not the men euill that did them It were pittie that men should go to work this way with Dauid and onely iudge of him by his murder and adulterie but it rather becomvs to see whether his course of life being different from his fact do not manifestly prooue that these sinnes were of infirmitie of sinne cleauing to him not reigning in sinne And in this point should euery man be the milder for as it is said commonly in other matters it is euery mans cause this mans to day and thine to morrow And though thou sweare with Peter that if al the world deny Christ thou wilt not denie him yet I wil neuer beleeue thee no more then Christ did Peter for in many things we sinne all and as the Apostles said We are also men subiect to the same infirmities Part 9. But if these cautions wil not yet moderate the sauages of this world as indeed a foole though braied in a mortar will not grow wise Yet O thou man of God whosoeuer thou art that sufferest for Christs sake binde this rebuke to thine head for a crowne and reioice that thou art such a one as the diuell and his followers hate for hee cannot be but good whom the diuell hateth Reioyce when men speake all euill of thee falsely and know thou art now a brother of Christ and his Saints in tribulation and in the kingdome for if thou suffer with him thou shalt also bee glorified with him The spirit whose shame now thou bearest shall hereafter cause thee to beare his glorie and the more shame for his sake the more glorie So shall these Balaams whose hearts are so ready to curse the people of God be the very meanes to procure a blessing vnto them For so many curses so many blessings therfore if there were no offēce to God nor hurt nor pittie to themselues we might well suffer them to curse apace for they curse vs as fast to glorie Part. 10. From Christs time place is approoued by truth not truth by place Hee that freed true worship from being tied to Ierusalem and tied it to the seruice in spirit which may be in all places gaue true religiō a large scope euen as large as the world it selfe Therefore Ierusalem being broken vp and true worship being set free into the whole world let not Rome seeke to captiue her againe and tie her to the chaine thereof for they that worship in spirit and truth haue God pleased with them though such worship bee in places that know not Rome to bee on earth 74 The Word of God is an vndefiled Word rightnes it selfe and therefore the most perfect rule Let therefore sinfull men frame their liues to it not seeke as many doe to frame it to their liues and so to sinne by the authoritie of righteousnes And let fraile and falling man though many of them thinke they be the Church not trie this VVord by themselues whether it bee right or not but by the VVord trie whether they bee right euen the right and true Church which is knowne by this that they heare Christs voice and walke according to this rule of Christ Galathians 6. 16. 75 Silly and foolish is the pride that any man takes in his seruice toward God For first the whole man being from God wee can giue him out of man nothing but his own Againe the whole man being due to God there can returne no good thing from man to God but what is his due Thirdly it is Gods free choise that vouchsafeth to vse thy seruice who refuseth the imploiment of many men excellent in naturall abilities Certainly we haue seene many such of great hope turned into earth before any or small vse of thē God Al-sufficient who can raise vp seruants of stones thus often sheweth that men haue need of God and his choise to doe him any good seruice but hee needeth not them Therefore let vs rather thanke God then boast before him if he imploy vs in his seruice Let vs with humilitie readily performe it as to that great Lord who hath refused infinite better to be serued by vs and whom therefore to serue is a happines priuiledge of ours frō him not a benefit of ours to him 76 Many seuerall women were made for many seueral men if many had bin allotted to one there would haue bin fewer of the masculine sexe for euen among heardsmen this rule is obserued But now there is a kind of equality in number that euery one might haue his mate diuidedly without diuiding with another And this which was indeed best was first for then there being but one woman to one man the sin which is now vnlawfull was then vnpossible What bare necessitie was to man by creation let necessarie obedience vnto God bee to the children of regeneration whose speciall vertue is to auoide the ill which may be done Surely as running after lust beyond this one is endlesse in regard of satisfaction so hath it a bad end in regard of retribution euen tormented old age that it can sinne no more and eternall death for hauing so much sinned 77 When a man is possessed by any lust be it of couetousnesse concupiscence or the like there is set vp an image in him though not a grauen one which is to him a God This image wholly filleth his minde to it he committeth idolatry for he offereth his whole heart in sacrifice to it and if he can obtaine the thing therin represented he accounteth himselfe happy as in the obtaining of God Such an image was there in Ahab of Naboths vineyard and such a one of Bathsheba in Dauid But let vs take heede of this worship of images for it is but a vaine shadow which steppeth into to the place of God It telleth vs of happinesse but it selfe obtained goeth into nothing robs vs of true happinesse Let vs rub out therefore the print thereof with prayer and holy meditations filling vp our hearts with profitable and eternall truthes to keepe out these dying and killing vanities let nothing posses our hearts but God himselfe who will one day glorifie the place wherein he dwels and make it looke like a temple of God And surely nothing but God is worthy of a man 78 God is the cause of all vnder-causes and of all effects in him is the fulnesse of all things the spring of all beings This world is a determinate measure of his effects The naturall life at the best is but a certaine number of these effects during a certaine peece and limit of time But the spirituall life caused by our vnion with God is an euerlasting and infinite enioying of the infinite cause of all things Hereby shall wee finde the Christian to bee most perfectly happie who possesseth all things in their cause and beyond al things that are shall enioy the cause it selfe Infinite is the difference betweene wisedome the cause and wisedome the effect light the cause and light the effect loue the
MEDITATIONS OF INSTRVCTION OF EXHORTATION OF REPROFE INDEAVOVRING THE edification and reparation of the house of God 1. PET. 4. 10. As euery man hath receiued the gift so minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God LONDON Printed by I. L. for George Gibbs and Francis Constable 1616. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE THE SONNES of the most High his blessed Brethren by the best that is the second Birth TRuly Honorable whose Father is God and whose Inheritance a Kingdome the diuers sparks of holy fire which haue issued from the Spirit that baptizeth with fire I haue gathered together by their vnited heate to kindle a flame where is none or to increase it where it is alreadie kindled This blessing must come from God and therefore of God haue I desired it And surely the best as ye well know haue turnes of winter euen vpon their hottest zeale and then woe to him that is alone for how should he haue heate Therfore if in the time of cooling some spirituall worke be ioyned to the heart it may bee warmth will grow betweene them So haue I often from Elisha applied euen some Prophet of God receiued life and I wish that some quickning may proceede also from this worke which in all writings is more or lesse as the Spirit therein more or lesse speaketh These Meditations are indeede diuers in their matter being diuersly borne both in regard of time and occasion yet tend they to one ende and this profit often comes from variety that some one thing among many fitteth euery one and giues an answere to the particular question of his heart The glorie of God by your benefite is that which I seeke desiring also to be holpen by you both in prayer and exhortation As for an idle name made vp still of perishing and often of corrupt breaths I leaue it to them for an end to whom God is not an end sufficient But let our chiefe ioy and glory be to glorifie God and by being written in heauen to bee admitted vnto the beholding of his glory To that mark my beloued let vs steadily aime and sending our hearts before vnto Christ let vs goe on lustily to ouertake them Let vs draw hard vp the hill toward heauen and though the flesh presse downe the world and Satan draw backe yet strengthened by the Spirit incouraged by the word and fortified with the mutuall and vnited force of mightie loue let vs carry the Arke of God euen the soule wherein Gods Image dwells and his will is written from the Countrey of the Philistims to the Land of promise And though heere our fleshly brethren Ismael and his heires mocke and despise vs though Esau with his foure hundred men looke big vpon vs yet are we sure that their time is short and but for life whereas wee haue an inheritance eternally glorious Thither the sonnes of the flesh though with long pedegrees and large treasures can neuer enter but sitting without where is weeping and gnashing of teeth they shallsee despised holinesse triumph vpon magnificent and powerfull wickednes God our strength whose cloud and pillar guided Israel to Canaan guide vs to the heauenly Ierusalem by the grace of his Spirit This I humbly desire through Christ his first borne the purchaser of our inheritance and doore of all the mercy that issueth from God vnto man One of your least worthy brethren but a great louer of you and your peace F. R. 1 THe maine Faultinesse of these Times is a Disproportion betweene Knowledge and Action or rather a meere resting in knowledge short of Action So are we come from no knowledge to knowledge alone which will not lessen but increase our iudgement and from the ouerualuing of workes to the Neglect of them Surely the errour of workes without knowledge is lesse dangerous then the error of knowledge without works But this is the best of it it is the doctrine of our Nature not of our Diuinitie For while it is taught that workes deserue not some are content to thinke they are vselesse others being truly perswaded of their vse yet slouthfull to goodnesse lie down in knowledge and will not goe on to the labour of action But as hereafter the paine will follow the fault so now let the shame for certainly it is a great shame that so much knowledge should be idle and that skilful men should sleepe in this Midday light for the light was made for walking and working not for idlenesse The Father sheweth his will because he will haue it done wee are called to be sonnes because we should do the will of our Father and Nebuchadnezzar giues the greatest title when hee calls the three children the seruants of the most high God In the Spirit wherein is Life is also Actiuenesse If we nourish not the actiuitie of it we decay the Life so kill our selues with eternall Death Christ hath no dead or vnprofitable Limbes they all beare fruite or are not his and Faith which our slouth would magnifie by resting in her thrusts vs on for her life to action for shee liues onely when she is actiue If then faith not working bee dead and dead faith quickens not the vnactiue beleeuer may speedily with a Heathen see himselfe without life As these things may driue vs so the value of workes may draw vs for by Christ who worketh them in vs they are accepted of God and haue a valuation stamped vpon them by his Grace for Grace And first though workes iustifie not vs they iustifie our Faith in the day of iustice they shall goe so farre toward iustifying vs that they shall declare vs iust In the meane time they please and glorifie God the giuer of such gifts vnto men and then euen the least of them shall haue a reward of glory which they shall set as a crowne on their heads that wrought them Let vs not therefore bee wanting to this glorie belonging to God from vs and issuing from God to vs. Besides if we will cōsider what works are in themselues we shall finde that they are streames of the Deity their fountain and sparkes of that heauenly and eternall fire Accordingly they present and expresse something that is Diuine and supernaturally excellēt whence it was that a Reuerend Ancient wel said The deedes and conuersation of the Primitiue Christians had in them a perfume and sweetnesse wherwith they exceedingly delighted those with whome they conuersed And how can it otherwise be for whē he that is blessednesse and excellence powreth vertue from himselfe into these workes they must needs haue a resemblance partaking of their original And surely there are two things in them which as they are the most pleasant of all other so they most resemble and approach to the Creator One of these is Light and the other is Loue both which put life and soule into euery good worke God is Light and God is Loue and it is a pleasant thing to
in this world But there they that now are wrōgfully iustified shall iustly bee condemned and the mooueable Iudges that missed their part and changing iudgement spake from thēselues when they should haue spoken frō God shall haue their faults repeated vnto them if vnrepeated and by the iust mouth of God himselfe shall with their faults be deliuered to Satan the iayler who shall carry them to the dungeon where the worme dyeth not nor the fire goeth out But because such men doe fortifie their consciences against the terrors of the Lord and his fearefully-great iudgement and put the euill day either wholly or farre from them that they bee not vtterly without feare in this world God doth many times by particular iudgements strike either them their issue or those whom they haue iustified in offences by which particular stroakes on some among many he puts them in minde that hee which now iudgeth some shall hereafter iudge all sinne being equally odious in all and equally lyable to iudgment Hee strikes not all yet because generall iustice is reserued for the generall iudgement But he strikes some that their iudgement might to al be an earnest of a generall iudgement and might in the meane time terrifie men from wickednesse by present plagues who feare not the future 41 Moreouer it is a great motiue from sinne the shortnesse of the time betweene sinne and punishment there is nothing but life betweene them howsoeuer we lengthen it in our imagination to keepe vs from feare of punishment yet if we consider it by the most earnest and most trusted iudgement which is that of the worldly wise it is therby valued but at seauen yeares or thereabout yet if it be as it is but with some a continuance of thirtie or forty yeares after thou commest to thy full age of wickednesse aske the worldling what hee thinketh of himselfe when hee hath such a tearme in a liuing He will by no meanes think himself a setled man he will not much build vpon it for hee holds it but a short time and is continually troubled that it weares so fast is so neere an end Surely the diuell hath a great aduantage vpon vs by this deceit of our flesh that it can tell vs truths in many things when their vse and end is earthly but tels vs falshoods in the same things when their vse is heauenly it makes vs wise for matters of this generation but not for those of the Regeneration But let vs where there is such a truth so found take the line from the worldly things and lay it on the spirituall then shal we finde that grosly to appeare which before was not perceiued and so may we deceiue the Diuell himselfe his aduantage beeing made ours Accordingly let vs take that life wherewith the wisedome of the world doth measure life for worldly purposes and lay it on the same life for our spirituall vse then shall we finde that the sinfull pleasures of life are but pleasures for a season that a short one and that there is but the same short season betweene pleasant sinne and eternall punishments 42 He that wil finde a good friend let him seeke a good Christian. For a Christian is more then a man and hath the strength of God added to the strength of man Christ the Rocke is his foundation and he will stand the billowes and beat backe the tempests for hee is founded on a Rocke But the Moralist and the Romane of these times are but flesh and blood sand and dust therefore floods and tempests wash him and blow him away Wonder not therfore my soule with the world neither take vp the vsual complaints of the deceiueable vncertaintie of friends Those that were once true friends are still so those that are not neuer were If they had been of vs they would haue continued with vs. If they had been truly Christian loue would haue grown in them not decaied For it is a speciall businesse of a Christian in this life to grow vp vnto Christ in loue but their not continuing with vs shewes they were not of vs so they do vs not wrong but right by departing from vs for they rid vs of il company and tell our iudgemēt the truth which before was deceiued in them Yet that wee deceiue our selues no more let vs fasten on such no expectation let vs try the spirits and if by true experience we find a spirit begotten of God let vs take him for that friend which is better then a meere brother Thy heart and his are one and they will agree in spight of the diuell though hee come against them accompanied with the flesh and the world yea if such two should bee stirred as Barnabas and Paul euen vnto parting being parted they would meete in loue and doe the offices of friendship each to other vpon any occasion The heauenly loadestone euen Christs Spirit of loue hath toucht them therfore though stirred they returne to their point and still rest in loue 43 When Adam was created there was no corrupt lust when there was no such lust there was no shame generation was cleane and meerely pure and when generation was pure then the neerest kindred could not defile themselues with it for pure things defile not Therfore rightly God who had aboundance of Spirit made but one male and female who could haue made many more for though there were inforced thereby an intermarriage between brethren and sisters yet thereby was inforced no incest for when marriage and generation were pure and without shame then the brother discouered not the shame of his sister which is the wickednesse and vnlawfulnesse of incest And thus might the state of generation haue continued in all posterities if the state of the creation had continued But man by his fall brought in lust and thereby shame and by both a necessitie of incest which was not before For God made onely a necessitie that brethren and sisters should purely and holily marrie together but man turned this necessitated mariage into incest For a brother and a sister being one flesh it is a ground of nature that the same flesh should couer the shame of the same flesh which hee that doth not goes so farre toward incest as hee goes from this couering Now the children of Adam being brought by Adam into this necessitie were suffered by the patience of the God of long suffering who might still require his first course well instituted that now by manis corrupted After that some of the Fathers may be thought to haue done the like by a spirituall necessitie that they might marry within the Church and not with the daughters of men or by diuine indulgence and dispensation God being the Lord of nature and so able to change the lawes of it to giue what lawes he list vnto it much more to require the law in which first hee created man But for vs who neither are forced by a naturall necessitie the world
being filled with multitude nor with a spirituall the multitude hauing in them though fewest seuen thousand that bow not to Baal nor any dispensation from God for it but a law of God against it this neere intermarriage is a loathsome abomination in the eies of God It is a sinne against nature and so abominable euen to mans first and naturall apprehension 44 The course of the children of God through this world vnto heauen is the very course of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan Israel is born in Egypt vnder the seruice of Pharaoh and brought from vnder him by a mightie and outstretched Arme escaping the death of Egypt by the blood of the Lamb. Gods children are begotten in the Kingdome of Satan and drawne from his subiection by his mighty power who can onely bind the strong man and take away his goods By the blood of the Lamb Christ Iesus they also escape that death which is due to them by being borne in the kingdome of Satan The Israelites by the red Sea were cleared from the prosecution and danger of Egypt and through it found a path toward the land of promise The true Israelites by spirituall and inward baptisme are dead vnto sinne and the kingdome of Satan and by that death escape from them hauing also a way painted out by the sanctification thereof to the Kingdom of blessednesse Forty yeeres long after their man-hood did the Israelites wander in the wildernesse vntill they came into Canaan and fortie yeeres are the vsuall time appointed to the children of God to trauell in this world before they come to rest And in this fortie yeeres the onely ordinarie food of Israel that gaue them life and comfort was Manna from heauen and the chiefe food of the regenerate is the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in them and is their life and comfort Slender and light did that Manna seeme to the Israelites yet sufficed to bring them to the land of Promise and small doth the life and comfort appeare of this Spirit to fleshly reason euen of the regenerate but it will serue to bring them to heauen and to comfort and strengthen them by the way Manna shewed that man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie word which proceedeth from the mouth of God to teach vs that by this Spirit which proceedeth from the breath of God we haue as certaine a life as wee haue by bread But as at first there was an host to fetch Israel backe into bondage and at last there were hosts giants gates of brasse to keepe thē frō the possession of the Land of Promise Accordingly when Christians are escaped from the kingdome of Satan by regeneration and walking to Ierusalem which is aboue Legions and armies of wicked spirits the gates of hell yea Og the King of Basan the huge Prince of hel and the Principalities of darknesse fight against them and seek to turne backe and stop their progresse vnto rest But vnto Israel their enemies were as bread euen a prey and a triumph and to vs the God of peace will tread Satan vnder our feet the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs but their temptations shall bee our aduancements and their resistance shall giue vs the title of conquerours And that we may make full benefit of this example let vs especially be carefull to walke like those Israelites which continued and perfected their course from Egypt to Canaan the chiefe resemblances among the Israelites of the true Christians among vs. Let vs auoide the sinnes of them who fell by the way let vs make great reckoning of the Manna of the Spirit feeding comforting and contenting our selues in all estates therewith in all estates trials and changes For this small dram of our new birth though it seeme to melt sometimes before the heate of tentation and the bread thereof tasts not so strong as the onions and flesh pots of naturall lust and pleasures yet it is of the wombe of the morning it comes from the day-spring on high it hath life eternall in it and this little seed shall raise vs vp in the glorious image of the incorruptible and euerliuing sonnes of God For the weake things of God are euer strong inough to accomplish their appointed end they are backt with omnipotence and if they wanted any thing in thēselues yet from that shall they draw perfect sufficiencie 45 The sanctified soule in this world is a widdow Christ is her husband and he is absent from her The senses haue their pleasant obiects to delight them the flesh hath grosse matter enough to satisfie the lusts thereof But the soule beholdeth not an obiect for her pure ioy for hee whom the soule loueth and should only loue is gone to a farre countrey yet is her heart towards him shee thinkes still vpon him though a pilgrime in a strange land shee breaketh out into longing passions and inquireth of the sheepheards for him she lookes by a chinke with the eye of spirituall light into heauen and so hath a glimse of him for whom shee is sicke of loue for he stands behinde a wall this earth of ours is a partition betwixt vs and him and he lookes through it but by a little grate yet still is shee his only as he is hers shee reioyceth in him and remembers his loue more then wine shee entreates him to draw her that shee may run after him to set her as a seale on his heart and as a signet on his arme for her Loue is as strong as death She fitteth her selfe for him by being all glorious within and chastly reserues her selfe vnto him as a garden inclosed and a spring shut vp Shee is decked with fruitfulnesse euen with fulnesse of all sweete fruits trees of incense al sweete spices Thus louing thus glorious thus chaste thus holy thus fruitfull in goodnesse shee waiteth for his returne vntill the eternall day breake and the earthly shadowes flie away This is a sanctified soule goe thou and doe the like 46 Herein is that in expressible height of Gods mercy to his elect much expressed that the most wise and laborious men in morall goodnesse yet not hauing grace passe vnder the Law and their very goodnesse is condemned to be sin For such indeede it is not comming from him who is the only Author of goodnesse nor returning to him who is the true end of all things Yet weake and sinful soules though laden with great infirmities by the mercie of God are taken from the Law into grace so their many sinnes are forgiuen them that weake and fraile men if striuing against sin though often falling into it might yet comfort themselues in that high mercie which laid hold on them and singled them out for its owne sake and not for theirs and that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe for the glory of flesh without the mercy of God is but shame to it selfe and matter for iustice As therefore we haue an infinite benefit freely
more they continue in them the stronger they make a chaine for themselues so that at last they are mightily enthralled thereby and are still further from escaping 53 The roote of all obedience and fulfilling the law is the loue of God if wee loue God truly we keepe the first Table and we will doe what wee can to keepe the second For how loueth any man God whome hee hath not seene who loueth not his brother whome he hath seene And who loueth God y t will not please him keepe his commandements That this work of loue which of it selfe is pleasant whose yoke is light may by vs pleasantly and easily to be performed let vs consider partly for wee cannot fully wherfore God is bee loued God is to be loued first for himselfe For he onely is the fulnesse of happinesse and all sufficiencie since in him onely is Being Light Life Wisedome Glory Power Goodnesse Other things which carry these things names haue them not indeed for nothing created hath any of these of their owne but in him and his they haue all that they haue and they be that which they be So God is and there is nothing beside him Secondly God is to bee loued for the loue which he hath expressed to vs for loue deserueth loue and chiefely a great loue deserueth a little loue but most chiefely that greatest loue of the Creator deserues the greatest loue which at greatest is but little in comparison of the other of the creature Now if I shold go about to shew the loue of God to man I should labour to bring infinitenesse within measure and to bound within the knowledge of man a law incomprehensible This in summe may be conceiued That God loued vs when he had but foreknown and foreappointed our beeing when we were not at al but only in his purpose Then he loued vs with a loue that marked and sealed vs to eternall happines This loue produced our Creation in an excellent image this loue to man falne from that created image gaue him the greatest gift that is or may be euen his owne Son to cleare him from the guilt of his fall by a bitter satisfaction and to imprint a begotten image stedfast and permanent instead of the created image mooueable and decayed by a pretious regeneration Thus from God the Father with the gift of the Sonne haue we also the holy Ghost so is the whole Trinity imparted to vs and what more can he doe for his beloued Yet his loue ceaseth not but proceeds to guide to purge to increase to defend to cherish as a father nurtureth his sonne and as an Eagle stirreth ouer her yong Much is our weakenesse much he strengthneth vs many are our fals and he forgiueth vs much many are our dangers and troubles and the Lord deliuers vs out of all Let vs therefore loue the Lord our strength let vs loue him much who forgiueth vs much Let vs loue the Lord because hee receiueth our Prayers and deliuers vs in the time of trouble Let vs loue him first for that which he is for he only is worthie of loue his courts only are truely delectable and his presence amiable There only dwelleth the fulnesse of ioy the pleasures of eternitie Next let vs loue God for his loue to vs and be glad that so great a loue will bee contented with a loue so narrow and scant Let our loue be raised to the highest and let vs fit it to him as much as wee may that the narrownesse may bee caused rather by the lownesse of our condition and beeing then the straitnesse of our will so let it be with all the soule and all the strength Againe since our loue is chiefely expressed in pleasing him and hee is chiefely pleased in keeping his commandements Let vs as much as we loue him so much desire to please him in a proportionable obseruation of his commandements If this we doe we shall haue comfortable assurance of enioying him whom we loue and then are wee happie aboue our fellowes the oyle of gladnesse is powred vpon vs and according to Saint Paul we may reioyce continually For if we be assured to see and enioy God our perfect hapines what sorrow can ouer-way this ioy what losse can counteruaile this gaine Surely we may be contented with whatsoeuer wee haue for godlinesse hath brought vs the chiefest and most incomparable gaine If wee shall haue the greatest happinesse how can any temporall thing make vs miserable If then wee grieue much we esteeme not this happinesse as we should or we turne our eyes from the assurance thereof But theron our eyes beeing fixed and not on any thing betweene vs and it let vs goe on couragiously louing God pleasing God and reioycing in God in whom wee may continually and cōstantly through all changes behold as ours perfect ioy and absolute felicity 54 In a Christian when he becomes a sonne of God the forme and character of a Christian and of a sonne is created in him This character is the roote of him frō whence floweth whatsoeuer fruit of good-works issueth from him Beeing thus animated the Spirit which hath animated vs doth not then leaue vs but seconds this his first worke with a continuall supply of strength and increase of grace vntill we appeare before God in Sion For this roote is rooted in Christ from whose Spirit it sucketh stil new strength So we are not as Adam left to our selues for then wee should prooue accidents without a substance and perish into nothing But being grounded in Christ the Rock and the Life wee cannot perish or be annihilated and herein is our excellency aboue Adam Indeed sometimes Christ drawes in his Spirit and doth not water vs with fresh grace and then the soule drie and withering cries as forsaken Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me In all this is matter for humilitie against presumption and for comfort against desperation Thy goodnesse is altogether of God hee first powred it into thee when he new begat thee Againe the continuance and continuall increase thereof is from God So what hast thou of thine owne or what hast thou that thou hast not receiued of God Therfore be humble as a thing which in it selfe hath no goodnesse and if thou wilt not know farder that God will take this goodnes from thee for a time in which thou gloriest as thine own and by the lamentable experience of that time will plainely shew thee thy own weakenesse and corruption For when he takes his from thee thine is onely left and that will lothsomely appeare to thee to be nothing but dregs of sin and corruption Then shalt thou be humbled by miserie which wouldest not by bounty and thy own deadnesse which before thou wouldst not see now thou shalt feele Yet is here also matter for consolation for being rooted in Christ though hee draw in his breath and leaue vs so
suffer things in this world of vanity to run without difference yea often without present iustice and often to perish to be ouerthrowne and to vndergoe great desolations Now mans mind being prepared to receiue comfort from the world fitted vnto it selfe Gods minde beeing to let the world run into many changes destructions and finally vnto vanity it self it must needs bee that men oftentimes haue their purposes crossed by the purpose of God their courses ouerthrowen by the ouerruling destiny of God One hath gotten him a good wife a good house and a good demeanes and is as they call it well setled to liue he taketh comfort in the course which hee is entring into and he hath bespoken his heart to bee merry and reioyce But behold suddenly the disease of the world layes hold on his estate on him or his wife and then the plot is mard the ioy is lost for the foundation therof is ouerthrowne Thē what weeping what wayling what sorrow breaking of hearts hope is turned into griefe and the more the hope was the more is the griefe But the only way to preuent this is that the purpose of man agree to the purpose of God and accordingly that man expect no more from the world then God alloweth the world to giue Therfore let him perswade himselfe that whatsoeuer part of this world he hath gotten into his vse that part is subiect to the law of the whole which is bound vnder change perishing and vanity And consequently let him expect no other certainty from it then such as may be from a state of vncertainty If he haue a house well fitted a wife well conditioned a large demeanes beautifull and towardly children let him know his house may burne his wife may die his land may bee taken from him by publike or priuate enemies his children may by sicknesse put on ashes for beautie and become the children of death yea of Belial Let him therefore build his hopes on these things as men vse to build scaffolds for spectacles euē with a certaine expectation of taking downe when the spectacle is ended Let him vse the world as if he vsed it not or as readie not to vse it because the forme of the world passeth away When Gods prouidence calles we must looke for their departure and if thus expected to depart they fall from vs ripe and are not pulled from vs as greene but if not expected they depart as things glewde to the hart which teares away some of the heart at parting Thus not vsing this world as a place of certainty and rest which it is not yet let vs vse it as a Nurcery and Schoole for heauen which it is Let vs learne here of the Spirit of the word of the sacraments of affliction and euen of the generall condition of the world it selfe For since the world is so full of miserie incertainty and vanity it teacheth vs to set our affections on another world euen that continuing Citie which is aboue heauenly Ierusalem where is stability perpetuity and glory incoprehensible Let vs pray let vs striue in this world to be fitted to be trimmed for that world as abride for the wedding-chamber though through a thousand changes a thousand crosses for if wee become inwardly faire the King of heauen will haue pleasure in our beauty we shall be crowned with a crowne of ioy immarcessible we shall be filled with the glory of God and the blessednesse of his presence which is perfit happinesse 57 Consisting of eight parts I. Part. There is one otherwise wise inough for a sonne of the old Adam takes vpon him to measure the Ocean of Gods wisedome flowing in the mystery of mans saluation with the cockelshell of his owne wit and accordingly with his iudgement he walkes ouer the length and breadth thereof laying his high and mighty censure vpon it The honestie of Diuines he debaseth and preferreth that of the Philosopher the religion of Palestine hee condemnes but commends the Christian religion as a thing well contriued Yet his commendations seeme not to be heartie since vnder them there passe from him certaine vndermining sentences which strike at the maine Pillars of that which he commends The odious comparison of the Christistian and Mahumetane religions because the Mahumetane succeedeth the Christiā in the pretence of a greater perfection as the Christian doth the Iudaicall may passe the more vnresisted because it is apt of it selfe to fall For it easily appeares that therein the diuel was lesse then Christs Ape mentioning only and not performing an imitation For Christ hath really out-gone the Law First he hath iustly abolished the types and shadowes thereof by bringing in the substance and things themselues Secondly he hath taken away the ignorance vnder the Law by giuing such a knowledge that the least in his kingdome is greater then the greatest vnder the Law and thirdly he hath amended the weakenesse of the Law by giuing strength to his seruants to performe what the Law before could onely teach But in which of these points hath Mahomet made any probable progresse beyond Christ Types and shadows of future things he cannot take away for there are none in the Christian Religion Ignorance hee is so farre frō amending that he is the very man that darkneth counsell by words without knowledge wee heare of fables and vnlikely visions but in sum hee forbiddeth knowledge hateth the light al examination of his religion Lastly instead of strengthening men in the accomplishing of the Law hee weakeneth them by giuing them the satisfaction of lust in polygamie and impossible it is he can goe beyond Christ in any precept of holinesse who commands vs to loue and serue God with al our soule and all our strength and more then all can no man giue So doth Mahomet onely speake of perfection but performeth it not 2. Part. But with two points especially he seems to wound the Christian Religion though like a Parthian looking another way One is while he iudgeth it a lothsome thing that God shold bee satisfied and appeased with bloud which though it seeme mainly to bee bent against common sacrifices yet being spoken without exception as it is there it striketh at the very sacrifice of Christ performed in bloud and that there was such a meaning this also addeth probability because in his directions of Pietie while he speaketh of sacrifices hee aduiseth not his pious or godly man to make himselfe acceptable to his Creator by the commemoration of any such bloudy sacrifice but being altogether silent in that point he saith the most absolute sacrifice is a pure true and humble heart A second is while he iudgeth it a strange thing that the Spirit of God should be in fraile weake and vnperfect men Yea he seemeth to exclude him from all men for he saith where the spirit is it would produce some strange effects as the remoouing of mountaines it wold appeare in the whole course of man and nothing
in the world could shake vs. 3. Part. To answer these things first in the roote The very roote of this kinde of sayings and misbeleefes is the naturall wisedome of man which is indeede folly For it selfe thinking wisely of it selfe and making it selfe the measure of all things yea of the Diuinity it selfe it contracteth or disposeth that and all other things according to its owne measure and iudgement But herein are two faults The one is Because the wisedome of man at the best is narrow and shallow in regard of the wisedome of God and cannot pierce vnto the depth or comprehend the breadth of that which is deeper and larger then it selfe yea in familiar and daily things our wisedome lyeth downe being dazled and amazed So that if God please to set forth any deepe iudgement or wisedome of his it is beyond without our iudgements therefore can they see nothing therein but rather are offended with it Then the truly wise man cryeth out with Saint Paul O the depth of the iudgements of God! and so leaueth with admiration and then the foolish wise man saith That which he comprehendeth not is not but that the very wisedome of God is foolishnesse Another fault is because our wisedome besides the shallownesse and narrownesse thereof is corrupted and peruerted The flesh lyeth on the soule as a finger vpon the strings of a Lute and makes it to sound speake to be wise according to the nature of that which stoppeth it Now the flesh hath this corruption in it that it is auerted from God our true soueraigne good turneth to the creature setting her happinesse theron This it soundeth still vnto the vnderstanding on which it lyeth this way it turneth stiffely the will so that the wisedome of God which teacheth the contrary is lothsome to it it is hated and condemned of it And ouercome with these two infirmities it seemes this man hath by them examined these great mysteries of God Whereas by strong mortification of this fleshly wisedome and the helpe of the Spirit obtained by earnest Prayer hunger and thirst the flesh beeing made quiet vnmoouing and the Spirit opening the blind eyes of his and our soules hee and we might perceiue a high wisedome in these matters of God yea and we shall perceiue the reason why wee could not before perceiue them 4. Part. But particularly to answer the branches For the first there is no reason why God should bee imagined without iustice and why iustice should be considered without a will of punishing faults and why the punishment of faults committed against God the chiefest essence shold not be a chiefe punishment euen of bloud and death which is allowed for offences against men And proportionably beleeuing mercie to bee in the same God we may reasonably beleeue that mercy may take the punishment of one for another this other beeing vnited to that one and so consequently the punishment beeing one the same they both being made one Againe if there may be such a sacrifice of one for another why should not the bloud of beasts serue to teach men that sacrifice vnto their eternall preseruation aswell as bee daily shed for their temporall nourishment man being their end God their Creator who therefore may appoint this vse of them vnto man as well as the other Now for the second branch that the Spirit of God would shew wonderfull effects First who hath tyed God to giue such a measure of his Spirit as this man listeth But it is still in the hands of God to dispose his gifts in his own measure If it please him he may separate the gift of sanctification from the gift of miracles giuing one not the other yea in very sanctification hee may kindle vs sometimes as flaxe that doth but smoake and shall I say then that except I see the flame I will not beleeue that there is any fire Yet his graces in many are so strong that they are plainly apparant and cry out loudly the power of God not of mā For is it not a power euidently supernatural that men truly possessed of their wits seeing and willing fight subdue and forsake their owne deerest affections and sweetest pleasures which they see and feele yea leaue the world and life it selfe to please God whom they see not to serue him to obtaine him where as the generall world yea and the wisest of them doth cleane contrary Doth not this shew they are moued with a spirit different from the spirit of the world yea contrary to it which is a diuine Spirit For nothing but God can turne mans hart vnto God being naturally fixed and nailed to the world Part. 5. But true it is that God hath so disposed of this grace that he leaueth in vs infirmity still to combat with it and sometimes to quaile it for a time The reasons hereof are diuers first hee will get glory by our weaknes for we being in a fight with our neerest flesh and the next world and the diuell the Prince of this world strong mighty and ouermatching enemies the glorie must needs bee his if wee that are too weake for them ouercome them And againe the lesse power hee performes the victory withall the more is his glory for thereby it appeareth that the weaknesse of God is stronger then the strength of Satan Again this world is a place appointed by him to bee blotted out and accordingly it is to man a place of vnrest of fighting of striuing his rest is aboue his victorie is aboue Therfore God setteth vs not here in a steady victorious and glorious grace lest with Peter wee should desire to build Tabernacles heere where the foundations must bee remooued but hee keepeth rest triumph and glorie for vs in the world to come wherein is the perfect rest euen the pure Sabbath of God Then shall it apparantly be his glorie that hee hath made so small a seede of grace to bring foorth such a haruest of glorie and that with Manna which to carnall men seemeth a light bread he bringeth men to Canaan euen the land of rest and happinesse 6. Part. Now to returne him some trafficke for his obseruations three notes and markes I will here set vpon carnall wise men each of them being an imperfection which spoiles their discoursing of Diuinitie and Christ the chiefe part therof euen the ignorance of three things which few of them haue the knowledge to see consider and confesse yet are they certainely true and truly shewed in the doctrine of Christ and therefore commends this doctrine aboue all other One is the storie of mans fall a true and vnmoueable ground of Christian Religion and whereon Christ necessarily is to be brought in to satisfie for the faults and to rectifie the crookednesse thereof Now this is manifest to vs only by the word of life yet it is necessarily inforced on any cleare vnderstanding For it may be easily seene and belieued that a creature so
cause loue the effect Therefore is earthly Paradise wiped out and the Sunne shall be taken away and worldly pleasure eaten vp by death And from hence haue wee infinite cōfort for besides the blessed end which comforteth all labours wee haue other comforts in our way thither For if some temporall effects of God be now wanting yet in God they are ready for vs and farre more excellent things when it shall be best for vs for God hauing cōmunicated himselfe to vs we may certainly beleeue he cannot denie things small in comparison of him when they shall be for our good Therefore when he withholds them hee doth it as not beeing good for vs yea we may reioyce in griefe knowing that a louing God and our God is the very cause of it and that to our good So while our flesh by nature is sad at the effect our heart by grace may reioyce confidently in the cause For God vnchāgeable through all our changes aymeth vnchangeably to this end our good Let all seeke God with their whole heart since himselfe is our exceeding great reward since all things attend vpon him ready to cast themselues vpon them whom they see fauored by him And since all things of what time soeuer that are cast on vs are turned into good by him who dwelleth in vs. 79 If a good name be better then a small parcell of goods then he that sits as iudge of a mans good name ought to proceede to sentence vpon as firme euidence as the iudge of a mans goods If this were obserued men would heare sufficient witnesses before they fall to their censures Surely it is a great fault of these times that men are sooner condemned to bee wholly naught then a publikely accused-man is to haue stollen a sheepe The reason hereof is There is a drop of the great Serpents venome powred into our hearts which breeds in vs a willingnesse to heare euill of our neighbours But let vs thirst for the medicinable drops of grace sucke thē into our hearts which will fill vs with that loue which reioyceth not in euill It is a pitiful thing that creatures of one forme of one condition should delight in the blemishes and miseries of each other But when the diuell brought vs to fall out with God he also brought vs to fall out among our selues that loue the fulfilling of the Law might be perfectly broken Yet they that are new made by Christ must learne Christs new commandement which is loue and be slowly and vnwillingly led to beleeue euill of their neighbour 80 It is a good degree of happinesse to haue a nature inclining yea in different to those waies to which the spirit bends it selfe and would bend it Thence it seemes a great aduantage when a man hath in his nature a coldnesse to Ambition to the glory of this world to the pleasures of the world and when it draweth and contracteth it selfe into a narrower content being satisfied euen with things necessarie For if we haue not this naturally in vs we must striue to make it naturall by custome because there is an absolute necessity that wee be such or still striue to bee such For God must reigne in vs if we will reigne with him how doth he reigne in vs but by moderating guiding the minde within the compasse of reason curbing and restraining wilde and inordinate affections And this it seemes is much the end of afflictions on the men whom God loues that there by taming swaging and cooling their nature and as it were washing and taking away by a priuation the head-strong affections which it beareth to the world the spirit may vnresisted enter in and quietly worke his nature into the afflicted And as for these naturall vertues though they bee not Christian nor in themselues acceptable to God while they are meerely mooued by nature to a naturall mans ends yet when nature is mooued to do them by the spirit from a right cause which is the loue of God vnto the right end which is the glory of God then the actions so done by the seruice of nature are good acceptable to God As for those whose crooked and more vnmannagable nature standeth stiffe against the discipline of the spirit and their owne desires let them not therefore despaire because their euill ground bringeth forth lesse fruite more bryers then the others It pleaseth God indeed to make thee one of those to whom he appointeth more labour for the promised penny yet be not wearie of well doing for if thou faint not thou shalt in due time receiue thy wages If thou striue heartily against thy euill and hate it God is pleased with thy will and affection as much as the others action Therfore striue hopefully according to the might which thou hast praying for more and his grace is sufficient for thee 81 The wisedome of man and the wisedome of God are exceeding different and no maruaile one being infinitely pure and purely infinite the other narrow but great in corruption As in all things therefore wee should forsake our owne wisedome and leane vnto Gods so not with the least care in the matter of reuenge when thou hast suffered some euill thine own wisedome bids thee returne euill to the doer but the wisedome of God bids thee to returne him good notwithstanding this euill Hereat thou wondrest and thy flesh finds no wisdome in this to returne good for euill to helpe him who hurts thee yet is the counsell of thy wisedom indeed folly this of Gods excellently wise For 1. in reuenging thy self thou dost foolishly for God hauing taken to him self alone the name power of being iudge of the world thou steppest into this place and wilt bee thy owne iudge And God hauing delegated part of this power for a time vnto Magistrates thou intrudest into their place and so art Rebellious both against God and man And indeed as thou hast made thy selfe a iudge so thou makest thy selfe an executioner and art the hangman to execute the sentence of thy own malice surely if a man had robbed thee though with some blowes and were apprehended and condemned by the Magistrate thou wouldest take it a great disgrace to be appointed for a hangman or executioner of him who thus offendeth thee yet heere is nothing but iustice but when thine owne wrath vsurping the place of Iudgement condemnes a man for a blow or a word to die then it is a part of honour to bee the executioner of thy own vniust and vnlawful sentence Be not deceiued this latter is the worse hangman of the two But to examine thy folly neerer how art thou indeede auenged by this which thou thinkest and callest reuenge By intruding into Gods office thou hast taken the matter out of Gods hands into thine owne but so where before a God and an offended God was thy enemies Iudge who in his wrath could cast both soule and bodie into hell fire now a man hath