and rare felicitie in pitching iust vpon the golden meane as they conceiue betweene prophanenesse and precisenesse infamous notoriousnesse and persecuted strictnesse But that Prouerbe in the meane time falls pat vpon their pates There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse And at length most certainely the iust execution of that terrible commination Reuel 3. 16. will crush their hearts with euerlasting horrour confusion and woe But I should be endlesse in the discouery of this hidden and hellish gulph of hypocrisie wherein thousands are swallowed vp euen in this glorious Mid-day of the Gospell For a man may assoone find out the way of an Eagle in the Ayre the way of a Serpent vpon a Rocke the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea and the way of a man with a maid as to tracke the cunning and crooked footsteps of this foule fiend in the false hearts of Satans followers Only take notice that thou canst neuer possibly delight in God or euer comfortably come neere him if thou giue any entertainment vnto it in what forme soeuer it represent it selfe or whatsoeuer vizor it offers vnto thee though neuer so fairely varnished and guilded ouer with the Deuils angelicall glory III. Build and erect all thy resolutions and conclusions for Heauen and Gods seruice vpon that strong and purest pillar that maine and most precious Principle of Christianitie Selfe-deniall No walking with God no sweete communion and sound peace at his Mercy-Seate except for his sake and keeping a good conscience thou be content to denie thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall reason acceptation with the world excellencie of learning fauour of great Ones credit and applause with the most thy passions profit pleasures preferment neerest friends ease libertie life euery thing any thing And feare no losse for all things else are nothing to the least comfortable glimpse of Gods pleased face From this Principle sprung all those noble resolutions and replies of Gods worthiest Saints and Souldiers That of Hester for the preseruation of the people of God Well saith she I wil goe in vnto the King which is not according to the law and if I perish I perish That of Micaiah sollicited strongly by the messenger to temporize in managing his Ministery with sutablenesse and conformity to the Kings pleasure and plausiblenesse of the false prophets As the Lord liueth what the Lord saith vnto mee that will I speake That of Nehemiah Should such a man as I flee As if he should haue said Tell not mee of fleeing my resolution was pitcht long agoe if need require to lay downe my life and lose my blood in the Lords battels That of Paul when his friends were weeping and wailing about him What meane you to weepe said hee and to breake mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus That of Ierome If my father stood weeping on his knees before mee and my mother hanging on my necke behind me and all my brethren sisters children kinsfolke howling on euery side to retaine me in sinfull life with them I would fling my mother to the ground despise all my kinred run ouer my father and tread him vnder my feet thereby to run to Christ when hee calleth me That of Luther dealt with earnestly and eagerly not to venture himselfe amongst a number of perfidious and blood-thirstie Papists As touching me saith he since I am sent for I am resolued and certainely determined to enter Wormes in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ yea although I knew there were so many Deuils to resist me as there are tiles to couer the houses in Wormes That of a most renowned Italian Marquesse Galeacius Carracciolus tempted by a Iesuite with a great sum of money to returne from Gods Blessing at Geneua to the warme Sunne in Italy Let their money perish with them who esteeme all the Gold in the world worth one dayes societie with Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit That of George Carpenter Martyr My wife and my children are so dearely beloued vnto me that they cannot bee bought from mee for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bauaria but for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them That of Kilian a Dutch Schoole-master to such as asked him if he loued not his wife and children Yes said he If the world were Gold and were mine to dispose of I would giue it to liue with them though it were but in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all IV. Exercise thy selfe continually and bee excellent in that onely Heauen vpon Earth and sweetest Sanctuarie to an hunted soule the Life of faith Which to liue in some good measure is the duty and property of euery liuing member of Christ Iesus Loue therefore and labour to liue by the power of faith the life of saluation sanctification preseruation 1. Of saluation thus Let thy truely-humbled soule grieued and groaning vnder the burden of sinne throw it self into the meritorious and merciful armes of Iesus Christ wounded broken and bleeding vpon the Crosse and there let it hold and hide it selfe for euer in full assurance of eternall life by vertue of that promise Ioh. 3. 36. Hee that beleeueth on the Son hath euerlasting life For hauing thus laid hold vpon him He by his Spirit doth communicate first himselfe vnto thee then both the merit of his death for remission of thy sinnes and of his actiue obedience for thy right to saluation and happinesse and withall the power of his Spirit to quicken thee to the life of grace in this World and to raise vp thy body to the life of glory at the last day 2. Of sanctification If thou keepe thy faith the fountaine roote and heart as it were from which all thine other graces spring in life and vigour thou shalt pray more comfortably bee more couragiously patient heare the Word more fruitfully receiue the Sacraments more ioyfully passe the Sabbaths more delightfully conferre more cheerefully meditate more heauenly walke in all the wayes of new obedience with more strength and conquest ouer corruptions For ordinarily euery Christian shall finde the exercise of other graces to bee comfortable or cold according to the liuelinesse or languishing of his faith 3. Of preseruation both temporall and spirituall In crosses afflictions and all Gods outward angry visitations by the power of such promises as those Psal. 89. 33. and 50. 15. Heb. 12. 7 8 11. 1. Thes. 3. 3. Act. 14. 22. Luke 9. 23. Isai. 63. 9. In the course and carriage of thy particular Calling the duties and workes whereof if thou discharge with conscience diligence and prayer thou mayest goe on with comfort contentment and freedome from that torturing and racking thoughtfulnesse from those restlesse and cursed carkings of carnal worldlings
right hand Which may for euer with sweetest peace and freedome from slauish trembling assure vs of our rootednesse in Christ constancie in grace and euerlasting abode with him in the other World Hee that will rent vs from Christs mysticall Body being once implanted into Him by a liuely fruitfull Faith and blessedly knit vnto Him by His Spirit as fast as the sinewes of His precious Body are knit vnto His bones His flesh to his sinewes and his skinne to His flesh must pull Him out of heauen and remoue Him from the right hand of His Father What so furious or infernall power can or dare lay a finger on vs in this kinde Hee hath taken the poisoning power out of euery thing that should hurt vs or hale vs backe to hell He hath conquered captiuated carried in triumph and chained vp for euer all the enemies of our soules and enuiers of our saluation They may exercise vs in the meane time for our good but they shall neuer be able to execute their malicious wils or any mortall hurt vpon vs either heere or in the next life 3. The irreuocable obsignation of the blessed Spirit Eph. 1. 13 14. 4. 30. And who or what can or dare reuerse the Deede or breake vp the Seale of the holy Ghost Heere then as you see the blessed Trinity is the vnmooueable ground of our going on in grace 4. The lasting and immortall power of the Word once rooted in a good and honest heart Luke 8. 15. 1. Pet. 1. â—…3 5. The certainety and sweetnesse of promises to this purpose Ier. 32. 39 40. Zech. 10. 12. Ioh. 8. 12. 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 6. The force and might of Faith 1. Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. 7. The efficacie of Christs Prayer Luk. 22. 32. Ioh. 17. 15 20. Rom. 8. 34. 8. The durable vigour of sauing graces Ioh. 4. 14. Rom. 11. 29. 9. The inabilitie nay impossibilitie of all causes or creatures to plucke out of Gods hand Ioh. 10. 29. or to draw any of His to a totall or finall falling away 1. It is not the Diuell himselfe can doe it 1. Iohn 5. 18. 2. It is not the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. Ioh. 16. 33. 3. It is not the concurrent fury and vnited forces of all the powers of darknesse Math. 16. 18. 4. It is not sinne 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 5. It is not weakenesse of Faith and other graces Mat. 12. 20. Esa. 42. 3. 6. It is not the imposture of false prophets Matth. 24. 24. 7. It is no creature or created power Rom. 8. 38 39. Vses 1. This Point thus confirmed doth confound that forlorne Tenent of the Popish Doctors which tels vs that a iustified and sanctified Man may fall finally and totally from grace In which I haue heretofore vpon other occasion in your-hearing punctually refuted those which I conceiued Bellarmines best Arguments I wil not then trouble you now with his Sophistry againe 2. This sweet and precious Truth may crowne the hearts of all those that are truly Christs with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Let new Conuerts and Babes in Christ who are woont to bee very fearefull and much troubled lest they should not hold out because vpon their first entrance into the wayes of Christianitie they are cunningly and concurrently encountred with so many oppositions From the Deuill which then rageth extraordinarily From the World which then tendereth moe and more alluring baites From the Flesh which naturally is very impatient of any spirituall snaffle From carnall Friends who cannot endure their forwardnesse From their old Companions who cry out They are turning Puritanes From the Times which lowre and looke fowre vpon their zeale Sometimes from the Father which begat them from the Mother which gaue them suck from the Wife which lies in their bosome from a world of enemies to grace I say in such a case let them graspe in the armes of their Faith the proofes and promises in the present Point and ride on because of the Word of Truth Let them sweetly with full assurance and vnconquerable resolution repose vpon that euerlasting encouragement for the finishing of their spirituall building which Zerubbabel receiued from the mouth of God Himselfe for successe of the materiall a Type of this Not by might and power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O great mountaine before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine and hee shall bring foorth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace vnto it And that they may more comfortably and constantly go on let them cast their eyes betime vpon these and the like cautions at their very first giuing their names vnto Christ. 1. Propose such interrogatories as these to thine owne heart Art thou content to abandon thy bosome sinne the sensuall froth of former pleasures hereafter to delight in God as thy chiefest ioy Canst thou take vp thy crosse and follow Christ His Truth and holy tracke amidst the many by-paths that leade to hell and different opinions of multitudes of men Art thou willing to suffer aduersitie disgrace and discountenance with the righteous and contemned godly Ones Canst thou endure to haue things laid vnto thy charge thou neuer didst thoughtst or dreamdst on To become the Drunkards song a By-word to those that are vilâ—…r then the earth musicke at the feasts of those that sit in the gate c In a word for Christs sake to deny thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall friends old companions pleasures profits preferments ease excellency of learning acceptation with the world outward state liberty life or what else thou canst name dearest vnto flesh and blood If thine heart answere not affirmatiuely I meane out of the resolution of a well-aduised regenerate iudgement for I know the flesh will grumble and reclaime thou wilt certainly fâ—…ll away or end in formality 2. Looke to thy repentance that it be sincere vniuersall constant from the heart-roote for all knowne sinnes to thy dying day 1. If some worldly crosse be the continued principall motiue 2. Or the humour of melancholy 3. If it bee confusedly onely for sinne and in generall 4. Or for some one speciall notorious sinne onely 5. Or for some lesser sinnes with neglect of greater as for tything Mint c. 6. If it be onely legall 7. But for some sinnes of what kinde soeuer leauing but so much as one knowne sinne not taken to heart 8. Or but for a time All will come to naught A foundation of godly sorrow leasurely aduisedly and sincerely laid at first will be for euer after a comfortable encouragement to Faith spirituall ioy well-doing and walking with God 3. Take the touch-stone of fruitfull powerfull and speciall markes to discerne and difference iustifying sauing Faith from all false and insufficient faiths For a temporarie may goe farre 4. Let knowledge and affection like two indiuiduall twins grow vp together in thee and mutually
mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit thy case is the case of saluation 4. A good conscience stands not with a purpose of sinning no not with an irresolution against sinne 5. The rich and precious boxe of a good conscience is polluted and made impure if but one dead Flie be suffered in it He meanes any one knowne sinne lyen and delighted in impenitently 6. Where there is but any one sinne nourished and fostered all other our graces are not onely blemished but abolished they are no graces 7. Most true is that saying of Aquinas That all sinnes are coupled together though not in regard of conuersion to temporall good for some looke to the good of gaine some of glory some of pleasure c. yet in regard of auersion from eternall Good that is God So that he that lookes but toward one sinne is as much auerted and turned backe from God as if he looked to all In which respect Saint Iames sayes He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all 8. Euery Christian should carry in his heart a constant and resolute purpose not to sinne in anything for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together Thou seest then if Satan keep possession but by one reigning sinne it will be thine euerlasting ruine Thou shalt then bee so farre from euer enioying any humble holy acquaintance with our God that thou art gone body and soule for euer One breach in the walles of a Citie exposeth it to the surprize of the enemy one leake in a ship neglected will sinke it at length into the bottome of the Sea the stab of a penknife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the daggers that kild Caesar in the Senate-house If thou hedge thy Close as high as the middle Region of the Aire in all other places and leaue but one gap all thy grasse will bee gone If the Fowler catch the bird either by the head or the foote or the wing she is sure his owne It is so in the present case If thou liue and lye with allowance and delight in any one knowne sinne without particular remorse or resolution to part with it thou as yet carriest the Diuels brand he hath thereby markt thee out for his owne As obedience is vniuersall and Catholike if sincere so repentance if true is also generall It sâ—…rips vs starke naked as a worthy Diuine saies well of all the garments of the old Adam and leaues not so much as the shirt behind in this rotten building it leaues not a stone vpon a stone As the flood drowned Noahs owne friends and seruants so must the flood of repenting teares drowne our sweetest and most profitable sinnes The premonition therefore I tender in the first place is this Thou canst neuer possibly be fitly qualified either for the right vnderstanding or sauing practise of this sacred and sweetest Art of walking with God except thou resolue to stand for euer sincerely at the swords point against all sinne Euen thy bosome sinne must be abandoned if thou look for any blessing in this kinde Thou must put off the shirt from thy sinfull soule for as the shirt is to the body so is the beloued sinne to the soule it sticks closest and neerest and is done off with most adoe And because this darling-pleasure minion-delight Peccatum in delicijs as the Fathers call it is Satans strongest Hold his Tower of greatest confidence and securitie when he is driuen out elsewhere and so by consequent most powerfull and peremptorie to keepe a mans heart estranged with largest distance and incompatible auersion from all holy acquaintance with God I will in short labour to illighten and dis-intangle any one who vnfainedly desires an vtter diuorce from this bosome-deuill by telling him first what it is secondly what his is thirdly how he may be deceiued about it 1. As in euery man there is one element one humour and ordinarily one passion predominant so also one worke of darknesse and way of death And it is that which his corrupt and originall crookednesse vpon the first electiue suruay and prospect ouer the fooles Paradise of worldly pleasures fleshly lusts and vanities of this life by a secret sensuall inclination and bewitching infusion of Satan singles out and makes speciall choice of to follow and feede vpon with greatest delight and predominant sweetnesse afterward by custome and continuance growes so powerfull and attractiue that it extraordinarily endeares and drawes vnto it the heate of all his desires and strongest workings of his heart with much affectionate impatiencie and headlongnesse and at the height by an vnresistable tyranny it makes all occasions and occurrences friends and followers the deepest reach of policie and vtmost proiects of wit Religion conscience credit with the world the vniuersall possibilitie of body soule outward state seruiceable and contributarie vnto it as the Captaine and commanding sin as to the Deuils vice-roy domineering in the wasted conscience In some it is worldlinesse wantonnesse ambition opposicion to godlinesse vsurie pride reuenge or the like In others it may bee drunkennesse the swaggering vanitie of good fellowship gluttony pleasures of Play-house hanting gaming scurrill iesting c. obstinate insatiablenesse in allowed recreations idlenesse or such like 2. Thou mayest discouer it by such markes as these 1. It is that which thy truest friends thine owne conscience and the finger of God in the Ministerie many times finds out meetes with and chiefely checks thee for 2. It is that which if it breake out into act and be visible to the eye of the world thine enemies most eagerly obserue and obiect as matter of their most insultation and thy greatest disgrace 3. That which thou art lothest to leaue art oftenest tempted vnto hast least power to resist and which most hinders the resignation and submission of soule and body of all thy courses and carriage heartily and vnreseruedly to the Word and will of God 4. It is that which God oftnest corrects in thee euen in the interpretation and guiltie acknowledgement of thy selfe-accusing heart It may be at seuerall times thou hast bin afflicted with some heauy crosse in thine outward state losse of a child some fits and pangs of bodily paine terrours and troubles of mind or some such proportionable visitations now in all these and like afflictions vpon the first smarting apprehension thy conscience if any whit awaked on its owne accord seized vpon that sinne we now seeke for as the principall Achan and author of all thy misery 5. If euer thou wast so sicke as out of extremitie to receiue sentence of death against thy selfe and despaire of recouerie if thy conscience was stirring this sinne afrighted thee most and gaue the deadliest blow to driue thee to finall despaire And if thou shouldest die in it without repentance which God forbid it would infuse most hellish vigor and venome into the neuer-dying worme which would thereby more mightily gnaw vpon thy
pretence and purpose to sollicit them for saluation and preuaile with them about the best things and yet before thou be aware bee plunged and insnared in the woonted vnwarrantable delights of good fellowship pleasant passages of wit idle and impertinent follies and familiarities which thou wast accustomed to exchange and enioy with them in thy vnregenerate time So that in stead of the discharge of a Christian duty thou mayest both hurt thy selfe and harden them 3. As Physicians of the body arme and animate themselues with strong repercussiues preseruatiues and counterpoysons when they visit contagious and pestilentiall patients so in such cases be thou sure to furnish and fortifie thy selfe before-hand with prayer meditation the sword of the Spirit store of perswasiue matter strength of reasons and vnshaken resolution to repell and beate backe all noysome insinuations of spirituall infection 3. Into Christian company which thou shouldest prize thine only Paradise and Heauen vpon Earth the very flowre and festiuall of all thy refreshing time in this vale of teares euer bring 1. A cheerefull and lightsome heart Me-thinks though thou shouldest come amongst the Saints with a sad heart and something ouer-cast with mists and clouds of heauinesse and discomfort yet the presence and faces of those whom hereafter thou shalt meet in Heauen and there with incomparable ioy behold for euer clothed and shining with eminencie and eternitie of glory should disperse and dispell them all and infuse comfortable beames of heauenly lightsomnesse and spirituall mirth I know them who being cast sometimes full sore against their wils amongst profane company are quite out of their element all the while strucke dead in the place as they say as solitary as in the silentest Desart But let them come amongst Christians and they are quite other men as full of lightsomnes and life as full of heart and Heauen as if they had the one foot in the Porch of Paradise already-Sadnesse is not seasonable where such precepts as these haue place Be glad in the Lord. and reioyce yee righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart 2. A fruitfull heart full as the Moone with gracious matter to vphold edifying conference and sanctified talke Being forward and free without any hurtfull bashfulnesse or vaine-glorious aime both to communicate to others the hidden treasures of heauenly knowledge which thou hast happily digged out of the precious quarry as it were of the great mystery of Grace also by moouing of questions and ministring occasion mutually to draw from them with an holy greedinesse the waters of life for a reciprocall refreshing and quickning of the deadnesse and vnheauenlinesse of thine owne heart And here it will bee a profitable wisedome to take notice of and obserue each others singularitie of gifts and seuerall endowments and thereafter with wise insinuations to prouoke and presse them to powre out themselues in those things wherein they haue best experience and most excellency Some are more dexterous and skilfull in discussing controuersed points others in resoluing cases of conscience some in discouering the Deuils depths and treading the Maze of his manifold temptations others in comforting afflicted spirits and speaking to the heart of mourners in Zion c. I am perswaded many times many worthy discourses lie buried in the brests of vnderstanding men by reason of the finfull silence I think I may say so and barrennesse of those about them And therefore Christians ought to be more forth-putting actiue and fruitfull this way 3. An humble heart ready and reioycing to exchange and enioy common comforts soule-secrets heauenly consultations with the poorest and most neglected Christian. If thou bee haunted with the white Deuill of spirituall pride it is likely thou wilt bee either too prodigall and profuse and so ingrosse all the talke which is sometimes incident to new conuerts or counterfeits or else too reserued and curious and so say no more then may serue to breed an applause and admiration of thy worth which is a very filthy and fearefull fault There is no depth of knowledge no height of zeale no measure of Grace but may be further inlarged more inflamed blessedly encreased by conference with the poorest faithfull Christian See Rom. 1. 12. and 15. 24. how Paul that great learned and diuinely inspired Doctor of the Gentiles stood affected in this point V. But aboue all bee most busie with thy heart for it is the roote that either empoysons or ensweetens all the rest that is the fountaine which causes all the streames of thy desires purposes affections speeches and the whole current of thy conuersation to runne either muddy or cleere Ply therefore amongst others these three points of speciall and precious consequence for the present purpose with all seriousnesse and zeale 1. Captiuation and conformitie of the thoughts and imaginations of thy heart to the soueraignty and rules of grace If thy change in words actions and all outward carriage were Angelicall yet if thy thoughts were the same and vnsanctified still thou wert still a limbe of Satan Purity in the inward parts is the most sound and vndeceiuing euidence of our portion and interest in the power and purity of Christs sauing Passion and sanctifying Blood-shed See Ier. 4. 14. Isa. 55. 7. Now that thou mayest the better conquer and keepe the thoughts of thy heart in subiection and obedience vnto Christ be perswaded and acknowledge 1. The pestilencie of that wicked Prouerbe Thoughts are free It is true the immediate inuisible productions and proiects of the heart lie not within the walke of humane Iustice neither are liable to the censure of earthly Courts and Consistories But there is an All-seeing and Omniscient Eye in Heauen to which the blackest Mid-night is as the brightest Noone-tide Psal. 139. 12. which sees our secretest thoughts afarre off ver 2. and sets them in the light of his countenance Psal. 90. 8. Hence it is that many humble soules sensible of their secret prouoking the glory of Gods pure Eye are more grieued setting aside the ill of example and scandall ordinary attendants vpon open and visible miscarriages for the rebelliousnesse of their thoughts then the exorbitancie of their actions For the sting of these is something eased and lessened as they thinke by the absence of Hypocrisie and because the world sees the worst But concerning the other it cuts them to the very heart that they are not as well able to preserue their inward parts in puritie toward the All-searching Eye of that God who stretched foorth the heauens and laid the foundations of the earth as their words and actions in plausiblenesse towards man who shall die and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse Whereas then the naturall man is woont to let his heart runne riot and at randome into a world of idle imaginations without remorse or restraint doe thou make thy sanctification sure vnto thy selfe by this infallible signe That thou sufferst the consideration of Gods
take delight in the cruell tormenting of a dumbe creature Is it not too much for thee to behold with dry eyes that fearefull brand which only thy sinne hath imprest vpon it but thou must barbarously also presse its oppressions and make thy selfe merry with the bleeding miseries of that poore harmelesse thing which in its kinde is much more and farre better seruiceable to the Creator then thy selfe Yet I deny not but that there may bee another lawfull vse of this Antipathy for the destroying of hurtfull and enioying of vsefull creatures so that it be without any taint or aspersion of cruelty on our parts or needlesse tormenting of the silly beasts 3. Ingrossers of time Thousands there are who plunge themselues ouer head eares in courses of pleasure which they call recreations wherein they very vnworthily and wofully waste the fat and marrow as it were of deare and precious time the flower of their age the strength of their bodies emasculate and melt the vigour of their spirits into effeminatenesse sensualitie and lust drowne the faire and goodly hopes of their education the honour of their Families the expectation of the Countrey the improouement of their parts in froth and folly As though they were placed vpon earth as Leuiathan in the Sea onely to take their sport and pastime therein Louers they are of pleasures Mirth-mongers men of this world sworne Vassals to carnall loosenesse and riotous excesse They haue their fooles Paradise heere and therefore in the equitie of a iust and holy proportion must with the Rich man looke for their payment and torment hereafter But Gods children must make conscience of meddling at any time with recreations without true cause and a iust calling thereunto and hold them of the same account and consequence with sleepe and other temperate refreshings which serue onely to quicken the minde reuiue the body enlarge the breath that wee may returne with more lightsomenesse and alacritie to our worke and Callings The season then of comfortable recourse vnto these repaires and restoratiues is when wee haue truely wearied our bodies with some honest imployment or tired our minds in worthy and noble exercises or both And as we must not presse vpon them at our pleasure and preuent true need out of an hankering humour after sportfull vanities old haunts good-fellow meetings conformitie to the times or some such sensuall and inordinate attractiue so in the entertainment of them wee must receiue them as men doe honey with the tip of the finger not with a full hand By no meanes ought we to engage and as it were to engulfe our affections into their excesses and immoderation not suffer them so to insinuate as to steale away our hearts into a pleasing insensible thraldome so creating necessities of recreations which is an extreme misery and intolerable slauery wherein notwithstanding many truly vnworthy and vnnoble Gallants miserably languish and come to nothing prooue onely vnprofitable burthens of the earth and in stead of a blessing the very bane of the Countrey that bred them Let such considerations as these serue as so many curbes to restraine vs from an vnseasonable intrusion vpon them and so many keene spurres to poast vs out of them before we be limed and entangled by them 1. Time is short Our life is but a span long a bubble a thought a smoake a shadow a dreame the very dreame of a shadow or if you can name any thing more fading and fraile and yet vpon this moment depends eternitie As wee behaue our selues heere vpon earth either in conformitie to the wayes of God walking with him selfe-denyall c. or in fashionablenesse to the world seruing the times and our owne turnes c. so shal we fare euerlastingly in another life And either become most glorious and happie creatures crowned with an exquisite confluence and quintessence as it were of sweetest vnmixed eternall pleasures a very shadow whereof not the largest naturall hearts of deepest vnderstanding men from the Creation to the last day were they all vnited into one exactest height and excellency of conceit could possibly comprehend nay in this one circumstance at the least the Saints shall surpasse euen Angelicall felicitie they shall behold with incredible ioy their owne nature in that respect honoured and aduanced aboue the brightest Cherub shining for euer with infinite beauty and glorified splendour in the sacred Person of the Sonne of God or else fall irrecouerably into the mouth of inexplicable and remedilesse horrour and so become the forlorne and wofull Obiects vpon which shall bee exercised and executed the vnquenchable wrath of God and fiercest torments in hell with extremitie and euerlastingnesse nay and in this point more vnhappy than the very Deuils For since their Apostacie there was no meanes or possibilitie vouchsafed vnto them of recouery and returne to those euerlasting Mansions of glorie But the sonnes and daughters of Adam since their fall haue had the very Sonne of God himselfe with the deare and vnualuable cry of his owne hearts blood to meditate vnto and sollicite the Father of all compassions and mercy for restitution into fauour and plantation into the Angels roome And therefore as this thought Oh what vnhappy and accursed creatures were we who being crowned with the matchlesse transcendency of all felicities and glory would not hold our station and haue shined still I say as this thought will endlesly haunt the damned angels with vnconceiueable byting and anguish so not onely an answerable selfe-fretting torture from this conceit Alas that wee kept not Paradise will rent and teare the wofull hearts of the wicked in hell but also a further sting of that neuer-dying Worme not incident to the Apostate angels will extremely enrage them with restlesse gnawings of conscience and gnashing of teeth when out of the horrour of their hideous wofull yellings they shall cry out against themselues What wretches What beasts What madded Deuils were we who when the glorious Blood of Christ Iesus was so mercifully tendered vnto vs in the Ministery of the Word all our life long we turned our backes against such blessed and bleeding imbracements and cruelly cut the throates of our owne poore soules by impenitent continuance in sinne so loosing for a few bitter-sweet pleasures in this vale of teares for an inch of time fulnesse of ioy at Gods right hand thorow all eternitie 2. Time is precious If all this great massie bodie of the whole earth whereupon we tread were turned into a lumpe of gold it were not able to purchase one minute of time And were there no other circumstance to set an impression of high valuation vpon it yet this very one doth much ennoble it That all these faire and shining bodies aboue our heads and principally the Prince of all the lights of heauen that glorious and mighty Giant the prime and crowne of all corporall creatures doe tire waste as it were their celestiall vigours with the incredible swiftnesse
royall heart by imbruing his hands in his brothers blood and with vnnaturall trayterous violence and villany snatching at the Imperiall Crowne vpon Dauids head Another famous instance to this purpose we find in the story of the Greeke Emperours The old Emperour Andronicus doted with such extreme impotency of partiall affection vpon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he did not onely disregard the rest of his Nephewes but also his owne children and as the Storie tels vs was not willing to spare him out of sight either day or night But what were the consequents of this cockering When he was stept further into yeeres besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grandfather in the meane time at length pressing without resistance vpon his Palace with purpose to surprize his person though the old Emperour intreated him with much affectionate Royall eloquence which might haue pierced an heart of steele or Adamant That he would reuerence those hands which had oftentimes most louingly embraced him yet crying in his swathing clothes that he would reuerence those lips which had oftentimes most louingly kissed him and called him his other Soule that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life c. For all this after some kind words and courteous embracement at first indeed premised and in hot blood in conclusion being polled and shauen was made a Monke and the Anuile of much dunghill scorne and vilest indignities vntill the workemanship of death had finished the sorrowfull businesse of a wretched life A third and very remarkeable to fright all Parents from foolish doting heare out of Austin By reason of a terrible dreadfull accident he called his people together as it seemes to a Sermon the third time the same day thinking no doubt out of his watchful spiritual wisdom to work more succesfully and to leaue more strong and lasting impressions in their hearts while the bloody vnnaturall villany was yet fresh in their eyes and eares And when they were met together he relates the dolefull storie Our noble Citizen saith he here of Hippo Cyrillus a man mightie amongst vs both in worke and word and much beloued had as you know one onely sonne and because he had but onely one he loued him immeasurably and aboue God And so being drunke with immoderate doting hee neglected to correct him and gaue him liberty to doe whatsoeuer he list Now this very day this same fellow thus long suffered in his dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with child would haue violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death O mightie domination of the Deuill c. But I need not prosecute this point by further illustration out of strange Stories Daily experience presents vnto our eyes and eares the many wofull discomforts vnkind requitales and vnnaturall vsages which Parents receiue at the hands of those children which in their younger yeeres they made wanton with their loue and vndiscreetly doted vpon 2. Or in some other kind for example If thine heart be set vpon riches God may iustly and mercifully too exercise and afflict thee with his heauy hand vpon thy body with sicknesse vpon thy conscience with terror vpon thy reputation with disgrace or the like thereby to vnglue thy noble spirit from the dust and rent it from grouelingnesse vpon the earth If thou be ambitiously enamoured vpon honours and high roomes after wasting thy wealth wounding thy conscience wearying thy selfe with bribery basenesse and irkesome waiting thou mayest bee taken away vntimely in the very pursuite or presently after the attainement of them c. Thus it is not strange or extraordinary with God to preuent or take off our hearts from taking selfe-conceited pleasure or pride in any thing we enioy by crossing and correcting vs in other kindes Euen Paul that blessed Saint and seruant of the Lord lest his heart should be too much pleased and puft vp with abundance of reuelations he was vext and crost with his owne concupiscence there was giuen to him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2. Cor. 12. 7. that is as I conceiue hee felt his originall corruption sharpened and eneagered against him and let loose in some sort vpon him which is a terrible cut to a tender conscience 3. For the third howsoeuer it fare with thee otherwise if thou settle thine heart vpon any earthly thing with inordinate desire and delight thou shalt be sure to be haunted with a double curse 1. The rage of vnsatiablenesse vnsatisfiablenesse 2. That greatest plague hardnesse of heart 1. The Father of Spirits hath inspired into our immortall soules a large capacity and such an infinite appetite that no finite excellency created comfort or earthly thing can possibly fill Gold siluer riches honours crownes kingdomes are no fit matter or adequate obiect for such an immateriall and heauenly borne spirit to repose and feed vpon with finall rest and full contentment Nay not this whole materiall world were it beautified and set out with all the amiablenesse splendour and allurements which the deuill by his iugling Alchymy put vpon it when he presented it to the eye of Christ Iesus Math. 4. 8. with addition of the starry and Empyrean heauen shining with all their admirable beauty and glorious inhabitants could by any meanes confine satisfie and content the irke some wandrings vnlimited desire and vast comprehensiuenesse of the soule but it would still bee transported with the passionate disquietnesse of selfe vexation and tortured vpon the racke of restlesse discontent vntill it fasten and fixe vpon an obiect infinite both in excellency and endlesnesse wherin is contained the whole latitude of Entity and goodnesse the euer-blessed and onlyadored Trinity Where and when alone it softly and sweetly with the hight and fulnesse of all desireable contentment rests in the armes of God and bosome of eternall blisse which all blessed soules attaine thus and by these meanes When it pleased God by the mercifull violence of his Almighty hand to turne the sensuall bent and powerfull current of the seduced soule from the creature to the Creator from the painted brauery of this vaine world to the heauenly beautie of his blessed Word from carking encumbrance about many things to pursue and ply that One needfull thing by a sound and vniuersall change of the whole man and translation of him from the darkenesse of naturall ignorance death in sinne and power of the deuill to the light of sauing knowledge the life of sanctifying grace and the liuing God I say then the restlesse wandrings of the vnsatisfied soule begins first to settle with some sweet contentment vpon the flowers of Paradise glimpses of heauenly glory infallible earnests of euerlasting blisse sauing graces and its infinite appetite is well stayed in the meane time with that
with mutuall fury to engulfe themselues into the bottomelesse whirlepoole of sensuall pleasures and so empoyson their hearts with a furious vnquenchable thirst after them that they will neuer leaue their hold and haunt vntill they either bee broken with the hammer of the Word or burst with the horror of despaire You may trace these pestilent properties in the practise of those voluptuous Gallants Wisedome 2. A booke though not of diuine authority yet profitable for precepts of morality In which Chapter you may finde as I haue euer conceiued a description to the life and most exact Character of the goodfellowes of our times who are transported equally with a desperate insatiable humour of rauenous feeding vpon the froth and filth of their impure delights as greedily as the Oxe suckes in water and with an implacable enmity against the purity and power of godlinesse For the first heare their cry vnto their companions Verse 6 c. Come on therefore let vs enioy the good things that are present and let vs speedily vse the creatures like as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costly Wine and Ointments and let no flower of the Spring passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with Rose-buds before they bee withered Let none of vs goe without his part of our voluptuousnesse let vs leaue tokens of our ioyfulnesse in euery place for this is our portion and our lot is this For the other take notice of their boystrous swaggering combination to become bloody goades in the sides and cruell prickes in the eyes of Gods people For proportionable to their impatiency of being crost in their course of pleasures is their rage in persecuting the godly And therefore being resolute to liue and dye good fellowes they also resolue from the same ground to hold an euerlasting vnreconcileable opposition to the way which is called holy especially sith euery where it is so spoken against Whence I say they grow and glue themselues together in this combination Verse 10 c. Let vs oppresse the poore righteous man Let our strength bee the law of iustice for that which is feeble is found to bee nothing worth Therefore let vs lie in waite for the righteous because hee is not for our turne and he is cleane contrary to our doings hee vpbraideth vs with our offending the Law and obiecteth to our infamy the transgressing of our education Hee professeth to haue the knowledge of God and he calleth himselfe the childe of the Lord. Hee was made to reprooue our thoughts Hee is grieuous vnto vs euen to behold for his life is not like other mens his waies are of another fashion Wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits hee abstaineth from our waies as from filthinesse hee pronounceth the end of the iust to bee blessed and maketh his boasts that God is his Father Such things they did imagine and were deceiued for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them As for the mysteries of God they know them not neither hoped they for the wages of righteousnesse nor discerned a reward for blamelesse soules If it edge and eneager malice it breedes reuenge a woluish and vnnaturall thirst after blood which haunts most the most weake fearefull and cowardly spirits For we euer see the baseft and most worthlesse men to be most malicious and reuengefull Seldome doth it finde any harbour in a wel-bred and a generous minde As Thunders Tempests and other terrible agitations in the ayre trouble onely and disquiet these weaker fraile bodies below but neuer disturbe or dismay those glorious heauenly Ones aboue so scurrill girds imperious doggednesse disgraces and wrongs vexe and distemper men of baser temper but the nettling disposition causelesse spite and childish brawlings of hasty fooles wound not great and noble spirits Now this boyling and biting distemper though against nature it feede vpon blood yet so true is the point I pursue but would you thinke it is also insatiable Witnesse that Monster of Millaine who as Bodin reporteth when hee had surprised vpon the suddaine one whom hee mortally hated hee presently ouerthrew him and setting his dagger to his brest told him hee would certainely haue his blood except he would renounce abiure forsweare and blaspheme the God of heauen Which when that fearefull man too sinfully greedy of a miserable life had done in a most horrible manner hee immediately dispatcht him assoone as those prodigious blasphemies were out of his mouth and in a bloody triumph insulting ouer his murthered aduersary as though whole hell had dwelt in his heart he added this most abhorred speech Oh saies hee this is right noble and heroicall reuenge which doth not onely depriue the body of a temporary life but brings also the neuer-dying soule vnto euerlasting flames Witnesse the cruellest of men Mahomet the great who as the Story reports was in his time the death of eight hundred thousand men But aboue all that Beast of Rome carries away the bell for insatiablenesse in blood-sucking who though he was long since drunke with the blood of the Saints as with new Wine and in his drunken humour hath furiously spilt and powred out vpon the face of Christendome a world of blood almost all in our remembrance Witnes the incredible deale of Christian blood which that mercilesse monster the Popish Inquisition swallowes downe in secret Witnesse the horrible butcheries executed vpon Professours in the Low countries Gesse the rest by that cruell confession of Alua who bosting in the bloodshed of the Saints said on a time at his table that he had been diligent in rooting out of heresie so the Antichristians call the right way to Heauen For besides those which were slaine in warre and secret massacres he had put into the hand of the Hangman eighteene thousand in the space of sixe yeeres Witnesse Farnesius his ferall resolution at his departing out of Italy to make his Horse swimme in the blood of the Lutherans Witnesse that most abhorred prodigious villany that euer the Sunne saw the massacre at Paris when in diuers places of France about threescore thousand persons were murthered and the streets of that Citie as the Storie tels vs strewed with carcases the Pauements Market-places and Riuer dyed with blood Witnesse besides other cruelties and bloody afflictions three hundred faithfull seruants of Christ burned to ashes in this Kingdome within lesse then fiue yeeres Witnesse that horrible parricide perpetrated vpon the Royall persons of two French Kings Henrie the third and fourth who were successiuely butchered in a most barbarous manner by two Popish Assasins Clement and Rauilliac Nay in the late ciuill warres of France twelue hundred thousand naturall French are said to be slaine this Romish Beast being the bellowes and incendiary c. Yet I say Though he hath already drunke vp such a deale of blood as insatiably as Behemoth the Riuer Iordan he is yet still like a shee-wolfe in the euening and at this very time carousing almost
let her brests satisfie thee at all times be thou rauished alwayes with her loue See also Eph. 5. 25. Methinkes this charge from the holy Ghost being often reuerently remembred should euer beate backe and banish from both their hearts all heart-rising and bitternesse distaste and disaffection all wicked wishes that they had neuer met together that they had neuer seene one anothers faces c. When the knot is once tied euery man should thinke his wife and euery wife her husband the fittest for him of any in the world Otherwise so often as he sees a better he will wish that his choise were to make againe so fall off from respect to this Commandement and from kindnesse and loue to his owne Which is an inexpiable disparagement to Gods prouidence and an execrable empoysoner of Marriage comforts 2. That by the power of the honourable Ordinance of Marriage the two are made one And therefore they ought to be as louingly and tenderly affected one vnto the other as they would be to their owne flesh 3. The compassionate and melting compellations which Christ and his Spouse exchange in the Canticles My faire one my sister my loue my Doue my vndefiled my welbeloued the chiefe of ten thousand c. whose chaste and feruent loue that of married couples should resemble and imitate 4. That these mutuall expressions and exercise of this matrimoniall loue are very powerfull to preserue chastity and purenesse in body and spirit on both sides It is noted of Isaac that he loued Rebekah dearely and this was a speciall preseruatiue that hee fell not to Polygamy or concubines as many of the Patriarkes did II. Faithfulnesse 1. In respect of the Marriage-Bed which they ought on both sides to keepe inuiolable vndefiled and honourable Wherein if they transgresse besides an whole hell of spirituall miseries they strike at the very sinew heart and life of the Marriage Knot and become liable if the Magistrate should doe as God commanded amongst his people to the bloody stroke of a violent death And therefore it behooues all that enter this state to bee humbled and repent for all former wantonnesse or else a thousand to one it will breake out either into a sensuall immoderate abuse of the Marriage which the Fathers call Adultery with a mans owne wife or else into a lustfull hankering after the strange woman 2. In respect of domesticall affaires and businesses of the family The care and burthen whereof is common to them both The Husband that hath a prodigall and slothfull wife doth but draw water with a Siue as the Heathen man said and casts his labours into a bottomlesse sacke And the wife that is maâ—…cht with an idle vnthristy Husband drawes a Cart heauy laden through a sandy way without a Horse By which is intimated an impossibility of thriuing in the world and prospering in their outward state 3. In the concealement of each others secrets It is a very vnnaturall and monstrous treachery to publish one anothers faults and frailties or any thing which in hope of keeping counsell they haue communicated one to another They are ill birds as they say that defile their owne-nests and franticke Bedlams that so throw dirt in each others faces III. Patience Which is as precious and needfull an holy dutie as I can possibly commend in this case for comfortable conuersing together For a more prepared and constant exercise whereof consider 1. That two Angels are not met together in a Matrimoniall state but a sonne and daughter of Adam And therefore they must looke for infirmities frailties imperfections passions and prouocations on both sides 2. That it is a charge giuen to all That the Sunne must not goe downe vpon their wrath much more to Man and Wife linked together in the neerest bond 3. That there neuer did nor euer will come any good by the falling out of Man and Wife Well may they thereby become ridiculous to their seruants a by-word to their neighbours Table-talke to the Countrey troublers of their owne house and as a continuall dropping one vnto another but they shall neuer gaine by their mutuall hastinesse passions and impatiencie What good can come by a mans anger and indignation against his owne flesh What prodigious madnesse is it for them to grow strange whom so many and perpetuall bands haue tyed so fast and who without dearest and most intimate familiarity can neither enioy ciuill contentment or peace of conscience Suppose that the heart should fall out with the head and deny vnto it those spirits which become animall in the braine and serue for exercise both of sence and by consequent of the higher part of the soule What would follow but distemper distraction and madnes Or that the head should fall out with the body and thereupon restraine from it the influence of animall spirits the instruments of the quickning and moouing it What would become of the head when the body were dead Proportionable mischiefes and miseries fall out vpon the Marriage-state by falling out strangenesse bitternesse and angry reseruednesse betweene the parties This grace then will be of excellent vse and must be exercised many wayes 1. In bearing with the wants and weakenesses infirmities and deformities of each other And let the man for the woman is the weaker vessell remember for this purpose how many faults frailties and falls and how many times Christ remits and pardons to his Spouse the Church And hee ought to loue his wife as Christ doth the Church Eph. 5. 25. The body doth not reiect the head because it is bald or but one eyed The head rageth not against the body because it is deformed or diseased but doth rather condole and sympathize 2. About crosse accidents in the family losses in their outward state going backward of businesses c. They must not lay the fault one vpon another to the breaking out into choler impatiencie and stamping but both ioyne with blessed Iob in that sweet and meeke submission to Gods pleasure The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. 3. In waiting for the conuersion of one another if either prooue vnconuerted In which case be patient pray and expect Gods good time We haue God himselfe a sweet Patterne for this purpose See before pag. 102. Or if the one be but a Babe in Christ weake in Christianity deale fairely louingly and meekely Let our Lord Iesus his tender-heartednesse to spirituall younglings teach vs mercy this way See Isa. 40. 11. IV. An holy care and conscience to preserue between themselues for there is a coniugall as well as virginall and viduall chastity the marriage bed vndefiled and in all honour and Christian purity It ought by no meanes to be stained and dishonoured with sensuall excesses wonton speeches foolish dalliance and other vncleane incentiues of lust which marriage should quench not inflame Euen in wedlocke intemperate and vnbridled lust immoderation and excesse is deemed
both by ancient and moderne Diuines no better then plaine adultery before God Two ancient worthy Fathers Ambrose and Austin speak thus What is the intemperate man in marriage but his wiues adulterer The resolution of the rest sound to the same sence As a man may be a wicked drunkard with his owne drink and a glutton by excessiue deuouring of his owne meat so likewise one may be vncleane in the immoderate vse of the marriage bed Euen Popish Casuists discouer and detest aberrations and exorbitancies of married couples in their Matrimoniall meetings But reade such passages with much modestie and iudgement Nay heare what a very Philosopher saith of the point In the priuate acquaintance saith he and vse of marriage there must be a moderation that is a religious and a deuout band for that pleasure that is therein must be mingled with some seuerity It must bee a wise and conscionable delight A man must touch his wife discreetly and for honesty c. Another thus Marriage is a religious and deuout bond and that is the reason the pleasure a man hath of it should bee a moderate stayed and serious pleasure and mixed with seuerity it ought to be a delight somewhat circumspect and conscientious We may conceiue what moderate reuerent and honourable thoughts Antiquity entertained of the Marriage state and coniugall chastity by Euaristus words Epist. 1. ad omnes Episc. Aphri Let new-married couples saith he for two or three dayes ply Prayer that they may haue good children and please the Lord in their marriage-duties Now all intemperate excessiue or any wayes exorbitant pollutions of the marriage-bed though Magistrates meddle not with them because they lie without the walke of humane censure yet assuredly Gods pure Eye cannot looke vpon them but without repentance will certainly plague them Methinkes therefore if the feare of God awfulnesse to his All-seeing Eye loue of purity c. will not restraine from immodestie and immoderation in this kind yet that slauish horrour lest God should iustly punish them therefore with no children mis-shapen children idiotes or prodigiously wicked children or some other heauy crosses should fright them from such abhorred filth In the next place let vs take a view of and to heart duties peculiar and proper to each seuerally I. To the Husband 1. Let him behaue himselfe as an head to the body 1. Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 5. 23. 1. The head is as it were the glory and crowne of the body So let the husband shine and shew himselfe in a kind of eminencie excellencie and authority ouer the wife To be an head implies and imports a preeminence superiority and soueraignty as appeares by the Apostles gradation 1. Cor. 11. 3. Man is the womans head Christ is mans head God is Christs head For procuring and preseruing which Let the husband bee manly graue worthy not light vaine contemptible Let him not be bitter wayward passionate Let him not bee base-minded vicious vaine glorious Let him not bee a drunkard a gamester a good-fellow Dissolutenesse and a disordered life in the Man doth much abate and diminish the wiues respectfulnesse and reuerence vnto him Maiestie authority venerablenesse in any Superiour is not any wayes more lessened or sooner lost then by light behauiour personall worthlesnesse or vnworthy deportment in his place Whereas true worth goodnesse grace shining from within doth beget a more louing reuerence and reuerent loue then all outward formes of pompe and state then any boysterousnesse or big looks can possibly produce 2. The Head is the seate of vnderstanding wisedome discretion forecast Out of which consideration Let the husband stirre vp quicken and inlarge his manly spirit to comprehend and rightly conceiue all affaires prouisions occasions offers ingenuous deportment and worthy vsages which may any wayes procure and promote his wiues true contentment honour and happinesse It is his necessary and noble charge with a speciall and punctuall care and casting about to prouide for her soule body comfort and credit with all meekenesse and loue to instruct and informe her in all passages of her duty and procurements of her good 3. The Head indeed hath the precedency and prerogatiue of noblest operations and the soules diuinest acts by the benefit of its natiue temper and constitution seate of the sences and other proper instruments fitted for such high imployments and challenge of that excellency yet notwithstanding the body and other parts are animated and enlyued with the very same soule both for substance faculties immortality actiuenesse euery way So that if the foot for instance had an eare an eye an animall spirit and an organization as the Philosophers speake apted for such functions it would heare and see and vnderstand as well as the head And therefore the head by a naturall instinct as it were and sympathie doth continually tenderly with fresh successions of a liuely and quickning influence cherish and refresh other parts as well as it selfe The husband by the benefit of a more manly body tempered with naturall fitnesse for the soule to worke more nobly in doth or ought ordinarily outgoe the wife in largenesse of vnderstanding height of courage stayednesse of resolution moderation of his passions dexterity to manage businesses and other naturall inclinations and abilities to doe more excellently yet notwithstanding let him know that his wife hath as noble a soule as himselfe Soules haue no sexes as Ambrose saith In the better part they are both men And if thy wiues soule were freed from the frailty of her sexe it were as manly as noble as vnderstanding and euery way as excellent as thine owne Nay and if it were possible for you to change bodies hers would worke as manlily in thine and thine as womanly in hers Let the husband then bee so farre from insulting ouer contemning or vnderualuing his wiues worth for the weakenesse of her sexe that out of consideration that her soule is naturally euery way as good as his owne onely the excellencie of its natiue operations something damped as it were and disabled by the frailty of that weaker body with which Gods wise prouidence hath clothed it vpon purpose for a more conuenient and comfortable but ingenuous seruiceablenes to his good that I say he labour the more to entertaine and intreat her with all tendernesse and honour to recompence as it were her suffering in this kinde for his sake 4. The Head is the well-spring of all quickning motion and sence liuelinesse and lightsomenesse to the body If the deriuation of animall spirits from the braine were restrained and intercepted for a while the body would bee presently surprized with a sencelesse dampe and dead palsey The wife for the husbands sake hath forsaken her natiue home fathers house father mother and many comforts in that kind And therefore good reason shee should expect now and receiue from her Head new matter and a continued influence of lightheartednesse comfortable enioying
his owne worth doth aboue all other passions blast our minds as it were with lightning and make vs reflect our thoughts vpon our owne seeming inherent goodnesse forgetting the whilest Him to whom we are indebted for our very Being and besides it blowes vpon our gifts with such a malignant humour that they also become vnfruitfull and vnprofitable to others Thus much concerning the first extreme and errour in managing our spirituall estate to wit a proud ouerprizing of our owne graces with a conceited ouer-weening selfe-estimation I come now to the second which is A deiected distrustfull vndervaluing of Gods mercies the promises of life and graces which we possesse And here I cannot hold but must euen with some indignation expostulate and contest with many of Gods hidden Ones about their heauy pensiue and vncomfortable walking for that they are so farre from entertaining and expressing that vnspeakable glorious ioy which vpon their new birth is their natiue portion and patrimonie their iust and due inheritance as certainely theirs by an euerlasting proprietie and right if they would but open their eyes to see it and enlarge their hearts to graspe it being a fruit of that holy Spirit which dwels in them and a price of Christs Kingdome established in their soules as their cloathes vpon their backes their hearts in their bodies and blood that runnes in their veines I say they are so farre from walking in the strength and light of this ioy that they wickedly I dare say if not wilfully abandon and expose their spirits freed for euer by the Lambs blood from the hellish fangs of any slauish horrour to the vnnecessarie racke of much fruitlesse vnworthy and slauish sadnesse Whereby besides their owne needlesse sinfull selfe-created torment 1. They most vnworthily vndervalue abridge and disparage the infinitenesse of Gods dearest and tender mercy who is a thousand times more ready and forward to binde vp any broken heart then it to bleed before him 2. They vnnecessarily disable and indispose themselues for the duties and comfortable discharge of both their Callings 3. They gratifie Satan and satisfie his cruell humor who if hee cannot haue a mans company in Hell hereafter for if he were sure of that he would make him liue as ioyfully and Iouially as hee could possibly he labours might and maine to hold him vpon the racke of slauish distrustfull terrours all the dayes of his life 4. They are thereby many times occasions of discouragement and disheartning to those which are without that they are more loth to enter into the wayes of life preiudging them to be thorny and rough darke and deepe full of dumps and drooping of heauinesse and horrour whereas indeed and truth they are all paued with mercy and loue strowed with Violets and Roses full of fresh springs of spiritual comforts and sweetly illightned euen in the darkest passages with heauenly and healing beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse For whether it bee fit to beleeue the Spirit of all truth and comfort or the scornefull spirit of impure drunkards and Satans Reuellers iudge you This precise and strict walking say they which is pressed vpon vs with such importunatenesse and confidence would not leade vs to mopishnesse and melancholy would enchaine vs to that abridgement of our pleasure restraint from company from crowning our selues with Rose-buds and former courses of good fellowship and mirth of which our generous and Iouiall spirits are most impatient and vtterly vncapable But what saith the blessed Spirit Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace They giue them occasion to mis-conceiue that the yoke of Christ is burdensome and will gaule their necks whereas in truth and tryall it is easie and light and would prooue a chaine of heauenly Pearles to adorne their soules that after they haue giuen their names to profession they shall neuer haue merry day but must necessarily bid adieu to all delight whereas their ioyes should not be taken away but onely changed as one of the Ancients speakes and that most happily and with an vnualuable aduantage For the filth and froth of their sensuall bitter-sweet pleasures fugitiue follies furious delights which passe away in the act as the taste of pleasant drinke dyeth in the draught should bee turned into that true vnconquerable spirituall ioy which the World cannot giue nor man nor deuill take away Their crashes of loud laughter amid their pots and pastimes which are but as the cracking of thornes vnder a pot the Deuils Wakes and Musicke for Hell should be conuerted into a sweet constant habituall contentment of minde Nay more whereas before in the very height and ruffe of their maddest meetings most roaring outrages and reuellings their hearts vpon remembrance of death their secret impenitent guiltinesse that strict account at Gods dreadfull Tribunall at which they may bee arraigned the next houre c. were full often twitcht and stung with many inward bitter gripings and slauish foretastes of hellish terrour yet vpon their change and change of ioyes euen in the highest tide and torrent of their penitent teares and sorrow for sinne and they should be sad for nothing else their spirits shall be refreshed and rauisht with a Paradise of sweetest peace and heauenly glimpses of eternall light In a word if they would in earnest abandon the Deuils seruice come out of Hell giue their names vnto Christ in truth and try I dare assure them in the Word of life and truth they would not exchange the saddest houre of all their life afterward with the prime and flower of all their former sensuall pleasures might they haue ten thousand Worlds to boot Here then is no losse in the change But in the meane time much to blame are they who being truly Gods yet out of weakenesse want of wisdome wilfull listning vnto the father of lyes will not giue way to the counsell of the Prophets that they may prosper in spirituall hearts-ease and so preuent such occasions Let those that hate to bee reformed hang downe their heads let swaggering Belshazzars countenance bee changed let his thoughts trouble him let the ioynts of his loynes bee loosed and his knees smite one against another let the hearts of all ambitious Nimrods couetous Worldlings swinish Drunkards filthy Whoremasters cruell Vsurers louers of pleasures or whosoeuer liue and lye in any beloued sin against an illightned conscience tremble as the leaues of the Forrest that are shaken with the wind Let a sound of feare be euer in their eares and sorrow seize vpon their hearts as the pangs of a woman in trauaile euen as the torture of her that bringeth forth her first child Let trouble and anguish and the cup of trembling in the hand of the Lord make them afraid and let them euery houre looke to meete their angry God as a Beare bereaued of her Whelps to rent the very cawle of their hearts and to deuoure them