superstitious admiration of some mens persons to the injurious usage of others God deliver them and this Church and from the effects of such distempers SECT IX Of the Vnion and Communion with God in the Holy Eucharist or Lords Supper to which certain Instructions are premised 1. IT is the opinion of Learned Doctours that all Orders and degrees Ecclesiasticall are given with designe to Consecrate the Eucharist of the Bodie and Blood of Christ which may well be call'd in question but that the Sacrament of the Eucharist is the summitie of the practicall Mysteries left us and ordained by Christ for our edification and straitest Union with him is not to be denied after such grounds given us thereof in Scripture and assurances thereof from the unisone consent of the Learned and holy Fathers of the Church in all Ages Our own Liturgie teaching us that if with a penitent heart and lively Faith we receive that holy Sacrament we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his Blood we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we are one with Christ and Christ with us And afterward that hereby we evermore dwell in him and he in us It must necessarily be therefore that an intimate Union is hereby wrought between Christ and the faithfull Soule highly to be valued earnestly to be sought after and diligently and zealously to be laboured for as that true Bread which came down from Heaven excelling infinitely the Mannah which came down from Heaven that Bread which perisheth not but lasteth and leadeth unto Eternall Life as Christ himselfe John 6. testifieth 2. But leaving to others the accurate explication of the Majestie of this Mysterie and not much employing our selves in the opening this Treasurie of Grace and Mercie we shall confine our selves to the more practicall consideration and that briefly of the right use of that which is so effectuall to the more strict full and perfect Union with God. And to this end we shall here first deliver certain fundamentall or at least very profitable Documents to be received and observed by fruitfull Communicants 2. First then it must be noted that the things themselves of which the Eucharist consisteth naturally tend no more to such sublime ends and effects than any other things howbeit severall Analogies are by the ingenious pietie of men alledged to declare the sutablenesse of the Elements to such ends not to be despised but this must in the mean time be acknowledged that it was both in the Liberty and Power of Christ to have chosen what other things he pleased to have annexed his Graces unto had it so pleased him 3. Secondly That the two Elements for so are they called not according to strict signification whereby there are said to be four Elements in Nature but onely as they concurre to make the Sacramentall Bodie as they doe constitute the naturall bodies are the Bread and Wine which were in most common use in the Country where Christ did celebrate his last Supper without any speciall and precise Obligation of Christians to the very same matter in all points and circumstances for we know not infallibly whether the Bread was purely of one kinde of Grain and that of Wheat or whether there were as there possibly might be some mixture in that bodie as it is held there was in the other the Wine For questionlesse Christ was not anxious himselfe about that Point neither ought we but onely to follow and imitate him as neer as we can by honest and ordinarie endeavours 4. Thirdly It is to be considered that whatever Treasure of Grace and Mercie is said and believed to be contained in the Eucharist by Gods dignifying and speciall replenishing of them with them are not said so necessarily to flow from thence that every one should partake of them who are partakers of the outward Formes Neither are they as Pipes or Conduits which run alike to all men that come to them and catch what they lett fall but as by Gods extraordinarie Power and Goodnesse they have this store of benefits given unto them and not of themselves so by the same Providence and Wisdome of God are they there dispensed as it seems good unto him And it seems good to him to proportion the benefits of them agreeable to the capacitie of the receiver I say Capacitie and not Merits which should demand in justice what is there contained but the Condition is there as the Psalmist hath Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it desire earnestly and prepare thy selfe dulie and plentie of Blessings will by vertue of Gods Promise redound to thee which Benefits we shall hereafter touch 5. Fourthly The manner of receiving Christ with the Blessings he necessarily brings with him in this Sacrament is somewhat differing in outward forme from that we receive him in by his Holy Word made known to us and by Baptisme wherein we are regenerate and incorporate into the Body of Christ and that by Faith too as in the Eucharist but agrees in the Inward For the visible Instruments of receiving Christ are much different the Bread and Wine representing Christ to the Eye as the Word of God to the Ear And the Word of God taught and believed initiates us by Illumination and Revelation of the Minde and Will of God not attainable in a saving manner but by that The Sacrament of Baptisme carries us on from thence to Purgation For hereby are we cleansed from all our sins The Sacrament of the Eucharist perfects and crowns all these For as much as all other gifts and graces upon which we are built and in which we stand before God are by this one revived quickened encreased and strengthened But we doe not receive a new doctrine of Faith nor another kinde of Grace of Faith nor another Spirit nor another Christ nor another spirituall life in Christ but the same in substance all with new advantages 6. Fifthly The outward Symboles or Elements of Bread and Wine called the Body and Blood of Christ because they both represent and exhibite them to the duly disposed Soule are not after Consecration Christ himselfe any more than they were before For it is one thing to say what those sensible Objects are which we call the Sacrament though the Sacrament properly so taken consisteth equally of the word Sanctifying and the Elements sanctified by it and another to say what we receive in the Sacrament which is really Christ And therefore they are idle words and calumnies which men give out that we receive not really Christ or that we believe not that Christ is in the Sacrament because we believe not that he is the very Sacrament it selfe or that Bread and Wine are not present in the Sacrament 7. Sixthly Whatever is visible tractable tasteable in the Eucharist is not Christ And if we must not believe our eyes and the eyes of all men assuring us that to be Bread and Wine which we behold to be so then may we not believe our
the Earth the motions of the Air and temper differing from ours and the unusuall formes of Beasts and such like Rarities doe beget an inclination in the minde to be present on the place Likewise Relations of Battles wise Stratagems Valiant and bold Actions in others inflame the spirit to an imitation In like manner he who converses much with Religion its strange and preternaturall Notions the sublime Speeches and heroicall Actions of Saints and Martyrs and especially the admirable designe and Providence of God in Lost mans Redemption and Restitution perfourmed by Christ cannot choose but finde and feel a disposition in himselfe answering the impressions made in his minde of them where it is not notoriously pester'd with earthly and vitious Habits prepossessing it which by the foresaid prescriptions of the Purgative Exercise must be first discharged before any such transformation as we speake of can be hoped for For no man can attain to any savourinesse or complacencie in any faculty whatever untill by frequent practice he becomes a competent Master of such Science or Art. So that Saint Paul exceeding in these Exercises himselfe and thereupon experimenting the admirable effects of them in the vehement zeal for Gods glorie ending in Raptures and Visions Celestiall commends the same Methode to his Son Timothy 1 Epist 4. 8. in these words Till I come give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine which are easily applicable to such an attendance whereupon Christ with his blessed Spirit may enter into the Soule to its Illumination Purgation and Conjunction with him 5. And though all the Scriptures being given of God are profitable for Instruction and Edification yet as the glorie of the Celestiall Bodies differ in degrees so some Lights in Gods Word produce both greater light and heat in men than others doe Whereupon it is expedient that choice be there made allso of such as may be more effectuall upon a man not excluding inferiour points as uselesse but insisting upon such as are more honourable and weighty and fruitfull to be meditated on 6. And to give some assistance here to the weaker in directions and instances of subjects proper for Meditation not intending to limit any strictly to what I here offer What if we should distribute the Great Work of God in restoring and renewing or recreating the world brought into ruine and confusion by the fall of Man into as many dayes as it pleased him to take for creating and forming of the naturall and Visible world at the first And thus beginning on Munday to consider and meditate on the miserable Chaos of confusion into which all the world was reduced by Mans Apostacie from and the severall branches of the sinne committed thereby against God with the aggravations of guilt pertaining thereunto And how God entertained within himselfe thoughts of reconciliation with Man so undone and to determine or decree the same by his Sons becoming Man and undertaking the great Work of Mediation If on Tuesday a man should observe seriously and contemplate of the execution of this Decree by Covenanting a second time with Adam in behalfe of himselfe and Posteritie this true and proper Covenant of Grace and the foundation thereof in promising the Messias as a Mediatour and Redeemer and the exceeding love of God in giving his Onely Son to be Incarnate to that end Thirdly If on Wednesday we should meditate how upon this Day God created light out of darknesse and the light sprang up to the Righteous a Light of Hope and Life and of help by which we perfourme all spirituall Offices and workes as we doe our naturall workes by the light of the Sun dayly And if the observation be true and the reason of the Jew given to the Gentile Philosopher Why the Sun fails not to shine little or much every Wednesday viz. because it was made on that Day and so shining celebrates its own Nativitie much greater reason is there that we should celebrate the praise of Gods mercy shining in the face of Jesus Christ to us If on Thursday we should more particularly observe the severall Raies of the glorious Body of Grace falling upon us here on earth and how that he who hath given his Son thus to us will and doth with him give us all things so that the fat and the sweet and the plentie of the creatures ordained to mans use are derived to him by Christ through whome as he made the Worlds he administers and governs and disposes all things in an admirable order and Harmonie filling even the naturall mans heart with food and gladnesse which ought to appear and utter it selfe in outward acts of gratitude and service rising up from thence to the valuation more serious and high of the spirituall Blessings whereby he satisfieth the hungrie and thirstie Soule after Righteousnesse and the graces of the Gospell conducting to the glorie of God. And on Friday how ample noble and patheticall Meditations may be had on the sufferings and death of Christ for the sins of the whole world and the satisfying of Gods wrath due to man in extremitie by the tearing of his Flesh and the shedding his Blood even to the death of the Crosse for us so fullfilling all Righteousnesse And how reasonable just and righteous a thing it is for all true Christians to suffer for him and themselves all such hardships of Abstinences Continences Selfe-denialls and bodily punishments to be made like unto Christ and more capable of the fruits and effects of his Intercession and Redemption Sixthly On Saturday to consider the Rest of Christ in the Grave having finished the severall workes of our Redemption as God did that Day the workes of Creation resting from them And that we allso should rest from such workes of Nature corrupt which may be called properly Ours and so fit our selves to live and die as that the next Day which we call Sunday we may be fitted for a blessed and joyfull Resurrection And being then raised from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousnesse we may keep a perpetuall Jubilee of Holinesse and Happinesse elevating our mindes in the contemplation of the Power of God the glorie of Christ raised from the dead ascended up into Heaven ever to make intercession for us labouring here under severall conflicts untill we allso reign together with him Which future state may well deserve the best and highest of our thoughts as that where the imperfecter union of faith and love we can attain here shall receive its absolute and most perfect consummation hereafter 7. But untill that fullnesse of time or time of fullnesse shall come the minde of man is wonderfully helped and exalted by the exercise of the contemplation of God in his beautie and goodnesse which is oftentimes very effectuall upon men for the quietation and fixing of the unsetled minde in great peace and tranquillitie from the molestations of this world though at the same time there be found no small sollicitude how to
capable and many times sensible is the minde so erected to God separated from businesses of the world of the sweetnesse of abstractions of that nature And the Trances of Daniel Peter and most probably of Paul befell them in such retirements without the concurrence of a Congregation or the Mediation though not Ministration of Holy Spirits which we never read in Scripture to be Intercessours in any kinde to God in behalfe of the Saints here labouring but onely Ministers and Delegates of God to perfourme his pleasure to such as so wait for him and call upon him And as for Saints in Heaven we never so much as read in Holy Scripture that they were sent at any time by God to minister unto his Servants here on Earth as Angells have been neither are we directed by the Word of God to have any communication with them visible or sensible It must needs therefore be a third Oeconomie of God as yet unrevealed besides that of Moses or Christ which assignes us new intermediate Objects or Vehicles of our Prayers to God no wayes made known by God but devised by humane ratiocinations intruding into things not seen and founded on presumptions not known nor demonstrable but by such instances and examples of miraculous Apparitions which may more than suffice to turne the stomach from swallowing them 4. But presumption it is not to goe directly in Scripturall Road prescribed us to Allmighty God but to goe out of it neither is it modesty but rather a double impudence to alter the course of our Devotion to God in importuning them to sollicite for us who never gave us the least intimation or encouragement so to doe and in not following the direct Precept given by Christ as our Great Mediatour and by God himselfe as our heavenly Lord and Father Whence doth it appear that God is of more difficult accesse since the coming of Christ than he was before Or when and how became the priviledges of Gods faithfull Children under Christ inferiour to them under Moses Did the souls of the faithfull then make immediate approaches unto God and claspe him and may we not or in trueth ought we not much rather so to doe as well for the glorie of God some of which must needs fall short of God and stick to the hands that should so offer our worship to God and that whether those holy Spirits will or not we failing in the puritie of our intention and modestie and innocencie of our expressions so applying our selves as allso for our comfort and satisfaction which must needs be more full the more immediate and strict our conjunction is with God our fellowship as Saint John tells us being with the Father and the Son and that surely will bear us out in all immediate approaches to God but scarce allow application to others which are onely commendable where the bond of civill Charitie in this life the ground of the exercise of spirituall Offices to one another is not dissolved as it is when we are separated by Death So that we can onely in Christ exclusively come with that boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him as the Apostle speakes Ephes 3. 12. but with suspicions fears and doubtings untill customarinesse hath blinded the minde so far that it cannot see afar off And then if it fares with us as it happens to poor Suppliants suing to an earthly King surrounded with his Guards and Nobles that they cannot come at his Majestie no wonder unlesse it could appear that it was any ones appointed Office or Office of all to be Masters of request to God on our behalfe SECT VI. Of the defects incident to the Act of Prayer and their Remedies 1. AS there are Guards of Princes whose Office it is to push off with Pikes and Staffs such as would presse into their presence so Evill Spirits are allwayes at hand making it their Office to hinder devout Soules coming to God by their temptations and obstructions and either by wholly putting us off that we approach not at all or by pulling us off engaged so that we cease in spirit when we proceede in words and outward appearance so that we may be said to draw nigh unto him with our Lips while our Hearts are far from him a thing much disallowed by God yet not in all alike For the spirit and minde of Man are naturally fickle light vain various musing on many things and Dinah-like gadding abroad to see the Daughters of the Land and visiting strange Objects while they should keep home and minde their Fathers businesse And of the heart it may be said what was said of Ruben Vnstable as waters thou shalt not excell For what powerfullnesse may be expected in that Prayer which is prepared for God and designed but falls short of him as an Arrow shot from an unbent or halfe broken Bow. And how unreasonable as well as unlikely is it that God should heare us when we scarce heare our selves For as when the outward Eye seemes to be fixed stedfastly on an Object the minde in the mean time carried strongly after another Object doth not see what is before it many times so though in appearance outward a man seems wholly bent to Godward yet his heart being drawn off him to private Objects which it more phansies he speaketh in Prayer not to God but to men or the open Air. And it must needs be no small derogation from the greatnesse of God to be thus mocked by the world catching up that by the way which is passing towards him and the Sacrifice maimed or blemished by the fingring of Evill Spirits which was devoted wholly to God and at the same time that we have warme affections towards the world to set cold Meat before God. So that in this manner supinely and slothfully to request any thing at Gods hands must needs be a provocation to God to denie us rather than to gratifie us It is little better than an Idoll which is set up in the heart which drawes the current of Devotion to it selfe intended for God and such God threatens in Ezechiel to answere by himselfe but not in Mercie but in Justice And it was the opinion of an Auncient and devout Scholar in the School of Christ that if God should judge a man for no other thing but his wandring and vain thoughts in praying to him he were not able to stand before him 2. This in trueth is the Law of Prayer and this is the end of praying that we should have and keep our mindes erected unto God and to attain this should be the endeavour of all good Christians But if not onely God should be so extreme to mark what is thus done amisse but man should be so rigorous to himselfe to judge himselfe according to his demerits he might fear and despair to undertake this sacred Dutie For who can say on this side of Heaven I am clean from this common Contagion So vigilant and active is
methodically yet could never be so really perswaded but that holy Men of old speaking and writing as they were moved by the Spirit contemned all order and Methods but what naturally arose from the bowells of the Subject they treated of and the occasion given them not contradicting or denying liberty to men to forme their matter by outward Methods as may agree best with the learning retaining and digesting what they finde there delivered 2. And answerable to this the more Mentall a mans Contemplations are the lesse methodicall are they wont to be So that if there be such a thing as may be called properly Prayer Supramentall as Authours speak it must be more strange to Order and Methode than either of the two other degrees of Prayer and be of the nature of Rapts and Extasies of which we have spoken For by such puritie of intention and such vehemencie of intension and ardour in directing a mans minde and heart to God and as it were delivering up his spirit into his hands the intellectuall facultie may cease which is that Absorption spoken of allso and such that can be approved onely from the goodnesse and Divinenesse so pored on and with its lustre confounding them carried away with it For it is apparent that Evill Spirits doe in like manner oppresse the mindes of the Persons devoted to them And therefore as I cannot condemne all such excesses mentall or supramentall rather so can I approve them no farther than they are consonant to the Law and the Testimonie and the Spirit of the Living Prophets I mean the Church truely so called and the peace and Charitie of the same So that as I cannot but think favourably of those extravagant passages and rulelesse while the Authours of them keep the peace of the Church and known principles of Christianity innovating nothing in the Faith but onely in their own supramentall Facts as we may terme them so can I no wayes justifie those presumptuous Spirits who not having attained to the true mentall Prayer dare obtrude their vocall and sensible Prayer upon the spirits of an whole Congregation and that without any good Autority so to doe 3. After the extraordinary gift of unprepared Prayer ceased in the Church of God together with unprepared preaching of the Gospell it lay upon the Governours of the Church to supplie that defect in the best manner they could by composing and prescribing formes for Publique Worship lest any scandall or indecencie should disaffect soberer and more prudent Christians And when the Bishop presiding in the Church committed any part of his wide charge to his Presbyter we never finde that he departed in the Publique Worship from what was in use in the Mother-Church either as to matter or forme Nay the principall Pastour of any Diocese never was himselfe so imperious over his Flock as vain men of late dayes to offer a new and unknown Office to Believers every day or to God as more spirituall or acceptable to him but aymed at nothing more than a Common plain well-known well-approved and constant forme of sound words to which all intelligent Christians might safely and cheerfully give their concurrence and sett to their Seal of Amen And to denie liberty to Ministers to offer the Will-worship of their own inventions in Publique was never lookt upon as they say as Lycurgus-like to cut up all the Vines in the Country lest men should be drunk but rather cutting down the wild Vines whose fruit is ungratefull to judicious Palates and pernicious to the community of Christians Wherein the gift of Prayer consisteth we have touched before but sure we are it consisteth not in the volubility of the Tongue readinesse of Invention fluencie of Speech choice of Divine Phrases but in the grace of Prayer which the same men unhappily would distinguish from the Gift which is a certain pure intention and fervent intension of Spirit lifted up to God which may consist with a Prayer used ten thousand times Not but that it is very lawfull usefull and allmost necessary in some cases to utter the fullnesse of the minde by unprepared words in private Addresses but to lay the weight and worth of a Prayer upon the wording of it is a foul absurdity When sudden surprizing and extraordinary occasions are offer'd to blame is that man who will not strive to use proportionable Addresses to God neither staying for a Book nor the licence of his Ordinary But plying his heart while it is hot and full the best manner he can for his ease and comfort 4. And not onely in such extraordinary cases as may even extort an Ejaculation sutable but out of that common Habit of grace a man may have attained unto by Christian diligence it is most reasonable and pious he should lift up his minde frequently unto God in divine Contemplation Admiration of his Power and Wisdome thankfullnesse for deliverances and benefits bestowed imploration of his mercie and pardon for dayly Trespasses he is liable to and exercising that Communion that every Good Christian should have with God and all this not onely in usuall and constant Phrases and Formes though that be commendable but as the Spirit shall give him utterance All which notwithstanding ought to be regulated by the rule of Christian modestie justice and Charitie so as not to indulge to private satisfactions herein to the prejudice of others nor to phansie such an Edification to himselfe which should tend to the dissipation of the Church of God that Rule of Saint Paul binding incessantly such as otherwise would be boundlesse Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth 1 Corinth 10. 24. meaning rather spirituall than temporall wellfare And again the same Apostle 1 Corinth 14. 12. adviseth For as much as ye are zealous of spirituall gifts seek that ye may excell to the edification of the Church which whosoever violateth by private affectations in Religion may be said to indulge rather to his own carnall humour how divine soever it may appear to weaker judgements than to the edification of himselfe or others For as he that sings with the Congregation ought to lay aside his private Tunes though possibly far more excellent than that which is set for all to follow so must the singular Devotion of a higher strain than ordinarie complie with the meaner to avoid scandall and confusion as that which may better agree with the whole Bodie than sublimer strains or Tunes And this is the Case of that plain and easie recitative way of using the Psalmes in our Church which requires a cheerfull Spirit without difficulty or tediousnesse of modulating the Voice which for that reason might have been preferred before the more Artificiall and hard of private mens Invention had it not pleased men of designe and unquiet Spirits to bring it into disgrace for no other faults but which are found to be more notorious in that they have introduced in its stead From which frowardnesse of Spirit and
II. A brief description of the Illuminative Purgative and Vnitive way of Religion p. 9 SECT III. Of the necessity of Illumination and of Faith with its subordinate Graces especially conducing thereunto p. 12 SECT IV. That Faith and naturall Reason improved is the onely proper cause of Illumination being taken for the things revealed whereof some principall heads are here given p. 20 SECT V. Of the Grace and act of Faith leading to Illumination and of the difficulties and meanes of believing p. 40 SECT VI. Of the gift and guidance of Gods Spirit towards true Illumination the abuse and true uses of it noted And of the necessitie of believing p 51 SECT VII Of Illumination Reflexive whereby the Christian Soule comes to the knowledge of its selfe in its Spirituall State. p. 63 SECT VIII Of Revelations or Illuminations extraordinarie by Spirits and the discerning of them with the use of such Revelations p. 76 The Second Part. Of the Purgative part of Religion SECT I. THAT Action and good Works must be added to true knowledge and Believing And of the distinction of sins to be purged Page 99 SECT II. Of the Office of Faith in purging the Soule from sinfull defilements p. 105 SECT III. That in purifying our selves principall regard is to be had to the puritie of Faith and of the affections of the Inward Man not neglecting outward severities p. 114 SECT IV. Of the proper meanes and methode of cleansing the Soule And first of Baptisme p. 124 SECT V. Of the Grace and power of Repentance in cleansing the Soule p. 129 SECT VI. That this purgative Repentance must be generall of all sins and perpetuall p. 147 SECT VII Of Selfe deniall required to true Reformation and that both of Vnderstanding and Will. p. 156 SECT VIII Of the custodie and discipline to be had over the outward man especially the Eyes Eares and Tongue p. 174 SECT IX Of outward moderation and modestie to be used in abstinences and Apparell p. 189 SECT X. The connexion of what hath passed with what followes concerning the Seven Capitall Sins p. 201 SECT XI Of Pride the first deadly or Capitall Sin. p. 203 SECT XII Of Anger a Second Capitall Sin its Concomitants and Remedies p. 219 SECT XIII Of the deadly sin of Envy its nature and Remedies p. 233 SECT XIV Of the Capitall Sin Covetousnesse p. 244 SECT XV. Of Luxurie and Vncleannesse p. 254 SECT XVI Of Gluttonie its sinfullnesse and Cure. p. 265 SECT XVII Of Slothfullnesse the last Capitall Sin. p. 277 SECT XVIII The Conclusion of this Second Part with some short advices relating to what hath been said therein p. 288 The Third Part. Treating of the Unitive Way of the devout Soule with God. SECT I. Of the Nature of true Vnion with God and of Mysticall Theologie and of the Abuses and due Vse thereof p. 297 SECT II. That this Vnion consisteth chiefly in the true knowledge of God and Love experimentall and reciprocall p. 304 SECT III. Of the excesse of Vnitive Love of God in Extasies and Raptures with their abuses and uses noted p. 309 SECT IV. Of the Vnion of the Soule with God by Divine Contemplation and Meditation with some instances of particular Subjects for this latter p. 317 SECT V. Of the Vnion we have with God in Prayer habituall and actuall as the proper matter of Worshippe p. 328 SECT VI. Of the defects incident to the Act of Praying and their Remedies p. 334 SECT VII Of the due use of Publique and Private Prayer p. 342 SECT VIII Of the severall sorts of Prayer viz. Sensible Mentall Supramentall Extemporarie Formed or fixed as allso of Singing of Psalmes p. 350 SECT IX Of Vnion and Communion with God in the Holy Eucharist or Lords Supper to which certain instructions are premised p. 359 SECT X. Of the difficulties and dangers in receiving the Holy Communion here discussed p. 367 SECT XI Other impediments and scruples observed against Communicating especially with their proper Remedies p. 378 SECT XII A brief recapitulation of what hath been treated of before with advices and directions concerning the interruption and recoverie of actuall Communion with God and of Consolations p. 387 THE Methode and Means TO TRUE SPIRITUALL LIFE The First Part Treating of Spirituall Illumination SECT 1. Previous advice concerning the Necessity Reasonablenesse and Vsefulnesse of being truly Religious 1. THERE being three principall Stages as I may so speak which every true Christian is to passe over in his travail towards that Sabbath of Blessednesse hoped for hereafter and aspired to it may seem both very methodicall and profitable to that great end to prepare the way thither by cleering up the defaced Characters written by Gods own finger on the tables of Mans heart concerning the sense of God and Religion towards him in generall that such a fundamentall perswasion being well received the edification in our most holy faith may be more firme absolute and better advanced 2. For what may we call Religion speaking here more practically than artificially but a thorow conviction of a Supream Being and Power able to save and destroy everlastingly inferring a strong and just obligation upon all creatures especially Man to pay the debt of veneration and obedience to that God from whom he received his present being and to whom he owes his subsistence and upon whom depends his future state of happinesse or misery 3. But may it not here allso be said Who hath believed our report and to whom hath the Arme of the Lord been revealed too many obstinately refusing any better guidance or conduct of their Lives but such as may favour their degenerous and dangerous humour of gratifying their sensuall appetites hurrying them to a liberty inconsistent with that whereby we are made free to God by Christ Jesus For his service being perfect freedome ' when we are dedicated to him in Baptisme we renounce the servitude and turpitude of the world and enter our selves Apprentices to learne and doe the will of God by Religion the Art of all Arts God at the same time Indenting and Covenanting with Believers so faithfully serving him when their times come out by death in this world to give them a more noble and desireable freedome by making them Citizens in Hierusalem which is above the Mother of us all than which the heart of man can desire no greater or better event of all his labours and services in the world nor so good nor great remuneration 4. Who would not then sometimes retire into the chamber of his heart and seriously consider these things And who considering these things would not apply himselfe to this so necessary so divine and beneficiall a work shall we see so many Artists of this world strive to excell one another not only for lucre sake but esteem of men in their severall professions and trades and shall we be cold indifferent and carelesse in this of Religion the glory of all How many have become poor infamous
of the soule or spirit of man which was variously canvased by the wise men of this world without resolution satisfactorie and that he and not naturall generation was the true cause thereof and that Christ and his Father worketh hitherto and he worketh John 5. 17. 7. Seventhly we learne from holy Writ concerning the government of the World that God leadeth not such a sedentarie and carelesse life as some Philosophers imagined after the manner of many Great Men who build fair and stately Houses and furnish them richly but so leave them to fall to decay and the things therein to be lost and spoiled neither doth he trouble his head or vex his heart as some men doe about the management of their Houses and Lands but by a mean way of sufficient protection and providence disposes all things even Good and Evill so wisely and harmoniously that no molestation is given to himselfe nor any damage to the Universe it selfe though innumerable changes are constantly wrought to the detriment of some particulars there and the like advantage to other things not before noted So that what for its time lay hid and contemptible is raised as it were out of the dust and exalted to greatnesse and splendour and for a season having so continued by the same all-disposing hand relapses into its ancient obscurity and this by a perpetuall vicissitude which some times an Age or two declareth some times not many Centuries of years And by the same Faith we according to St. Peter's Doctrine 2 Ep. 3. 7. understand that as the heavens and earth were formed and stood out of the waters so the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement 8. By Faith likewise we know that the fine and admirable Masterpiece of God himselfe Man created in the foresaid perfection and being in great honour and happinesse through his own folly as did the Angels before him fell from his stedfastnesse into blindesse povertie and generall miserie of bodie and minde contracting thereby disorder of affections inward and diseases and death outward the seeds of all which he transmitted to his posterity and is that Originall sinne all are infected and infested with This the Learning of this world could hardly or not at all instruct us in but is the office of our faith to inform us From whence also we can only give account of the many and strange exorbitances of our minde and the severall infirmities distempers and pains of our bodie before our reason comes to that ripenesse as to entitle us to the guilt of erroneous actions or free election of Good and Evill 9. Neither could humane learning or books of the greatest Philosophers informe us how tied and bound in the chain of our sins and fallen into the depth of common destruction we should recover our losses and repair our breaches neither could we our selves devise any more than we could really desire to evade the evils we were surrounded with But that light from above which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world sheweth that God out of the Abysse of his Counsells and freenesse of his Grace and Love towards Mankinde first determined the redemption of him and when the fullnesse of time was come actually sent his Son into the world in the likenesse of sinfull flesh to condemn sin in the flesh Rom. 8. 3. Galat. 4. 4. 10. And this Salvation was ratified to man soon after his fall God entring then into a new Covenant with man to the re-enstating him into his favour and restoring him to the blessed hopes of salvation eternall upon Evangelicall faith and obedience answerable thereunto And that these termes of this Covenant may as well as ought be performed on mans part though not upon his own strength is a materiall point of our faith and a prime motive to our obedience For were it not that man bounden thus to God might come up to that degree of perfection as to be judged by God to have performed what is necessary to obtaining the promises made by God no wise man would trouble himselfe to begin such an impossible work and no faithfull man or true believer could be sure of his salvation as is often taught we may and ought to be but rather every man may be sure of his damnation knowing thar he can in no wayes doe that upon which his salvation depends 11. Furthermore It is necessary to salvation as the Athanasian Creed tells us that we believe rightly the Incarnation of out Lord Jesus Christ who by taking flesh of the Virgin Mary his Mother unto the divine nature became an apt and sufficient Mediatour between God and Man and Administratour of the New Covenant made between God and Man. 12. And this administration was wrought two wayes principally First by the divine doctrine and knowledge revealed unto the world delivered by himselfe and his elect servants to that end inspired extraordinarily and contained in the severall Books of the New Testament Secondly by his Passion and death upon the Crosse as a Lamb of God offered for the sins of the whole world in which God rested satisfied and became appeased and Believers had accesse to the throne of Grace and became accepted in the beloved 13. But to the effectuall application of so glorious a benifit as this is somewhat more required of all true Believers than a Faith passive it being necessarie that first we should use the meanes ordained by God to that great end before we can have any sound hope of attaining the same And supposing faith preceding the summe of what remains and to which other duties may be reduc'd may be three fold 1. The use of the Sacrament of Baptisme instituted as a laver of regeneration and a forme of initiation into the Covenant without which we are of the number of Infidells and aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and without hope of salvation and in our sins and naturall blindnesse which hereby was so cured that the newly baptised were said in Scripture to be illuminated or enlightened Heb. 6. 4. Hebr. 10. 32. 2. And unto this comes in as an Auxiliary improving and perfecting the low beginnings of those once initiated to an high degree of holinesse and comfort The Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained by Christ to the ratification of our Covenant entered into with God and the memorie of Christs passion and death upon the Crosse for us and our being more strictly and intimately united to Christ as shall hereafter be more fullie declared 3. A third most necessary and effectuall meanes of applying Christs merits to us is that excellent gift of God as the Scripture termes it Acts 5. 31. Acts 11. 18. Repentance of which with the concomitants of it likewise we may speak farther hereafter 14. Of the Resurrection likewise of the bodie and the reuniting of the soule unto it and upon such restauration the receiving of the proper
comes to their share 6. For this reason God sends such tempestuous and dark weather at Sea to the skilfull Navigatour that he shall not be able readily to know or say where he is till the restored calme Light better informes him And sends Shipwracks sometimes to the subtill Merchant that he may understand better who it is that gives skill and strength to get Riches And diappointeth the hopes of the understanding and painfull Husbandman And as the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 44. maketh diviners mad and turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish teaching them all and us too and that in all senses more perfectly that necessary lesson of humility Deuteronomy 8. 18. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God. For it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth c. And as it is with the riches of this world it is with the riches of the world to come or being rich towards God as the Scripture speaks Luke 12. 21. For undoubtedly God may and doth apparently denie the ordinary meanes of Salvation sound knowledge and holy faith in him and of divine mysteries to some To others he grants to be initiated and to have some knowledge of the saving trueth who there stop and proceed no farther as tender plants rising out of the earth wither and perish for want of the blessings of heaven falling on them without which they can proceed no farther towards perfection and some proceed farther and promise fair and for the same reason attain not to the intended end 7. But nothing of this nature can reasonably be taken into an Apologie or defence of the unprofitable servant whom God hath delivered such talents and meanes unto that in themselves tend unto such progressions and consummations as are saving and beatificall But admit thou art becalmed and canst make no way through want of divine aspirations and influence How canst thou how darest thou impute this cessation and oscitancie of thine in not doing the known Will of God unto an unknown cause or rather a not cause of doing which whether it is so as thou imaginest or givest out at least that thou imaginest when thy heart contradicteth thy tongue thou knowest not For who can say that God denies him the inward power and meanes of Salvation that is of effectuall Grace to whom he giveth the outward meanes of Illumination Faith and Salvation Whatsoever may be wanting in the abstruse counsell and dispensations internall of God and known to him cannot be so known to a man without divine Revelations It is an uncharitable and rash act in any man directly to charge his Neighbour with denying him his due or taking away his goods from him when he can prove nothing against him and much more injust it is and impious for a man to say directly that God denies him grace or doth harden his heart so that Rules and exhortations and sufficient reasons of becoming faithfull righteous and holy before God and man are of no effect upon him 8. It is not so much pardonable as commendable in all Good Christians to be sensible of their naturall insufficiencie and infirmity to doe any good act St. Paul having taught us 2 Corinth 3. v. 5. That we are not able to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God. But doe not the very next words as well as the latter part of that argument plainly tell us that God hath a sufficiencie for us and God doth make us able Ministers of his Will And doth not St. James tell us that every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights James 1. 17. And doth not our Saviour Christ direct us how we should fill our selves from that Fountain when he saith Matth. 7. 11. If ye being evill know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more should your Father which is in heaven give you good things that ask him And this good thing is the best and fullest of all good things being interpreted in St. Lukes Gospell Chap. 11. 13. to be the Holy Spirit it selfe the fountain of all Grace which he giveth to them that ask him The Querie then must needs be made to our selves whether upon sense of our infirmities and defects we ever did and that as we ought invoke Almighty God implore the gift of his Spirit and its concurrence and whether we ever submitted to its Dictates and directions to that power God hath given us For to doe this as well as believe that we have an excellent president from the wise Man Wisdome 8. v. 21. Neverthelesse I perceived I could no otherwise obtain her i. e. True Wisedome comprehending all intellectuall graces except God gave her me and that was a point of Wisedome also to know whose gift she was I prayed unto the Lord and besought him and with my whole heart I said O God of my Fathers and Lord of mercie c. Which prayer for that illuminating gift and Grace so necessarie might not very unfitly be transcribed hither and used by all true lovers of light rather than darknesse at least untill the Day-star shall arise in their hearts according to which true Believers may shape their course more steadily towards Heaven but I shun prolixnesse SECT VI. Of the Gift and guidance of Gods Spirit towards true Illumination The abuse and true use of the same and necessity of Believing 1. BUT the use or act of the grace of Faith resteth not here but is wonderfully assistant to the naturall understanding in discerning the minde of God revealed unto us in his Word For as the discreet and diligent Master doth not only set his Schollar whom he teacheth to write an exact and fair Copie to imitate and follow but also guides his hand in the making the Letters and joyning them together according to their true shape and order in like manner doth he whose Chair is in heaven teaching the hearts as his Instruments and Officers doe the eares and eyes of men below to understand receive believe and act according to the Rule and scope prescribed For man naturally is apt to believe those things only which his Reason assures him of but his reason how acute soever cannot demonstrate the Scriptures to be the Word of God which we believe and must believe to be so if we would be accounted good Christians And having the Scriptures in that esteem we cannot out of our promptitude and acutenesse of wit discerne clearly and readily many usefull things therein contained without the direction of that great Authour the Blessed Spirit principall in the composing them For 't is truly said The Scriptures must be understood by the Spirit that indited them According therefore to the gifts and grace given unto Mee doe they understand the mysteries of Faith Rom. 12. 6. And to every man is given grace according to the measure of Christ Ephes 4. 7. whereby that light revealed shineth unto the true Believer as out of a dark place So that
corrupt or sound principles of Reason and Faith and the sober affections of the heart purified by Faith. For untill the Spirit of Sanctification and mortification and renovation hath wrought our corrupt nature to a blessed and thorow change little may be expected from us outwardly either acceptable to God who looks more upon the manner and forme of the Deed than the Deed it selfe or profitable to our selves For to continue a little farther our similitude as we see men having bad Watches will with their Finger or Thumb place the Hand aright to give some credit to them which presently according to their ill frame returne to their wonted errour So Hypocrites to appear fair and good to men push themselves on sometimes to regular and laudable acts and sometimes restrain and set back their rank course of sin for some imperfect if not evill end but soon relapse to their accustomed excesses for want of the principle of holinesse and a constitution heavenly inclined the only true Spring of good and laudable actions 5. Again The inward man may well be compared to the Market-place of a strong Citie The Enemie may surprise or by some suddain violence may possesse himselfe of the out-workes and yet be repelled again and the Citie stand firme and safe and faithfull to its Soveraign but if the Enemie once possesses himselfe of the Market-place there is no hopes of standing true to the Owner or withstanding the Adversarie So is it with them who have suffered the Legions of foul Spirits to enter into their hearts and there to nestle and triumph All attempts are but feeble and insufficient to exhibit just and reasonable service to God. For no sooner doe some good inclinations arise no sooner doe we offer at good but a partie of vain thoughts dishonest motions are sent forth to suppresse all good but weak purposes of returning to our allegiance to God and the doing of his Will. Great circumspection therefore must be used strong resolutions must be taken and many difficulties of hunger thirst and hot service must first be passed through before our Redemption draweth nigh and we be restored to the Masterie of our selves and the ministrie we owe to God. 6. But adde hereunto fourthly a more intrinsick argument to the stirring us up to the cleansing our hearts the great benefit redounding to a mans selfe who shall so acquitt himselfe For however this conflict with the powers of flesh and blood and this Conquest is very difficult and tedious and therefore is called in Scripture Mortification and crucifying the Old man with the affections and lusts yet the work once done and the victory obtained brings wonderfull ease quiet satisfaction and cheerfulnesse unto the Spirit rendering it much more expedite and lightsome than it was before strugling against a contrarie Principle which evermore clogged it obstructed and either wholly impeded or grievously retarded the performance of Divine Services For men being scarce able to extinguish the cleer notice of a Deity in them and little lesse able to deny wholly such a service as is due to God doe with an unwilling will divers times submit to Religious acts but wearisome and tedious are they to them through the prevalencie of unsubdued lusts which by this necessary Discipline being master'd and expelled a great change is made in the Soule and then with lightnesse and readinesse is that done which before was irksome and grievous As David himselfe found it in himselfe when he said Psal 119. 32. I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou hast set my heart at liberty And then are our hearts at liberty when the Bond-servant Hagar with her off-spring which would domineer are cast out Then are we free indeed when the Son shall make us free then doth the Son make us free when he delivers us fo far as St. Peter speaks 2 Epist 1. 4. as by a Divine nature given unto us we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust Then shall we not fear the Law of the Land constraining us to Gods service more than God then shall we not shrinke and murmure at Fasting-dayes nor repine when on dayes of publique Thanksgiving to him that is glorious in all his Saints it is expected we should suspend and intermitt our lawfull labours and wholly cut off and denie our unlawfull pleasures We shall not need then as Beasts under the Leviticall Law one or more to drive us to the House of God nor drag us with violence to the Altar of God to offer an holy living and acceptable sacrifice to him which is our reasonable service But with Davids Spirit we shall say I was glad when they said unto me Let us goe up unto the House of the Lord. And how much better is it we should doe a thing with Alacritie and great content than with constraint But this we may doe if we can but free our selves from that load of corruption we are apt to lye under And what effect in this kinde and progresse a man hath made in himselfe may be competently discerned from the sense a man hath in himselfe of the fear of God and love to his service and worship which though the most pure and perfect in this life is not without some tepiditie of spirit sometimes yet the seed of God sown in the heart will generally spring up with gladnesse 7. This therefore should be our great and chiefe endeavour which is the Counsell of Solomon Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life And if as Solomon saith Prov. Chap. 18. 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue much more true is it that both of them are in the power of the Heart as it stands affected or disaffected to God seeing the Poison or Balsome which distilleth from the Tongue is originally owing to the Heart as the Heart doth comprehensively signifie the entire bodie of affections which must be dedicated to God. But given to God it cannot be without a mock or derision but as it is whole and sound clear and clean according to the ballance of the Sanctuarie of the Gospell which consists much of Christian Equitie We never heard of any that liv'd a life of nature with halfe an heart only neither of any that was sick on one side of his heart and well on the other no more is it possible to please God with one part of our heart and to please the world with the other or at the same time to live the life of this sinfull world and of Christ My son saith God give me thy heart and not a piece of it for that must needs be dead flesh odious to man and much more to God. SECT IV. Of the proper Means and Methode of cleansing the Soule and first of Baptisme 1. SUCH is the contagion of sin naturally infecting the very Soule as inheriting our Forefathers corruption that being in love with it as all men love
9. 23. the wise man glorie in his wisdome neither let the mighty man glorie in his might let not the rich man glorie in his riches which is an Inference following upon what is said ver 22. Even the Carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field Is there any so wise that he can deliver his Soule from the hand of the grave The Psalmist saith no. Psalm 49. He seeth that wise men die as well as the ignorant and foolish Or can the Rich mans wealth defend him from the violence of death Of such in the same Psalm it is said None of them can redeem his brother by any means nor give to God a ransome for him And what is beautie more than strength Nay it is much lesse For generally it fades first and while it staies what is it but an apt contemperation of blood and choler and phlegme and that more earthy humour Melancholy which to be proud of is much the same as to be proud of fine Clothes and Fashions which suddenly alter into absurdities and every night as duely as they were put on are put off and laid aside Wherefore rather as the Prophet saith He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord that is account it his greatest honour and happinesse that he knowes God and is educated in the Doctrine of Salvation which principally instructeth all true Believers in the practice of humilitie 12. And Humilitie alone made glorious by the example of Christ and made easie by the Yoke of Christ perswading to it and wearing of it and lightening it to us is instead of a thousand directions to induce an ingenuous Christian to the studie of it and imitation and will wholly leavell the towering minde of man to due compliance with the simplicitie of the Gospell and purge out the sowre and ungratefull leaven of Pride Therefore Christ exhorteth Matth. 11. Learne of me for I am meek and lowly and ye shall finde rest for your Soules Stupendious was the humilitie of Christ in his severall condescensions but whether not equally stupendious it be that after an humble God as Austin speaks there should be found a proud man I think may be doubted It is written of Heraclius Emperour of Greece that having obtained a glorious Victorie over Cosdroes or Cosroes King of Persia he was so puffed up with that successe that he made all possible preparations to enter into the Gates of Hierusalem with greatest triumph and splendour having Christs Crosse carried before him but that an Angell of God opposed him and shut the Gates against him not suffering him to enter but rebuking him said The King of heaven entred in here in mean and low estate which so far affected him that laying away his Imperiall Robes and Trophies and blushing at his own errour he lighted off his Horse or Chariot and walked into the City barefoot Which made good what St. James speakes and St. Peter allso God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble And from hence doth St. Peter exhort us to be clothed with humility which is the true Robe of Christ militant and ought to be of every one that will follow his example and obtain his Promises 13. Lastly Because I know the difficulty of Selfe-deniall in this case is no small impediment to the performance of this Dutie let the generous minde conceive from thence a resolutenesse to encounter such an Adversarie as is worthy of his Christian warfare here on earth and as that Conquest which must needs be great and in the conclusion of all glorious in the best sense because difficult but this difficultie well master'd wonderfully facilitates the Victorie we are to gain of the subordinate Vices introduced and acted principally by this leading only SECT XII Of Anger and its Concomitants the Second Deadly Sin and some Remedies thereof 1. IT is requisite for the better detecting and pursuing of this deadly Enemie that some description be premised thereof but more Divine than Philosophicall properer for other Treatises Anger therefore wrath displeasure revenge and violence in Spirit Word or Deed is a Passion properly belonging to evill Spirits and a resemblance of them furiously bent against God and all that are unlike themselves Beasts indeed have their rage and furie especially provoked but without transgressing any Rule of Reason prescribed them as angry Spirits and men doe Woe be to the earth saith the Angell in the Revelations Chap. 12. 12. For the Devill is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth his time is short Not for any just cause given him but because his perverted nature impells him to indignation and furie and by the just Sentence of God upon him he rages by his Office thus described by the Son of Sirach Ecclesiasticus 39. 28. There are Spirits that are created for vengeance which in their furie lay on sore strokes in time of destruction they poure out their force and appease the wrath of him that made them By which it seems there should be some colour and cause for the execution of the wrath of Evill Spirits but I know no ground for the immoderate wrath of men but their lust of tormenting others contrarie to Gods institution 2. And this Vesuvian flame worketh principally three severall wayes sometimes like that fierie Mountain it frets within and consumes its own bowells with madnesse wanting power and meanes to burst out upon others Sometimes it spits fire outwardly in horrible language casts the same in the face of such as it is incensed against calling them all to naught and that if they be not so they may be such by such violence offered And sometimes violent actions assault with what comes next to hand sparing neither limb nor life of such as stand in its way And men having done what Passion urged them to they make this cold defence of their woefull effects They were in a Passion making one sin to justifie another and voluntarie Drunkennesse of minde and phrenzie to apolologize for the worst of actions 3. It is true some men are by their naturall temper more cholerick than others and furious and much more to be excused than they whose nature is more governable and not unhappie but made so by affected and acquired Habits of this nature But God having blessed every man with Princely Reason and fortified the reason of every Christian with the wise and grave Precepts and Documents of Religion and the assistance of the Holy Spirit promised to all that ask it at Gods hands Luke 11. 13. No man can reasonably excuse himselfe from the guilt of such intemperances or say they are not voluntarie in him when as he is obliged so it is in his power to bring his Passions to a conformity to Reason and Gods Will rather than to his own turbulent humour But when frequented excesses in this kinde acted outwardly shall have added strength and improvement to naturall inclinations then is the Passion wholly owing to the will of
that as Pride is the beginning of all sins and wickednesse the contrary Vertue Humilitie is the mother of all Christian Vertues This foundation then must be laid here allso otherwise all repairs of the ruinous Soule will be frustrated For where Humility is wanting a thousand false phansies of our perfections and merits will swell the minde above its proper height and largenesse so that every little thing will stand in its way and offend it For men suspecting themselves undervalued by others as they doe and needs must who overvalue themselves presently the vindicative Spirit falls to work by word and deed to satiate it selfe upon detractours as it accounts them mistakenly childishly and madly at the same time 9. Where therefore true Humility is found Meeknesse will not be far distant nor long absent And where Meeknesse dwells Madnesse and Choler will have but cold entertainment And to the Spirit of Meeknesse doe much conduce a Discipline and cohibition imposed on the outward man. It is often alledged by the riotous minde I cannot bear that abuse or this affront or such contempt or disobedience or neglect I cannot be so advised as I should be But no man can say that professes manlinesse and humanity but he can move or hold his hand and can speak or keep silence or compose the outward parts of his body or suffer them to break out into disorders which Regiment when he hath obtained over himselfe outwardly and for a time practised he shall finde a considerable change in his inward man in due time and the heat allayed and a wonderfull calme and tranquillitie with admiration that he should heretofore be hurried away in a storme frivolously occasioned And as it is observed that too hot mettall'd Horses which are apt to run away with their Riders are no wayes better tamed and taken off their courage than by accustoming them to walk a foot-pace so modest and moderate actions outwardly will in time qualifie the impetuousnesse of the minde It were therefore well worth a mans labour attendance and time to bend his minde resolutely for tryall of his strength and what Mastery he hath of himselfe to act though an unwilling part of patience and to prove how impregnable he is against wonted provocations and having some few times hardened himselfe against such provokings it will become easie to doe and suffer the same in earnest even when the like caution and attendance are not used 10. But because there are certain junctures and causes which doe allmost naturally dispose to anger such as are Sicknesse and Pampering the Bodie making it thereby more than one way resty immoderate Cups and even Fastings rarely used and such as the Bodie is not accustomed to and some other which justle as it were nature out of its Rode and so offends it Great circumspection is in such cases to be used And in trueth such excesses are wholly and absolutely to be avoided as they which blinde the eyes of Reason inslame the Blood precipitate the Spirits to act violently And Abstinences or Fastings themselves stand in need of watchings over a mans disposition For as all things are molested inwardly by denyall of wonted food and naturally complain so the Body of man being disappointed of its ordinarie supply and refreshment is apt to be murmuring discontented and querulous untill it be better acquainted with such changes and fretting and pinchings within will goe nere to vent themselves outwardly upon such as shall stand in their way and converse with them Care therefore is to be taken not as some may inferre to shun fasting but to bridle at such times especially the sharp humour which may stir up strife or discontent lest the good be evill spoken of or a scandall brought upon a Christian Dutie by some misbehaviour consequent thereunto 11. And to the better preventing of such ebullitions of the Spirit it is requisite a man should carefully avoid such Passion when it seems to carrie much innocencie and veniallnesse with it For it seems to divers no offence allmost to be angrie as Balaam was with his Beast to be in Choler against Dogs that will not hunt and Hawks that will not flie against Horses that will not goe according to our mindes and some think themselves excusable when their Choler is high only against their Servants but all with a dangerous errour For as much as libertie being allowed to a mans selfe in such cases Flesh and Blood will not long contain themselves in those bounds but being accustomed to such heats and perturbations will transgresse where perhaps they never intended For by such usances tolerated men become easily inflameable and their blood afore they are aware is as it were sowr'd and disposing to other excesses and that upon occasions lesse warrantable 12. And upon the same reason circumspection is to be had how a man is offended and angrie with himselfe for some men have held it verie laudable so to be and some have been religiously vindicative upon themseves by severe Penances for their follies and offences against God and others which must not be disallowed when governed by Christian prudence which many times being wanting a man punishes one sin by another and offers unnaturall violence to himselfe which is worse than to doe the same to another So that herein is requisite the Counsell and conduct of others no lesse than in Controversies of trespasses against a mans Neighbour to whome he would seldome doe justice if he were Accuser Judge and Executioner too And so not rarely men transported with a religious Passion against themselves as it may seem offend in punishing offences And this is seen in cases extra-religious men fretting and storming and raging that matters under their hands succeed not according to their mindes and merits They will miscall themselves complain of themselves and be enraged as if no man had so ill luck as they or did so ill as they and this doing hold themselves very excusable because none but themselves suffer hereby But there is herein commonly a double errour For first they who give way to any exorbitances against themselves prepare a way to be injurious and furious against others much more and that upon the reason here given But secondly what seemeth to be seldome is really so And men fretting and in a tosse against themselves to outward appearance are in trueth incensed against Gods Providence or perhaps their tutelarie Angells not doing their parts toward them in giving better events to their good actions For no man as Saint Paul saith ever hated his own flesh or himselfe naturally and no man that is supernaturally or by Grace vindicative upon himselfe can lightly fall into such passions and therefore inconsiderately accuses others of his mistakes and miscarriages who can be no other than the mentioned whether he intends so much or not Some instances may make this more probable as When he misses a thing he had in his hand a little before and cannot suddenly finde it for
his present use When the Joiner having used sufficient Art and care cannot make a joint When some little thing is so forgot in setting together a Watch or Clock that when all was supposed to be ended it must be taken apieces again When such a snarl is made in a skean of Silk or Thred that the thred must be broken men are apt to frett at higher causes than themselves which they vulgarly call Luck or Fortune really no where extant And when Cyrus as Herodotus writes in a furie laid Gyndes a River in Armenia dry by cutting three hundred and sixty Rivolets out of it because one of his white Naggs dedicated to the Sun was drowned in it could not be so stupid to think that the River merited that punishment but shewed his rage against that because it could not reach higher causes how much wiser man had he been if he had put a stop to the torrent of his Passion which is much more the wisedome and Piety of a Good Christian whome God suffereth many times to be provoked that the prevalence of true Grace may be seen in mastering himselfe and sometimes suffereth to become fretfull waspish and ready to sting him that stands next him upon either no fault but his own or verie frivolous and so if any hath offended him in such manner he punishes the innocent for it making such as converse with him to feel the effects of his imbitter'd Spirit than which there needs no cleerer argument to convince any ingenuous minde of his excesse it being but tolerable to be in Passion where the cause is given and not so to extend the same to the faultlesse This therefore all Reason and Religion requires to be corrected by the conscientious Christian SECT XIII Of the Deadly Sin of Envie its nature and Remedies 1. NEither will I goe with consuming Envie for such a man shall have no fellowship with Wisdome saith Wisdome For that likewise is a proper bratt of the Evill Spirit who since his degradation and fall cannot love nor wish well to any because he can hope for no good to himselfe Gods Kingdom is a Kingdome of order peace quietnesse love charity long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperance called allso the fruits of Gods Spirit by St. Paul Galat. 5. 22 23. because they spring from the seed of Grace sown in the heart by it But the Kingdome of the Devill is a Tyrannie of Adulteries Fornication Uncleannesse Lasciviousnesse Wrath Strifes Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkennesse Revilings and such like as the same Apostle speaks just before And as if Envie Hatred and Malice all of a knot and fraternity descended from the Common Father the Devil and differing rather in degree and duration than nature conspired with Anger and wrath to their mutuall advantage St. Paul Ephes 4. 21. ranks them together in this advice Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking be put away with all malice And again to the Colossians Chap. 3. 8. But now ye allsoe put off all these Anger Wrath Malice Blasphemie And in that he writeth to Titus Chap. 3. 3. of all the Lusts charged upon men in the state of Gentilisme he instanceth more specially in Malice and Envie whereby men are hatefull to and hating one another For where these Vices abound the Soule may be câ—mpared to those Cities which we read were by the Invader and taker sown with Salt rendring the Soil burnt and barren to all wholesome fruits and fertill to all unwholesome and pernicious weeds 2. For how nerely doth he resemble the Devill himselfe whoe becomes pale thin cloudie frowning of an averse countenance outward fretts boils and burns inwardly at the prosperitie ingenuity dexterity in actions dignitie and wealth of others exceeding him having an evill eye because Gods is good spitefull against the Donour who preferred not him against the gift as ill-placed out of him against the Person possessing it as standing in his light and usurping what he adjudges due to none so justly as himselfe And the expostulation against Providence it selfe lies higher than that cursed by the Apostle and Prophet which demandeth of the Potter and Creatour Why hast thou made me thus For the envious Person demands rather of God Why hast thou not made me so or so And why hast thou made such an one so and not thus Thus Cains countenance fell when he saw his younger Brother better accepted than himselfe of God. And then lift he up his hand against him and slew him And wherefore saith Saint John slew he him Because his workes were evill and his Brothers good And because Gods favour was greater towards him than to Cain Monstrous impietie But not there only resting as it were to be wished but imitated and acted over again in two Brothes of a wealthy and noble Familie in this Age and Nation whereof one judging himselfe undervalued in comparison of the other killed him right out and suffered the just penalty of the Common Law. This was much the same case with that malicious part played upon Joseph by his Brethren because he was clad a little finer than they and was supposed to be loved best 3. So that no place can be said to be free from this Evill Spirit of Envie which is wont to creep into the low Cottage and stir up sillie Creatures to a combination with the Devill himselfe to wreak their otherwise weak spite against their envied Neighbour And in Courts it reigns most powerfully every one allmost contending for the highest Seat and greatest favour and place so that restlesse is the ambitious and envious Spirit till it hath defeated by fine plottings and devices such as by this Vice are accounted their Enemies So that when their counsell is slighted concerning Publick affairs and that of others preferred to convince the world of the imprudence of his Competitour or Adversarie little or no conscience is made of rendring it improsperous though with the perill of the whole Commonwealth that so for the future such a mans wisdome might be blasted and his flourish and be admired This was seen notoriously in the emulation between Hanno and Hannibal he envying the glorie and successe of this in Councill constantly advised and contrived what might crush him rather than advance the good of his Countrey whereby at length he was the ruine of both So that a King may not without double securitie of integritie and such generousnesse of minde as can master Malice and Envie ever follow the advice of that Counsellour in the managing a designe who hath directly before opposed the same For such is the pride of mens heart that they hate to build sincerely and faithfully upon that foundation they at first rejected but tacitely if not openly triumph at the miscarriages of others Projects how reasonable and profitable soever they might have been in themselves though of an unhappie event because their will and wisdome consented not to them 4. Neither can Justice in
is requisite that we should not rest in the opinion we have of our selves which is commonly biassed by selfe-conceit selfe-love selfe-interest all quite contrary to that great Dutie of Selfe-deniall but that we should be so true and just to our own Soules as like righteous Judges to keep one Ear for what others judge of us and impartially to give a sentence upon our selves accordingly and not slie to that base and bold subterfuge of nonplus'd and shamelesse persons I care not I care not For though Malice and ill-will may instigate some one or two and upon speciall occasion to false accusations and slanders yet if the opinion be of more and those not so prejudiced and constant and lasting in vain doe men proclaim their integrity and innocencie for such judgement of others is much more to be trusted than our own 7. Sixthly Appearance of Evill and Hypocrisie reverst as I may so speak when men seem by outward carriage to be worse than in trueth they are is allso carefully to be avoided not onely because of the sin of scandalizing our Brethren and causing an erroneous judgement and uncharitable to be entertained but because it very often happens that men fall really into that sin which they at first onely seemed to committ Therefore it is St. Pauls Rule Philip. 2. 4. Look not every man on his own things but every man allso on the things of others not by curiositie and censoriousnesse but Charitie and conscienti ous walking without offence to others and if possible to prevent sin in others as well as our selves 8. Lastly Every man should have Charitie towards his Brother but no man is to demean himselfe so as to stand in need of the charitable judgement of others For he that doth so is certainly uncharitable in the first place and being really guiltie within himselfe is most wickedly unjust in demanding that another should be so charitable as not to think so of him though there be use of Charitie even where Crimes are past defence or excuses but for men to live conscious to themselves of unrighteousness towards God and justice towards men and then because there may want notorious convictions to demand of Censurers to judge charitably is in effect to require that others should be religious and they may be wicked under the protection of others Pietie and Charitie A Prayer for Puritie of Spirit O Lord God who is like unto thee amongst the Gods Who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders And what greater wonder is there than of sons of Men we should be called the Sons of God and of Children of wrath heirs of the Kingdome of God of lost sheep be brought back to the great Shepheard of our Soules of prodigall and fugitive Sons be brought home and embraced by thee our heavenly Father making us as well as requiring us to be holy as thou art holy raising us from the death of sin to the life of Righteousnesse given us by the Spirit of Grace which worketh in us by the meanes of Grace ordained by thee to that great end Let that Spirit be never wanting in me let that Grace never be received by me in vain whereby I may be sensible of my unworthinesse and insufficiencie to any thing that is good and at least to have an hunger and thirst after righteousnesse that I may in thy due time be satisfied and in the mean time grow and increase in this desire and this desire proceed to action and this action to such perfection as to overcome and mortifie all worldly lusts and Carnall affections purifying my selfe as he is pure and taking greater content and pleasure in casting off than ever I did in taking on me the burden of sin and in purging away all my old sin than ever I did in contracting those spots and blemishes which have too much and too long defiled that pure Spirit thou once gavest me and defaced that beautifull Image thou once stampedst on me And let the pleasure of Repenting be greater to me than that of offending ever was to me though alas it was too great Lord nothing is impossible to thee who canst bring light out of darknesse and strength out of weaknesse and out of stones raise up Children unto Abraham and to thy selfe and out of the ruines of Religion in me raise up a Temple fit for thy holy Spirit to dwell in Descend into possesse and dwell in my heart by faith and love of thee which may purge out the old leaven and make me a new lump and quench all fleshly Concupiscences which have or may raign over me or rage in me For this corruptible bodie presseth down my minde musing on high and heavenly things and the weight of sin so easily besetteth me that I cannot run the Race which is set before me and the stain of sin pollutes my best actions Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this bodie of death from this bondage of corruption Thy grace I know O Lord is sufficient for me and thy Son mighty to save and that his Office is to save his people from their sins from their sins I say as well as from the punishment of sin Let that Day-star at length arise in my heart and enlighten and warm my minde with love of thee and let that breath of new life be inspired into me enliven my dead bodie and re unite and animate my drie bones and excite me with new vigour to the perfourming thy holy will that so the life I now live may be by the faith of the Son of God and being poor in spirit as he was I may be pure in spirit as he allso was for theirs is the Kingdome of God even the Kingdome of Grace here and the Kingdome of Glory hereafter whither O mercifull God and Father in thy due time bring me for thy blessed Sons sake Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen The Third Part. Treating of the UNITIVE WAY OF THE Devout Soule with God. SECT I. Of the Nature of true Vnion with God and Mysticall Theologie and of the Abuses and due Vse thereof 1. SUCH due preparation being made towards Spirituall Life in laying aside every sin so easily besetting us the remainder of our Christian Race towards God and our Union with him are more easily attained which Union is by Saint John called our fellowship with the Father and the Son 1 John 1. 3. And this is it which vulgarly is called allso Perfection Perfection being here used for Justification by faith in Christ and Christ dwelling in us and such a measure of assurance of Gods grace and favour which are competible to our Militant state in this life and incline God to the acceptation of us to a future inheritance of Immortalitie and Glorie And to this it is not absolutely necessarie that no blemish imperfection or infirmity should be incident but that none such should be found which either of it selfe should tend to corruption
cause to burne with the love of God. Why therefore may I not call such as these Seraphims whose hearts are converted into fire shining and burning and withall illuminating the eyes of mens mindes unto heavenly things and pricking them with tears purge away the rust of Vices This in sum may be said to be the more perfect state of the Soule here united unto God of which we are now more particularly to treat SECT II. That this Vnion consisteth chiefly in true knowledge of God and Love experimentall and reciprocall 1. THEY who write Scholastically of this Union of the Soule with God in their Treatises of Mysticall Theologie doe first speak of it in the Speculative way endeavouring to show the difference between it and common Theologie and in what part of the minde this Science is seated and such like which we purposely here omitt And some more phanatically having learned from Saint Paul Ephes 5. That Christ is the Husband of the Church and consequently that there is a Mysticall Wedlock between it and every true particular member of that and Christ pursue the Allegorie so boldly and indiscreetly as to prophane that holy Mysterie by carnall resemblances and Scholies which we shall avoid It sufficing that as Saint Paul there saith Great is the Mysterie and that great Mysteries are not too curiously to be enquired into but believed firmly with endeavours to attain the same which endeavours must be grounded upon the proper meanes conducing thereunto which most of all deserve here to be explained 2. Of these then the present knowledge of God according to humane capacitie must needs be the first step and that not a knowledge of humane Science but rather of Christian faith and experience which St. Paul 2 Corinth 2. 14. most aptly and significantly calleth the savour of the knowledge of God not onely informing but affecting us as it were sensibly or experimentally 3. Upon this good beginning is built the desire of God as of the most excellent glorious and good object of all that being fullfilled which Isaiah hath Chap. 26. 8. Yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soule is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee For in trueth God is in himselfe the most desireable of all things as he is the chiefest good of all things and of whose fullnesse in that kinde all things that are good doe partake and become good So that as it is impossible any thing should be form'd really good but what is really and more perfectly such in him so can we desire nothing but what is most absolutely and perfectly to be had in and with him So that according to the illumination of the understanding concerning God and things Divine will follow an appetite of the will affected therewith For naturall Philosophie teaches truely than man hath not Free-will in choosing that which is chiefest Good and ultimate of all but without consultation or deliberation ravished with its allsufficiencie and plenitude tendeth naturally and necessarily to it as the last end of all beyond which there is no passing and besides it there is no straying as being immense So that we may suppose Lucifer himselfe excelling naturally in perspicacitie and intuitive knowledge which he had of that absolute Good was so far surprised with its splendour and perfection that contenting not himselfe to be neer contemplate and enjoy it affected to be that it selfe by sacrilegious ambition and so lost what really he had and was So that we may perceive a necessarie conjunction between cleer and firme knowledge and sincere and fervent love as there is a Morall as they call it necessity of conjunction between Love and the thing we so loved 4. Under Love which is the very Unitive Bond of Christ and the Soule we comprehend Desire allso which some make one kinde of Love and Complacencie another But Complacencie being rather a Concomitant of Love possessed of its Object than any actuall appetite may more properly be termed a satiation and rest of the Soule But Love is an act or motion towards somewhat not fully at least enjoyed And though there may be a full fruition the heart of man ceases not to love or desire in some sense as when that actually and at present enjoyed is desired as absent and in the continuation for time to come For as no man according to the Philosophie of Saint Paul hopeth for what he hath so neither doth he desire what he hath but the desire remaining after possession is of the perpetuation and indeficiencie of the same As when Peter and John at the Transfiguration of Christ beholding and admiring the Glorie did desire Tabernacles to be erected in which they might rest further in the blessed state they were then in So much more full then as our knowledge is of God and his Excellencies in Christ so much more ardent will be and so much better settled our love of them and consequently our union more intimate and fixed in them answerable to which the Schoolmen as well as Mysticall Divines have found out four degrees of Love divine Thom. 1. 2. qu. 28. a. 5. Co. Liquefaction Fruition Languor and Fervour which I hold not fit to be here insisted upon as being more admirable than profitable A more moderne Authour and more truely and devoutly reduceth all love of God to these three Heads whereof the first cometh onely through Faith without gracious imaginations or spirituall Knowledge of God which is in the least Soule reformed by Faith and in the lowest degree of Charity which is good as sufficing to salvation The second is that which a Soule feeleth through faith and imagination of Jesus in his Manhood which is better than the former when the Imagination is stirred by Grace For then the spirituall Eye is opened in beholding of his Humanitie The third is Love that a Soule feeleth through spirituall sight of the Godhead in the Humanity as it may be seen here is the best and most worthy and that is perfect love This love a Soule feeleth not till it be reformed in feeling Thus that Authour in the Scale of Perfection 5. But I esteem that more usefull and easie distinction of Love or Union with God alltogether sufficient for all purposes requisite to a good Christian For either we love because by Faith we know and see spiritually things lovely or desireable as God in his Perfections and Christ in his Mediation active and passive and the holy Spirit in its operations Divine Or we love because we finde and feel the power of all these in the inward-man by the sense of the Love of God first in such sort manifested unto us For as Saint Austine Epist 106. hath it answerable to the grounds laid by Saint John 1 Epist 4. 19. Faith which worketh by love would not work at all unlesse the very Love of God be first shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given
they presently feel most grievous torments And this I rehearse verily believing that God by his holy Spirit doth elevate some men so extraordinarily as that they exceed humane order in contemplations and sensations heavenly and that evill Spirits may counterfeit notably the same effects in their Servants And hereupon I leave these few Rules to all sober faithfull and devout Christians tending to the discerning of Spirits good and evill 5. First they who pursue the great meanes ordained of God to arrive at the heighth of the Love of God uniting them to God and causing an acquiescence and rest in him so that in effect their reasons and senses naturall inconsisting with such perfection should be lost in God and in Christ and they live in the world undisturbed by it are laudably and safely extaticall 6. Secondly That they who may have surpassed others in the exercise of Christian Vertues and the Unitive Way with God and no wayes aim at such Perfections or desire them as at the best not making the Soule more good but more great rather and not more dear or acceptable to him which should be every prime Christians studie and endeavour may have exaltations of this nature which importunately coveted may provoke God to deliver them over to delusions of evill Spirits 7. Thirdly Seeing counterfeit Ware comes too often under the countenance and resemblance of what is pure and passing good the soundnesse of the faith professed by such is not proved by such excesses but such excesses must be rather judged by the Law and Testimonie of God as Isaiah speakes Chap. 8. upon which Faith is grounded and by which it is directed For no otherwise true is that description of Extasies given by that auncient Authour called Dionysius the Areopagite That Extasies are a wisdome putting a man besides himselfe than that suspension or absorption of naturall knowledge and understanding is occasioned by the dominion of divine Irradiations truely so called So that this excesse of Light and Love must be it selfe subject to tryall and that twofold principally the one taken from the Antecedent and the other from the Consequent Circumstances For if sobernesse of believing and divinenesse of behaving our selves lead not to these Extasies they are spurious and dangerous Again if such transported mindes thereupon fall into unreasonable unjust or ridiculous actions inconsistent with the gravitie and puritie of the divine Presence there supposed it is but reasonable to suspect the Scene to be managed by idle Spirits For Rapts of a Royall stamp are such as Gerson describes An experimentall knowledge of God obtained by a conjunction of spirituall affection Which Unitive and experimentall knowledge may be had without the disorder of the naturall understanding and may allso dissetle it so as to depend for some time wholly upon Gods supportation and transportation and that especially in the estimation of the world and common judgements For thus was Christ judged to be Mark 3. 21. and that by his own Friends besides himselfe and Saint Paul allso by Festus and by some other Believers as may be gathered from 2 Corinth 5. 13. SECT IV. Of the Vnion of the Soule with God by Divine Contemplation and Meditation with some instances of particular Subjects of this latter 1. WHEN Meditation and Contemplation are distinguished as sometimes they are Contemplation may be said to be directed immediately to God and the fixing of the minde and heart on him and from and through him to cast an eye on the Creatures and the various acts of his Providence in which he is seen allso with an Evening Light and Knowledge as he is with a Morning Light as Saint Austin was wont to speak by that immediate Intuition which yet properly is to be attained onely in Heaven But Meditation is the consideration of created things not so much as they are in themselves which is the employment of naturall Philosophers but as they are effects of a Divine and supernaturall Power and designed to the assistance of duller and weaker Eyes which are not able to behold the Glorie of God but as men doe the beauty of the Sun in Water And yet from hence ascent is made to a faithfull and fruitfull apprehension of God himselfe where the Soule mounted as was Peter James and John at the transfiguration of Christ desireth to abide and have its residence for ever 2. But Grace and Goodnesse here being in their minoritie yea and under Tutours and Governours as the Apostle speakes Galat 4. 2. We are not to take possession of the promised and expected Inheritance in this life But the Methode hereunto is this which we finde exemplified in David speaking thus Psalm 17. I will behold thy face in righteousnesse here when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse For as Saint Paul allso saith 1 Corinth 13. 12. 2 Corinth 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glorie of the Lord are changed as into the same Image from glorie to glorie even as by the Spirit of the Lord meaning hereby that the Spirit of God concurring with the Glasse of Gods Creatures and his revealed Word gives us a true but a distant and so dimme representation of God as through Perspectives And these to improve to the best degree and advantage is the great businesse of our present state here as whereby we are dayly wrought to a conformity to the Image of Christ and God defaced in us and returne unto his likenesse and a liking of him which two are both Unitive of us to God and actuall Union with him according to our present capacity For it is true in Religion what Philosophie in her Sphere teaches that the Understanding is made all things answerable to its Object the minde of man wonderfully conforming it selfe to such things as are brought unto it by the Ear or Eye and is in a manner figured by them as we see that Water admitting any Body more solid than it selfe into it selfe gives way to it and receives the shape thereof within it selfe as doth the Air allso though not so visibly to our sense So the minde of man contemplating and conceiving God and Divine matters is formed or conformed to the same morally loosing its naturall shape and posture and propensities which is thus expressed by Saint Paul Rom. 12. 2. And be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God. For instance a man hearing and taking pleasure in absurd riotous and obscene Discourses or Books as is in part noted before is conformed thereunto and corrupted therewith the Images of things so imbibed or impressed being with great difficulty to be removed and with great facility and promptitude stirring up or at least yielding to sinfull temptations as occasion shall be offered agreeably And so in mens reading of the Histories of far and unknown Countries and the strange fruits of
the action in hand 9. Lastly A certain revenge upon a man and a conscience towards God for defrauding him of his due service and himselfe of the benefit of Prayer by vain Aberrations may be usefull here which is this That upon a sense of such strayings in his thoughts in time of Prayer he punishes his Carnall part desireing to be at liberty by going over again with that which he once perfourmed so negligently For hereby allso having so resolved to doe he shall be revenged of the Tempter and cause him to be lesse busie in molesting him afterward finding such evill successe in his wiles and so good effect of a bad Cause SECT VII Of the due use of Publique and Private Prayer 1. WHerefore think we did God build the spacious and beautifull Temple of this World this Universe which we behold and admire but to make known the glorie of his Majestie and that it being known by us should affect us with proportionable zeale to celebrate his Prayse all the wayes he hath taught us and all that we can devise not repugnant to his own prescriptions They therefore that would shrink up all Devotions into an House of their own nay peradventure into their own brest and a narrow dark corner of the heart judging that alltogether sufficient doe in a manner implicitely lay a slight upon the Creation of the World by God as superfluous seeing be might have been as great and glorious in himselfe without that But the same Spirit if not Person that said Psalm 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in mine heart said allso Psalm 40. 10. I have not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart I have declared thy faithfullnesse and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindenesse and thy trueth from the great Congregation intimating unto us that the stock of Grace inwardly must not be kept so as it were under Lock and Key as not to appear publiquely to the use and service of him to whome as Money bearing his Image and superscription it properly belongeth The House of God so called because it is devoted to his service is undoubtedly the most proper place of his Worship that being like the Treasurie-Chamber of Kings and great Princes into which all Duties are to be paid and out of which all undue favours are to be dispensed And therefore surely as greater glory is given to God by publique than by private Worship so greater Blessings may be from thence expected And though common Prayers wherein many agree to glorifie God in private places is to be preferred before single Devotion the same service in Gods House as more publique and exemplarie must needs be more acceptable than that of private Places Christ said indeed to confound Hypocrites seeking praise of men When thou prayest enter into thy Closset and shut thy Door c. never intending to confine men to their Chambers in praying but to cut off ostentation in Prayer which yet may be avoided in publique Prayers The Devill therefore envying the glory of God and the edification of Christians in faith towards God and Charitie to one another and a more powerfull accesse to God and a more prosperous successe of publique Prayers there offered must needs have a Finger in that sacrilegious doctrine of detracting from the honour and efficacie of publique Prayers in matching private with it 2. They say God is in all places that he is They say God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands They say God can hear us in all places at home as well as at Church and in Private as well as in Publique And in saying this and the like they say they know not what For doth God dwell in Clossets or Halls or Parlours or Kitchins and doth he not dwell in Temples made with hands Is it not said expressely of the Temple that it is the place where his Honour dwells Psalm 26. 8. Psalm 29. 9. And are not there expresse Promises fixed there above other places If it be said Those things were Jewish Let them tell me if they were not Gentile allso if among all Nations civiliz'd and professing Religion and among all Christians so soon as they were able and permitted to have Publique places they carried not their Sacrifices to them to be tender'd to God and shall private senses of ignorant persons in the Scriptures presumed upon without knowledge or ground preponderate all these And hereunto not to repeat here what hath elsewhere been more fully discussed we may adde the Mock which is too often put upon God and Religion by this Opinion so that very often God is not worshipped at all in Private by divers who plead for such private Worship which is securely passed over uncensur'd because no man can witnesse to the contrary But I may say safely no men generally make a greater Conscience of worshipping in their proper seasons in Private than they who most frequent the Publique worship For Private worship was onely intended for an Auxiliarie and supplie of what we could not perfourme publiquely which I can scarce think God will accept of when it is grounded upon such a false foundation as making Private equall to Common Prayer joyntly with others or to such publique Prayer which in Gods House is by private and single Persons made to God agreeable to the Primitive practice of Christians so early as they had such places to pray in and never laid down but where an unluckie and precipitant zeal against a scandalous Religion hurried men forward to divers unwarrantable alterations in Religion not in one Church nor one Age received and practised 3. And against this makes nothing what Saint Paul saith 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands but teaches how we should pray where-ever and when-ever we pray that is Lifting up holy hands And that we should rather pray any where than no where but not excluding Prerogatives of some places above others They write of Lombard that being reproached by the Devill for praying in an House of Office an unseemly place for so holy an Action as a man may think he answered him Here and any where else I may pray unto my God which is most true in some cases but 't is not true therefore that one place is not better than another to pray in or that all are alike to God in all respects saving that of accommodation for Companie to meet in But necessitie may consecrate any Place and affected choice of privacie when circumstances require publique and open worship may desecrate or unhallow any Room making it unfit to serve God and the worship it selfe unpleasing to God So that to me it is not easie to resolve whether the moderner way so much applauded by some of constancie of Family-meetings in Prayers to the keeping the Church vacant and the Doors shut at all times allmost but when a man scarce dares stay away have not robbed God of more glorie and worship than they have given
before him and the world 6. Now from this foundation laid this principle granted this fountain of all spirituall wisdome and understanding opened doe issue all particular branches of our faith illuminating us some few of which articles reduced into the three eminent Creeds of all Christian Churches viz. The Apostolicall the Nicene and Athanasian which may yet be more plainly and vulgarly thus ordered to easie capacities 1. First that there is a God and this God but one in nature and substance of an infinite eternal immutable Being and there is or can possibly be no more number herein destroying all perfection proper to the divine Being which article though some of the wise Naturalists did give their cold assent unto yet scarce ever so but they tolerated such opinions and religions of others as maintained the contrary feeling rather as the Apostles phrase is after God than finding him or holding him fast by such a strong faith as Christians are and must be indued with knowing assuredly that Religion and our Salvation receive by no one superstition so deadly a blow and destructive to all sound Christianity as to erre about this first principle by acknowledging directly or indirectly more than one God that is either in the Proposition professing more than one which totally subverts Christianity or in Practice worshipping that for God which is not God though under a strong perswasion that what we worship is that one true God and though in mind and intention we design to worship only the true God. For such a fact upon involuntarie errour and all errour is said by wise men to be involuntarie may mitigate the offence before God and man but it cannot at all change the thing it selfe making that to be no idolatrie which is Idolatrie or that no heresie which is heresie in it selfe but only by certain circumstance may alleviate and yet we know not how little or much the crime of the offender which crime is in it selfe directly damnable and so by the doctrine of our Christian faith to be reputed and even with the losse of our lives to be avoided 2. And the same faith likewise teacheth us as necessary to salvation to believe aright of the severall and distinct wayes of the subsistence of the Deitie in the Trinity of the persons which we commonly call Father Son and Holy Ghost which as we must believe to be three and not one Person so must we believe to be one in nature and substance and not three so that the Father begetteth the Son and is not begotten of any and the Son is begotten of the Father by an Eternall and incorrupt generation not to be parallel'd in any other productions though dimly represented unto us And the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son by such a divine emanation as is not imitable by any created procession And in this article of our Faith Christians being wholly destitute of all naturall assistance to believe the whole must redound to the power and pleasure of God revealing these things and rendering them credible our faith upon that ground receiving them 3. And a third point of our Faith proceedeth to reunite as it were in our mindes and perswasions those persons we acknowledge to stand so distinguished by their intrinsecall Relations mentioned in their outward operations such as are acts of Creation Preservation and Governing by a most wise and just providence all things which are in this visible world and in that or those worlds which are to us invisible called Celestiall 4. And hence it is that by the same faith we are taught more expressely and particularly that the One God Father Son and Holy Ghost gave a being to all the world and out of nothing produced what we see and what we understand and more than we can behold and apprehend determining that knottie controversie which the Philosophers could make no work with concerning the Creation of the world which some would have never to have been but subsisting from eternitie of it selfe and not only so but we understand by divine Revelation and Illumination how the world was made and that not by the contriving of the brain or a modell laid before the eyes or by the labour of the hand the sweat of the face and tedious but necessarie toyl of many dayes years or ages but by the lightest and easiest way we could possibly understand any thing to be wrought For thus we read Heb. 11. 2. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear And so we read Psalm 33. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And yet not so by the word or mouth of God as that any such part is to be admitted in God or that properly God so spake vocally For to what or whom should God speak so when there was no bodie yea nothing to hear but it was a mere simple pure velleity or willing of him so effectuall as to produce the Universe without the labour of his hands or of any other Agent or Instrument under him as some have vainlie imagined contrary to our divine Faith. For by the same power that God could create a worme he could create an Elephant and with the same ease that he could create a Mite he might create the hugest Monster that ever the earth bare yea the earth it selfe and that without delaies or distances of times though to shew his libertie and not necessity of working and to teach us advisednesse in all our Actions of importance he vouchsafed to distribute his acts into severall orders and spaces of duration called Dayes For as 't is said in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and all that is therein c. 5. And from this generall working or acting of God we are lead to an higher degree more nearly concerning our selves For it must necessarily follow from hence that as the Psalmist affirmeth He hath made us and not we our selves Psalm 95. And that as he made all things very good so the more noble in rank such things were the more perfect and unblameable they must needs be as they came out of Gods hands For God doth not work or proceed after the manner of nature from imperfect to perfect as all naturall productions are ill formed and defective at first and in tract of time arise to their ordained perfection but God made all things and especially Man at once most perfect both as to inward endowments and outward forme stature and parts so that nothing was wanting either to the ornament of his minde or the perfection of his bodie Crowning both with holinesse and happinesse immortal wherein his own Image and likenesse principally consisted adding unto them here in this life power and dominion under him over all earthly things 6 Furhermore the same faith teacheth us the Original