II. The Portion or good of man lies not in 〈◊〉 fruition of any or all creatures THe learâ—ed Heathen and wise Philoâ—â—â—phers wonderfully toyl'd tired aâ—â— tormented their sharp Wits in cleaving 〈◊〉 that knotted Question concerning that End or Good of man in which his perfection or happiness consisted Neither should I less vex my self or you if I should but reckon up their numberless gross errours and jangling differences concerning that matter All their search was but as that of the Sodomites groping for the door in a night of blindness For as the Apostle what man knows the things of man save the spirit of man which dwells in him Much more the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God or they to whom that Spirit revealeth them 1 Cor. 2.11 we can easily discern the works of men their end or intention in those works we cannot know till they some way declare it How then should any creature find out the End of that great Creatour in his special work Man if himself by his own Spirit in his word had not clearly revealed it For else who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counseller Rom. 11.34 Therefore our gracious Lord hath plainly discovered unto us what is that End for which he made us and consequently what is our Good and Happiness And because he well knew how easily our dimm eyes are deluded with colourable shews and painted shadows hence he fully displayes unto us as well negatively what is not and yet we think is our blessedness as also positively what is though few believe it the true happiness of man First therefore in general he teacheth uâ— that the Creature is no part of our Portionâ— we are not noâ— can be blessed by enjoying earth no nor Heaven nor Heaven with earthâ— nor any created thing or all things in oâ— betwixt both we may have all these anâ— be miserable want them all and be blessedâ— This truth the Holy Ghost strongly proves aâ— frequently elsewhere so specially in thaâ— book of Ecclesiastes which that infinite Wisâ—dom by his wisest Secretary caused purposelâ— to be written of this Subject where first hâ— evidently and frequently teacheth us thaâ— all is vanity vanity of vanities and vexatioâ— of spirit Eccles. 1.2 and 12.8 and 2 11â— True it is that no creature is simply vain buâ— very good Gen. 1.31 conducing as well tâ— the general end Gods glory as to their paâ—â—ticular ends for which they were made aâ— the Sun to rule the day the Moon the nighâ— Gen. 1 16 c. But that which to some end and work is very good and useful is to anoâ—ther vain and frustrate The earth apt tâ—â— yield food altogether vain to give lightâ— Our All-wise Creatour assigned to every creaâ—ture his proper work and end but made noâ— any one nor all to bless but to serve manâ— Hence is it that as to their own ends they arâ— very profitable so for this namely to constitute mans blessedness they are wholely useless and uneffectual and therefore in that respect sheer vanity And when a man will wring and wrest the creatures to a wrong end and thinks to make up his blessedness in them it is but as wringing his nose which brings forth blood Prov. 30.33 they do but grieve his Spirit and fill it with vexation and anguish Thus while Solomon was rifling the creatures riches pleasures c. to find out the good of man he solemnly protesteth to all the World that in all his search he found nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Eccl. 2.3 11. In which respect so vain are the creatures that he who enjoyes them at the full may not only be weary of them but even hate his life for the vanity and vexation he finds in them Eccles. 2.17 How then should that in the fulness of it make our life blessed which by emptiness and torment makes it bitter and loathsome which when we have in all abundance and superfluity yet our selves may be altogether vanity Psal. 39.5 and lighter than vanity Psal. 62.9 2. Secondly there is something in man which â—avours of Infiniteness something which cannot be satisfied or rest in any thing which is finite The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing Eccles. 1.8 Cast into the heart of man Silver as dust heap up Gold into mountains yet He that loveth Silver is not satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Eccl. 5.10 Advance an ambitious man to great honours set him in the Throne load his head with many Diadems fill both hands with Scepters let him drink down all the Kingdoms of the Earth he will still be as thirsty as that Macedonian Monarch Now every Nature longs for things of like nature with it self hence this Infiniteness in man cannot rest till it have sound out somewhat which suits with it self some infinite Good which may satiate the longing spirit But neither any one nor all Creatures can exhibit an infinite good even the most excellent and all in all their excellency conjoyned have their limits and stints of goodness Hence as the Taste in diversity of dishes runs through many but stayes only upon that which fully aggrates the Pallate so the spirit of man finding defects in every creature cannot settle nor rest upon any 3. Thirdly as we call not that body healthy which is one day in good temper but many dayes sick or that Steward wealthy who having a rich office for a year at the years end is turned out into perpetual beggary so cannot we esteem him blessed who enjoying some momentany comforts yet himself with them soon perisheth in an everlasting curse and misery Happiness if it last not is the more unhappy Now all the things of the world are transitory and perish with the using but the soul of man is an immortal substance And this spirit not only survives but re-assumes the body so that after the moment of this present life is vanished another ensues without end or change The spirit of a beast indeed goes downward but the spirit of a man upward Eccl. 3.21 It returns to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 These things therefore which cannot hold way with us but leave us in the midst nay indeed in the first step of our journey how can they be our inheritance or make us blessed 4. Fourthly it is not possible a man should be happy in enjoying those things which the more he enjoyes the less he esteems for as excellently that most learned Father He cannot be called blessed who hath not what he loves whatsoever it be or he who hath what he loves if it be evil which he hath or who loves not what he hath be it never so good August De morib eccl l. 1. c. 2. And who is so ignorant but knoweth that thus it is with the heart of man and all creatures Before we enjoy them how dearly how highly do we prize them what
great dutie Consider why you love any creature why more one than another why you should love the world riches pleasures as God a drop as the fountain It is even here too true Love descends Get your hearts baptized with fire and the holy Ghost buried with Christ into his death and raised in his resurrection that your affections may be set and settled on things not on earth but on things above even on him who is infinitly above all things who is blessed for ever and your eternal blessedness 2. Secondly the outward worship consists either in his speaking to us or our speaking to him He speaks to us either to our ears in his word or to our eyes in his Sacraments we to him either in prayers or vows Hearing is a chief part of Gods service Eccl. 5.1 The special gate whereby the Wisdom of God all knowledg and life enters Prov. 2.2 3. 1.5 Isa. 55.3 An hearing ear is Gods special gift to us Prov. 20.12 and our acceptable gift and sacrifice to him Psal. 40.6 1 Sam. 15.22 An obedient ear is a graceful and precious ornament Prov. 1.8 9. The ear the most happy factour of the soul whereby it seeks and gets Prov. 18.15 that rich merchandise which is better than silver and fine gold Prov. 3.14 But he who hath a disobedient ear or careless refusing to hear is good for nothing Jer. 13.10 and an itching ear hath certainly a rotten heart Isa. 30.9 10 11. The word of God preached is the seed in the hand of the Sower Mar. 4.14 taken out of the Granarie of the scriptures and cast into the furrows of the heart by Gods Spirit an incorruptible seed of a life incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.23 by which we are begotten unto God Jam. 1.18 And as it is the seed whereby we are born so is it the food also whereby we are nourished in that life of God as well mâ—â—k for babes as strong meat for the strong 1 Pet. 2.2 Heb. 5.12 c. It is an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 a rich Mart of all spiritual commodities where our Lord sells and we buy without mony all heavenly riches Be swift therefore to hear Jam. 1.19 value it above thousands of gold and silver Psal. 119.72 Sell all you have to purchase it Matth. 13.44 Buy the truth at any price sell it at none Pro. 23.23 Neither hear only but read it we cannot use too many ways in trading with this rich commoditie Had we as many distractions as Princes they can yield us no exemption from this dutie Deut. 17.18 Iosh. 1.8 Our frequent conversing with it and meditating in it will not take so much from our time as it will add to our opportunities Morning and evening day and night exercise your selves in it so shall ye be like â— fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water so shall ye make your may prosperous so shall ye have good success Psal. 1.1 2 3. Josh. 1.8 Nulla dies sine linea Think the day lost wherein you have mist this market 2. The Sacraments are visibile verbum Christs sermons to our eyes passion-sermons â—ou know that verse More dully stirs the mind what through th' ear passes Than what is view'd to life in the eyes true glasses They are not only teaching signs printing in our eyes and hearts the death of the Lord Iesus but assuring seals presenting and conveying unto us the grace which they represent There are many large and learned volumes printed concerning them and in every Catechise you may meet with pious instructions in this subject I will only therefore advise you concerning the Lords Supper 1. That you neglect no opportunitie so far as may be of comming to the Lords Table For is it not our communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Look as wholesome meats are the means whereby spirits are renewed strength increased union between body and soul maintained so the Supper of the Lord is his Ordinance whereby our everlasting life is confirmed our dull spirits revived and our union with the Lord Iesus Christ much strengthned Certainly the frequent use of it was the special means whereby the Primitive Churches so far excelled us in Christian fortitude resolution and every spiritual gift Above all other take heed of that carnal or rather divelish plea of hellish persons namely that they are not in charitie whereby they plainly discover how much they prefer their revenge beâ—ore their salvation and that hellish Murtherer before the heavenly Saviour Surely he that will rather nourish his malice by abstinence from the Lords Table than his fainting soul by that Bread of Heaven deserves and surely dos in his hellish fast to eat and drink his own damnation 2. Come prepared in some good measure and for that end set apart some day in that week for humiliation to afflict your souls by fasting to seek a right way Ezra 8.21 And because one especial end of this ordinance is the remembrance of our Saviour and shewing forth his death Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11. vers 25 26. spend much of that time in meditating upon it and principally the causes of it 1. The abhorred filthiness and dreadful naâ—ure of sin which could not be expiated or purged but by the blood of God 2. The fierce wrath of God and terrible severitie of his justice which exacted even of his most beloved Son undertaking for us the uttermost farthing even to make him Sin who knew no sin and a curse who was God blessed for ever 3. The infinite mercy of our gracious Father who gave his beloved Son to reconcile such hateful enemies and 4. The incomprehensible love of the Lord Iesus who vouchsafed to purchase our redemption at such a rate And leave not your soul till you find it abhorring it self in dust and ashes bleeding with Christ on his Cross sick of your sin and of his love and swelling with the fruit of the lips the sacrifice of praise 3. Prayer is the mouth of faith whereby it utters holy desires to God Many think they pray when they do but houl Hos. 7.14 or babble Matth. 6.7 we neither know what nor how to pray till we be instructed neither can any doctour inform us but that Spirit of adoption who teacheth us to cry Abbae Father Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 He will instruct you to go unto God 1. As to a Father and therefore with all reverence and â—ubmission and 2. With all assurance and confidence 2. He is the Spirit of the Son and therefore will carry you to the Father by the Son to God by Christ. He will not suffer you to make your addresses by your selves or any creature but by that only Mediatour and Advocate Sacrifice must be brought to the Temple to the dore of the Tabernacle offered only upon Gods chosen Altar and by none but the Priest Christ is that Temple Ioh. 2.21 He the dore Ioh. 10.9 he the Altar Heb. 13.10 which sanctifies all our gifts and the â—igh Priest
whom only God accepteth Heb. 7.26 28. That blessed Spirit who baptizeth with fire will not only inflame your hearts but kindle also your lips with all fervencie of prayer Prayer is a special sacrifice and sacrifices must burn upon the Altar Prayer is our Incense Psal. 141.2 which till it burneth in the fiery censer yields no odour or sweetness That holy Spirit will quicken you to frequent and continual prayer and doth not only whisper in your ear but draw out your heart to pray always with all manner of prayer Eph. 6.18 to pray without ceasing 1 Thes. 5.17 to continue in prayer and watch in the same Col. 4.2 not to slip any occasion but to improve all opportunities which God offers us in petition thanksgiving intercession deprecation supplication No marvel if the Ancients called it the key of Heaven for it opens all to us It opens the womb Gen. 20.17 18. It opens the prison Act. 12. It opens Heaven when it is bar'd with brass Iam. 5.18 It opens Gods ears when he hath even shut them against us 2 Chro. 7.13 14 15. The Doctours call it the scourge of the Divel It drives away his tentations Matth. 26.41 Nothing in the world so prevalent For it sets even God himself on work in whose hands are all creatures and with whom nothing is impossible Gird up therefore the loyns of your minds and whet your voyces to peirce through the Heavens And oh that I could be the means to put that perpetual motion of praying and crying into your hearts Look about you and you shall see abundant matter of crying of loud crying would we advisedly behold what we see there is hardly one object of our eyes which would not skrue up our voyces a note higher and set us a roaring Look upon the dark places of the earth and they are full of the habitations of crueltie Psal. 74.20 And should not this raise up a crie Remember Lord the enemie hath reproched and foolish people have blasphemed thy name oh deliver not the soul of thy Turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked oh let not the oppressed return ashamed Psal. 74.18 19 21. when you look into the place of judgment and wickedness is there and to the place of righteousness and inquitie is there Eccl. 3.16 will not so crying a sin force a loud crie from your hearts when you consider all the oppressions under the Sun and behold the tears of the oppressed and they had no comâ—orter and on the side of the Oppressours was power but on their side no comâ—orter Eccl. 4.1 how can you forbear to weep with those that weep when you hear the grones of widowes the sighs of the fatherless the lamentations of the hungry naked distressed can you chuse but bear a part in this doleful musick when you look on the pride wherein the land is disguised in monstrous attires the prodigious excess in riotings the general lightness and impudence of all behaviour when you hear the vollies of blasphemous tongues thundering against Heaven the stench of drunkenness infecting the ayer with plagues poxes c. the ignorance superstition idolatrie profaneness Atheism in the world the hellish contempt of God and all his Ordinances In a word a deluge of corruption overwhelming all degrees sexes ages and the wrath of God flaming in revenge against such execrable provocations where can you find hearts large enough to hold or throats wide enough to utter cries and ejulations to Heaven But had you no eyes to look abroad yet look within and you shall find more matter of crying than possibilitie of expressing See there what ignorance unbelief deadness vanitie securitie pride hypocrisie obstinacie backsliding self-love self-seeking inordinate passion what a world what an hell of wickedness couches it self in a desperately wicked heart it will stretch out your throats and force you to a loud crie and bitter Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Certainly if you have any spirit in you it will fill your hearts with a fountain and your eyes with rivers of tears Were you heathens it would drive you to send out the proclamation of Nineve into every part of body and soul Let man and beast reason and sense flesh and spirit cry mightily unto God Jon. 3.8 Let us whet these things upon our hard hearts to sharpen our dull prayers that they may pierce the Heavens and prevent the birth of that decree which if it once bring forth will prevent all prevention Pour out day and night some such petition when you have prepared your hearts by some such like meditation Oh my drowsie soul canst thou ly down with Ionah and sleep in such a Tempest Seest thou not these waves of wickedness which mount up against Heaven and sink down again into bottomless depths and is not thy spirit melted because of trouble The floods have lifted up the floods of the ungodly have lifted up their voice and canst thou be silent See how that little Bark fraught with Christ and his Spouse is filled with water nay with blood see what a storm is come down into the lake and how the waves dash into the ship whilst thy Lord and Saviour â—s asleep in the stern upon a pillow and wilt thou not with loud cries awake him See what a troubled sea is in thine own heart foming out mire and dirt and canst thou rest Are not the waters come into thy soul Sinkst thou not in the deeps where is no standing Is not the belly of hell ready to swallow thee and canst thou cease crying Heark how sin cries and wilt thou be silent heark how the Saints cry and canst thou hold thy peace If thou hast no words in thy tongue hast thou no grones no sighs in thy heart Oh my soul is thy Lord so ready to hear and art thou so slow to speak Shall his ear stand so wide open to thee and thy mouth and heart so fast shut to him Do not his commands draw thee thy necessities drive thee do not his mercies invite his promises assure thee thy povertie enforce thee Art thou a child and canst not speak He hath provided thee two Almighty Intercessours one his Son to plead for thee the other his Spirit to plead in thee How should the weakest arm faint which hath such supporters such an Hur and such an Aaron to under-prop them Oh thou my gracious Saviour who in the days of thy flesh offeredst up prayers and supplications with strong cries accent my flat heart and voice with thy sharp cryings Thou who helpest the infirmities of our utterance teach my heart to grone beyond all power of utterance And Thou who knowest the mind of the spirit and art ever well pleased in thy beloved hearken graciously to the stammerings of my Infant spirit and accept them in him in whom thou art ever well pleased 4. Lastly for vowes I can give you no better direction than his Spirit to whom
these a lie How can it be The reason because nothing more deceives Greatness makes great promises but performs nothing Let the Apostle expound it If any man seen to be some thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being indeed nothing he deceives himself Gal. 6.3 He is a lie to his own soul hence that great Apostle confesses that himself is nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 And as man himself so all that belongs to him is meer vanitie made for him and suited to him For when man had transformed himself into vanitie the Lord fitts the creatures to him which were made for him and subjects them unto vanitie Rom. 8.20 His life vain Eccl. 6.12 His age nothing Psal. 39.5 His beautie vanitie Prov. 31.30 His riches Prov. 23.6 His mirth Eccl. 2.2 All his works all his delights meer vanitie Eccl. 2.11 Object But men do not think so Answ. So much the more are they so For while they think better of themselves than they are they do but deceive themselves and are a lie 2. Though in their words they deny it yet in their works they loudly speak it and evidently discover that they do thus think For we will sell nothing under the price we value it but men sell themselves for vanitie for very nothing They sell themselves foâ— trash they lay out their mony for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfies not Isa. 55.2 Object But yet they are men and therefore something Answ. We speak not of man in natural respects as he consists of soul and body or in Civil as he is a Father Goâ—ernour c. but in spiritual in which regard he rather seems than is man rather a worm Psal. 22.6 as other Brutes flesh also Gen. 6.3 and that flesh but grass Isa. 40.6 the very spirit fleshly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 9. animals not having a spirit when in Ierusalem there was none that sought the truth there was no man among them Ier. 5.1 Observe how evidently and fully Gods Spirit concludes this argument I beheld and â—here was no man even among them no Counsellor that when I asked could answer a word They are all vanitie and their works nothing â—sa 41.28 29. He is dead and therefore not â—ruly but falsly and in appearance called â— man Man if we look upon him in his Creatiâ—n is a creature not only composed of soul and body which both are but the matter of which he is framed but made after Gods imâ—ge which is his form and differs him from other creatures Now as it ceaseth to be an â—ouse when the materials stone timâ—er c. are all safe but the form destroyâ—d so though body and soul in the matter â—f them remain intire yet when that speciâ—â—cal difference and form of man Gods image 〈◊〉 defaced he ceases to be what first he was now not man but the ruines and carkass of man In a word look as it is with childrens Babies they have a gorgeous appearance in their eyes but all is copper cast clouts torn raggs and a painted rotten stick so is it with us Our bodies and souls have some raggs and old clouts of our creation and drest with beautie learning c. are no small babes in a simple mans eye but all this shew is nothing what it shews but a very mock-man a meer vanitie and sheer nothing 2. Secondly seeing man is not only dead but dead in sin as a dead man shut up and closed in a loathsome grave we are plainly taught by God that man is not only nothing but a miserable abominable nothing He is miserable wretched poor blind and naked Rev. 3.17 supposing himself full but only swell'd with wind and indeed wholly empty conceiting himself well adorned and set out with goodly endowments but shameful in nakedness dreaming of an Eagle sight and sharpness of wit but not a blink of an eye in him a meer flash and in and with all these wants when he is most bladder'd up with a dream of happiness extremely miserable and wretched In all his pomp anâ— glory he is but as his own dung Iob 20.6 7. stinking Psal. 14.3 not the baseness buâ— excellence not of heathens but of Iacob not despised only but abhorred Amos 6.8 And lest we might think it an hyperbolical speech the Lord takes a solemn oath and swears by himself that he abhors the excellencie of Iacob Hence is it that God culls out the most loathsome creatures to be as parallels to us that in them as in a glass we might see our filth and abhor our selves we are resembled to hoggs doggs serpents to dead carkasses to sâ—pulchres full of rotten carkasses Matth. 23.27 so abominable that we infect all the creatures with which we deal all the actions that proceed from us The creature is not only subject to vanitie but to a curse for our sakes Gen. 3.17 our very blessings cursed Mal. 2.2 not our want but store not our barreness but fruit accursed Deut. 28. vers 17 18. Our days not only few but evil Gen. 47.9 our very life not only grievous but hateful Eccl. 2.17 nay our prayers our service abomination Prov. 15.8 28.9 Object If the estate of men were so loathsome it is strange that they should not see nor feel it Answ. They who have sense know and acknowledg it They loath themselves Ezech. 20.43 they abhor themselves Job 42.6 they lament themselves Rom. 7.24 But such as are blind and sensless how should they discern it And this the depth of their miserie which makes it incurable yet some glimps they have of this truth for in that they sell themselves to work wickedness and abomination 1 King 21.25 Rom. 7.14 sell themselves for oaths so vain a filthiness for drunkenness so filthy vanitie they openly testifie at what rate they prize themselves This our dead vain loathsome condition will more cleerly be manifested unto us if 1. We consider our contrarietie to God who is both the supreme Being the most pure Essence and the only Life So adverse is the corrupt nature of man to God that he hates him all that belongs to him all that he loves and all that love him Hence called enemies Rom. 5.10 haters of God Rom. 1.30 they hate his wisdom and counsel Prov. 1.29 his power Rev. 16.9 his truth Isa. 30.11 his word Jer. 6.10 his light Joh. 3.19 And as the holiness of God is his pureness glory beautie excellencie which passeth through all and to us is above all his Attributes so above all they hate this his holiness wheresoever they see any stamp or print of it His holy word his holy days his holy children As the Panther so hates man that wheresoever he sees his picture he flies upon it and with his teeth and nayls rents and tears it so these wild creatures wheresoever they see any spark of Gods image shine in man tear and devour Psal. 7.2 35.15 That Eternal wisdom Power Love Life their Saviour after they have
seen they hate Ioh. 15.24 and all that he loves or love him all his members Mar. 13.13 though they be their own flesh and that even to death Lukâ— 21.16 17. Excellently is this condition expressed in that metaphor wherein carnal men are called spots and blemishes 2 Pet. 2.13 A wicked Father or Childe a wicked Husband or wife a wicked Master or Servant is a spot in a familie a wicked Governour or Subject a spot in the Common wealth a wicked Minister or Professour a spot and blemish in the Church And as a spot or blemish is nothing but filthiness or a filthy nothing so is every man in his corrupted nature 2. Man in the first Adam is a child of the Divel Ioh. 8.44 and a very Divel in flesh Ioh. 6.70 Satan a filthy spirit but he filthy in flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 he a captive of the Divel 2 Tim. 2.26 a servant to sin which is the very dung of Satan Rom. 6.17 fetter'd in the very bond of it Act. 8.23 servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 and to divers lusts Tit. 3.3 the hand serves one the eye another the ear a third the heart a thousand He is even cut out and mangled into a base and cursed slaverie Now the servant is more base than the Master Take good notice therefore of this estate of man Lust is the servant of Satan man the servant of lust the Divels servants servant Sin the corruption and dung of Satan man the servant of sin and corruption In a word a carnal man is the prey of Satan devoured by that roaring Lion who hath digested him into filthiness of flesh and spirit and hell the draught into which he is purged Thus then think in your hearts I. Ayeâ— oâ— her selâ— is dark and hath no light But what Heaven lends her and when angry skies Call in their debt she sinks in dungeon night Nay while she borrowes light oâ—t foggâ— arise Or storms and filch by stealth or rob by might Her lone her day in youth or childhood dies But while the present Suns with conquering ray Dispel the shades and their strong beams display She sparkles all with light and broider'd gold-array II. Such now is Man inform void empty dark A Chaos dungeon grave a starless night Rake all his ashes up ther 's not a spark To tine quencht life or kindle buried light And what he steals from others empty shark Hell with his mists depraves so robbs him quite But when his Life and Light shines in his eyes In him he lives as he and never dies Glittring in light divine he heaven stars Sun out-vies III. For as in earthly sight the bodies eye To the object bent is like the object â—orm'd So when the soul turn'd to the Deitiâ— Receives hiâ— likâ—ness it is soon tranâ—form'd To what it sees death hell and darkness â—â—y And all the spirit to Light and Liâ—â— conform'd Soul of my soul draw my souls eyes to thee Set them upon thy face make me to be By seeing Life and Light the Light and Liâ—e I see You have seen what you are in the first Adam look now on the other side of this picture and see what you may be in the second CAP. XXI Man in Christ is above other men and all creatures next the Creatour IN our selves we are 1. Dead a meer privative a nothing 2. Dead in sin meer corruption corruption of Hell what we are or may be in Christ now consider We are quickned together with Christ. Christ is that overflowing Fountain by whose fulness of grace our empty chanels are not only 1. Scoured from that choking mire which stops all passages but 2. Stored with the water of life with the fulness of God see Hab. 2.14 Eph. 3.19 But how are we quicken'd with Christ raised and sit together in heavenly places with him Eph. 2.6 Not only virtually as the fruit lies in the seed or root but in some kind actually As in the first fruits the whole field and in the Cake of the first dough the whole lump was sanctified and an actual blessing conveyed in it so Christ being raâ—sed is the first frâ—its of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 the first Cake of the new lump 1 Cor. 5.7 and in him even actually in a kind are they quickened who are yet unborn As a wife or child takes possession of that land in the husband or Father which he hath purchased in their name Hence we evidently see first that the only life of man by which he is a Câ—ristian a blessed creature nay indeed by which he is a right man is not that natural and fading but this spiritual and eternal life which we have in Christ hence called the life of God Eph. 4.18 begotten by God Jam. 1.18 the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 he our life Col. 3.4 and liveth in us Gal. 2.20 and the life of the Spirit he gives it 2 Cor. 3.6 And as the vegetative life of plants the sensitive life of beasts the rational life of man is nothing elss but the Act of such a soul giving the creature such a being and enabling it unto such actions so the divine and spiritual life is nothing else but that Aâ—â— of Gods Spirit dwelling in man and giving him a spiritual being a divine nature and enabling to spiritual and Godly actions or to use the Scripture phrase to live and walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 whereby we live in God and to God see Rom. 8.9 10. Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 5.11 12. For without question the true life of man differs from all other life in inferiour or contrary creatures but in this natural life the faculties and actions of it man differs not from plants in growth from beasts in sense from wicked spirits in reason That form then which gave man his difference doubtless was that Image of God in which he was created perfect by the loss of which he lost the perâ—ection and truth of humane nature He therefore that hath no other but this natural life is but an half-man hath little or nothing of a man but is partly a beast in respect of sense partly a Divel in regard of his perverted and distorâ—ed reason 2. Secondly here we may easily observe that howsoever a carnal man glisters in carnal eyes honoured admired yet is he a very Abject and the skumm of the creatures so a spiritual man contrary though he seem a base thing in the eye of the world and more base in his own a reproch of men and scorn of the people Psal. 22.6 yet is he indeed the most noble and excellent creature in the world and next the great Creatour Hence the Saints in terms are called the Excellent Psal. 16.3 preferred in their excellencie before others whatsoever are their earthly advancements The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prov. 12.26 28.6 This is Heavens this is Gods Heraldry Now are they Sons of God and Heirs apparent 1 Joh. 3.1 But because their
prâ—rogatives are such as never eye saw ear heard or entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 such as infinitely transcends our vastest thoughts therefore are they veiled under many similitudes and compared to those things which are most honourable and highest in the eyes of man They are Kings Rev. 1.6 and their Kingdom not fading but unshaken Heb. 12.28 not earthly but heavenly 2 Pet. 1.11 they have their sceptres Heb. 1.8 their Palaces Psal. 45.8 their thrones Rev. 3.21 their crowns 2 Tim. 4.8 God himself their diademe Isa. 28.5 they have their glory even the glory of God 1 Thes. 2.12 Christ himself their glory Luk. 2.32 and they the glory of Christ Isa. 46.13 This eminencie of Saints may be cleerly shewed in an evident demonstration For no creature can stand in competition with them but only other men and Angels For the first their eminencie will easily appear by comparison even in those things wherein men challenge precedencie before others Men are counted more honourable as they go before others in birth estate or end Look then first to that broad difference betwixt the birth of the spiritual and the carnal creature Flesh is born of flesh Joh. 3.3 The natural man is of earth earthy 1 Cor. 15.47 nay of hell and therefore hellish His Father in the flesh is a sinful man his spiritual Father those spiritual wickednesses even Satan Ioh. 8.44 But Spirit is born of Spirit The new man is not born of flesh and blood not of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 God his Father who hath begotten him 1 Pet. 1.3 God his Mother also who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceiving hath brought himforth Jam. 1.18 In their generation or birth there is no comparison 2. For their estate what infinite disparitie 1. in life 2. In things belonging to life The life of Saints is the life of God Eph. 4.18 their nature the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the blessed Spirit the soul of this life which animates him Rom. 8.9 10. Carnal men have a filthy spirit informing and working in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 In the one God works all their works Isa. 26.12 will and deed Philip. 2.13 in the other Satan and Sin Things belonging to life are as the life temporal or spiritual The Saints spiritual portion in one word is God Christ his Bread and meat Joh. 6.35 55. he the portion of his cup Psal. 16.5 the cup of salvation Psal. 116.13 the drink indeed Joh. 6.55 1 Cor. 10.4 Christ his garment a most royal robe He puts on Christ Gal. 3.27 Christ his house he dwels in him 1 Joh. 4.13 he our everlasting habitation Psal. 90.1 Heaven or rather the God of Heaven his inheritance Psal. 16.5 how contrary is the other his portion for the present is nothing but sin his bread ashes and a deceitful heart Isa. 44.20 and his drink iniquity Job 15.16 and he drunk with it Isa. 29.9 10. his reckoning cup fire and brimstone Psal. 11.6 his garments cursing Psal. 109.18 and his inheritance hell-fire Matth. 25.41 But surely in temporal conveniences thâ—re the men of this world much exceed the other So indeed they boast but lye The little of the righteous is much better than the superfluitie of others Psal. 37.16 Prov. 16.8 The prosperitie of the wicked deadly Prov. 1 32. the troubles of the righteous wholsome Psal. 119.71 The one cursed in blessings the other blessed in curses In a word the one in his best and most comfortable estate a wâ—eful creature the other in his worst ever blessed Luk. 6.20 to 27. 3. For their ends the one shall flourish iâ— never ending peace the other is cut off for ever Psal. 37.37 38. Lastly it hath pleased the Lord of all creatures to prefer them even above the Angels First in our Creation we were made a little inferiour to them but as Princes prefer their Favourites by some honourable office above others who are more nobly descended so our Lord hath advanced us above them in setting the crown upon our heads crowning us with honour and glory and giving to us as his Viceroyes not to Angels dominion over the works of his hands Psal. 8.5 6. appointing even them to be ministring spirits for us who are heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 our guards to defend us Psal. 34.7 our Guardians in all our ways to keep us Psal. 91.11 2. In the work of Redemption our nature assumed theirs refused Heb. 2.16 we râ—deâ—med they rejected And as our nature is infinitely exalted above the most glorious Angels in the person of Christ so by him many great Prerogatives granted to us who are his members whom he redeems with his blood nourishes with his flesh dwels in us by his Spirit and crowns with his glory Joh. 17.22 In a word Saints are the highest Favourites of the most Highest having fellowship and communion with God 1. Joh. 1.3 nay union with the Father and the Son one Spirit with Christ and one in them as they are one Joh. 17.21 Seeing then our Father is in Heaven our Hâ—ad in Heaven ouâ— life our Country and Portion in Heaven seeing our spirits were born in Heaven and our bodies look to Heaven let our treasure minds and conversation also be in Heaven So shall we even here on earth live in the Suburbs of Heaven and in due time being advanced to that glorious City the heavenly Ierusalem eternally reign with the King of Heaven Amen Amen Let me shut up all in that sweet Poem Boetius Libr. 5. Mâ—tr 5. I. Into what different moulds doth Gods wise hand Cast his wet clay and to their various â—orms Their divers postures fitts some sweep the sand Drawn out at length as tottering boats in storms They mount and â—all dragging their lazy trains They plow long â—urrowes on the dusty plains II. Some light as ayer mounted on liquid sky Spread to the gentle winds their featherd sails Swimming with plumed oâ—rs through Heavens fly Some shod with hoofs some frosted with sharp nails Through woods and forrests plains and mountains trace And set their prints upon th' earths scarr'd face III. Yet though their various shapes and gate betray How â—ar their natures differ each from other All meet in this All gaze upon the clay From which they spring and stâ—re upon their Mother Prest down with earthy Yoke their dullard sight Pores on dark shades they use not view the light IV. Man only rears aloâ—t his honour'd head His body stands and walks upright his eyes Transport his soul where it was highly bred To keep acquaintance with his neer Allies On earth his down-cast look he never places But when he stoops and losty head abases V. Iâ— then thou art not beast or earth if maâ— Thy body guides the soul thy eye the mind Thy flesh looks where it tends not wher't began Oh shall the Heaven-born soul forget his kind Shall heavenly minds mind earth while earthy eyes Eye Heaven soar up my soul transâ—end the skies Else while thy body lives thy spirit dies Books Printed for and Sold by Henry Mortlock at the sign of the White Hart in Westminster-Hall A Rational account of the grounds of Protestant Religion being a vindication of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterburys Relation of a conference c. from the pretended answer of T. C. Origines Sacrae or a Rational account of the grounds of Christian Faith as to the Truth and Divine Authority of the Scriptures and the Matters therein contained 4 0. Irenicum A weapon salve for the Churches wounds or the Divine right of Forms of Church government Examin'd and discussed 4 0. Six Sermâ—ns with a Discourse Annexed concerning the true Reason of the sufferings of Christ wherein Crellius his answer to Grotius is considered 8 0. large A Sermon preached before the King Ian. 30. all these by Edward Stilliâ—g fleet D. D. Knowledg and Practice or a plain discourse of the chief things necessary to be â—nown believed and practised in order to sâ—lvation by S. Câ—adoâ—k 4 0. The being and well being of a Christian in 3. Treatises The first setting forth the properties of the Righteous The 2. the Excellency of grace The 3. the nature and sweetness of fellowship with Christ by Edward Reyner late Minister at Lincoln published by his Son Iohn Reyner 8 0. The Triumph of Rome over Despised Protesâ—ants by Phil. Hall 8 0. The Morall Philosophy of the Sâ—oicks Translated out of French by Charles Cotton Esq. 8 0. A Word in Season or 3. great Duties of Christians in the worst of times viz. Abiding in Christ thirsting after his Ordinances and submission to his providences by I. C. D. D. To which is added by way of Appendix the Advice of some Ministers to their people for the Reviving of the power and practice of Godliness in their families 8 0. Propugnaculum Pietatis The Saints Ebenezer and Pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the creature or the Godly mans crutch or staff in times of sâ—dning disappointments sinking discouragements shaking desolations by F. E. 8 0. The voice of one crying in a wilderness or the whole business of a Christian both Antecedaneous to Concommitant of and Consequent upon a sore and heavy Visitation represented in several Sermons by S. S. a Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son 12 0. Immanuel or a Discovery of true Religion as it imports a living principle in the minds of men grounded upon Christs discourse with the Samaritaness John 4.14 being the Latter clause of the voice crying in a Wilderness or a Continuation of the Angelical Life by the same Author 12 0. Common Prayers in Welch fol. FINIS
in time thou dying time out-livest They â—ail deceive thee They age dye leave thee Soâ—â— up immortal spirit and mounting fly Into the arms of great Eternity Not Heav'n or Earth He he thy End and Birth Now if in the fulness of all Creature man can find no parcel of his blessednesâ— how much less in any one single creature As first CAP. III. Not in Riches RIches are as Nebuchadnezzars goldeâ— Idol Dan. 3. All people nations anâ— languages fall down and worship this goldeâ— Image but all the honour the most deâ—vout Zelots give it cannot wring from it the least degree of happiness For first it is a meer Idol 1. An Image hath only a name and appearance of what it imageth Thus these outward things are called and to mop-eyed men seem to be riches but are unrighteous Mammon and at best and with the best not true Riches Luk. 16.11 Their very being is no being and when they are they are not Prov. 23.4 True riches are nothing else but plenty of such things as are useful to the person whom they enrich But 1. The principal part of man to which the â—ody is but a servant hath no use of them â—r benefit by them neither of the natural meat drink c. or artificial gold silver c. Nay 2. Even to the body while it is in the short Pilgrimage of this life where only they are current they are â—ather as a little spending money than its â—ortion or inheritance For look as many Cart-loads of Laconian money that iron â—yn could not enrich a Traveler who â—as riding Post through that Region to his â—â—tive Country but were rather a burthen â— an a furtherance to his journey so the â—odies of men flying through this mortal life â— immortality are rather laden than enrichâ—â— by the abundance of these earthly things 〈◊〉 which they shall never have more need or use after this momentary Pilgrimage 2. Images are dead helpless things they have mouths but cannot speak for us eyes but cannot provide for us hands but can do nothing for us feet but in our necessity cannot stir to help us Psal. 115.5 6 7. Such are riches meer Images profit us nothing Prov. 10.2 Are we in trouble visited with sickness in body with distress in spirit c. They cannot relieve us Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death Prov. 11.4 They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord Ezek. 7.19 Zeph. 1.18 Are our Friends in danger They cannot redeem a brother nor give a ransome for him Psal. 49.6 7. when we would serve our selves of them they take them to their wings and are gone Prov. 23.4 would we sleep They will not suffer us Eccles. 5.12 and instead of helping hurt us Eccles. 5.13 3. As Idols make their Worshippers like to themselves even Idols Psal. 115.8 thus men idolizing riches become like to their coyn meer images of men they have neither mouths to eat nor hands to enjoy oâ— take part of their labour Eccles. 6.2 They have not so much reason or sense to design some end of all their pains or to discourse with themselves For whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good Eccles. 4.8 2. Secondly whatsoever defect in general excluded the creatures from challenging any part in mans happiness the same in particular barrs out riches 1. It is full of vanity and vexation Eccles. 2.7 8 11. All his dayes the worldly rich eateâ—h in darkness and hath much wrath and sorrow with his sickness Eccles. 5.17 2. It satisfies not nay the more it is loved the less it satisfies Mans eye is not satiate with riches Eccles. 4.8 They shall not satisfie their souls nor fill thâ—ir bowels Ezek. 7.19 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver c. Eccles. 5.10 3. They are not durable they are of no continuance Riches are not for ever Prov. 27.24 They perish Eccles. 5.14 have Eagles wings Prov. 23.4 4. The more we enjoy the less we love them The soul that most dotes on them goes utterly off from what it hath attained and reacheth â—fter that which it would have and yet hath not and so indeed cleaves to that which is â—ot Prov. 23.4 5. They are far below us They have no reason sense life no being â—ut what we give them in our opinion and â—ancy no other end but to drudge for us 6. They are not only in respect of happiness needless so that never any was even on earth so blessed as he that had least of them witness our most blessed Saviour but in their abundance a burthen which sinks the body and soul under them and dangerous stopping the way to Heaven and barring the entrance to our only happiness Luk. 8.14 18.25 I will shut up this Chapter with a story very true and as pertinent Some ten miles from Cambridge dwelt a man old and poor who hid his hoar head under a very mean Cottage with no other companion of his age than his as aged Wife His means rose only from the flock of the Town in which he lived and which he tended Following his sheep it chanced that he found a Portmanteâ— full of treasure And almost distracted with joy he bears it home and acquaints his Consort with this happy adventure After deep consultation they concluded to digg an hole under their bed and there in a grave to conceal it But in the night being now become very wakeful they were suddenly frighted with some noise perhaps the scrabling of their Cat or Dog rose up in great perturbation searched every mousehole and all the remainder of that night neither closed their eyes nor put ouâ— their candel Early in the morning they took further advice and resolved that every night one of them by turns should watch their prisoner lest happily he might break from them and make an escape This they practised so long untill both of them who before were well-near worn up with age were now with care fear and want of sleep even consumed and pined After more mature deliberation they thought expedient to hire some poor neighbours for now they mustered themselves not in so mean a rank every night to guard their Palace and centinel about them Which when it was noised abroad in the Town wrought divers strange surmises though not any yet harped upon the right string nor once dreamed what was the true cause of all this business some laughed others pittied fearing the old Couple would end their dayes in Bedlam About a month after they had intelligence who was the Owner of this money and heard of a competent reward offered to the finder and restorer And now being much more weary than greedy they readily take hold of the offer rendred up their prisoner purchast a Jayl delivery hung up their cares freed
eagerly followed it But when he had a while worn it was soon weary put it off and hid his head in a private dwelling 5. All earthly honour is far inferiour to that heavenly creature which is the principal part of man The spirit of man framed after the likeness of his Creatâ—ur and again restored to that glorious image infinitely transcendeth the vain and highest râ—spects it can receive from man Honour cannot ascend but descends cannot be given by an Inferiour to a Superiour When we are precious in the sight of God then anâ— never but then we are truly honourable â— Isa. 43.4 6. Lastly Honour is not only needlessâ— no way forwarding our happiness and none so happy or truly honourable as who by men are most despised witness our most blessed Saviour Isa. 53.3 but very dangerous if not deadly stopping our way to the only true glory and eternal blessedness Iohn 5.44 12.43 Let me conclude this passage also with that Poetical Philosopher Boetius Libr. 4. Metr 2. Those earthly Gods you trembling view Mounted on starry thrones Array'd with Heaven in spangled blue Guarded with armed drones With raging hearts and lightning browes Storming with thundring mouths Could you unlace their vain attires And peep into their brest With chains with gyves with tortures fires Th ' Oppressors lye opprest Clos'd in that shew and Heav'n-like shell You 'l find the kernel hell Distracting lusts with cruel twitches Rack the diâ—joynted Ghost Hope backs the heart and spurrs and switches Wrath anger â—ear and roâ—â— Hate Envy scourge with snaky wreath Griefs pressing squeese to death When then so many Tyrant Lords Reign in one single brest How can it bound with self-will'd cords Do what it self thinks best He that rules men serves lust 's a thing Much greater slave than King If then our Happiness is neither made nor patcht up by Riches Honours how much less by Pleasure CAP. V. Bodily pleasure earthly joy and mirth have nothing to do with blessedness PLeasure is the Idol and God of Epicures like Childrens Babies trickt without and trimm'd with toyes and gauds but within a rotten stick It hath a double subject either the body where properly it is called pleasure and luxury or the soul where we term it joy and mirth Neither of both if carnal and earthly can possibly stand with the blessed estate of man but are rather unreconcileable adversaries to our blessedness If we look well upon them and throughly eye them and their attendants we shall find that carnal joy and mirth dwell live and dye with grief Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness Prov. 14.13 As we say of swine There is a great cry and little wool much crackling of thorns and little heat Eccles. 7.6 whosoever serves them they bestow their livery upon them a fools coat and cap The heart of a fool is in the house of mirth Eccles. 7.4 and will soon prefer them from the Hospital to Bedlam I said of laughter it is mad Eccles. 2.2 And what is pleasure to the body but an itching worm which when it is clawed breaketh out into a scab a vain tickling of sense till it end in an Hickup It is common to a beast and exists only in that part of man which is his beast even flesh And their fruits commonly very pernicious Carnal joy turns us out of Gods house Ier. 11.15 ranks us amongst the most lewd and wicked persons whom Gods â—pirit points out to us marked with the Deâ—ils brand who rejoice to do evil and delight â—n the frowardness of the wicked Prov. 2.14 â—leasure is to our estates here a very pickâ—urse a slie thief that unwarily steals us â—nto poverty and misery God hath blasted â—t with his curse He that loveth pleasure shall â—e a poor man and he that loveth Wine and Oyl shall not be rich Prov. 21.17 It is a palâ—ie to our bodies unsinues them and makes â—hem as an unstringed Lute or Voyal fit â—or nothing As we read of Hannibals souldiers that when they entred Capua they were more then men but dissolved with the pleasures of that rich and voluptuous City they went out less than women To the soul it is a sweet poison choakes it in the seed and birth Luk. 8.14 nourishes it to slaughter Jam. 5.5 To the whole man it is a perâ—umed grave They that live in pleasure are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5.6 dead to God dead to men dead to themselves the very soul dead in its life coffin'd and buried in the body How impossibly then can a voluptuous man live happily who is dead while he lives and lives to an everlasting and ever-living death Lastly it is much more subject to all those defects which before were mentioned that make it altogether unfit and utterly impotent to make up our happiness or to help us iâ— the pursuit of it 1. It is sheer vanity Eccles. 2 1â— nothing else but crackling of thorns under â— pot Eccles. 7.6 2. It satisfies not witness thaâ— Epicure who proclaimed a reward to Inventers of new pleasures 3. It lasts not is but for â— moment Iob 20.5 and dies in the very birthâ— 4. It is not so alluring before as loaths omâ— after enjoying witness Amnon 2 Sam. 13.15 5. It is far beneath us as being common with us to beasts And 6. needless and dangerousâ— Woe to you that laugh now Luk. 6.25 Thiâ— Chapter let me conclude also with the same Philosophical Poet. Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 7. All Pleasures ride with spurs they goar the heart And drive it first to run and then to smart Pleasures are Bees Bees have their bag and sting Those drops of sweet these streams of torment bring The bag flies with the Bee the sting remains How flitting are our joyes how lasting pains He that in honied Hive of Pleasure dwells Soon dies to Heav'n lives to a thousâ—nd hells The happiness of man therefore stands not in outward things They are all heterogenies of another nature and cannot piece or be united with us They are without us and we without them happy But there are other things which close and are within us In our bodies Beauty Strength in our spirits wisdom morality Do not these make us blessed At least do they not concurr as necessary parts of our happiness Certainly even these rather follow an happy person than constitute our happiness CAP. VI. Blessedness is not in any thing corporal or meerly moral OUR Bodies are but the houses of our spirits and houses of clay Job 4.19 As the house of a Snail it is moved and â—arried by the Inhabitant And as those â—nail-shells are some black and dusty some â—littering in divers colours so is it with these â—â—ells of our spirits Some the hand of our â—otter seems to frame of finer earth or at â—ast tinfoyls them with more lovely paintâ—â—gs some formed of more course and dirty â—etal or being not leaded have not that â—â—oss and
and thou the Prince of peace The world is Israâ—ls type who blinded see Freedom in bonds and bonds in libertie Thee they proclaym an hard man hard to pleaseâ— Thy easy easing Yoke lades with disease But murthering Satan lust the soul oppressing The cheating world by pleasing most distressing These are their gentle Lords their cursed Yokes â—heiâ— blessingâ— III. Poor souls have you no eyes your eyes no light These old eyes nothing seeâ— see nothing true Get Perspectives oh help your feeble â—ight Blind eyes make night as day and day as night Turn to the light and your old eyes renew Shake off hells spectacles and better vieu Your Lords and service had you light and eyes How could you hate the truth and love these lies Despise what you admire admire what you despise IV. Their Kings are servants but his servants Kings Their rest an Iron Yoke his Yoke your rest His wounds are salves their salves are wounding stings His death brings life their liâ—e death surely brings Their â—east a pining â—ast his â—ast a feast His servants blest when curst theirs curst when bleâ—â— Poor souls be wise but if ye fools disdein To serve this Lord in rest serve those in payn Serve them in Hell who scorn with him in Heaven to reign CAP. XVI What kind of service it is which his Spouse gives unto Christ. THe hand is the bodies Steward and Faith the souls hand Both have a double office either to take in or give out to receive or distribute what God offers faith takes and gives what he demands There is a bargain driven betwixt God and man when God himself and his Kingdom is assured upon man and man and all his is passed and made over to God by way of exchange or sale Our Lord hath not only laid down a price for us even himself Tit. 3.14 and bought us as we say out and out 1 Cor. 6.20 but hath also set a price upon himself and we must come up to his full price or never have him We must buy that milk hony and feast of fat things the sure mercies of David Isa. 55.1 c. That gold tried by the fire whereby we are made rich that white raiment that eyâ— salve the riches of the Gentils the robe of righteousness the light of the world the Lord Iesus must be bought Rom. 3.18 We must buy the truth Prov. 23.23 The treasure in the field is bought and that Merchant sells all that he hath to buy the goodly pearl Matth. 13.44 46. Hence there is a mutual vouching The Lord openly voucheth us for his people and we vouch him for our Lord Deut. 26.17 18. And to make the bargain sure and infallible large and precious Earnest is given even that blessed and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.14 which binds both seller and buyer to stand to the bargain But what is the price at which God rates himself to us 1. He challengeth the soul. All souls are his Ezek. 18.4 he must have the heart Prov. 23.26 all the soul all the heart all the might Deut. 6.5 The whole body must be presented to him as a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 He hath payd for all and so now we are no more our own 1 Cor. 6.19 20. If he call for health wealth life all must be given him Luk. 14.26 else we as that Ruler Mar. 10 goe away empty sad and hopeless But this seems to imply a contradiction for to sell for a price and to give freely are contraries Now Christ is given us Ioh. 3.16 eternal life is the gift of grace Rom. 6.23 Salvation is by gift and grace Eph. 2.8 We are freely loved Hos. 14.4 freely justified Rom. 3.23 Certain is it and cannot be denied that never any thing was more freely or bountifully given We were poor Rev. 3.17 able to give nothing unable to pay due debts and our debts infinite Math. 18.24 25. The Lord Iesus our Surety hath purchased this whole possession for us and us for God but he also most freely given us and all things with him Rom. 8.32 Nay even that which hereafter God demands of us of which only here we speak our trust in him love to him fear of him working for him all these his most free gifts He works all in us and for us Isa. 26.12 Will and deed Phil. 2.13 That therefore which we give him is his own and we cannot but confess with that holy Prophet All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chro. 29.14 Indeed he commands us to buy yet asks he neither mony nor mony-worth Isa. 55.1 Our righteousness bringeth him neither profit nor pleasure Iob 22.2 3. and 35.7 No good we can do reacheth to him Psal. 16.2 when we give our selves what give we but vanitie Psal. 39.5 and nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 The truth is God receives no benefit from us neither are they if we speak properly gifts to him from us but rather from him to us not only because we first receive what after we give but specially because it is a great grace and next to himself the greatest gift he can bestow on us that he will receive us or any thing from us It is our infinite blessedness and his infinite goodness that he is ours and how much less is it certainly next to that that we are his Cant. 2.16 He calls for our bodies and spirits and are they out filthy polluted abominable how unworthy of him But he calls for them to wash and cleanse them from all filthiness Ezek. 36.26 they are dead in sins he would have them to quicken them to put his Spirit into them Ezek. 36.27 they are old corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 he would have them to renew them Ezek. 36.26 where can they be safe but under his wings and how secure under his protection How miserable and wretched when banished from his sight but in his house how infinitely blessed Psal. 65.4 How empty in his absence but in his presence is fulness of joy and everlasting pleasures Psal. 16.11 And yet God calls it buying as well because he is pleased not only to demand it but accept it as our reasonable service and testimonie of our thankfulness As great persons lease out to some special servant or favorite a fair land for the annual payment of a pepper-corn so deals our most gracious God with us gives us Heaven and Earth and himself the Lord of both because we have found favour in his eyes and desires no other rent but our poor selves and service whose only riches it is to be his inheritance and servants Thus the same hand of faith receives from our Lord himself and his grace and gives to him our selves and service takes from him what he graciously offers and works for him by love what he justly commands Now our work and service to our Lord is by himself sometime contracted into one head or body sometime parted into three members That which in one word comprizes
our whole service to God is holiness This he frequently and straitly charges upon us Be holy as I am holy Lev. 44.45 As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance But as he is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.14 15. It must be our daily work set work which we must continually ply and follow until it be perfect 2 Cor. 7.1 Much I desire if it please God to furnish me with means and you with parts to see you bred up in all humane literature that you may not be as too many a burthen only to others meer cyphars in the world to fill it up with idle numbers but much more do I longue to see you trained up in the School of Christ to be taught of him as the truth is in Iesus To put off the old man corrupt in lusts and to be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.21 22 23 24. Reason gives you a formal difference from other creatures and the polishing of it by humane learning will distinguish you from other almost brutish men but religion and pietie only maketh you Christians perfect and blessed Should I say you cannot be complete men without holiness it might seem a paradox to carnal wisdom but is a sure truth of Gods wisdom For if Philosophie will teach you that a man is a reasonable creature Theologie will assure you that man was an holy creature framed after the likeness of God without which likeness he is not perfect according to his creation It is an amiable sight to behold a mind beautified with all the lovely Ideas of humane knowledg and framed into a pleasant Garden where all the various flowers of earthly literature are planted rooted and fairly flourish But oh what a glorious Paradâ—se is that spirit of man which is grafted with all those fruitful trees of Life It is even Gods garden of pleasure in which his soul delighteth What an Heaven is that soul where all those glorious stars of Prophets and Apostles are fasten'd in the understanding and the Throne of God set up in the heart where the Lord Iesus reigns attended by all Saintly thoughts and Heavenly graces Now that you may willingly nay joyfully yield up your spirits to be this Paradise and third Heaven where God will dwell work and reign let me shew you in briefâ— 1. What holiness is 2. How excellent 3. How necessary For the 1. As it is very easy for us to know the picture if it be well drawn when we are throughly acquainted with the person whose picture it is so it will not be difficult to know what holiness is in man when we are informed what it is in God â— because this holiness in us is nothing else but the image and likeness of the divine holiness Holiness in God is that substantial and incomprehensible purity of the divine nature whereby he is wholly averse from all sinful filthiness and infinitly adverse to all filthiness of sin He is a God of pure eyes that cannot behold evil that cannot look on iniquity Hab. 1.13 nay in this respect he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 to Hypocrites and sinâ—ers a devouring fire and everlasting burnings â— Isa. 33.14 Answerable in our measure iâ— mans holiness For we are pure as he is pure 1 Ioh. 3.3 In man therefore holiness is that essential property of pureness whereby he is averse from all sinful uncleanness nay contrary to all impuritie of sin 1. Essential I call it only in that respect as being the form differencing the true Christian from other men the spiritual from the carnal And as in that gold with was dedicated for the work of the Temple the form or shape of the golden Cherubims was essential to that piece distinguishing it from the Candlestick snuffers c. framed of the same matter so this renewing of the Spirit of our mind which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness howsoever it be not of the substance either of body or soul yet is it essential to the new man or faithful Christian and of his being by which he is a new creature Secondly this purity or divine nature of man consists of an averse nay adverse disposition to sinful uncleanness It flieth the corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 hating it Rom. 7.15 loathing the garment stained with it Jude 23. nay themselves polluted with it Ezek. 20.43 And no sooner is this new life brought forth in man but instantly it stands as adverse to sin as life to death accounting it to be as indeed it is nay so feeling and accordingly hating it as death Rom. 7.24 a most cursed wretched divelish hellish death 2. Secondly the excellencie of holiness will clearly appear in this that it is in man Gods likeness To be like the Creatour is the highest pitch of honour to which the most aspiring ambition of the creature can look To be above God cannot enter into a reasonable thought As that excellent Father August so reason will testifie that every creature will contend for the excellencie of God and caâ—not conceive God to be a substance than which any can be better To be equal to God and independent may be the ambition of the divel his Son Antichrist or some transported with the like folly and furie which yet ordinary reason will manifestly evince can never be attained but to be like to God is the supreme honour of the creature and is not only possible to be obtained but obvious to Christians God himself proffering inviting nay intreating us to receive it And surely if any thing in God could be more excellent than other holiness were it For man verily swears by the greater but because God could not swear by a greater he swore by himself Heb. 6.13 16. but when he chuseth out any particular Attribute in himself to swear by it it is constantly his holiness See Psal. 60.6 18.35 Amo. 4.2 Holiness in God is his face and beautie frequently termed the beautie of holiness Psal. 110.3 which the faithful soul most longues after Psal. 90.17 and God stamps upon his beloved Ezek. 16.14 And as in excellent substances their excellence consists in their puritie when they are simple and unmixt with baser natures Thus in corporal substances gold the more pure the more precious and in spiritual only the pure Angels not the impure are glorious so certainly in God his holiness being the puritie of the divine essence is the glory of it He is glorious in holiness Exo. 15.11 a glory farr surpassing all thought or possibilitie of admiration in which regard those blessed Spirits which stand in his presence omitting other excellencies but ravished with the glorious beautie of his holiness cry out in heavenly ecstaâ—ies Holy Holy Holy Lord God! the whole Earth is full of his glory
Isa. 6.3 Herein then consists the eminency of holiness above all other qualities in man that he is not only by it and by it only like unto God but like him in that in which God is most excellent even in his glory The Heathens themselves could discern a ravishing beautie in virtue if men had but eyes to behold it but oh if God open to us an eye to discern these heavenly features of the divine nature and the bright beams of his holiness â—he very Sun will seem but durt to it and all the excellencies of all creatures meer dross and tinsoyl Certainly the comely proportions of a perishing body an earthly flower decked with the ornaments of some pleasing colours are able to ravish a fleshly eye and winn unto it a carnal heart But were the mind cleered to behold a spirit man or Angel shining in the divine beautie of Gods own Image how would that sight attract the soul and strike it with amazement and wonder of that glorious luster 3. Thirdly as there is nothing in man or Angel so excellent so nothing so necessary as holiness For 1. This only gives us preeminency above other creatures Consider it well and you shall easily find that every creature will justly challeng precedence and outgo man without holiness There is no qualitie in us this only excepted but other creatures in it farr surpass us If we boast of longer time and durance than some other the very stones in this outgo us If we plead but with age we have life even plants and trees outlive us If we say we have sense also how many beasts c. in hearing seeing smelling c. go farr beyond us Some perhaps will object we have understanding and discourse of reason of which these are incapable but in this alas the worst of all creatures the Divels claym a large superioritie and wonderfully exceed us Know it certainly without holiness you are inferiour to every creature even the most abject and miserable 2. All the blessings of God and all his actions for our blessedness have this mayn end to make us holy We are elected by God in Christ that we should be holy Eph. 1.4 redeemed by Christ that we should serve him in holiness Luk. 1.74 75. called by the Spirit not to uncleanness but holiness 1 Thes. 4.7 Therefore hath God begotten us to himself by the word of truth that we should be as the first fruits of his creatures Jam. 1.18 that is sanctified and separated to his holy service And as children cannot be but of the same kind and naâ—ure with their Parents else are they monsters so must we as obedient children be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16. Therefore hath the Lord Iesus espoused us and given himself for us that he might wash and Sanctifie us Eph. 5.26 Therefore the holy Ghost dwells in us as his Temples that we should â—e holy 1 Cor. 3.16 17. To the same end are all Gods ordinances given us the word Prayer Sacraments even to Sanctifie us Joh. 17.17 Be assured you can never have right to God â—s a Father to Christ as a Saviour to the blesâ—ed Spirit as your Comforter without holiness All these actions of God for our good are â—rustrate to us all his Ordinances unfruitful â—â—us without holiness what soever Title or â—steem we have with men in the world yet â—ith Christ and Christians without holiness â—e are meer Infidels and very ecchoes of â—hristians 3. There is no hope nor possibilitie of glory and that beatifical vision of God without holiness Without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 nay no man without it can possibly behold him An inferiour cannot possibly reach to a nature transcendent nor we without participation of this Godly nature see him as God there is no hope of this highest beatitude unless we are thus qualified 4. Lastly whatsoever we seem to men our selves or others what better are we indeed than those cursed and damned spirits without it me thinks rather worse A wicked Angel is a sinful filthy spirit but a wicked man is both a sinful spirit and sinful flesh filthy in both The truth is and upon serious consideration we cannot deny it an unholy man is nothing else but an incarnate fâ—end a Divel in flesh Ioh. 6.70 Now though even nature it self will in general strongly incite the heart to seek with all diligence such things as are for use most necessary and mosâ— excellent for our advancement yet for thiâ— particular of holiness even when our beâ—â— Judgment upon sound deliberation hath subâ—scribed to these manifest truths and we havâ— seen and acknowledged the necessitie anâ— eminencie of this divine puritie yet thâ—â— craâ—ty Enemie by the assistance of those twâ— his special helpers namely our own wickedness within us and the world without us will eaâ—ily either disswade us for ever enterprizing such a quest or at least cool and dishearten us in the pursuit of it Whensoever Gods blessed Spirit hath opened you an eye to behold with delight the beauties of holiness and drawing your heart to cleave unto it in love hath set your face resolutely to a constant following it Satan will not fail to hinder by sending in some worldly person yet under the pretence of a friend and welwisher who shall counsel you not to be too forward and shall tell you none are more despised than these hot zealous fellows that they are the table talk and scorn of great ones that such and such wise and learned men who hope to come to Heaven with the first laugh at this preciseness and take to themselves much more â—ibertie that it is good to use moderation and so under the pretence of temper if â—ou take not good heed they will bring you â—o that abominable distemper of a luke-warm Christian of whom Christ is sick and vowes â—o vomit them out of his mouth Rev. 3.16 â—ay he will get your own heart to speak for â—im and that will plead hard and tell you Oh! this strictness this Yoke of holiness is a â—ur sad melancholy life no comfort no joy no solace in it and you are in your Spring what will you blast all these fair blossoms of youth with such an austere and sullen course Nay take your time while you may use your youth and pleasures while the season and April of your age invites you But take great heed and stop your ears against these Sirens bind your selves to that word of God which will hold you fast and keep you safe from these strong inchantments Open your ears to that best Counseler the Lord Iesus who will tell you that in the best of your service you are unprofitable Luk. 17.10 If you could run but we hardly creep yea could ye add wings to your feet to fly toward Heaven yet could ye never be forward enough when the Goal is Heaven and God himself and his glory the Crown the swiftest foot is too slow to run and
the longest wing too sluggish to clip away to it But oh this disgrace scorn contempt We know not how to bear that No do wâ— not see the Lord Iesus despised rejected Isa. 53.3 Oh the base works scoffs derisions which the Lord of glory suffered only for us to bring us to glory It were a prodigious pride to desire that we might bâ— glorified by Christs sufferings but never suffer for his glory Nor let the contrary practice of men wise in their way and learned divert you Yoâ— know your calling Not many wise not many learned c. 1 Cor. 1.26 A wiser than the wisest the Eternal wisdom of God calls us to zeal Be zealous Rev. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous for things spiritual 1 Cor. 14.1 He that looks to the buâ—ning love of Christ toward his soul flaming out even unspeakable sufferings and thinks his love to Christ and his glory too hot and fiery proclaims to all the world his gross hypocrisie or rather palpable Atheism Let that sentence ever sound in your ears He that is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mar. 8.38 But that blasphemy whereby sin and Satan would perswade us that holiness is the very damp and death of all mirth the barr that stopps our way to profit or honour is a notorious slander of that Father of lies a loud ly that of all the rest deserves the whetstone When our Father commands us to be holy as he is holy doth he interdict us pleasure riches honour Is there any so holy as our God and doth his holiness extinguish his joyes and the pleasures at his right hand Doth his holiness impoverish him dispossesse him of Heaven and Earth doth holiness dethrone him or embase his glory nay is it not his glory Exo. 15.11 where did he forbid us pleasure profit honour Indeed if the drudgery to sin and Satan be honour such honour he hath interdicted if bartering Heaven for Earth our Angel-like souls for dust if this be profit such profit hath he forbidden If the hoggish wallowing in the mire of sinful filth the dog-like licking up of an hellish vomit the lying of our living souls rotting and stinking in a grave of lust if this be pleasure such pleasure Hell affordeth he denieth No no our gracious God hath not only permitted us to use all creatures for our good and comfort but hath straitly commanded us to set our hearts upon and to covet and that most earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12.31 He hath purchased the rich portion of grace and inheritance of glory for us He hath stored up for us durable riches Pro. 8.18 and exhorts us to provide and fill everlasting baggs with never failing treasures Luk. 12.33 He hath conâ—erred upon us most glorious honour to be heirs of his Kingdom and gives us command to unbridle our ambition and with the most vast desires of our heartâ— to seek this glory and promises to fill us Psal. 81.10 Matth. 6.33 Rom. 2.7 Thaâ— fountain of life pours out rivers of pleasure and commands us to drink abundantly Psal. 36.8 9. Cant. 5.1 Beside other numberless objects of joy he hath given us himself the greatest the only the infinite good and commands us again and again to rejoice in him Phil. 4.4 Let us therefore fire our hearts with earnest longuings after this divine nature follow hard toward it and never faint in the pursuit Be not ashamed of Christ and of his truth in this hypocritical age which profess Christ and serve the world give to him the Title of Lord but heart and hand to every lust Think no age unripe to be Gods Child no estate too great to be Gods Heir The service of Princes how much more of God are great preferments Beware of that hellish proverb A young Saint an old Divel Those young Saints Ioseph Samuel Daniel Ieremie Iohn Baptist c. how glorious were they once in the militant Church and now and ever in the triumphant Seek for earthly literature and knowledg studie and labour for it but thirst for holiness longue for it strive sweat for it Let it be all your ambition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.9 to please God and to be accepted with him And thus commune with your own hearts I. Is this the Yoke which fools abhor to be Great Lord made like to thee Is this a burthen Cannot flesh indure To be as thou art pure Is this so scorn'd so loathsome a condition Poor swinish soul canst thou desire To be an Hog daub'd cas'd in mire Is this the height of thy deep â—alâ— ambition II. This all the service which thou dost dâ—sire To wash me â—rom my mirâ— This all the burthen which thou laist upon me To set thy beautie on me That beautie which those glorious Spirits viewing Are rapt in heavenly ecstasies Drink healths and making drunk their eyes Sing drencht in amorous joyes thy praise renewing III. How beauteous is thy house thy spangled Court Yet to thy beautie durt How glorious is the Sun the spring of light Yet to thy glory night How bright thy Angels in their spritely â—eature Yet to thy brightness smoke to fire How then should we poor souls admire Thy beautie glory brightness in thy creature IV. Oh what am I my Lord without thy likeness But a dull dying sickness Stript of thy Image and that God-like â—eature I less than any creature The meanest sensless liveless overgits me And goes beyond me stones last longer Flowers are saireâ— trees are stronger The beasts out-sense the Divels self outwits me V. Let Swine then serve their muddy lusts and ly Mir'd in their stinking sâ—ie Doggs serve the ravening world devour be sick Spew and their vomit lick But oh let me renew my first condition Conâ—orm'd unto thy glorious beautie Serve thee in every holy dutie This my whole honour this my sole ambition Holiness is the body of our service CAP. XVII What then are the branches HOliness spreads it self into three mayâ— branches Sâ—brietie Righteousness and â—odliness Tit. 2.12 Sobrietie or Temperance may be thus described It is that fruit of the Spirit whereby we are enabled to moderate our selves our affections and actions in the use of the creature 1. It is wrought in us by the holy Ghost and is his fruit Gal. 5.22 23. It is taâ—ght us by the word of grace the Gospel Tit. 2.11 12. And thus it differs from that moral virtue with which we may observe many heathens fairly to glister Have ye never seen dishes of fruit stand out upon some shops composed oâ— wax and curiously painted How much more fair and lovely do they seem to the eye than the same natural fruit which you pluck from the tree But if you weigh them in your hand or much more if you taâ—â— them what a palpable difference do ye find between
these made artificial apples and the natural Pictures may be fairer than the substance but they want the life and use of the substance I have seen a crab more pleasant to the eye than the apple which sprung from a noble graft planted on the same stock but to the tast how hateful the crab the apple how delightful Till we are cut off from the first Adam and grafted into the Second all our fruits are as the apples of Sodom abominable and loathsome 2. Secondly whereas our Lord hath bestowed all his creatures upon us the act and exercise of Temperance is so to moderate our minds in receiving our affections in desiring and our actions in using them that we abuse them not 1 Cor. 7.31 Let me more cleer it by instancing in some particulars 1. A special inward gift to man is knowledg which is as the object more excellent in things spiritual Here Sobrietie will bridle and rein in the understanding when it is spurred on by Curiosity to pry into the Ark and not suffer it to break through to the Lord lest we perish Exo. 19.21 There are things secret and revealed Deut. 29.29 as therefore it will not palliate defects but put us on diligently to search the scripturâ— and to find out the things which belong to us so in the excesse it will stop us when our itching eyes and ears would carry us beyond those bounds Exo. 19.12 which our Lord hath set us It will curb the thoughts and hold them in that they shall not think more highly than they ought but think soberly Rom. 12.3 2. Whereas every member hath his place and proportion in the body of Christ and several duties allotted them every one in his calling Sobrietie will so temper our spirits that it will keep us in our rank and not suffer us either to boast of a false gift lest we prove as those spots in love-feasts clouds without rain See Prov. 25.14 Iude 12. nor yet under a mask of voluntary humilitie to intrude our selves in things which we have not seen vainly puft up in our fleshly mind Col. 2.18 Thus it moderated that great Apostle and kept him as we say in his tedder that he should not exceed the compass of his own measure 2 Cor. 10.13 14 15. And for want of this virtue many in these times which bear a great hulk and seem great ones in the eyes of deluded and bewitched professours ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth breaking out of their rank are neither sheep nor dogs of the flock but wolves deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 But much more apparent is the exercise of this grace in things without As. 1. It empales a man in his proper calling and perswades him with quietness to work and eat his own bread and suffers him not to live idly or disorderly as a busy-body 2 Thes. 3. vers 11 12. and yet keeps off the shackles of earthly cares it empales but imprisons not in his calling nor so enslaves him to worldly affairs but that he may have all requisite libertie and enlargement to the heavenly He serves not his calling but God in it Secondly in his estate it settles the heart in a quiet contentation Emptiness shall not breed greediness nor fulness pride It teacheth him to want without grudging and to abound without swelling Phil. 4.12 3. In recreations it keeps a middle way equally distant from sullenness and mad mirth It will suffer the heart sometime to be drenched in sorrow never drowned to swim sometime never to sink in pleasure It will instruct the spirit to be sometime thoughtful sometime joyful never cheerful Lastly for things indifferent it moderates our desires and practice to use them with comfort without sin In food it teacheth us timâ— and measure to eat in season to refreshing and not to surfeting Eccl. 10.17 to quicken not damp our spirits to whet not dull them for our work It apparrels us neither garishly nor gaudily not slovenly nor curiously but fitts the matter and manner to the person sex and calling In marriage it teaches them that have wives to be as if they had â—one 1 Cor. 7.29 to rejoice with the wife of his youth not ravished with a stranger to be satisfied not consumed with her love Provâ— 5.19 20. In sleep it allowes renewing not slugging recovering of strength not mispending time It is the special direction of Gods Spirit to keep in the middle way and not to turn to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5.32 This is that middle path the strait way to felicitie studie to find it and strive to walk in it There are two by-paths which Temperance above the rest loudly warns you to decline They are very broad much beaten strongly alluring in which many thousands every day perish The first is Rioting and drunkenness the second Chambering and wantonness Rom. 13.13 Of the former we may now complain as did once that holy Bishop August epist. 48. Vincentio This pestilence of drunkenness farr and neer so wasts mens souls and with so much Licentiousness reigns and tyrannises that I should much marvel if it did not infect your little flock How fiâ—ly doth he call it a Pestilence Never was any plague so infectious spreading and dangerous hardly and seldom cured deadly destroying soul and body We hear God damming it 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.21 heathens branding it all even drunkards deriding it none but ashamed to own it and yet see the most most shamefully practising it Look on it in the fruits Prov. 23.29 to the end Woe sorrow strife babbling causless wounds sore eyes poyson death lust perverse speaking security hardness and lastly an incurable habit of swilling and following wicked company consequently beggery ver 21. and sudden perdition Luk. 21.34 There was never such a monster bred in Africk as the Drunkard makes himself He hath a Crabbs foot that cannot sett one step forward a Swines belly swell'd with swill a very hog-trough the heart of Leviathan hard as the neither milstone Job 4.24 a Goats eye fired with lust and a Divels mouth flaming in hellish blasphemie His flesh is nothing but a Qâ—agmire and the whole lump a breathing swiltub and as one fitly speaks a walking and steaming dunghill But sottish men will ordinarily by way of excusing further accuse and indict themselves Oh say they it is not so much the drink I respect as good company Good company how much better might'st thou find in a Pest-house and what worse in hell It is the company of which we are specially warned Be not among wine-bibbers Prov. 23.20 To be drunken and to sit and drink with the drunken is the same in the holy Ghosts expression Compare Matth. 24.49 with Luk. 12.45 The good Lord keep you out of this quick-sand For it is with drunkards as with drunken sands It swallowes up irrecoverably and drinks down into the belly of hell whoâ—soever strikes upon it Neither is uncleanness
I think is impossible and not to do wrong requires as much wisdom as patience But it is better to suffer an hundred injuries than to do one 1 Cor. 6.7 for God will certainly punish the doer Col. 3.25 but thank the sufferer 1 Pet. 2.20 Take great heed of thrusting God out of his throne and seating your selves in it This you do when you usurp that highest office of God to recompence injuries and to avenge your selves It is Gods Prerogative royal To me belongeth vengeance and recompence Deut. 32.35 Vengeance is mine I will repay â—aith the Lord Rom. 12.19 It is his Regal Title The Lord God of recompences Jer. 51.50 Print upon your hearts that golden rule of Gods blessed Spirit In honour prefer onâ— another Mind not â—igh things but condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12.10 16. In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himselfâ— Phil. 2.3 There is nothing more hated oâ— scorned by God or man than a proud heart and haughâ—y eye Prov. 6 17. In the house oâ— â—ride Shame waits at the gates Prov. 11.2 Strife and Contention in the hall Pro. 13.10 and at the back stayers Destruction Prov. 16.18 29.23 Put on therefore â—umbleness of mind Col. 3.12 There is no ornament of so great price with God as a low priced spirit 1 Petr. 3.4 nor in the eye of man any thing more lovely than a lowly carriage Humilitie the Queen of virtues is ushered by favour supported by honour Prov. 29.23 and followed by exaltation Iam. 4.10 Observe all men in their degrees Honour Governours and obey them reverence superiours respect equals be courteous to inferiours and to all and above all carry your selves humbly Submit your selves one to another and be clothed with humilitie 1 Pet. 5.5 Thus shall you travel through the world with much peace for certainly as only by pride comes contention Prov. 13.10 so the meek shall delight themselves in abundance of peace Psal. 37.11 As a general motive to all these duties seriously consider All mankind is but one Adam and all men as one man Man the body men the members of that body Adam was the root Eve the stock issuing from the root and we all the branches produced from both She the mother of all living Gen. 3.20 All these numberless branches are united in the root that â—â—rst Adam and all Christians reunited in that Root of Iesse the Second Adam No creatures so united as man united in the bond of humanitie they are one flesh all nations made of one blood Act. 17.26 reunited in the bond of Christianity they are one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 4.4 How strongly then â—rom this union doth our Lord press upon us that unity of affection by love And that uâ—ity of our actions by peace How naturally do all these precepts of righteousness or justice flow from this principle were men not â—nnatural how could they be so full of unrighteousness filled with all unrighteousness c. and without natural affection Rom. 1.29 31â— were we not carnal how could we maintain strife and divisions when there is among you envyings strife divisions are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 Haters of men cannot be ranked among men we are all one flesh and never any man hated his own â—lesh but cherisheth and nourisheth it Eph. 5.29 We are members one of another all one body Rom. 12.5 Eph. 4.25 yea one spirit and who but Bedlams and Demoniacks wound and destroy themselves Fasten these truths upon your hearts and in all your conversation with men have them in your eyes so will you with ease as your Lord Psal. 11.7 love righteousness and be loved of him who loveth them who follow after righteousness Prov. 15.9 Some thing of this truth that dark light of nature discovered unto that Philosopher who thus sweetly sings it Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 6. I. The stock of man the Root the body Boughs skies Whose breadth or'e-spreads the earth height tops the One Parent hath he Sirâ— and Dam he plowes Plants waters he our birth growth all supplies He fills the Sun with Seas oâ—â—lowing beams Surrounds and drains the Moon with changing streams II. Hé peoples Seas with fish the Heaven with Stars Plants ayer and earth with living Colonies He pounds mans God-like Spirit in fleshly bars And by that spirit earth to himself allies Men are of high descent their Petigree Mortals derive from great Eternitie III. Boast ye oâ— Sires and Grandsires search ye earth For Heaven Heavens Register will shew your race Heavens King your Sire from Heaven in Heaven your birth A noble royal line No man is base But such as â—or base earth Heavens birthright sell By vice cut off â—rom Heaven and grafted into Hell CAP. XIX What is the last branch THe last branch is Godliness which is nothing but the true worship of the true God And how should I more briefly and yet more fully express it than that wise Father to his wisest Son And thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 1 Chro. 28.9 where he comprizes all the inward worship in knowledg and the outward in service Now this knowledg is not here as properly it is confined to the understanding but generally extended to every facultie of the soul. As our senses are said to know when employing their faculties in their several objects they do their office The eye knows the colour it sees the ear the voice it hears So every facultie of our spirit is said to know when exercising it self in its proper office it executes its own dutie In the understanding when the Apprehension discerns and conceives aright it knows 1 Cor. 2.16 when the Judgment highly prizes things that are of high esteem it is said to know 1 Thes. 5.12 Even the choice of the will is called knowledg Amos 3.2 Rom. 8.29 Thus the affections are said to know what they love and delight in Psal. 144.3 expounded Iob 7.17 And this is that excellent knowledg preferred before sacrifice Hos. 6.6 in which consists our eternal life Ioh. 17.3 First therefore you must know God by an act of the understanding that is so conceive of him as himself in his word not in mens dreams hath pictured out himself unto you which is a spiritual and the only warrantable Image allowed by God This you must hang up not in your Hall or parlour but in that true Oratorie the Closet of your hearts There you shall â—ind him pencil'd 1. As he is simply in himself 2. Relatively to us In himself he is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 Incomprehensible glorious merciful gracious strong long-suffering pardoning sin and iniquitie c See Exo. 34.6 7. c. In relation to us our Creatour Isa. 64.8 our Redeemer Deut. 32.6 Psal. 19.14 our Lord Psal. 8.1 in whose service is all our happiness Psal. 144.18 our Portion and Inheritance Psal. 16.5 6. the strength of our heart our only and full comfort