chosen such love and feare such good acceptance of his favours that they will never depart from him and doth alwaies take heed lest there should be in any of them any unbelieving heart to fall away from the living God Hebr. 3.12 There remaines we deny not in elect and regenerate not only a power but also a pronenesse and inclination to become Apostata's to fall away totally and finally from God 1 Thess. 5. but faithfull is he which hath called us and preserves our whole Spirit and Body untill his glorious Comming by whom we are comprehended rather than comprehend him Having our foundation upon this Magnetick â—ock no showers or windes shall to our confusion dash and shake us no man shall snatch us out of his hand nothing whether present or to come shall separte us from his love Now unto him that is able to keepe from falling those that are his and so present us faultlesse in his presence with exceeding great joy be ascribed all glory strength and power for ever and ever Amen A short Prayer according to the matter and manner of one of St. Bernards devout rimes Magne Magnes me dignare Ad te totum inclinare c. GReat Loadstone doe not thus decline Me wholy unto thee encline Make my whole heart sweet Lord to hye It self most quickly to apply To thee with a devoted mind This base filthy dog that barketh This poor waÌ„dring sheep that bleateth This much wearied hart that brayeth Thy slow Servant that delayeth Draw home and let him mercy find So draw that I may follow thee So turne me that turned I may be Conjoyne thy selfe unto my heart Anoynt it by thy Spirit impart To it compunction for sin Through inwards of this hart of mine Sinfull and guilty force divine Let passe and doe not me confound But let my heart entire be bound With bonds of love thy love to win Let my heart to thine be likened Let my heart to thine be joyned Let my hard'ned heart be pierced love Let my Iron heart be wounded With wounds O God of thy true Make my power my will my knowledge Obedience to thee acknowledge Make my barren heart be hungrie Eagerâ—y and hotly thirstie For thee for grace from above O Sharons Rose thy leaves display Whose odour fragrant is alway O make my nostrils smell this sent And to receive with content Above all delight some sweetnesse Pleasant Manna purest honey Sweetest wine ev'n Nectar meerly In which nothing is that 's bitter Be thou to me ever deerer Than worldly vain delightfulnesse Behold I approach unto thee If I dare offend O spare mee Behold with willing mind I run Yet all unshame fastnesse I shun Reject me not I humbly pray Shew thy selfe most kind unto mee Me repell not though unworthy Move all my heart unto thee still With holy love sill full my will That from thee I may never stray A Magnetick desire Achath Schaalthi יתל×ש ×ª×—× One thing have I desired Psal. 27 4. MAny O Lord ask many things of thee Those many given then many ills they be Few me suffice though few ask thee few things One thing to mâ— full sweet contentment briâ—gs This one I need this one will ever serve 'T is more than all and more than I deserve Give me this one I shall have wealth at will I sought this one I 'll seeke it of thee still If that thou giv'st this one I 'll thankfull be Draw me to Christ who hath redeemed me I may draw others whom he did redeeme This one I doe than thousands more esteeme Give this a thousand thanks to the I 'll give I 'll pay my vowes as long as I doe live FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes R. P.Ep Lond. Capell domest April 29. 1640.
world in what Latitude yea and wanting but a littâ—e in what Longitude of places they were as also into what parts of the earth and into what Ports they directed the course of their shipping Lastly by the Divine benefit of this Mercury or Guide it came to passe that they not staying for the pleasant gales of the Westerne wind did fearelesly hoyse up their sayles and went beyond the Pilars of Hercules then those Hands Continents Nations and Merchants wares which lay hid as altogether unknowne were discovered by us and often found out and at length the whole Circumference of this terrestriall Globe was in our memory severall times sayled about by Francis Drake Thomas Cavendish and other noble spirits which thing in former times as it was thought impossible so it was never heard of Before that the light of the Gospell was revealed unto men God suffered all people in the Generations past Acts 14.16 Eph. 4.18 to wander in their owne wayes having their cogitations darkened and estranged from the life of God by reason of the ignorance and vanity of mind that was in them for Philosophy doth but deceive the children and Schollers she brings up and vouchsafeth to be their companion and guide of their way in prosperity onely but vanishing as a blazing starre or lightning in the time of adversity and perplexity she forsakes them in the shadow of death and leaves them destitute of comfort If it asswage their maladies at any time it never cures them If it draw a skinne perchance on their scarres notwithstanding it heales not within Christ alone who is the Light of the world the Way the Life and the Truth delivers those that are his from wandring and wavering hee leads them into all truth reveales unto them the mysteries of salvation laies open the secrets of the old Testament he alone replenisheth his servaÌ„ts with joy and peace that surpasseth all understaÌ„nding when they are in tribulations imprisonmens when they are tormented with fires racks he alone brings immortality to light wherewith he comforts his own people in the point of death he alone by the lightsome Lanterne of his word directeth their goings and their feet in all his wayes to which they should have well done if they had taken heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne 2 Pet. 1. and the day-starre should arise in their hearts 2 Thes. 2. but because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleeve lyes old wives tales and foolish dreams of Monks And lastly that taking rooten Traditions leaden Legends for Oracles of faith and the blind leading the blind they should fall againe into the bottomlesse pit of errours wherein the whole world lay drowned for some hundred of years untill again it pleased the Father of mercies almost in the same passage of time wherein he shewed the use of the Loadstone to restore the light of his Gospell to dispell the mists of Popery to discover the deceits of Antichrist to reforme his Church upon earth and in conclusion to kindle againe the light of his Word which we doe with all humble reverence beseech him againe and againe to conserve unextinguished untill his glorious comming to Judgement CHAP. IIII. Of divers names by which the Load-stone is called and how that every one of them may most conveniently be applied unto Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non sum Tam lapis ut lapidi numen inesse putem Let all men know I am not such a one As thinke there is a Godhead in a stone I Am not so sencelesse as that I should ascribe Divine honour unto a Stone or think or speake of it more then it becoms me or more then ought to be spoken much lesse that I should make an equall comparison betweene a vile Stone and the Lord of life Yet I see no impediment but that I may liken the one to the other in some respects Especially because the Lord himselfe doth not disdaine to denominate himselfe a Corner-stone and those that are his the living Stones of a Temple Now that which happens to Heroicall spirits and men that are famous for vertuous Acts that they obtaine diverse titles for increase of honour because of their divers Dignities and for their excellent sayings and deeds the like happens unto the Load-stone because of its many and notable vertues and wondrous effects that so it might be honoured and adorn'd with divers names of which there is none that may not be applied to Christ by a kind of excellency and more aptly then to the Loadstone it selfe That name which is peculiar to the English and Dutch was impos'd upon it by reason of Leading directing and shewing the way neither can any one justly doubt but that this stone was termed a Loadstone quasi Leadstone which name is agreeable to none more appositely then to Christ who is the way and guide of the way who is the Lead-starre that directeth and leadeth his chosen to the Haven of Heaven Among names of the second Ranke it was also called Magnes because of the great force and vertue of it and the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herculean because of the strength thereof was famillar especially among the ancient Grecians Shether as also the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrewes a Retinendo because of its retayning and holding of things Iob. 10.28 Now Christ is the true and onely Hercules the Almighty which drawes unto him all things Hee alone is so strong that hee overcomes that strong one the Divell He delivers his Servants by strong hand and frees them from bondage Out of whose hands no man doth pluck or is able to pluck them The name A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Aymant which is usuall among the Grecians or French may be put in the third place This Stone being so called from its invincible hardnes for it scarce feeles a Saâ—e Or File or suffers any diminution thereby And as Christ is a Load stone to such as disagree and a corner-stone to such as be asunder or at variance So to his enemies or those that wrestle against him He is an unconquerable Adamant both which we read in the Encomiums or prayses of Athanasius I say he is an unconquered Adamant No force and assaults of enemies no not the raging fury of Satan that roaring Lion and red Dragon nor the gates of Hell can be able to prevaile against him The last name is Siderites which it hath obtain'd from the Iron its ownenaturall Brother bred up together in the same Bowells of their Mother Earth For Iron is both an object in drawing of which it delighteth and a Medium a meanes or Instrument whose attendance in drawing it doth as it were rejoyce to have In both respects It is a wonder how Artificially and to the Life it expresseth and imitates Christ
who imbraceth us poore meane men with Brotherly love neither doth he refuse nor is ashamed to call us Brethren Now as I shall explaine these severall things one by one and something more at large no man I suppose will be so dainty or so averse from these pleasanter Studies that they shall be unto him any occasion of distast or disdaine No man I thinke will be so Atheologicall or void of Divinity as to make the Load-stone a Stone of offence CHAP. V. Of the Load-stones elevating Vertue AS all other heavie things so Iron of its owne Nature goes downe-wards This as the eldest Sonne of the Earth and principall in her Love tends with a wonderfull and vehement desire to the Center thereof as to his Mothers bosome So that without violence or Miracle it never ascends to the Aire nor mounts to places above Yet not withstanding such is the marvelous Vertue of this wonder working Stone that giving to the Iron but a light touch and having once affected it with its love It presently forsake its common Mother hastens to the Load-stone with a Swift violent course and with all possible endeavour being ready to imbrace it in the most loving manner that may be But if it be detayn'd by force of hands or held backe by a string that it cannot touch it then as it were most vehemently longing to come to it it moves over against it I have seene neither did I see it without astonishment a needle raised up by the Loadstone hanging in the ayre agaiâ—st its owne nature lifting up the point thereof towards the Load-stone that was plac't above it I have seene the same needle being artificially plac't upon a brasen Tablet in the surface of water swimming over to the Loadstone without theâ—elpe of a corke from one side of a cauldron to another and flying up to it As I seriously considered these Magneticke miracles and wonderfull works of God that came to my mind which is recorded in sacred Scripture about the Axe that through negligence fell downe to the bottome of the River yet at the Prophets command came out of the deepe and swimmed up Asalso that so Elisha forsaking his Oxen his Plough his friends and all that hee had and following Elias without any delay as his Guide and companion in a way to him as yet unknowne As also that which is writ of Peter travelling on foot to his Lord on the waves of the Sea He that can hardly beleeve these histories but leavs themto be beleeved of Jewes and others let him now take notice of these things which upon experience I speake of the Loadstone let him give credence to me without taking my oath or at least believe his owne eyes Magna sui faciunt per Leviora fidem Great workes make Affidavit for themselves by those that are lesse They are blessed I doe not deny who having not seene doe beleeve yet notvvithstanding these sensible helpes of Faith are not altogether to be despised which after their manner and measure doe further and strengthen our Faith Now that some benefit may accrew unto us by these things we must knovv that our soules ever since Adams fall are troubled vvith a vvonderfull drovvsinesse and lumpishnesse the very Heathen Poet crying out O curvae in terras animae caelestium inanes O soules of men bent to the earth and voyd ofheavenly things Saint Bernard complayning that our soules are become carnall and in some sort turned into flesh S. Anselme likening them to a bird tyed to a ponderous stone Saint Austine to a little Bee so drowned in abounance of honey that it can by no meanes unwind or spread forth her wings indeed the huge wâ—ight of the body lies heavily upon them the cares of the world doe presse them downe the lusts of the flesh doe ensnare them the allurements of pleasures entangle them who shall ease us of this burthen who shall take away these loades that we may clime up the ladder of Iacob with more speed and ease Who shall give to us the wings of a Dove that we may flye up to heaven with hast â—and have our priviledged habitationthere Surely he alone who infus'd into the Loadstone such vertue Hee alone who drew to him Mathew from the Custome-house Zacheus from the Tree Philip from his Chariot the Eunuch from the Court that they might follow him by the odour of his Oyntments Hee who in time to come shall waken us though dead in our graves by the sound of his Trumpet that as Eagles to a dead body so we may be gathered to him To conclude Hee shall doe it unto whom no man can ever come but whom hee shall draw by his great vertue exceeding that of the Loadstone â— Whilst that by inspiring Hee creates and by creating inspires or breaths into the will a new power life and vertue CHAP. VI. Of the Load-stone communicating its Vertue and Conveying it into the Iron AMong the least flowers and precious Stones there is none almost which hath not received some excellent endowment from God the bestower of all good things which notwithstanding it hath received with this limitation and condition to reserve it and to have it inherent in it selfe alone but can very hardly communicate it and transfuse it to other things of the same nature If you put Mallowes to Roses they take none of the Rosie colour or smell therefrom If you put aflint or pumice stone to a Saphire or Emerald they borrow no brightnesse thereby The Loadstone only inricht by nature with a special priviledge triumphs in this that it can endow the Iron which is plac't by it with its vertue and power to turne and which you may more admire it so endowes an Iron ring with this vertue that being next another it shall impart the same vertue to that a second shall do it to a third and so forward in a long rowe and as yet which goes almost beyond all belief it doth not onely these things by apposition or the lightest touch but also by passing over to it as it were by a certaine Divine inspiration onely with this difference that in a quick passage the Iron is possest with Vertue more weakly and slightly and is endewed with a lesse power to turne but if it stay for some longer time it receives a greater Vertue even such as it may draw more strongly abide in it the longer and be more hardly lost therefore this one this onely stone among all other created things is found worthy not onely to shadow out but also to represent to the life the efficacy of the grace of Christ and of his holy Spirit Though skill in Arts and Sciences and Languages is not attained unto without hard labour and long expence of time yet Christ did in abundant manner give his holy Spirit and his manifold gifts unto the Apostles onely by breathing upon them which they also conveighed over to their Brethren as Philip to Nathanael Paul to Timothy in
vulgar sort With that an unreasonable love of Gold and Silver doe men burne And how much are precious stones esteemed with Princes and great ones Gemmes and Peares in what honour and estimation are they held For they have their Splendour as the rest of the Mettals whereby they may allure the eyes of beholders and bewitch their minds Iron in the meane time because it hath noe bright Colour and is of little estimation is disregarded by all in comparison of all other Metalls and is every where sold for litle it is troden in every place almost under feet and hath but the lowest place and rank amongst all those Metalls all which notwithstanding the Load-stoâ—e altogether despising and counting as nothing the other Mettals which are so bright and excellent in their owne nature hath made choise of the Iron above them all which it drawes unto it with a violent and greedy affection which it imbraceth with a strait bond of love whose company and union it onely desires of whose friendship and neighbour-hood it is wondrously glad of whose fellow-ship and service it doth perpetually make use and as counting it an honour would be term'd by the name of Siderites which is deriv'd from the Iron You which admire this excellent sympathie cast your eyes upon the love of God towards man and upon our Election the Angels that fell likewise if they be compared to us poore men what wonderfully glorious creatures are they what noble Spirits whose knowledge how many degrees goes it beyond our blindnesse whose power â—ow faâ—re doth it exceed our weakenes whose honour dignity how much doth it surpasse our obscurity and meannes But Christ our Lord did not take on him the nature of thâ—se but passing by them as they lay in the Lake of sulphure prison of hell Hee elected us poore vvormes even dust and ashes Hâ—e lov'd us vvretched creatures He vvas made oâ— a vvoman bone of our bone flesh of our flesh Hee carryed up the humanâ— nature above the Cherubins Seraphins and made it to sit in the heavenly places to be adored of Angels and Archangels Hee hath adopted us and made us the sonnes of God that we should be â—eires yea coheires vvith him Hee hath made us partakers of the Divine Nature of grace and glorie Who would not here crie out vvith Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Behold the love of our Lord toward mankind doe not thinke this to be a thing of small moment or value it being indeed a thing to be wondred at and full of astonish And I taking this often into my consideration doâ— conceive and imagine great mâ—tters as touching mankind Doe you also my brethren see your calling how that not many vvise and mighty according to the flesh 1 Cor. 1.26 not many sprung of illustrious Progeny but God hath chosen the base and foolish things of the world that he might confound the wise CHAP. X. Of the Loadstones indifferency and of a Christians not respecting of persons BEhold â—urther the indifferency and the not respecting of persons vvhich may be seene both in the Lâ—adstone and every true Christian for the Loadstone doth acknowledge and draw Iron unto it as well vvhen it is shut up in a vvooden chest as in a golden casket in a leaden sheath as in a silken scabberd It is the Iron onâ—ly which it respects it regards not the ornament and cloathing of Iron whatsoever it be It is the Iron that it seekes that it imbraceth not the golden trappings or gilding with vvhich it is covered about wherefore brethren let us be ashamed to have the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons so that if one come into your company having a gold ring or gorgeous attire and there come in a poore man in vile â—ayment and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing and shall say to him sit thou here in a good place and say to the poore stand thou there or sit here under my footstoole are ye not become Judges that determine perversly are ye not partiall in your selves are ye not become Judges of evill thoughts and make a wrongfull difference Hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they might be rich in faith and heires of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him wherefore beholding rather and considering this difference and not respecting of persons both in the Lord and in the Load-stone be sure to follow both and preferre before the worldly wise and wealthy such Christians as are counted ignoble idiots poore and such as are despised of the great ones of this world choose them onely for your companions your friends and yoake fellowes in the Lord love them and hold friendship with them upon earth with vvhom ye are to live everlastingly in heaven for this is wel-pleasing and acceptable to the Lord our God with whom there is neither male nor female neither Barbarian nor Grecian but a new creature in Christ is all in all CHAP. XI That the Loadstone drawes a greatâ— and heavier weight then Jet HEE that once saw a Loadstone vvith admiration drawing to it not onely small remnants and pieces of iron but also taking up easily and lifting up from the ground a great and weighty burthen thereof as for example an Anchour weighing twenty pounds with what contempt will hee behold Jet or Amber drawing strawes unto them or little motes and that after they have beene heated by much rubbing As great yea a farre greater difference is to be seene betweene the soules of wise men and fooles of holy and carnall men whereof these onely care for and meditate upon these things which are of great moment that pertaine to the Kingdome of God and their everlasting salvation but these seeke after the vanities and trisles of this world Surely there is no lesse difference betweene them then there is betweene Merchants that buy wares of great value and triâ—â—e-selling Pedlers which carry about gewgawes Pinnes and Rattles for children to play withall Then there is betweene Spiders that catch Flies and Eagles that pursue after Hares and Heron then there is betweene fowlers that shoote at Pigeons and children that follow after Butterflies CHAP. XII Of that cleannesse which the Loadstone and the Spirit of Christ require in their objectâ— HOwever the Loadstone hath a desire and inclination to iron yet will it not draw it unlesse it be cleane and pollished and it vvonderfully loves and affects cleannesse but hates and loathes filthinesse very much vvhereupon it comes to passe that if you doe apply it to the rusty side of an Anchour or that which is besprinkled with dust either it will not at all put forth and exercise upon it the vertue thereof or very unwillingly and weakely but if you apply the same Loadstone to a cleane and well polished side it will greedily draw it with all the power it hath and will