〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vell done thou good and faithfull servant The Christian SOULDIER His COMBAT CONQUEST And CROWNE Agaynst the three Arch-enemies of Mankind The WORLD The FLESH And The DEVILL There is none other that fighteth for us but onely thou O God LONDON Printed by R. H. for J. S. and are to be sold by Bernard Langford at the signe of the blew Bible at Holborn bridg 1639. To his loving and indulgent Mother HELEN MELHUISH The happinesse of this life and that which is to come MOTHER HAving from your breasts received the first nutriture of my body and by your dayly admonition and wholesome counsell a better aliment for the preservation of my soule to whome then could I more fitly dedicate those my younger blossoms of experience next unto God my spirituall Father and the Church my spirituall Mother then to you my carefull naturall Mother the Travayle and payne you endured at my byrth was much and for that I must ever owe you much obedience but what of that had you only brought mee into this miserable world and there left mee sine cognitione dei without the knowledge of a better I had not beene much the better nay farre worse that I have not let the Counsell fall to the ground but by the help of my God made a hopefull improvement let these ensuing lines bee an obedient Testimoniall to your perusal I leave them that the Armour therein mentioned may be your furinture that those evills which the craft and subtility of the Devill or man worketh agaynst you may bee brought to nought that in the end you may receive a Crowne of Righteousnesse shall bee the prayer of Your obedient Sonne E. T. To the Reader READER THis Christian Souldier came but lately to my acquaintance he was me thought at the first sight well qualifyed but some what meanely habited upon further conference had put him into a garb suteable to his condition by way of thankfull Requitall hee related unto me the necessity of undertaking the Christian Combat the use of the Armour therein to bee employed the danger of the adversaries theyr severall Attempts theyr strength and power then shewed the way how to come off with victory lastly used some further motives and encouragements to take up Armes and that to bee done without any further delay the security of these times calls for publication of such discoveryes I have therefore made that common which was delivered to mee in a more private manner Not to hold thee any longer in that to which this but introduceth I bid thee heartily farewell I. Sp. The SUMMONS To take up Armes and that speedily against the three inveterate Enemies of Mankind The WORLD The FLESH And The DEVILL WHosoever thou art of whatsoever degree sex or Condition if thou hast not as yet entred the feild agaynst the common Enemyes of thy salvation let mee advise thee now at this very instant whilst thou art reading this summons to buckle on thy armes and march out speedily it is Arme arme arme high time the Enemyes are growne strong and potent for want of opposition whilst thou lyest sleeping out thy time they have almost entered nay they have allready také possession of thy soule dost thou not perceive how they beginne to smother the thoughts of heaven to quench the good motions 1 Thes 5. 19. of the spirit they are ready to advance theyr owne Diabolicall thrones in thy heart sinne beginnes to reigne Rom. 6. 12. 7. 23. in thy mortall body the 〈◊〉 of the members rebels agaynst that of the spirit thy understanding is darkened thy will instead of conformity to Gods is growne rebellious all the facultyes both of body and soule are ready to yeild themselves weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne is it not high time Rom. 6. 13 then to look about thee and greive not that holy spirit that Ephes 4. 30 hath marked thee out to a better designe thou hast in thy Baptisme received prest mony to fight under Christs banner and to continue his faythfull Souldier to thy lifes end didst thou not there promise Catechisme in the booke of Com. Prayer and vow to forsake the Devill and all his workes the pompes and vanityes of the wicked world with al the sinfull lusts of the flesh this was the end of thy Baptisme let mee tel thee plainly it is great pity that ever that Sacramentall water should have wet thy face if thou shouldst now forget the end of thy Christian calling who made thee a Christian thou wast not Non natus sed factus Christianus borne so no naturall worke I am sure hath done it Christianity growes not on the bitter Roote of Nature thou art therefore called of God to bee a Christian thou art called of Christ to bee a Christian Philip. 3. 14. Souldier S. Paul gloried more as hee was a Christian by calling then as an Apostle by his function hence it is that a Christian calling is the confluence of all happinesse if it G. Nazianzen were possible to contract all the excellencies that are in Excellency of the Christian calling Math. 13. 45. most eminent callings the same are to be found in Christians A Christian is that Mercator gemmae hee that selleth all hee hath and trafficks for the Pearle a Christian is the Right Souldier that fighteth the good fight 2 Tim. 4. Rev. 5. 10. a Christian is that Royall Priest that is made unto God who shall reigne on the earth lastly hee is the man that fits on the white horse which had a bowe and a Crowne given him better then the Crownes of Kings and Princes Rev. 6. 2. these Heathens were surely foolish that called Christians poore Originalls but of yesterday a fond people they were that thus judged not to speake of Crownes put but in priviledges of Christians the honors which attend on Christians they will be found unspeakable what is like unto that of talking with God walking with God bearing the Gen. 17. 3. Act 11. 26 Gen. 4. 22. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Rom. 8. 15 name of Christ fighting under his banner entertaining the spirit into our hearts excellent also are the Priviledges that attend on Christians the comfort 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 5 1 Thes 1. 6. of joy unspeakable peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost as S. Paul hath is concerning the Jewes to whom belong the adoption and Rom. 9. 4. the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the law and the Dignity of Christians service of God and the Promises hence it is that they are 1 Pet. 2. 9. stiled 〈◊〉 generation a Royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people if it bee thus whilst we are in the Race how glorious will it bee 1 Cor. 9. 24. when wee have finished our Course if it bee thus in the Combat what will it bee in 2 Tim. 4. 7 the Conquest if there
with content is great gayne 2 Tim. 6. 6. and profitable to all things 2 Tim. 4. 8. Now for the close off al that I may take thee quite off from Exit us act a probat the world and the things thereof consider the end it may beginne well but I am sure it will end ill thou mayst take the pleasure of sinne for Prov. 16. 2. a season but the issue thereof is the wayes of death there is but one end and bee assured that that end will certaynely come and that perhaps The end of worldlings considerable sooner too then thou art a ware of doe but consider the end of covetous Achan Josh 7. 25. take but notice of the end of greedy Ahab 1 King 22. 34. looke but into the end of miserable Gehezi 2 King 5. 27. but above all forget not that wretched end of trayterous Judas who for thirty peeces of silver betrayed his owne deere Mr. Math. 26. 15. see what ends they all came to here what portion they have now and what they shall have hereafter Let al those that thus forget God remember least hee sodainly teare them in peeces there be none to deliver them by this time I hope thou art well furnished to encounter Ps 112. and come off bravely with this great Idoll the world but behold there appeareth a second Enemy the flesh by his The second Enemy the flesh Non intus ut in cute out side hee should bee a freind such a freind hee is I am sure that thon broughtest from home with thee but trust him not if thou doest hee will in the end deceive thee whereas the world is without thee this freindly Enemy is within thee and therefore the more pernicious because hee is in thy bosome a serpent hugged in thy breast one that is at bed and Anguis in â—â—rba boord with thee but since thou canst not tell which way to avoyd him be alwayes prepared for him watch him narrowly and take him off betimes suppresse the rising of evill motions foris hostem si non habes invenerit domi if thou hast not an enemy a broade thou shalt alwayes be sure of one at home thy flesh thou must have aut hostem Fronti nulla fides aut socium eyther a freind or an enemy how like a freind doth thy flesh looke but how like an Enemy doth hee lurke that hee is an Enemy is without all doubt an Enemy I meane to thy salvation for the flesh lusteth agaynst the spirit and the spirit agaynst the flesh and these are contrary one to the other Gal. 5. 17. there is no Gal. 5. 17. agreement betwixt God and Belial and there cannot bee any correspondence betwixt the flesh and the spirit One Nation being injured by another doth by way of Revenge make a Provision for warre and then beginnes a fearefull Battle on both sides so it is betwixt the flesh and the spirit the spirit assayles the flesh and the flesh by way of Revenge sets upon the spirit agayne hence is that advice of the Apostle abstayne from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11 which warre agaynst the spirit 1 Pet. 2. 11. here is now open warre proclaymed no articles of Peace to bee entertayned it No peace betwixt the flesh and the spirit must bee tryed out by strength of armes it must be fought out to the last Since it is thus it is the highest poynt of Christian valour to overcome these lusts of the flesh for in doing so thou art more then a Conqueror in Christ Jesus Ille quidem qui suam affectionem vincit libidines refraenat voluptates spernit iracundiam tenet avaritiam coercet caeteras animi labes reâ—ellit c. hee truly which can overcome his affections bridle his lusts despise pleasures master his anger c. he only is the truly happy and Cohibet qui sua vota sapit couragious man for these lusts of the flesh are they that warre not only agaynst thy soule but agaynst the Lambe these are they which keepe thee back from praying or praysing God these are they which make thee have such bad successe in all thy undertakings that make all things go crosse with thee yea these are they which deprive thee of life here and eternall life hereafter if thou livest after the flesh thou shalt dy Rom. 8. 13. Wilt thou then hugge such a serpâ—nt in thy Rom. 8. 13 breast and not oppose him nay not only hugge but nourish him in thy bosome even him that will teare out thy heart I meane pull away thy heart from God looke then into the law of God S. Paul had not knowne sinne if the law had not sayd Thou shalt not covet Rom. 7. if thou hast Rom. 7. a desire also to know what these rebellious lusts are thou shalt know them by theyr disagreement with the motions of Gods spirit S. Paul saw another law in his members rebelling agaynst the law of his mind and leading him captive to the law of sinne Rom. 7. 23. Rom. 7. 23 here 's the law of the members that is the law of the members that is the good mâ—tions of the spirit the law of sinne resisting the blessed No agreement betwixt the flesh and spirit meanes of grace here 's rebelling agaynst God one way withdrawing the mind from heavenly cogitations another way so that when the blessed Apostle would do good evill was with him when hee set before him selfe the law of God and thought to do accordingly then steps in the flesh and makes a Rebellion with the spirit so that the evill that hee would not that did hee Rom. 7. Rom. 7. 19 19. if thou then desirest to have any part with Christ thou must crucify the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof Gal. 5. 24. for what good Gal. 5. 24. action soever thou art about to doe this body of sinne the flesh will intercept thee doth the spirit tell thee it is good to pray unto God and prayse his The flesh an opposite to allâ— good motions holy name no sayth the flesh it will be too tedious and wearisome so to doe doth the spirit bid thee fast and bring thy body under by no meanes sayth the flesh eate drinke 1 Cor. 15. and bee merry this course of fasting wil pine away thy body too much art thou at any time struck Sermon sick that by reason of thy sinnes the very flames of hell flash in thy conscience come sayth the flesh this is but a fit of Melancholy drinke a Cup of wine to drive the sorrow from thy heart here 's now the true difference betwixt the flesh and the spirit the one is willing but the other is weake Math. 26. 41. the spirit drawes to God the flesh hasts on to the Devill seeing then that these fleshly lusts have such predominance he that doth overcome his corruptions daily standing strongly in the defence
of Christ is a greater conqueror then ever as yet lived The first advice then that I shall give thee shall be that Advise against fleshly lusts of Socrates though an Heathen yet his councell is good Homo vince teipsum O man overcome thy selfe how many are there that are able to beare a way great Monarches Kingdomes by conquest and yet are borne a way and beaten downe by theit owne lusts Phillip the Macedonian Alexander the great Cyrus that Monarch Zerxes Darius and others very Valiant couragious and stouthearted men they had wonne by force and power many Kingdomes and Nations had devastated and depopulated many great and famous Cityes yet for all this when they came to this poynt the cheefest of all the rest they could not overcome their own untamed and unbridled lusts but were so swayd with the concupiscence and desire of them that I may very well conclude Se ipsum vincere maxima est victoria It is the greatest victory to overcome thy selfe Bis vincit qui se vincit Sayth another Heathen he overcomes twice that overcomes in such a victory as this is Valentinian the Emperor said at the point of death that he did most of all glory in one victory above all his great conquests whatsoever and being demanded by those that stood about him his friends acqua intance what victory that was O saith he Inimicorum nequissimum devici I have conquered my most wicked enemy my owne flesh a most famous and noble conquest indeed this is that which made St. Paul come off Victory over the flesh is victory indeed with Rejoycing I have fought the good fight I have finished my course c. And for every man thus to do it is no easie matter a man must undergo many a hungry meale indure many agrevious afflicti on sustayne many a losse suffer many a crosse fetch many a grone shead many a teare before he can fully over come this unbridled flesh Anger a notable Champion for the flesh I will instance but in one perticular lust of the flesh and that is Anger for how manyare there that are so transported with Anger and the desire of Revenge that they have quite lost the nature though they still retaine the names of Christians he is now a daies in no request that hath not a bigge looke and a bold presumptuous carriage I meane to outface wickednesse and to colour it over with a faire glosse nay this passion of Anger is so violent that it spareth neyther man woman nor child freind nor acquaintance and this it was that made Solomon confesse that Anger is crâ—ell and wrath is raging but who can stand before Envy Prov. 27. 4. What saith the Cholerick man Prov. 27. 4. if that he be but dishonored with any thing or any thing hath crossed him flesh and bloud cannot endure it it is true indeed flesh and blood of it selfe cannot sustaine or indure it nnlesse the God of heaven give patience to support and undergoe it O how irkesome is a crosse to flesh and blood but if the holy spirit of God were the director it would teach a lesson Matt. 5. 24. even to pray for Enemies that brought them Moses prayed for the stubborne and unfaithfull Jewes even then when they rebelled agaynst him Exod. 32. 11. Exod. 32. 11. Blessed St. Stephen in the midest of torments prayed for his Enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their charge St. Paul wished himselfe to be accursed from Christ Act. 7. 60. that his kinsmen the Israelitâ—s might be saved Rom. 3. 9. But above all that patterne Rom. 3. 9. of true patience Christ Jesus himselfe who so dearly Examples of true patience loved us even when wee were Enemyes that he gave himselfe to the death of the Crosse for sinfull mans sake and as he hung on the Crosse prayed to his heavenly father not for his freinds not for the Angels but for sinfull man who was his utter Enemy Luk. 23. 24. These are written for thy examples Luk. 23. 24 these are patternes for thy imitation these being set before thy eyes and well considered will take off thy haughty and cholerick spirit suppresse thy dominering swaggering carriage and bring thee down to the depth of all humility Now I have discovered this Enemy the Flesh wiâ—h some of the choicest of his company how strong they aâ—e how they lye encamped what seeming frendship they make the easier to make way for their own victory and thy ruine I have also shewed thee how hard it is to put them to the foyl I wil now use some motives to encourage thee to the battle then being well prepared I will put the sword into thy hand wherby thou mayest be able to overcome them all Then first of all consider with thy selfe that to harbour First Motive to be armed against the flesh these lusts is a sinne and to be lead by them is a great Offence to the Almighty be advised then by St. Paul not to make Rom. 13. 14. Care of the mayne chance commended provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. thou mayest provide for the flesh in seeking after mayntenance and providing meat and drinke for the body but thou mayest not fulfill the lusts thereof when by immoderate eating and drinking thou surfettest with gluttony and drunknesse thou maiest provide for the flesh in the diligent labour of thy hands to get som competency of estate for thy better subsistance Esay 3. 15. in after times but thou mayest not fulfill the lusts thereof when to encrease thy estate thou dost it in the oppression of thy brethren in the grinding of his face either by cruel extortion or biting usury againe it is the same blessed Apostles proposition that thou mayest walke in the flesh 2. Cor. 10. but thou mayest not warre after the flest 2. Cor. 10. 3. every child of God hath fleshly lusts in him and divers suggestions of his corrupt flesh remayning but hee doth suppresse and keepe them down that they shall not rule over him he is alwayes strugling and striving against them in so much that if he offend at any time it is not he but sin that dwelleth in him Rom. 7. 17. Sinne may dwell but shall not raigne in his mortall body Rom. 6. 12. there is in him such a combustion between the flesh and the spirit that he cannot be at Rest nay he will not ly downe in his sinne and continue in his shame can two walke together except they be agreed can thy spirit and thy flesh which Amos. 3. 3. are Enemies lye together and be still without any resistance except they be agreed If it be so it is a certaine signe that thou and thy sinne are well Quam bene conveniunt agreed together it is the manner of lewd and wicked livers thus to be at ease they are ready to say I thanke God I
the condition to continue his faythfull Souldier to the end Wilt thou then digresse from the proper end for which thou wast made did God make thee to lust after sinne to delight in sinne to act sinne no surely God made thee for this end that thou mightst do good and Matth. 4. 10. live to his glory It makes mee stand amazed when that I consider of the fiercenesse of the Lyon and the mildnesse of the Lambe the cruelty of the one and the gentlenesse of the other and yet that men should bee so foole-hardy as to hugge Extreme folly of the wicked the one and so besotted as to reject the other to leave Christ that Lambe of God which taketh Joh. 1. 29. away the sinnes of the World and to fight for the Devill that roaring Lyon which seeketh 1 Pet. 3. 8. whom hee may devour O inhumane and more then monstrous that any age should produce such a crew of Miscreants such a Dungeon of iniquity what to rebell agaynst God to deface his Image Josh 22. 19 1 Cor. 15. 49. in their soules and to set up that of the Devil but let them take their course Christ knowes whose they are vos ex Patre Diabolo esti c. yee are of your father the Devill and Joh. 8. 44. his workes yee will doe Let this then animate and encourage thee to fight this battel to serve God and to doe good not to spend thy time idly non vitam veluti pecora not to rowle out thy dayes in doing no good as indeede brute beasts do bestirre thy self therfore rowse up thy spirits think on the thing that is before thee presse forwards towards Phil. 3. 14. the marke thrust through the crowde of worldly employments but looke not back like Lots wife lest thou bee partaker of the like Apostasye Luk. 17. 32 Pares culpae pares paenae A Souldier being in skirmish with the Enemy if hee lookes back it argues a Cowardize or carelesnesse in him So thou being a Souldier in this spirituall combat if thou shouldst looke back minding more thy pleasures and thy profits those onyons and flesh-pots Numb 11. 5. of Egypt what would this argue but eyther a fearfulnesse or a secure carelesnesse in thee and then whereas Lots wife was turned into a Piller of salt God shall turne thee out of his presence with that fearefull sentence Ito maledicte c. depart from mâ—e thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Luk. 25. 41. Being now encouraged for the fight that thou mayst bee the better enabled to give the onset it will bee necessary that I show thee the use of the Armor wherewith thou art to bee furnished for it is ill fighting without Armes The weapons then which serve to 1 Pet. 5. 8. conquer that roaring Lyon as the Apostle cals them bee these 1 The Girdle of Truth 2 The Breast-plate of Righteousnesse 3 Shod with the Preparation of the Gospell Gods Armory Ephes 6. 14. 4 The Sheild of Fayth 5 The Helmet of hope or salvation 6 The sword of the Spirit The first peece of Armor or Weapon for so I call it is the Girdle of truth in these The first weapon of Gods Armory words having your loynes girt about with the Girdle of Truth here now thou oughtst to have thy soule fenced and encircled about with this Girdle of Truth otherwise called uprightenesse of heart 1 Cor. 1. 14. Joh. 24. 12 and singlenesse of heart that no evill or corrupt thoughts may adventure to enter in and that the whole heart may seeke after Righteousnesse for God layes charge to the whole heart and hee layes clayme to it also hee will have all or none hee admits of no division why because it is just that thou shouldst give it him and that for a twofold Reason First because God made the heart and therefore most Reasons why God should have the heart Ps 100. 5. 2 Reason Deut. 10. 12. right to it It is hee that hath made us and not wee our selves Secondly God did not onely make the heart but hee doth also sanctify the heart and saveth it being made hee is Cordis Gubernator the director and Ruler of thy heart is it not Reason then that hee should have the whole heart to himselfe and not to part stakes with any other hee will not have part of it given over to sinne and part kept for himselfe hee will have it all and it must bee a heart girt with the girdle of truth it must bee girt close to him intimating thus much that Truth is not ashamed of it selfe nor doth it shame others that professe it but it will truly adhere and stick close as a Girdle doth to a mans body to those which do most advance and defend it The second peece of Armor is the Breast-plate of Righteousnesse The second weapon of Gods Armoury having put on the Breast-plate of Righteousnesse Now as before was commanded Verity so here is enjoyned Sincerity Truth went before Righteousnesse followes after as the Breast-plate and the Girdle touch each other so Righteousnesse and Truth being met doe kisse each other Psalm 85. The Righteousnesse that here is meant is the Righteousnesse What is meant by the Braest-plate of Righteousnesse of Christ made ours by imputation so that by this imputation of Christ thou art made partaker of him and his merits a great Priviledg but the mayne utility of this Breast-plate of Righteousnesse The use of the Breast-plate doth most appeare in the placing of it to defend the heart In hot and feirce warres you know that a Breast-plate is one of the needefullest peeces of Armor you can have the Reason is because it covers and fences the heart now you know the heart is a Principall in a man it is primum movens ultimum moriens the first living and the last dying if The Heart to bee carefully guarded the body or any part of it bee but ill affected the heart is truly sensible thereof how necessary is it then that thou shouldst have a Breast-plate to secure it just so it fares with this Breast-plate of Righteousnesse it covers the heart and doth defend that which is most subject to be offended with sinne how therefore shouldst thou labour for to bee furnished with this Breast-plate of Righteousnesse which is so highly esteemed of or at least should bee how shouldst thou have thy heart defended with this Breast-plate to keepe o the darts off sinne from it to oppose and extinguish sinne in it for if sinne once get footing in thy heart it will quickly spread it selfe through the whole man if thou hast Jam. 3. 13. Righteousnesse in thy heart it must needes oppose sinne but have a care the heart is deceitfull above all things and therefore it is that God doth so often call to thee for thy heart my sonne give mee thy heart what then
have none of these troubles my heart is at ease I have no griping in my conscience but all goes well with mee but let mee tell them it is a signe that sinne is the cheifest copesmat and The carnall mans security companion with them that their fellowship is with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse put then on a holy resolution not to warr after the flesh noâ— to be lead by the lusts of the same thou knowest how usuall a thing it is if that a friend would have thee to doe Ephes 5. 11 any thing or goe any whither which having resolved with thy selfe not to go or not to do thou answerest I am resolved otherwise and so forbearest the action accordingly how could I wish that thou wouldest but resolve if the flesh provoke thee not to fulfill the lusts thereof from henceforth to know no man after the flesh 2. Cor. 5. 16. and as no man so nothing that may draw away thy mind from God or lead thee to the performance of thy fleshly defires but rather to have no fellowship with them and to reprove them Eph. 11. 11. In the second place to adde Second Motive to be armed against the flesh more courage unto thee that thou mayst bouldly stand out in defiance of the flesh consider the end of all the end I say proves all and indeede Finis corâ—nat opus the end will be without end never to end till thou coÌ„mest to Hell there to be in endlesse torment for ever flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of heaven there is an impossibility in it it cannot for in that place entereth no unclean thing no dunghil cogitations can bring thee thither then dost thou thinke to sowe to the flesh and reape in the spirit thou canst not do it be not deceived with such windy hopes if thou sowest to the flesh thou shalt of the flesh reape corruption Gal. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 5 not the Crowne of immortality which is the fruit of the spirit it is playne then that he which makes his heaven here upon earth not bettering himselfe in the way to the tâ—ue heaven is the worse and so the neerer to Hell O what a miserable condition that man is in that makes his flesh his guide there are too many wofull examples already be not deceived thy corrupt lust being sinfull the Rom. 6. 23 wages thereof must needs â—e death cozen not thy owne soule to expect any better reward to winne the world to pamper thy flesh and to loose thy own Soul will be but a sory bargaine in the coâ—clusion Now having prepared and encouraged thee to the The Christian Souldier in battle against the flesh Combat I will put the sword into thy hand wherewith I would have thee to lay about thee for the Enemy stands upon his defiance and resolves to stand it out to the Adultery the first Champion of the flesh utmost if he shall set upon thee with one of his prime Champions Adultery feare him not he shall be surely put to death Lev. 20. 10. if this will not serve the turne answer him that God is on thy side and as he is the great Judge both of heaven and earth so he will come to Judgement against him and all his Companions Mat. 3. 5. But if the Enemy shall be so audacious as to lift up his head againe let him know that thou hast nothing to do with him that thy conversation is in Heaven from whence Phil. 3. 22. thou expectest a Saviour but for his part thou art sure that he hath no interest therein God hath spoken it you will beleeve it that no Adulterer 2 Cor. 6. 9. shal inherit the kingdom of heaven if Idolatry should appeare in the second ranke turne not to him Lev. 19. 4. but flye from him 1 Cor. 10. 14. and keep â—ot thy self from him 1 Joh. 5. 21. againe if this great Enemy shall at any time bring Idolatry a second Champion of the flesh that great Generall of his Army against thee which is drunkennesse tell him that he is a woefull wretched leader wo to the drunkards of Ephraim Esay 28. 1. bid him awake weepe and howle Joel 1. 5. as for thy part thou art resolved Drunkennesse the great Generall of the Army to take heed not to be overprest with him Joel 1. 5. nor to be drunke with wine wherein there is excesse Ephes 5. 18. But if any of his pot company shall yet stand out tell them boldly that there are twelve miserable discommodityes that will arise from their society Imprimis The soule is endangered The body is infected Reason is troubled Understanding dulled 12 Discommodityes of inordinate drinking Commendations banished Sustenance wasted Letchery provoked Man-hood defaced Beastlynesse resembled And lastly God sayth no drunkard shall inherit the kingdome of Heaven Over and besides It spends the time vainely Consumes money wickedly It causes the dropâ—ie and other diseases It is the high way to beggery It causes freinds forsake them The godly to abhor them Neighbours to shunne them Youth to mock them Their own houshould to despise them None to regard them God to forsake them And the Devill to take them Then who would be a Drunkard This raging drunken Adversary with his staggering troopes hath like a large tree almost overspread the whole kingdome nay almost the whole world I could wish it to be cut down to the Root that neither stock stemme nor stump of it might once appeare above Toto grassatur in Orhe ground I could wish that there were some course taken with those that make a trade of drunkenesse if there were a mulct set on every sutling boothe belonging to the Comp I meane a fine set on every Taverne and Alehouse out of which any were seen to come Drunke then there would be speedy Reformation if the house were thus punished for selling of dunken cups there would be fewer drunkards if there were no Receivers there would be no theeves It was a strange law that if the Parent brought in his child drunke before the Magistrate he was to be stoned Deut. 12. 20. By this it may appeare what hatred God hath to drunknesse As for those that will not be reclaymed I could wish that as the poore BP being taken by the Donatists had two dead dogs tyed unto him so they might have the like tyed â—nto them and led about the streetes for he that gives himselfe to drinke is no better then a dog that returneth to his vomit againe Justice for these things is already fallen on her knees and it is to be feared will ere long fall upon her face in the continuance of such wicked and debauched courses Sweairng with his Ruffians If swearing with his ruffians shall affâ—â—nt thee in the next place let him know that the land mournes under him and therefore he shall be cut Jer. 23. 10 off Zach. 5. 3. as for thy
part sweare neither by heavan or earth nor by any other oath let thy toung be made the numpet of gods glory let thy communication be yea yea and 〈◊〉 so thou â—â—alt not fall into condemnation Math. 5. 34. To summe up all if the Ring-leader of all those â—roopes that Lust the Ring-leader of all the troopes is lust whether it be fornication uncleanes or wantonnesse shall set upon thee take notice that he is a deadly dangerous Enemy he that is lead by him shall set himselfe against God the Father who ought to be gloryfied in his body 1 Cor. 2. 20. Secondly against God the sonne as he is head of the Church Thirdly agaynst God the holy Ghost in regard of his body whose Temple it is 1 Cor. 6. 19. Fourthly against the Church no such thing saith Thamar to Ammon ought to be done in the Church 2 Sam. 13. 12. Fiftly against the Common-wealth Jerem. 23. 10. The sinne of lust aggravated Sixtly against the Party whose Chastity is violated Levi. 21. 7. Sevently against freinds his owne body whose vessell is to bee possest in holinesse and not in the lust of concupiscence 2 Thes 4. 4. here it is that many are visibly marked in the faces and are never without an Almanack in their bones Eightly agaynst his owne good name he that committeth Adultry shall find dishonor and his Reproach shall never he taken away Prov. 6. 34. Lastly agaynst his owne soule whoredome and wine have taken away their hearts Hos 4. 11. thus runnes hee on like a foole to the stocks for correction Prov. 7. 22. and so hee is excluded out of heaven Rev. 21. 8. Is it so then walke honestly as in the day not in chambering and wantonnesse Rom. 13. 13. the Corinthians held lust to bee such an indifferent Wicked men make a mock of sinne adversary that at the last they swallowed downe incest how common lust hath beene with the Romanists let the discovery of the dissolution of Abbyes testifye Erasmus observing it to bee usuall amongst great ones tearmes it Lusus magnificus the Noblemans Recreation what duels have beene about a base prostitute that 's the cause why such a fogge hath lately overspread us as for thy part when thou seest this man doe this or that if hee be patronus causae he shall be socius poenae and thou shalt never burne the lesse in hell for having such company then pray more earnestly refrayne bad company thus did Joseph or if thou chance to fall into such demeane thy selfe so that thou mayst bee like fish keeping it selfe fresh in the midst of salt water Secondly looke to thy Eyes else the Enemy will creepe in at those winÌ„dowes thus Job Job 31. 1. made a Covenant with his eyes have a care of reading Iascivious bookes viewing wanton pictures freqâ—enting stage playes c. Thirdly cast off Idlenesse The way to shun lusts that 's the pillow of lust for hee that is busy in his calling shuts the doore upon many a wicked temptation Lastly meditate on Gods Iudgments fast often make good use of what hath beene all ready discovered thus goe on and prosper I wish thee good luck in the Lord up and bee doing and the Lord God of heaven be with thee The third grand Enemy to The third Grand Enemy the Devill Mans salvation is the Devill his dominion is great the other two the world and the flesh are under his command whereas the one is within thee and the other without thee so this is alwayes about thee the holy spirit of God hath set him out by divers names and titles but more especially hee is tearmed 1 A roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 4. 8. 2 A Murtherer Joh. 8. 44. 3 A Prince of the Ayre Eph. 2. 3. 4 The accuser of the faythfull Rev. 12. 10. First hee is a roaring Lyon The Devil a roaring Lyon seeking whome hee may devoure and very fitly is hee called a Lyon for what the world can not doe by alluring objects and 1 Pet. 1. 8. the flesh by its inticing allurements the Devill if hee can will doe by his Lyonlike invasions he is also a roaring Lyon for as a Lyon when hee looseth his prey doth swell and roare for very anger so this roaring Lyon when hee doth but loose or rather when any child of God doth make an escape out of his pawes then hee roares then hee maketh new fetches then hee is ready to fly in the very face of God himselfe how many assaults did hee make upon the patience of Job how many Job 1. crosse blowes did hee give him one in the neck of another if the Sabeans theft and Vers 16. murther of his Cattle and servants cannot moove him then the Chaldeans shall fill Vers 17. up the measure of their theevery if this will not take then the mercilesse flames of fire shall consume his sheepe and remaynder of his Cattle Vers 18. nay the stone and timber out of the wall shall silence his sonnes and daughters in the midst of their eating and drinking onely one shall bee left a live to torment his patience with the sad Relation thereof yet further if none of all these will doe it then hee sets out a higher throate and Nebuchad nezar like heates the oven of his malice seaven times hotter then before he drawes an arrowe out of his owne bosome to shoote at him sets his wife upon him on one side to pervert him and his kinred on the other side to revile him yet for all this Job sinned not with his lippes nâ—r charged God foolishly Job 1. 22. this is that which made the Devill roare aloude The Ezek. 22. 25. scriptures every where set out the roaring of the Lyon to Esay 31. 4. bee extraordinary the Hart thirsteth after the brookes of Ps 42. 1. water the yonge Ravens cry unto God for meate and all Ps 147. 9. other creatures in theyr kindes seeke their meate at Gods hand onely the Lyon hee roares when hee hath no pray and the Devill Amos 3. 4. hee roares too when he hath not some pretious soule or other to feede on nay the Devill is worse then a Lyon The Devil more cruel then a Lyon who if credit may bee given to history spareth those that fall downe flat before him but if hee should once catch thee at that advantage hee would trample thee under his feete and teare thee into a thousand peeces Secondly as hee is a roaring The Devil a Murtherer Lyon so hee is a Murtherer Joh. 8. 44. not a murtherer of one man or of the men of one Towne one City one Kingdome but of the whole world of all Mankind It was the Devils malice that brought Invida diaboli mors intravit Bonavent death into the world it was hee that brought sinne first into the world and sinne ushered in death even eternall death as for thy life naturall how doth this
which is to come be impositae set upon the head of S. Paul and not upon his head only but upon all their heads that shall with him fight the good fight of faith then shall be imposed the golden Crowne of Christs approbation Euge bone serve well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into thy Maisters joy joy unspeakeable there is no diving into the depth of it the felicity cannot be imagined the blessings cannot be numbred so incomparable that they admit No joy like that of heaven of no equality the tongve may expresse much the eare may heare more then the eye can see and the heart of man conceive more then all of them yet put all together they cannot apprehend the greatnesse of those joyes eternall here only it is bare Earth that is enioyed under the first Adam but in the second Adam Christ Jesus there 's Earth enlarged every thing that wee enjoy is an essentiall heaven our meate and drinke is manna our cloathing white Robes our Company Angels the Place Heaven there the King is verity the lawes Charity the honor Equity the Peace Felicity the life Eternity there 's joy without sadnesse health without sicknesse light with out darknesse life without death ease without labour wealth without wam an Ocean of all selicity without the least drop of misery Joyes of Heaven in utterable many and glorious things are spoken of thee ô thou City of God whilst I am thus describing the Kingdome of heaven oh that I might with the holy Apostle be taken up into the third heaven and whilst that I shall endeavour to blazon out the blisse of that caelestiall place oh that the light of that glory might shine into my sinfull soule that my thoughts being winged with the contemplations of Angels I might in some sort comprehend the excellency of that glorious place which farre surmounteth every humane estimate oh that I were to parley with those blessed Spirits above those vessels of glory the Saints departed tell mee oh tell mee ye noble Army of Martyrs what is that joy whereof ye are now made partakers that my soule being ravished with the glory thereof my pen might distill the Nectar of comfort to enflame the hearts of all those that shall at this time joyne with mee in this sweete meditation but alas how shall he that ever was in darkenesse be able to describe that light that is so inaccessible how can he that is of the Earth measure the heavens no more surely then he which is a slave by birth and base by his continuall habitation is able ingeniously to describe the mâ—jestick state of Princes if Nichodemus understand not the manner of Regeneration how shall he be able to conceive the excellency of glorification of the infinite happinesse in that coelestiall life how shall I then speake Earthly Jerusalem was pourtrayed by Ezekiel upon a tile so cannot the heavenly Ezech. 41 be the joyes prepared for the Elect do exceedingly surpasse all humane apprehension obtayned they may be valued I am sure they cannot he in Tully said truly that it is an easier matter to know what God is not then to tell what he is Tully de Nat. deorum lib. 1 so may I say it is much easier to tell what is not in heaven then what is there S. Augustine wrote two and twenty bookes of the City of God how shall I then bring into the last gasp of these my Meditations the unity the plenty the beauty the holinesse the felicity thereof when he himself confessed after all his endeavours all that can be sayd is but a drop to the Sea and a sparke to the fire what is this world to heaven a man may go Sr. Fr. Drake round about it in three yeares and odde dayes it is lesse then a poynt in comparison what is an acre of Land to the world the light of a candle to that of the sunne the life of a child to the yeares of Methusalah what 's the conceyt of a foole to the expeience of Noah who saw two worlds such is the world to heaven such our life to Eternity a thousand yeares in heaven are but as one day O while I write of those joyes eternall how am I silenced faine would I declare them but cannot conceive them I am in a maze when I beginne to thinke of them what then shall I say what shall I write Haven is a place of Rest a City of excellent beauty a Jerem. 6. 16. Rev. 2. 1. 4. 15. Luk. 22. 30 2 Pet. 5. 4 rare Paradice of Pleasure a kingdome of Majesty a crowne of glory and life everlasting O ioy unspeakeable O happinesse unconceiveable O pleasures indurable O triumphs admirable what shal not such a prize as this make thee to fight why dost thou stand still hath the glimmering pleasures and delights of the fading world so benumbd thy limbs and bewitched thy senses that thou can'st not see paine from pleasure misery from majesty deceits from delights for such and no better is the worlds cheifest ioy compared with that of heaven buckle on thy Armour labour very earnestly to conquer subdue thy owne corruptions the words allurements and the Devils temptations he that will reigne must conquer and he that will conquer must fight valiantly then for thy comfort S. John hath chalked out thy way to the Heavenly Jerusalem he hath Rev. 21. found twelve gates in it open day and night to entertaine departing soules repairing thither in the true faith there shalt thou be entertained by the Patriarches Abraham Isaack and Jacob by the Prophets Moses and Elias by the Kings David Hezekiah and Josias by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul by S. Stephen and the noble Army of Martyrs by the innumerable society of Saints and Angels a multitude of Heavenly Souldieâ—s shall giue a volley of acclamations at thy entertainment then shall be great ioy in heaven then shall the wedding garment be The Christian Souldiers welcome to Heaven put upon thy body the Ring upon thy finger a crowne upon thy head thus shalt thou be led out to the supper of the Lambe God the Father shall take thee by the hand God the Sonne shall place thee at his owne right hand and God the holy ghost shall fill thee with the graces of his spirit thus shalt thou see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liâ—ing and thus shall it be with all those that have fought the good fight finished their course kept the faith they shall with S. Paul and all these heavenly spirits receive the Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the Righteous Judg shall give them in that day Thus I haue set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that thou and thy seede may live here 's the horror ofhel Deut. 30. 19. for thy terror the ioyes of heaven for thy encouragement if the intollerable paines of the one will not enforce thee let the unspeakeable happinesse of the other allure thee to fight O the Joyes of the heavenly Canaan O the Riches of those Diamonds that are set in that Crowne which shall impale the brow of every Conquerer loose not then the hold of such a Crowne for a rappe on the fingers vincenti dabitur doe but overcome and thou shalt surely have it to shut up all looke behind thee there is hâ—ll looke before thee there is heaven if thou goest backeward hell will receive thee and if thou stand still hell will overtake thee but if thou runne forward Jehovah will crowne thee which he grant for his mercye's sake for Christ Jesus sake the Captayne of thy salvation and hereunto let all the Church militant throughout the whole face of the Earth say AMEN AMEN Glory be to God on high FINIS Mens workes had faults since Adam first offended And those in these are thus to bee amended ERRATA Epist Dedicat. line 12. read these ibid. l. 34. r. your Counsell Epist Reader l. 10. read I put ibid. l. 43. read from tâ—â—t Pag. 7. line ult read thus pag. 16. lin 21. r. estis p. 18. l. 23. r. him p. 30. l. 15. r. thy wages ibid. l. 18. r. â—et p. 31. l. ult r. hard pag. 32. l. 23. r. Confession p. III. l. 4. r. wine p. 121. l. 14. r. him pag. 125. l. 7. r. inveneris p. 145. l. 3. r. keepe thy selfe p. 162. l. 14 r. forth IMPRIMATUR Octob. 4. 1638. GUIL BRAY.