of thy conscience or destroying of thy soul 86. WHat though the common conceit presume that if a man thrive in the world then God loves him and if he be crossed in outward things then God hates him yet measure not the favour and love of God towards thy self or others by prosperity or adversity If thou wouldst find comfort in thy heart and unfeigned testimonies of Gods speciall respect towards thee seek not for them in outward benefits or in want of outward benefits both which are common to the godly and ungodly but in joy in the holy Ghost in remission of sins in repentance from dead works in the Spirit of adoption in faith in Christ in peace of conscience which passeth all understanding As for other things place not thy heaven or happiness in them for they afford no such assurance If blessings come receive them thankfully If crosses happen indure them cheerfully 87. COnform thy fashions to thy fare thy manners to thy means our severall conditions require feverall carriages If thou be tryed with adversity bear it without stubborness or impatiency If thou be called to prosperity use it without insolency or ingratitude Debase thy self in the one as God hath debased thee and take no more stare upon thee in the other than he hath given thee Let not thy mind be so reflective upon thy degree in the world as upon thy conscience but especially remember always the Judge of thy conscience who as in his mercy he hath lifted thee up so in his wisedom can bring thee down or as in his wisedom he hath brought thee down so in his mercy can lift thee up 88. DIsable not thy self from being in the state of blessedness for the life to come because thou art in great misery in this life yea though thou be justly punished for thy sins for the which thou art not yet sufficiently penitent Thou shalt but add to thy sorrows and needlesly increase the weight of thy burden if thou condemn thy state of election because the Lord hath elected thee to chastise thee for thy faults if thou relinquish thy hope of happiness in heaven because thou art recompensed with judgments on earth yea therefore are not Gods Children free from all manner of temporall plagues that they may be free from everlasting perdition A man may be sealed by the holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption [c] Ephes 4.30 A man may be as secure from hell as Sathan is secluded from heaven and yet his calamities may make him groan and cry and roar all the day long and yet day and night Gods hand may be heavy upon him [d] Psal 32.3 4. 89. BY deliverance from troubles past assure thy self of deliverance from dangers present and by former benefits never doubt of future favour in Gods good time so far forth as it may stand with thy spirituall good God loveth not as men do for a day or two and so farewell but it was it is and it will be alwayes true God is the Lord he changeth not whom he once loveth he loveth to the end and where he hath once shewed mercy he will persevere in kindness being yesterday to day and the same for ever [e] Heb. 13.8 Idem Objectivè Subjectivè Effectivè When Saul told David that he was but a youth and therefore too weak to combat with that strong Goliah the champion of the Philistins who had been a man of warr from his youth How soundly and comfortably did David reason from the experience he had in times past of Gods helping hand that he who had delivered him from the paw of the Bear and the jaw of the Lyon would also save him in that duell which he was to undertake with an uncircumcised Philistin that defied and oppressed the people of God [f] 1 Sam. 17.34 35 36. And how cheerfully did Saint Paul make the same argument that God did deliver him doth deliver him and hereafter will deliver him assuredly [g] 2 Tim. 4.17 18. 90. TAke up and bear the yoak of poverty with patience poverty is no sin nor alwayes onely the punishment of sin Even Christ the Lord of heaven and earth even the Lord of all hast lead of all and could say [h] Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head shewing that as he was the Son of Man the beasts fowls were richer than he he was poorer than the beasts the birds Art thou without this worlds goods yet be not without Christian courage God oftentimes recompenseth compenseth the want of earthly blessings with great abundance of heavenly graces such gifts in the day of trouble and in the hour of temptation shall minister more comfort and more true peace unto thee than all things which begin with pleasure and end with corruption 91. HOwsoever thou canst chalenge nothing at Gods hands as due debt unto thee but calamities and sorrowes which are the fruit of thy sins yet know this that God often protecteth thee from much harm which thou knowest not of Cōsider often with all humbleness thankfulness that God not only foreseeth thy dangers before they can come neer thee but preserveth thee from many a mischief and much affliction which through blindness and ignorance thou neither do'st nor can'st perceive How much more then will he support thee when thou knowest thy self to be in trouble and powrest out thy earnest prayers unto him for deliverance out of trouble He that performeth the greater will alwayes be ready to accomplish the less He that keepeth thee back from the pit that was hidden will help thee to escape from that which lieth open He that is so forward to help thee when he is not requested will not be backward to succour thee when he is intreated 92. IN thy greatest affliction and most grievous extremity be thy wants never so great thy means of ease never so small be thy hopes in respect of outward helps never so few the difficulties through which thou must pass never so many Regard not so greatly the things that are seen which may work deadly discouragement and anguish as that which is not seeen with mortall ey namely Gods omnipotence Look not so much to the danger of death before thee as to the power of God above thee which is never at a stand never at a loss which then begins to shew it self when human help ends [i] ubi desinit humanum auxilium ibi incipit divinum when mens cases seem most desperate and help is thought to be furthest of then is Gods mercy greatest and his presence neerest then is his power made perfect through our weakness When doth the Devill and his children more insult than when they have men under but when men are most miserable then doth God shew most mercy when faith was enfeebled by long looking and hope began to faint with much
serve him to believe his truth and walk in his Commandments Him will God love most who shall winne most to the love of God (f) Is in amore Dei major erit qui plurimos ad ejus amorem trahit Greg. in hom wherefore hath God given thee light but that thou shouldst give light to others How canst thou be sure of thy own calling if thou hast no delight to call others Thou art not turned to God thy self if thou bear not that heart that thou wouldst even think thy self happy mightest thou be a means to turn another unto God The Prophet Isaiah that Evangelical Prophet and Prophetical Evangelist prophecying of the Kingdom of Christ bringeth in the people so full of zeal that they stir up one another saying Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in in his paths (g) Isaiah 2.3 And Zachariah saith They that dwell in one City shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts (h) Zachar. 8.21 74. BE not wise to thy self Be not a niggard of thy knowledge but communicate thy knowledge to others Cover not thy candle with a vessel neither put it under a bed but set it on a candlestick that they which enter in may see the light (i) Luke 8.16 So shalt thou perform the intent of thy stewardship so shalt thou be of the number of those who profiting teach and by teaching profit knowledge may fitly be resembled to the Widows oyl which the more it was powred out the more it increased knowledge may be well likened to the five loaves which the more they were distributed the more they multiplyed As contrariwise if knowledge be not imparted it will be impaired If we keep it private we shall be deprived of it 75. ARt thou learned and able to teach others yet disdain not that any should teach thee what mortal meer man ever attained to that depth of judgment as not to be yet ignorant in many profitable concernments Even in the same profession that may be hidden from one which is known to another to attend is no hinderance but that a man may speak to speak is no hinderance but that a man may hear therefore Job matcheth them together saying Let a man of understanding tell me there is he prepared to learn let a wise man harken to me (k) Job 34.34 there is he provided to speak speaking and hearing amongst all that are wise-hearted cannot be prejudicial one to another 76. ATtend as often and as carefully as thou mayest to all wholesome and convenient directions Be more desirous to harken to others than to hear thy self but especially when thou meetest with such as excell in knowledge as are filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedom and spiritual understanding by whom in many things thou mayest exactly cure thy ignorance by learning in silence who are as profitable Well-springs plentifull and perpetual such as fail not nor can be drawn dry at any time whose hearts feed their mouths and thereout excellent observations in one usefull respect or other readily flow as a free stream from a full fountain 77. COntemn not neither lightly pass over such things as thou seest but seriously search and seek not only what temporal but especially what spiritual use thou canst draw from them that may enrich thy soul and help to build thee up in Christ Jesus learn wich the Bee to gather celestial honey as well from the weed as from the flower learn by the Dust thy baseness by the Grass thy frailty by the Ant diligence by the Sheep patience by the Oxe thankfulness by the Clouds bountifulnes learn by the Darknes the time of thy ignorance by the Light the time of the Gospel by every thing something that may wean thee from earth and win thee to Heaven 78. COmmune often with thy own heart and let thy spirit make diligent search wherein thou hast offended in thought word deed by sins of omission or commission against God thy neighbour and thy self stand not in thine own light be not partial but examin thy self earnestly thoroughly uprightly Neither only examin but upon examination condemn thy self fall at Gods feet and humbly cry for mercy Thus if thou judge thy self before thy self in this thy day thou shalt not be condemned in the last day before the Judgment Seat of Christ in the presence and audience of all the world 79. DIscover to thy Surgeon thy sores to thy Physician thy disease to Almighty God thy sins It is a good disgrace that procureth grace He preventeth his cure that doth not publish his cause (l) Ipse sibi denegat curam qui suam medico non publicat causam Aug. epist 188. The Lord indeed knoweth all things but yet requireth thy confession is acquainted with all thy wishes and all the volutations of thy mind but nevertheless expecteth thy words (m) Novit Deus omnia vocem tatamen tuam expectat Ambros de poenit l. 1. cap. 23. 80. THink not thy self immediately made clean from all thy iniquity transgression and sin if thou shed a few tears and bewail them but be sorrowful for them and sorrowful that thou canst be no more sorrowful considering that if a river were turned into tears flowing from thine eyes thou couldst never sufficiently be grieved for thy offences if God should in his Justice only require it and yet dispair not but take a true and comfortable and fast hold upon God by a lively faith who is gracious and abundant in mercy whose mercy hath neither bottom nor measure who will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live disliking himself for his manifold misdemeanors and cleaving to God for his manifold mercyes 81. BE not so cast down in the sight of thy own unworthyness as to think because thou deservest not Gods mercy therefore thou shalt never be partaker of it For how plentiful are his gracious promises every where of favour and compassion the which though there be no cause in thee why he should confirm yet is there cause enough in himself why he should perform who whatsoever he will he can and whatsoever he hath promised he will who alwayes useth to be as good as his word who is infinite in his mercy and infallible in his truth 82. IF thou wouldst repent truly and thoroughly pray earnestly to the Lord that it would please him of his infinite compassion to look upon thee with the eyes of his grace The most merciful God is the only giver of repentance unto life n (m) Act. 11.18 It is not in mans power to repent when he will but when God will It is not thy own or any others indeavour that can do any thing in this way till God put to his help untill Christ did
off and detested because false Prophets have abused them and do still abuse them to deceive the people of God and lead them into errour to colour and countenance all their crafts and conveiances of corrupt doctrine Then men must abhor their meat and drink because some be drunken and some surfet Then must our witts memories health strength be taken away because every part and the whole man hath been miserably abused by us all through our many and manifold transgressions 17. BE not so unadvised as to malice or utterly mislike any lawfull vocation because the professors or practisers of it demeane themselves unworthily or impiously This or that officer may be hurtfull and yet his office still may be usefull was not Bennaiah the son of Jehoiada put over the Host in Joabs room and in the room of Abiathar Zadock the Priest [m] 1 King 2.35 Did not Eliakim a faithfull and diligent man succeed Shebna the hypocrite in the stewardship of Ezechiahs house [n] Isaiah 22.20 what a monster amongst men was Judas a traitour to his Master a murderer to himself censured by Christ to be no less debauched than a Devill [o] John 6.70 And yet it is not said of him let the Bishoprick be taken away Let there be no more Bishopricks for Judas his sake but let the Bishoprick remain and let another take [p] Acts 1.20 it that deserveth it better who will not onely bear the name but discharge the trust and more rightly perform the imployment 18. DOth the world commonly like earnestnes in any thing rather than religion Is that ancient and heavenly fire which once appeared most worthily in many both in their entrance and progress of their good course of piety and a good conscience now turned to ashes and extinct or doth it burne so closely and feebly that it can hardly be discerned yet keep thy spirit thy forwardnes and heat of heart and be not at any time without zeal in the service of God It well becommeth every Saint to be earnest to stick close to those holy dueties which God hath layd upon him and not to be flitting off and on and unsetled as many are who yet would be taken to be of the forwardest sort It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing [q] Galar 4.18 in the practice whereof good zeal with small learning is better than great learning with small zeal But as knowledge is not sufficient without zeal so neither zeal without knowlege But let not the most spirituall project be without spirituall prudence but in thy greatest heate let meek discretion in a proportionable rate order thy zeal Least unawares thou purchase Gods displeasure by the miscarriage of thy wel-meaning devotion such as God never appointed never approved and such as he hath often both misliked and severely punished zeal without knowlege is not zeal but stomack not a blessed holiness but a brain-sick giddiness A brutish and savage passion and perturbation such as is in that head-strong part of furious persons whose zeal is to depart from the Church yea even that Church that first brought them to that knowledge and faith that they have if in truth and soundnes they have any at all 19. BE sometimes severe to beat down the sin but commonly kind to winne the sinner Be at all times serving to befriend but at no time soothing to betray 20. MArre not a good cause with ill handling meddle not with evill no not the least that good though the greatest private or publick may come thereof Thou canst not please God more with a good intent than thou mayest displease him by using bad means to effect it 21. OBserve still the dayes worthily set apart to give thanks to God for his Apostles for those benefits which he hath bestowed upon us by their ministery for their eminent graces on earth and now such unspeakable glory in heaven whom though with the Papists we neither do nor dare adore yet well may we admire and imitate and well may we pray God to give us grace to follow them both in their believing living and dying who having now by their faith attained that which they desired are an excellent direction for us how to seek what they have attained 22. NEither habour an ill thought against thy Soveraigne Neither admit any the least depravation of him no not in the whispering of thy conscience No though he give cause to be evill thought of No though thou be wronged or worse thought of than thou deservest It skilleth not much what his person is when most sure it is his power is of God when of what nation or nature soever the Magistrate is Jew or Gentil Christistian or Heathen good or bad he hath his authority from God the Magistrate of all Magistrates not from the Law of Nations as some are not ashamed to aver [r] Bellar. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 1. cap. 7. paragr praeterea but as from God and his Law By diligent care in good services please thy governour as well as thou mayest and that in most awfull and loyall manner and with all due circūspection beware how thou kindle his anger Be far from those tumultuous and rebellious practices that may give him cause of provocation against thee and keep thy self from those fierce and fiery fellowes those desperate or hypocriticall companions which may stir thee up to stand upon points with him and imbolden thee against him From Church-robbers and traitors it is not pride but a point of wisedom and godly policy to affect alwayes a stern kind of strangegeness aloofe It is Salomons injunction in the giving whereof he was directed by Gods Spirit and be it ever in thy remembrance My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change [s] Prov. 24.21 that are desirous of alteration and changes in the state according to their private and peevish humours 23. HOw ardently are wilful hearts enamoured with worldly greatness How greedily do naturall men affect dominion How mightily do some men long to Lord it over their neighbours in honour and dignity power and authority some are resolved to rise and be in some office or other or it shall cost them a fall yea a fall into hell some had rather be traitours than not Magistrats But let us not be desirous of vain glory saith S. Paul [t] Gal. 5.26 But seek not thou the acclamation of man more than the approbation of God Be thou no Magistrate no officer yea no man rather than a traitour 24. IF cunning rebellion under a shew of religion and vizard of vertue without fear of Gods vengeance or shame of mens reproof cast his fiery darts at thee let faithfull loyalty and loyall faithfulness be ready to quench them if seditious persons and such as love innovations seek with guilefull speeches to steal thy soul from God and thy heart from thy soveraigne let wisedom shape them
which he useth of his goodnes towards us to convey to our feebleness good things and to make us more secure of his love They are the King of Kings gracious pardon to confirm the weakness of our faith to make good the truth of his own promises to seal up unto us forgiveness of sins Being then by Gods institution very available frequent them with a feeling of thy wants with a reverence of his ordinances with hungring after his graces with calling upon his Name to fit thee and prepare thee for that heavenly work 90. DEceive not thy own heart with a Zodiack of false signes Rest not thy self in seeking after common gifts general knowledge and illumination diversity of tongues and interpretation of tongues all which are common to all sorts of men both good and bad but labour and covet to be partaker of such gifts as are peculiar and proper to the elect do always accompany salvation and eternal life but labour to feel a certain knowledge of thy reconciliation to God in Christ the gifts of regeneration a dying unto sin and rising up to newness of life the grace of hearty prayer meekness in bearing rebukes delight in those that excel in vertue comfort in distresses and such like which the elect of God find in some measure wrought in them If these be in thee and abound thou shalt have that peace of conscience through them that passeth all understanding but if these be not in thee whatsoever knowledge thou hast besides though thou hast tasted of the heavenly gift been inlightned by the Spirit been partaker of the holy Ghost tasted of the good word of God and received the Gospel with joy thou shalt find no more sound comfort in them than many most wicked men have had who were enlightned by God but shall never be saved who attained to great and high knowledge but never grew so high as faith 91. ACcording to the truth of the Word in mercy revealed unto thee grow in grace more and more and make every day some progress to the Kingdom of heaven still press and indeavour onwards to obtain it Thou shalt find many lets and hinderances in the way which to pass over may seem to be hard in the beginning especially if they be looked upon with an eye of flesh but a setled course and continuall practice of faith and repentance will within a while make all that was laborious lightsome the matter easy and evident and the way plain and comfortable A scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easy to him that understandeth (w) Prov. 14.6 that understandeth to desire it and humbleth himself 92. THink not thy self discharged either by Gods soveraigne or by the Priests subordinat working but that thou must also put to thy help and work out not the price but the assurance of thy own salvation (x) Philip. 2.12 but that thou must also by using the appointed means by walking in all the Commandments of God without reproof and continuall increasing in sanctification which is a signe and seal of our justification procure to thy self an assurance of thy election (y) a Pet. 1.10 but that thou must also by fighting the good fight and keeping the faith put thy self into an expection of the Crown of righteousness (z) 2 Tim. 4.8 If thou wouldst be sure to have salvation follow then must holy and carefull serving of God go before 93. HAst thou but little abilities and few gifts either of nature art or grace bestowed upon thee beholdest thou a double portion in others and a poor pittance in thy self yet be not dismay'd be not out of heart but in an humble cōtentation devout thankfulness proceed according to thy power and thy labour shall not be in vain in the Lord God desireth not toreap where he hath not sown nor requireth he much but where he hath given much He looketh not for labouring beyond thy strength nor travailing further than thy gifts can reach When Ezechiah pray'd for the people that the Lord would pardon every one that prepared his heart to seek the Lord God of his Fathers though he were not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary the Lord heard him and harkened unto him and healed the people (a) 2 Chro. 30.18 19 20. 94. COntent not thy self with knowledge and understanding with utterance and discourse or with ability to dispute and determine many difficult points of Religion though these faculties be in thee very eminent and singular but consider what faith thou hast to believe and conscience to perform obedience but look what power Gods Spirit hath in thee to sanctification of life to amendment of errours and misdoings of the Spirit illuminating the fruits are often given to the wicked Balaam and Saul may Prophesie Caiphas may have some transient revelations but the fruits of the Spirit sanctifying are vouchsafed to none but onely to Gods Elect Not he that knoweth most but he that maketh best use of what he knoweth is the man whom God will know and prefer in the day of eternal retribution in the day of his glorious appearance when he shall destroy all the wicked and make happy his own for ever 95. THe free-hearted Jews stil brought either gold or silver or pretious stones or fine linnen or spices or silk or hair or one thing or other to the building of the material tabernacle and they left not building till they were prohibited by proclamation In building thy spiritual tabernacle to the Lord leave not praying reading hearing learning meditating applying practising till thou be stayed by death In thy spiritual progress repine not at thy pains past neither think much of that which is to come but keep on still Be not weary of good intents and gracious imployments 96. LEt the examples of thy neighbours dying round about thee daily thy own decaying in strength and health the many calamities in this dangerous world incite thee to apply whilst thou hast time both thy body and mind to do good stir thee up to prepare thy self both in profession and practise for thy departure so shall neither life nor death no not sudden death part thee from thy Saviour so shall death be unto thee nor death indeed but a bare name and no worse so shall death not be terrible unto thee but as welcome as quiet sleep to a wearied and over-wearied traveller 97. BE not so heartless as to fear death nor yet so senseless as to pray for death before the time appointed by the Lord thy Governour It is a sin to work thy death before men and it is a sin to wish thy death before God Indeed death which bringeth the dissolution of nature and is a passage to a better life is a welcom guest to them that are the Lords all the godly do make themselves ready to receive him to meet and intertain him Death to the wicked cometh with a sting but to the godly