for our dealing in the world and ciuill affaires V. Now concerning workes of mercy which springing from an heart melting with sense of Gods euerlasting mercy to it selfe quickened with a liuely faith in the Lord Iesus and shining with sauing graces are an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God Philippians 4. 18. Hebr. 13. 16. Conceiue first there be two sorts of them 1. Spirituall 2. Corporall 1. Spirituall flow from the fountaine of truest mercy and compassion of greatest tendernesse and consequence euen to relieue repaire and refresh the pouerty wants and miseries of the soule 1. By instructing the Ignorant Prou. 10. 21. and 15. 7. 2. By giuing counsell to them that need or seeke it Exod. 18. 19. c. Ruth 3. 1 c. 3. By reducing the erroneous Exo. 23. 4. 4. By labouring the conuersion of others Psalm 51. 13. Luk. 22. 32. 5. By exhorting one another Heb. 3. 13. 6. By reproouing the offendor Leuit. 19. 17. 7. By admonishing them that are out of order 1. Thes. 5. 14. 8. By considering one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes Hebr. 10. 24. 9. By comforting the heauy heart and afflicted spirit 1. Thes. 5. 14. 10. By forgiuing from the heart our brethren their trespasses Matth. 18. 35. 11. By chastising delinquents Prou. 22. 15. 12. By raising those which are fallen by infirmity with much meekenesse and tendernesse of heart Gal. 6. 1. 13. By mutuall encouragements against the cruelty and confusions of the times in the way to Heauen Mal. 3. 16. 14. By supporting and mercifully making much of weake Christians 1. Thes. 5. 11. 15. By patience towards all men 1. Thes. 5. 14. 16. By praying one for another Iam. 5. 16. 2. Corporall spring from a compassionate heart and fellow-feeling affection yerning ouer the temporall wants and necessities of our brethren whereby we are stirred vp as occasion is offered according to our ability to succour and support their outward extremities and distresses To feede the Hungry To giue drinke to the Thirsty To clothe the Naked to entertaine the Stranger To visit the sicke To goe to those that are in Prison Math. 25. 35. To put to an helping hand for raising our Brethren fallen into decay Leuit. 25. 35. To lend hoping for nothing againe c. Luke 6. 35. Thus Christians ought to be ready to distribute willing to communicate in all kindes to the outward necessities also 1. First Of those of the houshold of faith the principall and most moouing obiect to draw bounty from a truly charitable heart Gal. 6. 10. 2. In the next place Of the lame the blind the sicke the aged the trembling hand or any that God hath made poore 3. Thirdly Of any whosoeuer in a case of true necessitie and extremity whatsoeuer the party hath bin before For there thou relieuest not his notoriousnesse but his nature though thou abhorre the man for his former villany yet vpon poynt of perishing doe good vnto the common state of humanity Now of these two kindes Fathers Schoolemen Casuists all concurre and conclude that spirituall almes caeteris paribus as they say are more excellent and acceptable then corporall Because 1. The gift is more noble in its owne nature 2. The obiect more illustrious Mans immortall soule 3. The manner transcendent being spirituall 4. The charity more heauenly which aimes at our brothers endlesse saluation Let then euery Christian conscionably and constantly endeauour to improoue to the vtmost vpon all occasions and seasonable offers all his spirituall abilities heauenly endowments illuminations of learning morall wisedome prouidence discretion c. all his skill in the Mystery of Christ Word and waies of God all his experience in temptations cases of conscience spirituall distempers his spirit of counsell comfort courage or what other gift or grace soeuer he is illightened and endowed with to relieue and refresh euery way the soules to procure and promote by all meanes the eternall saluation of others Let the sauing light of thy diuine knowledge spirituall wisedome heauenly vnderstanding or what other excellencies and perfections of the minde shining in thy soule resemble in all fruitfull improouement and free communicating it selfe that bountifull light in the body of the Sunneâ—… That 1. first illighteneth that goodly Creature wherein iâ—… originally dwels and makes it the fairest and beautifulleâ—… thing in the world 2. Next it illuminates and beautifiâ—… all the Orbes and heauenly bodies about it 3. Thirdly bâ—… the proiection of his beames it begets all the beauty glory sweetnesse wee haue here below on the earth 4. Fourthly it insinuates into euery chinke and crany of the earth and concurres to the making of those precious metals which lye in her bowels 5. Fiftly his beames glide by the sides of the earth and illighten euen the opposite part of Heauen with all those glorious Starres we see shining in the night 6. Sixthly it is so communicatiue and greedy of dooing good in its kinde that it strikes thorow the firmament in the transparent parts and seekes to bestow its brightnesse and beauty euen beyond the Heauens and neuer restraines the free communication of its influence and glory vntill it determine by naturall and necessarie expiration Euen so proportionably let the fruitfull light of thy diuine knowledge and heauenly counsell especially be still working shining spreading to doe all possible good 1. Let it First make thine own soule all glorious within fairely enlighten it with an humble reflection of selfe-knowledge with puritie peace and spirituall prudence to guide constantly thine owne feete with all vprightnesse and patience in the path that is called holy 2. Secondly Let it shine vpon thy family and those that are next about thee with all seasonable instructions in conuincing them of the truth and goodnesse of the wayes of God either for their conuersion or inexcusablenesse 3. Thirdly let it bee spent and imployed vpon thy neighbours kindred friends acquaintance visitants of all sorts when they come towards thee to warme their hearts all thou canst with heauenly talke and to winne their loues to the life of grace 4. Fourthly let it insinuate also amongst strangers and into other companies vpon which any warrantable Calling shall cast thee and intimate vnto them especially if it finde acceptation and entertainment That one thing is necessarie That all impenitents shall bee certainly damned That vpon this moment dependeth eternitie c. 5. Nay let it offer it selfe with all meekenesse of wisedome and patient discretion euen to opposites and labour to conquer if it bee possible the contrarie minded if their scornefull carriage and furious visible hate against the mysterie of Christ hath not set a brand of Dogges and Swine vpon them 6. Lastly when vpon all occasions in all companies by all meanes it hath done all the good it can yet let it still retaine that constant propertie of all Heauenly Graces an edge
SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALKING with God DELIVERED IN THE LECTVRE AT KETTERING IN NORTHhamptonshire with enlargement By Robert Bolton Preacherof Gods Word at Broughton in the same County The second Edition corrected and amended with a Table thereunto annexed AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and are to be sold at his shop at the great North doore of Pauls Church 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE EDWARD Lord Mountague of Boughton a fruitfull increase of all heauenly graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be reuealed Much Honored and Noble Lord ALthough the eminency of your other personall worth great Wisdome and noble parts a sufficient attractiue to euery honest heart by reason of the particular interest it hath in the common state of goodnes or your speciall bounty to my selfe which ought to stir vp an ingenuous minde to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserued acknowledgement or your publike deportment in the face of our Country so worthy and Honorable and managed with such true honesty graue moderation and noblenesse of spirit which cannot but draw from euery heart truely sound to our great Lord in Heauen and His Royall Deputy our highest Soueraigne vpon earth a great deale of reuerence loue I say though any of these seuerally might exact from me a more exact and able demonstration of the thankefull deuotions of my heart yet my Lord and you may beleeue mee there is another thing besides all these which was the strongest and most predominant motiue to quicken mee to this Duty and Dedication euen your sincere and inuincible affection to the Gospell of Iesus Christ His faithfull Ministers and most precious Wayes And this to tell you the truth is farre the fairest and most orient flower in the Garland of all your goodnesse and incomparably aboue all your Greatnesse were you aduanced euen to desert nay to the highest top of all earthly felicities and mortall honour For howsoeuer the world euer beside it selfe in point of faluation and starke blind in the right apprehension of Heauenly things doth ◅ote vpon guilded miseries stinging vanities golden setters and wickedly deemes pursuite of purity the height of folly yet I can assure you in the Word of life and truth the richest and rarest con◅luence of all humane happinesses the most exquisite excellencie and variety of the greatest worldly pompe and splendour that euer the Sunne saw since the first moment of its creation or shall looke vpon while it shines in Heauen is but dust in the ballance to one graine of grace it is but dung to an humble minde sauingly illightened with a forecast but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endlesse glory which shall shortly be reuealed It is all in the true valuation but as a vaine smoake which doth not onely vanish as it riseth and vtterly looseth it selfe at the highest but also drawes teares frō a mans eyes nay at last wrings the very heart-strings of euery impenitent soule with that extremest euerlasting horrour which would burst ten thousand hearts seriously and sensibly to thinke vpon before-hand It is not onely vanity but also vexation of spirit Let worldly wisdome say what it will and hold them melancholike and madde who by the helpe of the holy Ghost hold a constant counter-motion to the course of the world and corruptions of the time that they may keep a good conscience the richest treasure and dearest Iewell that euer the heart of man was acquainted with who infinitely desire rather to be religious then rich to bee good then great to enioy the fauour of God then the soueraignty and pleasures of all the kingdomes of the earth yet assuredly when all is said and truely summed vp it is onely the true feare of Gods blessed Name a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes at this day vnhappily and to the ruine of infinite soules called by the world pragmaticalnesse and Too much precisenesse which can truely beautifie and adorne both all other personall sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publike imployments and seruices of State For the first A Professor euen something Popish doth yet truely teach that Heroicall nobilitie is an illustrious eminency shining in a man by the heauenly infusions of supernaturall grace whereby he is made by adoption the sonne of God the Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost without which all other Nobilities are nothing not worth a button Suppose a faire and goodly horse to the eye as exquisitely featured colourd paced as that fained by Bartas to be managed by Cain yet if he wāted mettle he were worth nothing to a man of spirit Giue me the most magnificent glorious Worldling that euer trod vpō earthly mould richly crowned with all the ornaments and excellencies of nature art policy preferment or what heart can wish besides yet without the life of grace to animate and ennoble them hee were to the eye of heauenly Wisdome but as a rotten carkasse stucke ouer with flowers magnified dung guilded rottennesse golden damnation And that which is more dreadfull when the sunne of his short Summers day is set the hot gleame of transitorie prosperity past and the bitter tempestuous winters night of death approacheth from which all the Gold and Pearle of East West can no more deliuer him then can an handfull of dust I say then shall bee powred vpon his head that terrible showre of snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest His soule sinkes immediatly in a moment into the depth of remedilesse misery and is desperately plunged for euer into the bottome of the burning Lake His body descends into the graue as into a dungeon of rottennesse horror arrested as it were by the second death in the deuils name and at length haled and dragged vnto the terror of that great and last Day where no creature can rescue him no mountaine couer him from that vnquenchable wrath neuer-dying Worme which shall euer lastingly day and night feed vpon his soule and flesh Wheras now on the other side that poore neglected One who hath in truth giuen his name vnto Christ and his gainefull seruice perhaps by the World most disdainfully and contemptuously trampled vpon euen into the dust with the feet of cruelty and pride at least most certainly euer made extremely vile and contemptible by the villany of tongues and cruell mockings yet is such an One as the World is not worthy of in the meane time in the meaning of the holy Ghost a Crowne of glory in the hand of Iehouah as beautifull and amiable as the bloud of Christ and his righteous roabe can make him crowned full gloriously with Gods owne comelinesse which hee hath put vpon him designed from all eternitie in due time for so his sanctification now assures him to weare an euerlasting Crowne of blisse And when his pilgrimage is past
was and a by-word amongst the sonnes of Belial as was Iob If the world lowre and looke sowre vpon thee for thy looking towards Heauen and thy good-fellow companions abandon Thee as too precise If thy life be not like other mens and thy waies of another fashion as the Epicures of those times charged the righteous man when the booke of Wisedome was written In a word if thou walkest in the narrow way and be one of that little flock which liues amongst Wolues and therefore must needs bee little so that by all the Leopards Lions and Beares about thee I meane all sorts of vnregenerate men thou art hunted for thy holinesse as a Partridge on the mountaines at least by the poison and persecution of the tongue I say then thou art certainly in the hie way to Heauen 2. If the Saints of God bee men of singularitie in the sence I haue said then away with those base and brainelesse cauils against those who are wise vnto saluation What are you wiser then your fore-fathers then all the Towne then such and such learned men then your owne Parents Are you wiser then your Head may the Husband say c. Nay further to Noah it might haue been said by the wretches of those times Art thou wiser then all the world He out of the height of his heroicall resolution easily endured and digested the affronts and indignities of this kinde from millions of men But take thou these spitefull taunts and binde them in the meane time as a Crowne vnto thee and aduance forward in thine holy singularitie with all sweete content and vndauntednesse of spirit towards that glorious immortall Crowne aboue and let those miserable men whose eyes are hood-winkt by Satan and so blinded with earthly dust that they cannot possibly discerne the inuisible excellencies and true noblenesse of the neglected Saints follow the folly of their worldly wisdome and sway of the greater part to endlesse woe and then giue losers leaue to talke 3. Let euery one who in sinceritie of heart seekes to be saued euer hold it a speciall happinesse and his hiest honor to be singled out from the vniuersall pestilent contagion of common prophanenes and the sinfull courses of the greatest part and to be censured as singular in that respect Neither is this a singular thing that I now suggest but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages to be trod vpon with the feete of imperious contempt as a number of odde despised vnderlings whereas indeed they are Gods Iewels and the onely excellent vpon earth Behold saith Isaiah chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath giuen me and for signes and wonders in Israel I am as a monster vnto many saith Dauid Psalm 71. 7. I am in derision dayly euery one mocketh mee saith Ieremy chap. 20. 7. We are made saith Paul a spectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world the off-scowring of all things v. 13. In Austins time those that made conscience of their waies durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times and play the good fellowes were scornefully pointed at not onely by Pagans but euen by vnreformed Professors Professors at large as we call them as fellowes that affected a precisenesse and purity aboue ordinary and others They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one You are a great man sure you are a iust man you are an Elias you are a Peter you come from Heauen c. In after-times if a man were but meerely ciuill ingenuous chaste temperate hee was made a by-word and laughing stocke to those about him They presently said Hee was proud singular beside himselfe Hypocrite c. Thus it was is at this time and will bee to the worlds end that euery stigmaticall Whoremonger beastly Drunkard ignorant Lozell scoffing Ismael and Selfe-guilty wretch will haue a bitter gird a dry blow as they say a scurrill gibe to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people as though they were a company of odde humorous fellowes and a contemptible generation This I say euer was and euer will bee the worlds opinion of the wayes of God The children of darknesse euer harbour such conceits and peremptorily passe such censures vpon the children of light It is strange men are content to be singular in any thing saue in the seruice of God and saluation of their soules They desire and labour too to be singularly rich and the wealthiest in a Town to be singularly proud and in fashion by themselues to be the strongest in the company to powre in strong drinke They would with all their hearts be in honour alone and adored aboue others They would dwell alone and not suffer a poore mans house to be within sight They affect singularitie in wit learning wisedome valour worldly reputation and in all other earthly precedencies but they can by no means endure alonenesse and singularity in zeale and the Lords seruice In matters of Religion they are resolued to doe as the most doe tho in so doing they certainly damne their owne soules Math. 7. 13. Basest cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse fit for such a doome Reuel 21. 8. They are afraid of taking Gods part too much of fighting too valiantly vnder the Colours of Christ of being too busie about the saluation of their soules lest they should bee accounted too precise fellowes of an odde humour and engrossers of more grace than ordinarie It is one of Satans dreadfull depths as wide as hell and brimme-full with the blood of infinite soules To make men ambitious and couetous of singularitie in all other things but in godlinesse and Gods seruices not to suffer it in themselues and to persecute it in others Now in this Story of Noah so highly honoured with singularity of freedome from the sinfull contagion of those desperate times and happily exempted from that most generall and greatest Iudgement vpon earth that euer the Sunne saw an vniuersall drowning gloriously mounting vp vpon the wings of saluation and safety both of soule and body when a world of Giant-like Rebels sunke to the bottome of that new Sea as a stone or lead I consider 1. The cause of such a singular blessed preseruation which was the free grace and fauour of God But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord vers 8. 2. The renowne and honour of Noahs name in that he stands heere as the Father of the new world holy seede and progenitors of Iesus Christ These are the generations of Noah verse 9. 3. The description of Noahs 1. Personall goodnesse 2. Preseruation 3. Posteritie These two latter follow His personall description stands in the end of verse 9. Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God Where wee finde him honoured with three noble Attributes which make vp the Character
contempt of the world resolute hatred of sinne in approouing our hearts in Gods presence a sweete communion with him comfortable longing for the comming of the Lord Iesus c. Yet mistake me not thou must make a shew professe and talke if thou wouldest haue Christ Iesus to owne thee at that last and dreadfull Day Mark 8. 38. It is therefore an idle and brainelesse cauill of some lewd ignorant Lozels to say We can by no meanes endure these shewes Cannot a man bee religious to himselfe except he hang out his flag and let all the world know it For where the power of Religion is there will bee the shew also Painted fire shines not ascends not heates not but true fire is euer inseparably attended with these properties We cannot put a Candle in a Lanthorne but the light will shew it selfe thorow the hornes if true grace bee planted in the heart it will shine forth in our words gestures actions all carriages and our whole conuersation He that will take shewes from the substance of Religion let him take brightnesse from the Sunne glistering from Gold breathing from a liue-body Shew and profession of Christ before men is commanded as well as the substance and soundnesse of heart Rom. 10. 9 10. Thou must bee a patrone and in some good measure a practiser of precise points if euer thou wilt haue true peace and assurance of walking in the narrow path that leades vnto life as of walking precisely Ephes. 5. 15. Being feruent in spirit Rom. 12. 11. Striuing to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13. 24. Selfe-deniall 14. 26. Surpassing the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 5. 20. Laying violent hands and hold vpon the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 11. 12. In a word of the way which is called holy and yet so spoken against euery where Act. 28. 22. For I meane only that precisenesse which is commended vnto vs and commanded by the blessed Spirit in Gods pure and holy Word I know all passages of sanctification are too precise and paradoxes intolerable and burdensome to flesh and blood and in the interpretation of worldly wisedome which notwithstanding are easie and sweet to mortified men Thou must stand at the staues end against the sinnes of the times and like the Eagle prune vp thy selfe against a storme or else thou art a temporizer Outward exercises of Religion are as it were the bodie without which the soule of Christianitie hath no existence Thou must be content to abridge and confine thy Christian liberty at any time according to opportunities and exigents for the enlargement of Gods glory the building vp of thy brother and snaffling thine owne rebellious nature Thou mayest and must iudge by the fruits It is Christs Rule Matth. 7 16. If therefore thou seest the abominable and vnsauory fruits of lying swearing drunkennesse Sabbath-breaking vsury scoffing at Religion c. hanging out in the fight of the Sunne thou mayest iustly censure the tree to be rotten and for the present fewell for the fire of Hell Thou mayest iudge no man rashly nor of his finall estate If we see a malefactour cast and condemned for some grieuous crime yet reprieued vnto the next Assize no man can say he shall be certainely hanged because a pardon may be procured and come from the King in the meane time it is so in the present case But thou mayest call a spade a spade a drunkard a drunkard an vsurer an vsurer Otherwise if thou dawbe and dissemble how shalt thou euer be able to escape liablenesse to that abomination Prou. 17. 15. He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abomination to the Lord And to the sting of that woe Isai. 5. 20. Woe vnto them that call euill good and good euill that put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweete and sweete for bitter Yet know that speaking the euill thou certainely knowest by another must be seasonable charitable and discreete not out of humour spleene imperiousnesse at thy pleasure but for Gods honour the good of the party thine owne discharge vpon a warrantable calling c. according to those Rules I shall hereafter deliuer for guiding the tongue My meaning then in this point is that those greater matters be dearliest prized and principally plied proportionably to their worth and waight and yet these lesser things not neglected It is too true that those who are more fierce and forward about the ceremonials and circumstantials then truly hot and zealous in the essentials and substantials of Christianity prooue too often vaine-gloriously and proudly mounted vpon that foule hellish fiend Hypocrisie and posting apace towards some fearefull Apostacy or Anabaptisticall phrensie VI. Let thy spirit mindfull of its owne heauenly birth immortall nature and euerlasting home euer generously fortifie it selfe with victorious resolution against worldlinesse the canker and cut-throate of all heauenly-mindednes and hearty conuersation aboue Of all the foule fiends that haunt the hearts of carnall men there is none that holds a stronger opposition and counter-motion to walking with God then couetousnesse Ambition sensualitie and other wayes of death cut off their slaues with an accursed disacquaintance and estrangement farre enough from all comfortable accesse vnto the Throne of Grace but affections nailed and glued to the Earth haue this pestilent precedency that they hold the remotest point of declination from the warmth and influence of any sweete communion with the Sunne of righteousnesse and Gods glorious face All earthly-minded men ordinarily howsoeuer they may be outwardly restrained and reserued are secret deriders of the power of godlinesse holy strictnesse of the Saints and mysteries of Grace And the Pharises also saith Luke chap. 16. 14. who were couetous heard all these things and they derided him euen mockt and made themselues merry with the searching and heart-piercing Sermons of the Sonne of God Their hearts and hopes are wholly anchored vpon the Earth and lockt vp in their chests and therefore they dreame of no other heauen then their golden hoards heapes of wealth and present temporall happinesse Whereas notwithstanding one refreshing glimpse shining and shed into our hearts from Gods pleased face and well-grounded assurance of being His is infinitely more worth then all the Gold that euer the Sunne made or shall make while it stands in Heauen VII Let thy holy affections bee euer thorowly warmed and rauisht extraordinarily with the loue of God To which there are infinite inflaming motiues and Obligations 1 Hee being absolutely considered is immeasurably louely The most attractiue obiects of insatiable loue and al amiable excellencies are eminently and transcendently triumphant in him eternally Beauty Glory Worth Wisedome Greatnesse Goodnesse Holinesse Puritie any thing euery thing that is any wayes admirable and loue-worthy 2. Or consider Him in relation to thy selfe and shouldest thou euery moment thorow an interminable time lay down ten thousand liues for His sake thou couldest
satisfaction to its expectation and large capacitie Hence it is that giue Rome to Caesar as they say and he will ambitiously pursue the Soueraigntie of the whole earth Let Alexander conquer the world and he will aske for moe let those be subdued he would climbe vp the staires of his vast desires towards the starres if hee could aspire thither hee would peepe beyond the heauens c. No rest vnto mans soule but in Gods eternall rest 3. That there being no proportion betweene spirits and bodies thou maiest aswell vndertake to fill a bag with wisedome a chest with vertue as thine immortall soule with gold siluer riches high roomes this whole materiall world or any earthly thing See Eccles. 5. 10. 4. I say Besides these three causes of vnsatisfiablenesse God himselfe doth iustly put that property and poyson into all worldly things doted vpon and desired immoderately that they shall plague the heart that pursues them by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse longings iealousies and many miserable discontentments So that they become vnto it as drinke vnto a drunkard a man in a dropsie or burning feauer serue onely to inflame it with new heate and fierie additions of insatiable thirst and inordinate lust No maruaile then though the working heart of euery naturall man vnreconciled to God be like the raging sea that cānot rest That roaring Element to which the Spirit of God resembles a wicked man must needes bee a much troubled and very restlesse creature sith it is continually tossed turmoyled with variety of contrary and confused motions that of estuation reuolution reflectiō descension and agitation by the windes semblably if thou couldest see the inside of the greatest gracelesse Monopolist and ingrosser of all the most desireable excellencies vnder the Sunne glistering in the highest Emperiall Throne vpon the earth thou shouldest behold his heart for all that rent asunder with many raging distempers and tempestuous whirlewindes of contrary lusts a very hiue of vnnumbred cares sorrowes and passions boyling incessantly with irkesome suspitions false feares insatiable longings secret grumblings of conscience torturing distractions and tumultuations of hell By the way let me tell you that this immoderate desire inordinate delight which I speake of glued to some speciall sensuall obiect which naturall corruption singles out and makes chiefest choice of to follow and feed vpon with greatest contentment and carnall sweetnesse become the parents of euery mans bosome sinne If it fall in loue with honours and greatnesse it breeds and brings forth ambition which is an vnquenchable thirst after visible glory and a gluttonous hunting after high roomes As it inhabiteth the highest and haughtiest spirits and is superlatiue and transcendent in its obiect and aspirations so of all the stormy perturbations which rent and rage in the heart of man it is most tempestuous and desperate Ventrous it is to climbe vp any staires of basenesse bribery blood to tread vpon the ruines of the noblest innocency vpon the mercilesse desolations of dearest friends and neerest kindred to domineere for a while though it be damned euerlastingly afterwards as it is too cleere in the Turkish Emperors and in that great Master of mischiefe and Machiauelisme Richard the third of this Kingdome who with a bloody hand pressed out the breath of those two orient Princes in the Tower his Nephewes and naturall Lords It is victorious ouer all other affections and masters euen the sensuality of lustfull pleasures as appeares in the greatest Warriours and ancient Worthies amongst the Heathen who tempted with the exquisitenesse and variety of choisest beauties yet forbore that villany not for conscience sake and feare of God whom they knew not but lest they should interrupt the course and stop the current of their warlike reputation ambitious designes and atchiuements of state But whatsoeuer other pestilent properties empoyson it it neuer failes to ingender in the heart which harbours it as its proper Thunder-bolt and blasting feares cares iealousies enuies enraged thirst of rising still impatiencie of competition vncapablenesse of satiety which is most for my purpose For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse pit of hell or stop the vnsatiable iawes of death neither can the greedie humour of an haughtie spirit the aspiring insolencie of a boisterous Nimrod be possibly stayed or stinted no not with the top and variety of highest honours though hee should alone and absolutely be crowned with the Soueraignitie of the whole earth and command the felicities of this wide world If it fall in loue with riches it breeds and brings forth couetousnesse the vilest and basest of all the infections of the soule in the most contemptible and dunghill disposition For this kyte-footed corruption wheresoeuer it seizeth and domineeres blasts and banisheth all noblenesse of spirit naturall affection humanity discretion reason wisedome manlinesse mutuall entertainements entercourse of kindnesse and loue and turnes all euen the soule it selfe into earth and mudde It drawes by a cunning reserued basenesse all occasions circumstances aduantages witte policy euen friends and acquaintance nay religion conscience and all to bee seruiceable and contributary to a greedy wolfe and raging gangren of hoarding vp Gold and worldly pelfe In a word it makes a man with a Bedlam cruelty to contemne himselfe body and soule for a little transitory trash wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enioyment of the short time of this present mortality and all hope of the length of that blessed eternity to come And as the obiect of it is most earthly base and incompetent so of all other vile affections it is most sottishly and senselesly vnsatisfiable For how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall and heauen-borne spirit of a man It can not be and the Spirit of God hath said it shall not be Eccles. 5. 10. 4. 8. He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer The eye is not satisfied with riches Hence it is that the deepelier and more eagerly the dropsie heart of the couetous man doth drinke of this golden streame the more furiously still it is inflamed with vnsatiable thirst nay certaine it is that if he should purchase and possesse a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world were he able to empty the Westerne parts of Gold and the East of all her Spices and precious things should hee enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heauen to another and heape vp his hoard to the starres yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches as if he had neuer a penny and much more If it fall in loue with beauty and the swaggering brauery of good fellowship it begets lust and sensuality which make their minions madde with bitternesse and malice against the very least glimpse of holinesse or any religious restraint enrage them
of the faithfull For that which the Deuill putting on the glory of an Angell of light puts vpon his followers in this kinde falsely and groundlessely That the blessed Spirit performes to those who are true of heart truely and vpon good ground For it is not the vniuersalitie and excellencie of all naturall ciuill meerely morall politicke and learned endowments and sufficiencies but aboue and besides all these a supernaturall heauenly and speciall worke of the Spirit sanctifying thē all for Gods glorious seruice It is not a bare taske of holy duties religious exercises presence at the ordinances outwardly performed but the soule as it were of sauing grace animating and informing them with spirituall life reuerent heartinesse and fruitful improouement It is not the glistering blaze of a visible forward profession of Religion but the power of godlinesse and sincere practise of workes of iustice mercy and truth It is not a generall participation of the Spirit the Spirit onely of illumination or largest speculatiue cōprehensions of sacred knowledge but an humble fruitfull experimental skill and dexterity in the mystery of Christ and of walking humbly with our God which doth soundly comfort the heart of a man spiritually wise about assurance of his happy estate to Godward And therefore the true Christian when he would refresh his spirits with the sweet contemplation of his spirituall safety and comfortable being in a gracious state causeth his sincere conscience to answer in truth to such like interrogatories as those which I haue proposed for triall in such a case in my Discourse of true happinesse pag. 85. c. Reuiew the place and ponder well vpon them He ordinarily hath recourse vnto and runs ouer in his mind with an humble rauishing commemoration the heauenly footsteps and mighty works of the holy Ghost in his conuersion speciall watchfulnesse ouer his wayes sincere-heartednesse holy strictnesse and sanctified singularities in his conuersation which as they are peculiar to Gods people so are the mysteries and strange things to the best vnregenerate man and that thus or in the like manner Blessed be God saith hee within himselfe that euer it was so yet so it was The holy Ministery of the Word sanctified and guided particularly for that purpose by the finger of God happily seized vpon mee while I did yet abide in the armes of darkenesse and the Deuils snares a most polluted carnall abominable wretch and effectually exercised its sauing power vpon my soule both by the workings of the Law and of the Gospell It was first as an hammer to my heart and broke it in pieces By a terrible cutting piercing power it strooke a shaking and trembling into the very center of my soule by this double effect 1. It first opened the booke of my conscience wherein I read with a most heauy heart ready to fall asunder euen like drops of water for horror of the sight the execrable abominations of my youth the innumerable swarmes of lewd and lawlesse thoughts that all my life long had stained mine inward parts with strange pollutions the continuall wicked walking of my tongue the cursed prophanation of Gods blessed Sabbaths Sacraments and all the meanes of saluation I euer meddled with In a word all the hels sinkes and Sodoms of lusts and sinne of vanities and villanies I had remorselesly wallowed in euer since I was borne I say I looked vpon all these engrauen by Gods angry hand vpon the face of my conscience in bloody and burning lines 2. Whereupon in a second place it opened vpon mee the Armory of Gods flaming wrath and fiery indignations nay and the very mouth of hell ready to empty themselues and execute their vtmost vpon mine amazed and guilty soule In these restlesse and raging perplexities wherewith my poore soule was extremely scorched and parched with penitent paine His wrath who is a consuming fire wringing my very heart-strings with vnspeakeable anguish Iesus Christ blessed for euer was lifted vp vnto me in the Gospell as an Antitype to the erecting of the brazen Serpent in the Wildernesse In whom dying and bleeding vpon the Crosse I beheld an infinite treasurie of mercy and loue a boundlesse and bottomelesse sea of tender-heartednesse and pitie a whole heauen of sweetnesse peace and spirituall pleasures Whereupon there sprung vp and was inkindled in mine heart an extreme thirst ardent desires vehement longings after that soueraigne sauing blood which alone could ease my grieued soule and turne my foulest sinnes into the whitest snow So that in the case I then was had I had in full taste and sole command the pleasures profits ioyes and glory of many worlds willingly would I haue parted with them all and had I had a thousand liues freely would I haue layd them all downe nay with all mine heart would I haue beene content to haue lyen for a season in the very flames of Hell to haue had the present horrour of my confounded spirit comforted from heauen and my spirituall thirst allayed and a little cooled but with one drop of Christs precious blood the darknesse desolations of my wofull heart refresht and reuiued but with the least glimpse of Gods fauourable countenance The edge eagernesse of which inflamed affections made me cast about with infinite care how to compasse so deare a comfort Then came into my minde the holy Spirit being my mercifull Remembrancer those many melting compassionate inuitations more warming and welcome to my heauy heart then many golden worlds more delicious then delight it selfe Matth. 11. 28. Reu. 21. 6. Ioh. 7. 37. Isa. 55. 1. 57. 15 16. Ezek. 18. 30 31 32. 33. 11. So that at last O blessed worke of faith staying my selfe and resting my sinking soule vpon the Rocke of eternity and the impregnable truth of these sweetest promises sealed with the blood of the Lord Iesus and as sure as God himselfe I threw my selfe into the mercifull and meritorious armes of my crucified Lord with this resolution and reply to all terrors and temptations to the contrary that if I must needs be cast away they shall teare and rent me from the tender bowels of Gods dearest compassions vpon which I haue cast my selfe If they will haue me to hell they shall pull and hale me from the bleeding wounds of my blessed Redeemer to which my soule is fled Whereupon I found and felt and I blesse God infinitely and will through all eternity that euer it was so conueied and deriued vpon me from my blessed Iesus the welspring of immortality and life a quickening influence of his mighty Spirit and heauenly vigour of sauing grace wherby I became a new man quite changed new created By this vitall moouing and incubation as it were of the Spirit of Christ vpon the face of my soule all things became new mine heart affections thoughts words actions delights desires sorrowes society c. Old things passed away behold all things become new And I am sure my change is sound