for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedoneia where all men knew that he lyed then to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both known then where we are both unknown And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will do as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the brain will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemn an enemy is better then either to fear him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftnesse let him turn to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soon give over and be quiet Wherefore when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon to keep on our motion till we wade out of the shadow and receive our former splendor To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should again vex us Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If we knock we crack was long ago made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turn love into anger and passion passion into evil words words into blowes and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a fair advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game pick out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smote them both At least Sathan that common and arch enemy will have us at advantage For as vain men delight when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Satan deal with us Controversies like a pair of Cudgels are thrown in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And we cannot please the Divell better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devill deal with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souls Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chief Foul that ruleth in the aire and snatcheth away both these great warriours Or like two Emmets in the mole hill of this earth we fight for the mastery in mean while comes the Robin-red breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentlenesse we may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that he besought him mildly after this manner Sir we both are no mean men in this Common-wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one again and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love And we read of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I might die if I be not revenged of thee he answered again Nay let me die for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one word he presently so won his Brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends Milde words and gentle behaviour may be resembled to Milk that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyl that quencheth Lime which by water is kindled And this was Davids way of overcoming 1 Sam. 24. He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindnesse doth calm his fury so that now he sheds tears instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slain them 2 King 6.23 What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himself No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith the bands of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel so every wise Christian will do good to them that do hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a fool in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evil enemies now they shall neither be evil nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one asked him why he took such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratling of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. 8. learned to speak fair as well as to smite he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes but his good words are as victorious as his sword his pacification of friends better than his execution of enemies Vers. 2 3. As it is not good to flatter or lye no more is it in some cases to speak the truth we know the Asse and the Hound in the Fable were both kild by the Lyon the one for hiâ— slattery in commending the sweetnesse of his breath the other for his plain dealing when he affirmed it had an ill savour whereas the Fox by pretending he could not smell by reason of a cold he had got saved his life Rage is not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and born at an instant When the stone and the steel mâ—ets the issue ingendred from thence is fire whereas the sword of anger being struck upon the soft pillow of a milde spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not Wool and such like yeelding things but that which is hard stubborn and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vain tongues puff A man that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green and open which otherwise would heal and do well Anger to the soul is like a coal on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth
or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aym and end was not Gods glory but their own honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if he had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleer in solitudine as in Theatrâ— though not so conspicuous only it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference between these naturall and meer morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it self and would be holy were there no Heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeal of Gods glory and the Churches good Matth. 5.16 to the end his Name may be magnified and others won and edified 1 Pet. 2.12 as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appears in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. whereas the other like wind-mills would not turn about to do any good service but for the wind of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shooes We read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the desart they could not hold out untill noon but their bellies would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which only crowns good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruits of a lively faith they spring from ignorance and infidelity as herbs may do from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And it were well if all that are meer civill and morall men would look to the Rock where-out their works are hewn and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further than it is the work of his Spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the husk without the corn the carkasse without the soul which the Lord abhors as the sacrifice of fools Isa. 66.3 Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The sum of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustain and abstain and a wicked man may restrain evill as do the godly but here is the difference the one keeps in corruption the other kills corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbear the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and return good for evill and if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them that love you saith our Saviour what thanks shall you have for even the sinners do the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5.44 Luk. 6.27 32 33. shewing that if we will ever hope for good our selves we must return good for evill unto others In which words you may note a triple injunction one to the hâ—art the treasury of love another to the tongue loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or Almoner Wherein our Saviour seems to set man like a Clock whose master wheel must not only go right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the hand also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheel within he sayes to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell above he saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you Now well may naturall men sayâ— with the winde of their naturall passionâ— and corrupt affections in rendring evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pilot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Mariners Acts 27. to sayl with a contrary wind and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazereth Râ—â— through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Pet. 3 â—â— And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himself adding example to precept for his word and his work like mercy and truth were together his precept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devilish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the work of their salvation when they shed his blood to quench their malice he swet water and blood to wash their souls Yea when the Iews were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were intollerable incomparable unconceivable solliciteth God for their pardon Luk. 23.34 Now his prayer could not but he efficacious and a pardon for such murderâ—rs was no mean good turn And this likewise is the practice of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man St Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled down and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7.60 Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himself but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is only the part of a Saint Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde How often did Moses return good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying to and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding he so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life
bloody to him to his and thine own soul none that have eyes in their heads and open can be so sottish But Sin is like the juice of poppie called Opium which if the quantity exceed bringeth the patient into a deep sleep that he never awaketh Sinners dream they are awake but indeed they are fast asleep yea with Sardis they are dead while they think they are alive And indeed this misprision or mistake this very opinion of being in ease good enough keeps a man out of all possibility of being bettered for what we presume to have attained we seek not after Yea this conceited righteousnesse is the onely cause of all unrighteousnesse and many a man had been good if he had not at present so thought himself Until Paul was humbled to the very ground trembling and astonished he never asked Iesus what wilt thou have me to do And the like of those Converts that were prickt in their hearts at Peters searching Sermon upon their being convinced that they were the murtherers of the Lord of Life Acts 2.36.37 38. Sect. XXVI In the last place touching their Election this is an infallible truth Whomsoever God hath appointed to salvation to them he hath appointed the means also which is holiness Indeed a man may be so bold of his Predestination as to forget his conversation so he may dream himselfe in Heaven and waken from that dream in Hell Gods purpose touching the end includes the means Though God had promised Paul that his company should not be drowned yet he told the Mariners that unless they kept in the ship they should be drowned Acts 27.22 23 31. as if their safety should not be without means Rebekah had Gods Oracle for Iacobs life yet she sent him away out of Esaus reach It was impossible for Herod to hurt the child Iesus yet he must flie into Egypt And so I have shown in the last place what are the conditions of the new Covenant and to whom the promises belong which is all that I undertook Now if men will yet goe on and perish in their impenitency their blood be on their own heads and not on mine I have discharged my duty Nevertheless least the single evidence that I bring from the Word of Truth should not prove sufficient to gain your credence to what hath been spoken And because examples give a quicker impression then arguments I have one thing more to crave of thee which is that thou wilt also hear the confession of two parties in the ensuing or second part of this Discourse that were lately in thy very condition though now by the Infinite goodness of God they have their eyes opened and their hearts changed to see and know both what it is to be in the state of nature and what to be brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God that so by a three fold cord you may be drawn to accept of salvation upon Gods own terms whereas otherwise you can no way escape his eternal wrath The ensuing or second part which I would request you to read and minde is A happy Conference between a Formalist converted and a loose Libertine intituled An experimental Index of the Heart And so much of the first Part the second followeth FINIS Sold onely by Iames Crump in Little Bartholomews VVell-yard and by Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley At the same places there are also to be sold five and thirty other Pieces of Practical Divinity composed by the same Author 1660. This sheet and half with â—ower other sheets of as considerable matter are all to be had for a Penny at the Black Swan by Moorâ— gaâ—e AN Experimental INDEX of the HEART OR SELF-KNOWLEDGE In which As in a Looking-glasse the civillest of men may see what need they have of a Redeemer and that it most deeply concerns them with all speed to sue out their pardon in Christ and to rely wholly and only upon Free-grace for pardon and Salvation except they prefer an everlasting furnace of fire and brimstone in Hell before an eternal weight of superabundant glory in Heaven as all most sottishly do that by sinne and Satan are bewitched Drawn up and published for the good of all By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex Florilegus Add this as a Third Part to the Trial of true Wisdom and those Three Fundamental Principles of Christian Religion Intituled A short and sure Way to Grace and Salvation Sect. XXVII A Loose Libertine meeting with his Friend that had lately been a Formal Christian he greets him as followeth SIR methinks I have observed in you a strange alteration since our last meeting at Middleburrough not only in your behaviour company and converse but even in your countenance What is the matter if I may be so bold Convert Truly Sir you are not at all mistaken nor am I unwilling to acquaint you with the cause if you can affoard to hear it Soon after my return into England I was carried by a Friend to hear a Sermon where the Minister so represented the very thoughts secrets and deceitfulnesse of my heart unto my conscience that I could not but say of him as the woman of Samaria once spake of our Saviour He hath told me all things that ever I did Which made me conclude with that Vnbeliever 1 Cor. 14 24 25. That God was in him of a truth nor could he ever have so done if he were not of God As the young man in the Gospel reasoned with the Pharisees touching Iesus when he had opened his eyes that had been blind from his birth Joh. 9.32 33. Whereupon I could have no peace nor râ—st untill I had further communed with him about my estate for I found my self in a lost condition touching Eternity It faring with me as it did wiâ—h those Iews Act. 2. when Peter by his searching Sermon had convinced them that Christ whom they had by wicked hands crucified and slain was the only Son of God and Lord of glory ver 36 37. And having had the happinesse to enjoy the benefit of his sage advice as I stood in need thereof God having given him the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to them that are weary Isa 50.4 I blesse God his Word and Spirit hath wrought in me such a change and strange alteration that it hath opened mine eyes that were blind before inclined my will to obedience which before was rebellious softened my heart sanctified and quite changed my affections so that I now love that good which before I hated and hate that evil which before I loved and am delighted with those holy exercises which heretofore did most displease me and am displeased with those vain pleasures and filthy sins which in times past did most delight me Which is such a mercy that no tongue is able to expresse For till that hour I went on in the broad way and worlds road to destruction without any mistrust whereas now God hath been pleased to
come into the world For evâ—â— the mercy of God which you have contemned and the means of grace aâ—â— the offer of salvation shall but inhance your damnation Yea Christ him 〈◊〉 that onely Summum bonum who is a Saviour to all Beleevers shall be a Revenger to you if you go on and bid you Depart ye cursed into everlastâ—â—â— fire c. Matth. 25.41 15 ¶ And so much for the discharge of my conscience and duty aâ—â— to make a supply of that which I should have some way performed loâ—â— since Yet least I should imitate those who kindle a fire under green wood aâ—â— leave it so soon as it begins to flame for I take it for granted that so of you will lay to heart what hath been said I have sent you three Boâ—â—â— writ by an impartial Author noâ— a Party which I hold exceeding pâ—â—â—fitable for you to peruse The one speaking more home and full to tâ—â— matter The second shewing how it comes to pass that so many are â—â—ceived who hope to be saved The third setting out to the life the 〈◊〉 thoughts words and actions of all natural men insomuch that no 〈◊〉 can more lively represent your faces then it does your hearts There 〈◊〉 that you may not be disappointed of your end by mistaking your way 〈◊〉 you may become as true friends to God and the Ministry as you have 〈◊〉 bitter enemies and so have your part and portion with them at Gods 〈◊〉 hand where are pleasures for evermore Be perswaded to read them 〈◊〉 as much observation and circumspection as you would do the Evidence your Inheritance Neither count it as a thing indifferent that may eiâ—â—â—â— be done or dispensed with except you are indifferent whether you be 〈◊〉 or damned Yea so minde what you read as if it were an Epistle writ 〈◊〉 Heaven and sent to each of you in particular Expect not that Christ 〈◊〉 himself from Heaven should call to you severally by name as he 〈◊〉 Saul and say Ho Ishmael such a one or Ho Elymas such a 〈◊〉 why doest thou persecute me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9. â—â— Which yet if he should it were no more in effect then he hath often do nor would you be any more warned or reclaimed by it As is evidenâ— the example of Hazael 2 Kings 8.12 13 c. And by what Abraham Dives Luk. 16.31 If you will not 〈◊〉 Moses and the Prophets Christ his Apostles in his Word neither 〈◊〉 he be perswaded though one 〈◊〉 be sent unto you from the damned in â—eâ—l or from the glorified spirits in 〈◊〉 Wherefore hearken unto Conscience and what concerns you apply it 〈…〉 not the whole Bible and all the Sermons they hear yea the câ—eckâ— of 〈◊〉 own Consciences and the motions of Gods Spirit utterly ineffectual 〈◊〉 want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselves Whereas if they would rightly and ingenuously apply but one Text or two unto their own souls as they can unto others being better able to discern others 〈◊〉 then their own beams they might be everlastingly happy 16 ¶ But it is now a just plague upon our so much Formality and 〈◊〉 faneness under our so much means of Grace that because we many of us have heard the Word and enjoyed the means for thirty forty fifty years together and are never the better bring forth no fruits thereof that Christ should say unto such as he did to the fruitless Fig-tree Mar. 11.13 14 Never fruit grow on thee hence forward And the truth is if yon observe it you shall very rarely hear of an old Formalist or Protestant at large that ever is converted but young ones as Ministers can sufficiently inform you Perhaps they may turn to be Antinomians Ranters Quakers or the like and imbrace Error but they turn not to the Truth Or if so it is a greater miracle then was the creating of the whole world For in making such a one a New creature must be a number of miracles A blinde man is restored to sight a deaf man to hearing a man possest with many devils dispossest yea one not only dead in sin but buried in the grave of long custom with a grave-stone laid upon him raised from the dead and in every one a stone turned into flesh In all which God meets with nothing bâ—t opposition which in the Creation he met not with Thus I have been large But as Iohn could only baptize with waterâ— so I can but teach you with words And when God withholds his condemned grace Paul himself cannot move a soul. If the Holy Ghost shall set it home to your hearts that you may so meditate on what hath been spoken and so practise what hath been prescribed that God in Christ may be pacified your sins by free-grace pardoned and your souls eternally saved That while you are here you may enjoy the peace of God which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 and when you depart hence you may arrive at the Haven of all happiness in Heaven where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Blessed and happy are ye Psal. 16.11 Which is my prayer and hope and should be my joy FINIS London Printed by Thomas Newcomb and are to be sold by 〈…〉 â— Hopefull way to Cure that horrid Sinne of SWEARING Or an help to save SWEARERS if willing to be saved Being an Offer or Message from HIM whom they so Daringly and Audaciously provoke Also a Gurb against Cursing MEMB. 1. 1. § Messenger NOt to admonish our brother is to hate him as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Levit. 19.17 But to scorn our brother should admonish us is more to hate our selves That little which Cresus learned of Solon saved his life And had Pilate taken that fair warning his wife gave him it might have saved his soul which once lost cannot be redeemed with ten thousand worlds no not with the enduring of ten thousand thousand years torments in Hell When a Dog flies in his masters face that keeps him we conclude he is mad are they then rationall men that being never so little crost will fly in their Makers face and teare their Saviours name in peeces with oaths and execrations which is worse then Frenzie Yea this is to send challenges into Heaven and make love to destruction And certainly it is Gods unspeakable mercy that every such oath blasphemy proves not a Benoni the death of the mother Gen. 35.18 § 2. Think me not too bold or over harsh for I speak to you both for and from my Maker and Redeemer Yea he perswaded to hearken a while unto me as you would have God another day hearken unto you Are you Christians as you call your selves if you be you have at least heard what God and Christ hath done for us How when we were in a sad condition when by sin we had forfeited our selves and all we had and wilfully plunged our souls and bodyes into eternall torments When neither
the corrupt heart and festered conscience can endure nothing even a word if it be pleasing puffs him up with pride if not it swels him with passion A guilty conscience like Glasse will sweat with the least breath and like a windy iustrument be put out of tune with the very distemper of the aire but when the soul is steeled with goodnesse no assaults of evil can daunt it I more fear what is within me sayes Luther then what comes from without The storms and wind without do never move the Earth only Vapours within cause Earthquakes Jam. 4.1 No greater sign of innocency when we are accused than mildnesse as we see in Ioseph who being both accused and committed for forcing his Mistresse answered just nothing that we can read of Gen. 39.17 18. And Susanna who being accused by the two Elders of an haynous crime which they alone were guilty of never contended by laying the fault upon them but appeals unto God whether she were innocent or no. The History of Susanna Vers. 42.43 And Hannah whose reply to Ely when he falsly accused her of druukennesse was no other but Nay my Lord count not thine Handmaid for a wicked woman 1 Sam. 1.15 16. Neither is there a greater Symptome of guiltinesse than our breaking into choler and being exasperated when we have any thing laid to our charge witnesse Cain Gen. 4 9. That Hebrew which struck his fellow Exod. 2.13 14. Saul 1 Sam. 20.32 33. Abner 2 Sam. 3.8 Ioroboam 1 King 13 4. Ahab 1 King 22.27 Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.16 Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.19 Herod the Tetrarch Luk 3.19 20. The men of Nazareth Luk. 4.28 29. The Pharisees Joh. 8.47 48. And the High Priests and Scribes Luk. 20.19 20. Sinne and falshood are like an impudent strumpet but innocency and truth will veil themselves like a modest Virgin 2 Pet. 2.18 The more false the matter the greater noise to uphold it Paul is nothing so loud as Tertullus The weakest cause will be sure to forelay the shrewdest counsell or the lowdest Advocates Errour hath alwayes most words like a rotten house that needs most props and crutches to uphold it Simple truth evermore requires least cost like a beautifull face that needs no painting or a comely body which any decent apparrell becomes We plaister over rotten posts and ragged walls substantiall buildings are able to grace themselves So that as sparks flying up shew the house to be on fire and as corrupt spittle shewes exulcerate lungs so a passionate answer argues a guilty conscience Why doth the Hare use so many doublings but to frustrate the sent of the Hounds And this is one reason why the former are compared to Sheep and Lambes Emblems of innocency which being harmed will not once bleat and the latter unto Swine which will roar and cry if they be but toucht But to leave these Swine and return to the men we were speaking of A good Conscience is not put out of countenance with the false accusations of slanderous tongues it throweth them off as St Paul did the Viper unhurt Iunocence and patience are two Bucklers sufficient to repulse and abate the violence of any such charge the Brestplate of Righteousnesse the brazen wall of a good conscience feareth no such Canons The Conscionable being railed upon and reviled by a foul mouth may reply as once a Steward did to his passionate Lord when he called him Knave c. Your Honour may speak as you please but I beleeve not a word that you say for I know my self an honest man Yea suppose we are circled round with reproaches our conscience knowing us innocent like a constant friend takes us by the hand and cheers us against all our miseries A good spirit will be as Simon to Christ its Crosse-bearer A just man saith Chrysostome is impregnable and cannot be overcome take away his wealth his good parts cannot be taken from him and his treasure is above cast him into prison and bonds he doth the more freely enjoy the presence of his God banish him his Countrey he hath his conversation in Heaven kill his body it shall rise again so he fights with a shadow that contends with an upright man Wherefore let all who suffer in their good Names if conscious and guilty of an enemies imputations repent and amend if otherwise contemn them own them not so much as once to take notice thereof A wicked heart is as a barrtll of powder to temptation let thine be as a River of water Yea seeing God esteems men as they are and not as they have been although formerly thou hast been culpable yet now thou mayest answer for thy self as Paul did for Onesimus Though in times past I was unprofitable yet now I am profitable and oppose to them that sweet and divine sentence of sweet and holy Bernard Tell me not Satan what I have been but what I am and will be Or that of Beza in the like case Whatsoever I was I am now in Christ a New Creature and that is it which troubles thee I might have so continued long enough ere thou wouldest have vexed at it but now I see thou dost envy me the grace of my Saviour Or that Apothegme of Diogenes to a base fellow that told him he had once been a forger of money whose answer was 'T is true such as thou art now I was once but such as I am now thou wilt never be Yea thou mayest say by how much more I have formerly sinned by so much more is Gods power and goodnesse now magnified As St Augustine hearing the Donatists revile him for the former wickednesse of his youth answered The more desperate my disease was so much the more I admire the Physician Yea thou mayest yet strain it a peg higher and say the greater my sinnes were the greater is my honour as the Devils which Mary Magdalen once had are mentioned for her glory Thus if we cannot avoid ill tongues let our care be not to deserve them and 't is all one as if we avoided them For how little is that man hurt whom malice condemns on earth and God commends in Heaven Let the World accuse me so long as God acquits me I care not CHAP. XVIII That it is more laudable to forgive than revenge 2. BEcause it is more generous and laudable to forgive than revenge Certainly in taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy but in passing it over he is superiour to him for it is a Princes part to pardon yea quoth Alexander there can be nothing more noble than to do well to those that deserve ill And St Gregory It is more honor to suffer injuries by silence than to overcome them by answering again Princes use not to chide when Embassadours have offered them undecencies but deny them audience as if silence were the way royall to correct a wrong And certainly he enjoyes a brave composednesse that seats himself above the flight of the injurious claw Like
most Wherefore patience and mildnesse of spirit is ill bestowed where it exposes a man to wrong and insultation Sheepish dispositions are best to others worst to themselves I could be willing to take injuries but I will not be guilty of provoking them by lenity for harmelesnesse let me go for a Sheep but whosoever will be tearing my fleece let him look to himself Diogenes the Stoick teaching his auditors how they should refrain anger and being earnest in pressing them to patience a waggish boy spit in his face to see whether he would practise that which he taught others but Diogenes was not a whit moved at it yet said withall I fear I shall commit a greater fault in letting this boy go unpunished than in being angry In some cases for reason to take the rod out of the hands of wrath and chastise may be both lawfull and expedient The same which Aristotle affirmed in Philosophy viz. That choler doth sometime serve as a whetstone to vertue is made good Divinity by St. Paul Be angry but sinne not Ephes. 4.26 that is be angry with sinne only For Cautions and Rules to be observed when we appeal to the Magistrate First Let it be in a matter of weight and not for trifles True thou canst not be more forward to cast away thy money than some Lawyers are to catch it but the Physician and Lawyer are for necessity not for wantonnesse What said one to a Lawyer offering to right his wrongs and revenge him of his adversary by Law I am resolved rather to bear with patience an hail shower of injuries than seek shelter at such a thicket where the brambles shall pluck off my fleece and do me more hurt by scratching than the storm would have done by hailing I care not for that Physick where the remedy is worse than the disease Secondly Let it be in case of necessity after we have assayed all good means of peace and agreement using Law as a Father doth the Rod ful sore against his will As whatsoever our wrongs be true wisdome of the spirit will send the Apostle leâ—ity as admonitions harbinger with offers oâ— peace before she takes out process 2 Tim. 2.25 Thirdly Let not our aym and end be the hurt of our enemy but first the glory of God secondly the reformation of the party himself that so he which is overcome may also overcome and if it may be others by his example whereby more than one Devill shall be subdued And thirdly to procure a further peace and quiet afterwards as Princes make warre to avoid warre yea in case we see a storm inevitably falling 't is good to meet it and break the force Fourthly Let us not be transported either with heat or hate but begin and follow our suits without anger or using the least bitternesse or extremity against the person of our adversary as Tilters break their Spears on each others breasts yet without wrath or intention of hurt or as Charles the French King made warre against Henry the seaventh King of England rather with an Olive-branch than a Lawrell-branch in his hand more desiring peace than victory not using bribery or any other means to corrupt or hinder justice but to seek our own right Fifthly and lastly Having used this ordinary means that the Lord hath given us for the righting of our selves in case we finde no redresse let us rest with quietnesse and meeknesse therein without fretting or desiring to right our selves by private revenge knowing assuredly that the Lord hath thus ordered the whole matter either for our correction or for the exercise of our patience and charity or that he will take the matter into his own hand and revenge our cause of such an enemy far more severely or for that he means to deal far better with us if we commit our cause to him than either our selves or any Magistrate could have done To conclude this argument in a word If thou go to Law Make Conscience thy Chancery Make Charity thy Iudge Make Patience thy Counsellor Make Truth thy Attorney Make Peace thy Solicitor And so doing thou shalt be sure to finde two friends in thy suit that will more bestead thee than any ten Iudges namely God and thy Conscieâ—â—â— God who being Chief Iustice of the whole world can do for thee whatsoever he will and will do for thee whatsoever is best thy Conscience which is instead of a thousand good Witnesses a thousand good Advocates a thousand good Iuries a thousand Clerks of the Peace and Guardians of the Peace to plead procure pronounce record and assure to thee that peace which passeth all understanding But I fear I have incited your impatiency by standing so long upon patience An End of the Second Part the Third follows Together with London Printed by A. M. for Iames Crump in Little Bartholomews Well-yard 1654. A handfull of Nuts MEn no more differ from Beasts Plants Stones in speech reason shape then some differ from others in heart in brain in life Nor is the Epicure more like a swine the Lustfull person a Goat the Fraudulent man a Fox the Backbiter a barking Dog the Slanderer an Asp the Oppressor a Wolf the Persecutor a Tygâ—r the Church-robber a wild Bore the Seducer a Serpent yea a Devil the Traytor a Viper c. 2 Tim. 4.17 Luk. 13.32 Phil. 3.2 Psal. 22.12 13 16 20 21. 74.13 14 19. 80.13 Matth. 23.33 Dan. 7.4 5 6 c. Zeph. 3.3 4 c. Cant. 2.15 17 c. then every of them is unlike another as the holy Ghost intimates in comparing severall men to almost every severall Creature in the Vniverse Neither does sin and grace only make this difference or occasion the very Heathen Poets usually and most fitly to compare some men to Stones for their hardness and insensiblenesse which may be understood of the Adamant stone as Zech. Chap. 7.12 hath it others to Plants that only fill their Veins a third sort to Beasts that please their senses too a fourth to evil Angels that only sin and cause others to sin a fifth to Good Angels that are still in motion alwaies serving God and doing good yet ever rest But as Menander speaks there is no lesse difference between the wise and simple the learned and unlearned then there is between men and beasts or between the living and the dead as another hath it And yet the rational does not so much excell the sensuall as the spirituall excels the rationall For as the soul is the lamp of the body and the reason of the soul and Religion of reason and Faith of Religion so Christ is the light and life of Faith Joh 1.9 8.12 Act. 26.18 Ephes. 5.14 Christ is the Sun of the soul and the day we know with one eye doth far more things descry then night can do with more then Argus eyes Whence it is that all men in their natural condition are said to be blinde and in darknesse Mat. 4.16
finde many acts of deception in the Saints I finde infirmity in those acts but that any one of them hath scoft at and hated another for goodness I finde not or that have used to dispute against it Gregory Nazianzen I pray minde it seriously told his friends that Iulian would prove a notorious wicked man he took such delight in disputing against that which was good Much less that any after regeneration have in this case been cruel If we would know saith Chrysostome a Wolf from a Sheep since their cloathing is alike look to their fangs and their mouth if they be bloody for who ever saw the lips of a Sheep besmeared with blood which being so No matter though the gate be strait and the way narrow if the end to which it leadeth be everlasting life 5 Use. 5 Fiftly if in conclusion the most malicious and damnable practices of our worst and greatest enemies prove no other in effect to us then did the malice of Iosephs brethren Mistress and Lord to him the first in selling of him the second in falsly accusing him the third in imprisoning him all which made for his inestimable good and benefit then the malice of Haman to Mordecai and the Iews whose bloody decree obtein'd against them procured them exceeding much joy and peace then Balaaâ—s malice to the children of Israel whose desire of cursing them caused the Lord so much the more to bless them Numbers 23. Then the Devils spite to Iob who pleasured him more by his sore afflicting him then any thing else could possibly have done whether we regard his name children substance or soul then Iudas his treason against the Lord of life whose detestable fact served not only to accomplish his will but the means also of all their salvations that either before or after should believe in him this should move wonder to astonishment and cause us to cry out with the Apostle O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 O the wonderful and sovereign goodness of our God! that turns all our Poisons into Cordials that can change our terrours into pleasures and makes the greatest evils beneficial unto us for they are evil in their own nature and strong temptations to sin Iames 1.2 also fruits of sin and part of the curse and work those former good effects not properly by themselves but by accident as they are so disposed by the infinite wisdom goodness and power of God who is able to bring light out of darkness and good out of evil yea this should tutour us to love our enemies We love the medicine nor for its own sake but for the health it brings us and to suffer chearfully whatsoever is laid upon us for how can Gods Church in general or any member in particular but fare wel since the very malice of their enemies benefits them How can we but say Let the World frown and all things in it run cross to the grain of our mindes Yet With thee ô Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption thou makest us better by their making us worse Objection But perhaps thou hast not proved the truth of this by thy own knowledge and particular experience Answer If thou hast not thou shalt in due time the end shall prove it stay but till the conclusion and thou shalt see that there is no cross no enemy no evils can happen unto thee that shall not be turned to good by him that dwelleth in thee Will you take Saint Pauls word for it or rather Gods own word who is Truth it self and cannot lie His words are We know that all things work together for the best unto them that love God even to them that are called of his purpose Rom. 8.28 And in Verse 35 36. after he hath declared that Gods chosen people shall suffer tribulation and anguish and persecution and famine and nakedness peril sword c. be killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter he concludeth with Nevertheless in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us and so goeth on even to a challenge of our worst enemies Death Angels Principalities and Powers things present and to come height depth and what other creature besides should stand in opposition What voluminous waves be here for number and power and terrour yet they shall not separate the Ark from Christ nor a soul from the Ark nor a body from the soul nor an hair from the body to do us hurt What saith David Mark the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37.37 Mark him in his setting out he hath many oppositions mark him in the journey he is full of tribulations but mark him in the conclusion and the end of that man is peace In Christ all things are ours 1 Cor. 3.22 How is that Why we have all things because we have the Haver of all things And if we love Christ all things work together for our good yea for the best Rom. 8.28 And â—f all things quoth Luther then even sin it self And indeed how many have we known the better for their sin That Mary Magdalen had never loved so much if she had not so much sinned had not the incestuous person sinned so notoriously he had never been so happy God took the advantage of his humiliation for his conversion Had not one foot slipt into the mouth of Hell he had never been in this forwardness to Heaven Sin first wrought sorrow saith Saint Augustine and now godly sorrow kills sin the daughter destroyes the mother neither do our own sins onely advantage us but other mens sins work for our good also Objection But may some say Can any good come out of such a Nazarite Answer Yes The advantage we have by Christ is more then the loss we had by Adam If Arrius had not held a Trinity of Substances with a Trinity of Persons and Sabellius an Unity of Persons with an Unity of Essences the Mysteries of the Trinity had not been so clearly explaned by those great Lights of the Church If Rome had not so violently obtruded her Mâ—rits the doctrine of Iustification onely by faith in Christ might have been less digested into mens hearts We may say here as Saint Augustine doth of Carthage and Rome if some enemies had not contested against the Church it might have gone worse with the Church Lastly suppose our enemies should kil us they shall not hurt but pleasure us yea even death it self shall work our good That Red-sea shall put us over to the Land of Promise and we shall say to the praise of God we are delivered we are the better for our enemies the better for our sins the better for death yea better for the Devil and to think otherwise even for the present were not onely to derogate from the wisdom power and goodness
nor desire life except thou be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custome to the life of grace Apt wee are to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the means thereof Wee are altogether of our selvs unable to resist the force of our mighty adversaries but do thou fâ—ee our wills and set to thy helping hand in casting down by thy Spirit our raging lusts and by thy grace subdue our untamed affections and we shall henceforth as much honor thee as by your wickednesse we have formerly dishonored thee Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls Reform and change our minds wills and affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thee and direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast directed our eternal salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevail in causing us to defer our repentance since we know that late repentance is seldom sincere and that sicknesse is no fit time for so great a work as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our feeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the flower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sin until sin left us Yea O Lord give us firmly to resolve speedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Inform and reform us so that we may neither mis-believe not misâ—live subdue our lusts to our wills submit our wills to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wills our selvs to thy blessed Word and Will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sins which corrupt our souls and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy sight also we most humbly beseech thee as far as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Son pardon and forgive us all those evils which either in thought word or deed we have this day or any time heretoâ—ore committed against thee whether they be the sins of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of â—gnorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy holy â—pirit And now O Lord seeing the time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because wee can neither wake nor sleep without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our souls and bodies beseeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve us from all our spiritual and bodily enemies from thievs fire and from all other dangers ☞ These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier for the Evening which would be performed before Supper and not when we are more prone to sleep then to pray O Eternal Almighty and incomprehensible Lord God who art great and terrible of most glorious Maâ—esty and infinite purity Creator and Preserver of all things and Guider and Governour of them being created who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence and art every where at hand to receive and hear the praiers of all that repair to thee in thy Christ. Thou hast of thy goodnesse bestowed so many and so great mercies upon us â—haâ— wee know not how to expresse thy bounty herein Yea we can scarce think of any thing more to pray for but that thou wouldest continue those which thou hast bestowed on us already yet we cover still as though we had nothing and live as if we knew nothing of all this thy beneficence We no sooner lived then we deâ—served to die neither need we any more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us but thou hast spared us to this hour to try if we would turn unto thee by repentance as our first Parents and wee have turned from thee by sin yet thy mercy seems to have been in vain and thy long-suffering to no end For whereas many have been won by thy Word wee would not suffer it to change us many have been reformed by the Crosse but we would not suffer it to purge us many have been moved by thy benefits but we would not suffer them to perswade us yea as if we had contracted with the Divel that we would abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come â—hy blessings make us proud thy riches covetous thy peace wanton thy meats intemperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve us but as weapons to rebell against thee We have prophaned thy daies contemned thy ordinances resisted thy Word grieved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecuted thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours opened the mouths of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and far weaker means have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospel who may justly rise up in judgment against us Besides which makes ouâ— case far more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we do we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we defer untill we be old men and when we be old men we shall defer it until death if thou prevent us not and yet we look for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Perhaps we have a form of godlinesse but thou who search stâ—â—he heart and triest the reins knowest that too often we deny the power of it and that ouâ— Religion is much of it hypocrisie our zeal envie our wisedom policie our peace security our life rebellion our devotion deadnesse and that we live so securely as if we had no souls to save Indeed thy Word and Spirit
hath been to serve Satan and fulfil the lusts of the flesh VVe even suck in iniquity like water 〈…〉 It hath been the course of our whole life to leave that which God commands and to do that which he forbids The Word and Spirit may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetuall offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if we are sleeping it sollicits us to filthiness Whatever God commands we do the contrary We prophane his Dayes contemn his Ordinances resist his Word grieve his Spirit misuse his Messengers hate our reprovers slander and persecute his people seduce our friends give ill example to our neighbours open the mouthes of God's and our enemies to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are called and the truth we profess Yea we have done more against God in one week then we have done for him ever since we were born and whereas the least of Gods mercies is greater then all the courtesies of men we are not so thankfull to him for them all as we are to a friend for some one good turn Sect. XV. Neither are we sufficient of our selves to think much less to speak least of all to do ought that is good 2 Cor. 3.5 Iohn 15.4 5. There is so much wearisomness pride passion lust envy ignorance awkwardness hypocrisie infidelity vain thoughts unprofitableness and the like cleaving to our best actions to defile them that even our praying and fasting and repenting our hearing believing and giving our holiest communication our most brotherly admonition c. are in themselves as filthy rags Isa. 64.6 were they not accepted in Christ covered with his righteousness and washed white in his most precious blood Our very righteousness is as a menstruous cloth Isa. 64.6 What then is our sinfulness As bring we our lives to the rule Look how many sins are cherished so many false gods there are chosen Look how many creatures thou inordinately lovest fearest trustest rejoycest in so many new gods hast thou coined and wilt thou not then pleade guilty when the first and second Commandment arraigneth thee Thou canst not away with swearing but dost thou reprove others for their swearing Didst thou never hear Sermons unpreparedly irreverently c Does thy heart upon a Sabbath rest from worldly thoughts much more thy tongue from worldly speeches There is murther of the heart hatred Hast not thou murthered thy neighbours soul by thy negligence perswasion evil example c. Thou hast not stoln but hast thou not coveted Hast thou been liberal to those that are owners of a part of thy goods hast thou not robb'd thy brother of his good name which is above silver and gold Hast not thou robb'd God of his worship of his Sabbaths of his Tythes c. Lying flattering detracting listning to taâ—â—s yea not defending thy brothers good name is to bear false witness 〈…〉 very first motions of sins springing out of our hearts though presently rejected and a thousand the like and yet for every drop of wickedness that is in the life there is a sea in the heart that feeds it Sect. XVI True if thou lookest on thy sins in Satans false glass that will make them seem light and contemptible but behold them in the clear and perfect gâ—ass of Gods law and they will appear abominable Which makes our Saviour call hatred murther a wanton eye adultery c. Yea consider thy sins rightly and they will appear as the Iudasses that betrayed the Souldiers that apprehended bound smote and wounded thy Saviour as the gall and vinegar in his mouth spittle on his face thorns on his head nails in his hands spear in his side c. This is the way to know thy self sinful and as thus to know thy self is the best Divinity as Demonax said of Philosophy so thus to aggravate thy sins in thine own sight is the only way to have them extenuated in the sight of God Whence the more holy a childe of God is the more sensible he is of his own unholiness thinking none so vile as himself as it fared with holy Iob Iob 40.4 and 42.6 and with Isaiah chap. 6.5 and 64.6 and with Saint Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 Rom. 7.14 to 25. and with holy David who almost in every Psalm so much bewails his sins originall and actual of omission and commission Carnal men are only troubled for those sins that appear to the world but those in whom Christs is formed anew think they cannot be humbled enough for their evil thoughts vain and unprofitable words for the evil which cleaves even to their best actions for sins of omission as the want of faith and love and repentance want of the true fear of God the neglect of preparation and unprofitable hearing of praying and reading in their families of instructing their children and servants of sanctifying the Sabbath and seeing that all under them do the same their unfruitfulness under the means of grace their not growing in grace and the like And thus do all experimental Christians all that have spiritual eies The want whereof I take to be the cause of all desperate wickedness as what else but invincible ignorance is the cause why wickednesse so abounds in every corner oâ— the Land Sin indeed at first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of Sin swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the land Hosea 4.1 2. It is a people that do erre in their hearts saies God Why Because they have not known my ways Psal. 95.10 Ye are deceived saith our Saviour because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 VVhen Christ wept over Ierusalem what was the cause Even their blindnesse If thou hadst known saith he at the least in this thy day those things which now are hid from thine eyes Luke 19.42 Because men know not the wages of evil therefore they do it and because they would securely do it therefore they refuse to know it O that men knew how good it is to obey to disobey how evil for this would soon disperse and dispel all the black clouds of their reigning sins in a moment If they were wise saith St. Bernard they would fore-see the torments of Hell and prevent them but they that wander in by-paths declare themselves ignorant of the rightway of salvation Rom. 3.17 I grant many that are wicked have a shew of wisdom but let them seem to know never so much yet it is through ignorance that they do so ill Sect. XVII And so having given you a short survey of our wretchedness by reason of Original sin and actual transgressions by which we must confess to have deserved double damnation I come now to declare the means which God of his infinite goodnesse hath found out both for
his Word Christs blood saith Zanchie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the soil and filth of sin as to clear and assoil from guilt of sin Rom. 6.5 6. God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1.4 They therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen He is said to have given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Luke 1.74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an oath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holiness and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life Luke 1.73 74 75. 1. Pet. 2.24 and Tit. 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world vers 12. By all which it is plain that as Christs blood is a Charter of pardon so withal it is a Covenant of direction and he that refuseth to live as that covenant prescribes may perish as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck Sect. XXI But alas say what can be said carnal men who love their sins better then their souls will answer all yea confute whatsoever can be al 〈…〉 with God is mercifull Or in case that will not serve yet they have another shift or rather the enemy of mankinde will furnish them with an evasion telling them that they have a strong faith good hearts and mean well they repent of their sins have as good wishes and desires as can be are elected hope to go to heaven as well as the best c. But to every of these I answer First true faith purifieth the heart and worketh by love consumeth our corruptions and sanctifieth the whole man throughout so that our faith to God is seen in our faithfulnesse to men our invisible belief by our visible life Faith and holiness are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and light fire and heat ice and coldnesse the spring and greenness the rose and sweetness steel and hardness crystal and clearness pitch and foulness honey and sweetness Again faith believeth the threats of the Word together with the promises Now thou who pretendest belief in the promises shew me thy belief in the threatnings For didst thou believe the truth of those menaces which God hath denounced against unclean covetous ambitious unjust envious malitious persons and such like sinners how durst thou then so wallow in these sins that if God instead of Hell had promised Heaven as a reward unto them thou couldest not do more then thou doest Why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of faith when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devil does for he believes namely the threatnings of the VVord and trembles for horror Iam. 2. but thou goest on in sin even mocking at the menaces and in the infidelity of thy heart givest them the lye saying no such thing shall befall thee But Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam when they shall say peace and safety then comes on them sudden destruction 1 Thes. 5.3 Though those Persecutors of Christ and murtherers of the Lord of life were the Devils children as they were plainly told by truth it self Ioh. 8.44 yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their father verse 41. And so will the worst of men in these dayes such as do nothing but sin and make others sin such as glory in and maintain their sins Again as faith is wrought by Gods spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it brings forth the fruits of the flesh verse 19.20 21. But it is very easie to believe thinks the sensualist yes but why Satan troubles not such for then he who begot this presumptuous faith in him should be divided against himself Nay Satan confirms him in this his deceit Besides this is a sure rule that that perswasion onely which follows sound humiliation is faith that which goes before it is presumption And as Ambrose speaks no man can repent of sin but he that believes the pardon of sin nor none can believe his sins are pardoned except he hath repented Besides how easie a matter soever thou thinkest it is to believe he that goes about it shall finde it as hard a work to believe the Gospel as to keep the Law and onely God must enable to both and yet so far as we come short of either so far forth we have just cause to be humbled if we consider how God at first made us and how wofully we have unmade our selves But Sect. XXII Secondly as for their good hearts and meanings they may think what they will but every wise man knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation There is no heart made of flesh which at some time or other relents not even flint and marble will in some weather stand on drops Men may flatter God with their mouths and with their tongues dissemble with him when their hearts are not upright with him Psal. 78.36 37. and indeed they whose words and deeds are faulty and evil and yet plead the gooodness of their hearts toward God are like malefactors who being convicted of theft or the like naughtiness by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimony of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot be found And in case the hearts of such men could be seen of others as their works and words are their hearts would appear worst of all as they do to God who seeth them Nor is any evil in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream in the fountain And let a vicious man boast never so much of his good heart I will as soon believe him that saith he hath the Philosophers stone and yet lives like a begger which two hang together like a sick mans dream VVe have good hearts and mean well alas poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and while he thinks there is no deceit in it even in that he is most of all deceived Sinners are like that peremtory Sexâ—on that said howsoever the day goes I am sure the clock goes right So that the Spanish Proverb does every way please me defienda me dios de mio God defend me from my self Carnal men are apt to boast of the goodness of their hearts but a mans heart is as arch a Traitor as any he shall
incline to the pole-star How the heat of the stomach and the strength of the nether chap should be so great Why a flash of lightening should melt the sword without making any impression in the scabbard Kill the Child in the womb and never hurt the Mother How the waters should stand upon a heap and yet not over-flow the earth Why the clouds above being heavie with water should not fall to the earth suddenly seeing every beavy thing descendeth Except the reason which God giveth Gen. 1.6 Job 38 8.10 12. 26.8 Psal. 104.9 But we know the mystery of the Gospel and what it is to be born a new and can give a sollid reason of our faith we know that God is reconciled to us the Law satisfied for us our sins pardoned our souls acquitted and that we are in favour with God which many of these with their great learning do not know And thus the godly are proved wiser than the wisest humanist that wants grace You have likewise the reasons why these great knowers know nothing yet as they might and ought to know that is to say First Because they are mistaken in the thing they take speculative knowledg for soul wisdom soul saving wisdom to be foolishness madness Now if a man take his aim amiss he may shoot long enough ere he hit the white and these men are as one that is gone a good part of his journey but must come back again because he hath mistaken his way Secondly Because they are Unregenerate and want the Eye of Faith Thirdly For that they seek not to God for it who is the giver thereof and without whose spirit there is no attaining it Fourthly Because they are proud and so seek not after it as supposing they have it already Fiftly Because if they had never so much knowledge they would be never the holier or the better for it but rather the worse nor would they imploy it to the honour of God or the good of others Sixtly Because they either do or would do mischief insteed of good with their knowledge Seventhly Because they will not consult with the word about it nor advise with others that have already attained to it Or thus They read and hear the Scriptures and mind not I mean the spirituallity of the word or mind and understand not or understand and remember not or remember and practice not No this they intend not of all the rest and they that are unwilling to obey God thinks unvvorthy to know When the Serpent taught knowledge he said If ye eare the forbidden fruit your eyes shal be opened and you shal know good and evil But God teacheth another lesson and saith If ye will not eate the forbidden fruit your eyes shall be opened and you shall know good and evil Rom. 12.2 See Psa. 111.10 119.97 98 99 100. Or if you do eat it you shall be like images that have ears and cannot hear Rom. 11.8 Isa. 6.10 Matth. 13.14 Psal. 115.6 From all which Reasons we may collect That there are but a few amongst us that are wise indeed and to purpose For these Seven Hinderances are applyable to seventy seven parts of men in the Nation Besides if these great knowers know so little how ignorant are the rude rabble that despise all knowledge Nor can it be denied but all impenitent persons all unbelievers who prefer their profits and pleasures before pleasing of God as Herodias prefered John Baptists head before the one half of Herods kingdom are arrant fools yea fools in folio For if they were wise sayes Bernard they would foresee the torments of Hell and prevent them And so wise are the godly for they prefer grace and glory and Gods savour before ten thousand worlds Sect. 50. OBject But here thou wilt say or at least thou hast reason to say if there be so few that are soul wise I have all the reason in the world to mistrust my self wherefore good Sir tell me how I shall be able to get â—his spiritual and experimental knowledg this divine and supernatural wisdom Answ. By observing these Five Rules First Let such a willing and ingenuous soul resolve to practise what he does already know or shall hereafter be acquainted with from the word of God and Christs faithful Messengers For he that will do my Fathers will sayes our Saviour shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or no Joh. 7.17 A good understanding have all they that keep the commandments sayes holy David Psal. 111.10 and proves it true by his own example and experience I understood sayes he more than the Antient and became wiser than my teachers because I kept thy precepts Psal. 119.97 98 99 100. To a man that is good in his sight God giveth knowledg and wisdom Eccles. 2.26 The spiritual man understandeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 VVicked men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things Prov. 28.5 Admirable incouragements for men to become godly and consciencious I mean practical Christians Secondly If thou wouldest get this precious grace of saving knowledge the way is to be frequeut in hearing the word preached and to become studious in the Scriptures for they and they alone make wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Ye err saith our Saviour not knowing the Scriptures Matth. 22.29 Mark 12.24 We must not in the search of heavenly matters either do as we see others do neither must we follow the blind guide carnal reason or the deceitful guide our corrupt hearts but the undeceivable and infallable guide of Gods word which is truth it self and great need there is for as we cannot perceive the foulness of our faces unless it be told us or we take a glass and look our selves therein so neither can we see the blemishes of our Souls which is a notable degree of spiritual Wisdom but either God must make it known to us by his spirit or we must collect the same out of the Scriptures that coelestial glass though this also must be done by the spirits help Therefore Thirdly If thou wilt be Soul-wise and truly profit by studying the Scriptures be frequent and fervent in Prayer to God who is the only giver of it for the direction of his holy spirit For first humble and faithful Prayer ushered in by meditation is the cure of al obscurity Especially being accompanied with fervor and fervency as you may see Matth. 21.22 If any lack wisdom saith St. James let him ask of God who giveth to al men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shal be given him Jam. 1.5 Mark the words it is said if any wherefore let no man deny his soul this comfort Again ask and have It cannot come upon easier terms Yea God seems to like this sure so well in Solomon as if he were beholding to his Creature for wishing well to it self And in vain do we expect that alms of grace for which we do not so much as beg
the same alloy for each soul seduced or afflicted to be had without any expence which Books like Glasses will shew them from Gods Word the very faces of their hearts And like Peter to Cornelius Acts 11. tell them words whereby with blessing from above both they and their Associates by their means may be saved Vers. 1â— And that they might the better recompence the Readers pains whether he propound to himself pleasure or profit they are as many Revereud Divines deem a brief Collection of the most winning and convincing Arguments out of the choicest Authors very pithily orderly and elegantly conveyed and embellished with much both variety of graceful and delightful illustration Yea if such as they concern shall be pleased to make use of them they may with God's blessing not onely have their viceâ— lessened their knowledg increased and their mindes cheered and comforted but probably they shall finde in them the flower cream or quintessence of what would otherwise cost them twenty years reading to extract It remains onely that the Patients for whom this Physick is proper be prevailed withall to take it For although here is all necessary provision made and the Guests lovingly invited yet of themselves they will refuse to come as in thaâ— Parable of the Lords Supper Luke 14.16 to 25. Because as good meats are unwelcome to sick persons so is good counsel to obstinate sinners Here is light but they love darkness rather then light lest their deeds which are evil should be reproved Onely they that do well and love truth will come to the light that their deeds may be made manifest John 3.19 20 21. Also many young novices in sin will entertain them as Lot did those Angels that came to fetch him out of Sodom Gen. 19. And probably some Parents and Masters will desire them to prevent the spreading of these Gangrenes in their Children and Servants But as for the parties principally concerned and invited and that stand in the greatest need and are most to be pitied they will even storm at this very Offer of Help and hiss like Serpents because it troubles their Nests Being like him Luke 8.27 28. who having been possest with Divels a long time was at length very loath to part with his Guests Indeed if some whose hearts God hath already changed would put them into their hands and use their best Art to make them relished For like Babes meat must not onely be given them but prepared too and put into their mouths some return of good might happily come thereof As weak means shall serve the turn where God intends success Even a word seasonably spoken God blessing it like a Rudder somtimes steers a man quite into another Course Antiockus by hearing from a poor man all the faults which he and his Favorites had committed carried himself most virtuously ever after Antoninus amended his future life and manners by onely hearing what the people spake of him The very crowing of a Cock occasioned Peters repentance Augustine that famous Doctor was converted by onely reading that Text Rom. 13.13 Let us walk honestly as in the day-time c. Learned Iunius with reading the first Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospel was won to the faith of Christ. And Melancthon mnch after the same manner I have read of two famous Strumpets that were suddenly converted by this onely Argument That God seeth all things even in the dark when the doors are shut and the curtains drawn And Mountain tells of a libidinous Gentleman that sporting with a Courtizan in a house of sin happened to ask her name which she said was Mary whereat he was so stricken with reverence and remorse that he instantly both cast off the Harlot and amended his whole future life Bilney's Confession converted Latimer yea Adrianus was not onely converted but became a Martyr too by only hearing a Martyr at the Stake allege that text Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard c. 1 Cor. 2.9 Yea it was an observation of Mr Iohn Lindsay that the very smoke of Mr Hamilton converted as many as it blew upon Yea even those Iews that crucified the Son of God were converted by hearing those few words of Peter Act. 2. And it pleased God when I my self was in as hopelesse a condition as any of those Sensualists before-mentioned I mean as much fore-stalled with prejudice against Religion and the Religious that a man's perswading me to leave reading of Poetrie and fall upon the Bible was a means of changing my heart before I had read out Genesis being but twenty years of age Whom I more bless God for then for my Parents from whom I received life And this because I know no better way to express my thankfulness to him who hath freeâ—d me from frying in Hell-flames for ever and ever then by endeavouring to win others from Satans Standart to Christs makes me do the like to others For I seldom hear any one swear or scoff or see any drunk or the like but I present them with one of these fore-mentioned Messages from that God whom they so daringly and audasiously provoke Nor do I alwaies miss the mark at which I aim And I tell it you because many discreet ones are apt to wonder that I so make my self a scorn and gazing stock to fools Though I shall never think it a shame to me which was the onely glory of him that was a man after God's own heart as you may very often hear him profess as in Psalm 50 15. 71.17 18 19 24. 51. 14. 119.171 22.22 35.18 and many the like see Luke 8.38 39. I also mention it that I may if possible in this covetous cold and dull Age pâ—ovoke others to do the same or at least somthing for the saving of these poor ignorant and impotent wretches that are neither able nor willing to help themselves Though as one would think for I speak to enlightned souls they should not need spurring nor prompting to this Duty For what heart would it not make to bleed that hath any Christian blood in his veins to see what multitudes there are that go blinde-fold to destruction And no man offer to stop or check them before they arrive there from whence there is no Redemption Math. 7.13 14. 1 Ioh. 5.19 Rev. 20.8 13.16 Isa. 10.22 Roman 9.27 2 Tim. 2.26 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 2.1 to 4. Phil. 3.18 Ioh. 8.44 14.30 Yea how should it not make all that are themselves got out of Satan's clutches plot study and contrive all they can to draw others of their brethten after them We read that Andrew was no sooner converted and become Christ's Disciple but instantly he drew others after him to the same Faith Iohn 1.41 and the like of Philip ver 45. and of the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.28 to 41. And of Peter Luke 22.32 Acts 2.41 and 3 Chap. and 4.4 And so of all the Apostles Yea Moses so thirsted after the salvation of
as safe as if they were in Abrahams bosom Their Adamantine hearts will neither yield to the fire nor to the hammer admit of no impression yea let them hear of never so many judgments they tremble and relent no more then the seats they sit on or the stones they tread on Even the declaration of sins denunciation of judgements description of torments and the like no more stir them then a tale moves one in a dream their supine stupidity is no more capable of excitation then the Sea Rocks are of motion or the Billowes of compassion which would make one even tremble to think of it CHAP. II. § 1. BUt what is the reason why men make no more use of these Predictions of this warning but that as neer as can be computed one of two are lascivious or voluptuous two of three drunkards â—n Gods account nine of ten cruel unjust persons nineteen of twenty swearers twenty nine of thirty Athiests thirty nine of forty ignorant wretches forty nine of fifty covetous ninety nine of an hundred open or secret enemies to the power of Religion and contemners of holinesse For certainly what God in these three particulars hath revealed in his Word cannot be unknown to any among us that hate not the light for every house almost hath a Bible and Christ hath continued his Gospel amongst us now neer upon an hundred years with such supply of able Ministers that no Nation under Heaven may compare with us § 2. I might give you many reasons of this as that they were born stark dead in sin and they thank God they are no changelings that they are as good as their Fore-fathers or those among whom they live and they neither desire to be better nor wiser yea it were a ridiculous singularity so to be That the custome of sin hath brawned their hearts and blinded their minds That they do as Satan their God 2 Cor. 4.4 and Father Ioh. â— 44 and King or Prince Eph. 2.2 would have them to do That they will either not hear the Word for I think I may say that one half of the men and women in the Kingdome come not once a year within the Church-doors I mean the poorer sort that do not know they have soules It were good they were compelled to hear the Word preached for the wicked like sullen children would not forsake their play for their meat but for the Rod of Correction And many Saints in heaven might now confess that they had not known God but for the Laws First compulsory means brought them to the feast whereof once tasting they would never leave it Compel them to come in c. Luk 14.23 Or if they do hear the Word and understand it in some measure they will not apply it to themselves That they will not receive the truth in love that they might be saved are therefore given over to strong delusions to believe lies That they will not by any means that Christ can use understand be converted and saved therefore they shall not understand nor be converted nor saved Isai. 6.9 10. Matth. 13.15 That they harden their own hearts whereupon their hearts are more hardned That because they will not regard nor retein God in their thoughts God gives them over to a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 That because they will not take the Spirits counsel the Spirit gives them up to walk in their own counsels Ier. 9.14 That they wil believe Satan rather then God therefore God delivers them up to Satan so to be deluded that the light of the glorious Gospel shall not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Eph. 2.2 2 Thes. 2.9 10. 1 Tim. 4.7 That they are not as they ought and as it was in the Primitive times cast out of the Church and all Christian society by excommunication as dirt into the street 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 1 Tim. 1.20 Rom. 16.17 18. 2 Thes. 3.6 1 Tim. 6.5 2 Tim. 3.5 That they do as their flattering False Prophets teach them That they think they have as good hearts as the best and therefore follow that deceitful guide That they are not verâ—t in the Scriptures at least they understand not the spirituality of the Word nor have they the Spirit to convince them of sin But I have largely handled these â—pon other occasions wherefore I will passe them and onely give you this one and I pray minde it § 3. Wicked men and such are all natural and unregenerate persons whether loose Libertines or rich worldlings or civil Iusticiaries or formal hypocrites or profound humanists or cunning Politicians are so blockish and void of spiritual understanding that they will not believe what is written till they feel what is written nothing will fully confute them but fire brimstone Sin shuts their eyes and only punishment can open them Nor will they once think of Heaven till with that rich man they are tormented in the flames of hell but even that rich man that had so little care of his own soul during life when he was in hell-torments took care for his Brethrens not out of charity but because as he had by his perswasion ill example bin the occasion of their greater sin so they by continuing in those sins should be the occasion of his more grievous torment But had he bin so wise as to have believed Moses the Prophets report of hell he needed never to have come into it The common case of all that come there They will not believe what Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles tell them touching the truth justice and severity of God in punishing sin with eternal destruction of body and soul and the necessity of obeying his Precepts until they shall hear Christ say unto them Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 § 4. And indeed for want of this fore-wit the wisest worldlings as Balaam and Iudas and the rich man in the Gospel and the Scribes and Pharisees and all Atheists are in Scripture-language stiled fools and the wisdome of the world called foolishnesse twelve times in one Chapter Read 1 Cor. 1. and Chap. 2. Nor can there be so sure a signe to distinguish between a wise man and a fool A wise man saith Bernard fore-sees the torments of hell and avoideth them but a fool goeth on merrily until he feeleth them and then sayes I had not thought True many wicked men are taken to be wise and in some sense are so they have enlightened heads and fluent tongues as had Balaam Iudas and Paul before his conversion and the Scribes and Pharisees but their hearts remain dark and foolish as is plain by Rom. 1.21 22. Ioh. 3.10 Whence even the wisest of them are called by our Saviour fools and blinde Matth. 23.16 17 19 24 26. and 27.3 4 5. 2 Pet. 2.16 And indeed what is that wisdome worth which nothing profits the owner of it either touching vertue or
pride fourty years and five hundred or ten thousand pounds c. let them be in their right senses they cannot thin that God will take this for a good discharge of their Steward-ships though the devil may and will make them beleive that Christ will quit all scores between 〈…〉 father and them And thus I have made it plain that want and beggery is the 〈…〉 parent to riot and prodigality and that he who when he should not 〈…〉 too much shall when he would not have too littel to spend a 〈…〉 young gulls I have likewise shown that what the covetous 〈…〉 As O that the covetous Moule who is now digging a house in the earth for his posterity did but fore-see how his Prodigal son will consume whâ—â— he with so much care and industry hath scraped together for should he have leave hereafter to come out of hell for an hour and see it he would curse this his folly yea if possible it would double the pain of his infernall torment as it fares with Gnipho the Usurer who as Lucian feigneth lying in hell lamenteth his miserable estate that one Rodochares an incestuous Prodigal on earth consumed his goods Wastfully which he by unjust means had scraped together so carefully the which seemeth to have some affinity with the word of truth why else is Dives being in hell torments said to lift up his eyes and to see Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome parlying so seriously about his brethren whom he had left behind him Luke 16 23 c. Why else doth our Saviour say that the wicked shall gnash their teeth for vexation when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven and themselves thrust out of doors Luke 13.28 But that thou mayst the better foresee or at least fore-think what will follow I will shew thee thy case in sundry other persons Clodius son to Esophus the Tragedian spent marvelous great wealth which his father left him Epicharmus the Athenian having a large patrimony left him by his parents consumed it in six dayes and all his life time after lived a begger Apicius in banquetting spent great revenues left him by his parsimonius father and then because he would not lead a miserable life hanged himself Pericles Calias and Nicius by prodigall lavishing and palpable sensuallity spent in a short time very great patrimonies left them by their parents and when all their means was gone they drank each of them a poysoned potion one to an other and dyed in the place Again we read that Caligula in one year of his reign spent prodigally sixty seven millions of gold which Tiberius his Predecessor had gathered together as Tacitus tells us and whereas Iohn the 22. left behind him as Petrarch reports two hundred and fifty tun of gold insomuch that an odde fellow made this jest of him Erat Pontifex maximus 〈…〉 tumen maximus Pope Sixtus Quintus called of 〈…〉 by-word for selling our Kingdom to Philip of Spain Six 〈◊〉 through his intollerable covetousnesse left in his Exchequer five 〈…〉 his succersâ—r Gregory the fourteenth wasted four of them in ten 〈…〉 CHAP. 4. ANd so you have three Chapters taken out of the prevention of poverty In Gods goodnesse and Englands unthankfulnesse by the same Authour I find this ensuing Character of a Prodigall or Loose Libertine it is in Chapter the 9th where he is appointed to lead the Troop of Ignorant unbeleiving Ingrateful and wicked persons as Iudas led the Souldiers It begins and goes on as followeth Thou that art Openly profane dost so manifestly prove and profess thy self to be one of those ignorant unbelieving ingrateful and wicked wretches herein concern'd yea to be one of the children of disobedience whom Satan hath blinded that in respect of others I should think it needlesse to spend time in further proof thereof yet I would gladly say something to shame thee out of thy self wherefore briefly thus Thou art kept by the Devil in a snare and taken captive of him at his will he ruleth and worketh his pleasure in thee as being thy God and father and Prince and Master 2 Tim. 2.26 Joh. 8.44 and 14.30 2 Cor. 4.4 Thy odious qualities are these and the like thou doest banish all civility and give thy self over to sensuality and art neither afraid nor ashamed to let thy wickedest thoughts break forth into actions Yea thou thinkest thy self the honester man for it and boastest thou art none of those dissembling Hypocrites that seem to be what they are not Thou art a common Drunkard in stead of quenching thy thirst thou drownest thy senses Thou desirest not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Thou art a continual swearer and that of bloody oaths One of our Ruffians or sons of Belial who when thou art displeased with others will 〈◊〉 in thy Makers face and tear thy Saviours Name in peices even swearing away thy part in that blood which must save thee if ever thou beâ—st saved Yea if thou art never so little provoked curses with thee strive for number with oaths and lewd speeches with both Thou knowest no other dialect then roaring swearing and banning and in case thou arâ— reproved for it thou wilt say We take too much upon us as Câ—â—ah and his complices twitted Moses Numb 16 3. not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Levit. 19.17 Heb. 3.11 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 3.18 to 22.2 Pet. 2.7 8 Whence as the Chief Priests answered 〈…〉 is that to us so thou wilt blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and 〈…〉 22.1 We are much more bound to help our Neighbour himself from dropping into the bottomlesse pit of Hell And what know we but we may win our brother and so save his soul Matth 18.15 Again thou art an usual companion of Harlots thy summum bonum is a Punk and thou wilt rather burn in Hell then marry Thou art one of those that St. Peter speaks of thou hast eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sin Thou gazest upon every fair face and lustest after every beautiful woman â—hy speech is lewd and obscene thy discourse scurrility lascivious thy behaviour Thou art a frequent slanderer of thy Neigbour an open Sabbath-breaker Canst boast of sin and mischief and if need be defend it Like the Salamander thou art never well but in the fire of contention And art apt to quarrel yea kill a man for every foolish trifle be it but for the wall or refusing to pledge thee as if thy honour were of more worth then thy soul. Yea the Devil hath so blinded and bewitcht thee that thou thinkest every wrong or disgraceful word quarrel just enough to shed blood that true valour consists only in a brave revenge and being implacable that patience is but an argument of basenesse and therefore thou wilt raâ—her suffer a sword in thy bowels then a lye in thy throat I confesse thou wilt fight in no quarrel but a
he hath or â—akeâ— in hand but when he and what he hath is also â—ursed for 〈◊〉 â—â—hers sake For whereas the Holy Ghost saith of the just man His seed â—â—all be mighty upon earth his generation shall be blessed c. Psal. 112.2 and many the like Psal. 103. where God hath promised to bless and reward the children yea the childrens children for their fathers goodness vers 17. Isa. 58 10 11.12 Psal. 37.25 26 112.2 to 6. Of which I might give you examples not a few The children of Noah were preserved from drowning for their fathers sake Gen. 7.1 Mephibosheth fares the better for his fathers goodness the Kenites for Iâ—tbroes 1 Sam. 15.6 and that some hundreds of yeers after their Ancester was dead Phiâ—eas his seed for his sake Numb 25.11 12 13. Solomon for his father Davids sake 2 Sam. 1.2 Ishmael for Abrahams sake Gen. 17.20 And all Israel fared the better for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake Deut. 4 37. 1 Kings 11.12 The loving-kindness of the Lord sayes the Psalmist indureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him and his righteousness upon childrens children Psal. 103.17 Exod. 20.6 And as God usually blesseth and rewardeth the children for their fathers goodness so on the contrary Exod. 20 5. Eternal payments God uses to require of the persons only temporary oftentimes of succession as we sue the Heirs and Executors of our Debtors God hath peremtorily told us that he will visit the iniquity of ungodly parents upon their children unto the third and fourth generation Exod. 20.5 As for the sin of Haman his teâ— sons were hanged Hester 9.13 14. And so for Sauls sin his seven sons were likewise hanged 2. Sam. 21.6 and thus for Achans sin all his sons and daughters were stoned to death and burned with fire by the Commandment of Moses who was in Gods stead Iosh. 7. Yea God hath peremtorily threatned Psal. 109. that the children of a cruel and unmercifully man shall be Vagabonds and beg their bread and that none shall extend mercy or favor unto them ver 7. to 17. God will make those children beggars for whose sakes the fathers have made so many beggars this is a truth which the father will not beleeve but as sure as God is just the Sonne shall feele As what common and daily experience have we thereof had men but the wit to observe it for hence it is that riches ill got shift masters so often As rare it is if the wealth of an Oppressor doth last to the fourth generation seldom to the second for commonly in this case as the father was the first that raised his house by his extream getting and saving so the son proves the last in overthrowing his house by excessive spending and lavishing as Tullius Cicero answered a Prodigal that told him he came of beggerly parents for no man when his means is gone will ever after trust him with a stock to begin the world again the case standing with him as it did with the unjust Steward who having wasted his masters goods for the time past could not bee trusted with the like for the time to come and whereas hitherto he hath with Esau rejected the blessing of prosperity it will be denyed him hereafter though he should seek it with tears and which is worse then all if death find him as is much to be feared as banquerout of spirituall as of worldly goods it will senâ— hâ—m to an eternal prison for what can wee think of them that do not only lose crusts crummes which our 〈◊〉 would have carefully gathered up Iohn 6.12 but even lavish when away whole patrimonies yea most wickedly spend them in riot and upâ—â— Dice Drabs Drunkenness Oh the fearful account which these unthâ—â—â— Baylifs will one day have to give up to our great Lord and Master wheâ— he shall call them to a strict reckoning of their talents he was condemâ—â—â— that encreased not the sum concredited to him what then shall become of him that lawlessely and lavishly spends and impaires it bringing 〈◊〉 such a reckoning as this Item spent upon my lusts pleasures and prâ—â—â— fourty years and five hundred or ten thousand pounds c. let them be 〈◊〉 their right sences they cannot think that God will take this for a 〈◊〉 discharge of their Steward-ships though the devill may and will maâ—â— them believe that Christ will quit all scores between him the fatâ—eâ— and them And thus I have made it plain that want and beggery is the heirâ—â— parent to riot and prodigality and that he who when he should not speâ—â—â— too much shal when he would not have too little to spend a good lesson for young gulls I have likewise showne that what the covetous hath bâ—â—gotten is as ill bestowed and worse imployed a good item for old Curmudgens to take notice of that so they may not starve their bodies and damn their souls for their sons to so little purpose As O that the covetous Moule who is now digging a house in the eaâ—â—â— for his posterity did but fore-see how his prodigal son will consume what he with so much care and industry hath scraped together for should he have leave hereafter to come out of hell for an hour and see it hee would curse this his folly yea if possible it would double the pain of his infernall torment as it fares with Gnipho the Vsurer who as Luciaâ— feigneth lying in hell lamenteth his miserable estate that one Rodochâ—res an incestuous Prodigal on earth consumed his goods wastfully which he by unjust means had scraped together so carefully the which seemeth to have some affinity with the word of truth why else is Dives being in hell torments said to lift up his eyes and to see Abraham a farre 〈◊〉 and Lazarus in his bosome parlying so seriously about his brethren whoâ— he had left behind him Luke 16.23 c. Why else doth our Savioâ—â— say that the wicked shall gnash their teeth for vexation when they shall 〈◊〉 Abraham Isaac Iacob in the Kingdom of heaven and themselves thrâ—â— out of doors Luke 13.28 But that thou mayst the better fore-see or at lest fore-think what 〈◊〉 follow I will shew thee thy case in sundry other persons Clodius son to Esophus the Trâ—gedian spent marvelous great wealâ—â—â— which his father left him Epicharmus the Athenian having a large pâ—trimony left him by his parents consumed it in six dayes and all his life time after lived a begger Apicius in banqueting spent great reâ—â—â—nues left him by his parsimonious father and then because he would 〈◊〉 lead a miserable life hanged himself Pericles Callias and Nicius by prodigall lavishing and palpable sensuallity spent in a shorttime very great â—â—trimonies left them by their parents and when all their means was gone they drank each of them a poysoned potion one to another and dyed 〈◊〉 the place Again we read that Caligula in one year of his reign spent prodigally sixty
to say All that is truly mine I carry with me They desire not so much to lay up treasure for themselvs upon earth but to lay up for themselvs in Heaven as their Lord and Master hath commanded them Matth. 6.19 20. What saith the Apostle Let not covetousness be once named among Saints Ephes. 5.3 As if that world which many prefer before Heaven were not worth talking of All worldly things are but lent us our houses of stone wherein our bodies dwell our houses of clay wherein our souls dwell are but lent us honours pleasures treasures money maintenance wives children friends c. but lent us we may say of them all as he said of the Ax-head when it fell into the water 2 Kings 6.5 Alasâ— they are but borrowed Only spiritual graces are given of those things there is only a true donation whereof there is a true possession worldly things are but as a Tabernacle a moveable heaven is a mansion Now put all these together and they will sufficiently shew that he is a fool or a mad man that prefers not spiritual riches which are subject to none of these casualties before temporal and transitory And so at lenght I have shewn you what it is not and what it is to be rich And I hope convinced the worldling that the richest are not alwayes the happiest Yea that they are the most miserable who swim in wealth wanting grace and Gods blessing upon what they do possesse while that man is incomparably happy to whom God in his love and favour giveth only a competency of earthly things and the blessing of contentation withall so as to be thankful for the same and desire no more I will now in discharge of my promise acquaint you how of poor melancholy and miserable you may become rich happy and cheerful CHAP. XXVIII THe which I shal do from the Word of God Nor need it seem strage that for the improving of mens outward estates I prescribe them rules and directions from thence For would we be instructed in any necessary truth whether it be Theological concerning God Ecclesiastical concerning The Church Political concerning The Common-wealth Moral concerning Our neighbours and friends Oeconomical concerning Our private families Monastical concerning Our selves Or be it touching Our Temporal estate Civil estate Spirituul estate Eternal Souls Bodies Names Estates Posterities We need but have recourse to the written Word For that alone is a magazine of all needful provision a store-house of all good instructions And let a man study Machiavel and all the Machiavilians and State-politicians that ever wrote he can add nothing or nothing of worth to what may be collected thence touching this subject Wherefore if any of poor would become rich let him use the means which tend thereunto observe and follow those Rules and Directions which God hath prescribed and appointed in his Word which are principally six For as the Throne of Solomon was mounted unto by six stairs so is this Palace of Plenty and Riches ascended unto by six steps set upon this ground already laid For I find in the Word six infallible wayes to become rich or six sorts of men whom God hath promised to bless with riches and all outward prosperity That is to say 1 The Godly 2 The Liberal 3 The Thankful 4 The Humble 5 The Industrious 6 The Frugal These of all other men in the world are sure never to want And these are the main heads unto which I will draw all I shall say upon this Partition or Division CHAP. XXIX FIrst if any of poor would become rich let him become religious for Godliness hath the promises of this life as well as of the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yea all temporall blessings that can be named are promised to the godly and their seed and to them only as both the Old and New Testament does plainly and plentifully prove As for instance in Deuteronomy the 28th God hath promised that if we will hearken diligently unto his voice observe and do all his Commandements and walk in his wayes we shall be blessed in the city and blessed in the field blessed in our going forth and in our comming home blessed in the fruit of our bodies and in the fruit of our ground and in the fruit of our cattel the increase of our kine and the flocks of our sheep That he will bless us in our store-houses and in all that we set our hands unto and make us plentiful in all good things and that we shall have wherewith to lend unto many and not borrow Verse 1 to 15th and Chap. 7.11 to 19th To which may be added many the like places As Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements wealth and riches shall be in his house Psal. 112. Verse 1 to 4th Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he will exalt thee to inherit the land Psal. 37.34 The Lord will with-hold no good thing from them that walk uprightly Psal. 84.11 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee thine hearts desire c. Psal. 37. 3 to 7. Fear ye the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth to them that fear him The Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal. 34.9 10. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight 1 John 3.12 What rare and precious promises are these to which I might add very many of like nature All which David had the experience of who tels us that he greatly rejoyced in the strength and salvation of the Lord and the Lord gave him his hearts desire and did not with-hold the request of his lips Yea he prevented him with the blessings of goodness and set a crown of gold upon his head Psal. 11.1 2 3 4. And the like of Abraham and Lot and Iob and Solomon Let us first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be ministred unto us or come in as it were upon the bargain as our Saviour hath assured us Matth. 6.33 Talis est ille qui in Christâ— credit die qua credidit qualis ille qui universam legem implevit saith Hierom We have a livery and seisin of all the precious promises both in the Law and Gospel in the first moment of our faith Yea even an earnest and partly a possession of Heaven it self Ephes. 2.6 Neither are these promises made only to the obedient themselves but riches and all earthly blessings are entailed upon their seed also Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Verse 2 3. Nor is riches and outward prosperity promised to the godly and their seed as others usually enjoy them that is single and barely but they have a promise of them with a supply and addition of all other good
easily parteth with his worldly goods to these uses unless by faith he be assured that he shall have in lieu of them heavenlâ—y and everlasting treasures The merciful man is ever a faithfull man Fourthly it testifies our unfeigned repentance whereof it is that Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezer Wherefore O King break off thy sins by repentance and thine iniquities by shewing mercy unto the poore Dan. 4 27. The which Zacheus practised Luke 19. For no sooner was he converted unto God but to testifie his unfeigned repentance he giveth half his goods unto the poore Verse 8. Fifthly giving much is an infallible signe that many sins are forgiven us as our Saviour speaketh of the woman Luke 7.47 Sixthly by it we may know our selves to be the children of God 1 Iohn 3.14 Yea and others may also know it Iohn 13.34 35. And hereby we know the unmercifull to be none of Gods children â—or the Father of Mercies hath no children but the mercifull Seventhly it is said that Obadia feared God greatly for when Iesabel destroied the Prophets of the Lord he took an hundred Prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave and he fed them with bread and water 1 Kings 18.3.4 Therefore it is a sure signe of the fear of God Eightly they are undoubted signes of our love towards God When as we so love the poore for his sake as that we be content to spare somewhat even from our own backs and bellies that we may the more liberally communicate unto their necessities But this a wicked man will never do the onely loves the Lord is 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 onely 〈…〉 riches by him Or as Saul loved Samuel to gain honour by him True they will say they love God and perhaps think so too but let them say what they will if unmercifull I will never believe against Scripture that they love God whom they have not seen that love not their brother whom they have seen if we love him we will love one another 1 Iohn 4.20 21. If any man saies the Apostle have these worlds goods and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 Iohn 3.17 And as they are manifest signes of our love to God so also of our love towards our Neighbours when as we carry our selves in all Christian bounty towards them as unto Children of the same Father and members of the same body suffering with them in their wants through compassion and fellow-feeling and rejoycing with them in their fulness and prosperity Hereby we know that we love the brethren because our hearts and hands are open to them for love is bountifull For otherwise it is but an unprofitable counterfeit and hypocriticall love to make shew of kindness and compassion in word and to perform nothing in deed as Saint Iames plainly affirmeth Iamesâ— 15. But that this alone is the best touchstone to shew the sincerity and truth of our love many places demonstrate as 2 Cor. 8.8 24. 1 Iohn 3.18 CHAP. XXVII And as our Almesdeeds are a sign of our love to God and our Neighbourâ— so the quantity of our almes respect being had to the proportion of our estate is a signe of the quantity of our love for he loveth but little that having much giveth but a little and contrariwise his heart is inâ—lamed with fervent love who hath it inflamed with bounty towards his poore brethren the extension of our love towards them being the true touchstone of the intention of our love towards God And as a great tree with many and large branches is an undoubted sign of a root proportionable in greatness and a small shrub above the ground plainly sheweth that the root also is small wch is under it so is it with our Almesdeeds which spring from it For if we be bountiful in Almes we are plentifull in love if we be slack in giving we are cold in loving but if we be utterly defective in bringing forth these excellent fruits then it is a manifest sign that this grace of love is not rooted in us 1 Iohn 3.17 Ninthly It is an evident demonstration that we have saving knowledge and spiritual wisdom for the wisdom that is from above is full of mercy and good fruits Iames 3.17 Otherwise we are not wise our wisdom descends not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Verse 15. Tenthly By these works of mercy we make our calling and election sure for if we do these things we shall never fall as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1.7 8 10. And St. Paul infers Col. 3. Put on as the elect of God holy and beloved the bowels of mercy and kindness Verse 12. Which makes him in another place call charity a never failing grace 1 Cor. 1.8 And a little afâ—er he useth these words Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Verse 13. Eleventhly This is a duty which undoubtedly must justifie the truth of our religion or else condemn us as hollow hearted and swayed by hypocrisie Iames 1. This is pure religion and undefiled before God to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction Verse 27. O that this lesson would enter home into every one of our hearts before we go out of our houses For men may cry up this side and cry down that but of all the three the Priest the Levite and the Samaritan none but the Samaritan that shewed mercy to him that was fallen into the hands of theeves was wounded and stript of his rayment was justified and approved of by our Saviour Luke 10.36 37. And indeed God so highly prizeth and esteemeth mercy and the works wherein it is exercised towards the poore that he preferreth them before the outward acts of religious duties Hosea 6.6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice that is rather then sacrifice This is the oblation which he chiefly requireth yea if we but look Micha 6. we shall fiâ—d that God esteemeth it more or above all sacrifices and burnt offerings were it thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oyle Verse 6.7 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Verse 8 Finally these works of mercy are not onely an odor of a sweet smell and a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4.18 But also such an oblation as if we offer unto God with a lively faith the use of all the creatures shall be clean unto us according to that of our Saviour Luke 11 4â— See more Heb. 13.16 Isa. 58.6 7 8. Iames 1.27 And this is a Twelfth benefit CHAP. XXVIII Thirteenthly another no small benefit that we have thereby is by our bounty towards the poor we have the benefit of their prayers unto God the which are very available for the obtaining of all good things for us the which