Three tractates by Jos. Hall, D.D. and B.N. — Selections. 1646

Three tractates by Jos. Hall, D.D. and B.N. — Selections. 1646

Table of contents

Title page

TO ALL CHRISTIAN READERS, Grace and Peace.

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THE DEVOVT SOULE.

SECT. I.

SECT. II.

SECT. III.

SECT. IV.

SECT. V.

SECT. VI.

SECT. VII.

SECT. VIII.

SECT. IX.

SECT. X.

SECT. XI.

SECT. XII.

SECT. XIII.

SECT. XIV.

SECT. XV.

SECT. XVI.

SECT. XVII.

SECT. XVIII.

SECT. XIX.

SECT. XX.

SECT. XXI.

SECT. XXII.

SECT. XXIII.

SECT. XXIV.

SECT. XXV.

SECT. XXVI.

SECT. XXVII.

SECT. XXVIII.

SECT. XXIX.

SECT. XXX.

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Title page

The Free Prisoner: OR The Comfort of Restraint.

SECT. I.

SECT. II.

SECT. III.

SECT. IV.

SECT. V.

SECT. VI.

SECT. VII.

SECT. VIII.

SECT. IX.

SECT. X.

SECT. XI.

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Title page

§

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, Grace and Peace.

THE CONTENTS OF the severall Sections following.

§

THE REMEDY OF Discontentment.

SECT. I.

SECT. II.

SECT. III.

SECT. IV.

SECT. V.

SECT. VI.

SECT. VII.

SECT. VIII.

SECT. IX.

SECT. X.

§

SECT. XII.

SECT. XIII.

SECT. XIV.

SECT. XV.

SECT. XVI.

SECT. XVII.

SECT. XVIII.

SECT. XIX.

SECT. XX.

SECT. XXI.

SECT. XXII.

SECT. XXIII.

SECT. XXIV.

SECT. XXV.

SECT. XXVI.

§

§

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THREE TRACTATES,

The Devout Soul.

The Free-Prisoner.

The Remedie of Discontentment.

To which may be added The Peace-maker.

BY JOS. HALL, D. D. and B. N.

LONDON.

Printed by M. Flesher, for NAT: BUTTER.

M. DC. XLVI.

TO ALL CHRISTIAN READERS, Grace and Peace.

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THat in a time when wee heare no noise but of drums & Trumpets, and talk of nothing but arms, and sieges, and battels, I should write of Devotion, may seem to some of you strange and unseasonable; to me, contrarily, it seems most fit and opportune: For when can it be more proper to direct our addresse to the Throne of Grace, then when we are in the very jaws of Death? Or when should we goe to seek the face of our God, rather, then in the needfull time of trouble?

[Page] Blessed be my God, who in the midst of these wofull tumults, hath vouchsafed to give me these calme, and holy thoughts; which I justly suppose, he meant not to suggest, that they should be smoothered in the brest wherein they were conceived, but with a purpose to have the benefit communicated unto many; Who is there that needs not vehement excitations, and helps to Devotion? and when more then now? In a tempest the Mariners themselves doe not onely cry every man to his God, but awaken Jonah, that is fast asleep under the hatches, and chide him to his prayers. Surely, had we not been failing in our Devotions, we could not have been thus universally miserable; That [Page] duyy, the neglect wherof is guilty of our calamity, must in the effectuall performance of it, be the meanes of our recovery. Be but devout, and we cannot miscarry under judgements; Woe is me, the teares of penitence, were more fit to quench the publique flame, then blood. How soon would it cleare up above head, if we were but holily affected within? Could we send our zealous Ambassadours up to heaven, we could not faile of an happy peace. I direct the way; God bring us to the end; For my own particular practice; God is witnesse to my soule, that (as one, the sense of whose private affliction is swallowed up of the publique) I cease not dayly to ply the Father of mercies with my fervent prayers, that [Page] he would, at last, be pleased, after so many streames of blood, to passe an act of Pacification in heaven: And what good heart can doe otherwise? Brethren, all ye that love God, and his Church, and his Truth, and his Anointed, and your Country, and your selves, and yours, joyn your forces with mine, and let us by an holy violence make way to the gates of heaven with our Petition, for mercy and peace; and not suffer our selves to be beaten off from the threshold of Grace, till we be answered with a condescent. He, whose goodnesse is wont to prevent our desires, will not give denials to our importunities.

Pray, and Farewell.

Norwich. March 20. 1643.

§

§

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THE DEVOVT SOULE.

SECT. I.

DEvotion is the life of Religion, the very soul of Piety, the highest imploiment of grace; and no other then the prepossession of heaven by the Saints of God here upon earth; every improvement whereof is of more advantage and value to the Christian soule, then all the profits and contentments which this world can afford it.

There is a kind of Art of Devotion (if we can attain unto it) whereby the practice thereof may be much advanced: Wee [Page] have known indeed some holy souls, which out of the generall precepts of piety, and their own happy experiments of Gods mercy, have, through the grace of God, grown to a great measure of perfection this way; which yet might have been much expedited, and compleated, by those helps, which the greater illumination and experience of others might have afforded them: Like as we see it in other faculties; there are those, who out of a naturall dexterity, and their own frequent practice, have got into a safe posture of defence, and have handled their weapon with commendable skill, whom yet the Fence-schoole might have raised to an higher pitch of cunning: As nature is perfited, so grace is not a little furthered, by Art; since it pleaseth the wisdome of God, to work ordinarily upon the soul, not by the immediate power of miracle, but [Page] in such methods, and by such means, as may most conduce to his blessed ends. It is true, that our good motions come from the Spirit of God; neither is it lesse true, that all the good counsails of others proceed from the same Spirit; and that good Spirit cannot be crosse to itselfe; he therefore that infuses good thoughts into us, suggests also such directions, as may render us apt both to receive and improve them: If God be bounteous, we may not be idle, and neglective of our spirituall aids.

SECT. II.

II you tell me (by way of instance in a particular act of Devotion) that there is a gift of prayer, and that the Spirit of God is not tyed to rules; I yeeld both these; but withall, I must say there are also helps of prayer, [Page] and that we must not expect immediate inspirations: I finde the world much mistaken in both; They think that man hath the gift of prayer, that can utter the thoughts of his heart roundly unto God, that can expresse himselfe smoothly in the phrase of the holy Ghost, and presse God with most proper words, and passionate vehemence: And surely this is a commendable faculty, wheresoever it is: but this is not the gift of prayer; you may call it, if you will, the gift of Elocution. Doe we say that man hath the gift of pleading, that can talk eloquently at the Barre, that can in good termes loud and earnestly importune the Judge for his Client; and not rather he that brings the strongest reason, and quotes his books, and precedents with most truth, and clearest evidence, so as may convince the Jury, and perswade the Judge? Doe we [Page] say he hath the gift of preaching, that can deliver himselfe in a flowing manner of speech, to his hearers, that can cite Scriptures, or Fathers, that can please his auditory with the flowers of Rhetorick; or rather, he, that can divide the Word aright, interpret it soundly, apply it judiciously, put it home to the conscience, speaking in the evidence of the Spirit, powerfully convincing the gainsayers, comforting the dejected, and drawing every soul nearer to heaven? The like must we say for prayer; the gift whereof he may be truly said to have, not that hath the most rennible tongue, (for prayer is not so much a matter of the lips, as of the heart) but he that hath the most illuminated apprehension of the God to whom he speaks, the deepest sense of his own wants, the most eager longings after grace, the ferventest desires of supplyes from heaven; [Page] and in a word, whose heart sends up the strongest groans and cries to the Father of mercies.

Neither may we look for Enthusiasmes, and immediate inspirations; putting our selves upon Gods Spirit, in the solemn exercises of our invocation, without heed, or meditation; the dangerous inconvenience whereof hath been too often found in the rash, and unwarrantable expressions, that have fallen from the mouths of unwary suppliants; but we must addresse our selves with due preparation, to that holy work; we must digest our suits; and fore-order our supplications to the Almighty; so that there may be excellent and necessary use of meet rules of our Devotion.

He, whose Spirit helps us to pray, and whose lips taught us how to pray, is an alsufficient example for us: all the skill of men, and Angels, cannot afford a more exquisite modell of supplicatory [Page] Devotion, then that blesser Saviour of ours gave us in the mount; led in by a divine, and heart-raising preface, carried out with a strong and heavenly enforcement; wherein an awfull compellation makes way for petition; and petition makes way for thanksgiving; the petitions marshalled in a most exact order, for spirituall blessings, which have an immediate concernment of God, in the first place; then for temporall favours, which concern ourselves, in the second; so punctuall a methode had not been observed by him that heareth prayers, if it had been all one to him, to have had our Devotions confused, and tumultuary.

SECT. III.

THere is commonly much mistaking of Devotion as if [Page] it were nothing but an act of vocall prayer, expiring with that holy breath, and revived with the next task of our invocation; which is usually measured of many, by frequence, length, smoothnesse of expression, lowdnesse, vehemence; Whereas, indeed, it is rather an habituall disposition of an holy soul, sweetly conversing with God, in all the forms of an heavenly (yet awful) familiarity; and a constant intertainment of ourselves here below with the God of spirits, in our sanctifyed thoughts, and affections; One of the noble exercises whereof, is our accesse to the throne of grace in our prayers; whereto may be added, the ordering of our holy attendance upon the blessed word and sacraments of the Almighty: Nothing hinders therefore, but that a stammering suppliant may reach to a more eminent devotion, then he that can deliver himselfe [Page] in the most fluent and pathetical forms of Elocution; and that our silence may be more devout then our noise. We shall not need to send you to the Cels or cloysters for this skill; although it will hardly be beleeved, how far some of their contemplative men have gone in the Theory hereof; Perhaps, like as Chymists give rules for the attaining of that Elixir, which they never found; for sure they must needs fail of that perfection they pretend, who erre commonly in the object of it, always in the ground of it, which is faith; stripped, by their opinion, of the comfortablest use of it, certainty of application.

SECT. IV.

AS there may be many resemblances betwixt Light and Devotion, so this one especially, that as there is a light [Page] universally diffused through the ayre, and there is a particular recollection of light into the body of the sun, and starres; so it is in Devotion; There is a generall kind of Devotion that goes through the renewed heart and life of a Christian, which we may term Habituall, and Virtuall; and there is a speciall, and fixed exercise of Devotion, which wee name Actuall.

The soul that is rightly affected to God, is never void of an holy Devotion; where ever it is, what ever it doth, it is still lifted up to God, and fastned upon him, and converses with him; ever serving the Lord in feare, and rejoycing in him with trembling.

For the effectuall performance whereof, it is requisite first, that the heart be setled in a right apprehension of our God; without which, our Devotion is not thanklesse only, but sinfull: With [Page] much labour therefore, and agitation of a mind illuminated from above, we must find our selves wrought to an high, awfull, adorative, and constant conceit of that incomprehensible Majesty, in whom we live, and move, and are; One God, in three most glorious Persons, infinite in wisdome, in power, in justice, in mercy, in providence, in al that he is, in al that he hath, in all that he doth; dwelling in light inaccessible, attended with thousand thousands of Angels; whom yet we neither can know, (neither would it avail us if we could) but in the face of the eternall Son of his Love, our blessed Mediatour God and Man; who sits at the right hand of Majesty in the highest heavens; from the sight of whose glorious humanity, we comfortably rise to the contemplation of that infinite Deity, whereto it is inseparably united; in and by him, [Page] (made ours by a lively Faith) finding our persons, and obedience accepted, expecting our full redemption, and blessednesse. Here, here must our hearts be unremoveably fixed; In his light must we see light: no cloudy occurrences of this world, no busie imployments, no painfull sufferings must hinder us from thus seeing him that is invisible.

SECT. V.

NEither doth the devout heart see his God aloof off, as dwelling above, in the circle of heaven, but beholds that infinite Spirit really present with him; The Lord is upon thy right hand, saith the Psalmist; Our bodily eye doth not more certainly see our own flesh, then the spirituall eye sees God close by us; Yea, in us; A mans own soul is not so intimate to himselfe, as [Page] God is to his soul; neither doe we move by him only, but in him: What a sweet conversation therefore, hath the holy soule with his God? What heavenly conferences have they two, which the world is not privy to; whiles God entertaines the soule with the divine motions of his Spirit; the soul entertains God with gracious compliances? Is the heart heavy with the grievous pressures of affliction? the soule goes in to his God, and pours out it self before him in earnest bemoanings, and supplications; the God of mercy ansers the soul again, with seasonable refreshings of comfort: Is the heart secretly wounded and bleeding with the conscience of some sin? it speedily betakes it self to the great Physitian of the soul, who forthwith applies the balme of Gilead for an unfailing and present cure: Is the heart distracted with doubts? the soul retires to [Page] that inward Oracle of God for counsail, he returns to the soul an happy setlement of just resolution: Is the heart deeply affected with the sense of some special favour from his God? the soul breaks forth into the passionate voice of praise and thanksgiving; God returns the pleasing testimony of a cheerfull acceptation: Oh blessed soul, that hath a God to go unto upon all occasions; Oh infinite mercy of a God, that vouchsafes to stoop to such intirenesse with dust and ashes. It was a gracious speech of a Dr. Preston. worthy Divine upon his deathbed, now breathing towards heaven, that he should change his place, not his company: His conversation was now before-hand with his God, and his holy Angels; the only difference was, that he was now going to a more free and full fruition of the Lord of life, in that region of glory above, whom he had truely [Page] (though with weaknesse and imperfection) enjoyed in this vale of tears.

SECT. VI.

NOw, that these mutuall respects may bee sure not to cool with intermission, the devout heart takes all occasions both to think of God, and to speak to him. There is nothing that he sees, which doth not bring God to his thoughts. Indeed there is no creature, wherin there are not manifest footsteps of omnipotence; Yea, which hath not a tongue to tell us of its Maker. The heavens declare Ps. 19. 1, 2. the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork; One day telleth another, and one night certifieth another: Yea, O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisedome hast thou Ps. 104. 24. made them all: The earth is full [Page]of thy riches, so is the great and wide sea, where are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts: Every herbe, flower, spire of grasse, every twigge and leafe; every worm and flye; every scale and feather; every billow and meteor, speaks the power and wisdome of their infinite Creator; Solomon sends the sluggard to the Ant; Esay sends the Jews to the Oxe and the Asse; Our Saviour sends his Disciples to the Ravens, and to the Lillies of the field; There is no creature of whom we may not learn something; we shall have spent our time ill in this great school of the world, if in such store of Lessons, we be nonproficients in devotion. Vain Idolaters make to themselves images of God, wherby they sinfully represent him to their thoughts and adoration; could they have the wit and grace to [Page] see it, God hath taken order to spare them this labour, in that he hath stamped in every creature such impressions of his infinite power, wisdome, goodnes, as may give us just occasion to worship and praise him with a safe and holy advantage to our souls: For the invisible things of God from the Creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternall power and Godhead. And indeed, wherefore serve all the volumes of Naturall history, but to be so many Commentaries upon the severall creatures, wherein we may reade God; and even those men who have not the skill, or leisure to peruse them, may yet out of their own thoughts, and observation, raise from the sight of all the works of God sufficient matter to glorifie him. Who can be so stupide as not to take notice of the industry of the [Page] Bee, the providence of the Ant, the cunning of the Spider, the reviving of the Flye, the worms indeavour of revenge, the subtilty of the Fox, the sagacity of the hedge-hog; the innocence and profitablenesse of the sheep, the laboriousnesse of the Oxe, the obsequiousnesse of the Dog, the timerous shifts of the Hare, the nimblenesse of the Dear, the generosity of the Lion, the courage of the Horse, the fiercenesse of the Tiger; the cheerfull musick of Birds, the harmlesnesse of the Dove, the true love of the Turtle, the Cocks observation of time, the Swallows architecture; shortly, (for it were easie here to be endlesse) of the severall qualities, and dispositions of every of those our fellowcreatures, with whom we converse on the face of the earth; and who that takes notice of them, cannot fetch from every act, and motion of theirs, some [Page] monition of duty, and occasion of devout thoughts? Surely, I fear many of us Christians, may justly accuse our selves as too neglective of our duty this way; that having thus long spent our time in this great Academy of the world, we have not, by so many silent documents, learned to ascribe more glory to our Creator; I doubt those creatures, if they could exchangetheir brutality with our reason, being now so docible as to learn of us so far as their sense can reach, would approve themselves better scholars to us, then we have been unto them.

Withall, I must adde that the devout soul stands not always in need of such outward monitors, but finds within it self, sufficient incitements to raise up it self to a continuall minding of God; and makes use of them accordingly; and, if at any time, being taken up with importunate [Page] occasions of the world, it finds God missing but an hour, it chides it self for such neglect, and sets it self to recover him with so much more eager affection: as the faithfull Spouse in the Canticles, when she finds him Cant. 5. 6. whom her soul loved, withdrawn from her for a season, puts her self into a speedy search after him, and gives not over till she have attained his presence.

SECT. VII.

NOw as these many monitors both outward and inward, must elevate our hearts very frequently, to God; so those raised hearts must not entertain him with a dumb contemplation, but must speak to him in the language of spirits: All occasions therefore must be taken of sending forth pious and heavenly [Page] ejaculations to God; The devout soul may doe this more then an hundred times a day, without any hinderance to his speciall vocation: The Huswife at her Wheel, the Weaver at his Loom, the Husbandman at his Plough, the Artificer in his Shop, the Traveller in his way, the Merchant in his Warehouse may thus enjoy God in his bufiest imployment; For, the soul of man is a nimble spirit; and the language of thoughts needs not take up time; and though we now, for examples sake, cloath them in words, yet in our practice we need not. Now these Ejaculations may be either at large, or Occasionall: At large, such as those of old Jacob, O Lord I have waited for thy salvation; or that of David, O save me for thy mercies sake: And these, either in matter of Humiliation, or of Imploration, or of Thanksgiving. In all which, we cannot [Page] follow a better pattern then the sweet singer of Israel, whose heavenly conceptions we may either borrow, or imitate.

In way of Humiliation, such as these. Heal my soul, O Lord, for I have sinned against thee. Oh remē ber Ps. 41. 4. not my old sins, but have mercy upon me. If thou wilt be extream to 79. 8. mark what is done amisse, O Lord who may abide it? Lord thou knowest the thoughts of man that 130. 3. they are but vain; O God, why 94. 11. abhorrest thou my soul, and hidest thy face from me?

In way of Imploration. Vp 3. 7. Lord, and help me O God; Oh let my heart be sound in thy statutes, 89. 48. that I be not ashamed. Lord, 109. 21. where are thy old loving mercies? Oh deliver me, for I am helplesse, and my heart is wounded within me. Comfort the soul of thy servant, 86. 4. for unto thee, O Lord, due I lift up my soul. Goe not far from 71. 10. 86. 11. me O God. O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy Name. [Page]Thou art my helper and redeemer, Ps. 70. 6. O Lord make no long tarrying. Oh be thou my help in trouble, for 60. 11. vain is the help of man. Oh guide 71. 23. me with thy counsell, and after that receive me to thy glory. My 31. 17. time is in thy hand, deliver me from the hands of mine enemies. Oh withdraw not thy mercy from 40. 14. me, O Lord. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousnesse because of 5. 8. mine enemies. O let my soul live, 119. penul. and it shall praise thee.

In way of Thankesgiving: Oh 68. 35. God, wonderfull art thou in thine holy places. Oh Lord, how glorious 92. 5. are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. Oh God, who is like 71. 17. unto thee! The Lord liveth, and 18. 47. 63. 4. blessed be my strong helper. Lord, thy loving kindnesse is better then life it self. All thy works praise 145. 10. thee, O Lord, and thy Saints give thanks unto thee. Oh how manifold 104. 25. are thy works! in wisedome hast thou made them all. Who is 18. 31. God but the Lord, and who hath [Page]any strength except our God? We Ps. 20. 5. will rejoyce in thy salvation, and triumph in thy Name, O Lord. Oh that men would praise the 107. 8: 31. 21. Lord for his goodnesse. Oh how plentifull is thy goodnesse, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee! Thou Lord hast never 9. 10. failed them that seek thee. In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy, and 16. 12. at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore. Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Not 8. 4. unto us Lord, not unto us, but unto 115. 1. thy Name give the praise.

SECT. VIII.

OCcasionall Ejaculations are such, as are moved upon the presence of some such object as carries a kinde of relation or analogy to that holy thought which we have entertained. Of this nature I finde that, which was practised in [Page] S. Basils time; that, upon the lighting of candles, the manner was to blesse God in these words, Praise be to God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; which that Father says was anciently used; but who was the Authour of it he professeth to be unknown: to the same purpose was the Lucernarium, which was a part of the evening office of old; For which there may seem to be more colour of reason, then for the ordinary fashion of apprecation, upon occasion of our sneesing; which is expected, and practised by many, out of civility: Old and reverend Beza was wont to move his hat with the rest of the company, but to say withall, Gramercy Madame la Superstition; Now, howsoever in this, or any other practice, which may seem to carry with it a smack of superstition, our devotion may be groundless [Page] and unseasonable, yet nothing hinders but that we may take just and holy hints of raising up our hearts to our God. As when vve doe first look forth, and see the heavens over our heads, to think, the Heavens declare thy Ps. 19. 1. glory, O God. When we see the day breaking, or the Sun rising, The day is thine, and the night is 74. 17. thine, thou hast prepared the light and the Sun. When the light shines in our faces, Thou deckest 97. 11. thy self with light as with a garment; or, Light is sprung up for 36. 9. the righteous. When we see our Garden imbellisht with flowers, The earth is full of the goodnesse 39. 5. of the Lord. When we see a rough sea, The waves of the sea rage horribly, and are mighty; but 93. 5. the Lord that dwelleth on high, is mightier then they. When we see the darknesse of the night, The 139. 11. darknesse is no darknesse with thee. When we rise up from our bed, or our seat, Lord thou knowest [Page]my down-sitting, and my uprising; Ps. 139. 2. thou understandest my thoughts afar off. When we wash our hands, Wash thou me, O Lord, and 51. 7. I shall be whiter then snow. When we are walking forth, Oh hold thou up my goings in thy paths, 17. 5. that my footsteps slip not. When we hear a passing bell: Oh teach 90. 12. me to number my days, that I may apply my heart to wisdome: or, Lord, let me know my end, and 39. 5. the number of my days.

Thus may we dart out our holy desires to God, upon all occasions; Wherein, heed must be taken that our Ejaculations be not, on the one side, so rare, that our hearts grow to be hard and strange to God, but that they may be held on in continuall acknowledgement of him, and acquaintance with him; and, on the other side, that they be not so over-frequent in their perpetuall reiteration, as that they grow to be (like that of [Page] the Romish votaries) fashionable; which if great care be not taken, will fall out, to the utter frustrating of our Devotion. Shortly, let the measure of these devout glances be, the preserving our hearts in a constant tendernesse, and godly disposition; which shall be further actuated upon all opportunities, by the exercises of our more enlarged, and fixed Devotion: Whereof there is the same variety that there is in Gods services, about which it is conversant.

There are three main businesses wherein God accounts his service, here below, to consist; The first is, our addresse to the throne of Grace, and the pouring out of our souls before him in our prayers: The second is, the reading and hearing his most holy Word; The third is, the receit of his blessed Sacraments; In all which there is place and use for a setled Devotion.

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SECT. IX.

TO begin with the first work of our actuall, and enlarged Devotion: Some things are pre-required of us, to make us capable of the comfortable performance of so holy and heavenly a duty; namely, that the heart be clean first, and then that it be clear: clean from the defilement of any known sin; clear from all intanglements and distractions: What doe we in our prayers, but converse vvith the Almighty? and either carry our souls up to him, or bring him down to us? now, it is no hoping, that we can entertain God in an impure heart: Even we men loath a nasty and sluttish lodging; how much more will the floly God abhorre an habitation spiritually filthy? I finde that even the unclean spirit [Page] made that a motive of his repossession, that he found the house swept and garnished: Satans Luc. 11. 25. cleanlinesse is pollution; and his garnishment, disorder and wickednesse; without this he findes no welcome; Each spirit looks for an entertainment answerable to his nature; How much more will that God of spirits, who is purity it self, look to be harboured in a cleanly room? Into a malicious soul Wisd. 1. 4. wisdome shall not enter, nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin; What friend would be pleased that we should lodge him in a Lazar-house? or who would abide to have a toad lie in his bosome? Surely, it is not in the verge of created nature to yeeld any thing that can be so noisome and odious to the sense of man, as sin is to that absolute, and essentiall Goodnesse: His pure eyes cannot endure the sight of sin; neither can he endure [Page] that the sinner should come within the sight of him; Away from me, ye wicked, is his charge, both here, and hereafter. It is the priviledge and happinesse of the pure in heart, that they shall see God; see him both in the end, and in the way; injoying the vision of him, both in grace, and in glory: this is no object for impure eyes: Descend into thy self therefore, and ransack thy heart, who ever wouldst be a true Client of Devotion; search all the close windings of it, with the torches of the law of God; and if there be any iniquity found lurking in the secret corners thereof, drag it out and abandon it; and when thou hast done, that thy fingers may retain no pollution, say with the holy Psalmist; I will wash my hands Psal. 26. 6. in innocence, so will I goe to thine Altar. Presume not to approach the Altar of God, there to offer the sacrifice of thy Devotion, [Page] with unclean hands: Else thine offering shall be so far from winning an acceptance for thee, from the hands of God; as that thou shalt make thine offering abominable. And if a beast touch the Mount, it shall die.

SECT. X.

AS the soul must bee clean from sin, so it must be clear and free from distractions. The intent of our devotion is to welcome God to our hearts; now where shall we entertain him, if the rooms be full thronged with cares, and turbulent passions? The Spirit of God will not endure to be crowded up together with the vvorld in our strait lodgings; An holy vacuity must make way for him in our bosomes. The divine pattern of Devotion, in whom the Godhead dwelt bodily, retires [Page] into the Mount to pray; he that carried heaven with him, would even thus leave the world below him. Alas, how can we hope to mount up to heaven in our thoughts, if we have the clogges of earthly cares hanging at our heels! Yea, not onely must there be a shutting out of all distractive cares, and passions, which are professed enemies to our quiet conversing with God in our Devotion, but there must be also a denudation of the minde from all those images of our phantasie (how pleasing soever) that may carry our thoughts aside from those better objects: We are like to foolish children, who when they should be stedfastly looking on their books, are apt to gaze after every butterfly, that passeth by them; here must be therefore a carefull intention of our thoughts, a restraint from all vain, and idle rovings, and an [Page] holding our selves close to our divine task: Whiles Martha is troubled about many things, her devouter sister, having chosen the better part, plies the one thing necessary, which shall never be taken from her; and whiles Martha would feast Christ with bodily fare, she is feasted of Christ with heavenly delicacies.

SECT. XI.

AFter the heart is thus cleansed, and thus cleared, it must be in the next place decked with true humility, the cheapest, yet best ornament of the soul. If the wise man tel us, that pride is the Eccles. 10. beginning of sin; surely, all gracious dispositions must begin in humility. The foundation of all high and stately buildings must be laid low: They are the lowly valleys that soak in the showers of heaven, which the steep hils [Page] shelve off, and prove dry and fruitlesse. To that man will I look Esa. 66. 2. (saith God) that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my Word: Hence it is, that the more eminent any man is in grace, the more he is dejected in the sight of God; The father of Gen. 18. 27. the faithfull comes to God under the style of dust and ashes: David under the style of a worm and no man: Agur the son of Jakeh, under Pro. 30. 2. the title of more brutish then any man; and one that hath not the understanding of a man: John Baptist, Mat. 3. 11. as not worthy to carry the shooes of Christ after him; Paul, Ephes. 3. 1. as the least of Saints, and chief of sinners: On the contrary, the more vile any man is in his own eies, and the more dejected in the sight of God, the higher he is exalted in Gods favour: Like as the Conduict-water, by how much lower it fals, the higher it riseth. When therefore we would appear before God, in our solemn [Page] devotions, we must see that we empty our selves of all proud conceits, and find our hearts fully convinced of our own vilenesse, yea nothingnesse in his sight. Down, down with all our high thoughts; fall we low before our great and holy God; not to the earth only, but to the very brim of hell, in the conscience of our own guiltinesse; for though the miserable wretchednesse of our nature may be a sufficient cause of our humiliation, yet the consideration of our detestable sinfulnes is that which will depresse us lowest in the sight of God.

SECT. XII.

IT is fit the exercise of our Devotion should begin in an humble confession of our unworthinesse. Now for the effectuall furtherance of this our self-dejection, [Page] it wil be requisite to bend our eyes upon a threefold object; To look inward into our selves, upward to heaven, downwards to hell. First, to turn our eyes into our bosomes, and to take a view (not without a secret self-loathing) of that world of corruption that hath lyen hidden there; and thereupon to accuse, arraign, and condemn our selves before that awfull Tribunall of the Judge of heaven, and earth; both of that originall pollution, which wee have drawn from the tainted loyns of our first parents; and those innumerable actuall wickednesses derived there-from; which have stayned our persons and lives. How can we be but throughly humbled, to see our souls utterly overspread with the odious and abominable leprosie of sin: We finde that Vzziah bore up stoutly a while, against the Priests of the Lord, [Page] in the maintenance of his sacrilegious presumption, but when he saw himself turn'd Lazar, on the suddain, he is confounded in himself, and in a depth of shame hastens away from the presence of God to a sad, and penitentiall retirednesse. Wee should need no other arguments to loath ourselves, then the sight of our own faces, so miserably deformed with the nasty and hatefull scurfe of our iniquity: Neither onely must we be content to shame, and grieve our eyes with the foule nature and condition of our sins, but we must represent them to our selves in all the circumstances that may aggravate their hainousnesse. Alas, Lord, any one sin is able to damn a soul; I have committed many, yea numberlesse: they have not possessed me single, but, as that evill spirit said, their name is Legion; neither have I committed these [Page] sins once, but often; Thine Angels (that were) sinned but once, and are damned for ever; I have frequently reiterated the same offences, where then (were it not for thy mercy) shall I appear? neither have I only done them in the time of my ignorance, but since I received sufficient illumination from thee; It is not in the dark that I have stumbled, and faln, but in the midst of the clear light and sun-shine of thy Gospel, and in the very face of thee my God; neither have these been the ships of my weaknesse, but the bold miscarriages of my presumption; neither have I offended out of inconsideration, and inadvertency, but after and against the checks of a remurmuring conscience; after so many gracious warnings, and fatherly admonitions, after so many fearfull examples of thy judgements, after so infinite obligations of thy favors.

[Page] And thus having look't inward into ourselves, and taken an impartiall view of our own vilenesse, it will be requisite to cast our eyes upward unto heaven, and there to see against whom we have offended; even against an infinite Majesty, and power, an infinite mercy, an infinite justice; That power and Majesty which hath spread out the heavens as a Curtain, and hath laid the foundations of the earth so sure that it cannot be moved; who hath shut up the sea with bars and doors, and said, Job 38. Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves; who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth; who commandeth the Devils to their chains, able therefore to take infinite vengeance on sinners. That mercy of God the Father, who gave his own Son out of his bosome for our redemption; That mercy of [Page] God the Son, who, thinking it Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8, &c. no robbery to be equall unto God, for our sakes made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant; and being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even the accursed death of the crosse; That mercy of God the holy Ghost, who hath made that Christ mine, and hath sealed to my soul the benefit of that blessed redemption; Lastly, that justice of God, which as it is infinitely displeased with every sin, so will be sure to take infinite vengeance on every impenitent sinner.

And from hence it will be fit and seasonable for the devout soul, to look downward into that horrible pit of eternal confusion; & there to see the dreadfull, unspeakable, unimaginable torments of the damned; to represent unto it self the terrors of [Page] those everlasting burnings; the fire and brimstone of that infernal Tophet; the merciless and unweariable tyranny of those hellish executioners; the shrieks, and howlings, and gnashings of the tormented; the unpitiable, interminable, unmitigable tortures of those ever-dying, and yet never-dying souls. By all which, we shall justly affright our selves into a deep sense of the dangerous and wofull condition wherein we lye in the state of nature and impenitence, and shall be driven with an holy eagernesse to seek for Christ, the Son of the ever-living God, our blessed Mediatour; in and by whom onely, we can look for the remission of all these our sins, a reconcilement with this most powerfull, mercifull, just God, and a deliverance of our souls from the hand of the nethermost hell.

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SECT. XIII.

IT shall not now need, or boot to bid the soul which is truly apprehensive of all these, to sue importunately to the Lord of life for a freedome, and rescue from these infinite pains of eternall death, to which our sins have forfaited it; and for a present happy recovery of that favour, which is better then life. Have we heard, or can we imagine some hainous Malefactor, that hath received the sentence of death, and is now bound hand, and foot, ready to be cast into a den of Lyons, or a burning furnace, with what strong cryes, and passionate obsecrations he plies the Judge for mercy? we may then conceive some little image of the vehement suit, and strong cryes of a soul truly sensible of the danger of Gods wrath deserved [Page] by his sin, and the dreadfu [...] consequents of deserved imminent damnation; Although wha [...] proportion is there betwixt [...] weak creature, and the Almighty; betwixt a moment, and eternity?

Hereupon therefore followe [...] a vehement longing (uncapabl [...] of a denyall) after Christ; an [...] fervent aspirations to that Saviour, by whom only we receive a full and gracious deliverance from death and hell; and a full pardon and remission of all ou [...] sins; and, if this come not the sooner, strong knockings at the gates of heaven, even so lou [...] that the Father of mercies cannot but heare and open: Neve [...] did any contrite soul beg of God, that was not prevented by his mercy; much more doth he condescend when he is strongly intreated; our very intreaties are from him, he puts into us those desires which he graciously answers; [Page] now therefore doth the devout soul see the God of all comfort to bow the heavens, and come down with healing in his wings; and heare him speak peace unto the heart thus thoroughly humbled; Feare not, thou shalt not dye but live. Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. Here therefore comes in that divine grace of Faith, effectually apprehending Christ the Saviour, and his infinite satisfaction and merits; comfortably applying all the sweet promises of the Gospell; clinging close to that all-sufficient Redeemer; and in his most perfect obedience emboldning it self, to challenge a freedome of accesse to God, and confidence of appearance before the Tribunall of heaven; and now the soul clad with Christs righteousnesse, dares look God in the face, and can both challenge and triumph over all the powers of darknesse: For, being [Page]justified by faith, we have peace Rom. 5. 1. with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SECT. XIV.

BY how much deeper the sense of our misery and danger is, so much more welcome and joyfull is the apprehension of our deliverance; and so much more thankfull is our acknowledgement of that unspeakable mercy: The soul therefore that is truly sensible of this wonderfull goodnesse of it's God; as it feeles a marvellous joy in it self, so it cannot but break forth into cheerfull and holy (though secret) gratulations: The Lord is full of Ps. 103. 8. compassion, and mercy, long suffering, and of great goodnesse; he keepeth not his anger for ever; he hath not dealt with me after my sins, nor rewarded me after mine Ps. 116. 12, 13. iniquities: What shall I render unto[Page]the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will thank thee, for Ps. 119. 18. 21, &c. thou hast heard me, and hast not given me over to death, but art become my salvation. O speak good of the Lord all ye works of his; Praise thou the Lord, O my soul.

SECT. XV.

THe more feelingly the soul apprehends, and the more thankfully it digests the favours of God in it's pardon, and deliverance, the more freely doth the God of mercy impart himself to it; and the more God imparts himself to it, the more it loves him, and the more heavenly acquaintance and entirenesse grows betwixt God, and it; and now that love which was but a spark at first, grows into a flame, and wholly takes [Page] up the soul. This fire of heavenly love in the devout soul, is, and must be heightned more and more, by the addition of the holy incentives of divine thoughts, concerning the means of our freedome & deliverance. And here, offers it self to us that bottomlesse abysse of mercy in our Redemption, wrought by the eternall Son of God, Jesus Christ the just, by whose stripes we are healed; by whose bloud we are ransomed; where none will befit us but admiring and adoring notions. We shall not disparage you, O ye blessed Angels, and Archangels of heaven, if we shall say, ye are not able to look into the bottome of this divine love, wherewith God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life: None, oh, none can comprehend this mercy, but [Page] he that wrought it. Lord! what a transcendent, what an infinite love is this? what an object was this for thee to love? A world of sinners? Impotent, wretched creatures, that had despighted thee, that had no motive for thy favour but deformity, misery, professed enmity? It had been mercy enough in thee, that thou didst not damn the world, but that thou shouldst love it, is more then mercy. It was thy great goodness to forbear the acts of just vengeance to the sinfull world of man, but to give unto it tokens of thy love, is a favour beyond all expression: The least gift from thee had been more then the world could hope for; but that thou shouldst not stick to give thine onely begotten Son, the Son of thy love, the Son of thine essence, thy coequall, coeternall Son, who was more then ten thousand worlds, to redeem this one forlorn [Page] world of sinners, is love above all comprehension of men and Angels. What diminution had it been to thee and thine essentiall glory, O thou great God of heaven, that the souls that sinned should have died and perished everlastingly? yet so infinite was thy loving mercy, that thou wouldest rather give thy onely Son out of thy bosome, then that there should not be a redemption for beleevers.

Yet, O God, hadst thou sent down thy Son to this lower region of earth, upon such terms, as that he might have brought down heaven with him, that he might have come in the port and Majesty of a God, cloathed with celestiall glory, to have dazeled our eyes, and to have drawn all hearts unto him; this might have seemed, in some measure, to have sorted with his divine magnificence; But thou wouldst have him to appear in the wretched [Page] condition of our humanity: Yet, even thus, hadst thou sent him into the world, in the highest estate, and pomp of royalty, that earth could afford, that all the Kings and Monarchs of the world should have been commanded to follow his train, and to glitter in his Court; and that the knees of all the Potentates of the earth should have bowed to his Soveraign Majesty, and their lips have kissed his dust, this might have carried some kind of appearance of a state next to divine greatnesse; but thou wouldst have him come in the despised form of a servant: And thou, O blessed Jesu, wast accordingly willing, for our sakes, to submit thy self to nakednesse, hunger, thirst, wearinesse, temptation, contempt, betraying, agonies, scorn, buffeting, scourgings, distention, crucifixion, death: O love above measure, without example, beyond [Page] admiration! Greater love (thou saiest) hath no man, then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends; But, oh, what is it then, that thou, who wert God and man, shouldst lay down thy life, (more precious then many worlds) for thine enemies! Yet, had it been but the laying down of a life, in a fair and gentle way, there might have been some mitigatiō of the sorrow of a dissolution; there is not more difference betwixt life and death, then there may be betwixt some one kind of death, and another; Thine, O dear Saviour, was the painfull, shameful, cursed death of the crosse; wherein yet, all that man could doe unto thee was nothing to that inward torment, which in our stead, thou enduredst from thy Fathers wrath; when in the bitternesse of thine anguished soul, thou cryedst out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken [Page]me? Even thus, wast thou content to be forsaken, that we wretched sinners might be received to mercy; O love stronger then death, which thou vanquishedst! more high, then that hell is deep, from which thou hast rescued us!

SECT. XVI.

THe sense of this infinite love of God cannot choose but ravish the soul, and cause it to goe out of it self, into that Saviour who hath wrought so mercifully for it; so as it may be nothing in it self, but what it hath, or is, may be Christs. By the sweet powers therefore of Faith and Love the soul findes it self united unto Christ, feelingly, effectually, indivisibly: so as that it is not to be distinguished betwixt the acts of both: To me Phil. 1. 21. to live is Christ, saith the blessed [Page] Apostle; and elsewhere, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, Gal. 2. 20. and the life which now I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himselfe for me; My beloved is Cant. 2. 16. mine, and I am his, saith the Spouse of Christ in her Bridall song. O blessed union, next to the hypostaticall, whereby the humane nature of the Son of God is taken into the participation of the eternall Godhead.

SECT. XVII.

OUt of the sense of this happy union ariseth an unspeakable complacency and delight of the soul in that God and Saviour, who is thus inseparably ours, and by whose union we are blessed; and an high appreciation of him above all the world; and a contemptuous under—valuation of all earthly things, in comparison [Page] of him; And this is no other then an heavenly reflection of that sweet contentment, which the God of mercies takes in the faithfull soul; Thou hast ravisht Cant. 4. 9. 6. 4, 5. my heart, my sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravisht my heart with one of mine eyes. Thou art beautifull, O my Love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem; Turne away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me. How fair is thy love, my sister, my Spouse? How much better is thy love then wine, and the smell of thine ointments better then all spices. And the soul answers him again in the same language of spirituall dearnesse; My beloved is Can. 5. 10. white and ruddy; the chiefest among ten thousand. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon 8. 6. thine arm, for love is as strong as death: And as in an ecstaticall qualm of passionate affection; Stay me with flaggons, and comfort 2. 5. me with apples, for I am sick of love.

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SECT. XVIII.

VPon this gracious complacency will follow an absolute self-resignation, or giving up our selves to the hands of that good God, whose we are, & who is ours; and an humble contentednesse with his good pleasure in all things; looking upon God with the same face, whether he smile upon us in his favours, or chastise us with his loving corrections; If he speak good unto us; Behold the servant of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word; If evill, It is the Lord, let him doe whatsoever he will: Here is therefore a cheerfull acquiescence in God; and an hearty reliance, and casting our selves upon the mercy of so bountifull a God; who having given us his Son, can in and with him deny us nothing.

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SECT. XIX.

VPon this subacted disposition of heart wil follow a familiar (yet awfull) compellation of God; and an emptying of our soules before him in all our necessities. For that God, who is infinitly mercifull, yet will not have his favours otherwise conveighed to us then by our supplications: the style of his dear ones is, His people that prayeth, and his own style is, The God that heareth prayers: To him therfore doth the devout heart pour out all his requests with all true humility, with all fervour of spirit, as knowing, that God will hear neither proud prayers, nor heartlesse: wherein his holy desires are regulated by a just method; First, suing for spirituall favours, as most worthy; then for temporall, as the appendences of better; and in both, ayming at the [Page] glory of our good God, more then our own advantage: And in the order of spirituall things, first and most for those that are most necessary, and essentiall for our souls health, then for secondary graces, that concern the prosperity and comfort of our spirituall life: Absolutely craving those graces that accompany salvation, all others, conditionally, and with reference to the good pleasure of the munificent Giver; Wherein, heed must be taken, that our thoughts be not so much taken up with our expressions, as with our desires; and that we doe not suffer our selves to languish into an unfeeling length, and repetition of our suits: Even the hands of a Moses, may in time grow heavy; so therefore must we husband our spirituall strength, that our devotion may not flagge with overtyring, but may be most vigorous at the last. And as we must enter [Page] into our prayers, not without preparatory elevations, so must we be carefull to take a meet leave of God, at their shutting up: following our supplications, with the pause of a faithfull, and most lowly adoration; and as it were sending up our hearts into heaven, to see how our prayers are taken; and raising them to a joyfull expectation of a gracious and successefull answer frō the father of mercies.

SECT. XX.

VPon the comfortable feeling of a gracious condescent, follows an happy fruition of God in all his favours; so as we have not them so much, as God in them; which advanceth their worth a thousand fold, and as it were brings down heaven unto us; whereas, therefore, the sensuall man rests onely in the [Page] meer use of any blessing, as health, peace, prosperity, knowledge, and reacheth no higher; the devout soul, in, and through all these, sees, and feels a God that sanctifies them to him, and enjoys therein his favour, that is better then life; Even we men are wont, out of our good nature, to esteem a benefit, not so much for its own worth, as for the love, and respect of the giver: Small legacies for this cause finde dear acceptation; how much more is it so betwixt God and the devout soul? It is the sweet apprehension of this love that makes all his gifts, blessings. Doe we not see some vain churl, though cryed down by the multitude, herein secretly applauding himself, that he hath bags at home? how much more shall the godly man finde comfort against all the crosses of the world, that he is possessed of him that possesseth all things; even [Page] God Al-sufficient; the pledges of whose infinite love he feels in all the whole course of Gods dealing with him.

SECT. XXI.

OUt of the true sense of this inward fruition of God, the devout soul breaks forth into cheerfull thanksgivings to the God of all comfort, praising him for every evill that it is free from; for every good thing it enjoyeth: For, as it keeps a just Inventory of all Gods favours, so it often spreads them thankfully before him, and layes them forth (so near as it may) in the full dimensions; that so, God may be no loser by him in any act of his beneficence. Here therefore every of Gods benefits must come into account; whether eternall, or temporall, spirituall or bodily, outward or [Page] inward, publique or private, positive or privative, past or present, upon our selves or others. In all which, he shall humbly acknowledge both Gods free mercy, and his own shamefull unworthinesse; setting off the favours of his good God the more, with the foyle of his own confessed wretchednesse, and unanswerablenesse to the least of his mercies.

Now as there is infinite variety of blessings from the liberall hand of the Almighty, so there is great difference in their degrees; For, whereas there are three subjects of all the good we are capable of; The Estate, Body, Soul; and each of these doe far surpasse other in value, (the soul being infinitely more worth then the body, and the body far more precious then the outward estate) so the blessings that appertain to them, in severall, differ in their true estimation [Page] accordingly. If either we doe not highly magnifie Gods mercy for the least, or shall set as high a price upon the blessings that concern our estate, as those that pertain to the body, or upon bodily favours, as upon those that belong to the soul, we shall shew our selves very unworthy, and unequall partakers of the Divine bounty. But it will savour too much of earth, if we be more affected with temporall blessings, then with spirituall and eternall. By how much nearer relation then, any favour hath to the Fountain of goodness, and by how much more it conduceth to the glory of God, and ours in him; so much higher place should it possesse in our affection and gratitude. No marvell therefore if the Devout Heart be raised above it self and transported with heavenly raptures, when, with Stephens eyes, it beholds the Lord Jesus standing [Page] at the right hand of God, fixing it self upon the consideration of the infinite Merits of his Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, Intercession, and finding it self swallowed up in the depth of that Divine Love, from whence all mercies flow into the Soul; so as that it runs over with passionate thankfulnesse, and is therefore deeply affected with all other his mercies, because they are derived from that boundlesse Ocean of Divine goodnesse. Unspeakable is the advantage that the soul raises to it self by this continuall exercise of thanksgiving; for the gratefull acknowledgement of favours, is the way to more; even amongst men (whose hands are short and strait) this is the means to pull on further beneficence; how much more from the God of all Consolation, whose largest bounty diminisheth nothing of his store? And [Page] herein the Devout Soul enters into its Heavenly Task; beginning upon earth those Hallelujahs, which it shall perfect above in the blessed Chore of Saints and Angels, ever praising God, and saying; Blessing, and Glory, and Wisdome, and Thankesgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, be unto our God for ever and ever.

Amen.

SECT. XXII.

NOne of all the services of God can be acceptably, no not unsinfully performed without due devotion; as therefore in our prayers & thanksgivings, so in the other exercises of Divine Worship, (especially, in the reading and hearing of Gods Word, and in our receipt of the blessed Sacrament) it is so necessary, that without it, we offer to God a meer carcass of religious [Page] duty, and profane that Sacred Name we would pretend to honour. First then, we must come to Gods Book, not without an holy Reverence, as duly considering both what and whose it is; Even no other, then the Word of the ever-living God, by which we shall once be judged. Great reason have we therefore, to make a difference betwixt it, and the writings of the holiest men, even no less then betwixt the Authours of both: God is true, yea, truth it self: and that which David said in his haste, S. Paul says in full deliberation, Ps. 116. Rom. 3. 4. Every man is a Lyer. Before we put our hand to this Sacred Volume, it will be requisite to elevate our hearts to that God whose it is, for both his leave and his blessing: Open mine eyes, saith the sweet Singer of Ps. 119. 8. Israel, that I may behold the wondrous things of thy Lan. Lo, Davids eyes were open before to [Page] other objects; but when he comes to Gods Book, he can see nothing, without a new act of apertion: Letters he might see, but Wonders he could not see, till God did unclose his eyes, and enlighten them. It is not therefore for us, presumptuously to break in upon God, and to think by our naturall abilities to wrest open the precious Caskets of the Almighty; and to fetch out al his hidden treasure thence, at pleasure; but we must come tremblingly before him, and in all humility crave his gracious admission. I confesse I finde some kinde of envy in my self, when I reade of those scrupulous observances of high respects given by the Jews to the Book of Gods Law: and when I reade of a Romish Saint, that never read the Scripture but upon his knees, Carolus Borromaeus and compare it with the carelesse neglect whereof I can accuse my self, and perhaps some [Page] others: Not that we would rest in the formality of outward Ceremonies of reverence, wherein it were more easie to be superstitious then devout; but that our outward deportment may testifie, and answer the awefull disposition of our hearts: whereto we shall not need to be excited, if we be throughly perswaded of the Divine Originall, and authority of that Sacred Word. It was motive enough to the Ephesians zealously to plead for, and religiously to adore the Image of their Diana, that it was the Image that fell down from Jupiter. Acts 19. 35 Beleeve we, and know, that the Scripture is inspired by God; and we can entertain it with no other then an awefull addresse, and we cannot be Christians if we doe not so beleeve.

Every clause therefore of that God-inspired Volume, must be, as reverently received by us, so seriously weighed, and carefully [Page] laid up; as knowing, that there is no tittle therein without his use. What we reade, we must labour to understand; what we cannot understand, we must admire silently, and modestly inquire of. There are plain Truths, and there are deep Mysteries. The bounty of God hath left this Well of Living-water open for all: what runnes over is for all commers; but every one hath not wherewith to draw. There is no Christian that may not enjoy Gods Book, but every Christian may not interpret it; those shallow Fords that are in it, may be waded by every Passenger, but there are deeps wherein he that cannot swim, may drown. How can I without a Guide? said that Ethiopian Eunuch: Wherefore serves the tongue of the Learned, but to direct the Ignorant? Their modesty is of no less use then the others skill. It is a wofull condition of a Church when no [Page] man will bee ignorant.

What service can our eyes do us in the ways of God without our thoughts? our diligent and frequent reading, therefore, must be attended with our holy meditation: we feed on what we read, but we digest only what we meditate of: What is in our Bible, is Gods; but that which is in our hearts, is our own: By all which our care must be, not so much to become vviser, as to become better, labouring still to reduce all things to godly practice.

Finally, as we enter into this task with the lifting up of our hearts for a blessing, so we shut it up in the ejaculations of our thanksgiving to that God, who hath blessed us with the free use of his Word.

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SECT. XXIII.

OUr eye is our best guide to God our Creator, but our ear is it that leads us to God our Redeemer. How shall they beleeve except they hear? Which that we may effectually doe, our devotion suggests unto us some duties before the act, some in the act, some after the act.

It is the Apostles charge, that we should be swift to hear, but heed must be taken, that we make not more haste then good speed: we may not be so forward as not to look to our foot Eccles. 5. 1. when we goe to the House of God, lest if we be too ready to hear, we offer the sacrifice of Fools. What are the foot of the soul, but our affections? If these be not set right, we may easily stumble, and wrench at Gods threshold. Rash actions can never [Page] hope to prosper; as therefore to every great Work, so to this, there is a due preparation required; and this must be done by meditation first, then by praier. Our meditation first sequesters the heart from the world, and shakes off those distractive thoughts, which may carry us away from these better things: for what room is there for God, where the world hath taken up the lodging? We cannot serve God and Mammon. Then secondly, it seizes upon the heart for God, fixing our thoughts upon the great businesse we go about; recalling the greatnesse of that Majesty into whose presence we enter, and the main importance of the service we are undertaking; and examining our intentions wherewith we addresse our selves to the work intended; I am now going to Gods House; Wherefore doe I goe thither? Is it to see, or to be seen? Is it [Page] to satisfie my own curiosity in hearing what the Preacher will say? Is it to satisfie the law, that requires my presence? Is it to please others eyes, or to avoid their censures? is it for fashion? is it for recreation? or is it with a sincere desire to doe my soul good, in gaining more knowledge, in quickning my affections? Is it in a desire to approve my self to my God, in the conscience of my humble obedience to his command, and my holy attendance upon his Ordinance? And where we finde our ends amisse, chiding and rectifying our obliquities; where just and right, prosecuting them towards a further perfection.

Which that it may be done, our meditation must be seconded by our prayers. It is an unholy rudenesse to press into the presence of that God whom we have not invoked: Our prayer must be, that God would yet [Page] more prepare us for the work, and sanctifie us to it, and bless us in it; that he would remove our sinnes, that he would send down his Spirit into our hearts, which may inable us to this great service; that he would bless the Preacher in the delivery of his sacred message, that he would be pleased to direct his messengers tongue to the meeting with our necessities; that he would free our hearts from all prejudices and distractions; that he would keep off all temptations, which might hinder the good entertainment, and success of his blessed Word: Finally, that he would make us truly teachable, and his ordinance the power of God to our salvation.

In the act of hearing, Devotion cals us to Reverence, Attention, Application. Reverence to that great God, who speaks to us, by the mouth of a weak man; [Page] for, in what is spoken from Gods Chair, agreeable to the Scriptures, the sound is mans, the substance of the message is Gods. Even an Eglon, when he hears Jud. 3. 20. of a message from God, riseth out of his seat. It was not Saint Pauls condition onely, but of all his faithfull servants, to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation; They are Ambassadours for Christ; as 2 Cor. 5. 20 if God did beseech us by them, they pray us in Christs stead to be reconciled to God: The Ambassy is not the bearers, but the kings; and if we doe not acknowledge the great King of heaven in the voice of the Gospel, we cannot but incur a contempt.

When therefore we see Gods messenger in his Pulpit, our eye looks at him, as if it said with Cornelius, We are all here present before God to hear all things that Act. 10. 33 are commanded thee of God; whence cannot but follow together [Page] with an awfull disposition of mind, a reverent deportment of the body; which admits not a wild and roving eye, a drouzy head, a chatting tongue, a rude and indecent posture; but composes it self to such a site as may befit a pious soul in so religious an imployment. Neither do we come as authorized Judges to sit upon the preacher, but as humble Disciples to sit at his feet.

SECT. XXIV.

REverence cannot but draw on Attention; We need not be bidden to hang on the lips of him whom we honour. It is the charge of the Spirit, Let him that hath an ear hear; Every one hath not an eare, and of those that have an ear, every one heareth not; The soul hath an ear as well as the body; if both these ears doe not meet together in one act, there is no hearing: Common [Page] experience tels us that when the mind is otherwise taken up, we doe no more hear what a man says, then if we had been deaf, or he silent. Hence is that first request of Abig [...]il to David; Let thine 1 Sam. 25. 24. handmaid speak to thine ears, and hear the words of thine handmaid; and Job so importunately urgeth his friends: Hear diligently Job 13. 17. my speech and my declaration with your ears. The outward ear may be open, and the inward shut; if way be not made through both, we are deaf to spirituall things. Mine ear hast thou boared, Psal. 40. 6. or digged, saith the Psalmist; the vulgar reads it, my ears hast thou perfected: Surely our ears are grown up with flesh; there is no passage for a perfit hearing of the voyce of God, till he have made it by a spirituall perforation.

And now that the ear is made capable of good counsell, it doth as gladly receive it; taking in every [Page] good lesson, and longing for the next: Like unto the dry and chopped earth, which soaks in every silver drop, that falls from the clouds, and thirsteth for more, not suffering any of that precious liquor to fall beside it.

SECT. XXV.

NEither doth the devout man care to satisfie his curiosity, as hearing only that he might hear; but reducts all things to a saving use; bringing all he hears, home to his heart, by a self-reflecting application; like a practiser of the art of memory, referring every thing to it's proper place; If it be matter of comfort, There is for my sick bed, There is for my outward losses, There for my drouping under afflictions, There for the sense of my spirituall desertions; If matter [Page] of doctrine, There is for my settlement in such a truth, There for the conviction of such an error, There for my direction in such a practice; If matter of reproof, he doth not point at his neighbour, but deeply chargeth himself; This meets with my dead-heartednesse and security, This with my worldly mindednesse, This with my self-love and flattery of mine own estate, This with my uncharitable censoriousnesse, This with my foolish pride of heart, This with my hypocrisie, This with my neglect of Gods services, and my duty; Thus in all the variety of the holy passages of the Sermon, the devout mind is taken up with digesting what it heares; and working it self to a secret improvement of all the good counsell that is delivered, neither is ever more busie, then when it sits still at the feet of Christ. I cannot therefore approve the practice [Page] (which yet I see commonly received) of those, who think it no small argument of their Devotion, to spend their time of hearing, in writing large notes frō the mouth of the Preacher; which however it may be an help for memory in the future, yet cannot (as I conceive) but be some prejudice to our present edification; neither can the brain get so much hereby, as the heart loseth. If it be said, that by this means, an opportunity is given for a full rumination of wholesome Doctrines afterwards: I yeeld it, but withall, I must say that our after-thoughts can never doe the work so effectually, as when the lively voice sounds in our ears, and beats upon our heart; but herein I submit my opinion to better judgments.

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SECT. XXVI.

THe food that is received into the soul by the ear, is afterwards chewed in the mouth thereof by memory, concocted in the stomach by meditation, and dispersed into the parts by conference and practice; True Devotion findes the greatest part of the work behinde; It was a just answer that John Gerson Serm. ad Eccles. cautelam. reports, given by a Frenchman, who being askt by one of his neighbours if the Sermon were done; no saith he, it is said, but it is not done, neither will be, I fear, in hast. What are we the better if we hear and remember not? if we be such auditours as the Jews were wont to call sieves, that retain no moisture that is poured into them? What the better if we remember, but think not seriously of what we hear; or if we practice [Page] not carefully what wee think of? Not that which we hear is our own, but that which we carry away: although all memories are not alike, one receives more easily, another retains longer; It is not for every one to hope to attain to that ability, that he can goe away with the whole fabrick of a Sermon, and readily recount it unto others; neither doth God require that of any man, which he hath not given him; Our desires and endeavours may not be wanting wher our powers fail; It will be enough for weak memories if they can so lay up those wholesom counsels which they receive, as that they may fetch them forth when they have occasion to use them; and that what they want in the extent of memory, they supply in the care of their practice; Indeed that is it, wherein lies the life of all religious duties, and without [Page] which [...] the Philosopher [...] vertue, I must say of true godliness, that it consists in action; Our Saviour did not say, Blessed are ye if ye know these things; But, If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye doe them. The end of our desire of the sincere milk of the Gospel, is, that we may grow thereby in the stature of all Grace, unto the 1 Pet. 2. 2 Eph. 3. 9. fulnesse of God.

SECT. XXVII.

THe highest of all Gods services are his Sacraments; which therefore require the most eminent acts of our Devotion. The Sacrament of initiation, which in the first planting of a Church is administred onely to those of riper age and understanding, cals for all possible reverence, and religious addresses [Page] of the receivers; wherein the Primitive times were punctually observant, both for substance, and ceremony; now, in a setled and perpetuated Church, in which the vertue of the Covenant descends from the parent to the child, there seems to be no use of our preparatory directions: Onely, it is fit that our Devotion should call our eyes back, to what we have done in our infancy, and whereto we are ever obliged; that our full age may carefully endeavour to make our word good, and may put us in mind of our sinfull failings. That other Sacrament of our spirituall nourishment, which our Saviour (as his farewell) left us for a blessed memoriall of his death and passion, can never be celebrated with enough Devotion. Farre be it from us to come to this feast of our God, in our common garments; the soul must be trimmed [Page] up, if we would be meet guests for the Almighty. The great Master of the feast will neither abide us to come naked, nor ill clad: Away therefore, first with the old beastly rags of our wonted corruptions: Due examination comes in first, and throughly searches the soul, and findes out all the secret nastiness, and defilements that it hides within it; and by the aid of true penitence, strips it of all those loathsome clouts, wherewith it was polluted; Sin may not be cloathed upon with grace; Joshuahs Zachar. 3. [...] filthy garments must be pluckt off, ere he can be capable of precious robes: Here may be no place for our sinfull lusts, for our covetous desires, for our naturall infidelity, for our malicious purposes, for any of our unhallowed thoughts; The soul clearly devested of these and all other known corruptions, must in the next placae in stead thereof, be [Page] furnished with such graces and holy predispositions, as may fit it for so heavenly a work. Amongst the graces requisite, Faith justly challengeth the first place, as that which is both most eminent, and most necessarily presupposed to the profitable receit of this Sacrament; for whereas the main end of this blessed banquet is the strengthening of our faith, how should that receive strength, which hath not beeing? to deliver these sacred viands to an unbeleever, is to put meat into the mouth of a dead man: Now therefore must the heart raise up it self to new acts of beleeving, and must lay faster hold on Christ, and bring him closer to the soul; more strongly applying to it self, the infinite merits of his most perfect obedience, and of his bitter death and passion; and erecting it self to a desire and expectation of a more vigorous: and [Page] lively apprehension of it's omnipotent Redeemer. Neither can this faith be either dead, or solitary; but is still really operative, and attended (as with other graces, so) especially with a serious repentance; whose wonderfull power is, to undoe our former sins, and to mold the heart and life to a better obedience: A grace so necessary, that the want of it (as in extream corruption of the stomach) turns the wholesom food of the soul into poyson; An impenitent man therefore comming to Gods board, is so far from benefiting himself, as that he eats his own judgement: Stand off from this holy table, all ye that have not made your peace with your God; or that harbour any known sin in your bosome; not to eat is uncomfortable, but to eat in such a state is deadly; yet rest not in this plea, that ye cannot come because ye [Page] are unreconciled; but (as ye love your souls) be reconciled that you may come.

Another Grace necessarily pre-required is charity to our brethren, and readinesse to forgive; For this is a communion, as with Christ the head, so with all the members of his mysticall body: This is the true Lovefeast of God our Saviour, wherein we professe our selves inseparably united both to him & his; If there be more hearts then one at Gods table, he will not own them; These holy elements give us an Embleme of our selves: This bread is made up of many grains, incorporated into one masse; and this wine is the confluent juice of many clusters; neither doe we partake of severall loaves, or variety of liquors, but all eat of one bread, and drink of one cup. Here is then no place for rancour and malice; none for secret [Page] grudgings and heart-burnings; Therefore, if thou bring thy Mat. 5. 23. gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift, and goe thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Neither may we doe as those two emulous Commanders of Greece did, who resolved to leave their spight behinde them at mount Athos, and to take it up again in their return; here must be an absolute, and free acquitting of all the back-reckonings of our unkindnesse, that we may receive the God of peace into a clear bosome.

SECT. XXVIII.

BEsides these graces there are certain holy pre-dispositions so necessary that without them our souls can never hope to receive [Page] true comfort in this blessed Sacrament; whereof the first is an hungring and thirsting desire after these gracious means of our salvation: What good will our meat doe us without an appetite? surely without it, there is no expectation of either relish, or digestion; as therefore those that are invited to some great feast, care first to feed their hunger ere they feed their body; labouring by exercise to get a stomach, ere they employ it; so it concerns us to do here: and, as those those that are listlesse, and weak stomached, are wont to whet their appetite with sharp sawces, so must we by the tart applications of the law, quicken our desires of our Saviour here exhibited.

Could we but see our sins, and our miseries by sin; Could we see God frowning, and hell gaping wide to swallow us, we should not need to be bidden to [Page] long for our deliverer; and every pledge of his favour would be precious to us.

Upon the apprehension of our need of a Saviour and so happy a supply thereof presented unto us, must needs follow a renued act of true thankfulnesse of heart to our good God, that hath both given us his dear Son to work our redemption, and his blessed Sacrament to seal up unto us our redemption thus wrought and purchased; And with souls thus thankfully elevated unto God, we approach with all reverence, to that heavenly table, where God is both the Feast-master, and the Feast. What intention of holy thoughts, what fervour of spirit, what depth of Devotion must we now finde in our selves? Doubtlesse, out of heaven no object can be so worthy to take up our hearts. What a clear representation is here of the great [Page] work of our Redemption? How is my Saviour by all my senses here brought home to my soul? How is his passion lively acted before mine eyes? For lo, my bodily eye doth not more truly see bread and wine, then the eye of my faith sees the body and bloud of my dear Redeemer; Thus was his sacred body torn and broken; Thus was his precious bloud poured out for me; My sins (wretched man that I am) helped thus to crucifie my Saviour; and for the discharge of my sins would he be thus crucified: Neither did he onely give himself for me, upon the crosse, but lo, he both offers and gives himself to me in this his blessed institution; what had his generall gift been without this application? now my hand doth not more sensibly take, nor my mouth more really eat this bread, then my soul doth spiritually receive, and feed on the [Page] bread of life; O Saviour, thou art the living bread that came down from heaven; Thy flesh is meat indeed, and thy bloud is drink indeed: Oh that I may so eat of this bread, that I may live for ever; He that commeth to thee, shall never hunger, he that beleeveth in thee, shall never thirst: Oh that I could now so hunger, and so thirst for thee, that my soul could be for ever satisfied with thee; Thy people of old, were fed with Manna in the wildernesse, yet they died; that food of Angels could not keep them from perishing; but oh, for the hidden Manna, which giveth life to the world, even thy blessed self, give me ever of this bread, and my soul shall not die but live: Oh the precious juice of the fruit of the Vine, wherewith thou refreshest my soul▪ Is this the bloud of the grape? Is it not rather thy bloud of the New testament, that [Page] is poured out for me? Thou speakest, O Saviour, of new wine that thou wouldest drink with thy Disciples, in thy Fathers kingdome, can there be any more precious and pleasant, then this, wherewith thou chearest the beleeving soul? our palate is now dull and earthly, which shall then be exquisite and celestiall; but surely no liquor can be of equall price or soveraignty with thy bloud; Oh how unsavoury are all earthly delicacies to this heavenly draught▪ O God, let not the sweet taste of this spirituall Nectar ever goe out of the mouth of my soul; Let the comfortable warmth of this blessed Cordiall ever work upon my soul, even till, and in, the last moment of my dissolution. Doest thou bid me, O Saviour, doe this in remembrance of thee? Oh, how can I forget thee? How can I enough celebrate thee for this [Page] thy unspeakable mercy? Can I see thee thus crucified before my eies, & for my sake thus crucified, and not remember thee? Can I finde my sins accessary to this thy death, and thy death meritoriously expiating all these my grievous sins, and not remember thee? Can I hear thee freely offering thy self to me, and feel thee graciously conveighing thy self into my soul, and not remember thee? I doe remember thee O Saviour; but oh that I could yet more effectually remember thee; with all the passionate affections of a soul sick of thy love; with all zealous desires to glorifie thee, with all fervent longings after thee, and thy salvation; I remember thee in thy sufferings, Oh doe thou remember me in thy glory.

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SECT. XXIX.

HAving thus busied it self with holy thoughts in the time of the celebration, the devout soul breaks not off in an abrupt unmannerlinesse, without taking leave of the great Master of this heavenly feast, but with a secret adoration, humbly blesseth God for so great a mercy, and heartily resolves and desires to walk worthy of the Lord Jesus, whom it hath received, and to consecreate it self wholly to the service of him that hath so dearly bought it, and hath given it these pledges of it's eternall union with him.

The devout soul hath thus sup't in heaven, and returnes home, yet the work is not thus done: after the elements are out of eye and use, there remains a digestion of this celestial food, by holy meditation; and [Page] now it thinks, Oh what a blessing have I received to day! no lesse then my Lord Jesus, with all his merits; and in and with him, the assurance of the remission of all my sins, and everlasting salvation: How happy am I, if I be not wanting to God and my self? How unworthy shall I be, if I doe not strive to answer this love of my God and Saviour, in all hearty affection, and in all holy obedience?

And now after this heavenly repast, how doe I feel my self? what strength, what advantage hath my faith gotten? how much am I neerer to heaven then before? how much faster hold have I taken of my blessed Redeemer? how much more firm & sensible is my interest in him?

Neither are these thoughts, & this examination the work of the next instant onely, but they are such, as must dwell upon the heart; and must often solicite [Page] our memory, and excite our practise, that by this means we may frequently renue the efficacy of this blessed Sacrament, and our souls may batten more and more, with this spirituall nourishment, and may be fed up to eternall life.

SECT. XXX.

THese are the generalities of our Devotion, which are of common use to all Christians; There are besides these certain specialties of it, appliable to severall occasions, times, places, persons; For there are morning, and evening Devotions; Devotions proper to our board, to our closet, to our bed, to Gods day, to our own; to health, to sicknesse, to severall callings, to recreations; to the way, to the field, to the Church, to our home, to the student, to the souldier, to [Page] the Magistrate, to the Minister, to the husband, wife, child, servant; to our own persons, to our families; The severalties whereof, as they are scarce finite for number, so are most fit to be left to the judgement, and holy managing of every Christian; neither is it to be imagined, that any soul which is taught of God, and hath any acquaintance with heaven, can be to seek in the particular application of common rules to his own necessity or expedience.

The result of all, is,

A devout man is he that ever sees the invisible, and ever trembleth before that God he sees; that walks ever, here on earth, with the God of heaven; and still adores that Majesty with whom he converses; that confers hourely with the God of spirits in his own language; yet so, as no familiarity can abate of his aw, nor fear abate ought of [Page] his love. To whom the gates of heaven are ever open, that he may goe in at pleasure to the throne of grace, and none of the Angelicall spirits can offer to challenge him of too much boldnesse: Whose eies are well acquainted with those heavenly guardians, the presence of whom he doth as truly acknowledge, as if they were his sensible companions. He is well known of the King of glory, for a daily suitor in the Court of heaven, & none so welcome there, as he: He accounts all his time lost that fals beside his God; and can be no more weary of good thoughts, then of happinesse.

His bosome is no harbour for any known evill; and it is a question whether he more abhorres sin, or hell; His care is to entertain God in a clear, and free heart, and therefore he thrusts the world out of doors, and humbly beseeches God to welcome [Page] himself to his own: He is truly dejected, and vile in his own eies: Nothing but hell is lower then he; every of his slips are hainous, every trespasse is aggravated to rebellion; The glory and favours of God heighten his humiliation; He hath lookt down to the bottomles deep, & seen with horror what he deserved to feel everlastingly; His crys have been as strong, as his fears just; & he hath found mercy more ready to rescue him, then he could be importunate: His hand could not be so soon put forth as his Saviours, for deliverance. The sense of this mercy hath raised him to an unspeakable joy to a most fervent love of so dear a Redeemer; that love hath knit his heart to so meritorious a deliverer, and wrought a blessed union betwixt God and his soul. That union can no more be severed from an infinite delight, then that delight can be severed [Page] from an humble, and cheerfull acquiescence in his munificent God; And now, as in an heavenly freedome, he pours out his soul into the bosome of the Almighty, in all faithfull suits for himself and others; so, he enjoys God in the blessings received, and returns all zealous praises to the giver.

He comes reverently to the Oracles of God, and brings not his eye, but his heart with him, not carelesly negligent in seeking to know the revealed will of his maker, nor too busily inquisitive into his deep counsels; not too remisse in the letter, nor too peremptory in the sense: gladly comprehending what he may, and admiring what he cannot comprehend. Doth God call for his ear? He goes awfully into the holy presence and so hears, as if he should now hear his last: Latching every word that drops from the Preachers [Page] lips, ere it fall to the ground, and laying it up carefully where he may be sure to fetch it. He sits not to censure, but to learn, yet speculation and knowledge is the least drift of his labour; Nothing is his own but what he practiseth. Is he invited to Gods feast? he hates to come in a foul and slovenly dresse; but trims up his soul, so, as may be fit for an heavenly guest: Neither doth he leave his stomach at home cloyed with the world, but brings a sharp appetite with him; and so s [...]eds as if he meant to live for ever. All earthly delicates are unfavoury to him, in respect of that celestiall Manna: Shortly, he so eats and drinks, as one that sees himself set at Table with God, and his Angels; and rises and departs full of his Saviour; and in the strength of that meal walks vigorously and cheerfully on towards his glory. Finally, as he well knows that [Page] he lives, and moves, and hath his beeing in God, so he referres his life, motions, and beeing wholly to God; so acting all things as if God did them by him, so using all things, as one that enjoyes God in them; and in the mean time so walking on earth, that he doth in a sort carry his heaven with him.

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THE FREE PRISONER: OR, The COMFORT of RESTRAINT.

Written Some while since in the Tower, BY I. H. B. N.

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The Free Prisoner: OR The Comfort of Restraint.

SECT. I.

SIR:

WHiles you pity my affliction, take heed lest you aggravate it, and in your thoughts make it greater then it is in my own; It is true, I am under restraint; What is that to a man, that can be free in the Tower, and cannot but be a prisoner abroad? Such is my condition, and every Divine Philosophers with me. Were my walls much straiter then they are, they cannot hold me in; It is a bold word to say, [Page] I cannot, I will not be a prisoner: It is my Soul that is I: my flesh is my partner, (if not my servant) not my self: However my body may be immured, that agile spirit shall flye abroad, and visit both earth, and heaven at pleasure. Who shall hinder it from mounting up (in an instant) to that supream region of blisse, and from seeing that, by the eye of faith, which S. Paul saw in extasie; and when it hath viewed that blessed Hierarchy of heaven to glance down through the innumerable, and unmeasurable globes of light (which move in the firmament, and below it) into this elementary world; and there to compasse seas and lands, without shipwrack, in a trice, which a Drake, or Cavendish cannot doe, but with danger, and in some years navigation; And if my thoughts list to stay themselves in the passage; with what variety can my soul be taken up [Page] of severall objects; Here, turning in to the dark vaults, and dungeons of penall restraint, to visit the disconsolate prisoners, and to fetch from their greater misery, a just mitigation of mine own; There, looking in to the houses of vain jollity, and pitying that which the sensuall fools call happinesse; Here stepping in to the Courts of great Princes, and in them observing the fawning compliances of some, the trecherous underworking of others; hollow friendships, faithlesse ingagements, fair faces, smooth tongues, rich suits, viewing all save their hearts, & censuring nothing that it sees not; There calling in at the low cottages of the poor, and out of their empty cupboard furnishing it self with thankfulnesse; Here so over-looking the Courts of Justice, as not willing to seerigour or partiality; There listing what they say in those meetings [Page] which would passe for sacred, and wondring at what it hears. Thus can, and shall, and doth my nimble spirit bestir it self in a restless flight, making onely the Empyreall heaven, the bounds of it's motion; not being more able to stand still, then the heavens themselves, whence it descended: Should the iron enter into my soul, as it did into that good Patriarchs, yet it cannot fetter me: No more can my spirit be confined to one place, then my body can be diffused to many. Perhaps therefore you are mistaken in my condition; for what is it I beseech you that makes a prisoner? Is it an allotment to the same room without change, without remove? What is that still to a minde that is free?

And why is my body then more a prisoner then the best mans soul; that, you know, is peremptorily assigned, for inhabitation [Page] to this house of clay till the day of dissolution: Why more then the starres of Heaven, which have remained fixed in their first stations ever since they were first created? Why more then those great persons which keep up for state; or Dames for beauty? Why more then those Anachorites whom we have seen willingly coop'd up for merit? How much more scope have we then they? We breathe fresh aire, we see the same heavens with the freest travellers.

SECT. II.

BUt we have (you will say) bounds for our restraint, which the free spirit hates; as never being pleased, but with a full liberty both of prospect and passage; Any barre, whether to the foot, or to the eye, is a death: Oh vain affectation of wilde, and [Page] roving curiosity! if their desires cannot be bounded, yet their motions must; When they have the full sight of heaven above them, they cannot clime up into it; they cannot possibly see that whole glorious contignation; and when the whole earth lyes open before them, they can measure but some small pieces of it. How can they be quiet till they have purchased Tycho Brahe his prospective Trunk of thirty two foot long, whereby they may discover a better face of Heaven; some lesser Planets moving round about the Sun, and the Moonets about Saturn and Jupiter, and the Mountains, Seas, and Vallies in the Moon? How can they rest till having acquainted themselves with the constellations of our Hemisphere, they have passed the Equinoctiall, and seen the triangle, the crosse, and the clouds, and the rest of the unknown Stars that move above [Page] the other Pole? And when all this is done they are but who they were, no whit better, no whit wiser, and perhaps far lesse happy then those, who never smelt any but their own smoke; never knew any star, but Charleswayn, the Morning-star, and the Seven. For me, I doe not envie, but wonder at the licentious freedome, which these men think themselves happy to enjoy; and hold it a weaknesse in those mindes, which cannot finde more advantage and pleasure in confinement, and retirednesse; Is it a small benefit, that I am placed there, where no oathes, no blasphemies beat my ears? where my eyes are in no perill of wounding objects; where I hear no invectives, no false doctrines, no sermocinations of Ironmongers, Felt-makers, Coblers, Broom-men, Groomes, or any other of those inspired ignorants; no curses, [Page] no ribaldries: where I see no drunken comeslations, no rebellious routs, no violent oppressions, no obscene rejoycings, nor ought else that might either vex, or afright my soul. This, this is my liberty: who whiles I sit here quietly lock'd up by my Keeper, can pity the turmoiles and distempers abroad, and blesse my own immunity from those too common evils.

SECT. III.

IS it the necessity and force of the restraint; since those things which we do voluntarily, are wont to passe from us with delight, which being imposed seem grievous to us? Why should not I have so much power over my will as to make that voluntary in me, to undergo, which another wils forcibly to inflict? the mind that is truly subacted [Page] to Grace, can so frame it self to what it must suffer, as that it finds a kind of contentment in patience; Thus we daily doe to the Almighty, whose will, by our humble submission, we make ours; and pray that we may do so: And who can restrain us without him? If therefore my wise and holy God think it best to cage me up, by the cōmand of authority (upon what cause soever) why should not I think this enclosure a better liberty: who know there is perfect freedome in his obedience? So then, if constraint make a prisoner, I am none; who am most willingly, where my God will have me: And, if my will did not often carry me out of my own walks at home, why cannot it as well confine me to a larger compasse of the Tower?

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SECT. IV.

IS it solitude and infrequence of visitation? This may perhaps be troublesome to a man that knows not to entertain himself; but, to him that can hold continuall discourse with his own heart, no favour can be greater; For of all other, these self-conferences are most beneficiall to the soul; Other mens communication may spend the time with more advantage of learning or mirth; but none can yeeld us so much spiritual profit, as our own soliloquies: And when all is done, the Greeks said well; It is not much, but usefull [...]. that makes truly wise. Besides this, we can never have the opportunity of so good company, as when we are alone: Now, we enjoy the society of God, and his Angels, which we cannot so freely do in a throng of visitants: [Page] When God would expresse his greatest intirenesse with his Church, Ducam eam in solitudinem, saith he: I will bring her into Hos. 2. 14. the wildernesse, and there speak comfortably to her. We cannot expect so sweet conversation with God, in the presence of others, as apart. Oh the divine benefit of an holy solitarinesse, which no worldly heart can either know, or value! What care I for seeing of men, when I may see him that is invisible? What care I for chatting with friends, when I may talk familiarly with the God of heaven? What care I for entertaining mortall guests, when I may with Abraham & his nephew Lot feast the Angels of God: and (which were too great a word, if God himself had not spoken it) be attended by them?

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SECT. V.

IS it the reproach & ignominy that commonly attends the very name of an imprisonment? weak mindes may be affected with every thing: but, with solid judgements, it is not the punishment, but the cause that makes either the Martyr, or the malefactor. S. Pauls bonds were famous: and Petrus ad vincula is not without a note of yearly celebrity: and it were hard, if so many blessed Martyrs, and Confessors, who have lived, & dy'd in Jayls, for the truths sake; should not have brought prisons (such as they may be) into some credit. Shortly, as notorious crimes may be at liberty, so even innocence may be under restraint; yet those crimes no whit the better, nor this innocence the worse.

Besides (that which perhaps [Page] came not within your freer thoughts) every restraint is not for punishment; there is a restraint for safety, a salva custodia, as well as arcta, such is this of ours: This strong Tower serves not so much for our prison, as for our defence; what horror soever the name may carry in it: I blesse God for these wals, out of which I know not where we could (for the time) have been safe from the rage of the misincensed multitude: Poor seduced souls, they were taught it was piety to be cruell; and were misperswaded to hate & condemn us for that, (which should have procured their reverence, and honour) even that holy station which we hold in Gods Church; and to curse those of us, who had deserved nothing but their thanks and prayers: rayling on our very profession in the streets; and rejoycing in our supposed ruine: Father, forgive [Page] them, for they knew not what they did: Here we were out of the danger of this mis-raised fury, and had leisure to pray for the quenching of those wilde fires of contention, 'and causlesse malice, which (to our great grief) we saw wicked incendiaries daily to cast amongst Gods dear & well-minded people. Here we have well and happily approved with the blessed Apostle, that (what ever our restraint be) the Word of God is not bound; With what liberty, with what zeal, with what successe hath that been preached by us to all commers? Let them say, whether the Tower had ever so many, such guests, or such benedictions; so as if the place have rendered us safe, we have endeavoured to make it happy; Wherin our performances have seemed to confute that which Non enim potest mens attrita & oneribus & importunitatibus gravata, tanium boni peragere, quantum delectata & oppressionibus soluta Cornel. ep. 2. Rufo Coepiscopo. Cornelius Bishop of Rome long since observed, that the mind laden [Page] with heavy burdens of affliction, is not able to doe that service, which it can doe when it is free and at ease; Our troubles through Gods mercy made us more active, and our labours more effectuall.

SECT. VI.

ADde unto these (if you please) the eminent dignity of the place, such, as is able to give a kinde of honour to captivity, the ancient seat of Kings, chosen by them, as for the safe residence of their royall persons, so for their treasury, their wardrobe, their Magazine; all these precious things are under the same custody with our selves; sent hither, not as to a prison, but a repository; and why should we think our selves in any other condition? How many worthy inhabitants make [Page] choice to fixe their abode within these wals, as not knowing where to be happier? the place is the same to us, if our will maybe the same with theirs; they dearly purchase that, which cost us nothing but our fees; nothing makes the difference, but the meer conceit of Liberty, which whiles I can give to my self, in my thoughts, why am I pityed as miserable, whiles their happinesse is applauded?

You see then how free I am in that which you mis-call my prison; see now, how little cause I have to affect this liberty, which you imagine me to want; since I shall be, I can be no other then a prisoner abroad: There is much difference of prisons; One is strait and close locked, so far from admitting visitants, that it scarce allows the sun to look in at those crosse-barred grates; another, is more large and spacious, yeelding both walks, and [Page] accesse; Even after my discharge from these wals, I shall be yet sure to be a prisoner, both these ways; For, what is my body but my prison in the one? and what is the world, but my prison in the other kinde?

SECT. VII.

TO begin with the former, never was there a more close prisoner then my soul is for the time to my body; Close in respect of the essence of that spirit, which since it's first Mittimus, never stir'd out from this strait room; never can doe, till my gaole-delivery.

If you respect the improvement of the operatiōs of that busie soul, it is any where, it is successively every where; no place can hold it, none can limit it; but if you regard the immortall, and immateriall substance of it, it is fast [Page] lockt up within these wals of clay, till the day of my changing come; even as the closest captive may write letters to his remotest friends, whilest his person is in durance; I have too much reason to acknowledge my native Jayle, and feel the true Symptomes of it to my pain; what darkness of sorrow have I here found? what little-ease of melancholick lodgings? what manacles and shakles of cramps? yea what racks of torturing convulsions?

And if there be others, that finde less misery in their prison, yet there is no good soul, but findes equall restraint: That spirituall substance, which is imprisoned within us, would fain be flying up to that heaven whence it descended; these wals of flesh forbid that evolation, (as Socrates cal'd it of old) and will not let it out, till the God of spirits (who placed it there) [Page] shall unlock the doors, and free the prisoner by death; He that insused life into Lazarus, that he might call him from the prison of the grave, must take life from us, when he cals us out of this prison of flesh; I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ, (saith the Apostle) as some versions expresse it; whiles we are chained to this flesh, we can have no passage to heaven, no free conversation with our Saviour: Although it was the singular priviledge of that great Doctor of the Gentiles, that he was in heaven before his dissolution: whether in the body, or out of the body, he knew not: How far that rapture extended, whether to both soul and body, if he knew not, how should we? But this we know, that such extasie and vision was in him, without separation of the soul from the body; which another should hope for in vain: And for him, [Page] so he saw this glory of Paradise, that he could not yet enjoy it: Before he, or we, can be blessed with the fruition of Christ, vve must be loosed: that is, freed from our clog, and our chain of this mortall body.

What but our prison wals can hinder us here, from a free prospect? What but these wals of flesh can hinder me from a clear vision of God? I must now, for the time, see as I may: Nothing can enter into my soul, but what passes through my senses, and partakes, in some sort, of their earthlinesse; when I am freed from them, I shall see as I am seen; in an abstracted and heavenly way; so as one spirit apprehends another: I do now, at the best, see those spirituall objects darkly, by the eye of faith, as in a glasse; and that not one of the clearest neither: (Alas, what dim representations are these, that I can attain to here, [Page] of that Majesty, whose sight shal make me blessed?) I shall once see as I am seen, face to face; the face of my glorified soul shall see the face of that all-glorious Deity, and in that sight be eternally happy; It is enough for a prisoner in this dungeon of clay, to know of, and fore-expect such felicity, vvhereof these earthly gieves render him as yet uncapable.

SECT. VIII.

WOE is me! how many prisons do we passe? so soon as ever this divine soul is insused into this flesh, it is a prisoner: neither can any more passe out of this skin, till this frame of nature be demolished: And now, as the soul of this Embryon is instantly a prisoner to the body, so the body is also a prisoner in the womb, wherein it is formed: what darknesse, what [Page] closenesse, what uneasinesse, what nuisance is there in this dungeon of nature? There he must lie in an uncouth posture, for his appointed month, till the native bonds being loosed, & the doors forced open, he shall be by an helpfull obstetrication drawn forth into the larger prison of the vvorld; there indeed he hath elbow-room enough: but al that wide scope cannot free him from a true incarceratiō: Who knows not that there are many differences, and latitudes of restraint? A Simeon may imprison and enchain himself in the compasse of a pillar, not allowing himself the ease of his whole dimensiōs; Peter may be lockt up in a larger Jayle, betwixt his two Leopards (as that father terms thē;) S. Paul may be two years allowed to be a prisoner in his own Acts ult. hired house, but under the guard of his keeper, and not vvithout his chain: There are those who [Page] upon hainous, and dangerous occasions, may be kept close under many locks; there are prisoners at large, vvho have the liberty of the Tower; yet even these last, notwithstanding the allowance of spacious walks, & fresh gardens, are no other then acknowledged prisoners: Such is my condition to the world, whē I am at my fullest liberty: It is true, that when I look back to the straitnesse of my first, and native prison, and compare it with the large extent of that wide world, into which I am brought, I may well with Isaacs Herds-men, say, Rehoboth, For Gen. 26. 22. now, the Lord hath made me room: but when I compare that world, wherein I am, with that whereto I aspire, and vvhich I know to be above, and look to enjoy; I can see nothing here, but meer prison-vvals, and professe my life to be no other then a perpetuall durance.

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SECT. IX.

IF Varro said of old, that the Magna domus homuli. world was no other then the great house of little man, I shall be bold to adde what kind of house it is; It is no other then his prison, yea, his dungeon.

Far be it from me to disparage the glorious work of my omnipotent Creator: I were not worthy to look upon this large, and glittering roof of heaven, nor to see the pleasant varieties of these earthly landskips, if I did not adore that infinite power, and wisdome which appears in this goodly, and immense fabricke; and confesse the marvellous beauty of that majestick, and transcendent workmanship; Rather when I see the Moon and the Starres, which thou hast ordained, Psal. 8. 3, 4. I say with the Psalmist, Lord what is man?

[Page] But, O God, it is no dishonour to thee, that though this be a fair house, yet thou hast one so much better then it, as a Palace is beyond a Jayle.

This beauty may please, but that ravisheth my soul: Here is light, but dim, and dusky, in respect of that inaccessible light, wherein thou dwellest: Here is a glorious sun, that illumineth this inferiour world, but thou art the sun who enlightenest that world above: Thou, to whom thy created Sun is but a shadow.

Here we converse with beasts, or at the best, with men; there with blessed soules, and heavenly Angels: Here some frivolous delights are intermixed with a thousand vexations; There in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy: So then, let the sensuall heart mis-place his paradise here in the world, it shall not passe for other with me, then my prison: How can it? Why should [Page] it? for what other terms doe I find here?

What blind light looks in here at these scant loopeholes of my soul? Yea, what darknesse of ignorance rather possesses me? what bolts and shackles of heavy crosses doe I beare about me? how am I fed here with the bread of afdiction? how am I watched and beset with evill spirits? how contumeliously traduced? how disdainefully lookt upon? how dragging the same chaine with the worst malefactors? how disabled to all spirituall motions? how restrained from that full liberty of injoying my home, and my God in it, which I daily expect in my dissolution? when therefore, I am released from these walls, I am still imprisoned in larger, and so shall be till the Lord of the spirits of al flesh (who put me here) shal set me free; and all the daies of my appointed time wil I wait, til this my changing come.

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SECT. X.

YOu see then by this time, how little reason I have to be too much troubled with this imprisonment, or my friends for me; But indeed, there are some sorts of Prisoners, which neither you nor I can have tears enow to bewaile: and those especially of two kinds.

The one, those that are too much affected with an outward bondage: The other, those that are no whit affected with a spirituall.

In the first rank are they that sinke under the weight of their Irons; Poore impotent soules, that groaning under the cruelty of a Turkish thraldome, or a Spanish Inquisition, want Faith to beare them out, against the impetuous violences of their tormentors: I sorrow for their suffering; [Page] but for their fai [...] more: could they see the Gro [...] of glory, which the right [...] [...] Judge holds ready for their [...] ctorious Patience, they [...] not but contemne paine, [...] all the pomp of Death, and [...] fesse that their Light affliction (which is but for [...]) works for them a far more [...] ceeding and eternall weight of glory: But alas, it is the weaknesse of their eyes, that they onely look at the things that are seen, close walls, heavy [...] sharp scourges, merciless racks, and other dreadfull engines of torture, and see not the things that are not seen, the glorious reward of their victory, blessedness. Had they had Stephens eyes, they would have emulated his martyrdome; Surely whosoever shall but read the story of the Mother and the seaven Brothers in the Maccabees, and that of the fourty Armenian Martyrs [Page] frozen to death, reported by Gaudentius, and shall there see the fainting revolter dying uncomfortably in the Bath, whiles the other thirty and nine (together with their new converted Keeper) are crowned by an Angell from heaven, cannot choose (except he have nothing but Ice in his bosome) but find in himself a disposition emulous of their courage, and ambitious of their honour; But alas, what ever our desires; and purposes may be, it is not for every one to attain to the glory of Martyrdome; this is the highest pitch, that earthly Saints are capable of: He must be more then a man, whom pain and death cannot remove from his holy resolutions, and especially, the lingering execution of both. It is well if an age can yeeld one, Mole: In what terms shal I commemorate thee, O thou blessed Confessor, the great example of invincible [Page] constancy, in these backsliding times, (if at least thy rare perseverance be not more for wonder then imitation) whom thirty yeares tedious durance in the Inquisitory at Rome, could not weary out of thy sincere profession of the Evangelical truth? All this while thou wert not allowed the speech, the sight of any, but thy persecutors: Here was none to pity thee, none to exhort thee: If either force of perswasion, or proffers of favour, or threats of extremity, could have wrought thee for thy perversion, thou hadst not at last dyed ours. Blessed be the God of all comfort, who having stood by thee, and made thee faithfull to the death, hath now given thee a crown of life and immortalitie; and left thee a noble pattern of Christian fortitude, so much more remarkable, as lesse frequently followed.

Whether I look into the former, [Page] or the present times I finde the world full of shrinking professors.

Amongst the first Christians, persecution easily discovered four sorts of cowardly Renegadoes; The first, and worst, whom they justly styled Idolaters, that yeelded to all the publike forms of worship to those false Gods: The second, Sacrificers, who condescended so far, as to some kind of immolation unto those fained deities, or, at least, to a tasting of those things which were thus offered: The third, Incensers, such as (with Marcellinus himself) came on so far, as to cast some grains of incense into the Idols fire: The last were their Libellaticks, such as privately by themselves, or by some allowed proxey, denyed the faith, yet with their mony bought out this ignominy, & sin of any publique Act of Idolatry.

Not to speak of those many [Page] thousands which fell down before Solyman the second, and held up their finger to fignifie their conversion to his Mahometisme, for ease of their taxations; how many doe we hear of daily of all nations, and some (which I shame and grieve to say) of our own, who yeild to receive circumcision, and to renounce their Saviour? Oh the lamentable condition of those distressed Christians▪ If constant to their professio they live in a perpetual purgatory of torment; If revolting, they run into the danger of an everlasting damnation in hel; Even this gentle restraint puts me into the meditatiō of their insupportable durance; Why doe not all Christian hearts bleed with the sense of their deplorable estate? why is not our compassion heightned, according to the depth of their perill, and misery?

What are our bowels made of, if they yearn not at their unexpressible [Page] calamity? Ye rich Merchants, under whose imployment many of these poor souls have thus unhappily miscarried, how can you blesse your selves in your bags, whiles you see the members of Christ your Saviour, thus torn from him, for want of a petty ransome? Ye eminent persons whom God hath advanced to power and greatness, how can you sleep quietly upon your pillows, whiles you think of the cold and hard lodgings, the hungry bellies, the naked and waled backs of miserable Christians? Lastly, what fervent prayers should we all, that professe the dear name of Christ, powre out unto the God of heaven for the strengthning of the faith and patience of these afflicted souls against the assaults of violence? and for their happy and speedy deliverance out of their wofull captivity?

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SECT. XI.

THese prisoners are worthy of our deep compassion; as those, who are too sensible of their own misery; Others there are, who are so much more worthy of greater pity, by how much they are lesse apprehensive of their need of it; plausible prisoners under a spirituall tyranny; whose very wils are so captived to the powers of darkness, that to choose they would be no other then bondmen; pleasing themselves in those chains, whose weight is enough to sink their souls into hell; such are they, who have yeelded themselves over to bee enthralled by any known sin; No men under heaven doe so much applaud themselves in the conceit of their liberty; none so great slaves as they; If the very Stoick Philosophers had not enough evinced [Page] this truth, Divinity should: Indeed, the world is a worse kind of Algier, full of miserable captives; Here lies one so fettered in lust, that he rots again; there another, so laden with drunken excesse, that he can neither goe norstand, and in very deed is not his own man: Here one so pinched with golden fetters, that he can neither eat, nor sleep; nor at all enjoy himself: there, another so pined with envy, that he is forced to feed on his own heart: Here, one so tormented with anger, that he is stark mad for the time; and cares not how he mischieves himself in a furious desire to hurt others; there, another, so racked with ambition, that he is stretched beyond his own length, and lives in the pain of a perpetuall self-extention.

These, and all others of this kinde are most miserable prisoners, chained up for everlasting darknesse: So much more worthy [Page] of our pity, as they are lesse capable of their own: Spend your compassion (if you please) upon these deplorable subjects; But for me, wish me (if you wil) as free from any imputation of evill, as I was, and am from the thought of it; wish me in your free champian, where I may have no hedge so much as to confine my eye: wish me happy in the society of so dear and and noble a Friend; but in the mean while, think of me no otherwise, then as a Free prisoner, And

Yours thankfully devoted, in all faithfull observance, I. N.

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THE REMEDY OF DISCONTENTMENT.

OR, A TREATISE OF CONTENTATION in whatsoever condition: Fit for these sad and troubled Times.

By Jos. HALL D. D. and B. of N.

Phil. 4. 1 [...] [...] have learned in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content.

12. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; Every where, and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to want.

LONDON, Printed by M. F. for Nat. Butter. 1646.

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I Have perused this Treatise entituled [The Remedy of Discontentment,] and judging it to be very pious, profitable, and necessary for these sad and distracted times, I license it to be printed and published, and should much commend it to the Christian Reader, if the very name of the Authour were not in it self sufficient without any further testimony.

JOHN DOVV [...]AM [...].

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TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, Grace and Peace.

WHat can be more seasonable, then when all the world is sick of Discontentment, to give counsels and Receits of Contentation? Perhaps the Patient will think it a time is chosen for physick, in the midst of a Fit: But in this case we must doe as we may. I confesse, I had rather have stayed till the Paroxys me were happily over, that so the humors being somewhat setled, I [Page] might hope for the more kindly operation of this wholsome medicine. But, partly my age and weaknesse, despairing to out-live the publique distemper; and partly my judgement (crossing the vulgar opinion for the season of some kinde of Receits) have [...]w [...] upon this safe, and [...] [...]nscription: God is [...] that I wrote this [...] of mine own afflictions, (the particulars whereof, it were unseasonable to trouble the world withall) as one that meant to make my selfe my own Patient, by enjoyning my self that course of remedies, that I prescribe to others; and, as one, who by the powerfull working of Gods Spirit within me, labour to [Page] finde my heart framed to those holy dispositions which I wish and recommend to every Christian soul: If there be no remedy but the worst of outward troubles must afflict us; it shall be happy yet, if we may find inward peace in our bosomes: which shall be, if we can reconcile our selves to our offended God; and calme our spirits to a meek undergoing of those sufferings, which the divine Providence hath thought fit to measure forth unto us: This is the main drift of this ensuing labour. Now the same God, who hath, in these blustring times, put into my heart these quiet thoughts of holy Contentation, blesse them in every hand that shall receive them; and [Page] make them effectuall to the good of every soul, that shall now, and hereafter entertain them; that so their gracious proficiency may, in the day of the appearance of our Lord Jesus, adde to the joy of my account; Who am the unworthiest of the servants of God, and his Church,

J. N.

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THE CONTENTS OF the severall Sections following.

Sect. I. THe excellency of Contentation; and how it is to be had. pag. 171

§ II. The contrariety of estates wherein it is to be exercised. 172

§ III. Who they are that know not how to want, and be abused. 176

§ IV. Who they are that know how to want. 182

§ V. Considerations leading to Contentation; and first the consideration of the ficklenesse [Page] of life, and of all earthly commodities; Honour, Beautie, Strength, &c. 183

§ VI. Consideration of the unsatisfying condition of these worldly things. 192

§ VII. The danger of the too much estimation of these earthly comforts. 196

§ VIII. The consideration of the divine Providence, ordering, and over-ruling all events. 198

§ IX. The consideration of the worse condition of others. 200

§ X. The consideration of the inconveniences of great estates; & therein first their cares. 206

§ XI. The danger of the distempers, both bodily, and spirituall, that follow great means, and the torment in parting with them. 211

§ XII. Consideration of the benefits of Poverty. 216

§ XIII. Consideration of how little will suffice Nature. 221

§ XIV. Consideration of the [Page] inconveniences and miseries of discontentment. 225

§ XV. The gracious vicissitudes of Gods favours and afflictions. 230

§ XVI. Consid. of the great examples of Contentation, both without, and within the Church of God. 236

§ XVII. Contentment in death it self. 244

§ XVIII. The miseries and inconveniences of the continued conjunction of the soul and body. 250

§ XIX. Holy dispositions for contentment; the first whereof, Humility. 256

§ XX. 2. Selfe-resignation. 262

§ XXI. 3. The true inward riches. 268

§ XXII. Holy resolutions: and 1. That the present estate is best for us. 272

§ XXIII. 2. Resolution to abate of our desires. 279

[Page] § XXIV. 3. Resolution, to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments. 284

§ XXV. 4. Resolution, to be frequent and fervent in prayer. 291

§ XXVI. The difficulty of knowing how to abound; and the ill consequences of the not knowing it. 294

§

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CONTENTATION, in knowing

How to want: where is set forth

What it is to know how to want, and to be abased.

How to be attained in respect

Of the adversities of life, where must be certain

1 Considerations,

1 Of the valuation of earthly things; the

Transitoriness of Life, Honour, Beautie, Strength, Pleasure.

Unsatisfying condition of them.

Danger of over-esteeming them.

2 Of divine providence over-ruling all events.

3 Of the worse condition of others.

4 Of the inconvenience of great estates.

Cares.

Danger of distemper

bodily.

spirituall.

Torment in parting.

Account.

5 Of the benefits of poverty. freedom from

Cares.

Fears of

keeping.

losing.

6 Of how little will suffice Nature.

7 Of the miseries of Discō tentment.

8 Of the Vicissitude of Favors and Crosses.

9 Examples of Cōtentation

without

within

the Church of God.

[Page]2 Dispositions.

1 Humility.

2 Self-resignation.

3 True inward riches.

3 Resolutions.

1 That our present condition is best for us.

2 Resol. to abate of our desires.

3 Resol. to digest smaller inconveniences.

4 Resol. to be frequent & fervent in prayer.

Of death itself.

Remedies against the terror of death.

Necessity & benefit of death.

Conscience of a well-led life.

Finall peace with God.

Efficacy of Christs death applyed.

Comfortable expectation of certaine Resurrection; and an immediate vision of God.

Miseries & incō veniences of the cō tinued cōjunction of soul and body.

Defilement of sin Originall.

Pronenesse to sin.

Difficulty of doing well.

Dulnesse of understā ding.

Perpetuall conflicts.

Solicitude of cares.

Multiplicity of passiōs:

Retardation of glory.

How to abound.

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THE REMEDY OF Discontentment.

SECT. I.

The excellency of Contentation; and how it is to be had.

IF there be any happinesse to be found upon earth, it is in that which we call Contentation: This is a flower that growes not in every Garden: The great Doctor of the Phil. 4. 11. Gentiles tels us that he had it; I have learned (saith hee) in what estate soever I am, therewith [...] v. 12. [...]. to be content; I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: Lo, he could not have taken out this lesson [Page] if he had not learn'd it; and he could not have learnt it of any other then his Master in Heaven: What face soever Philosophy may set upon it, all Morality cannot reach it; neither could his learned Gamaliel, at whose feet he sate, have put this skill into him; no, he learn'd it since he was a Christian; and now professeth it; So as it appears, there is a divine art of Contentation to be attained in the schoole of Christ; which whosoeeer hath learnt, hath taken a degree in heaven, and now knowes how to be happy both in want, and abundance.

SECT. II.

The contrariety of estates wherein Contentation is to be exercised.

THe nature of man is extreamly querulous; wee [Page] know not what we would have, and when we have it, we know not how to like it: we would be happy, yet we would not dye; we would live long, yet wee would not bee old; wee would be kept in order, yet we would not be chastised with affliction; we are loath to work, yet are weary of doing nothing; we have no list to stir, yet finde long sitting painfull; we have Si sedeas requies est magna laboris; Si multum sedeas, labor est. Tert. Car. no minde to leave our bed, yet finde it a kinde of sicknesse to lie long; we would marry, but would not bee troubled with houshold cares; when once we are maried, we wish we had kept single; If therefore grace have so mastered nature in us, as to render us content with what ever condition, we have attain'd to no smal measure of perfection Which way soever the winde blowes, the skilfull Mariner knows how to turn his sailes to meet it; the contrariety of [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] estates to which wee lie open here, gives us different occasions for the exercise of Contentation: I cannot blame their choice who desire a middle estate betwixt want and abundance, and to be free from those inconveniences which attend both extreames: Wise Solomon was Pro. 30. 8. of this diet; Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed mee with the food of my meet allowance; Lo, he that had all, desired rather to have but enough: and if any estate can afford contentment in this life, surely this is it, in the judgement and experience of the wisest Heathen. But forasmuch as Senec. de Tranquil. this equall poise is hardly attainable by any man, & is more proper for our wishes, and speculation, then for our hopes, true wisdom must teach us so to compose our selves that we may be fit to entertain the discontentments, & dangers of those excesses, [Page] and effects, which we cannot but meet with in the course of our mortall life: And surely we shall finde that both extreams are enemies to this good temper of the soul: prosperity may discompose us, as well as an adverse condition; The Sunshine may be as troublesome to the Traveller as the winde or rain; neither know I whether is more hard to manage of the two; a dejected estate, or a prosperous; whether we may be more incommodated with a resty horse, or with a tired one: Let us begin with that which nature is wont to think most difficult; that contrary to the practice of learners, we may try to take out the hardest lesson first. Let us therefore learne in the first place how to want.

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SECT. III.

How many doe not know how to want.

COld we teach men how not to want, we should have Disciples enow; every man seeks to have, & hates to lack: could we give an Antidote against poverty, it would be too precious: And why can we not teach men even this lesson too? The Lord Psal. 23. 1. is my shepherd, saith David, therefore can I lack nothing; and most sweetly elsewhere, O fear Psal. 34. 9, 10. the Lord ye that be his Saints; for they that fear him, lack nothing; The Lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they which seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good: Let God be true, and every man a lyer; Certainly, if we were not wanting to God in our fear of him, in our faithfull reliance upon [Page] him; in our conscionable seeking of him, he whose the earth is, and the fulnesse of it, would not suffer our carefull endeavours to go weeping away: But if it so fall out that his most wise providence findes it better for us to be held short in our worldly estate, (as it may be the great Physitian sees it most for our health to be kept fasting) it is no lesse worth our learning to know how to want; For there is many an one that wants, but knows not how to want, and therefore his need makes him both offensive and miserable.

There are those that are poor Ecclus. 25. 22. and proud; one of the wise mans three abominations; foolish Laodiceans that bear themselves Rev. 3. 17. for rich, encreased with goods, and lacking nothing; when they are no other then wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blinde, and naked; These men know not how to want, [Page] their heart is too big for their purse; and surely pride, though every where odious, yet doth no where so ill as in rags.

There are those that are poor and envious; looking with an evill eye upon the better fare of others; as surely this vice dwels more cōmonly in Cottages then in Palaces. How displeasedly doth the begger look upon the larger almes of his neighbour? grudging to another what ever fals besides himself, and misliking his own dole, because the next hath more; whose eye with the discontented Labourers is Mat. 20. 15 evill, because his Master is good; Neither doe these men know how to want.

There are those that want distrustfully; measuring the mercifull provision of the Almighty by the line of their own sense; as the Samaritan Peer, when in the extremity of a present famine he heard the Prophet foretell a [Page] sudden plenty; Behold, if 2 King. 7. 2 the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?

There are those that want impatiently; repining at Gods dealing with them, and making their own impotent anger guilty of a further addition to their misery; as the distressed King of Israel, in a desperate sense 2 King. 6. 33. of that grievous dearth; Behold, this evill is of the Lord, what should I wait on the Lord any longer? And those wretched ones, who when the fourth Angell had poured out his phiall upon the Sunne, being Rev. 16. 9. 11. scorched with the extremity of the heat, blasphemed the God of heaven: In this kinde was that sinfull techinesse of Jonah: when I see a poor worme that hath put it selfe out of the coole cell of the earth wherein it was lodged, and now being beaten upon by the Sun-beames, lies [Page] wrigling upon the bare path, turning it self every way in vain, and not finding so much as the shade of a leafe to cover it; I cannot but think of that fretting Prophet; when wanting the protection of his gourd he found himself scalded with that strong reflection; and looking up wrathfully towards that Sun from whom he smarted, could say to the God that made it, I do well to be angry, even to the Ionah 4. 9. death.

Lastly, there are those that are poor and dishonest even out of the very suggestion of their want; It was the danger hereof that made Agur the sonne of Jakeh pray against penury; Lest I be poor, and steal; and (by forswearing it) take the Name Prov. 30. 9 of God in vain.

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SECT. IV.

Who they are that know how to want.

THese and perhaps others do and must want, but in the mean time they do that which they know not how to do; there is a skill in wanting which they have not; Those onely know how to want, that have learnt to frame their minde to their estate; like to a skilfull Musitian, that can let down his strings a peg lower when the tune requires it; Or like to some cunning Spagirick, that can intend or remit the heat of his furnace according to occasion. Those, who when they must be abased, can stoop submissely, like to a gentle reed, which when the winde blowes stiffe, yeilds every way; those that in an humble obeysance can lay themselves [Page] low at the foot of the Almighty, and put their mouth in the dust; that can patiently put their necks under the yoak of the Highest; and can say with the Prophet, Truly this is my sorrow, and I must beare it; Those that can smile upon their afflictions, rejoycing in tribulation, singing in the Gaole with Paul and Silas at midnight; Lastly, those that can improve misery to an advantage, being the richer for their want, bettered with evils, strengthened with infirmities; and can truly say to the Almighty, I know that of very faithfulnesse thou hast afflicted me; Never could they have come out so pure metall, if they had not passed under the hand of the Refiner; never had they proved so toward children, if they had not been beholden to the rod: These are they that know how to want, & to be abased; and have effectually [Page] learned to be content with the meanest condition: to which happy temper that vvee may attain, there will be use of, 1. Certaine Considerations; 2. Certain Dispositions; and 3. Certain Resolutions; These three shall be as the grounds, and rules of this our Divine Art of Contentation.

SECT. V.

The Consideration of the ficklenesse of life, and all earthly commodities.

THE first Consideration shall be of the just valuation of all these earthly things; which doubtlesse is such, as that the wise Christian cannot but set a low price upon them, in respect, first, of their transitorinesse; secondly, of their insufficiency of satisfaction; thirdly, the danger of their fruition.

[Page] At the best, they are but glassie stuffe, which the finer it is, is so much more brittle; yea, what other then those gay bubbles, which children are wont to raise from the mixed sope and spittle of their Walnut-shell; vvhich seem to represent pleasing colors, but in their flying up instantly vanish? There is no remedy; either they must leave us, or we must leave them. Well may we say that of the Psalmist, which Campian vvas reported to have often in his mouth; My soul is continually in my hands; and who knows vvhether it will not expire in our next breathing? How many have shut their eyes in an healthfull sleep, who have waked in another vvorld? We give too large scope to our account, vvhiles we reckon seven years for a Life; a shorter time will serve; vvhiles vve finde the revolution of lesse then halfe those years to have dispatched [Page] Galba Otho Vitellius Ael. Pertinax Didius. Anno D. 1275. 1276. Gregor. 10 Innocent 5 Hadrian 5 Johan. 20 vel 21 Nicolaus 3 five Caesars, and five Popes; nay, who can assure himself of the next moment? It is our great weakness, if we doe not look upon every day, as our last; why should we think our selves in a better condition, then the chosen vessel, 1 Cor. 15. 31. who deeply protested to dye daily? What a poor complaint was that of the great Conquerour of the Jews, Titus Vespasian, who putting his head out of his sick litter, querulously accused Heaven, that he must dye, and had not deserved it; when he might have found it guilt enough that he was a man; and therefore by the very sentence of nature condemned, I know not whether to live, or dye.

Indeed, what can we cast our eyes upon, that doth not put us in minde of our frailty? All our fellow-creatures dye for us, and by us: The day dyes into night; the trees and all other plants of [Page] the earth suffer a kinde of Autumnall mortality; the face of that common Mother of us all, doth at the least in Winter, resemble Death; But if the Angel of Death (as the Jews term him) shall respite, and reprieve us for the time; alas! how easily may we have over-lived our comforts? If Death doe not snatch us away from them, how many thousand means of casualties, of enemies, may snatch them away from us? He that was the greatest man of all the Sonnes of the East, within a few dayes became a spectacle and proverb of penury, which still sticks by him, and so shall doe to the worlds end, As poor as Job.

The rich Plaine of Jordan, Gen. 15. 10 which over-night was as the Garden of the Lord, is in the morning covered over with Deut. 29. 23. brimstone, and salt, and burning; Wilt thou cause thine eyes [Page] to flye upon that which is not? saith wise Solomon: For riches Prov. 23. 5. certainly make thēselves wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven: if wee have wings of desire to fly after them, they are nimbler of flight to outstrip us, and leave us no less miserable in their losse, then wee were eager in their pursuit.

As for Honour, what a meer shadow it is? upon the least cloud interposed, it is gone, and leaves no mention where it was: The same Sun sees Haman adored in the Persian Court, like some earthly Deity; and like some base vermine waving upon his Gibbet: Doe we see the great, and glorious Cleopatra, shining in the pompous Majesty of Egypt? stay but a while, and ye shall see her in the dust, and her two children, whom shee proudly styled the Sun, and the Moon, driven like miserable Captives before the Chariot [Page] of their Conquerour: Man being in honour abideth not, saith Ps. 49. 12. the Psalmist, he perisheth, but his greatnesse (as more fraile then he) is oftentimes dead and buried before him, and leaves him the surviving executor of his own shame.

It was easie for the captive Prince, to observe in the Charetwheel of his Victor, that when one spoak rose up, another went down, and both these in so quick a motion, that it was scarce distinguished by the eye.

Well therefore may we say of Honour, as Ludovicus Vives Ludo. Vives in 3. de Civilcensurā notatus Vellosillo. said of Scholasticall Divinity: Cui fumus est pro fundamento: It is built upon smoak, how can it be kept from vanishing?

As for Beauty, what is it, but a dash of Natures tincture laid upon the skinne, which is soon washt off with a little sickness? what but a fair blossome, that drops off, so soon as the fruit [Page] offers to succeed it? what but a flower, vvhich vvith one hot Sun gleam weltreth and fals? Hee that had the choice of a thousand Faces, could say, Favour Prov. ult. penult. is deceitfull, and Beauty is Vanity.

Lastly, for Strength, and vigour of Body, if it could bee maintained till our old age, alas, how soon is that upon us, ere we be aware! how doth it then shrivell our flesh and loosen our sinews, and cripple our joynts! Milo, when he lookt upon his late brawny arms, and saw them now grow lanck and writhled, lets fall teares, and bewraies more weaknesse of mind, then he had before bodily strength: but how often doth sicknesse prevent the debilitations of age; pulling the strongest man upon his knees, and making him confesse, that youth, as well as childe-hood, is Vanitie?

[Page] As for Pleasure, it dies in Eccles: 11. 10. the birth, and is not therefore worthy to come into this bill of Mortality.

Doe we then upon sad consideration see and feel the manifest transitorinesse of Life, Riches, Honour, Beautie, Strength, Pleasure, and whatever else can bee deare and precious to us in this vvorld, and can vvee dote upon them so, as to be too much dejected vvith our parting from them? Our Saviour bids us consider the Lillies of the field; And he that made both, tels Mat. 6. 28. us, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these: Surely, full well are they worth our considering. But if those Beauties could bee as permanent, as they are glorious, how vvould they carry away our hearts with them? Now, their fading condition justly abates of [Page] their value; Would wee not smile at the weaknesse of that man, that should weep and howle, for the falling of this Tulip, or that Rose, abandoning all comfort for the losse of that, vvhich he knows must flourish but his moneth? It is for children to cry for the falling of their house of Cards, or the miscarriage of that painted gew-gaw, vvhich the next showre vvould have defaced. Wise Christians know hovv to apprize good things according to their continuance, and can therefore set their hearts onely upon the invisible Comforts of a better Life, as knowing that the things which are not seen, are Eternall.

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SECT. VI.

Consideration of the unsatisfying condition of all worldly things.

BUt vvere these earthly things exempted from that ficklenesse, vvhich the God of Nature hath condemned them unto, vvere they (the very memory vvhereof perisheth with their satiety) as lasting, as they are brittle, yet vvhat comfort could they yeeld for the soul to rest in? Alas! their efficacy is too short to reach unto a true Contentation; yea, if the best of them vvere perpetuated unto us, upon the fairest conditions, that this Earth can allow, hovv intolerable tedious would it prove in the fruition? Say that God were pleased to protract my life to the length of the age of the first founders of [Page] Mankinde, and should (in this state of body) adde hundreds of years to the days of my pilgrimage: Woe is me, how vveary should I be of my self, and of the World? I, that now complain of the load of seventy one yeers, how should I be tyred out, ere I could arrive at the age of Parre? but before I could climb up to the third Century of Johannes de Temporibus, hovv often should I call for death, not to take up, but to take off my burthen, and with it my self? But if any, or all these earthly blessings could be freed from those grievances, wherewith they are commonly tempered, yet how little satisfaction could the soul finde in them? What are these outward things, but very luggage, which may load our backs, but cannot lighten our hearts? Great, and vvise Solomon, that had the full command of them all, cries out, Vanity [Page] of Vanities; and a greater Monarch then hee, shuts up the Scene with, I have been all things, and am never the better: All these are of too narrow an extent, to fill the capacious soul of Man; the desires vvhereof are enlarged with enjoying, so as the more it hath, the lesse it is satisfyed, neither indeed can it bee otherwise; The Eye, and the Eare, are but the Purveyours for the Heart, if therefore the eye be not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing, Eccle. 1. 8. how shall the heart say, It is enough? Now, vvho vvould suffer himself to be too much disquieted vvith the losse of that, vvhich may vex him, but cannot content him? We doe justly smile at the folly of that vain Lord, of vvhom Petrarch speakes, who vvhen an Horse vvhich hee dearely loved, was sick, laid [Page] that Steed of his, on a silken bed, vvith a vvrought pillovv under his head, and caused himselfe (then afflicted vvith the Gout) to be carried on his servants shoulders to visit that dear patient; and upon his decease, mourned solemnly for him, as if it had been his Son. We have laught at the fashion of the Girles of Holland, vvho having made to themselves gay and large Babies, and laid them in a curious cradle, fain them to sicken and dye, and celebrate their funerall vvith much passion: So fond are we, if having framed to our selves imaginary contentments here, in the World, vve give vvay to immoderate grief in their miscarriage.

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SECT. VII.

The danger of the love of these earthly comforts.

NEither are these earthlie comforts more defective in yeelding full satisfaction to the soul, then dangerous in their over-dear fruition: For too much delight in them, robs us of more solid contentments: The World is a cheating gamester, suffering us to win at the first, that at last he may goe away with all. Our very Table Ps. 69. 22. may be made our snare; and those things vvhich should have been for our vvealth, may bee unto us an occasion of falling: Leo the fourth Emperour of Constantinople, delighted extreamly in precious stones, with these he embellishes his Crown, which being worn close to his Temples, strikes such a cold into [Page] his head, that causeth his bane: yea, how many vvith the too much love of these outward things, have lost, not their lives onely, but their souls? No man can be at once the Favourite of God and the World; as that Father said truly: or as our Saviour in fuller tearms, No man can serve two Masters, GOD and Mammon: Shortly, the World may be a dangerous enemy, a sure friend it cannot bee.

If therefore we shall like wise men, value things at their due prices, since we are convinced in our selves, that all these earthly comforts are so transitory in their nature, so unsatisfying in their use, and so dangerous in their enjoying, hovv little reason have we to be too much affected with forgoing them? Our bloud is dear to us, as that wherein our life is, yet if we finde that it is either infected, [Page] or distempered, vve doe willingly part vvith it in hope of better health: How much more, vvith those things, which are farther from us, and lesse concerning us?

SECT. VIII.

Consideration of the Divine Providence ordering all events.

THe second Consideration is of that All-wise Providence which ordereth all events both in Heaven and Earth, allotting to every Creature his due proportion, so over-ruling all things to the best, that we could not want, if he knew it better for us to abound: This Station he hath set us in, this measure he hath shared out to us, whose will is the rule of good; what we have therefore, cannot but be best for us. The World is a large Chesseboard, every man hath his place [Page] assigned him: one is a King, another a Knight, another a Pawn, and each hath his severall motion; vvithout this variety, there could be no game played; A skilfull Player will not stirre one of these Chips, but vvith intention of an advantage; neither should any of his men either stand, or move, if in any other part of that Checker, it might bee in more hope to win.

There is no estate in this World vvhich can be universally good for all, one mans meat may be another mans medicine, and a third mans poyson; A Turk findes health and temper in that Opium, vvhich would put one of us into our last sleep. Should the Plow-man be set to the Gentlemans fare, this Chicken, that Partridge, or Phesant, would (as over-slight food) bee too soon turned over, and leave his empty stomach to quarrell for stronger provision: Beef [Page] is for his diet; and if any sawce needs besides his hunger, Garlick: Every man hath, as a body, so a minde of his own; vvhat one loves is abhorred of another; the great House-keeper of the world knows how to fit every palate with that which either is, or should be agreeable to it, for salubrity, if not for pleasure: Lay before a Childe a Knife, and a Rod, and bid him take his choice, his hand will be straight upon that edge tool, especially, if it be a little guilded, and glittering; but the Parent knows the Rod to be more safe for him, and more beneficiall: We are ill carvers for our selves, he that made us, knows what is fit for us, either for time, or measure; without his Providence not an hair can fall from our heads; We would have bodily health, I cannot blame us; what is the vvorld to us without it? He whose wee [Page] are, knows sicknesse to bee for the health of the soul; whether should we in true judgement desire? We vvish to live, who can blame us? life is sweet, but if our Maker have ordained, that nothing but Death can render us glorious, what madnesse is it to stick at the condition? Oh our grosse infidelity, if we doe not beleeve that great Arbiter of the World, infinitely wise to know what is best for us, infinitely mercifull to vvill what hee knows best, infinitely powerfull to doe what he will! And if we be thus perswaded, hovv can we, but in matter of good, say with blessed Mary: Behold thy Servant, be it unto me according to thy Word; And in matter of evill, with good Eli: It is the Lord, let him doe what hee will?

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SECT. IX.

Consideration of the worse condition of others.

IN the third place, it will be requisite for us to cast our eyes upon the vvorse condition of others, perhaps better deserving then our selves; for if we shall vvhine and complain of that weight, which others do run away chearfully withall, the fault vvill appear to be not in the heavinesse of the load, but in the weaknesse of the bearer: If I bee discontented vvith a mean dwelling, another man lives merrily in a low thatched Cottage; If I dislike my plain fare, the four captive children Dan. 1. 12, 13. feed fair and fat vvith pulse and water: If I be plundred of my rich suits, I see a more chearfull heart under a russet Coat, then great Princes have under purple [Page] Robes: If I doe gently languish upon my sick bed, I see others patient under the torments of the Colick, or Stone, or Strangury: If I be clapt up within four wals, I hear Petronius professe, he had rather be in prison with Cato, then at liberty with Caesar: I hear Paul and Silas sing like Nightingales in their cages: Am I sad, because I am childlesse? I hear many a parent wish himself so: Am I banished from my home? I meet with many of vvhom the vvorld Heb. 11. 13 vvas not vvorthy, vvandring about in Sheeps-skins, in Goatskins, in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth: What am I that I should speed better then the miserablest of these patients? What had they done, that they should fare worse then I? If I have little, others have lesse; If I feel pain, some others, torture; If their sufferings be just, my forbearances [Page] are mercifull; my provisions, to theirs, liberall: It is no ill counsell therefore, and not a little conducing to a contented want, that great persons should sometimes step aside into the homely Cottages of the poor, and see their mean stuffe, course fare, hard lodgings, worthlesse utensils, miserable shifts; and to compare it with their own delicate and nauseating superfluities: Our great and learned King Alfred was the better all his life after, for his hidden retirednesse in a poor Neatheards Cabbin, where he was sheltred, and sometimes also chidden by that homely Dame: Neither vvas it an ill vvish of that vvise man, that all great Princes might first have had some little taste, what it is to want, that so their own experience might render them more sensible of the complaints of others.

[Page] Man, though he be absolute in himself, and stand upon his own bottom, yet is he not a little wrought upon by examples, and comparisons with others; for in them he sees what he is, or may be, since no events are so confined to some speciall subjects, as that they may not bee incident to other men.

Merits are a poor plea for any mans exemption, whiles our sinfull infirmities lay us all open to the rod of divine Justice: and if these dispensations be meerly out of favour, why doe I rather grudge at a lesser misery, then blesse God for my freedome from a greater judgement? Those therefore that suffer more then I, have cause of more humbling, and I that suffer lesse then they, have cause of more thankfulnesse; even mitigations of punishment are new mercies, so as others torments doe no other then [Page] heighten my obligations; Let me not therefore repine to be favourably miserable.

SECT. X.

Consideration of the inconveniences of great estates: and first of their cares, that they expose us to envy, and then macerate us with cares.

THe fourth Consideration shall be of the inconveniences which doe oftentimes attend a fulnesse of estate; such, and so many as may vvell make us sit down content with a little; whereof, let the first be envy: a mischief not to be avoided of the great; This shadow follows that body inseparably; All the curs in the street are ready to fall upon that dogge that goes away with the bone; and every man hath a Cudgell to fling at a well-loaded Tree; [Page] whereas a mean condition is no eye-sore to any beholder; Low shrubs are not wont to bee stricken with Lightning, but tall Oaks and Cedars feel their flames; Whiles David kept his fathers sheep at home, he might sing sweetly to his Harp in the fields, without any disturbance: But when he once comes to the Court, and findes applause, and greatnesse creep upon him, now emulation, despight and malice, dog him close at the heels wheresoever he goes: Let him leave the Court, and flee into the Wildernesse, there these bloudhounds follow him in hot suit; Let him run into the Land of the Philistims, there they finde him out, and chase him to Ziklag; and if at the last, he hath climbed up to his just Throne, and there hopes to breath him after his tedious pursuit, even there he meets vvith more unquietnesse then in his desert, and [Page] notwithstanding all his Royalty, at last cries out, Lord remember Ps. 132. 1. David, and all his troubles: How many have wee known, whom their wealth hath betraid, and made innocent malefactors? who might have slept securely upon a hard bolster, and in a poor estate out-lived both their Judges, and accusers. Besides, on even ground a fall may be harmlesse; but he that fals from on high, cannot escape bruising: He therefore that can think the benefits of Eminence can countervail the dangers which haunt greatness, let him affect to over-top others; for me, let me rather be safely low, then high with perill. After others envy, the next attendant upon greatnesse is our own cares; how doe these disquiet the Beds, and sawce the Tables of the wealthy? breaking their sleeps, galling their sides, embittering their pleasures, [Page] shortning their days: How bitterly doe vve finde the holiest men complaining of those distractions, vvhich have attended their earthly promotions? Nazianzen cries out of them as no G. Naz. Carm. de calam. suis. other then the bane of the soul; and that other Gregory, whom we are wont to call the last of the best Bishops of Rome, and the first of the bad, passionately bewails this clogge of his high preferment: I confesse, saith he, that whiles I am outwardly advanced, Greg. l. 7. Epi. 12. 7. I am inwardly fallen lower; this burdensome honour depresses me, and innumerable cares disquiet me on all sides; my minde (grown almost stupid with those temporall cares which are ever barking in mine ears) is forced upon earthly things; thus he: There are indeed cares which as they may be used, may help us on towards Heaven; such as Melancthon In vita Melanct. owns to his Camerarius; My [Page] cares, saith he, send me to my prayers, and my prayers dispell my cares; but those anxieties vvhich commonly wait upon greatnesse, distract the minde, and impair the body.

It is an observation of the Jewish Doctors, that Joseph the Patriarch vvas of a shorter life then the rest of his brethren; and they render this reason of it, for that his cares were as much greater, as his place was higher: It vvas not an unfit comparison of him, vvho resembled a Coronet upon the Shicardus. Temples, to a pail upon the head; We have seen those, who have carried full and heavy vessels on the top of their heads, but then they have walked evenly, and erect under that load; we never saw any that could dance under such a weight, if either they bend, or move vehemently, all their carriage is spilled: Earthly greatness is a nice thing, [Page] & requires so much charinesse in the managing; as the contentment of it cannot requite; He is vvorthy of honey, that desires to lick it off from thorns; for my part, I am of the minde of him who professed, not to care for those favours, that compelled him to lie waking.

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Danger of distemper, both bodily and spirituall, that commonly follows great means: and torment in parting with them.

IN the next place, I see greatnesse not more pale, and worn vvith cares, then swoln up, and sickly with excesse; Too much oyle poured in, puts out the Lamp, Superfluity is guilty of a world of diseases, which the spare diet of poverty is free from; How have vve seen great mens eies surfeited at that full [Page] Table, whereof their palate could not taste, and they have risen discontentedly glutted with the sight of that, vvhich their stomach vvas uncapable to receive; and vvhen, not giving so much law to nature, as to put over their gluttonous meal, (their vvanton appetite charging them with a nevv variety of curious morsels, and lavish cups) they finde themselves overtaken with feverous distempers, the Physitian must succeed the Cook; and a second sicknesse must cure the first: But alas, these bodily indispositions are nothing to those spirituall evils, vvhich are incident into secular greatness. It is a true word of S. Ambrose, seconded by common experience, Ambros. l. 4 Epist. 29. that an high pitch of honour is seldome held up without sinne; And S. Jerome tels us, it vvas a Hieron. Ep. ad Hedibium. common Proverb in his time, That a rich man either is vvicked, [Page] or a vvicked mans heir: Not, but that rich Abraham may have a bosome for poor Lazarus to rest in, and many great Kings have been great Saints in Heaven, and there is still room for many more; but that commonly great temptations follow great estates, and oftentimes overtake them; neither is it for nothing, that riches are by our blessed Saviour styled the Mammon of iniquity, & wealth is by the holy Apostle branded 1 Tim. 6. with deceitfulnesse; such as cheat many millions of their souls.

Add unto these (if you please) the torment of parting with that pelf, and honour, vvhich hath so grosly bewitched us; such as may well verifie that vvhich Lucius Ep. Lucii ad Episc. Gall. & Hisp. long since wrote to the Bishops of France, and Spain, that one houres mischief makes us forget the pleasure of the greatest excesse. I marvell not at [Page] our English Jew, of whom our story speaks, that would rather part with his teeth, then his bags: how many have wee knowne that have poured out their life together with their gold, as men that would not out-live their earthen god; yea (woe is mee) how many soules have beene lost in the sinne of getting, and in the quarrell of leesing this thicke clay, as the Prophet tearmes it? But lastly, that which is yet the sorest of all the inconveniences, is the sadnesse of the reckoning, which must come in after these plentifull entertainments; for there is none of all our cates here, but must be billed up; and great Accompts must have long Audits: how hard a thing it is in this case, to have an Omnia aequè? In the failing whereof, how is the Conscience affected? I know [Page] not whether more tormented, or tormenting the miserable soul; so as the great Owner is but (as witty Bromiard compares him) like a weary Jade, which all the day long hath been labouring under the load of a great treasure; and at night lies down with a galled back.

By that time therefore wee have summed up all, and finde here envy, cares, sicknesses both of body and soul, torment in parting with, and more torment in reckoning for, these earthly greatnesses; wee shall be convinced of sufficient reason to be well apaid with their want.

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SECT. XII.

Consideration of the benefits of Poverty.

LEt the fifth Consideration be, the benefit of Poverty; such, and so great, as are enough to make us in love with having nothing.

For first, vvhat an advantage is it, to be free from those gnawing cares, which (like Tityus his Vulture) feed upon the Heart of the Great? Here is a man that sleeps (Aethiopian-like) with his doores open; no dangers threaten him, no feares break his rest; hee starts not out of his bed at midnight, and cries Theeves, he feels no rack of ambitious thoughts, he frets not at the disappointment of his false hopes, hee cracks not his brain with hazardous [Page] plots, he mis-doubts no undermining of emulous rivals, no traps of hollow friendship, but lives securely in his homely Cottage, quietly enjoying such provision, as nature, and honest industry furnish him withall; for his drinke, the neighbour Spring saves him the charge of his Excise; and when his better earnings have fraught his trencher with a warm, and pleasing morsell, and his cup with a stronger liquor, hovv chearfully is he affected with that happy variety; and in the strength of it digests many of his thinner meals?

Meals usually sawced with an healthfull hunger, wherein no uncocted Crudities oppresse Nature, and cherish disease: Here are no Gouts, no Dropsies, no Hypochondriack passions, no Convulsive fits, no distempers of surfeits, but a clear, and wholesome vigor of body, and [Page] an easie putting over the light tasks of digestion, to the constant advantage of health.

And as for outward dangers, what an happy immunity doth commonly blesse the poore man? how can he fear to fall, that lies flat upon the ground? The great Pope, Boniface the seventh, vvhen hee saw many stately Buildings ruined vvith Earthquakes, is glad to raise him a little Cabin of boards in the midst of a Meadovv, and there findes it safest to shelter his triple Crown. When great men hoist their Top-sail, and launch forth into the deep, having that large clew which they spread, expos'd to all windes, and weathers, the poor man sails close by the shore; and when hee foresees a storme to threaten him, puts in to the next Creek; and wears out in a quiet security that Tempest, wherein he sees prouder Vessels [Page] miserably tost, and at last, fatally wracked.

This man is free from the perill of spightfull machinations; No man whets his Axe to cut down a shrub, it is the large Timber of the world that hath cause to fear hewing: Neither is he lesse free inwardly from the galling stroaks of a self-accusing Conscience; here is no remurmuring of the heart for guilty subornations, no checks for the secret contrivances of publique villanies; no heart-breaking for the failings of bloudy designes; or late remorse for their successe; but quiet, & harmlesse thoughts of seasonable frugality, of honest recreation, with an un-interrupted freedome of recourse to Heaven.

And if at any time, by either hostile, or casuall means, he be berest of his little, he smiles in the face of a theef; and is no whit astonished to see his thatch [Page] on a flame, as knowing how easie a supply will repair his losse.

And when he shall come to his last close, his heart is not so glewed to the world, that he should be loth to part; his soul is not tyed up in bags, but flies out freely to her everlasting Rest. Oh the secret vertue and happinesse of Poverty; which none but the right disposed minde knows how to value▪ It was not for nothing that so many great Saints have embraced it, rather then the rich proffers of the vvorld; That so many great Princes have exchanged their Thrones for quiet Cels; Who so cannot be thankful for a little, upon these conditions, I wish he may be punished with abundance.

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SECT. XIII.

Considering how little will suffice Nature.

NEither will it a little avail to the furtherance of our Contentation, to consider how little will suffice Nature, and that all the rest is but matter of Opinion: It is the Apostles charge, Having food and raiment, 1 Tim. 6. 9 let us be therewith content: Indeed what use is there of more, then what may nourish us within, and cover us without? If that be wholsome, and agreeable to our bodily disposition, whether it be fine, or course, Nature passes not; it is meerly Will that is guilty of this wanton and fastidious choice; It is fit that Civilitie should make difference of clothings; and that vveaknesse of [Page] body, or eminence of Estate should make differences of diets; Else, why not Russet as well as Scarlet? Beef, as Phesant? the Grashopper feeds on dew, the Chameleon on air, what care they for other Viands? Our Books tell us, that Paulo primo Eremitae in spelunca viventi palma & cibum & vestimentum praebebat: quod cum imp [...]s [...]b [...]le vidcatur. Jestemm testur & Angelos vidisse me Monacbos, de quibus unus per 30. annos clausus, bo [...] deaceo pane & lu [...]ulenta aqua vixit. Hieron de vita Pauli. Revelatur Antonio nonagenario de Paulo agente jam 113 annum, esse alium se sanctiorem Monachum, ibid. those Anachorets of old, that went aside into Wildernesses, and sustained themselves with the most spare diet, such as those deserts could afford, out-lived the date of other mens lives, in whom Nature is commonly stifled with a gluttonous variety: How strong, and vigorous above their neighbour Grecians, were the Lacedemonians held of old? who by the Ordinance of their Law-giver, held themselves to their black broth, which, when Dionysius would needs taste of, his Cook truly told him, that if he would relish that fare, he must exercise strongly, as they did, and wash [Page] in Eurotas: Who knows not that our Island doth not afford more able Bodies, then they that eat, and drink Oats? And whom have wee seene more healthfull and active, then the children of poor men, trayned up hardly in their Cottages with fare as little, as course?

Doe I see a poor Indian husbanding one tree to all his houshold uses; finding in that one Plant, Timber, Thatch, Meat, Medicine, Wine, Honey, Oyle, Sawce, Drink, Utensils, Ships, Cables, Sayles? and doe I rove over all the latitude of Nature for contentment? Our appetite is truly unreasonable, neither will know any bounds: We begin with necessaries, as Pliny justly observes, and from Plin. l. 26. c. 6. thence we rise to excesse, punishing our selves with our owne wilde desires; whereas, if wee were wise, we might finde mediocrity an ease.

[Page] Either extream is a like deadly; he that over-afflicts his body, kils a Subject; he that pampers Hugo. Instit. Mona. Reg. S. Columb. it, nourishes an Enemy. Too much abstinence turns vice, and too much ingurgitation is one of the seven, and at once destroys both Nature and Grace. The best measure of having or Senec. Epist. 38. desiring, is not what we would, but what we ought: Neither is he rich that hath much; but he that desires not much: A discreet frugality is fittest to moderate both our wishes, and expences; which if we want, wee prove dangerously prodigall in both; if we have, we doe happily improve our stock to the advantage of our selves, and others.

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SECT. XIV.

Considering the inconveniences, and miseries of discontentment.

THe next inducement to Contentation, shall be the serious consideration of the miserable inconveniences of the contrary disposition; Discontentment is a mixture of anger, and of grief; both which are wont to raise up fearfull tempests in the soul; Hee teareth himself in his anger, saith Bildad, concerning that mirrour of patience; Job 18. 4. And the sorrow of the world worketh death, saith the chosen Vessell: so as the Malecontent, whether he be angry or sad, mischieves himself both ways; There cannot be a truer word then that of wise Solomon, Eccles 7. 9. Anger resteth in the bosome of fools; What can be more foolish [Page] then for a man, because he thinks God hath made him miserable by crosses, to make himself more miserable by his own distempers? If the clay had sense, what a mad thing were it for it to struggle with the Potter? and if a man wil spurn against strong Iron-pikes, what can he hope to carry away but wounds? How witless a thing it is for a man to torment himself with the thoughts of those evils, that are past all remedy? What wise beholder would not have smiled with pity and scorn, to have seen great Augustus; after the defeat of some choice Troops, to knock his head against the wall, and to hear him passionately cry out; O Varus, restore me my lost Legions? Who would not have been angry with that cholerick Prophet to hear him so furiously contest with his Maker for a withered Gourd? What an affliction was [Page] it to good Jacob (more then the sterility of a beloved wife) to hear Rachel say; Give mee Gen. 30. 1. children, or else I die? yea, how ill did it sound in the mouth of the Father of the faithfull; Lord God, what wilt thou give mee, Gen. 15. 2. seeing I goe childelesse? Yet thus froward and techy is nature in the best; if we may not have all we would have, all that we have is nothing; if wee bee not perfectly humoured, we are wilfully unthankfull; All Israel is nothing worth to Ahab, if he may not have one poor Vineyard: How must this needs irritate a munificent God, to see his bounty contemned out of a childish pettishnesse? How can he forbeare to take away from us his sleighted mercies? How can he hold his hand from plaguing so ingratefull disrespects of his favours?

As for that other passion of grief, what wofull work doth it [Page] make in ungoverned mindes? How many have we knowne, that out of thought for unrecoverable losses, have lost themselves? how many have runne from their wits? how many from their lives? Yea, how many, that out of an impatience to stay the leisure of vengeance, have made their own hands, their hasty executioners? And even where this extremity prevails not; look about, and yee shall see men that are not able matches to their passions, wofully macerating thēselves with their own thoughts, wearing out their tedious dayes upon the rack of their own hearts; and making good that observation of the wise man; By the sorrow of the heart, the spirit is Pro. 15. 13 broken.

Now all these mischiefs might have been happily prevented by a meek yeeldance of our selves to the hands of an all-wise, and [Page] an all-mercifull God, and by an humble composure of our affections to a quiet suffering; It is the power of patience to calm Ps. 37. 7. Jam. 5. 7. the heart in the most blustering trials; and when the vessell is most tossed, yet to secure the fraight: This, if it doe not abate of our burden, yet it addes to our strength, and wins the Father of Mercies both to pity, and retribution.

Whereas murmuring Israelites can never be free from judgements; and it is a dreadfull word that God speaketh of that chosen Nation; Mine heritage is Jer. 12. 8. unto me as a Lion in the forest; it, still, yelleth against me, therefore have I hated it; A Childe that struggles under the rod, justly doubles his stripes, and an unruly Malefactor drawes on, besides death, tortures.

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SECT. XV.

Consid. the vicissitudes of favours and afflictions.

FUrthermore, it is a main help towards Contentation, to consider the gracious vicissitudes of Gods dealing with us: how he intermixes favours with his crosses; tempering our much honey, with some little gall; the best of us are but shrewd children, yet he chides us not always, saith the Psalmist: hee smiles often, for one frown; and Ps. 103. 9. why should wee not take one with another? It was the answer wherewith that admirable pattern of patience stopped the querulous mouth of his tempting wife; What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, Job 2. 10. and shall we not receive evill?

It was a memorable example which came lately to my knowledge [Page] of a worthy Christian, who had lived to his middle age in much health, and prosperity, and was now for his two last years miserably afflicted with the Strangury; who in the midst of his torments could say, Oh my Lord God, how gracious hast thou been unto me! thou hast given me eight and forty years of health, and now but two years of pain; thou mighte [...]t have caused me to lie in this torture all the days of my life; and now thou hast caried mee comfortably through the rest, and hast mercifully taken up with this last parcell of my torment; blessed be thy Name for thy mercy in forbearing me, and for thy justice in afflicting mee. To be thankfull for present blessings is but ordinary, but to be so thankfull for mercies past, that the memory of them should be able to put over the sense of present miseries, is an high improvement of grace.

[Page] The very Heathens by the light of Nature and their own experience, could observe this interchange of Gods proceedings; and made some kinde of use of them accordingly: Camillus, after he had upon tenne Livius. years siege, taken the rich City Veios, prayd that some mis-hap might befall himself and Rome to temper so great an happines; when one would have thought the prize would not countervail the labour, and the losse of time and bloud; And Alexander the great, when report was made to him of many notable Victories, atchieved by his Armies, could say; O Jupiter, mixe some mis-fortune with these happy news: Lo, these men could tell that it is neither fit, nor safe for great blessings to walk alone, but that they must be attended with their pages, afflictions; why should not we Christians expect [Page] them with patience, and thanks?

They say, Thunder and Lightning hurts not, if it be mixed with Rain. In those hot Countries, which lie under the sealding Zone, when the first showres fall after a long drought, it is held dangerous to walk suddenly abroad; for that the earth so moistned sends up unwholsome steams; but in those parts where the Rain and Sun-shine are usually interchanged, it is most pleasant to take the air of the earth newly refreshed with kindly showres; Neither is it otherwise in the course of our lives; this medley of good and evill conduces not a little to the health of our soules: One of them must serve to temper the other; and both of them to keep the heart in order.

Were our afflictions long, and our comforts rare and short, we had yet reason to be thankfull; [Page] the least is more then God ows us: but now, when if heavinesse endure for a night, joy commeth in the morning, and dwels with us, so, that some fits of sorrow are recompensed with many moneths of joy; how should our hearts overflow with thankfulnesse, and easily digest small grievances, out of the comfortable sense of larger blessings?

But if we shall cast up our eies to Heaven, and there behold the glorious remuneration of our sufferings, how shall we contemn the worst that earth can doe unto us? There, there is glory enough to make us a thousand times more then amends for all that we are capable to endure; Yea, if this Earth were Hell, and Men Devils, they could not inflict upon us those torments, which might hold any equality with the glory which shall be revealed; and even of the worst of them we [Page] must say with the blessed Apostle; Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh 2 Cor. 4. 17. for us a far more exceeding, eternall weight of glory: When the blessed Proto-Martyr Stephen had sted fastly fixed his eies on Heaven, and (that Curtain being drawn) had seen the Heavens opened, and therein the glory of God, and Jesus standing Acts 7. on the right hand of God; doe we think he cared ought for the sparkling eies, and gnashed teeth, and killing stones of the enraged multitude? Oh poor impotent Jews, how far was that divine soul above the reach of your malice? how did he triumph over your cruelty? how did he by his happy evolation make all those stones precious?

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SECT. XVI.

Consid. the examples of Contentation, both without, and within the Church of God.

LAstly, it cannot but be a powerfull motive unto Contentation, that we lay before us the notable examples of men, whether worse, or better then our selves, that have been eminent in the practice of this vertue; men, that out of the meer strength of morality, have run away with loss [...]s, and poverty as a light burden; that out of their free choice have fallen upon those condition, which we are ready to f [...]ar, and shrinke from: What a shame is it for Christians to bee out-stripped herein by very Pagans? If we look upon the ancient Philosophers; their low valuation of [Page] these outward things, and their willing abdication of those comforts, wherewith others vvere too much affected, made them admired of the multitude; Here doe Dsee a Cynick housed in his Tub, scorning all wealth and state; and making still even with his virtuals, and the [...]. day; who, when he was invited to supper to one of Alexanders great Lords, could say; I had rather lick salt at Athens, then feast with Craterus: Here I meet with him, whom their Oracle styled the wisest of men, walking bare-foot in a patcht thred-bare cloak, contemning honors, and all earthly things; and when that garment would hang no longer on his back, I can hear him say, I would have bought a Cloak, if I had had mony; after which vvord, saith Soneca, whosoever offered to give, came too late; Apollododonus, amongst the rest, sends [Page] him a rich mantle towards his end, and is resused; With what patience doth this man bear the loud scoldings of his Xantippe? making no other of them, then the creaking of a Cart-wheel: with what brave resolution doth he repell the proffers of Archelaus, telling him how cheap the Market afforded meal at Athens, and the fountains water? Here I meet with a Zeno, formerly rich in his traffique for purple, now impoverisht by an ill Sea-voyage, and can hear him say, I sailed best when I Ship-wrackt: Here I see an Aristippus drowning his gold in the sea, that it might not drown him: Here I can hear a Democritus, or Cleanthes, when hee was asked how a man should be rich, answer; If he be poor in desires.

What should I speak of those Indian Sophists, that took their name from their nakednesse; [Page] whom we hear to say; The sky is our house, and the Earth our Inter opera Ambrosii De moribus Brachmannorum. bed; we care not for gold, we contemn death: One of them can tell Onesicritus; As the Mother is to the Childe, so is the Earth to mee; The Mother gives Milk to her Infant; so doth the Earth yeeld all necessaries to mee; And when gold was offered to him, by that great Conquerour; Perswade (said he) if thou canst, these birds to take thy silver and gold, that they may sing the sweeter; and if thou canst not doe that, wouldst thou have me worse then them? Adding moreover in a strong discourse; Naturall hunger, when we have taken food, ceaseth; and if the minde of man did also naturally desire gold, so soon as he hath received that which he wished, the desire and appetite of it would presently cease; but so far is it from this society, that the more it hath, [Page] the more it doth, without any intermission, long for more; because this desire proceeds not from any motion of nature, but onely out of the wantonnesse of mans own will, to which no bounds can bee set. Blush, O Christian Soul, (whosoever thou art, that readest these lines) to hear such words falling from Heathen lips, when thou seest those that professe godlinesse, dote upon these worthlesse metals, and transported with the affectation and cares of those earthly provisions.

If from these patterns of men that should be below our selves, we look up to the more noble precedents of Prophets and Apostles; Lo, there we finde Elijah fed by Ravens; Elisha boarding with his poor Sareptan Hostesse; An hundred Prophets fed by fifty in a Cave, with 1 Kings 18. 13. 2 King. 6. 2, 3, 4, 5. bread and water; The sons of the Prophets for the enlarging [Page] of their over-strait lodgings, hard at work; they are their owne Carpenters, but their tools are borrowed; There we shall find a few barley loaves, and little fishes, the houshold provision of our Saviours train: Yea, there we finde the most glorious Apostle, the great Doctor of the Gentiles, employing his hands to feed his belly; busily stiching of skins for his Tent-work; Yea, what doe we look at any or all of these, when we see the Son of God, the God of all the world, in the form of a servant? Not a Cratch to cradle him in, not a Grave to bury him in, was his own; and he that could command Heaven and Earth, can say, The Foxes have holes, the Mat. 8. 20. Birds have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Who now can complain of want, when he hears his Lord, and Saviour but thus provided [Page] for? He could have brought down with him a celestiall house, and have pitcht it here below, too glorious for earthen eies to have lookt upon: Hee could have commanded all the precious things that lie shrowded in the bowels of the Earth, to have made up a Majesticall Palace for him, to the dazling of the eies of all beholders; He could have taken up the stateliest Court that any earthly Monarch possessed, for his peculiar habitation: But his greatnesse was Spirituall and Heavenly; and he that owned all would have nothing, that he might sanctifie want unto us; and that he might teach us by his blessed example, to sit down contented with any thing, with nothing.

By that time therefore wee have laid all these things together, and have seriously considered of the mean valuation of all [Page] these earthly things, for their transitorinesse, unsatisfaction, danger; of the over-ruling Providence of the Almighty, who most wisely, justly, mercifully disposeth of us and all events that befall us; of the worse condition of many thousand others; of the great inconveniences that attend great and full estates; of the secret benefits of poverty; of the smalnesse of that pittance that may suffice Nature; of the miseries that wait upon discontentment; of the mercifull vicissitudes of favours, wherewith God pleaseth to interchange our sufferings; and lastly, the great examples of those, as well without, as vvithin the bosome of the Church, that have gone before us, and led us the way to Contentation: our judgement cannot chuse but be sufficiently convinced, that there is abundant reason to vvin our hearts to a [Page] quiet and contented entertainment of want, and all other outward afflictions.

SECT. XVII.

Of Contentment in death it selfe.

BUt all these intervenient miseries are sleight in comparison of the last, and utmost of evils, Death; Many a one graples chearfully with these triviall afflictions, who yet looks pale, and trembles at the King of fear: His very Name hath terrour in it, but his lookes more: The courageous Champion of Christ, the blessed Apostle; and with him, every faithfull soul, makes his challenge universall, to whatsoever estate he is in; to the estate of Death, therefore, no lesse then the afflictive incidence of life: When therefore this gastly Giant shall [Page] stalk forth, and bid defiance to the whole Host of Israel; and when the timorous unbeleevers shall run away at the sight of him, and endeavour to hide their heads from his presence; the good soul armed, not with the unmeet and cumbersome harmnesse of flesh and bloud, but with the sure (though invisible) armour of God, dares come forth to meet him, and in the name of the Lord of Hosts, both bids him battle and foils him in the Combat; and now having laid him on the ground, can triumphingly say, O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Five smooth pebles there are, which if we carry in our scrip, we shall be able to quell, not onely the power of death, but the terror too.

Whereof the first is a sure apprehension of both the unavoidable necessary, and certain benefit of death: A necessity, [Page] grounded upon the just and eternall Decree of Heaven: It is appointed to all men once to Heb. 9. 27. die; and what a madnesse were it for a man to think of an exemption from the common condition of mankind? Mortality is, as it were, essential to our Nature; neither could wee have had our souls but upon the tearms of a re-delivery, when they shall be called for; If the holiest Saints, or the greatest Monarchs sped otherwise, wee might have some colour of repining: Now, grieve if thou wilt, that thou art a man; grieve not, that being man thou must die.

Neither is the benefit inferiour to the necessity; Lo here the remedy of all our cares, the physick for all our maladies, the rescue from all our feares and dangers, earnestly sued for by the painfull, dearly welcome to the distressed: Yea, lo here the [Page] Cherub that keeps the gate of Paradise; there is no entrance but under his hand; In vain do we hope to passe to the glory of Heaven, any other way then through the gates of Death.

The second is the Conscience of a well-led life; Guiltinesse vvill make any man fowardly, unable to looke danger in the face, much more Death; whereas the innocent is bold as a Lion: What a difference therefore there is betwixt a Martyr, and a Malefactor? this latter knows he hath done ill, and therefore if he can take his death but patiently, it is well; the former knows he hath done well, and therefore takes his death not patiently onely, but chearfully.

But because no mortall man can have so innocently led his life, but that he shall have passed many offences against his most holy, and righteous God; here must be, Thirdly, a finall [Page] peace firmly made betwixt God and the soul. Two powerfull agents must mediate in it; a lively Faith, and a serious Repentance; for those sins can never appear against us, that are washed off with our tears; and being justified by faith we have Rom. 5. 1. peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if we have made the Judge our friend, what can the Sergeant doe?

The fourth is the power, and efficacy of Christs death applyed to the soul: Wherefore dyed he, but that we might live? Wherefore would he, who is the Lord of life, die, but to sanctifie, season, and sweeten death to us? Who would goe any other way then his Saviour went before him? who can fear that enemy, whom his Redeemer hath conquered for him? who can run away from that Serpent, whose sting is pulled out? Oh Death, my Saviour hath been thy death, [Page] and therefore thou canst not be mine.

The fifth is, the comfortable expectation, and assurance of a certain resurrection, and an immediate glory: I doe but lay me down to my rest, I shall sleep quietly, and rise gloriously: My soul, in the mean time, no sooner leaves my body, then it enjoys God; It did lately through my bodily eyes see my sad friends, that bade me farewell with their tears; now it hath the blisse-making vision of God: I am no sooner lanched forth, then I am at the haven, where I would be; Here is that which were able to make amends for a thousand deaths; a glory, infinite, eternall, incomprehensible.

This spirituall Ammunition shall sufficiently furnish the soul for her encounter with her last enemy; so as she shall not only endure, but long for this Combat; [Page] and say with the chosen Vessell, I desire to depart, and Phil. 1. 23. to be with Christ.

SECT. XVIII.

The miseries and inconveniences of the continued conjunction of the soul and body.

NOw for that long conversation causeth entirenesse, and the parting of old friends and partners (such the soul and body are) cannot but be grievous, although there were no actuall pain in the dissolution: It will be requisite for us, seriously to consider the state of this conjunction; and to enquire what good offices the one of them doth to the other, in their continued union, for which they should be so loth to part: And here wee shall finde that those two, however united to [Page] make up one person, yet (as it fals out in crosse matches) they are in continuall domestique jars one with the other, and entertain a secret familiar kind of hostility betwixt themselves; For the flesh lusteth against the Gal. 5. 17. spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other. One says well, that if the body should implead the soul, it might bring many foul impeachments against it; and sue it for many great injuries done to that earthly part: And the soul again hath no fewer quarrels against the body: betwixt them both there are many brawls, no agreement. Our Schools have reckoned up therefore eight main incommodities, which the soul hath cause to complain of in her conjunction with the body: whereof the first is the defilement of Originall sinne, wherewith the soul is not tainted as it proceeds, alone, [Page] from the pure hands of its Creator, but as it makes up a part of a son of Adam, who brought this guilt upon humano nature; so as now this composition, which we call man, is corrupt: Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean? Job 14. 4. saith Job.

The second is a pronenesse to sinne, which, but by the meeting of these partners, had never been; the soul, if single, would have been innocent; thus matched, what evill is it not apt to entertain? An ill consort is enough to poyson the best disposition.

The difficulty of doing well is the third; for how averse are we by this conjunction from any thing that is good? This clog hinders us from walking roundly in the ways of God: The good that I would doe, I doe not, saith the chosen Vessell. Rom. 7. 19

[Page] The fourth is the dulnesse of our understanding, and the dimnesse of our mentall eies, especially in the things pertaining unto God; which now we are forced to behold through the vail of flesh: if therefore we mis-know, the fault is in the mean, through which we doe imperfectly discover them.

The fift is a perpetuall impugnation, and self-conflict, either part labouring to oppose and vanquish the other. This field is fought in every mans bosome, without any possibility of peace, or truce, till the last moment of dissolution.

The sixt is the racking solicitude of cares, which continually distract the soul, not suffering it to rest at ease, whiles it carries this flesh about it.

The seventh is the multiplicity of passions which daily bluster within us, and raise up continuall tempests in our lives, [Page] disquieting our peace, & threatning our ruine.

The eight is the retardation of our glory; for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God; wee must lay down our load if we would enter into Heaven: The seed cannot fructifie unlesse it die. I cannot blame nature if it could wish not to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon: but so hath the eternall wisdome ordered, that we should first lay down, ere we can take up; and be devested of earth, ere we can partake of Heaven.

Now then, sith so many and great discommodities doe so unavoidably accompany this match of soul and body, and all of them cease instantly in the act of their dissolution; what reason have we to be too deeply affected with their parting? Yea, how should we rather rejoyce that the houre is come, [Page] wherein we shall be quit both of the guilt and temptations of sinne; wherein the clogge shall bee taken away from our heels, and the vail from our eies; wherein no intestine wars shall threaten us, no cares shall disquiet us, no passions shall torment us; and lastly, wherein we may take the free possession of that glory, which we have hitherto lookt at only afar off from the top of our Pisgah?

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SECT. XIX.

Holy dispositions for Contentment: and first, Humility.

HItherto, we have dwelt in those powerfull considerations which may work us to a quiet contentment with whatsoever adverse estate, whether of life or death; after which, we addresse our selves to those meet dispositions, which shall render us fully capable of this blessed Contentation; and shall make all these considerations effectuall to that happy purpose. Whereof the first is true Humility, under-valuing our selves, & setting an high rate upon every mercy that we receive; For, if a man have attained unto this, that he thinks every thing too good for him, and [Page] self lesse then the least blessing, and worthy of the heaviest judgement; he cannot but sit down thankfull for small favours, and meekly content with mean afflictions: As contrarily, the proud man stands upon points with his Maker, makes God his debter; looks disdainfully at small blessings; as if he said, What, no more? and looks angerly at the least crosses; as if he said, Why thus much? The father of the faithfull hath practically taught us this Lesson of humility, who comes to God Gen. 18. 27 with dust and ashes in his mouth: And the Jewish Doctors tell us truly, that in every Disciple of Abraham, there must be three things: a good eye, a meek spirit, and an humble soul; His Grandchilde P [...]k. Avoth. Jacob, the Father of every true Israelite, had well taken it out; whiles he can say to his God, [Page] I am not worthy of the least Gen. 32. 10 of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant: And indeed, in whomsoever it be, the best measure of Grace is Humility; for the more Grace still, the greater Humility; and no Humility, no Grace: Solomon observed of old; and Saint Pro. 3. 34. James took it from him, That Jam. 4. 6. God resisteth the proud, and giveth Grace to the humble; so as he that is not humble, is not so much as capable of Grace; and he that is truly humble, is a fit subject for all Graces, and amongst the rest, for the Grace of Contentation: Give me a man therefore, that is vile in his own eies, that is sensible of his own wretchednesse, that knows what it is to sin, and what belongs to that sin whereof he is guilty; this man shall think it a mercy that he is any where out of [Page] Hell; shall account all the evils that he is free from, so many new favors; shall reckon easie corrections amongst his blessings; and shall esteem any blessing infinitely obliging. Whereas contrarily, the proud begger is ready to throw Gods alms at his head, and swels at every lash, that he receives from the divine hand. Not without great cause, therefore, doth the royall Preacher Eccles. 7. 8 oppose the patient in spirit, to the proud in spirit; for the proud man can no more bee patient, then the patient can be discontent with whatsoever hand of his God. Every toy puts the proud man beside his patience; If but a flie be found in Pharaohs cup, he is straight in rage, (as the Jewish tradition lays the quarrell) and sends his Butler into durance: And if the Emperour doe but mistake the Stirrup of our [Page] Countreyman Pope Adrian, he shall dance attendance for his Crown: If a Mardochee doe but fail of a courtesie to Haman, all Jewes must bleed to death; And how unquiet are our vain Dames, if this curle be not set right, or or that pinne mis-placed? But the meek spirit is incurious; and so throughly subacted, that he takes his load from God (as the Camel from his Master) upon his knees: And for men, if they compell him to goe one mile, he goes twain; if they Mat. 5. 39, 40. smite him on the right cheek, hee turns the other; if they sue away his Coat, he parts with his Cloak also.

Heraclius the Emperour, when hee was about to passe through the golden gate, and to ride in royall state through the streets of Jerusalem, being put in minde by Zacharias the Bishop there, of the humble and [Page] dejected fashion wherein his Saviour walked through those streets, towards his passion, strips off his rich robes, lays aside his Crown, & with bare head & bare feet, submissely paces the same way that his Redeemer had caried his Crosse towards his Golgotha: Every true Christian is ready to tread in the deep steps of his Saviour, as well knowing that if hee should descend to the Gates of Death, of the Grave, of Hell, he cannot bee so humbled, as the Son of God was for him: And indeed, this, and this alone, is the true way to glory; He that is Truth it self, hath told us, that he who humbles himself shall be exalted; And wise Solomon, Before Pro. 15. 33 honour is humility. The Fuller treads upon that cloth which he means to whiten: And he that would see the starres by day, must not climbe up into some high Mountain, but must descend [Page] to the lower Cels of the earth. Shortly, whosoever would raise up a firm building of Contentation, must bee sure to lay the foundation in Humility.

SECT. XX.

Of a faithfull selfe-resignation.

SEcondly, to make up a true contentment with the most adverse estate, there is required a faithfull selfe-resignation into the hands of that God, whose wee are; who, as he hath more right in us, then our selves, so he best knows what to doe with us: How graciously hath his mercy invited us to our own ease? Bee carefull (saith he) for nothing; but in every Phil. 4. 6. thing by prayer, and supplication, [Page] with thanksgiving, let your requests bee made known unto God: we are naturally apt in our necessities to have recourse to greater powers then our own; even where we have no engagement of their help; how much more should we cast our selves upon the Almighty, when he not onely allows, but solicits our reliance upon him? It was a question that might have befitted the mouth of the best Christian, which fell from Socrates, Since God himselfe is carefull for thee, why art thou solicitous for thy selfe? If evils were let loose upon us, so as it were possible for us to suffer any thing that God were not aware of, we might have just cause to sink under adversities; but now, that we know every dram of our affliction is weighed out to us, by that all-wise, and all-mercifull Providence; [Page] Oh our infidelity, if we doe make scruple of taking in the most bitter dose! Here then is the right use of that main duty of Christianity, to live by faith: Brute creatures live by sense, meer men by reason, Christians by faith. Now, faith is the substance of things Heb. 11. 1. hoped for; the evidence of things not seen; In our extremities, we hope for Gods gracious deliverance, faith gives a subsistence to that deliverance, before it be: The mercies that God hath reserved for us, doe not yet show themselves; faith is the evidence of them, though yet unseen: It was the Motto of the learned and godly Divine Master Perkins, Fidei vita vera vita; The true life, is the life of faith; a word which that worthy servant of God did both write and live; neither indeed is any other life truly vitall, but this; for hereby [Page] we enjoy God in all whatsoever occurrences: Are we abridged of means? we feed upon the cordiall Promises of our God: Doe we sigh and groan under varieties of grievous persecutions? out of the worst of them we can pick out comforts; whiles we can hear our Saviour say, Blessed are they which are persecuted Mat. 5. 10. for righteousnesse sake; for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven: Are we deserted, and abandoned of friends? we see him by us, who hath said, I will Heb. 13. 5. never leave thee, nor forsake thee: Doe we droop under spirituall desertions? we hear the God of truth say; For a Esa. 54. 7, 8 small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercy will I gather thee; In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer: Are we driven from home? If [Page] wee take the wings of the Psal. 139. 8, 9. morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea; even there also shall thine hand lead us, and thy right hand shall hold us: Are we dungeon'd up from the sight of the Sun? Peradventure the darknesse shall cover Verse 10, 11. us; but then shall our night be turned into day; yea, the darknesse is no darknesse with thee: Are we cast down upon the bed of sicknesse? He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from Psal. 68. 20 death.

It cannot bee spoken hovv injurious those men are to themselves, that will be managing their owne cares, and plotting the prevention of their fears; and projecting their own, both indemnity, and advantages; for, as they lay an unnecessary load upon their [Page] own shoulders, so they draw upon themselves the miseries of an unremediable disappointment; Alas, how can their weaknesse make good those events which they vainly promise to themselves, or avert those judgements they would escape, or uphold them in those evils they must undergoe? Whereas if wee put all this upon a gracious God, hee contrives it with ease; looking for nothing from us, but our trust, and thankfulnesse.

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SECT. XXI.

Of true inward riches.

IN the third place, it will be most requisite to furnish the foul with true inward riches; I mean not of meer morall vertues, (which yet are truly precious when they are found in a good heart) but of a wealth as much above them, as gold is above drosse; Yea, as the thing which is most precious, is above nothing: And this shall be done, if we bring Christ home to the soul; if we can possesse our selves of him, who is God al-sufficient; For, such infinite contentment there is in the Son of God made ours, that whosoever hath tasted of the sweetnesse of this comfort, is indifferent to all earthly things; and insensible of those extream differences of events, [Page] wherewith others are perplexed; How can he be dejected with the want of any thing, who is possessed of him that possesseth all things? How can he be over-affected with triviall profits, or pleasures, who is taken up with the God of all comfort? Is Christ mine therefore? How can I fail of all contentment? How can he complain to want light, that dwels in the midst of the Sun? How can he complain of thirst, out of whose belly flow rivers of living water? Joh. 7. 38. What can I wish, that my Christ is not to me? Would I have meat and drink? My flesh Joh. 6. 55. is meat indeed; and my bloud is drink indeed: Would I have clothing? But, put ye on the Rom. 13. 14. Lord Jesus Christ, saith the Apostle: Would I have medicine? He is the Tree of life, the leaves Rev. 22. 2. whereof are for the healing of the Nations: Would I have safety and protection? [Page] He truly is my strength, and my salvation; he is my defence, so as I shall not fall; In God is my health and my glory; the Rock Ps. 62. 6, 7. of my might, and in God is my trust: Would I have direction? I am the way, and the truth: Would I have life? Christ is to Phil. 1. 21 me to live; I am the resurrection Joh. 11. 25 and the life: Would I have all spirituall things? We are in Christ Jesus, who of God is 1 Cor. 1. 30 made unto us Wisdome, and Righteousnesse, and Sanctification, and Redemption.

Oh the happy condition of the man that is in Christ, and hath Christ in him! Shall I account him rich that hath store of Oxen, and Sheep, and Horses, and Camels; that hath heaps of metals, and some spots of ground; and shall I not account him infinitely more rich, that ownes and enjoyes him whose the earth is, and the fulnesse of it; whose Heaven is, and the [Page] glory of it? Shall I justly account that man great, whom the King will honour, and place near to himselfe; and shall I not esteeme that man more honourable, whom the King of Heaven is pleased to admit unto such partnership of glory, as to professe; To him that overcommeth Rev. 3. 23. will I grant to sit with me in my Throne; even as I also overcame, and am set downe with my Father in his Throne?

It is a true word of Saint Augustine, that every soul is either Christs Spouse, or the Devils Harlot: Now if we be matched to Christ, the Lord of glory; what a blessed union is here? What can he withhold from us, that hath given us himself? I could envie the devotion of that man (though otherwise mis-placed) whom Saint Bernard heard to spend the night in no other words, then, Deus meus & omnia; My God, and all things; Certainly, [Page] he who hath that God, hath more then all things; he that wants him (what ever else he seemes to possesse) hath lesse then nothing.

SECT. XXII.

Holy resolutions: 1. That our present estate is best for us.

AFter these serious considerations, and meet dispositions, shall in the last follow certain firme resolutions for the full actuating our contentment: And first, we must resolve (out of the unfailable grounds of divine Providence, formerly spoken of) that the present estate wherein we are, is certainly the best for us; and therefore wee must herein absolutely captivate our understanding, and will, to that of the Highest: How unmeet Judges are flesh and blood [Page] of the best fitnesse of a condition for us? As some palates (which are none of the wholsomest) like nothing but sweet meats, so our nature would be fed up with the only delicacies of pleasures and prosperity; according to the false principle of Aristippus, that he onely is happy, which is delighted; but the all-wise God knowes another diet more fit for our health, and therefore graciously tempers our dishes with the tart sauces of afiliction: The mother of the two sons of Zebedee, and her ambitious children, are all for the chiefe P [...]rage in the Temporall kingdome of Christ; but he cals them to a bitter Cup, and a bloody baptisme rather; and this was a far greater honour then that they sued for: There is no earthly estate absolutely good for all persons; like as no gale can serve for all passengers. In Africk, they say, the [Page] North winde brings Clouds, and the South winde clears up: That plant which was starved in one soile, in another prospers; Yea, that which in some climate is poyson, proves wholsome in another: Some one man, if he had anothers blessings, would run wilde; and if he had some other mans crosses, would be desperate; The infinite wisdome of the great Governour of the world allots every one his due proportion; The Fitches are not threshed Esa. 28. 27. with a threshing instrument; neither is a Cartwheele turned about upon the Cummin; but the Fitches are beaten out with a staffe, and the Cummin with a rod, saith Esay: And no otherwise in matter of prosperity; Josephs Coat may be party-coloured, and Benjamins messe may be five times so much as any of his brethren. It is marvell if Gen. 43. 34. they who did so much envie Joseph [Page] for his dream of superiority, did not also envie Benjamin for so large a service, and so rich gifts at his parting; this it seems gave occasion for the good Patriarchs fear, when he charged them, See that you fall not out Gen. 45. 24. by the way: But, there had been no reason for so impotent an envie; whiles the gift is free, and each speeds above his desert, who can have cause to repine? It is enough that Joseph knew a just reason of so unequall a distribution, though it were hidden from themselves. The elder brother may grudge the fat Calfe, and the prime Robe to the returned Unthrift, but the Father knowes reason to make that difference. God is infinitely just and infinitely mercifull, in dispensing both his favours and punishment. In both kinds every man hath that which is fittest for him, because it is that which Gods will hath designed [Page] to him; and that will is the most absolute rule of justice: now if we can so frame our will to his, as to think so too, how can wee bee other then contented? Do we suffer? There is more intended to us then our smart: It was a good speech of Seneca, though an Heathen, (what pity it is that he was so?) I give thanks to my infirmity, which forces me not to be able to do that, which I ought not will to do; If we lose without, 2 Cor. 4. 16. so as we gain within; if in the perishing of the outward man the inward man be renued, we have no cause to complain, much to rejoyce: Do I live in a mean estate? If it were better, I should be worse; more proud, more carelesse; and what a wofull improvement were this? What a strange creature would man be, if he were what he would wish himselfe? Surely, he would be wickedly pleasant, [Page] carelesly prophane, vainely proud, proudly oppressive, dissolutely wanton, impetuously selfe-willed; and shortly, his own Idoll, and his own Idolater: His Maker knowes how to frame him better; it is our ignorance and unthankfulnesse, if we submit not to his good pleasure: To conclude, we pray every day, Thy will be done; What hypocrites are we, if we pray one thing, and act another? If we murmure at what we wish? All is well between Heaven and us, if we can think our selvs happy to be what God will have us.

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SECT. XXIII.

2. Resolution, to abate of our desires.

SEcondly, we must resolve to abate of our desires; for it is the illimitednesse of our ambitious, and covetous thoughts, that is guilty of our unquietnesse; Every man would be, and have more then he is; and is therefore sick of what he is not. It was a true word of Democritus, If we desire not much, we shall think a little much: and it is sutable to one of the rules of S. Augustine; it is better to need lesse, then to have more: Paul, the richest poor man, (as Ambrose well) could say, As having all things, yet possessing Ambros. de vitiorum & virtutum conflictus. nothing: It is not for a Christian to be of the Dragons temper, which they say is so ever thirsty, [Page] that no water will quench his drought; and therefore never hath his mouth shut; nor with the daughters of the Horseleach to cry alwayes, Give, give; He Pro. 30. 15 must confine his desires; and that, to no overlarge compasse; and must say to them, as God doth to the Sea, Hitherto shalt Job 38. 11 thou come, and no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.

What a cumber it is for a man to have too much? to be in the case of Surena the Parthian Lord, that could never remove his family with lesse then a thousand Camels? What is this, but Tortoise-like to be clogg'd with a weighty shell, which we cannot drag after us, but with pain? Or like the Ostrich, to be so held down with an heavie body that we can have no use of our wings? Whereas the nimble Lark rises and mounts with ease, and sings chearfully in her flight. [Page] How many have we known, that have found too much flesh a burden? and when they have found their blood too rank, have been glad to pay for the letting it out? It was the word of that old and famous Lord Keeper Bacon, the eminent Head of a noble and witty family, Mediocria firma: There is neither safety, nor true pleasure in exces: it was a wise and just answer of Zeno the Philosopher, who reproving the superstuity of a feast, and hearing by way of defence, that the Maker of it was a rich man, and might well spare it, said; If thy Cook shall oversalt thy broth, and when he is chid for it, shall say, I have store enough of salt lying by mee: wouldst thou take this for a fair answer?

My Son, eat thou honey, saith Pro. 24. 13 Solomon; because it is good: but, to be sure, for the preveating all immoderation, he addes [Page] soon after; Hast thou found Pro. 25. 16 honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith: if our appetite carry us too far, we may easily surfeit; this (which is the embleme of pleasure) must be tasted (as Dionysius the Sophist said of old) on the tip of the finger; not be supt up in the hollow of the hand: It is with our desires as it is with weak stomachs, the quantity offends, even where the food is not unwholsome; and if heed be not taken, one bit draws on another, till nature be overlaid; Both pleasures and profits (if way be given to them) have too much power to debauch the minde, and to work it to a kinde of insatiablenesse; there is a thirst that is caused with drunkennes; and the wanton appetite, like as they said of Messalina, may be wearied, but cannot be satisfied; It is good therefore to give austere [Page] repulses to the first overtures of inordinate desires, and to give strong denials to the first unruly motions of our hearts; For, S. Chrysostome well; pleasure is like a Dog, which being coyed, and stroked, followes us at the heels, but if rated, and beaten off, is driven away from us with ease.

It is for the Christian heart to be taken up with other desires, such as wherein there can be no danger of immoderatenesse: These are the holy longings after grace and goodnesse; This only covetousnesse, this ambition is pleasing to God, and infinitely beneficiall to the soule. Blessed are they which hunger Mat. 5. 6. and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall be filled: Spirituall blessings are the true riches whereof we can never have enough. S. Ambrose said truly, No man is indeed wealthy, that cannot carry away what he hath [Page] with him: What is left behinde, Ambros. Epist. 27. is not ours, but other mens: Contemne thou whiles thou art alive, that which thou canst not enjoy when thou art dead.

As for this earthly trash, and the vaine delights of the flesh, which we have so fondly doted on; we cannot carry them indeed away with us, but the sting of the guilty mis-enjoying of them will be sure to stick by us; and, to our sorrow, attend us both in Death and Judgement: In summe therefore, if we would be truly contented, and happy, our hearts can never be enough enlarged in our desires of spirituall and heavenly things, never too much contracted in our desires of earthly.

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SECT. XXIV.

3. Resolution, to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments.

OUr third resolution must be to inure our selves to digest smaller discontentments; and by the exercise thereof, to enable our selves for greater: as those that drink medicinall waters, begin first with smaller quantities, and by degrees arise, at last, to the highest of their prescribed measure; or as the wise Lacedemonians, by early scourgings of their boyes, inured them in their riper yeares to more painfull sufferings: A strong Milo takes up his Calf at first, and by continuall practice is now able to carry it when it is grown a Bull.

Such is our self-love, that we [Page] affect ever to be served of the best; and that we are apt to take great exceptions at small failings: We would walk alwayes in smooth, and even paths, and would have no hinderances in our passage; but there is no remedie, we must meet with rubs; and perhaps crosse shinnes, and take fals too in our way: Every one is willing and desirous to enjoy (as they say the city of Rhodes doth) a perpetuall Sunshine; but we cannot (if we be wise) but know, that we must meet with change of weather; with rainy dayes, and sometimes stormes and tempests; it must be our wisdome to make provision accordingly: and some whiles to abide a whetting; that, if need be, we may endure a drenching also. It Gen. 3. 2. 26. & 33. 5, 6. &c. was the policy of Jacob, when he was to meet with his brother Esau (whom he feared an enemy, but found a friend) to send [Page] the droves first, then his handmaids, and their children; then Leah, with her children, and at last came Joseph and Rachel, as one that would adventure the lesse dear in the first place, and (if it must be) to prepare himself for his dearest losse. S. Pauls Acts 27. 18, 19. companions in his perilous Seavoyage, first lighten the Ship of lesse necessaries, then they cast out the tackling, then the wheat, & in the last place themselves. It is the use that wise Socrates made of the sharp tongues of his crosse and unquiet wives, to prepare his patience for publick sufferings. Surely, he that cannot endure a frown, will hardly take a blow; and he that doubles under a light crosse, will sink under a heavier; and contrarily that good Martyr prepares his whol body for the Faggot, with burning his hand in the Candle. I remember Seneca in one of his Epistles rejoyces much [Page] to tell with what patient temper he took it, that comming unexpectedly to his Countrey house, he found all things so discomposed, that no provision was ready for him; finding more contentment in his own quiet apprehension of these wants, then trouble in that unreadines: And thus should we be affected upon all occasions; Those that promised me help, have disappointed me: that friend on whom I relyed, hath failed my trust: the sum that I expected, comes not in at the day: my servant slackens the businesse enjoyned him: the beast that I esteemed highly, is lost: the Vessell in which I shipped some commodities, is wrackt: my diet & attendance must be abated; I must be dislodged of my former habitation; how do I put over these occurrences? If I can make light work of these lesser crosses, I am in a good posture to entertaine greater.

[Page] To this purpose, it will be not a little expedient to thwart our appetite in those things wherein we placed much delight; and to torture our curiosity in the delay of those contentments, which we too eagerly affected: It was a noble and exemplary government of these passions, which we finde in King David, who being extreamly thirsty, and longing for a speedy refreshment, could say; Oh that one would give mee drink of the water of the Well 2 Sam. 23. 15, 16, 17. of Bethlehem! but when he saw that water purchased with the hazard of the lives of three of his Worthies, when it was brought to him, he would not drink it, but poured it out unto the Lord.

Have I a minde to some one curious dish above the rest? I will put my knife to my throat, and not humour my palate so far as to taste of it: Doe I receive a Letter of newes from a [Page] far Countrey, over night? It shall keep my pillow warme till the morning: Doe my importunate recreations cal me away? they shall, against the hair, be forcibly adjourned till a further leisure: Out of this ground it was, that the ancient Votaries observed such austerity, and rigour in their diet, clothes, lodging; as those that knew how requisite it is that nature should be held short of her demands; and continually exercised with denials, lest she grow too wanton, and impetuous in her desires: That which was of old given as a rule to Monastick persons, is fit to be extended to all Christians; They may not have a will of their own, but must frame themselves to such a condition, and cariage, as seemes best to their Superiour; If therefore it please my God to send me some little comfort, I shall take that as an earnest of more; [Page] and if he exercise me with lesser crosses, I shall take them as preparatives to greater; and endeavour to be thankfull for the one, and patient in the other; and contented with Gods hand in both.

[Page]

SECT. XXV.

4. Resol. to be frequent and fervent in prayer.

OUr last resolution must be, to be frequent and fervent in our prayers to the Father of all mercies, that he will be pleased to work our hearts by the power of his Spirit, to this constant state of Contentation; without which we can neither consider the things that belong to our inward peace, nor dispose our selves towards it, nor resolve ought for the effecting it; without which, all our Considerations, all our Dispositions, all our Resolutions, are vain and fruitlesse. Justly therefore doth Phil. 4. 6. the blessed Apostle, after his charge of avoiding all carefulnesse for these earthly things, [Page] enforce the necessity of our Prayers and Supplications, and making our requests knowne unto God; who both knows our need, and puts these requests into our mouths: When we have all done, they are the requests of our hearts, that must free them from cares, and frame them to a perfect contentment: There may be a kind of dull and stupid neglect, which possessing the soul may make it insensible of evill events, in some naturall dispositions; but a true temper of a quiet and peaceable estate of the soul upon good grounds can never be attained without the inoperation of that holy Spirit, from whom every good gift, and every perfect giving Jam. 1. 17. proceedeth: It is here contrary to these earthly occasions: with men, he that is ever craving, is never contented; but with God, he cannot want contentment that prays always. [Page] If we be not unacquainted with our selves, we are so conscious of our own weaknesse, that we know every puffe of temptation is able to blow us over; they are onely our prayers that must stay us from being caried away with the violent assaults of discontentment; under which, a praying soul can no more miscary, then an indevout soul can enjoy safety.

[Page]

SECT. XXVI.

The difficulty of knowing how to abound; and the ill consequences of not knowing it.

LEt this be enough for the remedy of those distempers which arise from an adverse condition; As for prosperity, every man thinks himself wise and able enough to know how to govern it, and himself in it; an happy estate (we imagine) will easily manage it selfe, without too much care; Give me but Sea-room, saith the confident Mariner, and let me alone, what ever tempest arise: Surely, the great Doctor of the Gentiles had never made this holy boast of his divine skill, [I know how to abound] if it had been so easie a matter as the world conceives it: Meer ignorance, [Page] and want of selfe-experience, is guilty of this errour.

Many a one abounds in wealth and honour, who abounds no lesse in miseries and vexation: Many a one is caried away with an unruly greatness, to the destruction of body, soul, estate; The world abounds every where with men that doe abound, and yet do not know how to abound: and those especially in three ranks. The proud, the covetous, the prodigall; The proud is thereby transported to forget God; the covetous, his neighbour; the prodigall, himself.

Both wealth and honour are of a swelling nature; raising a man up not above others, but above himself; equalling him to the powers immortall; yea, exalting him above all that is called God; Oh that vile dust and ashes should be raised to [Page] that height of insolence as to hold contestation with its Maker! Who is the Lord? saith Exod. 5. 2. the King of Egypt: I shall be like to the Highest; I am, and Esa. 14. 14. there is none besides me, saith the King of Babylon; The voice Act. 12. 12. of God, and not of Man, goes down with Herod; And hovv will that Spirit trample upon men, that dare vie with the Almighty? Hence are all the heavy oppressions, bloudy tyrannies, imperious domineerings, scornfull insultations, merciless outrages, that are so rife amongst men, even from hence, that they know not how to abound.

The covetous man abounds with bags, and no lesse with sorrows; verifying the experience of wise Solomon; There is Eccl. 5. 13. a sore evill which I have seen under the Sun, riches kept for the owners thereof, to their hurt; what he hath got with [Page] unjustice, he keeps with care, leaves with grief, and reckons for with torment; I cannot better compare these Moneymongers then to Bees; they are busie gatherers, but it is for themselves; their Masters can have no part of their honey till it be taken from them; and they have a sting ready for every one that approaches their Hive; and their lot at the last is burning. What maceration is there here with fears, and jealousies; what cruell extortion, and oppression exercised upon others? & all from no other ground then this, that they know not how to abound?

The prodigal feasts and sports like an Athenian, spends like an Emperour; and is ready to say as Heliogabalus did of old, Aelius Lā prid. Those cates are best, that cost dearest; caring more for an empty reputation of a short gallantry, then for the comforble [Page] subsistence of himself, his family, his family, his posterity: Like Cleopes, the vain Egyptian King, which was fain to prostitute his daughter for the finishing of his Pyramid: This man lavisheth out not his own means alone, but his poor neighbours; running upon the score with all trades that concern back or belly; undoing more with his debts, then he can pleasure with his entertainments; none of all which should be done, if he knew how to abound.

Great skill therefore is required to the governing of a plentifull and prosperous estate, so as it may be safe and comfortable to the owner, and beneficiall unto others; Every Corporall may know how to order some few files, but to marshall many Troops in a Regiment, many Regiments in a whole body of an Army, requires the skill of an experienced Generall. [Page] But the rules and limits of Christian moderation, in the use of our honours, pleasures, profits, I have at large laid forth in a former Discourse; thither I must crave leave to send the benevolent Reader; beseeching God to bless unto him these and all other labours, to the happy furtherance of his Grace and Salvation.

Amen.

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

Three tractates by Jos. Hall, D.D. and B.N.Selections. 1646

Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.

Edition statement

1646

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A45324

ID [STC]

Wing H422

ID [STC]

ESTC R14217

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12157706

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12157706

ID [VID]

55180

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A45324)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 55180)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 599:14)

Source

— Three tractates by Jos. Hall, D.D. and B.N., Selections. 1646, Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656..

Extent

275, [20], 242 p. : port.

Printed by M. Flesher, for Nat. Butter,. London :: 1646.. (Engraved t.p.) (Imperfect: "The peace-maker" with individual title page and paging, [20], 242 p. at end is lacking in filmed copy.) (Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library.) (The devout soule -- The free prisoner, or, The comfort of restraint -- The remedy of discontentment, or, A treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition -- The peace-maker.)

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