and the ofscouring of all things and so to become euen fooles for Christs sake praying for those that both speake and doe euill vnto thē and blessing them that persecute them yea and not this onely but also euen hating their owne liues and giuing vp themselues vnto death the most bitter and cruell deaths that can possibly bee deuised by the most bloodie tyrants that euer were or can bee rather then to bee once drawne from the loue the faith and obedience of Christ and from the profession of that trueth which they haue receiued Alas how farre doe wee come behinde those Worthies that haue gone before vs whose example the Lord hath set vp as a light amongst vs that we might see how to tread in their steps and to imitate thē in those graces for which their memorie shall bee blessed for euer how vnlike are our liues vnto theirs if we lay them both together looke vpon them with an equall view How few are those that shine in those excellent vertues of zeale deuotion faith sinceritie pietie charitie brotherly loue patience constancie and perseuerance in all which they haue been so eminent that the very remembrance of them may shame this age wherein we liue and cause many to blush who thinke that they haue great wrong done to them if they may not haue the name for good Christians and be so reputed and esteemed amongst men how little soeuer they deserue it indeed Nay so degenerate are the most in these latter times and their liues and manners so much swaruing from the vertues and religious courses and practises of our forefathers those whō God hath made examples for our imitation that euen hee according to the common rate shall bee accounted honest religious enough and one that hath made sufficient proceedings in the schoole of Christianitie that is no open notorious and hainous offender not tainted with any grosse and capitall crime theft adulterie drunkennes extortiō oppression no common railer or slanderer of others no malitious detracter no troublesome contentious person but one of a free and ingenuous disposition of a ciuill carriage and commendable behauiour one that liues quietly and friendly among his neighbours and is carefull of outward obseruances which either law or some other sinister respect draweth him vnto and which a meere pagan heathen might performe as well as hee though he bee farre from the truth of religion neither fearing God nor working righteousnesse but altogether neglecting those maine and especiall duties both of the publike and priuate worship and seruice of God which hee requireth and hath expressely commanded as prayer due and diligent reading hearing meditating and conferring of the word and those things which might tend to spirituall edification sanctifying of the Sabbath instructing of his familie yea although in reregard of zeale he be of a colder temper then the luke-warme Laodiceās euer were euen almost ashamed of that forwardnes and feruencie in the discharge of those duties which the word of God doth prescribe vnto him and of that strictnes and precisenes which the Scripture exacteth of him This is the estate of our times thus haue most declined and gone backward in this last and worst age of the world wherein wee see that verified which the trueth it selfe long ago foretold and which now is most apparent to all that haue any discerning viz. that the loue zeal of many is growen cold men generally are lesse feruent and more defectiue in the duties of pietie and godlinesse then they haue been heretofore although the meanes were neuer more plentifully afforded vnto any then they are now and through the grace and mercie of God haue been a long time It is wofull to see and cōsider the great change and alteration which now if we haue eyes wee cannot but see almost in euery place amongst all sorts and degrees of men what a generall defection as it were is there from the pietie deuotion innocencie simplicitie and godlie purenes the holie conuersation and religious practises the zeale integritie sinceritie vnfained loue and charitie and al those excellent vertues and graces of the holy men of God that haue bin before vs O blessed Lord as thou hast set the liues of many of thy Saints and seruants as an ensample before mine eyes that I should be a follower of thē and walke as they haue walked according to the rule of thy word so grant I beseech thee that I may bee excited and prouoked whiles I looke on them to imitate them in their vertues and to labour to frame my life according to that paterne which thou in them hast prescribed vnto me and carefully to endeuour proceeding by one and the same rule according vnto which they haue walked to attaine vnto that perfection of diuine and spiritual graces which it pleased thee to vouchsafe vnto them euen because they chose the way of wisedome and delited in the waies of thy commandemēts Let the example of their zeale for thy glorie make me more zealous and earnest in those things which are good and whereby thou maist be glorified Let the example of their true and godly deuotiō make me more deuout and religious Their vprightnes sinceritie and godly simplicitie let them stirre me vp vnto the same vertues Their diligence cheerefulnes and alacritie in the works of thy worship and seruice let them draw me vnto the same duties The example of their patience in so many and so great afflictions and trials let it be an especiall motiue and inducement to make mee the more patient the example of their meeknes to make me the more meeke of their humilitie to make me the more humble of their kindnes long sufferance and brotherly loue and affection to make me the more tender hearted louing and charitable vnto all men of their contempt of the world and the vanities thereof to make me the lesse to regard them of their holy and heauenly conuersation to make mee the more heauenly minded the more heauenly affected hauing my heart continually lifted vp farre aboue all these earthly and transitorie things to the serious consideration and meditation of those most excellent and glorious things which are aboue euen those vnsearchable vnspeakable riches and treasures of that glory and endlesse blessednes and happines which thou hast prepared for thy children in that celestiall kingdome that thus being carefull to follow the example of thy chosen seruants whom thou hast set vp as lights to shine vnto me for my better direction in the way of godlinesse which leadeth vnto life and saluation I may hereafter enter into that ioy and be made partaker of the same glorie of which they haue now the fruition in that heauenly mansion Heauenly mindednes THE eye of a Christian should be alwaies in heauen euen when hee is most busied in these earthlie affaires he is to haue his minde lifted vp vnto those things which are aboue and to bee euer viewing and beholding with the
it more grieuous vnto me lest I fainted vnder it The liues of the Saints of old and men now a daies how different they are O What differēce is there betweene our liues and the liues of the Saints and holie men of God recorded in scriptures and other writings wherin their examples are commended vnto vs as paterns and presidents to follow in so many rare and excellent vertues as they haue gone before vs and left the memorie of them behinde them as a light to shine vnto vs who walke in the darknes of this world in the middest of such a peruerse and crooked generation among whom we should shine as they haue done Sure when I lay our examples vnto theirs and compare our liues with theirs me thinkes that many euen of those who are esteemed as the best Christians deserue little more then the name of halfe Christians or at least but of weake ones and nouices in this holy profession so farre doe they come short of that which wee see to haue been in them and ought to be in our selues Oh where is the holy and religious conuersation of Enoch whose whole life was a continuall walking in the presence of the glorious God and a daily conuersing familiar acquainting himselfe with him in the carefull and conscionable discharge of all those duties which he required of him Where is the faith of Abraham by which as he well deserued to be accounted the father of vs all that are true beleeuers so also he obteined this as a singular prerogatiue and euidence of the extraordinarie grace and fauour of God towards him to be called and reputed in an especiall maner the friend of God Where is the meeknesse of Moses where is the patience and constancie of Iob in the middest of so many and that so fiery trialls for which the Lord did so plētifully reward him when there seemed almost to be no hope for him and caused his example to be famous among all them that should heare of him Where is the holy zeale of Dauid whose eyes did not drop but euen gush forth as it were riuers of teares and his heart euen consume within him whiles he sawe the wicked trāsgresse the Lawes of God whom he loued so dearely and euen with iust Lot vexed his righteous soule from day to day whiles he beheld the vnlawfull deeds and wicked abominations whereby the Lord was prouoked euerie day Where is his vprightnes and sinceritie in the worship and seruice of God for which the Lord graced him with this title that he was a man after Gods own heart Where is the delight that he tooke in the commandements of God wherin he found such sweetnes that all things els were nothing so pleasing vnto him nor so much desired of him Where is that holy deuotion which proceeded from his pure minde his sanctified heart and his heauenly affections in such sort that night and day continually vpon al occasions he breathed foorth those sweete hymnes and most pleasant songs and ditties of laud and praise vnto the Lord for all his benefits as to himselfe in particular so to the whole Church and all the Saints in generall prouoking them likewise and all creatures to do the same with the same affection Where is the integritie and vprightnes of Iosiah and Ezekiah who walked before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart doing that alwaies which was good in his sight without all guile dissimulation Where is that conscionable practise of a godly and of a Christian life that was in Paul whose desire and endeuour was to haue alwaies a cleere conscience towards God and towards men and to haue his conuersation in the world in simplicitie and godly purenes Or where is the heauenly mindednes of the same Apostle who whiles hee liued in the world yet carried himselfe as one that was of another world hauing his conuersation in heauen from thence expecting and looking for continually the glorious appearance of our blessed Sauiour for the accomplishment of his redemption Or where is there that earnest desire of the conuersion and saluation of others which so manifestly shewed foorth it selfe in him in that it was not only the prayer of his heart but that which he aimed at in all his actions and sought for by all meanes and which that hee might attaine vnto hee thought no labour no trauell painfull or grieuous no nor yet esteemed his life it selfe deare vnto him euen that he might win many vnto Christ bringing thē vnto the knowledge and obedience of the truth that so their soules might bee saued in the day of iudgement Or where is the pietie and deuotion of that religious Gentill who although he wanted the meanes which wee now haue in more plentifull manner yet hath this commendation giuen vnto him that he was a man fearing God himselfe and carefull to haue his whole household and all those that belonged vnto him acquainted with true religion and godlinesse and withal that he caused his prayers and his almes to ascend continually into the presence of God so that the Lord tooke pleasure and delight in him and reuealed himselfe more cleerely and euidently vnto him by the ministerie of his messenger which hee sent vnto him for that purpose Or where is the forwardnes of those noble Beroeans in receiuing the word with all readines and enquiring and searching into the Scriptures from day to day that they might know embrace the truth preached and being well grounded and setled in it continue stedfast and vnmoueable in the profession of it notwithstanding the opposition of all false Teachers and seducing aduersaries Or where is there one like the first Martyr S. Stephen a man full of faith and of the holie Ghost and of that vnfained loue and charitie as to continue praying for his deadly enemies vnto the last breath Or where bee there any that haue that entire and louing affection vnto all the brethrē euen to all the Saints which that beloued Disciple of Christ and fatherly Apostle S. Iohn breathes foorth as it were thoroughout all his Epistles and whereof no doubt he had receiued so great a measure that he desired nothing more then that as hee did so others also might abound in the same grace and thereby vpon good ground be well assured that they were borne of God and translated from death to life In briefe where are they that with the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and other holie men and faithfull seruants of God in former times addresse themselues with all readines willingnes and cheerfulnes to serue the Lord both day and night in watchings in fasting and praier in diuine and heauenly meditations and in the daily exercise of al the duties of a holie and religious course being content if the will of God bee so to passe thorough that fierie triall with patience and perseuerance to bee reuiled disgraced hated persecuted made a gazing stocke to the world yea euen as the filth of the world
iudgeth hauing so precious an esteeme of those whom that maketh no account of and accounting those as vile yea abominable and to bee abhorred of all whom that doth chiefly magnifie and most esteeme of let me haue this resolution alwaies to passe very little what corrupt men or this blinde world deemeth and iudgeth of me and let it be my speciall care to labour alwaies by all meanes to be approued of thee and to be assured that howsoeuer others shall seeke to cast shame reproch and dishonour vpon me yet that I am good in thine eyes and pretious in thy sight one whom thou dost iustifie and wilt glorifie The willing and ioyfull bearing of the crosse a signe of a well growen Christian HE that doth finde sweetnesse in drinking of the bitter cup of afflictions which God daily offereth vnto him it is a signe that hee is a good proficient in the exercise of Christianitie and true religion For to beare the crosse patiently willingly and comfortably to endure wrongs and iniuries to denie himselfe and to die daily vnto the world yea to be crucified vnto it and to haue it crucified vnto him is more then a carnall and naturall man can possibly doe or he that hath not through a daily practise of humilitie and true obedience learned whollie to subiect himselfe vnto Gods will and pleasure Good Lord seeing it pleaseth thee to cause me to taste of the bitternes of many afflictions grant that they may not seeme grieuous but pleasant vnto me knowing that it is thy will thereby to humble me and to make me more fit for the receiuing of a greater measure of thy heauenly grace Seeing thou hast appointed me daily to take vp my crosse and to follow my blessed Sauiour who in so many sufferings of his hath gone before me and left his example as a paterne and president behinde him vnto which all that are his should endeuour to frame thēselues that so they may bee conformable vnto him I humbly beseech thee that it would please thee to giue mee patience willingnes and cheerefulnes in vndergoing whatsoeuer it shall seeme good vnto thee to lay vpō me being fully assured that hereby I shall haue entrance vnto glorie euen that glorie into which thy Christ hath alreadie entred and made a way for me and of which all these light and momentarie afflictions are not worthie nor in any sort comparable thereunto The exceeding follie and vanitie of the wicked O The vaine and preposterous courses of men who doth not wonder that beholdeth and considereth them and how should they not blush and be exceedingly ashamed of their follie and sottishnes when they thinke of them Let the flattering and deceitful world call them and allure them with the enticing promises of earthly and temporall things pleasures profits honours euen those things which are fading and transitorie and they are readie to follow it presently and to shew themselues seruiceable vnto it with all willingnes and readinesse that may be yea to vndergoe much labour and toile and to endure great hardship and to passe thorough many difficulties in the earnestnes of their desire to attaine vnto that whereof notwithstāding they faile oft times and come short of their hope and expectation Let God whose word is truth and who neuer faileth any in that which hee promiseth vnto them nor deceiueth thē that rest vpon him and giue credit vnto his word but satisfieth thē most abundantly and returneth more vnto them then they did either expect or could desire let God euen that gratious and bountifull God with whom is the treasurie of all good things call them and promise vnto them the vnspeakable riches of celestiall and heauenly things such as are most excellent and glorious farre passing the most desireable things of this world and such as shall neuer fade nor bee any waies diminished or once subiect vnto any change or alteration yet they haue no heart to come vnto him or to follow him but are exceeding heauie and drowsie yea very vnapt and vntoward vnto that which were so greatly for their good and in which alone consisteth true blessednesse and eternall felicitie and happinesse O Lord let me neuer bee so foolish as the men of this world are in whom there is no vnderstanding let me be more carefull to serue thee then they are to serue the world euen that cursed Mammō which they make their god Let me labour more for spirituall and heauenlie things such as shall remaine and abide for euer then for those things which are carnall and earthly and such as are of no continuance but shall quickly perish and passe away as a shadow and bee quite forgotten euen as if they had neuer been Yea let me alwaies preferre that inestimable price of glorie that chief that vnchangeable and euerlasting good which thou hast promised and prepared for thy Saints in that celestiall kingdome which I daily expect and hope for before all the alluring and deceitfull vanities the seeming and supposed good yea all the most pretious and glorious things of this world whatsoeuer wherwith those that are earthly-minded are so greatly enamoured and wherein they place the height of their false and imaginarie felicitie and happinesse The spirit of God is the life of the soule AS is the bodie without the soule so is the soule without the spirit of God which is the life thereof If there bee a separation of the soule of man what is his bodie but a dead and a liueles corpse or carcase hauing no sense or motion It cannot once breathe or stirre it selfe nor put foorth any power for the performance of the least action So is it with the soule of euery one in whom the spirit of God is wanting or from whom it is departed There is no life no vigour no power or abilitie to doe any thing which is good yea sooner may a dead body moue it self and exercise the actions and operations of a naturall life then the soule which is without the spirit of God and so destitute of the life of grace can shew foorth any certaine signes and effects of a spiritual life O Lord I haue found by experience what a deadnes there is vpon me if thou at any time withdrawest thy spirit and doest not cause it to worke effectually vpon my soule without the continuall presence and assistance thereof I am not able to doe no not to will or desire in any sort that which is good but am euen as a breathlesse and liuelesse creature one in whō there is no life O therefore let it please thee to powre out thy spirit plentifully vpon me let me alwaies finde it not only present but also powerfully working within me quickning me vnto the willing and cheerefull performance of all those things which thou requirest of me yea let it please thee in whō only I liue and moue and without whom I am as one whose spirit is departed from him let it please thee O Lord to