his wages might bestow his worke without any wages and get wages by the work of his hands But now the study of diuinitie challengeth the whole time of a man so that a Diuine can hardly mingle any other calling with it without iniury vnto it Therefore hauing that only function by that for that he must be sufficiently sustained so is there absolutely no hope of a cōtinual Ministery where there is not a continued maintenance Then how many waies haue these last times holpen the diuell to breake off and discontinue the Ministerie It is too wel known that the bellies of y e friers 1. began to rob both the back the belly of the Ministery And that when these theeues were arraigned conuicted the goods were not restored to the former owners thogh known so hereby many miles together haue bin turned into a spiritual wildernes spoiled of the ordinary means of sauing soules lamentable and euen a hart-breaking consideration it is to them that haue any fellow-feeling of the misery of those who lie in the bondage of Satan when they see many Churches like lampes without lights the oyle of maintenance being taken frō thē How cā a mā there preach where there is scarse bread to maintaine the strength of the voice nor clothes to keep off the cold that would choke y t voice nor means to buy a very few bookes to put matter and soule into the voices And on the other side how can the Eunuch vnderstand except there be some to expound How can they beleeue without preaching alas the liues of such places too much testifie that a naturall man is like a dog and will hardly bite at a whole loafe Yea that a man is so tastelesse of spiritual things that except he be taught to open his mouth except his stomach be stirred vp by continuall prouocations he hath no appetite to the foode of life That a sinner is so heauily asleepe in his sinnes that vnlesse he be pulled and startled and his sinne taken vp before him and the particular odiousnesse and vglinesse thereof liuely presented to his dull and vnwilling eies hee had rather die in his sleepe then awake vnto life eternall Part 4. But this disease being shewed what remedie is there for it Surely the Lord of the haruest being first intreated in heauen there seeme two remedies on earth one is Law another Conscience But how shall there be any hope in Law since it is Law that hath done the hurt Surely as a Law begotten in the times of ignorance hath hurt the Church so a Law borne in the times of knowledge may heale it Let vs shew our faith by our works and shame the workes which haue beene done without faith by exceeding them if wee haue the light of the Gospell let vs make statutes of light and not continue the lawes of darkenesse If wee feele any comfort of light in our selues let vs with our blessed Sauiour pittie them that sit in darknesse and in the shaddow of death I separate law frō conscience for though conscience bee the truest fountaine of lawes yet politicke consideration is very often the cause of them Now it is not the worst policie but indeed the best to lay a sure foundation of religion in the hearts of the people For from true religion groweth the strongest branch of obedience true religion hath wherewithall to confute treason though masked in a vizard of religion It will allow the Pope few subiects in another mans Realme It will keepe them for the right owner In summe the end of kingdomes being the Church and the end of the Church the glorie of God by faith and holinesse how doth that kingdom pierce it selfe through with many darts that suffereth this faith and holinesse the life and soule thereof to bee slaine by wickednesse and vnbeliefe Surely there is a fulnesse of sinnes which is the greatest rebellion in the world for it ouerthrowes kingdomes and le ts out Vineyards to new husbandmen This do Ieroboam and Ahab now declare and bewaile Ieroboam cursing the basenesse of his new deuised Priesthood and Ahab defying the Statutes of men it being a policie to destruction to bee politicke against God But if it be demanded whence such maintenance shold be raised Surely for worldly and temporall ends the raising of huge summes by Parliament are well impoposed and contentedly receiued is there no way to raise one summe for the God of heauen When Moses prouided for the Tabernacle there was offering euen to abundance When Dauid prouided for the Temple there were many thousand Talents offered willingly and with a perfect heart VVhy should not we much more willingly contribute toward the building not of Temples made of hands but of the liuing Temple and Church of the euerliuing God If a towne bee destroyed with fire all men take pitty on the ruine thereof and from that pittie issureth reliefe When whole Townes and Parishes are besieged with hell fire how do we not pitty succour such spirituall desolations Then let that place which made the law of substraction redeeme it by making a law of retribution and by some diuine subsidie granted to the King of heauen regaine part or all of the ancient inheritance of the Church or procure some new sustentation in the stead thereof But if mens hearts shall herein be generally hardened against God against the soules of their brethren yea against their owne saluation and denie this iust and necessarie helpe Let those that are merciful and therfore shal obtain mercy expresse this excellent vertue of him that dwelleth in them let them binde vp the woūds which the Leuits passed by let them imitate him who beheld euen them in their blood pollution and said vnto them Liue. Let cōscience remedy what law doth not the worke of God being done without by the working of God alone in mens harts within Accordingly should it bee a sweet smelling Sacrifice acceptablie ascending before the presence of God if those who are both spirituallie and temporally rich should out of their spirituall treasurie send foorth that most pretious charitie which might conuert some of their temporall and transitorie treasure to this soule-sauing end Herunto God through mee doth beseech them as inwardly no doubt he motions the same vnto them by his spirit Obedience to God and his spirit is the most excellent offring and a soule turned to God is the ioy of heauen but proportionably quenching the spirit by disobedience is a heauie sinne and too quiet suffering of the death of soules where means would giue hope of life is the gall of bitternesse and the stone of the heart Our Auncestors did set vp both Churches and Churchliuings a great and a large work was performed by them we are but to keep in reparatiō that they haue built Indeed this ouer boystrous tempest hath ouerthrowne a great piece of this building yet but a piece not by many degrees so great as that work which they
Christ alone He walkes along treading on earth and earthly things with his eies and heart fixed on his Sauiour in heauen To conclude he is so farre from selling Christ to get any thing y t he will sell al things to obtaine Christ Now true loue the fruite of a true faith makes this yoke easie and this commandement light 85 The naturall man hath in him an inclination to be proud in the enioying of such things as haue any excellence though himself be not the Author of that excellence and sometimes though he haue therby no addition of worth to his owne person So in the first kinde he is proud of a good wit and in the second is he proud of a proud horse of a rich iewell of an imbrodered garment And accordingly hee attributeth more glory to himselfe for possessing them then to the Author and giuer for creating and giuing them yea commonly all the glory to himselfe the standing poole and none to the spring But the true Christian euen the new borne sonne of God rips vp this swelling deceit and striues to free his soule from it and to bring her to a true and iust discerning of things To this end bending her eye to the contemplation of truth shee findes that chiefe and only glory belongeth to the giuer not to the receiuer to the Creator not to the thing made Shee sees no reason that she should boast of anothers worke nor that shee should be proud of what shee hath receiued but rather shee seeth great reason that the creature should giue all glory to the Creator and the receiuer to the giuer For the borrower is a seruant to the lender his receiuing is an implied subiection and hee oweth to him the thing lent much more the glory of the thing Accordingly the sanctified cry out Sing ye loud to the Lord all the earth for the Lord is God he hath made vs and not wee our selues And Thou art worthie ô Lord to receiue glory honour and power for thou hast created all things This if puft vp man would rightly consider hee would remember by the benefits of God to glorifie God his Benefactor not himselfe the almesman of God And thogh knowledge by mans corruption is made an instrument of puffing vp yet knowledge pursued to this point by sanctification would humble and abase For it would shew vs that wee must glorie in our owne not in our debts Rather thereby as borrowers and owners wee should become humble acknowledgers of our owne subiection and obligation to him who lendes and bestowes But miserable and distracted man how farre dost thou wander from this dutie thou art proud of a chaine borrowed of thy neighbour howmuch more wilt thou bee of a greater thing giuen thee of thy God Rather breake off thy sins by repentance humble thy false swelling abate the wisedome of thy foolish flesh yea let all glorie which other giue thee reflect from thee to thy maker who only is the true rest of glory Then if thou glorifie him thou shalt be glorified by him w c is the glory thou especially shouldest seeke for vnto thy self so maist thou aspire by humility which is the only honour yea most ready way of aspiring But if thou doe it not know that pride is the especiall barre of Gods mercies Pride keepes out God and many might haue beene farre more sanctified if they had beene farre lesse proud For God enters not into the soule that acknowledgeth not him nor his benefits those that are farre from beholding him hee beholdeth afar off But into the humble soule that giueth him abundance of glory he enters with abundance of grace sowing there and there only plenty of grace where he is assured to reape plenty of glory Now let vs beware that what God soweth for himselfe wee reape not to our selues lest we be found robbers of God but being as labourers in that haruest only for him let vs be content with our wages of labouring which wil be sufficient yea an exceeding great reward to vs for great glorie shall be giuen to those in the next world to whom God giueth grace to bee humble in this world 86 It is pittie we haue so wholly taken vp our minds with the controuersies betweene vs the Pope that wee haue much neglected the more immediate controuersie between vs the diuell It is good that thou lay thy hand on this and forget not the other The chiefe superedification on Faith is Loue and this loue tends to the fulfilling of the commandements Herein are the children of God knowne and the children of Satan Hee that loueth is borne of God and he that loueth not hath not seene God but the wrath of God abideth on him But as loue must bee had so must it be had to some purpose it must bee vseful bring forth the naturall kindly fruite thereof which is keeping the commandements But the blacknesse of darkenesse is so thicke on the soule of man by his fall that he cannot see the good which he would doe and hence it is that often loue brings the children of good workes to the birth but there is no strength of knowledge to deliuer them Many there are who haue consciences great with charitie yet in many things for want of knowledge they either abstaine from doing at all because they know not what is right to be done or somtimes mistake euill for good and so offend God instead of pleasing him Now lamentable it is to see zeale and deuotion mispent to see a good minde bring forth euill fruits the holy but diuine soule to goe cleane contrary to y t way it purposeth And this thogh neglected very much abateth y e glorie prosperitie of the light and enlargeth the power and limits of the kingdome of darkenesse And as much darkenesse as is left so much roome is there left for Satā so much territory is there allowed to him which as we should striue wholly to gaine from him so especially in those which belong not to him but haue giuen themselues to the God of light to walke as children of the light Be it therefore the precious worthy labour of some Bezaleel or Aholiab some one whose heart God hath touched and inlightned to lighten and kindle many of the yet-dim-shining lampes which are in the house of God Let them be eies to the blinde and let them ioyne with the spirit of God saying in the voice thereof This is the way walke in it Let them breake abroad the commandements of God into their seuerall branches of things forbidden and commanded that he which runneth may reade and hee which readeth may runne aright Then shall many a worke of darkenesse be preuented and the workes of light shall spring in farre greater aboundance Then shall the Prince of darknes bee chased much farther from vs and the God of light shall dwell more powerfully and fully in vs. Then shalt thou whosouer thou art that turnest a soule
MEDITATIONS OF INSTRVCTION OF EXHORTATION OF REPROFE INDEAVOVRING THE edification and reparation of the house of God 1. PET. 4. 10. As euery man hath receiued the gift so minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God LONDON Printed by I. L. for George Gibbs and Francis Constable 1616. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE THE SONNES of the most High his blessed Brethren by the best that is the second Birth TRuly Honorable whose Father is God and whose Inheritance a Kingdome the diuers sparks of holy fire which haue issued from the Spirit that baptizeth with fire I haue gathered together by their vnited heate to kindle a flame where is none or to increase it where it is alreadie kindled This blessing must come from God and therefore of God haue I desired it And surely the best as ye well know haue turnes of winter euen vpon their hottest zeale and then woe to him that is alone for how should he haue heate Therfore if in the time of cooling some spirituall worke be ioyned to the heart it may bee warmth will grow betweene them So haue I often from Elisha applied euen some Prophet of God receiued life and I wish that some quickning may proceede also from this worke which in all writings is more or lesse as the Spirit therein more or lesse speaketh These Meditations are indeede diuers in their matter being diuersly borne both in regard of time and occasion yet tend they to one ende and this profit often comes from variety that some one thing among many fitteth euery one and giues an answere to the particular question of his heart The glorie of God by your benefite is that which I seeke desiring also to be holpen by you both in prayer and exhortation As for an idle name made vp still of perishing and often of corrupt breaths I leaue it to them for an end to whom God is not an end sufficient But let our chiefe ioy and glory be to glorifie God and by being written in heauen to bee admitted vnto the beholding of his glory To that mark my beloued let vs steadily aime and sending our hearts before vnto Christ let vs goe on lustily to ouertake them Let vs draw hard vp the hill toward heauen and though the flesh presse downe the world and Satan draw backe yet strengthened by the Spirit incouraged by the word and fortified with the mutuall and vnited force of mightie loue let vs carry the Arke of God euen the soule wherein Gods Image dwells and his will is written from the Countrey of the Philistims to the Land of promise And though heere our fleshly brethren Ismael and his heires mocke and despise vs though Esau with his foure hundred men looke big vpon vs yet are we sure that their time is short and but for life whereas wee haue an inheritance eternally glorious Thither the sonnes of the flesh though with long pedegrees and large treasures can neuer enter but sitting without where is weeping and gnashing of teeth they shallsee despised holinesse triumph vpon magnificent and powerfull wickednes God our strength whose cloud and pillar guided Israel to Canaan guide vs to the heauenly Ierusalem by the grace of his Spirit This I humbly desire through Christ his first borne the purchaser of our inheritance and doore of all the mercy that issueth from God vnto man One of your least worthy brethren but a great louer of you and your peace F. R. 1 THe maine Faultinesse of these Times is a Disproportion betweene Knowledge and Action or rather a meere resting in knowledge short of Action So are we come from no knowledge to knowledge alone which will not lessen but increase our iudgement and from the ouerualuing of workes to the Neglect of them Surely the errour of workes without knowledge is lesse dangerous then the error of knowledge without works But this is the best of it it is the doctrine of our Nature not of our Diuinitie For while it is taught that workes deserue not some are content to thinke they are vselesse others being truly perswaded of their vse yet slouthfull to goodnesse lie down in knowledge and will not goe on to the labour of action But as hereafter the paine will follow the fault so now let the shame for certainly it is a great shame that so much knowledge should be idle and that skilful men should sleepe in this Midday light for the light was made for walking and working not for idlenesse The Father sheweth his will because he will haue it done wee are called to be sonnes because we should do the will of our Father and Nebuchadnezzar giues the greatest title when hee calls the three children the seruants of the most high God In the Spirit wherein is Life is also Actiuenesse If we nourish not the actiuitie of it we decay the Life so kill our selues with eternall Death Christ hath no dead or vnprofitable Limbes they all beare fruite or are not his and Faith which our slouth would magnifie by resting in her thrusts vs on for her life to action for shee liues onely when she is actiue If then faith not working bee dead and dead faith quickens not the vnactiue beleeuer may speedily with a Heathen see himselfe without life As these things may driue vs so the value of workes may draw vs for by Christ who worketh them in vs they are accepted of God and haue a valuation stamped vpon them by his Grace for Grace And first though workes iustifie not vs they iustifie our Faith in the day of iustice they shall goe so farre toward iustifying vs that they shall declare vs iust In the meane time they please and glorifie God the giuer of such gifts vnto men and then euen the least of them shall haue a reward of glory which they shall set as a crowne on their heads that wrought them Let vs not therefore bee wanting to this glorie belonging to God from vs and issuing from God to vs. Besides if we will cōsider what works are in themselues we shall finde that they are streames of the Deity their fountain and sparkes of that heauenly and eternall fire Accordingly they present and expresse something that is Diuine and supernaturally excellēt whence it was that a Reuerend Ancient wel said The deedes and conuersation of the Primitiue Christians had in them a perfume and sweetnesse wherwith they exceedingly delighted those with whome they conuersed And how can it otherwise be for whē he that is blessednesse and excellence powreth vertue from himselfe into these workes they must needs haue a resemblance partaking of their original And surely there are two things in them which as they are the most pleasant of all other so they most resemble and approach to the Creator One of these is Light and the other is Loue both which put life and soule into euery good worke God is Light and God is Loue and it is a pleasant thing to
behold the Light and Loue is as the precious oyntment which was powred on the head of Aaron Wherefore good workes beeing a Diuine heauenly off-spring let them bee highly respected and carefully cherished by vs. Againe workes are to vs strong euidences of the Spirit of Life and therefore as sure as wee would be of our saluation so carefull let vs be of good works shamefull it were for them who are so scrupulous and eagre for security cōcerning temporall things not to bee more eagre for the ensuing of their Election Lastly they are excellent in regard of the benefite they doe to mankinde which also is manifold They doe good by the worke wrought and so they are as the dewe of Heauen which refresheth and nourisheth the drie and thirstie land Surely to a good Christian there is nothing more pleasant then to do good For as he especially delighteth therein to please his Maker so he exceedingly reioyceth thereby to profit his neighbour They doe good also by example for they come before men as patternes their sound goes forth and tels mankinde what should bee done what may be done and so they palpably perswade men to be followers of them that are followers of Christ. Againe workes doe good vnto men while they are mooued by them to lift vp their hearts and eyes vnto the heauenly Father to glorifie him that giueth such gifts to earthen and corrupted vessels And whensoeuer God is glorified by man man that glorifies him shall be blessed of God whensoeuer glorie is giuen to God on high peace and good will shall be bestowed on Men below If these things will not yet mooue vs at least let vs preuent the taking away of our candlesticke the remoouing of it to a nation that will bring forth more fruite Let vs preuent the scandall and shame which we purchase to our selues from the enemies of our Religion Let vs preuent the vpbrayding of Chorazin and Bethsaida Finally let vs preuent that fearefull sentence I know ye not depart from me all ye workers of iniquitie This shall we doe if wee becom right Christians in whome faith worketh by loue For the soule that is rooted in Christ hath from this root the life of Loue Diuine and Humane which expresseth it selfe outwardly in the fruite of good actions 2 It is a great vnhappinesse to many that they mistake good nature for grace For so doing they set vp their rest in it thinking they are gone farre enough towards God because they wish all well no hurt to any But it must bee knowne that good nature at the best is not grace yea it is full of enmities that fight against Grace For though it bee somewhat apt and appliable to the second Table yet it is euer far short of the first not hauing in it that true knowledge loue of God nor that inward purenesse which therein is required So the obseruing of the second Table is faulty for want of the first for if a man do neuer so many seeming good workes if they proceede not from a heart truely sanctified by God they are glittering sinnes issuing from a corrupt fountaine and tending to the sea of death For nature is exceedingly blinde toward God neither beholding nor worshipping him as god yea it is peruerted from God against God chuseth many things to it selfe in stead of God Now that which is blind cannot leade vs the right way and that which straieth leadeth vs a false way euen a way from life Therefore let-vs employ our iudgements vpon our owne estates that we may know whether there bee in vs something more then Nature and by which Nature it self may be rectified and directed to the true scope and marke which is God If there be in vs this godly and immortall seede let vs water it let vs cherish it as the life of our life if it be not in vs let vs violently knock at the doore of heauen with grones with panting desires with vehement supplications vntill there be an opening to our knocking a giuing to our asking and vntill they that thirst may drinke freely of the waters of life Otherwise if in a lazy contentednesse we lie along vpon the streame of Nature suffering it to carry vs whither it listeth certainly it slideth along to death and all the benefit wee can pick out of it is this that we go thither pleasantly 3 The goodnes of any worldly thing which so much pleaseth and moueth vs is but a spark of infinite goodnesse which dwells in God the author of it If then wee loue these small and transitorie things with so great an affection proportionably should wee raise our affection if it were possible toward God as much aboue it as God is aboue his creature At least let the creature when it giueth vs any comfort bee a remembrancer vnto vs of God pointing to him as the Author of euery good thing and our soueraigne Good 4 Hauing vndertaken the profession of Christians and considering in our owne thoughts the persecutions and tentations that may befal vs or cōferring of them with others let vs not promise to our selues or others ouermuch strength or constancy let vs not promise ouer confidently what we will do lest with Peter wee performe nothing of that which we promise For the strength which must do this worke of resisting and ouercomming temptation is not our owne but Gods and how canst thou promise that which is anothers That which is ours is onely the strength of flesh and bloud now flesh and bloud bee it neuer so lusty is no match for temptations and persecutions Indeede the spirits of men in prosperitie are prompt and forward their imaginatiōs of themselues are high and they dare boast of great things But let vs know that the diuell ouercame man at the best and what may wee not doubt of our selues the weake issue of man fallen to the worst Let vs therefore rather mistrust our owne strength confessing it to be weakenesse and in humility and confession of our weakenesse runne to God call him our Rocke and our strength Let vs say By my God I can break through an hoste and by him I can leape ouer a wall of temptations And that we may obtaine God to be our strength let vs instantly beg of him that Spirit of Fire which makes men strongly to endure the fiery tryall Let vs pray to him that he will continue to do in vs what hee hath bin accustomed to do in others euen in infirmitie to make his strength plaine and euident And that we may be fully capable of the grace we pray for let vs present our selues as vessels empty and altogether voide that of fulnesse we may receiue fulnesse In summe let vs so speake let vs so thinke of our selues as holy Paul In vs that is in our flesh there is no goodnesse but wee hope and desire to doe all things through Christ that strengthens vs euen to be more then Conquerours
incest and himselfe by his owne bowels was driuen from his palace into the fields of the wildernes Remember Hezekiah for the lifting vp of whose heart the Treasures must be carried into Babilon Remember the Corinthians of whom many were sicke and many slept because they had sinned and slept in their sinnes Wherfore make hast run to God right early acknowledge thy sinne against thy selfe and humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God that in due time he may exalt thee That is the onely right exaltation which is done by God and humiliation of thy selfe is the onely way to it but an exaltation of thy selfe without God will turne to an humiliation by God if not a confusion But if thou washest away the pleasure of sin by the sorrow of repentance if thou washest away the pollution and deformitie of sinne by cleannesse of heart and rightnesse of Spirit then mayst thou lay hold on the satisfaction of Christ to wash away the guilt of thy sin and so thou art wholly made cleane As God will not haue his mercie to bee made an encouragement to sinne so hee will not haue his iustice to bee a discouragement to them that turne from their sinnes but iustice belongs to the presumptuous to humble them and mercy to the humble and broken hearted to refresh them Come therefore thou that art heauy laden which feelest thy sinnes as a burden intolerable take the refreshing which belongeth to thee and looke not on the terror of iustice any longer which belongeth to the presumptuous and not to thee God will not that the reed brused by the Law should bee vtterly broken but that it be healed by the Gospell Gods aime in thy humbling is not despaire but Faith Hope and Loue his end is thy amendment and not thy torment But if thou doubtest that so great a sinne hath cut thee off from Christ and therefore thou darest not to make vse of his merits know this that by thy faith which made a generall surrender of thee vnto Christ thou wast ingrafted into Christ Christ was thine and thou wert his Now this Vnion is indissoluble nothing can put asunder what God hath thus put together Besides Christ in his Vnion with thee did not wholly take away thy wilde nature but powring in a godly nature left also some remainder of thy former wildnes If then this wilde nature bring forth the fruit of the wilde oliue it is no wonder for it is so left that sometimes when God hideth his face it may leade vs away captiue vnto the execution of sinne Yet the Spirit of Christ euen thē liueth in vs though in bondage for the time and grace is then not put to death but only made prisoner The seed of Christ remaines immortal he is stil in thee though sometimes thou bearest thy own fruite and not his A generall dominion of sinne excludeth a generall dominion of Christ but a particular sinne may yet leaue a generall dominion to Christ. Thou mislikest thy selfe because thou art not holy in all things thou dost well to loue and desire perfection yet though thou offendest in some thing doe not despaire for God hath not giuen any man in this life so much grace as may giue him a generall rest from sin he leaueth this world as a place of battaile and combate and referreth perfect rest vnto the world to come Now the same God though in iustice hee requires a full obedience yet in mercy he accepteth according to that wee haue hee knowes we haue nothing but what wee haue receiued and we haue receiued only so much grace as may exclude the dominion of sinne but not abolish the being of it Let vs therfore not so much busie our selues in superfluous and vnprofitable vexation of our own soules as in the study of purging our selues from our sins that wee may bring forth more fruit This is it which God especially lookes for after sin and so doing we shall vndeniably proue to our selues that we are still the liuely branches of Christ. A mans seruant doth sometimes his owne worke yet if he presently returne to the worke of his Master and makes that his chiefe and maine employment he ceaseth not to bee his seruant since most hee serueth him So and much more is it betweene Christ and vs We are his though somtimes seruing our selues especially being held by him out of whose hand nothing can take vs. Therfore thou distressed soule goe thy waies and indeuour to sinne no more and then thy faith shall make thee whole 10 The diuell hath put the world out of frame that in two ouerspreading confusions One is sinne the other misery Now Christ came to vnloose the works of the diuel and performes it both in himselfe and in his members His owne part he hath fully perfected in himselfe and now it remaines that we ioyne with him to performe that part which is to bee done by Christ in vs. Therefore against sin wherin the world blindly walketh let vs oppose sanctification seeking to place it in the stead therof both in our selues and others Against misery let vs employ the inward outward consolations which God hath giuen vs releeuing refreshing and encouraging all distressed patients This must we doe yet we may not expect that the worke shall bee perfected vntill the great day come Then onely shall be a pure separation of things now confounded Then onely shall the sinne and misery which now cleaue to the Saints fully be wiped away and then shall a kingdome come wherein holinesse and happinesse lifted vp farre aboue sinne and misery shall eternally dwell together In the meane time we must patiently behold many crooked things which no man can make streight and yet we must striue to reforme the crookednesse that may be made streight Blessed are wee if when our Lord commeth he shall finde vs so doing wee shall haue our part in the sentence of blessing and our workes of mercie righteousnesse shal praise vs in the gates of heauen And the same Christ who hath here wrought mightily in vs vnto the perfecting and aduancing of his kingdome shall there worke maruellously for vs vnto the aduancing of vs in his kingdome 11 There is great reason though it breed but little practise that we should put the loue of the creature far below the loue of the Creator the loue of things perishing below the loue of things enduring for euer the loue of things made for vs below the loue of him that made vs for whom we were made With this reasō there is ioyned great reward for at last things transitory will part from vs and the loue placed on them but God continues for euer euen after the other haue forsaken vs and then rewards the loue built on him with an euerlasting loue and on this loue attend Ioyes vnspeakable and a crowne of glory Immarcessible 12 Our knowledge in this world is little and imperfect but they that haue Christ by
the new life we ascribe glory to him for our Election for our Iustification for our Regeneration which are the maine works of our saluation and are the ioynt-workes of the vndiuided Trinitie But yet we can follow this truth no farder then it goes before vs. Therfore when we come to regeneration there must we stop and looke no further for saluation for therein is our saluation accomplished and all the parts thereof perfected If after we will goe on to workes as to further causes of our saluation we goe beyond the truth being past the God-head and come vnto man For though it may be said that God worketh these workes in man yet man ioyneth therein with God Now the saluation of man is deriued into man from God alone and is then absolute and full in parts whē Election Iustification and Regeneration the absolute and only workes of the Trinity haue wrought vpon him For regeneration hauing put into man the seede of God which is the seede of life Man is then translated from death to life and hauing begotten him the Sonne of God hee is then the heire of promised glory and eternitie Indeed works comming after the state and right of life and glorie their goodnesse as it comes from God so it shall be rewarded by God increasing the degrees of that glory wherein before we had an vndeniable property and title Therefore works adde not a new part of saluation but only increase the issues and fruit of a part formerly possessed Accordingly doth the Diuine song of that rauished soule orderly declare Gods sauing of vs from our enemies to goe before our seruing of God in holinesse all the daies of our life So workes themselues are placed as fruits of our saluation and therefore the glory giuen to workes is but as the fruite of the fruite of saluation But why then shall it be said Come yee blessed for ye fed mee and blessed are they that keepe the commandements that their right may bee in the tree of Life So that good works seeme to iustifie and saue in the day of iudgement Herein comparisons may inlighten though not prooue If a man haue a wife of a suspected life whose many children when the dying husband calleth before him hee saith to those that liuely represent him Come to mee the true sonnes of Mee your Father you truely resemble mee therefore to you shall bee giuen the inheritance of your Father Here for their countenance and proportion is the inheritance adiudged to them yet is it not for that indeed giuen them but because thereby they are iudged to be sonnes for which Son-ship the inheritance is verily giuen them So doth God in his great iudgement he will iudge men to bee his sonnes by their good workes it being impossible that good works can come from any cause but Regeneration and for the regenerate sonnes was the kingdome of glorie long agone prepared euen by that election which was before the world So the word For doth not still imply the cause it selfe but sometimes an inseparable signe annexed to the cause as if it should be said My sonnes are heires of my kingdome those which are my sonnes and they only bring forth the works of loue these workes haue I seene in you therefore do I acknowledge you to bee my sonnes enter into your Fathers ioy 28 There are two things without in the word which witnesse it to bee excellent aboue nature A supernaturall truth and a supernaturall holinesse There are also two supernaturall things within a Christian which ioyne their inward witnessing to the outward A supernaturall inlightning to acknowledge and beleeue this truth and a supernaturall vertue changing the will into a conformity with this holinesse So in the mouth of many witnesses standeth firme the truth of diuine truth 29 Man and the earth are growne wilde by the fall of Adam both bring foorth weedes of their owne nature But as the earth is cured by husbandrie good seed so by the regeneration of Christ the chiefe husbandman and the seede of the word man is brought into a fruitfull nature and hath a remedy for the first Adam by the last Blessed be the word which is God and reuerenced and desired be the word of that Word which is of God for of them is our life and health 30 As a man in his first conuersion yeelded himselfe into a generall submission vnto the spirit so must hee doe in euery particular action and then most resolutely when sin tempteth most strongly our selues Wee made our couenant at first for the whole and continually we must performe the parts of the promised whole When we gaue our selues to the spirit of dead branches to be made liuely branches withall inclusiuely we gaue our selues to bring forth the continuall fruite of liuing branches which is done by a continuall sucking of life from the spirit which quickneth vs. Now if we rest contented onely with our first ingrafting though the Almightinesse of him whose seed is immortall and who wil not faile of his end may preserue vs aliue yet do we what wee may to kill our selues and to falsifie our couenant with him who therefore beeing offended will chastise vs with temporall iudgements and desertions and will shew that when hee is angry he is a consuming fire But let the true sonnes keepe neere to their father let them keepe close to his spirit moouing at euery motion of it and filling the wants in their Lampes with the continuall oyle thereof for this spirit is our very life and the witnesse thereof By our generall resignation this life entred and by particular resignation this life increaseth so the more we sow to this spirit the more we shal reape of life eternal Again as a mā in his great main conuersion from a sinner guilty to a sanctified and iustified man goeth ouer himself in general with y t iudgement of the Law whereby finding himselfe a man of death he flieth vnto Christ who baptizeth him from his guilt and sinfulnesse by his Bloud and Spirit giuing both his actuall righteousnes and the spirits habitual righteousnesse so after the committing of euery particular sin we shold go ouer it with a particular iudgment of y e Law wherby acknowledging it to be a worke of death wee should flie to a particular applicatiō of the great Baptisme that so putting away the particular guilt of that sinne by the washing of Christs blood and the particular vncleannesse of that sinne by the washing of Christs Spirit we which before were generally clensed and iustified may also haue a particular and continual clensing and iustification For our inward and outward Baptisme though at once performed is of continual vse and daily wee must haue a recourse thereto to wit by the outward remembring and passing to the inward that the stocke of iustification and sanctification at first imparted may be daily applied and distributed to our particular necessities And thogh being in Christ we
command These euils are by men diuersly receiued some entertaine them only with passion and these cure one vexation with another and adde sorrow to sorrow Some by reasons morall or naturall seeke to preserue their owne quietnesse and these obtaine not often what they seeke and if they doe they haue but a fading and transitorie rest which being past is all one with sorrow past for then they are both like vanitie and nothing But a third sort of receiuers are they that receiue them with faith euen a beleeuing soule whose obiect is God in Christ and which looking vp to God both sees him and in him sees what hee sees in these euils this is the going into the Sanctuarie where the euils of this life are only truly discerned and so thereby conquered For looking vp to God we see him our mercifull Father vnchangeable Sauiour and our stedfast happinesse we see that the euils which he sends or directs to vs are rods of loue and their stripes are healers they punish the flesh and that but temporally that the spirit may liue eternally And for the wicked who are somtimes gods executioners he tels vs that he beholds their wicked actiōs that they stand in the slipperie place of a transitorie and dying life and that they and their works shall come to iudgement and then their wrongs shall turn into eternal tormēts to thē to vs into eternal glory And euils thus receiued are comfortable euils for by faith we see affliction to be a treasure euerlasting farre better then treasures of Egypt they are edifying euils for they build vs vp being beaten downe in the body of sinne wee are built vp in grace and truth So these beleeuers onely make benefit of euils and in stead of being vexed by them or receiuing no aduantage of them they turne them into spiritual nourishment therfore let vs goe still armed with this faith which only ouercommeth the world and makes it seruiceable It is the onely strength and support of a Christiā in this vale of miseries and that which keepes him from being oppressed of them and that helps him to suppresse and vse them As much faith as wee haue so much strength we haue and if we lack strength we lack faith If then euils pursue thee and thou faintest vnder them know that thou wantest faith as surely as Peter did when he began to sink For how can the beleeuing soule be ouercome which beholdeth the Almightie on her side euen when ten thousand hemme her in yea which then beholdeth these euils short and transitory yet by transitory lightnesse working eternall glorie Beleeuest thou these things and yet art thou afraid it cannot bee that thou shouldest be afraid of happinesse though entred into through affliction but that thou dost not verily behold and apprehend it Therefore hencefoorth in thy troubles goe out of thy flesh and consider not therwith for flesh and blood will adde waight vnto them but goe into the Spirit where the Comforter dwels by his anointing working faith in thy soule there shalt thou find wherwith to conquer there shalt thou finde wherewith to comfort yea to better thy selfe by euils 50 If it be asked who is the greatest foole it may be answered The worldly wisest man For true wisedome is that onely which finds out true happines and agreeth with the highest wisedome the begotten of God proportionably that is the greatest folly which is most laborious curious and effectuall in seeking vanitie instead of happinesse and the whilest goeth astray with all the might thereof from him who onely is the soueraigne good Therefore when thou seest a man by wicked craft gathering about him thicke clay and setling his hope and heart thereon know him to bee the great spirituall foole and his good successe therin to bee but prosperitie in folly For his deceiued hart feedeth on dust and vanity he hath forsaken the fountaine of liuing waters and hath hath made cesternes for waters that faile this the end will make euident for then it will appeare euen to the foole himselfe that the foundation can no longer stand then the thing on which it was founded But in the ende the earth shall melt away the elements shall consume with heate and therefore the hopes built on earth and earthly things must needes fall downe and wholly be ruined But that infinite and eternall happinesse whose name is I am hee is for euer The hopes built on him cannot be shaken the heart fixed on him cannot be ouerthrowne that foundation remaineth sure and the building thereon is Mount Sion which cannot be moued he will bee left after all things to receiue and crowne thee Be wise therefore O ye Princes yea be wise O yee wise men of the earth Kisse the Sonne euen that eternal wisedom be yee instructed by him and then ye shall be truely wise his Spirit will teach you that truest wisdome to lay your out money that for food of eternall life to forsake these drie cesternes which containe those fading and dying pleasures and to seeke the fountaine of liuing waters euen the God of Gods in whose presence only is the fulnesse of ioy and with whom onely are the pleasures for euermore 51 A great burthen of this Iland is blasphemy the prophanation of the name of God a heauy yet vnprofitable sinne it is by which God is dishonoured and man damned at a very low rate So doth this people sel himself for nothing and as seekers of death rather then they will not die they will anger God of set purpose and without profit procure their owne destruction Surely as it hath bin well obserued this sin hath a more pure corruption and venome in it then most of his fellowes for other sinnes haue commonly some sensible profit or pleasure to Midwife them into the world but this in it selfe is neither pleasing nor profitable but issueth out of the meere prophanenesse of hart euen of a carelesnesse and contempt of God For how can it be but God is exceedingly despised and neglected when his name is vsed to make vp idle places of a hollow or vnfilled sentence or to vent or vtter with some grace force the choler malice of a displeased man But be it knowne to thee O man of what sort or degree soeuer thou bee that God made thee to serue him and in part of seruice to feare and sanctifie his name indeed thou art not of thy self worthy to serue or to name him How then darest thou to make him and his name to serue thee thy prophane discourse thy rash and vntempered anger It was written anciently Holines to the Lord and surely where God is holinesse is about him where God will bring any to him hee puts holines vpon them and where his very name is he will haue holinesse applied and appropriated to it Therefore his name must bee brought foorth onely in holy vses and an extreamely vnfit match it is to ioyne the
more they continue in them the stronger they make a chaine for themselues so that at last they are mightily enthralled thereby and are still further from escaping 53 The roote of all obedience and fulfilling the law is the loue of God if wee loue God truly we keepe the first Table and we will doe what wee can to keepe the second For how loueth any man God whome hee hath not seene who loueth not his brother whome he hath seene And who loueth God y t will not please him keepe his commandements That this work of loue which of it selfe is pleasant whose yoke is light may by vs pleasantly and easily to be performed let vs consider partly for wee cannot fully wherfore God is bee loued God is to be loued first for himselfe For he onely is the fulnesse of happinesse and all sufficiencie since in him onely is Being Light Life Wisedome Glory Power Goodnesse Other things which carry these things names haue them not indeed for nothing created hath any of these of their owne but in him and his they haue all that they haue and they be that which they be So God is and there is nothing beside him Secondly God is to bee loued for the loue which he hath expressed to vs for loue deserueth loue and chiefely a great loue deserueth a little loue but most chiefely that greatest loue of the Creator deserues the greatest loue which at greatest is but little in comparison of the other of the creature Now if I shold go about to shew the loue of God to man I should labour to bring infinitenesse within measure and to bound within the knowledge of man a law incomprehensible This in summe may be conceiued That God loued vs when he had but foreknown and foreappointed our beeing when we were not at al but only in his purpose Then he loued vs with a loue that marked and sealed vs to eternall happines This loue produced our Creation in an excellent image this loue to man falne from that created image gaue him the greatest gift that is or may be euen his owne Son to cleare him from the guilt of his fall by a bitter satisfaction and to imprint a begotten image stedfast and permanent instead of the created image mooueable and decayed by a pretious regeneration Thus from God the Father with the gift of the Sonne haue we also the holy Ghost so is the whole Trinity imparted to vs and what more can he doe for his beloued Yet his loue ceaseth not but proceeds to guide to purge to increase to defend to cherish as a father nurtureth his sonne and as an Eagle stirreth ouer her yong Much is our weakenesse much he strengthneth vs many are our fals and he forgiueth vs much many are our dangers and troubles and the Lord deliuers vs out of all Let vs therefore loue the Lord our strength let vs loue him much who forgiueth vs much Let vs loue the Lord because hee receiueth our Prayers and deliuers vs in the time of trouble Let vs loue him first for that which he is for he only is worthie of loue his courts only are truely delectable and his presence amiable There only dwelleth the fulnesse of ioy the pleasures of eternitie Next let vs loue God for his loue to vs and be glad that so great a loue will bee contented with a loue so narrow and scant Let our loue be raised to the highest and let vs fit it to him as much as wee may that the narrownesse may bee caused rather by the lownesse of our condition and beeing then the straitnesse of our will so let it be with all the soule and all the strength Againe since our loue is chiefely expressed in pleasing him and hee is chiefely pleased in keeping his commandements Let vs as much as we loue him so much desire to please him in a proportionable obseruation of his commandements If this we doe we shall haue comfortable assurance of enioying him whom we loue and then are wee happie aboue our fellowes the oyle of gladnesse is powred vpon vs and according to Saint Paul we may reioyce continually For if we be assured to see and enioy God our perfect hapines what sorrow can ouer-way this ioy what losse can counteruaile this gaine Surely we may be contented with whatsoeuer wee haue for godlinesse hath brought vs the chiefest and most incomparable gaine If wee shall haue the greatest happinesse how can any temporall thing make vs miserable If then wee grieue much we esteeme not this happinesse as we should or we turne our eyes from the assurance thereof But theron our eyes beeing fixed and not on any thing betweene vs and it let vs goe on couragiously louing God pleasing God and reioycing in God in whom wee may continually and cōstantly through all changes behold as ours perfect ioy and absolute felicity 54 In a Christian when he becomes a sonne of God the forme and character of a Christian and of a sonne is created in him This character is the roote of him frō whence floweth whatsoeuer fruit of good-works issueth from him Beeing thus animated the Spirit which hath animated vs doth not then leaue vs but seconds this his first worke with a continuall supply of strength and increase of grace vntill we appeare before God in Sion For this roote is rooted in Christ from whose Spirit it sucketh stil new strength So we are not as Adam left to our selues for then wee should prooue accidents without a substance and perish into nothing But being grounded in Christ the Rock and the Life wee cannot perish or be annihilated and herein is our excellency aboue Adam Indeed sometimes Christ drawes in his Spirit and doth not water vs with fresh grace and then the soule drie and withering cries as forsaken Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me In all this is matter for humilitie against presumption and for comfort against desperation Thy goodnesse is altogether of God hee first powred it into thee when he new begat thee Againe the continuance and continuall increase thereof is from God So what hast thou of thine owne or what hast thou that thou hast not receiued of God Therfore be humble as a thing which in it selfe hath no goodnesse and if thou wilt not know farder that God will take this goodnes from thee for a time in which thou gloriest as thine own and by the lamentable experience of that time will plainely shew thee thy own weakenesse and corruption For when he takes his from thee thine is onely left and that will lothsomely appeare to thee to be nothing but dregs of sin and corruption Then shalt thou be humbled by miserie which wouldest not by bounty and thy own deadnesse which before thou wouldst not see now thou shalt feele Yet is here also matter for consolation for being rooted in Christ though hee draw in his breath and leaue vs so
suffer things in this world of vanity to run without difference yea often without present iustice and often to perish to be ouerthrowne and to vndergoe great desolations Now mans mind being prepared to receiue comfort from the world fitted vnto it selfe Gods minde beeing to let the world run into many changes destructions and finally vnto vanity it self it must needs bee that men oftentimes haue their purposes crossed by the purpose of God their courses ouerthrowen by the ouerruling destiny of God One hath gotten him a good wife a good house and a good demeanes and is as they call it well setled to liue he taketh comfort in the course which hee is entring into and he hath bespoken his heart to bee merry and reioyce But behold suddenly the disease of the world layes hold on his estate on him or his wife and then the plot is mard the ioy is lost for the foundation therof is ouerthrowne Thē what weeping what wayling what sorrow breaking of hearts hope is turned into griefe and the more the hope was the more is the griefe But the only way to preuent this is that the purpose of man agree to the purpose of God and accordingly that man expect no more from the world then God alloweth the world to giue Therfore let him perswade himselfe that whatsoeuer part of this world he hath gotten into his vse that part is subiect to the law of the whole which is bound vnder change perishing and vanity And consequently let him expect no other certainty from it then such as may be from a state of vncertainty If he haue a house well fitted a wife well conditioned a large demeanes beautifull and towardly children let him know his house may burne his wife may die his land may bee taken from him by publike or priuate enemies his children may by sicknesse put on ashes for beautie and become the children of death yea of Belial Let him therefore build his hopes on these things as men vse to build scaffolds for spectacles euē with a certaine expectation of taking downe when the spectacle is ended Let him vse the world as if he vsed it not or as readie not to vse it because the forme of the world passeth away When Gods prouidence calles we must looke for their departure and if thus expected to depart they fall from vs ripe and are not pulled from vs as greene but if not expected they depart as things glewde to the hart which teares away some of the heart at parting Thus not vsing this world as a place of certainty and rest which it is not yet let vs vse it as a Nurcery and Schoole for heauen which it is Let vs learne here of the Spirit of the word of the sacraments of affliction and euen of the generall condition of the world it selfe For since the world is so full of miserie incertainty and vanity it teacheth vs to set our affections on another world euen that continuing Citie which is aboue heauenly Ierusalem where is stability perpetuity and glory incoprehensible Let vs pray let vs striue in this world to be fitted to be trimmed for that world as abride for the wedding-chamber though through a thousand changes a thousand crosses for if wee become inwardly faire the King of heauen will haue pleasure in our beauty we shall be crowned with a crowne of ioy immarcessible we shall be filled with the glory of God and the blessednesse of his presence which is perfit happinesse 57 Consisting of eight parts I. Part. There is one otherwise wise inough for a sonne of the old Adam takes vpon him to measure the Ocean of Gods wisedome flowing in the mystery of mans saluation with the cockelshell of his owne wit and accordingly with his iudgement he walkes ouer the length and breadth thereof laying his high and mighty censure vpon it The honestie of Diuines he debaseth and preferreth that of the Philosopher the religion of Palestine hee condemnes but commends the Christian religion as a thing well contriued Yet his commendations seeme not to be heartie since vnder them there passe from him certaine vndermining sentences which strike at the maine Pillars of that which he commends The odious comparison of the Christistian and Mahumetane religions because the Mahumetane succeedeth the Christiā in the pretence of a greater perfection as the Christian doth the Iudaicall may passe the more vnresisted because it is apt of it selfe to fall For it easily appeares that therein the diuel was lesse then Christs Ape mentioning only and not performing an imitation For Christ hath really out-gone the Law First he hath iustly abolished the types and shadowes thereof by bringing in the substance and things themselues Secondly he hath taken away the ignorance vnder the Law by giuing such a knowledge that the least in his kingdome is greater then the greatest vnder the Law and thirdly he hath amended the weakenesse of the Law by giuing strength to his seruants to performe what the Law before could onely teach But in which of these points hath Mahomet made any probable progresse beyond Christ Types and shadows of future things he cannot take away for there are none in the Christian Religion Ignorance hee is so farre frō amending that he is the very man that darkneth counsell by words without knowledge wee heare of fables and vnlikely visions but in sum hee forbiddeth knowledge hateth the light al examination of his religion Lastly instead of strengthening men in the accomplishing of the Law hee weakeneth them by giuing them the satisfaction of lust in polygamie and impossible it is he can goe beyond Christ in any precept of holinesse who commands vs to loue and serue God with al our soule and all our strength and more then all can no man giue So doth Mahomet onely speake of perfection but performeth it not 2. Part. But with two points especially he seems to wound the Christian Religion though like a Parthian looking another way One is while he iudgeth it a lothsome thing that God shold bee satisfied and appeased with bloud which though it seeme mainly to bee bent against common sacrifices yet being spoken without exception as it is there it striketh at the very sacrifice of Christ performed in bloud and that there was such a meaning this also addeth probability because in his directions of Pietie while he speaketh of sacrifices hee aduiseth not his pious or godly man to make himselfe acceptable to his Creator by the commemoration of any such bloudy sacrifice but being altogether silent in that point he saith the most absolute sacrifice is a pure true and humble heart A second is while he iudgeth it a strange thing that the Spirit of God should be in fraile weake and vnperfect men Yea he seemeth to exclude him from all men for he saith where the spirit is it would produce some strange effects as the remoouing of mountaines it wold appeare in the whole course of man and nothing
wicked so blind so subiect to euery passion and vice was neuer let out as he now is from the hands of a most wise and powerfull essence and that to gouerne a great world whereof hee is not worthy as he is to be a partie he being so extremely vitious and corrupt and most creatures being more orderly then himselfe 7. Part. Againe another folly and blindnesse of theirs is that they see not the resurrection it is impossible that the end of mans bodie should bee this present life For then might we say with these Author that there might be some pleasure taken aboue in the torments here below For what generally doe wee see here but miseries paines oppression diuers tortures diuers deaths diuers heart-breakings care within and labour without a few onely liuing in some ease of which again but a few scape a great taste of miserie Indeed were there no life but this we might verily think that man was appointed to be borne to liue and die in a Iayle wherein hee is tied and bound vp to miserie and that this world was set forth for a spectacle of torments massacres wherein wee should infinitely wrong the infinite wisdom and goodnesse of the great cause of al things But as we haue learnd of God our own fall and present miserie so withall wee haue learned a remedie for our fall and a way out of this miserie into felicitie We know and belieue that the bodie dying returnes into that which it was and that is dust and if being dust at first it was then quickned wee know hee that quickned dust at first can quicken dust at last hee being the same for euer yea wee know that small portion of his Spirit which is in vs is abundantly able to performe it Wee doubt not but a little power included in an Acorne is able to raise out of it a mightie Oake because wee see it and we may as easily belieue that this Spirit which now shewes a farre greater power in our sanctification may also raise out of our dust a heauenly and glorious bodie To him that hath done so great workes daily seene there wanteth no power to do as great things yet vnseene For God hath not bounded his power by his works but if his wil be to worke more his power is still sufficient to proceede in working Now that it is his will his word doth plainely shew blessed bee hee who hath both willed it and shewed it and God the Author of these and all other good gifts stablish vs which belong to him in the knowledge and embracement of this his sauing truth that liuing and dying therein we may passe from this life which is worse then death vnto a true life of blisse and happinesse Part. 8. Another thing which flesh and blood hath not fully discouered and which hath been the author both of our fall and miserie and implieth a necessitie of a preseruer and redeemer is a State body politicke and kingdome of euill spirits which effectuall in craft mightie in power diligent in watchfulnesse and hauing all these their powers emploied and moued by an endles and great malice towards mākind go stil about seeking the mischiefe and ruine of weak silly man vnable of himselfe to stand against this Leuiathan and therefore necessarily wanting the helpe of a preseruer and redeemer Without a preseruer we cannot preuent the euils to come for against so mighty enemies we must bee hedged about with a prouidence mightier then the force of our enemies els can we not be safe from our enemies but shold be continually deuoured by them And we neede a redeemer for y e euils already by these enemies brought vpon vs for these euils we our selues can by no meanes take from our selues nor free our selues from the tyranny which Satan hath alreadie brought vpon vs. Therefore this strong man must bee bound by some stronger then himselfe and so we which were before his possession may be made free from that bondage Now the highest power only is master of this power of darknesse and therefore he only must performe this worke Some short and small viewes of some outward bodily and dissembled workings of these Principalities the Heathen haue obserued in their stories of witchcrafts oracles and apparitions which witnesse against themselues that there are such a people and that at times they are very mischieuous and malicious but the craft of this kingdome is so great the ignorance of man so grosse that sometimes vnder the shew of doing good as cures and the like and sometimes by foretelling future euents so hiding still their principall malice which was to the soule and eternall life of man they haue won silly men to take them for gods who are their sworne and most fierce enemies so farre are men from knowing they are a kingdome combined against mankind But Christ by his doctrine and the doctrine of his seruants the Apostles hath described them by name hath shewed their nature hath set foorth their malice and rage against man which begunne with the first man and continuing from thence increase now towardes the last of men Hee hath also set foorth a remedie against all his hurt and power and that is euen in this flesh which in the first man the Diuell conquered For God will shew to his owne glorie and the vtter confusion of this proud malicious Prince that by that verie weake creature which no way heeretofore was not able to match with him God is able to breake his head if hee doe but vnite and ioyne himselfe therewith And that of these men which thus were in the first man foyled and ouercome hee is able to set vp a kingdome mighty and durable which shall stand invincible in this world against the powerfull kingdome of Satan and the vnpreuailing gates of hell and shall at last ouercomming these mightie enemies passe victorious vnto glorie and life euerlasting Euen this performe in vs O Lord thy weake seruants weake in our selues but strong in thee Let thy power in vs ouercome that power which without thee would ouercome vs. And let vs being strengthned by thee march valiantly against our enemies being assured of conquest through that mightie one who loueth and supporteth vs. 58 The end seemes to vs to bee caused by the meanes and so at last it is but the end is indeed first and most chiefely the cause of the meanes for God proposing his end this end caleth out such meanes as shall accomplish it selfe so that it causeth that to be which causeth it selfe So in the Scripture when diuers things happened it is said that they happened that it might bee fulfilled which God had before purposed so that Gods purpose was the cause of the beeing of those actions which fulfilled his purpose Therefore if we go to the roote of the matter wee may perceiue that foolishly wee reason when we are discontented with the meanes saying If this meanes had not beene this
he y t beares only the image of darkenesse corruption euen the likenesse of the old Adam in the same lothsome and deformed shape shall hee appeare before God sitting in iudgement For God doth regenerate and new create man onely in this world They that be not changed here and made like vnto Christ doe let passe the time of Regeneration and so they haue the stampe of sinne in their foreheads vnremooueable for euer Now in that great and terrible day what difference shall there be in the twofold apparance of these different sorts The sonne of God new made by his Spirit shal appeare in the image and likenes of God his Father with light in his vnderstanding righteousnesse in his will and holinesse in his affections To him it shall be said Blessed is the pure in heart he shal see God for God delighteth to see him euen his owne likenesse in him But the sonne of flesh shall appeare foule and blemished in his vnderstanding corrupt and froward in his will and affections and in stead of representing hee shall bee contrarie and crosse vnto God and ougly in his cōtrarietie And then is his very presence lothsom to the Iudge of purest eies he is a toad or serpent made and taken to bee destroied His ouglinesse kindleth the wrath of God against him which burneth and driueth into the bottom of hell Lord when thou raisest vs vp thou shalt make their Image despised Therefore while it is to day while it is the accepted time let the sonne of man make hast to become the sonne of God Let him put off the goate which he is and put on the sheepe that he should bee let him get a cleane heart and a right spirit within him And because this only commeth of God let vs seeke onely to him and because God hath told vs by his Sonne that he will be ouercome by importunitie let vs seeke importunately stil begging following and vndeniably soliciting him vntill hee giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him Then shall wee with Symeon bee full of peace at our departure being assured to see saluation there shall wee with Paul bee alwaies bold euen at our remoouing being certaine of a better tabernacle in heauen then shall wee comfortably approch to the Throne of God who wee know will acknowledge vs for sonnes by his marke in our foreheads and will call vs in vnto the Supper of the Lamb. But then they y t appeare in the shape of dogs their place shall be without from the presence of God and the Lambe for euermore where their worme dieth not and their fire quencheth not They that are the kindreds of the earth and not of heauen shall waile before God and theirs shall be eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth The goates shall bee set on the left hand God will behold them scornefully and afarre off they shall be called cursed and they shall be driuen from God into euerlasting fire there to accompanie the diuel and his Angels whom in this life they haue associated and resembled 66 The hard things are often most excellent for our businesse in this world is to striue against flesh blood which is not a matter of ease Among diuers combats therewith they haue not the least who are in the stead of a father and mother The hardnesse hereof is that such standing in the place of natural parents should do that right to the child in cold reason which the other would doe in the heate of affection Now men saile with affection but row hard with reason yet the worth and reward counteruaile the labour It must needs be a matter of excellent worth for God is the God of the fatherles and hee ioyneth with God that helpeth them hee is Gods instrument and hath a deputiship vnder God as for the reward mercy procureth mercy temporall eternall Thou maist well hope that God who is pleased with thy goodnesse to the children of others will raise vp the goodnesse of others to helpe thy children and himselfe will become a father vnto thee and thine But if thou liftest vp thy hand against those whom God hath taken into his protection feare thou the Iudgement without mercy for shewing no mercy and that while thou art a very father in law to others God will be a father in law to thee and thine which makes men of al others the most miserable Orphans 67 Marriage of all naturall actions is of most consequence yet is it the worst done of any other For men doe not commonly make marriages but bargaines and the bargaine being made the marriage comes in vpon the bargaine But it was not so from the beginning In the first marriage the woman was the principall part proposed to the man and in her chiefly the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof So it should be still the great matters of the Law should be preferred before Cummin and Mints yet these need not altogether to bee neglected howsoeuer that which is absolutely and only necessarie must bee held whatsoeuer become of that which is but conuenient Examples of holy Scripture shew vs plentifully the miserable issues of marriages made not in the Lord which might be so many instructions to future times In the first world wicked wiues euen the daughters of flesh and blood corrupting the sonnes of God brought in the Flood Afterward the most wise of onely men Solomon by idolatrous wiues was bowed aside to the worship of Idols from the seruice of the true God who appeared to him twice wherefore God did rent his kingdom from him and gaue it to his seruant But a spectacle of long miserie and as long wickednesse was that vnhappy marriage betweene the sonne of Iehosaphat and the daughter of Ahab therby was Iehosaphat himselfe drawne into danger and losse and into the cause of them worse then themselues euen to the loue of them which hated God Thereby the sonne of Iehosaphat yea his sonnes sonne became wicked and vnhappie generations this sentence waiting on their sins for the one had the daughter of Ahab to wife and the other was counselled by his mother to doe wickedly Let men therefore be afraid to infect themselues and their posterity by becomming one flesh with wickednesse to marry vnto a leprosie of the soule is worse then into that of the body A woman is a needle to pierce into the heart and affections of man and if she be wicked the diuell is the thread which followes after This knowes the tempter right well therfore by Eue hee got within Adam by Dalilah hee ouercame Samson by the daughters of Moab he got power on the children of Israel to inspire into them idolatrie one of his chiefest poisons Therefore let no man for money take vnto him a factor for the diuell lest thereby the diuel attended with the curse of God which euer followes him enter in vpon him and his posteritie The remainder of flesh in the best regenerate though but a
dogs they runne away with the crie and barke out this terme against euery honest man they meete But a lamentable persecution of tongues is this the whiles especially among Christians that a man should be reuiled for being a Christian and that regeneration the worke of the holy Ghost should bee reproched Cursed is hee that despiteth the Spirit of grace euē that Spirit which gaue his tongue that power by which hee is able to speake against the Spirit Cursed is hee that reuileth the holy Ghost and raileth on the power of the liuing God Know that the time shall come when thy words shall returne vpon thee as so many Lyons yea the diuell who now sets thee on worke shall come to worke vpon thee with torments but especially that blessed Spirit whom thou hast reuiled shall come against thee and teare thee in pieces and there shall be none to deliuer thee Thou seest in the whole course of such a mans life a maine current of honestie and goodnesse and who would thinke that any should bee so shamelesse to raile on goodnesse and to oppose against it For the verie opposing against goodnesse giues thee the title of wickednesse which alone is the enemie thereof It shewes thou art a souldier of the Dragon who goes out to make warre with that blessed seede that keepes the commandement of God But I doe know thy vsuall defences thou wilt say that there are none worse then such as make such a shew of purenesse and withall thou art furnished with some merry tales that shew many mad trickes of these ouer holie brethren Heere a little discretion and iudgement in stead of salt would be of very good vse to amend the sauour both of thy heart and tongue For an vpright iudgement as it findeth many truths so toward the true discouerie of this businesse it findeth these First that whosoeuer is indeed good shall and must also seeme good for his works wil praise him whether he will or no his fruits wil shew what tree he is they must shine before men that men seeing them may glorifie God their heauenly Father Hence first we conclude that euerie one that seemes good is not an hypocrite but contrarily he may bee one of Gods chiefest seruants Therefore thou canst not presently fall to thy nickname only for the shew of goodnesse Secondly that there is indeede a dissembled holinesse worne for a cloake to wickednes that the shape of an Angell of light some times couers a foule diuell yea the foulest diuels are they that most vse need this couer Now for this fellow if thou findest him puritā is too good a name for him for the Scripture hath sharper names as generation of Vipers Wolues in Sheepes clothing and painted Sepulchers full of rotten bones These bee they whereon the diuell sets the one foote when he kickes at true Christians with the other iustifying by these his railings on those who especially hate these as the diuels chiefest seruants But now there needs some discretion to know these from the other that thou call not good euill nor euill good nor a Christian Hypocrite nor an Hypocrite Christiā Toward this thou must looke to the fruites of both and that not a few particulars but to the generall For a Godly man is subiect to infirmitie hath some fals and an Hypocrite knowes that to couer his wickednesse hee must shew some goodnes But looke to the continuall course of both and thou shalt finde one good generally though sometimes fraile and the other often grosly transgressing though much couering his rotten heart The things wherein especially thou shalt try the difference may be these First a loue to Christ secondly a loue of Christs voice thirdly a loue of the members of Christ and a reioycing in them who excell in vertue Now these things will againe appeare if for the loue of Christ the loue of his word and the loue of his members a man be ordinarily contented to lose sinfull profits or pleasures and with the steward to write 50. for an 100. This is the touchstone of a Christian euen the taking vp of the Crosse forsaking all and following Christ. But this the hypocrite cannot abide he serues Christ that Christ may serue him to get pleasure and profit by him not to lose by him Part. 8. But now heere come in the many stories which condemne these purer men to bee guiltie against these duties and so to be hypocrites Yet runne not away too fast with this neither but euen in the point of hearing reports take also some discretion with you For against good men very commonly are bold and confident slanders raised which by their stoutnesse might seeme to bee truth it selfe But let not the wise beleeue them before examination For most commonly in the very telling of them will appeare a venom and malice the true issue of the old Serpent and vpon farther triall falshood and lying the naturall brother of the former and a truly begotten sonne of the Accuser of the Brethren He began the rule in Paradise and will continue euen to the new Ierusalem lie boldly for some of it will sticke fast for euer And how can it be otherwise since the lasinesse of men is such that they will beleeue a report at the first telling rather then trouble themselues to examine and finde out the truth which onely should be belieued withall their maliciousnesse is so great that they are willing and readie to receiue euill reports yea they delight in them But the seruants of Christ know that the last iudgement shall be by words and that a rash and a bitter iudge shall though not rashly yet seuerely be iudged Therefore according to the Psalmist The good man is merciful and guideth his words with discretion He inclineth naturally to beleeue good rather then euill yet auoiding to condemne the iust hee also shunnes to iustifie the wicked Therefore that his iudgement may bee righteous hee searcheth both the matter how probable it is in it selfe and next he examineth the re-reporters whether they bee those in whom the truth dwelleth and who themselues haue a good report of the truth not being like Pilate ignorant and yet to learne what is truth For it is a kind of murther of our neighbour in his name and reputation which is almost as his life both to beare false witnes and to receiue false witnesse against him Lastly a good man if hee may conueniently will inquire of the partie himselfe or of some of his acquaintance whether such things haue beene done by him and if done in what manner and vpon what occasion for many times the maner of things wholly alters the matter and the matter may be good in the manner in which it was done yet euill in the manner bestowed on it by the reporter Againe the thing being true yet the occasion and cause may though not iustifie yet excuse the fact for many euill deeds are done by infirmitie which yet prooue