Braines S. I. H. he attained to by his sword after Death had not a roome to containe his Corps in without being purchased at the hand of another Men esteeming a living Dog more then a dead Lion saith Sam. Dan. I might remember also how Philip the Second of Spaine lessoned the Prince his sonne when he thought of a great Treasure spent and when his owne spirits were spent also And how Charles Grimst Hist of the Netherl the Father in the Waine of his greatnesse left alone and carrying the Candle before his Embassadour instructed the same Embassadour The instruction Medull Hist prophanae p. 899 is but short Goe speake of what thou hast seene me doe who had so many Princes waiting on me and learne the state of humane things The summe of all riseth to this Those things which we so greedily graspe after and lay out our precious stock of time and wit upon are no enduring Substance But yet that is not the worst They are passed and gone and many times there remaineth but Sighs behinde when a man remembers the getting and expending of them that he was unrighteous in both But take them at the best They cannot keepe the heart from trembling or the knees from smiting one against another All outward strength cannot keepe out shall I say an Armed-man nay not a silly frog out of the Chamber where the God of Hosts will bid it goe The greatest Pompe cannot prevent a Consumption by the basest Vermine of which truth Pharaoh Herod more lately Philip of Spaine before mentioned and others neerer home are very great Examples The serious consideration whereof may prevent the bewitching of profit the great Enchantresse of Mankinde so as we shall not be ensnared by deceitfull riches which make us beleeve that they can satisfie and stay the heart in the day of wrath whereas they are no strong Wall v Prov. 11. 4. but onely in a mans owne conceit But righteousnesse delivereth from death x Chap. 18. 10 11. All things are nothing without this This is all without them Therein is the substance the Kernell the quintessence of all The y 1 John 2. 16. World passethaway and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever fast like mount Sion an everlasting foundation Godlinesse a 1 Tim. 6. 6. and 4 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in Gen. 48. Hom. 66. ◠is great gaine it is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is and of the life that is to come And therefore if the Parent had but one request to put up for the Childe it should be That the Lord would be its portion That He would blesse him indeed for whom He blesseth are blessed b 1 Chron. 4. 10. And if he had but one instruction it should be for the getting the principall thing Get Wisedome and withall thy getting get understanding c Prov. 4. 7. The last Consideration containeth in it the very pith of reason and equitie and mightily engageth the Parent to give All diligence at this point touching the good Nurture of his Childe when I have cleared so much I have done 3. A Childe is the Parents Image right A branch from a sinfull stock An off-spring from a corrupted fountaine The Parent is the Channell which conveyeth unto it Sinne and Death This is that hereditary evill which is truely and really stated and fëoffed upon every Childe of Adam But if we will see the first originall of the conveyance we must descend as low as Adam who was the sonne of God made as every thing else very good with this excellency and prerogative royall above other things in Gods Image that is in Holinesse and righteousnesse But being in this honour he understood not but sought out many inventions d Eccles 7. 29. that is They would finde out something beyond God and so for it was not possible to be otherwise they found on t their owne finddings Sinne and Sorrow They reached forth their hand unto the forbidden fruit and did eate so they fell from their stedfastnesse and glory Then they knew both good and evill Good if they had obeyed Evill that they obeyed not Now they had experience and feeling of their good they lost and the evill they brought upon themselves Thus sinne entred into the World and by sinne death that is more evils and weightier then we can think them For we must note That the Actuall sinne of Adam determined not the bound of Misery but brought a second Misery with it the Misery of our whole Nature While Adam stood we stood in him his obedience kept his whole estate and Nature entire But when he fell we fell in him for though the sinne were a limited thing in act of eating yet it was an unlimited excesse in respect of the Committer and the frame of his revolting heart and therefore it was just with God to plague his whole Nature for that sinfull Act. So then The same hand that was reacht forth to this fruite reacht it also to the fruite of their loynes wherein that fruite was seminally as branches in a common stock And thus the Childrens teeth were set on edge so the next verse tels us And Adam begat a sonne in his owne likenesse his owne indeed that is With that generation Sinne was also derived for he begat now not the Body onely but a Man in his receptivenesse of the soule and in those bands and ties which knit body and soule to wit these spirits of reasonable Nature and by the infection of these spirits the soule is also corrupted We cannot with sobriety enquire further into this thing I know the dispute how this sinne is propagated from the Father to the Childe is very large But we may say of it as the Philosopher of that Dispute touching that supposed voide place It is an empty and vaine Dispute c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist phys de vacuo voide of use and to none effect It was a wise and seasonable reproofe which a Mariner in a dangerous tempest gave to the Philosopher troubling him with a Dispute touching the Windes We f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aul. Gell. lib. 1. cap. 2. ◠are at the point of sinking and you trifle out the time with a vaine discourse Enquiries touching this point have blotted much Paper and spent much precious Time and all to little purpose for so we give time to a growing mischiefe It is as if while the fire rageth on the sides and tops of houses a man should hold his hand and moove his tongue not joyne force to quench it but onely aske how it begunne where and when It was a good answer to one who would know by what Chinke sinne entred into the Childe g Hist of the Couns of Trent l. 2. p. 174 That Chinks were not to be sought where a gate stood wide open The Apostle
common table specially if invited thereto by no common person well fitted and prepared decently and in order And in case we finde our stomacks clogged with bad humours or feaverishly disposed we come not at all or we forbeare to eate This allusion Chrysostome follows and makes very usefull in his 27. Hom. upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11. toward the end but more fully in the following Hom. neere the beginning of the same very full of instruction all I shall follow our plain Catechisme and therefrom set down these requisites which must be in every worthy Communicant and they are three strongly enforced and imployed in the signes before our eyes 1. Repentance from dead works which God gives and it answers The eating of the Lambe with sowre hearbes There I see in the Bread first thrashed then put into the mill after in the oven All this the True Bread went through before He was made the Shew-Bread to God the Bread of Life to us as much as the Church of old did in the q Exod. 12. 9. Lambe which was to be rosted with fire or in the Manna which was ground in the mills r Numb 11. 8. I see in the wine powred forth That Christ powred forth His soul unto death and by Himself purged our sins Å¿ Heb. 1. 3. See Mr Dearing on that text Hence we learn to hate sin and to hate it with a perfect hatred as the only ground of our misery the creatures vanitie and of Gods dishonour t Mr Raynold on the 110. Psalme pag. 411 412. We see it is so hatefull unto God that He will most certainly be avenged of it If he spare me yet He will not spare my sinne though His own beloved Sonne must be punished for it O then how should that be light to me which was as heavy as a mill stone to the soul of Christ How should that be in a throne with me which was upon the Crosse with Him How should I allow that to be really in me which the Lord so severely punished when the guilt thereof was but imputed to His Son so our second Raynolds Therefore we should learn with David to hate every evill way because God hates it and suffers it not to passe unpunished To revenge the quarrell of Christ against those lusts of ours which nailed Him and to crucifie them for Him again for for that end was Christ crucified that our old man might be crucified with Him that the Body of sin may be destroyed that hence-forth we should not serve sinne u Rom. 6. 6. What measure of sorrow is required in every Receiver for it is said The Land shall mourn x Zach. 12. 10. 12. the Prophet doth fully declare where he saith And they shall looke on Him c. The sorrow for sinne is set forth by our sorrow for such things whereof we have the quickest sense And such a sorrow it is past all question which is lasting which makes us mourn as David for his sonne every day * 2 Sam. 13. 37. It is a bitter sorrow and it is accompanied with loathing y Ezech. 6. 0. â—3 20. 43. How these will stand together Godly sorrow I mean and spirituall joy is not to our purpose now But the greater our sorrow if it be godly the greater our joy The more sowre our sinnes the more sweet is Christ The more loathing of them as the alone and greatest evill the more prizing of Christ as the only and greatest good the choisest of ten thousands Whether we have this grace of repentance the tryall is easie for if we sorrow after a godly sort behold what carefulnesse it works what clearing of our selves what indignation 2 Cor. 7. 11. what feare what vehement desire what zeale what revenge Infallible marks these of repentance unto life It is now with the penitent as once it was and as ever it will be A sorrow to repentance is not a work of a day or two the hanging down the head like a bulrush for a day or an houre as the custome is Where there is a breaking the bands of our yoke there is a making to go upright z Levit. 26. 13. a constant walking with God as those that have now communion and fellowship with the Father and the Sonne And though this godly sorrow is more secret in the heart and there the work also of a true penitent is most in the well ordering thereof and in watching over the issues there-from yet is it not altogether undiscernable to the outward sense for as Mr. Dearing Heb. 2. 11. noteth well There is no affection in us according to to the flesh but if it be great it will appeare in its work much more this which is of the Spirit of God If thou be sorrowfull it will make thy face sad b Deprendas animi tormenta latentis in agrâ— Corpore Juven Satyr 9. if joy be within it maketh thy countenance merry if thou have a flattering heart all the members of thy body will streight serve so vile a thing if hatred be within thee thy body will shew it forth in all manner of cursed doing and there is nothing that can possesse the minde but it leadeth the members in obedience of it How much more if the Spirit of God have replenished our mindes with these affections of godly sorrow and spirituall joy And so much to the first requisite 2. The second is Faith the hand of the soul which the Lord createth and strengthneth to lay hold on eternall life by Iesus Christ In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we see a full Redemption wrought and a full price paid in His body broken and bloud poured forth In the bread and wine he that Qui dividit perdit devides destroyes the Sacrament we have a full and compleat nourishment all that the soul can desire But now as the mouth is opened so are we filled As the heart is enlarged so do we receive If the mouth be shut and the principle of life be wanting no matter what dainties are set before us or what put in Therefore we must consider our Interest in the Covenant and whether we can lay hold on a promise for life reconciliation and peace For the bloud of Christ and His Body serve not for the nourishment of any in whom they have not been as the seed of regeneration both in pardon of sin and change of the heart in which conversion standeth we must remember Sacraments convert none but strengthen the converted To the fainting spirit they are meanes to convey power they encrease strength c Isa 40. 29. The Sacraments are as the breasts of the Church from which the living childe doth suck and is satisfied with consolations from which the thirsty soul doth milke out and is delighted with the abundance of her glory d Isa 66. But it is the living childe that draweth comfort here and the instrument
go down into this depth of thy misery by sinne thou shalt rise upward again to the greatnesse of Gods love in Christ and so fetch happinesse out of that depth also Here it is most true one depth calleth unto another depth If every step or Article in the first which is misery by sinne do not more and more humble us in the sight of our misery no Article in the second part which is our redemption by Christ can comfort us Enlarge thy sinne to the uttermost that thou may'st magnifie the grace of Christ Lessen not mince not sin in hope of pardon Little sinne to forgive will make Christ little loved The height and depth of mercy cannot be sounded but by the measuring line of misery We must be brought to Davids acknowledgement f Psal 38. 7. There is no soundnesse in this flesh no part of health or life in our sinfull nature which was most fully signified in that which was most remarkable saith Mr. Ainsworth g Ainsw Levit 13. 15. Plurimum profecit qui sibi plurimum displicere didicit Cal. Inst 3 3. 20. in the Law of Leprosie That quick or sound flesh in the sore should be judged leprosie and the man uncleane whereas if the leprosie covered all his flesh he was pronounced clean Hope not then in small sinne but in great mercy and that it may not seeme small for that is the feare think thus Can that pollution be small which hath past through so many Iordans yet cannot be cleansed Can that root be any other then a root of gall and bitternesse which hath defiled all and all parts and faculties of All Can that Stump be small that hath thrust out such strong branches and those so often cut and hewed at and yet growing again Can any sparke be little that comes from such a Treasury Think on this and think seriously whether here be not cause of loathing take it actively that thou shouldst loath thy self or passively that thy person should be loathed Cause of loathing there is of despairing also in thy self but not in another Cause to go out of thy self for mercy no cause to despaire of mercy A great sinner hath a mighty Redeemer but he wil not roul himself upon Him That is mighty till he feeles himself to be such a sinner as we heard a great sinner which consideration will drive the soule upon another rock if we observe not how the Prophet pleads for mercy upon this very ground Because his sin is great h Psal 25. 11. The glory of God is great in the salvation of great sinners And by putting confidence in Him Who is mightie we lay Glory and Majesty upon HIm for to those words we may properly allude i Psal 21. 5. His glory is great in thy salvation honour and Majesty hast thou laid upon Him Our thoughts are straitened now yet think we on the riches of His mercy Who when we were as out-casts to the loathing of our persons in the day that we were born when we lay polluted in our own bloud said unto us at such a time as that Ezek. 16. Live If we think k on this we think on a Love which passeth knowledge on a mercy whose height and depth and breadth cannot be measured but if we can spread it upon our sinne as the the Prophet himself upon the childe we shall finde it equall to all dimensions And this is the Love of Him who gave His Sonne and the obedience of that Sonne who gave Him-self for our ransome a price that cannot be valued for it went to the worth of souls And this He did being made as Luther said well the greatest sinner in the World suffering what was due to such a sinner eternall wrath not in respect of its duration for it was of a short continuance but yet eternall in respect of the excellent dignitie of the person suffering who was the eternall Sonne of God And this He suffer'd even such a weight of wrath that He might free us from the same I mean that wrath which is to come which hath in it the very life and spirits of wrath The present wrath though it lye heavy for sinne yet it is but for present but the wrath to-come seizeth upon the soul and lyeth upon it to all eternitie l Omnis peccator peccat in siâ—o aeterno And this is the life and spirit of this wrath the thought whereof swallows us up as a drop is swallowed in the wide Ocean This weight He suffered as the greatest sinner that He might save to the utmost those that come unto Him Mark it for the houre may come saith m Disc of Just pag. 519. Mr. Hooker when we shall think it a blessed thing to heare That if our sins were the sins of Popes and Cardinals ours are very great having had a clear sun-shine of grace so long yet not walked as children of the Light the bowels of the mercie of God are larger I must reade his following words too I do not propose unto you a Pope with the neck of an Emperour under his feet A Cardinall riding his horse to the bridle in the bloud of Saints but a Pope or Cardinall sorrowfull penitent disrobed stript not only of usurped power but also deliver'd and recalled from errour Antichrist converted and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ And shall I think that Christ will spurn at him No He suffered to the utmost that he might save to the utmost those that beleeve whom he maketh the righteousnesse of God re-inâ—tateth in the Paradise which they lost that there they may live ever with their Lord partaking with Him of an exceeding weight of glory And here for the time would fail me my understanding both I would fix thy thoughts even at this well of Salvation On this Rock I would settle thee but that my hands are too short but under the shadow of thy wings my heartie desire is that thou mayest trust and dwell for ever then happie art thou and for ever happie for this Rocke is Christ from Him issueth water of life healing sinne washing away guilt sweetning sorrow swallowing up such a Death before mentioned with all its issues Christ I say get Him thou hast all a Sea an Ocean of good things as Clemens cals Him cleave to Him He hath strength enough enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrep p. 51. against all assaults from within from without He and His righteousnesse answers all makes us firme and stedfast like an everlasting foundation the gates of hell nor policie nor strength shall prevail All in Him all of Him all from Him And all this as it is fully discovered in his Word therefore let it be thy delight and thy counsellour and pray that His Spirit still would be thy Interpreter for without Him it is as a Book sealed so was it figured out and sealed unto us in Baptisme But before I come to that
mantle will cover many defects And we are the more likely to do it the more we see how false our hearts are how ready to breake all bands and to cast away all cords for this our impotencie truely apprehended will make us feare alwayes and cleave the faster to Him in whom our strength is keeping our selves as the Apostle counselleth in the e Jude 20. love of God building up our selves in our most holy faith praying in the Holy-Ghost Such a prayer will as the Horsleech sucks out corrupt f Prâ—ces pâ—râ—inacissima curarum hirudo M l. vit Lâ—th p. 139. c. bloud it is Luthers comparison consume our cares our feares our sorrows oâ—r sins This by the way My chiefe scope is here to put to our consideration what a straight and binding cord Religion is and better we cannot see it then in Baptisme wherein we are wholly consecrated g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Proâ—rept pag. 30. to the Lord that bought us 1. There we professe our selves made the members of Christ How can the thoughts thereof but stirre us up to give our members weapons of righteousnesse unto holinesse shall we take the member of Christ and give it to our lust There is great weight in those words And if members of Christ then members one of another h Eph. 4. 25. And then we suffer as members when we suffer not in our own bodies we suffer in compassion as others in their passions such a sympathy and fellow-feeling there is In Saint Pauls i Heb. 10 13. Heb. 13 3. Lege Chrysost in 1 Cor. c 8. â— in ep Ad Câ—los cap. 4. Hom. 12. remember my bonds Verse 18. Perniciocissimâ— labâ—ntur quòd fratrum insâ—â—mitatem nullius peâ—si habent Caâ— Iâ—st lib 3. c. 1â— sect 10. construction it is ever thus If this brothers back be pinched it is my back I am pinched too If his eye be offended it is as the apple in mine I am offended too If his heart is sadded it is my heart I am sadded too ye are members one of another and then ye are pitifull and mercifull As we have received so we must return according to our measure mercy for mercy blessing for blessing nay blessing for cursing knowing that we are thereunto called that we should inherit a bâ—â—ssing k 1 Pet. 3. 9. I know said Luther l Ignâ—râ—ntâ—am meam facilè feret ignoscet mihi Ecclesia Dâ—i Regina illa misericordiae cujus viscera sunt merae remissiones peccatorum Luth. Praefatio in postillas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—â— Act. Apâ—st ca. 21. Hom. 44. â— my ignorance the Church will beare with and my faults she will pardon being the Queen of mercy and nothing â—lse but bowels and forgivenesse of sins so like the Body is unto her Head for she hath the Spirit of Christ And so we know the true distinguishing property of the true Church In this are the children of God known They love the Brotherhood They shew bowels of mercy towards all 2. In Baptisme we are made the sonnes and daughters of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven Behold saith the Apostle what manner of love m 1 Joh. 3. 1. here is our thoughts are too short We are now the sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what we shall be but when He shall appeare we shall be like Him our thoughts cannot reach to this brightnesse our eyes are dazled with the very conceit of this glory so exceeding it is But this is clearly evident He that hath this high prerogative here to be called the sonne of God that hath this hope to be changed hereafter as from glory to glory and to inherit a Kingdome which shall never have end the glory whereof as much exceeds the glory of all other kingdomes as doth the light of the Sunne exceed the light of the smallest rush-candle He I say that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as He is pure n Verse 3. He cannot think of such a Kingdome but he must have strong motions thither ward and after holinesse for nothing uncleane can enter there Hopes on high will raise the thoughts on high 3. We solemnly promised in Baptisme and received that Sacrament as our presse-money binding us to performe even presently to begin so soone as we could discerne of good and evill to serve the Lord in all well-pleasing who chose us to be souldiers against His and our enemies the Divell and our Lusts which all fight against our soules And through faith in His name that great engine which spoyleth principalities and powers we should do valiantly as good souldiers of Iesus Christ o 2 Tim. 2. 3. But here we take a scale of our misery and looke how low we are falne and what darknesse lyeth over our hearts when the most of us take part even with the adversary that hateth us delighting in nothing more then in the shame and paine of the creature We feare him not he that feares he feares to sinne who made no scruple to tempt our Saviour Christ whom himselfe called the Sonne of God And cannot be terrified though he be in chains therefore restrained else hee would deale with the world as with Iobs house and with us and ours as with Iobs goods children and body from doing ill and all that is contrary to God and Goodnesse no not by the fearfull word of the Almighty How great then is our folly and madnesse who hold communion and faire quarter with such an enemy who delights in proud wrath yet such is our darkenesse so we do It is a paradoxe indeed clean crossing conceit and reason That we should feare a Beare and p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes 21. a Lion yet not feare the Divell for then we should feare to sinne q Hist of the world first B. c. 11. sect 8 â— That we should be better and unplacable enemies to our enemies and yet hold a league with Satan yea and account him a familiar so some do who yet is the grand enemy of mankinde r Ibid. sect 6. And now what shall we say to those unworthy wretches who are in a league with this unclean spirit and do thinke they can impale him in a circle a circle which cannot keep out a mouse so insconce themselves against this great monster and think they can terrifie him also whereas in very truth the obedience which the Divell seemes to use is but thereby to possesse himself of the bodies and soules of them who hold such familiaritie with him such it is and so willing a subjection and vassallage it is as if the Lord of the creatures counted it his glory to be in slavery and bondage to proud wrath Å¿ Prov. 21. 24. I cannot but remember here how sadly and feelingly Saint Basil t Tom. 2. p. 418. Regulae fusius disput â—nter 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
expect to have communion with God we must addresse our spirits before Him p Incentiva vitiorum slatim in mâ—nte iugulabâ—s parvulos Babylonis allides ad Petram c. Hier. lib. 2. ep 18. p. 216. we must be pure not in body only but in heart also nay we must be in our measure pure and holy as He is if we look to see Him as He is We must consider withall That our unclean spirits make us like that Spirit who though he commits no corporall uncleannesse some tell us of sexes in divels or assumed by them and of their filthinesse that way q Succubi Incubi Zanch. de oper Dei lib. 4. cap. 16. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 2. yet he is called an uncleane spirit And as he is he is called which tells us That the uncleannesse of our spirits and hearts as it is the greatest defilement so it doth make us most like the divell And therefore if this uncleane spirit or our selves have stirred a sinke in our soules we must not stirre it more by our imagination but as we use to do when a sink is stirred we go into a sweeter roome so we must remove our thoughts and take off our imagination from stirring and puddering in that filth And this we may do by finding it some sweeter more cleanly and befitting work It is certain that the imagination hath a power if it be put forth but that requires an other power to raise it selfe as swiftly and as quick which is the excellency of it to heaven to the high and great things there as it will descend to hell though it be a naturall descent to those black things there And it is certain too that hopes on high will lead to thoughts on high The noblenesse of the soule and thoughts thereof and of great things prepared for it will remember our imaginative facultie of noble work of high and weightie considerations If our affections be indeared to any sensuall delight they will drown our fancies therein and on the other side our fancies quicke and nimble though they be yet will they move heavily and die in their excessive motion to the things below if the soule be taken up with the Love of the best things And this leads me to the last thing which is a more speciall and soveraign vertue to help and fortifie our soule against her sensuall appetites I meane such helps which reason can suggest I know if the Eye of the Lord awe us Job 31. if destruction from God be a terrour unto us if the spirit of holinesse comes into the heart then the work is done 2. In the last place then because our imagination hurteth and betrayeth our succours within by false representations and by preventing reason usurping a censure of things before our judgements try them whereas the office of imagination is to minister matter to our understanding to work upon not to lead it much lesse to mis-lead it sith I say our case is so and so depraved our facultie is we must take great heed and give all diligence That as one excellently adviseth we suffer not things to passe suddenly from the imagination to our will and affection we must aske advise first of our judgement That is the light and eye of the inward man and we must pray for the inward anoynting whose office it is to weigh things in the ballance and so to discerne This judgement doth acquaint the minde to ballance reasons on both sides and to turne backe the first offers and conceits of the minde and to accept of nothing but first examined and tryed There is a sicknesse of fancy and there is no way to cure it but by advising with judgement We shall as Saul in another case account the wayes of sinne and death even the shedding our own souls bloud in the pursuit of our own appetites and the libertie to satisfie the same All this we shall account a compassion r 1 Sam. 23. 21. if judgement do not come betwixt our imaginations and will The tumults and distempers of the soul though they rage in silent darknesse would be in a great measure quieted if summon'd before strength of judgement and reason Therefore when any desireable object presents it selfe to our imagination and solicites for admittance we must not open before reason and judgement have done their office We must take Soules Cons p. 284. off our selves upon what ground we entertain such a conceit whether we shall have the same judgement after we have yeelded to it as now we have and whether we will have the same judgement of it in sicknesse and death and at the day of reckoning as we have for the present That which is of it selfe evill is alwayes so at one time as well as another if the time will come when we shall think those things to be vain which now we are so eagerly set upon as if there were some great good in them why should we not thinke so of them now when as the reforming of our judgement may do us good rather then to be lead on with a pleasing errour untill that time wherein the sight of our errours will fill our hearts with horrors and shame without hope of ever changing our condition Think we hereon before we have swallowed the bait It is of specaill use to awaken the soule and to stirre up reason cast asleepe by over-powring lusts and Satans charmes of great use it is to scatter the clouds through which things seeme otherwise then they are that so we may discerne and judge of things according to their true and constant nature Is it a known and noted story That a great Commander being ready to perish with thirst delivered up himself and his command into his enemies hands for a cup of drink who so soon as he had quenched his thirst had these words For how short a satisfaction have I forfeited all my former contentments The morall of it is as well known It seems to imply thus much That he did as we all are ready to do in desireable things suffer the thing he desired to passe too soon from the imagination to affection and he made choice before his Iudgement had done its office and thereby lost the command of himself But indeed though there is use in it yet in this case it doth not presse home nor is it full to the purpose for if we should suppose Kingdomes in one scale and a dish of water in an other we know which would weigh down so low that it would be great folly to make the comparison But now again if we shall but consider how dependent a creature man is which doth engage his service to his God and to how weak supports his life is beholding and that he is in his best estate but vanitie and that his Crown cannot help or ease the head-ach nor can all the pomp and glory of a kingdome refresh his fainting spirit which yet as
shame my selfe or hurt them Did not he that made them make me Have we not both the same masters over us on earth and would we not be used kindely and gently by them And have we not all one Master in heaven See the first Part. chap. 4. sect 12. and would we not all finde mercy there Yea but he is thus and thus and doth so and so and so often he hath provoked me I must check my selfe now with this and it will surely calme and coole my spirit how m Chrysost in ep ad Rom. cap. 8. Hom. 14. pag. 206. 2 Pet. 3. 15. Rom. 2. â— much and how long God hath borne and forborn me And can I be impatient now The long suffering of the Lord is salvation It was salvation to Saul waiting till he became a Paul so was it to Peter waiting till he went out To us else we had been before this consumed Marke this and enlarge thy meditation upon it I it will be a meanes to frame upon thee that ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price for if I can say to my selfe but thus much how long suffering hath the Lord been to me ward I cannot be short and eager spirited toward my brother I cannot say more which is more pressing and availeable to subdue my passionate spirit and to gaine that constant and comfortable temper which resembles the highest region of the ayre where there is still a perpetuall serenitie and peace Lastly are they the wrongs and unworthy usage from others hands and tongues that have put me out of the possession of my selfe or are they crosses in my estate that trouble and disquiet me Then thus I must check my selfe By looking narrowly into my selfe and up to an higher hand as the children of wisdome have done I must remember the ten thousand talents There is nothing that can be thought of of more force to win upon a passionate spirit and to frame it to lowlinesse lovelinesse calmenesse and unpassionatenesse which is the cement of societie and sweet converse nothing I say of such force as these considerations First of Gods all disposing over-ruling hand who is so good that He would suffer no evill to be were He not so powerfull that out of the greatest evill He can extract the greatest good Secondly The riches of His mercy that forgave ten thousand talents And should I flye at the throat of my fellow servant for a few pence Thoughts hereof will frame us to a setled reposed estate and an unpassionate spirit But the remedy of remedies the most certain and excellent remedy whereby to shoare-up and underprop the soule against the shakings and impetuous blustering of this weake but impotent distemper which bloweth hard and boasteth great things The best remedy I say is To addresse our spirits before the Lord To look to Him who rebuked the winds and Seas and they were still We may say of this fiery exhalation as is said of the tongue n James 3. 8. a fire too and angers first o Prima semper irarâ— tela maledicta sunt quicquid non possumus imbecilli optamus irati Salv. De Gub. lib. 3. pag. â—1 weapon But this unruly evill can no man tame we must then pray and in our prayer p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 17. pray that is we must pray earnestly we must wrestle and weep in our prayer before the Lord That He would hold in our spirits calme and meeken the same We are taught of God to love one another saith the Apostle we are so indeed saith the Father For no man can teach it and if God teach not we shall flye off and all to pieces like an unserviceable piece of Ordnance before we are discharged We shall bite and devoure on another Vpon every occasion we shall flye out into sparkles of heat like the sonnes of the coale as one speaketh which if you blow it will sparkle in your face behold then how great a matter a little fire kindleth q Jam. 3. 5. We may allude here to what we reade spoken of the Leviathan r Job 41. 21. An angry-mans breath kindleth coales and a flame goeth out of his mouth But if God meekens the spirit if He humbles the heart all this fire will be quenched or if not so yet so kept in this fire shall be that no burning lamps no sparks shall leap out I meane nothing shall be done or spoken which may kindle wrath but much yeelding there will be much forbearing in the spirit of meeknesse as we learne by the example of Abraham who yeelds unto the younger rather then difference shall arise And the true sonne of a gracious father will yeeld not to Abimelech only but to the Heardsmen of Gerar though the place shall Chrysost Ibid. carry a memoriall of the contention there and injury done to Iacob there the taking from him that which God and nature makes common yet rather then there shall be any contention Isaac yeelds and accepts of an apologie or defence afterwards though never a word thereof true And this is meeknesse and patience indeed mildly to yeeld not to superiours only against whom perhaps we cannot stirre and be safe but to yeeld to inferiours such we would have disdained as Iob saith Å¿ Chap. 30. 1. to have set with the dogs of our flocke This is a point of a meeke spirit indeed And this is a spirit of Gods own framing even His to whom these two things do of right belong To subduâ— iniquitie and pardon sinne Marke it The Lord He it is who subdueth every distemper of the soul which vexeth there and pardons all the iniquity t Micah 7. 18 19. therefrom casting it as into the bottome of the Sea therefore to Him we must seeke I conclude with the wise mans lessons v Prov. 16. 23. 24. Verse 32. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips Pleasant words are as an honey-combe sweet to the soule and health to the bones He that is slow to anger is better then the mightie and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a citie I know That before I came off from this point I should have spoken more concerning the tongue and the government thereof But the subject is so large and 〈◊〉 largely handled That we cannot say a little of it It is me thinks observeable That he who wrote a booke thereof was a whole yeare so himselfe saith bethinking Drexelius himselfe what to call his booke which if I remember he was ten yeares in composing At the length he intituled his booke Phaeton and we know what is faigned of him as we do know what was the originall of that fiction But the Title fits very well and the Spirit gives good warrant to it For the tongue is a fire a world of iniquitie x Jam. 3. 6. it defileth
but our Pitie and our Praise 2. Thus they see Gods handy-worke and it is wonderfull in their eyes but still they see their owne Image also and cause enough to bewaile the uncleannesse of their Birth What the Pharisees once spake of him whose eyes Christ had opened is true of every mothers Childe Thou wast altogether borne in sinnes which should Joh. 9. 3â— make every Parent to cry out as that mother did Have mercy on me O Lord thou sonne of David my Childe is naturally Matth. 15. 22. Joh. 3. the childe of wrath Except it be borne againe of water and of the spirit it cannot enter into the kingdome of God The Parents see evidently now that they are the channell conveying death unto the childe The mother is separated for some time that shee may set her thoughts apart and fixe them here The father is in the same bond with her and in this we may not separate them God hath made promise to restore this lost Image this not tooke but throwne away integritie And this now their thoughts run upon and they pray That the Lord would open their mouthes wide and enlarge their hearts towards this so great a Mysterie They have a fruit of an old stocke it must be transplanted and out they carry it and into the Church they beare it as out of old Adam whence was transmitted to it sinne and death into the second Adam whence it may receive Righteousnesse and Life Then at the fountaine they hold it blessing God Who hath opened it for sinne and for uncleannesse And there they present it not to the signe of the Crosse but to Blood Sacramentally there that is Righteousnesse purchased by the death of Christ and now on Gods part appropriated and made the childes And the Parents blesse His name and exalt His mercy who hath said at such a time as this Live Who hath found out Ezâ—k 16. 6. a Raâ—some to answer such a guilt A righteousnesse to cover such a sinne so big and so fruitfull A life to swallow up such a death with all its issues This the Parent sees in this poore element Water appointed by God set apart fitted and sanctified for this end With it the childe is sprinkled and for it the Parent beleeves and promiseth Then home againe they carry it It is a solemne time and to be remembred and thâ— vaine pompe takes not up much time where wiser thoughts from truer judgement take place Friends may come and a decency must be to our place sutable but the Pageant like carriage of this solemne businesse by some speaks out plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A â—ancie Act. 25. 23. that the heart is not right nor is that vaine pâ—mpe forsaken which yet is now upon their lips to say They who have better learned Christ do better understand the nature and solemnitie of the action they are about so their great businesse is with God before whom they spread themselves and their childe Who can worke by meanes as secret as is the way of the spirit and can set this water closer to the soule then He hath set its bones which yet no man understandeth nor can tell when or how To Him they offer it before Him they lay it praying That this water may ever lye upon the heart of theirs as a fruitfull seed quickâ—ing renewing sanctifying That that water may as the Rocke ever 1 Cor. 10. 4. follow the childe The rocke removed not but the waters there-out followed them so the Parents pray That this water may ever follow the childe as a fresh spring still quickening washing refreshing untill the day of refreshing shall come This is their dutie now and this is all they can do beside the tending of it and this their dutie and their life must end together Now the childe lyes at the mothers breast or in the lap she is the nurse without question or so she should be though it is a resolved case that in some cases she cannot and in some she may not mercy must be regarded before this sacrifice But looke we still That mercy be not the pretence and ease the thing that is pleaded for that alters the case very much and will not prove a sufficient excuse wherewith to put off so bounden a dutie The * Aul. Gel. lib. 12. cap. 1. Macrob lib. 5. cap. 11. Erasm puerp Heathen have spoke enough to this point and more then all the Christians in the world can answer for the deserting and putting off unlesse in the cases before pointed at this so naturall and engaged a service At the mothers breast then we suppose the childe is and the eyes are open abroad it looks nothing delights it they shut againe as if it would tell the Parent what they should be now and it selfe hereafter both crucified to the world and the world to them 3. The childe is yet so little that here is little for the father to do yet All that is and it is no little worke is in his closet But besides that for it is the mothers worke too here is work for the mother enough It must be tended though it sleepe much more when it is awake And here is the observation It is hard to say which is more the mothers tendernesse or the childes frowardnesse and yet how they agree how they kisse one the other as if the parent were delighted with it It is an affection somewhat above nature implanted for the preservation of man so the Heathen could say by the God of mercy otherwise it might not be so for the more froward it is the more she tenders the little thing And it much encreaseth the childes score which he can never pay The Parent and the childe can never cut scores or strike tallies for they will never lye even 4. Infancy is a dreame we say The most part of it is spent in the cradle and at the breast the remainder in dressing and undressing Little can be said to it And yet something may be done even the first two yeers for the framing of the body as Nurses know best but something it is and the fashioning of the minde too and the younger it is with the better successe I have read of a great Conquerour yet not so great as that he could overcome his passions or an ill custome it is a second nature he learnt an unbeseeming gesture at the brest and shewed it on his throne If I remember his Nurse was blamed for it for she might have remedied it while the parts were tender Some-thing may be done also for the fashioning of the minde and preventing of evill It is much what they who are below Christians have spoken and practised this way which I passe over Note we The first tincture and dye hath a very great power beyond ordinary conceit or my expression And therefore observe well what they do who are about this childe not yet three yeers old and what the childe doth
h Joh. 7. 30. nor trample under foot the Sonne of God counting the bloud of the covenant an unholy thing i Heb. 10. 20. Châ—ysost speaks sadly touching this abiding wrath upon the Jewes and the cause of the same 1. Tom. Hâ—m 27. oâ—al 4. for as that bloud being sprinkled on the upper doore-post that is on our hearts speaks better things then the bloud of Abell so being rejected and despised as bloud cast on the threshold and under foot k Mr. Aâ—nsw Exod. 12. 7. it speaks the sorest wrath witnesse the example we are now upon I meane the judgement of the Iews which is become a signe conspicuous to every eye as a Banner displayed or as Ensignes lifted up l Numb 16. 10. Exemplum omnium oculis expositum ut est erectum signum Trem. †3. There is a third example of a Knight who suffred above twentie yeares since on Tower-hill I will note what he spake to the people at that time when it was time to be serious for he was taking his last leave of them and of the world Thus he spake I was a great gamester and still haunted with ill luck once and it was in France having lost a great sum I solemnly wished would I might be hanged if ever I played againe I quickly forgot what I had so solemnly promised and fell to my game again But now you all see how God hath payed me home a man not likely to breath my last here in so open a place so sadly spake that sad Gentle-man at a sad time and as sad a spectacle And with many good admonitions and savoury expressions he yeelded his body to the justice of the Law and his spirit to Him who abundantly pardoneth and so dyed as one that had hope in his death †4. Dieteriâ—us in his Postills m First part imprinted â— 1631. p. 410. Colum. 2. tells us a yet sadder example not of his own knowledge but from anothers Relation of much esteeme and credit with him The Relation is this A young Gentle-woman of good note and breeding portion and proportion answerable had set her affection upon a Gentle-man but too low for her ranke or not rich enough in the friends esteeme yet to assure the young man to her and her selfe to him she solemnly wished The Divell take her if she marryed with any other The parents shortly after found out a fitter match for their daughter of their own chusing for the other liked them not I remember not well how the maide was pleased but the parents were so the match was concluded This we may note by the way If the question were put to parents what sway reason doth carry in the making of matches I beleeve they that go for wise-men might be posed or else ashamed to answer the truth Affections doe sway most with young persons Money and such by-respects with the old so the match is made and the childe is undone more of this in the second part the sequell hereof was this To Church the maide went with another not her own choosing and with the parents consent to him she was married home they return and then to dinner By that time they were set there came two gallants to the gate and seeming well appointed for a wedding solemnitie in they were brought and accordingly entertained After dinner they had their dance and these strangers the favour to dance with the Bride In the midst of the dance and so the Musick was spoyled away they whipt the Bride the friends saw her no more only her cloathes they found for the Divell had no quarrell against them so goes the Story And if so there was a feast turned into mourning and a rash wish paid home Much credit is given to the relation but this waight certainly it hath To bid us beware of that adversary who like a roaring Lion seekes whom he may destroy and waiteth but his commission when that is granted he will be as quick as he was with Iob to the uttermost extent of his chaine And yet as if we never read any of all this not how he hath tormented the body not how he delights in the vexation and paine of the creature in proud wrath as if we had neither heard nor read this both young and old speake as lightly of the Divell taking them as if he were their familiar friend and would use the creature kindly And they speake as lightly of damnation as if perishing for ever were nothing and everlasting burnings but a light matter it Lege Comerarium oper sucâ— cap. 86. pag. 482. had no more heat in it then a glow-worm we have heard that which bids us beware and instructs the father and the childe very much I have done with the tongue that unruly member which causeth our trouble and commands our watch Childrens hands must be observed also as we partly heard and now followeth § 14. We may observe children spoyling much more then they eat like calves that make many orts They cannot understand what a blessing they have in their hands therefore they cannot prise it But looke to them herein so shall you prevent a great evill and a great provocation the treading under foot Gods good creatures In an house where I once lived the children had their trencher full and their hands full and mouthes full all at once Some was spilt on the ground and some upon the trencher for commonly childrens hands are so foule that none will eate after them The parents did not well observe it and servants worse There was plentie and where that is it is hard to pick up crums sicknesse came and tooke away the parents and the Parish the children one friend takes one and the second another at home was nothing there had been too much spilt This may minde us of Christs rule and practise That the broaken meat be taken up and nothing kept so ill that it is not fit for the prisoners basket We may also consider If God send us cleannesse of teeth which we may feare it will adde much to our smart That we now want what we once spilt or suffred so to be or worse That when the fuller furnished our tables were the fuller of vomit and filthinesse they were The fuller our pastures the more like beasts we trod down with our feet and kicked with our heele The more Gods blessings were the more we forgat the Giver The more sleightly we esteemed the more carelesly we cast away the fruits of His bountie towards us The parent must remember and he must remember the childe of it often That the hungry stomack calls out for bread bread and accounts it for dainties Yea unto that soule every bitter thing is sweet n Prov. 27. 7. Water out of the rocke is o Psal 81. 16. honey to him So Chrysostome enterprets those words of the Psalme Ad pop Ant. Hom. 2. But bread is daintie indeed that 's the staffe of life it is
losse in the principalls A consideration which may assure us that we are buâ— men fraile decaying men and minde us of that state where is constancy and to seek Him who is fulnesse and onely satisfies Here below our comforts and refreshments lie scattered some here some there some in this some in that we go to the fire for some to the cup board for other some to the â—isterne of water for other but they are indeed but cisterns quickly suckt up and emptied and then are we as before God is the ever springing-fountain All comforts are summ'd up in Him as the drops in the ocean They are divided here below but united in Christ get Him and we have all in Him Oh say then Give us evermore from that fountain That though we do come to these cisternes to draw yet we may know them to be but cisternes and Him to be the Fountain from whom we may receive fullnesse and satisfaction and so wait for His appearance when we shall be ever with the Lord where we shall hunger no more nor thirst any more c. 3. And this instructs also that we have no true right to the Creatures before us a kinde of right there is y All are yours 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. that is the churches in order to comfort and happiness but for proprietie so all things are not ours Religion takes not away the distinction of master and servant And therefore it takes not away distinction of goods which is the lesser Doctor Sibs on that Text. Non fundatur dominium nisi in Imagine Dei. Imago â—â—c quid â—st aut quomo lo deletâ—â— Respondebunt spiritus 〈◊〉 Imaginem Dei esse puritatem id autem quod delet esse peccatum Verùm hoc ad eversionem imperii omnis spectaâ— Interpretes igitur saniores â—anc imaginem interpretantur esse rationem naturalem Quae si in toto aut maximâex parte deformetur juâ— imperii extinguitur L. Veâ—ul de bello sacro p. 3. 345. In Engl. p. 122. 123. Lege Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes pag. 44. which is not here a place to dispute but no true nor comfortable right but in our Head the Lord Iesus Christ By sinne we have forfeited them all and more then so we have brought a curse upon them and a vanitie In Christ they are restored and through Him the curse taken off I will cite Mr Dearings words here on Heb. the first chapter verse 2. They are these and yeeld us profitable instruction We must learn of our selves we have nothing but being ingrafted in Him we are owners of all things In mine own right I am naked and void of all I have no meat to feed my hungry body no drink to comfort my faint and thirsty spirit no clothes to keep me warm no house to harbour me c. for the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof I may have from man my warrant here in earth that my house is mine and my land is mine and he is a thief and a robber that taketh it from me But all the men in the world cannot give me my possession before the living God but onely his Sonne Christ who is Heire of all Then that our lands may be our own our goods our own yea and our meat ours let us be Christs that in Him we may have the good assurance of all our substance Take not thy meat but as the gift of Christ who hath sanctified it unto thee nor any thing thou hast but with thanksgiving to Christ that hath sanctified it for thee †4. And the consideration hereof should be a meanes to lift up our hearts as well as our hands and eyes to Him that spreadeth our table prevents the snare feeds us with the finest wheat when others are fed with the bread of affliction and water of affliction or if our bread be course or not that but pulse instead of bread yet He can nourish by it and make the countenance z Dan. 1. ruddy whereas the more daintie fare may tend to leannesse So the parent must teach the childe not to eat with common hands or mouth that is not before the hands be lifted up and the mouth opened to Him Who opened His hand to the parent first before the parent could open his to the childe And now onely commands a blessing and gives the bread power to nourish making it a staffe of bread both to parent and childe which must minde the parent that it is not a childes work to blesse the table but according to the ancient custome the masters duty to pray for a blessing who should best understand that all things are sanctified by the word of God and prayer And so much to raise our hearts before we take our meat towards Him who onely commands a blessing upon our meat and strengtheneth with strength in our souls Psal 138. verse 3. 5. And now that we suppose we are set down to feel and taste how good the Lord is who hath so furnished our table we must consider well what is set before us else we are as he who puts a knife to his throat a Alioquin Trem. Prov 23. 2. Lege Clem. Alex. paed lib. 2 cap. 1. saith the wiseman What meaneth he by that If we do not moderate our selves in a sober temperate use of the Creatures as men not given to our appetites we do then turn that which was ordained to maintain life and to refresh the spirits the clean contrary way as a meanes to destroy life and to suppresse and damp the spirits which is a great provocation for thereby we fight against God with His own blessings and against our selves with our own weapons and so are as they who instead of putting their hands to their mouthes to feed them put both to their throat to cut it For by intemperance this way in meat and drink by feeding without fear we transgresse the set bounds b Chrysostâ—mes observation touching the use of wine is very usefull for it telleth us the use of all the creatures given for our nourishment wine glads the heart there you have the use of it saith he gladâ—â—ng and refreshing is the very bound and lâ—mit set unto us in the use of the creatures if we transgresse that bound we abuse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Rom. 15. â—om 28. â— and our heart thereby is made as heavy as a stone our spirits quite flat and dead whence the proverb is An intemperate man digs his grave with his fingers so that although life be within him yet his body is his prison and the grave of Gods mercies and his life serves him to little other purpose then to dishonour that God who hath provided so bountifully for him And this kinde of intemperance I mean this lifting up the heel in our full pasture and exalting the heart this unkinde requitall of the Lord puts man that reasonable creature one degree below the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
baggage lumber here below ye are borne for higher things Behold the heavens Behold all the good in those spacious mansions is yours This meditation must be followed till it hath sâ—t us loose from our spirit of infirmitie bending us down-ward and hath wrought our affections off from things below and raised them upward where the treasure is which only satisfieth thereon to fasten even upon the Lord Christ as the portion to the soul every way proportionable And woe unto us if this meditation doth not work upon us even thus farre for how shall we answer our coveting an evill covetousnesse to our house our increasing that which is not ours h Hab. 2. 6. 9. our heaping up riches or rather as one saith sins i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Isid Pelus lib. 2. ep 135. but all this while contemning the blessing our minding earth and earthly things wherein is such varietie of changes and neglecting house or kingdome rather which cannot be shaken How shall we answer this It is not possible saith the Father k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Psal 4. â— to expect pardon for so great a neglect for our eager pursuit after and care about the earth and our neglect of heaven and of our right precious souls which live to all eternitie This will be said of us if our care be so preposterous which was said of him l Isid Pel. lib. 2. ep 156. who had built him a sumptuous house which he enjoyed a short time but neglected the chiefe and principall thing which leades to those everlasting doores whereat the King of glory is entred in In the one he proclaimes his covetousnesse in that other his great neglect his extreame folly rather So much in way of resolution to the first enquiry What figure the earth hath and what use there-from 2. Whence its dependance or how born up It is Gods question So He demands of Iob m Job 38. 45. 6. Where wast thou when I layed the foundation of the earth who hath layed the measures thereof whereupon are the foundations fastned c. And as it was the Lords question so must it be His answer for there is not a man upon earth nor ever was clothed with sinfull flesh that can shew the Kings matter What then is the Lords answer If we know the Scriptures we know what it is for thus they say He hath founded the earth upon the Seas and established it upon the floods n Psal 14. 2. Vpon the seas and upon the floods what finite understanding faith the Father o Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 12. Neere the middle Ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 9. Lege Hom. primum S. Basil in Hex can understand or comprehend this when we men lay a foundation so the Father goes on we digge deepe and if we meet with water in our way we goe yet deeper till we see the spring dryed up else we will lay no foundation for a foundation upon water makes a building unstable and tottering it cannot be a fixt dwelling It is against the nature of water to beare up so heavy a body It was not the stick no nor the work of nature though put to the extent thereof which caused so much as the yron p 2 King 6. 6. to swim And it is against the nature of the earth to have its seat or basis upon such a foundation But Gods wayes are not as mans wayes which may be found out and comprehended by reason And yet saith the same Father Why dost thou wonder ô man If thou wilt wonder thou shalt never cease wondring for into whatsoever creature thou wilt pry into thou wilt finde an unlimited and boundlesse power much more then in the bearing up of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 massâ—ve body And to this power thou must be brought else thy understanding can never fix but be as unstable as the waters We must be brought to this even to the power of God for hitherto all the answer that the sacred Scripture makes to this great and grave question tendeth He hangeth the earth upon nothing saith Iob q 26. 7. upon nothing nothing can beare up nothing yea but the earth hath pillars so we reade also The r 1 Sam. 2. 8. Cardâ—nâ—s Poâ—i pillars of the earth are the Lords and He hath set the world upon them The meaning thereof is this though some bend the interpretation otherwise to their own end according to the sicknâ—sse of their faâ—sie That these pillars are our North and South poles amidst whereof the earth is â— Reade Pol. Vâ—g lib. 4 ca. 9. Where they would make us beleeve that Anna prophesied of Cardinall Pole or others the Popes Cardinals so making them elder then the Moon placed which confirmes unto us the singular power providence of God saith Trem. and it is as much as is implyed from that text I meane the singular power of God therein for that is intimated by those words past all question Another sacred Scripture saith thus t Fundavi terram super bases ejus Trem. Psal 104. 5. He hath founded the earth upon her own Basis that it should not be moved for ever That is till there be a new heaven and a new earth And this answer comes neerest to our sense and is most sutable to our understanding though farre exceeding both sense and reason That the Lord hath given such an occult and hidden propertie to the earth that it should beare up and poyse it self with his own weight that it should be as the Philosopher said a place u Tâ—â—ae in se locus est Psin Hist 2. 65. to it self and it is as impossible that it should leave its place as for a stone to tend upward But still in our search and enquiry here our reason leaves us in the darke we must referre this to the head of that boundlesse power before mentioned and there leave it amongst the wonders v Inter Arcana naâ—urae Alsted de Tâ—ra and secrets of nature or rather of His Art which is beyond our skill to finde out Only this every childe knows and he it is whom we would instruct That every building must have some pillars whereon to depend and beare it self up this the childe knows If then the childe be asked what or where are those pillars that beare up the earth It must needs answer That pillars it hath none as other buildings have to support the same and support it self it cannot an invisible hand there is made bare of flesh that gave the earth at first a being and ever since a subsistance poysing it with his own weight and so as the Prophet of himself bearing up the pillars x Psal 75. 3. thereof so the childe will answer and from thence he learnes that that is of the greatest force and strength which is least exposed to the eye In earthly things we finde it so we heare how the thunder Gods
it will away too we shall quickly be past it for our course is speedy whether we wake or sleep as men a ship board we saile onward to the port Pleasant and delectable things will away our pains and griefs are of no long continuance neither though they should abide by us all our life long for our life speedeth like a post or ship on the Ocean thus while we walk like pilgrims here But a time is coming after the full period whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 23. p. 268. there follows a day which shall never have a night and a night which shall never have a morning I mean a time in the closing-up whereof there shall not be this vicissitude and intercourse of day and night but either all day and no night or all night and no day The Fathers words will declare these f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Ibid. Hom. ult 77. ◠p. 817. Here saith he good things and evill things have their course and turn as the day and the night now good then evill now evill then good And as here they have their changes so here they have their end I speak of things of the earth It will be said of all our earthly contentments as Abraham said to Dives we had them we were clad and we were fed gorgeously deliciously but now it is night with those contentments and with us we had them but we shall have them no more So likewise of our grievances we felt them this sorrow and that burden this pain and that losse but we shall feel them no more in this kinde For death cures all diseases and pains here But in the next world good things and evil things are everlasting There Lazarus is comforted and he shall be comforted it shall be ever light with him in the other place Dives is tormented and he shall be tormented how long The answer to that breaks the spirit and causeth the greatest torment it shall be ever night with him for ever and ever the thought hereof swallows the soul up in sorrow our very thoughts cannot reach unto the length of this night we have not a thought to measure it g Drexelius 4. 2. though we know the place of this darknesse for it is utter darknesse and the furthest from light and we know the paths that leade thereunto yet we can never know the bound thereof h Job 38. 20. How can we measure Aeternitie Think we then saith the Father i Chrys Ibid. how unsufferable a burning-fever is and that thou canst not endure an hot bath for one houre heated above its proportion how then wilt thou everlasting burnings how will thy heart endure this perishing for ever And consider this with it which that Father hath in the same place here if thy body be burnt or otherwise hardly used the soul will out it will forsake its dwelling k Nemopervaldè dolere diu aut extinguetur aut extinguet Sen. ep 78. but if the body fall into these rivers of brimstone the soul must abide by it there is no getting forth as they were I mean the body and the soul joyned together like brethren in iniquitie so must they suffer together and no change shall they finde no ease in their suffering not so much as a sick man findes in changing of his bed or what a tyred man findes in changing his postures or his sides This present life is well called a vale of miserie for here are pains perils gripings c. But our death here may be as well called a shadow of death But a shadow in reference to that death where we still are dying but never die where we shall seek and wish for death but death flyeth from us But a shadow that to this Think we here-on and then we think on a short day spent in pleasures and of an eternall night to be spent in sighes And this is the first consideration which may make us well to husband and improve the day of our peace because a night must follow the day of our peace as the night follows the day and at the end of time a night which shall never have day or a day which shall never have night 2. It is very considerable that as sensuall pleasures continue not long so the longer they continue the more they satiate but the lesse they satisfie They run one after another and in their changes they are most pleasing the eare is not satisfied with the same tune be it never so sweet but quickly it desires another so the eye in seeing so our taste in relishing all our senses saith the Father◠have their measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Tom. ◠Hom. 30. p. 338. which will be soon at the top and quickly satiated though never satisfied And contrary things become most pleasant by their vicissitude and change What is sweeter then rest to the wearied man But if the rest exceeds its proportion but some few houres this rest grows wearisome and restlesse What more pleasant then the light yet such is our frail condition here that if we should have it long in our eye it would not be delightfull What more comfortlesse then the darknesse yet as our case is ordinarily we shut out the light that it may be more dark about us So long as we inhabit flesh varietie delighteth and still the same dulleth satiates yea quickly killeth Mr Dearings words are notable to this purpose m Lect. 14. All delights must have their change and the greater the pleasure is the nearer is satietie in any whatsoever appertaineth unto the body Wouldst thou never so fain sell thy self to serve any thing thou shalt finde nothing that will give thee a perpetuall pleasure to buy thy service hunger and thirst are soon satisfied the heavy eye-lid is easily filled with sleep Labour hath wearinesse and rest is soon tedious all play and pastime which so many make the crown garland of their life this also is dulnesse in a little while and this garland is as withered hay another thing must come to take this up or rather then this should be still we would never play while we lived Blessed be God that He hath given a day and night the day maketh the night welcome and the night the day so like ringers we are best pleased with changes n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Eur p. Orest p. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herc. fur p. 4. or like tyred men a little refreshed with shifting their beds their sides and their postures Oh how should we avoid these paths of death which leade to that place where there is no change but from torment to torment And how earnestly should we set our faces towards those heavenly Mansions where the Saints shall with open face behold the glory of the Lord and shall have no other change but a changing into the same Image
parts in the body Others the Lord hath set as hands to the body as feet others every one in his proper place and station In the body naturall the eye hath the gift to see not to go The foot to go not to see In the great body of the world it is still as it was Hirams countrey yeelded excellent timber and stone Salomons countrey good wheat and oyle so in the body politique one needs another one supplyeth the need of another ones aboundance the others want Hereto we are called and stand bound as our callings are And to this end according to the diversitie of callings God hath given diversitie of gifts for the discharge of the same and better correspondence each to other and all this that there should be neither lack nor schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another It were a monstrous thing said the Oratour if one arme should seek the strength and spirits of the other that it self might exceed its proportion in both and leave the other arme shrunk and withered so were it for one man to graspe unto himself the good and livelihood of another not caring so himself be increased how faint feeble and impoverished the other be This were monstrous in nature it is as monstrous in politie We may recall here the words of that Divine before mentioned There is no state but would perish and be undone if publique businesse should be lead after the pace of particular affections Our relation I mean our callings wherein we are placed should be a great meanes to sodder us together and to make us look as the Cherubins l Exod 25. 20. with our faces one towards another for the good each of other for we are members one of another m Eph. 4. 25. a feeling expression there is much in that nay all to make us seek the peace and well-fare each of other We are all born to be fellow-workers and fellow-helpers as the feet hands and the eye-lids as the rowes of the upper and under-teeth saith the Philosopher n M. Aut. medit B. 1. sec 15. pag. 14. Societas nostra apidum fornici siâ—ilima Sen. epist And to the same purpose saith another Humane societies makes us like Arch-buildings wherein one stone holding up another makes the whole frame to stand fast and steddy But there is no such feeling consideration as this That we are members one of another and so placed in the body politique The same Philosopher could make a true and sound use thereof for thus he said As severall members in one body united so are reasonable creatures in a body divided and dispersed all made and prepared for one common operation And this thou shalt apprehend the better if thou shalt use thy self often to say to thy self I am a member of the masse and body of reasonable substances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not a part for then thou doest not yet love men from thy heart and thou doest exercise thy bountie or talent upon this ground barely that it is a thing convenient and fitting but when thou doest exercise it as thou art a member then thou doest it as one doing good to thy self when thou doest good to others So much of callings and how in the proper use and exercise of them they help to sodder and cement men together Now because there are callings miscalled callings but are not so serving only in the nature thereof and not by accident to enlarge the bounds of Satans kingdome because I say such callings there are falsely so called I will adde a word touching the choice of callings and make some enquiry touching the lawfulnesse of the same and how we know them so to be for the lawfulnesse of a calling gives the minde a settlednesse and sure ground for comfort First then I would not choose such a calling which hath more dependance upon the humours of men then upon their necessities which is taken up or laid down according as fancy leadeth not as right reason guideth such callings there are I may not say unlawfull but I would not choose such a calling so I say Nor such a calling would I choose which without more speciall care and fore-sight will be quickly perverted from its own primitive nature and first institution to supply the instruments of luxury excesse pride vanitie such callings there are also and very lawfull they are and some there have been and now are who use them lawfully And they who do contrary do not therefore make the callings unlawfull But yet I only say I would not choose such a calling for my childe considering the ready bent of our natures how hardly we stand firme on firme ground What danger then of falling where by occasion of our callings we stand surrounded with snares and as it were on a precipice such a calling I would not make choice of Now touching the lawfulnesse of a Calling and how we may know it so to be it will be of use first to recall what was spoken before and thence then to consider what influence my calling hath into the good of the universe and how farre as a member I promote thereby the good and welfare of the body for this saying of the Philosopher in this case is of universall truth and use That which is not good for the Bee-hive or whole swarm cannot be good for the Bee o M. Aurel Auâ— Medit. â— 6 sect 49. p 94. But this is too generall 2. We may give more then a conjecture what calling is lawfull what unlawfull by that which was anciently spoken by a man of a very base life and calling I am said he by profession such an one p Boni viri me pauperanâ— mali ditanâ— Plaut whom good men would crush quite starve and shrink up but wicked men put life in me they countenance and keep me in heart Hereby we may take a certain scale what callings will hold weight and what are to be disallowed and to be cast out as refuse 3. We may suspect that for no calling which cannot shew its descent or pedigree in a straight line from the first man downwards on whom was laid and so upon all our flesh This burden In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread That is in the travel and labour of thy body or minde And here the idle Gentle-man with his attendants are discarded as those who live in no calling he and his man are lesse serviceable to the place where they live then is old lumber in an house as was said q Book pag. 44. Greatnesse in place or estate gives no warrant for idlenesse though it doth give allowance for such an attendance or retinue as is sutable to both but yet so as every one must have his office and do his work belonging thereunto If it was the praise of the vertuous woman That she did not eat the bread of idlenesse Prov. 31.
wife out of Chrysostome Page 149. Grievances rancked under two heads What is only evill and to be feared Page 152. Evils Imaginary Reall The former how prevented Page 154. The bearing the latter silently and like a Christian supposeth two things greatly to be studied to Page 158. Snares they spring from two rootes how snares from plenty are prevented that our foote be not taken with them Feare a Catholike remedy page 163. snares from scarcenesse how to breake through them and how to carry and quiet our spirits in them 165. The houswifes charge how it may be discharged to wards children what the parents ambition touching them and servants our charge over them how neglected The houswifes duty engageth the Tongue that it bee apt to teach The eyes for over sight The hands that they be diligent and open mercy to the poore inforced to page 170. Diligence a great thriver well husbanding the present makes us secure for the after time The family the fountaine of society how ordered if it be as those families whose praise is in the Gospell The conclusion to page 175 CHAP. VII OLD-Age as an Haven we must doe as men arrived safe there What questions we must put to our soules the more to quicken us to the sacrifice of praise Many questions resolved into one to page 180. Two periods of this Age. I. Desired not welcomed A calme Time if youth hath not troubled it It must be imployed The lamp of our life must not now blaze-out to page 184. A grave complaint and counsaile page 186. who gives understanding 187. II. How burdensome those yeares The Grashopper a Burden When our time is shortest our expectation is longest a weake Body but a strong presumption how vaine to think we can turne to God then when we have turned from Him all our dayes It is not our Time nor Gods Time to page 192. Fooles delay Time Children of wisdome not so to page 193. Two lessons drawne from hence We must not wish for death in a passion Eternity when we may wish for death to page 196. Not trifle away Time Grave counsell to that purpose 197. Who may be said properly to live Groanes not discernable from what spirit they proceed 199. We make an Idoll of the last prayer What first to be done 221. Comfort in death Whence the peace of the Godly They taste not death they see it not c. Applyed to the Child concluded Faults escaped Page 29. line 12. of thy wings read whereof Page 50. line 34. covered read opened Not be hid Page 108. line 7. this read thy 109. Last line read imply Page 116. line 29. would read should These faults were found not sought for and because they marre the sense are noted so might many more if there had been will or leasure to have perused the Book The Remaines must stand as properly belonging to every person and presse and expect favour from every one who knows himselfe partaking of the same common nature But if here are more faults then usuall our excuse is that the coppy could not be made legible by the Authors own hand and being written by another was the more wanting in stops and otherwise and we keep to the Coppy A CHILDES PORTION The Second Part. Respecting a Childe grown up CHAP. I. What we are taught by beholding our selves in the wombe and what by our outward frame of body I Shall now call thee back to look unto the Rock whence thou was hewen to the wombe whence thou was taken I shall begin with thee at the very beginning of thy being that thou maiest take a more cleare sight and consideration even there of Gods goodnesse thy Parents kindnesse thy self misery Assuredly there is no period of a mans age that yeelds him such a discerning as this point of time doth at which he first breathed in this world and so set forth to runne his race Therefore I shall reduce thee now to thy primitive originals and as it were lay thee again in the wombe whence thou didst spring That in this way of reduction thou maiest take speciall notice of two main and principall points whereon so much depends 1. Thy outward frame of body 2. Thy inward frame of spirit Of the outward frame here § 1. Here take notice of God first and of His goodnesse laid out upon thee when of nothing thou wast made something some few dayes before thou wast a meere nothing That which never shall be was in as great a possibility of being as then thou wast And when thou wast something Iob tels thee what it was that something was as much as Mar. Au. Ant. Medit. li. 10. Sect. 26. p. 171 nothing to the producing of such an effect so an Heathen could say from such a beginning Of that nothing wast thou limmed or framed thence this curious work not the work of nature but of an Almighty-hand quickning Nature and actuating the same And in seven dayes for so experience tells us saith Hier. Fabricius the Physitian that frame P. 686. had its proportion of all parts And one half of that work but the better part indeed is more worth then a whole world thy soul so He saith who went to the price of soules § 2. And as thou must take notice of the hand that covered thee in thy mothers wombe so must thou take notice of the same hand for the same Hand it was that brought thee thence and none other but that If this hath not been told thee nor haft thou yet considered so much then beleeve me that the most curious searchers into Nature and the powers thereof which are great and strange in their extent and latitude they who have ascribed too much unto it even they have yet acknowledged at this point when the childe is brought to the birth and no power to bring forth that this is the finger of God this is the work of His hand And yet this sorrow in child-birth is not the same in all nor is the danger the Lord so dispensing therewith though the curse be common We know what the Mid-wives say touching the Hebrew women and common experience tels us also that some women there are who in this case speed better then their betters We read what our Geographer and Historiographer for he is both writeth concerning History of S. George Histo of the Sab. Geog. p. 32. the Spanish women and what he citeth out of Strab◠touthing a woman there who rose from one labour to another from labour in child-birth to labour in the field She was rather an Hedge-woman then a child-bed woman and it is with them many times as we heard But this we are sure of that is that burthen which is laid upon that Sex In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children and so wonderfull the Delivery is that we may say with the Prophet Thou art Psal 71. 6. He that took me out of my mothers bowels my praise shall be continually of
Make this use we must of the casualties And forget we must not the many diseases this vile body is suâ—ject to which we have been kept from or delivered in Plinie reckons no fewer then 300. from top to toe I mention but two and they be capitall ones the Evill and the Falling sicknesse very incident to children and makes their life but a deatâ— to themselves and friends That we have been preserved and delivered thus and thus what a mercie herein what praise therefore 3. He hath ranked us in His highest form amidst His chiefest creatures that our thoughts should be on high and our wayes on high Noble creatures we are of an heavenly stamp impresse and superscription that our carriage and deportment should be answerable Oh then how is it that the horse and the mule which have no understanding should teach their Lord and this Lord so brutish that he will not be taught by them We put bits in our horses mouths and they obey us The doâ—ge follows our foot and will be struck by our hand the d Jer. 8. 7. Stork the Crane the Swallow know their season The e Isai 1. 3. Ox knoweth his Master and the Asse his Crib but man is become brutish he considers not Every f Jam. 3. 7. kinde of beasts and of birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and have been tamed of mankinde But man is the unruly creature the ungoverned person yet hath he reason to guide him Reason I say the crown and dignitie of a person when the naturall powers and noble faculties are entire and sound a great good mercy go to Bedlam else and enquire we there but that we need not do we need but go sit down and hearken there and then we must needs say Oh what a blessing is it what a mercy that we have the use of reason that our understanding-part is sound and perfect He hath reason I say to guide him the fear of the Lord to awe him His word to instruct him and if he be not guided reclaimed taught he will have no excuse no pretext for himself for saith g In Gen. Hom. Chrysostome man tameth the Lion and he leads the Beare and he frays the 9 p. 85. Serpent that he hurts him not thou art unexcusable then O man if thou art an ungoverned creature so the Father reproves man made in Gods image And Elihu to h Joâ— 35. 10. â—1 Iob gives us as full a reproofe and concludes the use saying But none saith where is God my Maker who giveth songs in the night Who teacheth us more then the Beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven 4. Lastly he hath given us our parts proportion and comelinesse in all nothing wanting what praise therefore we have the candle of the body whereby we escape the pit under us and the rock before us a great mercy ask him else who at noon-tide gropes his way as in the night We have tongues whereby we may make our thoughts known and eares we have whereby we understand what others say to us The nose beautifies the face we must not forget that for a great ornament it is as the want thereof defaceth and disfigureth nothing more the Virgins thought so who saith the i Barthol Anat. li 3. c. 10. p. 143. â— Anatomist and out of our Chronicles too cut off their noses that they might prevent both love and lust from their amorous but bloudy conquerours This organ we have a great comelinesse to the face and the stomacks taster it is of as great use also We have hands both the instrument k Putean Epi. 17 of instruments an excellent instrument We have feet two whereby we can walk and go and as occasions are run all these instruments we have and exceeding great mercies all these Ask him else who hath eyes but sees not a nosâ— but smels not a tongue but speaks not eares two but hears not no more then the deafe l In Scotland Heylyne Geogrâ— pa. 503. stone we read of or then if there were seven walls betwixt him and the speaker ask him and him who hath no hands or but one or if two yet no use of either ask him and him who hath no feet or but one or if two yet walks not ask him Ask we this man and that and the other and say we what we are assured these defective persons would all say Oh what mercies are these of what use and account how pretious should these be everie one in respect of both their use and esteeme How do these organs these instruments adorn beautifie honour the outward man how serviceable are they thereunto Oh how should we serve our Creator who hath made us so how should we not give all and every part to serve Him and to advance His glory And so much so little rather to the outward frame of body and to the great and many instructions there from The inward frame of spirit comes now in the second place to be treated of CHAP. II. Our inward frame of spirit how naturally depraved THou must now take a view of thy inward frame the frame of thy revolting heart revolting I say from Him who hath done all this for thee whereof thou hast heard who summes up all things in Himself being all-sufficient the fountain and Ocean of all our happinesse from Him are we parted and to â—isternes we are come to creature-comforts which emptie faster then they fill yet after them our hearts wander from creature to creature for so our comforts here lie scattered like the Bee from one flower to another seeking fulnesse but finding emptinesse for our owne findings are sinne and death Such a generation we are and so degenerated even from the day that we were born for Grace makes the difference and separates not the wombe polluted in our owne blood to the loathing of our persons and the magnifying of His grace who regarded so low an estate making it the object of His pitie So here in this Chapter I can make no division for though I am to speak of a Body which hath many members of a Root which puts forth many branches yet is it but a body of death a root of bitternesse And so spirituall it is in working so speedy and quicke and with such consent and agreement also that I can see no more reason to divide here then Abraham did to divide the Birds But them he divided b Gen. 15. 10. not It is sufficient to shew this body as in a glasse darkly how filthy and lothsome it is And for this purpose we will look on the 16. Chapter of Ezechiel which gives the clearest reflexion and as fully sheweth a man to himself as any glasse in the world But then the eye must have a property which the outward hath not to look inward and to see its self which imployeth it hath received an anoynting from above But whether
him low d Acts 12. 23. Worms have consumed them They have with the Serpent e Dan. 4. Reade Hist of the world book 3. § 11. p. 17. licked the dust Nebuchadnezzar is a great example hereof so is Herod He also who was a great f Zâ—ch 4. 7. Mountain before the Lutherans and quickly made a plain He bent his hand against the Apple oâ— g Zâ—ch 2. 8. Gods-eye and he both commanded and armed that hand which thrust forth the Apple of his hereon a story depends which for some reason I relate not here he that can may reade it at large or very little abridged Epitomies h Advanc 2 p. 3 are as the Noble Advancer saith but mothes corruptions and cankers of Historie by O sâ—aander cent 16. lib. 3. cap. 34. But we may look into a place nearer hand and a fitter looking glasse for a woman where we may see how the Lord did retaliate those proud dames Esay 3 proportionating their punishment to their sinne and to the severall parts wherein they offended verse 24. Thus childe I have been more particular touching this sinne The causes The workings of it The remedies against it That in something or other some instruction or other may take hold and perswade with thee That thou mayest take heed of pride and vain glory as all is vain that is in and of the Creature That glory is not good Glory belongs to God Souls i Anima sâ—xum non habet have no sexes in the better part male and female they are both men to man shame and confusion God will not give His Glory to another if man do take it it will be his destruction Thankfulnesse must be our return to God for His blessings whether of body minde or goods If they lift us up we provoke God highly fighting against him with His own weapons which will be as a sword in our bones Consider again by what hath been spoken how true it is and what reason there is for it That the proud the fool and the sinner are convertible terms through the whole sacred Scripture The Lord make us wise by it purge out all pride in self-pleasing and self-seeking That in whatsoever we do and in whatsoever we have in all and for all we may give all the honour and glory to the onely wise God to whom all honour belongs and is due Take heed of taking from God to set up thy self put not that to thy account which belongs to Him take heed of sacrificing to thy strength or parts acknowledge that all the excellence of all thy actions is of Him God is very jealous of His honour and oftentimes leaves His people to feel their own weaknesse because they honoured not His strength If the faculties of thy soul bring in willingly and plentifully offerings unto God say with David when so much store with much freenesse was brought-in by the people to build the Temple Now k 1. Chron. 29 14 16. Lege Cal. Inst 2. 21. sect 11. our God we thank Thee for all things come of Thee and of Thine own hand have we given Thee All things come of Thee we give-back but what Thou gavest first Without Thee nothing we have and nothing we can do This acknowledgement befitteth us who have spent and cast away all our stock and do sit now at the receit of a free-mercie And this debasing of our selves so low that we can go no lower even to a l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caâ— â—â—st 2. 5. 13 â— nothingnesse in our selves is farre from being a base thing This abasement if it be in truth and sinceritie is an excellent grace the very root of grace springing-up and so setting-out and adorning the whole man All the parts powers faculties of all But a root it is which groweth not in our own soil No As every good and perfect gift so this comes down from above God gives it and to such He gives it it is Avila's m Spir. ep pag. 201. note Who digge deep in their own dung taking up and rumating upon their faults and frailties amongst those poverties and miseries is this pretious jewell to be found for prying narrowly thereinto a man shall see cause enough not onely to be humbled but even confounded And then he that before could not live with any body no nor with himself in peace can now live with all the world keeping the unitie of the Spirit in that bond for he hath learned mercy and judgement and to walk humbly with his God And this humble walking is the very note and character of a good and holy man It was the mark whereby the Anchorite n Beda lib. 2 c. 2. reade our Jewell 3. Art pag. 186. would have his countreymen judge of Augustine Englands supposed saint If saith the Anchorite he be gentle and lowly of heart he carrieth the yoke of the Lord and offereth to you to carry the same But if he be disdainfull and proud so they found him then it is certain he is not of God you need not regard him Such a distinguishing qualitie Humilitie is O then be clothed with humilitie let it come within thee as water and like oyl into thy bones it will soften and mollifie thee It will make thee fruitfull like a garden watered from the clouds It will beautifie the whole outward man setting it and keeping it in good frame and order The eye will be low thy spâ—ech soft meek and gracious thy gate comly thy whole deportment as befitteth a Christian exalting the dignitie of that Name as pride doth folly for certain it is as was pointed at before The more true grace comes into the heart the more as it is in the filling of vessels the aierie and windie conceits go out The higher indeed and in truth the lower in our own appearance the viler in our own eyes and yet we are content to be more vile that God may be the more glorified The Trees of righteousnesse are just like that tree we reade of whose root was just so much beneath the earth as the top * Virgil. A Eâ— â— The higher in vertues the more lowly in minde c. Isid Pelusit lib. 2. ep 151. was in height above it The higher they grow up to perfection the deeper they take root downward in * â—umilitie considering they have nothing of their own but sinne and it were foolish and impious to be proud thereof I conclude this with that of the Wise man * Prov. 16. 19. Better it is to be of an humble spirit then to divide the spoile with the proud Better indeed for with such an on the high and loftie on doth dwell o Esay â—7 15. 1. 2. 66. So little for it is little which man can say or do to the plucking up this root of bitternesse which so defileth and the planting in the contrary grace that root of holinesse which so beautifyeth and adorneth §. 2. Our
is an unreasonable passion what else to call it in proprietie of speech I know not but this know it makes a man complain he knows not for what and to quarrell with his estate be it never so good Like a thorn in the foot or an arrow in the side it makes all places and conditions uncomfortable It puts a man out of conceit with his own estate which a wise man thinks the best and into a good opinion of an others condition be it farre meaner for what matters it what my condition be if to me it seems bad q Si cui sna non videtur amplissi ma licèt totius mundi Dominus sit tamen mâ—ser est sen cp 9. Sapiens neminem videt cuâ— quo se commutatatum velit Stulitia laboral faslidio sui Quidâ—feâ—t qualis fit stotus tuus si libi videtur malusâ— Sen. ep 9. if so I must needs walk most unquietly with my self and most unthankfully towards God Those sonnes of Eliah enjoyed no small priviledge but yet that seemed nothing unto them Aegypt where they served in clay and brick was now esteemed farre beyond all when their present discontent like dust cast into the eye had taken from them the sight of all their good things r Numb 16. They are a sad example to us that we murmure not as they did and it tels us also how unreasonably a discontented minde will reason It was an answer worthy our marking which a servant gave touching his master he was asked What he left his Master doing I left him said he seeking out cause of complaint many blessings standing round about him the while Å¿ Plut De tranquil Hor. lib. 2. ep 3. it is the case and manner of many and it is saith the same Authour as if a man should seale up his hogshead of good liquour and drink that which is sowre and hurtfull Thus disquieting an humour discontent is the remedies against it are First that we suffer not our minde too much to fix upon our grievance for this were like a foolish patient to chew the pill and then we shall so much taste the bitternesse of one crosse that we shall disrelish the comfort of twenty blessings 2. It is good to look to those below us It is certain no mans estate is so happy but if his discretion be not so much the more he may finde something in it which would sowre all nor is any mans condition so low but he may finde something which will sweeten the meanesse of it Thus then I may reason I live not so high as others do nor am I acquainted with others temptations Great gates give room enough for great cares to enter in at I am sure great temptations I am not so rich as others nor am I disquieted with their cares and feares As the rich have advantage of the poore in possessing so have the poore advantage over the rich in parting I carry not that pomp and state which he or she do who ride in their coach nor perhaps am I in so mean a condition as he that drives it I have not so much ease as he or she who sit in their Sedan and yet that you cannot tell for some bodies sit there that have little ease but this I am sure of that in respect of bodily toyl I go at more ease then they who sweat at so unbecoming and beast-like a burden t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. Cynicus p. 813. Legâ— Clem. Alex. paed 3. 11. p. 185. I have not anothers velvet nor their fare nor their ease nor have I their stone or their gout I must set one thing against another u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys de Lazaro conc 1. lege Di od Sicul. bib lib. 12. â— it may much quiet me And thus farre the Heathen have carried us by their false light for to this purpose they have reasoned the case and so satisfied themselves in their present condition we shall reason more like Christians if we speak as we are directed by him who was taught in the School of Christ In all our grievances let us look to something that may comfort us as well as discourage x Dâ— Sibs So. Conf. p. 172. looke to that we enjoy as well as that we want As in prosperitie God mingles some crosse to diet us so in all crosses there is something to comfort us As there is a vanitie lies hid in the best worldly good so there is a blessing lies hid in the worst worldly evil God usually makes up that with some advantage in another kinde wherein we are inferiour to others Others are in greater place so they are in greater danger others be richer so their cares and snares be greater The poore in the world may be richer in faith then they The soul can better digest and master a low estate then a prosperous and being under some abasement it is in a lesse distance from God Others are not so afflicted as we then they have lesse experience of Gods gracious power then we Others may have more healthy bodies but souls lesse weaned from the world We would not change conditions with them so as to have their spirits with their condition For one half of our lives the meanest are as happy and free from cares as the greatest Monarch that is whilest both sleep usually the sleep of the one is sweeter then the sleep of the other What is all that the earth can afford us if God deny health and this a man in the meanest condition may enjoy That wherein one man differs from another is but title and but for a little time death levelleth all There is scarce any man but the good he receives from God is more then the ill he feels if our unthankfull hearts would suffer us to think so Is not our health more then our sicknesse do we not enjoy more then we want I mean of the things that are necessary are not our good dayes more then our evill And yet so unkindly we deale with God one crosse is more taken to heart then an hundred blessings We should consider God doth not owe us any thing Those that deserve nothing should be content with any thing We should look to others as good as our selves as well as to our selves and then we shall see it is not our own case onely who are we that we should look for an exempt condition from those troubles which God 's dearest children are addicted unto The chief help then of our discontent is to look up to a supreame hand The Heathen also by their glimmering light could discerne how vaine it was to strive against the absolute prerogative thereof We must not quarrell with that condition which God sees fit for us for that were to blame His wisdome who gives no account of His matters and in so strugling we make our hands the stronger The humbled and meekned spirit that can resigne it self submit and
all He subdue thy spirit He meeken thy heart He fashion and mould thy will to a patient submission unto His that it may be as conformable thereunto as the wax unto the seal All this God can do He onely And when He hath thus humbled the heart and thus meekned the spirit when he hath thus fashioned it then the work is done and nothing will be grievous It is a remarkable speech from Mr Bradford l Fox p. 1503. he hath many such but with that one I will conclude and shut up this Though my body be in an house out of which I cannot come when I will for he was in prison yet in that I have conformed my will to Gods will I finde herein libertie enough and for my lodging bedding seeding c. all above my worthinesse worthinesse quoth I alasse I am worthy of nothing but damnation So he wrote to his mother I must tell you also what he said to his friend He was in a strong hold neare the time of his enlargement when he was to passe to his crown but through the fire His friend told him that he would if it pleased intercede with the Queen for his life Do if you will said he if her Majestie will be pleased to give me my life I will thank her if my libertie I will thank her for that if neither of both I will thank her still If she will keep me here I can thank her here if she will send me hence to the stake I can thank her there also See what an humble man can do he can smart patiently he can suffer silently he can receive blows and return thanks No murmuring no repining no complaining in his mouth He hath committed his cause to God Learn how contented this man is and observe the patience of the Saints so I have done CHAP. V. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper The mysterie thereof Graces required in those who come to this Table In case these Graces be wanting what is to be done Of Mans worthinesse AND now Childe having made some discoverie unto thee of those our master sinnes and corruptions which most dishonour our outward man and disturb our inward peace And having supplied unto thee some provision for the better subduing thereof I shall now for thy better provision and preparation also put thee in minde of two extraordinary and solemne approaches both before the Lord and both in the face of the Lords congregation In the one the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we professe by faith to be one with Christ and by union with Him to partake of all His honour and glory In the other falsly by some called a Sacrament also they who were two are made one joyned together in so straight a band that nothing but death or that which is worse and more destroying then death can dissolve We must be well advised before we approach to either of these ordinances for it is for life It was well answered by one who was asked why he took so much pains and was so curious about his work it is said he because I work to eternitie m Pingâ— aeteâ—â—itaâ—i Much fitter might the same be said in these cases we must walk warily here we must take pains here for we work to eternitie we receive to eternitie and so we marry too to our eternitie it is for life both and beyond it as farre as the heaven is above the earth A glorious life depends upon the right receiving of the one so do all the comforts of our temporary life depend upon our advised entrance into the other I shall give thee some instructions for this better provision for both And first of the first The Sacrament of the Lords Supper therein we see the Cost of our Redemption and the matter and substance of our Righteousnesse before God which doth consist principally in His body broken upon the crosse and His bloud communicated unto us These holy mysteries received in due manner do instrumentally both make us partakers of the grace of that body and bloud which was given for the life of the world and imparts unto us even in true and reall though in mysticall manner the very person of our Lord Himself whole perfect and intire together with the communication of His holy Spirit to sanctifie us as it sanctified Him that what merit force or vertue there is in His sanctified Body and Bloud we freely fully and wholly have by this Sacrament And all this for the Sacrament in it self is but a corruptible and earthly creature and an unlikely instrument to work such admirable effects in man all this resteth upon the strength of His glorious power who bringeth to passe that the bread and cup which He giveth though true Bread and Wine for our senses tell us so and in such cases they cannot be deceived shall be truly the thing promised the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed and the bloud of Christ which is drink indeed If we understand not this but will ask How can these things be n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in 1. Ad Tim. c. 1. Hom. 1. we must remember that nothing is hard to the Lord therefore to Him we must pray that we may be taught of Him and that His Spirit may reveale it unto us That is all we are to do for further question is needlesse and fruitlesse Very observable it is that in the sixth of Iohn o p Verse 26. The people finding Christ at a place whereto by an ordinary way and means they knew He could not come fall to wondering and then to questioning Rabbi when camest thou hither The disciples in the 20. of Iohn when Christ appeared to them in farre more strange and miraculous manner moved no question but rejoyced greatly in that they saw For why The one sort beheld only that in Christ which they knew was more then naturall but yet their affection was not rapt there-with through any great extraordinary gladnesse the other when they looked on Christ were not ignorant that they saw the well-spring of their own everlasting felicitie The one because they enjoyed not disputed the other disputed not because they injoyed If then the presence of Christ with them did so much move judge what their thoughts and affections were at the time of this new presentation of Christ p Hâ—â—ker ecâ— Pol. 5 67. pag. 358. not before their eyes but within their souls And so much for the opening and unfolding of the mysteries which we are to receive The further manifestation we leave to Him who worketh All in All according to the pleasure of His good will It follows now That we consider how we must come addressed to this great feast of the soule wherein our approach to an earthly banquet gives us good instruction though the persons inviting and the cheere to which we are invited are of a very different nature and yet somewhat such a feast instructs We come to a
by which he draweth is Faith which is Gods gift as is Repentance He gives both So then we must examine how provided we come hither else we come to a well of living water but having nothing to draw or we are like a vessell east into the Ocean which hath no mouth or if any it is stopt The outward man can do its part it discerneth tasteth digesteth the outward signes But now what inward principle hath my inward man and what help hath it from all this in the beholding tasting enjoying the spirituall part Christ and the influence of His Grace issuing therefrom This is all the Question and point to be examined what Faith I have whose work is the same about the spirituall part as is the work of the outward man about the outward And yet had we all Faith I mean justifying faith we could not receive all that is offered here and though we have a weake faith if true we shall receive sufficient Our hearts as one noteth cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the wind that bloweth how He raiseth it up or maketh it fall again how can we understand this wisdome of our uniting unto Iâ—sus Christ only this we true members can say God hath given us faith in which we may believe it and out of which such joy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the world unto us how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeve it We beleeve in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenance we beleeve and apprehend by hope His glory yet neither eye can see it nor care can heare it We beleeve and see immortalitie yet our heart cannot comprehend the heighth the breadth the length the depth We beleeve the resurrection of the dead yet we cannot understand such excellent wisdome how life is renewed in the dispersed and scattered bones and ashes We beleeve our Saviour Christ is man and we have seen Him and felt Him yet how He was man born of a virgin all men in the world have no wisdome to declare Even so we beleeve that our Saviour Christ and we be one He of us and we of Him He the head we the body really substantially truly joyned together not by joynts and sinewes but by His spirit of which we have all received And this unitie I cannot conceive nor utter till I know God even as He is and His hely spirit which hath wrought this blessing But yet though thus secret and undiscernable this work of faith is we may take some evidence of the life and operation thereof by those things that our understanding part doth here in matters below and of another and much inferiour nature As thus My minde by the velocitie and speed of my apprehension can be many miles off upon the naming of the things I love Then surely my heart is dull and slow and wants the principle of a new creature if by so lively representations of the Lord Iesus Christ under these signes to nourish and cheere me if I cannot Eagle-like flye up to heaven unto Him and on that carcasse fasten and fixe my faith thence to draw strength and refreshing The soul can presently be one with that it delights in be it profit be it pleasure and it should much convince and ashame us of our flatnesse herein a matter of such concernment And in case Tremenda mysteria we finde no such working then to withdraw our foot being now approaching towards those high and awfull mysteries For if our hearts can open towards the earth and unite with things there but are flat and heavy towards Heaven no working that way where the Treasure is the Lord of Glory then surely we are no fit guests for this table For certain it is That whensoever our soul shall feele its union with God in Christ all things below will seeme base unto it the soul cannot unite with them nor be servant unto them use them she may but she enjoyes God her union there parts unrivets and divorceth her from base unions and fellowships with things below And so much to the second Grace required in the Receiver 3. The third is Love Love to God who loved us first and gave His Sonne that we might not perish Love to to Christ who so dearely bought us a Love as strong as Death which stirres up all the powers of the Body and Soul to love Him again so as we can thinke nothing too much or too hard to do or suffer for Him who hath so abounded towards us The History of His passion is more largely set down then is the History of His Nativitie Resurrection or Ascension and for this reason it is That all the circumstances thereof are so largely set down That our hearts should be enlarged after Christ That we should have largenesse of affection to Him and these steeped as it were in His bloud and crucified to His crosse and buried in His grave And as Love to Him so love to our Brother for His sake * Amâ—cum in Christa inimicâ—â— proâ—ter Christum It cannot be doubted of in Him that tastes of this Love Feast he partakes of that there which is the cement that sodders and joynes us together Sanguis Christi coagulum Christianorum as the graines in one Loafe or as the stones in an Arch one staying up another or to speake in the Scriptures expression as members of one Body nay which is yet neerer as members one of another we partake in one house at one table of one bread here is a neere Communion and that calls for as neere an union so the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. One God one Christ one Spirit one Baptisme one Supper one Faith And all this to make us one That we may keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace f Eph. 4 3. But above all The Sacrament of the Supper is ordained for Love But our love to our enemies our shewing the kindnesse of the Lord g 2 Sam. 9. 3. first part p. 71. that is returning good for evill This blessing them who curse us this is all the difficultie and the doubt And hard it is to corrupt nature I remember Salvian saith He that thinks he prayeth for his enemy may be much mistaken he speaks he doth not pray h Si pro adversario â—rare se câ—git lâ—quitur non prâ—catur lib. 2. pag. 70. And yet it is much to consider how farre a common and naturall light hath lead some here in this straight way of forgiving an enemy He was an implacable brother who said let me not live if I be not revenged of my brother The other brother answered And let not me live if I be not reconciled to my brother i Plut. dâ— Fratâ—rno amere And they were brothers too betwixt whom we read never any other contention was but who should dye for the other k
Maâ— lib. 1. â—â— 37. So strong a naturall affection hath been and so able to endure wrongs and to right them with good which is our rule and contrary to former customes l Isid Pâ—lus lib. 3. epist 126. 1 Cor 4. 12. 13. â—â—ge Chrys ad Pop. Ant. 〈◊〉 Hom. 9. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pluâ— de Frat. Am. wins the Crown or garland Grace is stronger then Nature it rivets and joynes men together like twin members eyes hands and feet or like twigs on the same root or stalke which stick alwayes together But especially if we suppose two persons communicating together at the Table of the Lord we must needs grant that in this Communion they see that which will reconcile implacablenesse it self for there they see a free offer of grace and peace not onely to an enemie once but to exmitie it self an infinite debt cancell'd a transgressour from the wombe an infinite transgressour since yet accepted to mercy This will beget again a love to God and to the most implacable enemy for Gods sake thoughts of this will swallow up the greatest injuries If our thoughts be upon the Ten thousand talents we cannot possibly think of requiring the hundred pence this Chrysostome m Vol. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Lege Chrysost in cap. 8. ad Rom. Hom. 14. p. 206 presseth very fully and usefully in his first sermon upon that parable or debtor We must remember alwayes that much love will follow as an effect from the cause where many sinnes are forgiven n Luke 7. 47. Matth. â—8 33 We cannot but think on the equitie of this speech and how inexcusable it must leave an implacable man I forgave thee all thy debt shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servants The summe is and our rule I must love my friend in Christ and my enemie for Christ Catechismes are large here and helps many and it is hard to meet with new meditations on so old a subject handled so fully and usefully by many but His good spirit leade thee by the hand who leades unto all truth It remains onely that I give some satisfaction to a question or two these they are But how if I finde not these graces Repentance faith charitie to be in me how then May I go to this Table or go I as a worthy Communicant A weighty Question this of high and universall concernment For he or she that eats and drinks unworthily are guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord o 1. Cor. 11. 27. The guilt of bloud lieth upon them Now the Lord ever puts a price upon bloud even upon the bloud of beasts upon the bloud of man much more upoÌ„ that bloud that was shed for man how great a price being the bloud of God and the price of souls So then we must be well advised what we do For if we spill mans bloud as God forbid we should for bloud cries yet if we would we have another bloud to cry unto which cries for mercy but if we spill this Bloud and tread it under foot what then whither then shall we flie for mercy when with our own hands we have plucked down our Sanctuary We spill we cast away our right pretious medicine We must then be well advised what we do and be humbled very low for what we have done even to girding with sackcloth and wallowing in dust p Jer. 6. 26. For who is he that may not say even in this case Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse O Lord the God of my salvation q And blessed be God even the God of our salvation that we can in His Name go to bloud for pardon of this crimson sinne even the spilling of His Bloud for so three thousand did before us r Acts 2. And written it is for our example For when the stain of This Bloud was fresh on their hands and hearts too yet being pricked at their hearts for it even for the shedding of that Bloud they cryed to that Bloud and were pardoned And so having premised this I come to the question which hath two branches and so shall have a double answer briefly first to the first branch Quest 1 If these graces be wanting may I go Answ It is not safe If thy case be so wanting upon the ballance thou mayest more safely go to other ordinances for supply others there are appointed by God to cast down the loose and presumptuous as this serves to raise up the humble to nourish the faithfull Soul For tell me what communion hath a proud haughty person with an humbled Lord What hath an unbroken heart to do with a broken Christ What relish can a dead man take in the sweetest dainties What pardon can an implacable man expect from the Lord who paid our debt to the utmost farthing What comfort can that soul fetch from seeing bloud poured out for him who cannot at least poure out his soul in confessions before Him Answer thy self at this point for if I answer I must needs say though to the confusion of my own face that certainly there is required of every communicant that there be some Analogie proportion conformitie or agreement betwixt our hearts the frame of them and the great duty or imployment we are upon I mean thus That we bring mortified lusts before a crucified Lord a bruised spirit before a broken Body a soul fitly addressed to such a feast Some drops of mercy in a free and full forgivenesse of trespasses against us before such an Ocean of mercy swallowing up the guilt of so many trespasses against Him And surely though I define nothing at this point yet truth there is in what I say For I remember Chrysostome saith Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Disciplâ—â— onely are to come to this holy Table such who are taught from Christs mouth and live according to what they are taught And the danger of not being such an one and yet coming to this feast is certainly very great too for the Father addes in that same place t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he would rather suffer his own heart bloud to be spilt then that he would give the bloud of Christ to a man of unclean hands of an impure life and known so to be to an unworthy Communicant and discovered to come unnworthily u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the danger be such in giving then much more is the danger great in Receiving though indeed an impenitent person cannot be said properly to receive Christ but rather to reject Him But yet in proprietie of our speech we say he receives whereas so none can do truly and properly but a Disciple Therefore the Father resumes it again saying he must be a Disciple that comes to this feaâ—t If not I give and he receives but it is a sharp sword in stead of bread x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—tt 26. Hom 83. â—â— Quest 2. Answ So
as befits the honour due to so sweet a societie And it were well if our sufficiency this way and means for the well ordering of our selves were well tryed as in some Common-wealthes it hath been before we are suffered to enter into so holy an order unbrideled humours and unreclaimed desires are not fit for this strait bond This band is straite and of any band holds in the shortest how ever we may think the contrary neither our own will nor the libertie we may take but right judgement sanctified reason and expediency must guide us else that which should suppresse sinne may increase and foment it and that which in true use doth refresh and comfort will weaken and exhaust nature They that marry marry not for themselves but for posteritie family friends matters of great importance and of great burden But few there are that consider it before-hand and therefore few that carry themselves as befitteth the ordinance orderly and honourably in it whence it comes to passe that that which is the greatest good proves the greatest evill the fuell of sinne and matter of the greatest discontent A man may live to fortie or fiftie yeares and yet be very unadvised here and so run on as the most do of whom we may say they know not what they do A due consideration before hand and care how to discharge this single cure would prevent all this and set a man in a ready way for a future blessing It was usefully answered to a friend desirous to know his friends resolution how fit it was for him being a single man to change his condition If your own desires said his friend finde you work enough to reelaime and keep them in you had best forbeare yet to take upon you more work in the charge over others If it be an hard taske to steere your little boat in a little River it is not safe to venter your little skill in steering a ship through a wide Sea m Lips cent 1. â—p 36. These words imply but thus much That every single person must examine himself well and seriously in this point how he hath discharged his single account how he hath ordered his little house himself And if he fall short here as certainly if he deceive not himself he will finde himself short enough Then he or she but we respect not sexes must think it as well a mercy as the very reason that God doth not trust them with more their unfaithfulnesse would be the more and their account the greater He that is not faithfull in a little will not be faithfull in more nor shall he have much committed unto him This intends every single bodies instruction more specially thine Take a speciall charge my childe over thy self rule well thine own house I mean thy self God hath made every man a governour there The poore man that hath none to govern yet may be a king in himself When thou hast learnt to rule thy own spirit thou wilt be fitter to be subject to anothers and to rule others also Look up to God and look well to thy affections that they get not the upper hand for then they will keep reason under foot Look well to thy outward senses and make a covenant there beguile not thy self with such a mockery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 Pelus lib. 4. epist 24. See epâ—st 2. 3. 4. 12. ejusdem libri Quid hac voluntate mendacius Aug. de civit 14. 4. as this To pray against temptations and then to run into them If thou loosest thy command over thy self thou loosest thy self for thou wilt be as a citie without a wall where those that are in may go out and the enemies without may come in at their pleasure So where there is not a government set up there sin breaks out and Satan breaks in without controule This is a sacred Truth not to be doubted of Beleeve me now in what follows I have known many but more there have been whom I have not known who neglecting this single charge and casting off the government of themselves have poysoned all their springs of comfort at the very head o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—â—p Her Fâ—r p. 46. and blasted their hopes in the very blossome and blocked up their own way to the comfort they greedily catched at but in a very shadow Nay which is more I have known them who have kindled a fire in their youth that hath consumed them in their age and some remaining coales have singed the childe not then born Know it a truth not to be doubted and so plain that it needs not explication therefore what is possible keep thy heart as a chaste Virgin unto Christ even to thy marriage day and ever Thy posteritie and the blessing upon them depends upon it And so much touching this so necessary a charge this so prime a duty The looking well to our selves our single charge Which cannot be to purpose unlesse these single persons look up constantly to God who is the chiefest Overseer Parents and others are but deputies under Him who leades us on and holds us in every good way and hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Five negatives surely I will not verily verily I will nor Heb. 13. 5. And this so great a businesse they must commend unto Him for it is a chief point of their charge with the same earnestnesse as they desire to succeed and prosper in it Our Lord Christ spent that whole night in prayer before He chose His disciples Thereby teaching us weak and frail creatures who have no subsistance of or in our selves but all from and in God what we ought to do at all times but more especially then when matters of importance are in hand It is of great importance how and in what manner matters of importance are entred upon and begun where we may note that nothing shall prove a blessing to me which I have not commended to the Lord and gained it from Him by prayer so then the young persons must look up to that hand that disposeth all things and to that hand they must submit They must leave God to His own time they must not tie Him to theirs He is wise and wonderfull and accordingly doth He work for those whose hearts are stayed upon Him I have observed those who have waited Gods time which is ever best He doth all things well and in their season so preferred in their match at the last that it hath quite exceeded their own expectation and the expectation of their friends and this at such a time when they least expected and had the least hope I have certainly observed it so They that wait on the Lord shall once say they are remembred and in a fit season But they who like an unserviceable piece of Ordinance flie off before they are discharged they who will put out themselves before their time have broken
Indeed there is not a more unseemely and unworthy sight then to see a wife usurp the authoritie over the man It is like a body I have sometime seen whose head was bowed down so close to the breast that behind you could scarce discern any thing but the shoulders Certainly it is a seemely sight To see t There is much in the example of a good master to make all follow his steps though he say nothing yet children and servants may see enough whereby they may be taught Chrysost in cap. 17. Gen. bom 40. â— the head stand out in sight and the contrary as unseemely And as unseemely every whit if the man demean himself unworthy of his place if he be not answerable to his honour and headship it will but disgrace him the more being like a pearle set in lead or a jewell in a swines snout a skull without braines or an head without wit It is not to be doubted but the prime dutie and the very weight of the burden lyeth upon the man It is much how he leadeth the way and draweth here for the head is the Glory and Crown of the Body and to be an Head imports a preheminence and soveraigntie it implyes also a derivation of the spirits thence to the members which being intercepted the body would quickly fall into a dead palsie Vt in corporibus siâ— in imperio gravissimus est morbus qui â— capite dâ—ssâ—â—ditur Plâ—n l. 4. cp 22. â— Morbido Capite nil sanum est aeque ullum 〈◊〉 membrum efficio suo 〈◊〉 ubi quod est principale non constat de 〈◊〉 d. Gaber l. 7. pag. 234. All which strongly argueth the mans principall charge and duty to whom belongs the headship and therefore is the principall and leading example The man by his example must lead on the wife to faith else what is one in the flesh will be two in the spirit that is diviâ—ed saith Chrysologus Vir conjugem deducat ad fidem ne quod unâ—m est â— carâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â— d â— sum Ser. 10. As it is in printing when on Sheet is set a thousand 〈◊〉 prâ—ssâ—d after it so when the master hath a good impression upon him â—is 〈◊〉 is â—â—sily 〈◊〉 to prâ—ty If Grace that pretious oyntment be plentifully â—â—â—â—e head and heart of the Master it will quickly distill to his skirts children and servants The man is in his place though of the lowest ranke yet in his place as the great parsons in their great seas as the Adâ—irall ship that beares the Lanthorne all steare after it And indeed this man though in a low estate of life yet being out of order can blow as big and raise as great stormes proportionably in his little pond as the other doe in their great seas so Lipsius phraseth it x De Const lib. 2. chap 25. see part first p. 93. The lightnesse of my family shall be laid to my charge so my conâ—cience makes me feare for lacke of more earnest and deligent instruction which should have beene done Bishop Ridly to Master Weâ— martyr p. 1569. Therefore whether the man be in high place or low it is very much how he leadeth the way for he is as one that carryeth the Lanthorne If the husband hath received the stampe of holinesse as was said y Epistle to the first part he will quickly presse his houshold with the same impression if Grace that pretious oyntment be in the head of the head in an house it will quickly destill to his skirts Children and servants A husband should know that he is not more above his wife in place then in example Therefore what is done amisse in the house will returne upon the man as most blame-worthy My conscience makes me feare that the lightnesse of my family shall be laid upon my charge for lacke of more earnest and diligent instruction which should have been done said Bishop Ridly to Master West Woe and woe againe if we by our examples should make others to stumble at the Truth So Iohn Bradford to Iohn Carelesse z Martyr pag. 1569. Pag. 1494. It is a tradition that Matthias the Apostle was used to say If a goodmans neighbour did fall into any great sinne the goodman was to be blamed for if that goodmans life had been sutable to his Rule the Word of God then had his example according to rule so awed that neighbor that he had not so falne said Clemens of Alexandria a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l. 7. pag. 541. Much more may the same be said touching the husband and the wife the father and the child the master and the servant if any thing be amisse if things goe not straight in the family it is very likely the husband the father the master walke not according to rule but some crosse or crooked way for he is the head the leading hand The starres are eclipsed oftner then the greater lights but their eclipse we observe not but if the Sunne or Moone are eclipsed our eyes are upon them for the one rules the day the other the night Inferiors faile often in their duty but the observation is what their Superiours what their Governours doe They are in their little house as the Sunne and Moone are in the great world The little great Rulers therein Therefore it requires our Marke That it was the Man for whose faithfulnesse the Lord did undertake I know that Abraham will command his children and his household c. b Gen. 18. 19. Command marke that Command not so much by his Word though that was a command too but by example That hath more force in it more of that we call compulson Abraham will command And it was the Man that promised for himself I and my house will serve the Lord Ioshua last 15. It was the man and a man after Gods own heart that said I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Psal 101. And much reformation must follow for the removing of the wicked from his seat and sight and for the encouragement of the godly as it is plain in that place And which is more this was a great house a kingdome It was a man and one under authoritie though he had souldiers under him and they are none of the tamest creatures who did say to this man go and he went and to another come and he came and to his servant do this and he did it And to put the lowest last for indeed he was much below a Christian but quite shames him it was an old man and a darkman That had foure sonnes stout young men five daughters many servants a great retinue over all this man carried himself with such authoritie with such a Lord like command but so well tempered as his servants feared him his children reverenced him all honoured and loved him In the house you might see saith the author c Cic. de Sente the old paternall authoritie and
word feare helps to feed a man with food convenient for him It cloathes him as with a garment It armes him as with shield and buckler it keeps him in his walk and course as under watch and ward It guards the eye eare hand and foot that all may do their office and keep in order It aweth his very thoughts All this feare doth if it doth its office which is to keep the watch strong for this is certain If I feare death to be in the pot I will not taste of the pottage And thus soveraign it proves to be because it winds up the heart continually to God who promiseth to be a sanctuary to all such who feare before Him The Wise mans counsell is notable Be thou in the feare of the Lord all the day long r Prov. 23. 17. For it is a conclusion of experience A wise man feareth and departeth from evillâ— But the foole rageth and is confident Å¿ Prov. 14. 16. as if there were no snares in his way whence it commeth to passe that his foot is taken like a bird in a snare he is holden by it and cannot be delivered for this is a resolved case also Happy is the man that feareth alway But He that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe t Prov. â—8 14. And so we have enough in one word for the prevention of all these snares which are ever strawed thickest in a full and plentifull state There are snares in wants also O give me not too little saith Augur but feed me with food convenient for me Prov. 30. 8 9. lest poverty be a snare unto me lest I put forth my hand to that which is not mine and take the Name of my God in vaine such a snare there is in poverty Therefore to help thee here and not mention what hath been said though it would fit very well I will reason out this point with thee If God make thy family like a flocke of Sheep and thy pasture be bare if the Mouthes thou hast to feed be many and thy provision of Meale is now toward the bottome if thy charge be increased and thy meanes shortned if so I know here is a straight and a burden Want is a burden x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost de Lazâ—r Conc. 1. saith the Father grievous to be borne they will tell us so that feele it But yet as the same father elegantly saith Wee are all Stewards and we must all give an account what Sermone praecedent pag. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. shall the poore man give an account of who hath scarce any thing to give to his mouth The Father answers The rich Steward must accompt with his Master how bountifull he hath beene according to his Masters appointment And the poore Steward hee must be accountable too how patient he hath beene under wants how hee hath humblâ—d himselfe under the Almighty Hand And how dependant upon that hand If there bee a straite and the Meale be at the bottome here is an hint of a glorioâ—s dependance upon Him that multiplyed the oyle and the meale and the Loaves And with the fewer loaves though the power was the same fed the more And the more was remaining upon Him That doth cloath the Lillies feed the Ravens makes a path in a wildernesse causeth water to flow out of a Rocke or in a parched ground filled the Valley with water when they saw neither winde nor raine a 2 King 3. 17. It is good and safe to depend here Infinite power and goodnesse can never bee at a losse nor faith which lookes thereunto can be at stand Faith makes up a life without the creature It cheeres the countenance without oyle b Famem vera fides non timel Hier. lib. 2. ep 18. p. 221. refresheth the spirit without wine glads the heart strengthens it without the bread of men It is certain a soul that hath such a dependance is never fatter better liking then when his pasture is shortest like a wildernesse It is fattest in the winter as some creatures are when there is no greene thing but ground trees and all are all covered Then this soul can pick meat when the heaven is brasse and the earth iron Then even in such a time the soul can live rejoyce and joy in the Lord the God of Salvation Habb 3. 18. This is the onely way which will lead thee through the snares which are in wants that thou shalt not be intangled with them not put forth thy hand unto wickednesse If thou canst finde no way God can make a way only thy part is if meanes be short to trust the more And to lengthen thy hope Hope we say is an inheritance for a King and this God will provide makes Gods children confident It is good to be in a depending condition then we roule our selves upon God The depending soul can best track the wayes of Gods providence and seeth how wise and admirable they are whereas the fulnesse of outward means obscureth the lustre of that track and draweth the heart unto them from a providence And now I need not bid thee use all lawfull means for dependance on a providence doth establish the means and us in the use of them It is unreasonable to think that God will feed us from Heaven when we may gather our meat from the earth He worketh not extraordinary in a fruitfull land where the plough can go I mean in that place and time when our hands can work As we must not trouble our selves about Gods charge as it is usuall so to do So we must not neither neglect our own charge which is to give all faithfull endeavour and having done it then stand still rest and wait for His blessings who hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee And now we are upon thy duty and charge heare some lessons which may be of use for thy better discharge thereof Therefore the chief lesson follows for it makes all easy Let the law of the Lord be never out of thy minde nor His word when houshold employments admit vacation for she that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband be out of thy hand That 's an holy word saith Clemens d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prompt p. 41. which makes holy as He is and like Him Tongues there are but one is enough for a woman and work enough to use that one well Other learning there is too but like nuts e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 199. I referre to thy sex it nourisheth not This word makes f 2 Tim. 3 â— Lactan. lib. 3. cap. 25 perfect and throughly furnisheth All necessary truths are plain there and nothing dark g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrept p. 42 to him or her that will come to the light by earnest h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
declining age when we have lived almost to threescore yeares The other when we are drawing onward to fourescore c. extreame old age of both in their order 1. Both the one as well as the other is an age not more desired then complained of They knew best why that feele the burden of it I have not lived unto it It is likely that person complained not without cause who being willed to hasten her pace told them who were so quick with her That so she could not do for she carryed a great burden on her back And whereas no burden at all appeared to the eye she replyed again that threescore years were passed over her head and that was the burden Plaut And so it may well be with those whose spirits are much spent and strength wasted even at those yeares And then age it self alone is a burden I can speake little here out of experience But this I can say If God be pleased to stretch out my day so long I shall know no cause to complain of the length for that is a blessing Length of dayes is from the right hand Prov. 3. 16. Riches and honour from the left Only we must note here That if the Lord be pleased to shorten the day of this life to any person as sometimes He doth to His dearest and most obedient children their dayes are not long upon earth why yet if He eek out this short day here with an eternitie of dayes and pleasures at His right hand when they are taken hence if so that partie shall have no cause to complaine of a short day on earth so abundantly recompensed in heaven This is a note by the way If I say God be pleased to stretch forth my dayes so long I know no cause why I should complaine of a blessing I may complaine and just cause why I should and that bitterly but not for the accession of yeares If any thing sower them it is of mine owne Leaven and of my owne putting in Complaine of my selfe I may of them I may not Old age is a cal me quiet and easie time if youth have done it no disservice in filling its bones before hand Nor no intemperance hath weakned its head or feete If so Old age hath just cause to complaine of the Man not the man of Old Age. There is no Guest in the world that is more desired and expected and yet when it comes worse welcomed and entertained then Old Age is still with sighes and complaints which we know argues bad welcome I would have my Child make good provision for it against it come and when it is come to give it good welcome Welcome I say I doe not say ease Good welcome doth consist we say in shewing a good and chearefull countenance to our guest not in giving him too much ease or feeding him too daintily Let it appeare thou hast laid up store against thy yeares come and now they are come thou canst welcome them and art glad they are come but doe not make too-much of them in giving them too much ease I may warne thee of it againe for Old Age is very craving very importunate that way though they may be importunate If thou yeeldest to a lithernesse and a listnesses whereto Old Age inclineth us very much and so to spare thy body thy activenesse will decay more in one moneth then otherwise it would in twelve It s observable what the Heathen y Nos sumus qui nullis annis vacationem damus canitiem galea premimus c. Senec. de otio sapientis cap. 29. said and it may instruct Christians We allow no vacation to our long tearme of yeares we can put an head-peice upon our hoary scalp We will rest when we are dead life is for action Keep then thy body in breath and in ure with exercise else it will quickly grow unprofitable and a Burden Vse strength and have it it is a sure proverbe and if ever we will use expedition it is then seasonable when gray haires are upon us It is dangerous to burne the Day-light and to trifle out this pretious time The putting off this day and the next and halfe a day cost the poore Levite and his Concubine very deare as we may read Iudges 19. The evening hasteth on a pace and the Sun is neare the setting now put on the more earnestly because night is comming and thou must to Bed in the darke now gather twice as much I meane now pray heare read twice as much For the great Sabbath is comming when thou lookest for ever to Rest for ever to be with the Lord. This Sabbath Day is comming which shall never have night Now gather spirituall Manna thy Homer full twice as much as formerly If in thy youth thou didst by hearing reading conference c. gaine thirty-fold now gaine sixty Now bestirre thy selfe and put to all thy strength for the laying in store of provision in this thy day that thou mayst rejoyce in that great Day the Day of the Lord or the particular Day of thy Death Let it appeare thou art going ouâ— by the clearnesse of thy light and that the night is comming by the hasting of thy pace It is strange to consider what old men have done and how fit they have been for the best actions I meane of the minde I know outwards must decay because they kept their minde like a bow so they said alwayes bent I forbeare to put them down here The holy Scripture Heathen Authors our own observation doth reckon up not a few But remember still that there are none recorded in the sacred Register after the terme of life was shortened for old men but their old age was a crown unto them being found in the way of righteousnes z Senibus vita productior à dâ—o â—â—ibuta est in eum finem ut insiginum aliquâ—rum operum in Ecclesiae suae emolumentum â—gâ—na essent Mardochaeus ad liberaudam Ecclesiam sub Artaxerxe vixit annos 198. Jehoshua ut populum è Babylone â—um Esdra Zorobabele reduceret vixit annos 130. Philo Ammianus in breviario temporum Tobit senior ut populi calamitas sub Salmanasaâ—e â—evaret vixit annos 158. Eâ ipâ—â de causa Tobit junior vixit annos 127. Judith ad libeâ—andam patriam sub Holoferne vixit annos 105. Sâ—â—â—us Senensis Bibliothec. lib. 8. They that are planted in Gods house bring forth much fruit in their age He that is fruitlesse in his latter yeares may be much suspected how he spent the former But I am sure there can be little comfort in it It is a sad thing to be an old man in yeares and a childe in understanding To grow like a Leeke greene fresh and lively towards the earth â—â—ag and saplesse upwards towards heaven To have the eye of the body dim and the eye of the soule as dim To have the body bending towards its earth and the spirit no
it Thinke now on the evill dayes that are coming the winter of thy life let the Ant instruct thee Prov. 6. 6. What thou sowest now thou shalt reape in Age. If thou layest in good provision now for now is the Time to store up and furnish thy inward house such will be the benefit and comfort of it hereafter Now study this Art of improving time meanes graces Thou canst not imagine how rich it will make thee how the increase will come in upon thee as one saith A plea for age use upon use in this only lawfull kinde of usury Profusissimi iâ— eo cujus unius honesâ—a avaritia Sen. de breviâ— vitae cap. 3. Now put forth thy strength and pluck up thy feet and run the race that is set before thee with all thy might And the Lord put forth His Arme even His mightie Arme and carry thee in His right hand even His strong and high hand Psal 89 13. that thou mayest have power against thy enemies in thy way for they are mightie and without divine assistance will over power thee for they are the enemies of thy own house What they are how mighty how ensnaring I shall now shew unto thee and treate of them in thy eares as followes An insertion to the second part pag. 188. line 16. To put a full period hereunto it will be necessary to take of an unjust imputation cast upon Old-Age by pleading her cause and informing against her informers These are the precedent Ages for thus they accuse and deride this withered and decayed Age telling us It is like a weather-beaten house dropping down wherein none would dwell under such Ruins True it is such a kinde of thing Old-Age may seeme to be but she retorts the blame and cause thereof upon her predecessors it is they who have thrust her into such a decayed house and now they aggravate their fault very much in that they blame the old-building which themselves have made so ruinous They have been as violent winds and stormes often beating upon this house of clay and so have brought it out of reparations Youth will please his appetite that he will come what will come he will satisfie his youthfull desires though in so doing he doth exhaust Nature and spends upon the principall stock of life which yet he thinks not of for youth can beare it out but it will fall to the Lot of the old man to want and smart for this profuse Erigere durum est qui cadit juvenis senem A hard thing it is to make him stand firme in old age that fell in youth Quis ullam speâ— habebit in tâ— cujus primum tempus aetatis suerit ad omnes libidines divul gatum who can have hope of any good in him whose first yeers have been spent in all manner of lusts and luxury Cic. ad senatum post reditum spending The Man Nusquâ—m pejus quà m in saâ—o corpore aeger animus hâ—bitat A corrupt heart dwelleth no where worse or more dangerously then in an healthy Body him I mean who is in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vigour and May-tide of his life this man is as profuse and lavish of his spirits as the youth was as if there would be no need of them hereafter he puts forth his strength and doth evill things as he can Jer. 3. 5. and when he doth so then he rejoyceth Ita est non accepimus brevem vitam c. Senec. de brevit vitae cap. 1. c. Not at all considering what infinite wrong he doth to the old-man his very next neigbour for whom the man now treasures up with both hands paines aches diseases sighes and wrath to boote and they lye as sealed-up in a bag which the old-man when he cometh shall open finde and feele both that it is even so Such dis-service these predecessours do to their Successour old-Age Therefore neither the youth nor the man have cause to blame old-age But the Old-Age hath great cause to complain of them And so having cleared the objection and layed the blame where it is due I passe on to the second period An insertion to the second part pag. 201 line first visitation It is notable which we read Iosh 2. Rahabs preservation her peace and the peace of her house was secured unto her by this token The line of scarlet threed bound in her window vers 18. upon this now we must set our marke which we Jer. 11. 15. read vers 21. And she sent them away and they departed and she bound the scarlet line in the window It is very notable sure That the dismissing the men and the Postea câ—mcommodum necessarium visum est hanging out the line stand conjoyned in the Text though perhaps if Tremellius his interpretation be right we cannot thereby conclude the precise time when she did hang it forth But thus we conclude for so we are taught That she used no delay none at all but when the time was fitting and convenient then she did it and that might be presently at that instant time as is specified in the Text for ought we can or may gather to the contrary But what needed so much haste she might have delayed the binding the line to the window some dayes for the Spies were not yet returned Iâ—shua was not yet upon his march Iordan was betwixt some time there must be in marching towards Iericho and sixe dayes they were compassing the Citie Time enough to hang out the Threed when she heard That the Trumpets blew and because they were but ram's hornes she might have delayed yet longer till the last day when she saw the walls fall down flat and then she might hasten to the window and do that worke soone enough Thus flesh and bloud might reason the case and very well satisfie a dilatory spirit But it is of infinite use to consider That thus Rahab did not reason but then when she sent away the men she bound the scarlet line in the window We cannot be too quick and speedy in case of life and salvation Here delayes are dangerous perhaps deadly I may deferre this day and the next till my enemy be approaching and surprising me and I finde my selfe falling down flat this I may do and yet do well But it is very hazardous It may nay it is most likely so it will be if I stay till dangers have beset me and incompassed me my feares will be such as that they will betray all my succours Wisd 17. 12 And therefore sith in this scarlet colour lyeth the peace securitie salvation of our bodies and souls too we must do quickly what we do we must not delay in hanging forth this flag of peace Now now while our dayes are departing they are still passing away as the waters now hang we forth this scarlet line at our windows and delay not What it implyeth is of easie construction and of infinite use