33. this parly p. 171. l. 6. r. read l. 10. r. as take up p. 172. l. 31. r. undertaking p. 186. l. 14. r. holy effort p. 118. l. 7. r. improved p. 189. l. 17. r. preposure l. 33. r. degree l. 35. r. compared p. 192. l. 19. r. dispensing p. 271. l. 33. r. vestiges p. 272. l. 22. r. examination l. 25. r. incitation p. 273. l. 19. r. of his and in the same line the parenthesis ends at revenge p. 275. l. 1. r. mirror p. 277. l. 17. dele of p. 279. l. 23. r. disbursement p. 280. l. 6. r. scenes p. 302. l. 15. r. scruples p. 311. l. 15. r. scrutiny p. 313. l. 9. r. nescience p. 316. l. 9. r. prejudication p. 320. l. 23. dele Col. 3. 15. p. 321. l. 14. r. in such a. p. 324. l. 2. r. to this p. 334. l. 18. r. is a very p. 339. l. ult r. retrenched p. 369. l. 17. r. accruing p. 377. l. 13. dele of p. 379. l. 14. r. single man p. 393. l. 15. r. dispose l. 21. r. aspireth p. 396. l. 15. r. resolution p. 399. l. 21. r. gisted p. 404. l. 17. r. rotation p. 405. l. 11. r. portemus Paral. 11. 18. Paral. 11. 18. Dan. 12. 3â— 1 Cor. 4. 9 Philip. 3. This was said to S. Augustine by a voyce from heaven Conf. Aug. l. 8. cap. 8. Rom. 13. Galat. 1. Luke 15. Rev. 14. Rom. 6. 13. 1 Cor. 6. John 5. Mark 5. 1 Esdra 4. Ecclus. Heb. 6. 7. Wisd 4. Gal. 1. 23. John 4. Ephes 3. 20. Rom. 7. Mat. 6. 23. Rom. 8. James 1. 23. James 4. 14. Eccle. 3. 10. Ecclus. 48. Kings 3. 19. Jer. 20. 10. 14 Prov. 11. 31. Rom. 7. Luke 1. Gal. 2. 20. Phil. 2. 6. Ephe. 2. 6. 1 Epâ— John 4. S. Peter 2. Ep. 4 Romans 5. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Rom. 8. 32. Rom. 2. 1. Heb. 4. 15. Heb. 2. 18. Psal 4. Esaiah 9. 10. Haggai 2. 2. Ephe. 1. 22. 2 Cor. 12. Rom. 8. 37. Nunns 1 Cor. 6. 17. John 14. 23. 2 Peter 1. 4. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Psal 138. 1 E. John 3. 2. Rom. 8. 37. Rom. 1. 21. James 1. 27. Act. 〈◊〉 Ephes 2. 19. John 13. 6. Psal 144. Ephe. 1. 9. Psal 142. John 4. 23. John 17. 11. Luke 12. 49. Heb. 13. 17. Psal 114. Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo da gloriam Devotion defined Mat. 3 〈…〉 11 Luk. 12. 49. S. Luk. 10. 16 John 17. Mat. 28. Jude 11. 1 John 4. 6 John 5. 35. Matthew Luk. 12. 35. Cant. 8. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Rom. 6. 19. Rom. 8. 7. S. Jude 23. * Psal 62. In terra deserta invia inaquosa Psal 78. Psal 59. Mat. 11. 8. Reason 2 Kings c. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 43. 49. Phil. 3. 20. Rom. 6. 18. John 8. 34. 36 Psal 44. 3. Canticle 4. Rom. 1. 20. Rom. 1. 25. Dan. 13. 1 Cor. 14. 20. Hosea 2. Luk. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 3. Isai 〈…〉 5. 6 S. Luke 16. 9 Vtilior sapientia cum divitiis Eccles 7. 12. 1 Cor. 12. 7. 3 Reg. 10. John 17. 15 Prov. 12. 9. Matthew 5. Psal 122. James Gal. 5. 13. Acts 21. 20. Heb. 13. 3. 2 Thes 5. 14. Col 〈…〉 1. 13. Psal 23. Psal 118. Happinesse defined Rom. 1. 21. Eccle. 7. 24. 1 Pet. 2. 9. John 15. Rom 5. Dan. 1. 4. Psal 29. Psal 38. 7. Ecclus. 11. 24 Ecclus. 18. 26 Psal 78. 39. 1 Cor. 8. 2. Esay 33. 11. Acts 17. Psal 76. 4. Prov. 14. Psal 36. 1 Cor. 13. Esay 52. Felicity described John 18. 38. Truth defined Esay 55. Psal 22. 1 Pet. 2. Contemplation defined Gen. 23. Psal 84. Esay 39. Job 36. 5. Rom. 1. 25. Psal 85. 11. Psal 4. Habac. 1. 16. Esay 66. 4. 2 Thes 2. 11. Psal 11. 1. Luke 12. 42. Iohn 8. Sap. 7. 10. 11. Ioh. 8. 31. 32. Iohn 18. 38. Iohn 14. 6. Mat. 28. 6. Iohn 14. 6. Math. 7. 7. Iohn 7. 17. Rom. 10. 6. 8. James 4. 8. Psal 145. 2 Peter 3. James 1. 5. Tim. 2. Mat. 11. Justificata est sapientia a filijs suis 1 E. Ioh. 5. 14. Rom. 8. 23. 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 4. Psal 1 Thes 5. James 1. 17 Heb. 1. Matth. 19. Ephe. 2. 9. Revel 21. 1 Cor. 13. Prov. 1. 17. Luke 3. Numb 24. 1 Corin. 15. He fouled the font in which he was baptized Of all sorts of Herâ—sies 2 Paralip 24 17. Psal 1. 71. Luke 19. Ephes 2. 6. Matth. 13. Ecclus. 34. 13 Ecclus. 2. 1. Sap. 14. Ecclus. 6. 25. Drut 7. 17. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Esay 41. 14. Ep. Heb. Matth. 5. Rom. 2. Humility described Apoca. 9. 7. Pro. 4. 11. King James Psal 90. 6. Flattery described Gal. 5. 13. Mat. 4 Iob 26. Cor. Phil. 4. 22. Mar. 5. Euseb vit Constant Heb. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 12. Sap. 11. 12. Kin. 4. 6. Cor. 12. Ezek. 2. Psal 90. Exod. 33. 15. Thes 2. 12. Pro. 4. 24. Medisance defined Jam. 4. 11. Psal 140. 1. Rom. 30. 32. Pro. 26. 22. What circumstances are to be observed in jesting Psal 39. Ecclesiasticus 17. Ecclestasticus Pro. 19. 29. Ecclus. 28. 28. Pro. 25. 23. Luk. 6. 25. Pro. 31. 25. James 3. Gen. 38. Gen. 31. 1 Cor. 11. Ecclesiastes 9. Prov. 16. 25. Mark 5. 1 Thes 5. 20. James 3. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ecclesiastes Confes Aug. l. 1. 10. Ch. 3. 4. Psal 85. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 16. Psal 19. 6. Ecoles 7. 4. Psal 118. 10. Ephes 5. 4. Jam. 1. 25 26 Love desined 1â— Ep. Ioh. 4. Vertue defined A description of being in Love Kin. 4. 17. 41. James 4. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 4. 12. Iohn 14. 19. Prov. 28 14. Psa 118. Sapi. 17. Luke 13. 15. Ecclesiasticus 5. Mat. 3. Jer. 2. 13. Peter 4. Esay 50. 11. Jam. 3. 6. 1 Reg. ch 20. Luk. 31. 11. Ioh. 4. Matth. Psal 38. Hosea 8. 7. Pro. 14. 3 Reg. ch 7. Jachin and Boos the two pillars set before the temple of Solomon signifying Direction and Fortitude 2 Tim. 3. v 4. 5. Prov. 14. 12. Genesis 3. Rom. 13. v. 13. 14. Apoc. 216. Iohn 13. 13. Prov. 23. 33. Jud. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Matth. 19. 10. Cant. 4. 12. Ephes 6. 16. Sap. 13. 3. 1 Reg 11. Friendship defined 1 Pet. 1. 17. Esay 47. 11. 1 Ep. Joh. 4. 18. 1 Thes 5. 23. 1 Esd 10. 12. Cant. 8. 6. 1 Ep. Joh. 4. 〈◊〉 Rev. 3. 18. Mercenary love desined Psal 118. Hosea 11. Gal. 3. 24. Hebr. 8. Corinth 12. Filial love defined Matt. 26. 50. Phil. 2. 7. Psal Rom. 5. 1 Ep. Iohn 4. 10. 1 Ep. Iohn 2. 10. Mat. 22. 39. 2 Pet. 1. 12. 1 Epi. Iohn 3. 3. Iohn 7. Matth. 5. 44. Iohn 3. 2 Mac. 1. â—1 2 Pet. 1. Ioh. 13 34. 1 Cor. 15. 14. Matâ—h 5. Iohn 14. 6. Psal 16. 4. 1 Iohn 2. 6. John 13. 34. Eph. 5. 29. Eph. 4. 26. 1 Cor. 12. 24. Luke 11. 19. John 7. 5. Cant. 1 Cant. 1. 4. Apoc. 3. 2. Mat. 5. 48. Dan. 1. Mat. 18. 32. 1 John 5. Luke 22. Rom. 8. Luke 17. 5. Rom. 5. Apoc. 3. Matt. 11. Matth. 3. Mat. 6. 14. John 14. 36. 1 Cor. 6. Mat. 11. Psal 76. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ecclus. 42. Sapiâ—nt 11. 12. Psal 91. Acts 17. Eccles 7. 28. Isa 26. 8. Jer. 14. Jonah 4. Psal 72. 2 Kings 15. Job 35. 14 Luke 9. Jer. 23. Jer. 12. Jer. 20. 7. Dan. 12. 9. Mac. 2. Dan. 12. 9. Psal 138. 6. Apoc. 15. Eccles 9. Eccl. 5. 7. Ecclus. 16. 20. Luk. 7. 23 Isa 26. Heb. â—0 38. Acts 1. Judges 6. 13. Psal 102. Habac. 2. 1 Pet. 4â— 12. Isa 26. 20 Psal 26. 19. Psal 94. 12 Voluntary Solitude defined Violent Solitude defined Neutral Solitude defined Gen. 12 〈…〉 Psal 44. 13. Luke 12. 40. Psal 36. Hosea 2. Rev. 2. Gen. 28. Psal 88. 10. Apoc. 2. 17. Prov. 30. 3. Eccluâ— 34. 12. Definition of order Luke 9. 50. Phil. 1. Isaiah Rom. 9. 18 Jer. 30. Luke 17. Luke 17. 23. Luke 14. 28. Psal 142. 1 John 4. Rom. 9. Psal 54. 2 Cor. 10. John 8. 36. 2 Cor. 3. 17. 1 John 16. 2 Pet. 1. 1 Cor. 2. 12 13. Acts 19. 〈◊〉 John 4. Psal 15. Ephes 2. Psal 61. John 20. John 14. 27. Isa 51. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 43. Isa 58. 10 Joh. 8. 32. Isa 35. Eccles 10. 〈◊〉 Philip. 2. 7. Luk. 2. Jer. 45. 4. 1 Cor. 7. 31. 1 Joh. 2. â—7 2 Pet. 1. 19. Isa 45. 7. Psa 74. 9. Jer. 10. 19 Jer. 17. 8 2 Kings 6. 16. Rom. 6. Psalm 76. 6. Matth. 5. Ecclus. 2. Cor. 4. 17. Psalm 76. 4. Apoc. 5. Ephes 6. Col. 2. 20. Col. 3. Matth. 5. Phil. 3. 13. Psa 63. 9. Rev. 13. Gen. 3. 17. 1 John 2. 15. 1 Cor. 7. Phil. 2. 5. Hebr. 12. Isa 65. 11 John 1â— 32. Joh. 8. 24. 1 Cor. 10. Habac. 1. 16. Joh. 8. 23. Mat. 19. 29. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 1 John 4. Rev. 15. Joh. 8. 23. Joh. 12. 32 Phil. 2. Prov. 4. Contemplation defined Psa 23. 6. Psal 30. 20. 1 Cor. 6. 1 Cor. 2. John 14. 23. Phil. 3. Exod. 35. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 9. 2 Cor. 12. Gal. 〈◊〉 Psal 83. Gen. 22. Psal 4. 2 Tim. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 4. Speculation defined 1 Cor. 16. Acts 8. Gen. 22. Prov. 31. 21. Psa 83. 8. Psal 88. 2 King 3. Apoc. 21. 17. Mat. 22. 30. Eccles 5. 19. 1 Cor. 7. 17. Lev. 14. Rom. 15. 30.
Churches service being set by the hand of that great Master who in this last lesson of his owne voyce did concert this symphony in the musick of the Church and even ingaged his father to preserve this unity and consort by these words Holy Father keepe through thy owne name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are one This cleereth to us the marke of concordancy in faith to be one of the most respondent unto Christs signature on his Church And as one may without arrogating to himselfe much of the science of a Physitian venture to pronounce what is the best temper to be composed of so may I safely affirme that Religion to be of the best constitution which consisteth the most perfectly of these two divine elements well intermixed Zeale and Charity the which may be said to make a good complexion in the face of Religion the first relating to the colour of the blood and the last to the fairnesse of the skin through which the good tincture of zeale is transparent in the works of charity wherefore the well tempering of these two qualities make that beauty in the Spouse of which the Bridegroome saith Behold how faire is my Love there is no spot in her And as the face although it be not an infallible yet is one of the best indications of the bodies health for although there be not any so secure symptomes in it as conclude against all infirmities yet there are some so resolving marks of unhealthfulnesse in the face as cannot mislead a prognostike of some infirmity So may we make a probable judgement of the foundnesse of a Religion by the faire and healthful aspect thereof and by the ill looks and disfigurements of some Religions we may warrantably sentence the unsoundnesse of them for there are some that have such marks of uncleannesse on their skin as not onely the Priest but even the People may discern the Leprosie This considered the most advised judgement touching Religion for the generality of men is the preferrence of that which hath the most promising countenance of this perfect constitution of unity in faith of orderly zeale and of active charity for out of these materials onely that flame is raised which our glorious high Priest came to kindle upon the earth The Fourth Treatise Of Devotion In two Sect. §. I. Devotion regularly defined and some accidents that raise it explicated THere is nothing seems more requisite towards the sincere practice of it then the sound definition of Devotion for it is much easier to copie well then to designe perfectly this worke Neverthelesse it is the familiar presumption of the world to passe themselves Masters by drawing the expressions of their piety by their own imagination rather them to work then by the Churches draughts and patterns and thus many are mistaken in the manner more then in the meaning of their religious duties for devotion consists more of conformity to order in pious applications then in contrivement of them wherefore this prescription of some spirituall director is given by God Obey them that rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules And herein is provided a rest as I may say for our zeale to discharge it selfe upon for when it is shot without that stay it often falls very wide of the right mark which the holy Spirit hath set up to us by the Psalmist in Not unto us O Lord but unto thy Name give glory So that this is the safest principle for all good inclinations to build upon viz. the right notion and understanding of devotion taken from some prudent director for even the steadiest hands draw straighter lines stayed and guided by a rule then left to their own loose motion And I may without presumption undertake to shape a generall good rule by the Model of the Churches doctrine whereby to take the right dimensions of rectified Devotion for this may be done by an unskilfull hand in the practicall part as good instruments may be made by Mechanicks who want the science of using them Devotion is a fervour infused into our soule by Grace which breatheth out continually an alacrity promptitude in regular and ordinate performances of all such religious duties as are ordained by God for the exteriour testimony of the interiour love and reverence we owe him This good habit of the mind is the fierie spiration of the holy Ghost taking in such sort upon our wills as it raiseth a flaming evidence of our love to God in all our actions and this is properly to be baptized with the Spirit and with fire to have all our affections turned Christian by the accension of that holy fire in our hearts which Christ said he came to cast into the earth and required the kindling and ardencie of it in us so that the activity of this spirituall fire in our soules is that we tearme our devotion which implyes a conformity of our affections in morality and our opinions in religion to the revealed will of God our appetites we conforme in acquiring such habits of virtue as are expresly enjoyned us by God in his commandments and our own conceptions we submit in our conformity to such acts of religious worship as are directed to us by the Church which God hath invested with power of direction by these words of his commission They that heare you heare me and they that despise you despise me promising also the spirit of truth to rectifie all the executions of this power and the residence of that spirit to the end of the World In order to the preservation of that capacity imparted hence is it that there is no zeale or fervour of spirit which may properly passe for Devotion that is not touched at the test of the sanctuary which is obedience to the Churches regulations for many may thinke themselves in Saint Pauls discipline in the ferrour of the spirit when they are neerer Saint Judes commination of perishing in the contradiction of Core for as Saint John sayes The Spirit of Truth and of Errour is discerned by hearing the voyce of the Church not by singing loud in it therefore it is not the straining our notes but the singing in tune that makes the musick of Devotion wherewith God is delighted But supposing the flame of our Devotion to be lighted by a coal from the Altar the higher it riseth the neerer it cometh to Heaven for there must not be only interiour heat but exteriour light in it Saint John Baptist is a perfect image of Devotion in that Character Christ gives of him he was a burning a shining light which signifieth internall sincerity and active exemplarity and our Saviour intimates these two requisitions in our Devotion when he gives us this order Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven wherefore
nature and over-pay by good security of sincere secular joy what may seeme taken away in that adulterate species wherein our fancies use to accept the receites of our contentment For surely Devotion doth assigne the minde a rectified joy in the use of temporall goods instead of that vitious and counterfeit which our three enemies pretending to be our stewards bring into our fancy that is prone to take all whatsoever hath but the image of sensible pleasure without examining the substance which facility to be deceived the Prophet reproacheth in us saying We sell our selves for nothing Should a traveller passing through a forreign countrey finding the coyne of the place raised to an excessive value exchange into it all the good species of his own thinking to make gain by this traffique because the coyne is currant in his passage as soon as he were passed that dominion he would quickly repent his inconsiderate mistake This seemeth to be the familiar case of man who while he is in his transition and passage through this world findeth the temporalities thereof which are the currant species of the place cried up to such an over-value as he is perswaded to turne all his affections into that species of joy and at its issue out of this forreign region he findeth the irreparable losse he hath made by the debatement of his talents in this exchange And it is against this delusion not against all commerce with secular joy in our journey that Devotion issueth to us her inhibitions lest by this ill husbandry in their way when they come to account with their great Creditor they be reduced to give a worse answer then he who brought back his talent unimproved I shall therefore exhibite to our minds which must needs negotiate in their passage through this world the true Intrinsique value of those joyes uttered in the commerce with the creatures that taking none but such as are allowed in their last audict their traffique may bring home into their native countrey not their Bonds forfeited but rather Bils of exchange payable upon their Masters joy In answer then of the desire of having the truest happynesse of this life specially determined I declare that the felicity of this life consisteth in a constant rejoycing in truth This is the assertion of Saint Augustine and is easily verified to all rationall dispositions The first reply the world is like to make to this proposition is Pilates question What is truth to which I answer Truth is a perfect and edequate similitude or likenesse imprinted in our understanding of the nature of the thing we conceive So that when our conception is just equall to the being and property of the thing we conceive we are said to understand truth Wherefore the truth of knowing is as it were the mould cast off from the truth of being or the print of that seal and so the image of the true being of a thing is the figure of truth seated in our minds But this which may seem a fair impression of the nature of truth may perchance appear but a dark Character of the form of happynesse to my auditory unto whom indeed I do not intend to assigne onely the speculative notions of verities for the subject of their satisfactions but I will open farther this store of joy the rejoycing in truth and shew how it containeth the Prophets wine and milk which he offereth to all for fetching it From hence the contemplative life draweth that wine whereof King David saith My chalice inebriating how goodly is it and the active sucketh that milk which the Apostle saith is proper for their vocation which nourisheth their minds with more sensible delectation issuing from the true use and ordinate love of the creature And this is that I may not unpleasantly call the milk which these Gentiles love best to whom I present my breast The preference of the contemplative life before the active is inferred from this respect of affording a more clear and serene light for the perception of Supernatural verityes For contemplation is a fixure of the mind on the aspect and presents of truth and although this act of contemplating be purely Intellectuall yet the terme and end thereof rests in the affections as the possession of our pursuits induceth joy whereby this is demonstrated that the happynesse of the contemplative life consisteth in the rejoycing in truth This sensible delight in contemplation flowing from the Superior portion of the mind down upon the Inferior is a good Image of mans consummate Beatitude in Heaven where the glory of the body is derived from the excesse and redundancy of the joy and blessednesse flowing from the soul and in this order the delight imparted to our affections by contemplation fals from a superfluence of truth in our understanding And thus what may be said to be light in the Superior region of the Soul seemeth fire in the lower The first reporting to truth and the latter to joy which as it is a passion in our nature may be said to be more materiall then the other in the same degree as flame is lesse pure then the radiancy of the Sunne but the comparative degrees of purity between the acts of our Intellect and our affections are not our Theam Certaine it is that all the sensible delectation of the contemplative life streameth from the springs of Supernatural verities we will therefore stay no longer on the top of Mount Sinai which may seem all cloud to those that are below while the Moseses that are upon it find all splendor and clarity and may not unfitly be said to see the hinder parts of that verity in seeing the face whereof consists the consummate rejoycing Comming then down into the Camp of the active life it will be no hard task to prove the happinesse of that state likewise seated in the rejoycing in truth which hath so gratefull a savour even to our sensitive appetite as I may say none wish for quailes but they desire to tast this Manna in them I mean no body affecteth any sensible fruition but as it is under the form of a true good For as Saint Augustine reasoneth let any be asked whether he had rather joy in truth or in falsity and the answer will bear no doubt For although there be many would deceive others in their happinesse there are none would be deceived themselves in it there is such a signature of the light of the countenance of verity stamped upon the reason of man as his understanding can propose nothing to his affections as matter of joy but under the colour at least of truth So that the object of all our affections is true delight though the errour be never so great in the subject of our joy For no body can rejoyce under this notion of being deceived the instinct of man is such in order to truth as he must present that object to his Imagination even out of the
we know the way The first seemed to question onely the truth of Christs affirmation not to intend the being satisfied in his question whereas the other sought to be informed of the readyest accesse to that truth which he believed so they who shall be moved onely by the captiousnesse of the Infidel examinant in this point are like after his manner not to stay long enough upon the inquest to be enlightened in this verity but to such as with the credulity of faithfull Disciples shall make this quaere How shall we know the way to this truth you propose namely a rectifyed understanding and true use of all prosperous and adverse events in this life I may say as the Angel did to the faithfull watchers at the Sepulchre after he had strucken as it were dead the miscreant wayters Fear not you If you seek Jesus for he answereth all sincere inquirers of truth as he did Saint Thomas I am the way and the truth and none commeth to verity but by me yet this me thinks gives a fair hint for such a further demand as Saint Philips was saying Shew us the plain direct way of comming to you Lord Jesus and it will suffice us This question Christ hath also answered by this most evident direction of Ask seek and knock for every one that asketh receiveth and that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Prayer is therefore expresly given us for our addresse to Jesus who is truth and in these three proper divisions of petition meditation and perseverance which ought to be concomitant with each of them our asking respecteth the particular suits we make seeking importeth the application of our minds unto Spiritual verityes and knocking referreth to our zeal earnestnesse and perseverance in the acts of prayer and to this sort of prosecution is annexed the promise of asseqution of truth wherefore I may answer my inquirers as Christ did some who distrusted his proposals If any man will do this wil of Jesus he shall understand of the Doctrine whether it be of God or I speak of my self So that considering aright these gratious assignations unto prayer I may say we may obtain the possession of verity even with lesse solicitude then we can neglect it for the seeking asking and knocking in this world upon such applications as divert us from this inquest are the more laborious assignments of our mind May I not therefore boldly reply to all the incredulous and disbelievers of the facility of this medium exhibited Say not in thine heart who shall thus ascend into heaven for the word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart we onely need but as the Prophet adviseth us return to our own hearts to find that happynesse which while we seek else-where we lose our hearts in that inquest True it is that the great enemy of our nature useth all his arts towards the prejudicating this belief of the alsufficiency of prayer in which designe he doth now impugne our nature by a Machination farre differing from his first slandering it to us now almost as much as he did heretofore flatter it for now to discredit to us our capacity of repairing his first breach he suggesteth the ineptitude of our present state for this perception of truth and seemeth to ask us now by way of derision Shall you be like Gods thus knowing good and evill so that he tempteth us now and often prevaileth upon us even by the disparagement of our nature thus much hath he gained upon us since his first acquaintance when he durst not attempt us by lesse then the promise of a capacity above our nature to wit of knowing like Gods whereas now he presumes to implead our right to that knowledge which is due to us as men that is the discernment of our being qualified for the penetration into truth by the beames of prayer and meditation But the holy Spirit hath left us a good caution against this delusion Resist the Devill and he will flie from you approach to God and he will approach to you This refuteth all suggestions of diffidence in this point of attaining by prayer the effect of my proposition since God promiseth to set forward to meet us as soon as our prayers do but set out towards him which is likewise aver'd by the Psalmist assuring us God is near all such as call upon him in truth Gods mercy hath so much outdone mans mischiefe as he hath not left him either the subtilty of the Devil or the infirmity of his nature to charge with the continuance of his misery there must go an accession of wilfulnesse to our weaknesse for the duration of our unhappynesse For since the Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlinesse we have no more colour left to diffide in the meanes of rectifying the enormities of our infirm nature then a Malefactor that were offer'd grace for asking it had reason to fall sick die for fear of his former sentence he who hath blotted out the hand-writing of the Decree against our nature hath given us his hand for such security of obtaining what we solicite by this appointed meanes and method as we can onely indanger the wanting a sufficient provision by our pretending too little by this addresse for surely this rule will hold in our asking little Spirituall light that what we have shall be rather taken away then more confer'd and the contrary disposition will likewise be answered with the more abundance What Saint Gregory conceiveth to be the case of the Saints in heaven in this point of supplicating God may be firly said to be that of us sinners upon earth in our act of petitioning for Spirituall light and verity as the Saints the more ardently they are united to God receive the more fervent impulses from him of asking what they know he is resolved to do and thus drink out of him what they thirst for in him after such a manner the more zealously our prayers are applyed to the pursuite of Spirituall illumination the more fervent desires we attract from the increated verity of begging what we are sure he will give viz the discernment of truth whereby in an admirable sort we draw from Jesus even in this life the hunger in the very food we take of them while our prayer attracting the infusion of truth doth extract conjoyntly out of those verityes fresh desires of the same illuminations May not these considerations justly silence any objection against the facility of this proposed medium of prayer for obtaining from God a sufficient communication of that truth wherein I have stated the happinesse of this life since there is no condition charged upon this grant but the sincere desiring it which is comprised in the direction of Christ prementioned and the Apostle witnesseth to the same tenor re-minding us in this particular the frequent promises of the giver of
chosen of many as it hath relation particularly to this Nation King Harold of Denmark who was the first planter of the Faith of Christ is his Countrey and a Prince whose eminent sanctity deserved the publike testimony of the Church by his admission into the Catalogue of the Saints This devout King in his old age was assayled by the Rebellion of his own Son called Swayn a desperate Enemy of Christianity yet it pleased God to give him Victory against his Father and to Crown the old King with Martyrdome in the Defence of Christs Cause and his own Right for he dyed of his wounds received in the Battel where his impious Son remained Conquerer and King But soon after Gods Vengeance rose up against this Patricide and expulsed him out of his Kingdom and in many changes of Fortune reduced him to take Refuge in England and Scotland for many years At last in many variations of his Unhappinesses it pleased God to change his heart and convert him to Christianity of which afterwards he became a great Champion and a Zealous and God imployed him here in ENGLAND to punish King Ethelred who though his person was not stained with his Mothers bloody hands yet he did rise to the Crown not by a Legitimate Descent in Blood but by an Execrable effusion of his elder Brothers through the wickedness of his Mother so as Swayn of Denmark dispossessed this King and soon after dyed invested of the Crown of England I thought this Example in the various Occurrences of it very apposite to this subject of declaring GODS mysterious Judgements His Justice Mercy and Longanimity which is the Attribute whereby we are so much relieved in all our provocations of his Vengeance These Examples may temper an hasty impatience to censure Causes by the Events and repress in us that Natural forwardness of judging with the JEWS those to be the greatest sinners on whom the Tower of S 〈…〉 doth chance to fall for we know our Saviors decision of such conclusions §. VI. The Conclusion Regulating all humors in this probation THere are many men of such a mould of earth as the stony ground in the Gospel who are quick in their conception of vertue and active in the first impressions of the right and justice of their party and so their actions are forward and eminent in fair seasonable weather but if the heat of disaster beat upon them for want of a wâ—ll-rooted constancy on the ground of true fortitude they shrink and wither as fast as they did shoot out at first when they first begin to be followers of vertue they should remember what our Savior said to his Disciples Blessed is he who shall not be scandalized at me for in the attendance on goodness in this world we shall often see it suffering and affronted They who will serve under the Militia of the King of kings must take the Covenant of Longanimity in which consists the best part of the honor of a Christian for as our great Master saith If you love but where you are beloved do not the Gentiles do as much so if you are zealous while you are prosperous every unworthy person hath this kinde of honor to shew for his nobility but when you are to endure the test of loving of Enemies that is humbly to embrace all advers accidents and to close with them to wrastle still rather then flye from the Lists where they are triumphing when as the Prophet says Strange lords have dominion over us this is the sincere tryal of honor even in morality in which this perilous perseverance it may be iâ— but a counsel of perfection but in cases of Divinity I am sure it is a precept as the Apostle saith in the name of our Master If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Hence it is that as any defection from a good Cause is odious in Gods sight so too much solicitude and vehemency in relation to a quick issue out of our engagements look unhandsomly in Gods eyes for there is always a great shadowing of Self-love woven with this colour of our zeal to Justice in this impatient appetite of Success Our Savior Christ at his remove from his dearest familiars upon earth in a gentle reprehension to them in this point of earnestness hath left us an order for our dependance quietly upon the common course of his Providence without any inquisitive scruting into the times of such Events as the cause may promise For when they desired to know the time of his restoring their kingdom who were of his own house his answer was a kinde of soft increpation to them and a strong instruction to all times It is not your part to know the times nor the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power This is a prerogative our Soveraign communicates unto none but as he proceeded to comfort again those friends he had check'd we have our share in their compensation for he doth impart to us also his Holy Spirit which may assist and consolate us in the perplexities of all Times and Seasons Let us therefore by the residence of this Comforter with us endeavor to correct our Nature in her promptitude and hastiness in our distresses to make Gideons question to the Holy Spirit If the Lord be with us why are all these ills be fâ—ln us and to conclude Sure the Lord hath left us and delivered us up to our enemies Let us procure rather to make the answer of Eli to Sa 〈…〉 in acceptance of Gods Judgements It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good to him If we remain in this temper we may boldly say with King David The Lord will not be angry for ever he will judge the world in equity and the people in his truth therefore I will hope always and will yet praise him more and more Thus with the Psalmist keeping God at our right hand we shall not be moved or dejected by any sinister Events in a sincere Cause There is a far different superstition in the pertinacy of the Pharisees and the facility of some people for they in a shower of Miracles falling down upon them to anounce to them the time of the change of their Law still called for a Sign from Heaven to authorize that Doctrine and some people are so prone to change their Law as they call Natural Accidents that favor their dispositions Signs from Heaven to warrant their innovations As the first were said to have eyes and not to see so these last may be said to see without eyes for their imaginations seem to them so illuminate as the eye of their Reason is dazled when it looks against them Such fancies commonly love to cast in troubled waters and upon all successful draughts they do as the Prophet saith of them Sacrifice to their own net and offer incense to their drag worshipping in a maner their own Spirit which they have