David Gideon Barak others who through faith subdued Kingdomes Hebr. 11. 32 33. That is basenesse of spirit and want of valour that makes a man a slave to sin and the Devill so a slave as he hath no heart to any worthy service to free himselfe from it but lies down under it and carries the fetters and yoake of his bondage about with him withersoever he goes That is cowardly basenesse that brings conscience into a servile subjection that cowardly basenesse that will suffer the cause of God to be betrayed rather than venture any thing for it what greater argument that men want true spirit than this Godlinesse puts a spirit of fortitude into men that will not suffer them to bee thus debased and where appeares the like courage in any as in these when they are called to stand for the truth Though all the Tiles of the houses in the City of Wormes were Devils yet thither would I goe to testifie to the truth saith Luther Againe it is not a turbulent spirit for turbulency of spirit makes men cruell and malicious this spirit causes men to love their enemies to do all the good they can to them turbulent spirits seeke onely their own ends they care not what becomes of others so it bee that they may but warme themselves they care not what house bee on fire They are boysterous in things that concerne themselves But the Saints of God in whom this other spirit rules they are meeke and gentle and yeeldable in their owne cause ready to put up wrong in all quietnesse take them in things that onely concerne themselves and you shall find none so readily so freely so chearfully denying themselves as they And againe turbulent spirits doe not love to examine things by rule to call things to account but follow their owne fiery humour and set upon their own will with violence but godlinesse takes off men from this ruggednesse and turbulency of spirit makes them gentle and peaceable let them bee never so active never so forward never so zealous in any thing yet if you wil call them to examine things by rule they will meekly and patiently heare you yea a childe shall leade them Esay 11. 6. And yet further turbulēt they are not for none more obedient to authoritie than they none see that Majestie of God in Autority as they doe none obey Authority out of conscience so as they doe If the will of men in authority rather than authority shall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids that they do not because they cannot obey for conscience sake And so sacred do they account Authority that they would have no obedience performed to it but obedience for conscience sake Blind obediēce the Church of God hath long agoe exploded as too servile for Christian spirits this were more servile than selling mens bodies in the Market for slaves which Christianity abhors It were too uncharitable a conceit of Christian Magistrates to thinke that they should require of or expect from any other obedience than in and for the Lord and in this obedience those who are godly are so forward as they are judged turbulent for being over-forward to maintaine the honor of Authority as some think when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority and that of those lawes which are of the highest consequence for the furtherance of Piety and Peace Againe factious spirits they are not because they seeke above all things to keep to the maintenance of obedience to the Primitive truth that is faction that sides against that Tertullian hath a notable expression in his Apology for the Christians against the Gentiles to cleare Gods people from being men of factious spirits it seemes that aspersion was cast upon them then which was about 1400 yeares agoe his expression was this When good men when honest men meet together when godly men are gathered together it is not to bee called a faction but a Court and on the contrary the name of faction sayes hee is to bee applyed to them who conspire to the hatred of good and honest men And thus much of the first branch of the Vse which was the reprehension of the vile cōceits that men had of this other spirit Now the second followes which is the rebuking of the men of the world for the ill use they give to men who are of such excellent spirits The excellencies of the spirits of the godly do challenge all the good use that can bee but it is little they meet withall they are for the most part abused by the men of this vile world as if they were the vilest scurfe and filth of the earth yea so indeed they account them so saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Why what was S. Paul and what were those that were with him who was so accounted of were they not men of most excellent and admirable spirits S. Paul was one of the most excellent spirited men that ever lived upon the earth and did as much service for God as ever any meere man did since the beginning of the world and yet how vilie was he thought of how contemptibly was hee used put into stocks and whipped wanted cloathes and victuals And for the others that were with S. Paul they were men of whom the Holy Ghost gives this witnesse that they were the very glory of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh unworthy world that ever they should have such men live amongst them Those who are the delight of Angels yea of God himselfe how are they abused in this wicked world as if they were dogges or the basest scumme and filth of the earth What scorne and contempt is cast upon them the most abject of men think themselves good enough to reproach and abuse them Were it not a grievous sight to see some base drudge to have power over the body of some noble Prince to abuse it by stripes or any other contumelious sordid manner but a more grievous thing it is to see the vile and base spirits of the world who are nothing but sinks of filth themselves to abuse men of such noble and excellent spirits as if they were more vile than dirt It was the bitter complaint of Ieremy Lament 4. 2. that the pretious sonnes of Sion comparable to fine gold were esteemed as earthen pitchers Such as blessed spirits would honour if they had them with them yet here they are cast out as filth What griefe sufficent to lament the seeing of such filthy swine to trample under their feet such pretious pearles in all ages thus it hath beene Those who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth such pretious and excellent spirited men as of whom the world was not worthy and yet they have beene most vilely abused and are so still by this wretched world
is not forced and haled to them doth not take them up as tiresome burdens Gods Commandements are not grievous they are not as fetters of iron but as chaines of gold for beauty and ornament there is a readinesse of spirit to what ever is good they are vessels of honour ready prepared to every good worke 2. Tim. 2. 21. It is written in the volume of thy booke I should doe thy will and â—o I come psalm 40. 7 8. There is a sutablenesse betweene the law and the spirit the law is written in it never so in it's element as when it is in the wayes of obedience there is not that straitnesse of spirit as in others but here the heart sweetly enlarges it selfe as the flowre that opens it selfe to the shining of the Sunne Thirdly a sublime spirit raised high by spirituall heavenly influences not swelling by pride a spirit that hath all earthly things under feet as the Holy Ghost sets out the Church Revel 12. 1. Things received with admiration by other spirits it looks on with contempt as things infinitely inferiour to it a godly mans feet are where other mens heads their heads that is the pitch and height of all their aimes is upon things that are on the earth but the Saints have these things under their feet When Valence sent to offer Basil great preferments to tell him what a great man he might be Basil answers Offer these things to children not to Christians When some bade stoppe Luthers mouth with preferment one of his adversaries answered It is in vaine he cares not for gold his spirit was too noble and high to bee tempted with gold base low spirits would have beene taken with such things such a spirit as Demas who forsooke Paul to imbrace this present world but a spirit raised by God is above them How was S. Pauls spirit above mony when he speaks of lucre he cals it silthy lucre 1 Tim. 3. 3. A godly mans spirit is sutable to the high dignities put upon it and priviledges it hath Saul when made a King had another spirit put upon him contemning former things highly esteemed of a man raised on high lookes on things below and they appeare small things to him so here Reason may raise the spirits of men above the common sort a rationall man lookes at many sinnes as too mean and base for him scornes to staine his excellency with them as the sinnes of sensuality and filthy lusts Tully thinkes him not worthy the name of a man that spends a whole day in the pleasures of the flesh and Socrates had such a vile esteeme of sinne as he thinkes it shall be one of the greatest torments of men in another life to be tied and bound to the sinnes they most delighted in here Seneca hath a notable expression to this purpose I am too great and borne to greater things theÌ„ that I should be a slave to my body But if Reason raises the spirit so high how high then doth Grace raise it This spirit cannot be satisfied with small low things as it is reported of Luther when great gifts were sent to him hee refused them with this most brave and excellent speech I did earnestly protest that God should not put mee off with these things meaning that hee would not be satisfied with anything that was here below All the things in the world are farre from being able to satisfie this spirit it accounts all yea if they were a thousand times more than they are but a poore pittance for the portion of an immortal soule If God should make more worlds for it yet if he give not himselfe to it it would not be satisfied nothing but a God an infinite universall eternall Good can fill up the desires of this spirit Thou hast made us O Lord for thy selfe saies Saint Austin and our hearts are unquiet till they come unto thee It is the worke of a base drossy spirit to thinke If I had but so much or so much yearely I should have enough how base the spirit of that rich man blessing himselfe in his goods Soule take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares what were all those to his soule to the happinesse of his soule These are spirits that have higher designes theÌ„ so their designes no lesse than a Kingdome yea than God himselfe Rom. 2. 7. They seeke for glory honour immortality eternall life Though they can bee content with little of the world for their use yet they cannot bee content without that Good Happinesse that is infinitely higher and better than all the world for their portion As Abraham said concerning his child when God promised him a great reward Gen. 15. 2. Lord what will thou give me so long as I goe childlesse Lord what is all the reward I can have except I have this mercy except I have a child because the Messias was to come out of his Ioines So the soule here if God should promise it never such great things yet Lord what are all these things to me if I have not thy selfe All the gifts that God can give to this spirit will not satisfie it except he gives himself to it As God is not pleased with what wee tender to him except we give our selves to him So a godly heart is not contented with all that God gives to it except hee gives himselfe to it Thus Bernard exceeding sweetly As what I have if offered to thee pleaseth not thee O Lord without my selfe so thy good things we have from thee though they may refresh us yet they satisfie us not without thy selfe Yea further the enjoyment of God is not enough except they may have a full enjoyment of him they are not satisfied except they bee filled with the fulnesse yea with all the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. See a notable example of this in Moses Exod 33. 12. and so on The Lord had done great things for Moses many wayes but besides all hee had done for him hee told him that hee knew him by name and that he had sound favour in his sight one would have thought this might have satisfied him No Moses must have more Verse 13. I pray thee if I have found grace in thy sight shew me thy way that 〈◊〉 know thee and that I may finde grace in thy sight God grants him this and rels him Verse 14. that his presence shall goe with him and hee will give him rest surely this will satisfie him No Verse 16 Moses must have yet more hee must have such a presence as the world may know that God doth goe with him and that hee and his people are a separated people from all the people that are upon the face of the earth and Verse 17. The Lord saith to him I will give thee this thing also that thou hast spoken Surely this will satisfie him No Moses is not satisfied yet Verse 18. I beseech thee
low enough to those who are above them yet they are imperious cruell hard-hearted rugged fierce towards those that are under them they thinke it the bravenesse greatnes of their spirits that they can insult over them and revenge themselves upon them but there is nothing great in these men but pride and selfe love this is the greatest basenesse of spirit that can be and the more these men formerly did discover their basenesse in their sordid crouchings unto others that were above them the more doe they now discover the vilenesse of their spirits in their cruell insultings over those that are under them And this they thinke a goodly and brave thing that they can trample upon others whereas the kindnesse of a man is the goodlinesse and beauty and excellency of a mans spirit That word in Esay 40. 6. that is translated The goodlinesse of the flower is the same word which signifies Kindnesse Wee reade Revel 9. The Locusts that came out of the smoaking pit They had faces as the faces of men and they had haire as the haire of women They had faire countenances they could looke smiling and flattering upon men for their owne ends but their teeth were the teeth of Lions and they had tailes like Scorpions to tear and sting those that they had at an advantage An insulting spirit over those that we have at advantage is farre from true generousnesse howsoever men may blesse themselves in it Rehoboam was a man of an exceeding imperious insulting disposition My little finger saith he shall be thicker than my fathers loynes My father put a heavy yoke upon you but I will put more to your yoke my father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with Scorpions O what a spirit was here Surely he and those who put him on rejoyced in this as a brave commanding spirit indeed But the holy Ghost saith of Rehoboam that he was a poore weak childish-spirited man yea he calls him a child though hee was above forty yeeres old 2 Chron. 13. 7. hee was young the word is a childe and tender-hearted that is of a poore soft effeminate spirit True generousnesse and cruelty are exceeding opposite one destroys the other When Davids spirit was distempered when he had lost much of his generousnesse by that sinne of uncleannesse as appeares in the 51. Psalme where hee prayes to God for his free spirit which word signifies a royall Princely spirit as you heard before much of the royall princelinesse of his spirit was lost by that sinne and David was never so rigid as hee was at this time which appeares out of the 2 Sam. 12. 30 31. where he commanded the people whom hee had overcome to bee brought forth and put them under sawes and under harrowes of iron and made them passe thorow the brick-kilne and thus did he unto all the Cities of the children of Ammon This was exceeding harsh and rigid wee never reade of him that ever he dealt thus with any before now this is observable that this act of his was at that time wherein he lay in his sinne for Ioab had besieged that City before David saw Bathsheba and it was at that siege that Vriah was slaine And although this fact be related after Nathans comming to him and after Solomons birth yet it is probable it was before even while hee lay in his sinne for two reasons 1. Because it is not probable that the siege continued not onely till the child conceived in adultery was borne but after the birth of Solomon too as it here stands in the story 2. Neither is it like that David newly receiving such mercy from God as he did in the pardon of his sinne and when his heart was so broken as it was that hee should then shew such rigid severity onely for the abuse of his Messengers The reason why this is set after is because in the time of the siege David committed the adultery and so the whole story concerning David and Bathsheba is first related and then he comes to the story of the warre againe 4. A generous spirit is studious and diligent to returne good as well as desirous to receive good as David Psal 116. 12. What shall I render unto the Lord saith he he speaks as a man pressed in his spirit troubled untill he did returne something he accounts favours received as great obligations as any debts in the world It is infinite basenesse in spirit to be so for ones selfe as if ones owne turne be served then neither God nor man is regarded How many men will crouch and yeeld to any thing till they have got their owne turnes served but then they grow proud and regardlesse of those yea oftentimes spightfull against those to whom when time was they crouched for favours and from whom they received many by which they are come to that which now they are A notable example of this we have in Benhaded 1 King 20. 32. compared with Chap. 22. 31. In the former place he caused his servants to gird themselves with sackcloth on their loynes and put ropes on their heads and to come to the King of Israel and say Thy servant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me live and hee was content to yeeld to any termes when the King of Israel had him at advantage as verse 34. The Cities which my father tooke from thy father I will restore and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus but after that he was got out of his hands Ahab was faine to go to war with him to get those Cities Cap. 22. 3. And observe the basenesse of the spirit of Benhadad hee who before had so crouched to Ahab for his life hee now commands his Captaines to fight neither with small nor great save only with the King of Israel see with what malice he seekes the life of him who before had saved his 5 A generous spirit loves to be abundant in service it is not satisfied in doing mean and ordinary things as before they were sublime in that receiving of ordinary things from God would not satisfie them but they must have great things from him so now it is their generousnesse that they will not be quieted in doing ordinary things for God but they must doe great things for him they prize their service as well as their wages as Ioh. 17. 4. Christ saith He hath finished the work that his Father gave him to doe he accounts his worke a gift Thus those who have the Spirit of Christ account their services to be gifts from God to live unserviceable they would account to be the greatest burden in the world to them they had rather have lesse comforts and more service than more comforts and lesse service they had rather be straitned in comforts than in duties To what purpose doe we live if we be of no use It is the basenesse of mens spirits which a truly godly man abhorres who desire to
one riding on with strength in his journey hindred by the barking of whappets at his horse heeles hee rides on and minds them not and as for railings and revilings at the wayes of God by which many are discouraged the spirit of a godly man can shake them off as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand and feele no hurt it beares off many hardships that are like to bee very grievous to flesh and bloud that it is like to meet with which discourages the hearts of many both from beginning to enter upon Gods ways and from continuance in them after some entrance made as the other Spies that were sent with Caleb and Ioshua their hearts fainted they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with The land indeed is good but there are children of Anak there and walls that reach up to Heaven but this was the brave heroicall spirit of Caleb and Ioshua their spirits were undaunted they would goe up and possesse the Land let what ever could bee stand in their way Thus many have convictiōs of conscience that the wayes of God indeed are good but the great hardships that they are like to suffer in those ways keep them off But a true godly spirit is willing to embrace Religion with all the hard terms annex'd unto it it is a poore meane spirit that must indent with God a forehand If I were sure to hold out to have at last that which I desire then I would venture upon the wayes of godlines but I am afraid it will never be and so sinks and hath no mind to set upon the work But this spirit will set upon the worke with all the hazards as Ester If I perish I perish this was a brave spirit indeed If she had had such a base cowardly spirit as many to think Alas what good shall I do I may hazard my selfe and bring my selfe into trouble but no likelihood of any good will come of it she is content to venture all upon a meere possibility of good To breake thorow armies of difficulties as Davids Worthies shewed the excellency of their spirits in breaking thorow an Hoste to gratifie their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times had stood upon every difficulty what had been done in Gods cause No this spirit sets upon that which God cals it to doth what it can and leaves it self and the issue of its work to God as Ioab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good It was a brave speech of him that shewed an excellent brave spirit in him A poor low spirit thinks every difficulty an impossibility but this spirit will not easily entertain thoughts of impossibility in services that are noble and worthy of choice spirits it will rather thinke with it selfe Was there never any such thing done before or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it that was as unlikely as this to come to a good issue and yet was at last accomplished why may not this then be done and so sets about it without any more objectings against it with this resolution Quic quid sieri potuit potest That which hath been done may be done Such a spirit as this is ashamed to see and heare reade what great things have beene done by others and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in Suetonius reports of Iulius Caesar that seeing Alexanders Statue he fetched a deepe sigh because he at that age had done so little Yea so farre is a true heroicall spirit from being discouraged by difficulties as it s raised by difficulties thus it s said of a true godly man that hee stirres up himselfe against the hypocrite that hee holdes on his way and growes stronger and stronger Iob 17. 8 9. When a difficulty when any opposition or danger comes in Gods wayes now it sees an opportunity offered of shewing so much the more love to Iesus Christ so much the more sincerity and power of grace to bring so much the more honour to God and his cause and in this it rejoyces this was the reason why the Apostles and Martyrs rejoyced so much in their sufferings for Christ When Ignatius felt his flesh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beasts now sayes he I begin to be a Christian When Alexander saw an apparant great danger neare him his spirit workes on this manner Now sayes he here 's a danger fit for the minde of Alexander to encounter withall When David at first heard of being the Kings sonne in law he was troubled at it 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew what a difficult and hazardable service hee was to undertake for it then saies the Text in the 26 Verse It pleased David well to be the Kings sonne in law that which would have discouraged others who would gladly have had the preferment that raised the spirit of David and made him like the offer the better and surely this was not an ordinary common spirit it was the true magnanimity of the spirit of David Tenthly A solid serious spirit other spirits are sleight empty vaine frothy rash spirits which are exceeding great evils in the spirits of men sleightnesse of spirit makes men almost uncapable of any good what ever judge ment the Lord laies upon mee in this world yet the Lord deliver me from a vain sleight frothy spirit how doe the blessed glorious truths of God which are of infinite consequence passe by such and are never minded nothing sticks by them nothing abides with them that may be usefull for their everlasting good but this spirit is put into a serious solid frame it examines the ground of actions compares one thing with another looks much at the issue of things this must needs bee because the feare of the great God and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it Esay 11. 2. These are joyned together the spirit of knowledge wisedome the spirit of counsell and the fear of the Lord it converses so much with serious things of high and infinite consequence that it must needs be put in a serious frame Eleventhy It is an active lively spirit serious but not sullen not heavy dull solid but not stupid 1 Pet. 2. 5. The godly are called lively stones stones because of their solidnesse lively because of their activenesse God is himselfe a pure act and these spirits have some likenesse to him and nearenesse with him the higher things are the more active water more than earth aire more than water fire more than all these spirits are raised to the highest excellencies of any creature in this world They are of quick understanding as Esay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The most noble excellent activenesse is from life and the more noble excellent the
life the more noble and excellent activenesse as sense more than the plants and the rationall life more than the sense and grace more than that and glory more than all the more spirituall the more active the more power the forme hath over the matter the more active the thing is and the more the forme is sunk as it were into the matter there the lesse activenesse as in the earth and all heavy bodies now where life is there the forme hath most power and the higher the life the greater the power Godly spirits therefore are not melancholy for melancholy makes dul but they are active and lively though they may bee heavy and sad if put to some imployment not sutable to their spirits but put them upon spirituall imployments and then you shall find them lively and active when they have to deale with God when drawing neare unto him in spirituall exercises then they are full of life they are fervent in spirit serving the Lord as Rom. 12. 11. Boyling in spirit so the word signifies when serving the Lord. The effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availes much saith S. Iames 5. Chapter 16. verse The working prayer so the word signifies and such a working that notes the most liveliest activity that can bee Birds whose motion is on high fly swiftly when they are got up but slutter when they are below so the spirits of the godly when they are got up on high to God in spirituall exercises then they move lively but when they are busied in inferiour things they are oft-times dull and heavy Twelfthly the spirits of the godly are faithfull spirits faithfull to God and men such as will certainly stick to and will bee true to their principles you may know where to finde them if you know their principles which are sound good as before The righteous is as an everlasting foundation Prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him there is an evennesse in all his wayes a constancy an universality of truth and faithfulnesse for it proceeds from the holinesse of their spirits as the faithfulnesse of God proceeds from his holinesse and therfore those mercies that are called the sure mercies of David Esay 55. 3. they are called the holy sure things of David Acts 13. 34. Gods holinesse makes them sure being once promised There may bee a particular faithfulnesse in some things betweene man and man where but some common gifts and the spirit not this choice spirit but that faithfulnesse comes not from a holy frame and therefore there is not an universality in it These are the speciall qualifications of this other spirit these are the bright glistering Pearles with which a godly soule the Kings daughter the Spouse of Iesus Christ is beautifull within and enlightned free royall sublime humble sanctified publike heroicall serious active faithfull spirit this is another spirit indeed not the common ordinary spirit Sixtly another spirit it feeds upon other comforts differing from those that common spirits feed upon Every life draws to it things sutable to the nature of it and findes some kinde of content and comfort in the enjoyment of such things We account life no life except it hath the fillings of it with things sutable from whence it may have comfort according to the variety of severall principles whereby every creature that hath life lives such is the variety of comforts in the world So the life of this spirit must have comforts sutable to it and because it differs from the life of other spirits therefore the comforts of it are different it lives upon other comforts The life of a Dog is maintained by carrion of a Swine by swill of a Toade by poyson but what doth a man care for these though Carrion lie in the ditch though Swill bee in the kennell though poyson cast upon the dunghill he cares not for them for his life is maintained by and hee feeds upon other comforts Thus though the men of the world living by sense and lust have no other comforts to feed upon but such as are sutable to them but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles they feed upon higher and more noble comforts While Nebuchadnezzar lived the life of a beast hee fed on grasse but after when he was restored to his Kingdome and began to live the life of a King he had other comforts to feed upon and delight himselfe in The joy of the spirits of the godly are like the light of the Sunne fed by heavenly influence but the joyes of other men are as the light of a Candle fed by base and stinking matter for so Solomon makes the comparison Prov. 4. 18. The righteous is as the Sunne that shines more and more unto the perfect day and the joyes of the wicked he compares to a Candle Prov. 24. 20. The Candle of the wicked shall be put out The men of the world have seduced spirits they seed upon ashes Esa 44. 20. The curse of the Serpent is upon them upon their bellies they goe dust they eate while they feed upon their Swill and Huskes the spirits of the Saints finde bread in their fathers house their comforts are inward A good man is satisfied from himselfe Prov. 13. 14. hee hath a spring within in his own brest he need not shark abroad Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 6. Godlinesse with selfe-sufficiency so the word signifies When Oecolampadius lay sick his friends askt him whether the light did not offend him hee clapt his hand on his brest and said Hic sat lucis Here is light enough this is soirituall comfort that which arises from a right frame of spirit Hence the word in Saint Iames chap. 5. 13 translated merry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rectitude of the minde noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the minde As for other mirth I have said of laughter it is mad and of mirth What dost thou As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body much more in the spirit when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper Spirituall comforts are such as are above the soule and therefore put an excellency upon it the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty cannot but bee meane and doe debase it How much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man is the flesh of beasts the juyce of the Grape or any vaine sports or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part but there are comforts that are above the soule spirituall heavenly divine things and these this spirit feeds upon they are comforts that the spirit rejoyces in before the Lord That a sweet and blessed joy indeed that is enjoyed before the Lord and when the Lord most present most enjoyed Other vaine sensuall spirits have joy but not before the
a mans selfe is his soule Hence whereas in Matth. 16. 26. it is said What shall it profit a man if hee gaine the whole world and lose his soule it is said in another Evangelist Luke 9. 25. What shall it prosit a man if hee gain the world and lose himselfe Surely spirituall excellencies are the highest excellencies as First these spirituall excellencies have this propriety in them they make a man a better man wheresoever they are which bodily excellencies doe not nor all the riches nor honours in the world A man is not the better man because he hath money cloaths honours better dyet than others these are but outward things added to him no intrinsecall excellencies Secondly these spirituall excellencies are the beginnings of eternall lise the same life we shall have in heaven and hence the work of Gods Spirit in the soule is called The Earnest of the Spirit not a pawne but an Earnest for a pawne is to be returned againe but an Earnest is part of the whole summe that is to follow That which we have of Gods Spirit is part of the same glory we shall have fully in heaven it is not onely an evidence unto us that there is glory comming but it is a beginning of the glory the fulnesse whereof is to come afterward Such a spirit as hath this life lives a life farre above the common life of the world even the life of heaven the same life that Angels and Saints do live in heaven the life of those blessed spirirs there Wee mistake if wee thinke eternall life is only in heaven eternall life is in this world in the excellent frame of the spirits of Gods servants 1 Iohn 3. 15. Life is the chiefe excellency communicated to the Creature and the highest life the highest excellency There is more distance between the excellency of the meanest weakest godly man in the world and the most eminent man for parts common gifts onely than betweene the meanest and weakest godly soule and the most eminent glorified Saint in the highest heavens the weakest godly man excels him that is most eminent in common gifts more than the most eminent Saint in heaven excells him for the glorified Saint is onely higher in some degrees in the same excellency which in the principles yea and in some lustre the meanest Saint on earth hath hee hath that which will at last grow up to heavens glory but the distance betweene him and the man who onely hath the excellencies of parts learning common gifts it is essentiall All parts and common gifts in the world can never grow up to this Thirdly yea this is not onely the life of Angels the life of heaven but the life of God himselfe for so it is called by God himselfe Ephes 4. 11. Seneca sayes of Reason that it is part of the Divine Spirit in mans body it is much more true of Grace it enables the soul in some resemblance to come the nearest that can be to live as God lives to work as God works it represents God in his highest glory and therefore it is called The lynage of God This shewes more to the world what God is than all the frame of Gods creation besides It is not as an Image which hath only the dead lineaments drawne though there be some beauty in this but as the Image in a glasse which presents the motion as wel as the lineaments yea and not only so but as the sonne that beares the Image of the father and this represents the life or as if a glasse had life in it and so could enjoy the sweetnesse the good of that Image it represents unto it self This Spirit is such a living glasse of the blessed God that it enjoys the good and sweetnesse of that Image of God it hath in it Yea one degree higher it is called the very Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. as if it were nothing else but a sparkle of the Deity it selfe Seneca has a strong speech concerning mans soule What can we call the soule sayes he but God abiding in an humane bodie If a soule that hath only naturall excellencies comes so neare God how neare then comes it to him when raised by those spirituall and supernaturall excellencies we have spoke of Yea yet there is an higher degree than this It is called the glory of the Lord Rom. 〈◊〉 3. yea a higher degree than all the former the excellencie of this spirit is such as it is one spirit with God himselfe 2 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit It was the excellencie of Ioshua that hee had the spirit of Moses upon him of Elisha that hee had the spirit of Eliah what is it then to have the Spirit of God himselfe yea to be one spirit with him Put all these then together godlinesse by which this other spirit is raised higher than common spirits it is the life of God the Image of God the divine Nature the glory of God yea one spirit with God and is not here an high and glorious excellencie Fourthly this makes him wheresoever it is fit to glorifie God in the world and so the soule thus endued is not onely a glasse to represent a living glasse to enjoy the comfort of what it doth represent but as a glasse to reflect upō the face of God himself the glory of his own Image and that by a principle within it self Other glasses can reflect upon the thing whose image it hath if acted by a hand externally but this by an inward living principle and so gives God his glory actively which no other creature can doe but Angels and mens soules who have these spirituall excellencies in them Were it not for a few of these spirits what glory would God have in the world how little would he be minded or regarded But these are they who have high thoughts of God who have trembling frames before him who do reverence feare adore love cleave to trust in magnifie the Name of the great God in the world these sanctifie his Name in his worship they worship him as a God they worship him in spirit and truth and such worshippers God seeks Ioh. 4. 23. as these he highly esteemes of and much rejoyces in these take notice of him in all his creatures in the wayes of his providence and use the creatures for him from whom they are the glory of God is deare and pretious to these this is the excellencie of their spirits they are not sunke in the dregs of the world but being kept in some measure in their purity they worke up to God doe as it were naturally flow to God as to their Center Fiftly these are such as are fit to stand before the Lord to have converse and enjoy communion with him Dan. 1. 4. we reade that those that were judged fit to stand in the Kings pallace before King Nebuchadaezzar they must have no blemish they must
Revel 12. the Devill there opposeth Gods Saints in fiery and open violence as a Dragon but afterward Chap. 13. he gives his power to the Beast who had seven heads who would worke with more subtilty to draw the world after him and as wee reade Hos 7. 4 6 7 verses those who laboured to set up the Calves in Dan and Bethel were as hot as an Oven in their purposes intentions and desires but because they saw the best way to have the worke succeed was not to carry it on at first by open violence therefore they were content to stay As the Baker ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough untill it be leavened and when it is once leavened then hee puts it into the Oven so they were content to forbeare a while untill they had sent fit instruments abroad amongst the people to leaven them to prepare them by perswading them that if such a thing were done it were no great matter they should still worship the true God the difference was but the circumstance of the place and thus when they were leavened then they were fit for the Oven that is for the purposes and intentions of those who desired to set up the Calves which were as hot as an Oven According to any service the Devill hath for men he hath devices to raise their spirits to that height of wickednesse as shall fit them for it We have a notable relation of Hospinian cōcerning this When the Jesuits have made choice of an Instrument for that King-killing service that they intend to set him about they doe not put him upon it untill they have first raised and sitted his spirit for the service by these meanes 1. They bring him to a very private place in a Chappell or Oratory where the knife lies wrapt up in a cloth with an Ivory sheath with divers characters and Agnus Dei upon it they draw the knife and bedew it with holy water and hang on the haft of it some Beads consecrated with this Indulgence That so many blowes as he gives in the killing the King so many soules hee shall save out of Purgatory then they give the knife to him commending it to him in these words O thou chosen son of God take to thee the sword of Iephte Sampson David Gideon Iudith of Machaheus of julius the second who defended himself from the Princes by his sword goe and bee wisely couragious and GOD strengthen thy hand then they all fal upon their knees with this praier Be present O ye Cherubins and Seraphins bee present yee Thrones Powers holy Angels fill this holy vessell with glory give him the crowne of all the holy Martyrs he is no longer ours but your companion and thou O God strengthen his arme that he may doe thy will give him thyhelmet and wings to flie from his enemies give him thy comforting beames which may joy him in the midst of all his sorrows Then they bring him to the Altar where the picture of Iacobus Clemens is who killed Henry the third of France the Angels protecting of him and then they shew him a crown of glory and say Lord respect this thy arme and executioner of thy justice then foure Iesuits are appointed privately to speak with him they tell him that they see a divine lustre in his face which moves them to fall downe and kisse his feet and now he is no more a mortall man they envy his happinesse every one sighing and saying Would to God I were in your roome that I might escape Purgatory and go immediatly into Paradise but if they perceive him to shrink and be troubled after all this they will sometimes affright him with terrible apparitions in the night and sometimes have the Virgin Mary and the Angels appear before him c. Thus you see how the Devill will have mens spirits fit for their worke and when they are fit then he uses them and not before much more will God looke to have the spirits of his servants fit for their employments and then onely he delights to use them and those are the spirits who are higly accounted of who are exceedingly honourable in the sight of God who are fitted for his owne service Seventhly this puts a lustre of Majesty and beautic upon a man Wisedome much more all the excellencies of this Spirit makes a mans face to shine as the light of a Lanterne puts a lustre upon the Lanterne so the brightnesse of these spirits puts a lustre upon the men in whom they are Men of such spirits as these are have a daunting presence in the eyes of those who behold them It is reported of Basil that such was the Majesty lustre of hisspirit appearing in his very countenance that when the Emperor Valens came unto him while he was in holy exercises that it struck such a terror into him that hee reeled and had sallen had he not been upheld by those that were with him When the Officers came to take Christ he did but say I am hee and let out a beam of the Majesty of his Deity it strucke such a feare in them as made them all fall backward This Spirit hath a beame of this Majesty and somewhat of the daunting power of it how unable are wicked men to converse with men of such spirits They often goe from their company convinced self-condemned their consciencestroubled and their hearts daunted in them Eighthly this spirit makes men fit for any condition that God shall put them into they know how to yeeld to God to sinde out Gods meaning to carry themselves in every condition so as to worke out that which God would have by it which men of ordinary spirits cannot doe S. Paul was a man of a most admirable sweet spirit and he shewes it much in this I know sayes he how to want and how to abound how to be full and how to be empty Hee could goe through good report and evill report and keep his way still and carry his work before him It is the weaknesse and vanity of our spirits that makes us thinke that if wee were in such and such a condition then we could doe thus or thus this is a temptation to hinder us from the duties of the present condition by putting our thoughts upon another It is the excellency of ones spirit if the present condition bee not sutable to the minde to make the minde sutable to the condition that the present which God calls to may goe on When a joynt in the body is set right it enables not onely to move one way without paine but to move any way according to the use of the member so where ones spirit is set right it doth not onely enable to go on with some comfort in one condition but in any condition that God calls unto to carry on the work of that condition with joy and hence the recovering of the spirit from a distempered condition to a right
other succeeding Ages CAP. IV. The Reason why the men of the world and the Godly can never agree HEnce wee see the Reason why the men of the world and the godly can never agree they are men of another spirit Where there is difference of spirits there can be no agreement Water and oile cannot mingle no agreement betweene light and darknesse they looke at them as men whose lives are after another fashion That Apocryphall Authour in that book of Wisdome hath an excellent expression to this purpose Chap. 2. 12. he brings in wicked men saying of the godly He is cleane contrary to our doings he is grievous unto us to behold his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse he commendeth greatly the latter end of the just Verse 19. Let us examine him with rebukes and torments c. Let the relation and the ingagements be what they will yet so long as of different spirits they cannot close What a differeÌ„t spirit was there betweene Iacob and Esau who lay in the same wombe at the same time 〈◊〉 There may be outward peace fo 〈…〉 while betweene Gods people and some wicked men but inward closing of spirit there can never bee The spirit that is in you the world cannot receive sayes our Saviour Iohn 14. 17. Antipathies are irreconcileable no arguments no meanes ever used can cause an accord except there be a change in nature Nothing in the world puts mens spirits in such a distance as Grace when that comes and therefore where the most eminent grace there the greatest disagreement betweene them and wicked men How many wicked men cannot but be convinced of some godly who live with them that they are better than themselves that they are conscientious men whose Principles are truly godly and that they walke close to them they are not able to charge them with any ill carriage towards them they seeke to doe them all the good they can and yet their spirits cannot close but as they were wont to say in former times Caius Seius was a good man but hee was a Christian so now such are good men but they are too strict this enough to keepe a perpetuall breach betweene them CAP. V. Learne to have a right esteeme of such pretious spirited men IF the godly be of such excellent spirits learne wee then hence to have a right esteeme of them they surely are worthy of pretious account of most honorable esteem who are men of such excellent spirits Let them bee what they will in regard of their outward condition though never so meane and poore No matter what the Ring bee if the Pearle in it be pretious Many most pretious spirits have very mean outsides The Tabernacle was beaten Gold within but the out side covered with Badgers skines If the treasure be rich what though the vessell be earthen Surely these are the excellency of the earth the very light and beauty of the world the glory of Gods Creation they give a lustre to the places where they live to the families in which they are especially if they walke close and faithfully with God indeed manifesting the excellency of their spirits in their wayes so that when they are taken away the very places where they lived are darkened This other spirit of the godly makes a Iob scraping his soares on the dung-hill and a Ieremy sticking in the myrie dungeon more glorious than Kings and Princes sitting crowned upon their Thrones these are glorious within God is a Spirit and he looks on men to see what they are in their spirits and he esteems accordingly of them and so should we What doth brave cloathing what doth money what doe titles of honour raise the dignity what are these to the excellency of mans nature No certainly the excellency of man must bee that which mustmake the most excellent and noble part truly excellent which is the spirit of a man If a man would know the excellency of any thing as of a sword or of any other instrument he judges it not by the Hilt or the inferour part but by what excellency the principle part hath There is a spirit in man and the inspiration is from the Almighty a spirit inspired by the Almighty and beautified with his heavenly graces this innobles a man indeed it is the ornament of the hidden man of the heart the glorious cloathing of that which makes truely beautifull and glorious How did many of the Heathen highly prize those in whom they saw any naturall excellency of spirit differing from other men Those amongst the Romanes who were called the Curii and â—abritii they lived very poorly and meanly yet being perceived to have more excellent spirits than other men they were taken from their dinner of Turnips and Watercresses to lead the Romane Armie How much more should we honour men in whom we may see Divine spirits the lustre of heavenly graces shining in them But to shew more particularly that godly men are to be highly prized in regard of this other spirit as they have received a spirit differing from other men so they are to have esteem and honour differing from other men not to bee looked at as common men for First this difference of their spirits from other men is a certaine signe of the eternall love of God unto them it comes from the treasure of Gods everlasting love of that choyce speciall love of God from the bowels of Gods deepest mercies it is a most infallible argument that God hath set his heart upon them for good as for other favours a man may have them more than other men yet they are no such but may stand with Gods hatred and with his eternall wrath and this is a great difference betweene spirituall mercies and outward mercies which sets an exceeding high prize upon spirituall mercies aboue all others these are the distinguishing mercies which others are not But Secondly the spirit receiving these spirituall excellencies from Gods choyce everlasting love receives likewise all other mercies from the same fountaine though in their owne nature they bee common mercies yet where this other spirit is there they are received from another Fountaine than other men receive them which addes much sweetnesse and excellencie to the mercies we have they come as fruits of the common bounty and generall goodnesse of God to ordinary men but to men thus differenced from others they come out the spring of the rich treasures of Gods grace tending to the furtherance of eternall mercies Thirdly The Lord hath an especiall eye upon and delight to dwell with these who are of choice and excellent spirits Hee will dwell with the contrite heart to revive the spirit of the humble Esay 57-15 Hee hath a speciall care of these spirits that they doe not faile before him hee puts under his hand to support comfort revive
them When wee beate ordinary spices we heed not so much every dust but some flies out and falls on the ground But if Bezar-stone or some speciall choice costly spice bee beaten then there is care had of every dust that the least bee not lost So though God may afflict the choicest spirits of his servants yet hee is very carefull that their spirits faile not before him as for other common ordinary spirits hee cares not much to let them faile and sinke in their affliction but this is the mercifull care of God over those spirits whom he highly esteems of Fourthly The excellencies of this spirit are eternall excellencies they shall abide for ever not vanish not be taken away as common gifts and other mercies shall as Ezech. 46. 17. If a Prince give of his inheritance to one of his servants it is to bee his but for a time and to returne unto the Prince againe but his inheritance shall be to his sonnes for them for ever So when God gives any thing to common men who are but his servants at best it must returne againe GOD will call for all his mercies from them againe but these soule-mercies of his children shall be their inheritance for ever Hence God calls his Church an eternall Excellency Esay 60. 15. But fifthly and principally these other spirits are most honourable creatures indeed because they are reserved for other mercies GOD gives common mercies to common spirits but hee reserves his choice mercies for choice spirits With the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure saith David in the 2 Sam. 22. 27. The words are with the choice thou wilt shew thy selfe choice Abraham gave Ishmael and Hagar a bottle of water and a few raisins and sent them away but the inheritance was reserved for Isaac So God gives to other men a few ordinary mercies but his glorious mercies hee reserves for these peculiar ones and as it is said of Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 21. 3. he gave his other sonnes great gifts of silver gold precious things fenced Cities but the Kingdome he gave to Iehoram because he was the first borne So God gives these outward mercies to other men but the mercies of his Kingdome are reserved for these men of choice spirits who are the first borne the chiefe and most excellent of all Gods creatures in this world Now we are the sonnes of God saith S. Iohn but it appeares not what wee shall bee there is more to come hereafter they have not spirits that will be satisfied with the things of this world and therefore are not as ordinary men who have their portion in the things of this world God delights to fill the capacities of all his creatures with sutable good now these other spirits by that choice excellency of them are made capable of farre higher mercies than the world can afford they must be the good things of another world that can fill them and those are reserved for them The bodies of the Saints because they are joyned to such pretious soules shall be like the glory of the Sunne yea excell in glory How glorious then shall their souls be for whose sake their bodies shall bee thus glorious Wee look upon great heires who have great inheritances to come with high esteeme though they have little for the present These are the great heires of heaven Coheires with Iesus Christ himselfe these they are who are delivered from the wrath to come and to be made partakers of the glory that is to be revealed The Lord gives them no great matters in comparison now because hee hath reserved so much for them afterwards As nature is not very exquisite in her worke in inferiour things where she intends some higher excellency So the God of Nature intending such high and glorious things hereafter for his Saints doth no so much regard to give them these inferiour things for the present But what are those reserved mercies you speake of that God hath for these Not entending a Treatise of that glory that God hath for his choice ones onely take these five generals First These mercies are prepared mercies prepared before the foundations of the world were laid and againe prepared by Iesus Christ who is gone before to heaven to that end as hee tels us himselfe To prepare Mansions for us Iohn 14. 1. Now this is spoken after the manner of men who do not use to make long and great preparations but for some great worke in hand Surely these mercies must needs be great which the wisedome power and mercy of God hath been from all eternity preparing Secondly They are other mercies than Adam than Man-kinde should have had than they could have attained unto if he had stood in his innocencie Man indeed should then have beene for ever happy but not according to that height of happinesse and glory that now is provided for those who are the beloved of the Lord. Thirdly These reserved mercies are such as must set out Gods Magnanimity that God may shew to Angels and all his creatures what his infinite wisdome power and goodnesse can do for poore creatures to raise their conditions to a height of glory surely that glory must needs be high that is raised for that end If a King should doe any thing of purpose to shew his magnificence it must needs be some great thing it is not a common ordinary thing that can set forth the Magnificence of a King much lesse that can set forth the Magnificence of the great God When Ahasbuerus would make a feast and Nebuchadnezzar would build a Pallace to shew to their people their greatnesse they were great things so surely here that which must shew the greatnesse of the great God must needs be great indeed Fourthly These mercies must be such as may shew to Angels and all the world how infinitly well pleased God the Father is with the obedience of his Sonne in giving himself up to death for the purchase of mercy Surely that mercy thus purchased must needs be great If there had beene no higher good for man but to eat and drink and to have pleasure to the flesh certainly Christ would never have died to have purchased this but there were higher things then these which Christ look'd at these are but poore things for God to shew by them how infinitely he is well pleased with the obedience of his sonne to the death that which must demonstrate this cannot but bee very great what ever it bee and that yea the fulnesse of that is the mercy reserved for these choice ones Fiftly Other mercies in some respect higher than the very blessed Angels themselves have For 1 Mans nature is more highly advanced than theirs being hypostatically united to the Divine Nature 2 The righteousnesse whereby the Saints come to glory is a higher righteousnesse a more excellent righteousnesse than that of the Angels though theirs be perfect in its kinde theirs is the righteousnesse but of
meere creatures but the righteousnesse of the Saints is the righteousnesse of that Person which is both God and man 3 The sonneship of the Saints is founded in a higher right then that of the Angels namely in the Sonneship of the second Person in Trinity 4 They are the members of Jesus Christ and so in a nearer union with him then any other creature 5 They are the Spouse of the Lambe whereas the Angels are but ministring spirits as the servants of the Bridegroome but the Saints are the Bride Surely then the mercies reserved for these choice spirits are choice and glorious not onely other mercies then others have or they themselves have now but other mercies then they are able to imagine these therefore wee are to looke upon as most blessed and honourable creatures CAP. VI. A Rebuke to this vile world who have vile conceits of this spirit and abusemen of such excellent spirits IF the spirits of godly men bee thus pretious how vile then is this base world which hath such irrationall absurd conceits of this spirit and which so scornes and abuses men of such excellent spirits There are two branches of this use In the first the vile conceits that men of this world have of this spirit are rebuked For 1 they thinke godlinesse befooles men 2 They thinke it makes them cowards to bee men of no metall and valour poore spirited men 3 They thinke this spirit to bee a turbulent spirit as Ahab said of Elijah Art thou hee that troubles Irael Luther was called the trumpet of rebellion 4 And lastly They thinke them to be factious spirits For the first of these What more ordinary than to cast this aspersion upon Godlinesse that it makes men to be dull heavie stupid fooles not sit for the great and high things of the world and therefore they labour to stifle any beginnings of godlinesse in their children or in any neare to them for feare it should â—inder their parts and take away the quicknesse of their wits and bravenesse of their spirits Except you think that to be the only bravenesse of spirit to venture upon any thing that may further your owne ends not to feare sinne nor the displeasure of an infinite God to let out your hearts to the utmost to the satisfying your owne desires to examine nothing by rule but to doe whatsoever is good in your owne eyes to rejoyce in the wayes of sin and to blesse your selfe in the proud swellings of your owne heart to be able to scorne at conscience humiliation for sinne strictnesse in Gods wayes as too meane a thing for men of such qualitie of such birth as you are of such estates hopes preferments and designes as you have things fitter for poor snakes meaner people contemptible silly soules to looke after If this be the excellency of your spirits then godlinesse debases them indeed yea it debases them as low as hell it selfe it casts shame in the faces of and breaks in pieces such haughty swoln spirits as these are it brings them down to lie at Gods feet as poore contemptible creatures in their own eyes loathing and abhorring themselves as there is infinite cause they should and judging themselves worthy to bee destroyed but as for any true naturall excellency of spirit godlinesse doth not quench it but raises it and beautifies it and perfects it It is either grosse ignorance or desperate malice that causes these conceits of the worke of godlinesse in the spirits of men yea there is much blasphemy in them What shall the worke of Gods grace wherein the glory of God consists which is the life of God the Image of God the Divine Nature as hath been shewne shall it be the debasing the besotting the befooling of mens spirits What doth holinesse that makes God glorious make man contemptible and vile doth that which makes God so honourable in the eies of the blessed Angels and Saints make man a sott and a foole in the eyes of men Oh! that ever there should bee such malice in the hearts of men against the grace of God ever to have such vile conceits of it pray if it be possible that this thought of thy hart may be forgiven thee Did not malice blind men they might see that the Lord hath had and still hath some of his Saints as emineÌ„t in any outward true excellency as any in the world as great Schollers as brave Courtiers as any living as deepe in policie as profound in learning as compleat every way as any whosoever Who more eminent in learning than Moses who was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians who ever had a higher straine of eloquence than Esay who ever more profound than S. Paul And in later times yea even in our dayes the Church hath not wanted worthy and glorious lights who have beene exceedingly eminent in all that naturall excellency could make them even their enemies being Judges What braver Courtiers ever lived than Ioseph Nehemiah and Daniel Could godlinesse in the power and life of it in the strictnesse of it stand with bravenesse of spirit naturall excellencies then and can it not do so now Though God choseth oft-times the poore in the world to bee rich in faith the foolish things in the world to confound the wise and weake things of the world to confound the strong and base things and things despised c. 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. Yet when men are godly their parts are not by their godlines debased but raised many poore weake men who before were of mean naturall abilities yet put them now upon spirituall things and what strength of parts doe they shew in prayer in conference about the mysteries of God in discerning the subtilities and wiles of Satan in finding out the corruptions of their owne hearts in wisely ordering their affaires for God and the furtherance of their owne eternall good Wise in the right choice of the highest end and prudent in the right disposing of the best meanes tending thereunto These things are not the works of fooles of poore silly simple men they require quicknesse of understanding depth of judgement There are five reasons why godlines must needs raise a mans parts 1 Because it purges from many lusts that darken and besot men in their parts 2 It imployes men in conversing with high spirituall and heavenly things 3 It makes men serious and so strengthens their judgements in the apprehension of things 4 It makes men make conscience to improve their time in the use of all meanes and helps they can to enable and fit themselves for service Fifthly it causeth to imploy their parts faithfully and so they come to have the blessing of God upon them for the encrease of them according to his promise To him that hath it shall bee given Againe Godlinesse doth not make men cowards surely it hinders not spirituall valour who ever were greater souldiers more eminent in true valour and fortitude then Ioshua
God to receive the sentence of their eternall doome when they are to enter upon eternity how many then blesse God that ever he put it into their hearts to go another way not according to the common course of the world Though humour and conceitednesse may please and give content for a while yet it can never bring such peace and joy in sicknesse and death and when the soule sees it hath to deale with such an infinite holy God such a dreadfull Majesty none apprehend the glory and Majesty of God so as the godly doe none understand what eternity means so as they doe the sight of these things would shake men out of an humour it is not humour that can stand before God and the eternall misery or happinesse of the creature rightly apprehended it is time now to lay aside humours and conceits and yet then when these things are most clearely most powerfully apprehended by Gods servants even then they are most for the wayes of God in which they differed from the world than ever they were before it is now their greatest griefe that they have no more differed from them than they have and if they were to begin againe they would differ farre more than ever they did Sixtly Surely it is not humourous conceited singularity because most men who have enlightned consciences when they are most serious in their best moods are of this mind If you will needs go by multitudes we dare venture upon this yea we dare challenge upon this argument onely with these two Cautions 1 That the men you bring in be men of inlightned consciences for what have we to doe with others who are blind and ignorant though there were never so many thousands of them they can adde nothing at all to the cause 2 Let the judgements of men be taken when they are most serious when they are best able to judge doe not take them when they are in passion when their lusts are up but when their spirits are calmed and in the best temper when conscience hath the most liberty to speake indeed what it thinkes and of such men in such times we shall have the most on our side and therefore surely it is not a humour of singularity that acts the in the way of godlinesse Seventhly It is not singularity for we have the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Saints of God before us cloudes of witnesses thousand thousands of them and every one of them worth ten thousands of others as S. Chrysostome hath an expression in one of his Sermons to the people of Antioch It is better to have one pretious stone than to have many halfpenies so one godly man is better than multitudes of others And S. Cyprian hath the like expression in one of his Epistles Doe not attend to the number of them sayes he for one that feares God is better than a thousand wicked It is safe to follow the way of good men according to that in the Proverbs 2. 20. Walke thou in the wayes of good men and keep the wayes of the righteous Now then let neither the wayes of godlinesse or godly men ever be blamed for their singularity other spirits must needs lead into other wayes It was laid to Luthers charge that he was an Apostate he confesses himselfe to be one but a blessed and a holy Apostate one that had fallen off from the devill So wee confesse this is singularitie but a blessed and a holy singularity which differences Gods servants from this vile wicked world in which they live whereby they live as men of another world as indeed they are CAP. VIII Blesse God for making this difference betweene your spirit and the vile spirits of the men of the world SEeing this other spirit is so excellent and blessed then doe you to whom God hath given other spirits learne to blesse GOD for them the mercies of GOD to mens spirits are the greatest mercies though your conditions be meaner than others in other respects yet if your spirits be raised to an higher excellency than others you have infinite cause to blesse the Lord as S. Paul Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be the Lord which hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ What though God hath not abounded to you in outward honours estates delights yet if he hath abounded to you in wisdome holinesse faith humility c. you have no cause to complaine Where God gives his Spirit in the gifts and graces of it there hee gives all good things hence whereas S. Matthew sayes Chap. 7. 11. How much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to them that aske him S. Luke 11. 13. bringing in Christ speaking upon the same occasion sayes How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them that aske him as if all one to give his Spirit and to give all good things Spirituall blessings make all outward crosses light and easie as Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities Spirituall blessings have this excellency in them they cause a man to feele no need of many outward things which others know not how to want and it is as good to bee in such an estate to have no need of a thing as to enjoy it when we want it And further it is the excellency of spirituall blessings to keep downe the body and to carry the spirit above the body It was the excellencie and glory of the Martyrs that their spirits were so satisfied with mercies they had that they so little regarded their bodies when they suffered grievous torments as if they had not been their own Thus Zozomen reports of them Spirituall blessings are such as inable men to improve all other blessings they enjoy without these the greatest of other blessings would prove to bee the greatest curses to us and yet further These blessings upon our spirits cost God infinitely more than other blessings doe Other blessings God can give at a lower rate but these cost the dearest heart blood of his owne Sonne and therefore above all let God have the praise of these Outward bodily mercies we are unworthy of but when we consider of these let us say as David Psal 66. 14. Come and hearken all ye that feare God I will tell you what he hath done to my soule There God hath magnified his mercies toward me indeed You may remember how base your spirits once were how blinde foolish drossie sensuall and it may bee malicious This S. Paul cals to minde to stirre up himselfe and others to praise God for that blessed change he had wrought in his and in their spirits Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves also were in times past saith hee unwise disobedient deceived serving divers lusts living in maliciousnesse and envie hatefull and hating one another but when the bountifulnesse and love of God our Saviour appeared c. But if your spirits have not beene so vile as
which only gives a true greatnesse to the mind I know this is a powerfull argument with you to make grace lovely desirable in your eies to tell you that it will raise your spirits that it will put beauty and glory upon them that it will adde greatnesse and excellency to them The world is much for brave and Noble spirits we desire your spirits may be so onely mistake not the true Noblenesse the true excellencie of spirit certainly it is inthat which may bring you nearest to God the highest excellencie You can no way be so honourable as by the raising of your spirits by grace Wisdome with an inheritance is good wisedome with birth and eminency of place is a great blessing indeed to be rich in goods and rich in goodnesse is a happy connexion You would account it a great disgrace not to have education somewhat sutable to your birth and qualitie what can be said more dishonourable of a man than this He hath left him indeed a great estate and is of a great house but he hath no breeding What is a competent measure of knowledge in tongues and Arts and other things sutable to your births and estates accounted a beauty and ornament to them and is not grace and godlinesse much more Doe these adde an excellencie to your quality and put an honour upon your dignities and will not godlinesse much more Shall Sea and Land be travelled over with much hazard soule-hazard and bodilyhazard with great expence of estate to get knowledge of fashions and a Gentile behaviour because you thinke they will be Ornaments to your great estates you are borne to and shall no labour be undertaken to get godlinesse to get your spirits raised by grace as an ornament to the greatnesse of your birth and eminencie of your estate How is this to sleight the very glory of God himselfe and to contemne the highest dignity men or Angels are capable of Are any places so fit for wisedome as the high places of the City Prov. 9. 1 3. Wisdome hath builded her house shee hath hewen out her seven Pillars she cryeth upon the highest places of the City How honourable doth godlinesse make those whose birth whose place is honorable in the eyes of God his Saints blessed Angels and in the consciences of all How well doth grace suite with the highest dignity as a bright shining Diamond in a golden Ring as the world is drawn more conspicuous and full in a large Mappe than in a small so the beauty and excellency of grace and godlinesse appeares more conspicuous and glorious in great men and honourable than in those who are of a meaner ranke First you had need of other spirits more need than others for the improvement of those great mercies that you have above others As some fowle that have great wings yet can flie but little so many men have great estates but not having spirits to improve them they are of little use Know that your estates are either mercies or miseries blessings or cursings to you according as you have hearts to improve them if they be improved for God as advantages to honour God by to doe good withall they are then great blessings indeed and that is as great an argument of the truth of grace as any to be as earnest with God for an heart to improve an estate or a place of dignitie for God as to rejoyce that you have such an estate for your selves or that you are in such an eminent place whereby you may get honour to your selves Where God gives not a more excellent spirit than others as well as an higher condition than others there an eminent estate is made but as fewell for a nourisher and maintainer of all manner of evill to afford opportunities for acting of sinne and is not this the excellencie that many account to be in their estates in that it is higher than others in that they can have their wils and satisfie their lusts more than others Secondly you had need of other spirits for the improving of the large opportunities of service for God and his Church that you have more than others these are as great blessings as your estates or any dignities you have above others God betrusts you with much in giving you such large opportunities of service for the honour of his great Name If your birth be high your estates high and your spirits indued with excellencie from on high how fit then are you to be used by God in high and honourable services Hence the conversion of a great man is of exceeding great consequence whereupon Saint Paul was so loath to lose the Conversion of the Deputy Sergius Paulus who began to listen to his preaching of whom we reade Acts 13. verse 7. and so on Therefore when Elymas withstood him in this work seeking to turne away the Deputie from the Faith the spirit of S. Paul rose against him with much indignation and being filled with the Holy Ghost hee set his eyes on him and said O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe thou childe of the devill thou enemy of righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt bee blind As if S. Paul should have said What will you hinder me in such a great work as this wherein God may have so much honour in the conversion of this Noble-man this man of publike and eminent place this indeed is to be full of all mischiefe to bee an enemie of all righteousnesse Thus you see how his spirit was stirred when he was put in feare of being hindred in such a notable prize as this As a man when likely to have a great draught there comes in one and disturbs him and is like to hinder him of it Surely S. Paul saw that it was a wonderfull great blessing to the Church to have great men to be brought in to the obedience of the faith and to be added to it And further it is observed that God going along with S. Paul and finishing the work of the conversion of this great man that upon this Saint Paul had his name Paul given him being changed from Saul and called Paulus from that notable worke of the conversion of this Paulus Sergius As many great Captains amongst the Heathen were wont to have their names changed upon their successe in some noble enterprize and great victories as Scipio Africanus hee was called Africanus from his Conquest of Africa 3 You who are in high and eminent dignities you are the earnest prayers of Gods servants in all places that God would raise you up with truely noble excellent and gracious spirits that you may bee instruments of his glory How blessed you if God fulfils the prayers of his servants upon you What great pity is it that such blessed opportunities of service of honouring God themselves and families as you have should be
THE EXCELLENCY OF A Gracious Spirit DELIVERED IN A TREATISE upon the 14. of Numbers Verse 24. By IER BURROUGHES Minister of Gods Word PROV 17. 27. A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman and L. Fawne at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1639. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDVVARD Viscount MANDEVILLE Right Honorable THere is a common slander that hath been raised and vile aspertion that hath been and still is cast upon the wayes of godlinesse That they dis-ennoble mens spirits which Salvian complained of eleven hundred yeares agoe Si quis ex nobilitate converti ad Deum coeperit statim honorem nobilitatis amittit o quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est ubi Religio ignobilem facit That they make men rigid melancholy sowre uncivill That they dull their parts That they take them off from the delights of the things in the world That if men take up the power and strictnesse of them they must resolve never to keep any correspondence with their friends who are of rank and quality in the world and therefore although those who have little of the world and little to doe in the world may live strict lives yet it is not for such who are borne to great things whose fortunes are raised higher than other mens who have references to many of quality place it cannot be expected that they should bee so strict this must needs hinder them in their outward accomplishments if they begin to take such a course it is impossible they should be compleate every way as beseemes such as they are and thus many are compelled to be evill lest they should be esteemed vile as Salvian complaines of his time Mali coguntur esse ne viles habeātur a notable speech of his fully sutable to our times The first observance that I remember I had of this place in Salvian was from your Lordships ownhands shewing it to me in him as an expression that your Lordship was much affected with But these men do not consider how much they speak against themselves were this true it were a snare a judgement to be raised in outward excellencies above others No it is not honour they are not riches parts dignities that hinder godlinesse it is the basenesse and corruption of mens spirits in the enjoyment of these that hinders godlinesse raiseth the excellencies of them it drawes out the chiefe good in them and puts a higher beauty and glory upon them God hath raised up your Honor to convince the world of the falsenesse malice impiety there is in this evill report that is brought up upon the good and blessed wayes of godlinesse Malice it self cannot but acknowledge that godlinesse in the strictnesse of it naturall excellencies in the eminency of them have a blessed conjunction in your Honour Godlinesse as the enameling of Pearls in those golden naturall endowments with which God hath mercifully plentifully enriched you and were it but for this service only to God and his Church in convincing the world of the vilenesse of this slander I may speake without suspition of flattery happy that ever you were borne and I know that those who know your Lordship will justifie me in that I say In this God hath honored your Lordshipe exceedingly were there no other end for which you still live in such a generation as you doe but onely this yet in this you have great cause to blesse your selfe in God and in this great honour he hath put upon you to make you so publike and worthy an instrument of his Who is it that lookes upon you and sees your wayes but must needs confesse Now I see that strictnesse and power of Religion may stand with a most noble generous sweet amiable courteous demeanour I see it raiseth and ennobleth parts and though it banisheth base and sordid pleasures which are beneath the dignity of a man much more of ture Nobility and generousnesse yet it knowes how to make use of the delights that God affords in this world and orders and guides them so as by it they are injoyed with a double sweetnesse farre above that which others finde And yet further there are two more blessed conjuctures which adde much honour to you the one is a facile yeeldablenes of spirit to any though much inferiour in anything where good may bee done and yet a strong unmoveable sledfast resolute spirit against that which is evill It was the high commendation that Nazianzen gave of Athanasius that hee was Magnes Adamas A Loadstone in his sweet gentle drawing nature and yet an Adamant in his resolute slout carriage against those who were evill The other is this which makes all beautifull and lovely indeed though God hath raised you high in birth in abilities in the esteeme of men both good and bad yet the lustre of the humilitie of your spirit shines beautifully thorow all manifesting it selfe in much gentlenesse and meeknesse and this is the height of all true excellency A man of understanding is of an excellent spirit saith Salomon Prov. 17. 27. the word in the Originall is A coole spirit In also posito non altum sapere difficile est omnino inusitatum sed quanto inusitatius tanto gloriosius saith Bernard ep 42. The Lord carry on your truely noble and generous spirit that you may long hold forth the power beauty and excellency of his grace Let the height of all your designes be to list up the Name of the great God 2 Cor. 5. 9. We labour saith the Apostle whether present orabsent to bee accepted of him the word translated Labour loseth the elegancy of it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we love the honour of it it is such a labour as we account it our honour and glory We are ambitious to have high designes for God is a holy and a blessed ambition whereas the ambition of other men is low base Infoelix prorsus ambitio quae ambire magna non novit saith Bernard Account your selfe blessed when your God is blessed It was the blessing of Shem Gen. 9. 26. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem the chiefe of Shems blessing was that his Lord God was blessed That which I seeke is to ingage your Lordship for God and to stirr you up to answer fully the esteeme the expectations that men have of you whose eyes are upon you as a publike blessing an ornament to the prosession of the truth And yet this I desire your Lordship would consider as I know you doe that Religion is a greater honour and ornament to you than you are to it it doth and will more honour you than you ever did or can honor it s Your birth made you honourable but oh how honourable have you beene since you have beene pretious in Gods eyes Esay 43. 4. Your parts were alwayes hopefull but how apparently have they beene raised since grace hath sanctified
them Although God takes it well at the hands of those whom hee hath raised in the things of the world higher than others when hee seeth them forward in setting out his praise yet he would not have them thinke that he is beholding to them as if the honour of God depended so upon them as it would faile did not they put to their helpe No God can raise his honour by other meanes he can glorifie himselfe and get himselfe a great name by low meane and contemptible things It is not because God hath need of honour from you but because he delights to honour you that he is pleased to use you in his service It is an advancement to whatsoever greatnesse you have in the world to bee imployed for God were it but in the meanest service he hath to doe Where the heart is right even in that it gloryeth more than in all the dignity that earth can put upon it But yet the greater Instruments the Lord raiseth up for his glory the greater services he cals them unto the greater things may wee hope he intends for his Church When S. John saw the Elders casting downe their crownes before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power Apoc. 4. 10. soone after S. John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and sea saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for evermore cha 5. 13. And soone after that hee saw Christ with his Crowne upon him going forth conquering and to conquer Chap. 6. 2. What great mercies might we expect did we see God raysing up truely noble and generous spirits more generally in the great ones of the earth did we see the Elders and Nobles casting downe their Crownes before the Throne of the Lambe willing to deny all their glory and excellencies and estates for the raising up the glory of Iesus Christ Certainly God hath great things to doe in this latter age of the world and hee is a God with whom there is as great abundance of spirit as ever when his time comes how soone will such a thing bee as the raising mens spirits to higher and more noble designes than now we can imagine The observing the frame and work of your most pretious noble spirit Right Honourable put mee upon the thought of this Argument The chiefest book that I made use of for the inlarging 〈◊〉 Meditations in it next the Scripture was that which I joyfully beheld in you 〈…〉 selfe and your Noble and much honorred Lady highly honoured and lov 〈…〉 and that deservedly in the esteeme and hearts of all who know her and the truth John Ep. 2. ver 1. Such gracious principles appeared in your spirits such divine rules by which yee were guided those high and noble employments in which yee delighted those blessed qualifications which as so many Diamonds in their lustre and beauty sparkled that light that freenesse that strength that publikenesse that holinesse c. Those comsorts of a higher nature than the common drossie comforts of the world that yee chose to your selves to satisfie your spirits in and found contentment in the enjoyment of that caused the dilating of my thoughts about these things and now making knowne themselves publikely they crave patronage from your Lordship who have beene the originall from whence they came And here I humbly present them to your Honour and to your vertuous and noble Lady as a glasse wherein your selves and others may see the frame and workings of your spirits I dare say that all who know you and know that I had the happinesse to bee so neare unto you and to have excited to look about thee if false Art thou indued with such a spirit as here thou maist find nothing in the world in hell or in thy flesh shall be able to conquer thee as Christ himself thou shalt indure such crosses and contradiction of sinners as these times are big with thou shalt despise the shame and be able to resist to bloud if God should call thee to that honour What excellency of spirit was in S. Paul when he took it ill that they diswaded him from going up to Jerusalem where he was to meet with sharp afflictions What mean you to weepe and break my heart saith he for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Moses refuses to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter though himselfe or some of his posterity might happily have come to the Kingdome by it and chuses afflictions rather with the people of God c. He would not become an Egyptian though of the Royall Stem but abide an Hebrew who were abomination to the Egyptians He knew that the reproach of the Members did redound to the Head and would bee well recompenced by him and therefore he will suffer afflictions and esteeme the reproaches of Christ above all the treasures of Egypt a greater patrimony saith Ambrose So base are many spirits in this age that they had rather censure than trace his practice Scaliger tels of a Tree to which when a man cometh Ramos constringit but when he departs ramos pâ—dit Too many are like this tree when any Ministers or Christians that have the reproach of Christ upon them come neare them and have to deale with them let relations promises ingagemeÌ„ts be what they wil they shrink up themselves are troubled sadded and perplexed thinking it disgrace unto theÌ„ to have to do with such but when they are gone then their hearts dilate again their faces grow pleasant such an adulterous generation there is that are ashamed of Christ in any of his poore reproached despised Members not only ashamed but like that Plant called the Tartarean Lamb which in shape and proportion answers the Lambe but grazeth and eateth up the grasse round about it suffering no green thing to be neare and these men are Lambes in shape but eating up every green thing that is neare unto them Psa 14. 4. They eate up my people as bread they are the food their malice feeds upon It is observed the Pope was so busie and hot against Luther that he neglected to look to all Christendome against the Turk such basenesse was in a Popes brest that he could easier have digested Mahumetisme than Lutherdnisme may we not think the Alcoran would be welcome to those Confessors who have enjoyned their burthened in conscience to burne their Bibles for Pennance this some living know to be a truth There is much basenesse in the spirits of men and upon little occasion it vents it selfe Doeg haead 〈◊〉 malicious murderous spirit in him spared not those that ware the Linnen Ephod The rich man Luk. 12. 19. was all for earth nothing for heaven A great man finding his sicknesse encreasing caused his bed to be made between or upon his Coffers
where he had much gold a Lord came to him and wished him to go to his Chamber and not lie there his answer was I am well where I am so long as I can tarry for I am neare unto my friends meaning his Coffers and his gold What drossie corporall soules have such men The Gadarens drove Christ out of their Country they esteemed their Swine above a Saviour Demas embraceth the present world Ananias and Saphyra reserve a portion for themselves such spirits ever have been and will be in the world Spirits they are as much beneath common reason as those mentioned in this work are above it It is choyce not common spirits that will honour God in stormy times Had not a choyce and excellent spirit been in Nehemiah the plots and practices of enemies would have daunted him but take a view of his spirit Should such a man as I am flee and who is there that being as I am would go into the Temple to save his life I will not go in He had a good cause a good conscience a good God which advanced his spirit to such resolvednesse that hee would not take Sanctuary and disparage either of them by his feare or faint-heartednesse wheÌ„ he saw the Sabbath prophaned he hid not his eyes from it but contended with the Nobles about it What Divine spirits were in the three Children Could Nebuchanezars greatnesse mandates threats of the fiery Fornace force their spirits to false worship Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods Here they did obediently disobey knowing that nothing pleases God but what hee hath commanded in his Word they would not deliberate in this case Wee are not carefull to answer thee say they When any enticements come to draw us from the pure worship of God wee should stop our eares charme the Charmers never so wisely Charles the Emperour and two great persons in this Kingdome solliciting King Edward the sixt to allow his sister the Lady Mary to have â—â—asse would not listen but bade them be conceâ—â—t for he would spend his life and all he had rather than agree and grant to that hee knew certainly to be against the truth the suit being yet pressed he brust out into bitter weeping and sobbing desiring them to desist The motioners seeing his zeale and constancy wept as fast as he and told one he had more Divinity in his little finger than they had in all their bodies What a choyce spirit was in that young Lord Harrington who was a man of prayer he prayed twice a day in secret twice with his servants in his chamber and joyned at appointed times with the family in prayer he would never be idle but alwaies well if not religiously imployed he meditated on 4. or 5. Sermons every day retaining five or six in his memory alwayes he kept an exact account of his life every day very conscientious of honouring God to purpose in publike and private on the Lords day he would repeat both the Sermons with his servants before supper and write them down in his night booke before hee slept and on the morning of that day he would as he made him ready repeat those Sermons hee had heard the Lords day before and for the Sacrament he received it very frequently and alwayes fasted the Saturday before spending the whole day in examination prayer and humbling himselfe that so he might be fitted to feast with Christ he gave away the tenth of his estate unto the poore pious uses besides his occasionall charity when he was abroad Here was a choyce spirit beautified with variety of graces not unfit for great mean to propound for their pattern Daniel in Babylon would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he dranke hee had rather eat pulse than defile his conscience When the writing was signed the Lions den threatned did he mussle up his Religion and shrink up his spirit he would not shut up his window nor diminish his prayers but thrice a day prayed and gave thankes unto his God as he did afore time here was a spirit for God and his wayes and not for the times Happily some temporizing politician will charge Daniel of indiscretion no it was the excellency of his spirit that in case of danger and that of life he would not separate external profession from inward faith when God should lose by it And what dost thou charge him with indiscretion whom the Scripture commends for his wisdome It was a proverbiall speech Wiser than Daniel Ezek. 32. 3. and his heart did not accuse him for that indiscretion when he was in the Lions den for he saith Innocency was found in him he was not ashamed of his godlinesse that had raised him and hee would maintaine the honour of it Such spirits have true excellency in them are not shie of the wayes or servants of God when the flouds of iniquity overflow threaten to beare down all Fearefulnesse to appeare in Gods cause is a part of the old man when God puts into his another a new spirit that wasts thy fearefulnes the more thou hast of Gods Spirit the more thy old timorous cowardly spirit is abated Mat. 9. 16. That is put in to fill up takes from the garment and when grace fils up a man it takes away from the old man the old basenesse feare and dastardlinesse in the cause of God and a holy undaunted resolution is begotteÌ„ in thee to justifie wisdom although thou daÌ„nifie thy self According to the fulnesse of mens spirits are their carriages with more or lesse confidence in their undertakings If Satan have filled the heart men will boldly serve him Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost Satan had filled his heart and therefore he feared not to lie unto God himselfe Dieu saith upon the place Implere cor alterius est audacem eum reddere he cites that place Hest 7. 5. Quis hic est qui implevit cor suum ad faciendum sic Who is he that hath filled his heart in our Translations That durst presume in his heart to doe so Hamans heart was filled with malice and that made him bold to attempt the destruction of all the Jewes And where godlinesse fils the heart there will be as venturous bold attempts for God Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost set his eyes on Elymas and so thundred and lightned against him that presently his proud malitious spirit was blasted When the heart of a man is filled with divine truths it is not the presence of men in highest place can daunt it Elisha had a double portion of the spirit of Elijah and did the greatnesse or wickednesse of Iehoram daunt him There appeared a Deity in his very speech and spirit 2 Kings 3. 14. As the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it
not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke towards thee nor see thee Hee had a fulnesse of Gods Spirit in him that could speake thus to one of the gods on earth When a mans heart is filled with divine influence he feares not the enemies of goodnes neither is ashamed of ought accompanies godlinesse 2 Tim. 1. 7 8. God hath given us the spirit of power of love and of a sound mind be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony c. When the power of God is in a mans spirit he will not bee ashamed of the Crosse nor refuse to share in the afflictions of the Gospel It is the honour of Religion to have such Disciples as will own her and stand for her at all times and that with an undaunted courage Acts 4. 8 9 10 11 12. Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost and said Bee it knowne unto you all and all the people of Israel that by the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man here stand before you whole this is the stone which was set at nought of you builders c. And after when he and Iohn were commanded silence what said they Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than God judge yee for we cannot but speake the things we have seene and heard It is a brand upon Nicodemus that he came to Christ by night and so of the chiefe Rulers that beleeved on him but because of the Pharisees did not confesse him lest they should be put out of the Synagogues but it was Nicodemus praise for that he had got boldnesse to speak for Christ when vilified though himselfe suffered reproach for it this shewed some excellency and growth in his spirit that he could both speake and suffer for Christ So Ioseph of Arimathea was timerous at Ioh. 19. 38. but being filled with grace He went in boldly to Pilate and craved the body of Iesus Mark 15. 43. With what holy boldnesse did those men march through reproaches afflictions and persecutions for the truths sake Reader swallow thou this Booke as Ezekiel did his rowle and thou shalt be inabled to doe as much Principle and fill thy spirit with the pretious truths contained in this little Treatise and thou shalt find thy drooping spirit to receive a heavenly warmth to come upon thee and a holy boldnesse thrusting thee forward for God and godlinesse Wickednesse is too bold and godlinesse too shamefast it hath lost and suffered much through mens cowardlinesse Reade meditate and feast thy spirit with what thou herein findest and thou mayst walke bold as a Lion through the midst of a crooked and perverse generation thou shalt daunt wickednesse it selfe and make Religion truely beautifull and honourable If thou shouldest say This book might have been kept in there are too many already I answer thee There be many but few to purpose The Sea is full of water yet God addes daily to it by rivers and showers Many would read little if new bookes were not set forth daily Bookes do quicken up a drowsie age to the best purpose New bookes are like new fashions taken up at first with affection Notwithstanding all the Munition of the Kingdome there is new made daily Books are more needfull than Armes the one defends the body the other the soule If thy spirit be choice and right thou wilt acknowledge this worke solid spirituall and such as hitherto thou hast not met with many like it If trees be knowne by their fruit what other sentence may bee passed upon the Composer of it but that hee hath profited in the Schoole of Christ above thousands hath had a large operation of Gods Spirit in his own soule attained to a choicenesse and excellency of spirit himselfe that he hath clearly differenced betweene pretious and base spirits I shall appeale to thy selfe Christian Reader when thou hast perused this Booke whether thou wouldest have had it buried in the dark If he deserves a curse that withholds corne Prov. 11. 26. thou wilt blesse God for this corne the Authour hath sent to market God made him a fountaine not to bee sealed up but to slow for common good Veritatem celare est aurum sepelire In a fountaine sealed and treasures hid the Authour knew was little profit Hee hath let out himselfe to advantage thee taken this off from his owne spirit to put upon thine Doe thine endeavour to better thy selfe by it and if thou gettest any good give unto God glory if none suspect thy spirit and spare thy censures The Authours spirit is above them and counts it a very small thing to bee judged of mans judgement My prayers are that thou mayest profit much attaine true excellency of spirit and follow God fully all thy dayes that so thy end may bee comfortable and glorious Thy Christian friend W. Gr. A GRACIOVS SPIRIT A CHOYCE and a pretious SPIRIT Numb 14. 24. But my servant Caleb because he had an other spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land wherein he went and his seed shall possesse it CAP. I. What that other spirit is which a godly man hath differing from the world IN these words we have Gods approbation of Caleb accepting his faithfull service in the testimony hee gave of the good Land encouraging the hearts of his people to goe into it As for the other that were sent God determines against them they shall never see that good Land But my servant Caleb c. First Gods commendation of Caleb Secondly his blessing upon him For the first hee sayes three things of him 1 He is my servant 2 He hath another spirit 3 He hath followed me fully He is my servant It is a great honor to bee the servant of the blessed God and to bee acknowledged so by God himselfe We should not looke at our services to God only as duties injoyned but as high priviledges as dignities put upon us wee should glory in his service It was a great part of that glorious reward of those who came out of great tribulation who washed their Robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe that they should bee before the Lord and serve him night and day Apoc. 7. 14 15. My servant He hath shewed himselfe to bee my servant indeed I will for ever owne him what ever others did hee continued faithfull with me To bee a servant unto the Lord is an honour but to bee acknowledged faithfull that higher I have obtained mercy to be faithfull saith Saint Paul To be faithfull in service is not only a meanes of obtaining mercy but it is a great obtained mercy My servant Caleb Caleb is only mentioned here and so in the former Chap. verse 31. Why is not Ioshua mentioned likewise for surely hee followed the Lord fully
as well as Caleb 1 Some thinke that Ioshuah at the first did conceale himselfe although after hee did declare himselfe fully but certainly this had been a very great sinne of his to conceale himselfe in such a Cause of God to have stood as Neuter for the saving himselfe hee would not have passed without some signification of Gods displeasure against him for this But Verse 30. God promises Ioshua that hee shall enter into the Land together with Caleb Others therefore thinke that at the first Caleb was the more forward of the two in speaking because hee was of the more honourable Tribe one of the chiefe of the Tribe of Iudah and Ioshua was of Ephraim And besides Ioshua being Moses Minister to attend on him it might bee the more suspected that he might speake to gratifie Moses against whom the people now murmured because of the straits they were brought into by him And besides others thinke that Moses here relates this by Ioshua That Ioshua was used in the penning of this relation and therefore the lesse is said concerning Ioshua Another spirit The spirits of the rest were base and cowardly poore dead unworthy spirits but hee had another spirit went not that way There is a strange conceit some of the Jewish Interpreters have of this other spirit that is say they Caleb and Ioshua when they were in the Land and in their journey they said as the rest of the Spies did and concealed their purpose of declaring any other opinion they had of the Land than the others had and this they did for feare of their lives but when they came before Moses and the children of Israel then they had another spirit and spake plainly what they thought Many such chaffy interpretations of Scriptute wee finde amongst them God having given them over to the spirit of blindnesse Hee sollowed me fully The words are Hee fufilled to follow mee Nothing could take him off from mee what ever therefore becomes of the rest hee shall possesse the Land and his seed with him I intend only to handle the two latter commendations of Caleb First that hee was a man of another spirit Secondly that hee followed God fully And herein first severally secondly in the reference of the one to the other For the first the Point is It is the excellency of godly men to be men of other spirits of choice spirits differing from the common spirits of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world sayes the Apostle but the spirit which is of God There is a great deale of difference betweene our spirits and the common spirits of the world There is a vile spirit ruling in the world As Eph. 2. 2. A spirit that workes strongly and actively in the children of disohedience But of the godly it may be said as it was of Daniel Chap. 6. 3. An excellent spirit was found in him so surely an excellent spirit is found in them Herein first what this other spirit is Secondly wherein the excellency of it lies Thirdly apply it For the first it is first a spirit that hath other principles a better principled spirit than the spirit of the world The spirits of worldly men have base corrupt principles by which they judge of things by which they are led according to which they favour rellish whatsoever is propounded to them The vilenesse and power of these appeares in the wayes of the world but the spirits of the godly are acted by Divine heavenly holy principles that carry them to God to divine and heavenly things they carry them by a kind of naturall instinct the frame of their spirits is so principled that by as it were a naturall instinct naturall I mean the new nature they savour of spirituall and heavenly things their hearts worke after them cloze with them unite themselves to them finde much sweet and contentment in them are fastned and setled unto them What is the reason the same truths propounded set before divers spirits whose naturall parts are equall one sees much excellency in them receives them rellishes them the other looks on them as mean and foolish things wonders what men see and finde in them they are unsavory to them their hearts turne away from them This is from their divers principles Where the spirit is well principled it is carryed on sweetly and strongly in Gods wayes though the naturall parts bee weake though obiections against them many pretences for evill wayes fayre yet these divine principles are as a pondus a waight upon these spirits that carries on the soule still towards God when all is said that can bee against Gods wayes and for sinnefull wayes it will it cannot but hold the conclusion Surely Gods wayes are good As that blessed Martyr said I cannot dispute for the truth but I can dye for the truth These principles cause if not a disputative knowledge yet a savory knowledge Perswade a man by most subtill arguments eloquent orations that what he tasts sweet is bitter perhaps he cannot answer all you say but yet hee knowes the thing is sweet So the Spirit principled right with grace having the savour of the knowledge as the Apostle speakes though many subtill wiles of Satan and cloquent perswasions from the wisdome of the flesh be brought to perswade to the contrary yet still it sayes It is good to walke in the wayes of godlinesse Every life hath principles according to the nature of it receiving to it selfe things sutable or turning from things disagreeable to it the vegetative life according to the nature of it so the sensitive and the rationall life and the life of grace according to it Most mens spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life few live so high as rationall principles reach to There is a death of the soule in this respect onely God puts in by a common worke of his Spirit some common notions which appeare in some which give but a glimmering light and are very weake but where the life of grace is in any soule there are principles of an higher nature full of light and beauty carrying the soule to high spirituall supernaturall things for the attaining to and injoyment of the highest good Other creatures under the rationall are made for the enjoyment of no higher good than is within the cōpasse of their owne natures therfore their principles are onely to receive in such good things as are sutable to those natures and in them they rest satisfied for they are capable of enjoyment of no higher I say they cannot enjoy any higher indeed they are of use to and were made for that end that they might be serviceable to some higher good than themselves but this they enjoy not The destruction of their natures is the highest use that creatures which are above them have of them But the rationall creature was made for a higher good than is within
the compasse of its own nature and was to enjoy this and the fuller it doth enjoy it the more perfected it is Now then there are required principles of life accordingly to carry these creatures higher than their owne natures to have the fruitiō of that good they were made for and to bee blessed in the enjoyment of it Now these are the principles of Grace with which this other spirit is indued higher above the principles of reason than the principles of reason are above the principles of sense and thus it is another spirit Secondly it works by another rule every thing is guided to its end by some rule which is a beame of Gods wisedome no creature under the reasonable knowes either its end or rule but is acted by God to that it was made for but the reasonable creature is of such a nature as is capable of the knowledge of both and therefore cannot bee happy without the knowledge of both and working accordingly Now it is a great mercy not to mistake in the rule that leades to eternall life to see it and act by it most of the world mistake here their spirits are led by false rules they goe according to sense according to their own carnall apprehēsion of things accordings to their owne wils would have the rule of their actions from their own spirits or else according to the common course of the world as Eph. 2. 2. That which men blesse themselves in that they goe according to the common course is one of the most apparent arguments that is that yet they are strangers from the way of life but the godly they make the Word their rule they looke up to the minde of God to see the beame of Divine wisdome let down from heaven to guide them in their way they looke to it for direction give up themselves to it dare venture their comforts estates safeties soules upon it Thou shalt guide mee by thy counsell sayes David and so bring mee to thy glory Psalm 73. 24. A godly man thinkes it a most dishonorable thing to make the examples of men his rules it is for beasts to follow the Herd Examples of men cannot satisfie his conscience A godly man workes for eternity and therefore is carefull to worke by rule as a man when hee workes in a worke that concernes his life erects a frame that must be for continuance he makes sure of his rule layes often his rule to his worke When God erected the frame of the world which was to last but for a sew yeares hee made all by waight and measure The frame of mans actions here must be for eternity and therefore a godly man dares venture upon no other rule but that which is divine hee lookes at the Word not only at the notions of it and that excellency and beauty he sees in it shining a great way off but as a light to his feet a Lanterne to his steps holds it close to his feet to guide him in his going knowing that every step he goes is either to hell or to heaven and this doing he may look up with comfort for that blessing of God upon his servants 1 Sam. 2. 9. He keeps the feet of his Saints His way is like the way of the Mariner guided by the heavens 3. Thirdly another spirit that is imployed about other things it is not for meane base services but set on worke about high and honourable employments As men of place and dignity have or ought to have other spirits differing from ordinary spirits they cannot endure to be employed in mean and dishonorable workes no those fit for meane base spirits While other mens spirits are busied about low poore things and are content in these minding nothing higher they are busied about great affaires of State the high things of the Kingdome consultations about and transactions of the great businesses of the Common-wealth It was the basenesse and dishonor of Domitians spirit who though a great Emperor yet busied himselfe and spent great part of his time in catching of flies and so of Artaxerxes his spirit who spent a great deale of time in making hafts of knives of Boxe Thus godly men account it too mean a thing for their spirits to bee busied about low base employments while the spirits of other men are busied about meat drink clothes play money lust and are taken up in these poore things the spirits of the godly are taken up in contemplation of the glory of the blessed God the beauty and high excellency of Jesus Christ the great Counsels of God in the greatest worke that ever he did the worke of mans Redemption the great mysteries of the Gospell the glorious things of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ the great things of eternity the interest they have in all the good in God Christ Heaven about the setting out the glory of the blessed God in the World lifting up his Name working together with God in glorifying himselfe observing Gods wayes in his glorious workes of Creation and Providence preparing and fitting themselves for the glorious appearing of the great God joyning with those blessed creatures the Angels and Saints in heaven magnifying praising worshipping and adoring the Lord of all these are things fit for the spirits of the godly they are not suteable to the spirits of the world as Psal 92. 6. A brutish man knowes not neither doth a foole understand this A godly man sometimes may be busied in meane low things but his spirit not contented not taken up not satisfied in those things as adequate objects for him as the spirits of the world are they are objects adequate to any principles they have A man sometimes that is understanding may condescend to sport with children in low things but these take not up his spirit as adequate objects to what hee hath in him if indeed hee should take content and satisfaction in such things it would argue a childish spirit in him So here Fourthly this spirit is carried to other ends the spirit of the world looks at ease pleasure honour gaine and Selfe in all it is a low spirit in an ill sense subjecteth not only ordinary actions but the best things it doth even the duties of Gods worship to base low unworthy ends At the highest the most excellent of the Heathen who had the most brave spirits the World had in their time aimed no higher than to work according to reason to satisfie the dictates of rationall principles and a naturall conscience knew not what it was to honour God to aime at God in all they did but the spirit of the godly is a raised spirit looks at God and eternity in all it doth carries things up to the highest good restlesse till it gets through all creatures and closes with God it accounts the excellency of what it is and what it hath to be in order to God and directs what it doth to him and in this comes as neere the working of
God himselfe workes as like him as may be it is the glory of God to bee the first cause and last end and to worke from himselfe and for himselfe No creature can worke from it selfe but as it hath his principle from God so it workes for him giving him the glory as the first cause and last end and this is the great worship that God hath from his creature both in this world and eternally in heaven We speake much of honouring God and serving God and worshipping of him wee doe nothing except wee doe this God made the world that hee might have some creatures to worke thus to make him the highest and last end of all many who have excellent naturall parts are often busied about deeper things then other men but their spirits being corrupt not carried to God in that they doe they dive deepe but all comes to nothing are like children diving deepe in the water and bring up nothing but shels and gravell Now where the spirit is carried to God as the last end there first the beauty excellency glory of what ever it hath or doth is iudged according to the reference it hath to God It s true I have these mercies I do such and such things but is God honoured by all al things are as dead to this spirit where it sees not Gods Name lifted up and so the excellency and beauty of what others have or do if God is not honoured by them it lookes on them as dead things Secondly all it hath is or doth lies in an absolute subiection under God to bee at his dispose all things are absolutely subject to the last end Thirdly where God is aimed at as the highest end there Gods glory is willed infinitely no limits no bounds set to the desires or endeavours of the soule after it Fiftly thjs spirit hath other qualifications the spirits of the godly are glorious within As 1. it is an enlightned spirit the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath shined into it and transformed it into the same image Dan. 5. 11. They said he was a man in whom the spirit of the holy Gods was because light and understanding and wisdome was found in him surely the spirit of the living God is here for light understanding wisdome is found here this is the true light the light of life that hath a quickning power and influence of life in it There is a great difference between the light of the Sunne shining in a garden and the light of torches there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one not in the other such difference there is between the light in the spirits of wicked men and the light in the spirits of the godly it is the knowledge of the holy that is true understanding Prov. 9. 10. And a man of such understanding is of an excellent spirit indeed Prov. 17. 27. This is that which the Holy Ghost calls Spirituall understanding Col. 1. 9. to distinguish it from that understanding there is in naturall men they see into Spirituall things after another manner than other men they see the reality beauty excellency glory of them which are hidden from drossie vile spirits the Gospell is said to bee a mystery revealed to the Saints Col. 1. 26. The Law and Testimonies are sealed and bound up amongst the disciples Esay 2. 16. The Lord delights to reveale himselfe to men of excellent spirits who are onely fit to close with divine and spirituall truths As none can teach so as God teacheth Iob 30. 22. so none knowes the things of God so as the godly doe they behold them as with open face they walke on in the light of the face of God Psal 89. 15. their spirits elevated by such a light as is sutable to that light there is in God himselfe and that lustre of his Image that shines in the face of Iesus Christ but the spirit of the world is a spirit of darknesse even that light which is in them is darknesse Secondly it is a free spirit Psa 51. 12. Establish me with thy free Spirit and this freedome makes it indeed a true royall princely spirit for so the word signifies that is translated in that place a free spirit The words are Establish mee with thy royall princely spirit 1. A free disingaged spirit not entangled nor insnared with base earthly engagements like the spirits of the world but a spirit that is at liberty Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. How doe the engagements of worldly spirits miserably enthrall them that notwithstanding convictions of conscience notwithstanding much unquietnesse of their hearts in their way many checks secret wounds of spirit sinking damps and feares yet they cannot get off their hearts from those engagements they are so miserably so dangerously entangled in this is a woefull bondage Those who are godly can remember a time since their hearts were thus insnared but it was the blessed worke of the Lord to set them at liberty and now they have ease now sweer quiet and rest to their spirits 2. Free from the bondage of sinne not under the power and command of it it hath command over it selfe over its owne passions not in a base slavery to Satan not in servile subjection to men not brought under the power of any creature It was a notable free expression of two blessed Martyrs Surgius and Bacchus who were two great Courtiers being accused for Christians and commanded to offer unto the Idols they refused to goe to the Temple and gave this answer unto the Emperour Wee o Emperour are bound unto you onely in an earthly warfare you have no right over our soules God onely is the Lord of them It will not be forced to any thing that is base God leaves the body and estates of his servants to the power of men oft times but their spirits are free It is to base a disposition of a servant of GOD to plead necessity of sinning no creature can compell another to sinne Tertullia◠hath an excellent expression to this purpose The state of faith doth not admit the alledging a necessity of sinning in those to whom the onely necessity is not to offend 3. It 's free in regard of slavish feare it 's able to looke upon the face of God with ioy Iob 22. 6. Thou shalt have delight in the Almighty and shalt li 〈…〉 up thy face to God The Scripture speaks of a spirit of feare and a spirit of bondage from both which this spirit is set a liberty it can looke upon the power soveraignty justice holinesse of God and rejoyce in them glad that God is so holy and just and that it hath to deale with such a God It hath accesse to his presence with boldnesse and liberty of speech Ephes 3. 12. as the word signifies there It hath sweet and blessed freedome in the performance of holy duties
lost his money Others if they meet but with a little disturbance in their family from husbands or wives if their parents doe but crosse them if their hopes bee frustrated in things of no great moment they cannot beare it but they sinke downe in such desperate discouragements as their lives are bitter unto them they are weary of them and they seeke to ease themselves by putting an end to them Impatient sinking desperatnesse ever proceeds from base weaknesse of spirit Despaire is a sinne exceeding vile and contemptible Gulielmus Parisiensis speaking of despaire hath this expression I despaire Oh word of eternall reproach and confusion of dishonour never to be blotted out it publisheth the Devill to be the Conqueror and would thou didst see the devil crowned as a Conquerour to whom thou dost so shamefully lie under These sinking sullen-spirited people may please themselves in the froward sullen distempers of their hearts and conceit as if they were fruits of humility but let them know that the devill is the most sullen spirit that is and yet the most proud Though in thy frowardnesse thou flyest from God and lettest thy spirit sinke down even as low as the bottome of the Sea yet even there the wrath of God will follow thee As Amos 9. 3. Though they hide themselves in the bottome of the sea I will command the Serpent to bite them Thus those whose spirits are sunk into the bottome of the sea of desperation they shall have no ease there even there the Lord will cōmand the Serpent to bite them the devill shall vexe and torment them there Many while in their prosperity while the world smiles on them they seeme to bee of brave and stout spirits to bee sure they are scornefull proud and high enough they are all for mirth and jollity they are so afraid of sadnesse as they banish all seriousnesse But when affliction comes upon these when God toucheth them with sicknes what poor spirited men are they then how doe their hearts sinke like lead how disconsolate how dejected are they then none more Manasseh was of a bold presumptuous spirit and exceeding scornfull in time of his prosperity he went on with a high hand against God as if he meant to contest with heaven it selfe but marke in the 2 Chron. 33. 11. when he was brought into trouble what a poore base spirit he had he runnes amongst the thornes he hides himselfe in the bushes and from thence he is taken and bound in Fetters As it was said of Alexander it was nothing for him to carry himselfe bravely because he alwayes conquered but for Caesar to behave himselfe wisely and to uphold his spirit when he was conquered and others fainted this was an high praise unto him You talke of merry hearts and joyfull spirits but can you be joyfull in affliction will your spirits hold out in tribulation Can you rejoyce in the greatest troubles Will your comforts hold out in sore and grievous distresses this were a signe of strength of spirit indeed The spirit of a man can sustaine his infirmity saith Salomon This is the strength of a mans spirit to be able to carry it selfe bravely undauntedly in the middest of greatest afflictions your spirits can beare nothing they are childish poore weake spirits not to be accounted the spirits of men Lactantius boasts of the bravenesse of the spirits of the Martyrs in his time in this respect Our children and women not to speake of men doe in silence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot fetch so much as a sigh from them Fiftly they are generous spirits as 1 They are not mercenary they will not indent with God for what they doe so much as they may get by their service so much service and no more No they goe on in their worke and leave themselves to God let the benefit of that they doe be what it will they lose not their end if they be imployed for God men doe very ill for themselves in indenting with God for any service for their strait spirits cannot imagine or desire that latitude of good that the infinite bounty of God would give if they left themselves wholly to it Seneca reproves the opinion of such who said a man should choose a friend that he might have one who might relieve him in his want who might visit him in his sicknesse c. No saith he this is mercenary but I will choose a friend that I may have one to shew love unto to visit if hee bee sick to help if hee bee in want So for men to choose a God unto themselves that they may be helped out of troubles that they may have their estates blessed that they may get such and such things by to make this the highest end is mercenary and too low for a true gracious generous spirit but to choose a God to be my God that I may honour love fear worship him for ever this is true Christian generousnesse 2 A true generous spirit cannot endure basely to subject it selfe to any that is to flatter and fawne and to be serviceable to mens lusts and base humours for advantage sake It knowes how to lie under the feet of any to doe them good where God may have honour but to be serviceable to any mans lusts whatsoever it cannot endure As we reade of Dionysius his flatterers who were so grosse in their flatteries that when he did spit they licked up his spittle and said it was sweeter than Nectar and Ambrosia It is reported likewise of Cambyses who falling in love with his sister he asked the Iudges whether it were lawfull for him to marry her they answered That they had no such law but they had another that the King might do whatsoever liked him whereupon he married her Such base-spiritednesse cannot stand with Christian generousnesse 3 A true generous spirit is not ready to take advantages against those that are under it Men of these spirits love to pity and relieve those whom they have at advantage as Elisha 2 King 6. 22. when hee had the Syrians in the midst of Samaria and the king of Israel askt him Shall I smite them shall I smite them He answered Thou shalt not smite them set bread and water before them that they may eate and drink and goe to their Master and he prepared great provision for them and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away As is reported of the Lyon it spares those things that fall down and submit to it but the Wolfe Beare Dog rend and teare what they get hold of To bee able to doe one hurt and not to doe it that is truely noble It is the glory of a King yea of God himselfe to passe by an offence To shew mercy saith S. Chrysostome is a more glorious thing than to raise from the dead and a greater worke than to build most magnificent Temples Many base-spirited men who will crouch
receive great things but are content in doing little they put off God with ordinary flight services but the spirits of the Saints are more generous than so if it were possible they would bee infinite in service to God they never thinke they have done enough for him I will yet praise thee more and more saith David Psal 71. 14. I will adde to thy praise so the words are in the Originall as if he should say God hath had some praise in the world already I would faine adde something for my part I would come in withmy share that he might have some more praise for mee and this not an ordinary praise but endeavoures to have the high praises of God in heart and mouth Psal 149. 6. desires to make the praise of God glorious Psal 66. 2. he would faine be eminent in good workes Tit. 3. 14. Let ours also learne to maintaine good workes the words are let them learn to be eminent in good works above others there is a holy ambition in them to get above others in godlines this is indeed to walk circumspectly that the Apostle exhorts to in the 5. Eph. 15. the word there translated Circūspectly signifies To get up to the top of godlines to perfect holinesse in the fear of God therefore he sets the highest pitch of the rule before him would not have the rule come down to him but indeavours to get up to the rule sets before him the highest examples he can he is not willing to offer that to God which cost him nothing but if any thing more choice more excellent better then others it shall be for God he loves to bee abundant in duty hee would not scant God to give onely that which he must of necessity but loves to bee fruitfull in all good works The reasonings of many mens spirits shewes much basenesse in them Why are wee bound to doe this is it absolutely necessary cannot a man bee saved except hee doe thus may not such a thing be lawfully done If thou hadst a raised generous spirit for God it were enough to thee that such a thing is good is commendable it may bee serviceable God may have glory by it I may do good by it and such a thing hath no excellency in it God shall have no glory by it This were enough to cause the soul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one and freely and strongly to reject the other A generous spirit strives to be abundant in doing good and leaves it selfe with God let God doe with him what seemes good in his eyes it doth not maintain jealous suspicious thoughts of God as if it were best to provide for it selfe and not dare to venture upon God Base unworthy spirits discover themselves much in this they will part with nothing but first will see what they shall have they must have present pay bee sure of it in the hand they are jealous and suspicious of every one they are conscious to themselves of basenesse this way and therefore look upon all others as if there were onely for themselves too but a generous spirit findes in it selfe a disposition ready to doe good to others though they can doe little for him yet if they need and he able he finds hee can freely and readily doe it and this makes him to venture upon others that they will likewise out of freedome and generousnesse bee helpfull to him if occasion if need serve though they should not receive recompence from him and therefore he is not ready to entertaine jealous suspicious thoughts as other baser spirits doe Thus in respect of God hee knowes God is infinitely good and blessed in himselfe and that he out of his own infinite goodnesse is ready to doe good and helpe those in want who are able to doe little againe in way of requitall but that he for his Names sake shewes mercy and loving-kindnesse to his poore creatures because Mercy pleases him and therfore he can venture himselfe upon God Base spirits as they are very jealous in regard of trust so they are very suspicious of love and thinke because themselves are conscious to themselves of unworthinesse and that they themselves love onely for their own ends therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others but so farre as they are usefull to them But one of a generous spirit knowes in himselfe that he can love others not onely because he receives good from them but that he may do good to them and therfore sees this to be infinitely more in God and therefore can relie upon Gods love in sense of his owne unworthinesse Though the Lord can receive no good from me yet he can doe good unto me and this I beleeve is the glorious excellency of the Lord and therefore my spirit shall not give way to suspicious thoughts of his love As David 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although sayes he my house bee not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although hee maketh not to grow And this is observable that it is said of him in Vers 1. that when he spake this hee was a man who was raised up on high It is true even in this sense that that expression of his in Verse 5. was an argument of a man whose spirit was truely raised on high and the rather doth a generous spirit abandon base jealous suspicious thoughts of Gods faithfulnesse and his love because it knowes in it self that it hath not such a vile disposition as to abuse this gracious blessed nature that it apprehends of God so as to bee the more secure and loose to give liberty to it selfe in any evill because of this Oh no God forbid this farre from a true generous spirit this the spirit of basenesse this a sordid disposition indeed that it loathes it abhorres the thought of it it findes in it selfe that the sight of this grace of God this blessed nature of God drawes it most sweetly to him to close with him to delight in him it is the strongest Motive to draw it up to holinesse yea To perfect holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore it casts out jealous suspicious thoughts of the goodnesse and love of the blessed God as fruits of basenesse of spirit Sixthly though sublime raised as before yet withal it is an humble broken and contrite spirit one who is poor in spirit this a blessed cōjunction indeed though it thinks it self too good for any lust yet not too good to be subject to the least Commandemēt though will not be under the power of any creature yet will lie flat and trembling under the least word of the Lord Esa 66. 2. Though not satisfied with meane things yet accounts it self lesse than the least of all Gods Mercies How sublime was Pauls spirit when hee accounted all things dung
yet himselfe could bee contented to bee accounted an off-scouring for Christ the sublimity of his spirit was not a greater glory to him in the one than the humility of it was in the other Though a godly man minds high things above others yet can be well contented to be used in the meanest services for the good of others though he be raised above the world yet judges himselfe lesse than the least of the Saints Though he aimes at the highest pitch of godlinesse yet blesse God for and makes much of the least breathings of his Spirit and such a heart is pretious indeed in Gods eies this O Lord thou canst not despise Psa 51. 17. so the words are God can despise Kings and Emperours God can despise the glory and lustre of the world but a humble broken spirit the Lord cannot despise There is no object that God accounts worth the looking at in the world but such a one Esa 66. 2. To him will I looke sayes God The highest heavens and the lowest heart are the two places of Gods most glorious residence Seventhly it is a publike spirit enlarged for publike good not a narrow base straightned spirit Godlinesse doth mightily enlarge the heart of a man The Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem the words signifie The Lord enlarge the heart of Iaphet When a man is converted his heart is enlarged and it must needs bee so for now the spirit makes after the enjoyment of God an infinite universall good now it opens it selfe to receive and imbrace a God in whom it expects all good before it followed after some poore drops of good in the creature but now findes all is to bee enjoyed in God himselfe and being thus enlarged to receive an universal good it desires to enlarge it selfe as much as it can to be an universall good but that is proper to God yet a publike good it may be and therefore spreads it selfe as farre as it can Now it loves good as good not upon particular private grounds and therefore the more good the more beloved It mindes good as in reference to God and therefore where God may bee most honoured there the heart most sollicitous most industrious it is willing therefore to empty it self of it's private good that the publike may bee furthered If Nature will venture it 's own particular good for the generall as heavy things will ascend contrary to their natures to keep out vacuity and so to preserve the Universe much more then will Grace Every godly man one way or other according to the abilities he hath is a publike blessing to the place where hee lives The Saints of God are compared to a cloud Heb. 12. 1. the comparision is true in this respect a Cloud waters the earth as a common blessing so are they not as water-pots that water but a few spots of ground in a garden And this publikenesse of spirit is then right and truely gracious First when it is content to doe publike good where it selfe shall be taken little notice of as many times the Engine that doth all in great workes is inward hidden not taken notice of Secondly when he can bee glad that any publike good worke goes on and prospers though others bee used in it and not himselfe to the eclipsing of his light Thirdly when he is willing to be used in any service though but to prepare worke for others which they not hee shall have the glory of after he is gone As Luther writing to Melancthon encouraging him against the strong opposition that they met with in the cause of God God sayes hee is able to preserve his owne cause falling and to raise it fallen if we be not worthy let it be done by others Such a publike spirit as this is is an excellent spirit indeed Eighthly it is a sanctified spirit 1 Thess 4. 8 He hath made us partakers of his holy spirit Chap. 5 23. I pray God sanctisie you throughout your whole spirit and soule Sanctified that is 1 Not such a mixt spirit as the common spirit of the world hath not that mixture of filth and drosse in it but is pure purity consists in freedome from mixture with that which is of a baser nature if mixt with that which is of a superiour nature that doth not make the thing impure as when silver is mixed with gold but when it is mixed with lead or drosse The spirits of the godly are mixed with grace but that makes them more excellent and pure such mixture of spirituall excellency that is above the excellency of the soule their spirits close with but if there come any mixture with that which is base beneath the excellency of the spirit this defiles and this their spirits cannot close with but are sensible of the evill of it and never leave working till they have purged it out from them 2 Sanctified that is God hath set them apart for himselfe as Psal 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe and they have devoted dedicated and consecrated themselves to and for God they are spirits resigned given up to the Lord. 3 All the parts abilities common gifts of this Spirit are sanctified a higher excellency is put upon thē than they have in the spirits of other men weake naturall parts in these are more excellent than the strongest not sanctisied As the consecration of Wood and Leather and meane things put greater excellency upon them than Gold and Silver had that were not so consecrated yet the larger the naturall parts are of a sanctified spirit the more excellent it is 4 It is able to make a sanctified use of what it meddles withall of what it hath to deale in of all the workes and wayes of God it makes all to be holy to the Lord. Ninthly It is a true heroicall spirit none have such brave heroicall spirits as Gods servants have it is not discouraged by difficulties it wil set upon things a sluggish spirit thinks impossible it will goe through that which such a one thinks can never be it breaks through armies of difficulties that it might goe on in its way and accomplish its worke not discouraged as the sluggish spirit who cries out there is a Lyon in the way It is not the difficulty of the worke but the basenesse of our spirits that ordinarily hinders us in our way some difficulties that others count great hinderances it slights and contemns as reproach and scorne in the wayes of God it can contemn contemners and vilifie those who account the wayes of God as vile this the true spirit of Iesus Christ of whom it is said Hebr. 12. 2. He endured the Crosse and despised the shame the shame whereby others despised him was despised of him not accounting it a thing worthy for his spirit to be troubled at no more is a true godly spirit hindered in his way by this than
bee well-favoured and skilfull in all wisdome and cunning in knowledge understanding science and taught the learning and the tongue of the Caldeans Every spirit is not fit to stand before the King of heaven to have converse with him none but the reasonable creature is capable of any such thing as communion with God and it must bee the reasonable creature thus raised they must bee men of other spirits A man of an excellent spirit cannot endure converse with base sordid spirits much lesse can God who is that blessed holy Spirit No creature can have communion with another but such as live the same life hence the beast cannot have communion with man because mans proper life is rationall these are the spirits who being partakers of the life of God are fitted for converse and communion with him Likenesse is the ground of all liking in communion it is the likenesse they have to God that makes God to delight in communion with them God loves to dwell with these and that in a speciall manner 2 Corin. 6. 16. As God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them I will bee their God and they shall be my people the words are very significant in the Originall I will in-dwell in them so the words are There are two in s in the Originall as if God could never have near enough communion with them Psal 4 1. 12. Hee sets them before his face for ever as loving to look upon them Now how great how inconceiveable a dignity is this for the poor creature to have this neare communion with God Cursed bee that man saies that noble Marquesse Marcus Galeaceus that prizes all the gold and silver in the world worth one dayes enjoyment of communion with Iesus Christ he was a man of another spirit who spake from his owne experience of that sweet he had found of communion with Christ who had parted with much honour and riches for him Enoch and Noah who were men of other spirits in their generations are said to walke with God God tooke them up even in this world to walke with him many a sweet turne have these spirits with their God God delights to have them neare him that he might reveale and cōmunicate himselfe to them these know much of Gods minde the secrets of the Lord are with these and to them he reveales his Covenant God doth not love to hide his face from these That hidden wisdome which the Princes of the World knew not which eye hath not seene eare heard neither hath entred into the hearts of men to conceive yet hath the Lord revealed them to us by his Spirit saith the Apostle 1 Corin. 2. 10. even by that Spirit that searches the deepe things of God and by vertue of this communion these can prevaile much with God As it is said of Iacob Gen. 32. 28. as a Prince hee had power with God and prevailed Hence S. Bernard in his meditatiös giving divers rules of strictnesse of purging the heart of being humble holy and when thou art thus saith he then remember me as knowing the prayers of such a one would much prevaile with God for blessing Sixtly this spirit is fit for any service any employment God cals it to it is a vessell of mercy sitted for the Masters use Many honourable services God hath to be done in the world men of ordinary common spirits are not sit for them if they should be set about them they would spoile the work and dishonour God in it If a man have a choice peece of work he will not employ one that hath not abilitie to reach to it hee knowes the work would faile and it would be his disgrace When God would imploy some about building his Tabernacle hee fils them first with his Spirit so he saith of Bezaliel and Aholiab If a man bee employed in government hee had need be a man in whom the Spirit of God is as Pharaoh said concerning Ioseph Gen. 4 1. 3 8. When God chose Saul for government hee gave him another spirit so that hee was another man When God had a peece of work to doe of high esteeme beyond Sauls reach hee lookes out for another who had a more excellent spirit than Saul and saith I have found a man according to mine owne heart who shall fulfill all my will The excellency of a thing is in the use of it What can it do The excellency of the Angels is in that they are ministring spirits and the excellency of man is to be serviceable his excellency is not that he can eat and drinke and sport and goe fine but that he is of use fitted for what service God hath to doe in the world that he can further Gods ends in his workes that God may say of him I have found a man according to mine owne heart that is prepared to fulfill all my will When Esay Chap. 6. had his spirit purged signified by that signe of one of the Cherubims touching his tongue with a coale from the Altar he presently shewes the excellency of his spirit in this that when God had a choice piece of worke to doe and askes whom he shall send The Prophet readily and cheerfully answers Lord here am I send me doe but set the truth of God before these it is enough their spirits being gracious close with it yeeld to it obey it set about the work it shewes they should doe but when mens spirits are corrupt and unsavory there is such a stirre to convince them of Gods mind in that which is not agreeable to them so much a doe to prevaile with them to the practice though convinced that it would grieve a man to have to deale with them The excellency of the spirits of Gods people is set out to us very sweetly in that expression of the Psalmist Psalm 18. 44 As soone as they heare they shall obey me There is a wilingnesse of spirit to their worke what God would have what ever it be if they apprehend it above their reach they cast not off their worke but seeke to God for supply of ability knowing that there is spirit enough in God that God hath wayes enough to enable the spirits of his servants unto and carry them on in any worke he sets them about they know that God will never put any man upon any services but by one meanes or other he will fit his spirit for them for it is the great delight of God to have men in service to be of spirits fitted for service When the Devill himselfe hath any worke to doe he chooseth men who have spirits fitted for his worke and in them he delights If the worke requires boldnesse and impudence he hath men of daring spirits who will set upon it and goe thorow with it If it requires subtilty hee chooseth men of more moderate spirits who can keepe in their passions and secretly and insensibly worke their owne ends Wee reade
who know not wherein true worth and excellency consists Matth. 5. 12. Christ telling his Disciples how ill the world would use them he tels them they have as good use from it as the Prophets had before them How was Micaiah a man of a very sweet and excellent spirit contumeliously used hee was strucke on the mouth shut up in prison to be fed with water bread yea with the water and bread of affliction while 430 false Prophets most base spirited men were fed delicately at Iesabels table How was Ieremiah used hee was thrown into the dungeon stuck up almost to the eares in the myre the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto him daily David before them a man in whom Gods soule delighted yet he complaines of himselfe that he was a reproach of men and despised of the people all that saw him laughed him to scorne they shot out the lip and shook their head at him Psal 22. 6 7. and Iob before him he was made a by-word of the people and as a Tabret unto them as he sayes of himselfe Chap. 17. 6. The same use had the blessed Apostles who were filled with the Spirit of God none more scorned persecuted cōtemned than they The most worthy and famous men in the Primitive times found no better use than these It were infinite to instance in particulars Ignatius Polycarpus Athanasius Chrysostome Basil and the rest reproached banished from their people persecuted and exceedingly contumeliously used In later times the more excellent the spirits of men were the worse use did they ever finde from the world Wee might instance in Wickliffe Hus Luther Zwinglius Musculus c. I cannot passe by that sad example of Musculus who was a man of as brave a spirit as any lived in his time and a very learned and godly man yet after he had much laboured in the work of the Lord in his publike Ministery was so ill used of the world that he was faine to get into a Weavers house and learne to weave that by it he might get himselfe and his family bread and within a while he was accounted unworthy of that preferment and was thrust out of the house by his Master the Weaver and then was forced to goe to the common ditch of the Town and worke with his spade to get his living Whose heart bleeds not to heare of these former examples and divers others men of most pretious spirits thus ill used by this unworthy world even such in whom Christ rejoyces that ever he shed his blood for them Esay 53. 11. such as hee will glory in before his Father and the blessed Angels yet thus are they abused by this wicked world The more eminently the spirit of Christ appeares in any the more is the rage of evill men against them As it is reported of Tygers that they rage when they smell the fragrancy of Spices the fragrancy of the Graces of Gods spirit in his people which are delightfull to God his Saints puts wicked men into a rage when as base spirited men have the world smile on them according to their hearts desire Oh the providence of God who suffers such indignities to bee offered to his most pretious and choice servants but by this meanes the excellency of their spirits appears in greater brightnes their graces shine in the more cleare lustre All Gods servants have his spirit in them but when any of them suffer reproach and ill use of the world then the Spirit of God and glory rests on them then the glorious Spirit of God is upon thē according to the promise of God unto them 1 Pèt. 4. 14. and they may in part perceive even while they are using them ill that they are men not of common not of ordinary spirits who are thus ill used by them they may see in that meeknesse that patience that humility selfe-denyall faith holy carriage requiting good for evill praying for doing all the good they can to those who use them worst that constancy spirituall chearfulnesse sweet contentednesse that holy boldnesse humble courage heavenly magnanimity that it is a wonder their conscience should not misgive them even while they are abusing of them that their conscience doth not tell them Surely these men we doe mistake in they are led by other principles than we know of they have something within that doth support them wee understand not It is a wonder men are not afraid to abuse them as they doe As Num. 1. 2. 8. The Lord said to Miriam and Aaron concerning Moses when they spoke against him Were you not afraid to speake against my servant Moses The words are very emphaticall in the Hebrew they are thus Were yee not afraid to speak against my servant against Moses Were hee onely my servant though he were not Moses were you not afraid but when my servant and Moses that is such an eminent servant of mine in whom so much of my Spirit appeared were you not afraid to speak against him Certainly the Lord will not alwayes suffer pretious choice-spirited men to be trampled under feet he lookes upō them in their lowest estate as his Jewels even while they are in the dirt but time wil come when he will make up his Jewels as Malac. 3. 17. and then there shall be seene a difference between the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not verse 18. God will owne the excellency of the spirits of his servants to be the Image of himselfe and what confusion will this be to the ungodly of the world when the Lord before men and Angels shall own that for the lustre and beauty of his owne excellency which they when time was made matter of their scorn objects of their hatred when God shall come to them as Gideon to Zeba and Zalmana Iudges 8. 18. What manner of men were they sayes Gideon to them whom ye slew at Tabor They answered As thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King Then hee said They were my brethren the sonnes of my mother as the Lord liveth if you had saved them alive I would not have slaine you but now he sayes to Iether his first borne Vp and slay them So shall God hereafter say to the men of the world What were those men and what did they whom yee so hated and abused what were they some vile-spirited men how did they carry themselves Your consciences shall be forced then to answer O Lord we must confesse They were those who kept themselves from the common pollutions of the world they lived strictly in their wayes they walked unblameable in their course they were very forward in the duties of the worship and service of God The Lord shall then answer What these men they were my Saints this was my holinesse my image my glory these were not common ordinary men these were my choice ones men pretious in my eyes separated
some others if they have been faire and ingenuous if you have beene of sweet natures and tractable dispositions you have cause to blesse God in some respects so much the more for the change hee hath wrought in them for his mercie towards you that you did not rest in those naturall excellencies and mistake them for saving graces as many doe with much danger to their soules and when you see the base corrupt spirits of other men as those who have any thing to doe in the world shall meet with exceeding vile corrupt spirits not onely in the worst sort of men but in those who seeme to be faire in whom a man would never have thought to have met with such base workings of spirit that would make a man wonder Oh Lord what are the spirits of men Then I say when you see this blesse the Lord let your spirits and all that is within them blesse his name who hath put such difference betweene your spirits and theirs as you cannot but acknowledge except you should be exceedingly injurious to the grace of God in you Cap. IX Communion and converse with men of such excellent spirits is a most blessed thing IF the godly be of such excellent spirits then converse and communion with them is a most blessed thing no greater heaven upon earth than this for here you may see the beauty and lustre of Gods graces shining the brightnesse of which darkens all the beauty and glory of the world to a spirituall eye Seneca saw so much excellency that Moralitie put upon a man that hee sayes that the very looke of a good man delights one The very sight of such servants of God who walke close with God who are carefull to keep their spirits clear and shining truly it is very delightfull it hath much quickening in it the uprightnesse holines spirituall enlightnings that their soules have will guide them to advise for God in safe and good wayes The advise of godly men in things concerning God is much to be prized It was a good speech of Shechaniah to Ezra Chap. 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God c. according to the counsell of the Lord and of those that feare the Commandement of our GOD. It was good to follow their counsell The spirits of these are favory in their discourse in their duties in all their carriage their example exceeding powerfull and profitable The blessing of Abigail upon David was The Lord binde up his soule in the bundle of life Enjoyment of communion with Gods people is the binding up of our soules in the bundle of life for every one of them hath life in him Doctor Taylor the Martyr rejoyced that ever he came into prison because he came there to have acquaintance with that Angel of God Iohn Bradford as he cals him If the society of one sweet heavenly spirited man bee enough to make a prison chearfull what a blessing then is the enjoyment of cōmunion with many All my delight saith David is in the Saints in them that excell in the earth It is the blessing of the Gospell to come to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. when we are amongst them we may in the beholding the worke of their spirits come to see many failings in our own that we saw not before and so be humbled for them and be put on to seeke helpe We may see the same graces shining in them that we feele in our owne hearts and so be strengthened and encouraged in them and stirred up to blesse God for them and the sutablenesse betweene their spirits and ours if ours be right will cause such a closing and mingling as from thence there will arise an unspeakable delight and incomparable sweetnesse No society under heaven hath that pleasantnesse sweetnesse in it as the society of the Saints no mens spirits close so fully one with another as theirs no mens spirits bound so firmly by such indissoluble bonds together as theirs they know the excellency of one anothers spirits so as they can freely open themselves unbosome their hearts one to another and venture their lives one upon another and it is the most honourable society in the world for it is the association of the most excellent and glorious creatures God himself delights to joyne himselfe with them to be amongst them as 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell among them saith the Lord and walke there and I will be their God and they shall be my people But the words are more significant in the Originall they expresse Gods delight not onely to dwell among them and walke with them but to dwell in them and walke in them And hence that expression of Tertullian that wee made use of before in another case is very pertinent for our purpose here likewise When good men meet sayes hee when godly men are gathered together this is not to bee called a faction but a Court What place is accounted so honourable and excels in more delights than the Courts of Princes The society of Gods Saints communion with Gods people hath more honour is filled with more delights than any Court in the world where this is wanting the society of the wicked that is unsavory and tedious because their spirits are so vile and corrupt like the slime and filth there is congealed when many Toades and venomous filthy creatures doe joyne together How abominable is their breathings together to a gracious spirit how loathsome is the mixture of their spirits Zach. 13. 2. we have a promise that God will in his due time take away the uncleane spirit out of the Land and oh what a blessed time will that bee How happy would Gods servants thinke themselves if they might bee delivered from the noysomnes of corrupt unclean spirits Let us keep our selves what we can now from mingling with them wee shall within a while be for ever delivered from them CAP. X. That all those whose spirits God hath thus differenced should improve this Mercy by walking not as other men IF God hath beene mercifull to you in giving you another spirit improve this mercy shew in all your wayes that you are acted by another spirit let the renewed spirit guide you let the beauty and excellency of it appeare If wee live in the spirit let us walke in the spirit sayes the Apostle Gal. 5. 25. The works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5. 19. Why should not the works of the spirit be so too God hath beautified your spirits with his owne Image in this hee hath honoured you that you might honour him in holding forth the beauty and excellency of his Image he hath made you a peculiar people to that end that you might shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknes into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a dishonor to a parent or any special friend to hang his picture in some
a great and sore evill Ninthly the eyes of many are upon you the Name of God the cause of God is engaged in you Tenthly you are appointed by God to be the Judges of other men 1 Cor. 6. 2. Doe you not know that the Saints shall judge the world yea Verse 3. Know you not that wee shall judge the Angels God will bring your lives and wayes before all the world to judge the world by and therefore they had need to bee very exact and to have something in them more than ordinary It is a shamefull way of reasoning for any man to reason for sinne by examples as it like a theese he would faine scape in the crowd but much more shamefull is it that any godly man should bee found to argue for sinne this way for this is an aggravation of sinne not a lessening of it as if I should say God hath dishonour by such and such and therefore why may he not have some more by me Sinne is a striking at God and every sinner strikes at him and thou commest running for thy stroake too What wilt thou have thy blow also at him and what thou for whom the Lord hath done such great things as Caesar said to Brutus when in the Senate-house tho Senators had wounded him with many sore wounds and Brutus hee comes also for his stroake whereupon Caesar lookes on him and sayes to him What and thou my sonne Brutus too Conceive as if thou sawest the Lord looking on thee and saying thus to thee when thou ventrest upon any sinfull way upon the example of others But in what particulars should we manifest this choicenes of our spirits in wayes differing from others Answ In these especially 1 In selfe deniall shew that you can deny your opiniōs your desires your wills though you have a strong mind to a thing though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your desires yet if you see God may have more honor any other way you can freely readily without disturbance without vexing yeeld and doe not deceive your selves in this be easily convinced in particulars which are for God against your selves the excellency of a mans spirit is much seen in this Many conceit an excellency of spirit to bee in selfe-willednesse in being passionate froward and boisterous Certainly this comes from weaknes of spirit no excellency is required for this every foole can bee thus but that is excellency to bee able to ovērcome to rule ones spirit to have command of ones spirit to subdue and bring in order passions and violent stirrings of spirits this is pretious and honourable in the eyes of God and man this is a well tempered spirit indeed that can be strong zealous full of courage unyeeldable in the cause of God and the Church but meeke quiet yeeldable selfedeniable in its own cause those who usually are the most boisterous and passionate for themselves are the poorest spirited men and the most basely yeelding when it comes to the cause of God 2 Shew the excellency of your spirits enabling you to doe that which others cannot doe by loving your enemies praying for them doing them all the good you can this is the speciall thing our Saviour commands to his Disciples in that 5. Mat. when he would have them doe more than others doe 3 Feare the least sinne more than the greatest suffering Morality raises the spirit highest next to Grace and yet a meere morall man accounts it foolishnes to be so nice as not to yeeld in little things for the avoyding of great sufferings but a gracious spirit thinks the least truth of God worthy to bee witnessed to by the losse of his dearest comforts and suffering the greatest evils yea he accounts suffering for small things the most honourable sufferings of all as testifying the greatest love as Davids Worthies shewed their dearest love to him in ventring their lives to get him a little water 4 Prize opportunities of service more than al outward contentments in the world a gracious heart thinks it honor enough that Gods imploies it he is not onely willing to goe on in his worke though outward contentments come not in but increase of service for God hee esteemes so great a good as hee accounts the want of outward things made up in it Though I get not so much by that I doe as others yet I blesse God I can goe on in my worke as chearefully as others for contentment is made up to mee in this that God will imploy mee in his service more than others 5 Make conscience of time this felv doe few regard the fillings up of their time their spirits having no excellencie in them they cannot make use of their time in any worthy employments for God to themselves or others but a man of an excellent spirit knows how to employ himself in things that are excellent and therfore prizes the time he hath to worke in and is conscientious in the spending of it 6 Make conscience of thoughts and secret workings of heart of secret sinnes to avoid them and secret duties to performe them a man that hath a pretious spirit doth not like to have it runne wast in extravagant thoughts and affections the thoughts of his minde are pretious the affections of his heart are pretious as his spirit is pretious Wee let water runne wast because wee put no price upon it we think it little worth and therefore we let it run to no use but if it were some pretious liquor some pretious oyle compounded of deare ingredients wee would not doe so but would be carefull to save every drop this is a pretious spirited man indeed who knowes how to lay out his thoughts and his affections at the best advantage and will not lavish them our to no purpose 7 Make conscience of the manner of performing holy duties as well as of the doing of them and looke after them what becomes of them when they are done this is not according to the common spirits of the world who thinke to put off God with flat poore and dead services A gracious spirit hath much of the excellency of his spirit acting in holy duties and therefore hee doth much mind them and lookes much after them but others have little of their spirits acting in them and therfore they are little regarded little looked after by them 8 Rejoyce in the good of others though it eclipses thy light though it makes thy parts thy abilities thy excellencies dimmer in the eyes of others were it not for the eminency of some above thee thy parts perhaps would shine bright and bee of high esteeme yet to rejoyce in this from the heart from the soule to blesse God for his gifts and graces in others that his Name may be glorified more by others than I can glorifie it my selfe to bee able truly to say Though I can do little yet blessed be God there are some who can doe more for God than
lost for want of spirits Were it not more honorable to you and your houses to be imployed as publique blessings to Church and Common-wealth to have thousands of soules blesse you and blesse God for you than for you to go siner than others to have your tables better furnished than others to sport and game more than others to spend more than others 4 Againe you had need of other spirits for your example is looked at more than others either in good or evill as Christ said of himselfe in another case If I bee lifted up I will draw all men after me so I may say If godlinesse be lifted up in the examples of great ones it will draw all men after it What ever evill is seene in you is not onely followed by others but used as a plea to maintaine and encourage that which is evill in many others Charles the fifth was wont to say that as the Ecclipse of the Sun is a foretoken of great commotions so the errours and oversights of great men bring with them great perturbations to the places where they live 5 Their sinne is worse than others for it doth more hurt and therefore their punishment will bee greater than others as their actions are exemplary so will their punishments Hence that place Mich. 6. 5. O my people remember from Shittim unto â—ilgal at Shittim the Lord destroyed the Heads of the people Num. 25. 4. The destruction of great ones is to be for ever remembred 6 And yet further you have need of other spirits because you have temptations greater and stronger than others therefore if you have not the more excellent spirits you are in greater danger than others The high estate of great outward dignitie is a very dangerous estate if God gives not an extraordinary spirit There is a notable story of Pius Quintus that Pope who excommunicated Queene Elizabeth my Author of the story is a Jesuite Cornelius à Lapide one highly esteemed amongst the Papists and therefore the truth of it is to bee the lesse suspected the story is this he sayes that this Pope Pius Quintus was wont to say of himselfe that When I was first in religious Orders that is without any further Ecclesiasticall dignity I had a very good hope of the salvation of my soule but being made a Cardinall I began to be much afraid but now bein Pope I do even despaire So sayes Cornelius did Clement the eight that followed after him thinke of himselfe Thus by this example wee see what a dangerous thing it is to bee raised in outward honour and yet still the spirit to continue base and vile 7 Above all you who are honourable and great in the world you had need labour to bee gracious because sin is more unsutable to your condition than to others It was the complaint of the Church Lam. 4. 5. that those who were brought up in Scarlet did embrace the dung How unsutable was this to have the highest places and the lowest spirits Bernard writing to a noble Virgin who was godly he sayes that others were cloathed with purple and silke but their consciences were poore beggerly they glistered with their Iewels but were base in their manners but you sayes he without are meanly clad but within shine exceeding beautifull not to humane but to Divine eyes How unsutable was the one but how comely and sutable the other It is reported of Scipio Asricanus that when he took new Carthage he took a young Gentlewoman prisoner who was so faire that she ravished all mens eyes this Scipio then said If I were but a common souldier I would enjoy this Damsell but being Commander of an Armie I will not meddle with her and so preserving her entire restored her to her friends Thus he though a Heathen thought wickednesse too meane for and unsutable to greatnesse Sinne is uncomely any where much more uncomely amongst great ones and grace is comely where ever it is much more to the great ones of the earth As Aeneas Sylvius was wont to say concerning learning I may say the same concerning godlinesse Popular men should esteeme learning as silver Noble men should account it like Gold and Princes should prize it like Pearles Thus if godlinesse be as silver to ordinary men it is to be accounted as gold and pearls to you The Scripture compares beauty in a woman without wisdom to a Pearl-in a Swines snour Pro. 11. 22. as a thing unsutable Thus are all outward excellencies where there is not grace 8 And would it not be a grievous thing to you to see poore inferiour meane men and women to be lifted up to glory your selves cast out an eternall curse have not many of them most excellent pretious spirits doe they not doe God farre more service than you doe they not bring more honor to his Name than ever you did Think then with your selves Why should God put those who are of such choice pretious spirits into such a low condition and raise me to such an high Is it not because he intends to give me my portion in this life but reserves better mercies for them afterwards It would bee very grievous indeed if it should prove so 9 The hopes we have of the continuance of our peace in the happy enjoyment of those pretious liberties of the Gospel that in so great mercy have been continued unto us depends much upon the worke of Gods grace upon your souls If God takes off your spirits from common vanities the pleasures of the flesh from the poore low things of the world from your own private ends and causes the feare of his great Name to fall upon them and raiseth them to the love of and delight in the great things of godlinesse to be given up wholy to him to lift up his great Name we shall then look upon you as the joyfull hopes of our souls that God still doth will delight in the blessing peace prosperity of his people But if we see darknesse upon your spirits then a dismall night of darknes is upon us As when we see it wax dark in the valleys we say it is towards night if it begins to be dark upon the hills it is nigh night but if it be dark in the skie it is night indeed So where we see the workes of darknesse amongst the people it is a signe that a night is comming but where we see them in those of a higher ranke in the Gentry it makes us feare that the night is nearer but if in the Nobility and the great men then it is a dismall night indeed Wherefore be you exhorted in the Name of the Lord to labour much that you may have more gracious and holy spirits than others together with your dignities whereby you are lifted up above others Wee envie not your honours we desire that they may be raised higher by grace Grace may well stand with the enjoyment of all your
in the worke of grace is a perfect beauty and comlinesse Ezech. 16. 14. There is no grace wanting there is all true spirituall blessings Ephes 1. 3. Blessed bee God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings so the words are in your bookes but in the Originall blessings is in the singular number with all spirituall blessing there is all and yet but one blessing to note that spirituall blessings are so knit together that they all make up but one blessing and therefore where there is one truely there none can be wanting there is such grace as in the growth of it it springs up to eternall life There is such a perfection as wants onely the ripening and it would bee the same with the life in heaven but where there wants any essentiall part though it bee ripened never so much let it grow up never so fast it will never come to be perfect Thus if there be any worke of grace wanting if there be any defect in the principle though that that be there grow up never so fast yet it would never attain unto eternall life Therefore in the work of sanctification where it is true though it bee never so weake yet there is this perfection that there are all graces in it but where there is onely a sweet nature where there is onely some morall worke upon the spirit there are onely some particular excellencies The most Morall man that ever lived hath had some way of evill that his spirit hath run out unto 4 Where there are true spirituall excellencies there is an impulse of heart a strong bent of spirit in following after the Lord there is such a powerfull impression of divine truths upon the soule as presses it on with strength in Gods wayes so that it cannot easily bee hindered as the Propher saith Esay 8 11. That the Lord spake to him with a strong hand that he should not walke in the way of the people such a spirit hath not onely some desires and some wishes to that which is good but goes on bound in the spirit as S. Paul sayes of himselfe The love of Christ constraines him there is a power of godlinesse where it is true When Eliah had cast his Mantle upon Elisha the spirit of Elisha was prest to follow him 1 King 19. 19 20. so that when Elisha desired leave of him to goe to his father and mother to take his leave of them and said that then he would follow him Eliah answershim What have I done to thee Eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance to draw him after him for what was the casting of his Mantle upon him to worke such an effect in him but together with the casting of his Mantle there went a spirit into Eliah that hee could not but follow him Such a powerfull worke is there in the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit as with strength to cause the soule to follow him there is a law of the minde that hath power and command in it as before there was a law of sinne But where there are onely sweet natures there men are easily drawne one way and as easily drawn the other way they joyne with those that are good in good actions but their hearts are not so set on that they doe but that they may bee easily taken off and carried another way Fifthly where there are onely moral principles there the soule sees not into is not sensible of turnes not from the evill of sinne as the greatest evill it sees not such evill in it as to make it subscribe to the righteousnesse of God in all those dreadfull things that are threatned against it but thinkes they are too hard Surely God is not so severe a God God forbid things should bee so as those wee read of in the Gospell When Christ spake that Parable concerning those who smote the servants of the Lord of the Vineyard Luke 20. 16. and told them that the Lord should come destroy those Husbandmen and give his Vineyard to others It is said When they heard that they said God forbid So many when they heare the dreadfull wrath of God denounced against sinne they say God forbid they thinke indeed that sinne ought not to bee committed but they doe not thinke it so great an evill as to procure so great miseries but if their spirits were right they would apprehend sinne as opposite to an infinite good and so having a kind of infinitenesse of evill in it they would not onely yeeld to the Justice of God revealed but acknowledge that there are greater and more fearefull miseries due to it than can be conceived yea they would see cause that if God should bring those evils upon them for their sinne that there is infinite equitie that they should lay their hands upon their mouthes and take shame to themselves and acknowledge the Lord to bee righteous for ever Sixthly where there are onely naturall and morall excellencies they do not raise the soule to a love of the strictest wayes of God they thinke of accuratenesse and exactnesse in Gods wayes to be but nicenesse and too much precisenesse luke-warmenesse is the onely temper sutable to them they thinke wisedome consists in the remission of godlines not in the improvement of it what is beyond their temper they judge as weaknes and folly and it must needs bee that morall men must have such thoughts of the strictnesse of the wayes of God because that good they have is such as arises from the principles of naturall reason and makes a naturall good its end and therefore all their vertue and goodnes must be such as must not stretch nature but must be subserviet to that naturall good they frame to themselves Now the observing of some Rules and Duties of Religion will suite well with this and so farre they approve and like well of Religion and here they sticke and thinke any thing that is further than this is folly and more than needs The worke of godlinesse in the power of it must needs be distastefull to them because it seekes to empty a man of himself to cause him to deny himselfe to fetch all from principles beyond himselfe to be for a higher good than himselfe is which is an infinite good and therefore if it were possible it would work infinitely towards it but howsoever it will set no limits to it selfe Seventhly where there is onely nature or morality there is no sense of the breathings of Gods Spirit in his Ordinances the Ordinances are dead and flat things to them a meere morall man can like well enough of presenting himselfe in the Ordinances but he feeles no vertue in them no impression that they worke upon him that abides on his spirit after the Ordinances are done he knowes not what it is to enjoy God in them he knowes not what it is to stirre up himselfe to take hold on God in the exercise of them those excellencies that hee hath
are not drawne out maintained or increased by spirituall objects and duties but it is otherwise where true spiritual excellencies are such a one goes to Ordinances and holy duties with expectation to meet with the Lord there Hee can discerne and feele the gracious presence of the Lord he findes the Spirit of the Lord breathing graciously upon his spirit and rofreshing his soule with much quickening and life and sweetnesse hee findes his spirit drawne out by them his heart much inlarged his graces much increased in the use of them or if at some times he wants this then hee is sensible of the want of it of that difference that now hee feeles betweene that which sometimes hee hath had and that which now hee wants but the other is sensible of no such want all times are alike with him Thus you see how you may examine your spirits whether the excellencies of them be naturall whether they be onely morall or truely spirituall By these Notes you may see that to bee true of your selves that our Saviour said to his Disciples in another case You know not of what spirit you are Though God hath given you many excellent blessings beautified your spirits with many excellents endowments which are in themselves lovely desirable yet he hath not raised your spirits to that true spirituall excellency that he useth to raise the spirits of his people unto even in this world There are yet other higher excellencies to be attained to to be sought after without which all the other you have will vanish and never bring up your soules to the enjoyment of God as yours in Christ But what should be done that we may get another spirit Worke what you can upon your hearts what ever truth may further convince you of the difference of spirits that you may bee throughly convinced that there is indeed a vast essentiall difference and that you may see into the evill of your spirits and bee sensible of the want of this true spirituall excellency and lie downe before God dejected and humbled in the sight thereof Secondly bee much in the company of the godly When Saul was among the Prophets the Spirit of God came upon him he began to prophesie too Elijah told Elisha that if he were with him when he was taken up then hee should have his spirit come upon him wherefore Elisha kept close to him would by no meanes leave his company By being much in the company of the godly you will come to see some beams of the excellency of their spirits shine out to you whereby you will see that your spirits are not like theirs that they are in a happier condition than you that they are men in a nearer reference to God than you you will soone discerne that surely the world is mistaken in these men Thirdly frequent the Ordinances of God where the Spirit uses to breath set your soules before the worke of Gods Spirit The Spirit breaths where it listeth therefore it must bee attended upon in those wayes which it self chuseth Though your spirits bee never so dead and polluted who knowes but that at length in the attending upon God in his way the Spirit of God may breath upon you may breath in you the breath of life it hath breath'd upon as dead polluted spirits as yours and it hath cleansed them sanctified them it hath filled them full of spirituall and glorious excellencies Fourthly nourish and make good use of those common workes of Gods Spirit you have already they have much excellency in them if they be not rested in but improved they may be very serviceable for the worke of Gods grace but as Christ sayes of the riches of the world If you bee not faithfull in them who will trust you with the true riches so if you be not carefull to make use of the common works of Gods Spirit how can it be expected that the Lord should blesse you with further mercy this way Bee sure you doe not wilfully go against the rules of right reason you are convinced of do not darken that light of reason that God hath set up in you do not extinguish those sparkes in naturall conscience that God hath kindled there do not dead those principles you have received in your education use that strength of reason resolution and naturall conscience you have to keepe in your spirits that they bee not let out to feed upon sinfull delights With what face can you complaine of weaknesse and yet feed your distempers There is little hope of such as have extinguished the light of their common principles which once they had in an eminent māner their light of reason once was at least as a faire Candle-light but now it is like the snuffe in a socket almost drowned quenched with their filthy lusts How just with God were it that these men should be left to die and perish for ever in their filth Fifthly seek earnestly from God to renew to sanctifie your spirits it is he that is the Father of spirits and the spirit of man is under no other power but the power of God himselfe and he hath the command of all and with him there is abundance of spirit and he is willing yea hee hath promised to give his Spirit to them that aske it Luke 11. 13. But you will say how can I pray without the Spirit I answer put thy selfe upon prayer and who knowes but assistance and blessing may come present thy selfe before the Lord tell him what thou apprehendest of the vilenesse of the filthinesse of thy spirit what convictions thou hast of the necessitie of the renewing of it of the excellencie thou seest in the spirits of his servants tell him of those desires thou hast to be blessed with such a spirit O Lord thou hast given me many bodily blessings great blessings of my estate more than others many excellent gifts but Lord there are other mercies my soule wants Oh that thou wouldest give me another spirit As this Caleb Ioshua 15. 19. gave his daughter Aohsah a blessing namely the upper springs and the neither spring so doe thou seeke of God that as he hath given thee the blessing of the nether springs so hee may give thee the blessing of the upper namely that he may blesse thy soule with true spirituall blessings Sixtly be sure thou lookest up to God in Christ to seek this mercy in him look on him as annoynted by the Father with the fulnesse of the Spirit look to him in whom all the fulnesse of the God-head dwels bodily that out of this fulnesse spirituall blessings may bee conveyed to thee for otherwise whatsoever thou seekest for of God and not in this way thou seekest but in a naturall way Seventhly be carefull to observe the beginnings of those speciall stirrings of Gods Spirit in thee those gales that sometimes thou mayest feele and then put on what possibly
thou canst then sollow the work of Gods grace make much of such beginnings give up thy selfe to the power of them turne the motions of Gods Spirit into purposes and those purposes into endevours and those endevours into performances and seeke that those performances may bee established Wee doe not know what we lose when at any time we lose the stirrings of Gods Spirit in our hearts Who knowes but that thy eternall estate may depend upon those sparkes that hee is now kindling in theé It is a great wickednes to stifle the child in the wombe when it is new conceived and is it not a great wickednes to stifle those blessed motions that are conceived by the worke of the Holy Ghost And for a conclusion of this point let thy spirit be for ever restlesse untill thou feelest God graciously comming in unto thee let no mercie satisfie thee till God gives thee soule-mercies and blesses thee with his choice spirituall blessings such as are peculiar to those who are good in his eyes A GRACIOVS SPIRIT FOLLOWS GOD FVLLY The second Part. Numb 14. 24. And hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land wherein he went and his seed shall possesse it CAP. 1. 〈…〉 t is for a man to follow God fully THe second Doctrine follows which is this It is the high praise of servants that they follow God fully This is their coâ—mendation that they have their hearts come fully off in the wayes of obedience to fulfill the good will of the Lord this is that perfect heart which God so often calls for in Scripture and for which so many of Gods servants are commended in the Word as Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me saith God to Abraham and be thou perfect Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God This Noah is commended for Gen. 6. 9. He was a just man and perfect in his generations so Iob Chap. 1. 1. He was perfect and upright The want of this was the staine and blot upon Salomon 1 King 11. 6. the Text there sayes he went not fully after the Lord as did David his father This likewise was the staine of the Church of Sardis Revel 3. 2. I have not found thy wayes perfect the woâ—ds are I have not found thy wayes 〈…〉 thou hast not filled up thy 〈…〉 following me somthing ind 〈…〉 ou hast done but thou hast not followed me fully To have a heart ful of goodnesse as S. Paul testifies of the Romanes Chap. 15. vers 14. and to have a life full of good workes as Acts 9. 33. is witnessed of Tabitha This is the excellencie of a godly man this is the true declaration of the excellencie of that spirit wherein this glory doth consist In this Argument we shall first shew what it is to follow God fully or what the frame of the spirit is in the following the Lord fully Secondly wherein the true excellencie of this lies Thirdly apply it For the first take this Caution premised When we speak of a fulnesse in following the Lord wee doe not mean a legall fulnesse such a fulnesse wherein there is no want or imperfection not to sinne is here onely our law in heaven it shall be our reward Buâ—â—here is a true following of the 〈…〉 that is even in this life to bâ—â—â—â—aâ—ned unto an Evangelicall fulnesse and that is the fulnesse that we are to speake of The Gospel requires perfection as well as the Law though in a different manner and this is First a fulnesse of all graces though not the degree of all graces yet the truth of every grace There is no grace wanting where this Evangelicall fulnesse is Secondly there is no want no not of any degree wherein the soule rests there is such a perfection as the soule takes no liberty to it selfe to faile in any thing Thirdly there are sincere aymes as in the sight of God to attain to the highest perfection the full measure of holinesse and Fourthly there is that uprightnesse of the soule as it doth not onely desire and endeavoure to attaine but doth indeed attaine to the truth of that I shall deliver First the heart is fully set and resolved for God there is fuln 〈…〉 of resolution so the Septuag 〈…〉 slates that place in Ioshuah 14. vers 8 where Caleb speakes of his following of God fully they turne it thus I decreed I determined to follow him The heart is fully taken off from shiftings from hankerings after other things from the ingagements that before it had from disputings reasonings for the wayes of the flesh it doth not hang betweene two as unsetled irresolved wavering but is truly and fully taken off and the resolutions are fully set upon and for the wayes of God Many have some coÌ„victions some stirrings some makings towards the wayes of God some approbation of them thinking with themselves it were well if wee could doe thus Surely they are the best men who can doe thus but still some ingagement holds them fast they have thoughts flitting up and downe they would and they would not they could like well were it not for this thing and that thing this inco 〈…〉 ience and the other trouble w 〈…〉 follow and so they delay and put off and think it may be they may hereafter doe better their good desires and inclinations they hope may serve turne for the present And thus they stand baffling with God and their owne soules they are as Seneca speakes of some alwayes about to live But this soule who fully followes God is fully broken off from former wayes the thoughts of it are come to a determinate issue it is resolved against them whatsoever becomes of it resolved to listen no more after the reasonings of flesh and blood as S. Paul sayes of himselfe Gal. 1. 15 16. that after it pleased God to call him by his grace and to reveale his Son in him immediately he conferred not with flesh and blood Many are a great while before they be thus fully taken off they are as Agrippa Acts 26. 28. almost perswaded to become Christians the truths of God doe move them but not throughly perswade them they strive with them but dâ— not throughly vanquish them The â—pirit of God leaves some in the very birth that there is never strength to bring forth but it is a most blessed thing when the heart comes off kindly and fully now it is not so ready to raise objections against the wayes of God nor to hearken to objections raised by others as it was before When the fire is fully kindled there is little smoke at the first the smoke rises thicke that we can see no fire The reason of so many arguings and objections of the flesh is because the heart is not fully taken off Tertullian hath a notable expression to this purpose How wise an Arguer sayes he doth the pride of man seeme to it selfe when it is
all rationall men approve of and if God would require a man to follow him in no other duties but these it were fine but there are some others that will make him to be observed some in which if he followes the Lord hee shall be reckoned amongst such kind of men of whose number hee doth not like to bee accounted one hee knowes they are discountenanced and despised and this hee cannot beare and therefore those are duties hee hath no minde unto and then thinketh with himselfe Why may not my obedience in other things serve the turne 3 And yet further one that is willing to follow God fully in all duties hee will follow him in those where he sees no reason but the â—are command of God it is enough to him that they are commanded of God it is not for the Lord to give account of his wayes to his creatures it is enough for us that hee bids us follow him absolute obedience is that which is our dutie there is alwayes reason enough in Gods will but whether we see it or see it not if we can but see the Commandement it is enough for us we take too much upon us to dispute about the reason of things with God wee must not be Judges of the Law but doers of it Saul could see no reason why he might not spare the best of the cattle especially when he did it to keep them for sacrifice but it cost him his Kingdome God rejected him for it and told him Obedience was better than sacrifice Luther saith He had rather obey than work miracles And Cassianus reports of one Iohannes Abbas who when hee was young was willing for a whole yeare together to fetch water every day neare two miles to water a drie sticke because hee was commanded so to doe hee thought it reason enough to doe things unreasonable to shew his obedience unto man whose will is many times unreasonable how much more reason is there then that we should shew our obedience to God in duties where through our weaknesse we cannot see the reason when we may be sure that there is alwayes reason enough if we were able to see it Fourthly and yet further the soule that is willing to follow God in all duties wil follow him in Commandements that are accounted little Commandements God expects faithfulnesse in little things God prizes every tittle of his Law more worth than heaven and earth howsoever wee may sleight many things in it and think them too small to put any great bond upon us Christ saith that Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of his Word As if he should say If Heaven and earth were in one ballance and any jot or tittle of my Word in another and if one of them must needs perish I had rather that Heaven and earth should perish than that one jot or tittle of my Word should faile The Authority of Heaven puts weight on things that are never so little in themselves If mans authority doe this how much more Divine Man cannot beare disobedience in little things though the things be very small in themselves yet if commanded by Authority it is justly expected that they should be much regarded Shall mans authority make small things to be accounted great and shall Gods Authority doe nothing Obedience in small things is due to Magistrates much more to God Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Matth 22. 21. It is observable in that place the Article is twice repeated in the Greeke Text when hee speaks of God more than when he speakes of Caesar shewing that our especiall care should be to give God his due Fiftly and lastly not to instance in more particulars the soule that followes God fully in all duties is willing to follow him in duties wherein it must go alone it is willing to follow God in folitary paths Many men were it that they might have company in the way in following the Lord they would be content but to go all alone in such solitary wayes wherein they can see none goe before them wherein they can have none along with them few or none are like to follow after them this is tedious But a childe of God thinkes he hath enough in that he hath God with him that he walkes along with God this is company enough let the way be what it will be As David Psal 23. 4. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet thou art with me God promises that he will goe before his people that is enough though there be none else It is true company in Gods wayes is delightfull and it is a sad thing that there is so little a tract in Gods paths It was the complaint of Gods people Lam. 1. 4. that the wayes of Sion did mourne because none came in them But if company cannot be had it is enough we have the Lord. 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answer saith S. Paul no man stood with me but all men forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me Elijah thought he was left alone he could see no man goe that way hee did yet he continues in his fervour and zeale following the Lord. Indeed we should the rather follow the Lord because we see so few follow him What shall he have none to follow him as Christ said to his Disciples when many forsook him Will you also forsake me Thus you see by these severall instances in difficult duties in discountenanced duties in duties wherein we can see no reason but a bare command in duties that seeme to be small and little and in duties wherein if we follow God we must follow him alone that the soule that followes God fully will follow him in these and so by the same reason in all other duties that God shall require to follow him in And this is that pretious choice spirit we spake of before which shewes it in this that it is thus willing to follow God fully You know it is requir'd of us to be perfect as God himself is perfect to bee holy as God is holy yea this the Gospell requires of us but how can that be Yes thus Gods perfection and holinesse is made known to us in his will in his Commandements now look how large they are set forth to us in these so large must our obedience be though we cannot attaine to the degree yet our hearts must inlarge theÌ„selves to the things to what ever part of Gods will God makes knowne his perfection and holinesse by Thy Commandement is very broad saith David yet godlinesse inlargeth the heart to every duty it cals for there is a grace within the soule sutable to every duty the law requires It may be this is indeed may some thinke in those who are eminent in grace upon whom God hath bestowed a great measure of his Spirit but is this in
here 's the misery we are not sensible of this if wee have our desires in the creature we are quieted and satisfied whereas if our hearts were fully after the Lord as they ought when wee are before him wee should crie to him as Moses in another case Exod. 33. Except thy presence goe with mee Lord send mee not hence 9 One that followes God fully is willing to engage and binde himselfe to God by the most full and strong bonds and engagements that can be his spirit is at the greatest liberty when hee is most strongly bound to the Lord. That place in the 2 Chron. 15. 12 is very observable for this Asa and his people enter into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule yea so as whosoever would not seeke the Lord God should bee put to death whether small or great man or woman and they sware unto the Lord with shoutings and with trumpets and with cornets But were they not afterwards troubled that they had so tied and bound themselves would they not have thought it better to have been at more liberty No surely for Verse 15. the Text sayes that all Iudah rejoyced at the oath and this reason is given Because they had sworne with all their heart and sought him with their whole soule When any seek God with their whole heart with their whole soule they are not only willing to engage themselves to God but they rejoyce in their engagements Thus Nehemiah whose heart was fully set for God did himselfe and got the Princes the Priests Levites and People to make a sure covenant to write it to seale it Chap. 9. 38. And as if this were not engagement enough they further enter into a curse and into an oath to walke in Gods Law to observe and doe all the Commandements of the Lord and his Judgements and his Statutes Thus David discovers the fulnesse of his spirit in following after the Lord in that he not onely promises but sweares hee will keep the righteous Judgements of the Lord Psal 119. 106. It is a signe that mens hearts are not fully taken off from their sinne when they doe not fully come off in the Covenant of the Lord. No may some say it is because wee often covenant with God and finde wee are overcome againe and doe breake covenant with him and therefore we are afraid to enter into covenant any more Is it not better not to covenant than not to performe I answer It is true if men covenant and wilfully neglect they were better not covenant at all but if when wee enter into covenant wee have the testimony of our consciences that we labour as in the sight of God to fulfill our covenants wee make and it is the burthen of our soules that we saile in them then I say that wee are still to goe on and engage our selves further our covenants doe not aggravate our sinne but in time they will help us against our sinne this is one way that God hath appointed to strengthen us and therefore wee must not complaine of weaknesse and yet neglect any way appointed by GOD to get strength by 10 To follow God fully is to abide in all these constant to the end of our dayes That is we must be constant in Gods wayes not thinke it enough to enter into them by fits and starts but the wayes of God must be our ordinary track Prov. 16. 17. The high way of the upright is to depart from evil It is his common road and constant course and wee must continue faithfull before the Lord unto the death It is the commendation of Hezechiah 2 King 8. 6. He clave unto the Lord and departed not And David Psal 119. 112. he saith Hee hath enclined his heart to performe Gods statutes alway but as if that expression were not enough to signifie his continuance he addes even unto the end Iob 17. 9. The righteous holds on his way A heart that hath given up it selfe fully to God doth never forsake him There is no Apostate in the world but if we could trace him along in his wayes to his very beginning we might find that in the entrance of his profession there was not a full giving up himself to God there was not an absolute surrender made of all that he was and had unto the Lord. It may bee said of him as it was of Amaziah That though he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet he did it not with a perfect heart There are three Reasons why it must needs be that that man which followes God fully must needs follow him constantly and for ever First because where ever the Lord brings any to follow him fully hee causeth such a perfect breach betweene sinne and that soule as there is no possibility that ever there should be a reconciliation made that the breach should bee made up againe An unsound heart so falls out with his sinne as there is a possibility of reconcilement and therefore when such a one findes trouble in Gods service hee is willing to enter into parly againe upon termes of agreement with his sinne but it is not so with a truly godly heart there is such a breach made as there is no hope of reconciliation It was Achitophels policie to get Absolon to stick to him so as never to leave him To take away the feare that there might be lest Absolon in time might bee reconciled to his father and so leave him therefore he sought to make such a breach betweene him and his father as there should never be any hope of reconciliation and so hee might bee the surer to keepe constant to him and the people that joyned with him and therefore hee advised that Absolon should goe in to his fathers Concubines upon the house top in the sight of all the people 2 Sam. 16. 21 22. It is the wisedome of God that he may have followers never to leave him to make such breaches betweene sinne and their soules at first so as there may never bee hope of peace betweene them againe As the Devill when he would draw one to be his for ever hee seekes to make great breaches betweene God and him that if hee should have ever any thoughts of returning he may discourage and sinke his spirit with thoughts of despaire telling him there is no hope of good in returning that way and therefore it were better for him to continue as he is as Ier. 2. 25. Thou saidst there is no hope No for I have loved strangers and after them will I goe When the Devill gets one who hath beene forward in the profession of religion to Apostatize hee labours to make such a breach betweene him and his former course as not onely to fall off from it but to hate it and to persecure it and to turne deadly enemie to it and then both the devill and wicked men think
hold on to the end The reason that Philosophers give why the heavens are incorruptible is because the forme of them is so excellent as it wholly fils up the utmost capacity of the matter so the reason of the holding on of the upright heart is the full satisfaction of it the filling up the full capacity of it with contentment and delight in Gods ways Thus you have heard what it is to follow God fully CAP. II. The excellency of this frame of spirit in foure things THe second thing propounded in the point was to shew wherein the excellency of such a kind of frame of spirit lies take it in these foure things First this is truly to honour God as a God except God be honoured as infinite hee is not honoured as God now it is the full following him that onely honours him as infinite where God is followed and not thus hee is followed no otherwise than a creature may bee followed this is not therefore to honour him as a God but rather it is a dishonor to that infinite excellency blessednesse of his whereby he is infinitely above all that creatures are or that they are any way capable of The great thing that God aimed at in the creating of the heavens and earth was that he might by Angels and men bee honoured as a GOD and therefore that which gives him this hath true and much excellency in it Secondly this full following of God doth much honour the work of Grace and the profession of godlinesse it shewes a realitie power excellency and beauty in it it shewes that it proceeds out of the fulnesse of Jesus Christ such as hath high and heavenly principles when there is power proportion and constancy in a mans wayes there must needs bee much beauty in them there is a forcing of conviction from the consciences of evill men by them this takes away all pretences from men that they know not how to speak evill of the wayes of godlinesse they know not how to oppose and persecute them when they can see no flaw when though they watch what they can yet they can see nothing unsutable to their principles The principles of godlinesse for the most part are acknowledged by the consciences of the worst who have any light in them therefore when all a mans wayes are sutable to these it puts wicked mē to a stand they know not what to say against such men nor against their way but their owne thoughts tell them that surely there is something in these men that hath realitie and power and divine excellency in it that is from none other but from God himselfe Thirdly this hath such excellency in it as that God himselfe boasts of such as these are as they glory in the Lord and blesse themselves in the Lord so the Lord seemes to glory in them and to account his name blessed by them as you may see how God rejoyces in and makes his boast of Iob Chap. 1. vers 8. Hast thou considered my servant Iob that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man And so of David I have found a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my will So of those wee read of in Revel 14. These are they which were not defiled and againe These are they which follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth and again in the same verse These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lambe and in their mouth was found no guile Fourthly this following of the Lord fully doth ever attaine its end it prospers in that it workes for in whatsoever thing any soule followes the Lord fully it shall be sure to accomplish that it aymes at and to be satisfied in that it would have As Hos 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Thus David in Psal 63. where his soule thirsted after God his flesh longed for him his soule followed hard after him he saith himselfe in the same Psalme that Gods right hand did now uphold him and that his soule should be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and his mouth should praise the Lord with joyfull lips and the King shall rejoyce in God CAP. III. Rebuke to divers sorts whose spirits are not full in following after the Lord. IF thus to follow the Lord fully bee so excellent if this fulnesse of spirit bee such an honour unto Gods people then justly are those rebuked whose spirits are not full in following the Lord who acknowledge the Lord worthy to be followed but their spirits are slight and vaine their hearts are straitned in the wayes of the Lord they doe not fill up this blessed work of following after the Lord their hearts doe most basely fall and most miserably vanish in it As first some are convinced their judgements and consciences are for God but their lusts carry them violently another way Oh the miserable torment of these mens spirits while their consciences draw one way and their lusts another it is not so great an evill to have wilde Horses tyed to the members of ones body tearing of them by drawing contrary wayes Secondly others rest in their good inclinations their good desires they say they would faine doe better and they hope God will accept the will for the deed they like of Gods wayes and speake well of good men and therefore they thinke their hearts are for God but these desires and good motions are but as little buds and sprigs that come out of the roots of trees or from the middle of their body which come to nothing they never grow up to beare any fruit these are yet farre from following the Lord fully and savingly for 1 Their judgements are not yet inlightned not throughly convinced of the poyson and infinite evill there is in sinne of that absolute infinite necessitie there is in the holy wayes of God they see not the dreadfull Authority of God in every truth they think it were well if things were amended it were good if more were done than this God helpe us we have all our infirmities and though they doe not as others doe yet they hope their hearts are good towards God were it not for some inconveniences they are like to meet withall they could be content to doe more than they doe But what is this to that mighty work of God upon this spirit convincing of the infinite necessity equity beauty of his blessed wayes What is this to that sight of Gods infinite dreadfull authority Those whose hearts the Lord takes off from other things to work fully after himselfe he begins thus with them in the powerfull enlightning and convincing of their judgements 2 These never were made sensible of their inabilitie to have holy desires after God so as to see any need of any speciall worke of the Holy Ghost to raise such desires in their hearts Those who are
Galathians at the first they would have pluckt out their eyes for S. Paul their affections were so stirred by his Ministery they apprehended some great matters in the message of the Gospel that S. Paul brought but afterwards finding that those great and excellent things that the Gospel spake of were onely spirituall which their carnall hearts had little skill of and could not relish their affections were soon cooled they fell off from S. Paul Take heed therefore of resting to these flashy affections for if you do when these are gone your hearts will bee left in darkenesse Many examples are knowne of such who have proved to bee most vile Apostates yet time was wherein they have had many meltings much sudden strong joy so as they have professed that the joy they have found hath beene so great that if it had continued but a while they could not have lived but their spirits would haue expired A solid worke of the soule proceeding from an humble broken heart casting it selfe upon the faithfulnesse and freenesse of the grace of God in the promise for pardoning and sanctifying mercy and there resting so as willing to venture it selfe there for ever though it hath no present sense of joy yet it is farre more to be prized than the strongest of these sudden flashes of affection These flashy affections which have not principles to maintain them are like to Cōduits in the City running with wine at the Coronatiō of Princes or some other great triumph but it will not hold they are like Land-floods which seeme to bee a great sea but come to nothing in a day or two As there may be flashes of terrour and yet no true feare of God The Israelites were terrified when the Law was given and yet God saith Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were a heart that they would feare me So there may bee flashes of joy desire sorrow and yet no true sanctified joy desire or sorrow at all There is much deceit in mens affections Affections not well principled not well grounded soone vanish time will weare them away The people of Israel at the giving of the Law had their affections much stirred so that one would have thought they had been engaged unto the Lord for ever and yet within fourty dayes their hearts were so taken off from God and his Law as if God had never made himselfe knowne unto them they call to Aaron to make them gods to goe before them and say to the Molten Calfe These be thy gods O Israel which brought thee out of the land of Egypt Another notable example wee have of people whose affections are strong for the present and yet worne away in a little time in the 13. of Hosea 1. When Ephraim spake trembling hee exalted himselfe in Israel but when he offended in Baal hee died When Ephraim spake that is when Ieroboam who was of the Tribe of Ephraim declared his purpose to alter the worship of God the people at the first were exceedingly affected with it they stood all trembling at such a strange thing as that was the very thought of it made their hearts to shake because they knew how jealous a God the Lord was But Ieroboam exalted himselfe in Israel hee went on resolutely in his way and would bring his purpose to effect then the people in a little time were brought to offend in Baal and then they died and they became a dead sottish heartlesse people fit to receive or do any thing though never so vile Fifthly others follow the Lord but they follow him in a dull heavy manner there is no spirit no heat no life in their following of him therefore they doe not follow him fully They rest themselves in a middle temper in a lukewarme course they like well of Religion and profession but what need men goe so farre what need they doe so much As Pharaoh said to the Israelites Exod. 8. 28. I will let you goe onely you shall not goe farre away The judgement of these men is for a middle way they are mixed spirited men like Ephraim Hosea 7. 8. mixed with the people as a cake not turned halfe baked and halfe dough they goe on in an ordinary track of performing the duties of Religion without any growth or any sensiblenesse of the want of growth they set upon some faire way of Religion which they perswade themselves is enough and that they meane to hold to they are content to make use of Christ and the profession of Religion so farre as may serve their owne turnes but to entertaine Christ and his truth as an absolute Lord to rule them that their spirits cannot beare in their converse there is no ribauldry no filthinesse so there is no warmth no heat to refresh and quicken any gratious spirit that hath to deale with them in all the Duties of Religion that they perform they take no paines with their hearts to work them to God Luther cals such kind of men Cainists that is such as Cain who offered to God the work done but do not offer themselves to God they content thēselues with generall hopes of Gods mercy upon weake and unexamined grounds they never trouble themselves in calling things into question about their conditions and their eternall estates they never lay to heart the miseries of Gods Church and the publike cause of God is not deare unto them they have not heat enough to cause a melting spirit for the dishonor that God hath by themselves much more is that heat wanting that should keepe their hearts melting for that dishonour which God hath from others Now this temper is so farre from following the Lord fully as it is loathsome and abominable to the Lord so loathsome as he threatens to spue such out of his mouth It is observable that of all the seven Churches we read of in the Revelation there is some good said every one is cōmended for somthing onely this Church of Laodicea excepted which was a luke-warme Church and of this there is no good at all said and yet none of the Churches had that high esteeme of it selfe as this had none of them conceited themselves to be rich and encreased with goods and to have need of nothing as this did No people doth so blesse themselves in their way as luke-warme people doe and yet no people more abominable to God than they What a dishonour is this luke-warme temper to God as if God were such a God as such flat sleight dead-hearted formall services as are performed by them were sufficient to honour his holy great dreadfull and infinite Majestie God pronouneeth a curse in Malac. 1. verse 14. against those who doe not offer the best that possibly they can in sacrifice to him and gives this Reason of it Because my Name is dreadfull and I am a great King saith the Lord As if he should say Therefore onely the most high and excellent things that can bee
performed by the creature are fit for to be tendred up to mee This luke-warme temper wrongs Iesus Christ exceedingly as if there were no other life and vertue in Iesus Christ than to inable a man to doe as they doe What hath Christ laid down his life shed his pretious blood for the renewing of Gods Image in man and is it nothing but this if Christ had never come into the world men might have done as much as this comes to It is a wrong to the Holy Spirit likewise for it is the special office of the Holy Ghost for to bee a Sanctifier to frame the heart to God to quicke the soul with the life of grace and holinesse and is this all it doth this were a poore worke if there were no other but this It dishonours holinesse which is the most glorious thing in the world the life of God the Divine Nature this makes it as if it were nothing but a morall livelesse dead-hearted empty thing this puts holinesse in subjection to humane reason to carnall wisedome it must bow to their discretion to the opinions and wayes of men and in truth to their base lusts though it be in a more cleanly way than in others Be convinced then that this is not that following the Lord fully which is the honour of Gods people in his eyes Sixthly some go beyond this dull luke-warme temper they are very forward in some things but in other things their hearts sticke they come not off fully in them Agrippa saith of himselfe that Paul had almost perswaded him the words are Thou perswadest mee a little The hearts of these men are divided as it is said of those in Hosea 10. 2. they will not let goe their profession but will keepe their corruption too As Camden reports of Redwald King of the East Saxons the first Prince of his Nation that was baptized yet in the same Church had one Altar for Christian Religion and another for Sacrifices unto Devills Thus these men joyne Religion and their lust together If they let out their hearts inordinately to any contentment and take liberty sometimes in satisfying some lusts they thinke to make up all againe by some forwardnesse and earnest devotion in some other thing as many who get surfets think they can sweat and purge them out again This division of heart the Lord cannot endure and therefore it followes in that place of Hosea They shall be found faulty or as the words are read by some Now shall they bee made desolate for in the Hebrew the word signifies both to bee guilty and to bee desolate It is too much boldnesse and presumptuousnesse in men to venture to take liberty to themselves to chuse wherein they will yeeld to God in some things but in others presume to satisfie themselves this is not to cast downe our soules before the Lord as poore condemned vile creatures to lie at his mercy in an humble faithfull resignation of our selves up to him in all wee are or have which is that honour that God expects from us and is infinitely due unto him While our hearts are thus divided betweene God and other things God doth not account himselfe obeyed or honoured at all in any thing all that we seeme to doe in truth is nothing at all Hence in Ierem. 32. 23. the Prophet chargeth the people with this that they neither walked in Gods Law and that they had done nothing of all that God had commanded them to doe and Ver. 30. he saith they had only done evill and in 2 Kings 17. the people are said to feare the Lord and serve their owne gods Verse 33. and yet in Verse 34. the Text sayes that they feared not the Lord shewing unto us that where the heart is divided betweene God and other things there God hath not the heart at all God is not feared he is not honoured at all If wee joyne the counsels of the flesh with the spirit we frustrate all Seventhly there are others who cannot bee so easily convinced in what particulars they forsake God in any of his wayes they seeme to have a generall forwardnesse in that which is good but the truth is they follow themselves and not God in all they rise no higher than Selfe in all they doe which their owne consciences upon search made will tell them the Commandement of God may be made the pretence but Selse is the chiefe Engine Selse is the great mover in all As Physitians putting in many operative ingredients into their Physick and they are the things that worke but besides they put in something to give a colour or a little taste which neither doth good nor hurt that hath no operation at all Thus it is in many mens Religion selfe-ends are the operative ingredients in that they doe and the shew of obedience to God is but that which gives the colour that that which they doe may have the better apperance It is impossible that a man which seekes himselfe should come up to this fulnesse of spirit that is required in this following of the Lord. Hos 10. 1. it is said That Israel is an empty Vine Why so he bringeth forth fruit unto himselfe hee brings forth fruit but yet is empty because hee bringeth it forth unto himselfe Where selfe-ends are the chiefe movers there is no further latitude or degree of godlinesse minded but such as may be serviceable unto them Now they cannot but bee low strait narrow in comparison of those who lift up God in all they do and therefore their profession must needs bee empty and scant not full and powerfull as it is in the other A selfe-seeking heart is alwayes an empty heart but a gracious heart is fruitfull in all manner of pleasant fruits new and old And what is the reason I have laid them up for thee O my beloved Cant. 7. v. last Observe the difference Israel is an empty Vine hee brings forth fruit to himselfe but the Church here brings forth all manner of pleasant fruit for shee layes them up for her Beloved shee brings them not forth for her selfe as Israel did Eightly others follow the Lord earnestly a while but afterwards they forsake him they turne Apostates they doe not fill up their worke they have begun but undoe all againe of whom it may be said as Lament 4. 8. They were whiter than Milke they were as Rubies and polished Saphires in regard of their glorious profession but now they are blacker than a Coale God may justly complaine of them as he did of his people Micah 2. 8. They who were my people yesterday are now risen up against me as an enemy it was far otherwise with them very lately than now it is Many are very hopefull at the first yet they prove exceeding vile afterwards yea the more forward in good at first the more vile after As water that hath once been heat and growes cold againe is colder than ever it was It
the converse that Jesus Christ hath with the soules of his people is compared to that converse that friends have one with another in their walkings together in their galleries Cant. 7. 5. The King is held in the galleries hee doth not only walk with his Beloved there but is as it were bound he is kept there by the bands of love and when death comes then the soule is called up to the upper roome to heaven there to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth Wee reade of a notable speech that Hilarion had when hee was to die Goe out goe out my soule why dost thou feare why dost thou doubt almost these seventy yeares hast thou served Christ and dost thou now feare death And if the end of our way at death hath so much good in it how much good will there be in the end of our way that we shall enjoy when we come to heaven As the consideration of the full reward in heaven was made use of before as an encouragement to those who doe fully follow the Lord so now wee make use of it as a strong motive to draw up our hearts to the full following after him It was S. Pauls motive to the Corinthians 1 Epistle 15. 58. perswading them to hee stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as they knew that their labour was not in vaine in the Lord. We doe not follow after shadowes and phancies in following the Lord but wee seek for glory honour immortality wee follow after an incorruptible crowne a glorious kingdome an eternall inheritance the glory of heaven the treasures of the riches of God himselfe are set before us to draw up our hearts fully to him It was the argument that S. Paul used to worke upon his owne spirit withall Phil. 3. 14. I presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus How full is the worke of many mens spirits in their working after some poore little scant good in this world whereas if they had all the world they had but an empty husk in comparison of that glory that is set before us They pant after the very dust what cause is there then that our hearts should pant in the strong workings of them after those high and glorious things that are reserved in heaven for us It was the goodnes of the land of Canaan that was a strong motive to draw Caleb and Ioshuahs heart fully after the Lord through many difficulties Canaan was but a darke Type of the glory of Heaven which God hath promised to reward the full followers of himselfe withall It was once a speech of Anselme If a man should serve God zealously here a thousand yeares yet should hee not thereby deservedly merit to bee one halfe day in heaven Let us bee as forward let our hearts bee as strong and zealous in Gods wayes as possibly they can be yet I may say as Abigail did to David in that particular case it shall not repent my Lord when he comes into his Kingdome so it shal never repent you of any thing that ever you have done for the Lord when you come into your Kingdome But if it were possible there could be sorrow in heaven you would be sorry that you did no more It was a speech of one Gordius a Martyr that the threats of his enemies were but as seedes from which he should reape immortality and eternal joyes so all the hardship and troubles that we meet with all in our way here in following the Lord are but increasers of that glory that is to be revealed why then should any thing hinder us or stop us in our way And thus I passe to the second thing propounded in this Use namely to shew what are the Causes that hinder men from following the Lord fully and they are five especially which I shall but name First low apprehensions that men have of God they see not God in his glory in his greatnesse surely they know not God and therefore it is that their hearts work so poorly after him Ier. 9. 3. They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth and what is the reason For they know not me saith the Lord. As if he should say Did they know me certainly they would be valiant for my trruth They that know thy Name saith the Psalmist Psal 9. 10. they will put their trust in thee so they that know Gods Name will love him will feare him will be zealous for will fully follow after him The knowledge of all truthes concerning Heaven and hell ven and hell or any other thing that can bee knowne can never raise can never inlarge the hearts of men so after the Lord as the knowledge of God himselfe and therefore where God is little knowne no marvell though he be so little followed Secondly unsound beginnings in the profession of Religion are the cause why men doe not fully follow after the Lord their hearts are not throughly broken not deepely humbled the truths of God not deeply rooted at first their soules not well principled the foundation not well laid If men be not well principled at first in their entrance into the wayes of God they are like to prove but shufflers and bunglers in Religion all their dayes If cloth bee not wrought well at the first though it shews faire in the Loome yet it will shrinke when it comes to wetting the cause why many doe so shrinke in the wetting when they come to suffer any thing in the wayes of Religion it is because their hearts were not well wrought at first A third cause is the strength of ingagements their hearts are so wrapped in them so glued to them as it is exceeding painfull to get them loosened from them they are so near and deare to a corrupt heart As it is said of Esau hee looked on the Pottage and it was so red so they looke upon their ingagements and they are so full of content it is so grievous to be taken off from them that they rather suffer their hearts to bee taken off from God himselfe when engagements have taken possession of the heart then how hard is it to work any thing upon the judgements of men it is hard to get the minde to view the truths of God to get it to search into them to consider of them it is ready to close with the least objection against them to catch hold of the least advantage to cast them off and if truths bee so cleare as a man cannot but see them as conscience for the present is over-powred with them yet if the heart bee not taken off from ingagements it will fetch about againe to see if something may not bee gotten against those truths to breake the strength of them but where the heart is taken off from ingagements how easily do the truths prevaile how soone is the heart brought fully to close with them 2 Sam. 22. 33.
God than others is more capable of the presence of God than others and God delights to let out himselfe more to him than to others These are filled with all the fulnesse of God according to that expression of the Apostle Ephes 3. 19. Now this fulnesse of God in their spirits must needs carry them on because it so satisfies them as they feele no need of other things Empty spirits are alwayes sucking and drawing of comfort from the creatures that are about them hence it is that their hearts are taken off from God so much Againe a spirit that is filled with God is not so sensible of any evils that are without so as empty spirits are as it is in the body when it is filled with good nourishment with good blood and spirits it is not sensible of cold and alteration of weather as the body is that is empty and filled onely with winde Secondly the choicenesse of a mans spirit raiseth it to converse with high things and so carries it above the rubs the snares and hindrances that are below and being above these it goes on freely and fully in its course and is not in that danger of miscarrying as other poore spirits are who converse so much with the things upon the earth as Birds that flie high are not catched by the Fowler they are not taken by his Lime-twigs by his Net or Pit fall so as others are who are much below upon the ground Broverb 15. 24. The way of Life is above to the wise that hee may depart from hell beneath It is the keeping in his way above that delivers him from the dangers snares that are laid for him below Thunders and Lightnings tempests and stormes make no alteration in the highest Region so the threats and oppositions against the wayes of godlinesse and all the troubles that the world causeth make no alterations in heavenly hearts that keepe above When the tree growes low it is subject to bee bitten by the Beasts but when it is growne up on high it is out of danger The lower the heart is the nearer the earth the more danger but when it is got up on high the danger is past and now what should hinder it from the growing up to the full measure of it in Christ Thirdly the choicenesse of a mans spirit changeth his end and so carries him on fully after the Lord for when the end is changed all is changed when there are but particular changes it is a certaine argument that the highest end is not changed but when that is changed there must of necessity bee an universall change upon these two grounds 1 Because the last end is alwayes loved for it selfe and therefore infinitely loved 2 It is the rule of all other things that are under it the good of all things under it is measured by it and is subordinate to it Fourthly this choicenesse of spirit causeth a suteablenesse a sympathy between the frame of the heart and the wayes of holinesse Now sympathies first are alwayes between the generall natures of things and not individuals not particulars as thus where there is a sympathy betweene one creature and another it is alwayes betweene the whole kind of those creatures wheresoever such Natures are found there will be this agreement Wee may see it more clearely in that which is contrary that contrariety of nature which wee call Antipathy it is not betweene any particulars so much as betweene the whole natures of things as between the Wolf the Sheep there is such a contrariety Now the nature of the Wolfe is not contrary so much to any particular sheep but to the whole nature of sheepe wheresoever the nature of it is found and therefore to all sheep Thus it is in the soule where there is such a kinde of opposition of it against sinne it is not against any particular sinne so much as against the whole nature of sinne wheresoever it is so where there is such an agreement which wee call a sympathie it is not so much with any particular way of holinesse or perticular Act but with the whole nature of holinesse wheresoever it is found and therefore such a soule must needs follow God fully Againe sympathies doe alwayes worke without labour and paine and therefore where there is such an agreement betweene the frame of the heart and the wayes of God the heart must needs worke fully because it workes delightfully and yet further this agreeablenes of sympathie is deepely rooted in the very principles of the creature it is founded in the very being of it and therefore it must needs worke strongly and constantly Vaine reasonings carnall objections subtill arguments strong oppositions can never prevaile against that soule where there is this deep-rooted agreeablenesse betweene the frame of it the wayes of holinesse But that you may see further what a wonderfull agreeablenesse Grace makes betweene the spirits of the godly and the Law of God which is the rule of those wayes wherein God would have the soule to follow him in observe the severall expressions by which the Scripture sets it out First it is written in the tables of their hearts Secondly it is their meditation day and night Psal 1. Thirdly it is the joy of their souls Psal 119. 14 vers and 47. verse Fourthly they love it above gold above fine gold Fifthly their hearts breake for the longing it hath after it Sixthly they lift up their hands to it Psal 119. 48. Seventhly their mouthes talke of it Psal 119. 13. ver 46. ver Eighthly their feet run in it Psal 119. 32. Ninthly their soule keeps it Psal 119. 167. Tenthly they will never forget it Psal 119. 16. Eleventhly they give up their members as instruments of the righteousnesse of it Rom. 6. 13. And lastly to name no more though there be many more expressiōs in Scripture to set this out they apply their hearts to it to fulfill it alwaies even to the end Psal 119. 103. Fifthly This choicenesse of spirit causeth a man to looke to his duty and not to regard what may follow The thing that hinders most in their following the Lord it is want of this it is not want of conviction what should be done but the reasonings of their heart about the hard and troublesome consequences that will follow if the things bee done But a true gracious heart saith onely Let mee know what is my duty let the right bee done though heaven and earth meet together Sixthly The choicenesse of a mans spirit causeth a man that if he doth looke at any consequences that may follow upon his way he lookes onely at the last issue of all what his way will prove in his last conclusion how things will goe with him when he comes to the last triall what will be the ultimate end of all Will it then be peace shall I then be glad of these wayes I now walke in Seventhly The choicenesse of a
mans spirit strengthens it against the impressions that sensitive objects use to leave upon soft and weake spirits Most men have their spirits formed and fashioned according to sensitive objects it is not what they apprehend in abstract notions that works upon them let them bee what they will yet when they have to deale with sensitive things the sweetnesse desireablenesse glory of them works the most powerfully their hearts are altered according to the impression that they leave upon them and this is great weaknesse and an effeminate softnesse of spirit Hence the word translated Effeminate 1 Cor. 6. 9. signifies soft-spirited men This distēper in the spirit is like that in the flesh when it is corrupted with the dropsie the flesh is soft and if you put your finger to it the impression of your finger sticks in it and pits the flesh so the impression of sensitive objects sticks in distempered weake soft spirits as it was in the other Spies who were sent with Caleb and Ioshuah the terrible things they saw in the land stucke mightily in their hearts they brought with them the impressiō of them fastened in their spirits hence Numb 13. 33. according to the translation of the Greek Translators it is They brought the feare of the land with them But this choicenesse of spirit that was in Caleb and is in those who are truely godly keepeth from this and there must bee this firmnesse in the spirit of a man or else it will never cary him after the Lord fully 2 Sam. 22. 26. With the upright thou wilt shew thy selfe upright the word translated upright signifies strong and perfect There is required strength and that more than ordinary too to cary on the soule to perfection Thus you see what there is in this choice spirit that caries it on fully after the Lord Now there must of necessity be this or else this full following of the Lord will never be nothing else will doe it And that 1 Because the wayes of God are supernaturall and therefore there must bee something in the spirit of a man which is supernaturall that must reach to them this which is supernaturall in the spirits of godly men wee see it in the effects and we know it is above reason and all naturall principles whatsoever But what is is very hard to expresse and therefore men of parts in the World are madde to think that any should imagine that those who are of weaker parts than themselves should have any thing in them to carry them on in other wayes than they walke in which they doe not understand because they doe not know what that same thing is which is called supernaturall they will rather think it a conceit and phansie than any reall excellency because they can apprehend other things better than others they thinke why should they not apprehend this better than others if there were any reall excellencie in it 2 The wayes of God are not only above nature but contrary to nature and therefore there must bee needs some speciall choycenesse of spirit to carry a man on in them there must bee a contrary streame to over-power the streame of nature and this streame must be fed by some living fountaine or else there will never bee a holding out In following after the Lord all naturall abilities and common grace will doe no more but stop the streame of corrupt nature they cannot so overpower it as to carry the soule another way but the worke of grace in this choicenesse of spirit will doe it 3 The streame of times and examples of men are exceeding strong and it is not a little matter that will carry on the soule against them The dead fish is carried down the streame though the winde serves to blow it up all naturall abilities of the soule will no more helpe a man against the streame of examples than the winde can carry the dead fish up the stream but if there were life put into the fish it were able then to move against the winde and streame too 4 There are so many strong alluring temptations where in the wiles subtilties depths of Satan are very powerfull to draw the heart away from God that except there bee some speciall worke of Gods grace to give wisdome to discerne the deceits of sin to make the soule spiritually subtill to find out the cunning devices of Satan and to discerne the danger of them the soule most certainly could never hold on in the way of its following after the Lord. 5 There are so many troubles oppositions that it meets withall in this way that most certainly would drive it out were it not for some choyce Worke of Gods grace in it but this choycenesse of spirit will carry a man through all them It is Gods promise Esay 59. 19. That when the enemy shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him We made use of this Scripture before for opposition of strong corruptions but it is true here now for the resisting of strong spirituall enemies of strong oppositions when they come in like a floud against the soule to carry it out of Gods wayes the Spirit of God in it doth lift up a standard against them were it not for this it could not hold It is this good and sound constitution of the soule that makes it endure those oppositions that it meets withall An aguish heat may bee greater than that which ariseth from a good constitution but it is not able to resist cold so there may be a naturall violence in a mans spirit for a while in the profession of Religion which may seeme to be zeale but not arising from the good constitution of the soule when troubles come it vanishes giving no strength at all 6 There are so many scandals and reproaches that rise against the ways of God so many aspersions that are cast upon them that if a man hath not more than an ordinary spirit hee most certainly will be offended Blessed are they that are not offended in mee saith Christ It is a great blessing when there fals out scandals and when we see grievous aspersions cast upon Gods wayes yet not to be offended there needs be some more than ordinary light to discover to a man the certainty of that good there is in the ways of God he had need be sure of his principles and know in whom he hath beleeved 7 Yea God many times hides himselfe from his servants while they are following after him and this oftentimes proves the sorest temptation of all and a greater discouragement then all the rest for as for oppositions scandals reproaches these are things they make account of and can often lightly passe them over but when God hides his face this puts them at a stand now they are in the dark and know not what to doe Christ was not much troubled at the reproaches of men at the oppositions hee met withall