HOLY Obseruations.
AS there is nothing sooner dry then a teare; so there is nothing sooner out of season thē worldly sorrowe: which if it be fresh and still bleeding, findes some to comfort and pitty it; If stale and skinned ouer with time, is rather intertained with smiles then commiseration: [Page 2] But the sorrowe of repētance comes neuer out of time. Al times are alike vnto that eternitie, whereto we make our spirituall moanes: That which is past, that which is future, are both present with him. It is neither weake nor vncomely, for an old man to weepe for the sinnes of his youth. Those teares can neuer be shed either too soon, or too late.
2
Some men liue to be [Page 3] their own executors for their good name; which they see (not honestly) buried, before thēselues dy. Some other of great place, and ill desert, part with their good name & breath, at once. There is scarce a vicious man whose name is not rottē before his carcasse. Cō trarily, the good mans name is oft times yt heyr to his life; eyther borne after the death of the parent, for that enuy wold not suffer it to come forth before: or perhaps so well growen vp in [Page 4] his life time, that the hope therof is the staffe of his age, and ioy of his death. A wicked mans name may be feared awhile; soone after, it is eyther forgotten or cursed: The good mans eyther sleepeth with his bodie in peace, or waketh (as his soule) in glorie.
3
Oft times those which show much valor while there is equall possibility of life, when they see a presēt necessity of death, [Page 5] are found most shamefully timorous. Their courage was before grounded vpon hope: that, cut off, leaues them at once desperate and cowardly: wheras men of feebler spirits meete more cheerefully with death; because though their courage bee lesse, yet their expectatiō was more.
4
I haue seldome seene the son of an excellent and famous man, excellent: But, that an ill bird [Page 6] hath an ill egge, is not rare; children possessing as the bodily diseases, so the vices of their Parēts. Vertue is not propagated: Vice is; euē in them which haue it not raigning in themselues: The grain is sowen pure, but comes vp with chaffe & husk. Hast thou a good son? Hee is Gods, not thine. Is he euill? Nothing but his sinne is thine: Help by thy praiers and indeuors to take away that which thou hast giuen him, and to obtaine from God that [Page 7] which thou hast, & canst not giue: Els thou maist name him a possession; but thou shalt finde him a losse.
5
These things be comly & pleasāt to see; & worthy of honor frō the beholder: A young Saint, an old Martyr, a religious souldier, a cōscionable States-man, a great man curteous▪ a learned man hūble, a silent woman, a child vnderstanding the ey of his Parēt, a mery cōpaniō without [Page 8] vanitie, a friende not changed with honour, a sick man cheerefull, a soule departing with cō fort and assurance.
6
I haue oft obserued in mery meetings solemnly made, that somewhat hath fallen out crosse, eyther in the time, or immediately vpon it; to season (as I thinke) our immoderation in desiring or inioying our friends: and againe, euentes suspected haue proued euer best; God [Page 9] herein blessing our awfull submission with good successe. In all these humane things, indifferency is safe. Let thy doubtes bee euer equall to thy desires: so thy disappointmēt shall not bee grieuous, because thy expectation was not peremptory.
7
You shall rarely finde a man eminent in sundry faculties of mind, or sundry manuarie trades. If his memory be excellent, his fantasie is but [Page 10] dull: if his fancie be busie and quick, his iudgement is but shallow: If his iudgement be deep, his vttrance is harshe: which also holds no lesse in the actiuities of the hand. And, if it happen that one man be quallifyed with skill of diuers trades, and practice this variety, you shal seldom finde such one thriuing in his estate: with spirituall giftes it is otherwise; which are so chayned together, that who excels in one hath some eminencie in more, yea [Page 11] in all. Look vpon faith: shee is attended with a Beuie of Graces: Hee that beleeues, cānot but haue hope: if hope, patience. He that belieues and hopes must needes finde ioy in God: if ioy, loue of God; hee that loues God, cannot but love his brother: his love to God breedes piety & care to please, sorrow for offending, feare to offend. His loue to men, fidelity & Christian beneficēce: vices are seldō single; but vertues go euer in troups: they go so [Page 12] thicke, that sometimes some are hid in ye croud; which yet are, but appear not: They may be shut out from sight; they cannot be seuered.
8
The Heauen euer mooues, and yet is the place of our rest: Earth euer rests, and yet is the place of our trouble: Outwarde motion can be no enemy to inward rest; as outwarde rest may well stand with inwarde vnquietnesse.
9
None liue so ill, but they contēt themselues in somewhat: Euen the begger likes the smell of his dish. It is a rare euill that hath not something to sweeten it, either in sense or in hope: Otherwise men woulde growe desperate, mutinous, enuious of others, wearie of themselues. The better that thing is wherein wee place our comfort, the happier we liue: and the more wee loue good things, [Page 14] the better they are to vs. The Worldlinges comfort, though it bee good to him because he loves it; yet because it is not absolutely and eternall good, it failes him: wherein the Christian hath iust aduantage of him, while hee hath all the same causes of ioy refined and exalted; besides more and hyer, which the other knows not of: The worldling laughes more, but the Christiā is more delighted. These two are easily seuered: Thou seest a [Page 15] goodly picture, or an heap of thy gold: thou laughest not, yet thy delight is more then in a iest that shaketh thy splene: As grief, so ioy is not lesse whē it is least expressed.
10
I haue seene the worst natures, & most depraued minds not affecting all sinnes: but still some they haue condemned in others, and abhorred in themselues: One exclaimes on couetousnesse, yet he can too wel [Page 16] abide riotous good fellowship: Another inueighes against drunkennesse and excesse, not caring how cruel he be in vsury and oppression. One cannot indure a rough and quarrellous disposition, yet giues himselfe ouer to vnclean & lasciuious courses: Another hates all wrongs, saue wrong to God. One is a ciuill Atheist, another a religious Vsurer, a third an honest Drunkarde, a fourth an vnchaste Iusticer, a fift a chaste Quarreller. [Page 17] I know not whether euery diuel excel in all sins: I am sure some of them haue denomination from some sinnes more speciall. Let no man applaude himselfe for those sinnes he wanteth, but condemn himself rather for that sin he hath. Thou censurest another mans sinne, hee thine; GOD curseth both.
11
Golde is the heauiest of all metalles: It is no wonder that the rich [Page 18] man is vsually carryed downward to his place. It is hard for the soule, clogged with manie weights, to ascēd to heauen: It must be a strong and nimble soule that can carry vp it selfe, and such a lode; yet Adam and Noah flewe vp thither with the double Monarchy of the worlds the Patriarkes with much wealth, maoie holy Kings with massie Crowns and Scepters. The burden of couetous desires is more heauy to an empty soule [Page 19] then much treasure to the full. Our affections giue poise or lightnesse to earthly things. Either abate of thy lode if thou finde it too pressing, whether by hauing lesse, or louing lesse: or adde to thy strength & activitie, that thou mayst yet ascend. It is more commendable, by how much more harde, to climbe into heauen with a burden.
12
A Christian in all his wayes must haue three [Page 20] guides: Truth, Charity, Wisedome: Truth to go before him; Charity & Wisdome on eyther hand. If any of the three be absent, he walks amisse. I haue seen some doe hurt by following a truth vncharitably: And others while they would salve vp an errour with loue, haue fayled in their wisedome, and offended against iustice. A charitable vntruth, and an vncharitable truth, and an vnwise menaging of truth or loue, are all to be carefullie [Page 21] auoyded of him that woulde goe with a right foot in the narrow way.
13
GOD brought man forth at first, not into a Wildernesse, but a Garden; yet then he expected best seruice of him. I neuer finde that hee delights in the misery, but in the prosperity of his seruants. Cheerfulnes pleases him better then a deiected and dull heauinesse of heart. If wee can bee good with pleasure [Page 22] hee grudgeth not our ioy: If not, it is best to stint our selues; not for that these comforts are not good, but because our harts are euil: falting not their nature but our vse and corruption.
14
The homeliest seruice that we doe in an honest calling, tho it be but to plow, or dig, if done in obedience, & cōscience of Gods cōmandement, is crowned with an ample reward; whereas the [Page 23] best works for their kind (preaching, praying, offering euangelical sacrifices) if without respect of Gods iniunction and glory, are loded with curses: God loueth aduerbs; & cares not how good, but how well.
15
The goldē infancy of some hath proceeded to a brazen youth, and ended in a leaden age: All humane maturities have their period: Onely grace hath none. I durst neuer laie too muche [Page 24] hope on the forwarde beginnings of witt and memorie, which haue been applauded in children. I knew they could but attaine their vigor; and that if sooner, no whit the better: for the earlier is their perfection of wisedome, the lō ger shal be their witless age. Seasonablenesse is best in all these things which haue their ripenesse and decay: Wee can neuer hope too much of the timely blossomes of grace, whose spring is perpetuall, [Page 25] and whose haruest begins with our end.
16
A man must giue thankes for some-what which he may not pray for. It hath been sayde of Courtiers, that they must receiue iniuries & giue thanks. God cannot wrong his, but hee will crosse them▪ those crosses are beneficiall; all benefites challenge thanks: Yet I haue read that Gods children have with condition prayed against them, neuer for [Page 26] them. In good things we pray both for them, and their good vse: in euill, for their good vse, not themselues: Yet, wee must giue thankes for both. For, there is no evill of paine which God dooth not; nothing that God doth, is not good; no good thing but is worthy of thankes.
17
One half of the world knowes not how the other liues: and therefore the better sort pitty not the distressed; and the [Page 27] miserable enuy not those which fare better, because they knowe it not. Each man iudges of others condition, by his owne. The worst sort would be too much discontented, if they sawe how farr more pleasant the life of others is: And if ye better sort (such we cal those which are greater) could look down to the infinit miseries of inferiours, it would make them either miserable in compassion, or proude in conceite. It is good, some-times, for the [Page 28] delicate riche man to look into the poor mans cupboard: and seeing God in mercy gives him not to knowe their sorrowe by experience, to knowe it yet in speculation: This shall teache him more thankes to God, more mercy to men, more contentment in himselfe.
18
Such as a mans prayer is for another, it shall be in time of his extreamity for himselfe: For, though he loue himselfe [Page 29] more then others, yet his apprehensiō of God is alike for both. Such as his praier is in a former extreamity, it shalbe also in death: this way, we may haue experience euen of a thing future: If God haue been far off frō thee in a fit of thine ordinary sicknesse, feare least he will not be neerer thee in thy last: what differs that from this, but in time? Correct thy dulnesse vpon former proofs: or els at last thy deuotion shall want life before thy body.
19
Those that come to their meat as to a medicine (as Augustine reports of himself) liue in an austere & Christian tēper, & shalbe sure not to ioy too much in the creature, nor to abuse themselues: Those, that come to their medicine as to meate, shall be sure to liue miserablie and dye soone: To come to meate as meate, if without a gluttonous appetite & palate, is allowed to Christians: [Page 31] To come to meat as to a sacrifice vnto ye belly, is a most base & brutish idolatry.
20
The worst that euer were, euen Caine and Iudas haue had some [...]autors that haue honoured them for Saints: And the Serpent that beguyled our first Parents hath in that name had diuine honour and thankes. Neuer anie man trod so perilous and deepe steppes, but some haue followed, [Page 32] and admired him. Each master of heresie hath found some clients; euen hee, that taught all mens opinions were true: Againe, no man hath been so exquisite, but some haue detracted from him, euen in those qualityes which haue seemed most worthy of wonder to others. A man shall bee sure to be backed by some, eyther in good or euil, and by some shouldred in both. It is good for a man not to stand vpon his Abbetters, but his [Page 33] quarrell; and not to depend vpon others, but himselfe.
21
We see thousands of Creatures dye for our vse, and neuer doe so much as pitty them: why do we think much to dye once for God? They are not ours so much as wee are his; nor our pleasure so much to vs as his glory to him: their liues are lost to vs, ours but chā ged to him.
22
Much ornament is no good signe: Paynting of the face argues an ill complexion of bodie, a worse minde. Truth, hath a face both honest and comely, and lookes best in her owne colours: but, aboue all, diuine truth is most faire, and most scorneth to borrowe beautie of mans witt or tongue: she loveth to come forth in her natiue grace like a Princely Matrone; and counts it the greatest [Page 35] indignity, to be dallyed with as a wanton Strumpet: She lookes to command reuerēce, not pleasure: she would be kneeled to, not laughed at; To pranke her vp in vaine dresses and fashions, or to sport with her in a light and youthful maner, is most abhorring from her nature: they know her not, that giue her such entertainment; and shall first knowe her angry, when they do know her. Againe shee would bee playne, but not base, [Page 36] not sluttish: She would be clad not garishly, but not in ragges: Shee likes as little to bee set out by a base foyle, as to seeme credited with gaye colours. It is no small wisdome to know her iust guise, but more to followe it; and so to keepe the meane, that while we please her, wee discontent not the beholders.
23
In worldly carryage so much is a man made of, as he takes vpō himselfe: [Page 37] but such is Gods blessing vppon true humility, that it still procureth reuerence. I neuer sawe Christian lesse honored for a wise neglect of himselfe: If our deiection proceed from the conscience of our want, it is possible wee should be as little esteemed of others, as of our selues: But if wee haue true graces, and prize them not at the highest; others shall value both them in vs, and vs for them, and with vsurie giue vs that honour wee [Page 38] with held modestly frō our selues.
24
He, that takes his full liberty in what he may, shall repent him: how much more in what he shoulde not? I neuer read of Christian that repented him of too little worldlie delight. The surest course I have still found in all earthlie pleasures, To rise with an appetite, and to bee satisfied with a little.
25
There is a time when Kings goe not forth to warfare: Our spirituall warre admitts no intermission: it knowes no night, no winter, abides no peace, no truce. This cals vs not into a garisō, where we may have ease and respite, but into pitched fields cōtinually: we see our enemies in the face alwaies, and are alwayes seene and assalted: euer resisting, euer defēding, receiuing and returning blowes. [Page 40] If eyther wee be negligent or weary, wee dy: what other hope is ther while one fights, & the other stands still? We can neuer haue safet [...] & peace, but in victory. There must our resistance be couragious and constant, whe [...] both yielding is death, and all treatyes of peace mortall.
26
Neutrality in things good or euil is both odious, and preiudicial; but in matters of an indifferent [Page 41] nature is safe and commendable: Herein taking of parts, maketh sides, and breaketh vnitie. In an vniust cause of separation, hee that fauoureth both partes, may perhaps haue least loue of either side; but hath most charitie in himselfe.
27
Nothing is more absurd then that Epicurean resolution, Let vs eat and drinke, to morrow wee shall dy: As if wee were made onely for [Page 42] the paunch, & liued that we might liue: yet ther was neuer any naturall man found sauor in that meat which hee knewe should be his last: wheras they should say; Let vs fast and pray, to morrow we shall die: For, to what purpose is the body strengthened that it may perish? whose greater strength makes our death more violent. No man bestowes a costly roofe on a ruinous tenement: That mans end is easie & happy whom death finds with a weak [Page 43] bodie, and a strong soule.
28
Somtimes, euen things in themselues naturally good, are to bee refused for those, which (being euil) may be an occasion to a greater good. Life is in it self good, and death-euill: Els Dauid, Elias and many excellent Martyrs would not have fled, to hold life, and auoid death; Nor Ezekiah haue prayed for it, nor our Sauiour haue bidden vs to flee for it, [Page 44] nor God promised it to his for a reward; yet if in some cases wee hate not life, wee loue not God, nor our soules. Heerein, as much as in any thing, the peruersnesse of our nature appeares, that wee wishe death, or loue life vpon wrong causes: we would liue for pleasure, or wee woulde die for payne; Iob for his sores, Elias for his persecution, Ionas for his gourd would presently dye, and will needs outface God that it is better for him to [Page 45] die, then to liue: wherin wee are like to garrison souldiers, that while they liue within safe wals, and showe themselues once a day rather for ceremony & pomp, then neede or daunger, like warrefare well enough; but if once called foorth to the field, they wish thēselues at home.
29
Not onely the least but the worst is ever in the bottome: what shoulde God doe with the dregges of our age? [Page 46] when sinne will admitt thee his Clyent no longer, then God shall be beholdē to thee for thy seruice: Thus is God dealt-with in all other offrings; The worst & least sheafe must bee Gods Tenth: The deformedst or simplest of our Children must bee Gods Ministers: The vncleanlyest and most carelesse house must be Gods Temple; the idlest and sleepyest houres of the day must bee reserued for our praiers; The worst part of our age [Page 47] for Deuotion. Wee woulde haue God giue vs stil of the best, and are ready to murmure at euerie little euill he sends vs: yet, nothing is bad enough for him, of whō we receiue all. Nature condemnes this inequality: and tells vs, that he which is the author of good, should haue the best; and hee which giues al should haue his choice.
30
When we go about an euill businesse, it is strange how readie the [Page 48] diuell is to set vs forward; how carefull that we should want no furtherances: So that if a man would bee lewdly witty, hee shalbe sure to be furnished with store of profane iests, wherein a loose heart hath double aduātage of the conscionable. If hee would bee voluptuous, hee shall want neither obiects nor opportunities. The currant passage of ill enterprises is so far from giuing cause of incouragement, that it shoulde iustly fright a [Page 49] man to look back to the author; and to consider that hee therefore goes fast, because the Diuell driues him.
31
In the choice of cō panions for our conuersation, it is good dealing with men of good natures: for, tho grace exerciseth her power in bridling nature, yet (sith wee are still men, at the best) some swinge she will haue in the most mortyfied. Austeritie, sullennesse, or strangenesse [Page 50] of disposition, and what-soeuer qualityes may make a man vnsociable, cleaue faster to our nature, then those which are morally euill. True Christian loue maie bee separated from acquaintance, and acquaintance from intirenesse: These are not qualities to hinder our loue, but our familiaritie.
32
Ignorāce as it makes bold, intruding men carelesly into vnknow'n [Page 51] dangers; so also it makes men oft-times causelesly fearefull. Herod feared Christs comming, because he mistooke it: If that Tyrant had knowen the manner of his spirituall regiment, hee had spared both his own fright and the blood of others. And hence it is, that wee feare Death, because wee are not acquainted with the vertue of it. Nothing but innocēce & knowledge can giue sound confidence to the heart.
33
Where are diuers opinions, they may be all false; ther can be but one true: and that one Truth oft-times must be fetcht by peece-meale out of diuers branches of contrary opinions. For, it falles out not seldome, that Truth is through ignorance or rash vehemency scattred into sundry parts; and, like to a little siluer melted amongst the ruines of a burnt house, must be tried out from heapes of [Page 53] much superfluous ashes. Ther is much paines in the search of it; much skill in finding it: the value of it once founde requytes the coste of both.
34
Affectation of superfluitie, is in all thinges a signe of weaknesse: As, in words hee that vseth circumlocutions to expresse himselfe, showes want of memory, and want of proper speach: And much talk argues a braine feeble & distempered: [Page 54] what good can any earthly thing yield vs beside his vse? and what is it but vanitie to affect that which dooth vs no good? and what vse is in that which is superfluous? It is a great skill to know what is enough, and great wisedome to care for no more.
35
Good things, which in absence were desired, now offring themselues to our presence are scarce intertained; or at least not with our purposed [Page 55] cheerefulnesse. Christs comming to vs and our going to him are in our profession wel esteemed, much wished: But when hee singleth vs out by a direct message of death, or by some fearefull signe giueth likelihood of a present returne, wee are as much affected with feare, as before with desire. All changes, although to the better, are troublesome for the time, vntill our settling: Ther is no remedy herof but inward preuention: [Page 56] Our minde must change, before our estate be changed.
36
Those are greatest enemies to religion, that are not most irreligious. Atheistes, tho in themselues they be the worst, yet are seldome found hot Persecuters of others: wheras those which in some one fundamentall point be hereticall, are commonly most violent in oppositions. One hurts by secret infection, the other [Page 57] by open resistance: One is carelesse of all truth, the other vehement for some vntruth. An Atheist is worthy of more hatred, an Hereticke of more feare; both, of auoidance.
37
Wayes if neuer vsed cannot but bee faire; if much vsed are made cō modiously passable; if before oft vsed, and now seldome, they become deep and dangerous. If the hart be not at al inured to meditation, it findeth [Page 58] no fault with it self; not for that it is innocent, but secure; If often, it findeth comfortable passage for his thoughts; If rarely, and with intermission, tedious and troublesome. In things of this nature, wee onely escape complaint, if wee vse them eyther alwayes or neuer.
38
Our sensual hand holds fast whatsoeuer delight it apprehēdeth: our spirituall hand easily remitteth; [Page 59] because appetite is stronger in vs thē grace: whence it is that wee so hardly deliuer our selues of earthlie pleasures, which wee haue once entertayned; and with such difficulty draw our selues to a constant course of faith, hope, and spirituall ioy, or to the renued acts of thē once intermitted. Age is naturally weak, and youth vigorous; but in vs the olde man is strong, the newe faint and feeble: the fault is not in grace, but in vs: Faith dooth [Page 60] not want strength, but we want faith.
39
It is not good in worldly estates for a man to make himselfe necessary. For, herupon he is both more toyled, and more suspected: but in the sacred Common-wealth of the Church, a man cannot bee ingaged too deepely by his seruice: The ambition of spirituall well-doing, breedes no danger. He that doth best, and may worst be spared, is happiest.
40
It was a fit comparison of worldly cares, to thornes: For, as they choak the word, so they prick our soules: Neyther the word can grow vp amongst them, nor the heart can rest vpon them: Neyther bodie nor soule can finde ease while they are within, or close to vs: Spirituall cares are as sharpe; but more profitable; they payne vs, but leaue the soule better. They break our sleepe, but for a [Page 62] sweeter rest: we are not wel but either while we haue them, or after wee haue had them. It is as impossible to haue spirituall health without these, as to haue bodily strength with the other.
41
In temporall good things, it is best to live in doubt; not making full account of that, which we hold in so weak a tenure. In spirituall, with confidence; not fearing that which is warranted [Page 63] to vs by an infallible promise & sure earnest. He lives most contētedly, that is most secure for this world, most resolute for the other.
42
God hath in nature giuen euery man inclinatiōs to some one particular calling; which if he follow, he excells; if hee crosse, he proues a non-proficiēt, & changeable: But all mens natures are equally indisposed to grace, and to the common vocation [Page 64] of Christianity: we are all borne heathens. To do well; nature must in the first be obserued and followed, in the other crossed and ouercome.
43
Good-man, is a title given to ye lowest; wheras all Titles of Greatnesse, Worship, Honor, are obserued and attributed with choice. The speech of the World bewrayes their minde & showes the common estimation of goodnes compared with other [Page 65] qualities. The World therfore is an il Herald, and vnskilful in the true stiles: It were happie that goodnesse were so common; and pity that it eyther shoulde not stand with greatnesse, or not bee preferred to it.
44
Amongst all actions Satan is euer busiest in the best, and most in the best part of the best; as in the ende of Prayer when the heart should close vp it selfe with [Page 66] most comfort. Hee neuer feares vs, but when wee are well imployed: and the more likelyhood he sees of our profit, the more is his enuie, and labour to distract vs. Wee shoulde loue our selues, as much as he hates vs; and therfore striue so muche the more towardes our good, as his malice striueth to interrupt it. We doe nothing, if we contende not, when wee are resisted. The good soule is ever in contradiction; denying what [Page 67] is graunted, and contending for that which is denyed; suspecting when it is gayne-saide, and fearing libertie.
45
God forewarnes ere he try, because he would be preuented: Sathan steales vpon vs suddenly by temptations, because he would soile vs. If we relent not vppon Gods premonition, and meet not the lingring pase of his punishmēts to forestall them, he punisheth [Page 68] more by how much his warning was more euident and more large; Gods tryals must be met when they come: Satans must bee seene before they come; and if we be not armed ere wee bee assaulted, wee shall be foyled ere wee can bee armed.
46
It is not good to bee continuall in denunciation of iudgement: The noyse, to which wee are accustomed (tho loud) wakes vs not; whereas [Page 69] a lesse if vnusuall stirreth vs: The next waie to make threatnings contemned, is to make them common. It is a profitable rodde that strikes sparingly, and frightes somwhat oftener then it smiteth.
47
Want of vse causeth disabilitie, and custome perfection. Those that haue not vsed to praie in their closet, cannot pray in publique, but coldely and in forme. Hee that discontinues [Page 70] meditation shal be long in recouering; whereas the man inured to these exercises (who is not dressed till he haue praied, nor hath supped till hee haue meditated) dooth both these well, and with ease. He, that intermittes good duties, incurres a double losse: of the blessing that followeth good; of the facultie of dooing it.
48
Christianitie is both an easie yoke, and an [Page 71] hard; hard to take vp, easie to beare when once taken. The heart requires much labour, ere it can bee induced to stoope vnder it; and findes as much contentment when it hath stooped. The Worldling thinkes Religion seruilitie: but, the Christian knowes whose slaue hee was, till hee entred into this seruice; and that no bondage can be so ill, as freedome from these bondes.
49
It is a wonder how full of shiftes nature is; Ready to turne ouer all good purposes. If wee thinke of death, she suggests secretly, Tush it shall not come yet: If of iudgement for sinne, this concernes not thee; it shall not come at all: If of heauen and our labour to reach it; Trouble not thy selfe, it will come soone enough alone: Addresse thy self to pray; it is yet vnseasonable, stay for a better [Page 73] opportunitie: To giue almes; thou knowest not thy owne future wāts: To reproue; what neeedest thou thrust thy selfe into wilfull hatred? Euery good action hath his lett: He can neuer be good, that is not resolute.
50
All Artes are Maides to Diuinitie; therefore they both vayle to her, and do her seruice: and she like a graue mistresse controlls them at pleasure: Naturall philosophie [Page 74] teacheth, that of nothing can be nothing made; and, that from the privation to the habite is no returne: Diuinitie takes her vp, for these; and, vpon supernaturall principles, teaches her a Creation, a Resurrection. Philosophy teaches vs to follow sense, as an infallible guide; Diuinity tels hir, that faith is of things not seen. Logick teaches vs first to discourse, then to resolue: Diuinity, to assent without arguing. Ciuil law teacheth, that [Page 75] long custome prescribeth: Diuinity that old things are passed; Morall Philosophie that tallying of iniuries is iustice: Divinitie, that good must be returned for ill; Policie, that better is a mischiefe then an inconuenience: Diuinitie, that wee maie not doe euill that good maie ensue. The Schoole is well ordered, while Diuinitie keepes the chaire: but, if anie other skill vsurpe it, and checke their mistresse, there can followe [Page 76] nothing but confusion and Atheisme.
51
Much difference is to bee made betwixt a reuolter, and a man trayned vp in error. A Iew and an Arryan both deny Christs deity: yet this opinion is not in both punished with bodily death. Yea, a reuolt to a lesse error is more punishable then education in a capitall heresie. Errors of iudgement, tho lesse regarded then errors of practice, yet are [Page 77] more pernicious: but none so deadly as theirs that once were in the truth. If truth be not sued to, it is dangerous; but if forsaken, desperate.
52
It is an ill argument of a good action not well done, when we are glad that it is done. To bee affected with the comfort of the conscience of wel performing it, is good: but meerly to reioyce that the act is ouer, is carnall. He [Page 78] neuer can begin cheerfully, that is glad he hath ended.
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Hee that dooth not secret seruice to GOD with some delight, doth but counterfaite in publique. The truth of anie acte or passion is then best tryed, when it is without witnesse. Openlie, manie sinister respects may draw from vs a forme of religious duties: secretly, nothing but the power of a good conscience. It is to bee [Page 79] feared, God hath more true & deuout seruice, in closets, thē in churches.
54
Words and diseases grow vpō vs with years. In age wee talke much, because wee haue seene much, and soone after shal cease talking for euer: Wee are most diseased, because nature is weakest, and death which is neere, must have harbingers: such is the old age of the World. No maruell, if this last time bee full of [Page 80] writing, and weake discourse; full of sectes and heresies, which are the sicknesses of this great and decaied body.
55
The best ground vntilled soonest runs out into ranke weeds. Such are Gods Children; Ouer-growne with securitie ere they are aware, vnlesse they bee wel exercised both with Gods plow of affliction, and their owne industry in meditation. A man of knowledge that is eyther [Page 81] negligent, or vncorrected, cannot but growe wilde and godlesse.
56
With vs vilest things are most common; But with GOD the best thinges are most frequently giuen. Grace which is the noblest of all Gods fauours, is vnpartially b [...]wed vpon all willing [...]eceiuers; whereas Nobilitie of blood and height of place, blessings of an inferiour nature, are reserued [Page 82] for fewe. Heerein the Christian followes his Father; his prayers which are his richest portion hee communicates to al; his substance according to his ability, to fewe.
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God therfore giues, because hee hath giuen; making his former fauours, [...]ments for more: Man therefore shuts his hand, because he hath opened it. Ther is no such way to procure more from God, [Page 83] as to vrge him with what he hath done. All Gods blessings are profitable and excellent; not so much in themselues, as that they are inducements to greater.
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Gods immediate actions are best, at first. The frame of his creation how exquisite was it vnder his hand! afterwardes, blemished by our sin: mans indeuours are weake in their beginnings, and perfitter by degrees. No science, [Page 84] no deuise hath euer bin perfite in his cradle; or at once hath seene his birth and maturitie: of the same nature are those actions which God worketh mediately by vs according to our measure of receit. The cause of both is, on the one side the infinitenesse of his wisedome and power which cannot bee corrected by any second assayes: On the other, our weakenes helping it selfe by former grounds and tryals. Hee is an happie man [Page 85] that detractes nothing from Gods workes, and addes most to his owne.
59
The olde saying is more cōmon then true; that those which are in hell know no other heauen: for this makes the damned perfitly miserable, that out of their own torment, they see the felicitie of the saints; togither with their impossibility of attayning it. Sight without hope of fruition is a torment alone: Those that heere [Page 86] might see God and will not, or doe see him obscurely and love him not, shall once see him with anguish of soule & not enioie him.
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Somtimes euill speeches come from good men, in their vnaduisednesse▪ and, somtimes, euen the good speeches of men may proceede from an ill spirit. No confession coulde bee better then Satan gaue of Christ: It is not enough [Page 87] to consider what is spoken, or by whom; but whence, & for what. The spirit is oft-times tryed by the speech: but other-times the speech must bee examined by the spirit; and the spirit, by the rule of an higher word.
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Greatnesse puts hie thoughts, & big words, into a man; whereas the deiected minde takes, carelesly, what offers it selfe. Euerie worldling is base-minded; [Page 88] & therfore his thoughts creep stil lowe vpon the earth. The Christian both is & knowes himselfe truely great; and thereupon mindeth and speaketh of spirituall, immortall, glorious, heauenly thinges. So much as the soule stoopeth to earthly thoughts; so much is it vnregenerate.
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Long acquaintance as it maketh those things which are euill, to seem lesse euill; so it makes [Page 89] good thinges which at first were vnpleasant, delightfull. There is no euill of payne, nor no morall good action, which is not harsh at the first. Continuance of euill, which might seem to weary vs, is the remedie and abatement of wearinesse: & the practice of good, as it profiteth, so it pleaseth. He that is a strāger to good and euill, findes both of them troublesome. GOD therefore dooth well for vs, while he exerciseth vs with long afflictions: [Page 90] and wee doe well to our selues while wee continually busie our selues in good exercises.
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Sometimes it is well taken by men, that wee humble our selues lower then there is cause. Thy seruant IACOB, sayth that good Patriarch; to his brother, to his inferiour. And no lesse well doth God take these submisse extenuations of our selues; I am a worme & no man: [Page 91] Surely I am more foolish then a man, & haue not the vnderstanding of a man in mee. But I neuer finde, that anie man bragged to GOD although in a matter of Truth, and within the compasse of his desert, and was accepted. A man may be too lowly in his dealing with men, euen vnto contempt: with God hee cannot; but the lower hee falleth, the higher is his exaltation.
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The soule is fed as the bodie, starued with hunger as the body, requires proportionable diet and necessarie varietie, as the bodie. All ages and statures of the soule beare not the same nourishment. There is milk for spiritual infants, strong meate for the growen Christian. The spoone is fit for one, the knife for the other. The best Christian is not so growen that hee neede [Page 93] to scorne the spoone: but the weake Christian may finde a strong feede dangerous. How manie haue beene cast away with spirituall surfets; because being but newe-borne they haue swallowed down bigge morselles of the highest mysteries of godlinesse, which they neuer could digest; but together with them haue cast vp their proper norishment. A man must first know the power of his stomach, ere hee knowe how with safetie [Page 94] and profit to frequent Gods Ordinary.
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It is verie hard for the best man, in a suddayne extreamitie of death, to satisfie himself in apprehending his staie, and reposing his heart vppon it: for the soule is so oppressed with suddaine terrour, that it cannot wel commaund it selfe, till it haue digested an euill. It were miserable for the best Christian, if all his former prayers and [Page 95] meditations did not serue to ayde him in his last straites, and meete together in the center of his extreamitie: yielding though not sensible reliefe, yet secret benefit to the soule; wheras the worldly man in this case, hauing not laid vp for this houre, hath no comfort from God, or from others, or from himselfe.
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All externall good or euill is measured by [Page 96] sense: neither can we account that eyther good or ill, which doth neither actually auaile, nor hurt vs: spiritually this rule holds not. All our best good is insensible. For, al our future (which is the greatest) good, we hold onlie in hope; and the present fauour of God wee haue many times, and feel not. The stomach findes the best digestion euen in sleepe when we least perceiue it; and whiles wee are most awake, this power worketh in vs eyther to [Page 97] further strength or disease, without our knowledge of what is done within: And on the other side, that man is most dangerously sick, in whome nature decayes without his feeling, without his complaint. To knowe our selues happie, is good: but wo were to vs Christians, if wee could not bee happie, and knowe it not.
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There are none that euer did so much mischief [Page 98] to the Church, as those that haue beene excellent in wit & learning. Others may bee spightfull enough, but want power to accomplish their malice. An enemy that hath both strength & craft is worthy bee feared. None can sinne against the Holy-Ghost, but those which haue had former illumination. Tell not mee what partes a man hath, but what grace: honest sottishnes is better then profane eminence.
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The intertainement of all spiritualll euents must bee with feare or hope; but, of all earthly extreamities, must bee with cōtempt or derisiō. For, what is terrible, is worthy of a Christians contempt; what is pleasant, to bee turned ouer with a scorne. The meane requires a mean affection betwixt loue & hatred. We may not loue them, because of their vanitie: wee may not hate them, because [Page 100] of their necessarie vse. It is an hard thing to bee a wise host; and to fit our entertainment to all comers: which if it be not done, the soule is soone wasted, eyther for want of customers, or for the mis-rule of ill guests.
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God and man build in a contrary order. Man layes the foundatiō first, then addes the walls, the roofe last. God began the roofe first, spreading out this vault of heauen, [Page 101] ere he layd ye base of the earth. Our thoughtes must followe the order of his worke-manship. Heavē must be minded first; earth afterwarde: and so much more, as it is seene more. Our meditation must herein follow our sense: A fewe miles giue boundes to our view of earth; wheras wee may neere see half the heaven at once. Hee that thinkes most both of that which is most seene, and of that which is not seene at all, is happiest.
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I haue euer noted it a true signe of a false heart, To be scrupulous and nice in small matters, negligent in the mayne: whereas the good soule is still curious in substātiall points, and not carelesse in things of an inferiour nature; accounting no dutie so small as to bee neglected, and no care great enough for principall duties: not so tithing mint and cummin, that he should forget [Page 103] iustice and iudgement; nor yet so regarding iudgement and iustice, that he should contemne mint & cummin. Hee that thus misplaces his conscience, will bee found either hypocriticall or superstitious.
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It argues the world full of Atheistes, that those offences which may impeach humane societie, are entertained with an answerable hatred and rigor: Those which do immediately [Page 104] wrong the supreme maiestie of God, are turned ouer with scarce so much as dislike. If wee conuersed with God as we doe with men, his right would bee at least as precious to vs as our owne. All that conuerse not with God are without God: not only those that are against God, but those that are without God are Atheists. Wee may be too charitable: I feare not to say, that these our last times abound with honest Atheists.
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The best thing corrupted, is worst: An ill man is the worst of all creatures, an ill Christian the worst of all men, an ill professor the worst of all Christians.
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Naturally life is before death, and death is only a priuation of life: Spiritually it is contrary: As PAVL sayth of the grayne, so may wee of man in the businesse of his Regeneration. Hee [Page 106] must die before hee can liue; yet this death presupposes a life that was once, and should bee. God chooses to haue the difficultest, first: we must bee content with the payne of dying, ere we feele the comfort of life. As wee dy to nature, ere we liue in glory: So, wee must die to sinne, ere we can live to Grace.
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Death did not first strike Adam the first sinfull man: nor Cain the [Page 107] first hypocrite; but Abel the innocent and righteous. The first soule that met with death, overcame death: the first soule that parted from earth, went to Heaven. Death argues not displeasure: because he whō God loved best, dyes first; and the murtherer is punished with living.
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The lives of most are mis-spent, only for want of a certayne ende of their actions. Wherin, [Page 108] they doe as vnwise Archers, shoot away their arrows they know not at what mark: They liue only out of the present, not directing thēselues and their proceedings to one vniuersall scope: whence they alter vpon all change of occasions, and neuer reache anie perfection; neither can doe other but continue in vncertaintie, and end in discomfort. Others ayme at one certaine marke, but a wrong one. Some (tho fewer) leuell at the right end, [Page 109] but amisse. To liue without one maine and common ende, is idlenesse and folly. To liue to a false ende is deceit and losse: True Christian wisdom both shows the end, and findes the way. And as cunning Politickes have many plots to compasse one and the same designe by a determined succession: so the wise Christian, fayling in the meanes, yet still fetcheth about to his steadie ende with a constant change of indeuours: Such one onely [Page 110] lives to purpose, and at last repents not that hee hath lived.
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The ship-wrack of a good conscience is the casting awaie of all other excellencies. It is no rare thing to note the soule of a wilfull sinner stripped of all her graces, and by degrees exposed to shame: so those, whom wee have knowen admired, have fall'n to bee levell with their fellows; and from thence beneath them, to [Page 111] a mediocrity; and afterwards to sottishnes and contempt, belowe the vulgar. Since they haue cast awaie the best, it is iust with God to take away the worst; and to cast off them in lesser regardes, which haue reiected him in greater.
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It hath euer bin counted more noble and succesfull, to set vpon an open enemie in his owne home, then to expect till hee set vppon vs, whiles wee make onely [Page 112] a defensiue warre. This rule serues vs for our last enemy Death: whence that olde demand of Epicure is easily answered; whether it bee better Death should come to vs, or that we should meete him in the waie: meet him in our minds, ere hee seize vpon our bodies. Our cowardlinesse, our vnpreparation is his aduantage: wheras true boldenesse, in confronting him, dismayes and weakens his forces. Happie is that soule that can sende out [Page 113] the scoutes of his thoughts before-hand, to discouer the power of Death afarre off; and then can resolutely incounter him at vnwares vpon aduantage: such one lives with securitie, dies with comfort.
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Manie a man sends others to heauen, and yet goes to hell himselfe: and not fewe hauing drawn others to hell, yet themselues returne by a late repentance, to life. In a good actiō it is not [Page 114] good action, it is not good to searche too deeply into the intentiō of the agent, but in silēce to make our best benefit of the worke: In an euil, it is not safe to regard the qualitie of the person, or his successe, but to consider the action abstracted from all circumstances, in his owne kind. So we shall neither neglecte good deedes because they speede not well in some hands, nor affecta prosperous euill.
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God doth some singular actions, wherein we cannot imitate him; some wherein wee may not; most wherin he may and would fain be followed. He fetcheth good out of euill; so may wee turn our owne & others sinnes to priuate or publique good: we may not doe euill for a good vse; but wee must vse our euil once done, to good. I hope I shall not offende, to say, that the [Page 116] good vse which is made of sinnes is as gainefull to God, as that which arises from good actions. Happie is that man, that can vse eyther his good, well, or his euill.
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There is no difference betwixt anger and madnesse, but continuance: for, raging▪ anger is a short madnesse. What else argues the shaking of the hands and lippes, palenesse or rednesse, [Page 117] or swelling of the face, glaring of the eies, stammering of the tongue, stamping with the feet, vnsteadie motions of the whole bodie, rashe actions which wee remember not to haue done, distracted and wilde speeches? and madnesse againe is nothing but a continued rage, yea some madnesse rageth not: such a mild madnesse is more tolerable then frequent and furious anger.
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Those that woulde keepe state, must keepe aloofe off; especially if their qualities bee not answerable in height to their place. For, many great persons are like a well-wrought picture vpon a course cloath; which afarre off shewes faire, but neer hand the roundnesse of the thred marres the good workemanship. Concealement of gifts, after some one commended acte, is [Page 119] the best way to admiration, and secret honor: but hee that would profit, must vent himselfe oft and liberally, and showe what he is, without all priuate regarde. As therefore, manie times, honour followes modestie, vnlookt for; so, contrarily, a man may shewe no lesse pride in silence and obscuritie, then others which speake and write for glorie. And that other pride is so much more the worse, as it is more vnprofitable: [Page 120] for, wheras those which put forth their gifts, benefit others while they seeke themselues; these are so wholly deuoted to themselues, that their secrecy dooth no good to others.
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Such as a mans delightes and cares are in health, such are both his thoughtes and speeches commonly on his death-bed: The proud man talkes of his faire sutes, the glutton of [Page 121] his dishes, the wanton of his beastlinesse, the religious man of heauēly things. The tongue will hardly leaue that, to which the heart is inured. If we would haue good motions to visit vs while wee are sicke, wee must send for them familiarly in our health.
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Hee is a rare man that hath not some kind of madnesse reigning in him: One a dull madnesse of melancholy, another [Page 122] a cōceited madnesse of pride, another a superstitious madnesse of false deuotion, a fourth of ambition, or couetousnesse, a fift the furious madnesse of anger; a sixt the laughing madnesse of extreame mirth, a seauenth a drunken madnesse, an eightth of outragious lust, a ninth the learned madnesse of curiositie, a tenth the worst madnesse of profanenesse and Atheisme. It is as hard to reckon vp all kindes of madnesses, [Page 123] as of dispositions. Some are more noted and punished then others; for that the mad in one kinde dooth as much condemne another, as the sober man condemnes him. Onlie that man is both good, and wise and happie, that is free from all kindes of phrē sie.
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There bee some honest errors, wherewith I neuer found that God was offended; That [Page 124] an husband should think his owne wife comely, although ill-fauoured in the eyes of others; that a man shoulde thinke more meanely of his owne good partes then of weaker in others; to giue charitable (though mistaken) constructions of doubtfull actions and persons (which are the effectes of naturall affection, humilitie, loue) were neuer censured by God: Herein alone wee erre, if wee erre not.
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No maruell if the worldling escape earthly afflictions. God correctes him not; because hee loues him not. He is base-borne and begot: God will not doe him the fauour to whip him. The world afflicts him not; because it loues him. For each one is indulgent to his owne. God vses not the rodde where he meanes to vse the sword; The pillory or scourge is for those [Page 126] malefactors which shall escape execution.
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VVeake stomackes which can not digest large meales, feede oft and little: For our soules, that which we want in measure, we must supply in frequence. Wee can neuer fully enough cō prehēd in our thoughts the ioyes of heauen, the meritorious sufferings of Christ, the terrours of the secōd death: therfore wee must meditate of them often.
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The same thoughtes doe commonly meet vs in the same places; as if wee had left them there till our returne. For that the minde doth secretly frame to it self me moratiue heads, wherby it recalls easily the same conceits: It is best to employ our mind there, where it is most fixed. Our deuotion is so dull, it cannot haue too many aduantages.
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I finde but one example, in all scripture, of anie bodily cure which our Sauiour wrought by degrees: Onely the blind man, whose weake faith craued helpe by others, not by himself, saw men first like trees, then in their true shape. All other miraculous cures of Christ were done at once, and perfect at first. Contrarily, I finde but one example of a soule sully [Page 129] healed (that is) sanctified and glorified, both in a day; all other by degrees and leasure. The steps of grace are soft & short. Those external miracles hee wrought immediately by himselfe; and therefore no maruell if they were absolute like their Author. The miraculous worke of our regeneration he works together with vs; He giueth it efficacie: wee giue it imperfection.