suaviloquius charmes and compleasant influences his Pharisees that swallow downe Widowes houses in the hollow of long Prayers that are all to all men that they might reduce all men to be nothing to any but themselves his Saduces that deny Resurrection Angels Spirit but what is theirs those they cry up as Ocular execrating all that are not of their party and cry not Grace Grace to this Apollyon of their designing Lord what a Gallamaufry of Frauds hath this great Engineere on foot How is he furnished to deceive who hath not only the tongues and pens of many men Learned but lying Wonders and miraculous Artifices at his service But we know his methods and may see this Apicius gaping to devour all contented with nothing but ruine and disorder though he cry out with Jehu Behold my Zeal And it were well if men would try the spirits that now are abroad for Satan is often a Lying spirit in the mouth of Prophets and a Prophecying spirit in the mouth of Lyers and if he durst mingle himself with the Sons of God when they came before him of old may he not now be well mistrusted Job 1.6 though he quote Scripture with the zeal of a Seraphim and in the meetings of Christians pray and speak with notable evidence he who durst appear before Christ with Scripture abused to his own purpose Matth. 4.6 dare do the like to Christians whose weakness is more opportune to his Conquest He is that Evil one who in his whites is a Divel of Deceit in his blacks a Divel of Malice in his Crimsons a Divel of blood a Divel in all shapes actions senses and happy is it for us that we know his Methods And Agents not men of triffling talents who need vulgar helps to make them eminent but men of great parts noble wits yea often noted lives speaking to wonder writing to amazement living to envy and example the Leaders of Israel sometimes caused them to err Isai 9.16 The Priests divined a falsehood the Divel of Sauls heart in Samuel flesh as it were is potent enough to misguide millions O Lord what a Progress hath the mystery of iniquity made when the Serpent stings the Dove to death Religion becomes politized What an Egypt will Gunaan be when Mannah is exchanged for Garlick and Onions when the Screech Owl extrudes the Turtle and that be upon us which the Jewes feared John 11.48 The Romane come and take away our Religion and I pray God not our place and Nation Is not this evil of the Divels designing Is not the hand of hells Joab Satan in it but the sword of the Lord and of his Gideon Christ Jesus shall prevent this though none stand in the gap no Moses intercedes no Phineas executes Judgment yet this Plague shall cease God for his own namesake will turn those Locusts the Jesuits back to their quarters and make their Design as a red sea to bury themselves in The Thumbs of these Adonibezeks shall be cut off the Pride and Policy of these Absoloms become their ruines So let all thine enemies perish O Lord. Well we have a sight of Satan in his power and agents now see him in his Policy and end which is to cut off Samsons locks to destroy the Males of Israel to ruine all the Smithes and Forges by which our Spiritual weapons should be edged to oppose him and defend our selves against his assaults thus did the Philistims of old to Israel 1 Sam. 13.9 But I hope God will turne this Wisdom into Folly and this Babel of Hope into a Babel of Defeat yea I will bespeak these Gates of Hell to give way to the Rock of Ages and to Christ the Corner stone who is with his Church to the end of the world and I will pray that the iniquity of their hearts may be forgiven them who hate the Church of England without a cause and endeavour to subvert the Religion of it against Scripture that asserts it And now is not custody from this evil an unspeakable Blessing Is it not as rain to the parched grass and ought we not to receive this Mercy with the joy of Harvest Is it not a serious collect which deprecates Satans success while he with Herod acts a Tragedy on Innocents and labours to steal away the Babe Christ out of his mothers lap the Church his mother the Church not to rob the blessed Virgin of her Crown All Generations call her Blessed because she bare his body in her womb but to right the Church against her Rival the Synagogue of Satan which disowns her and seeks Christ out of her who spiritually is only formed in her from which evil and the infatuation of it good Lord deliver us This is the first Evil Satan from which the Peace of God shields us the next is from Sin like father like child a chip of the old block a branch of that Lye which was from the beginning From sin the evil of inquination that which defiles the man defaces Gods image passes an eternal exile twixt the soul and him for he hath no fellowship with unfruitful works of Darkness His eye is on them that are upright Prov. 2. ult but he cutteth off the wicked from the earth and rooteth out the Transgressors From sin the Evil of Angels for because of folly beheld in them they were cast from Heaven 1 Pet. 2.4 Isai 30.33 the evil of Kings and great men for whom Tophet is prepared of old Sin the evil of men of low degree sin the evil of all 1 John 5.19 for the whole world groaneth under it and lies in it From sin the eyes grief Gen. 3.6.66 because by that it prevailed against Eve by that against the sons of God of the old world Sin the hearts ake thus in Saint Paul crying out Rom 7.24 Psal 39. â— O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Sin the feets snare against which David cautions I said I wil take heed to my ways Sin the tongues temptation to speak unadvisedly Sin the Catholick Cross to all that are crucified with Christ and mystical members of him Sin the breach of Gods Law the grief of his Spirit the price of his Son the torment of his Combatant and the triumph of his Crowned ones Sin the Monster of Paradise for there it was plotted the first born of life for therein it is acted the plague of this world on whose Stage it is attyred and thence maturated Sin something of nothing a tumourous bubble of pestilent pride scorching Lust and empty vanity evaporating in nothing but the Lust of the flesh Lust of the eye and the Pride of life Sin an evil inward in the thought outward in the act upward against God whom it contemnes and downward against earth whom it burthens and all to gratifie him who is Prince of the Air and rules in the hearts of the Children of disobedience Sin against
Lord speaks of who sell all to purchase the Jewel of Divine Intercourse these are they that cry out for the light of Gods countenance Psalm 4. and care not what they suffer so they have it To these humble prostrates are the Doles of Heaven dealt out on these that cry out as Rachel did to Jacob Give me Grace or else I dye doth God give the blessing of Acquaintance and for these and these only hath he a Reserve a Mansion in his Kingdom Jerusalem above which is the vision of Peace and in the fruition of which by holy Acquaintance with God as the way and means we shall obtain adunition to God as the end and fruition of Peace in that felicity for so saith the next words Acquaint now thy selfe with God and be at peace But stay man a while There is somewhat intercurrent 'twixt Acquaintance and Peace there are bars and bounds to keep the Stage free from pester God hath appointed Means and Degrees by which to come at length to this Culmen this top of the Mount on which shall be our Transfiguration Christ Moses and Elias are to be met with when we can say our Christian Alphabet roundly when we can say not only as Saint Paul Phil. 3 12. Rev. 5.9 10. Nondum attigimetam but sing that Epinichyon Thou art worthy O Lord for thou hast redeemed us from sin sorrow the world and made us Kings and Priests to thee Till then there is aliquid agendum if ever thou wilt come to the end of thy race it must be by the Means ordained to that end which is the second Scruple to be explicated Scruple 2 2 What are the Meanes of obtaining this Acquaintance The Solution of this is partly done in the foregoing Consideration and therefore will require the less answer here the prescribed Steps of assent are also many several Paces towards it what is necessary to be added by way of Illustration is only this God requires of every Acquaintance 1. Reconciliation to Christ 2. Resignation to his holy Spirit 3. Adoration of his Ordinances 4. Admiration of his Works 5. Renovation of life 1 Reconciliation to Christ All sin is Hostility against him 't is Rebellion against the Prince of Peace and folly against him the Wisdom of the Father He came to unite God and thee and thou O man labourest the Defeat of his advent the end of his descent from Heaven to earth was to draw men after him thou in stead of coming to him that thou mayest have life John 5.40 runnest away from him in stead of casting down thy self at his feet and craving his pardon thou holdest up Weapons of unrighteousness against him Is this thy kindness to thy friend Is this thy Loyalty to thy Prince Is this the Badge of Acquaintance and friendly intimacy Dost thou crown Christ with thorns and expect he should kiss thee with the kisses of his lips Dost thou deliver him to the Corss and lookest from him for a place in Paradise Do these rough hands of Esau deserve from Isaak any Blessing O man mistaken erring thorow the Delusion of thy Prospect and the Temptation incumbent on thy heart Return and seek to him by tears whom thou hast provoked by Treachery crave his blood thine Attonement which thou hast shed in triumph to thy Lusts thou hast made him thine Adversary by sin humbly prostrate thy self as his Purchase and Penitent Let him see thy tears trickle down thy tender cheek from a pensive heart and a gracious eye that now lookest upon thy self with greater scorn then ever sinfully thou didst upon him when wickedly thou saidst I will not have this man raign over me and let no hour day moment pass without some earnest Petition for Reconciliation That he would cease to be what thou hast deserved thine Upbraider Accuser severe Judge and be what he hath promised to all that turn to him with all their hearts an Advocate a Load-stone the Way the Truth and the Life An Advocate to plead thy Cause a Load-stone to touch thy heart the Way in which and Truth by which thou shouldest walk and the Life to crown thee after thy work done But perhaps thou concludest thy self at too great a loss to recover too far out of favour to be re-ingratiated Why so If where sin abounds Rom. 5 2◠Grace superabounds there is hope for thee Bespeak not O man thy denyal do not stay thy career towards heaven because thou fearest the door of Grace is shut Such Conclusions may hinder thy endeavour they cannot add to thy comfort therefore covet in the second place the Holy Spirit to thy comfort entertain him kindly grieve him not by reiterated sins quench him not by averse obstinacy An nescis anima te verecundum habere sponsum This holy Dove sent from the Deity brings the Olive Branch with him the Peace is bought by Christ but the Spirit seals and applies the Purchase the Salve is rare but works not kindly except that hand layes on the Plaister therefore resign thou thy self to the Spirit of God let him rule in thee and by his Steerage be thou acted follow this Star it ever leads to Christ hearken to his voice it is vox dilecti it s a clam sweet lovely lightsome voice be ravished with this Musick which with Hyper-Syrene notes charms most wisely give up thy self soul and body to this Besieger that summons thee to deliver up the strong Holds of Sin and Satan to Christ the King of Saints and the Saviour of his Body the Church Make no terms with him the Holy Ghost will not be tyed to Articles He is free to intercede and thou must be free to render as he will have good quarter so gives he sure comfort The soul that receives him is Scot-free from Terror and Fear of Divine displeasure for this Guest secures his Quarters yea the power of the Almighty overshadoweth those with Grace whose hearts are prepared to cry Veni Spiritus Sancte And till O man this be thy temper thou art as unfit for Acquaintance with God as for Heaven of which it is a real Type and to which it is the Baptist for as into Heaven flesh and blood quà such cannot enter so into familiarity with God can none be admitted who have not the Test of this Comforter who never beares witnesse that they are the sons of God who rest unreconciled to Christ unresigned to him But how may these Graces appear in me may the soul say God Christ and the Holy Ghost have their Court in Heaven I am in the Valley of Bochim in the frigid Zone of earthly vanities where dust and ashes wormes and no men live and acclamate the Diana of Pomp and splendid nothing my bucket is not deep enough my stature not high enough to reach Heaven my bulk will not bear those breadthy Sails which that Glory fils What shal I do How may I contract acquaintance with God by union with Christ
in Christ Jesus shal suffex persecution What of Saint Peters prediction of fiery Tryals and Encouragements to prepare for them Nay what of our Saviours Benediction on those that suffer for Righteousness sake Are these Tales and Figments Are these Legends and Foysts Are these Lillies of his field not to be compared to the Solomons of their fancy in all his Royalty I trow there is no man so fond but sees self more set up then Christ in this Pageant for take away sufferings and where is Faith where Charity where Martyrdome nay where is or to what purpose that animative reference of the Holy Ghost displaying Christ glorious in witnessing a good confession before Pontius Pilate his Judg who could wash his hand and protest Christs innocency and yet durst not deliver him from the rage of the multitude No wonder they cry down Scripture and Fathers and Church Stories who cry up such wild excentrick worldly subtilties for Religion and own Christ with their mouthes as the Jewes did him on the Cross only the more to reproach him Well let these stray from the fold as wildly as they will it is thy part O holy soul to keep close to thy colours Voti tunc Christianis erat pro Christi nomine gladio percuti S. Hieron in vita Pauli Eremitae de Temp. Decii Christ looketh thou shouldst not only he ready to own but of need be to dye for him thou must expect sorrows perhaps not such as with Spira will make thee despair turn thy back on Gon as Ephraim did in the day of Battel but such as may exercise thy Grace correct thine out-goings mind thee of thine end admonish thee of thy duty rouze thee to get thine Evidence ready to make thy Calling and Election sure and by a holy end prepare thee for a blessed Exchange The Promise is to be secure not exempt not that yee shall not to be assaulted but not be overcome not that ye shall not be chastned but that ye shall not be condemned not that evils shall not come neer you but that they shall not domineer over you not that ye shall not be buffetted by Satan but that Divine Grace shal be sufficient for you The Peace of God gained by Acquaintance with him is no plea of prescription against trouble and evil but this it doth it modifies evil so that it comes not noxiously neer a godly man as it is evil so it s kept at distance as it is a Mark of Divine love as it is a voice to reclaim as it is commanded to be Gods Monitor to us so we must welcome it as did David It is good for me that I was afflicted and pray for it as preventive Physick that keeps us from Plethorick Distempers Many men may thank God for their crosses without which they had never come to Heaven there is a most notable Story in the Legend of a blind woman who besought Saint Bridget to give her sight the Saint so called at her intreaty Quo presentor sum mundo eo absentior sum Christo did and when she had seen four dages she desired Saint Bridget that she would take away her sight again adding this for reason The more I see of the world the less am I conversant with Christ 4. Lastly The peace in Acquaintance with God will keep thee from thr Evil of Evils Death eternal God suffers not his to fall into that pit out of which there is no redemption His as they have no part in the sin of the Damned so shall they not partake in the torment of the Damned 'T is not Go ye Blessed but Go ye Cursed into everlasting sire prepared for the Divel and his Angels And indeed this is the Mercy of Mercies this is one part of the Recompence of Vertue and Godly life that it shall not only have comfort in seeing God gloriously waving the Banner of love over it but becoming its Guard to Heaven and nullifying Satans attempts on it this is that in which the mercy of God shines as at noon tide and comfortably exalts its self above Justice as that which crowns God and renders him Beloved and admired of all that know him But perhaps O man thou art curious to know what this Death Eternal is This is a vanity and if thou beware not may be the vexation of thy spirit but if thou wouldest ken the scantling of it our blessed Lord hath defined it to be utter darkness 〈◊〉 8.12 where is weeping and watling and gnashing of teeth it is exile from God and judgment to the society of damned spirits for ever Death Eternal what is it not that is absolute tristicity it is a living death and a dying life it is the wages of sin the sentence of Justice the utmost period of Plagues a most exquisite misery a most Merciless Torment an Eternal Passion Eternal Death it is misery to the eye for it shall not see God it is a worm gnawing on the heart for it shall consider the evil it hath done for which is inflicted that evil it suffereth it is a vexation to the senses which to augment the tortures of their condition shal be renewed and made more sensible it is an excess which shall never have end but be eternally what it is and impossible to be what it is not Death Eternal it is the region of Blasphemy the Caldron of Nimrods Nero's Judasses those chambers of ruine into which they descend who desert God by sin and are deserted by God in just Judgment Death Eternal it is a gulfe without bottom a doom beyond ransome a fire that burnes and is never extinguished and a restless craver never satisfied What shall I say other then that of the Psalmist Remember this yee that frrget God Psal 50.22 lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver These are the Evils from which peace in Acquaintance with God priviledgeth the soul But how cries the holy soul cometh this to be my priviledge How O soul Surely not by thy merit but 1. By the Mercy of God which hath bestowed that good as an Enticement to be his God invites sinners to his Mercy Isai 30.18 He waites to be gracious he would have them come to the waters of Life and drink freely Matth. 11.28 he calls to you to come Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden he rewards them when they come Those that come unto me I will in no sort cast away he complains of them when they do not come John 5.40 They will not come unto me that they might have life God in goodness begins with man and gives him co-operating Grace and it is his own obduration that makes Mercy retreat while we are willing he assists us but when we draw back he will have no pleasure in us Mercy makes the Marriage betwixt God and the Soul and Peace is the Dowry that God gives his Beloved those that are one with
obey not resist and had no other project but to accomplish the glorious work of the Ministry conversion of soulâ— to which they were consecrated And in after times have not the Zeals Sufferings and Labours of his Servants been nicknamed and reproached as simplicity Singularity Pertinacy Ambition Pride and what not yea have not Arts and Forces been mustered out to suppress and discourage and often to destroy them Was not Julian against root and branch of Christianity Did he not lay load on the Christians backs under pretence that they would rebel whereas they knew nothing more execrable Christianus si nullius criminis no men est ineptum est si nominis solius crimen est Tertul. Apolog c. 2. Abolendo rumori intentuâ— falsos testes subornavit qui id factian à Christianis causarentur c. Tacitus Platina Pag. 9. and by Religion disallowed then to rise against Authority Were not Christians afore then and since faine to beg favour for the very name of Christianity Was not Nero a wretched man who notwithstanding his ingenious breeding and calm documents from his Master Seneca sets fire on Rome and ruined the houses and fortunes of many of the noble Senators and to color his villany suborned Witnesses who accused the Christians as Authours of the conflagration which caused such a Massacre of them that for divers nights together the City was as light as day by the fires of their dispatch And when softer methods to ill designes have been in fashion have not men piously addicted been disheartned by counsels and intimations that had both Judas his kiss and treachery in them If Caelestine as a holy man coming to the Popedome by an unusual providence think to reform things amiss and grosly scandalous to the Church Caelestine Caelestine cede negotium supra vires he has a whisper Caelestine Caelestine desist the work is too great for thy weakness to effect and if the good man turnes away from this by-path and keeps on in the track of his resolves then there is a second whisper in plain language Caelestine cede si salvus esse cupis Wolph in Memor ad Annum 1294. Cent. 13. Sub nomine aterni spiritualisque Evangelii verum Christi Evangelium obliterare antiquare Idem eodem loco Platina in vita Alex. Psal 119. Caelestine give over if thou wilt be safe Nay hath not the truth of God been censured for Error and Heresie by Conclaves and Councels when figments under the name of the Spiritual and holy Gospel asserting not the Law of God but the Spirit in man to be the touch of mans interest in God have been published on purpose saith Wolphius to suppress and abolish the Gospel of Christ which rests on Scripture for its Authority and gives to Christians all solid comfort according to the testimony of King David Had not thy word been my delight I had perished in mine affliction Yea has not the Divel heretofore appeared pretending Moses his meekness and familiarity with God and seduced many Christians to damnable Heresies and impure practices as that Impostor did by personating Moses Platina in Caelestin 1. p. 63. delude the Jewes in Valentinians time And was not the Emperour Julian an Apostate not only from Christ but from his Order for some think him a Priest or Clergy man more vexatious to the Christians by his moderate carriage at first Julianus clericus secundam quosdam calidior caeteris persecutor non vi neque tormentis primo sed praemiis honoribus blanditiis persuasionibus majorem fere populi partem quam si atrocior fuisset elicuit Plat. in vita Damasi 1 p. 54. and his winning on the world thorow those his adulatorious and self denying crafts then all the persecuting Emperors besides 't is too too true that the Wolves heart in the Lambs skin did irreparable hurt Christ had Judas in his Family and the Church hath unnatural children in her bowels such as with Pilate wash their hands but give sentence with the out-cryes against her Snakes in bosomes who like treacherous confessors learn secrets not to conceal but reveal them not to pity but to propalate mens follies Delilahs that by the Chimistry of look and lap evirtuate Sampsons love and strength and return affection which when not answered is treacherous to it selfe the Granado and concave dispatch of falsehood How ought men to summon their wits to avoid these snares which have fire in their Fox-tails of what consequence it is to live lives harmless and open when there are such arts of blemish and defeat acted He is wise that follows Epiphanius of whom Saint Jerome writes That his life was so holy and blameless that even Hereticks Tantae venerationis fuit ut regnantes Haeretici ignominiam suam putarent si talem virum persequerentur Epist 61. ad Pammachium who hated him for his Doctrine were ashamed to appear against him and shunned the scandal of persecuting him This will make us live peaceably and not groan under nor grieve at the censures and unkindnesses of the world to us Ut quid enim de alterius hominis 〈◊〉 de mâ—â— ipsius judicio solicitus sum cujus nec vituperio reprobâ—â— nec laude probatus inveniar S. Bernardus de tripl gloria but teach us to take revenge on them by pardon of and prayer for them and in Gods time their loves and admiration will be the returns of our prayers the rewards of our patience and the crown of our constancy He has not learned the lesson of heathens that cannot bear evil words and evil wil from evil men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximi Collect c. 10. Stob. Tom. 2. c. 42. c. He that an ear to calumnies doth give His mind with vice abounds ful ill doth thrive Wit in his drony brains hath made no hive For Marcus Antoninus when he made his Defence against the malicious Charge of envious Fulvius concluded All that hee had learned from the wisest men in the Universities of Rhodes Hoc tantum fine hominibus colenda esse studia ut norint quo pacto inter maliciosos inutiles eluctari debeant non enim alius est Doctrinae fructus nifi ut vitam quis siâ—â—eram linguam occlusam habeat Gnev l. 1. c. 39. Naples Capua Tarentum amounted to this only to be able to keep innocency to deserve no blemish but to bear it when it comes with a mind unmoved and to live so as to shame it and those that first endeavoured to bring it on him Nay what 's more he is not arrived to that which is the Jewel of this world the true use of reason mans impropriation as it were no creature here below besides him having it For that he can revenge wrongs is somewhat he has in common with beasts but that he forgives them is from a principle of grandeur and princely bounty from Reason canonized and heightned by the influences of divine