vertue in our selves which nature hath expressed in the chiefe members of our bodies and exemplified in the best creatures almost in every kind if we examine wee shall find the meekest to be the best Shall wee behold Moses among the Israelites we reade of God sending this gratious testimony after him that he was the best of men because the meekest in all the earth Shall wee behold Christ among the people we heare him Matth. 11. saying Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart and you shall find rest to your soules Shall we behold Paul among the Corinthians the Galatians and all others we find him desiring all to put on the bowels of Compassion Meeknesse Mercy and naturall Affection c. so mercy and meeknesse were Peters I mean the Apostle way which he went to restore his countrey men the Jewes for though they had murthered his and our Lord and Master and much injured his fellow servants the Apostles yet he speaketh to them as a Father or a carefull Master he telleth them indeed of their fault but with much meeknesse and mercy for he aggravateth it not that he might not drive them to desperate courses but excusing it by their ignorance he offereth them grace and pardon upon very easie termes that grieving for their sinnes of a deeper dye they would looke upon him by faith whom they had pierced and with wicked hands nailed to a tree thus far wee see that in respect of men the meekest are the best so of other creatures I will instance but in a few the Prophet doth make way for mee in the eight Psalme All sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field c. David speaking of the Beasts of the field he instanceth in sheep and oxen which all know to be not only the meekest and mildest of all the rest but most profitable to man therefore the best The grand Philosopher testifieth that the Master Bee either hath no sting at all or never useth it thus also in respect of Beasts the tamest and gentlest are the best inferior a fulminant they are Lyons and Bears that rore yell and teare In the next place shall we search the Heavens the upper Region of the ayre is alwayes calme and quiet they are the lower Regions that are stormy men of baser and inferiour natures are boysterous tempestuous and abusive The superiour Spheres and those stars fixt in them move regularly and uniformly they are the erratick and vagabond stars that wander from one Planet to another and are without order nay there is an Antipathy between them and Regularitie or Vniformity Lastly let us looke above the Heavens upon him qui regit sidera that distributes to the stars their severall influence and is the first mover of them all He even he himselfe is slow in his proceedings against rebellious sinners for example see Jericho behold Adam and Eve God was longer in destroying Jericho then in creating the whole world And when Adam and Eve had sinned with a heigh hand reaching the forbidden fruit and eating it it was the coole of the evening before the voice the Lord was heard in the Garden and the voice that was heard was of God Walking not running So true is that of Moses Exod. 34. God is mercifull gracious abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne Are all these Attributes in God and can man be content to be without them nay to have the contrary dwell within him to be mercilesse ungracious abundant in ungodlinesse and falshood keeping malice for thousands forgiving no man c. nay which yet cryeth lowdest in the eares of God and man thinking himselfe innocent righteous just and good Oh let no man much lesse such stand too much upon his owne innocencie and integrity Vae laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam woe be to the commendable life of men if it be searcht into without mercy and scand exactly the Cherubins themselves continually looke towards the Mercy-seat and if wee expect mercy at the hands of the God of meeknesse wee must meekly shew mercy wherefore you especially you whom God hath exalted above your fellowes remember that no vertues are so generally commended as meeknesse and mercy true wisdome consists herein witnesse the spirit of God Jam. 3. the wisedome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits and the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne in peace of them that make peace no fruit of the spirit so sweet and pleasant as this on the contrary no fruit of the flesh so tart and bitter as jealousie and wrath which God curseth by the mouth of Iacob Gen. 49. Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell but on the other side blesseth meeknesse by the mouth of our Saviour Mat. 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth when the earth was cursed it brought forth thornes and thistles and briars which are good for nothing but to be burned wherefore as we desire the blessing of God let us take heed of thornes and thistles and bryars they are fruits of a cursed earth heare the counsell of Saint Iames Let no root of bitternesse remaine in you that yee may receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your soules our roots of bitternesse are like so many Serpents full of poyson and of all wrath is the most fiery which will set all in a combustion if it be not quenched by the infusion of divine graces especially the graces of meeknesse and mercy Aristotle briefly defineth it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the bridle of wrath which because it is a passion of all other most head-strong it requireth both a strong curbe and a skilfull Rider how to prevent the occasion of quarrels and stop the passages of wrongs to nip the seeds of discords this is a worke for grace and wisdome both because if anger take root like an inveterate disease it will hardly be cured Seneca strikes the same note though on a different string in premis finibus hostis arcendus est nam cum portis se intulit modum ae captivis non capit above all things saith he keepe the enemy from entring the Citie for if he once thrust his head into the gate hee will give thee the Law and not take it from thee Certainely the bone was never well set that easily slips out of joynt a man full of juyce and sap of grace is like greene wood which is long before it be kindled mercy is not hasty is not violent it breaks no bones yet there are some who like best a resolute Chirurgion who be the patient never so impatient will doe his duty and quickly put him out of his paine though in the meane time he putteth
Eccles. 1. Vanitie of vanitie all is vanitie and worse too vexation of spirit in the end the good spirit summes up all Feare God and keepe his commandements Now when his soule is setled upon his God and his Commandements it is at peace and rest So then as we said before let the soule be tryed in all the fortunes and conditions in the world and it will rest in nothing till it come to its God God then is the object upon which our soules should be set wee should alwayes have an eye to God labouring to approve our selves to him that our soules may rest with him that wee may enjoy the light of his countenance here and the fulnesse and brightnesse of his glory hereafter thus by bodies is meant bodies and soules especially as we have heard the soule Now not only the soul in general is meant but also all the parts and faculties thereof in particular Wherefore if any demand here also what are the parts and faculties of the soule that they may know how to present them to God Though there are many I can mention but a few time would fayle me to speake of many First there is the Act of the understanding the intellectuall part viz. the Remembrance our remembrance is a Facultie i facultie of the soule which ought to be had in holy use and great esteeme it was so with the Prophet Esay as I shewed before Esay 26. Our remembrance is towards thy name This Chapter is a sweet song of the Prophet concerning the restauration of the Jewes and in this verse Esaiah maketh a good use of the act of his understanding of his remembrance that noble facultie of his gracious soule saying our remembrance is towards thy name Esay ought to be looked on by us as an example of our imitation and though wee can never over-take him yet we ought to follow after him this should bee one thing which a Christian should take speciall care of that our memories should not be like sives to let out the cleare water and to returne the graines and the dregs wee should not have that treasury to preserve rubbish but to keepe and preserve our Jewels Remember Mary shee treasured up those things she heard in her heart wherefore doubtlesse for these reasons that she might lay up the remembrance of God there that she might be alwayes thinking upon God that she might be breathing out prayers to him and prayses of him in returne of his mercy take notice of Solomons advise Remember thy Creator saith he in the days of youth that is begin betimes hold on and never be weary of this therefore this should be a thing that wee should often inure our selves unto not to put the thoughts of God from us or to thinke they are too sad and serious and so to account them as unwelcome guests but we should rather often bathe our selves in these sweet thoughts in meditation and remembrance of God this is one part and facultie of the soule Facultie 2 There is an act of the will and affection viz. Desire which is an other part and faculty of the soule A true desire is one of the sweetest acts of the affection we heard before of Esay and the Jews the desire of our soule say they is toward thee this was in one part their Christian Badge by which their God knew them and loved them and past by doubtlesse many faylings and infirmities which were incident to them The life of Esay and these Jewes is a perfect samplar of many vertues which the spirit of God hath pricked out for us to imitate and follow that our desires might be always breathing out flaming up towards heaven that in case we cannot obtain a full perfection in grace and heavenly vertues yet whatsoever we come short in otherwise to make it up in abundant desires longing desires ardent desires in any case not to come short of that which will make an excellent and comfortable supyly for much want defect and imperfection this facultie of the soule Desire is an Argument of a gracious heart desire is that if there be truth in it be it in the lowest degree of it which is an evidence of spirituall life we must know there cannot be truth of grace where there are not unfaigned hearty desires towards God desires to approve our selves to him desires to walke with him in our whole course desires to be defective in nothing againe the desire of God is that that maketh some union with God It is impossible for the heart to love God or to love grace except it desire God and desire grace for desire is nothing but a configuration of love it must needs be therfore that where there are desires towards God and desires of grace there is somewhat of God formed in that person there is somewhat of grace begun this is a second part and faculty of the soule which Christians should take speciall care to cherish and willingly practise There is endeavour constant endeavour which is another Facultie 3 part and facultie of the soule the good people in that 26 of Esay cry out Our soule hath desired thee in the night and our spirit also shall seeke thee early the soule of a good man of every good man desires God in the Evening and his spirit will seeke him early in the morning Solomon gives the reason Pro. 27. Who can tell what a day will bring forth it may be albus maybe at er dies it may be a white a happy a comfortable day may be a blacke a dismall a dolefull day so who can tell what a night may bring forth whether judgement or mercy whether good or bad events therefore to prevent the worse t is good to make sure worke for our owne safety namely that our soule desire him in evening and that our spirit seeke him early and then come what will come all shall bee for the best God will turne it all to good Omnia cooperantur c. Rom. 8 all things worke together for good to them that love God Now when the Jewes say our soule shall seeke thee in the Evening and our spirit shall desire thee early these words Evening and Early doe expresse not onely Desire but Endeavour which sheweth that the one is not to goe without the other our desires must be joyned with enquiries and endeavours searching after God to see if wee may by any meanes find him out that wee may know what is the way of his good-will and pleasure whether wee are in the way of life whether wee are effectually called whether wee are in the state of grace whether we have any part in the promises of salvation except there are continuall endeavours the suspicion is too palpable that the desires are ineffectuall desires and empty desires and not those that argue any life and truth of grace but when our desires are joyned with these bestirrings of the soule to seeke after Gods
all other Scriptures unto their owne destruction not only the hard places but all other Scriptures they take in hand no abuse of understanding to answer for that so in this respect the condition of the horse and mule is more acceptable then the worship and service of those that are without understanding or reason if so how is it that David then makes the comparison thus Not because they differ in some few as in that particular among others but because they accord in so many things for example The Horse and the Mule are creatures admitting any rider any burden without discretion exa 1 or difference without debatement or consideration they never ask whether their Rider be noble or base whether their load be one of quality full of gold for the Treasury or an Ordinary Gardiner with roots for the market Now if we examine we shall find the same indifferency in all such as are habitually and erroneously wicked they admit of any Person or Place without discretion or difference They never debate whether the Person be noble or base nor whether the place be the Treasury or the Market whether the sanctuary and house of praier or the private habitation of scattered sheep without a shepherd Here we may contract it better if we understand pride exa 2 by the Horse and lust by the Mule pride is proper to the Horse that is granted by all and lust is as proper to the Mule both because the Mule is carne virgo and mente impudicus which is one high degree of lust to have a lustfull desire in an impotent body and then he is ingendred by unnaturall mixture which is another high degree of the same filthines and these two vices we take to be presented by the Prophet David as the two principall enemies the two chief corrupters of mankind pride to be the principall spirituall sin and lust the principall that works upon the body Both these are within them that worship and serve without reason and understanding it is just with God to leave them that want all care and grace the greatest want of all to worship him and serve him aright The Jew hopes to find God but without a Christ God therefore in justice hath left them and their hopes to their God the Prince of the aire which rules in the children of disobedience that like the Horse and Mule they are not not onely slaves under the tyranny of the Turk but are as full of pride and lust as blindnesse It is just with God to restrain his preserving love and care from them that wilfully take wrong wayes to find him those that will seek Christ and his spirit without a Church and Sacraments do pursue the truth it self by another way then Christ hath laid open to us and to pursue the truth any other way then he hath discovered unto us is madnesse as to pursue thou knowest not what If thou shouldest see a man pull at an oare til his eye-strings and sinews and muscels break and thou shouldest ask him whether he rowed If thou shouldst see a man run him self out of breath and shouldst ask him whither he ran if thou shouldst see him dig til his back broke and shouldst ask him what he sought Now if any of these should answer thee they could not tell wouldst not thou think them mad so are all Disciplines all Mortifications all runnings now here now there al works of Piety of Charity madnesse if they have any other way then that Christ hath chalked out Multi Pagani There are many infidels infidels hereticks and scismaticks that refuse to be made Christians because they are so good already sibi sufficiunt de sua bona vita they are the worse for being so good and they think they need no faith but are rich enough in their civil honesty having a worship without understanding and a service not reasonable this is pride and a bestiall pride And these proud People are elegantly expressed in the Horse The Horse rejoyceth in his strength he goeth forth to meet the Armed man he mocks at feare he turns upon the sword and he swallows the ground The Horse stands upon his outward pomp but well what will the Lord do But when time is God mounteth on high and he mocks the horse and the rider In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madnesse The Horse believeth not that it is the sound of the Trumpet when the Trumpet sounds to us in our last bell the erroneously wicked shall not believe that it is the sound of the Trumpet he shall not know it nor take knowledge of it but passe away unsensible of his own condition This is not all to be like the Horse it is most just with God that they be like the Mule too Those that have Separated their love in regard of truth from him it is just that he should unite his hatred and anger both on theme God doth so as we read Prov. 22.14 The mouth of a strange woman is as a deep pit he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein And therefore he that pursues that sinne is called to a double sad consideration both that he angers the Lord in committing that sinne then and that the Lord was angry with him before for some other sinne and for a punishment of that former sinne God suffereth him to fall into this Oh it is a most fearfull condition when God punisheth sinne by sinne other corrections bring us to a peace with God he will not be angry for ever he will not punish twice when he hath punished a sin he hath done but when he punisheth sinne by sinne we are not thereby the nearer to a peace or reconciliation by that punishment for still there is a a new sinne that continueth us in his displeasure Punish me O Lord with all thy scourges with poverty with sicknesse with dishonour with losse of Parents and Children but with that rod of wyre with that scorpion to punish sinne with sin Lord scourge me not for then how shall I enter into thy refst And this is the condition of this sinne for The mouth of a strange Woman is like the Mule as a deep pit he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall into it And when he is fallen he shall not understand his state but think himself very well for instance Nathan presents Davids sinne to him in a parable of a feast of an entertainment of a stranger David tastes no sowrenesse no bitternesse in it Not because there is none but because a carcase a Man already slain cannot feel a new wound A Man dead in the habit of a sinne of the errour of wickednesse hath no sense of it And when this erroneous soul shall have a desire to knock he shall not be able to find the doore Like those licentious persons who pursued Lots guests their blindnesse brought them to an impossibilitie of