pollicie of Satan which will not sticke if he caÌ„not tickle vs with pride and lull vs in securitie at least to deiect vs with the conscieÌ„ce of our vnworthinesse and insuffiâ—iencie of Gods Blessings 1. Because others haue more 2. Or they are giuen not for good because we cannot but in some measure abuse them 3 Or they are decayed and therefore not entending our perfection 4. Or they are common and ordinarie and therâ—ore not to be regarded To preuent this abasing had had we not need to make ouâ— our seluâ—s poore to see our vnworthines of the least and therefore to blesse GOD for any to see the sufficiencie of what we haue aboue our desart that so we may giue God glorie that makes what we haue to serue the turne to be so abased in our decay that still we are contented to abase our selues further in giuing vnto our GOD the glorie of his faithfulnes that he will recouer satisfie vs againe to be so abased in our abuse that yet we can be more abased in renouncing our owne righteousnes because we are corrupt and yet the more abâ—sed in giuing the Lord the onely glorie of all his free mercies by resting alone vpon CHRIST for the acceptance of well doing Thus must we abase our selues to preueÌ„t satans abasing 6. Lastly let vs consider that if wee make not our selues poore to preuent securiritie and vnthankfulnes Our God will abase vs and that many wayes 1 both denying comfort of his graces Yea 2 Taking them from vs yea leauing vs to reproachefull and grosse offences yea yeelding vs to the smiting of a wounded spivite and shal we not then preserue peace of conscience by abasing our selues shall wee not preuent the reproach of our profession shal we not preserue the comfortable vse of Gods blessings yea shall wee not take down the pride of our harts that the graces of God may not be taken from vs Well let these motiues serue to prouoke vs to this holie wisedome comforting our selues that we can neuer be losers at Gods hands if he winne glory by our abasing of our selues 2 Nay the more we loose in conceite of Gods blessings the more we shall gaine in the vse of them the more we shall reape câ—mfort by them And therefore in the feare of God let vs set vpon the practise of this dutie And the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things and accoÌ„plish his owne worke which he hath begun in vs euen for his blessed sonne Christ Iesus his sake our onely Lord and â—all sufficient Sauiour To whose glorious Maiestie with God Almightie the father of all spirits and God the holy Ghost the guide and comforter of the Elect. Three persons in Trinitie ouâ— God in Vnitie Migâ—â— and Maâ—estie As we acknowledge to be due so from the ground of our hearts we desire to be giuen All glorie power dominion might maiestie thanksgiuing and entire obedience of vs and all the Churches from this time forth and for euer more Amen Conclusion to to the Reader THus hast thou Christian Reader a briefe of such Meditations which it hath pleased my good God to impart vnto mee concerning the Estates of the Hypocrite and syncere Christian as also of their seuerall wisdomes in Husbanding their Estates My harts desire is that thou wouldest laye these thinges close into thy heart neither stuÌ„bling at the want of complement which my leisure and weaknes yea indeede the matter it sesfe would not afford or at such obscuritie which partly the briefe haÌ„dling but especially the matter being experimentall may giue occasion vnto But in the name of God Iudge wisely of my drift heerein And labour with thy God in prayer that thou maist sâ—und the depth thereof And seeing thou wilt hardly plough without my hayfare therefore let this experience be a meanes to prouoke thee to discerne thine estate And so buy thou in the teare of God that spirifuall eyesalue oâ— thy Sauiour Tesus Christ labouring to be found in him not hauing thine owne righteousnes That so being pertaker of his spirit thou maiest be able to discernt all things comparing spirituall things with spirituall things And so being able ther by to trie all things thou maiest hold that which is good that it may hold thee for euer Certainely if euer Times had need of direction and resolution these are they wherein because we will not obey the truth it is â—ust with God to giue vs vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies In so much that if it were possible the very elect might be seduced I would it were not more then manifest that euen the most are growne cold and carelesse of what they should iâ— not staggering in their Iudgements yet vnstable in that practise readie to embrace this present world but that the world flies from them Blessed be our God who knowes what 's best for vs how gladly would we serue God and Mammon too how willingly would we haue our heauen here and yet not forgoe our right thereof in another life But our GOD will not endure our halting he confoundâ— our confidence in exceeding mercy And happie is he that can prepare his soule to afflictions Certainely if we will not trie our selues the Lord will take vs further in hand haue we not had enough alreadie for the iniquitie of Baal peor for our sparing of Bâ—nhadad and enduring the viper in our bosoms that poysons our people daily and stings them to death but that Hamâ—n must be further aduanced and poore Mordekay humbled Hath not the spanish Inuasion yet scholed vs to haue no fellowship with Gods open enemies hath not the powder Treasons taught vs what to expect of secret Enemies The Lord make vs wise to see the plague aud hide our selues Hath not the Lord fought against vs with all the ElemeÌ„ts hath not the Infections ayre brought vpon the land euen A seuen yeeres pestilence raging scowring our most secure and eminent places euen round about And hath this Iudgement yet brought vs to see the plague of Atheisme and Securitie the plague of Hypocrisie and Prâ—phanenesse that is in our harts and spreades it selfe as a leaprosie ouer all the quarters of the Land Haue not the fearefull Earthquakes so often of late renued in our most lofâ—tie palaces signified plainely vnto vs that the Land is wearie of her burthen and doth threaten to spew vs out doe they not forewarne to tremble and stand in awe of the Maiestâ—e of our God and obey his Prophets lest being pertakers of the gainsayings of Core our mother earth at length shall swallow vs vp and so in the middest of our securitie we shal sinke downe into Hell can we forget how the Lord hath pleaded his controuersie further against vs Nay doe we not see how still this controuersie is renued euen by most strange and fearefull fires arresting not onely our solitarie cornersâ— and obscure Villages as if the poore ignoâ—aÌ„t
people were the greatest sinners but â—easing vpon our most popoelous Cities and best affected places thereby conuincing their coldnes and deadnes in religion And that as it hath bene obserued vsually vpon the Sabbath dayes meeting therin with the raigning sinne of the time the prophanation of the Sabaoth And confounding herein the pride of our holy mountaine as causing hereby the Sabaoth to become the day of greatest distraction busines which ought to be the day of holy rest to be the day of greatest griefe and astonishment which should be a day of ioy and thankesgiuings vnto our God And hath not the hand of the Lord bene yet further stretched out hath he not conuinced our coldnes in religion by that cold Element of the water haue not the mightie waues pleaded the Lords controuersie against vs breaking their acâ—ustomed bounds and taking away the pray and none could deliuer convincing herein our daily rebellions that will not be kept within the bands of obedience either to God or man Is not the hypocrite like the raging of the sea foaming out his owne shame hath not the proud waues convinced the hypocrite hath hee not vomited out his own shame in seking his glorie hath he not cast vp myre and dirt while he iustifies the wicked which are of his owne humour hath he not condemned the gouernment and resisted Moses and Aaron And so in seeking to amend others hath confounded himselfe And is not the hand of the Lord stretched out still hath he not confounded our carnall confidence in taking away the first borne eueÌ„ the hope of our happinesse that so at length out Eyes might be towards him alone Hath he not sent A spiritâ— of diuision among vs euen Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim and both against Iuda the Papist against all sectarie and both against the true Israelite the wise and sober protestaÌ„t that seekes after peace in truth holines Well who so is wise let him vnderstaÌ„d these things Let him know that as the Lord hath seuen plagues more Yea a consumption decreed euen to sweep vs away So also his hand is not so shortned that he cannot saue Blessed bee our God for the experience of his greate Saluation hath hee not preserued our Annoynted often from the snares of the hunter and froÌ„ the noysome pestilence Hath hee not giuen him an heart to begin go forward in the most glorious worke of detecting Antichrist and demolishing his kingdome And will hee not gratiously preserue him to accomplish that worke Hath hee not supplied our former losse in som gratious mesure by that happie Marriage Hath hee not left vs an hopefull Prince for the continuance of the Gospell Hath he not recompenced vs the yeares that the pestilence hath consumed And if we belieue shall we not see greater things then these The Lord make vs wise to be thaÌ„kfull for what we haue Surely as the least we haue is morâ—â— then we deserue so if we be faithfull in a little the Lord will encrease vs and if we First seeke the best things all these things shall be cast vpon vs. Labour therefore in the feare of GOD as we haue receiued CHRIST so to walke in him Haue wee not receiued him in Truth Is he not daily crucified vnto vs in the Conscionable Preaching of the word and liuely administration of the Sacraments And shall wee yet crucifie him againe by our vnnaturall contentions shall we crucifie him againe by our tearing and deuouring one another Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Iesus Christ that experience and wisdom hath wel cooled our vnnaturall heate and kindeled it more kindly against the coÌ„mon Aduersarie And shall not the patieÌ„t abiding of the righ teous be ioy shal not the meek and quiet spirite possesse the Land when the turbulent Sectary shall spue himselfe out shal wee not be thankfull for the Truth though wee are farre from perfection And if we cannot amend all shall wee not therefore labour more carefully euery man to mend One. The Lord giue vs wisedome to walke vprightly in these Euill times that wee may neither Wound where we should heale nor heale where we should wound Ezech. 13. Labouring wisely to heale what we haue rashly wounded and to wound more deeply what in carnall wisdome we would cure That so sound peace may redound to our Church and comfort to our soules Is it not more then time now to couer the nakednes of our mother whom we haue vnnaturally stripped both of credit and maintenance reproching her as an harlot so worthy to be dispoiled might we not doe well to recouer her credit by discouering our owne nakednes Our ignoraÌ„ce in speaking euil of the things we know not or haue not bene able to discerne our pride in censuring what wee haue no calling to amend our curiositie in seeking a knot in a rush our Hypocrisie in stumbling at strawes and leaping ouer blockes our vnthankefulnes in not acknowledging the good things we enioy our vnprofitablenes in neglecting our necessary callings vnder pretence of scanning and iudgâ—ng of the callings of others What should I say haue wee bene free from malice and birternes in our censuring and deprauings condemning callings for personall abuses exasperating the Magistrate by our presumtuous importunitie and insoleÌ„t calumniations hath not our incoÌ„stancie differences discouered apparantly the matter of our Building hath it not brought distraction and confusion to our selues and others hath not our carnalnes and couetousnes in the manner of our building each seeking to build vp himselfe with the ruines of his mother and yet vnder pretence to repaire the same Hath not this discouered y e plague in our hearts while we haue sought to remoue the plague in our Churches And is not the Lord exceeding mercifull thus to bring to passe that we haue wisely discouered our owne soares while we haue vnwisely labored to launce the diseases of our mother that so we might be either forced to seeke helpe for our selues so hereby giue some rest vnto the Church of God or else by purging out healing our particular euils we may by this â—canes the better further the healing of the whole bodie when euery member shall labour it own soundnes Surely if I faile not in my skill this will be the best way to procure peace abroad is to maintain warre at home If each could discerne how much he had to doe heere he should rather craue the helpe of the Church for his priuate cure then to vndertake a publike cure which doth not concerne him The Lord open our eyes that we may see our owne nakednes that so finding how bad we are we may esteeme of other better then ourselues especially whom the Lord hath in mercie set ouer vs that wee may giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars euen al holy conceipt reuerent behauiour all harty obedience to what is
woman he will destroy and deuoure at once Isay 42. 15. And yet see a further power of delusion My Maister hath deferred his coming Matth 24. 1. Pet. 3. 4. And therefore where is the promise of his comming saith the Hypocrite And thus dooth he make himself further rich in abusing Gods patieÌ„ce Thus doth hee open his mouth against Heauen and defie the Iustice of the Lorde that whereas the Lorde in great patieÌ„ce beareth with such vessels as are appointed to greatest coÌ„demnation Doth not the wicked abuse this patience to the nourishing and defence of his presuÌ„ption Is hee plagued like other men Hath not he bene spared when others haue smarted Psal 73. and therefore doth not the Lord loue him Nay is he not more righteous then others And if now this patience of the Almightie shal be a means of the continuance encrease of his prosperitie doth not this further encrease this delusioÌ„ would the Lord so blesse him if he did not loue him If his paths were not acceptable could he so wash his feete in butter could he so abound and encrease And hath not Sathan yet a further meanes to encrease this delusion yea surely the prosperitie of fooles shall prooue their destruction Pro. 1. The more the Hipocrite enioyes the pleasures of sin the lesse dooth hee thinke of GOD as he shuld the more doth hee coÌ„ceiue basely of him And because the Lorde holdes his peace therfore doth he conceiue that either the Lorde sees not so denies his prouidence or els he will neither do good nor eull so denies his Iustice or els he is like vn to him he likes of his sin so denies depraues his goodnes But will the Lord take this at the hypocrites haÌ„ds Surely no Behold because wheÌ„ he knows God seeing he will not glorifie him as God therefore shall he be giueÌ„ up to are probate sence EueÌ„ to call Light darknes darknes light Isay 5. 19. Isay 3â— 3. Flattering himselfe hereby in his Iniquitie though hee commit it with greedines and blessing his soule herein as a great purchase that now his conscience can excuse for sinne that so with authoritie hee may more securely reuell therein And thus through custome of sin his deceiued conscience becoms at leÌ„gth past feeling And this proues a furtherâ— occasion to encrease this delusion that now his estate is good All is well with him seeing the Byrde in the bosome hath lost her tongue the dead Conscience sayes nothing to the contrarie And if now all being husht at home the crie shall goe well abroade the world shall so flatter the Hypocrite because hee sawnes vpon it doth he not make himselfe rich with the words of men Is not his case good seeing all speake well of him And say that some in the world will not be measured by his line say that his holines is confounded by some one in a Citie or two in a Tribe some rare Byrds that the world knowes not and is not worthie of Yet shall not this any whit take downe the conceit of his Riches his estate is yet good enough though hee cannot attaine vnto them For why Doth not God bestow his graces diuersly to som one to some fiue talents yet he that hath but one hath therof sufficieÌ„t wil God require any more at his hands then he giueth May not the prime times require greater strictnes theÌ„ those that come after wil not a lesse measure serue at one time then at an other May not lesse be required of him then of other men Nay hath he not more reason to be borne withall then others hee hath had more hinderances and therefore though he haue lesse may it not be sufficieÌ„t And thogh hee come short of some yet dâ—th he not exceed others and may it not be presumption to seeke to be with the foremost nay is it not daÌ„gerous to be singular to be like nobodie And doth not the Hypocrite now make himself rich in his pretended zeale for the preseruation of unitie curbing suppressing all true measure of holines as being singularity and so an enemy to Concord Reuel 14. Doth not he thinke to doe God good seruice In compelling to his measure that so hee may yet further flatter himself in his riches because none shall exceede him And doth not this power of delusioÌ„ make way for all desperat wickednes Is not the measure of sin hereby hastened doth not the Lord now put in the sickle Is not the dead coÌ„science now reuiued to begin the execution yet for al this the hypocrite will make himselfe rich Either now his repentaÌ„ce must heereby be appoued of the Church so bee receiued again to do more mischief or els if he caÌ„not be receiued of the Church hee will set vp a new Sinagogue of his owne by despising the ordinarie meanes as too base for his illuminated spirit whereas indeed he reiects the meanes because they enraged his conscience Thus doth hee maske it stil vnder his vaile of holines that so hee may commit sin more greedily without controulment pretending hee hath the Annoynting and so no need of the word wheÌ„ in truth he hateth y e word as conuincing his conscience And casts it from him that he may take his fill of sinne and so makes himself onely rich in the diuels treasure and yet pretends the riches of the blessed Spirit Behold the polices of the Anabaptist and Libertine the familist and Papist And yet doth not SathaÌ„ help theÌ„ with another policie that they may make themselues rich Surely as harlots when they want naturall beautie vse to adulterate their feature with paintings thereby to seeme that which they are not Euen so the hypocrite wanting the inward beautie and power of religion labours to inrich himselfe in the outward forme thereof and as if the natiue forme were to plaine and abiect behold he adulterates the same with far fetcht painting borrowing some colours from the Iewe and some ornaments from the Gentile And so makes himselfe rich in whorish fashions and outward pompe Behold the height of Antichrists wisdome And blessed be God for the truth of the Gospell yea blessed be the name of his Maiestie for euer that giues vs hearts to labour the power and simplicitie therof Shal not the Lord roote out euery plant which his owne hand hath not planted Shall he not aduance his blessed Sonne Iesus vpon his holy hill of Sion Certainely Antichrist is falling and the Iewes must come in and happie is he that can possesse his soule in patience that can keepe himselfe vnspotted of this present world Doth not the blessed word abide with vs and is it not able to make the man of God perfect to euery good worke The Lord make vs thankfull for the good things we enioy If we be faithfull in a little shal we not be entrusted with greater blessings If we beleeue shal we not see greater things then
thankeful vnto our blessed God for his mercies bestowed and prouided for vs yea acknowledge we that when we haue done all we can we are but vnprofitable seruants And therefore howsoeuer we faile in practise yet let vs stand sound in iudgement that God is worthie of the best that though we condemne our selues yet wee may iustifie our God that he may not iudge vs according to our vnworthines 8 And though we can not in practise answere our purposes yet let this be a meanes to continue our spirituall thrift that here we giue not ouer practise at all because we cannot attaine perfection herein as the manner of the Aâ—hiest is neither stint our practise by any false rules 1. of example multitude flesh and blood our owne abilitie custome c. as if because we cannot doe what we would or should therefore it is sufficient â— to doe what we may can flesh blood doe more â— Or to do as others doe would you haue vs like no body monstrous personâ— 3. Nay would you haue vs hypocrites taking more vpon vs then we can do â—or all this will proue no better then the plea of the hypocrite But rather let vs iustifie God by endeuouring what we cannot doe and let vs condemne our fayling in practise from the constancie of our purpose proposing the best paterne though we come short thereof that it may appeare we hold by mercie not by any merite of our owne and resoluing perfection when we do but follow after it that so the Lord may Crowne our constant resolutions with such a measure of practise which may in truth answere our desires though in measure and extent it still came short thereof Comforting our selues that howsoeuer in y e worlds esteeme we are accounted most base and beggerly yea many times in our owne Carnall eye appeare to be nothing euen to haue lost all yea also sometime in our spirituall discerning see our selues farre from great riches yet notwithstanding in the acceptance of the Almightie vouchsafing vs in Christ and inuesting vs with his righteousnes we haue right in all riches and by the assistance of the spirit haue so farre vse of them as shall fit vs to fulnes of happines in a better life perswading our selues that either we may misiudge ouâ— estate esteeming it poore when we are rich through violence of tentation or waâ—t of spirituall Iudgement which shall not be imputed vnto vs or though wee discerne the truth yet seeing we lâ—ue by faith seeing a farre off vnto the recompence of the reward therefore if now in comparison of what we shall enioy wee esteeme of what we haue alreadie not to be great riches It is not because our estate is not rich indeed but as a droppe is not discerned being cast into the sea so well may the sence of our present riches be swallowed vp in the hope of that infinite sea of happines which is laid vp for vs. And yet that we may not proue vnthankefull for what we haue receiued here â— let vs compare our present estate in grace with what we were in nature And by this it shall appeare we haue attained to great riches 2. Let vs compare our selues with others that maske it in thâ—ir she shews we shall finde that our grfts are gold in comparison of their drosse 〈◊〉 least the abuse of our graces may seeme to diminish the worth of them 3. Let vs measure them by the free bountie of the giuer and not by the weake hand of the receiuer 4. Let vs consider them not by the possession but by the vse thereof nay let vs not rest in the vse which at the best is imperfect but rather comfort our selues with the acceptance of our weldoing through Iesus Christ Let not the opinion of others preuaile to diminish our estate Let not the suggestion of Sathan deceiue vs herein But labour we to measure our riches by the truth of the word And if euer we found any truth and power thereof knowe wee for a certaintio that the grace of God cannot be in vaine once rich in Christ and euer encreasing though not sensible to flesh yet iustifiable by faith though not discerning at all times the leading forward thereof yet beleeuing the promise that God will perfect his workes And in the accomplishment thereof will worke strangely and by contraries that he alone may haue the glory bringing light out oâ— daâ—â—nes and turning all about to our good which shall be discerned in the issue though for the present we may be to seeke that so we may liue by faith and not by sense giuing glory vnto our God in hoping aboue hope Yea though it may fall out that we shal haue sometimes lesse riches then heretofore we haue had hauing leftour first loue and so wanting that life and power in holy duties not feeling that coÌ„fort in them as heretofore we haue done yet for al we may haue great riches because we haue that which shall be sufficient to conduct vs to happines yea happily more fitly then the former measure 1. seeing now we shall be more exercised in saith by how much wee haue lesse feeling 2. we shall now be more humbled in the sence of this decay so be more purged of spirituall pride and hypocrisie which might hinder our following hard after the marke 3. by humilitie we shal be more fitter for such communion with our blessed God although it be not in the same manner as was needfull before to confirme vs in the truth and difficultie of a conuersion against these troubles contradictions which may cal in questioÌ„ the same Yet now it shall be much more auayleable to further vs to perfection 1. As casting vs more entirely vpon the mercy of God in Christ Iesus 2. weaning vs from the loue of the world and 3. prouoking vs to groane and hunger after those durable comforts of a better life seeing the best comforts here are so short and mutable 4. And making vs more fearefull and watchfull to preserue and recouer what we may that so we may be made meet for that glorious Inheritance Thus are the Saints endued with great riches thus doe they manage and encrease the same so the holie Ghost addeth that He makâ—th himselfe poore the meaning wheâ—â— of is not that either he deâ—ieth what God hath bestowed on him or dâ—ssâ—mbleâ—h it to be lesse then indeed it is neither that he playes the ill Husband and so diminisheth his estate in effect though yet his estate be subiect to decayes Bâ—t the blessed Spirit would herein commend vnto vs the good husbandrie of the Saints who though they haue great riches yet in wisedome They make themselues poore That is because what they haue is given therefore they emptie themselues of all desert thereof And so ascribe their righteousnes to their maker 1. Cor. 4. 7. 2 Because what they haue is at the best