nor subtill as Bias spake wisely of her or rather not only simple as a Dove to think no evill but also wise as a Serpent to discern all things and see what is evill 2. For our tallying of words as it argues little discretion in him that doth it so it is of as little use except the standers by want information of thy innocency and his guiltinesse which gives the occasion Wherefore in hearing thy own private and personall reproaches the best answer is silence but the wrongs and indignities offerâ—d to God or contumelies that are cast upon us in the causes of Religion or the Church may safely be repayed If we be meal-mouthed in Christs and the Gospels cause we are nâ—t patient but zeal-lesse Yea to hold a mans peace when Gods Honour is in question is to mistake the end of our Redemption 1 Cor. 6.20 What saith the Apostle Ioyn with patience godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.6 for else patience without godlinesse while it receives injury of man may do more injury to God Neither is there a better argument of an upright heart than to be more sensible of the indignities offered to God than of our own dangers And certainly no ingenuous disposition can be so tender of his own disgrace as the truâ— Christian is at the reproach of his God as we see in Moses who when Aaron and Miriam offered him a private injury it is said his meeknesse was such that he gave them not a word Numb 12. But when the people had fallen to idolatry and he heard them murmur against their Maker he spares neither Aaron nor the people but in a godly fit of zeal takes on at them yea breaks the Tables in pieces Exod. 32. A meek Lamb in his own cause a fierce Lyon in Gods Yea it was alwayes his manner to plead the peoples cause to God with prayers and tears but Gods cause against the people with sword and revenge And thus it fared with David who was a man deaf and dumb and wholly senselesse at Shemei's private reproach when he cursed him cast stones at him called him murtherer and wicked man 2 Sam. 16. But not so at Goliahs publick revilings of God and his Church no not at Michols despising his holy zeal in the publick service of God 2 Sam. 6. In these cases how full of life and spirit and holy impatiencie did he shew himself to be And our Saviour Christ who suffered himself to be spit upon buffeted crowned with Thornes c. without giving an angry word but when he saw the Tempple abused he burned in a zealous anger against them took a scourge and whipt the buyers and sellers out saying Ye have made my Fathers house a den of thieves Matth. 21.12.13 3. Touching our actions whether it be in thine own cause or in the cause of God and Religion thou maist not be a revenger All that private persons can do is either to lift up their hands to Heaven for redresse of sinne or to lift up their tongues against the sinne not their hands against the person Who made thee a judge is a lawfull question if it meet with a person unwarranted True Phineas in the case of Zimry and Cozby lift up his hand and thrust them both through with a spear And when Moses saw the Aegyptian smiting the Hebrew he smote the Aegyptian but they had peculiar warrants signed from Heaven either by instinct or speciall command which we shall expect in vain Well may we flee from danger as Iacob fled from Esau Moses from Pharaoh David from King Saul Elias from Iezabel Paul from the Damascens and Christ himself from the Iews And expect to finde comfort in our flight even a City of refuge as Iacob found favour in Labans house Moses a rich Father-in-Law Elias an Angel to feed him Paul spirituall brethren to comfort him besides the holy Ghost the true Comforter But the weapons of a Christian in adversity ought only to be patience and prayer for as Theodoret saith If Muentius and Maximinian in the heat of zeal shall rayl on wicked Iulian at a Feast justly may their deaths be cast upon their petulancy but not upon their Religion Yea the Councell of Eleberis decreed that if any man did take upon him to break down the Heathens Idols and were slain in the place that he should not be reckoned among the Martyrs Indeed God so loves this heat of zeal in all the carriages of his servants that if it transports us too far he pardoneth the errour of our fervency rather than the indifferency of lukewarmnesse as may be seen in that act of Moses when being wroth with the people about the molten Calf he brake the Tables in pieces Exod. 32. Neverthelesse if we shall either out of superstition or presumption do that we have neither calling nor warrant for out of the Word such our works be our intention what it will are but the blinde whelps of an ignorant zeal and an unadvised zeal when knowledge is not made the Pilot of devotion may be more prejudiciall than a cold remissenesse Swift horses without a skilfull waggoner and full sayls without a good Pilot endanger more Object Every base nature will be ready to offer injuries where they think they will not be repaid he will many times beat a Coward that would not dare to strike him if he thought him valiant as a Cur that goes through a Village if he clap his tayl between the legs and run away every Cur will insult over him but if he bristle up himself and stand to it give but a counter-snarle there 's not a Dog dares meddle with him Answ. Neverthelesse avenge not thy self but give place unto wrath and that for conscience sake Rom. 12.19 If thou receivest wrong in thy person goods or good Name it is the Magistrates office to see thee righted and for this cause ye pay also tribute He is the Minister of God for thy wealth to take vengeance on him that doth evill and for the praise of them that do well neither doth he bear the sword for nought Rom. 13.4 5 6. 1 Pet. 2.14 Now in this case he that hath endamaged me much as you have some that will deprive men of their possessions and then perswade them to be content cannot plead breach of charity in my seeking â—â—s Restitution and because patience without discretion wrongs a good cause I will so remit wrongs as I may not encourage others to offer them and so retain them that I may not induce God to retain mine to him Have you not seen a Crow stand upon a Sheeps back pulling off wool from her side even creatures reasonlesse know well whom they may be bold with that Crow durst not do this to a Wolfe or a Mastiffe the known simplicity of this innocent beast gives advantage to this presumption Meeknesse of spirit commonly drawes on injuries and the cruelty of ill natures usually seeks out â—hose not who deserve worst but who will bear
nor desire life except thou be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custome to the life of grace Apt wee are to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the means thereof Wee are altogether of our selvs unable to resist the force of our mighty adversaries but do thou fâ—ee our wills and set to thy helping hand in casting down by thy Spirit our raging lusts and by thy grace subdue our untamed affections and we shall henceforth as much honor thee as by your wickednesse we have formerly dishonored thee Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls Reform and change our minds wills and affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thee and direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast directed our eternal salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevail in causing us to defer our repentance since we know that late repentance is seldom sincere and that sicknesse is no fit time for so great a work as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our feeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the flower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sin until sin left us Yea O Lord give us firmly to resolve speedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Inform and reform us so that we may neither mis-believe not misâ—live subdue our lusts to our wills submit our wills to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wills our selvs to thy blessed Word and Will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sins which corrupt our souls and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy sight also we most humbly beseech thee as far as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Son pardon and forgive us all those evils which either in thought word or deed we have this day or any time heretoâ—ore committed against thee whether they be the sins of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of â—gnorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy holy â—pirit And now O Lord seeing the time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because wee can neither wake nor sleep without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our souls and bodies beseeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve us from all our spiritual and bodily enemies from thievs fire and from all other dangers ☞ These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Maâ—esty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us â—haâ— wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we cover still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence We no sooner lived then we deâ—served to die neither need we any more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us but thou hast spared us to this hour to try if we would turn unto thee by repentance as our first Parents and wee have turned from thee by sin yet thy mercy seems to have been in vain and thy long-suffering to no end For whereas many have been won by thy Word wee would not suffer it to change us many have been reformed by the Crosse but we would not suffer it to purge us many have been moved by thy benefits but we would not suffer them to perswade us yea as if we had contracted with the Divel that we would abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come â—hy blessings make us proud thy riches covetous thy peace wanton thy meats intemperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve us but as weapons to rebell against thee We have prophaned thy daies contemned thy ordinances resisted thy Word grieved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecuted thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours opened the mouths of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and far weaker means have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospel who may justly rise up in judgment against us Besides which makes ouâ— case far more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we do we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we defer untill we be old men and when we be old men we shall defer it until death if thou prevent us not and yet we look for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Perhaps we have a form of godlinesse but thou who search stâ—â—he heart and triest the reins knowest that too often we deny the power of it and that ouâ— Religion is much of it hypocrisie our zeal envie our wisedom policie our peace security our life rebellion our devotion deadnesse and that we live so securely as if we had no souls to save Indeed thy Word and Spirit
as may appear in that Women are sooner angry then men the sick sooner then the healthy and old men sooner then young Again it 's nothing to endure a small trial or affliction every Cock-boat can swim in a River every Sculler sail in a calm every man can hold up his head in ordinary gusts but when a black storm arises a tenth wave flows deep calls unto deep Nature yields Spirit faints Heart fails Whereas grace is never quite out of heart yea is confident when hopes are adjourn'd and expectation is delay'd 7 Again seventhly How excellently was Iobs sincerity made known by Satans malice when he brought forth those Angelical words What shall we receive good at the hand of God and not receive evil Job 2.10 When he stood like a Centre unmoved while the circumference of his estate was drawn above beneath about him when in prosperity he could say If my mouth hath kist my hand and in adversity The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh blessed be the Name of the Lord he was not so like the wicked as they are like Dogs that follow the meat not the man 8 Again eighthly God suffers us to suffer much more especially to cry our perseverance which is a grace so good and acceptable that without it there is nothing good nor acceptable The Spaniel which fawneth when he is beaten will never forsake his Master and Trees well rooted will bear all storms The three Children walked up and down in the fiery flames praysing God And a Blade well tried deserves a triple price How did the Church of Pergamus approve her self Yea how was she approved of God which hath the sword with two edges when she held out in her works even where Satan dwelt and kept his Throne I know thy works saith God and that thou keepest my Name and hast not denied my faith even in those dayes when Antipas my faithful Martyr was slain among you where Satan dwelleth yea where his Throne is and where some maintain the Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans and teach that men ought to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication c. Revel 2.13 14. But how can I lay down my life for Chriss when I cannot for his sake quietly disgest a few reproachful speeches he will scarce hear blows for him that will now quietly put up and digest ill words Finally Affliction and Persecution is both a Whet-stone and a Touch-stone to each particular grace It humbleth the spirits of the repentant trieth the faith and patience of the sincere Christian but hardeneth the hearts of the ungodly for wicked men grow worse after affliction as water grows more cold after an heat yea like some Beasts they grow mad with baiting if crosses or losses rush in upon them they fall to the language of Iobs wife Curse God and die or to that of the King of Israels messenger Why should I serve God any longer 2 Kings 6.33 CHAP. 10. That it prevents greater evils of sin and punishment to come 7 SEventhly the Lord by this evil of Chastisement for sins past preventeth the evils of sin and greater punishments for the time to come The Lord saith Elihu correcteth man that he might turn away from his enterprize and that he might keep back his soul from the pit and that his life should not perish by the sword Job 33.17 18. This salt doth not only preserve from corruption but also eat out corruption We are chastened of the Lord saith the Holy Ghost that we might not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 If we be not chastened here we shall be condemned hereafter Erring souls be corrected that they may be converted not confounded If Paul had not been buffetted by Satan and wicked men he had been exalted out of measure 2 Cor. 12.7 Pride is so dangerous a Poison that of another poison there was confected a counterpoison to preserve him from it God would rather suffer this chosen Vessel to fall into some infirmity thâ—n to be proud of his singular priviledges Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of Revelations there was the poison of Pride insinuating it self I had a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me There was the counterpoison or antidote which did at once make him both sick and whole And this is no unusual thing with God who in mercy doth so use the matter that he cures one sin by another how many proud men have been healed by the shame of their uncleanness how many furious men by a rash bloodshed and so in many other cases one Devil being used for the ejection of another Yea we gain strength by every new fall for hence issues deeper humility stronger hatred of sin fresh indignation against our selves more experience of the deceitfulness of our hearts renued resolutions until sin be brought under c. 2 Cor. 7.11 The Lord sets some messenger of Satan and our lusts together by the ears as the Egyptians against the Egyptians that while two poisons wrestle we may live But my purpose is to speak of affliction not sin Bodily sickness saith Saint Gregory cleanseth away sins committed and curbeth and hindreth those that in health might have been committed The flesh indeed is nourished by softness but the spirit by hardness that is fed by delights and pleasures this groweth by bitterness And hereupon when a Religious man as Ruffinus relates prayed Iohn the Anchorite to free him of a certaine Ague he answered him truly thou desirest to have a very necessary companion cast out of doors for saith he as cloaths are washed with sope so is the minde purified by diseases And the same may be averred of all kindes of crosses For is it not commonly seen that the pleasures of the body are the poisons of the soul heap riches and honours upon an evil man you do but minister wine to him that hath a Feaver saith Aristotle Honey to one oppressed with choler and meat to one troubled with morbus Cephaliacus which increaseth the disease saith Plutarch For as Noah was drunk with his own wine so the cup of prosperity hath intoxicated many a soul and God hath no worse servants in our Land then they that can live of their Lands and care for nothing else Commonly where is no want is much wantonness And as we grow rich in temporals we grow poor in spirituals Nabal cannot abound but he must surfet Tertullus cannot be eloquent but he must turn the edge of his wit against the Gospel Many cannot have beauty but they must love their faces more then their souls We use Gods blssings as Iehu did Iehorams messengers David Goliahs sword We turn them against their owner and giver and fight against Heaven with that health wealth wit those friends means mercies that we received thence abusing peace to security plenty to ease promises to presumption gifts to pride for commonly so much the more proud idle secure wanton
for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedoneia where all men knew that he lyed then to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both known then where we are both unknown And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will do as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the brain will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemn an enemy is better then either to fear him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftnesse let him turn to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soon give over and be quiet Wherefore when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon to keep on our motion till we wade out of the shadow and receive our former splendor To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should again vex us Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If we knock we crack was long ago made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turn love into anger and passion passion into evil words words into blowes and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a fair advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game pick out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smote them both At least Sathan that common and arch enemy will have us at advantage For as vain men delight when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Satan deal with us Controversies like a pair of Cudgels are thrown in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And we cannot please the Divell better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devill deal with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souls Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chief Foul that ruleth in the aire and snatcheth away both these great warriours Or like two Emmets in the mole hill of this earth we fight for the mastery in mean while comes the Robin-red breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentlenesse we may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that he besought him mildly after this manner Sir we both are no mean men in this Common-wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one again and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love And we read of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I might die if I be not revenged of thee he answered again Nay let me die for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one word he presently so won his Brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends Milde words and gentle behaviour may be resembled to Milk that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyl that quencheth Lime which by water is kindled And this was Davids way of overcoming 1 Sam. 24. He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindnesse doth calm his fury so that now he sheds tears instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slain them 2 King 6.23 What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himself No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith the bands of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel so every wise Christian will do good to them that do hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a fool in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evil enemies now they shall neither be evil nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one asked him why he took such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratling of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. 8. learned to speak fair as well as to smite he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes but his good words are as victorious as his sword his pacification of friends better than his execution of enemies Vers. 2 3. As it is not good to flatter or lye no more is it in some cases to speak the truth we know the Asse and the Hound in the Fable were both kild by the Lyon the one for hiâ— slattery in commending the sweetnesse of his breath the other for his plain dealing when he affirmed it had an ill savour whereas the Fox by pretending he could not smell by reason of a cold he had got saved his life Rage is not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and born at an instant When the stone and the steel mâ—ets the issue ingendred from thence is fire whereas the sword of anger being struck upon the soft pillow of a milde spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not Wool and such like yeelding things but that which is hard stubborn and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vain tongues puff A man that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green and open which otherwise would heal and do well Anger to the soul is like a coal on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth
once the Grecians were known from the Barbarians by their vertuous lives as Quintus Curtius notes Shall a wilde Olive tree growing upon the barren mounts of Gilboa and nature where neither dew of the spirit nor rain of grace falleth bear such fruit and shalt not to thou a green Olivetree in the house of God planted beside the waters of comfort bring forth this fruit of the Spirit We see that civill honesty severed from true piety humility saving knowledge sincere love to God true obedience to his word justifying faith a zeal of Gods glory and desire to edifie and win others God accepts not as proceeding from the love of our selves and other carnall respects namely to obtain praise or profit thereby So that to suffer as the Heathen did without observing other circumstances is but to imitate that foolish Patient who when the Physician bade him take that prescript eat up the paper Wherefore do not only subdue thy passions but sayl with that contrary breath of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.12 We are reviled and we blesse and with that of St Steven who rowed both against winde and tyde not only through the raging waves of his enemies reproaches but even in a storm of stones being as earnest to save their souls as they were to slay his body Meer Civill and morall men have speculative knowledge if thine be saving it will take away barrennesse and make thee fruitfull in the works of obedience Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof we expect this of the Earth that hath only nature and shall not God expect it of us who have sense to govern nature Reason to govern sense grace to govern reason Iesus Christ to govern all The little World Man is so the compendium and abridgement of all creatures that whatsoever is imprinted with Capitall Letters in that large Volume as in Folio is sweetly and harmoniously contracted in decimo sexto in the brief text of man who includes all Planets have being not life Plants have life not sense Beasts have sense not reason Angels have being life reason not sense Man hath all and contains in him more generality than the Angels Being with Planets life with Plants sense with Beasts reason with Angels But the beleever hath over and above Gods Spirit and faith which are peculiar prerogatives belonging to the godly which no man being a mâ—er man is capable of Here also if it were as orderly as pertinent I might take occasion to shew another peculiar and proper adjunct belonging to the patience of a Christian which a Philosopher may sooner envy than imitate yea it must put him besides his reason before he can conceive it possible namely That a Christian rejoyceth in his sufferings We rejoyce in tribulation saith St Paul knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope c. Rom. 5.3 Yea he goeth yet further and saith I am filled with comfort I am exceedingly joyfull in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 7.4 which is to over-abound exceedingly with joy such an exuberation of joy as brake forth into thankefulnesse And St Iames the like saying My brethren count it exceeding joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience and let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and intire lacking nothing Jam. 1.3 4. Gods people do not only acknowledge that they suffer justly frrm God even when they suffer unjustly from men as Iosephs brethren did who were no Spies nor corners as they were accused yea they had faithfully presented their Monies for their Wheat neither had they stolen their Lords Cup yet say they justly is this evill come upon us because we have sinned against our brother Gen. 42.21 As a trespasse being committed perhaps thirty or forty years ago and no punishment till now inflicted behold thy Creditor is now come and thou must pay the debt hast thou any wrong done thee I trow not But this is not all though nature will scarce acknowledge so much for we must proceed and not alwayes continue in the nethermost Forme like drones he is not uppermost in this School of Patience who suffereth things patiently that must be suffered but he who doth it willingly cheerfully and thankefully Paulus Diaconus relates how the Empresse Irene being deposed from ruling by her own servant said I thank God who of his free mercy advanced me an unworthy Orphane to the Empire but now that he suffereth me to be cast down I ascribe it wholly to my sinnes blessed be his Name for his mercy in the one in the other for his justice And St Iamâ—s being cut into pieces limb by limb was heard to say God be thanked upon the cutting off of each member or joynt The very Heathen saith St Hierome know that thanks are to be given for benefits received but Christians only give thanks for calamities and misâ—ries But because this path leads from the way of my intended discourse and you affect not to have mee digresse come we to the sixteenth Reason CHAP. XXXI That they may follow Christs example and imitate the Patience of the Saints in all Ages 16. Reason 6. IN the sixth and last place they bear the slanders and persecutions of wicked men patiently that they may follow Christs example and imitate the patience of the Saints in all ages Christ also suffered for you saith St Peter leaving you an example that you should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 And it is written of him that When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 He was called of his enemies Conjurer Samaritane Wine-bibber c. was scoft at scorned scourged crucified and what not yea he suffered in every place in every part First In every place hunger in the desart resistance in the Temple sorrow in the Garden contumelies in the Iudgement-hall Crucifying without the City c. Secondly In every part his eyes run down with tears his temples with blood his ears tingled with buffetings glowed with reproaches they afflicted his taste with Gall spit in his face pierc'd his head with thorns his hands with nayles his side with a spear his heart was full of sorrow his soul of anguish his whole body was sacrificed as an offering for sinne and yet he suffered all for us to the end he might leave us an example that we should follow his steps Neither was it so much what he suffered as with what affection willingnesse and patience he suffered that did Nobilitate the merit of his sufferings As touching the first Why descended he to take our flesh but that we might ascend to take his Kingdom he descended to be crucified that we might ascend to be glorified he descended to hell that we might ascend to Heaven Touching the second What King ever went so willingly to be Crowned as he to be crucified Who so gladly from execution as he to it What
speak thou Musick to the wounded conscience Thunder to the feared that thy justice may reclaim the one thy mercy relieve the other and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation in Iesus Christ. Section 8. But secondly if this will not satisfie call to thy remembrance the time past and how it hath been with thee formerly as David did in thy very case Psalm 77.2 to 12. And likewise Iob Chapter 13. for as still waters represent any object in their bottome clearly so those that are troubled or agitated do it but dimly and imperfectly But if ever thou hadst true faith begotten in thy heart Ioh. 1.13 by the ministry of the Word Romans 10.17 Iam. 1.18.21 and the Spirits powerfull working with it Ioh. 3.3 5 8. whereby thine heart was drawn to take Christ and apply him a Saviour to thine own soul so that thou werâ— forced to go out of my self and rely wholly and onely on his merits and that it further manifested it self by working a hatred of sin and an apparent change in thy whole life by dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and that thou hast not since returned to thine old sins like the Dog to his vomit if it hath somtime brought forth in thee the sweet fruit of heavenly and spirituall joy if it hath purified thine heart in some measure from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride self-love hypoâ—risie carnall confidence wrath malice and the like so that the spirit within thee sighteth against the flesh If thou canst now say I love the godly because they are godly 1 Ioh. 3.14 and hast an hungring after Christ and after a greater measure of heavenly and spirituall graces and more lively tokens of his love and favour communicated unto thee My soul for thine thou hast given false evidence against thy self for as in a gloomy day there is so much light whereby wee may know it to bee day and not night so there is something in a Christian under a cloud whereby hee may bee discerned to bee a true beleever and not an hypocrite But to make it manifest to thy self that thou art so Know first that where there is any one grace in truth there is every one in their measure If thou art sure thou hast love I am sure thou hast faith for they are as inseparable as fire and heat life and motion the root and the sap the Sun and its light and so of other graces Or dost thou feel that Christ is thy greatest joy sin â—hy greatest sorrow that when thou canst not feel the presence of the spirit in thy heart thou goest moâ—rning notwithstanding all other comforts Assuredly as that holy Martyr said if thou wert not a wedding Child thou couldest never so heartily mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Thus I might go on but a few Grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorn Take but notice of this and severall graces will one strengthen another as stones in an Arch. As for example Master Peacock Fellow of a House being afflicted in conscience as thou art and at the point of despair when some Ministers ask'd whether they should pray for him answered By no means do no so dishonour God as to pray for such a Reprobate as I am but his young Pupill standing by said with tears in his eyes Certainly a Reprobate could never bee so tender of Gods dishonour which hee well considering was thereby comforted and restored when neither hee with his learning nor any other Ministers with their sage advice could do any good Again secondly if ever thou hadst true faith wrought in thy heart bee not discouraged for as the former graces shew that thou hast with Mary made choice of that better part which shall never bee taken from thee So this grace of faith is Christ's wedding Ring and to whomsoever hee gives it hee gives himselfe with it wee may lose the sence but never the essence of it It may bee eclipsed not extinguished Fides concussa non excussa The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as it is Rom. 11.29 Friends are unconstant riches honours pleasures are unconstant the world is unconstant and life it self is unconstant but I the Lord change not Malachi 3.6 In a swound the soul doth not excercise her functions a man neither hears nor sees nor feels yet shee is still in the body The Frantick man in his mad fits doth not exercise reason yet hee hath it he loseth the use for a time not the habit Yea a sober man hath not alwayâ—â—he use of his sences reason and understanding as in his sâ—eep shal we therefore conclude that this man is senceless unreasonable and without understanding it were most absurd for if we have 〈◊〉 but a while our argument will appear manifestly â—alsâ— Trees and so wee are fitly called bee not deâ—d in Winter which resembles the tune of adversity because the sap is shut up in the root and confined thither by the cold frosts that they cannot shew themselvâ— in the production of leavs and fruits for by experience wee know that for the present they live and secretly suck nourishment out of the earth which maketh them spring and revive again when Summer coms Yea eveâ— whiles they are grievously shaken with the winds and nipped with cold frosts they are not hurt thereby but contrarily they take deeper root have their worms and cankers kill'd by it and so are prepared made fit to bring forth more fruit when the comfortable Spring approaches and the sweet showres and warm Sun-beams fall and descended upon them Elementary bodies lighten and darken cool and warm die and revive as the Sun presents or absents it self from them And is not Christ to our souls the onely Sun of reghteousness and fountain of all comfort so that if hee withdraw himself but a little wee become like plants in the Winter quite witheredâ— yea in appearance stark dead or like Trees void both of leavs and fruit though even then there remains faith in the heart as sap in the root or as fire raked up in the ashes Which faith though it bee not the like strong yet it is the like precious faith to that of Abrahams whereby to lay hold and put on the perfect righteousness of Christ. The Woman that was diseased with an issue did but touch and with a trembling hand and but the hem of his garment and yet went away both healed and comforted Well might I doubt of my salvation says Bradford feeling the weakness of my faith love hope c. if these were the causes of my salvation but there is no other cause of it or of his mercy but his mercy Wherefore hast thou but a touch of sorrow for sin a spark of hope a grain of faith in thy heart thou art safe enough The Anchor lyeth deep and is not seen yet is the stay of all The Bladder blown may float upon the â—â—ood But cannot sink nor
Schools of learning and good literature especially the Universities Remember in much mercy all that are afflicted whether in body or in mind of in both whether in conscience groaning under sin or for a good conscience because they will not sin and as thou makest them examples to us so teach us to take example by them and learn wisdome by thy hand upon them These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities befoâ—e we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Iudas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as our first Parents left us a large stock of sinne so we have improved the same beyond measure O that we could have so improved that stock of grace which wee have received from thee But whereas thou gavest us as large a portion we suddenly lost it We were created indeed by thee after thine own image in righteousness holiness in knowledg of the Truth But alas now our understandings are so darkned and dulled our judgmeÌ„ts so blinded our wils so perverted our affections so corrupted our reason so exiled our thoughts so surprised our desires so entrapped and all the faculties and sunctions of our souls so disordered that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do ought that is good And yet usually like Bladders we are not more empty of grace than we are blown up with pride whereby with Laodicea we not once see our own spiritual misery and nakednesse but think we are rich and good enough as wanting nothing when as scarce any spark of grace yet appears in us Yea so far have we been from loving and serving thee that we have hated those that do it and that for their so doing And so far have we been from performing that vow which we made to Christ in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made to him and fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then our selves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Iudas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yea suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou refusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the teâ—stimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we do good or evill unto any one of thy members thou takest it as done unto thy self Discover unto us all our
hath been to serve Satan and fulfil the lusts of the flesh VVe even suck in iniquity like water 〈…〉 It hath been the course of our whole life to leave that which God commands and to do that which he forbids The Word and Spirit may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetuall offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if we are sleeping it sollicits us to filthiness Whatever God commands we do the contrary We prophane his Dayes contemn his Ordinances resist his Word grieve his Spirit misuse his Messengers hate our reprovers slander and persecute his people seduce our friends give ill example to our neighbours open the mouthes of God's and our enemies to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are called and the truth we profess Yea we have done more against God in one week then we have done for him ever since we were born and whereas the least of Gods mercies is greater then all the courtesies of men we are not so thankfull to him for them all as we are to a friend for some one good turn Sect. XV. Neither are we sufficient of our selves to think much less to speak least of all to do ought that is good 2 Cor. 3.5 Iohn 15.4 5. There is so much wearisomness pride passion lust envy ignorance awkwardness hypocrisie infidelity vain thoughts unprofitableness and the like cleaving to our best actions to defile them that even our praying and fasting and repenting our hearing believing and giving our holiest communication our most brotherly admonition c. are in themselves as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 were they not accepted in Christ covered with his righteousness and washed white in his most precious blood Our very righteousness is as a menstruous cloth Isa. 64.6 What then is our sinfulness As bring we our lives to the rule Look how many sins are cherished so many false gods there are chosen Look how many creatures thou inordinately lovest fearest trustest rejoycest in so many new gods hast thou coined and wilt thou not then pleade guilty when the first and second Commandment arraigneth thee Thou canst not away with swearing but dost thou reprove others for their swearing Didst thou never hear Sermons unpreparedly irreverently c Does thy heart upon a Sabbath rest from worldly thoughts much more thy tongue from worldly speeches There is murther of the heart hatred Hast not thou murthered thy neighbours soul by thy negligence perswasion evil example c. Thou hast not stoln but hast thou not coveted Hast thou been liberal to those that are owners of a part of thy goods hast thou not robb'd thy brother of his good name which is above silver and gold Hast not thou robb'd God of his worship of his Sabbaths of his Tythes c. Lying flattering detracting listning to taâ—â—s yea not defending thy brothers good name is to bear false witness 〈…〉 very first motions of sins springing out of our hearts though presently rejected and a thousand the like and yet for every drop of wickedness that is in the life there is a sea in the heart that feeds it Sect. XVI True if thou lookest on thy sins in Satans false glass that will make them seem light and contemptible but behold them in the clear and perfect gâ—ass of Gods law and they will appear abominable Which makes our Saviour call hatred murther a wanton eye adultery c. Yea consider thy sins rightly and they will appear as the Iudasses that betrayed the Souldiers that apprehended bound smote and wounded thy Saviour as the gall and vinegar in his mouth spittle on his face thorns on his head nails in his hands spear in his side c. This is the way to know thy self sinful and as thus to know thy self is the best Divinity as Demonax said of Philosophy so thus to aggravate thy sins in thine own sight is the only way to have them extenuated in the sight of God Whence the more holy a childe of God is the more sensible he is of his own unholiness thinking none so vile as himself as it fared with holy Iob Iob 40.4 and 42.6 and with Isaiah chap. 6.5 and 64.6 and with Saint Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 Rom. 7.14 to 25. and with holy David who almost in every Psalm so much bewails his sins originall and actual of omission and commission Carnal men are only troubled for those sins that appear to the world but those in whom Christs is formed anew think they cannot be humbled enough for their evil thoughts vain and unprofitable words for the evil which cleaves even to their best actions for sins of omission as the want of faith and love and repentance want of the true fear of God the neglect of preparation and unprofitable hearing of praying and reading in their families of instructing their children and servants of sanctifying the Sabbath and seeing that all under them do the same their unfruitfulness under the means of grace their not growing in grace and the like And thus do all experimental Christians all that have spiritual eies The want whereof I take to be the cause of all desperate wickedness as what else but invincible ignorance is the cause why wickednesse so abounds in every corner oâ— the Land Sin indeed at first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of Sin swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the land Hosea 4.1 2. It is a people that do erre in their hearts saies God Why Because they have not known my ways Psal. 95.10 Ye are deceived saith our Saviour because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 VVhen Christ wept over Ierusalem what was the cause Even their blindnesse If thou hadst known saith he at the least in this thy day those things which now are hid from thine eyes Luke 19.42 Because men know not the wages of evil therefore they do it and because they would securely do it therefore they refuse to know it O that men knew how good it is to obey to disobey how evil for this would soon disperse and dispel all the black clouds of their reigning sins in a moment If they were wise saith St. Bernard they would fore-see the torments of Hell and prevent them but they that wander in by-paths declare themselves ignorant of the rightway of salvation Rom. 3.17 I grant many that are wicked have a shew of wisdom but let them seem to know never so much yet it is through ignorance that they do so ill Sect. XVII And so having given you a short survey of our wretchedness by reason of Original sin and actual transgressions by which we must confess to have deserved double damnation I come now to declare the means which God of his infinite goodnesse hath found out both for
for love of Christs Gospel True I went under the notion of an honest man and a good Christian I was baptized into the faith and made a member of Christs vivisible Church but I was so far from indeavouring to perform what I then promised that in effect I even renounced both Christ and my Baptism in persecuting him and all that sincerely professed his Name thinking I did God good service therein Ioh. 16.2 Gal. 1.13 14. Phil. 3.6 Nor was it for want of ignorance that you thought so of me for by nature be we never so milde and gentle we are all the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 and children of the Devil Ioh. 8.44 Yea the very best moral man is but a tame Devil as Athanasius well notes But it is a true proverb the blind eat many a flie and all colours are alike to him that is in the dark Loose Libertine So much the worse is my condition for my conscience tells me there is not a word you have spoken of your self but I can justly apply the same unto my own soul and a great deal more For whereas you have been a moral honest man so that none except your self could tax you for breaking either Gods Law or mans I have been so wicked and prophane that I could most presumptuosly and of set purpose take a pride in my wickednesse commit it with greedinesse speak for it defend it joy in it boast of it tempt and inforce to it yea mock them that disliked it As if I would send challenges into Heaven and make love to destruction and yet did applaud my self and prefer my own condition before other mens saying I was no dissembler yea I hated the hypocrisie of Professors I do not justifie my self and despise others like the Puritanes I am not factious schismatical singular censorious c. I am not rebellious nor contentious like the Brownists and Anabaptists I am a good fellow and love an honest man with my heart c. and as touching a good conscience I was never troubled in mind as many scrupulous fools are I have a good heart and mean as well as the precisest But now I see the Devil and my own deceitfull heart deluded me so that my whole life hitherto hath been but a dream and that like a blind man I was running headlong to Hell when yet I thought my self in the way to Heaven Just as if a beggar should dream that he were a King or a◠if a traitor should dream of his being crowned when indeed he was to be beheaded the case of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 the young man in the Gospel Luk. 18.20 21. and that Pharisee spoken of Luk. 18.11 12. Sect. XXXV Convert It was not your case alone but so it fares with the worst of sinners Only it much rejoyces me that it hath pleased God to open your eyes to see all this in your self For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto you Yea we are naturally so blind and deaf and dead in sin and in soul that we can no more discern our spiritual filthinesse nor feel sin to be a burden than a blind Aethiopian can see his own blacknesse or than a dead-man can feel the weight of a burthen when it is laid upon him Act. 28.27 Isa. 6.9 10 And this common experience shews for if you observe it who more jocond confident and secure than the worst of sinners they can strut it under an unsupportable Mass of oaths blasphemies thefts murthers adulteries drunkenness and other the like sins yea can easily swallow these spiders with Mithridates and digest them too when one that is regenerate shrinkes under the burden of wandring thoughts and want of proficiency But why is it they are dead in sin Ephes. 2.1 Revel 3.1 Now lay a mountain upon a dead-man he feels not once the weight To a Christian that hath the life of grace the least sin lyes heavy upon the conscience but to him that is dead let his sins be as heavy as a mountain of lead he feels in them no weight at all Again They are 〈…〉 for what the eye seeth not the heart rueth not Security makes worldlings merry and therefore are they secure because they are ignorant A dunce we know seldome makes doubts yea a fool saies Solomon boasteth and is confident Prov. 14.16 neither do blind men ever blush And the truth is were it not for pride and ignorance a world of men would be ashamed to have their faces seen abroad For take away from mens minds vain opinions flattering hopes false valuations imaginations and the like you will leave the minds of most men and women but poor shrunken things full of melancholy indisposition and unpleasing to themselves Ignorance is a veil or curtain to hide away their sins whereupon they are never troubled in conscience nor macerated with cares about eternity but think that all will be well The Devil and the flesh prophesie prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised the powder-traitors but death and damnation which Gods Spirit threatens will prove the crop they will reap For God is true the Devil and all flesh are lyers When we become regenerate and forsake sin then the Devil strongly and strangely assaults us as he did Christ when he was newly baptized and Pharaoh the children of Israel when they would forsake Aegypt and Herod the children when Christ was come to deliver his people Whence commonly it comes to passe that those think best of themselves that ave least cause yea the true Christian is as fearfull to entertain a good opinion of himself as the false is unwilling to be driven from it They that have store of grace mourn for the want of it and they that indeed want it chant their abundance None so apt to doubt their adoption as they that may be assured of it nor none more usually fear then they that have the greatest cause to hope We feel corruption not by corruption but by grace and therefore the more we feel our inward corruptions the more grace we have Contraries the nearer they are to one another the sharper is the conflict betwixt them now of all enemies the spirit and the flesh are nearest one to another being both in the soul of a regenerate man and in all faculties of the soul and in every action that springeth from those faculties The more grace the more spiritual life and the more spiritual life the more antipathy to the contrary whence none are so sensible of corruption as those that have the most living souls Sect. XXXVI Now for remedy of the contrary there cannot be a better lesson for carnal men to learn than this All the Promises of God are conditional to take place if we repent as all the threatenings of God are conditional to take place if we repent not But wicked men as they believe without repenting their faith being meer presumption so they repent without believing their repentance being indeed
who had Apes taught when they were young to dance and keep their postures with much art these he would put into rich Coats and have them in some great presence to exercise their skill which was to the admiration of such as knew them not what little sort of active nimble men the King had got And such as knew them thought it no less strange that they should be trained up to so man-like and handsome a deportment But a subtile Fellow that was once admitted to see them brought and threw amongst them a handful of Nuts which they no sooner spied but they presently left off their dance fell a scrambling tore one anothers rich Coats and to the dirision of the beholders who before admired them they discovered themselves to be meer Apes These ensuing Notions which I have purposely taken as a handful out of the whole sack to squander away amongst my acquaintance are such Nuts as will discover not a few who are men in appearance and their own opinion to be as wise and well affected as Aesops Cock that preferred a barley Corn before a Pearl or Plinies Moal that would dig under ground with great dexterity but was blind if brought into the Sun Or Diaphontus that refused his mothers blessing to hear a song Or the Israelites who preferred Garlick and Onions before Quails and manna Men no more differ from Beasts Plants Stones in speech reason shape than some differ from others in heart in brain in life Whence the very heathen Poets usually most fitly compare some men to stones for their hardness and insensibleness others to plants that only fill their veins a third sort to beasts that please their senses too a fourth to evil Angels that only sin and cause others to sin a fift to good Angels that are still in motion alwayes serving God and doing good yet ever rest Again Experience teaches that mens judgements and censures are as various as their pallats For what one admires another slights as is evident by our Saviours Auditors of which some admired others censured a third sort wept a fourth scoft a fift trembled a sixt blasphemed when they heard him And how should it be otherwise when the greater part are as deeply in love with vice and error as the rest are with vertue and truth When mens conditions and constitutions vary as much as their faces As the Holy Ghost intimates in comparing several men to almost every several creature in the Universe Nor is the Epicure more like a swine the Lustful person a Goat the Fraudulent man a Fox the Backbiter a barking Dog the Slanderer an Asp the Oppressor a VVolf the Persecutor a Tyger the Church-robber a wild Bore the Seducer a Serpent yea a Devil the Traytor a Viper c. 2 Tim 4 17. Luk. 13.32 Phil. 3.2 Psal 22.12 13 16 20 21. 74.13 14 19. 80.13 Matth. 23.33 Dan. 7.4 5 6 c Zeph. 3 â— 4 c. Cant. 2.15 17 c. then every of them is unlike another Amidst such a world of variety I have chosen to set forth how one man differs from and excels another in brain and to prove that to be wise indeed is the portion but of a few even amongst us And this discovery alone as I deem will be richly worth my pains and each mans serious Observation Sect. 42. NOw all sorts of men may be comprised under one of these three Heads The Sensual The Rational The Spiritual For if you observe it some men like the Moon at Full have all their light towards earth none towards Heaven Others like the Moon at VVaine or Change have all their light to Heaven wards none to the earth a third sort like to the Moon in eclipse as having no light in it self neither towards earth nor towards Heaven Touching these three degrees of comparison you shall find that the one exceeds the other in wisdom as the stars exceed one another in glory Of which particularly First There is no less difference between the Rational and sensual the wise and simple the learned and unlearned than there is between men and beasts as Menander speaks Or between the living and the dead as another hath it And yet the Rational do not so far excel the sensual as the spiritual excel the rational Sensual men are so be-nighted and puzled with blindness that they know no other way than the flesh leads them It is the weight that sets all their wheels a going the horses that draw their chariot the very life of their corruption the corruption of their life without which they do nothing The minds of brutish men that have been ill bred are so drowned in sin and sensuallity and their spirits so frozen and pitifully benumed with worldliness and wicked customs that they cannot judg aright either of spiritual matters or rectified reason Yea in matters experimental they are of as deep a judgement as was Callico who stuft his pillow a brass pot with straw to make it soft Or that Germain Clown who under-took to be very ready in the ten Commandments but being demanded by the Minister which was the first made answer Thou shall not eate Or that simple Fellow who thought Pontius Pilate must needs be a Saint because his name was put into the Creed They are like the Ostrich Job â—9 17 whom God hath deprived of wisdom and to whom he hath given no part of understanding Which men also are so far from receiving instruction that they will scorn and scoff at their admonisher As they have no reason so they will hear none Nor will they believe any thing but what they see or feell and he that learns of none but himself hath a fool to his teacher Yea such as refuse admonition are by wise Solomon branded for the most incorigible Fools alive so that their knowledge is ignorance their wisdom folly their sight blindness They neither consider what reason speaketh or Religion commandeth but what the will and appetite affecteth For will is the axeltree lusts and passions the wheels whereupon all their actions are carried and do run Appetite being their Lord Reason their servant and Religion their slave Whereas Religion should govern their judgement judgment and reason their wills and affections as Adam should have done Eve They that are after the flesh do minde the things of the flesh The carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.5 to 9. And which leaves them without all hope of being wiser they had rather keep conscience blind that it may slatter them than inform it that it may give a just verdict against them counting it less trouble to believe a favorable falshood than to examine whether it be true So that it is impossible for fleshly minded men to believe what sots they are touching the good of their souls Wherefore when we see the folly and misery of those that serve sin and Satan and
and contempt of God which is most fearfull and as a man would think should make it unpardonable I am sure the Psalmist hath a terrible word for all such if they would take notice of it Let them be confounded that transgress without a cause Psal. 25.3 Wherefore no longer continue it but repent of it and forsake it lest the Lord should deal by you as he hath threatned Deut. 28.58 59. That if we do not fear and dread his glorious and fearfull Name the Lord our God he will make our plagues wonderfull and of long continuance and the plagues of our posterity Besides how frequently doest thou pollute and prophane Gods Name and thy Saviours The Jews grievously sinned in crucifying the Lord of Life but once and that of ignorance but the times are innumerable that thou doest it every day in the year every hour in the day although thy Conscience and the Holy Spirit of Grace hath checkt thee for it a thousand and a thousand times Doest thou expect to have Christ thy Redeemer and Advocate when thy Conscience tells thee that thou hast seldome remembred Him but to blaspheme Him and more often named Him in thy Oaths and Curses than in thy Prayers True thou takest so little notice of the number of thy Oaths and Curses that thou wilt not acknowledge thou didst Swear or Curse at all Yea though thou beest taken in the manner and told of it thou wilt not believe it But all that are present can witness the same and Satan also as also the searcher of hearts who himself will one day be a swift witness against swearers Mal. 3.5 For of all other sinners the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain as the third Commandement tells you Exod. 20.7 But wo is me it fares with common Swearers as with persons desperately diseased whose excrements and filth comes from them at unawares For as by much labour the hand is so hardened that it hath no sense of labour so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senslesness to overspread the heart memory and conscience that the Swearer sweareth unwittingly and having sworn hath no remembrance of his Oath much less repentance for his sin Wherefore I beseech you by the mercies of God who hath removed so many evils and conferred so many good things upon you that they are beyond thought or imagination to leave it especially after this warning which in case you do not will be a sore witness and rise up in judgement against you another day Or if you regard not your self nor your own souls good yet for the Nations good leave your Swearing and Banning For the Lord hath a great controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because of swearing Hos. 4 1 2. Yea because of Oaths the whole Land even the three Nations now mourneth as you may see Ier. 23.10 But thou who art a little civilized wilt alledge That if â—hou doest swear it is but Faith and Troth by our Lâ—â—y the Light or the 〈…〉 Answer True blind sensualists that have no other guide but the flesh may deem or dream it a mite a moate a matter of nothing But hadst thou the least knowledg of the Law of God or sâ—ill in Scripture thou wouldest know that God expresly forbids it and that upon pain of damnation Iames 12 5. And that Christ commands us not to swear at all in our ordinary communication saying That whatsoever is more than Yea Yea Nay Nay cometh of evil Matth. 5.34 35 36 37. If the matter be light and vain we must not swear at all if so weighty that we may lawfully swear as before a Magistrate being called to it then we must onely use the glorious Name of our God in a holy and religious manner as you may see Deut. 6.13 Isa. 45.23 65.16 Iosh. 23.7 Exod. 23.13 Ier. 5.7 And the reasons of it are weighty if we look into them for in swearing by Faith Our Lady The Light or any other creature you ascribe that unto the said creature which is onely proper to God namely to know your heart and to be a discerner of secret things Why else should you call that Creature as a witness unto your conscience that you speak the truth and lye not which onely belongeth to God And therefore the Lord calls it a forsaking of him as mark well what he saith Ier. 5.7 How shall I spare thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no gods And do you make it a small matter to forsake God and make a God of the creature Will you believe the Prophet Amos If you will he saith speaking of them that swore by the sin of Samaria That they shall fall and never rise again Amos 8.14 A terrible place to vain Swearers Yea in swearing by any Creature whatsoever we do invocate that Creature and ascribe to it divine worship a lawfull Oath being a kind of Invocation and a part of Gods worship Yea whatsoever we swear by that we invocate both as our witness surety and Judg Heb. 6.16 and by consqeuence deifie it by ascribing and communicating unto it Gods incommunicable Attributes as his Omnipresence and Omnisciency of being every where present and knowing the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart and likewise an Omnipotency as being Almighty in Patronizing Protecting Defending and Rewarding us for speaking the truth or punishing us if we speak falsly all which are so peculiar to God as that they can no way be communicated or ascribed to another So that in swearing by any of these things thou committest an high degree of gross Idolatry thou spoilest and robbest God of his glory the most impious kind of these and in a manner dethronest Him and placest an Idol in his room Neither are we to joyn any other with God in our Oaths for in so doing we make base Idols and filthy Creatures Corrivals in honour and Competitors in the Throne of Justice with the Lord who is the Creator of Heaven and earth and the supream Judg and solo Monarch of all the world 〈…〉 Lord and by Malcham which Malcham was their King or as some think their Idol Zeph. 1.4 5. But as if swearing alone would not press thee deep enough into Hell thou addest Cursing to it a sin of an higher nature which nâ—ne use frequently but such as are desperately wicked it being their peculiar brand in Scripture as how doth the Holy Ghost stigmaâ—ize such an one His mouth is full of Cursing Psal. 10.7 Rom. 3.14 or he loveth Cursing Psal. 109.17 And indeed whom can you observe to love this sins or to have their mouthes â—ull of Cursing But Ruffians and sons of Belial such as have shaken out of their hearts the fear of God the shame of men the love of Heaven the dread of Hell not once caring what is thought or spoken of them here or what becomes of them hereafter yea observe them well and you
terrifying it or will in your soul by everlastingly damning it if you repent not Wherefore take â—eed what 〈…〉 〈…〉 our smart hath a great controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because of swearing Hos. 4.1 2. Yea because of oaths the whole land even the three Nations now mourneth as you may see Ier. 23.10 Neither object that ye are so accustomed to swearing that you cannot leave it for this defence is worse then the offence as take an instance Shall a Thief or Murtherer at the Bar alledge for his defence that it hath been his use and custom of a long time to rob and kill and therefore he must continue it or if he do will not the Judge so much the rather send him to the Gallows Wherefore I beseech you by the mercies of God who hath removed so many evils and conferred so many good things upon you that they are beyond thought or imagination to leave it especially after this warning which in case you doe not will be a sore witnesse and rise up in judgment against you another day MEMB. 2. Swearer Did I swear or curse 1. § Messenger Very often as all here present can witnesse and Satan also who stands by to take notice reckon up and set on your score every Oath you utter keeping them upon Record against the great day of Assises at which time every Oath will prove as a daggers point stabbing your soul to the heart or as so many weights pressing you down to Hell Rev. 20.13 and 22 12. As also the searcher of hearts who himself will one day be a swift witnesse against Swearers Mal. 3.5 For of all other sinners the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain as the third Commandement tels you Exod. â—0 7 2. § But wo is â—he it fares with common Swearers as with persons desperately diseased whose excrements and filth comes from them at unawares for as by much labour the hand is so hardened that it hath no sense of labour so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senslessenesse to overspread the heart memorie and conscience that the swearer sweareth unwittingly and having sworne hath no remembrance of his Oath much lesse repentance for his Sin Swearer Alas though I did swear yet I thought no harm 3. § Messenger O fool What Prince hearing himself abused to his face by the reproachfull words of his base and impotent Subject would admit of such an excuse that whatsoever he spake with his mouth yet he thought no ill in his heart And shall God take this for a good answer having told us before hand Deut. 28.58 59. That if we do not fear dread his glorious and fearful Name the Lord our God he wil make our plagues wonderful and of long continuance and the plagues of our posterity Besides how frequently doest thou pollute and prophane Gods Name and thy Saviours The Iews grievously sinned in crucifying the Lord of life but once and that of ignorance but the times are innumerable that thou doest it every day in the year every hour in the day although thy conscience and the holy Spirit of 〈…〉 thee that thou hast seldome remembred him but to blaspheme him and more often named him in thy Oaths and Curses then in thy prayers Swearer Surely If I did swear it was but Faith and Troth by our Lady the Masse the Rood the Light this Bread by the Crosse of the silver or the like which is no great matter I hope so long as I swore not by God nor by my Savior 4. § Messenger That is your grosse ignorance of the Scriptures for God expresly forbids it and that upon pain of damnation Iam. 5.12 First our Saviour Christ in his own person forbids it Mat. 5 34 35 36 37. I say unto you Swear not at all neither by heaven for it is Gods Throne nor by the earth for it is his footstool nor by Ierusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thine head because thou canst not make one hair white oâ— black but let your communication be Yea Yea Nay Nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill And then by his Apostle Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay lest you fall into condemnation James 5 1â— where mark the Emphasis in the first words Above all things swear not and the great danger of it in the last word condemnation 5. § If the matter be light and vain we must not swear at all if so weighty that we may lawfully swear as before a Magistrate being called to it then we must only use the glorious Name of our God in a holy and religious manner as you may see Deut. 6.13 Esay 45.23 65.16 Iosh. 23.7 Ier 5.7 Exod. 23.13 And the reasons of it are weighty if we look into them for in swearing by any creature whatsoever we do invocate that creature and ascribe to it divine worship a lawfull oath being a kind of Invocation and a part of Gods worship Yea whatsoever we swear by that we invocate both as our witnesse surety and judge Heb. 6.16 and by consequence deifie it by ascribing and communicating unto it Gods incommunicable Attributes as his Omnipresence and Omniscience of being every where present and knowing the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart and likewise an Omnipotencie as being Almighty in patronising protecting defending and rewarding us for speaking the truth or punishing us if we speak falsly all which are so peculiar to God as that they can no way be communicated or ascribed to another So that in swearing by any of those things thou committest an high degree of grosse Idolatry thou spoilest and robbest God of his Glory the most impious kind of theft and in a manner dithronest him and placest an Idol in his room 6. § And as to swear by the creature makes the sin far more heinous so the more mean and vile the thing is which you swear by be it by my fay by cock and pie hares foot by this cheese and such like childish oaths which are so much in use with the ignorant and superstitious swarm the greater is your sin in swearing such an Oath because you ascribe that unto these basest of creatures which is only proper to God namely to know your heart and to be a discerner of secret things why else should you call that â—â—eature 〈…〉 of him as mark well what he saith Ier. 5.7 How shall I spare thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no Gods And do you make it a small matter to forsake God and make a God of the creature Will you believe the Prophet Amos if you will he saith speaking of them that swore by the sin of Samaria that they shall fall and never rise again Amos 8.14 a terrible place
do you unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainly tell him of his faults and suffer him not to sin Levit. 19.17 And then consider how few there are amongst us and how rare onely here and there one like rich men among the multitude or jewels among other stuff that either do or care to walk by this golden Rule Yea that instead thereof make not the World onely their God and Pleasure or Profit alone their Religion § 2. Secondly Observe ô that we had the grace seriously to observe and mindeâ— but the Predictions touching the paucity fewness of those that shall be saved Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many will seek to enter and shall not be able because strait is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it But wide is the gate and broad the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat Matth. 7.13 14. Luke 13.23 24. Again Many are called viz. by the outward Ministery of the Word but few chosen Mat. 20.16 and 22.24 Yea St. Iohn affirmeth that the whole world lieth in wickedness 1 John 1.19 And that the number of those whom Satan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Revel 20.8 and 13.15 16 17. Esa. 10.22 Rom. 9.27 And we finde it too true by sad experience for what eyes can but run over to see for the most part how ignorant and erroneous men are and what lives they leads for scarce one of a hundred whose knowledge belief and life is in any degree answerable to the Gospel or the Title that they bear for Christians they are called but no otherwise then the Heathen Images are called Gods because he that is a Christian indeed will strive to imitate Christ and square his life in some measure according to the rule of Gods Word § 3. Thirdly Observe but the Testimonies manifesting how they must be qualified who mean to be saved O that we would but believe them for God expresly tells us That no unrighteous person shall ever inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but that such shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. â— 21 Rev. 21.8 And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 And that except our righteousness exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees who yet excelled our formall Hypocrites and civil Iusticiaries we cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 5. 20. And that he will recompence every man according to his works be they good or evil Psal. â—2 12 Rev. 10.13 22.12 Rom. 2.6 Ier. 2â— 14 and 82. 19. and 50.29 and 51.56 Ezek. 7.4 8 9. and 9.10 and 11.21 and 16. â—â— And that we shall give an account at the day of Iudgement for every idle word we speak Mat. 12.36 And that Christ will come the second time in â—aming fire to render vengeance unto them that know him not and that obey not his Gospel 2 Thes. 1.7 8. Psal. 11.6 Yea the Lord tels us expresly that he will not be mercifull to such as flatter themselvâ—s in an evil way but that his wrath and jealousie shall smoke against them and every curse that is written in his book shall light upon them c. Deut. 29.19 20. And that if we will not regard nor hearken unto him when he calls upon us for repentance he will not hear nor regard us when in our distress and anguish we shall call upon him for mercie but even laugh at our destruction and mock when our fear cometh Prov. 1.24 to 33. See other places to this purpose Hebr. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 Mat. 25.30 41 to 46. and 3.10 § 4 Nor can it indeed consist with his justice to pardon such as continue in an evil course of life neither was it ever heard that any ascended into heaven without going up the staires of new obedience that any have attained unto everlasting life without faith repentance and sanctification of Spirit For even the Thief upon the Crosse believed in Christ and shewed the fruits of his faith in acknowledging his own sin in reproving his fellow in confessing his Saviour even when all denied and forsook him in calling upon his Name and desiring by his means and merits everlasting life Besides we read not that ever he was outwardly called until this very hour Secondly though there was one saved at the last hour that none might despair yet there was but one that none should presume Thirdly the Thiefs conversion was one of the miracles with the glory whereof our Saviour would honour the ignominy of his Cross. Fourthly he was saved at the very instant of time when our Saviour triumphed on the Crosse took his leave of the world and entred into his glory And it is usual with Princes to save some hainous Malefactors aâ— their Coronation when they enter upon their Kingdoms in triumph which they are never known to do afterwards Nor was his sudden conversion ever intended in Gods purpose for an encouragement to Procrastinators And therefore no cause have we to expect that he should deal after a new and extraordinary way with us then he hath with all others and so break the course of his so just and so long continued proceedings Yea he binds it with an Oath that whomsoevr he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their lives Luk. 1.73 74 75. 1 Pet. 2.24 Which Scriptures sufficiently shew that they who in life wil yield no obedience to the Law shall in death have no benefit by the Gospel Nor ought any indeed to proâ—esâ— Christ or once to name him with their mouths except they depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 § 5. The which Scriptures if they be true and they fall short of the Devils that deny it Iam. 2.19 what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 3.11 And yet most men live as if the Gospel were quite contrary to the rule of the Law as if God were neither to be feared nor cared for as if they were neither beholding to him nor stood in awe of him both out of his debt and danger yea as if there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish nor Heaven to reward And which mightily aggravates their sin and will add to their torment let some Boanerges be sent unto them with a message from God it fares with them as with the Adder no charming can charm them The strongest command the loudest denunciations of judgements the shrillest and sweetest promuâ—gations of mercies will do no good upon them For while they are in Dalilahs lap and lie sleeping like Drones by the hearth of hell they think themselves
blessing upon them and instead thereof blast his blessings with a curse and give them their riches in wrath so that they had better be without them If we put our trust and confidence in God he hath promised 〈◊〉 to fail nor forsake us Heb. 13 5. But this is the man that took not God for his strength but trusted unto the multitude of his riches and put his strength in his malice Psal. 52.7 Yea he saith in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will never see Psal. 10.11 He puts his certain trust in uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6.17 And not for want of ignorance for to trust to God and not to any creature or carnal policy is the greatest safty A lesson yet to be learned of many that do in a good measure trust in God which this muckworme not so much as minds But shall we trust God with our jewels our souls and not with the box Mat. 6.30 Take we heed lest whiles he doth grant us that wherein we do not trust him worldly riches he take away that wherein we do trust him everlasting joy and happiness Fiftly and lastly let a graceless and ingrateful cormorant an unmerciful miser have never so much he neither intends to glorifie God nor do good to others with his riches he will not change a peece without profit scarse let another light a torch at his candle He will not lose a groa◠to gain a mans life nor speak a sillable for God were it to save a soul And God cares for none that care for none but themselves making themselves the center of all their actions and aimes Whereas he is abundantly bountiful to publike spirits that aime at his glory and others good And so ye have the Reasons the Uses for the present and in this place shall be onely CHAP. XV. Three 1. Of Information 2. Of Exhortation 3. Of Consolation ANd of these but a word First for Information let the premisses teach us this lesson That whatsoever is given to any one if Christ and a sanctified use thereof be not given withall it can be no good thing to him Did the stalled Ox know that his Master fatted him for the slaughter he would not think his great plenty an argument of his masters greater love to him The Physician letteth that sick person have what he will of whose recovery he despaireth but he restraineth him of many things of whom he hath hope We use to clip and cut shorter the feathers of Birds or other fowle when they begin to flye too high or too far So does God diminish the riches and honors of his children and makes our condition so various that we may not pass our bounds or glory too much in these transitory things As if we well observe it First some have the world and not God as Nabal who possessed a world of wealth not a dram of grace or comfort Secondly some have God and not the world as Lazarus his heart was full of grace and divine comfort whiles his body lacked crumbes Thirdly some have neither God nor the world nothing but misery here nothing but torment hereafter for the poorest are not seldom the wickedest Fourthly some have both God and the world as Abraham who was rich while he lived on earth and dying was glorious in Heaven Yea oftentimes they that are deerest to God do with great difficulty work out those blessings which even fall into the mouthes of the careless That wise disposer of all things knows it fit many times to hold us short of those favors which we sue for and would not benefit but hurt us Unlovely features have more libertty to be good because freer from Solicitors and though it be not a curse yet t is many times an unhappiness to be fair aswell as to be strong and witty Helena daughter to Iupiter and Leda for her excellent beauty was ravished at the age of nine yeers by Theseus and once again by Paris which caused the wars and utter ruine of Troy Plutarch observes that Lisander did more hurt the Lacedemonians in sending them store of riches and precious movables then Sylla did the Romans in consuming the reveneues of their treasure And as Sylvius relates the liberallity of Princes and especially of Metilda a Dutches of Italy who at her death made the Pope her heir begat ambition in the Bishops of Rome and ambition destroyed Religion These things are such as the possessors minde Good if well us'd if ill them ill we finde For even evil things work together for the good of the good and even good things work together to the evil of the evil Lucian seigneth that riches being sent by Iupiter from heaven come softly and slowly but from the infernal god comes flying apace And the other Poets feign Pluto to be the god of riches and of hell as if hell and riches had both one master And indeed he that resolves to be evil making no conscience how he comes by it may soon be rich but the blessings of God in our ill getting or unworthy carriage in their use prove but the aggravations of sin and additions to judgement And let this serve for the first use Secondly Let what hath been delivered touching the miseries of an unmerciful miserly muckworme serve to make us take heed and beware of all sin but especially of the sin of covetousness yea◠let us look to it lest while we hunt after the worlds venison with Esau we lose our Fathers blessing Can we not warm us at the Sun but we must make an Idoll of it to worship must we needs either hide our faces or bow our knees either renounce all profits and pleasures or be their slaves This is a second use Thirdly this if we seriously consider it may serve for a use of great comfort to the godly and conscientious For if worldlings are so many wayes perplexed and distracted with cares and fears about getting and keeping and lofing their riches and grace estates how happy are the servants of God that are not acquainted with any of them No man sayes the Apostle that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier 2 Tim. 2.4 They cast their care upon God and he careth for them who will see that they shall never want what is good and fit for them Mat. 6.25 30. But in the transgression of an evil man is his snare sayes wise Solomon Prov. 29 6. But of this by the way onely for there are other plagues yet behinde which God usually inflicts upon the merciless miser nor would one of them be left unconsidered CHAP. XVI THe eighth is the loss of his credit and good name which he seldom or never scapes which is not a light punishment however he esteems it The memorial of the just shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot sayes Solomon Prov. 10.7 Yea the cruel and