wicked so blind so subiect to euery passion and vice was neuer let out as he now is from the hands of a most wise and powerfull essence and that to gouerne a great world whereof hee is not worthy as he is to be a partie he being so extremely vitious and corrupt and most creatures being more orderly then himselfe 7. Part. Againe another folly and blindnesse of theirs is that they see not the resurrection it is impossible that the end of mans bodie should bee this present life For then might we say with these Author that there might be some pleasure taken aboue in the torments here below For what generally doe wee see here but miseries paines oppression diuers tortures diuers deaths diuers heart-breakings care within and labour without a few onely liuing in some ease of which again but a few scape a great taste of miserie Indeed were there no life but this we might verily think that man was appointed to be borne to liue and die in a Iayle wherein hee is tied and bound vp to miserie and that this world was set forth for a spectacle of torments massacres wherein wee should infinitely wrong the infinite wisdom and goodnesse of the great cause of al things But as we haue learnd of God our own fall and present miserie so withall wee haue learned a remedie for our fall and a way out of this miserie into felicitie We know and belieue that the bodie dying returnes into that which it was and that is dust and if being dust at first it was then quickned wee know hee that quickned dust at first can quicken dust at last hee being the same for euer yea wee know that small portion of his Spirit which is in vs is abundantly able to performe it Wee doubt not but a little power included in an Acorne is able to raise out of it a mightie Oake because wee see it and we may as easily belieue that this Spirit which now shewes a farre greater power in our sanctification may also raise out of our dust a heauenly and glorious bodie To him that hath done so great workes daily seene there wanteth no power to do as great things yet vnseene For God hath not bounded his power by his works but if his wil be to worke more his power is still sufficient to proceede in working Now that it is his will his word doth plainely shew blessed bee hee who hath both willed it and shewed it and God the Author of these and all other good gifts stablish vs which belong to him in the knowledge and embracement of this his sauing truth that liuing and dying therein we may passe from this life which is worse then death vnto a true life of blisse and happinesse Part. 8. Another thing which flesh and blood hath not fully discouered and which hath been the author both of our fall and miserie and implieth a necessitie of a preseruer and redeemer is a State body politicke and kingdome of euill spirits which effectuall in craft mightie in power diligent in watchfulnesse and hauing all these their powers emploied and moued by an endles and great malice towards mākind go stil about seeking the mischiefe and ruine of weak silly man vnable of himselfe to stand against this Leuiathan and therefore necessarily wanting the helpe of a preseruer and redeemer Without a preseruer we cannot preuent the euils to come for against so mighty enemies we must bee hedged about with a prouidence mightier then the force of our enemies els can we not be safe from our enemies but shold be continually deuoured by them And we neede a redeemer for y e euils already by these enemies brought vpon vs for these euils we our selues can by no meanes take from our selues nor free our selues from the tyranny which Satan hath alreadie brought vpon vs. Therefore this strong man must bee bound by some stronger then himselfe and so we which were before his possession may be made free from that bondage Now the highest power only is master of this power of darknesse and therefore he only must performe this worke Some short and small viewes of some outward bodily and dissembled workings of these Principalities the Heathen haue obserued in their stories of witchcrafts oracles and apparitions which witnesse against themselues that there are such a people and that at times they are very mischieuous and malicious but the craft of this kingdome is so great the ignorance of man so grosse that sometimes vnder the shew of doing good as cures and the like and sometimes by foretelling future euents so hiding still their principall malice which was to the soule and eternall life of man they haue won silly men to take them for gods who are their sworne and most fierce enemies so farre are men from knowing they are a kingdome combined against mankind But Christ by his doctrine and the doctrine of his seruants the Apostles hath described them by name hath shewed their nature hath set foorth their malice and rage against man which begunne with the first man and continuing from thence increase now towardes the last of men Hee hath also set foorth a remedie against all his hurt and power and that is euen in this flesh which in the first man the Diuell conquered For God will shew to his owne glorie and the vtter confusion of this proud malicious Prince that by that verie weake creature which no way heeretofore was not able to match with him God is able to breake his head if hee doe but vnite and ioyne himselfe therewith And that of these men which thus were in the first man foyled and ouercome hee is able to set vp a kingdome mighty and durable which shall stand invincible in this world against the powerfull kingdome of Satan and the vnpreuailing gates of hell and shall at last ouercomming these mightie enemies passe victorious vnto glorie and life euerlasting Euen this performe in vs O Lord thy weake seruants weake in our selues but strong in thee Let thy power in vs ouercome that power which without thee would ouercome vs. And let vs being strengthned by thee march valiantly against our enemies being assured of conquest through that mightie one who loueth and supporteth vs. 58 The end seemes to vs to bee caused by the meanes and so at last it is but the end is indeed first and most chiefely the cause of the meanes for God proposing his end this end caleth out such meanes as shall accomplish it selfe so that it causeth that to be which causeth it selfe So in the Scripture when diuers things happened it is said that they happened that it might bee fulfilled which God had before purposed so that Gods purpose was the cause of the beeing of those actions which fulfilled his purpose Therefore if we go to the roote of the matter wee may perceiue that foolishly wee reason when we are discontented with the meanes saying If this meanes had not beene this
being filled with multitude nor with a spirituall the multitude hauing in them though fewest seuen thousand that bow not to Baal nor any dispensation from God for it but a law of God against it this neere intermarriage is a loathsome abomination in the eies of God It is a sinne against nature and so abominable euen to mans first and naturall apprehension 44 The course of the children of God through this world vnto heauen is the very course of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan Israel is born in Egypt vnder the seruice of Pharaoh and brought from vnder him by a mightie and outstretched Arme escaping the death of Egypt by the blood of the Lamb. Gods children are begotten in the Kingdome of Satan and drawne from his subiection by his mighty power who can onely bind the strong man and take away his goods By the blood of the Lamb Christ Iesus they also escape that death which is due to them by being borne in the kingdome of Satan The Israelites by the red Sea were cleared from the prosecution and danger of Egypt and through it found a path toward the land of promise The true Israelites by spirituall and inward baptisme are dead vnto sinne and the kingdome of Satan and by that death escape from them hauing also a way painted out by the sanctification thereof to the Kingdom of blessednesse Forty yeeres long after their man-hood did the Israelites wander in the wildernesse vntill they came into Canaan and fortie yeeres are the vsuall time appointed to the children of God to trauell in this world before they come to rest And in this fortie yeeres the onely ordinarie food of Israel that gaue them life and comfort was Manna from heauen and the chiefe food of the regenerate is the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in them and is their life and comfort Slender and light did that Manna seeme to the Israelites yet sufficed to bring them to the land of Promise and small doth the life and comfort appeare of this Spirit to fleshly reason euen of the regenerate but it will serue to bring them to heauen and to comfort and strengthen them by the way Manna shewed that man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie word which proceedeth from the mouth of God to teach vs that by this Spirit which proceedeth from the breath of God we haue as certaine a life as wee haue by bread But as at first there was an host to fetch Israel backe into bondage and at last there were hosts giants gates of brasse to keepe thē frō the possession of the Land of Promise Accordingly when Christians are escaped from the kingdome of Satan by regeneration and walking to Ierusalem which is aboue Legions and armies of wicked spirits the gates of hell yea Og the King of Basan the huge Prince of hel and the Principalities of darknesse fight against them and seek to turne backe and stop their progresse vnto rest But vnto Israel their enemies were as bread euen a prey and a triumph and to vs the God of peace will tread Satan vnder our feet the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs but their temptations shall bee our aduancements and their resistance shall giue vs the title of conquerours And that we may make full benefit of this example let vs especially be carefull to walke like those Israelites which continued and perfected their course from Egypt to Canaan the chiefe resemblances among the Israelites of the true Christians among vs. Let vs auoide the sinnes of them who fell by the way let vs make great reckoning of the Manna of the Spirit feeding comforting and contenting our selues in all estates therewith in all estates trials and changes For this small dram of our new birth though it seeme to melt sometimes before the heate of tentation and the bread thereof tasts not so strong as the onions and flesh pots of naturall lust and pleasures yet it is of the wombe of the morning it comes from the day-spring on high it hath life eternall in it and this little seed shall raise vs vp in the glorious image of the incorruptible and euerliuing sonnes of God For the weake things of God are euer strong inough to accomplish their appointed end they are backt with omnipotence and if they wanted any thing in thēselues yet from that shall they draw perfect sufficiencie 45 The sanctified soule in this world is a widdow Christ is her husband and he is absent from her The senses haue their pleasant obiects to delight them the flesh hath grosse matter enough to satisfie the lusts thereof But the soule beholdeth not an obiect for her pure ioy for hee whom the soule loueth and should only loue is gone to a farre countrey yet is her heart towards him shee thinkes still vpon him though a pilgrime in a strange land shee breaketh out into longing passions and inquireth of the sheepheards for him she lookes by a chinke with the eye of spirituall light into heauen and so hath a glimse of him for whom shee is sicke of loue for he stands behinde a wall this earth of ours is a partition betwixt vs and him and he lookes through it but by a little grate yet still is shee his only as he is hers shee reioyceth in him and remembers his loue more then wine shee entreates him to draw her that shee may run after him to set her as a seale on his heart and as a signet on his arme for her Loue is as strong as death She fitteth her selfe for him by being all glorious within and chastly reserues her selfe vnto him as a garden inclosed and a spring shut vp Shee is decked with fruitfulnesse euen with fulnesse of all sweete fruits trees of incense al sweete spices Thus louing thus glorious thus chaste thus holy thus fruitfull in goodnesse shee waiteth for his returne vntill the eternall day breake and the earthly shadowes flie away This is a sanctified soule goe thou and doe the like 46 Herein is that in expressible height of Gods mercy to his elect much expressed that the most wise and laborious men in morall goodnesse yet not hauing grace passe vnder the Law and their very goodnesse is condemned to be sin For such indeede it is not comming from him who is the only Author of goodnesse nor returning to him who is the true end of all things Yet weake and sinful soules though laden with great infirmities by the mercie of God are taken from the Law into grace so their many sinnes are forgiuen them that weake and fraile men if striuing against sin though often falling into it might yet comfort themselues in that high mercie which laid hold on them and singled them out for its owne sake and not for theirs and that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe for the glory of flesh without the mercy of God is but shame to it selfe and matter for iustice As therefore we haue an infinite benefit freely
farre that we feele not the power thereof yet our vnion still remaineth with him and wee are not parted from Christ though his vertue somewhat depart from vs wee are grounded on the Rocke and hell gates cannot preuaile against vs we are one with life and life cannot wholly forsake vs. Yea after desertions when God hath drawne vs to giue him the glory which is his owne and so instructed and bettered vs by his chastisements for punish vs meerely hee will not because wee are his sonnes hee addeth to this benefit another euen an increase of grace beyond the old bounds So that though out of our selues he giues vs humiliation yet from our vnion with him he giueth vs exaltation that he which glorieth may glorie in the Lord and that hee which wanteth may seeke him onely who onely filleth the hungrie with goodnesse 55 Death at y e diuels first bringing in of it was a fearfull punishment cutting off man from all ioy and comfort But when God in his mercy annexed infinite and euerlasting ioies vnto death death became then aduantage and that an especiall one as being the gate of eternall happinesse But the naturall man seeing onely with naturall eies beholdeth therfore only the sensible and visible comforts of this life not knowing the second ioyes wherfore his desire being bounded with his knowledge resteth onely in them and accordingly he accounts death a chiefly miserable feareful thing by which he must be depriued of such ioyes But the spirituall man by the spirituall eye of faith which the other hath not discerning spirituall things beholdeth euidently the infinite endles ioyes which are in the glorious presence of the highest happines euen God the Creator and valuing them according to the ods of their worth hee longeth after them he thirsteth to inioy them hee accounteth death that which it is euen a great aduantage as that which doth not take away life altogether from a Christian man but most happily changeth it turning a life fraile miserable and sinfull into a life mortall secure holy and happie And as that which doth not take away ioy but changeth it turning the impure narrow and the interrupted ioyes which here we take in the creatures into a pure vnbounded incessant ioies in God the Creator Now herein is the great difference betweene a naturall man and a Christian. The naturall man is in bondage while he liueth for feare of death hee goes on casting an eye still on this vizard as a thing of terror affrightmēt he is troubled with the darknesse of not being the fearefull shadow of death But the true Christian is bold as a Lion hee treadeth vpon death as hauing lost the sting by which it may kill vnto a second death he gladly makes vse of it willingly giuing himself to it as to a messēger of God which comes to fetch him from earth to heauen from miserie to felicitie from the workes of the sixe daies which could not blesse their daies to that blessed rest of the Maker of those workes which rest blessed the seuenth day it being indeed blessednesse it selfe and there being no other blessednesse but it selfe Be it therefore the high priuiledge of the Christian to enioy death to reioyce in it to account it the dore of felicitie And that euery Christian may make vse of this priuiledge this must also be the practise of a Christian euen often with the eie of faith cleared by prayer and meditation to behold the ioyes which are at the right hand of God euen the glory of the new Ierusalem whereof God is the Sunne For as much as we se it so much shall we see it to surmount all worldly ioy and as much as we see it to surmount so much shall our desire to it surmount our desire to the world and finally so much greater shal be our loue of death as our desire to that ioy is greater Wherefore if thou louest death but a litle thy sight of that ioy is but little but see it more thy affection to death shal be more If nature run to the eie and eare to draw thee to life run thou to the word spirit to draw thee to heauen These will shew thee more reason why to desire God thē flesh can why to loue this life But thou likest as thou saist the bargaine well and dost account it gainfull exchange but thou likest not the means death is painful and thou art not cōtented to be happy by paine Surely sicknes is paine but death absolutely in it self seemes not to be paine For the setting of a ioint is many times more paine then death by a consumption The conuulsions which appeare are cōmonly from the strife of nature with diseases but death followeth vsually after nature is ouercome and then life goes out gently like a consumed taper But if it must be cōfessed that there is paine in the sicknesse of death or in death it self get thou again into the spirit yet shalt thou see that death is aduātage Al the suffrings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shal be reuealed For the weight of y t ioy is an exceeding weight and ouerweyes farre all temporall and momentany affliction Therefore if by lesser weight of temporall griefe thou purchase y e exceeding weight of eternall ioy thou art yet a great gainer thou hast made a most profitable exchange thou maist yet reioyce and goe gladly through paine vnto a surpassing happines Go thou therefore and follow the patterne of our faith Christ Iesus who for the ioy set before him endured the crosse despised the shame Follow the seruants of Christ who reioyced in tribulations and went ioyfully through all persecutions scourgings stonings burnings and death it selfe vnto that glory which is aboue Yea let vs say with the seruants of God If God commanded vs yet a greathing should we not doe it for the end shall aboundantly recompence the way the end which is happines the way which is griefe and the way passeth away but y e end is endles endures for euer Let vs go on therefore hopefully and chearefully through al sorrowes bitternesses limited transitory vnto happines large without end or bound solid without lightnes continuing without cessation let y e sight of this felicity counterpoise yea ouerwey with comfort the trouble imparted by the feeling of griefe 56 A main cause of much of the griefe and folly of men is this That men resolue to make something of this world They raise great plots vpon it and intend to bring it into a Method and out of things so ordered to draw some great happines and contentment But God hath resolued the contrary to make nothing of the world but to turne it into vanity of vanities he hath set it forth as a thing to be shaken to be remooued to resolue with the lost fire and only to be a schole and nurcery for the next world Therefore doth hee
the new life we ascribe glory to him for our Election for our Iustification for our Regeneration which are the maine works of our saluation and are the ioynt-workes of the vndiuided Trinitie But yet we can follow this truth no farder then it goes before vs. Therfore when we come to regeneration there must we stop and looke no further for saluation for therein is our saluation accomplished and all the parts thereof perfected If after we will goe on to workes as to further causes of our saluation we goe beyond the truth being past the God-head and come vnto man For though it may be said that God worketh these workes in man yet man ioyneth therein with God Now the saluation of man is deriued into man from God alone and is then absolute and full in parts whē Election Iustification and Regeneration the absolute and only workes of the Trinity haue wrought vpon him For regeneration hauing put into man the seede of God which is the seede of life Man is then translated from death to life and hauing begotten him the Sonne of God hee is then the heire of promised glory and eternitie Indeed works comming after the state and right of life and glorie their goodnesse as it comes from God so it shall be rewarded by God increasing the degrees of that glory wherein before we had an vndeniable property and title Therefore works adde not a new part of saluation but only increase the issues and fruit of a part formerly possessed Accordingly doth the Diuine song of that rauished soule orderly declare Gods sauing of vs from our enemies to goe before our seruing of God in holinesse all the daies of our life So workes themselues are placed as fruits of our saluation and therefore the glory giuen to workes is but as the fruite of the fruite of saluation But why then shall it be said Come yee blessed for ye fed mee and blessed are they that keepe the commandements that their right may bee in the tree of Life So that good works seeme to iustifie and saue in the day of iudgement Herein comparisons may inlighten though not prooue If a man haue a wife of a suspected life whose many children when the dying husband calleth before him hee saith to those that liuely represent him Come to mee the true sonnes of Mee your Father you truely resemble mee therefore to you shall bee giuen the inheritance of your Father Here for their countenance and proportion is the inheritance adiudged to them yet is it not for that indeed giuen them but because thereby they are iudged to be sonnes for which Son-ship the inheritance is verily giuen them So doth God in his great iudgement he will iudge men to bee his sonnes by their good workes it being impossible that good works can come from any cause but Regeneration and for the regenerate sonnes was the kingdome of glorie long agone prepared euen by that election which was before the world So the word For doth not still imply the cause it selfe but sometimes an inseparable signe annexed to the cause as if it should be said My sonnes are heires of my kingdome those which are my sonnes and they only bring forth the works of loue these workes haue I seene in you therefore do I acknowledge you to bee my sonnes enter into your Fathers ioy 28 There are two things without in the word which witnesse it to bee excellent aboue nature A supernaturall truth and a supernaturall holinesse There are also two supernaturall things within a Christian which ioyne their inward witnessing to the outward A supernaturall inlightning to acknowledge and beleeue this truth and a supernaturall vertue changing the will into a conformity with this holinesse So in the mouth of many witnesses standeth firme the truth of diuine truth 29 Man and the earth are growne wilde by the fall of Adam both bring foorth weedes of their owne nature But as the earth is cured by husbandrie good seed so by the regeneration of Christ the chiefe husbandman and the seede of the word man is brought into a fruitfull nature and hath a remedy for the first Adam by the last Blessed be the word which is God and reuerenced and desired be the word of that Word which is of God for of them is our life and health 30 As a man in his first conuersion yeelded himselfe into a generall submission vnto the spirit so must hee doe in euery particular action and then most resolutely when sin tempteth most strongly our selues Wee made our couenant at first for the whole and continually we must performe the parts of the promised whole When we gaue our selues to the spirit of dead branches to be made liuely branches withall inclusiuely we gaue our selues to bring forth the continuall fruite of liuing branches which is done by a continuall sucking of life from the spirit which quickneth vs. Now if we rest contented onely with our first ingrafting though the Almightinesse of him whose seed is immortall and who wil not faile of his end may preserue vs aliue yet do we what wee may to kill our selues and to falsifie our couenant with him who therefore beeing offended will chastise vs with temporall iudgements and desertions and will shew that when hee is angry he is a consuming fire But let the true sonnes keepe neere to their father let them keepe close to his spirit moouing at euery motion of it and filling the wants in their Lampes with the continuall oyle thereof for this spirit is our very life and the witnesse thereof By our generall resignation this life entred and by particular resignation this life increaseth so the more we sow to this spirit the more we shal reape of life eternal Again as a mā in his great main conuersion from a sinner guilty to a sanctified and iustified man goeth ouer himself in general with y t iudgement of the Law whereby finding himselfe a man of death he flieth vnto Christ who baptizeth him from his guilt and sinfulnesse by his Bloud and Spirit giuing both his actuall righteousnes and the spirits habitual righteousnesse so after the committing of euery particular sin we shold go ouer it with a particular iudgment of y e Law wherby acknowledging it to be a worke of death wee should flie to a particular applicatiō of the great Baptisme that so putting away the particular guilt of that sinne by the washing of Christs blood and the particular vncleannesse of that sinne by the washing of Christs Spirit we which before were generally clensed and iustified may also haue a particular and continual clensing and iustification For our inward and outward Baptisme though at once performed is of continual vse and daily wee must haue a recourse thereto to wit by the outward remembring and passing to the inward that the stocke of iustification and sanctification at first imparted may be daily applied and distributed to our particular necessities And thogh being in Christ we
haue in him iustification and sanctification yet God expecteth wee shall not let either of them shift for it selfe and to worke on vs not working therwith But hee looketh that daily sinning against him we should daily offer vp to him the iustificatiō of Christ to purge away the guilt of sinne and daily request of him the Spirit of sanctification and the increase thereof to purge away the defiling of sin Thus doing we keepe our selues in cōtinuall purenesse and to be pure wee must do thus And because the latter is most painfull but absolutely necessary we must giue great heede therto For all sinne leauing on vs guilt and a staine the guilt is not ordinarily forgiuen except the staine bee taken away therefore as oft as we would be forgiuen of the guilt by Christs bloud let vs aske Christs Spirit to wash away the spot contracted by sinne When Dauid will hopefully pray to bee deliuered from bloud-guiltinesse hee must pray also Create in me a cleane hart and renew a right spirit in me Thus must the sonnes and daughters of God put away euery vncleannesse from among them beeing perfect in their purposes and endeauours as their heauenly Father is perfect And when they intreate this Spirit to clense the blemish of their soule they must doe it with a submission to the spirit to be wholly guided changed therby and particularly to haue that very sin slaine which before defiled them that the spirit may be as it were reuenged on the sin which grieued it and that it may be restored to the true place and power thereof euen of raigning dominion ouer vs and our sinfull lusts from which it was degraded by that rebellious sinner which therefore must now bee subiected and cast downe vnder it 31 Death in respect of this life seemeth to bee a great euill because it is an end of life and of all the pleasures thereof But the same death is rather a most excellent benefit which putteth vs out of this life subiect to euill and whose natural happinesse is in the creature into an eternall life beyond the reach of euill whose happinesse is the enioying of the infinite fulnes of the Creator in whom the goodnesse of the creature is also included Therefore death is a gate whose neare side though it seeme couered with blacknesse yet the inner side is couered with shining gold and the purest light hath her dwelling there Let vs therefore with the holy men of God by faith looke to the farther side of this partition let vs pierce beyond darknes vnto light beyond the shade vnto glorie not sticking altogether with the blind multitude on the darknes which is on this side as bounded therewith Then with Paul shall we crie to be dissolued to be with Christ wee shall so admire the inside that wee shall despise the outside wee shall with the holy Martyrs Saints push at this gate saying Open the euerlasting doores that wee may enter in vnto the King of glorie Besides if wee will looke from our selues to other creatures wormes birds and cattell die for the profit of men yea for their pleasure yet man created them not neither can claime any right to this power of their liues but by gift But God by creation hath a right to man and for his glorie hath appointed man to die which oweth infinitely more to God then the creatures to man yet man is loth to do that for God which without feeling he will haue the beasts doe for him But O man yeeld to thy Maker be thou for him who hath made the beasts for thee and therefore himselfe Breake not this appointed order thou hast this addition of comfort thou goest to happinesse when thou diest and so God doth not kill thee but call for thee He takes thee not from being but alters thy being and makes it better follow him gladly therfore remouing thee to blisse and the Law which thou willingly allowest on the creature to his extinguishment allow also vpon thy selfe for thy aduantage But if thou wilt not yet away thou must thou maist lose the benefit which might be made of it but escape thou canst not the decree of heauen must stand in despight of thee and to conforme our selues to it is our chiefe wisdome and ease 32 Many things are troublesome and full of worke one thing is easie readie and mannageable Many things can tend no farther then this world which tendeth but to vanitie and corruption one thing tendeth to eternitie and to happinesse in eternitie Againe these many things leading to vanity hinder much that one thing which leadeth to eternall felicitie Let men therefore chuse that one which is easie and rewardeth with happines rather then the many which comber vs only for vanitie But especially let them beware that with those many things of vanitie they comber and hinder not that one thing of felicitie Let them beware that with temporal trouble they purchase not trouble eternall and so take paines neuer to bee out of trouble Many there are who haue a smoking flaxe of religion in them and ambition or couetousnesse allureth them to put into their harts the many things which are combersome thinking still to retaine roome for that one thing which is necessarie But by little and little the many things so possesse the heart that the one thing is thronged out and the smoke which might haue been a fire is no longer a smoke Thus doe they kill the spirituall life which began in them and with many cares buy death eternall But pittie your selues O ye sons of Adam know your strength and take heed you sell not your soules for the whole world Some indeed haue a greater force and dispatch to turne ouer many worldly businesses but take heed thou ouerlay it not Some are weake and a little ouerthroweth them Let not a horse vndertake the burthen of a Camell and let neither goe beyond his strength the surest way is to bee faultie if on any side on the best and surest side therefore bee sure thou allow enough to that one thing which is necessarie though thou abridge and lessen those many things which are troublesome and transitorie But if thou fillest and ladest thy selfe with care thou becommest indeed a Camell euen a beast of burden thou canst not goe through the eye of the needle thou hast too much about thee to goe in at the straight gate of the Kingdome of heauen 33 Mankind hath rooted in it a facultie or rather an impotencie of desiring which cleaueth fast to him through his whole life Whatsoeuer outward changes befall or whatsoeuer prosperity without change there is a roote of lust and desire in man which still will bud foorth and if it fasten on nothing to be desired it is in paine and desireth earnestly to desire something The reason of this is the saying of Christ That which is born of flesh is flesh to wit that which is borne of fleshly lust is lustfull flesh
dogs they runne away with the crie and barke out this terme against euery honest man they meete But a lamentable persecution of tongues is this the whiles especially among Christians that a man should be reuiled for being a Christian and that regeneration the worke of the holy Ghost should bee reproched Cursed is hee that despiteth the Spirit of grace euē that Spirit which gaue his tongue that power by which hee is able to speake against the Spirit Cursed is hee that reuileth the holy Ghost and raileth on the power of the liuing God Know that the time shall come when thy words shall returne vpon thee as so many Lyons yea the diuell who now sets thee on worke shall come to worke vpon thee with torments but especially that blessed Spirit whom thou hast reuiled shall come against thee and teare thee in pieces and there shall be none to deliuer thee Thou seest in the whole course of such a mans life a maine current of honestie and goodnesse and who would thinke that any should bee so shamelesse to raile on goodnesse and to oppose against it For the verie opposing against goodnesse giues thee the title of wickednesse which alone is the enemie thereof It shewes thou art a souldier of the Dragon who goes out to make warre with that blessed seede that keepes the commandement of God But I doe know thy vsuall defences thou wilt say that there are none worse then such as make such a shew of purenesse and withall thou art furnished with some merry tales that shew many mad trickes of these ouer holie brethren Heere a little discretion and iudgement in stead of salt would be of very good vse to amend the sauour both of thy heart and tongue For an vpright iudgement as it findeth many truths so toward the true discouerie of this businesse it findeth these First that whosoeuer is indeed good shall and must also seeme good for his works wil praise him whether he will or no his fruits wil shew what tree he is they must shine before men that men seeing them may glorifie God their heauenly Father Hence first we conclude that euerie one that seemes good is not an hypocrite but contrarily he may bee one of Gods chiefest seruants Therefore thou canst not presently fall to thy nickname only for the shew of goodnesse Secondly that there is indeede a dissembled holinesse worne for a cloake to wickednes that the shape of an Angell of light some times couers a foule diuell yea the foulest diuels are they that most vse need this couer Now for this fellow if thou findest him puritā is too good a name for him for the Scripture hath sharper names as generation of Vipers Wolues in Sheepes clothing and painted Sepulchers full of rotten bones These bee they whereon the diuell sets the one foote when he kickes at true Christians with the other iustifying by these his railings on those who especially hate these as the diuels chiefest seruants But now there needs some discretion to know these from the other that thou call not good euill nor euill good nor a Christian Hypocrite nor an Hypocrite Christiā Toward this thou must looke to the fruites of both and that not a few particulars but to the generall For a Godly man is subiect to infirmitie hath some fals and an Hypocrite knowes that to couer his wickednesse hee must shew some goodnes But looke to the continuall course of both and thou shalt finde one good generally though sometimes fraile and the other often grosly transgressing though much couering his rotten heart The things wherein especially thou shalt try the difference may be these First a loue to Christ secondly a loue of Christs voice thirdly a loue of the members of Christ and a reioycing in them who excell in vertue Now these things will againe appeare if for the loue of Christ the loue of his word and the loue of his members a man be ordinarily contented to lose sinfull profits or pleasures and with the steward to write 50. for an 100. This is the touchstone of a Christian euen the taking vp of the Crosse forsaking all and following Christ. But this the hypocrite cannot abide he serues Christ that Christ may serue him to get pleasure and profit by him not to lose by him Part. 8. But now heere come in the many stories which condemne these purer men to bee guiltie against these duties and so to be hypocrites Yet runne not away too fast with this neither but euen in the point of hearing reports take also some discretion with you For against good men very commonly are bold and confident slanders raised which by their stoutnesse might seeme to bee truth it selfe But let not the wise beleeue them before examination For most commonly in the very telling of them will appeare a venom and malice the true issue of the old Serpent and vpon farther triall falshood and lying the naturall brother of the former and a truly begotten sonne of the Accuser of the Brethren He began the rule in Paradise and will continue euen to the new Ierusalem lie boldly for some of it will sticke fast for euer And how can it be otherwise since the lasinesse of men is such that they will beleeue a report at the first telling rather then trouble themselues to examine and finde out the truth which onely should be belieued withall their maliciousnesse is so great that they are willing and readie to receiue euill reports yea they delight in them But the seruants of Christ know that the last iudgement shall be by words and that a rash and a bitter iudge shall though not rashly yet seuerely be iudged Therefore according to the Psalmist The good man is merciful and guideth his words with discretion He inclineth naturally to beleeue good rather then euill yet auoiding to condemne the iust hee also shunnes to iustifie the wicked Therefore that his iudgement may bee righteous hee searcheth both the matter how probable it is in it selfe and next he examineth the re-reporters whether they bee those in whom the truth dwelleth and who themselues haue a good report of the truth not being like Pilate ignorant and yet to learne what is truth For it is a kind of murther of our neighbour in his name and reputation which is almost as his life both to beare false witnes and to receiue false witnesse against him Lastly a good man if hee may conueniently will inquire of the partie himselfe or of some of his acquaintance whether such things haue beene done by him and if done in what manner and vpon what occasion for many times the maner of things wholly alters the matter and the matter may be good in the manner in which it was done yet euill in the manner bestowed on it by the reporter Againe the thing being true yet the occasion and cause may though not iustifie yet excuse the fact for many euill deeds are done by infirmitie which yet prooue