betweene Faith and profession but if his Workes bee good and godly thou maist boldly presume that the Sunne of righteousnesse is risen on him and hath with his beames of Religion enlightned him wherefore James saith Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their adversities and to keep himselfe unspotted of the world marke how he judgeth of Religion not by Faith but obedience and yet there is no Religion pure but by Faith because Faith is also to be tried by obedience in the sight of men as obedience by Faith before God And Christ useth the same direction Hereby shall all men know you are my Disciples if yee love one another and love as yee know containeth all duties of the Law and hence is Christs answer in the Gospell to such as shall say at the day of judgment Have not wee taught and preached and done great Workes in thy name Depart from me I know you not all yee workers of iniquity Christ looked not on their profession but practice There is a knowledge of the truth and that wee have from Faith beleeving in the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and there is an experience of the truth when the vertue of these things beleeved doth worke in our lives as when by the power of Christs Death wee die unto sinne and by the power of his Resurrection wee arise unto newnesse of life and by the power of his Ascension are heavenly minded When wee are come to knowledge wee passe on to trust and confidence by applying to our selves the promises of the Gospell so when wee are come to this trust wee must passe on to experience and triall in our lives by imitating those things in our selves which Christ hath done for us this is that which Saint Paul saith wee all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of God God sheweth his face open to us in the Gospell wee behold it by Faith wee are changed into the same by speciall trust and confidence that the things there promised belong unto us as remission of sinnes the righteousnesse of Christ freedome from death and the gift of eternall life and wee passe from glory to glory by the experience spoken of when the vertue of the things wee beleeve doth worke in our lives and make us holy as he is holy and wee have both righteousnesse inherent and imputed and for this cause Paul speaking of the same matter to the Philippians doth not count himselfe perfect or to have as yet attained the full end of his calling for though he had begun in the first degree to beleeve and gone forward to the second for application yet had he much to doe in the last as long as it should please God to lend him life But you will say what doth the vertue of Christs Passion Resurrection and Ascension belong to us As the sap of the stock belongs to the graft so wee being grafted into Christ by a lively Faith that vertue of his whereby hee overcame death rose againe and ascended must needs grow up in us to bring forth like fruits and to signify this union he in other places is called the head and the faithfull members of the same body a vine and the faithfull branches of the vine and how this union is made betweene Christ and the faithfull the Sacrament of Christs blessed body and bloud doth not only represent but that it is done also as often as the faithfull doe rightly receive the same it doth testify and therefore there is not bare bread or a signe only but the body and bloud of Christ really yet not grosly as the Papists imagine but after a heavenly manner to the Soule to Faith neither is it necessary for this union and the benefit thereof that it should be locall so as Christs body must enter into ours but when Faith doth embrace Christ crucified for us that the Spirit whose power is not tied to distance of places make the faithfull man partaker of those gifts and graces of his redemption which can be no otherwise derived unto him but from the humane nature of Christ which suffered and as hee is a member of Christ Meditation 11. Of Merit THere is a great question betweene the Papists and us what workes please God best either such as are done to Merit or of duty they say workes done of duty have lesse zeale but belike they separate duty from love wee say workes done to Merit savor more of pride and cannot please God of themselves because they want duty and if wee should joine with them in an issue about zeale it might bee proved that their zeale for the glory of God is not so great which worke to Merit as the others Saint Paul as appeareth in his Epistle to the Philippians wrought not to Merit but of duty and love he which worketh to Merit must remember what is past and examine all his workes from the beginning to the end whether they be worhty that reward which he meanes to challenge but Saint Paul working of duty forgot what was past as though he had done nothing and his mind was only on that which he might be able to do farther as long as God would give him life according to that of our Saviour When yee have done all that you can say you are unprofitable servants as if he should say thinke so meanly of what you have done that you count it your duty to doe much more as long as you live even as much as you can and yet shall you be unprofitable servants both in respect of the grace used and not turned to the best advantage and in respect of the glory to bee received for which you can give no worthy recompence saving that it is the fathers will for my sake to give it to you what he hath promised he will in justice performe Belike Christ when he spake so much of duty meant to take zeale from workes nothing at all but to adde the more love and willingnesse which is the cause of zeale to the base and slavish mind a benefit past is of no force whereas the free and gentle heart is disposed towards a good turne received but because both they and wee agree thus farre that good workes are necessary let us rather busy our selves about doing well then disputing wittily God grant that I may remember I am a Christian if this bind me not to doe good nothing will if I doe unfeignedly what I can God will bee mercifull where I faile and Christ will rather want merits then I shall want reward Meditation 12. Pastorall cure THey which know what belongs to a flock are not ignorant of the care of a Shepheard or the necessities of Sheep neither is it an unworthy consideration for out of Shepheards have been taken Kings and Kings in time
this dulnesse is to converse with God and to keep our hearts in ure with him by calling to mind every day his benefits generall particular corporall spirituall what he hath done for thy Soule already what he will doe farther then to examine thy selfe how thou hast beene answerable that day for such kindnesse and love unto thee then to fall to prayer asking pardon for thy sinnes with a faithfull and penitent heart and entring into a new league betweene God and thy Soule to forsake sinne more earnestly and to serve God more carefully then in times past Meditation 14. Of Joy IT is good to rejoyce ever and never to rejoyce I meane carnally wee must not set up Joy as an Idol in our hearts as though there were no higher matter if a man ask us why wee are merry wee can say nothing but because wee love to be merry yet ought wee to preferre God to our Joy and the glory of God the good of our Neighbour and the health of our Soules wee must so rejoyce in temporall things that wee barre not our selves from heavenly comforts wee must be so familiar with outward things that wee grow nothing the more strange with God if otherwise wee sell our birth-right for Esaus Broth Canaan for the flesh-pots of Egypt and as it is commonly said Wee goe out of Gods blessing into a warme Sunne Take heed then to thy selfe it is lawfull for thee to use the blessings of God for thy necessity I say more for thy comfort and recreation so farre forth as doth concerne thy person yea thy state and calling but if thou use them for thy recreation only and have no farther or better end thou wilt quickly fall to the abuse respecting rather what thy appetite doth crave then God allowes God allowes no such use of his creatures as makes thee the lesse able or willing to serve him wherefore a restraint at least in affectation touching these things is better then by loosing too much the reins to our unruly flesh to suffer it to take the bridle and runne away let the feare of God be the steward of our expences and it shall make a good account for us if it cause us to passe by many worldly delights yet wil yield unto our consciences the sounder comfort for God doth bring unto him the joyes of the Holy Ghost which willingly forsakes outward pleasures the later end of such joyes is woe but of this it is said No man shall take it from you Wilt thou rejoyce ever me thought I heard thee say so bee sad ever to the world if thou smile with it let it bee from the teeth outward ingage not thy heart A strange Paradox that a man should bee sorry to make himselfe merry and these as strange wee must stand in feare to make our selves bold wee must bee fooles to bee made wise wee must die that wee may live Meditation 15. Humane reason IS not this our common answer Have I not reason to do as I doe yet are wee not to live by reason but by faith wheras we should rather say Doth not Gods word warrant mee to do as I do If Religion were but the improvement of Reason how would men entertaine it as their owne wheras now they suspect it as a stranger Many have thought that the Articles of Religion might winne credit from principles evident to the light of nature and that Philosophy hath laid as good grounds as Divinity Surely Humane learning can convince us well enough of many things wee doe but cannot bring us forward In that wee ought to doe for salvation it was a power in nature created to obey and beleeve if it would but now in nature decaied it is a want and it is not in mans will to beleeve and obey the truth and the misery is that it knoweth not how to find what it hath lost nor so much as that it hath lost any thing without a borrowed light the word of God is the powerfull meanes whereby the Holy Ghost which worketh inwardly in our hearts doth impart this light unto us our Reason is naturall Faith supernaturall Reason is the begining of Knowledge but Faith of Religion The Papists will say they have more Reason for their Religion then we for Free will Satisfaction Merits Purgatory Prayers Latine Service Images Pilgrimages Hierarchy stand all upon good grounds of Reason Let us give them what they aske wee may the more boldly challenge truth without which there is no Religion and to protest freely what wee maintaine and wherein wee desire by Gods grace to die wee follow not Reason in making choice of Religion but Gods word searching to understand the harder places and easy keeping our selves within the proportion of Faith refusing not the helpe of Humane learning for the phrase or story neither the testimony of better times by this word wee learne that man hath no good will nor hath his will power to returne to God untill grace make the will willing which of it self is unwilling and then but not till then doth it work with grace What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By the word of God wee learne that there is no satisfaction for sins besides the death of Christ no merit to eternall life but his righteousnesse that sinnes are all mortall by nature though not equall that mans righteousnesse though done in grace is unperfect What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By the word of God wee learne that bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the very body of Christ nor wine into his bloud yet that it is his very body and bloud to the faithfull communicant who is made partaker of whole Christ not by a grosse and fleshly incorporation but a ghostly and effectuall union What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By Gods word wee learne that worshipping of Images amongst Christians is but a setting up of Idols as amongst the Heathen that Prayers in a strange tongue for the dead are neither devotion nor charity What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By Gods word wee learne that Religion consisteth not in Popish shrift Penance difference of Meats Apparell Fasting Pilgrimage Reliques Crossing Holy-oile Holy-water Holy-bread Holybeades Holy-bells What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary to the decay of Christian obedience which consisteth in an inward mortisication and outwardly in a patient bearing of Christs crosse By the word of God wee learne that Christ is the only head of the Church and doth still governe the same by his spirit and word from which Gods Ministers or Priests fetch all their authority and hath not given over his place to another which should take authority above the word What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By the word wee learne that the Scriptures have sufficient instruction to salvation What if Reason deny it and put us farther over to traditions revelations miracles to enforce doctrines contrary to the
they which are of one affection doe square in opinion the knot of love is broken which truth doth commend and it seemes that truth is the author of confusion what then indeed is to be wished that our opinions be ruled with truth and our affections tempered with love and this will bring the diversities of men to a world of university wherein though there be differing parts both for stuffe and use yet they shall all tend to the good of one another and so of the whole chiefly insomuch if that come in question once every particular will lose some part of his interest rather then the whole shall labour and this shall be done more strongly by the guide of reason then by the instinct of nature where for the same cause sometimes heavy things climb upwards and light stoop downe contrary to both their proper rights And were it this then must wee all needs be of one opinion of one affection that is Christians both in name and in truth for this is the thing which our Christian profession doth chaime of us and a thing rather indeed to be wished then hoped for and I think God hath of purpose placed us to live amongst such which if they doe agree with us in affection they shall disagree from us in opinion so barring us of this unity either for the exercise of our vertue or that wee should bee out of love with the world and long for the other to come where wee shall perfectly enjoy it Howsoever in the meane space they which will nourish in themselves any hope of comming to such happinesse promised must maintaine this band of unity in the communion of Saints and that is not only to love the truth but also in truth Oh my soule labour for truth and suffer many things for Peace prefer the truth before all things but use the truth to winne thy brother thou knowest how much truth doth belong to thee as a man reason searcheth truth more as a Christian faith receives truth give thankes to God if thou meet with such as can teach thee and bee as ready to teach others this will bee a stay from wandring opinions which have no end but if thou meet with such as love the truth with thee and affect thee in the truth give God thankes for such a heavenly blessing and let not thy oile bee wanting to keep such a lamp burning Brethren indeed are they which are of the same profession and affection Christ is the head of their society it will never want life the spring of their affection it will never want love and what soever spirituall comfort thou hast in this life remember the greater part is behind and therefore lift up thy selfe for that day when thou shalt bee present with the Lord. Meditation 27. Of Love TO love the truth is the more worthy Love and yet to love in truth more urged and required because that as in the first there is more excellence in respect of the object so in the second more evidence in respect of the subject and though by the order of teaching wee learne first to love the truth and then to love in truth yet according to the order of nature wee can never profit much in the first till wee have well practised the other for love is stirred up by sight and he that loveth not his brother whom he dayly sees how can he love God whom he never saw So God loveth us first after wee love him but this love cannot reach to that heighth except by certaine degrees we climb up thither beginning the love of God in the love of our brother Is not he worthy of my love whom God hath made partaker of his and if I forme my selfe to love all men as brethren shall I not love God the more which loves all those whom I do love As we know so wee love but God would have us to know and acknowledge himselfe first in our brother and to cast our eyes upon him as his Image and therefore if this may not move us to a due consideration of love for the Image sake neither will wee love him for his owne sake who is yet more unknowne unto us In love it is a speciall point to observe the disposition of the beloved for this makes Love acceptable now God is specially pleased when the duties which in Love wee owe unto him are for his sake done unto our brother and therefore when wee resigne up our hearts to serve God which is the chiefest of our Love wee must expresse it in striving to do good one unto another in Love and he that is thus affected cannot bee carelesse of his brother or comfortlesse unto him Love like fire it can neither bee idle when it hath matter to work on nor lye hid water will not quench it cover it you cannot but the flame will break forth The true lover of God doth embrace him in his heart his mind ever thinkes on him and his will desires him But this is raked up and hidden in the inner man how breaks it forth by respecting and affecting all men for Gods sake to his power above his power bearing their necessities for bearing their wrongs feeling with them in joy or grief taking part of their harmes and imparting his owpe advantages unto them God hath made all his creatures that in them wee might know his power reverence his greatnesse admire his wisedome and be thankfull unto him for his bounty but the only use which wee can make one of another is this that by mutuall love for Gods sake wee love God not as in his worke onely which may bee said of the rest but as in his likenesse which no work else can yeeld us Dost thou then love the Olive because of his fatnesse or the Vine because of his strength or the Figge-tree because of his sweetnesse dost thou love the Sunne because he is King of the day or the Moone because shee is Queene of the night dost thou love the Fire because of his heat or the Water because of its moisture dost thou love the Aire because it doth refresh or the Earth because it doth cherish thee yet hast thou a greater cause then any of these to love thy brother for the likenesse of God which is in him love all the Creatures for in them God hath left the print of his footsteps but love thy brother more then all for in him God hath printed his owne face and fashion Thou wilt say that coine shall bee currant with mee which beares my Princes Image and shall not thy brothers love be currant with thee who beares the Image of thy God It seemes when God made man he resolved on a likenesse to himselfe rather then any other patterne that man should love his God better and be the better beloved of another man who is no other then a brother unto him that is another such Oh my soule thou knowest well thy own backwardnesse in this duty
Vocations COme you into one of their shops whose wits are said to dwell in their fingers and you shall wonder to see the store and variety of tooles and how it may be possible that one hand should use them all and yet not one but hath his use likewise look you into the state of some greater society and you shall see a world of men yet not one idle because every man is appointed by the gifts naturall or above nature and called out as it were to apply himselfe unto that kind of life for which he is most fit It is strange that amongst so many sundry vocations as there are some high some low poore rich noble base of body of mind there is notwithstanding such an excellent harmony of them all that as wee say of the bodily members that they serve both for one anothers turne and for the good of the whole body so it may be said of these And as the taking away or adding of a mēber overthrows the shape of the body so is it in this case to a State if necessary Vocations bee wanting or unnecessary used All men are not fit for all Vocations and therefore as there are diverse abilities in men so are there diverse Vocations about which they should bee imployed Neither is it enough that all Vocations bee in use but by such for whom they are most fit There is one most necessary generall and honourable Vocation and is the rule of all others which calleth us out of the world to professe Christian Religion and after which wee are called Christians God grant wee may well consider what this calling requireth of us and wee shall be the more forward in the duties of other callings for there are also callings speciall and these must not only be lawfull in themselves but lawfully used We should become our callings but wee think it enough if our callings become us whereby there fals out so great ods betweene both that all men see how unfit wee are for them and they for us Some are not called but doe call themselves and that is not for love of the calling but some circumstance as credit or gaine and these doe as little good in a calling as any If a man passe by a dignity or title and put himselfe into a place where he may doe more good this man no doubt loves his calling and may well bee commended for his modesty In a calling there is both an office and a maintenance and I wonder that in those callings which are the weightiest the office is oft times divided from the maintenance and men reckon not much of it whereas in other callings of lesse importance they must goe together and if there be a faulty neglect men sooner complaine If one be appointed a Judge he must sit himselfe in Court to heare Causes else hath he not his allowance if a Counseller he must bee present at the Barre to plead for his Client or else he hath no Fee If Captaine of a Castle hee must abide the assault else he loseth his pension If I appoint one to keep my Sheep and he look not unto them I withdraw his wages yet one hath the Benefice and another hath the cure there is a Parson but no Preacher there is neither Parson nor Preacher but there are their Proctors There bee two vertues which helpe a Calling and there be two vices which pull it downe It is an excellent rule when wee have used our meanes so to feare God as wee depend on his blessing this breeds comfort and cheerfulnesse againe to use patience though the successe be otherwise then wee look for this will rid us of vexation How ill doe they provide for their businesse which deale falsly a thing which God will not blesse or envy others so farre that they lose their owne content whereas God hath ordained all callings to depend so on one another that there is no gift or benefit which a man hath but must turne to the good of his Neighbour and instead of envying his prosperity wee would rejoyce at it were our eye single If one were to bee chosen for a calling among a thousand who might seeme more fit then a busybody for his readinesse to meddle where no man desires him for his diligence to do more then ever he hath thankes for for his ability no matter seemes too hard for him and yet in truth he is the only unfit man of all others in his talk he is ever from the matter and in his dealings knows better how to begin then end he is taken up with every tale hee heares and he hath businesse with every man he meets his memory is as weak as his apprehension is quick and though in duty he will take much on him yet in curtesy you are to leave him at his liberty and to looke for nothing from him till all his businesse be ended and that will never bee fit a calling for this man and fit a fashion for this age But to returne to our purpose and descend more lower into those callings amongst which some are publique others private The publique callings are appointed for the order and safety of the private and the private used for the maintenance of the publique The publique hath more honour but lesse quietnesse more wealth but lesse content the private hath more contempt but lesse envy more wrong but lesse danger Of all publique functions none are more worthy then those which pertaine to the Church the Civill I deny not are as necessary consider their subject and end they deale with the Soules of men to bring them to Heaven in this the Church is subject to none but Christ though in respect of the persons that use them shee is subject to the Magistrate as the Magistrate in that he is a Christian is subject to the Church The world will say that the Common-wealth is before the Church and that there may be a Civill state though no Church but the Church cannot be without a Civill state But what saith Christ Seeke the Kingdome of God first he would have us build a Church before wee erect a State and our first Parents Adam and Eve were a Church before there was a Common-wealth and as a Church had the blessing from God to erect a Common-wealth saying unto them Increase and multiply but then when the Common-wealth was increased the Church was neglected and so is it ever But I would not have the Church Guelphes and the Common-wealth Gibellines Oh what an harmoniall hierarchy is it when the Church and Common-wealth doe not only dwell and converse together but so incorporate themselves one into another that they may seeme but one body yet without confusion of their Vocations and rights Therefore doe I dislike the monasticall life which hath beene so much in request as the next way to Heaven all that they could say was that they prayed for others which is the common returne of all idle rogues and
law had figures for the time of grace the law came by Moses so grace and truth is come unto us by Jesus Christ whose Gospell is Preached in all the world what divisions and strife are risen up about it as was foretold how many enemies hath it which with open force resist it how many false brethren which undermine it how many loose libertines which live under the shadow but will not be ruled by the power of it how doth faith waver and charity waxe cold the world sway and the Church suffer heresy prosper and truth pine If all the works of God hitherto have had their just course and time will he faile trow yee in the last act nay some part of this act is begunne already by the comming of Christ into the flesh for after this comming of him it is said He that beleeveth not in the Sonne of God is condemned already but the second comming of Christ shall be a full consummation Is he come in humility to suffer and save and will he not come in glory to put downe all his enemies I will not say oh foolish and slow of heart that were too mild for such mockers but oh hard hearted and desperate wretches who because they will not now beleeve the truth of a finall judgment shall hereafter feele the terror and punishment of eternall condemnation Meditation 36. Afflictions AFflictions are ever profitable to the godly but there are very few of such and it is commonly seene that men after a long and strong disease are much worse then before so that the fire of naughtinesse which for a while lay covered under the embers of their disease having gotten but a little vent breaketh forth the more forcibly and the floud of their corruption stopped for a while by the opposition of their paines having gotten some small passage doth recover his course with the greater violence It is very true that in our troubles wee can call our selves to account and pray to God with many vowes and promises of amendment but no sooner doth he remove his hand then wee start aside from our new resolutions and follow our old by as and how commeth this to passe because wee were brought unto it by constraint wee did complaine and cry but more for feeling of anguish and paine like beasts then any inward remorse or touch of conscience wee were not offended at our sinnes but wee are sorry for the losse of our health and liberty wee humble not our selves before the Lord but it is grievous unto us that his hand is heavy on us wee long not after the health of our soules but wee enquire after all meanes to remove the disease from our bodies therefore as soone as wee have our will satisfied in this respect and seele our strength returne wee get cut as men shut up long in Prison and forget all the good thoughts which came to us in extremity and as it fell out with the children of Israel that because they were neare the good land and might have entred into it by the conduct of God and would not therefore returned they back againe and their carcasses perished in the wildernesse so in this cause because wee were neare to amendment of life and might have beene partakers thereof through the mercy of God and would not therefore fall wee back to our old sinnes and in them wee perish A godly mind may thrive well in trouble but he that is not prepared before hand shall find little comfort in it the sunne which melteth the wax hardneth the clay spices when they are beaten smell the better but there are other things which never smell so ill as when they are most handled these sudden flashes terrify many but they enlighten none but such as live in the inward light Alas what an interest hath sinne in us when wee have once yeelded unto it wee beare not only the guilt of what is past but wee are ever after the more prone to doe the like againe So that there is no purgation so strong no Affliction of such force to cleanse us of it without the speciall gift of his heavenly grace which no sooner said but Lazarus comes forth Therefore are wee to look to our very beginnings and if wee have made any entrance to draw back with speed for sinnes of custome are like an old Gout which knowes no remedy yet despaire not at any time rather resist then give place if the tempter suggest unto thee the greatnesse of thy sinnes let it serve this way to make thee humble thy selfe more and to aske pardon if thou desire heartily to amend and commit thy cause to him which died for thee thy sinne cannot hurt thee for he which giveth the desire will bring it to effect but herein beware of hypocrisy if God point unto thee particularly by any Affliction take it as a medicine from thy heavenly Physitian for thy soules health and let it be more displeasing that thou hast offended God then that the crosse is offensive to thee seek the health of thy soule more then the removing of outward crosses and use all meanes to be such a one in health as thou didst desire to be in sicknesse in all Afflictions look not so much to the rod as to the â—miter who if thou take it patitiently doth correct thee in love if otherwise in anger and indignation Meditation 37. Humane society MAn is by nature sociable and framed thereunto by reason and speech whereunto he doth the more willingly apply himselfe though with some particular disadvantage because of the necessities of life which seeme to require Society for many commodities necessary to life are had in a Society not otherwise to be obtained this hath drawne men from wandring up and downe to certaine places of abode from dennes to houses from Woods to Townes and Cities from barbarous manners to civility and rather to commit themselves to the authority of an orderly government by Lawes for their safety then to languish in an idle and unprofitable loosnesse without the use of one anothers helpe and Society hence have beene erected so many States and Common-weales the glory of all ages But yet this Society how agreeable soever to mans nature doth not fully content it neither doth man find in man that which may satisfy his desire for man being made after the Image of his maker doth take more delight to see himselfe in the patterne of his first beauty then to see his owne face in the face of his brother and though he need not for this purpose the use of his eyes so much yet doth the soule more perfectly discourse and understand when it lifteth it selfe up to God then when it doth converse with man Againe the happinesse which wee are to receive in a humane Society doth proceed from the Society which wee must first seek for with God and from the duty wee owe unto him wee rightly learne how to frame ourselves in all inferiour duties