the loue of God his word and worshippe and by the exercise of his mind soweth such a seed of Grace that old Age hath not a beedrole of folies to repent If wee learne the wayes of God in our Youth when wee are olde wee will not depart from them If hee fill vs with mercie in the morning of our time wee shall bee glad and rejoyce all our dayes That is a commendable Youth which is olde in Grace and sauoureth of the wisedome and holinesse of the Antient of dayes And that is a glorious olde Age which waxeth new in Grace and in the newnesse of a glorious eternitie As that gracious Youth endeth in a more gracious olde Age so that olde Age shall end into and bee succeeded with an endlesse Glorie 12. Deuotion Obedience are pleasant twinnes DEuotion and Obedience are pleasant twinnes Deuotion begetteth Obedience and is increased by it when the Spirit is bent on God all the Graces in it are at their highest extent It cannot containe it selfe but in affecting him and delighteth it selfe most sweetely both in powring out it selfe tenderly on him in a large receiuing his influences At that tyme all impediments of Obedience are remoued and the greatest spurres added to set vs fordward Then we answere him with a ready heart Speake Lord for thy Seruant heareth Soft wax is easilie stamped and hot yron easilie forged so the softnesse of a deuotious heart is plyable able to God As it droppeth out tender affections so it will yeelde obsequious actions to him Disobedience commeth of hardnesse but the heauenly warming of GODS loue turneth that hardnesse in a willingnes and affectuousâ—nesse to him As hee powreth in it the senâ—e of his loue so it powreth out it selfe in all powers on him againe So long as it is in this temper God can command no vnpleasant thing to vs though otherwise it were impossible yet it is welcome because of his will This disposition in it selfe is a great degree of inward Obedience in so great a forsaking and going out of our selfe to bee one with him What a gladnesse is it to haue the occasion to testifie our loue to God by Obedience And this daughter of DeuotioÌ„ doth nourish her mother The conscience of Obedience doubleth Deuotion We cannot satisfie our selfe in wondring at Gods goodnesse who hath blessed vs with the grace of sincere Obedience that his Grace is not common in commanding onelie but a speciall and returning Grace turning vs home to him in doing that which his commanding goodnesse exacted Deuotion tyeth vs to God and that for his infinite goodnesse in himselfe his sauing goodnesse communicate to vs And beeing in so sweete bands how can wee better discharge our selfe of them than by honouring him in holy Obedience And the more wee discharge our selues the more are wee bound Euery degree of sufficiencie to obey and euery act of Obedience increaseth Deuotion The more Grace that God giue vs for Obedience the more we loue him cleaue to him as the fountaine from whom all good floweth and the end to which it returneth These twinnes both liue and die together A dry and a withered heart voyd of Deuotion is also barren of Obedience and lacke of Obedience lacketh the testimonie of strong obeying Grace and the matter of new and greater Deuotion Hee that would haue them both let him begin at Deuotion and the other will follow A constant and tender Affection to God meeteth not his commaÌ„ds with disobedience These twins are feete to goe to God wings to flee to Perfection The first is a bond of our union and the second a proofe that wee stand firme in that union with him 13. Holy necessities are no distractions ALl distractions are not of alike nature some directlie marre our proceeding as businesse without our Calling other are seeming distractions a â—â—â—â—nesse in some other part of our Calâ—â—â—â—g then wee haue presently in hand These last are not properly distractions but rather preparations When a Pastour is going to the Pulpit it is not distraction to visite a sicke person but rather a sanctification for the publicke work Our task is to bring soules to God and sicknesse is a conuenient tyme for it Reaping in the haruest is as pleasant to the labourer as his sowing and to deliuer people in the hand of God on their death-bed is a closing of our labours about them Wee sow the seed of the Word out of the Pulpit and finde the fruite of it in their affliction I haue often found in conference with the afflicted and in the way going and comming from them moe points of Meditation than possibly in moe hours of reteerdnesse Gods ordinances doe further one another and Obedience to them hath euer a blessing following it It is no distraction that separateth vs not from the end nor turneth vs out of the way Grosse distractions are more dangerous yet if true Grace bee 〈◊〉 we shall aduance our selues more 〈◊〉 after them and rouse vp our strength and double our care for redeming our losses A well set Soule is sharpened by distractions turneth that impediment in a spurre Some steppes backward make vs aduance further in our leaping The Soule that toucheth good but occasionally is soone loosed from it but being tyed to it then incident distractions cannot separate but augment our earnestnesse of that union If wee wedde our selfe to good for eternall enjoying no temporall distraction can diuorce vs from it Hee who is alwayes about his Fathers busines shall neuer bee distracted 14. Fruitfull Experience EXperience findeth vs fooles and maketh vs wise if our folie bee curable wee can neither thinke euill to bee so euill as it is neither good so good till Exâ—â—â—ience teach vs The craft of SathaÌ„ the euill of sinne the strength of our owne corruption are best knowne by proofe to assay them is to eate the forbidden fruite and a newe degree of knowledge of good and euill The sweetnesse of Gods Grace the sauing power of the Gospel the tendernesse of Gods mercy and the worke of his holy Spirit are best knowne by Experience This is a sort of eating of the Tree of Life Our best is to eschew Experience of euill I care not how oft I haue proofe of good but it is madnesse to cast vs in the Experimenting of euill but if our foolishnes bring vs on new assayes the next is to take in a new affectioÌ„ to that euil new care to eschew it In what measure wee flee the proofe of euill let vs seeke the Experience of good though euery houre giue vs a new taste of Grace wee shall euer finde a new sweetnesse in it and when perfection commeth it shall exceede all our bygone knowledge and proofe Euery Experience with a new degree of light bringeth a new affection and stampeth the heart with a new hatred of euill and desire of good Experience is an ordinar remeede of folie but if wee amend not thereby there is
vs. All these enemies may will our hurt but cānot work it Our yeelding to them giueth both life and way to their euil will Of our selues wee meere Grace offered with neglect contempt and opposition and when wee haue receiued it with abuse and vnthankfulnesse Grace justlie beareth the name for it is a free gift God is good to vs for no foreseene good in vs but of his free fauour Hee findeth vs euill and maketh vs good The beginning growth and and perfection of Saluation is all of Grace It is good to finde this our natiue gracelesse disposition When wee finde nothing but euill in vs and all good to come freelie of God then wee knowe the praise of the glorie of his Grace Who so seeketh any ground of his Saluation or Election in his foreseene faith or Workes or Humilitie is not humble but proud against God hee maketh himselfe a step-bairne and not a natiue Sonne of God He is not begotten of a speciall loue but respected with a posteriot and following fauour which dependeth on some worthinesse foreseene in himselfe and the worke of it vpon the willingnes of his owne will Hee who buildeth vpon his owne will and not on the good will of God can neither haue stabilitie nor peace on so tottering a foūdatiō As foolish babes presuming of ther owne strength will not receiue the prepared meate by the hand of their mother but with their owne hand they losse that foode defile their garmentes and starue in the meane time So proud selfe-sufficient men will not receiue Saluation by Gods powerfull application They must be partiall workers themselues and Gods worke must depend on their will and so they loose the offered Saluation They who with a childish pryde will not bee freely saued most justlie are not saued at all God wrought the worke in it selfe without vs and in the application hee sweetelie and powerfullie bowes our will to receiue it This giueth glory to him and peace to vs. The Angel ranked these thinges aright Glorie to God in heauen Peace on earth and towards men good will Luke 2. Gods good will giueth peace to men and the glorie of all is due to God alone 25. Proude sinners to Hell PRoude Sinners haue strongest conceat that they goe right at leaste in the way of their choyse Sathan blindeth them so that they mistake both the end and the way In their compt they are running to heauen whē they are posting to hell Hee serueth them kyndlie with fresh Post-horses Sometimes he mounteth them on drunkennesse and when they haue runne a stage on that beastlinesse hee can mount them on Lecherie Againe hee can refresh them with Auarice and if they wearie of that slow jadde hee setteth them on loftie Ambition and to make them more spritie hee can horse them on restlesse Contention Euery on seeth not Sathans Equirie There is no complexion or disposition but hee hath a fitte horse for it and that of it selfe Euery mans predominant is a beast of Sathans sadling and prouyding to carie men to Hell The way is one the Post-master is one hee is to be found at euery stage mounting his Gallants their horses are all of one kynde though not one spece Happie is the man whom God dismounteth in that euil way more happie is he who taketh with that stay and turneth his course to heauen Many are stayed who turne not God checketh them by his word by their owne conscience by crosses by censure of Church and Policie by admonition of friendes and Pastors but they goe on and compt the helpers of their sinne their onely friendes and their admonishers to bee their enemies But the godlie take with reproofes as Gods owne dismounting them off their beastlie passions And with Dauid blesse God who sent Abigal in their way to stay them from euill When hard hearted sinners sold to sinne post on to distruction the godly that take admonition shall bee saued Gods sauing Grace is powerfull in that Soule in whom wholesome admonitions without and yeelding to them within doe meete together 26. Gods calling is a sufficient warrand IT is some token of the life of God to sturre at a weightie calling A blind horse is in the myre before hee see it but the seeing horse goeth about They are euer most ambitious who haue least worth and most deserted of God when they come to their desire Gods calling is both the onely right to enter in a charge and a surtie of sufficiencie for it He suffereth no man to serue him on his owne expenses but what euer he send vs to doe hee furnisheth vs for it and it importeth asmuch the glorie of his mercie trueth and wisdome to furnish strength as it is needfull for vs to haue it When hee calleth hee obligeth himselfe to bee with vs As it is a laying of a burthen on vs so it is a surtie of his assistance As the taske is imposed so is his presence promised If men call themselues they run away from God who justlie deserteth them in that aspyring course and will more forsake them in their fruitlesse labour But when his calling is waited on and vndertaken not for any conceate of strength but for conscience of his outthrusting prouidence confidence of his assistance there is a sweet concourse The patient on-waiting and modest shifting till conscience obseruing his will command vs to yeelde is a speciall sort of Gods directing Grace and will bee followed with as comfortable a vertue in the discharge of our duetie This maketh men called of God bold as Lyons their faithfull seruice to him breedeth them indeede bitter opposition But their conscience sheweth them their warrand and their Master who wil not desert them Be not affrayed Paul for I am with thee and no man shall hurt thee Actes 18. 9. And as I was with Moses so will I bee with thee Iosua I will not faile thee nor forsake thee bee stronge and of a good courage Iosua 1. 6. 7. and 9. But they who call themselues dare not bee faithfull They see man and not God and so dare not offend man They find not opposition of him or if they finde any they haue no further warrand than their owne aspyring humour and none other assistance than their owne conceated strength which is weaknesse indeede Hee who is conscious of an holy Calling is guarded from all difficulties that may occure Hee knoweth of a sure retreate when hee is troubled for his honest labour Though hee be weake in the sight of man hee is sufficient to beare out his Masters quarrell against all the world Yet none who knoweth God dare glose with him in this businesse hee is a foole who lieth in his owne purse The conscience of our sinceritie in all this worke is a seale of Gods continuall and comforting presence The world loseth their labour and endangereth themselues in damnation who oppose them who are called of God 27. Atheisme poyson ATheisme is both the most
all our businesse on worldly thinges But Gods Spirit teacheth the godly a better forme of barganning The kingdome of Heauen is a precious Iewell It endureth when all these worldlie trifles will evanish and wee finde it without a price The Mercat of it is cryed free without money Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and hee that hath no money come buy and eate yea come without price Isa. 55. 1. These wise Merchants shall rejoyce for euer before God who vnder termes of buying and selling hath freely giuen them eternall Life where the foolish seekers of the world shall euer lament their neglect of this free Mercat and the losse of their labour their fruite and of themselues It is good to leaue the worlds folie to it selfe since we cannot cure it let it not spoile Grace in vs The wicked losing their soule for their bodie lose body and all together The godly losing all for God their Soules saue themselues fullie Hee is no loser who hath God for his portion and him selfe in Soule and body unite to God in Christ. Thinges worldlie come not in this compt before wee were wee had them not and in the Heauen wee shall not haue them Their vanitie not use are as a not beeing to vs. Where God filleth the heart there is no roome to desire or receiue them on so miserable conditions Let them fall to these who are like to them dust and dust doe well agree whē we shall enjoy God for euer 54. The loue of good and hatred of euill SOme things there be which I cannot loue and some thinges which I cannot hate I cannot loue Sathan for he is Gods enemie Nor Hell for it is his House Nor Sinne for it is his worke And the more neere that Sinne is to mee the more I hate it In the godlie more than in the wicked And in my selfe more than in any These againe I cānot hate God because he is Goodnes it selfe Nor the Heauen because it is his dwelling and reward Nor his Grace because it is his Image both the causes of that loue and the work of it is from himselfe I loue them because I loue him and it is his will and worke in mee to loue them I thanke God I cannot hate them who haue true Grace I mislike their faults and shall disgest their injuries but my Soule cannot hate them who loue God and are beloued of him His Image and Grace where euer I see it though in my professed enemie commandeth my dearest affection all their injuries cannot so grieue mee as the conscience of my sincere loue to them comforteth mee By this I know that I am translated from death to life because I loue the Brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. But there can bee none assurance of his Loue and Grace where the Sainctes are hated His loue is shed abroad in our heart not to remaine there but to run out to embrace them whom hee loueth neither am I beloued of him nor haue parte of that in shed loue if I hate them who so are beloued of him are inclosed in his heart agree in Iesus Christ as they are such cannot hate one another This is our victorie ouer their corruptiō our own that notwithstanding of their injuries we loue them deerelie God loued and choosed vs when he saw vs his enemies in the masse of lost mankynde And now loueth vs when wee offend him daylie How then can the heart sensible of this loue hate anie that is so loued of God If wee doe so wee hate Gods Image and loue in the Sainctes in our selfe and in God may justly doubt if we be the Lords beloued 55. The best Lotte hath some want EVerie mans Lot is mixed with some want And GOD hath so wiselie temperated all estates that no man hath all blessings and no man lacketh all crosses If we haue some blessings we lacke other Yea our miscontentment can make wants where none is and augmenteth these which possiblie are Wee take on vs a creating power and that in euill How oft doe wee compleane of that Lotte which is good in it selfe and better than wee are either worthie to receiue or wise to use aright Many haue so large a Lotte that if it were diuided in an hundreth partes it would content some hundreth persons and euerie one of them possiblie is more worthie and would bee more thankfull than he who hath it all alone with miscontentment The smallest Lot with God if there can be any small with him is a large Lotte And the greatest Lot without him if there can bee any great without him is extreame lacke Hee lacketh nothing who hath God for his portion and he hath nothing who lacketh him God carueth not sparingly to that Soule to whom hee giueth himselfe and in that case it lacketh nothing but to know that Lotte and enjoye it God hath indeede wisely tempered our Lottes but the error of our desires and miscontentment is our owne and yet hee bringeth good out of that error His care is to keepe vs euer loose from the earth If wee found all our desires contented heere wee would forget to seeke a better Lotte in heauen Let euery lacke chase vs to seeke a supplie It is a daylie and hourely earand to God by prayer Wee cannot finde it in this life let vs seeke it where it is Our Lot on earth satisfieth vs not but our Lot in heauen shall fill vs with contentment It is perfect in it selfe and craueth that wee bee perfect for it If in the midst of so manie lackes wee seeke perfection in the earth wee proue the lacke of wit more than of a sufficient Lot all lackes tell vs and command vs to seek supply in God who onely is All-sufficient 56. Danger of corruption daylie THere is none houre wherein we can say that wee are free of danger and yet not so much of outward accidents as of inward surprysing of our Corruption The more aduanced in Grace the more is that danger both in it selfe and to our feeling Other see our infirmities and they are more grieuous to our selfe than of before This is a bitter Experience that when wee haue lamented our slippes renewed our vowes and chastened our selfe in an holy griefe for them they breake out vnder our hand Scarcelie is our heart calmed from a former griefe when it is conceiuing either the same or a greater infirmitie These Canaanites liue still in vs they are left as a mater of our Exercise the whetstone of grace and a Spurre of Prayer Wee cannot cast thē out but we should put them vnder tribute It is best to hold our eye cōtinually on our corruption that it break not out or bee grieued for that out-breaking Daylie danger is a lesson of the necessitie of a daylie guarde And since that danger is most from within our best Guarde must bee from without Nature in vs that worketh our woe cannot prouid our
hath more fruitfull remarkes in one day about his tendernesse than a secure Soule in a constant health in all his lifetime I had rather vndergoe the bodilie infirmitie than want the daylie spirituall profite It is a sort of spiritualizing our bodilie life when all the hours of it are sought obtained possessed and spent on God and these frequent infirmities are tolerable that bring so spirituall a life both to Soule and bodie Profane men abuse the strength and health of their bodies to sinne They take it as an instrument and measure of their iniquitie So long and so farre doe they offend as their bodie serueth them This is a giuing of their bodie to bee a weapon of vnrighteousnesse and a sacrificing of themselues to the Deuill Heereafter they will wish that their strong body had beene tyed to the bed continuallie But tendernesse in the godlie turneth all their thoughts and care to immortalitie Strength and health of body is Gods blessing but our corruption abuseth it either to needlesse businesse or in grosse actes of sin Tendernesse is a crosâ—e but where it is sanctified it is a bridle to hold vs from sinfull workes and a spurre to Deuotion It sendeth vs oft-ten to God when possiblie wee would bee worse exercised as oft as it humbleth it selfe to God among other sutes it putteth in the hand of our Spirit the supplication for health and sanctification of that tendernesse There is no crosse that either more occasioneth or causeth a serious preparation for death than bodilie weaknes WheÌ„ they find daylie the coards of their tabernacle loosing and the pillers of it bowing they deale with God for a Mansion in heauen That weaknesse may possiblie hinder them from some bodilie worke in their calling but it stayeth them also from many bodilie sinne and holdeth them euer vpon the maine point how they may be cloathed after this life with glorious immortalitie As abused strength posteth to Hell so sanctified terdernesse creepeth to Heauen 81. Matter of continuall ejaculations NOne obseruing Spirit can want new matter of continuall prayer to God If hee be secret he filleth his heart in reteardnesse If he goe abroad it is forced on him What difficultie shall wee find to converse with men What ignorance in our selfe to foresee and weakenesse to eschew foreseene or secret inconvenients When God may desert vs for a time and leaue vs to the counsell of our heart like Ezechiah or Sathan surpryse vs by passion or deceiue vs by allurement These and the like shall giue vs matter with Nehemiah to send vp pearcing ejaculations to God It is necessar wee euer bee requesting God that wee neither offend nor bee offended of other The least libertie of our thoughts may draw vs to grieuous inconuenients There is no sure Guarde to vs our heart but by a speciall guarding Grace and that guard is most close about vs when wee feele the neede of it and are earnest with God for it So long as there is euill in the world malice in Sathan weakenesse in our selfe and goodnesse in God wee cannot want matter of continuall prayer That same light that seeth the necessitie directeth vs to the Fountaine where it may bee helped And the goodnesse of God perswadeth vs of a supplie Our necessitie is great and God hath promised to heare when wee call his mercie and trueth in Christ are chiefe grounds of my perswasion But I am greatlie confirmed by a secondarie meane when I am conscious in all my doing with man that I seek nothing but Gods glorie mans good mine owne Saluation Wee draw neere to the Throne of Grace with boldnesse when our hearts are purged from euery euill Conscience The gift and libertie of feruent ejaculations are the worke of God in vs Hee will doubtlesse answere that desire which his owne Spirit worketh Wee neede not in such stratnesse of time and businesse looke so much to the shortnesse of our ejaculations as to their feruencie Pluralitie of businesse lacke of time and throng of companie seeme to cut off the possibilitie of these short prayers But indeede they beget and bring them foorth Gods intercourse with the godlie Soule knoweth no such impedimeÌ„t Moses distresse at the red Sea forced out these secret cryes and God answered him to his desire The searcher of hearts heareth these secret and pearcing prayers and will answere them openlie They are not so much in voice as in groanes and these groanes are not separate from the heart but in it and the heart in them immediatelie thrusting it selfe on God A free desire goeth out in words but a restrained and suppressed desire doubleth it selfe as a sparkle of fire is hotter when it is couered with colde ashes 82. Complementing is a windie fulnesse COmplementing in speach is a verball Idolatrie it is counted a perfection in talking but is indeed the quintessence of pratling and vnworhtie of a free and ingenuous minde The giuer and receiuer are both deceiued the first speaketh that which hee meaneth not and the other troweth that which he exspecteth not At titling men haue armes and facts of hostilitie without wrath they breake their speares on other intend none hurt so complementing hath friendly words without loue As jesters breake their jests on other so doe Polititians their smoakie wishes praise They liue by that smoake but modest Spirits are tormented with it That mist fleeth moste among men of least true worth Where that flatterie is mutuall then two birds of one feather â—lee together and two horse of one itch doe nippe other It is a pitie to see men teach their tongs to speake lies to labour to be trusted more than vnderstood But they trow not themselues how shall other men trust them No maÌ„ can justly craue more credite to his speach of other thaÌ„ himself giueth to it or if he doe he must conceat stronglie that hee dealeth with a foole Hee mindreh one thing and speaketh or rather soundeth the contrare Hee knoweth his Heart thinketh not what hee speaketh and therefore hee taketh the floorish of faire speech to supplie the want of trueth His heart must fetch the reasons of his owne perswasion from his mouth and measuring others by himselfe hee thinketh that many faire wordes shall beguile them as well as hee beguileth himselfe with them They are no more vexed to coyne their wordes than I am to keepe my countenance when I heare them Ingenuitie of affection goeth plainly to worke The more care to fill mine eares with officious offers the lesse credite they finde in mine heart I thinke their Spirit is so spent in that vapour that there is left neither spirit nor life in their affection This sort of lying is not vulgare but with a singular mode Poets haue libertie to lie and for keeping their Rythme they are licenced to quite Reason oft-times There is none odde veine of Poesie without some degree of abstractnes of Spirit the strictnesse of meeter looseth them from
as his humour is put in place of Gods Law so himselfe is put in Gods steede If many courses that seeme good were tryed to this touchstone their appearing equitie would be found iniquitie and their seeming obedience to God would proue contemptuous rebellion Selfe-loue is such an enemie to trueth and righteousnesse as they can neuer preuaile at her barre She setteth vs as a center to al her supposed good pleadeth greatest iniquity in the termes of our wealth In just reason sight should master that blindnesse but the tyrannie of Selfe-loue blindeth our verie light The speciall remeede of this voluntar and wilfull erring is to transferre both our deeds and rights to the person of some other We would judge more vnpartiallie in that case If wee censure them in other and apply that our censure to our selfe we shall be convicted of many infirmities which wee take for perfections If wee could drawe our cause deedes and persons in the light of Gods countenance such selfe-deceiuing would not haue place in us Mans judgement and our owne may faile vs but there is no place for deceite if we can sincerely processe our selues before God in the person of another The strength of Selfe-deceit is in confusion and assuming an other person than our owne but the remeede of it is in discerning that confusion and transferring our person to another 89. Particulars are mixed with common causes I Saw neuer a common cause without some particulars all may seeme to concurre to choose and vse good meanes to a common end But if all heartes were disclosed the ends might bee found almost as many and particular as the persons By-ends are euer sette vp beside the maine and good end and for these either meanes diuerse or contrare to the wholesome meanes are inuented If God did not ouer-rule so diuerse coÌ„trare projects there culd neuer a common course bee happilie prosecute As day and night make vp time and heate and moystnesse the life and health of man so hee turneth mans contâ—are particulars to his good end Hee can suffer them to intend their owne ends and plotte their owne meanes but yet wiselie in his owne time he wosteth all their particular and curious spinning in the great webbe of his prouidence As little Brookes falling from sundrie Hilles in a great Riuer keepe no longer their course or channell but are carried with the Riuer to the Sea So mens particular ends and wayes are carried within the source of Gods prouidence to his owne end They may fight one against another but cannot all resist him His ouer-ruling power and wisedome maketh good matter for his end out of them all It is a wonder to see euery man draw the publicke to his owne particular But more how God sustaineth the publicke in so manifold and manifest direptions of it And most of all how he turneth them to the preseruation of the integritie of it It is a griefe indeed to see men spoile the common with their owne particulars yet shall it bee no prejudice to God Man may propone but God will dispone the moe impediments the greater discouerie of mans folie and the more matter for proofe of Gods wisedome There bee some particulars which agree with the publicke and are rather partes of it than particulars They intend a common good and quite themselues for sustaining of it and suffer their owne small streame to fall in the greater Riuer and so come vnder Gods blessing to the common But destroying particulars fall vnder his curse who is the ranuerser of al crooked wayes They are the ivie or woodbeane that draweth out the juce of the tree which it strictlie embraceth turneth the waters of the riuer to their own ditch Though they sucke the marrow of the publicke to themselues yet God maketh it to drie their bones and not to feede them Such interuerters like Pharaohs leane kyne are as leane after the deuouring of the fatte kyne as before It is a safe proceeding to haue our end one with God and our mids these same which he hath commanded If we see men vntimouslie broyle with their particulars let vs not dispare of Gods end Whither man prosper or faile of his purpose yet the counsell of God shall stand Prov. 19. 21. Hee hath prouided great furtherance for his adoes who refuseth particular ends GOD who watcheth ouer all thinges for his owne purpose shall bring it to passe Wee may bee sure that hee will accomplish our desires when they are closed in his We should not stay on this only consideration but ascend more high to conceiue that Gods mercie from eternall purposed to determine our will to a conformitie with his that in time hee might blesse vs in the accomplishment of our will in his 90. The Remeede of our Corruption â—Ho can looke in his owne heart with the light of God without astonishment All our naturall powers giuen at the first for our good are armed for our destruction These who should sute and rest on good as our Desires Loue Hope and Ioye c. are sette on euill And they which should fence vs from euill as Feare Hatred Dispare and Griefe c. are either idâ—e from their worke or adhere to euill And some monstruous passion seasing it selfe in euerie facultie of our Soule playeth the tyrrant by course And all these to bee directed by an ignorant and erring minde and sweyed by a will free indeed but all its freedome inclining and captiuate to sin The den of lyons was no more terrible to Daniel or the fyre to the three Children than these tyrrannous passions in the heart are to him that seeth and feeleth them What pleasure can wee haue to dwell among such Vipers and to be daylie stunge by them This is our state so long as we sojourne in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Kedar Psal. 120. 5. What joy can our heartes possesse so long as they boyle in these corruptions Ambition in one corner Auarice in another Lust in a third miscontment distempering all Wee can neither cast them out of vs nor separate our selues from them except we prouide some remeede wee must bee burnt by that fire and rent by these beasts If God dwell in our heart hee will quench that fire and stop the mouthes of these Lyons Hee turneth these powers on their abused passions in a godly griefe to bee sorrowfull for them and a godly feare to eschew them and by their renouatioÌ„ destroyeth their corruption and that not for their slaughter onlie but for their buriall A watchfull Conscience ouer their sturring that they draw vs not to sinne an in-calling on GOD for pardon and assistance against their furie a striuing to defraude their desires and crosse them by their contrares are good remeedes for our corruption When that worke of restraining and renewing Grace is constant sensible in vs then the jawes of these Lyons are broken and the just cause of our griefe is turned in as
vanities and that far more because her applause is her vainest vanities And others possiblie shift themselues both of her vanitie and loue and yet are not fastned on a better Hee is foolish who loseth one thing findeth not another But the truelie godly man seeth and followeth a better world in this wicked one wee haue in this visible world an Heauen and Starres Earth Aire and Creatures for our temporall vse But the spirituall eye taketh vp an higher one Hee seeth GOD for his Sunne and from his Face taketh his Light from his Loue his Warmenesse from his Presence his Seasons It is light and Day when he shyneth on our Soule in the Face of Christ It is Night horrible darknesse when he hydeth his Face The course of his times run not as in the world The heauenly Day may fall at the midst of the naturall night heauenly Summer and Haruest in the midst of the naturall winter Euen at mid-night it is mid-day in that Soule where God maketh our reines to teach vs knowledge All Seasons are numbered by his Fâ—ce allcaneâ—lie The earth of this world is the Rocke of Syon Iesus Christ. No stabilitie or rest to the Soule but in him The Aire is the sense of his Fauour and the comfortable Creatures are his Saintes who walke with him in righteousnesse and holinesse This heauenlie world is better than that visible one and will remaine when the other is destroyed It is a strange conceate in them who by an odde Prospect seeth an earth and cities and men in the Moone That fiction and fansie is verified in this Trueth The spirituall man seeth this heauenly world in the temporall one And with that same light hee seeth an hellish world in this visible one For what is Sathan abusing the world and leading it in euill but erecting of a world of his owne in the defacing of this created world These are solide groundes to make vs strangers on earth and Burgesses in Heauen when wee take vp these worlds distinctlie And the more cleerelie wee see them there will bee lesse difficultie to forsake the euill and â—eeke the good one Let the men of this world reckon their Seasons Tymes and Occasions by this world that they see Our reckoning is better and surer by that supernaturall one They change their Almanackes from time to times But our Sun of Righteousnesse shall distinguish our Seasons and shine vpon vs both in this life and in Heauen This sight is the worke of a new light and is to be found only in the new man whom God hath ordained for the new Heauen and for the new Earth His Calender is neither directed by Starres in heauen nor Tydes in the Sea nor Horologes on the Earth His Sunne and starres is Gods Face his Tydes are the ebbing and flowing of the influences of Grace And his Horologe the secret yet the strong motions of Gods Spirit showing the increase of Grace in the owne periods though the promouing of it bee oft-ten hid from vs. This Earth is a sort of mids betweene Heauen and Hell and yet both of them haue their image beginning in it We are called to forsake the euill and seeke the good and what worse than Satan and sinâ—e and the wicked And what better than GOD his Grace and his Sainctes If wee see these distinctlie we shal be the more enabled to moue our selfe from the euill to the good This sight is the worke of Grace but the naturall man taketh all confusedly he neither seeth nor seeketh better than the world And if he make any distinction it is false hee forsaketh good as an euill and cleeueth to euill as his happinesse 100 God is the dwelling place of the godly Soule EVerie Creature hath the owne element and rest for dwelling securitie and delight therein they are both frequentlie and pleasantlie It is a meanes to try our state by our resort and rest The Worldling is euer in the world there is no difference betweene him and the Earth but that the one liueth and the other doth not and this that liueth is worse than the other because hee liueth in sinne The godlie Soule resteth on God in all businesse it looketh to him and all the thoughts of it end in him to him aboue all it returneth resteth pleasantlie in him and from him it can not bee rent All beeing and businesse out of him is a vexation and our greatest labour is sweete by this onelie that it goeth to him and is acceptable to him God dwelleth in that Soule that cannot rest but in him hee hath loued it from eternall and called it in time to himselfe that is so taken with him and his delights No rendeuous is so known to any Creature and vsed of it as God is to that Soule that resteth in him A proofe of this rest is God resting in vs In all the world he found not rest but in man When he created the Heauen and the Earth all Beasts and Fowles he rested not til he created man his Benjamin his last Creature in worke but his first in affection there hee rested as in the end of his Creation His delight is to dwell with men and among men with the godlie for them onely of all mankinde hath hee assumed to union in Christ. If we find him dwell in vs then surely we dwell in him we may easilie know if Christ dwell in vs except we bee Reprobats 2. Cor. 5. There is great wisdome in choosing the best Lodging We lodge now conuenientlie in our Bodie but at Death it will cast vs out and the worlde our pleasant House will decay Wee rest now in our contentmentes but must flitte from them But God can neither decay nor cast vs out and at Death wee shall still abide in him We neede not then flitte from him but ascend and bee more joyned to him Wee cannot haue Tabernacles heere nor abide no not in the beginnings and growth of Grace which is now our contentment but shall bee receiued and bide in euerlasting Mansions that are in him Man naturallie inclineth to two things his beginning and end His beginning recalleth him by right of his Originall The fishes will visite the place of their spawning yeerelie And men of an hurte health returne to their natiue soyle as the aire which they took in at their birth gaue them the first outward matter of their naturall Spirits so the vse of it may bring them backe againe to their first integritie The end calleth vs to it by right of perfection the pryse of the runner the house of the Traueller are earnestlie desired So is it to the godly Our beginning in Grace is in God The Riuer of liuing waters flowe out from the Sanctuarie from vnder the Throne of GOD and the Lambe The Grace of election hath no latter beginning than eternitie nor lower discent than heauen and turneth vs vp to it againe The waters of life which Christ giueth vs
weake meanes Clay layed to Clay Dust vnto Dust and the shaddow of Death a refreshment of wearines Our nourishment is but dust and our sleepe an image of Death and Death in end must dissolue that dust that standeth vpon so base pillers and is so oft wrapped vp in the image of it Though the first worke of our nourishment bee to susteene the bodie in life yet in a second worke it furnisheth matter of diseases and so of Death And though our Sleepe in it selfe refresh vs yet it is a presage and an earnest of a longer sleepe in Death If Sicknesse fasten on the Body for remeede thereof I take on another disease Medicine is indeede a gift of God a necessitie to Nature an enemie to the corruption of it and haâ—sh and vnpleasant to the integritie of it yet when I render my selfe to it I embrace a lesser Death for avoyding a greater One dolour is a remeede to another dolour And all is but an off-putting for a time Mortalitie is so seased in the bodie that our life is stollen through innumerable diseases and deathes and in end a yeelding to Death This is the miserie of a mortall bodie in the circle of daylie and vnavoydable necessities and at last in despite of all their supplies a necessitie of Death The Soule is more burdensome in this lumpish bodie rent asunder with corruption and passions their distresses more oppressing it than these paines did the bodie It is now forced with temptation if it bee strenthened it is in danger of pride for deliuerie The remeede of one temptation is turned in the matter of a worse The naturall powers in their worke doe trouble it the ImaginatioÌ„ runneth out in phansies the Mind in inquiring is vexed and tortured by scruples The Will in inclyning declining and suspending is not so much delighted with good as crossed with the euill object and that work of it is a toyle to it selfe and to vs The Affections sette contrare Feare Sorrow Hatred tormenting vs and Hope Ioy and Loue busying vs more in their object suspended remoued hurt or destroyed than they doe in the enjoying of it Neuer any of these sweete affections in vs alone but their coÌ„trare is fixed on them while wee are in hope or joye and enjoying of God wee feare to lose that joye and sorrow commeth in with that feare But the torment of temptatioÌ„ is intolerable that Satan doth so far preuaile in vs as to stir vp our inbred corâ—uptioÌ„ that our corruption doth yeeld to him we our selues in a perpetuall trouble either watching ouer temptions that they surprise vs not or resisting them when they are moued or repenting for them when they haue preuailed to our insnaring And the Conscience aboue all sette on a continuall worke to direct vs aright in all our wayes to try our obedience to her direction and if wee haue failed to torment vs in our arriegning before Gods Tribunall and the feare and sense of his wrath to come How can I either delight to dwell in this Bodie or carrie about so grieuous a burden as this A vile prison an hole of Serpents and Coâ—katrices A body of earth and a bodie of sinne and death in it a masse of corruption euer stirred of Sathan and breaking out of it selfe Heere is a burthen insupportable a labour without end The sense of it selfe is enough to the sensible Soule to mourne for abyding in it and to cry VVoe is mee that I abide so long in Mesech or dwell in the tents of Kedar And miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of Death It is impossible that perfect happinesse can lodge in so miserable a creature It craueth a Soule and bodie perfect and free of all euill therefore I must bee dissolued ere I bee perfected the Soule purified in God from all sinfulnesse and the bodie refined in the earth from all frailtie and so the whole man freed of all miserie Though fleshly Selfe-loue sometimes blind mee to desire to abide in this body yet a bettâ—r loue of my selfe in GOD biddeth mee desire to bee dissolued that I may bee perfected The greater light the greater libertie in visiting these Mansions in Heauen and adoring my God who hath prepared them for mee The greater libertie the gearter desire to bee out of this bodie wherein so long as I dwell I am absent from God and these Mansions where I long to enjoy him This is the miserie of a sinfull Soule And though our Soâ—le had peace our bodie constant health yet our Lot is vnder continuall changes Our Husband and Wife Parents and Children Friendes and Familiars are subject to Sicknesse and Death Our name is subject to Infamie and Calumnies Our goods layed open to mans deceit or violence and to Gods most free and just Providence They are either with holden from vs or taken from vs or if they remaine with vs they decay So wee are either chastened with a simple want of them or a losse or a change Our Lotte in it selfe is a blessing of God but this change and decay is a matter of griefe and feare As though God did augment our Lot for this end to augment the marke for his Arrowes and the matter of our griefe There is nothing whereof wee can say that either wee shall haue it long or in that same state wherein it is now It is either subject to want in measure or change in standing There is none houre wherein we are not either vnder a sorrowfull remembrance of bygone Calamities or vnder sense of some present or vnder a fearefull foresight of Calamities to come This is the miserie of a changeable Lotte All these miseries God hath layed vpon man to humble him thereby Ecclesi 1. 13. and to make him wearie of this present life For man that is borne of a woman is of a short continuance and full of trouble Iob. 14. 1. Hee is borne to trouble as sparkes flee vpward Iob. 5. 7. If wee found full and constant prosperitie heere wee would desire to remaine in this life There is neither necessitie nor desire of a better life in them who find all things according to their heart in this life But God hath so tempered the Cup to his dearest Children that it hath more gall and worme-wood than honie and more sowre than sweete Our life is short in it selfe and made shorter by grieuous Calamities If wee count onlie that tyme for our life wherin we haue beene free of Feare of Sense or memorie of euill it will bee shorter than the naturall course of life if all bee well examined scarcelie shall the best liuing finde so many peaceable houres as his naturall life hath dayes God knoweth that naturallie wee are giuen to nest in the world as birds To roote in it as Trees sit fast in it as Rockes Therefore hee changeth our Lotte and crosseth our contentment that hee may both loose vs and keepe vs loose
that Couenant commeth these waters diuide themselues Let mee see the high Priest of my profession who is the Arke himselfe carying that Arke before mee Where hee setteth his feete there is dry ground to passe through the midst of dangers O Sonne of God shew thy propitiation to the Father to appease him To me to encourage mee To these waters that they may flee away and to mine enemies that they may bee destroyed Let mee see thee as I did long since at the like sentence of Death interponing thy selfe betwixt the wrath of God and mee securing me from sinne punishment and all that worke of Iustice When thou turned wrath in mercie and the Iustice Seate in a Throne of Grace And setting thy selfe as a sconse between GODS wrath and mee made mee as posedlie and calmelie to stand before God vnder the sentence of Death as euer I did in the sweetest meditations motions of thy Spirit That former proofe yet fresh in my minde confirmeth mine hope in the expectation of the like peace when Death shall come indeede All this I know this I beleeue and hope for and feele alreadie begunne in mee in some measure and perswade my selfe as now I thinke it and write it that in due time I shall finde it and praise thee in Heauen eternallie for it when thou hast crowned thy mercies in mee The sense of thy presence doth now delight mee but I rest not on it As it giueth mee vnspeakable contentment so it pouseth mee fordward to thy perfect presence I must euer bee in mouing till I bee perfected in thee Though thy presence coÌ„fort me now in these my Soules-speaches with thee aâ—d refresh my wearie heart both vnder present paine and foreseene paines of death yet I stay not there These cooling tastes doe rather inflame my desire than quench it and increase my longing for the Well it selfe That I may bee satisfied aboundantlie with the fatnesse of thine House and drinke of the Riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the Fountaine of Life and in thy Light I shall see light Psal. 36. 8. 9. All my joyes in the way cannot satisfie mee till I bee in that Citie whereof the Lord God Almightie the Lambe is the Temple That new Ierusalem that hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone for the Glorie of GOD doeth inlighten it and the Lambe is the Light of it Reuelat. 21. 22. 23. I long for that pure Riuer of the water of Life cleare as crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lambe I long for the fruite of the Tree of Life that bringeth fruite euery Moneth euer constant and new joyes that I may see the face of the Lambe and haue his Name written in my forehead and follow him vvhither soeuer hee goeth Revelat. 22. 1. 2. 4. Till I come to this estate my Soule will euer thirst for thee more than the thirstie land doth for raine or the chased Hart panteth for the riuer of vvaters My Soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God Oh vvhen shall I come and appeare before God Psal. 42. 2. None hath wrought or can worke this great Desire in me but thou onelie none can or shall satisfie it but thou and that by none of thy giftes but by thy selfe alone It is a desire of thy selfe aboue all and cannot rest without thy selfe It is stronger than all other desires in mee they are all silent when it raigneth they cease willinglie and quite their priuate contentment and seeke it in the satisfaction of this greatest One. Come therefore O thou whom my Soule loueth and satisfie my Soule in her greatest desire of thee This is for the present by the worke of thy Spirit I trust shall be my last ardent affection to thee in the houre of my Death mine eternall condition in the Heauens Then the greatest satisfactioÌ„ of my greatest desire shall work my greatest delight Sight and Sense and FruitioÌ„ shall then teach mee that which now the eye hath not seene not the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued But when I shall see thee as thou art shall know thee as I am known then I shall see that which now I beleeue and hope for euen mine happinesse in thee perfectlie When the end of thy loue to mee and of my desire of thee doe meete in that glorious perfection there shall neither be matter nor place for more desire The infinite weight of Glorie The eternall indurance of it The constant freshnesse and continuall newnesse of it in my neuer-loathing nor decaying feeling excludeth both the increase and beeing of any desire WheÌ„ thy delight in mee and my delight in thee doe concurre then my glorified delight shall rest on thee and thy delights contentedlie I cease now to write but not to think of and affect thee as mine onelie happines Let thy good Spirit O Lord keepe my Soule vnder the sense of these delights or vnder the memorie of them or the fruite of them that I may walk in the strength of their coÌ„solations delighting my selfe in thee and in that mine happinesse which is thy selfe till I perfectlie enjoy Thee Into thine Hands I commit my Spirit for Thou hast redemed mee O LORD GOD of Trueth COME LORD IESVS AND TARIE NOT. AMEN FINIS The Table of these OBSERVATIONS A ACcidents rare make many Prophets Obser. 51 Affections right placed 46 Afflictions great profite 69 Athiesmes poyson 27 Ambitious men die of their disease 48 B Our Bodies spiritualitie 40 The Bodies tendernesse a blessing to the godlie 80 C Callings are our tryall 35 Gods Calling a sufficient warrand 26 Fruitefull labour in our Calling 8 Calumnies Comfort 87 Christian Furniture 1 Combat betweene the Earth the Wretch 17 Companie usuallie hurtfull 15 Complementing is a windie fulnesse 82 Contemplation and practise ought to bee ioyned 47 Conceate of VVisedome is great folie 44 Conscience Exercise 79 Conscientious Knowledge 83 Constant inconstancie 30 Corruptions Danger 56 Corruptions Remeede 90 Credulitie and Confidence 41 D Death surpriseth the most part of men 6 Deuotion and Obedience are twinnes 12 E Eiaculations continuall 81 Experience fruitfull 14 F Phantasies Tyrannie and Remeede 94 Faults with the World but not with God 23 Feares needlesse are fruitfull to the godlie 85 Flesh and Spirit discerned 58 G God alone better than all 50 God mercifull presence 59 The sight of a present God-head 42 Gods best giftes 57 God seeth the Heart 67 Gods Beggers are best heard 72 How to please God and man 33 God the dwelling place of the godlie 100 God and Sathan contrare in ends wayes 60 The godlies warre in peace 91 H Concerning happines we are greatest fooles 5 Hearts discouerie 10 Hearts hardnesse 75 I Iniuries inflame our corruption 32 Insolent fittes 29 Iudging wrong 31 L Short life ought a short care 20 Loue of good and hatred of euill 54 The best Lotte hath some want 55 M Mans threefold perfection 97 Man most disobedient of all creatures 70 Man both blind and quicke sighted in his owne cause 88 Mankinds wise temper 84 Best men most iniured 71 Mankinds threefolde respect 96 Meditations profite 39 The Merchant wise and foolish 53 Good Motions are of God 73 N Holie Necessities are no distractions 13 Thirst of News 86 O Obseruations right vse 74 Operations of the holie Spirit 2 P Particulars are mixed with common causes 89 Passions disease and Remeede 22 Patrons of Grace and Nature 43 Peace of God a sweete Vade-mecum 4 Perplexities disease and Remeede 21 Politickes secrecie is open 62 Predominant vertue and vice 93 Prayers great profite 7 Prouidence particular to the godlie 98 Rest on Prouidence 68 R Religious Religion 82 Refuge of the Christian. 95 Resolution performed 34 S Saluation of God alone 24 Scriptures vnspeakable profite 65 Securitie in God 38 Selvishnesse damnable 52 Sense of weaknesse 62 Sinne an euill Guest 28 Proud Sinners post to Hell 25 Soules life 63 Soules Foode 36 The stamppe of God in the Soule 77 Great worldlie Spirits 78 Good Spirits most free of Passions 49 T Our Thoughts fruitfull worke 3 The godlie Traueller 16 Tryall of Trueth 61 Tryall of our Tyme 19 W VVarres fearefull calamities 66 VVayes of God well expounded 18 VVorld worse and worse 9 Dead to the world 45 A new better world in this old bad one 99 VVorship of God done as his worship 76 Constant dyet in Gods worship 37 Y Youth and olde Age. 11 FINIS Faults escaped in the printing in the Obseruations Page Line Fault Corrected 53. 1. delate deleete 57. 1. friend frrine 68. 2. adde Post. 79. 5. wrath worth 87. 17. craueth carueth 111. 21. coÌ„uersatioÌ„ couersioÌ„ 113. 1. craue carue 152. 14. to in 157. ult dele him 180. 10. calamities calumnies 212. 19. taker tacke 218. 11. titling tilting In the Resolution 2. 3. reproach approach 39. 10. it is 49. 2 secure serue
CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and these uses to his vnion with GOD. I. CENTVRIE VVith a Resolution for Death c. Newlie published by Mr WILLIAM STRVTHER Preacher of the Gospel at EDINBVRGH Ecclesiastes 2. 14. The wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heires of Andro Hart. ANNO DOM. 1628. TO GOD ALMIGHTIE GRATIOVS MERCIFVLL c. FATHER SONNE AND HOLIE GHOST His most vnworthie Seruant thristing his glory in the Saluation of the Saints Mr. W. STRVTHER THESE first fruits of Thine owne Grace in mee I offer to Thee O Fountaine of Grace Thy thoughts are pretious to mee and thy Meditations sweete All the desires of mine heart is to Thee and to bring thy Saiuctes to thy fellowship that in that vnion they may enjoy Thy selfe and partake true Happinesse Blesse all meanes vsed to that good end that they may proue meanes of thine owne choyse and worke But aboue all shedde abroad Thy loue in the hearts of Thy people then our preaching and writting will bee either lesse needefull or more fruitfull Thou hast wonâ— to Thy selfe for euer the heart that is deepelie affected with the sense of Thy loue Thou knowest that it can no more byde or rest off Thee than a stone of it selfe can hing in the aire While I thinke of Thee my thoughts increase themselues and while I preasse to expresse them I can not satisfie my selfe in that expression Thou art in the heart that loueth Thee truelie and that heauenlie affection ouercommeth it twise once in vnspeakeable softning sweetnesse nixt in an vnsufficiencie to vtter it But this is some remeede that it can poure it selfe immediatelie vpon Thee Words writes come shorter than thoughts and thoughts shorter than the affection the onelie just and equall expressing of the affection is to thrust it selfe on Thee and to adhere and inhere in Thee continuallie It sufficeth mee that Thou knowest mine heart and thine owne worke in it Let the Meditations of mine heart and the words of my mouth bee acceptable to Thee O GOD my Strength and my Redeemer and direct Thou the workes of mine hands that all may serue to the magnifying of Thy glorious Grace and edifying of thy people AMEN TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader THE present time Christian Reader both offereth these obseruations to me and throweth their publication from mee None walketh with opened eyes but these and the like shall occurre vnto him This time of the Gospel aboundeth in the meanes of sauing knowledge but few partake it The most part brutishlie neglect it other in their search are carried on the by Seeking affecting and resting on trifling knowledge as on happinesse and many who in some sort find it out doe separate from it both affection action so preuailing Athesme giueth thee effront to sauing Knowledge Grace in the Gospel But the Sun sendeth a quickening heate as well as a shining â—ight and man is borne with heart and hands as well as with eyes The worke of light is to discouer but affection separateth vs from the discouered euill and ioyneth vs to the knowne Good and to walke in the direction of that Light and the discerning of Affection is to know sauinglie It is the best knowledge which is about the best things and needeth least change at Death To know GOD and our happinesse in Him hath no change at Death but in the degree aduancing to perfection As other thinges so other knowledge will then vanish This is the affectuous and actuous Knowledge according to godlinesse wherevnto I labour in the Lord to stirre Thee vp That knowing GOD in Christ thou may liue in Him and walke in Him The sense of a God-head is the marrow and kernell of Christianitie Without this all our knowledge is but a carcase of knowledge wee our selues the carions of Christians The Lord worke these good things in thee and thee to his Image to fill Thee heere with Grace and heereafter with glorie Amen Thine in the Lord Mr. William Struther CHRISTIAN OBSERVATIONS AND RESOLVTIONS OR The daylie practise of the renewed man turning all occurrents to spirituall uses and all these uses to his union with GOD. 1. The Christian Furniture THREE thinges are necessar for our Christian walking the right end the straight way and a good Guide And all these are to bee found in God alone his glorie is the right end and the high way to this ende is his Word and himselfe the onelie Guide yea hee himselfe is all these three Hee is the Way and the Trueth and the Life for wee are led by his Spirit in his will to himselfe His presence in mercie giueth vs all this furniture and without it euerie man goeth astray some seeke the right end but choose not the straight way some find the straight way but seeke not the right end in place of God they seeke and follow themselues in all their businesse they aduance not one foote from their first and naturall condition but are more drowned in miserie than at their birth The truelie godlie come to this threefold blessing The more sincerelie they intend his glorie the more sure are they of his direction and guiding This is Abrahams walking before God and Enochs walking with him and Paul his walking in him The present fruite is answerable to such grounds a certaintie to obtaine such an end because of the way and Guide a securitie in that way and a joy in the conscience of rhem all The conscience of the sinceritie of our intention of our endeuouring to find and walke in the way is a great degree of his presence in grace a presage of his presence in glorie The Soule that laboureth for this sort of walking in this life shall bee with him for euer after this life The most part of men proclaime to the world that they haue neuer thought earnestlie of this Iourney Their furniture is rather for Hell if such a Iourney needed furniture then for Heauen They take this worlde for their home themselues for their end their Guide and Guarde loosing their heartes to all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse But the godlie know they haue no byding citie heere therefore they seeke for one to come and deale with God for this prouision in so dangerous a way Hee may bee sure of that end who is guided and guarded by God in the way to it Hee who is now alwayes in God must bee with God for euer So hee guideth his owne with his Counsell and afterward bringeth them to his glorie 2. Operations of Gods Spirit are powerfull THe working of Gods Spirit is neither at our desire nor our direction Hee bloweth where hee listeth and GODS Kingdome commeth not by obseruation Our euill deseruing hath more power to stay him than our desires to set him on worke omissions grieue him greatlie but commission of grosse sinnes grieue him
not of this Ioye but Gods children who know the worth of it will not value it with all the world For worth it passeth all vnderstanding and for use it guardeth the heart and mind in the sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ. It is sweete in our life but shall bee more sweete at our death then we shall see his face not frowning but smiling on vs wee shall not bee amazed but rejoyce when hee commeth with his messenger death to loose our bands Who can conceiue Simeons joye when hee song Now letteth thou thy seruant depart in peace Hee could neuer haue so spoken of death without this Peace and a sure ground had hee for his eyes did see his armes did carrie and his heart was full of the Saluation of God the Prince and pryce of this Peace It is a guard in our life and a bridge at Death to set vs safe ouer the gulfe of miserie and enter vs in Heauen 5. Wee are fooles about Happinesse OUr greatest folie is where wisedome should bee greatest euen in the choose and pursute of true Happinesse Wee cannot heere possesse all thinges and yet confusedlie wee couet them when wee choose one of them it is not the best but the worst of all in so farre as wee make it our best God is to bee sought aboue all hee may bee seene and found of all yet the most part knoweth him not and seeketh him not They professe wisedome but they practise folie herein they are not spiritually daintie either in choose or their affection any thing contenteth them The base lump of the earth and vanities of it are felicitie to them And though there be some choyse blessings in the world they light rather on the trash than on the good substance As they passe by God himselfe to his gifts so among his gifts they misse the corne and choose the chaffe Neither doeth their folie stand heere it can imagine to it selfe an happinesse in this miserable miscarrying This is indeede a fooles Paradise a conceate plat-formed by our selues we are delighted with these vanities and captiued by them which proueth our naughtinesse Raw and racklesse choosing maketh faint pursuing True Happinesse as all true good hath an alluring and drawing vertue and the godly by their inclining yeelding dispositioÌ„ to it are made partakers of it to their happines Their care about it is as far aboue other cares as it selfe excelleth other things If this rule bee applyed to mankinde how few shall bee found in the way of true Happinesse Professe with men and imagine with themselues as they will there is none appearance that either they haue found the alluring power of it or rendred themselues in their greatest desire and care for the obtaining of it It deserueth the flower and prime of all our labours and their smallest remaines may serue other trifles But when this order is inverted such men lye as fast in miserie as they are blinde and lazie in the pursute of true Happinesse If true good haue drawen vs forceblie to it selfe then wee cannot but seeke it earnestlie This is true Wisedome to passe by all thinges that wee may finde God To count these deceiuing imaginations about Happinesse to bee tyrranous foolries in the midst of so manie euils in the world to find out the good and among so manie goods to finde out the true and best good euen our good God and rest on him 6. Death surpriseth the most part of mankind MAnie are on their death-bed before they thinke rightlie of life They are going out of the world while they begin to know wherefore they came in it Wee come in it for this great businesse to saue our Soules in the Faith and obedience of God but when wee haue time to doe it we forget that busines and then begin to thinke of it when the time appointed is gone We spend much time in doing nothing and more in doing euill but little or none in that great matter wherefore wee were borne The life of sinne is in vs before the life of God and fearing the owne ejection preoccupyeth the other and taketh all time to it selfe And mortalitie seasing on vs in our conception before our perfect life subjecteth vs to inevitable death before wee liue the life of God The Soule must bee in perplexitie at the houre of death that seeth the day spent and that assigned businesse not begun A Traueller that seeth the Sun setting when hee is entring on the journey must bee agast the Euening of the day and morning of the taske doe not well agree together All the time that remaineth is too short for lamenting the losse of bygone time and if Gods mercie did not infinitelie exceed our euil none could be saued after such a neglect Time bygone cannot returne but may be redeemed and this redemption is not in the extent of the worke but in the equiualence of it God worketh not by such lent proceeding as hee doth in them that spend their time well but at-once hee perfecteth them as hee pardoneth their sinne so he perfecteth their sanctification Though God doe this in some yet he biddeth all use their time well while it goeth The fruitfull use of it may cost vs the losse of manie trifling joyes but that shall bee recompenced with solide fruite Fearfull will that encounter be when grimme Death findeth a man in sinne carelesnesse he must cry in the bitternes of his heart Hast thou found me mine enemie But when it findeth vs in our worke and at peace with God pleasant will bee that meeting It is Gods messenger to loose vs out of the yoake and bring vs to our promised and exspected reward How joyfullie shall that Soule goe to God that hath so liued as euer in the worke wherefore it came in the world When the Conscienâ—e at death saith to God Lord I beare this man record that hee hath worne himselfe and spent his time in seruing and obeying thee This testimonie is sweetâ— in our life when wee lye downe at night wearie of our labour ryse earlie to it againe and are crossed for our fidelitie in it but more sweete in our death That man is blessed whose way and journey time busines breath goe altogether The Apostle closeth all sweetlie I haue run my race I haue keeped the faith hencefoorth is laid for mee the Crowne of Glorie Hee who liueth the life of the righteous shall die the death of the righteous and shall not bee surprysed of Death 7 The great profite of prayer SOme spirituall exercises augment light as Reading Hearing conference other augment life and affection as Meditation and Praise but Prayer is for both It openeth the minde to see more clearelie and softneth the heart to bee more sensible the light of God shineth then most fullie when wee see our God and our selues in his light and the fixing of our minde on him cannot but draw our heart to him the more clearelie wee see
vniuersal most vncureable disease of the world It is a coūtersconce erected by Satā against the Gospel to elude the force of it and to hold men still in the bandes of sinne It goeth vnder one name but hath many branches some more open and some more secrete and in their worke some more dangerous than other A dissolute man is not so powerfull to perswad his opinions as he who colloureth his profannesse Open Atheisme almost refuteth it selfe but couert Atheisme may deceiue the wise There is neither such a ground nor couerture for Atheisme as to maintaine that men of all Religions may be safe To make so many doores to Heauen is to cast wyde open the gates of Hell Christ hath tolde vs that the way to heauen is narrow and few finde it and hee calleth himselfe the VVay but not the wayes As there is but one God so there is but one way to him by Faith and Obedience in Christ. The signes of it are an humane officious carriage to man but licentious and irreligious before God a praise of all other religious and a carping of the Religion professed in the place of their dwelling And if necessitie draw them to the publicke worship their behauiour bewrayeth an absence of their soule from that exercise They jest at Sermons and make none other use of holy Scripture than profanlie to apply it to euery profane purpose trifling occasion at their meales their vnhalowed morsels must be set ouer with the sauce of some abused sentence of Scripture they care not to offend God for pleasing their companie who partak of their profannes if they be not offēded at y◠offēce of God As mettals are known by their sound so their grosse Atheisme is discouered by their profane noyse They who feare God dare not carie themselues so before him And they who haue found sacred Scripture the seed of their regeneration the foode of their soule and their comfort in trouble will neuer turne so heauenly Oracles to the matter of their sporting But they are not long vnpunished and their damnation sleepeth not Nature in Athiests findeth it selfe vexed with the dumbe choppe of conscience crying vnto them that there is a God But this surmyse is out-cryed and Conscience out-faced by this when they thinke any course is a way to heauen Such men are not so much justifying their course before men as prouyding libertie of sinning against the cheeke of their owne conscience There is no such compendious way to libertie as the lacke of Gods feare And that heart is voyde of his feare who sayeth That there is no God Though hee be most glorious in himselfe and gracious to them that know him yet hee is nothing to the hart that denyeth him But Athiests will finde a fearefull wakning God whom they deny hath his witnesse in them and in ende will testifie his trueth to their destruction except they amend It turneth men in beastes yea in Deuils While their heart is saying There is not a God their Conscience giueth them the lie and by secrete checks both arreasteth them before and tormenteth them in the Name of that God whom they denye They can neither destroy GOD in himselfe though they desire it neither in the hearts of the godly All the fruites of their godlesse spurring is to moue him to destroy themselfe It is good to soften our heartes in the feare of God and to seeke out and follow that straite way of life Blessed is hee who feareth alwayes but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall in mischiefe Prov. 28. 14. 28. Sinne is an euill guest SInne is the worst Guest that commeth in any place It bringeth double destruction One in the beeing of it the other in the fruite It is plaine that the wages of it is death but euen the being of it such as it hath is destruction of the thing wherein it is Men Angels Thoughts Words and deedes are good in themselues but sinne in them maketh them euill It hath no being of it selfe and is nothing but the breake of Gods Law a discord and deformitie a priuation of good deprauation of its owne dwelling the beeing it hath is in these thinges and so soone as it commeth in them it spoileth them they become euill Men Angels Thoughts Words and deedes by it He is an euill Guest who for his reckoning putteth the Pest or a fire in his lodging I wonder not so much at the euill recompense it giueth as at our selues who welcome it againe No receiuer will welcome him who put his house on fire Yet wee receiue sinne and welcome it though wee were euen now smerting for the worke of it Some doe marke the second worke of sinne the punishment of it but fewe marke the first destruction by the beeing of it so as to abhor it be like it so destroyeth vs that wee haue not a sound minde to make its destroying Nature O! what ods in Grace It both changeth vs by renovation and bringeth vs to glorie the verie beeing of it is the health of Soule and body next to God himselfe there came neuer a better Guest in man than sauing Grace Of Adams Sonnes it maketh vs the Sonnes of God Of Naturall men spirituall And of vile Sinners it turneth vs in Sainctes It is extreame miserie to bee desirous and patient of sinne But a token of a renewed Nature to abhorre sinne and thirst for Grace 29. Fittes of Insolencie THeir is no Spirit so modest which hath not some fittes of Insolencie If any odde thing appeare in them they are puffed vp in a conceat of wrath and as farre transported from their wonted modestie as they conceate of that supposed worthinesse These fits are more marked of other than themselues their humour blindeth them so that they cannot obserue that change others remembereth their former dejection and foresee it to come againe so marketh that startling as insolent indeede An Equable cariage proueth an well fraughted Soule Our true worthinesse is in Gods fauour our dignitie is his dignation and the exalting or downe-cast of our heart is from the sense of his fauour or lacke of it If wee bee sure of his fauour wee shall then alike euenlie carrie our selues in all other things But fits of insolencie bewray a double weaknesse one of little true worth that seemeth so great to vs another of a racked judgement making vs to passe boundes vpon so small occasion The wise man is euer like himselfe And at any odky thing he is rather dejected thā puffed vp If the speeches of other make him ouerweene himselfe he chasteneth himselfe in secrete for it seuerly When hee returneth to his wonted thoughts he abhorreth that insolencie and guardeth himselfe that they surprysse him not thereafter 30. Constant Inconstancie THe vpright heart must encounter with many thorters When it meeteth with vprightnesse there is no difficultie but such are as rare as a whyte Rauen in the world When it meeteth with
nothing in respect of God The godly now see him more than maÌ„ and therefore preferre him to all men and runne that course to offend and lose all men rather than him This is a course whereof hee shall neuer neede to repent It is grieuous indeede to loose our friendes or familiars And he is foolish who loseth any that hee may brooke with God But it is a great triumph of Grace when for conscientious and faithfull seruice to GOD wee lose them They are not worth the keeping who cannot be brooked with him And hee is not worthie of God who will not forsake Father and Mother for him All the hurt that these selfe-pleasing men bring to the God-pleasing Sainctes is the greater increase of the fruites the scales and sense of Gods loue in them Since I cannot please all I will take mee to please One and that one who is better than all for Counsell Approbation and Reward So long as God draweth all my thoughts to him and calmeth them in him by sweete contentment I will not buy a torture from foolish man While hee answereth my desires communicateth himselfe more to me than I can conceiue I will not vex my selfe in courting of man VVhom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none on the Earth that I desire beside thee Psal. 73. 25. 51. Rare accidents make many Prophets STrange Accidents breed vs many Prophets Before they fall foorth all men are silent but when they are seene many clame a propheticall fore-sight of them It is sure speaking of them when they are come to passe but to boast then of their fore-sight argueth lack of judgment how shal he be a good fore-seer who seeth not his owne present folie in boasting idlely of that which he hath not maketh none use of that which is done or doeth not see that that his vaine boasting maketh him ridiculous Hee is as loude a proclamer of his owne folie as hee clameth commendation from that foresight This is a sure note of such Spirites to make none other use of Accidents than astonishment and broad talking Euery one they meete with euery dinner supper must patientlie heare the arguments of their fore-sight at euery occasion they haue a new edition and a new discourse of it and by long and oft pratling they giue some life to that which hath none other beeing than of their owne humour and breath When such things fall out as cannot bee particularlie foreseene of man it is better to ponder them seriouslie and to see the worke of God in them And for our selfe to draw neare to him in Faith and Repentance and to draw other to him also in a religious reuerence of him who ruleth all to the good of the Saints To spend our owne Spirit and wearie the eares of others in idle babling is the worke of an emptie braine 52. Damnable selvishnesse SElfe is both a neare and a deare word to man It draweth all our thoughts to it setting all to worke that is in vs turneth them home againe to it selfe It is both the Idole and idolater the exacter caruer and receiuer the doer and sufferer in all dueties A fountaine sending out all and a Center sucking backe all that it sent out And so selvish in this Selfe that it accompteth euen God to be a stranger And is yet more foolish parteing it selfe against it selfe and is the owne greatest enemie So a mans greatest enemie is not onely they of his owne house but of his owne heart Blind loue in the Ape maketh it thrust oâ—t the enterals of the own brood while it embraceth them too straitly The blindnesse of Selfe-loue maketh it in preposterous safetie to destroy it selfe What more friend-like masters in vs than Selfe-love Selfe wit Selfe-will yet what greater foes The hatred craft power of our open enemies doe not so hurt vs as these I feare and suspect no Creature more than my selfe and that euen when I most respect my selfe I will professe and practise hostilitie against Seluishnesse and render my selfe to bee guyded by a forraine Witte-and Will euen the New-man created and directed of God This is a better Selfe than that naturall Seluish One there is no saftie for mee but in hateing and destroying that euill One By that sauing ouerthrow of my selfe I shall saue my selfe This is the fruite of mine ingraffing in the natiue Oliue The juice of that stocke changeth mee to that Selfe-destroying and Selfe-sauing worke the more I seeke mine owne Saluation the more I abhore my seluish corruption I abhorre my selfe as I am of the first Adam but loue and seeke my well as I am in the second Adam Iesus Christ. The holie Apostle maketh this perfect Anatomie of himselfe Not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee Rom. 7. 17. There is the olde and corrupt Selfe like the first Adam in him By the grace of God I am that I am yeâ— not I but the grace of God which is with me 1. Cor. 15. 10. There is the new Selfe of Grace by the second Adam in him in both places himselfe as hee is Gods creature is the common Subject of both these Selfes Hee is a stranger in himselfe who doeth not marke this distinction of himselfe And hee is his owne greatest foe who destroyeth not the olde Selfe in Adam that hee may saue himselfe in the new Adam Iesus Christ. 53. The wise and foolish Merchant EVerie man playeth the Merchant in his greatest businesse Wee change lose something for gaining another The godly with God haue most care to saue their Soule They care not to losse their goods their name their bodie for that end If labours waste their body and afflictions bruife their Spirit all is well bestowed in their count if so bee their Soule bee safe The wicked mak their own conquesh with witte like themselues they care not to losse their Soule for keeping of their body and estate their course is justifiable in their owne judgement no man can build better vpoÌ„ their grounds or see better with their eyes They see not their Soule and as little care they for it as they know it They see their body and state and doe thinke that their soule is giuen for their body True godlinesse ouerthoweth these grounds and giueth better light It teacheth that all is for man and the body for the soule and himselfe for God This maketh vs to secke our safety more than our state our Conscience more than our fame our Soule more than our bodie And GOD more than all Nature in worldlie thinges condemneth our brutishnesse in spirituall It teacheth men to buy the best thinges of best use of most gaine and at the lowest pryce But in spirituall MerchaÌ„dice wee buy the worst thinges that are of no vse of lesse gaine and at the dearest rate VVee spend our money on that that is no bread and our labour on that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. Such is
just matter of Ioy. I wish curious Spirits who neglect their owne calling as too narrow a taske for their large hearts and busie themselues on the by to take this cure of their corruption to heart Though they had the power of seuen Soules in one there is here matter of worke for all But in the godly it is a worke of Grace preuailing against Nature when they so curbe their corruptions that the first motions of it are choaked as the Cockatrick egges are broken before they bring out that serpent 91. The godlie heart hath both constant warre and certaine Peace THe heart in which God dwelleth hath both continuall Warre and Peace Warre with sinne both in others and in it selfe The world compasseth vs with euill and is sette on one of two workes either to infect vs or to injure vs. It allureth vs with the owne vanitie to be like it and if that succeed not it afflicteth vs and God moueth vs to renounce it and it cannot disgest that injurie at our hand it hath the owne peace in it selfe with its owne but the godly renouncers of it are noysome to it it hath no rest but in their separation or destructioâ—n As Grace in the godlie maketh them withdraw from the world so Satan in the world maketh it to cast them out God caÌ„not abide the wickednes of it His Spirit moueth them whom hee possesseth to please him aboue all heere are the grounds of perpetuall warring As though that were not enough our owne corruption within molesteth vs wee may shune the wickednesse of men but wee are neuer out of the grippes of our owne corruption and that as an aduersarie and on the worlds part Wee are no more bitterlie assaulted of the world than checked and vexed by our owne corruption for not following the world the outward world hath the owne inward extract in vs working vs to a conformitie to the owne paterne But all this warre troubleth not our Peace To bee so exercised is a just matter of peace vnspeakable God by his Grace guardeth vs from the worlds sin and by his prouidence secureth vs from their injurie And that same grace that maketh vs ouercome the world defeateth also our corruption When the inward euill is subdued the outward hath no strength against vs. The sense conscience of this batteling is our Peace It is better to endure the worlds violence in wronging vs than to bee like them in sinne And better to finde our corruption in a daylie stur than in a false calmnesse God is good to his owne who by such dealing both maketh them daylie to warre and yet keepe a solide Peace There can bee no greater joy to the godlie than to finde outward and inward corruption readie to destroy them and God deliuering them from both This is the shame of the outward and destruction of the inward corruption The glorie of God in both these works and our securitie in all The worlde thinketh that they vndoe the godlie by trouble but they worke them to their grace Their troubles chase them to God and God embraceth them louinglie who are troubled for his cause When Babes are affraied they cast themselues in the Armes and bosome of their mother Both these troubles are fortold and the blessing is promised As we feele the one wee shall finde the other In the world yee shall haue trouble but in me yee shall haue peace bee of good comfort for I haue ouercome the world Ioh. 16. 33. 92. Religious Religion IT is good to professe true Religion and to practise the exercise of it but the most part goe no further and so are voide of Religion it selfe and the fruits of it To stand on the outward worke of praying preaching praising c. is to offer the carcase of our seruice to God To worshippe God onely with our body is an irreligious worship our bodie may bee busie but they will neuer fasten vpon God in such a superficiall worke Hee is a Spirit and will bee worshipped in Spirit else none union with him When hee sendeth out his Vertue to our Soules and our Soules doe meete him answerablie that is inward Religion and our binding to him hee is most true wee trust in him Hee is most gracious good and mercifull wee loue him withall our heart Hee is moste powerfull wee feare to offend him and confide in his protection Hee is most wise wee quite our owne will and reuerence him Hee is most holy wee adore admire and imitate his holinesse It is a mocking of God if hee could bee mocked to professe an union with him and yet bee loose from him This Union is the end and Religion the way to it The end of Gods infusing of sauing Grace in vs is to bring vs to him and bind vs to him But he is pitifully selfe-deceiued who contenteth himselfe with a profession of Religion and neither knoweth nor careth for this Union Hee who is not fastened to God in this life shall haue no fellowshippe with him heereafter It is a religious Religion when wee become one Spirit with God in Christ. These and other points make vp our inward Religion God reuealing himselfe in his diuine properties our Soules affecting and adhering to him in their answerable powers this tyeth vs not onlie for the space wee are in the worke of his worshippe but by deth constantlie in vs The worke of Preaching or Praying or Praising doe end in their time but these inward baÌ„ds are neuer loosed This inward Religion doeth both set vs on worke and quickneth in vs the outward exercise of it There is more fruite of one houres seruice in such a disposition than in yeares businesse without it Hee who keepeth his heart vnder this religious disposition lacketh neuer a manifest object to worshippe nor a sacrifice to offer He is sensible of God and the verie mouing of his Soule in the Conscience and sense of these bands is a sacrifice most acceptable to God and profitable to himselfe The fleshlie minded doe wonder at the constant labour of the godly in Gods worshippe but if they knew these religious bands they would not wonder Naturall actions oft repeated bring habits and these become another Nature Shall not the work of Grace which hath both infused and acquired habits turne in a constant disposition This is not obtained in our beginning of Christianitie but after long labours in the Lord. The daylie tasting of his good nesse bringeth our heartes to such a temper that religious disposition turneth to bee our element for place and our dyet for refreshment It is our meat and drinke to conuerse with God and doe his will When God bringeth vs to this degree of continuall minding louing and delighting in him and to the sense of these religious bonds with him then our diuorce with the world and marriage with God are neere their perfection 93. Predominant vice and vertue COrruption is spred ouer the whole man and all in man there
good of mankinde To bee thankfull to God who hath so many wayes blessed vs and so wee shall bee most respectiue to our selfe and others in all these respects As this third is more excellent than the other two so is it the right disposer of them God craueth of these lower respects that all returne to him but the most part sticke on themselues and forget God But this is the blessing of Christianitie that it maketh vs worthily to carie our selfe both in our naturall and ciuill place in mankind 67. Mans threefold Perfection GOD hath disgested mankinde in three seuerall rankes but therewith hee giueth three sorts of Perfection indifferentlie to all rankes And what euer bee our place in nature in ciuilitie and Christianitie yet these attend them The first is naturall and that is Reason which perfecteth man as man The second acquired and is Learning a perfection to Reason and a lifting vp of man aboue himselfe The third is diuine and that is the Grace of Christ and true sanctification the perfection of both these Perfections Reason is a sort of ground to the other two a solide wit is a good substance both for Learning and Grace Reason enableth the Soule fundamentallie making it capable of good Learning enableth it accessorielie and artificiallie what euer bee our naturall gifts or ciuill calling wee are the more enabled for them by Learning so a King gouerneth more wisely the Pastour teacheth the word of God more skilfullie the Lawer pleadeth more pertinently And the meanest Callings are done more dexterouslie by Learning But Grace enableth vs in both the other with a transcendent perfection the former two may bee in Reprobates and though good in themselues yet hurtfull to the possessour his neighbour Great wit without Learning is a good knife without a whetstone learning without solide judgement is as the edge of glasse it is sharpe but in brittle mettell wit and Learning without Grace are a bodie without a Soule a carcase of perfection and a sharpe sword in the hand of a mad maÌ„ They serue to deuise defend euil so to destroy the possessors Grace is merelie transcendent among the blessings of God it translateth from Nature and maketh vs partakers of the Diuine Nature 2. Pet. 1. Reason doth not so farre exalt man aboue beasts or letters the learned aboue the vnlearned as Grace doeth the sanctified man aboue them both These other differences may bee counted but this of Grace is as farre aboue them as heauen aboue the earth Happie is the man whom God hath blessed with sound Vnderstanding light of Learning and life of Grace All these three Perfections doe meete together and rest in him to his compleete perfection All these deserue great respect but not all alike And there is a great mistaking of many heerein Grace is incomparablie the most excellent and most to bee sought yet least respected of many It is counted a common and base thing but the other are admired for their supposed excellencie yea riches honour and the baggage of the world are counted more excellent and sought more than they all The world euer loueth that which is like it selfe and misliketh true Grace But hee who hath the Grace of GOD surpasseth the Wretch the Ambitious and the accomplished man in Nature and Arte And is exalted to a degree of Angelike perfection The first two may bee in olde Adams corruption but the third is our partaking of the second Adam 98. Prouidence is particular to the Saincts ALl things are subject to Prouidence this is the godly mans priueledge that hee is both sensible and conscious of it Grace in him maketh these fruitfull Obseruations and then disposeth him with Loue and dependance on God who sweyeth it so sweetly to his good Many blessings it bringeth to vs we know not how Many are our seene dangers and our dangers vnseene by manie millions exceede them but God by his mercifull Prouidence deliuereth vs out of them all Though wee see not Sathan yet at euery moment hee would swallow vs vp if God defended vs not He either with-holdeth occasions of euil that they come not or if they come hee restraineth their worke that they hurt vs not It is impossible to see all the goodnes of his Prouidence to vs but hee acquainteth vs with some of them that wee may see his goodnesse in the rest The particular respect of Prouidence to the godlie may bee seene in two speciall thinges In the furthering of our designes and in the crossing of them for the furtherance how doeth God tell vs that hee watcheth for vs Wee haue possiblie some businesse in hand and haue necessitie of some persons and occasions and circumstances and with all wee are perplexed how these thinges shall bee brought together God bringeth them to our hand wee goe out full of desires and as full of solicitude how to satisfie them And hee maketh men tyme and occasion to tryst so together that our desires are satisfieth and our expectation ouercome Oft-times at the going out of our doores wee encounter with men and occasion longed for and desired that our verie imaginations could not deuise better opportunitie for our adoes This commeth neither of our desert nor our disposing but of Gods mercie wyâ—ding and turning all about to their good who depend on him It is his will who ruleth the world and hath the wayes of all creatures in his hand to dispose times wayes and all so as may best fitte their desires who are at peace with him The crossing of our designes haue no lesse proofe of his Fatherlie care how oft doe wee fret in our selfe and chyde men for their neglects that bring disappointment to our designes and yet if wee can haue patience for a time wee shall finde that disappointment to our greater contentment Hee blesseth vs in a meanes and way knowne to himselfe seuenfold more than if our first desire had beene accomplished No hee turneth our chyding off men vpon our selfe and our miscontentment for the first disappointment in a thankesgiuing that wee were disappointed If wee could at such crossings rest on God and perswade vs it is for a better in that same point wherein wee are crossed wee should finde in end our expectation were the worke of his owne Grace Scarcelie shall a day goe ouer without some occasion of this Obseruation If wee marke it not wee are vngrate to so particular and gratious Prouidence If we marke it aright as furtherences shall giue vs contentment so these disappointments shall giue vs patience till a double contentment come 99. The sight of a new and a better World in this olde bad one â—EE are called vnto and doe professe a Pilgramage in this world but how few doe either vnderstand or practise it Some professe a contempt of it and yet oft-times are courting its applause by that contempt He is as well a slaue of the world who thirsteth her applause as he who courteth her