TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND MUCH HONOURED JOHN PYMME Esquire SIR IT is no part of my designe in this Dedication by the reflexion of smooth language to shew you yourselfe in your glory or to take the worke of admiring your worth out of the hands of all the world who are now very intent and busie at it If honour and approbation will pay debts the Nation I conceive is not much behinde with you for all the service you have done it for as farre as I understand you have scarce enemies enough to deliver you out of the hand of that curse of our Saviour Wo be to you when all men speake well of you Luk. 6. 26. I have no authority to question the singlenesse and uprightnesse of your heart in those notable and noble engagements that are upon you yet if you will plead your selfe to doe it the security attending thereon will beare the charges When credit and conscience are yoked and draw the Chariot together Conscience oft-times proves dull and heavie in the worke and if not sometimes remembred with the goade and put on will suffer credit to draw all on the one side and so lay her fellow on the wheele It argues an high and excellent frame of spirit where a man can follow with intensnesse of minde things that be of good report and yet not be over-acted with the goodnesse of the report but fetch the strength of that inspiration by which hee is carried on in his motion from the goodnesse of him that hath commanded it The more God is interessed in our intentions the more he is like to interest himselfe in our executions If wee make him a stranger in the proposition of our ends hee takes no pleasure to make himselfe knowne unto us in our prosecutions except it be by way of opposition and rising up against us The royall method in great actions to breake all difficulties and barre off discouragements in sunder as with a rod of iron is to digge out of our selves as much of our earth that is as much of our selves as wee can come at and fill up the pit or empty place with God and zeale for his glorie The consecration of an enterprise is soveraigne against abortion whereas to worke for a mans selfe alone is little lesse being interpreted than to betray his action and to give security to his enemies that God shall not build with him nor prosper him in his way and consequently that his labour in building shall be in vaine The least offensive I am sure and yet withall with serious and inside men as weightie a testimony as I conceive as can be given to your wisdome is to speake thus in the plaine dialect of the ancient simplicity unto you and not to spare you as farre as the truth may doe you good Neither doe I conceive wherein any mans worth or wisdome can do him better service than by strengthening others to lay on himselfe to beare greater weights of this treasure than men of an under-sufficiencie are able to stand under The Disciples themselves were great loosers for the time by their weaknesse in this kinde they wanted the sweete company and converse of many high and important apprehensions which doubtlesse had bin equall too if not much better then the society of so many Angels because in respect of the present infirmity of their spirits they were as unable to beare the strength of their influence and working as the frailty of the flesh and blood is to abide the glory and presence of those Embassadours of heaven Their gratious and great Lord and Master himselfe plainely professed this unto them I have many things saith he to say unto you but you cannot beare them now Joh. 16. 12. And had they not out growne this weakenesse afterwards by meanes of that golden showre from heaven wherein they were rained upon with the Holy Ghost and with power they had beene kept fasting from the feast of those fat things whatsoever they were all the dayes of their lives The reason why the world so generally drinkes old wine in our Saviours Metaphor which is of a lower and flatter taste is because their vessels are not new and strong and therefore not fit to have new wine which is of a stronger and more lively of a more stirring working and provoking spirit put into them for feare of breaking Wee have but the light of the Moone instead of the light of the Sunne or at most but the light of the Sun instead of the sevenfold light of seven dayes promised Esa 30. 26. shining to us because wee are tender eyed and inconsiderately afrayd lest an excellency of knowledge should undoe us Not to wrong in the least measure the rights of Heaven in point of thankfulnesse due from us nor to quench the least sparke of the joy of our congratulations for the blessing of knowledge powred out unto us so abundantly above the line and measure of former ages certaine it is that truthes of highest importance and which should joyne Heaven and Earth neerer together and heale a great part of that deplorable distance which yet lyeth betweene men and Angels and so advance and quicken the spirituall entercourse and commerce betweene the two worlds are little stirring in the world One maine reason whereof is because as the Disciples of Christ when they saw their dearest Lord Master comming towards them upon the water were sore afraid and cryed out supposing he had beene a spirit that had appeared as an executioner of present death upon them who yet was the glory and crowne of their security so many in the world no worse affected neither to the truth in generall than they were to Christ crie out as men out of measure troubled at the first glimmering and appearing of some truthes unto them as if they were the spirits of Devills comming upon the world for the spoile and ruine of the pretious soules of men whereas were they capable of their inspiration and either did or were but inwardly willing to know of what spirit they were they could not but acknowledge and confesse that they were of the dearest and deepest and sweetest confederacie with Heaven It was Austines complaint long since Nonnulli intelligentes citius volunt exagitare quod non intelligunt quam quaerere ut intelligant non fiunt humiles inquisitores sed superbi calumniatores Aug. de Temp. Serm. 72. I forbeare to make English of this Latine because the party chiefly interessed are for the most part men of the language But Sir I consider the weight and importunitie of your present imployments I know you are with your worthy Assistants about a great and laborious cure the Lord prosper it under your hands and farre be it from mee to desire that this should suffer in the least through any occasion of mine I had not presumed thus farre but that this little piece had stucke in the birth some yeares together and was well neere stifled found
§. 7. 7. Thirdly consider if we will contend earnestly for the truth as we have beene directed we shall have assured successe our enemies shall never say in triumph against us behold wee have prevailed wee shall bee able to rescue the truth out of the hands of all gainesayers and of all the powers of darknesse If we will buy the truth at Gods price no man shall have it out of our hands if wee bee willing to cleave to it and live with it God will never put us asunder by a strong hand hold fast saith our Saviour to the Church of Philadelphia lest another take thy crowne implying that holding fast will prevent it thy crowne shall alwayes stand upon thy owne head if thou wilt keepe thine owne as wee say if thou wilt set thy foote to the foote of the adversarie and not let him carry away the truth except hee carry away thee too or something of thine with him §. 8. 8. Continue saith St. Paul to the Philippians in one spirit and one minde striving together for or with the Faith of the Gospel and in nothing feare your adversaries Philip. 1. 27. 28. if wee will not contend if wee will make no resistance against Sathan then will he tyrannize over us and impoverish us of our great treasure and bring us to a morsell of bread hee will triumph in the ruines of the truth and of oursoules together but if wee will resist him in this case we know what the holy Ghost promises who knowes Sathans depths and tels all his secrets that he will flee from you Iames 4. 7. if hee findes resistance so that hee cannot speede presently or suddenly as he desires hee stands upon thornes as we say he must not lose time hee hath but a little left hee will away to others where he hopes to bestow his time and temptations to better purpose §. 9. 9. Consider that if we will come forth and shew our selves men in this conflict for the truth and partake in this most noble and honourable quarrell of the Gospel against the world wee shall share with Jesus Christ in his glorie and triumph in the day of his great victorie against Antichrist and his Angels and followers yea that which mee thinkes should bee the most sutable incouragement under heaven to the spirit of a Christian right bred the successe and glorie of that great victorie of the Lambe over the Beast shall bee divided between the Captain and the Souldiers and is in part ascribed to the faithfulnesse of those that bee with him in the battell Rev. 17. 14. these shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall over-come them for they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull Cast but an eye upon this glorie and it cannot but fill us with the highest courage and resolution for this service That which yee have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 25. 26. For hee that overcometh and keepeth my workes unto the end to him will I give power over Nations The world is at his feete whose heart will but serve him to looke the Devill and his terrible ones in the face when they goe forth to battle against the truth §. 10. 10. Fifthly consider that if wee will therefore decline this warfare because it must bee undertaken at our owne cost and charges wee may sustaine losse in our estates losse of friends credit in the world our liberties our lives c. Consider I say and consider it againe it is a waighty and most important truth that all these may may yea must lose and part with it may be upon harder and worse termes a thousand-fold upon better and more honourable and with more advantage to our selves then in this warfare impossible it is that ever wee should Mee thinke this motive should cut off all reasonings and gaine sayings of the flesh If the flesh in any kinde should plead to bee spared or excused from this warfare it should not onely plead against the spirit but against it selfe also Therefore for such stuffe as this regard it not loe the whole Kingdome of heaven is before us and is ours §. 11. 11. Suppose that God at any time should cal for thy service herein thou seest thou canst not serve without expence of thy estate abridgement of thy libertie it may be danger of thy life and thou makest answer no thou wilt see what will become of the truth otherwise It may be the verie next day for ought thou knowest within a shorter space God will suffer that great extortioner death to spoyle thee of thy life and then as God saith to the foole Luke 12. 20. whose shall all these be Where is thy estate Where libertie Where credit Where friends Where life all is lost for ever whereas if thou hadest beene willing to have made over these things by such a Deed of gift as hath beene spoken of into the hands of God they had beene safe for thee for eternitie There is no way else in the world for these mortall comforts to put on immortalitie the outward and corruptible good things to put on incorruption but only to make a consecration of them to him that is immortall as the Scriptures every where teach If thy goods be otherwise spoyled thy libertie restrained life taken from thee God will not regard thee nor take compassion on thee It may be he will value thee and thy life at as little as thou doest him and his truth hee will sell thee for nought and take no money for thee as David speakes that is hee will not so much as punish or shew any judgement upon those that shall oppresse thee or destroy thee §. 12. 12. A Father that hath given an estate to a sonne that is improvident and wastes it with riotous living as the Prodigall did regardeth him not casts him off and suffers him to taste of want and all extremitie But if hee so layes out his stocke to make still a returne and increase the Father delights in him so doth God with men those that will wisely and providently dispose of such mercies as hee hath given them so that though they be out of hand for a while yet they are still returning and comming in againe such are his delight and men of his affection but for those that so order and mannage their present estates and comforts in the world that they wholly perish at last and are never heard of more nor seene in any returne of good his soule abhorreth hee loveth to see his children wise in their generation And in this sense I conceive that of our Saviour to bee understood Iohn 10. 17. therefore doth my Father love mee because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe that is because I lay it downe so in such a way upon such tearmes of obedience and submission to his will that I may in equitie and justice receive it againe wee cannot
his kinde and doth not degenerate into the disposition of the brutish creature that is beneath him and this is that that is so highly pleasing unto God And hence it is that the feare of God and his service and the add reâ—â—â—ment of the creature unto him are stil commended unto us in Scripture under the name of wisedome understanding c. And unto man he i. God said the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding Ieb 28. 28. As if hee should have said therefore holinesse and the feare of the Lord are required by God of the creature because they are his wisedome or understanding or because hee shall shew himselfe wise or understanding by the practice of them And doubtlesse all duties whatsoever are comprehended in that one word of the Apostle emphatically understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. quit your selves like men 1 Cor. 16. 13. And so the ground and reason of the wrath and heavie displeasure of God against loose and sinful men is ever and anon certified under the name of Foolishnesse It is a people of no understanding therefore hee that made them will not have mercie on them and hee that formed them will shew them no favour Esay 27. 11. Implying that the only quarrell or controversie the Creator hath against his reasonable creature Man is the letting fall of that great and noble principle of his creation within him his reason or understanding or a suffering of that in its way of degeneration A third reason of the Doctrine why this contending and striving for this incorruptible crowne of righteousnesse with so high a hand should bee so highly approved by God is Because such a man will take the God of heaven along with him in his way will bee ready and able to doe great things for him on earth such a man will make the Altar of his God fat and inrich the treasurie of his glory will rejoyce over his Lord and Master to doe him all the good hee can to honour him with all hee hath will make the crowne of glory to flourish upon the head of Iesus Christ his Lord yea that man that is resolved indeed to quit himselfe like a man for the Kingdom of heaven seeks it with his whole heart is ready if it were possible to part with it when he hath obteined it and bestow it upon him that hath given it unto him if he stood in need of it He that loves God like a God and heaven or salvation is nothing else upon account but God injoyed in fulnesse or to the height will bee willing to part with God for Gods sake i. if his glory so required it and much more with all the world as we see in Paul whereas hee that despiseth or hateth his owne soule as Solomons expression is that under-prizeth the great things of eternity that pincheth and spareth all that hee dares in his paines and indeavours and is still afraid lest hee should doe too much that is in his owne interpretation any thing at all more then needs must to bee saved such a man will never bee but as a dry and barren wildernesse to the God of heaven Iesus Christ will never be great of his making Hee that longs with any earnest longing to see his God face to face will not be afraid to looke the Divell and all the powers of darknesse and all the terrible things of the world in the face hee will make glorious pastime with Lyons and Beares and Dragons and be ready to plead the cause of his God in flames of fire This is given for a reason why Moses refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to injoy the pleasures of sinne for a season to esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt viz. because hee had respect to the recompence of reward as if it had beene said had hee not had a good minde to heaven and beene resolute to take all opportunities and advantages that way for the making good that great piece the world would have gained him in and God and his Christ should have lost the great and honourable service which hee did for them This is a third reason The fourth and last reason why God so highly approves and accepts this labour and travell of the soule for heaven is because such a man furnisheth him with fit matter to worke upon in that kinde of worke wherein of all other hee is chiefely delighted such a man is as fine clay in his hand ready prepared to make a vessell of honour God may poure out abundantly of the riches of his bounty upon such a man in his reward and make him as great in heaven as he desireth such a mans way and noblenesse of spirit will beare a great weight of glory and that in such a way and upon such termes that he that layeth it upon him shall susteine no losse nor prejudice by so doing For this is the case the great and glorious God of heaven hath abundance of heaven by him and infinite treasures of glory which burne in his hand as wee use to say and hee is pained as it were within himselfe till they bee bestowed according to his minde and this must bee amongst the children of men Hee hath prepared and framed many crownes of glory and he longs to finde heads to set them upon The world furnisheth him very sparingly with such persons the fearfull and unbeleeving and abominable and lyars c. are not meete to weare them he that hath made them will rather breake them in pieces againe and stamp them to powder then that they should ever come upon the heads of such hee cannot satisfie himselfe in such a disposall of them nor make any thing to his minde of his bounty if it should bee carried in such a way Such an excellent and wise workeman as God is must not make any such loose or staring joynts as it were in any part of his providence and dispensation as to joyne and put things together that have no aptnesse meetnesse or proportion the one to the other as a base earthly minded man or woman and the undefiled inheritance of heaven God will never put these together But when he meets with fit subjects with matter duly prepared to worke upon in this kinde there is no kinde of work in all that infinite variety that passeth through his hand wherein hee takes the like delight and satisfaction as to bee heaping rewards upon the heads of his creatures and to bee employing the treasures of the unspeakable riches of his bounty upon them It is true whatsoever God doth he doth it like himselfe and his workes are comely and beautifull in their kinde and season and have faire impressions of the wisedome and righteousnesse of their great work-man upon them But yet if we consult narrowly with the Scriptures wee shall finde
others except such as are willing to bee destroyed and as Salomon saith love death Prov. 8. and this destroying which Sathan feares from the Gospel is the true fountaine of that implacable enmitie he beares against it he knowes except hee can some wayes destroy it it will destroy him §. 3. 3. It is said Heb. 2. 14. That Christ suffered death that by such suffering he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill It is a new or further destruction to the Devill to bee throwne out of mens hearts and lose his interest in the precious soules of men this is his tumbling downe from heaven like lightning Luke 10. This was a secōd heavē to him after he was throwne downe from the third heaven and the best hee was now capable of to bee honoured and served like the most Highest in the hearts of sinfull blind and miserable man Now as it was the power of God to throw him down from the third heaven so it was the weakenesse of God the death of God being made man that fetched him downe from the second heaven out of the hearts of men And it is as much against his nature and inclination as tormenting a destruction to him to lose this second heaven as it was his first and therefore he is said to fall from this heaven like lightning That is fully against his nature and inclination with the greatest reluctancie and torture of spirit as it is the greatest naturall torment as wee may say to fire whose naturall inclination and motion is constantly upwards towards the circumference to bee compelled and forced downewards towards the center and the more pure the fire is as lightning is of the purest kinde it includs still the greater repugnancie to the nature of it to be forced downewards §. 4. 4. Now if it bee the death of Christ indeed that fetcheth Sathan downe like lightning from this heaven off his power and throne that hee hath gotten in the world yet doth it not this immediately without some other advantage as it is not a bullet or powder that batters the walles of the Citie or Castle at such a distance or cuts off the lives of so many men but by the advanrage of the enemie or Cannon so is it this same Gospel of truth that utters as it were and vents the death of Christ up and downe the world in that effectuall and saving manner according to which it worketh this is as the Hysope that sprinkles that bloud upon the consciences of men §. 5. 5. So that Sathans aimand project is to disable the Gospel from the performance of such a service to make it wholly unusefull for the dispencing of the death of Christ unto men in a saving way This hee knowes well enough will be done by corrupting the truth of it if the straight wayes and paths of it bee much perverted and made crooked the holy spirit will bee grieved and take offence at it and being a spirit of truth will refuse to goe forth with a lie or to worke by it as the Lord told the people by Ezekiel 28. 18. They had defiled their Sanctuary by the multitude of their iniquities defiled it that is made it unfit for an habitation for him so great and holy a God and therefore hee would prophane it too as hee saith in another place that is hee would dwell no more there nor delight to manifest his presence any more to them there then in any other prophane and common place in all the world so if the Gospel bee defiled with mixture of errours and tenets and opinions of men the holy Ghost will loath and abhorre it and prophane it also and doe no more towards the salvation of men by the Gospel so corrupted then by any other prophane learning and writing whatsoever Sathan I say knowes this better then men doe or indeed care to doe and therefore hee is still busie to wring and wrest Gospel truths and because Sathan is still the Author of this worke the primus motor when any thing is stirr'd or shaken of the simplicitie and truth of the Gospel though the immediate actors above ground bee men hence it was that Paul with that severity Acts 13. 10. Set a black brand upon Elymas the Sorcerer calling him the child of the Devill because he still perverted the right wayes of the Lord those in the Scripture are called the children of the Divell that resemble him in his disposition and worke as all confesse therefore it is the indeavour and worke of Sathan to oppose the truth §. 6. 6. A second sort of enemies to the Faith in this sense given that is the truth of the Gospel are all wicked men in generall without exception That of our Saviour is not onely true here and there but it is a universall truth and layes hold upon the foure corners of the world hee that doth evill hateth the light Iohn 3. one said well that verbum Dei was lucerna ad quam fur deprehenditur the word of God was a light or candle by which the thiefe was taken no thiefe that meanes to steale but hates the light that should discover him true this evill affection against the truth doth not breake out in all some mens hearts are not so full as others It doth not ruine over our of every vessell neither hath it alwayes that malignancie in it to breake out at the lips and hands of men nay it is not at all to bee doubted but many evill men may and doe support it for carnall ends CAP. 3. A further discovery of the enemies of the truth §. 1. But there are some sorts of wicked men that are more dangerous enemies to the truth in this sense then others and from whom the ruine and subversion of it is more to bee feared men that have ends of their owne and not simply so for all carnall men have these but further are much intent and zealous in the advancement of such ends men whose motions eccentricall to the course and motions of the Gospel and yet are active and vigorous in their motion These are men who threaten great danger to the truth of God §. 2. 2. The reason is cleere because the bent and inclination and levell of the Gospel is in the straightest line that can be imagined to bee laid for the advancement of God and his glory and his Christ and not at all for the carnall ends and purposes of men It was never framed to serve turns The high-way of the Gospel lyeth through the midst of mens fruitfull and pleasant fields through their Gardens and Orchards and Vineyards yea many times through the middest of their palaces and stately houses through the middest of mens honours and preferments estates pleasures reputations c. and so if it bee sufferd to goe forth in its owne spirit and take the way it selfe desireth and chuseth it will make great spoyle of mens carnall advantages It will tread and
away by a spirit of vaine-glory and being indeed little or nothing desire to make themselves something in the world either first in a way of popularity by seeking to please generalities and multitudes and desire to fill their sailes with vulgar breath and that all men should speak well of them they run a great hazard also of accommodating the Scriptures and making them a nose of waxe as the Papists comparison is to turne every way and to turne into every mans humour a multitude can seldome be followed or seconded but it will bee to evill which made our Saviour to pronounce a woe to such as whom all should speake well of or whether Secondly it be to draw Disciples after them for many count this a glory to them to have a retinue of scholers of whom they may bee counted the head and Master Founders and there is not any greater temptation then this to move a man to offer violence to the Scripture for Paul makes this same speaking or teaching perverse things opinions that will not square with the truth of God to bee the direct and proper meanes of drawing Disciples after them Acts 20. 30. §. 5. 5. A new opinion or new way especially when it colours with the Scriptures but doth not cotten is as naturall a means to draw men that are injudicious and unstable as a lock of new fresh smelling hay in a mans hand is to draw a sheep or a beast after him I say if it be an opinion that hath but a kinde looke from the Scripture and if the Scripture draw neere to it in words though the heart be farre from it Then is it a bait for the purpose it will draw men by heaps and multitudes after it the errour in it makes it sutable to nature and the face or visage of truth upon it laying a religious and conscentious obligation upon men for the embracing and receiving of it both these meeting together make men rather mad upon it then simply to love or like it as generally it is to bee observed in all cases where there is a like concurrence when there is any agreeablenesse to corrupt nature in a thing and withall an apprehension of religion to set a man forwards towards the doing of it a man is like a Ship that runnes before winde and tide hee layes all his waight and strength upon it being like Ieremies wild Asse in the Wildernesse men shall weary themselves to runne after them to thinke to turne them It is a saying of Gregory Cum vitium virtus putatur ibi culpa sine metu cumulatur when errour is taken for truth men offend without measure and without feare also §. 6. 6. A fourth fort that cannot but indanger the truth and puritie of our Faith are men of an evill eye as our Saviour speaketh that are of a malitious repining and emulating spirit either at the credit and esteeme or the preferment of others in any kinde above themselves men that cannot beare the waight of other men that stand above them that cannot goe on foot when they see others ride or that are prone to drinke in discontentments or affronts or disappointments in any kinde into the depth of their spirits these are apt to relieve themselves by setting up some way or some opinion in the Church that may seeme to countenance the equity and iustice of their discontentments or else reflect prejudice upon those from whom they are now divided in affection men that break the band of peace to bee at liberty to set up error but especially these evill distempers are found in men that are eminent in place that have power in their hands in any kinde but otherwise are unworthy and base in their course of life and wayes and so men that are farther inferiour in place are as farre their superiours in esteeme and in the hearts of men I say in these this distemper of envie and discontent is of most dangerous consequence to the truth for now being armed with power it hath a greater incouragement and advantage many wayes both to set up and to get established tenets and opinions in religion by way of opposition to such men and their wayes whose reputations are an eye-sore unto them §. 7. 7. Fifthly men that are given to filthie luker as Paul speakes that love the wages of unrighteousnesse that is gaine however comming in by a way of unrighteousnesse the Apostles in their writings speak much of these kinde of men these are the men that will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul speakes 2 Cor. 2. 17. that is adulterate or embase the word of truth it is a metaphor taken from Vintners or Wine sellers that mingle corrupt or badde wine with that which is good to helpe it off The word of God in the life and power and simplicitie of it is but a drugge a commodity that will yeeld little in the world to him that shall utter it it is very few mens money except it be prepared and the high spirit of it corrected and taken downe that it may fall even with tempers desires imaginations intentiōs of men therefore hee that seekes to make matter of gaine and advantage of it in the world must accommodate and fit it to the hearts of those that are like to be his best chapmen and customers See Mic. 3. 11. Mal 2. 8. §. 8. 8. Sixthly men that are not able to bee baptised with the Baptisme wherewith Christ was baptised that are not able or at least much unwilling to suffer for the truth these in a Passive way or by way of consent many times prove enemies to the truth and strengthen the hands of those that doe impugne it and are accessary to many a breach that is made upon it Thus Paul tels the Galatians that such as did constraine them to bee circumcized that is were earnest with them to yeeld to Circumcision did it not so much because in their judgements they rather thought it so necessary or fitting but onely saith hee because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ Peter himselfe through his infirmitie first knew not Christ and againe fearing those of the Circumcision he knew not but hee might lawfully separate himselfe from the Gentiles that is in effect build up againe the partition wall which Christ had throwne downe and yet not prejudice the truth of the Gosspel but Pauls resolution and courage made straight what Peters feare had made crooked and indeed except men will bee somewhat willing and free hearted this way towards the Gospel and truth in time of danger there is no sinne more present with us at any time then even for those that are otherwise well-willers to the truth with a little wit and learning to shuffle away the substance of it and to sit downe upon a distinction cleane beside it §. 9. 9. A seventh sort that are enemies to the Faith and as dangerous as any of the former if not more are men
wrath and vengeance of God for ever As Michal said unto David when time was concerning the imminent danger of his life natural If thou savest not thy selfe this night to morrow thou shalt bee slaine so it may bee the case of the best and greatest and youthfullest of us that if wee deferre it a day longer if wee will not even this now be perswaded to lay hold on eternall life to morrow our soules may bee slaine with eternall death Thirdly and lastly to perswade you to raise your labours and indeavours for heaven to the highest and to abhorre and tremble at all loosenesse and low-spiritednesse that way consider that heaven is a prize that is not to be gotten with dallying or by looking another way or minding other things he that makes it not the great standing businesse of his life will never carry it Thy bread will never bee eaten but in the sweat of the brow There is a kinde of Devill that will not out as our Saviour tels us but by prayer and fasting this Devill will not goe nor heaven come but upon great and high termes Know yee not saith Paul to the Corinthians that they which runne in a race runne all but one receiveth the prize So runne that yee may obtaine cleerely implying that running it selfe will not carry this prize except it bee a running indeed a running after the manner of those that out-runne their competitors in the race a man may go farre and yet come short we may doe much and yet to little purpose If a man strive for mastery saith the same Apostle elsewhere yet is hee not crowned except he strive lawfully i. except in striving hee observeth the Lawes and conditions propounded and injoyned by him that bestoweth the prize and maketh the race To say Lord Lord onely i. to make profession of the service of God and of subjection and obedience to Iesus Christ is not the Law or rule that God hath apointed for the races wherein heaven is to be obteined men must bee operative and active in doing the will of God which is in heaven otherwise they are no company for him in that holy habitation of his glory Men must quit themselves like men on earth or never looke to bee like Angels in heaven Those crownes of righteousnesse and life will never goe at the low and base rates of delicacie case and sloathfulnesse Hee that degenerates and corrupteth himselfe with any of these giveth hostages to the Divell that he will keepe him company and be his second in the midst of the torments of hell for eternity Therefore strive to enter in at the narrow gate yea I say againe strive to enter the entrance will abundantly pay for the striving but woe bee to him that shall not enter and the same woe will bee to him that shall not strive Yet a little while the world that is present will be the world that is past and the world that is to come will bee the world present all the dayes of eternity This for the third and last Motive Concerning the deceased a worthy Gentlewoman and precious piece of mortality shee was whilst she lived and doubtlesse her name and memory deserve imbalming with the sweetest odours and spices after the manner of the dearest and chiefest Saints of God Neverthelesse it is not much that I shall speake of her my custome in this case of speaking sparingly being as a thing consecrate unto me I must not violate or sinne against it neither was it the least of her commēdations of whom we now speake that shee affected that lesse then any which shee deserved above most I meane praise and commendation distinguishing spiritually in this point of her practice as the Apostle himselfe seemes to doe in his precept Phil. 4. 8. where hee injoynes men and women to thinke upon and to follow the things themselves that are of good report but for the report it selfe belonging as due to the things hee speakes no word of minding that Doubtlesse if ever there were either man or woman since Maries time that made Maries choyce shee was companion with them herein and did likewise the way of her spirit and tenour of her life being a close example of that great rule of the Apostle for using this present world as if wee used it not 1. Cor. 7. 31. The zeale of heaven and of the salvation of her soule had even eaten her up The delights and contentments of the world which are wont deepely to ingage the affections of the daughters of men especially of her ranke and yeeres being but about twenty sixe at her death and to steale away their hearts from their God and from the noble and blessed contentments of heven had little or no power over her they entermedled little with her spirit shee trod and trampled upon them with a foote of heavenly disdaine her heart was soft and tender upwards but downewards towards the world hard as the neither Milstone When God spake hee wounded her the world cryed and shee regarded not Those cages of uncleane birds the common Theaters or Play-houses the shame and reproach of the glorious profession of Jesus Christ amongst us so much hanted by uncleane spirits both of men and women to whom modesty and sobriety surely are a burden and thither they goe for ease and deliverance places where if a man sought for company in the way to hell hee may finde choyce of all sorts where I had almost said a man may read whole pages of Gods booke of reprobation these I say with all their execrable appurtenances the soule of this religious gentlewoman loathed and abhorred they were the first-borne of abominations unto her So for the costly vanity of apparell though shee sate by a fountaine where shee might have dranke her fill of these waters shee regarded it not her usuall saying was that shee did not love to bee talked of for her fine clothes But especially that great Goddesse of her sexworshipped with so much devotion both by young and old I mean Fancie or Fashion in apparell she blasphemed For richnes of furniture in her house another solemne temptation for her sex to adde drunkennesse to thirst superfluity to necessity non contempsit sed neglexit shee did not so much contemne as neglect it She did not affect or desire to have her face seene and beheld by others in the glasse of any such glory Shee was taken up with working out her salvation and making robes of immortality for her soule For the company and society of her delight her heart went hand in hand as it were with Davids heart in this All her delight was in the Saints on earth and in those that were excellent that way Those that could speak the language of Canaan and discourse the waies of life unto her and minister any wayes to her spirituall necessities though the gold ring were wanting and the costly apparell appeared not were they persons of never so meane ranke and