…e for a time but the Robe of Christs Royall Iustice once put on by the hand of Faith is sure and the same for euer Terrible as an armie with banners Besides this rich and royall attire all this abundance of spirituall fairenesse and beauty wee are to put on also leâ—…t hellish Harpies that I may so speake snatch away our delicious and diuine dainties that glistering Armour thicke seâ—… with heauenly Pearles described Ephes. 6. The glorious splendour whereof is able to dazle the deuils eyes to daunt his courage and driue him out of the field For hee well knowes it to bee tryed and of proofe worne by our Captaine Christ Iesus who foild him by the sword of the Spirit in that great combate in the Wildernesse Mat. 4. And it is that by which the weakest Christians shall shortly by the blessing of the God of Peace bruise Satan vnder their feet The summe is The heauenly attire of a sanctified soule is farre fairer and more amiable then the exquisite concurrence of all earthly beauties and visible glory Were the light of all the starres aboue collected into Sunnes which Astronomers say would make many and added vnto that great bright Body the Prince of all the lampes in heauen nay if besides there were an accession of all the orient splendour of all the Pearles and Iewels of all the Crystall and glistering things in this lower world and all compacted into one beautifull body it would be but as a lumpe of darknesse to the glory and fairenesse of a sanctified soule For the beauty and amiablenesse of an holy soule inflames the heart and affections of the Sonne of God with an extraordinarie pang of spirituall feruent loue Cant. 4. 9. whereas not all the glory of the world though represented to his eye with the fairest lustre and in the most refined forme could moue him euer a whit Matth 4. 8 9 10. Plato was wont to say if morall vertues could be seene with the outward eye they would stirre vp in the heart extraordinary flames of admiration and loue what vnspeakeable rauishments then would Christian graces enkindle were they visible to the carnall eyes They would be able to make Persecutors Professors to turne euen Drunkards into Puritans as they call them the most sensuall Epicure into a mortified Saint For the second Let thy spirituall appetite seed merrily vpon that sweetest place Isa. 25 6. And in this mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts c. Heere is prouided as wee may see a magnificent and glorious feast composed all of marrow and fatnesse of most refined and purified wines which shadow vnto vs spirituall delicacies those golden dainties digd out of the rich myne of the mysterie of Christ by the hand of Faith in the Word Sacraments Prayer Communion of Saints solemne humiliations sweet Soliloquies solitary conferences with our God feeling forethought of infinite ioyes thorow eternity c. Euery circumstance breathes out nothing but sweetnesse In this mountaine It is dressed in Mount Zion The perfection of beautie The ioy of the whole earth The glory of all Lands which represents vnto vs by way of shadow and type the ouerflowing glory of the Christian Church the very Heauen of all humane societies our onely Sunne in this inferiour world which though so much maligned yet were it remooued there would bee a little hell vpon earth and nothing left but a darke Midnight of villany and horror for incarnate Deuils to domineere in A feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Hereby is intimated the matter of the Feast and Royall prouision amplified with extraordinary Emphasis of words elegancy of phrase and iteration of the same sence with variety of expression which also argues its excellency It is not enough to haue said of fat things but there is added of fat things full of marrow and so proportionably of the wines to intimate the most exquisite refined flower of all delicacies and dainties The marrow of the fatnesse as if a man should say the spirit of the quintessence the Diamond of the Ring the sparkle of the Diamond c. And yet all this comes infinitely short of what the holy Ghost would shadow and shew vnto vs by the most sumptuous materials of earthly Feasts But aboue all that which makes the Feast most matchlesse is the Feast-maker Iehouah is the founder and furnisher of it The maker of heauen and earth makes it The Poets describing men of most ambitious appetites after choisest dainties say that they rob all the Elements to please their palates The Master of this Feast the euer-blessed Iehoua tells vs of his store and treasuries this way Psal. 50. 10 11. Euery beast of the 〈◊〉 is mine and the cattell vpon a thousand hills I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wild beasts of the field are mine But all these being but onely matter of corporall food are yet nothing to the spirituall sweetenesse of this heauenly Banqueâ—… The secret and sacred delight of those diuine dainties intended here by the holy Ghost being vnspeakable and glorious doth infinitely transcend the possibility of all creatures to contribute and the capacity of the largest naturall vnderstanding to conceiue So must be construed as a worthy Diuine sayes truly that Text 1 Cor. 2. Not of the ioyes of heauen which heere the spirituall man himselfe cannot tell what they shall bee but of the Gospels ioy of the Wine and
Fatlings ready prepared and now reuealed to the Beleeuer by the Spirit For the third Heare the voice of sweetenesse and peace Esa. 27. 2. Sing vnto her A Vineyard of red Wine Sing sounds nothing but ioy lightsomnesse and mirth Unto her the sexe of more amiablenesse tendernesse and loue A Vineyard Vineyards Orchards Gardens and such inclosed Plots are as it were the flowers starres and Paradises of the earth Of Wine as though the Vine-trees of this Inclosure brought not foorth the grosser and vncrushed Grapes but more immediately the refined and pure blood of the Grape Red The most generous sparkling delicious wine A Vineyard is as it were the Diamond of the Ring wine the sparkle red the splendour of the sparkle all excellencies sweetenesses transcendencies where God opens expresses his heart and loue to his Church or any of his Chosen For the fourth Let thy faith peruse with enlarged Meditations those precious passages of gracious inuitation and bountifull entertainement Mat. 22. 3 4. Isa. 55. 1 2. Pro. 9. 2 3. Cant. 2. 3 4. Thou shalt sucke and be satisfied euen with the brests of consolations Thy dearest and most glorious Mother which is clothed with the Sunne treads vpon the Moone and weares on her head a Crowne of twelue Starres shall sweetly and tenderly beare thee vpon her sides and handle thee vpon her knees Isa. 66. 11 12. For the fifth It is compared to a wedding Feast and that of a Kings sonne which is woont to be honoured and crowned with height and variety of all magnificence and Maiestie ioy and triumph mirth and musicke When an humbled soule is first made sure to the Sonne of God the ioyfull harmony of all good hearts that heare of it and the triumphant Halleluiahs of the blessed Angels in heauen concurre in consort as it were of congratulation for so happy a match in gladnesse and ioy for so holy a change This Feast begins at thy first betrothing when thou receiuing a Ring as it were beset with fiue precious stones 1. Righteousnesse 2. Iudgement 3. Louing kindnesse 4. Mercies 5. Faithfulnesse It is afterward continued with many gracious passages of loue and sweetest entertainements on both sides euen in this life as appeares in Solomons Spirituall Loue-song It shall at last be crowned with an euerlasting Iubilee and pleasures moe then the Starres of the firmament in number when the Lambe receiues his wife into his neerest and dearest embracements euen into full possession of the most blessed neuer-ending Kingdome of heauen bought for her full dearely with his owne hearts blood Then our Feast of grace ends in the endlesse fruition of Glory How merry then ought wee to be in the meane time who are admitted and enrighted to this gracious and glorious Feast Of expressing which to the life the finest fare and most exquisite delicates of all earthly feasts come as farre short as the dull earth comes short of the glistering heauen a grosse mortall body of the preciousnesse of an euerliuing soule An inch of time of the length of eternity For corporall dainties fat a fraile body for a span of time with earthly food accompanied with a little poore vanishing delight of sence But spirituall food fills an immortall soule with heauenly Maâ—…na out of the mysterie of Christ attended with purest ioy and sincerest pleasures through all eternity 6. As thou doest honour Gods Iustice in trembling at his threats and throwing thy selfe into the dust as extremely vile and fewell for hell vnder his mighty hand and the piercing Maiesty of his pure Word representing clearely vnto thy conscience and pressing terribly vpon it the hainousnesse of all thy lusts iniquities abominable prouocations of the eyes of his glory and diuine indignation flaming against them so when thou findest and feelest thy heart truly wounded by the sword of the Spirit with remorse and sorrow for thy sinnes weary with the heauy weight and burthen of them possessed with sincere hatred and lothing of euery euill way thou oughtest and are bound in conscience and by the commandement of the holy Ghost to glorifie Gods truth in his promises of mercy by throwing thy selfe into the blessed armes and bleeding embracements of the Lord Iesus dying vpon the Crosse in whom they are all yea and Amen with much assurance and peace with vnspeakeable and glorious ioy And the rather because the speciall season and onely opportunity of thy magnifying and honouring the sweet influence of Gods dearest mercies tender-heartednesse and truth vpon humble soules through the precious promises of life is in this life In the world to come they shall all bee accomplished vpon thee to the vtmost and crowned with a cleere vision and full fruition of that euer-blessed and most glorious Maiesty Then faith for euer expires and we see face to face These things being so and most sure let euery true-hearted Nathaneel be heartily intreated nay iustly charged in the name of Iesus Christ by the blessed Spirit the fountaine of all comfort as hee will answer it at the glorious Throne of Mercy erected in heauen vpon purpose to make him euerlastingly merry that hee henceforth most resolutely and for euer cast out of his conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lambe and out of the Kingdome of Christ ouerflowing with Peace and Ioy now comfortably established in his soule those intruding vsurpers Tyrants onely naturall Lords ouer naturall men I meane horrours of guiltinesse false feares slauish terrours damps and droopings all vncomfortable pensiuenesse deiections and feare And leauing such Harpies as these and heart-eaters onely to the grumbling and guilty consciences of all those that hate to be reformed and Satans slaues as their proper furies let him with an holy violence against the deuils cruell assaults and contradictions of his owne distrustfull heart and with a cheerefull spirit lay hold vpon his iust inheritance and euerlasting portion purchased for him by the bitter and painefull sufferings of the Sonne of God euen floods and fresh successions of sweetest ioyes shed and showred downe continually from the Throne of Grace vpon his vpright heart in great abundance if hee will but onely vouchsafe to open the doore by the hand of faith that the blessed beames of such lightsomnesse and comfort shining from the face of Christ may come in Let his soule full fairely arayed with its heauenly roabes to which the beauty of the morning brightnesse of the Moone and glory of the Sunne are but a shadow and listning sweetly to that melodious Song composed all of Peace and Ioy Pleasures and Pardon of finne which the mercy of God makes in the eare of its faith fall to and fill it selfe at the Wedding Feast of the Kings Sonne with those euer-springing riuers of spirituall refreshing out of the bottomlesse depth of Gods free loue reuealed in the mysterie of Christ by the ministery of the Word and Sacramentall grace as with marrow and fatnesse Let it sucke aboundantly and be satisfied with the
brests of euerlasting consolations And sith hee is incorporated into Iesus Christ and vpon all assayes hath the wings of faith in a readinesse to outsoare the height of all humane miseries let him for euer stand like Mount Zion inexpugnable and vnshaken with the most furious incursions of the floods and tempests of all worldly troubles pressures and persecutions Let all those monstrous and most abhorred iniections filthy temptations and fiery darts pointed with the very malice of hell ordinarily offered to the imagination of the best bee resolutely repelled by the shield of faith and retorted as dung vpon the Tempters face Let all vngodly oppositions from man or deuill or fearefull distrust be but as so many proud and swelling waues dashing against a mighty Rocke which the more boisterously they beate vpon it the more are they broken and turned into a vaine foame and froth But to descend with thee more punctually to some particulars Tell mee truly thou which hast giuen thy name to Christ in truth what it is that troubles thee what is it that still detaines thine heauy heart in the chaines and fetters of horrour and sadnesse and lockes it vp so long from the entrance and entertainement of spirituall lightsomenesse and ioy And if I bee not able to confront and confound it by some well-grounded counter-comfort and Antidote out of the Oracle of truth if I be not able to discouer it to bee a selfe-created crosse and to dissolue it into an imaginary and groundlesse fancie by the light of the Word then walke heauily still Onely beleeue the Prophets and thou shalt prosper Thou must then bee contented to be counselled by the faithfull Physicions of thy soule who can shew vnto man his vprightnesse and are instructed vnto the kingdome of heauen especially fetching all their prescriptions receits and counterpoysons out of the rich Treasurie of the Booke of Life Thou must learne 1. To put a difference betweene nullity of grace and imperfection of grace Many good soules desire sincerely that their hearts were broken in pieces and bled at the root for their many and hainous sinnes grieuing much that they can grieue no more They hunger and thirst for Christs righteousnesse more then for the wealth of the whole world They groane mightily in spirit for Gods fauour pardon of sinne power ouer their corruptions ability to pray better c. But yet because they feele not that measure of sensible smart and anguish of heart in lamenting their former life as they desire because they haue not their wished ioy and peace in beleeuing because they cannot now pray as feruently and feelingly as they perhaps were formerly woont not with that freedome and heartinesse as they would in a word because they are yet but smoaking flaxe and bruised reedes not full shining lampes and strong Pillars in the House of God they will needs haue all to be nought Whereby they I will not say belie the Spirit but most vnworthily deny and in their conceites nullifie his already wonderfull glorious worke vpon their soules to their I know not how great spirituall hurt and hinderance For such intolerable vnthankefulnesse may bee iustly punished and paide home with longer detainement vpon the Racke of distrustfull slauish feare and vnder the bondage of Legall terrours It is a speciall point then of spirituall wisedome and of singular consequence for the soules quiet and welfare to discerne weakenesse of grace from want of grace Christ Iesus declaring in his heauenly Sermon who are blessed doth not instance in the perfections excellencies and heights of Christianity though all that are true of heart sincerely pray for and presse after them but in the least and lowest degrees lest the smoking flaxe should bee quenched and bruised reedes bee broken He doeth not say Blessed are the stong in Faith the full assured Blessed are those that take on for their sinnes as for their onely sonne and for their first borne but Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Blessed are the poore in spirit c. 2. Not alwayes to make sence and feeling the Touchstone for the truth of thy spirituall state A man in a swoone or a sleepe feeles not his life and yet is a liuing man It is one thing to haue grace another to feele grace One thing the life of faith another the life of sence 3. Not to disgrace thy owne graces by casting thine eye too deiectedly vpon other Christians perfections and precedencies Let it not fare with thee in this case as it doth with one gazing too much vpon the Sunne who looking downewards againe can see iust nothing whereas before he cleerely discerned all colours about him Looke vpon them for imitation and quickning not for slauish deiection and selfe-blinding 4. To acknowledge and expect that heauenly graces as Faith c. while they inhabite these earthly houses ebbe and flow waxe and wane faint and flourish by reason of the combate betweene the flesh and the Spirit So that if a man should tell mee that he hath euer prayed alike without temptation or dampes without any sence at any time of deadnesse or spirituall distempers that he hath euer beleeued alike without those doubts and scruples that faintnesse and feare of which most Christians so much complaine I durst confidently reply that then he neuer either prayed acceptably or beleeued sauingly The Fathers fitly resemble the state of the Church to the variable condition of the Moone which sometimes shines more gloriously sometimes not so It is so also with euery true member thereof in respect of the exercise of grace comfort in holy duties sence of Gods fauour spirituall feeling 5. To beleeue the Spirit of Truth the Word of God and voice of Christ before the father of lies dictates of naturall distrust and suggestions of flesh and blood To which methinks thou shouldest be easily perswaded and then all the mists of thy spirituall miseries would be quickly dispersed It is a mighty worke if not a great miracle to get any softnesse at all or true remorse for sinne into the heart of a man it is naturally so stony and impatient of griefe and the deuill such a stirrer against it so that the most are meere strangers vnto it yet for all that when this penitent sorrow is once sincerely on foote in an afflicted soule so endlessely and on euery side are wee prest with the policies of Hell it is too often too forward to feede vpon teares still and still too wilfull in refusing to bee comforted Satan then will bee ready to say Thou seest now thy conscience being illightened thy sinnes are so horrible and haiâ—…ous that they are too heauy a burden for thee to beare there is no way with thee but to sinke into horrour and despaire But what saith Christ Nay now is the season Come vnto me thus weary and heauy laden with thy sinne and I will refresh thee Here now if thou wilt beleeue the