firme is sauing grace which can neuer be shaken out of the hart Thirdly their Magnitude and greatnesse so great is the mystery of godlinesse amongst all Gods secrets there is none so great as this of mans redemption in the beholding of which the Angels cannot yet satisfie themselues 1 PET. 1. 12. Fourthly Equality and roundnesse much commend pearles The Gospell is offered to all alike to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers to masters and servants rich and poore it is no fault of the Gospell if thou beest not saued by it 5. In regard of their effects Pearles supply our needs at all seasons and therefore NONIVS a Senator of Rome persecuted by M. ANTONIVS prouided onely for himselfe an Vnion of inestimable price to carry with him in his flight by which alone he was rich enough So the Gospell supplyeth all our wants Christ in the Gospell supplyeth vs all things prouideth for vs bread of life and water of life and garments of his owne righteousnesse hee payeth all our debts inricheth vs with inestimable treasures and naked Christ is wealth enough Secondly Pearles serue for ornament and honour and shew a man to bee in dignity some hang them in their eares some hang them in golden chaines vpon their brests some set them in gold and weare them on their fingers So the Gospell is the honour and ornament of a Christian and maketh vp all his indignities and wrongs while he hangeth it on his eare by diligent and carefull hearing while he fastneth this Vnion and Pearle and maketh it shine by faith in his heart◠and while hee weareth it as a ring on his finger by conscionable practise of the commandements of the Gospell which is to beleeue in the Sonne of God and loue one another this man is honoured of God and all his Saints Thirdly many Pearles are of great vse and effect to preuent poyson to preserue naturall strength and recouer it decayed many of them great Cordials and others great comforters of the principall vitall parts of man So the Gospell and good of it preserue the soule from the poyson of sinne preserueth supernaturall strength restoreth and reneweth strength of grace decayed is the onely heauenly Cordiall to comfort the heart in gripes of temptation and accusation it is the comforter in all afflictions that a Christian may say of of it as Dauid of the Law Had not my comfort beene in thy law I had perished long agoe in my trouble Labour then to see the worth and price of the Gospell that with Christ thou mayest preferre this Pearle of the Kingdome aboue all Pearles and Kingdomes and value this Pearle of grace aboue all naturall Pearles Our Sauiour would haue vs see how carnall wee are while such supernaturall treasures are so slightly accounted and at so little and low a rate with vs. How carnall is it to preferre other Pearles which are from earth or sea before this Pearle which only is from heauen How vnwise are wee so highly to value the Pearles whose matter is dust and slime and whose beauty is by the Sunne-beames included and contemne the Pearle the matter of which is the eternall loue of God by Iesus Christ and the beauty the light and grace of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse which for the orient brightnesse excelleth the Sunne shining in his strength Beside neuer shall this Pearle be purchased before it be prized nor euer be of vse to vs vntill we haue purchased it as a Pearle keepeth its shine beauty and vertue wrapped vp in the darkenesse and bowels of the earth but no whit inricheth him that findeth it not Also let vs place our riches in the Gospell which is so farre aboue Pearles as the substance is aboue the shadow Pearles here doe but shadow forth the worth of grace but there is no proportion betweene them in shining vse or beauty First because opinion setteth the price of the one but worth on the other the true worth of the grace of the Gospell heightneth it to him that can truly esteeme it Secondly no Pearle can buy a graine of grace but grace may bring riches and Pearles hauing the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come Thirdly no Pearle can auaile in the day of wrath onely grace opposed to Gods displeasure stinteth it PRO. 11. 4. Fourthly Pearles and treasures can no way further a mans saluation many wayes doe and may hinder it many for gaping after the world lose their owne soules but the wealth of the Gospell onely saueth soules and there is no other meanes besides it Fiftly Peales may make a man rich in this world and adorne the outward man but not the inward neither will they goe with vs hence to doe vs any good here we finde them and here we leaue them But the rich Pearle of the Gospell is indeed ours and maketh vs richest in heauen content thy selfe therefore with it as the blessed Disciple Peter saying Master thou hast the words of eternall life and whither shall we goe How haue the Saints esteemed and made grace their onely jewell and treasure Ps◠119. 111. DAVID made the testimonie of God his Heritage yea the ioy of his heart EPH. 1. 7. The Apostle calleth it a Rich grace and CHAP. 2. 7. The exceeding riches of his grace and COL 1. 17. which riches is Christ in you But men that seeke after grace are the poorest men meane and vnprosperous in the world No they are the richest men though neuer so meane in the world they haue many wayes to bee rich which the worldling wanteth They haue a rich knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 27. they haue faith a rich cōmodity more precious than gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1 7. they haue Christ liuing in them and dwelling in them they haue prayer a Rich store-house they haue title and are indeed heires of the Kingdome of Heauen And suppose they bee afflicted reiected and scorned amongst men yet can they with MOSES account the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt HEB. 11. 46. Oh what a world of sweet content lodgeth in the heart with Christ in want of all things he hath all things If one aske a Christian What is thy Country he may answer Christ and his Countrey What is thy kindred ANS Christ is my kindred MAT. 12. 50. Behold my mother and my brethren and my sisters What is thy wealth and honour ANS Gods Kingdome is mine yea God himselfe he is al things to me here and hereafter Men cast vp their heads and looke aloft if they bee Lords of some small Manour or possession but to be a King or Prince of a peece of earth lifteth them in their conceits aboue the tops of the clouds But a poore Christian is better contented with poore and naked Christ than with all such high and stately vanity We must also doe for the Gospell as men will doe for pearles and treasures take
paines to purchaâ—â— and obtaine it 1. What a deale of paines and travell doe men take to Faires and Markets in hope of a little profit of which yet they may be disappointed but refuse all cost and trauell for the Gospell Oh that men would heare the call of the Gospell and seeke for Faith above silver and for Grace above fine gold happy is the man that findeth the merchandise of grace and the coÌ„modity of faith which is above all commodities alas that such precious wares should lie neglected and never asked after nay refused and thrust off when God maketh offer to thrust the same upon us while for every trifle we want for every shoo-string we can inquire aske and pray for but content our selves with goods wanting goodnes with a full chest of siluer or gold and a heart empty of God and his grace woe to so rich a begger and vnhappy is that man that hath onely not purchased what was onely worth purchasing 2. Locke vp the doctrine and promises of the Gospel in faithful hearts and memories A man that hath a Iewel of inestimable price will be sure to locke it vp in the surest chest he hath How carefull then should wee bee of safe keeping the instructions of Gods word which we can lightly reiect and will be more carefull to keep the least peece of siluer that euer we saw coined thaÌ„ the most inualuable treasure of Gods word that euer we hard preached But Marâ— pondred Christs words and laid them vp in the closet of her heart Againe this tends to comfort poore Christians Thou art poore despised in the world but God hath honored thee with a Pearle worth al the Kings ransoms in the world Thou art a loser in the world the profits of it flye from thee into other mens hands But 2 Cor. 6. 10. As poore and yet making rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things Thou losest thy name goods and liberty but this Pearle remaineth with thee in al estates thou art neuer so poore as thou seemest nor such a loser as the world takes thee for DAVID found the word his comfort in trouble that kept him from perishing yea the statutes were his songs in the time of his pilgrimage PSA 119. 50. 54. This of the second thing 3 Who is the Merchant Every Christian man and woman who are in the way to heauen and in respect of their Trade of Christianity are compared to the Merchant PRO. 3. 14. for the merchandise of wisedome is better than the merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof is better than gold Luk. 19. 13. And he called his ten seruants and deliuered them ten peeces of money and said vnto them Occupie this till I come Christianity is a spirituall merchandising I say Spirituall to distinguish it from Ciuill neither is it altogether so like but that there is much difference and dissimilitude betweene them and the difference is in seuen things 1. In respect of persons in ciuill society all must not be Merchants The Politicians call Merchants 〈…〉 that is the fect of the body politicke both to carry out needlesse commodities into forraine parts and by exchange to bring in more and other necessaries for them Now all the body must not bee a foot nor all the members of a naturall body haue the same function But in this mysticall body it is farre otherwayes for here euery Christian ought to bee a Merchant LVK. 19. 13. seeing euery Christian man hath receiued some Talents of his Lord to traffique with and charge also to trade and occupy with them till he come And whereas in ciuill dealings Ministers are excepted and prohibited that they must neither make merchandise of the Word nor intangle themselues with the affaires of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that warreth intaÌ„gleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he should please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier These are in this supernaturall trading the chiefe Merchants of whom men must expect and inquire of these chiefe and heauenly commodities Secondly in respect of the commodities Ciuill Merchants doe onely deale in profits from earth and for earth in earth are they gotten and in the earth are they left but these spirituall Merchants dealâ— in commodities farther fetcht namely from heauen and for heauen not left by vs nor leauing vs till we get into heauen the Apostle calleth them Heauenly things in Christ. Thirdly in regard of the manner of obtaining them they doe much differ these are often gotten by indirect meanes as by false weights measures counterfeit money lyes and oathes and this ciuill merchandising is one of the Arts or Trades that may bee well or ill vsed But in spirituall and supernaturall trading the Merchant aduanceth his estate by true and iust meanes onely euery thing is weighed out and taken in by the weights of the Sanctuary sealed by God himselfe for true and iust they are people of a Pure language casting deceit out of their mouthes here they are not crafty Merchants to deceiue their brethren but true Nathaniels in whom there is no guile Fourthly in regard of the effects Ciuill trading oft times calleth men from the worship of God and hindreth it LVK. 14. 18 19. wee may read of three sorts that refused to come to the supper two of them were Merchants the one had bought a Farme and the other fiue yoake of oxen and these must bee excused But this euer furthereth it for no man can attaine to the meanes of saluation which is this supernaturall merchandising but by such parts of Gods worship and mans duty as the Lord hath appointed in his word Fifthly in respect of necessary meanes to vphold and driue the trade withall In ciuill trading money is necessarium subsidium for when men needed not the commodities exchangeable mony was inuented to preserue contracts without which the Merchant cannot compasse his commodities But in supernatural traffick the Merchant â—yeth without mony or money worth Esa. 55. 1. Hoe euerie one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and ye that haue no Siluer come buy and eat come I say and buy wine and milke without Siluer and without monie Not the least of these commodities are to be valued by money gold pearls and the desirable things of this life PROV 3. 14 15. for the merchandise thereof is better than siluer or whatsoeuer men can deuise or desire besides it Sixthly in regard of circumstances of time and place For the time Ciuill merchandising is to bee exercised on the six dayes not on the Sabbath day 13. Neh. 19 20. And wheÌ„ the gats of Ierusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath I commanded to shut the gates and charged â—hat they should not be opened till after the Sabbath and some of my seruants set I at the gates that there should be no burden brought in on the Sabbath day So
want of the thing sought for Common men if they finde health wealth friends pleasures and the like outward things are well contented corne wine and oyle to cheere their hearts But these wise Merchants seeing grace no other thing contenteth them but grace one glimpse of Gods countenance through Iesus Christ is sweet aboue all And as he that seeketh a Iewell doth looke still after it a thousand things come in his way and eye but he passeth slightly ouer them and seeth them not nor seeketh he them euen so doth the Christian Merchant and as the ciuill Merchant attaining Pearles doth rest ioyful in them as in such commodities as will helpe his happinesse in the world So the godly Merchant finding this one Pearle of the Gospell which is the grace of life goeth away reioycing and resteth well appaid for all his labours and sufferings He was before he light vpon this Pearle the most vnhappy man in the world but now he cannot hide his ioy but as the poore widow which called in her neighbors to reioice with her because she had found the lost groat Luk. 15. 9. so can he neither wholly hide nor yet expresse halfe the ioy he conceiueth in his new commodity and purchase But many seeke and that with tears that faile of grace as Esau and many shal striue to enter saith Christ and shall not be able and Ro. 9. 31 32. Israel sought righteousnesse but obtained it not Ans. Many seeke but amisse and therefore faile so Israel sought but not by faith Now the true condition of seeking as the wise Merchant and as the Word directeth standeth in fiue things 1. With an earnest and true loue desire and estimation of the thing sought this wilmake a man seeke diligently and as a thirsty person not coldly carelesly remisly slightly or negligently for such seeking shall neuer find for why did the Church seek Christ so laboriously till she found him but because it was he whom her soule loued â—an 3. 3. The watchmen that went about the City found me to whom I said Haue yee seene him whom my soule loueth And why did Mary seeke Christ hauing lost him three dayes Because shee loued him and reioyced in his person and presence which made her heart so heauy in his absence Luk. 2. 42. Behold thy father and I haue sought thee with heauy hearts The Merchant because he loueth and esteemeth of siluer doth seeke it carefully and earnestly Pro. 2. 4. and the heauenly Merchant shall finde grace vndoubtedly if he seeke it as the other doth siluer Loue is laborious hee that loueth Christ and his grace will neuer cease to seeke him nor faile to finde him See the promise in Jer. 29. 12 13 Then shall you cry vnto mee and you shall goe and pray vnto mee and I will heare you and you shal seeke me and finde mee because you shall seeke mee with all your heart Who soeuer then euer meaneth to finde God and his saving grace must vnfainedly and hartily seeke after him 2. It must be sought in the likely place and meanes of finding the ordinary place where this Pearl is to be found is the asseÌ„blies of the Saints there God holdeth forth his scepter and maketh offer of the grace of life Where was the Church to finde Christ with his graces at noone in her thirst but in the steps of the shepherds And these assemblies are the suburbs of heauen called therefore the Kingdome of grace and he that refuseth the good offers of grace in the word sacraments prayer hearing reading conferring and the like shall neuer find it No wise Merchant will slacke any good opportunity of aduancing his estate now the likely meanes in wise seeking are diligently to be vsed as 1 To search the euidence of the Pearle and this euidence is contained in the Scriptures John 5. Search the Scriptures for they witnessee of me Secondly the grant of it is from heauen by prayer Let vs therefore goe boldly to the Throne of grace that we may find mercy and grace to helpe in time of need HEB. 4. 16. Thirdly the couenant is by the application of these meanes singed and deliuered yea and witnessed by the blessed Spirit of God by a blessed change in the beleeuing heart by mortification and subduing the corruption of nature by heauenly motions heauenly mindednesse and gracious conuersation standing not in a shell a forme or shew but in the kernill power and substance of sound godlinesse Thirdly it must be sought first and principally yea onely sought and that for it selfe it must bee sought first in time As Psa. 63. 3. Early in the morning will I seeke thee The Isralites must seeke Manna the first thing they doe in the morning Esau seeketh but too late the foolish Virgins doe knock but the doore is shut 2. It must be sought in the first place Mat. 6. 33. â—eeke ye first the kingdome of heauen the righteousnesse thereof Seek neither other things before it as worldlings nor other things with it as prophane Epicures who would grasp heauen and earth together nor yet seeke it for other things as Hypocrites who professe the Gospell for fauour credit profit or some other in respect of that base things But seek it alone for it selfe and in sincerity for only such seeking findeth it Neuer will Christ be sought for loaues nor can the same eye looke to heauen and earth together Fourthly it must be sought humbly that is first out of thy selfe a man that wanteth water wil goe to the fountaine the waters of grace must flow from the fountaine and wel-head Christ Iesus seek it therfore in him and from him The eye of faith spyeth it in him and the hand of faith doth take it vp from him Secondly it must bee sought with godly sorrow repentance for sin Isa. 1. 16. Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your works from before mine eies cease to doe euill Thirdly with reformation of heart and life Ps. 14. 4. The workers of iniquity are vnfit and vnworthy seekers of grace Fifthly it must be songht constantly Mary and Joseph neuer gaue ouer seeking Christ vntill they found him nor the Church till she found him neither must we giue ouer seeking hauing sound grace for it is not in this seeking as in other things where hauing found we rest contented and seeke no more but here hauing found the thing we sought we must seeke still for a Christian is euer wanting of grace if not in whole yet in part if not in substance yet in some degree and measure of it and therefore this worke as the husband mans is neuer at an end This must needs condemne many of vs of extreame folly and sinne how few of vs haue sought after grace as after siluer for siluer we will take great paines rise early goe to bed late and eat the bread of carefulnesse but when doe we so for grace
of the young man than he did of his Disciples who said vers 27. we haue left all to follow thee and yet Peter had an house still and John to which he tooke the Virgin Mary And therefore Christ would hauâ— the young man to part with all which he could not hold with his loue and affection to Christ himselfe and the Gospell Fourthly that which Christ required of this Iusticiary is not any deuised Euangelicall counsell aboue the law but a duty contained in the law the summe of which is Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and whereas he had boasted that he had kept all the law Christ doth send him backe againe to the law to let him see his want of loue both to God and his neighbour to God if the loue of his friends hinder him from following him whom hee confesseth a teacher from God And want of loue to man if at Christs word hee will not part with his mony especially if not at Christ his especiall commandement So as this is not a counsell to some perfect recluses or orders of wilfull men but a commandement to all Christians that must striue to perfection 1 Cor. 2. 6. And we speake wisdome amongst them that are perfect who must not onely leaue goods and lands and houses for Christ and the Gospell but must hate father mother wife and children brethren sisters and their owne life if they cannot hold them with Christ. So much to answer the Papists Now to the question 1. Who can deny wealth to be the gift of God if it beheld without couetousnesse confidence pride and subordinate to heauen and heauenly things Or who can deny but riches may become helps to heauenly Tabernacles who can deny but good men may both haue them and vse them Abraham was a man of great possessions and Iob and Dauid men of most great wealth and yet godly men and poore of spirit goods therfore in themselues are not to be cast away but first in comparison rather than wee will not attaine and retaine the Pearle of the Gospell we must abandon all we haue Secondly when they proue an impediment to our calling and holy professioÌ„ we must renounce them as Moses in this case refused to be the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and to suffer with Gods people a traueller may carry a staffe to helpe him in his iourney but not to ouer-load himselfe and he may beare some mony in his purse for his charges but not burthen himselfe with it Thirdly in affection alwayes we must renounce them and hold them retiredly and weignedly vsing the world as not vsing it Let them be in our hands not in our hearts to lay downe or lay out not to lay vp or lay vp our hearts with them Fourthly actually but not vncalled we must leaue them not of our owne accord but called by God non sponte sed vocati let vs alwayes see wee haue a good ground as if tyrants or persecutors keepe vs from inioying either Christ or our owne estate then in this choyse we must prefer a poore estate in Christ before a rich estate in the world And buyeth it Our Sauiour vseth this word buying not to signifie that we can make any recompence paiment or merit to purchase eternall life for first that is infinite we finite and betweene these is no proportion Secondly it is a free gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Thirdly it is a buying but without money and money worth And the poore are called to buy it who haue no money to layout for it Fourthly this Pearle is such a commodity as neither men nor Angels can giue any due price for Fiftly we can giue God nothing but his owne But Christ here speaketh figuratiuely namely that this wife Merchant dealeth as a buyer first he seeth the want of Gods grace and Christs merits the thirsty are called to buy Esay 55. 1. Secondly as a buyer he periseth valueth and casteth the worth esteemeth Christ at the highest rate and all things else in comparison of him losse and dung Phil. 3. 13. Thirdly as a buyer he maketh an exchange not of money nor money worth but vseth all good indeuour and labour by prayer and diligence and the vse of all good meanes to obtain the grace of the Gospell Which price God doth set vpon grace and on which condition an exchange is made The beleeuer putteth ouer his sinnes to Christ and receiueth righteousnes from Christ. 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sinne for vs that knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him Fourthly the bargaine made is earnested so the beleeuer able to giue nothing to God taketh from God the earnest of his Spirit in some sauing graces by which the whole bargain of eternall life is assured vnto him From this selling all and buying the Pearle learne That a wise Christian must aud will part with all he hath before hee wiâ—l part with Christ. Prou. 4. 7. Aboue all thy possessions get wisdom and vnderstanding The godly follow Christ out of Ierusalem and out of the campe Heb. 13. 13. they sold their liues and loued them not to the death for Christ. Pauls possessions and his life was nos deare so he might finish his course with ioy And why 1. Such sound iudgement is restored vnto euery sound Christian as he thinketh nothing so dear to him as Christ and his grace and doth suppose himselfe rich indeed if he attain naked Christ and the dearest things are base in this comparison The Church of Laodicea wil neuer buy gold and white raiment so long as her iudgement is blinded till she annoint her eyes with eye-salue to see and seeing once the worth she is content to be at any paines for it The text implieth that no lesse paines be made for wisdome than that of most industrious Merchants who take long and dangerous iournies and voyages by Sea and land for Pearles and swallow all paines and perils in hope of attaining them Secondly the Christian knoweth that he shall be no loser by the bargaine other Merchants buying great commodities know not whether they shal be gainers or no and many seeke Pearles with infinite losses finde them not But here is a certaine and an vndoubted gaine for whosoeuer forsaketh house wife lands liberty childeren and life for Christs sake and the Gospell shall receiue an hundred-fold with tribulation and in the world to come life euerlasting here is vsury enough not tenne in the hundred but an hundred for tenne haue this Pearle and want nothing want this Pearle and haue nothing Thirdly this putteth a difference betweene soundnesse and hypocrisie the hypocrite can sell much for Gods fauour Mic. 6. 6. they will giue thousands of rams and ten thousands of riuers of oyle and their first borne but wil not part with their sinnes Ananias and Saphira can part with three parts of
the words and true sence of the ten Commandements yet he desireth still to be led further into the particular vse application direction and obedience of them and of all other parts of the Word which he saith is exceeding large And for the latter As a stranger in an vnknowne Country and way wil euer be asking the way of euery one neuer so simple who knoweth the way better than himselfe aud will obserue the senerall markes and statues by which he may know whether he be right or no So must euery Christian Pilgrim be inquisitiue of his way for which purpose he must frequent the ministry of the word diligeÌ„tly which God hath erected to be as A light in a darke plabe as the Pillar of the Cloude and fire by night and by day to direct vs through this dry and desart wildernesse as Ariadnes threede to helpe vs through this troublesome Maze and Labyrinth and as a voyce behinde vs saying This is the way walke in it An inquisitiue Christian will be still consulting with Gods Ministers about the way of God and conferring with priuate Christians be they neuer so meane in place or appearance concerning their great iourney betweene heauen and earth and will take speciall notice of the markes of their way as whether it be the narrow way or the broad way whether it be strewed with crosses or pleasant to the flesh whether it be a cleane way or a foule dirty and miry way of lusts whether it be an old beaten way by the feet of ancient beleeuers the Prophets the Apostles and holy men yea of Iesus Christ himselfe or a new broken and deuised way vnknowne vnto them and the Scriptures whether it be a right way or a crooked path of by-lanes turnings to the right hand or to the left whether it be a lightsome or a darke way and the like Thus inquisitîue and carefull will a Christian Pilgrim be of the best directions he can get as the poore iaylor will know of Paul his prisoner what he may doe to be saued and it is none of the lightest plagues of God to haue an heart vnwilling to aske about the way of heauen A second comfortable helpe in an vnknowne way is a good guide The Christian stranger hath need of a guide and the best guide is God himselfe yea and more God is the onely guide In any other way or iourney the natiues or inhabitants can guide a stranger from place to place but here none but God can be our guide Psalm 25. 9. He will guide in Judgement and teach the humble his way Quest. But how then may a mâ—an get God to be his guide Answer By two speciall meanes 1. By earnest Prayer Dauid knowing that none but GOD could guide him prayeth Psal. 143. 8. Shew mee the way that I shall goe And verse 10. Let thy good Spirit lead me vnto the land of righteousnesse 2. By constant subiection to Gods word for GOD goeth before vs by his word as he did before Israel in the Pillar of the Cloud and fire and willing obedience to Gods word maketh God our guide Thirdly A stranger in his way needeth his viance or prouision for his expeÌ„ce The word of God is the Christians viaticum and supplieth all his needs it offoords him food in his hunger being the bread of life and the Mannah that came down from heauen it yeeldeth him drink in his thirst being water of life whosoeuer thirsteth is called to thes sweet waters of consolation drawne out of the wells of saluation it affoords him Physicke in his soules sicknesse strength in his weakenesse and neuer leaueth him that learneth vpon it without sufficient means to helpe him through his iourney Fourthly a traueller hath need of a weapon to defend himselfe and to wound or keepe off his enemies The same word of God is a speciall part of our spirituall armour it is the sword of the Spirit And as Dauid said of Goliahs sword Oh there is none to that giue me that so there is no sword to this for the repulse of all spiriall enemies and for the sure defence of him that shall buckle it close vnto him Besides that it directs him to obtaine and fasten vnto him all the other peeces of Cstristian armour so as in no part he lye open or naked to danger Fifthly A Treueller hath need of good company which is pro vehiculo as good as a Waggon or Coach to carry him with the more ease through the tediousnesse of the way The same testimonies of God are sweet companions and helpe to deceiue and pasâ—e ouer our time comfortably if wee can talke of them in the way and in the house and in the field and if we can whet them vpon our selues and others if wee make them The man of our counsell and meditate on them night and day hee is neuer alone that hath God and Christ conferring counselling and directing him in the Scriptures neither is hee alone who when hee is most alone is in Soliloquie with God this man wanteth neither company nor comfort Now how happily shall this man compasse his iourney and goe singing through the most tedious wayes of his Pilgrimage that hath thus fuâ—nished himselfe with the vnderstanding of his way with a faithfull and vnerring guide with sufficient prouision for his expence with a seruiceable weapon and with a sweet and chearfull Companion Vse 4. In that we are Pilgrims in the way to our Countrey In this way we must learne to demeane our selues as way-faring men and imitate the Pilgrim in these particulars 1. To be stirring early for our iourney and take the day before vs that we may dispatch our iourney before we be benighted It is our Lords counsell to worke while the day lasteth because the night commeth wherein none can worke Joh. 11. 9. And his owne practise propounded for our imitation John 9. 4. and imitated by the Saints whose praises are in the Scriptures Holy Dauid serued out his time according to the counsell of God that is while he liued he was a seruant of God for the good of the age in which he liued And the Apostle Peter exhorteth that henceforth so much time as remaineth in the flesh wee spend according to the will of God Wel did the holy men consider what an aduantage it is to set out in the way of God early euen in the morning of the life What a sweet comfort it is to be early graced that we haue but a short day passed away in a few houres to trauell in that this day stayeth not but hasteneth from vs that this day is the onely time to walke in and that this day being shut in there is no more time to worke or walke in and therefore did bestirre themselues lest they should fall short of their intended iourney 2. As a man in his iourney will be glad of any good company that will goe but part of his way with
with obstinate malice against God or his Truth which when shee was most superstitiously devoted shee desired to finde out it pleased God to quiet her mind for that and so led her ouer that temptation But Satan that departed from our head Jesus Christ onely for a seaon was not long away from the molestation of this his member but returned and brought seuen worse spirits were it possible than before and now his name may be Legion for now hee would confound and oppresse her with multitudes of blasphemous thoughts and doubts Now must shee beleeve there is no God That the Scriptures are not his Word but a Pollicie or if it were his Word who must interpret it or how could shee a silly woman get the vnderstanding of such deepe mysteries as are contained in the same Besides as shee was of mind that she was gotteÌ„ out of one error so she knew nothing but that shee was mis-led into another for how could shee be sure that this was the truth which she now professed seeing there are as many or more learned men of the one opinion as of the other and all of them maintaine their opinions by the Scriptures Thus was shee vexed and exercised with Armies of roving and unsetled conceits for five or six yeares together till God whom shee often sollicited for direction and assistance in the combat brought her to this resolution that she would hold these conclusions whatsoever disputes Satan might weary her withall That there was not onely a God in himselfe but a God that was her God and whatsoever opinions there were in the world that there was but one Truth and that was to bee learned out of the Scriptures and though there were much in the Bible which shee did not understand yet shee was perswaded that if shee would diligently read and search the Scriptures with earnest prayer to God for a good understanding in them shee should attaine thence a measure of knowledge sâ—fficient to bring her to heaven and holding strongly these grounds shee found the temptations waste away by degrees and her selfe daily more strongly setled upon the foundation Neither was shee onely by the grace of God a Conquerour in these temptations but I may say with the Apostle in a manner more than a Conquerour by them for God who bringeth light out of darkenesse made these temptations a sweet seasoning of her whole life By occasion of which shee tyed her selfe to a strict course of godlinesse and a constant practice of Christian Duties which shee religiously observed even till her dying day For first that shee might be stablished in the Truth and confirmed against those former waverings and weakenesses shee vowed that God assisting her shee would every yeare read over the whole Bible in an ordinary course which course shee constantly observed for the space of fifteene yeares together beginning her taske upon her birth-day and reading every day so many Chapters as to bring it about iust with the yeare By which exercise shee gained a great increase of knowledge and no lesse strengthening of her faith for she did not read carelesly or negligently but alwayes kept a note of what places she did not vnderstand and would still bee inquiring the meaning of them as shee met either with Ministers or such as she thought were able to informe her in the same And her custome was euer before shee opened her Bible to send vp a short prayer vnto God for the opening of her blinde eyes to the vnderstanding of those sacred mysteries that so they might bee as a Lanthorne to guide her feet in the wayes of holinesse vntill shee had attained her desired happinesse And not herewith contented as a good Mary she pondered the Word of God in her heart for by her great industry in the Scriptures shee had gotten by heart many select Chapters and speciall Psalmes and of euery Booke of the Scripture one choyce verse all which shee weekly repeated in an order which shee propounded to her selfe and being asked why shee was so laborious in getting and retaining those Scriptures in memory Her answer was that shee knew not what daies of triall or persecution might come wherein shee might be depriued of her Bible and other good bookes and helpes but so much of the Scriptures as she could get into her heart shee knew no Tyrants or Enemies could bereaue or rob her of God make thee that readest and me that writeth this so Christianly prouident as in these dayes of plenty to lay vp somewhat for the dayes of straitnesse and famine Secondly from that time of her trouble shee resolued vpon Daniels practice wherein shee was also constant namely besides the family duties which were twice a day performed by the Chaplin in that Religious house in which shee liued till within one yeere of her death And besides the priuate Prayers that shee daily read in her Ladies Bed-chamber shee was thrice every day on her knees before God in secret like a true worshipper whose delight was to bee in Gods presence By meanes of which daily exercise besides all other comfortable fruits shee attained a singular sweet gift in prayer whereby she could both strongly wrastle and happily prevaile with God whose grace suffereth himselfe to be ouercome with the prayers of his weake servants And because she knew that Religious fasting is the whet-stone of Prayer shee tyed her selfe to set apart six dayes in every yeare wherein shee was extraordinarily humbled in fasting and prayer for her owne sinnes and the sinnes of the times At all which times shee was in speciall manner earnest with the Lord that he would bee pleased further to reveale vnto her his whole Truth needfull for her salvation and keepe her constant in the obedience thereof vnto the end And because shee knew that the right and worthy Receiuing of the Sacraments affordeth a Christian speciall strength and much stabilitie in the course of godlinesse as shee diligently apprehended that comfort when shee could conueniently receiue that Sacrament so for many yeares shee had laid a band vpon her selfe neuer to receiue it but the day before to fit and examine her selfe seriously deeply humbling her selfe before the Lord in fasting and prayer all the day long Thirdly the trouble of her conscience made her ever of a tender conscience fearefull shee was of offending God and her owne conscience and watched her selfe narrowly and to keepe her selfe in awe for the space of fiue yeares before her death shee kept a Catalogue of her daily slips and set downe euen the naughty thoughts which shee obserued in her selfe that one day in euery weeke shee might extraordinarily humble her selfe for all the failings of that weeke and this with such moderate abstinence as might best fit her weake body to humble and feruent prayer And all these priuate Religious duties she performed so secretly that none but her bosome friend knew of their performance As shee was thus fearefull of sinnes
expectation of death the time whereof she truly foretold five dayes before it came and as this time approached her joy increased so as she was able to comfort her mournfull husband and friends saying Mourne not for me but for your selues for I shall very shortly be more happy than the wishes of your hearts can make me and therefore cease your mourning and helpe me thither by your prayers as fast as you can Her fourth request was that she might have her memory continued unto the last that so by no idle or light speech she might dishonour God or bring scandall oâ— her profession for she said If I through paine or want of sleepe which she much wanted should haue any foolish or idletalke I know what the speech of the world vseth to be This is the end of all your precise folke they die mad or not themselues c. And as she prayed God gaue her her memory to the last gaspe that she dyed praying for a little before her departure she called vs that were about her and hasted to Prayer for now said she I shall be gone presently which words we then beleeued not but Prayer being ended she said with more strength than she had spoken any thing foure houres before Amen amen Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit Lord Jesus haue mercy on me and receiue my soule And thus with her last breath and words her soule was carried into Abrahams bosome in the Heavens to which her eyes and hands were lifted This was the life and death of this sweet Saint as it was observed and now faithfully witnessed by her mournfull husband who wisheth both his life and latter end like vnto hers FINIS A GLASSE for Gentlewomen to dresse themselues by By THOMAS TAYLOR Doctor in Diuinity and late Preacher of Aldermanberry in London LONDON Printed by I. B. for Iohn Bartlet at the signe of the gilt Cup in Cheap-side 1633. A GLASSE for Gentlewomen to dresse themselues by BEcause I know that sundry women fearing God faile in the matter of their attire and ornament because they want direction which might lead their consciences in stead of the common errour of riotous times And because it is requisite that all that professe the Name of God should bee more carefull of adorning their profession than their persons I haue here set downe a few briefe directions in generall for their helpe that are willing to be ruled by God and his Word and are more desirous to approue themselues vnto him than to please themselues or others with his high displeasure I. First then such must know that the practice of godlinesse depriueth no person of the good creatures of God neither for the necessary nor delightfull fruition of them for it onely giueth right and liberty in them but it ordereth the vse of them and the vsers of them and setteth them in the due place of their goodnesse wherein onely they are beautifull and lawful Rebecca a woman fearing God wore ornaments So Ioseph and Mordecay Ester 8. 2. and Daniel 5. 29. II. Know that we are not at our owne hand in the vse of outward ornaments but vnder rule and appointment God prescribes women how to dresse their heads 1 Pet. 3. 3. and taketh order for the habit of the body and findeth fault with the dressings of the daughters of Sion Isay 3. And threatning the Princes and Kings children cloathed with strange apparell Zeph. 1. 8. speaketh to our Gallants that build towers vpon their heads or erect them as with large hornes or any way take vp an vnlimited liberty in their dresses with some speciall vanity and offence For such dressing of the haire the Lord threatneth the dainty women with baldnesse and shame Isa. 3. III. Such must know that as the kingdome of God standeth not in any of these outward things so they must not bee suffered to hinder the kingdome of God in our selues or others And though they being things so indifferent in themselues as they commend vs not to God yet in the vse of them all wee must exercise certaine vertues in which wee must be acceptable to God and auoyd such vices in the abusing of them as will else discommend vs before him For suppose they be things in their nature neither good nor euill neither commanded nor forbidden as Whether I should weare cloth or leather whether a plaine band or a ruffe whether single or double whether white or yellow yet in the vse of any of these outward and indifferent things my action is either good or euill according to my exercise of vertue or vice in it Neither can any thing be so indifferent in it selfe but it may become euill and sinne in me many wayes as 1. By my election and choyce of it without assurance of my liberty in Christ or with doubting whether I doe well in vsing it or no. 2. By my intention which may be corrupt and vicious in my selfe and preiudiciall to others 3. By many accidentary euents as if others bee by my vse of lawfull and outward liberties occasioned to sinne or thrust forward in carnal licentiousnesse All which I rather propound to be wisely considered for the remouing of that common obiection and conceit That the things are not great and God cares not so much for the dressing of the body so I keepe my heart to him and giue him content in my soule As if these persons conceiued that the body is not the Lords as well as the soule or that that soule can bee Gods when the diuell hath the dressing of the body IV. We must know that although the Word of God afâ—ord not particular directions for euery particular habit and artire yet we may not thinke it a defectiue rule or short and wanting to guide vs euen in the least or lowest action of our liues because it supplyeth vs with many generall rulâ—s to all which wee must reduce euery particular action of common life for the allowance or refusall of it And therefore for the help of such as are teachable I thought it might be profitable to apply vnto those generals and bring to their triall this particular of habits and attires vnto which while they are squared none haue so much right to vse them as women fearing God but if they depart from those rules they are not so vnseemely in any as in them The generall Rules are these reduced to foure heads 1. Some concerne God 2. Some our selues 3. Some our brethren 4. Some the ornament it selfe For vnto all these wee must haue respect euen in our Attires and Ornaments I. In respect of God we must attend three rules 1. The first concerneth our warrant and is this No ornament must be vsed but by warrant and leaue from God Our warrant is from the Word our loaue is by prayer the rule for both is expresse 1 Tim. 4. 5. Euery creature of God is good sanctified by the word of God and prayer Whence it
followeth that whatsoeuer ornament attire or fashion is not warranted to the heart by some part of the Word the ground of faith or for which it cannot send vp a prayer of faith for Gods blessing vpon it that cannot be warrantable to a godly heart Which of our Gallants in their strange fashions ponder that of the Apostle Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of Christ that is 1. By the warrant of his Word 2. With inuocation of God in the name of Christ. 2. The second rule concerning God must looke to the right end namely No ornament or attire of any fashion or colour may bee vsed till the heart be assured that this be the proper end That in adorning the body it honour God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether yee eat or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God The word whatsoeuer being a word of vniuersality fetcheth in the smallest action of life in which we are bound chiâ—fly and principally to intend and set vp the glory of God for which end hee created not our selues onely but all his workes first to himselfe and then for vs. Whence it followeth that whatsoeuer fashion attire or ornament doth spot or staine the glory of God the Gospell of God or our holy profession that is vnwarrantable and vnlawfull 3. The third rule concerning God is That No ornament may be vsed to correct Gods workemanship which euen a skilfull Artificer would take il at any mans hands It is true a woman may nourish her haire for it is her glory and may seemely adorne her selfe with her owne for so was the Church in Christs eyes yea and in want of their owne if for seemelinesse they borrow of oothers it may be excused so modesty be not exceeded but of very wantonnesse or pride to dislike their owne or to affect such ornament of strange haire as their naturall and proper haire will not reach vnto argueth vanity and discontentment with the worke of God saying vnto God Why hast thou made me thus or why hast thou made my haire of this colour and not of that And much more to grow out of liking with Gods workmanship on their faces and by painting to refine them to their own fancies is an immodest sinne condemned in whorish Iezabel We deny not but it is lawfull to couer a blemish or hide an hurt or deformity in seemly manner but by defacing Gods workmanship and by stamping pride on their faces by painting and colours can by no colour be warranted Say not It is custome for all custome must bee ruled by the word of Christ who said I am Truth and not I am Custome Nor say I must bee handsome and comely and therefore I may for this is but to couer pride vnder this pretence Neither say I am young and may take liberty for young men and women must be sober as well as other Nor say I must please my husband True but it must bee in the Lord and in things honest and lawfull Or can it please any husband to come before him in a visard a borrowed and adulterate face and fashion II. The second sort of rules respecting our selues are fiue 1. No ornament or attire may be worne till the heart be resolued that it will bee fitting and pleasing to the holy Ghost whose Temple the body of euery beleeuer is 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost Now because this holy Spirit cannot take pleasure in any ornament but such as becommeth holinesse neither indeed can any other beseeme this Temple therefore all good Christians will make conscience of what they offer to adorne this Temple withall and be sure it be no light strange odde or swaggering fashion or attire taken from light and wanton persons that they present the blessed Spirit of God with for the beautifying of his temple And besides seeing euery beleeuer hath put on Christ as a garment Rom. 13 14. it will be the wisedome of euery Christian to see that his ornament be sutable to his apparell that neither his ornament shame his suit nor his suit disgrace his ornament Euery thing in a Christian from a Christian on a Christian or about him should sauour of Christ and expresse him Be sure that thy ornament suit with the same minde that was in Iesus Christ. 2. No Ornament may be vsed with affection or affectation 1 Pet. 3. 3. the Apostle forbiddeth broydred haire and 1 Tim. 2. 9. he forbiddeth not that only but gold and pearles and costly apparell Which wee must not vnderstand as if hee simply and absolutely did forbid and condemne the wearing of gold or chaines rings bracelets billimenâ—s spangles and the like but the thing forbidden is the affecting and study of these things When women for to those he writeth in both places as being more impotently carried away with this vanity than the other sexe not onely take pleasure in outward ornament but study brauerie and striue to be as braue or beyond others at least not behinde them in vaine and new-come fashions which is a signe of a sluggish and delicate minde giuen vp to the delights of the flesh and farre from mortification Our Lord in Matth. 6. 28. allowes not Christians to bestow their thoughts on apparel which is more needfull than ornament And his Apostle commands vs to vse the most necessary things as not vsing them 1 Cor. 7. 31. Then must wee restraine our selues euen in lawfull liberties when wee finde our selues prone to bee brought vnder the power of any of them as 1 Cor. 6. 12. 3. No ornament or habit may be worne against shamefastnestnesse and modesty 1 Tim. 2. 9. The women must array themselues in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modesty We know that since the fall nakednesse is a shamefull thing and sinne hath cast shame on euery part and calleth for a couer ouer al but for necessity and garments were ordained to hide nakednesse not to display or discouer it And me thinks it cannot stand either with religion or modesty or with the shamefastnesse of that sex so to attire themselues as to display their naked breasts and some somewhat lower or bare their armes beyond that which is fit for euery one to behold I cannot enter into the heart to iudge any but I much feare whether they are or haue euer beene deiected with a deepe sense of their soules nakednesse and therewith ashamed and confounded before God that are not ashamed to vncouer their bodily nakednesse beyond that which is comely before men 4. No ornament or attire may be vsed to the impeachment of our good name which is better than the most precious oyntment or ornament as if it carry a brand of pride wantonnesse lightnesse or inconstancy or a note to bee an inuenter or follower of new and strange fashions whereas the Apostle would haue the outward habit and attire expresse the