5.20 and light darkenesse and all those who haue loued darkenesse rather then light Iob. 3.19 Mar. 9.44 6 This torment is called the Worme that neuer dieth alluding to that of Isaiah Esa 66.24 And they shall goe foorth and looke vpon the carkases of them that haue trespassed against me for their worme shall not dye As of the putrifaction of the bodie there breedeth a worme which eates and consumes the bodie so from the corruption of the soule tainted with sinne there ariseth the worm of conscience which gnaweth and vexeth the soule with continuall anguish Rom. 2.9 So saith the Apostle Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery one that doth euill 7 The torments of hell are called a death because that as by the separation of the bodie from the soule the bodie dieth so the soule and bodie being separated from God Vita vita meae Aug. Con. lib. 7. b. who is the life of their life do dye the second death Also death being the most terrible bitter thing in this life Arist Eth. lib. 3. cap. 6. as the Philosopher saith it may very fitly giue denomination to that condition which is most bitter and miserable in the life to come Now when the estate of the damned is called death we must not vnderstand it as of men alreadie dead but readie to dye when the veines of the bodie and the strings of the heart being ready to breake the dying man is possessed with intolerable anguish by reason of death-pangs Of this death Bernard spake when he said Bâ—rn de Consid ad Eugen. li. 5. Horreo in manus incidere mortis viuentis vitae morientis calling it very fitly A liuing death and a dying life These are the dolefull agents The miserable patients subiects to these torments are together with the diuels the wicked and vngodly who shall bee tormented both in bodie and soule the bodie shall bee tormented because it would not obey the soule the soule because it would follow the rebellious bodie both soule and bodie because they obeyed the instigations of Sathan and left the directions of Gods holy Spirit 2. Cor. 5.10 We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receiue the things that he hath done in his bodie whether they be good or euill For as the bodie hath sinned with all the senses and parts thereof so shall they all receiue a condigne and correspondent punishment The eyes that were delighted with beholding nothing but vanitie shall now bee frighted with beholding of vgly diuels the eares that tooke pleasure in hearing slanders and filthie talking shall be troubled with the howlings and blasphemies of hellish spirits the nose that disdained any smell but sweete perfumes shall feele the lothsome stinch of fire and brimstone the fine and daintie bodie that with the rich man was wont to bee clothed in fine linnen shall with him be tormented in the flames of vnquenchable fire the mouth that offered the sacrifices of deliciousnes to the deuouring belly and tooke such pleasure in quaffing and carousing shall drinke of the pure wine of the wrath of God Reu. 14.10 In a word all that bodie which should haue bene the temple for Gods spirit but was made a cage for vncleane spirits shall be tormented in euery part without mitigation and intermission Neither shal the bodie be thus vexed alone but as the soule hath bene to the bodie like Simeon to Leui a brother in iniquitie so shall it also partake with the bodie of the same punishments The memorie shall call to mind that which is past and the vnderstanding coÌ„sider that which is present and both ioyne together to disquiet themselues Now shall it bee thought vpon how many good motions haue bene neglected how without fruite pardon and remission of sinnes hath bene offered what sweet ioyes are lost and what grieuous torments are found for what trifling foolish and filthie sins these intolerable infinit and endlesse punishments haue bene bought how easily these miseries might haue bene auoyded but now how impossible it is to obtaine euen the least mitigation thereof Thus whilest these faculties are busied in vexing of them selues the Lord shall powre downe vpon them the vials of his wrath so that the affections being set on fire with the exhalations of furie and burning with the wicked zeale of reuenge shall grow mad and rage cast out blasphemies both against heauen and earth 3 Lo these are the lamentable fruits of these intolerable torments vpon these miserable patients For how can the heauie wrath of God the irksome societie with the diuels the mercilesse fire of hell the filthie tormeÌ„ting prison the dolefull place of darkenesse the neuer dying worme and the dreadfull second death vexing the soule with terrors and the bodie with flames how can they I say but yeeld that which our Sauior doth so oft inculcate Mat. 8.13.22 Luk. 13. There shall be wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth Therefore is hell from these effects not vnfitly compared to Topheth in the valley of Benhinnom 2. Chr. 28.3 which hath the name from the noise that they made with their instruments that the scriching of their children which they sacrificed to Moloch might not be heard For so shall hel yeeld most hideous horror with extreame dolefull noises curses shall be their hymnes and howling their tunes blasphemie shall be their ditties and lachrymae thâ—ir notes lamentation shall be their songs and scriching their straines yea cursing blasphemie scriching and howling shall be their daily morning and euening song sighs sobs and gnashing of teeth shall be their dolefull descant and diuisioÌ„ But what shall all the damned be tormeÌ„ted alike Surely no for albeit the least torment in hell doth farre exceede the greatest torture on the earth yet are there very different degrees of punishment Luk. 12.47 The seruant that knew his maisters will did it not shall be beaten with many stripes Mat. 11.22 But it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sidon at the day of iudgement then for Corazin and Bethsaida As many liue vnder the same Sunne yet all feele not the like heate from it Greg. mor. lib. 4. cap. 43. so many may bee subiect to the same torments of hell in the same manner though not in the same measure But miserable and most accursed shall his condition be who shall tast euen the least measure and degree thereof And are the torments of hell so dreadfull is the state of the damned so dolefull Who can thinke vpon the one without feare or consider the other without pitie Well might our Sauiour say concerning Iudas Mat. 26.24 It had bin good for him if he had neuer bene borne And happie indeed had he and other castawaies bene if they had neuer seene the light or bene created some loathsome toades or hatefull serpents that so they might neuer haue bene partakers of hels
quickly wither Sciences Arts and Trades are the streames the leaues and the fruite of those forenamed faculties of the soule which vanishing into the vapour of vanitie cannot so dignifie their ofspring that it may be free from vanitie When the Lord arraigned the malefactors in Paradise after their conuiction this was his sentence Gen. 3.14.19 The Serpent shall be a hatefull beast Sathan shall be trampled on by the seed of the woman Eue shall bring forth in sorrow and Adam must eate his bread in the sweate of his browes Loe then euery mans trade and course of life though haply it may seeme an ornament is indeed a punishment and in that respect must needs be a vanitie The contemplatiue life though it bee much commended by the Philosopher Arâ—stot Eth. lib. 10. yet what is it in naturall men but a vaine speculation of certaine idle Ideaes As for the politicke ibid. cap. 7. it is full of trouble and trauaile as Numa Pompilius amongst the Romaines Lycurgus amongst the Lacedaemonians Solon amongst the Athenians can sufficiently witnesse Mach. disp lib. 1. cap. 2. Casp Peucer Epist duci Sax. and is any thing more ordinarie then the dangerous and circular mutation of gouernment This also is faultie in most Common-wealths that pollicie is preferred before pietie and the iniuries done to men punished when the transgressions against the immortall God are tollerated As for Mechanicall arts they are counted base and seruile of all those who are esteemed to haue free minds And if I should trace the seuerall estates and courses of life He that lists to do it may reade Corn. Agrippa de varutate scientiarum what degree could I mention from the highest to the lowest exempted froÌ„ vanity For if the raigne and rule of Kings be a noble seruitude Aelian de var. hist l. 2. as Antigonus said to his sonne and a life full of feare and daunger as Dionysius shewed Damocles what shall we deeme of all inferiour courses and kindes of life This is to be obserued in trades and arts that as they are growne towards perfection so are they furnished with many additions of euil When Caine plaid the husbandman Abel the sheepheard such homely foode and fare as nature yeelded did satisfie and content meÌ„ but now the world falling to nicenesse and curiositie nothing though neuer so dainty and costly is scarcely thought good enough Our ancestors Camden Britan. in Cornwal Macrob. Satur. lib 7 cap. 15. Quo post hominum memoriam nihil terribilius ab humano ingenio excogitari potest Pol Virg. de inuent lib. 2. cap. 11. as Antiquities do shew vsed brasen swords a mettall that hath in it a curing force but later ages haue vsed iron being more hurtfull And how many hundred yeares was it before that hellish inuention of gunnes was knowne in Christendome but thus euery age as it waxeth more expert so it groweth more ingenious in that which is euill and odious And what is the end both of the Politicke Morall and Mechanicall life surely nothing but vanitie Plutarch in vita Demost Why doth Demosthenes deforme himselfe in the shauing of his head to tie himselfe to his studies but that he may be famous among the Athenians What moueth others to trauell ouer the world with Plato but to satisfie their curious humours Hieron in Prolog gal or to enrich them selues And doth not euery one in his trade and course of life either labour to sacrifice to crauing necessitie or seeke to be partaker of dangerous sacietie If a man do some extraordinary work though to small purpose he is extolled to the skies De var. hist lib. 1. but Aelians censure of the chariot made by Myrmecidas and Callicrates so small that it might be hid vnder a flie in my conceit was very good for when others wondred at it he said it was worthy no wise mans praise but was rather to be accounted a vaine expence of time And may not this censure be iustly laid vpon most mens actions in their seuerall callings which are vndertaken for the most part to satisfie the greedie appetite to decke the house of clay to satisfie the foolish humors of some or to get the vaine applause of others being all nothing but a vaine expence of time all beginning and ending in vanitie To finish this tract then let those who follow meane mechanicall trades make a vertue of necessitie by a sober honest and conscionable vse of the same for the maintenance of themselues and their families Let those that haue addicted themselues to curious arts forsake and sacrifice them as the conuerts which heard the Apostles did their bookes Act. 19.19 Let those that are deuoted to the liberall Sciences make them as they should be the handmaides of Diuinitie yea let euerie one indeuor that his course of life may be correspondent to the profession of Christianitie and tend to the glorie of God the good of his Church and the saluation of his owne soule at the last day Reuel 2.12 when euery maÌ„ must receiue according to his workes CHAP. 2. SEC 1. A view of those vanities which are called the goods of the bodie and first of flourishing Youth IT was a celestiall Oracle Esa 40.4 that thus ceÌ„sured mankind All flesh is grasse and the grace thereof is as the flower of the field When Ezekiah had defaced the serpent which had defaced Gods glorie he called it in contempt 1 Kin. 18.4 Nehushtan it is a peece of brasse that so it might be vile in the eyes of those who did adore it so doth the spirit of God call man onely a lumpe of flesh that the basenesse of this appellation may take away the haughtinesse of his heart and manifest the vilenesse of his conditioÌ„ And as though that were not sufficient to vilifie and debase him hee compareth him to grasse yea the glorie of man euen the quintessence of his naturall perfections to the flower of grasse And lest this might seeme peculiar to some onely he appropriateth the same to all those whom either nature art or fortune haue graced or blessed saying All flesh is grasse Like to this is that speech of the Prophet Dauid Surely euery man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Psal 39.5 Man is vanitie yea man in his best estate is vanitie yea euery man is vanitie yea nothing else but vanitie This disgracefull decyphering of man will hardly be beleeued and therefore he prefixeth an asseueration Surely it will smally be regarded and therefore he addeth a word of consideration Selah Let vs therefore consider the best estate of man concerning the ornaments of his body as youth beautie health strength agilitie and long life and in all these we shall finde nothing but vanitie Concerning this fresh and flourishing youth it is vaine in a double respect 1. It is very momentanie and passeth away swiftly 2. It is the nurse and pandor of iniquitie
fit and able in respect of his wealth to trie of industry to search and his wisdome to iudge of the things of this life it was Salomon the King and Preacher of Ierusalem 1. Ki. 10.27 His wealth was such that he made siluer as plentifull in Ierusalem as the stones in the streets His wisdome was exceeding much 1. Kin. 4.29 for he had a large heart euen as the sand that is on the sea shore His industrie also was verie great Eccles 1.13 14. for behold he applied his heart to search and find out wisdome by all things vnder the Sunne And when he had imployed his wealth wisedome and industry in this diligent scrutinie and distilled forth euen the purest spirites of these terrestriall bodies he found amongst them nothing but vanitie yea the vttermost elixar was vanitie of vanities If any thing in the world were worth respecting it must needes be man for whose vse all things in the world were created but coÌ„cerning him behold what the Prophet Dauid saieth The children of men are vaniâ—y and as though that were not enough he addeth Lay them on the ballance Psal 62.9 and they shall be found lighter then vanitie If there were any thing excellent in man it must needs be the internall ornaments of his soule but behold as they are meerely naturall they are exceedingly corrupted and depraued The wit of man may fitly be compared to the Israelites iewels whereof they made a calfe for as the same gold being in iewells was precious but being cast into an Idole became odious so the wit of man which in the dayes of his innocencie was good and gracious is in his corrupted estate become vaine and vitious The vnderstanding is in the sacred Scripture compared to the eye the principall obiect it should behold is the kingdome of heauen Mat. 6.22 with al the adiuncts of blessednes but in that office it is as blind as a beetle And this is herein euident in that wheÌ„ the bright sunne of righteousnesse appeared being the most glorious and most resplendent light that euer shined in the world hauing Iohn the Baptist the day-star going before him and manie trumpetters of his manifestation Ioh. 1.5 yet that light shined in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Tit. 2.11 For had the nature of man bene capable of this grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men they would neuer haue shut their eyes against the light of that gladde tidings 1. Cor. 2.8 nor haue crucified the Lord of glory and so haue shamefully depriued him of life who offered himselfe to deliuer them from eternall death Verse 14. But the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God yea they seeme foolishnesse to him Nicodemus was a teacher in Israel yet what grosse ignorance doth hee shew in the doctrine of our regeneration When our Sauiour said Ioh. 3.4.9 A man must be borne of God else can he not see the kingdome of God Nicodemus wondered at it and thought he had neuer heard a more absurd speech in all his life and howe much adoe hath Christ to fasten an instructioÌ„ vpon him Hath not experience manifested this in manie of the worldes wise men Rom. 1.22 who professing themselues to be wise haue become fooles And surely the grosse dotage of mankinde is not more apparent in any thing then in the sottish idolatrie of those that haue turned the glorie of the immortall God into the similitude of corruptible and base creatures Verse 23. If there were any sparke of spiritual knowledge shining in the soule of man would not the worshippers of idols say to them selues Esa 44 19â— I haue burnt halfe in the fire and haue baked bread vppon the coales thereof I haue rosted flesh and eat it shall I make the residue thereof an abhomination shall I bow to the stocke of a tree But thus haue the wise naturall men being left to the guidance of their own corrupt hearts become exceeding vaine in their cogitations Rom. 1.22 verifying the Prophets speech Ier. 10.14 Euery one is a beast by his owne knowledge Sundry beasts haue wit to finde out remedies for the cure of their maladies as experience together with the naturall Historian sheweth Plia lib. 8. Yea all liuing creatures haue naturally a care of their safetie but onely man being wounded by sinne hath not by the light of nature any wit to seeke for remedy Amb. Offic. lib. 1. ca. 17. yea only man is carelesse of his eternall saluation Euery one is wise enough to do euill Ier. 4.22 but to do wel they haue no vnderstanding And no maruell for as the clearest eie beholdeth not the brightest obiect except the Sun beames doe come betweene to enlighten it so the sharpest wits are not able to coÌ„ceiue the heauenly mysteries of our redemption regeneration and eternall saluation without the bright beames of Gods spirit shining into them to enlighten them 2 True it is that in humane and ciuill matters the vnderstanding of man hath by nature some insight yet is the same mixed with manifold imperfections The Philosophers ignoraÌ„t of the fall of man and the naturall corruption and contagion imprinted in his soule by reason of the same compare the soule of man to plaine waxe hauing nothing printed on it but fit for any impression Chrysost Lactan. lib. 5. cap. 15. and to smooth tables without characters yet apt to receiue anie inscription But Diuines much better because more consonant to the Scriptures do compare it to an vntilled field Ier. 4.4 not only lying barren but yeelding the thornes weedes and brambles of iniquitie till it be husbanded by the spirit of God Yea Chrisostom maketh the soule worse then such a field Chrâ—s in Ioâ—an hom 17 initio and that in sundrie respects For the earth hauing once receiued seede brings foorth much fruite and needs no other sowing but it is not so with our mindes which must be often and diligently sowed that they may once receiue the seed of the word and then are they subiect to thornes to choake it and to theeues to steale it they must be kept in continuall dressing till they come to ripenesse and then also in continuall tilling that they may retaine their goodnes Neither is this imperfection incident to some onely but to all the sonnes of Adam as might be instanced in the wisest Grecians and the most politike Romanes Rom. 1.14 euen wheÌ„ they haue intended to improue their wits The best minerals haue their poisons till they be extracted and the sweetest flowers their faeces till they be separated so the best wits haue their folly till by Gods spirit they be refined And how can this be otherwise if we consider that the soule is in the bodie as a stranger in a poore cottage 2 Cor. 5. and must needs therefore be subiect to infinite wants And if that wits be
health strength and at last doe vtterly depriue men of them And as the Fuller with raising of the nappe and shearing of the cloth makes it weare soft and seemely but withall sooner then it wold be so do pleasures raise vp the nap of the spirits yeelding present content but withall bring olde age and death before their time 3 As pleasures do hurt the bodie so do they annoy and infect the soule They are like thorns in hindering the growth of godlinesse Luk. 8.14 like Syrens in lulling men asleepe in sinne and securitie Whilest Sampson slept vpon Dalilahs lappe Iud. 16. his lockes were shaued off and his eyes put out so when pleasure hath lulled men asleepe she will shaue off the lockes of grace and besot the soule with a spirituall blindnesse 4 But Saint Peter speakes of a further and farre more daungerous fruite of pleasure when hee saith that those which haue bene ledde with sensualitie 2. Pet. 2.13 shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnesse And what that is it appeareth in Abrahams speech to Diues Luk. 16.25 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures non thou art tormented So that the intollerable torments of hell are the reward of pleasures yea the more the pleasures the greater the torments for the Lord doth weigh out his iudgements according to the measure of mens vanities Reu. 18.7 So much as she hath liued in pleasure so much giue you to her torment and sorrow This is a meditation very meete for these dayes of voluptuousnesse for now is the Apostles Prophesie fulfilled In the last daies men shall be louers of pleasures more then louers of God 2. Ti. 3.1.4 I knowe there is scarcely such a miscreant but hee will in this behalfe indeuour to iustifie himself but when the Preachers of Gods word being the Lords Ambassadours beseech men in his name yet they cannot perswade them to forsake any pleasures is it not euident that they loue their pleasures more then they loue God Men that liue pleasantly seeme to liue happily but indeede their life is miserable and their condition lamentable The sweete and Christall riuer runnes pleasantly as it were sporting it selfe winding and turning his siluer streames vp and downe by many a faire and goodly meadowe a great while but at last it fals into the salt sea and there loseth his sweetnesse and becomes brackish so many wicked men which for a while doe turne and winde themselues vp and downe through the medowes of pleasure and bath themselues in the transitorie blisse of this world do at last fall into the mouth of hell and there lose all the sweetnes of their pleasures and find nothing but the brackishnesse of paines eternall Aul. Gel. lib. 1. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much that was the learned agree not as Pet. Mosel in Aul. Gel. sheweth When Lais that famous Curtisan of Corinth asked Demosthenes a great sum of mony to lye with her one night he answered her wisely That he would not buy repentance at so deare a rate Consider then deare Christian that the price of pleasure is not onely the infirmitie of bodie and anguish of soule but of eternall paines and torments in hell are not all the pleasures in the world though thou mightest enioy them tenne thousand ages too deare to be bought at such a price we reade that king Lysimachus being constrained through thirst Plutar. Apoth to yeeld his kingdome to the Scythians when he had drunk the cold water said O good God for what a small pleasure haue I lost so great a kingdome Beleeue me if thou giue thy selfe to pleasure to thy soules daunger though thou draw it foorth as Salomon did yet when it is vanished thou wilt say O good God what endlesse torments am I subiect to and what a glorious kingdome haue I lost for trifling and momentanie pleasures Doe with thy pleasures rather as Dauid did with the water brought him by his Worthies whereof he wold not drinke but powred it foorth saying O Lord 1. Sam. 23. be it farre from mee that I should do this is not this the bloud of these men If pleasures offer themselues in neuer so glorious a shape to allure thee let neither thy hands touch them nor thy hart tast them but powring them foorth say with thy selfe O Lord be it farre from me that I should yeeld to these pleasures are they not the price of my soule This if thou shalt doe the Lord will yeelde thee heauenly delights in stead of earthly Psal 36.9 thou shalt be satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and he will giue thee drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures SECT 10. Of Friends and Friendship ALthough nothing bee more consonant and contenting to the nature of man then societie whereupon hee therefore hath his name homo of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger de causis ling. Lat. Vt Cic. de Amic yea although the vse of friendship were as frequent and necessarie as the Elements yet may this benefite of friendship be also raunged very iustly in the Catalogue of vanities Salomon describeth a friend thus Pro. 17.17 A friend loueth at all times if he onely be a friend who loueth at all times how few true friends are there For the most are like the swallow which sings merrily with vs all the sommer but bids vs farewell towards winter Many will willingly accompanie their friends while they saile safely with a pleasant wind but when the tempest of danger or trouble ariseth they will quickly flinch and forsake them A friend is counted another selfe but most frends in time of need will giue a man leaue to trust to himselfe Das nihil dicis Candide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mart. lib. 2. It is a common thing to say All things are common among friends when nothing is communicated and I am wholly yours is soone said but seldome seene Doth the whole world yeelde one Damon or Pythias one Pilades or Orestes No a faithfull friend is a Phoenix The Philosophers said ingeniously Arist Cicero Hieron ad Paulin. that affinitie in manners and conditions should be the foundation of friendship and the auncient Father diuinely Ambros de Offic. lib 3. That the feare of God and loue of his word should be the glue to knit men together in the league of true loue but profit pleasure vanitie and iniquitie is the foundation glue that vnites most When friendship is once begun is it not kept on foote by flattery for the imperious nature of man being impatient of reproofe and aduise it is thought good rather to sooth and claw then to fall to iarres So that most men become like the Iuie to the tree and the beare bind to the wheat which clippe them till they haue killed them And such friends as these when oportunitie is offred proue faithlesse and trecherous killing where they kissed
but to shew that it will be so Which ordinarie euent considered it is not without iust cause that the same Hebrew word vsed both in Iob and else where in the Scriptures Ioh. 20.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both Mirth and Mourning But if mirth were in it selfe both good and permanent yet how vnfit is it for this pilgrimage of teares When the Babylonians wished the Isralites being their captiues to sing them one of the songs of Sion they asked How shal we sing a song of the Lord in a straunge land Psal 137.4 Can a song of Sion be more vnreasonable in Babylon then ioy and mirth in this vale of miserie For what is here to make a man laugh or be merrie except hee would laugh at the world as Democritus did at the Athenians If a man take a discreet view of the vanities and miseries of this wicked world he shall find cause enough to mourne but little occasion of mirth It is worthie the obseruation that we reade not that euer our blessed Sauiour laughed or smiled but diuers times that he sighed groned and wept And the like we reade of other the sanctified seruants of God Phil. 3.18 Act. 20.19 as of Saint Paule who writes to the Philippians weeping and serues God with many teares We haue an old Prouerb and it is not more old then false A litle mirth is woorth a great deale of sorrow This is a carnall Prouerbe and true in those onely Eccles 3.21 22. who looke for their portion of felicitie in this life For to the children of God the Spirit of God can tell vs Eccl. 7.4.5 that a little sorrow is woorth a great deale of mirth Where or when was it euer said of mirth Psal 51.19 per risum multum poteris cognoscere stulium as it is of sorrow A sorowfull spirit is a sacrifice to God Laughter indeed is the sacrifice of fools Though the heauen of heauens cannot containe the Lord yet behold hee will haue his habitation with an humble spirit Esa 66. and a contrite heart This Dauid knew wel when he said Put my teares into thy bottle Psal 56.8 are not these things noted in thy booke The teares of a true penitent are laid vp by the Lord as rich iewels and hee doth register euery sigh of a conâ—rite heart euen to this end Psal 1â—6 5 that they which sow in teares may reape in ioy But there appeareth not a more maine and manifest difference betweene the estimation of mirth and sorrow then in our Sauiours words Wo be to you that laugh Luk â— 25 Mat. 5.4 for you shall waile and weep Blessed are you that mourne for you shall be comforted But what is it not lawfull to be merie Yes surely there is some mirth lawfull and othersome both lawfull and laudable Leu. 23.40 The Israelites may reioyce before the Lord their God in their solemne feastes As the Iewes must fast in their miserie Hest 4.16.9.22 so may they keepe the dayes of feasting and ioy for their victorie yea all the people at the coronation of Salomon may pipe with pipes 1. Kin. 1.40 and reioyce with great ioy and make the earth ring with the sound of them Thus euen in these the like temporall things it is lawfull for the children of God to reioyce And indeed none haue iust title to mirth but they who by reason of their adoption in Christ their present fruition of Gods fauour and constaÌ„t expectation of their future happinesse may very welâ— haue chearefull hearts but yet must this be with the Apostles caueat 1. Cor. 7.30 That they that reioyce be as though they reioyced not that neither their ioy be excessiue nor intempestiue not permitting times of mourning when there is cause of mourning There is a laudable mirth when men do reioyce Aug. conf â—ib 9. 7. to the Lord of the Lord and for the Lord. To this ioy doth the Psalmist exhort when hee saith Psal 102. â— Serue the Lord with feare and come before him with ioyfulnesse When men do in the seruice of God lift vp chearfull hearts to the Lord and sing praises to him ioyfully this is a heauenly reioycing and this was the blessed Virgins ioy My soule doth magnifie the Lord Luk. 1.47 and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour If this be the cause of thy ioy I may say to thee in the Apostles words Reioyce in the Lord Phil. 4.4 and I say againe reioyce Enlarge thy heart and extend the bounds of consolation Psa 89.15 For blessed are the people that can reioyce in the Lord. When the disciples returned with ioy because the diuels were subdued vnto them though this were no small cause of ioy yet our Sauiour seeking to turne the streame of their affections another way saith vnto theÌ„ In this reioyce not that spirits are subdued vnto you Luk. 10 17 â—0 but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen So do thou exâ—mine the euidence of thy saluation and if thou find in thy soule the charter of a sound faith sealed vp vnto thee by the spirit of adoption and tâ—e sanctifying spirit of God bearing witnesse that thou art the child of God and that thy name is enrolled amongsâ— the heauenly citizens then reioyce and againe I say reioyce and behold Ioh. 16.22 this ioy shall no man take from thee SECT 12. Of Mariage WHen man was in his innocencie the Lord said Gen. 2.17 It is not good for man to be alone but in his corrupt estate the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7.1 It is good for a man not to touch a woman Thus was marriage founded vpon decencie but now the principall pillar thereof is necessitie Ambr. de viduis Non quasi culpa vitanda sed quasi necessitatis sarcina declinanda In which respect although it is not to be shunned as a sinne yet is it to be abandoned as a burthen may very well bee taxed as a vanitie When a man intends to take a wife he aduentures vpon a daungerous choice Bias saying is famous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man take a faire wife it is doubtfull shee will prooue false if foule she is a lothsome plague And experience manifesteth many a matrimoniall infirmitie incident to that sexe If they be qualified with any extraordinarie ornaments they become imperious so that beautifull Vashti will not come to Ahashnerosh when he sends for her Hester 1. If their husbands haue any familiar societie with others by reason of his employments abrode they quickly become ielous and so are a griefe of heart to him If they be rich they looke to dominere according to that speech Eccl. 25.24 If a woman nourish her husband she is angrie impudent and full of reproch If they be not like their neighbours in womanish vanities they become querulous and if they be honest they are
wake with the little tender babe And as children grow in age and stature so doth the cost and care of parents grow and increase The health the honestie the credite and good estate of the children is the continuall meditation of the parents and if they prooue towardly impes yet is the future hope conceiued of theÌ„ very doubtfull and the comfort variable but the care most certaine and infallible Children should be like the oliue plants Psal 128.3 yeelding the oyle of gladnesse chearefulnesse vnto their parents faces but many by their vngracious behauiours doe make their faces shine with teares and doe couer them with shame They should be as arrowes of protection in the hands of the strong Psal 127.4 but they become swords and darts of sorrow and anguish to pierce their pareÌ„ts hearts What a heart-breake was that vnto Adam Gen. 4.8 that hauing but two sonnes the one of them should murther his owne and onely brother And what a thing was it that when as Isaac had but two children the one of them married with wiues that were a griefe of mind to his mother Gen. 26.35.27.46 and made her wearie of her life But thus doe parents often hatch such filthie egges as proue vgly serpents Sometime it happeneth that contrarie to the course of nature the parents performe the funerall rites to their children and the fame is exceeding grieuous to them 2. King 4. How is the Shunamite distracted for the death of her sonne and how doth Dauid fast and lye on the ground 2. Sam. 12. vpon the sicknesse of his child and if that nature be not extreame in this respect they haply liue to their farther discomfort He that hath married his daughter saith a wise man hath performed a waightie worke Eccles 7.25 but I may say truly howsoeuer passion may crosse reason that he which hath buried his child in the feare of God hath perfourmed a waightier worke For much care and feare is thereby escaped I am not ignorant that the death of Children hath brought the graye heads of some parents with sorrow to the graue but who knoweth not which is worse that the life of children doth often bring their gray heads with sorrow and â—hame to their sepulchers In such a case there is iust cause of wering a mourning weede The most sort of parents I confesse through their folly do turne this temporall blessing into a curse and this comfort into a corrasiue and make it both vanitie and vexation of spirit Such are they that bring vp their children too nicely tenderly or else doe vtterly neglect their education to their owne discomfort and their childrens ouerthrow This was the fault of Dauid who loued his sonne Absolon too tenderly 2. Sam. 14. and would neuer displease Adoniah froÌ„ his childhood 1. Râ—g 1.6 The fruite of which indulgence appeared afterwards when the one attempted to depose his father the other sought to disinherite his brother But the iudgement of God was very grieuous vpon old Eli 1. Sa. 2.24 4. cap. a remisse man who when his sonnes deserued seuere chastisements for their notorious wickednesse onely rebuked them with a verbal reproofe Most parents are very prouident for their childrens profits and those things that belong to their bodies but few haue care of the things that appertain to their soules they decke them in braue apparell build them faire houses and purchase theÌ„ goodly lands but do litle regard their vertuous and godly education Thus as if it were enough for the husbandman to sow his corne but neuer weede it and the gardener to plant a tree and neuer prune it so they thinke it enough to haue children though they neuer haue care of their good bringing vp whereby they peruert the principall ends of marriage and procreation For whereas they should haue endeuoured to haue had of so many childreÌ„ so many heires of the kingdome of heauen they haue alas for pitie prepared so many firebrands for hell This may be a warning to al parents who doe fondly dote vpon their children and a reason to moderate their affections that their hearts be no more set vpon them then is expedient that the current of their loue runne the right way that they doe not cocker and nuzle them vp in vanity and vice but breede them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord. Eph. 6.4 That howsoeuer they prouide for their outward estate they indeuour to make them rich in faith and gracious in their conuersation for this shall tend to the fathers credite the childrens comfort and Gods glorie Psal 127.5 Happie is that man that hath his quiuer full of such arrowes he shall not be ashamed when he speaketh with his enemie in the gates SECT 14. Of Recreations THe estate and conditioÌ„ of mankinde is such both in respect of his bodie and his minde that neither the one nor the other is able substantially to performe prosecute those offices that belong vnto them if they shall be conuersant in continuall agitatioÌ„ and motion The reason hereof is because the vitall and animall spirits are to the bodie and the minde like the oyle to the lampe which if it be not sometimes repaired will be quickly extinguished Now as nature challengeth some intermission for her better refreshing so hath Almightie God herein condescended to mans necessitie permitting to him some libertie for the relaxation both of minde and bodie by Recreations consonant to them both and not dissonant froÌ„ that holy profession which becommeth a Christian For the bodie 2. Sa. 1.18 such exercises as shooting and slinging which were practised for recreations in peace and were necessarie also for defence in the time of warre and the praises of men exquisite in that skill are mentioned in the booke of Iudges Jud. 20.16 as the seuen hundred Beniamites that could sling at a haires breadth meaning by an extensiue kind of speech very neare For the mind some such as ingenious sober riddles are as that of Sampsons Iud. 14.14 Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnesse And such no doubt were diuerse of the Queene of Shebaes questions 1. Kin. 10.3 wherewith she prooued Salomon To this purpose serueth Musicke 2. Chro. 9.1 by meanes whereof Dauid that excellent Musitian did calme and pacifie the minde of Saul 1. Sam. 16.24 vexed and disquieted with a melancholicke humour stirred vp by an euill spirit Yet are these and the like recreations and exercises nothing else but meere vanities Amongst all the recreations that haue bene deuised there is in my conceit none comparable to that heaueÌ„ly science of Musicke which causeth Salomon to single it out from the rest Eccles 2.8 Yet behold his censure of it When he had prouided him men-singers and women-singers the delights of the sonnes of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Tremel in hunc locuÌ„ harmonie and harmonies that
this final sentence vpon them Depart from me ye cursed For behold this curse shall bee a thousand times more grieuous then the cursed and bitter water to the suspected woman Num. 5.18.24 which caused her thigh to rot her belly to swell and made her to be detestable accursed among her people For hereby both belly and thigh head and heart yea bodie and soule shall all be filled with bitternesse become accursed and detestable in the sight of Almightie God and all the holy companie of heauen 2 This makes the sentence more dreadfull in that it cannot be reuoked by any meanes possible The sentence proceeding from the iudgement seate of mortall men may be reuoked or stopped by sundry meanes as by appellation by supplication by complaint or restoring the condemned to his former estate but all these hopes and helpes shall be fruitlesse when this sentence of condemnation shall come forth from the throne of the Lord whose iudgements are more resolute then the decrees of the Medes and Persians which might not be altered 1. There can be no appeale for it must bee to a higher Iudge but there is none such 1. Tim. 6.15 For he is the onely and blessed Prince the King of Kings and Lord of Lords hee hath the key of Dauid Reu. 3.7 when hee shutteth no man openeth the Father hath committed the iudgement vnto him Ioh. 5.27 2. There is no hope of helpe by supplication For Wisedome euen the diuine wisedome of the Father Christ Iesus saith Because he called to them and they would not heare therefore they shall call vpon him and hee will not heare Yea if Iob and Noah and Daniel stood vp to intreat for them it should be in vaine 3. Whither shall the damned go to complaine themselues what to the Lord whose spirit they haue grieued what to the Angels whose ministerie they haue abused what to the Saints whose righteous soules they haue vexed this were a fond conceipt and a fruitlesse course Iob saith well Iob. 9.33 There is no vmpire wheÌ„ God and man are at oddes 4. There is no hope of restoring of the damned to whoÌ„ the Lords wordes shall bee such as he saith to Ieremie I will put my wordes into thy mouth like a fire Jer. 5.14 and this people shall be as wood and it shall deuoure them Psal 2. He will bruse them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell so that there shall not be left a shard to fetch fire with When Esau came to Isaac his father for a blessing which was passed before to Iacob Gen. 27.33 his father said I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed and he poore soule could not get the blessing though hee sought it with teares Heb. 11. So resolute shell the Lords sentence be at the day of iudgement I haue cursed them they shall be cursed and no teares or weeping shall bee able to reuoke it for the Lord hauing spoken it hee will not repent nor alter the words that are gone out of his lippes Loe this is a time of punishment and not of pardon Men that are on the sea seeing some mightie tempest arise are much affraid when it beates vpon the shippe it maketh them amazed but when they begin to sinke Insequitur clamorque virûm stridorque rudentum â—irg Aene. lib. 1. oh what crying and scriching may there be heard amongst theÌ„ So when wicked men foresee the daunger of future iudgement it makes them affraid when they are brought before the tribunall they shall be mightily astonied but when they beginne once to sinke into the pit of euerlasting perdition oh Lord what howling and scriches will they send forth Well seeing this sentence of condemnation is so intolerable and irreuocable why alas haue men no more care to auoide it Many yea the most defer their repentance in this life as though there were hope of pardon in the day of punishment but our Sauiour teacheth vs better Mat. 5.25 Agree with thine aduersarie quickely whilest thou art in the way with him lest thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant and thou be cast in prison Let euery one that hath the feare of condemnation before his eyes seeke reconciliation at the hands of God by true and vnfained repentance and that quickly whilest he is in the way of this life lest hee bee separated with Go your cursed and so the damned spirits the sergeants of hell carrie him to the place of euerlasting torments When men are perswaded by Preachers to paines cost or care in their saluation to abridge themselues of their profits pleasures vanities and iniquities so to enter into heauen by the streight gate they are readie to say with our Sauiours flinching followers Ioh. 6.60 This is a hard saying But would to God they did remember and consider this hard saying Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire and that would surely make them carefull with Abraham Gen. 21.11 to cast out wicked Ismael out of the houses of their soules though it bee grieuous in their eyes and euen with most painfull indeuours studie to make their election sure and to escape that fatall and finall sentence of condemnation Remember the Apostles exhortation To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 And this do lest at the day of iudgement you heare that voyce of terror that shooke the earth and will shake the hearts of all those that shall be goates separated on the left hand for they shall stand naked before the tribunall seate of Christ to heare with trembling harts the voyce of his condemnation 3 ern who haue shut their eares at the voyce of his exhortation CHAP. 3. SECT I. The first steppe of the wicked into hell after the last iudgement namely the losse of Gods presence and all heauenly coÌ„forts Hest 7.8 WE reade in the storie of Hester that king Ahashuerosh hauing decreed the death of haughtie Haman as the word went out of the kings mouth the officers presently couered his face and caried him to the place of execution so when Christ hath pronounced the sentence of Condemnation vpon the wicked shame shall couer their faces and the infernall officers the damned spirits shall instantly carie them to hell there to be tormented for euer When the sentence of banishment was pronounced against Coriolanus Plutar. in vita Coriol he to mooue the Iudges to compassion pleaded for himselfe his valiant deedes and praised the souldiers that had serued with him in the wars but all to no purpose so the wicked to mooue Christ to commiseration shall say to him in that day Lord Lord Mat. 7.22 haue not we by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great workes but all to as little purpose for Christ will professe vnto them
from hell and from the second death euen the eternall death both of bodie and soule tenne thousand times more dolefull and dreadfull then the temporall and corporall death Now this hell and death shall bee cast into the lake of Reu. 20.14 fire Whereby albeit the propheticall Euangelist vnderstand The infernall spirits yet he saith Hell it selfe because they are both confined within the same miserable immutable bounds neither of them both hauing power ouer the children of God This thing Abraham tels the rich man Betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe set Luk. 16 20. so that they which would go from hence to you cannot Doubtlesse it can neuer come into the heartes of the elect that they should bee willing to go into hell and it is as impossible they should be able as that they should be willing if they could they would not and if they would they cannot Thus whilest the Elect are deliuered from the disordered passions of the soule the externall calamities both of soule and bodie the prouocations of the world the power of Sathan the slauerie of sinne the feare of death and the dread of hell they may very well be accounted blessed and happie and the meditation thereof should make euery one desirous to bee partakers of that happinesse If a man had a true sense of these miseries oh what would hee giue to be freed from them how much wold the worldling giue to redeeme himselfe from temporall death But how many worlds wold Diues giue if he had them to be deliuered from the intolerable paines of eternall death If thou desire to bee freed from all these miseries and calamities then sticke to the truth Io. 8.32.36 and it shall make thee free He that will raigne must conquer and hee that would conquer must fight valiantly Labour then very earnestly to conquer and subdue thine owne corruptions the worlds allurements and the diuels temptations and then assure thy selfe though the miseries of the damned were as many as the Locusts of Aegypt yet they shal haue no power ouer thee but thou shalt escape them all Reu. 2.11 For hee that ouercometh shall not be hurt of the second death SECT 2. The second degree of happinesse after the last iudgement namely The fruition of celestiall felicity IF Noah hauing escaped the floud Gen. 8.20 builded an altar and offered burnt offerings thereupon if the children of Israel sung ioyfully for their deliuerance from Aegypt Exod. 15.1 if Dauid were so glad for escaping the hands of his cruell enemies Psa 34.3 that he praiseth God and exhorteth others to ioyne with him in magnifying the Lord how much more had they cause to reioyce the one when hee had obtained a quiet habitation in the restored earth the other that rich possession of the pleasant land and the third the expected fruition of the princely Crowne So may it bee said of the children of God If they haue cause to offer the sacrifices of praise vpon the altar of a thankfull soule for escaping the inundation of sinne to sing Alleluiah with chearefull voyces for their deliuerance from the Aegypt of hell and to magnifâ—â— the Lord for freeing them from the deadly assaults of al their infernal enemies how much more are they bound when they are seated in the heauens possessed of the celestiall Canaan and haue the crowne of eternall glorie set vpon their heades to magnifie the Lord for his mercie and to say with the blessed Angels Praise Reu. 7.12 and glorie and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore For behold this is the highest pitch and perfection of their happinesse Whilest I am to take a view of the kingdome of heauen oh that I might with the holy Apostle bee taken vp into the third heauens 2. Cor. 12.2 And whilest I shall endeuour to blaze foorth the blisse of the celestiall Ierusalem oh that the light of that glorie might shine into my sinfull soule that my thoughts being winged with the contemplation of Angels Reu. 21.15 and the Angels golden reede being giuen mee to measure that citie withall I might be able to comprehend with the blessed Saints the excellencie of that glorious place which farre surmounteth euerie humane estimate that so my soule being rauished with the glorie thereof my pen might distill the Nectar of comfort to inflame the harts of those that shall ioyne with mee in this sweete meditation For how alas shall he that was euer in darknesse be able to describe this light how can he that is of the earth measure the heauens or he that hath alwaies liued in this vale of miserie know what belongs to the mountaine of true felicitie No more surely then hee which is a slaue by birth and base by his continuall habitation is able ingeniously to describe the thrones the state and maiestie of Princes How many workes of God euen in this life do surmount our reach Ioh 3. If Nicodemus vnderstand not the manner of our regeneration how shall hee be able to conceiue the excellencie of glorification The dearest seruants of God who had Eagles eyes and Angels meditations Esay S Paul 1 Cor 2.20 can tell vs that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neither haue those ioyes come into mans heart which God hath prepared for those that loue him Though our eyes haue seene many glorious obiects and our eares haue heard report of greater matters yet our conceipt hath farre exceeded them both But behold the ioyes that God hath prepared for his elect do exceedingly surpasse the apprehensioÌ„ of all our senses both externall and internall Aug. de ciu Dei lib. 22. thâ—y may be obtained they cannot be valued Cott. in Cicer de nâ—t Deor. lib. 1. Hee in Tully said truly That it is an easier matter to know what God is not then to tell what hee is and so mâ—y I sâ—y in this case That it is much easier to tell what is not in heauen then what is there And therefore Saint Augustine in relating the blisse thereof taketh stand and demaundeth this of himselfe after a large discourse What shall I say surely I cannot tell Sed Deus habet quod exhibâ—at Aug. super â—oh hom 3. but I know that God hath such ioyes to bestow Yet forasmuch as the Lords pen-men haue according to our capacities described in sundry places diuerse particulars of this heauenly blessednes let vs briefly and according to the rules of sobrietie collect and consider the samâ— for our instruction and comfort And in the consideratioÌ„ thereof wee will obserue three principall points first the wonderfull beautie of that habitation secondly the glorious view and vision of Almightie God thirdly the blessed condition of the Saints in glorie 1 If any one looke for a curious discourse of the matter or forme of the heauens I intend to faile his expectation My desire in these