is neither part nor power of Soule or Body which is not defiled therewith According to the seuerall powers it hath names Originall sinne goeth vnder one name yet hath many branches In one power it is Avarice in another Lecherie in a third Ambition All these sinfull powers though they both incline to and urge their owne worke yet haue they a predominant among them a master vice or captaine sinne which commandeth both the man and all other vyces in him It is euill in it selfe and worst in the kynde Heere is a masse of wonders one that so many euill thinges in man can haue their order and respect to other as a Captaine among Pyrats by Sea or Brigants by Land Next that all of them can submit themselues and suffer the predominant to strengthen it selfe by their defrauding Prid in the wretch will quite honour to purchase gaine and avarice in the proud man will quite gaine to purchase honour Thirdlie that it can change with tyme and age so vncleannesse in Youth Pride in midde Age and Avarice reigneth in olde age And most of all that it remaineth in the godlie Nature neither knoweth nor admitteth this that two contrars shall dwell at once in their greatest degree and predominion in one power of the Soule This is Sathans chiefe fortification against God and his Grace in vs His Posterne doore whereby hee entereth our Soule at his pleasure The chaine wherby hee both bindeth and leadeth vs in captiuitie And the archetratour of our Soule yeelding to his temptations It is good both to know it and find remeede Naturall complexion pointeth at it what euer excelleth in our temperature is the ordinarie seate of it but there are more infalible signes to find it out 1. Frequencie of Satans temptations because he assâ—ulteth vs oftenest in our weakest part and that our strongest corruption is our greatest weaknes 2. The multitude of our thoughts for what is most in the heart is most in the thought 3. The end of our imaginations Where euer they soare it is sure that as a wearie bird after long fleeing they light on our predominant But the remeed of it is most necessar 1. To watch ouer all the motions of it with a wake-ryfe Conscience 2. To exercise our selfe daylie vnder contrare vertue 3. To pray to God daylie for his mortifying Grace against tha corruption that thereby wee may ouercome that master sinne It grieueth God to see vs pestered by Sathan in our owne corruption Hee hath prouyded sauing remeede for his owne and erected a counter-sconse against Sathan and placed our predominant Grace in the seate of our predominant sinne Grace in it selfe euery way is aboue sin it is of a diuine Nature but sinne is deuilish Grace infused is stronger than corruption and the New Man stronger than the Olde but the principall Spirit dwelling in vs is aboue all The meanest grace of God in his haÌ„d is stronger than our predominant vice This profane Age hath multiplied predominants Senslesnesse domineth in the fleshlie men They know not their predominant in the kind in the change nor in the degree And it is a predomining Grace to know the sorts changes degrees of their vices oppose them by the contrare good and vertue It is indeede a wonderfull senslesnesse that letteth men not feele so many tyrants in them Hee is a Slaue of slaues who hath both losed his libertie and the feeling of that tyrannie But hee is Gods free-man that remarketh all their changes and laboureth for the dominion of Grace in himselfe Both the Sonne and holy Spirit haue made that man free This is a coÌ„fortable experience of the Saints to find their predominant sin subdued that tyrant that gaue them Lawes to take Lawes admit the owne defrauding This is an happy change wheÌ„ grace ouerruleth corruption and Gods spirit subdueth Sathan in vs. There is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Iesus Christ hath deliuered mee from the Law of sinne and of death Rom. 1. 2. 94. Phantasies Tyrannie and Remeede MAny count it a foule aspersion to bee called Phantastick but nothing to be so indeed For what is man but a fountaine of fansies intending affecting desiring apprehending absurdittes impossibilities impieties We imagine that which was neuer can neuer nor will neuer be Building and casting downe forming and reforming and in all a strong apprehension of great wisedome It is hard to determine whither the imagination be more free to fansie folie or we more confident of the veritie of it As Boyes with their breath raise bells out of a little water and then doe pursue them in the winde Either they doe not at all catch them or if they doe they are nothing in their hand So is all fansied happinesse it is the worke of an humorous imagination And either neuer attained or if it bee there is more vanitie in the obtaining than in the want of it Wee come from imagination of our desires to a possibilitie and from a possibilitie to a true existing what wee earnestly desire wee thinke it possible and what wee thinke possible bee time we take it as done indeede So great is the power of fansie that though it cannot produce the things themselues yet it can force vs to thinke that they are produced The thinges themselues worke no stronger affection than this fansied apprehension doeth It is a mould that can forme many strange fashions and as other things are formed in it so are wee our selues Though it bee in vs a restlesse power yet wee are as oft-ten framed in it as wee grant it libertie to plat-forme and fashion our lot If guiltinesse were not joyned with the worke of it it were a matter of sport to see how busie it is to wearie it selfe and vs also And yet it were something tolerable if it tooke this liberty in trifles but it ascendeth euen vnto God and our lot in him It presumeth both to appoint a course to prouidence and to judge and sentence what Prouidence hath done It carueth for vs according as it conceateth our worth and giueth a reason to vs how to count of things as it counteth Wee dreame in our sleepe and roue in our Feuers but our fansies waking are worse than both For wee count our dreaming and rouing to bee such but wee count our fansies to bee wisedome How many are dreaming and rouing all their dayes and yet neither waken of their dreames nor coole of their Feuer till death or some calamitie come Phantasies haue no fixed ends to bound them Therefore they runne out as water on plaine ground or aire in an open field They are extrauagant indeed the inter-course betweene a vaine mind and Nothing And what soliditie can there be in a course betweene such two termes as Vanitie Nullitie If we could hold our Spirits directlie on God hem in all their thoughts within the compasse of his will and
CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and these uses to his vnion with GOD. I. CENTVRIE VVith a Resolution for Death c. Newlie published by Mr WILLIAM STRVTHER Preacher of the Gospel at EDINBVRGH Ecclesiastes 2. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. ANNO DOM. 1628. TO GOD ALMIGHTIE GRATIOVS MERCIFVLL c. FATHER SONNE AND HOLIE GHOST His most vnworthie Seruant thristing his glory in the Saluation of the Saints Mr. W. STRVTHER THESE first fruits of Thine owne Grace in mee I offer to Thee O Fountaine of Grace Thy thoughts are pretious to mee and thy Meditations sweete All the desires of mine heart is to Thee and to bring thy Saiuctes to thy fellowship that in that vnion they may enjoy Thy selfe and partake true Happinesse Blesse all meanes vsed to that good end that they may proue meanes of thine owne choyse and worke But aboue all shedde abroad Thy loue in the hearts of Thy people then our preaching and writting will bee either lesse needefull or more fruitfull Thou hast wonâ— to Thy selfe for euer the heart that is deepelie affected with the sense of Thy loue Thou knowest that it can no more byde or rest off Thee than a stone of it selfe can hing in the aire While I thinke of Thee my thoughts increase themselues and while I preasse to expresse them I can not satisfie my selfe in that expression Thou art in the heart that loueth Thee truelie and that heauenlie affection ouercommeth it twise once in vnspeakeable softning sweetnesse nixt in an vnsufficiencie to vtter it But this is some remeede that it can poure it selfe immediatelie vpon Thee Words writes come shorter than thoughts and thoughts shorter than the affection the onelie just and equall expressing of the affection is to thrust it selfe on Thee and to adhere and inhere in Thee continuallie It sufficeth mee that Thou knowest mine heart and thine owne worke in it Let the Meditations of mine heart and the words of my mouth bee acceptable to Thee O GOD my Strength and my Redeemer and direct Thou the workes of mine hands that all may serue to the magnifying of Thy glorious Grace and edifying of thy people AMEN TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader THE present time Christian Reader both offereth these obseruations to me and throweth their publication from mee None walketh with opened eyes but these and the like shall occurre vnto him This time of the Gospel aboundeth in the meanes of sauing knowledge but few partake it The most part brutishlie neglect it other in their search are carried on the by Seeking affecting and resting on trifling knowledge as on happinesse and many who in some sort find it out doe separate from it both affection action so preuailing Athesme giueth thee effront to sauing Knowledge Grace in the Gospel But the Sun sendeth a quickening heate as well as a shining â—ight and man is borne with heart and hands as well as with eyes The worke of light is to discouer but affection separateth vs from the discouered euill and ioyneth vs to the knowne Good and to walke in the direction of that Light and the discerning of Affection is to know sauinglie It is the best knowledge which is about the best things and needeth least change at Death To know GOD and our happinesse in Him hath no change at Death but in the degree aduancing to perfection As other thinges so other knowledge will then vanish This is the affectuous and actuous Knowledge according to godlinesse wherevnto I labour in the Lord to stirre Thee vp That knowing GOD in Christ thou may liue in Him and walke in Him The sense of a God-head is the marrow and kernell of Christianitie Without this all our knowledge is but a carcase of knowledge wee our selues the carions of Christians The Lord worke these good things in thee and thee to his Image to fill Thee heere with Grace and heereafter with glorie Amen Thine in the Lord Mr. William Struther CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLVTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and all these uses to his union with GOD. 1. The Christian Furniture THREE thinges are necessar for our Christian walking the right end the straight way and a good Guide And all these are to bee found in God alone his glorie is the right end and the high way to this ende is his Word and himselfe the onelie Guide yea hee himselfe is all these three Hee is the Way and the Trueth and the Life for wee are led by his Spirit in his will to himselfe His presence in mercie giueth vs all this furniture and without it euerie man goeth astray some seeke the right end but choose not the straight way some find the straight way but seeke not the right end in place of God they seeke and follow themselues in all their businesse they aduance not one foote from their first and naturall condition but are more drowned in miserie than at their birth The truelie godlie come to this threefold blessing The more sincerelie they intend his glorie the more sure are they of his direction and guiding This is Abrahams walking before God and Enochs walking with him and Paul his walking in him The present fruite is answerable to such grounds a certaintie to obtaine such an end because of the way and Guide a securitie in that way and a joy in the conscience of rhem all The conscience of the sinceritie of our intention of our endeuouring to find and walke in the way is a great degree of his presence in grace a presage of his presence in glorie The Soule that laboureth for this sort of walking in this life shall bee with him for euer after this life The most part of men proclaime to the world that they haue neuer thought earnestlie of this Iourney Their furniture is rather for Hell if such a Iourney needed furniture then for Heauen They take this worlde for their home themselues for their end their Guide and Guarde loosing their heartes to all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse But the godlie know they haue no byding citie heere therefore they seeke for one to come and deale with God for this prouision in so dangerous a way Hee may bee sure of that end who is guided and guarded by God in the way to it Hee who is now alwayes in God must bee with God for euer So hee guideth his owne with his Counsell and afterward bringeth them to his glorie 2. Operations of Gods Spirit are powerfull THe working of Gods Spirit is neither at our desire nor our direction Hee bloweth where hee listeth and GODS Kingdome commeth not by obseruation Our euill deseruing hath more power to stay him than our desires to set him on worke omissions grieue him greatlie but commission of grosse sinnes grieue him
wil grow worse and are commanded to forsake it But the latter Ages loue it more than the former did Doubtlesse this is because man in his tyme groweth worse than the world It was neuer good to loue it no not at the best but now in the end of it when it is worse than euer it was to dote vpon it is extreame madnesse Such a dotage may end in a perpetuall union with it or rather in destructioÌ„ If we be the excellent ones of God and Sainctes on Earth wee are better than the world because wee are hiâ— choyse out of it and it is certaine that hee chooseth the best what euer wee be by nature we are vnspeakablie bettered by his electioÌ„ which maketh vs that which he choyseth and calleth vs to It is therefore a frensie to prostitute the excellencie of Gods Image in vs vnto so base an idoll as the world 10 Discouerie of mans closed heart O What a discouerie would it bee if mens heartes were as well seene as their body Small moats goe not thicker in the Sunne beames than mans intentions and ends And the threed of Spiders in a wood doe no more crosse and woft through other than mens wayes to their endes It is a wonder how man one in kinde can be so contrare in their ends and wayes And it is a strong argument that the most part misse the right end and runne the wrong way The chiefe good is one and the right way to it is onely one but man missing the right falleth in innumerable errors And it is yet more wonderfull that euerie man resteth on a double perswasion both that his end is good and that his wayes will bring him to it Neither is this all but euery man setteth himselfe as a pettie god both for worth to obtaine and for wisedome to compasse them As it is Gods priuiledge to know the heart immediately so is it his wisedome to hide it from men If all the thoughts of it were seene of other there could be nothing but a perpetuall striuing in mankynd and euerie one abhorred of other for their monstruous thoughtes neither the Seas nor Africke can bring foorth such monsters as mans heart in one houre It is best to cast off all wrong ends and eschew all by-wayes to set true Happinesse before vs as our end and walke toward it in Faith and Obedience Other ends will proue no more fixed than fleeing moates in the aire And other wayes haue no more force to fitch these ends thaÌ„ Speeders threeds haue to draw a great weight Our heart is euer opeÌ„ to God let vs opeÌ„ it to maÌ„ also the words deeds of a single heart make it visible to man Except they be possessed of Satan they cannot but loue that heart that is ful of the loue of God The wicked labour to hyde his thoughts but the godly affect to haue them knowne Hee is as the man who craued not his house to bee so built that he might see all meÌ„ none see him But rather that all men might see him in the most retired corners of his house Hee assureth himselfe to bee acceptable to man if the honestie of his heart were seene Why may he not byde the tryall of man who hath already sustained the sight findeth the approbation of God to the honesty of his heart Both the vprightnes of the hart testimony of that vprightnes are knowne of God alone and the vpright heart that hath them The world will not see that vprightnesse and they cannot heare the testimonie of it but God approueth that vprightnesse and confirmeth that testimonie and the Soule that is sensible of all these resteth in securitie 11. Youth and old Age. YOuth in many may bee called a foolish seede time to a mourning Age and old Age a bitter haruist to a foolish Youth Though in Youth wee escape grieuous and slandrous sinnes yet none lacketh his slips and infirmities thogh speciall prouidence keepe vs from grosse Commissions yet none is free of sinfull Omissions None seemeth to bee more free of the folies of Youth thaÌ„ they who are soone called effectually to Grace yet haue they their owne neglects While they are keeped by GODS Spirit from fleshly pollutions they are caried often by fleshly presumption Sathan is so craftie that when hee cannot set our corruption to worke on the owne taske of sinne he can abuse the beginnings of Grace And so many vpon the coÌ„science of Grace soone receiued fall either to neglect of their particular Calling or conceating of a perfection are carelesse of Grace it selfe their strong and short beginnings are followed with slow and weake proceedings These are indeede two Blessings in themselues to be soone called to Grace and before our calling to bee free of grosse sinnes Againe these are contrare euils to bee long of calling and monstruous in sinne before our calling but Sathan abuseth the first two Blessings in making vs carelesse after our calling as though wee needed not to bee zealous because our former life was not slandrous And God turneth the other two to good in making them more zealous who were long of calling and grieuous sinners before it S. Paul did more euill before his conuersion than all the Apostles and answerablie more good after it In euerie one there is matter eneugh for mourning to old age It is great cruelty in Youth to make â—o noysome prouision for Age That the tyme wherein wee looke for joy and rest should bee turned in sorrow Age at the best hath sufficient griefes It is of it selfe a sicknesse and a neighbour to Death and needeth not so bad prouision of Youthlie folies But since the first cannot bee auoyded it is better to mourne in olde Age than in Hell fire for euer If the Experience of Age cannot be found in Youth let not the rashnesse of Youth rule in olde Age also It is better so to diuide our life that there bee some mourning for euill than to turne it all both Youth and Age in a seede time to Hell But it is best of all to haue a seede time of Grace in our Youth for a joyfull olde Age and to turne both Youth and Age in a seede time for Glory in Heauen The godly in the midst of their corruptions sow this seed a care to please God in a faithfull discharge of their Calling is a matter of joy for their olde Age. Foolish Youth shareth vnequally with old Age It taketh libertie to it selfe and reserueth nothing but bitter pennance to the other If they fell not both in one person it were hard that Age should smart for Youths follies It is lamentable that our first and strongest time hath least wit our wisest age hath least strength Wee haue wounded our selues deadlie before wee know our estate and all our after-time is to cure these wounds O how happie is hee whom Gods effectuall Grace saluteth at the Cradle And with his first discerning indueth him with
safetie God by his Spirit is our best Guarde When he keepeth our heartes in his hand then wee are secured from all dangers It is not good to sleepe securely wheÌ„ a Serpent is in the house or to be carelesse wheÌ„ a mad dog is tyed with a loose roppe Such carelesnesse is an infalible precedent of some grosse fall Dauid at rest in his owne place fell worse than when hee was chased as a Patridge in the Wildernesse If we cannot escape Sathans supprysings we should turne them against himselfe God maketh these out-breakings in his Saintes as a staffe to breake the heade of Sathan in their corruption They are as the borrowing of a Baire hee houndeth out our corruption to foyle vs but God sendeth it home as a carcase to him againe Beside the former exercises it entertaineth Humilitie and the sense of Gods mercie who beareth with our faults Pride as a Page attendeth excellent Spirit But the slippes and buffets of our corruption layeth these feathers Pride goeth before a fall and an hautie heart before destruction 57. Gods best Gifts THere is no maÌ„ who receiueth not of Gods Liberalitie but not all of that same kinde and that measure Some as Keturahs sonnes get common gifts and goe away from him Other as his Isaac get the Inheritance and abide with him Some haue the giftes of body and minde and Fortune as they call them gifts in themselues but no sure pledge of his sauing loue But to the godly with his gifts he giueth himselfe a spirituall beeing by Renouation a spirituall life by his Sonne a spirituall mouing by his Spirit Our disposition will tell vs his affection If wee take his gifts runne away with them and use them without and against him then wee haue gotten his gift but not himselfe But if they lead vs to him and make vs seeke him aboue them all then wee haue himselfe with his gifts These are best giftes which are most excellent in their kinde Greatest in measure and most profitable for use What is better than GOD Himselfe And amongst his gifts none is better thaÌ„ sauing Graces They bring with theÌ„ the Image and warming power of a speciall loue and stamppe the heart of the receiuer with a re-louing of him For measure they are sufficient to our greatest necessitie of Saluation For use they leade vs through the Valley of this life through the foorde of Death And exalt vs aboue all use euen to the fruitioÌ„ of God And so in this life are the immediate matter of our contentment Common gifts come out naked but sauing Graces are guarded that same choosing loue of God where from they flow sendeth out a secrete vertue with them to pull that heart to God that receiueth them Though they come out from him yet they are not separate from him neither suffer they vs to stand abacke from him That his loue in Christ that giueth them quickneth vs with the sense of it selfe that as by him wee liue so wee cannot liue but in him This is a sweet intercourse botweene God vs in his sauing blessings in Christ I count more of his smallest grace with himselfe than of all the world without him 58. Discerning of Flesh and Spirit HOw profitable were it for vs to discerne betweene the flesh and Spirite But this discerning hath a great difficultie and that because both parties are within vs And both of them in euery parte and power of vs Their likenes also one to another and the readinesse of our mistaking and most of all because wee incline more to the flesh which is natiue to vs than to Grace which is a stranger Flesh is first in vs by Nature and soonest at worke And so forestalling our mindes purchaseth our allowence to it selfe Confusion of our minde maketh them as Rebekahs twinnes wee finde them stirring within vs but cannot discerne them Passions and Selfe-loue make vs judge wrong wee take that for Spirit which is Flesh and cherish it And that for Flesh which is Spirit and neglect it That coueting one against another is sensible but we know them not particularlie And more easilie can we discerne them in another than in our selfe The worke is then manifest and wee are not prejudged by our selfe-loue It is a great part of the worke of conscience to marke this difference The Apostle excelleth in this who said I finde another Law in my members The best way to try them is not to leaue them to the event but to bring them to the rule The true knowledge of Gods Law will tell vs That is Spirit which agreeth with it and that is Flesh which agreeth not with it At diuerse times wee haue contrarie thoughts of one thing the one must bee flesh and the other Spirit what sauoureth of pride and vanitie is flesh What sauoureth of Humilitie and feare is Spirit As the descerning of them argueth a great degree of Grace so to doe according to that discerning proueth a greater degree of it When the motions of the flesh are broken as a Cockatrice egges before they bee hatched and the motions of that Spirit are intertained Both these workes are noysome to the flesh but they are more profitable in that they grieue it He hath a painefull task who pondereth all his thoughtes in the ballance of the Sanctuarie but the fruite of that labour in puritie and holinesse is greater than all the paines Iustice is painted with a ballance in her hand and the practice of a good Conscience in this discerning is a continuall pondering Where this discerning is exact particular it is a singular preseruatiue to keepe vs from yeelding to temptation a spurre to Repentance when we are fallen He who is so exercised shall either not fall in sinne or come soone out of it 59. Gods mercifull presence GODS Presence in mercie is aboue all things in this life to bee sought and keeped But euery one knoweth not what it is or how to keepe it As Creator hee is with euery one sustaining maintaining and directing them in their wayes The greatest A thiest cannot shift himselfe of that sort of presence But wee seeke his presence as Redeemer in Christ. In this hee seeth vs and maketh vs see him Hee sheddeth abroad his loue in our heart and maketh vs to loue him and by his working in loue maketh vs both sensible and conscious of him and carefull to walk worthie of that his presence His couÌ„tenance both humbleth vs in our peace and comforteth vs in aduersitie Our well and woe are judged by his smyling and frowning If hee lift vp the light of it aboue vs nothing can gâ—ieue vs If hee hide it from vs wee are swallowed vp It hath both a changing and augmenting power Thereby aduersitie is changed in prosperitie and prosperitie is doubled by that Blessing of blessings euen as the lacke of it changeth prosperitie in aduersitie and doubleth aduersitie by that crosse of crosses His eye is more to vs than all
warrand of their doing or comfort in their trouble And I wonder at many Châ—istians whoÌ„ God hath blessed with this Booke but they know not their blâ—ssing hereein they find more delight in other books thaÌ„ in this And some affect such Treatises as may be instrumeÌ„ts of their vncleannesse or ambition and trifling complementing Filthie and obscene Pamphlets are bought and reade more greedilie than this sacred VVryte But this is a discouerie of mens profane disposition It is a token of profannesse to loath Scripture but a note of true Grace to delight into it And of a growing grace to grow in that delight The happie man that walketh not in the way of the wicked nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornefull commeth to all this blessednesse because his delight is in the Law of God and hee meditateth therein night and day Let good Christians choose our these Pearles while the Swine eat vp their husks It seasoneth the heart with an heauenly taste and inducth it with diuine pâ—operties If the Iewes did receiâ—e an odde temper of body and Spirite because of Manna shall wee not haue a greater excellencie by this heauenlie Manna and Iesus Christ in it If wee would be sure of the life of God in vs let vs continually drink in these heauenly Oracles The daylie seasoning of our Soules by holy Scripture keepeth in vs the vigour of that life and fostereth our Soule constantlie in a spirituall taste 66. The fearfull calamitie of Warres AS the Earth-quake to Earth so is VVarre to Mankinde a fearefull commotion The calamities of it destroyeth Ciuilitie Libertie Lawes Religigion and Humanitie it selfe It is a grieuous thing to see man made for the good of man so earnestly to destroy his neighbour and that with the hazard of himselfe For the desire of the life and blood of his Brother to be prodigal of his own And for the opinion of most manfull men to turne beastes voyd of humanitie in destroying their owne kynde and deuils in defacing the Image of God God commanded man to increase and multiplie but they turne it in diminishing of mankynde and make a craft of it to destroy one another I cannot thinke but mankinde mourne more to finde such rent in her bowels than the persons so disposed It is one worke but hath diuerse respects in it Some thereby ambitiously seeketh preferment some avaritiouslie hunt for gaine Others cruelly seeke the sythment of a reuengfull heart and others in that loosing of all order seeke a licence to all wickednesse But God both intendeth and worketh his good ends into it It is his Chirurgrie to draw some superfluous blood of mankynde And his discipline to such as are dissolute Doubtlesse God hath some as Cornelius warriours fearing God but it is as sure that many are voyde of the feare God they initiate themselues for warres in the Aile house and Bordell And so soone as as they are girded with the Souldiers girdle they loose themselues to all profannesse God disciplineth them with the Muscat Canon and Sword in the fielde who would neither abide the admonition nor censure of Pastors at home It is his ehastening of his Church she abuseth her peace in warring against him by sin therfore he maketh maÌ„ to war against her to bring her to repentance No warres are so cruell as these for Religion In ciuill jarres it is but as one Deuill smiting another the strokes will bee soft But heere Sathan is smiting the Light and the bearers of it and that with certaine victorie to Gods enemies so long as Gods quarell remaineth against his Church It is a parte of his processe against her and his enemies are a scourge in his hand therefore they must preuaile till his Church be sufficiently humbled Heere the case of the victor is worse than of these who are ouercome for the one are corrected in a wrath mixed with mercie but the other is imployed in that seruice in a simple wrath And while they are Gods instruments to punish the sinnes of his Church they are filling vp the cup of their owne sinnes that full vengeance may ouertake them It is our best not to fight against God in our peace and if hee bring warre on vs not to rest till wee bee at peace with him The rage of Warre is bounded if wee bee one with him hee will either giue vs our Soule for a prey or take vs to a better life All deaths are sanctified to the Elect and to die for Religion is a most glorious death Souldiers call it the bedde of honour to die in the battell though many of them bee dead in sinne but to die in the Lord is the bedde of honour indeede to lay downe our life for his cause who gaue it and to turne the naturall debt of Death in so glorious a sacrifice It is a token of Gods honourable accompt of vs to charge vs with such a seruice of his presence with vs in so triumphing a Grace and a pledge of the greatest degree of Glorie in Heauen 67. God seeth the heart THat GOD seeth the secretes of our heart is a point terrible to the wicked but joyfull to the godly The wicked are sorie that their heart is so open It is a boyling potte of all mischiefe a fornace and Forge-house for euill It grieueth them that man should heare and see their wordes and actions But what a terrour is this that their Iudge whom they hate seeth their thought If they could deny this they would But so many of them as are convinced and forced to acknowledge a God are shaken bee times with this also that hee is All-seeing Other proceed more summarlie and atonce deny a God-heade in their heart and so destroy this conscience of his All-knowledge But it is in vaine the more they harden their heart on this godlesse thought the more feare in them while they chock and charme their conscience that it crow not against them It checketh them with fore-sight of fearefull vengeance and for the present conuinceth them of the conscience of a God-head the more they preasse to suppresse it But the godly rejoyce heerein it is to them a rule to square their thoughtes there is no libertie of Thinking VVilling VVishing Affecting in the heart where that candle shineth all are framed as worthie of him and his sight whom they see seeing their heart This worke is all secrete and knowne of them alone in whom it is The stranger shall not meddle with the joye of that Soule It seeth GOD All-eye looking on it and layeth it selfe open both to see him and to bee seene of him And that not onely for to bee directed but to bee allowed The first is the warrand to doe The second is the seale that it is well done It is their comfort against man traducing their words and actions When man that seeth not their heart expoundeth them contrare to their heart they solace themselues in
prouidence wee would relieue our selues both of wearisome labour and disappointment following They spend our spirit more than serious thoughtes and their end is at the best repentance of that fruitlesse labour They are indeede but fansied errors yet they bring a reall hurt They bereaue vs of the vse and comfort of our present lotte vpon the imagination of a better and so at once worke a double discontent One present in not resting on our present Lotte Another to come in counting our Lotte as a losse in respect of that other Lotte which we fansied to our selfe He who taketh libertie to desire much and then deuoureth that large desire by as large an hope will neuer rest content with his present Lotte though it were too good for him Hee hath escaped the tyrannie of fansie who is full of Trueth and Humilitie Hee seeketh nothing but true good and hath drawne the portrate of true happinesse in God that his fantasies can no more abuse him His minde cannot fansie so much seeming or conceated good as hee findeth true good in himselfe alreadie by the Grace of GOD To bee a Childe of GOD an heire of Heauen and a fellow-heire with Christ is more than all the forged birth of out-racked fansies of earthlie things They may breake in and scanne some odde excellencies for him but at once he dasheth out these lines Hee resteth so on God and the worke of his Spirit that fantasies are choaked in their beginning Whom haue I in Heauen but Thee and and on Earth I haue desired none with Thee Psal. 73. 95. The Christians refuge WEe liue in a dangerous tyme the full measure of former sinnes and the rypenesse of Gods wrath maketh euery houre a time for calamities Craft and policie in Sathan wickednesse in the world and nothing in vs but weakenesse to resist them driueth vs all to a necessitie of refuge The most part put the euill day farre from them and are surprysed by it they are nearest to it who put it farrest away Other prouide for it but doe it amisse They runne to the bruised reede of Egypt and not to the Lord of Hostes. It is indeede a tempting of God to neglect lawfull meanes but it is a forsaking of him to trust in them There is no sure refuge in the day of trouble but vnder the shaddow of the Almightie Psal. 91. 1. Many seeke suretie for their goods and life but neglect their Soule If the Soule bee well secured all the rest shall bee disponed off by a mercifull prouidence It is foolishnesse to guard them and leaue the heart guardlesse if it bee chocked with feares what comfort haue wee in the saftie of these thinges Wee will haue no comfort but rather griefe of them vnder such astonishment The more the heart goe out to outward thinges it is drawen the more from it selfe and from God and more guardlesse than if it had no guard at all As necessities try our disposition so danger discouereth our refuge because we are readie to deceiue our selues with conceate of confidence in God alone Therefore GOD sendeth oft-times trouble to try our heartes Rumours of trouble are as the Hunters horne and the trouble it selfe as the noise of Dogs in the Forrest What euer wee runne to in our danger that is our refuge The Soule that hath God for a refuge runneth the first way to him and abideth in him This is our best at all times to dwell in God and finde him dwelling in vs If we bee in his secret wee shall bee secured hee shall deliuer vs from outward troubles and inward feares God is our guard and the peace of a good Conscience is our lurking vnder his shaddow Though all turne vp-side downe Ps. 46. 2. yet he will giue rest to his beloued Ps. 127. 2. I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that hee will deliuer that to mee which I haue committed to him 2. Tim. 1. Hee is a faithfull dispositar will restore it better than it was committed we committed to him a fraile and a mortall body and an infirme Spirite but he shall render it to vs a perfect glorious Soule and body 96. Mankinds threefold degree MAnkind is one spece of Creature but Gods wisedome hath disposed them with three considerable degrees The first in naturall gifts and abilities and so euerie man hath his owne naturall and humane priuiledges as gifts of bodie of mind and of estate The second is ciuill and so euery man hath his particular calling Some are as the Head in this Body as Kings And other as the Breast some as the Hand and Feete of this great Bodie The third is spirituall whereby man is the mysticall Body of Christ wherein some are as the eyes directing as Pastours Some the other parts of this Bodie according to their spirituall gifts It is both profitable and comfortable to take vp this triple respect Euerie man hath some place in euery of them God hath so disposed that diuersities of gifts callings and graces serue all to make vp a comelie proportion and so a beautie in mankind in euerie respect all naturall gifts though diuerse in kinds and degree make vp a comelie beautie in the first respect All callings from the King to the grinder at the Mill haue in their varietie and diuersitie a comelie ciuill beautie euery one filling his own place and looking to other with the respects both of necessitie and helpe As the meanest calling hath neede of the greater so it helpeth it againe in some necessitie And all spirituall gifts in Christ make vp the heauenly proportion of Christs mysticall Body Though mankind bee the subject of this wise ranking yet the most part of men consider it not They see no more in man than Soule and a Body and outward respects in prosperitie or aduersity Their sight is so short that they neither see these diuerse degrees nor the Harmonie which is among them all Euery one answering another and all making vp that beautie Their thoughts heerein are grosse and confused and their carriage is all for confusion They disturbe the order established of God and deface the beautie that commeth of it And so defraude other and themselues of that fruite that God offereth in the wise ranking of mankind But there is some in-equalitie in them for naturall giftes are sufficient Furniture for the ciuill callinges but both the naturall and ciuill giftes doe not so rule the spirituall calling God in things naturall hath a more presse course to lay callinges on men as they are naturally gifted But in Christianitie his worke is more free therein both the gift and their place in Christ goe together and they haue no ground nor reason from man but onelie Gods most free disposing Consider your calling not manie mightie not many noble according to the flesh are called 1. Cor. 1. The beste fruite of this consideration is to know our place in all these three respects and to vse it to the
of vs in our tyme Hee fulfilled the Law tooke away Sinne satisfied Gods Iustice and so brak the jawes of Death Shall I then feare to follow such a Captaine Hee hath made Death but a carcase of an enemie I haue neither to feare in it Sinne which is pardoned nor Law which is fulfilled nor Iustice which is satisfied It is a Serpent without the Sting a Gyant without bones or armes though it swallow mee vp in a naturall dissolution it shall cast mee out as the Whale did Ionah in an immortall condition when this mortalitie shall bee swallowed vp of life When Dauid had killed Goliah the Israelites ranne as fast to see him as they fledde before from him beeing aliue Doubtlesse they contemned that sometimes terrible Gyant they trod vpon him with their feete and cut him with there swords They did that securelie because hee was dead Hee who was euen now the matter of their feare his lifeles carcase is turned a matter of their contempt and his death a cause of their joye Death may separate thee from this Bodie but neither from God nor his life in thee it shall the more vnite thee to him this Bodie that dyeth by thy departing shall liue in Death It dyeth as a creature the part of such a one but it liueth as a member of Christ and the Temple of the holie Spirit both because it is separate from all spirituall corruption of Sinne and quickened spirituallie by the holy Ghost who departeth not from it and in the Spirit of Iesus who remaineth our Head euen in Death And lastlie because thou my best part shall bee in libertie with God Death may destroy naturall life but not the Spirituall neither in Grace nor Glorie It can sease on no more than I had when I sinned in Adam I got nothing then but a sinfull body but now in Christ I haue a new bodie created to his Image who is Life it selfe so farre is it from either destroying mee or dissoluing my union with him that it both saueth mee setting mee at libertie from sinne and perfecteth mine union absolutelie with him It rusheth indeede furiouslie on mee but grippeth nothing but my shaddow I am in God in Christ as I am beloued and chosen called and sanctified As I am such Death cannot finde nor grippe mee While hee grippeth nothing but this bodie of dust as Potiphars wife laying hold on Ioseph I goe to God and leaue my garment in his hand I am dead to the world and sinne and my life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ my Life shall appeare then shall I in Soule and Bodie appeare with him in Glorie Resent thine owne estate and thou shalt finde what I say Hast thou not dyed to the world and left it before it left thee And hast thou not left the bodie before it leaue thee If thou had not come to God till the world had forsaken thee and the bodie chased thee out hee had found just cause to forsake thee and send thee backe in disdaine to these thy beloued false friends But now since in thy prosperitie thou renounced the worlde and in thine health and strength thou went daylie to God choosing rather to bee in him than in the bodie Surelie hee will welcome thee That is a token of thy liuing in him and his liuing in thee Marke how thou hast euen in this life preuented the buriall of thy bodie Hast thou not with Ioseph of Aramathea hewen thee a Sepulchre in the Rock And cropen in by the holes of that Rocke that was pearced for thee How oft hast thou gone in by these wounds of Christ to his heart by his suffering to his loue and the loue of God in him and washen thy selfe in the blood of his satisfaction Hast thou not also prepared the fine Linnen and wrapped thy selfe in the winding-sheete of his righteousnesse Thy sinnes are buried in the Seas of his mercie and thy selfe is hid in him before euer thy bodie be layed in the dust And hast thou not prouided Oyle for thy Lampe that when thou goest out of this bodie thou wander not in darknesse but enter streight way in Heauen All thy care in this life hath beene to get Oyle and to make it shine to find light and walke in that light The Rock thy Sepulchrie hath inclosed thee the Linnen of his Righteousnesse couered thee and that burning Oyle in thy Lampe shall not waste till thou enter in Heauen Since God euen thy God hath anointed thee with some measure of the Oyle of gladnesse hee hath prepared thee for his Heauenlie buriall and the smell of his Oyntments powred out on thee hath wrought a distaste of all worldlie pleasures Foure speciall thinges bring solemne joyes in this life and if we bee in Christ they all meete in vs at Death Birth Mariage Triumph and Coronation Death is my best Birth day If the childe in the wombe knew that hee were comming foorth to a free light hee would not weepe at his birth but Nature in him taketh his deliuerie for destruction so maketh him mourne at the just cause of his joye My first birth brought me out of the prison of the wombe My second brought mee out of Nature and Sinne This third and last shall bring mee perfectlie out of the world and all miserie It is my Mariage day with Christ mine Husband he hath loued mee with euerlasting loue and betrouthed mee to himselfe in righteousnesse and trueth And our Bandes are daylie proclaimed in his worshippe his Gospel preached is the signification of his loue on his part and our Prayers and desires are the signification on our part since I am glad of the Match and rejoyce at the proclaiming of these Bannes why should I fray at the solemnizing of the Mariage God sendeth out Pastors as Abraham did his seruant to choose a wife to Isaak These Messengers haue found me continuallie about the well of liuing waters The sight of Abrahams riches euen the chose Graces of God haue wone mine heart to Isaak and I haue gladlie condescended to forsake all and goe to him Though I finde him at the Euening and Sun-sette of my life I shall enjoy with him an euerlasting day of heauenlie contentment Esther was not sorrowfull but rejoyced to be takē by Ahashuerosh to wife and should not I rejoyce when the Lambe of God Christ Iesus sendeth for mee It is an glorious triumph Dauid was glad whē he heard the people sing of his victorie ouer Goliah shall I not rejoyce when God hath stramped all mine enemies vnder my feete when the deuils are howling for their defeate and the good Angels◠and Spirits doe welcome mee with joyfull Acclamations It is more seemelie that I put in my part with the glorious Spirits in the heauenly harmonie than with the euill ones in howling To bee dashed in Death is to let the present victorie goe out of mine hands Sathan shall then ouercome mee when
gaue me no solide peace till I tooke on mee both the yocke of Christ in mine effectuall calling to grace and of the Ministerie of the Word By this doing thou drew all my thoughts to practick Diuinitie as to the best sort holding mee euer about the end and the use the fruite of the best meanes to it for keeping of a good Conscience Thou hast joyned foure things in me that furnisheth daylie exercise to my Spirit 1. A naturall disposition inclining to pensiuenesse so that my greatest rest is in the multitude and throng of enquiring thoughts 2. The worke of Grace in the sanctified exercise of Conscience 3. And thy prouidence without euerie day furnishing a new crosse as mine ordinary dyet a matter both to my naturall disposition Conscience 4. And with all these the assiduous labour of a painefull Ministerie changing the nature of rest and labour in mee So that my greatest rest is in greatest labour and a short relaxation doeth wearie mee more than long bending of my Spirit As thou didst separate me to the Gospel of thy Son and counted mee faithfull and put mee in the Ministerie thou possest me with a care to bee faithfull in it and to approue my selfe to thee in preaching thy word as thy word and in partaking of that Grace which in thy Name I offer to other Thou made mee thinke it a fearefull judgement to feede others and sterue my selfe To builde the Arke of Noe to saue others and perish in the waters my selfe but to striue to this compleat fruite of the Ministerie by faithfull discharge of my duetie to saue my selfe and them that heare mee 1. Timoth 16. I caÌ„not but count this among thy greatest mercies to mee that in the midst of my trouble thou fillest my Soule with thy peace that in the multitude of the thoughts of mine heart thy comfortes delight mee Psal. 94. 19. While I am thy prisoner in this bed of disease cannot declare thy mercies in publicke to thy people Thou giuest mee libertie to speake of thy wondrous workes to them that visite mee to exhort them to liue the life of the righteous and in as great confidence in thy Name to assure them that in that case they shall die the death of the righteous And to say with thy Prophet Come and heare all yee that feare the Lord and I will declare what hee hath done to my Soule I cryed vnto him with my mouth and hee was exalted with my tongue If I regarded iniquitie in mine heart the Lord will not heare mee But truelie God hath heard me and hath hearkened to the voyce of my prayer Ps 66. 16 17 18 19. For hee seeth no sinne in Iaacob nor transgression in Israel Numb 23 21. But as manie as walke according to this rule his peace is on them and his mercie and vpon the Israel of God Galat. 6. 16. This I take as a seale of thy loue that thou hast both accepted mee and my former endeâ—ours and pardoned all my sinnes in the Sonne of thy loue What would be my case if in those paines my wonted terrours had possessed mee But thou who comforteth the abject knowest my weaknesse layest no more on mee than I can beare Thou makest thy Grace sufficient for mee to giâ—e mee the out gate with the temptation that thy power may bee manifested in my weakenesse 1. Cor. 12. 7. 9. Blessed bee God who hath not turned away my prayers nor his mercies from mee Psal. 66. 20. How precious are thy thoughts to mee O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand Psal. 139. 17. 18. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderous vvorkes which thou hast done and thy thoughts vvhich are towards vs they cannot hee reckoned vp in order to thee If I would declare and speake of them they are moe than can bee numbred Psal. 40. 5. But this is a small summe of a greater roll that I may both testifie to the world my thankfulnesse to thee who hast ladened mee daylie with thy blessings And stirre vp others to marke thy mercifull dealing with them in their youth That finding thy goodnesse in good occasions and education and the blessing of both in learning and godlinesse they may bee thankefull to thee O what a mercie is it in so dangerous a time as Youth to bee brought by thy Spirit to true Wisedome and godlines Then Witte is weakest and corruption is strongest and we readie euery houre to cast our selfe in sinnes which may cost vs eternall murning But thou preuentest Sathan and ingageth vs in thy Grace and obedience before either hee can abuse vs in iniquitie or wee doe know what good thou art working in vs. Thou knowest how forcible the sense and conscience of thy mercie is both to make vs thankefull for it and desirous and confident of more None can feele thy loue in thy Fatherlie care ouer him in his Youth but his heart must dissolue in loue to thee and powring out it selfe on thee waite vpon the due accomplishment of such good beginnings When I remember these thy mercies I finde them mine obligements to thee How thou didst beare more with mee than all the world or I could beare with my selfe I both wonder at thy vnspeakable loue pursuing with kindnesse so vile a worme And am confident that thou who hath begunne thy good worke in mee will also finish it till the day of the Lord Iesus WhoÌ„ thou louest thou louest to the end Thy calling and gifts are vvithout Repentance VVho shall separate vs from the loue of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things preseÌ„t nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 38. 39. Vnder this acquaintance with Death and certaintie of these glorious thinges after it the bitternesse of Death is disgested As the godlie and wicked haue contrare respects of Death and contrare grounds and contrare desires so also contrare disposition and practice when it commeth I leaue the horrors of it to them that are vnder sinne Their death is like a Malefactors execution when hee is pannaled and justlie convicted one pulleth the Hatte doggedlie from him another his bond a third bindeth his hands behind his backe and the poore man ouercome with griefe and feare is dead before hee die But I looke for the Death of the Righteous and a peaceable ende that it shall bee as a going to bed of an honest man His seruants with respect take off his cloathes and lay them downe in order A good Conscience then playing the Page ordereth all so that it confirmeth and increaseth his peace It biddeth good-night to Faith Hope and such other attending graces and giftes in the way When wee are come home to Heauen
but where contrars by their strife are brought to a mids there is the good of mankinde Our complexion is made vp of contrare qualities of the elements and harmonie is a meeting of contrare sounds It is worth our labour to marke this disposition and Gods prudence bringing all to a temper and a good end And withall to incline to a tempered and tempering wit moderation of courses If there be any fault in such moderatioÌ„ it is both lesse in it selfe more curable than the faults of fleshly extremities If any consider these extremes a part hee can not bee without passion hee shall offend at the headie and hotter sort as fire-brands and at the coldnesse of the sluggish as impediments of good But beeing joyntlie considered as they are tempered of God to his owne glorie and the well of mankynde hee shall lay downe his offence Their nature and action seuerall is to hurt but God causeth euery one of them to hemme in another and so disposeth them to a better temper But the moderate Spirit shall be beaten of both extreames Hee is indeed a friend to both and yet is counted of both as an enemie As a Land lying far in the Sea is beaten on both sides by waues yet keepeth the soliditie of earth So he is assaulted of both yet keepeth his moderate temper Both extreames take him for their contrare extreame Fyrie men call him sottish and soft men call him fyrie but hee standeth at his stayed posednesse and enduring their frivolous censure reduceth them if they bee curable to the golden mids He rejoyceth in God who hath giuen him eyes to see that his diuine contemperation of mankynd and hath turned his Spirit of it selfe inclinable to extreames to moderation While both parties stand out against other in the claime of perfection to themselues and imputing of folie to the other hee thanketh God who both at the first and in the constant cariage of his adoes hath blessed him with that temper which they can neuer attaine but by Repentance and amendement 85. Needlesse feares are fruitfull to the godly EVen false and needlesse feares worke true good in the godly If they come not as they apprehend our profite is double one in the escaping of the feared euill the other in the great store of Grace which they produce It is the best sort of errour when feares proue false and the feared euill commeth not but that errour is recompenced with a true fruite when it draweth vs neere to God There is great oddes betweene the true and false feare in their grounds but not so in their fâ—uit For the false doeth shake vs and bring out Repentance and resolution for death as well the other Beside the contempt of the world the loathing of the vanities of it holy vowes of better obedience to God a renouncing of all come of such feares It is great mercie in God to work the same work of Grace in vs by false feares that hee would by true feare and the greater that our losses are lesse and our lesson the same Wise Captaines can giue false alarmes to their Souldiers if they goe franklie to their Armes they conceat of their courage So if we goe to our spirituall Armour wee are not feeble if wee looke to our deseruing euery appearance of danger may make vs feare wee are vnder guiltinesse and God hath vs vnder processe for it and all Creatures are readie to execute his will how soone may the sentence both come foorth and bring foorth the executioÌ„ against vs and it is a great mercy that the fray commeth before the stroke His judgement commeth out in the owne degrees 1. We sinne 2. And his justice-inquiring fiâ—deth our sinne worthie of punishment 3. Our Conscience convincing vs and justifying him doe apprehend the presage of punishment If all these can turne vs to Repentance happie are wee with Ninivie we shall eschew the stroke it selfe wee may call feare needlesse in respect of the euent which God in mercie with-holdeth but it is not causlâ—sse so long as sin remaineth The best way to mitigate our needlesse feares is to bee at peace with GOD and if they come to reape that good fruite of them Repentance Resolution and Obedience Grace so obtained is well purchased the peace that commeth after is double pleasant because it is so farre contrarie to our deseruing and expectation All things worke to the good of these that loue God Rom. 8 28. 86. Thirst of Newes ALl are not borne or liue in Athens yet wee are all sicke of the Athenian disease in a desire to heare tell newes And that not in the younger soâ—t who may haue a longer time in this life but euen in the aged who are at the end of their race Belike they are prouiding fresh Newes to carrie with them out of this lifeâ—â— but such wares will giue no price thâ—ae Whatâ— businesse in inquyring for Newes and in reporting of them Scarcely are they heard when they are loathed They become stale with the first report and are olde in the verie birth the desire is full of them at their first noyse and yet desirous of some other To tell these same newes ouer and ouer againe is as tedious as their first report was pleasant It seemeth to bee a new worke of a new man To bee euer thus busied about newes but it will bee found the worke of the olde man There may bee and is a fruitfull disposition about Newes in the prudent but that is so new to these Nouellers that they know it not They seeke onlie Newes for Newes and goe nâ— further than to heare and then to 〈◊〉 of them and that not as they heare them but as a liberall hoas they send them away with a new portaâ—â— They giue them a large allowanâ—◠〈◊〉 passe for Newes that is newlie â—â—â—mented lyes They may haue some ground of trueth for their beginning but by few reportes it is buried in the multitude of new additions Wee would thinke it strange to see a Booke haue as many editions as it findeth Readers And yet Newes haue that current and changing Noueltie that many reporting the same thing make it still new by some alteration or augmenting Bookes haue that immunitie because they are a standing report in print but Newes leâ—t to a vanishing report cannot bee secured from change It is Sathans policie to abuse our eares in â—earing our tongues in speaking 〈…〉 our heartes in beleeuing lyes to disablâ— vs from the discerning of Trueth But God hath giuen them to bee busied abâ—â—t Trueth God hath giuen to his owne a soueraâ—â—â—e remeede of that disease to bee fulâ—â— possest â—ith the best Newes in the worlâ— and then to make a spirituall vse of common Newes I finde these good Newes That Christ is come to saue sinners And that I am one whom hee hath saued The testimonie of mine adoption the Spirit witnessing to my Spirit that I am one
of his Children The testimonie of my justification Son bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The Seales of mine Election and calling in the â—ruites of the Spirit These and the like are excellent newes their matter is good and glorious Their delight is great and constant Though they were heard euerie houre yet they are euer fresh and new to the New man They fall neither vnder stalenes in themselues nor loathing to mee but their last hearing delighteth mee as much as the first hearing As for other matters I rest not on them as Newes but obserue in them the prouidence of God how he ruleth the world by ouer-ruling the malice of Sathan and madnesse of man to his owne glorie and good of his Saintes to make them new and to put in their mouth a new song To bee grieued with Nebemiah when wee heare of Ierusalems desolation and rejoyce when wee heare of her prosperitie is a marke of Grace in the New man When all trifling Newes shall bee ended God shall put a new Song in his mouth to praise him eternallie The Soule enstamped with Newes of Grace turneth all occurrent Newes to that better and biding substance 87. The comfort of Calumnies ACalumnie is the Deuils minde in the mouth of Man and his arrow shot by mans bow Hee lendeth him his lyes and malice borroweth his tongue to vtter them He hath this name from traducing and thrusting through the fame of the godlie His first and maine care is by temptation to destroy their Conscience and if hee preuaile not in this hee turneth him to their name that hee may rent it by Calumnies whose Conscience hee could not defile by temptation This is his policie against Gods dearest Children they are most hated of him who are most beloued of GOD Hee careth not to make euill reports of his owne and counteth no great gaine to defile the face of a Moore but all his care is to blamish the face and stenzie the name in whom Gods Grace shineth cleerelie Hee knoweth that treasure in them is giuen for his hurt Hee cannot stay God from giuing it to his beloued but hee turneth him to the next to make it fruitlesse to other Hee cannot stay a daylie and fresh increasing of that Grace but hee prâ—asseth to make it distastfull to man that so it may bee fruitlesse Surelie hee loseth not all his labour though hee be ouercome by the Saints whom hee calumniateth yet hee ouercommeth them who doe calumniate them It is a fearefull thing to lend to Sathan the Heart for deuising the Eare for hearing and the Tongue for vttering of Calumnies and in all to disgrace the Grace of GOD in his Children and make it fruitelesse to themselues Where Sathan hath set his porter of prejudice though Christ himselfe were on Earth that Soule would take no good of him It is a deuilish worke to enuy the Grace of GOD but more to deny it and most of all to disgrace it Wee finde heerein a great proofe of that particular worke of Conscience in justifying vs At other times wee can content vs with common and slender examining of our selues but being so falslie misconstrued wee are put to a second and a stricter tryall which vpon the cace of our tryed innocencie endeth in a notable seale of the holy Spirit Hee both approueth our first innocencie as good seruice to God and our suffring for it as a just matter of our gloriation Hee who offereth vp his Soule and bodie in a Sacrifice to God must resolue to bee crucified in his Name daylie by Calumnies and these daylie blowes are an argument that his sacrifice is acceptable to GOD because Sathan rageth at him who serueth God vprightlie hee knoweth that Conscience within is repleate with God and his peace therefore hee laboureth to rent their Fame without whose inward peace hee cannot trouble It is better to haue him molesting vs without than possessing vs within The godlie Soule so afflected goeth to God in the bitternesse of Spirit appealing him as a Iudge of their cause in the Conscience of their innocencie They commit their cause to him and prayeth for pardon to their injurers Their innocencie is both the occasion cause of calumnies with the Deuill and the soueraigne remeede of them with God and their own Consciences Herein they haue a triple conformitie with Christ Hee was innocent and yet hee was calumniate and prayed for his injurers Better it is to endure the scourge of the tongue than want this triple conformitie Why should we not glory in so cleare an Euidence of Gods speciall loue Sathan taketh both the cause of his hatred the measure of it from the loue of God Hee hateth them most whom God loueth most Hee had moe calumnies and euill tales against Iob than against many thousands in his time Hee was a thorne in his eye because hee was dearelie beloued of God and acceptable to him It is then the glorie of the Sainctes to bee calumniat Rejoyce and bee glad when men revile you and speake all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie Mat. 5 11. It is a token Sathan hath not preuailed against our Conscience but is now in his flight when hee renteth our Name As strength of Gods grace keepeth the Soule in temptation so the Conscience of innocencie will comfort the heart vnder Calumnies The haile showre of Calumnies proueth on Gods part a speciall loue to vs and on our part true happinesse in that his loue and vigour of his Grace in vs ouer-commingâ— Sathan And on Sathans part a double malice for that our double happinesse And in the calumniator a double miserie one in beeing the Deuils instrument in calumniating the Saincts the other in defrauding themselues of the fruite of Gods Grace in them whom they traduce The best refutation of Calumnies is not by word but by deede GOD and our Conscience seeth our innocencie let men see it in our life When Gods Grace shineth in vs as a light before men then we refute realy our traducers and proclaime them lyers to the world 88. Men are blind and quicke sighted in their owne cause EVery man is both blinde seeth best in his owne cause Hee knoweth the circumstances of his deedes but is blind in the question of his right Selfâ—-loue maketh him ingrosse his person in his deede and transchange his deede in his right And so confounding right and deede in his owne person to take all as good The Lawes of God and man must giue place to his opinion and humour they are either close forgotten or beeing applyed to him hee is made the rule and they must suffer such construction as his selfe-loue appointeth It is kyndlie to an erring minde to nurish the owne birth As it erreth in directing a couâ—se so in approuing of it when it is done It is no more fordward to deuise it than pertinacious to defend it herewith is joyned a more fearefull sinne that