words of our Saviour Mark 8. 38. he acknowledged it openly It is very dangerous to walk in the dark Saints are children of the light and should have their light shining before others Lewis the eleventh of France was better at carnal politicks then real piety who desired his Son might learn no more then this He who cannot counterfeit must not wear a Crown SECT IV. FOurthly Labour to get some good by such as are evil The precious stone Amyanthon being cast into the fire is made the more clear and pure A skilful Naturalist will make some use of the most venemous Hearbs and Serpents A gracious person may improve the vilest sinners company to his own spiritual profit As wicked men are helpful to the temporal good so often to the eternal good of Gods people Like Leaves though they are nothing worth in themselves yet they keep the good fruit from blasting and hereby are instrumental to its further Growth and Ripening Ismenias the Theban Musitian taught his Scholars not onely by shewing them such as struck a clean stroak with Do so but also by shewing them such as bungled at it with Do not so Antigenidas thought men would like better and contend the more for skil if they heard untuneable notes Satan intendeth wicked men as dirt and earth onely to besmear and defile them but God outshoots him in his own bow and makes them as Fullers-earth to purge and purifie them As poisonous as they are in their own nature through the Correctives of the Spirit they become not only not hurtful but helpful to the beleiver Ungodly men are compared to dung and filth which we know being applied to the good Trees makes them more fruitful That slime and mudde which the overflowing of Nilus carrieâ—h along with it in the Summer Solftice causeth Egypt to bring forth abundantly The Graces of Saints have increased even by the abominations and oppositions of sinners Lots hatred of sin was the greater by viewing the unclean conversations of the Sodomites The Serpent Tyrus saith Brittenbacchus is so venemous that there is no remedy against its bitings but by cutting off the member yet even of this there is a Treacle made which serveth for excellent purposes Though the flesh of the Vulture saith Pliny be unwholsom and unmeet for meat yet it is most medicinable an Oyntment made of the fat of it is specially strengthning to the sinews Though ungodly men are ill food and not fit to be our ordinary constant diet yet they may be good Physick and profitable when necessity compelleth us to use them A deboice lewd Master may teach a Scholar many good lessons If God send us to School to the Beasts of the field Job 12. 7. Ask the Beasts and they shall teach thee I know no reason but much good may be learned from these brutes in the shape of men Some tell us that gold was extracted out of Ennius his dung Thou mayst Reader through the help of the Spirit get that which is better then Gold out of these noysom and loathsom persons The smell of Trefoil is often stronger in a moist and cloudy dark season then in fair weather So should the savour of a Saints graces be most fragrant amongst evil Companions 1. Let thy zeal be the more inflamed zeal is the heat or intention of the afâ—ections It is an holy warmth whereby our love and anger are drawn out to the utmost for God and his glory Now our love to God and his ways and our hatred of wickedness should be encreased because of ungodly men cloudy and dark colours in a table make those that are fresh and lively to appear more beautiful others sins should make God and Godliness more amiable in thine eyes Thy heart should take fire by striking on such cold flints David by an holy Antiperistasis did kindle from others coldness Psal. 119. 39. My zeal hath consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy word Cold blasts make a fire to flame the higher and burn â—he hotter A true child hearing others speak faintly is the more fervent in the commendation of his Father Because the wicked forsake thy law therefore I love thy commandments above gold yea above much â—ine gold Psa. 119. 127. Do others in thy presence declare their loathing of Gods preâ—cepts do thou love them the more Do they trample them under their feet do thou prize them at the greater rate Truly the more they dishonouâ— God by their swearing and scoffing at Godliness the more reason thou hast to honour him Phineas is Sainted in Gods Calendar for being zealous in Gods Cause as Varnish addeth a lustre to all colours and makes them amiable so zeal addeth a beauty to all our services and makes them the more acceptable The Spirit of God works like fire and if it dwell in thee t will make thee fervent in Spirit How little sign have they of their Saintships who can hear sinners belch out their blasphemies against God and tear the precious body of Christ in peices with Oaths and yet are as sensless as stocks and stones as if they had no relation to God and Christ The redeemed of the Lord are a zealous people Tit. 2. 14. Thou art but false in thy profession of friendship if thou canst behold others abusing thy friend and sit still Ah what true Christian can see hellish lusts embraced publiquely and the glorious Lord disowned openly and not loath the former and love the latter the more for it The Grecians would bring their children to hate drunkenness by shewing them Drunkards wallowing in their vomits what loathsom persons they were in such conditions Good examples are provocations to holiness Mal. 3. 8. Bad examples may work a detestation of vice Deut. 18. 9. Ephes. 4. 17. Wise men have more to learn of fools then fools of wise men said Cato That Trumpet which is filled only with wind may encourage and awaken a living man to the battle That person who is dead in sin may rouse up a sleepy yet living Christian and raise his affections more towards God 2. Let thy heart be the more inlarged in thankfulness Dost thou behold the prophane glorying in their pollutions Dost thou see sinners abusing Gods creatures Dost thou discern ungodly ones making a mock of sin jearing at holiness and riding post to Hell how should thy heart be raised in thankefulness to thy dearest Redeemer that thou dost not run with them to the same excess of riot and in the same road of eternal ruine Every time thou comest into such company and observest their wicked courses thou mayst well pity such deluded souls and praise thy gracious Saviour Mayst thou not think thus with thy self Lo here are those that play with the eternal fire and sport with the Almighties fury that dance merrily over the bottomless pit and take pleasure in the way to endless pains that are wholly regardless of God and Christ and Heaven and their unchangeable estates
spoke The Drunkards mind and stomach are alike neither can retain what they receive Solomon likewise sets a brand at this mans door to discourage every sober man from coming there Be not amongst Winebibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh Always he hath some lust or other lording it over him and according as their interests lead him so he acteth that his friend must expect no more of him then they can spare and is such a person like to prove a Cordial friend He may abound in frothy words but I must expect no faithful deeds from him if ever I come to sufferings like a Drum in a Battel he may make a great sound but will act nothing for my succour like a Cipher though now in my prosperity he stands for thousands in my adversity he will stand for nothing Such a friend will be like a familiar Devil which forsakes the Witch when she is in Fetters How much shall I miss of my expected help from him when I am brought into hardships As a Lemon he may be hot without but is altogether cold and cooling within O that I might never manifest so much folly as to choose him for my friend whose principles will teach him to be false He so often changeth his dwelling for his own end and interest that I shall not know where to find him when I stand in most need As a Flie he will tarry no longer in the Kitchen then there is grease to feed him I am but his Pond which he will use whilst there is any water but when dry I shall hear no more of him Lord how far would thine end of society be frustrated and my hopes of comfort in companions be disappointed should I choose him who is ruled neither by Religion nor Reason I beseech thee let my lot fall amongst those persons that are filled with the fruits of thy Spirit for they onely will be faithful to the true and holy ends for which thou hast ordained friendship Preserve me from walking in the counsel of the ungodly and standing in the way of sinners lest being found in their Company I come to inherit their curses I Wish that I may like Paul joyn my self to the Disciples and be in League onely with them who are joyned to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant never to be forgotten I profess my self to be a follower of God My God hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psa. 4. 3. If the godly man be the object of my Gods choice he may well be of mine If he be separated for his service he is without question worthy of my society Surely there is some value in those vessels which are meet for the Masters use Common and ordinary things are not fit for a Princes Table Neither is every person meet for a Kings presence They are specially qualified with parts and abilities that stand before Great men Pharoah would have none but men of activity to serve him in tending his Cattel Nebuchadnezzar would have Children in whom was no blemish but well-favoured and skilful in all wisdom and cunning in knowledge and understanding sciences and such as had ability in them Dan. 1.4 to stand in the Kings Palace What manner of men are those then whom the glorious God hath chosen to wait upon him There cannot but be rare perfections in them that are set a part to shew forth all his praise He is infinitely wise and would not honour them so much that are not of eminent worth O my soul what a Loadstone is here to draw forth thy love towards the Saints Thy constant thy loving thy best friend sets an high price upon them All the world bâ—sides is a wild Wilderness to him they onely are his Garden wherein he delights and wilt not thou walk there with him amongst such fragrant Flowers and pleasant Fruits He esteems others but as dust they are his jewels Observe what he tells thee The heart of a wicked man is little worth but the tongue of the righteous is as choice silver The heart of man includes the understanding will and affections the soul and all its faculties and is the noblest part of man it is the fountain of life the spring of motion the seat of his Empire and Regiment nay the Commander in chief that ordereth and disposeth of all at pleasure yet this heart which is the most excellent part in a wicked man is of small price it is little worth nay is worse then naught but the tongue a far inferiour member of the righteous is no mean mettal as choise silver and makes a most delightful sound Wilt not thou joyn thy self to these excellent ones If their tongues be as choice silver surely their hearts do infinitely excel fine gold Nay are more precious then rubies The Topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal them neither shall they be exchanged for jewels of fine Gold Who would not be greedy of acquaintance with men of such surpassing eminence It would bewray extream want of wisdom not to be ambitious of communion with persons of such worth Besides Should I joyn with others I choose them that are my Gods enemies It is not onely ingratitude but treason to countenance them that are traytours against the Crown and Dignity of Iesus Christ. T was a sharp and cutting reproof which Jehu gave to King Jehosaphat I Wish I may never give cause for the like to me Shouldst thou help â—he ungodly and love them that hate the Lord My God counts my enemies his enemies and hates them that hate me and shall I esteem his enemies my friends and love those that hate him Wicked men are a generation of Vipers they hiss at godliness and spit their poison at God himself They stretch out their hands against God and strengthen themselves against the Almighty Iob 15. I shew but small kindness to the God of all my comforts if I take his foes to be my friends Once more I disgrace my birth my breeding I dishonour my profession my Prince if I accompany with wicked persons It s below a great Heir to company with beggars It s a discredit to a King to be taken up with Porters A Companion of riotous men shameth his Father on Earth Prov. 28. 7. A companion of vicious men shameth his Father in Heaven It speaketh his education to be very mean and his expectation to be low both which reflect upon his Father O that I might never disgrace my Gods goodness in the cost and charge he hath been at with me by choosing the scullions and filth of the World to be my companions nor disparage my own judgment in refusing the excellent of the earth and them that are Princes in all Lands Lord thy people are thy portion Jacob is the lot of thine inheritance they are precious in thy sight and honourable for thou hast loved them they are fair in thine eyes and altogether lovely Help thy poor servant to resemble thy Majesty Give me spiritual eyes
independence on thee he beareth with thee and forbeareth thee oughtest thou not to forbear and forgive others Again Thou mayst put this question to thy self Have not I wronged others Doth not the righteous God now pay me in my own coin May I not say as Adonibezek As I have done to others so God hath requited me Nay possibly others offend me ignorantly unawares or through some violent temptation but I have offended others knowingly wilfully and upon weaker inducements O what cause have I to forgive who am so prone to offend Lord teach me to obey thy precept in forbearing my brethren that offend me and so to imitate that blessed pattern of thy Majesty who art pleased daily to requite evil with good that I may be able comfortably to pray Forgive me my trespasses as I forgive them that trespass against me I Wish that I may according to my poor ability be helpful to the weak and tender members of Christ by administring Cordials sutable to their conditions My duty is not onely to counsel the doubtful but also to comfort the sorrowful If I saw a body fainting and drooping I were bound to afford it what assistance I could and not to hide mine eyes from mine own flesh Doth not my Neighbours soul as far more precious call for more pity and command my help to my power If one Sheep be sick many others will flock about him and in an hot day after their manner refresh him by keeping the scorching Sun from him The Sheep of Christ should have more sense of others misery and more knowledge of the means relating to their recovery and shall they be less diligent for others health To him that is afflicted pity should be shewn if I deny this I forsake the fear of the Almighty How tender was my Redeemer of broken bones and sorrowful Saints When he arose from the dead he appeared first to mournful Mary and then takes special care that penitent Peter have speedy notice of that blessed news Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am risen They that have smarted with inward wounds themselves have the more reason to compassionate others in their sorrows Lord the time hath been that thou didst cast me into the deep into the midst of the Seas thy Floods compassed me about all thy Billows and thy Waves passed over me I roared by reason of the anguish of my Spirit under the sense of thy wrath and the curse of thy Law The weight of my sins lay heavy upon my conscience and I was even sinking under them into the bottomless pit The sorrows of death compassed me about the pains of Hell gaâ— hold of me I found trouble and sorrow I knew not which way to turn nor whither to go for any ease or releif If I said My Friends should help me or my Possessions abate my grief I soon found them all miserable comforters and Physitians of no value If I said My bed should comfort me and my Couch ease my complaint then thou didst scare me with Dreams and terrifie me with Visions All the creatures were unable to afford me any succour When I lay thus half dead they all as the Priest and Levite passed by on the other side they had neither pity enough for such dreadful wounds nor power enough to work their cure Then called I upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul out of the belly of Hell cried I unto thee and â—hou didst hear my voice For thou hast delivered my Soul from Death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling Thou wast the good Samaritan that hadst compassion on me that didst bind up my wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine and undertake my cure Thou didst send a Barnabas a Son of Consolation to me to proclaim liberty to me a poor captive and the opening of the Prison to me that was bound How beautiful were his feet that brought the glad ridings of peace to my poor soul O that I might be able to support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded God I Wish that I may be both faithful and wise to recover a fallen Brother out of his sin and error Jonathan a true friend of David promised to tell him if there were any danger and accordingly warned him whereby he saved his life I profess my self a lover of my Christian Companions but I am false in my profession if I suffer sin to lye upon them Yet I confess it is a difficult work to perform this duty in a right manner The best plaister may be ineffectual if it be not fitly applied I can seldom with Moses seek to unitâ— quarrelling Christians but one of them with the Hebrew is ready to quarrel with me and say Who made thee a Ruler or a Judge over us Men are seldom more touchy then when their sores are searched and therefore he that would not have their wounds to bring them into a Fever or Fury must handle them with much wariness I desire that Wisdom Courage and Love may be the ingredients of which all my medicines may be compounded Wisdom that I may observe the quality and temper of the Offendour the nature of his offence and the sittest season and manner of administring the reproof the quality of the person if he be my Superiour that I may do it with reverence rather exhorting and beseeching the plainly rebuking The temper of the offendour if he be of a fierce nature that I may so manage my work with meekness as when I am endeavouring to heal his distemper I may not increase it The nature of the offence If the sin be small that I may not make it great by giving stronger medicines then the disease requires The season of reproving that I may not give open rebuke for private offences but observe my Saviours râ—le If thy Brother offend thee tell him his fault between him and thee The presence of many may make him take up an unjust defence who in private would have taken upon him a just shame The open air makes sores to wrankle the more publique rebukes are for Magistrates and Courts of Justice to give Possibly it may be my suspicion more then any real fault as in the case of the Blessed Virgin and Joseph and then what wrong should I do him to accuse innocency before a multitude The manner of delivering it that I may give him his due praise as well us his deserved reproof This will somewhat allay his passion and make my reproof the more prevalent The Iron when heated red hot in the fire is bent and beaten afterwards without breaking which way the Smith pleaseth When I have heated him hot with the fire of commendation I may then beat upon him with reproof in greater hopes of success I would desire courage also that I may deal faithfully and not skin over a wound that hath dead flesh at the bottom Should I dally I destroy the Patient If the Ofâ—endour be so
not afford them the least good or make them in any respect better or blessed Alas how much below nay contrary to reason doth man act to cast away pearls upon swine gold upon dross diamonds upon dirt to throw away his time and seasons of grace which are more worth then rubies then all riches upon that which is vanity and vexation of spirit It was a worthy check which Cineas the Oratour gave to the monstrous Ambition of Pyrrhus When that King of Epyrus was solicited by the Tarentines and other people in Italy to become the head of their league against the Romans whilst he was musing upon that affair his favourite Cineas came into his presence and perceiving the King in a study desires the knowledge of his thoughts Pyrrhus courteously opens his heart to him and asketh his advice whether he were best to accept of that honourable offer or no but resolving before to joyn with them and promised him self success The Oratour answerd him That in case he should joyn with them and prevail What would he then do Pyrrhus told him Then Sardinia and Sicily will be at my command Cineas consented and replied What then will you do Pyrrhus told him Then Africa will soon be conquered Cineas asked What then will you do Then said Pyrrhus Grecia will yield to my victorious armes Cineas continued When Grecia is brought under what will you do next The King perceiving the intention of his favourite replied smiling Then Cineas We will sit still rest our selves and be merry That said Cineas you may do presently without any bloody fight or barbarous outragious acts without tiresome marches pinching quarters tormenting fears of losing the day without any hazard or danger to your self or others Truly Reader I may tell thee if thou art one that busiest thy self about a throng of worldly businesses and crowdest thy mind and heart with projects and designs to increase thy heaps and advance thy name and provide for thy children and procure thy self a comfortable subsistance for a few days that after all thy care and trouble and restlesness and vexation and hazards and dangers thou wilt be never the better Thou wilt but like them that spend their time and money and thoughts for the Phylosophers stone reap thy labour for thy pains and find all unprofitable Felix Platerus is of opinion that all Alchymists are mad in being so laborious for nothing May I not say to thee truly concerning thy pains and time what Iudas did falsly concerning the Oyntment To what purpose is this Waste To what purpose is thy waste of time and strength and health Alas what profit will all thy pains bring thee in The Vanity of other labours will appear in that all other things are Unsuitable Deceitful Unsatisfying Vexatious and Uncertain 1. Vnsuitable to thy soul. Gold is unsuitable to hunger food to the sick honour to the weary so are all the comforts of this life to thy soul. What is an earthly treasure to the poor in spirit what is the best Physick garden to a wounded conscience what are all the dainties on the table of the Creation to one that is hungry and thirsty after the righteousness of Christ and the grace of the Spirit Bodily things are not suitable to our spirits nor temporal substance to an immortal soul. The fattest increase of the earth is from the excrements of beasts which must needs be far from answering the nature of an heaven born spirit 2. Deceitful As Iael to Sisera the world brings forth meat to us in a lovdly dish and saith Come in my Lord turn in but she puts her hand to the nail and her right hand to the Work-mans hammer with the hammer she smites foolish Sisera's that trust her she smites off their heads after she hath pierced their temples It serveth its greatest darlings in their extremity as Plutarch reporteth Pompey to have served Cicero who when Cicero fled to him in his misery for succour fled out at a back door and left him to the mercy of his enemies The world next mans heart is the greatest cheat and impostour in the world Like an Host it welcomes us in our Inns with smiles and embraces but kills us in our Beds when we suspect no such matter As the wiseman wisheth them to be moderate and abstinent at a full table and to put a knife to thy throat for they are deceitful meat so I may say of all the dainties and delicates of the Creation they are deceitful meat pleasant but poyson Like the Bramble the world promiseth us protection and refreshment under its shadow if we will suffer it to be our King and reign over us but a fire comes out of it to destroy the Cedars of Lebanon the souls of men As the Plover to put a man out of his way flyeth before him clapping her wings that he minding the noise she makes and following her might not find her nest So the world with its noise and clamours its songs and musick keeps men still in admiration of her and hinders them from finding out her cozenage and theivery He that trusteth in vanity vanity shall be his recompence Job 15. 31. It is reported of one Oromazes that he had an inchanted egge in which as he boasted himself he had incloâ—ed all the happiness of the world but being broken nothing was found in it same wind Truly such is the worlds inside wind whatever appeararance it hath in the eye of a worldling As the forbidden tree seemed to promise knowledge to our first Parents but it took their knowledge from them and brought in ignorance so the world promiseth great matters much joy and delight but payeth us with the contrary sorrow and horror The worldlings voice is like that of the thief Come let us lay wait c. We shall find all precious substance and fill our houses with spoil when alas instead of precious substance they find pernicious shadows and instead of filling their Houses with spoil they fill their hearts with Gall and Worm-wood The world as a cunning Curtizan flattereth and fawneth upon the young gallant to commit spiritual uncleanness with her and then casteth him from the height of fancied delights into the depth of real horror Proverbs 1. 10 11. 3. Vnsatisfying All these sublunary comforts are but skin-deep As a mist they may wet the blade but leave the root of the corn dry they may cause a smile in the face but cannot refresh the heart or satisfie the soul The Country-man thinks if he were at the top of some high hill he should touch the Heavens but when with much pains and sweat and toil he is gotten thither he finds himself deceived Men think if they could attain to such a degree of honour or such a quantity of riches or enjoy such brutish pleasures then they should be satisfied but they find their thirst after creatures as immoderate as before like men in a Feavor or Dropsie the more they drink the