found no where heere And where are they but at the right hand of God only Psalm 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore the first takes away all defect In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy and the second admits of no end at thy right hand are pleasures for euer And this is the first fulnesse or saturity of the soule the second is of the body And the naturall desires of the body are life health and beautie Now where can we finde life but in that Country which is the land of the liuing whether no death is suffered to approach or whether should we go to meet with indeflowrishing and vnattainted health but where there is no sorrow no paine no sicknesse at all And that is no where but onely in the Holy City which S. Iohn calls the new Hierusalem Reuel 21. 4. There shall be no more death neyther sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine but as the two glories of the Old and New Testaments Dauid and S. Paul speake God shall deck his Saints with health and wee shall put on incorruption and immortality in those Courts of Honour And thus as the soule and body haue their natural desires so the whole person of man desires naturally as close an vnion with the Diuine being as it is possibly capable of secondly it desires glorie and honour being one of the beames of GODS countenance which hee casts vpon his most noble creatures For there is a sparke of Diuinity in Glory which makes all men I had almost said all creatures naturally appetent of it according to the size they haue measured them out by God to vessell it vp in Cupido gloriae nouissimè exuitur etiam a sapiente sayes the wise Historian many to giue life to their Honor hauing lost their owne And this holy Ambition as it deriues it selfe to another world so it is in man both a naturall and lawfull desire within the expectation of which the whole creature stretching out the neck of it as S. Paul most significantly speakes waites for and sighes for and like a woman is in a dolorous trauaile for to be deliuered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the free libertie of glory granted to the sonnes of God The last hunger both of soule and body as they are vnited is of diuine societie and friendship and therefore as the Philosopher calls man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature so the Apostle would haue vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to associate our selues at least in our trauelling thoughts with the Citizens of Heauen who as for number they are infinitely more so for nature are farre more illustrious and blessed then our vnder companions that liue here below centred with our selfs in this little point of earth are For God himselfe being a Diuine Spirit and those Palaces of glory being farre more extensiue and spacious then our narrow regions how can there but be as Dauid and Daniel both witnesse ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand thousands of ministring Spirits to wait vpon their high and transcendent Soueraigne the King of Spirits Royal and therefore S. Paul reckoning vp our heauenly companions Hebr. 12. 22. begins with an innumerable cōpany of Angels so that this desire shall aboundantly be satiated and content But of heauen we that are on earth cannot say much For though Satan took our Sauiour vp into a high mountaine and thence shewed him all the Kingdomes of the earth and the glory of them in a moment of time Luk. 4. 5. which shewes of how small moment they are that in one short instant and article of time could sodainelie giue a blaze and so vanish yet there is no mountaine high enough nor any time long enough but eternity to vnuaile the glory of the Kingdome of Heauen which God purposely no doubt hath concealed that he might know who would loue him for himselfe because all men could not but loue him for his glory if he should let it fall vpon our eyes and display it selfe in the diuine beames of it Yet as farre as the eye of right reason guided like the wise men in the search of our Sauiour by the heauenly starres of light that shine euery where in Gods word may discouer this holy land let vs not wrong our sacred hunger of knowledge as blindely to wrap vp all in a cloud and to denye it this iust satisfaction which especially consists in a threefold glorious vnion wherewith God hath promised in his Word to vnite the persons of the Elect to himselfe which close with the Diuine Being I mentioned before to be the most ardent and naturall desire of our whole person and that wherwith the whole man is most delighted satisfied and filled First therefore wee are vnited vnto Christ as vnto our Head and so wee make but one body with him and this is a closer vnion then eyther children can be vnited to Parents for they are diuided parts from their Father but wee are vnited parts to Christ our Lord or married couples can be vnited each to other For they being diuerse bodies are vnited but into one flesh but wee to Christ are vnited into one body and one flesh as the Apostle speaks we are all set into his body and are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hee with a most significant elegancy speakes in the 4. and 6. to the Ephesians And this is the first vnion of our persons with God by his Son Iesus Christ which makes vs way and entrance to the two remanent The second vnion is whereby our persons are spiritually vnited to God by the very Diuine and Holy Spirit of God him selfe so that this infinite and glorious and euer-liuing Spirit diffusing it selfe through euery member of Christs mysticall body makes vs of one spirit and one soule as it were with the Diuine being not by the vnion of essence and information but of inhabitance and participation The last vnion is that whereby the Diuinity of God dwelling in vs after an vnspeakeable gracious manner vnites himselfe whole although not wholly to vs far beyond the possibility of any other creature in the World For other creatures haue no power of vniting themselues so as God hath The reason is cause they are of so grosse and if not corporeall yet materiall being that it is impossible for them to make vs partakers of their Essences which haue all of them certaine Characteristicall and indiuiduall differences whereby they are incommunicable in their Natures to any other beside themselues But wee are made as S. Peter tells vs partakers of the Diuine Nature after an eminent manner which though it cannot be plenarily exprest yet it may bee shadowed by some weak resemblances The Rule whereby we may conceiue of this vnion is that Euery thing the more subtill and pure and immateriall it is the more closelie it may vnite it selfe
first from the wombe of nature but where I pray should nature find seed 〈◊〉 some the earth but from the fruites of the earth before growing where should shee seeke for egges to breed her â—owles with but from â—owles already bred whither should she goe to gather her akrons but vnder the oake before flourishing what neede â—nfinite knotts It is not in the power of nature to bring forth a man but he must first be borne a child and of whom should that child bee borne had not there been already in nature both man and woman nature then we see could not by any power in her produce the least creature but shee must needs haue her semniall causes and whence are they seeded but from things already beeing Much lesse could chance for what is fortune but onely something in nature wherof we know not the cause If a man digging in a field find a mine we cal this fortune but a mine must bee first there by nature before any can finde it there by fortune And therefore fortune that comes alwayes after nature cannot bee the cause of nature It followes then that the whole world and the soules of men proceeded neither from nature nor chance but from the power and wisedome of God himselfe who is as much more powerfull then nature to call out his worke perfect in his kind at first as he is more wise then fortune to adorne his worke with the most graceful order with out any chaunceable or blind confusion This then being either graunted or extorted from a naturall man what followes hence Truely this That the soule of man doth consist by the word of God Secondly That the soule of man beeing onely able of all creatures visibly in heauen or earth to conceiue and vnderstand a diuine beeing which our experience teaches vs must needs be a spirituall substance like God himselfe and created after his image For this in reason and nature is a selfe-credible truth That no Creator can rayse the power of his action beyond the sphaere of his owne actiuity A stone cannot liue A plant cannot see A beast cannot vnderstand a diuine nature because it hath no such receptiuity no such actiue and diuine power in it as to take into it an insensible obiect For then it should work extra sphaeraÌ„ beyond the pitch of a sensible being man therfore onely who hath such an eye of vnderstanding in him whereby he is able to liue as it is sayd of Moses Heb. 11. 27. as seeing him who is inuisible must needs be fashioned and form'd in the similitude of the inuisible God For what creature worships a diuine power sanctifies holy dayes and Sabaoths obserues solemne feasts and assemblies offers sacrifices of prayer praise to God but man onely Vpon whose soule doth the law of God naturally reflect it selfe in the knowledge of that which is good and the conscience of that which is euill but onely vpon man's What nature in earth obserues the different motions of the heauenly bodies and admires the methodicall Wisedome of God in them or thinkes vpon his couenant of mercy when he sees the token of it shining in the waterie cloud sweetly abusing the same waters to bee a token of his mercy which before were the instrument of his iust reuenge but only man's whose eye lookes beyond the bright hilles of time and there beholds eternity or sees a spirituall world beyond this body esteeming that farre discoasted region his natiue countey but onely man Which diuine thought wee shall not find in the hearts alone of the children of light that haue the starres of heauen shining thicke in them Hebr. 11. 16. but in the minds of heathen men that lay shadowed in their owne naturall wisedome out of which the banisht Consul of Rome Boetius could sing Haec dices memini patria est mihi Hinc ortus hic sistam gradum O this my country is thy soule shall say Hence was my birth here shall be my stay And of which Anaxagoras liuing a stranger among the Athenian Philosophers and being chid for regarding so little his natiue soile by one that asked him why he minded no more his owne country answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ô sayes he pointing vp to heauen I am exceeding mindfull of my natiue countrie Now to apply all this discourse home man we haue prou'd was created by the word of God man only was form'd in Gods image and similitude And who then is the word of God but the Sonne of God who the expresse image of the Father but the Sonne Ioh. 1. 1. Heb. 1. 3. Since therefore our soules consist by the Word Christ and euery thing is preseru'd of that it consists as Nature it selfe teaches since our soules are made after the image and similitude of Christ and euery thing is most agreeably nourished by that it is most assimilated vnto is it not euen in reason an irrepugnable Truth that our soules must needs be nourished and preserued by the power of our Lord CHRIST who is Gods Essentiall Word and Image And heere by the way but I speake of it onely incidentally as it falls into discourse wee may see as the high dignity so the causall differeÌ„ce between the reasonable soule of man and the liuing souls of bruit beasts For doe but looke into the booke of the generatioÌ„ of creatures and you shall see there Mans soule was immediately breathed into his body by God himselfe and was created after his Diuine image but the Liuing Soules of bruit beasts were educ't out of their elementarie wombes those bodies which were most like theÌ„selues For so sayes our Lord God Let the Earth bring forth euery liuing thing according to his kind and it was so so the sea was commaÌ„ded to bring foorth issue according to his kind and so it was which is the reason the liuing souls of beasts fal again into the same matter out of which they were first taken and of whose kinde likeness they are as our corruptible bodies doe Dust thou art and into dust thou shalt returne but the diuine and reasonable Spirit of man returns to God that gaue it as Salomon speakes Eccles 12. 7. being immediately created by him of his owne similitude and kinde so breath'd into the body which is indeede the true prime cause of the immortality of our souls So that they being created immediately by the Word breath of God out of nothing and not arising from any praeexistent matter caÌ„not possibly be corrupted into any other nature or annihilated by any other word except we childishly suppose some word more powerful then the Word of God himselfe I haue now prou'd that our soules all consisting by the word of the Father which is Christ and being imag'd most like vnto him they must needs as euery thing else is by their like be preserued and nourisht by Christ whose image they are and who may therefore with greater truth and reason be called
And there is a Spirituall Vnion whereby all th' Elect soules and bodies are not onely inspired and I may so speake Spirited with the Holy Ghost who rules and swayes all the thoughts and actions of the soule as the soule doth all the parts and affections of the body And last of all there is a gracious and admirable Vnion of similitude whereby wee are made whollie conformable and alike to the Diuine being which is the most desireable accumulate blessednesse of our Nature So that looke as you see the very bright image of the Sunne so reflected vpō the water somtimes that the dull Element seemes to haue caught downe the very glorious body it selfe to paint her watry face with and lookes more like a part of heauen then like it selfe who in the absence of the Sunne is all fabled with blacknesse and darknesse and sad obscurity but vpon the first beames of the heauenly body is glazed with a most noble illustrious brightnesse so is it with our whole man For when God shall thus imprint and strike himselfe into our darke being O how beautifull shall the feet of Gods Saints bee Esay 52. 7. What a Diadem of stars shall crowne their glorious heads Reuelat. 12. How shall their amiable bodies shine in Sun-like Maiesty Mat. 13. 4. Neither let it bee thought a vaine audacity of speech to say that the countenance and face of Gods children shall break forth into beames of more celestiall glory then the mid-day sunne euer yet sent abroad into the World For as S. Paule tells vs they shall be conform'd to the Image of his glorious body so he tels Agrippa Acts 26. 13. At mid-day O King I saw in the way a light from heauen aboue the brightnes of the Sunne shining round about me which was no other then the Light of the countenance of our Lord Iesus which sight as it struck blindnesse into the face and thicke scales into the eies of persecuting Saul so it dressed the whole countenance of suffering Stephen with a most Diuine and Angelical glory and had not the Light in reason beene greater then the Suns it would haue beene like the Moon and Starres at mid-day wholly extinguisht and inuisible Neyther let any man amaze his vnderstanding with the manner how a Spirituall substance can so sparkle and be as it were visible in the body Saint Austins comparison hath life in it in the expression of that point Life in it selfe is inuisible and cannot be seene yet it so freshes the countenance and beautifies the eyes that when the body wants it and is dead nothing lookes more dreary and ghastly then a Corps doth We see not life in it selfe sayes the Father but wee see it shining in the brightnesse of the eyes and smiling in the liuelihood and cheerefulnesse of the countenance And so it is with a glorious body God is Life and like Life cannot bee seene in himselfe by any ocular aspect but as Life in a Naturall so God in a glorious body is most apparant and plainely visible and conspicuous euen vnto our eyes But some perhaps will thinke this discourse of spirituall satiety I call it spirituall not excluding the Body but because our Bodies themselues shall be then spirituall as now our very spirits are in a manner carnall to be fetch'd rather out of the schooles of Reason then of Gods Word and to haue more ground in Philosophy then Faith For where in Scripture shall we read of any such image of God to satisfie our Natures with If we turne to the 17. Psalme and the 15. verse we shal there finde the portion of the righteous excellently described by Dauid who hauing before set out the men of this world who haue their portion in this life their dimensum which is their belly full of Treasures abundance of Children and their happinesse to leaue their substance to their Babes verse 14. hee reflects his thoughts into his owne brest and sings As for me I will behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall bee satisfied when I awake with thy Image This made Dauids heart pant after the sight of Gods face for so the words originally signifie Psalm 42. 1. This made him pray Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death and needes must the eyes of the righteous be lightened and then awaken when the wicked shall haue theirs shut vp in eternall darkenesse when they shall behold the face of God and shall satisfie with his Image their euigilant soules Wee shall finde in Scripture besides this Image of God that for aye blesses the soules of the righteous two other Images of the wicked world and of wicked men wherewith the wicked striue to satisfie their soules but as S. Paul 〈◊〉 vs the image of the world does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loose continually his forme and fashion so Dauid tells vs Psalme the 73. the 20. that when God awakes he shal despise their image The image of God satisfies the righteous when they awake to their reward because there is substance and truth and goodnesse in it but when God awakes to the punishment of the wicked their image is so far from bringing with it any satisfaction of glory that in the iudgment of God himselfe who cannot but iudge most vprightly it is full of shame most ignoble and worthy to be despised hauing no substance but onely shadow no truth but onely appearance no ground but onely opinion to paint it selfe with and therefore looke what difference of things there is in the sound iudgment of one waking and the skipping and dauncing phansies of a dreaming braine so much more is there betweene the swelling images of secular glory and the diuine image of God when wee shall awaken from those dreams which the world as long as shee can keepe vs in the cradle of our flesh rocks and pleasantly sings vs a-sleep in And therefore Dauid hauing spoken of the death of the wicked in the former verse of the fore-cited Psalme O how suddenly doe they consume and perish and come to a fearefull end presently annexes As a dreame when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image But let vs leaue this golden Image with all the dreaming World with Nebuchadnezar is troubled with in their sleepe and is angry with all that will not fall down to worship it and returne to that Image that deludes not dreaming but satisfies our awaking spirits As Dauid speaks of his owne so S. Paul speakes of all the Elect soules of God Rom. 8. 29. that they were predestinated to be conform'd to this Diuine image and therefore in the 2. to the Corinthians the 3. 13. 14. c. he makes his difference betweene the obstinate Iew and the beleeuing Christian that their hearts was stil veild and blinded with their olde Mosaicall shadows and ceremonies but wee all saies the Apostle hauing the veyle done away in Christ with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory
of the Lord or changed into the same Image from glory to glory euen as of the spirit of the Lord. So that as the Moon and the Starres that hauing no in-borne or inherent Light streaming from themselues and yet gathering together into their burning faces the beames of the Sun freely sent abroad and bestowed amongst them appear like so many little images of the great Lampe of day So all the Holy Lamps of Heauen made for Gods seruice haue onely the Light of Gods countenance to kindle themselues with which he out of his bounty casts abroad amongst them and they according to their seuerall capacities to fill vp their measures of glory most ambitiously vessell vp This being the Royalty of the Diuine Nature who is the spiritual sonne of eternall Essences that he beyond all other is most emissiue and communicatiue of himselfe For as Light is more visible then any colour and sends out in the eradition of it a more full and luminous species of it selfe then any other thing because it is as the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the colour of all colours so God who is the Light of all Lights must needs in himselfe bee most visible though neither it to the eye of an Owle nor God to the sight of our vnderstanding yet beetle-browed can so appeare But when as Dauid sings our soules shall awaken and the youth of our bodies shall be renewed as the Eagles both they with the Diuinity and these with the Diuine humanity shall be transformed into the same image of glory which they shall behold in him And though now they blinke at Sunne-shine yet then where the body of glory is thither shall the spirituall Eagles be all gathered together and there feede and fill the righteous hunger and thirst of theirs And this is the fulnesse of glory our Sauiour meanes to satisfie them in heauen with who on earth nourish in themselues the righteous hunger after Grace When the vnderstanding shall be filled with truth in which is no shadow of error the will with goodnesse in which is no mixture of euill the affections with ioy and delight in which shall be neyther defect nor end when the body shall be satisfied with Life that knowes no dying shall be quickned with health that feares no sickenesse shall be imbrightned with beautie that can neyther bee impayred with disease nor impalled by death when the whole person shall be crowned with honour glory shall be leagued in friendship with Angells and Saints shall bee vnited to Christ in body to the holy Ghost in Spirit to God in a bright similitude and likenesse of his Diuine nature in a word when they shall enioy which this world is out of hope of honor without ambition beauty without pollution glory without pride power without iniury riches without oppression all good without any end of possessing feare of losing or sinne in spending Let vs therefore quicken our drowsie spirits with IIII. A short incitement to the heauenly ambition of Gods Saints IT was a speech of the most ambitious Spirit in the world in the excuse of his high swelling thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man would do iniurie it should bee for a Kingdome piety was to be obserued in lesse matters as hee thought but the truth is hee needed not haue supposed it to bee such a difficult thing to be perswaded to doe iniury For as the Philosopher speakes Nothing is more easie then to doe another man wrong and he giueth the Reason why Iustice although it be so beautifull a Light in the world that as he sayes of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither the morning nor the euening starre is halfe so Oriently beautiful yet so few men are in loue with it because it is the good of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee are all naturally engrossers of goods for our selues but wee are loth though iustly to diuide or part them with any other and therefore with more reason the religious man who is the most ambitious creature vnder heauen may whet and edge his flaming desires to goe through all the sweat and labour of righteousnesse with the same speech inuerted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a Kingdome be the reward of Piety who would not be religious But it is a myracle in reason to see that when there are three sorts of ambitious in the world Sinfull Naturall and Religious how many and those of the choicest wits offer their harts and sacrifice themselues as whole burnt offerings to the ambition of sinne and how few set their thoughts on fire with the holy ambition of Gods Saints And yet there is no difference betweene sinfull and sainâ—ly ambition for both would be like God but that the first would be like him without dependance and would be proud in being so affecting a diuine similitude beside the right meanes and beyond the due measure and the other is content to climbe by the valley of Christs humility to this mountaine of holinesse The sinfully ambitious would haue Gods glory but not his goodnes his power but not his iustice the Maiesty of his Kingdome but not the manner of his gouernment And therefore all those Angelicall stars of Light whom God in the Morning of his Works made Heauen shine with are now become through this sinfull ambition wandring Starres to whom is reserued the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer And this was it that smote not onely so many stars out of heauen but would haue struck into hel the whole posterity of Adam had not our Sauiour snatch'd vp some few of vs into heauen with him and yet how many soules still scorche themselues in these flames It was the imperious speech of the Assyrian Tyrian and Romane Princes I will be like the most high I will ascend into Heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the starres of God Esay 14. I am God Ezech 28. I sit a Queen mening as the Lady and Commandresse of the whole World and shall see no sorrow c. Alas how high this sinfull ambition would climbe in thought and indeed how low doth it fall It aspires to the sides of the North Esay 14. 13. verse And verse the 15. it is cast downe into the sides of the pit It would ascend into Heauen verse the 14. and in the next it is brought downe to hell It fancies to it selfe a high flight among the starres and Angells of God And loe the shadows of darknesse are moued from beneath to meet it and the dead ghosts are stirred vp to salute it with this derisory taunt Art thou become like vnto vs How art thou fallen from Heauen O Lucifer sonne of the Morning And these perhaps great princely and honourable Diuels of Ambition may seeme in comparison of the lesser to delude their followers with a kinde of bâ—aue and royall misery But in very truth it is a sight full of wonder to obserue the children of this generation at how small game
THE REVVARD of the Faithfull MATH 5. 6. They shall be satisfied THE LABOVR OF the Faithfull GENES 26. 12. Then Isaac sowed in that Land THE GROVNDS of our Faith ACTS 10. 43. To him giue all the Prophets witnesse At London printed by B. A. for Beniamin Fisher and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater-noster row 1623. To the right Honorable and Religious Sir Roger Townshend Knight Baronet all grace and peace Honorable Sir BENEFITS they say are alwayes best giuen when they are most concealed but thanks when they are made most knowne Giue my priuate estate leaue therefore to borrow the Art of the Printer which is the publike Tongue of the learned to expresse my selfe though with no other learning then what your kinde respects haue taught mee most gratefull vnto you who indeed am bound though principally yet not onely to your Honoured selfe but totj Gentj tuae to the worthy Lady your mother the religious Knight Sir Nathaniel your second Father without thought not beyond my desire to your most noble learned Vncle the Right Honorable Francis Lord Verulam Viscount Saint Albones my free and very Honourable Benefactor whose Gift as it was worthy his bestowing so was it speedily sent and not tediously sued for Honourably giuen not bought with shame to one whom he neuer knew or saw but onely heard kindly slaundered with a good report of others and opinion conceiued by himselfe of sufficiencie and worth For by your Fauours I confesse my estate is something but the sence of my pouertie much more increased For if we may beleeue Neros wise Maister and Martyr There is none so poore as he who cannot requite a benefit but I am glad your Estates will be alwayes beyond any retaliating kindnesses of mine who could not indeed with out doing you much iniury wish my selfe able to make you amends As therefore Aristippus came to Dionysius so doe I to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hauing receiued what I wanted to returne what I had Though in trueth this small pâ—esent may bee better sayed to bee giuen by you to others then by my self to you who thought it worthy of more mens reading then your owne which I pray God it may be Surely if there be any worth in it it is in the dignitie of the matter and the fitnesse of it for our nature and times The matters are the Grounds Exercise and Reward of the faithfull Heauenly Light Bodily labour Spirituall rest The first of which brings with it light for our Soules the second Health for our bodies and the third for them both eternall Blessednesse But in our times there is three Vertues are so great strangers in which there are so many euill heartes of vnbeliefe all standing ready to depart from the liuing God that wee had need to offer a holy violence to our nature and to fall out with our times that fall so fast away from God or else it is to be feared least the tide and streame of them both carry vs not into the riuers of Paradise there to bee landed vpon the mountaines of our saluation but into the riuers of Brimstone whether all are wasted that depart from GOD as himselfe telleth vs Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire And so much the more need had wee that liue in this last Age of the world to looke to the infirmitie of our natures and diseases of the time because natural infirmities are alwayes greatest Tyrants in our Age and it is no otherwise in this old world then in old persons If we were borne weake sighted it is a venture but in age a great dimnesse if not a totall blindnesse doe not befall vs. If a lame hand by nature hath disabled the actions of our youth the hand which in youth could doe little will doe nothing in our age if we haue traduced a personal inclination from our parents to any vice it is a grace if that inclination grow not to an affection in our youth and in our age to a habite So fast grow the ill weedes of Nature when Nature it selfe decayes in vs. Now wee cannot bee ignorant that in the very Spring of nature these three strong infirmities were seeded in vs. The first vpon the effacing of Gods Image a dimme eye-sight or darknesse in our soule the second a lame hand or idlenesse in the body which grew when Mortalitie first broke in vpon vs and left our nature consumed of that first-borne strength it then flowrished with bringing in vpon our labour an accursed sweat vpon our sweat wearinesse and consequently faynting and languishing the whole body with vnrest and disease The third vpon the losse of our heauenly inheritance an inclination and affection of the whole man to such a happinesse as wee cannot build for our selues out of the beautie and delights lights of this world which Salomon happily alluded vnto Eccles. 3. 11. where speaking of Humane happinesse to reioyce and doe good that is to eate and to drinke and to enioy the good of all our Labour verse 13 Which questionlesse is therefore lawfull because it is there sayd to bee the gift of GOD hee telleth vs that God hath made euery thing beautifull in his season and hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coelum the worlde as it is translated or the desire of perpetuitie in their heartes so that no man can finde out the worke that God maketh from the beginning to the end Whereas it seemes to me Salomon allowing vs this Humane felicitie as good in it selfe yet secretly accuseth it by reason of the immoderate affection and desire of perpetuitie wee cast after it for blinding the eye of our consideration so farre as thereby wee cannot finde out the worke that God maketh from the beginning to the end which doublesse can bee no other then his worke of our Redemption purposed from all eternitie in CHRIST our Lord who therefore as himself is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first borne of all creatures so his day is cald Nouissimus Dierum the last of all dayes he onely being as himselfe witnesseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Frst and the Last the beginning of all things and the ende of all things Colos 11. and in this worke onely consists the knowledge of our perfit happines wherein is both perpetuitie and sufficiency which work of Gods most men therefore cannot finde out because they acquiet their desires with this humane felicitie and lie downe vnder Issachars blessing which indeed is but a cursory and viatorie happinesse seruing vs onely for the time and by the way These then are the three great diseases of our soules bodies and persons Blindnesse of Spirit Idlenesse of Body Loue and rest in the world which the beginning of the world made by corruption naturall and the Age of the world by the second nature and of custome hath made delight full to vs. And truely if our owne
of worldly courtesie to his Brother Amnon who when his heart was merry with wine slew him and fill'd his wine-bowle vp againe with his owne bloud ending all the ioy of the feast in teares and lamentation Indeede as long as they liue heere in their mortified flesh especially if the times bee clowdy the world would thinke their high mindes and abiect bodies very vn-euen matches For who if hee had met with the ancient Citizens of Heauen wandring about in sheepes-skins goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented as the Apostle speakes Hebr. 11. would not haue thought them the poorest snakes aliue But greatest spirits weare not alwaies gayest Armes nor the best Souldier the highest Crest And therefore although a man would thinke the kingdom of Heuen much dishonoured by our Sauior when he auiles humbles it in the comparison of a small Pearle and a little graine of mustard-seed yet indeed it is not discountenanced but discouered by the resemblance For though the seed be the smallest yet the plant is the tallest of all the hearbs that grow such a vitall flourish is there in the little heart of it that what Virgil speaks of the Bee may well be applied to this vigorous graine Ingentes animos angusto in corpore voluit Neyther hath the richest pearle of the Orient any better out-side then the dirty shell of an Oyster which perhaps S. Paul alluded vnto in the 2. Cor. 4. 7. where speaking of Gods Saints and this heauenly treasure in them hee tells vs wee haue this pearle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in no better than scalopshels Cleane opposite are these glories delights this ambition to those of our vnder-world Gather all the roses of pleasure that grow vpon the earth sayes not the Greek Epigram truely of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rose is faire fading short and sweet Passe softly by her And in a moment you shall see her fleet And turne a bryer They looke fairely but they are sodainely dispoiled whereas contrary all the flowers of Paradise like the Church Cant. 1. 5. 6. sun-burnt frosted with the heat and cold of this tempestuous world looke black and homely but flourish inwardly with diuine beauty and are all glorious within So that wee may well say of the Church as the Poet sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She 's black what then so are dead coales but cherish And with soft breath them blow And you shall see them glow as bright and flourish As spring-borne Roses grow The reason of which is because the World wants God purposely so ordering it least we shold relie vpon her Egyptian reedes those two mayne iettes to sustaine her crazie buildings with which the Courts of GODS house are most gracefully pillard vpheld Selfe-sufficiency and Perpetuitie For who euer saw all the goods euen of this world meet together in one person constantly attend him to his graue Morall Vertue and Knowledge Honour Friends Riches Pleasure Health Strength and Beauty Which are therfore insufficient both because they are commōly seioyn'd one from another and haue in themselues no satisfying nature For what rich man desires not more wealth or what great man thirsts not after more honour or what scholar studies not for more knowledge But let vs grant what no man shall euer finde Knowledge Vertuous Vertue Honorable Honour Healthfull Health Strong Strength Beautiful Beauty befriended rich pleasant all these met together to blesse one subiect Yet because the Measure of them all is our Life and that is of so short a size as Dauid speakes Behold thou hast made my life as it were a span long and my daies are euen as nothing he sayes not indeede they are nothing at al but they are as neer it as may be they are euen as nothing neither doth hee say his life is a whole span-long but as it were a span lōg the word in the originall signifies but a handbreadth how can they but for want of perpetuitie fall all vpon our heads without the great grace of God make vs so much the more miserable by their losse as before in their possession we thought our selues more happy then other men Seeke we seeke we therefore the sufficiency of Grace heere and heereafter the perpetuity fulnesse of glory will succeed For as Dauid speaketh Light is sowne for the righteous and gladness for the vpright in heart The seedes of them both are sowne in our corruptible state but in the state of incorruption wee shall reape the haruest What if these ioyes cānot smile vpon as with their owne faces but are as S. Paul speakes who had seene them vnutterable in their natures as what tongues of Men and Angells can expresse musicall sounds to a deaf man or describe the glorious Light or diuine Beauty the visible and celestial bodies flame with to him that is blind yet let vs assure our selues the honour of our faith is so much the greater by how much the lesse we see to cause our beleefe and thogh Thomas was blessed in his seeing yet hee was chid for not beleeuing but vpon sight with this comfortable reprehension to vs. Blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued For sure as I said before if the glory of GOD were not conceal'd it would neuer be knowne who would loue him for himselfe because all men would loue him for his glory GENES 26. 12. Then Isaac sowed in that Land and receiued the same yeere an hundred fold LEt vs goe on now from the spiritual haruest of our soules wherein God grant vs to be all sharers because heauen is the field and the fruit wee shall thereby reape will be eternall glory to the haruest whereby our bodies are sustained and which maintains our life heere that if wee be still earthly minded men and plow in all our hopes into these sandy furrowes yet when wee see in this story of Isaac that it is Gods blessing onely that cloaths the valleis so thick with corn that they laugh and sing for ioy as Dauid sings of them Ps 65. 13. we may if not because he will banquet replenish our soules with Diuine satiety that flourishes in heauen yet euen in meere good husbandry that hee may feed preserue our bodies with the food that growes out of the earth become religious men such as wait vpon Gods blessings in the improuement of all the labours sweate of our seuerall callings It will bee a good fruit of the earth if we vse it to carry our thoughts vp into heauen there to honour God with praise and thankesgiuing for his blessing vs heere In the generall suruey of which words after wee haue diuided them into Isaacs labour Then Isaac sowed in that Land his reward and receiued the same yere an hundred fold wee will take hold first of this one obseruation I. That euery Creature which would bee preserued in his Calling
by the blessing of God must labour for it FOr as GOD would haue the World cost himselfe sixe daies labour though in one moment he could haue finish'd it so hee sets vs to taske by his owne example to our weekely stint Sixe dayes shalt thou labour Exod. 20. 9. and doe all that thou hast to doe Which is not to bee vnderstood as a Permission but as a Praecept as though God gaue vs onely leaue not charge to labour For hee sayes not sixe daies thou Maist labour but six daies thou Shalt labour If our mouths will eat as Salomon tels vs All the labour of a man is for his Mouth Eccles 6. 7. our browes must sweat for it For as the Heathen had a Prouerbe among them Dij venaunt omnia laboribus Their Gods they sayd sold all for labour so we may truely say of GOD indeed hee hath set the price of all his earthly blessings to be sweat In the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eat thy bread all the daies of thy life Genesis 3. Neither let the Master thinke to wipe off all his sweat to the brow of his seruant as though like our Gallants hee were borne onely to disport pleasure and his seruants to labour and toyle for him No euery Man is Gods Taskeman and it is as naturall for vs to labour as it is for flame to ascend so Eliphaz speaks of vs Iob. 5. ver 7. Man is borne to labour as a sparke to flie vpwards Indeed the labors of men are different some of mind and some of body some in the field some in the Citie some abroad at Sea and some at home but labour will meete a man euery where be hee where hee will It is our portion vnder the Sunne as Salomon tells vs Behold that which I haue seene sayes the wise man Eccles 5. 18. It is good for a man to eate and to drinke and to enioy the good of all his labour which he taketh vnder the Sunne for it is his portion So that euery one that would enioy the good creatures of GOD this subcelestiall happinesse which flourishes vnder the Sunne if hee would eate and drinke or enioy any good it must be of his labour his owne labour not another mans for that is to steale another mans goods and with his sweate to warme our own browes And so seuere was the holy Apostle of Christ in this point that Golden and Elect instrument of Gods grace to vs who in labours excelled them all that were hired into Christs vineyard to worke that hee would haue him starued to death that to maintain his life would not labor Hee that will not labour let him not eate sayes the Apostle 2 Thes 3. 10. It were vnnecessary to adde more out of the word of God to acquaint vs with our duety of labour the places to this purpose and the Scripture in this argument is prodigall Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands Ps 128. 2. Ephes 4. 28. Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that hee may haue to giue to him that needeth Where wee see the Apostle ties not onelie euerie man to his worke but would haue him though hee labour with his owne hands to get his liuing yet to giue something to him that needeth wants hands or feete or health or strength or liberty wherby to labour Looke then as we see a field as long as it hath any heart in it if it be manured and tilled sowne and weeded and well husbanded in euery part neuer deceiues the hopes of the greedy husbandman but paies him in his own seed with the most lawfull vsury of naturall and very plentifull encrease which if it bee neuer wrought vpon with the labour of man but falls perhaps into the hands of the sluggard growes presently full of nothing but thistles and thornes ranke hurtfull weedes as Salomon tels vs Prou 24. 30. I went by the field of the sluggard and by the vineyard of the slothfull man and loe it was al ouergrowne with thornes and nettles had couered the face thereof so is it with the body of man If it be wel and faithfully laboured it is fruitfull both to himselfe his family and the whole Common-wealth but if it sleep away all his time in idlenesse hee growes not onely vnprofitable but full of noysom vices and is as the Poet cals him onely fruges consumere natus a hurtfull Vermin good for nothing but to liue vpon the spoyle Are not al things imbrightned with vse and rustied with lying still Let but the little Bee become our mistresse Is shee not alwaies out of her artificiall Nature either building her waxen Cabinet or flying abroad into the flowry Meadowes or sucking honey from the sweete plants or loading her weake thighes with waxe to build with or stinging away the theeuish Droan that would faine hiue it selfe among her labours and liue vpon her sweete sweat Ignauum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent And shal this Little creature this Naturall good-houswife thus set her selfe to her businesse and shall we droane away our time in idlenesse and which alwaies followes it vicious liuing Shall our fieldes labour so faithfully to reward vs and shall we betray our whole liues to idlenesse and sloath Find mee but one example in the World to countenance and sample a man in his idlenesse GOD himselfe is the watchman of Israel that neuer slumbers sleepes My Father workes sayes our Sauiour and I worke The holy Angels are alwaies either ascending vp vnto God as we may see in Iacobs ladder that is lifting their thoughts vpwards to honour him in their eternall song Holy Holy Holy Lord GOD of Sabbaoth c. or descending from God to Men with his blessings as being his Ministring Spirits sent for the good of the Elect to pitch their pauillions round about and defend vs from many spirituall and blind dangers which alas our soules neuer see Not one of them all was seene to bee idle or stand still Man himselfe which is worthy our obseruing euen then when hee was first paradis'd in the Garden of pleasure yet had something to doe in it and was not suffered to walke idlely vp downe like a Loyterer or Idlesbye that had nothing at all to doe but was set to keepe it dresse it Gen. 2. Labour hee must though sweat he should not and businesse hee had to doe though sweat hee should not and businesse hee had to doe though in the doing of it he felt no wearinesse or toyle And as these most noble creatures of God Angels and man were not suffered to bee idle so if wee looke vp to the heauens themselues we shall there see there that mighty body in continuall motion neuer standing still but flying about the world with incredible swiftnesse that Dauids great Giant who euery morning like a Bridegroome comes out of his Easterne chamber delights