CAP. I.

What that other ſpirit is, which a godly man hath differing from the world.

IN theſe words we have Gods approbation of Caleb, accepting his faithfull ſervice in the teſtimony hee gave of the good Land; encouraging the hearts of his people to goe into it: As for the other that were ſent, God determines againſt them, they ſhall never ſee that good Land; But my ſervant Caleb, &c.

Firſt, Gods commendation of Caleb. Secondly, his bleſſing upon him. Obſ.

For the firſt hee ſayes three things of him.

1 He is my ſervant. 2 He hath another ſpirit. 3 He hath followed me fully.

He is my ſervant:] It is a great honor to bee the ſervant of the bleſſed God, and to bee acknowledged ſo by God himſelfe: We ſhould not looke at our ſervices to God only as duties injoyned, but as high priviledges, as dignities put upon us; wee ſhould glory in his ſervice. It was a great part of that glorious reward of thoſe who came out of great tribulation, who waſhed their Robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe, that they ſhould bee before the Lord, and ſerve him night and day. Apoc. 7. 14, 15. [My ſervant] He hath ſhewed himſelfe to bee my ſervant indeed; I will for ever owne him; what ever others did, hee continued faithfull with me. To bee a ſervant unto the Lord, is an honour; but to bee acknowledged faithfull, that higher: I have obtained mercy to be faithfull, ſaith Saint Paul. To be faithfull in ſervice, is, not only a meanes of obtaining 1 Cor. 7. 25 mercy, but it is a great obtained mercy.

[My ſervant Caleb:] Caleb is only mentioned here, and ſo in the former Chap. verſe 31.

Why is not Ioſhua mentioned likewiſe, Queſt. for ſurely hee followed the Lord fully, as well as Caleb?

1 Some thinke that Ioſhuah at the firſt Anſw. Abulenſis 〈◊〉 . 54, 55. did conceale himſelfe, although after hee did declare himſelfe fully; but certainly this had been a very great ſinne of his, to conceale himſelfe in ſuch a Cauſe of God, to have ſtood as Neuter, for the ſaving himſelfe; hee would not have paſſed without ſome ſignification of Gods diſpleaſure againſt him for this: But Verſe 30. God promiſes Ioſhua, that hee ſhall enter into the Land together with Caleb. Others therefore thinke, that at the firſt Caleb was the more forward of the two in ſpeaking, becauſe hee was of the more honourable Tribe, one of the chiefe of the Tribe of Iudah; and Ioſhua was of Ephraim: And beſides; Ioſhua being Moſes Miniſter to attend on him, it might bee the more ſuſpected that he might ſpeake to gratifie Moſes, againſt whom the people now murmured, becauſe of the ſtraits they were brought into by him. And beſides, others thinke, that Moſes here Scrarius l. 1 Ioſ. c. 8. q. 6 relates this by Ioſhua, That Ioſhua was uſed in the penning of this relation, and therefore the leſſe is ſaid concerning Ioſhua.

Another ſpirit: The ſpirits of the reſt were baſe and cowardly, poore, dead, unworthy ſpirits; but hee had another ſpirit, went not that way. There is a ſtrange conceit ſome of the Jewiſh Interpreters have of this other ſpirit; that is, ſay they, Caleb and Ioſhua, Lorinus in Numb. 14. 24. when they were in the Land, and in their journey; they ſaid as the reſt of the Spies did, and concealed their purpoſe of declaring any other opinion they had of the Land, than the others had, and this they did for feare of their lives; but when they came before Moſes, and the children of Iſrael, then they had another ſpirit, and ſpake plainly what they thought. Many ſuch chaffy interpretations of Scriptute wee finde amongſt them, God having given them over to the ſpirit of blindneſſe. Hee ſollowed me fully.

The words are, Hee fufilled to follow Implevit ſequi. mee: Nothing could take him off from mee, what ever therefore becomes of the reſt, hee ſhall poſſeſſe the Land, and his ſeed with him. I intend only to handle the two latter commendations of Caleb.

Firſt, that hee was a man of another 1 ſpirit. Secondly, that hee followed God fully. 1 And herein, firſt, ſeverally; ſecondly, in the reference of the one to the other.

For the firſt, the Point is; It is the excellency of godly men to be men of other ſpirits, of choice ſpirits, differing from the common ſpirits of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the ſpirit of the world, ſayes the Apoſtle, but the ſpirit which is of God: There is a great deale of difference betweene our ſpirits and the common ſpirits of the world. There is a vile ſpirit ruling in the world; As, Eph. 2. 2. A ſpirit that workes ſtrongly and actively in the children of 〈…〉 diſohedience. But of the godly it may be ſaid, as it was of Daniel, Chap. 6. 3. An excellent ſpirit was found in him; ſo ſurely an excellent ſpirit is found in them.

Herein, firſt, what this other ſpirit is.

Secondly, wherein the excellency of it lies.

Thirdly, apply it.

For the firſt; it is, firſt, a ſpirit that hath other principles, a better principled 1 ſpirit than the ſpirit of the world. The ſpirits of worldly men have baſe corrupt principles, by which they judge of things, by which they are led, according to which they favour & relliſh whatſoever is propounded to them. The vileneſſe and power of theſe, appeares in the wayes of the world; but the ſpirits of the godly are acted by Divine, heavenly, holy principles, that carry them to God, to divine and heavenly things; they carry them by a kind of naturall inſtinct; the frame of their ſpirits is ſo principled, that by as it were a naturall inſtinct, (naturall, I mean the new nature) they ſavour of ſpirituall and heavenly things; their hearts worke after them, cloze with them, unite themſelves to them, finde much ſweet and contentment in them, are faſtned and ſetled unto them. What is the reaſon the ſame truths propounded, ſet before divers ſpirits, whoſe naturall parts are equall; one ſees much excellency in them, receives them, relliſhes them; the other looks on them as mean and fooliſh things, wonders what men ſee and finde in them, they are unſavory to them, their hearts turne away from them? This is from their divers principles. Where the ſpirit is well principled, it is carryed on ſweetly and ſtrongly in Gods wayes; though the naturall parts bee weake, though obiections againſt them many, pretences for evill wayes fayre; yet theſe divine principles are as a pondus, a waight upon theſe ſpirits, that carries on the ſoule ſtill towards God: when all is ſaid that can bee againſt Gods wayes, and for ſinnefull wayes, it will, it cannot but, hold the concluſion, Surely Gods wayes are good. As that bleſſed Martyr ſaid, I cannot diſpute for the truth, but I can dye for the truth. Theſe principles cauſe, if Sapida •• i •• tia. not a diſputative knowledge, yet a ſavory knowledge.

Perſwade a man by moſt ſubtill arguments, eloquent orations, that what he taſts ſweet, is bitter, perhaps he cannot anſwer all you ſay; but yet hee knowes the thing is ſweet: So the Spirit principled right with grace, having the ſavour of the knowledge, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes: though many ſubtill wiles of Satan, and cloquent perſwaſions from the wiſdome of the fleſh be brought to perſwade to the contrary, yet ſtill it ſayes, It is good to walke in the wayes of godlineſſe.

Every life hath principles according to the nature of it, receiving to it ſelfe things ſutable, or turning from things diſagreeable to it; the vegetative life according to the nature of it, ſo the ſenſitive, and the rationall life, and the life of grace according to it. Moſt mens ſpirits are led by the principles of a ſenſitive life, few live ſo high as rationall principles reach to. There is a death of the ſoule in this reſpect; onely God puts in by a common worke of his Spirit, ſome common notions, which appeare in ſome, which give but a glimmering light, and are very weake; but where the life of grace is in any ſoule, there are principles of an higher nature, full of light and beauty, carrying the ſoule to high, ſpirituall, ſupernaturall things, for the attaining to, and injoyment of the higheſt good. Other creatures under the rationall, are made for the enjoyment of no higher good, than is within the cōpaſſe of their owne natures; & therfore their principles are onely to receive in ſuch good things as are ſutable to thoſe natures, and in them they reſt ſatisfied; for they are capable of enjoyment of no higher; I ſay, they cannot enjoy any higher: indeed they are of uſe to, and were made for that end, that they might be ſerviceable to ſome higher good than themſelves; but this they enjoy not. The deſtruction of their natures, is the higheſt uſe that creatures which are above them, have of them. But the rationall creature was made for a higher good than is within the compaſſe of its own nature, and was to enjoy this; and the fuller it doth enjoy it, the more perfected it is. Now then, there are required principles of life accordingly to carry theſe creatures higher than their owne natures, to have the fruitiō of that good they were made for, and to bee bleſſed in the enjoyment of it. Now theſe are the principles of Grace, with which this other ſpirit is indued, higher above the principles of reaſon, than the principles of reaſon are above the principles of ſenſe; and thus it is another ſpirit.

Secondly, it works by another rule: every thing is guided to its end by ſome rule, which is a beame of Gods wiſedome; no creature under the reaſonable, knowes either its end or rule, but is acted by God to that it was made for: but the reaſonable creature is of ſuch a nature, as is capable of the knowledge of both, and therefore cannot bee happy without the knowledge of both, and working accordingly. Now it is a great mercy not to miſtake in the rule that leades to eternall life, to ſee it, and act by it; moſt of the world miſtake here, their ſpirits are led by falſe rules, they goe according to ſenſe, according to their own carnall apprehēſion of things, accordings to their owne wils, would have the rule of their actions from their own ſpirits, or elſe according to the common courſe of the world, as Eph. 2. 2. That which men bleſſe themſelves in, that they goe according to the common courſe, is one of the moſt apparent arguments that is, that yet they are ſtrangers from the way of life; but the godly they make the Word their rule, they looke up to the minde of God, to ſee the beame of Divine wiſdome let down from heaven, to guide them in their way; they looke to it for direction, give up themſelves to it, dare venture their comforts, eſtates, ſafeties, ſoules upon it: Thou ſhalt guide mee by thy counſell, ſayes David, and ſo bring mee Philo Iudaeus in his book intituled Om nis probus liber, t • ls of the Py •• agereans, that inter Sacrata praecepta, this was a principall Per viam publicam ne ingredere. Argument • tur • iſſimis 〈◊〉 turba, ſayes Seneca. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . to thy glory, Pſalm. 73. 24. A godly man thinkes it a moſt diſhonorable thing to make the examples of men his rules; it is for beaſts to follow the Herd: Examples of men cannot ſatisfie his conſcience. A godly man workes for eternity: and therefore is carefull to worke by rule; as a man when hee workes in a worke that concernes his life, erects a frame that muſt be for continuance; he makes ſure of his rule, layes often his rule to his worke. When God erected the frame of the world, which was to laſt but for a ſew yeares, hee made all by waight and meaſure: The frame of mans actions here, muſt be for eternity; and therefore a godly man dares venture upon no other rule but that which is divine; hee lookes at the Word, not only at the notions of it, and that excellency and beauty he ſees in it, ſhining a great way off; but as a light to his feet, a Lanterne to his ſteps; holds it cloſe to his feet, to guide him in his going; knowing, that every ſtep he goes, is either to hell or to heaven; and this doing, he may look up with comfort for that bleſſing of God upon his ſervants: 1 Sam. 2. 9. He keeps the feet of his Saints: His way is like the way of the Mariner, guided by the heavens. Eadem ratione hanc vita viam quaeri oportet, qua in altoiter navibus quaeritur; niſi aliquid cali lumen obſervent incertis curſibus vagantur; quiſquis rectum iter vitae tenere nititur, non terr'd debet aſpicere ſed coelu •• ; & ut a • ertius loquar, on hominem debet ſequi, ſed Deum. Lactant. l. 6. c. 8.

3. Thirdly, another ſpirit. that is, imployed about other things; it is not for meane, baſe ſervices; but ſet on worke about high and honourable employments. As men of place and dignity have, or ought to have other ſpirits differing from ordinary ſpirits; they cannot endure to be employed in mean and diſhonorable workes: no, thoſe fit for meane, baſe ſpirits. While other mens ſpirits are buſied about low, poore things, and are content in theſe, minding nothing higher; they are buſied about great affaires of State, the high things of the Kingdome, conſultations about, and tranſactions of the great buſineſſes of the Common-wealth. It was the baſeneſſe, and diſhonor of Domitians ſpirit, who though a great Emperor, yet buſied himſelfe and ſpent great part of his time in catching of flies; and ſo of Artaxerxes his ſpirit, who ſpent a great deale of time in making hafts of knives of Boxe.

Thus godly men account it too mean a thing, for their ſpirits to bee buſied about low baſe employments; while the ſpirits of other men are buſied about meat, drink, clothes, play, money, luſt, and are taken up in theſe poore things; the ſpirits of the godly are taken up in contemplation of the glory of the bleſſed God, the beauty and high excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, the great Counſels of God, in the greateſt worke that ever he did, the worke of mans Redemption, the great myſteries of the Goſpell, the glorious things of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, the great things of eternity, the intereſt they have in all the good in God, Chriſt, Heaven, about the ſetting out the glory of the bleſſed God in the World, lifting up his Name, working together with God in glorifying himſelfe, obſerving Gods wayes in his glorious workes of Creation, and Providence, preparing and fitting themſelves for the glorious appearing of the great God; joyning with thoſe bleſſed creatures, the Angels and Saints in heaven, magnifying, praiſing, worſhipping, and adoring the Lord of all; theſe are things fit for the ſpirits of the godly, they are not ſuteable to the ſpirits of the world, as Pſal. 92. 6. A brutiſh man knowes not, neither doth a foole underſtand this.

A godly man ſometimes may be buſied in meane low things, but his ſpirit not contented, not taken up, not ſatisfied in thoſe things, as adequate objects for him, as the ſpirits of the world are, they are objects adequate to any principles they have: A man ſometimes that is underſtanding, may condeſcend to ſport with children in low things, but theſe take not up his ſpirit, as adequate objects to what hee hath in him; if indeed hee ſhould take content and ſatisfaction in ſuch things, it would argue a childiſh ſpirit in him; So here.

Fourthly, this ſpirit is carried to other 4 ends; the ſpirit of the world looks at eaſe, pleaſure, honour, gaine, and Selfe in all; it is a low ſpirit in an ill ſenſe, ſubjecteth not only ordinary actions, but the beſt things it doth, even the duties of Gods worſhip to baſe, low, unworthy ends: At the higheſt, the moſt excellent of the Heathen, who had the moſt brave ſpirits the World had in their time, aimed no higher than to work according to reaſon, to ſatisfie the dictates of rationall principles, and a naturall conſcience; knew not what it was to honour God; to aime at God in all they did: but the ſpirit of the godly is a raiſed ſpirit, looks at God and eternity in all it doth, carries things up to the higheſt good, reſtleſſe till it gets through all creatures, and cloſes with God; it accounts the excellency of what it is, and what it hath, to be in order to God, and directs what it doth to him, and in this comes as neere the working of God himſelfe, workes as like him, as may be; it is the glory of God to bee the firſt cauſe, and laſt end; and to worke from himſelfe, and for himſelfe; No creature can worke from it ſelfe, but as it hath his principle from God, ſo it workes for him, giving him the glory, as the firſt cauſe, and laſt end: and this is the great worſhip that God hath from his creature, both in this world and eternally in heaven.

We ſpeake much of honouring God, and ſerving God, and worſhipping of him; wee doe nothing except wee doe this; God made the world that hee might have ſome creatures to worke thus, to make him the higheſt and laſt end of all; many who have excellent naturall parts, are often buſied about deeper things then other men, but their ſpirits being corrupt, not carried to God in that they doe, they dive deepe, but all comes to nothing; are like children diving deepe in the water, and bring up nothing but ſhels and gravell.

Now where the ſpirit is carried to 1 God as the laſt end, there firſt, the beauty, excellency, glory of what ever it hath or doth, is iudged according to the reference it hath to God; Its true, I have theſe mercies, I do ſuch and ſuch things; but is God honoured by all? al things are as dead to this ſpirit, where it ſees not Gods Name lifted up: and ſo the excellency and beauty of what others have or do, if God is not honoured by them, it lookes on them as dead things. Secondly, all it hath, is, or doth, lies in an abſolute ſubiection under God, to bee at his diſpoſe; all things are abſolutely ſubject to the laſt end. Thirdly, where God is aimed at, as the higheſt end, there Gods glory is willed infinitely; no limits, no bounds ſet to the deſires, or endeavours of the ſoule after it.

Fiftly, thjs ſpirit hath other qualifications; the ſpirits of the godly are 5 glorious within: As, 1. it is an enlightned 1 ſpirit; the light of the glory of God, in the face of Ieſus Chriſt, hath ſhined into it, and transformed it into the ſame image. Dan. 5. 11. They 2 Cor. 4. • . ſaid he was a man in whom the ſpirit of the holy Gods was, becauſe light, and underſtanding, and wiſdome was found in him; ſurely, the ſpirit of the living God is here; for light, underſtanding, wiſdome is found here; this is the true light, the light of life, that hath a quickning power, and influence of life in it. There is a great difference between the light of the Sunne ſhining in a garden, and the light of torches; there is the influence of an inlivening power in the one, not in the other; ſuch difference there is between the light in the ſpirits of wicked men, and the light in the ſpirits of the godly: it is the knowledge of the holy, that is true underſtanding, Prov. 9. 10. And a man of ſuch underſtanding, is of an excellent ſpirit indeed, Prov. 17. 27. This is that which the Holy Ghoſt calls Spirituall underſtanding, Col. 1. 9. to diſtinguiſh it from that underſtanding there is in naturall men; they ſee into Spirituall things after another manner than other men; they ſee the reality, beauty, excellency, glory of them, which are hidden from droſſie vile ſpirits: the Goſpell is ſaid to bee a myſtery, revealed to the Saints, Col. 1. 26. The Law and Teſtimonies are ſealed and bound up amongſt the diſciples, Eſay 2. 16. The Lord delights to reveale himſelfe, to men of excellent ſpirits, who are onely fit to cloſe with divine and ſpirituall truths. As none can teach ſo as God teacheth, Iob 30. 22. ſo none knowes the things of God ſo as the godly doe; they behold them as with open face, they walke on in the light of the face of God, Pſal. 89. 15. their ſpirits elevated by ſuch a light as is ſutable to that light there is in God himſelfe, and that luſtre of his Image, that ſhines in the face of Ieſus Chriſt: but the ſpirit of the world, is a ſpirit of darkneſſe; even that light which is in them is darkneſſe.

Secondly, it is a free ſpirit, Pſa. 51. 12. Eſtabliſh me with thy free Spirit, and this freedome makes it indeed, a true, royall princely ſpirit; for ſo the word ſignifies that is tranſlated in that place, a free ſpirit. The words are, Eſtabliſh mee with thy royall princely ſpirit.

1. A free diſingaged ſpirit, not entangled, nor inſnared with baſe, earthly engagements like the ſpirits of the world; but a ſpirit that is at liberty, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. How doe the engagements of worldly ſpirits miſerably enthrall them, that notwithſtanding convictions of conſcience, notwithſtanding much unquietneſſe of their hearts in their way, many checks, ſecret wounds of ſpirit, ſinking damps, and feares, yet they cannot get off their hearts from thoſe engagements they are ſo miſerably, ſo dangerouſly entangled in; this is a woefull bondage. Thoſe who are godly can remember a time, ſince their hearts were thus inſnared; but it was the bleſſed worke of the Lord to ſet them at liberty, and now they have eaſe, now ſweer quiet, and reſt to their ſpirits.

2. Free from the bondage of ſinne, not under the power and command of it; it hath command over it ſelfe, over its owne paſſions; not in a baſe ſlavery to Satan, not in ſervile ſubjection to men, not brought under the power of any creature. It was a notable free expreſſion of two bleſſed Martyrs, Surgius and Bacchus, who were two great Courtiers, being accuſed for Chriſtians, and commanded to offer unto the Idols, they refuſed to goe to the Temple, and gave this anſwer unto the Emperour; Wee, o Emperour, are bound Nos, Imperator, ſo a terrena militia tibi obſtricti ſumus; in animas nullum tibi jus est; illarum Deminus eſt ſolus Deus Coutzen. aul • ſpeculum pag 47. unto you, onely in an earthly warfare; you have no right over our ſoules; God onely is the Lord of them. It will not be forced to any thing that is baſe; God leaves the body and eſtates of his ſervants to the power of men oft times but their ſpirits are free: It is to baſe a diſpoſition of a ſervant of GOD, to plead neceſſity of ſinning; no creature can compell another to ſinne. Tertullia • hath an excellent expreſſion to this purpoſe; Non admittit ſtatus ſidei allegati onem neceſ ſitatis deliuouendi, quibus una eſt neceſſitas non delinquendi Tertul. de Cor militis. cap. 11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Rom. 8. 15 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2 T 〈…〉 . 1. 7. The ſtate of faith doth not admit, the alledging a neceſſity of ſinning in thoſe, to whom the onely neceſſity is not to offend.

3. It's free in regard of ſlaviſh feare it's able to looke upon the face of God with ioy, Iob 22. 6. Thou ſhalt have delight in the Almighty, and ſhalt li 〈…〉 up thy face to God. The Scripture ſpeaks of a ſpirit of feare, and a ſpirit of bondage from both which, this ſpirit is ſet a liberty; it can looke upon the power ſoveraignty, juſtice, holineſſe of God, and rejoyce in them; glad that God is ſo holy and juſt, and that it hath to deale with ſuch a God; It hath acceſſe to his preſence with boldneſſe and liberty of ſpeech, Epheſ. 3. 12. as the word ſignifies there. It hath ſweet and bleſſed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . freedome in the performance of holy duties, is not forced and haled to them, doth not take them up as tireſome burdens; Gods Commandements are not grievous, they are not as fetters of iron, but as chaines of gold, for beauty and ornament; there is a readineſſe of ſpirit to what ever is good; they are veſſels of honour, ready prepared to every good worke, 2. Tim. 2. 21. It is written in the volume of thy booke, I ſhould doe thy will, and • o I come, pſalm. 40. 7, 8. There is a ſutableneſſe betweene the law and the ſpirit; the law is written in it; never ſo in it's element, as when it is in the wayes of obedience; there is not that ſtraitneſſe of ſpirit as in others; but here the heart ſweetly enlarges it ſelfe, as the flowre that opens it ſelfe to the ſhining of the Sunne.

Thirdly, a ſublime ſpirit, raiſed high, by ſpirituall, heavenly influences, not 3 ſwelling by pride; a ſpirit that hath all earthly things under feet, as the Holy Ghoſt ſets out the Church, Revel. 12. 1. Things received with admiration by other ſpirits, it looks on with contempt, as things infinitely inferiour to it; a godly mans feet are where other mens heads; their heads, that is, the pitch and height of all their aimes, is upon things that are on the earth; but the Saints have theſe things under their feet. When Valence ſent to offer Baſil great preferments, to tell him what a great man he might be; Baſil anſwers, Offer theſe things to children, not to Chriſtians. When ſome bade, ſtoppe Luthers mouth with preferment, one of his adverſaries anſwered, It is in vaine, Hem Germ ma illa beſtia non 〈◊〉 aurū. Melchior • d • m in 〈◊◊〉 . he cares not for gold; his ſpirit was too noble and high, to bee tempted with gold; baſe, low ſpirits would have beene taken with ſuch things; ſuch a ſpirit as Demas, who forſooke Paul to imbrace this preſent world, but a ſpirit raiſed by God is above them.

How was S. Pauls ſpirit above mony? when he ſpeaks of lucre, he cals it, ſilthy lucre, 1 Tim. 3. 3. A godly mans ſpirit is ſutable to the high dignities put upon it, and priviledges it hath. Saul when made a King, had another ſpirit put upon him, contemning former things, highly eſteemed of: a man raiſed on high, lookes on things below, and they appeare ſmall things to him; ſo here, Reaſon may raiſe Nemo eſt dignus namine hominis qui unum diem v • lit eſſe in vo luptate lib. 2 de ſinibus. the ſpirits of men above the common ſort: a rationall man lookes at many ſinnes as too mean and baſe for him, ſcornes to ſtaine his excellency with them, as the ſinnes of ſenſuality, and Platonis Phoedo p. 81. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈…〉 or ſum et ad majora naturquàm vt mancipium ſim corporis mei. Sen. 〈◊〉 . 66. filthy luſts. Tully thinkes him not worthy the name of a man, that ſpends a whole day in the pleaſures of the fleſh; and Socrates had ſuch a vile eſteeme of ſinne, as he thinkes, it ſhall be one of the greateſt torments of men in another life, to be tied and bound to the ſinnes they moſt delighted in here. Seneca hath a notable expreſſion to this purpoſe; I am too great, and borne to greater things, thē that I ſhould be a ſlave to my body: But if Reaſon raiſes the ſpirit ſo high, how high then doth Grace raiſe it? This ſpirit cannot be ſatisfied with ſmall low things; as it is reported of Luther, when great gifts were ſent to him, hee refuſed them, with this moſt brave and excellent ſpeech; I did earneſtly proteſt, that God ſhould not put mee off Valde proteſta tus ſum, me nolle ſic ſa • iari ab co. Melchier Adam in vita Iuth. with theſe things; meaning that hee would not be ſatisfied with anything that was here below. All the things in the world are farre from being able to ſatisfie this ſpirit; it accounts all, yea, if they were a thouſand times more than they are, but a poore pittance for the portion of an immortal ſoule; If God ſhould make more worlds for it, yet if he give not himſelfe to it, it would not be ſatisfied; nothing but a God, an infinite, univerſall, eternall Good, can fill up the deſires of this ſpirit. Thou haſt Feci •• i nos Domine prote, & •• qu etum eſt • or n 〈…〉 do 〈…〉 veniat adte. made us, O Lord, for thy ſelfe, ſaies Saint Auſtin, and our hearts are unquiet till they come unto thee. It is the worke of a baſe droſſy ſpirit, to thinke, If I had but ſo much, or ſo much yearely, I ſhould have enough: how baſe the ſpirit of that rich man, bleſſing himſelfe in his goods! Soule Luke 12. 19. take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many yeares; what were all thoſe to his ſoule, to the happineſſe of his ſoule? Theſe are ſpirits that have higher deſignes thē ſo, their deſignes no leſſe than a Kingdome, yea, than God himſelfe, Rom. 2. 7. They ſeeke for glory, honour, immortality, eternall life: Though they can bee content with little of the world for their uſe. yet they cannot bee content without that Good & Happineſſe that is infinitely higher, and better than all the world, for their portion. As Abraham ſaid concerning his child, when God promiſed him a great reward, Gen. 15. 2. Lord what will thou give me, ſo long as I goe childleſſe? Lord what is all the reward I can have, except I have this mercy, except I have a child? becauſe the Meſſias was to come out of his Ioines; So the ſoule here, if God ſhould promiſe it never ſuch great things, yet Lord what are all theſe things to me, if I have not thy ſelfe? All the gifts that God can give to this ſpirit, will not ſatisfie it, except he gives himſelf to it. As God is not pleaſed with what wee tender to him, except we give our ſelves to him: So a godly heart is not contented with all that God gives to it, except hee gives himſelfe to it. Thus Bernard exceeding ſweetly, As what Hern. de amore 〈◊〉 . Sicut mea • on tibi placent oblata niſi mecum; ſic bon rum tuorum contemp 〈…〉 io reſi •• t nos ſ 〈…〉 non ſat: at, niſ •• e cum. I have, if offered to thee, pleaſeth not thee, O Lord, without my ſelfe; ſo thy good things we have from thee, though they may refreſh us, yet they ſatisfie us not without thy ſelfe.

Yea further, the enjoyment of God is not enough, except they may have a full enjoyment of him; they are not ſatisfied, except they bee filled with the fulneſſe, yea, with all the fulneſſe of God, Epheſ. 3. 19. See a notable example of this in Moſes, Exod. 33. 12. and ſo on: The Lord had done great things for Moſes many wayes; but beſides all hee had done for him, hee told him that hee knew him by name, and that he had ſound favour in his ſight; one would have thought this might have ſatisfied him: No, Moſes muſt have more, Verſe 13. I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy ſight, ſhew me thy way, that 〈◊〉 know thee, and that I may finde grace in thy ſight. God grants him this, and rels him, Verſe 14. that his preſence ſhall goe with him, and hee will give him reſt; ſurely, this will ſatisfie him: No, Verſe 16, Moſes muſt have yet more, hee muſt have ſuch a preſence; as the world may know, that God doth goe with him, and that hee and his people are a ſeparated people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth: and Verſe 17. The Lord ſaith to him, I will give thee this thing alſo that thou haſt ſpoken. Surely this will ſatisfie him: No, Moſes is not ſatisfied yet: Verſe 18. I beſeech thee ſhew mee thy glory. Hee muſt have more of God yet; God grants him this alſo, Verſe 19. I will make all my goodnes paſſe before thee: And ſo the Lord paſſes by him, and proclaimes his great and glorious Name before him: Hee ſhewes him ſo much of his glory, as he was able to behold. Surely Moſes hath enough now: No, not yet, Chap. 34. 9. God muſt pardon the ſinne of his people too, and take him and them for his inheritance: Hee muſt have this fruit of Gods favour, as a higher than all the reſt. See how, as wee may ſo ſay with holy reverence, he incroaches as it were, upon God, as one that could never have enough; and yet this, God liked exceeding well. Here's a ſpirit indeed, that is not ſatisfied with meane, and ordinary things. In a ſpirituall ſenſe the godly doe ſeeke great things for themſelves, and it is their glory ſo to doe. God delights to have the ſpirits of his children thus raiſed; he would not have them to bee of ſuch ſordid ſpirits, as to minde no higher things than the baſe drudges of the world 〈◊〉 . de amore Dei c. 8. Habet enim ſa 〈…〉 a et ſai generis ſuperbiam. doe; as a Prince or Noble-man delights to ſee the ſpirit of his childe raiſed to higher deſignes, than the ordinary ſort of men.

Fourthly, a firme ſtrong ſpirit: 4 Eſay 11. 2. The ſpirit of Chriſt is a ſpirit of might.

Firſt, ſtrong to reſiſt ſtrong temptations. Secondly, ſtrong to overcome ſtrong corruptions. Thirdly, ſtrong to beare ſtrong afflictions.

For the firſt, it is not every temptation that can prevaile with theſe; little things will draw weak childiſh ſpirits; but ſuch temptations as others know not how to reſiſt, theſe can ſtand before them, and go on in their way, without any alteration of ſpirit by them; though they live in the middeſt of temptations, yet they are able to keep thēſelves unſpotted; like the three Children, who walked in the fire, and yet the ſmell of the fire came not upon them, nor their garments; or like the children of Iſrael, walking on the dry land ſafely, and the ſeas on each ſide of them: they are aſhamed to complaine of temptations to excuſe themſelves by their temptations; for wherefore hath the worke of God beene ſo mighty upon their ſpirits, but to ſtrengthē them againſt temptations? many temptations which others thinke to bee ſtrong, they ſcarce take notice of; ſo farre are their ſpirts above them.

Luther was ſo farre above the ſin of covetouſneſſe, as he ſaith of himſelf, he found no temptations to that ſinne, though his ſpirit was much peſtred with temptations in other kindes. The Devill will not ſet upon ſuch with ordinary temptations, hee knowes it is in vaine; when he comes upon them, it is with temptations of a higher nature, of ſtronger efficacy; as ſome mens bodies are of ſuch ſtrong conſtitutions, as that which will work mightily upon others, will not ſtirre them: So it is with mens ſpirits, the devill need not trouble himſelf much about many; the pooreſt, ſleighteſt temptatiōs are enough to draw them to what hee would have: yea, and ſuch who account themſelves to be of brave, of more than ordinary ſpirits too, who can ſtand out ſtrongly againſt GOD, and his truth, againſt the ſtrongeſt arguments; the drawing motives, the powerfull perſwaſions of the Word, they move them not at all; but every poore temptation of the Devill drawes them any way; they have no power to reſiſt, but are led as the Oxe to the ſlaughter, and as the foole to the ſtocks. The godly man is ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Epheſ. 6. 10. Other men are ſtrong in their luſts, and in the power of them againſt the Lord and his truth.

Secondly, they can overcome ſtrong corruptions: temptations from without have not ſuch power, as corruptions that are within; yet when theſe riſe up like a flood, This ſpirit of the Lord in them, ſets up a ſtandard againſt them, Eſay 59. 19. Yea, by a contrary ſtreame oppoſeth and overcomes them. The more ſutable any corruption is to the naturall diſpoſition, the more powerfully it hath heretofore prevailed, the more ſtrongly it would now put forth it ſelfe, the more doth this ſpirit keepe it under above all others. Every ordinary ſpirit can oppoſe, and be able to reſiſt ſome meane, contemptible ſinne, which brings little pleaſure, or profit with it: when ſin is, as it were, weakned and benummned by afflictions; then they can caſt it off: when the ſtrength of it is abated for want of fewell, for want of opportunities of acting, for want of bodily ſtrength to put it forth; then they can leave their ſinne: as Simeon and Levi came upon the Sichemites when they were ſore, and overcame them; ſo they can come upon their ſinne, in times of affliction, and overcome it; & this they thinke to be repentance, which is a miſtake. But this ſpirit can oppoſe ſinne, when it is in the vigour and ſtrength, and activity of it, and overcome it then. Let God put this Spirit into one who is yong & ſtrong, whoſe bones are full of marrow who hath the world ſmile on him, and may have opportunities to the full to enjoy his luſt; yet now he ſhall be able to overcome his corruption, & prevaile againſt the ſtrongeſt luſt. As it is ſaid of Moſes, Hebr. 11. 25. When he was of full years, he then could deny himſelf, and refnſe the pleaſures of the fleſh. The word in the Originall, When he was great, when 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . he was growne up to ripeneſſe, when he might have injoyed his pleaſure to the full; yet now he was able to overcome himſelf, & the world; and this requires ſtrength of ſpirit indeed.

Thirdly, it is ſtrong to bear ſtrong afflictions, as a ſtrong bodyed man 3 can indure cold and hard weather, which others dare ſcarce put out their heads into; ſuch difference is there in the ſpirits of men, in regard of their bearings of afflictions; ſome are alwayes complaining, murmuring, Invalidum om ni naturâ 〈◊〉 rulum whyning at every little affliction; their hearts fret, vexe and rage under it; like ſome mens fleſh, if their skin be but razed with a pin, it preſently feſters and rankles: Iob 23. 2. He ſaith, that his ſtroke was heavier than his groaning, but theſe mens groanings are heavier then their ſtrokes: like rotten boughs of trees, if a little waight be hung on them, they preſently break. A little thing will break the ſpirits of theſe men, a little thing will cauſe them to ſinke and pine away, and in a deſperate ſullenneſſe to make away themſelves. If thou fainteſt in adverſity, thy ſtrength is ſmall, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 24. 10. What poore things are they, that many mens ſpirits are not able to beare? Not a frowne from a great man, not a conceit of the leaſt diſparagement that they ſuffer in any thing, that is but a toy and trifle, which a man of an excellent ſpirit would ſcorne to beſtow a thought about; the loſſe of a little money: as I have read of one who hung himſelfe, onely upon a dreame that hee had, that hee had loſt his money. Others, if they meet but with a little diſturbance in their family, from huſbands or wives; if their parents doe but croſſe them, if their hopes bee fruſtrated in things of no great moment, they cannot beare it, but they ſinke downe in ſuch deſperate diſcouragements, as their lives are bitter unto them, they are weary of them, and they ſeeke to eaſe themſelves by putting an end to them. Impatient ſinking deſperatneſſe, ever proceeds from baſe weakneſſe of ſpirit. Deſpaire is a ſinne exceeding vile and contemptible. Gulielmus Pariſienſis O verbum ſempiterni opprobrii & confuſionis, atque • gnomini • ind • lebilis, ſcili et deſpero; victorem enim eſſe Diabolum praedicat: & utinam videres Diabolum coronari victorem, cui tam turpiter ſucc • b 〈…〉 . ſpeaking of deſpaire, hath this expreſſion; I deſpaire! Oh word of eternall reproach and confuſion, of diſhonour never to be blotted out! it publiſheth the Devill to be the Conqueror: and would thou didſt ſee the devil crowned as a Conquerour, to whom thou doſt ſo ſhamefully lie under. Theſe ſinking ſullen-ſpirited people may pleaſe themſelves in the froward, ſullen diſtempers of their hearts, and conceit as if they were fruits of humility: but let them know that the devill is the moſt ſullen ſpirit that is, and yet the moſt proud. Though in thy frowardneſſe thou flyeſt from God, and letteſt thy ſpirit ſinke down, even as low as the bottome of the Sea, yet even there the wrath of God will follow thee. As, Amos 9. 3. Though they hide themſelves in the bottome of the ſea, I will command the Serpent to bite them.

Thus thoſe, whoſe ſpirits are ſunk into the bottome of the ſea of deſperation, they ſhall have no eaſe there, even there the Lord will cōmand the Serpent to bite them; the devill ſhall vexe and torment them there. Many while in their proſperity, while the world ſmiles on them, they ſeeme to bee of brave and ſtout ſpirits; to bee ſure, they are ſcornefull, proud, and high enough; they are all for mirth and jollity, they are ſo afraid of ſadneſſe, as they baniſh all ſeriouſneſſe: But when affliction comes upon theſe, when God toucheth them with ſicknes, what poor ſpirited men are they then? how doe their hearts ſinke like lead? how diſconſolate? how dejected are they then? none more.

Manaſſeh was of a bold preſumptuous ſpirit, and exceeding ſcornfull in time of his proſperity; he went on with a high hand againſt God, as if he meant to conteſt with heaven it ſelfe: but marke in the 2 Chron. 33. 11. when he was brought into trouble, what a poore, baſe ſpirit he had: he runnes amongſt the thornes, he hides himſelfe in the buſhes, and from thence he is taken, and bound in Fetters. As it was ſaid of Alexander, it was nothing for him to carry himſelfe bravely, becauſe he alwayes conquered; but for Caeſar to behave himſelfe wiſely, and to uphold his ſpirit when he was conquered, and others fainted; this was an high praiſe unto him. You talke of merry hearts and joyfull ſpirits, but can you be joyfull in affliction? will your ſpirits hold out in tribulation? Can you rejoyce in the greateſt troubles? Will your comforts hold out in ſore and grievous diſtreſſes? this were a ſigne of ſtrength of ſpirit indeed. The ſpirit of a man can ſuſtaine his infirmity, ſaith Salomon. This is the ſtrength of a mans ſpirit, to be able to carry it ſelfe bravely, undauntedly in the middeſt of greateſt afflictions; your ſpirits can beare nothing, they are childiſh, poore weake ſpirits, not to be accounted the ſpirits of men. Lactantius boaſts of the braveneſſe Noſtri (ut de viris taccam) pueri & mulierculie tortores ſuos taciti vincunt, & expromere illis gemitum nec ignis poteſt, Lib. 5. cap. 13. of the ſpirits of the Martyrs in his time, in this reſpect; Our children and women (not to ſpeake of men) doe in ſilence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot fetch ſo much as a ſigh from them.

Fiftly, they are generous ſpirits: as, 5

1 They are not mercenary, they 1 will not indent with God for what they doe; ſo much as they may get by their ſervice, ſo much ſervice, and no more: No, they goe on in their worke, and leave themſelves to God: let the benefit of that they doe, be what it will, they loſe not their end if they be imployed for God; men doe very ill for themſelves, in indenting with God for any ſervice; for their ſtrait ſpirits cannot imagine, or deſire that latitude of good, that the infinite bounty of God would give, if they left themſelves wholly to it.

Seneca reproves the opinion of ſuch, who ſaid a man ſhould chooſe a friend that he might have one, who might relieve him in his want, who might viſit him in his ſickneſſe, &c. No, ſaith he, this is mercenary; but I will chooſe a friend, that I may have one, to ſhew love unto, to viſit if hee bee ſick, to help if hee bee in want: So for men to chooſe a God unto themſelves, that they may be helped out of troubles, that they may have their eſtates bleſſed, that they may get ſuch and ſuch things by, to make this the higheſt end is mercenary, and too low for a true, gracious, generous ſpirit; but to chooſe a God, to be my God, that I may honour, love, fear, worſhip him for ever, this is true Chriſtian generouſneſſe.

2 A true generous ſpirit, cannot endure baſely to ſubject it ſelfe to any; that is, to flatter, and fawne, and to be ſerviceable to mens luſts, and baſe humours for advantage ſake. It knowes how to lie under the feet of any to doe them good, where God may have honour: but to be ſerviceable to any mans luſts whatſoever, it cannot endure: As we reade of Dionyſius his flatterers, who were ſo groſſe in their flatteries, that when he did ſpit, they licked up his ſpittle, and ſaid, it was ſweeter than Nectar and Ambroſia. It is reported likewiſe of Cambyſes, who falling in Purcas Pilg. pag. 354. love with his ſiſter, he asked the Iudges whether it were lawfull for him to marry her? they anſwered, That they had no ſuch law, but they had another, that the King might do whatſoever liked him; whereupon he married her. Such baſe-ſpiritedneſſe, cannot ſtand with Chriſtian generouſneſſe.

3 A true generous ſpirit is not ready to take advantages againſt thoſe that are under it; Men of theſe ſpirits, love to pity and relieve thoſe whom they have at advantage, as Eliſha, 2 King. 6. 22. when hee had the Syrians in the midſt of Samaria, and the king of Iſrael askt him, Shall Quo quiſque est major, magis eſt placabilis • rae, Et ſaciles molus mens generoſa capit. Corpora magnanimo ſatis eſt prostraſſe •• oni, Pugna ſuum finem, cum jacet hostis, habet: At lupus et triſtes inſtant morientibus ur ſi, • t quaecunqu • minor nobilitate f • r 〈…〉 I ſmite them? ſhall I ſmite them? He anſwered, Thou ſhalt not ſmite them; ſet bread and water before them that they may eate, and drink, and goe to their Maſter: and he prepared great proviſion for them, and when they had eaten and drunk, he ſent them away. As is reported of the Lyon, it ſpares thoſe things that fall down and ſubmit to it; but the Wolfe, Beare, Dog, rend and teare what they get hold of. To bee able to doe one hurt and not to doe it, that is truely noble. It is the glory of a King, yea of God himſelfe to paſſe by an offence. To ſhew mercy, ſaith S. Chryſoſtome, is a more Poſſe et nolle nobile. Chryſ. hom. ad pop. 36. & 51. glorious thing than to raiſe from the dead, and a greater worke than to build moſt magnificent Temples. Many baſe-ſpirited men, who will crouch low enough to thoſe who are above them, yet they are imperious, cruell, hard-hearted, rugged, fierce towards thoſe that are under them, & they thinke it the braveneſſe & greatnes of their ſpirits that they can inſult over them, and revenge themſelves upon them, but there is Nec judicandum eſt aliquid iram ad magnitudinem animi conferre. Non eſt illa magnitudo, tumor eſt. Senec. de ira. lib. 1. cap. 16. nothing great in theſe men but pride, and ſelfe love: this is the greateſt baſeneſſe of ſpirit that can be, and the more theſe men formerly did diſcover their baſeneſſe, in their ſordid crouchings unto others that were above them, the more doe they now diſcover the vileneſſe of their ſpirits, in their cruell inſultings over thoſe that are under them; And this they thinke a goodly and brave thing that they can trample upon others, whereas the kindneſſe of a man is the goodlineſſe, and beauty, and excellency of a mans ſpirit. That word in Eſay. 40. 6. that is tranſlated, The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 goodlineſſe of the flower, is the ſame word which ſignifies Kindneſſe. Wee reade Revel. 9. The Locuſts that came out of the ſmoaking pit, They had faces as the faces of men, and they had haire, as the haire of women; They had faire countenances, they could looke ſmiling, and flattering upon men, for their owne ends, but their teeth were the teeth of Lions, and they had tailes like Scorpions, to tear and ſting thoſe that they had at an advantage. An inſulting ſpirit over thoſe that we have at advantage, is farre from true generouſneſſe, howſoever men may bleſſe themſelves in it.

Rehoboam was a man of an exceeding imperious, inſulting diſpoſition; My little finger, ſaith he, ſhall be thicker than my fathers loynes; My father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will put more to your yoke; my father chaſtiſed you with whips, but I will chaſtiſe you with Scorpions: O, what a ſpirit was here! Surely he, and thoſe who put him on, rejoyced in this as a brave commanding ſpirit indeed; But the holy Ghoſt ſaith of Rehoboam, that he was a poore, weak, childiſh-ſpirited man; yea, he calls him a child, though hee was above forty yeeres old, 2 Chron. 13. 7. hee was young, the word is a childe, and tender-hearted, that is, of a poore, ſoft, effeminate ſpirit. True generouſneſſe and cruelty are exceeding oppoſite, one deſtroys the other. When Davids ſpirit was diſtempered, when he had loſt much of his generouſneſſe, by that ſinne of uncleanneſſe, as appeares in the 51. Pſalme, where hee prayes to God for his free ſpirit, which word ſignifies, a royall Princely ſpirit, as you heard before, much of the royall princelineſſe of his ſpirit, was loſt by that ſinne, and David was never ſo rigid as hee was at this time, which appeares out of the 2 Sam. 12. 30, 31. where he commanded the people whom hee had overcome, to bee brought forth, and put them under ſawes; and under harrowes of iron, and made them paſſe thorow the brick-kilne, and thus did he unto all the Cities of the children of Ammon. This was exceeding harſh and rigid; wee never reade of him, that ever he dealt thus with any before; now this is obſervable, that this act of his, was at that time, wherein he lay in his ſinne: for Ioab had beſieged that City before David ſaw Bathſheba, and it was at that ſiege, that Vriah was ſlaine: And although this fact be related after Nathans comming to him, and after Solomons birth, yet it is probable it was before, even while hee lay in his ſinne, for two reaſons;

1. Becauſe it is not probable that the ſiege continued; not onely till the child conceived in adultery was borne, but after the birth of Solomon too, as it here ſtands in the ſtory.

2. Neither is it like, that David newly receiving ſuch mercy from God, as he did in the pardon of his ſinne, and when his heart was ſo broken as it was, that hee ſhould then ſhew ſuch rigid ſeverity, onely for the abuſe of his Meſſengers. The reaſon why this is ſet after, is, becauſe in the time of the ſiege David committed the adultery; and ſo the whole ſtory concerning David and Bathſheba is firſt related, and then he comes to the ſtory of the warre againe.

4. A generous ſpirit is ſtudious, and diligent to returne good, as well as deſirous to receive good, as David, Pſal. 116. 12. What ſhall I render unto the Lord? ſaith he: he ſpeaks, as a man preſſed in his ſpirit, troubled untill he did returne ſomething; he accounts favours received, as great obligations, as any debts in the world. It is infinite baſeneſſe in ſpirit to be ſo for ones ſelfe, as if ones owne turne be ſerved, then neither God nor man is regarded. How many men will crouch, and yeeld to any thing, till they have got their owne turnes ſerved; but then they grow proud, and regardleſſe of thoſe, yea, oftentimes ſpightfull againſt thoſe, to whom (when time was) they crouched for favours, and from whom they received many, by which they are come to that which now they are. A notable example of this, we have in Benhaded, 1 King. 20. 32. compared with Chap. 22. 31. In the former place, he cauſed his ſervants to gird themſelves with ſackcloth on their loynes, and put ropes on their heads, and to come to the King of Iſrael and ſay, Thy ſervant▪ Benhadad ſaith, I pray thee let me live, and hee was content to yeeld to any termes, when the King of Iſrael had him at advantage, as verſe 34. The Cities which my father tooke from thy father, I will reſtore, and thou ſhalt make ſtreets for thee in Damaſcus: but after that he was got out of his hands; Ahab was faine to go to war with him to get thoſe Cities, Cap. 22. 3. And obſerve the baſeneſſe of the ſpirit of Benhadad, hee, who before had ſo crouched to Ahab for his life, hee now commands his Captaines, to fight neither with ſmall nor great, ſave only with the King of Iſrael: ſee with what malice he ſeekes the life of him, who before had ſaved his.

5 A generous ſpirit loves to be 5 abundant in ſervice; it is not ſatisfied in doing mean and ordinary things, as before they were ſublime in that receiving of ordinary things from God would not ſatisfie them, but they muſt have great things from him; ſo now it is their generouſneſſe, that they will not be quieted in doing ordinary things for God, but they muſt doe great things for him: they prize their ſervice as well as their wages, as Ioh. 17. 4. Chriſt ſaith He hath finiſhed the work that his Father gave him to doe; he accounts his worke a gift. Thus thoſe who have the Spirit of Chriſt, account their ſervices to be gifts from God: to live unſerviceable they would account to be the greateſt burden in the world to them; they had rather have leſſe comforts and more ſervice, than Quid prodeſt eſſe, quod eſſe non predeſt? Tertul. de •• di 〈…〉 . more comforts and leſſe ſervice; they had rather be ſtraitned in comforts than in duties. To what purpoſe doe we live, if we be of no uſe? It is the baſeneſſe of mens ſpirits (which a truly godly man abhorres) who deſire to receive great things, but are content in doing little; they put off God with ordinary, flight ſervices; but the ſpirits of the Saints are more generous than ſo, if it were poſſible they would bee infinite in ſervice to God, they never thinke they have done enough for him: I will yet praiſe thee more and more, ſaith David, Pſal. 71. 14. I will adde to thy praiſe, ſo the words are in the Originall; as if he ſhould ſay, God hath had ſome praiſe in the world already, I would faine adde ſomething for my part, I would come in withmy ſhare, that he might have ſome more praiſe for mee, and this not an ordinary praiſe, but endeavoures to have the high praiſes of God in heart and mouth, Pſal. 149. 6. deſires to make the praiſe of God glorious, Pſal. 66. 2. he would faine be eminent in good workes, Tit. 3. 14. Let ours alſo learne to maintaine good 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . workes, the words are, let them learn to be eminent in good works above others; there is a holy ambition in them; to get above others in godlines; this is, indeed, to walk circumſpectly, that the Apoſtle exhorts to in the 5. Eph. 15. the word there tranſlated 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Circūſpectly, ſignifies To get up to the top of godlines, to perfect holineſſe in the fear of God, & therefore he ſets the higheſt pitch of the rule before him, would not have the rule come down to him, but indeavours to get up to the rule, ſets before him the higheſt examples he can; he is not willing to offer that to God which coſt him nothing, but if any thing more choice, more excellent, better then others, it ſhall be for God; he loves to bee abundant in duty, hee would not ſcant God, to give onely that which he muſt of neceſſity, but loves to bee fruitfull in all good works. The reaſonings of many mens ſpirits, ſhewes much baſeneſſe in them; Why are wee bound to doe this? is it abſolutely neceſſary? cannot a man bee ſaved except hee doe thus? may not ſuch a thing be lawfully done? If thou hadſt a raiſed, generous ſpirit for God, it were enough to thee, that ſuch a thing is good, is commendable, it may bee, ſerviceable; Veſtrum eſt, 〈◊〉 ſolum attend • re quid praecipiat Deus, ſed quid velit, quae ſit vulu 〈…〉 Dei bona, bene placens, & perſ • cta. B 〈…〉 . de vita ſolitaria ad fratres de mont • Dei, p. 1020. God may have glory by it, I may do good by it; and ſuch a thing hath no excellency in it, God ſhall have no glory by it: This were enough to cauſe the ſoul greedily and delightfully to embrace the one, and freely and ſtrongly to reject the other.

A generous ſpirit ſtrives to be abundant in doing good, and leaves it ſelfe with God, let God doe with him what ſeemes good in his eyes; it doth not maintain jealous, ſuſpicious thoughts of God, as if it were beſt to provide for it ſelfe, and not dare to venture upon God: Baſe unworthy ſpirits diſcover themſelves much in this; they will part with nothing, but firſt will ſee what they ſhall have; they muſt have preſent pay, bee ſure of it in the hand; they are jealous and ſuspicious of every one, they are conſcious to themſelves of baſeneſſe this way, and therefore look upon all others, as if there were onely for themſelves too: but a generous ſpirit findes in it ſelfe a diſpoſition ready to doe good to others, though they can doe little for him; yet if they need, and he able, he finds hee can freely, and readily doe it; and this makes him to venture upon others, that they will likewiſe out of freedome and generouſneſſe, bee helpfull to him, if occaſion, if need ſerve, though they ſhould not receive recompence from him: and therefore he is not ready to entertaine jealous & ſuſpicious thoughts, as other baſer ſpirits doe. Thus in reſpect of God, hee knowes God is infinitely good, and bleſſed in himſelfe; and that he out of his own infinite goodneſſe is ready to doe good, and helpe thoſe in want, who are able to doe little againe in way of requitall; but that he for his Names ſake, ſhewes mercy and loving-kindneſſe to his poore creatures, becauſe Mercy pleaſes him; and therfore he can venture himſelfe upon God.

Baſe ſpirits, as they are very jealous in regard of truſt, ſo they are very ſuſpicious of love; and thinke, becauſe themſelves are conſcious to themſelves of unworthineſſe, and that they themſelves love onely for their own ends, therefore they think they cannot be truly beloved of others, but ſo farre as they are uſefull to them. But one of a generous ſpirit knowes in himſelfe, that he can love others, not onely becauſe he receives good from them, but that he may do good to them; and therfore ſees this to be infinitely more in God, and therefore can relie upon Gods love in ſenſe of his owne unworthineſſe. Though the Lord can receive no good from me, yet he can doe good unto me; and this I beleeve is the glorious excellency of the Lord, and therefore my ſpirit ſhall not give way to ſuſpicious thoughts of his love: As David, 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although (ſayes he) my houſe bee not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant ordered in all things, and ſure: for this is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire, although hee maketh not to grow. And this is obſervable, that it is ſaid of him in Verſ. 1. that when he ſpake this, hee was a man who was raiſed up on high. It is true even in this ſenſe, that that expreſſion of his in Verſe 5. was an argument of a man whoſe ſpirit was truely raiſed on high; and the rather doth a generous ſpirit abandon baſe, jealous, ſuſpicious thoughts of Gods faithfulneſſe and his love, becauſe it knowes in it ſelf that it hath not ſuch a vile diſpoſition, as to abuſe this gracious & bleſſed nature that it apprehends of God, ſo as to bee the more ſecure and looſe; to give liberty to it ſelfe in any evill, becauſe of this: Oh no, God forbid; this, farre from a true generous ſpirit; this, the ſpirit of baſeneſſe; this, a ſordid diſpoſition indeed, that it loathes, it abhorres the thought of it; it findes in it ſelfe, that the ſight of this grace of God, this bleſſed nature of God drawes it moſt ſweetly to him, to cloſe with him, to delight in him: it is the ſtrongeſt Motive to draw it up to holineſſe; yea, To perfect holineſſe in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore it caſts out jealous & ſuſpicious thoughts of the goodneſſe, and love of the bleſſed God, as fruits of baſeneſſe of ſpirit.

Sixthly, though ſublime & raiſed 6 As Nazianzen ſaid of Athanaſius, he was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He was high in worth, and humble in heart. as before, yet withal it is an humble, broken, and contrite ſpirit, one who is poor in ſpirit; this, a bleſſed cōjunction indeed; though it thinks it ſelf too good for any luſt, yet not too good to be ſubject to the leaſt Commandemēt; though will not be under the power of any creature, yet will lie flat and trembling under the leaſt word of the Lord, Eſa. 66. 2. Though not ſatisfied with meane things, yet accounts it ſelf leſſe than the leaſt of all Gods Mercies. How ſublime was Pauls ſpirit, when hee accounted all things dung, yet himſelfe could bee contented to bee accounted an off-ſcouring for Chriſt? the ſublimity of his ſpirit was not a greater glory to him in the one, than the humility of it was in the other. Though a godly man minds high things above others, yet can be well contented to be uſed in the meaneſt ſervices for the good of others; though he be raiſed above the world, yet judges himſelfe leſſe than the leaſt of the Saints: Though he aimes at the higheſt pitch of godlineſſe, yet bleſſe God for, and makes much of the leaſt breathings of his Spirit; and ſuch a heart is pretious indeed in Gods eies: this, O Lord, thou canſt not deſpiſe, Pſa. 51. 17. ſo the words are. God can deſpiſe Kings and Emperours, God can deſpiſe the glory and luſtre of the world; but a humble broken ſpirit, the Lord cannot deſpiſe. There is no object that God accounts worth the looking at in the world, but ſuch a one: Eſa. 66. 2. To him will I looke, ſayes God. The higheſt heavens, and the loweſt heart, are the two places of Gods moſt glorious reſidence.

Seventhly, it is a publike ſpirit, enlarged for publike good; not a narrow, 7 baſe, ſtraightned ſpirit. Godlineſſe doth mightily enlarge the heart of a man: The Lord perſwade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Shem; the words ſignifie, The Lord enlarge the heart of Iaphet. When a man is converted, his heart is enlarged; and it muſt needs bee ſo, for now the ſpirit makes after the enjoyment of God, an infinite univerſall good: now it opens it ſelfe to receive and imbrace a God, in whom it expects all good; before it followed after ſome poore drops of good in the creature; but now findes all is to bee enjoyed in God himſelfe; and being thus enlarged to receive an univerſal good, it deſires to enlarge it ſelfe, as much as it can, to be an univerſall good, but that is proper to God: yet a publike good it may be, and therefore ſpreads it ſelfe as farre as it can. Now it loves good as good, not upon particular private grounds; and therefore the more good, the more beloved. It mindes good, as in reference to God; and therefore where God may bee moſt honoured, there the heart moſt ſollicitous, moſt induſtrious: it is willing therefore to empty it ſelf of it's private good, that the publike may bee furthered. If Nature will venture it's own particular good, for the generall, (as heavy things will aſcend contrary to their natures, to keep out vacuity, and ſo to preſerve the Univerſe) much more then will Grace. Every godly man, one way or other, according to the abilities he hath, is a publike bleſſing to the place where hee lives. The Saints of God are compared to a cloud, Heb. 12. 1. the compariſion is true in this reſpect; a Cloud waters the earth as a common bleſſing, ſo are they; not as water-pots, that water but a few ſpots of ground in a garden. And this publikeneſſe of ſpirit is then right, and truely gracious;

Firſt, when it is content to doe publike good, where it ſelfe ſhall be taken little notice of; as, many times the Engine that doth all in great workes, is (inward, hidden) not taken notice of.

Secondly, when he can bee glad, that any publike good worke goes on, and proſpers, though others bee uſed in it, and not himſelfe, to the eclipſing of his light.

Thirdly, when he is willing to be uſed in any ſervice, though but to prepare worke for others, which they, not hee, ſhall have the glory of after he is gone. As Luther, writing to Melancthon, encouraging him againſt the ſtrong oppoſition that they met with in the cauſe of God; Potens eſt Deus cauſam ſuam labentem ſervare, lapſam erigere; ſi nos digni non erimus, fiat per alios. Melchior Adam. in vit. Luth. 8 God (ſayes hee) is able to preſerve his owne cauſe falling, and to raiſe it fallen; if we be not worthy, let it be done by others. Such a publike ſpirit as this is, is an excellent ſpirit indeed.

Eighthly, it is a ſanctified ſpirit: 1 Theſſ. 4. 8, He hath made us partakers of his holy ſpirit: Chap. 5, 23. I pray God ſanctiſie you throughout, your whole ſpirit and ſoule. Sanctified, that is,

1 Not ſuch a mixt ſpirit, as the 1 common ſpirit of the world, hath not that mixture of filth and droſſe in it, but is pure; purity conſiſts in freedome from mixture with that which is of a baſer nature, if mixt with that which is of a ſuperiour nature, that doth not make the thing impure; as when ſilver is mixed with gold, but when it is mixed with lead or droſſe. The ſpirits of the godly are mixed with grace, but that makes them more excellent and pure; ſuch mixture of ſpirituall excellency that is above the excellency of the ſoule, their ſpirits cloſe with: but if there come any mixture with that which is baſe, beneath the excellency of the ſpirit, this defiles, and this their ſpirits cannot cloſe with, but are ſenſible of the evill of it, and never leave working till they have purged it out from them.

2 Sanctified, that is, God hath 2 ſet them apart for himſelfe; as Pſal. 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath ſet apart him that is godly for himſelfe, and they have devoted, dedicated, and conſecrated themſelves, to and for God; they are ſpirits reſigned, given up to the Lord.

3 All the parts, abilities, common gifts of this Spirit are ſanctified, 3 a higher excellency is put upon thē than they have in the ſpirits of other men; weake, naturall parts in theſe, are more excellent than the ſtrongeſt not ſanctiſied: As the conſecration of Wood, and Leather, and meane things, put greater excellency upon them, than Gold and Silver had, that were not ſo conſecrated; yet the larger the naturall parts are of a ſanctified ſpirit, the more excellent it is.

4 It is able to make a ſanctified uſe of what it meddles withall, of 4 what it hath to deale in; of all the workes and wayes of God, it makes all to be holy to the Lord.

Ninthly, It is a true heroicall ſpirit; none have ſuch brave heroicall ſpirits as Gods ſervants have; it is not diſcouraged by difficulties, it wil ſet upon things a ſluggiſh ſpirit thinks impoſſible; it will goe through that wch ſuch a one thinks can never be; it breaks through armies of difficulties, that it might goe on in its way, and accompliſh its worke, not diſcouraged as the ſluggiſh ſpirit, who cries out, there is a Lyon in the way. Non quia dura, ſed quia molles patimur. It is not the difficulty of the worke, but the baſeneſſe of our ſpirits, that ordinarily hinders us in our way; ſome difficulties that others count great hinderances, it ſlights and contemns; Nil magnum in rebus human is niſi animus magna deſpiciens: ſ • magnanimus ſueris nunquam juditabis tibi contumel am ſieri. Sen de quatuor virtue. as reproach and ſcorne in the wayes of God; it can contemn contemners, and vilifie thoſe who account the wayes of God as vile; this, the true ſpirit of Ieſus Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid, Hebr. 12. 2. He endured the Croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, the ſhame whereby others deſpiſed him, was deſpiſed of him, not accounting it a thing worthy for his ſpirit to be troubled at; no more is a true godly ſpirit hindered in his way by this, than one riding on with ſtrength in his journey, hindred by the barking of whappets at his horſe heeles, hee rides on and minds them not; and as for railings, and revilings at the wayes of God, by which many are diſcouraged, the ſpirit of a godly man can ſhake them off, as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand, and feele no hurt; it beares off many hardſhips, that are like to bee very grievous to fleſh and bloud, that it is like to meet with, which diſcourages the hearts of many, both from beginning to enter upon Gods ways, and from continuance in them after ſome entrance made; as the other Spies that were ſent with Caleb and Ioſhua, their hearts fainted, they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with; The land indeed is good, but there are children of Anak there, and walls that reach up to Heaven; but this was the brave heroicall ſpirit of Caleb and Ioſhua, their ſpirits were undaunted, they would goe up and poſſeſſe the Land, let what ever could bee ſtand in their way. Thus many have convictiōs of conſcience that the wayes of God indeed are good, but the great hardſhips that they are like to ſuffer in thoſe ways, keep them off; But a true godly ſpirit, is willing to embrace Religion, with all the hard terms annex'd unto it; it is a poore, meane ſpirit that muſt indent with God a forehand: If I were ſure to hold out, to have at laſt that which I deſire, then I would venture upon the wayes of godlines; but I am afraid it will never be: and ſo ſinks, and hath no mind to ſet upon the work. But this ſpirit will ſet upon the worke with all the hazards, as Eſter, If I periſh, I periſh; this was a brave ſpirit indeed. If ſhe had had ſuch a baſe cowardly ſpirit as many, to think, Alas what good ſhall I do? I may hazard my ſelfe, and bring my ſelfe into trouble, but no likelihood of any good will come of it: ſhe is content to venture all, upon a meere poſſibility of good; To breake thorow armies of difficulties, as Davids Worthies ſhewed the excellency of their ſpirits, in breaking thorow an Hoſte to gratifie their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times, had ſtood upon every difficulty, what had been done in Gods cauſe? No, this ſpirit ſets upon that which God cals it to, doth what it can, and leaves it ſelf, and the iſſue of its work to God, as Ioab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people, and for the Cities of our God, and the Lord do that which ſeemeth him good: It was a brave ſpeech of him, that ſhewed an excellent brave ſpirit in him.

A poor low ſpirit, thinks every difficulty an impoſſibility; but this ſpirit will not eaſily entertain thoughts of impoſſibility in ſervices that are noble and worthy of choice ſpirits; it will rather thinke with it ſelfe; Was there never any ſuch thing done before? or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it? that was as unlikely as this, to come to a good iſſue and yet was at laſt accompliſhed? why may not this then be done? and ſo ſets about it, without any more objectings againſt it, with this reſolution; Quic quid ſieri potuit, poteſt; That which hath been done, may be done. Such a ſpirit as this is aſhamed to ſee and heare, & reade what great things have beene done by others, and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in. Suetonius reports of Iulius Caeſar, that ſeeing Alexanders Statue, he fetched a deepe ſigh, becauſe he at that age had done ſo little. Yea, ſo farre is a true heroicall ſpirit from being diſcouraged by difficulties, as its raiſed by difficulties; thus its ſaid of a true godly man, that hee ſtirres up himſelfe againſt the hypocrite, that hee holdes on his way, and growes ſtronger and ſtronger, Iob 17. 8, 9. When a difficulty, when any oppoſition, or danger comes in Gods wayes, now it ſees an opportunity offered of ſhewing ſo much the more love to Ieſus Chriſt, ſo much the more ſincerity, and power of grace, to bring ſo much the more honour to God and his cauſe, and in this it rejoyces; this was the reaſon why the Apoſtles and Martyrs, rejoyced ſo much in their ſufferings for Chriſt.

When Ignatius felt his fleſh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beaſts, now ſayes he, I begin to be a Chriſtian. When Alexander ſaw an apparant great danger neare him, his ſpirit workes I am periculum par animo Alexandri. on this manner; Now ſayes he, here's a danger fit for the minde of Alexander to encounter withall. When David at firſt heard of being the Kings ſonne in law, he was troubled at it. 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew, what a difficult and hazardable ſervice hee was to undertake for it, then ſaies the Text in the 26, Verſe It pleaſed David well to be the Kings ſonne in law: that which would have diſcouraged others, who would gladly have had the preferment, that raiſed the ſpirit of David, and made him like the offer the better; and ſurely this was not an ordinary, common ſpirit; it was the true magnanimity of the ſpirit of David.

Tenthly, A ſolid, ſerious ſpirit; 10 other ſpirits are ſleight, empty, vaine, frothy, raſh ſpirits, which are exceeding great evils in the ſpirits of men; ſleightneſſe of ſpirit, makes men almoſt uncapable of any good; what ever judge ment the Lord laies upon mee in this world, yet the Lord deliver me from a vain, ſleight, frothy ſpirit: how doe the bleſſed glorious truths of God, which are of infinite conſequence, paſſe by ſuch, and are never minded; nothing ſticks by them, nothing abides with them that may be uſefull for their everlaſting good: but this ſpirit is put into a ſerious, ſolid frame; it examines the ground of actions, compares one thing with another, looks much at the iſſue of things; & this muſt needs bee, becauſe the feare of the great God, and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it, Eſay 11. 2. Theſe are joyned together, the ſpirit of knowledge, wiſedome, the ſpirit of counſell and the fear of the Lord; it converſes ſo much with ſerious things of high and infinite conſequence, that it muſt needs be put in a ſerious frame.

Eleventhy, It is an active, lively 11 ſpirit, ſerious but not ſullen, not heavy, dull; ſolid but not ſtupid, 1 Pet. 2. 5. The godly are called lively ſtones; ſtones, becauſe of their ſolidneſſe; lively, becauſe of their activeneſſe; God is himſelfe a pure act, and theſe ſpirits have ſome likeneſſe to him, and neareneſſe with him; the higher things are, the more active; water more than earth, aire more than water, fire more than all; theſe ſpirits are raiſed to the higheſt excellencies of any creature in this world. They are of quick underſtanding, as Eſay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work, as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The moſt noble, excellent activeneſſe is from life, and the more noble & excellent the life, the more noble and excellent activeneſſe; as ſenſe more than the plants, and the rationall life more than the ſenſe, and grace more than that, and glory more than all; the more ſpirituall, the more active; the more power the forme hath over the matter, the more active the thing is; and the more the forme is ſunk, as it were into the matter, there the leſſe activeneſſe, as in the earth, and all heavy bodies; now where life is, there the forme hath moſt power, and the higher the life, the greater the power; Godly ſpirits therefore are not melancholy, for melancholy makes dul, but they are active and lively, though they may bee heavy and ſad, if put to ſome imployment not ſutable to their ſpirits; but put them upon ſpirituall imployments, and then you ſhall find them lively and active; when they have to deale with God, when drawing neare unto him in ſpirituall exerciſes, then they are full of life, they are fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, as Rom. 12. 11. Boyling in ſpirit, (ſo the word ſignifies) when ſerving the Lord. The effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availes much, ſaith S. Iames 5. Chapter 16. verſe; The working prayer, ſo the word ſignifies, and ſuch a working, 〈◊◊〉 〈◊〉 . that notes the moſt livelieſt activity that can bee. Birds, whoſe motion is on high, fly ſwiftly when they are got up, but ſlutter when they are below; ſo the ſpirits of the godly, when they are got up on high to God, in ſpirituall exerciſes, then they move lively: but when they are buſied in inferiour things, they are oft-times dull and heavy.

Twelfthly, the ſpirits of the godly 12 are faithfull ſpirits, faithfull to God and men, ſuch as will certainly ſtick to, and will bee true to their principles; you may know where to finde them, if you know their principles, which are ſound & good, as before. The righteous is as an everlaſting foundation, Prov. 10. 25. you may build upon him; there is an evenneſſe in all his wayes, a conſtancy, an univerſality of truth and faithfulneſſe; for it proceeds from the holineſſe of their ſpirits; as the faithfulneſſe of God proceeds from his holineſſe: and therfore thoſe mercies that are called the ſure mercies of David, Eſay 55. 3. they are called the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . holy ſure things of David, Acts 13. 34. Gods holineſſe makes them ſure, being once promiſed.

There may bee a particular faithfulneſſe in ſome things, betweene man and man, where but ſome common gifts, and the ſpirit not this choice ſpirit, but that faithfulneſſe comes not from a holy frame; and therefore there is not an univerſality in it.

Theſe are the ſpeciall qualifications of this other ſpirit, theſe are the bright gliſtering Pearles, with which a godly ſoule, the Kings daughter, the Spouſe of Ieſus Chriſt, is beautifull within, and enlightned, free, royall, ſublime, humble, ſanctified, publike, heroicall, ſerious, active, faithfull ſpirit; this is another ſpirit indeed, not the common ordinary ſpirit.

Sixtly, another ſpirit, it feeds upon 6 other comforts, differing from thoſe that common ſpirits feed upon: Every life draws to it things ſutable to the nature of it, and findes ſome kinde of content and comfort in the enjoyment of ſuch things. We account life no life, except it hath the fillings of it, with things ſutable, from whence it may have comfort, according to the variety of ſeverall principles, whereby every creature that hath life, lives; ſuch is the variety of comforts in the world: So the life of this ſpirit muſt have comforts ſutable to it, and becauſe it differs from the life of other ſpirits, therefore the comforts of it are different, it lives upon other comforts. The life of a Dog is maintained by carrion, of a Swine by ſwill, of a Toade by poyſon; but what doth a man care for theſe? though Carrion lie in the ditch, though Swill bee in the kennell, though poyſon caſt upon the dunghill, he cares not for them; for his life is maintained by, and hee feeds upon other comforts. Thus though the men of the world living by ſenſe and luſt, have no other comforts to feed upon, but ſuch as are ſutable to them; but the godly having a life that hath higher and more noble principles, they feed upon higher and more noble comforts.

While Nebuchadnezzar lived the life of a beaſt, hee fed on graſſe; but after, when he was reſtored to his Kingdome, and began to live the life of a King, he had other comforts to feed upon, and delight himſelfe in. The joy of the ſpirits of the godly are like the light of the Sunne, fed by heavenly influence; but the joyes of other men, are as the light of a Candle, fed by baſe and ſtinking matter: for ſo Solomon, makes the compariſon, Prov. 4. 18. The righteous is as the Sunne, that ſhines more and more unto the perfect day; and the joyes of the wicked he compares to a Candle, Prov. 24. 20. The Candle of the wicked ſhall be put out. The men of the world have ſeduced ſpirits, they ſeed upon aſhes, Eſa. 44. 20. The curſe of the Serpent is upon them, upon their bellies they goe, duſt they eate, while they feed upon their Swill and Huskes: the ſpirits of the Saints finde bread in their fathers houſe; their comforts are inward: A good man is ſatisfied from himſelfe, Prov. 13. 14. hee hath a ſpring within in his own breſt, he need not ſhark abroad: Godlineſſe with contentment is great gaine, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 6. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Godlineſſe with ſelfe-ſufficiency, ſo the word ſignifies.

When Oecolampadius lay ſick, his friends askt him, whether the light Oecolampadius. did not offend him? hee clapt his hand on his breſt, and ſaid, Hic ſat lucis, Here is light enough; this is ſoirituall comfort, that which ariſes from a right frame of ſpirit. Hence the word in Saint Iames chap. 5. 13, tranſlated merry, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the rectitude of the minde; noting that all true mirth muſt come from the right frame of the minde. As for other mirth, I have ſaid of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, What doſt thou? As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper, there is a ſweet ſenſitive delight in the body; much more in the ſpirit, when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper. Spirituall comforts are ſuch as are above the ſoule, and therefore put an excellency upon it; the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty, cannot but bee meane, and doe debaſe it. How much beneath the excellency of the ſpirit of a man, is the fleſh of beaſts, the juyce of the Grape, or any vaine ſports, or whatſoever may give content to the ſenſitive part? but there are comforts that are above the ſoule, ſpirituall, heavenly, divine things, and theſe this ſpirit feeds upon; they are comforts that the ſpirit rejoyces in before the Lord: That a ſweet and bleſſed joy indeed, that is enjoyed before the Lord; and when the Lord moſt preſent, moſt enjoyed. Other vaine ſenſuall ſpirits have joy, but not before the Lord; the apprehenſion of the preſence of the Lord damps all: and therefore they deſire not to have mention made of the Name of the Lord, Amos 6. 10. So to rejoyce, as to be able to bleſſe God for our joy; ſo to rejoyce, as to make the preſence of God the chief matter of 〈…〉 joy indeed, this, 〈…〉 , for the ſpirit to feed upon ſuch comforts, is a choyce bleſſing indeed. They are ſpirituall comforts, for they are adminiſtred to the ſoule by a ſpeciall worke of the Holy Ghoſt: it is the office that the Holy Ghoſt is deſigned to, by the Father and the Sonne, to bee the Comforter, to bring in ſutable comforts to the ſpirits of his ſetvants; and ſurely the holy Ghoſt will not be failing in this worke of his, as the Father and the Sonne have been full and glorious in all their workes, ſo is the Holy Ghoſt in his; and therefore ſuch muſt be the comforts of the ſpirits of Gods ſervants, as muſt manifeſt a glorious worke of the Holy Ghoſt, in the diſcharge of that he is ſent to doe by the Father and the Sonne. No marvaile then though the Apoſtle called this joy, unſpeakeable and glorious. Conſider what a difference muſt there needes be betweene the comfort that a little meat and drinke, and vaine ſports afford, and the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, which hee conveyes into the ſoules of the godly, by the appointment of the Father and the Sonne? Surely theſe muſt needs be ſoule-ſatisfying, ſoule-raviſhing conſolations: God is the God of all conſolation, & therefore here are all conſolations. There is ſurely infinite good & ſweetneſſe, treaſures of all excellency in God, and what are they all for, but to bee comforts for the ſpirits of his ſervants to rejoyce in? theſe are not for common ordinary ſpirits, they have meate the world knowes not of; a ſtranger ſhall not intermeddle in theſe joyes: men of ranke & quality, as they are in higher condition than others, ſo their comforts and delights are much different from the delights of ordinary people. As God hath raiſed the condition of his people higher than other men, ſo he hath raiſed their comforts; Childrens bread from the Lords owne table, is provided for them, while husks and ſwill ſerves worldly ſpirits. Their comforts ſuch, as are the delights of God himſelfe, & of Ieſus Chriſt; they partake with them in their joyes: and ſurely, ſuch joyes as they come and joyne with them in, muſt needs be ſweet and glorious indeed. I and my Father (ſayes Chriſt) will come and ſup with them, and they ſhall ſup with mee. They have dainties which their ſpirits feed upon, that are ſavoury even to the Father and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Surely, the world miſtakes, who thinks the life of godlineſſe not to be a comfortable life; as if the moſt excellent and higheſt life ſhould have the worſt and loweſt condition: ſurely, it is a groſſe miſtake, to think that the ſpirits of the Saints ſhould bee the moſt ſad and melancholy ſpirits: Gods Spirit witneſſes of them, that they are the children Spiritus Calvimanus est ſpiritus 〈…〉 cus. of the Light, yea, that they are light. If they be ſad, it is becauſe they meddle too much with things below; it is when their ſpirits are down; when they get up their ſpirits to heavenly things, then they can rejoyce and ſweetly delight themſelves; their hearts are inlarged, their ſoules are filled with joy. The Birds doe not uſe to ſing when they are on the ground, but when got up into the ayre, when on the top of trees, then they ſing ſweetly. If they be ſad and melancholy, it is becauſe they differ no more from the world than they doe, becauſe they retaine ſo much likeneſſe to your ſpirits, ſtil in them; were they freed altogether from the likeneſſe there remaines in them to your ſpirits, they would never be ſad more, but their ſpirits would be filled with everlaſting joy: For the preſent they joy in things ſutable to them, and ſutablenes is the thing that cauſes comfort in any creature. If the Swine could expreſſe it ſelf, it would tell you, that no ſuch comfort as in Swill and Dung, and wonders that any other creature can take comfort in any other thing like to this, becauſe this is the moſt ſutable to their natures: Thus worldly brutiſh ſpirits, becauſe theſe low vile things are ſo ſutable to them, they thinke there can bee no ſuch comfort in any other thing; theſe things they rejoyce in, for they know no better: but if their natures were changed, their greateſt comfort would be in the deſpiſing and vilifying ſuch comforts. S. Auguſtine before his converſion, Quàm ſuave iſtis ſuavitatibas carere. could not tell how hee ſhould want thoſe delights hee found ſo much contentment in; but after, when his nature was changed, when hee had another ſpirit put into him, then he ſayes, O how ſweet is it to bee without thoſe former ſweet delights! You thinke we have no comforts, or at leaſt not like yours; know, we can taſte naturall comforts as well as you, if the poyſon of ſinne bee not mixed with them; and God gives us leave to reioyce in them: God hath made theſe outward comforts for his ſetvants. Surely God hath not made the flowers for Spiders and Frogges, but rather for the Bee to ſuck honey out of them: wee can taſte another manner of ſweetneſſe in them, than you can; for we can taſte the love of God through them; we can taſte them as the comforts that flow from that God, in whom all comfort is; we can taſte them as fore-runners of eternall comforts. A Bee can ſucke her honey out of a flower, that a Flie cannot doe.

But beſides theſe, there are other conveyances of comforts, through which our ſpirits finde comforts to feed on; namely, the Ordinances, where the Lord lets out himſelf in a bleſſed ſweet manner, to the ſoules of his ſervants; and yet beſides, God communicates many comforts immediately, 2 Theſſ. 2. 16. Now our Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, and GOD even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlaſting conſolation. Doe you thinke we have no comforts? What, did Ieſus Chriſt come into the world, ſuffer ſo many ſorrowes and miſeries, die ſuch a painfull death, and all to bring us to a more ſorrowfull eſtate than we had before? Let us alone with our comforts, wee envy not yours. As Tertullian ſayes, in his Apologie againſt the Gentiles, Wherein doe we offend you? If we beleeve there are other pleaſures, Cap. 2. Quo vos oſſendimus▪ ſi alias praeſumimus voluptates, ſi oblectari nolumus noſtra injuria e 〈…〉 reprobamus quae placent vobis, nec vosnestra a delectant. if wee will not delight in our ſelves, it is our own wrong; wee reject thoſe things that pleaſe you, and you are not delighted with ours.

CAP. 11.

Wherein the excellencie of this gracious ſpirit appeares.

THus they are men of another ſpirit, and this is their excellencie: A ſpirit thus differenced from the world, where all this is found, is an excellent ſpirit indeed. Here is true worth, all the bravery and glory of the world not worthy to be mentioned with this. The ſoule is the excellencie of a man, and this is the excellencie of the ſoule: a mans ſelfe is his ſoule. Hence, whereas in Matth. 16. 26. it is ſaid, What ſhall it profit a man if hee gaine the whole world, and loſe his ſoule? it is ſaid in another Evangeliſt, Luke 9. 25. What ſhall it proſit a man if hee gain the world, and loſe himſelfe? Surely, ſpirituall excellencies are the higheſt excellencies; as,

Firſt, theſe ſpirituall excellencies have this propriety in them, they 1 make a man a better man, whereſoever they are, which bodily excellencies doe not, nor all the riches nor honours in the world: A man is not the better man becauſe he hath money, cloaths, honours, better dyet than others; theſe are but outward things added to him, no intrinſecall excellencies.

Secondly, theſe ſpirituall excellencies are the beginnings of eternall 2 liſe, the ſame life we ſhall have in heaven: and hence the work of Gods Spirit in the ſoule, is called, The Earneſt of the Spirit; not a pawne, but an Earneſt: for a pawne is to be returned againe, but an Earneſt is part of the whole ſumme that is to follow. That which we have of Gods Spirit, is part of the ſame glory we ſhall have fully in heaven; it is not onely an evidence unto us that there is glory comming, but it is a beginning of the glory, the fulneſſe whereof is to come afterward. Such a ſpirit as hath this life, lives a life farre above the common life of the world, even the life of heaven, the ſame life that Angels and Saints do live in heaven, the life of thoſe bleſſed ſpirirs there. Wee miſtake if wee thinke eternall life is only in heaven; eternall life is in this world, in the excellent frame of the ſpirits of Gods ſervants, 1 Iohn 3. 15. Life is the chiefe excellency communicated to the Creature, and the higheſt life, the higheſt excellency. There is more diſtance between the excellency of the meaneſt, weakeſt godly man in the world, and the moſt eminent man for parts & common gifts onely, than betweene the meaneſt and weakeſt godly ſoule, and the moſt eminent glorified Saint in the higheſt heavens; the weakeſt godly man excels him that is moſt eminent in common gifts, more than the moſt eminent Saint in heaven excells him: for the glorified Saint is onely higher in ſome degrees in the ſame excellency, which in the principles, yea, and in ſome luſtre, the meaneſt Saint on earth hath; hee hath that which will at laſt grow up to heavens glory: but the diſtance betweene him, and the man who onely hath the excellencies of parts, learning, common gifts, it is eſſentiall: All parts and common gifts in the world can never grow up to this.

Thirdly, yea, this is not onely the life of Angels, the life of heaven, but 3 the life of God himſelfe; for ſo it is called by God himſelfe, Epheſ. 4. 11. Ratio nihil aliudeſt, quam in corpits huma▪ 〈◊〉 pars divim 〈◊〉 meiſa 〈◊〉 Epiſt • 7. Seneca ſayes of Reaſon, that it is part of the Divine Spirit in mans body, it is much more true of Grace, it enables the ſoul in ſome reſemblance to come the neareſt that can be, to live as God lives, to work as God works; it repreſents God in his higheſt glory, and therefore it is called, The lynage of God: This ſhewes more to the world what God is, than all the frame of Gods creation beſides. It is not as an Image, which hath only the dead lineaments drawne, though there be ſome beauty in this; but as the Image in a glaſſe, which preſents the motion as wel as the lineaments: yea, and not only ſo, but as the ſonne that beares the Image of the father; and this repreſents the life: or as if a glaſſe had life in it, and ſo could enjoy the ſweetneſſe, the good of that Image it repreſents unto it ſelf. This Spirit is ſuch a living glaſſe of the bleſſed God, that it enjoys the good and ſweetneſſe of that Image of God it hath in it: Yea, one degree higher, it is called the very Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. as if it were nothing elſe but a ſparkle of the Deity it ſelfe. Seneca has a ſtrong ſpeech concerning mans ſoule, What can we call the ſoule Quid aliud voces animum, quàm Deum in corepore humano • o 〈◊〉 〈…〉 tem. Sencea. (ſayes he) but God abiding in an humane bodie? If a ſoule that hath only naturall excellencies, comes ſo neare God, how neare then comes it to him, when raiſed by thoſe ſpirituall and ſupernaturall excellencies we have ſpoke of. Yea, yet there is an higher degree than this; It is called the glory of the Lord, Rom. 〈◊〉 . 3. yea, a higher degree than all the former; the excellencie of this ſpirit is ſuch, as it is one ſpirit with God himſelfe, 2 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord, is one ſpirit. It was the excellencie of Ioſhua, that hee had the ſpirit of Moſes upon him; of Eliſha, that hee had the ſpirit of Eliah; what is it then to have the Spirit of God himſelfe? yea to be one ſpirit with him. Put all theſe then together, godlineſſe by which this other ſpirit is raiſed higher than common ſpirits, it is the life of God, the Image of God, the divine Nature, the glory of God, yea one ſpirit with God; and is not here an high and glorious excellencie?

Fourthly, this makes him, whereſoever 4 it is, fit to glorifie God in the world, and ſo the ſoule thus endued, is not onely a glaſſe to repreſent, a living glaſſe to enjoy the comfort of what it doth repreſent; but as a glaſſe to reflect upō the face of God himſelf, the glory of his own Image, and that by a principle within it ſelf. Other glaſſes can reflect upon the thing whoſe image it hath, if acted by a hand externally; but this by an inward living principle, and ſo gives God his glory actively, which no other creature can doe, but Angels, and mens ſoules, who have theſe ſpirituall excellencies in them. Were it not for a few of theſe ſpirits, what glory would God have in the world? how little would he be minded, or regarded? But theſe are they who have high thoughts of God, who have trembling frames before him, who do reverence, feare, adore, love, cleave to, truſt in, magnifie the Name of the great God in the world; theſe ſanctifie his Name in his worſhip, they worſhip him as a God, they worſhip him in ſpirit and truth, and ſuch worſhippers God ſeeks, Ioh. 4. 23. as theſe he highly eſteemes of, and much rejoyces in; theſe take notice of him in all his creatures, in the wayes of his providence, and uſe the creatures for him, from whom they are; the glory of God is deare and pretious to theſe; this is the excellencie of their ſpirits, they are not ſunke in the dregs of the world, but being kept in ſome meaſure in their purity, they worke up to God, doe as it were naturally flow to God, as to their Center.

Fiftly, theſe are ſuch as are fit to ſtand before the Lord, to have converſe, 5 and enjoy communion with him. Dan. 1. 4. we reade, that thoſe that were judged fit to ſtand in the Kings pallace, before King Nebuchadaezzar, they muſt have no blemiſh, they muſt bee well-favoured, and skilfull in all wiſdome, and cunning in knowledge, & underſtanding ſcience, and taught the learning, and the tongue of the Caldeans.

Every ſpirit is not fit to ſtand before the King of heaven, to have converſe with him; none but the reaſonable creature is capable of any ſuch thing as communion with God, and it muſt bee the reaſonable creature thus raiſed, they muſt bee men of other ſpirits. A man of an excellent ſpirit, cannot endure converſe with baſe ſordid ſpirits; much leſſe can God, who is that bleſſed holy Spirit. No creature can have communion with another, but ſuch as live the ſame life; hence the beaſt cannot have communion, with man, becauſe mans proper life is rationall; theſe are the ſpirits who being partakers of the life of God, are fitted for converſe and communion with him: Likeneſſe is the ground of all liking in communion, it is the likeneſſe they have to God, that makes God to delight in communion with them; God loves to dwell with theſe, and that in a ſpeciall manner. 2 Corin. 6. 16. As God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walke in them, I will bee their God, and they ſhall be my people; the words are very ſignificant in the Originall; I will in-dwell in them, ſo the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . are. There are two ins in the Originall, as if God could never have near enough communion with them, Pſal. 4 1. 12. Hee ſets them before his face for ever, as loving to look upon them. Now how great, how inconceiveable a dignity is this, for the poor creature to have this neare communion with God? Curſed bee that man, ſaies that noble Marqueſſe, Marcus Galeaceus, that prizes all the gold and ſilver in the world, worth one dayes enjoyment of communion with Ieſus Chriſt; he was a man of another ſpirit, who ſpake from his owne experience, of that ſweet he had found of communion with Chriſt, who had parted with much honour and riches for him. Enoch and Noah, who were men of other ſpirits in their generations, are ſaid to walke with God: God tooke them up even in this world to walke with him; many a ſweet turne have theſe ſpirits with their God; God delights to have them neare him, that he might reveale and cōmunicate himſelfe to them; theſe know much of Gods minde; the ſecrets of the Lord are with theſe, and to them he reveales his Covenant, God doth not love to hide his face from theſe. That hidden wiſdome which the Princes of the World knew not, which eye hath not ſeene, eare heard, neither hath entred into the hearts of men to conceive, yet hath the Lord revealed them to us by his Spirit, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Corin. 2. 10. even by that Spirit, that ſearches the deepe things of God, and by vertue of this communion, theſe can prevaile much with God; As it is ſaid of Iacob, Gen. 32. 28. as a Prince hee had power with God and prevailed. Hence S. Bernard in his meditatiös, giving divers rules of ſtrictneſſe, of purging the heart, of being humble & Et cum talis fueris, inemento mei. Bern. meditat. devoti •• . cap 5. holy, and when thou art thus, ſaith he, then remember me; as knowing the prayers of ſuch a one would much prevaile with God for bleſſing.

Sixtly, this ſpirit is fit for any ſervice, any employment God cals it 6 to; it is a veſſell of mercy, ſitted for the Maſters uſe; Many honourable ſervices God hath to be done in the world; men of ordinary common ſpirits, are not ſit for them; if they ſhould be ſet about them, they would ſpoile the work, and diſhonour God in it. If a man have a choice peece of work, he will not employ one that hath not abilitie to reach to it; hee knowes the work would faile, and it would be his diſgrace. When God would imploy ſome about building his Tabernacle, hee fils them firſt with his Spirit, ſo he ſaith of Bezaliel, and Aholiab. If a man bee employed in government, hee had need be a man in whom the Spirit of God is, as Pharaoh ſaid concerning Ioſeph, Gen. 4 1. 3 8. When God choſe Saul for government, hee gave him another ſpirit, ſo that hee was another man: When God had a peece of work to doe of high eſteeme, beyond Sauls reach, hee lookes out for another, who had a more excellent ſpirit than Saul, and ſaith, I have found a man according to mine owne heart, who ſhall fulfill all my will. The excellency of a thing is in the uſe of it: What can it do? The excellency of the Angels is, in that they are miniſtring ſpirits; and the excellency of man is to be ſerviceable; his excellency is not, that he can eat, and drinke, and ſport, and goe fine, but that he is of uſe, fitted for what ſervice God hath to doe in the world, that he can further Gods ends in his workes, that God may ſay of him, I have found a man according to mine owne heart, that is prepared to fulfill all my will. When Eſay Chap. 6. had his ſpirit purged, ſignified by that ſigne of one of the Cherubims, touching his tongue with a coale from the Altar, he preſently ſhewes the excellency of his ſpirit in this, that when God had a choice piece of worke to doe, and askes whom he ſhall ſend, The Prophet readily and cheerfully anſwers, Lord here am I, ſend me: doe but ſet the truth of God before theſe, it is enough; their ſpirits being gracious cloſe with it, yeeld to it, obey it, ſet about the work it ſhewes they ſhould doe; but when mens ſpirits are corrupt and unſavory, there is ſuch a ſtirre to convince them of Gods mind, in that which is not agreeable to them; ſo much a doe to prevaile with them to the practice, though convinced, that it would grieve a man to have to deale with them.

The excellency of the ſpirits of Gods people, is ſet out to us very ſweetly in that expreſſion of the Pſalmiſt, Pſalm. 18. 44, As ſoone as they heare, they ſhall obey me. There is a wilingneſſe of ſpirit to their worke, what God would have, what ever it be; if they apprehend it above their reach, they caſt not off their worke but ſeeke to God for ſupply of ability, knowing that there is ſpirit enough in God, that God hath wayes enough to enable the ſpirits of his ſervants unto, and carry them on in any worke he ſets them about; they know that God will never put any man, upon any ſervices, but by one meanes or other, he will fit his ſpirit for them: for it is the great delight of God, to have men in ſervice, to be of ſpirits fitted for ſervice. When the Devill himſelfe hath any worke to doe, he chooſeth men who have ſpirits fitted for his worke, and in them he delights; If the worke requires boldneſſe and impudence, he hath men of daring ſpirits, who will ſet upon it, and goe thorow with it; If it requires ſubtilty, hee chooſeth men of more moderate ſpirits, who can keepe in their paſſions, and ſecretly, and inſenſibly worke their owne ends. Wee reade, Revel. 12. the Devill there oppoſeth Gods Saints in fiery and open violence, as a Dragon; but afterward, Chap. 13. he gives his power to the Beaſt who had ſeven heads, who would worke with more ſubtilty, to draw the world after him; and as wee reade, Hoſ. 7. 4, 6, 7, verſes, thoſe who laboured to ſet up the Calves in Dan, and Bethel, were as hot as an Oven in their purpoſes, intentions, and deſires; but becauſe they ſaw the beſt way to have the worke ſucceed, was not to carry it on at firſt by open violence, therefore they were content to ſtay; As the Baker ceaſeth from Cornel. à Lapide in locum. raiſing after he hath kneaded the dough untill it be leavened, and when it is once leavened, then hee puts it into the Oven; ſo they were content to forbeare a while, untill they had ſent fit inſtruments abroad amongſt the people to leaven them, to prepare them, by perſwading them, that if ſuch a thing were done, it were no great matter; they ſhould ſtill worſhip the true God; the difference was but the circumſtance of the place; and thus when they were leavened, then they were fit for the Oven; that is, for the purpoſes and intentions, of thoſe who deſired to ſet up the Calves, which were as hot as an Oven. According to any ſervice the Devill hath for men, he hath devices to raiſe their ſpirits to that height of wickedneſſe, as ſhall fit them for it. We have a notable relation of Hoſpinian cōcerning this. When the Jeſuits have made choice of an Inſtrument, for that King-killing ſervice, that they intend to ſet Hoſpinian hiſt. Ieſuit. p. 225. him about, they doe not put him upon it untill they have firſt raiſed, and ſitted his ſpirit for the ſervice by theſe meanes.

1. They bring him to a very private place, in a Chappell or Oratory, where the knife lies wrapt up in a cloth, with an Ivory ſheath, with divers characters, and Agnus Dei upon it; they draw the knife, and bedew it with holy water, and hang on the haft of it ſome Beads conſecrated with this Indulgence, That ſo many blowes, as he gives in the killing the King, ſo many ſoules hee ſhall ſave out of Purgatory: then they give the knife to him, commending it to him in theſe words; O thou choſen ſon of God, take to thee the ſword of Iephte, Sampſon, David, Gideon, Iudith, of Machaheus, of julius the ſecond, who defended himſelf from the Princes by his ſword: goe and bee wiſely couragious, and GOD ſtrengthen thy hand; then they all fal upon their knees with this praier; Be preſent, O ye Cherubins and Seraphins; bee preſent yee Thrones, Powers, holy Angels, fill this holy veſſell with glory, give him the crowne of all the holy Martyrs; he is no longer ours but your companion; and thou, O God, ſtrengthen his arme, that he may doe thy will; give him thyhelmet and wings, to flie from his enemies; give him thy comforting beames, which may joy him in the midſt of all his ſorrows; Then they bring him to the Altar, where the picture of Iacobus Clemens is, who killed Henry the third of France, the Angels protecting of him, and then they ſhew him a crown of glory, and ſay, Lord reſpect this thy arme, and executioner of thy juſtice; then foure Ieſuits are appointed privately to ſpeak with him; they tell him that they ſee a divine luſtre in his face, which moves them to fall downe and kiſſe his feet, and now he is no more a mortall man; they envy his happineſſe, every one ſighing and ſaying, Would to God I were in your roome, that I might eſcape Purgatory, and go immediatly into Paradiſe; but if they perceive him to ſhrink and be troubled after all this, they will ſometimes affright him with terrible apparitions in the night, and ſometimes have the Virgin Mary, and the Angels appear before him, &c. Thus you ſee, how the Devill will have mens ſpirits fit for their worke, and when they are fit, then he uſes them, and not before; much more will God looke to have the ſpirits of his ſervants fit for their employments, and then onely he delights to uſe them, and thoſe are the ſpirits who are higly accounted of, who are exceedingly honourable in the ſight of God, who are fitted for his owne ſervice.

Seventhly, this puts a luſtre of Majeſty and beautic upon a man. Wiſedome 7 (much more all the excellencies of this Spirit) makes a mans face to ſhine; as the light of a Lanterne puts a luſtre upon the Lanterne, ſo the brightneſſe of theſe ſpirits puts a luſtre upon the men in whom they are. Men of ſuch ſpirits as theſe are, have a daunting preſence in the eyes of thoſe who behold them. It is reported of Baſil, that ſuch was the Majeſty & luſtre of hisſpirit, appearing Gregor. crat. de landibus Baſil • i. in his very countenance, that when the Emperor Valens came unto him, while he was in holy exerciſes, that it ſtruck ſuch a terror into him, that hee reeled, and had ſallen, had he not been upheld by thoſe that were with him. When the Officers came to take Chriſt, he did but ſay, I am hee, and let out a beam of the Majeſty of his Deity, it ſtrucke ſuch a feare in them, as made them all fall backward: This Spirit hath a beame of this Majeſty, and ſomewhat of the daunting power of it: how unable are wicked men to converſe with men of ſuch ſpirits? They often goe from their company convinced, ſelf-condemned; their conſciencestroubled, and their hearts daunted in them.

Eighthly, this ſpirit makes men fit for any condition that God ſhall put 8 them into; they know how to yeeld to God, to ſinde out Gods meaning, to carry themſelves in every condition, ſo as to worke out that which God would have by it; which men of ordinary ſpirits cannot doe. S. Paul was a man of a moſt admirable ſweet ſpirit, and he ſhewes it much in this; I know (ſayes he) how to want and how to abound; how to be full, and how to be empty. Hee could goe through good report and evill report, and keep his way ſtill, and carry his work before him. It is the weakneſſe and vanity of our ſpirits that makes us thinke, that if wee were in ſuch and ſuch a condition, then we could doe thus or thus; this is a temptation to hinder us from the duties of the preſent condition, by putting our thoughts upon another. It is the excellency of ones ſpirit, if the preſent condition bee not ſutable to the minde, to make the minde ſutable to the condition, that the preſent which God calls to, may goe on.

When a joynt in the body is ſet right, it enables not onely to move one way without paine, but to move any way according to the uſe of the member; ſo where ones ſpirit is ſet right, it doth not onely enable to go on with ſome comfort in one condition, but in any condition that God calls unto, to carry on the work of that condition with joy: and hence the recovering of the ſpirit from a diſtempered condition to a right frame, is compared to the ſetting of a member in joynt: As, Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are ſpirituall, reſtore ſuch a one in the ſpirit of meekneſſe: the word ſignifies, Put him into joynt againe. And here you have had the diſcovery, as of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . what this other ſpirit is, ſo wherein the excellencie of this other ſpirit lies; now then let us make Applicaon of all.

CAP. III. Cap. 3.

A diſcovery to the men of the world, whereby they may ſee that their ſpirits are not like the ſpirits of godly men.

HEnce let the men of the world ſee, there is a great difference between their ſpirits, & the ſpirits of the godly. There are men indeed of excellent ſpirits, God hath ſuch in the world, in whom he delights, with whom he converſes, whom he employes in high and excellent ſervices: but you are of baſe, ſordid, uncleane ſpirits; the ſpirit of whoredome, of lying, ſtubbornneſſe, vanity, folly is in you; your ſpirits droſſie, ſenſuall, froward, malicious, profane, ſleight, empty, unſavory, unfaithfull, perverſe: What delight can the Lord, who is an infinite, holy, glorious Spirit, take in ſuch? How farre are theſe from any communion with God? No marvell though nothing of God, or any ſpirituall thing bee ſavory to them. Oh the corrupt principles that mens ſpirits are poſſeſſed with, the corrupt rules they goe by, and corrupt ends they have in what they doe! the baſe imployments they put their ſpirits to, the noiſome diſtempers of them, and baſe comforts they feed upon! The heart of the wicked is little worth, ſayes the Scripture, Pro. 10. 20. Perhaps your Lands, your houſes may be ſomething worth, but what are your hearts worth? they are worth nothing, full of chaffe and droſſe; like childrens pockets, full of ſtones and dirt, while the ſpirits of the godly are Store-houſes of moſt choice and pretious treaſures.

When Grace is gone from the ſoule, the excellency is departed from it; as it was ſaid of Ruben, his excellency was departed, in reſpect of that ſinne of his. How many a man or woman, who have faire comely bodies, good complexion, beautifully dreſſed up; but within, ſpirits moſt ugly and horrid; ſpirits full of filth, full of venome & loathſome diſtempers; ſpirits full of wounds and putrified ſores, breeding filthineſſe continually; nothing elſe but filth and corruption iſſuing out from them: Men of corrupt mindes, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes? How unſavory to any who have the leaſt of God in them? If the Lord ſhould give men but a view of the horrid deformedneſſe, and filthineſſe of their ſpirits, it would amaze them, and ſinke their hearts in wofull horrour; they could not but abhorre themſelves, as loathſome creatures, fit to be caſt out from the Lord, as an everlaſting curſe: eſpecially, if together with the filth of their owne ſpirits, they had a ſight of the infinite brightneſſe, and glory of the holines of God, who is an infinite, pure, glorious Spirit. God abhorrs not any other filthineſſe, but the filth of ſpirits. The Devills are abhorred of God, becauſe they are uncleane ſpirits. There is no other object of Gods hatred, but the corruption of ſpirits. God made mans ſoule at firſt, a moſt excellent creature, the very glaſſe of his owne infinite wiſedome and holineſſe; but now, what an ugly, baſe, loathſome creature is it, where it is not renewed? If mens bodies were deformed, and ranne with loathſome iſſues, and putrified ſores, how dejected would they be in their owne thoughts? But certainly this ſpirit-defilement is incomparably worſe. If mens bodies were ſo putriſied, that they bred vermine continually (as it is reported of Maximinus) how grievous would it be to them? Their ſpirits have theſe loathſome diſeaſes upon them, by which they are infinitely more miſerable. If they had ſuch a diſtemper of body, as their excrements came from them, when they knew not of it; this would be accounted a grievous evill: but their ſpirits ſo corrupt, that much filth comes from them, and they know not of it. Many are ſo deeply putrified in their ſpirits, that they uſually ſweare and ſpeak filthily, and know not of it; and think this a ſufficient excuſe, that they did not thinke of it.

It is a rule in nature, that the corruption of the beſt thing, is alwayes the worſt; as a ſtain in fine Cambrick worſe than in a courſer cloth: So by how much the ſpirit of a man is more excellent naturally, than the body which is the brutiſh part; by ſo much the corruption of the ſpirit is a greater evill than any the body is capable of. The reaſon why the Devils are ſo vile and miſerable now, is becauſe ſinne ſeized upon natures which by Creation were moſt excellent. When diſeaſes ſeize on the naturall ſpirits in the body, they are the moſt dangerous & deadly. Souldiſeaſes, of al diſeaſes are the greateſt evils, and uſually prove deadly; yea, the leaſt ſpirit-corruption would moſt certainly prove deadly, were it not for the application of that blood that is more pretious than ten thouſand worlds. Spirit-defilement is ſuch a defilement as defiles every thing you meddle with; as, Tit. 1. 15. To the impure all things are impure. Of what uſe are men whoſe ſpirits are ſo vile? many make no other uſe of their ſpirits, but to be, as the Philoſopher ſaid of the ſenſitive ſoul of the Swine, it ſerved for no other uſe, but to be as ſalt to keepe the fleſh from ſtinking. How are many mens ſpirits employed about nothing elſe but to make proviſion for the fleſh, and the filthy luſts of it? O that an immortall ſpirit capable of eternall communion with the bleſſed God, and to be employed in ſuch high and heavenly exerciſes, as for which it was made, ſhould now come to be ſo farre degenerated and debaſed! Eſpecially, how vile is this, that men who in regard of eſtates and place, are raiſed above others, and be truſted with large and bleſſed opportunities of worthy ſervices for God and the Church; but they minde nothing but ſatisfying their luſts, to have their ſports; let the cauſe of God, Church, or Common-wealth lie bleeding, they regard not. What a lamentable thing is it, to have the weight of great buſineſſes of conſequence, to depend upon ſuch weak-ſpirited men, who minde nothing but vanity and baſeneſſe? they have no worthy enterprize in their thoughts, their ſpirits ſo effeminated, that they will do or ſuffer any thing for the ſatisfying of their luſts? Others there are, who have remaining in them many excellent parts, pretious naturall endowments; but of what uſe are they, but to enlarge their ſpirits to be capable of more wickedneſſe than the ſpirits of other men are, wiſe to doe evill, the fitteſt inſtruments for Sathans depths? Who ſuch enemies to Chriſt; as the Scribes and Phariſes, men of the ſtrongeſt parts? Who ſuch enemies to S. Paul when hee came to Athens, as the Philoſophers there? and no Church was founded at Athens, which was the place of the greateſt learning in the world. And thus it hath beene in other ſucceeding Ages.

CAP. IV. Cap. 4.

The Reaſon why the men of the world, and the Godly can never agree.

HEnce wee ſee the Reaſon why the men of the world, and the godly can never agree; they are men of another ſpirit. Where there is difference of ſpirits, there can be no agreement. Water and oile cannot mingle; no agreement betweene light and darkneſſe: they looke at them, as men, whoſe lives are after another faſhion. That Apocryphall Authour in that book of Wiſdome, hath an excellent expreſſion to this purpoſe, Chap. 2. 12. he brings in wicked men ſaying of the godly, He is cleane contrary to our doings, he is grievous unto us to behold; his life is not like other mens, his wayes are of another faſhion; wee are eſteemed of him, as counterfeits; he abſtaineth from our wayes, as from filthineſſe; he commendeth greatly the latter end of the juſt, Verſe 19. Let us examine him with rebukes and torments, &c. Let the relation, and the ingagements be what they will, yet ſo long as of different ſpirits, they cannot cloſe. What a differēt ſpirit was there betweene Iacob and Eſau, who lay in the ſame wombe at the ſame time 〈◊〉 There may be outward peace fo 〈…〉 while betweene Gods people, and ſome wicked men; but inward cloſing of ſpirit there can never bee: The ſpirit that is in you, the world cannot receive, ſayes our Saviour, Iohn 14. 17. Antipathies are irreconcileable; no arguments, no meanes ever uſed can cauſe an accord, except there be a change in nature. Nothing in the world puts mens ſpirits in ſuch a diſtance, as Grace when that comes; and therefore where the moſt eminent grace, there the greateſt diſagreement betweene them and wicked men. How many wicked men cannot but be convinced of ſome godly who live with them, that they are better than themſelves, that they are conſcientious men, whoſe Principles Cap. 5. are truly godly, and that they walke cloſe to them? they are not able to charge them with any ill carriage towards them; they ſeeke to doe them all the good they can, and yet their ſpirits cannot cloſe: but as they were wont to ſay in former times, Caius Seius was a good man, but hee was a Chriſtian; ſo now, ſuch are Caius Seius ho • us vir, ſed Chriſtianus. good men, but they are too ſtrict, & this enough to keepe a perpetuall breach betweene them.

CAP. V.

Learne to have a right eſteeme of ſuch pretious ſpirited men.

IF the godly be of ſuch excellent ſpirits, learne wee then hence to have a right eſteeme of them; they ſurely are worthy of pretious account, of moſt honorable eſteem, who are men of ſuch excellent ſpirits: Let them bee what they will, in regard of their outward condition, though never ſo meane and poore. No matter what the Ring bee, if the Pearle in it be pretious. Many moſt pretious ſpirits have very mean outſides. The Tabernacle was beaten Gold within, but the out ſide covered with Badgers skines. If the treaſure be rich, what though the veſſell be earthen? Surely, theſe are the excellency of the earth, the very light and beauty of the world, the glory of Gods Creation; they give a luſtre to the places where they live, to the families in which they are; eſpecially if they walke cloſe and faithfully with God indeed, manifeſting the excellency of their ſpirits in their wayes; ſo that when they are taken away, the very places where they lived, are darkened. This other ſpirit of the godly makes a Iob ſcraping his ſoares on the dung-hill, and a Ieremy ſticking in the myrie dungeon, more glorious than Kings and Princes ſitting crowned upon their Thrones: theſe are glorious within. God is a Spirit, and he looks on men, to ſee what they are in their ſpirits; and he eſteems accordingly of them; and ſo ſhould we. What doth brave cloathing, what doth money, what doe titles of honour raiſe the dignity? what? are theſe to the excellency of mans nature? No certainly; the excellency of man muſt bee that which muſtmake the moſt excellent and noble part truly excellent, which is the ſpirit of a man. If a man would know the excellency of any thing, as of a ſword, or of any other inſtrument, he judges it not by the Hilt, or the inferour part; but by what excellency the principle part hath. There is a ſpirit in man, and the inſpiration is from the Almighty; a ſpirit inſpired by the Almighty, and beautified with his heavenly graces; this innobles a man indeed; it is the ornament of the hidden man of the heart, the glorious cloathing of that which makes truely beautifull and glorious. How did many of the Heathen highly prize thoſe, in whom they ſaw any naturall excellency of ſpirit, differing from other men? Thoſe amongſt the Romanes, who were called the Curii, and • abritii, they lived very poorly and meanly, yet being perceived to have more excellent ſpirits than other men, they were taken from their dinner of Turnips and Watercreſſes, to lead the Romane Armie: How much more ſhould we honour men in whom we may ſee Divine ſpirits, the luſtre of heavenly graces ſhining in them? But to ſhew more particularly that godly men are to be highly prized in regard of this other ſpirit; as they have received a ſpirit differing from other men, ſo they are to have eſteem and honour differing from other men; not to bee looked at as common men for,

Firſt, this difference of their ſpirits from other men, is a certaine 1 ſigne of the eternall love of God unto them; it comes from the treaſure of Gods everlaſting love, of that choyce ſpeciall love of God, from the bowels of Gods deepeſt mercies: it is a moſt infallible argument, that God hath ſet his heart upon them for good; as for other favours, a man may have them more than other men, yet they are no ſuch but may ſtand with Gods hatred, and with his eternall wrath: and this is a great difference betweene ſpirituall mercies and outward mercies, which ſets an exceeding high prize upon ſpirituall mercies aboue all others: theſe are the diſtinguiſhing mercies, which others are not. But,

Secondly, the ſpirit receiving 2 theſe ſpirituall excellencies from Gods choyce everlaſting love, receives likewiſe all other mercies from the ſame fountaine; though in their owne nature they bee common mercies, yet where this other ſpirit is, there they are received from another Fountaine than other men receive them, which addes much ſweetneſſe and excellencie to the mercies we have; they come as fruits of the common bounty and generall goodneſſe of God to ordinary men; but to men thus differenced from others, they come out the ſpring of the rich treaſures of Gods grace, tending to the furtherance of eternall mercies.

Thirdly, The Lord hath an eſpeciall eye upon and delight to dwell 3 with theſe, who are of choice and excellent ſpirits; Hee will dwell with the contrite heart, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, Eſay 57-15. Hee hath a ſpeciall care of theſe ſpirits, that they doe not faile before him; hee puts under his hand, to ſupport, comfort, revive them. When wee beate ordinary ſpices, we heed not ſo much every duſt, but ſome flies out and falls on the ground; But if Bezarſtone, or ſome ſpeciall choice coſtly ſpice bee beaten, then there is care had of every duſt, that the leaſt bee not loſt; So though God may afflict the choiceſt ſpirits of his ſervants, yet hee is very carefull that their ſpirits faile not before him; as for other common ordinary ſpirits, hee cares not much to let them faile, and ſinke in their affliction, but this is the mercifull care of God over thoſe ſpirits, whom he highly eſteems of.

Fourthly, The excellencies of this ſpirit, are eternall excellencies, 4 they ſhall abide for ever, not vaniſh, not be taken away as common gifts and other mercies ſhall, as, Ezech. 46. 17. If a Prince give of his inheritance to one of his ſervants, it is to bee his but for a time, and to returne unto the Prince againe; but his inheritance ſhall be to his ſonnes, for them for ever: So when God gives any thing to common men, who are but his ſervants at beſt, it muſt returne againe; GOD will call for all his mercies from them againe; but theſe ſoule-mercies of his children, ſhall be their inheritance for ever. Hence God calls his Church, an eternall Excellency, Eſay 60. 15.

But fifthly, and principally, theſe other ſpirits are moſt honourable 5 creatures indeed, becauſe they are reſerved for other mercies; GOD gives common mercies to common ſpirits, but hee reſerves his choice mercies for choice ſpirits. With the pure, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe pure, ſaith David, in the 2 Sam. 22. 27. The words are, with the choice thou Electis. wilt ſhew thy ſelfe choice. Abraham gave Iſhmael and Hagar a bottle of water and a few raiſins, and ſent them away; but the inheritance was reſerved for Iſaac. So God gives to other men a few ordinary mercies, but his glorious mercies hee reſerves for theſe peculiar ones: and, as it is ſaid of Iehoſaphat, 2 Chron. 21. 3. he gave his other ſonnes great gifts of ſilver, gold, precious things, fenced Cities, but the Kingdome he gave to Iehoram, becauſe he was the firſt borne: So God gives theſe outward mercies to other men, but the mercies of his Kingdome, are reſerved for theſe men of choice ſpirits, who are the firſt borne, the chiefe and moſt excellent of all Gods creatures in this world. Now we are the ſonnes of God, ſaith S. Iohn, but it appeares not what wee ſhall bee; there is more to come hereafter, they have not ſpirits that will be ſatisfied with the things of this world, and therefore are not as ordinary men, who have their portion in the things of this world. God delights to fill the capacities of all his creatures with ſutable good; now theſe other ſpirits, by that choice excellency of them, are made capable of farre higher mercies than the world can afford; they muſt be the good things of another world that can fill them, and thoſe are reſerved for them. The bodies of the Saints, becauſe they are joyned to ſuch pretious ſoules, ſhall be like the glory of the Sunne, yea, excell in glory. How glorious then ſhall their ſouls be, for whoſe ſake their bodies ſhall bee thus glorious? Wee look upon great heires, who have great inheritances to come, with high eſteeme, though they have little for the preſent: Theſe are the great heires of heaven, Coheires with Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe; theſe they are, who are delivered from the wrath to come and to be made partakers of the glory that is to be revealed. The Lord gives them no great matters in compariſon now, becauſe hee hath reſerved ſo much for them afterwards. As nature is not very exquiſite in her worke in inferiour things, where ſhe intends ſome higher excellency; So the God of Nature, intending ſuch high and glorious things hereafter for his Saints, doth no ſo much regard to give them theſe inferiour things for the preſent.

But what are thoſe reſerved mercies you ſpeake of, that God hath for theſe?

Not entending a Treatiſe of that glory, that God hath for his choice ones, onely take theſe five generals.

Firſt, Theſe mercies are prepared mercies, prepared before the foundations 1 of the world were laid, and againe prepared by Ieſus Chriſt, who is gone before to heaven to that end, as hee tels us himſelfe, To prepare Manſions for us, Iohn 14. 1. Now this is ſpoken after the manner of men, who do not uſe to make long and great preparations but for ſome great worke in hand: Surely, theſe mercies muſt needs be great, which the wiſedome, power, and mercy of God, hath been from all eternity preparing.

Secondly, They are other mercies, than Adam, than Man-kinde 2 ſhould have had, than they could have attained unto, if he had ſtood in his innocencie. Man indeed ſhould then have beene for ever happy, but not according to that height of happineſſe, and glory that now is provided for thoſe, who are the beloved of the Lord.

Thirdly, Theſe reſerved mercies, are ſuch as muſt ſet out Gods Magnanimity, 3 that God may ſhew to Angels, and all his creatures what his infinite wiſdome, power, and goodneſſe can do for poore creatures, to raiſe their conditions to a height of glory; ſurely that glory muſt needs be high, that is raiſed for that end. If a King ſhould doe any thing of purpoſe to ſhew his magnificence, it muſt needs be ſome great thing; it is not a common ordinary thing, that can ſet forth the Magnificence of a King; much leſſe that can ſet forth the Magnificence of the great God. When Ahaſbuerus would make a feaſt, and Nebuchadnezzar would build a Pallace, to ſhew to their people their greatneſſe, they were great things; ſo ſurely here, that which muſt ſhew the greatneſſe of the great God, muſt needs be great indeed.

Fourthly, Theſe mercies muſt be ſuch, as may ſhew to Angels and all 4 the world, how infinitly well pleaſed God the Father is with the obedience of his Sonne, in giving himſelf up to death, for the purchaſe of, mercy: Surely that mercy thus purchaſed muſt needs be great. If there had beene no higher good for man, but to eat and drink, and to have pleaſure to the fleſh, certainly Chriſt would never have died, to have purchaſed this; but there were higher things then theſe wch Chriſt look'd at, theſe are but poore things for God to ſhew by them how infinitely he is well pleaſed with the obedience of his ſonne to the death; that which muſt demonſtrate this, cannot but bee very great what ever it bee, and that, yea the fulneſſe of that, is the mercy reſerved for theſe choice ones.

Fiftly, Other mercies (in ſome reſpect higher) than the very bleſſed 5 Angels themſelves have;

For, 1 Mans nature is more highly advanced than theirs, being hypoſtatically united to the Divine Nature.

2 The righteouſneſſe whereby the Saints come to glory, is a higher righteouſneſſe, a more excellent righteouſneſſe than that of the Angels; though theirs be perfect in its kinde, theirs is the righteouſneſſe but of meere creatures, but the righteouſneſſe of the Saints, is the righteouſneſſe of that Perſon, which is both God and man.

3 The ſonneſhip of the Saints, is founded in a higher right, then that of the Angels, namely in the Sonneſhip of the ſecond Perſon in Trinity.

4 They are the members of Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo in a nearer union with him then any other creature.

5 They are the Spouſe of the Lambe, whereas the Angels are but miniſtring ſpirits, as the ſervants of the Bridegroome, but the Saints are the Bride.

Surely then, the mercies reſerved for theſe choice ſpirits, are choice and glorious, not onely other mercies then others have, or they themſelves have now, but other mercies then they are able to imagine; theſe therefore wee are to looke upon, as moſt bleſſed and honourable creatures.

CAP. VI. Cap. 6.

A Rebuke to this vile world, who have vile conceits of this ſpirit, and abuſemen of ſuch excellent ſpirits.

IF the ſpirits of godly men bee thus pretious, how vile then is this baſe world, which hath ſuch irrationall abſurd conceits of this ſpirit? and which ſo ſcornes and abuſes men of ſuch excellent ſpirits? There are two branches of this uſe: In the firſt, the vile conceits that men of this world have of this ſpirit, are rebuked;

For, 1 they thinke godlineſſe befooles men.

2 They thinke it makes them cowards, to bee men of no metall and valour, poore ſpirited men.

3 They thinke this ſpirit to bee a turbulent ſpirit, as Ahab ſaid of Elijah, Art thou hee that troubles Irael? Luther was called the trumpet Tu 〈…〉 rebellioni • . of rebellion.

4 And laſtly, They thinke them to be factious ſpirits.

For the firſt of theſe; What more ordinary, than to caſt this aſperſion upon Godlineſſe, that it makes men to be dull, heavie, ſtupid fooles, not ſit for the great and high things of the world, and therefore they labour to ſtifle any beginnings of godlineſſe in their children, or in any neare to them, for feare it ſhould • inder their parts, and take away the quickneſſe of their wits, and braveneſſe of their ſpirits; Except you think that to be the only braveneſſe of ſpirit, to venture upon any thing that may further your owne ends, not to feare ſinne, nor the diſpleaſure of an infinite God, to let out your hearts to the utmoſt, to the ſatisfying your owne deſires, to examine nothing by rule, but to doe whatſoever is good in your owne eyes, to rejoyce in the wayes of ſin, and to bleſſe your ſelfe in the proud ſwellings of your owne heart, to be able to ſcorne at conſcience, humiliation for ſinne, ſtrictneſſe in Gods wayes, as too meane a thing for men of ſuch qualitie, of ſuch birth as you are, of ſuch eſtates, hopes, preferments, and deſignes as you have, things fitter for poor ſnakes, meaner people, contemptible ſilly ſoules to looke after; If this be the excellency of your ſpirits, then, godlineſſe debaſes them indeed, yea, it debaſes them as low as hell it ſelfe; it caſts ſhame in the faces of, and breaks in pieces ſuch haughty, ſwoln ſpirits as theſe are, it brings them down to lie at Gods feet, as poore contemptible creatures in their own eyes, loathing and abhorring themſelves, as there is infinite cauſe they ſhould, and judging themſelves worthy to bee deſtroyed; but as for any true naturall excellency of ſpirit, godlineſſe doth not quench it, but raiſes it, and beautifies it, and perfects it; It is either groſſe ignorance, or deſperate malice, that cauſes theſe conceits of the worke of godlineſſe in the ſpirits of men, yea, there is much blaſphemy in them. What? ſhall the worke of Gods grace, wherein the glory of God conſiſts, which is the life of God, the Image of God, the Divine Nature, as hath been ſhewne; ſhall it be the debaſing, the beſotting, the befooling of mens ſpirits? What? doth holineſſe, that makes God glorious, make man contemptible and vile? doth that which makes God ſo honourable in the eies of the bleſſed Angels and Saints, make man a ſott, and a foole in the eyes of men? Oh! that ever there ſhould bee ſuch malice in the hearts of men, againſt the grace of God, ever to have ſuch vile conceits of it; pray, if it be poſſible, that this thought of thy hart may be forgiven thee. Did not malice blind men, they might ſee that the Lord hath had, and ſtill hath, ſome of his Saints as eminēt in any outward true excellency, as any in the world; as great Schollers, as brave Courtiers as any living; as deepe in policie, as profound in learning, as compleat every way as any whoſoever. Who more eminent in learning than Moſes, who was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians? who ever had a higher ſtraine of eloquence than Eſay? who ever more profound than S. Paul? And in later times, yea, even in our dayes, the Church hath not wanted worthy and glorious lights, who have beene exceedingly eminent in all, that naturall excellency could make them, even their enemies being Judges. What braver Courtiers ever lived, than Ioſeph, Nehemiah, and Daniel? Could godlineſſe in the power and life of it, in the ſtrictneſſe of it, ſtand with braveneſſe of ſpirit, & naturall excellencies, then? and can it not do ſo now? Though God choſeth oft-times the poore in the world, to bee rich in faith; the fooliſh things in the world, to confound the wiſe; and weake things of the world to confound the ſtrong; and baſe things, and things deſpiſed, &c. 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27. Yet when men are godly, their parts are not by their godlines debaſed, but raiſed; many poore weake men, who before were of mean naturall abilities, yet put them now upon ſpirituall things, and what ſtrength of parts doe they ſhew, in prayer, in conference about the myſteries of God, in diſcerning the ſubtilities and wiles of Satan, in finding out the corruptions of their owne hearts, in wiſely ordering their affaires for God, and the furtherance of their owne eternall good? Wiſe in the right choice of the higheſt end, and prudent in the right diſpoſing of the beſt meanes tending thereunto; Theſe things are not the works of fooles, of poore ſilly, ſimple men; they require quickneſſe of underſtanding, depth of judgement. There are five reaſons why godlines muſt needs raiſe a mans parts:

1 Becauſe it purges from many luſts, that darken and beſot men in their parts.

2 It imployes men in converſing with high, ſpirituall, and heavenly things.

3 It makes men ſerious, and ſo ſtrengthens their judgements, in the apprehenſion of things.

4 It makes men make conſcience to improve their time, in the uſe of all meanes and helps they can, to enable and fit themſelves for ſervice.

Fifthly, it cauſeth to imploy their parts faithfully, and ſo they come to have the bleſſing of God upon them, for the encreaſe of them, according to his promiſe, To him that hath, it ſhall bee given. Againe, Godlineſſe 〈◊〉 ▪ doth not make men cowards, ſurely, it hinders not ſpirituall valour; who ever were greater ſouldiers, more eminent in true valour and fortitude, then Ioſhua, David, Gideon, Barak, & others, who through faith ſubdued Kingdomes? Hebr. 11. 32, 33. That is baſeneſſe of ſpirit, and want of valour that makes a man a ſlave to ſin, and the Devill; ſo a ſlave, as he hath no heart to any worthy ſervice, to free himſelfe from it; but lies down under it, and carries the fetters and yoake of his bondage about with him, witherſoever he goes. That is cowardly baſeneſſe that brings conſcience into a ſervile ſubjection, that cowardly baſeneſſe that will ſuffer the cauſe of God to be betrayed, rather than venture any thing for it; what greater argument that men want true ſpirit, than this? Godlineſſe puts a ſpirit of fortitude into men, that will not ſuffer them to bee thus debaſed: and where appeares the like courage in any, as in theſe, when they are called to ſtand for the truth? Though all the Tiles of the houſes in the City of Wormes, were Devils, yet thither would I goe to teſtifie to the truth, ſaith Luther.

Againe, it is not a turbulent ſpirit; 3. for turbulency of ſpirit makes men cruell and malicious; this ſpirit cauſes men to love their enemies, to do all the good they can to them: turbulent ſpirits ſeeke onely their own ends, they care not what becomes of others; ſo it bee that they may but warme themſelves, they care not what houſe bee on fire: They are boyſterous in things that concerne themſelves. But the Saints of God, in whom this other ſpirit rules, they are meeke and gentle, and yeeldable in their owne cauſe, ready to put up wrong in all quietneſſe: take them in things that onely concerne themſelves, and you ſhall find none ſo readily, ſo freely, ſo chearfully denying themſelves, as they. And againe, turbulent ſpirits doe not love to examine things by rule, to call things to account, but follow their owne fiery humour, and ſet upon their own will with violence: but godlineſſe takes off men from this ruggedneſſe and turbulency of ſpirit, & makes them gentle and peaceable: let them bee never ſo active, never ſo forward, never ſo zealous in any thing, yet if you wil call them to examine things by rule, they will meekly and patiently heare you; yea, a childe ſhall leade them, Eſay 11. 6. And yet further; turbulēt they are not, for none more obedient to authoritie than they; none ſee that Majeſtie of God in Autority, as they doe; none obey Authority out of conſcience ſo as they doe. If the will of men in authority, rather than authority, ſhall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids, that they do not; becauſe they cannot obey, for conſcience ſake: And ſo ſacred do they account Authority, that they would have no obedience performed to it, but obedience for conſcience ſake. Blind obediēce the Church of God hath long agoe exploded, as too ſervile for Chriſtian ſpirits: this were more ſervile than ſelling mens bodies in the Market for ſlaves, which Chriſtianity abhors. It were too uncharitable a conceit of Chriſtian Magiſtrates, to thinke that they ſhould require of, or expect from any, other obedience, than in, and for the Lord; and in this obedience, thoſe who are godly, are ſo forward, as they are judged turbulent, for being over-forward to maintaine the honor of Authority, as ſome think; when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority, and that of thoſe lawes which are of the higheſt conſequence for the furtherance of Piety and Peace.

Againe, factious ſpirits they are not, becauſe they ſeeke above all 4 things to keep to the maintenance of, & obedience to the Primitive truth; that is faction that ſides againſt that. Tertullian hath a notable expreſſion in his Apology for the Chriſtians againſt the Gentiles, to cleare Gods people from being men of factious ſpirits: it ſeemes that aſperſion was caſt upon them then, which was about Cum boni, cum probicocun • cum • ii, cum caſti congregantur, •• n eſt factia dicenda, ſed 〈◊〉 ; et econtrario, illis nomen facticnisa • 〈◊〉 da • dum eſt, qui in 〈◊〉 • onor • m et proborum conſpirant. Tertull. Apol. adverſ. Gentes, cap. 39, num. 520. 1400 yeares agoe, his expreſſion was this, When good men, when honeſt men meet together, when godly men are gathered together, it is not to bee called a faction, but a Court; and on the contrary, the name of faction, ſayes hee, is to bee applyed to them, who conſpire to the hatred of good and honeſt men.

And thus much of the firſt branch of the Vſe, which was the reprehenſion of the vile cōceits that men had of this other ſpirit; Now the ſecond followes, which is the rebuking of the men of the world, for the ill uſe they give to men who are of ſuch excellent ſpirits. The excellencies of the ſpirits of the godly, do challenge all the good uſe that can bee, but it is little they meet withall; they are for the moſt part abuſed by the men of this vile world, as if they were the vileſt ſcurfe and filth of the earth: yea, ſo indeed they account them; ſo ſaith S. Paul. 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 made as the filth of the world, and are the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day. Why? what was S. Paul, and what were thoſe that were with him, who was ſo accounted of, were they not men of moſt excellent and admirable ſpirits? S. Paul was one of the moſt excellent ſpirited men that ever lived upon the earth, and did as much ſervice for God, as ever any meere man did ſince the beginning of the world; and yet how vilie was he thought of? how contemptibly was hee uſed? put into ſtocks, and whipped; wanted cloathes and victuals? And for the others that were with S. Paul, they were men of whom the Holy Ghoſt gives this witneſſe, that they were the very glory of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh unworthy world, that ever they ſhould have ſuch men live amongſt them! Thoſe who are the delight of Angels, yea, of God himſelfe, how are they abuſed in this wicked world, as if they were dogges, or the baſeſt ſcumme and filth of the earth? What ſcorne and contempt is caſt upon them? the moſt abject of men think themſelves good enough to reproach and abuſe them. Were it not a grievous ſight to ſee ſome baſe drudge to have power over the body of ſome noble Prince, to abuſe it by ſtripes, or any other contumelious ſordid manner? but a more grievous thing it is to ſee the vile and baſe ſpirits of the world, who are nothing but ſinks of filth themſelves, to abuſe men of ſuch noble and excellent ſpirits, as if they were more vile than dirt? It was the bitter complaint of Ieremy Lament. 4. 2. that the pretious ſonnes of Sion, comparable to fine gold, were eſteemed as earthen pitchers. Such as bleſſed ſpirits would honour, if they had them with them, yet here they are caſt out as filth. What griefe ſufficent to lament the ſeeing of ſuch filthy ſwine to trample under their feet ſuch pretious pearles? in all ages thus it hath beene. Thoſe who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth, ſuch pretious and excellent ſpirited men, as of whom the world was not worthy; and yet they have beene moſt vilely abuſed, and are ſo ſtill by this wretched world, who know not wherein true worth and excellency conſiſts. Matth. 5. 12. Chriſt telling his Diſciples how ill the world would uſe them, he tels them, they have as good uſe from it, as the Prophets had before them. How was Micaiah (a man of a very ſweet and excellent ſpirit) contumeliouſly uſed? hee was ſtrucke on the mouth, ſhut up in priſon to be fed with water & bread; yea, with the water and bread of affliction, while 430 falſe Prophets, moſt baſe ſpirited men, were fed delicately at Ieſabels table. How was Ieremiah uſed? hee was thrown into the dungeon, ſtuck up almoſt to the eares in the myre; the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto him daily. David before them, (a man in whom Gods ſoule delighted, yet he) complaines of himſelfe, that he was a reproach of men, and deſpiſed of the people: all that ſaw him, laughed him to ſcorne; they ſhot out the lip, and ſhook their head at him, Pſal. 22. 6, 7. and Iob before him, he was made a by-word of the people, and as a Tabret unto them; as he ſayes of himſelfe, Chap. 17. 6. The ſame uſe had the bleſſed Apoſtles, who were filled with the Spirit of God; none more ſcorned, perſecuted, cōtemned, than they. The moſt worthy and famous men in the Primitive times, found no better uſe than theſe. It were infinite to inſtance in particulars. Ignatius, Polycarpus, Athanaſius, Chryſoſtome, Salvian complaines, tha in his time, which was in the fifth Century, Homines coguntur eſle mali, ne viles habeantur. Baſil, and the reſt, reproached, baniſhed from their people; perſecuted, and exceedingly contumeliouſly uſed. In later times, the more excellent the ſpirits of men were, the worſe uſe did they ever finde from the world: Wee might inſtance in Wickliffe, Hus, Luther, Zwinglius, Muſculus, &c. I cannot paſſe by that ſad example of Muſculus, who was a Melc •• lor Adamus in vita Muſculi. man of as brave a ſpirit, as any lived in his time, and a very learned and godly man; yet after he had much laboured in the work of the Lord, in his publike Miniſtery, was ſo ill uſed of the world, that he was faine to get into a Weavers houſe, and learne to weave, that by it he might get himſelfe and his family bread, and within a while he was accounted unworthy of that preferment, and was thruſt out of the houſe by his Maſter the Weaver, and then was forced to goe to the common ditch of the Town, and worke with his ſpade; to get his living. Whoſe heart bleeds not to heare of theſe former examples, and divers others, men of moſt pretious ſpirits thus ill uſed by this unworthy world, even ſuch in whom Chriſt rejoyces that ever he ſhed his blood for them? Eſay 53. 11. ſuch as hee will glory in, before his Father, and the bleſſed Angels; yet thus are they abuſed by this wicked world: The more eminently the ſpirit of Chriſt appeares in any, the more is the rage of evill men againſt them. As it is reported of Tygers, that they rage when they ſmell the fragrancy of Spices; the fragrancy of the Graces of Gods ſpirit in his people, which are delightfull to God & his Saints, puts wicked men into a rage; when as baſe ſpirited men have the world ſmile on them according to their hearts deſire. Oh the providence of God, who ſuffers ſuch indignities to bee offered to his moſt pretious and choice ſervants! but by this meanes the excellency of their ſpirits appears in greater brightnes, their graces ſhine in the more cleare luſtre. All Gods ſervants have his ſpirit in them, but when any of them ſuffer reproach and ill uſe of the world, then the Spirit of God, and glory reſts on them, then the glorious Spirit of God is upon thē, according to the promiſe of God unto them, 1 Pèt. 4. 14. and they may in part perceive, even while they are uſing them ill, that they are men not of common, not of ordinary ſpirits, who are thus ill uſed by them: they may ſee in that meekneſſe, that patience, that humility, ſelfe-denyall, faith, holy carriage, requiting good for evill, praying for, doing all the good they can to thoſe who uſe them worſt; that conſtancy, ſpirituall chearfulneſſe, ſweet contentedneſſe; that holy boldneſſe, humble courage, heavenly magnanimity, that it is a wonder their conſcience ſhould not miſgive them, even while they are abuſing of them; that their conſcience doth not tell them, Surely theſe men we doe miſtake in, they are led by other principles than we know of; they have ſomething within that doth ſupport them, wee underſtand not. It is a wonder men are not afraid to abuſe them as they doe. As Num. 1. 2. 8. The Lord ſaid to Miriam and Aaron, concerning Moſes, when they ſpoke againſt him, Were you not afraid to ſpeake againſt my ſervant Moſes? The words are very emphaticall in the Hebrew, they are thus, Were yee not afraid to ſpeak againſt my ſervant, againſt Moſes? Were hee onely my ſervant, though he were not Moſes, were you not afraid? but when my ſervant, and Moſes, that is ſuch an eminent ſervant of mine, in whom ſo much of my Spirit appeared, were you not afraid to ſpeak againſt him? Certainly, the Lord will not alwayes ſuffer pretious choice-ſpirited men to be trampled under feet; he lookes upō them in their loweſt eſtate as his Jewels, even while they are in the dirt; but time wil come when he will make up his Jewels; as, Malac. 3. 17. and then there ſhall be ſeene a difference between the righteous and the wicked; betweene him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not, verſe 18. God will owne the excellency of the ſpirits of his ſervants, to be the Image of himſelfe; and what confuſion will this be to the ungodly of the world, when the Lord before men and Angels ſhall own that, for the luſtre and beauty of his owne excellency, which they, when time was, made matter of their ſcorn, objects of their hatred? when God ſhall come to them, as Gideon to Zeba and Zalmana, Iudges 8. 18. What manner of men were they, ſayes Gideon to them, whom ye ſlew at Tabor? They anſwered, As thou art, ſo were they; each one reſembled the Children of a King. Then hee ſaid, They were my brethren, the ſonnes of my mother: as the Lord liveth, if you had ſaved them alive, I would not have ſlaine you; but now he ſayes to Iether his firſt borne, Vp and ſlay them. So ſhall God hereafter ſay to the men of the world, What were thoſe men, and what did they, whom yee ſo hated and abuſed? what? were they ſome vile-ſpirited men? how did they carry themſelves? Your conſciences ſhall be forced then to anſwer; O Lord, we muſt confeſſe, They were thoſe who kept themſelves from the common pollutions of the world, they lived ſtrictly in their wayes, they walked unblameable in their courſe; they were very forward in the duties of the worſhip and ſervice of God. The Lord ſhall then anſwer; What? theſe men they were my Saints, this was my holineſſe, my image, my glory; theſe were not common ordinary men, theſe were my choice ones; men pretious in my eyes, ſeparated from the common ſort of the world for my praiſe: If you had loved them, prized them, and honoured them as the choice of the earth; if if you had followed their example, I had not ſlain you; but now you ſhall periſh everlaſtingly.

CAP: VII. Cap. 7.

No diſhonor to be ſingular Seven notes to diſcover that godly mens differing from other men proceeds not from proud humourous ſingularity, but from the choiceneſſe and excellencie of their ſpirits.

IF godly men be men of another ſpirit, and this be their commendation; why then ſhould any account it to be a diſhonour to be ſingular from the world? Singularity is caſt upon Gods ſervants as their diſgrace, but certainly it is their glory; they are ſingular, and their wayes are ſingular, it is true, and they avouch it, they rejoyce in it, and bleſſe God for it; it is impoſſible but that it ſhould be ſo, for they are of another ſpirit, a peculiar people, ſeparated from the world, ſet apart for God, their ſeparation is a wonderfull ſeparation, Exod. 33. 16. So ſhall we bee ſeparated, ſayes Moſes, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth; the word is in the Originall, We ſhall be wonderfully ſeparated; No marvell then, though their ſingularity bee ſuch, as the world, who knowes not their principles, wonder at it. Their wayes are different from other men; I, that is true indeed, who can thinke otherwiſe? Their principles, their eſtates, their dignites, their hopes are raiſed higher then other mens. Would Saul have been offended, if his former acquaintance had complained; Oh, now, Saul, hee mindes other things, goes on in other waies, lives after another faſhion then we doe; I, that is true indeed, for his condition is altered, his eſtate is raiſed higher then yours, he hath an other ſpirit: To complaine of Gods ſervants, that they are ſingular from others, is all one, as if you ſhould complaine of Pearles, that they are more gliſtering than dirt and gravell. Their way, their lives are ſingular; Why? how would you have them live? would you have them live according to the common courſe of the world? they cannot, for they have not received the ſpirit of the world, but another ſpirit.

When the Spirit of God would ſet out, the greateſt miſery of men, when they are the children of wrath, without God in the world, without hope, it is, that they lived according to the common courſe of the world, Epheſ. 2. 2. And thoſe two are joyned together, living according to the common couſe of the world, and according to that ſpirit, that rules in the children of diſobedience: So long as they were acted by that ſpirit they did live ſo, but now there is another ſpirit, that they are acted by, and would you have them live ſo ſtill as they did before? Certainly it cannot be; You cry out of diſſimulation, and that juſtly; But what is diſſimulation, if this be not? where there is not a ſutableneſſe between the inward principles, the inward frame, and diſpoſition of the ſpirit, and the outward actions: Now if Gods people ſhould not live ſingular lives, certainly their outward actions would not be agreeable to the inward principles, frames, and diſpoſitions of their ſpirits, for they are ſingular, differing from other mens. As there may be diſſembling, for a man to ſeeme better than he is; ſo there may be diſſembling, to ſeeme worſe than we are; Is there not as much evill in a life differing from the ſpirit, as in a ſpirit differing from the life? If a man ſeemes to be godly, and is not, it is an argument the man is vile, who will thus play the hypocrite; but it is a commendation to godlineſſe, that men will account the very ſeeming of it to be honourable; but if a man hath godlineſſe in his heart, and yet his life be no other than other mens, this would argue that a man were aſhamed of godlineſſe it ſelfe; here godlineſſe it ſelfe would ſuffer; as if it were ſuch a diſhonourable thing, as would bring ſhame to a man, if it did appeare; as if though indeed it muſt be reſerved in the heart, for neceſſity ſake, yet it muſt be kept downe, not ſuffered to appeare in the life, for feare it be a diſgrace to men. Is not here then as great an evill, in this way of diſſimulation as in the other? Better all the men of the world had ſhame caſt upon them, than that godlineſſe ſhould have the leaſt ſtaine. Surely then, where the ſpirits of men be other ſpirits, ſingular choice ſpirits, their lives ought, and muſt needs be other lives, ſingular from other men. Their conſcience witneſſe to them, that their ſpirits are changed, that they are other from that they were; yea, and witneſſes for them, that their lives are other lives, ſingular from other men; and in this witneſſe their ſoules rejoyce.

But is there not a proud phantaſticall ſingularity? may not pride, ſullenneſſe, and fancie, carry men on in ſingular wayes, differing from other men, conceiting themſelves to be wiſer than others, loving to ſatiſfie ſome odde humours of their own? If it were any choiceneſſe, or excellency of their ſpirits, it were another matter, we would not ſpeake againſt them; but it is this proud, hypocriticall, humorous ſingularity, we ſpeake againſt.

To this I anſwer; If you indeed ſhould do as they doe, if you ſhould live after a different manner from the common courſe of the world, having no other principles than thoſe you have, it would certainly bee ſingularity, pride, hypocriſie, and humour in you; and thus your conſciences would tell you, and that becauſe you had not principles to carry you out in this way, you have not ſpirits ſutable to it; and you judging of others, by that you ſeele in your ſelves, this makes you to thinke, the different wayes of Gods ſervants, is onely from pride, and humourous ſingularity; yea, and they themſelves know, that there was a time indeede, where in if they ſhould have done, as now they doe, it would have beene no other in them, then that you now accuſe them of namely, when their ſpirits were, as other mens ſpirits are; but now they know, they have other principles, other qualifications of ſpirit then formerly they had. But ſurely, you doe not thinke indeed, that their different lives doe come from proud, and humourous ſingularitie; for if you did, why doe your conſciences ſo well approve of them, when you lie on your ſicke beds? when you apprehend your ſelves going before the great God, then you could wiſh it were with you as it is with them.

But what ſay you? if you thought it were not from this pride, and conceitedneſſe you ſpeake of, then you would thinke it were well; then you would joyne in juſtifying of them, if you were ſure it were from a choyce, excellent ſpirit in them.

Well then, let Gods ſervants rejoyce in this, that they know it is not from pride, that it is not from humour, that they run not into exceſſe of riot as others doe, but from the worke of God upon their ſpirits, and this witneſſe they have for themſelves, this they have to encourage themſelves in, that if the men of the world did but know their principles from whence they worke, as they know them themſelves, even they would juſtifie both them and their wayes. But further, wee muſt know there is a way of God that is reall, that tends to life; what ever way it be, this is certaine, it muſt be different from the common courſe of the world; and if this be not it, in which Gods people doe walke, tell us what is that way, and wee will walke in it. The Scripture tells us, the way to life is narrow, and that few walke in it; and the other way is broad that tends to death; we cannot therefore but feare, when we ſee the marke of a way that leads to death. Chriſts flocke is but a little flocke, Luke 12. 32. Feare not little flocke: there are two diminutives in the Originall, the word tranſlated, flocke, ſignifies a little flocke; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that the exceeding littleneſſe of it might appeare, Chriſt addes another word, ſo the words are, Feare not little flock. And S. Iohn 1 Epiſt. 5. 19. ſaith, the whole world lies in wickedneſſe, but wee know that wee are of God. What a ſingularity was this in S. Iohn? how doth he difference a few odde contemptible people from the whole world? We are of God, and yet the whole world lies in wickedneſſe, and the world ſurely is not growne better ſince. But that you may ſee, that the way of the godly is not from ſingularity, or humour, take theſe Evidences, and judge according as conſcience ſhall tell you is truth.

Firſt, Where humour and conceited 1 ſingularity prevailes with men, there is no evenneſſe, no conſtancy in their wayes, no porportion of one thing with another in their courſe; they are ſingular and humourous in ſome odde fooliſh things; but in other things where they have as much reaſon to bee ſingular, they doe as others doe; But in Gods people you ſhal ſee an evenneſſe, conſtancie, and proportion in the courſe of their lives; that which makes them ſingular in one thing, makes them ſo in all other of the ſame nature; They are not as humourous people who have their fits, and take them out of their fits, they are other men, they are as different from themſelves, as they are from other men; But where the Spirit of God guides, though there be more difference from other men, yet there is leſſe difference from themſelves.

Secondly, Thoſe who doe things 2 out of ſingularitie, they care leſſe for ſuch things they doe out of that principle, when they come to bee common, then they did before; But it is not ſo here in the wayes of godlineſſe; the more common they grow, the better they are, the more doth Gods people rejoyce and bleſſe themſelves in them, they are the more lovely, and amiable in their eyes.

Thirdly, Humourous ſingular men differ exceedingly one from 3 another, one will bee ſingular in one thing, and another in another; but Gods people goe all the ſame way, they have the ſame courſe with ſuch as they never ſaw; Obſerve the ſpirits and wayes of godly men in all places of the world, though their education, their conſtitution, their employments, their former principles be exceeding different, yet now for the maine, they are the ſame, they favour and relliſh the ſame things, they delight in the ſame way of holineſſe, which evidently ſhews, they are led, acted, by one and the ſame ſpirit; though they may differ in ſome things of leſſer moment one from another, yet they differ very little amongſt themſelves, in things wherein their difference from the world principally lyes; in thoſe things for which the world diſlikes them and their wayes, there is a generall agreement in the ſpirits of all godly men in ſuch things; As in ſearing of the leaſt ſinne, as a greater evill then any outward miſery; in loving the ſtricteſt waies of holines; in labouring to keepe themſelves pure, as much as they can, from the ſinnes of the times, and places where they live. &c. In theſe and ſuch like things, which are moſt proper to godlineſſe, and for which they are judged ſingular, there is a generall agreement of all the ſpirits of the godly throughout the world.

Fourthly, proud, conceited ſingularity acts it ſelf eſpecially in things 4 that are taken notice of by others; if others looke not after them, and will not vouchſafe to take notice of them, they quikly grow weary of that they doe, and this is the beſt way to deale with ſuch people, to neglect them; Let them perceive no body thinks them worthy of regarding, of once minding them, and this makes them ſooner weary then all the oppoſing of them that can bee: The end of ſingularity is, that it might bee obſerved; this is the humour of theſe people, they would faine bee taken notice of for ſomething, let it be what it will bee; obſervance is the thing that feeds this humour; where this is not, it ſoone growes weary of it ſelfe; and hence when theſe people are alone, when none can obſerve them, they doe but as other men doe. But now the ſpeciall worke of godlineſſe, wherein Gods people differ from other men, in which their ſoules moſt delight, and are moſt fully exerciſed in, it is in ſecret things, not ſubject to the view of the world, The Kings daughter is all glorious within; If there bee a little godlineſſe outwardly, there is much more inward, as where there is a little wickedneſſe without, there is abundance in the heart; Godly men are moſt eminently godly in inward things; The countenance and voice of the Church, is moſt ſweet and comely in ſecret places, Cant. 2. 14. My Dove that art in the holes of the rocke, in the ſecret places of the ſtaires, ſhew me thy ſight, let me heare thy voyce, for thy voyce is ſweet, and thy ſight is comely: Godly men dare not indeed, but be godly before men, for ſo Chriſt commands them, Let your light ſhine before men, that others may ſee your good works; but it is one thing to do that which may be ſeen, and another, to do it to that end that it may be ſeene, and to make that the higheſt end. If they make their end, that the light may be ſeene, and not that themſelves may be ſeene; and that their Father in heaven may be glorified, and not themſelves glorified, it is no other than Chriſt would have. But betweene God and their owne ſoules, there is the chiefe work of godlineſſe; there the ſoules of Gods ſervants doe moſt expatiate themſelves, there they are moſt themſelves, there is their moſt proper Element; wherefore ſurely it is not a humour of ſingularity.

Fiftly, If it were humourous ſingularity, it would not bring them ſo 5 much ſweet peace, and heavenly joy when they are upon their ſick beds, and death-beds, and when they have to deale with God in a ſpeciall manner; when they are to appeare before the great God, to receive the ſentence of their eternall doome, when they are to enter upon eternity; how many then bleſſe God that ever he put it into their hearts to go another way, not according to the common courſe of the world? Though humour and conceitedneſſe may pleaſe, and give content for a while, yet it can never bring ſuch peace, and joy in ſickneſſe, and death, and when the ſoule ſees it hath to deale with ſuch an infinite, holy God, ſuch a dreadfull Majeſty; none apprehend the glory and Majeſty of God, ſo as the godly doe; none underſtand what eternity means ſo as they doe; the ſight of theſe things would ſhake men out of an humour: it is not humour that can ſtand before God, and the eternall miſery, or happineſſe of the creature rightly apprehended; it is time now to lay aſide humours, and conceits; and yet then when theſe things are moſt clearely, moſt powerfully apprehended by Gods ſervants, even then they are moſt for the wayes of God, in which they differed from the world, than ever they were before; it is now their greateſt griefe, that they have no more differed from them than they have, and if they were to begin againe, they would differ farre more than ever they did.

Sixtly, Surely it is not humourous conceited ſingularity, becauſe moſt men who have enlightned conſciences, when they are moſt ſerious in their beſt moods, are of this mind. If you will needs go by multitudes, we dare venture upon this, yea we dare challenge upon this argument, onely with theſe two Cautions;

1 That the men you bring in, be men of inlightned conſciences, for what have we to doe with others, Nihil ad nos at 〈…〉 quid judic •• t ſtulti, quid • omu • cul • ſ 〈…〉 . L • ſtan. 〈◊〉 . inſtit. 〈◊〉 . who are blind and ignorant? though there were never ſo many thouſands of them, they can adde nothing at all to the cauſe.

2 Let the judgements of men be taken when they are moſt ſerious, when they are beſt able to judge, doe not take them when they are in paſſion, when their luſts are up, but when their ſpirits are calmed, and in the beſt temper, when conſcience hath the moſt liberty to ſpeake indeed what it thinkes; and of ſuch men, in ſuch times, we ſhall have the moſt on our ſide; and therefore ſurely it is not a humour of ſingularity, that acts the in the way of godlineſſe.

Seventhly, It is not ſingularity, for we have the Prophets, Apoſtles, Martyrs, Saints of God before us, cloudes of witneſſes, thouſand thouſands of them, and every one of them worth ten thouſands of others, as S. Chryſoſtome hath an expreſſion in one Chryſ. hom. 26. ad pop. Antioch. of his Sermons, to the people of Antioch, It is better to have one pretious ſtone, than to have many halfpenies; ſo one godly man is better than multitudes of others. And S. Cyprian hath the like expreſſion in one of his Epiſtles; Doe not attend to the number of them, ſayes he; for one that feares God, is better than a Cypr. l. 1. • p. 3. Non attendas numerum illorum, melior est enim unus timens quam mill • filii impii. thouſand wicked. It is ſafe to follow the way of good men, according to that in the Proverbs, 2. 20. Walke thou in the wayes of good men, and keep the wayes of the righteous.

Now then, let neither the wayes of godlineſſe, or godly men ever be blamed for their ſingularity; other ſpirits muſt needs lead into other wayes. It was laid to Luthers charge, that he was an Apoſtate; he confeſſes Confitetur ſe eſſe apoſtatam, ſed beatum & ſanctum, qui fidem diabolo datam nonſervavit. himſelfe to be one, but a bleſſed and a holy Apoſtate, one that had fallen off from the devill. So wee confeſſe, this is ſingularitie, but a bleſſed, and a holy ſingularity, which differences Gods ſervants from this vile wicked world in which they live, whereby they live as men of another world, as indeed they are.

CAP. VIII. Cap. 8.

Bleſſe God for making this difference betweene your ſpirit, and the vile ſpirits of the men of the world.

SEeing this other ſpirit is ſo excellent and bleſſed, then doe you, to whom God hath given other ſpirits, learne to bleſſe GOD for them; the mercies of GOD to mens ſpirits are the greateſt mercies; though your conditions be meaner than others, in other reſpects, yet if your ſpirits be raiſed to an higher excellency than others, you have infinite cauſe to bleſſe the Lord, as S. Paul, Epheſ. 1. 3. Bleſſed be the Lord, which hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſsings in heavenly things, in Chriſt. What though God hath not abounded to you in outward honours, eſtates, delights, yet if he hath abounded to you in wiſdome, holineſſe, faith, humility, &c. you have no cauſe to complaine: Where God gives his Spirit, in the gifts and graces of it, there hee gives all good things; hence whereas S. Matthew ſayes, Chap. 7. 11. How much more ſhall your Father in heaven, give good things to them that aske him? S. Luke 11. 13. bringing in Chriſt ſpeaking upon the ſame occaſion, ſayes, How much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghoſt to them that aske him? as if all one to give his Spirit, and to give all good things: Spirituall bleſſings make all outward croſſes light and eaſie, as Prov. 18. 14. The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtaine his infirmities. Spirituall bleſſings have this excellency in them, they cauſe a man to feele no need of many outward things, which others know not how to want; and it is as good to bee in ſuch an eſtate, to have no need of a thing, as to enjoy it when we want it. And further, it is the excellency of ſpirituall bleſſings, to keep downe the body, and to carry the ſpirit above the body. It was the excellencie and glory of the Martyrs, that their ſpirits were ſo ſatisfied with mercies they had, that they ſo little regarded their bodies, when they ſuffered grievous torments, as if they had not been their own; Thus Zozomen reports of them. Spirituall bleſſings are ſuch, as inable men to improve all other bleſſings they enjoy: without theſe, the greateſt of other bleſſings would prove to bee the greateſt curſes to us; and yet further: Theſe bleſſings upon our ſpirits, coſt God infinitely more, than other bleſſings doe. Other bleſſings God can give at a lower rate, but theſe coſt the deareſt heart blood of his owne Sonne, and therefore above all let God have the praiſe of theſe. Outward bodily mercies we are unworthy of, but when we conſider of theſe, let us ſay as David, Pſal. 66. 14. Come and hearken all ye that feare God, I will tell you what he hath done to my ſoule: There God hath magnified his mercies toward me indeed. You may remember how baſe your ſpirits once were, how blinde, fooliſh, droſſie, ſenſuall, and it may bee, malicious. This S. Paul cals to minde, to ſtirre up himſelfe and others, to praiſe God for that bleſſed change he had wrought in his, and in their ſpirits: Tit. 3. 3. For we our ſelves alſo were in times paſt (ſaith hee) unwiſe, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts, living in maliciouſneſſe and envie; hatefull, and hating one another: but when the bountifulneſſe and love of God our Saviour appeared, &c. But if your ſpirits have not beene ſo vile as ſome others, if they have been faire and ingenuous, if you have beene of ſweet natures, and tractable diſpoſitions, you have cauſe to bleſſe God in ſome reſpects ſo much the more, for the change hee hath wrought in them, for his mercie towards you, that you did not reſt in thoſe naturall excellencies, and miſtake them for ſaving graces, as many doe with much danger to their ſoules: and when you ſee the baſe corrupt ſpirits of other men, as thoſe who have any thing to doe in the world, ſhall meet with exceeding vile corrupt ſpirits; Cap. 9. not onely in the worſt ſort of men, but in thoſe who ſeeme to be faire, in whom a man would never have thought to have met with ſuch baſe workings of ſpirit, that would make a man wonder. Oh Lord, what are the ſpirits of men? Then, I ſay, when you ſee this, bleſſe the Lord, let your ſpirits, and all that is within them, bleſſe his name, who hath put ſuch difference betweene your ſpirits and theirs; as you cannot but acknowledge, except you ſhould be exceedingly injurious to the grace of God in you.

Cap. IX.

Communion and converſe with men of ſuch excellent ſpirits, is a moſt bleſſed thing.

IF the godly be of ſuch excellent ſpirits, then converſe and communion with them is a moſt bleſſed thing; no greater heaven upon earth than this; for here you may ſee the beauty and luſtre of Gods graces ſhining, the brightneſſe of which darkens all the beauty and glory of the world to a ſpirituall eye. Seneca ſaw ſo much excellency, that Moralitie put upon a man, that hee ſayes, that the very looke of a good man Ipſe aſpectus boni viri delectat. delights one: The very ſight of ſuch ſervants of God, who walke cloſe with God, who are carefull to keep their ſpirits clear and ſhining; truly, it is very delightfull, it hath much quickening in it; the uprightneſſe, holines, ſpirituall enlightnings, that their ſoules have, will guide them to adviſe for God in ſafe and good wayes. The adviſe of godly men, in things concerning God, is much to be prized. It was a good ſpeech of Shechaniah to Ezra, Chap. 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God, &c. according to the counſell of the Lord, and of thoſe that feare the Commandement of our GOD. It was good to follow their counſell. The ſpirits of theſe are favory in their diſcourſe, in their duties, in all their carriage; their example exceeding powerfull and profitable. The bleſſing of Abigail upon David, was, The Lord binde up his ſoule in the bundle of life. Enjoyment of communion with Gods people, is the binding up of our ſoules in the bundle of life, for every one of them hath life in him. Doctor Taylor the Martyr, rejoyced that ever he came into priſon, becauſe he came there to have acquaintance with that Angel of God Iohn Bradford, as he cals him. If the ſociety of one ſweet heavenly ſpirited man, bee enough to make a priſon chearfull, what a bleſſing then is the enjoyment of cōmunion with many? All my delight (ſaith David) is in the Saints, in them that excell in the earth. It is the bleſſing of the Goſpell, to come to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, Heb. 12. 23. when we are amongſt them, we may in the beholding the worke of their ſpirits, come to ſee many failings in our own, that we ſaw not before; and ſo be humbled for them, and be put on to ſeeke helpe: We may ſee the ſame graces ſhining in them, that we feele in our owne hearts, and ſo be ſtrengthened and encouraged in them, and ſtirred up to bleſſe God for them; and the ſutableneſſe betweene their ſpirits and ours, if ours be right, will cauſe ſuch a cloſing and mingling, as from thence there will ariſe an unſpeakable delight, and incomparable ſweetneſſe: No ſociety under heaven hath that pleaſantneſſe & ſweetneſſe in it, as the ſociety of the Saints; no mens ſpirits cloſe ſo fully one with another, as theirs; no mens ſpirits bound ſo firmly by ſuch indiſſoluble bonds together, as theirs; they know the excellency of one anothers ſpirits, ſo as they can freely open themſelves, Gregory Nazianzen ſayes of himſelfe, and Baſil, that one ſoule in 〈…〉 rner was in two bodies. In Orat. Fun. Baſi •• i. The ſame is ſaid of Minutius Fa • ix, and Octautus. unboſome their hearts one to another, and venture their lives one upon another: and it is the moſt honourable ſociety in the world; for it is the aſſociation of the moſt excellent and glorious creatures; God himſelf delights to joyne himſelfe with them, to be amongſt them: as; 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell among them (ſaith the Lord) and walke there, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. But the words are more ſignificant in the Originall, they expreſſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Gods delight, not onely to dwell among them, and walke with them, but to dwell in them, and walke in them. And hence that expreſſion of Tertullian, that wee made uſe of before in another caſe is very pertinent for our purpoſe here likewiſe; When good men meet, (ſayes hee) when godly men are gathered together, this is not to bee called a faction, but a Court. What place is accounted ſo honourable, and excels in more delights than the Courts of Princes? The ſociety of Gods Saints, communion with Gods people, hath more honour, is filled with more delights than any Court in the world, where this is wanting: the ſociety of the wicked, that is unſavory and tedious, becauſe their ſpirits are ſo vile and corrupt, like the ſlime and filth there is congealed, when many Toades and venomous filthy creatures doe joyne together; How abominable is their breathings together to a gracious ſpirit? how loathſome is the mixture of their ſpirits? Zach. 13. 2. we have a promiſe, that God will in his due time take away the uncleane ſpirit out of the Land, and oh what a bleſſed time will that bee! How happy would Gods ſervants thinke themſelves, if they might bee delivered from the noyſomnes of corrupt unclean ſpirits? Let us keep our ſelves what we can now, from mingling with them; wee ſhall within a while be for ever delivered from them.

CAP. X. Cap. 10.

That all thoſe whoſe ſpirits God hath thus differenced, ſhould improve this Mercy, by walking not as other men.

IF God hath beene mercifull to you, in giving you another ſpirit, improve this mercy; ſhew in all your wayes that you are acted by another ſpirit: let the renewed ſpirit guide you, let the beauty and excellency of it appeare: If wee live in the ſpirit, let us walke in the ſpirit, ſayes the Apoſtle, Gal. 5. 25. The works of the fleſh are manifeſt, Gal. 5. 19. Why ſhould not the works of the ſpirit be ſo too? God hath beautified your ſpirits with his owne Image, in this hee hath honoured you, that you might honour him, in holding forth the beauty and excellency of his Image; he hath made you a peculiar people, to that end that you might ſhew forth the vertues of him, who hath called you out of darknes into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a diſhonor to a parent, or any ſpecial friend, to hang his picture in ſome dark hole, in ſome obſcure contemptible place; it is expected we ſhould make it conſpicuous, that we ſhould hang it in ſome eminent place, ſo as to manifeſt that wee rejoyce in it, as an ornament to us. It is a great evill to obſcure the Graces of Gods Spirit, to keepe in the work of God upon our ſpirits, in which hee hath ſet out the glory of his owne Image, to that end, that he might be glorified in us before men & Angels. Every man delights in the expreſſion of that, wherin he eſteems his excellency to conſiſt, be it Eloquence, Wiſdom, or any Art, wherin he hath attained any eminency; yea, if he accounts his excellency to conſiſt in his riches, in his honor, in his beautie, he loves to make them appear before others; as the Prophet in another caſe, Eſa. 60. 1. Ariſe and ſhine, for the light is come, and the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee. If God hath ſhined upon your ſpirits by his grace, let your lights ſhine before men, that the world may ſee, there are men of other ſpirits, who can doe ſuch things as they cannot. Oh what beautifull, convincing cōverſations would men live, if they were onely acted by this renewed ſpirit! As it was ſaid of Steven, they could not reſiſt the Spirit by which he ſpake; ſo it would be true here, men could not reſiſt that ſpirit by which you live. What doe you more than other men? ſayes Chriſt to his Diſciples, Matt. 5. 47. Men of other ſpirits muſt manifeſt in their lives, that they can do more than other men. Let me in the name of the Lord plead with you for more honour and ſervice for the Lord, than he hath from others.

Firſt, your birth is from him, you are borne of God in another manner 1 than others are, and therefore it muſt not be with you as it is with others. Men of high birth will not live as other men doe. Hence we read of a cuſtome amongſt the Heathen, they were wont to derive the pedigree of their valiant men from their gods; to this end, though the thing were not true, yet they beleeving themſelves to be a Divine off-ſpring, they might upon confidence there of, undertake higher attempts than others, with the more boldneſſe: Much higher things ſhould thoſe endeavour after, who are indeed borne of God.

Secondly, God hath put forth an other manner of power out upon 2 your ſpirits, than upon other men; other men have but a generall common influence of Gods power let into their ſpirits: but he hath manifeſted the exceeding greatneſſe of his power in you; as, Eph. 1. 19. obſerve the gradation there; the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the power of God, put forth upon thoſe that doe beleeve, expreſſes it in a ſixfold gradation.

1 It is his power; onely the power of a God could doe it.

2 It is the greatnes of his power.

3 It is the exceeding greatneſſe of his power.

4 It is the working of his power.

5 It is the working of his mighty power.

6 It is the ſame power by which he raiſed Chriſt from the dead, and ſet him at his right hand in the Heavens, farre above all Principality, and Power, and might. Now God doth not uſe to put forth great power, but for great purpoſes; he uſes not his extraordinary power, for ordinary things: when ſupernaturall power is put forth, it is, that it might raiſe to ſupernaturall operations.

3 Againe, God doth put other abilities 3 into you, that others have not: that grace with which hee hath endued your ſpirits, is a ſparke of his owne divine nature; as you have heard, it hath a divine power with it, and a divine activity in it; that is expected from you, that none can doe by an inferiour power, as by the ſtrength of parts, education, morall principles: if your lives bee not beyond the higheſt of thoſe who have none other principles than Vniuſcu juſque caſus, tanto majoris eſt crimin • s, quanto priuſquam caderet majoris crat virtutis. Be • n. de inter. domo. c. 50. ſuch to raiſe them; you diſhonour God, and his grace, and your holy profeſſion.

Fourthly, your ſpirits have beene made acquainted with more truths; God hath revealed to you the ſecrets of his Counſels, of his Kingdome; 4 he hath ſhowne you himſelfe, his Glory, his Majeſty, Soveraingty, Holineſſe; he hath ſhowne you the reality, beauty, excellency, equity of his bleſſed wayes: Hee hath made known to you the certainty, the infinite conſequence of the things of eternitie; the vileneſſe, pollution, poyſon, danger of ſin: he hath given you experiences of the things of heaven, the ſweetneſſe of his wayes, the diſtreſſe of conſcience for ſinne.

Fifthly, he hath ſeparated you for himſelf, he hath takē you into a near 5 communion unto himſelfe; though God is to be feared by all, yet more eſpecially in a higher degree, hee is to bee feared in the aſſembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of them that are about him, Pſa. 89. 7.

Sixthly, God hath put other dignities 6 upon you, that hee hath not put upon other men; he hath made you Citizens of the new Ieruſalem, favorites of heaven, heires, co-heires with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. God hath raiſed you above the condition of men; and therefore you muſt not walk as men. The Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 3. 3. blamed the Corinthians that they did walke as men: Hee hath redeemed you from the earth, Revel • 4. 3. Therefore you muſt not walke as the men of the earth: God hath not dealt thus with other people, they know not what theſe things meane. Therefore well may the Lord expect from you other manner of ſervice and honour, than he hath from other men.

Seventhly, more depēds upon you, 7 than upon others; the waight of many ſervices depends all upon you, which are no wayes expected to bee performed by others: What ſhall become of Gods Name, his Glory, the fulfilling his will in the world, if men whoſe ſpirits are fitted for his ſervice, ſhould not live in a higher way of holineſſe, and doe more for him, than others? God expects great things from you, Eſay 63. 8. I ſaid, ſurely they will not lie: When others are baſe, unfaithfull and vile in their wayes, yet God rejoyceth in this, that hee hath a generation in the world; a choyce company of other ſpirits, pretious & excellent ſpirits, and hee ſhall have other dealings from them.

Eighthly, your ſinnes goe nearer to the heart of God than others: Other 8 men may provoke God to anger, but you grieve his Holy Spirit. God tooke it very ill at Salomons hand, that hee dealt ill with him after hee had appeared twice to him, 1 King. 11. 9. How often hath God appeared to your ſoules? What gracious viſitatiōs have your ſpirits had from him? It is a ſhamefull thing indeed for you to fall as other men doe: It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul, 2 Sam. 1, 21. That the ſhield of the mighty was caſt downe, the ſhield of Saul, as though he had not beene anoynted with oyle; for you to fall, as though you had not beene anoynted, as others which have no ſuch oyntment powred upon them; this is a great and ſore evill.

Ninthly, the eyes of many are 9 upon you; the Name of God, the cauſe of God is engaged in you.

Tenthly, you are appointed by God to be the Judges of other men; 10 1 Cor. 6. 2. Doe you not know that the Saints ſhall judge the world? yea, Verſe 3. Know you not that wee ſhall judge the Angels? God will bring your lives and wayes before all the world to judge the world by, and therefore they had need to bee very exact, and to have ſomething in them more than ordinary. It is a ſhamefull way of reaſoning, for any man to reaſon for ſinne, by examples; as it like a theeſe, he would faine ſcape in the crowd; but much more ſhamefull is it, that any godly man ſhould bee found to argue for ſinne this way, for this is an aggravation of ſinne, not a leſſening of it, as if I ſhould ſay, God hath diſhonour by ſuch and ſuch, and therefore why may he not have ſome more by me? Sinne is a ſtriking at God, and every ſinner ſtrikes at him, and thou commeſt running for thy ſtroake too. What? wilt thou have thy blow alſo at him? and, what thou? for whom the Lord hath done ſuch great things? as Caeſar ſaid to Brutus, when 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . in the Senate-houſe, tho Senators had wounded him, with many ſore wounds, and Brutus hee comes alſo for his ſtroake, whereupon Caeſar lookes on him, and ſayes to him; What? and thou my ſonne Brutus too? Conceive as if thou ſaweſt the Lord looking on thee, and ſaying thus to thee, when thou ventreſt upon any ſinfull way upon the example of others.

But in what particulars ſhould we manifeſt this choicenes of our ſpirits, in wayes differing from others?

Anſw. In theſe eſpecially:

1 In ſelfe deniall: ſhew that you can deny your opiniōs, your deſires, your wills, though you have a ſtrong mind to a thing, though you have fit opportunities to enjoy your deſires, yet if you ſee God may have more honor any other way, you can freely & readily without diſturbance, without vexing yeeld; and doe not deceive your ſelves in this, be eaſily convinced in particulars, which are for God againſt your ſelves; the excellency of a mans ſpirit is much ſeen in this. Many conceit an excellency of ſpirit to bee in ſelfe-willedneſſe, in being paſſionate, froward, and boiſterous; Certainly this comes from weaknes of ſpirit, no excellency is required for this, every foole can bee thus; but that is excellency, to bee able to ovērcome, to rule ones ſpirit, to have command of ones ſpirit, to ſubdue and bring in order paſſions, and violent ſtirrings of ſpirits; this is pretious and honourable in the eyes of God and man: this is a well tempered ſpirit indeed, that can be ſtrong, zealous, full of courage, unyeeldable in the cauſe of God and the Church; but meeke, quiet, yeeldable, ſelfedeniable in its own cauſe: thoſe who uſually are the moſt boiſterous, and paſſionate for themſelves, are the pooreſt ſpirited men, and the moſt baſely yeelding, when it comes to the cauſe of God.

2 Shew the excellency of your ſpirits enabling you to doe that which others cannot doe, by loving your enemies, praying for them; doing them all the good you can; this is the ſpeciall thing our Saviour commands to his Diſciples in that 5. Mat. when he would have them doe more than others doe.

3 Feare the leaſt ſinne, more than the greateſt ſuffering; Morality raiſes the ſpirit higheſt next to Grace, and yet a meere morall man, accounts it fooliſhnes, to be ſo nice as not to yeeld in little things, for the avoyding of great ſufferings; but a gracious ſpirit thinks the leaſt truth of God worthy to bee witneſſed to, by the loſſe of his deareſt comforts, It was a brave ſpirit of Zwinglius expreſſing it ſelfe thus, in his 3. Epiſt. Q • as non oportet mortes praeetigere, quod non ſupplicium putius ferre, into inquam proſundim inferni ab • ſtum non incrare, quam contra conſcientiam atteſtari? and ſuffering the greateſt evils; yea, he accounts ſuffering for ſmall things the moſt honourable ſufferings of all, as teſtifying the greateſt love; as Davids Worthies ſhewed their deareſt love to him, in ventring their lives to get him a little water.

4 Prize opportunities of ſervice more than al outward contentments in the world; a gracious heart thinks it honor enough, that Gods imploies it; he is not onely willing to goe on in his worke, though outward contentments come not in, but increaſe of ſervice for God, hee eſteemes ſo great a good, as hee accounts the want of outward things made up in it; Though I get not ſo much by that I doe as others, yet I bleſſe God, I can goe on in my worke as chearefully as others, for contentment is made up to mee in this, that God will imploy mee in his ſervice more than others.

5 Make conſcience of time; this felv doe; few regard the fillings up of their time, their ſpirits having no excellencie in them, they cannot make uſe of their time in any worthy employments for God, to themſelves, or others; but a man of an excellent ſpirit knows how to employ himſelf in things that are excellent, and therfore prizes the time he hath to worke in, and is conſcientious in the ſpending of it.

6 Make conſcience of thoughts, and ſecret workings of heart, of ſecret ſinnes to avoid them, and ſecret duties to performe them; a man that hath a pretious ſpirit, doth not like to have it runne waſt in extravagant thoughts, and affections; the thoughts of his minde are pretious, the affections of his heart are pretious, as his ſpirit is pretious: Wee let water runne waſt, becauſe wee put no price upon it; we think it little worth, and therefore we let it run to no uſe; but if it were ſome pretious liquor, ſome pretious oyle, compounded of deare ingredients, wee would not doe ſo, but would be carefull to ſave every drop; this is a pretious ſpirited man indeed, who knowes how to lay out his thoughts, and his affections at the beſt advantage, and will not laviſh them our to no purpoſe.

7 Make conſcience of the manner 7 of performing holy duties, as well as of the doing of them, and looke after them, what becomes of them when they are done; this is not according to the common ſpirits of the world, who thinke to put off God with flat, poore, and dead ſervices; A gracious ſpirit hath much of the excellency of his ſpirit acting in holy duties, and therefore hee doth much mind them, and lookes much after them; but others have little of their ſpirits acting in them, and therfore they are little regarded, little looked after by them.

8 Rejoyce in the good of others, 8 though it eclipſes thy light, though it makes thy parts, thy abilities, thy excellencies dimmer in the eyes of others; were it not for the eminency of ſome above thee, thy parts perhaps would ſhine bright, and bee of high eſteeme; yet to rejoyce in this from the heart, from the ſoule to bleſſe God, for his gifts and graces in others, that his Name may be glorified more by others, than I can glorifie it my ſelfe, to bee able truly to ſay, Though I can do little, yet bleſſed be God, there are ſome who can doe more for God than I, and in this I doe, and will rejoyce; this is indeed to be able to doe much more than others, this ſhewes a great eminencie of ſpirit: All the parts, gifts, abilities, that any man in the world hath, where this is not, come farre ſhort of this excellencie; to be able to doe this, is more than to bee able to • xcell others in any excellencie whatſoever, if this bee wanting: If God hath given thee this, hee hath given thee that which is a thouſand times more worth than ſtrong parts, and abilities, in which thou might'ſt have been farre more eminent, than thou now art, or than others are.

9 If thou wilt ſhew the excellency 9 of this ſpirit in ſome choyce thing, then labour to keep the heart low in proſperitie, and man heavenly cheerefulneſſe in adverſitie; not only contented, but joyfull, in a quiet, ſweet, delightfull frame: In the greateſt difficulties and ſtraits, when you are put upon hard things, go on in your way with what ſtrength you can, without vexing, diſtracting thoughts, let your ſpirits bee ſtayed on God quietly, & meekly committing your ſelves and cauſe to him, as the people of God in the 26. Eſay 8. They profeſſe their willingnes in all quietneſſe to wait upon God, in the wayes of his judgements; and they give the reaſon, becauſe the deſire of their ſoule is to his Name, and to the remembrance of him. If in the times of our troubles, the deſires of our ſoules were to Gods Name, and to the remembrance of him, and not unto our own names, and to the remembrance of our ſelves, we ſhould not have ſuch ſinking, diſcouraged, diſquiet, vexing ſpirits as we have. The ſpirits of moſt men, if any difficult thing befall them, they are preſently in a hurry, ſo diſquiet and tumultuous, that all the peace and ſweetneſſe of them is loſt, and they hinder themſelves exceedingly, both in the buſineſſe they are about, adding much to the difficulty of it, and in all other buſineſſes that concerne them. This notes much diſtemper of ſpirit, like diſtempered fleſh of a mans body, if it be but toucht with the finger, or the leaſt aire come to it, it preſently feſters and ranekies.

10 Be more carefull to know the 10 fountain from whence all your mercies come, & to have a ſanctified uſe of them when you enjoy them, than to have the poſſeſſion of them, or delight in them: An ordinary ſpirit lookes at nothing, but only to have the thing it deſires, is not ſolicitous about the fountaine from whence they ſpring, nor carefull to attaine any ſanctified end, to which they tend, looks not at them as from God, neither uſes them for GOD; but where all theſe are, here is the work of a choice pretious ſpirit indeed, the peculiar work of it; this is to do more than others, and thus Gods ſervants muſt doe, or elſe they can never live convincing lives. While Pharaoh and his Magicians ſaw, that Moſes did no more than they could doe, they were not convinced; but when Moſes did that which they could not doo; then they acknowledged the finger of God: So it is here, while wicked men ſee thoſe that are religious, doe onely ſuch things as they could doe if they would, as going to Sermons, ſpeaking of good things, they are never convinced by them; but when they fee them do ſome thing, which their conſciences tell them they cannot do, then they are forced to acknowledge, that there is a reall excellencie in godlineſſe which they have not, as Chriſt ſaid once, If I had not done thoſe things that no man did, they had not had ſinne, Ioh. 15. 24. It aggravated the ſinne of the Jewes, that they did not beleeve in Chriſt, notwithſtanding he did thoſe works amongſt them that no man ever did. So, if godly men did manifeſt the choiceneſſe of their ſpirits amongſt the men of the world, in doing ſuch as none other can doe, this if it did not convert them, and bring them in love with Gods wayes, it would certainly much aggravate their ſinne, and increaſe their condemnation. It is therfore a moſt ſhamefull thing, that thoſe who make a great ſhew and profeſſion of godlineſſe, ſhould in their lives be no more than equall unto, yea be lower than others, who are meerly Morall; lower than a Socrates, than a Fabritius, than others of the Heathen. How many civill morall men go • beyond them who would be taken for godly? they are more meeke, and patient, more courteous, more faithfull and truſty, more liberall and helpfull, more ingenuous and candid. Many ſervants who would ſeeme godly, are not ſo obedient, ſo diligent, ſo humble, and ſubmiſſive, ſo conſcionable in their worke, as others, whom they judge meerly carnall: So, many wives, not behaving themſelves with that quietneſſe, reſpectiveneſſe, love, and obedience to their husbands, as others, whom they themſelves judge to be onely civill: In like manner, many husbands, and maſters of families, who profeſſe godlineſſe, yet in their houſes are more froward, more dogged, more churliſh, cruell, and bitter to wife and ſervants, than others, whom they eſteeme onely carnall: So, many children more ſtout to their parents, and parents more negligent in the care they ought to have of their children, than others.

What a ſhame is it, ſaies S. Hierom, that faith ſhould not be able to doe Vt non praſtet ſides, quod praſtitit infide 〈…〉 as. that, that infidelity hath done? What? not better fruit in the garden, in the vineyard of the Lord, then in the wilderneſſe? What? not better fruit grow upon the tree of life, than upon the root of nature? Cap. 11. Where lies the power of godlineſſe? If it carries, not men beyond theſe, what is it to live godly in Chriſt Jeſus? in the vertue, in the power, and life of Chriſt Jeſus, if it doth not enable to go beyond others? There needs no ſuch vertue, power, life of Chriſt Jeſus, to enable one to dof that, which others can doe. What? is godlineſſe but a notion, but a conceit, that it will not carry men beyond the light of nature?

CAP. XI.

An Exhortation to labour to get this excellent ſpirit.

IT is an uſe of Exhortation; let us labour to get this other ſpirit; Every one deſires to be eminent, to be above others in eſtate, in eſteeme, in naturall excellencies; if we would faine be eminent, let us labour to be eminent in ſpirituall bleſſings, in getting our ſouls endued with higher ſpirituall excellencies than others have. It is cōmendable to ſtrive to be as eminent here as we can, eſpecially you whom God hath raiſed higher than your brethren in other things; in the Nobility of your births, the eminency of your places, the greatneſſe of your eſtates: Doe you labour to be as high above others in the excellencies of your ſpirits; that as your birth is other, your places other, your eſtate other than cōmon mens, ſo your ſpirits may be other ſpirits? What an excellent thing is it, to have a ſpirit ſutable to ones condition? A great Alagnus an • mu • mag • am fortu 〈…〉 am decet. mind becomes a great fortune, ſayes Seneca. He means greatnes of minde in the exerciſe of vertue, which only gives a true greatneſſe to the mind. I know this is a powerfull argument with you, to make grace lovely & deſirable in your eies, to tell you that it will raiſe your ſpirits, that it will put beauty and glory upon them, that it will adde greatneſſe and excellency to them. The world is much for brave and Noble ſpirits; we deſire your ſpirits may be ſo: onely miſtake not the true Nobleneſſe, the true excellencie of ſpirit; certainly it is inthat which may bring you neareſt to God, the higheſt excellencie: You can no way be ſo honourable, as by the raiſing of your ſpirits by grace: Wiſdome with an inheritance is good, wiſedome with birth and eminency of place is a great bleſſing indeed; to be rich in goods, and rich in goodneſſe, is a happy connexion. You would account it a great diſgrace not to have education ſomewhat ſutable to your birth and qualitie; what can be ſaid more diſhonourable of a man than this, He hath left him indeed a great eſtate, and is of a great houſe, but he hath no breeding? What? is a competent meaſure of knowledge, in tongues, and Divitiae non faciunt inſignes, niſiquos poſſunt bonis operibus facere clariores. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16. Arts, and other things ſutable to your births and eſtates, accounted a beauty and ornament to them, and is not grace and godlineſſe much more? Doe theſe adde an excellencie to your quality, and put an honour upon your dignities, and will not godlineſſe much more? Shall Sea and Land be travelled over with much hazard, ſoule-hazard, and bodilyhazard, with great expence of eſtate, to get knowledge of faſhions, and a Gentile behaviour, becauſe you thinke they will be Ornaments to your great eſtates you are borne to; and ſhall no labour be undertaken to get godlineſſe, to get your ſpirits raiſed by grace, as an ornament to the greatneſſe of your birth, and eminencie of your eſtate? How is this, to ſleight the very glory of God himſelfe, and to contemne the higheſt dignity men or Angels are capable of? Are any places ſo fit for wiſedome, as the high places of the City? Prov. 9. 1, 3. Wiſdome hath builded her houſe, ſhee hath hewen out her ſeven Pillars, ſhe cryeth upon the higheſt places of the City. How honourable doth godlineſſe make thoſe, whoſe birth, whoſe place is honorable in the eyes of God, his Saints, bleſſed Angels, and in the conſciences of all? How well doth grace ſuite with the higheſt dignity, as a bright ſhining Diamond in a golden Ring? as the world is drawn more conſpicuous and full in a large Mappe, than in a ſmall; ſo the beauty and excellency of grace and godlineſſe, appeares more conſpicuous and glorious in great men and honourable, than in thoſe who are of a meaner ranke.

Firſt, you had need of other ſpirits; more need than others for the improvement of thoſe great mercies that you have above others. As ſome fowle that have great wings, yet can flie but little; ſo many men have great eſtates, but not having ſpirits to improve them, they are of little uſe. Know, that your eſtates are either mercies or miſeries, bleſſings or curſings to you, according as you have hearts to improve them: if they be improved for God, as advantages to honour God by, to doe good withall; they are then great bleſſings indeed: and that is as great an argument of the truth of grace, as any, to be as earneſt with God for an heart to improve an eſtate, or a place of dignitie for God, as to rejoyce that Divites ſunt, non qui divitias habent, ſed qui utuntur illis ad opera juſtitiae. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 16. you have ſuch an eſtate for your ſelves, or that you are in ſuch an eminent place, whereby you may get honour to your ſelves. Where God gives not a more excellent ſpirit than others, as well as an higher condition than others; there an eminent eſtate is made but as fewell for a nouriſher and maintainer of all manner of evill, to afford opportunities for acting of ſinne; and is not this the excellencie that many account to be in their eſtates, in that it is higher than others, in that they can have their wils, and ſatisfie their luſts more than others?

Secondly, you had need of other ſpirits, for the improving of the large 2 opportunities of ſervice for God and his Church, that you have more than others; theſe are as great bleſſings, as your eſtates, or any dignities you have above others. God betruſts you with much, in giving you ſuch large opportunities of ſervice, for the honour of his great Name. If your birth be high, your eſtates high, and your ſpirits indued with excellencie from on high, how fit then are you to be uſed by God in high and honourable ſervices? Hence the converſion of a great man is of exceeding great conſequence; whereupon Saint Paul was ſo loath to loſe the Converſion of the Deputy Sergius Paulus, who began to liſten to his preaching; of whom we reade Acts 13. verſe 7. and ſo on: Therefore when Elymas withſtood him in this work, ſeeking to turne away the Deputie from the Faith, the ſpirit of S. Paul roſe againſt him with much indignation; and being filled with the Holy Ghoſt, hee ſet his eyes on him, and ſaid, O full of all ſubtilty and all miſchiefe, thou childe of the devill thou enemy of righteouſneſſe, wilt thou not ceaſe to pervert the right wayes of the Lord? And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou ſhalt bee blind. As if S. Paul ſhould have ſaid, What? will you hinder me in ſuch a great work as this, wherein God may have ſo much honour in the converſion of this Noble-man, this man of publike and eminent place? this indeed is to be full of all miſchiefe, to bee an enemie of all righteouſneſſe. Thus you ſee how his ſpirit was ſtirred when he was put in feare of being hindred in ſuch a notable prize as this: As a man when likely to have a great draught, there comes in one and diſturbs him, and is like to hinder him of it. Surely, S. Paul ſaw that it was a wonderfull great bleſſing to the Church, to have great men to be brought in, to the obedience of the faith, and to be added to it.

And further it is obſerved, that God going along with S. Paul, and finiſhing the work of the converſion of this great man; that upon this Saint Paul had his name Paul given him, being changed from Saul, and called Paulus, from that notable worke of the converſion of this Paulus Sergius. As many great Captains amongſt the Heathen were wont to have their names changed upon their ſucceſſe in ſome noble enterprize, and great victories; as Scipio Africanus, hee was called Africanus from his Conqueſt of Africa.

3 You who are in high and eminent 3 dignities, you are the earneſt prayers of Gods ſervants in all places, that God would raiſe you up with truely noble, excellent, and gracious ſpirits, that you may bee inſtruments of his glory: How bleſſed you, if God fulfils the prayers of his ſervants upon you! What great pity is it, that ſuch bleſſed opportunities of ſervice, of honouring God, themſelves, and families, as you have, ſhould be loſt for want of ſpirits? Were it not more honorable to you, and your houſes, to be imployed as publique bleſſings to Church and Common-wealth, to have thouſands of ſoules bleſſe you, and bleſſe God for you, than for you to go ſiner than others, to have your tables better furniſhed than others, to ſport and game more than others, to ſpend more than others?

4 Againe, you had need of other 4 Tutum est peccare aut • ribu • istis. ſpirits, for your example is looked at more than others, either in good or evill; as Chriſt ſaid of himſelfe in another caſe, If I bee lifted up, I will draw all men after me: ſo I may ſay, If godlineſſe be lifted up in the examples of great ones, it will draw all men after it. What ever evill is ſeene in you, is not onely followed by others, but uſed as a plea to maintaine and encourage that which is evill in many others. Charles the fifth was wont to ſay, that as the Ecclipſe of the Sun is a foretoken of great commotions; ſo the errours and overſights of great men, bring with them great perturbations to the places where they live.

5 Their ſinne is worſe than others, 5 for it doth more hurt, and therefore their puniſhment will bee greater than others; as their actions are exemplary, ſo will their puniſhments. Hence that place, Mich. 6. 5. O my people, remember from Shittim unto • ilgal; at Shittim the Lord deſtroyed the Heads of the people, Num. 25. 4. The deſtruction of great ones is to be for ever remembred.

6 And yet further, you have need of other ſpirits, becauſe you have temptations greater and ſtronger than others; therefore if you have not the more excellent ſpirits, you are in greater danger than others. The high eſtate of great outward dignitie, is a very dangerous eſtate, if God gives not an extraordinary ſpirit. There is a notable ſtory of Pius Quintus, that Pope, who excommunicated Queene Elizabeth; my Author of the ſtory is a Jeſuite, Cornelius à Lapide; one highly eſteemed amongſt the Papiſts, and therefore the truth of it is to bee the leſſe ſuſpected: the ſtory is this; he ſayes, that this Pope Pius Quintus was wont to ſay of himſelfe, that When I was firſt in religious Orders (that is, without any further Eccleſiaſticall dignity) I had a very good hope of the ſalvation of my ſoule; Cornelius 〈◊〉 Lapide in his Comment upon Numb. 11. verſe 11. Cum eſſem Religioſus, ſperabam benè de ſalute animae meae, Cardinalis factus, extimui; Ponti ex creatus, penè deſpero. but being made a Cardinall, I began to be much afraid; but now bein Pope, I do even deſpaire. So, ſayes Cornelius, did Clement the eight, that followed after him, thinke of himſelfe. Thus by this example wee ſee what a dangerous thing it is, to bee raiſed in outward honour, and yet ſtill the ſpirit to continue baſe and vile.

7 Above all, you who are honourable and great in the world, you had need labour to bee gracious, becauſe ſin is more unſutable to your condition, than to others. It was the complaint of the Church, Lam. 4. 5. that thoſe who were brought up in Scarlet, did embrace the dung: How unſutable was this, to have the higheſt places, and the loweſt ſpirits? Bernard writing to a noble Virgin, who was godly, he ſayes, that others were cloathed with purple and ſilke, but their conſciences were poore & beggerly; they gliſtered with their Iewels, but were baſe in their manners; but you (ſayes he) without, are meanly clad, but within ſhine exceeding beautifull, not to Sedes prima vitâimâ. Bern. Indu untur purpurâ & Byſ •• , & ſubin de conſcientia pannoſa jacet; fulgent monilibus, moribus sordent, è contra tu foris pann • ſa, intus ſpectoſa reſplendes divinis aſpectibus, non humanis. Bern. ep. 113. ad Sophiam virginem nobilem. Plutarch. humane, but to Divine eyes. How unſutable was the one, but how comely and ſutable the other? It is reported of Scipio Aſricanus, that when he took new Carthage, he took a young Gentlewoman priſoner who was ſo faire that ſhe raviſhed all mens eyes; this Scipio then ſaid, If I were but a common ſouldier, I would enjoy this Damſell, but being Commander of an Armie, I will not meddle with her: and ſo preſerving her entire, reſtored her to her friends. Thus he, though a Heathen, thought wickedneſſe too meane for, and unſutable to greatneſſe. Sinne is uncomely any where, much more uncomely amongſt great ones; and grace is comely where ever it is, much more to the great ones of the earth. As Aeneas Sylvius was wont to ſay concerning learning, I may ſay the ſame concerning godlineſſe; Popular men ſhould eſteeme learning as ſilver, Noble men ſhould account it like Gold, and Princes ſhould prize it like Pearles. Thus if godlineſſe be as ſilver to ordinary men, it is to be accounted as gold and pearls to you. The Scripture compares beauty in a woman without wiſdom, to a Pearl-in a Swines ſnour, Pro. 11. 22. as a thing unſutable: Thus are all outward excellencies where there is not grace.

8 And would it not be a grievous thing to you, to ſee poore, inferiour, meane men and women to be lifted up to glory, & your ſelves caſt out, an eternall curſe? have not many of them moſt excellent pretious ſpirits? doe they not doe God farre more ſervice than you? doe they not bring more honor to his Name, than ever you did? Think then with your ſelves, Why ſhould God put thoſe who are of ſuch choice pretious ſpirits, into ſuch a low condition, and raiſe me to ſuch an high? Is it not becauſe he intends to give me my portion in this life, but reſerves better mercies for them afterwards? It would bee very grievous indeed if it ſhould prove ſo.

9 The hopes we have of the continuance of our peace in the happy enjoyment of thoſe pretious liberties of the Goſpel, that in ſo great mercy have been continued unto us, depends much upon the worke of Gods grace upon your ſouls: If God takes off your ſpirits from common vanities, the pleaſures of the fleſh, from the poore low things of the world, from your own private ends, and cauſes the feare of his great Name to fall upon them, and raiſeth them to the love of, and delight in the great things of godlineſſe, to be given up wholy to him, to lift up his great Name; we ſhall then look upon you as the joyfull hopes of our ſouls, that God ſtill doth & will delight in the bleſſing, peace & proſperity of his people: But if we ſee darkneſſe upon your ſpirits, then a diſmall night of darknes is upon us. As when we ſee it wax dark in the valleys, we ſay, it is towards night; if it begins to be dark upon the hills, it is nigh night; but if it be dark in the skie, it is night indeed: So where we ſee the workes of darkneſſe amongſt the people, it is a ſigne that a night is comming; but where we ſee them in thoſe of a higher ranke, in the Gentry, it makes us feare that the night is nearer; but if in the Nobility, and the great men, then it is a diſmall night indeed.

Wherefore be you exhorted in the Name of the Lord, to labour much that you may have more gracious and holy ſpirits than others, together with your dignities, whereby you are lifted up above others. Wee envie not your honours, we deſire that they may be raiſed higher by grace. Grace may well ſtand with the enjoyment of all your dignities, yea, grace is the only thing that bleſſeth them, and advanceth them.

And you whoſe ſpirits God hath raiſed above others, in the excellencies of your parts, and many excellent endowments of learning you have, who are men of larger underſtandings, of higher apprehenſions than others, and can looke upon ordinary men as low and meane in reſpect of the difference between your parts and theirs: Do you labour yet to raiſe your ſpirits higher by grace and godlineſſe, that as you differ from them in naturall excellencies, ſo you may differ from them much more in ſpirituall and divine? How eminent would you be in grace, if thoſe parts and abilities of learning you have, were ſanctified for God? What bleſſed inſtruments might you be of glory to God, of comfort and encouragement to his people? but otherwiſe your parts and gifts are poiſoned; a ſinfull wicked heart will poiſon all. It may be ſaid of many, as it was of Pope Eugenius the ſecond, he was a man of great Learning, and great Eloquence, with a mixture of great hypocriſie: If it may bee thus ſaid of any, He is a man indeed of excellent parts, very learned, of ſtrong abilities, but he hath a corrupt ſpirit; he is a man of a corrupt minde; ſurely theſe parts are all poiſoned; no marvell then, though ſuch men ſwell ſo much by reaſon of them. Parts unſanctified doe exceedingly enlarge mens ſpirits, to be ſo much the more capable of ſpirituall wickedneſſe, more than others of meaner and lower parts can be; your parts will aggravate all your ſinnes, and increaſe your damnation: It is a lamentable thing that ſuch excellent parts and abilities as many have, which might be of ſo great uſe, for God and his Church, yet that they ſhould vaniſh into froth.

It was the great complaint of one Robertus Gallus, a famous man, an oppoſer of the corruptions of thoſe times in which he lived, which was in the 13. Century: He compared the Schoole-Doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his ſides; yet notwithſtanding, he was gnawing hungerly on a flintſtone. Thus they, leaving the wholeſome food in the Scriptures, buſied themſelves with ſubtile queſtions, wherein there was no edification, or comfort to the ſoule; thus their excellent parts did all vaniſh into nothing. Now if it be ſo grievous a thing, for parts and learning to be imployed about meane and unworthy things, how much more grievous is it, when they are employed againſt God? Oh, what great cauſe have we then to pray for theſe men, whoſe ſpirits are raiſed by naturall parts? and how great cauſe have they themſelves to ſeeke God, and to uſe all meanes, that their ſpirits might bee likewiſe raiſed by grace, that, that great bleſſing of parts, and learning might be bleſſed to them, by Gods beſtowing upon them this other ſpirit? Oh conſider, what an opprobrious thing it is to you, that God ſhould have more feare, honour, ſervice, from men of lower, farre meaner, weaker abilities; That their hearts ſhould cloſe more with the wayes of godlineſſe; That their hearts ſhould be more enlarged towards God than yours; That they ſhould enjoy more heavenly, ſpirituall communion with God than you, Quam innumerabilis ex • ſtant & ſemper extiterint, qui ſint aut ſuerint ſine ulla doctrna boni, ex philoſophis autem perraro fuerit qui aliquid in vit • laude dignum ſecerit. Lact. li. 3. cap. 15. E • lib. 5. cap. 1. Nutant plurimi, & maximè qui literarum aliquid attigerint. yea, ſuch communion with God, as you are altogether unacquainted withall; And that at length their ſoules ſhould be ſaved, and for ever bleſſed, when yours ſhall be caſt out as filth, and an everlaſting abhorring from the preſence of the Lord: What a grievous thing will it be to you, when it ſhall appeare, that your parts ſhall ſerve for no other and than to enlarge your ſoules to be more capable of the wrath of God, than other men? for be you aſſured, that none are ſo filled with Gods wrath as knowing men.

It was the grievous complaint of S. Auſtin in his time; The unlearned, Surgunt indocti, & rapiunt coelum, & nos cum doctrinis noſtri • de rudimur in ge • en • am. ſayes he, riſe up, and take heaven by force, and we with all our learning, are thruſt down into hell. It is a ſpeech well knowne to Scholers; of how great uſe might it be, if God did ſettle it upon their hearts? And S. Bernard hath a ſpeech ſomewhat to the like purpoſe; Let the wiſe of the world, ſayes he, who minde high things, and yet feeding upon the earth, let them Smite ſapientes hujus ſaeculi alta ſapientes & terram lingentes, ſapienter deſc • ndera in In 〈…〉 rnum. Bern. de vita ſolitaria ad frat •• de Monte Dei. with their wiſdome goe downe into hell. And Luther hath a notable ſtory, which may be very uſefull for this purpoſe. It is in his writings upon the fourth Commandement, which he makes the third; It is to ſhew, how the holineſſe of the ſpirits of meane and unlearned men, ſhall confound great underſtanding learned men, where there is not the like godlineſſe.

In the time of the Councel of Conſtance, he tells us, There were two Cardinalls riding to the Councell, and in their journey they ſaw a ſhepherd in the field weeping; one of them pitying him, ſayes, that he could not paſſe by, but he muſt needs go to yonder man and comfort him; and comming neare to him, hee aſked him, why he wept? he was loath to tell him at firſt; but being urged, he told him, ſaying; I looking upon this Toad, conſidered that I had never praiſed God as I ought, for making mee ſuch an excellent creature as a man, comely and reaſonable; I have not bleſſed him, that hee made not me ſuch a deformed Toad as this. When the Cardinall heard this, hee was ſtruck with it, conſidering that hee had received greater mercies than this poore man; and he was ſo ſtruck, as hee fell downe preſently dead from his Mule; his ſervants lifting him up, and bringing him to the Citie, hee came to life againe, and then cried out; Oh Saint Auſtine, how truely didſt thou ſay; The unlearned riſe, and they take heaven, and we with all our learning, wallow in fleſh and bloud!

You therefore, whom God hath honoured with excellent parts, that you may not be thus confounded another day, before the Lord and his bleſſed Angels, and Saints, bee you reſtleſſe in your ſpirits, till you finde God hath added a further beautie to them, even the beautie of holineſſe, the ſanctifying graces of his Holy Spirit, that may make you lovely in his eyes, truely honourable before him, and for ever bleſſed of him. Take heed you reſt not either in gifts of learning, or in gifts of moralitie; the gifts of moralitie are yet a further ornament to mens ſpirits, but yet they come ſhort of thoſe divine excellencies of ſpirit, that will make it bleſſed for ever.

Wee reade of many, who were very eminent in morall excellencies, and yet altogether ſtrangers from the life of grace. As for example, Ioſephus lib. 15. c. 8. reports of Herod the King, that which would make one thinke, hee was raiſed to very high morall excellencies: once making a ſpeech to his Army, amongſt other paſſages he hath this; Perhaps ſome men will ſay, that right and equitie is on our ſide, but that the greater number of men, and meanes are with the other; but this their ſpeech is unworthy of my followers: for with thoſe with whom juſtice is, with thoſe alſo God is, and where God is, there neither wants multitude, nor fortitude. And Cap. 12. he reports of him, that in the time of a famine, he cauſed all his veſſels of gold and ſilver to bee melted, to buy corne withall for the reliefe of the poore. That Herod likewiſe which S. Luke ſpeakes of in the 12. Acts 23. who was ſmote by the Angel, and eaten of wormes, yet even this man had many excellent morall gifts: Ioſephus reports of him, That hee was a man of a moſt milde Ioſeph. lib. 19. cap. 7. diſpoſition, readie to helpe thoſe which were in adverſitie, free from outward groſſe defilements, and that there was no day paſt him, in which he did not offer Sacrifice; and for a teſtimony of his mild & gentle temper, he tels a notable ſtory of him, that when one Simon a Lawyer, in his abſence, had ſcandalized him with many grievous accuſations before the people; As that hee was a profane man, and that upon juſt cauſe he was forbidden to enter the Temple: when Herod was certified of theſe things, and came to the Theatre, he commanded that this Simon ſhould be brought to him, and would have him ſit downe next to him, and in peaceable and kinde manner hee ſpake thus to him, Tell me, I prethee, what thing thou ſeeſt fault-worthy, or contrary to the Law in me? This Simon not having any thing to anſwer, beſought him to pardon him; the King grew friends with him, and diſmiſſed him, beſtowing gifts on him. What a ſhame is this example to many Chriſtians? and yet wee would all be loath to bee in this mans condition. It is reported likewiſe of Titus, whom God made a grievous ſcourge to the Jewes, yet hee was ſo meeke, ſo liberall, ſo mercifull, of ſo milde and ſweet a nature, that he was uſually called, The love and delights of Am • r & deliciae humam generis. mankind: If hee had done no good in any day, hee would uſe to ſay, I have loſt this day. Suetonius tels of him, that hee was wont to uſe this ſpeech, That none ſhould goe away ſad from ſpeaking with a Prince. Excellent things are likewiſe reported of Trajan, he was accounted a patterne of upright dealing, in as much as when a new Emperour was afterwards elected, the people were wont to wiſh him The good ſucceſſe of Auguſtus, and the uprightneſſe of Trajanus: and yet the perſecution of Chriſtians under him was very grievous. It is likewiſe ſaid of Antoninus Philoſophus, that he was of ſuch a ſweet temper, that hee was never much puft up in proſperity, nor caſt downe in adverſitie.

Thus we ſee, men may have excellent gifts of morality, and yet all theſe but as the flowers that grow on brambles, far different from thoſe graces of this other ſpirit that wee ſpeake of, which only growes upon the tree of life: As many a faire flower may grow out of a ſtinking root, ſo many ſweet diſpoſitions, and faire actions may bee, where there is onely the corrupt root of nature. It is true, learning and moralitie are lovely, they are pearles highly to be eſteemed, they are great bleſſings of God; but there is a pearle of price that is beyond them all, which the true wiſe Merchant will labour to get, and will be content to ſell all to obtaine, as Matth. 13. 45, 46. And this pearle of price is that, by which this other ſpirit comes to be ſo excellent above all that learning and morality, or any common gifts can make it. It is ſaid in that place of S. Matthew, That the wiſe merchant ſought other goodly pearles: common gifts are to bee ſought after, as things that have much excellency in their kind; but it was that one pearle of great price that hee ſold all for: It is that grace of God in Chriſt, that raiſes the ſpirit above all other excellencies, and is to bee prized and ſought after above all things whatſoever. And that you may know, that there is a great deale of difference betweene naturall endowments, morall vertues, and true ſpirituall excellencies; that this other ſpirit is farre beyond the excellencies of theſe, take theſe notes of difference.

1 This other ſpirit is a renew • d ſpirit; A new ſpirit will I give ya, 1 ſaith the Lord, in 11. Ezek: 19. It doth not ariſe out of principles bid up with us; the Lord makes the ſpirit ſenſible of its natural corruption and weakeneſſe, and of the Almighty worke of his grace upon it. It 〈◊〉 made another ſpirit, by a high and ſupernaturall worke of God upon the ſoule, working a mighty change in it, creating new principles, new habits. Examine what change have you found in your ſpirits; if they be no other then ever have beene, yea; if the change be onely graduall, not eſſentiall, if it be onely the raiſing of ſome naturall principles, ſo as to enable you to live in ſomewhat a fairer way then you did; if it bee not the worke of God breaking your ſpirits in pieces, and making of them anew, if it bee not a new creation in you; ſurely then, yet, your ſpirits are void of that true bleſſed excellency, that this other ſpirit hath.

2 This other ſpirit workes from 2 God, and for God; it is ſenſible of the need it hath of continuall influence from heaven, & it drawes vertue and efficacy from God, conveying his grace to the ſoule, through that bleſſed covenant that hee hath made with the children of men in Jeſus Chriſt; & receiving thus grace from on high, it is acted up to God himſelfe, it lookes at God in what it doth, it is carried out of love to him, with unfained deſires to lift up his great Name. Morall vertues are wrought by that reaſonableneſſe the ſoule ſees in ſuch vertuous actions, and the higheſt pitch they reach to is, the love to that equity which appeares in them to a mans reaſon; and therefore the ſpirit of a man, that is raiſed no higher then theſe, bleſſeth it ſelfe rather then God in the exerciſe of them; It is farre from drawing any vertue from God, in a way of covenant of grace, or from denying it ſelfe, and returning all the praiſe, and honour to God.

Seneca was a man of as brave a ſpirit for Morality, almoſt as ever lived, and yet ſee how farre hee was from working from God, and for God; obſerve a ſtrange expreſſion of his in one of his Epiſtles: The cauſe Beata vitaecauſa et firmamentum eſt ſibi fidere; turpe eſt Deo; ſatigare▪ Quidvotis opus eſt: f •• te ſoelicem: bonam mentem ſtultum eſt opta re, cum poſſis à te impetr • re: •• tio recta et con ſummata falicitatem • o •• nis implevit. and foundation of a bleſſed life, is to truſt ones ſelfe, to bee confident in ones ſelfe; it is a ſhamefull thing to weary God, ſaith hee, in prayer for it. What needs prayer? Make thy ſelfe happy. Its a fooliſh thing to deſire a good mind, when thou mayeſt have it from thy ſelf: right reaſon is enough to fill up the happyneſſe of a man.

3 Where true ſpirituall excellency is, there is a connexion of all ſpirituall 3 excellencies, of all graces, Epheſ. 5. 9. The fruit of the ſpirit is in all goodneſſe, and righteouſneſſe, and truth, and the reaſon is, becauſe all are united in one root, namely in love to God, and holineſſe: The beauty and comelineſſe, that God puts upon the ſpirit in the worke of grace, is a perfect beauty and comlineſſe, Ezech. 16. 14. There is no grace wanting, there is all true ſpirituall bleſſings, Epheſ. 1. 3. Bleſſed bee God, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpirituall bleſsings; ſo the words are in your bookes, but in the Originall, bleſsings is in the ſingular number, with all ſpirituall bleſsing; there is all, and yet but one bleſſing; to note, that ſpirituall bleſſings are ſo knit together, that they all make up but one bleſſing: and therefore where there is one truely, there none can be wanting; there is ſuch grace as in the growth of it, it ſprings up to eternall life: There is ſuch a perfection as wants onely the ripening, and it would bee the ſame with the life in heaven; but where there wants any eſſentiall part, though it bee ripened never ſo much, let it grow up never ſo faſt, it will never come to be perfect. Thus if there be any worke of grace wanting, if there be any defect in the principle, though that, that be there, grow up never ſo faſt, yet it would never attain unto eternall life; Therefore in the work of ſanctification, where it is true, though it bee never ſo weake, yet there is this perfection, that there are all graces in it; but where there is onely a ſweet nature, where there is onely ſome morall worke upon the ſpirit, there are onely ſome particular excellencies; The moſt Morall man that ever lived, hath had ſome way of evill, that his ſpirit hath run out unto.

4 Where there are true ſpirituall 4 excellencies, there is an impulſe of heart, a ſtrong bent of ſpirit, in following after the Lord; there is ſuch a powerfull impreſſion of divine truths upon the ſoule, as preſſes it on with ſtrength in Gods wayes, ſo that it cannot eaſily bee hindered, as the Propher ſaith, Eſay 8 11. That the Lord ſpake to him with a ſtrong hand, that he ſhould not walke in the way of the people; ſuch a ſpirit hath not onely ſome deſires, and ſome wiſhes, to that which is good; but goes on bound in the ſpirit, as S. Paul ſayes of himſelfe; The love of Chriſt conſtraines him; there is a power of godlineſſe where it is true. When Eliah had caſt his Mantle upon Eliſha, the ſpirit of Eliſha was preſt to follow him, 1 King. 19. 19, 20. ſo that when Eliſha deſired leave of him to goe to his father and mother to take his leave of them, and ſaid, that then he would follow him, Eliah anſwershim, What have I done to thee? Eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance, to draw him after him; for what was the caſting of his Mantle upon him, to worke ſuch an effect in him? but together with the caſting of his Mantle, there went a ſpirit into Eliah, that hee could not but follow him: Such a powerfull worke is there in the ſanctifying graces of Gods Spirit, as with ſtrength to cauſe the ſoule to follow him; there is a law of the minde that hath power and command in it, as before there was a law of ſinne.

But where there are onely ſweet natures, there men are eaſily drawne one way, and as eaſily drawn the other way; they joyne with thoſe that are good in good actions, but their hearts are not ſo ſet on that they doe, but that they may bee eaſily taken off, and carried another way.

Fifthly, where there are onely 5 moral principles, there the ſoule ſees not into, is not ſenſible of, turnes not from the evill of ſinne, as the greateſt evill; it ſees not ſuch evill in it, as to make it ſubſcribe to the righteouſneſſe of God in all thoſe dreadfull things that are threatned againſt it, but thinkes they are too hard; Surely, God is not ſo ſevere a God; God forbid things ſhould bee ſo as thoſe wee read of in the Goſpell. When Chriſt ſpake that Parable concerning thoſe who ſmote the ſervants of the Lord of the Vineyard, Luke 20. 16. and told them, that the Lord ſhould come & deſtroy thoſe Huſbandmen, and give his Vineyard to others: It is ſaid, When they heard that, they ſaid, God forbid: So many when they heare the dreadfull wrath of God denounced againſt ſinne, they ſay, God forbid; they thinke indeed, that ſinne ought not to bee committed; but they doe not thinke it ſo great an evill, as to procure ſo great miſeries; but if their ſpirits were right, they would apprehend ſinne, as oppoſite to an infinite good, and ſo having a kind of infiniteneſſe of evill in it; they would not onely yeeld to the Juſtice of God revealed, but acknowledge, that there are greater and more fearefull miſeries due to it than can be conceived: yea, they would ſee cauſe, that if God ſhould bring thoſe evils upon them for their ſinne, that there is infinite equitie that they ſhould lay their hands upon their mouthes, and take ſhame to themſelves, and acknowledge the Lord to bee righteous for ever.

Sixthly, where there are onely naturall and morall excellencies, they 6 do not raiſe the ſoule to a love of the ſtricteſt wayes of God; they thinke of accurateneſſe and exactneſſe in Gods wayes to be but niceneſſe and too much preciſeneſſe; luke-warmeneſſe is the onely temper ſutable to them; they thinke wiſedome conſiſts in the remiſſion of godlines, not in the improvement of it; & what is beyond their temper, they judge as weaknes and folly; and it muſt needs bee that morall men muſt have ſuch thoughts of the ſtrictneſſe of the wayes of God, becauſe that good they have is ſuch as ariſes from the principles of naturall reaſon, and makes a naturall good its end; and therefore all their vertue and goodnes muſt be ſuch as muſt not ſtretch nature, but muſt be ſubſerviet to that naturall good they frame to themſelves. Now the obſerving of ſome Rules and Duties of Religion, will ſuite well with this; and ſo farre they approve and like well of Religion: and here they ſticke, and thinke any thing that is further than this, is folly, and more than needs. The worke of godlineſſe in the power of it, muſt needs be diſtaſtefull to them, becauſe it ſeekes to empty a man of himſelf, to cauſe him to deny himſelfe; to fetch all from principles beyond himſelfe, & to be for a higher good than himſelfe is, which is an infinite good: and therefore, if it were poſſible, it would work infinitely towards it, but howſoever, it will ſet no limits to it ſelfe.

Seventhly, where there is onely nature or morality, there is no ſenſe 7 of the breathings of Gods Spirit in his Ordinances; the Ordinances are dead and flat things to them: a meere morall man can like well enough of preſenting himſelfe in the Ordinances, but he feeles no vertue in them, no impreſſion that they worke upon him, that abides on his ſpirit after the Ordinances are done; he knowes not what it is to enjoy God in them, he knowes not what it is to ſtirre up himſelfe to take hold on God in the exerciſe of them; thoſe excellencies that hee hath, are not drawne out, maintained or increaſed by ſpirituall objects and duties; but it is otherwiſe where true ſpiritual excellencies are; ſuch a one goes to Ordinances and holy duties with expectation to meet with the Lord there: Hee can diſcerne and feele the gracious preſence of the Lord; he findes the Spirit of the Lord breathing graciouſly upon his ſpirit, and rofreſhing his ſoule with much quickening, and life and ſweetneſſe; hee findes his ſpirit drawne out by them, his heart much inlarged, his graces much increaſed in the uſe of them; or if at ſome times he wants this, then hee is ſenſible of the want of it, of that difference that now hee feeles betweene that which ſometimes hee hath had, and that which now hee wants; but the other is ſenſible of no ſuch want, all times are alike with him.

Thus you ſee how you may examine your ſpirits, whether the excellencies of them be naturall, whether they be onely morall, or truely ſpirituall. By theſe Notes you may ſee, that to bee true of your ſelves, that our Saviour ſaid to his Diſciples in another caſe; You know not of what ſpirit you are. Though God hath given you many excellent bleſſings, beautified your ſpirits with many excellents endowments, which are in themſelves lovely & deſirable; yet he hath not raiſed your ſpirits to that true ſpirituall excellency that he uſeth to raiſe the ſpirits of his people unto, even in this world. There are yet other higher excellencies to be attained to, to be ſought after, without which all the other you have will vaniſh, and never bring up your ſoules to the enjoyment of God as yours in Chriſt.

But what ſhould be done that we Queſt. may get another ſpirit?

Worke what you can upon your Anſ. hearts what ever truth may further 1 convince you, of the difference of ſpirits; that you may bee throughly convinced, that there is indeed a vaſt eſſentiall difference, and that you may ſee into the evill of your ſpirits, and bee ſenſible of the want of this true ſpirituall excellency, and lie downe before God dejected, and humbled in the ſight thereof.

Secondly, bee much in the company 2 of the godly. When Saul was among the Prophets, the Spirit of God came upon him, & he began to propheſie too. Elijah told Eliſha, that if he were with him when he was taken up, then hee ſhould have his ſpirit come upon him; wherefore Eliſha kept cloſe to him, & would by no meanes leave his company. By being much in the company of the godly, you will come to ſee ſome beams of the excellency of their ſpirits ſhine out to you, whereby you will ſee that your ſpirits are not like theirs; that they are in a happier condition than you; that they are men in a nearer reference to God than you; you will ſoone diſcerne, that ſurely the world is miſtaken in theſe men.

Thirdly, frequent the Ordinances 3 of God, where the Spirit uſes to breath; ſet your ſoules before the worke of Gods Spirit: The Spirit breaths where it liſteth, therefore it muſt bee attended upon in thoſe wayes which it ſelf chuſeth. Though your ſpirits bee never ſo dead, and polluted, who knowes but that at length in the attending upon God in his way, the Spirit of God may breath upon you, may breath in you the breath of life? it hath breath'd upon as dead, polluted ſpirits as yours, and it hath cleanſed them, ſanctified them, it hath filled them full of ſpirituall and glorious excellencies.

Fourthly, nouriſh and make good uſe of thoſe common workes of 4 Gods Spirit you have already; they have much excellency in them; & if they be not reſted in, but improved, they may be very ſerviceable for the worke of Gods grace; but as Chriſt ſayes of the riches of the world, If you bee not faithfull in them, who will truſt you with the true riches; ſo if you be not carefull to make uſe of the common works of Gods Spirit, how can it be expected that the Lord ſhould bleſſe you with further mercy this way? Bee ſure you doe not wilfully go againſt the rules of right reaſon you are convinced of; do not darken that light of reaſon that God hath ſet up in you; do not extinguiſh thoſe ſparkes in naturall conſcience that God hath kindled there; do not dead thoſe principles you have received in your education; uſe that ſtrength of reaſon, reſolution, and naturall conſcience you have, to keepe in your ſpirits, that they bee not let out to feed upon ſinfull delights. With what face can you complaine of weakneſſe, and yet feed your diſtempers? There is little hope of ſuch as have extinguiſhed the light of their common principles, which once they had in an eminent māner; their light of reaſon once was at leaſt as a faire Candle-light, but now it is like the ſnuffe in a ſocket, almoſt drowned & quenched with their filthy luſts. How juſt with God were it, that theſe men ſhould be left to die and periſh for ever in their filth?

Fifthly, ſeek earneſtly from God to renew, to ſanctifie your ſpirits; it is 5 he that is the Father of ſpirits, and the ſpirit of man is under no other power, but the power of God himſelfe; and he hath the command of all, and with him there is abundance of ſpirit, and he is willing; yea, hee hath promiſed to give his Spirit to them that aske it, Luke 11. 13.

But you will ſay, how can I pray Queſt. without the Spirit?

I anſwer, put thy ſelfe upon prayer, and who knowes but aſſiſtance and Anſ. bleſſing may come? preſent thy ſelfe before the Lord, tell him what thou apprehendeſt of the vileneſſe, of the filthineſſe of thy ſpirit; what convictions thou haſt of the neceſſitie of the renewing of it, of the excellencie thou ſeeſt in the ſpirits of his ſervants; tell him of thoſe deſires thou haſt to be bleſſed with ſuch a ſpirit: O Lord, thou haſt given me many bodily bleſſings, great bleſſings of my eſtate more than others, many excellent gifts; but Lord there are other mercies my ſoule wants; Oh that thou wouldeſt give me another ſpirit! As this Caleb, Ioſhua 15. 19. gave his daughter Aohſah a bleſſing, namely, the upper ſprings, and the neither ſpring, ſo doe thou ſeeke of God, that as he hath given thee the bleſſing of the nether ſprings, ſo hee may give thee the bleſſing of the upper; namely, that he may bleſſe thy ſoule with true ſpirituall bleſſings.

Sixtly, be ſure thou lookeſt up to 6 God in Chriſt, to ſeek this mercy in him; look on him as annoynted by the Father with the fulneſſe of the Spirit; look to him in whom all the fulneſſe of the God-head dwels bodily, that out of this fulneſſe, ſpirituall bleſſings may bee conveyed to thee; for otherwiſe whatſoever thou ſeekeſt for of God, and not in this way, thou ſeekeſt but in a naturall way.

Seventhly, be carefull to obſerve 7 the beginnings of thoſe ſpeciall ſtirrings of Gods Spirit in thee, thoſe gales that ſometimes thou mayeſt feele, and then put on what poſſibly thou canſt; then ſollow the work of Gods grace, make much of ſuch beginnings, give up thy ſelfe to the power of them; turne the motions of Gods Spirit into purpoſes, and thoſe purpoſes into endevours, and thoſe endevours into performances, and ſeeke that thoſe performances may bee eſtabliſhed. Wee doe not know what we loſe, when at any time we loſe the ſtirrings of Gods Spirit in our hearts. Who knowes but that thy eternall eſtate may depend upon thoſe ſparkes that hee is now kindling in theé? It is a great wickednes to ſtifle the child in the wombe, when it is new conceived; and is it not a great wickednes to ſtifle thoſe bleſſed motions that are conceived by the worke of the Holy Ghoſt? And for a concluſion of this point, let thy ſpirit be for ever reſtleſſe untill thou feeleſt God graciouſly comming in unto thee; let no mercie ſatisfie thee, till God gives thee ſoule-mercies, and bleſſes thee with his choice ſpirituall bleſſings, ſuch as are peculiar to thoſe who are good in his eyes.

CAP. 1.

〈…〉 t is for a man to follow God fully.

THe ſecond Doctrine follows, which is this; It Doct. 2. is the high praiſe of ſervants that they follow God fully: This is their co • mendation, that they have their hearts come fully off in the wayes of obedience, to fulfill the good will of the Lord; this is that perfect heart which God ſo often calls for in Scripture, and for which ſo many of Gods ſervants are commended in the Word; as, Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me, ſaith God to Abraham, and be thou perfect. Deut. 18. 13. Thou ſhalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. This Noah is commended for, Gen. 6. 9. He was a juſt man, and perfect in his generations: ſo Iob, Chap. 1. 1. He was perfect and upright. The want of this was the ſtaine and blot upon Salomon, 1 King. 11. 6. the Text there ſayes, he went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father: This likewiſe was the ſtaine of the Church of Sardis, Revel. 3. 2. I have not found thy wayes perfect; the wo • ds are, I have not found thy wayes 〈…〉 thou haſt not filled up thy 〈…〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . following me; ſomthing ind 〈…〉 ou haſt done, but thou haſt not followed me fully. To have a heart ful of goodneſſe, as S. Paul teſtifies of the Romanes, Chap. 15. verſ. 14. and to have a life full of good workes, as, Acts 9. 33. is witneſſed of Tabitha. This is the excellencie of a godly man, this is the true declaration of the excellencie of that ſpirit, wherein this glory doth conſiſt.

In this Argument we ſhall firſt ſhew, what it is to follow God fully, 1 or what the frame of the ſpirit is in the following the Lord fully.

Secondly, wherein the true excellencie 2 of this lies.

Thirdly, apply it.

For the firſt, take this Caution premiſed; 3 When we ſpeak of a fulneſſe in following the Lord, wee doe not mean a legall fulneſſe, ſuch a fulneſſe wherein there is no want or imperfection: not to ſinne, is here onely our law, in heaven it ſhall be our reward. Bu • • here is a true following of the 〈…〉 , that is even in this life to b • ••• a • ned unto, an Evangelicall fulneſſe, and that is the fulneſſe that we are to ſpeake of. The Goſpel requires perfection as well as the Law, though in a different manner: and this is,

Firſt, a fulneſſe of all graces; though not the degree of all graces, yet the truth of every grace: There is no grace wanting, where this Evangelicall fulneſſe is.

Secondly, there is no want, no not of any degree, wherein the ſoule reſts; there is ſuch a perfection as the ſoule takes no liberty to it ſelfe to faile in any thing.

Thirdly, there are ſincere aymes, as in the ſight of God, to attain to the higheſt perfection, the full meaſure of holineſſe; and,

Fourthly, there is that uprightneſſe of the ſoule, as it doth not onely deſire and endeavoure to attaine, but doth indeed attaine to the truth of that I ſhall deliver.

Firſt, the heart is fully ſet and reſolved for God, there is fuln 〈…〉 of 1 reſolution; ſo the Septuag 〈…〉 ſlates that place in Ioſhuah 14. verſ. 8 where Caleb ſpeakes of his following of God fully; they turne it thus, I decreed, I determined to follow him: The heart is fully taken off from ſhiftings, from hankerings after other 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . things, from the ingagements that before it had; from diſputings reaſonings for the wayes of the fleſh: it doth not hang betweene two, as unſetled, irreſolved, wavering; but is truly and fully taken off, and the reſolutions are fully ſet upon, and for the wayes of God. Many have ſome cōvictions, ſome ſtirrings, ſome makings towards the wayes of God, ſome approbation of them; thinking with themſelves, it were well, if wee could doe thus: Surely, they are the beſt men who can doe thus; but ſtill ſome ingagement holds them faſt; they have thoughts flitting up and downe; they would and they would not; they could like well, were it not for this thing and that thing; this inco 〈…〉 ience and the other trouble w 〈…〉 follow; and ſo they delay and put off, and think, it may be they may hereafter doe better; their good deſires and inclinations they hope, may ſerve turne for the preſent. And thus they ſtand baffling with God and their owne ſoules: they are, as Seneca ſpeakes of ſome, alwayes about Semper victuri. to live: But this ſoule who fully followes God, is fully broken off from former wayes, the thoughts of it are come to a determinate iſſue; it is reſolved againſt them whatſoever becomes of it; reſolved to liſten no more after the reaſonings of fleſh and blood, as S. Paul ſayes of himſelfe, Gal. 1. 15, 16. that after it pleaſed God to call him by his grace, and to reveale his Son in him, immediately he conferred not with fleſh and blood. Many are a great while before they be thus fully taken off; they are as Agrippa, Acts 26. 28. almoſt perſwaded to become Chriſtians; the truths of God doe move them, They doe ſuadere, but not perſuadere. but not throughly perſwade them; they ſtrive with them, but d • not throughly vanquiſh them. The • pirit of God leaves ſome in the very birth, that there is never ſtrength to bring forth; but it is a moſt bleſſed thing, when the heart comes off kindly and fully; now it is not ſo ready to raiſe objections againſt the wayes of God, nor to hearken to objections raiſed by others, as it was before: When the fire is fully kindled; there is little ſmoke, at the firſt the ſmoke riſes thicke, that we can ſee no fire: The reaſon of ſo many arguings, and objections of the fleſh, is becauſe the heart is not fully taken off. Tertullian hath a notable expreſſion to this purpoſe: How wiſe an Quàm ſapiens Argum • ntatrix •• bi videtur arroga 〈…〉 h 〈…〉 na▪ 〈◊〉 praeſertim cum aliquid de gaud • is ſaec 〈…〉 me • uit am •• tere! Tertul. de ſpect • c. cap. 2. Arguer, ſayes he, doth the pride of man ſeeme to it ſelfe, when it is afraid to loſe ſome of worldly joyes! It is the engagement of mans heart to his luſt, that makes him thinke there is any ſtrength in thoſe objections and reaſonings, that he hath in his heart againſt Gods wayes; when the heart is taken off, they vaniſh of themſel 〈…〉 ▪

2 There is a fulneſſe of all the faculties of the ſoule working after 2 God; full apprehenſions, full affections; the ſoul is filled with the will of God, as Col. 4. 12. That yee may ſtand perfect, and full in all the will of God, as the ſailes ſilled with the winde; My ſoule and all that is within me praiſe the Lord, ſaith David. As it is in giving men full poſſeſſion of a houſe; they give up the keyes of every roome; ſo here the ſoule gives up every faculty to God; the whole ſoule opens it ſelfe, to receive the Lord and his truth. There is a loving the Lord with all the mind, with all the heart, and with all the ſoule; there is a ſpirituall life, quickning every faculty; there is a ſanctification throughout every faculty, though no faculty be throughly ſanctified.

3 The ſoule followes God fully, in regard of the true indeavours of 3 it, to put forth what ſtrength it hath in following the Lord; all the faculties worke, and it is not ſatisfied, that they ſhould worke remiſſely, 〈…〉 it would have them worke ferv 〈…〉 y, and powerfully, as David, Pſal. 63. 8 My ſoule followes hard after thee: there is a panting of the heart, a gaſping of the ſpirit after the Lord; As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoule after thee, O God, ſaith David, Pſ. 42. 1. My heart breaketh for the longing it hath unto thy judgements, Pſal. 119. 20. The ſpirit boils in fervor while it is ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord. Eſay 26. 9. With my ſoule, ſaith the Prophet, I have deſired thee, and with my ſpirit within me will I ſeek thee. This ſoule doth not only love God, with all the mind, and with all the heart, but with all the ſtrength too; there is no ſtrength reſerved for any thing elſe, but the Lord.

4 The ſoule that fully followes 4 the Lord, followes him without delay, in the uſe of all meanes, and in all the wayes of his Commandements; the delaying and putting off, is an argument of remiſſeneſſe. Davids▪ ſoule followed hard after the Lord, as you heard before in the 63. Pſalme: and this made him ſeeke the Lord early, Verſe 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeeke thee, ſaith lie; the preſent time is the ſulneſſe of time with ſuch a ſoule. We reade of Haman, Eſter 3. 5. that he was full of wrath, and hence he procures, that the Poſts ſhould bee haſtened about his worke in deſtroying the Jewes, Verſe 15. And it ſets upon all means, what way ſoever it may be brought neare to God, either by ordinary meanes, or elſe by extraordinary; uſeth all ordinances conſcionably in their ſeaſon, will abſtaine from all occaſions of evill, avoids all hinderances, in that which is good; if he knowes any thing may further him in the bringing of his heart nearer to God, he readily and thankfully embraces it, and makes uſe of it; hee uſeth all meanes, and yet reſteth not in any meanes.

5 Againe, a ſoule that followes 5 God fully, followes him in all the wayes of his Commandments is the Lord ſaith of David, Act. 13. 22. That hee had found a man 〈◊〉 would ſul • ll 〈◊〉 has will; in the Originall, the word is in the plurall number; That would fulfill all his wils. There are many reaſons that many give, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 why David was called, A man after Gods owne heart: Some thinke, becauſe hee was ſo broken a hearted man: Others, becauſe he had ſuch a thankfull heart; but this Scripture reſolves us, for God ſayes, That hee had found a man after his owne heart, and gives that reaſon of it, becauſe hee would fulfill all his wills. This ſoule deſires to fulfill all righteouſneſſe, as Chriſt ſaith of himſelfe, It became him to fulfill all righteouſneſſe. It deſires to yeeld obedience to God, and to be holy in all manner of converſation, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, in 1 Pet. 1. 15. Then ſhal not I be aſhamed, ſaith David, when I have reſpect unto all thy Commandements, Pſal. 119. 6. Wee have a notable place for this univerſalitie of obedience in the 1. Coloſſ. 9, 10, 11. We pray, ſaith the Apoſtle, that yee might be fulfilled in all knowledge of his will, in all wiſedome, that yee might walke worthy of the Lord, and pleaſe him in all things, being fruitfull in all good works, ſtrengthened with all might, through his glorious power, to all patience: there are ſix alls together in this Scripture. A heart that is fully for God, is for all Gods wayes, in all things; it is not willing to baulke any way of God. Zachariah and Elizabeth were two choyce ſpirits indeed, and this was their honour, that they walked with God in all the Commandements, and Ordinances of the Lord blameleſſe, Luke 1. verſ. 6.

1 It is willing to follow the Lord 1 in difficult duties, when it muſt put the fleſh to it, in duties that require paines, much labour, that cannot be done without ſome hard things attending on them. God hath ſome hard peeces of ſervices to put his people upon, to try the uprightneſſe of their hearts, the ſinceritie and power of their loves to him in; and God takes it exceeding well when they will follow him in ſuch duties; As that hard peece of ſervice he put Abraham upon, in offering his ſonne, when Abraham was willing to follow him in that, Now, ſaith hee, I know thou loveſt mee: It is nothing to follow God in ſuch duties, as will ſo ſuit with us, wherein we need put our ſelves to no trouble; many are well content with ſuch duties, and ſeeme to yeeld to God in them; but goe beyond thoſe, and put them upon further, and they ſtirre not; but as the ruſtie hand of a Diall, if you come at that time of the day, wherein the houre falls out the ſame, at which the hand ſtands, it ſeemes to goe right, but if you paſſe that time, the hand ſtands yet ſtill, it goes no further than it did, and ſo ſhewes the Diall not to be good: So here, when it fals out ſo, that a duty is enjoyned, which is ſutable to a mans mind, and ends, he will readily yeeld to it, and ſeeme as if hee made conſcience of obedience to God in it; but if you put him on further, in duties that are not ſo ſutable to him, there he ſtirres not, becauſe of the difficulty which he ſees in them, and in this he ſhewes the falſeneſſe of his heart, that hee doth not follow God fully.

2 Againe, one that followes God 2 fully, will follow him in diſcountenanced duties. Some duties are liked well enough of in the world, for reaſon tels every man, God muſt have ſome ſervice; and ſome generall way of ſerving of God, all rationall men approve of; and if God would require a man to follow him, in no other duties but theſe, it were fine; but there are ſome others that will make him to be obſerved; ſome, in which if he followes the Lord, hee ſhall be reckoned amongſt ſuch kind of men, of whoſe number hee doth not like to bee accounted one; hee knowes they are diſcountenanced, and deſpiſed, and this hee cannot beare, and therefore thoſe are duties hee hath no minde unto, and then thinketh with himſelfe, Why may not my obedience in other things ſerve the turne?

3 And yet further, one that is willing 3 to follow God fully in all duties, hee will follow him in thoſe where he ſees no reaſon, but the • are command of God; it is enough to him, that they are commanded of God; it is not for the Lord to give account of his wayes, to his creatures; Audaciam existimo de bono divini praecepti diſputare, n •• quia bonum est auſcultare d 〈…〉 mus, ſed quia Deus praec • pit Tertul. de poenit. it is enough for us, that hee bids us follow him; abſolute obedience is that which is our dutie; there is alwayes reaſon enough in Gods will; but whether we ſee it, or ſee it not, if we can but ſee the Commandement, it is enough for us; we take too much upon us, to diſpute about the reaſon of things with God, wee muſt not be Judges of the Law, but doers of it. Saul could ſee no reaſon, why he might not ſpare the beſt of the cattle, eſpecially when he did it to keep them for ſacrifice, but it coſt him his Kingdome; God rejected him for it, and told him, Obedience was better than ſacrifice. Luther Mallem obedire quàm miracula ſacere. ſaith, He had rather obey than work miracles. And Caſsianus reports of one Iohannes Abbas, who when hee was young, was willing for a whole Caſsianus l. 4. cap. 24. yeare together, to fetch water every day neare two miles, to water a drie ſticke, becauſe hee was commanded ſo to doe; hee thought it reaſon enough to doe things unreaſonable, to ſhew his obedience unto man, whoſe will is many times unreaſonable; how much more reaſon is there then that we ſhould ſhew our obedience to God, in duties, where through our weakneſſe we cannot ſee the reaſon, when we may be ſure that there is alwayes reaſon enough, if we were able to ſee it?

Fourthly, and yet further, the ſoule that is willing to follow God 4 in all duties, wil follow him in Commandements that are accounted little Commandements: God expects faithfulneſſe in little things; God prizes every tittle of his Law more worth than heaven and earth, howſoever wee may ſleight many things in it, and think them too ſmall to put any great bond upon us. Chriſt ſaith, that, Heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away, but not one jot or tittle of his Word. As if he ſhould ſay, If Heaven and earth were in one ballance, and any jot or tittle of my Word in another, and if one of them muſt needs periſh, I had rather that Heaven and earth ſhould periſh, than that one jot or tittle of my Word ſhould faile: The Authority of Heaven puts weight on things, that are never ſo little in themſelves. If mans authority doe this, how much more Divine? Man cannot beare diſobedience in little things; though the things be very ſmall in themſelves, yet if commanded by Authority, it is juſtly expected that they ſhould be much regarded. Shall mans authority make ſmall things to be accounted great, and ſhall Gods Authority doe nothing? Obedience in ſmall things is due to Magiſtrates, much more to God: Give to Caeſar the things that are Caeſars, and to God the things that are Gods, Matth, 22. 21. It is obſervable in that place, the Article is twice repeated in the Greeke Text, when hee ſpeaks of God, more than when he ſpeakes of Caeſar: ſhewing, that our eſpeciall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . care ſhould be to give God his due.

Fiftly and laſtly, not to inſtance in more particulars, the ſoule that followes God fully in all duties, is willing 5 to follow him in duties wherein it muſt go alone; it is willing to follow God in folitary paths. Many men, were it that they might have company in the way, in following the Lord, they would be content; but to go all alone in ſuch ſolitary wayes, wherein they can ſee none goe before them, wherein they can have none along with them, few or none are like to follow after them; this is tedious. But a childe of God thinkes he hath enough, in that he hath God with him, that he walkes along with God; this is company enough, let the way be what it will be: As David, Pſal. 23. 4. Though I walke through the valley of the ſhadow of death, yet thou art with me. God promiſes that he will goe before his people; that is enough, though there be none elſe. It is true, company in Gods wayes is delightfull, and it is a ſad thing, that there is ſo little a tract in Gods paths. It was the complaint of Gods people, Lam. 1. 4. that the wayes of Sion did mourne, becauſe none came in them. But if company cannot be had, it is enough we have the Lord. 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my firſt anſwer, ſaith S. Paul, no man ſtood with me, but all men forſook me, notwithſtanding the Lord ſtood with me. Elijah thought he was left alone, he could ſee no man goe that way hee did; yet he continues in his fervour and zeale, following the Lord. Indeed we ſhould the rather follow the Lord, becauſe we ſee ſo few follow him: What? ſhall he have none to follow him? as Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, when many forſook him, Will you alſo forſake me?

Thus you ſee by theſe ſeverall inſtances in difficult duties, in diſcountenanced duties, in duties wherein we can ſee no reaſon, but a bare command, in duties that ſeeme to be ſmall and little, and in duties, wherein if we follow God we muſt follow him alone; that the ſoule that followes God fully, will follow him in theſe, and ſo by the ſame reaſon in all other duties that God ſhall require, to follow him in: And this is that pretious choice ſpirit we ſpake of before, which ſhewes it in this, that it is thus willing to follow God fully. You know it is requir'd of us to be perfect, as God himſelf is perfect, to bee holy as God is holy; yea, this the Goſpell requires of us; but how can that be? Yes, thus; Gods perfection and holineſſe is made known to us in his will, in his Commandements; now look how large they are ſet forth to us in theſe, ſo large muſt our obedience be: though we cannot attaine to the degree, yet our hearts muſt inlarge thēſelves to the things, to what ever part of Gods will, God makes knowne his perfection and holineſſe by. Thy Commandement is very broad, ſaith David, yet godlineſſe inlargeth the heart to every duty it cals for: there is a grace within the ſoule ſutable to every duty the law requires.

It may be this is indeed, may ſome thinke, in thoſe who are eminent in grace, upon whom God hath beſtowed a great meaſure of his Spirit; but is this in every one that hath any truth? Wherefore for anſwer let us know, there is this perfection, or elſe there is no truth at all; onely remember, I doe not ſpeake now of the perfection of degrees; in this cōſiſts the right ſtraightnes of a mans heart. A ſtraight line wil touch with another ſtraight line in every point, but a crooked line wil not, it toucheth but only here & there in ſome: ſo ſtraight hearts will joyne with Gods law in every part, but crooked and perverſe hearts, onely in ſome, onely ſo farre as may ſerve their owne turnes. In this conſiſts the true plainneſſe of a mans ſpirit: you know, plaine things will joyne likewiſe in every point one with another, but round and rugged things will not: ſo proud, ſowlne hearts, and rugged ſpirits will not cloſe fully with Gods truths; but where there is plainneſſe of ſpirit, there is a full cloſing, a thorow union. There is a great dangerous miſtake about this point, which yet is a generall miſtake; multitudes of people miſcarry everlaſtingly upon this miſtake; they think becauſe we cannot in this life attain to the perfection of holineſſe in the degrees, therefore there is no perfection at all neceſſary, but that they may be ſaved without it: they think therfore that if they do ſome good things, if they obey ſome Commandements, it is ſufficient, though they take liberty to themſelves in other things; they finde they can yeeld in ſomething; yet other things of Gods will are exceedingly unſutable unto thē. Be convinced of your miſtake herein: a godly man indeed is weak, and cannot attain to the performance of every part of Gods will, but the frame of his heart is to every part; every part is ſutable to his ſpirit: He eſteemes all the Precepts of God concerning all things to be right, and he hates every falſe way. He findes the Law of God in the latitude of it, Pſal. 119. 128. written in his heart; there is no command of God that is not dearer to him than all the world. Marke that place in Iob, Chap. 8. verſe 20. God will not caſt away the perfect man, neither will he helpe the evill doers: The perfect man is oppoſed to the evill doers, who ſhall be caſt away. If you be not perfect in this ſenſe that hath been ſpoken of, then you are an evill doer, who muſt be caſt away, how glorious ſoever many of your actions may ſeeme to be. That place in Ezechiel, Chap. 18. verſe 21. that is uſually taken for the place of the greateſt mercy in all the Scripture, & by many is exceedingly abuſed; yet ſee what that requires of men in their repentance: the words are uſually taken up thus, At what time ſoever a ſinner repents him of his ſin, I will blot out all his iniquities, ſaith the Lord. There are not thoſe very words in any place of Scripture, but there are to the like effect, which are in this place of Ezechiel: And in no other place is Gods mercy to a ſinner, more fully revealed: There is no Text in Scripture comes nearer to that which men ordinarily take up, than that verſe and the 27. 28. verſes in the ſame Chapter: and ſee what of Gods mind wee have made knowne there; the words of the Scripture are thus, If the wicked will turne from all his ſinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all myſtatutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he ſhall ſurely live: and againe, Verſe 28. Becauſe he conſidereth, and turnes from all his tranſgreſſions. Thus you ſee, that God in the largeſt promiſes of his mercy to thoſe who have the leaſt meaſure of grace, he requires the turning from all ſinnes, and the keeping of all his Statutes: and this God brings to ſhew the infinite equity of his wayes towards ſinners. As if he ſhould ſay, Except this be, no mans conſcience in the world but muſt acknowledge it to bee infinitely juſt and equall, that he ſhould periſh everlaſtingly; if there bee any way of wickedneſſe reſerved, if any ſtatute of mine bee neglected, if he thinks to have mercy without an univerſall turning from his ſin, without an univerſall obedience; his conſcience will tell him, that it is an unequall and unreaſonable thing, that hee ſhould ever expect it. And yet further, becauſe you think that this univerſalitie of obedience ſhould be expected only from ſome who are eminent in grace, who have attained to a great meaſure of godlineſſe; conſider what is required of poore widdowes, 1 Tim. 5. 10. They muſt diligently follow every good work.

Firſt, they muſt not onely have good deſires, but good works. Secondly, they muſt follow good works. Thirdly, they muſt diligently follow them. Fourthly, they muſt diligently follow every good work.

And fifthly, they muſt ſo follow, as they muſt be well reported of for it.

Yea, ſixthly, they muſt doe all this, or els they muſt not be received into the Church. Surely, then it is a ſhame for any man, eſpecially of parts and abilities, to plead weakneſſe, when ſo much is required of poore women; certainly it is not weaknes, but falſeneſſe of heart, that is contrary to univerſalitie of obedience, to the following of the Lord fully in this reſpect. The Veſſell of honour is diſtinguiſhed from the veſſel of diſhonour, 2 Tim. 2. 21. by this Character, that it is one that is ſanctified and prepared for every good worke. You know what S. Iames ſaith, Chap. 1. verſe 26. If any man ſeeme to be religious, and bridle not his tongue, but deceives his owne heart, this mans religion is in vaine. It is an heavie cenſure, that all a mans religion is in vain for one fault, and that but for a fault in the tongue; and yet this is the cenſure of the Holy Ghoſt. No queſtion, ſuch men who were guilty herein, would reaſon thus with themſelves, We cannot be perfect in this life, we doe performe many duties of religion; & therefore we hope though we faile in this one thing, that yet we ſhall doe well enough, God will accept of us. No, ſaith S. Iames, hee deceives his owne heart; ſuch a one ſhall never be accepted. To the like effect is that of our Saviour, Iohn 5. 44. How can you beleeve on me, which receive honour one of another? This was enough to keep thē off for ever from Chriſt; and yet this was but an inward ſin, no outward groſſe crying ſin in the eſteem of the world. Let a man be never ſo glorious in never ſo many duties of Religion, yet certainly the giving liberty to himſelfe in any one luſt, is enough to keepe him off for ever from God, from partaking of good in him. As if a wife be never ſo officious to her husband, yeelding to him in never ſo many things, ſeeking to give him content in his deſires never ſo many wayes, yet if ſhe entertaines any other lover beſides himſelfe, it is enough to alienate his ſpirit from her for ever.

That which God ſayes to Salomon, 1 King. 9. 4. is very obſervable to our purpoſe: After Salomon had finiſhed that glorious Temple, for the honour of the Lord, after he had aſſembled all the Elders of Iſrael, all the heads of the Tribes, the chiefe of the Fathers of the children of Iſrael, to bring up the Arke of the Lord with all ſolemnitie, to that Temple he had made for it, after hee had made ſuch an excellent prayer before all the people; and when that was done, that hee might ſhew his further reſpect unto the Lord, he offered to the Lord two and twentie thouſand Oxen, and one hundred and twenty thouſand ſheepe, and in his rejoycing in this great worke, hee made a great feaſt to the people ſeven dayes, and to them he added ſeven dayes more, and ſent away the people with joyfull and glad hearts: Here were great things done in honour to God, yet all this would not ſerve Salomons turne, but Chap. 9. 4. After all this, God ſayes to him, If thou wil • walke before mee, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart and uprightneſſe, to doe according to all that I have commanded thee, then I will eſtabliſh the Throne of thy Kingdome: As if hee ſhould have ſaid, Doe not thinke to put me off with any thing thou haſt done; though the things be great things, yet I expect walking according to all that I have commanded thee, or elſe all is nothing; And therefore, as before you heard, he was charged by God, Chap. 11. 6. that hee did not goe fully after the Lord: One would have thought thoſe glorious actions that he did, had been enough to have got him the commendation of going fully after God; but we ſee it would not be: there muſt bee beſides theſe, a walking according to all that God commands, a keeping his Statutes, and his judgements, yea, and that is obſervable that wee have in the 6. verſe of this 9. Chapter, where God ſayes after all this, That if you ſhall at all turne from following me, you, or your children, &c. then will I cut off Iſrael. Wee muſt take heed of the leaſt failing in our following the Lord. God threatens Salomon, after he had done ſo much, that if hee did at all turne from following him, hee would cut him off. It is not our forwardneſſe in ſome good things, it is not our ſerviceablenes in ſome publike and worthy employments, that will ſerve our turnes, if we make not conſcience of every duty, of ſecret duties, and that conſtantly. God hath ſo connexed the duties of his Law one to another, that if ſo be there be not a conſcionable care to walke according to all, it is accounted as the breach of all, according to that of S. Iames, Chap. 2. 10. Whoſoever ſhall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all; The bond of all is broken, the authority of all is ſlighted; and that evill diſpoſition that cauſeth a man to venture upon the breach of one, might the breach of others ſerve for his own ends as well as that, it would make him venture upon the breach of any.

To draw to a concluſion of this Argument, let us know, that if the heart be right, it is willing to be caſt into the mould of the Word, to receive whatſoever print the Word will put upon it, to be in whatſoever forme the Word will have it: as Metals that are caſt into a mould, they receive the print of the mould, print for print in every part; and this is the heart that doth indeed follow God fully. This is S. Pauls expreſſion, Rom. 6. 17. You have obeyed from the heart, that forme of doctrine unto which you were delivered; ſo the words are in the Originall: The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . forme of doctrin is compared to the Mould, & the ſincere obeyers from the heart, are compared to the Metal delivered into this Mould, which takes impreſſion from it, in one part as well as in another. No ſincere obedience from the heart, no true following of God fully without this. I have beene the larger in this particular, becauſe the miſtake is ſo generall and dangerous.

5 Then doth the heart fully follow 5 after the Lord, when it is indeed willing to ſearch fully into every truth, that yet it doth not fully know, with a readineſſe to lie under the power of it: Such a man is not afraid of any truth of God, leſt it ſhould put him upon that he hath no mind to, as Ahab was afraid to enquire of Michaiah what the mind of God was, becauſe hee was never wont to prophecie good unto him; but that man who followes the Lord fully, doth alwayes account the word of the Lord to be good to him, as Mic. 2. 7. Doe not my words doe good to him that walkes uprightly? Hee ſaith to the Lord as Elihu, Iob 34. 32. That which I ſee not, teach thou mee: if I have done iniquitiy, I will doe no more. Lord, that which I know not, doe thou teach me; and wherein I have failed, I ſhall conſcionably endeavour to reforme. Oh! let the Word of God bee glorified for ever, whatſoever becomes of mee; let it come in the full latitude of it, my ſoule ſhall yeeld to it; my heart is prepared to ſubmit to whatſoever truth God ſhall make knowne to me.

I remember, I have read in one of the Epiſtles written to Oecolampadius, of a notable expreſſion, of one Baldaſſar a Miniſter in Germany writing to him; Let the word of the Lord Veniat, venia • verbum Domini, et ſubmittemu • illi, ſexcenta ſi nobis eſſent c • l • a. come, let it come, ſaith he, and wee will ſubmit to it, if wee had many hundred neckes to put under: This is a degree further then the other; for there are many who dare not goe againſt knowne truths, for then conſcience would fly in their faces; but there are ſome truths which they are afraid to know, which they are ſecretly willing to put off, leſt they ſhould come to know them, which is an argumēt that their hearts are not fully after the Lord: when men are not convinced of many truths, not becauſe there is not light enough to convince them, but becauſe they are not willing to bee convinced, they ſtrive to keepe out the power of the truth from their hearts; they are not willing, that ſuch truths that are not for their turnes, ſhould come into their judgements; they ſeeke to ſhift them off: when the truth ſtands and pleads for entrance, they ſeeke one ſhift or other to put it off withall, Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh: The words are, See that yee ſhift not him off that ſpeaketh. In the propriety of that word as it is in the Originall, we have thus much ſignified to us: Chriſt in his truths 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . comes to aske entrance, and we muſt • ake heed that wee doe not put him off. And if the truth have got into our judgement, wee muſt take heed, we doe not ſtrive to get conſcience off from it; and if conſcience hath cloſed with it, take heed wee ſtrive nor to get it out of conſcience again, and then think it a ſufficient plea, to ſatisfie our ſelves and others in the actions we doe, that now our judgements are better informed; whereas the truth indeed is, our luſts are more ſatisfied, the corruptions of our hearts are more increaſed. Oh take heed for ever of labouring to blinde our underſtandings, of withholding the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, of impriſoning it, to keep it from working with power upon our hearts. This diſtemper of heart, is exceedingly oppoſite to the following of the Lord fully.

6 To follow God fully, is to follow him ſo, as to bee willing to venture 6 the loſſe of all for him, willing to decline from & caſt off whatſoever comes in the way, though never ſo deare unto us; to follow him cloſe whatſoever comes in competition with him; when wee cannot follow him without parting with much for him, when our following him will coſt us the loſſe of our formerly moſt deare comforts and contentments; to follow the Lambe whereſoever he goes, thorow all afflictions, thorow all ſtraits, knowing that his way though it bee a way of blood, yet it leades to the throne; To follow Chriſt to mount Calvery where hee is to ſuffer, as well as to that Mount that wee reade of Eſay 25. 6. where the Lord makes to his people, A feaſt of fat things, a feaſt of wines, a feaſt of fat things full of marrow. It is nothing to follow him, when our comforts, peace, eaſe, honour goes along together with him; it cannot then be knowne whether wee follow him or no, or whether it be our owne ends that we follow: As when a Serving-man followes two Gentlemen, we know not which of theſe two he followes till they part, but then you ſhall ſee which was his Maſter: So here, when Chriſt and our own ends part one from another, then is the triall which was followed before. Wee muſt love the truth, not onely when wee can live upon it, when wee can get advantage by it; but then alſo, when it muſt live upon us, when it muſt have our eſtates, our peace, our names, our liberties, our lives to live upon, and to bee maintained by: wee muſt follow him when wee muſt deny our ſelves, and take up our croſſe, when we muſt throughly deny our ſelves; for the word in the Originall is a compound, noting more than a ſingle, more than an ordinary 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Mat 16 24. Abneget omnino neget. ſelfe deniall; when wee muſt take up our Croſſe, not chuſe what Croſſe wee are willing to meet with; to think, if it were ſuch an affliction that ſuch a man hath, I could beare it, but I know not how to beare this: but it muſt bee our Croſſe, and willingly tooke up, and that daily too; We muſt be willing to follow him thorow the wilderneſſe. Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that commeth from the wilderneſſe, leaning on her beloved? The wilderneſſe is the troubles and afflictions of the Church, ſhe comes thorow them with her Beloved, reſting Zach. 13 9. her ſelfe upon her Beloved. If the Lord will lead us thorow the fire, and thorow the water, yet wee muſt follow him there; if he will lead us where fiery Serpents and Scorpions are; yet wee muſt follow him there. Deut. 18. 15. Ioſephus writing of the times of Chriſt, ſayes, There was one Jeſus a wiſe man in thoſe Ioſoph. lib. 18. cap. 4. times, if it bee lawfull to call him a man, for hee did divers admirable works, yet he was condemned to the croſſe; but notwithſtāding this, thoſe who followed him from the beginning, did not forbear to love him, becauſe of the ignominie of his death, but followed him ſtill. To follow a crucified Chriſt, a cōtemned Chriſt, to ſollow him in the bloody paths of his ſufferings, this is to follow him fully indeed. When one came and told Chriſt that hee would follow him whereſoever he wēt, Mat. 8. 19 Jeſus ſaith unto him, The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the ayre have neſts, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. As if he ſhould have ſaid, You muſt not expect great matter in following mee, but you muſt bee content to ſuffer hard things. Chriſt • els the yong man that came running to him to know what hee ſhould doe for eternall life, that if he would be perfect, he muſt ſell all; and then come and follow him; if hee would follow him fully, he muſt bee content to part with all for Chriſt; to ſell all, as the wiſe Merchant ſold all for the Pearle. If there bee any thing in the world that you are not willing to part withall, if any thing that you are not willing to ſuffer, you cannot follow mee fully. In this conſiſts the uprightneſſe of heart, to goe in a right line to God; what ſoever comes betweene God and us, yet not to fetch a compaſſe, but to goe thorow it; for if we fetch a compaſſe, the line is not right: we muſt therefore ſtrike thorow all troubles and hazards we meet withall, ſtill keepe our way, not break the hedge of any Commandement to avoid any peece of foule way. Many thinke they deſire to follow God, but when they meet with ſome trouble in their way, then they would fetch compaſſe to baulke that, and yet hope to come to God well enough at laſt; they would bee loath not to bee accounted followers of God: But let ſuch know that this fetching compaſſe, which they thinke to bee their wiſedome, it is the declining from uprightneſſe. Many follow God, as the Dog followes his Maſter, till he comes by a Carrion, and then he lets his Maſter goe, and turnes aſide to it. Thus many ſeem to be forward in profeſſion of Religion, till they meet with ſome opportunity of ſatisfying their luſts, then they leave off, and turne aſide to the enjoyment of them: But the heart that fully followes God, is not onely willing to part with any luſt for Chriſt, but it gives up it ſelfe to the diſpoſe of God, to become of his eſtate, credit, liberty, comforts, life, what God pleaſes; it is not ſollicitous about theſe things; the buſineſſe that it hath to do, is to follow the Lord; it knowes that it is the work of the Lord to take care for it about theſe things, while it is in following of him.

It is ſaid of Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25. 2. That he did that indeed which was right in the ſight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart; he did many good things, but he had not a heart to follow God fully: and this was one Argument of it, which wee have, Verſe 9. that he was ſo ſollicitous about his money; for when the Man of God came to him, and told him the minde of God, that hee muſt not have the Army of Iſrael go with him, becauſe hee had hyred the Army with an hundred Talents; hee was very ſollicitous what he ſhould doe for his money; for ſo he ſaith, But what ſhall wee doe for the hundred Talents which I have given to the Army of Iſrael? Whereas if his heart had been right and full in following God, as it ſhould have beene, it had beene enough for him to have knowne the command of God, let become of the hundred Talents what they will.

Seventhly, to follow God fully, is 7 to follow him onely, ſo as to be willing to dedicate, to devote whatſoever God lets us ſtill to enjoy, to God alone: If wee have any gifts, any eſtate, any eſteeme in the world, all ſhall bee imployed for God alone, all ſhall be laid out for him. As we muſt be willing to loſe all things for him, when he cals for them, (of which before) ſo wee muſt endeavour to uſe all things for him, while we doe enjoy them. To ſollow God fully, is to follow him as the higheſt good, as the onely good, as the All-ſufficient good, as the Fountaine of all good, as the Rule of all good; to follow him ſo, as to follow nothing elſe but God; not onely to follow God chiefly, that is more than to follow any thing elſe, but to follow him only. But how is that? I meane thus; we muſt follow God in our following any thing elſe, wee muſt follow all for God, in reference to God, in ſubordination under God, and then we cannot be ſaid to follow the creature, but it is God that is followed in it. As when God is followed in reference and ſubordination to any good in the creature, it is not then God, but the creature that wee ſollow; ſo when the creature is followed in ſubordination to God, it is God, and not the creature that is followed. As thus; when David was in the dry Wilderneſſe, no queſtion, he deſired water; yet, Pſalm. 63. 1. I thirſt after thee, O Lord, in a drie and barren Wilderneſſe, where no water is: Hee doth not ſay, I thirſt after water, but after thee; be cauſe hee ſought all in reference to God; and ſo it was God alone that he thirſted for. When we deſire nothing, when we ſeeke after nothing, when wee lett out our hearts to nothing,, uſe, enjoy nothing, but in order to God; when all the good, comfort, ſweetneſſe, deſireableneſſe in any creature is in the reference it hath to God, ſo farre as God is in it, as God is honoured, or enjoyed by it; when God alone is lifted up in the heart, in the uſe of every creature, this is to follow God fully. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onely ſhalt thou ſerve; thou ſhalt follow the Lord thy God, and him onely ſhalt thou follow. Chriſt chargeth the Jewes, in Iohn 5. 44. that they did not ſeeke the honour that came from God onely; and this was that which kept them off from beleeving: this is enough to keep us off from God for ever. If wee would have our hearts come up fully to God, it is not enough to ſeeke the honor that comes from God, but we muſt ſeeke the honour that comes from God onely: and this is the true ſinglenes of heart which the Scripture ſpeakes of, when it ſingles out this object, and eyes it alone.

The doubleneſſe of a mans heart conſiſts not ſo much in that it is otherwiſe within, than that it appears outward, but in that it is divided to divers objects; it doth not fixe upon God as the onely object: and as double-minded men have double objects, ſo they have double motions: as the Planets that are carryed in their motion one way by the Heavens, but have beſides a private motion of their owne; ſo, many are carried to God by ſome externall, yea, it may bee, internall Motives; but yet they have a private motion of their owne another way to other things; God alone is not the Center of their hearts.

Eighthly, the ſoule then followes 8 God fully, when it carries thorow the worke it undertakes, againſt all diſcouragements and hinderances: As a Ship comming with full ſayle, bears all downe before it. It doth not only worke, but workes thoroughly, workes out that it doth. As Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your ſalvation; worke till you get the worke thorow: This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſoule workes after God in his wayes, and that with power; though it findes no good comes in by them for the preſent, though it hath wrought a long time, and yet ſees nothing comming in; yet it murmurs not, it repines not, it repents not of any thing it hath done for God; it complaines not with thoſe Hypocrites, Eſay 58. 3. Wherefore have wee faſted, and thou ſeeſt not, and wherefore have we afflicted our ſoules, and thou regardeſt not? Nor with thoſe in Malach. 1. 13. who ſay, What a wearineſſe is this? and, Chap. 3. 14. who ſay, It is in vaine to ſerve the Lord, and what profit is there that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts? But this ſoule that followes God fully, makes no ſuch complaints, but goes on ſtill in the way of God; though the fleſh be weary and tyred, it goes on ſtill. As Gideon and thoſe three hundred men that were with him, Iudges 8. 4. though they were faint, yet they went on purſuing; ſo here, though there may bee much faintneſſe and weakneſſe, yet the ſoule doth not thinke of turning backe againe, but goes on ſtill, purſuing in that way it hath begun; it is glad it hath done any thing for God, and it reſolves ſtill to doe more, how ever God pleaſes to deale with it. Though he may be weary in his following the Lord, yet hee is is not weary of following the Lord. Many follow the Lord, as a beggar followes a man, onely in expectation of Almes, he followes him a furlong or two, begging; but if he ſees the man goes ſtill from him, hee leaves off, and lets him goe: ſo many will pray, and heare, and ſeeke after God for a while; but if they feele not that come in, which they did expect, they grow weary, and leave off. Duties that bring preſent comfort with them, many can be content to be exerciſed in, but if they finde nothing comming in by them, then their hearts ſinke in diſcouragement, they have no heart to doe anything. As it is ſaid of Ephraim, Hoſ. 10. 11. Ephraim is as an Heifer, that loves to tread out the Corne: Ephraim loved to tread out the Corne, but not to Plow: The Heifer while it was treading out the Corne, did feed upon the Corne, and ſo had preſent delight in that work it did; but the Heifer that plowed, did labour, and ſpend its ſtrength, but had no refreſhment till after the worke was done: Thus it is with many; that worke, that hath preſent joy, that hath preſent refreſhment in it, while they are about it, they can take content in it; but if they muſt worke and tire the fleſh, and yet have no preſent refreſhing, but muſt continue working a great while, and ſtay till the accompliſhment of the worke, before any benefit comes by it, this they like not: But one that followes the Lord fully, reſolves to follow him, though hee hides himſelfe; as David, Pſal. 101. 2. I will behave my ſelfe wiſely, in a perfect way; oh when wilt thou come unto mee? I will walke within my houſe with a perfect heart. As if David ſhould have ſaid, I am reſolved to walke before thee in a perfect way, and yet I have not thy gracious preſence with mee; oh when wilt thou come unto mee? but ſtill whatſoever becomes of mee, I am determined to continue walking within my houſe with a perfect heart. The like place we have, Pſal. 119. 8. I will keepe thy ſtatutes, oh forſake me not utterly. As if he ſhould have ſaid, O Lord, thou haſt in ſome degree forſaken mee, thou ſeemeſt as if thou wouldeſt forſake mee; yet Lord, I am determined that I will keep thy Statutes. Thus the upright heart reſolves, Though I ſhould periſh Cypr. upon that voyce that came from Heaven, This is my beloved Sonne, heare him. Loquere Magiſter bone, libenter te audio, & cum adverſaris mihi, audio to cum i • aſceris. everlaſtingly, yet I will periſh following the Lord; and if I cannot follow him, I will cry after him; and if I cannot cry after him, I will look towards him; yea, though he appears to bee angry, yet will I follow him: as • ob, Though hee kils me, yet will I truſt in him. Though there be much guiltineſſe upon the ſpirit, ſo that the devill, and an unbeleeving ſullen heart would much diſcourage from following after the Lord; yet ſtill it will not leave off, but it labours to encourage it ſelfe, as Samuel did the people, 1 Sam. 12. 20, 21. Samuel ſaid unto the people, Feare not; ye have done all this wickedneſſe, yet turne not aſide from following the Lord, but ſerve the Lord with all your heart, and turne you not aſide: for then ſhould you goe after vaine things, which cannot proſit nor deliver, for they are vain. Thus the ſoule that followes the Lord, reaſons with it ſelfe; Though it is true I have ſinned, mine iniquities are great, God may juſtly be provoked, and for ever reject me, yet I will not turne aſide from following him: I know there is no good to be got elſ-where: though I be unworthy of mercy, yet God is worthy of honour, and therefore what ever I can doe, I will, that God may have honour, though I periſh; yea this ſoule though it receives many a repulſe, yet ſtill it will follow. As the woman of Canaan, though Chriſt called her Dogge, yet ſhe leaves not off; ſhe acknowledgeth her ſelfe to be a Dog, yet ſtill ſhe ſeekes. Yea, though God ſeems to go croſſe wayes, quite contrary to that the ſoule expected, yet ſtill this ſoul will follow him even in thoſe wayes. As when the Lord called Abraham to follow him into a Land that ſhould flow with milke and honey, Gen. 12. 1. Abraham was content to leave his owne countrey, his fathers houſe, his kindred, and all his friends; and notwithſtanding as ſoone as he came into that Land, he found there was a famine in the land, Verſe 10. ſo that he was forced to get into Egypt, and that with the perill of his life, or elſe he muſt have ſtarved. Fleſh and blood would have murmured much at this, and have ſaid, What? is this that Land that God ſaid hee would ſhew me? is this that fruitfull Land for which I muſt leave my Country and all my friends? and now as ſoone as I come into it, I am ready to ſtarve in it: and yet Abraham followed God ſtill in all the wayes he was pleaſed to lead him in. Againe, when God promiſed to multiply his Seed as the Starres of heaven; yet for twenty yeares after this, Sarah was barren; God ſeemed to neglect his promiſe: and after when he had a childe, in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be bleſſed; yet this Child Abraham muſt kill: And here God ſeemes to goe croſſe to his Promiſe, yet Abraham followes God ſtill. One who followes God fully indeed, lookes up to the goodneſſe of God in himſelfe, and in his Promiſe; not to it as it appeares to ſenſe: hee ſees more good in the Promiſe, then in all the things in the world; though hee ſees nothing, though hee ſeeles nothing in himſelfe, nor in any creature for the preſent; and what worke hee followes the Lord in, hee will not leave imperfect; he will not give over, till hee ſees ſomething come of it: if he followes God for a broken heart, he will pray and meditate, and pray and meditate again, and again, if it were a thouſand times, and a thouſand times over again, till the worke comes to ſome effect: And ſo for power over a corruption, and ſtrength in any grace; where there is truth of grace, there will bee working, like fire that never leaves working till it breakes forth, and gets the victory. Hence that place of our Saviour Matth. 12. 20. where hee ſayes, hee will not quench the ſmoaking flaxe, nor breake the bruiſed Reed, till hee ſend forth Judgement into victory. If wee obſerve the place of the Prophet from whence this is taken, which is Eſay 42. 3, the words are, He ſhall bring forth judgement unto truth: noting that whereſoever there is truth, there will bee victory: Chriſt will nouriſh the ſmoaking flaxe, that is, the leaſt worke of grace, till Judgement, that is, this worke of ſanctification bee brought into victory, and overcome what oppoſeth it. If hee brings any beginnings of grace to truth, the victory is already gotten. It is reported of Maſter Bradford, that he would never leave off when hee was in holy duties, till hee found ſomething comming in; as in confeſſion of ſinne, till hee found his heart melt and breake for ſinne; in ſeeking pardon, till hee found ſome quieting of his ſpirit, in ſome intimation from God of his love; and ſo for grace, till hee found his heart warmed and quickned. It is an excellent thing indeed, to reſolve to follow the Lord in duty howſoever, though nothing ſhould come in by it to our ſelves: but yet the heart that is right, will never be ſatisfied in the performance of a duty, till it finde ſome manifeſtation of Gods preſence in it; ſome worke of God put forth upon it, by it; it will not reſt in duty performed; it is not ſatisfied in good inclinations, in good deſires it hath, nor in gifts it receives, nor in comforts it findes in the creature, nor in enlargements and more inward joyes, but it muſt have grace, and God; it muſt have ſome impreſſion of God upon it, to carry with it as a Seale of that preſence of God it did enjoy in the dutie: it ſo ſtrives with the Lord, as it reſolves not to let him goe, till it hath got a bleſſing.

It is a very full expreſſion that S. Bernard hath to this purpoſe, in two or three words; Oh what a mercy were it, continually to enjoy that Nunquam ab • te, ab 〈…〉 te re •• do, Bern. ep. 116. which he ſaith! Oh Lord, ſaith he, I never goe away from thee without thee: he meanes, he never leaves off duty, till hee gets the preſence of God, and ſo carries the Lord along with him. Oh how often doe we goe from God without God! we thinke it enough that we have beene before him in holy duties, though indeed we ſtill abide ſtrangers to him & he to us. How often doth God ſend us empty away from his preſence, which we ſhould account a ſore and grievous affliction? But here's the miſery, we are not ſenſible of this; if wee have our deſires in the creature, we are quieted and ſatisfied: whereas if our hearts were fully after the Lord as they ought, when wee are before him, wee ſhould crie to him, as Moſes in another caſe, Exod. 33. Except thy preſence goe with mee, Lord ſend mee not hence.

9 One that followes. God fully, is willing to engage and binde himſelfe 9 to God, by the moſt full, and ſtrong bonds, and engagements that can be; his ſpirit is at the greateſt liberty, when hee is moſt ſtrongly bound to the Lord. That place in the 2 Chron. 15. 12, is very obſervable for this; Aſa and his people enter into a Covenant to ſeek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their ſoule; yea ſo, as whoſoever would not ſeeke the Lord God, ſhould bee put to death, whether ſmall or great, man or woman, and they ſware unto the Lord with ſhoutings, and with trumpets, and with cornets: But were they not afterwards troubled, that they had ſo tied and bound themſelves? would they not have thought it better to have been at more liberty? No ſurely, for Verſe 15. the Text ſayes, that all Iudah rejoyced at the oath; and this reaſon is given, Becauſe they had ſworne with all their heart, and ſought him with their whole ſoule. When any ſeek God with their whole heart, with their whole ſoule, they are not only willing to engage themſelves to God, but they rejoyce in their engagements: Thus Nehemiah whoſe heart was fully ſet for God, did himſelfe, and got the Princes, the Prieſts, Levites, and People to make a ſure covenant, to write it, to ſeale it, Chap. 9. 38. And as if this were not engagement enough, they further enter into a curſe, and into an oath, to walke in Gods Law, to obſerve and doe all the Commandements of the Lord, and his Judgements, and his Statutes. Thus David diſcovers the fulneſſe of his ſpirit in following after the Lord, in that he not onely promiſes, but ſweares hee will keep the righteous Judgements of the Lord, Pſal. 119. 106. It is a ſigne that mens hearts are not fully taken off from their ſinne, when they doe not fully come off in the Covenant of the Lord.

No, may ſome ſay, it is becauſe wee often covenant with God, and finde wee are overcome againe, and doe breake covenant with him, and therefore we are afraid to enter into covenant any more. Is it not better not to covenant, than not to performe?

I anſwer, It is true, if men covenant and wilfully neglect, they were better not covenant at all; but if when wee enter into covenant, wee have the teſtimony of our conſciences, that we labour as in the ſight of God, to fulfill our covenants wee make, and it is the burthen of our ſoules that we ſaile in them, then I ſay, that wee are ſtill to goe on, and engage our ſelves further; our covenants doe not aggravate our ſinne, but in time they will help us againſt our ſinne; this is one way that God hath appointed to ſtrengthen us; and therefore, wee muſt not complaine of weakneſſe, and yet neglect any way appointed by GOD, to get ſtrength by.

10 To follow God fully, is to abide 10 in all theſe conſtant to the end of our dayes; That is, we muſt be conſtant in Gods wayes, not thinke it enough to enter into them by fits and ſtarts, but the wayes of God muſt be our ordinary track, Prov. 16. 17. The high way of the upright is to depart from evil; It is his common road, and conſtant courſe: and wee muſt continue faithfull before the Lord unto the death. It is the commendation of Hezechiah 2 King. 8. 6. He clave unto the Lord and departed not. And David, Pſal. 119. 112. he ſaith, Hee hath enclined his heart to performe Gods ſtatutes alway; but as if that expreſſion were not enough to ſignifie his continuance, he addes, even unto the end. Iob 17. 9. The righteous holds on his way. A heart that hath given up it ſelfe fully to God, doth never forſake him. There is no Apoſtate in the world, but if we could trace him along in his wayes, to his very beginning, we might find, that in the entrance of his profeſſion, there was not a full giving up himſelf to God, there was not an abſolute ſurrender made, of all that he was, and had, unto the Lord. It may bee ſaid of him as it was of Amaziah, That though he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, yet he did it not with a perfect heart.

There are three Reaſons why it muſt needs be, that, that man which followes God fully, muſt needs follow him conſtantly and for ever.

Firſt, becauſe where ever the Lord 1 brings any to follow him fully, hee cauſeth ſuch a perfect breach betweene ſinne and that ſoule, as there is no poſſibility that ever there ſhould be a reconciliation made, that the breach ſhould bee made up againe. An unſound heart ſo falls out with his ſinne, as there is a poſſibility of reconcilement, and therefore when ſuch a one findes trouble in Gods ſervice, hee is willing to enter into parly againe, upon termes of agreement with his ſinne; but it is not ſo with a truly godly heart; there is ſuch a breach made, as there is no hope of reconciliation. It was Achitophels policie to get Abſolon to ſtick to him, ſo as never to leave him. To take away the feare that there might be, leſt Abſolon in time might bee reconciled to his father, and ſo leave him, therefore he ſought to make ſuch a breach betweene him and his father, as there ſhould never be any hope of reconciliation, and ſo hee might bee the ſurer to keepe conſtant to him, and the people that joyned with him, and therefore hee adviſed, that Abſolon ſhould goe in to his fathers Concubines upon the houſe top, in the ſight of all the people, 2 Sam. 16. 21, 22. It is the wiſedome of God, that he may have followers never to leave him; to make ſuch breaches betweene ſinne and their ſoules at firſt, ſo as there may never bee hope of peace betweene them againe. As the Devill when he would draw one to be his for ever, hee ſeekes to make great breaches betweene God and him, that if hee ſhould have ever any thoughts of returning, he may diſcourage and ſinke his ſpirit with thoughts of deſpaire, telling him there is no hope of good in returning that way, and therefore it were better for him to continue as he is, as Ier. 2. 25. Thou ſaidſt, there is no hope; No, for I have loved ſtrangers, and after them will I goe. When the Devill gets one who hath beene forward in the profeſſion of religion to Apoſtatize, hee labours to make ſuch a breach betweene him and his former courſe, as not onely to fall off from it, but to hate it, and to perſecure it, and to turne deadly enemie to it, and then both the devill and wicked men think, they are ſure of him for ever: and indeed it is very ſeldome that ever ſuch a one returns. Biſhop Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward, tells of one who fell away from the knowne truth, and after fell to mocking and ſcorning it, and yet was after touched in conſcience for it; beware of this ſin, ſayes Latimer; for I have knowne no more but this one man, that ever fell from the truth, and afterwards repented; I have known many fall, but never any but this repent. Now the breach betweene ſinne and the ſoule in converſion, is as great as betweene God and the ſoule in Apoſtacy; yea, greater; for there is a poſſibility of reconciliation in the one, but never in the other: and therefore as the one, becauſe of this great breach betweene God and his ſoule, doth follow the Devill, and his deſtruction for ever; ſo the other, becauſe of the breach betweene ſinne and the ſoule, doth follow the Lord, and his ſalvation for ever: as in the one, the gifts of Gods Spirit are ſo caſt out as uſually they never returne againe; ſo in the other, the uncleane ſpirit is ſo caſt out, as it never comes back againe.

2 A ſecond Reaſon, why that man 2 that followes the Lord fully, muſt needs follow him for ever, is, becauſe at the firſt giving up himſelf to God, hee was content to let goe all other holds, and all other hopes in all creature-comforts whatſoever, and ſo to venture himſelfe upon God, is to be content to be miſerable for ever, if he finde not enough in God to make him happie: he hath ſo let all other things goe, as if he ſhould faile here, hee hath nowhither to retire, hee hath reſerved no way, no meanes for to helpe himſelfe by, if hee ſhould miſcarry here; hee hath laid all the waight of all his comforts, of all his hopes, of all his happineſſe upon the Lord; he hath no other prop that he doth or can expect any ſupport by: there is a bleſſed neceſſity upon him to follow the Lord for ever, and this neceſſity the ſoule is glad of: and this is the reaſon why God in his firſt bringing a ſoule home to himſelfe, uſeth ſo much meanes to take it off from all other things; namely, that it might follow him for ever. As it is reported of William the Conqueror, when hee came to invade England, and had landed his Souldiers, he ſent backe his ſhips, that ſo they might have no hope of retreating back again, and ſo they were put upon a neceſſity of fighting it out to the utmoſt. Thus the Lord takes off the ſoul from all its former hopes and props, that it may have no lingrings after any thing but himſelfe, but thorowly ſight the good fight of faith, & with reſolution hold on its courſe to the end. But it is otherwiſe with a falſe, unfound heart; though ſuch a one may follow God in many glorious performances, yet it ſecretly reſerves ſomething in caſe of failing here; when it enters upon Gods wayes, it is enlightned ſo farre, as it thinkes ſome good may be had here: yea, it hath a taſte, it may be, of much ſweetneſſe in theſe wayes, but dares not venture all upon them; he would bee glad to have ſome thing to retire to, in caſe he ſhould faile here; hee reſerves a back doore, that he might turne another way, if this way ſhould prove troubleſome and dangerous; hee enters upon Gods wayes, not without ſome ſuſpitions and jealouſies, that poſſibly hee may meet with ſuch inconveniences as may make him to wiſh he had been more wiſe, and not put himſelfe in too farre; he ſees many others, who being deeply ingaged, and gone on ſo farre in thoſe wayes, wherein they meet with much trouble, many ſore and heavy afflictions; and he thinkes they doe, or at leaſt may repent themſelves, and wiſh they had not ventured themſelves ſo farre, as that now they know not how to goe backe againe; and if they were to begin againe, he thinks they would bee wiſer, and hearken to grave adviſe for more moderation.

The King of Navarre told Beza, Pelago ſe nonita com 〈…〉 ſſarus eſſet quin quando liberet, pedem referre poſſet. he would launch no further into the Sea, than he might be ſure to return ſafe unto the Haven; though hee ſhewed ſome countenance to Religion, yet he would be ſure to ſave himſelfe. Many thinke it wiſedome not to venture all in one bottome. It was once the ſpeech of a deep politician, that it was good to follow the truth, but not to follow it too neare at the heeles, leſt it daſht out his braines. Ananias and Saphira would bee Chriſtians, they would joyne with the Apoſtles, they ſaw great things were done by them; their poſſeſſions muſt be ſold, and the money laid at the Apoſtles feet; but ſomething muſt be reſerved, in caſe they ſhould want afterwards, and then repent them they had gone ſo farre, when it ſhould be too late; and this is the very roote of Apoſtaſie. But it is otherwiſe with a ſincere heart that followes God fully; in ſuch a one there is a holy kind of deſperatneſſe, ſo to caſt it ſelfe upon God, and his wayes, as never to expect any comfort, any good, but there; and therefore this is that it muſt reſt to for ever, and follow after for ever.

3 The ſoule that followes God fully, will follow him for ever, becauſe 3 in the full following of the Lord, it findes ſo much eaſe, peace, joy, ſatisfaction, as it is for ever ſetled and confirmed in this way; there is never • aſe, ſweetneſſe, and full contentment in Gods wayes, untill the heart comes off fully; till then it is diſtracted with jealouſies, feares, doubts, lingrings after ſome other way, many temprations peſtering the ſpirit continually: but when it is fully come off, then it goes on with eaſe; it is ſatisfied, and bleſſeth it ſelfe in the way wherein it is; temptations 〈…〉 u 〈…〉 ores vivimus, ſi tot • m Deodamus; non autem nos ill ex part & nobis ex parte commi • timus. Aug. de ono per •• verant. c. 6. vaniſh, the ſoule is freed from much diſtraction and trouble: As the ſhip that is part in the mud and part in the water, is battered up and downe, and beats up and downe, ſo as in a little time it beates it ſelfe all in peeces; but if it bee taken off from the mud, and bee put into the full ſtreame, it goes with eaſe and ſafety. Thus it is with a mans heart, while it ſtickes partly in the mud of the World, or filth of any luſt, and conviction of conſcience ſtrives to raiſe it, but it is not fully taken off, there is nothing but vexation and trouble in that ſoule: but when it is taken off, and gives up it ſelfe fully to God in his bleſſed and holy wayes; Oh that ſweet and bleſſed eaſe that now it findes! When a man halts, the way is tedious to him, hee is ſoone weary, and gives over; but when hee is ſound, the way is eaſie, he holds on his way to the end: ſo when there is falſeneſſe in mens hearts, they do but halt in the ways of God, they quickly Cap. 2. find them tedious; but others who are of ſound ſpirits, they find them delightfull, and go on with ſtrength, and hold on to the end. The reaſon that Philoſophers give why the heavens are incorruptible, is, becauſe the forme of them is ſo excellent, as it wholly fils up the utmoſt capacity of the matter; ſo the reaſon of the holding on of the upright heart, is, the full ſatisfaction of it, the filling up the full capacity of it, with contentment and delight in Gods ways. Thus you have heard what it is to follow God fully.

CAP. II.

The excellency of this frame of ſpirit, in foure things.

THe ſecond thing propounded in the point, was, to 2 ſhew wherein the excellency of ſuch a kind of frame of ſpirit lies, take it in theſe foure things.

Firſt this is truly to honour God 1 as a God; except God be honoured as infinite, hee is not honoured as God; now it is the full following him that onely honours him as infinite; where God is followed and not thus, hee is followed no otherwiſe than a creature may bee followed; this is not therefore to honour him as a God, but rather it is a diſhonor to that infinite excellency & bleſſedneſſe of his, whereby he is infinitely above all that creatures are, or that they are any way capable of. The great thing that God aimed at in the creating of the heavens and earth, was, that he might by Angels, and men, bee honoured as a GOD, and therefore that which gives him this, hath true and much excellency in it.

Secondly, this full following of God, doth much honour the work of 2 Grace, and the profeſſion of godlineſſe; it ſhewes a realitie; power, excellency and beauty in it; it ſhewes that it proceeds out of the fulneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch as hath high and heavenly principles; when there is power, proportion, and conſtancy in a mans wayes, there muſt needs bee much beauty in them; there is a forcing of conviction from the conſciences of evill men by them: this takes away all pretences from men that they know not how to ſpeak evill of the wayes of godlineſſe; they know not how to oppoſe and perſecute them; when they can ſee no flaw, when, though they watch what they can, yet they can ſee nothing unſutable to their principles. The principles of godlineſſe for the moſt part are acknowledged by the conſciences of the worſt, who have any light in them; & therefore when all a mans wayes are ſutable to theſe, it puts wicked mē to a ſtand; they know not what to ſay againſt ſuch men, nor againſt their way; but their owne thoughts tell them, that ſurely there is ſomething in theſe men, that hath realitie, and power, and divine excellency in it, that is from none other but from God himſelfe.

Thirdly, this hath ſuch excellency in it, as that God himſelfe boaſts 3 of ſuch as theſe are; as they glory in the Lord, and bleſſe themſelves in the Lord; ſo the Lord ſeemes to glory in them, and to account his name bleſſed by them; as you may ſee how God rejoyces in, and makes his boaſt of Iob, Chap. 1. verſ. 8. Haſt thou conſidered my ſervant Iob, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect, and an upright man? And ſo of David, I have found a man after mine own heart, which ſhall fulfill all my will: So of thoſe wee read of in Revel. 14. Theſe are they which were not defiled; and againe, Theſe are they which follow the Lambe whitherſoever he goeth; and again in the ſame verſe, Theſe were redeemed from among men, being the firſt fruits unto God, and to the Lambe, and in their mouth was found no guile.

Fourthly, this following of the Lord fully, doth ever attaine its end; 4 it proſpers in that it workes for: in Cap. 3. whatſoever thing any ſoule followes the Lord fully, it ſhall be ſure to accompliſh that it aymes at, and to be ſatisfied in that it would have: As Hoſ. 6. 3. Then ſhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: Thus David, in Pſal. 63. where his ſoule thirſted after God, his fleſh longed for him, his ſoule followed hard after him; he ſaith himſelfe in the ſame Pſalme, that Gods right hand did now uphold him, and that his ſoule ſhould be ſatisfied, as with marrow and fatneſſe; and his mouth ſhould praiſe the Lord with joyfull lips; and the King ſhall rejoyce in God.

CAP. III.

Rebuke to divers ſorts, whoſe ſpirits are not full in following after the Lord.

IF thus to follow the Lord fully, bee ſo excellent, if this fulneſſe of ſpirit bee ſuch an honour unto Gods people, then juſtly are thoſe rebuked, whoſe ſpirits are not full in following the Lord, who acknowledge the Lord worthy to be followed, but their ſpirits are ſlight and vaine, their hearts are ſtraitned in the wayes of the Lord; they doe not fill up this bleſſed work of following after the Lord; their hearts doe moſt baſely fall, and moſt miſerably vaniſh in it.

As firſt, ſome are convinced, their judgements and conſciences are for 1 God, but their luſts carry them violently another way: Oh the miſerable torment of theſe mens ſpirits, while their conſciences draw one way, and their luſts another! it is not ſo great an evill to have wilde Horſes tyed to the members of ones body, tearing of them by drawing contrary wayes.

Secondly, others reſt in their good inclinations, their good deſires; 2 they ſay they would faine doe better, and they hope God will accept the will for the deed; they like of Gods wayes, and ſpeake well of good men, and therefore they thinke their hearts are for God: but theſe deſires and good motions, are but as little buds and ſprigs that come out of the roots of trees, or from the middle of their body, which come to nothing, they never grow up to beare any fruit; theſe are yet farre from following the Lord fully and ſavingly; for,

1 Their judgements are not yet inlightned, not throughly convinced 1 of the poyſon and infinite evill there is in ſinne; of that abſolute infinite neceſſitie there is in the holy wayes of God; they ſee not the dreadfull Authority of God in every truth; they think it were well if things were amended, it were good if more were done than this; God helpe us, we have all our infirmities: and though they doe not as others doe, yet they hope their hearts are good towards God; were it not for ſome inconveniences they are like to meet withall, they could be content to doe more than they doe. But what is this, to that mighty work of God upon this ſpirit, convincing of the infinite neceſſity, equity, beauty of his bleſſed wayes? What is this to that ſight of Gods infinite, dreadfull authority? Thoſe whoſe hearts the Lord takes off from other things, to work fully after himſelfe, he begins thus with them, in the powerfull enlightning, and convincing of their judgements.

2 Theſe never were made ſenſible 2 of their inabilitie to have holy deſires after God, ſo as to ſee any need of any ſpeciall worke of the Holy Ghoſt, to raiſe ſuch deſires in their hearts. Thoſe who are not ſenſible of their inability to holy deſires, though they may have many flaſhes like unto holy deſires, yet they are wholly ſtrangers to thoſe deſires after God, which are truly holy.

3 Theſe prize not the meanes of grace, they long not after them, they 3 will not labour, they will not bee at charge, they will not endure hardſhip to attain them, they are not conſcionable in the uſe of them in any power; they uſe not all meanes; if one way will not bring their deſires to effect, they try not other wayes; they are not ſolicitous about the ſucceſſe of meanes, they look not much after them, but reſt themſelves in the bare uſe of them, not examining, not ſearching their hearts, to ſee what is in them that hinders the bleſſing, not bemoaning their unprofitableneſſe under meanes.

4 Their deſires are not ſtrong, 4 unſatiable; other contentments quiet their hearts; Time weares away the ſtrēgth of their deſires, though they bee as farre from the enjoyment of the things that were deſired, as they were at the firſt.

5 Their endeavours are not powerfull, they are not working conſtant 5 endeavours; they doe not dedicate, devote, give up themſelves, whatever they are, or have, to the ſeeking after the Lord; their conſciences cannot but tel them, that the ſtrength of their hearts, and endeavours, is after other things: David in the 119. Pſalm. 48. verſ. ſaith, That hee would lift up his hands unto Gods Commandements, which hee had loved; and hee would meditate in his Statutes: Hee did not thinke it enough to have a love to, to have ſome wiſhes and deſires, to keepe Gods Commandements, but he would lift up his hands to them, hee would ſet himſelfe on worke in labouring to obey them; hee would meditate, ſet his minde and thoughts, to plot and contrive, how he might beſt come to the fulfilling of them, Pſal. 27. 4. One thing have I deſired, and that will I ſeeke after. Certainly thoſe ſlight, vaine Grace cannot bee had with doing nothing. Nemo caſu ſit ſapient. Senec. ep. 77. deſires, and wiſhes that there are in many peoples hearts, are not the following this bleſſed God fully; they are but the dallyings, and triflings with God and their owne ſoules; they are ſo farre from bringing them unto God, as they prove to be their deſtruction; The deſire of the ſlothfull killeth him, for his hands refuſe to labour, Prov. 21. 15.

Thirdly, others have good reſolutions 3 now and then in ſome good moods; the truths of God come darting in with ſome power, as they cannot but yeeld to them, and then they are reſolved that they will doe better, that it ſhall not be with them as it hath beene; they will ſet upon a new courſe of life, things ſhall bee reformed, and their lives ſhall bee changed; but yet theſe vaniſh too, they follow not God fully; They are as thoſe in the 5. Deut. 27. who ſeemed to have ſtrong reſolutions to walke in Gods wayes; Goe thou neare, ſay they to Moſes, and heare all that the Lord our God ſhall ſay, and ſpeake thou unto us all that the Lord our God ſhall ſpeake unto thee, and we will heare it, and doe it: But as the Lord ſaid there, concerning them, Verſe 29. So I may ſay of theſe, Oh that there were ſuch a heart in them; How farre are they from having yet a heart to follow God fully?

For, 1 Their reſolutions are not fruits of their deepe humiliation, for their former neglect of God, and the former ſinfulneſſe of their wayes; They are only to procure peace unto themſelves for the preſent, their hearts being ſtirred by the power of the truth darted in.

2 They ariſe not from changed principles, from a renewed nature, from out of love to the Lord, & his bleſſed wayes; hence they vaniſh, and they never bring them up unto the Lord.

Fourthly, others have ſtrong, ſudden affections, they feele ſometimes 4 ſome meltings, in ſorrow for ſinne, in hearing the bleſſed truths of God revealed to them; they feele ſome ſweetneſſe in the working of truths upon their hearts, they are ſenſible of ſome joyes in good things, they have a taſte of the powers of the world to come: When they heare Chriſt preached, or ſee his body broken, or his blood ſhed in the Sacrament, they think with themſelves; Oh that Jeſus Chriſt, ſhould come from heaven, to ſave ſuch poore wretches as we are, that hee ſhould ſhed his pretious blood, that hee ſhould die for ſuch vile ſinners! yet theſe are a great way off from following the Lord fully:

For, 1 theſe affections are ſudden, 1 and flaſhing; the truths of God paſſe by them, leaving a little glimmering behinde them, or as water paſſeth thorow a Conduit, & leaves a dew; but they ſoake not into the heart, as the water ſoakes into the earth to make it fruitfull.

2 Theſe are ſtirred with the pardoning, 2 comforting, ſaving mercies of God, but not with the humbling, renewing, ſanctifying mercies: when the word puts them upon any hard thing to fleſh and blood, it is unſavoury to them, their hearts turne from it; If the word urgeth to ſtrict examination of themſelves, if it puts them upon the finding out of the deceits of their ſpirits, their ſecret corruptions, and would ſtraine them to higher duties than their principles reach unto, then their ſpirits fly off; they ſeeke to bleſſe themſelves in that they have already, and think that theſe things trouble people more than needs & if God ſhould not bee mercifull to ſuch who finde ſuch affections, ſuch ſtirrings of heart as wee doe, then Lord, what ſhall become of us?

3 Theſe flaſhy affections doe not ariſe from ſpirituall judgement, apprehēding the ſpirituall excellencies of godlineſſe, after a ſpirituall manner; their apprehenſions of ſpirituall and heavenly things, are too too carnall and ſenſitive: Hence afterwards when they come to finde the good things of the wayes of God to be ſpirituall, and heavenly, not ſutable to thoſe apprehenſions they had of them, their hearts are then taken off, as thoſe wee reade of in the 6. of Iohn 34. verſe; When Chriſt told them, That the bread of God is hee which commeth downe from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, Oh ſay they, Lord ever give us this bread; their hearts were up & exceedingly ſtirred; Well, as if Chriſt ſhould have ſaid, You ſhall have it, I am the bread of life; hee that commeth to mee ſhall never hunger, hee that beleeveth in me ſhall never thirſt; as if he ſhould have ſaid; This muſt bee done by faith, you muſt feed upon my fleſh by faith, and drinke of my blood by faith. But now they having apprehended a ſtrange kind of bread from heaven before, and afterwards hearing of no other, but comming to Chriſt, and beleeving in Chriſt, they were deceived of their expectations, and ſo were offended, and now their affections fall; for verſe 41. they begin to murmur at him, and verſe 60. they ſaid, It was an hard ſaying, who could heare it? and ver. 66. From that time many of them went backe, and walked no more with him. The like example wee finde in the Galathians, at the firſt they would have pluckt out their eyes for S. Paul, their affections were ſo ſtirred by his Miniſtery, they apprehended ſome great matters in the meſſage of the Goſpel that S. Paul brought, but afterwards, finding that thoſe great and excellent things that the Goſpel ſpake of, were onely ſpirituall, which their carnall hearts had little skill of, and could not reliſh, their affections were ſoon cooled, & they fell off from S. Paul. Take heed therefore of reſting to theſe flaſhy affections, for if you do, when theſe are gone, your hearts will bee left in darkeneſſe. Many examples are knowne of ſuch, who have proved to bee moſt vile Apoſtates; yet time was, wherein they have had many meltings, much ſudden ſtrong joy, ſo as they have profeſſed that the joy they have found hath beene ſo great, that if it had continued but a while, they could not have lived, but their ſpirits would haue expired. A ſolid worke of the ſoule proceeding from an humble broken heart, caſting it ſelfe upon the faithfulneſſe, and freeneſſe of the grace of God in the promiſe, for pardoning, and ſanctifying mercy, and there reſting, ſo as willing to venture it ſelfe there for ever, though it hath no preſent ſenſe of joy, yet it is farre more to be prized than the ſtrongeſt of theſe ſudden flaſhes of affection. Theſe flaſhy affections which have not principles to maintain them, are like to Cōduits in the City, running with wine at the Coronatiō of Princes, or ſome other great triumph, but it will not hold: they are like Landfloods, which ſeeme to bee a great ſea, but come to nothing in a day or two; As there may be flaſhes of terrour, and yet no true feare of God. The Iſraelites were terrified when the Law was given, and yet God ſaith, Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were a heart that they would feare me: So there may bee flaſhes of joy, deſire, ſorrow, and yet no true ſanctified joy, deſire, or ſorrow at all. There is much deceit in mens affections; Affections not well principled, not well grounded, ſoone vaniſh; time will weare them away. The people of Iſrael at the giving of the Law, had their affections much ſtirred, ſo that one would have thought, they had been engaged unto the Lord for ever; and yet within fourty dayes, their hearts were ſo taken off from God, and his Law, as if God had never made himſelfe knowne unto them; they call to Aaron to make them gods to goe before them, and ſay to the Molten Calfe, Theſe be thy gods, O Iſrael, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Another notable example wee have of people whoſe affections are ſtrong for the preſent, and yet worne away in a little time, in the 13. of Hoſea 1. When Ephraim ſpake, trembling, hee exalted himſelfe in Iſrael; but when he offended in Baal, hee died: When Ephraim ſpake, that is, when Ieroboam who Sanctius in Hoſea 13. was of the Tribe of Ephraim, declared his purpoſe to alter the worſhip of God, the people at the firſt were exceedingly affected with it, & they ſtood all trembling at ſuch a ſtrange thing as that was; the very thought of it made their hearts to ſhake, becauſe they knew how jealous a God the Lord was; But Ieroboam exalted himſelfe in Iſrael, hee went on reſolutely in his way, and would bring his purpoſe to effect; then the people in a little time, were brought to offend in Baal, and then they died, and they became a dead, ſottiſh, heartleſſe people, fit to receive, or do any thing though never ſo vile.

Fifthly, others follow the Lord, 5 but they follow him in a dull, heavy manner; there is no ſpirit, no heat, no life in their following of him, & therefore they doe not follow him fully: They reſt themſelves in a middle temper, in a lukewarme courſe; they like well of Religion, and profeſſion, but what need men goe ſo farre, what need they doe ſo much? As Pharaoh ſaid to the Iſraelites, Exod. 8. 28. I will let you goe, onely you ſhall not goe farre away. The judgement of theſe men is for a middle way; they are mixed ſpirited men, like Ephraim, Hoſea 7. 8. mixed with the people, as a cake not turned, halfe baked and halfe dough; they goe on in an ordinary track of performing the duties of Religion without any growth, or any ſenſibleneſſe of the want of growth; they ſet upon ſome faire way of Religion, which they perſwade themſelves is enough, and that they meane to hold to; they are content to make uſe of Chriſt, and the profeſſion of Religion, ſo farre as may ſerve their owne turnes; but to entertaine Chriſt, and his truth, as an abſolute Lord to rule them, that their ſpirits cannot beare; in their converſe there is no ribauldry, no filthineſſe; ſo there is no warmth, no heat to refreſh and quicken any gratious ſpirit, that hath to deale with them; in all the Duties of Religion that they perform, they take no paines with their hearts, to work them to God. Luther cals ſuch kind Cainiſlae ſunt, of ſerentes non per •• nam, ſed of us • e • ſonae. I uther. decl •• at. in D • cal. of men, Cainiſts, that is, ſuch as Cain, who offered to God the work done, but do not offer themſelves to God; they content thēſelues with generall hopes of Gods mercy upon weake, and unexamined grounds; they never trouble themſelves in calling things into queſtion, about their conditions and their eternall eſtates; they never lay to heart the miſeries of Gods Church; and the publike cauſe of God is not deare unto them; they have not heat enough to cauſe a melting ſpirit, for the diſhonor that God hath by themſelves; much more is that heat wanting, that ſhould keepe their hearts melting for that diſhonour which God hath from others.

Now this temper is ſo farre from following the Lord fully, as it is loathſome and abominable to the Lord; ſo loathſome, as he threatens to ſpue ſuch out of his mouth. It is Revel. 3. 16, obſervable, that of all the ſeven Churches we read of in the Revelation, there is ſome good ſaid, every one is cōmended for ſomthing; onely this Church of Laodicea excepted which was a luke-warme Church; and of this there is no good at all ſaid; and yet none of the Churches had that high eſteeme of it ſelfe as this had; none of them conceited themſelves 1 to be rich, and encreaſed with goods, and to have need of nothing, as this did. No people doth ſo bleſſe themſelves in their way, as luke-warme people doe; and yet no people more abominable to God than they. What a diſhonour is this luke-warme temper to God, as if God were ſuch a God, as ſuch flat, ſleight, dead-hearted formall ſervices, as are performed by them, were ſufficient to honour his holy, great, dreadfull and infinite Majeſtie? God pronouneeth a curſe in Malac. 1. verſe 14. againſt thoſe who doe not offer the beſt that poſſibly they can, in ſacrifice to him; and gives this Reaſon of it, Becauſe my Name is dreadfull, and I am a great King, ſaith the Lord: As if he ſhould ſay, Therefore onely the moſt high and excellent things that can bee performed by the creature, are fit for to be tendred up to mee. This luke-warme temper wrongs Ieſus Chriſt exceedingly, as if there were no other life and vertue in Ieſus Chriſt, than to inable a man to doe as they doe. What? hath Chriſt laid down his life, & ſhed his pretious blood for the renewing of Gods Image in man, and is it nothing but this? if Chriſt had never come into the world, men might have done as much as this comes to. It is a wrong to the Holy Spirit likewiſe, for it is the ſpecial office of the Holy Ghoſt, for to bee a Sanctifier, to frame the heart to God, to quicke the ſoul with the life of grace, and holineſſe; and is this all it doth? this were a poore worke, if there were no other but this. It diſhonours holineſſe, which is the moſt glorious thing in the world; the life of God, the Divine Nature; this makes it as if it were nothing but a morall, liveleſſe, dead-hearted, empty thing; this puts holineſſe in ſubjection to humane reaſon, to carnall wiſedome; it muſt bow to their diſcretion, to the opinions and wayes of men; and in truth, to their baſe luſts, though it be in a more cleanly way, than in others. Be convinced then, that this is not that following the Lord fully, wch is the honour of Gods people in his eyes.

Sixthly, ſome go beyond this dull luke-warme temper, they are very 6 forward in ſome things, but in other things their hearts ſticke; they come not off fully in them. Agrippa ſaith of himſelfe, that Paul had almoſt perſwaded him; the words are, Thou perſwadeſt mee a little. The hearts of theſe men are divided, as it is ſaid of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . thoſe in Hoſea 10. 2. they will not let goe their profeſſion, but will keepe their corruption too. As Camden reports of Redwald King of the Eaſt Saxons, the firſt Prince of his Nation that was baptized, yet in the ſame Church had one Altar for Chriſtian Religion, and another for Sacrifices unto Devills: Thus theſe men joyne Religion and their luſt together. If they let out their hearts inordinately to any contentment, and take liberty ſometimes in ſatisfying ſome luſts, they thinke to make up all againe by ſome forwardneſſe and earneſt devotion in ſome other thing; as many who get ſurfets think they can ſweat and purge them out again.

This diviſion of heart the Lord cannot endure, and therefore it followes in that place of Hoſea, They ſhall be found faulty; or as the words are read by ſome, Now ſhall they bee made deſolate: for in the Hebrew, the word ſignifies both to bee guilty, and to bee deſolate. It is too much boldneſſe and preſumptuouſneſſe in men, to venture to take liberty to themſelves, to chuſe wherein they will yeeld to God in ſome things; but in others preſume to ſatisfie themſelves; this is not to caſt downe our ſoules before the Lord, as poore, condemned, vile creatures, to lie at his mercy in an humble, faithfull reſignation of our ſelves up to him, in all wee are, or have, which is that honour that God expects from us, and is infinitely due unto him. While our hearts are thus divided betweene God and other things; God doth not account himſelfe obeyed, or honoured at all in any thing; all that we ſeeme to doe, in truth, is nothing at all. Hence in Ierem. 32. 23. the Prophet chargeth the people with this, that they neither walked in Gods Law, and that they had done nothing of all that God had commanded them to doe; and Ver. 30. he ſaith, they had only done evill: and in 2 Kings 17. the people are ſaid to feare the Lord, and ſerve their owne gods, Verſe 33. and yet in Verſe 34. the Text ſayes, that they feared not the Lord: ſhewing unto us, that where the heart is divided betweene God and other things, there God hath not the heart at all, God is not feared, he is not honoured at all. If wee joyne the counſels of the fleſh with the ſpirit, we fruſtrate all.

Seventhly, there are others who cannot bee ſo eaſily convinced in 7 what particulars they forſake God in any of his wayes; they ſeeme to have a generall forwardneſſe in that which is good, but the truth is, they follow themſelves, and not God in all; they riſe no higher than Selfe in all they doe; which their owne conſciences, upon ſearch made, will tell them; the Commandement of God may be made the pretence, but Selſe is the chiefe Engine, Selſe is the great mover in all. As Phyſitians putting in many operative ingredients into their Phyſick, and they are the things that worke; but beſides, they put in ſomething to give a colour, or a little taſte, which neither doth good nor hurt, that hath no operation at all: Thus it is in many mens Religion; ſelfe-ends are the operative ingredients in that they doe, and the ſhew of obedience to God, is but that which gives the colour, that that which they doe may have the better apperance. It is impoſſible, that a man which ſeekes himſelfe, ſhould come up to this fulneſſe of ſpirit that is required in this following of the Lord. Hoſ. 10. 1. it is ſaid, That Iſrael is an empty Vine; Why ſo? he bringeth forth fruit unto himſelfe; hee brings forth fruit, but yet is empty, becauſe hee bringeth it forth unto himſelfe. Where ſelfe-ends are the chiefe movers, Fructus adaequatus eſt ei; ſo the old Latine. there is no further latitude or degree of godlineſſe minded, but ſuch as may be ſerviceable unto them: Now they cannot but bee low, ſtrait, narrow, in compariſon of thoſe who lift up God in all they do; and therefore their profeſſion muſt needs bee empty and ſcant; not full and powerfull, as it is in the other. A ſelfe-ſeeking heart is alwayes an empty heart, but a gracious heart is fruitfull in all manner of pleaſant fruits, new and old: And what is the reaſon? I have laid them up for thee, O my beloved Cant. 7. v. laſt. Obſerve the difference, Iſrael is an empty Vine, hee brings forth fruit to himſelfe; but the Church here brings forth all manner of pleaſant fruit; for ſhee layes them up for her Beloved; ſhee brings them not forth for her ſelfe, as Iſrael did.

Eightly, others follow the Lord 8 earneſtly a while, but afterwards they forſake him, they turne Apoſtates, they doe not fill up their worke they have begun, but undoe all againe; of whom it may be ſaid, as Lament. 4. 8. They were whiter than Milke, they were as Rubies and poliſhed Saphires in regard of their glorious profeſſion; but now they are blacker than a Coale. God may juſtly complaine of them, as he did of his people, Micah 2. 8. They who were my people yeſterday, are now riſen up againſt me, as an enemy: it was far otherwiſe with them very lately, than now it is. Many are very hopefull at the firſt, yet they prove exceeding vile afterwards; yea, the more forward in good at firſt, the more vile after: As water that hath once been heat, and growes cold againe, is colder than ever it was.

It is reported of Nero, who proved the very Monſter of men for wickedneſſe, yet in the firſt five yeares of his reigne, he behaved himſelfe exceeding well, ſo that it was uſed as a Proverbe to expreſſe the good beginnings of men, Neroes five firſt Nero •• s Quin. quennium. yeares: So Caligula, who proved afterwards exceedingly wicked, yet Ioſephus reports of him, that when he Ioſeph. Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8, 9. was young he travelled very diligently in good diſciplines, hee was of a ſweet converſation, and modeſt, and he governed the Empire the firſt two yeares of his raigne, with moſt noble directions, behaving himſelfe graciouſly towards all men: yea, Iulian himſelfe, who proved ſuch a curſed Apoſtate, yet when hee was young, was very forward and hopefull; he was a publick Reader of holy Scriptures in the Church; he ſeemed to glory in nothing more than in Religion; he was of a very temperate dyer, content with meane food, without much preparation; hee uſed Petri Mart. Morentini praeſatione in Iulia. 〈◊〉 M • ſapogo 〈◊〉 . to lie hard in meane bedding, to watch much a nights, ſpend his time in ſtudy; hee was very chaſte, cleare from the leaſt ſuſpition of luſt; thoſe Officers that were about him, that ſerved for nothing but to maintaine 〈…〉 linus, lib. 22. delicacy and luxury, hee baniſhed from him; hee tooke no delight in publike ſhewes, when hee came to them, hee came rather of neceſſity, than for any pleaſure hee tooke in them: hee ſaith of himſelfe, that when he was on the Theater, he was more like a dereſter of their Playes, than a ſpectator of them, and was preſent at them with trouble and diſdaine, and was joyfull when hee went from them: hee loved learning exceeding much; hearing of a Philoſopher that came to him out of Aſia, he leaps out of the doore, and goes to meet him, and kiſſes him, and entertains him with much honour. In an Epiſt. of his to one Eodicius a Governour of Egypt, he hath this notable expreſſion; Some (ſaith he) delight in horſes, others in birds, others in beaſts, Quidam equis, h 〈…〉 avibus, nonnulli ſeris de • ect 〈…〉 ur, ego vero n • e uſq 〈◊〉 à pueritia l 〈…〉 cupiditate arſi. but I from my very childhood, have burnt with deſire after books. He had an honorable eſteeme of mans ſoule, looking upon the body as vile in compariſon of it. There is this notable expreſſion reported of him, concerning this; It is a ſhamefull thing for any wiſe man, ſeeing he hath a ſoule, • urpe eſt ſaptenti, cum, ab • at animum captare • audes ex corpore. to ſeeke for praiſes from any thing that belongs to his body. Hee ſeemed to have much uprightneſſe in the courſe of Juſtice; he would not condemne upon accuſations without proofe; there is this expreſſion of his concerning this reported of him; when one Delphidius accuſed one before him, of a crime, of which he could not bring ſufficient proofe; the party accuſed denyed the fact; this Delphidius anſwers, If it be ſufficient to deny that which is laid to ones charge, who ſhall be found guilty? Then Iulian anſwers, And if it be ſufficient to be accuſed, who can be innocent? Etquis innocens eſſe poterit, ſi accuſaſſe ſufficiet. Many other notable things are reported of him; but theſe I have related more fully, becauſe in this example we may ſee how farre a man may goe in much ſeeming good; what hopefull beginnings he may have, and yet what a vile curſed Monſter he may prove, if he lookes not to it. Let none then reſt themſelves in their good beginnings; but as they have made entrance upon this work, in following the Lord, ſo let them labour to fill it up: & as for thoſe who heretofore have ſeemed to be forward and hopefull, while they lived in good families, and under the care and watchfull eye of able and godly men, and yet have now forſaken the Lord, and his wayes; let ſuch (I ſay) know, that it is an evill, and a bitter thing, to forſake the bleſſed God; to turne from him to follow after vanities that cannot profit; ſo great an evill is it, that God himſelfe cals the heavens to be aſtoniſhed at this, Ier. 2. 12, 13. Be aſtoniſhed, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very deſolate, ſaith the Lord: For my people have committed two evils, they have forſaken me the Fountaine of living waters, and hewed them out Ciſternes, broken Ciſternes, that can hold no water. The evill of this forſaking the Lord, were great, if this were all.

Firſt, that all your labour in Religion, that all that you have done, is 1 loſt: In Hoſea 8. 2. Iſrael ſhall cry to me, My God we know thee; but verſe 3. Iſrael hath caſt off the thing that is good; therfore, verſe 7. it is ſaid that They have ſown the wind, and ſhall reape the whirlewind: It is but a ſowing to the wind, to follow God in ſome things, and not to hold on in our way. In the 2 Epiſt. of St. Iohn and the 8. verſe, Look to your ſelves, ſaith S. Iohn. that wee loſe not thoſe things that wee have wrought: It is an evill thing, to loſe all that wee have wrought for; but this is not all.

Secondly, if you leave off from following the Lord, all the good that ever you have done, and made profeſſion of, ſhall ſerve only to aggravate your ſinne, and encreaſe your torment.

Thirdly, this leaving off from following Blaſphemiam iagerit Relig 〈…〉 quam co 〈…〉 quod conſit • tur non ante omnes impleverit. Cypr. de ſing. Cleri 〈…〉 . the Lord, is a great diſhonor to God and his ways; an upbraiding of them, as if they were not good enough to draw the heart conſtantly after them; as if there were not that in them, that they make ſhew for. Hence the Lord pleads with his people, Ierem. 2. 5. who had forſaken him, What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone farre from mee, and have walked after vanity? As if he ſhould have ſaid, The world may thinke my ways are unequall, men may thinke that I have not ſhewne my ſelfe a God, ready to doe good, and to reward thoſe who follow me. The forſaking of the truth, the profeſsion whereof wee have once taken up, it is to put Chriſt to open ſhame, Heb. 6. 6.

Fourthly, ſuch men as theſe, doe much miſchiefe in the world; they are grievous ſcandals; they make the good wayes of God to be evill ſpoken of; they harden mens hearts againſt them, and the profeſſion of them; many in hell curſe them, as the cauſe of their ruin: if a man were borne to doe miſchiefe, he could not doe greater any way, than this. So much hurt is done by them, they cauſe ſuch blemiſhes, ſuch ſports to be upon the profeſſion of godlineſſe, as we ſhould be glad if we could waſh them off with our deareſt heartblood, and account it well beſtowed: but woe be to them by whom theſe offences come. The greateſt part of all the ſcorne, contempt of, and oppoſition againſt the wayes of God, and godly men, ſhall be charged upon theſe men, as the cauſers of it; for were it not for ſuch as theſe, wicked men could not tell what to ſay for themſelves, in their oppoſition of thoſe wayes of godlineſſe, which in themſelves are ſo equall, and good, and bleſſed; woe be to them, by whom ſuch offences come.

Fifthly, Theſe men ſhall have their ſpirits filled with horrour; they did 5 not fill up their work in following the Lord; but God and conſcience ſhall follow them, with anguiſh, and horrour, and fill up their ſpirits with them. It may be, once they had ſome flaſhy comforts in the performance of ſome duties; but they ſhall be all taken from them, and diſmall horror, and hideous amazement of ſpirit ſhall poſſeſſe them, Pro. 14. 14. The backſlider in heart ſhall bee filled with his owne wayes; Much more than, the backſlider in heart and life too, hee ſhall bee filled, he ſhall have enough of them. Conſcience one day will upbraid, fly in the face, and teare the heart. Oh wretched creature what haſt thou done? whom haſt thou forſaken? is it not the God of life, and peace, and comfort, and all good, that thou haſt forſaken? are they not the bleſſed wayes of holineſſe, the wayes of eternall reſt and peace that thou haſt left? God hath likewiſe forſaken thee, and all good and comfort begins to withdraw it ſelfe from thee; thou art like to bee left in horrid diſmall darkneſſe; Juſt it is that thou ſhouldſt be left as a forſaken, forlorne, miſerable wretch, who haſt thus wretchedly and vilely forſaken God, and his truth, for the enjoyment of ſuch poore, baſe things as thy heart is turned aſide unto. How wilt thou be able to looke upon the faces of thoſe, with whom thou haſt formerly joyned in holy duties, and haſt had communion with? But how canſt thou looke upon the face of the bleſſed God, when hee ſhall appeare in his glory unto thee? What anguiſh will it bee to thee when thou ſhalt ſee others, who have continued in their way following the Lord, to be for ever bleſſed in that God, whom their ſoules have followed, and cleaved conſtantly unto? but thy ſelfe, becauſe thy baſe unbeleeving heart dared not venture all upon him, now thou art caſt out for ever, as an eternall curſe: Oh what rack of conſcience will it bee, when thou ſhalt ſee in what a faire way once thou wert, but for want of comming off fully, and conſtantly in ſuch and ſuch particulars, thou art now for ever loſt?

Laſtly, theſe men are hatefull both to God and Men; they are 6 hatefull to Men, becauſe they goe ſo farre; and to God, becauſe they goe no further, as Hebr. 10. 38. If any man draw back, my ſoule ſhall have no pleaſure in him. Oh what a happy thing were it, if God would trouble the wayes of theſe poore creatures, if hee would make them bitter and grievous to them, if hee would magnifie his mercy, and his power in turning their hearts againe towards him, if hee would deale with them as hee did with his people, Hoſea 2. 6. 7. Hedge up their wayes with thornes, make a wall that they ſhould not find their paths, that ſo they might at length, come to that bleſſed reſolution wee find there; I will goe and returne to my Husband, for then it was better with me than now; So I will goe and returne to my former wayes, and follow after the Lord againe, from whom I have wretchedly departed, for then it was better with me then it is now; then I had more comfort, more peace, more ſafety, more bleſſing than I have now; And let ſuch know, that though it were juſt with God, for ever to reject them who have forſaken him; juſt to ſay, that vanity ſhould bee their portion, who have turned after lying vanities; and many of the Ancients have made the caſe Clemens Alex. quoted by Sympſon in his hiſtory of the Church in the ſecond century of ſuch exceeding doubtfull, eſpecially if after conviction they have forſaken God againe and againe; as Clemens Alexandrinus thought, that God might give ſuch the firſt and ſecond Tert. thought their caſe deſperate, eſpecially who fell into the ſinne of uncleanneſs. Lib. de pudicit. ſpeaking of that place, Heb. 6. 6. It is impoſſible that they who were once inlightned, &c. He ſayes, that this Author knew no ſecōd repentance promiſed to the Adulterer and Fornicator. Nunquam moecho & fornicatori ſecundam poenitentiam promiſſam ab Apoſtolis. repentance, but if they fell oftner, there was no renewing them by repentance. And Origen ſeemed likewiſe to bee of the ſame minde, in his 5. Homily upon Leviticus, Chap. 25. So Tertullian in his Book of repentance: God grants (ſaith hee) a ſecond repentance, but no further. Thus we ſee the ſtrictneſſe of theſe Ancient times. But though theſe leave theſe men exceeding comfortleſſe, yet let them know, that the Lord cals them to returne again unto himſelfe: For though it be (ſaith the Lord) that if a wife have played the harlot, and ſhee be put away, and become another mans, her husband will not receive her again; yet ſaith the Lord, Ier. 3. 1. Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers, but yet returne to mee: and verſe 22. Returne yee back-ſliding children, and I will heale your back-ſlidings: Oh that your hearts would anſwer, as theirs there did; Oh that this gracious offer of the Lord, might have the ſame effect upon your hearts as it had upon theirs: Behold, ſay they, wee come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; truely in vaine is ſalvation hoped for from the hils, &c. Wee ſee, wee ſee, wee have beene utterly deceived; the wayes that wee have choſen, have not beene good; ſhame hath devoured our labour, wee have beſtowed our labour in ſhamefull things, we lie downe in our ſhame, and our confuſion covereth us, for wee have ſinned againſt the Lord our God. As when a man goeth from the Sunne, yet the Sunne-beames follow him, ſhine on him, warme him; ſo though thou haſt departed from the Lord, yet the beames of Gods mercy this day follow thee, they ſhine on thee; Oh that they might ſo warme thy heart, as to cauſe thee to returne. Cap. 4.

CAP. IV.

Comfort, and encouragement to thoſe who follow the Lord fully.

IF this following of the Lord fully, be the honour of the Saints before the Lord; then here is comfort, and encouragement to thoſe whoſe conſcience doth witneſſe, that their hearts, and wayes are fully after the Lord. What ever others do, yet there are a generation of men in the world, who doe fully follow the Lord; Bleſſed are you of the Lord, you are honourable in the eyes of God and man, you make up in part that hurt that is done to Religion by others; you bind up the wounds of Jeſus Chriſt, and do in part heale his ſcarres: If you bee content to give up all to God, to betruſt God with all, know that there are many bleſſed promiſes, full of mercy, and encouragement for you, that God will make good to the full unto you; yea, they ſhall come to you fuller of goodneſſe, and bleſſing than you can imagine. Caleb challenged this promiſe of God to him made in this place, upon this ground, Ioſhuah 14. 8. five and forty yeares after it was made; for hee was but forty yeares old when hee went to ſpie out the Land, and when hee challenged this promiſe in this place, bee ſaith verſe 10. I am this day foureſcore and five yeares old. Though God may ſeeme to deferre a while the fulfilling of his promiſe; yet bee encouraged to follow him ſtill, for the eye of God is upon you, to make good his word unto you, and the longer it ſtayes, the more full with good and bleſſing it will come. God ſeemed to deferre a long time that promiſe he made to Abraham, That hee would make his ſeed as the ſtarres of heaven; for two hundred and fifteene yeares after this promiſe was made, there were but ſeventy ſoules that came out of Abrahams loynes, namely, when Iacob went down into Egypt; which if we compute the time, wee ſhall find to bee juſt two hundred and fifteene yeares: for Abraham was ſeventy and five yeares old when the promiſe was made; hee was an hundred yeares old when Iſaac was borne; Iſaac was forty yeares old before he married, and hee continued twenty yeares without a child; and Iacob was one hundred and thirty yeares old when he went into Egypt; ſo that the time fals to bee juſt two hundred and fifteene yeares, which was juſt halfe the time, from the promiſe till the people of Iſraels comming out of Egypt, which S. Paul ſaith, Gal. 3. 17. was foure hundred and thirty years. Now obſerve, that whereas God halfe this time did but little for Abraham, in the fulfilling of this his promiſe, yet becauſe Abraham followed him fully, ventured himſelfe wholly upon the faithfulneſſe of the Lord, ſee how fully God came in with his mercy at the laſt; for, in the ſecond two hundred and fifteen yeares, hee ſo encreaſed his ſeed, that from ſeventy ſoules, they were growne up to bee ſixe hundred thouſand, and three thouſand, and five hundred and fifty, Num. 1. 45, 46. and theſe onely from twenty yeares old and upward, ſuch men as were able to goe to warre; there was thus many of theſe, beſides all children and women, which it is like were far the greater number; yea, and the Tribe of Levy was not numbered amongſt this number; there were two and twenty thouſand and upwards of them beſides. Thus you ſee, how fully God comes in at the laſt in his mercy, and making good his word of promiſe to ſuch who follow him fully. Be you as full as you can in following the Lord, the Lord will bee as full towards you, in doing good unto you; Gods mercy ſhall be every as full, as your obedience can bee, 2 Sam. 22. 26. with the upright thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe uprigh: The words are in the Originall, With the ſtrong and perfect, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe ſtrong and perfect. God will goe on ſtrongly to his perfection of mercy towards them, who doe goe on ſtrongly in their perfection of obedience towards him. Pſal. 11. 7. The Lord loveth righteouſneſſe, and his countenance doth behold the upright: The words tranſlated word for word are thus, The Lord loveth righteouſneſſes, and his faces ſhall behold the upright. Righteouſneſſes, that is, when all the duties of righteouſneſſe are together. And his faces ſhall behold; that is, all the ſeverall kindes, and manners of the bleſſed comfortable manifeſtations of his love the upright ſhall have. The great difficulties thou meeteſt with in Gods wayes, (if thou beeſt not diſcouraged, but goeſt thorow them) they ſhall turne to thy greateſt comforts: As Caleb, who was not diſcouraged by the Anakims thoſe great Gyants, and the ſtrong places they lived in, which ſo much diſcouraged the reſt; Therefore Hebron, the place of the Gyants, was given unto him for a poſſeſſion, Ioſuah 14. 12, 13, 14, and 15, verſes.

God certainly will remember the kindneſſe of thoſe who are willing to follow him through the wilderneſſe of difficulties and diſcouragements, Ierem. 2. 2. You who doe thus, ſhall die without ſtaine, without any blur, which few doe; your memories ſhall be ſweet, and bleſſed, when you are dead and gone: You ſhall have an entrance miniſtred unto you abundantly, into the everlaſting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 1. 11. This is promiſed, not onely to thoſe that are godly, but abound in it, as verſe 8. They ſhall be as a ſhip comming gloriouſly into the Haven with full ſaile: Thus S. Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. with much confidence and full aſſurance concludes, That ſeeing hee had fought the good fight, and finiſhed his courſe, and kept the faith, henceforth there was laid up for him, a crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the righteous Iudge ſhould give him at that day: hee challengeth it upon the righteouſneſſe of God. When the ſoules of theſe who have followed God fully, are to enter into heaven, the everlaſting doores ſhall ſtand wide open for them; as when great men come to a houſe, the great gates are ſet open for their entrance; and in Heaven, oh how full a reward ſhall there be there for them, as 2 Ep. Ioh. 8. verſ. There is fulneſſe of joy at Gods right hand, Pſalme 16. ult. So full as Ibi non guſtabunt quàm ſuavis ſit Deus, ſed implebuntus, & ſatiabuntur dulcedi • e mirifica. Cypr. de Aſſent. ſhall bee more than can enter into them; they muſt enter into it, becauſe it cannot enter into them; there they ſhall not taſte of joy and happineſſe, but ſhall bee filled up with them. This, Chriſt encouraged his Diſciples withall, Luke 22. 28, 29. Yee are they which have continued with mee in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a Kingdome, as my Father hath appointed unto mee. With this, S. Paul encouraged himſelfe, in all his afflictions hee met withall, while hee was following the Lord, 2 Cor. 4. ver. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a farre more exceeding eternall waight of glory.

Firſt, it is glory, and this word alone implies that there is exceeding 1 much in it; but further, it is a waight of glory, yea, an eternall waight of glory; and more than that, an exceeding eternall waight of glory; as if yet it were not expreſt fully enough, hee addes further, a farte more exceeding eternall waight of glory; and what expreſſion can bee fuller than this? This was that likewiſe that incouraged Moſes in his full following the Lord, forſaking the pleaſures, the riches, the treaſures of Egypt, that hee migh follow the Lord fully; For hee had, ſaith the Text, a reſpect unto the recompence of reward, Hebrewes, 11. 26. And you whoſe hearts and wayes are fully after the Lord, have the more cauſe to rejoyce in this your bleſſedneſſe, becauſe it it is the bleſſedneſſe but of a few. Iniquity ſhall abound, ſaith Chriſt, and the love of many ſhall waxe cold, but hee that endures to the end, ſhall bee ſaved: It is but a hee, in the ſingular number, that endures to the end. Let theſe encouragements then fill your hearts with joy, and your ſpirits with renewed reſolutions and vigour, to fill up your courſe; let them fill your ſailes, that you may goe on with ſtrength, and proſper, and be for ever bleſſed in your way. I conclude this Vſe with that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Seeing we have theſe promiſes, (theſe incouragements) let us labour to perfect our holineſſe in the feare of God. And thus I paſſe to the laſt Vſe, which is of Exhortation.

CAP. V. Cap. 5.

An Exhortation to follow the Lord fully.

NOw the Lord carry our hearts fully after himſelfe: As the two blinde men, Matth. 20. verſ. laſt, as ſoone as their eyes were opened, they followed Chriſt; ſo were our eyes opened, wee would certainly follow after the Lord; were they fully opened, our hearts would follow fully. Many of you have ſome convictions, ſome inclinations, ſtirrings of affections, good reſolutions; you begin to have good thoughts of Gods wayes, you are almoſt perſwaded: Oh that the work were throughly done! it is pity but that theſe beginnings ſhould be improved. When Chriſt ſaw the good inclinations of the young man, when he came unto him, the Text ſaith, He looked upon him, and loved him: thoſe beginnings are lovely; but how lovely then would the full worke be, if theſe beginnings were brought to perfection?

In this Vſe we ſhall ſhew, firſt, the Motives which may draw our hearts to the following of the Lord fully.

2 What it is that hinders the ſoule in this worke, that it may bee prevented.

3 What it is that would bring off the heart fully indeed.

For the firſt; there is infinite reaſon, 1 that our hearts ſhould bee fully after the Lord: for,

1 There is a fulneſſe of all good in God; hee is worthy; Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour, and power, Revel. 4. 11. Thou art worthy to receive the higheſt honour that any of thy creatures can by any meanes give unto thee. The Heathen gods were honoured, as thoſe who were onely Authors of ſome particular good things; and therefore there were ſuch a multiplicity of them: one was honoured as the Author of one good thing, and another as the author of another; and therefore particular honour was ſufficient for them. There was no reaſon that that any of them ſhould have the whole ſoule, working in the fulneſſe of the operations of it after them; but our God is not ſo; he is an univerſall good, in whom there is all good, and from whom all good flowes, and by whom all good is preſerved in the being it hath; and therfore it is a moſt abſolute, univerſall honor and ſervice that is due to him; if wee had thouſands of ſoules, and if they were all of ten thouſand times larger extent than they are; yet infinite reaſon there would bee, that they ſhould all in the full latitude, extent, & ſtrength of them, work after this our God, to honour and magnifie, and worſhip this God for ever. As that bleſſed Martyr once ſaid, What, have I but Iohn Ardley. one life to lay downe for Chriſt? If I had as many lives, as there are haires upon my head, they ſhould all goe for Jeſus Chriſt: He ſaw Chriſt worthy of all hee had, yea, of more than he had. This was Gods own Argument to Abraham, Walk before me, and be upright; bee perfect, for I am God al-ſufficient, I have all perfection in me, and therefore be thou perfect before me.

Secondly, conſider God might 2 have had full glory in your deſtruction; let him not bee a loſer in his ſhewing mercy to you. How much better is it for you, that hee ſhould have the fulneſſe of his glory, in his mercy to you, than the fulneſſe of it in his judgements upon you? This he might have had long agoe: yea, and the fulneſſe of his glory hee will have; if you give it not to him, hee will force it from you.

Thirdly, Chriſt hath fully gone 3 thorow the great work of Redemption; he would never leave it till he had fully accompliſhed all, and ſaid, It is finiſhed. This was a mighty work, for the accompliſhment whereof, he paſſed thorow more difficulties, than ever thou art like to do, in the fulleſt meaſure of following the Lord, that poſſibly can be.

Fourthly, yea, Gods mercies for 4 the preſent, are very full towards you; his pardoning mercies, and his ſupplying mercies, with all things needfull; when hee receives thee to mercy, he fully pardons all thy ſins, hee leaves nothing upon the ſcore; he remits all thy puniſhments. This was Davids Argument, Pſal. 103. 1, 2, 3 Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and all that is within mee, bleſſe his Holy Name: and bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, again; as if he ſhould ſay, O let God be fully bleſſed by me: why? what was that, that raiſed and inlarged Davids heart? It followes, Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and heales all thy diſeaſes; and verſ. 4. He crownes thee with loving kindneſſes; and verſ. 5. He ſatisfies thy mouth with good things. God gives his ſervants a fulneſſe in all they doe enjoy; his grace exceedingly abounds towards them in every thing. That place in 2 Corinth. 9. 8. is very remarkable for the ſetting out of the abounding of Gods grace towards his people; And God is able (ſaith the Text) to make all grace abound towards you, that ye alwayes having all ſufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. What ever God is able to doe for us, by faith wee make it as if it were done. And this power of God is ſet forth to the Corinthians, as a Motive to perſwade them to full obedience, that they might abound to every good work; which if they did, they ſhould have this power of God active, fully working for them, according to theſe large expreſſions wee have of it in this Scripture. And obſerve the ſeverall expreſſions.

1 It is grace.

2 Then all grace.

3 Then all grace abounding.

4 A ſufficiency.

5 An all-ſufficiency.

6 An all-ſufficiency in all things.

And 7. alwayes an all-ſufficiency in all things. And is not here an Argument full enough, to cauſe them and us, and all Gods people for ever, to abound in every good worke. How often doth God fill our cup with mercy, and make it even runne over; as Pſal. 23. 5? If there ſhall be an All-ſufficiency in all things, then there will be an all-ſufficiency in our greateſt ſtraits, in our greateſt afflictions, in our greateſt ſeares: As it is ſaid of the wicked, Iob 20. 22. in the fulneſſe of his ſufficiency, hee ſhall bee in ſtraits; the contrary is true concerning Gods people; in the fulneſſe of their ſtraits, they ſhall be in all-ſufficiency. God cauſeth all his Attributes, and all the wayes of his Providence, and all his creatures to work for the good of his people; All that is in God, all that God doth, and all that belongs to God, is for them; therefore infinite reaſon there is, that all they are, that all they doe, that all they have, ſhould worke for his honour.

Firſt, all there is in God 1 is for 1 them, Ierem. 32, 41. I will rejoyce over them, to doe them good, and I will plant them in this land aſſuredly, with my whole heart, and with my whole ſoule: God cals for no more from thee than he is willing to give unto thee; hee would have thy whole heart, & thy whole ſoule for his honour, and hee promiſeth to give thee his whole heart, and his whole ſoule, for thy good. Againe, all that God doth, is for thee; Pſal. 25. 10. All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto ſuch as keepe his Covenant and his teſtimonies: The pathes of the Lord, are the wayes of God, in the paſſages of his Providence; not onely ſome particular acts, but the track of God in his wayes, his pathes: Now all theſe pathes of God, that is, all the workings of God in the waies of his Providence, they are mercy unto ſuch, they work mercifully for their good. And further obſerve, they are not onely mercy, but mercy in truth: God hath ingaged his truth, that they ſhould thus worke for them; God hath tyed this mercy to them by his truth. See here the difference between Gods mercy to his people, and his mercy to other men.

Firſt, ſome of Gods pathes may be mercy to other men, but not all; or ſome particular acts of God, rather than his pathes: God doth not ordinarily goe on in a track and courſe of his mercies with them, as hee doth with his people: As their obedience is onely in ſome particular acts, and no continued courſe; ſo Gods mercy to them, which comes from his generall bounty, is manifeſted onely in ſome particular acts of his, and not in any conſtant courſe. But it is otherwiſe in his dealings towards his people; they goe on in a conſtant courſe of obediēce; they make Gods Commandements their pathes, and therefore God goes on in a conſtant courſe of loving kindneſſe towards them, hee makes his mercy to them the ordinary pathes wherein hee walkes: As, Pſalm. 36. 10. O continue thy loving kindneſſe to them that know thee, and thy righteouſneſſe to the upright in heart. The word in the Originall, is, Draw out thy loving kindneſſe. Gods mercies to his owne, are a continued Series, they are drawne out from a conſtant Spring, they come forth from a never-failing Fountaine; there is a connexion betweene one mercy and another; but as for others, God now and then onely caſts his favours on them.

And obſerve a ſecond difference; all Gods paths are mercy to his people, not ſome few; there are none of Gods dealings, but ayme at good towards them; if God ſhould cauſe one favour to follow another towards ſome wicked man, out of the fulneſſe of his bounty; yet it cannot be ſaid of any wicked man in the world, that all the pathes of God are mercy towards him. God hath his pathes of wrath and judgement, wherein he is comming towards him, though hee bee little aware of it: But this bleſſing of all the pathes of God being mercy, is a peculiar bleſſing to ſuch as follow the Lord fully, in the uprightneſſe of their hearts, in all the pathes of ſervice and obedience.

And thirdly, obſerve yet a greater 3 difference than the former: All the pathes of God are not onely mercy, but mercy and truth to his people: though God may ſhew mercy to others, yet he hath not tyed his mercy to them by his truth; they cannot challenge mercy from him by vertue of his truth; if they have mercy, it is more than they could have expected; they cannot be ſure of the continuance of it one houre; they have nothing to ſhew for their mercy; they doe not hold their mercy upon that Tenor of Gods truth which his people doe. Nay, when God comes to make good his truth, to give his truth the glory of it, then there is an end put to their mercy; it is cut off from them; but there is a bleſſed connexion between Mercy & Truth in the good which Gods people doe enjoy; according to the like expreſſion in the forenamed 36. Pſa. 10. the loving kindneſſe and the righteouſneſſe of God are put both together, as the portion of an upright heart. And hence the mercies they have, are no other than ſuch as they may expect, as they may build upon, before they come; ſuch as are made over to them by the truth of God; and when they are come they may bee ſure to hold them, becauſe they hold them upon ſuch a bleſſed Tenure as GODS owne truth. And hence the Scripture calls them ſure mercies. See how confident David was of holding Gods mercies, Pſalm. 23. 6. Surely goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow mee all the dayes of my life.

And further, all that God hath, is for their good; the heavens, and earth, and all Creatures are theirs, and worke continually for them: Hoſea 2. 21. 22. I will heare the heavens, and they ſhall heare the earth, and the earth ſhall heare the Corne, and the Wine, and the Oyle, and they ſhall heare Iezreel: 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23: The world, life, death, things preſent, things to come, all are yours, and yee are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods: Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things worke together for good, to them that love God. This is a myſterie that the world is not acquainted with, but we know it, ſaith the Apoſtle. The world may thinke, that things worke againſt us; yea, all things in the world ſeeme to work againſt us; but we know that all things doe work for good, & they work together for good; though ſome particular things conſidered apart, may worke for good to other men; yet take all together, and they worke their ruine; but altogether workes for good to us; although the good doth not ſeeme yet to come forth, yet it is a working for us; ſtay but till the worke bee done, and it will appeare: Good it will bee, though it may bee not the ſame good that wee thinke of, yet a good that will bee better for us; a greater good than we imagined or deſired. Now then, if all that is Gods bee for thee, and workes thus fully for thee, is there not reaſon then, that all that is thine ſhould be for God, and worke as fully for him? Thine did I ſay? the truth is, there is nothing thine; for all is Gods; God hath a greater propriety in, and right to whatſoever thou art, and haſt, than thy ſelfe; but God is pleaſed to let it bee called thine, that thou maiſt freely give it to him: and if it bee his owne, why ſhould hee not have it fully? If he thus inlargeth himſelfe towards thee, how unequall is it, that thou ſhouldeſt be ſcant in thy ſervice to him, and in thine honouring of him?

Fifthly, wicked men doe fully follow 5 after that which is evill; an infinite ſhame & confuſion then would it be to us, an infinite diſhonour likewiſe unto God, if wee ſhould not as fully follow the Lord in that which is good? Eccleſiaſtes 9. 3. The heart of the ſonnes of men is full of evill: and Chap. 8. 11. The heart of the ſonnes of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . men is fully ſet in them to doe evill: The Seventy tranſlate this, The heart of man hath a Plerophorie to evill; it is ſet upon it without any doubt, or ſuſpition; there is a plerophorie of boldneſſe to ſinne in them; why ſhould there not bee a plerophorie, (that is) a full perſwaſion of faith in Gods ſervants to that which is good? Micah 7. 3. the Scripture ſaith, that wicked men doe evill with both hands, earneſtly: Eſay 57. 5. Idolaters there are ſaid to inflame themſelves with their Idols; and Ieremy Chap. 8. 2. they are ſaid, 1. To love their Idols: 2. To ſerve them: 3. To walke after them: 4 To ſeek them: 5. To worſhip them: all theſe 5. expreſſions together in one Verſe, to ſet forth the earneſtneſſe and fulneſſe of the ſpirit of Idolaters towards their Idols. Where have we five ſuch expreſſions together, to ſet out the fulneſſe of the worke of mens ſpirits in following after the Lord? It was ſaid of Ahab, that hee ſold himſelfe to work wickedneſſe; what a fulneſſe of ſpirit was there in him, in doing wickedneſſe? Ier. 23. 10. It is ſaid there of the people, that their courſe was evill, and their force was not right. That vis, that ſtrength, and force that was in their ſpirits, was not right; it was not after God, but after the wayes of ſinne. How many difficulties will men paſſe thorow for their luſts? what coſt will they bee at? how great things will they ſuffer? nothing is ſo deare unto them, but they will be content to part with it for, and beſtow it upon their Idols. How ſoon did the people, Exodus 32. break off their golden Earrings from their Eares, to make an Idoll withall? and ſhall not then our hearts and lives bee more fully after the bleſſed God? Wee ſee wicked men ſticke cloſe to their wicked principles; they are bold, they will not bee daunted, they will goe thorow with the worke they have begun, what ever come of it; ſhould not wee much more ſtick to our principles, ſhould not wee much more bee undaunted in our way, and goe thorow with our worke?

I remember I haue read a paſſage in Saint Cyprian, how he brings in the devil triumphing over Chriſt in this manner; As for my followers, I never dyed for them, as Chriſt did for his; I never promiſed them ſo great reward, as Chriſt hath done to his; and yet I have more followers than hee, and they doe more for mee, than his doth for him. O let the thought of our giving the devil occaſion thus to triumph over Chriſt in our ſlackneſſe and negligence in following after him, cauſe ſhame and confuſion to cover our faces: and yet to put on this Argument a little more cloſe; It may bee you your ſelves heretofore, have followed ſinne fully, your hearts have beene ſtrong after evill, and your lives have beene fruitfull in it; it may bee you have beene forward in putting forth your ſelves ring-leaders in that which was evill; not onely ſtout and perverſe your ſelves, but maintainers, encouragers of much evill in others; you gave up yours members, your eſtates, and what you had, to the ſervice of ſin; much time was ſpent, much ſleepe broke, in plotting and contriving wickedneſſe, much paines taken in the execution of it, and now your hearts and wayes ſeeme to bee for God; and is a poore, ſleight, ſcant, dead-hearted ſervice ſufficient for him? Oh bee aſhamed and confounded in thy thoughts, let Conſcience judge betweene God and his Creature. Doeſt thou thus requite the Lord? is this thy kindneſſe to him? Is there not infinite reaſon, that as you have yeelded your members ſervāts to uncleannes, & to iniquity unto iniquity; even ſo you now ſhould yeeld your members ſervants to righteouſneſſe unto holineſſe? Rom. 6. 19. Marke the oppoſition there; there are three to's in the expreſſion of the ſervice to ſinne, To uncleanneſſe, To iniquitie, Vnto iniquitie; but in the ſervice of God there are onely two, To righteouſnes, Vnto holines. It is true, in this life there will never be that fulneſſe of ſpirit in following after God, as there was in following after ſinne; becauſe there was nothing but ſinne in the ſoule before, no other ſtreame to abate it; but now there is ſomthing elſe beſides grace; a ſtreame of corruption to oppoſe it: but yet wee ſhould bee aſhamed, that there ſhould be ſuch a difference; the thought of it ſhould cauſe a dejection of heart within us, and we ſhould judge it infinitely equall & reaſonable, that we ſhould indeavour to the utmoſt wee are able, to follow God as fully now, as ever wee followed ſinne before. Saint Paul, Acts 26. 11. confeſſeth, that in his former way he was madd in the perſecution of Gods ſervants; and when God turned the ſtreame, others judged him as mad in the other way; 2 Corinth. 5. 13. For whether we bee beſides our ſelves, it is to God; the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us. And hence we may obſerve, that the ſame word that ſignifies to perſecute, he uſeth to ſet out his earneſt preſſing towards the Marke; Phil. 3. 14. I preſſe towards the Marke, for the price of the high calling of God. The word that is there tranſlated, preſſe towards, it is this ſame that ſignifies to perſecute, becauſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the earneſtneſſe of his ſpirit, in preſſing towards the marke now, is the ſame that it was in his perſecution of thoſe that preſſed towards the marke before.

Sixthly, the more fully we follow 6 God, the more full ſhall our preſent peace, and joy, and ſoule ſatisfying contentment be. Pſal. 119. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; the beginning of following God, is ſweet and good, but the further wee doe goe on, the more ſweet we ſhall finde, as they who walked toward Sion, Pſalm. 84. 7. They went from ſtrength to ſtrength: ſo they who walke after the Lord, they goe from peace to peace, from joy to joy, frō one degree of comfort unto another; for if the entrance into our way be ſo good and ſweet, what will it bee when wee come into the midſt of it? Prov. 8. 20. I lead in the way of righteouſneſſe, in the midſt of the pathes of judgement; marke what followes there, verſe 21. That I might cauſe thoſe that love me, to inherit ſubſtance, and I will fill their treaſures. Then doth the ſoule inherit ſubſtance indeed, then are the treaſures of it filled, when wiſedome leades it, not onely in the way of righteouſneſſe, but in the midſt of the paths of judgement. The way of the juſt is compared to the ſhining of the light, that ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. The further hee goes on his way, the more light hee hath, the more glorious ſhine is upon him. Pſal. 36. 8. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied, and they ſhall drinke of the River of pleaſures. Who are thoſe that ſhal be thus abundantly ſatisfied, and ſhall have this River of pleaſures? they are verſe 10. the upright in heart. That ſoule that walkes on before the Lord in the uprightneſſe of it, ſhall not want ſatiſfaction, ſhall not want pleaſure. Pſal. 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy law. It is more to love Gods law thē to do the thing that is commanded in it. That ſoule which doth not onely ſubmit to the Law, but loves it, will be abundant in duty, for love is bountifull; & great peace hath ſuch a ſoule, that thus loves Gods Law. Every good motion in the ſoule is as the budd of the Lord, and that is beautifull and glorious; but how excellent and glorious is the fruit of it then? the good beginnings which are as the budding of the Pomegranate, and the putting forth of the tender Vine, are delightfull to God and to the ſoule; but how pleaſant then is the fruit when it comes to ripeneſſe?

The more fully we follow on in Gods wayes, the more full will the teſtimony of the witneſſes both in heaven and earth bee, in witneſſing our bleſſed eſtate unto us: Thoſe three witneſſes in heaven, the Father, Word, and Holy Ghoſt, and thoſe three on earth, the ſpirit, water, and the blood, of which S. Iohn in his 1 Epiſtle 5. 7, 8. they will all come with their full teſtimony, to that ſoule which followes God fully. By following the Lord fully, wee keep our evidences cleare; ſinne blots and blurs our evidences, that oftentimes wee cannot reade them; but when the heart keeps cloſe to God, and walks fully with him, then all is kept faire. The Kingdome of God conſiſts in righteouſneſſe, peace, and joy; the more fully wee are brought into his Kingdome, the more fully wee are under his government; as there will bee the more righteouſneſſe, ſo the more peace, and joy. Eſ. 9. 7. Of the encreaſe of his government, and peace, there ſhall bee no end, ſaith the Text. The more encreaſe there is of Chriſts government in the ſoule, the more full it is, the more peace will be there.

Seventhly, there is great reaſon that wee ſhould walke fully after the 7 Lord, becauſe the way that God cals us to walke in, is a moſt bleſſed and holy way: In the 21. Revelation, 21. verſe; The ſtreets of Ieruſalem, (that is, the wayes of Gods people in his Church, wherein they are to walke) they are ſaid to bee of pure gold, and as it were tranſparent glaſſe; they are golden wayes, they are bright ſhining wayes. Prov. 3. 17. The wayes of wiſdome are the wayes of pleaſantneſſe; and all her paths are peace. There is not any one Command of God, wherein hee would have us to follow him, but it is very lovely, there is much good in it: God requires nothing of us, but that which is moſt juſt and holy: as God is holy in all his workes, ſo he is holy in all his Commands; they are no other, but that which if our hearts were as they ought, wee would chooſe to our ſelves. A righteous man is a law to himſelfe, he ſees that good, that beauty, that equity in all Gods Lawes, as hee would chooſe them to himſelfe were hee left at his owne liberty. What one thing is there in Gods Law that could bee ſpared? What is there that thou couldſt bee glad to bee exempted from? It may bee in the ſtrength of temptation, when ſome luſt is up working, the fleſh would faine have ſome liberty, but upon due ſerious thoughts, looking into the bottome of things, a gracious ſoule cloſeth with the Law, and loveth it as gold, yea, fine gold, and breakes for the longing it hath, not to the reward of obedience to Gods Statutes, and Judgements, but to the Statutes and Judgements of God themſelves, as David ſaith his ſoule did. Howſoever our path in following the Lord may ſeeme rugged and hard to the fleſh, in regard of the afflictions and troubles it meets withall in it; yet where there is a ſpirituall eye, the way of holineſſe appeares to it exceeding lovely and beautifull. Though David Pſa. 23. ſuppoſed the worſt that might befall him in his way, as that he might walke through the valley of the ſhadow of death; yet he cals his way greene paſtures, and ſaith, Godwill leade him by the ſtill waters. It is true, the wayes of God are grievous to the wicked, but very good and delightfull to the Saints, becauſe they are the wayes of holineſſe, as Eſay 35. 8. And a highway ſhall be there, and it ſhall bee called, the way of holineſſe; The uncleane ſhall not paſſe over it.

Eightly, the conſideration of the end of our way, ſhould bee a ſtrong 8 motive, to draw our hearts fully after the Lord in it; the entrance into it is ſweet, the midſt of it more, as before we have ſhewed; but the end of it moſt ſweet of all; there is that comming, that will fully recompence all.

Conſider of the ſweetneſſe of the end of our way;

1 In that period of it that will be at death, and 2, In that glorious reward we ſhall have in heaven.

That ſweet and bleſſed comfort, that the full following of the Lord brings at death, is enough to recompence all the trouble and hardſhip, that wee meet withall in our way, while we are following of him: This hath cauſed many Saints of God to lie triumphing, when they have been upon their death-beds, bleſſing the Lord that ever they knew his wayes, that euer he drew their hearts to follow after him in them.

When Hezekiah received the meſſage of death, Eſay 38. 2, 3, he turned his face to the wall, and ſaid, Remember, O Lord, I beſeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy ſight; and Hezechiah wept ſore: O the ſweetneſſe that poſſeſſed the heart of Hezekiah, which did flow from the teſtimony of his conſcience, that hee had fully walked after the Lord with a perfect heart! the verbe there, I have walked, It is in Hithpael. Continuoi • de ſinenter ambulavi. is in that Mood in the Originall, that addes to the ſignification of it; It ſignifies, I have continually without ceaſing walked.

Thus Luther, who was a man Oſian hiſt. Eccle. cent. 16. l. b. 2 cap. 56. whoſe ſpirit was exceeding full in his love unto, and walking after the Lord Jeſus Chriſt while hee lived; and when hee came to die, his ſpirit was as full of comfort, and joy, as before it was full of zeale, and courage; theſe expreſſions brake from him; O my heavenly Father, O God the Father of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the God of all comfort, I give thee thanks that thou haſt revealed thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt to mee, whom I have beleeved, whom I have profeſſed, whom I have loved, whom I have honoured, whom the Biſhop of Rome, and the reſt of the rout of wicked men have perſecuted, and contemned; and now I beſeech thee; O my Lord Ieſus Chriſt, receive my ſoule, my heavenly Father; although my body is to be laid downe, yet I certainly know that I ſhall for ever remaine with thee, neither can I by any be pulled out of thy hands. The grace of Gods Spirit oftentimes appeares moſt in the glory of it, when death approacheth, becauſe grace and glory is then about to meet. That ſoule that hath followed God fully here, when it comes to depart out of the body, it onely changeth the place, nor the company; which was the ſpeech of a late reverend holy Divine of ours, a little before his death. I ſhall change my place, ſaith hee, but not my company: meaning, that as he had converſed with God, and followed after the Lord here in this World, hee was now going to converſe with him, and to follow after him more fully in a better World. Death to ſuch a ſoule, it is but Gods calling of it, from the lower gallery of this World, to the upper gallery of Heaven, to walke with him there. Here the converſe that Jeſus Chriſt hath with the ſoules of his people, is compared to that converſe, that friends have one with another, in their walkings together in their galleries, Cant. 7. 5. The King is held in the galleries: hee doth not only walk with his Beloved there, but is as it were bound, he is kept there by the bands of love, and when death comes, then the ſoule is called up, to the upper roome, to heaven, there to follow the Lamb whereſoever he goeth.

Wee reade of a notable ſpeech, that Hilarion had when hee was to die; Goe out, goe out my ſoule, why doſt Egredere, quid times? egredere anima mea, quid dubitas? ſeptuagintaprope annis ſerviſti Chriſto, et mortemtimes? Hicronym, in vit. ejus. thou feare, why doſt thou doubt? almost theſe ſeventy yeares haſt thou ſerved Chriſt, and doſt thou now feare death? And if the end of our way at death, hath ſo much good in it, how much good will there be in the end of our way, that we ſhall enjoy, when we come to heaven?

As the conſideration of the full reward in heaven, was made uſe of before, as an encouragement to thoſe who doe fully follow the Lord; ſo now wee make uſe of it, as a ſtrong motive to draw up our hearts to the full following after him. It was S. Pauls motive to the Corinthians, 1 Epiſtle 15. 58. perſwading them to hee ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord; foraſmuch as they knew that their labour was not in vaine in the Lord. We doe not follow after ſhadowes, and phancies, in following the Lord, but wee ſeek for glory, honour, immortality; wee follow after an incorruptible crowne, a glorious kingdome, an eternall inheritance, the glory of heaven; the treaſures of the riches of God himſelfe are ſet before us, to draw up our hearts fully to him. It was the argument that S. Paul uſed to worke upon his owne ſpirit withall, Phil. 3. 14. I preſſe toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Ieſus.

How full is the worke of many mens ſpirits, in their working after ſome poore, little, ſcant good in this world? whereas if they had all the world, they had but an empty husk, in compariſon of that glory that is ſet before us: They pant after the very duſt; what cauſe is there then, that our hearts ſhould pant in the ſtrong workings of them, after thoſe high and glorious things, that are reſerved in heaven for us? It was the goodnes of the land of Canaan, that was a ſtrong motive to draw Caleb and Ioſhuahs heart fully after the Lord, through many difficulties. Canaan was but a darke Type of the glory of Heaven, which God hath promiſed to reward the full followers of himſelfe withall. It was once a ſpeech of Anſelme, If a man ſhould ſerve God zealouſly here a thouſand yeares, yet ſhould hee not thereby deſervedly merit to bee one halfe day in heaven. Let us bee as forward, let our hearts bee as ſtrong and zealous in Gods wayes as poſſibly they can be; yet I may ſay as Abigail did to David in that particular caſe, it ſhall not repent my Lord when he comes into his Kingdome; ſo it ſhal never repent you of any thing that ever you have done for the Lord, when you come into your Kingdome. But if it were poſſible there could be ſorrow in heaven, you would be ſorry that you did no more. It was a ſpeech of one Gordius a Martyr, that the threats of his enemies were but as ſeedes, from which he ſhould reape immortality, and eternal joyes; ſo all the hardſhip and troubles that we meet with all in our way here, in following the Lord, are but increaſers of that glory that is to be revealed: why then ſhould any thing hinder us, or ſtop us in our way? And thus I paſſe to the ſecond thing propounded in this Uſe, namely, to ſhew what are the Cauſes that hinder men from following the Lord fully; and they are five eſpecially; which I ſhall but name.

Firſt, low apprehenſions that men 1 have of God; they ſee not God in his glory, in his greatneſſe; ſurely, they know not God, and therefore it is that their hearts work ſo poorly after him: Ier. 9. 3. They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth: and what is the reaſon? For they know not me, ſaith the Lord. As if he ſhould ſay, Did they know me, certainly they would be valiant for my trruth: They that know thy Name, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 9. 10. they will put their truſt in thee; ſo they that know Gods Name, will love him, will feare him, will be zealous for, will fully follow after him. The knowledge of all truthes, concerning Heaven, and hell,

ven, and hell, or any other thing that can bee knowne, can never raiſe, can never inlarge the hearts of men ſo after the Lord, as the knowledge of God himſelfe; and therefore where God is little knowne, no marvell though he be ſo little followed.

Secondly, unſound beginnings in 2 the profeſſion of Religion, are the cauſe why men doe not fully follow after the Lord; their hearts are not throughly broken, not deepely humbled, the truths of God not deeply rooted at firſt, their ſoules not well principled, the foundation not well laid: If men be not well principled at firſt, in their entrance into the wayes of God, they are like to prove but ſhufflers and bunglers in Religion all their dayes. If cloth bee not wrought well at the firſt, though it ſhews faire in the Loome, yet it will ſhrinke when it comes to wetting: the cauſe why many doe ſo ſhrinke in the wetting, when they come to ſuffer any thing in the wayes of Religion; it is, becauſe their hearts were not well wrought at firſt.

A third cauſe is the ſtrength of ingagements; their hearts are ſo wrapped 3 in them, ſo glued to them, as it is exceeding painfull to get them looſened from them, they are ſo near and deare to a corrupt heart: As it is ſaid of Eſau, hee looked on the Pottage, and it was ſo red; ſo they looke upon their ingagements, and they are ſo full of content; it is ſo grievous to be taken off from them, that they rather ſuffer their hearts to bee taken off from God himſelfe: when engagements have taken poſſeſſion of the heart, then how hard is it to work any thing upon the judgements of men? it is hard to get the minde to view the truths of God, to get it to ſearch into them, to conſider of them; it is ready to cloſe with the leaſt objection againſt them, to catch hold of the leaſt advantage to caſt them off; and if truths bee ſo cleare as a man cannot but ſee them, as conſcience for the preſent is over-powred with them, yet if the heart bee not taken off from ingagements, it will fetch about againe, to ſee if ſomething may not bee gotten againſt thoſe truths, to breake the ſtrength of them; but where the heart is taken off from ingagements, how eaſily do the truths prevaile? how ſoone is the heart brought fully to cloſe with them? 2 Sam. 22. 33. God, ſaith David, maketh my way perfect: the word is, He frees my way, Solvit, ſo it is tranſlated by ſome, Hee frees it from ſnares; and this is a great mercy. Hence, Pſalme 18. 32. Where this thankſgiving of David is againe repeated, there the word is tranſlated Dedit, Hee hath given my way to be perfect; this is a good gift indeed, for God to make a mans wayes free and cleare before him, to take off the temptations that did ingage and inſnare his ſpirit; and then, as Verſe 34. of that place in Samuel, He maketh my feet as Hindes feet: O how ſwiftly and powerfully then may the ſoule runne in Gods wayes, when it is thus freed! Pſalm. 119. 44, 45. I ſhall keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever, and I will walke at liberty. When the heart is at liberty, then it goes on continually, for ever and ever, in following after the Lord: but if there be any ſecret ingagement in it, it will be weary, and one time or other will leave off: a man that is fettered, can neither go apace, nor continue long.

A fourth thing that hinders men 4 in following God fully, it is, going out in the ſtrength of their owne reſolutions, not in any ſtrength that they receive out of the fulneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt; they truſt more to their owne promiſes, than to Gods. Luther reports of Staupicius a Germane Divine, that hee acknowledged of himſelfe, that before he came to underſtand aright the free and powerful grace of Jeſus Chriſt, that he vowed & reſolved an hundred times againſt ſome particular ſin, and never could get power over it; at laſt he ſaw the reaſon to be, the truſting to his own reſolutions.

A fift cauſe, is the meeting with 5 more difficulties in Gods ways than wee made account of: when Chriſtians thinke onely of the good and ſweet that they ſhall meet with in Gods wayes; but they doe not caſt in their thoughts, what the troubles are like to bee, that they ſhall finde in them; like Ioſeph, who dreamed of his preferment and honour that hee ſhould have above his brethren, but dreamt not of his ſelling into Egypt, nor of his impriſonment there: Chriſtians ſhould at the firſt entrance into Gods wayes, expect the utmoſt difficulties; they ſhould enter upon thoſe termes, to incounter with great troubles, if they meane to ſollow God fully in them. It is a ſhame for any Chriſtian to account any trouble that he meets withall in Gods wayes, to be as a ſtrange thing unto him. Becauſe the Lord had takē S. Paul as a choſen veſſell unto himſelfe, and purpoſed to draw his heart fully after him; obſerve how God deales with him in his firſt entrance into his way, Acts 19. 16. I will ſhew him how great things hee muſt ſuffer for my Names ſake.

But what then would take off the heart, and carry it fully after the Lord?

Theſe three things will doe it.

Firſt, the reall ſight and thorow ſenſe of ſinne, as the greateſt evill. Whē God leads his people weeping, and with ſupplications, then hee brings them into a ſtraight way, wherein they ſhall not ſtumble, Ier. 31. 9. and againe, Ier. 50. 4, 5. the Lord ſaith, that his people ſhall goe weeping, and ſeeke the Lord their God, they ſhal aske the way to Zion, with their faces thither-ward, ſaying, Come let us joyne our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant, that ſhall not be forgotten. When they are led weeping in the thorow ſenſe of their ſinne, then their faces are ſet toward Zion, and then they are willing to joyne themſelves to God, in a perpetuall Covenant.

The ſecond thing that will take off the heart fully, is the cleare ſight of God in theſe two conſiderations.

1. In relation to our ſelves, to ſee how there is all good in him for 1 us to enjoy fully, though wee have nothing but him alone; what ever wee would have in any creature, in any way ſo farre as is good for us, it is to bee had in him; when the ſoule is thorowly convinced of this, it comes off ſweetly, and flowes fully after the Lord.

2. Conſider God in relation to all other good; thus, that nothing 2 elſe hath any true goodneſſe in it, but in reference and ſubordination to him.

The third thing that will take off 3 the heart fully, is the feare of God, and the feare of eternity powerfully falling upon the ſoule, and deeply taking impreſſion in it: For the feare of God, take that place, 2 Cor. 2. 1. Perfect your holineſſe in the feare of God. The feare of God is a great means to bring your holineſſe to perfection; and for the ſecond, that place in Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your ſalvation with feare and trembling. The feare of Cap. 6. the eternall ſalvation of the ſoule, of the infinite conſequence of it, will cauſe us to labour to work it out.

CAP. VI.

That it is the choiceneſſe of a mans ſpirit that cauſes him to follow GOD fully.

FRom the reference that this Doct. 3. following of God fully hath to the excellency of Calebs ſpirit; The Doctrine that ariſeth is this, That it is the choiceneſſe and excellency of a mans ſpirit, that cauſeth him to follow God fully. As Comets that are called blazing ſtars do ſoone vaniſh, becauſe of the baſenes of the matter out of which they are; but Starres in the Firmament continue; becauſe they are of an heavenly ſubſtance: ſo there are many blazing Profeſſors of Religion, who riſe high for a while, but at laſt they come to nothing, becauſe their ſpirits are baſe and vile; but thoſe who have heavenly and choice ſpirits, they god on in their way, & finiſh their courſe to the honour of God and his truth, Pro. 11. 5. The righteouſneſſe of the perfect ſhall direct his way: but the wicked ſhall fall. Ezec. 36. 26, 27. A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, &c. And after it followes, And cauſe you to walke in my Statutes, and yee ſhall keepe my Iudgements, and doe them. This new ſpirit will cauſe a man to walk in Gods Statutes; a man of ſuch a ſpirit ſhall certainly keepe his judgements, and do them even to the end. It is not ſtrength of parts that will carry a man thorow, nor ſtrength of Argument, nor ſtrength of conviction, nor ſtrength of naturall conſcience, nor ſtrength of reſolution, nor ſtrength of common grace; it is onely this choice excellent ſpirit; that other ſpirit, of which wee have ſpoke ſo much before.

In this point I ſhall follow theſe three things.

1 Wee ſhall ſhew what there is in this ſpirit that doth carry on a man fully. 2 Why onely this can doe it. 3 Apply it.

For the firſt, it is the choiceneſſe of a mans ſpirit that cauſeth a man to goe fully after God: for,

1 By this a man comes to have a more full preſence of God with him, 1 than any other man can have; ſuch a man is nearer unto God than others, hee hath more of the nature of God, than others; is more capable of the preſence of God, than others; and God delights to let out himſelfe more to him than to others: Theſe are filled with all the fulneſſe of God, according to that expreſſion of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 3. 19. Now this fulneſſe of God in their ſpirits muſt needs carry them on, becauſe it ſo ſatisfies them, as they feele no need of other things. Empty ſpirits are alwayes ſucking and drawing of comfort from the creatures that are about them, & hence it is that their hearts are taken off from God ſo much. Againe, a ſpirit that is filled with God, is not ſo ſenſible of any evils that are without, ſo as empty ſpirits are; as it is in the body when it is filled with good nouriſhment, with good blood and ſpirits, it is not ſenſible of cold, and alteration of weather, as the body is that is empty, and filled onely with winde.

Secondly, the choiceneſſe of a mans ſpirit raiſeth it to converſe with high 2 things, and ſo carries it above the rubs, the ſnares and hindrances that are below; and being above theſe, it goes on freely and fully in its courſe, and is not in that danger of miſcarrying, as other poore ſpirits are, who converſe ſo much with the things upon the earth: as Birds that flie high, are not catched by the Fowler, they are not taken by his Lime-twigs, by his Net or Pit fall ſo as others are, who are much below upon the ground. Broverb. 15. 24. The way of Life is above to the wiſe, that hee may depart from hell beneath; It is the keeping in his way above, that delivers him from the dangers & ſnares that are laid for him below. Thunders and Lightnings, tempeſts and ſtormes, make no alteration in the higheſt Region; ſo the threats and oppoſitions againſt the wayes of godlineſſe, and all the troubles that the world cauſeth, make no alterations in heavenly hearts, that keepe above. When the tree growes low, it is ſubject to bee bitten by the Beaſts, but when it is growne up on high, it is out of danger: The lower the heart is, the nearer the earth, the more danger; but when it is got up on high, the danger is paſt; and now, what ſhould hinder it from the growing up to the full meaſure of it in Chriſt.

Thirdly, the choiceneſſe of a mans 3 ſpirit changeth his end, and ſo carries him on fully after the Lord; for when the end is changed, all is changed; when there are but particular changes it is a certaine argument, that the higheſt end is not changed; but when that is changed, there muſt of neceſſity bee an univerſall change upon theſe two grounds.

1 Becauſe the laſt end is alwayes loved for it ſelfe, and therefore infinitely loved.

2 It is the rule of all other things that are under it; the good of all things under it is meaſured by it, and is ſubordinate to it.

Fourthly, this choiceneſſe of ſpirit cauſeth a ſuteableneſſe, a ſympathy 4 between the frame of the heart, and the wayes of holineſſe: Now ſympathies firſt, are alwayes between the generall natures of things, and not individuals, not particulars; as thus, where there is a ſympathy betweene one creature and another, it is alwayes betweene the whole kind of thoſe creatures; whereſoever ſuch Natures are found, there will be this agreement. Wee may ſee it more clearely in that which is contrary; that contrariety of nature which wee call Antipathy, it is not betweene any particulars ſo much, as betweene the whole natures of things; as between the Wolf & the Sheep, there is ſuch a contrariety: Now the nature of the Wolfe is not contrary ſo much to any particular ſheep, but to the whole nature of ſheepe, whereſoever the nature of it is found, and therefore to all ſheep; Thus it is in the ſoule, where there is ſuch a kinde of oppoſition of it againſt ſinne, it is not againſt any particular ſinne ſo much, as againſt the whole nature of ſinne, whereſoever it is; ſo where there is ſuch an agreement, which wee call a ſympathie, it is not ſo much with any particular way of holineſſe, or perticular Act, but with the whole nature of holineſſe, whereſoever it is found, and therefore ſuch a ſoule muſt needs follow God fully. Againe, ſympathies doe alwayes worke without labour and paine, and therefore where there is ſuch an agreement betweene the frame of the heart, and the wayes of God, the heart muſt needs worke fully, becauſe it workes delightfully: and yet further, this agreeablenes of ſympathie is deepely rooted in the very principles of the creature, it is founded in the very being of it, and therefore it muſt needs worke ſtrongly and conſtantly. Vaine reaſonings, carnall objections, ſubtill arguments, ſtrong oppoſitions can never prevaile againſt that ſoule, where there is this deeprooted agreeableneſſe betweene the frame of it, & the wayes of holineſſe. But that you may ſee further what a wonderfull agreeableneſſe Grace makes betweene the ſpirits of the godly, and the Law of God, which is the rule of thoſe wayes wherein God would have the ſoule to follow him in: obſerve the ſeverall expreſſions by which the Scripture ſets it out.

Firſt, it is written in the tables of their hearts. Secondly, it is their meditation day and night, Pſal. 1. Thirdly, it is the joy of their ſouls, Pſal. 119. 14, verſ. and 47. verſe. Fourthly, they love it above gold, above fine gold. Fifthly, their hearts breake for the longing it hath after it. Sixthly, they lift up their hands to it, Pſal. 119. 48. Seventhly, their mouthes talke of it, Pſal. 119. 13. ver. & 46. ver. Eighthly, their feet run in it, Pſal. 119. 32. Ninthly, their ſoule keeps it. Pſal. 119. 167. Tenthly, they will never forget it, Pſal. 119. 16. Eleventhly, they give up their members as inſtruments of the righteouſneſſe of it, Rom. 6. 13.

And laſtly, to name no more, (though there be many more expreſſiōs in Scripture to ſet this out) they apply their hearts to it, to fulfill it alwaies even to the end, Pſal. 119. 103.

Fifthly, This choiceneſſe of ſpirit 5 cauſeth a man to looke to his duty, and not to regard what may follow. The thing that hinders moſt in their following the Lord, it is want of this; it is not want of conviction what ſhould be done, but the reaſonings of their heart, about the hard and troubleſome conſequences that will follow, if the things bee done: But a true gracious heart ſaith onely, Let mee know what is my duty, let the right bee done, though heaven and earth meet together.

Sixthly, The choiceneſſe of a mans Fiat juſt • tia, etſi mundus ruat. 6 ſpirit cauſeth a man, that if he doth looke at any conſequences, that may follow upon his way, he lookes onely at the laſt iſſue of all, what his way will prove in his laſt concluſion; how things will goe with him when he comes to the laſt triall, what will be the ultimate end of all: Will it then be peace? ſhall I then be glad of theſe wayes I now walke in?

Seventhly, The choiceneſſe of a 7 mans ſpirit ſtrengthens it againſt the impreſſions that ſenſitive objects uſe to leave upon ſoft and weake ſpirits. Moſt men have their ſpirits formed, and faſhioned according to ſenſitive objects; it is not what they apprehend in abſtract notions, that works upon them, let them bee what they will; yet, when they have to deale with ſenſitive things, the ſweetneſſe, deſireableneſſe, glory of them, works the moſt powerfully; their hearts are altered according to the impreſſion that they leave upon them, and this is great weakneſſe, and an effeminate ſoftneſſe of ſpirit: Hence the word tranſlated Effeminate, 1 Cor. 6. 9. ſignifies 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ſoft-ſpirited men. This diſtēper in the ſpirit, is like that in the fleſh, when it is corrupted with the dropſie; the fleſh is ſoft, and if you put your finger to it, the impreſſion of your finger ſticks in it, and pits the fleſh; ſo the impreſſion of ſenſitive objects, ſticks in diſtempered, weake, ſoft ſpirits, as it was in the other Spies who were ſent with Caleb and Ioſhuah; the terrible things they ſaw in the land, ſtucke mightily in their hearts, they brought with them the impreſſiō of them faſtened in their ſpirits: hence Numb. 13. 33. according to the tranſlation of the Greek Tranſlators, it is, They brought the feare of the land with them: But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . this choiceneſſe of ſpirit that was in Caleb, and is in thoſe who are truely godly, keepeth from this: and there muſt bee this firmneſſe in the ſpirit of a man, or elſe it will never cary him after the Lord fully, 2 Sam. 22. 26. With the upright thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe upright; the word tranſlated upright, ſignifies ſtrong and perfect: There is required ſtrength, and that more than ordinary too, to cary on the ſoule to perfection.

Thus you ſee what there is in this choice ſpirit, that caries it on fully after the Lord: Now there muſt of neceſſity be this, or elſe this full following of the Lord will never be, nothing elſe will doe it. And that;

1 Becauſe the wayes of God are ſupernaturall, and therefore there muſt bee ſomething in the ſpirit of a man which is ſupernaturall, that muſt reach to them; this which is ſupernaturall in the ſpirits of godly men, wee ſee it in the effects, and we know it is above reaſon, and all naturall principles whatſoever. But what is, is very hard to expreſſe; and therefore men of parts in the World, are madde to think, that any ſhould imagine, that thoſe who are of weaker parts than themſelves, ſhould have any thing in them, to carry them on in other wayes, than they walke in; which they doe not underſtand, becauſe they doe not know, what that ſame thing is, which is called ſupernaturall; they will rather think it a conceit and phanſie, than any reall excellency: becauſe they can apprehend other things better than others, they thinke, why ſhould they not apprehend this better than others, if there were any reall excellencie in it.

2 The wayes of God are not only above nature, but contrary to nature, and therefore there muſt bee needs, ſome ſpeciall choyceneſſe of ſpirit, to carry a man on in them; there muſt bee a contrary ſtreame, to over-power the ſtreame of nature, and this ſtreame muſt be fed by ſome living fountaine, or elſe there will never bee a holding out. In following after the Lord, all naturall abilities, and common grace will doe no more but ſtop the ſtreame of corrupt nature; they cannot ſo overpower it, as to carry the ſoule another way; but the worke of grace in this choiceneſſe of ſpirit will doe it.

3 The ſtreame of times, and examples of men, are exceeding ſtrong, and it is not a little matter that will carry on the ſoule againſt them. The dead fiſh is carried down the ſtreame, though the winde ſerves to blow it up: all naturall abilities of the ſoule, will no more helpe a man againſt the ſtreame of examples, than the winde can carry the dead fiſh up the ſtream; but if there were life put into the fiſh, it were able then to move againſt the winde and ſtreame too.

4 There are ſo many ſtrong alluring temptations, where in the wiles, ſubtilties, depths of Satan, are very powerfull to draw the heart away from God, that except there bee ſome ſpeciall worke of Gods grace to give wiſdome to diſcerne the deceits of ſin, to make the ſoule ſpiritually ſubtill, to find out the cunning devices of Satan, and to diſcerne the danger of them, the ſoule moſt certainly could never hold on in the way of its following after the Lord.

5 There are ſo many troubles, oppoſitions, that it meets withall in this way, that moſt certainly would drive it out, were it not for ſome choyce Worke of Gods grace in it; but this choyceneſſe of ſpirit, will carry a man through all them: It is Gods promiſe, Eſay 59. 19. That when the enemy ſhall come in like a floud, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a ſtandard againſt him. We made uſe of this Scripture before, for oppoſition of ſtrong corruptions; but it is true here now, for the reſiſting of ſtrong ſpirituall enemies, of ſtrong oppoſitions; when they come in like a floud againſt the ſoule, to carry it out of Gods wayes, the Spirit of God in it doth lift up a ſtandard againſt them, & were it not for this, it could not hold: It is this good and ſound conſtitution of the ſoule that makes it endure thoſe oppoſitions that it meets withall. An aguiſh heat may bee greater, than that which ariſeth from a good conſtitution, but it is not able to reſiſt cold: ſo there may be a naturall violence in a mans ſpirit for a while, in the profeſſion of Religion, which may ſeeme to be zeale, but not ariſing from the good conſtitution of the ſoule, when troubles come, it vaniſhes, giving no ſtrength at all.

6 There are ſo many ſcandals and reproaches that riſe againſt the ways of God, ſo many aſperſions that are caſt upon them, that if a man hath not more than an ordinary ſpirit, hee moſt certainly will be offended: Bleſſed are they that are not offended in mee, ſaith Chriſt. It is a great bleſſing when there fals out ſcandals, and when we ſee grievous aſperſions caſt upon Gods wayes, yet not to be offended; there needs be ſome more than ordinary light to diſcover to a man, the certainty of that good there is in the ways of God; he had need be ſure of his principles, and know in whom he hath beleeved.

7 Yea, God many times hides himſelfe from his ſervants, while they are following after him, and this oftentimes proves the ſoreſt temptation of all, and a greater diſcouragement then all the reſt: for as for oppoſitions, ſcandals, reproaches, theſe are things they make account of, and can often lightly paſſe them over; but when God hides his face, this puts them at a ſtand, now they are in the dark, and know not what to doe; Chriſt was not much troubled at the reproaches of men, at the oppoſitions hee met withall from them; for the Scripture ſaith, He deſpiſed the ſhame, and endured the Croſſe; but when his Father hid his face from him, then he was in an agony, then his ſpirit began to bee amazed, then his ſoule was ſorowfull to the death, then hee fals groveling upon the ground, then he ſweats drops of water and bloud, then hee cries out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? Theſe ſpirituall deſertions in their degree, Gods ſervants often meet withall in their way, ſo as, if they had not choice ſpirits, ſome ſpeciall worke of God in their ſoules, they would certainly fall and ſinke in it. Now put all theſe together, and we ſee, it is not every ordinary ſpirit, that is like to goe on fully after the Lord; it muſt needs bee ſome thing extraordinary, that preſerves a ſpark in the midſt of waves, that preſerves a candle light, in the midſt of ſtorms and tempeſts.

Never wonder then, or bee offended, to ſee ſo many to fall off from Vſe 1. God; few men have choice ſpirits; thoſe who are godly expect no other from moſt profeſſors, and therefore they are not troubled when they ſee this fall out; They went out from us, becauſe they were not of us, ſaith the Apoſtle. Wicked men are offended, becauſe they know not what the worke of grace meanes; and hence, if they ſee a man make profeſſion of Religion, they make no difference, as though there were as much to be expected from him, as from another; as though the cauſe of God fell when he fell; no ſuch matter; If you ſee mens ſpirits proud, ſlight, earthly, ſenſuall, or carried with a greater violence than their principles will beare; I doe not meane, though their affections may ſometimes goe beyond their knowledge; but by principles I meane, the rooted graces of God in their hearts, as one may perceive in ſome, there are not graces rooted ſutable to their expreſſions, & outward wayes; and when you ſee not an evenneſſe in the wayes of men, then never expect from them any full following the Lord: and if they fall off, be not troubled, let it be no more than you made account of before-hand would be.

Hence the world is miſtaken, who Vſe 2. judge it ſtoutneſſe, and ſtubbornneſſe of ſpirit in Gods ſervants, that will go on in the wayes of godlines; they are a kind of inflexible people, there is no perſwading of them, there is no dealing with them: No, it is no ſtubbornneſſe; it is the choiceneſſe of their ſpirits, that makes them to doe as they doe; you judge it ſtubbornneſſe becauſe you doe not know the principles upō which they goe. I confeſſe, if I ſee a man ſtand conſtantly in his way, and will not bee moved by the perſwaſions of others, if I doe not underſtand the reaſons upon which hee goes, I cannot but thinke it ſtoutneſſe, and this is your caſe; but if you did but know, what are their reaſons, what are their powerfull motives, that draw them on in the wayes of God, you would not have ſuch thoughts of them; Their ſpirits within them conſtraine them, as Elihu ſayes of himſelfe in another caſe, Iob 32. 18.

Take theſe convincements that it is not ſtubbornneſſe, but choiceneſſe of ſpirit, that carries them on ſo unmoveable in their way.

1. In other things they are as yeeldable, as tractable, as eaſie to bee perſwaded as any men; it is only in the matter of the Lord their God they are thus. They can beare burthens upon their ſhoulders, and cry out, and reſiſt as little as any; if you will compell them to goe a mile, they will be content, if it may do good, to goe two, yea, as far as the ſhooes of the preparation of the Goſpell of peace will carry them; who can beare wrongs and injuries from men better than they? ſtubborne-ſpirited men cannot doe thus.

2 Stubbornneſſe is joyned with deſire of revenge; but in theſe diſpoſitions, there is all pity and compaſſion; they pray for thoſe who doe oppoſe them; when they are reviled, they revile not againe; If ſometimes their corruptions ſhould bee ſtirred, they are aſhamed and confounded, in their own thoughts, for that they have done, they mourne and lament in the bitterneſſe of their ſpirits for it.

Thirdly, ſtubborne diſpoſitions are not contracted on a ſudden; it is by degrees, and continuance of time that 3 alters nature; but this diſpoſition of being unmoveable in Gods wayes comes many times even of a ſudden, as ſoone as ever the heart is turned, which is an evidence of a new principle put into it.

Fourthly, ſtubborne hearts doe 4 not uſe to ſeek God to uphold them, to ſtrengthen them, to bleſſe them in that way; they doe not bleſſe God for being with them, helping of them to perſiſt in their way, as Gods ſervants doe; they go to God to get ſtrength to inable them to bee immoveable; they give God the glory of it, when they have found themſelves inabled to withſtand temptations.

Fiftly, thoſe who are of ſtubborn diſpoſitions, doe not uſe to bee moſt 5 ſtubborne, when the heart is moſt broken with afflictions; ſtout hearts, though in their proſperity are unyeeldable, there is no dealing with them then; their hearts are preſently up; if you move them to any thing they have no mind to, their words are ſtout, their anſwers are ſierce; but let afflictions come, then, as Eſ. 29. 4. Their hearts are brought down, and they ſpeake as one out of the ground, and their ſpeech is low, as one out of the duſt; then they are willing to heare what you ſay; As the young Gallant that Salomon ſpeakes of in Proverbs 5. there was no ſpeaking to him in his proſperity; but when his fleſh and body were conſumed, then he mournes at the laſt, and cries out, How have I hated inſtruction, and my heart deſpiſed reproofe! I have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers, &c. But now, thoſe that are godly, in their greateſt afflictions, when their hearts are moſt broken, when God humbles them moſt, even then they are moſt ſettled and unmoveable in that way they walked in before, and it is then the greateſt griefe of their ſoules, that they walked no cloſer with God in it, than they did. Have other thoughts then of Gods people, than you have had; do not accuſe that of ſtubbornneſſe, that you doe not underſtand; thinke with your ſelves, that there may be ſomething in their ſpirits, more than you know of.

Let thoſe who have this excellent choice ſpirit, encourage themſelvs in vſe 3. this, that ſurely it will inable them to follow God fully; let them know,

Firſt, that though they be weak, if 1 their ſpirits bee right, if of the right kind, they ſhall certainly hold out. That which Chriſt ſaid for the comfort of the Church of Philadelphia, Revel. 3. 8, they may apply for theirs; Thou haſt a little ſtrength, ſaith Chriſt, and haſt kept my Word, and haſt not denyed my Name. A little ſtrength, if it bee right, if it bee the ſtrength of a ſound ſpirit, it will carry on the ſoule to keepe Gods Word, and inable, not to deny his Name.

Secondly, therefore is Chriſt filled with all fulneſſe of all grace, that out 2 of his ſulneſſe thou mayſt receive grace for grace; that Spirit by which he is ſo plentifully annoynted, it is for thee.

But I am afraid my ſpirit is not this choice ſpirit, and therfore I ſhall not Object. hold out in following the Lord.

Firſt, is it a broken humble ſpirit in ſenſe of thy weakeneſſes and Anſ. wants? 1

Secondly, that which thou doſt, though but weakly, is it upon divine 2 grounds, and haſt thou divine ends?

Thirdly, doth the ſight of thy weakneſſe make thee cling, and cleave unto 3 Jeſus Chriſt?

Fourthly, when thou loſeſt God in following him, art thou ſenſible of 4 the want of his preſence, and doeſt thou never leave crying and ſeeking till thou enjoyeſt him again? Certainly this is a true choyce ſpirit, that will carry on fully in following the Lord, when thouſands of glorious Hypocrites ſhall vaniſh and come to nothing.

If it be this choiceneſſe of ſpirit, Vſe 4. that is the only thing that will fully carry after the Lord, then let us learn to looke to our ſpirits: Keepe thy heart with all diligence, for out of it come the iſſues of life: Doe not ſo much complain of tēptations, oppoſitions, troubles you meet withal; but look to your ſpirits, & all is ſafe and wel. If there be the ſpirit of love & of a ſound mind, there will be the ſpirit of power; for theſe are joyned together by the Apoſtle; there need not be 2 Tim. 1. 7. the ſpirit of feare; for the ſpirit of a ſound mind, & the ſpirit of feare, are oppoſed one to another in the ſame place. But wherein ſhould we looke Object. Anſ. to our ſpirits? Firſt, take heed to your judgmēts, keep your judgemēts clear for God & his truth; as it is ſaid, Eſ. 33 1 that wiſdom and knowledge ſhould Eſay 33. 6. be the ſtability of thoſe times; ſo, true wiſdome and knowledge preſerving the judgments of men right & ſound, are the ſtability of mens hearts. Take heed your judgmēts come not to be altered, to thinke otherwiſe of Gods wayes, than you did before, to have other opinions of thē. Though there may bee many weakneſſes, yet if the judgement be kept right, all may doe well; but if the Leproſie bee got into the head, then the ſoule is in a dangerous condition: as Lev. 13. 44. when the Prieſt ſhall looke upon a Leprous man, and ſee the plague is got into his head, the Text ſaith, he ſhal pronoūce him utterly unclean, for the Plague is in his head. The Prieſt was to pronoūce none to be utterly unclean, but ſuch who had the plague in their heads.

Secondly, labor to keep conſcience 2 clear, take heed of pollution there, take heed of a breach in thy ſpirit there, for that will weaken it much: conſcience is the ſtrong Tower of thy ſoule, if the Truth of God be got out there, the ſtrength of the ſoule is gone.

Thirdly, labour to keepe thy heart low and humble; when the fleſh ſwels, 3 it cannot beare any hard thing upon it: though a member growes bigger when it ſwels, yet it growes weaker; ſo it is with the ſoule.

Fourthly, labour to keepe the ſpirit 4 heavenly; mixture of droſſe will weaken it, convince thy ſoule, that a little of the Creature will ſerve turne, to carry thee thorow this thy Pilgrimage well enough. One told a Philoſopher; If you will be content to pleaſe Dionyſius, you need not feed upon green hearbs: The Philoſopher anſwers him, And if you will be content to feed upon greene hearbs, you need not pleaſe Dionyſius. So if men would be content with a little in the World, to be in a low and meane condition, they need not flatter; thoſe things that draw others from following after the Lord, would not move them at all.

Fiftly, labour to keep thy ſpirit in a 5 continuall trembling frame, abiding in the feare of the Lord all the day long; the feare of the Lord cauſeth men to depart from evill; meditate the feare of the Lord continually.

Laſtly, keep thy ſpirit continually working; many things have much power in them while they are in motion, but weake when the motion ceaſeth; ſinne is very ſtrong while it is in motion, but when affliction ſtops the motion, the truths of God have more power over it; ſo grace, while it is acting, it is ſtrong, but if it growes dull, it growes weake, and is ſoone turned aſide. Thus we looking to our ſpirits, wee ſhall bee able to follow the Lord fully, and finiſh our courſe in peace.