are ever holding Holy things without feeling Bacon If Atheists say The World or its Materials were Made they must grant a GOD that made it If they say They were not Made they then assert an Eternal Being of it self that is they allow the Difficulties for which they pretend to deny a GOD. Cares WHen Men Believe weakly and Love GOD but little they can scarce find whether they Believe or Love at all and therefore remain in doubt To Remedy which follow your Duty till Grace be encreased ply your Work wait upon God in the use of his prescribed Means and he will undoubtedly bless you with Increase and strength of Grace If you would lay out those serious Affections in Praying and Seeking unto Christ and for more Grace you would in time Believe strongly and Love fervently and thereby put it out of doubt whether you Believe or Love or not Mrs. B. If by moderate and due Care we would resign up our Selves and Concernments into the Hands of God He would charge himself with us but if we will Immoderately Care and be so peremptory in our Designs and will not submit them to him then God is discharged and we must look to our selves You need not fetch the Misery of another Day and put to this it hath enough for its own Let them consider that fear Want that they want nothing so much as Faith A little more trusting in God and a little less sinful Foresight and needless Care would do well Our daily Defects and Disappointments procure Misery and Vexations He that would make Earth sure must first of all make Heaven sure Shall I by taking thought what I shall Eat and what I shall Drink here never fear Wanting or Begging a drop of Water hereafter Shall I be Solicitous for Cloaths and do not know but my Soul and Body may lie naked in the scorching Flames of the Wrath of God to all Eternity Besides that I have a Promise of God for outward things if I make it my business to look after Heavenly It s a very needless Care God provides Meat for me that I may not be taken off my Work to seek those things that are Heavenly Mat. 6.33 Christ Crucified the knowledge of it IT is a kind of Catholicon of universal Use and Conveniency in reference to this Life Am I in Want in Prison in Contempt in Banishment in Sickness in Death this Knowledge gives Contentedness Patience Chearfulness Resignation of my self to his Will who hath Sealed my Peace with him and Favor from him in the great Covenant of his Son I could live upon this tho' I were ready to Starve when I am assured that it is for my Good and the glory of his Name I shall be delivered if not I can be contented if my Jewel the Peace of God and my own Conscience by the Blood of Christ be safe if not in Wealth Honor greatness in Esteem in the World. This Knowledge teacheth me Humility as knowing of whom I have received it Fidelity as knowing to whom I must account for it and in all it teacheth me not to over-value it nor to value my Self the more by it or for it It makes Death not Terrible because a most sure Passage to Eternal Life Here I find a way to get my Sins Pardoned whereas all the World without this cannot contrive a Satisfaction for me I find such a Way to obtain such a Righteousness as is valuable with God and perfect before Him even the Righteousness of God in Christ and here I find the means the only means to avoid the Wrath to come the Terror of the Judgment of the Last-Day Everlasting Life to all Eternity which the blessed God and the Lord Jesus Christ all the blessed Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect The knowledge of Christ above all other Knowledge and Christ Crucified above all other Knowledge of Christ being the highest manifestation of his Love. J. Hale With all my Heart saith Calvin I embrace the Mercy of God which he hath used towards me for Jesus Christ's sake recompencing my Faults with the Merits of his Death and Passion that satisfaction being made by this means for all my Sins and Crimes and the remembrance of them may be blotted out I witness also and profess that I humbly beg of him that being washed and cleansed in the Blood of that highest Redeemer shed for the Sins of Mankind I may stand at his Judgments-Seat under the Image of my Redeemer Had Christ been God only he could not have Suffered had he been Man only he could not have Merited Christ's Blood was shed as well for Oblution as for Absolution Diffidence of ones Self and Dependance of Christ is the Motto of a Christian Counsel THe greatest Trust between Man and Man is the Trust of giving Counsel For in our Confidences saith our Lord Bacon Men commit the parts of Life their Lands their Goods their Children their Credit and some particular Affairs but to such as they make their Counsellors they commit the whole by how much the more they are obliged to Faithfulness and Integrity There is no such Flattery as of a Mans self and there is no such Remedy against that Flattery as the Liberty of a Friend Counsel is of Two sorts The one concerning Manners the other concerning Business For the first The best Preparative to keep the Mind in Health is the faithful Admonition of a Friend The calling of a Man's self to a strict Account is sometimes too piercing and corroding Reading good Books of Morality is a little Flat and Dead Observing our Faults in others is sometimes improper for our Case but the best Receipt best I say to work and best to take is the Admonition of a Friend Conviction IF you be troubled for Sin observe whether your trouble for it be inward as well as outward and reaches not only to open Sins but to secret Lusts to Inward and Spiritual Sins such as Hypocrisie Formality Lukewarmness Deadness and Hardness of Heart and if so this is a sure sign of the Work of the Spirit because the Trouble occasioned by these Sins bears a more immediate Relation to the Holiness of God who only is offended by them they being such that none else can see or know Covetousness HE that is Covetous when he is Old is as a Thief that Steals when he is going to the Gallows Bags of Gold to us when Saints will be but as a Bag of Pebbles when Men. Alexander of Hales says That Covetousness deserves the Hate of all for these Reasons First It is a Sin against Nature making the Soul Terrestrial which should be Heavenly Secondly For the many Curses against it in the Scripture Wo to them that joyn House to House c. Thirdly For the many Evils it subjects them unto It is the Root of all Evil. Fourthly It makes a Man a Fool O Fool this Night c. Fifthly It canses Strifes from whom are Strifes Sixthly It
Universities Discharged himself of all publick Affairs and Attendants a quarter of a year before he died Desiring the Bishop of Winchester and Worcester to draw him out of the Word of God the plainest and exactest way of making his Peace with God in this present World adds That it was great pitty that Men know not to what end they were born into this World until they were ready to go out of it My Lord Bacon hath said at the latter end of his Life That a little smattering in Philosophy would lead a Man into Atheism but a thorough Insight into it would lead a Man back again unto a first Cause and that the first Principle of Right Reason is Religion in Reference to which it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely for if the Opinion of another would not be one yet the sweetest thing in this World is Piety Vertue and Honesty If it be true none are so miserable as the Loose the Carnal and Profane Persons who live a Dishonorable and Base Life in this World and are like to Fall into a most woful State in the next The E. of Arundel lying on his Death Bed said My Flesh and my Heart fail me and his Chaplain answered the next Words That God was the strength of his Heart and his portion for ever he would never fail him He answering tho all the World hath failed He will never fail me Sir Tho. Coventry Lord Keeper of the Great Seal hearing some Gallants jesting with Religion said That there was no greater Argument of a Foolish and Inconsiderate Person than to droll at Religion It is a sign he hath no regard of himself and that he is not touched with a Sence of his own Interest who playeth with Life and Death and makes nothing of his Soul. To examine severely and debate seriously of Religion is a thing worthy of a wise Man Whosoever turns Religion into Railery with two or three bold Jests rendreth not only Religion but himself Ridiculous in the Opinion of all Wise and Considerate Men because he sports with his own Life For a good Man saith If Principles were doubtful yet they concern us so nearly that we ought to be serious in the Examination of them Carolopator relateth how the excellent Painter Methoclius Drawing the last day the Heavens black the Earth on Fire the Sea in Blood the Throne of God environd with Angels in the Clouds wrought so upon Bogaris the barbarous Prince of Bulgaria that in a short time he yielded himself to God by an happy Conversion for he dreaming of the whole proceedings of that day amongst other things saw the things he made so light of by speaking thus I am the pleasure thou hast obeyed I am the Ambition whose Slave thou wast I am the Avarice which was the aim of all thy Actions Behold so many Sins that are thy Children Thou begottest them thou belovest them so much as to prefer them before thy Saviour Mr. John Bruen said At his Funeral he would have no Black for I love not said he any proud nor pompous Funeral neither is there any cause of Mourning but Rejoycing rather in my particular Immediately before his death lifting up his Hands he said The Lord is my Help my Portion and my Trust His Blessed Son Jesus is my Saviour and Redeemer Amen For so saith the Spirit to my Spirit Then come Lord Jesus and Kiss me with Kisses of thy Mouth and embrace me with the Arms of thy Love Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit Take me to thy own self Come Lord Jesus come quickly O come O come O come Mr. Brown of Norwich Phisitian entertained one Attribute of God to recreate his Devotion and that is Wisdome In which says he I am Happy for the Contemplation of this only I do not Repent me that I was brought up to Study the advantage I have over the Vulgar with the content and happiness I conceive therein is an ample Recompence of all my endeavours in what part of Knowledge whatsoever Wisdom is his most glorious Attribute no man can attain unto it yet Solomon pleased God when he desired it he is wise because he knoweth all things and he knoweth all things because he made them all Yet his greatest knowledge is in comprehending what he made not Himself and this also is the greatest Knowledge in man for this I do honour my Profession and Embrace the very Council of the Devil himself Had he read such a Lecture in Paradice as he did at Delphos we had better known our selves neither had we need to stand in fear of him I know he is Wise in all things he is Wise in all and Wonderful in what we conceive but farmore in what we comprehend not for we behold him but a squint upon reflex or shadow Our Vnderstanding is dimmer then Moses his Eye we are Ignorant of his Back-parts and his lower-side of his Divinity there to pry into his Councels is not only Folly in Man but Presumption even in Angels like us they are his Servants not his Senators he holds Councel but with that mystical One the Trinity where tho there be three Persons there is but one Mind that decrees without contradicion nor needs he any of his Actions to be begot with deliberation his Wisdom knows naturally what 's best his Intellect stands fraught with the superlative and purest Ideas of Goodness Consultation and Electi on which are two Motions in us make but one in Him his Actions sprung from his Power at the first touch of his Will There are Contemplations metaphysical my humble Speculations have another Method are content to trace and discover those Expressions he hath left in his Creatures and the obvious effects of Nature there is danger to confound these Mysteries no Sanctum Sanctorum in Philosophy the world to be Inhabited by Beasts but Study'd and Contemplated by Men. It is the debt of our Reason to Owe unto God the Homage we pay for not being Beasts without this the World is still as though it had not been or as it had been before the sixth day when as yet there was not a Creature that could conceive or say there was a World. The Wisdom of God receives small Honor from the Vulgar Heads that usually stare about with gross Rusticity admire his works Those highly magnifie him whose Judicious Enquiry into his Acts and deliberate Research into his Creatures return the duty of a Learned and Devout Admiration Therefore search whilst thou wilt and let thy Reason go To ransom Reason even to the Abyss below Rally the Scattered causes and that line Which Nature twists be able to untwine It is thy Makers Will for unto none But unto Reason can he e're be known The Devil knows thee but those Damned Metors Build not thy Glory but confound the Creatures Teach my endeavours so thy Work to read That learning them in Thee I may proceed Give thou my Reason that
Faculty The Will against the Will Affection against Affection And this is that the Apostle calls The lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit That is the striving of one Unregenerate part against the Regenerate part and this ever in the same Faculty But striving against Sin may be in several Faculties as between the Will and Conscience as for fear of Hell which Wicked Men may have Acts 7.15 It is impossible for a Man to forsake Sin except he forsakes all that he knows to be Sin To hate Sin as it is an offence to God and wrong to his Majesty to hate Sin as it is a breach of his Commandments a wicked controuling of God's Will which is the only Rule of Goodness To hate Sin as being a disingenuous Transgression of that Law of Love established in the Blood and Death of Christ and so in a degree a Crucifying of Christ afresh to hate Sin as being a grieving and quenching of the Spirit of God as all Sin in its nature is Thus to hate Sin is Grace and thus every true Christian hates Sin and not for the Shame that attends it nor as it is contrary to some other Sin c. I do not cease to lament the more hainous Sins of my Life and cannot forbear continually to implore the Pardon of them I do not again return unto them and resolve never so to do I watch and pray against all Sin but especially against those Sins to which I especially am enclined my Conflicts are daily and I am hard put to it but I do not yield up my self to any Sin nor lie down in it Yea I do not suffer Sinful Thoughts or Cogitations to lodg in me howbeit I am much discomposed and damped in Spirit deadned in Duty distracted in my Studies and molested and hindered every way by Sin that dwelleth in me But I resolve that Sin shall never have rest in my Soul and that I will never enjoy it I cannot keep Sin out of my Heart yet it doth not raign in my Mortal Body nor do I yield my Members to the Service of it Mr. Corbet 's Enquiry It is a less Evil to do Sin and not to love it than to love Sin and not to do it for to do Sin may argue weakness of Grace but to love Sin argues strength of Lust What I hate that I do Rom. 7.14 A Man may forsake the Life of Sin and yet retain the Love of Sin. True Mourning for Sin is more for the Evil that is in Sin than the Evil that comes by Sin more because it dishonoureth God and Wounds Christ and grieves the Spirit and makes the Soul unlike God than because it Damns the Soul Mat. 7.11 O Lord when I confess Sin unto thee grant that I may feel the burthen and weight of it upon my Conscience that it may not be a customary Confession Where Confession is right it will be distinct especially of those which were our chief Sins Confession should come like Water out of a Spring which runs freely not like Water out of a Still which is forced by Fire Salvation by CHRIST's Blood. TAke it for granted there is no Man under Heaven whereby we can be saved but Jesus Christ all Grace for this Life and for that which is to come must come to you through the Channel of Christ's Blood. Acts 16.30 31. Sorrow I Could have born any Sorrow rather than this I am under this is a good sign GOD hath let me Blood in the right Vein he will have me part with all manner of Sin without exception It is doubtless our Sin to disable our selves by our Sorrow for our general or particular Callings Let us be heartily Sorrowful that we have so Carnally so Hypocritically so Covetously so Vain-gloriously Professed the Gospel Let the Plagues and Anger of GOD most justly fallen upon us be applyed to our Sins that from the bottom of our Hearts every one of us may say It is I Lord that have Sinned against Thee It is my Wickedness that causeth success and encrease of Authority to my Enemies M. Bradford Speech THERE is no Man that talks but I may gain by him and none that holds his Tongue but I may lose by him As Henry Wotton being bound for Rome asked his Host in Vienna a Man well versed in Men and Business What Rules he would give him for his Port Conduct and Carriage He answered There is one short Remembrance which will carry you Safe throughout the whole World and that is nothing but this Keep your Thoughts close and your Countenance loose He that knoweth to speak well knoweth also where he must hold his Peace Said that Old Grecian Think an Hour before thou speakest and a Day before thou Promisest Spirit SPirit in the un-erring Sense is nothing but Reason illuminated by Revelation out of the Written Word for when the Mind and Spirit humbly conform and submit to the Written Will of God then are you said to have the Spirit of God and to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the Flesh Mr. Hales of Eaton College There is an Having of the Spirit which is a sure Work of Saintship Where the Spirit is an effectual prevailing Principle of Grace and Sanctification renewing and regenerating the Heart Where the Spirit is as a potent Worker helping the Souls Infirmities Rom. 8.26 Where the Spirit is said to abide for ever John 14.16 The true Believer hath so much of the Spirit such a work of it in him that he cannot sin that Sin unto Death He that is born of God sinneth not to wit that Sin unto Death for that is meant 1 John 7.16 1. Mr. Smith in a Sermon said to this purpose If God be our Father in Christ he lays hold of us by his Spirit and we lay hold of Him by Faith. Now it is his Hold-fast of us that saves us so that tho our Faith be as it were a sleep yet the Fathers Hold-fast continues firm Many when they hear that Spiritual Comforts are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit presently conceive themselves to be meerly Passive therein and that they have nothing to do but wait when God will bestow them Notwithstanding tho these Comforts are Spiritual yet they are rationally raised up on the Understanding's Apprehension of the Excellency of God our Happiness and our Interest in Him and by the rolling of these blessed Objects in our frequent Meditations the Spirit doth advance and not destroy our Reason it doth ratifie and then use it as its ordinary Instrument for the Conveyance of such things to our Affections and Exciting them accordingly and not lay it aside and affect us without it Therefore our Joys are raised discoursively and the Spirit first revealeth the Cause of our Joy and then helps us to rejoice upon those revealed Grounds so that he rejoyceth groundedly who knoweth why he rejoiceth ordinarily Mr. Baxter's Rest 3d. part p. 159 160. Sufferings I May be Poor but still I