but God forbears none upon any such grounds His goodness is the onely string that tieth his hand from striking Yea many years didst thou forbear them for thou art a gracious and a merciful God Neh. 9. 30 31. The Final Cause is manifold 1. That he might exalt his great name It s light straw that upon the least spark takes fire The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it s his glory to pass by infirmities Mean and low spirits are most peevish and passionate Sickly and weak persons are observed to be the most impatient God makes his power known when he endureth with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction He intendeth the advancement of his praise in the lengthening of his patience For my names sake will I defer mine anger for my praise will I refrain for thee that I out thee not off Isa. 48. 2. That sinners might amend He is patient that men might not perish The Lord is not slack as some men count slackness but is long suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance He defers their execution that they might sue out their pardons The Lord waiteth not that he might be blessed in himself but that he may be gracious to sinners 3. That impenitent sinners might be left without excuse If sinners that are turned out of the womb into hell will justifie God surely those upâ—on whom he waited twenty or thirty or forty or fifty years for their conversion will condemn themselves if all mouths shall be stopped then they that tasted so largely of forbearing mercy may well be silent O how little will they have to say for themselves upon whom grace waited so many years knocking hard at the door of their hearts for acceptance and they refused to open to it or bid it come in How justly will they suffer long in the other world to whom God was so long-suffering to no purpose in this world Rom. 4. 2. How fully O my soul doth the Scripture mention this patience of thy God! The Lord passed by and proclaimed his name the Lord the Lord God gracious long suffering Though sinners trie his patience by their heaven-daring provocations yet the Lord is gratious slow to anger and of great kindness Oftentimes they do their utmost to kindle the fire of his anger but many a time turned he away his anger and did not stir up all his wrath What monuments of his patience hath he reared up in his word It is also written in broad letters in his works He bore with the Iews after their unparalleld murder of his own Son above forty years The old world had larger experiences of his â—orbearance My Spirit shall not always strive with man yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years The Egyptians though cruel persecutors of his own people that were as dear to him as the apple of his eye yet were suffered four hundered years He beareth with men till he can no longer forbear The woman with child is forced though she hold out long to fall in labour at last I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travailing woman Isa. 42. 14. O thou dear friend of mankind that thou wert imprinted in my thoughts engraven in my heart and always before mine eyes O my soul Consider this long suffering of thy God till thou tastest some rellish of its sweetness This name of thy God is as oyntment poured out which yeildeth a refreshing fragrancy Hath it been all thy days so near thee and done so much for thee and wilt thou not give it some warm entertainment within thee Hast thou not infinite cause to cry out God! As soon as thou wast conceived thou wast corrupted before thou wast born sin wâ—â— brought forth in thee thy God might have turned thee out of thy mothers belly into the belly of hell divels might have been the Midwife to deliver thy mother of such a monster and their dungeon of darkness the first place in which thou didst breath yet he who might have caused eternal death to have trodden upon the heels of thy natural birth spared thee Had he then suffered the roaring lions his executioners to have dragged thee to their own den he had got himself glory and prevented much dishonour which thou hast since brought to his name As thou didst grow up sin grew up in thee and patience grew up with thee Numberless haâ—â— thine iniquities been and his advantages for thy destruction yet he hath forborn thee What hath he got by all his long-suffering towards thee He might have ruined thee to his eternal honour but his forbearance hath seemed to impair the revenues of heaven Wicked men question his power and good men quarrel with his providence and all because of his patience When some sinners are hanged on Gibbets as spectacles of his justice others are kept in the more awe but if judgement be not speedily executed the hearts of the Sons of men are set in them to do mischief The thanks that are usually paid him for his patience are indignities and affronts The sleeping of vengeance occasioneth the awakening of sin Besides their thoughts of him are the more prophane as well as their actions If he be patient towards the sinner he is judged a party in the sin These things thou didst and I kept silence thou thoughtst that I was altogether such a one as thy self Because he is silent they judge him consenting O my soul may not thy God be well called the God of all patience when he aboundeth so much in it though he be so great a loser by it Was not the patience of thy Redeemer on earth wonderful in bearing such mockings smitings on the cheek spittings in his face scourgings on his back But thy Redeemer in Heaven endureth more affronts every moment against his divine nature then he did all his time of abode in this world against his humane nature O why art thou no more warmed with it and wondering at it Even a Saul was so affected with the forbearance of David that he should spare his enemy when he had him in his hands and might as easily have cut his throat as the skirt of his garment that he lift up his voice and wept And art not thou affected with the patience of thy God in whose hand is thy life and breath and all thy comforts who can with a glance of his eye turn thee into the fiery furnace against whom thou art an open traytour and profest rebel that he should spare thee so many years and instead of heaping up judgements on thee lade thee with his benefits Consider 1. He is not patient towards all men as he hath been towards thee Some have found justice arresting them immediatly upon their contracting of new debts and haling them presently to hell upon the
they passed by the great Luminaries of Heaven without admiration So these beholding the poor mean treasures and fleeting honours of this world bow down the knees of their souls to them and worship them but pass by the beautiful Image of the blessed God the unsearchable riches in Christ and the glory to be revealed without any respect or regard So reasonable and righteous is mans devoting himself to the worship of the blessed and most high God that he cannot without manifest injustice as well as ingratitude and folly deny the exercising himself to godliness Unless man were his own Makerâ— he cannot have any title to become his own Master Psa. 119. 73. The Redeemers title to us is certain and clear and unquestionable whether we own it or no and all the while we keep any thing from him or deny subjection to him we rob him of his right Ye are not your own but â—ought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and spirits which are Gods 1 Cor. 6. ult The Slave is not his own man but his who redeemed him though his proud and stubborn spirit may refuse to acknowledge it Man is not in the condition of those persons who are servants by compact and agreement for a year or so long as they think fit and upon their own terms but like those whom the Romans took in War over whose persons and estates they had an absolute dominion as well as a right to their works and service Though the Commands of Christ are all holy just and good as profitable for man as honourable for himself yet he hath absolute authority over man and all that he hath and may command him what he pleaseth As Laban said to Iacob These daughters are my daughters these sons are my sons these cattel are my cattel and all thou seest is mine So the Redeemer by vertue of the price he laid down his most precious blood may say to every man This soul is my soul this body is my body this estate is my estate these children and friends are my children and friends this name and credit and interest is mine and all thou haste is mine Yet alas men â—â—o will give their Relations their due strangers their due enemies their due nay according to their Proverb the very Devil his due and far more then his due will not give Iesus Christ his due but against all justice and righteousness rob and wrong him of that which is his own and dearly bought too Rom. 14.7 8. For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether therefore we live or dye we are the Lords For to this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living So absolute is the necessity of mans making Religion his business that upon his diligence or negligence herein his eternal salvation or damnation doth depend If any man will be Christs Disciple he must deny himself disclaim all title and disown all right to himself have nothing more to do with himself as upon his own account and make an unfaigned unreserved dedication of himself and all that he hath to the honour and interest of his Redeemer Sanctification is a separation from all common to sacred uses and this must be done with all the heart and soul and strength in the whole course of the life by all that will escape the wrath to come God commandeth men to strive to enter in at the straight gate to work out their salvations with fear and trembling to be holy as he is holy in all manner of conversation and his word is like the Law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered He hath enjoyned nothing but what his infinite wisdom saw fit and he is resolved not to vary the least tittle not to abate the least farthing of the price he hath set Foolish men are so besotted by their deceitful hearts and befooled by the Devil that they complement with Religion and onely give it an outside formal salute instead of cordial embraces and real entertainment They deal with religion as Anacharsis saith the Athenians dealt with money using it for no other end but to number and cast up accounts with whereas it might have served them for excellent purposes So they use Religion onely for a shew for fashion for custom and are satisfied with an hypocritical way of Worshipping God and think to put God off therewith whereas it would serve them for high and honourable ends it would if entertained in the power and life of it elevate the Christian above this beggarly world enable him to combat with and conquer his sturdy stubborn lusts and the power and policy of Hell help him to a conversation in Heaven to converse and communion with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son and dress his soul for a blessed eternity Reader If thou art unacquainted with this high and honourable this worthy and noble Calling of Christianity I shall appeal to thy reason and conscience in the tender of some questions possibly one or other of them may prevail with thee to bind thy self Apprentice to it As a Fowler according to the different nature of his game contrives and appropriates his stratagems that some he catcheth with light as Larks with a glass and day nets some with baits as Pigeons with pease some with frights as Blackbirds with a low-bell some with company as Ducks with decoy fowl So I shall endeavour to suit my questions to thy temper whatever it be that if either the light of reason or the bait of unconceiveable and infinite profit or the frights of dreadful threatnings and comminations or the company of Christ the captain of our salvation and all his followers and Souldiers who marched to Heaven in this way will win upon thee I may perswade thee to make Religion thy business O that being crafty I might catch thee with holy guile To this end I beseech thee to weigh the questions again and again as thou readest them and to dart up thy prayers to Heaven for a blessing on them that thou mayst not reject the counsel of God against thy own soul but hearken to counsel receive instruction and be wise for thy latter end 1. Is not that worthy to be made thy business upon which the true comfort and joy of thy life during thy whole pilgrimage doth depend Comfort is the cream the top of life joy is the flower the honey the life of life Life without comfort without delight is a living death If the body be disquieted with diseases and aches and pains the soul as a tender Husband sympathizing with his bride though the patient be heir of a Kingdom and commander of large dominions yet all creatures to him are unsavoury morsels and as an aguish pallat he can taste can rellish nothing Iob in distress speaks in such a mans dilect Why is light given to him that is in misery
man in this world The greatness of the price the blood of God doth to every rational understanding fully speak the preciousness of the pearl Now how clear and plain is it in the word of truth that the Redeemer gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of goodworks Tit. 2. 14. That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days Surely Reader that which the Son of God who thought it no robbery to be equal with God thought worthy the taking on himself the form of a servant and the suffering the spite and malice of men the wrath and rage of devils and the frowns and fury of his father to purchase for thee doth deserve to be minded and regarded by thee as thee onely thing thou followest after and setst thy self about during thy pilgrimage Alas All the pains and labour and watching and working and time and strength and lives of all the men in the world are not equivalent to one drop of the blood of Christ or the least degree of his humiliation and wilt thou deny to make that thy business for which he shed so much blood and laid down his life 6. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which is the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost and for which the Spirit is infused into the hearts of men The worth of the Father doth speak the desert of the Child Though men who pretend to honour the Father for his work of Creation and to admire the Son for his work of Redemption blasphemously deride and wretchly slight sanctification which is the work of the Spirit yet undoubtedly the work of the Spirit is no whit inferiour to either nay is the beauty and glory both of Creation and Redemption as being the end and perfection of both The Father created the world in order to the new creation by the Spirit as that choice work man ship which he resolved should bring him in the largest revenue of praise and honour T is the new heavens wherein dwelleth righteousness that doth most declare the glory of God and the Firmament of sparkling graces that sheweth forth his most choice and curious handi-work Sanctification is the travel of the Sons soul a spiritual sacred life the great end of his death The Son redeemed man from slavery to sin and Satan and unto the service of righteousness by layino down the price thereof his own most precious blood One of the Sons main works was to purchase the re-impression of Gods Image on man the actual performance of which is the peculiar office of the Spirit hence he tells us Ioh. 14. I go away that the comforter may come and again Ioh. 6. The Spirit was not yet given i. e. so plentifully and universally because Iesus was not yet glorified And therefore we read that in few days after his ascension to acquaint us what was one main end and fruit of his death and suffering he powreth down the holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner and measure So that Creation the work of the Father doth as it were provide the matter the wax Redemption the work of the Son buyeth the Image of God the Seal and Sanctification the work of the Spirit stampeth it on the soul. Now Reader doth not the Sanctification of the Soul deserve to be thy main business when it is the curious work of the holy Spirit as that which the Fathers eye was chiafly on in thy Creation and the Sons in thy Redemption Is not that worthy to be made thy business which addeth a real worth to every thing and without which nothing is of worth or value Every one will grant that what is so richly excellent as to ennoble and add an intrinsick value to whatsoever it is affixed and the lack of which maketh every thing be they in other respects never so precious low and mean must needs deserve to be our business Truely Friend such is holiness it makes the word of God a precious word more to be embraced then gold yea then much fine gold The Ordinances of God precious Ordinances the people of God a precious people the excellent of the earth What is the reason that some in the account of him who is best able to judge though they be never so rich or beautiful or high and honourable in the world are called Dross Chaff Stubble Dust Filth Vessels of dishonour and counted Dogs Swine Vermine Serpents Cockatrices but want of holiness What is the reason that some though poor and despised and mean and houseless and friendless are esteemed by him who can best discern true worth The glory of the World the glory of Christ a Royal Diadem a Royal Priesthood higher then the Kings of the earth more excellent then their Neighbours Princes in all lands such of whom the world is not worthy but because they are godly persons an holy people Why are some Angels advanced to the highest Heavens waiting always in the presence of the King of Kings honoured to be his Ministers and Deputies in the Government of this lower world when other Angels are thrown down into the lowest Hell for ever banished the Celestial Court and bound in chains of darkness as prisoners to the day of execution but holiness in the former and want of it in the latter 8. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which will and can refresh and revive thee in an hour of death and enable thee to sing and triumph at the approach of the King of terrors The Master of Moral Philosophy tells us that its worth the while for a man to be all the time he lives learning how to dye well The unerring spirit of God acquaints us that it ought to be our great work to be wise for our latter end Doubtless it must be a rich costly cordial indeed and deserves not a little time and pains and charge to prepare which can keep a man from fainting in such a day of extremity wherein our honours and treasures friends wives children nay our flesh and hearts will fail and forsake us That cannot be of mean worth which can make a man encounter his last enemy with courage and conquest at the sight of which Kings and Captains and Nobles and the greatest Warriers have trembled as leaves with the wind and their hearts melted as grease before the fire Now Reader Godliness is that wine which will cause thee to sing at the approach of this Goliah and enable thee as Leviathan to laugh at the shaking of his spear when whole hosts of others without Godliness flie like Cowards before it and would give all they are worth to avoid fighting with it Heark what a challenge the godly sends to this adversary daring it to meet him in the field O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the
Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57 58. The Naturalists tell us of a precious stone called Ceraunias that glisters most when the Skie is Cloudy and over-cast with darkness Godliness friend will cast the greatest lustre on thee and put the greatest comfort in thee when thy time of trouble and day of death is come This this is the friend that is born for the day of adversity Therefore the sweet singer of Israel having this with him promiseth Though he walk in the valley of the shadow of death he will fear none ill Psal. 23. 9. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which will help thee to comfort and confidence at a dreadful day of judgement and cause thee to lift up thy head with joy when thousands and millions shall weep and wail The day of judgement will be a terrible day indeed the judge will come in flaming sire a fire devouring before him and behind him a flame burning His tribunal will be a tribunal of fire Out of his mouth did proceed a fiery Law and by that law of fire he will try men for their eternal lives and deaths The earth at that day will be consumed with fire and the elements melt with fervent heat If the cry of fire firè in the night now be so dreadfull and doth so afright and amaze us though it be but in one house and possible not very near us how dreadful will that day be when we shall see the whole world in a flame and the Judge coming in flaming fire to pronounce our eternal dooms Who can abide the day of his coming or who can stand when he appeareth Then the Kings and Captains and Nobles and Mighty Men will call to the rocks to fall on them and to the hills to hide them from the face that sitteth in the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6. 15. O Reader of what worth is that which will help thee as the three Children to sing in the midst of so many flaming fiery furnaces and preserve thee from being hurt or so much as toucht therewith Truely Godliness will do this for thee it will turn this day of the perdition of ungodly men into a day of redemption to thee As true Gold is not consumed by the hottest fire and the Salamander can live in the greatest flames so the godly man in the midst of all those fires and flames will live and flourish though millions of ungodly ones are scorched and tortured As he is a King now reigning over his stubborn lusts and unruly passions that will be his Coronation day wherein he will appear before the whole world in all his glory and royalty As he is a Husbandman now sowing to the Spirit that will be his Harvest-day wherein he shall reap the fruit of all his prayers and tears and watchings and fastings and labour and sufferings As he is compared to a Virgin betrothed to Christ now keeping his garments white and clean and devoting himself to the service and honour and commands of his Lord that will be his Marriage day wherein he shall be arrayed in fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints adorned with the jewels of perfect graces and solemnly espoused to the King of Saints the heir of all things and the fairest of ten thousands the Lord Jesus Christ. As he is a servant now doing not his own but the will of his Master in Heaven and finishing his work that will be the day wherein his Indentures will expire and he shall enjoy the glorious liberty of the Sons of God As he is a Son now yielding reverence and obedience to the Father of Spirits that will be the day wherein he shall be declared to be of full age and enjoy his portion and inheritance As he is a Souldier now fighting the good fight of faith warring a good warfare enduring much hardship as a good souldier of Iesus Christ that will be the day wherein he shall be called off the guard discharged of those tiresome toylsome duties incumbent on him in this life and receive his garland a Crown of everlasting life Little dost thou conceive Reader the worth of Godliness at that day Godliness will then be honoured and admired not onely by them that have it and rejoyce in it but also by the most prophane and carnal wretches and those who now despise and deride it Then the blind world who now shut their eyes and will not see and the atheistical world who harden their hearts and will not believe shall return and discern and see and believe a difference between the godly and ungodly between them that fear the Lord and them that fear him not O friend what wouldst thou give at that day that godliness had been thy business at this day Godliness will make the judge the Lord Jesus Christ thy friend the Father by whose authority he fits the King of all Nations thy friend the Iustices who will be upon the bench for he shall come with thousands of his Saints thy friends Godliness would make the law by which thou art to be tryed thy friend Godliness would make thy conscience which is to be brought in as the evidâ—nce thy friend Godliness would strike dumb all thy accusers Satan thy corruptions and suffer none of them to hurt thee as thy foes And is not Godliness worthy to be made thy business which will do all this for thee 10. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which will do thee good to eternity The fool is for good for many years but a wise man is for goods that will last to eternity In worldly matters we value those houses and goods highest which will last longest We will give much more for the fee-simple or inheritance for ever of a dwelling or lands then for a term of few years or for a lease for life though we can enjoy them but during life O why should it not be thus in spirituals Why should we not set the greatest price and take the most pains for that which is not for years or ages but for ever for that which we may enjoy and have full solid comfort in to eternity No good that is eternal can be little if it be but an humane friend whom thou lovest to enjoy him for ever or a bodily health to enjoy it for ever or near relations to enjoy them for ever will infinitely advance the price and raise the value of them but to enjoy a God for ever the blessed Saviour for ever the comforting Spirit for ever fullness of joy for ever rivers of pleasures for ever and exceeding weight of glory for ever a crown a kingdom an inheritance for ever which is the fruit of Godliness what tongue can declare what mind can apprehend the worth of these Alas frailty is such a flaw in all earthly tenures that it doâ—h exceedingly abate their value and should our
who gives his Servant such a charge that therefore he must not put off his hat or bid any Good Morrow or ask their Neighbours how they do for ever after The same Law-giver doth command Salutations by his oâ—n mouth Into what house ye enter say Peace be to this house Luk. 10. 5 6. and also commends it to us by his Ministers 1 Cor. 16. Col. 4. 10 14. We may not bid them God Speed whom we see imployed about the Divels designes least we be partakers of their evill deeds but if we know not their actions to be bad our charity must hope the best He that hath but common Humanity must needs be a Civilian Though nature be a Crab-stock yet if she be but graffed by education this will be part of her sweet fruit 3. As thy duty is to be righteous and courteous so also to be meek in thy dealings with men Courtesie is a good Servant to wait upon meekness as its Master both together are no small credit to a Professour He that is highest in godliness is fullest of meekness the purest Gold is soonest melted and they are usually the best blades that will bend well the Lion of Iudah for courage was a Lamb for condescension The Saint must learn of his Saviour to be meek and lowly in heart The passionate man is one of Lucifers Disciples and followeth him in his fall from Heaven This meekness I speak of it in relation to man as its object is a vertue by which we moderate our passions and keep them in subjection least we should wrong our Neighbours Patience is sister to meekness and humility is its mother The Passions of our minds are like the winds in the air if they lye still the Ship must lie still too or at least make but small speed if they be too boysterous they endanger the dashing the vessel upon a Rock or casting it upon the Quicksands but when they blow moderately between a still calm and a violent storm they are most helpful to the Mariners Our affections are of no use if they be suffered to sleep and do not rise at all for then though the name of God himself be shot at they will not hear the murdering piece Such meekness is worse then mopishness God did not give the soul these wings in vain On the other side if our affections are tempestuous and rise too high they threaten to overturn both our selves and our Neighbours A passionate man is like the torrid zone too hot for any to deal with him or to dwel neer him The work therefore of meekness is to keep the affections within their bounds so to moderate this fire that it may warm not flame out to burn it self and others He that is inebriated with passion is unfit for any action like Sampsons Foxes he scattereth fire-bands abroad to the hurt of all that are neer him Alexander in his anger flies upon his best friend Parmenio himself must perish by that Wild-fire Catos best Emperor was he qui potuit imperare affectus that could keep his own passions in subjection When one said he was a wise King that was kind to his friends and sharp to his enemies another said He was a wiser Prince that could retain his Friends in love and make his enemies like them The Spirit of God gives us a mark to know a wise and noble man by Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom Jam. 3. 13. Two particulars offer themselves to our view out of this verse 1. That meekness is a sign of a wise man The world counts them onely the brave spirits that scorn to suffer the least affront and who will repay a single injury with double interest but these in Gods accounts are fools What a fool is he that suffereth his passion that which should be his servant to become his master and to tyrannize over him What a fool is he that perceiving a Musket discharged will not stoop a little or fall down a while to avoid the Bullet but keep his place and height to the loss of his life Truly such a fool is he that will never yeild to anothers wraâ—h Is not he a fool that seeing a fire in his neighbours house anger in his Neighbours heart is so far from helping to quench it by the water of mildness that he throweth more fuel on it and increaseth its flame even to the burning down of his own is not he a fool that ventureth his inestimable soul at every trifling cast and runneth headlong upon the greatest hazards Surely 't is not without reason the wise man speaks so often of a fools wrath and that Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles Prov. 27. 3. and 17. 12. c. A wise man deferreth his anger least it burn with too hot a flame Prov. 29. 11. He will draw back the brands least the fire exceeding its bounds should consume him How many have been thrown nay utterly over-thrown by laying the reins upon the neck of their brutish passions when their persons would have been safe had but their passions been curbed Charles the sixth King of France was mad for anger and desire of revenge on the Duke of Brittain Excess of wrath cost Ajax his life if the Poet may be beleived Sylla in the height of fury vomited up his blood and his breath together saith the Historian When such winds blow they raise black and dark clouds A furious man hath few friends like Ismael his hand is against every man and every mans hand is against him The Herons name in Hebrew signifieth to be angry and it s observed scarce any fowl hath so many foes the Eagle preyeth upon her the Fox catcheth her in the night the Hawk destroyeth her eggs How foolish is the Bee that loseth her life and her sting together she puts another to a little pain but how dearly doth she pay for it The greatest conquest is to overcome our selves and the vilest bondage to be our own slaves Prov. 16. 32. He that is most mild is most manly It sullied the glory of all Caesars valour and victories that he was his own vassal It is the glory of a man to pass by offences Those Dogs which were presented to Alexander by the King of Albany were counted the best in the world and upon this account because they were so noble as not to stir at all when small beasts were brought to encounter them and through an overflowing of courageâ— would never fight save with Lions and Elephants Those men without question are far from true worth and most ignoble who upon every supposed petty wrong flie to the common Law or Civil War for revenge By the Laws of England a Noble man hath this priviledge that he cannot be bound to the peace because it s supposed that a Noble person will scorn to engage himself in
swell never so much by unlawful means yet t is but like the swelling of the dropsie a presage of death O my soul what will it avail thee to be rich here and to be a beggar hereafter and that for ever Thou pretendest to purity but thy God tells thee that holiness and righteousness are like Husband and Wife joyned by him together and none may part them asunder Thou art unsound in all thy sacred duties if thou art unrighteous in thy civil dealings When the unjust dealer is cast into the unquenchable fire what will become of the great Professour What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God shall take away his soul Iob 27. 8. When the Thief is taken and carried to the Goal all the money he hath stollen is taken from him When Death seiseth thee and sendeth thee to the Prison of Hell all thy ill gotten goods must be left behind When thou art lost eternally what will become of thy unjust gains Thy Children may be ranting with it on Earth and thou art roaring for it in Hell Ah! what dear contracts dost thou make to sell thy present peace and thy future endless joy for a little perishing pelfe The comfort of thy life now consisteth in communion with thy God but he that saith He hath fellowship with God and walketh in darkness is a lyar 1 Ioh. 1. 6. Thy God hates to taste of those Waters which run out of such musâ—y Vessels Muchless will he suffer any of such rotten hearts and stinking breaths to draw neer to him in Heaven Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. No such Cattel shall ever come into the Celestial Court Unrighteous Heathens shall be shut out of Heaven and surely then unrighteous Christians shall be cast into the lowest Hell O let the fear of thy God ever possess thee that the love of this World may never pollute thee Manifest thy love to thy Saviour by loving thy Neighbour as thy self Blessed God who lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a righteous Scepter who wilt render unto every man his righteousness and who hast appeared to me by that grace which teacheth me to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously in this present evil world Let thy good Spirit fill me with all the fruits of righteousness Do thou so lead me in the paths of equity for thy names sake that I may follow after righteousness and inherit a â—ure reward I Wish that I may be righteous in every relation wherein I stand and towards all persons with whom I deal that I may give to Superiours the things that are theirs to Inferiours the things that are theirs lest by denying either I rob all My God is no respecter of persons but just in all his ways and righteous in all his works When shall I imitate his blessed Majesty He tells me Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times If I expect the blessing propounded I must mind the righteousness enjoyned and that is to be righteous at all seasons O my soul what encouragement hast thou to do justly upon all occasions thy righteousness shall have a large recompence Thy Children may fare the better The just man walketh in his integrity and his Children are blessed after him Nay thy whole Family The voice of joy and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the righteous Whereas thou mayst fear that thy plain dealing may bring thee and thine to poverty thou bast his promise that he will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous Above all thou thy self wilt have the greatest solace Thy righteousness shall answer for thee in time to come and whereas the dishonest wealth of others is a corroding worm to gnaw their consciences thy justice will afford thee present comfort In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce Prov. 29. 6. Ah! who would not sow righteousness when he shall certainly reap so much mercy Though others as if they had pitchy hands take to themselves whatsoever they touch to the defiling of their own souls and like whirlpools suck in all that comes neer them to their own destruction do thou mete out all thy dealings by that royal measure Whatsoever thou wouldst that men should do to thee do the same to them for this is the Law and the Prophets When thou art buying or selling or about any bargain with thy Neighbour reflect upon thy self Would I be glad to be thus dealt with Were I in this mans case would I be willing that he should serve me as I serve him Am I as plain-hearted as true as just in my carriage towards him as I would desire him to be in his trading with me Would I be contented to be defrauded should I take it well to be defamed Is this action of mine such as I could be contented to receive the like Do I in this business love my Neighbour as my self Lord who hast promised that the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance in this world and shall shine as the Sun in the other world and who hast put the unrighteous and lovers of themselves in the front of that black list which is for the unquenchable fire do thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies that I may serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life I Wish that I may mind righteousness in my words as well as in my works and not dare to hide deceitful and foul intentions under fair and fawning expressions To say what is true and to be true to what I say is the property of a true Christian My God is a God that cannot lye his people are a people that will not lye If I therefore be found a lyar how unlike am I both to God and his people Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his delight Though lying lips may be perfumed with sweet words to men yet God smells the stench and loatheth the ill savour of those rotten inwards whence they proceed And though truth may beget hatred from men such sweet breath is his love and delight He is the God of truth His Law is the truth His Gospel is the word of truth His Son is the true and faithful Witness O that truth of heart truth of words and truth in deeds may be all in me which are so agreeable to the true God and so acceptable to the God of truth Can that tongue lye so loud to men which even now called so loud on God Shall those hands be filching in my Neighbours pocket which were so lately lifted up to Heaven in prayer Is my speech given me for my glory and shall it be the driveling of a Divel that father of lyes Lord let
me in all my dealings chuse rather to be a loser then a lyar and let that be my character which thou hast given of the Citizens of Sion that I may never lift up my soul to vanity nor swear deceitfully but walk uprightly work righteousness and speak the truth in my heart I Wish that I may be Courteous as well as Righteous towards all with whom I converse Humanity is a debt which I owe to all mankind why should I therefore as some proud men dam up and contract my civility into so narrow a compass that it shall swell into flittery towards my Superiors and not suffer one drop to descend towards Inferiors I would not as Formalists in fashion of habits or outward Vesture discover the lightness of a carnal mind Nor like Hypocrites by composed actions or artificial gesture manifest the looseness of a frothy spirit but as a prudent yet serious Christian be so affable in my carriage that I may be the more acceptable in my counsel for the good of others souls Humanity doth cast a lustre to attract the eyes and hearts of others Courtesie is commendable and an adorning adjunct to sanctity Holiness is honoured by the attendance of this Hand-maid Grace is rendered more lovely when t is accompanied with a kind nature T is pity that Jewel should not ever be in this soft Velvet Cabinet One end of my trading must be to commend to others the excellency of spiritual wares and to encourage them to buy the truth but if my behaviour be morose and unkind I shall fright men from being my customers and inflict on my self part of Nebuchadnezars penalty separate my self from amongst men by forcing them to withdraw from me If my language be fierce and my looks frowning I may deter men from my company but shall never allure them to Christ. Where the carriage is sowre and pouting the Counsel will never be sweet and prevalent O that I might never disadvantage Religion by any rugged disposition but by the kindness of my nature may do a real kindness to grace and become all things to all men if by any means I might save some Yet I would not be so courteous to others as to be discourteous to my self I mean be so courteous to sinners as to comply with them in their sins T is far better that the World should count me uncivil then the Lord should esteem me ungodly Let me be an enemy to their corruptions when I shew my self most friendly to their persons and never be so much a Courtier as to forget that I am a Christian Lord who hast commanded thy people to be kindly affected one towards another teach me to shew the true affection of my heart in the kindness of my tongue and hand courtesie is as salt and dryeth those ill humours which are distastful to others and will make my counsel the more savoury Thine Angels themselves used salutations in their occasional converses with Mortals give me to do thy will on earth as it is done by those Noble Courtiers in Heaven for I believe that they were in Heaven when they were discoursing with thy chosen on Earth Grant me so much gracious good manners as by my prayers to send the next man I meet even all I deal with to thee Let me bestow the almes of some hearty ejaculation as well as the outward expressions of The Lord be with you upon them Yea let me for thy sake be kind and gentle to all men that I may draw them to thy self Yet suffer me not to be so friendly in my words as to have fellowship with any in their wickedness but helpe me to dispence even my civilities by a standard measure least what I intend as shy Net to take others souls prove Satans trap to catch mine I Wish that I may be both so just as not to offer injuries to others and also so meek as to suffer with patience what others offer to me The world will never leave its old haunt of persecuting them that are holy It s natural for Wolves to hate and devour Sheep If I were of the world I should be one of its darlings for the World loveth its own My God hath called me from it and chosen me out of it therefore it hates me I need not marvail at its malice when it did spit its venome at the Author of its being and took away life from him who gave life to it The Servant is not above his Master nor must the Disciple look to fare better then his Lord. If the soft Pillow of meekness be not laid on my back I shall never bear the burthens of their calumnies and cruelties with the least comfort What pain doth such Vinegar cause when it meets with the raw wound of an impatient spirit The more mad the world is the more meek I had need to be if I would enjoy my self Besides there may be â—allings out amongst the best friends Good men are not all of the same stature nor all of the same temper Some are like broken bones if but toucht they fret and fling How full are some of jealousies and suspicions which would soon be increased by my passions and that spark which might be extinguished by my lenity is blown into a flame by my fury Some are sickly and in constant pain others are under some smarting providence some offend me upon mistake and though others should do it out of malice yet even they also call for my pity more then my passion The best have need of pardon from man as well as God and shall I who want it more then others not allow it to others Alas what harme do I get by others heats The Air when beaten is not injured no not so much as divided but returnes to its place and becomes thicker then before The sharpest words cannot wound me if I do not put my hand to the weapon All those tongue-squibs of reproach which the malevolent world throw at me will go out alone and die of themselves if I do not revive them My well-grounded patience will as a walking staff preserve me from many a fall whilst I travail in rugged ways The distracted world indeed judgeth him the bravest fellow that will not pocket up the least affronts but the wisest man that ever was nay the onely wise God tells me The patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit O my soul whom wilt thou believe the world that long since hath lost its wits and must ere long for its phrensie be fettered with the chains of everlasting darkness in the Bridewel of the bottomless pit or that God to whom Angels themselves are comparative fools O be not hasty to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools What a fool art thou to break thy own bones to give another a smart blow A furious man is like Tamar who to be revenged of her father in Law defiled him and her self
Reader If thou hast any truth of grace thou wilt above all things in the World value Gods presence but if thou wouldst find him it must be amongst his people they are his habitation where he always resides Ioseph and Mary sought Jesus amongst his Kindred If thy soul have any longing after the holy Jesus the best way to find him is amongst his Disciples for they onely are his kindred He stretched forth his hands towards his Disciples saying Behold my Mother and my Brethren For whosoever shall do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Mat. 12. ult Luk. 2. 44. Secondly Consider The choice of thy Companions will discover thy condition It s a Spanish Proverb Dime con quiem andis y dezirte he quiem ere 's Tell me with whom thou goest and I will tell thee what thou art Sylla shewed the vileness and viciousness of his disposition by his companions which were Roscius a maker of Common Plays Sorax a Prince of Scoffers and Metrobius a singing man It s easie to know to what house some persons belong by their usual walking with those of the same family either Children or Servants It will be manifest to others whether thou appertainest to the Houshold of God or the Synagogue of Satan by those with whom thou delightest to associate The Sheep of Christ do not love the Company of unclean and unsavoury Goats Augustus Caesar found out the temper of his two Daughters by observing their company at a publique shew where much people were present at which time his Daughter Livia discoursed with grave and prudent Senatours and his Daughter Iulia joyned with loose and riotous persons The Lacedemonians enquiring after the dispositions of their children sent abroad to school onely demanded of their Masters to what play-fellows they were linked whether those who were studious and serious or such as were wanton and vicious not doubting but they were sutable to them in their natures whose fellowship they fancied Many if they walked alone would be thought by reason of their rich cloaths men of better estate then they are and others meaner then they are by reason of their mean attire who yet both are discerned of what rank they be by thir companions Dulce quidem dulci se adjungit amaraque amaris Acre perinde acri accessit salsum quoque salso It s said of the Apostles that being dismist from the Council they went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their own or to their proper and peculiar friends so the Original we translate it to their own company because Saints are a select Corporation by themselves their priviledge or Charter is peculiar and so are their Companions and the persons interested in it The Citizens of Sion are a distinct company from the rest of the World and when they can get loose from their Persecutors they go to them of their own livery The Disciples were amongst the High-Priests and wicked men by constraint and to their greif but amongst their own onely out of choice and with their good-will Birds of a Feather will flock together Servants of the same Lord if faithful will joyn with their fellows and not with the servants of his Enemy Abraham sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles not with the Canaanites the Natives though he dwelt amongst them but with Isaac and Iacob the heirs with him of the same promise Heb. 11.9 When a man comes into an Inn you may give a notable guess for what place he intends by the Company he inquires after His Question Do you know of any travailing towards London I should he heartily glad of their company will speak his mind and his course If he hear of any bound for another coast he regards them not but if he know of any honest passengers that are to ride in the same road and set out for the same City with himself he sends to them and begs the favour of their good company This World is an Inn all men are in some sense Pilgrims and Strangers they have no abiding place here now the Company they enquire after and delight in whether those that walk in the broad way of the flesh or those who walk in the narrow way of the Spirit will declare whether they are going towards Heaven or towards Hell A wicked man will not desire the company of them who walk in a contrary way nor a Saint delight in their society who go cross to his journey Can two walk together except they be agreed They who walk together are supposed to have one will because they are seen to have one way Amos 3. 3. When Elihu would prove Iob to be bad this is his argument He goeth in Company with the workers of iniquity and walketh with wicked men Job 34. 8. If Job did not follow their ungodly calling of working iniquity or acting sin with art as the word signifieth you would not find him so much in their Company His doctrine was true though his application of it was false A godly man may fall into wicked company by chance but he never walks with such out of choice He may be necessitated to dwell with them but he cannot delight in them To Associate with the prophane is proper to the prophane As soon as Paul was sanctified this was almost one of the first signs it appeared by And Paul assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples Act. 9. 26. He that before was for the company of the High-Priests and Persecutors of the Saints when once converted is for the company of the Saints though persecuted He who before as one mad with rage breathed out nothing but prisons and slaughter against them being now inlightned to see the beauty of their persons and the excellency of their communion assayeth to joyn himself to them The young Patridges hatched under a Hen go for a time along with her Chickens and keep them company scraping in the earth together but when they are grown up and their wings fit for the purpose they mount up into the Air and seek for Birds of their own nature A Christian before his conversion is brought up under the Prince of darkness and walketh in company with his cursed Crew according to the course of the World but when the Spirit changeth his disposition he quickly changeth his Companions and delighteth onely in the Saints that are on earth He that would not be found amongst sinners in the other World must take heed that he do not frequent their company in this Those whom the Constable finds wandring with vagrants may be sent with them to the House of Correction Lord said a good Woman on her death-bed when in some doubt of her salvation Send me not to Hell amongst wicked men for thou knowest I never loved their Company all my life long David deprecates their future doom upon the like ground and argueth it as a sign
17. Stones of the same building then which there cannot be a more firm connexion and branches of the same Vine then which there cannot be a more inherent inoculation How Pathetically doth the loving Redeemer exhort his Disciples to love and oneness He giveth them his precept A new Commandement give I unto you that ye love one another not but that it was an old duty but because envy and malice had prevailed so much among the Jews that to love was a new thing Again This is my commandment that ye love one another as if there were nothing else that he required but this or as if this of all the Commandments was that which Jesus loved best He sets before them his own pattern As I have loved you so ought ye to love one another The love of Christ should prevail with Christians to lay down their lives for him and shall it not prevail to lay down their strifes among themselves Further How affectionately doth he pray to his Father to bestow this blessing upon them That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us And the glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me i. e. Father did we ever fall out was there ever any discord between us why then should they that are thine and mine disagree Ioh. 17. 21,22,23 Mark these three particulars about this prayer 1. The Petitioner that is Christ who was the wisdom of the Father in him dwelt the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He fully understood what request would be most advantagious for his people Besides he was the Head and Husband of his Church naturally caring for her welfare as his own and so his love would prompt him to desire what his wisdom saw most conducing to her happiness 2. The repetition of his petition He begs the same boon of his Father four times in three verses He had the Spirit without measure and so could not be guilty of vain taâ—tologies Surely then that which Christ whose wisdom was unsearchable and whose love to his beyond all compare doth press with so much earnestness and instance must needs be of very great weight and consequence 3. The particular season of this petition for unity or the subject of it He had in the former part of his prayer confined himself within the narrow compass of the Apostles but in the 20. v. having made a perfect transition from them to all believers wordâ— he is importunate with his Father for their union and unity When the dearest Redeemer puts the whole company of believers together both Jews and Gentiles that were at that present or ever should be in the world he pitcheth upon this as the most eminent petition he could put up for them It is not That they all may be enriched or honoured upon earth nay it is not That they all may be adopted sanctified and saved but That they all may be one as we are one as if the whole Kingdom of Grace and Glory did consist in this and as if this once obtained all were done that was needful for them Besides he makes this the visible character of their Christianity that badge which would publish to all they met their relation to Christ By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another this is the livery which will speak to what Master ye belong By this not by casting out Devils but by casting out Discord not by releiving one another occasionally but by loving each other fervently shall all men know ye are my Disciples The differences amongst Christians can never be sufficiently lamented That they who are all near to God should behold one another afar off and they who are all acquainted with Christ should be unacquainted among themselves Iob laments this fault in his three friends These ten times have ye reproached me are ye not ashamed that ye have made your selves strange unto me Job 19.3 That they who are brethren begotten of the same Father born of the same Mother fed at the same Table educated under the same Tutor attended with the same Servants arrayed with the same Garments and heirs of the same Inheritance should be strange to one another is a great a gross shame Many hundred Devils can agree together in one man and yet in some parts not ten Christians can agree together in one house One of the Fathers was so much affected with the divisions of Christians that he profest himself ready to let out his heart blood to cement them together Both the honour of Religion and our own interest do both command us to unite It was no small reflection on Christians that Mahomets great champion should have cause to say I shall sooner see my fingers all of a length then Christians all of a mind T is true till we have all one eye we shall never in all things be of one judgement but must a small difference in opinion cause such a distance in affection Must we make the Devils and enemies of Christ musick by our discords when the foes of God and our own souls are in sight of us shall we be fighting to make them sport and to give them an opportunity to destroy us The wicked of the world warm themselves by that fire of division which the heats of some weak Christians kindle It is observable that the Spirit of God mentioning the contention between the herdsmen of Abrahams cattel and the herdsmen of Lots cattel immediately subjoyns in the same verse And the Canaanite and the Perezite dwelt then in the land Gen. 13.7 Some think to shew the occasion of the difference betwixt them their cattel increasing so much and those Nations dwelling among them they had not sufficient room and therefore wrangled Others think that latter clause is inserted to shew the hainous aggravation of their sin It had been bad enough to have quarrelled where none but Saintâ— had been in company and spectators of their strife but it s much worse to fall out in the midst of their enemies hereby they expose their profession to derision and their persons to destruction Plutarch observes that Dion calmed the boisterous spirits of his mutinous Souldiers by saying Your enemies yonder pointing to the Castle of Syracusa which he then besieged behold your mutinous behaviour And shall neither the eyes of men nor Angels nor of God himself which always observes the strifes and contentions amongst his children prevail with them to put a way envying and variance and emulation and wrath and perswade them to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace The foolish Cranes by fighting beat down one another and so are taken Civil dissentions make
be secure as thinking themselves safe when they are as they imagine among none but themselves But truly seeming honest men may deceive us sooner then known cheats because we are apt to conâ—ide in the former when we fear and take heed of the latter The Plague may soonest be conveyed through perfumed linnen Satan tempted Eve in the forme of a Serpent but when he sets upon Christ whom he knew hard to be conquered he sets upon him in the shape of a Dove None so fit as a Peter to perswade him to pity himself As God can send us a Pearl in a Toads Head bring light out of darkness and enable us to get good by polluted persons So Satan like Hanibal can convey poison through a gold ring bring darkness out of light and make us the worse for the Company of the best Christians The society of the godly is like the Shop of an Apothecary in which there are many Cordial Iulips Purging Potions and Wholsom Drugs but also some poisonous which need strong correctives and therefore they must be the object of our caution as well as of our choice There are two or three things which Christians when they meet together too frequently erre in against which I would advise thee In mis-spending time censuring the good aâ—d backbiting the bad 1. Take heed of mispending that season Time is in it self of great price and ought to be redeemed but Opportunity is of greater value and t is infinite pity to cut such a precious commodity to waste It s ordinary even with good men when they meet though it relate nothing to their callings or concernments to be talking chiefly of corn and cattel and markets and fayrs and forraign transactions as if they had not a God a Christ a soul an eternal estate to be minding each other of Our words are the servants of our reason and to send more then will performe our business or to send them upon unnecessary and trifling errands argueth vanity and folly Have we not the country to which we are all travailing the purity and pleasantness of the way thither the excellency and certainty of our reward there to talk about St. Bernard complained that in his time Christians were faulty in this particular Nihil de scripturis nihil de salute agitur animarum sed nugae risus verba proferuntur in ventum Not a word of the Scriptures nothing of your eternal salvation but trifles and laughter and words as light as the wind take up the time Some spend their time in nice Questions as what Christ disputed of amongst the Doctors where Paradise stood in what part of the world is local Hell What became of Moses body how many orders and degrees of elect Spirits These curious persons the further they go the nearer they approach a Sun that blinds them Others in circumstantial câ—ntroversies when in the interim the essentials of Religion are laid by Such talk is but a wasting time and those that sweat at it are but laborious loyterers like those that take great pains to crack or cleave a date stone which when they have done affords them no Kernel Would it not be counted a peice of great folly for a man that had a wound neer some vital part to be very busie in laying a plaister upon his scratcht finger while the other lay unregarded Were it not a peice of strange madness when the enemy is at the walls and the town every moment in danger of being stormed the Bullets flying thick about the streets for the people within to be sitting still and consulting whether a Musquet would carry further then a Trunk or whether more are killed with Bullets or Arrows Truly such folly such madness is it to imploy our selves about needless discourse about the world or superficial circumstantial things when our inestimable souls are continually in danger of being surprised and slain The Apostle reproveth such as spent their time about fables and endless genealogies that is things frivolous and besides our work of Christianity though not false or directly opposite to it which minister Questions rather then godly edifying 1 Tim. 1. 5. To prevent this Reader Offer some serious discourse either by way of Position or Question Thy profit by good company doth very much depend upon thy self Thy Question or Position is the fire which draweth out either the quintessence or dregs of things It may be there is one in thy company rich in grace in gifts these are the treasure of the soul but if ever thou wouldst be the better for it thou must open it by the Key of some savoury question or sentence An ordinary person by some practical question may lay the foundation for a goodly fabrick of rich and excellent discourse A little water poured into a Pump may fetch up many Buckets full A small Lacquey may call us to a costly Banquet Ferus on Matthew affirmeth that it was the practice of the Monks to meet together once in a week and to acquaint each other with their temptations the means of resistance and the issue thereof I believe if Christians were more open-hearted in declaring to one another the state of their souls their experiences in point of loss or gain in spirituals and sense of Gods favour or anger c. it would much tend not onely to the honour of God but also to the defeating of our great enemy and our own mutual advantage Satan hath many wiles where-with to wrong and destroy souls he proceedeth many times in the same method with several Christians now when one acquainteth another with the snares he laid to catch him and the way he took to avoid it hereby the other is fore-warned and fore-armed fore-warned to expect that such a trap should be laid for him and fore-armed how to avoid it An Almanack Calculated for London without any sensible error may serve the whole Kingdom That which hath been one Saints condition or temptation may be any Saints and that way which one hath taken to escape a peril or improve a providence may be useful and helpful to any of the Saints Some tell us the Art of medicines was thus perfected When any one met with an Herb and discovered the vertue of it by any accident he did post it up in some publique place and if any were sick or diseased he was laid in some common passage that every passenger might communicate the best Receipt he knew for that distemper and so the Physitians skill was compleated by a collection of those posted Experiences and Receipts I cannot but think that our souls would be more safe and our spiritual sicknesses less dangerous if Christians were more free in revealing what means have through the assistance of the Spirit been instrumental for their recovery out of their inward distempers and the preservation of their health 2. Take heed of censuring the good This is another sin that even good men are guilty of when they meet
herein I shall give thee an example though I would desire thee to remember that the advantage of meditation is rather to be felâ— then read He that can paint Spikenard or Musk or Roses in their proper colours cannot with all his Art draw their pleasant savoâ—r that is beyond the skill of his pencil Let us O my soul a little retire out of the worlds company to converse with the word of thy God I cannot but hope the malefactour hath an high esteem for that Psalm of mercy without which he had lost his life I have reason to believe that thou hast no mean value for that Gospel of grace and the graece of that Gospel without which thou hadst lost thy soul thy God thy joy thy delight thine all and that for ever yet sure I am the price thou sets on it is far inferiour to the worth of this Pearl and besides I have observed of late wheâ—her partly because of its constancy with thee things common though never so necessary and excellent being less valued then meaner things that are rare or cheifly because of thy old seeming friend or rather real enemy thy flesh within thee that never speaks well of it because of its contrariety to the word from which it hath received its deaths-wound and therefore would die as the Thies on the Cross spitting out its venome and malice at it or what ever be the cause I perceive too much thou beginnest to decline in thy respect to it what else doth thy backwardness to read it thy carelesness in minding what thou dost read and thy neglegence in practicing it signifie Therefore let us take a turn or two together and argue the case lest it be argued against thee in an higher Court to thy cost and I charge thee before the dreadful God at whose judgement seat thou art to stand or fall for ever that thou attend to me seriously and not dare to give me the slip till the whole be debated for it is not a vain thing but iâ— for thy life What is this Word which thou art so prone to despise Consider it O my soul First in its Causes and then tell me whether the child be not worthy of love and esteem in the superlative degree for his parents sake 1. It s Principal Efficient cause is the glorious and supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the Spring and Fountain of all excellency and perfection All Scripture is given by inspiration of God It s the Word of the Lord the Breath of his Mouth the Law of his Lips whoever were the Pens or Scribes his Mind indicted and his Hand wrot every sentence in it What a word must that be which is the result of infiniteâ— wisdom How precious are those Tables which are the writing of God himself How glorious is that beam of light which was darted from this Sun to whom a whole Firmament of Suns were worse then perfect darkness If the breath of a man be so sweet that his doctrine drop as the rain and his speech distil as the dew If the heart of a man can indict a good matter and his tongue resemble the pen of a ready writer O what is the speech of the tongue of a God! Never man spake as he spake his enemies themselves being judges The Queen of Sheba came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and blessed those Servants that waited at his Table and heard his wisdom But loe O my soul A greater then Solomon is here How blessed are they that wait at his Gates and that watch at the Posts of his doors 2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces Some of them were like Saul higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favour of God As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth David the sweet singer of Israel a man after Gods own heart Solomon who excelled in wisdom all that were before him or came after him Isaiah of the Blood-Royal an Evangelical Prophet or Prophetical Evangelist whose prophesie is clean and clear and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetorick Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosome of Iesus Paul who was wrapt up into the third Heavens and as famous for active and passive obedience as any in the world in his days All of them were men extraordinarily inspired and assisted by the Spirit of God Not onely the notions but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them and infused into them by God himself The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes but the best of them though the Prophesie of the Sybills which the Heathen so highly esteemed be included is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost O how excellent must that Scripture be of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Amanâ—enses and to whom the infinite wisdom of God did dictate every word 3. The matter of them is heavenly and divine the epitome of all equity and righteousness the compendium of whatsoever is fit to be beleived or practiced The Scripture is a perfect rule both for faith and manners It informeth us fully in our carriage towards God and towards men how we ought to walk in all relations and conditions it forbiddeth evil all evil in the very thoughts it commandeth good whatsoever is good in the whole course of our lives It speaketh of such things as are far above reason and yet nothing that is contrary to reason The truths delivered in it are many of them such as no humane or created capacity could have possibly invented yet such as are all agreeable to a rational understanding It would have exceeded the wisdom of an Angelâ— to have thought of such a sweet mixture of justice and mercy as is discovered in the Gospel about the redemption of fallen man It teacheth the nature and excellency of God the trinity of persons the unity of essence the immensity of all his attributes how he is infinite in his being wisdom knowledge holiness mercy and faithfulness how he is a pure act without the least passion a perfect being uncapable of any addition eternal without either beginning or ending immutable without the least alteration incomprehensible beyond all coâ—ceptions omnipresent without any circumscription It instructeth us in the person and offices and states of the blessed Redeemer how he being the Son of God was partaker of the humane nature that the Sons of men might be partakers of the divine nature How God and Man were united in one person that Man and God might be united in one Covenant How the eternal God married our natures that he might exalt his boundless grace in marrying our persons How man
to them Faith is a Christians guide and good Works his garment As the Fish by the Fins are raised from the mud to the top of the water so faith lifteth the soul from earth to heaven It is the evidence of things not seen Good works are as Scales a shield to a Christian and are not unfitly called the Breast plate of righteousness Thus O my soul though thou couldst not read a line in any Printed book thou mightest read many good lessons in this natural book Even things without mouths can Preach and speak thy Makers praise and pleasure Their voices are heard in every language and their words go to the end of the world Psa. 19. 4. Wheresoever O my soul thou goest thou mayst by meditation get some steps nearer thine eternal weal Art thou walking Consider thou art but a sojourner and traveller in this world thy life is a continued moâ—ion thy way is the Son of God thy home is the Fathers House thy motion is painful thy way is perfect and thy home will be full of pleasure Why shouldst thou wander and come wide or loyter and come short of Heaven O be sure to walk in the right way and be content to travail hard that thy saâ—e way may find its end in solace and thy painful walk make thy home more welcome Art thou walking in thine Orchyard thou mayst from every tree as a Text gather many profitable doctrines and inferences Take a turn or two among the Trees and thou mayst find much wholsom fruit on them 1. Some Trees are profitable for one purpose some for another some to quench thirst some to comfort and refresh the inward parts c. so the Children of God are diversly serviceable according to the different gifts bestowed on them by the Holy Ghost 2. Every living fruit tree is in some measure fruitâ—ul though some bring forth more fruit some less yet all bring forth some All living Christians are thriving and bearing fruit though some are more eminent for growth and proficiency in grace yet all bring forth fruits worthy of repentance The Hypocrite like a dead stake in an Hedge continueth at a stay is without good fruit nay groweth more rotten every moneth then other but the true Saint like the living Tree the longer he continueth rooted in Christ the more abundant he is in the work of the Lord. 3. The best Trees have a winter wherein they seem to be dead and barren yet they have their life and sap at that time remaining in the root Christians under desertions and temptations may be judged by themselves and others to be dead and undone but even at such seasons their life is hid with Christ in God Though they may fall fouly they cannot fall finally 4. Fruit-trees are tossed and shaken by the wind but there is no danger of their overturning or death whilst their root remains firm in the earth Saints may be stirred and tossed by the high winds of Satans and the worlds temptations but can never be overthrown because they are rooted in Christ. Grace may be shaken in but never out of their souls 5. The winter which the Trees suffer in frosts and snow and the continuance of their sapunder ground is profitable for them and helpful to their greater growth in Spring So the various and severest providences of God towards his people are serviceable to their good and their seeming declensions in order to their greater growth As Children under a fit of an Ague they may at present be weakened and stand at a stay but afterward they shoot up the more 6. The fruits of trees are harsh and little worth till they are grafted so the fruits of all by nature are wild and unpleasant to God till they are grafted into Christ. 7. Those trees that stand most in the Sun bring forth the sweetest and the largest fruit So those believers that live nearest God by an holy communion do the more abound in the fruits of righteousness and their fruits are the more acceptable springing from a principle of love to God 8. The more the boughs are laden the more they bow down to the earth so the more abundant any are in holiness the more humble and lowly they will be 9. The Husbandman chuseth what plants he pleaseth to bring into his Orchyard and his grafting of them and care about them makes the difference between them and others So God chuseth whom he pleaseth out of the wilderness and waste of the world and his grafting them by regeneration and conduct of them by his Spirit distinguisheth them from all the rest of the earth 10. The Leaves drop from the Trees in the beginning of Autumn Such is the friendship of this world whilst the sap of wealth and honour lasteth with me and whilst I enjoy a summer of prosperity my friends swarm in abundance but in the winter of adversity they will leave me naked O how miserable is that person who hath no friends but of this world How happy is he that hath the sap of grace which will remain with him in the coldest winter Thus O my soul whilst thou art walking with regenerate creatures thou mayst better thy spiritual senses and walk with thy Creator O how may thy thoughts be raised to the trees that are planted in the house of the Lord and flourish in the Courts of thy God that are planted by the Rivers of waters and bring forth their fruit in due season Lord I confess thy goodness in giving me so many ushers yet alas my dull and blockish heart to this day hath not learnt those lessons which thou hast set me by them Vnless thou who art the chief Master of the Assemblies undertake the work all will be in vain Thy creatures are as burning glasses they cannot make the Sun to shine but when it doth vouchsafe its heavenly beams they help to increase both light and heat It s thine own promise that all Sions Children shall be taught of God Let it please thee to undertake the tuition and instruction of thine untoward Scholar O do thou spiritualize my heart and then I shall spiritualize all the works of thine hand do thou enlighten me so powerfully by thy blessed Spirit that I may turn every spark into a candle and every candle into a star and every star into a Sun and by the light of all be enabled to see more of thy beautiful face and blessed perfections I Wish that I may not onely taste by occasional but make a full meal by set and serious meditation of that food which may God provideth for my soul If a drop a little be reviving and strengthening surely a good draught will yeild me more comfort and profit If ever it be true it s here the best is at the bottom That rare object which upon a transient view gives me some delight upon a permanent vision will afford more pleasure If my meat abide in my body it will afford me the better
holiness Even Benhadad the King of Syria an enemy to the Prophets and People of God in his health will send a Prince to Elisha with a large present and most submissive expressions thy Son Benhadad in his sickness 2 King 7.9 Sickness gives men a double advantage for holiness 1. It takes off their hearts from creatures by teaching them experimentally what a poor weak cordial the whole creation is to sick or dying men When men are strong and lusty they can taste and savour earthly things carnal comforts hinder their endeavours after spiritual They take up with creatures as Esau and say they have enough but sickness makes them know the emptiness of all sublunary things When men are sick they cannot rellish the worlds dainties and delicates The preferments and riches and pleasures of the earth are all unsavoury and uncomfortable to them They now see the vanity of those things which heretofore they so much idolized how unable they are to revive their fainting spirits or to allay their pain or purchase them the least ease or procure them the least acceptance in the other world and hence the price of the worlds market falls abundantly in their judgements Bernard tells us of a Brother of his that when he gave him many good instructions and he being a Souldier regarded them not he put his finger to his side and told his Brother One day a Spear shall make way to this heart of thine for admonition and instruction to enter 2. In sickness conscience is usually allowed more liberty to speak its mind and men are then more at leasure to hear it In health their callings or friends or lusts or sports or some carnal comfort or other take up their hearts and time that conscience must be silenced as too bold a Preacher for offering to disturb them in their pleasures or if it will use its authority and continue to speak in Gods name and forbid their foolishness and Atheism and sensuality and prophaness they are deaf to its calls and commands and drown its voice with the noise of their brutish delights But in sickness they are taken off from their trades and pastimes and merry meetings and jovial companions when their bodies are weak their fleshly lusts are not so strong as formerly whereby conscience hath a greater opportunity to tell them of their miscarriages and wickedness and they themselves are more attentive to its words and warning Reader It s a special peice of wisdom to improve such a season for the good of thy Neighbours soul. When the Wax is softned then we clap the Seal upon it lest it harden again and be incapable of any impression When the hand of God hath by sickness made the heart of thy wicked friend or brother soft and tender then do thy utmost to stamp the Image of God upon it Paul would preach whilst a door was opened and there was likelyhood of doing good It s a great encouragement to work when the subject upon which we bestow our pains seems capable of what we prosecute and probable to answer our labour We have some heart to strike a nail into a bâ—ard because there is hope it will enter but no list to drive a nail into a flint because we despair of effecting it The Smith strikes when the Iron is hot he knoweth if he should stay till it is cold his labour would be in vain Friend take the advantage of others bodily sickness to further their spiritual health lest they either die in their sins or harden upon their recovery Opportunity is like a joynt in some part of a fowl which if we hit upon we may easily carve and divide the fowl but if the Knife fall on this side or that side of the joynt we do but mangle the meat and take pains to no purpose It is the speech of Master Richard Rogers in his seven Treatises I have visited some persons that have been condemned to die in whom through the blessing of God upon his endeavours I have found as good signs of saved persons as of any that died in their beds not having tasted of repentance before 2. It s a special opportunity of Receiving good We are taught more effectually by the eye then by the ear The sight of a sick or dying person hath often a strange and a strong operation upon the beholder When the Father heard of one that sinned notoriously he cried out I may be as bad as this man is When thou seest one dangerously sick thou mayst think with thy self I must â—e as this man is sick unto death when none of my Relations or Possessions can afford me the least comfort and O how much doth it concern me to prepare before-hand for such an hour If this mans work be now to do when his life is ending how sad is the condition of his precious soul O that I were wise to consider timely and to provide seasonably for my latter end The sight of a dead man was instrumental to the spiritual life of Waldus The sight of others sickness may well quicken me to the greater industry and diligence after spiritual health Do I behold my Neighbour whose Sail formerly sweld with a full gale of worldly enjoyments now wind-bound chained to his chamber or fettered to his bed unable to rellish his food or take any comfort in his friends Do I see him full of Aches and Pains Tossings and Tumblings crying out in the evening Would God it were morning and in the morning Would God it were evening because of the anguish of his Spirit Do I behold his cheeks pale his eyes sunk his lips quivering his loyns trembling his heart panting and nature striving and strugling with the disease to keep its ground and yet at last forced to quit the field and leave the victory to its adversary how many excellent observations may I draw from such a Text What a fool am I to trust the world which leaves this man in his greatest want How mad am I in loving sin which is the cause of all these crosses and miseries and which makes death so mortal to poor souls Of how much worth and value is the blessed Redeemer who will comfort a Christian in such a time of need and carry him through his last conflict with joy and conquest How careful should I be to get and keep a good conscience which in such a day of extremity will yeild me true courage and confidence The wise man doth not without cause tell us It is better to go into the house of mourning to the terming or charnel-house then to the house of feasting for that is is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart Eccles. 7. 2. Men in a house of feasting are apt to be forgetful of their duty to God themselves and their Neighbours Isa. 22. 13 14. Amos 6. 3 6. Isa. 5. 11 12. When the body is filled the soul is often neglected Iob was afraid of this in
Joseph shall send to convey me to the true Goshen I Wish that I may with patience submit on my dying bed to the divine pleasure It hath been far from some Moralists to murmure either at the extremity of their sickness or the necessity of dying By impatience I do not help but rather kill my self before-hand It s the general lot of mankind to sickeâ— and dye Am I angry that I am a man that I am mortal Because I know that I must be sick and dye I know that I must submit The knowledge of an approaching evil is no small good if improved Though it cannot teach me to prevent it by all my power or providence yet it may teach me to prepare for it and to bear it with courage and patience Discontent and quarrelling are great arguments of guilt and a defiled conscience The harmless sheep conscious of their innocency do quietly receive the Knife either on the Altar or in the Shambles and give death entrance with small reluctancy when the filthy loathsom Swine roar horribly at their first handling and with hideous cries are haled and held to the fatal block The Children of God and members of Christ who are perfect through their head do often give up the Ghost and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ when the souls of wicked men are required of them and they are strangely passionate at the approach of death and with dreadful screeches salute its Harbinger sickness O that patience might have its perfect work in me when I am taking my leave of it and its work is near an end Lord my heart is too prone to be impatient under thy hand though thou art infinitely wise as well as gracious and knowest what is best for me In my sickness turn mine eyes upon my sins that my discontent may be at my self for that which is the original of all my sorrows and then I shall never repine or murmur against thee I Wish that I may daily think of death and wait beleiving and repenting and working out my salvation till my change shall come My whole time is given me that therein I might prepare and dress my soul for my blessed eternal estate Why should it not be imployed for that end The Child who hath all day been diligent about his duty may expect his Fathers good word at night But what Master will give a reward to him in the evening who hath all the day long served his enemy My life is the seed which will yeild a crop of horror or comfort in an hour of death If that be good my Harvest will be glorious and joyful if that be sinful my Harvest will be bitter and sorrowful Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles The Grapes of comfort are not to be expected from the Thistles of corruption nor the Figs of peace from the thorns of impiety I should blush to commit to the keeping of a cleanly and considerable person a foul and filthy vessel With what face can I commend to the holy and glorious God an impure and polluted soul O how dreadful will it be to meet with my dying bed before I have met with the Lord of life and to be going out of the world before I have seriously considered why I came into it My great work in this world is to get my depraved nature healed by the blood and spirit of Christ ifâ— I forget my business when I have time to do it and trifle away my days in doing evil or doing nothing I lose my soul am unfaithful to my Master and deepen my judgement by the number of my days â— That Traveller may well be agast and perplexed who hath a long journey to go upon pain of death in one day for which the whole day is little enough and seeth the sun near setting before he hath begun his journey How ill doth the evening of my time and the morning of my taske accord together How justly may God reserve the dregs of his wrath for me if I reserve the dregs of myâ— days for him What folly am I guilty of in deferring my preparation for death If he be a ridiculous person that having choice of lusty horses should let them all go empty and lay an extraordinary heavy load upon a poor tired jade that is hardly able to go much more foolish is he that prodigally wasteth his youth and health and strength in the service of the flesh and the world and leaves the great and weighty affairs of his soul and eternity to be transacted on a sick or dying bed O my soul what little cause hast thou to future or delay thy solemn provision for the other world First thy life is uncertain thou hast not another day at thy disposal There are some creatures they say in Pontus whose life lasteth but one day They are born in the morning come to their full growth at noon grow old in the evening and dye at night What is thy life but a vapour that soon passeth away The first minute thou didst begin to live thou didst begin to dye Death was born when thou wast born the last act of life is but the completing of death As on thy birâ—hâ—day thou didst begin to dye so on the day of thy death thou dost cease to live How many outward accidents and inward diseases art thou every moment liable to May I not say to thee as Michael to David Save thy self to night for tomorrow thou shalt be slain Others have died suddenly by imposthumes or the falling-sickness or violent means and if thou promisest thy self a fair warning before the fatal stroak thou dost but cozen and cheat thy self But secondly If thou wert sure to see the evening star of sickness before the night of death overtake thee thou art not sure thy sickness shall not be such as may not incapacitate thee for the working out thy salvation Extremity of pain anguish of body lack of sleep the violence of a fever may indispose thee and distract thee that thou canst not so much as think of God Or thy distemper may be such that the Physitian may charge thee not to trouble thy self with melancholy or sad thoughts lest thou wrongest thy body and yet the Minister commandeth thee to pull up those sluces of sorrow if thou wouldst not lose thy soul for ever Or cold diseases as the Lethargy or Palsie may surprise thee and incline thee to continual slumbers till at last thou sleepest the sleep of death O how sottish art thou and how grosly doth the destroyer of souls delude thee to defer that work of absolute necessity of conversion to God upon which thine endless weal or wo dependeth to a dying Bed when thou art not sure to dye in thy bed but mayst as well dye in thy Shop or Fields or in the Streets when thou art uncertain what disease if thou shouldst meet with a dying bed should send thee to thy eternal
undergo so strict an examination Well may the time of judgement be called a day for it will declare and manifest the worth of grace and holiness which in the night of this life is not observed Ah who can conceive the value which the vilest wretch on earth will put upon holiness at that day then grace will be grace indeed and godliness will be godliness indeed Then they who mock at Saints for their purity and strictness and look upon Sanctity but as Hypocrisie and the acting of a part to cozen the world with and think it is enough to put God off with a few prayers now and then when their pastimes and lusts will give them leave will call to beleivers as the foolish to the wise Virgins Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out then the graceless Princes and Potentates of the world will throw their Crowns and Diadems at the feet of the meanest Christian for a dram of his grace and holiness The Apostle speaking of that day puts the question Where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Now indeed those that â—coff and deride and scorn at holiness and holy ones may appear before great men in many parts of the world with praise and applause Now they may appear in the Country and be respected of their Drunken Atheistical Brutish Neighbours and probably be the more honoured for their opposition to the Spirit of grace and holiness but then Where will the sinner and ungodly appear Not in Heaven for that is no Stie for Swine no Kennel for Dogs no Gaol for Malefactours no place for such unholy God-provoking persons Into it can in no wise enter that which is defiled or unclean Such a Pallace is not fit for Beasts Snakes and Serpents and Adders are more fit for the bosome and embraces of men then such men for the bosome and embraces of God Heaven cast out wicked Angels and will not take in wicked Men Where shall they then appear Not on Earth for that will be burnt up with fire Their Houses and places must know them no more for ever The earth groaned under their weight whilst it bare them but now is eased of such loads and shall not be pestered with such Plagues again But where shall they appear Not before Christ the Iudge with any comfort for him they have derided buffeted crucified they have rejected his Laws trampled on his blood told him to his face that they will not have him to raign over them But where will they appear Not before the Saints for they have maligned oppressed imprisoned persecuted them as a company of Cheats and Hypocrites O where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1. Consider The holiness of the Iudge He is the holy Iesus He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity Psa. 45. What will the ungodly sinner do when he shall be judged by the holy Saviour Who can stand before this holy God 1 Sam. 60. 20. His eyes are like a flame of fire and so he knoweth the most secret works of darkness His Law is very pure and observeth and condemneth the least spots the least defilement and how will unclean ones endure to be judged for their everlasting lives and deaths by such a Law His throne is a white throne and how will the black sinner do to stand before this white throne Reader Thou hadst need to be a faithful and loyal subject if thou wouldst then be owned and acknowledged by thy Soveraign How exact should he be in his life who must be tried by so holy a Law If thou callest him Father who without respect of persons will judge every man according to his works pass the time of thy sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2. Consider The strictness of his proceedings Every thought word and action shall be revealed examined and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary There is nothing hid that shall not be revealed nor secret that shall not be made known The thoughts of thy heart shall then be as visible as the features of thy face When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 2â— 16. All thy words will then be as audible as if thou hadst had a voice to reach every child of Adam both alive and dead Verily I say unto you that of every idle word ye shall give an account at the day of Christ Mat. 12. 36. Every action of thine will then be legible not onely to God as it is at this day but also to Angels and Men We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account of all things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. All the works of darkness will then be brought to light We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely be present in person and not by a proxy but be laid open and manifest be transparent so the word signifieth to give an account of every thing done c. to render a reason of every individual thought word and deed what was the principle from which we acted what was the rule by which we acted what was the end for which we acted When Benjamins sack was opened the silver cup appeared On that Fair-day all mens packs will be opened and then it will be known what ware they carry about with them Hence some have conjectured that it will not be a short time nor the judgement soon passed over It is called a day but not in relation to our natural or artificial days for Christ judging as man in his humane nature by his divine power will probably employ a far greater time in searching into and publiquely revealing every mans condition and conversation Though I am not of their opinions who say it will be precisely a thousand yearsâ— because it s said A thousand years are in thy sight but as one day Yet I judge it to be taken indefinitely and as Aâ—stin saith That the day of judgement shall begin is certain but when it shall end is uncertain I find two Divines eminent both for grace and learning in their generations speaking One saith I humbly conceive that the day of judgement shall not be passed over in an instant but shall be of long continuance sor if Christ should judge onely as God he could dispatch it in a moment but he judging as man it must be after the manner of men that the creature may understand admire and approve what is done The other saith It must take up some large quantity of time to manifest all the secret sins of men and therefore it may be made evident both from Scripture and reason that the day of Christs kingly office in judging the world shall last happily longer then the day of Christs private administration now in governing the world 3. Consider The weight of the sentence It s called the eternal judgement because the sentence then pronounced shall never be
hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire They know his fury is terrible intolerable none can abide it no sinner can avoid it therefore they hate sin the object of it and flie to Christ who delivereth from it O what a work a gracious sanctifying work doth the knowledge of God make in the soul It makes the understanding to esteem him above all the will to chose him before all the affections to desire him to delight in him more then all the whole man to seek him to serve him to honour and praise him beyond all in Heaven and earth What is the reason that God is so much loved admired and worshipped and glorified in his Church when all the World besides despise him but this In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel Psa. 76. 1. O Reader be confident of this the more thou knowest of the excellencies of God the more thou wilt prize his Son submit to his spirit crucifie the flesh contemn the world fear to offend him study to please him the more holy thou wilt be in all manner of conversation Hence the main work of Christs prophetical office was to reveal God to the world And the Devils great work is to keep men from this knowledge of God knowing that it will tend so exceedingly to their sanctification and holiness and to the overthrow of his interest The Miller mufleth and blindeth his Horse that draweth his Mill and thereby keeps him at his round deceiving him in making him to think he goeth forward The first work of the Philistines was to put out Sampsons eyes and then they made him grind at their Mill and make them sport The Eagle saith Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 10. cap. 20. before he setteth upon the Hart rolleth himself in the Sand and then flyeth at the Staggs head and by fluttering his wings so dustieth his eyes that he can see nothing and then striketh him with his Talons where he listeth Satan darkneth mens understandings and thereby commandeth their wills and affections and destroyeth the whole man If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4 5. When men are spoken in Scripture to be vicious and prophane they are onely said not to know the Lord and there is no knowledge of God in the land Ier 4 22. Hos. 4â— 1. and when God undertakes in his Covenant of Grace to sanctifie and make men holy he is said to put his knowledge in their hearts and his promise is They shall all know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 10. Ier. 31.34 And they that would grow in grace are commanded in order thereunto to grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. Ignorance is the mother of all irreligion of all atheism Ephes. 4. 18. They are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts As Owles sinners may see in the night of this world have some knowledge in worldly affairs but they cannot see in the day are ignorant of spiritual of heavenly things Sin like the pestilence David speaks of walketh in the dark Psa. 91.5 And Satan is the enemy that soweth his tares by night This is one cause why sin is called a work of darkness It is from that darkness which is in mens understandings that they turn their backs upon God and run upon their own eternal ruines It were impossible for the rational creature to be so desperately mad as to play with the wrath of God and slight the love of God to neglect his mercy and despise his justice if they did but know God When Princes go incognitâ—s in a disguise and aâ—e unknown then they are disesteemed Hence they who are obstinately prophane and resolved on wickedness say unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. The hooded Hawk that seeth not the Partridge will never flye after it The Israelites pitched in Mithkah which signifieth sweetness before they removed to Cashmonah which signifieth swiftness They onely who know the sweetness of God will flye to him with swiftness Ignoti nulla cupido He who knoweth the Allsufficiency of God will never turn to the Creature even as the Bee if it did not find honey enough in one flower would never hasten to another Those that are ignorant of God abound in all manner of Atheism and wickedness The Families which know not God will not call on his name There is no truth no mercy but lying and stealing and swearing and killing where there is no knowledge of God Hos. 4. 1 2. 'T is no wonder to see blind men stumble and fall and break their limbs I do not marvail to see ignorant men who know not God to live without him to turn him out of their hearts and houses as if they had no dependance on him or ingagements to him Whence is it that men are regardless of their souls and eternal estates that they dance over the unquenchable lake and are merry and jovial at the very brink of destruction that they despise the God that made them preserveth them bought them and hath them in his hands and at his mercy every moment that they slight his Son his Spirit his Law his Love his wrath his promises of eternal life as if they were things of no value and rather fit to be trampled on then esteemed that they can lye down and sleep and rise up and eat and dâ—ink and follow their sports and pleasures and laugh and sing under the guilt of sin and curse of the Law and infinite wrath of the Lord but their ignorance of God Ah did they but know his holiness his Jealousie his Power his Justice they they would sâ—oner undergo any misery that men could inflict on them then incur his anger or provoke him to jealousie they would never neglect â—is Worship or put him off with a few heartless prayers Ludentes cum Deo ut pueri cum suis puppis as Calvin hath it Playing with him as children with their babies when they come immediately to his presence and pretend to seek his face The holy times under the Gospel wherein the people of God shoâ—ld be of one heaâ—t are spoken of as proceeding from this cause The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea Isa. 11.9 The perfection of grace and holiness in heaven will be the effect in part of this knowledge of God When we shall see him perfectly we shall be perfectly like him 1 Ioh. 3.2 Reader be perswaded therefore to study this knowledge of God think no labour too much for itâ— pray and read and hear and confer and mourn that thou mayst know God Beleive it it is a jewel that will pay thee well for all