Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

Table of contents

Title page

§

TO THE READER.

The Names of the severall Authors cited in this COLLECTION.

God to be consulted, at all times: but more especially, in the beginning of all Publique concernments.

Dreams, not to be altogether sleighted.

Sin mortified, the Devill's terrour.

Worldly thoughts and distractions, in the time of Prayer, condemned.

How it is, that Tyrants are usually not long liv'd.

Policy above strength.

The state of a kingdomc or Common-wealth known best by the administration of Iustice.

The prevalency of fervent Prayer.

God onely to be seen in Christ Iesus.

Riches availe not in the day of Wrath.

Affliction, from God, is for his Children's good.

The peaceable Man's comfort.

Knowledge, very useful in the matter of Reformation.

How to know whether a Man belong to Heaven, or not.

God's way, the safe way to walk in.

God's time, the best time for deliverance.

The difference betwixt Spirituall and carnall Prayers, in respect of Answer.

God's knowledge, and Man's knowledge, the difference in event of things.

Riches, Honours, Preferments, &c. transitory.

The Church of God still on the decaying hand.

A good Neighbour a great blessing to all men, especially a Minister of Gods Word.

Christ fully revealed in the New Testament.

The danger of trusting to worldly greatnesse, in time of distresse.

Riches cannot follow us out of this World.

Not to be over hasty in the desire of Justice, for wrongs sustained.

God•s favour above the world's contentments, to a godly man.

A good Heart is a melting Heart.

An idle man subject to the least temptation.

A cheap Religion, the beloved Religion with most men

Charity to the poor to be reall, not verball.

Distractions will prove Destructions.

Love for the most part is but complementall.

A great folly not to provide for Heaven.

No personall security to be had, in time of publick danger.

Governours, as they are qualified, are a curse or a blessing to any People.

Tyranny, Oppression, Murther, &c. are not long lived.

God•s Children must have God's qualities.

The devout Soul will admit of none but Christ.

The way to Greatnesse is full of danger.

Not to be affraid of Afflictions, because God sends them.

To be carefull of our duty to God and Man.

The grouth of Sin to be prevented.

More care for the Body than the Soul, condemned.

The basenesse of Ingratitude.

Every man to speak Truth to his neighbour.

A little with God's blessing goes far.

The things of this World, a great stop in the way to Heaven.

The condonation of the In•ured, is a conquest over the Injurious.

Man alwaies in a dying condition.

The Devill's aime, to strike every man with spirituall blindnesse.

The obstinate Sinner deserving eternity of punishment; and why so?

Civill dissention, attended by uncivill destruction.

A poor Child of God com•orted with the hopes of Heaven.

God's choice of eminent Persons to be exemplary to all others.

The Church's Enemies are in God•s hands.

A singular Saint is a pretious Saint.

The glory of God is to be the aime of all our actions.

Gods infinite Power in the Resurrection of the Body.

Fears of the losse of Gospell-light more at home, than from abroad.

Zeal and Knowledge must go hand in hand together.

Not so much the quantity, as the quality of Devotion, acc•ptable to God.

The deceitfulnesse of Riches.

Glory is to be given to God onely; and why so?

God must be loved for himself onely.

Every motion towards God, is not a true motion towards God.

God is not to be provoked to anger.

Religion and Unity, the onely supporters of Church and State.

Peace with Men will make our peace with God.

The great folly of too late Repentance in any thing.

The Church robbed of her maintenance, upon pretence of Reformation.

Time to be well used.

Christ and the good Christian are companions inseperable.

How the Spirit is said to be quenched in our selves and in others.

To be carefull in the choice of a Wife.

Contemplation and Action are requisite for every good Christian.

No quietnesse in the soul, till it come to Christ.

The true Christian takes no comfort in this World.

Man's nature is altogether sinfull.

The Law of God a perfect Law.

The guilt of Innocent blood crying to Heaven for vengeance.

To joy in the light of the Gospell.

Censurers condemned.

Grace in the heart cannot be smoothered.

Impossible, but that a true Christian will be a thankfull Christian.

A factious spirited Man, unfit for the work of the Ministry.

Bitter Spirits, no gracious Spirits.

We must not be carelesse hearers of the Word.

Protestant Religion, the onely comfortable Religion to die in.

God brings good out of evill, for his People's good.

The World like a Fisher-man's Net.

God and his Graces go together.

A government of the Tongue required.

Forgetting of Injuries past is necessary, upon a making of Peace.

The silent Christian is the sound Christian.

A totall deprivation of Grace in the heart of man, is deplorable.

God is the onely object of his Children's delight.

A peaceable disposition is a God-like disposition.

Christ•s victory over Sathan.

Propriety in God is the onely comfort.

Killing of men heretofore made ordinary.

Reverence to be used in the service of God.

The condition of Temporizers.

God doth not onely deliver, but also comfort his Children.

How a man is said to pray continually.

A bad reformation of a Church, is the deformation of the Church.

Carnall pleasure to be changed into Spirituall pleasure.

The manifestation of God in severall respects.

The seven Sacraments of the Papists, not of divine Institution.

Christian Liberty abused by the Sectarian party.

How to take Pleasure safely.

The Secrets of God's Counsells not to be pryed into.

Ministers to be wise Master-builders.

Parity in the Church or State, not to be admitted.

The true Christian's hopes of Heaven.

What true Repentance is.

Content, a great blessing of God.

Not to envy each others Gifts or Preferments.

Riches have wings.

Rulers and Governours are the supporters of a Commonwealth.

The Devill a deceiver, deceived by Christ.

A young raw Minister is blame-worthy.

The blessed Trinity cooperate in the righteous man's Prayer.

Christ's government is a peaceable government.

Almes given to the Poor are the Giver's gain.

Officers to be honest in their places.

Prosperity of wicked men destructive.

No peace to the wicked.

Rulers actions exemplary

Peace of the Church, pretious.

Publick men to have publick spirits.

Every man to be employed in his Calling.

Death strips us of all outward things.

Selfishnesse condemned.

To blesse God for the peace of Conscience.

A forraigne Enemy to be prevented.

Husbands to bear with the Wife's infirmity.

The time of Repentance not to be deferred.

Sathan's endeavour to hinder the hearing of God's Word.

The Minister's Authority should be as much looked on as his sufficiency.

Self-praises condemned.

Complaint of the want of Faith, is an argument of true Faith.

Conversion of Heathens to be endeavoured.

Want of Love is the cause of all our sorrowes.

Vncertainty of the Multitude.

Profession without Practice not acceptable.

Man's being is from God.

The Doctrine of free Grace abused by licentious Libertines.

The Soul•s steighting of Christ offering mercies, deplorable.

God's goodnesse satisfied with Man's thankfulnesse.

The Ruler's sins hasten the ruine of a State.

No man a loser by giving himself up to God.

Excellency of the Robe of Iustice.

Miracles, why ceased.

Other mens harms to be our arms.

Encompassed by death on all sides.

A rich man had rather part with God, than his gold.

How sin is made the prevention of sin.

An ungracious Son, not worthy to be his Father's Heir.

Young Schollars to mind their Books.

The life of Faith, the happy life.

Shortnesse of time will not admit of long discourse.

Curiosity in the hearing of God's Word, condemned.

Ambition proves its own ruine.

To be content in the present condition.

A godly Christian is a constant Christian

An impatient condition is a discontented condition.

God, all in all.

If the Soul be safe, all's safe.

Though a weak Christian, yet a true Christian.

A cheap Religion is the Worldling's best Religion.

The godly man's afflictions, not destructive, but corrective.

Grace, not Greatnesse, maketh Magistrates glorious.

To make good use of good men, while we have them.

Discord ill beseemes the Disciples of Christ.

The Soule's comfortable union with Christ.

False Doctrine is Treason against God.

How the Soul lives in Christ onely.

Division amongst Christians is the disgrace of Christians.

God's Eternity.

Ill company to be avoided.

That it is lawfull to praise the Dead.

Men, though differing in judgment, must not differ in affection.

A man dead in sin, is a senslesse man.

Antinomians compared to Thieves.

Not to censure others, but look to our selves.

The least of sins to be prevented.

One God and three Persons, demonstrated.

God knowes his own People, however distressed.

For the abuse of a thing, the use is not to be taken away.

Get but God, and get all.

Afflictions, the ready way to Heaven.

To be provident for daies of triall.

A good Man is the prop and stay of his Country.

It is Peace that sets up Religion.

Children to be brought up in the fear of God.

Heavenly Principles tend Heaven-ward.

Sathan suiting himself to all humours.

Love, the bond of all perfection.

Forgivenesse of others, an argument of God's forgivenesse of us.

Popular Government, popular confusion.

Sathan's restlesse uncessant employment.

Spirituall desertions, no distractions to the child of God.

Every impenitent sinner, is his own Tormentor.

There's no dependance for great Men upon Popularity.

The resolved Christian.

Sin trampleth on Christ.

The happiness of good Government.

Faith is the fountain of all graces.

Hypocrites in their saying well, but doing ill, reproved.

Zeal in God's service, made the worlds derision.

The great danger of Sacriledge.

The Hypocrites inconstancy.

The laught•r of the wicked, is but from the teeth outwards.

Gods omnipotency.

Prayers and tears are the Weapons of the Church!

The gradation of Faith▪

The Christians humiliation, the Christians exaltation.

The works of God in the Creation of the World, are to and beyond admiration.

Self-examination required,

Riches without content, yield no comfort.

A great comfort to have a faithful Counsellor.

The grace of God above all Riches

The just Man's joy is more inward then outward.

A godly Man desires not to be rich but in God's way.

Riches oft-times prove pernicious to the owners thereof.

The security of a good Conscience.

Not to mourn for losses, because all is made up in Christ.

An ill tongue never speaks well of any one.

It is the glory of a Christian, to passe by offences and injuries.

Little sins, if not prevented, bring on greater, to the ruine of the soul.

The sense of sin is an entrance to the state of Grace.

An ill-liv'd Minister is a scandall to the Gospell.

Every Christian ought to be an ingenuous Christian.

Philosophy to be subservient to Divinity.

Impossible for a man to know all his sins.

Children to be well principled.

God must be served like himself.

The difference betwixt a carnall and a spirituall Man, in point of Knowledge▪

Christians ought to be loving one to another.

Discord in Church or Commonwealth, prejudiciall.

Sin to be renounced as the cause of Christ's death.

Ministers not to be afraid of the faces of Men.

The Creature moves not but in and by God.

The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture.

A fearful Minister is a Soul-murthering Minister.

Sins in men regenerate and unregenerate, the difference.

Immediate addresses unto God by prayer find acceptance.

Sacriledge never thrives.

A seeming Religion no saving Religion.

The vanity of needless and intricate questions.

The life of Man subject to all sorts of Calamity.

Sacriledge cursed with a curse.

God, the proper object of Man's memory.

Carelesse Churchmen condemned.

The pretious life of Man to be preserved.

The Churches complaint for want of Maintenance.

Ministers and Magistrates to be diligent in their places.

To blesse God for our Memories.

Christ is the true Christians All in All.

Blessings turn'd into Curses.

Young Ministers to be well principled

Many seem to be willing, yet are loath to die

A Minister to be able and well furnished.

Dangerous to be sed uced by fals-Teachers.

Tongue-Prayer, not the onely Prayer.

The way to have our Will, is to be subject to God's Will.

The excellency of good Government.

We must learn to live well before we desire to die.

A negligent Christian, no true Christian.

Hypocrisie may passe for a time undiscovered▪

Though the graces of godly Parents cannot avail for bad children, yet their good example may prevail with them.

To look upon every day as the day of death.

A contented Christian is a couragious Christian.

Many are the troubles of the Righteous.

Hospitality commendable.

A covetous man, good for nothing till death.

Others Harms to be our Arms.

The vanity and danger of 〈◊〉 Repentance.

The Saints knowledge of one another in Heaven.

Satan tempteth by degrees.

National Iudgements call for National Repentance.

How Christ's sufferings are made ours.

A Worldly-minded man speaketh of nothing but worldly things.

Censurers not to be regarded.

The certainty of God's will and purpose.

A wicked man believes not there is a Hell till he be in it.

The World's dangerous allurements.

The Excellency of the Scripture in its fulness.

The fulness of God.

The blessing of God is to be eyed more then our own endeavours.

Sacriledge condemned by the example of Cyrus.

The Minister's Blessing after Sermon, to be attended.

A rich Fool described.

Not to continue angry.

The onely comfort of a Christian, is his propriety in God.

Ministers and Physicians, of all men, not to be covetous.

The losse of Grace made good again in Christ onely.

To love our enemies, and do them good.

Plain preaching is profitable.

The very approaches of afflictions torment the wicked.

Malice and Envy, not fit guests for God's Table.

Preparation to religious Duties, must be free from worldly distractions.

Dangerous to interpose with a divided People.

A good man is bettered by afflictions.

The triall of faith, is the enlargement of faith.

Unprofitable hearers of the Word described.

All divisions are against Nature.

The hell of a guilty Conscience.

Love of Gods children, is a sincere love.

Ministers to be men of merciful dispositions.

Election known by Sanctification.

Men commonly are loath to die, though seemingly willing thereto.

A special Sacrament-duty to bless God for Christ's death.

Not lawful to fight for Religion.

The weight of sin to be seriously peized.

Licentious libertines impatient of Government.

Preaching Trades-men, Preaching-souldiers, &c. not sent of God.

Scholars, not to be unthankful to the Vniversity that bred them.

Sin rooted in the heart, hardly to be plucked up.

Good works are not the cause of, but the way to happiness.

A true Christian, the more he is afflicted and troubled, the better he thriveth.

Troubles not to be so much questioned how we came unto them, as how to get out of them.

The good of Adversity, and the ill of Prosperity.

The great danger of malitious turbulent spirits.

Heaven, the best Inheritance.

A sinfull man is a senslesse man.

Revenge, above all other passions, is of a growing nature.

Saving Grace and seeming Grace much resemble one another.

Prosperity divides, affliction unites the hearts of Christians.

Newtrality in Religion, enmity of Religion.

The direfull effects of War.

God accepts the will for the deed.

Not the assurance onely, but the joy of Salvation, gives content.

To take heed whom we trust.

The poysonous nature of Ambition.

How to recover spirituall sight.

The Minister's repetition in Sermons warrantable.

Windy Knowledge and windy doctrine to together.

God is to have the glory of all things.

Not to be reconciled to God before we sleep, very dangerous.

No such thing as Independency in this life.

The remembrance of sins past, the onely way to prevent sins to come.

The not returning thanks unto God for grace received, is the ready way to be gracelesse.

Crosses and afflictions, not to be sleighted.

In death, there is no difference of persons.

Every man to follow his own Trade.

God the proper Agent in all things.

Afflictions, crosses, &c. a surer way to Heaven then pleasures

Desperate Devils.

Forgetfulness of injuries commendable.

How God is said to be angry with his children.

The very thoughts of former pleasures, adde to present sorrows.

Prayers to be made for all Men.

The Prayers of sin-regarding sinners are not heard of God.

Temporal pleasures, a great hinderance to spiritual joys.

A Drunkard hardly to be reclaimed.

Riches without grace yield no true comfort.

Submission to the wisdom of God as concerning outward worldly things.

Magistrates and Ministers not to be too forward for dignity, preferment, &c.

True Grace is diffusive.

True Grace is accompanied with humility.

Riches are snares.

Worldly things dispensed by God in Wisdom.

The sinners estate, miserable.

Relapses in sin, dangerous.

Scripture-knowledge, the onely necessary knowledge.

Pleasures of the World, counterfeit Pleasures.

God's Husbandry.

Heresies and moral vices to be timely avoided.

Custom in sin, makes content in sin.

Repentance is to be universal.

In the loving our Neighbour, we love God.

A Graceless sinner will continue to be a sinner still.

Gods blessing upon the means doth all.

Condescension is the great Mans glory.

A true Christian is to be a true picture of Christ.

The Temporizer described.

Afflictions to be looked on as coming from God onely.

Ceremonials and Circumstantials of Religion, not to be much contended for.

Why God delivered the Law with such Majestick ceremonies.

The danger of Division.

Fears and jealousies, their danger.

Pleasures herein this life are usually attended with pains hereafter.

Our sanctification is not perfected all at once.

Our whole life to be a life of Repentance.

The safest way is to trust God with our Riches.

Fear of the loss of Gospel-light.

The Christians inside-Religion, and outside, must be suitable.

R•petition of good things helpful to Memory.

All the Creatures are at peace with good Men.

Impossible to know God perfectly here, in this World.

Not onely the good but the bad also are imitable in things they do well.

Injuries not onely to be forgiven but forgotten also.

Afflictions lead to Heaven.

Eternity of punishment in Hell.

God and his Attributes are answerable

Prosperity of the wicked is destructive.

Justifying faith accompanied with good works.

Talkers and not doers of Religion, are to be condemned.

The endeavours of Christ are for peace.

Study of the Tongues, to be encouraged.

The anger or wrath of God best appeased, when the sinner appeareth with Christ in his armes.

The Vanity of heaping up Riches.

The way to God, is a cross-way to the World.

How to know God's dwelling-place, Heaven.

The dissolution of all ages past, is to be a Memento for Posterity.

National knowledge of God, no true knowledge.

A formal specious Christian, no true Christian.

Order both in Church and State commanded and commended.

Security in time of danger condemned.

An ungodly life will have an ungodly end.

A child of God is restless, till he come to Heaven.

The use of the Creatures is conditional.

Vnpreparedness for death, very dangerous.

The wisdom of Christ above all earthly wisdom, even to admiration.

Not to be malicious in the exercise of holy duties.

Special places of Scripture marked with Gods special Authority.

In all our doings we should have our eye upon Eternity.

At the time of death to be mindful onely of Heaven.

A tongue nimble to evil, slow to goodness, is reproveable.

A Minister is to distinguish his Auditors.

Hopes of Heaven are the good mans encouragement.

The brevity of our life, may moderate our life.

Sacramental bread and wine, better then ordinary.

Our Affections to be regulated.

A contented man, no base spirited man.

The resolved Christian makes his way through all difficulties.

Afflictions adde unto the beauty of a true Christian.

A good Prince no advantage to a bad People.

Contentment brings in all things on a sudden.

A Godly man is bettered in evil Company.

The wonderful love of a true Christian to Christ Iesus.

Memory must be active.

Contentment keeps up the Soul in the saddest of conditions.

Outward blessings do not alwayes make a blessed Man.

A wicked man, hardly drawn to examine himself.

Pride, the complement of all sins.

A meer Souldier, an Enemy to peace.

Mortalities Memorandum.

Worldly men look after worldly things.

Goodness and Greatness seldom meet together.

Perseverance is the Crown of all good actions.

Prayers of the godly, the unanimity of them.

The powerful effects of Rhetorical Elocution.

A Caveat for unworthy Communicants.

Every good Minister to speak a word in season, opportunely.

Pardon of sins, the onely comfort.

The difference betwixt Sermons preached, and Sermons printed.

Princes and Governors to be prudetinally qualified.

A sad thing to lose both soul and body at one and the same time.

A good Magistrate or Minister is the support of the place where he lives.

The certainty of Faith.

The danger of unworthy Communicating.

A Minister to be careful in the delivery of God's message.

Graces lost in the soul, are to be made up onely in Christ.

Gods speciall love to his Children.

The strength of a true Christians love to Christ.

Self-tryall smoothes the way to all other tryals.

Adversity seeks God.

Carnall and spirituall men, their difference in doing good.

Faith makes us partakers of every good thing in Gods Ordinances.

Forgivenesse of one another, commanded and commended.

Good meanes, how to be used.

God by Afflictions drives us to Heaven.

A Sermon preached many years before, may be the means of salvation many years after.

The danger of Conventicles

The whole Armour of God to be put on.

God, slow to anger.

Harmony of the Scriptures.

Reformation pretended, Deformation intended.

Prayers not prevailing at present with God, how to be regulated.

The great danger of security in times of danger.

Promises of the Gospel are the poor mans supporter.

Ras•, inconsiderate Preaching condemned.

It is Man, not God that changeth.

Adversity rather then Prosperity, is the preserver of Piety.

The thought of Gods omnipresence, a great comfort in affliction.

The downfall of Piety and Learning to be deplored.

The exceeding bounty of God.

To wait with Patience God's leisure.

To be mindful of the day of Death.

The ruine of the Churches enemies to be desired.

The necessity of Catechising.

Time well spent.

A child of God is best known by his affections to God.

Iudges and Magistrates are to be the Patrons of Justice.

An argument of extream folly not to be mindful of death.

The sins of Blasphemy and Swearing, the commonness of them.

The consideration of eternall pain, to deter from the commission of sinne.

Seasonable Repentance, is safe Repentance.

The godly mans desires are above his reach.

The good of Government.

Death, the good Mans gain.

The greatest of Men, subjects of Mortality.

Death strips us of all worldly outward things.

The worth of a true Christian.

Magistrates to be advised in point of Iustice.

In getting the things of this World, Gods way is the best way.

How to judge of an Hypocrite.

A vain rich Man.

Reason must submit to Faith.

The patience of God provoked, turns to fury.

Distrustfull cares reproved.

No harm in Humility.

Mortality of the sinners life to be considered and deplored.

Satan subdued by Christ's death.

The experience of God's love, is to be a motive of better obedience.

A good Man is mindful of his latter end.

Patiently to wait God's leisure.

A good man will be a good Example to others.

Mortification of sin breedeth sense of sin.

How to take our pleasures and serve God too.

Consideration of Gods Omnipresence, to be the Sinners curb.

The readiest way to get Riches, is to trust God for them.

Time ill spent.

The worlds hard censure of the Godly Man.

The godly and ungodly, their different motions in goodness.

Self-conceited Men, blame•worthy Men.

Great Men, to be merciful Men.

A Rich Man is Gods Steward.

An Orthodoxal Christian, hath a like esteem of all Gods Ordinances.

Gods two hands, of Mercy, and Judgement.

A Wife to be subordinate to her Husband.

The fiery triall on the Church of God.

Religion pretended, mischiefe intended.

The Churches enemies, the Churches good.

The Devil's endeavour to darken the understanding.

The Devil's charge, and the sinners discharge.

The dangerous effects of Riches, being not well used.

Sin onely is the Godly man's terror.

Want of Love to be deplored.

Preparation, necessary before Prayer.

The Magistrate is to do Iustice and Right.

Weak ones, how to be catechised and instructed.

The Law, Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of it; Mans duty to attend it.

Not to make use of the present time, dangerous.

Ministers of all Men to be men of knowledge and understanding.

The Consideration of death, will cure all distempers.

How to use the things of this World.

Slandering of our Brother, the danger thereof.

An unregenerate Man, a careless Man.

Curiosity in the hearing of Gods word, condemned.

An humble heart, a contented heart.

Jobs true Heraldry.

Busie-bodies condemned

A Blessed thing to have God for our Lord.

A good Christian to be Heavenly minded.

The reward of Heaven will make amends for all

Extream folly, not to be mindful of Death.

A good name once lost, very hardly recovered again.

The best Christian, is the best Artist.

Magistrates, Ministers, and People, to be peaceably minded.

How it is that we may hate our Enemies.

Riches ill gotten, never prosper.

The excellent connexion of the Scriptures of God.

God the onely delight of his children.

A faint-hearted Christian described.

Diligence in our callings, commendable.

Different measures of Grace in different persons.

Drunkenness condemned.

God's time, the best time.

Truth seeks no corners.

To beware of the lusts of the flesh.

Ministers to cry down the sins of the time.

No Appeal from God's tribunal.

Corrections, Instructions.

Vnworthy Communicants, condemned.

Religion, not Reason, is the square of good actions.

God chastiseth his childrens security.

Christ in all his Excellencies, to be the Christian's Object.

The convenience of Virginity.

The certain prevalency of Prayer.

Infirmities to be in the best of God's children, and why so.

Man to be peacable, and why so.

Sanctification not wrought all at once, and why.

God, onely wise.

Magistrates to look to their Attendants.

God's Mercy above his Iustice.

Remedy for a hard heart to cure it.

Grace sometimes seemingly lost to a child of God.

The Scripture not to be jested withal.

The New Testament an exposition of the Old.

Interest in Christ, best of all.

God, slow to anger, and of great patience.

The fruits of Repentance, are to be as well outward as inward.

Government of the Tongue, commendable.

Ministers to stand up for the Truth.

Sin overthrows all.

Busie-bodies condemned.

Great Promises in Adversities, without performance in Prosperity, condemned.

Resurrection of the body proved by a natural demonstration.

Upon any great undertaking, God is first to be consulted withal.

Memory ought to be the Treasury of all goodness.

The retaining of one sin, spoiles a great deal of good in the soul.

Weak beginnings of Grace, not to be despised.

How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments.

Faith in the time of trial, needful.

Good Laws, and good men, are the Pillars of State.

Man's corrupt Judgement upon the bare appearance of things, condemned.

Beginnings of Goodness to be encouraged, and why?

Vnworthy Communicants reproved.

Self-conceitedness condemned as dangerous.

The Romanists error in the point of the Antiquity of Ceremonies

The Terrors of a guilty Conscience.

Atheism advanced by the distractions of the Church.

How to benefit by the Sacrament.

To submit to Gods will in all things.

The powerful eff•ct of the Word of God preached.

Great engagements to love one another.

The winning of a Soul unto God, very acceptable with God.

The great difficulty of forgiving one another.

Death is the true Christians advantage.

The great danger of not listning to the Word preached.

Vniversal Repentance.

Prudence and worldly Policy, uncertain.

Matter enough within us, to condemn us.

The giving up of our selves, an acceptable Sacrifice to God.

Heaven worth contending for.

Adoption of God's children, known by their Sanctification.

The danger of Worldly mindedness.

Gods delight in a relapsed Sinners repentance.

Vnworthy Communicants, condemned.

A sense of the want of Grace, a true sign of Grace.

Experimental knowledge, the onely knowledge.

The danger of loose Travel into forraign parts.

St. Augustine's Iudgement of the time of Christ's birth.

Good endeavours assisted by God.

To rejoyce with trembling.

Magistrates to be alwayes ready to do Justice.

Lex Talionis.

The power of God's word.

A good mans life preserved for the good of others.

The great difference of both good and bad, in life and death.

Opportunities of sin to be avoided.

How the good and the bad look upon death in a different manner.

The confidence of much knowledge, an argument of no knowledge.

Afflictions follow the godly man close in this world.

How to read the Scriptures, and books Apocryphal.

True Repentance will not admit of any sin.

The Scriptures Rhetorick.

God suffers wicked Men to torment his People.

Prosperity of the Wicked, a stumbling block to the Godly.

Time to be well husbanded.

Better live amongst beasts, then beastly minded Men.

One Man is to help another as God hath enabled him.

The health of the Soul, is the true health of the body.

Sorrows in this life, not comparable to the joyes of the other life.

Dangerous to pry into Gods Counsells and Secrets.

We die daily.

How faith justifieth alone.

To be mercifully minded, is praise-worthy.

To do as we would be done by.

Wisdom of the World proves folly.

Destruction is from our selves.

The Worlds Opposition, no obstacle to a child of God.

Unworthy Communicants, condemned.

Not to be children in understanding.

A competent Estate, the best Estate.

Not to continue angry.

Hearers and not doers of the Word, condemned.

Rich poor men.

The event of War uncertain.

No true comfort but in God.

Heart and tongue to go together.

All Creatures subject to Gods pleasure.

The inconsiderate Multitude.

The great goodness of God in sending his Son Iesus Christ to save s••ners.

Wantonness in Apparel, reproved.

The prevalency of repentant Tears.

The danger of introducing useless Ceremonies in the Church.

Momentany pleasure attended by sorrow eternal.

Knowledge not to be reserved.

Not to admire our own Learning or parts.

Consideration to be had in all undertakings.

Englands distractions.

The Hypocrite described.

God hath a peculiar blessing for his children.

To be active in the service of God.

Sin, attendant on the best of religious performances.

Not so much to eye the Creature, as the Creator, in all occurrents.

To have particular safety, in the midst of generall dangers is impossible.

Temperance cannot preserve a mans life, when God calls for it.

The sinner's care is more for his body, than for his soul.

Worldly thoughts to be set aside, before the receiving of the Sacrament.

Gods care of his Children, notwithstanding their severall aberrations.

The wicked worker hateth the light.

The word Brother, how far extended.

Salvation is the Lord's.

One sin never goes alone.

The great power of Envy.

Listning after vanity, reproved.

Knowledge and Practice must go together.

Dulness and drousiness in the service of God, reproved.

A good man bettered by Afflictions.

Christ compared to an Eagle.

The Hypocrites discovery of himselfe.

The Churches condition under the two Testaments.

The Kingdom of Heaven an everlasting Kingdom.

Gods Lawes obeyed, are the support of a Common-wealth.

All have not the same measure of Christ.

Ministers to teach as well the practice, as the knowledge of Religion.

Iustice described.

The Minister's labour though in succesful, yet rewarded by God.

The happy meeting of Body and Soul in the Resurrection.

The Popes policy to advance his Holiness.

The power of Faith reviving the deadly sin-sick soul.

To sin against the mercies of God, is to double our Sins.

A true sense of wanting Grace, is an argument of having Grace.

Not to rest in outward performances of Duty, because dangerous.

The great return of a faithfull Prayer.

Moderation, little set by.

The powerfull effect of Gods Word painfully preached.

Anabaptisticall zeal, condemned.

Grace in the heart may be a long time concealed.

How to prevent wavering mindednesse.

Parents care, only to enrich their Children, reproved.

The folly and danger of self-conceitedness.

Hope well, and have well.

Bloody-minded Men condemned.

Sathan's policy to ensnare us, by the observance of our Natures.

All things come from God, who is therefore to be praised.

Sanctification wrought by degrees.

To be thankfull unto God at all times, especially in Prosperitie.

To be carefull for our Souls good.

To be alwaies prepared for Death.

God will have the whole heart in his service:

A good Sermon not to be so much questioned as practised.

Gods goodness ought to procure Mans thankfulnesse.

Strange sins, strange punishments.

The souls▪ delight once set upon God, hardly to be removed.

The Incorrigibility of Errour.

The sloathful contractednesse of our prayers unto God, reproved.

The difficulty of returning unto God, having long strayed from him.

The Grace of God, the onely Armour of proof.

God both powerfull and merciful.

The excellencies of Christ are theirs that are in him.

The best improvement of worldly sorrow.

Flesh and Spirit, their opposition.

The conversion of great ones to be endeavoured for examples sake.

The differences betwixt Papist and Protestants, not easily reconciled.

The souls breathing after Christ in time of trouble.

Gods moderate answer to the Prayers of his people.

Baptismall water, the power and virtue thereof.

The folly of Youth, discovered and reproved.

To shun ill Company.

Hearing the Word, and not meditating thereon, dangerous.

Outward formality onely, in the service of God, condemned.

Conversion of a sinner, wrought by degrees.

Not to be ashamed of the profession of Christ.

Man to be Sociable.

Ministers, to live according to that Doctrine, which they teach others.

Englands Ingratitude to God.

The Papists blind Zeal discovered.

Saints in glory, what they hear and see:

God, a mighty God.

Drunkennesse, the shame of England.

To trust in God, who is the great Lord Protector of his people.

How to come off well, in ill Company.

Greatness and Goodness, well met together.

Prosperity of the wicked, destructive.

Gods people meet with many discourgements in the World.

The great comfort of heavenly meditation.

God gives warning before he smites.

Excess of Apparell, condemned.

The dangerous example of wicked Governours.

How to use Riches.

The great danger of concealed knowledge.

How the Gospel propagateth it selfe.

Englands distractions to be Englands peaceable directions.

Deformity of body not to be contemned.

Profession and Practice, to go together.

All men and things subject to Mortality.

Faith in Christ, the onely support in the time of Trouble.

Nothing but Christ to be esteemed, as of any worth.

Humility, the way to Glory.

A Kingdome divided within it self, cannot long stand.

Not to continue angry.

The great State of Heaven.

Every man to be active in his place.

How to get into Heaven.

The strength of Imagination, demonstrated.

The heavenly Conquerour, the happy Conquerour.

Ignorance of Gods minde, will not excuse at the last.

Preposterous Zeal reproved.

The danger of Stage-plaies.

Profit, is the great god 〈◊〉 the World.

The poor distressed mans comfort, by his appeal unto God.

The Charity of former times, abused in these times.

Covetousness and Contentment, inconsistent.

Not to be in love with Sinne.

The sad effests of a wounded Conscience.

Multitudes of Times-servers.

Gods spiritual blessing upon a mans employment in his Calling.

Good Men as the Pillars of both Church and State, to be preserved.

A contented Mind, suits with all Conditions.

To be thankfull unto God in all Conditions.

Church-spoilers, condemned.

Wicked Men, instrumental for the good of Gods Children.

Riches, Honour, &c. the Devils bait.

Neglect of Prayer unto God, condemned.

Not to serve Time, but Eternity.

Gods tryal of his Children by Afflictions.

Cares and Crowns inseparable.

God wills not the death of a sinner.

Married men, better Common-wealths-men than Batchelers.

One foul sin spoyleth a great deal of grace.

The benefit of keeping close to good Principles.

The sinner's Memento.

Kings and corrivalls, inconsistent.

Easie to come into trouble, hard to get out.

Divisions usher in destruction.

When sins are at the heighth, then comes destruction.

The Tongue is the Hearts Interpreter.

Gods Power, Wisdom, &c. To be seen in all the Creatures.

Great safety, in attending to the Ministry of the Word.

Hypocrifie discovered.

To speak well of the Dead.

The encrease of Drunkennesse in England.

How to walk circumspectly.

The great danger of Law-suits.

Conscientious Preachers, not to be sleighted.

The benefit of self-Examination.

Harlots, the Devils night-nets to ensnare us.

The Pharisee and the Publican, differenced.

The Court-favourite's condition.

Every Man haunted with one evill spirit or other.

Want of Maintenance, the waste of Religion.

Spoilers of Church and State, condemned.

God regardeth and rewardeth his People.

Gods wisdom, to be attended with Patience.

A worldly minded Man, no publique spirited Man.

Time present to be well husbanded.

Mortalitie's Memorandum.

Worldly men are easily taken off from the service of God.

The reverence of Man more than God, a true signe of a decaying State or Kingdom.

The honour and dignity of the Ministry, and why so?

How Enemies are to behated.

The great good which commeth by Enemies.

Prayers for the Dead, unavailable.

Knowledge without Practice, reproved.

Blamelessnesse of life, enjoyned.

The tedious length of Law-suits.

The true Christians safety in danger.

Godlinesse, the best friend.

When the Hypocrite is discovered.

Manna, the heavenly food of God's Word, how to relish it.

The joyes of Gods Children, invisible.

Gods trial of his Children by Afflictions.

The silent coming of Gods spirit into the heart of Man.

Gods trial of his Children by cleansing their hearts.

The Sinners security.

Man, the best and the worst of Creatures.

The fall of Man described.

The sloathful Christian, reproved.

Prosperity of the wicked, destructive.

Gods acceptance of Sinners through Christ.

The Christians heart never quiet till it be in Christ.

Christ, the proper food of the Soul.

Prayers of the wicked ineffectuall.

The ingratefull Christian, reproved.

The great danger of little Sinnes.

A worldly minded Man, no heavenly minded Man.

The great power of fervent Prayer.

University-Learning, to be countenanced by men in Authority.

The life of Man, miserable▪

Ministers, of all men, to be painfull in their Calling.

Joy, how to be regulated.

The study of Divinity, most necessary.

Severall varieties to be found in Scripture.

Ministers, how to preach profitably.

The Scriptures but a dead letter, without operation of the Spirit.

The falls of good Men, presage the Nation's ruine.

Neutrality in Religion, dangerous.

The Devill most busie in time of Prayer.

Sense of sin, is from God onely.

Leud Ministers, what they are like unto.

Not to admit of impediments in our way to Heaven.

But one sure way to Heaven.

Love of the World, enmity to God.

The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions &c.

Who fit for Government in point of temporall estate.

The unthankfull Husbandman, condemned.

The providence of God, to be eyed at all times.

To make Christ our Lord and Master.

A wanting Ministery will soon become a contemptible Ministery.

God to have the glory of all.

How it is that one Man censureth another.

To be thankfull to God as well in Adversity as Prosperity.

The doctrine of Seducers dangerous.

God seeketh his People more especially in his own House, the Church.

The sincere Preachers comfort.

God afflicts his Children for their good

The Godly Man is Gods favourite.

Christians and their Knowledge, to be communicative.

The waies of Hypocrites, not easily traced.

Mans Inconstancy.

The sincere Preacher's courage.

To make God our Counsellor.

Minding of the great day of Judgement, a meanes to live Godlily.

The great power of faith seated in the heart of Man.

Blasphemous language condemned.

Drowsiness in Prayer to be avoided.

The least measure of true faith, rewarded.

Hypocrisie, the generality of it.

The justice of God what it is, and how defined.

Iustification by Christ, the extent of it.

How is it that the proceedings of God in his Justice, are not so clearly dis•erned.

Resolution in the cause of God, very requisite.

To be carefull in the censure of others.

Prejudice in Judgement, very dangerous.

The Hypocrite Characteristically laid open.

The policy of Tyrants, in doing many good things for the publique.

To make good use of Opportunity.

Not to talke of our good Deeds.

God, a mercifull God.

Change of Government, not to be affected.

Like to like.

A Man full of talk, full of Vanity.

How to read with profit.

The severall expressions of God in his Mercies, and why so?

Love to Christ, how to be recovered when it is once lost.

The generality of Gods knowledge.

Gods goodness, and Mans ingratitude.

The right use that is to be made of Dreams.

Consultation with flesh and bloud, in the waies of Heaven, is very dangerous.

The sad condition of adding sin to sin.

Preaching and Prayer, to go together.

Man losing himselfe in the pursuit after knowledge Extraordinary.

Slanders of wicked men, not to be regarded.

How to be truly Humble.

Men of other Callings, not to meddle with that of the Ministry.

Charity mistaken.

The necessity of •umane Learning.

No Man able to free himself from Sin.

To promise much and perform little, reproveable.

Partiall Hearers of Gods word, reproved.

Afflictions happen both to good and bad, but to severall ends.

The study of School-divinity, not altogether necessary.

Atheism condemned.

Heaven, the inheritance of Gods children.

God in wisdom ordering all things to work together for the good of his Children.

The unprofitable Rich man.

To beware of erronious Doctrine.

Atheism punished.

Truth beloved in the generall, but not in the particular.

The confident Christian.

To take Time, while time serves.

The workings of God and Man, very different.

A wicked life hath usually a wicked end.

The telling of Truth, begets batred.

Men not repairing to the Church of God, reproved.

Grace seemingly lost in the Soul.

Men, not to run themselves into trouble.

How to behold our selves in the Glasse of Gods Law.

Men of all sorts to stand up for the Truth.

Kingdom of Christ, a peaceable Kingdom.

Recreation, the necessity thereof.

The great benefit of Devotion at bed time.

To accept the event of things with Patience.

To be carefull in the prevention of Danger.

The folly of late Repentance.

Watchfulnesse of life, rewarded.

How to behave our selves in the hearing of Gods word.

Learning and Honesty to go together.

Carnall Security reproved.

The time of our Youth to be given up to God.

Time, the least moment thereof cannot be assured.

Lawfull Recreation, the benefit thereof.

A man not well principled in his Religion, unstable in all his waies.

The want of Zeal in the cause of God, reproved,

How Faith alone may be said to justifie.

The Commandements of God, the reasonablenesse of them.

To be servent in Prayer.

Parents not to be over carefull, to make their Children rich.

To be zealous in the cause of God.

Christ to be received into our hearts by Faith.

Sermon not done, till practised.

Christ, the poor mans Object, as well as the rich mans.

Ministers to be encouraged and protected against the plots of wicked men, and why so?

Meditations of Death, the benefit thereof.

Men to be helpfull one to another.

Graces, to stock them up against a day of trouble.

Man since the fall of Adam, subject to the Creatures.

To trust in God onely.

Insensibility of Death, reproved.

Men to bear with one anothers Infirmities.

The great danger of sleighting the least Sinne.

Marriage to be sought of God by Prayer.

The heighth of Patience.

The prevalency of a good Example.

Faults in manners, and Errours in Doctrine, to be distinguished in the matter of Reproof.

Judgement-day, the terrors of it to the wicked.

Christ seen more clearly under the Gospel, than under the Law.

Not to give occasion that Religion be ill-spoken of.

The loss of a faithfull Ministery, not to be sleighted, And why so?

The secure Worldlings suddain ruine.

A child of God preserved by God, though never so much slighted by the World.

True knowledge never rests on the Creature, till it center in God the Creator.

How it is that wicked men are said to hasten death.

How to be made like unto Christ.

The certainty, not the time of our Calling, to be so much looked into.

Without Faith, impossible to please God.

All alike in Death.

Ingratitude reproved.

Gods fundamentall love of Election, and actuall love of Adoption, how distinguished.

Faith, the root of all Graces.

The Ministers partiality in the reproof of sin, condemned.

To be charitable Christians, and why so?

Regeneration, the necessity thereof.

A man of Learning speaks little.

Death, the end of all.

The incorrigible Sinners stupidity.

Regeneration the onely work of Gods spirit.

Scripture-comforts, the onely true comforts.

The deaths of friends and others, not be sleighted.

Prayers to be made unto God in Christs name.

To be mindfull of Death at all times.

Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice.

Gods Omniscience.

Worldly things cannot really help us.

Whether it be lawfull to desire Death.

Knowledge in Politicall affairs, very uncertain.

Sacramentall Bread and Wine, how differenced from others.

Worldly things, their suddain downfall.

Magistrates called to do Justice at all times.

All Knowledge but in part.

To be deliberate in our Prayers unto God.

Merit-mongers confuted.

Humility occasioned, by the consideration of our former and present condition.

Profession to be joyn'd with Practice.

Time, to be well husbanded.

The sad condition of Church and State, not to be sleighted.

The great comfort of a good Conscience.

Active Christians, the onely Christians.

Sin not consented unto, excusable before God.

Humility advanced.

Negligent hearing of Gods word, condemned.

To persevere in goodness to the end.

Prayer, the onely meanes to supply all defects.

The faithfull Servants of God, well Rewarded.

Sinnes of infirmity, how to be known from other sins.

Christ the onely object of the devout Soul.

God a just God, as well as a merciful God.

The Ministers duty.

God bringing Order out of Confusion.

The lawfulnesse of Stage-playes questioned.

Ministers to be painfull, in the discharge of their duty.

Danger of distracted Prayer.

The danger of Self-confidence.

The Devills plot, to root out Learning.

Ministers of Gods Word, to be constant in the preaching thereof.

The Heart of Man, author of all good and bad actions.

Custom of sin, no excuse for the committing of sin.

Peoples ingratitude to their Minister, condemned.

Self-seeking men reproved.

The true cause of Christian thankfulnesse.

Perjury attended by Gods Iudgments.

Swelling big words of wicked men, not to be regarded.

Men of self-ends condemned.

Good Christians alwaies thankful unto God.

Parents to be carefull what they say in presence of Children.

To beware of Relapses in sin.

Excellency of the Scripture-phrase.

Christian Apparrelling.

Changing of this life for a better, no matter of griefe.

Drunkennesse, Whoredom, &c. the generality of them amongst us.

Ministers to preach plainly as well as learnedly, to the capacity of their Hearers,

The Sinners wilfull blindness, condemned.

The hasty unexpected death of friends, not to be matter of excessive sorrow.

Death, the meditation thereof profitable to the Souls conversion.

The great usefulnesse of Scripture-phrase.

Conversion of a sinner, painfully wrought.

The Hypocrite characterised.

Scripture-knowledge and Scripture-practice to go together.

Eloquence, if not affected, an excellent gift of God.

Profession without Practice, signifieth nothing.

The heart of a true Christian restlesse, without Christ.

A b•sie-body described.

God rewarding the least of faithfull service done unto him.

God accepts the meanest of Graces.

The Name of God to be had in reverence.

Slanderers discovered.

God onely to be eyed in the midst of Afflictions.

Great sins attended by great judgments.

The mystery of the blessed Trinity unconceivable.

A Man to be wise for himselfe as well as for others.

To be Patient under Gods afflicting •and, And why so?

Sin, of a destructive nature.

Mans happinesse consisteth onely in Gods free Election.

Glory, to be given unto God onely.

Children to be begged of God by prayer.

Parsimony in times of publique danger, condemned.

The Devils policy to defile the Soul with Sin.

Reconciliation with God in Christ, to be made sure.

Husbands not to be Uxorious.

Restitution, the necessity thereof.

Riot and excesse, condemned.

How God may be said to will and nill the death and punishment of a sinner.

Morning Prayers commended.

Faithfull servants of God, the paucity of them.

Men and Women are not to wear each others Apparell.

Sorrow that is true, is for the most part silent.

The known Law of any Nation, to be the rule of Obedience.

No true cause of Rejoycing in this world.

Controversies, especially in matters of Religion, dangerous

Daily Examination of our selves, the comfort of it.

Repentant tears purging the Heart from pollutions of Sin• e.

Scandalous and seditious Books and Pamphlets fit for the fire.

Men easily drawn by their own Naturall corruption.

To be affected with the falling of others into Sin.

The World to be contemned in regard of Heaven.

Christian Modesty, commendable.

Not to be daunted at Afflictions.

The Law bringing Mento the sight of themselves.

The painfull Preachers poverty, the idle Impropriators plenty.

Every Man to be perswaded of his own death.

The great danger of any one Sin unrepented of.

Curses usually fall on the Cursers own head.

To be alwayes prepared for Death.

The sad condition of Man falling away from God.

The madnesse of Ministers, Magistrates, &c. not to be guided by that Counsell they give to others.

Christ nothing but Love all over.

Needfull Requisites, to make up a profitable Hearer of Gods Word.

Friendship to be made with God in Christ Iesus.

Heaven, Men desirous to be there, but will not take pains to come thither.

To be Charitable to the poor and needy.

Why God suffereth the dearest of his Children to want outward things.

Men to be compassionate one towards another.

The impartiality of Death.

Unhappy prosperity of the wicked.

Heaven, the way to it through tribulation.

The Scriptures not to be plaid withall.

Vncertain prosperity of the wicked.

Atheism will unman any Man.

Riches ill gotten, never prosper.

God onely heareth and answereth the Prayers of his People.

Happiness and blessednesse, the onely things esirable.

The just Reward of Treachery, and false dealing.

The great danger of sleighting Church-assemblies.

Conversion of a Sinner, not wrought all at once.

Not to answer one angry word with another.

The compleatest armed Man of War, naked without Gods protection

Works of Mercy, very rare to be found amongst us.

Eloquence not to be abused.

The poor Debitors comfort.

Works of mercy, not to be put off from one to another.

God, to be •eared in his Judgments.

Conscience to be looked on, as a Register of all our actions,

Trades and occupations, the wisdom of our fore-fathers, in the invention and keeping them up.

Not to rejoyce at the afflictions of others.

Cares attendant on the Kingly office, and men in Authority.

Prayer, turning Earth into Heaven.

To passe by the offences of our Brethren.

Kingdomes and Common-wealths, their successions from God.

The whole Heart to be given to God.

The good Christians comfort, in time of the Churches trouble.

The sad condition of People, under Tyrannicall Government.

Graces of Gods spirit not given in vain.

Sacriledge justly rewarded, to take heed of committing it.

The comfortable Resurrection of Gods poore despised People.

Conversion of a sinner, matter of great rejoycing.

Childrens Christian instruction, the great benefit thereof.

The joyes of Heaven, not to be expressed.

Love to be preserved with all Men.

Every Man to labour that he may be a new Creature.

Vnder-agents and Instruments to be looked unto, in matters of Justice.

Remedy against Vain-glory.

The sad condition of a Worldly-minded Man at the time of Death.

Not to regard what men say Ill, if Conscience say Well.

All sin to be repented of, and the reason why.

Publick Worship of God, not to be entered upon, without due preparation.

Man to be a sociable, communicable Creature.

Papists and Sectaries, seducing their followers.

Not the length, but the fervency of Prayer, required.

Division, the great danger thereof.

Desperation, the Complement of all sins.

A covetous man never satisfied.

A true child of God, half in Heaven, whils the is on Earth.

Hope in God, the best hold-fast.

An account of Gods knowledge, not to he made out by the wisest of men.

Atrue child of God being delivered out of the bondage of Sathan, made more carefull for the future.

Riches, Beauty, Wisdom, &c. in comparison of God, are lying vanities.

Joy in the midst of Affliction.

Reverend and devout behaviour to be used in the Church of God.

No Promise to be made, but with reference to Gods good pleasure.

All men to be highly affected with the Name of Jesus.

To attend upon God in his Ordinances.

To see a necessitated Minister, matter of great grief.

Baptism renounced, by the leudnesse of life and conversation.

Sinfull Prayers, not heard by God.

The blessed guidance of Gods holy Spirit, to be implored.

Angells, ministring unto Gods people for their good.

Men are apt to be unthankful in Prosperity.

How it is that the strength of Imagination prevailes so much in matters of Religion.

Submission to the Will of God in all things enjoyned.

Every day to be looked on as the day of Death.

It is Grace, not place, that keeps a Man from sinning.

Every peaceable frame of Spirit and confident perswasion of Gods love, is not a sure testimony that such a one is in the state of Grace.

True comfort in the Word of God onely.

God afflicting his Children for the improvement of their Graces.

The readinesse of God to pardon poor Repentant Sinners.

How it is that Ministers find so little success of their labours in Preaching the Gospel.

Christ the eternall Son of God, properly and significantly called, The Word, Iob. 1. 1.

True Christians are fruitfull Christians.

Christ making himself and all that be hath over, to the good of his Church and People.

How it is, that every man hath one darling sin or other.

How to make a right use of Gods Promises.

God looking upon His Church, with a more speciall eye of Providence.

The sad condition of all impenitent Sinners.

God, as he is a God of mercy, so he is a God of judgment, and therefore not to be provoked.

Promises of God, the excellency and comforts that are to be found in them.

The griping Usurer and his Broker, characterised.

The danger of fleshly lusts to be avoided.

A prudentiall piece of State-policy, for the continuance of Peace.

How it is that Age becomes truly honourable.

To commit our selves to God in all things, and to be thankfull to his holy Name.

The good of Quietnesse, and evill of Contention.

The sin of Bribery, condemned.

Commendable silence.

The distemper of Sin, not easily cured.

Men to stand up for the credit of their places.

The great mystery of the Hypostaticall union in Christ, shadowed out by way of Similitude.

Rich men to consider their beginnings, and be thankfull.

Sloathfulnesse and luke-warmnesse in Religion, forerunners of evill to come.

Mans great Vanity in proposing to himselfe long life.

How it is, that a prudent man may lawfully comply with the Times.

The difference betwixt a good and bad Memory.

Oath, or Covenant-breakers, not to be trusted.

The unresolved mans inconstancy.

The truly noble Souldier.

How it is, that the self-conceited vain-glorious man deceives himself.

How it is, that Children are very bardly drawn from their naturall inclinations.

The different conditions of men in the matter of Society, laid open.

Ministers to be accountable unto God, for what they have received.

How it is, that the People, as to the generality, are incompetent judges of the Preacher and his Doctrin.

How it is, that at the second comming of Christ to Judgment, the frame of the World shall not be consumed, but repairednew.

To be warned by the miseries of others.

Repentance not to be put off till old Age.

In all Deliverances spiritual and temporall, to give God the Glory.

Self-conceitednesse in matters of Religion, condemned.

The wrath of God to be appeased by timely Repentance.

Rash, inconsiderate Service or worship of God, condemned.

Faith, though weak, yet rewarded; And why so?

All must dye.

Why it is that we must be Charitable to all Men.

Not to grieve or be troubled at the worlds discourtesies; And why so?

To regulate our Wills by Gods Will.

To appear before God in all humility, how high soever our condition be.

How it is, that Faith is the first act of Repentance.

The comfortable art of spiritualizing the severall occurrences of the world and observing God's providences therein.

Men hardly drawn out of old customs and forms in Religious Worship.

The great love of Christ, to he at an high esteeem; and why so?

Faith to be preserved as the head of all Graces, and why so?

Troubles and vexation of spirit, not to be allayed by wrong means and waies.

Prosperity will discover what a man is.

Gods ends, and mans ends, as to the persecution of his Church, the vast difference betwixt them.

The serious confession of one sinner to another, may be the conversion of one the other.

The not laying of the Church's troubles to heart, reproovable.

Heaven, the poor Saints comfortable inheritance.

The not growing in Grace, reproved.

Whilst we are here in this World to provide for Heaven hereafter.

As we are called Christians, to bear up our selves like Christians.

To take especial care for the Soul's safety.

Idlenesse, the very inlet to all Temptations.

Action, the very life of the Soul.

The true Repentant sinners encouragement, notwithstanding all his former wickedness.

Not to be troubled at the Prosperity of the Wicked; And why so?

Godly and wicked Men, their difference in the hatred of Sinne.

Custome in Sin, causeth hardnesse in Sin.

The more a Man is now troubled for sinne, the lesse shall he be troubled hereafter; And why so?

How it is that the singling out of one beloved Sin, makes way to a full sight of all sin.

Assured Christians, must be patient Christians.

Worldly-mindednesse, a great •inderance to the comfortable enjoyment of spirituall graces.

God so ordereth it, that few or none of his People live and dye without assurance of their Salvation.

Grace in the heart is certain, though the feeling thereof be uncertain, And how so.

The great danger of taking up a false perswasion of our effectuall Calling.

Sin committed with deliberation, premeditation, &c. greatly provoke the Spirit of God.

A Reprobate and Regenerate Man, their different enjoyment of the motions of the holy Spirit.

The motions of Gods Spirit in wicked Men, tend to outward formality.

How it is to be understood, That the Holy Spirit dwelleth in us.

To take heed of smaller sinnes, as bringing on greater.

Corruption of Nature, left even in the most Regenerate Men to humble them.

Not to consult with Gods secrets, but his revealed word.

The consideration of Mercies formerly enjoyed, an excellent means to bear up our spirits under present Afflictions.

Not to mourn excessively for the losse of any worldly enjoyment whatsoever; And why so?

Not to be troubled at Afflictions, because God intends good by them.

How to know whether we are more grieved for sin, then for worldly Sorrow and Trouble.

Worldly-crosses turned into spirituall advantages.

How to become true Possessors of Riches.

All Wordly comforts, transitory.

How it is, that a Man may be said to abuse the lawfull comforts of this life.

The things of this World, vain and uncertain.

Present occasion of Time to be made use of.

The sick Mans sorrow.

True saving faith, though never so weak, is all in all.

God onely to be sought unto for safety, in the time of eminent distresse.

The abundant love of Christ in dying for our Sins.

How it is that the Hypocrite deceives himselfe in seeking after God.

Men covering their Sins with specious pretences, reproved.

Miseries attendant on the Haters of Gods People.

All out of Order.

The excellency of godly Sorrow for Sin.

Evill Company, a great hinderance in the wayes of God.

The difference betwixt a Spirituall and Worldly Man, in the wayes of God and goodnesse.

Parents to be careful in the education of their Children.

Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ, above all humane Learning whatsoever.

How it is that we must follow the things that make for Peace.

How it is, that War there may and must be, in the Church of God, but not Contention.

Difference of Judgment hath, and ever will, be in the Minds of Men; And why so?

Men not to be Censurers of one another.

The joyful coming of Christ Jesus in the Flesh.

Hard to be drawn from Custome in Sin.

The commodity and discommodity of Learning.

Holinesse, an excellent thing.

The least Man in the Ministery, not to be contemned.

The Minister and Magistrate to go hand in hand together.

The great danger in commission of little Sins.

The Worldling's inordinate desires; And why so?

To beware of masked specious Sins.

No true Happinesse to be found in the best of Creatures here below.

How it is, that Faith challengeth a superiority above other Graces.

Men not living as if they had Souls to save, reproved.

Honour and Greatnesse, the Vanity of them.

Present Time to be well husbanded.

Frequent Meditation of Death, the great benefit thereof.

The great difference betwixt life naturall, and life Spirituall.

Men not to hasten their own Deaths, but submit to the Will of God, And why so?

Assurance of Gods Love, the onely Comfort.

A Faithfull, modest Friend, very hard to be found.

The good Names of Gods people, though now obscured, yet hereafter will be cleared.

Men to be thankfull for the little strength of Grace that God affordeth.

True real Friendship very hard to be found.

How it is, that the Preaching of the Gospel is of a double and contrary operation upon different persons.

Tongue, the Hearts interpreter.

The Sin of Bribery condemned.

No Man free from Temptations.

The Holy Scriptures to be made the rule of all our actions.

Charity rewarded to the full.

Why it is, that they which have the strongest Graces are subject to the strongest corruptions.

Grace and goodnesse to be highly esteemed even in Men of the lowest condition.

Love, Vnity, and Peace, the best supporters of Kingdoms, Common-weals, &c.

Self-seekers, reproved.

How it is, that Men are so much mistaken in the thoughts of long life.

The generality of Men, nothing mindfull of Death.

Beloved Sins hardly parted withall.

The Wicked Rich Mans sad condition at the time of Death.

Conscience spoils the wicked Mans mirth.

Sathans subtilty in laying his Temptations.

How it is that Soul and Body come to be both punished together.

A blessed thing to have Riches and a Heart to use them aright.

The great danger of Use in jesting at Religion and Piety.

Service of God, perfect Freedome.

The excellency of Resolution in the cause of God.

Gods omniscience necessarily demonstrated from his omnipresence.

To be Zealous for the honour of Jesus Christ as he is the eternal Son of God.

Politicians spoyled in the height of wicked designs.

Consideration of Gods omnipresence, a strong motive to Christian confidence.

The consideration of Gods omnipresence, to be a disswasive from Sin.

Courts of Iudicature to be free from all manner of Injustice.

Ministers advised in the method of Profitable Preaching.

Fear of Hell to be a restraint from the least Sin.

Daily amendment of life enjoyned to the making up of the new Creature.

Gods great patience, notwithstanding Mans provocations.

How it is, that there may be partial desertions of Spiritual Grace in the Souls of Gods dearest Children, but never totall nor final ones.

Compleat Christian duty.

Directions for both strong and weak in Faith how to demean themselves as to the matter of Gods Providence.

How it is, that the strength of Imagination perswades so much out of the way in matters of Religion.

How it is that so many deceive themselves in their not rightly searching the Scriptures.

The Subtile-Hypocrite.

The danger of immoderate Zeal against those of another judgment; And how so.

The All-sufficient Goodnesse of Christ Iesus.

Men easily taken off from their Holy Profession upon removall of Iudgment, condemned.

Humility appeaseth Gods anger.

Pleasures of Sin, the miseries of them.

The People of God to be at Peace one with another, and why so?

The emptinesse of all Worldly delights without Christ.

People to shew love to their Ministers in the Vindication of their credits.

Every Man to be wise for himself, as well as for others.

Neglect of the main duties of Christianity, reproved.

Pleasures of Righteousnesse, not discerned by unrighteous Men; And how so.

Gods different disposal of his blessings.

The encrease of Atheism amongst us at this day.

Men to be willing to have their Sins reproved; And why so.

The great danger of not reconciling our selves unto God.

Ringleaders of Faction and Schism, their condition deplorable.

When it is that a Man is said to thorowly forsake his Sin.

Mortification, the excellency thereof.

Consideration of the brevity of life, to work the heart of Man to Contentment.

The Scripture discovering Satan and Sin in its colours.

Sathan's policy in keeping us off from timely Repentance.

Men through spiritual Pride preferring one Preacher before another, reproved.

The weaknesse of a Christian without Christ.

Men seeking after the Vanities of all Worldly things, reproved.

The true Christian's desires are all for Heaven.

Men to keep up the credit of their Names.

Negligence in the wayes of God, reproved.

No way to Happinesse but by Holinesse.

Men deluded by Satan in not taking the right notion of Sin.

Gods love to his Children in the midst of spirituall desertions, And how so?

The day of Death becomes the good Mans comfort; And how so?

Heavenly happinesse not to be expressed.

Men to be constant in the performance of holy Duties.

How it is that there are so many Professors of Religion, and so few Christians and Practisers of Religion.

Gods comfortable presence in the midst of spiritual desertions.

The Christians spiritual growth, when seemingly dead and declining.

Backwardnesse in the service of God, reproved.

Religion consisting in duty both to God and Man.

The paucity of true Believers.

Spiritual sloath in the wayes of God, reproved.

To be more carefull for the Body then the Soul, a thing justly reproveable.

The nature and properties of the Holy Spirit set forth for our instruction in the similitude of a Dove.

Magistrates, Ministers, &c. to be Examples of good unto others, and why so?

God to have all the glory.

Man to be thankfull unto God upon consideration of the Creatures.

Riches, the danger of them being not well used.

Mortification, the great necessity thereof.

The excellency of Vnity in Church and Common-weale.

Love, the great want thereof to be deplored.

Alms-giving, how to be regulated.

Vnanimity, the excellency thereof.

The formal Christian described.

God afflicting his Children to try their sincerity.

The Original and excellency of the Hebrew Tongue.

Justice commutative, to do as we would be done by.

God exercising the Graces of his Children.

Inhumanity condemned.

How far there may be a lawful compliance with others of different Judgment.

Rulers and Men in Authority, subject to many failings in Government.

The least degree of true saving Faith, accepted by God.

Gods Children afflicted, to make them perfect.

Resurrection of the Just, asserted.

The inestimable valew of Christ Jesus.

To depend upon Gods bare Word.

The day of Death better then the day of life.

Men to be prepared for Crosses, Afflictions, Troubles, &c.

Mans Extremity, Gods Opportunity.

Parents not to be too much dejected for the death of an onely Sonne or Child.

How it is that Men may be said to learn of little Children, dumb shews, &c.

Gods Judgments, the causes of them to be considered.

The Love of God, the onely true Love.

The Active Christian, object of the Devil and Wicked Mens malice.

When lighter Afflictions will not serve the turn, God will send heavier.

Zeal of Heathens to their false Gods, condemning that of Christians to their true God.

Ministers to be carefull in the practice of that which they preach unto others.

No comfortable return of Prayer till Sin be removed.

Knowledge and Learning to be owned wheresoever they be found.

Merit-mongers condemned.

He that truly feareth God, passeth not for the affronts of Men.

How every good Christian is to order his life.

Men to hear the Word of God, though they come with prejudicate thoughts.

The great work of Repentance not to be deferr'd; and why so?

Likenesse to be a motive to lovelinesse.

Spirituall and corporall blindnesse, their difference.

Good Conscience, a Mans best Friend at the last.

The captivated Soul, restless till it be in Christ Iesus.

Sin, of a dangerous spreading Nature.

Lex talionis.

Anabaptisticall spirits, their madnesse.

Not to be at peace with Sin.

Ministers, to be had in respect by the People.

The good Mans comfort in Death.

To beware of Errors and erronious Teachers.

The way of Religion irksome in the beginning, but comfortable in the end.

Lewdnesse of the Preachers life, no warrant to sleight the Ordinance of Preaching.

Wicked Men, made by God instrumentall for the good of his People.

How it is that one Man may be said to be punished for another Mans sin.

The Souls comfortable enjoyment of Christ.

Unhappy Prosperity, happy Adversity.

Every Wicked Man, a curse to the place he lives in.

The Souls restlesnesse till it be united unto Christ.

Partiality of affection in hearing Sermons, condemned.

Every Man to confesse that his own Sin is the cause, though not alwaies the occasion, of punishment.

Ministers of the Gospel, to be of godly lives and conversations.

The right use of humane Learning.

Happinesse of him that hath the Lord to be his God.

Catechizing, an excellent way to instruct Youth.

To rest contented with Gods good will and pleasure.

The Poorest Man may in his Calling do very very good service unto God.

The happy succession of a Christian Family.

No Salvation but by the Mercies of God in Christ Jesus.

An Hypocrite being true to none, is beloved of none.

The Churches sad condition to be laid to heart.

Mercies of God in Christ Jesus, the danger of dallying with them.

God, not to he set out by any Representation or Image to the eye of Man.

In time of Prosperity to provide for Adversity.

Mercies of God in Christ Jesus to be sought while they may be found.

A great fault in Women not to nurse their own Children.

The implacable malice of Wicked Men against Professors of the Gospel.

The Multitude, not to be guided by them.

Every Man to think the best of his own Wife.

To be ready to suffer persecution by Christs Example.

Pride, the vanity thereof.

More Teachers then Learners.

Prosperity of the Wicked, not to be envied at.

To be Watchfull in the performance of holy Duties.

Magistra•es, Ministers, &c. to be Men of courage.

To be Temporate in meat and drink.

Consideration of the shortnesse of life, to be a Memento of Death.

Practice of the Law abused.

Flesh and bloud not to be hearkned unto.

The benefit of Meditation, as to the mollifying of the Heart.

A good Wish to good Government.

The wayes of Godlinesse more comfortable then Worldly Men can imagine.

The necessity of divine Meditation.

A Wife to be an House-Wife.

Few or no Friends to be found in time of Adversity.

Divine Meditation, the beginnings thereof in the matter of practice, very difficult.

Men to bear with the Infirmities of their Wives.

Piety, not promotion, that makes up a Godly Minister.

Friendship tryed in times of Affliction.

Natural Wants and weaknesses, not to be objected against the practice of Divine Meditation.

The greatest boasters, the smallest doers.

God rewarding the least of good done to his People.

Want of matter not to be pretended against the practice of Divine Meditation.

More comfortable to have a strong Faith, then a weak one.

Men to be forward in promoting the cause of God and Religion.

Gods Omnipresence, the consideration of it to be a restraint from Sin.

The holy Scriptures to be valewed above all other Writings.

Men to be forward in frequenting the Ordinances of God.

Experimental Knowledge, the onely Knowledg.

The Church of the Gospel, it's amplitude above that under the Law.

The Company of Wicked Men to be avoided.

Time mis-spent, to be carefully redeemed.

Sacriledg, the heavy Iudgments of God depending thereon.

Nothing but Eternity will satisfie the gratious Soul.

The Ranters Religion.

Flatterers to be avoided.

The Vanity of temporal things compared with those Eternall.

Crowns have their periods, length of dayes their date, Triumphs their tombs, Felicity it's Fate.

Ceremonies of the Church, not to be any cause of Separation.

The Tongue for the most part a mischievous member.

In the midst of Worldly enjoyments to mind Eternity.

Popery, a meer heap of Confusion.

Children to have a care how they marry without consent of Parents

Afflictions of this life, the comfortable use that is to be made of them.

Constancy of holy Duties makes the performance of them easie.

Men to be Provident Christians.

Hell-torments, the Eternity of them to be considered.

Christian perfection to be attained by degrees.

The Lyers reward and punishment.

In all our doings to think upon Eternity.

Gluttony, reproved.

Innovations in Church or State, very dangerous.

To be carefull how we come under the evill of a reviling Tongue.

Correction of Children and Servants, how to be moderated.

Christians not to revile and reproach one another.

A Child of God bettered by Afflictions.

The great benefit of repentant Tears.

How to bear the Reproaches of Men.

The true Love of God will cause a Man to love his Ordinances.

The Vanity of gay Apparrell.

Reproaches to be born chearfully, because God is concerned therein.

The true Love of God, will cause familiarity with God.

No Man too good, to learn.

Consideration of the Name of Christ to be a motive from Sin.

How to be truly thankfull unto God.

A Man to be clear of that fault he reproves in another.

Reproaches and Sufferings for the Name of Christ, marks of Salvation.

Mercies of God to be particularly recorded to Posterity.

Parents not to be forsaken, though they be Infidels and Wicked.

The Martyrs Wellcome to Heaven.

The Formal Christian, discovered.

The Printing of Learned Mens Works instrumentall to Gods glory.

Reproaches and Sufferings made Honourable by God.

God shewing Mercy, onely for Christ Iesus sake.

Gods goodnesse to us, to be a Motive from vain Swearing.

The sword of Warre, impartiall.

Afflictions •it us for Heaven.

The great weight of Government.

New inventions of Sin, condemned.

To blesse God for all.

Godlinesse, a great mystery, and why so.

How a Man should demean himself, being fallen into bad Company.

The desperate Sinner's madnesse.

Christ-masse day to be held in remembrance.

How to Feast comfortably.

Heaven not to be found upon Earth.

Afflictions, if any thing, will make us seek God.

Deceipt and Unfaithfulnesse in Trade and Commerce, condemned.

The great danger of living in any one known Sin.

Rich Men to be mindfull of what they have received at Gods hand.

Sin unrepented of, heavy upon the Soul, at the time of Death.

Godlinesse, a very gainful Trade.

Consideration of our secret Sins, a motive to Compassionate others.

Ministers to preach the Gospel, notwithstanding the discouragements of their Auditory; And why so?

The mis-giving Thoughts of a Worldly-minded Man, in reference to the enjoyment of Heaven.

An Heavenly-minded Man looks through and beyond Afflictions.

Deliberation to be used in all our wayes.

Heavenly mindednesse of a Child of God.

To be carefull of our pretious Souls.

The Worlds uncertainty.

How to know whether a Man be Heavenly or Earthly-minded.

Children to be ready in relief of the Parents Necessities.

Captious Hearers of the Word, condemned.

Things of Heaven to be waited for with Patience.

Children to be Religiously educated.

How the Devil is said to know our thoughts.

Faithful and seeming Servants of God, diffeferenced by way of Reward.

Wicked persons may be in a godly Family.

The Soul of Man pretious in the sight of God.

Christians having an eye upon the Heavenly Rewards, not to be daunted at any outward troubles.

The mystery of the blessed Trinity, shadowed out in familiar resemblances.

How to be truly Rich, and truly Honourable.

The difference of good and bad Men in their preparation for Death.

Christ to be the summe of all our Actions.

Gods Immutability.

The Godly Man rejoycing in Death.

Sin to be looked upon as the cause of all sorrow.

The Good Mans comfort in matter of Worldly losse.

Men, upon hearing of the joyes of Heaven, to be much taken therewith.

Order to be in the Church of God.

How the Humane nature may in some sort be said to excell the Angelical.

Mention of the joyes of Heaven to be a winning subject upon the Souls of Men.

Reverence to be used in the Worship of God.

A good Christian will rather part with his life, then his Integrity.

To have Children male and female, Gods great blessing.

The Multitude alwaies desirous of change in Government.

Worldly Policy, not to be prejudiciall to the honour of God.

To be thankful unto God in the saddest of times and conditions.

Ministers to be Men of gravity and experience.

Worldy Policy, not to prejudice the truth of a good Conscience.

Holy duties call for holy Preparation.

Attention in Hearing Gods Word, commanded and commended.

Worldly Policy, not to be in any thing prejudiciall to commutative Iustice.

The best of Men not free from Sin in this life.

Children of persons excommunicate to be Baptized.

No Man so old but he may learn something.

Religion not to be made a stalking horse to Policy.

The painfull Ministers joy at the time of his death.

Parents to shew good Examples to their Children.

The tryall of true and false Professors.

The necessity of being found with Christ's Righteousnesse.

The scoffing Drunkard's sad condition.

Graces of the Spirit to be held fast in the midst of temporall losses.

Children not to marry without their Parents consent.

How it is that Wicked drunken Men think well of themselves.

The evil of Division.

The persons of Poor Men not to be sleighted.

To be carefull of extraordinary drinking.

The great pains that Wicked Men take to go to Hell.

Proper Names of Men, not to be so much regarded as Appellative.

Excessive drinking, condemned.

Books of Piety and Religion, testimoniall at the great day of Iudgment.

Atheistical Wicked Men, at the hour of Death forced to confesse Gods Iudgments.

Fleshly-lusts, the danger of them.

The grand impostory of pretended Revelations.

To be favourable in the Censure of our brother.

The Worlds Deceitfulnesse and Treachery.

Commonnesse of the Death of others, taking away the sense of Death.

Silence, in the cause of Gods honour, condemned.

The deepest Dissembler at one time or other discovering himself.

Wise Men dying as well as Fools.

Neglect of Restitution, condemned.

Wives to love their Husbands cordially.

The Wicked Mans Folly in his Worldly choyce.

Custome in Sin hardly broken off.

Wives to be subject to their Husbands.

The Safety of Gods people.

Not to Consent unto Sin.

Children to submit to their Parents Correction.

The different effects of the Gospel preached.

Content with Gods good pleasure, a great blessing.

Children to be carefully educated by Parents.

God loveth a cheerfull giver.

An uncharitable Rich Man, no Heavenly-minded Man.

Children to set their hands to all honest employments.

The right use of humane Learning in Divinity.

Drunkennesse a great punishment of it self.

Men to be carefull in the choyce of Servants.

The necessity of using humane Learning in Divinity.

Blessednesse of the Poor in spirit in the matter of Hearing Gods Word.

Christ to be our Example and Pattern of Imitation in life and death.

The greatest of things wrought by God without means.

Not to be Angry with our Brother.

The Natural Mans blindnesse in Spirituall things.

Negligent Hearing of Gods Word, condemned.

God himself to be only expected as a Reward of all good endeavours.

Hope of future joy sweetneth present sorrow.

The Law abused by Libertinism.

How to think of God in Prayer.

A Child of God triumphing over Death.

To be diligent Hearers of the Word of God, and remember what we hear.

Reconciliation to be made with all Men.

The Saints everlasting Peace.

To make our Calling and Election sure.

Repentance not to be put off till old age.

The uncertainty of temporal Victories and Successe.

The place of Purgatory, a meer dream.

Men by Nature, desirous of things unlawfull and prohibited.

Christs Wounds, the onely hiding place of a Christian.

No Safety to be expected in the midst of publique danger.

How it is that the Law is said to be the strength of Sin.

Gods Promises are for the most part conditional.

To be careful of Vowes and Promises made in the time of Extremity.

The good Christian's absolute Victory over Death.

To be alwaies prepared for Death.

Religion pretended, Mischief intended.

Why God suffers his Children to be in a wanting condition.

All Men alike in Death.

Ignorant Worldly Purchasers.

Men to be careful of what they promise unto God in the matter of Charity.

Things of the World, not to be so highly prised.

How it is that Godfathers and Godmothers undertake for Children in Baptism.

The Poors relief, Heavens treasure.

Ill-gotten goods, never prosper.

Men to be careful of their principles in Religion.

To be fruitfull in Children, a great blessing of God.

Better to be Honestly, then hastily Rich.

Gods Watchfulnesse over his People for their good.

Husband the Head of the Wife.

Riches, the danger that attends them.

The unconstancy of Worldly honours and preferments.

God fetching testimonies of Truth out of the mouths of Adversaris.

God the onely searcher of the Heart of Man.

The Vnion and fellowship of Gods Children one with another.

Excellency of the Crown of glory.

The slavery of Sin to be avoided.

How to use the World rightly.

Christianity the best Nobility.

The Devill rewarding his Servants.

Every thing in specie made perfect at one and the same time in the Creation.

Men to argue themselves into a mood of Contentment.

To do good for evill.

Gods dwelling in the Humble spirit.

The quietnesse of Contentment.

The most silent Conscience will speak out at last.

Excellency of the Soul of man.

The spirituall benefit of Poverty.

A foul polluted Soul, the object of Gods hatred.

The high price of the Soul.

Prosperity for the most part draws Envy to it.

Liberty the cause of Licentiousnesse.

The Folly of Men in parting with their Souls for trifles.

The spiritual benefit of divine Contentment.

Hope, to be kept up in the midst of all Perplexities.

The losse of the Soul, irrecoverable.

The Hypocrite and true Christian, their difference in growth of Grace.

Christ Jesus, the good Mans chief portion.

The Soul not to be starved in the want of means.

Sicknesse, immediately inflicted by God.

Good and bad Hearers of the Word, their difference.

The Soul's Safety and Danger.

Wicked Men reserved for Exemplary punishment.

Youth to be seasoned with Grace, not giving the least way to the Devill.

A good Conscience, the best Friend.

Christians to be carefull, that they may find comfort in Death.

Purity and the Heart of Man seldome meet together.

Sin of the meanest Man in a Nation may be the destruction of it.

The Secure, carelesse Sinner.

The Keys of Knowledg much abused by those that keep them.

Humility appeaseth Gods Anger.

The extream Folly of Sin.

The Scripture to be onely rested upon.

God a Merciful God.

Faith not alwaies sensible.

Minding of good things, a notable way to encrease Grace.

The Mercies of God to be recorded to all posterity.

The Providence of God, not secondary causes, to be rested on.

Hell broke loose by the swarms of Sectaries, Ranters, &c.

Young raw Ministers to be reproved.

A good Man, Merciful to the very beasts.

Negligent Ministers, advised.

Sin may be excused here in this World, but not hereafter.

To be carefull in the keeping and presenting our Souls clean at the time of death.

Progresse in Piety to be endeavoured.

Resurrection of the dead, asserted.

The Souldiers calling, Honourable.

Women Reformers, intolerable.

When it may be said to be the best time for Prayer.

Magistrates and men in Authority to be Exemplary to all others.

Ministers to be acquainted with the state of Mens Souls.

The Christians Library.

The Worldlings Woe, and the Iust Mans joy at the time of Death.

The excellency of Christs intercession.

The force of Justifying Faith.

No true Ioy to be found in Worldly things.

The destructive quality of Envy.

Not to be dejected, though the Joy of the just be not perfect in this life.

A little with Content, sufficient.

For a Man to be sorry, that he cannot be sorry for Sin, is a part of Godly sorrow for Sin.

Kings, Princes, and Rulers, to hearken to good Counsell.

The least proportion of Godly sorrow for Sin, accepted by God.

Rash, inconsiderate Prayers, reproved.

Insensibility of Sin, the sadnesse thereof.

The Vanity of using many Words.

Not to repine at the losse of Friends or Children.

Men of few, and Men of many Words, their difference.

Why it is, that the Children of God die usually sooner then others.

All Men must die, and lye down in the dust.

How it is that the Sins of Parents are visited on their Children.

Reproofs of a Wise Man, not to be sleighted.

Magistrates to be Men of Understanding.

Men to be carefull how they make Oath, in Iudicature, or otherwise.

Tedious length of Law-suites condemned.

Cruelty of the Wicked, no prejudice to the Godly.

Goodnesse not Greatnesse, that holdeth out to the last.

How it comes to passe, that Death is more generally excused then accused.

A Minister to keep close to his Text.

Kings, Princes, Protectors, &c. subject to Death, as well as the lowest of the People.

Magistrates, to be impartial in Justice.

The greatnesse of Kings, Princes, Protectors, &c. no protection from Death.

Marriage not to be made for Money onely.

The day of the last Judgment, a terrible day.

The benefit of History.

Men usually judging others to be like themselves.

Neglect of the Soul reproved.

To Compassionate others miseries.

Folly to repent the choice of a Wife, Marriage being once past.

Charity attended by the certainty of Reward.

Ministers to be careful in reproving Sinners.

Uncertainty of Worldly things.

Christian watchfulnesse, enjoyned.

How the Vanity of Worldly things may be easily discerned.

Occasion of Sin to be avoided.

Christ, the best shelter in times of affliction.

A Rich Man pleading Poverty, condemned.

Magistrates to be active Examples of good unto others.

Sin, the destruction of any People or Nation whatsoever.

Magistrates not to be guilty of that which they do forbid in others.

Not to be disquieted at the Prosperity of the Wicked.

The greatnesse of Motherly affection to an onely Sonne.

To have a perfect Knowledg of God, impossible.

Parents to be carefull in the Instruction of their Children.

Fervency in Prayer, the prevalency thereof.

How Christ is said to be the end of the Ceremonial Law.

Carnal, Unregenerate Men, unserviceable both in Church and State.

The Knowledg of God through Faith in Christ, the way to true Happinesse.

God, a jealous God of his Honour.

Christ freely discovering himself to all that truely seek him.

Sin to be looked on, as it is fierce and cruel.

The book of Scripture to be preserved above all other books.

Sin and the Sinner, very hardly parted.

How it is, and why God loves us.

Naturall perswasions, the invalidity of them in the point of true believing.

Christ's Humanity, asserted.

Sinners crucifying the Lord of life daily.

To blesse God for the Revelation of himself in the Scripture.

Ranters, Roaring boys, &c. their conversion not confusion to be endeavoured.

Christ the true Light.

Small buddings of Grace in the Soul, an argument of greater growth.

Magistrates, Rulers, &c. the great comfort of good ones.

Godly Company, the benefit thereof.

The excellency of Sonday or Lords day, above other dayes.

Men to be as well industrious in their Callings, as zealous in their devotions.

Variety of gifts in the Ordinance of Preaching.

To be more strict in the holy observation of the Sabbath then heretofore; and why so?

Gods gracious return of his Peoples Prayers in the time of their distresse.

Patiently to wait on Gods good Will and pleasure.

Magistrates to stand up in the cause of God against all opposition.

Men to pray for others as well as themselves.

Not to converse with Hereticks, Seducers, &c.

Prayer for others in the same condition with our selves, prevalent with God.

Ministers to be (as they are called) Spiritual Men.

Fatherly Counsel, hath and ought to be prevalent with Children.

Ministers to be earnestly Zealous in Preaching Gods word.

How far Self-safety may be consulted.

The World not to be trusted unto.

Wherein the true Valour of a Captain or Souldier in Warre consisteth.

Ministers to be active and vigorous in the reproof of Sin.

Not to be hasty in the matter of Revenge.

More Converts made by Preaching, then by Reading.

Magistrates, Rulers, &c. of all Men, to be resolved in the cause of God and their Country.

The Ministers calling, to be owned from God.

Good and Bad Kings and Princes, &c. their difference.

Ministers not to be Verball, but Reall in their expressions.

Not to take notice of every angry Word that is spoken against us.

The excellency of a good Memory.

Some one sinful quality predominant more then other in the Heart of Man.

The general badnesse of Memory in good things.

Sin, the remainders thereof even in the best of Gods Children.

Four sorts of Men undertaking the work of the Ministery.

How the Heart of Man may be kept up steady in troublous times.

To keep close to the word of God, especially in times of trouble.

Faith, a sure Anchor-hold in time of distresse.

The exceeding love of God to Mankind admirable.

God raysing up Instruments for the deliverance of his People.

All endeavours to be sanctified by Prayer.

Universal Obedience unto God, injoyned.

To be more careful for the Body, then the Soul, reproveable.

The great danger of Repentance put off till old age.

The danger of sleeping out Sermons.

Reall Thanksgiving to be made unto God for benefits received.

Plots and Contrivances of the Wicked turning to the good of Gods People.

The sad effects of not giving unto God his due Glory.

Invocation of▪ Saints and Angells condemned.

Curious Inquisitors into Gods secrets, deservedly punished.

Gods comfortable appearance to his People in the hour of Death.

A good Man denominated from the goodnesse of his Heart.

Faith and Repentance to be daily renewed and encreased.

To be much more carefull of the Soul than body.

The Crown of Perseverance.

How to discover our thoughts in Preparation to Prayer.

Wherein the true Knowledg of Christ consisteth.

To beware how we come into the debt of Sin.

Infant-Baptism, asserted.

Grace to be communicated.

To be patient under Afflictions, because they will have an end.

Every Man to find out the impediments of Repentance in himself.

Murmuring at Gods doings, the prejudice thereof.

Gospel-invitation to comfort.

The moderate use of Worldly things.

The work of the Law preceding the Work of the Gospel.

Divisions in Church and State to be prevented.

Sorrow for Sin must be in particulars.

Perseverance in goodnesse, enjoyned.

Sorrow for Sin must be proportionable.

Non-proficiency in the wayes of God and Religion, condemned.

To be patient at the time of Death, and why so?

How it is that Wicked Men are said to be none of Gods children.

Things unlawful not to be asked of God in Prayer.

God alone more powerfull then all the Enemies of the World.

Charity to be well-ordered.

Times of Trouble and danger distinguishing true Professours from false ones.

The hardnesse of a Rich mans Conversion.

A small plat of ground, sufficient for the greatest landed Man at the time of Death.

Riches very dangerous in the getting of them.

A great blessing of God to be gently used in the matter of Conversion.

Perfection of Grace to be endeavoured.

The pain of a Wounded Conscience greatned by the Folly of the Patient.

No true Content to be found in the things of this World.

A good Man, tedious to bad Company.

Pride, the vanity and sinfulnesse thereof.

Greatnesse of the torture of a Wounded Conscience.

The Proud mans Memento.

Patiently to wait Gods time for deliverance.

Pride, a main Engine of the Devill.

Nature cannot work out Peace of Conscience.

Men to set an high Valew upon their Souls.

Peace of Conscience, not wrought out by merry Company or drinking.

The vast difference betwixt Pride and Humility.

Much Learning to be found in a small compasse of expressions.

The true Nature of Humility.

Impossible to arrive at a full perfection of Learning in this life.

The Excellency of Humility.

Christ voluntarily engaging himself to take away the Sins of the World.

The Virtue of Humility.

God onely able to work Man to Will and to do▪

Pride in Riches, honours, preferments, &c. the vanity thereof.

Security the cause of all Calamity.

Riches, Honours, &c. the different use that is made of them.

The soveraign Vertue of Humility.

The love of Riches, very dangerous.

Worldly honours and greatnesse, their Vanity to be considered.

The Heart of a VVorldly-minded Man, never satisfied.

Pride in Apparel, condemned.

Carelesse, Worldly hearers of Gods Word, to be reproved.

Pride and Ambition the Folly thereof.

Men by Nature looking more after their bodies, then their Souls.

Magistrates, Ministers, &c. their rule to walk by.

Graces of the Spirit to be made the Souls furniture.

Discretion, the guide of all Religious actions.

Humility exalted.

No Worldly thing must hinder the Service of God.

Every Man is to make himself sure of Heaven and Heavenly things.

The deaths of Faithful Magistrates, Ministers, &c. to be lamented.

Antinomian madnesse.

The Devills policy to root out Learning.

The excellency of a good Name.

Wicked Children, a great grief to their Parents.

Gods Omniscience.

The lawfull use of humane Learning in Sermons.

God the onely searcher of the secrets of the Heart.

The Devill's cunning to deceive.

Men seeking after high Preferment, not fit to be entertained therein.

Prayer and endeavour to be joyned together.

Men to be ready to die for Christ.

The generality of Men, not enduring to hear of Death.

Wit, how to make a right use thereof.

Ignorant-Reformers whether in Church or State, reproved.

The Devill and a griping Usurer compared together.

Drinking, the excesse thereof reproved.

The great danger of relying upon Forraign ayd and assistance.

The Christians growth in Grace, enjoyned.

Gods blessing upon the means doth all.

Other Mens sins, the good Mans sorrow.

Husband and Wife, each others Crown.

The Churches distresse, and comfort.

Sin in its original easie to be found.

The Commands of God to be obeyed, not questioned.

Tyrants, Infidels, &c. forced to acknowledg the Providence of God.

The wicked Polititian discovered.

Inconstancy in the wayes of God, reproved.

The Carnal Professor described.

Certainty of the Good Mans Reward from God.

God onely to be served.

To be at Gods will and disposall, is the best condition.

Neglect in the Hearing of Gods Word, dangerous.

How Sins may be said to out-live the Sinner.

Heaven to be alwaies in our thoughts.

A Non-resident sloathfull Minister, worthily discouraged.

The true comfort of Election.

How to be assured of our Election.

No time to be mis-spent.

The happinesse of good Government.

The Laity abused by the Roman Clergy in the matter of Confession.

The want of Hospitality, reproved.

Multiplicity of Law-Suits condemned.

The Sin of Sacriledg, condemned.

Truth commended, Falshood condemned.

Piety and Policy not inconsistent.

Progresse in Piety enjoyned.

The service performed unto God must be personall.

Saving Faith, the onely Faith.

Covetousnesse in the Clergy, condemned.

Riches, how to be used.

The incorrigible Sinners desperate condition.

Wisdome, how to be regulated.

Affectation of Novelty in the way of Religion, reproved.

Not to be over-carefull for the place of our Buriall.

The Christians claim to Heaven, what it is.

How the Devill makes use of the World to destroy Man.

Not to repine at a great charge of Children.

The least of Sin to be resisted.

Not to admit of delayes in Religious performances

Humility appeaseth the wrath of God incensed.

A faint-hearted Christian described.

The Devills hard dealing with the ensnared Sinner.

The great Folly of costly Apparel.

How the wounded Sinner is to be cured.

Minding of the day of Judgment, an excellent means to prevent Sin.

Man and Wife to be speak one another kindly.

The experimental Christian, the undaunted Christian.

Sin, the strange nature thereof.

Gods goodnesse, Mans unthankfulnesse.

Popish Miracles condemned.

The great danger of the least Sin.

The Heart of Man, the very seed-plot of all Sinne.

The vanity of Man, in seeking after great things, condemned.

All Sin must be hated, and why so?

The sad condition of borrowing upon Usury.

Christians to walk worthy the Name of Christ.

Afflictions, Gods Love-tokens.

God, not the Author of Sin.

The appropriation of Faith is all in all.

Gods Judgment, and Mans, not concurrent.

The uncharitable Christian described.

The great danger and disgrace of lying under the guilt of one eminent Sin.

The sinfulnesse of Sin.

The several degrees of Faith.

The uncertain comfort in Riches.

As to beware of all Sins, so especially of beloved Sins.

The uncertainty of Mans life.

The biting Vsurer described.

How to deal with Sin, being once committed.

How to make a right use of the doctrine of Predestination.

The Relation of Parents, Wife, Children, to be sleighted if they once appear in competition with the Commandements of God.

The sincere upright Man, described.

Wives to be beloved of their Hus-bands, as Wives.

Ignorant, upstart Preachers, reproved.

Men or Women painting them-selves, condemned.

Neutrality in Religion, reproved.

To be carefull in the keeping of our Vow made in Baptism.

Men and Women to be knowing in the Scriptures.

The vanity of an unguided Multitude.

A Wife and no Wife

The bountifull goodnesse of God to his Children

Graces of Gods Spirit though seemingly lost, yet found at last.

Men to be active in regaining their lost Souls.

Hypocrites discovering their own shame.

Sin, the chief cause of a Nation or Cities ruine.

Wherein the poysonfull Nature of Sinne consisteth.

Our own Natural corruption, the cause of Sin.

Death of the Soul more to be lamented, then the death of the body.

Not to wait Gods good pleasure in times of Affliction, very dangerous.

The great benefit of timely accompting with God.

Ignorance, especially in the wayes of God, reproved.

All the Creatures subservient to the good Will and Pleasure of God.

Heaven, a place of Holinesse.

God, a sure fast Friend.

To rely upon Gods blessing notwithstanding all opposition.

Regeneration, the excellency thereof.

Ignorance, especially in the wayes of God, condemned.

A Caveat for bloudy-minded Men.

Sincere, upright Men, the scarcity of them.

The Borrowers duty, and comfort.

The Time and place of a Mans spiritual Calling, very uncertain to be known.

The Ministers Calling full of labour and toil.

True brotherly Love, scarce to be found.

Men to be Compassionate one towards another, And why so?

Men to be at Peace one with another.

Men to labour that they be Regenerated.

The Ministers and Magistrates duty in the suppression of Vice.

Peace linking the Church and Common-weal together.

A Caveat for Flatterers.

The non-performance of Vowes, Promises, &c. condemned.

Justice duly administred, the Peoples benefit thereby.

The Sate-Polititians Religion.

The evill of Excesse.

The State-Polititian siding with all parties.

Tyrants raysing themselves by a seeming compliance with the People.

True Obedience.

The true improvement of Peace.

The true Christians confidence and contempt of Death.

Mans Nothingnesse.

Men of corrupt Judgments.

Wanton Hearers of the Word reproved.

The vast difference betwixt the Power of God and Man.

The great danger of Apostasie.

Wicked Thoughts to be carefully washed off from the Heart.

The high price of Mans Redemption.

Gods great tenders of Mercy to repentant Sinners.

The fulnesse of Reward reserved till after this life.

Good meanings of bad Men, destructive.

Gods readinesse to maintain the cause of his Church.

Men not to be proud of Honours and Preferments.

Moderation, the fore-runner of Peace.

The Saints Infirmities.

God onely to be trusted unto in time of distresse.

The great heat of Ambition.

Dead Men soon forgotten.

Man by Nature, lawlesse and ill-advised.

God the onely object of his People's trust in time of distresse.

How it is, that God is more powerfull then all the Creatures.

In the apprehension of Fear and courage, Mans mistaking of the Object spoils all.

Ministers to be Men of Knowledg and Understanding.

Christ to be made our Example in bearing the Crosse.

The slavery of Sin.

The great danger of not keeping close to Gods Word.

How it is that Men fail so much in the true service of God.

Dissention, the Forerunner of Confusion.

Hypocrisy discovering it self in the end.

The Devills rage an argument of the day of Iudgment near at hand.

The Simonist discovered.

The excellency of Justice.

God Predestinateth to the means as well as to the end.

Man by refusing the tenders of Grace, becomes the cause of his own destruction.

Otherwise thus.

The giddy uncertain disposition of the Multitude or common People.

Sectarian, schismatical Seducers, their Company to be avoided.

Sins Lethargy.

The glasse of the Law, truly shewing Men what they are.

The great danger of cherishing wicked thoughts.

Custome in Sin, not easily removed.

Sectarian subtilty, Diabolical delusion.

Men not to be proud of their Lands and Livings.

Repentance to be Universall.

Wicked Men see the miseries, but not the Joyes of Gods People.

Magistrates and great Men not to raise themselves by the ruine of the Church.

How it is that the sweet fruits of Grace come to grow on the bitter root of Nature.

How it is that Afflictions lye oft-times so heavy.

The supernatural workings of the Spirit.

Afflictions, Not to be altogether taken up with the sense of them.

To suffer any thing for the Cause of Christ.

The sins of our Religious duties corrected by Christ, and then presented to God the Father.

The comfortable sight of Christ Iesus crucified to the poor Repentant Sinner.

Heart-Communication, the want therof deplorable.

Faithfull Soul and an Unbeliever, their difference in relying upon God.

Self-deniall, the excellency thereof.

Graces divine, not parts humane, hold out in the end.

How it is that Graces of the Spirit may at present seem to be lost.

Sin to be removed, as the cause of all Sorrow.

Means in the attainment of Grace, and the use thereof enjoyned by God.

The great benefit of Hearing and practising Gods Word.

Meditation, the difficulty in the first entrance thereupon.

Sathan's subtilty to ensnare.

Purity of Heart, no comfortable sight of god without it.

Active Christian, the best Christian.

The good Christians Hope at the death of a Child of God.

Blessing of God attendant on People listning to the doctrine of their own Minister.

State of Nature an absolute state of impotency.

The state of Nature for all its specious out-side, a state of Friendship with Hell.

The Sinner's desperate madnesse.

The difference betwixt Sermons preached, and Sermons printed.

The bare enjoyment of Church-priviledges doth not make up a true Christian.

Acknowledgment of Mercies received, the ready way to have them further enlarged.

The excellency of Christ Jesus.

The Ministers joy in the conversion of Souls.

Gods pardoning other Repentan• Sinners, a great motive to perswade us that he will pardon us also.

Men to be carefull in the triall of their Faith, Whether it be sound or not.

Men not to be ashamed of their Godly Profession, though the Wicked speak evill of them.

God ordering all things for the good of his Church.

Sin, the godly Mans hatred thereof.

Vanity of the Creature without God.

How it is that God is to every one of his Children, alone.

Excesse of Apparrell, condemned.

God to be seen in the works of the Creation.

To keep close to the Word of God in seeking after Christ.

What it is to trust in God really and truly.

The monstrous Sin of Ingratitude.

How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by Works.

How to make tryall of Faith, whether it be right or not.

The proposall of Rewards and punishments, very usefull to the bringing into Christ.

No Man a loser by giving up himself unto. God.

Ignorance and Wilfulnesse ill-met.

Unsteadfastnesse, giddinesse, &c. in the profession of Religion, reproved.

Men in the midst of their Worldly contrivances, prevented by Death.

Riches, their uselesnesse in point of Calamity.

Apparrel, whether richer or plainer, the necessity thereof.

True comfort in God onely.

The resolved constant Christian.

The rage of War in the richest Countries.

The grace of God is all in all.

Promises without abilities of performance not to be regarded.

The workings of God in the deliverance of his People are Various.

Kings, Princes, Governours, &c. to be regarded by those that are under them.

Christ the proper object of the Soul.

Sathans aim at those that have most of God and Religion in them.

Sin to be abhorred as the cause of Christs Death.

A lesser Sin given way unto, makes way for the committing of greater.

Men to prefer suffering before Sinning.

Discretion, a main part of true Wisedome.

The difference betwixt true and feyned Love unto Christ.

The dangerous use of Riches.

God's Mercies to the worst of Sinners repenting.

Rulers, Magistrates, &c. to be Men of publique spirits.

The heavy weight of Government ill attained.

Worldly Professors of the Gospel, reproved.

Riches of Christ, inexhaustible.

Men created for the service of God.

Prudentiall part of a Man to do as well as he may.

Gods dwelling in the Soul that truly fears him.

The praise-worthinesse of reading and enquiring into the Scripture.

Truth of Religion, lost (as it were) in the crowd of many Religions.

Ministers of all men, not to be found trucking for Preferment.

God onely able to perswade the Heart fully.

Ingratitude condemned.

The unhappinesse of a disordered Family.

Signs of Heaven, as Sun, Moon, with their Eclipses, &c. as we are not to be dismaied at them, so not to be contemners of them.

The severall books of God, slighted and neglected by the most of Men.

Gods decree of Election, not to be made the proper object of Faith.

Justice moderated.

Neutrality in Church or State, condemned.

The great danger of not standing fast in the Profession of Religion.

Life, liberty, estate, &c. to be undervalued, when Religion is in danger of losing.

The Churche's Fall, the Churche's Rise.

Prayer, a spirituall prevailing sword.

The losse of good Men not laid to heart, condemned.

The woful gradation of Sin.

The great danger of admitting the least Sin.

Destruction is from our selves.

Man not to be trusted unto.

Afflictions though grievous, yet profitable.

The excellency of divine Meditation.

God onely to be worshipped as the great Creator of Heaven and Earth.

The Religious Hypocrite discovered.

Men by Nature hardly brought to the Confession of their sins.

Not to murmure under Affictions, And why so?

A great exceeding mercy to be one of Gods dearest Children.

Removall of Good men by Death, a Forerunner of Judgment.

Worldly-minded-Men little think of Heaven, And why so?

Christ ready to revenge himself upon the Enemies of his Church.

Christ, the Saints wonder and admiration.

Christ's Watchfullnesse over his People for Good.

Times redemption.

Men not easily brought to believe the Worlds vanity.

Every one to strive for eminency in Christianity.

The Will of God to be resigned unto in all things.

The great benefit of Faith truly appropriated.

True Grace in the Soul may be seemingly, but not really at a losse.

Christ, a sure pay-master.

The Soul•s neglect, condemned.

How our love to the Creature is to be regulated.

How to demean our selves after we are sealed by the Spirit.

Rulers, Magistrates, &c. to stand up for the cause of the Poor and needy.

The Vanity of all Worldly greatnesse.

The welfare of the Soul to be preferred before any Worldly enjoyments whatsoeuer.

Silence, when, and how comendable.

No pains to be thought too much for the getting of Heaven.

Why it is that God affords some glimps of Heaven even in this life.

Comfort nearest, when Afflictions are at the highest.

The comfortlesse Hypocrite.

The losse of an onely Son or nearest relation, not to be over-much lamented.

Noreturn from Hell.

Powerfull Preaching of the Gospell.

Punishments of the Wicked in this life nothing in comparison of those in Hell hereafter.

Faith and Love, inseparable.

Sacrilegious persons, condemned.

Prosperity attended by Fears and cares.

Perseverance in goodnesse, enjoyned.

Temptations from within, or without, how to be dealt withall.

Justice to be purely administred.

There's no fighting against God.

Death put off from one to another.

The sad condition of the fearlesse Hearthardned Sinner.

Charity to be well and rightly ordered.

How it is that Truth doth not alwayes apear.

Body and Soul sinning together, lyable to be punished together.

How Christ by his death, overcame death.

Confession of Sins, irk some to the Devill.

To depend upon Gods All-sufficiency in time of trouble.

Simplicity of Men to be more affected with the losse of things temporal, then spiritual.

The sufferings of Christ, as so many Examples to teach us to suffer.

God hardly accepting of late service done unto him.

Why it is that late service done unto God is seldome accepted.

Honesty, the best Policy.

An Alphabetical Table, pointing out the whole Matter.

[Page]ΚΑΙΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΑ. THINGS NEVV AND OLD, OR A large Storehouse of Similies, Sentences, Apologues, Allegories, Apophthegms, Adagies, Divine, Morall, Politicall, &c. with their severall Applications.

§

[Page]

ΚΑΙΝΑ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΑ. THINGS New and Old. OR, A Store-house of Similies, Sentences, Allegories, Apophthegms, Adagies, Apologues, Divine, Morall, Politicall, &c. With their seveall Applications. Collected and observed from the Writings and Sayings of the Learned in all Ages to this present.

BY JOHN SPENCER, a lover of Learning and Learned Men.

Deus nobis haec otia fe [...]t.

Virgil. Eclog. 1.

LONDON, Printed by W. Wilson and I. Streater, for Iohn Spencer at Sion Colledge. MDCLVIII.

§

[Page]

[Page]

CLERO Gentis (que) Anglicanae populo, Florilegium hoc quale qualecun (que). D. D. Q.

I. S. De Utcester Staffordiensis, & Collegij Sionij apud Londine [...]ses nunc Bibliothecarius, minimè dignus.

TO THE READER.

[Page]

[Page]

EXceptions are easier prevented, than removed; a dim eye may fore-fee such as this Book must encounter, reducible to two heads, as made either against the Author, or Matter thereof. Against the Author, as if it were presumption in him, no Scholar by profession, to adventure on such a design; It is answerd; First, I know no such Monopoly, for Scholars to engrose Book-making to themselv [...]s: Secondly, He hath from his Child-hood conversed with Books and Book-men; and, alwaies being where the Frankincense of the Temple was offered, there must be some perfume remaining about him. Lastly, What he lacks in Learning, he hath supplyed in industry; Indeed, filling stones, which require more pains for portage, then art for polishing, are in their kind (though not so gracefull) as useful as squared stones, and as much benefit may redound from the reading of this Book, as from those of more elaborate composure.

Against the matter of the Book it may be objected; That it is taken out of other Mens Books, and Sermons; But was it not, I pray, true of the Ax, of the Son [...] of the Prophet, 2 Kings 6. 5. Alas, it was borrowed? Is the Spiders poyson the better for being suckt out of her self, or Bees h [...]ny the worse, for being extracted from flowers? Some Mens [...]ooks are indeed meer Kites-nests, a collection of stolen thing [...], such are pure Plagiares, without any grateful acknowledg [...]ment; but herein the [Page] Ingenuity of our Author is commendable, that on the Margin he hath entred the names of such, at whose Torch he hath lighted his Taper; and I am confident, that by such quotations, he hath revived the memories of many Worthies, and of their speeches, which otherwise had utterly been lost.

The Title acquaints us with the nature of the Book, Things NEW and OLD. Onely to propound things New and New, doth please rather then profit, and more tickle the itch of the ears, then satisfie the appetite of the Soul: On the other side, to present us with things Old and Old, doth shew a lazy Writer, and will make a weary Reader; such Books are like an imperfect Map of the World, wherein all America is wanting. This Author hath endeavoured to compound both together, and I hope with good success; And like as changeable Taffata, having the woof, and the warp of different colour, seemeth sundry stuffes to several standers by; so will this Book appear, with wrinckles and gray-headed to the lovers of Antiquity, smooth and with doun [...] such, to whom Novelty is most delightfull; He doth desire [...]nd hope, that his Book shall find that candor of course, a [...]d courtesie generall (which Custome hath almost made a due) to forgive all venial (though false Divinity, true Morality) mistakes. But the Reader will catch cold, by keeping him too long in the porch of this Preface, who now (the door being opened) may enter into the House it selfe, with the best wishes of

From my Chamber in Sion Coll. London, Jan. 10th. 1657.

Thy servant in Christ Jesus, THO. FULLER.

The Names of the severall Authors cited in this COLLECTION.

[Page]

A.

PEtrus Abaelardus.

George Abbot, Cant.

Robert Abbot, Sarum.

Robert Abbot.

Laurentius Abstemius.

Iacobus Acontius.

Iosephus Acosta.

Thomas Adams.

Melchior Adamus.

Adamantius.

Aelianus.

Aelius Spartianus.

Alardus Aemstelredamus.

Aemilius Probus.

Aesopus Phrygius.

Paulus Aegineta.

Aeschilus.

Agathias.

Albertus Magnus.

Ulysses Aldrovandus.

Alcoranus Turcorum.

Ioh. Henricus Alstedius.

Petrus de Alliaco.

Andreas Alciatus.

Alexander Alensis.

Alexander ab Alexandro.

Ammianus Marcellimus.

St. Ambrosius.

Robertus Am [...]sburiensis:

Isaac Ambrose.

Lancelot Andrews, Winton.

Iames Andrews.

Pier d' Ancre.

Iohn Angier.

S. Anselmus.

Anacharsis.

Annotations on the Bible.

Appianus Polyhistor.

Ioh. Apostolius.

Apollodo [...]us.

Levinus Apollonius.

Sidonius Apollinaris.

Michael Apostolius.

Thomas Aquinas.

Benedictus Aretius.

Aristophanes.

Aristoteles.

Simeon Ash.

S. Athanasius.

Athanaeus.

Athenagoras.

William Attersoll.

S. Augustinus.

Ludovicus Aurigarius.

Avicenna.

Ausonius.

Aurelius Victor.

B.

GErvase Babington. Wigorn.

Sir Francis Bacon.

Peter Bales.

Isaac Bargrave, D. Cant.

Iohn Barlow.

Walter Balcanquel, D. D.

S. Basilius.

Thomas Bastard.

Caesar Baronius.

Basilius Seleuciae.

Sr. Richard Baker.

Casper Barthius.

Richard Baxter.

Bartholomaeus.

Paul Bayne.

Iohn Bayly.

Venerabilis Beda.

Robertus Bellarminus.

Fulk Bellers.

S. Bernardus▪

Bernardinus Senensis.

[Page]Petrus Berchorius.

Richard Bernard.

Jacobus Bergomensis.

Joh. Berry.

Theodorus Beza.

Hieronymus Benzonius.

Petrus Bizarus.

Jacobus Billius.

Petrus Blesensis.

Ioh. Bodinus.

Robertus Bodius.

Mauritius Bohemus.

Carolus Bon [...]inius.

Antonius Bonfinius.

Jeremiah Boroghs.

Hector Boe [...]hius.

Philippus Bosquierus.

Giovanni Bosteno.

Thomas Bowyer.

Bonaventura.

Immanuel Bourn.

Ioh. Boys, D. Cant.

Samuel Bond.

Iohn Bond.

Martinus Borhaius.

Robert Bolton.

Edward Brerewood.

John Brinsley.

Johannes Bromiardus.

Jonathan Brown, D. Hereford.

L. Brook.

Matth. Brooks.

Joh. Browning.

Joh. Bromiardus.

Thomas Brooks.

Abrahamus Bucholcerus.

Georgius Buchananus.

Samuel Buggs, D. D.

Joh. Buntingus.

Anthony Burges.

Joh. de Burgo.

Iohannes Buntingus.

Robert Burton.

Iohannes Buxtorphius.

C.

PHilippus Cameracensis.

Edmund Calamy.

Gulielmus Cambdenus.

Iohannes Camero.

Ioh. Calvinus.

Ioh. Cassianus.

S. Caecilius.

Ioseph Caryl.

Ludovicus de Carbone,

Vincenzo Cartari.

Calvino Turcismus.

Thomas Cartwright.

Iohn Carpenter.

R. Carpenter.

Cassiodorus.

Carolus R.

Nathaniel Cannon.

Seth Calvisius.

Catena. Patrum Grae.

L. Capel.

Daniel Cawdery.

Michael de Cervantes.

Cedrenus.

William Cecill. L. Burleign.

Robert Cecil. E. Salsb.

Pier Charon.

Martinus Chemnitius.

Thomas Cheshire.

Thomas Cheast.

S. Chromatius.

S. Iohannes Chrysostomus.

Nathaniel Chytraeus.

R. Clark, D. D.

Samuel Clark.

Franciscus de S. Clara.

Petrus de Clavis-rubeis.

Isidorus Clarius.

Claudianus.

Clemens Alexandrinus.

Ludovicus Coelius.

M. Collings.

Iames Connyers.

Columella.

Iohannes de Combis.

Phillippus Comineus.

Ianus Cornarus.

Patrick Copland.

Aegidius Corozetus.

Samuel Cottesford.

Samuel Croke.

Sir George Croke, Judge.

William Crashaw.

Petrus Crinitus▪

I. Crompton.

Henry Cuffe.

Ezekiel Culverwel.

Iames Curle, Winton.

Q. Curtius.

Ioh. Cuspinianus.

S. Cyprianus.

Cyriacus Spangenbergensis.

Cyrillus Alexandrinus.

D.

Sir Robert Dallington,

Ioh. Dalton.

[Page]Damascenus.

Samuel Daniel.

Ioh. Davenport.

Martin Day, D. D.

VVilliam Day, Winton.

Dares Phrygius.

Iohn Denison.

Demosthenes.

Phillippus Diez.

Paulus Diaconus.

Pontius Diaco.

Diogenes Laertius.

Dialogus Creaturarum.

Dionysius Carthusianus.

Diodorus Siculos.

Sermones Discripuli de Tempore.

Dion Cassius.

Ioh. Downame.

George Downame.

John Donne, D. S. Paul.

Hieronymus Drexelius.

Matthaeus Dresserus.

Joh. Drusius.

Edward Dunstervile.

Bryan Duppa. Sarum.

Jeremiah Dyke.

Daniel Dyke.

E.

PHilip Edlin.

Richard Edes.

Thomas Edwards.

John Elborow, D. D.

Edward Elton.

Gasper Ens.

Epiphanius.

Des. Erasmus.

Antonius Eremita.

Evagrius.

Joh Evans.

Euripides.

Eutropius.

Eusebius Pamphilus.

Eustathius Thessalonicensis:

F.

BEnevent. Fabius.

Thomas Fathers.

Samuel Fawcet.

Daniel Featly, D. D.

Richard Feild.

Owen Feltham.

Nicholas Felton, Eliens.

Ludovicus Fenestella.

M. Fenner.

Joh. Fenelius.

Arnold Ferron.

Johannes Ferus.

Marfilius Ficinus.

Johannes Fienus.

Nigid. Figulus.

[...] Firmicus.

Charles Fi [...]z. Ieffery.

Iohn Fisher, Roffensis.

Tho. Fle. cher.

Iohn Fox.

James Forsith.

Christoph. Fonseca.

Radulphus Fornerius.

Paulus de Francis.

Frontinus.

Fulgentius.

Thomas Fuller.

Baptista Fulgosus.

William Fulk, D. D.

Funerall Sermons.

Iohannes Funccius.

G.

PE [...]rus Galatinus.

Claudius Ga [...]enus.

Franciscus Garcia.

Ludo [...]icus de Granada.

Samuel Garey.

R. Gardiner.

Thomas Gataker.

John Gauden, D. D.

Iohannes Gerhardus.

Joh. Gee.

Aulus Gellius.

Germanicarum rerum Scriptores.

Johannes Gerson.

Conradus Gesnerus.

Gillebertus.

Abraham Gibson.

Gulielmus Gibieuf.

Franciscus Godwinus.

Thomas Goffe.

Rodolphus Goclenius.

M. Goddard.

Godfrey Goodman, Glocestr.

Philip Goodwin.

Thomas Goodwin, D. D.

Franciscus Gomarus.

Iohn Gore.

Nich. Gorranus.

Stephen Gosson.

VVilliam Gougs, D. D.

Gregorius Magnus.

Richard Greenham.

[Page]Iohn Gray.

Thomas Granger.

Iohn Green.

Iohn Grent.

Matthew Griffith, D. D.

Hieronymus Guadalupense

Fr. Guicciardino.

William Gurnall.

Guido Bituricensis.

Henricus Guilimannus.

Lilius Gyraldus.

Gyralcus Cambrensis.

H.

GEorge Hackwel, D. D.

Iohn Hampton.

Ios. Hall. Norvicens.

William Hall.

Robert Harris, D. D.

Nathaniel Hardy.

H. Hardwick.

Sir Iohn Harrington.

Andrew Harwood.

Sir Iohn Hayward.

Hegesippus.

George Herbert.

Thomas Hering.

Herodotus.

Hermes Trismegistus.

Hesiodus.

Peter Heylin, D. D.

Thomas Hill, D. D.

Iohn Hill.

Arthur Hildersham.

Augustin Hill.

Samuel Hieron.

Hilarius.

Hispanicarum rerum Scriptores.

William Holbrook.

Richard Holdsworth, D. D.

Robert Holcot.

Ralph. Hollinshed.

Homerus.

Honorius.

Iocodus Hondius.

Richard Hooker.

Iohn Hooper, Wigorniens.

Iohn Howes.

Q. Horatius Flaccus.

William Howel, D. D.

Tho. Hugget.

Hugo de S. Victore.

Iohn Hughes.

Iohn Hume.

David Hume.

Henricus Hungtindonus.

Hippocrates.

S. Hieronymus.

I.

THomas Iaggard.

K. Iames.

Cornelius Iansenius.

George Iay.

William Iemmat.

William Ienkin.

Michael Iermin.

Iohn Iewel, Sarum.

Ignatius Martyr.

Flaccus Illyricus.

Gabriel Inchinus.

Index Expurgatorius Hispaniae.

Thomas Iones, D. D.

William Iones.

Iosephus Iudaicus.

Paulus Iovius.

Irineus.

Isidorus Hispalensis.

Isocrates.

Franciscus Iunius.

Iustinus Martyr.

Iustinus Trogus.

Iuvenalis.

K.

IOhn King, Londinens.

Henry King, Cice [...]trens.

Richard Knoles.

L.

LActantius Firmianus.

Pomponius Laetus.

Arthur Lake, Bathoniens.

Aelius Lampridius.

Cornelius à Lapide.

Hugh Latimer, Wigorniens.

VVilliam Laud, Cant.

Thomas Laurence, D. D.

VVolfgangus Lazius.

Edward Leigh.

Iames Leslye, D. D.

Ieremy Leech.

Leo Hebraeus.

Thomas Lightfoot.

Iohn Lightfoot, D. D.

Peter Lilie.

Aloysius Lippomannus.

Liturgia Eccles. Anglicanae

Iustus Lipsius.

Titus Livius.

[Page]Tenures de Littleton.

Petrus Lombardus.

Iohannes Lorinus.

Christoph. Love.

VVilliam Lowe.

Lucianus.

Lucanus.

Conradus Lycosthenes.

Nicholaus de Lyra.

M.

I. Mab.

Nicholaus Machiavellus

Macrobius.

Centuriae Magdeburgenses.

Ioh. Magirus.

Iohannes Malcolmus.

Gulielmus Malmsburiensis.

Thomas Manton.

Constant. Man [...]ssus.

Iohannes Manlius.

Iacobus Marchantius.

Gervase Markham.

Peter Martyr.

Ramundus Martinus.

Martyrs Letters.

Antonius Margarita.

Marcus Marulus.

Stephen Marshall.

Andreas Masius.

Henry Mason.

Radford Maverick.

Anthony Maxey, D. D.

Maximus Tyrius.

S. Maximus.

Richardus de Mediavilla.

Phillippus Melancthon.

Otho Melander.

Gasper Melo.

Stephanus Menochius.

Menander.

Fred. de Mendoza.

Paulus Merula.

Methodius.

Pedro de Mexia.

I. Micklethwayt.

Richard Midleton.

Petrus Molineus.

Sir Thomas Moore.

Fines Morison.

Basilius Monnerus.

Philippus Mornejus.

Thomas Moufettus.

M. Mosse.

Sebastianus Munsterus.

Abrahamus Musculus▪

Simeon de Muis.

Ioachimus Mynsingerus.

N.

SIr Robert Nanton.

Iohn Nash.

Triumphus of Nassau.

Gregorius Nazianzenus.

VVilliam Negus.

Benjamin Needler.

Philippus Nepos.

Salomon Neugebaverus.

Gulielmus Neubrigenfis.

Newlanders Cure.

T. Newsham.

Nicephorus Gregoras.

Nice [...]as.

Gervase Nid, D. D.

Nicephorus Calistus.

Petrus Nonnus.

Aloysius Novarinus.

O.

OLaus Magnus.

Timothy Oldmayn.

Origines.

Oppianus.

Samuel Otes, D. D.

Lucas Osiander.

Pub. Ovidius, Naso.

P.

GEorgius Pachimerius.

Ephraem Paget.

Saintes Pagninus.

Antonius Panormitanus.

Henricus Pantaleon.

Onuphrius Panvinius.

Mathaeus Parisiensis.

David Pareus.

Velleius Paterculus.

Iohannes Passeratius.

Sir George Paul.

Pausanias.

Mine Here Paw.

Asconius Pedianus.

Isidorus Pelusiota.

VVilliam Perkins.

Aulus Persius.

Franciscus Petrarcha.

Thomas Pestell, D. D.

Iosephus Phovorinus.

Philemon.

Philo Indaeus.

[Page]Phocilides.

Johannes Philastrius.

Phil [...]tratus.

Jeremiah Philips.

Joh. Picus. C. Mirandula.

Johannes Pierius.

John Pigot.

Pindarus.

Charles Pinner.

Hector Pintus.

Pinke Avoth.

Marcellinus de Pise.

Petrus Pizarus.

Plato.

Thomas Playfere, D. D.

Baptista Platina.

Plautus.

Johannes Plantavitius.

Plinius Secundus.

Plutarchus.

Thomas Plummer.

Polienus.

Arnoldus Pontanus.

Porphyrius.

P [...]ssidonius.

John Potter, Carleolens.

M. Powel.

Gabriel Powel.

Grabriel Prateolus.

Preachers Travails.

Daniel Price, D. D.

Sampson Price, D. D.

VVilliam Price.

John Prideaux, D. D.

Sylvester de Prierio.

John Preston, D. D.

Robert Prior.

Primasius.

Procopius.

Prochorus.

Catullus Tibullius Propertius.

Prosper.

Fedinando Pulton.

Samuel Purchase.

Pythagoras.

Q.

QUintilianus.

Quirinus de Salazar.

R.

SIr VValter Raleigh.

Johannes de Rampegolis.

Fr▪ Rawlinson, D. D.

Petrus de Ravenna.

J. Rayment, D. D.

J. Reeks.

Georg. Ressoldus.

Nicholaus Reusnerus.

Thomas Reeve.

Edward Reynolds, D. D.

Reynerius de Pis [...]s.

Rhenanus.

Rhemigius Attissiodorensis.

Rhemigius Rhemenfis.

Caelius Rhodoginus.

Francis Roberts.

Angelus Roccha.

John Rogers, D. D.

John Rogers.

Nehemiah Rogers.

Nathaniel Rogers.

Valerius Rothmarus.

John Rowlandson.

Hieronymus Rubeus.

Ruffinus.

Samuel Ruterford.

S.

COccius Sabellicus.

Francis Salis.

Alphonsus Salmeron▪

Sir Edwin Sands.

George Sands.

Salvianus.

Josephus Scaliger.

Laurentius Scalabonius.

Gulielmus Schickardus.

Abrahamus Schultetus.

VVilliam S [...]later, D. D.

Josias Shute.

Nathaniel Shute.

Henricus Sedulius.

Obadiah Sedgwick.

Luc. An. Seneca.

iean de Seres▪

Richard Senhouse, Carleolens.

Richard Sibbs, D. D.

Carol [...]s Sigonius.

Silius Italicus.

Joh. Simson.

Shadrach Simpson.

Robert Skinner, Oxoniens.

Johannes Sle [...]danus.

Miles Smith, Glocestrens.

Samuel Smith.

John Smith.

Socrates Scholasticus.

Julius Solinus.

J. Some, D. D.

Sophocles.

[Page]Palladius Soranus.

Sozomenus.

Iohn Speed.

Speculum Exemplorum.

Iohn Spencer, D. D.

William Spotswod. S. Andreae.

Henricus Spondanus.

Iohn Squire.

Richardus Stanihurstus.

Thomas Stapletonus.

John Staughton. D. D.

Didacus Stella.

Matth. Stiles, D. D.

Richard Stock.

Iohn Stow.

Strabo.

Gaspar Strezo.

Walter Strickland.

George Strode.

William Strong.

Suetonius Tranquill [...]s.

Suidas.

Sulpitius Severus.

Laurentius Su [...]ius.

Thomas Sutton, D. D.

Iohn Swan.

Reginald Swale, D. D.

M. Swinburne.

Fredericus Sylburgius.

Aeneas Syl [...]ius.

Archibald Symmer.

Ios. Symonds.

T.

COrnelius Tacitus.

Talmud Iudaeorum.

Thomas Taylor, D. D.

Pub. Terentius.

Johannes Theutonicus.

Tertullianus.

Theodoretus.

Theophraestus Eresius.

Theopompus.

Hieronymus Thriverus.

Thucidides.

Iohn Timberlake.

Franciscus Tolletus.

Samuel Torshel.

Alphonsus Tostatus.

Alexand, Trallianus.

Johannes Tritenhemius.

John Trap.

Thomas de Trugillo.

M. Tullius Cicero.

Adrian. Turnebus.

Thomas Turnor, D. D.

Isaac Tzetzes.

V.

J. Valentine, D. D.

Valerias Maximus.

Ephraem Udal.

Maph. Vegius

Ralph. Venning.

Polydor Vergilius.

Verinus.

Georgius Vetterus.

Venatorius Honorius.

P. Victorius.

Claudius Veixmontiu [...] ▪

Richard Vines.

Vincentius Burgundus.

Vitruvius.

Ludovicus Vives.

Rodolphus Volateranus.

Flavius Vopiscus.

Daniel Votyer.

Iacobus Usserius Armachan.

Loys de Urretta.

W.

NAthaniel Waker.

Iohn Wall.

Johannes Walchrius.

Thomas Walsingham.

George Walker.

Paulus de Wann.

Samuel Ward.

Edward Waterhouse.

Thomas Watson.

Anthony Warwick.

Iohn Web, D. D.

John Weemse.

Thomas Wentworth.

Thomas Westfield. Bristoliens.

S. Whaley.

Degothy Whear.

Francis White. Eliens.

John White, D. D.

Thomas White.

Jeremiah Whitaker.

Ro. Willan.

Michael Wigmore.

John Williams. Lincolniens.

Henry Wilkinson.

Andrew Willet.

M. Wincop, D. D.

R. Wingfield.

Dr. Winniffe. Lincolniens.

[Page]I. Wilson.

Thomas Wood.

Iohn Wodnote.

Thomas Worrall, D. D.

Edoardus Wottonus.

Sir Henry Wootton.

X.

XEnophon.

Xyphilinus.

Y.

IOhn Yates.

R. Yong.

Z.

HIeronymus Zanchius.

Hieronymus Zeiglerus.

Zenodotus.

Zeno.

Zonaras.

Conradus Zuingerus

God to be consulted, at all times: but more especially, in the beginning of all Publique concernments.I

AB Iove principium,Virgil. Eclog. 3. In praefat. was the Law of Nature; the Gentiles were wont to begin from their Oracles and Oratories. It was ever the style of the Civill Law, Reg. Aluredi ad leges suas. to begin à Deo optimo maximo. Our old Saxon Lawes had the ten great Precepts of the Decalogue prefixed in their front. Sr. H. Spelman in concil. And it is said of Scipio Africanus, Aul. Gellius in noct. Attic. that it was his custome before the day broke out, to go into the Capitol, in cellam Iovis; and there to stay a great while, as if he were advising with his god, concerning the Common-wealth's good.Psalm 119. But the example of David may stand for all, who, in all his streights, Is. Bargrave Parliament-Serm. 1624. in all his undertakings, went to ask counsell of the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thus it is, that the children of God, are to consult with God, to [...]uspicate all their solemn actions,Apoc. 1. 8. to preface all great consultations for the common good, with some such religious Acts, as shall best conduce to the glory of God, making their Creator, who is the Alpha and Omega of all Creatures, the beginning and ending of all their actions.

Dreams, not to be altogether sleighted.II

IT is said of S. Cyprian, that in a Dreame he saw the Proconfull give order to the Clark of Affizes,Pont. Diaconus in vita ejus, ut est vid [...]re in [...]p. praefixâ operibus ex edit. Sim. to write down his Sentence (which was to be beheaded) which when the Clark by signes made known to S. Cyprian, the good Bishop desired some delay of the Execution, that he might set his house in order; and the Clark answered him in his dreame, That his Pe [...]ition was granted; and so it fell out accordingly, that that day twelvemonth after he had this dreame, Goulartij. House of mourning, or Fun. Se [...]m [...]ns. his head was strook off: Thus it hath been from the beginning, that God hath been so gracious to many of his children by Dreames, or otherwise to give them notice of their departure [Page] hence,Quae sensu volvuntur vota diurno, Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies. Claud. to some the hath made known the year, to some the moneth, to some the very day and hour; and not onely so, but the manner also of their death; some per viam lacteam by the pleasant passage of Nature, some per viam sanguineam, the blody way of Martyrdome, &c. Dreames therefore, as they are not with Eastern people Superstitiously to be observed, so neither are they amongst us Christians, totally to be neglected as idle and vaine nocturnall phantasies.

III Sin mortified, the Devill's terrour.

IT is mentioned of a City, Conr. Zvingeri. Theat. hum. Vitae. strongly besieged by a potent Enemy, which holding long out, was brought to extream want, no hope of reliefe appeared; Famine and Sword, the two sad concomitants of War, attended; the one without affrighting, the other within dismaying, the poor Inhabitants; insomuch that they were even at their witts end; and thereupon fell upon a serious consultation, Paul. De Wann. Serm. de Tempt. what was best to be done for their better safety, the result whereof was this, That there should be a considerable number of dead bodies, Speculum Exemplorum. (of which they had great store lay starved in the streets) clap'd up in Armour, and set upon the Walls in the still time of the night, that so next morning, the Enemies upon sight thereof, might be somewhat amazed, which fell out accordingly; for it was thereby conceived, that some fresh supplies were brought in to their assistance; and thereupon the Siege was raised, Peccati mortificatio, Diaboli flagellum. and the City relieved. This distressed City, so strongly besieged,Sedul. Hybern. is the Soul of Man; the potent Enemy that lyeth before it is the Devill, that great Commander in chief, over all such Regiments, as the World and the Flesh can possibly raise for his service. And what course must the poore Soul take in such a case? Surely no other, but, consultation first had with God by Prayer, to set out it's dead and mortified lusts and affections; and then no doubt, the Devill, upon the sight thereof, will quit the place, and never for the time to come, adventure his whole strength to so little purpose.

IV Worldly thoughts and distractions, in the time of Prayer, condemned.

THere is a story, how that one offered to give his Horse to his fellow,Mart. ab [...] Norvarri Concilia. in [...]ap. de oratione &. horis canonicis. In Dialogo ad Luciferium. upon condition, he would but say the Lords Prayer, and think upon nothing but God. The proffer was accepted, and he began; Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. But I must have the Bridle too, said he. No, nor the Horse neither, said the other; for thou hast lost both, already. And thus it is, that too too many, Men and Women, in their both private and publick addresses, unto God by prayer, are by the suggestions of Sathan, walking with St. Hierom in the Galleries of Rome, having their hearts roving after pleasures of sin, their thoughts taken up with the things of this world, and their whole Man set upon vanity;Non vox, sed votum, &c. whereas they should rather minde that which they are about, keep close to God, and be so watchfull and intentive over their souls, that their hearts and tongues may go comfortably together:Esay. 6. 5. 5. Psalm. 4. 1. 2. For, the outward worke onely, is but like the loathsome smoak of Sodome; whereas the inward devotion of the heart, is not unfitly compared to the pleasant perfume, of the sweetest Frankincense.

V How it is, that Tyrants are usually not long liv'd.

AS in Nature so in Government, Nothing is permanent that is violent; It is therefore hard to see an old Tyrant, Aver. Metaph. Thales Miles. Foelix criminibus nullus erit diu. Ausonius. Plin. nat hist. lib. 8. cap. 11. was the saying of a Wiseman; And good reason had he for so saying. For though for a time he may uphold his State by force and policy, yet in the end divine Justice confounds his practices and infatuates his counsells to his owne ruine and overthrow; For, as in that mortall warre betweene the great Elephant and poysonfull Dragon, this one with his ta [...]le enclaspeth that others feet, making him fall, and he in his fall bursteth himselfe, and cursheth that other in pieces: So when Ambition and Envy meet as Combatants [Page] in the heart of a Man,Sir Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms. he needes no outward force to assail him; For the venemous tayle of his Envy entangleth the winged sect of his Ambition, making him fall,Ingens mole sua, &c. and in the fall to burst with his own weight.

Policy above strength.VI

THe Dolphin finding himself unable to hurt the Crocodile, Plin. nat. hist. Lib. 8. Chap. 25. by reason of his hard scales which no weapon can pierce, diveth under him, and with his sharp fin striketh him into the belly being Soft and tender, and so killeth him. Thus, what Nature taught the Creature,Experientia docet. Experience hath taught Man; To strike the Enemy where he may,Militem privatum, non solum debere esse volentem, &c. with most hurt; and leave things impossible unattempted; for Prudence is of force, where Force prevailes not; Policy goes beyond strength, and contrivance before action: Hence is it, that direction is left to the Commander, Execution to the Souldier, who is not to aske Why,Zenoph. Cyropaed, Lib. 2. but to do What he is commanded.

The state of a kingdomc or Common-wealth known best by the administration of Iustice.VII

THe Constitution of a Man's body is best known by his pul [...]e; Iean. Bodin. de la Republique. Justitia Remp. firmat. if it stirre not at all, then we know he is dead; if it stirre violently, then wee know him to be in a Fever; Ant. Bonfinius, Lib. 3. rerum. Hungar. if it keep an equall stroake▪ then we know he is sound and whole: In like manner we may judge of the state of a Kingdom, or Common-weale, by the manner of execution of Iustice therein, for Iustice is the pulse of a Kingdom; If Iustice be violent, then the kingdome is in a Fever, in a bad estate; if it stirre not at all, then the Kingdom is dead; but if it have an equall stroake, the just and ordinary course, then the Kingdom is in a good condition,Jer: 22. 15. it is sound and whole without the least corruption imaginable.

The prevalency of fervent Prayer.VIII

SOcrates telleth that when a terrible fire in Constantinople had fastned on a great part of the City and tooke hold of the Church, Lib. 7. Chap. 28. the Bishop thereof went to the Altar, and falling downe upon his knees,I. White Serm. at St. Paul [...]s London. 1612. would not rise from thence, till the fire blazing in the Windowes, and flashing at every doore, was vanquished, and the Church preserved,Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus. Ovid. so that with the flouds of his devotion he slaked the fury of that raging Element: And the same shall be the force of Englands prayers, for Englands peace and welfare, if wee be fervent therein; Hereticks and Schismaticks may range, Enemies conspire, and the People rise up in tumults;Psal. 50 [...]5. but let us trust in him that never forsaketh them, that faithfully call upon his holy name.

God onely to be seen in Christ Iesus.IX

A Man cannot behold the Sun in the Eclipse, it so dazeleth his eyes;Rich. Holdsworth. Serm. at St. Pauls Lon. 1624. What doth he then? He sets down a basin of water, and seeth the image of the Sun shadowed in the Water: So seeing we cannot behold the infinite God, nor comprehend him, we must then cast the eyes of our Faith upon his image, Christ Iesus; When we look into a cleare glasse, it casteth no shadow to us;Videmus D [...]um per Christum, &c. but put steele upon the back, then it casteth a reflex, and sheweth the face in the glasse: So when we cannot see God himselfe,Fulgent. we must put the Manhood of our Lord Iesus Christ (as it were a back to his Godhead) and then we shall have a comfortable reflex of his glory.

Riches availe not in the day of Wrath.X

IT is sayd, that there stands a Globe of the World at one end of the Library in Dublin, D. Staughtons Sermon. and a Skeleton of a Man at the other; there it is, that one need not study [Page] long for a good lesson.Haud ullas portabit opes Acherontis ad undas, Propert. And what lesson is that? Though a Man were Lord of all that he sees in the Map of the world, yet he must dye, and become himselfe a Map of Mortality: And therefore, if the Devill tempt him with a View of the glory of the World,Matth. 4. Omnia haec tibi dabo; he may resist him with the words of our Saviour, Sed quid proderit homini? &c? What will it profit a Man to win the whole world, Mark. 8. 36. and to lose his owne soul?

XI Affliction, from God, is for his Children's good.

A Tender hearted Father walking with his little Son, B. White Serm at St. Pauls. London. 1617 suppose in the City, when he perceives him gaze up and down, and wander from him, withdraws himselfe behind some pillar, or hides himselfe in some corner of the street; not that he means to lose him, but to make him cry and seek after him, and keep closer to him afterwards: So doth our heavenly Father with us, he correcteth every son whom he loveth, he hides himselfe,Exigu [...] percussus fulminis ictu Fortior ut possit cladibus esse suis. Ovid. ep. and, as it were, pulls in the beams of his Gracious favour for a time, when wee are rambling about in our thoughts, and [...] in our imaginations; but it is to make us cry after him the louder, and to keep closer to him for the time to come, and to walke more circumspectly than ever wee did before.

XII The peaceable Man's comfort.

IF a Man stain were found in the field,Deu [...]. 21. 7. and it not known who slew him, God provided That the Elders of the next City should wash their hands in the blood of an Hey [...]er, and say; Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it: be mercifull O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy People of Israel's charge; Eph. [...]dal. Ser. at Mercers Chappel. London 1642. and the blood shall be forgiven them. So this, one day, will be a comfort to the Consciences of all well minded men, that they may appeal, to the great God of heaven, that they have prayed heartily for peace, have Petitioned humbly for peace, Pa [...]m te poscimus omnes. have been contented to pay dearly for peace, and to their powers, have endeavoured to refraine from sins, the only breakers of Peace; and therefore trust that the Christian, English, Protestant blood which hath already been, and hereafter may be shed, shall never be visited on their score, or layd to their charge.

XIII Knowledge, very useful in the matter of Reformation.

DAngerous was the mistake committed by Sir Francis Drake in 88. when, neglecting to carry the Lanthorn (as he was commanded,) in the dark,Tho. Fuller Holy State. he chased five hulks of the Dutch Merchants,ubi virtus discretionis perditur, &c. supposing them to have been of his Enemies the Spaniards: such and worse Errors may be committed in the Reforming of a Church or Commonwealth; good mistaken for bad,Greg. lib. 3. moral. and bad mistaken for good; where the light of knowledge is wanting for direction.

XIIII How to know whether a Man belong to Heaven, or not.

IT was wont to be a Tryall, Rich, Stainihurst, de rebus Hybern. whether land belonged to England, or Ireland, by putting in Toads, or Snakes, or any other venemous Creature into it: and if they lived there, it was concluded, that the land belonged to England; if they died, to Ireland.Rom. 6. 12. So, if venemous Lusts live in us, if sin reign in our mortall bodies, we belong to Hell; Jos. Shute, Sermon at S. Mary. Wolnoth L [...]mbards [...]eet, London, 1619. Iohn 14. 2. but if they dy by Mortification, if there be no life in them, then shall we be sure to set up our eternall rest in Heaven, and be made heires of Heaven, and have full possession of those Mansions, which Christ our elder brother hath prepared for us.

God's way, the safe way to walk in.XV

[Page]

IF a Man, travelling in the King's highway, be robbed between Sun and Sun, satisfaction is recoverable upon the County, R. Skinner, Serm. at Court, 1626. where the robbery was made, but, if he takes his journey in the night,Via divine▪ via [...] being an unseasonable time, then it is his own perill, he must take what falls. So, if a man keep in God's wayes, he shall be sure of God's protection; but if he stray out of them, he exposeth himself to danger.

God's time, the best time for deliverance.XVI

THe Physician turns the hour-glasse, and resolves the physick shall work so long;R. Stock, Serm. at Alhallowes Breads [...]. Lon. 1616. the impatient Patient [...], and thinks every hour two, till he be refreshed; but the other knowes the fittest time, and will not till then afford any comfort at all. Thus the children of God cry out in the midst of their heavy pressures,Rev. 6. 10. How long, Lord, how long? Shall the rod of the wicked lye alwaies upon the back of the righteous? Psal. 125. 3, Tempus [...] tempus opportunum. But he hath turned the glasse, he will not hearken to their cry; they must stay their time, he knowes best when and how to deliver them; had they but so much Faith as to believe it, or Patience to wait for it.

The difference betwixt Spirituall and carnall Prayers, in respect of Answer.XVII

CHildren shoot arrowes on purpose to [...] them, and never so much as look where they light; but Men, when they shoot, aime at the mark, and go after the arrow, to see how neer it falls: So, wicked carnall men, when they have said, not made, their prayers to Almighty God, it is but Opus operatum, Edw. Wilkison Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1639. they have no more regard of them: But God's children, when they, upon the bended knees of their [...]ouls, dart out their Prayers, when they pour out their requests unto him, they look after their Prayers, eye them up into Heaven, observe how God entertains them; and wait for a happy return, at his good will and pleasure.

God's knowledge, and Man's knowledge, the difference in event of things.XVIII

IN a sheet-Almanack, D. Price Serm. at Christ-Church Lond. 1620. and man may uno intuntu, at one view, see all the months in the year, both past and to come; but in a book-Almanack, as he turneth to one month, so he turneth from another, and can but look onely on the present. This is the true difference betwixt the knowledge of God and Man; 1 Joh. 3. 20. he looketh in one instant of time to things past, present, and future; 1 Cor. 2. 11. but the knowledge of Man reacheth onely to a few things past, and present, but knoweth nothing at all of things that are to come, that's God's peculiar so to do, and a piece of Learning too high for any mortall man to attain unto.

Riches, Honours, Preferments, &c. transitory.XIX

THe great Conquerour of the world caused to be painted on a Table,Plutarch in vitâ Alexandri. a Sword in the compasse of a Wheel; shewing thereby, that what he had gotten by the Sword, Jos. Shure Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1619. was subject to be turned about by the wheel of Fortune. Such is the condition of all things here below, whether they be Riches, Honours, or Preferments, there is no more hold to be had of them, than Saul had of Samuel's lap; they do but like the Rainbow, Act. 20. shew themselves in all their dainty colours, Nihil in vitae durabile▪ non opes, non honores, and then vanish away; and if by chance they stay with us as long as death, they do but like Saint Paul's friends, bring us to the grave, as they brought him to the ship, and there [Page] leave us: So uncertain,non potentia, &c. Const. Minos, Annal. deceitfull, unconstant, are the things of this world, to the owners thereof.

XX The Church of God still on the decaying hand.

THe Church of Christ (saith St. Hilary) is aptly resembled to a Ship, Com. in Matth. chap. 13. for as the Ship is small in the fore-deck,Boys. Postills. Terras Astr [...] reliquit. broad in the middle, little in the stern: so the Church in her beginning was exceeding little, in her middle age flourishing; but in her old age,Luk. 18. [...]. her company will be so small, and her beliefe so weak, that when the Son of man shall come to judge the [...]ons of men, he shall scarce find faith on the earth.

XXI A good Neighbour a great blessing to all men, especially a Minister of Gods Word.

THemistocles intending to sell a Farm, Plutarch in Apophth [...]gm. Ant, in Melissa. p. 2. Serm. 33. T. Westfield, Serm. at St. (as Plutarch hath it) caused the Cryer to proclaim, that it had amongst other commodities, A good Neighbour, as being assured, that this one circumstance would be advantagious to the sale, and much induce the Chapman to purchase it. And surely, he that hath a good Neighbour, hath a good morrow; but, [...] Lond. 1641. a Minister that liveth amongst such, hath got a rich Benefice; he may acknowledge with David, (rebus sic stantibus) that his Lot is fallen into a fair ground; Psal. 120. and blesse God, that he is not a brother to the Dragons, and a companion to the Estriges of the times; nor constrained to his great grief to dwell with Meshec [...], and to have his habitation amongst the tents of Kedar.

XXII Christ fully revealed in the New Testament.

THe bunch of grapes that the Spies of the children of Israel carried from the land of Promise, Numb. 13. (it is Luther's observation) was born by two strong men upon a pole or staffe;Iohn Boys, [...] he that went before could not see the grapes, Mar. Luth. in loc. com. de Christo. but he that was behinde might both see and eat them. So the Fathers, Patriarcks, and Prophets of the Old Testament, did not in like manner see the bunch of Grapes, that was the Son of God made man,Plus vident oculi qu [...]m oculus. as they that came behinde, the Evangelists, Apostles, Disciples, under the New Testament, both saw and tasted it, after Iohn had shewed this Grape,Joh. I. 1 [...]. Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.

XXIII The danger of trusting to worldly greatnesse, in time of distresse.

AS a passenger in a storm, that for shelter against the weather, steppeth out of the way, betaketh him to a fair spread Oak, standeth under the boughes, with his back close to the body of it, and findeth good reliefe thereby for the space of some time; till at length commeth a suddain gust of winde, that [...]eareth down a main arme of it, which falling upon the poor passenger, either maimeth or mischieveth him,Th. Gataker's Parley with Princes. that resorted to it for succour. Thus falleth it out not with a few, meeting in the world with many troubles, and with manifold vexations, they step asiae out of their own way, and too too often out of Gods, to get under the wing of some great one, and gain, it may be, some aid and shelter thereby for a season; but after a while, that great one himself comming down headlong, and falling from his former height of favour,Nulla fides pi [...] tas (que) viris, &c. or honour, they are also called in question, and so fall together with him, that might otherwise have stood long enough on their own legs, if they had not trusted to such an arm of flesh, such a br [...]ken staffe, that deceived them.

XXIV Riches cannot follow us out of this World.

RIches,Th. Ga [...]aker's True Contentment in God's way, a Sermon. 1619. though they have alas Aquilinas, great Eagle's wings, to flie away from us whilst we are here in this world, yet have n [...] Passerinas quidem, not [Page] so much as little Sparrowes wings to fly after us, and follow us when we go hence. Nihil attulisti, nihil hinc at [...]olles, Job 1. 21. We brought nothing into this world, neither shall we carry any thing hence. [...] tellus & domus, &c. Naked came we [...] world, and [...] naked must we return again.Hora [...]. c [...]. 2. 3.

Not to be over hasty in the desire of Justice, for wrongs sustained.XXV

AS one that hath been either robbed himself, [...] or that hath his friend murthered, If he have the party apprehended,Evang. and said fast in prison, is not presently out of patience, Eccles. 8. 11. because he [...]eeth him not instantly executed, but is well content quietly to expect the time of the Assizes, Th. Gataker's Appeal from Princes to God. though it be half a year after, as long as he is sure, that he shall then have Iustice against him. So ought we not presently to flye out, because evill doers prosper, or grow impatient, i [...] we see not justice done instantly, so soon as our hasty hearts shall require it, upon those we suppose have wronged us; but rest content to stay God's leasure, and to expect that day of his great Assize, when we shall be sure to have justice done us, according to that which the equity of our cause shall require; Carcer ejus est cor ejus.. remembring withall, that all wicked ones are in the mean while in this world, Bernard as in God's Jayle, under the chaynes of a guilty conscience, out of which there is no possible means of escape, without judgment.

God [...]s favour above the world's contentments, to a godly man.XXVI

THe old Grecians, Eustath. in Homeri Iliad [...] Th: Gataker's Gain of godlinesse: that had fed altogether on Achorns before, after that bread came in amongst them, they made no reckoning of their mast any more, but kept it onely for their swine: And leathern and iron mony began to grow out of request amongst the Lacedemonians, after that gold and silver came in use. So when a man hath once found the favour of God in his heart,Seneca de benefic. and the love of God in Christ hath once lighted on it,Virtutibus a [...] rum vilius. and got assurance of it, he ceaseth then to be greedy of this worlds trash, which is, in regard of it, but as drosse, or peeble stones, to gold and diamonds, Horat. as mast to the best bread-corn; yea, rather of far lesse worth or value to that, than either of these are to it.

A good Heart is a melting Heart.XXVII

IT is observed,B. Hall occasionall Meditat. Vilius argentum est auro. that gold is both the fairest, and the most solid of all Mettalls, yet is the soonest melted with the fire; others, as they are coorser, so more churlish, and hard to be wrought on by a dissolution. Thus a sound and a good heart is easily melted into fear and sorrow for sin,Horat. by the sense of God's judgments, whereas the carnall minde is stubborn and remorselesse. All mettalls are but earth, yet some are of a finer temper than other; all hearts are flesh, yet some are through the power of grace, more capable of spirituall apprehensions, than others are.

An idle man subject to the least temptation.XXVIII

SEt a narrow mouthed glasse neer to a Bee-hive, B. Hall, ut antea. and you shal soon perceive how busily the Wasps resort to it, being drawn thither by the smell of that sweet liquor, wherewith it is baited; and how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it, and fall down suddainly from that slippery steepinesse, into that warry trap, from which they can never rise; but after some vain labour and wearinesse, they drown and die: Now there are none of the Bees that so much as look that way, they passe directly to their hive, without any notice taken of such a pleasing bait. Thus idle and ill disposed persons,In promptu causa est, &c. are easily drawn away with every temptation, they have both leasure and will to entertain every sweet allurement to sin, and wantonly prosecute their own wicked lusts,Ovid. till they fall into irrecoverable damnation; Variam semper dant otia mentem. Lucan. whereas the diligent and laborious Christian, that follows hard and conscionably the works of an honest calling, is free from the danger of those deadly [Page] enticements, and laies up honey of comfort against the winter of evill.

XXIX A cheap Religion, the beloved Religion with most men

SAint Basil complained of the covetous rich in his age,Serm. in divites [...]. because they preferred only that kind of devotion, I. Boys Sermont. which is without cost; as, to pray for fashion, and fast out of miserablenesse; but they would not offer one half-penny to the poor. Such are to be found in our daies, [...] who are content to hear God's Word read, and preached, with their hatts on their heads, and leaning on their elbowes, and (if need be) they will make bitter invectives against Atheism and Popery; yet they are willing to serve God with that which cost them nought: Let but the Parish impose an ordinary charge, towards the necessary repairs of the Church, or the Pastour desire but some oyl for his lamp, accustomed Offerings for his better subsistence, you shall have them as a bulrush in a wet place, so dry, that a penny is as easily skrewed from them, as a new coat from a child, or a sword from a souldier enraged.

XXX Charity to the poor to be reall, not verball.

WE read in our Chronicles of King Oswald, Bedae hist. lib. 3. cap. 6. that as he sat at Table, when a fair silver dish, full of regall delicacies, was set before him, and he ready to fall to, hearing from his Almoner, that there were great store of Poor at his gates, pitiously crying out for some reliefe, did not fill them with words, as, God help them, Jam. 2. 16. God relieve them, God comfort them, &c. but commanded his Steward presently, to take the dish off the Table, and distribute the meat, then beat the dish all in pieces,R. Holdsworth Serm. at S. Peter po [...]r. and cast it among them. This was true charity. Words, be they never so adorned, cloath not the naked; be they never so delicate, feed not the hungry; be they never so zealous,Lond. 1630. warm not him that is starved with cold; be they never so oyly, Verbis non solvendum est quidquam. Terence. cure not the wounded; be they never so free, set not them free that are bound, visit not the sick or imprisoned.

XXXI Distractions will prove Destructions.

BEfore the destruction of the holy City and the Temple,I [...] lib. de [...] I [...]d. Iosephus wirteth of a man troubled in minde, that ran about the City, crying, Wo to the City, Wo to the Temple, Wo to the Priests, Wo to the People; and last of all, Wo to myself: at which words, he was slain on the Walls by a stone out of a sling. Let us take away but one letter,D. Featly Clavis mystica. Divide & impara. Machiav. Mark 3. 24. turning WO into O, and his prophecy may prove our admonition: O that the World, O that this Nation in the World, O that this great City of the Nation, O that both City and Country would yet be wise, and lay it to their hearts, that our distractions will prove our destructions; That a Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand.

XXXII Love for the most part is but complementall.

THe Naturalists observe,Plinius, [...] that the Females of Birds oftentimes lay eggs without Cocks, but they are Ov [...] subventanea, egges filled with wind, unfit to be hatched. Such is the issue of most mens love now adaies, it bringeth forth Partus subventaneos, windy brats, good words, large promises, and happy wishes, but no deeds, little or no performance at all.

XXXIII A great folly not to provide for Heaven.

IT is a thing that the Emperour Caligula is laughed at in all Stories:Sueton hist. Xyphilinus, house of mourning. There was a mighty Navy provided, well Man'd and Victualled; and every one expected, that the whole Country of Greece should have been invaded, and so it might have been: but the Emperour had another designe in hand, and employed his Souldiers to gather a company of Cockle-shells, and pibble stones, and so returned home again. Just such another Voyage doth almost every man make here in this World, [Page] were the particulars but truly cast up,Discite in hoc mundo supra mundum esse, &c. God hath given us so much time, it may be twenty, thirty, or forty years; it may be but a day, or two more: In this time, he hath furnished us with that, which may be a means to conquer Heaven it self:Ambros. lib. de Virg. Now if we lay out this little onely about wife, or children, or to purchase a little wealth, is not this to spend money for that which is not bread? to labour for that which satisfieth not? Is not this the greatest folly that may be?

No personall security to be had, in time of publick danger.XXXIV

CIcero in his time laughed at the folly of those men,Lib. 1. epist. 15. ad Atticum. Qui amissâ Republicà priscinas suas fore salvas sp [...]rare videntur, who seemed to conceive such a windy hope, that their Fish-ponds, and places of Pleasure should be safe, when the Common wealth was lost. Preface to the B. of Winchest. Serm. And we may well mourn over the security of most men in our times, such as look for personall safety, in the midst of publick danger; that take more care for their trifling fardells, Res tua tunc agitur, &c. than the preservation of the ship they go in: But let such know for certain, that if the Publick suffer either in Church or State, no man's private; pleasure or profit can stand firm unto him; no man's, whatsoever he be.

Governours, as they are qualified, are a curse or a blessing to any People.XXXV

JOsephus reporteth,In lib. Antiquit. that Solomon being but twelve years of age, when he first began to govern, the People listning to that Sentence which he gave, at his first sitting in judgment, touching the two women that contested about their child, Dividatur aequaliter, Let the child be cut in twain, many laughed at it, deeming it to be a childish Sentence; 1 King. 3. 26. but afterwards, weighing the discreet course that he had taken, in justifying the truth, without any further proof or testimonies, they then cryed out,Cuspinianus. De coelo elapsus, The King is sent us down from Heaven. But on the other side, there was one Phocas, a most cruell Emperour of Constantinople; whereupon a religious Monk, in a corner of his Cell, thus complaineth unto God, Cur fecisti eum Imperatorem? Why didst thou make him Emperour? Who had no sooner made his moan,Christ. [...]onse cae Quadrag [...]s [...] ma. but was answered with a voice from Heaven, Non inveni pejorem, I could not find a worse. And certainly, nothing can more manifest the love of God unto a People or Nation, than in having given them wise and religious Governours; Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi. and there cannot be a more plain argument of his wrathfull displeasure, than to cast a wicked Ruler over the People; for, as God is pleased with a People, he gives them Governours accordingly.

Tyranny, Oppression, Murther, &c. are not long lived.XXXVI

THales Milesius, Plutarch in Convi. the prime wise man of Greece, being demanded, What he had observed to be of most difficulty in the world,Diogen. Laert. in Vita. Psal. 55. answered, Tyrannum senem, To see a Tyrant live to be an old man. Thus, if cruelty and oppression, sacriledge and prophanenesse, Sine caede & sanguine pauci Descendunt Reges & sicca morte Tyranni, murther and manslaughter, promise to themselves long life, it is a wonder, and more than God hath warranted: For, Sanguinarii non dimidiabunt dies suos, Blood-thirsty men shall not live out half their daies.Juvenal.

God [...]s Children must have God's qualities.XXXVII

THe Roman Censors took such a dista [...]t at the son of Africanus, Ammian. Marcellin. for his debauched life, that they took a Ring off his finger, in which the image of [...] father was engraven; because he so much degenerated from his father's excellent parts, they would not suffer him to wear his father's picture in a Ring, whose image he bare not in his minde.D. Featly Sermons. Neither will God suffer any to bear his Name, and be accounted His Sons, who bear not His Image, who resemble not His Attributes in their vertues, Et quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco. His Simplicity in their sincerity, His Immutability in their constancy, His Purity in their chastity, His Goodnesse in their charity, His Iustice in their integrity, &c.

XXXVIII The devout Soul will admit of none but Christ.

[Page]

WHen Cyrus took the King of Armenia, Xenoph. cyro [...]. lib. 3. and his son Tigranes, and their wives and children prisoners, and upon their humble submission, beyond all hope, gave them their liberty and their lives; in their return home, as they all fell a commending Cyrus, some for his personage, some for his puissance, some for his clemency; Tigranes asked his wife, What thinkest thou of Cyrus? is he not a comely and a proper man, of a majestick presence? Truly (said she) I know not what manner of man he is, I never looked on him. Why, quoth he, where were the eyes all the while? up [...]n whom didst thou look? I fixed my eyes, saith she, all the while upon him, (meaning her husband) who in my hearing offered to Cyrus, to lay down his life for my ransome. And thus▪ if any question the devout soul, whether she be not enamoured with the beauty of Cherubins, Seraphins, Angells and Saints, with the pomp and splendour of that Heavenly Court; D. Featly, ut antea. her answer will be that of Tigranes his wife, That she never did so much as cast a look upon them, Si Christum discis, satis est [...] [...]aetera n [...]scis. because her eyes were never off Him, who not onely offered to lay, but did lay down his life for her, and ransomed her with his own blood: Whom should she have in Heaven but Him, who hath none on Earth but her?

XXXIX The way to Greatnesse is full of danger.

THe Panther carries with him a sweet se [...]t, Plinii nat. hist. lib 8. cap. 17. but an ugly face; that, enticeth beasts after him; this, affrights them: therefore he hideth his head, till he have the prey within danger.Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms. So is the favour of soveraignty and greatnesse very sweet, but the ugly face of those means by which it is gotten, men see not; and so run into the Toyle, and perish in the pursuit: For, being once embarqued in so bad a cause,Nec [...]nim lex justior ulla est, &c. Ovid. the farther they wade, the deeper they are drown'd in the whirlpool of their own errours; the more they weave in the Loom of such deceitfull plots, the faster they are ensnar'd in the trap devised for others.

XL Not to be affraid of Afflictions, because God sends them.

HOw sick soever a man be with Physick, Lud. [...] Granada meditat. he is not affraid of dying, because he considers, the Physitian in wisdome gave him, what now occasioneth his present sicknesse and distemper. No more should we be dismaied at the bitternesse of our cup,Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est. Virg. if (with Christ) we did but take notice: It is the Cup that our heavenly Father hath mingled, and hath given us onely for our correction, not confusion.

XLI To be carefull of our duty to God and Man.

AUgustus the Emperour hearing,Macrob. Sat. lib. 2. cap. 4. that a Gentleman of Rome, notwithstanding a great burthen of debt, wherewith he was oppressed, slept quietly, and took his ease, desired to buy the bed that the lodged on: His servants marvailing thereat,D. King, lect. on Jonah. he gave them this answer, That it seemed unto him to be some wonderfull bed, and worth the buying, wher [...]on a man could sleep, that was so deeply engaged. Surely, if we did but consider with our selves, the duty and debt we owe to God, to Man, to our Country, to our Family, to home-born and strangers, especially to the houshold of Faith, it would make us vow with our selves, never to suffer our eye-lids to slumber, nor the temples of our heads to take any rest, untill we have finished that charge whereunto we are appointed, and perfected the account, wherewith we are intrusted.

XLII The grouth of Sin to be prevented.

IT is said of the Pismires, Th. Mouffe [...]'s Insector. that to prevent the growing (and so the corrupting) of that corn which they hoord up for their winter-store, they bite off both the ends [Page] thereof, wherein the generating power of the grain doth consist.Tho. Fuller's Holy State. Thus, when we have committed any sin, we must pray to God so to order it, that the procreation thereof may be destroyed, and that by a true and unfeigned sorrow, we may condemn it to a blessed barrennesse, that there be no more of the breed.

More care for the Body than the Soul, condemned.XLIII

APelles, the famous Painter of Greece, Clem, Alexan. Paedog. lib. 2. cap. 12. having observed, that one of his Schollars had painted Helena, set out with much gold and embroidery, said unto him, O adolescens, quum non possis pingere pulchram, fecisti divitem; Ala [...]s poor young man,Mich. Jemin. Com. on▪ Prov. when thou couldest not draw her fair, thou hast made her rich. Thus many do set a fair outside on the body, and utterly neglect the inside of the soul; pamper the body, but starve the soul; trick up the body with gold and silver, whilst the soul is naked of all grace and goodnesse.

The basenesse of Ingratitude.XLIV

AThenaeus reporteth of Milesius, Deipnosoph. lib. 13. that having bought a Dolphin alive, and letting him go again into the Sea;Mich. Jermin. ut ante [...]. afterward, himself being cast away by shipwrack, and ready to perish in the midst of the waters,Ingratus vir [...] lium est perforatum. Lucianus. the Dolphin took him, and carried him safe to the shore. But, though it be more than probable, that the truth hath suffered shipwrack in this narration, yet the application is good; That it is more than beastly ingratitude for any man, to reward evill for good, not to be thankfull for a courtesie received.

Every man to speak Truth to his neighbour.XLV

IN the body of Man,Mich. Jermin. ut antea. one Member will not lie to another, the hand will not lie, in telling what it toucheth; the tongue will not lie, in telling what it tasteth; the eye will not lie, Quae vera sunt, loqui, virum ingenuum decet. Ephes. 4. 25. in telling what it seeth; but every Member is a true witnesse to another, a true witnesse to his neighbour. And thus it should be in the body Politick of Government and Society, in the Mysticall body of the Church and Christianity, that seeing we are members one with another, every one should speak the truth to his neighbour; and such should be the care of those especially, as professe Christianity, as to lose their breath, rather than to use their breath, in speaking any untruth of another.

A little with God's blessing goes far.XLVI

IT was a good saying of that poor woman,Pag. 1874. edit. ult. in the Book of Martyrs, who being threatned to have but a little bread one day, and a little water on the next; replyed, Th. Plummer a Serm. at St. Paul's Lond. 1616. If you take away my meat, God, I hope, will take away my hunger: If God give but a little, he can make that little serve the turn, and then enough is as good as a feast. Well then, is thy provision small? thy appetite shall be lesse. Is there but a little meal in the barrell, a little oyl in the cruse? God will make it hold out. Is that little coorse,Natura pauci [...] contenta. and none of the finest? Brown bread and the Gospell (said Mr. Greenham) is good chear; Iovis omnia plena. and indeed, Brown bread, and the blessing of God, is a rich banquet. It is not the greatnesse and daintinesse of the fare, Virgil. nor the cloathing in soft raiment, but God's good blessing that doth nourish and strengthen the body of man. God makes bread to be a staff and a stay to satiate the righteous man, when the wicked may have the staff broken to them,Prov. 13. 25. but the [...]ay taken away; they eat, and are not satisfied; they drink, but their thirst is nothing at all quenched.

The things of this World, a great stop in the way to Heaven.XLVII

AS the Reubenites, Numb. 23. having taken a liking of the Country which was first conquered, because it was commodious to the feeding of their Cattle, (though [Page] it were far from the Temple,Joh. Downham's Warfare. where they might have [...]ed their [...]ouls) and therefore to enjoy it, renounced all interest in the land of Promise. Thus do the worldly Reubenites of our times,Solum non Coelum amatur. they their hea [...]s and affections upon the earth, and earthly vanities, Rhemig. Rhe [...]. because they are at hand, and fit to feed their sensuall and brutish appetites, preferring it before the heavenly Canaan, and Temple of God's holinesse, where their [...]ouls might be satisfied with those ravishing joyes, and transcendent pleasures, which are at God's right hand for evermore.

XLVIII The condonation of the In [...]ured, is a conquest over the Injurious.

THere is mention made of two famous Philosophers,Plutarch de cohibenda ir [...]. falling at variance, Aristippus and Aeschines: Aristippus comes to Aeschines, Shall we be friends? Yes, with all my heart, saies Aeschines. Remember (saith Aristippus) that though I am your elder, yet I sought for peace. True, saies Aeschines; and for this, I will alwaies acknowledge you to be the more worthy man; for I began the strife, and you the peace. This was a Pagan glasse,Je [...]m▪ Burrough's Heart-divisions. but may very well serve a great many fiery spirited Christians, to see their blemishes in. How usuall is it now for a man to say, I will be revenged upon such or such a one, [...]. he hath done me wrong, I will be even with him: and so he may too. But I'l shew him a way how he may be above him. How's that? Forgive him; for by yielding, pardoning, putting up the wrong, he shewes power over his passion, over himselfe, and that's a far greater thing, than to have power over another.

XLIX Man alwaies in a dying condition.

LOok upon a candle; R. Prior. how it fails before it be well lighted, or is drowned with much moisture,A Serm. at the Funer. of B [...]. Smith, 1632. Vive memor lethi, hoc quod loquor inde est. Persius. or is puffed out with the winde, or is extinguished by the hand of man, or goeth out of its own accord. So Man, if not entombed in his mothers belly, dyeth not in the cradle, withereth not growing up, be not conquered when ablest to conquer, but doth hold out till old age; then, die he must. Una via vitae, shut the door of the Womb, and then no entrance into this World; but being here, moriendi mille figurae, so many are the passages hence, that there is no stopping of them: So that poor, fragil, weak man, is alwaies in a dying condition, he dies daily, 1 Cor. 15. 31.

L The Devill's aime, to strike every man with spirituall blindnesse.

THe Eagle before he setteth upon the Hart, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 10. cap. 20. Th. Play [...]er's Serm. rolleth himself in the sand, and then flyeth at the Stagg's head, and by fluttering his wings, so dustyeth his eyes, that he can see nothing, and so striketh him with his tal [...]ns where he listeth. You may read of an unclean Spirit in the Gospell,Mat. 12. 43. Ovid. Metam. which led the possessed man into dry places. Now the sand and the dust, with which this Eagle the Devill filleth his wings, are earthly desires, and sensuall pleasures, wherewith after he hath put out the eyes of the carnall man, he dealeth with him at his pleasure. Mercury could not kill Argus, till he had cast him into a sleep, and with an inchanted rod closed his eyes; and the devill cannot hurt any man, till he have lull'd him asleep in security.

LI The obstinate Sinner deserving eternity of punishment; and why so?

TWo men playing at Tables by an inch of candle in the night time,Gabr. Inchinus de quat. novissimis. and being very earnest in their game, the candle goeth out, and they perforce give over,Si nunquam moreretur, &c. Bern. [...]. [...]52. who (no doubt) if the light had lasted, would have played all night very willingly. This inch of candle is the time of life, allotted to a wicked man, who is resolved to spend it all in sinfull pleasures and pastimes; and, if it would last perpetually, he would never lea [...]e his play: And therefore sith he would sin eternally (though by reason the light of his life goeth out, he cannot) he deserveth eternall punishment.

Civill dissention, attended by uncivill destruction.LII

[Page]

IT is said of the Cranes, Aristot. [...]. that when they fall out amongst themselves, the fight is so fearfull and fierce, that they beat down one another, and so are taken as they fight. This shewes the fruits of civill dissentions, the case of such as will diviae one against another, till they become a prey to the publick Enemy; whereof the Apostle giveth warning,Gal. 5. 15. If ye bite and devour one another, take [...]eed lest ye be consumed one of another.

A poor Child of God com [...]orted with the hopes of Heaven.LIII

IT was a comfortable speech which the Emperour used to Galba in his childhood and minority,Sueton in vita Cl. Nero. when he took him by the chin, and said; Tu, Galba, quando (que) imperium degustabis; Wal [...]. Soul's ornament, a Serm. 1616. Magna tamen spes est in bonitate Dei: Thou Galba shalt one day sit upon a Throne. Thus it cheareth the Saints of God, how little, how mean soever in the eyes of the World, that they shal one day reigne with Christ, and be install'd with him, and receive as it were Stallum in Choro, and vocem in Capitulo, a seat in the Quire, and a voice in the Chapter of that blessed Temple which is above, whilst the whole world shall cry with those,Ovid. epist. Theodoret. hist. lib. 6. cap. 22. Vicit Deus, & Christus ejus, The Lord and his Christ hath got the victory, the Lord and his Saints do reigne for evermore.

God's choice of eminent Persons to be exemplary to all others.LIV

WHen God is disposed to hang up a Picture in his Church, Joh. Williams B. Lincoln. to be well observed of all that shall come after,Serm. at a Fast, Westm. 162 [...]. that the people which shall be born may praise the Lord, he doth it not by limming and painting, but by the art of cutting and embroyderie: For, the Painter deales but in colours, ordinary colours, which, according to the strength of his imagination, he tempers, and laies out to the view of the eye; but the Embroiderer, he deals in more costly matter, takes the cloth of gold and silver, which he mangles into a thousand pieces, bits, and fragments, to frame and set out his curious Imagery. So Almighty God being to adorn his Church, not with blocks and stones, but with some rare pictures of Christian vertues, works not these in ordinary colours, men of low degree; but in gold and silver, men of eminency, Princes, and Nobles, and great Estates. Abraham, Gen. 22. 12. a great, rich, and mighty man, a Patriarck of his Country, was first tempted in his son,Numb. 12. 3. and then set up for an example of obedience. Moses, another Prince and Potentate, was first afflicted in Egypt, and then erected in the Church for an image of meeknesse. David, a King, first persecuted by Saul, and then accounted a statue of uprightnesse. Iob, the greatest man in all the East, was, and many others since him, have been pull'd in pieces with a thousand miseries, but in the latter end shall be blessed up, as patterns of patience and princely resolution. These are such as God first mangles, and cuts into bits and pieces, with crosses, calamities, and deep temptations; but afterwards, when he finds them supplied and humbled with sorrow and repentance, he makes up again into most heavenly and angelicall forms and images, to be looked on by us, in the Church Militant, and to look upon Him in the Church Triumphant.

The Church's Enemies are in God [...]s hands.LV

THe story sets out Neptune in a Statue,Vinc. Cartari. Imagini de Dei [...] Antichi. holding those two terrors of the Sea, Scylla and Charibdis in chains, with this inscription, as if calling to the ships:

Pergite securae per freta nostra rates.

Ships, securely saylon

Through our watry Ocean.

[Page]And let all drooping spirits lift up themselves in this assurance,Job 41. 2. that God holdeth the Church's enemies in chains, having his hook in their nose,Esa. 37. 29. and his bridle in their lips;Ad cujus tonitrua contremiscunt, &c. so that when they seem to be beyond and above all bounds and limits whatsoever, even then,Tertul. ad Scapulam, cap. 28. if he do but utter his voice, in token of his commanding power, it is enough to make their Chariot-wheels drive heavy, and to crush them into Atomes.

LVI A singular Saint is a pretious Saint.

AS the morning Star in the midst of the clouds, B. King's lect. on Jonah. and as the Moon when it is at full; as the flower of the Roses in the spring of the year, and as the Lillies by the springs of waters; as the branches of the Frankincense in the time of summer, and as a vessell of massy gold, set with all manner of pretious stones, and as the fat that is taken from the Peace-offering:De tot modò millibus unus. Ovid. So is one Henoch that walketh with God, when others walk from him; one Rhahab in Iericho; one Elias, that boweth not his knee to Baal; one David in Meseck, one Hester in Shushan, one Iudith in Bethulia, one Ioseph in the Sanhedrim of the Iewes, one Gamaliel in the Council of the Pharisees, one Innocent and Righteous man, in the midst of a crooked and froward Generation.

LVII The glory of God is to be the aime of all our actions.

A Friend gives me a Ring, Rob. Harris's Hezekiah's recovery. I'le wear it for his sake; a Book, I'le use it for his sake; a Iewell, I'le keep it for his sake; that is, so, as may best expresse my love,1 Cor. 10. 31. and report his goodnesse. And were we truely thankfull to our God, we would then use all his tokens for his sake, do all things to his glory; we would eat our meat to Him, wear our cloaths to Him, spend our strength for Him, live, to Him, sleep to Him, die for Him, &c. thus we should do: But alas, we use his blessings,2 King. 9. 12. as Iehu did Iehoram's messengers,2 Sam. 19. David, Goliah's sword, we turn them against their Master, and fight against Heaven with that health, wir, wealth, friends, means, and mercies, that we have from thence received.

LVIII Gods infinite Power in the Resurrection of the Body.

IN Queen Marie's daies,Acts and Monuments, p. 1785. Tibi absit quod ad resuscitanda corpora, &c. the body of Peter Martyr's wife, was, by the charity of that time, taken out of her grave, and buried in a dunghill, in detestation of that great Schollar her husband, sometimes Professour of Divinity in the University of Oxford. Augustin. de Civitate Dei. lib. 22. But when the tide was once turned, and that Queen Elizabeth of happy memory, swayed the Scepter of this State, her bones were reduced to their place,Th. Fuller Ser. at S. Dunst. East Lon. 1647 and there mingled with the bones of St. Frideswide, to this intent, that if ever there should come an alteration of Religion in England again, (which God forbid) then they should not be able to discern the ashes of the one from the other. Thus Death hath mixt and blended the bodies of men, women, and children, with the flesh of beasts, birds, and serpents; hath tossed, typed, and turned their ashes both into aire and water, to puzzle (if possible) the God of heaven and earth, to find them again, but all in vain: He can call for a finger out of the gorge of an Eagle, for a leg out of the belly of a Lion, for a whole Man out of the body of a Fish: If the devill,Esa. 9. 6. or thy corrupt reason, shall suggest, that this is impossible, make no other answer but this,Gen. 17. 1. God is omnipotent, God is infinite.

LIX Fears of the losse of Gospell-light more at home, than from abroad.

POpe Silvester, Bapt. Platina. in Vita. when he was bid to beware of Ierusalem, for that whensoever he should come thither, he should surely dye; he thereupon flattered himself, that he should then live long enough, for he was sure, that he should never trevell thither;Dan. F [...]tly's Sermons. little thinking, that there was a Church in Rome of that name, into which he had no sooner set his foot, but he met with his evill Genius, as Brutus [Page] did at Philippi, A dangerous fire that begins in the b [...]dstr [...]w. W. Cant. Pref. to reply against Fisher. and suddainly ended his wretched daies. Now it is not Rome in Italy which we so much need to fear, but Rome in England; not Amsterdam in Holland, but Amsterdam in England: The Popish faction on one side, and the Schismaticall party on the other side, both of them fire-balls of dissention in the State▪ and of schim in the Church, to set all in a combustion.

Zeal and Knowledge must go hand in hand together.LX

PH [...]ton, in the Poet,Ovidii Metam. lib. 2. takes upon him to drive the Charriot of the Sun; but through his inconsiderate rashnesse,Importabilis absque scientia est zelus, &c. sets the world in a combustion. What a Horse is without a Rider, Serm. 49. in Cant. or a hot-spur'd Rider without an Eye, or a Ship in a high Wind, and swelling sail, without a Rudder; such is Zeal without Knowledge. Knowledge is the eye of the Rider, that chooseth the best way; the bridle in the hand, to moderate the pace; the rudder in the ship whereby it is steered safely. St. Bernard hits full on this point, Discretion without zeal is slow-pa [...]ed; and zeal without discretion is strong-headed; let therefore zeal spur on dis [...]retion, and disoretion reyne in zeal.

Not so much the quantity, as the quality of Devotion, acc [...]ptable to God.LXI

IT is said of Saul, 1 Sam. 15. 1. Duobus annis regnavit, that he reigned two years over Israel, when notwithstanding, according to the computation of men, he reigned twenty; but the Scripture reckons onely upon the dates of grace, Josiah Shute Serm. at St. Mary Wolnoth Lombard street Lond. 1623. not counting those at all which either went before, or followed after. A Musitician is commended, non tam multum, sed tam bene, not that he played so long, but that he played so well. And thus it is, not the daies of our life, but the goodnesse of our life; not the length of our prayers, but the fervency of our prayers; not the measure of our profession, but the sincerity of our profession, that is acceptable unto God Almighty.

The deceitfulnesse of Riches.LXII

HEe that sees a flock of birds sitting on his ground,Isidor Pelusio [...]. in Epist. cannot make himselfe any assurance, that therefore they are his own, and that he may take them at his pleasure. Thus he that hath riches, and thinks himself fully possessed of them, may be deceived,Joh. Davenport Ser. at S. Laur. Jury Lond. 1617. and soon deprived of them; a small spark of fire may set them flying, a thiefe may steal them, an unfaithfull servant may imbezle them, a souldier, a wrack at sea, a bad debtor at land; there's a hundred waies to set them packing: They have wings, and hop from branch to branch, from tree to tree, from one man to another, seldom to him that is the true owner of them.

Glory is to be given to God onely; and why so?LXIII

THat workman should do ill,Joach. Myncing Schol. in. lib. 3. Institut. Fons [...]a. who having built a house with another man's purse, should go about to set up his own Arms upon the front thereof; and in Iustinian's Law it was decreed, That no workman should set up his name within the body of that building, Quadrag. Serm which he made out of another man's cost. Thus Christ sets us all at work, it is he that bids us to fast, and pray, and hear, and give almes, &c. But who is at the cost of all this? whose are all these good works? Surely God's. Iovis omnia plena. Virgil. Man's poverty is so great, that he cannot reach a good thought, much lesse a good deed: All the materialls are from God, the building is His; it is His purse that paid for it: Give but therefore the glory and the honour thereof unto God, and take all the profit to thy self.

LXIV God must be loved for himself onely.

[Page]

YOu shall have a man scrape and crouch, and keep a do with a man he never saw or knew before, one that he is ready, it may be (when his back is turn'd) to curse; but yet he will do this for his almes, for his gain, to make a prey, a use of him some way or other; this man loves his almes, loves his prey, loveth his bounty;Funerall Sermons. but all this is no argument of love to the man. Thus, for a man to make towards God, and to seem to own him, and to be one of the generation of those that seek his face, to addresse himself in outward conformity, and many other things, by which another may (if he have no other ground) judge charitably of him; yet all this is nothing, except a man may discern something, that may give him a tast, Deus propter seipsum diligendus e [...], Ambros. that his spirit doth uprightly and sincerely seek God, that he loveth God for God himself, that he loveth Grace for grace it self, he loveth the Commandments of God, because they are God's commandments, &c. And thus it is, that our love, our desire after God must be carried sincerely, not for any by and base resp [...]cts whatsoever.

LXV Every motion towards God, is not a true motion towards God.

THere be many things that move, and yet their motion is not an argument of life: A Windmill, when the wind serveth, moveth, and moveth very nimbly too; yet this cannot be said to be a living creature; no, it moveth only by an external cause, by an artificiall contrivance; it is so framed, that when the wind sitteth in such or such a corner,Mart. Day, fun. Serm. 1619 it will move, and so having but an externall motor, and cause to move, and no inward principle, no soul within it to move it, it is an argument, that it is no living creature. So it is also, if a man see another man move, and move very fast in those things, which of themselves are the waies of God; you shall see him move as fast to hear a Sermon, as his neighbour doth, is as forward and hasty to thrust himself, and bid himself a guest to the Lord's Table (when God hath not bid him) as any.In omnibus rebus princip [...]a sunt diligenter con [...]deran [...]a. Fr. Guichard lib. 1. Now the question is, What principle sets him a work; if it be an inward principle of life, out of a sincere affection, and love to God and his Ordinances, that carrieth him to this, it argueth, that man hath some life of grace: but if it be some wind that bloweth on him, the wind of state, the wind of law, the wind of danger, of penalty; the wind of fashion or custom, to do as his neighbours do: If these, or the like, be the things that draw him thither, this is no argument of life at all; it is a cheap thing, it is a counterfeit and dead piece of service.

LXVI God is not to be provoked to anger.

THe gods of the Gentiles were senslesse stocks and stones,Dan. Featly clavis. not able to apprehend, much lesse to revenge an injury done unto them. Well therefore might the Philosopher be bold with Hercules, to put him to his thirteenth labour, in seething of his dinner; and Martial with Priapus, in threatning him to throw him into the fire, Esa. 8. 11. if he looked not well to his Trees. A child may play at the hole of a dead Aspe, and a silly woman may strike a dead Lion; but who dare play with a living Serpent? who dare take a roaring Lion by the beard? Let Christians then take heed, how they provoke the living God,Heb. 12. 29. for He is a consuming fire, and with the breath of his mouth, he is able to throw down the whole frame of Nature, and destroy all creatures from the face of the earth.

LXVII Religion and Unity, the onely supporters of Church and State.

IT is not possible, that those things which are knit together by a bond, should hold fast together, after the bond it self is broken; nor can a sinew hold steddy the joynt, if it be sprayned, or broken, or cut assunder. Religion is the band of all society, the strongest sinew of Church or Commonwealth; God forbid there should be [Page] any rupture, any sprain in this sinew. Dan. Featly, ut anteà. The like of Unity; Pluck i [...] you can a beam from the body of the Sun, it will then have no light; break a branch from the Tree, it will bear no fruit; sever a River from the Spring, it will be soon dried up; cut a member from the body,Cyprian de simplicit. Praelat. it soon dyeth; cast a Pumice-stone into the water, and though it be never so big, which it remains entire, and the parts whole together, it will swim above water; but break it once into pieces, and then every piece of it will sink to the very bottom.Fulcrum imperiorum est servare Religionem & Vnitatem. Lips. in praefat▪ ad Poliocret, Thus, both Church and Commonwealth, which are supported, and as it were held up by Religion and unity, peace and concord, are ruined and destroyed by discord, dissention, schism, and faction. O tam bonum quam jucundum; How happy are such a People, such a Nation, such a Church, such a State, as live together in peace and unity!

Peace with Men will make our peace with God.LXIX

WHen upon newes of earthquakes, M. Tul. Cicero. de Arusp. respon. and other prodigious signes, the Sooth-sayers foretold great calamities that were to befall the State of Rome, unlesse the wrath of the gods were suddainly appeased; the Orator determineth the point most divinely;Dan. Featly's Sermons. Faciles sunt deorum ira, &c. God will be easily reconciled to us, if we be reconciled one to another. And most true it is, we cannot be one with God, so long as we are one against another: when we are at peace one with another, then God will be at peace with us; and if God be at peace with us, all creatures shall be in league with us, so that neither devill nor man, nor any thing else, shall have any power to hurt us.

The great folly of too late Repentance in any thing.LXX

IT was a sad confession, that, by the testimony of aB. D. Sarum. reverend ear-witnesse, drop'd from the mouth of a very considerable person in Scotland; Ioh. Spotswood Hist. of Church of Scotland, in Epist. to the Reader. viz. That it was true, he, with the rest of his Nation, had buried Episcopacy, and their antient Monarchy, in one and the same grave; but upon the sad consequences of it they would be content to tear up the very earth of that grave with their teeth, so that they might but raise both of them up again. And such is the precipitate folly, and madnesse of many, that are at this day to be found in the midst of us, [...]. Mich. Aposto lius in paroemiis. who act ill at the first, and then to their great griefe, consider what they have so acted; such as have, and do still, run headlong upon one mischievous designe or other, and then, Phrygian-like, repent when it is too late, wishing that undone which is done; whereas one day they will finde, to their great losse, Serò sapiunt phryges. Erasm. Ad [...]g. Prov. 22. 3. that the safest course had been, with prudent Prometheus, to have foreseen a danger, and shun'd it, then with foolish Epimetheus, in the want of due consideration, to go on, and be deservedly punished.

The Church robbed of her maintenance, upon pretence of Reformation.LXXI

DIonysius the Tyrant,Justin. hist. lib. 51. entring into a Temple of Idolls, took away from the chiefest amongst them, a Cloak of gold; and being demanded why he did it, his answer was, This Cloak is too heavy for the summer, and too cold for winter. Taking likewise a golden Beard from Aesculapius, he said, That his father Apollo having no beard, Christ. Fonseca Serm. there was no reason his son should wear any. But this was but a mask for his covetousnesse. And thus it is with some in these daies, they will strip the Church of her maintenance, Quadragesimal. to keep the Clergy from lazinesse; and they tell us, that the King's Daughter is all glorious within; so as they may pocket up her Rayments of needlework, and fine gold, it is no matter how she is without. They professe encouragements to the Ministers of the Gospell, and in the mean time pare off a great deal of their necessary maintenance. But let them know,Sr. Ben. Rudiard's Speech. That it is scandalous maintenance that makes a scandalous Minister; and* Jam. Sibald's Serm at Spittle. 1638. that a beggerly clergy, is alwaies the signe of a bankrupt Religion.

LXXII Time to be well used.

[Page]

MAny sitting up so long at play, Christ. Fonseseaca, ut antea. are necessitated to go to bed darkling. This our living in this world, is a kind of playing or gaming, whose bed is Eternity: Let us then study to give over this play in some good time, and not stay at it, till the very snuffing and topping of the candle go out, lest darknesse overtake us, and we take up our lodging in hell to all eternity.

LXXIII Christ and the good Christian are companions inseperable.

IT was the pride of Seneca, Epist. 2. and he boasted much, Ubicunque ago, Demetrium circumfero, That wheresoever he went▪ he bare Demetrius with him. O that we could but say the like of God, Ubicunque ago, Deum circumfero, Wheresoever I go, I bear Christ Iesus with me, not in a materiall Crucifix, or a visible Picture of him wrought in gold,D. Bargtave's Serm. at St. Marg. Westm. 1624. or framed in silver, but the sweet remembrance of my blessed Saviour, that is ever with me; the print of his love, the example of his vertue, the image of his goodnesse, the record of his mercy, all the miracles that he wrought for my conversion, all the miseries that he endured for my liberty, all the indignities that he sustained for my salvation; the power of his death, the triumphs of his Crosse, the glory of his rising, the comfort of his appearing, is that which I lay as Camphire between my breasts,Nobile [...]. that which I hugge with all my soul; wheresoever I go, whatsoever I do, Christ is still with me, (saith the devout soul) as the lot of mine inheritance, as the crown of my felicity.

LXXIV How the Spirit is said to be quenched in our selves and in others.

Quench not the Spirit, Com. in loc. 1 Thess. 5. 19. Nec in te, nec in alio, (saith Aquinas) Quench it not in your self, by forbearing to hear the Word preached; quench it not in others, by discouraging them that do preach, for so St. Chrysostom understands the place, taking an example from the Lamp J. Donne, Serm▪ at S. Pauls Lond. 1627. that burnt by him whilst he was preaching: You may quench (saies he) this Lamp, by putting in water, and you may quench it, by taking out the oyl. So a man may quench the Spirit in himself, if he smother it, or suffocate it with worldly pleasures and profits: And he may quench it in others, if he withdraw the favour, or the maintenance which keeps the Preacher in a carefull discharge of his duty.

LXXV To be carefull in the choice of a Wife.

IT was the advice of the late E. of Salisbury to his son,In his book of Precepts. That as in a project of War to be fo [...]led once by the Enemy, it would be very hard to recruit; so in the choice of a Wife, Ux [...]r bona [...]hara supellex. to err but once, is to be undone for ever; and the rather, because, as in a Lottery, there may be an hundred blanks drawn, before one prize; many a bad Wife made choise of, before one, that may become a fit helper, is so much as thought on.

LXXVI Contemplation and Action are requisite for every good Christian.

Noah is commanded,Gen. 6. 16. to make a window in the top of the Ark, and a dore in the side of it;Mat. Stiles, a Sermon at St. Pauls. a window is for the eye to look out at, a dore is for the whole body to go out. And he that will ever be a good Christian, must not onely make a window for contemplation, Dan. 6. as Daniel did, at which he prayed thrice a day; but a dore for action, Gen. 18. as Abraham did, at which he sat once a day. At the window of contemplation he must meditate with a very good heart, to keep the Word; at the dore of action he must go out, to bring forth fruit with patience.

No quietnesse in the soul, till it come to Christ.LXXVII

[Page]

NIcaula the Queen of saba could never be quiet in her own Country,Th. Playfer's Sermons. till she came to Solomon; but when she saw his glory, and heard his wisdome, then her heart failed her, she had enough, she could desire to see and hear no more. So the soul of a true Christian can never be quiet in the strange Country of this world, till it come to Christ the true Solomon, the King and Prince of peace eternall.

The true Christian takes no comfort in this World.LXXVIII

EDward the third,Ral. Hollingshed's Chron. having the King of Scots, and the French King, his prisoners here in England, both together at one time, held royall Justs in Smithfield; the Just being ended, he feasted both the Kings sumptuously at supper; after supper, perceiving the French King to be sad and pensive, he desired him to be merry as others were. To whom the French King answered, Quomodo cantabimus cantica in terra aliena? How shal we sing songs in a strange land? If the French King after all this princely pastime,Th. Sutton's Disce vivere. and stately entertainment, took it so heavily to heart, that he was kept prisoner out of his own Country;Vbi Christus incipit dulcescere; necesse est am [...] rescere mundum Bern, in Serm. great then must needs be the mourning of every good Christian, for his captivity here in this world, that he is forced to sojourn in Meseck, and live in the tents of Kedar; that he must make his abode here below, especially seeing, that he neither hath such welcome in the world, as the French King had in England; neither yet is England so far from France, as Heaven (the place of his desires) is from them both.

Man's nature is altogether sinfull.LXXIX

THe Irish History tells us,Rich. Stanihurst de rebus Hyberh. that the City of Waterford gives this Posie in her Armes, Intacta manet, because since it was first conquered by Henry the 2 d. it was never yet attainted, Th. Playfer's Serm. no not so much as touched with treason. It is said also, that the Isle of Arren in that country, hath such a pure aire, that it was never yet infected with the plague.Vnicuique dedit vitium nature a creato. It cannot be said thus of the Nature of man, that it is either so clear from treason as that City, or that it is so free from infection as that Island is;Propert. lib. 2. for, our very reason is treason, our best affection is no better than infection, if it be well sifted in the sight of God: In many things we sin all, Iam. 3. 2.

The Law of God a perfect Law.LXXX

THere is a saying,Dr. Gillingham. a Serm. at. Allhal. in the Wall. Lond. 1647. New Lords, new Lawes. Good Lords make good Lawes, Tyrants make cruell Lawes, and Fooles make absurd Lawes. Inerrability is not tyed to the chair of the best Law-giver; Councills, though Oecumenicall, may, and have erred. That Law which was suitable to former times, is repealed in these, and these may not hereafter be approved in those that follow. But the Law of God is a perfect Law, Psal. 25. ever in force, unalterable, so full, that it needeth not to be eeked out by any Traditions, or human inventions whatsoever; which to do, were in effect no more, than to add supernumerary limbs to a compleat body.

The guilt of Innocent blood crying to Heaven for vengeance.LXXXI

IT is reported of Philip the 2 d.Guil [...]man. de faelici success. Phil. 2. King of Spain, that besieging the Town of St. Quintin, and being to make a breach, he was forced with his Cannon, to batter down a small Chappell on the Wall, dedicated to St. Lawrence: in reparation to which Saint, he afterwards built that famous Chappell in the Escuriall in Spain, for workmanship, one of the wonders of the world. Most sure it is, that many Churches and Chappells of the God of St. Lawrence, have been laid waste by the late Warrs of Christendome; and which is more, (and more to be lamented) [Page] many living Temples of the holy Ghost,Th. Fuller's Good thoughts in bad times. Christian people of all conditions, of both sexes, have been causlesly and cruelly destroyed. But how shall the Nations ever be able to make recompence? what compensation can there be, for such effusions of Christian, Protestant blood? God of his infinite goodnesse forgive that debt, which they of themselves are no way able to satisfie.

LXXXII To joy in the light of the Gospell.

PRocopius reports,Arcana. hist. that neer to the Pole, where the night endures many months together, the Inhabitants in the end of such a long night, when the Sun begins to appear, get up to the tops of the Mountains, striving who should have the first sight of that desired Creature; and so no sooner do they see it, but they deck themselves in their best apparell, and with mutuall embraces of joy, congratulate each other,Joh. Boys's Sermons. saying, [...]cce Sol, Behold the Sun, the Sun appeareth! How then should we rejoyce in the happy light of the Gospell? How should we live and love together, when after such a long Egyptian night of popery and superstition, the Sun of Righteousnesse is risen unto us?Exod. 9. 26. Psal. 76. 1. It was once light onely in Goshen, and all Egypt dark besides; In Iury onely was God known. But now, Ecce sol, light is come into the world: Lux mundi, non lux modii, the Sun of the Gospell is so full, that it is but opening the casements of our hearts, and it flowes in upon us. Let us rejoyce and be glad thereat.

LXXXIII Censurers condemned.

HEnry the 7 th. in derision of Star-gazers, asked one (who had before prophecied of his death) this qu [...]stion; What shall be [...]ide me this Christmas? The cunning man forsooth answered, he could not tell. What then I pray thee (quoth the King) shall become of thee? Joh. [...], ut antea. To this he answered likewise, that he knew not. Well then, said the King, I am then more learned in thy Science, than thy self; for I know, that thou shalt be committed to prison, and there lie fast all this Christmas, for a jugling companion. What this [...]lly man could not tell by the influence of the Stars, as concerning the bodies of men, there is an hypocriticall generation of censurers of others,Sunt aliqui qui de omnibus m [...]lè judicant, &c. but justitiaries to themselves, that can tell what will become of the souls of themselves and others: This man is a poor carnall man, that man is a pretious Saint; one man is damned already,Greg moral. lib. 6. another man is in heaven: As for their selves, they know their place in Heaven as perfectly, as their pew in the Church, which they have a key to. But the blessed Spirit of God hath long since branded this wicked censorious generation,Rom. 14. 4. and checks them plainly, Who art thou that judgest another mans servant, to his own master he standeth or falleth: And so shalt thou.

LXXXIV Grace in the heart cannot be smoothered.

TAke a River, Joh. Preston's covenant. let it be dam'd and stopped up, yet if the course of it be naturall, if the vent and stream of it be to go downward, at length it will overbear, and ride triumphantly over: Or, let water that is sweet be made brackish, by the comming in of salt-water; yet, if it naturally be sweet, at the length it will work it out. So it is with every man, look what the constant stream of his disposition on is,Expellas furcâ licet, usque recurret. look what the frame of it is; that which is most naturall and inward to a man, though it may be dam'd up, and stopt in such a course for a while, yet it will break through all at the last; and though there be some brackish, some sinfull dispositions, that may break in upon a man; yet he, by the grace of God will wear them out, because his naturall disposition, the frame of his heart, runs another way.

Impossible, but that a true Christian will be a thankfull Christian.LXXXV

[Page]

IF a man, Lud. Granatens. [...]. being wearied through a tedious and long journey, should rest himselfe at the foot or bottom of some Tower or Castle, and should be exceedingly tormented at the same time with hunger and thirst,In omnibus gr [...]tus Deo benefactori. and that one in that Tower or Castle should reach unto him as much meat and drink, as he desired; could he possibly contain himself, [...] lib. 4. but that he must needs look up, to see who it is that thus relieved his necessity? So it is not possible, but that a true Christian, that lives daily upon the almes-basket of God's providence, should be a thankfull Christian, and cast up his eyes to Heaven, that he may see who it is that thus liberally furnisheth him, in the time of his so great extremity.

A factious spirited Man, unfit for the work of the Ministry.LXXXVI

MArtianus, Socrates hist. lib. [...]. cap. 20. Bishop of the Novatians at Constantinople, having ordained Sabbatius, a Jew, Priest; and finding him afterward to be a turbulent man, Utinam super spinas, &c. (saith he) O, would to God I had laid my hands on bryers, rather on such a man's head. Procul hinc, procul ite nocentes. Statius. And it is to be feared, that many now in these daies have just cause to beshrew their fingers, for ordaining them, whom they have no sooner put into the Ministry, but they become the Ringleaders of faction and schism, against that very Authority, which ordained them.

Bitter Spirits, no gracious Spirits.LXXXVII

PLiny tells of Cleopatra Queen of Egypt, Nat. hist. lib. 9. cap. 39. that in her wanton bravery at a supper, made for Marcus Antonius, she dissolved a Pearl in vinegar, and drank it off, and prepared another,Borogh's Heart-divisions. both which were valued neer five thousand pounds. But oh, the many pretious Pearls of patience, humility, love, brotherly kindnesse, &c. worth many thousands of gold and silver, that are dissolved by the vinegar-sournesse of mens spirits, in these sad distracted times, in these sharp dissentions that are amongst us.

We must not be carelesse hearers of the Word.LXXXVIII

AS market-folk returning from the market, will be talking of their markets, as they go by the way,Th. Gataker's▪ Gain of godlinesse. and be casting up of their penny-worths when they come home, reckon what they have taken, and what they have laid out, and how much they have gotten. So should we, after we have heard the Word publickly, confer privately of it with others,Debet totus festivus dies [...]xpendi in operibus Sancis. at least meditate on it by our selves, and be sure to take an account of our selves, how we have profited that day by the Word, that hath been spoken to us, and also by other religious exercises, that have been used of us.R. Gros [...]hed. in Decalog. And as the market-man counteth that but an ill market-day, that he hath not gained somewhat more or lesse; so may we well account it an ill Sabbath day to us, whereon we have not profited somewhat, whereon we have not encreased our knowledge, or been bettered in our affection; whereon we have not been either informed in judgment, or reformed in practise; whereon we have added nothing to our Talent.

Protestant Religion, the onely comfortable Religion to die in.LXXXIX

AS an eminentSteph Gardiner. Prelate of the Church of Rome said of the Doctrine of Iustification by faith onely, that it was a good supper-doctrin, though not so good to break-fast on:In Epist. [...] Lake's works. So it must be acknowledged of our reformed Religion in generall, that although it be not so plausible and pleasant a Religion to live in, as some other may be; yet it is the onely comfortable Religion to die in, as being that which settles a man upon the true Rock, and gives a sure footing to his Faith, when all the [Page] superstitious devices of man's brain, do like sand fail, and moulder away.

XC God brings good out of evill, for his People's good.

RObert Holgate, Franc. Godwin de Prae [...]ulibus Angl. who was sometimes Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, because he could not peaceably enjoy his small Living in Lincolnshire, in regard of the litigiousnesse of a neighbouring Knight, comming to London to right himself, he came into the favour of King Henry the Eighth,Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions and so got by degrees the Arch-Bishoprick of York; he thought he got well, by the quarrelling of this wrangling Knight. So let every man say of that strife and contention, that disorder and confusion, that it is foelix contentio, & foelix confusio, a happy contention, a happy disorder, when the strifes of men shall put him upon those providences and duties, which shall be so blessed unto him, as to forward his getting into the favour of the most high God, and the enjoyment of peace, and to the admiring of his free grace, who hath brought him into so great a good from so great an evill.

XCI The World like a Fisher-man's Net.

THe World is not unfitly compared to a fishing-net, Math. 13. 47. the end of the world to the drawing up of the nets. While the nets are down, there is nothing said to be caught; Th. Gataker's Gain of godlinesse. for the nets may break, and the fish escape: But at the end of the world, when the nets are drawn up, it will then evidently appear, what every man hath caught; and then those that have fished for riches, or gain, soveraignty, and power over their breathren,Luk. [...]. 7. August. in Palm. 76. 5. for the honours and preferments of this world, may say with Peter, Domine, tota hac nocte laboravimus, &c. Lord, all this night have we laboured, and caught nothing at all. They dreamt of riches, and honours, and power; but being now awake, they find nothing in their hands at all. But those that have here fished for godlinesse, for peace, for the honour of God, may say, Domine, in verbo tuo retia dimisimus, &c. Lord, at thy word we have let down our nets, and have caught, Rom. 2. 7. yea, we have caught abundantly; we have fished for godlinesse, and have gotten life eternall; for grace, and we have gotten glory; for goodnesse, and we have gotten God himself, who is the fountain of all goodnesse and glory.

XCII God and his Graces go together.

WHen the King removes,D. Staughton's Serm. the Court and all the Carriages follow after, and when they are gon, the hangings are taken down, nothing is left behind but bare walls, dust and rubbish. So, if God removes from a man, or a Nation, where he kept his Court, his Graces will not stay behind, and if they be gone, farewell peace, farewell comfort; down goes the hangings of all prosperity, nothing is left behind but confusion and disorder.

XCIII A government of the Tongue required.

SOcrates, Hist. tripart. lib. 8. cap. 1. the Ecclesiasticall Historiographer, reports a story of one Pambo, a plain ignorant man, who came to a learned man, and desired him, to teach him some one Psalm or other.Ma [...]ul. lib. 4. cap. 6. He began to read unto him the 39 Psalm, Dixi, custodiam, &c. I said, I will look to my waies, that I offend not with my tongue. Having passed this first verse, Pambo shut the book, and took his leave, saying, That he would go learn that point first. When he had absented himself for the space of some months, he was demanded by his Reader, when he would go forward. He answered,B. Lake on Psal. 51. That he had not yet learned his old lesson; and he gave the very same answer to one that asked the like question, forty nine years after. Such a hard thing it is to rule this unruly member of the tongue, Psal. 32. 51. that it must be kept in with a bit and a bridle,Psal. 12 & 57. 8. bolts and bars. It was David's glory, and it is our shame. It is row held to be a piece of Religion, Digito compesce labellum. to be offensive with the tongue, to slander, revile, and backbite their neighbours; nay, such a sinfull liberty have men taken to [Page] themselves, as to speak evil of authority, to throw dirt in the face of supream power, forgetting that of St. Iames, Jam. 1. 16. He that seemeth to be religious, and refraineth [...]ot his tongue, that man's religion is in vain.

Forgetting of Injuries past is necessary, upon a making of Peace.XCIV

THrasibulus feared,Val. Max. lib. 4. cap. 1. there would be exceeding heart-burnings amongst the Athenians; Sigonius de rebus Atheniens. that those who had been banished, would be revenged on those, they judged the causes of it; and the other would be enraged against them: Therefore Thrasibulus got the People to joyne with him in a Law, which they called Amnestia, Cicero in Philip. that all former wrongs should be forgotten, and that they should live lovingly and peaceably hence forward one with another, as if such breathes had never been amongst them.Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions Ne mal [...]rum memineris. Thus, when God shall restore peace to a Kingdome or State, and set all to right, the addition of such an Amnestia, an Act of Oblivion, will be very necessary, not to rip up old things, but that there be a line of forgetfulnesse drawn over them;Val. Max. otherwise, such will be that extream bitter exasperation, and deadly rage of mens hearts one against another, that whatsoever peace shall be concluded, if it be not made exceeding sure, the Pacification is like to be but the foundation of greater evills to come.

The silent Christian is the sound Christian.XCV

WHat a noise do the poor souls make in the streets of London, B. Hall Occasion. meditat. when they cry their commodities? each telleth what he hath, and would have all hearers take notice of it; and yet (God wot) it is but poor stuff they make such an outcry about: You cannot hear of any of the rich penny-fathers talk of the mony-baggs that they have in their chests, or what treasures of rich wares the Merchant hath in his Warehouse; altum silentium, not a word of that; every man rather desires to hide his wealth,Quaedam melius laudantur silentio quam oratione. and when he is urged, is ready to dissemble his ability. No otherwise is it in the true spirituall riches, he that is full of true saving grace, and good works, affects not to make shew of it to the world, but rests sweetly in the comforts of a good conscience, Plutarch. and the silent applause of God's Spirit, witnessing with his own. Whiles on the contrary, a venditation of our own worth, or parts, or merits, argues a miserable indigence in them all.

A totall deprivation of Grace in the heart of man, is deplorable.XCVI

THe taking back of any good thing doth much amplifie the deprivation;B. Lake on Psalm 51. but how much more doth it amplifie, that nothing is left behind? Though the harvest be carried away, yet if there be some gleanings behind; though a Tree be cut down, yet if there be a root left in the ground; though the Sun go down, yet if it be twilight: Those small remainders of greater Goods, are no small refreshings to a loser. It doth a man some good, to keep some monuments of his better estate, especially when they are pledges of some sparkle of good-will towards us, continuing in Him, upon whose just displeasure we forfeited all. Thus, as God in favour gives the holy Spirit, so in displeasure doth he take Him away; and we cannot guesse better at the measure of his displeasure, than by the measure of the deprivation; Miserum est fuisse foelicem. if he take it but in part, then he tempers mercy with judgment; but if he leave no sparkles of grace that may be kindled again, if there be such a rowt made, that there is no hopes of rallying, then we become Lo-ruhama, Hos 1. we are clean shut out of the bowells of his compassion.

God is the onely object of his Children's delight.XCVII

HE that truly loveth his friend,Th. de Trugillo Thesaur. conciona [...]. transporteth himself often to the place where he was wont to see his friend, he delighteth in reading his Letters, and in handling the gages and monuments that he hath left behind him; how grateful is the [Page] sight of any thing,Ante omnia in omnibus Deus e [...]t. that presents unto him the memoriall of his absent friend? And thus the child of God, to testifie his love to him, transporteth himself often to the place, where he may find God in his Sanctuary, amongst his Saints; he delights in reading his Letters, the Scriptures; he delights in eating those holy monuments and pledges, the Sacraments, which he hath left behind him, as tokens of his good-will, untill he come again.

XCVIII A peaceable disposition is a God-like disposition.

BY the Lawes of England, Mogna Charta Angliae. Noblemen have this priviledge, that none of them can be bound to the Peace, because it is supposed, that a noble disposition will never be engaged in brawls and contentions; It is supposed, that the Peace is alwaies bound to them, and that of their own accord, they will be alwaies carefull to preserve it. It is the base bramble that rends and teares what is next unto it. Gentlenesse, mercy, goodnesse, love, tendernesse of other's sufferings, are the greatest ornaments of a noble spirit; and where it is sanctified, the grace of God shines bright in such a heart.

XCIX Christ [...]s victory over Sathan.

WHen Mahomet, [...]. de [...] viris Germ. cap. 9. the second of that name, besieged Belgrade in Servia, one of the Captains at last got upon the wall of the City, with his Colours displayed. A noble Bohemian espying this, ran to the Captain, and clasping him fast about his middle, asked one Capistranus, standing beneath, whether it would be any danger of damnation to his soul, if he should cast himselfe down headlong with that dog, (so he tearmed the Turkish Captain) to be slain with him? Capistranus answered, That it was no danger at all to his soul. The Bohemian forthwith tumbled himself down,P. Jovii. hist. with the Turk in his arms, and so by his own death onely,Th. Playser's Serm. saved the life of all the City. Such an exploit as this, Christ plaies upon the Devill; the Devill, like the great Turk, besieged not onely one City, but even all Mankind; Christ alone, like this noble Bohemian, encountered with him: And seeing the case was so, that this dog the devill could not be killed stark dead, except Christ died also, therefore he made no reckoning of his own life, but gave himself to death for us, that he onely dying for all the People, by his death our deadly enemy might for ever be destroyed.

C Propriety in God is the onely comfort.

EVery man naturally loves that which is his own, Rich. Holdsworth's Serm. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1627. and if the thing be good, it doth him the more good to look upon it. Let a man walk in a fair medow, it pleaseth him well; but it will please him much more, if it be his own, his eye will be more curious in prying into every part, and every thing will please him the better; so it is in a corn-field, in an orchard, in a house, if they be ours, the more contentedly do they affect us: For this word Meum, is suavissima amoris illecebra, it is as good as an amatory potion. So then, if God the Lord be lovely, how much more lovly should he be in our eyes, if he be our Lord God, and doth appropriate that infinite good that he hath,Qui habentem omnia habet. unto us? And who would not joy to be owner of that God, which is independent? He is what heart can desire, and who can but rejoyce in having Him, in having of whom, we can want nothing?

CI Killing of men heretofore made ordinary.

THe Romans at the first,Onuphr. Panvin. de ludis Circens. used to set wild Beasts upon the Stage to kill one another; and after this, they came to be delighted to see Gladiatores and Fencers kill one another; and thirdly, they were much affected to see men cast upto the wild beasts, to be devoured and torn in pieces; so that from the sight of killing of Beasts, they delighted to see Men killed. And was not this our case? by swearing [Page] and lying,Joh. Weemse Pourtraiture. we came at last to killing: Thus were we broken out, and blood touched bloods,2 Sam. 26. 2. Homicidarum condici [...] fit deplorata, &c. blood in the plurall. He that hath killed one, careth not to kill an hundred; a dogg's neck was formerly cut off with more reluctancy, than the pretious life of man was taken from him. Killing of men was but sporting, like that of the young men at the pool of Gibeon. Plutarch. de legibus. Fooles make a sport of sin, and so did men, of the crying sin of murther. But if the Sword had thus plaid Rex any longer, it would have been bitternesse in the end, which God in the greatnesse of his mercy hath of late years prevented.

Reverence to be used in the service of God.CII

VAlerius Maximus tells a story of a young Nobleman,Lib. 6. that attended upon Alexander, while he was sacrificing; this Nobleman held his Censer for Incense; and in the holding of it, there fell a coal of fire upon his flesh, and burn't it so, as the very scent of it was in the nostrills of all that were about him; and because he would not disturb Alexander in his service,Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions. he resolutely did not stir to put off the fire from him, but held still the Censer. If Heathens made such a do, in sacrificing to their Idoll-gods, that they would mind it so, as no disturbance must be made,Templa petas supplex, &c. whatsoever they endured; what care should we then have of our selves, when we come to worship the high God? Oh that we could mind the duties of Gods worship, as matters of high concernment, as things of greatest consequence, that so we might learn to sanctifie the name of our God in the performance of duty, more than ever we have done.

The condition of Temporizers.CIII

IT is observable,Plin. hist. nat. lib. 7. cap. 38. that the Hedghog hath two holes in his siege, one towards the South, another towards the North; now when the southern wind blowes, he stops up that hole,Th. Playfer's Serm. and turns him northwards; and then when the north-wind blowes, he stops up that hole likewise, and turns him southward again. Such Urchins, such Hedghogs,Tempora mutantur & nos mutamur, &c. are all time-servers, they do all things for the time, but nothing for the truth; they believe for a time, as long as the warm Sun shines on them; but as soon as any storm of persecution ariseth, by and by they have a starting hole to hide themselves in; they turn faces about, and change their Religion with the Time.

God doth not onely deliver, but also comfort his Children.CIV

THe Eagle doth sometimes carry her young ones,Ulysses Aldrovand. Ornitholog. onely from a dangerous to a safer nest; sometimes she rouseth them out of their floath, and directs them where they may find their prey.B. Lake on Exod. 19. Even so dealeth God with his children, he freeth them from danger▪ and bringeth them to comfort. He did not onely bear the Israelites on the Eagles wings of protection, which shewed a deliverance from evill; but he brought them to himself, wh [...]ch shewed a bestowing of good.

How a man is said to pray continually.CV

THough in the old Law,Levit. 6. 12. [...] Sr. Rich. Baker on the Lord's Prayer. the Priest did not continually offer sacrifices unto the Lord, yet fire was continually burning upon the Altar, and never went out. So, though we do not continually offer to God the calves of our lips, yet the fire of devotion, and spirituall fervency, must continually be burning in our hearts, and never go out: 1 Thess. 15. 17. And this is the true meaning of the Apostles exhortation, Pray continually; not pray continually with the tongue, as though that should never lie still; but, pray continually, meaning with that part, which doth indeed never lie still, except we be still, and that's the Heart.

CVI A bad reformation of a Church, is the deformation of the Church.

[Page]

IT was the complaint of the Emperour Adrian, Xyphilin. in Adridno. when he lay a dying, Many Physitians have destroyed the Emperour, meaning, that their contrary conceits, and different directions,J. Woodnoth's New descant on old Records. had hastned his death, and cut him off before his time. Just thus, there are many censurers and correctors of our, not sick, but sound Religion, approved by the sacred Scriptures, and attended by the blood of many faithful Martyrs: There are so many Reformers and Rectifiers, of all ages, sexes, and degrees, of all professions and trades, that take upon them to order our Church, according to the crooked line of their own severall imaginations, that they have almost reduced all things in it, into a Chaos and confusion, and so spoyled and defaced one of the most compleat Churches, for Doctrine and Discipline, decency and order, now extant in the Christian world.

CVII Carnall pleasure to be changed into Spirituall pleasure.

IT is reported of one Leonides a Captain,Caelius. lib. 19. cap. 6. who perceiving his Souldiers left their Watch upon the City-walls,Aelian. variar. hist. lib. 3. cap. 14. and did nothing all the day-long, but quaff and tipple in Ale-houses, near adjoyning; commanded, that the Ale-houses should be removed from that place where they stood,Th. Playfer's Serm. and be set up close by the Walls, that seeing the souldiers would never keep out of them, at the least they might watch as well as drink in them. So, because we itch after delight and pleasure, we must needs have,Deo servire libertas est. and we cannot be kept from it; God hath appointed, that we should take delight enough, Hieron. in Epist. ad Simplicianum. and yet serve him never a whit the lesse: For, it is no part of Gods meaning, when we enter into his sweet service, that we should be debarred of all delight, but onely that we should change the cause of our delight, delight of the service of sin, into a delight in the service of God. Isaac must not be sacrificed, but the Ram, all rammish and rank delight of the world, not Isaac; i. e. all spirituall laughter, all ghostly joyes, all heavenly delight and pleasure.

CVIII The manifestation of God in severall respects.

THe Sun doth manifest it self,B. Lake on Exod. chap. 19. first, by day-light, and that is common to all which dwell in the same Horison, unto which the Sun is risen; some have more than day-light, they have also the Sun-shining light, which shining light of the Sun is not in all places, where day-light of it is. Finally, the Sun is manifest in the Heavens in his full strength, for the body is present there, which none can endure but the Stars, which become glorious bodies, by that speciall pr [...]sence of the Sun amongst them. In like manner God, in whom all things live, and move, and have their being, doth manifest himself unto some, by the works of his generall providence, Act. 14. of which St. Paul speaks, God le [...]t not himself without witnesse, &c. This manifestation of God is like the day-light, it is common to all, it is an universall grace:Psal. 145. 15. The eyes of all things look up unto thee, &c. There is a second manifestation, and that is more particular, but to some onely; it is like the Sunshine, it is that manifestation which God vouchsafeth to his Church, of which Esay speaketh, Arise, Esa. 60. 1. shine, for thy light is come, &c. for, in comparison of the Church, the rest of the World sitteth in darknesse, and in the shadow of death. The third and last manifestation, is that which God maketh of himself in Heaven, to the Angels and Saints, the clearest and fullest whereof a creature is capable; and those which partake this presence of God, become thereby glorious Saints, more glorious than the Stars, which receive their resplendent lustre from the aspect which they have to the Sun's body; so that it seemes, there are those who are in better case than we are,Sorte tu [...] contentus [...]bi. and there are those who are in worse; and therefore we must thank God for our present advancement, and remember, that we make forward unto that nearnesse, unto which God is reserved for us in the Heavens.

The seven Sacraments of the Papists, not of divine Institution.CIX

[Page]

WHen Christ feasted that great multitude with five loaves and two fishes,Matth. 14. Joh. Boys's Postills. it is observed, that the five loaves were of the Baker's making, and the two fishes of God's making. The Papists stiffly maintain seven Sacraments in their Church, viz. Baptism, the Eucharist, Matrimony, Orders, Penance, Confirmation, and extream U [...]ction. But most sure it is, that the two first onely are of God's making; in the other five appears the knavery of the Baker, they are of the Pope's making, and not of God's.

Christian Liberty abused by the Sectarian party.CX

CAmbyses demanding of his Counsellours,Herodor. hist. lib. 3. Whether he might not marry his sister by the Law of the Land? They answered, That they found no Law, that allowed a brother to marry his sister; but one, that permitted the King of the Persians to do as he list. Thus our proud, peevish, sectarian Libertines, impatient of Government, a rebellious and obstinate people, cannot in all the Scripture find any sound or seeming proof, for their foul rebellions against lawfull Authority; neither can their fals prophets, their chief counsellours,Joh. Woodnoth's New search on old Records. find out any such places for them; but therefore they use in a wrong sense, so to enlarge and amplifie the great benefit of our Christian liberty, (the which indeed is a freedom from all hellish slavish fear, but not from a holy and son-like fear; a freedom from the curse, but not from the obedience; from the damnatory, Quod liceat nescimus adhuc, & cuncta licere, Credimus. Auson. but not from the preceptory part of the Law) that they have now made simple people, little seen in heavenly matters, believe, that the reyns lie loose upon every Christian's neck, and they left to their own disposalls; that there is a liberty purchased for Christians, a quidlibet audendi, to do what every man liketh, and to live under no obedience to Governours, whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill.

How to take Pleasure safely.CXI

HE that handles a Hedghog takes him by the heel, Claudius Viexmont. and not by the head, otherwise he may chance to beshrew his fingers; for, though it seem to be but a poor silly creature, not likely to do any great harm; yet it is full of bristles or prickles,Nocet empta dolore voluptas. whereby it may annoy a man very much. Thus must we take pleasures, not by the head, but by the heel, considering not the beginning, but the ending of them; for they may seem to be little or nothing dangerous at the first, yet afterwards, as with bristles or prickles, they will pierce through the very conscience with pains intolerable.

The Secrets of God's Counsells not to be pryed into.CXII

THe Israelites charge is, They must not presume to go up to the Mount. And indeed, a boundary were no boundary, if it might be passed. A man knowes by his ground,B. Lake's Ser [...]on Exod. ch. 19. that an Inclosure is no Inclosure, if it may be common. But how much more must this be conceived of the Inclosure of God, that ground which he hath fenced unto himself for a sanctuary. We must take heed then of profaning the Sanctuary of God, and venturing in sacred things further than he giveth leave. Curiosity in this kind hath been the mother of Heresies, when men have been busily witty in searching into, rather than believing of, that profound Article of the Creed, concerning God the Father. Man that is not able to understand his own Nature, (David confesseth,Psal. 139. 6. such knowledge is too wonderfull for him) dreameth, that he can comprehend the nature of God. Quae Deus occulta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda. Others have lost themselves, whilst they have dived into the mysteries of the Incarnation, who are not able to understand their own Regeneration. Thus they busie themselves, as some have done, to know where Lazaras's soul was, when his body lay three daies in the grave, and in the mean time care not what becomes of their own souls; so that, what with the cuous,[Page]Cur, Prosper. de vo cat gentium. Why, of some, and Quomodo, How, of others; there hath been manifold passing the bounds, climbing the mount, and intrusions upon God, and the things of God.Tu [...] quo [...] nihil resert percontari de [...]inas. There hath been a great deal of foolish knowledge in the world, prying into God's Ark, enquiring into things not revealed; so that as there needs a spur unto good and saving knowledge,Terent. so a bridle to restrain and keep men in, from that knowledge which is curious and presumptuous: Rom. 12. And blessed is that discretion which maketh wise to s [...]briety.

CXIII Ministers to be wise Master-builders.

HE that hath an house to build,Wil. Attersol on Philemon. will not admit of every workman that offereth his help, or that is commended by others, or will labour best cheap; but he will be sure to have the most experienced, the most able workman. Thus it was, when the Tabernacle of God was to be builded, 1 Kin. 12. 32. they took not tag and rag from amongst the refuse of the Congregation,Qui ordinant indignos eisdem subjacent poenis Chrysost. de dignit. sacerdot. but such as were filled with the Spirit of God, in wisdome, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all workmanship. And shall we then choose or commend to the Ministry, to the spirituall building of the house of God, every cobler and bungler, unsufficient, illiterate persons, either Ieroboam's Priests, that were of the lowest of the people; or such as Eli's sons, who were the lewdest of the people.

CXIV Parity in the Church or State, not to be admitted.

LYcurgus being importuned to establish a popular Estate amongst the Lacedemonians, Plutarch. Moral. that so the least and the meanest, and most unfit to rule, might bear like sway with the greatest and wisest,Mr. Woodnoth ut antea. fitly answered, That he who most desired it, should begin it first at home in his own house; presuming, that in a private house or family, parity would never be liked. And thus, there have beenThe Levelling party. some both in Church and Commonwealth, that so earnestly long'd for equality in the one, and parity in the other,Ordine servato, mundus servatur. Lucan. that they would no longer dispute for it, but fell to fight for it; and since they could not bring it in with their tongues, they would therefore take help of their hands. Cant. 6. 4. Rom. 13. But it were to be wished, that all so minded, would learn some wit from Lycurgus, in their anger; and first weigh in judgment, by the poise of wisdom, in the ballance of indifferency, hanging upon the beam and rule of Right, the inconvenience of pulling down all Officers, and setting up community of Rule in an Army; and then consider, whether the like equall Masterdom may be justly put upon the Church, which is an Army with banners; or such a levell flatted upon the face of the Commonwealth, which is to consist of Governours and Governed.

CXV The true Christian's hopes of Heaven.

SRFounder of the great Library at Oxon. Thomas Bodley, that great advancer of Learning, did give for his Arms three Crownes, with this Posie, Quarta perennis erit; as if he should have said, These three Crowns which I bear in my Coat, are but the difference of my House and Gentry; but, Quarta perennis erit, the fourth Crown which I look for in Heaven, shall be everlasting and immortall. That fourth, though it be but one Crown, yet shall be worth all those three Crownes, yea, three thousand more than such as those are:Th. Playfer's Serm. The fourth shall be eternall. Thus it is, that the men of this world may abound in such things as may make them seem more excellent than their neighbours,Job 19. 9. may be crowned with Rose-buds, with outward pomp and splendour: But this Crown, Alii flammis exusti, alii ferro perempti, &c. if not taken off their heads by violence, will fall of it self by mortality, and then there's an end of all their hopes and honours both together. Now the state of many of the dearest of God's children here in this life,Euseb. hist. lib. 8. cap. 11. 12. Heb. 11. is not usually so eminent and illustrious: they wander up and down in sheep-skins, and goat-skins; are made a by-word, Credula vit [...] Spes [...]ovet, & melius eras fore semper [...]it. a laughing-stock, the drunkard's song; and instead of roses, they are crowned with thorns, and for the testimony of a good conscience, many times with martyrdome. Yet here's their com [...]ort, that there is a crown of life, of righteousnesse, [Page] immortall,Manet alttr [...]. (coelo.) incorruptible, laid up for them in the highest heavens, which God the righteous Iudge will set upon their heads in that day,Revel 2. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 9. 15. when all their enemies shall be cloathed with shame and confusion of face for ever.

What true Repentance is.CXVI

SIn is an aversion from God, and conversion to the World; Repentance therefore must shake off the World, B. Lake Serm. on Luk. 3. and embrace God. Nazianzene sets it forth in a very fit resemblance, comparing the soul to a pair of writing Tables, out of which must be washed whatsoever was written with sin, Scelerum si bene poenitet, Er [...] denda, &c. and instead thereof must be entred the writing of grace; both these are necessary in true repentance: God hath dedicated both parts in His own Repentance, Hora [...]. for as when He repented of the evill intended against us, He doth not onely give over to ha [...]e us, but also He doth embrace us with love: Even so, when we repent of our sins against God, we must not onely cease for to hate Him, but begin to love Him also.

Content, a great blessing of God.CXVII

ONe observes concerning Manna, when the People were contented with the allowance that God gave them,Alph. Tostatus. then it was very good; but when they would not be content with God's allowance,Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions but would be gathering more, then saies the Text,Exod. 16. 20. There were worms in it. So when we are content with our conditions, and that which God disposeth of us to be in, there's a blessing in it; but if we must needs be reaching out for more than God hath allotted, or to keep it longer than God would have us to have it, then there will be worms in it, a canker to eat it, a moth to fret it, nothing at all that is good.

Not to envy each others Gifts or Preferments.CXVIII

IT is said of one Pelaretus a Lacedemonian, Plut. Ap [...]phthegm. that standing for a place of credit, to be one of the 300. which was a degree of honour at Sparta; and missing of it, though a man highly deserving, Alterius rebus non macrescit opimis. yet he was so far from complaining, or grudging, or grieving threat, that when others marvelled at his contentment, and enquired of his reason, he told them, That he rejoyced at the happinesse of that Commonwealth, that it had three hundred men more worthy to govern than himself. Mr. Woodnoth [...] antea. Invide, quid sus piras? Proprium ne malum, an alienum bonum? Basil. But how many are there in these times of clearer judgment, wherein it is apparently known, that true godlinesse teacheth every man contentment, to move in that Orb and place where God hath placed him, with that portion that God hath given him: Yet, as sore eyes are offended at clear lights, so they fret at the brightnesse of other men's fortunes, vertues, and prosperity, and envy because of other mens wealth or honour. How many rage and storm like Aeolus, not that 300. nor three, but some one eminent person, is preferred before them.

Riches have wings.CXIX

IT is a tearm amongst Falconers, Th. Fuller's Serm. at S. Clem. Lond. 1647. that if a Hawk flie high, she lessens, O she lessens, (saith the Falconer); but if she soar yet higher, then he cries out, O she vanisheth, she vanisheth. And it is now found to be true by sad and wofull experience, that Riches are upon the wing, and have of late by one means or other, taken such a flight out of many men's purses, that they have lessened and lessened every day more and more, and are now at present by the continuance of time, even as good as quite vanished.

Rulers and Governours are the supporters of a Commonwealth.CXX

THere is a generation of men that are murmurers and mutineers, Plutarch. in Coriolan. such as speak evill of Authority, Val. Max. lib. 8. cap. 9. and do withdraw their necks from obedience, upon this [Page] ground, That Superiours live by the sweat of the Inferiours brows, being themselves devoid of care;Menenius Agrippa. their quarrell is like that in the Apologue, That out ward members of the body fell out against the stomack, they complained of his l [...]zinesse, and their own painfulnesse, B. Lake's Serm. on Esa. chap. 9. and therefore conspired to starve him, and ease themselves; they even discovered their folly, for soon after, the hands began to faint, and the leggs to falter, and the whole body to pine: Then, and not till then; they perceived, that the stomack, Non populus co [...]sa gubernatoris, sed gubernator, &c. Plato apud volat. which they condemned as lazy, laboured for them all, and that they were beholden to the labour of the Stomack, that themselves had any streng [...]h to labour. So it is in the body Politick, though the State of the Prince or Ruler be supported by the Commons, yet the spring of the Commonwealth is the providence of the Prince; and soon will the Streams dry, if that Fountain be dam'd up.

CXXI The Devill a deceiver, deceived by Christ.

A Fisherman,Joh. Andrews, a Serman at S. Paul's, Lond. 1616. when he casts his angle into the River, doth not throw the hook in, bare, naked, and uncovered, for then he knowes the fish will never bite; and therefore he hides the hook within a worm, or some other bait, and so the fish biting at the worm, is catched by the hook. Thus Christ speaking of himself, saith, Ego vermis & non homo; Psal. 22. 6. Greg. Nyssen. Orat. cap. 23. he comming to perform the great work of our Redemption, did cover and hide his Godhead within the worm of his human Nature: The grand water-Serpent, Leviathan, Iob 40. 20. the Devill, thinking to swallow the worm of his Humanity, was caught upon the hook of his Divinity; this hook stuck in his jawes, and tore him very sore; by thinking to destroy Christ, he destroyed his own Kingdome, and lost his own power for ever.

CXXII A young raw Minister is blame-worthy.

PYthagoras bound all those whom he received into his School,Laert Diogen. in vita. to five years silence, that they might not flie nor be chirping on every hedge, before they were fledg'd; that as soon as ever they crept from the shell, they might not aspire to the house top;Erasm▪ in Adag. ex Suida. Mr. Woodnoth, ut antea. Quis homo est tanta confidentia ut sacerdotium, &c. Plaut. Rud. Barbarus has segetes? Virgil. that their tongues might not run before their wits; that they might hear sufficiently, before they spake boldly. And so strong was his [...], so much did his word prevail with them, that faithfully and constantly they obeyed his commandement. Many Tutors now adaies, though wiser and better than Pythagoras; yet, seeing their young ones too forward to make wing, cannot possibly beat them back into the nest, cannot keep their Pupills within the limits of learners five years, no, nor four years, till they have taken some Degree in Schools; but they must needs in all haste take upon them the sacred profession of God's Word; and not onely some thin, obscure, ignorant Roguel, some Parishes of the Country; but Ierusalem, and the chief Cities, but the greatest Congregations, and most knowing people, must take notice of their ripe and rare intelligence, in their own, though raw in other mens opinions. Being drunken with pride, they delight to be seen in the most publick Assemblies, as there are some that must needs shew themselves in the Market or Fair, being drunken with wine, or some meaner liquor.

CXXIII The blessed Trinity cooperate in the righteous man's Prayer.

IF a great King should encourage a poor man in his suit,Alphons. ab Avendano in Matth. cap. 5. and say unto him, Alas poor man, I p [...]rceive thy distresse; do but draw up thy petition, and I will give thee a satisfactory answer; this would be a ground of great hope: But if he shall say, Go to my Secretary, and bid him draw it up thus and thus, and in this manner, would not this be a matter of greater comfort? Yea, but if he shall say to the Prince his Son, standing by him, Do you present this poor man's petition into my hands, what unspeakable comfort must this needs be? And just thus God dealeth with his children; God heareth our prayers, Rom. 8. 34. the blessed Spirit draweth them up, and Iesus Christ, the Son of God, presenteth them to his Father. Without all doubt, great is the comfort of that poor soul, that can by prayer have two or three walks a day upon this Mount Tabor, [Page] and with holy Moses, converse with God in three Persons, on the Horeb of fervent Prayer; for then, with Iacob, he sees the sweet vision of Angelis, ascending and descending, climbing up and down that sacred Ladder, which stands betwixt Heaven and Earth; at the top of it is the Father, the whole length of it is in the Son, and the Spirit doth firmly fasten it thereunto.

Christ's government is a peaceable government.CXXIV

DIvus Nerva (saith Tacitus) duas res olim insatiabiles con [...]unxit, Annal. lib. 3. Xyphilin. hist. Imperium & Libertalem; He spake with the most, that ascribed so much to Nerva, as that he should joyne two such inconvertible things, as Government and Liberty, the one calling for subjection, B. Lake's Serm. on Esa. 9. the other intending nothing but disorder. But it may be truly said of Christ, that his Kingdom is a Kingdom of peace; his service, perfect freedom; that where he reigns, there is peace, and free liberty for every subject; so sweetly, so freely, so comfortably, are all things carried, where the Scepter of Christ is set up in the hearts of men.

Almes given to the Poor are the Giver's gain.CXXV

THeir ordinary form of begging in Italy, Relation di Botero. is not after the manner of our English, I pray you bestow something on a poor man,T [...]tevil's Essayes. &c. but, Fate ben per voi, Do good for your own sakes. So those that are courteous, Ephes. 4. 3 [...]. Matth. 14. 1. Joh. 4. 7. and tender-hearted towards others, [...], they gratifie themselves, saith the mouth of Truth. The Lord that fed five thousand, could alwaies have fed Himself and his Disciples; but he would be relieved by the hands of Women, that so their charity towards him, might be an occasion of benefit to themselves. And so it is with us, we pleasure not the poor so much by our giving, as we do profit our selves by their receiving.

Officers to be honest in their places.CXXVI

ISocrates, In Orat. ad De monicum. an Athenian Orator, in his counsell to Demonicus, (a young Gentleman, like to be called to a great place) saith unto him thus; [...], &c. That he should depart from a Place or Office conferred upon him,Mr. Woodnoth, ut antea. [...], not more rich, but more honourable, then when first he undertook it. The instruction given by this Heathen, may shame many Christians; Quocunque modo rem. some Officers in these daies regard not, with what dishonour or dishonesty, they keep or leave their Places, Per fas & nefas. so they may be rich; never fear, though they tread their wine out of other men's grapes, reap their corn out of other mens fields, so they may store their own houses with provision, so they may make their children great, and turn them into Gallants; they take no care, make no scruple, though they turn their own souls into hell.

Prosperity of wicked men destructive.CXXVII

IT is said of the Locusts, Sam. Faucer, a Serm. at St. Alphag. Lord. 1646. that came out of the bottomlesse pit, that they were like unto Horses, and on their heads were, as it were, Crowns of gold; and their faces were, as it were, faces of men; and their hairs as the hair of a Woman, and their teeth were,Rev. 9. 10. 11. as it were, the teeth of Lions, &c. Here are quasi, Horses; quasi, Crowns of gold; quasi, faces of Men, &c. Just such are all the comforts and prosperity of wicked men; their gold and their silver, but, as it were, gold and silver; their prosperity and plenty, but, as it were, prosperity and plenty; their victories and successe, but, as it were, victories and successe. But when the blessed Evangelist comes to set down a description of the Locusts tailes, Pros [...]era hujus mundi asperitatem habent v [...] ram. &c. Aug. Epist. 36. he doth not say, There were as it were stings in their tails; but in plain downright positive terms, There were stings in their tails, r [...]all, true, not imaginary stings. And such is the evill that [Page] attends upon the thriving and prosperous estate of wicked men, there is a sting in the tail of it, such as is not quasi, but realiter, what it seems to be.

CXXVIII No peace to the wicked.

THere is no peace unto the wicked, saith my God, B. Lake's Ser. on Esa [...] chap. 9. Esa. 57. He compares them to the Sea, still raging and foaming, casting out their own shame: And Solomon, unto vanity, adds vexation of spirit. It may be seen in the particular case of all wicked men, that surely they have no rest; no rest, ab intra, they never can light on that which doth sistere appetitum; De vitio rotantur in vitium. Greg. in Psalm poenit. which makes them range in their desires, in their endeavours, never finding where to settle: and ab extra too, they are unquiet; for, the whirlwind of God drives them like chaff, and like a floud it drives them down the stream. And indeed, how should they be quiet, that are compared to the Sea, which when there is no storm, cannot stand still, but hath his flux and reflux? and no wonder, for it is the subject of the Moon, than which, nothing is more changeable: A fit emblem of the World, upon which, whosoever dependeth, cannot be stable, when the world it self is so unstedfast. And such is a wicked man too, unstable, uncertain, disquieted, distracted in all his waies.

CXXIX Rulers actions exemplary

IF the mountains overflow with waters,Nat. Hardy Serm. at Westminst. the vallies are the better; and if the head be full of ill humours, the whole body fares the worse. The Actions of Rulers are most commonly rules for the People's actions, and their Example passeth as currant as their Coin.Regis ad exemplum, &c. If a Peasant meet luxury in a scarlet robe, he dares be such, having so fair a cloak for it. The common People are like tempered wax, easily receiving impressions from the seales of great mens vices, they care not to sin by prescription, and damn themselves with Authority. And it is the unhappy priviledge of Greatnesse, to warrant by example as well other's, as its own sins; whilst the unadvised Vulgar take up crimes on trust, and perish by credit.

CXXX Peace of the Church, pretious.

SAint Ambrose writeth,Ambros. Epist. tom. 5. that Theodosius the Emperour, when he dyed, had a greater care of the Church, than of his sicknesse; his life was not dear unto him, so the Church might flourish after his death;Woodnoth, ut antea. so peace might be within her walls, and prosperity within her palaces. Such ought to be the care of every good Christian, to pray for the peace, to act for the peace, to contend for the peace of the Church: But so it is, that if men may enjoy health, and obtain plenty for the back and belly, wax rich and great, and live like Emperours, no matter which way Religion turneth, no matter how the Church fareth, either for the future, or the present; how it goeth with the Church they respect little, so themselves and their Families may go on; nay, which is yet a worse symptom, and bewrayeth the great power of Sathan over them,Quocunque mo do rem. what scruple at all do they make, to pill, and spoil, and rob the Church, so as they may enrich themselves, and their Families thereby?

CXXXI Publick men to have publick spirits.

PLutarch recordeth an excellent speech of Pelopides, Plutarch in vita & in Apophthegm. when going out of his house to the Wars, his Wife came to take her leave of him, and with tears in her eyes, praies him to look to himself: O my good wife (said he), It is for private Souldiers to be carefull of themselves, not for those in publick place; they must have an eye to save other mens lives. Such a spirit becomes every man in publick place; flesh and blood will be apt to prompt a man,Sudandum estiis qui Magistratum gerunt, &c. that it is good to sleep in a whole skin, why should a man hazard himself, and bring himself into danger. But let such know, that men in publick places, Cic. pro Sestio. are to have publick spirits, and to take notice, that though [Page] there be more danger by standing in the gap, than getting behind the hedge, yet it is best to be where God looks for them to be.

Every man to be employed in his Calling.CXXXII

NO Creature,B. Lake's Ser. on Esa. chap. 9. 1 Pet. 4. 10. though destitute of Reason, but keepeth his course, they let us see in their working, whereto they were ordained: The Sun giveth his light, the fire his heat, the water moistnesse, the earth beareth fruit. In all Creatures may be read this lesson, Deus & natura nihil faciunt frustrà. And if Creatures, void of Reason, do so; much more should those that are endued with Reason, not to wrap up their Talent in a napkin, and hide it; but, as St. Peter adviseth, Every one as he hath received the gift, so he must dispose it.

Death strips us of all outward things.CXXXIII

SAladine, Coccius Sabellic En. lib. 9. 5. a Turkish Emperour, he that first of that Nation conquered Ierusalem, lying at the point of death, after many glorious Victories, commanded that a white sheet should be born before him to his grave, upon the point of a spear, with this proclamation,Bergomensis. lib. 12. These are the rich spoiles which Saladine carrieth away with him, of all his triumphs and victories, Platina. in Caelestin. 30. Woodnoth, ut antea. of all the riches and Realms that he had, now nothing at all is left but this sheet. Why then should we desire so much after other mens goods, and seek to get them by hook and by crook? Why should we devour houses, even widowes houses? Why should we encroach upon other mens fields, and seek unlawfully to joyne land to land, calling the lands after our own names, entayling them upon children's children, to make (as the Lawyers speak) a perpetuity? when at last,Omnia mors aequat. Claudian if we could conquer never so much, rake and scrape up all that we can reach, we must come to the pit with Saladine, and carry nothing away with us, but a shrouding mantle.

Selfishnesse condemned.CXXXIV

THere is a story of a Fool, Steph. Marshal's Serm. at Westm. 1644 who being left in a chamber, and the door locked when he was asleep; after he awakes, and finds the door fast, and all the people gone, he cries out at the window, Oh my self, my self, Oh my self! Such Fools have we now amongst us in these self-seeking daies; nothing but self is in mens thoughts, in their hearts, and all their endeavours; self-ends, self-policy; like that of Israel, an empty Vine,Hos. 10. 1. Phil. 2. 21. that brings forth fruit to her self. All seek their own, themselves, not the things of God; and it were just with God to leave such men to themselves hereafter, that look so much to themselves here in this World.

To blesse God for the peace of Conscience.CXXXV

WHen the Romans by conquest might have given Law to the Grecians at Corinth, Titus Livius in hist. in the solemn time of the Isthmian games, their Generall by an Herald unexpectedly proclaimed freedome to all the Cities of Greece; the Proclamation at first did so amaze the Grecians, that they did not believe it to be true; but when it was proclaimed the second time, they gave such a shout, that the very birds flying in the air were astonished therewith, and fell dead to the ground. But if you will have a better story, take that of the Iewes, who when at first they heard of Cyrus's Proclamation, and that the Lord thereby had turned the captivity of Sion, they confesse, that at the first hearing of it, they were like men that dream't; but afterwards,Psal. 126. B. Lake's Ser. on Hagg. ch. 1. their mouths were filled with laughter, and their tongues with singing. Now the peace that the Grecians and the Iewes had, was but the peace of a People, or a Nation, and a great blessing of God too; but how much more reason is there, that our affections should be strained to the highest pitch of [...]oy and thanks, when we hear of the Proclamation of the peace of conscience? that peace, which is not of our bodies, but of our souls; not of our earthly, but of our heavenly estate; a peace that [Page] shall be begun here, that shall endure for ever hereafter; such a peace, as will make God at peace with us, reconcile us to our selves, and make us at concord with all the world.

CXXXVI A forraigne Enemy to be prevented.

FAbius Maximus kept aloof from the Carthagenian Army, T. Livii. Dec. 3. lib. 12 Dan Featly's Serm. upon an high hill, till he saw that Han [...]bal had worsted [...] in the plain; but then he falleth upon him, and routs all his Troops: Whereupon Hannibal uttered that memorable speech,Nihil vel parvum h [...]stile à te [...]g [...] fit r [...]linquc [...]dum. Nat. Com. lib. 16. I ever feared, that the cloud which hovered so long on the hills, would in the end poure down, and give us a sad shour. The case is ours, we are together by the ears in the plain, as to the matter of judgment especially; but Fabius is upon the hill, there is a considerable party upon the mountains, a forraign Enemy, that hath an eye upon our divisions, and if not prevented, may in all likelyhood, by the reason of our sins, be the destruction of us.

CXXXVII Husbands to bear with the Wife's infirmity.

PRetious things, [...]osh. Shute H [...]gar and Sarah. whereof we make account, the weaker they be, the more tenderly and charily they are to be handled, as China-dishes, and Crystall-glasses, and the like; of all parts of the body, the eye is most [...]enderly used and touched. Now what things, what persons are more pretious than a Wife? and yet withall a weak vessell, and therefore to be born withall. As the Husband is the stronger, so he must bear with the infirmities of the weak. Rom. 15. Exod. 4. 25. 1 King. 21. 1 Pet. 3. 7. The language of Zipporah was not so rough to Moses, as his was smooth to her; Ahab replies not to the upbraiding words of Iezeball; and they that do otherwise, may look big, and stand upon their headship and authority; but the wisdom that should be in such heads, as to dwell with their wives according to knowledge, is much to be questioned. And certainly, this is not to bear with the weaker vessell, but rather to crush and shatter, what they should but tenderly touch.

CXXXVIII The time of Repentance not to be deferred.

THe Charriot-wheeles when they run, the second runs near the first all the day long,Joh. Preston's Covenant of God with Man. but never overtakes it. In a Clock, the second minute followes the first, but never reacheth it. So it is with all [...]uncta [...]ors in Religion, such as defer the time of Repentance, as the doing of it now and now; and to morrow, and to morrow: Tol [...]e mora [...]: semper n [...]cuit differre, &c. Lucan. Now these lit [...]le distances deceive us, and delude us; we think to do it i [...] a short [...]im [...], and by reason of the neernesse and vicinity of the time, we think we shall do it easily, that we can take hold of that time: But it is not so; we are served just as Grashoppers and Butterflies deceive children, when they think to lay their [...]and upon them, they hop a little further, and a little further, that at last they take them not at all. And thus do we cozen our selves, we lose our life, we lose our op [...]ortu [...]ity of grace, thinking that we may take it when we please.

CXXXIX Sathan's endeavour to hinder the hearing of God's Word.

MArk the Iaylors, Dan. Featly's Clavis mystica. they often suffer their Prisoners to have their hands and feet free, neither are they in any fear, that they will make an escape, so long as the prison-doors are sure lock'd, and fast bar'd. Thus dealeth Sathan with those men, that he holdeth in his captivity, he letteth them sometimes have their hands at liberty, to reach out an almes to the poor; and sometimes their feet at liberty, to go to Church, to hear the Word preached; but he will be sure to keep their ears, which are the gates and doors of their soul, so fast made up, that they shall hear nothing to their comfort; and if they do, it shall be to little purpose.

The Minister's Authority should be as much looked on as his sufficiency.CXL

[Page]

TWo things are considerable in a Minister, B. Lake's Ser. on Haggai, chap. 2. his sufficiency and his authority: the people listen much to his sufficiency, but take little heed to his authority; and therefore come they to Church, rather to judge than to be judged, forgetting that many may be as skilfull, but none can be so powerfull in binding and loosing, as is the Minister. A Judge or a Justice of Peace may have lesse Law in him, than a private man, but he hath much more power, and they that appear before him, regard his acts according to h [...]s power: So should it be in the Church. But men fear the Magistrates that are under earthly Kings, because the pains which they inflict are corporall; our hands, our feet, [...]eel their manacles and fetters: And did but our souls as truly feel, as indeed they should, the Pastor's binding and loosing of them,Sententia excommunicationis pastoris metuenda est. Greg in regist. we would make more account of those offices than we do. And it were good we did so; for they so bind, as that they can loose again; but if we neglect them, when our Lord and Master commeth, he will command all contemners so to be bound hand and foot, that they shall never be loosed again.

Self-praises condemned.CXLI

CAto the elder,Plinii hist. Plutarch in Apophthegm. Id. in Cicerone. had that commendations given him by consent, which none in his time was thought fit to deserve, (except it were one) to be Optimus Orator, optimus Senator, & optimus Imperator: A most singular Orator, a most singular Statesman, and a most singular Generall: And yet this so singular a man, was so much given to boast himself, that his veriest friends were ashamed of him. And there was Tully too,Fulgosus lib. 8. cap. 15. a man so excellently qualified, that none but a Tully, that is, one admirably eloquent, was sufficient to speak his worth; and yet that is not unremembred by them,B. Smith's Ser. who were willing to conceal a blemish in him, that his speech which flowed from him as sweet as the hony, he made to taste as bitter as wormwood many times, by the interlacing of his own praises. But these were such, as saw God onely by the dim light of Nature, therefore the more excusable. What then shall become of them, that know their Masters will? such as by the Sun-shine of the Gospell cannot but discern,Luk. 9. 4 [...]. Jer. 9. 23. that, He who is the greatest, ought to account himself as the least; that, It is not for the wiseman to glory in his wisdome, nor the strong man to glory in his strength, nor the rich man to glory in his riches; but for him that gloryeth, to glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth God, who is the giver of all things; yet do expiscari famam, Hoc faciunt [...] quos gloria vexat inanis. are never in the right kue, till Mountebank-like, they are exposing themselves in their own worth upon every stage: Surely such a wise man will prove a [...]ool, such a strong man will turn his back, such a rich man will scratch a beggar by the head, when God shall call for an account of their stewardship, and to reckon with them for what they have received.

Complaint of the want of Faith, is an argument of true Faith.CXLII

THere is mention made of a melancholly person, Treatise of Melancholly, pag. 215. who was so strongly possessed, that he complained he had no head, nor could be otherwise perswaded, than by that course which Philotimus, a learned Physitian, took with him, when he caused to be made a cap of lead, very weighty and heavy, and the same to be put upon his head, that feeling the weight thereof upon his head, he might be perswaded he had a head. Thus it is with weak Christians, their complaint of the want of Faith, Joh. Negus's Treatise of Obedience. is an argument of the being of their faith, wherein like this Melancholic [...], they think they want that, which indeed they have. And the same cure would do well with them, that was fitted for him; lay upon them no other burthen, but the weight of their own burthen, the burthen of holy sorrow, and griefe, and doubtfull despair for their wanting of faith, (as themselves do deem) which is so weighty, as they are like to sink under it; yet that being laid upon the head of their faith, they may be asked, whether they feel any such weight, and are pressed under the heavy [Page] burden of the same? which if they be, let them never doubt more, but that they have faith, and their faith hath both head and heart too, that hath life in it, which moveth the sense, and causeth that feeling, and worketh that holy griefe and sorrow so to complain, the whole soul being quickned thereby throughout, and all the graces of God's Spirit, that are therein.

CXLIII Conversion of Heathens to be endeavoured.

THere lies a great guilt upon Christian states, and this amongst the rest, that they have not been carefull to bring them that sit in darknesse, B. Lake's Ser. on 1 Kin. 8. 37. and in the shadow of death, to the knowledge of Iesus Christ. Much travailing there is to the Indias, East, and West; but wherefore? Some go to possesse themselves of the lands of the Infidells, but most for commerce; and by commerce, to grow richer by their goods. But where is the Prince or State, that pittieth their souls, and without any worldly respect, endeavours the gaining of them unto God? Some shew there is that way, but a very poor one; it is but [...], an accessory to our worldly desire, [...] it is not;Matth. 6. it is not our primary intention: whereas Christ's method is, primùm quaerite, &c. If the Apostles and Apostolick men had affected our salvation no more, we might have continued till this day, such as sometimes we were, barbarous subjects to the Prince of darknesse.

CXLIV Want of Love is the cause of all our sorrowes.

ST. Paul prayed,Phil. 1. 9. Heb. 13. 1. Dan. Fea [...]ly's Serm. that the Philippian's love might abound more and more; and he exhorted also the Hebrewes, Let brotherly love continue. But in these uncharitable daies of ours, the Exhortation may be cast into a new mould, Let brotherly love begin; for were it but begun, there could not be so many quarrells, so many sects, so many factions, so many broiles, such envy, hatred, and malice, as is at this day to be found amongst us.

CXLV Vncertainty of the Multitude.

NOne ever more faithfull in God's House than Moses, B. Smith's Ser. on Joh. 6. Exod. 17. none deeper in God's Book, none more graced with Miracles, none more carefull of the People's good, and none more honoured by the People than himself was; yet, if the People be but once distressed, and straitned in their provisions, they'l put down Moses, and set up a new Governour. Gal. 4. 15. How did the People at the first entertain Paul? even as an Angel of light, and were ready to pull out their eyes, and to give them to him to do him good; but after they had once hearkened to seducers, then was St. Paul no longer a Father to them,Gal. 4. 16. but an enemy; and in stead of plucking out their own eyes to do him good, they seemed forward enough to pluck out St. Paul's eyes, to do their fals Apostles a pleasure.Joh. 12. 13. Nay, had not Christ himself an Hosanna one day, & a crucifige on the next? Hence it is, that nothing is more uncertain, than the minds of that Bellua multorum capitum, Neu [...]rum modo, mas modo, vulgus. the Multitude, constant in nothing but inconstancy, you cannot tell where to have them; nothing more uncertain than their hearts and minds,Scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus. Virgil. you cannot tell when you have them; nothing more ungratefull, or a worse esteemer of mens deserts, you cannot make any account of recompence from them; humorous, clamorou [...], [...], unco [...]stant, giddy headed, &c. have alwaies been the proper adjuncts of the People.

CXLVI Profession without Practice not acceptable.

PHarnaces sent a Crown to Caesar, at the same time he rebelled against him; but he returned the Crown, and this message back, Faciat imperata priùs, Let him return to his obedience first,Plutarch in Pompeio. Dr. Staughton's Serm. and then I will accept the Crown by way of recognisance. Thus God will not be crowned with our bare profession, except we crown that with a suitable conversation.

Man's being is from God.CXLVII

[Page]

ABen Ezra, Joh. Plantavit. Flori [...]g. Rabbin. a learned Rabbi of the Iewes, hath a witty conceit of the Hebrew names, that signifie Man and Woman, Ish and Ishak; they have in them (saith he) some letters, that are part of the Name of God, (JEHOVAH) which if you take away, there will remain no other letters, than those that make up the word, which signifies fire. The Morall of the conceit is, That their subsistence is in God, and they will both come to ruine,Phil. 3. B. Lake's Ser. on Ezra. if they be severed from him. St. Paul maketh this good, It were to be wished that we did all learn of him, whence to take, and how to make the estimate of our Being, we should not then so much overvalue our nothing, and undervalue that which can make us something, as commonly we do.

The Doctrine of free Grace abused by licentious Libertines.CXLVIII

THe Philosopher observed, that of three of the best things in the world, through the wickednesse of men, three of the worst things proceeded and grew:

1. Of Vertue, Envy.

2. Of Truth, Hatred.

3. Of Familiarity, Contempt.

But we that are Christians may add a fourth, viz. Of the Doctrine of free Iustification, carnail Liberty. Combesii Enchiridion. The Catholick Doctrine of Iustification by faith alone,Dan. Featly's Clavis myst. is the true Nectar of our souls, so called, [...], because it keep [...]th from death; yet, fit nectar acetum, this sweetest wine in the Spouses flaggons, proves no better than vinegar, or rather poyson in their stomacks, who turn free Grace into wantonnesse, and Christian liberty into all licentiousnesse.

The Soul [...]s steighting of Christ offering mercies, deplorable.CXLIX

HE [...]odotus in his Urania, Lib. 8. makes mention of Themistocles, comming upon the men of Andrus, for a round sum of mony, and to that purpose said unto them, that he had brought two goddesses into them, Perswasion and Necessity. The men of Andrus answered him, that they had likewise two great goddesses with them, which did forbid them to give him any mony, and those were Pov [...]rty and Impossibility. B. Smith's Ser. on 2 Kin. 6. Matth. 8. Luk. 14. 23. Thus Christ, he comes unto the sons of men, with an Invitation, and a Compellation; an Invitation, Venite ad me, &c. Come unto me, all ye that are weary and laden, &c. a Compellation, Compelle intrare, &c. Compell them to enter, &c. But what return doth the Soul make? she bolts up the dore of the heart, denies entrance, and either demurs with those builders in Haggai, Nondum venit tempus, It is time enough yet to serve the Lord; or else makes answer with a flat Nolumus hunc regnare, Luk. 19. 14. We will not have this man to reign over us.

God's goodnesse satisfied with Man's thankfulnesse.CL

THemistocles, Plutarch in vita. when he entred into the Olympick games, and all the Grecians cast their eyes upon him, and pointed at him, and whispered one to another, This is Themistocles that delivered Greece from Xerxes, and the barbarous Perstans; this is Themistocles.Suidas. hist. All which he having taken notice of, said; This day I must confesse I am abundantly recompenced, for all the pains that ever I took for Greece. Thus Go [...] lookes for no other reward, Dr. Staughton's Serm. but this; he loads us with benefits, he gives all the commodities of the world to the sons of men, reserving only this Royalty to himself;De omni bono apparen [...]i à nobis referantur Deo laudes. Bernard. Psal. 107. He calls for no other tribute, but that we should attribute all unto him, give him the glory, with a Non nobis, Domine, non nobis. And therefore it is, that the Psalmist repeats it very often, and very pathetically, O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse, and for his wondrous works that he hath done for the children of men.

CLI The Ruler's sins hasten the ruine of a State.

[Page]

JUdges and Magistrates are the Physicians of the State, B. Lake's Serm. on Ezra. and sins are the diseases of it. What skills it, whether a Gangreen begin at the head, or the heel, seeing both waies it will kill, if the part that is diseased be not cut off; except this be the difference, that the head being nearer the heart, a Gangreen in the head will kill sooner, than that which is in the heel. Rerum German. Scriptores. Even so will the sins of great Ones overthrow a State sooner, than those of the meaner sort; therefore wise was that advice of Sigismund the Emperour, when upon a motion to reform the Church, one said, Let us begin at the Minorites; Nay rather (saith the Emperour) let us begin at the Majorites; for if the great ones be good, the meaner cannot be easily ill; but be the mean ones never so good, the great will be nothing the better.

CLII No man a loser by giving himself up to God.

AEschines perceiving every one give Socrates something for a present,Diog. Lacrtius in vita. said unto him, Because I have nothing else to give, I will give thee my self. Do so, (saith Socrates) and I will give thee back again to thy self, J. Donne's Ser. at St. Pauls Lond. 1626. better then when I received thee. So (saies God) if thou wilt give thy self to me in thy prayers, in thy praises, in thy affections, and in all thy actions, I will give thy self back so much mended, that thou shalt receive thy self, and Me too; thy self in a holy liberty, to walk in the world in a calling; My self, in giving a blessing upon all the works of thy calling, and imprinting in thee a holy desire, to do all things to My glory.

CLIII Excellency of the Robe of Iustice.

THere is a story of a certain old woman in the Low-Countries, Eman. Meteranus in hist. Belgica. that she being neer her end, required her keeper, of all loves, and in any case, to put upon her the Cowle of a Fryer Minorite, (when she should be ready to give up the ghost) which she had prepared for that purpose: And (said she) if death happen to come so suddainly, that thou canst not put the whole Cowle upon me, yet fail not at the least, to put one of my arms into it, that by vertue thereof, three parts of my sins may be forgiven me, and the fourth expiated in Purgatory. Thus Meteranus, of the old wifes perswasion touching the vertue of the [...]ryer's Cowle; which perswasion, superstition bred, covetousnesse tendered, and folly entertained. It cannot be said so of the vertue of the Robe of Iustice, of Equity, and square dealing, whether distributive or commutative, private or publick, (though all very good) that they should have power to forgive sins;B. Smith's Ser. Job 29. 1 Joh. 1. no, The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth from all sins. But this may be boldly said, that it is an excellent Robe and a Diadem, such a one that yieldeth a sweet savour unto the nostrills of God, as Esau's garment upon Iacob's back did to Isaac their father.Gen. 27. Of all the garments you can put on, after Faith and Love, there is none to be compared to it. Courtiers may have soft cloathing [...], Matth. 11. a garment of needle-work is onely for the Queen's wearing, garments of divers colours are suitable for King's Daughters;Psal. 45. and there was a Babylonish garment, 2 Sam. 13. which Achan purloyned to his destruction;Josh. 7. Herod's glittering apparell, mentioned by Iosephus, garments of gold and silver,In lib. Antiquit. lib. 7. cap 8. at which Dionysius jested, That they were too cold in the winter, and too heavy in the summer: Perfumed garments, such as were the undoing of Muliasses King of Tunis; Iustitia tutamen patriae, curalanguorum solatium pauperum, &c. Cyprian. as Paulus Iovius relateth. These were for some persons, but not for others; for some certain times, but not for all. But Iustice is a ro [...]e for all sorts of men to put on, for all times of the year; sweet without fulsomnesse, pretious without burthensomnesse, safe without dangerousnesse, indifferent to all degrees, to all persons; common, equall, glorious, full of majesty, and full of good works.

Miracles, why ceased.CLIV

[Page]

A Gardiner, Joh. Weems Pourtrait. when he transplanteth a Tree out of one ground into another, before the [...] ree take root, he sets stayes to it, he powre [...]th water at the root of it dayly; but when it once taketh root, he ceaseth to water it any more, and pulleth away the staies that he set to uphold it, and suffereth it to grow with the ordinary influence of the Heavens. So the Lord in planting of Religion, he put-to the help of Miracles, Eccl [...]siae authoritas miraculis inchoata, vetustate formata. August. as helps to stay it; but when it was once confirmed and fastened, and had taken deep rooting, he took away such helps; so that, as St. Augustine hath it, Qui expectat miraculum, miraculum est, He that looketh for a miracle, is a miracle himselfe; for, if the death of Christ will not work faith, all the miracles in the world will not do it.

Other mens harms to be our arms.CLV

WHen the Lion was sick,Christ. Fonseca Quadrages. Sermons. Vestigia nulla retrorsum. all the Beasts of the field went to visit him, onely the Fox stayed behind, and would not go unto him; being asked the reason, he answered, I find the track of many going in, but of none comming out; and I am not so desperate, as to cast my self wilfully away, when I may sleep in a whole skin. Thus other men's punishments ought to be our instructions; Iustitia alien [...], disciplinan [...] stra. nocumenta, documenta; their harms, our arms: And that man is a fool, whom other men's harms cannot make to beware. The [...]ootsteps of the Angells that fell, may minde us of pride, the ashes of Sodom tell us of our filthinesse, Absol [...]m's hanging by the hair forwarn us of rebellion, &c.

Encompassed by death on all sides.CLVI

IN the beginning of every Almanack, Tho. Prior's Serm. at the [...] neral of B. Smith, Glocest. 1626. Moriendi mille figurae. there is usually the picture of a naked man, miserably beset on all sides; the Ram pusheth at the head, the Bull goareth the neck, the Lion teareth the heart, the Scorpion stings the privy parts, another shoots at the thighes, &c. Every man living is but an emblem of that livelesse Anatomy; one dyes of an Apoplexy in the head, another of a Struma in the neck, a third of a Squinancy in the throat, a fourth of a Gough and Consumption of the lungs, others of Obstructions, Inflammations, Pluri [...]ies, Gouts, Dropsies, &c. and him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, 1 King. 19. 17. him doth Iehu slay; and him that escapeth the sword of Iehu, doth Elisha slay. Let but God arm the least of all his creatures against the strongest man, it is present death and dissolution.

A rich man had rather part with God, than his gold.CLVII

TAke a narrow mouthed bot [...]le, B. Wes [...]field's Serm. at Bristol, 1644. it will receive the wine or beer that is poured into it, without any noise at all; but if you turn the bottle upside down, the bottom upward, it will not let any thing out, but with a gr [...]at deal of bubling and rumbling. Thus it is with every worldly man, he would quietly, & without any noise or relu [...]tation (if possible) suck in the graces of God's Spirit into his heart; but tell him that the bottle must first be emptyed,Matth. 19. 21. that he must sell all that he hath, and gi [...]e to the poor; durus est hic sermo, this is a hard saying; how doth he murmu [...] and repine at this? choosing with that prophane wretch, rather to have his part in Paris than in Paradise, the pleasures of sin for a season here in this world, than the pleasures which are at Gods right hand [...]or evermore. Heb. 11. 25.

How sin is made the prevention of sin.CLVIII

WHen children begin to go,T. Lightfoot's Serm. at [...] in Stafford-shire, 1642. they use to be so well conceited of the strength of their leggs, that they need not any help of their Nurse; to let them see their folly, the Nurse will leave them to their selves, that so smarting by a [...]a [...]l, they [Page] may better be brought to find what need they have of their Nurse. The best of us all are but babes in grace, yet do we think that we can stand of our selves, yea, and run the waies of God too; now God doth refute us by our own experience, and by this Mistresse of fools, makes us better known to our selves: But though he leave us for a time, yet doth he not forsake us for ever, no more than a Nurse doth the weakling child; she maketh use of one fall, to keep the child from many; and God doth make use of our sinning, to make us see how prone we are to sin, and so prevent us for the future.

CLIX An ungracious Son, not worthy to be his Father's Heir.

DId the goldsmith but know before hand,Christ. [...]onseca's Sermons Quadragesimal. that his refining of silver would turn to drosse, he would rather break his bellows and chrysolls in a thousand pieces, than once offer to set himself about such an unprofitable piece of service. And if many a Father did but know, that his Son would prove a spend-thrift Devill, he would sooner fire all he had, than leave one penny behind him.

CLX Young Schollars to mind their Books.

IT is reported of Dr. Andrew Willet, the volumnious Atlas of Learning, that at the age of fourteen years, or thereabouts, his father sent him to the University of Cambridge, where he applyed himself so seriously to his studies, that in short time he had not onely gained a good measure of knowledge in the learned Tongues, but likewise in the Arts, and all necessary literature; so that it might well be said of him,Plinius in Ep. as Pliny said of Trajan, Docendi tempore discendi nihil habuit, He had nothing of those things to learn, when he was to teach them to others. What a shame is it then for those, that dishonour that Athenian life with Dorick manners? that like to the father of Francis Iunius, to whom his Grand-father writing, when he was at the University, Paul Merul. in vita Fran. Junii. was wont thus to superscribe his Letters, Diony [...]o dilecto filio misso ad studendum, At tu, dum prium floret tibi temporis aetas. Tibul. To my beloved son Dionysius, sent to study; when (as it seems) he did nothing lesse, than that which he was sent about. So many young Schollars spend that time which should be at their books, aut malè, aut nihil, aut aliud agendo, either doing wickedly, or that which they should not do, or else nothing at all; so that their Tutors are enforced to dismisse them, with a Pol, ego operam & oleum perdidi, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength in vain.

CLXI The life of Faith, the happy life.

WHen Elisha demanded of the Shunamite, 2 King. 4. 15. what he should do for her, or whether there were any thing to be spoken for her to the King, or the Captain of the Hoast, W. Atte [...]sol on Philem. she answered, I dwell among my people; she lived in peace and quietnesse, she had no cause to make any complaint against any of her neighbours, she was not driven to make any suit to the King, or the Captain; she troubled not others, and others troubled not her: And this she accounted an happy life, and so it was. But what then is the happy estate and condition of the faithfull? surely a thousand times greater; they are at peace with Heaven and earth, with men and Angells, with themselves and all others, with life and death; there is nothing that is able to dismay them, nothing able to hurt them.

CLXII Shortnesse of time will not admit of long discourse.

THey that have a long journey to make,B. Smith's Ser. on Jer. chap 9. and but a short time allowed them, must make but short baites by the way, and cannot stand to take every acquaintance by the hand that they meet: And they that are to paint or print, or any waies delineate a pitched field, within the compasse of a sheet or two of paper, can make but few souldiers, whole or compleat, Non tam multum, sed tam bene. but are fain to set down for the most part their heads onely, or their Helmets. So he that hath many things to speak [Page] unto, within a small compasse of time, must contract himself, and be contented to touch onely the heads of the greatest part of them; and as for long discourses, he must wave them.

Curiosity in the hearing of God's Word, condemned.163

MAny men take no pleasure in flowers, Christ. Fonseca's Serm. Quadrages. or care any further for them, than to look upon them, smell to them, and have them in their hands; but the Bees draw from them both hony and wax; and the skilfull Apothecary maketh many medicines of them, against divers and sundry diseases. Thus, many hear Sermons onely for their pleasure, for the elegancy of the style, delicacy of the words, smoothnesse of the language, and gracefulnesse of the delivery; but this is but to make a nosegay to smell to for a while, and cast it anon after into a corner; to hear the word gladly, but in time of temptation to fall away.

Ambition proves its own ruine.164

THe poisonfull Aconite, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 27. so much desired of the Panther, is purposely hung up by the Hunters, in vessells above their reach, whereof they are so greedy, as they never leave leaping and straining thereat, till they burst and kill themselves, and so are taken.Sr. Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms. Thus do men that aim at honour and greatnesse, too high for their reach, and too great oftentimes for their merit; for, an ambitious hear: overgrown with this rank Aconite, neither admits of the beams of Grace, to mollifie its hardnesse, nor the bounds of Nature, Omnia recta & honesta negligunt, dumm [...] to potentiam consequantur. Cicer. to restrain the swelling; but is unnaturally carried to ruine those of his own gang that are living, and to blemish the honourable fame of those that are departed. Surely, ambitious Tyrants may bear themselves up for a time, but in the end they shall find, that though divine Iustice hath leaden feet, she hath iron hands; though slow in comming, yet she strikes home.

To be content in the present condition.165

THey that are not contented with their present condition, Ier. Borogh's Hearts-content. are fitly compared to little children, that are gotten upon a hill, and they look a good way off, and see another hill, and they think, if they were on the top of that, then they were able to touch the Clouds with their fingers; but when they are on the top of that hill, alasse, then they are as far from the clouds as before. So it is with many that think,Semper avarus eget. if they were in such a condition, then they should have contentment; and it may be so, that they get into that condition, yet they are as far from contentment as before; not considering, that in the very lowest of conditions, they may for the present be serviceable to the counsell of God, that hath thus put them into it.

A godly Christian is a constant Christian 166

AFfections to God must be constant. The aire (you know) is light, and yet we call it not a lightsome body, because it is lighted by the presence of another, and when that body is removed,Funerall Sermons. it is dark; for the aire is dark in the night, when the Sun is absent; as it is light, when the Sun is present: Those onely we call lightsome bodies, whose light is originated and rooted in themselves. So, they are not godly persons, that may have some injections of godly thoughts, and godly affections cast into them, and be in them for a spurt, and a brunt, and for a little flash, (like a flash of lightning in the aire) and so gon▪ but it must be rooted and grounded in a man, so as that it will continue, continue so, as that the exercise of graces, and duties towards God, Esa. 26. should be frequent and quotidian, daily to have converse and communion with God, Nec taedia coepti Vlla mei capiam, &c. Ovid. to walk with him, and talk with him, to approve our selves to him, to set our selves in his presence, to make a constant trade with him, to be his daies-man, to work by the day with him, and withall to hold out to the end.

167 An impatient condition is a discontented condition.

[Page]

WEak and sickly bodies agree well with no aire, Joh. Downham's Christ. warfare. and are not much bettered by their▪ often removes and changes of place, because they carry about them their distempered humours, Impa [...]iens est homo mutabilis enervis. which are the causes of their disease. So, he who is sick of impatiency, and peevish discontent, agreeth well with no condition, but picketh quarrells as well against his prosperity as adversity, Paschal. de virt. & vitiis. and is well (as we say) neither full nor fasting; but (like those who are sick of a feavour) bitter and sweet taste both alike, loathing the very sight of wholsome nourishment, because his humour maketh every thing to relish of his aguish condition.

168 God, all in all.

KIng Porus, Plutarch in Apophthegm. when Alexander asked him, being then his prisoner, how he would be used, answered in one word, [...], that is, like a King. Alexander again replying, Do you desire nothing else? No, saith he, all things are in [...] in this one word, R. Holdsworth's Serm. at Camb. 1642. Like a King. Whereupon Alexander restored him again. But this hath not alwaies been the happinesse of Kings and Princes. Yet however, he that hath God, hath all things, because God is all things. Take a pen, and write down riches, honours, preferments, they are but as so many cyphers, they signifie nothing; but write down God alone, and he will them raise to thousands, hundred of thousands: And then it is, that a Christian is truly happy, when he can finde himself, and all things, in his God.

169 If the Soul be safe, all's safe.

IF the vessell be saved, Diodorus. lib. 17. though the wares be spoyled with the sea-water, or cast over ship-board, yet we may arrive at the haven, and there be in safety: If the Field be gotten by us, (as Alexander told Parmenio) our baggage and horses will be recovered again with advantage: If a Tree be sound at the root, there is hope that it will sprout out, B. Smith's Ser. on Joh. chap. 6. Bonum animae pretiosius est omnibu [...] bonis. Arist. lib. 7. polit. notwithstanding it should be lopped, and shred never so much; but if it be rotten at the root, fare it well. In like manner, if the soul be safe, if it live by faith in the Son of God, if it fight the good fight of faith, and win the field, all other losses are not to be reckoned of; we are more then gainers, more then conquerours. But if the soul perish, (and it will perish, except it be fed with the Word of the Gospell; and it will make shipwrack, if Christ sit not at the stern; and it will be overcome, if Christ be not the Captain, Saviour, and Deliverer) then all the world is gone with us, it had been better with us we had never been born.

170 Though a weak Christian, yet a true Christian.

HE is a scholler in the school,House of mourning. that beginneth at Christs-crosse row; and he is entred into the Colledge, that readeth but Seton's Logick; and he is a member of the family, that was bound Apprentice but yesterday. Thus, if thou be a penitent, though not in fulnesse of perfection;Fit surculus arbor. if thou believe, though not with the fullest measure of believing; if thou obey, though not in the highest degree of obedience; be comforted in thy weak beginnings, and resolve to proceed, and know that thou art already entred into the Covenant of Grace, and shalt enjoy that which Christ hath promised,Joh. 8. 51. freedom from damnation, Thou shalt never see death.

171 A cheap Religion is the Worldling's best Religion.

A Merchant being about to buy a parcell of wines, Joh. Downham's Christ. warfare. doth taste of them, and thereupon approves them, wisheth them stowed in his own Cellar; yet when he understands of the price he must give for them, leaves them unbought, and goes his way. Such were those Hypocrites, Luk. 8. 13. and such are many amongst us at [Page] this day:Religio proba ante res humanas hab [...]nda. Lipsius. Sit. 2. 12. A glorious Christ they would have by all means, but a crucified Christ is not for their turn; hearing what excellent things are prepared for God's faithfull ones, they are much taken with the taste and relish of them; but when they understand of the price that is set upon them, that they must deny themselves, and their worldly lusts,Rom. 8. 13. forsake the world, and the vanities thereof, mortifie the flesh, &c. they leave them, as being too dear, and rather be without them, than come to so high a price.

The godly man's afflictions, not destructive, but corrective.172

AS David gave charge to his Souldiers, 2 Sam. 18. 5. Coplan's Ser. of Virgins. that by no means they should kill Absolom his son, though he sent them with a full Commission against Absolom, to stay his unnaturall rebellion,Post afflictiones vita bonis transquillior. to reduce him to his former obedience. So God, when he sends his judgments out into the world, he forbids them, and, as it were, laies a prohibition on crosses and afflictions, Nazian. that they shall not destroy his children; they shall have a corrective, but no destructive power; they shall serve to purge out their corruptions, but they shall not destroy their graces.

Grace, not Greatnesse, maketh Magistrates glorious.173

THere was a great King,Plutarch. Apophthegm. Nemo foret qui te, &c. (Antigonus by name) that turning and winding his Diadem, said to them that stood by, That if a man knew, what a deal of care and trouble were lapped up, and lodged in it, he would not account it worth the taking up. And there was a Pope,Platina in vita (by name Hadrian the sixth, not the worst Pope) that confessed to his friends, That he lived a happier life, when he was a poor Schoolmaster in Lovayn, than since he was advanced to that high See. Joh. Speed. B. Smith's Ser. on Job 29. Plutarch in Apophthegm. Such or the like expressions were made by Henry the fourth of England, lying on his death-bed, upon occasion of his son's removall of the Crown out of his sight. All which signifie thus much, that it is▪ not the high place, nor the great state, that maketh a Magistrate happy; it is not his standing on the higher ground that makes him glorious, but when with Pericles in Plutarch he can say,2 Cor. 1. Act. 20. that he never caused any to wear a mourning gown; and with St. Paul, This is our rejoycing, even the testimony of our conscience; and, That they are pure from the blood of all men: i. e. from shedding innocent blood.

To make good use of good men, while we have them.174

WHen any man borrowes a book, House of mourning. he is diligent in the perusall of it, and taking notes out of it, because he cannot tell how soon the owner may have occasion to use it himselfe; as for his own books, he lets them lye by, presuming to use them at his pleasure. Thus God raiseth up a good Ruler, a good Magistrate, a good Minister, such as are eminent for wisdom, exemplary in life; these he sets up in a Kingdom, in a County, in a Parish or Neighbourhood, as lights to walk by. How then should we improve such opportunities, and walk by the light while we have it?Actum est de Repub. for the Sun of such examples will set, and it is then night in such a Kingdom, such a County, such a Township, such a Family, when a good Governour, a good Magistrate, a good Minister, a good Friend, Parent or Master, is by death removed.

Discord ill beseemes the Disciples of Christ.175

ALexander Severus seeing two Christians contending one with another,Lamprid. in hist. commanded them, that they should not take the name of Christians any longer upon them: For, Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions (saies he) you dishonour your Master Christ, whose Disciples you professe to be. Most sure it is, that divisions, whether of Church or State, forraign or domestick, are very dishonourable to Christ. And were it that they darkened our names onely, it were not so much; but that which darkens up the glory of Christ should go something near us.

176 The Soule's comfortable union with Christ.

[Page]

ARtemisia, Aulus Gellius lib. 10 cap. 18. Joh. Weems Pourtrait. Queen of Caria, shewed an act of wonderfull passionate love toward her husband Mausolus; for, death having taken him away, she not knowing how to pull the thorns of sorrow out of her soul, caused his body to be reduced to ashes, and mingled them in her drink, meaning to make her body a living Tomb, wherein the reliques of her husband might rest, from whom she could not endure to live separated. Thus the true child of God, when there is any thing that may seem to preserve the memory of God in his soul, how doth he embrace the very invention of it? he becomes a true Mausolean tomb indeed; he hath a comfortable and true conjunction with Christ, eating his flesh, and drinking his blood; and these two can never be separated again.

177 False Doctrine is Treason against God.

AS he is a Traitour to his Prince,Geor. Abbot Cant. on Jonah. who taketh upon him to coyn monyes out of a base mettall, yea, although in the stamp he putteth for a shew the image of the Prince: So he that shall broac [...] any Doctrine that commeth not from God, whatsoever he say for it, or what g [...]osse soever he set on it, he is a Traitor unto God, yea in truth a cursed Traitor, though he were an Angel from Heaven, Gal. 1. 8.

178 How the Soul lives in Christ onely.

IT is commonly known,Greg. de la Naza, tract. Evang. that the branches have all their sap from the root of the Tree, it is that which makes them flourish and grow; but if you cut them off from the root, they wither presently. So it is with the Spirit, with the soul of man; if God do but a little withdraw himselfe, let sin but make a separation betwixt God and the soul, it is like a withered branch, it hath nothing of its selfe to revive its selfe, because it is divided from the root, which is Christ: At the least it is with the Soul, as it is with a Tree in the dead of winter, though the sap remain in the root; so though it remain in union with the root, yet the moysture is gotten into the root i [...] self, and doth not now infuse it selfe into the branches: Yet withall it is confessed, that the servant of God, which is once united to Christ, shall never be separated, the union is now, and alwaies shall be; but neverthelesse, the sap and comfort of the Spirit, it may remain in the Head, our life may be hid in Christ, and may not appear in us at all; and we are then in that estate, as if we were branches cut off; so that whatsoever life, and comfort, and strength of spirit we had, it was from Christ, and by the influence and working of his gracious Spirit.

179 Division amongst Christians is the disgrace of Christians.

ONe Bidulph, in the relation of his travells to Ierusalem, reporteth,Jer. Boroghs ut antea. That the Turks were wont to wonder much at our Englishmen, for pinking and cutting their cloaths, counting them little better then mad-men, for making holes in whole cloath,Fera regnat Erinnys. Ovid. which time of it selfe would tear too soon. But how foolish and how mad in the eyes of all good Christians, do the cuts and the rents, and the slashes that are in men's spirits, the divisions that are amongst us at this day, how uncomely do they render us, and the Religion that we take upon us to professe?

180 God's Eternity.

MErchants and Shop-keepers,T. Taylor Ser. at S. Mary Alderm. Lond. 1626. to procure a better sale, and greater credit to their severall Stuffs, call them Sempiternum, Perpetuana, Durance, &c. but how soon doth the moth fret them, and they are gon? nothing left but the bare name. But God, he is the true eternall Beeing, All Creatures have a lasting, Angels have an outlasting, but god hath an everlasting Beeing; He onely is Alpha and Omega, [Page] before the beginning, and beyond all ending, from everlasting to everlasting, the King, 1 Tim. 1. 17. eternall, immortall, &c.

Ill company to be avoided.181

WHen Cerinthus came into the Bath,Euseb. Pamph. hist. Iohn the Evangelist got him out, and called to his fellowes, that they should come away with haste from the company of that companion, lest the house should fall upon them; he thought that place was guilty, Geor. Abbot Cant. on Jonah. which received a man that was guilty; and that the house was in danger, which harboured a man obnoxious. Here let them then look about them, who not onely without all care do sort themselves with all comme [...]s, not fearing the faults of others, but are glad they can meet with such companions. Vices and vitious persons are alike dangerous. He that walketh in the Sun shall be tan'd, and he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled, and he that associateth himself with the ungodly, will soon be tainted with their company.

That it is lawfull to praise the Dead.182

IT is said of the Aethiopians, Herodot. in Thalia. that they make Sepulchers of glasse; for after they have dryed the corps, they artificially paint it, and set it in a glased coffin, that all that passe by may see the whole frame and lineaments of the body, and this is commended in them. But surely, they deserve better of the dead, and more benefit of the living, who draw the lineaments of their minde, and represent their vertues and graces in a Mirrour of Art and Learning: Rich. Holdsworth Fun. Serm. 1626. Vetustas judicavit honestum esse ut mortui laudarentur. Thucid. lib. 2. And they are as much to blame on the other side, that out of the purity of their precise zeal, ita praecidunt, so neer pare the nails of Romish superstition, that they make the fingers bleed, who out of fear of praying forsooth for the dead, or invocating them, are shie in speaking any word for them, or sending after them their deserved commendations. It is p [...]ety to honour God in his Saints; it is justice, suum cuique tribuere, to give every one his own; it is charity, to propose eminent examples of heavenly graces and vertues shining in the dead, for the imitation of the living; and then you cannot praise any so safely as the dead, for you cannot humour them into danger, nor melt away your self into flattery: Such jewells ought not to be locked up in a [...]offin, as in a cabinet, but to be set out to the view of all men.

Men, though differing in judgment, must not differ in affection.183

THere is mention made of two Rivers in the East,Bo [...]ero's relatition. Sava and Danuby, that run along in one chanell theescore miles together, without any noise, and yet they keep themselves apart, the colours of the waters remaining distinct all along. And why should not Men go along close together in love, Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions. though in somethings their judgments and practices be apparently different one from another? Opinionum varietas, & opinantium unitas non sunt [...]. Men may go to heaven with the variety of opinions, but with the difference of affection they shall never see God in the face to their comfort.

A man dead in sin, is a senslesse man.184

IF a man be naturally dead, R. Abbot's Ser. at S. August. Lond. 16 [...]1. bring a candle into the room, set it on the table, he sees it not; let the Sun shine in his face, he perceives not the beauty, or feeles the warmth thereof; offer him rich presents, he receives them not; he hath not an eve to see them, nor a heart to desire them, nor a hand to reach out unto them. Thus it is with one that is spiritually dead, let the Sunshine of the Gospell put out never so clear, he sees it not, because he is in darknesse; though he live under plentifull means, and rich dispensations, yet he is blind and sottish; offer unto him the rich pearls of the Gospell, those rich treasures of grace in Christ Iesus, yet he hath no heart to them,Dormi [...] securus. no hand of faith to lay hold upon them; so blind, so sottish is he, so stupi [...] [Page] and senslesse, that though these rich treasures, these graces, these pearls of the Gospell, be conveyed unto him in earthen vessells, in a plain and familiar manner, yet he doth not, he cannot apprehend them; judgments do not affright him, and mercies do not allure him.

185 Antinomians compared to Thieves.

THieves, Joh. Weems Divin Exercit. when they come to rob and steal, the first thing that they do, is, to put out the candle, that they may pilfer the more securely. Thus the Antinomians, that they may cry up their Idoll of Christian liberty with more ease, and vent their doctrines of pleasing domnation, Qui malè agit, odit lucem. more freely, they set themselves against the Law, and would banish it out of the Church; and thus carnall and prophane men too, labour to abolish it, that they may sin the more securely, and with greater liberty.

186 Not to censure others, but look to our selves.

SOcrates, Diog. Laert. in vita Socrat. at a banquet, falling at odds with one of his familiars, and openly rebuking him, Plato could not hold, but said unto him, How much better had this been spoken privately? And had you not done better to have told me so privately? quoth Socrates. Plato could see Socrates's fault of unseasonable reprehension, but his own he could not perceive.Mr Woodnoth, ut antea. Thus, look but amongst such as call themselves holy brethren, but indeed, rank Protestants, devout dissemblers, and you shall finde, that they are not halfe so forward in examining themselves, as in finding fault with other; and they are not halfe so curious in their own,Iudice [...] ille de alterius errore, qui non habet in seips [...] qu [...]d condemnet. as they are captious and cruell over other mens lives; they can readily accuse others of blacknesse, and spirituall deformities, saying, They are wicked, he is naught, they are Antichristian, rotten-hearted, &c. such a one hath a Pope in his belly: Ambros. in Matth. 5. when at the same time, they have but little (God knowes) of Christ in their hearts: They can gaze at the mo [...]e in their brother's eye, but care not for pulling out the beam that is in their own sight: They cannot bear with a few infirmities of their brethren, no not of their fathers; but their own fowl enormities they can easily conceal and continue.

187 The least of sins to be prevented.

BY the want of one nail,Lud. Grana [...]. dux peccat. the iron-shoo is lost; and the shoo being lost, the Horse falleth;Coercenda criminis infantia nè juvenescat augmentis. and the Horse falling, the Rider perisheth. Such are the dangers that he incurreth, that neglecteth small things; the neglect of the lesser, maketh way but for the greater evill; and he that setteth light by small things, falleth by little and little. Cassiodorus, Ecclus. 29.

188 One God and three Persons, demonstrated.

THe light of the Sun, M. Stiles Ser. at S. Pauls, 1629. the light of the Moon, and the light of the Air, for nature and substance are one and the same light; and yet they are three distinct lights: The light of the Sun being of it self, and from none; the light of the Moon from the Sun; and the light of the Aire from them both. So the Divine Nature is one, and the Persons three, subsisting after a divers manner, in one and the same Nature.

189 God knowes his own People, however distressed.

TAmar may so disguise her selfe,Joh. Barlow's Good man's Refuge. a Serm. 1616. walk in an unaccustomed path, so as Iudah may not know her. Isaac, through the dimnesse of his sight, may blesse Iacob, and passe Esau. Tract of time may make Ioseph to forget, or be forgotten of his brethren.Gen. 38. 27. 44. Solomon may doubt, to whom of right the child belongeth; And Christ may come to his own,1 King. 3. and not be received. But the Lord knoweth who are his, [Page] and his eye is alwaies over them;Ubscurum nihil Deo potest esse. Cic. de nat. D [...]orum. time, place, speech, or apparell, cannot obscure or darken his eye or ear; he can discern Daniel in the den, Ioh, though never so much changed, on the dunghill: let Ionah be lodged in the Whales belly, Peter be put into close prison, or Lazarus be wrap'd in raggs, or Abel rolled in blood; yet can he call them by name, and send his Angels to comfort them. Ignorance and forgetfulnesse may cause love and knowledge to be estranged in the Creature, but the Lord is not incident to either;Psal. 131. 1, 2. for his Eye, as his Essence, is every where, he knoweth all things.

For the abuse of a thing, the use is not to be taken away.190

LYcurgus (saith Plutarch) was not so well advised,In lib. d [...] audi endis Po [...]is. when seeing the Lacedemon [...]ans drink too much, and fall to drunkennesse, and so to further sin, he commanded to cut down their vines, and would not suffer any to grow in that Commonwealth: It had been better (saith he) to have digg [...]d Wells neer to the Vines, and so to have allayed and asswaged the strength and Licorishnesse of Wine, Mr. Wood note, ut ante [...]. with Water. Thus it is, that certainly, if our Fonts, if our Communion-Tables, Pulpits, Seats, Temples, have been abused in time of Popery, with a multitude of supers [...]titious Ceremonies, and needlesse Innovations; what, shall we therefore use them [...]o more? rather let us use them no more so. Propter abusum non tollendus est usus. W [...]at, shall we therefore give them over? that were extream folly; rather let us use them better. Christ did not condemn M [...]ses chair for the life of a Pharisee, but preached where they had preached, though they were notorious hypocrites, though he denounced so many woes against them, as against none more; yea, though the Temple in his time were become a den of thieves, yet then and there sent he up devout and holy prayers to Heaven.

Get but God, and get all.191

AS Noah (when the Deluge of waters had defaced the Earth,Dr. Sta [...]ghton's Serm. and blotted the great book of Nature) had a copy of every kinde of Creature, in that [...]amous Library of the Ark, out of which all were reprinted to the World: So he that hath God, Habentem [...]em nia habet. Aug. hath the originall copy of all blessings, out of which (if all were perished) all might easily be renewed: Let friends, and goods, and life, and all forsake us; yet let but the light of God's countenance shine upon us, and that shall be life, and friends, and goods, and all unto us.

Afflictions, the ready way to Heaven.192

A Man taking his journey into a far Country,Josh. Shute's Serm. at St. Paul's Lond. 1624. and enquiring for the way, is told, that there are many plain waies, but the streight and right way, is by woods, and hills, and mountains, and great dangers; that there are many Bears and Lions in the way, much difficulty is upon the road thither. Now when he is tra [...]ailing, and finds such and such things in the way, such mountains and hills of opposition, such flats and vallies of danger, he concludeth, that he is in the right way thither.Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum, Tendimus in Coelum. And so the child of God, that is going to the kingdom of Heaven, though there be many waies to walk in, yet he knowes, that there is but one rig [...]t way, which is very strait and narrow, full of trouble, full of sorrow and Persecution, full of all manner of crosses and afflictions; Act. 14. 12. and when in this life he is persecuted for God and a good cause, whether in body or in mind, it argueth plainly, that he is in the right way to salvation.

To be provident for daies of triall.193

MEn in policy prepare cloaks for the wet,Joh. Ba [...]low's Good man's Refuge, a Ser. 1616. provision for winter, a staffe for old age, a scrip for the journey; they'l be sure to lay up something for a rainy day, or a bank of mony to flie to, when occasion serveth. Thus it should be with all true Christians, they should be alwaies striving for the more and more assurance [Page] of God's favour, to be sure of a stock going in the Lord's affection; to get some perswasion of God's love, whereby they may be able to stand in the evill day, in the saddest of times, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment.

194 A good Man is the prop and stay of his Country.

IT was the Poet's vain and groundlesse conceit of Hector, Horat. in Epist. Nath. Shute's Serm. 1625. that so long as he lived, Troy could not be destroyed, terming him the immovable and inexpugnable pillar of Troy. But well may it be said of a faithfull man, that he is a mighty stay and strength, a main defender and upholder of the place where he liveth; for whose sake, for whose presence and prayers, out of the Lord's abundant kindnesse to all His, even the wicked are often within the shadow of God's protection, and spared.

195 It is Peace that sets up Religion.

ANtigonus told the Sophister,Pluta [...]ch in [...]. he came out of season, when he presented a treatise of Iustice to him, that was at that very time besieging a City; he could not hear the voice of the Lawes, Dr. Staughton's Serm. for the noise of Drums. And so the Lawes of God, the comfortable voice of the Gospell cannot be heard in times of war and hostility. Religio do [...]enda non coercenda; Fire and faggot are but sad Reformers. It is Peace that is the good Ioseph, Act. 9. 31. the best Nurse to Religion. When the Church had peace and rest, then, and not till then, it multiplied.

196 Children to be brought up in the fear of God.

PArents are very carefull to prefer their children to great places,Wil. Perkin's on Creed. and Noblemen's houses, and to that end they give them gentile breeding, which is welldon of them: But if they would indeed be good parents to their children, they should first endeavour to get roomes for them in the kingdom of Heaven. But how shall this preferment be had?Ade [...] à teneris con [...]uescere multum est. Virg. 2. Georg. God hath an upper and a lower house, His Church and the [...]ingdom of Heaven; the Church is his house of grace, Heaven is his house of glory; Now if thou wouldst bring thy child to a place in the house of glory, then thou art first of all to get him a place in the house of grace, bringing him up so in the fear of God, that both in life and conversation, he may shew himselfe to be a member of the Church; and then assure thy selfe, that after this life, he shall be removed to the second House, which is the house of glory, and there for ever be a freeman in the kingdom of Heaven. In thus doing, thou shalt not leave him an Orphan when thou diest, for he shall have God for his Father, Christ for his Brother, and the Holy Ghost his Comforter to all eternity.

197 Heavenly Principles tend Heaven-ward.

FIre, P. Bayne's Counterbain to co [...]etousnesse. which here we kindle, and is engendered on the earth, it being no earthly, but an heavenly body, hath ab origine, an aptn [...]sse and inclination, carrying it towards the sphear of Fire, which is the proper place thereof. So, from what time a man, by God's calling, is begotten to be an heavenly creature here on the earth, he hath produced in him an inclination, which doth make him move God-ward; being heavenly principled, Sursum [...]orda. he tends Heaven-ward. Never did poor exile so much long to smel the smoak of his native Country, as he breathes and pants after the Kingdome of Heaven.

198 Sathan suiting himself to all humours.

IT is observable,Wil. Jenkin on Iude. that a Huntsman or Forrester goeth usually in green, suitable to the leaves of the Trees, and the grasse of the Forrest, so that by this means, the most observant in all the Heard, Vt saxis adhaerens polypus proloco muta [...]ur. Sencc. in Epist never so much as distrusteth him, till the Arrow stick in his sides. And thus the Devill shapes himself to the fashions of all men; if [Page] he meet with a proud man, or a prodigal man, then he makes himselfe a flatterer; if a covetous man, then he comes with a reward in his hand. He hath an apple for Eve, a grape for Noah, a change of raiment for Gehezi, a bag for Iudas. He can dish out his meat for all palats, he hath a laste to fit every shoo, he hath something to please all conditions, to suit with all dispositions whatsoever.

Love, the bond of all perfection.199

AS the P [...]imum mobile in the Heavens sets all the other Sphears a going,Dr. Staughton' [...] [...]. which move and make musi [...]k (as the Pythagoreans thought) in the god's bosome. As Ens in Logick communicates his beeing to the ten Pre [...]icaments: So is Love to the ten Commandements, Dilectio radix est omnium bonorum. August. in which they live, and move, and have their being. Love is the end, the scope at which they all aime, the perfection in which they rest, the tribute which they exact; it is the bond of perfection, or perfection of bonds, the most perfect bond, that ties all graces to us.

Forgivenesse of others, an argument of God's forgivenesse of us.200

TAke a piece of wax, Wil. Perkins on the Lord's Prayer. and put to a seal, it leaveth an impression or mark like it selfe in the wax, which when a man looks on, he doth certainly know, that there hath been a seal, the print whereof is left behind. Even so it is in every one, that hath a readinesse to forgive others, Ne (que) dignus est veniâ, qui nemini [...]at veniam. Seneca. by which a Christian may know easily, that God hath sealed to him the forgive [...]esse of his sins, in his very heart. Let men therefore but look into their hearts, whether they have any affection, any inclinations to forgive others, for that is as it were the pri [...]t in their hearts, of God's mercy towards them, in forgiving of them.

Popular Government, popular confusion.201

IT was said of old, He that is friend to all, is true friend to none; and that which hath many heads, Amicus omnium, amicus nullorum. Tullias, de amicitia. hath no head at all. Such is that many-headed Monster, (the Multitude) which hath neither head for brains, nor brains for government. And as in a medicine, if there be not a due proportion of the simples, in the mixture, there's a mischief for a remedy, not a remedy for a mischief. So in a popular State, where the People are agreed,Sr. Rob. Dalling [...]on's Aphorisms. and where there is no equall temperature, and counterpoise of supream power, against the strong ingredient of the Multitude, which is alwaies hot in the highest degree, there must needs be disorder, and a way open to all confusion.

Sathan's restlesse uncessant employment.202

IT was Hannibal's saying of Marcellus, Ti [...]. Livius. lib 23. Plutarch in Marcello. That he had to do with him, who could never be quiet, neither conqueror, nor conquered; but, conqueror, he would pursue his victories; and conquered, labour to recover his l [...]sse. But much rather may a man say the like of Sathan, that great ramping Lion, the Arch-envier of our peace and happinesse,Mr. Woodnote, ut anteà who is the most wrathfull, and the most watchfull enemy; who is never idle, but ever employed, in sowing cockles amongst the Lord's good corn, who though we stoutly resist him, and overcome him for a while, yet will he never rest, nor give over, but will be tempting again; yea, will not cease to tempt us again and again, with the same temptations, hoping at length to [...]in our consents, and so give us the foile in the conclusion.

Spirituall desertions, no distractions to the child of God.203

IT was a barbarous act of that Nation,Lud. Vives in Augustin. de Civit. Dei. who imprisoned, condemned, executed, and rip'd up an Asse, to recover the Moon out of him, which they suspected he had swallowed, because they saw him drink at the water, when the Moon appeared [Page] by reflection,Dr. Staughtons Sermons. and immediately upon that being wrap'd up into a cloud, they mist her: And thus do simple Men, that think the grace of God is extinct quite, when some cloud of sin robs them of the comfortable light of it; How are they frighted, as the Antients were with these Eclipses, and are much distracted in the midst of such spiritual desertions? Yet the knowing experimental Christian is nothing troubled thereat, but expects the return with patience.

204 Every impenitent sinner, is his own Tormentor.

IF a Malefactor for his punishment should be appointed every day to carry a stick of wood to an heap to burn him twenty years after,Will. Perkin's Treat. of Repentance. it must needs be an exceeding great punishment and misery: And this is the case of every sinner, who neglecting Repentance from day to day, doth thereby employ himself in heaping up the coals of Gods wrath to burn his soul in hell when the day of death comes; It is no other but a treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath. Rom. 2. 5.

205 There's no dependance for great Men upon Popularity.

ICarus, in the Poet, being furnished with wings by the Art of his Father Daeclalus, could not content himself in a lower sphere, Ovidii Metam. Sir Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms. but he must needs be soaring so high, that the Sun melting the wax wherewith his wings were fastened, he fell down head-long to his own destruction. These two wings of Icarus thus joyned on with wax, are just like Popular and Military dependance in Noble men to make them great: they will help for a while to make them so, and mount them aloft in the thoughts of Men, and then fail them at the very height; It is therefore safer to stand upon two feet, then flie with two wings, the two feet of Justice Communicative and distributive; For great Men shall grow greater if they but advance merit, and relieve wrongs.

206 The resolved Christian.

WHen Charles the nineth of France propounded to that famous Prince of Conde this three-fold choice:Iean de Serres hist. de France. either Mass, or Death, or perpetual Imprisonment, the most Christian worthy made this answer; God assisting me I will not chuse the Mass, Mr. Wootnote ut ante [...]. the other two I refer to the King's determination; yet, so as (I hope) God, in whose hands the heart of the King is, by his gratious providence will provide and dispose of these also: Tu ne cede malis sed contrà audentior it [...]. Thus should it be with every Christian to be a resolved Christian, to suffer any hardship for Christ, not to do as the men of the world do, that so as they may avoid death and imprisonment,Virg. Aened. 6. care not how they rise upon other mens ruines; so they may eat of the fat, and drink of the sweet, so they may swallow down the good things of the land, and cloath with the softest of the Wool, impose what Religion you will, either Mass or Mahumetisme, what government you will in Church or State, you shall find them servile enough, the good Centurion never kept such obedient, ready, and resolute servants, they will fit you every way, fashion and put forward themselves for any employment.

207 Sin trampleth on Christ.

WHen Pompey could not keep his Souldiers in the Camp by perswasion, he cast himself all along in the narrow passage that led out of it,Plutarch in vita. and then bid them, Go if you will, but you shall first trample upon your General, and this overcame them;Dr. Staughtons Sermons. so it is, that every sin makes Gods head ake, as the Rabbines were wont to tell their Scholars, to scare them: nay more, we cannot go to commit sin but we must trample upon the pretious blood of Christ Jesus, for our sins crucifie him rather then Pilate, crown him with thornes rather then the Souldiers.

The happiness of good Government.208

[Page]

THere was a law amongst the Persians, that when their Governour was dead,Herodotus lib. 9. there should be [...], a lawlessness for five dayes after, that every man should do what he list;Ant. Burges Sermon before the Lord Maior of Lond. 1646. now for those five dayes there was such killing, & robbing, and such destroying one another, that by the time the five dayes were over, they were glad of government again: So that any kind of government is better then no government; but happy is that People, bona si sua norint, that live under a good government, where Iustice flows from the Supream as head, and is conveyed by subordinate Ministers unto the People.

Faith is the fountain of all graces.209

WHen Toxaris saw his Country-man Anacharsis in Athens, he said unto him, I will at once shew thee all the wonders of Greece, Lucianus in Scytha. Viso Solone vidistiomnia, In seeing Solon thou seest all, even Athens it self, and the wholy glory of the Greeks: Tell me Christian, Hast thou faith and assured trust in the Lord? then thou hast more then all the wonders of Greece, John Boys Postills. Rom. 14. 23. upon the point all the wonderful gifts of grace; for faith is a mother vertue from which all others spring, and without faith all the best of our actions are no better then sin.

Hypocrites in their saying well, but doing ill, reproved.210

[...]Ulius Caesar in his Commentaries, writeth of the French Souldiers, that in the beginning of the battel, at the first onset, they were more then Men; but at the second, Mr. Woodnote ut ante [...]. or before the end, less then Women; They would talk bravely, and come on couragiously; but at length give off cowardly. Such are the hypocritical Hotspurs of our times, who have Gods word swiming in their heads, but not shining in their lives,Qui [...]urios [...]imulant, & Bacchanalia vivunt Iuvenal. such as set up the Temple with one hand, and pull it down with the other▪ like scribling School-boyes, that what they write with the fore-finger they blur with the hinde-finger; who if words may be received, their pay is gallant, but if deeds be required, their money is not currant; who in professing and protesting are more then Protestants, but in practising and performing, and persevering less then Papists.

Zeal in God's service, made the worlds derision.211

DOgs seldom bark at a Man that ambles a softly fair pace,Dr. Staughtons Sermons. but if he once set spurs to his horse, and fall a galloping, (though his errand be of importance, and to the Court perhaps) then they bark and flie at him; and thus they do at the Moon, not so much because she shines, for that they alwayes see, but because by reason of the clouds hurried under by the windes, she seems to run faster then ordinary. And thus if any Man do but pluck up his spirits in Gods service, and run the wayes of his commandments, it is Iehu's furious March presently, and he shall meet with many a scoffe by the way, that runneth with more speed, then ordinary.

The great danger of Sacriledge.212

IT is no Christian, but a right Heathenish trick to demolish holy places, or through sloth, Psal. 79. and covetousnes to suffer them to fall. Nay, the very Heathens would never do that to the Temples of their false Gods, that we Christians do to the house of the true God, for they hated and fled from all sacrilegious persons. Were the Church leprous we could do no more then pluck out the stones, Plutarch in Timoleone. as they did in the old Law in a leprous house;Lev. 14. 40. nay they would not even in such a house pluck out all the stones, as they do in Churches, but onely such as were leprous: Well, let such know, that next to the injury done against the Temple of mans body, there can be no greater injury [Page] then that which is done against the body of the Temple, Nath. Shute Serm. at Mr. Fishborne's funeral, 1624. and one day all such sacrilegious, irreligious, prophane persons may chance to feel that whip upon their conscience, which sometime Celsus felt: who after the robbing and prophaning of many Churches, hearing one day that place of Esay read; Woe unto them that join house to house, Isa. 5. v. 8. Greg. Turonens ll. 4. c. 24. that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the Earth; cryed out immediately. Vae mihi & filiis me [...]s, Wo then be to me and my children for ever.

213 The Hypocrites inconstancy.

IT is reported of the Shee-wolfe, that she hath an yearly defect in procreation, Plinii hist. na [...]. for at the first she beareth five young ones, the second time but four, the third time but three, Joh. Boys Posti [...]s. the fourth time but two, the fifth time but one, and then afterwards remaineth barren: Thus Hypocrites forgetting the solemn vow they made to God in Baptism, as also those principles of Religion wherein they seemed expert to their Catechizers, as they grow upward in age they grow downward in Grace, with Demes embracing this present World, and with Hymeneus and Alexander making shipwrack of a good conscience,1 Tim. 1. 9. verifying the by-word, young Saints, old Devils.

214 The laught [...]r of the wicked, is but from the teeth outwards.

IT is said of Paulus Emilius, Plutarch in vita ejus. that having put away his wife Papinia, without any cause, as it seemed to others, stretched forth his foot, and said, You see a new and neat shooe, but where this shooe wringeth me; not you, but I alone know; meaning, that there were many secret jars, happening between the marryed, which others could not possibly perceive: And certainly the most wicked men, the greatest enemies to God and his Gospel, Mr. Wootnote ut anteà. the most traiterous and rebellious of a People or Nation may be so jocund and merry and shew such magnanimity in their faces, that none can imagine by any outward circumstance, Non intus & in cute. but that they are truly cheerful and couragious in their hearts; and yet in the midst of all their mirth, and greatest delights, even in the very ruffe of all their bravery, they have secret heart-burnings, and grievous vexations, what God and themselves only know. The Lord hath spoken it t [...]ice, and therefore it must needs be plain and peremptory,Esay 48. 22. That there is no Peace to the wicked. Their looks may be sometimes lively, but their hearts are alwayes heavy.

215 Gods omnipotency.

AMongst all the gods of the Heathens,Homer. Ovid. Iupiter was in the greatest esteem, as the Father, and King of gods, and was called lupiter, quasi juvans Pater, a helping Father, yet (as the Poets feign) he wept when he could not set Sarpedon at liberty; such was the imbecillity and impotency of this Master-god of the Heathen; But the hand of our God is never shortned that it cannot help, Hume expofit▪ on Psal. 26. he is ever able to relieve us,Psalm 86. 8. alwayes ready to deliver us; Amongst all the gods there is none like unto him, none can do like unto his works, he is God omnipotent.

216 Prayers and tears are the Weapons of the Church!

THe Romans in a great distress were put so hard to it,Edm. Calamy Fast-serm. at Westm. that they were fain to take the weapons out of the Temples of their gods to fight with them, and so they overcame. And this ought to be the course of every good Christian intimes of publique distress to flie to the weapons of the Church, Prayers and Tears; The Spartans walls were their spears, the Christians walls are his prayers, Preces & lacrimae, &c. Psalm 124. 8. his help standeth in the name of the Lord, who hath made both Heaven and Earth.

The gradation of Faith▪ 217

[Page]

THe heart of every believer is like a vessel with a narrow neck, John Boys Postills. which being cast into the Sea is not filled at the first [...]asily, but by reason of the strait passage receiveth water drop by drop. Thus God giveth unto us even a Sea of mercy, but the same on our part is apprehended and received by little and little, we go from strength to strength, from grace to grace, and from one degree of vertue to another, praying alwayes as the blessed Apostles; O Lord encrease our faith, that from weakness of faith, and slender assurance, we may grow to firmness of the one, and fulness of the other.

The Christians humiliation, the Christians exaltation.218

A Gathocles, and Willigis two men,Caelius lect. antiqu. lib. 13. cap. 4. famous in their generations; the one was exalted to be King of Sicily, being put a Potters son; the other, to be Arch [...]ishop of Mentz (a Prince Elector in Germany) being but a Wheelers son; They both acknowledged Gods providence, and work in their advancement, and were so far from being ashamed of their low birth and parentage, that the one would not be served with any other plate then Earthen, B. Smith serm. on 1 Pet. to shew how nobly he was descended; The other gave in his Coat of Armes three wheels, with this Motto, or rather Memento, written in his Bed-chamber in great letters;Bucholccrus. Willigis, Willigis, recole unde veneris; O Willigis remember from whence thou cam'st. This indeed is the way to become high, (to be exalted before God and wisemen) to be lowly in our own eyes, Esto parv [...]s in ocu is tuis ut sis magnus in oculis Dei, &c. [...] dor in Synonim. to confesse that we are Wormes and not Men; that we are sinful Men and not Saints, that we are unworthy the least of Gods mercies, and that it is of his mercy onely that we are not consumed; that what we are, and we have, is all received; what we have received we have corrupted, and made worse; and what we have corrupted, we ought to be called to an account for, and so to be cast out as unprofitable servants.

The works of God in the Creation of the World, are to and beyond admiration.219

A Rchimedes was much commended amongst the Heathen, for his skill and contriving the Motions of the Sun, Moon and Planets, Caelius Rodogin, lib [...] 2 ca. 17 with the course of the Heavens and caelestial Spheres in his Horology; Archites was much extolled for causing a Dove of wood to hang in the Air; Apelles and Zeuxis and excellent pair of Painters, whose pen [...]ils were to admiration,Hume exposit. on Psal. 26. the one for deceiving, the beholders with a counterfeit flye; and the others, the birds with lively painted grapes: O but when with David we shall consider the Heavens, Psalm 8. Job 9. 9. with job lift up our eyes to contemplate the coelestial Spheres, with Solomon observe the nature of Flyes and Pismires, Prov. 30. 25. that the Earth should hang in the Air, that the Sea should be confin'd with a wall of sand, &c. We cannot but stand amazed, and wonder at that wisdom, and power by which all these were created, and are still governed.

Self-examination required,220

IT is reported of Plato, that when he did walk in the streets,Diogen La [...]r [...]ius in vita. if he saw any disordered in speech, disguised in drink, or otherwise out of frame, he would say to himself, Num ego talis, Am I such a one as this is, such a drunkard, such a Rebel to God and Man, &c. So must every good Christian say; Num ego talis, Am I such a one as this is? such and such; And as the Apostles asked Christ,Edm. Calamy serm. at Westm. Master is it I? so must every one look into his heart, to see how things stand betwixt God and his own soul, and say; Am not I the man that ought to be ashamed for the many sins that I have committed against my God? Am not I the man that have done thus and thus? &c.

221 Riches without content, yield no comfort.

[Page]

A Man diseased in body can have little joy of his Wealth, Tho. Gataker gain of godliness. be it never so much; A golden Crown cannot cure the head-ache, nor a velvet slipper give ease of the Gout, nor a Purple robe fray away a burning Feaver; A sick man is alike sick wheresoever you lay him, on a bed of gold, or on a pad of straw, with a silk quilt, or a sorry rag on him: So no more can Riches, gold, or silver, land and livings, had a man much more then ever any man had, minister unto him much joy, yea, or any true or sound joy at all, where the mind is distract and discontent; Without contentment there is no joy of ought, there is no profit, no pleasure in any thing.

222 A great comfort to have a faithful Counsellor.

IF Iacob had not heard there was Corn in Egypt, B. Smith serm. on Jer. 6. in what a sad condition had he and his Family been, when all his provision was consumed in Canaan? If Ioseph had not met with a man, that told him where his Brethren kept their sheep, when he was sent to them by his Father, he might as well have been devoured of a wilde beast indeed, as he was falsely reported to be: It is a great blessing to meet with a faithful guid when a man is out of his way: When a man is at a stand in his Religion, what he may hold, and what he may let go; what he may embrace, and what he may abhor; when he is puzled and cannot tell which way to turn him, whether to the right hand, or to the left; then to find such a faithful Counsellor as Iehosophat did of Micaiah touching War and Peace;2 Kings 22. Acts 8. 30. such an Interpreter as the Eunuch did of Philip touching the interpretation of some hard place in Scripture, &c. this must needs be as sweet, and as welcome as a showre of rain in the time of drought; nay, as bread is to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty soul.

223 The grace of God above all Riches

SOcrates was wont to say, That he had rather love [...], the Kings Countenance then his Coin, Diogen Laert. Dr. Staugh tons Sermons. Non am [...] divitias, non op [...]o, &c. a good look from him rather then his gold: Th [...]s a Christian thinks himself richer when he is able to say, God is mine, then if he h [...] the Treasures of both Indies; One smile from God is better then all the Treasuad of the World; If the Sun be wanting, it will be night for all the Stars; and it res light of Gods countenance be wanting, if he frown upon us,Theogn. a man may fit in the the dow of death for all the glister of worldly contentments.

224 The just Man's joy is more inward then outward.

VAl. Cordus in his Dispensatory observeth,Th [...]. Gataker. Iust man's joy. That those which prescribe Rules for the choice of Simples, advise to take hearbs in the Spring, flowers in Summer, fruits in Autumn, but Roots in Winter; And why Roots for the most part at that time? Surely, because the sap is then gone down, it is most in the Root when it is least in the stock; and so it is oft-times with the joy of God's children; it is most rife many times with them inwardly in the heart, when least shew appeareth outwardly in the life, their mirth is most many times when it is least seen; it is an inward rejoycing.

225 A godly Man desires not to be rich but in God's way.

A Braham when the King of Sodom offered him some part of his spoyles, Th [...]. Gataker gain of godliness. refused to take so much as a shoo-latchet of him, that the King of Sodom might not say another day, that he had made Abraham rich; that men might not say, that Abraham had been made rich,Gen. 14. 23. not by Gods bl [...]ssing, but by the King's means, & that he might thank the King of Sodom for what he had. So a godly man will not gain, or desire to gain so much as a shoo-string, or a shoo-thread by prophaning [Page]the Sabbath, Nehem. 13. 16 with the Sidonian Merchants, by fraud or deceit, by oppression or extortion, by biting usury, the devills brokery; by rifling and plundering, or by any other unlawfull or indirect means, that the devill may not one day say, that he hath made him rich, as he said sometimes to our Saviour, Omnia [...] tibi dabo, All these will I give thee, &c.Matth. 4..

Riches oft-times prove pernicious to the owners thereof.226

QUintus Aurelius, in the daies of Sylla, (that Sylla of Rome) had a fair Grange, Plutarch. in Sylla. that lay commodious to some great one; for love whereof, he was attainted, and killed amongst them that were put to death:B. Smith's Ser. on loh. 6. whereupon he cryed out, when he saw his name in the paper, Fundus Albanus me perdidit, Out alaffe, it is my land that I have at Alba, and not any offence that I have done,Grave quid prodest pondus mihi divitis auri? Tibull. that is the cause of my death. And is not this the case of many a man amongst us? hath not many a man suffered for his means sake? It is a common saying, that when any man is in trouble, his means will hang him. Who were they, that heretofore were robbed and plundered? were they not the ablest, and the richest of the land? Did you ever hear of a poor Malignant? It was the hainousnesse of the wealth, not the hainousnesse of the fact, that hath undone many a good Family. So pernicious, prove rich [...]s many times to the owners thereof.

The security of a good Conscience.227

THough the World should rattle about his ears, a man may sit merry, Dr. Staughton Serm [...]ns that sits at the feast of a good conscience; nay, the child of God, by the vertue of this, in the midst of the waves of affliction, is as secure as that child, which in a shipwrack was upon a plank with his mother, till she awaked him,Hic murus a [...]eneus esto, Nil conscire sibi, &c. Virgil. then securely sleeping; and then with his pretty countenance, sweetly smiling, and by and by sportingly asking a stroak to beat the naughty waves; and at last when they continued boysterous for all that, sharply chiding them, as if they had been his playfellowes. O the innocency! O the comfort of peace! O the tranquillity of a spotlesse mind! O the serenity! No Spanish skie so clear, as a good conscience.

Not to mourn for losses, because all is made up in Christ.228

SEneca tells a Courtier, that had lost his son, Fas tibi non est, salvo Caesare, de fortunatua queri, &c. Epist. 26. ad Polybium. That he had no cause to mourn, either for that or ought else, so long as his Soveraigne was in safety, and he in favour with his Soveraign, he had all things in him; and he should be unthankfull to his good fortune, if he were not cheer [...]ull both in heart and look, so long as things stood so with him as they did. How much better may it be said to every true Christian,Th. Gataker's loy of the just. let his wants and his crosses be never so great, his afflictions never so pressing, his necessities never so biting, that he hath little cause to mourn for them; so long as he is in grace and favour with God, he hath all things in Him, and so long therefore he is happy, and he have nothing else beside him.

An ill tongue never speaks well of any one.229

IT is commonly known,B. Hall's Occasionall meditat. that Scarabs and flies swarm to the galled part of a poor pack-horse, and there sit feeding upon that worst part of his flesh, not once medling with the other sound part of his skin.Lingua mali pars pessima servi. Even thus do malitious tongues of Detractours; if a man have any infirmity in his person or actions, that they will be sure to gather unto, Juvenal. sat. 2. and dwell upon; whereas his commendable parts, and well deservings, are passed by without mention, without regard: And what do they get by it? It must needs be a filthy creature, that is alwaies feeding on stinking carrion.

230 It is the glory of a Christian, to passe by offences and injuries.

[Page]

ONe Vitus Theodorus, Melch. Adamus, in vita. a German Divine, sends to advise with Melancthon, what he should do, when Os [...]ander preached against him. Melancthon writes to him, and beseeches him for the love of God, yea chargeth him, that he should not answer Os [...]ander again, but that he should hold his peace, and make as if he heard nothing:Jer. Borogh's Heart divisions. Vitus Theodorus writes back again, that this was hard to do, yet he would obey. And thus must every good Christian do, he must not be too hasty to oppose oppositions, not be like those Salamanders, that are never well, but when they are in the fire of contention, but go on patiently in a constant way, resolving to bear what he meets with;Optimus ille, qui ferre novit injurias plurimas. rather to suffer an hundred wrong▪ than return one; and then God at length will make his righteousnesse break forth as light: For it is the onely valour to remit a wrong, and the greatest applause, that a man might hurt, and would not.

231 Little sins, if not prevented, bring on greater, to the ruine of the soul.

THieves, when they go to rob a house,Mr. Alsop's Ser. at S. Clem. Lond. 1650. if they cannot force the dores, or that the wall is so strong, they cannot break through, then they bring little boyes along with them, and these they put in at the windowes; who are no sooner in, but they unbolt the doors, and let in the whole company of Thieves. And thus Sathan, E [...]x parva scin ti [...]a fit magnum incendium. when by greater sins he cannot tell how to enter the soul, then he puts on, and makes way by lesser, which insensibly having got entrance, set open the doores of the eyes, and the doors of the ears, then comes in the whole rabble; there they take up their quarters, there, like unruly souldiers, they rule, domineer, and do what they list, to the ruine of the soul so possessed.

232 The sense of sin is an entrance to the state of Grace.

IT is a sure signe, that a man is awaked out of his sleep,Sen [...]. Epist. 5. Somnium narrare, vigilantis est. &c. when he discovereth and seeth the errour of his dream; and a sure signe of health, when a man is able to tell his disease. In the drawing up of water out of a deep well, as long as the bucket is under water, we feel not the weight of it, but so soon as it commeth above water, it beginneth to hang heavy on the hand. When a man diveth under water, he feeleth no weight of the water, though there be many Tuns of it over his head; whereas halfe a tub-full of the same water, taken out of the River,Arist. de [...] Coelo. lib. 4. cap. 16. Elementa in suo loco gravia non sunt. and set upon the same man's head, would be very burthensome unto him, and make him soon grow weary of it. In like manner, so long as a man is over head and ears in sin, he is not sensible of the weight of sin, it is not troublesome unto him; but when he beginneth once to come out of that state of sin, wherein he lay and lived before, then beginneth sin to hang heavy on him,August. de. vera Relig. cap. 14 and he to feel the heavy weight of it. So, so long as sin is in the will, the proper seat of sin, a man feeleth no weight of it; but like a fool, it is a sport and pastim unto him to do evill. Prov. 10. 23. And it is therefore a good signe, that sin is removed out of his seat, out of his chair of state, when it becomes ponderous and burthensome to us, as the Elements do, when they are out of their naturall place.

233 An ill-liv'd Minister is a scandall to the Gospell.

A Cracked Bell makes a very harsh sound in every ear; the mettall is good enough,B. Hall's Occasionall meditat. and it may be was once well tuned; it is the rift that makes it so unpleasantly jarring. Just thus is a scandalous, and an ill-lived Preacher; his calling is honourable, his noise is heard far enough; but, (O the sad but!) the slaw which is noted in his life, marrs his doctrin, and offends those ears, which else would take pleasure in his teaching. It is possible, that such a one, even by that discordous noise, may ring-in others into the triumphant Church of Heaven, whilst there is no remedy for himself, but the fire, either for his reforming, or judgment.

Every Christian ought to be an ingenuous Christian.234

[Page]

WE read, Matth. 4. Christ had a great dispute with the Devill,Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions. in which he had him at great advantage, in his quotation of Scripture, vers. 6. He shall give his Angells charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. This was quoted out of the 91 Psalm, vers. 11 and there it is, He shall give his Angells charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy waies. Yet Christ did not catch this advantage, he did not so much as upbraid him, for leaving out that passage, which he might justly have done; but he answers to the thing: Yea, Christ might have taken a further advantage against the Devill; for the words following in the Psalm, are a prophecy of Christ, destroying the power of the Devill, Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder, the young Lion and the Adder shalt thou tread under thy feet. Christ did not take the advantage of this neither, and upbraid him with it; he had enough against him in the thing it self he brought. How unseemly then is it for men, when they are seeking out for truth,Ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes, Emollit mores, &c. to piddle about words, to catch at phrases, to lye at the catch for advantages, and to get hold of expressions. It is for Christians to be ingenuous, to be plain one to another. For it is a signe, that men have lesse advantage of the matter, when they seek so much after expressions, and passe by the meaning. Sure it is, if God should catch at advantages with them, the most pregnant; and ripe-witted, would never be able to abide it.

Philosophy to be subservient to Divinity.235

THe Iewes read the book of Hester in their Synagogues,Step. Menoch. de Repub. Heb. Dr. Staughton's Sermons. because they account it Canonicall Scripture; but before they read it, they let it fall to the ground, because they do not finde the Name of God once mentioned in it, as their Rabbins have observed: So for the morall Treatises of Philosophers, we must read them, because they speak of vertue and happinesse, and are good Handmaids to Piety and Devotion: But we must let them fall to the ground before we read them, they must be subservient to the Scripture, they must be read with reference to Scripture, because they do not give glory to God.

Impossible for a man to know all his sins.236

IT is with the children of men, as with the Housewife, that having diligently swept her house,Th. Gataker's Ioy of the just. A [...] sole per fenestras illucente radios atomorum, &c. and cast the dust out of doors, can see nothing amisse, not so much as a spe [...]k of dust in it; whereas if the Sun do but a little shine in, through some cranny in the wall, or some broken quarrell in the window, she may soon see the whole house swim, and swarm with innumerable moats of dust, floating to and fro in the aire, which for dimnesse of light, or sight before,Spin [...]us de Instit Christ. she was not able to discern. Even so it is with many that are carefull of their waies, so that little may be seen amisse, that might require either reformation or amendment; yet when they shall come to look more intentively into God's Law, a little beam of light, reflecting upon their souls from it, will discover unto them such an innumerable company, as well of corruptions in their hearts, as of errours and oversights in their lives, that it shall make them,Psal. 19. as men amazed, cry out, Lord, what earthly man doth know the errours of his life!

Children to be well principled.237

EVery thing must be taken in his time. Let a bladder alone till it be dry, B. Hall's Occasional meditat. and all the wind in the world cannot fill it, no not so much as raise it up; whereas being new and moist, the least breath enlargeth it. It is no otherwise in ages and dispositions; Inform a child in precepts of learning and vertue, whiles years makes him capable,Tenaciter haerent Quaecunque à primis nascentes hausimus annis. Paling. how pliable he yieldeth? how happily is he replenished with knowledge [Page] and goodnesse? But let him alone till time and ill example have hardned him, till he be setled in an habit of evill, and contracted and clung together with sensuall delights, he becomes utterly indocible; sooner may such a plant bow than break, such a bladder be broken than extended.

238 God must be served like himself.

THere are some of the Heathens that worship the Sun for a God, Joh. Pierii Hierogliphica. and they would offer to the Sun somewhat suitable; and therefore because they did so much admire at the swiftnesse of the motion of the Sun, they would not offer a snail, Jer. Borogh's Gospel worship. but a flying horse, a horse with wings. Now a horse is one of the swiftest creatures, and one of the strongest to continue in motion for a long time together; then having added wings to the horse, Hi [...] tibi praecipuè [...]it pur [...] mente colen dus. Cato. they conceived he was suitable to be a sacrifice for the Sun. So when we come to God, to worship him, to sanctifie him, to call upon his Name, we must not bring the bare calves of our lips, but the fer [...]ency of our hearts; we must behave our selves so, as to give Him the glory, that is fit for such a God to have. God is a Spirit, and he must be worshipped in spirit and in truth; not a civili onely, but a divine worship also, proportionable in some measure even to the Nature of God himself.

239 The difference betwixt a carnall and a spirituall Man, in point of Knowledge▪

TAke a blindman, Th. de Trugillo thesaur. Concionat. set him in a clear night with his face upon the Moon when it shines, when all the Stars are sparkling round about, yet he sees nothing of the brightnesse of the one, or twinkling of the other, onely some glimmerings; or keperceives some kind of reflex upon him, whereby he concludes, that the Moon is up, and that the Stars shew themselves. But then take a quick-sighted man, with a perspective-glasse in his hand,Mirum non est coecum non judicare de coloribus. and he discovers all, he walks all over the skie, from star to star, from one Constellation to another, he is able to give account of all. Thus, take a man in his pure naturalls, set him in the midst of the Ordinances; let the Administrations be never so pure, Fr. Junius in 1 Cor. 2. 14. the Dispensations never so clear, he sees nothing of God, but as it were through chinks and crannies of Nature; some glimpse and glimmer onely of divine light. O, but the child of God, having the perspective-glasses of the Old and New Testaments in his hand, especially that of the New-Testament, a very clear-sighted glass, he walks from star to star, from one Attribute of God to another; he discovers stars of the first magnitude, as Faith, and Hope, and Charity; nothing in order to salvation is hid from his eyes.

240 Christians ought to be loving one to another.

ME-thinks Philadelphia, Joh. Pigo [...]'s Ser. at S. Mary Woolnoth Lond. 1643. (the name of one of the seven golden Candlesticks, Rev. 1.) is a very proper fitting name for a Church, which signifies, Brotherly love; and every Congregation ought to be, in a good sense, the family of Love; breaches and divisions, distractions and heart-burnings, may happen in other Kingdomes, Psal. 122. 3. which are without God in the world, and strangers to the Covenant of Grace, yet let Ierusalem, the Church of [...]od, be alwaies like a City, which is at unity within it self.

241 Discord in Church or Commonwealth, prejudiciall.

IN the ringing of bells, B. Hall's Occasional medit. whilst every one keeps his due time and order, what a sweet and harmonious sound they make? all the neighbour villages are cheared with the sound of them; but when once they jarre and check each other, either jangling together, or striking preposterously, how harsh and unpleasing is that noise? So that as we testifie our publick rejoycing, by an orderly and well tun'd peal, so when we would signifie the Town is on fire, En qu [...] discor [...]ia Cives we ring the bells backward, in a confused manner. It is just thus in Church and Commonwealth, when every one knowes his station, and [Page] keeps their due ranks, there is a melodious consort of comfort and contentment; but when either States or Persons will be clashing with each other,Perduxit miseros Virgil. the discord is grievous and extreamly prejudicial;W. Laud [...]ant. in Ep. Ded. of reply to Fisher. And such a confusion either notifieth a fire already kindled, or portendeth it; and that of all other must be a dangerous fire that begins in the bed-straw. Popular States may ring the changes with safety; but the Monarchial government requires a constant, and regular course of Rule and inferiority, Government and subjection which cannot be violated without a sensible discontent and danger; And so in the Church, take away Discipline, and the Doctrine will not be long after.

Sin to be renounced as the cause of Christ's death.242

SUppose a Man should come to a Table, and there is a knife laid at his trencher, and it should be told him; This is the knife that cut the throat of your child, or your Father; Alphons. ab Avendano in Psalm 119. if he could now use that knife as any other knife▪ would not one say; Surely, there was but little love either to the Father or to the child: So, when there is a Temptation to any sin, this is the knife that cut the throat of Christ, that pierced his sides, that was the cause of his sufferings, that made, Christ to be a curse; Now wilt thou not look on that as a cursed thing that made Christ to be a curse? Oh with what detestation, should a man or woman fling away such a kni [...]e! and with the like detestation it is required that a man should renounce sin; for that, and that onely was the cause of the death of Christ.

Ministers not to be afraid of the faces of Men.243

POpilius a Roman Embassador, sent to Antiochus the great, having delivered his message,Plutark Apophthegm. and the King deferring his answer, and demurring on it, drew a circle round about him with his wand,T. Livius li, 45. and conjured him to determine, and resolve, whether he would have Peace or War, before he went a foot out of the circle: which wondrous resolution and confidence caused him presently to define Peace; And do we not see how bold every petty Constable will bear himself upon the higher Power, Dr. Staughtons Sermons. I charge you in the Kings name, &c. And why then should God's Ambassadors onely, be afraid like children of shadows and bug-bears; Courage and Resolution becomes them best,Jer. 44. 11. their Commission is large and will bear them out, & the penalty great if they faint in the execution; Fear not their faces (saith the Lord of Ieremy) lest I destroy thee.

The Creature moves not but in and by God.244

THe Creature can do nothing but as it is commanded by God; It is the vanity of the Creature that it can do nothing of it self,Joh. Prestons Treatises. except there be an influence from God; As for example, Take the hand, it moves because there is an imperceptible influence from the Will that stirs it: So the Creature moving and giving comfort unto us, it is God's will it should do it, and so it is applied to this or that action:Est Deus in nobis; agita [...]te calescimus illo. The Artificer using a hatchet to make a stool, or the like, there is an influence from his Art, that guides his hand to the work; So the creatures working, is by a secret concourse from God, doing thus, or thus, whether it be this way or that way, all is from God.

The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture.245

IT is reported of one Procrustes, a notorious theevish Inn-keeper, who when any Travellers came to lodge at his house,Plutarch in Romulo. would make his guest's stature equal with his bed, either by stretching them out to the length of it, if they were too short,Woodnote ut anteà. or by cutting some part of them, if they were too long; He would not fit his bed to his guests, but his guests to his bed: Nothing more common shall we find amongst Hereticks and Schismaticks, than either with false senses to stretch and enlarge, or [Page] with loud lyes to mince and mangle the sacred Scripture, that so they may frame them to their likings, and make them serve their own turnes at all essayes They will either suppress the words, or else not express the sense; they will either blot out, or else blemish the Scriptures, rather then they will abolish or any whit alter their own fantasies; Of their own opinion and writings they will not abide the least amendment; but of the holy word of God they care not what havock they make.

247 A fearful Minister is a Soul-murthering Minister.

MAuritius the Emperor said of Phocas, who conspired against him,Dr. Staughton's Sermons. having enquired of his disposition, and hearing that he was fearful; Si timidus est, homicida est, said he; So it may be said in this case; The Cowardice of the Ministery, is cruelty; he that fears the faces of men, he is a murtherer of the souls of Men.

248 Sins in men regenerate and unregenerate, the difference.

REgenerate-men sin, yet the Peace is not broke betwixt God and them; because their minds never yielded to sin; Joh. Preston Self-denial. As it is betwixt Princes, they are at peace; [...]hough Pirates of either Nation rob the others subjects, yet it breaks not the peace, it being done without the wit of the King: So it is with sin in Gods children, it breaks not the peace betwixt God and them, because it is but a Rebel, and they agree not to it;—Et quae non fecimus ipsi, Vix ea nostra voco. There is a difference betwixt entertaining of sins as Theeves and Robbers, and as guests and strangers; Wicked men entertain sin as a guest, the godly man as a Robber; the one invites it as a friend and acquaintance, the other throws it off as a rebellious Traitor.

249 Immediate addresses unto God by prayer find acceptance.

CUshai and Ahimaaz ran a race who should first bring tidings of Victory to David; T. Fuller Observar. Ahimaaz, though last setting forth, came first to his journeys end; Not that he had the fleeter feet, but the better brains to chuse the way of the most advantage; For the Text saith,2 Sam. 18. 23. So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overwent Cushai. Prayers made to God by Saints fetch a needless compass about, that is but a rough and uneaven way; The way of the plain, or the plain way; both shortest and surest is, Call upon me in the day of trouble; such prayer though starting last, comes to the mark first.

250 Sacriledge never thrives.

Coepio a Roman Consul, with his Souldiers robbed the wealthy Temple of Tholouse, A. Gellii noctes Atticae▪ Des. Erasmi A [...]agia. a City of Narbon in France, neer the Pyrene mountain; but of those that had a share of any of those goods, not one ever prospered; It was so generally observed, that it occasioned a Proverb; If any man (what by means soever decayed) were fallen into poverty, they would say of him, Aurum habet Tholosanum, He hath some of the gold of Tholouse: The endowment of all other Churches (whereof many have been plundered of rich Chalices, and other utensils in sacrilegious times) are like the gold of Tholouse, Mr. Woodnote ut ante [...]. that brought ruine to them and their Families, If any man thriveth with them that holdeth them by a wrong tenure, he hath better luck then any such Malefactor before him: How many sacrilegious persons have utterly ruinated themselves, as it is easie to find in many Monuments of learning, how a Canker hath eaten their estates, as a Gangrene did their consciences; but see the Chronicle, Dic mihi Musa virum. search the histories of sundry Nations both antient and modern, and find me out but one Church-robber here, that hath thrived past the third generation.

A seeming Religion no saving Religion.251

[Page]

WAndring Empiricks may say much in Tables and Pictures to perswade credulous people their Patients; J. Shu [...]e Serm. to the East. India comp. 1630. but their ostentation is far from apprehension of skill, when they come to effect their cures; How many Ships have suffered shipwrack for all their glorious names of the Triumph, the Safe-guard, the Good-spe [...], he Swift-sure, Bona-venture, &c.? So how many souls have been swallowed up with the fair hopes of mens feigned Religions? such as have at that very time the De [...]il in their hearts, when they seem to have nothing but God at their tongues end.

The vanity of needless and intricate questions.252

CAmbden in his History of the life of Q. Elizabeth, T. Fuller Holy State. relateth how Captain Martin Forbisher fetched from the farthest Northern parts a Ships-lading of (as he thought) mineral stones which afterwards were cast out to mend the high-ways: Thus are they served, and miss their hopes, who long seeking to extract hidden mysteries out of nice questions, leave them off at last as altogether uselesse and unnecessary.

253 The life of Man subject to all sorts of Calamity.

IOnah's condition was but bad at the best, as to be rocked and tossed to and fro in a dangerfull Ship, the bones whereof aked with the violence of every surge that assailed it; the Anchors, Cables, or Rudders either thrown away, or torn in pieces; having more friendship preferr'd him, then he had hap to make use of; and at length to be cast into the Sea, a merciless and implacable Sea roaring for his life more then ever the Lion roared for his prey, the bottom thereof seeming as low to him as the bottomless pit, and no hope left to esca [...]e either by Ship, or by Boat, no Tabula Naufragii, no plank or peice of board appearing whereby to reco [...]er the land; besides all these,B. King Lect. on Jonah. to make the measure of his sorrows up to the brim, the burning of God's anger against his sins, like a River of brimstone: This is the case of us all in the whole course of our lives, as Ez [...]chias sang in his song; From day to night thou wilt make an end of me. We are tumbled and tossed in a vessel as frail as Ionah's Ship was,Esay 38. which every stream of Calamity is ready to dash in pieces, every disease is able to fillip on one side or other, where neither Anchor, nor Rudder is left, neither head nor hand, —Nil sine magn [...] Vita labore dedit mortalibus. Horat. nor stomack is in case to give any comfort; where, though we have the kindness of Wife and Friends, the duty of children, the advice of Physitians, we cannot use their service; where we have a grave before us greedy to receive, and never to return us, till the wor [...]s and creepers of the Earth have devoured us; but if the anger of God for our sins accompany all these, it will be a woful adventure for that Man; when the sins of his soul, and the end of his life shall come so neer together, as the trespasse of Ionah, and his casting out of the Ship.

Sacriledge cursed with a curse.254

IT was usual in former times, when any thing was given to the endowment of the Church, Ang. Roche. Billioth. Vat. Woodnote ut anteà. it was done with a curse against all such as should ever presume to alienate, or take them away; Whether Mans curse shall take hold on such Church-robbers, is wholly in the disposition of God, and a secret; But sure it is, that God himself hath openly cursed all those, how many, or how great soever they be that rob him of Tythes and Offerings. Yea, cursed them with a curse, Mal. 3. 8. redoubling the words, not without great cause, but emphatically to signifie that they shall be cursed with a strange curse, such a curse, such a signal curse, that he that hears of it his ears shall tingle, and his knees smite one the other.

255 God, the proper object of Man's memory.

[Page]

SEneca writeth of himself,Justus Lipsius in vita. that he had a very flourishing memory, being able to recite by heart 2000 names, in the same order they were first digested. Portius La [...]ro writ that in his mind, which others did in Note-books. He was a man of cunning in History, that if you had named a Captain unto him, he would have run through all his acts presently; In lib. de claris Oratoribus. a singular gift from God. But, as Tully, comparing Lucullus and Hortensius together, both being of a vast memory, yet he preferreth Lucullus before Hortensius, because he remembered matter, this but words. Thus certainly, as the object about which memory is conversant, is more principall, so the gift more commendable:B. King on Jonah. And the most excellent object of all others, either for the memory to account, or for any part of the soul to conceive, is, God the Lord; for, he that remembereth the Lord, as the Lord hath remembered him; that nameth his blessings by their names, as God the stars, and calleth them to mind in that number and order, that God hath bestowed them upon him, if not to remember them in particular, which are more then the hairs of his head, yet to take their view in grosse, Psal. 116. 12. and to fold them up in a generall sum with David, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? Though he forget his own, and his father's house; though the wife of his bosom,Meminisse juvabit. and the fruit of his loyns; yea, though his memory be so treacherous unto him, that be forget to eat his bread; it is no matter, he remembereth all in all, and his memory hath done him service enough, in reaching this object, God the Lord.

256 Carelesse Churchmen condemned.

TUlly charged some dissolute people,In lib. Fin. de bon. & mal. Th. Fuller's Holy state. for being such sluggards, that they never saw the Sun rising or setting, as being alwaies up after the one, and a-bed before the other. So some negligent people, never hear prayers in the Church begun, or Sermon ended; the Confession being past before they come, and the Blessing not come, before they are passed away.

257 The pretious life of Man to be preserved.

THere arose a sedition at Antioch, Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 20. for that Thedosius the Emperour exacted a new kind of tribute upon the People, In that commotion, the People brake down the Image of the Empress Placilla, (who was lately dead). The Emperour in a great rage sent his Forces against the City, to sack it. When the Herald declared so much to the Citizens, one Macedonius a Monk, endued with heavenly knowledge and wisdome, plaid a prudentiall part, sending unto the Herald an answer to this effect, Tell the Emperour these words, That he is not onely an Emperour, but a man also; and therefore let him not look onely upon his Empire, but upon himself also; for, he being a man, commands those also who are men. Let him not then use men so barbarously, who are made to the image of God. He is angry, aud that justly, that the brazen image of his wife was thus contumeliously used, and shall not the King of Heaven be angry, to see his glorious Image in cruelty handled? Oh what a difference is there betwixt the reasonable soul, and the brazen image? We for this Image are able to set up an hundred, Joh. Weems's Pourtraiture. but he is not able for all his power, to set up one hair of these men, if he kill them. These words being told the Emperour, he suppressed his anger, and drew off his Forces. This Monk like another Moses, stood in the gap, and preserved the People. Happy had this angry age been, if it had had such another. Had but the generation of men formerly sprung up,Vacuas caedis habete manus. with serious consideration laid their hands more upon their hearts, and lesse upon their swords, they would not have been so ready to break down the Image of God in Man, nor sheathe their swords in each others bowels, as they have done.

The Churches complaint for want of Maintenance.258

[Page]

AS the old Patriark Iacob said of his children;Ephr. Udall. N [...]li me tangere Gen. 42. 36. when Benjamin was sent for by Ioseph into Aegypt, Ye have bereaved me of my children; Joseph is not, and simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin also, all these things are against me. So may the poor Church of England complain, and say, Ye have taken away my Tithe, and my Glebe, and many other profits are not; and now ye will take away the rest of my revenue; all these things, may the poor despised Church of England say, are against me; unlesse putting up that prayer of the Pat [...]iark, she prevail in it with God; Now God almighty give me favour in the eyes of the men, that they may send back that, that is taken away already, and let that alone that yet remaineth.

Ministers and Magistrates to be diligent in their places.259

THomas Becket, sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury, an evill man, and in an evill cause,Fran. Godwin in vita. but with words not impertinent to his place, had he well applyed them, answered one, who advised him to deal more moderately with the King; Clavum teneo, & ad somnum me vocas? Sit I at the stren, and would you have me to sleep? Thus it must be w [...]th Ministers and Magistrates; the one is not to keep silence, but to lift up his voice like a Trumpet;B. King lect. Jonah. the other is not to bear the sword in vain. And why? because the one steereth the Rudder of the Church, the other sitteth at the Helm of State; both of them, jure divin [...], having their warrants immediately from God so to do.

To blesse God for our Memories.260

STaupitius, Tutor to Martin Luther, and a godly man,Melch. Adamus in vita. Matth. 1. in a vain ostentation of his memory, repeated Christ's Genealogy by heart in his Sermon; but being about the captivity of Babylon, I see, (saith he) God resisteth the proud, and so betook himself to his Book again. Let no man therefore abuse his memory, to be sin's register, nor make advantage thereof for wickedness, Th. Fuller's Holy State. but be thankfull to God for the continuance of their memories, whereas some proud people have been vi [...]ited with such oblivion, that they have forgotten their own names.

Christ is the true Christians All in All.261

DO you ask me, where be my Jewells? My Jewells are my Husband, and his triumphs, Plutarch in Phocione. B. Smiths Ser. on Psal. 2. said Phocion's Wife. Do you ask me, where be my Ornaments? My Ornaments are my two Sons, brought up in vertue and learning, said the Mother of the Gracchi. Do you ask me, where be my Treasures? My Treasures are my Friends, said Constantius, the father of Constantine. But ask a child of God, where be his jewells, his treasures, his ornaments, his comfort, his delight, and the joy of his soul, he will answer with that Martyr,Col. 3. 11. None but Christ, none but Christ: Christ is all in all unto me.

Blessings turn'd into Curses.262

WHat Tully reporteth amongst his wonders in Nature,Ex Plinio lib. 31. [...]. 4 B. King's [...] Jonah. that in one Country, In agro Narniensi siccitate lutum fieri, imbre pulverem, Drought causeth durt, and rain raiseth dust, may be truly applyed unto us, that abundance of grace hath brought forth in us abundance of sin; and as sin took occasion by the Law to wax more sinfull, so iniquity hath never been more rife amongst us, but through the rifenesse of the Gospell. So far is it, that we are become true Israelites with Nathanael, or but half, nay almost Christians with Agrippa, that we are rather down-right Atheists, no Christians at all.

263 Young Ministers to be well principled

[Page]

THe Naturall history marketh,Plinius. that the Whelps of the Lions, who have the sharpest pawes, do so prick the matrix of the dam,Joh. Weems's Poutraiture. that they are whelped the sooner, and so never come to a full strength and vigour. So fareth it with young men, who in confidence of their parts, hasten out of the Universities, before they be furnished with any gifts or abilities at all. Therefore as Christ bad his Disciples stay at Ierusalem, Luc. 24. till the holy Ghost came down, so let them stay at Iericho, till their beards be grown, till they be well principled, and enabled for the great work of the Ministry.

264 Many seem to be willing, yet are loath to die

A Gentleman made choice of a fair stone, Th Fuller's Holy State. and intending the same for his gravestone, caused it to be pitched up in a field, a pretty distance off, and used often to shoot at it for his exercise. Yea, but (said a wag that stood by) you would be loath to hit the mark. Thus many men build their Tombs, prepare their Coffins, make them death's-headrings, with memento mori on them; yet never think of death, and are very unwilling to die, embracing this present world with the greater greedinesse.

265 A Minister to be able and well furnished.

CAleb said to his men,Iacob. Marchantii [...]ortus Pa [...]orum. I will bestow my daughter upon one of you; but he that will have her, must first win Kiriath Sepher: i. e. a City of Books; he must quit himself like a man, Iosh. 15. 18. he must fight valiantly. And certainly, he that will be one of God's Priests, an Ambassador of Christ, a true Minister of the Word and Sacraments, must not be such a one, that runs before he is sent; that hath a great deal of zeal, but no knowledge at all to guid it: But one that is called of God, that hath lain long before Kiriath Sepher, that hath stayed some time at the University, and commeth thence full fraught with good learning; such a one, and such a one onely, is a fit match for Caleb's daughter, fit to be a dispencer of God's Word and Sacraments.

266 Dangerous to be sed uced by fals-Teachers.

ARistotle writeth of a certain Bird called Capri-mulgus, Lib. de Animal. Andr. Willet on Levit. a Goat-sucker, which useth to come flying on the Goats, and suck them; and upon that, the milk drieth up, and the Goat growes blind. So it befalls them, who suffer themselves to be seduced by hereticall and false Teachers, their judgment is ever after corrupted and blinded: Matth. 15. 14. And, as it is said in the Gospel, If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch.

267 Tongue-Prayer, not the onely Prayer.

IT is said,Sr. Rich. Baker disqui [...]t. on Psal. 51. that David praised God upon an Instrument of ten strings; and he would never have told how many strings there were, but that without all doubt he made use of them all. God hath given all of us bodi [...]s, as it were Instruments of many strings; Non chordis mu [...]ica sed cor. and can we think it musick good enough, to strike but one string, to call upon him with our tongues onely? No, no, when the still sound of the heart by holy thoughts, and the shrill sound of the tongue by holy words, and the loud sound of the hands by pious works, do all joyn together, that is God's consort, and the onely musick wherewith he is affected.

The way to have our Will, is to be subject to God's Will.268

[Page]

IT is reported of a Gentleman travelling in a misty morning,T. Fuller, Holy State. that asked a shepheard (such men being greatly skilled in the Phy [...]iognomy of the Heavens) what weather it would be? I will be, said the shepheard, what weather pleaseth me: and being courteously requested to express his meaning; Sir ( [...]aith [...]) it shall be what weather pleaseth God; and what weather pleaseth God, pleaseth me: Thus a contented mind maketh men to have what they think fitting themselves, for moulding their will into Gods will, they are sure to have their will.

The excellency of good Government.269

IT hath been questioned and argued, Whether it were better to live under a Tyrannous government, B. Smith serm. on Job 23. where ever [...] suspition is made a crime, every crime, capital; or under an Anarchy, where every one may do what he lift? And it hath been long since over-ruled, That it is much better to live under a State, Sub quo nihil liceat, quàm sub quo omnia, A bad government, rather then none. So then, if the worst kind of government be a kind of blessing in comparision; What then is it, to be under an able Christian Ruler? [...], &c. Homer: Mat. 8. One that doth govern with counsel, and rule with wisdom; and under such Judges and Magistracy that do not take themselves to be absolute, the Supream Authority, but confesse themselves to be dependant, that they are [...] like the Centurion in the Gospel, and to give an account, not onely to him that is Judge of quick and dead, but also to the higher Powers on Earth, if they should chance to forget themselves.

We must learn to live well before we desire to die.270

AS old Chremes in the Comedy, told clitipho his son, a young Man without discretion, who because he could not wring from his Father ten pounds to bestow upon his Sweet-heart, Terence. had no other speech in his mouth, but emori cupio, I desire to die,Priks, quaeso, disce quid sit vivere. I would I were dead; But what saies the old Man? first, I pray you, know what it is to live, and when you have learned that, then if you be a weary of your life, speak on: Thus they that are so hasty to pronounce the sentence of death against themselves, that wish themselves in their graves, out of the world, must first know what belongeth to the life of a Christian, [...]. King Le [...]t. on Ionah. why it was given them by the Lord of life, to what end he made them living souls, what duties and service he requireth at their hands; by that time these things are rightly considered, they will be of another mind.

A negligent Christian, no true Christian.271

IF a man should binde his son Apprentice to some Science or occupation, Will. Attersoll on Philemon. and when he had served his time should be to seek of his Trade, and be never a whit the more his Crafts-master in the ending of his years then he was at the beginning, he would think he had lost his time, and complain of the injury of the Master, or the carelessness of the servant; Or, if a Father should put his Son to school, and he alwaies should continue in the lowest Form, and never get higher, we should judge either great negligence in the Master, or in the Scholar. Behold such Apprentices or such Scholars are most of us! The Church of God is the School of Christ, and the best place to learn the Science of all Sciences; Now if we have many of us lived long therein, some of us twenty, some thirty, some fourty, some fifty years, &c. and some longer, Quid est, quod ex tanta turbâ discentium, &c. Hugo lib. 3. didas [...]. and we no wiser then a child of seven, Were it not a great shame for us? What, no forwarder in Religion then so? O disgrace! And may we not be condemned of great negligence in the matters of our salvation?

272 Hypocrisie may passe for a time undiscovered▪

[Page]

MAud, Mother to King Henry the second, being besieged in Winchester Castle, counterfeited her self to be dead, Will. Cambden Britan. Matth. Paris Hist. and so was carryed out in a Coffin, whereby she escaped: Another time being besieged at Oxford, Anno 1141. in a cold Winter with wearing whit [...] [...]pparel she got away in the snow undiscover'd: Thus some Hypocrits by dissembling Mortification, T. Fuller Holy State. that they are dead to the world, and by professing a snow-like purity in their conversations may pass away a while undiscovered, Tandem apparebit Vtrum lupus [...]it in pelle ovinâ, &c. but time will come that their vizards shall be pulled off their faces; they may go for a while muffled up in their cloaks of pretended sanctity and zeal for the publique good, Aug. in Mat. 7. but all will be revealed at the last, if not here, hereafter.

273 Though the graces of godly Parents cannot avail for bad children, yet their good example may prevail with them.

IT was a custom amongst the Indians, Philostrati. Statuae. after the death of any worthy man, to inscribe his name, and his act upon the doors of his house, for the ennobling of his issue. So it was ever esteemed no mean blessing to be well descended, to be born of Noble Christian Parents. And though the Fathers goodness shall avail thee little, if thou beest not good thy self, Nihil mihi conducit Martyr pater, si malè vixero, said Origen; Pier-Charron Trois verites. What if my Father, for the testimony of a good conscience, gave his body to be burnt, it shall do me no good, if I live wickedly: yet for all that, it availeth much to make a man good, there being no way more expedite of instruction to good life, than by the knowledge of things past, and of the worthy acts of true Christian Parents, their Histories being our instruction, and their honours our incitements to goodness.

274 To look upon every day as the day of death.

THe Rich man in the Gospel was a bad accomptant when he set down a false summe to his soul,Will. Attersol on Philemon. saying, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, Luk. 12. he sets down years for dayes, nay, years for hours, like the deceitful Trades-man that sets down pounds for shillings: Thus many men that would seem to be cunning in the practice of this faculty,P. S. in vit [...] And. Willetti. are out of their reckonings and much deceived, they busie themselves in Addition and Multiplication, and dream of many years that they are to live, whereas they should be careful to practise Substraction and diminution, know that every day, nay, every hour, every moment calleth off a part of their lives.

275 A contented Christian is a couragious Christian.

IT is reported of the Eagle, that whereas all other birds make a noise when they are hungry; Jer. Boroghs Christ Content. he is never heard to make any noise at all though he be very hungry indeed: and it is from the magnitude of his spirit, that whatsoever befals it,Ulys. Aldrovaldini Ornitholog. l. b. 3. yet it is not alwayes whining and repining as other fowles will do when they want their food; it is because it is above hunger and above thirst: So it is an Argument of a gratious magnitude of spirit, that whatsoever befals it, yet it is not alwayes whining and complaining, so as others are; but goes on still in its way and course, and blesses God, and keeps in a constant tenour whatsoever thing befals it; such things as cause others to be dejected, and fretted, and vexed, and takes away all the comfort of their lives, makes no alteration at all in their spirits.

Many are the troubles of the Righteous.276

[Page]

IF they were many, Ioh. Boys's Postills. and not troubles, then, as it is in the Proverb, The more, the merryer: or, if they were troubles, and not many, then, The fewer, the better chear. But it hath so pleased the Almighty God to couple them both together, Many and Troubles; in nature, troubles; in number, many, that through many tribulations we might enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Hospitality commendable.277

IT is reported of Mr. Thomas Willet, P. S. in vita, praefixa Synopsi Papismi. a grave Divine, and father of the indefatigable, Dr. Andrew Willet, who also in his younger years was sub-Almoner unto that reverend Prelate, Dr. Cox, Eleemosynary, and Schoolmaster unto King Edward 6 th. then England's young Iosiah, that having two Benefices, Barley in Hertfordshire, and Thurkiston in Liecestershire, a Living of good value, where having provided a sufficient Curat for the place, once or twice a year he came, and spent the means amongst them, relieving some way or other every one of them, the better sort of them by hospitality and entertainment, the poorer by his almes, all of them by his prayers, 1 Tim. 3. 4. Hierom. in Epist. Ruff [...]o. remembring the Apostle's exhortation, to be given to hospitality; and fearing (as Hierom said of himself) Nè Maria cum Ioseph locum in diversorio non inveniat, &c. lest Mary and Ioseph should want room in the Inne, or Iesus himselfe, excluded, might say another day, I was a stranger, and ye took me not in, he refused no guest that came: A happy man, in making himself so happy a president of piety and pitty to succeeding times. But where is the charity, the hospitality, the tenderness of bowells, the largeness of heart, in these strait-laced times of ours? Here is fasting and prayer amongst us,Act. 10. 4. but where are the Almes that must go along with them? It was not the prayers of Cornelius alone, but the prayers and alms of Cornelius together, that went up into the presence of God. Let but a despised member of Christ, Patroclo sordidiores. Aristoph. in Plut. (not to speak of common Mendicants) whose wants are smothered up in a modest silence, whose looks, and cloaths, and All, speak for reliefe; let (I say) but such a one appear, what's the answer? I have not for you, (and I think so too, not a heart to do any good) [...]od bless you, God comfort you, be warm'd, be filled, Jam. 2. 16. and yet give them nothing: This is the charity of these uncharitable times. And indeed, if men could but eat precepts, and drink good counsell, they would soon find hospitality in abundance.

A covetous man, good for nothing till death.278

IT is a common saying,And. Willet on Levit. that a swine is good for nothing whilst he is alive; not good to bear or carry, as the horse, nor to draw, as the ox; nor to cloath, as the sheep; nor to give milk, as the cow; nor to keep the house, as the dog; but, ad solam mortem nutritur, fed onely to the slaughter. So a covetous rich man, just like a Hog, doth no good with his riches, whilst he liveth; but when he is dead, Job 27. his riches come to be disposed of: The riches of a sinner are laid up for the just.

Others Harms to be our Arms.279

THe Lacedemonians were wont to make their servants drunk, [...]ustin. hist. T. Fu [...]ler's Ser. on [...] at Westm. 1644. and then to shew them to their children, that they then beholding their frantick sits, and apish behaviour, once seeing, might ever shun that beastly vice. Our sins have made this Land, which formerly was our faithfull servant, drunk with blood: It is to be hoped, that our children, seeing the miserable fruits and effects thereof, will grow so wise and wary by their father's folly, as for ever to take heed how they engage themselves in such a civill war again.

280 The vanity and danger of [...] Repentance.

[Page]

IT is an exorbitant course while the Ship is found, the tackling sure, the Pilot well, the Sailors strong, the gale favourable, the Sea calm, to lye idle at Rode, carding, dicing, drinking, burning seasonable weather; and when the Ship leaks, the Pilot is sick, the Marrin [...]rs [...]aint, the storm boisterous, and the Sea tumultuous, then to lanch forth,Joh. Boys Postills. and [...] up sail for a Voyage into far Countries; And yet such is even the skill of evening-repenters, who though in the morning of youth, and soundness of health, and perfect use of Reason, they cannot resolve to weigh the Anchor, and cut the Cable that withdraws them from seeking Christ; —Ser [...] medicina paratur, Cum mala per longas convalu [...]re [...] Ovid. nevertheless they feed themselves with a strong perswasion, that when their wits are distracted, their senses astonied, all the powers of the mind, and parts of the body distempered; then, forsooth, they think to leap into heaven with a Lord have mercy upon me, in their mouths, to become Saints at their death, however they have demeaned themselves like devils all their life before.

281 The Saints knowledge of one another in Heaven.

MRs. Willet made a quaerie unto her Husband Dr. Willet, then lying on his death-bed,P. S. vita in ut anteà. touching the mutual knowledge that the Saints in glory have one of another; such another question being proposed to Luther a little before his death; he resolves her with the words of Luther (unto which Chemnitius and many others do subscribe) That as Adam in the estate of innocency, when God first presented Eve unto him,Gen. 2. 23. whom he had never seen before, asked not whence she came, but said, This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh. Even so the Saints of God in Heaven, beatifically illuminated with knowledge beyond Adam's in his first condition, shall know not onely those whom here they knew not, but even those whom before they never saw.

282 Satan tempteth by degrees.

IT is observed of the Crocodile, Aristot. hist. animal. lib. 5. that he cometh of an egge no bigger then a Goose-egge, yet he groweth till he be fifteen cubits long; Pliny saies thirty; he is also long lived, and which is much, encreaseth as long as he liveth: This setteth forth the manner of the encreasing of Sathans Kingdome, and how cunningly he disposeth of his temptations; —Vires acquirit eundo. First he beginneth with small matters, and so by degrees to greater, from thought to consent, from consent to action, from action to custom, from custom to a habit of sin; Iudas is first inured to theft, and trained up in another false trick, as in repining at the box of ointment poured on Christ, John 18. at the length he is brought to betray his Master. Thus, was the gradation of Peters sin, first lying, then cursing, after swearing, &c.

283 National Iudgements call for National Repentance.

SUppose that the Sea should break forth in this Land (as such a thing might soon come to passe,T. Fuller serm. at Westm. 1642. were not the waters thereof countermanded by God's Prerogative Royal) it is not the endeavour of a private man can stop it. What if he goes with a Faggot on his back, and a Mattock on his shoulder, and a spade in his hand, his desire is more commendable then his discretion, it being more likely the Sea should swallow him, then he stop the mouth of it; No, the whole Country must come in, Children must bring earth in their hats, Woemen in their aprons, Men with Hand-barrows, Wheel-barrows, Carts, Carrs, Wains, Waggons, all must work, lest all be destroyed; So when a general deluge, and inundation of God's anger seizeth upon a whole Kingdom, when he breaks in upon a Nation like the breaking forth of waters, 1 Chron. 14. 11. it cannot be stop'd by the private endeavours of some few, but it must be an universal work, by a general Repe [...]tance, all must raise banks to bound it, till this be done, no hope of Peace, no hope of Reconcilement at all.

How Christ's sufferings are made ours.284

[Page]

AS the Burgess of a Town or Corporation sitting in the Parliament-House [...] the person of that whole Town, John. [...] or place; and what he saith, the whole Town saith; and what is done to him, is done to the whole Town. Even so Christ upon the Cross stood in our place, and bare our persons, and whatsoever he suffered, we suffered, and when he dyed all dyed with him, all the faithful dyed in him, and as he is risen again, so the faithful are risen in him.

385 A Worldly-minded man speaketh of nothing but worldly things.

WHen a clock within is disordered, and the wheels out of frame, the hammer and bell must needs give an uncertain sound; Joh. Downham's Christ. Warfare. so when our hearts are inwardly disordered, and corrupted with worldliness and prophanenesse, our speech outwardly accordeth with them; The door-keeper said unto Peter, Thou art surely a Galilean, thy speech bewraieth thee; And whosoever he be that hath his mind taken up, and chiefely delighted with the Worlds musick, hath his tongue also tuned to the same key, and taketh his joy and comfort in speaking of nothing else, but the World and worldly things; if the World be in his heart, it will break out at the lips; A worldly-minded man speaketh of nothing but worldly things.

386 Censurers not to be regarded.

LAnquet in his Chronicle, Pag. 3201 John Boys Postil [...]. relateth that in Frizland, there was a phantastical Prophet, named David George, who calling himself, God's Nephew, said, Heaven was empty, and that he was sent to chuse the children of God, that the great work of Election was left unto his disposal, to appoint such as he thought fit to be saved: Thus in our time, there be many such Prophets, electing and damning whom they please; deifying this man, and devilifying that man; but, sure it is, they have no more authority to make devils, then the Pope hath to make Saints; As then a number of his Saints are in Hell, so questionless, many of their devils are glorious Saints in Heaven.

287 The certainty of God's will and purpose.

THe Wheels in a Watch or a Clock move contrary one to another,Dr. Sibbs serm at Grays-Inn 1632. some one way, some another, yet all serve the intent of the work-man, to shew the time, or to make the Clock to strike. So in the World, the providence of God may seem to run crosse to his promises, one man takes this way, another runs that way; good men go one way, wicked men another, yet all in conclusion accomplish the Will, and center in the purpose of God the great Creator of all things.

288 A wicked man believes not there is a Hell till he be in it.

TOstatus observeth out of Pliny, And. Willet on Levit. qu. 92. that the Mole, after he hath long lived under ground, beginneth to see when he dyeth, oculos incipit aperire moriendo, quos clausos habuit vivendo, he beginneth to open his eyes in dying, which he alwaies had shut whilst he lived: This is the true State of a wicked earthly-minded man, he neither seeth Heaven, nor thinketh of Hell: tell him that the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all that forget God, Psalm 9. 17. [...] it is but as brutum fulmen, a meer scare-crow, he feareth not God nor man all his life-time, till he approacheth to judgement, and then too soon he beginneth to feel that which he could not be brought to believe.

289 The World's dangerous allurements.

[Page]

THere is a kind of Serpent, Joh. Downham Christian Warfare. called by the Greeks [...], which when she cannot overtake the fleeing Passingers, doth with her beautiful colours so amaze them, that they have no power to pass away, till she have stung them; So doth the counterfeit beauty and bravery of the world, inveigle and bewitch those who behold it with over-partial eyes, that they stand astonished till it have stung them with carnal concupiscence, and doting love, so as they have neither Will nor power to set one foot towards their heavenly Country.

290 The Excellency of the Scripture in its fulness.

MEn talk much of the Philosophers-stone, Joh. Boys post. that it turns copper into gold; of Cornucopia, that it had all things necessary for food in it; of Panaces the hearb, that it was good for all diseases; of Catholicon the drugge, that it is instead of all purges; of Vulcans armour, that it was full proof against all thrusts and blows, &c. [...]Well, that which they did attribute vainly to these things for bo [...]ily good, we may with full measure attribute justly to the Scripture in a spiritual manner; It is not an hearb but a Tree, or rather a compleat Paradise of Trees of life, which bring forth fruit every moneth, and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the leaves for Medicine. In a word,Rev. 22. 2. it is a Panacy of wholesome food against fenowed Traditions; A Phisitians shop of Preservatives against poysoned heresies; Schola coalestis, eru [...]itio vitalis, c [...]iodor▪ in Psalm 15. a Pandect of profitable laws against Rebellious spirits; a Treasury of most costly Iewels against beggarly rudiments.

291 The fulness of God.

LAnd-flouds make a great noise, Dr. Sibbs [...]erm. at Grays-Inn, 1629. swell high, but are suddenly in again, whereas the Spring or vvell-head continueth full without augmentation, or diminution: such are the things of the world, such are all Creature-helps, how do they flourish for a while? but are soon gone. But God, he is the Well-head, puteus inexhaustibilis, never to be drawn dry, the eternal Spring that feeds all other streams; in him, and in him onely are the Rivers of pleasures for evermore.

292 The blessing of God is to be eyed more then our own endeavours.

IT is Seneca's observation,Anth. Burges of Iustification. that the Husbandmen in Egypt never look up to Heaven for rain in the time of drought, Hab. 1. 16. but look after the over-flowing of the banks of Nilus, to be the onely cause of their plenty: And such are they that sacrifice to their own nets and yarn, that look upon their own endeavours, attribute all success to their own projects, and in the mean time never so much as cast up an eye unto God the Author of all, in whom they live, by whom they move, and from whom they have their being.

293 Sacriledge condemned by the example of Cyrus.

Cyrus having relieved the Jews from their captivity in Babylon, doth not dismiss them with an empty grace, but with a Royal bounty; What a mountain of Plate was then removed from Babylon to Jerusalem? No fewer then five thousand and four hundred vessels of gold and silver; Certainly this great Monarch wanted not wit to think: It is a rich booty that I find in the Temples of Babylon, having vanquished their Gods, I may well challenge their spoil; How seasonably doth it now fall into my hands to reward my Souldiers? How pat doth it come to settle my new Empire? What if this treasure came from Jerusalem? the property is altered; the very place (according to the conceit of the Jews) hath prophaned it; The true God, I have heard, is curious; neither will abide those vessels which have [Page] been polluted with idolatrous uses:B Hall's Contempl. It shall be enough, if I loose the bonds of this miserable people;Zerub. Ezra. if I give liberty, let the next give wealth; they will think themselves happy with bare walls in their native Country. To what purpose should I pamper their penury with a suddain store? But the princely heart of Cyrus (though an heathen) would admit of no such base sacrilegious thoughts; those vessells that he found stamp'd with God's mark, he will return to the owner; neither his own occasions, nor their abuse, shall be any colour of their detention. O Cyrus, Cyrus, how many close-handed, griple-minded Christians, shall once be choked in judgment, with the example of thy just munificence? Thou restoredst that, which is now ordinarily purlo [...]ned; Quis enim laesos impunè putaret Esse Deos? Lucan. the lands, the treasures, the utensills of the Chruch, are now rifled and devoured; but there is a woe to those houses, that are stored with the spoiles of Gods Temple, and a woe to those fingers, that are tainted with holy treasures.

The Minister's Blessing after Sermon, to be attended.294

IT is reported of Dr.In preface to his works. Lake, Bishop of Bath and Wells, that whether it were so that himself preached, or not, after the Sermon done, and the Psalm sung, as the manner is, standing up in his Episcopall seat, he gave the Benediction to the People, after the example of the High Priest, Numb. 6. 23. which thing as he Performed like himselfe, i. e. in a most grave and father-like manner; so any man that had but seen, with what attentive and devout gestures, all the People received it, what apparent comfort they took in it, and how carefull every particular man was, not to depart the Church without it, could not but conclude, that there was quaedam vis & efficacia, Flac. Illiric. Clavis Script. in verbo Benedicere. a secret vertue in the prayers and blessings, as of the naturall, so of spirituall parents, Heb. 7. 7. which as they are never he worse for giving, so those that have relation to them, are much the better for receiving. And it is not for naught, that the Apostle saith, The lesser useth to be blessed of the greater. Much then are they to be blamed, that rush out of the Church, leaving such a blessing behind them; they think all is done, when the Sermon is done; nor is the Sermon done, till they have practised what they have heard; and the onely way so to do, is, to attend the blessing of the Minister, as a good preparative thereunto, which (no doubt) will procure God's blessing thereupon, and then all is compleated. Again, if Grace after meat be required, surely Grace after the Word heard, is much more necessary: And if Much good do it you, S. Croke visita [...]. Serm. at Bath, 161 [...]. be good manners after a dinner, surely, much good do it us, Much good do it my soul, is more than a complement after a Sermon.

A rich Fool described.295

A Great man lying on his death-bed,Th. Adam's Ser. at S. Greg▪ Lon [...]. 1617. sent first for his Physitian, to advise with him about the recovery of his health; no means was left untryed, but all in vain, the Physician gave him up for a dead man. Then he sends for his Lawyer, much time was spent with him in making his Will, Virtus post [...] there he settles his Estate on friends and kindred, strives to make the Inheritance of his Land sure to his Heir, and in the interim neglects his own in heaven: Yet however, if it be but for formalities-sake, he will not seem to be utterly carel [...]sse in that point, and therefore in the last place, he sends for the Physitian [...] of his soul, to consult about his spirituall estate, even then when he was hardly capable of any advice at all. His Fool standing by, and having observed all that passed, desired his Master, to give him the staff that he used to walk withal. He gives it to him, but on condition, that he should give it back again to the next he met with, that was a verier fool than himself. Nay then, said the Fool, Here Master, take the staffe again, for a verier fool than thou art, I shall never meet again; that didst first send for a physician to strengthen thy body, then for a Lawyer to make thy Will, and in the last place for the Priest to comfort thy poor soul, which should have been the first work of all. And such fooles are they, that ravell out their pretious time, tormented with the cares of the world, Ede, bib [...], [...]ude, post mortem nulla voluptas. that lade themselves with thick clay, such as sing Requiems to their souls, that put the evill day far from them, with a Nondum [Page]venit tempus, till it come to the last pinch, that the last sand is dropping in the glasse, and their soules (except God be more mercifull) into the pit of hell for ever.

296 Not to continue angry.

TWo Grecian Bishops, being fallen out about some difference in point of judgment, parted assunder in great anger; but the elder of them, (for so the wiser is to be accounted) sent unto his Collegue a message, onely in these two words, sol ad occasum, The Sun is about to go down. The other no sooner heard it, but he reflected on that of the Apostle, Epho [...] 4. 26. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath; and so they were both friends again. How doth this amity of theirs, condemn the enmity that is amongst many of us at this time? As that deadly feud of the Scots, who entailed their Lands on posterity, conditionally, that they should fight against the party that had offended, and never entertain any the least pacification: And such wrangling Law-suits, T. Full [...]'s▪ Ser. Ser. at S. Clem. 1627. as that of the two noble Families, Barclay and Lisle, which began in the reigne of Edward the fourth, and continued to the first year of King Iames, full seven score years. It cannot be denyed, but that a man may, with good qualifications, go to Law for his own; but the length of time in the Suit, when the Grandchild shall hardly end, that which the Grandfather began, may draw on a great suspition, in the want of charitable affection.

297 The onely comfort of a Christian, is his propriety in God.

THe conceit of propriety, B. Hall's Contempl. ut anteà. hardens a man against many inconveniences, and addeth much to his pleasure: The Mother abides many painfull throwes, many unquiet thoughts, many unpleasant savours of her child, upon this thought, It is my own. The indulgent Father magnifies that in his own son, which he would scarce like in a stranger; and why, but because he is his own. The want of this to God-ward makes us so subject to discontentment, and cooles our delight in God, because we think of him aloofe off, as one in whom we are not interessed: Could we but think, It is my God that cheareth me with his presence and blessings, whilst I prosper; my God, that afflicteth me in love, when I am dejected; It is my Saviour, that sits at the right hand of my God in Heaven, my Angels stand in His presence; it could not be but that God's savour would be sweeter, his chastisments more easie, his benefits more effectuall unto us.

298 Ministers and Physicians, of all men, not to be covetous.

LUd. Vives, Lib. de tradend. discipl. that worthy learned man, doth wonder at some Physicians, that they could possibly be covetous, and greedy upon the world, in as much as both in their speculative study, and their practicall ministrations, they behold every day, how tickle a thing life is, how soon the breath is gon, how the strongest die in a moment, and the youngest fall on the suddain, and so by consequence, that the use of riches is uncertain, and that all worldly things are transitory: And it were to be wished,Esa. 4. 6. that many Physicians of the Soul were not sick of the same disease; they know,Geo. Abbot Cant. lect. on Jonah 4. that all flesh is grasse, and the grace of it but a flower; that our breath is but a vapour,Jam. 4. 14. and our life but as a bubble. They speak much of mortality, and preach other mens funerall Sermons; yet in the midst of their studies of contemning the world, they are in love with the world, and look too much after Mammon.

299 The losse of Grace made good again in Christ onely.

EPiphanius maketh mention of those,Lib. de Anchorat. that travail by the deserts of Syria, where are nothing but miserable marishes and sands, destitute of all commodities, nothing to be had for love or mony; if it so happen, that their fire go out by the way, then they light it again at the heat of the Sun, by the means of a burning glasse, [Page] or some other device that they have.Pet. du Moulin's Communicant. And thus in the wildernesse of this world, if any man have suffered the sparks of divine grace to die in him, the fire of zeal to go out in his heart, there is no means under the Sun to enliven those dead sparks, to kindle that extinguished fire again, but at the Sun of Righteousnesse, that fountain of Light, Christ Iesus.

To love our enemies, and do them good.300

IT was wont to be said of Arch-Bishop Cranmer, Jer. Borgh's Heart divisions If you would be sure to have Cranmer do you a good turn, you must do him some ill one; for, though he loved to do good to all,Joh. Fox's Acts and Monuments yet especially he would watch for opportunity, to do good to such as had wronged him. O that there were but a few such leading men, of such sweet spirits, amongst us, how great a blessing of peace might we enjoy? Did we but rejoyce in any opportunity, in doing any office of love to those, who differ from us, yea to those who have wronged us, things would be in a better posture than they are.

Plain preaching is profitable.301

IN the building of Solomon's Temple, Josh. Shute's Serm. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1627. there was no noise heard, either of axes or hammers; all the stones were prepared, squared, and fitted in the Quarry, 1 King. 6. 7. And thus the Minister, in the building up of the mysticall body of Christ, should make all the noise in his study, there he must turn his books, and beat his brains;D. Staughton's Ser. at Aldermanbury, Lon. 1637. but when it comes to Church-work, to the Pulpit, then it must be in plainnesse, not with intricacy, and tying of knots, but with all easinesse that may be. It is confessed, that painted glasse in Churches is more glorious, but plain glasse is more perspicuous:Arth. Lake Bath. Oratory may tickle the brain, but plain doctrine will sooner inform the judgment;I Cor. 14. 2 [...]. that Sermon hath most learning in it, that hath most plainnesse. Hence it is, that a great Schollar was wont to say, Lord, give me learning enough, that I may preach plain enough. For people are very apt to admire that they understand not, but to preach plainly is that which is required.

The very approaches of afflictions torment the wicked.302

PLutarch telleth,Lib de superstitione. that it is the quality of Tygres, that if Drums or Tabours sound about them, they will grow mad, and then they tear their own flesh, and rend themselves in pieces. And it is so with the unbelieving Reprobate, with all wicked men, if they do but hear the noise of afflictions, the very sound of sorrowes approaching, how do they fret, and fume, and torment themselves? nay, by cursing and swearing, how do they re [...]d the body of Christ from top to toe in pieces?

Malice and Envy, not fit guests for God's Table.303

ST.Posidon. de vita. Augustine could not endure any at his Table, that should shew any malice against others, in backbitings or detractings, and had therefore two verses written on his Table, to be as it were monitors to such as sat thereat, that in such cases, the Table was not for them.

Quisquis amat dictis absent [...]m rodere famam,

Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi.

Thus Englished.

He that doth love an absent friend to [...]eer,

May hence depart, no room is for him heer.

And how much lesse will the Lord endure any at his Table, Jer. Dyke's Worthy Communicant. that come thither with malice and hatred against their brethren? If love be required at our own Tables, [Page] how much more will God require it in those, that come to His Table. When one man's heart swells with envy against another, when a second is filled with malice and hatred, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper, but to eat one another; this is not to sit at the Lord's Table, but to be a guest at the table of devils.

304 Preparation to religious Duties, must be free from worldly distractions.

IT was said of Sr.Sr. Rob. Nanton Fragment. Regalia. Wil. Cecill, sometime Lord Treasurer of England, that when he went to bed, he would throw off his Gown, and say, Lye there Lord Treasurer, as bidding adieu to all State-affairs, that he might the more quietly repose himself: So when we go to any Religious duty, whether hearing, or praying, comming to the Lord's Table, or in any other religious addresses whatsoever, we should say, Lie by world, Jer. Borogh's Gospel-worship. lie by all secular cares, all houshold affairs, all pleasures, all traffick, all thoughts of gain. Lie by all, adieu all. We must now be as those, that have nothing to do with the world for the time, we must separate our hearts from all common uses, that our hearts may be wholly for our God.

305 Dangerous to interpose with a divided People.

IT was once said to Luther, In vita per incertum. when he was about interesting himself, in seeking Reformation of those bad times, Abi in cellam, & dic, miserere nostri; O Luther, rather get you into your Cell, and say, Lord have mercy upon us. Rich. Sibbs D. D. And another being once asked, why he did not write his judgment, about the controversie of the time, answered, Cui usui Reipublicae? cui bono mihi; To what purpose? it would not help the cause, Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions but much hazard him that should meddle. And most true it is, he that meddles with the divisions of the times, may expect to be divided himself; to have his name, his repute cut assunder, and thrown this way and that way. It hath ever been an unthankfull work, to meddle with a divided people; a man may with as much safety put his hands into a nest of Hornets, as to enterpose in the midst of such wild and unruly divisions, as are now amongst us.

306 A good man is bettered by afflictions.

THe Bee is observed,Plutarch. de Tranquillitate▪ to suck out honey from the Thyme, a most hard and dry herb: So the good and faithful minded man, sucketh knowledge and obedience from the bitter potion of adversity and the crosse, Geo. Abbot lect. on Jonah. and turneth all to the best. The scouring and rubbing which frets others, makes him shine the brighter; the weight which crusheth others, makes him like the Palm-tree grow the better; the hammer which knocks others all in pieces, makes him the broader and the larger: In incude & malleo dilatantur, They are made broader on the Anvill, and with the hammer; although it be with the hammer, yet, dilatantur, they are made to grow the wider.

307 The triall of faith, is the enlargement of faith.

EXamination and tryall of a good Scholler,Ludovic. Granat. Dux peccatorum. hurts him not, either in his learning, or in his credit;Talis est natura fidei, &c. nay, it advanceth him much in both; his very examination rubs up his learning,Chrysost. in Matth. 13. puts much upon him, and sends him away with the approbation of others. And thus in the tryall of faith, there is an exercise of faith; faith examined and tryed, proves a faith strengthened and encreased: Some things sometimes prove the worse, and suffer losse by triall, but the more faith is tryed, the more faith is enlarged.

308 Unprofitable hearers of the Word described.

A Mariner, Jer. Borogh's Gosp [...]l-worship. when he takes his leave of his friends on th [...] shore, sees them a while, but when he is failed a little further, then they are quite out of sight, [Page] and he sees onely the houses; Multi vocem praedicationis audiunt, sed post vocem vacui recedunt. then failing a little further, he sees nothing but steeples, and such high places; but then sailing a little further, nihil est nisi pontus & aer, he sees nothing but aire and water. So it is with too too many unprofitable hearers of the Word; it may be, that when they are gon home from the Church, there are some things fresh in memory; Greg. Moral. but on the next day, they have lost some, but there are some other things that do yet present themselves before them, and then they lose more and more, till they have lost the sight of all; no more of the Word appears then, as if they had heard nothing at all.

All divisions are against Nature.309

PHilosophers say,O [...]iedo Ariagua. Non datur vacuum, there cannot be vacuity in the world; the world could not stand, but would be dissolved, it every part were not filled; because Nature subsists by being one;Jer. Whitakers Serm. at Westm. 1646. if there were the least vacuity, then all things should not be joyned in one, there would not be a contiguity of one part with another: This is the reason, why water will ascend, when the aire is drawn out of a pipe, to fill it; this is to prevent division in Nature. O that we had but so much naturalnesse in us, that when we see there is like to be any breach of union, we would be willing to lay down our self-ends, our self-interes [...]s, and to venture our selves to be any thing in the world, but sin, that so we may still be joyning, still u [...]iting, and not rending from each other.

The hell of a guilty Conscience.310

PHilo Iudaeus telleth,Li. in [...]. that Flaccus plaid all the parts of cruelty that he could devise against the Iewes, for their Religion's sake; but afterward, when the doom if Caligula fell upon him, and he was banished to Andros, an Island neer Greece, Sonus excitat omnis Suspensum. Virgil. he was so tormented with the memory of his bloody iniquities, and a fear of suffering for them, that if he saw any man walking softly neer to him, he would say to himselfe, This man is devising to work my destruction: If he saw any go hastily, Surely it is not for nothing, he maketh speed to kill me. If any man spake him fair, he suspected that he would cousen him, and sought to entrap him; If any talked roughly to him,Geo. Abbot's lect. on Jonah. Nihil est miserius, qu [...]m hominis animus conscius. Plaut. then he thought that he contemned him: If meat were given to him in any plentifull sort, This is but to fat me as a sheep, or an ox, to be slaughtered. Thus his sin did lie upon him, and ever remember him, that some vengeance was to follow from God, or Man, or both: And this is the case of all wilfull, bloody, presumptuous sinners, that though there be some struglings and wrestlings to the contrary, yet their hearts and consciences are greater than themselves, and will put them in mind, that nothing but destruction waiteth on them; if they walk abroad, sonus excitat omnis suspensum, they are afraid of every leaf that wags; if they stay at home, nothing but horrour attends them: In the day, they are struck with variety of sad apprehensions; and in the night, they are tormented with fearfull dreams, and strange apparitions: Such and so great is the hell of a guilty conscience.

Love of Gods children, is a sincere love.311

THe Son of a poor man, Th. de Trugillo thesaur, concionat. that hath not a penny to give or leave him, yields his father obedience as chearfully, as the son of a rich man, that looks for a great Inheritance: It is indeed love to the father, not wages from the father, that is the ground of a good child's obedience. Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore. If there were no heaven, God's children would obey him; and though there were no hell, yet would they do their duty; So powerfully doth the love of the Father constrain them.

312 Ministers to be men of merciful dispositions.

[Page]

THe Lord Ellesmer, Sir. Rob. Nanton Frag. Regalia. sometimes Lord Chancellor of England, a great lover of mercy, Prov. 12. 10. was heard to professe, That if he had been a Preacher, this should have been his Text; A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. A merciful man and a merciful Text well met; But oh the Prophetical incendiaries of the late fearful, un-natural, civil vvar▪ how far were they from this sweetness of disposition? how far from thoughts and bowels of mercy? how far from a desire to preach mercy? when it was a common course with them by Viperine glosses to eat out the bowels of a merciful Text; Mr. Woodnote New descant on old Records. when nothing was more usual amongst them, than to alleadge the words of the Scripture against the meaning; than to wrong and wring the Scripture till it bled again, but they would misconstrue, and misapply it one way, or other, to stir and incite men to such actions as little became the profession of the Gospel.

313 Election known by Sanctification.

IF any man would know whether the Sun shineth or not,John Negus of Obedience. let him go no further, but look upon the ground to see the reflection of the Sun-beams from thence, and not upon the body of the Sun, which will but the more dazle his fight; The pattern is known by the Picture, the cause by the effect: Let no man then soar aloft to know whether he be elected or not, but let him gather the knowledge of his Election from the effectualness of his calling, and sanctification of his life, the true and proper effects of a lively faith stamping the Image of Gods Election in his soul.

314 Men commonly are loath to die, though seemingly willing thereto.

IT is but Aesop's, De Sene & Morte. fable, but the Morall of it is true; A poor desolate old Man returning home from the vvood with a burthen of sticks on his back, threw them down, and in remembrance of the misery which he sustained, called often for death to come unto him, as if he would live no longer: But when death came to him in earnest, and asked him, what he should do, the old Man presently changed his mind, and said; That his request unto him was, that he would help him up with his wood: This most commonly is our case; vve would find some other business to set death about, if he should come to us,Geo. Abbot Lect. on Jonah. when vainly we have wished for him, we dismiss him with a Nondum venit tempus, bid him call to morrow, we are not yet at leisure: How do men vainly wish for death, and how mercifully doth the Eternal deal with them,Nullus hominum fidus est amicus tumulo. who oftentimes in his love denyeth that which they so earnestly desire, Euripid▪ and which if they should presently enjoy, they would prove, of all men most miserable; for being removed hence, it is to be feared the accounts betwixt God and their own souls would fall short of what they should be.

315 A special Sacrament-duty to bless God for Christ's death.

THe Jews in the celebration of the Passeover, did sing the 113. Psalm with the five following Psalms, Ta [...]uld. Iudae [...] rum. which they called, The great Hallelujuh, & it was always after that cup of wine which they called, Poculum hymni, or laudationis, The cup of praise. And thus it should be with us; At all times, upon all occasions, in all places we should sing Hallelujahs to God, and praise his holy name; but at the Sacrament, in that Eucharistical action we should sing a great Hallelujah; Jer. Dykes Worthy communicant. No time but we should blesse God for the work of our Redemption, but at the Sacrament we should have our hearts greatly inlarged in a more special manner to bless God for the benefit of Christ's death, and the sweet comforts that we receive therby in the use of the Sacrament.

Not lawful to fight for Religion.316

[Page]

WHen Mahomet was about to establish his abom [...]nable superstition, Pomp. Laetus de exortu Mahom. wherein he had mingled the Laws and doctrines of Heathens, of Iews, false Christians and Hereticks, with the illusions and inventions of his own brain; he gave it forth for a main Principle, how God at the first in his love to mankind sent Moses, after him Jesus Christ, who were both of them endued with power to work miracles, but men gave small heed to them:Flectere si nequeo Superos▪ [...]. Therefore he determined to send Mahomet, a man without miracles, a Warrior with a sword in his hand; that whom miracles had not moved, weapons might compell. Thus they may derive their authority perhaps by a long descent from Mahomets pretended Charter, but most sure it is they can find no syllable of allowance in the great, assured, sacred Charter of Gods word, who seek to set up Religion by the sword; fire and faggots are but sad Reformers; T. Full [...]r. The Church therefore was wont to be gathered by the mouths of Ministers, not by the swords of Souldiers. It was well said of one, Let Religion sink to Hell, rather then we should call to the devill for help to s [...]pport it.

The weight of sin to be seriously peized.317

POrters and Carryers, Ludovic. Gr [...] natens. Duae peccatorum. when they are called to carry a burthen on their shoulders, first they look diligently upon it, then they peize and lift it up, to try whether they be able to undergo it, and whether they shall have strength to carry it when it is once on their backs. And thus should every man do, that for a little pleasure hath enthralled himself to carry the burthen of sin; he should first prove and assay what a weight sin is,Prov. 18. 14. what a burthen the punishment of sin is which he must bear, or sink under it; and by this means he shall soon find himself at a loss, For a wounded spirit who can bear?

Licentious libertines impatient of Government.318

THere was sometimes in Gaunt, Phil. Camerasensis. as divers of the Magistrates were sitting on a bench in the streets, a beggar, who passing along, craved their Almes, and complained that he had a secret disease lying in his bones, and running all over his body, which he might not for shame discover unto them; they moved with pitty, gave him each of them somewhat, and he departed; One more curious then the rest, bad his Man follow him, and learn if he could, what that secret disease should be; who coming to him, and seeing nothing outwardly upon him, but well to look at; Forsooth (quoth the beggar) that which pains me you see not, I have a disease lying in my bones, and in all my parts; so that I cannot work: some call it, Sloath, an [...] some others call it, J. White Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. 1610. Idlenesse. Now there is a sort of Men that have a disease holds them much like this of the beggar's,—Cuncta licere creditur Auson. they cannot endure to be subject: to have looked at them formerly, you could have discerned little or nothing, for they were close; but there crep't all over all their body through every joint, and was settled in their marrow, and is now broke out at their mouths, a Lordly humour, that they cannot obey, nor understand themselves to be any longer subjects than they please themselves.

Preaching Trades-men, Preaching-souldiers, &c. not sent of God.319

THere is a relation how Zeno the Emperor tempted God in the choice of a Church-man, Niceph. hist. lib. 16. cap. 18. by laying a blank paper on the Altar, that God might write in the paper the name of him who should be Bishop of Constantinople; but one Flavitius that was otherwise Scholar enough, corrupting the Sexton with a considerable summe of money, caused him to write-in his name, and so obtained the Bishoprick; And are there not many amongst us Clero-Laicks, Preaching-Trades-men, [Page]Preaching-Souldiers, John Weemse Exercitat. &c? Such there are, but certainly not sent of God, not written down in the book of Gods approbation, but are crep't in by the corruption of the time, and have boldly thrown themselves into the work of the Ministery, and are many of them the onely men admired for gifts: of whom it may be said, as sometimes Aulus Gellius did, of one Vendidius Bassus,

Concurrite omnes augures, aruspices,

Portentum inusitatum conflatum est recens;

Nam mulos qui fricabat, Consul factus est.

But,Noctes A [...]ticae. lib. 5. c. 4. blessed be God, there is yet no such a Famine in this our Samaria, that an Asses head should be valued at fourscore pieces of silver.2 Kings 6. 25.

320 Scholars, not to be unthankful to the Vniversity that bred them.

ARistotle having gotten great Learning from Plato, by whom he was taught no less then ten years; afterwards became a great enemy unto him, and by all means sought his discredit: A course clean contrary to all moral Rules and even common humanity: the which unthankfulness caused Plato to call him Mule; The property of which beast is,Aelian. variar hist. lib. 4. That when they have filled themselves with their Mothers milk, they beat their Dams with their heels for a Recompence: And well may our Vniversities, Mr. Woodnote New descant o [...] old Records. the Nurseries of Gods Vineyard, the Seminaries of Christian learning, and Fountains of holy Religion, yea the eyes, the light, the salt, the seasoning of the whole land, take it very unkindly, that some of them whom they have not onely taught, but maintained with all necessaries, some ten years, some more, should now be found their greatest opposers; This may be an Aristo [...]elian, an Heathenish, but surely no Christian requital; Such unworthy Disciples, dissemblers, may be men in countenance, but in condition, Mules.

321 Sin rooted in the heart, hardly to be plucked up.

HE that driveth a nail into a Post fastneth it at the first stroak that he maketh with his hammer;Ludovic. Granat. Dux peccatorum. but more firmly at the Second stroak; but so fast at the third, that it can hardly be pulled out again;Animus sceleri bus assuetus, vix ab eis divelli potest. and the oftner that he knocketh it, the faster it sticketh,Isidor. insolilo quiis. and is pulled out with the greater difficulty: So in every one of our wicked actions which we do, sin is driven deeplier into our souls, as it were with the great hammer of Gods anger, the nail is sin, inclination to sin fastens it, delight in sin enters it further, custome drives it further, and habit sets it home to the head, and there it sticketh so fast, that nothing in the World can be found out, but onely the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, by which it may be haled and pulled out again.

322 Good works are not the cause of, but the way to happiness.

IF the King freely without desert of mine, and at the mediation of another, give me a place about him,J. White, ut anteà. and never so much right unto it, yet I am bound if I will enjoy it, to come unto him and do the things that the place requireth. And if he give me a Tree growing in his Forrest, this his gift tyes me to be at cost to cut it down, & bring it home, if I will have it; And when I have done all this, I cannot brag that by my coming and service, I merited this place; or by my cost, in cutting down, and carrying home the Tree, made my selfe worthy of the Tree, as the Iesuits speak of their works; Opera bona non causa sed via regnandi. but onely the deed is the way that leads to the fruition of that which is freely given. Bernard. There cannot be produced a place in all the Scripture, nor a sentence in all the Fathers, which extend our works any further, or make them exceed the latitude of a meer condition, or way whereby to walk to that, which not themselves, but the blood of Christ hath deserved.

A true Christian, the more he is afflicted and troubled, the better he thriveth.323

[Page]

PLiny in his naturall history,Lib. 12. cap. 9. writeth of certain Trees, growing in the red Seas, which being beat upon by the waves,Sr. Her. Wootton in a letter to Sr. Rich. Bakes, then in prison, 1628. stand like a Rock immovable; yea sometimes, pleno ae [...]u operiuntur, in a full Sea they are quite covered over with waters; and it appears by many arguments, that they are bettered by the roughnesse of the waters. Even so a Christian, planted by faith, in the red Sea of Christ [...]s blood, resisteth all the waves of temptation; afflictions are but as so many p [...]essing irons, to better obedience; the more he is beat upon, yea and overwhelmed also with the billowes of distresse and trouble, the better he thriveth, and the more he flourisheth in spirituall graces.

Troubles not to be so much questioned how we came unto them, as how to get out of them.324

ST.Ier. Whitaker at Westm. a Serm. 1646. Augustine tells of a man, that being fallen into a pit, one passing by, falls a questioning of him, what he made there, and how he came in. O, saies the poor man, Ask me not how I came in, but help me, and tell me how I may come out. So l [...]t not us enquire, Ille ego qui feci, &c. Virgil. how we came into such p [...]rplexed times, how into the pit of popular confusion: One saies, that the late King; another, that the Parliament; a third, the Army is the cause of all our trouble, that they have put us in. But who is it that takes care how to get out? who is it that smites upon his thigh with his hand, and concludes, that his sin hath caused all this sorrow, that his iniquity hath raked up the ashes of these hot distempers? Could but men do this, then they might cheerfully look up unto him, who hath got the advantage of upper ground, who can, and is willing to draw them out of the deeps of their distresse, and deliver them.

The good of Adversity, and the ill of Prosperity.325

THe Naturalists observe well,B. Lake on Psalm 51. that the North-wind is more healthfull, though the South be more pleasant; the South with his warmth raiseth vapours, which breed putrefaction, and cause diseases; the North with his cold, drieth those vapours up,Plinie. Si fortuna ride [...] c [...]v [...]to tolli, &c. purging the blood, a [...]d quickning the spirits. Thus adversity is unpleasant, but it keepeth us watchfull against sin, and carefull to do our duties; whereas prosperity doth Hatteringly lull us asleep: It never goes worse with men spiritually, then when they find themselves corporally best at ease; Hezekiah was better upon his sick-bed, then when he was shewing of his treasures to the Ambassadours of the King of Babylon. Esa. 39. How wicked the Sodomites were, we read, Gen. 18. but Ezekiel, chap. Diodorus lib. 15. 16. tells us, the cause was fulnesse of bread. It was a wise policy then, of Epaminondas, to stand Sentinell himselfe, when the Citizens were at their Bacchanalls; And surely, when we have the world at will, it is good providence then to look most to our waies.

The great danger of malitious turbulent spirits.326

IT is one of Hipocrates's Aphorisms,Sr. Rob Dallington's Aphorisms. That long festered ulcers are beyond the p [...]ssibility of cure, Vindicta nullum relinquit facinus. Seneca in Thyest. especially in hydropick bodies, where the humours are rank and ve [...]emous. Such is the condition of all turbulent and tumultuous spirits, exulcerate with the corrosive of many supposed wrongs, and impatient in delay of their revenge, are so far transported from reason, or accepting the supple oyle of reconciliation, as that they enter into resolutions of desperate consequence, and vent the p [...]yson of their malice, by the pipes of their treasonable practises, into every vein of their native Country, to the great hazard of her health, and publick safety.

327 Heaven, the best Inheritance.

[Page]

ALL the thoughts of worldly men are employed,Dan. Fea [...]ly's Serm. 1622. all their care's taken up, all their time bestowed, all their means spent, in purchasing, or some way procuring unto themselves (as they call it) a [...]ortune, an [...]state of Land of Inher [...]ance, or Lease for tearm of years or life;Lanc. Andrews Winton. Serm. at Court [...] 1612. all which are yet subject to a thousand ealamities. Let us then rather look after Heaven, and labour for the state of Grace, which is past all hazard, being assured unto us by the hand-writing o [...] God, and the seal of his blessed Spirit; an Estate, not for tearm of years, but for etermity; an Esta [...]e that is subject neither to the corruption of tinearum forensium, Westminster-hall moaths; nor tinearum urbanarum, bankrupt debtors; nor tinearum militarium, plundering thieves and robbers; but such as cannot be spoiled by hostile invasion, nor wrung from us by power, nor won by Law, nor mortgaged by debt, nor impaired by publick calamity, nor changed by Kings and Parliaments, nor violated by death it self.

328 A sinfull man is a senslesse man.

TAke a dead man, Th. de T [...]ugillo thesour. Concionat. and put fire to his flesh, pinch him with pincers, prick him with niedles, he feels it not; scourge him, and he cries not; showt in his ear, he hears not; threaten him, or speak him fair, he regards not, he answers not. This is the condition of one that is spiritually dead in sin, let the judgmen [...]s of God, and terrours of the Law,Greg. de cura past [...]r-part. 3. be laid home to his conscience; let the flames of hell-fire flash in his soul, he regards it not, he is Sermon-proof, and judgment-proof; he hears of judgments abroad, and sees judgments on others; nay, let judgments come home to his own doors, yet he thinks, all is well, like Solomon's fool, he out-stands all reproof; let the Minister hit him never so home, They have stricken me, (saies he) but I was not sick, Prov. 23. they have beaten me, but they might as well have beaten the aire. Such, and so deplorable is the sad condition of every senslesse sinner.

329 Revenge, above all other passions, is of a growing nature.

ALL Plants and other Creatures, Plin, hist. nat. lib. 8. cap. 25. have their grouth and increase to a period, and then their diminution and decay, Sr. Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms. except only the Crocodile, who groweth bigger and bigger even to death. So have all passions and perturbations in man's mind, their intentions and remissions, increase, and decrease, except onely malitious revenge; for this, the longer it lasteth, the stronger it waxeth still, even when the malign humours of avarice and ambition are setled, or spent. Hence is it, that such [...]iery spirits as these, have alwaies pr [...]ved apter for innovation than administration, for desolation than reformation; and dangerous to the State where they live.

330 Saving Grace and seeming Grace much resemble one another.

EXperience sheweth,Dan. Featly's Clavis mystica. Sic parvis componere magna. that Briflow and Cornish-stones, and many other [...]als Gems, have such a lustre in them, and so sparkle like true Jewells, that a cunning Lapidary, if he be not carefull, may be cheated with them. Such are the enlightning graces which shine in hypocrites, they so neerly resemble the true sanctifying and saving graces of the Elect, that the eye of spirituall wisdome it self may mistake them, if it be not single, Matth. 27. and look narrowly into them. Peter's true t [...]ars of repentance, may be taken for Esau's tears of discontent and revenge; Heb. 1 [...]. the temporary faith of Simon Magus may seem as good,Act. 8. as that of justi [...]ying faith in Zacheus; a seared conscience hardly to be discovered,Luk. 19. 11. 21. such as the possessed man had, from a secured conscience, Act. 24. such as St. Paul's was; a suddain exaltation of the spirit, such as the Iewes was,Joh. 5. from true joy in the holy Ghost,Psal. 4. 7. such as David's was.

Prosperity divides, affliction unites the hearts of Christians.331

[Page]

WE read in Scripture of the Manna that God gave his People,Jer. Borogh's Heart-divisions. such was the nature of it, that the heat of the Sun melted it. You will say, How could it then endure the heat of the Oven? for they baked it in the Oven; Sequitur fortunae lumina vulgus. Ovid. de Trist. yet so it was of a strange kinde of nature, that it could bear the heat of the Oven, and not the heat of the Sun. Even of such kind of temper are our hearts, the heat of the Sun of prosperity dissolves us, causes us to run one from another, to divide one from another; but the heat of the fiery furnace of affliction bakes us, brings us, and settles us together; it makes us to be one, it takes away our [...]awnesse [...], it consumes many of our ill humours, and so composes our spirits into one.

Newtrality in Religion, enmity of Religion.332

THe sons of God, Gen. 6. that is, those that did love God, fell in love with the daughters of men, B. Lake on Matth. 22. that is, their own lusts: What issue had they? Giants, [...], such as fought against God. The Samaritans worshipped both the God of Israel, and the Assyrians Idolls, Cruentas leges ore dictant, &c. and they were the most deadly enemies of Ierusalem. Never have you seen an Heretick, Ambros. orat. in Auxent. that is, a person that professeth partly the truth, and partly errour, but he turned a bloody persecutor of the Truth. And he that loveth God and the World, out of his love to the world, will do the greatest dishonour he can unto God. Luk. 16. 13. Two loves, if one be good, and the other bad, cannot stand together, No man can serve two Masters, (as Christ tells us) if he love the one, he will hate the other.

The direfull effects of War.333

PLiny in his Naturall history writeth,Lib. 8. cap. 21. Grotius de jure belli ac pacis Pa [...] optima rerum. Sil. Ital. that the nature of the Basilisk is, to kill all trees and shrubs it breathes upon, and to scorch and burn all herbs and grasse it passeth over. Such are the dismall effects of war; For, be the title never so clear, the cause never so just; yet the means are not without fire and sword, nor the end without horrour and bloodshed; Nulla salus bello, Peace therefore is to be preferred, so it be not with blemish of the Prince's honour, or prejudice of the publick good.

God accepts the will for the deed.334

A Pilot (as Quintilian observes) cannot be denyed his lawfull plea,Declamat. lib. 3 dum clavum rectum tenet, Though the Ship be cast away, he is not to make satisfaction, so long as he held the stern right,Dan. Featly's Sermons. and guided it by the compasse. In like manner, though our actions and good intentions miscarry in the event, we are not to be blamed, if we steered our course according to the Word of God; though the Bark be cast away,In magnis, & voluisse [...]at est. Propert. as St. Paul's was, yet the lives of all in it shall be safe. It is very true, that the Ship, even at the Port, may be driven back again, may meet with many brushes and Knocks, when it was thought to be most safe; the dearest child of God may be at the gates of death, so distracted, that not one word of sense or reason may appear; yet all, no doubt, is very well; it is the feaver that rageth, the disease that speaketh idly, not the party; and therefore, ut ante delirium, ita ad judicium, (said a learned man) God measureth our actions not by the obliquity of them, but by the rectitude of the heart, and will not lay them to our charge.

Not the assurance onely, but the joy of Salvation, gives content.335

IT is often day when the Sun doth not shine,B. Lake's Ser. on Psal. 51. and though thick clouds breathed from the aire, make a sad face of the sky, as if it were night, yet we cannot say, the Sun is gon down. This is many men's condition in the state of salvation, the Sun is with them, they are children of the day; yet have they no joy of their salvation, [Page] their Sun doth not shine, Laetitian [...] [...] Hie [...]onymas. Psal. 51. they have no clear day. Hence it is, that assurance of salvation will [...]ot content the soul, except it may have the joy of salvation also. This was that which made David cry out, Restore me to the joy of thy salvation.

336 To take heed whom we trust.

BUcholcerus gives a parcell of witty counsell to his friend Huebnerus, Melch, Adamus in vita. who being to go to Court, to teach the Prince Elector's children; at their parting, I will give you one pro [...]itable rule, Cave multos, [...] [...]ingulos non times. (saies he) that shall serve for all your whole life. He listning what if should be: I commened (saies he) unto you, the faith of the devills. At which H [...]b [...]erus wondring: Take heed (saies he) how you trust any at the Court, believe their Promises, Jer. Borogh's Heart diuisi [...]ns. bu [...] warily, with fear, &c. The like must we do, not believe all that is spokea, not confide in all that make a shew of friendship; there's abundance of outside love in the world, many complementall promises, but little or no performance at all.

337 The poysonous nature of Ambition.

AS poyson is of such force, Sr. Rob. Dallington's Aphorijms. that it corrupeth both blood and spirits, besieging, seizing, and infecting the heart with the venemous contagion thereof, quite altering the complexion and condition of the man, that hath drunk it; So the Pesti [...]erous desire of Soveraignty, Regnandi dira cupido, Quid non?. though it seize on a minde of milde and mansuete disposition, yet it is of such forceable operation, as it not onely altereth man's nature, but maketh man unnaturall.

338 How to recover spirituall sight.

THe Angel bad Tobias, Tob. 6. 8. to unbowell the fish, and to take out the gall, as being usefull in medicine, Dan. Feat [...]y's Clavis mystica. and a speciall means to recover his eye-sight. The story is Apocryphal, but the application is Canonicall, and agreeable to the doctrine of the inspired Scriptures. Sperne volupta [...]es. &c. If we unbowell worldly pleasures, and carnall delights, and take out the gall of them, Horat. Epist. 2. that is, seriously think upon the bitterness of them; the bitterness which they leave behinde them, it will prove a soveraigne remedy against our spirituali blind [...]ess.

339 The Minister's repetition in Sermons warrantable.

AS Moses added a Deuteronomy to the former books of the Law, B. Lake. on Exod. 19. though he repeated but the same things:Decies repetita placebunt. And the Evangelists added Gospell upon Gospell, of the [...] argument: And the Apostles added Epistles to Epistles, not much varying [...]heir doctrine: So it must not grieve the Minister to write and speak the same things to the people, and for them it is a sure thing, as the Apostle teacheth.

340 Windy Knowledge and windy doctrine to together.

AS extream windy stomacks do not only hinder digestion, Joh. Yates Arraignment of Creature. by interposition with the wholsome meat, & relaxation of the mouth of the stomack, which ought to shut it self so close about the meat, that not so much as the least vacuity may be left; but also either by ill digestion, fills the body with crudities, obstructions, and consequently putrefactions; or else, because wind is so stirring, make ejaculation, and a suddain regurgitation of all that is received. Scientia inflat. So in like manner, windy knowledge above wholsome sabriety, 1. Cor. 8. 5. makes such an interposition and relaxation of the mind, that it cannot disgest wholsome doctrine,Verascientia aficit non extollit. Greg. lib. 3. Mora. but fills it self with all manner of raw humours, and unstable opinions, which breed such obstructions in the mind, that presently It falls into divers sicknesses, and can keep nothing that is good and savoury; but presently being received, by the pride and self-conceit that it hath in it self, casts it up again, and so by a continuall casting, breeds that weaknesse, that so much I [...]aven of evill doctrine is soaked into the very filmes of the Soul, that it breeds that [Page] disease, which Physicians call Corruptio ad acciditatem, which sets an eager and sharp appetite in the minde, that it hungers continually to be sed with new opinions, and so at length, rottennesse and putrefaction is bred therein, and consequently death and destruction.

God is to have the glory of all things.341

AS bright shining and golden vessells, Ioh. Downham's Christ. warfare. do not retain, do not engrosse the beams of the Sun, [...]. which they receive, but return them back, and double them by reflection: Thus the sons of Men, having from the Sun of Righteousnesse the bright beams of his grace and vertue, not onely to warm their hearts, but also to shine out in their words and actions, are to reflect them back again, with all praise and glory [...]ue unto them, seeing that from him alone they have received them.

Not to be reconciled to God before we sleep, very dangerous.342

THat man which dares go to bed with a conscience, B. Lak's Ser on Luk. 3. charged with the guilt of one enormous sin, is much more desperate, then he that dares lye unarmed, with seven armed men, that are his deadly foes; for, a sinner is lesse sure of his life than the other. What a sad thing is it to sleep securely on the brink of Hell? to go to bed drunk over night, and find himself awake in hell the next morning. He t [...]at inures not himself daily to reconcile himself unto God, makes a com [...]ortlesse end for the most part, and is snatched hence, before he hath a thought of making his peace with his Maker.

No such thing as Independency in this life.343

TRimethius, In vita Occami. in his catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers, mentioneth what Occam, Auxilium ab omnibus petendum est▪ etiam ab infimis. Salust. the famous Schoolman, said upon occasion unto Lewis the Emperour, Domine Imperator, Rom. 12. 19. desende me gladio, & ego te defendam calamo; here was the Emperour's sword, and Occam's pen standing in need of one another. This shewes, there is no man absolutely independent in this world, nor ever shall be, so long as he hath any dependency here below. The head cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee. The Master cannot be without his Man, nor the Landlord without his Tenants, nor the King without his Subjects. He that taketh place before all in some things, must be content to give place, and come behind others in some things else.

The remembrance of sins past, the onely way to prevent sins to come.344

IN the Country of Arabia, Plinii hist. nat. lib. 12. cap. 27. where almost all Trees are savoury, and Frankincense and Myrrhe are even as common fire-wood; Styrax is sold at a dear rate, though it be a wood of unpleasant smell: because experience proveth it to be a present remedy to recover their smell, Dan. Featly's [...]lavis mystica. who before had lost it. We all of us have lived in the pleasures of sin, have our senses stuffed, and debilitated, if not overcome; and the best remedy against this malady, will be the smelling to Styrax, the unsavoury and unpleasing smell of our former corruptions; thus David's sin was ever before him, and St. Augustine (as P [...]ssidonius noteth) a little before his death, Psal. 51▪ caused the peniten [...]iall Psalmes to be written about his bed, which he still looking upon, out of a [...]itter remembrance of his sins, continually wept, giving not over long before the dyed. This practise will work repentance not to be repented of.

The not returning thanks unto God for grace received, is the ready way to be gracelesse.345

RIvers receiving their fulnesse from the Ocean, Ioh. Downham's Christwar fare. pay their tribute, by returning their streams unto it back again, which homage, if they should deny to yield, their swelling waters would bear down their own banks, and drown the Country. [Page] So we receiving from the in [...]inite Ocean of all goodnesse, whatsoever fulnesse we have of grace and vertue, Quid babes quod [...]on accepisi [...]?. the praises and glory due unto them, are, by humble acknowledgment and thanksgiving, to return to him that gave them. But if we shall was unthankfull, and refuse to pay the tribute due, and shew our rebellion against our great Lord, by encroaching upon his right, thinking to grow rich by robbing of him, and keeping of all to our own use; These gifts thus retained, will make us but to swel with pride, and breaking down the banks of modesty and humility, will not onely empty us of all grace and goodnesse, but make all our good parts we have hurtfull and pernicious. And thus it is, that the not giving unto God that which is God's, the not returning praise to God for grace received, is the ready way to be graceless.

346 Crosses and afflictions, not to be sleighted.

TAcitus reporteth, that though the Amber-Ring amongst the Romans were of no use, In lib. Animal. nor any value, yet after the Emperour had began to wear it, it began to be in great esteem, it was the onely fashion amongst them. So (me-thinks) sith our Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus hath born his cross, Dan. Featly's Clavis mystica. and was born upon it, we should make better reckoning of crosses, than many of us do. How nice and tenderly have many of us been brought up, that we can hardly endure to see the sight of our sweet Saviour's Crosse? We stick to sip of that cup, which was holy David's dyet-drink, and Iob and Ieremy took it all off. Are we better than these holy men? nay,Be [...]nard de Passione. are we too good to pledge our Saviour, in the cup of his Passion? Nos suspiramus in cruciatibus, ille expiravit in cruce, Do we breathe out some sighes in our cr [...]sses? he sighed out his last breath in torments upon the Crosse. It certainly then behoveth every Christian, to take up his Crosse, and follow him.

347 In death, there is no difference of persons.

AS in Chesse-play, so long as the game is in playing, all the men stand in their order, and are respected according to their places; House of mourning. first, the King, then the Queen, then the Bishops, after them the Knights, and last of all the common Souldiers: But when once the game is ended, and the table taken away, then they are all confusedly [...] into a bag, and haply the King is lowest, and the pawn upmost. Even so it is with us in this life, the World is a huge Theatre or Stage, wherein some play the parts of Kings, others of Bishops, some Lords, many Knights, other Ye [...]men. But when the Lor [...] shall come with his Angells to judge the World, all are alike, no difference betwixt the King and the Peasant, Omnia mors aequat. Claudian. the Courtier and the Clown; and if great men and mean persons, are in the same sin, pares culpae, pares poenae, they shall be sharers in the same punishment.

348 Every man to follow his own Trade.

IT is observable,Fran. Godwin de Praesulibus Angliae. what answer Robert Grosthead, Bishop of Lincoln, gave unto one that solicited him on the behalf of a poor Kinsman of his,Tractent fabrilia fabri. that he would prefer him; but being in [...]ormed, that he was an Husbandman; Then (said he) if his Plow be broken, I will repair it, or, rather than fail, bestow a new one upon him, whereby he may go on his course; but to dignifie him, as to make him forsake his Calling and Trade, wherein he was brought up, I mean not to do. And indeed, when the members of the body are out of their proper places, what readinesse is in them to do any work or service? So when a man is out of his own calling, in any society, it is as if a member were out of joynt in the body,Sr. Geo. Paule in vita Whitegifti. Cant. there is no pleasure in it: Every man is to be suited to his Genius too, to be planted according to the naturall bent of his mind: For a man to make his son a Tradesman, if he be fit for Learning, or to apply him to Learning, when he is cut out for a Tradesman, to send him to the Court, when he is fitter for the Cart; this is as much, as if he should apply his toes to feeling, and not his fingers; and should walk on his hands, and not on his [...]eet, which is never like to do well in the conclusion.

God the proper Agent in all things.349

[Page]

THe Scribe is more properly said to write then the pen; And he that maketh and keepeth the clock, is more properly said to make it go and strike, then the wheels and peyzes that hang upon it;Joh. Down. Christ Warfare. and every work-man to effect his work rather then the tools which he useth as his Instruments: So the Lord, who is the chief agent and mover in all actions, may more fitly and properly be said to effect and bring to passe all things which are done in the Earth then any inferior or subordinate causes, as meat to nourish us, cloaths to keep us warm, the Sun to lighten us, friends to provide for us, &c. seeing they are but his tools, and Instruments, but as they are ruled, and guided by the power and providence of so heavenly a Workman.

Afflictions, crosses, &c. a surer way to Heaven then pleasures 350

PAssengers that have been told that their way to such a place lyeth over a steep Hill, Alphons. ab Avendano Com. in Ps. 119. or down a craggy Rock, or through a moorish Fen, or dirty Vale; if they suddenly fall into some pleasant Meadow enameld with beautiful flowers, or a goodly corn-field, or a fair Champion Country, look about them, and bethinking, themselves where they are, say, Surely we are come out of the way, we see no Hills, nor Rocks, nor Moors, nor Fens, this is too good to be the right way: So in the course of our life, which is but a Pilgrimage on Earth, when we passe through Fields of Corn, or Gardens of Flowers, and enjoy all worldly pleasures, and contentments; when the wind sits in such a corner as blows Riches, honours, and preferments upon us, let us then cast with our selves,Acts 14. 22. Surely, this is not the way the Scripture directeth us unto, here are not the Temptations, not the Tribulations that we must passe through; We see little or no footing of the Saints of God in this Road, but onely the print of Dives feet, some where we have mist our way, let us search and find where we went out of it; It is very true that God hath the blessings of this life, and that which is to come in store for his children; Hac itur ad astra. when he seeth it good for them, they may go to Heaven this way; but certainly, afflictions and troubles are surer Arguments of God's love, and a readier way to Heaven then the other.

Desperate Devils.351

AS a forlorn desperate Rebel out of all hope of pardon, standeth upon his guard, raiseth a Faction, John Boys Postills. and maintains a party against his Soveraign Lord and Master: So the Devil, past all grace and goodness, in despight of God, laboureth to set up a Kingdom of his own, the Kingdom of darkness against the Kingdom of light, the Kingdome of Antichrist against the Kingdom of Christ, he knows himself to be damned already, and therefore thinks himself most happy when he can make another unhappy.

Forgetfulness of injuries commendable.352

THemistocles, when a famous Artist undertook to teach him the Art of Memory, made answer,Plutarch Apohth. Mallem oblivisci doceres, I had rather thou wouldst read some Lectures of Oblivion to me,Sir George Paule in vita Whitegifti▪ Cant. that thou wouldst teach me to forget, for I remember many things too wel. This is just our case, O for a blessed Amnestia to forgive and forget wrongs done unto us! were our memories as strong as our sins, were we as retentive of God's favours, as we are of injuries which affront us, there would be no need at all to scrub up our memories, but rather an Act of Oblivion to suppress our passion, tha [...] works too strongly upon the least apprehension of a wrong though but intended.

353 How God is said to be angry with his children.

[Page]

AS children with their faults provoke their Parents to anger, J. Downham's Christ. Warfare. and move them to turn their fatherly smiles into bitter frowns, and the fruits of their love into effects of hatred in outward show, as namely, severe countenances, sharp reproofs, and rigorous chastisements, and in respect of these outward signs and effects of their anger, they are usually said to be out of favour, and in their father's displeasure; however in truth at the same time, they entirely love them, and use all this wholsom severity, not because they hate, but because they would reform them. So Gods children, when by their sins they do offend him, and provoke his anger against them, are said to be out of his favour, not that God doth ever change his Heavenly affection, or purposeth utterly to reject them, but because he changeth the effects of his love, into the effects of hatred in outward shew; as when inwardly he suffereth them to be terrified with horrors of conscience, and with the apprehension of his anger and displeasure, and outwardly whipp [...]th and scourgeth them with temporary afflictions, all which he doth not with hatred to their persons, for he never hateth them whom he hath once loved in Christ; but for the hatred of their sins, and love of them sinner, whom by this means he bringeth by the r [...]ugh and unpleasant way of Repentance, unto the eternal pleasure of his Kingdom.

354 The very thoughts of former pleasures, adde to present sorrows.

THe Souldiers of Hannibal were much effeminated by the pleasures they had at Capua, Hieron. Epist. ad H [...]liodorum. infomuch that Corpus assuetum [...]unicis, loricae onus non fert, &c. their bodies being used to soft raiment, Seneca de tranquil. animi. cannot bear the weight of an Helmet; the head wrap'd in silk night-caps, cannot endure an iron head-peece; and the hard hilt hurteth the soft hand: Dan. Featly Sermons. Sound trees are not blown down with the wind, but the root rather fastned thereby; but corrupt trees, eaten with worms, engendred of superfluous moisture, are therefore thrown down by the least blast, because they had no strength to resist. Res adversae non frangunt, quos prosperae non corruperunt, The cause of our so great distemper, in our afflictions, we owe to the delights of our prosperity; Why else do l [...]sses of goods so vex us, but because we trust in uncertain Riches? Why is disgrace a Courtiers hell, but because he deemed the favour of his Prince, and places of honourable employment, his Heaven? Thus it is, that the very thoughts of our former pleasures, adde to present sorrows, Miserum est fuisse, there's the grief; We are therefore astonished at our fall, Psal. 30. 6. because with David in the heighth of our worldly felicity, we said, we shall never be moved.

355 Prayers to be made for all Men.

PHilo the Iew, J. Plantavit [...]i Florid. Rabbin. discoursing of Aarons Ephod, which he put on when he went to pray, saith, it was [...], A representation of the whole World, having in it all colours to represent the conditions of all States, of all People whatsoever: This was Aarons practice; J. White Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. 1616. and, to speak truth, we erre more grossely in nothing than in bearing malice, and wiping mens names and conditions out of our prayers, as if our private affections were the Kalender of every mans salvation, when no man can rent himself from his brother, but he must rent himself from Christ, who is the root whereon, he and his brother both do grow together.

356 The Prayers of sin-regarding sinners are not heard of God.

THere is no Man in his right wits would come as a Suiter to his Prince, Joh. Down. Christ. Warfare. and bring his accuser with him,Quae non missa Deo vacuis in nubibus haerent. Aus on. who is ready to testifie and prove to his face his Treason and Rebellion; much less would any present himself before so great a Majesty to make petition for some benefit after he had killed his Soveraign's onely Son and Heir, having still in his hand the bloody weapon wherewith he committed that [Page] horrid act; There is no Adulteress so shamelesly impudent, as to desire pardon of her jealous husband, having her lover still in her arms, with whom she hath often had wanton dalliance in times past, and is resolved to have the like for the time to come; If any be so mad, so shameless to make suits in this odious manner, they are sure to be repulsed, and find wrath and vengeance where they look for grace and mercy; But thus do they behave themselves towards God, who remaining polluted with their sins, do offer up their prayers unto him; for they bring their accussers, even their defiled consciences, and crying sins, which continually accuse and condemn them, and call for that due judgement, and punishment which they have deserved▪ They bring the weapon into God's presence (even their sins) whereby they have crucified and slain the onely Son of God, and they present themselves into God's presence to sue for grace, embracing still with ardent affection, the World and worldly vanities, with whom they have often committed spir [...]tual whoredom, with a purpose to continue still in their former uncleanness. And therefore let not such fondly imagine that God will hear them, and grant their suits, but rather expect in his terrible wrath he will take vengeance on them, and turn their temporary afflictions into hellish torments and everlasting punishments.

Temporal pleasures, a great hinderance to spiritual joys.357

ARistotle maketh mention of a parcel of ground in Sicily, that sends forth such a strong smell of fragrant flowers to all the fields and le [...]zows thereabout,Ja [...]o. Acontii Stra [...]agem. that no Hound can hunt there; the scent Satanae. is so confounded with the smell of those flowers: O amotores mundi, nybdum cujus rei gratia militatis▪ &c. It is a thing considerable in this licentious age of ours, whether the sweet pleasures, and profits of the world, have not wrought the like effect in our souls, whether they have not taken away all scent and sence too, of heavenly joyes; whether they hinder us not in our spiritual chase; Aug. lib. con [...]es. if not, we may take the greater joy and comfort in them, because it is an Argument of true happiness, not to be overcome of earthly delights, not to be corrupted with temporal happiness.

A Drunkard hardly to be reclaimed.358

A Gentleman hearing that his Son at University was given to dicing, J. Boys Works answered, That want of money would happily make him leave that fault: Afterward underderstanding, that he was given to whoring, —In lu [...]em semper Acerra [...]ibit. said, That either Marriage or old age would one day cure that folly; Mar [...]ial lib. 1. Ep. 29. But when he was informed of his Wine- [...]ibbing, Out upon the Villain (saith the Father) I will surely disinherit him, for that fault will encrease with his years; A Gamester will continue so, long as his purse lasts; and Adulterer, so long as his loyns last; but a Drunkard, so long as his lungs and his life last.

Riches without grace yield no true comfort.359

AT a Funeral dinner there are many guests, J. White ut a [...]ted. and great cheer, but all a mort, no mirth, because he is dead that should make it; So in the state of Riches, there are many friends but little true comfort, there is great plenty, and much abundance of outward things, but no security of mind, if they be not well used; And why? because that is wanting that should give it, the hope of salva [...]ion, and assurance of the world to come.

Submission to the wisdom of God as concerning outward worldly things.360

LOok upon a child, he taketh no care for himself, but resteth contented with that provision and allowance which his loving Father allotteth to him,Joh. Down. Christ. Warfare. because he knoweth that his Fathers discretion exceedeth his; and if being sick, we be content to receive upon the Physitians bare word, not onely those things which we affect, but even bitter p [...]lls, and unpleasing potions, which we loath and abhor, because we know his skill exceeding ours, he is much better able to direct us for the recovery [Page] of our health: Then how much rather should we lay aside care, and relie upon the allowance of our heavenly Father? How much rather should we trust this spiritual Physitian, Magna petis Phaeton▪ &c. whose skill faithfulness never failed? We in our foolish appetite desire worldly honours,Ovid. Met. lib. 2. but he in his wisdom denyeth them, because he knoweth they are but windly meats, which would not nourish our souls, but puffe us up with pride; vve affect worldly Riches, but he with-boldeth them, because he well seeth they would be a means to make us poor in grace; We doat upon carnal pleasures, but he keepeth them from us, because he knoweth our liquorish and greedy appetite would easily surfet of them, and so lose our spiritual strength and health, if not our bodily also; And therefore why should not we be contented to want those things, which if they would not bring more hurt then good, more losse then profit, our heavenly Father, and wise Physitian, would not have denyed them to us.

361 Magistrates and Ministers not to be too forward for dignity, preferment, &c.

IAcob saw in his Vision,Gen. 32. Angels ascending upon a ladder to Heaven; What? Angels got by steps into Heaven? One would think,Dan. Featly Clavis mystica. that being spirits, they might easily mount thither and back again in an instant; Surely, it is not without a mysterie, shewing that Magistrates and Ministers, who are in the Scripture styled Angels, are not suddenly to leap, or hastily to climbe up to places of preferment, but ascend by degrees when God setteth a ladder for them to go up by.

362 True Grace is diffusive.

THose that are planted in the Church, must not conceal the Grace they have received, no more then a Tree doth his sap: Laurent. Scalabonii moral. in passionem Christi. We glory in the discovery of rich metals and pretious stones, which Nature hath buried in the Sea; We suffer nothing of this great World to lie hid, we labour to bring it forth, to behold, to shew it; So should we deal with the gifts and graces of the spirit, Bonum sui diffusivum. which God hath treasured up in this little world of ours; True grace is diffusive, no Tree can more strive to send forth fruit, then it will to shew it self in good works.

363 True Grace is accompanied with humility.

THe wisest of all the Philosophers made this profession, Hoc scio, quod nibil scio, This I know, that I know nothing; Origen, the learnedst of all the Greek Fathers, made this Confession, Ignorantiam meam non ignoro, I am not ignorant of my own ignorance; And the most judicious of all the Latine, was the humblest: for in his heat of contention with Hierom, he acknowledgeth him his better, Hyeronymus Presbyter, Jos. Shute Serm. at a visitat. in St. Laur. Jury, Lond. 1629. Augustino Episcopo major est, Though the dignity of a Bishop exceed that of a Priest, Psal. 131. yet Priest-Ierome is a greater, than Bishop-Augustine; David, the best of a Kings was freest from pride, Lord (saith he) I am not high minded. Theodosius, the noblest of all the Roman Emperors, his Motto was, Malo membrum esse Ecclesiae quàm caput Imperii, It was greater honour to him to be a member of the Church, then the head of the Empire, and Paul, though nothing inferior to the chief of the Apostles, yet was least in his own eyes. Thus it was, that like the Sun in the Zenith they shewed least, 1. Cor. 15. when they were at the highest; like vessels, they made the least sound when they were fullest; Esto parvus in oculis tuis ut sis magnus in oculis Dei. or like the deepest waters, they ran most silent: In the weighing of gold, the lightest pieces rise up, but the weighty bear down the scale; And surely they are but light that are liften up with a self-conceit, but shallow waters, that make a noise; but empty vessels, that make a sound: And such are all they that are wise in their own conceits, Isidor. in Synonym. such as think they can dispute de omni scibili, that they move in a circle of knowledge, when as (God wot) they know little or nothing at all.

Riches are snares.364

[Page]

IT is written of one of Euripides's Tragedies, that it was so acted by the Players, that it made such an impression in the beholders, that they went all home in a Phrensie, J. White Serm. at St. Pauls. Lond. 1616. in a strange passion, pronouncing Iambicks, and grew into such a vein of Tragedy-playing, pacing and acting in the streets as they went, with the lovely words of Perse [...]s to his [...], that it was long ere this [...] could be swaged again:Aurum materia laborum; periculum possidentium, &c. This Tragedy made the Spectators no madder, than in our times we have seen worldly greatness and Riches do to many men; who have gone to the Theater sober enough;Aug▪ de verb. Do [...]. but when Wealth, and Riches, and greatness, and places of preserments have presented themselves on the stage unto them, and with their lovely aspect a little enchanted them, there hath been nothing with them but madness and presumption.

Worldly things dispensed by God in Wisdom.365

THere is no wise Physitian gives the same Physick to all Patients, or in the same proportion, John Down. Christ. Warfare. but he fitteth it in quantity and quality to every ones need, giving to one a pill to purge him, to another a Cordial to restore him; one must be lanched, another must be healed; one must have sauce to quicken his appetite, another must fast it out, and be cured by abstinence: And thus the Lord in wisdom dealeth with the sons of men, he giveth that allowance to every one which he knows most requisite for them, respecting the persons of none, but doing good unto all, as their state and condition doth require;Non omnis fert omnia [...]llus. One man is bettered by liberty, another by restraint; One being ingenuous by Nature, is made better by benefits, another of a more [...]ervile disposition becomes worse, and is onely mended with threats and punishments; One man is fit to be rich, another to be poor; One for the Court, another for the Cart; Thus every one hath his portion, every one his station allotted by God in his wisdom and goodness.

The sinners estate, miserable.366

WHen we see beggars, B. Lake Serm. on Psalm 51. Lazar [...], one without limbes, another so sick, that he seems to be without life; One even starved with hunger, another bereft of his senses; when we see men any wayes afflicted, we pitty them, and confess them to be miserable: But, ô si adspici possint laniatus! had we but eyes to see the spiritual wounds and sores, the wants and the woes of Adulterers, Drunkards, Murtherers, Blasphemers, or any other wicked livers, we would conclude them to be much more miserable then any others whatsoever.

Relapses in sin, dangerous.367

WE find in Scripture many desperately sick, Alphons. ab. Avendano Com. in Matth. yet cured the first time by our Saviour, but where do we read in all the Scripture, where in all the Gospel, of any blind mans eyes, twice [...]? of any deaf ears twice opened? of any tyed tongue twice loosened, of any possessed with devils twice dispossessed? of any dead twice raised? No doubt but that Christ could have done it, but we read not that ever he did it; the reason, that we should be most [...]areful to avoid relapses into former sins,Heb. 6. 4. the recovery whereof is very uncertain, alwayes difficult, and in some cases, (as the Apostle teacheth) impossible.

Scripture-knowledge, the onely necessary knowledge.368

THe Philosopher being asked, What was the cause that Philosophers attended at the gates of Rich men, Joh. Weemse Pourtraiture. and rich men attended not at the gates of Philosophers? He answered, because Philosophers knew what they stood in need of, but the Rich knew not [Page]that they had need of Philosophy. So, did but men know how much they stood in need of spiritual knowledge to lead them to their Creator,Om [...]em scientiam a [...] (que) doctrinam sacra Scrip [...]ra transcendit. Greg. in moral. they would tread oftner upon the threshold of the Sanctuary, they would be more diligent in searching the Scriptures; more laborious, digging as it were for silver; and they would be more chary too of those Earthen vessels, by which such excellent treasure is conveyed to them.

369 Pleasures of the World, counterfeit Pleasures.

IT is observed by the Mythologists, that Pleasure went on occasion to bath her self,Mr. Alsop Serm. at. St. Clem. Lond. 1649. and having strip'd off her cloaths, laid them on the water-side; but Sorrow having hid her self in the covert as unseen, steals the cloaths away, puts them on, and so departs; Hence it comes to pass, that Multitudes in the World are at a great loss, they run and ride, court, and woo Pleasure; which they have no sooner obtained, but they perceive their error, and acknowledge their mistake: It is nothing else but Sorrow in Pleasures cloaths, the pleasures of the world are bitter-sweets at the best;—Nulla est sincera voluptas. God onely is true happiness, fons & origo boni, at his right hand are true pleasures for evermore.

370 God's Husbandry.

GOd is compar'd to an Husband-man, all the World is his Farm: now you know that a good Farmer that hath any parcels of ground overgrown with bryers and thorns, B. Lake Serm. o [...] Psalm [...]1. taketh great comfort to see them grubbed up, and the ground made good pasture or arable. Even so God, who would have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of his truth, is well pleased with those that are instruments thereof, such as plow up the fallow ground of their hearts, such as fit them to receive the [...]eed of the Word, and they can never please him better then when they are employed in such husbandry.

371 Heresies and moral vices to be timely avoided.

ST. Augustine had woful experience (as himself confesseth) of his many years sticking in the heresie of the Manichees, Confess. lib. 3. cap. 11. and thence was that complaint of his; Had I but (saith he) slip't onely into the error of the Manichees, and soon got out, my case had been less fearful and dangerous; but novem fermè anni sunt quibus ego in illo limo, &c. God knows, that almost for nine years I wallowed in that mud; the more I strived to get out, the faster I stuck in: Heresies and moral vices are like quagmires, we may slightly pass over them without any danger, but the longer we stand upon them,Dan. Featlie's Serm. the deeper we sink, and if we be not drowned over head and ears in them, yet we scape not without much mire and dirt; If then we cannot be so happy as to keep out of the walk of the ungodly, yet let us be sure not to stand in the way of finners, muchless sit in the seat of the scornful; Psalm 1. if we cannot be so clean as we desire, at least let us not with Moab settle upon the lees of our corruption.

372 Custom in sin, makes content in sin.

WHen Ulysses in his travels had left his men with Circe that Witch, she changed them all into divers sorts of beasts; Momerus. as into Dogs, Swine, Lions, Bears, Elephants, &c. Ulysses when he returned, complained that Circe had done him wrong in turning his Men into beasts; Circe replyed, that the benefit of speech was left unto them all, and so he might demand of them, whether they would be changed into men again:John Weem [...]e Pourtraiture. He began first with the Hog, and demanded of him whether he would be a Man again or not; he answered, that he was more contented with that sort of life then ever he was before; for when he was a Man he was troubled with a thousand cares, and one crosse came in the neck of another, and one grief followed another; but now he had no care but to fill his belly, and so lyedown[Page]and sleep: And so he demanded of all the rest, but they refused to turn Men again,—Laqueo tenet ambitios [...] Consuetudo mali. until he came to the Elephant, who in his first estate had been a Philosopher; He demanded of him whether he would be a Man again;Juvenal. Sat. 7 yea, that he would with all his heart, because he knew what was the difference betwixt a Man and a Beast: Thus beastly Creatures, given over to their sensual appetites, transformed and changed by Sathan into beasts, in their hearts they desire never to return to a better state, but to live still in their swinish pleasures, and to follow their sinful appetites: But those who have the spirit of grace in their hearts, and are fallen into some hainous sin, having tasted of both the estates, like the Elephant, they cannot be quiet till they are at their first estate again.

Repentance is to be universal.373

THere is a story of a devout man, who had amongst many other vertues, the gift of healing, unto whom divers made resort for cure, amongst the rest one Chromatius being sick,Specul. Exempl. sent for him; being come, he told him of his sickness, and desired that he might have the benefit of cure as others had before him; I cannot do it (said the holy man) till thou hast beaten all the Idols and Images in thy house to pieces. O that shall be done, said Chromatius, Here, take my keys, and where you find any Images, let them be defaced; which was done accordingly. To prayer went the holy man, but no cure was done; O (saith he) I am as sick as ever, very weak and sick; It cannot be otherwise (replyed the holy man) nor can I help it; there is one Idol yet in your house undiscovered, and that must be defaced too; True, (saies Chromatius) It is so indeed, it is all of beaten gold, it cost 200l. I would fain have saved it, but here take my keys again, you shall find it fast locked in my Chest, break it also in pieces; which being done,Mr. Alsop Serm. at. St. Clem. Lond. 1640. the holy man prayed, and Chromatius was healed; Thus ends the story, but here begins the moral of it. The case is ours, we are all of us spiritually sick, full of wounds and putrified sores; the spiritual Physitian tells us, that if we look for any amendment, it must be by the amendment of our lives, he prescribes Repentance of our sins, that we are willing to do in part, but not in whole, we would fain keep one Dalilah, one darling beloved sin, but it must not be, there must not be one sin unrepented of, we must repent as well for our Achans as our Absolons; our Rimmons as our Mammons; our Davids as our Goliahs; our covert as well as open sins; our loved as loathed lusts, our heart-abominations as well as loathed scandals; our babe-iniquities as well as Gyant-provocations; Our Repentance must be universal.

In the loving our Neighbour, we love God.374

LIght is the onely Object of our eye, for our eye was made to see the light; but light is not onely in the body of the Sun, B. Lake Serm. on Mat. ch. 22. or Moon, or Stars, but by beams it doth insinuate it self into all these lower Creatures, and presents it self in that great variety of colours wherewith this lower World is beautified; In seeing them we see the light, and delighting in them, we take pleasure in the light, from whom they have their gracefulness: Even so God is the proper Object of our love, and his goodness must draw our abilities unto it,Per amorem Dei gignitur amor proximi, &c. and it is able to satisfie them to the full, though they to the full can never possibly apprehend it; Greg. moral. 7. So that out of the nature of God, we need not seek for any other Object of our love: But because God is pleased to communicate himself unto his Creatures, and frame the reasonable part of them according to his image, he would have our love to attend this communicating of himself, and be bestowed on them whom he doth so grace; And this our so loving of others, our neighbours, our selves, detracts nothing from that All which is due to God, because we do it by his direction, and our love doth still reflect upon him, and in loving them, we love and admire him also.

375 A Graceless sinner will continue to be a sinner still.

[Page]

THe Scolopendra, Plinii hist. nat. lib. 9. cap. 43. having devoured the bait, when she feeleth the hook to prick her, casteth up all that is in her belly, till she have got up the hook, but as soon as that is out of her bowels, she suppeth all that up which before she had cast from her: How excellently hath Nature in the property of this fish set before our eyes the sad condition of a graceless sinner? who after he hath devoured Sathan's morsels,Dan Featlie's Sermons. feeling the hook of his conscience, and being pricked with some remorse, rids the stomach of his soul by confession, and never leaveth fasting, and praying, and sighing, and sobbing, till the hook be out, and the wound of conscience healed with the balm of Gilead, but that being done, resorbet interiora omnia, he returneth to his former vomit, and greedily gourmandizeth the bait which before he had vomited up; being void of true grace, he resolves to be a sinner still.

376 Gods blessing upon the means doth all.

A Man is in a deep consumption, he adviseth with the Physitian; the Physitian bids him take so much water and heat it,Joh. Weemse Pourtrait. then take such and such hearbs and put in it, and make a decoction thereof: The Patient taketh water, and drinketh it, but he leaveth out the hearbs, and dyeth of the Consumption: Thus the blessing of God in the use of means, whether it be in Physick, or in meat and drink, or in any transactions of men whatsoever, is like the hearbs to be put into the water; if it be left out, Deut. 28. all's in vain; this is that staffe of bread. All the power to nourish and feed cometh immediately from God alone. Mat. 4. 4.

377 Condescension is the great Mans glory.

OUr English Chronicle hath a notable passage between the King of England and the King of Wales, Sir Richard Baker Collect. of hist. Eng. who after a hot dispute by the sword, appointed a Treaty of peace at the River of Severn; after some discourse inclining to a Reconciliation, the Competitors for Soveraignty became Corrivals in humility: The English King forced his horse into the River to offer his first embraces unto his Brother of Wales; The Welch blood being overcome with this admired condescension, he lighted from his horse, and swam the stream to meet his Corrival, with these words,Tho. Fathers Serm. at West. 1646. Vicit humanitas tua in justitiam meam, Rex invictissime, thy goodness hath overcome me: Surely, it is the glory of man to pass by offences. In great men it is the greatest glory, and it will one day be found the choicest Diamond in the Diadem of greatness, to manage power by a self-denying spirit of meekness and humility; and that if he must needs shoot at his brother, as who can alwayes shun the occasion? to shoot as Ionathan did at David, Dan. Tutevile essays. either short or gone, that wheresoever he hits, he may not hurt, because he may not seem to cut off the hope of Reconcilement, or build his safety on the neck of his Brother ruine.

378 A true Christian is to be a true picture of Christ.

IF a man profess himself to be a Painter, and take upon him to make the picture of a King, and mishapen him, doth he not deserve just blame? yes surely, for he occasioneth strangers to think meanly of the King's person, because of his ill-favoured pourtraiture:B. Lake Serm. on Exod. 19. Thus Christianity is nothing else but an imitation of the divine nature, a reducing of a mans self to the Image of God, in which he was created to righteousness and true holiness; Then, shall a Christian escape punishment, whose life is to be a visible Representation of Christ; if Infidels, and Enemies of all goodness blaspheme him while they judge of him according to his counterfeit? He shall not;I Cor. 2. 5. wherefore faciamus de terra coelum (saith St. Chrysostom) Let us represent Heaven in Earth, Mat. 5. 16. so live, that men may say, God is in us of a truth, and our light so shine before men, here on earth, that they may glorifie God which is in Heaven.

The Temporizer described.379

[Page]

THe cunning Artizan in Macrobius, about the time of the civil War between Anthony and Augustus Ceasar, had two Crows, and with great labour and industry he taught one of them to say, Salve Antoni Imperator, God save Emperor Anthony; J. White Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. 1616. and the other, Salve Auguste Imperator, All hayl my Liege Augustus, so that however the world went he had alwaies one bird for the Conqueror; So the Romanists, if the reformed Religion prevail, their bird's note is, Ave Christe, spes unica, but if Popery be like to get the uppeer hand, they have a bird then that can sing, Ave Maria, Regina coeli. And there is a double-faced Ianus-like generation that as occasion serves can sing, Vive le Roy, and at another time that which is clean contrary; their opinions and their tenents like the antient Tragedian buskin indifferently fitting either foot, passable as well at Rome as Geneva; As the Hel otropium turneth alwayes to the Sun, so their opinions and practice in matters of Religion to the prevailing faction in State.

Afflictions to be looked on as coming from God onely.380

A Man when he would drink of the water of the River, he drinketh not of it neer the Sea where it is brackish, Mr. Goddard Serm. at St. Greg. Lond. 1649. but he goes up to the Fountain where it is sweet and pleasant. So if we will ever find comfort in our afflictions, we must learn to take them out of Gods hand, to pass by the Instrument, and look up to the Agent; for in the second causes we shall find much malice and hatred, Job. 1. 21. but in God much mercy and goodness; 2 Sam. 16. and thus did Iob when the Chaldeans robbed him; thus David when Shimei cursed him;Gen. 45. 8. thus Ioseph when his Brethren maligned him; and thus that Kingly picture of patience when he was even worried to death by his own enraged People. Car. R. 1.

Ceremonials and Circumstantials of Religion, not to be much contended for.381

TVlly in the first book of his Offices, hath a story how the Nolans and the Neopolitans had a controversie about a piece of ground which lay between their several Countries, and Fabius Leo being invited to determine the difference, gave unto them the exterior limits of the ground adjoyning to their respective Countries,Mr. Fathers Serm. at West. 1646. and reserved for the State of Rome all the land which lay in the midst betwixt the two confines. And let us be well advised, that whilst with the dog in the Fable we s [...]ap at the shadow we lose not the substance; whilst we do most unhappily contend about the confines, the very outsides of our liberties and priviledges, about ceremonies and circumstances of Religion, our good friends of Rome do not come in and give us as much sensual liberty as we can desire, but take away from us also the saving truths of the Gospel, and that purity of Ordinances, and Administrations which lye betwixt us in medio, on both sides so much contended for.

Why God delivered the Law with such Majestick ceremonies.382

MOrtal Princes come not to great assemblies, B. Lake Serm. on. Exod 19. as to Parliament, to the throne of Iudgement, to the ratifying of Leagues, but [...] with a great deal of Pomp, Acts 25. 3. If ever, then it is that they shew their Royalty, they make it appear that they are neither beggarly nor contemptible, nor unable to revenge themselves, they make shew of their glory and their power: for the vulgar, that have no judgement of true morality, Caeremoniae licet negligenter obeuntur, [...]amen homines sua umbra, &c. Throverus in Apopth. 66. are held in from disrespects to their Governors by these Ceremonies, and the attention of their ears is kept in waking by such amazing of their eyes; and discreet policy doth by this means make them obedient beyond their understanding; God takes the same course, and when he was to deliver the Law unto Moses, he shewed not himself but with much ceremonious Majesty unto his people.

383 The danger of Division.

[Page]

IT was agreed upon by both Armies of the Romans and the Albans, T. Livii Hist. dec. 1. lib. 1. for the sparing of much blood-shed, to put the tryal of all to the issue of a battel betwixt six brethren, three on the one side the sons of Curatius, and three on the other side the sons of Horatius: vvhile the Curatii were united, though they were all three sorely wounded, they killed two of the Horatii; the third remaining, though not hurt at all, yet not finding himself able to make his party good against all three, begins to take his heels, and when he saw them follow him slowly one after another as they were able,Dan. Feat. Sermons. by reason of their heavy Armour and sore wounds: he falls upon them one after the other, and slayes them all three. Thus it is the cunning [...]leight of the devil to divide us from one another, that he may prevail against us as Horatius did against the Curatii; It is with us as in the Church of Corinth, one saith, I am of Paul, another, I am of Apollos, another, I am of Cephas; so in our Church, 1 Cor. 1. 12. one saith, I am of [...]uther another, I am of Calvin, another, I am of Luinglius; [...] &c▪ one is Episcopal, another Presbyterian, a third Independent; all carnal, all [...], as if Christ were divided, or the reformed Religion deformed.

384 Fears and jealousies, their danger.

EZekiel in one of his Visions saw an Image or Idol of jealousie set up at the North gate of the Temple. Jo [...]. Weems [...] P [...]urtraiture. VVhat he saw then in a Vision, is clearly apparent in our [...]yes, not one, but many Idols of jealousie are in all places of the Nation set up, and worshipped too;Ez [...]k. 8. 5. What else mean those fears and jealousies that are now so rise amongst us?Omnia timens, emnia suspi [...]cans, &c. Here's no trust, no credit given to the speeches, or actions of one another; and hence it is that we are engaged thus one against the other;Chrysost. in Mat. cap. 12. this is far from that godly jealousie wherewith St. Paul was jealous over his Corinthians, ch. 9. and if not speedily amended, God that is a jealous God will not suffer such fears and jealousies to be long unpunished.

385 Pleasures herein this life are usually attended with pains hereafter.

IT is reported of the Hedge-hog, that he goes to a pile of apples, and gathers up as many as he can upon his prickles, Jacob March [...]nt hortus Pastorum. and when he comes to his hole, he goes in with his prickles, but leaves his apples behind him: Thus how many are there that have wallowed themselves in the apples of their sweet contentments, which they have pursued with may pricks and gripes of conscience, who when they shall descend, as shortly they must to their holes of darkness, they must then leave all the sweet apples of their false delights behind them, and shall carry nothing with them but the stings and stripes of a wounded conscience, and will say, as many that have gone before them, what hath pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of Riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a Post that passeth by,Jer. 49. 16▪ Nocet empta dol [...]re voluptas. Ovid. but we are tormented, we are consumed in our own wickedness; Now too late we find, that pleasures here in this life, are attended with pains hereafter.

386 Our sanctification is not perfected all at once.

IT is the saying of St. In lib. de Coena Domini. Bernard, Cecidimus super acervum lapidum & in luto; vvhen Adam fell, and when every one of us doth fall, he may be compared unto a Man, that falleth not onely into the mire, but also on a heap of stones; he may quickly be bruised, B. Lake Serm. at Court, 1619. but not so quickly healed, there is great time spent therein, even the whole time of our life: As there be many reasons why the Church is compared to the Moon, and Christ to the Sun, so one main reason may be; The odds between Justification and Sanctification; Justification maketh Christ's Righteousness ours, and it is from the first moment at the full, not capable of any encrease; but Sanctification is righteousness in us, which if it have not his wains, certainly it hath its waxings, and will not be at the full till the day of death.

Our whole life to be a life of Repentance.387

[Page]

A Nselm, sometimes Arch-bishop of Canterbury, whom the Church of Rome hath inserted into the Canon of Saints (but he ranketh himself among the Apocrypha of sinners) recounting with hearts grief and sorrow the whole course of his life, In lib. Medita [...]. and finding the infancy of sin in the sins of his infancy, the youth and growth of sin in the sins of his growth, and the maturity and ripeness of all sin, in the sins of his ripe and perfect age, breaketh forth into this passionate speech. Quid restat tibi ô peccator, &Dan. Fea [...]lie's Clavis [...]. &c. vvhat remains for thee, wretched man, but that thou spend the remainder of thy life in bewailing thy whole life? And thus must we do, considering that even when we pray against sin, we sin in praying; when we have made holy vows against sin, our vowes by the breach of them turn into sin; and upon repentance of sins, Epist. 7. many there are that repent of their repentance, and so encrease their sin; hence it is, that St. Ierome in his Epistle to Laeta calleth for a continual Lent of discipline, that her whole life should be a life of Repentance.

The safest way is to trust God with our Riches.388

HE that goeth a far journey, Johns Weem [...]e Exercit. returneth his money usually by a bill of Exchange, and carrieth not his money along with him, onely so much as will defray the charges of his journey, and all this for fear of robbing: So the children of God, they lay out their money to the poor, they take God's bill of Exchange for it, and then it meets them in the world to come, and there they do not onely receive it, but it receives them into everlasting habitations.

Fear of the loss of Gospel-light.389

CAmden could not reach the height of his conceit, Sam. Ward. Ser. at Ipswich, 1636. who bore in his sheild, a Savage of America, with his hand pointing to the Sun, and this Motto, Mihi access [...], tibi recessu; In access to me, in recesse to thee: However, this is most sure, The Sun of Righteousness hath appeared unto those Savages of America, with healing under his wings, they are many of them brought unto civility, and are in a fair way to Christianity; Religion (said one not many years since) stands a tip-toe,Isa. 32. 25▪ and looketh Westward: Let us all pray unto God, that the Prophesie in Esay be not fulfilled in our dayes, The Wildernesse shall become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall become a Forrest.

The Christians inside-Religion, and outside, must be suitable.390

IN the things of this World, how doth every man strive to be suitable to his rank, and is accounted base if he be not so? If of a yeoman he become a Gentleman, of a Gentleman a Knight, D. Valentine A Serm. at. St. Paul's, Lond. 1622. as his person is improved, so will he improve his port also; yea the excesses of all men shew; that every man goeth beyond his rank, in his house, in his fare, in his cloaths; building like Emperors, cloathing like Kings, feasting like Princes; But in our spiritual estate it is nothing so; For our house, we can be contented to dwell in seeled houses, when the Ark of God is under tents; And who doth endeavour that himself may be a Temple fit for the holy ghost to dwell in? A [...] for our cloaths, they should be royal, our garments should ever be white, the wedding garment should never be off; but we are far from this kind of cloathing, we do not endeavour to be cloathed with the righteousness of the Saints. Finally, for our dyet, we that are called to the Table of the Lord, and should be sustained with Angels food, content our selves with swines meat, for what else are filthy lusts? vve are called to be the sons of God, yet our eye is very seldom upon our Father to see what beseemeth his sons; we are called to be members of Christ, but little do we care what beseemeth that mystical body; we are rather in name then in deed, either children of God, or members of Christ.

391 R [...]petition of good things helpful to Memory.

[Page]

A Bucket or Tub may for want of [...]se, D. Gouge Serm. at St. Pauls, 1644. and standing dry, be so full of slits and rifts, that all the water you take up in it, runneth out; yet the often dipping it into the VVell, and filling it with water, will make it moister then otherwise it would have been, and more retentive. Thus it is with our memories in the things concerning God and the good of our souls, being very brittle and pertuse, that they will hold very little or nothing at all, they are dolta pertusa, all goes through; this must therefore be matter of great necessity, to hear often, that the frequent inculcation of the same things may imprint that in our mind by often hearing which others of more happy memories have got at the first.

392 All the Creatures are at peace with good Men.

EUsebius in his Ecclesiastical story recordeth, that the persecutors took those Primitive Christians, Lib. 1. cap. 4. and set them naked before the Lions to be devoured, yet t [...]e Lions durst not touc [...] them; they stood foaming and roaring before them, but hurt them not, Joh. Weemse Pourtaiture. and thereupon they were forced to put the skin of wild beasts upon them, and so tear them in pieces; Thus thou that art a wicked man, and hast no part of the Image of God to defend thee, no marvel if thy dog bite thee, thy horse brain thee, thy Oxe gore thee, &c. but as for thee that art the child of God, and hast the Image of thy Creator stamped on thy soul, Hos. [...]. 18. thou needst not fear the Creatures, though thy walk lie by the vale and shadow of death they can offer no violence or harm unto thee (unless it be upon particular dispensation for thy good and spiritual comfort) because they are reconciled unto thee by God's own promise.

393 Impossible to know God perfectly here, in this World.

TUlly relateth, how Simonides being asked by Hiero the King of Sicily, VVhat God was, Lib de [...], Deorum. desired one day to consider of it; And after one day being past, having not yet found it out, desired two dayes more to consider of it, and after two dayes he desired three: And to conclude, at length he had no other answer to return unto the King, but this; That the more he thought upon it, the more still he might: For the further he waded himself in the s [...]arch thereof, the further he was from the finding of it: De Deo [...] dicitur non potest dici. H [...]lar. And thus Plato, What God is (saith he) that I know not, What he is not, that I know: 1 Tim. 6. 16. Most certain it is, that God onely in regard of himself, knows himself, as dwelling in the light inaccessible, Drexelii considerat. de aeternitate▪ whom never man saw, neither can see. Here now the Well is not onely [...], but we want a bucket to draw with [...]l; God is infinite and never to be comprehended essentially; Oh then that we could so much the more long to enjoy him, by how muchless we are able to apprehend him.

394 Not onely the good but the bad also are imitable in things they do well.

IT is Christ's own comparison,1 Thess. 5. 2. that his second coming shall be like the stealing on of a Thief in the night,Luke 16. 8. Et quod decuit Christum cur mihi turpe putem? nay, Christ bids us imit [...]t [...] not onely the bad Steward in his providence,Matth. 10. but the Serpent also in his wisdom.B. Lake Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. 1623. St. Paul borroweth se [...]tences out of the Heathen Poets; St. Augustine made use of a rule of interpreting the Scriptures from Tichonius the Donatist: Truth and goodness in whomsoever they are, they are God's, and therefore whether the point be speculative or pr [...]tick, if it be of this kind, in whomsoever we find it, we may follow it, and in following it, we follow not men but God; It is too much preciseness to dislike something in our Church, Virtus vel in hoste l [...]atur. because therein we follow the Church of Rome, as if all Principles of Religion and Reason were quite extinguished in them.

Injuries not onely to be forgiven but forgotten also.395

[Page]

THe Athenians took one day from the moneth of May, and raced it out of all their Calendars, Plutarch. de amore fraterno. because on that day Neptune and Minerva fell out with one another, they could not endure any remembr [...]nce of that quarrel; And it is Pythagoras rule,Coelius Rhodogin Lect. var. 16. 19. Ignem gladio ne [...]odias, do not stir up the fire that is almost out: Even so let Christians much more, bury th [...]se dayes in silence, and strike them out in their Almanacks in which any bitter contention fell amongst them, and the breach being once made up,Ne malorum memineris Val. Max. and the wound closed, not to rub upon the old sore; and the heat being over, not to rake into the Embers or ashes of the fire of that contention lately put out, but to make a blessed Amnestia, an absolute act of Obli [...]ion upon all injuries forepassed.

Afflictions lead to Heaven.396

MErchants do usually shew their worst cloaths first to their Customers, then the best;Semones Discipuli de Tempore, Judg. 1. 15. At the wedding in Cana, the last wine was the best; Dulcia non meruit qui non gustavit amara; before the Israelites could reach to Canaan, they must march Southward through the dry and barren parts of the Mountains. And thus God sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the; South parts as it were at the first before they can reach the Land of Promise; the way to Heaven must be by the gates of hell. Acts 14. 12. Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Eternity of punishment in Hell.397

SUetonius reports of Tiberius Caesar, Lib. 3. cap. 6. that being petitioned unto by a certain Offender to hasten his punishment, and to grant him a speedy dispatch, he made him this answer,Hieron. Drexelil Con [...]derat. de [...]ternitate. Nondum tecum in gratiam redii, Stay Sir, you and I are not friends yet; Thus it is betwixt Christ and the damned soul; Christ is a most just Judge, no Tyrant, no Tiberius; and yet if one of the damned after a thousand years burning in hell, should beg and entreat for a speedy death, H [...]rrend [...] modo fit miseris m [...]rs fine morte, [...]inif sine fine, &c. he would answer after the same manner, Nondum tecum in grattam redii, Greg. lib 9. moral. you and I are not yet friends; if after thousands and millions of years the request should be renewed, the answer would continue still the same; Stay, you and I are not yet friends; So just and right a thing it is, that he that would not by Repentance accept of mercy when it was offered, should by punishment be torm [...]nted, and have justice without mercy for ever.

God and his Attributes are answerable 398

IT is well known that the title of Augustus hath been given to such Caesars as did not enlarge, but diminish the Empire; of Pater patriae to those that were so far from being Fathers, that they were plain Tyrants; of Pontifex maximus given to them which were so far from serving the Gods, that they did sacrilegiously Canonize themselves for Gods; and yet propter spem, the Senate gave them these titles, and by flattery they did amplifie in the rest;B. Lake Serm. on Esay 9. He that had but a small conquest, encreased his style as if he had conquered a whole Kingdome, as appears in the titles, of Germanicus, Illyricus, Britannicus, &c. nay, the Eastern Monarchs were very fond this way, claiming kindred of the Gods, of the Stars, and what not, which might amplifie their Majesty; In a word, hope and flattery are the best ground, whereupon all worldly mens titles are built,Coelius Rhoedogin. especially great mens, and Kings most of all:Var lect. But it is not so with the King of Heaven; the truths in him are answerable to the titles that are given him, the Attributes proportionable; they are not given him propter spem, but rem: He is that which he is called, neither is there in them any flattery; yea, his titles do come short of, they do not exceed those perfections that [Page] are in him; So that we may not measure the style of God as we do the styl [...]s of mortal Kings, but conceive rather more then less when we hear them.

399 Prosperity of the wicked is destructive.

I Have seen the wicked (saith David) in great power, Psal. 37. 35. and spreading himself like a green Bay-tree. And why like a green Bay-tree? because in the Winter, when all other Trees, as the Vine-tree, Fig-tree, Apple-tree, &c. which are more profitable Trees, are withered and naked, yet the Bay continueth as green in the Winter as the Summer: So fareth it with wicked Men, when the children of God in the storms of persecutions and afflictions, Tangerlarii Postill [...]. and miseries seem withered, and as it were dead, yet the wicked all that time flourish, and do appear green in the eyes of the World; they wallow in worldly wealth, but it is for their destruction; they wax fat, but it is for the day of slaughter; It was the case of Hophni and Phinees, the Lord gave them enough,1 Sam. [...]. 25. and suffered them to g [...] on, and prosper in their wickednesse; but what was the reason? because he would destroy them.

400 Justifying faith accompanied with good works.

IT is evident to all, (except others be made keepers of their Reason, as now they are of their Liberties) that the eye alone seeth in the body, yet the eye which see [...]h is not alone without the other senses; Sylvest. de Prierio [...]rea rosa in Evang. that the Fore-finger alone pointeth, yet that finger is not alone on the hand; that the Hammer alone striketh on the Bell, yet the hammer that striketh is not alone in the Clock; that the heat alone in the fire burneth, yet that heat is not alone without light; that the Helm alone guideth the Ship, and not the Tackling, yet the helm is not alone, nor without the [...]ackling; In a compound Electuary, Rubarb onely purgeth choler, yet the Rubarb is not alone there without other Ingredients: Thus we are to conceive, that though faith alone doth justifie, Non bovema [...] to [...] numina gaudent Sed quae praestanda est. &c. yet that faith which justifieth is not alone, but joyned with charity and good works. Ovid. Ep. St. Bernard's distinction of Via regni, and Causa regnandi, cleareth the truth in this point; Though good works are not the cause why God crowneth us, yet we must take them in our way to Heaven, or else we shall never come there; It is as impious to deny the necessity, as to maintain the merit of good works.

401 Talkers and not doers of Religion, are to be condemned.

IT is a custom in Germany, Hieron. Drexelii Con [...]iderat. de aeternitate. that in the evening when a candle is first lighted, or brought into a Room they say, Deus det vobis lucem aeternam, God grant light eternal; And it is usual in many parts of this Kingdom to say, God grant us the light of Heaven; The custom is good, and the words warrantable, but were the light of Heaven more in our hearts, and less in our tongues, there wo [...]d be fewer works of darkness in our lives and conversations; We speak of the light of Heaven, and wish for the light of Heaven, Plautus. and we talk of new lights to heaven; but all this is like that silly Actor in the Comedy, that cryed out with his finger pointed to the Earth, and his eye to Hea [...]en, Encoelum, ôterra; Heaven is in our mouth, but Earth in our hearts; We are Heteroclit [...]s in Religion; not reas, but nominals in profession.

402 The endeavours of Christ are for peace.

IT is too usual with men, the wiser they are, the more to be turbule [...]t and disquieters of the State;B. Lake Serm. on Exod. ch. 9. and the more power they have, the more to tyrannize and lord it over their fellow Subjects; For such men do seldom suffer themselves to be guided or governed by the Counsels and dictates of others, and run head-long of themselves, swayed by a kind of impulsive providence, and so care not but to please [Page] their own fancy, no matter whom they displease besides; But it is not so with Christ, he that is Wisdome it self, that is wonderful for Counsel, mighty for Power; bends both his wisdom, and his power, and his counsel to work peace, that peace which is the portion of his people, the inheritance of his Church, which none can partake of but those that are true members thereof.

Study of the Tongues, to be encouraged.403

DAvid made a Statute in Israel, 1 Sam. 25. that they who tarryed by the stuffe should part alike with those who went to battel: Weemse Portraiture. The Professors of the Tongues are they who keep the stuffe, and they should be as well rewarded as they who go into the field and fight in the Ministery.

The anger or wrath of God best appeased, when the sinner appeareth with Christ in his armes.404

THemistocles understanding that King Admetus was highly displeased with him,Diodorus lib. 11. took up his young son into his armes, and treated with the Father, holding that his darling in his bosom,Plutarch. in vita. and thereby appeased the King's wrath: God is at this time offended with us, and hath a controversie with us; there is no better way then to come to him with Christ in our armes, to present our suits by him; We have so far provoked the Almighty by our sins, that he may justly fall on us with a back-blow that we never yet dreamt of;Lib. 2. de Isaac. And who in Heaven or Earth can or dare treat for our peace, but Christ our Peace-maker; Ille oculus est per quem Deum videmus, &c. (saith Ambrose) He is our eye with which we see God, our hand by which we offer to him, and our mouth by which we speak unto him.

The Vanity of heaping up Riches.405

IT is a great deal of care and pains that the Spider takes in weaving her web, she runneth much, and often up and down, she fetcheth a compass this way and that way,Hieron. Drexelii Con [...]iderat. de aeternitate. and returneth often to the same point, she spendeth her self in multitudes of fine threads, to make her self a round Cabinet, she exenterateth her self, and worketh out her own bowels, to make an artificial and curious piece of work; which when it is made, is apt to be blown away with every pusse of wind; she hangeth it up aloft, she fastneth it to the roof of the house, she strengthneth it with many a thread,Jos. Hall Exon. meditat. occasional. wheeling often round about, not sparing her own bowels, but spending them willingly upon her work; And when she hath done all this, spun her fine threads, weaved them one within another, wrought her self a fine Canopy, hanged it aloft, and thinks all's sure; on a sudden, in the twinckling of an eye, with a little sweep of a Beesom all falls to the ground, and so her labour perisheth: But here is not all; Poor Spider, she is killed either in her own web, or else she is taken in her own snare, haled to death, and trodden under foot; Thus the silly Animal may be truly said either to weave her own winding sheet, or to make a snare to hang her self. Just so do many Men wast and consume themselves to get preferment, to enjoy pleasures, to heap up riches, and encrease them; and to that end they spend all their wit, and oftentimes the health of their bodies, running up and down,Dives p [...]n [...]non censu. Pet. Raven. in Ser. labouring and sweating, carking and caring; And when they have done all this, they have but weaved the Spiders web to catch flyes, yea, oftentimes are caught in their own nets, are made instruments of their own destruction, they take a great deal of pains with little success, to no end or purpose.

406 The way to God, is a cross-way to the World.

[Page]

A Man that walks by a River, if he follow the River against the stream, it will at length bring him to the Spring-head from whence it issueth; Jos. Shute Serm. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1626. but if he go along with the stream, it will drill him on to the salt Sea. So he that is cross-grained to the humours of the World, that swims against the stream of sensual delights and pleasures, that well improveth these outward things to God's glory, shall at the length be brought to God, the sweet fountain of them all; but if he sail with wind and tide in the abuse of the good Creatures of God, they will carry him down like a Torrent, into the mare mortuum of perdition.

407 How to know God's dwelling-place, Heaven.

WHen in our travel we chance to cast our eye upon some goodly structure of inestimable value,Joh. Weemse Pourtraiture. Hac iter est Superis▪ &c. we presently conceive it to be the pallace of a Prince: So when we see the frame of Heaven so full of wonders (where Stars are but as dust, Ovid. Met. li. 1. and Angels are but servants) where every word is unspeakable, and every motion is a miracle, we may safely conclude it to be the dwelling of him, whose name is Wonderful.

408 The dissolution of all ages past, is to be a Memento for Posterity.

ONe Guerricus hearing these words read in the Church, out of the book of Genesis, Chap. 15. And all the dayes that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he dyed: All the dayes of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he dyed: And all the dayes of Enos were nine hundred and five years; and he dyed: And all the dayes of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years; and he dyed, &c. Hearing, I say, these words read, the very conceit of death wrought so strongly upon him,Hieron. Drexelii Con [...]iderat. de aeternitate. and made so deep an impression in his mind, that he retired himself from the world, and gave himself wholly to devotion, that so he might dye the death of the godly, and arrive more safely at the haven of felicity, which is no where to be found in this world. And thus should we do when we look back to the many ages that are past before us; but thus we do not. Like those that go to the Indies, we look not on the many that have been swallowed up by the waves, but on some few that have got by the Voyage; we regard not the millions that are dead before us, but have our eyes set on the lesser number that survive with us, and hence it comes to pass that our passage out of this world is so little minded.

409 National knowledge of God, no true knowledge.

LOok upon a common beggar, he knows the road-way from place to place, can tell you the distance from Town to Town; nay more, can inform you of such a Noble-mans, Edw. Elton Serm. at St. Mary Magd. Bemonds Southwark, 1619. such a Knights, such a Gentlemans house, though it stand a great way off from the Road; of such a Farmers, and such a Yeomans house, though it be in never so obscure a Village, yet all this while hath no setled home, no abiding place of his own: Such is the knowledge of every Christian, except a true Christian, he can tell you of the pleasures that are at the right hand of God in the highest Heavens, can talk and prate of God, discourse of goodnesse, but all this while is not good himself, nor can make our unto himself any assurance of Interest in those heavenly things which he so much talketh of.

410 A formal specious Christian, no true Christian.

RAchel was very fair, a goodly Woman to see to, beautiful to the eye; O but she was barren, that mar'd all. So there are many in the world, such as make specious shews of Religion, such as vvould seem to be Saints; O but they are barren, [Page] they are fruitless, Gen. 29. sap-less, leave-less Christians; they would seem to honour God, but not with their substance; Joh. Weemse Pourtrait [...]re. H [...]rodes devotionem promittit sed gladium aluit. &c. they would seem to be religious, but they will not refrain their tongues; they would seem to be charitable, but they will not part with a penny; they have all form, but little or no power of g [...]dliness; many goodly blossoms of profession, no r [...]al fruits of confession appearing; outside, specious, not true, not real Christians.Chrysost. in Matth. 2.

Order both in Church and State commanded and commended.411

GOd is not the God of confusion, but of order; Confusion is from the Devil, Order is from God; 1 Cor. 14. especially in the Church, which St. Paul resembles to our body, B. Lake Serm. on Esay 9. wherein the parts are fitly disposed, and every one keepeth his place; The eye, 1 Cor. 12. & cap. 7. the hand, the foot; one usurpeth not the function of another: In answerableness whereunto, the Apostle telleth us, That all are not Prophets, all are not Ap [...]stles, and exhorts all men,Ordine servato mundus servatur, &c. As God hath called them, so to walk; A good rule for these unruly times, Boetius. wherein the hands, yea, and the feet too, play Rex, and take up the room of the Head, and every man thi [...]keth himself fit to be a Teacher, both by his pen and tongu [...], whose place notwithstanding is amongst the learners.

Security in time of danger condemned.412

IT is said of Archimedes, that when Syracuse was taken, all the people being as it were distracted, Plutarch. in Mar [...]ell [...]. the Souldier doing all manner of out-rage, he was found sitting at home securely, drawing circles with his compass in the dust: And do not we see men now a-dayes, when there is Hannibal ad portas, a popular sword playing Rex within, and a Royal sword enraged without, even when the eternal salvation of their souls is in question,Nunc mihi parta quies, &c. handling their dust, and stretching themselves to their farthest compass, Virgil. set upon the tenter-hooks as it were, and distracted with Law-suits, with money matters, and wordly businesse, that shall profit them nothing at the last: Eternity is a thing they never think on, or else very slenderly for a snatch and away, as dogs are said to lap at Nilus, &c.

An ungodly life will have an ungodly end.413

A Philosopher asking one,Christ. Fonseca Serm. Which of these two he had rather be, either Croesus (who was one of the richest, Quadragesimales. but most vicious in the world) or Socrates (who was one of the poorest, but one of the most vertuous men in the world) his answer was, That in his life he would be a Croesus, but in his death a Socrates: So if many in these dayes were put to their choice, they would be Dives in their life, but Lazarus in their death; they would with Balaam, die the death of the righteous, but live the life of the wicked; Qu [...]lis vit [...], fini [...] it [...]. but that cannot be, for death is a k [...]nd of truck or Exchange: here it is that the Israelites make the bri [...]ks, and the Egyptians dwell in the houses; but hereafter, St. Iohn Baptist's head will become a Crown as well as a platter: and he that hath had his consolation, his Heaven in this world, shall at the time of death meet with torments and Hell in that which is to come.

A child of God is restless, till he come to Heaven.414

LOok upon a silly poor Country-lad coming to be an Apprentice in the City, how doth he hone and mourn after his Father and Mother? How doth he grieve because he is far from his friends and acquaintance? he is never quiet till he hath been at the Carryers to hear from them,T. Taylor Serm. at St. Mary Al [...]erm. Lond. 1631. and fain would he be with them again, though he be at that very time in a very good service, and placed with an honest loving Master: And thus it is with a child of God, though he have a competent measure of grace to support him in this life, and the hope of Heaven in that which is to come, yet he is restless till he comes to Heaven, he groans and mourns [Page] because he is absent from his heavenly Father, and from his friends and acquaintance, the blessed Saints and Angels.

415 The use of the Creatures is conditional.

A Tenant that holdeth land from a Lord,B. Lake Serm. on Hag. may not use it otherwise then according to the Covenants agreed upon, if he do, the Premises are forfeited; Even so it is betwixt God and us, the grant which he maketh to us of his Creatures is conditional, we may take convenient food for our sustenance, decent cloaths to shrowd us from the injury of the weather, and we may bestow our money to supply our own, and other folks necessities; to these ends we may use Gods creatures: but we may not riot with our meat and drink, we may not be fantastical in our apparel, neither may we with our wealth grinde the faces of the poor; we have no Covenant that warrants any of these, and therefore, the doing of any of these is a forfeit to the Proprietary: And how often might Christ re-enter upon our goods, if he would take advantage of our daily abuses; nay, he daily doth re-enter, had we but grace to see it. What multitudes of Inhabitants hath drunkenness spued out of their possessions? What goodly Patrimonies hath pride and oppression brought to nought? It were to be wished that the World did as much take notice of it, as almoste very place doth give them occasion so to do.

416 Vnpreparedness for death, very dangerous.

IT was a good answer that one Messodamus gave one,Guido Bituricensis. inviting him to feast the next day; My friend (saith he) Why dost thou invite me against to morrow, I could not for these many years, so secure my self that I should live one day, for I am in dayly expectation of the time of my departure; Hieron. Drex [...]lii Considerat. de aeternitate. And indeed no Man can be sufficiently armed against Death, unless he be ready to entertain it; VVhat rashness and folly is it then for a man to lie down in [...]ase upon a Feather-bed, to sleep securely, [...]norting and snoring, and all this while to lodge an Enemy, a deadly Enemy all the while, Sin in his bosom; sudden deaths are common: How many have we heard of,Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. that went well to bed over night, for ought a man could tell, and have been found dead in the morning, and it is much to be feared, have gone impenitently to bed, it may be dead-drunk, and have found themselves awake in hell the next morning: Unpreparedness for death must needs therefore be dangerous. I. S. 1648. H. S. 1657.

417 The wisdom of Christ above all earthly wisdom, even to admiration.

DIonysius the Tyrant,Plutarch. in vita. Dionys. sent to Plato (that he might come to see him) one of his fairest Gallies, Fonseca. Serm. Quadrage [...]mal. with store of dainty provision, and well accompanied: And at the Haven where he was to land, had provided a Coach with four horses to be ready to receive him, that he might come in the greater pomp to his Pallace, and all this honour he was willing to do him, for that he was a wise man: Now, if such men as he shall cause admiration in the vvorld, vvhat admiration then must he raise in mens minds, vvho is wisdom it self, and in vvhom all the treasures of God's wisdom are laid up for evermore?

418 Not to be malicious in the exercise of holy duties.

IT is said of the Serpent, John Boys Postills. that he casts up all his poyson before he drinks: It vvere to be much desired, that herein vve had so much Serpentine wisdom as to disgorge our malice before vve pray, to cast up all the bitterness of our spirits, before vve come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Special places of Scripture marked with Gods special Authority.419

[Page]

MOrtal Princes use not to sign Bills, B. Lake Serm. on Hag. oh. 2. or Petitions, the contents whereof are trivial matters, many things are done by vert [...]e of their Regal authority, whereunto their signature is not used: Even so ordinary matters pass in the Word of God, without any special urging of his Supream power, but when it comes with a sic dicit dominus, then the point is of great regard; and if it be often ingeminated, it giveth us to understand, that we must take special notice of every clause of it.

In all our doings we should have our eye upon Eternity.420

ZEuxis the famous Painter,Aelian var. hist. lib. 14. was observed to be very slow at his work, and to let no piece of his go abroad into the World to be seen of men,Hieron. Drex elii Considerat. de aeternitate. till he had turned it over and over, this side and that side, again the again, to see if he could spie any fault in it; And being upon a time asked the Reason why he was so curious, why so long in drawing his lines, and so slow in the use of his pensil, he made this answer, I am long in doing what I take in hand, because what I paint, I paint for Eternity; As for our parts, we write, we read, we sing, we pray, we labour; whatsoever we say, whatsoever we do, whatsoever we think, all is transmitted to Eternity, all to be viewed by a most judicious and all-seeing eye, so that no fault can escape, and being viewed and considered, they are to be committed either to be eternally punished, or eternally rewarded; VVe must labour therefore to be perfect, so to live to God, that we may live with God; so to live on Earth, that we may live in Heavan; so to live for Eternity, that we may live to all Eternity.

At the time of death to be mindful onely of Heaven.421

CHrist perceiving his death to be neer at hand,Joh [...] 11. withdrew himself, and would walk no more openly among the Jews. Psalm 39. And David being at the last cast of his life,Leon. de Utino Sermones. saith, Remitte mihi ut refrigerer, &c. Give me leave O Lord to dispose of my self, and to render thee an account of my life, before I go hence, and be seen no more: These are Lectures of Mortality read to all of us in this world, That when we are about to die, we should have nothing else to do but to die, we should bid these sublunary things Adieu, and sequester our thoughts from the VVorld, and retire into our selves to see how the case stands betwixt God and our own soules.

A tongue nimble to evil, slow to goodness, is reproveable.422

PLiny in his Natural History,Lib. 7. cap. 2. maketh mention of a certain people in the Indies upon the River Ganges, called Astomi, that have no mouth, but do onely feed upon the smell of herbs and flowers, &c. The truth of this may be uncertain, but most sure it is,Mr. Goddard Serm. at St. Greg. by St. Pauls, Lond. 1649. that there is such a generation amongst us, that when they should speak well, they are like men possessed with a dumb devil, they have no mouth, no lips, no tongue at all; but if it be to blaspheme God and the King, to backbite and slander their Neighbour, they have tongue enough, and to spare.

A Minister is to distinguish his Auditors.423

SChool-masters range their Scholars into forms,B. Lake Serm. on Matth. 7. Diligenter adhibe curam eis, quibus te praeesse contigerit, &c. and though themselves be never so learned, Aug [...] Pro. 11 yet they read unto their several forms no deeper points then they are capable of: if they should do otherwise, well might they shew their learning, they would shew no discretion, neither would the Scholars be the better for that which they should teach them: Even so Ministers must remember to distinguish their Auditors; to feed some with milk, some with strong meat, to catechize the [Page] youth plainly and briefly, to build on those that are elder and riper in years and judgement, with more learning and more full instruction.

424 Hopes of Heaven are the good mans encouragement.

SYmphorianus, a Christian young man, after that he was almost scourged to death,Hieron. Drex elii Confiderant. de aeternitate. as he was dragged to death at Augustodunum, met his mother upon the way. But how? not tearing the hair from her head, or rending her cloaths, or laying open her breasts, or making grievous lamentation, as the manner of foolish women is to do; but, carrying her self like an heroick Christian Lady, called to her Son and said, Son, my Son I say, Remember life eternal, look up to Heaven, lift up thine eye to him that raigneth there; Life is not taken from thee, but exchanged for a better: At which words of his Mother, Spes pramii solatium fit laboris. the young man was so exceedingly animated, that he went willingly to execution, Hieron. in Ep. and cheerfully laid down his head upon the block, and was decolled. This is the case of every man living, we go not so fast as Symphorianus did, we are not yet under the fiery tryal, but we are fair for it; we are all going, and we have not far to it; Now the noble Army of Martyrs which are gone before us, they call unto us from Heaven, and say as the Christian, and couragious mother said to her Son; Remember life eternal, look up to heaven, see who is there, the Judge of all the world that will do righteous things.

425 The brevity of our life, may moderate our life.

IF a company that are bound out for some long Voyage, should strive who should be Master, and who Masters mate, and who should have this or that Office, they were not too much to be blamed; But vvhen they are almost at home vvithin sight of Land, Funeral Sermons. vvhen they shall begin to strike sail, to tack in all, and go ashore; then if they shall fall a quarrelling for places, and use all the means they could make, it vvere a ridiculous thing and folly: So it is vvith us, Time vvas, vvhen the world vvas in beginning, and then vvhen a man came into the world, by the course of Nature he might vvell say, I have a matter of six, or seven, or eight hundreth years to go on in my Pilgrimage, before I shall end my journey, and then if a Man should bestovv a little time to think vvith himself, Well, if I can but live to see my self the [...]ather of a thousand children, and so might come to people a Country, &c. then if a man should greet the VVorld, Orimur morimur. he might be excused; But novv since God hath contracted the time of our age, so that as soon as vve begin our Voyage, vve are ready to strike sail presently, that vve have but a little time to continue here, and a great deal of work to do for hereafter, and novv to stand striving vvho shall be greatest, vvho shall rule all, to cry out of afflictions, just vvhen vve are going ashore, vvhen vve have (as it vvere) one foot in our graves, is extreamly folly and madnesse.

426 Sacramental bread and wine, better then ordinary.

THere is much water in the VVell, or Spring-head, it comes to us in leaden pipes or woodden troughs; Now what is the leaden pipe, or woodden trough more then another? Nothing at all;Gab. Inchini Scala Coeli. It is the water in the pipe or trough that makes them esteemed above others: It is true, they can do more then others; but if you look upon them in the use, i. e, to convey the water into us, then they are more excellent then all others whatsoever: So in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper, there is water in the one, and bread and wine in the other, yet what is this water, this bread and wine more then any other? Are not they the same we have at home? yea: O but if we look upon them as ordained of God to convey his mercies into our hearts, to seal unto our souls the remission of sins, &c. and that God hath set them aside to that end and purpose, then they are more excellent than any other water, bread, or wine possibly can be.

Our Affections to be regulated.427

[Page]

HE that rideth a fierce horse, B. Lake Serm. on Psalm 75. let the horse keep what pace he will, so long as the Rider commands him by the bridle, we say, he rides strongly; but if the horse get the Bit in his mouth, and run away, the faster his pace, the weaker the Rider, because he cannot check him: Our affections are just like that fierce horse, and our reason should be as a strong bridle, stir they never so much: if reason command, we are strong; but if reason have no power, and they run loose, then certainly, the more violent they are, the more weake we are.

A contented man, no base spirited man.428

MArcus Curio, Jer. Boroghs Christ. C [...]nte [...]l. Plutarch. in Apop [...]hthegm. when he had bribes sent unto him, to tempt him to be unfaithful to his Country, he was sitting at dinner with a dish of Turnips, and they came and promised him rewards; well, saith he, That man that can be contented with such fare that I have, will n [...]t be tempted with your rewards, I thank God, I am contented with this fare; And as for rewards, let them be offered to those that cannot be content to dine with a dish of Turnips as I do. The truth of this is apparently seen, the reason why many men do betray their trust, and by indirect means strive to be rich, is because they cannot be contented to be in a low condition, whereas the man that is contented with a hard bed, and a bare board, is shot-free from thousands of Temptations that prevail against others, even to the damning of their souls.

The resolved Christian makes his way through all difficulties.429

TRavellers that go by Sea, Gab. Inchini Scala [...]. meerly to be Sea-sick a little, or in sport; if there arise but a black cloud, they presently give over, their Voyage is at an end; they come not to be weather-beaten, to adventure shocks, and storms, and dangers; they come for pleasure onely: But the Merchant, that is bound upon a Voyage, whose trade and employment of life it is,House of mourning. every cloud and gust of wind doth not make him to return back again to shore, and so to lose his Voyage, but he drives through all: So it is with one that is not indeed and in earnest travelling towards Heaven, he is easily taken off upon a little storm arising, if God do but frown, if there be but ever so small a wrinkle (as I may say) in his brow, all the delight in Religion is gone,—Per [...] virtus. for it was some other thing he aimed at, it was but for pleasure that he came in here;Itur ad [...] per [...] p [...]ricula sed [...]s. But a resolved Christian who is bound for Heaven indeed, and his course, Varinus. and the bent of his soul lyeth that way, that like a ship with full sail is carryed thitherward, storms cannot beat him off, let the wind rise, and the rain beat, and the Seas lift up their voice, he makes his way through all, till he arrive at the Haven intended.

Afflictions adde unto the beauty of a true Christian.430

LOok upon a painted poast or sign whose colour is laid in oyle, Will Jenkin Lect. on Jude, at Christ-Church, Lond. 1646. how the rain beats upon it in stormy weather, that one would think all the colour would be washed off, yet how the water glides away, and leaves it rather more beautiful then before: And thus it is with every child of God, being well varnished, and garnished with graces of the Spirit, let the wind of persecution blow, and the flouds of affliction lift up their voice, they shall never braid, nor deface, but rather adde unto their beauty; Such is the condition of grace, that it shines the brighter for scouring, and is most glorious when it is most clouded.

431 A good Prince no advantage to a bad People.

[Page]

WE see that though the Sun be above the Horizon, and so apt to make a glorious day, Lud. Carbo Interior homo. yet many fogs and mists arising from the Earth, overcast the skie, and intercept the comfortable influence of the light. Even so, though God vouchsafe never so good a Prince, a Prince under whom the people enjoy abundance of peace, and the free passage of the Gospel, such may be their gracel [...]ssness that they may be the better for neither of them.

432 Contentment brings in all things on a sudden.

BY the Art of Navigation, with great pains and industry, men can fetch in the silks of Persia, Jer. Borogh's Christ. Content. the spices of Egypt, the gold of Ophir, the treasures of the East and West Indies; O but by the Art of Contentment, a man may stay at home and fetch in the comfort of any condition whatsoever, that is, he may have that comfort by contentment, that he should have if he had the very things themselves.

A Godly man is bettered in evil Company.

THey say that Lillies, or Roses, or such like pleasant flowers, if they be planted by Garlick or Onions, Funeral Sermons. or such like unsavoury things, they do not lose, but rather encrease in their former sweetnesse: So it is with good and godly men when they are planted, and as it were him'd in with wicked men: the vileness and odiousness of their wickedness makes them to loath wickedness so much the more,Ex bono malus vix melioratur, &c. and to love godliness, and to blesse God that hath kept them,Chry [...]ost. in Matth. that they have not run to the same excess of Riot.

434 The wonderful love of a true Christian to Christ Iesus.

IT was a true Christian-like speech of St. Ierome; If my Father should stand before me, Licet ex collo pendeat, &c. in ep. ad Heliodorum. my Mother should hang upon me, my Brethren should press about me, I would break through my Brethren, throw down my Mother, tread under feet my Father, that I might the faster cleave unto Christ Iesus my Saviour: O the surpassing love to Christ, that is in a true Disciple of Christ; let money perish, and friends fail, the World frown,Dan. Fea. Ser. Cui portio Deus est. &c. yea life it self vanish, Christ is better then them all; If Christ should say to him,Amb [...]s. de tuga seculi. Take thy fill of sinful delights, eat, drink and be merry, solace thy self in the midst of all thy abundance, thou shalt not perish, onely thou shalt not be with me; Not with thee Lord Iesus, where then? then farewel del [...]ghts, farewel pomp and plenty, farewel all; I will follow thee whither soever thou goest, for it will certainly be Hell where thou art not.

435 Memory must be active.

OUr memory is usually a good store-house, but no good Steward, it layeth up much, but of it self dispendeth nothing; it needeth some help to make use of her store, the speculative memory doth,B. Lake Serm. at Court, 1617. and the practick much more. How many be there whose memories are richly stored with excellent rules of life, whereof in their life they make little or no use? Their memory doth not [...]ffer them, when they have occasion to be doing, as if they had never known Commandemen [...]s or Creed, they live like In [...]idels, Memoria reti [...]imilis. Erasm. or sons of Belial; Wherefore as the eye of the body ne [...]deth the light of the Sun, to raise and convey the visible species unto it: Even so doth the eye of our understanding need the light of the Sun of Righteousnes [...] to stir up, and present unto it the Principles of grace, whereof it hath need in the well ordering of our life; without this actual grace, our Memory will never make use of the habitual.

Contentment keeps up the Soul in the saddest of conditions.331

[Page]

A Marriner when he is at Sea, let him have never so much provision in his Ship,Jer. Boroghs Christ. Content. yet if he be thousands of leagues from the shore, or in a rode that he shall not meet with a Ship in three or four moneths, if he have never a lanthorne in his Ship, nor any thing whereby he can keep a candle light in a storm, he would be but in a sad condition, he would give a great deal to have a Lanthorn, or something that may serve instead of it, when a storm riseth in the night, and he cannot have any light above board, but what is presently puffed out, his condition must needs be lamentable: Thus many men can keep in the light of comfort when there is no storm; but let there come any affliction, any storm upon them, their light is soon puffed out, and then what shall they do? But when the heart is once furnished with the grace of contentment, as it were the lanthorn on the decks of the ship, it will keep comfort in the spirit of a Man, it will keep up a light in the soul, whatsoever storms or tempests of temptations shall come into it, and keep out whatsoever may damp the comfort, or put the light out of it.

Outward blessings do not alwayes make a blessed Man.332

WAs Abraham rich? so was Abimelech; Was Iacob rich? so was Laban too. Was David a King? so was Soul; Was Constantine an Emperor? so was Iulian; Funeral Sermons. Was Iohn a Disciple? so was Iudas. Thus Riches, Honours, and Preferments, though the blessings of God, yet they are no demonstrations of a blessed Man; What a wise good God have we? Lest any man should take them to be ill, they are bestowed on them that are good; and lest any man should reckon them for the chief good, they are likewise cast upon the wicked.

A wicked man, hardly drawn to examine himself.333

IT is reported of the Elephant, P. Goodwin Evang. Communicant. how unwilling he is to go into the water, but being forced, he puddles it, lest by the cleerness of the stream, he should discern his own deformity; This is the condition of every wicked man, he is loath to look into himself, had rather put the candle out at the door, then go with it into his house to make any discoveries there; either he thinks he is so good, as he needs not examine, or he thinks he is so bad, that he is loath to examine himself.

Pride, the complement of all sins.334

AS Tertullian calleth the Commandement that God gave Adam in Paradise,In libro contra Jud. Matricem omnium praeceptorum Dei, In lib. 2. de rup. The Matrix, or wombe of all the Commandements of God; And as Theodoret calleth Moses, [...] A very Ocean of all Divinity; And as some have called Rome, Epitomen Universi, An Epitome or Abridgement of the whole world: B. Smith Ser. on Jer. ch. 9. So it may be said of Pride, that it is the sum of all naughtiness, and a very Sea of it, a complicated sin, there is no sin almost but Pride participates with it; It is a kind of Idolatry, Hab. 1. 16. a kind of drunkenness, Esay 48. 9. a kind of Sacriledge, Esay 26. 12. a kind of Murther, Hab. 2. 5. &c. Thus as Aristotle saith out of Theognis, That in Justice all vertues are couched, [...] summarily:In lib. Eth. so it may be said of Pride, that in it all vices are as it were in a bundle lap'd up together.

A meer Souldier, an Enemy to peace.335

WE read in Plutarch of one Demades, In moralium lib. who by profession was a maker of Coffins, and he was banished out of the City of Athens for wishing that he might have good trading; that wise State truly interpreting the language of his [Page] wish,T. Fuller Holy State. as desiring some epidemical disease; his private profit being inconsistent with the publique flourishing of the Common-wealth. So those people, who are undone and cannot live but by undoing of others, who live by the sword, who, as Demetrius, by this craft get gain, desiring a perpetuity of War for their possession, certainly wish no good either to Church or State where they are, but must needs be State-Barrettors to keep the sore alwayes raw betwixt the Prince and People.

436 Mortalities Memorandum.

ORigen after he had chosen, rather facere periculose quàm perpeti turpiter, to burn Incense to the Heathen Gods, In vita, praefixa operibus. than to suffer his body to be defiled by a Blackmoor, and the flower of his chastity, which he had so long preserved to be some way blasted; at a Church in Ierusalem goeth into the Pulpit, openeth the Bible at all adventures, intending to preach upon that Text which he should first light upon, but falling upon that Verse of Psalm 50. But to the wicked (saith God) what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth? (which contained his suspension) shutteth his book, speaketh not a word more,House of mourning, Eccl. 12. 5. but Comments upon it with his tears. So (me thinks) when any man shall read that Text, Man goeth to his long home, and the [...] go about the streets. In which he shall find his capitall doom written, he cannot do better then follow that Fathers president, and shut up not onely his book, but his mouth also, and seal up his lips, and comment upon the coherence with distraction, the parts with passion, the notes with sighs, the periods with groans, and the words with tears; For alas, as soon as a Man cometh into his short booth in this world, which he saluteth with tears, he goeth to his long home in the next world, And the mourners go about the streets.

437 Worldly men look after worldly things.

IT is storied of Henry the fourth of France, asking the Duke of Alva, if he had observed the Eclipses happening in that year,Jean. de Seres Hist. he answered, That he had so much business on Earth, Charron de la sagesse. that he had no leisure to look up to Heaven; A sad thing it is for men to be so bent, and their hearts so set on the things of this world, as not to cast up a look to the things that are in Heaven; nay, not to regard though God brings Heaven down to them in his word and Sacraments; yet so it is, most men are of this Spanish Generals mind, Mundum mundani quaerunt. witness the Oxen, the Farms, the pleasures, the profits and preferments that men are so fast glued unto, that they have hardly leisure to entertain a thought of any goodness.

438 Goodness and Greatness seldom meet together.

IN our natural bodies, the more fat there is, the lesser blood in the veins, and consequently the fewer spirits; and so in our fields, aboundance of wet breeds aboundance of tares, B. Smith Serm. on Jer. 9. and consequently great scarcity of Corn: And is it not so with our souls? The more of God's blessing and wealth, the more weeds of carnality, and vanity; and the more rich to the world, the less righteous to God commonly: What meant Apuleius to say, that Ubi uber, ibi tuber, but to signifie; that pride and arrogance are companions to plenty? And what made Solomon to pray against fulness, —Virtus & summa potestas Non coeunt. Prov. 30. but to shew, that as they must have good brains that will carry much drink, so they must have extraordinary souls that will not be overcome with the world; Lucan. Goodness and greatness do seldom meet together, as Asdrubal Haedeus said in Livy. Rarò simul hominibus bona fortuna bonaque mens datur, Who is the man except it be one of a thousand,Bernard. lib. 2. de consolat. Cui praesens faelicitas si arrisit, non irrisit, but if the world ran in upon him, he would soon out-run it.

Perseverance is the Crown of all good actions.439

[Page]

WHatsoever is before the end, it is a step whereby we climb to the top of salvation, Cyprian in lib. de si [...]pl. Pr [...]lat. but it is not the uppermost griece, whereby the highest part of the top may be taken hold of: A man may be tumbled down from the ladder, as well when he is within a round or two of the top, as when he is in the midst or below the mi [...]st B. Smith Serm. on Joh 6. And a man may make Shipwrack when he is within ken of land▪ as when he is a thousand miles off: What had it profited Peter to have escaped the first and second Watch, if he had stuck at the iron gate, and had not passed through that also? VVho maketh account of land-oats that shead before the Harvest, Gal. 3. or of fruit that falls from the tree before it be ripe? It is not to begin in the spirit and end in the slesh, Luke 9. 62. not a putting of the hand to the Plow, and looking back, but a constant perseverance to the end, Mat. 24. 13. that shall be crowned.

Prayers of the godly, the unanimity of them.440

WE read of Ptolomeus Philadelphus, Conrad. Zu [...] gerus excitat. variorum. King of Egypt, that he caused the Bible to be translated by seventy Interpreters, which seventy were severally disposed of in seventy several cells, unknown each to other, and yet they did so well agree in their several translations, that there was no considerable difference betwixt them, in rendring the Text; an argument, that they were acted by one and the same spirit: Surely then it must needs be a great comfort to all good Christians, when they shall call to mind,T. Fuller. Ser. at Savoy 1642. what! seventy? nay, seventy times seventy, yea seventy hundreth, yea seventy thousand which are peaceable in Israel, which on the bended knees of their souls pray daily unto God for peace; And though they know not the faces, no not the names of one another, have neither seen, nor shall see one another till they meet together in Heaven, yet they unite their votes, and center their suffrages in the same thing, that God would restore peace and order both in Church and State, and to every particular member therein, that we may yet live to have comfort one of another, who no doubt shall have a comfortable return of their prayers in Gods due time.

The powerful effects of Rhetorical Elocution.441

THe breath of a man hath more force in a Trunk, and the wind a louder and sweeter sound in the Organ-pipe, Ant. de Rampegoli. then in the open air. So the matter of our speech, and theam of our discourse, Fig. Biblicae. Eloquii tanta est gloria, &c. which is conveyed through figures and forms of Art, both sound sweeter to the ear,Ovid. and pierce deeper into the heart; there is in them plus [...] and [...] more evidence and more efficacy, they make a fuller expression, and deeper impression, then any plain, rough-hewen, long-cart-rope speeches or language whatsoever can do.

A Caveat for unworthy Communicants.442

MR.Philip Goodwin Evang. Greenham in one of his Sermons, speaking of Non-residents, wisheth that this Inscription or Motto might be written on their study-doors without,Communicant. and walls within, on all their books they look in, beds they lie on, tables they sit at, &c. The price of blood, The price of blood; The like were to be wished for, to all that have been bad Communicants, that in great letters it were written, on their shop doors without, walls within, on all their doors, on their day-books, and debt-books, and whatsoever objects are before their eyes, The guilt of blood, the guilt of blood, even the guilt of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who dyed for them.

443 Every good Minister to speak a word in season, opportunely.

[Page]

EVery Husbandman as he hath, so he observeth the seasons to sow his seed, and his ground to cast his corn into;Rich. Stock. Funeral Serm. L. Harrington. some he soweth in the Autumn & fall of the leaf, some in the Spring and renewing of the year, some in a dry season, some in a wet, some in a moist clay, some in a sandy dry ground; as the Holy Ghost speaketh, He soweth the Fitches, Scriba doctus in regno Coelorum, &c. and the Cummin, and casteth in Wheat by measure, Mar. 13. 52. Esay 28. 25. Thus the spiritual Husbandman dealeth with the husbandry of his God, he hath his seed for all seasons, and for all grounds, and all hearts; some for the time of judgement, some for the time of mercy, some for the season of mirth and mourning, as wet and dry seasons, some for the birth and burial, as for the Spring and Fall, some for them who sorrow in Sion, and some for them that rejoyce in Jerusalem, Esay. 6. 2.

444 Pardon of sins, the onely comfort.

A Traitor that is condemned to death, may have the liberty of the Tower to walk in, Tho. Woods. Serm. at St. Marg. New-Fish. Lond. 16 [...]9. and provisions of meat and drink appointed at the States charges, yet he takes little comfort in either, because his Treason is not pardoned, and he expects daily to be drawn to execution: Thus a man that hath the advantage of all these outward things, if he want assurance of the pardon of his sins, and of Gods love in Christ Jesus to his soul, they will be but as miserable comforters to him, and he cannot take any true delight in them.

445 The difference betwixt Sermons preached, and Sermons printed.

SErmons preached are for the most part as showres of rain that water for the instant,Phil. Goodwin ut anteà. such as may tickle the ear, and warm the affections, and put the soul into a posture of obedience; hence it is that men are oft-times Sermon-sick, as some are Sea-sick, very ill, much troubled for the present, but by and by all is well again, as they were;Vox audita perit. But printed sermons or other discourses, are as snow, that lies longer on the Earth, they are longer lived, they preach when the Author cannot, and which is more, when he is not: Sights, as they come sooner to the eye, than sounds to the ear; so they abide longer; Audible words are more transient, visible works more permanent; the one may make the ear more attentive, but the other, the memory more retentive; both in themselves excelling.

446 Princes and Governors to be prudetinally qualified.

BE wise now therefore O Kings, Psal. 2.B. Smith Serm. on Psalm 2. 1 Kings 7. Two kinds of wisdom are required in Kings and Princes: wisdom or knowledge in God's matters, otherwise called Divinity; and wisdom or knowledge in worldly matters, otherwise called, Prudence, or Policy. Both are not onely like the two pillars that Solomon put in the porch of the Temple for ornament,Exod. 17. but also for special use, like the hands of Aaron and Hur, which did support the hands of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites. Duo sunt quae ab egregiis Principibus expectantur, sanctites Domi, in Armis fortitudo, &c. Arist. And good reason too; for if they be pious onely in God's matters, and be not otherwise prudent: then they are fitter for the Common-weal of Plato, then for the corrupt estate of Romulus, for the Cloyster then for the Court; again, if they be prudent or politick onely, and be not pious, then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel, where dwelleth confusion, then of Jerusalem, where Gods glory is seen; and more rightly to be called, the children of this world, which goeth to nought and perisheth, then the children of God, who love truth in the inwards, and care for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good Conscience.

A sad thing to lose both soul and body at one and the same time.447

[Page]

DUdithius relates a sad story of one Bochna a Woman, Citat. è Thucidid. Hist. which had but two sons, and whilst she was walking with the one towards the River, she heard the other crying out,Obad. Sedgw. Serm. at a publique Fast. Westm. and hasting back, she found a knife sticking in his side, which killed him immediately; then she made haste to the other child, but he in her absence was fallen into the River and drowned, both lost at once: This is our case, every one of us hath two children, a soul and a body; a life temporal, a life eternal; What a heavy loss would it be to lose both these at once? yet such is the sad condition of many▪ that whilst they busie themselves to catch at the shadow, and to set up a rest for their souls here in this world, they lose both shadow and substance, soul and body, the rest of their souls here, and the true souls of their eternal rest hereafter, both together.

A good Magistrate or Minister is the support of the place where he lives.448

MEn use to fence and defend, to keep watch and ward over their corn-fields, whilst the corn, Rich. Stock ut ante [...]. and fruits are in them unreaped, ungathered, but when the corn is inned and safe in the Barn, then is open-tide (as they say) they lay all open, Reipub. fulcrum Princeps bonus. Aristor. throw in the fence, and let in beasts of all kind; nay, sometimes they set fire on the stubble: Thus every zealous Magistrate, every godly Minister, every good Christian is as it were a fence, a hedge to that place, that parish where they live; and when they are once plucked up, when they are taken away by death, or otherwise removed, that Kingdom, that place, that parish lyes open to all manner of ruin and destruction.

The certainty of Faith.449

IN the midst of a tumultuous Sea, the Nodes of the Compass remain unmoveable, because they govern themselves not according to the winds, P. du Moulin Combat. Christian. but according to the influence of the Heavens; And so the faith of the faithful remaineth firm amongst the rude agitations, and distracted variations of the VVorld, because it governeth it self not according to the instability of the affairs of this world, but according to the promises of God, which are from all Eternity.

The danger of unworthy Communicating.450

IT is reported of Mr. Bolton, a famous Divine, and Minister of Kettering in Northampton-shire,Phil. Goodw. Evang. Commu. that calling for his children on his death-bed, after some speech to them, he concludes thus; And I hope there is none of you will dare to meet me at Christ's tribunal in an unregenerate estate; intimating the great and inevitable danger that must needs attend such a condition: And it were to be wished, that none would dare to meet at the Lord's Table in a sinful state; which if they do, and will with unhumbled, and unhallowed hearts come unto that tent, and as Sisera, Iudg. 4. 19. take the milk and the butter, the bread and the wine, let them know, that there is a nail and a hammer for them, they eat and drink their own damnation.

A Minister to be careful in the delivery of God's message.451

EArthly Kings and Magistrates are offended (and good reason too) if their subjects or servants shall do from them,B. Abbot Lect. on Jonah. or in their names, such messages as they send not; or if their Ambassadors being limited by advertisements, what they shall do, and what they shall not do, should negotiate to the contrary: Then should all Ministers of Jesus Christ, whose Ambassadors they are, be careful in a very high degree, that they deliver the whole counsel of God, that they speak nothing but what they have in Commission, otherwise they shall offend a Lord of more dreadfull [Page] majesty; who is more jeal [...]us of his glory, and more able to punish, then any earthly Kings or Magistrates whatsoever.

452 Graces lost in the soul, are to be made up onely in Christ.

THe Virgin Vestals of the Pagans (from whence proceeded those many Cloysters of Nuns at this day) had a continuall fire, Franc. Salis. Introduct. [...] la vie devote. which if it hapened by any mischance to go out, they might not give it light again, but onely from the Sun: Thus our natural clearness, and purity of life being quite extinguished by the sin of Adam, there's no meanes under heaven to renew it, we cannot kindle it again but at the Sun of Righteousness, Christ Iesus our Lord, to whom belongeth that which is said in Psalm. 3. 6. The fountain of life is in thee, &c.

453 Gods speciall love to his Children.

LOok upon the Sun how it casts light and heat upon all the World in his general course,Rich. Holds. worth Sermon at St. Pauls, Lond. 1625. how it shineth upon the good and the bad with an equall influence, but let its beames be but concentered in a burning-glass, then it sets fire on the objectonely, and passeth by all others: And thus God in the Creation looketh upon all his Works with a generall love, Erant omnia vald [...] bona, they pleased him very well; O but when he is pleased to cast the beams of his love, and cause them to shine upon his Elect through Christ, then it is that their hearts burn within them, then it is that their affections are inflamed; whereas others are but as it were a little warmed, have a little shine of common graces cast upon them.

454 The strength of a true Christians love to Christ.

IN our English Chronicles,Ioh. Speed Chron. of Eng. we read of the rare affection of Elianor the wife of Edward the first; the King having gotten a wound by a poysoned Dagger, she sets her mouth to the wound to such out the poyson, venturing her own life to preserve her Husbands.Philip. Goodwin Vt ante [...]. Such is the strength of a true Christians love to Christ, that were it to suck poyson out of Christs wounds, it would be contented so to do; as when Christ his Church, his cause, his people are smitten and wounded by the poysonous tongues of blasphemers, the rayling tongues of licentious libertines, the hellish fiery tongues of a rebellious generation, Heb. 11. 26. Psal. 69. 9. and a good Christian is willing to draw it all upon himselfe, to take it off from Christ, and that Christ may have the glory he careth not what he undergoeth.

455 Self-tryall smoothes the way to all other tryals.

BIlney, Ioh. Fox Acts and Mon. a Martyr in Q. Maries dayes, tryed his finger by himselfe in the Candle, before he tried his whole body in the fire at the stake: If thou hast run with the footman (faith God by the mouth of the Prophe [...]) and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou match thy self with Horses, Jer. 12. 5? How shall our faith abide the [...]iery triall by others, Ierem. Dyke's worthy communicat. if it have never been put to the fiery trial by our selves? How shall that faith try a match with horsemen, smile at torments, stare a disguised death in the face, that never yet tried a match with footmen, that never tried it selfe in private, that never strugled with naturall corruptions? Surely selfe tryal will pave the way smooth to all other tryals; And that man will never abide to be tryed at a bar or stake, that is loath to be tryed in his Closet or his Chamber.

456 Adversity seeks God.

IT is reported,Agathias Hist. ib. 5. that when on a time the City of Constantinople was shaken with a terrible Earthquake, many Houses were overthrown, and with the fall many people perished; The whole City is hereupon so amazed, and every one so remembred to think on God, that they fall to their publique devotions, the Churches [Page] were thwack'd full with people, all men for a while were much amended, Justice commutative and distributive both, advanced; the poor relieved, Justice exalted, Lawes executed, no fraud in bargaining, it was become a very holy place; but when God held his hand from punishing, they held their hearts from praying; when his wrath ceased, their Religion ceased also: And was it not alike in the civill Wars of France? after the putting forth of that Act, or Edict, Ianuary 1561. and in the second and third years of those Wars,Jean. de Seres Hist. de France. such as were of the Religion, then groaning under the heavy cross of poverty, oppression, and war, how devout were they towards God? very carefull in their waies, glad to hear any preach the Word, and glad to receive the Sacrament any way: but when the third peace was concluded, which seemed a very sound peace, and the Rod was now thought to be removed afar off; such carelesn [...]sse and security overgrew the hearts of all, and in the Protestants there was so cold a zeal, Tanta erat Religiosorum taediosa curiositas &c. and that within less then two years, that a Sermon plainly made with good grounds of Divinity, Fidem secunda poscunt, adversa exigunt. [...]. in Agamemn. was not thought to be worth the hearing, unlesse it were spiced with Eloquence, or flourished over with courtly expressions: Nomine mutato d [...] nobis fabula, The case is ours, witnesse that Marian persecution, when so many of the dear children of God mounted like Elias to heaven in fiery Chariots; What prayers were made within the Land and without? and what coldnesse benummed some hot ones of that time not long after? Call to mind that miraculous year of 88. How did the piety of our Land exceed at that time? young and old then came together into the Courts of the Lord;Geo. Abbot, Cant. Serm. at Court. 1624. Sabbaths were then sanctified, week-dayes well spent; How did the people flock to Church? It might have been written in golden letters over every Church-door in the Land, Cor unum, via una; such was the unity, such was the uniformity of their devotions at that time; but with the cold of the winter, their devotion grew cold too, and many moneths had not passed, but as in few things some were the better, so in many things a great deal worse: To come yet downwards, Anno 1625. to omit others, The chief City of our Kingdom being struck with the plague of Pestilence, seemed no other then a dreadful dungeon to her own,B. Halls Serm. at Court. 1625. a very Golgotha to others; What then? The King commands a Nineveh-like humiliation; with what eagerness were those fasts devoured? What loud cryes did beat on all sides of the Gates of Heaven? and with what inexpectable, unconceivable mercies were they answered? Suddainly those many thousands were brought down to one poor unite, not a number; then was all the fasting and mourning turnd into joy and laughter: To come yet lower to this very year, this very day; How hath the Sword devoured? and whilst it did so, how did the people unite and associate; but when it seemed to be but a little sheath'd, what remisness, what divisions were found amongst us? It is so, and it is not well that it is so; It is a reproach to some, No Penny, no Pater-noster; it is a shame to us, No Plague, no Pater-noster, no punishment, no prayer.

Carnall and spirituall men, their difference in doing good.457

AN Organ, Syly. de Prierio, [...]urea rosa in Evang. or any other wind-instrument, maketh no Musick til there be breath put into it; but a stringed Instrument, as the Lute, or Viol, yeeldeth a pleasant sound even with the rouch of a finger: And thus a carnal man that is dead in sins and trespasses, must have a new life breathed into him by the blessed spirit of God, before he be able to set forth the praises of his Maker; whereas one that is spiritualized, one that is furnished with the graces of the spirit, doth good, and receiveth good upon the least touch of the spirit, is a Trumpet of Gods glory upon the least occasion that can possibly be offered.

Faith makes us partakers of every good thing in Gods Ordinances.458

LOok but on a Conduit that is full of water; [...]erem. Dykes Worthy Communicant. now a man that would fill his vessel, must bring it to the Conduit, set it near the Cock; but yet that is not enough, if that be all, and he do no more, he may go home again with an empty [Page]vessel; and therefore he that would fill his vessell, when he hath brought it to the Conduit, and set it under the Cock, he must also turn the Cock, and then the water runs forth and fills his vessel: So Christ is the Conduit of all grace and goodnesse, the Fountain of living waters, he that would be spiritually filled must come to him; his Ordinances, the Word and Sacraments are the Cocks of this Conduit; so that a man that would be filled, must not onely go to Christ, but to Christ in his Ordinances: and that is not enough neither; Fides luine [...] est animae, [...]stium vitae &c Chrys. in Symb. when he is come to them, he must turn them: But how must that be done? the Well is deep, and I have no bucket to draw, the Cock is hard locked, and I cannot tell how to unlock it, saith the weak believing Soul: What of all this? Thou hast faith, a true faith, though a weak faith; now that faith actuated and working upon the Ordinances, turns the Cock, and then the efficacies and vertues of Christ flow forth, then it is that we are filled with the Holy Ghost, that with joy we draw waters out of the Wells of our salvation, Isai. 12. 3.

459 Forgivenesse of one another, commanded and commended.

WHen Luther had wofully wronged and reviled Calvin; Melch▪ Adamus, in vita. well said Calvin, Etiamsi Lutherus millies me Diabolum vocet &c. Let Luther hate me, and call me Devil a thousand times, yet I will love him, and acknowledge him to be a precious servant of God: This was an excellent temper of Calvin, and truly such a frame of spirit, P. Goodwin, ut anted. such a sweet composure of the soul, as to forgive and forget, to pass by offences, to leave all to God, not to answer wrath with wrath, not to study revenge, not to be mindful of injuries received, is all along the Scripture commanded, by God himselfe commended, and by every good Christian to be carefully practised.

460 Good meanes, how to be used.

AS a Pilot that guids the Ship,Phi. Bosquieri Ara Coeli, Hab. 1. 16. hath his hand upon the Rudder, and his eye on the Star that directs him, at one and the same time: So should every man be diligent in the use of all lawful means, industrious in his calling; but withall he must have a care that he do not sacrifice to his [...], and burn incense to his own yarn; that he do not attribute too much to his own endeavours, but look up to God the giver of all good things, and wait upon him for a blessing.

461 God by Afflictions drives us to Heaven.

PLutarch in his Pelopidas telleth,Plutarch in Pelopida. That Antigonus had a Souldier, who being vexed with an ill Disease, and thereby so weary of his life, that he was alwaies one of the formost in service, one so ready as no man more in the whole company: The General much liking this, cast such an affection to the valour of the man, that to his great expence he caused him to be cured, who lately held himself incurable; But then looking that his Souldier should be forward as before, he found him to draw back, never offering to come within danger; Asking the reason, the Souldier makes answer;Geo. Abbot Cant. lect. on Jonah. That now he had somewhat to lose, and that was a healthful and sound body, with which he should grieve to part; but before when he was in misery, he had thought his case should have been very happy, if he might have been dead, and buried: Thus the wisdom of God doth foresee that in us, which Antigonus found but afterwards in his Souldier; That we who in anguish and persecution, do desire the company of the Elect in heaven, and with St. Paul, to be dissolved and to be with Christ, would lie grovling in prosperity, as if tyed and glued to the world, and therefore is it, that in his love he whips us sometimes, that we may seek unto him, and sue to be in heaven with himselfe.

A Sermon preached many years before, may be the means of salvation many years after.462

[Page]

IT is recorded,Ierem. Dyke, ut ante [...]. how that many resorted unto Christ, and said, Iohn did no miracle, but all things that Iohn spake of this man were true; And they believed on him there, Joh. 10. 41, 42. Iohn, it seems, had preached of Christ before, yet they did not thereupon believe in Christ when he preached; Iohn was dead and gone, but now when Christ comes amongst them, they upon Iohn's former Sermons preached unto them some while since do now believe: Iohn was dead, but his word was not dead, that now works while he lies in his Grave. [...]dolor hic tibi proderit olim. Ovid. Thus many a man hears the word and minds it; but at present it hath no work at all: It is possible, that seven years, twenty years after it may fall a working; a Sermon preached seven years before, may be the means of a mans conversion seven years after.

The danger of Conventicles 463

CUnning Thieves, Philip. Goodwin. Evang. communicant. when they can draw a Travailer out of the common road way into some by path, then it is that they rob him; deceitful Tradesmen will be sure of a false light, to put off their bad Wares by: and in dark Cellars, there may soon be water mixt with wine. Thus the Ordinances of God are never more perverted, and the doctrine of the Gospel by seducers never more corrupted, then when they can draw silly men and women, out of the open places of ordinary recourse, into their close corners, and lone houses; there it is that they vend their counterfeit Wares, and there it is too that that they mixe their Wine with Worm-wood, set false glosses upon the truth of Gods word; there it is that they make Scripture speak not what God intends, but what they in their wild fancies imagine, but that there would be such as should cry up Christ in a corner, Christ himself foretold it; Behold he is in the secret Chamber, Mat. 24. 26.

The whole Armour of God to be put on.464

IT is reported by the Poets,Ovidii Me [...]am of Achilles, the Graecian Captain, that his Mother being warned by the Oracle, dipt him being a child, in the River Lethe, to prevent any danger that might ensue by reason of the Trojan war, but Paris his inveterate enemy, understanding also by the Oracle, that he was impenetrable all over his body, except the heel, or small of his leg, which his Mother held by, when she dipt him,Lauren. Scalabonii moral. in passionem Christi, Ephes. 6. took his advantage, shot him in the heel and kill'd him: Thus every man is, or ought to be armed cap a pe with that Panoplia, that whole Armour of God. For the Devil will be sure to hit the least part that he finds unarmed; if it be the eye, he will dart in at that casement by the presentation of one lewd object or other; if it be the ear, he will force that door open by bad counsel; if the tongue, that shall be made a world of mischief; if the feet, they shall be swift to shed blood, &c.

God, slow to anger.465

IT is observed in Men, Geo. Abbot. Cant. lect. on Jonah. that they are long in making any thing, but very quick in marring of it; A House built in a year, may be pluck'd down in a moneth, and sooner; A Castle which hath been long in setting up, by mining and powder may be blown up in a moment; a City which many generations have but brought to its beauty, is in a little time brought to ruine: onely God is quick in making, but pauseth upon destroying, he cometh not but step by step, step after step, and when he should strike, he stayeth, and turneth, and looketh away; the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, had but one day for their Creation, but Man had a hundred and twenty years before the coming of the floud to his destruction: And Ierusalem shall be warned by the Scriptures before the appearance of Christ, by Iohn Baptist afterwards, by our Saviour personally: and when they have killed that just One, yet forty years shal [...] [Page] pass, before it be quite destroyed: Six dayes made the world, but almost six thousand years have been afforded to it, before the end overtake it.

466 Harmony of the Scriptures.

VVHen a man is drawing water out of a Wel (it is Epiphanius his observation) with two vessels of a different mettal,In [...]. de Anchoratu. the water at the first seemeth to be of a different colour; Ioh. Weemse Exercitations. but when he draweth up the Vessels nearer to him, the diversity of colours vanish, and the water appeareth to be of one and the same colour; and when he tasteth them, they have one and the same relish; Thus, although at the first sight there may seem to be some contradictions in the Scriptures, yet when we look nearer and nearer into them, and compare one place with another, we shall find no contrariety in them, no repugnancy at all, but a perfect harmony and full consent of one place with another; As the Patriarks relating to the promises made to Abraham before the Law; the Prophets grounding themselves upon Moses under the Law; and the faith of the Church, relying upon the doctrine of the Apostles under the Gospel; all of them agreeing in one, nothing at all contradictory▪

467 Reformation pretended, Deformation intended.

THe Poet Aratus made this answer to one that asked him,Diogenes La [...]rt. de vitis Philosophorum. lib. 90. How he might have Homers Poems free from corruption & faults; Get, saith he, an old Copy not reformed; and he gives this reason▪ That curious wits labouring to amend things well done, commonly quite mar them, or at least make them worse: Thus have the Innovators of our times done, they have cryed out for Reformation, Reformation both in Church and State; but behold a Deformation, they will not inquire for the good old way, Phi. Goodwin Evang. Communicant. they will not write by any primitive Copy, the Reformation must be in their own way. And thus have they wrought the same mischiefe here, which the turbulent Orators of Lacedemonia did in that Common-wealth, so wisely settled by Licurgus his Lawes, which whilst they took upon them to amend, they miserably defaced and deformed.

468 Prayers not prevailing at present with God, how to be regulated.

ANglers, Nath. Shute Serm. at Mers. Chap. Lond. 1627. when they have long waited, and perceive that nothing doth as much as nibble at the bait, do not impatiently throw away the Rod, or break the hook and line, but pull up and look upon the bait, and so throw it in again: Thus should every good Christian do, though he hath fished all night and caught nothing, though he hath been much in prayers unto God; yet after long expectation, not a syllyble of comfort appearing, no return made at all; let him not break off his prayers, but look to his prayers, that they be not mingled with corruptions, that they be not bare of grace, naked of faith, void of love, &c. and so mend them, and no doubt but Christ will appear at a time he thinks not of, with such a gracious answer as shall abundantly satisfie his longing expectation.

469 The great danger of security in times of danger.

DIodorus Siculus writeth,Antiquitat. lib. 43. that in Aethiopia there is a people of that quality, that they are not at all moved with the speech of them who sayl by them, or with the sight of strangers approaching to them, but onely looking upon the earth, they use to stand unmoveable, as if their senses took knowledge of no man; If any, saith he, should strike them with a drawn sword, they fly not, but bear the blows; neither is any of them moved with the vvounds or hurts of another,Geo. Abbot. Cant. lect. on Ionah. but oftentimes they behold their Wives and Children slain before their faces vvithout any reluctancy at all; An insensible sort of people surely they are, if any such there be which hardly can be believed; yet are not vve the same? Many years last past, the sword hath been glutted vvith eating of flesh, and drinking of German blood, [Page] and what the sword left, famine seized on; Which of us vvere then affected with those things, or remembred Joseph in those his sad affictions? Who did think that his part was in that Tragedy, his share in that bargain, or that ever that cup should come to him to tast on; but so it is, that we who were then idle spectators, are now made sad Actors; we that were like so many Gallioes, as it were, men caring not for those things, as men unconcerned, are now encompassed on all sides, and ripe for destruction, if God in mercy prevent not.

Promises of the Gospel are the poor mans supporter.470

THe Fishermans Net is so framed,Ioh. Prestons Serm. at Lincolns-Inn, 16 [...]6 that there are leaden waights to make it sink at the bottom, and Corks to make it swim on the top: And thus it is that the leaden, heavy weight of poverty and wordly cr [...]sses keep the poor man down, and make him ready to sink under the burthen, were it not for the comfortable promises of the Gospel that buoy up his confidence, and make him swim, and hold up his head above all opposition whatsoever.

Ras [...], inconsiderate Preaching condemned.471

IT is said of Archbishop Whitguift, Sir Geo. Paul in vita. that though he preached often, yet he never durst adventure into the Pulpit, but he first wrote his Notes in Latine, and afterwards kept them by him during his life; And he would say himself, That whosoever took that pains before his preaching, the elder he waxed, the better he would discharge that duty; but he, if he trusted to his memory onely, his Preaching in time would become pratling: What shall we then say to those that rush into the Pulpit without any preparation at all, that presume upon a dabitur in illa hora, so that quicqnid in buccam, out comes that which lies uppermost, whether sense or non-sense, all's one, running like an Horse with an empty Cart over Hedge and Ditch, till the Hour-glass stop them; It was the complaint of S. Ierome, of such shallow brains, in his Comment on Ecclesiastes, Gerv. Nid. Serm. 1616. 9. 11. Nam videas in Ecclesia imperitissimos quos (que) florere &c. You may see how in the Church, the most ignorant are most esteemed; and because they have profited in boldness of front and volubility of tongue, they are accompted the onely Preachers of the time; and to speak truth, Impudence and Ignorance are the onely qualifications of such Preachers.

It is Man, not God that changeth.472

THe Sun hath but one simple act of shining; W. Barlow. Good mans refuge, a Serm. at Pauls. yet do we not see that it doth unite clay and straw, dissolve Ice and water? it hardens clay, and melteth wax; it makes the flowers to smell sweetly, and a dead Corps to scent loathsomly; the hot fire to be colder, and the cold water hotter; cures one man with its heat, yet therewith kills another; What's the reason? the cause is in the severall objects, and their divers dispositions, and constitutions, and not in the Suns act of shining, which is one and the same thing; or tell a Looking-glass be set in the Window; Will it not represent to the eye diversity of objects? If thou go to it in decent and seemly apparel, shalt thou not see the like figure? if dejected, and in coorse Rayment, will it not offer to thy view the same equal proportion? Do but stretch thy self, bend thy brow, and run against it, will it not resemble the like person and actions? Where now is the change? shall we conclude in the glass? No; for it is neither altered from the place, Sic oculos, sic ill [...] manus &c. Virg. nor in the nature: Thus the change of love and affection is not in God, but in respect of the object about which it is exercised; if one day God seem to love us, another day to hate us, there is alteration within us first, not any in the Lord; we shall be sure to find a change, but it must be when we do change our wayes, but God never changeth; such as we are to our selves, such will he be to us; if we run stubbornly against him,Psal. 18. 24. he will walk stubbornly against us, vvith the froward he will be froward, but with the meek he will shew himselfe meekly: yet one and the same God still, in vvhom there is not the least shadow of change imaginable.

473 Adversity rather then Prosperity, is the preserver of Piety.

[Page]

PLutarch in his Book of Conjugal Precepts, Hieron Drexelii. Cancer Laur [...]at. maketh use of that knovvn Parable, hovv the Sun and the Wind vvere at variance, whether of them should put a man beside the Cloak vvhich he had upon his back; vvhile the wind blevv, he held it the harder, but the Sun with the strength of his beams, made him throw it away from him. And Ice we know that hangeth down from the eves of the House in frosty weather, is able to endure the stormy blasts of the sharpest Nothern wind; but when the Sun breaks our, it melts and falls away: Thus it is that Adversity and Necessity are rather preservers of Piety, Tempore sic duro est, inspicienda sides. Ovid then plenty and prosperity; Prosperity makes many men lay aside that clean vesture of purity and innocency, which they buckled hard to them while they were trained up in the School of Affliction, prosperity melts them down into vanity, whilst adversity lifts them up into glory.

474 The thought of Gods omnipresence, a great comfort in affliction.

THere is mention made of a company of poor Christians, August. de Civit. Dei. lib. 2. cap. 29. that were banished into some remote parts; and one standing by seeing them passe along, said, That it was a very sad condition those poor people were in, to be thus hurried from the society of men, Totus in Caelo Deus est▪ totus in terra &c. ib. and to be made companions wth the beasts of the field: True, said another, it were a sad condition indeed, if they were carried to a place where they should not find their God; but let them be of good chear, God goes along with them, and will exhibite the comforts of his presence whithersoever they go, he is an infinite God, and filleth all places: Thus as every attribute of God is a breast of comfort not to be drawn dry, so this of his omnipresence is none of the least,Tho. Worrals Sermon at St. Fosters, Lond. 1620. that he is both where we are, and where we are not; he is in the midst of our enemies, we think that they will even swallow us up alive, but God our best friend is with them, to confound all their devices, and insatuate their Counsells; our friends, our relations of Wife and Children, if they be taken hence God is with them; and God is with us too on all occasions, in all conditions, he is ordering all things for his Childrens good.

475 The downfall of Piety and Learning to be deplored.

BOys Sisi the French Leiger in England enquiring what Books Dr. Whitguift then Archbishop of Canterbury had published, was answered, that he had onely set forth certain Books in defence of the Ecclesiastical Government, and it was incidently told him beside, That he had founded an Hospital and a School at Croydon in Surry uttered these words;Sir Geo. Paul. In vita Whitegifti Cant. Profectò Hospitale ad sublevandam paupertatem, & erudiendam ju [...]entutem sunt optimi libri, quos Archiepiscopus scribere potuit: Truly an Hospital to sustain the poor, and a School to train up youth, are the worthiest Books that an Archbishop could possibly set forth: And certainly such was the piety, such the charity of former times, that in this Kingdom of ours, a man might have run and read in many such Books, the Founders bounty and Munificence, witnesse those Ramahs, Barbarus has se getes. Virg. those Schools for the Prophets, those Colledges in both the Universities so well filled, so orderly governed, and so richly endowed; But of late, how faintly did those streams run, which were wont to make glad the City of our God? How were those breasts dryed up, that once nurst up so many? Kiriath-Sepher made Kiriath-Havala; a Kingdom of learning fairly onwards on the way to be made a Kingdom of ignorance, Isai. 24. 10. and Seminaries of sound learning and saving knowledge, likely to be Seed [...]plots of barbarous ignorance, and intolerable presumption.

The exceeding bounty of God.476

[Page]

WE read of a Duke of Millain, that marrying his daughter to a son of England, he made a dinner of thirty courses, and at every course gave so many gifts to every guest at the Table as there were dishes in the course; Joh. White Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. 1616. This you'l say was rich and Royal entertainment, great bounty; yet God gives much more largely. Earthly Princes are fain to measure out their gifts, why? because their stock is like themselves, finite; but the Treasury of God's bounty is puteus inexhaustibilis, never to be drawn dry;Iovis omnia plena. Virgil. 2 Sam. 12. 18. It is he that gives the King his Royalty, the Noble [...]man his Honour, the Captain his strength, the Rich man his wealth, &c. And as Nathan said to David, If all this were too little, he would give yet much more.

To wait with Patience God's leisure.477

DAvid being assured that he should see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living,Will. Barlow Good mans safe [...]y. did not faint, but expect with patience the time appointed, Psal. 27. 13. The Husbandman patiently expecteth the time of Harvest; The Mariner waits with content for wind and tide, and the VVatch-man for the dawning of the day; So must the faithful learn patience in all their troubles, not to make haste, or mourn as men without hope, but tarry the Lords leisure, and he in the fittest season will comfort their drooping souls, [...]Dabit Deus his quo (que) finem. Virgil [...] He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, Heb. [...].

To be mindful of the day of Death.478

IT is written of the Philosophers called Brachmanni, that they were so much given to think of their latter end, Geo. Strode Anatom. of Mortal [...]y. that they had their graves alwayes open before their gates, that both going out, and coming in, they might be mindful of their death; And it is reported of the women in the Isle of Man, that the first Web they make, is their winding sheet, wherewith at their going abroad, they usually guird themselves, to shew that they are mindful of their Mortality; And thus though we have not our graves digged before our eyes, nor carry about us the ugly, gastly picture of death, Vive memor lethi Persius. 5. yet let us carry in our hearts, the true picture of our death, a sense of our mortality, a consideration of Eternity, and in all our doings to remember our latter end, and then we shall never do amiss, Eccles. 7. 36.

The ruine of the Churches enemies to be desired.479

THe Landgrave of Hesse (a mild and gratious Prince, but whose clemency was much abused) being cast by adventure on a Smiths forge, Otho Melander Ioco-seria. over-heard what the Smith said all the while he was striking his Iron: Duresce, inquam duresce, utinam & Landgravius durescat: And truly the presumption of some amongst us is such in corrupting the truth with their books, and opposing it with their heresies,Joh. White Serm. at Pauls▪ Lond. 1616. that all true-hearted Protestants are generally of the Smiths mind, to wish those sons of Belial that flie-blow Religion, and blast the Laws of the Kingdom with their stinking breath, placing their greatest piety in the greatest mischiefs they can bring to Church and Common-wealth, may feel the mettal harder, that by a just law is tempered for such kind of spirits as they are of.

The necessity of Catechising.480

BEda maketh mention of one returning out of England to Aidanus a Religious Bishop in Scotland, Hist. Anglorum [...]b. 3. cap. 5. complaining that the people little profited by his preaching, to whom Aidanus answered, that it was perhaps because he did not after the manner of the Apostles, give them milk first, i. e. principle them well in the foundation [Page] of Christian Religion: And it is most true, that super structures must needs down where the ground-sills are not well laid, Rich. Bernard Serm. of Catechism. that the onely way to encrease knowledge is by knowledge of the Principles of Religion, being thus grounded there will be an ability to judge of truth and false doctrine, so that men will not so easily be carryed about with every wind of doctrine, as the prophane and ignorant multitude be, such as are tiling the house, when they should be laying fast the foundation, such as think they move in a circle of all divine knowledge, when (God knows) they know little or nothing at all.

481 Time well spent.

THere is a story of a certain holy Man,Ant. Douraltii Speculum [...] who at first had led a dissolute life, and chancing on a time into the company of a godly honest man, was so wrought on by his holy perswasion (such is the force of good Society) that he utterly renounced his former course of life, and gave himself to a more private, austere, moderate, and secluse kind of living, the cause whereof being demanded by one of his old consorts, who would have drawn him (such is the nature of evil company) to his usuall riot and excess, he made this answer; I am busie, meditating and rea [...]ing in a little look which ha [...]h but three leaves in it, so that I have no leisure so much as to think of any other business; And being asked a long time after whet [...]er he had read over the book, replied, This small book hath but three leaves, and they are of three several colours,Geo. Strode Anatomy of Mortality. red, white, and black, which contain so many mysteries, that the more I meditate thereon, the more sweetness I find, so that I have devoted my self to read thereon all the days of my life; In the first leaf, which is red, I meditate on the passion of my Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus, and of his pretious blood shed for a ransom of my sins, and the sins of all his Elect, without which we had been bondslaves of Sathan, and fewell for hellfire; In the white leafe, I cheer up my spirits with the comfortable consideration of the unspeakable joys of the heavenly Kingdom purchased by the blood of Christ my Saviour; In the third leafe, which is black, I think upon the horrible and perpetual torments of Hell, provided and kept in store fo [...] the wicked and ungodly. Here's a good man, a good book, and a good example well met together: Would but the men of this world carry this book of three leaves in their hearts, and meditate often thereon, it would restrain their thoughts, bridle their affections, and center all their words and actions within the limits and boundaries of the fear of God; but alas, men like Nabal,Quos gloria vexat inanis. are so busied about white Earth, red Earth, and black Earth, in gathering and scraping of transitory trash, or have so prostituted their affections unto carnal pleasures and delights, that they spend their time like Domitian, in catching of flyes, or like little children, in running after butter-flyes, so that they have little or no leisure to think either of God or any goodness, and so on a sudden the Sun of their pleasure setteth, the day of their life endeth, the night of their death cometh, and like a man walking in the snow, not seeing his way, they chop into their graves before they be aware.

482 A child of God is best known by his affections to God.

A Father lying on his death-bed, called three children to him which he kept, and told them that one onely of them was his natural son,W. Perkins Governm. of tongue. and that the rest were onely brought up by him, therefore unto him onely he gave all his goods, but which of those three was his own son, he would not in any wise declare: VVhen he was dead, every one pleaded his birth-right, and the matter brought to tryall, the judge for the making (if possible) a true discovery, took his course; He caused the dead corps of the Father to be set up against a Tree, and commanded the three sons to take bows and arrows to shoot against their Father, to see who could come neerest to his heart; The first and second did shoot and hit him, but the third was angry with them both, and through natural affection of a child to a Father, threw away his bow and would not shoot at all: This done, the Judge gave sentence, that the two first were no sons, but the third onely, and that he should have [Page] the goods: The like tryall may be made of God's children; Can the drunkard be God's child, that gives him vineger and gall to drink? No, he is a child of the Devil; Can the blasphemous swearer that rends God in peices, and sh [...]ots him through with his dart, as it is said of the Egyptian when he blasphemed, that he smote or pierced through God's name, Levit. 24. 11. No, he is a Devill incarnate, whereas a child of God is discovered by his affections to his God, —Fructu dign [...]s [...]itur arbor. he makes conscience of an Oath, his tongue is the trumpet of God's glory, he possesseth his vessel in holiness, and if at any time he sin against God, as who is it that doth not? If he chance to shoot at God a bitter word, and unclean thought, a sinful act, it is as Jonathan did at David, either short, or over, seldom or never, home; In a word, such is his care, his zeal, his love to his God, that if he sin by infirmity, he returns by Repentance immediately.

Iudges and Magistrates are to be the Patrons of Justice.483

IT is reported of a Lord Maior of London, that giving order to an Officer to call in the Company of Brewers before him,Dr. Leighton's Troubles. instead of them he warned in the Vintners to appear, whom the Lord Maior no sooner espied in the Court, but asked, What they made there. The Officer replyed, that upon his Lordships command, he had warned them in; But, saith the Lord Ma [...]or, I gave order for the Brewers; True, my Lord (said the Officer) And these be the greatest Brewers in the Kingdom, or grand Impostors in corrupting the Queen of liquors, as I and my [...]ellows find by woful experience, whereupon the Lord Maior and Aldermen approved the Officers wit, and took the matter into consideration. Thus, the Judges are in a most special manner Patres legis, Spreto moderamine juris, Curritur in facinus. the Patrons of the Law, the great Masters of the Wine-cellar of Justice; but if they once mix wine and water, and turn judgement into Warm-wood, they are then the Brewers, [...]os. Scaliger in lib. 8. Epid [...]rpidum. the grand Impostors that poyson the State, because they corrupt the Fountain of the peoples birth-right, in making the known Laws of the Kingdom speak according to their pleasure.

An argument of extream folly not to be mindful of death.484

IF a man were tyed fast to a stake, at whom a most cunning Archer did shoot, and wounding many about him,Geo. Strode Anat. of Mortal. some above, and some below, some beyond, and some short, some on this hand, and some on that, and the poor wretch himself so fast bound to the stake, that it were not any way possible for him to escape; VVould it not be deemed madnesse in him, if in the mean time forgetting his misery and danger, he should carelesly fall to bib, and quaff, to laugh, and be merry, as if he could not be touched at all? who would not judge such a man besides himself, that should not provide for his end? yet such Gotamists, such Bedlamites, such mad men are most amongst us, who knowing and understanding that the most expert Archer that ever was, even God himself hath whet his sword, and bent his bow, and made it ready, Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur! and hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death, and ordained his arrows, Psal. 7. 12, 13. Yea, that he hath already shot forth his darts, and arrows of death, and hath hit those that are above us, Superiors and Elders; such as be right against us, companions and equals; such as be very neer us, kinred and Allyes; on the right hand, our friends; on the left hand our Enemies; yet we think to be shot-free, sit still as men and women unconcerned, not so much as once thinking of our latter end.

485 The sins of Blasphemy and Swearing, the commonness of them.

[Page]

IT is no wonder that in Italy (vvhich is a parcell of Antichrists Kingdom) Blasphemies should be darted out against God, John Boys. Postils. and his Christ, openly, being made phrases of gallantry to the Brewer, Sand's Relation. and very interjections of speech to the Vulgar: But in England (where the Scepter of Christs Kingdom hath a long time flourished) it cannot but wound the heart of such as mourn for the sins of the Land, to consider hovv commonly not onely the Ruffian in the Tavern, [...]fera regnat Erinnys. and the Rascal on the Stage, but also the Labourer at his work, and the Gentleman at his recreation, and the very Boyes, yea the Babes in the streets curse their Maker, and revile their Redeemer.

486 The consideration of eternall pain, to deter from the commission of sinne.

A Grave and chast Matron being moved to commit folly with a lewd Ruffian,Will. Perkins of Repent. after long discourse and tedious solicitations, she called for a pan of hot burning coles, requesting him for her sake, to hold his finger in them but one hour: He answered, that it was an unkind request: To vvhom she replied, That seeing he would not so much as hold his finger in a few coles for one hour, she could not yeeld to do the thing for which she should be tormented body and soul in hell fire for ever: And thus should all men reason with themselves, when they are about to sin; none will be brought to do a thing that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake; If a man be but to snuffe a candle, he will spit on his finger because he cannot endure a small and tender flame; What care is then requisite to leave sin, whereby we bring endless torments to body and soul in hell sire, to which our fire is but Ice by way of comparison?

487 Seasonable Repentance, is safe Repentance.

A Good Husband will repair his House while the weather is fair, Geo. Strode Anat. of Mortal. not put off till winter; a careful Pilot vvill take advantages of wine and tide, and so put out to Sea, not stay till a storm arise: The Travailer will take his time in his journey, and mend his pace when the night comes on, least darkness overtake him; The Smith vvill strike while the Iron is hot, least it grow cool and so he [...]ose his labour: So we ought to make every day, the day of our Repentance, to make use of the present time, [...]nulli nostrum est ultima nota dies. Billius. that vvhen vve come to dye, we may have nothing to do but to dye, for there vvill be a time vvhen there will be no place for Repentance, vvhen time vvill be no more, when the Door vvill be shut, vvhen there vvill be no entrance at all:

488 The godly mans desires are above his reach.

A Godly man cannot do that which he would, Will. Perkins Combat of flesh aud spirit. Rom. 7. 18. And wherein he is like a Prisoner that is got out of the Goal, vvho that he might escape the hands of the Keeper, desires and strives vvith all his heart to run an hundreth miles in a day, but by reason of the heavy bolts and fetters that hang at his heels, cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain, and that too vvith cha [...]ing his flesh, and tormenting himself. And thus it is that the servants of God do heartily desire and endeavour to run in the vvaies of Gods commandements, as it is said of that good King Iosias, [...]Videt meliora probat (que) sed deteriora, &c. to serve God with all their heart, 2 King. 23. 25. Yet because they are clogged vvith the bolts of the flesh, they performe obedience very slowly, and weakly with many slips and failings.

489 The good of Government.

VVHen one comforted a poor Widow which had lately lost her Husband, John Boys: Postills. for that he vvas an unthrift, and unkind, she replyed; Well, though he were but a bad Husband, yet he was a Husband, and such an one is better then none: So [Page] the commodities of Government are so great, that a very bad Husband to the Common-wealth is better then none at all: For whereas in a corrupt Monarchy, there may be one Tyrant, in an Oligarchy some few Tyrants, in a Democracy many Tyrants, in an Anarchy they are all Tyrants.

Death, the good Mans gain.489

IN the Ceremonial Law, Levit. 25. there was an year they accompted the year of Iubilee, and this was with the poor Iews a very acceptable year,Geo. Strode Anat. of Mortal. because that every man that had lost or sold his Lands upon the blowing of a Trumpet, returned, and had possession of his estate again, and so was recovered out of all the extremities in which he lived before. In this life we are just such as those poor men of Israel, rifled, plundered, spoiled, in a manner and condition every way straitned; now Death is our Iubilee, and when the Trumpet begins to sound, life is then loss; Death is the good mans advantage, then it is that he enjoyes a better state than ever he had before:Nonnè mori satius &c. Claudian. What though Death be to the wicked as the Rod in Moses hand, that was turned into a Serpent, yet to the godly it shall be like that of Eliah, a wand to waft them into a better life: then it is that the funeral of their vices, shall be the resurrection of all their gracious actions.

The greatest of Men, subjects of Mortality.490

IT is with Men as with Letters, that have great and glorious superscriptions, Right Honourable, Anth. Burges Fast. Serm. 1646. Right Worshipful; &c. but when opened, there is nothing but a little black ink, and dust upon them: So, though men have great places and offices, whether it be in Church or State, and make a great outward show in the world, yet within there is but a little black blood, and dusty flesh to cover it, dust they were, and to dust they must return again.

Death strips us of all worldly outward things.491

IT is with us in this world, T. Gatakers true Content. as it was in the Iewish fields and vineyards, pluck and eat they might what they would vvhile they were there, but they might not pocket or put up ought to carry vvith them, Deut. 23. 24. Or as with Boyes, that having gotten by stealth into an Orchard, Gul. Parisiensis, summa de vitiis. stuffe their sleeves and their Pockets full with Apples and Pears, well hoping to get out vvith them, but when they come to the Door, they find one that searcheth them, and taketh all their fruit away from them, and so sendeth them away empty, vvith no more fruit then they brought in: Or as poor men, that being invited to a rich mans boord, have the use of his Plate to drink in, and silver spoons to eat with, whilst they are there; but if any of them dares to be so bold as to put up a piece of Plate, or a spoon, there is search made by the Porter e're they are let out for what is missing among them, and so they are turned out as they came in: In like manner it is with us, in regard of these temporall blessings, Omnia mors devorat. we have free liberty to use them while we are here, but vvhen we are to go hence, there is one vvaiting on us that will be sure to strip us, and suffer nothing to pass with us, unlesse it be some sorry sheet, or a sear ragge to rot with us, such as vve shall have no sense of nor be, any whit at all the bette [...] for, than if vve vvere vvholly vvithout them.

The worth of a true Christian.492

WHen Henry the fourth, that late King of France, Tho. Adams, the Temple, a Serm. at Pauls Lond. 1616. vvas told of the King of Spains ample Dominions; As first, he is King of Castile, and I (quoth Henry) am King of France; he is King of Navarre, and I am King of France; he is King of Naples, and I am King of France; he is King of the Sicilia's, nova Hispania, of the Western India's, and I am King of France; he thought the Kingdom of France equivalent to all those: So let the soul of every good Christian solace it [Page] selfe against all the wants of this mortall Pilgrimage in this, that it is a member of the Church: one hath more learning or wit, yet I am a Christian; another hath more honour or preferment in the world, yet I am a Christian; another hath more silver and gold and riches, yet I am a Christian; another hath larger possessions, yet I have an inheritance in heaven, I am a Christian: Were but this consideration of the true Christians worth laid in the ballance of the Sanctuary it would weigh down all temporary conceits whatsoever.

493 Magistrates to be advised in point of Iustice.

IT is said of Lewis the King of France, Ant. Burges Serm. at Court, Marsh. Lond: 1625. that when he had through inadvertency granted an unjust suit, as soon as he had read that verse in the Psalm, Blessed is he that doth righteously at all times recalled himselfe, and upon better thoughts gave his judgement quite contrary: Hence it is that an act of justice ought to flow from mature deliberation, and advised attendency, especially there ought to be consideration when it concerns the life or death of a man.

494 In getting the things of this World, Gods way is the best way.

AS the Israelites travailing through the Wildernesse towards the Land of promise, Tho. Gatakers Serm. of self-suffering. Numb. 9. 22, 23. (which to have gone the next way, had not been a journey of many dayes, yet were they many years about it) they were to go as God led them, as they saw the cloud go before them, and not to take that way that seemed best, or most compendious in their own eyes: So must we observe Gods wayes in our trade at home, and traffick abroad: in our walking towards wealth we must keep the way that God leads us, go no other way then we can see him going before us, follow the line of his Law, though it seem to lead us in and out, backward and forward, as it were treading in a Maze, and not take those wayes that seem gainer, and nearer in our own eyes, and much more compendious then the other: though we might compass wealth with a word or two, Via Dei. v [...]a tu [...]tissima. with the bow of a knee onely one way, whereas we must travail, and toyl and moyl much e're we come by it the other way; though we might attain to it in a day or a week the one way, whereas we are like to stay many weeks, many moneths, nay many years, it may be, e're we come at it the other way; yet this way must we keep, and resolve to forsake all the world with our Saviour, Math. 4. 10. If it be offered to entice us out of it; The Israelites when they went out of Gods precincts, they went withall out of Gods protection, and so fell before their foes, Numb. 14. 44. So those that make more haste then good speed to be rich, that balk Gods path, and step out of Gods way to get wealth, shall surely come to evil, Psalm. 28. 20.

495 How to judge of an Hypocrite.

THere can be no difference betwixt a gliding star and the rest,B. Hall. Occas. medit. the light seems alike, both while it stood and whiles it fell; but being once fallen, it is known to be no other then a base slimy Meteor, gilded with the Sun-beams, and now a man may tread upon that with his foot, which before his eye admired; had it been a s [...]ar, it had still and ever shined, now the very fall argues it a false and elementary apparition: Thus [...]ur charity doth and must mislead us in our spiritual judgements, if we see men exalted in their Christian profession, fixed in the upper Region of the Church, shining with appearances and outsides of Grace, we may not think them other then Stars in this lower firmament; but if they fall from their holy station, and embrace this present vvorld, whether in judgement or practice, renouncing the truth and power of godliness, we may then conclude that they never had any true light in them, and were no other then a glittering composition of Pride and Hypocrisie.

A vain rich Man.496

[Page]

AS a Brook with a fall of Rain-waters,Nath. Shute Fun. Serm. 1624. swells, and, as it were, proud of his late encrease, makes a noyse, nay runs here and there to shew it selfe, till by running it hath run out all that ever it had: Even so some rich men, upon some fall of wealth begin to swell, as if they were little Seas; then make a noyse of ostentation; and because they have but one tongue of their own, they get the eccho of some soothing flatterers▪ they over-flow the lower grounds, the poor, and spread their names in letters of bloud; in the end after some short noyse, as the brook leaves nothing but dirt and mire behind, so do they leave nothing at their death to themselves but confusion before God and men.

Reason must submit to Faith.497

VVHen three Ambassadors were sent from Rome, Sabellicus Ps. [...]. ma. to appease the discord betwix Nicomedes and Prusias; vvhereof one vvas troubled vvith a Megrim in his head, another had the Gowt in his Toes, and the third was a Fool; Cato said vvittily, That Ambassage had neither head, nor foot, nor heart: So that man vvhosoeever he be, shall never have a head to conceive the truth, nor a foot to vvalk in the vvayes of obedience, nor a heart to receive the comfortable [...]ssurance of salvation, that suffers his Reason, Will, and Affections to usurp upon his faith; Qui se sibi constitui [...], slultum habet magistrum. He that goes to school to his own reason, hath a fool to his Schoolmaster; and he that suffers his faith to be over-ruled by his Reason, may have a strong Reason, but a weak faith to rely upon.

The patience of God provoked, turns to fury.498

AS a child in the Mothers wombe,Edm. Calamy Serm. at Fast. the longer it is in the wombe before it comes forth, the bigger the child will be, and the more pain it will put the Mother unto: Thus it is with God, though he hath leaden feet, yet he hath iron hands; the longer he is before he strikes, the heavier the blow will be when he strikes, the longer he keeps-in his wrath, and is patient toward a People or a Nation, the bigger the child of wrath will be when it comes forth, and the greater will be their misery and affliction.

Distrustfull cares reproved.499

LOok on the Robin-red-breast, B. Hall Occas. medit. pretty bird, how cheerfully doth he sit and sing in the Chamber window, yet knows not where he is, nor where he shall make the next meal, and at night must shrowd himselfe in a bush for his lodging: VVhat a shame is it then for Christians that see before them such liberall provisions of their God, and find themselves set warm under their roofs, yet are ready to droop under a distrustful and unthankful dulness, and are ready to say, Can God make windows in Heaven, 2 King. 7. 2. Can God prepare a Table in the Wildernesse? Psal. 78. 19.

No harm in Humility.500

A Man goes in at a door and he stoops; T. VVestfields Serm. 1637. the door is high enough, yet he stoops; you will say, he needs not stoop; yea, but saith Bernard, there is no hurt in his stooping, otherwise he may catch a knock, this way he is safe: Thus a man may bear himselfe too high upon the favour of God, having some good measure of sanctification, and of assurance of eternal life, Lib. Meditat. it will be hard not to be proud of it; Pride hath slain thousands, O but spiritual pride hath slain her ten thousands; Humility never yet did harm to any, there is no danger in stooping: It is better to be an humble servant of the Lord, than a great Lord of many servants, the lowest of Gods friends, then the highest amongst his enemies.

501 Mortality of the sinners life to be considered and deplored.

[Page]

IT is reported of Xerxes, Edm. Calamy Serm. at West. 1644. that having prepared 300000. men to fight with the Graecians, and having mustered them up into a general Rendezvous, and taken notice of their strength, Justin. and the greatness of their number, he fell a weeping, out of the consideration that not one of them should remain alive within the space of an hundreth years: Much more ought we to mourn then, when we consider the abundance of people that are in England, and the abundance of sin perpetrated amongst us; and what shall become not onely of our bodies within these few years, but what shall become of our souls to all Eternity.

502 Satan subdued by Christ's death.

IT is written of the Camelion, that when he espies a Serpent taking shade under a Tree, Scaligeri Epidorpides. he climbs up the Tree, and lets down a thread breathed out of his mouth, as small as a Spiders thread, at the end whereof, there is a little drop as clear as any Pearl, Tho. Play [...]eres Serm. which falling on the Serpents head, kills him. Christ is this Camelion, he climbs up into the Tree of his Cross, and lets down a thread of blood issuing out of his side, like Rahab's red thread, hanging out at the window, the least drop whereof being so prestious and so peerless, falling upon the Serpents head, kills him.

503 The experience of God's love, is to be a motive of better obedience.

THere is a famous History of one Androdus the Dane, Appian Polyhistor. dwelling in Rome, that fled from his Master into the Wilderness, and took shelter in a Lions den, The Lion came home with a thorn in his foot, and seeing the man in the den, reached out his foot, and the man pulled out the thorn, which the Lion took so kindly, that for three years he fed the man in his den; After three years the man stole out of the den, and returned back to Rome, was apprehended by his Master, and condemned to be devoured by a Lion; It so happened, that this very Lion was designed to devour him: The Lion knows his old friend, and would not hurt him; The people wondred at it, the man was saved, and the Lion given to him, which he carryed about with him in the streets of Rome, from whence grew this saying; Hic est homo medicus Leonis, Edm. Calamy Serm. at West. 1645. hic est Leo hospes hominis. Well, most true it is, that the great God of Heaven hath pluckt out many & many a thorn out of our feet, hath delighted himself to do us good, let then the experience of such love prick us on to better obedience, not to bring forth thorns and bryers to him, not to have our hearts barren and dryed up as the thorny ground, not to kick against him with our feet, whilst he is pulling out the thorn that troubles us.

504 A good Man is mindful of his latter end.

WE read that Daniel strewed ashes in the Temple to discover the footsteps of Bells Priests which did eat up the meal:Playfer's Sermons. And Abraham did strew ashes in his memory, saying, I will speak unto my Lord, though I be but dust and ashes, Gen. 18. 27. And thus do all the faithful, remembering they shall be one day turned to dust and ashes, that so seeing and marking the footsteps of death, how it continually cometh and steals away their strength (as Bells Priests did the meal) how it daily eateth up, and wasteth, and consumeth their life, they may be alwayes prepared for it.

505 Patiently to wait God's leisure.

VVHen a Hushandman hath thrown his seed into the ground, T. Ga [...]aker Ioy e [...] the Iust. he doth not look to see it the same day again, much less to reap it the same day (as one saith of the Hyberborean people for North) That they sow shortly after the Sun-rising, [Page] and reap before the Sun-set, Heresbachius de Ri Rustica. that is, because the whole half year is one continued day with them: No, he expects not the next day, nor the next week neither, to see it above ground, but he is content to wait patiently till the year come about, and is glad when he sees after a moneths time it may be, that it begins to peepe out of the ground, living in hope still of the further growth of it, and to enjoy at length, after the spire and blade a full ear, and a plentiful Harvest. Thus every child of God must learn to wait God's leisure. What though he hath prayed long, yet not a word of comfort, no return at all appears, yet let him pray still? What though he sees not for a long time after much mortification, Per [...]ert patientia palmam. but a slender growth of spiritual joy in his heart, nay scarce any glimpse, any sight at all, yet let him not be dismayed, or discouraged therefore, but live in hope as the Husbandman doth, of a further encrease, and a full crop at length, when God shall see it good, and most advantagious for his spiritual state and condition.

A good man will be a good Example to others.506

VVHen Diogenes saw a bungling Archer shoot, Laert. Diog. in vita. he went as fast as he could to the mark. The lookers on wondred what he meant to do in so doing; He answered, To make sure that he might not be hit, for this fellow (saies he) never means to come neer the mark: And thus must we do, when we see prophane straglers starting aside like a broken bow, and roving a great way wide in their lives and conversations, we must presently run to the mark, that not onely we may keep our selves safe from the danger of their ill Example, but also we may give [...]im as it were to others by our good example, and direct them that they be neither wide nor short of the mark intended.

Mortification of sin breedeth sense of sin.507

NEm [...] aegrè molitur artus suos; A living member is not burthensom to the body,Seneca ep. 121 A mans arms are not any burthen to him, though otherwise massy and weighty; but a withered arm, or a limb mortified, hangeth like a lump of lead on it:T. Gataker Ioy of the Iust. Thus so long as sin liveth in the soul, unkilled wholly, and unmortified as yet, so long our corruption is nothing at all cumbersome unto us, but when it is once mortified in a man, it beginneth to grow burthensome unto him, and to hang like a lump of dead flesh on his soul, and then beginneth the poor soul, pestered and oppressed with the weight of it to cry out with the Apostle; O wretched man that I am, when shall I be once freed from this body of sin? Rom. 7. 24.

How to take our pleasures and serve God too.508

IT is reported of one Leonides a Captain,Aelian. variar. hist. 3. cap. 14. who perceiving his Souldiers left their watch upon the City-walls, and did nothing all the day long, but quaffe and tipple in Ale-houses neer adjoining, commanded that the Ale-houses should be removed from that place where they stood, and set up close by the walls, That seeing the Souldiers would never keep out of them, at the least they might as well watch as drink in them:Tho. Playfer ut anted. So because pleasure we must needs have, and we cannot be kept from it, God hath appointed that we should take delight enough, and yet serve him never a whit the less; for it is no part of Gods meaning when we enter into his sweet service, that we should abandon all delight, but that onely we should change the cause of our delight; delight of the service of sin into a delight in the service of God, Isaac must be sacrificed, not the Ram, all Rammish and rank desires of the world, not Isaac, i. e. all spiritual laughter, all ghostly joy, all heavenly delight and pleasure.

509 Consideration of Gods Omnipresence, to be the Sinners curb.

[Page]

CAmbden in his Britannia, Tho. Fullers Serm. at Clem. Eastch. Lond. 1650. maketh mention of a great high Hill in Staffordshire, called Weever, under which there is a little Village called Wotton; Now this Village being seated in so sad a dreary, dolesom place, the Sun not shining into it any further then on the tops of the houses, by reason of the height of the hills over-topping it, the people of the place have been observed to chant out this note;

Wotton under Weever,

Where God came never.

This now were an excellent place for a rapacious rich man to make a purchase of, and then to plant a Colony there, where God came never; A good place for Drunkards to swill in,-locis praesens fimul est Deus omnibus unus. Prosper. for Epicures to surfeit in, for the voluptuous to take pleasure in, for the Prodigall to riot in &c▪ But let them all know that God is at Wotton, and God is with them all, Psalm. 139. 7. in all places, at all times, every where included, no where excluded; Whither shall [...] fly (said David) from thy presence?

510 The readiest way to get Riches, is to trust God for them.

SOlomon desired wisdom of the Lord,Prov. 30. but for outward things his prayer was, that he might have a mean Estate; Rich. Greenhams Serm. the Lord gave him wisdome which his heart so much desired, and Riches also which he did not once desire: Abraham gave unto the Lord Isacc his Son, wch when the Lord did behold, he gave him his Son again: And thus must we do, The readiest way to obtain life, is to be heartily well contented either to live or dye, and to commit our selves unto the Lord; and for these outward things, the very ready way to obtain them, is to give them up wholly to his hands, so that when we least desire them, we shall have them; and when we freely give them up to him, we shall sooner have them again.

511 Time ill spent.

SIR Francis Drake, though a curious searcher after the Revolution of time, in three years sayling about the World,Tho. Fullers Holy State. through the variations of several Climates, lost one whole day, which was scarce considerable in so long a time: It is to be feared that there are many amongst us that lose a day in every week, one in seaven, neglecting the Sabbath, nay every day in the week, not once thinking on God, or any goodness at all.

512 The worlds hard censure of the Godly Man.

IF some silly Astrologaster, Rich. Greenham, ut anted. or Figure-flinger, do but hit in one thing of twenty, he is presently cryed up for a Cunning man; but let the Physitian work six hundred cures, yet if through the impatience of his Patient, he fail but in one, that one fail doth more turn to his discredit▪ then his many eminent cures did formerly get him praise. Thus doth the world deal with men in the matter of censure; If a worldly minded man have but an outward gift of strength, of speech, or of any other naturall endowment, he is accounted filius gallinae albae, one of the white boyes of the time, -vexat censura columbas [...]. a precious man, a man of excellent parts, &c. though he be at the same time in ordine ad spiritualia, an Idolater, a prophane person &c. But let the child of God be truly zealous for God, honest and holy in life and conversation; yet if there be but one infirmity in him (as who is free) or if he have through weaknesse fallen into some one sin; that one infirmity against which he striveth, or that one sin for which [Page] he is grieved, shall drown all the graces in him, be they never so eminent, never so great, and the World is ready to give him up for a wicked man, an Hypocrite &c.

The godly and ungodly, their different motions in goodness.514

A Violent motion is quick in the beginning,Joh. de Burgo Pupilla oculi. but slow in the end; a stone cast upward, is then most weak when it is most high; but a natural motion is slow in the beginning, quicker in the end: For if a Man from a high Tower cast a stone down-ward, the nearer to the center, the quicker is the motion: And therfore when a man at his first conversion is exceeding quick, but afterwards waxeth every day slower and slower in the wayes of goodnesse, his motion is not natural and kindly, but forced: otherwise like a constant resolved Christian, the longer he lives, and the neerer he comes to the mark, the more swiftly doth he run, the more vehemently doth he contend for that everlasting Crown, which he shall be sure to attain, at his Races end.

Self-conceited Men, blame [...]worthy Men.515

St. Hierome observeth [...]hus much of Petrus Abaelardus and his followers, that he was used to say in point of Controversie;B. Smith. Glocestr. Serm. Omnes sane Patres sic dijudicant at ego non &c. Indeed the stream of all the Fathers run this way, but I am of another judgement. So what S. Augustine affirmeth of some in his time, Nisi quod faciant nihil rectè judicant, is too too true in this self-conceited time of ours, Men wade so far in a vein of singularity, that they think nothing well done, but what they doe themselves; how do they dote upon the issue of their own empty brains? and, thus admiring themselves, vvhom do they not censure? hating the persons of their superiours, and scorning the opinions of their elders.

Great Men, to be merciful Men.516

AS the Snow which falls upon the Mountains, being dissolved into water by the beams of the Sun, & descending into the valley maketh it to give her encrease; but being deprived of the Sun's heat remaines congealed, useless, Paul. de Francis. Orat. Regia (cred [...] mihi) res est, succurrere lapsis. Ovid. and unprofitable: So they which are in high places, as it were Mountains in Court or Country, upon whom the favour of God and the King shine most, ought not to be frozen in Charity, not to be bound up to themselves, but to be publique spirited men, to have the bowels of Piety and pitty melt within them for the good of their inferiour brethren.

A Rich Man is Gods Steward.517

A Begger upon the way asked something of an honourable Lady,Ephr. Udall. Serm at S. Aug▪ Lond. 1 [...]32. she gave him six pence, saying, This is more then ever God gave me; O (sayes the Beggar) Madam, you have abundance, and God hath given you all that you have; say, not so good Madam: Well (saies she) I speak the truth, for God hath not given, but lent unto me what I have, that I may bestow it upon such as thou art: And it is very true indeed, that the poor are Gods Almesmen, and the Rich are but his Stewards, into whose hands God hath put his Monies to distribute to them in the time of necessity.

An Orthodoxal Christian, hath a like esteem of all Gods Ordinances.518

WHen at the taking of new Carthage in Spain, Tho. Fullers Holy State. two Souldiers contended about the murall Crown, due to him who first climed up the wall, so that the whole Army was thereupon in danger of division; Scipio the Generall, said, He knew that they both got up the wall together, Plutarch in vita Scipionis. and so gave the scaling Crown to them both: Thus a good Orthodoxal Christian doth not clash Gods Ordinances together about Precedency, he makes not odious comparisons betwixt Prayer and Preaching, Preaching [Page] and Catechizing, Prayer publique and private, premeditate and extemporary, but compounds all controversies about Gods Ordinances, by praising them all, practising them all, and thanking God for them all.

519 Gods two hands, of Mercy, and Judgement.

THere is mention made of a Load-stone in Aethiopia, Vincentii Speculum morarle. which hath two corners, with the one it draweth-to, with the other it puts the Iron from it: So God hath two arms, the one of Mercy, the other of Iudgement; two hands, the one of Love, Nath. Hardy Serm. at Pauls Lond. 1647. the other of wrath; with the one he draweth, with the other he driveth; the one stroaketh, the other striketh: and as he hath a right hand of favour wherewith to load the Saints, so he wants not a left hand of fury wherewith to dash the wicked in pieces.

520 A Wife to be subordinate to her Husband.

AS Tertullian saith of a King, that he is solo Deo minor, hath in his Kingdom none above him but onely God: B. Lakes Serm. at Wells, 1619 so is a Woman in a Family▪ solo marito minor, she should command all in the house but her Husband, she may be similis but not aequalis honoris; she may partake in the same kind of honour, but not in the same degree of honour as Man doth: otherwise if it come to a [...] to the rule of a woman, actum est de [...]amilia, farewel all good order. Why? Because women have more of the heart then the head, their affections out-step their discretion, they are commonly more witty then wise, so that wisdom requiring the pondering of circumstances, the forwardnesse of their affections will not suffer them to pause so long; hence it is that their resolutions are rash and wilfull, which cannot prognosticate any good event;Vxor bona chara supellex. Happily some woman may be as wise as Abigail, and some man as silly as Nabal; yet then neither doth Man lose his Prerogative, nor Woman acquire a title above him, deal with him she may per viam consilii, but not imperii; counsel him she may, command him she may not.

521 The fiery triall on the Church of God.

VVHen the Romans immortalized any of their Emperours, Wolfg. Lazius de reb. Rom. they did it with this Ceremony; They brought one to swear, that they saw him go to Heaven out of the fire, intimating, That the fiery trial had passed on him: sure it is, that the fiery trial is now on the Church, and the Lord will discover what is in the heart of his Israel, while they are in the troublesome wildernesse, e're they come into Canaan a Land of rest.

522 Religion pretended, mischiefe intended.

IT is reported of young King Edw. the sixth,Sir Ioh. Hayward in vita. that being about to lay hold on something that was above the reach of his short arm, one that stood by espying a boss'd Bible lving on the Table, offered to lay that under his feet to heighten him, but the good young King utterly disliked the motion, and instead of treading it under his feet, he laid it to his heart,: But now there are many amongst us, that make Religion but a stalking Horse to their policy, -rabido gestans sub pectore vulpem. Pers. sat. 5. that make use of the Bible to no other end, but to reach at, and to seek out their own wicked designs, quaerentes sua non quae Christi, seekers of their own things, not the things of Iesus Christ, Phil. 2. 21.

The Churches enemies, the Churches good.523

[Page]

AS we say of fire and water, M. Strickland Serm. at West. and as the Romans said of Caligula, Nemo melior servus, nemo pejor dominus, we may say of the Churches enemies, they are very bad Masters, Suetonius. executing their own lusts and cruelty against Gods people, yet very good servants, if the divine hand make use of them for the Churches service: just like the good Husbandman, which makes use of bryers and thornes, which though they be fruits of the curse, and cumber the ground, yet will he suffer them to grow in hedges, that he make them a fence unto his fruitful ground.

The Devil's endeavour to darken the understanding.524

IT is written of Antiochus, Iohn Boys Postills. that entering into the Sanctuary, he took away the golden Altar, and the Candlestick for light; And Nebuchadnezzar when he conquered Zedekiah, put out his eyes, and bound him in chaines, and then carried him to Babel. In like sort the Devil, Mach. 1. 23. 2 King. 25. So soon as he hath entred into mans soul, which is Gods holy Temple, he doth endeavour instantly to put out the light, to darken the understanding, that a man may not be able to discern betwixt good and evill, and so be more easily carried into Babylon, to his souls confusion.

The Devil's charge, and the sinners discharge.525

THere is a story,P. du Moulin de I' amour de Dieu. how the Devil appeared to a dying man, and shewed him a Parchment Role which was very long, wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick Man, which were many in number: and there were also written the idle words he had spoken, which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life, together with the false words, the unchast words, and angry words; afterwards came in rank his vain and ungodly words; and lastly his actions, digested according to the Commandements; whereupon Sathan said, See here, behold thy ver [...]ues, see here what thy examination must be: whereunto the poor sinner answered; It is true, Satan; but thou hast not set down all, for thou shouldst have added, and set down here below, The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins; And this also should not have been forgotten, That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life, whereupon the Devil vanished. Thus,1 Ioh. 1. 3. Ioh, 3. 1 [...]. if the Devil should muster up our sins, and set them in order before us, let but Christ be named in a faithfull way, and he will give back, and fly away with all the speed that may be.

The dangerous effects of Riches, being not well used.526

THere was in the King of Denmarks Court,Iohn Whites Serm. at St. Pauls, 1616. one that played on the Harp so exceeding well that it was said, He could put men into what passion he listed, though it were into fury and madness; One desirous to make the tryal, would needs hear him, but so that divers Gentlemen standing aloof off out of the hearing, should be ready to come in and stay the Musick, if they saw him in any distemper: Things thus ordered, the Musitian began to play, and first he struck so deep and sweet a note, that he put the man into dumps, so that he stood like one [...]orlorne, his Hat in his eyes, his arms across, sighing and lamenting; Then the Musitian began a new Note, and played nothing but mirth, and devices, that the man began to lose his dumps, and fell a dancing: But in the third place, the Harper so varied his Notes, and by degrees so wrought upon the Man according as he saw him incline, that from dancing, he brought him to showting, untill he grew frantick, and slew four of his friends that came to stay him:Divitiarum sequela est luxuria, ira intemperans, furor injustus, &c. And thus it is with Riches, if not used the wiselier, they will play such feats as the Harper did; first in the beginning, when a man is gathering of them together, they fill him with care and and restlessness, that nothing is more miserable then a man carking after the world: [Page] Then in the second place,Chrysost. lib. 1. quod nemo laeditur, &c. when he hath tasted the sweetness of them, and is gotten through his travel, when he comes to be Master, then he falls a dancing, shews the vanity of his mind, speaks high, looks big, and his apparel is excessive, and usually in this fit his Wife fetches a frisk or two with him: But when this merry fit is over, the third passion is phrensie, killing and slaying all that come in his way, he becomes a rapacious griping Usurer, grinds the face of the poor, breaks the backs, and cuts the throat of many a Man, and is so strong and boysterous, that no Man can tell how to get within him, and come off with safety.

527 Sin onely is the Godly man's terror.

OH,Jer. Dyke Worthy Commu. Exod. 8. 8. saies Pharaoh, take away these filthy frogs, this dreadful thunder. But what saies holy David? Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; The one would be freed from punishment, Psal. 25. 11. the effect of sin; the other from sin, the cause of punishment. And it is most true, that a true Christian man is more troubled at sin, then at Frogs and Thunder, he sees more filthiness in sin, then in Frogs and Toads, more horror then in Thunder and Lightning.

528 Want of Love to be deplored.

SUch was the Love of the Saints of God in old time,Dan. Featly Clav▪ myst▪ that their hearts were knit one unto the other: yea, which is more, All the believers had but one heart. Cor unum, Viauna; no breach in their affections, no difference in their judgements: Such Love is not to be read in our books, Acts [...]. 32. not to be found in our Conversations, we are not descended of this peaceable line, but rather from that of C [...]elius, whose Motto was,—Rara est concordia fratrum. Dic aliquid ut duo simus, who could not be quiet unless he were engaged in one quarrel or other; such as the Salamander, that live not but in the fire of contention: All the true family of love may even seem to be extinguished, and the houshold of faith quite broke up, for the greatest part of Men, as if they had been baptized in the Waters of strife, are in continual frettings, vexings, quarrels, schisms, and factions.

529 Preparation, necessary before Prayer.

AS Ioseph thought not himself fit to be presented to Pharoah, B. Smith on▪ Job 9. before he was shaved, and had thanged his Raiment. As Bartimeus threw away his Cloak when he was going towards our Saviour.Gen. 41. And as Moses was bid to put off his shooes before he approached to the bush where God appeared.Mark 10. So it behoveth every Christian, Exod. 3. when he addresseth himself unto God by prayer, that he be prepared, that he cast away every thing that [...] ▪ and the sin that doth so easily beset him Heb. 12.

530 The Magistrate is to do Iustice and Right.

IT was a shame for Caesar to confess,B. Smith Serm. ut anted. Melior causa Cassii, sed denegare Bruto nihil possum; And Henry the Emperor (the seventh of that name) is much taxed in story,Su [...]ton Impp. vitae. for that being appealed unto by a couple of Lawyers, who contended about the Soveraignty of the Empire, they first making the agreement betwixt themselves, that he for whom the Emperor should give sentence, should win a horse of his fellow Lawyer; Now the Emperor fairly pronounced truth to be on his side, that spake most for his power and Authority, whereupon this Proverb was taken up,Iudicis officium est, ut res, ita tempora rerum, Deut. 1. Alter respondet aequum, sed alter habet equum, The one hath the right on his side, but the other rides the horse; Thus it is, that partiality perverteth right, and corrupteth Iudgement, whereas the Law is plain, you shall have no respect of persons in Judgement,1 Tim. 5. 21.&c. And the Apostles charge unto Timothy is, that he do nothing [...], i. e. by titing the ballance on one side.

Weak ones, how to be catechised and instructed.531

[Page]

TAke a bottle, Ioh. Preston Serm. at Linc. Inn, 1616. or any other vessel, with a narrow mouth, liquor must be poured into it softly and by degrees, or else more will be spilt on the ground, then filled into the vessel; so it is with weaker Christians, such as have narrow-mouth'd capacities, shallow apprehensions, dull conceptions, the Word of God must be teached unto them by degrees, now a line, and then a line, now a pr [...]c [...]pt, and anon a precept, they are not to be surcharged. It was well considered of Iacob, when he and his brother Esau were to travel together, That the children were tender; and that not the flocks, but the Herds with young were with him also, and that if they should be over-driven but one day, they would perish; he desired his brother therefore that he would pass before him,Gen. 33. and that he would come softly after, Qui animarum curam pro Domino suscipit ut e [...]antes doceat. as the Cattel and the younglings were able to endure. Thus must every Minister do, he must not set out before the weakest of the flock, but stay and take them along with him, he must so drive on with them, that they may hold on with him; so instruct them, that they may profit by him; so principle, so catechise, so feed them with milk as tender Babes, that they may by degrees take in meat like stronger men.

The Law, Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of it; Mans duty to attend it.532

THe whole nineteenth Chapter of Exodus is but an Exordium to the next,B. Lake on Exod. 19. where in the Law was delivered; and therein is observable, how God plays the skilfull [...], and performeth all things which the best Rules in Rhetorick require in an Exor [...]ium: The Rules require that an Orator should first, captare bene [...]olentiam, work himself first into the good liking of his Auditors; And why? because if they like not the Man, Aristot. Rhetor. lib. 3. cap. 1. they will not much care for the matter; This God doth at the fourth verse, he sets forth his well-deservings of them in overthrowing their enemies, and in setting them free; and what may better give them an earnest for their love, then an experiment that he had given them of his love? The next Rule of Rhetorick is, Red [...]ere auditores▪ dociles, to bring them that already affect the Man, to understand the matter; and how is that done? by shewing how much the matter concerneth them, how beneficial it will be to them: For men gladly hear of their own good, and the greater good, the more gladly do they hear of it: Excellently doth God play his part of the Orator, at the fifth and sixth verses, significantly setting forth the benefit which they shall reap by their obedience, shewing them what rate he will set upon them, what an approach they shall make unto him, how sacred, how blessed their estate shall be; and who will not be curiously inquisitive after such a matter, and hear them gladly that bring such tidings? The third point of Rhetorick is, Auditores attentos reddere, to rouze his Auditory, to make them attentive, that no part of the speech slip by, or passe unweighed: God omitteth not this part of Rhetorick neither, he sets before the people the danger that might overtake them, the respect that must be used by them: The case now is ours, the same Sermon that was then preached to Israel is now ours, let us therefore be attentive, A [...]cipite ergo animis at (que) haec mea [...]igite dicta. Virgil. Aeneid. 10. God hath deserved better of us then ever he did of Israel, we enjoy the truth, whereof they had but the type. Have we not reason then to affect him? yea, and to affect that also which is delivered by him, for it containeth our spiritual good, our blessed Communion with God, and those spurs of attention must work no less upon us, then upon them; For though we be not called to the Parliament, we must be at the Assizes, which will be far more dreadfull at the meeting, then ever the Parliament was.

Not to make use of the present time, dangerous.533

IT was day at Ierusalem in Christ's time, at Ephesus, in St. Iohns time, at Corinth, Philippi, &c. in St. Paul's time, at Crete, in Titus time, at Alexandria in St. Mark's time, at Smyrna, in Polycarps time, at Pergamus, in Antipas time; at Antioch, in Evodius [Page] and Ignatius time, at Constantinople, in St. Chrys [...]stom's time, at Hippo, in St. Augustines time, &c. It is now night with most of them, and yet day with us, Ierusalem had a day, Dan. Featly Clavis mystica. Nemo vestrum parvi [...]stimet tempus, &c. and every City, every Nation, every Church, every Congregation, every man hath a day of grace, if he have but grace to take notice of it, hath an accepted time if he do but accept of it, and he may find God if he seek him in time; but if he let the Sun of righteousness go down, Bern. ad Scho- [...] lares. and work not out his salvation whilst it is called to day, he must look for nothing but perpetual darkness, when time will be swallowed up into Eternity, when there will be no time at all.

534 Ministers of all Men to be men of knowledge and understanding.

IF one should have a Vial or a glass of that pretious blood which distilled from Christ on the Cross, and were forced to remove it, and transport it from place to place, How wise would this party be, that he did handle it warily, least if the glass should break, all should perish? This were no great task for an ignorant or silly fellow to undertake;Geo. Abbot Cant. Lect. on Jonah. But the Minister, as St. Bernard hath well observed, hath the charge of those souls in his Congregation, whom Christ loved more then his blood; for he was no unwise Merchant, who gave that to redeem them, and therefore he who should have to do with these, De Adventu. Domini, Ser. 3. should be no Baby for knowledge and understanding.

535 The Consideration of death, will cure all distempers.

THe hand of a dead man (as they say) stroaking the part, cures the Tympany; And certainly the consideration of death is a present means to cure the swelling of Pride in the most high-minded, it will levell the aspiring thoughts of the most ambitious. Jer. Leech Serm. at St. Mary le Bow, Lond. 1619. In this life, many things make a distance between men and women, as the greatness of birth, the freeness of education, the abundance of wealth, alliance, honours, and preferments; But death makes all even, Respice sepulchra, &c. saith St. Augustine. Survey mens graves, and tell me then, who is beautiful, and who deformed; Lib. de Nature & Gratia. all there have hollow eyes, flat noses, and gastly looks; tell me, who is rich, and who is poor, all there wear the same weeds, their winding-sheets; Tell me who is noble, who is rich, and who is base; the worms claim kindred of all: Tell me who is well housed, and who ill, all there are bestowed in dark and dankish rooms under ground; And if this will not satisfie, take a sieve, and sift their dust, and tell me which is which;Omnia mors aequat. It is granted that there is some difference in dust, there is powder of Diamonds, Princely dust; gold-dust, the remains of Noblemen; Pin-dust, th [...] reliques of the Tradesman; Saw-dust, the remains of the labouring man; common dust, the remains of the vulgar which have no quality, or profession to distinguish them, yet all is but dust, one and the same dust; The consideration of this will allay the heat of all distempered spirits.

536 How to use the things of this World.

AS a Traveller with his staffe in his journey,W. Perkins Ex posit. on Creed. as long as it doth further him, so long he will carry it with him: but when it hinders him, then he casts it away; So must we do with the things of this world, as long as they are helps to further, and fit us for the Kingdom of Heaven, but if they be any hinderance to the regiment of Christ, we must renounce them, and cast them away, be they never so pretious unto us.

537 Slandering of our Brother, the danger thereof.

A Mans good name is like a piece of white paper, which if once blotted, will very hardly be got out again,E. Calamy Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. so as to leave no print of it behind; It is like a Merchants estate, long a getting, but lost in a moment, and when it is lost in the bottom of the Sea, how shall it ever be recovered again? What care? how circumspect, [Page] then ought men to be in what they say of their brother? not to steal and murder his good name, Curam habe de bon [...] nomine, &c. Eccl. 41. which is as precious as life it selfe; And so to do, is a sin that God will not pardon, unless the Party that is guilty make restitution, which is a work not easie to be done, yet God will accept of endeavours, if faithful and industrious.

An unregenerate Man, a careless Man. 538

THe Infant, while it lyeth in the dark prison of the Mothers wombe, never quatcheth nor weepe [...]h, Dan. Featley, ut anteà but as soon as ever it cometh out of the wombe into the light, it knits the brows, and wrings the eyes, and cryes and takes on: Even so the child of God, whilst it is yet kept in the dark of ignorance, in his unregenerate estate, never cryeth to his Father, nor weepeth for his sin; but as soon as the light of Grace shineth upon him, he bewaileth his grievous misery, and never thinketh that he hath filled his cup with tears full enough.

Curiosity in the hearing of Gods word, condemned. 539

IF a man should come to a Table furnished with variety of Dishes, and he should passe over the most wholesome nourishing meat, and fall a pidling and picking here and there upon Kickshawes and puff-past, that had little or no substance in them, should not we judge such a man to be sick and queazy stomacked? So when God by the mouthes of his Ministers presents us with wholesome doctrine, with meat fit for men, and we should passe it over, and not rest satisfied, but with new coyn'd phrases, and quaint expressions, D. Some Serm. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1640. would not this savour of great distemper? There were the Israelites, nothing would down with them but Quailes, no wholesome dyet, they must have picking meat, birds to feed upon, but they were paid for it, they had their bellies full in the end.Quidam veni. unt ut audiant. &c▪ Sen. ep. 20 2 Tim. 4 3. 4. Surely then a heavy judgement hangs over this Nation of ours in this very thing, we must have quailes too, new lights, n [...]w waies, new doctrines, God affords wholesome meat, fit for our appetites, but we must have it fit for our lusts; we do not receive the truth in the love of the truth, we come to Church to please our humours, and tickle our ears, and it is just with God that we should be delivered up to all loose opinions.

An humble heart, a contented heart. 540

THe Sheep can live upon the bare commons, Tho. Wood Serm. 1629. where the fat Oxe would be starved; A dinner of green herbs relisheth well on the poor mans palate, whereas a stalled Ox is but a coorse dish for the rich mans stomack: Thus an humble heart is content with a mean condition, takes up with hard commons which a proud spirit would murmur at, and scorn to be owned by.

Jobs true Heraldry.541

EZekiel in one of his Visions sets out unto us twenty five young men, so besotted and ravished in beholding the Sun, Ezek. 8. 16. Chr. Fonseca. Serm. Quadrages. that with their backs towards the Temple of the Lord, and their faces towards the East, they must needs worship the Sun, which by way of exposition signifieth, the adoring of the glory of their birth. Such are many among us, which are much taken with the nobleness of their lineage, and out of a desire they have to make good their descent and beginning: they multiply Coats, hang up Escocheons, blazen forth their Armes, tell the large History of their Pedigrees and Geneolagies, and many times most of them meer lies and fables; but Iob was a better Herald then any of these that thus gloried in the gold that onely glisters; he makes Corruption his Father, and the wormes his Mother and Sister, Chap. 17. v. 14.

542 Busie-bodies condemned

[Page]

AS in an Orchard there is variety of fruit, B. Lake on Psalm. 51. Apple-trees, Pear-trees, Plum-trees, &c. and every tree endeavours to suck juice answerable to his kind, that it may bear such a fruit; and an Apple-tree doth not turn a Plum-tree, nor a Plum-tree a Cherry-tree, &c. but every Tree contents its selfe to be of its own kind: So in the Church and Common-wealth there are varieties of callings, Pastors, People, Magistrates, Subjects; some higher, some lower: And here now every man is to walk as he is called of God, 1 Cor. 1. 20. and learn what belongs thereunto, not to encroach or intermeddle with that which belongs to others; for the saying of that Roman Generall,Limis oculis in res alienas in. quirens. Horat. to the Souldier that kept the Tents, when he should have been fighting in the field, Non amo nimiùm diligentem, will be one day used of God, if he call us to one profession, and we busie our selves about another; if he set us on foot, and we will be on horse-back; if he make us subjects, and we must needs be superiours; God will not be pleased with such busie-bodies.

543 A Blessed thing to have God for our Lord.

IT is an usual saying, He cannot likely want Money that is Master of the Mint; and he can never be poor that hath my Lord Mayor for his Uncle: Tho. Gataker Serm. of true gain. Much lesse then can that man want ought, that is good, who is possessed of God, who is Lord of lords, and King of kings, the very fountain of all good; In regard whereof, David having prayed for many temporall blessings in the behalfe of his people, that their Sons might be tall and hardy, like goodly young Cedaers, &c. Psalm 144. At last he winds up all with this Epiphonema or conclusion, Blessed be the people that are in such a case, v. 15. but on the neck of it, he cometh as with an Epanorthoma, or a Correction of his former speech, yea rather blessed are the people that have Jehovah for their God, that have the Lord for their portion.

544 A good Christian to be Heavenly minded.

IT is noted that the Creatures which are nearest the Earth, take most care to get store of provision, Geo. Abbot Cant. lect. on Ionah. those which are more remote are less busied; but those who live next the Heavens have their hearts least upon it; What hoardeth like the Emmet or Pisemire, which is an earthly thing, and hath its dwelling thereupon, Prov. 6. 8.? But the birds of the air which fly next to heaven, as Christ himselfe doth teach, do neither sow, nor reap, nor carry into barnes. Math. 6. 26. Then let the meditations of every good Christian mount higher then their wings can reach;Os jubet & me [...]em tollere ad astra piam. Ovid. that though they live with men, yet their love may be with God; Sursum corda, was the language of the ancient Liturgies, and it is well back'd by the Apostle, Let your conversation be in Heaven, from whence ye expect a Saviour which is Christ the Lord, Phil. 3. 20.

545 The reward of Heaven will make amends for all

A Man in his journey sees afar off some great mountain, B. Halls Ocoas▪ Medita. so that his very eye is weary with the foresight of so great a distance, yet his comfort is, that time and patience will overcome it, and that every step he takes, sets him nearer to his journies end, and being once there, he shall both forget how long it then seemed, and please himselfe in looking back upon the way that he hath measured: It is just thus in our passage to Heaven, Omne opus leve fieri solet &c. our weak nature is ready to faint under the very conceit and length of the journey, our eyes do not more guide than discourage us; Many must be the steps of grace and true obedience, that must insensibly bring us thither, onely let us move and hope, and Gods good grace will perfect our salvation: And when we are once come to the top of that holy Mount, meminisse juvabit, all the weary steps, and deep sloughs that we have past through, all the pangs that we have [Page] felt, all the sorrowes that we have undergone, all the difficulties that we have met with in the way, shall either be forgotten, or contribute to our happinesse in the remembrance of them.

Extream folly, not to be mindful of Death.546

IF a Travailer comming into an Inne having but a penny in his purse,Will. Perkins Expos. on Creed should sit down, and call for all sorts of provision and dainties, till such time as the reckoning were inflamed to such a height, as his slender stock could no wayes compass; what would be thought of such a man? Surely in the judgement of all men, he would be esteemed a fool or a mad-man; and such are most of us whilst we are in this world; How foolish and mad is the practice of every man that liveth in his sins, bathing himself in the pleasures of this world, Sera nimis vita est crastina, vive hodie. Mart. 1. 11. never thinking how he shall meet God at the last day of judgement, and there come to an account of all his doings? That which sounded alwaies in S. Hieroms ears, ought to ring in the ear of every good Christian, Surgite mo [...]tui, venite ad judicium. In all thy doings remember thy end, and so thou shalt never do amiss.

A good name once lost, very hardly recovered again.547

THere is a fable, how that Reputation, Love and Death, Maph. Vegius de liberor. educat. made a covenant to travail all the world over, but each was to take a several way; when they were ready to depart, a mutual enquiry was made how they might find each other again; Death said, they should be sure to hear of him in Battels, Hospitals, and in all parts where either famine or diseases were rife; Love bad them hearken after him amongst the children of poor people, whose Parents had left them nothing; at Marriages, at Feasts, and amongst the professed servants of vertue, the onely places for him to be in: They long expected a direction from Reputation, who stood silent; but being urged to assign them places where they might find him,Famam bonam tueri facile est, extinctam &c. Senec. He sullenly answered, His nature was such, that if once he departed from any Man, he never came to him more: And it is most true, that honour or credit, or a good name, being once lost, seldom or never returns again; a crack'd credit will hardly be sodred anew, and Credit is said to be a good fore-game, but a bad after one, very hardly and with much difficulty to be recovered.

The best Christian, is the best Artist.548

MAny there are that are accompted deep Schollars, great Linguists, Wil. Artersol. Com. on Numb. profound Philosophers, good Grammarians, excellent Mathematitians, sharp Logicians, cunning Polititians, fine Rhetoritians, sweet Musitians, &c. these for the most part spend all their time to delight themselves and please others, catch usually at the shadow and lose the substance; they study the circumstance of these Arts, but omit the pith and marrow of them; whereas he is the best Grammarian that hath learnt to speak the truth from his heart; the best Astronomer, that hath his conversation in heaven; the best Musitian that hath learnt to sing the praises of his God; the best Arithemetitian, Psalm. 15. 2. that numbreth his dayes: He that amendeth his life and groweth every day better and better, Phil. 3. is cunning in the Ethicks; He that traineth up his Family in the fear of God,Heb. 2. 12. is best seen in the Oeconomicks: who so is wise to salvation,Psalm. 90. 12. prudent in giving and taking good counsell is the best Polititian, and he is a good Linguist that speaks the Language of Canaan,: Thus the best Christian is the best Artist.

549 Magistrates, Ministers, and People, to be peaceably minded.

[Page]

IT was a good speech of Alphonsus, King of Arragon, That if he had lived in those times,Panormitan. in vita. when the Roman Common-wealth was almost consumed with mutuall and civill jars, he would have built a Temple, Iovi positorio, wherein men should have deposited and layen down all heart-burnings, Anth. Burges Serm. at Court Mar [...]. Lond. 1646. all quarrells, before they entred the Senate: How necessary were such a place for the Magistrates, Ministers, and People of these times? For Magistrates before they come into any places of publique judicature, where they may meet and lay down all private thoughts, all prejudicate opinions, that so Iustice and Iudgement; may be duly and conscionably administred, For Ministers; before they preach in publique, where they may teach themselves the lessons of self-denial, and self-seeking, that so the Kingdom of Iesus Christ may be advanced: For People; before they touch the Mount, before they come to hear the word preached, or to partake of the blessed Sacrament, where they may lay aside all carnall and worldly thoughts, all prejudices of the Ministers and Ordinances, that so the word of God, and the professors thereof be not evil spoken of: That Magistrates, Ministers, and People, may be so peaceably minded, that the God of peace may delight to dwell amongst them.

550 How it is that we may hate our Enemies.

IT was a true Norman distinction, that William the first made, when he censured one that was both Bishop of Bayens and Earl of Kent; Rob Harris Drunk▪ Cup. And his Apology to the Plaintiffe Pope-ling was this, That he did not medle with the Bishop, but with the Earl: Thus in the matter of hatred and envy, We must hate our enemies, as David did his; How is that? Odio perfecto, with a perfect hatred; love their persons, but hate their vices; medle not with them as they are friends or acquaiutance, but abhominate their uncleannesse &c.

551 Riches ill gotten, never prosper.

SAlis onus unde venerat illuc abiit, saith the Latin Proverb, The burthen of Salt is returned thither from whence it came.Des. Erasm. Adagia. The occasion was this; A Ship laden with Salt being torn by wrack, let the Salt fall into the Sea from whence it was first taken: So for the most part, Goods gotten by spoil, or plunder, are usually lost in the same way; Vespasian's Officers, that by rapine and exaction, filled themselves like spunges, Sueton. in vita. after they were full, were squeezed by the Emqerour: And it is dayly seen, that the spoiler is himselfe spoiled, and that which was gathered by the hire of a Whore, returneth to the wages of an Harlot, Mich. 1. 7.

552 The excellent connexion of the Scriptures of God.

THe Heathen said, That there were three things impossible to be done, Eripere Iovi fulmen; Ioh. Weemse Exercitat. Herculi clavam; & Homero versum; to pull Iupiters Thunder-bolt out of his hand, Hercules Club out his hand, and a Verse from Homer; for they thought there was such a connexion between Homers Verses, that not one Verse could be taken away, without a great breach in the whole Work: But this may much more be said of the Scriptures of God, there is such a coherence, such a connexion, such a dependance, that if you take away but one Verse, the whole will be marred; all the Books of Scripture being like a chain linked together, except the Book of Solomons Proverbs, which is like a bag full of gold Rings, every verse being one entire and distinct sentence.

God the onely delight of his children.553

[Page]

LEt Iacob but hear that Ioseph his son is yet alive, he hath enough. If the King come home with freedom,Gen. 45. honour and safety, Ziba may keep the Land, let him take all,2 Sam. 19. 30. Barlow Serm. at St. Pauls. 1616. Mephi [...]oshtch is satisfied. Could but the son of Hamor match with Dina, his Circumcision shall be endured, and though the daughters of the Country be denyed him, yet shall he be well contented. Gen. 34. Give but Rahell children, and she will not dye; Luk. 1. 29. And let Simeon see his Saviour, and he will dye. Thus let God's children enjoy but him, the subject of their affections, tide life, tide death, come what can come, whatsoever befals them they are contented, he is the onely object of their love, and he it is in whom their soul principally delighteth, wherefore in the enjoyment of him, they have all they would have.

A faint-hearted Christian described.554

SOme freshwater Souldier standing upon the shore in a fair day,Sam. Hieron. Serm. of Fishing. and beholding the Ships top and top-gallant in all their bravery, riding safety at Anchor, thinks it a brave thing to go to Sea, and will by all means aboard; but being out a league or two from the Harbour, and feeling by the rocking of the Ship his stomack begin to work, and grow sick, and his soul even to abhor all manner of meat; or otherwise a storm to arise, the wind and the Sea, as it were, conspiring the sinking of the Vessel, forthwith repents his folly, and makes vows, that if he but once be set ashore again, he will bid an eternal farewel to all such Voyages. And thus there be many faint-hearted Christians to be found amongst us, who in calm dayes of Peace, when Religion is not over-clouded by the times, will needs join themselves to the number of the people of God, they will be as earnest and as forward as the best, and who but they? yet let but a Tempest begin to appear, and the Sea to grow rougher than at the first entry, the times alter, troubles raised, many cross minds of opposition and gain-saying begin to blow, —Sed contr [...] audentior ito. they are weary of their course, and will to shore again, resolving never to thrust themselves into any more adventures, they would have Christum, but not Christum crucifixum, Christ they would have by all means, but Christ crucified by no means; if the way to Heaven be by the gates of Hell, let who will, they will not go that way, but rather sit down and be quiet.

Diligence in our callings, commendable.555

PLiny relateth of one Cressinus, who from a very little piece of ground gathering much wealth, Lib. 18. cap. 6. and much more then his neighbours could from a greater quantity of land, was thereupon accused of Witch-craft: But to defend himself, he brought into the Court his servants, and their instruments of labour, and said, Veneficia mea, Dr. Worral Serm. at St. Pauls, Lond. 1624. Quirites, haec sunt; My witch-crafts (O ye Romans) are these, these servants, and these working tools are all the witch-craft that I know of; I say not to my servants, go and do this or that, but come let us go do it, and so the work goes on: Well, it is the deligent hand that maketh rich, Prov. 23. It is diligence and industry that makes any man excellent, and glorious, and chief in any condition, calling, or profession; Seest thou a man diligent in his way, he shall stand before Princes.

Different measures of Grace in different persons.556

AS Abimelech's Souldiers, some cut down greater branches, some lesser, according to the proportion of their strength.Judg. 9. And as St. Paul's Mariners, some were saved on boards, Act. 27. some on broken pieces of the Ship. Even so amongst Christians, some in their approaches unto God carry a greater, some a lesser confidence; and some arive at the Port of Heaven with one measure of trust, some with another; For [Page] as the members of the body, Nath. Shute Fun. Ser. 1626. are knit unto the head, but some neerer, some further off: So in Christ's body, all draw grace from him, yet in difference of grace, in difference of hope, yet all have anchor-hold enough to stay by, for their better support.

558 Drunkenness condemned.

THe use of drinking is now so taken up in England, that the Germans ('tis probable) are like to lose their Charter; Joh. White Serm. at St. Pauls, 1616. There was a street in Rome, called, Vicus sobrius, the sober street, because there was never an Ale-house in it, which is hard to be said of any street in England; Stultorum imo ebriorum plens sunt omnia. The Emperor Aurelian, was ill troubled to find out one Bonosus to quaffe with the German Ambassador,Aventin. Annal. who yet was derided for his labour, and commonly called, Non homo sed dolium, not a man, but a Tub of swill; yet our time affords store of these, like the German, mentioned by Pontanus, who hearing a solemn Tilting at the Court, applauded by the loud ecchoes of the people, cryed out, O valeant ludi quibus nemo bibit, farewel the game where there is no drinking; but let all men remember this before they pour in their mornings draught; Esay 5. 22. Wo be to them that are strong to drink, and to such as give their companions drink that they may see their nakedness. Hab. 2. 15.

559 God's time, the best time.

THe case of Monica, the Mother of St. Augustine, is famous; she grieved that her son was spotted with the heresie of the Manichees, Augustin. de moribus Catholic [...] Eccles. lib. 1. 18. and she prayed that the Lord would bring him to the knowledge of his truth, she prayed and prayed still, yet he, as himself confesseth, continued for nine years together so infected: It fell out afterwards, that he would needs go and travell out of Africa into Italy; his Mother being loath to part with him, being the staffe of her age, earnestly prayed that God would hinder him of that purpose, yet Augustine went, and coming to have his ears tickled, had his heart touched; and got Religion in to boot, with the eloquence of St. Ambrose at Millane; whereupon, not long after, he broke out into this Confession,Confess. lib. 5. 8. Bone Deus, &c. Thou O good God, deep in Counsel, and hearing the substance of my Mothers desires, didst not regard what she then asked, that in me thou mightst do that which she ever asked: Thus the Almighty God dealeth with other of his servants, Dr. Tho. Westfield Serm. at St. Pauls, 1619 working all things to the best, but it is at such times as he himself thinketh best; for our friends and children, the Lord knoweth better what is good then we our selves can desire, yet we must pray and beg with this condition, Thy will be done; That which vve think is most dangerous, turneth oft-times to our good, and thence vvhence vve expect our undoing, God raiseth our greatest comfort; and when it is our greatest extremity, then it is his best opportunity; If it be in him to blesse and protect us, it is in him to do it when it seemeth good to himself.

560 Truth seeks no corners.

LUcullus a Noble Roman, being told by one, that he vvould build an house for him,Plutarch. in Lucull [...]. in such a manner, that none should see vvhat he did, and yet he should have a good prospect out of it, and see all men; the ansvver vvhich Lucullus made vvas this, That he had rather he could make him such a house, wherein all might see what he did, and so know what he was: and most certain it is, that Truth, though naked, seeks no corners vvherein to hide it self,Jer. Leech Serm. at Pauls, Lond. 1626. and they onely dwell in such houses mentioned by [...], all vvhose actions being done in truth and sincerity of heart, are as it vvere, so many windows, vvhich openly shew, and make known to all the world vvhat they are indeed.

To beware of the lusts of the flesh.561

[Page]

WHen the Oyster openeth himself to the Sun (being tickled with the warmth thereof) then his enemy the Crab-fish stealeth behind him,Ambrosii Hist. [...]. 8. and thrusteth in his claws and will not suffer him to shut again, B. Smith Serm. on Heb. 1. and so devoureth him; The like is written of the Crocodile, Ulyss, Ald ovandi Ornith [...] logia. that being so strong a Serpent, as he is, and impregnable, yet when he is gaping to have his teeth picked by the little bird, called, [...]rochil, his enemy the Ichneumon creepeth into his body, and ceaseth not to gnaw upon his entrails, till he hath destroyed him. Think upon the Urchin and the Snail▪ whilst the Urchin keeps himself close in the bottom of an hedge, he is either not espyed or contemned; but when he creeps forth to suck the Cow, he is dogged and chopped in. So the Snail, when he lies close, with his house on his head, is esteemed for a dead thing, and not looked after, but when in liquorishness to feed upon the dew that lyes upon the grass, Vis adversus hoc corpus liber esse, &c. or upon the sweetness of the Rose-bush, he will be pearking abroad, then the Gardiner findeth and pasheth him: The lesson is, we must not yeeld to the sweet bai [...]s of the flesh, Boethius. but we must rather mortifie our members upon the earth, and ever beware that we seek not our death in the error of our life; otherwise if we wilfully offer our selves to be led as an Ox to the slaughter, and as a sheep to the Shambles, What marvel if we have our throats cut, or be led away captive by Sathan at his will?

Ministers to cry down the sins of the time.562

IT is observable, that our Saviour never inveighed against Idolatry, usury, Sabbath-breaking amongst the Iews; T. Fuller Ser. at St. Clem. Lond. 1649. not that these were not sins, but they were not practised so much in that age, wherein wickedness was spun with a finer thread: and therefore Christ principally bent the drift of his preaching against spiritual pride, hypocrisie, and traditions, then predominant amongst the people. Thus it ought to be with the Ministers of the Gospel, in this thing they are to trace their Masters steps, they are chie [...]ly to reprove the raging sins of the time, and place they live in, yet with this caution, that in publique reproving of sin, they ever whip the vice, and let the person go free.

No Appeal from God's tribunal.563

AMongst the Iudges of the earth, upon motion made by Councell, a man may have Order for a hearing, Christ. Fonseca Serm. Quadrag. and re-hearing of his Cause, hearing upon hearing, a first and a second hearing. But with God it is not so, there's no such Rule in the Court of Heaven, The Motto that is written over that Tribunal is, Ampli [...]s non ero, I shall be no more; For we may not dye twice, to amend in our second death, the errors of our first life; There is no reversing of Iudgement, no Appeal from this Iudge to that, or from one Court to another: How doth it then concern us to condemn our selves, before God condemn us, and that we kill sin in our selves, before God kill us in our sins.

Corrections, Instructions.564

I Had never known (said Martin Luther's wife) what such and such things meant,F [...]neral Serm. Nocument [...] ▪ documenta. in such and such Psalms, such complaints and workings of spirit, I had never understood the practice of Christian duties, had not God brought me under some affliction: And it is very true, that God's rod is as the fescue is to the child, pointing out the letter, that he may the better take notice of it; and to point out to us many good lessons, which we should never otherwise have learned.

565 Vnworthy Communicants, condemned.

[Page]

ABraham when he went with his servants to sacrifice Isaac,Jerem. Dyke Worthy Communic [...]nt. said unto them, Abide you here with the Ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. Thus too too many do with their sins, when they come to the Sacrament, they do in effect say to their sins and lusts,Gen. 22. 5. Stand you a while aside, I must go to the Sacrament, and receive the Communion; do but stand by a while, and when the Sacrament is over, or at farthest, as soon as the Sacrament-day is over, I will come again to you; thus the duty once over, and the Sacrament a little forgotten, they and their sins are hail fellow well met, upon all occasions.

566 Religion, not Reason, is the square of good actions.

A Carpenter when he is working, doth see by his eye, when he applyeth the square to the wood, Joh. Weemse Exercitat. whether it be straight or not; but yet his eye (without the which he cannot see) is not the Iudge to try whether the tree be straight or not, but onely the square is the Iudge: So Reason in man (without the which he could not judge) is not the square to try what is right or wrong in ordine ad Deum, in order to salvation, but Religion, the word of God it self, is t [...]e onely Rule and square; For instance, Reason cannot consider how faith justifieth a man, or whether works be an effect of faith or not, but Reason can conclude, ex concessis, of things granted; If faith be the cause, and works the effect, then they must necessarily go together, and Reason can go no higher.

567 God chastiseth his childrens security.

A Bsolon sends once or twice to Ioab to come and speak with him, but when he saw that Ioab would not come,2 Sam. 14. 30. Will Barlow Serm. at St. Pauls, 1619. he commands his Corn-field to be set on fire, and so he fetched him with a witness. So the children of God, when they stand off upon tearms, and will not see his face, the fire of affliction will make them seek him early and diligently; It is the custom of our Gallants, when their horses be slow and dull, to spur them up; If Iron grow rusty, we put it into the fire to purifie it: And so doth God in our backwardness to duties, he pricks us on; or being in our filthiness, purifies us by casting us into the hot coals of tribulation.

568 Christ in all his Excellencies, to be the Christian's Object.

A Woman in travel, being delivered, if she should desire but to see the feet onely of the Babe, Joh. Mabb Afflict. mans vow. and not the head, face and body, would she not be accounted a strange, foolish, and wicked woman? So man being in travel and sorrow under sin, but salvation having appeared by the Coming of Christ into the World, Is it sufficient for him to look onely upon the death of Christ, it being the last extream, or foot as it were of his sufferings and passion? No, it is not; he will behold the dignity of his Nature, he being God; the preheminence of his government, he being the head of his Church; the beauty of his goodness, he having love and mercy shining in his face; the painfulness of his labour, he sustaining and bearing all in his body.

569 The convenience of Virginity.

THere are none but Beggars that desire the Church-porch to lodge in, T. Fuller Holy State. which others use onely as a passage into the Church: So Virginity is none of those things to be desired in and for it self, but because it leads a more convenient way to the worship of God, especially in time of persecution and trouble: For then if Christians be forced to run races for their lives, the unmarryed have the advantage, lighter by many ounces, and freed from much incumbrance which the marryed are [Page] subject to; who though private persons, yet herein are like Princes, they must have their Train follow them.

The certain prevalency of Prayer.570

IT is reported of a Nobleman in this Kingdom,Rob. E. of Essex. that had a Ring given him by the Queen, with this promise, That if he sent that Ring to her at any time when he was in danger, Joh. Preston Gods all sufficiency. she would remember him and relieve him. This was a great priviledge from a Prince, yet it is known to many, what that was subject unto; he might be in such distress as the Queen could not be able to help him, or though she were able (as she was in that case) yet the Ring might be sent and not delivered: Now then consider what the Lord doth to us; He [...]ath given us this priviledge, he hath given us Prayer, as it were this Ring, he hath given us that to use, and tells us whatsoever our case is, whatsoever we are, whatsoever we stand in need of, whatsoever distress we are in,Precis justae exauditor Deus. Anselm. do but send this up to me (saith he) do but deliver up this message to me of Prayer, and I will be sure to relieve thee: And most certain it is, whatsoever case we are in, when we send up our prayers to God, they are sure to be conveyed, for we send them to one that is able and ready to help us, which a Prince many times is not willing, or not able to perform.

Infirmities to be in the best of God's children, and why so.571

THe Merchants of London petitioned Qu. Elizabeth, that they might but have liberty to levell the Town of Dunkerk (a place at that time very obnoxious to the safety of the Merchants trade) and they would do it at their own charges;T. Fuller Ser. at St. Clem. Lond. 1649. The Queen by the advice of her Councel, returns them an answer in the Negative, She could not do it. What not suffer them to beat hers, and their enemies? not to fire such a nest of Hornets? not to demolish such a Pyraticall Town as that was? No, it must not be, And why? She knew well that it would not do amiss, that they should be alwayes sensible of so neer and so offensive an Enemy, and so be alwayes preparing and prepared to defend themselves and the State of the whole Kingdom, which took a right effect; for hereupon all turn men of War, hardly a Boat but is man'd out for service, which otherwise might have either rotted in the Harbour, or ridden security at Anchor: Thus God, when his dear children cry out unto him to be delivered from the body of sin, Rom. 7. 24. that sin may not raign in their mortal bodies, he so far granteth their requests, that by the special dispensations of his holy spirit, sin shall not prevail over them; not but that sins of infirmity shall still cleave to the best of his children here in this world;Rom. 1. 26. Why? because they shall be still upon the guard, in a posture of defence, resisting the Devil, quitting themselves like men, who otherwise might live in all security.

Man to be peacable, and why so.572

MAn by nature seems to be [...], apeaceable Creature, fitter to handle the Plow-share, Joh. Pigot Abners plea, a Serm. at St. Mary Woln. Lomb. str. Lond. 1643. than the sword; fitter to deal with the pruning hook, than the Spear; All other Creatures are naturally armed with some kind of weapon, wherewith (being offended) they are able to right and revenge themselves; The Lion hath his paws, the Bull his horns, The Boar his Tusks, The Dog his Fangs, The Cock his Spurs, The little Bee his Sting, habet & Musca splenem; There is no Creature so small, so contemptible, which hath not some weapon to fight withall, onely Man, he hath none of these, he comes naked, unarmed into the world, whereby (saith the Poet) even nature it self teacheth us this lesson; Candida pax homines, trux d [...]eet ira f [...]ras. that it is for brute beasts that have no understanding, to bite, and tear, and gore one another; As for men, they should be meek, gentle, helping, defending, comforting one another; God hath given them reason and speech, that they might delight to live, and converse together in Cities and Families, not to hunt, and to worry, and to kill one another.

573 Sanctification not wrought all at once, and why.

[Page]

HE that will dye a Purple in grain, B. Smith Serm. on Psal. 51. doth give his cloth inferior colours first, and after many dippings in many preparative liquors, he doth at length perfect the colour, and gives it its full lustre: Even so the splendor of Sanctity is not attained in the first moment of our Conversion, many a line must be drawn in our souls by the sp [...]rit of God, before we can fully recover his Image: Not that there is any inability in God, so that he cannot in a moment as in the Creation make us both innocent & holy, but he is pleased by the difficulty on our part, to make us mindful of our former unthriftiness, and careful to husband Grace better, when he is pleased to give it.

574 God, onely wise.

CAnutus, Rerum Anglicar. Script. a King of this Land, contended that the name of King, was onely due to the King crucified, Jesus Christ; so surely the name of Wisdom is due, and to be ascribed to God onely, as being onely wise; It is St. Pauls acknowledgement, 1 Tim. 1. 17. Nay, the very Heathens, as arrogant as they were, have acknowledged no less;In vita Thaletis. Laertius writes, that certain young men of Ionia, standing upon the Sea-shore, and beholding Fisher-men making of a draught, agreed with them a [...]great for their draught, that what they should hale up to land in their net should be their own;Suidas. Now it was so by the providence of God, that together with certain fish, they enclosed a certain piece of Plate (which no Man knew when it was sunk there) and dragged the same to land in their net. The same being claimed and seized on by the young men, by vertue of their bargain, they cast between them how to dispose of it: But when they could not agree about the sharing of it, they sent to the Oracle for Resolution, they were returned answer, to send it to the Wisest; They send it therefore to Thales their Country-man, a man of great note in those dayes for wisdom; but when it was brought to him, he disabled himself, and disdained the name of, VVise, and sent it to such a one, as being more wise then he was; The second also, he would none of it, but sent it to a third, and the third to a fourth, &c. And so they posted it from one to another,B. Smith Serm. on Jer. 9. till seven had it; The seventh and last, Solon by name, he made no more ado, but sent it to the Temple at Delphi, for a present to God, acknowledging him to be, onely VVise; A marvellous confession for Heathens to make, touching the alone wisdom of God.

575 Magistrates to look to their Attendants.

AS it is the eye of the Master which feeds the horse, Geo. Abbot Cant. on Jonah so it is that also which keeps good order; If Mephibosheth cannot stir, because he is lame in his feet, and David have other business then to examine things to the full, Ziba will play his part, he will abuse his Prince, he will defraud his Master: It is a remembrance to Magistrates, and men in place, that they look on such as attend them, and suffer not their approaches to be ill spoken of, for the behaviour of those that are about them; The blind swalloweth many a Fly, and he that knows his charge but by Relation, doth swallow many a gogeon.

576 God's Mercy above his Iustice.

A Merchant that keeps a book of Debitor and Creditor, Nath. Shute A Funer. Serm. 1626. writes both what is owing him, and what he oweth himself, and then casteth up the whole; But [...]od doth not so, his Mercy is triumphant over his Iustice, and therefore he wipes out what we owe him, and writes down that onely which he owes us, by promise; much like the Clouds that receive ill vapours from us, yet return them to us again in sweet refreshing showers; The very consideration of this, may be as a full gale of [Page]wind in our [...]ails, to put us on to load Gods chronicle with thankfulness, writing upon our selves,Exod. 28. 36. by a real Profession of his service, as Aaron did, Holiness to the Lord. Surely our Iudgement is with the Lord, and our work with our God, Acts 10. 3.

Remedy for a hard heart to cure it.577

THere is a story of an Earl, called Elz [...]arus, that was much given to immoderate anger; Laurent. Surius in vita. and the means he used to cure this disordered affection, was by studying of Christ, and of his patience in suffering the injuries, and affronts that were offered unto him;Ed. Calamy A Fast. Ser. at Westm. And he never suffered this meditation to pass from him, before he found his heart transformed to the similitude of Christ Iesus. Now we are all of us sick of a hard and stony heart, and if we ever desire to be healed of this souldamning disease, let us have recourse to the Lord Iesus Christ, and never leave meditating of his breakings, and woundings for us, till we find vertue coming out of him, that the great heart-maker may become a great heart-breaker unto us.

Grace sometimes seemingly lost to a child of God.578

MEn seek for keys sometimes,Tho. Gataker Ioy of the Iust. when they are in their pocket; And they think they have lost some Jewel, when it is safe locked in their desk; yea, or as the Butcher looketh about or for the Candle, that sticketh in his hat, and he carryeth it about with him on his head, and seeketh it by the light of that which he seeketh, as if he had it not about him, not remembring suddenly where he stuck it: So the godly are oft in their own conceit at a loss, when yet that, they deem lost, is sure and safe; they miss many time God's grace in them, and seek for this grace by the light of the same grace; which yet they see not in themselves, thinking that they are out of God's way, when indeed they are in it, and out of favour with God, when they are in as much favour with him as any.

The Scripture not to be jested withal.579

IF in the troublesome dayes of King Edward the fourth,Ioh. Speed Chron. a Citizen in Cheapside was executed as a Traitor, T. Fuller Holy State. for saying, he would make his son Heir to the Crown, although he meant only his own house, Non est bonum ludere cum sanctis. having a Crown for the sign: How much more dangerous is it to jest with the two edged sword of Gods word, to wit-wanton it with the Majesty of God? Wherefore if without thine intention, and against thy will, by chance-medley thou hittest Scripture in ordinary discourse, yet flie to the City of Refuge, and pray to God to forgive thee.

The New Testament an exposition of the Old.580

AS Numerius said,Theodoret: de curat. Grae. affect lib. 2. that Plato was nothing else but Moses translated out of Hebrew into Greek; And Ascham, that Virgil is nothing but Homer turned out of Greek into Latine; Tullius ad Brutum. And as Divines have censured Cyprian to be nothing else but Tertullian, Evangelium, revelata lex; Lex, occultum Evangelium. in a more familiar and elegant style: So the New Testament is nothing else but an exposition of the Old; That difference which Zeno put betwixt Logick and Rhetorick, Divines usually make between the Law and the Gospel; The Law like the fist shut, Augustin. quaest super Levit. The Gospel like the hand open; the Gospel a revealed Law, the Law a hidden Gospel.

Interest in Christ, best of all.581

IT is the fashion of many men, at Christ-mass, especially to boast of their rich attire, Joh. Boys Ser. great attendance, good fire, large cheer: yet (seeing Christ is heir of all things in the world) they cannot, in their own right, they cannot so much as [Page] enjoy a Christ-mass log, or a Christ-mass pye, till they be first ingrafted in him: Here, upon the Earth, a man may have Evidences to shew that his Land is his own, his house, his horse, all is his own; and that he is a very thief that takes any of these from him. But all the Men in the world cannot give the least claim, title, or interest to Heaven, cannot endow him with these temporal things before the living God, but his son Christ onely, who is heir of all; And therefore that our Land may be our own, our meat; our men, our money our own, let us be Christs, that in him we may have the good assurance of them all; so that in the end of all, that may be pronounced to us,1 Cor. 3. 22. which the Apostle did to the Corinthians, All are yours, ye Christ's, and Christ God's.

582 God, slow to anger, and of great patience.

IT is observable,Ludov. Fenestella de Magistr. Rom. that the Romane Magistrates, when they gave sentence upon any one to be scourged; a bundle of Rods tyed hard with many knots, was laid before them; The reason was this, That whilst the Beadle, or Flagellifer was untying the knots, which he was to do by order, and not in any other hasty or sudden way, the Magistrate might see the deportment and carriage of the delinquent, whether he were sorry for his fault, and shewed any hope of amendment, that then he might recall his sentence, T. Fuller Ser. at St. Dunst. East, Lond. 1647. or mitigate the punishment, otherwise to be corrected so much the more severely: Thus God in the punishing of sinners, how patient is he? how loath to strike? how slow to anger, if there were but any hopes of recovery? how many knots doth he untye? how many rubs doth he make in his way to Justice? he doth not try us by Marshal law, but pleads the case with us, Why will ye dye, O ye house of Israel? Ez [...]k. 33. 11. and all this to see whether the poor sinner will throw himself down at his feet, whether he will come in and make his composition, and be saved.

583 The fruits of Repentance, are to be as well outward as inward.

THere is a work-house in the inward Closet of our hearts, where we must fructifie, and lay the Foundation of those things which we do in the outward man, all our outward deeds should be but deeds of deeds; yet we must not content our selves onely with the inward, Jac. Marehancii Hortus Pa [...]orum. we must bring forth the outward also; He that hath an inside for God, and an outside for the devil, may with his pardon be cast into bell for ever. We must therefore shew some outward evidence of the efficacy of Grace: Gregory N [...]ssen sets it forth excellently; Come on you (saith he) which glory in your Baptism,In lib. de communibus noti [...] onibus. How shall it appear that the mysticall grace hath altered you? In your countenance there appeareth no change, nor in your outward lineaments; how then shall your friends perceive you are not the same? I suppose no otherwise but by your outward manners and deportment; they must shew that you are not what you were, when you are tempted with the same sins, whereunto you before were subject, and yet forbear them. It is reported of one of the worthiest of the Antients, who before his conversion had kept company with a Strumpet, when after his conversion she came towards him, he fled;St. Aug. she calleth after him, Quo fugis? Ego sum. Whither flyest thou? It is I. His answer was, At ego, non sum ego, But I, am not I. This should be the true frame of every Repentant spirit, to shew by outward demonstration, the lively fruits of inward conversion.

584 Government of the Tongue, commendable.

IT is related of Thomas Aquinas, Gaze [...]s Com. in Cassian. that being a young man, he was so careful over his words, and watchful over his tongue, that he was called by his fellow Scholars, Bos mutus, a dumb Ox; But Albertus Magnus perceiving by his disputations, the greatness of his wit, and thereupon judging to what his silence tended, gave this sentence of him, Bos isle talem aliquando edet mugitum, ut sonum ejus totus Orbis exaudiat. This Ox will at length make such a lowing, that all the world shall [Page] hear the sound of it,Mich. Jermin Com. on Prov. which afterwards proved true in his writings: Thus where the Tongue is kept at a bay, and shut up within the compass of a careful government, the soul is kept from many troubles, and the mind freed from many distractions, which do usually attend upon intemperate talkings.

Ministers to stand up for the Truth.585

THeodoret in his Ecclesiastical story reporteth, that when Valens the Emperor, with his Arrian opinions had bepestered much of the world,Lib. 4. cap. 24. and by that means the flock of Christ stood in great danger, Aphrates a Monk, a holy man of that time, contrary to his Order, and holy profession, came forth out of his Monastery, to help to keep up the Truth; And being asked by the Emperor, who was offended at him, what he did out of his Cell? I would (saith he) have kept it, and did keep it so long as Christ's sheep were in quiet; but now that Tempests do come on, and storms bring them in danger, every stone is to be turned, all means are to be sought for their safety; He goeth on, If I were daughter to any man whatsoever, and according to my Sex, as decency should require, were kept up in a Closet, or in some secret Chamber, or in some inner part of the house; yet if my fathers dwelling-house were on fire, should I not be very careless, if I should not come forth to help to quench the fire, or give directions for it? So if now I should not help to teach true faith by Christ, by coming out of my Monastery, Geo. Abbot Cant. Lect. on Jonah. I should do much amiss: Thus Ministers, if Ignorance or Idolatry, if Heretical doctrines, damnable and pernicious Errors, did not like the the wild Boar of the Forrest, go about to root up the Vine of our Church, or the little Foxes of Schism and Separation pluck off her grapes, they might then cloyster up their Tongues, and lay aside their pens; but if all these and many more do fret and daily consume like a Canker, it is high time to look about them, to stand up for the Truth, to cry down the Diana of all such mad Ephesians, and in so doing, they shall discharge their Consciences, and disburthen their souls, and God himself will reward it.

Sin overthrows all.586

AUlus Gellius, doth tell of a goodly horse which belonged to one Seius, and thereof had his name to be called Equus Seianus: Noct. Atticae lib. 3. This horse was never possessed by any, Abbot. Cant. us anted. but both himself and his family did come to nought: So Seius, his first Master, sped, and then Dolobella, who bought the horse at a great rate, purchased his own destruction into the bargain; Then Cassius was his owner, and after him Antonius, and the end of both these was Ruine: So it is with Sin and Wickedness, they fret the goods of the owner, like Eagles feathers, they consume all, little or nothing prospers that they have a hand in▪ though sin therefore be as pleasant to the flesh, and to thy fancy, as the horse of Seianus was comely to the eye, yet better it is to leave it, then to have it, he is the best man, and the blest man, that is furthest from it.

Busie-bodies condemned.587

ALdus Manutius, a publique spirited man, one that was bent to enlarge the bounds of learning, B. King Lect. on Ionah. was so haunted with busie-body guests, (whose business at the best, for the most part, was negotii inopia, want of employment, so that if the least wind of seeming trouble did but wring them, their saying was, Eamus ad Aldum, Come let us go to Aldus) that he was fain at length to prevent them, by setting an unmannerly Watchman at the door, one that could not blush, but being as impudent as they were impertinent, thus bespake them; Quisquis es rogat te Aldus, &c. Whosoever thou art, Aldus doth beseech thee, if thou have any business with him, briefly to dispatch it, and presently to be gone, &c. For neither thou, nor any other that come hither to him, could want work of your own at home, if you did but mind it: And it is very true, that the men and women of these times are very idle-headed, [Page] meddling with other mens matters,Aliena cur ant & nihil quae ad ill [...]s [...]tinent. Terent. neglecting their own; Physitians to other men, rather then themselves; meddlers in any Calling, rather then that which God hath enjoyned them: they will deal with the Scepters of Princes, and tell them how to rule, put on Aarons Robes, and teach them how to preach, just like the Emperor's Steward, cujus erat pulmenta Caesari praeparare, non Evangelium exponere, fit for a Market-man, and to prepare broth for the emperors breakfast, yet he would be perverting the Scripture to maintain the Arrian heresie.

588 Great Promises in Adversities, without performance in Prosperity, condemned.

ERasmus wittily lashing at Romes follies, Colloquium in Naufragio. describeth unto us this custom of their Marriners in a fear of Ship-wrack: An English-man (saith he) being there, promiseth no less then golden Mountains to the Lady of Walsingham, if he came safe to Land; Another voweth to go on Pilgrimage to St. Iames of Compostella, bare-foot and bare-headed in a shirt of Male next his skin, and begging all the way; A third promiseth unto St. Christopher, whose vast Statu [...] (Mons verius quàm Statua) a Mountain rather then a Statua is to be seen in the great Church of Paris, that he will give him a VVax candle as big as himself, whom one of his fellows presently checked, saying, Though thou shouldst [...]ell all that thou hast, thou coudst not perform thy word: But he replyed softly, (lest St. Christopher should hear him) Hold thy peace fool, And. Willet Hexapla. in Levit. dost thou think that I ever meant to do it, If ever I recover shore, he gets not so much as a Tallow candle of me: And thus many men deal with God in times of sickness, or of any trouble, promising Mountains, but performing Mole-hills; some to refrain one sin, some another, some every sin; and when his hand is once off, they commit sin with greater greediness than before,John 5. and then some worse thing justly happeneth unto them.

589 Resurrection of the body proved by a natural demonstration.

I Have stood in a Smiths forge, and seen him put a rusty, cold, dull piece of Iron into the fire, T. Fuller Ser. at St. Clem. Lond. 1648. and after a while he hath taken the same piece, the very same, numerical, individual piece of Iron out of the fire, hot, bright, sparkling: And thus it is with our bodies, they are laid down in the grave, dead, heavy, earthly; but at the Resurrection this mortal shall put on immortality; at that general conflagration this dead, heavy, earthly body, shall arise, living, lightsome, glorious; which made Iob so confident, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that with these eyes I shall see him, &c. Chap. 19. 25.

590 Upon any great undertaking, God is first to be consulted withal.

THe Israelites usually asked counsel of God by the Ephod, the Grecians by their Oracles, the Persians by their Magi, the Egyptians by their Hierophantae, the Indians by their Gymnosophistae, the antient Gauls and Brittains by their Druides, the Romans by their Augures, or South-sayers; It was not lawful to propose any matter of moment in the Senate, Tullius de Arusp. Repub. Dan. Fea [...]. Serm. priusquam de C [...]elo observatum erat, before their Wizards had made observations from the Heaven, or Skie. That which they did impiously and superstitiously, we may, nay we ought to do in another sense, piously, religiously, conscionably, i. e. not to embarque our selves into any action of great importance and consequence, priusquam de Coelo observa [...]um est, before we have observed from Heaven, not the flight of birds, not the houses of Planets, or their aspects or conjunctions, but the countenance of God, whether it shineth upon our enterprises or not, whether he approve of our projects and designs or not.

Memory ought to be the Treasury of all goodness.591

[Page]

ALexander the great, when he had overthrown Darius, King of Persia, he took amongst the spoyles, a most rich Cabinet, full of the choicest Iewels that the World had then seen,Sabel. hist. lib. 7. cap. 5. and there was a dispute before him to what use he would put the Cabinet, and every one having spent his judgement according as their fancies lead them, the King himself concluded, That he would keep that Cabinet, to be a Treasury to lay the books of Homer in, which were his joy; But surely the richest Cabinet that is,Fun. Serm. is in the soul of man, and that's the memory, the Ark of Heavenly knowledge, where like Mary we should lay up all that we know and hear of God; It is a rich Cabinet indeed, and therefore the fitter for the richest Iewel, the Word of God to be treasured up in.

The retaining of one sin, spoiles a great deal of good in the soul.592

AS the Philosopher saith, A cup, or some such thing that hath a hole in it, is no cup, it will hold nothing, and therefore cannot perform the use of a cup, though it have but one hold in it; Funeral Serm. So if the heart have but one hole in it, if it retain the Devil but in one thing; if it make choice but of any one sin to lye and wallow▪ and tumble in, it doth evacuate all the other good, by the entertainment of that one evil, the whole box of ointment will be spoiled by the dropping of that one flie into it: By the Laws of our Kingdom, a man can never have true possession, till he have voided all; and in the State of Grace, no man can have a full interest in Christ, till all sin, i. e. all raigning, domineering sin, be rooted out.

Weak beginnings of Grace, not to be despised.593

THough a man have a Palsey-shaking hand, yet it is a hand; A sick weak man, that lies crying, oh, oh, that can scarce turn himself on his bed, is a man, a living man; a poor child that is newly born, and hath nothing that discovereth Reason almost,Gasp. Strezo Analys. in Rom. but the shape of a man, that poor child is a reasonable Creature: So that faith, that beginneth with weak apprehensions, and faint leanings on Christ, is notwithstanding a true faith, and therefore to be cherished: Deep godly sorrow, and other parts of Repentance do begin many times to run in a slender channel, yet they must not be straightned; amendment of life begins sometimes at a low foundation, at small sins, yet there may be encrease of such small grace, and a man may be blessed for all the weaknesse of them; It behoves every man therefore to take comfort in a little, and be thankfull for it, and that is the onely way to get more.

How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments.594

A Child may handle the Mothers breasts, may play with them, may kiss them, but all this while the child is never the fuller; Dan. Dyke Worthy Communicant. Therefore the child when it would be satisfied, layes its mouth to the breast, gets the nipple fast, and then sucks and draws with its strength and might, and so fetches forth the milk out of the Mothers breast. Thus the Word and Sacraments are the breasts of Consolation, and they be full of very sweet milk indeed, but there can be no satisfaction till there be sucking; Men may come to the Sacrament and gaze upon the Elements, and eat and drink them, and yet not receive the sweet of the Ordinance; but if they would have the milk out of his breast, they must fall to sucking and drawing, with all their power and strength: Now it is faith actuated that sucks vertue out of the Sacrament, that sucks from Christ in the Sacrament, mortifying vertue to kill lusts, healing vertue to cure the pollutions of the [...]eart, and quickning vertue to enable to duties, and actions of spiritual life.

595 Faith in the time of trial, needful.

[Page]

AS a Ship without his ballast is toss'd and rock'd at Sea, Geo. Abbot Cant. Lect. on Jonah. Solinus cap. 15. and cannot endure the waves, so is that soul right unstable, and every hour apt to perish, which hath not faith in Temptation: It is written of the Cranes, that when they do intend in stormy and troublesome weather, to flie over the Sea, fearing left that by the blasts of the wind, their bodies which be but light, should be beaten into the Sea, or be kept from the place whither they intend, they swallow some sand, and little stones into their bellies, whereby they are so moderately piezed, that they are able to resist the raging of the wind. So it must be with every Christian, whilst they do cross this troublesome world of sin and great temptation; It is faith that must be their ballast, it is faith that must keep them upright, or recover them when they are a going.

596 Good Laws, and good men, are the Pillars of State.

THe Pillars of State are good Laws,B. Lake Serm. on Plalm. 51. and good Men; good Laws are the Pillars that bear up men, and men being so born up by good Laws, do bear up the whole State of a Land; Licinius therefore the Emperor spake barbarously, when (as Eusebius reports) he said, That Iuris cognitio, was V [...]rus & pestis Reipublicae; And the Iews, who (as Ambrose observes) said, That Leges were Crimina, spake but as Iews,Salus [...]ivitatis in legibus est. Arislot. that is, as a Rebellious people; And the Anabaptists, that hold Laws to be contrary to Christian liberty, do but by their doctrine give us to understand the qualities of their lives, which is Epicurial licentiousness; but Christians must give Laws their right, and repute them as they are, The Pillars of the State.

597 Man's corrupt Judgement upon the bare appearance of things, condemned.

GOd is the Lord of Hoasts, he is the great Commander of Heaven and Earth, he it is that directs the conflicts,B. Lake Serm. on Hag. ch. 2. neither are any put to try mastery, no field pitched, on battel fought, but by his special Order and Commission, and all for the accomplishment of his glory: But it befalleth us, as it doth with them, which stand in the same level, wherein two huge Armies are ready to engage, they conceive them to be a disordered multitude; whom notwithstanding, if they behold from a high hill, they will discern that they are artificially ranged, they will see how every one serveth under his own colours; even so men which behold the state of the world, with the eyes of flesh and blood, dim by reason of the weakness of their Judgements, and wickedness of their affections, thinks all thing are out of order, that there is nothing but confusion, and disorder, to see men reeling in Iudgement one against the other, servants riding on horses, Princes going on foot; bonis malè, malis benè, That the worse men are, the better they fare; and they fare the worse, the better they are; But if they did but once ascend into the Sanctuary of God, and judge of occurrents by Heavenly Principles, then they would confess, that no Army on Earth can be better marshalled, then the great Army of all the Creatures of Heaven and Earth, yea and of Hell too; and that notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary, all is well, and will end well, that God, who is the God of Order, will bring light out of darkness, and Order out of the greatest confusion, could they but have patience, and let him alone with his own work.

598 Beginnings of Goodness to be encouraged, and why?

CIcero maketh mention of Marcus Crassus, Cicero de Oratore. who walking one day by the Seashore, Dimidium facti qui bene, &c. Exparvis prinerpiis, &c. saw a Boy, who had found a Boat there, but having no helps to further him to sail, first he got Oars, then a Mast, Sails and Ropes, and then he set to Sea. Thus from a little beginning, if a man be industrious, he may attain unto great [Page]things, to the enlargement of a great temporal estate, to a great measure of spiritual Grace, Judg. 8. 2. to a great height of knowledge, especially in a knowing age, wherein the gleanings of Ephraim are better then the Vintage of Abiezar, having such helps as Antiquity never knew of, and sitting under the droppings of such spiritual means as no age can parallel.

Vnworthy Communicants reproved.599

THe Hahassines, Brerewood's Enquiries. c. 23. a Christian people in Prester Iohn's Country, after the receiving of the Sacrament, think it not lawfull for them to spit that day, till the setting of the Sun: It is no better then Superstition in them, but yet their Superstition will rise up against the monstrous profaneness of many amongst us.Jer. Dyke Worthy Communic. They hold it unlawfull to spit that day, And shall some out of drunkenness spue that day, drown him in the Tavern, whom they received in the Temple? They will not spit that day; And shall some endure the Devils drivell to fall from their mouths that day, in ungodly oaths, and unsavory rotten Communication? They will not spit that day, And shall some in that day spit in Gods face, as common prophane swearers do, &c?

Self-conceitedness condemned as dangerous.600

IT is a natural disease of all the Sons of Ad [...]m, that if they have but motes o [...] goodness, B. Lake Serm. on Mat. ch. 6. they think they are Mountains, and presume that their actions go hand in hand with their speculations: Little children, when they begin first to find their feet, think they can go as well, and as far, as those that are of riper age, and this conceit makes them catch many a fall. The case is ours; most of us are but Babes in Christ, and our Iudgement erreth in nothing more, then in taking an estimate of our own ability, wherein we come so short of performing what we promise to our selves,Psal. 39. that we may very well blush, and make this conclusion, Man, even the best of men, is altogether vanity.

The Romanists error in the point of the Antiquity of Ceremonies 601

A Nobleman, who had heard of the extream age of one dwelling not far off, made a journey to visit him, and finding an aged person sitting in the chimney corner,T. Puller Holy State. addressed himself unto him, with admiration of his age, till his mistake was rectified: For, Oh Sir (said the young old man) I am not he whom you seek for, but his son; My Father is further off in the field. The same error is daily committed by the Romane Church, adoring the reverend brow and gray hairs of some antient Ceremonies, perchance but of some seven or eight hundreth years standing in the Church, and mistake these for their Fathers, of far greater age in the Primttive times.

The Terrors of a guilty Conscience.602

THe blind man in the Gospel, newly recovering his sight, imagined trees to be men;Mark 8. Lib. 1. cap. 11. Iohn Boys Postil [...]s. and the Burgundians, as Comines reports, expecting a battel, supposed long Thistles to be Lances. Thus the wicked man fears where no fear is, sonus excitat omnis Suspensum, the guilty conscience conceits every thistle to be a Tree, every Tree a Man, every Man a Devil, afraid of every man that it sees, nay, many times of those that it sees not. Not much unlike to one that was very deep in debt, and had many Creditors, — Sonus exci [...]at [...]mnis Suspensum, Virgil. who as he walked London streets in the evening, a Tenterhook catched his Cloak; At whose suit, said he, conceiving some Sergeant had arrested him; Thus the ill conscienced man counts every Creature he meets with, a Bayliffe sent from God to punish him.

603 Atheism advanced by the distractions of the Church.

[Page]

LActantius reports of Arcesilas, that having throughly considered the contradictions, and oppositions of Philosophers one against another,Institut. lib. 3. cap. 4. in fine, contemned them all: Et novam Philosophandi philosophiam constituit, and set up a new way of Philosophy. Thus worldlings and Atheistically spirited men, expending their differences of Christians in matters of Religion, have resolved to be of no Religion; and understanding the violent contentions about forms of prayer, Ioh. Boys Ser. and interpretation of Scripture, use no Prayer, nor Bible, but make Lucian their Old Testament, and Machiavel their New.

604 How to benefit by the Sacrament.

THe Disciples of Christ, as they passed through the Corn-fields, plucked the ears of the Corn, Luke 6. 1. Ier. Dyke ut ante [...]. and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. They did not pluck off the ears, and eat them whole, that would have been dangerous, but they first rubbed the ears with their hands, to fetch out the Corn, and then did eat. Thus, at the Sacrament, we must not devour those holy things all at once, hand over head, that will be dangerous, but we must set faith on work to rub the ears, and fetch out the Corn that is in them for food, and then there will be comfortable refreshing for the soul.

605 To submit to Gods will in all things.

IT is for profit that Men rise up early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness. Tho. de Trugillo Thes. Concionat. The Husbandman takes much pains, plows his ground, endures many sharp storms, and piercing Winters; Currit Mercator ad Indos, The Merchant runs divers hazards abroad, difficulties at home, and all for profit: So should we be willing patiently and quietly, to submit our selves to God's dealing with us in all conditions, humbly to apply our selves to his wise and fatherly administrations, and take heed of murmuring, for he intendeth nothing but our good, even the salvation of our souls, which is the chiefest good of all.

606 The powerful eff [...]ct of the Word of God preached.

PHiletus, a Disciple of Hermogenes that Conjurer, coming to dispute, and maintain an Argument with St. Iames the elder,Maruli Hist. lib. 2. cap. 9. reli [...]d much upon his Sophistry, but the Apostle preached Christ unto him with that powerfulness, that Philetus returning back to his Master, told him, Magus abieram, Christianus redeo, I went forth a Conjurer, but am returned a Christian▪ O the power of divine Truth! If Peter do but preach, the Iews will cry out, Men and Bre [...]hren, what shall we do to be saved? Where the word goes along with the operation of the blessed spirit, crooked things will be made straight, Mountains will be levell with the Valleys, sinners will become Saints, and there will be a daily addition to the Church, of such as shall be saved.

607 Great engagements to love one another.

EUclide shewed in himself the true symptoms of brotherly affection, who when his Brother in his rage made a rash vow, Plutarch. de Amore frat. saying, Let me not live, if I be not re [...]enged on my Brother; Euclide turns the speech contrary way, Nay, let me not live, if I be not reconciled to my Brother, Dan. Fe [...]tly Clavis mystic [...]. Let me not live, if we be not as good friends as ever we were before. Shall an Heathen thus outstrip us Christians? Nature be stronger then Grace? the bonds of Flesh tye faster, and surer then the bonds of Grace? We call on God our Father, we acknowledge or should do, one Church our Mother, we suck the same breas [...]s of the Old and New Testament, we are bred up in the same [Page]School of the Cross, fed at the same Table of the Lord, incorporated into the same Communion of Saints, If these and the like considerations cannot knit our hearts in love one to another, the very Heathens will rise up in Iudgement against us, and condemn us.

The winning of a Soul unto God, very acceptable with God.608

MEmorable is the story of Pyrrhias, a Merchant of Ithaca, who on a time seeing an aged man captive in a Pyrats Ship,Plutarch. quaest. Grae. 34. took compassion on him, and redeemed him, and with him bought likewise his Commodity, which the Pyrat had taken from him, being certain [...]arrels of pitch: The old man perceiving, that not for any service that he could do him,Andr. Willet Hexapla [...] Lev. nor for the gain of his commodity, but meerly out of charity, Pyrrhias had done this, presently discovered unto him, a great mass of Treasure hidden in the pitch, whereby he grew exceeding wealthy, having, not without divine providence obtained an answerable blessing for so good an act of Piety. Now if God so bountifully requite the Redemption of a poor old man, de servitute corporeâ, from a corporal servitude, how much rather should every man contend to the utmost of his power, Ministers in the Pulpit, Magistrates on their benches, Masters in their families, every one by a good example to win a soul unto God, Jam. 5. 20. Obad. 21. Dan. 12. 3. to [...]edeem his Brother from the thraldom of the Devil, which is to save a soul from death. And for which they shall be honoured with the name of Saviours, and their reward shall be that they shall shine like stars, for ever and ever.

The great difficulty of forgiving one another.609

IT is worthy observation, T. Fuller Ser. at St. Clem. Lond. 1648. and such as are conversant amongst little children, know it to be true, That when they are taught to say the Lords Prayer, they are usually out at that Petition, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, The reason is, because of the harshnesse of the sound, the reiteration of one and the same words, the multiplicity of the Consonants, and the like. It were to be wished, that that which they are so often out at, we could be more frequently in at, that what is not easie for their shallow heads to conceive, may not be too hard for our more experimental hearts to practise; But it is hard indeed, why else did Christ make a Comment on that Petition, Mar. 6. 14. passing by the other five, when he taught his Disciples to pray? And hence it is that injuries are registred in sheets of Marble to all Posterity, whilst benefits are written in the sand, ready to be dashed out by the foot of the next that passeth by.

Death is the true Christians advantage.610

AS that Ass, Lucian in Piscatore. called Cumanus Ass, jetting up and down in a Lions skin, did for a time much terrifie his Master, but afterwards being descryed, did benefit him very much: Thus Death, by the death of Christ, stands like a silly Ass, having his Lions skin pulled over his ears, and is so far from terrifying any, that it benefits all true Christians,Tho. Playfers Serm. because by it they rest from their labours, and if they be oppressed with cares, and troubles of the world, perplexed, distracted in the midst of a crooked and froward generation, let but death come, they have their Quietus est, and are discharged.

The great danger of not listning to the Word preached.611

THe Romane Senators conspired against Iulius Caoesar to kill him;Volateran. lib. 19. That very next morning Artemidorus, Caoesars friend, delivered him a paper (desiring him to peruse it) wherein the whole plot was discovered;T. Fuller Observat. But Caoesar complemented away his life, being so taken up to return the salutations of such people as met him in the way, that he pocketed the paper among other Petitions, as unconcerned therein, and so going to the Senate house, was there slain. Thus the World, the [Page] Flesh, Propter mals auditores sermo subtrabitur. Greg. in Ezek. and Devil have a design for the destruction of Men; Ministers, such as watch for their good, bring a Letter of advice, Gods word, wherein all the conspiracie is revealed; but who doth believe their report? Most men are so busie, and taken up with worldly delights, that they are not at leisure to listen to them, or read the letter, but thus alas, run headlong to their own destruction.

612 Vniversal Repentance.

WE commend Prisoners for their wisdom, who knowing they are guilty more wayes then one,Dr. Web Serm. at Court, 1619. desire that all the Indictments may be brought in against them before the Verdict pass upon them, that so they might be throughly discharged. So he that arraigneth himself before the Bar of God's Iustice, should not leave any thing unrepented of, whereof he knoweth himself guilty, nor conceal any part of his misery that needeth the help of God's mercy.

613 Prudence and worldly Policy, uncertain.

THe Chirurgion that dealeth with an outward wound, seeth what he doth, and can tell whether he can heal it or no,B. Smith Serm. on Jer. 9. and in what time; but he that is to make an incision within the body, be it for the Stone, or the like disease, he doth but as it were, grope in the dark, and may as well take hold of that he should not, as of that which he would; And the Artizan that worketh in his shop, and hath his tools about him, can promise to make up his dayes work to his best advantage; But the Merchant Adventurer that is to cut the Seas, and hath need of one wind to bring him out of the Haven, another to bring him out to the Lands end, another perhaps to bring him to the place of Traffick, where he would be, he can promise nothing, neither touching his return, neither touching the making of his Commodity, but as the wind and the weather, and the men of War by the way, and as the honesty and skill of them whom he tradeth with, shall give him leave. Ju [...] so it fareth in matters of prudence and worldly Policy, they are conjectural, they are not demonstrative, and therefore there is no Science of them; they have need of concurrence of many causes that are casual, of many mens minds that are mutable, therefore uncertain, not to be built upon.

614 Matter enough within us, to condemn us.

PIso, Seneca de Ira one of the Roman Generalls, to shew the bloody humour that was in him, commanded that a Souldier should be put to death, for returning without his fellow, Geo. Abbot Cant. Le [...]t. on Jonah. with whom he went from the Camp, saying, that he had killed him. The Captain, who had the charge to execute this poor Souldier, when he saw his fellow coming, which had been missed before, did spare the first mans life; upon this, Piso finds matter to take away the lives of all three: Hear his worthy reason for it; You are a man condemned, saith he unto the first, my sentence was passed on you, and therefore you shall dye; then turning him to the second, you were the cause, quoth he, wherefore your fellow was condemned to death, and therefore you must dye; and to the third, You, Centurion, because you have not learned to obey the voice of your General, shall dye also for company; Excogitaverat quomodo tria crimina faceret, &c. He devised how he might make three faults, because he found not one. But the just Iudge of all the world needs not do so with us, no beating of his brains to invent an accusation against us, he needs not draw three faults into one, or find one where there is none, there's matter enough within us, to condemn us; our thoughts, our words, our deeds, do yield him cause enough to pronounce the sentence of death upon us.

615 The giving up of our selves, an acceptable Sacrifice to God.

IT is reported of Aeschines, when he saw his fellow Scholars give great gifts to his Master Socrates, Seneca de bene [...]ciis, lib. 1. he being poor, and having nothing else to bestow, did give [Page] himself to Socrates, as confessing to be his in heart, and good will, and wholly at his devotion. Dr. Donne Serm. [...]t St. Pauls, Lond. 1629. And the Philosopher took this most kindly, esteeming it above all other presents, and returned him love accordingly; Even so the gratious disposition of our heavenly Father taketh in far better part, then any man can take it, the laying down of our souls, the submitting of our selves unto his direction, the mel [...]ing of our wills down into his Will; Non vox Sed votum— The Widows two mites were welcome into his Treasury, because her heart was full, though her purse were empty; He accounteth that the best sacrifice which is of the heart. External things do well, but Internal things do far better.

Heaven worth contending for.616

IF a man were assured,Will. Pe [...]kins Exposit. [...]n Creed. that there were made for him a great purchase in Spain, Turkey, or some other parts more remote, would be not adventure the dangers of the Seas, and of his Enemies also, if need were, that he might come to the enjoyment of his own: Well, behold Iesus Christ hath made a purchase for us in Heaven, and there is nothing required on our parts, but that we will come and enjoy it;Luk. 13. 24. Why then should we refuse any pains? or fear any thing in the way? nay, we must strive to get in; It may be that we shall be pinched in the entrance, for the gate is strait and low, not like the Gates of Princes, lofty, roof'd, and arched, so that we must be fain to leave our wealth behind us,Non est ad. astra mollis è terris via. Sen. Her [...]. furens. and the pleasures of this life behind us; yet enter we must, though we leave our skins, nay our very lives behind us; for the purchase that is made, is worth ten thousand Worlds; not all the silks of Persia, [...]ot all the spices of Egypt▪ not all the gold of Ophir, not all the Treasures of bot\ [...]h Indies are to be compared to it: Who therefore would not contend for such a bargain though he sold all to have it?

Adoption of God's children, known by their Sanctification.617

FIre is known to be no painted, or imaginary fire by two notes, by heat, and by the flame; Now if the case so fall out, that the fire want a slame, it is stil known by the heat; In like manner there be two witnesses of our adoption, or sanctification; Will. Perkins ut ante [...]. Gods spirit and our spirit; Now if it so fall out, that a man feel not the Principal, which is the spirit of adoption, he must then have recourse to the second VVitness, and search out in himself the signs and tokens of the sanctification of his own spirit, by which he may certainly assure himself of his adoption, as fire may be known to be fire, by the heat, though it want a flame.

The danger of Worldly mindedness.618

IT is seen by experience, that a man swiming in a River, as long as he is able to hold up his head, B. Babington Fun. Serm. and keep it above water, he is in no danger, but safely swimeth and cometh to the shore with good contentment; but if once his head, for want of strength begin to dive, then shaketh he the hearts of all that do behold him, and himself may know, that he is not far from death: So is it in this wretched world, and swimers of all sorts, if the Lord give us strength to keep up our heads, i. e. to love God and Religion above the world, and before it, and all the pleasures of it, there is then no danger, but after a time of swiming in it up and down, we shall arrive in a firm place with happiness and safety; but if once we dive, and the head go under water, if once the world get the victory, and our hearts are set upon it, and go under it, in a sinful love and liking of it, O then take heed of drowning.

Gods delight in a relapsed Sinners repentance.619

AS a Husbandman delights much in that ground, that after long barrenness becomes fruitful; As a Captain loves that Souldier, that once fled away cowardly, [Page] and afterwards returns valiantly.E, Calamy, A Serm. [...] West. Even so God is wonderfully enamoured with a sinner, that having once made shipwrack of a good Conscience, yet at last returns, and swims to Heaven upon the plank of Faith and Repentance.

620 Vnworthy Communicants, condemned.

CHildren when they first put on new shooes, are very curious to keep them clean, scarce will they set their foot on the ground,T. F [...]ller Observations. for fear to dirty the soles of their shooes, yea rather they will wipe them clean with their Coats; and yet perchance the next day, they will trample with the same shooes up to the ancles. Alas,O curve in tertis [...] & coelestium inanes. Pers. 2. childrens play is our earnest; On that day we receive the Sacrament, we are often over-precise, scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may: But we who are more then curious that day, are not so much as careful the next day; and too often (what shall I say) go on in sin up to the ancles, yea our sins go over our heads, Psal. 28. 5.

621 A sense of the want of Grace, a true sign of Grace.

IT is the first step unto Grace, for a man to see no Grace, and it is the first degree of Grace, Pars sanitatis velle sanari. [...] for a man to desire Grace; as no man can sincerely seek God in vain, so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain: A man may love gold, yet not have it, but no man loveth God but is sure to have him; Wealth a man may desire, yet be never the neerer for it,August. in [...] Joh. 6. but grace no man ever sincerely desired, and missed it; and why? It is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart, and he will never frustrate the desire that himself there hath wrought:Tho. Gataker Ioy of the Iust. Let no man say, I have no Faith, no Repentance, no Love, no fear of God, no sanctifying, no saving grace in me; Doth he see a want of these things in himself? yes, that is it which so grieves him, that he cannot love God, stand in awe of him, trust in his mercy, repent of sin as he should; yea, but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus? yes, he desires it above all things in the world, and would be willing (as it were) to buy, even with a whole world the least measure, or dram, or drop onely of such grace; Who is it,Bernard. in Cant. 3. 1. let me ask him, who is it that hath wrought this desire in him? Not the Devil, he would rather quench it all he could in him; Not his own corruption, that is naturally averse thereunto; It must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God, and of him who affirmeth all them to be in a blessed plight, Phil. 2. 13. that thus desire after grace.

622 Experimental knowledge, the onely knowledge.

A Ristotle saith, a man is not a Physi [...]ian that knows things in the general, in the gross, Joh▪ Preston Treatise. but he that knows them in particular: This is not to be a Physitian, to know that such dry meats are good for a moist stomack, unless he also know dry meats, and the symptoms of a moist stomack. So it is in the knowledge of the world, and in the knowledge of God: Scientiae quis usus potest, nis [...] [...] agamus? Max. Tyrius. di [...]ert. 5. To know what Repentance is, is not enough, except we know the parts and the signs of it in our selves; To know, that none are translated from death to life, except they love the brethren, is not enough, except we know the brethren and love them; To know that he that is in Christ, hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof, Gal. 5. 24. is not enough, except we know that we our selves have crucified it.

623 The danger of loose Travel into forraign parts.

AS it is said of one, who with more industry then judegment, frequented a Colledge Library, T. Fuller Holy State. and commonly made use of the worst notes he met with in any Authors, That he weeded the Library; So it may be said of some loose Travellers, that are got abroad too early, before they be well principled, That they weed forraign Countries, bringing home Dutch drunkenness, Spanish pride, French wantonness, [Page] and Italian Atheism▪ as for the good hearbs, Dutch industry, Spanish loyalty, French courtesie, and Italian frugality, these they leave behind them.

St. Augustine's Iudgement of the time of Christ's birth.624

CHrist was born when the dayes were at the shortest, Serm. 22. de tempore. ut diminuto noctis curriculo defectionem sentiant opera tenebrarum, that the Chariot wheels of the night being taken off, the works of darkness may drive heavily: He must increase, said the Baptist, Dr. Joh. Boys [...]. but I must decrease, Iohn was therefore born at Midsummer, when the days grow shorter and shorter▪ but Christ about the Calends of Ianuary, when the days wax longer and longer,Ambrof c [...]ntr [...] Marcion. giving at once, both life to man, and length to dayes.

Good endeavours assisted by God.625

IT much perplexed Mary, how she should roll away the Tomb stone, and so purchase the sight of her beloved Master; Mark 16. Dr. Ioh. Boys Serm. but he that hath given his Angels charge over his children, that they hurt not their foot against a stone, sent a messenger from Heaven, Psal. 91. 11. Ma [...]. [...]8. [...]. to roll back that huge stone for her. Even as a loving Father, when he carryeth his little child to the Town, will let him alone to walk in the plain and fair way; but when he cometh to slippery paths, he takes him by the hand, and in dirty passages bears him in his armes, and when he comes to a style, he gently lifts him over: In magnis voluisse sat est. So God our heavenly Father useth his deer children, if they endeavour to go as far as they may in the wayes of his commandements, so fast as they can in the way to the coelestial Ierusalem, he will assist them in danger, and help them over styles of discouragements, take away all rubs of offence; remove all blocks and hindrances in their passage; and the very great stone parting Christ and them, even whilst they least think of it, shall be rolled away.

To rejoyce with trembling.626

A Quail, the very same bird that was the Israelites meat in the Wilderness, as he flies over the Sea, feeling himself begin to be weary, lights by the way into the Sea:Pier. Moulin De la mour de Dieu. Then lying at one side, he layes down one wing upon the water, and holds up the other wing towards Heaven; left he should presume to take too long a flight; wets one wing; left he should dispair to take a new flight, he keeps the other wing dry. Triftia laetis. Thus must every good Christian do, when he holds up the wing of love towards Heaven to rejoyce for Christ, he must lay down the wing of fear upon the water, to weep for his sins, that so his sins, that so his two wings may be answerable to God's two wings; that as God hath two wings, the one of Mercy, the other of Iudgment, so he may have two wings, the one of joy for Christ, the other of sorrow for himself, and so to rejoyce with trembling.

Magistrates to be alwayes ready to do Justice.627

A Very poor Widow was earnest with Philip of Macedon, Plutarch. [...] Apophthegm. & in vita Demetrii. to do her Justice, but he defer'd her, and told her, that he had no leisure to hear her; she forgetting all dutiful respect, asked immediately, VVhy he had leisure then to be a King? Thus surely, if Petitioners for Iustice be put back, whose souls speak within them for it, with the answer, of not being at leisure, they will go neer to ask, VVhy they had leisure to be Kings, and Iudges, and Magistrates, unless they did mean to execute judgement, and do justice, which they are bound to do at all times.

Lex Talionis.628

BY the advice of the Lord Hastings, S. W. Raleigl [...] Pref. to hist. World. and a Warrant signed by Rich. 3. thereupon, the two Lords, Rivers and Gray with others, were without tryal of Law, or offence given, executed at Pontefract in the North, and (which is very [Page] remarkable) the very self same day, and (as neer as could be ghessed) the self same hour, was Hastings head in the same lawless manner, struck off in the Tower of London: Autorem feriunt [...]la re [...]rta suum. Auson. Ep. 71. Here is Lex Talionis, the just Law of Retaliation, God in his eternall providence, and divine justice subverts the wisdom oft-times of evill plots, and irreligious imaginations, and turns them upon the very heads of the Actors themselves, according to that passage, In fove [...]m, quam foderunt, &c. Psalm 7. 15.

629 The power of God's word.

IUnius was reclaim'd from Atheism,In Vita▪ by casting his eye upon the New Testament lying open in his study, and reading the first of St. Iohns Gospel, In the beginning was the Word, &c. being amazed with the strange Majesty of the style, and profoundness of the mysteries therein contained: What should I speak of St. Augustine? who was strangely converted by hearing a voice, saying, Tolle, lege, Tolle, lege, and fastning his eyes upon the first passage of Scripture he light on, which was this, Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in gluttony and drunkenness, &c. Rom. 13. 13, 14. No sooner was the verse read, then the work of Conversion finished, and a pious Resolution for amendment of life setled in him; Alipius certified hereof, desires to peruse the place,August. Confes. lib. 8. cap. 12. and falleth upon the verse immediately following, Him that is weak in the faith receive you: which he applying to himself, besought St. Augustine to strengthen him in the Truth, as Christ commanded Peter, Tu conversus confirma fratres; which task he so well performed, that with a little travell in a short space, two twins were brought forth to the Church at one time. Thus the VVord of God, whether heard or read, Non ut sonus, non ut litera, not as it is ink and paper, not as it is a sound or collision of the Air, but as it is an Instrument of God, and the power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1. 16. maketh the man of God perfect, 2 Tit. 3. 17. It frameth, and mouldeth the heart, it printeth it like a stamp, melteth it like wax, bruiseth it like a hammer, pricketh it like a nail, and cutteth it asunder like a sword.

630 A good mans life preserved for the good of others.

RIvers of themselves would run the straightest and directest way to the Sea, as being greedy to pay tribute unto their great Master the Ocean; Joh. Donne Serm. at St. Pauls, 1626. but God, in his wise disposal of all things, hath set here a Mountain, & there a hill in the way, that so by turning and winding, now this way, now that way, and going further about, they might enrich the earth as they pass along with fertility and abundance. Thus a good man, and a good Christian man, having but once tasted of Gods love, O how he desires to be dissolved, Luk. 22. 32. and to be with Christ, he prayes (but still with reference to Gods will) that his hope may be turned into fruition, his faith into vision, and his love into perfect comprehension; but God in his providence hath resolved upon the negative, that his dayes shall be prolonged to do good unto others, that he may be serviceable in his place, to him and his Country.

631 The great difference of both good and bad, in life and death.

THe Hawk flies high,Tho. Westfield Serm. at. St. Bartholm. 1619. and is as highly prized, being set upon a pearch, vervel'd with the gingling bells of encouragement, and carryed on his Master's fist, but being once dead, and picked over the pearch, is cast upon the dunghill as good for nothing; The Hen scrapes in the dust, not any thing rewarded when she is alive, Cuncta bonis prosunt, quos & mors ipsa beatos Efficit, &c. Ja [...]. Bili [...] Anthol. but being dead, is brought as a choice dish to her Master's Table. Thus wicked men, are commonly set in high places, and prosper in this life; and good men, lye groveling with their mouths in the dust, as the very underlings of the world; but being once dead, the one is cast into the dungeon of Hell, the other advanced to the Kingdom of Heaven; the one is into Abrahams bosom, whilst the other is tormented with the Devil and his Angels.

Opportunities of sin to be avoided.632

[Page]

ST.Chr. Fonseca Ser. [...]. Augustine in his Confessions, maketh mention of his friend▪ Alipius, that having resolved with himself never to look upon the Fencers prizes, was, up on a time, through the importunity of his friends, drawn along to the Theater, where these bloody sports were performed, protesting that he would keep his eyes shut all the while, and not so much as once open them; yet it so fell out, that upon a sudden great shout of the people, be looked about to see what the matter was; whereupon he became another man, and altered his former course, so that his hatred▪ to the sport, was turned into love, and liking of it: It is opportunity (we say) that makes Thieves; Look, what a clear fountain is to the thirsty, what a shade to the scor [...]hed Traveller, such is occasion to a man that is accustomed to do evil; He that walketh in the Sun is su [...]e to be tan'd; Delinq [...]end [...] materi [...] [...] praescindi. Cyprian ep. 2. he that toucheth Pitch, shall be▪ defil [...] ▪ Physitians may converse with sick men, and cure them, but if their diseases be dangerous, contagious, they will not easily adventure on them, lest that in curing others, they should kill themselves; Vices are of the same nature, and vitiou [...] persons and places, are alike dangerous, and therefore to be shunned.

How the good and the bad look upon death in a different manner.633

A Child at School,Tho. Lightfoot▪ Serm. at Uttoxeter, 1624. when he seeth one riding Post through the streets, as if he would run over him, or tread upon him, cryeth out: But when he perceives that it is his Father's man sent to bring him home from School, all the fea [...] is past, then he laugheth and rejoyceth. So whilst men are in the state of nature, they look upon Death as an Enemy, as a spoyler, as one that would bereave them of all their worldly delights; but being once the sons and daughters of God by adoption, then they apprehend Death as their Heavenly Father's man, riding on the pale horse, sent to bring them home from a prison on Earth, to a place of perfect liberty in Heaven.

The confidence of much knowledge, an argument of no knowledge.634

THales sent the golden Tripos, Plutarch, in S [...]lone▪ which the Fisher-men took up in their Net, and the Oracle commanded to be given to the wisest, to Bias; Bias to Solon; and then they had but seven wise men; and if you will but believe the times, there are now hardly so many fools to be found ▪ If such a thing were now to be had, we should all fight for it, R. Burton of Melancholy. as the three Goddesses did for the golden apple, we are so wise, We have now women-Polititians, women-Preachers, Preaching-Souldiers, Teaching-Tradesmen, Children-Metaphysitians, every silly fellow can square a Circle, make perpetual motions, find out the Philosopher's stone, interpret the Revelation of St. John, make new Theoricks, new Logick, dispute de omni scibili; Town and Country are now so full of deified spirits, Qui se dicit scire quod nescit, temerarius est, &c. August. in Serm. de Ascensione. divine souls, that you may sooner find a God than a man amongst us, we think so well of our selves; and that is an ample Testimony, a sufficient demonstration, that there is a great deal of folly, much ignorance, much indiscretion to be found amongst us.

Afflictions follow the godly man close in this world.635

HE that goeth towards the Sun, shall have his shadow follow him, but he that runneth from it shall have it flie before him;Dr. Micklethwait Serm. at Templ. Lond. 1631. So he that marcheth with his face towards the Sun of Righteousness, that setteth himself to do the things, that may be without offence to God and Man, —Duris premitur justus, cùm [...]oret iniquns. J. Bill. shall be sure to have afflictions close at his heels; as for him, that hath his back upon Christ, that maketh a Trade of sin, his sorrows and vexations of spirit, like the shadow, are still before him in this world, but they will be sure to meet him in another.

636 How to read the Scriptures, and books Apocryphal.

[Page]

WHen Moses saw an Egyptian and an Israelite striving together, he killed the Egyptian, Joh. Weemse Exercitat. and saved the Israelite, Exod. 2. 12. But when he saw two Israelites striving together, he laboured to reconcile them, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye strive? So when we read or see the Apocryphal books, or Heathen story, or Popish traditions, contradicting the Scriptures; As for instance, Jacob cursed Simeon and Levi for murthering the Sichemites, Gen. 49. 7. And Iudeth blessed God for killing of them, Iudeth 9. Here and in such like places, let us kill the Egyptian, but save the Israelite; Omnis scnsus, qui fuerit extra Scripturam, non est sensus. Origen. in Mat. homil. 25. set a value on the Scriptures, but sleight the Apocrypha: But when we meet with any appearance of seeming-contradiction in the Canon of Scripture; as where it is said, God tempted Abraham, Gen. 22. 1. and God temptteth no man, Iam. 1. 13. Here now and in many other places, we must be Reconcilers, and distinguish betwixt a Temptation of tryal, which is from God, and a Temptation of seducement, which is by the Devil, and these two seeming-different friends will appear to be brethren, and agree well.

637 True Repentance will not admit of any sin.

I Came, Dr. Micklethwait Serm. at Temple Ch. Lond. saies Nehemiah, to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing for him a Chamber in the Courts of the house of God, and it gr [...]eved me sore: but he rests not there, but goes further; Therefore I cast forth all the houshold-stuffe of Tobiah out of the Chamber. Neh. 13. 7. O poenitentia, quid de te novi referam? Omniae clausa tu reseras. Cyprian. de laud paenit. What should Tobiah do with a Chamber there? therefore he not only outs Tobiah but out goes all his stuffe too; Thus doth Repentance, when it considers all the evil, that Satan and corruption have done, that they have taken Chambers in the heart, that should be the house of God, it is grieved sore, and thereupon it outs Satan and all his stuffe, neither he, nor any of his Retinew shall be housed there any longer, not any one sin shall find the least entertainment.

638 The Scriptures Rhetorick.

IF we look up to the Heavens, we find in some part of the skie single stars by themselves, in others a Constellation of many stars together; So, in some passages of holy Writ, you may observe one Figure or Trope as a Membrum, or similiter cadens; I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, &c. Mat. 25. 35. or an Allegory, Funeral Sermons, or, House of mourning. as, Where the body is, there the Eagles will be, Mat. 24. 28. or an Exclamation, O that they were wise, &c. Deut. 32. 29. Or an Apostrophe, which by a kind of Miracle, giveth life to dead things, and ears to the deaf, Hear O Heavens, Hearken O Earth! &c. Esay 1. 2. And in other passages there is a Conjunction of many figures, and Ornaments of speech, as in that Text; Is there no balme in Gilead? no Physitian there? VVhy then is not the health of my people restored? Ier. 8. 22. Here now are four figures couched up together.

1. An Interrogation for more Emphatical conviction.

2. A Communication for more familiar Introduction.

3. An Allegory for more lively Expression.

4. An Aposiopesis for safer Reprehension. And the like may be observed in our Saviours exprobration of the Iews; O that thou knewest in this thy day, the things that belong to thy Peace, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, &c. Mat. 23. 27. Where there is is a Posie of Rhetorical flowers.

1. An Acclamation, O si cognovisses, &c.

2. A Repetition, Ierusalem, Ierusalem.

3. An Interrogation, Quoties volui, &c.

4. An Icon, or lively expression to the eye, Sicut gallina congregat pullos, &c.

[Page]Where are now our A [...]baptists, and plain pack-stasse Methodists, who esteem of all [...]lowers of Rhetorick i [...] Sermons,Tanta est Christianarum profunditas literarum, &c. Aug. Ep. 2. ad Volusian. no better then sti [...]king weeds, and of all elegancy of speech, then of prophane spells; and so at unawars censure the holy Oracles of God, which excell all other writings, as well in Eloquence as Science? And where too is the prophane Critick, that delights in the flesh-pot, and loaths Manna, that admires carnal Eloquence in Poets and Heathen Orators, and taxeth the Scripture for simplicity and want of all Art and Eloquence?

God suffers wicked Men to torment his People.639

THe Physitian applyeth Horse-leeches to his distempered Patient, Mr. Goddard Serm. at St. Greg. Lond. 1647. the Horseleech intendeth nothing but the satiating and [...]illing himself with the blood of the si [...]k party; but the Physitian hath another aim, even the drawing of the putrified and corrupt blood. —Plerun (que) mali in Sanctos saevire sinuntur. Jac. Billii Antholog. Th [...]s God suffereth wicked men and Devils to suck [...]his People, to draw out ever their hearts blood, but it is in order to their good; It is no matter what wicked men think, God will have his glory; and though Ashur think not so, yet God purposeth it, and aims it, and in conclusion effects it, Esay 10. 12.

Prosperity of the Wicked, a stumbling block to the Godly.640

DIogenes the Cynick,Diog. Laert. in vita. seeing Harpalus a vitious fellow, still thriving in the world, he was bold to say, That wicked Harpalus, his living long in prosperity, was an Argument, that God had cast off his care of the World, that he cared not which end went forward; Joh. Donne Ser. at St. Pauls, 1624. but he was an Heathen: yet for all that, the lights of the Sanctuary have burnt dim, stars of no small magnitude have twinckled; men of eminent parts, famous in their generations for Religion and Piety, have staggered in their Judgement, to see the [...]lourishing estate of the Wicked; It made Iob to complain, Chap. 24. 12. and Ieremy to expostulate with God, Chap. 12. And David was even ready to sink, in seeing the prosperity of ungodly men, Psal. 37. to see the one in wealth, the other in want; the one honourable, the other despised; the one upon a Throne, the other on a dunghill.

Time to be well husbanded.641

HE that hath a great way to go, & but a little money to spend, had need to pluck up his heels; R. Sibbs Serm. at Grays-Inn. 16 [...]2. If a man have much to write, and but a little piece of Paper to write in, he must write small and thick, and as close as ever he can: So it is with every one of us,Vtendum est aetate, [...] praeterit aetas. Ovid. 3. art. There is not a soul of us, but we shall find so many thousand things to repent of, so many graces to obtain that we stand in need of, so many Evidences for Heaven to get, that are not yet sealed unto us, so many particulars concerning a better life, that it is a wonder that any of us should find one half day to mind any thing else, but to husband our time to the best advantage.

Better live amongst beasts, then beastly minded Men.642

OUr Saviour Christ hied him to the Wilderness amongst the beasts, Chr. Fonseca Serm. Quadrag. John 11. and carries his Disciples thither with him, holding their fellowship to be less hurtful and dangerous; Frater fui Draconum, saies Iob chap. 30. Inter Scorpiones habitavi, saith Ezekiel, Chap. 2. Thus if it go ill with any man, that he cannot live well and quietly amongst some men, he may shun their society, and for want of better company retire himself and live amongst known wilde beasts, than such beastly minded men.

643 One Man is to help another as God hath enabled him.

[Page]

INgenui est agnoscere, B. Lake on Psalm 51. & imitari Benefactorem suum; There is no truer Character of ingenuity, then an humble acknowledgment whose Creatures we are, and a carefull resembling of our Creator; Especially, seeing our Gifts, whether they be of Learning, or Riches, &c. are bestowed upon us, non ut ornamenta sed instrumenta, not only to recommend us,Non nobis solum nati sumus sed partem patria, parentes, &c. Tullius. but also for the good of others; we see it in the frame of the whole world, in Heaven, and in Earth; neither of them is more beautiful then usefull; yea the more glorious, the more commodious, are the parts of the great World, which should make this Microcosm, this little world of ours, blush, if we use our endowments, as many do their Garments, for pride, and not for profit, that fools may gaze on us, and no body be the better for us.

644 The health of the Soul, is the true health of the body.

THe Earth is a huge Globe, made to be the Nurcery of Plants, Herbs, Birds, &c.B. Lake Serm. on Psalm. 51, While the Sun shineth upon them comfortably: How cheerfully doe all things look? how well do they prove and prosper? but remove the Sun from it as in winter, or Eclipse the beams thereof, how squalid is the face thereof? how do all things languish and die? Even so fareth it between our Souls and our Bodies, according to the influence of the soul, is the true health and strength of the body; Our bodies may be then said to be in good liking, and Summer-like, when they be cherished by our souls; but if our souls neglect them, then they grow Winter-like and droop.

645 Sorrows in this life, not comparable to the joyes of the other life.

AS the Globe of the Earth, which improperly for his great show and bignesse, John Boys Postills. we tearm the World, and is after the Mathematician's accompt, many thousands of miles in compa [...]ss, yet being compared unto the greatnesse of the starry Skie's circumference, is but a Center or a little prick: Hoc est parvis compondere magna. So the troubles, and afflictions, and sorrows of this life temporall, in respect of the joyes eternall in the world to come, bears not any proportion, but are to be reputed as nothing, or as a dark cloud that cometh and goeth in a moment.

646 Dangerous to pry into Gods Counsells and Secrets.

WIse Solomon sayes,B. Hall occas. meditat. The light is a pleasant thing, and so certainly it is; but there is no true outward light, which proceedeth not from some fire; The light of that fire is not more pleasing, then the fire of that light is dangerous; and that pleasure doth not more draw on our fight, then that danger forbids our approach: How foolish then is that fly, Noli altum sapere. that in the love and admiration of the Candlelight, will know no distance, but puts it selfe, heedlesly into that flame wherein [...] it perisheth? How many bouts it fetcheth, every one nearer then other, ere it make the last adventure? And so the merciless fire taking no notice of the affection of an over-fond Clyent,Curiosus neme est, qui non sit malevolus. Plaut▪ in Stic [...]o. sindgeth his wings, and suddanly consumes it: Thus do those bold and busie spirits, who will needs draw too near unto that inaccessible Light, and look into things too wonderfull for them; so long do they hover about the secret Counsels of the Almighty, till the wings of their presumptuous conceits be scorched, and their daring curiosity hath paid them with everlasting destruction.

647 We die daily.

IErusalem was once finally sacked by Titus and Vespasian, Tho. Playfer's Serm. where besides an infinite number which were otherwise spoiled, ten hundreth thousand Men were [Page] down-right [...] by the sword altogether,Tho. Playfer's Serm. as Iosephus a Greek Writer, and Ios [...] pus an Hebrew Author [...]estifie: But that which happened o [...]ce to them, happeneth every day to us, We dye daily, 1 Cor. 15. 31.

648 How faith justifieth alone.

Bethulia is in danger of Holofernes,Vide in his [...]. the terror of the East, as we are (or ought to be) of the justice of God: and as the strength of Bethulia was thought too weak to encounter him, so all our Obedience to the Law of God is weak and insufficient to defend us; Iudeth undertakes for the people of the City, Faith for us;B. King Lect. on Ionah. Iudeth goes accompanied with her Hand-maids, Faith with her Works; and though the eyes of her Hand-maid were ever towards her Lady to carry the Scrip, &c. yet in performing the act of deliverance, Iudeth is alone, her Maid standing and waiting at the door, not so much as setting her foot within the Chamber door. Thus it is that faith goeth formost, and good works follow after; and although our love and obedience be as attendant to Faith, as ever that servant was to Iudeth, yet in performing the mighty Act of deliverance, acquitting the conscience from the curse of the Law, pacifying the anger of God, and presenting us blameless before his holy eyes (all which standeth in the apprehension of the merits of Christ Iesus, and a stedfast perswasion, that he hath assured for us) Faith is soly and wholly alon [...], our VV [...]rks not claiming any part in that sacred action.

649 To be mercifully minded, is praise-worthy.

APpius in the Roman story, was a very great Oppressor of the liberties of the Commons,Coc. Sabellici hist. lib. 9. and particularly he took away all appeals to the People in case of life and death: Not long after this decree, he being called in question for forcing the Wife of Virginius, found all the Bench of Iudges against him, and was constrained, for saving his life, to prefer an appeal to the people, which was denyed him with great shouts and out-cryes of all, saying, Ecce provocat qui provoca [...]ionem sustulit; Regi [...] (crede mihi) res ef [...] succurrere lapsis. Ovid. he is forced to appeal, who by barring all appeals in case of life and death, was the death of many a man. Thus Iustice revenged Mercies quarrel upon this unmerciful man; and certainly, if we expect mercy at the hands of God, or Man, we must shew mercy; for there shall be judgement without mercy, to him that will shew no mercy▪ and that happeneth many times even in this life, when God is pleased to reckon with hard hearted men, that have no bowells of compassion.

650 To do as we would be done by.

DO as you would be done by, is a golden Rule. If the Iudge▪ that sits on the Bench, the Landlord that deals with his Tenant, Matth▪ 7. Ou [...]d sibi quis nolit fieri, non inferat ulli. the Tradesman that venteth his commodities, and every man that dealeth with another, did square his carriage by this Rule, there would be much less wrong in society, and much more comfort in mens consciences; for pulcher liber cor tuum, every man beareth in his own bosom a fair Table-book, engraven legibly by the finger of nature, wherein, if he would read, B. Lake on Matth. 22▪ he might learn without any other help, what usage is fit for his neighbour; and if men were as prompt Scholars in learning active charity, as they are acute Doctors, and Teachers of the Passive, of that charity they expect from others; the Moralists and Casuists might save much of their pains in discoursing, and determining our mutual duties.

651 Wisdom of the World proves folly.

CRuelty is forbidden, Courage is commanded, we may partake the g [...]od of the Lion, B. Lake Serm. at Court. but not the evil of the Lion; It was and is a gross mistake, a very large conceit of Nicholas the Florentine to think that those properties of the Dove to be without guil, have been the bane of Christendom, whilst the enemies thereof [Page] have taken advantage of their simplicity, to ensnare them, and of their pitty to devour them. It is true, well may imprudent simplicity, and cowaraly pitty disadvantage the Prudent, —Sapientia prima, Stultitiâ car [...]isse. [...]lorat. 1. Ep. 1. the Couragious they n [...]ver can; nay, sincerity in the end overcometh infidelity, and pitty triumpheth over cruelty; none ever dealt more plainly then Christ, none was dealt withal more deceitfully; none used more pitty, none was used more cruelly: And what was the issue? he proved the wisdom of his enemies, plain folly; and their fury turned to his greater glory: And there was never any crafty wit, that was not unto himself a snare; nor cruel heart, whose hands did not give himself the deadliest wounds in the conclusion.

652 Destruction is from our selves.

IUlian the Apostate gave for his Arms in his Scotcheon,C [...]l. Rhod [...] gin▪ Var. Lect. an Eagle struck through the heart with a flight-shaft, feathered out of her own wing, w [...]t [...] this Motto, Propriis configimur al [...]s, our death flies to us with our own feathers, and our wings pierce us to the very heart:Dan. Featly Serm. The Eagle struck dead, is the Church and Commonwealth, the Arrow is the swift judgement of God, the feathers shed out of her own wings, which carry [...]d the arrow so swift to destruction, are the sins of a Church and Commonwealth; a lamentable thing it is to hear of the ruine of any Kingdom, but when it comes to, Perditio tua ex te, that Israel should be Israels overthrow, that any Church or Common-wealth should be felo de se, that any particular man should by sin be accessary to his own death, is a thing to be much lamented.

653 The Worlds Opposition, no obstacle to a child of God.

ALciat hath it in one of his Emblems,Chr Fo [...]seca ut ante [...]. That a dog then barketh most, when the Moon is at the fullest; whether it be by some special influence that it then worketh in the dog, or whether it be occasioned by the maculaes, or spots in the Mo [...]n, represented unto him in the form and shape of another dog; let the dog bark never so much,Aspera crescit byems, [...] &c. Ovid. 13. Met. yet the Moon walks her station securely through the Heavens: And thus, though Tyranny, persecution, afflictions, bark never so much at the just man, yet he doth not stay to take up a stone at every foul mouth'd dog that barks, he makes not a stand in every cross way that he meets with, but rides on through the storm, and comes to his journeys end in safety, Opposition is no obstacle to him.

654 Unworthy Communicants, condemned.

IT was a smart and piercing speech of St. Ambrose to Theodosius, Magdeburg. Cent. 4. cap. 6. offering himself to the Table of the Lord, Istasne adhuc stillantes injustae caedis cruore manus [...]xtendes, &c? What, wilt thou reach forth those hands of thine, yet dropping with the blood of Innocents,Jer, Dyke, ut ante [...]. slaughtered at Thessalonica? and with them lay hold upon the most holy body of the Lord? Or wilt thou offer to put that pretious blood in thy mouth, &c? The like may be said to many coming to the Sacrament, that instead of washing their hands in innocency, they rinse them in the blood of In [...]ocents. What? will they reach forth those hands of theirs, defiled with blood, with the blood of Oppression, —Procul hinc procul ef [...]e prophani. those fingers of theirs defiled with iniquity, and with those hands and fingers touch those holy mysteries? with those lips of theirs, that have driveled out such a deal of filthy communication, with those mouths which have drunk of the cup of devils; with those mouths and lips, will they offer to drink the pretious blood of Christ? is it not sin enough that with their sins they have, already defiled their hands, fingers, lips, mouths, but that now also they will needs come and defile the Lords Table? and impudently crowd in to the Sacrament, when they come piping hot out of their sins and provocations?

Not to be children in understanding.655

[Page]

A Little child never thinks he shall be a man himself, and [...]aintain himself, and live in the world by his own labour, [...] or by the Pat [...]mony, which at years of discretion shall be due unto him, he cares for nothing but mea [...] and drink, looks after nothing but sport and pastime, [...] come day, go day, God send night, that's all his care. Nomine [...] de nobis fab [...]la; Most of us are even such we [...] the childs folly, Ludere iis in rebus, in quibus [...] lib. 4. and laugh at it, as ridiculous, yet we build houses, purchase lands, lay house to house, land to land, and all to rais [...] up a glorious name to posterity, and to make a great shew [...]d the world; but for the getting of grace▪ for the gaining of faith, and hope, and love, and repentance, none of our thoughts are so bestowed; and is not this to be children in understanding? 1 Cor. 14. 20.

656 A competent Estate, the best Estate.

VVHen a man is to travel into a far Country, R. Sibbs Serm. [...] a great [...], or [...] [...] back will but [...]inder him in his journey; One [...] in his hand may comfortably support him, but a bundle of s [...]aves would be troublesome. Thus a competency of these outward things may happily help us in the way to Heaven, whereas abundance may be hurtful, and like long garments to a man that walks on in the way, will trip up our hee [...]s too, if we look not well about us.

Not to continue angry.657

WHat Silenus spake of the life of man, Optimum non nasci, &c. The best thing was not to be born, Cic. Tusculan▪ 1. or being born to dye, may be fitly applyed to all quarrels and contentions amongst brethren, especially Christian brethren; it were the happiest thing in the world,Dan. Featly Serm. that such dissentions, never saw light, but if they should arise, and come into the world, that they might dye as soon as they were born, at the most,Ephe [...] 4. 26. that they might but be like those [...], small creatures Aristotle speaks of, whose life exceeds not a Summers day, not to let the Sun go down upon our wrath.

Hearers and not doers of the Word, condemned.658

SOme say that the Weezel doth aure concipere, Aristeas apud Gesn. ore párere; conceive in the ear, and bring forth by the mouth. Sure it is that there are many such wild conceptions amongst us, many that hear tales with their ears, and enlarge them with their tongues; Andr. Willet in Levit. and such there are too that are zealous to hear the Word preached, but all their practise is onely in prating of what they have heard, all their Religion is at their tongues end, which rather should be at the bottom of their hearts.

Rich poor men.659

THe Philosopher reckoneth the Camel amongst the beasts that are [...] which bring forth but one at once, and generally it is observed, That among the Creatures, Aris [...]ot de A [...]imal. The greater do bring forth the fewest young; and so it is in the spiritual birth, 1 Cor. 1. 16. Andr. Willet Hexapla on Levit. Not many mighty, not many Noble, are called. It is noted, that the richest men have fewest children, whereas the poor are most prolifical and fertile, and men that are rich and abounding in the wealth of this world, are usually most barren in the fruits of the spirit; Greatness and goodness seldom meet together; Riches and Religion are very rare Companions.

660 The event of War uncertain.

[Page]

A Murath the first, Emperor of the Turks, after he had got the field against the Christians at Cassova, Rich. [...] Turks. came to view the dead bodies, which lay on heaps like Mountains; on a sudden one of the Christian Souldiers, that lay sore wounded amongst the dead, seeing Amurath, raised himself as well as he could, and in a staggering manner made towards him, falling for want of strength divers times in the way; which when the Captains saw, they would have put him back, but Amurath commanded him to approach, thinking that he would have done him honour,Will. [...] Numb. and have kissed his feet, but the Souldier being drawn nigh him, suddenly stab'd him in the belly with a short dagger that he had under his coat, and thus the Conqueror was conquered, and died presently. Did not the poor wounded Chaldeans, such as were thrust through and through with the sword, [...] gasping for life, rally again to the ruine of their enemies? And thus when God seeth his time, even a few poor despised men, wounded and half dead, even sinking in despair of better times (at such uncertainty runs that alea Martis, [...] that die of War) may recover the battel that was lost, and cry Victoria having spoiled the spoylers, strucken down the chiefest and the strongest, and the choisest men that before prevailed, and had the upper hand.

661 No true comfort but in God.

WHen a man walketh in the Sun, if his face be towards it, he hath nothing before him but bright shining light, and comfortable heat; but let him once turn his back to the Sun, Aug. [...] what hath he before him then but a shadow? And what is a shadow, but the privation of light, and heat of the Sun? yea, it is but to behold his own shadow, defrauding himself of the other. Thus there is no true wisdom, no true happiness, no real comfort but in beholding the countenance of God; [...] look from that, and we lose these blessings; and what shall we gain? a shadow, an empty Image; instead of a substantial, to gain an empty Image of our selves, and lose the solid Image of God; yet this is the common folly of the world, men prefer this shadow before that substance, whereas there is not the least appearance of any true comfort but in God onely.

662 Heart and tongue to go together.

IT is well worth the observation what is written of the Peach, [...] namely, that the Egyptians of all fruits did make choice of that principally to consecrate to their Goddesse, and for no other cause, but that the fruit thereof, [...] is like to ones heart, [...], and the leaf like to ones tongue. What they did like Heathens, [...] let us do like Christians; for indeed, when the heart and the tongue go together, then is the Harmony at the sweetest, and the service best pleasing, both to God and Man.

663 All Creatures subject to Gods pleasure.

GOd is in Heaven,Psal. 115. 3. he doth whatsoever he will. There is not any in the Heaven, or Earth, or Sea, be it body or spirit, which is not at his de [...]otion, and waiteth not at his beck, the greatest do him homage, the smallest do him service? what is greater then the Heaven? yet if Ioshua pray unto him, that ever-wheeling body shall cease his diurnal motion, The Sun shall stand still in Gibeon and the Moon in Ajalon. That which cometh forth as a Giant, and rejoyceth to run his course,Josh. 10. 12. Geo. Ab [...]ot Cant. [...]on Jon. Psal. 19. 5. 2 King. 20. 11. Hag. 2. 7. to satisfie Hezekiah, and to confirm his faith shall flie back as a Coward ten degrees at once, as then it appeared by the Dyal of Ahaz. What is ruder or more unfit to be dealt withal then the Earth? yet at his pleasure he shaketh both Earth and Sea. What is more pure, a more excellent and subtile essence then [Page] the Angels? yet he hath bound up four of them in the River of Euphrates, and although they be prepar'd at an hour, and at a day, and at a moment, and at a year,Apoc. 9. 14. to slay the third part of men; yet these Angels cannot stir until that they be loosed by his special commandement: Unconceivable is his Majesty, unestimable is his power, the highest things and the lowest, the greatest and the we [...]kest do obey him.

The inconsiderate Multitude.664

WE see by experience, Sir Walter Raleigh Preface to hist. of World. that dogs do alwayes bark at those they know not, and that it is their Nature to accompany one another in those clamours: And so it is with the incon [...]iderate multitude, who wanting that vertue which we call honesty in all men, Daemonology▪ lib. 3. cap. 1. and that especial gift of God which we call Charity in Christian men, condemn without hearing, and wound without offence given; led thereunto by uncertain report onely, which K. James truly acknowledgeth for the father of all lies.

The great goodness of God in sending his Son Iesus Christ to save s [...]ners.665

WIcked Haeman procured letters from Ahas [...]uerosh, for the destruction of the Iews, Hest. 8. 7. men, women, and children, all that were in his dominions: this done, Hester the Queen makes request to the King, that her people might be saved, and the letters of Haman reversed; she obtains her request, freedom was given, Will. Perkins Ex [...]esit. on Creed. and letters of joyful deliverance were dispatched with speed to all those provinces, where the Iews inhabited; whereupon arose a wonderful joy and gladness amongst that people, and it is said, that thereupon many of the people of the land became Iews. But now behold a greater matter amongst us then this; There is that Chirographum, that hand-writing of Condemnation, the Law; and therein the sentence of death, —Sic acceptis sima semper Munera sunt, author quae gratiosa facit. Ovi. Ep. 16. 11. of a double death of body and soul, and Sathan as wicked Haman accuseth us, and seeks by all means to make good his charge against us; But yet behold, not any earthly Hester, but Christ Iesus, the Son of God is come down from his Father in heaven, & hath taken away this hand-writing of condemnation, & cancelled it on the Cross, and is now ascended into Heaven, and there sits at the right hand of his Father, and makes requests for us, and in him is his Father well pleased, and yieldeth to his request on our behalf, let us (then as the Persians, the people of that Country, became Iews) in life and conversation become Christians, turn to Christ, embrace his doctrine, and practise the same unfeig [...]edly.

Wantonness in Apparel, reproved.666

SUrely if it be a shame for a man to wear a paper on his hat at VVestminster-Hall, B. Babington Serm. at Court. to shew what he hath done, it is then as repr [...]achful to wear vain garments on ones back; As for a man to be like a fantastical Antick, and a woman like a Bartholomew baby, Exterior superfluitas interioris vanitatis indicium est. Bern. in Apol. what is this but to pull all mens eyes after them, to read in Capital letters what they are, vain, foolish, ridiculous▪ It were to be wished that such back-papers (Apparel in excess) might be as odious in the eyes and hearts of men and women, as those h [...]t-papers be at VVestminster and elsewhere; for certainly the one tellas foul tales as the others do, and could they but speak, would make the wearers ashamed of their doings, and ridiculous behaviours.

The prevalency of repentant Tears.667

WEeping hath a voice,Lachry [...] [...]dera vocis habent. Ovid. Psal. 6. 8. And as Musick upon the water sounds farther, and more harmoniously then upon the [...]and: So Prayers joyned with Tears cry louder in God's ears, and make sweeter musick then when [...]ears are absent. When Antipater had written a large letter against Alexander's mother [Page] unto Alexander, the King answered him, One tear from my mother, will wash away all her faults. Pl [...]tarch. in vita Alexand. So it is with God; a penitent tear is an unde [...]iable Ambassador, and never returns from the Throne of Grace unsatisfied.

668 The danger of introducing useless Ceremonies in the Church.

THey that are the most zealous for the introducing of useless Ceremonies in the Church,T. Fuller Serm. are usually the most negligent to preach the cautions in using them; and simple people like children in eating of fish, swallow bones and all to the danger of choaking; Besides, what is observed of Horse-hairs, that lying nine days in water, they turn to snakes; so some Ceremonies, though dead at first, in conti [...]uance of time quicken, get stings, and may do much mischief, especially in such an age, wherein the meddling of some, have justly awakened the jealousie of all.

669 Momentany pleasure attended by sorrow eternal.

IT is written of Lysimachus, that having his City besieged, and himself, together with his whole Army,Plutarch. in Reg Impp. Apopththegm. being in great danger of peri [...]hing by thirst, in exchange of a cup of cold water, he delivered up the keys of his City to his Enemy, which cold comfort he had no sooner tasted, but his tongue bewrayed the grief of his heart, saying; O that in lieu of so momentany a pleasure, I should be made, of a Soveraign, a Servant; of a King, a Captive: It were to be wished, that every one would apply this, and meditate with Hierom, Brevis est voluptas fornicationis, & perpetua poena fornicatoris, What shall the fornicator get, enduring an Ocean of torture for a drop of pleasure? St. Bernardus. Momentaneam est quod delectat, ae [...]ernum quod cruciat, sayes another; Sweet meat must have sower sauce. O that men therefore would forget the beginning, 2 Cor. 7. 20. and onely behold the end of these delights, and consider with the Apostle, that God is an aveng [...]r of such things.

670 Knowledge not to be reserved.

IN a dark Lanthorn there is light indeed, but so shut up as if it were not, and when the side is most open, there is light enough to give direction to him that bears it,B. Hall occasion Meditat. none to others: He can discern another man by that light, which is cast b [...]fore him, but another cannot discern him; Right such is, reserved knowledge; no man is the better for it but the owner, there is no difference betwixt concealed skill and ignorance; and when such hidden knowledge looks forth, it casts so sparing a light, Scire tu [...]m nihil est, nis [...] te scire hoc sciat alter. as may onely argue it to have an unprofitable being; to have ability without will to good; power to censure, none to benefit; so that the suppression of those gifts which God would have us to impart, is but a Thieve's Lanthorn in a true mans hand, and therefore to be communicated.

671 Not to admire our own Learning or parts.

VVHen Orpheus went to fetch his Wife Euridice out of Hell, he had her granted unto him upon condition,Ovid. Metam. lib. 10. that he should not turn back his eyes to look upon her, till he brought her into Heaven; yet having brought her forward a great way, at length his love was so excessive, that he could not contain any longer; whereupon he lost both her sight and her self, she suddenly vanishing out of his sight. Flexit amans oculos, &c. Playfer's Serm. Laudare se vanum, &c. This is a Poetical fiction, yet the Moral is good: If we have any vertue, any parts of learning or outward endowments whatsoever, be they never so eminent, or admired by others, yet we must not be so blind in affection as to dote too much upon them, or to fall in admiration of our selves for them, or to be alwayes gazing and wondring at them, lest by too much looking on them, or too much liking of them, or too much remembring them, we lose them, because indeed it may so fall out, that he that remembers his vertue, may have no vertue to remember.

Consideration to be had in all undertakings.672

[Page]

POnder the path of thy feet, Prov. 4. 26. was good counsell from a wise man. And it was an Emblem, wherewith Titus Vespasia [...]us was much affected to see a Dolphin wreathed and fastned about an Anchor, whereby he signified the stayednesse of his thoughts, before he did any thing; and when he had well considered, then the diligence of his care in the execution of it.Oppian. lib. 2. de natura Pi [...]c [...] um. The Dolphin swims with as much speed in the sea, as a bird flies [...]n the air; and it is the Anchor which staies the ship, from being tossed and carried away with the winds.Jermin. Exposit. on Prov. Bernard. homil. 13. super Missus est. This may teach us, that consideration must stay our feet, before we go about any thing; to look before we leap: Prudentis est animi, priùs cernere, &c. It is the part of a wise man, not to decree to do any thing, before he hath descryed and discovered, what is to be done.

Englands distractions.673

IT was once said by a reverend Divine,M. Josh. Shu [...]e now with God, That England was a little place, but had a great deal of Rome in it: but it may now be said, That England is a narrow place, N. Hardy's Ser at West. 1647. but hath a world of confusion in it. The well compacted hedge of our Lawes is broken down; so true is that Maxim, [...]ter arma silent leg [...]s, The voice of Law cannot be heard, for the noise of drums. The well-wrought vestment of our Religion, is rent (with Ieroboam's garment) into twelve, nay, into a hundred pieces, by schismaticall sectaries. Women are not more sick for new fashions, than both men and women are for new opinions.

The Hypocrite described.674

THe Army of Philopaemon, Plutarch▪ a great Commander amongst the Grecians, is likened unto a man, that hath leggs and feet, and no belly, because they wanted mony, Joh. Walls Ser. at S. Maries, Oxon, 1624. the sinewes of war. And it is more than probable, that in the Church militant, there be divers, that have leggs and feet, but no belly; they have the leggs and the feet of outward conversation, but they want the heart and the belly of inward devotion: N [...]n vitae sed famae negotiat [...]res, (as Tertullian makes the character) Such as negotiate and trade more for a good name, than a good life; for a good report, than a good conscience: like Fidlers, that are more carefull in tuning their Instruments, than composing their lives; making a shew of godlinesse, but denying the power thereof.

God hath a peculiar blessing for his children.675

ALL the sons of Iacob returned laden from Aegypt, Gen. 43. with corn and mony in their sacks, onely Benjamin had the Cup in the mouth of his sack, as a singular pledge of his brother Iosephs favour.Arnold. Ponrani Bibliotheca Concion. Thus many there are in the world, that rejoyce for the corn, and the wine, and the oyle, that have encreased in the quicknesse of their Trade, in the largenesse of their Incomes, in the greatnesse of their Revenewes: O! but the light of Gods countenance, Benjamins cup, whether it be Scyathum gratiae, a cup of grace, with St. Ambrose; or calicem benedictionis, a cup of blessing, with the Apostle; this silver-cup, this grace-cup, is the portion of none but Benjamin, it is reserved onely for Benjamin, for the sons of God, and the children of his right hand, that grow and flourish under the wing and shadow of his protection.

To be active in the service of God.676

JOsephs brethren stood so long dallying, Gen. 43. 10. and delaying, and trifling out the time, that having a journey to buy corn, they might have returned twice, before [Page] they went once. Elizeus, He [...]t. Pintus in Dan. 1 King. 19. 20. when Eliah called him, went about the bush, and must needs go bid his father and mother farewell, before he could follow the Prophet. But [...] every good Christian, when he is called of God to professe his Religion, not stand, shall I, shall I, temporizing, and circling, and consulting with flesh and blood, and fetching a compasse about; but be alwaies prest, and ready to act, and do the will of God, Act. 21. 13. and not onely to be bound, but (if he be thereunto called) to die for the Lord Iesus.

677 Sin, attendant on the best of religious performances.

THere goes a tradition of Ovid, that famous Poet,Lib. 2. de Trist. (receiving some countenance from his own confession) that when his father was about to beat him, for following the pleasant, but unprofitable study of Poetry, he, under correction, promised his father, never more to make a verse, and made a versein his very promise; probably the same, but certainly more elegant for composure, than this verse, which common credulity hath taken up.

Parce precor, genitor, posthac non ver [...]i [...]icabo.

Father on me pitty take,

Verses I no more will make.

Thus when we so solemnly promise our heavenly Father to sin no more, we sin in our very promise; T. Fuller Medit. our weak prayers made to procure our pardon, Exod. 12. 11. increase our guiltinesse; we say our prayers, as the Iewes did eat the Passeover, all in haste. And whereas in bodily action, motion is the cause of heat; clean contrary, the more speed we make in our prayers, the colder we are in our devotion; so that sin is a close attendant on the best of our religious performances.

678 Not so much to eye the Creature, as the Creator, in all occurrents.

XErxes, the Persian Monarch,Herodotus lib. 7. having received a losse by the rage of Hellespontus himself, more mad than the sea, caused fetters and manacles to be cast into the waters thereof, as if he would make it his prisoner, and bind it with links of iron at his pleasure.Seneca de Ira. Darius did the like upon the river Gynde, who because it had drowned him a white horse, threatned the river to divide it into so many streams, and so to weaken the strength of it, that a woman great with child, should go over it drie-shod. And there were people in Affrica, that went out to fight with the North-wind, because it drave heaps of sand upon their fields and habitations.B. King lect. on Jonah. Such is the madnesse of our daies, if we be crossed with wet or drie, wind or rain, fair or foul weather, we fall a cu [...]sing and banning, repining and murmuring at the Creatures, like a dog, that biteth the stone, and never looketh after the hand that threw it; we cast our eye, not upon the Agent, God, but upon the Instruments [...] Creatures, which cannot do us the least harm, till they have a commission from him so to do.

679 To have particular safety, in the midst of generall dangers is impossible.

THe best man in the voyage cannot be safe in the cabbin under hatches,Paul de Francis Orat. when the whole ship is ready to be drowned under water; nor can the spider be secure in his web, when the whole window is pulled down; nor the young bird be out of danger in the nest, when the whole arm of the tree is torn off. Thus all private mens interests are ventured in the bottom of the Common-wealth, Paries cùm Proxim [...] ardet, &c. and all Common-wealths in the great vessell of the Earth, which was once swallowed up with a deluge of Water, and shall be, ere it be long, with a [Page] conflagration of fire. What folly then, or rather madnesse is it, for any private man to look for safety, in the midst of a publick danger; to dream of perpetu [...], and certainties, and indefeizable estates, for his own particular, when the whole is in danger of a suddain destruction?

Temperance cannot preserve a mans life, when God calls for it.680

A Vessell of Wine or Beer, kept for a mans own use,Rich. Sibbs Serm. Grays. Inn, Lond. 1619. or his speciall friend, may hold out al [...]ng time, being moderately drank off; but if there come in such customers, as are strong to drink strong drink, that may be spent in a day, which would have lasted a month. So the life of man, which otherwise, with temperance and care, might have lasted and spu [...] out, to a full length of years, that with Lessian dyet, might have reached to a full period, if God do but let in great drinkers, as agues, burning feavours, plague, &c. it will be spent and gone on a suddain.

The sinner's care is more for his body, than for his soul.681

IT is said, that Swine, especially the wild Bore, Joh, Gethards Medi [...]at. are of that strange quicknesse of scent, that if the hunts-man mean to shoot at him, he must take the wind of him, or else he will wind him out, and be gone. Now on the contrary, they are not so sensible of the ill savour of a dung-hill, nor the stench of mud and mire, but rather take delight to lye wallowing therein,O curas hominum, O quantum est in rebus inane? Perss. sat. 1. esteeming it as a great recreation, and refreshing unto them. This is the figure of a filthy foul sinner, who will flie a thousand miles from the perills and dangers of his body, so that he may sleep in a whole skin, he cares for no more; but in the mean time, takes delight and pleasures in those muckhills, and dirty puddles, which defile his soul.

Worldly thoughts to be set aside, before the receiving of the Sacrament.682

ABraham, when he went to sacrifice his son on Mount Moriah, Gen. 22. 4, 5. seeing the place afar off, said unto the young men that were with him, Abide you here with the asse, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship: He saw,Dan Dykes Worthy Communicant. and knew well enough, that if they had gone along with him, they would have distracted him, troubled him, and hindred him in the sacrifice; they would have cryed out, and have made such a noise; they would have hung like so many weights upon his arms, that with no freedom or quietnesse, he could have performed the sacrifice: And therefore, when he saw the place afar off, he prepared himselfe, and bad them stay behind. The like should our care be, when we see the time afar off, that we should receive the Sacrament, especially when we see the time draw near, and at hand, the very evening before; we then should set aside all our thoughts and businesse, all worldly cares and employments, and bid them wholly stand aside, and not suffer them not onely to go to the Mount with us, but not to go into our Closets and secret Chambers with us, but shut them out to dores, make them dance attendance there, that we may perform the duty with more comfort and freedome.

Gods care of his Children, notwithstanding their severall aberrations.683

TRees, R. Holdsworth Serm. 1627. if the root run too deep into the Earth, they must be cut shorter; if the branches spread too far, they must be lopped, and if the Canker or Caterpiller once infect, and cleave to them, then they must be blased and smoaked; Thus the children of God, when they be too much rooted by their affections in the things of this world, and with their great and large boughs of their ability, wrong and impoverish their poor neighbour, or let their coin, like the Canker, eat into their souls, [Page] God will give them many a cutting, lopping, and smoaking; And as they cannot but naturally do the one, so God intending to heal them spiritually, will do the other his care will be still for them, notwithstanding their several failings.

684 The wicked worker hateth the light.

THe Quail rageth at the rising of the Sun; Lib. 5. cap. 8. Chr. Fooseca Serm. Quadrage [...]ma. And Pliny saith of the Athlantes, a people in Aethiopia, that they curse the Sun both at his rising and setting, with a thousand curses, because it p [...]rcheth their ground, and burns up their grass; And those that fish for whales curse the day, Iob 9. And he that is asleep is offended when the light awakeneth him. Qui malè agit, odit lucem. Thus many are offended, that the glorious light of Iesus Christ should discover their sins, many shut their eyes and will not see; Ulis. Aldrovand. Ornith [...] log. lib. 3. It is one of the saddest things in the world, and much to be deplored, that light being come into the world, men love darkness better then light, but there's reason for it, though not a good one, because their deeds are evil.

685 The word Brother, how far extended.

AS the Circles made by a stone cast into the water,Dan. Featly Clavis mystica. not onely multiply, but much enlarge themselves, The first is a narrow Circle about the stone, the next fetcheth a bigger compass, the third a greater and more capacious then that, the fourth so large, that it toucheth the banks of the River. In like manner the first of brethren in Scripture is confined to one house and bed, one womb, as Iacob and Esau were natural brethren; the second extendeth it self to all of one family or lineage, thus Christ and Iames were brethren and kinsmen; the third to the whole Nation or Country, thus Peter and the Iews were brethren and Countrymen; the fourth and last, to all the utmost bounds of the Earth, whether spiritually as all Christians, or carnally all Men.

686 Salvation is the Lord's.

PLutarch writeth that the Amphictiones in Greece, a famous Council of twelve sundry people,In lib. Moral. wrote upon the Temple of Apollo Pythius, instead of the Iliads of Homer, or songs of Pindarus (large and trying discourses) short sentences, and Memoratives, as, know thy self, use moderation, beware of suretiship, and the like. Thus doubtless, though every Creature in the world, whereof we have use, be a Treatise and narration unto us of the goodness of our God, and we might weary our flesh, and spend our dayes in writing books of the inexplicable subject,B. King. lect. on Ionah. yet that one short [...]independent Apothegm of Ionah comprehendeth all the rest, Salvation is the Lord's; Not King, nor Parliament; not Army, or any assistance abroad, nor any help at home whatsoever; not any of these, nor all of these together, can put an end to our unnatural divisions. Salvation is the Lord's.

687 One sin never goes alone.

IEroboam being in the head of ten Rebellious Tribes,Nath. Mardy Ser. at Westm. thinks it not safe that they should go up to Ierusalem to worship; his suspitious heart, no doubt, told him that Religion is a friend to Loyalty, and if they continued still to worship the true God, they would ere long have embraced their right King: What then? Rebellion against the King must be attended with defection from God, 1 King. 12. his politick brain finds out two neerer, and, as he pretonds, fitter places within their own Territories, Dan and Bethel, there he sets up golden Calves for them, makes wodden Priests, Nolite contemnere Venialia, quia minima sunt, sed timet [...] quia plura. Aug. de 10. chordis. and invites the people to worship them. Thus one sin ushers in another, one lesser draws on a greater; Cain's anger is seconded with murther; Ahab's covetoufness attended with cruelty; Peters denial backt with an Oath; And Ieroboam's rebellion with Idolatry.

The great power of Envy.688

[Page]

AS an Earthquake ariseth from a tumultuous vapour shut up in the Cav [...]s and bowels of the earth, Arn. Pon [...]an. Biblioth. concion. where it tosseth and tumbleth, until it break out, and overturn all that standeth in the way of it: So envy is a pestilent vapour which lyeth in the bowels of a man,Fuge invidiam, quae non solum alienos, verùm multò magis eum, quem postederit, &c. Am. [...]. de. fug [...] se [...]u [...]i. where it boyleth and fretteth, until it find occasion to vent it self, and then it tumbleth and throweth down all that standeth in the malttious eye of it; Houses and Trees stand firm against a Tempest of lightning, or a floud of rain, and men stand out against the cruelty of [...] [...]ath, and rage of a mans lasting anger: but what house or Tree, standeth against the force of an Earthquake; and who is able to stand before the force of Envy? Prov. 27. 4.

Listning after vanity, reproved.689

THere is a story of Demosthenes, Mich. Jermin on Proverbs. who speaking to the Athenians in a very serious matter, and finding them [...]ot to regard his words, interrupted himself, and told them that he had some special thing to relate, to which he would have them fain to attend: Diog. Laert. in vita. whereupon silence being made, that which he told them was this; Two men (saith he) having bargained for the hire of an Ass, were travelling from Athens to Megara, in a very hot day; and both striving to enjoy the shadow of the ass, the one said, that he hired the ass, and the shadow too; the other said, that he did but hire the ass, and not the shadow; Thus leaving them as strife, Demosthenes went away; But the Athenians calling him with great eagerness to come back, and to end the tale: Upon his return, that which he said, was this; Oye Athenians, will ye attend unto me speaking of a [...]hadow and an ass, and will ye not attend unto me speaking of most important things and affairs? Now how justly may this be the reproof of many in our dayes? such as tythe mint, annise, and cummin, and let pass the more substantial points of the Law, such as have an ear for vanity, but not for Truth; that attend to things of folly, but not to the words of Wisdom; hence it is, that Wisdom cryes out in the streets, and few regard it, but if folly once appear, there will be many auditors.

Knowledge and Practice must go together.690

THe Samaritan woman did not fill her pitcher at the Well,Joh. 4. 7. to spill it by the way, but to carry it home full of water,Gen. 30. 15. and there to use it as an occasion served: and Rachel, that other holy woman, did not desire the Mandrakes so much to hold in her hand, or to smell to,Tho. Playf [...] Serm. as to be made apt thereby to bring forth the fruit of her womb: And we must not come to the Well-spring of life, and when we have filled our pitchers, spill all presently on the ground; nor we must not so much labour to know the Word, that we may subtilly dispute, or discourse of it, as to practise it, that we may shew the fruit of it in the amendment of our lives and conversations.

Dulness and drousiness in the service of God, reproved.691

IT is reported of Constantize the great, that when divine service was read, he would help the Minister to begin the prayer,Eusebius de vita [...]. lib. 3. cap. 17. and to read the verses of the Psalms interchangeably; and when there was a Sermon, if any place of special importance were alleadged, that he would turn his Bible, to imprint the place the better in his mind, both by hearing and seeing it, and being as it were revished with those things which he heard, he would start up suddenly out of his Throne, and Chair of State, and would stand a long while to hear more diligently, and though they which were next him did put him in mind to remember himself, yet he heard the word so attentively, that he would not give any ear at all unto them: [Page] How wonderfully should this confound us, that are every way inferiour, Tho. Playfer's Serm. Luk. 24. Cant. 5. & 8. 13. when we hear Emperors & mighty Kings shew such a good heart in hearing of the word of God, to be so chearful in the service of God; and we in the mean time to have such lumpish and dull spirits,, as to be never a whit moved or affected with the same; that though Christ talk with us never so comfortably in the way, yet our hearts are not so much as warmed within us, though he putteth his hand to the hole of the door, yet we will not list up the latch to let him in, and though our well-beloved speak, yet we will not hearken unto him.

691 A good man bettered by Afflictions.

SPring water smoaketh,Iof. Shutes Serm. at Pauls, 1628. when all other waters of the River and the Channel are frozen up, that water is living whilst they are dead; All experience teacheth us, that Well-waters arising from deep springs, are hotter in Winter than in Summer, the outward cold doth keep in, and double their inward hear: Such is a true Christian in the evill day; his life of Grace gets more vigour by opposition; he had not been so gracious, if the times had been better; I will not say, He may thank his Enemies, but I must say, He may thank God for his Enemies.

692 Christ compared to an Eagle.

CHrist is not unfitly compared to an Eagle, in three respects. First, because as the Eagle fluttereth over her young ones, and safeguards them from any that would annoy them; Ambros. in lib. de Solomone. Math, 16. so doth Chris carefully protect his Church, that the Gates of Hell nor the deepest Counsells of her Enemies shall not prevail against her: Secondly, as the Eagle stirs up her nest, and taketh up her young ones, enforcing them to look towards the Sun, thereby trying her generous and degenerating brood; even so doth Christ make triall of true and counterfeit Christians, he rejects them as counterfeits that have but owl light, B. Lakes Serm. on Mat. ch. 22. such as hate the light; but those which can look upon the Sun of Righteousnesse, and delight in beholding of him, they go for true Christians: Thirdly,Gen. 2. The Eagle hateth the Serpent, and wheresoever he seeth him, renteth him with his Beak: And Christ the seed of the woman did break the Serpents head.

693 The Hypocrites discovery of himselfe.

THere are a sort of Men that call themselves Christians, professe that they know God, and that their hope is in Heaven, but no sooner doth any vanity come in the way,B. Lakes Serm. at Court. any temporal commodity present it selfe, but their hearts quickly betray where their Treasure is; just like the Iuglers Ape of Alexandria, which being attired like a reasonable Creature, and dancing curiously to his Masters Instrument, deceived all the Spectators, untill one spying the fraud, threw a handful of Dates upon the Stage,Simia [...]imia est, etiamsi aurea gester insig nia. Era [...]. in adag. which the Ape no sooner espied, but he tore all his Vizard, and fell to his Victuals, to the scorn of his Master; which gave an occasion to the Proberb, An Ape is an Ape though he be clad never so gaily. And most sure it is, that an Hypocrite will at last shew himselfe an Hypocrite, for all his specious shew and goodly pretences.

694 The Churches condition under the two Testaments.

St. Paul resembleth the different conditions of the Church under the two Testaments, to the different conditions of a child, when he is in his nonage, though he be heir, Gal. 4. and when he is come to his full age. While he is in his nonage, Prima sius in locum. though he be heir, yet he is kept in awe, and under a Pedagogue; but when he cometh to full age, his Father affords him a more cheerful Countenance, and a more liberall maintenance: Even so under the Law, the Church was kept under and scanted of Grace; [Page] but under th [...] Gospel she is more free, and endued with a more plentifull measure of Gods holy spiri [...].

The Kingdom of Heaven an everlasting Kingdom.695

MOrtal Kingdoms are not lasting, Jean Bodin. de Repu [...]. and while they last they continue not uniform; Are not everlasting, they have their Climacterical years, and commonly determine within certain periods: The Politicians write of it, Bodine by name, and he out of oth [...]rs; and the stories are clear, and experience daily sheweth it to be so: Iustin hath calculated the three first Monarchs. but Sleidan all four, and we see their beginning and ending: And as they are not lasting, so while they last, they continue not uniform; The Planters of great States are commonly Heroical men; but the Proverb is, Heroum [...]ilii noxae; Magna Imperi [...] limites suos habent quo cum venerunt, siftunt, retroeunt, [...]. Ex Cent. 8. ad Belg. ep. 31. 2 Sam. 7. The Parents were never so beneficiall, as the children are mis [...]h [...]evous, oppressing by Tyranny, or wasting by Vanity; worldly peace breedeth plenty, plenty breeds pride, and pride breeds war, wherewith cometh Ruine: This being the condition of mortall Kingdoms, how blessed is that Kingdom of Heaven which shall have no end; the words are short, but they are full, The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; this is typified in David and Saul, the Kingdom of the one was temp [...]rall, of the other eternal: The Angel repeats the same promise;Luk. 1. The Psalms do often urge it; so do the Prophers,Psal 45. & 72. & 89. Isa. 9. 7. Esay especially, they all concur in this, that it shall have no end.

Gods Lawes obeyed, are the support of a Common-wealth.696

IT fareth with the body politick, J. Bodin de Repub, ut anted. as it doth with the body naturall, if the humours keep their proportion, we have health; no sooner do they swerve from it, but they begin a disease, which maketh way to pu [...]refaction, and so to dissolution; wherefore we apply physick to reduce them again into a due temper. Even so, while good Lawes sway,Leges perquam egregiae res sunt. &c. Menander in Androgyno. our carriage towards our selves, towards our neighbours, each man doth well, the Commonwealth doth prosper; but no sooner doth the Subject break these bonds, but a civill putrefaction enters, which maketh way to the ruine of a State, whoreth every mans particular interest is hazarded with the whole, the remedy where of is the work of judgement, but it must be attended with Justice also; not the Kings affections, but his Lawes must moderate his Iudgement, and the medicine must be fitted to the Disease; otherwise if the scales of Iustice do not firft weigh the merits of the cause, the Judgement will as much disquiet the State, as discontent the party judged.

All have not the same measure of Christ.697

CHrist hath the fulnesse of Grace, B. Lake on Math. 26. we but every one his proportion, according to our capacities; even as from the Sun, every man receives a beam of the same kind, though not the same beam; or from a tree every Man gathereth an apple, though not the same apple; or out of a River, every Man drinketh a draught of the same water, but not the same draught of water; Even so all do partake of the same Christ, but not in the same measure; And no Man whole Christ, by whole, I mean totum Christi, though every man doth receive him whole, that is totum Christum; Every man hath Christ alike intensivè, though extensivè all have him not alike, Exo [...] ▪ 16. 18. and yet extensivè too every Man hath his full measure, as it was in Manna, He that gathered more had not too much, and he that gathered less had enough.

698 Ministers to teach as well the practice, as the knowledge of Religion.

[Page]

A Discreet School-master doth not only teach his Schollers Grammer rules, whereby for example true Latine may be made;J. Prestons Serm. at Camb. but he teacheth them also to make true Latine, according to those Rules; neither doth he think his paines bestowed to any purpose till his Schollers can do that: Even so, a discreet Minister must teach his people not onely how to know, but how to do their duty, to turn their Science into Conscience, Gal. 5. 1. so to learn Christ as to become Christians, Christians in S. Paul [...] sense; For certainly he is a very trewant in Christ's School, 1 Cor. 3. 2. whose life doth not expresse his learning, that is not a doer as well as a hearer of the Word.

699 Iustice described.

TRavailers write (Nath▪ Chytreus by name) that in Padua, Ponderat haec causas, percutit ille reos. Iustic [...] [...] in a publique place, between a pair of scales and a sword (a [...]cording to the old manner) with these two Verses proceeding from her mouth,

Reddo cui (que) suum, sanctis & legibus omne

Concilio mortale genus, ne crimine vivat.

The Verses are but clowter-like, (unworthy such an University as Padua is renowned to be) but the sense is good, and for the shortnesse of them, they may be the better remembred; I give (saith Iustice) to every man his own; I pr [...]cure and win all men to be subject unto godly Lawes, left otherwise they should prove criminall, that is, grievous transgressors: Were it otherwise, Servants would be on horse-back, Isai. 24. and Masters, even Princes on foot. Like People, like Priest; Like Buyer, like Seller;Eccie. 10. Like Borrower, like Lender, (as Esay again saith). Nay then no buyer, no seller, Isai. 59. or borrower, or lender, but all upon snatching and catching, and rifling, and plundering, and rapine, and wrong, and blood touching blood.

700 The Minister's labour though in succesful, yet rewarded by God.

THe Minister's labour whether it hit or miss,August. in l [...]b. 1. contra Cresconium. is accepted of the Lord l For as he who perswadeth to evill, be it Heresie or Treason, is punished accordingly, although he do not prevail, because he intended it, because he did labour it: So he that doth his best to win Men to Heaven, Geo. Abbot. Cant. lect. on Jonah. though he effecteth not what he desired, though he hath laboured in vain, and spent his slrength in vain, yet he shall be accepied, and his reward shall be with his God.

701 The happy meeting of Body and Soul in the Resurrection.

WHen we pluck down a house,Chrysoft. in 2 ad Corinth. Homil. 1. with intent to new build it, or repair the ruines of it, we warne the Inhaditants out of it, least they should be soyled with the dust and rubbish, or offended with the noise, and so for a time provide some other place for them; but when we have new trimmed and dressed up the House, then we bring them back to a better habitation: Thus God, when he overturneth this rotten roome of our flesh, Resurgent Sanctorum corpora sine ullo viti [...]. &c. Aug. Enchirid. calleth out the Soul for a little time, and lodgeth it with himselfe in some corner of his Kingdom, but repairesh the bracks of our bodies against the Resurrection, and then having made them decent, yea glorious and incorruptible, he doth put our Soules back again into their acquainted Mansions.

The Popes policy to advance his Holiness.702

[Page]

ONe Psapho dwelling in the parts of Lybia, Maximus Tyriu [...]. desirous to be canonized a God, took a sort of prating birds, and secretly taught them to sing this one note; Psapho is a great God, and having their lesson perfectly, let them fly into the woods and hills adjoyning; where continuing their song, other birds by imitation learned the same, till all the hedge-rowes rang with nothing but Psapho's diety; The Country people hearing the Birds, but ignorant of this fraud, thought Psapho to be a God indeed, and began to worship him: The same is the Popes practice, desirous to effect his ambition, and shew himselfe to be a God, he maintaines a sort of discontented English fugitives in his Seminaries, John White's Serm. [...] Pauls Land. 1610. as it were in so many cages, where dyeting them for the nonce he easily teaches them what tune he pleaseth; and having so done, takes off their b [...]lls and sends them home again, where filling every hedge and outhouse with their tunes, no marvail if other birds of the samefeather, and as wise as themselves, by conversing with them, do the like.

The power of Faith reviving the deadly sin-sick soul.703

VVHen the Israelites were in burying a Man,2 King. 13. 21. for fear of the Souldiers of the Moabites, Wil. Perkins on Creed. they cast him for haste into the sepulchre of Elisha; Now the dead Man assoon as he was down, and had touched the body of the Prophet, he recovered and stood upon his feet; So, let a Man that is dead in sin, be cast into the grave of Christ, that is, let him by faith but touch Christ dead and buried, it will so come to passe, that he shall be raised from death, and bondage of sin, to become a new man.

To sin against the mercies of God, is to double our Sins.704

HE that sins against the mercies of God, fights against God with his own weapons, Edm. Calamy Serm. at Westm. 1645. which must needs provoke God; Suppose a Man should come into a Smiths shop, and take up the Smiths own Hammer, and knock him on the head, this were to commit a double sin, not onely to kill the Smith, but to kill him with his own Hammer: Such a double sin are they guilty of, who the more wit they have, the more they plot against God; and the more wealth, and health, and honour they have,Qu [...]m cito m [...]rtalibus Bene [...]icium perit, & a [...] missum depre. henditur. Sophocles in A. jace flagif. the more they despise God and his Commandements with their wealth and honour: If a Chirurgion should freely bestow his paines and charge to cure a Man of a lame hand; and he should as soon as ever he were cured, kill this Chirurgion with his cured hand; this were an horrible ingrati [...]ude and provoking sin; And thus do they, that when they are delivered from sickness, and made whole, released out of priso [...], and set at liberty, fall presently to sinning again with that health, and that liberty which God bestowed on them.

A true sense of wanting Grace, is an argument of having Grace.705

A Young Scholler, when he hath gotten his Seton or his Ramus once by heart,Th. Gatakers loy of just. thinketh he hath as much Logick as his Tutor can teach him, but when he cometh to understand things, he seeth his own errour; And so the raw Students at Athens, when they were but yet fresh-men, Plutarch de perfect. they thought that they moved in a Circle of knowledge, they would be called Sophoi, Wise men; but having spent some time at their Books, they found themselves at a losse, and thought it a great honour to be called Philo-sophi, Lovers of wisdome; And last of all, having made some [Page] good progress through the Arts and Sciences, they accompted themselves Moroi, meer Ignoramuses that understood nothing at all; the more knowledge they had, the more they discovered their own weakness and ignorance: So the more men believe, the more they come to see and feel their unbeliefe; the further they wade on in the study and practice of Repentance, the more they find out and discover their own impenitency, and complain of the hardnesse and untowardnesse of their own hearts; the more they labour and make progress in found Sanctification, the more they come to apprehend, & see their own corruption; And this very sense of wanting Grace, is an argument of Grace; It is a sure sign of Grace, to see no grace, and to see it with griefe:Math. 5. For Christ saith, Blessed are the poor, as well as pure in spirit, the one shall see God, and the other hath a present right to the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the same in effect.

706 Not to rest in outward performances of Duty, because dangerous.

REmigius, a Judge of Lorraigne tells this story, That the Devill in those parts did use to give money to Witches,Joh. Prestons 4 Trea [...]ises. which did appear to be good coyn, seemed to be current at first; but being laid up a while, it then appeared to be nothing but dry leaves: So the Devill deceives men now in these dayes of so large Professession he makes them to do outward actions which have a fair shew; but when they need them,Augustin in Psalm. 65. then they appear as they are, to be nothing but dry leaves, meer dead leaves, because there is no life in them; they hear, they pray, they read, they sing Psalms, but they turn not the mans to spirituall nourishment, there is not a principle of spiritall life in them.

707 The great return of a faithfull Prayer.

AMongst the Sons of Men, a Courtier, J. Preston on Sacrament. a Favourite in the Court gets more by one suit it may be, then a Tradesman, or Merchant, or Husbandman gets with twenty years labour, though he take much paines, rising up yearly, going to bed late, and eating the bread of carefulnesse;Orati [...] pura, coelos penetrans vacua non redibit. Aug. in Serm. for one request may bring in more profit, may make a Courtier richer, than so many years labour and paines: So in like case, a faithful Prayer put up to God, may more prevail with him, we may obtain more at his hands by it, than by many years labour, or using much meanes in another way.

708 Moderation, little set by.

MEn of extraordinary tallness (though otherwise little deserving) are made Porters to Lords, Tho. Fullers Holy State. and those of unusuall littlenesse, are made Ladies Dwarfes; whilst men of moderate stature may want Masters: Thus many, notorious for extremities, may find Favourers to prefer them, whilst moderate men in the middle truth may want any to advance them: But what saith the Apostle, If in this life onely we had hope, we are of all men the most miserable, 1 Cor. 15. 19.

709 The powerfull effect of Gods Word painfully preached.

EUtychus in the Acts, Act. 20. 9. 10. P. du Moulin del'amour de Dieu. is an Emblem of a Christian in Temptation, he fell from an high lo [...]t, and was taken up dead, and so reputed of all that were then present; but Paul laid himselfe upon him, and found embraced him, and life in him, and set him on his legs again; So though a Man fall high from Heavenly Grace, to the very pit of Hell (if it were possible) yet he may be raised again by some [Page] skilfull Paul, some painfull, preacher, applying the comforts of the Gospel, and shewing that his life is not altogether extinguished, but [...]id onely with God in Christ Iesus.

Anabaptisticall zeal, condemned.710

THere is a story in Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. 8. ch. 5. how two Goats meeting on a Bridge, non vim sed viam fec [...]re, they did not make away each other, but made way one for the other (as Mutianus an eye-witness tels the tale) The one lying down on his belly, suffered the other to passe over his back, Procopius de bello Gotho [...]um. lib. 2. and so both escaped the danger of the ditch: And in the time of the Go [...]his [...] Wars, it may be read, That a Roman Souldier and a Barbabarian, casually falling into the same pit, as they marched along the Country, were so far from contending with each other, as that they both agreed mutually to relieve each other, and so Nec [...]ssity making them friends, they were both drawn out of the pit and delivered, It were to be wished, that the separating Anabaptist in this case, had so much wit as the Goat, Ioh. Boys Postils. or else so much good will as the Goth, they would not then hold dissoluteness a resoluteness, the breaking of Ecclestasticall Orders a point of devotion. If their zeal were but halfe so good to the Gospell, as Maries was to the Law, at the time of her Purification, they would rather wring themselves in the part [...]cular, then wrong the Church in the generall.

Grace in the heart may be a long time concealed.711

LOok upon a Coal covered wi [...]h ashes, there's nothing appearing in the heap but onely dead ashes; B. Halls Occas. meditat. there's [...]either light, nor smoak, nor heat, and yet when those Embers are stirred to the bottom, there are found some living gleads, which do but contain fire, and are apt to propagate it: Many a Christian breast is like this Hearth, no life of Grace appearing there for the time, either to his own sense, or the apprehension of others; whilst the season of Tempta [...]ion lasteth, all seems cold and dead; yet still at the worst, there is a secret coal from the Altar of Heaven raked up in their bosome, which upon the gracious motions of the Almighty, doth both bewray some Remainders of that divine fire, and is easily raised to a per [...]ect flame; Let no man therefore deject himselfe, or censure others, for the utter extinction of that spirit, which doth but hide it selfe in the Soul for a glorious advantage.

How to prevent wavering mindednesse.712

IT is observable, that the Bee being to fly home to her Hive, and fearing least she should be taken by the way with the wind, Ambros. de Virginitate. & so might be tossed up and down in the ayr, cou [...]terpoiseth her selfe with a little stone, and so flyes streight home: This may teach us what we ought to do;Tho. Playfere ut ante [...]. we must not be wavering, and carried about with the blast of every doctrine, like a Reed shaken in the wind, but as the Bee is ballanced with a little stone, so we must be built upon the chife corner stone, and grounded upon a Rock, and stablished with Grace, that however the rain fall, or the floods arise, or the winds blow, Act. 9. 11. or what times soever come, yet we may stand fast in the street which is called, Streight, alwaies following Christ directly to the mark.

Parents care, only to enrich their Children, reproved.713

OF the Ostrich it is said,Aristor. de Animal. lib. 4. c. 14. That she leaveth her Eggs in the Earth, and warmeth them in the Dust. It is the benefit of the Earth onely that she gives unto them; And such surely is the onely care (worthily to be reproved) which too too many Parents have of their Chrildren; Iob 39. 14. it is onely concerning the things of the Earth, [Page] that they may be rich, and noble, and great Men in this present world; as for Heavenly things, the eternall good of their soules, they are not so much as once thought of.

714 The folly and danger of self-conceitedness.

THere were some amongst the Philosophers of old, Qui jactabant solaecismos suos esse laudes & gemmas Philosophiae, Nath. Hardy's Serm. at Westm. 1647. Who accompted their rude Barbarisms, as Ornaments of Philosophy: Such are all self-conceited men, our new Opinionists, who present their vain fancies as the exquisite patterns of God's mind; How are the Pulpits made Stages for every Man to act his humour in? and the Printing-Presses Market-places for men to vent their false wares and counterfeit Doctrines? they pretend fair to build the Lords house, but it is Babel, not Bethel, if one may ghess by the division of their languages; and whilst they pretend to depart from a mysticall Babylon, they run into a liter all one, that of confusion.

715 Hope well, and have well.

THe Mariners sayling with S. Paul, M. Goddards Ser. at S. Greg. Lond. 1642. bare up bravely against the Tempest, whilst either Art or Industry could be friend them; finding both to fail, and that they could not any long bear up to the wind, they even let the Ship drive. Thus many have endeavoured in these distempered times, to hold up their spirits, and to steere them steddily:Act. 26. happy Peace was the Port whereat they desired to arrive; but now since the storm grew too sturdy for the Pilot, all the skill they will hereafter use, is no skill at all, and even let the Ship sayl whither the wind will send it, but with the hope and comfort, Megna tamen spes est in boni [...] Dei. Ovid. that the most weather-beaten Vessel cannot properly be seized on for a wrack, which hath any quick cattel remaining therein;1. Pont. 7. and their spirits are not as yet for feited to dispair, having one lively spark of hope in their hearts, because God is even where he was before.

716 Bloody-minded Men condemned.

VVHen Vedelius Pollio a Roman, at a Supper provided for Augustus the Emperour, would have thrown his Servant into his Fish-pond, where he kept his Lampreys, Plutarch. because he had broken a Cup of Crystall; the Emperour with-held him, and controlled him with these words, Homo cujuscun (que) generis, &c. A Man of what condition soever he be,Morney de Relig: cap. 16. if for no other cause, yet because he is a Man, is more to be valued than all the Cups, and Fish-ponds in the world: What a shame is it then for Christians? How are they to be condemned, when an Heathen Emperour shall exceed them in the principles of Humanity; How is our Gold become dross? our blood so stained? What is more rare amongst Men, than to find a Man? i. e. —fer a regnat Erinnys. Ovid. Metam. lib. 1. Amongst Men how many beasts are there for want of using Reason? and for not using it well, how many Devils? whose hearts are so bound with sinens of Iron, that they are no more moved with the life of a Man, than if a dog had fallen before them.

717 Sathan's policy to ensnare us, by the observance of our Natures.

THe Camelion when he lies on the grass to catch flyes and Grashoppers, taketh upon him the colour of the grass, Uly [...]. Aldrovandus de Serp [...]tibus. as the Polypus doth the colour of the Rock, under which he lurketh that the Fish may boldly come necre him without any suspition of danger: In like manner Sathan turneth himself into that shape which we least fear, and sets before us such Objects of temptation, as are most agreeable[Page]to our Natures, R. Holdsworth at S. Pet. Poor Lond. 1617. that so he may the sooner draw us into his Net; he sayles with every wind, & bowes us that way which we encline of our selves through the weakness of Nature; Is our knowledge in matter of faith deficient▪ He tempts us to errour: Is our Conscience tender? He tempts us to scrupulosity, and too much preciseness: Hath our Conscience like the Ecliptick line, some latitude? He tempts us to carnall liberty; Are we bold spirited? He tempts us to Presumption; Are we timerous and di [...]irustfull? Dia [...]olus, quando decipere tentat, priùs naturam unins cujus (que) intendit, & inde se app [...]icat, &c. Hugo de S. Vict. lib. 2. He tempteth us to Despera [...]ion; Are, we of a flexible disposition? He tempteth us to Inconstancy; Are we stiffe? He labours to make obstinate Here [...]icks, Shcismaticks, or Rebels of us; Are we of an austere temper? He tempteth us to cruelty; Are we foft and mild? He tempteth us to Indulgence and foolish pitty; Are we not in matters of Religion? He tempteth us to blind zeal and superstition; Are we cold? He rempteth us to Laodicean lukewa [...]meness: Thus doth he lay his traps in our way, that one way or other he may cnsare us.

All things come from God, who is therefore to be praised.718

MAny are the Symbols, Joh. Donne's Serm. at Pauls 1626. and Emblems of true thankfulness, and gratefull acknowledgement; As in the Sun-dyal, with all the hours thereon by distinct figures, the Motto; In umbra de [...]ino, To the Sun onely I owe my motion and being; As likewise the Shell full of Pearl, lying open to the Sun and the dew of Heaven, with this word, Rore divino; As also of the Olive amidst the craggy clifts without rooting or moysture, with this wreath coming our of it, A coelo; And thus must every good Christian acknowledge, That it is in God that he liveth, and moveth, and hath his being; that without the divine dew of heavenly Grace, there is no virtue in himselfe, and that all his happiness is from Heaven onely; that all the gifts of fortune falsely so called, as Riches and Possessions, &c. all the gracefull endowments of the body, Omnia dat nihit accipit. Trismegistus as agility, strength, comlinesse, &c. all the goods of the mind, as virtue, wit, learning; all these, and all other beside these, descend from God above, who gives [...] to all, all things, Act. 17. 25. no silver in Benjimins sack till Ioseph put it in; no good in Man, except the Lord bestow it; What hast thou, that thou hast not received?

Sanctification wrought by degrees.719

SAnctification is not perfect in an instant;Eph [...]. [...] Serm. at St. Aug. 1636. As wounds are easily taken, but not easily cured; so are sins quickly contracted, but not quickly purged; Sins are compared to scum, Ezel. 24. 6. and meat will aske some good boyling before all the scum be out of it; to Dross, Isai. 1. 22. and Mettals, and they must be long in the fire before they be refined: and lastly, to spots and stains, Jud. 12, which if they be deep in a Garment, will not be fetched out but with the Fullers sope; neither are such Garments scoured without a great deal of toyl, that which is bred in the bone will hardly be got out of the flesh: Sanctification therefore is wrought by degrees, there must be many a sigh, many a tear, many a groan, before we come to a full height and stature in Christ Iesus.

To be thankfull unto God at all times, especially in Prosperitie.720

IT was a fault both noted and condemned in the Carthagenians, that whereas they were sprung from Tyrus, Diod. Siculus. lib. 20. and used yearly to send then Tenth or Tythe of their incomes, to Hercules the peculiar God of the Tyrians; which custom they observed whilst their commodities were small, but neglected after wards (when they grew to be Masters of greater matters) to send at all, and so by little and little to condemn that Hercules their God. In the service of the true God, let this be never [Page] said of Christians, that they should so far forget themselves, that when God hath raifed them out of the dust,Dr. Prideaux Serm. .S. Mariea Ox. 1625. and set them on the Thrones of Justice, when he loadeth them with benefits, that they should load him with unthankfulness; but rather, as their riches do encrease, to honour him with that substance; and as they rise in temporal preferment, so to raise themselves up unto Him by an humble acknowledgement, from whom onely, and by whose blessing it is, that they enjoy what they have so received.

721 To be carefull for our Souls good.

IT is (methinks) a very preposterous course that many Men take in the World,W. Perkins on Creed. Those that have children, are very careful and diligent to bring them up (as it is fit they should) under some Mans tuition; And if they have Cattel, Sheep, or Oxen, they provide Neat-heards and shepheards to keep them, but in the mean time, unum necessarium, for the good of their own souls they have no care at all, they may sink or swim, or do what they will; A strange blindnesse or madnesse, like the Gadarens, Luk. 8. to have more mind of their hoggs, then of Christ, more thoughts of their Cattle, Mat. 26. [...] then of their Souls; Learn we therefore of Christ to commit our soules into the hands of God.

722 To be alwaies prepared for Death.

THere is a story of a certain Man, Specul. Exemplorum. pursued by an Unicorne, who in his flight falls into a Dungeon, and in his fall he takes hold, and hangs by, the arm of a Tree growing on the side of the pit or dungeon; Now as he thus hangs looking downward, he sees two w [...]rms gnawing at the root of the Tree; and as he looks upward, he sees an Hive of most sweet honey, whereupon he climbes up unto it, and sitting by it, feeds thereon; In the mean season whilst he is thus sitting, the two wormes gnaw in pieces the root of the Tree, which done, down falls both Tree and Man, and all, into the bottom of the Dungeon: Now, this Unicorne is Death, the Man that flyes is every man living; the pit over which he hangs, is Hell; the arm of the Tree is life its selfe; the two worms are day and night, the continuance whereof is the whole life of Man; the hive of honey, is the pleasures, and profits, and honours of this world, Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. to which when Men wholly give up themselves, not considering their ends, till the root, that is, this temporall life be cut off, they plunge themselves quite into the gulph of Hell: Preparation therefore for death is not to be deferred till the time of death, but rather we must be ready every day to entertain it.

723 God will have the whole heart in his service:

MAster Cambden reports of one Redwald, King of the East Saxons, the first Prince of this Nation that was baptized, Britannia. pag. 465. yet in the same Church he had one Altar for Christian Religion, another for that of the Heathens: And many such false worshippers of God there are to be found amongst us, such as divide the Rooms of theis Souls betwixt God and the Devil, that swear by God and Malcan; that sometimes pray, Greg. dela Naza. Tract. Eva. Zeph. 1. and sometimes curse, that halt betwixt God and Baal, meer Heteroclites in Religion;Ezek. 43. 8. But God cannot endure this division, he will not have thy threshold to stand by his threshold; he will have all thy heart, he cares not for half, if it and the Devil have the other.

A good Sermon not to be so much questioned as practised.724

[Page]

AS it is no good manners for him, that hath good Venison set before him on the Table,Tho. Fullers Holy State. to ask from whence it came, but rather fairly fall to it; So a good Christian hearing an excelllent Sermon, he never enquires whence the Preacher had it, or whether it were not before in print; but at every point that concerns himselfe, he turns down a leaf in his heart, and falls aboard to practise it.

Gods goodness ought to procure Mans thankfulnesse. 725

THe Patriark Iacob, R. Hold [...]w. Serm. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1634. pondering in his mind Gods exceeding great care to him in his Pilgrimage,Gen. 32. breaks forth into this excellent Confession, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and all thy truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staffe came I over this Jordan, and now I have gotten two bands. Even so may many a Man say with Iacob, I came to such or such a place, in a poor leathern suit, with a stick in my hand onely, destitute of means and money, yet Almighty God hath so blessed me,Tempora mu. tantur. that I now possess two bands, Wife, Children, and servants; and for further employment, I that was scarce worthy to sit with the Dogs of the flock, am now taken out of the dust, Iob 30. 1. and lifted out of the mire to sit mith Princes of the People; Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Strange sins, strange punishments. 726

HAd any man beheld Sodom in the beauty thereof, and had the Angel told him, that the same should be suddainly destroyed by a merciless Element, he would certainly have concluded,Tho Fullers Meditat. that Sodom should have been drowned, led thereunto by these considerations:

First, It was scituated in the plain of Iordan, a flat, low, levell Country.

2. It was well watered every where;Gen. 13. 10. and where alwaies there is water enough, there may sometimes be too much.

3. Iordan had a quality in the first moneth,Chron. 12. to overflow all his banks. But not one drop of moisture is spilt on Sodom, it is burnt to ashes; How wide then are our Conjectures when they ghess at Gods Iudgements? How far are his waies above our apprehensions? Especially, when wicked men with the Sodomites, wander in strange sins, Nova peccata nova supplicia. out of the road of common corruption, not once coming within the compass of a rational suspition; so true is it, that strange sins, have and ever will be attended with strange and unheard-of punishments.

The souls▪ delight once set upon God, hardly to be removed.727

HE that lets down a Bucket to draw water out of a deep well, as long as the bucket is under the water, Jet. Borroghs on Prov. [...]0. though it be never so full, he may get it up easily; but when he begins to draw the bucket clear out of the water, then with all his strength he can hardly get it up; yea many times, when it is at the very highest, breaks the Iron chain, and falls violently back again: After the same sort a Christian heart, so long as it is in Him wherein is a well of life, is filled with delight, and with great joy drinketh in the water of comfort, out of the fountains of salvation, but being once haled, and pulled from God, it draweth back, and as much as it can possible, resisteth, and is never quiet till it be in him who is the very Center of the Souls happinss.

728 The Incorrigibility of Errour.

[Page]

IT is observable,Nath. Hardy Serm. at Westm. 1647. that in the time of the great sweating sickness in England, the sick persons when they were beaten on the face with sprigs of Rosemary, by their friends, would cry out; O you kill me, you kill me; whereas indeed they had killed them in not doing it; for had they slept, they had dyed: So those, whom the sickness of Errour hath surprised, if you but go about to suppress them, you shall presently hear them exclaim, and say, Oh you persecute us, you persecute us; whereas indeed it is not such a persecution as lets out the heart-blood, but such a persecution as lets out the corrupt blood: Oquam detestandus est error hominum. Aug. And they will one day acknowledge, though now they may stifly stand it out, that to be a happy violence which pulled them out of the fire, blessed bonds that tyed them to Christ, and comfortable fetters which kept their feet in the way of peace.

729 The sloathful contractednesse of our prayers unto God, reproved.

POpe Boniface the Ninth,Bapt Platina in vita. at the end of each hundreth years, appointed a Jubilee at Rome, wherein People bringing themselves and money thither, had pardon for their sins: But Centenary years returned seldom, Popes were old before, and covetous when they came to their place; few had the happinesse to fill their Coffers with Iubilee coyn: Exam. Conc. Trid. p. 736. col. 2. Hereupon Clement the sixth reduced it to every fiftieth year; Gregory the eleventh to every three and thirtieth; Paul the second, and Sixtus the fourth, to every twenty fifth year, as now it is; some overtures have been to bring it lower, and would have succeeded, had there not been opposition: Just thus, we serve our prayers unto God, as they their Iubilees; perchance they may extend to a quarter of an hour, when poured out at large; but some dayes we begrutch this time as too much, Tho. Fullers Meditat. omitti [...]g the Preface, with some passages conceived lesse materiall, and running two or three Peitions into one, so contracting them to halfe a quarter of an hour; Not long after, we fall to decontracting, and abridging the abridgement of our prayers; yea (be it confessed to our shame and sorrow that hereafter we may amend it) too often we shrink up our Prayers to a minute, to a moment, to a Lord have mercy on me.

730 The difficulty of returning unto God, having long strayed from him.

JOseph and Mary left their Son at Ierusalem, Silv. de Prie ri [...]. our. rosa. and went but one dayes journey from him, but they sought him up and down three whole dayes, and that with a great deal of sorrow too, before they could [...]ind him; They are therefore deceived, which think it an easie matter speedily to return unto God, when they have long been straying from him, that are gone with the Prodigall child in Regionem longinquam, into a far Country, far from the thought of death, and consequently from the fear of God, yet promise themselves a quick return unto him.

731 The Grace of God, the onely Armour of proof.

THere was a Judge in Poland, Salom. Neuge [...]averi Hist. Polon. called Ictus, who a long time had stood for a poor begger the Plantiffe, against a very rich man the Defendant; but in the end, took a Fee of the Defendant, a considerable sum of mony, stamped according to the usuall stamp of the Country, with the Image of a Man in compleat Armour, and at the next Sessions in Court, judged the cause in favour of the Defendant; [Page] But being taxed for it by his friends in private, she wed them the coyn he received, and demanded of them, Quis possit tot armatis resistere? Who is able to stand against such an Army as this is?Dan. Featley ut ante [...]. Steel Armour is indeed Musket proof, but nothing except the Grace of God, is gold or silver-proof; Nothing can keep a Iudge, or a Magistrate from receiving a Reward in private in a colourable cause, but the grace of God, the eye of the Almighty, who seeth the corrupt Iudge in secret, and will reward him openly, if not here, hereafter.

God both powerfull and merciful.732

GOd shewed the Israelites in the spectacle of Thunder and Lightning, Tacir. Annal. at the delivery of the Law, what he could do, and what they deserved; so that what Caesar sometimes said to the Questor, who would have hindred him from entring into the Treasury at Rome, B. Lake ut ante [...]. shaking his sword; It is easier for my Power to dispatch thee, then for the goodnesse of my Nature to be willing to strike thee; may much more truly besaid of God; his Power maketh him mercifull, and his Mercy doth manage his power. The Author of the Book of Wisdome openeth this at large, chap. 11.

The excellencies of Christ are theirs that are in him.733

AS thew [...]e communicates in her Husbands honour and wealth,Jer. Leech Serm. 1624. the branches partake of the fatnesse and sweetness of the root, and the Members derive sense and motion from the head: So Christ our King is not like the bramble that receiveth all good, and yields none to the State: but he is like the Figtree, the Vine, the Olive; they that pertain to him, are all the better for him, they are conformable to him, if he have any excellency they shall have it also.

The best improvement of worldly sorrow.734

WHen a Man by extream bleeding at the nose is brought in danger of his life,Nath. Shutes Ser. at S Pauls 1628. the Phys [...]tian gives order to let him blood in another place, as in the arm, and so turns the course of the blood another way to save his life: And thus must we do, turn our worldly sorrows for losse of goods or friends, to a godly sorrow for our offences against God.

Flesh and Spirit, their opposition.735

ANselm, Arch-bishop of Canterbury, as he was passing on the the way, espyed a boy with a bird tyed in a string to a stone, Lib. similitudin. the bird was still taking wing to fly away, but the stone kept her down, the holy Man made good use of this sight, and bursting out into tears, said; Even so it is betwixt the flesh and the spirit; the Spirit is willing to mount upwards in he a venly thoughts and contemplation, but the Flesh keepeth it down, and (if possible) would not admit of the least thought of Heaven.

The conversion of great ones to be endeavoured for examples sake.736

AS it is in the exquisite mystery of Printing, Edm. Calamy Fast. Serm. the great difficulty lies in the composing and working of the first sheet, for by that one many thousands are easily printed: So the great work of the Ministery is to convert Great men; if they were once converted, hundreths would follow their Example,L. Florus in Hist. In uno Coesare multi insunt Marii, In one great Man are many Inferiours contained; when the great wheele of [Page] the Clock is set a moving, all the inferiour wheels will move of their own accord; How zealous was S. Paul about the conversion of Sergius Paulus, Act. 13. 10. the Deputy of the Country; He knew well enough, that to take such a great fish, was more then to catch many little ones, though the least of all is not to be despised.

737 The differences betwixt Papist and Protestants, not easily reconciled.

IN Merionith-shire,Gyraldus Cambrens. in Wales, there are high Mountains, whose hanging tops come close together, that Shepherds on the tops of severall hills may audibly talk together, yet will it be a dayes journey for their bodies to meet, so vast is the hollowness of the Valleys betwixt them: Thus upon sound search we shall find, notwithstanding some Pontifician Bridgemakers over the great gulph, Franc. de S. Clara, & alii. betwixt Papists and Protestants, that there is a grand distance betwixt them, which at the first view may seem near, and tending to an accommodation.

738 The souls breathing after Christ in time of trouble.

A Bull which is baited at the Ring, assoon as he gets any breathing, be it never so little,Tho. Playfer's Serm. turns him streight wayes towards that place by which he was brought in, imagning, that by how much the more he is nearer to the stall, by so much the more he shall be further from the stake: In like manner, a faithful heart being baited, and towsed in this world with many Dogs that come about it, Psalm. 22. 16. alwaies hath an eye to that place from which it came, it pants & breathes, and never is at quiet till it return to him from whence it was fet at first.

739 Gods moderate answer to the Prayers of his people.

THere are three sorts of Answers (saith Plutarch) that men usually make to a Demand:Lib. de garrulitate. The first, if you ask, Whether Socrates be within, telleth you faintly, and unwillingly, He is not within, perhaps he answereth by a Laconism [...] Not; The second with more courtesie, and to the sufficient measure of the demand, willing to instruct the ignorant; He is not within, but at the Exchange, &c. The third, running over with loquacity, knoweth no end of speaking; He is not within, but at the Exchange, waiting for strangers out of Ionia, in whose behalf Alcibiades hath written from Miletum, &c. Now the Answers of God to the prayers of his People, are neither so sparing or restrict as the first, leaving the Soul in a manner as doubtful and perplexed as he found it by granting too little; nor so idle and superfluous as the last, to bring a loathing to men by surcharge of his benefits, but they are in the midle sort, tempered with good moderation, full of humanity, kindness, and grace, giving enough, and happily more then asked, and sending the heart away joyful for that which it hath obtained.

740 Baptismall water, the power and virtue thereof.

SOlinus reporteth of a River in Boetia, Solinus Poly. Hist. That it turneth the colour of the sheep that are washed in it, in such sort, that if they were before black or dunne, they became presently as white as milk. That may be a Fable, but this is Gospel, That such is the virtue of the consecrated water in Baptism, wherein Christ's Lambs are usually washed, Dan. Featley Serm. at Court, 1622. through divine Benediction upon that holy Ordinance; that though they were never so black or [...]oul before, yet after they come out of that laver, they are most clean and white, and so continue till they plunge themselves into the mire of worldly desires, and fleshly lusts,

The folly of Youth, discovered and reproved.741

[Page]

THe Antients painted a Young man, Joh. Pieri. Hieroglyphica. stark naked, his eyes vailed, his right hand bound behind him, and his left hand left at liberty, and Time following him close at the heeles, and ever and anon pulling a thread out of the vail. He was so drawn, in a naked posture, to shew, with what little secrecy he had used his delights and pleasures; with his right hand bound behind him, to expresse, that he did not do any thing right; Iuvenilibus annis Luxuriant animi. Ovid. Fast. his left hand free and at liberty, signifying, that he doth all things awkardly and untowardly: he was pourtrayed blind, because he doth not see his own follies; but Time behind him, opening his eyes by little and little, so bringing him to the knowledge of his errours, and that if he go on in such a course of life, he is no other then as a broken ship, which leaks and drawes in water at a thousand places, and will not be long ere it sink; as a house, whereinto the rain doth fall, and drop in so fast, and at so many places, that it must speedily fall without recovery.

To shun ill Company.742

IT is better,T. Fullers good thoughts. safer I am sure it is, to ride alone, than to have a thief's company: And such is a wicked man, who will rob thee of pretious time, if he do thee no more mischief. T [...]e Nazarities, Numb. 6. 3. who might drink no wine, were also forbidden to eat grapes, whereof wine is made. So, we must not onely avoid sin it self, but also the causes and occasions thereof, amongst which, bad company (the lime-twigs of the devill) is the chiefest, especially to catch those natures, which like the good-fellow-Planet Mercury, are most swayed by others.

Hearing the Word, and not meditating thereon, dangerous.743

IF a man have the Lienteria, a disease so called, so that his meat passeth from him,Rich. Baxters Saints eve [...]lasting Rest. as he took it in; or he vomit it up as fast as he eats it, what strength and vigour of body, and senses is this man like to have? Indeed, he may well eat more than a sounder man, and the small abode that it makes in the stomack, may refresh it at the present, and may help to draw out a lingring, languishing, uncomfortable life. Thus many hearers there are, that are sick of this disease; what they hear, is many times in at one ear, out at the other; perhaps they hear more than otherwise they needed, and the clear discovery, and lively delivering of the truth of God, may warm and refresh them a little, whilst they are hearing, and perhaps an hour or two after; and it may be, may linger out their grace, in a languishing uncomfortable life: But if they did hear one hour, and meditate seven; if they did as constantly ruminate and disgest their Sermons, as they hear them, and not take in one Sermon, before the other be well concocted, they would soon find another manner of benefit by Sermons, than the ordinary sort of many forward Christians do.

Outward formality onely, in the service of God, condemned.744

MEn put on clean linnen, their best cloths, and how often do they look in a glasse,B. Lakes Ser. on Exod. 19. to see that all be handsome, before they show themselves in the Church to their neighbours; and it is hoped, that they which will not come slovenly before their neighbours, will not appear sordidly before the Lord of Heaven and Earth; and withall remember, that that God that approveth this outward decency, [Page] requireth the inward much more▪ He will have us lift up to him, not onely clean, but pure hands also. A neat outside, and a slovenly inside, is like a painted Sepulchre, full of dead mens bones. And it is to be feared, that most of our Churches in the time of Gods service, are full of such Tombs. There are a generation that are clean in their own eyes, Prov. 30. but are not washed from their filthinesse.

745 Conversion of a sinner, wrought by degrees.

LIttle children, Wil. Perkins on Galath. of whom [...] travail again in birth, &c. saith the Apostle, Gal. 4. 19. untill Christ be formed in you: So that conversion is not wroug [...]t, simul & semel, but by little and little in processe of time. In the generation of Infants, first the brain, heart, and liver are framed; then the bones, veins, arteries, nerves, and sinews; and after this, flesh is added; and the Infant first begins to live the life of a plant, by growing and nourishing; then it lives the life of a beast, by sense and motion; and thirdly, the life of a man, by the use of reason. Even so, God outwardly prevents us with his Word, Nemo repente fit optimus. and inwardly he puts into us the knowledge of his will, with the beginnings or seeds of faith and repentance, as it were a brain and a heart; from these beginnings of faith and repentance, arise heavenly desires; from these desires follow, asking, seeking, knocking. And thus the beginnings of faith are encreased, and men go on from grace to grace, from one degree of virtue unto another, till they be tall men in Christ Iesus.

746 Not to be ashamed of the profession of Christ.

ST. Augustine in his Confessions,Lib. 8. relates an excellent story of one Victorinus, a great man at Rome, that had many great friends that were Heathens; but it pleased God to convert him to the Christian religion, and he came to one Simplicianus, and tells him secretly, that he was a Christian. Simplicianus answers, Non credam, nec deputabo te inter Christianos, &c. I will not believe thee to be a Christian, till I see thee openly professe it in the Church. At first, Victorinus derided his answer, and said, Ergone parietes faciunt Christianum? What! do the church-walls make a christian? But after wards, remembring that of our Saviour, He that is ashamed of me before men, &c. Mar. 8. 38. he returns to Simplicianus, and professeth himself openly to be a christian. Edm. Calamy Ser. at Westm. And let this Text of Christ alwaies sound in our ears also;Rev. 22. 15. and that of the Revelation, where the fearsul, such as Nicodemus, nocturni adoratores, such night-walkers in religion, such as are faint-hearted in the profession of Christ, are put in the fore-front of those that shall go to hell, before murtherers, whore-mongers, adulterers, &c.

747 Man to be Sociable.

IT is to be observed,Cosm [...]gra [...]ia del Mondo. that the farthest Islands in the world are so seated, that there is none so remote, but that from some shore of it, another Island or continent may be discovered; as if herein Nature invited Countries, to a mutuall converse one with another. Why then should any man court and hug solitarinesse? why should any man affect to environ himself,T. Fuller, ut anted. with so deep and great reservednesse, as not to communicate with the society of others? Good company is one of the greatest pleasures of the nature of Man; for the beams of joy are made hotter by reflection, when related to another, Were it otherwise, gladnesse it self must grieve, for want of one to expresse it self to.

Ministers, to live according to that Doctrine, which they teach others.748

[Page]

THere was a ridiculous Actour in the city of Smyrna, which pronouncing O [...] Coelum, Casp. Barthi [...] adversar. O Heaven! pointed with his finger towards the ground; which when Polemo, the chiefest man in the place, saw, he could abide to stay no longer, but went from the company in a great chafe,T. Playfers Serm, saying, This fool [...]ath made a solectsm with his hand, he hath spoken fals Latin with his finger. And such are they, who teach well, and do ill; that, however they have Heaven at their tongues end, yet the Earth is at their fingers end; such as do not onely speak fals Latine with their tongue, but false Divinity with their hands; such as live not according to their preaching. But He that sits in the Heavens will laugh them to scorn, and hisse them off the stage, if they do not mend their action.

Englands Ingratitude to God.749

SCipio Affricanus the elder, had made the city of Rome, being at that time exanguem & moriturum, Val. Max. lib. 5. cap. 3. in a deep consumption, and ready to give up the ghost, Lady of Affrick: At length being banished into a base country-town, his will was, that his Tomb should have this Inscription on it, Ingrata patria, ne ossa mea quidem habes; Unthankfull country, thou hast not so much as my bones. Thus many and mighty deliverances have risen from the Lord to this land of ours, B. Kings lect on Jonah. to make provocation of our thankfulnesse; yet, Ingrata Anglia, ne ossa mea quidem habes, may the Lord say: Ingratefull England, thou hast not so much as the bones of thy Patron and Deliverer; thou hast exited him from thy thoughts, burried him in oblivion; there is scarcely a footstep of gratitude, to witnesse to the World, that thou hast been protected.

The Papists blind Zeal discovered.750

RHenanus reporteth, that he saw at Mentz in Germany, two Cranes, standing in silver upon the Altar, Lib. de rebus Germ. into the bellies whereof, the Priests by a device put fire and frankincense, so artificially, that all the smoak and sweet perfume came out of the Cranes heaks: A perfect emblem of the Peoples devotion, in the Romish Church; the Priests put a little fire into them, they have little warmth of themselves, or sense of true zeal: Dan. Featly, ut anted. and as those Cranes sent out sweet perfumes at their beaks, having no smelling at all thereof in themselves; so these breathe out the sweet perfumed incense of prayer, and zealous devotion, whereof they have no sense or understanding at all, because they pray in an unknown tongue.

Saints in glory, what they hear and see:751

ST. Auguctine was wont to wish three things: First, that he might have seen Christ in the flesh. Rich. Baxters Saints eternall Rest. Secondly, that he might have heard St. Paul preach. Thirdly, that he might have seen Rome in its glory. Alas, these are small matters, to that which Austin, and all the Saints in glory, do now behold; there they see not Christ in the form of a servant, but Christ in his Kingdome, in majesty and glory; not Paul preaching in weaknesse and contempt, but Paul, with millions more, rejoycing and triumphing; not Persecuting-Rome in fading glory, but Ierusalem which is above, in perfect beauty and splendour: And there they hear too, not Eliah, Esay, Daniel, with all the Prophets of old; Peter, Iohn, Iames, Iude, Apostles of the [Page] new Testament, preaching to an obstinate people in imprisonment, persecution, and reproach; but triumphing in the praises of their God, that hath thus advanced them.

752 God, a mighty God.

CAnutus, Hen. Huntingtons hist. a King of this Land, when flatterers magnified his power, and did almost deifie him, to confute them, caused his chair to be set by the sea-shore, at the time of the flood; B. Lakes Ser. on Esa. 9. [...] and sitting in his Majesty, commanded the waves, that they should not approach his throne: But when the Tide kept his course, and wet his garments, Loe, (saith he) what a mighty King I am by sea and land, whose command every wave dareth to resist! Here now, was weaknesse joyned with might. It is otherwise with God, he is a mighty God. It appears in the Epithite, that is added unto EL, which is Gibbor, importing, that he is a God of prevailing might, whom the winds and seas obey. In Daniel he is called EL ELIM, the Mighty of Mighties. Whereupon Moses magnifying his might, Exod. 15. saith, Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongst the gods? Which words being abbreviated, the Maccabees in their wars against their enemies, did bear in their standard, and there-hence, (as the Learned have observed) did take their name of Maccabees. Certainly, this Epithite is a just ground of that, which King David perswades, Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye mighty, ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength, Psal. 29.

753 Drunkennesse, the shame of England.

THere is a complaint in Pliny, B. Smiths Ser. on Ephes. 5. for the time present and past, Latifundia per [...] diderunt Italiam, Italy is undone by large severalls. We may take up the like complaint against drinking, Multifundia, that is, multum infundendo, the pouring in of much liquor is the shame of England already, and will be (if not reformed) the utter undoing of it.

754 To trust in God, who is the great Lord Protector of his people.

THere is an excellent story of a young man, [...], that was at Sea in a mighty raging tempest; and when all the passengers were at their wits end for fear, he onely was merry; and when he was asked the reason of his mirth, he answered, That the Pilot of the ship was his father, and he knew his father would have a care of him. The great and wise God, who is our Father, hath from all eternity decreed, what shall be the issue of all wars, what the event of all troubles: He is our Pilot, he fits at the stern; and though the Ship of the Church or State be in a sinking condition, yet be of good comfort, our Pilot will have a care of us. There is nothing done in the lower house of Parliament on earth, but what is first decreed in the higher House in Heaven. All the lesser wheeles are ordered and overruled by the upper. Are not five sparrowes (saith Christ) sold for a farthing? Luk. 12. 16. One sparrow is not worth half a farthing. And there's no man shall have half a farthing's worth of harm, more than God hath decreed from all eternity.

755 How to come off well, in ill Company.

IT is reported of the River Dee, Guil. Cambd. Britannia. in Merionith-shire in Wales, that running through Pimble Meere, it remaines intire, and mingles not her streams with the waters of the Lake. So, if against thy will, the tempest of [Page] an unexpected occasion drive thee amongst the Rocks of ill company, though thou be with them, be not of them; keep civill communion with them, but separate from their sins; and know for thy comfort, thou art still in thy calling, and therefore in Gods keeping, who on thy prayer will bring thee off with comfort.

Greatness and Goodness, well met together.756

SImeon the Son of Onias, Tho. Playfers Serm. was as a fair Olive-tree, that is fruitfull, and as a Cypress-tree, which groweth up to the Clouds: A Cypress-tree is high, but bar [...]en; an Olive-tree is fruitful, but low: So a Christian is (or ought to be) not onely a Cypress-tree, Eccle. 5. 15. reaching high in preferment, and worldly honour, but he must also be low as the Olive-tree, bringing forth fruit with patience, like Simeon, neither low nor barren; though an Olive, yet as high as the Cypress; though a Cypress, yet as fruitful as the Olive-tree.

Prosperity of the wicked, destructive.757

THe King of Egypt blest himself for having any thing to do with Polycrates King of Samos, B. King on Jonah. because he was over-fortunate; for having a massy and rich Ring, Heredotus. he cast it into the Sea to try an experiment in despight of fortune, he found it again at his Table in the belly of a Fish which was brought f [...]r a present unto him; The thriving estate of the wicked is set out at large, Their Bullock gendreth, and miscarrieth not, their Cow calveth, and casteth not her cal [...]e, &c. And they come not into misfortune as other men. Job. 21. Psalm. 73. What? no misfortune? Even the greatest in this, that they are so fortunate; Surely it were good for men not to be acquainted with such engrosers of Prosperity, and much lesse to be partakers of their unhappy happiness.

Gods people meet with many discourgements in the World.758

TIberius Constantinus, Joh. Donnes Pseudo-martyr. in the year of our Lord 577. commanding a golden Cross set in Marble to be digged up, that it might not be trod upon, found under it a second, and under the second a third, and under the third a fourth; So the dearest servants of God in this world, digging for the hidden treasure of the word, and putting themselves into aframe of Gospel obedience, find but hard dealing in the world, cross under cross, and loss [...]upon loss, and sorrow after sorrow: Look how the waves in the Sea ride one upon the neck of another, and as Iobs messengers trod one upon the heels of another; so miseries and calamities, and vexations in the course of this life, follow close one upon the other.

The great comfort of heavenly meditation.759

PHaroahs Butler dreamed,Gen. 4. 10. R. Baxters Saints etern. rest that he pressed the ripe Grapes into Pharoahs cup, and delivered the Cup into the Kings hand; it was a happy dream for him, and signified his speedy access to the Kings presence: But the dream of the Baker, that the birds did eat out of his basket on his head, the bak'd meats prepared for Pharoah, had an ill omen, and signified his hanging, and their eating his flesh: Thus when the ripened grapes of heavenly meditations are pressed by a good Christian into the cup of affection, and this put into the hands of Christ by delightful prayses, it is a true Argument of reall comfort, that that Christian in [...]o doing, shall be shortly taken from the prison of this flesh where he liveth, and be set before Christ in the Courts of Heaven, and there serve up to him that cup of praise (but much fuller [Page] and much sweeter) for ever and ever; but if the ravenous b [...]rds of wandring thoughts do devour these Meditations intended for Heaven, it is hard to say, but that so far as they intrude, they will be the death of that service, if not of that soul they thus infest.

760 God gives warning before he smites.

NOn solet deus subrepere &c. saith Chrysostom. B. Lake on Hag. [...]. God when he doth any great work in the world, stealeth not upon the world, he giveth a warning piece before he dischargeth his arming piece; so did he before he brought on the flood, before he delivered his People out of Egypt, before he gave the Iewes over unto the Babylonian captivity; We cannot read these stories, but we must needs find in them Gods palpable Harbingers; so that if men be surprised, it is not because they are not forewarn'd, but because they will take no warning.

761 Excess of Apparell, condemned.

IT was an arrogant act of Hubert, Math [...] Paris. Arch-bishop of Canterbury, who when King Iohn had given his Courtiers rich Liveries, gave his servants the like, wherewith the King was not a little offended: But what shall we say to the riot of our age, wherein as Peacocks are more gay than the Eagle himselfe, every ordinary subject out-vies his Soveraign; what fancies and fantasticall habits are daily seen amongst us.

762 The dangerous example of wicked Governours.

JEr [...]boam the Son of Nebat, Ephr. Udalls Serm. at S. Pauls, 1637. is never mentioned in the Scripture, never read or heard of in the Chronicles of Israel, but he draweth a tayl after him like a blazing Star, who made Israel to sin; A sick head disordereth all the other parts, and a dark eye benights the whole body: It is said Facile transitur ad plures, People are apt to flock after a Multitude; And it is as true, Facilè transitur ad majores, Men are apt to imitate great Authority whether good or bad; Evill behaviour in Men of high degree corrupteth as it were the air round about, which the People drawing in over-hastily, are made like to themselves in all manner of lewdness.

763 How to use Riches.

VVHen a Man taketh a heavy Trunk, Th. Taylors Serm. at S. M. Alder. full of Plate or Money upon his shoulders, it maketh him stoop, and boweth him towards the ground; but if the same weight be put under his feet, it lifteth him up from the ground: In like manner, if we put our Wealth and Riches above us, preferring them to our salvation, they will press us down to the ground, if not to Hell with their very weight; but if we put them under our feet, and tread upon them as slaves and vassals to us, [...]nd quite contemn them in respect of Heavenly treasure, they will raise us up towards Heaven.

764 The great danger of concealed knowledge.

CArdanus tells of one that had such a Receipt, R. Baxters Saints eternal Re [...]. as would suddainly and certainly dissolve the Stone in the bladder; and he concludes of him, that he makes no doubt but that he is now in Hell, because he never re [...]ealed it to any before he dyed. This was something a hard sentence, but what shall we think then [Page] of them, that know of the remedy of curing souls, such as have receipts for hard and stony hearts, yet do not reveal them, nor perswade Men to make use of them▪ Is it not Hypocrisie to pray daily for their conversion, and salvation, and never once endeavour to procure it? And if Hypocrisie, then what is the reward of hypocrisie, there's none so ignorant but knows it.

How the Gospel propagateth it selfe.765

AS the scope of the Sun is in all the World,B. Lake on Esay 9. and yet at one time the Sun doth not shine in all the parts thereof, it beginneth in the East, and passeth to the South, and so to the West; and as it passeth forward, bringing light to one place, withdraweth from another: So it is in regard of the Sun of Righteousness, the sun-shine of the Gospel, he hath jus ad omnem [...]e [...]ram; but he hath not at the same jus in omni terra: the Propriety of all is his; but he taketh possession of it all, successively, and by part [...]s the Eastern Churches, the Southern have had his light, which now are in darkness for the most part; and we that are more Northerly, do now enjoy the clearest Noontide; but the Sun beginneth to rise to them in the West, and it is too to plain, that our light beginneth to grow dim, it is to be feared that it hasteth to their Meridian, and whether after their noon it will set, God knoweth; yet the cause hereof is not (lest we mistake) in the Sun of Righteousness, as the cause why all have not light at one time, is in the corporal Sun; The corporal cannot at one time enlighten all, the Sun of Righteousness can; But for the sins of the People, the Candlestick is removed, and given to a Nation that will bear more fruit; We interpose our Earthliness between our selves and the Sun, and so exclude our selves from the beams thereof.

Englands distractions to be Englands peaceable directions.766

AUlus Gellius tells of certain Men, that were in a ship ready to perish, by reason of a great Tempest,Noct. Atticae. and one of them being a Philosoper, fell to asking many trifling questions; to whom they answered, [...], we are a perishing, and dost thou trifle? So it may be said of us, Is England a sinking, and is this a time to be raising of unnecessary Disputes, to be wrangling in Controversies about points of Church-Government, when God knows whether we shall have any Go [...]ernment either in Church or State at all, when there is Hannibalad portas, a generation of Men crying out, No Governours, no Church, no Ministers, no Sacrament. As Elisha said to Gehezi, Is this a time to receive money? so it may be said again,2 King. 5. 26. [...]e [...]us sic stantibus, Is this a time to divide? Is such a time as this, a time to trouble England with new opinions? Is this a time to divide? Nay is it not rather a time to unite, and to have quiet hearts, and peaceable dispositions one towards another, that so the God of peace may delight to dwell amongst us?

Deformity of body not to be contemned.767

AN Emperour of Germany coming by chance on a Sunday into Church, found there a mis-shapen Priest,Gul. Malmsb. lib. 2. cap. 10. poené portentum Naturae, insomuch as the Emperour scorn'd and contemned him: But when he heard him read these words in the Service, For it is he that made us, not we our selves, the Emperour checked his own proud thoughts, and made enquiry into the quality and condition of the man, and finding him on Examination to be most learned and devout, he made him Archbishop of Colen, T. Fullers Holy State. which place he did excellently discharge: Mock not at those then who are mis-shapen by Nature, there is the same reason of the poor, and of the deformed, he that despiseth them, despiseth God that made them: A poor man is a Pictture of Gods own making, but set in a plain frame, not gilded; And a deformed man is [Page] also his Workmanship, but not drawn with even lines, and lively colours; The former not for want of wealth, as the latter not for want of skill, but both for the pleasure of the Maker, and many times their Souls have been the Chappels of Sanctity, whose bodies have been the Spitals of deformity.,

768 Profession and Practice, to go together.

THe Prophet Esay (chap. 58. 1.) is willed to lift up his voyce like a Trumpet; there are many things that sound lowder than a Trumpe [...], Math [...] Stiles Serm. at St. Pauls 1626. as the roaring of the Sea, the claps of Thunder, and such like; yet he sayes not, Lift up thy voyce as the Sea, or lift up thy voyce as Thunder, but lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet; Why as a Trumpet? Because a Trumpeter, when he sounds his Trumpet, he winds it with his mouth, and holds it up with his hand; And so every faithfull heart, which is as it were a spirituall Trumpet to [...]ound out the prayses of God, must not onely report them with his mouth, but also support them with his hand; When Profession and Practice meet together, quàm benè conveniunt What a Harmony is in that Soul? When the tongue is made Gods Advocate, and the hand, Executor of Gods will, then doth a Man truly lift up his voice like a Trumpet.

769 All men and things subject to Mortality.

VVHen the Emperour Constantius came to Rome in triumph, and beheld the Companies that entertained him, he repeated a saying of Cyneas the Epirote, Homo staturae parv [...] caput incurvabat &c. Bapt. Platina in vita F [...]ieis jecundi. that he had seen so many Kings as Citisens: But viewing the buildings of the City, the stately Arches of the Gates, (so lofty, that at his entrance, he needed not to have stooped like a Goose at a barn-door) the Turrets, Tombs, Temples, Theaters, Aquaeducts, Baths, and some of the work so high like Babel, that the eye of Man could scarcely reach unto them; he was amazed, and said, That Nature had emptied all her strength and invention upon that one City; He spake to Hormisda, the Master of his works, to erect him a brazen horse in Constantinople, like unto that of Trajan the Emperour which he there saw; Hormisda answered him, that if he desired the like horse, he must then provide him the like stable; All this and much more in the honour of Rome: At length he asked Hormisda, What he thought of the City, who told him that he took no pleasure in any thing there, but in learning one lesson,Ammian Marcellin. l. 16. That men also dyed in Rome, and that he perceived well, the end of that Lady City (which in the judgement of Quintilian, was the onely City, and all the rest but Towns) would be the same with all her Predecessors; the ruines whereof are even gone to Ruine; O jam peri [...]re ruinae. Lucan. this is the doom that attendeth both Men and Places, be they never so great and stately. The consideration whereof, made a learned Gent. close up that his admirable History of the World in these words,Sr. Gualth. Raleigh▪ Hist. in fine. O eloquent, just and mighty death, whom none could advise, thou onely hast perswaded; what none hath dared, thou hast done; and whom all the world hath flattered, thou onely hast cast out out of the world and despised; Thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness, all the pride, cruelty, and ambition of Man, and covered it over with these two narrow words, HIC JACET.

770 Faith in Christ, the onely support in the time of Trouble.

IN that famous battle at Leuctrum, where the Thebans got a signall Victory, but their Captain Epaminondas, Plutarch. Pausani [...] in Boeticis. his deaths wound: It is reported, that Epaminondas a little before his death, demanded, whether his Buckler were taken by the enemy, and when he understood that it was safe, and that they had not so much as laid their hands on it, he dyed most willingly and cheerfully: Su [...]h is the resolution [Page] of a valiant souldier of Christ Iesus, Dan. Featly, [...] anted. when he is wounded even to death, he hath an eye to his shield of faith, and finding that to be safe out of the enemies danger, his soul marcheth couragiously out of this world, singing S. Paul's triumphant ditty, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8.

Nothing but Christ to be esteemed, as of any worth.771

AS the Iewes use to cast to the ground the book of Esther, Steph. Menochius. before they read it, because the Name of God is not in it: And as St. Augustine cast by Tullies works, R. Baxters Saints eternall Rest. because they contained not the Name of Christ. So must we throw all aside, th [...]t hath not the Name of Iesus on it. If honour, riches, preferment, &c. come not in the [...]ame of Iesus, away with them, set them by, as not worth the taking up; give them no entertainment, further than as they have reference to Christ and Eternity.

Humility, the way to Glory.772

WE say in our Creed, Ephr. Udalls Serm. at Mer [...]. Chap. 1640. that Christ descended into hell, descendit ut ascendat: He took his rising from the lowest place, to ascend into the highest. And herein Christ readeth a good lecture unto us, he teacheth us, that humility is the way to glory, and the more we are humbled, the more we shall be exalted. Adam, and those once glorious Angells, Prim [...]s ascenti [...]is gradus, est [...]. Ber. were both ambitious, both desired to climb; but they mistook their rise, and so in climbing, both had grievous falls. If we then would climb without harm, we must learn of Christ to climb; so shall we be sure to tread the steps of Iacob's ladder, which from earth will reach even to the highest heavens.

A Kingdome divided within it self, cannot long stand.773

MElanchton perswading the divided Protestants of his time,Edm. Calamy a f [...]st S [...]rm. at Westm. 1644. to peace and unity, illustrateth his argument, by a notable parable of the woolves and the dogs, who were marching onward to fight one against another: The woolves, that they might the better know the strength of their adversary, sent forth a master-woolf, as their scout: The scout returns, and tells the woolves, That indeed the dogs were more in number, but yet they should not be discouraged; for he observed, that the dogs were not one like another; a few m [...]stiffs there w [...]re, but the most were little currs, which could onely bark, but not bite, and would be affraid of their own shadow. Another thing also he observed, which would much encourage them, and that was, That the dogs did march, as if they were more offended at themselves, than with us, not keeping their ranks, but grinning, and snarling, and biting, and tearing one another, as if they would save us a labour. And therefore let us march on resolutely,E [...] qui discordi [...] civ [...] Per [...]xit miseros! Virg. Ecl [...]g. for our enemies are their own enemies; enemies to themselves and their own peace; they bite and devour each other, and therefore we shall certainly devour them. Thus, though a Kingdom or State be never so well provided with Men, Arms, Ammunition, Ships, Walls, Forts, and Bulwarks; yet notwithstanding, if divisions and heart-burnings get into that Kingdom, that State, or that City, like a spreading gangreen, they will infest the whole, and like a breach made in the walls of a city besieged, they will let in the enemy to destroy it. Nay, though there should be a Kingdom of Saints, if differences and distractions get within that Kingdome, they will, like the worm in Ionah's Gourd, eat up all the happinesse of it in one night.

774 Not to continue angry.

[Page]

THe English, Stows [...]. by command from William the Conquerour, alwaies raked up their fires, and put out their candles, when the Curfew-bell was rung; some part of which laudable custome of those times, remaineth yet, in the ringing of our eight or nine a clock bell. Ephes▪ 4. 26. Let it then mind us thus much, that the Sun go not down upon our wrath; let it not carry newes to the Antipodes, in another world, of our revengefull nature, but rather quench all sparks of anger, rake up all heat of passion, that may arise within us.

775 The great State of Heaven.

WHen Cyneas, Plutarch. in [...]ita Pyrthi. the Ambassadour of Pyrrhus, after his return from Rome, was asked by his Master, What he thought of the City and State? He answered and said,Hic locus est, quem, [...] verbis a [...]dacia detur, &c. Ovid. That it seemed to him to be Respublica Regum, a State of none but great Statesmen, and a Common-wealth of Kings. Such is Heaven, no other than a Parliament of Emperours, a Common-wealth of Kings: every humble faithfull soul in that Kingdom, is Co-heir with Christ, hath a Robe of honour, and a Scepter of power, and a Throne of majesty, and a Crown of glory.

776 Every man to be active in his place.

HE is not worthy to be a Member of a State,Wolfg. Lazius [...] reb. gest. Rom. by whom the State is no whit bettered: The Romans well understood this, when they instituted their Censors, to enquire into every mans course of life, and to note them, carbone nigro, with a character of infamy, that could not give some good a [...]count of their life. It is a thing pittifull to consider, how many there are in this Land of ours, whose glory is their shame, the very drones and cumber-grounds of their country, the Chronicle of whose life, was long since summed up by the Poet, Nos numerus sumus, & fruges consumere nati; no better than cyphers, if you respect the good they do▪ But let them know▪ that God will have no mutes in his Grammer, no blanks in his Almanack, no dumb showes on his Stage, no false lights in his House, no loyterers in his Vineyard.

777 How to get into Heaven.

AS Socrates told a lazy fellow, Erasm. Apophthegm. lib. 3. that would fain go up to the top of Olympus, but that it was so far off. Why, said he, walk but as far every day, as thou dost about thine own house, and in so many daies thou shalt be sure to be at Olympus. Thus, let but a man employ every day,R. Baxters Saints eternall Rest. so many serious thoughts upon the excellent glory of the life to come, as he now employeth daily on his necessary affairs in the world; nay, as he looseth daily on vanities and impertinencies, and his heart will be at Heaven in a very short space.

778 The strength of Imagination, demonstrated.

IMagination, T. Fullers Holy State. the work of phancy, hath produced reall effects; sad and serious examples of this truth may be produced, but a merry one by the way. A Gentleman having led a company of children beyond their usuall journey, they began to be weary, and joyntly cryed to him to carry them; which because of their multitude, he could not do, but told them, he would provide them horses to ride on: [Page] then cutting little wands out of the hedge, as n [...]gs for them, and a great stake, as a gelding for himself; thus mounted, phancy put mettall into their leggs, and they came cheerfully home.

The heavenly Conquerour, the happy Conquerour.779

IN the severall Kingdomes of the world,P. Mexi [...] Theater. there are severall Orders of Knights, as of Malta, of the Garter, of the golden fleece, of S. Iohn of Ierusalem, of S. Saviour, of S. Iames, of the Holy Ghost, and divers others; and most of these have been found [...], white-liver'd Souldiers, carpet-Knights, that either never drew sword, Dan. Featly Serm. nor saw battle, or fled from their colours. But in the Kingdom of Christ, there is found but onely one sort of Knights, and that's the Order of S. Vincent▪ such as stood their ground, such as never returned from battle, without the spoil of their ghostly enemies; such, whose Motto was here below, Vincenti dabitur, and now they are more than conquerours in heaven above. Rev. 2. 7.

Ignorance of Gods minde, will not excuse at the last.780

THe people of Siena having wilfully rebelled against Charles the fifth,Paul Jovii. hist. lib. 34. their Emperour, sent their Ambassador to excuse it; who when he could find no other excuse, [...]. thought in a jest to put it off thus: What, saith he, shall not we of Siena be excused, seeing we are known to be fools? To whom the Emperour's Agent replyed, Even that shall excuse you, but upon the condition, which is fit for fooles; that is, to be kept and bound in chains. Ehe [...] quàm [...]iseros tramite devio Abducit ignorantia. Boethius 3. 8. Thus shall it be with those, that sit under plentifull means of grace, rich Gospell-dispensations, so that it is but opening the casements of their hearts, and the light of Gods countenance will fully shine upon them; yet remain unfruitfull, barren, empty-saplesse, livelesse christians, and think, that ignorance shall at the last excuse them.

Preposterous Zeal reproved.781

WE chuse the best Lawyers for our causes,B. Lakes Serm. [...] Wells. the best Physicians for our bodies; but to supply the defect of our souls, to guide our judgment and conscience aright, in the waies of God, we trust we know not whom. The humour of such cannot be better resembled, than to the distempered appetite of girles, that have the green-sicknesse; Hoc est zelum Dei habere, sed non secundum [...]. their parents provide for them wholsome diet, and they get into a corner, and eat chalk and coales, and such like trash: So they that may have in the Church grave and sound instructions for the comfort of their souls, in Conventicles feed upon the raw and indigested meditations, of some ignorant tradesman.

The danger of Stage-plaies.782

ZEuxis, Plin. hist. lib. 53. cap. 10. the curious Painter, painted a boy, holding a dish full of grapes in his hand, done so livelily, that the birds being deceived, flew to peck the grapes: But Zeuxis, Fulgosus. in an ingenious choler, was angry with his own workmanship: Had I (said he) made the boy as lively as the grapes, the birds would have been afraid to touch them. T. Fullers Holy State. Thus, two things are set out to us in Stage-plaies, some grave sentences, prudent counsells, and punishments of vitious examples; and with these, desperate oaths, lustfull talk, and riotous acts, are so personated to the life, that Wantons are tickled with delight, and feed their palats upon them. It seems, the goodnesse is not pourtraied out, with equall accents of [Page] livelinesse, as the wicked things are; otherwise, men would be deterred from vitious courses, with seeing the wofull successe that followes after. But the main is, wanton speeches on Stages, are the devills ordinance, to beget badnesse. But it is a a question, whether the pious speeches spoken there, be Gods ordinance, to encrease goodnesse, as wanting both his institution and benediction.

784 Profit, is the great god [...] the World.

IT was the usuall demand,Cic. in Verre. of one of the wisest amongst the Roman▪ Judges, Cossius (sirnamed the Severe) in all causes of doubt, in matters of fact, about the person of the Delinquent, Cui bono? who gained by the bargain? on whose side lay the advantage? assuring himself, that no man of understanding, would put himself into any dishonest, or dangerous action, without hopes of reaping some fruit by it: As also, that there can be no enterprise, so beset with difficulties and dangers, which some men, for apparent hope of great gain and profit, would not go through with. And it is very true, no arguments conclude so necessarily, in the opinion of the greater part of men,Dan. Featley ut anted. as that which is drawn, ab utili; Profit is the great god of the world: Haec omnia tibi dabo, was the Topick place the devill made use of, above all other, when he tempted our Saviour. Profit is a bait, that all bite at. Hence is that Maxim of the Parthians, Vulgus amicitias utilitate probat. Ovid. Nulla sides, nisi prout expedit, No faith or keeping touch with any thing, but as it maketh for advantage. Iustice and honesty, religion and conscience, may be pretended; but that which turneth the ballance, and carryeth the greatest sway in all concernments, is the matter of profit and emolument.

785 The poor distressed mans comfort, by his appeal unto God.

AS a man, T. Cartwright in Eccles [...]ast. that in some of the Courts is over-powerd in a just cause, by a strong hand, yet keeps up his hope, so long as he hath liberty to make his appeal to a higher Court, especially if he be confident of the sincerity of the Iudge, to whom he is to make his appeal. So, those that are here oppressed, rejected, distressed, are not therefore to be discouraged, if at mans hand they receive little or no relief: Why? Because they may appeal unto God, and they are sure to prevail with him, according to the equity of their cause; with him there is no respect of persons, no accepting of bribes: He is one, who, as he will not be corrupted, so he cannot be deluded. And that the poor may not alwaies be forgotten, Psal. 9. 18. nor the hope of the oppressed perish for ever, hath set down a certain day, wherein he will without fail, and without further delay, if not before, hear every mans cause, right every mans wrong, and do justice on every wrong-doer.

786 The Charity of former times, abused in these times.

THe first Christians, after the rage of persecution was over, how open-handed were they, in erecting and providing for places and persons, dedicated unto Christ his service? And as in other Countries, so the good Christians of this Island, have left honourable memorialls, in their magnificent foundations, and munificent endowments thereof, many Millions have been that way expended; at the foot of which account, as a Schedule thereunto annexed, is a bank of a million of mony, And. Willet Synopsis Papismi. (not perfectly audited, but flenderly cast up by an unskilfull hand in matter of account) bestowed in the City of London, and the two Universities, in the last Century of years, setting the [Page] rest of the Kingdom aside; All these followed the rule of Gods law, whatsoever they offered [...]to him was [...] of the [...] ▪ But by the way it may be observed, That the floud of our Ancestors liberalities rose not to so high a pitch, but their posteritic's sacriledge hath taken it down to as low an ebbe; And a saying of William Ru [...]us, a great, though no good King of this Island, pleaseth too▪ many that live on the spoils of the Church, Christ's bread is sweet.

Covetousness and Contentment, inconsistent.787

IT is one property, Jos. Shu [...]e a Serm. at St. Pauls, 1619. which (they say) is required of those who seek for the Philosophers Stone, that they must not do it with any covetous desire to be rich, for otherwise they shall never find it: But most true it is, that whosoever would have the Iewel of contentment, (which turns all into Gold, yea want into wealth) must come with minds devested of all ambiti [...]us and covetous thoughts, else are they likely never to obtain it.

788 Not to be in love with Sinne.

IT is observable, that Xerxes bare a strange affection to the Plane tree which he hung about with chains, Herodotus. and deck'd with Iewels of greatest price; A fond and foolish affection as being to a [...]reee, & such a tree as is good for nothing but to shade one out of the Sun: This folly of so great a Monarch, very well resembleth all those who are not guided by the spirit of God into the ways of Truth and Life, but are led by the spirit of errour, or by the errour of their own spirits to ungodly and sinful courses, the very beaten paths to Hell and Death; The Tree they are in love with, and adorn, and spend so much cost upon, is the forbidden tree of sin, altogether unfruitful as that of Xerxes, Dan. Featley▪ ut ante [...] it hath neither fair blossoms, nor sweet fruit on it, only it is well grown, hath large arms, and broad boughes, and casteth a good shade, or to speak properly, a shadow of good, a noysome or pes [...]ilent shade, making the ground barren, and killing the best plants of Vertues, by depriving them of the sun-shine of Gods grace; Nat. Hist. l. 12 yet as divers Nations in the dayes of Pliny, paid Tribute to the Romans for the shade of these Trees; so do these Men pay for the seeming delight and pleasure of sin (being indeed but a shadow of vanity) to the Devil, the greatest Tribute that can be paid, even the Tribute of their most prectous souls.

789 The sad effests of a wounded Conscience.

IF a Man be sick, B. Lakes S [...]r. at Court. wear he never so stately Roabs, he minds them not; have he never so dainty fair, he rellisheth it not; lay him in never so soft a bed, yet he cannot rest, his diseased body feels nothing, but the afflicting peccant humour▪ Even so when the remorse of Conscience works,Nihil est miserius quàm hominis anim [...]s conscius Plau [...]us in Captivis all our gi [...]s and parts be they never so great, appear not: Riches, though in great abundance, satisfie not; Honours, Preferments, though never so eminent, advantage not; though we have them all for the present, yet we have not the use of them; we see, we hear, but we feel nothing but sin; as Experience reacheth them that have been distressed in this kind.

791 Multitudes of Times-servers.

[Page]

VVEe read of an Earl of Oxford, Sir Franc. Bacons Hen. 7. p. 211. fined by King Henry the seventh, fifteen thousand Marks for having too many Retainers: But how many Retainers hath Time had in all ages? and Servants in all Offices? and Chaplains too upon occasion, doing as the Times do, not because the Times do as they should do, but meerly for sinister Respects, and by ends to ingratiate themselves.

792 Gods spiritual blessing upon a mans employment in his Calling.

AS the Sonnes of the Husbandman in the Fable,Conr▪ Zuingeri theatrum h [...]m. vitae. Bromiardi sum Praàicant. who being told by their Father lying on his Death-bed, that he left much Gold buried under the ground in his Vineyard, fell a delving and digging all about the Vines; and though they found no gold, yet by stirring the mould about the roots of the trees, gained a great Vintage that year. Even so it falleth out in in the labour of our Calling, though by them we reap not alwaies that which we expect, and the world so much looks after, Riches, Preferment, &c. yet thereby we may manure (if I may so say) the ground of our hearts, and gain great store of those fruits, peace of Conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, the blessing of God, such as the branches that are grafted in the true Vine, Christ Iesus, bear.

793 Good Men as the Pillars of both Church and State, to be preserved.

St. Paul gives the name of Pillars to Peter, Iames, Orat. 21. and Iohn, Gal. 2. Nazianzen saith of Athanasius, that he was [...]; and of A [...]talus, Nicephorus saith, that he was [...]. Neither is this true onely of the Worthies of the Church, but of the Common-weal also; Ioseph is not onely called Pastor, but Petra Israelis; the like is of Eliakim, the son of Helkiah, of whom God saith, I will fasten him as a Nail, &c. Esa. 22. And indeed there is no good Man, on whom the Land doth not rest; for as the World was made for them, so they bear it up,B. Lakes Serm. and when God removes them, the World grows so much the weaker; that any man enjoyes his Estate, that one friend hath society with another, they are beholden to the good; they think (poor Souls) that when they break Lawes, and persecute good Men, themselves fare the better, and their Posterity is the greater; but fools they are, and therein prove their own foes, for they overturn the Pillars both of Church and state, whereupon themselves do lean: And whereas there is that care in unreasonable Creatures, of the preservation of the whole, Natura sui conservatrix. Arist. that every part will hazard it selfe to prevent the common ruine; onely Men forgetting, that themselves must perish when the Common-wealth goes to wrack, to satisfie their own lusts, continually push at, and would overturn the Pillars that bear them, and Sampson-like, though not with so good a will as Sampson, nor in so good a cause, (for themselves are more like Philistims) endeavour the ruine both of others and themselves.

794 A contented Mind, suits with all Conditions.

ONe observeth (how truly,Relat. de Giov. Botero. I dispute not) that the French naturally have so elegant and graceful a carriage, that what posture of body soever in their salutations, or what fashion of attire soever they are pleased to take on them, it doth so beseem them, that one would think nothing could become them better: Thus contentment makes men carry themselves gracefully in wealth, and in want, in health, and in sickness; in freedom and fetters, in what condition soever God allots them.

To be thankfull unto God in all Conditions.795

[Page]

FAbritius told Pyrrhus, Plutarch in vita. who one day tempted him with Gold, and the next day sought to terrifie him with an Elephant, Jer. Borough's True Content. a beast that he had never seen before; Yest [...]rday I was no whit moved with your Gold, nor to day with your Beast: So let neither abundance transport us, not wants dismay us, nor Adversity deject us, but both incite us to bless God; in Prosperity to praise his bounty, and in Adversity his Iustice; and in both, his provident and fatherly care over us.

Church-spoilers, condemned.796

IN the end of an old Latin Verse are reckoned up three great wonders of England, B. Hall Contemplat. Pool of Bethesda. Eccl [...]sia, foemina Lana. The Churches, the Women, and the Wool; Foemina may pass still, who may justly challenge wonder for vanity: As for Lana, if it be wonderful alone, most sure it is, that it is ill joyned with Ecclesia: The Church is fleeced, and instead of wool, De Ecclesia qui aliquid furatur, Iudae praditori comparatur: August. in Joh. hath gotten nothing but a bare pelt upon her back: And as for Ecclesia, either Men have said with the Babylonians, down with it, down with it even to the ground; or else in respect of the maintenance, with Iudas, Ut quid perditio haec? Why was this waste? they would have the Church put to board wages, the Ministers like S. Paul, to labour with their hands, rather then to be troublesome; but they will not in the mean time like those good primitive Christians, lay down all they have at the Apostles feet, Act. 4. 35.

Wicked Men, instrumental for the good of Gods Children.797

SOlinus writeth of Hypanis, Cap. 20. a Scythian River, that the water thereof is very bitter as it passeth through Exampius, yet very sweet in the Spring; So the Cup of trembling, which is offered to the children of God, is often very bitter at the second hand, as it is ministred unto them by prophane Persons, Pier du Moulin de l'a mour de Dieu. such as are haters of God, and despisers of goodn [...]sse; yet is it sweet at the first hand, as it is sent them from Heaven; What Christ spake to Pilate, vaunting of the Power and Authority that he had over him, the feeblest Christian may reply to the greatest Potentate on Earth, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, unlesse it were given thee from above; the wicked may have a will to hurt them, but power they have none,Joh. 19. 10. unlesse it be given them from above by God, who can and doth usually execute his judgements by unjust Ministers, by the very worst of Men, and let them intend never so much evill, plot never so much mischiefe against his servants, yet he will turn it to their good.

Riches, Honour, &c. the Devils bait.798

IN some Fenny places in England, where they are much troubled with gnats, they use to hang up duing in the midst of the room,Tho. Fullers Meditat. Opes irritamenta malorum. for a bait for the ignats to fly to, and so catch them with a Net provided for the purpose▪ Thus the Devill ensnareth the souls of many Men, by alluring them with Riches, Honours, Preferments, the muck and dung of this World to undoe them eternally.

799 Neglect of Prayer unto God, condemned.

[Page]

IT is observable that amongst the worst of Men, Turks, and the worst of Turks, the Moores, B. Hall [...]. it is a just exception against any witness by their Law, that he hath not prayed six times in every naturall day; It being usuall with them, That before the day break, they pray for day; when it is day, they give thanks for day; At noon they thank God for halfe the day past; after that, they pray for a good Sun [...]set; after that, they thank God for the day past; and lastly, pray for a good night after their day. Nec de [...]cias oratione, &c. Aug. in Psal. 65. Shall not such as these rise up against many Christians amongst us? who suffer so many Suns and Moons to rise and set upon their heads, and never lift up their hearts to their Creator, to ask his blessing, or to acknowledge it, such as rush into the affairs of God, and of their calling, and thrust themselves into actions either perilous or important, without ever lifting up their eyes unto the God of Heaven, as if they made good that slanderous speech which Surius the Jesuite cast upon Mart. Luther, In Chron. Nec propter deum haec res coepta est, nec propter deum [...]inietur? &c. This businesse was neither begun for God, nor shall be ended for him.

800 Not to serve Time, but Eternity.

VVHen the Master of the House failes, the Family is out of order, and at the point of dissolution: So miserable will be the condition of base Time-servers, when their great Master is taken from them, and the Angel hath sworn, That Time shall be no longer, Rev. 10. 6. It is best therefore ser [...]ing of him who is Eternity, a Master that can ever protect us.

801 Gods tryal of his Children by Afflictions.

THe manner of the Psylli, (which are a kind of People of that temper and constitution,Plin. lib. 28. that no venome will hurt them) is, that if they suspect any child to be none of their own, they set an Adder upon it to sting it, and if it cry, and the flesh swell, they cast it away as a spurious issue: but if it never so much as quatch, nor be the worse for it, then they account it for their own, and make very much of it: In like manner Almighty God tryes his children, by enduring crosses and afflictions, he suffereth the old Serpent to sting them, and bring troubles and sorrows upon them;Nath. Shutes Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1622. and if they patiently endure them, and make good use of them, he offereth himself to them, as to his own children, and will make them heirs of his Kingdom: but if they fall a roaring, and crying, and storming, and fretting, and can no waies abide the pain, he accompteth them as bastards, and no children, Heb. 12. 8.

802 Cares and Crowns inseparable.

THe Emblem of King Henry the seventh,B. Hall Contemplat. Christ's [...]. in all his buildings (in the windows) was still a Crown in a bush of Thornes, wherefore, or with what historicall allusion he did so, is uncertain; but surely it was to imply thus much, That great places are not free from great cares; that no man knows the weight of a Scepter but he that swayes it; This made Saul, hide himselfe amongst the stuffe, when he should have been made a King; Many a sleepless night, many a restless day, 1 Sam. 10. 22. and many a busie shift wil their ambition cost them them that affect such places of eminency; besides, Aulae culmen lubricum, High places are slippery, and as it is easie to fall, so the ruine is deep, and the recovery difficult.

God wills not the death of a sinner.803

[Page]

SHould a prisoner led to execution, Dan. Featlyes Serm. hear the Iudge or Sheriff call to him, and say, Turn back, put in sureties for thy good behaviour herea [...]ter, and live: would he not suddainly leap out of his fetters, embrace the condition, and thank the Iudge or Sheriff, upon his bare knees? And what can be thought, if God should send a Prophet, to preach a Sermon of repentance to the devills, and say, Knock off your bolts, shake off your fetters, and turn unto the Lord, and live: would not Hell be soon broke loose, and rid, before the Prophet could make an end of his exhortation? Such a Sermon the Prophet Ezekiel now maketh to all sinners: As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his waies and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evill waies, &c. Ezek. 33. 11, 18, 30, 31. Shake off the shakles of your sins, quit the company of the prisoners of death, and gally-slaves of Sathan, put in sureties for your good behaviour hereafter, turn to the Lord your God and live; yea, l [...]ve gloriously, live happily, live eternally.

Married men, better Common-wealths-men than Batchelers.804

'TIs the policy of the Londoners, T. Fullers Holy State. when they send a ship into the Levant, or Medi [...]erranean sea, to make every Marriner therein a Merchant, each seaman [...]ven [...]uring somewhat of his own, which will make him more wary to avoid, and more valiant to undergo dangers. Thus, married men, especially if having posterity, are the deeper sharers in the State wherein they live, which engaget [...] their affections to the greater loyalty. And though Batchelers be the strongest stakes, yet married men are the best binders in the hedge of the Common-wealth.

One foul sin spoyleth a great deal of grace.805

WOuld it not vex a Scrivener, Dan. Featlyes Serm. after he had spent many daies, and taken much pains, upon a large Patent or Lease, to make such a blot at the last word, that he should be forced to write it all over again? Yet so it is, that one foul and enormous crime, dasheth and obliterateth the fairest copy of a vertuous life; it razeth all the golden characters of divine graces, printed in the soul. As one drop of ink coloureth a whole glasse of clear water, so one sinfull and shamefull action, staineth all the f [...]rmer good life. All our fastings and prayers, all our sufferings for righteousnesse, all the good thoughts we ever conceived, all the good words we ever uttered, all the good works we ever performed, are lost at the very instant of our recidivation.

The benefit of keeping close to good Principles.806

HE that intends to meet with one in a great Fair,T. Fullers Holy State. and knowes not where he is, may sooner find him by standing still in some eminent place there, than by tr [...]versing it up and down. Thus, having taken thy stand upon some ground in Religion, and keeping thy station in a fixed posture, never hunting after the times, to follow them; 'tis a hundred to one but they will come to thee once in thy lifetime. Do but fear God, and reverence thy Superiours; stick close to the principles of obedience to the one, and [...]pect to the other, and it is more then an [...]even lay, that such as are given [...]a [...]rd [...] ch [...]nge, such as have betaken themselves to new lights, in the waies of God, [...] dispence with their engagement to him, that is set over them, will come abou [...], and begin to see at the last, how they have been deluded.

807 The sinner's Memento.

[Page]

BAlthazars quaffing in the Church-plate, Dan. 5. 10. proved a fatall draught unto him. Korah, Dathan, Numb. 16. and Abiram had no sooner opened their rebellious mouths against Moses, but the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up quick. Ananias and Saphira had no sooner told a lie, Act 5. and stand to it, but they are struck dead to the ground. Herod had scarcely made an end of his Oration to the People,Act. 12. 22. and received their applause, but the Angel of the Lord smote him, and made an end of him. On that [...]i [...]ners of all sorts, blasphemous swearers, bloody murtherers, unclean adulterers, and sacrilegious Church-robbers, when the devill egges them on to any impiety or villany, Dan. Featlyes Serm. would but cast this rub in their way, and say to themselves, What if God should take me in the manner, and strike me in the very act, and cast me into the dungeon of hell, there to be tormented with the devill and his angels for evermore? Do I not provoke him to it? do I not dare him? hath he not threatned as much? hath he not done as much? That which is one mans case, may be any mans case, &c.

808 Kings and corrivalls, inconsistent.

THe grand Signior, Ioh. Bodin. de Repub. lib. cap. 20. when he perceived with what acclamations of all the people, his son Mustapha was entertained, upon his return from Persia, he commanded him presently to be slain before him, and this Oracle to be pronounced by the Priest,Nulla fides Regni sociis, [...]mnisque potestas. Impatiens consortis erit. Unus in coelo Deus, unus in terris Sultanus: One God in Heaven, one Sultan on the Earth. And it is true, that two Suns in one Hemisphear, have ever been portentous. The Crowns of Kings and Princes will not admit of Rivalls. That Kingdome can never stand, where are two supream and uncontrolable commanders.

809 Easie to come into trouble, hard to get out.

WHen Francis the first,Pier. d' Ancre Of the uncertainty of things. lib. 2. dist. 4. King of France, was consulting with his Captains, how to lead his Army over the Alps into Italy, whether this way, or that way, Amarill his Fool sprung out of a corner, where he sat unseen, and bad them rather take care, which way they should bring their Army out of Italy, back again. Thus, it is easie for one to interest and embarque himself in anothers quarrell, to be engaged for anothers debt, facilis de [...]ensus, &c. But how to be disengaged, how to come off, hic labor, ho [...] opus est; there lies the difficulty.

810 Divisions usher in destruction.

WHen Cyrus came near Babylon with his great Army,Dan. Featlyes Serm. and finding the River about it, over the which he must passe, so deep, that it was impossible to transport it that way, he suddainly caused it to be divided into many chanells, whereby the main river sunk so on the suddain, that with great facility he passed it over, and took the City. That Maxim in Philosophy, Omne divisibile est corrup [...] bile, holds in all States and Societies. Discordia ordinum Reipub. venenum. T▪ Livius. The divisions amongst the Trojans, brought in the Grecians; the divisions amongst the Grecians, bro [...]ght in Philip; the divisions of the Assyrian Monarchy, brought in the Persian; of the Persian, brought in the Macedonian; of the Macedonian, brought in the Roman; of the Roman, brought in the [...]urk. Lastly, the divisions among the Britans of this Nation, brought in first the Saxons, next the Danes, and last of all the Normans; and who shall come next, invited by our uncivill civill dist [...]actions, God knowes. So true is that Axiom of Christ,Marth. 12. 25. A Kingdom divided within it self, cannot stand.

When sins are at the heighth, then comes destruction.811

[Page]

A Fisher-man, W. Strong Ser. at Wo [...]tm. 1640. when in a clear water he seeth a fish come to his hook, nible at the bait, bite it, and swallow it down, then he giveth a jerk with his anglerod, and striketh him. So Almighty God oft-times, permits wicked purposes and enterprises to hold on, till they come to a streight line, till they are upon the very height; and then he turns, and overturns them. In fori [...]as [...]ydram, he breaks the pitcher at the door, cutteth down the ear of corn when it is [...]ull, launceth the sore when it is ripe. When the sins of the Amorites are full, then comes judgment; when the sins of a People or Nation are at the height, then comes destruction.

The Tongue is the Hearts Interpreter.812

THe strokes in musick answer to the notes that are pricked in the rules. Cic. de O [...]t. l. 3. The Anatomists [...]each, that the heart and tongue hang upon one string. And hence it is, that as in a Clock or Watch, when the wheel is moved, the hammer striketh. So the words of the mouth, answer to the motions of the heart; Dan. Featly, ut ante [...]. and when the heart is moved with any perturbation or passion, the hammer beats upon the bell, and the mouth soundeth, Psal. 45. 1. Rom. 10. 10. Luk. 6. 45. The reason, why so many are tongue-tyed in their devotions to God, is, because they are hide-bound in their hearts; they cannot bring forth without, because they have no s [...]ock within; their words stick in their mouths, because they have no form in their hearts.

Gods Power, Wisdom, &c. To be seen in all the Creatures.813

IT is most strange, yet most true,T. Fuller, ut anted. which is reported, that the Arms of the Duke of Rhoan in France, which are Filsills or Lozenges, are to be seen in the wood or stones, throughout all his Country, so that break a stone, or lop a bough of a tree, and one shall behold the grain thereof (by some secret cause in Nature) diamonded, [...]r streaked in the fashion of a Loz [...]nge. Yea, the very same in effect, is observed in England; for the resemblance of Starrs,Cambd Bri [...]an. the Arms of the worshipfull Family of the Shugburies in Warwick-shire, are found in the stones, within their own Manour of Shugbury. But what shall we say? the Armes of the God of Heaven, namely,Quae li [...]e [...] [...]erba Deum. Power, Wisdom, and Goodnesse, &c. are to be seen in every creature in the world, even from Worms to Men, from sensible to insensible creatures; there's not the least pile of grasse that a man can tread upon, but sers out a Deity unto us, and tells us, There is a God of power, wisdom, and goodnesse, &c.

Great safety, in attending to the Ministry of the Word.814

ALl the Adventurers in the great ship, called Argonavis, Ovid. Metam. bound for Colchis, to fetch the golden Fleece, when they were assaulted by the Syrens, endeavouring to enchant them with their songs, found no such help in any thing against them, as in Orpheus's pipe. We are all adventurers for a golden Crown in Heaven; and as the Grecians, so we are way-laid by Syrens, the world, the [...]esh, and the devill, evill spirits, and their incantations, from which we cannot be safe, but by attending to the Word of God, by listening to the Preachers of the Gospell; who, when they pipe unto us out of the Word, our hearts should be so taken up with that coelestiall musick, that nothing else whatsoever should have the least entertainment.

815 Hypocrifie discovered.

[Page]

OTtocar King of Bohemia, refused to do homage to Rodolphus the first,Pantaleon. in vita Rodolphi. till at last, chastised with war, he was content to do him homage privately in a Tent;Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 4. which Tent was so contrived by the Emperours servants, that by drawing a cord, Bonfin. lib. 8. decad. 2. all was taken away, and so Ottacar presented on his knees, doing his homage to the view of three Armies, then in the field. Thus, God at last shall uncase the closest dissembler, to the sight of Men, Angells, and Devills, having removed all veiles and pretences of religion and piety:W. Strongs Set. at Westm. 1650. No goat in a sheep-skin, shall steal on his right hand. Here it is, that men may go with their cloaks muffled over their faces, but then they shall be dismantled; here the graves are covered, but then they shall be laid open; here the glossing hypocrite may passe for a reall honest man, but there he shall be discovered, and made known what he is indeed.

816 To speak well of the Dead.

CHarles the Emperour,Phil. Nepos. Imperat. vitae. when the Spanish souldiers would have digged up the bones of Luther, Sinite ipsum, inquit, quiescere ad d [...]em resurrectionis & judicia omnium, &c. Let him rest, saith he, till the resurrection, and the finall judgment; if he were an h [...]retick, Erasmi Ad [...]gia. Franc. S [...]lis. Intro [...]uct. a la vi [...] devote. he shall then have an heretick's reward. Humanity, that forbids the rifling of a grave, bids forbear him that is shut in it, and cannot answer for himself. De mortuis nil nisi bonum, was the saying of old; to speak well of the dead, is a thing both commendable and christian: and much to blame are they, that not contented to abuse the bodies, besmear the memories, but also quarrell at the salvation of the soules of men departed.

817 The encrease of Drunkennesse in England.

IT is an observation amongst the Mariners, T. Fullers Holy State. that as the Sea growes daily shallower and shallower on the shoars of Holland and Zeland, so the channell of late waxeth deeper and deeper, on the coasts of Kent and Essex. It is much to be feared, that as Drunkennesse [...]bbs in Holland, it flowes in England; that it hath gained in the Island, what is lost in the Continent.

818 How to walk circumspectly.

WHen children meet with primroses, M. Stiles Ser. at S. Pauls. 1628. nuts, or apples in the way, then they loyter on their errands, bring night home, and so get the displeasure of their parents; whereas those that meet with dangers, or some affrights by the way, make haste in their journey, and their speed makes them welcome with commendations. Thus, God hath sent all of us abroad into the world, and we are every day travailing homeward;Sedem pr [...]peramus ad unam. if we meet with miseries and vexations in the way, discretion should teach us a religious haste in our journey; and if we meet with pleasures, they should onely pleasure us, by putting us in mind of those pleasures, which are at Gods right hand for evermore; or else to scorn them, as worse than trifles, and to look upon them as pull-backs, in the waies of God and goodnesse.

The great danger of Law-suits.819

[Page]

IT is the Relation of a Gentleman, that seeing a Ier-falcon let fly at a He [...], Ant. Warwick resolved Medi [...]. he observed with what clamour the Heron entertained the sight and approach of the Hawke, and with what winding shift he strove to get above her, labouring even by [...]emuting his enemies feathers to make her flag-wing [...]d, and so escape; but at last when they must needs come to a necessitated encounter, resuming courage out of [...]ecessity, he turn'd face against her, and striking the Hawke through the gorge, both fell down dead together. This fight doth much resemble some great suit in Law, where one trusting more to his Cause's Potency, than his Cause's equity, endeavours to disinherit his stubborn Neighbour by colourable title to his Land;—Sic cedit viribus aequum. Here you may hear the clamourous obloquies of the wronged, and fee the many turnings, and winding Meanders of the Law,Ovid. de Trift. sought out to get above his Adversary; And then when the issue must come to tryal, oftentimes in the grapple they both sink to beggery, whilst lawfully they seek to get one above the other.

Conscientious Preachers, not to be sleighted.820

IT was a memorable passage, that fell some years since from a godly Man, preaching before the King;Dr. Web. I observe (said he) that the Ambassadours that come from Placentia, are welcome to this place, whereas these that come from Verona are sleightly set by; but it will hereafter be found true, Joh. Stow [...]h [...]on. that one Dr. Latimer with his down-right English, will be worth a thousand Dr. Shawes, who in a Sermon at St. Pauls Cross, by the command of the then Duke of Glocester, lost both his wits and his honesty together: The Sermon being ended,E. of Dorset. an eminent Courtier having observed the Preacher, to have been an ancient Chaplain, constant in his Attendance, religious in the performance of his duty to God and the King, asked a great Prelate then at Court, How it came to passe, that so grave, so religious, so conscientious a Preacher, did not rise (he meant by way of preserment) in all that time: Truly (said this great man) let me tell you, G. Walker, [...] Ser. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1629. that I verily think, he will never rise till the Resurrection. Thus was Amos sleighted, Amos 7. 13. Micaiah clapt in prison, 1 King. 24. 27. Iohn the Baptist, beheaded, Math. 14. 10. St. Paul counted an enemy by the Galathians, because he told them them the truth, Gal. 4. 16. by all which it appears, what cheap Markets are made of Conscience, and how little conscientious Preachers are set by; but had men their wits about them, they would make much of such Preachers, and hug such Doctrine, that layes hold upon their Consciences, that tells them what Christ is, and what Christ hath done and suffered for them, and what returns they have made, that whereas he hath loaded them with blessings and benefits, they have laden him with their sins and transgressions.

The benefit of self-Examination.821

IT is reported of Sextus, that every night before he slept, he asked of his own heart,Seneca de Ira. lib. 3. What evil hast thou this day amended? What vice hast thou shunned? What good hast thou done? In what part art thou bettered? Thus must every good Christian, do, there is nothing more pleasant then this con [...]uetude, for a man to exami [...]e himselfe, to commune with his own heart, to call himself to an accompt,Hen. Mason Tribun. of [...]onscience. how he hath passed the whole day, what good he hath omitted, what had he hath committed, closing up all with prayer and praises to God; then will his Conscience be at quiet, his sleep both sweet and comfortable.

822 Harlots, the Devils night-nets to ensnare us.

[Page]

WHen the Larker spreads out his Day-net in a fair morning,Ant. Warwick reso [...]ved Med. and whirls about his artificiall motion, it is easie to observe, how by the reflecting of the Sun on the wheeling Instrument, not only the merry Lark, and fearful Pigeon are dazled, and drawn with admiration; but stouter birds of prey, the swift Merlin, and towring Hobby are enticed to stoop,Stat meretrix, parvo culvis mer cabilis [...]re. and gazing on the outward form lose themselves: Thus Harlots and lewd women, Ovid. 1. An. the very night-nets of the Devil, are spread out for the sons of men in the vigour of their youth, who with roling eyes draw on the lustfulness of affection, and betray the wantonnesse of the Heart, and with their alluring glances, too too often make to stoop within the danger of their fatall snare, not onely the simple and careless, but others also, Men of known parts, men otherwise wary and wise; who coming within the pull of the net, lye at the merciless mercy of that treacherous Fowler the Devil, to their certain and inevitable danger.

823 The Pharisee and the Publican, differenced.

LOok but upon two Sawyers working at the Pit,A. W. ut anteà. the one casts his eyes upward, whilst his main action tends down-wara; the other stands with a countenance dejected, whilst his work is to draw the saw upward: Thus the Pharisee and the Publican; the reall Professor and the rotten-hearted Hypocrite, the one looketh up towards Heaven, whilst his actions tend to the pit in [...]ernal; the other casts down his head, whilst his hand and his heart move upwards; the one seems better than he is, the other is better than he seems; the one hath nothing but form, whilst the other hath the power of Godliness.

824 The Court-favourite's condition.

LOok but upon a gallant Ship, A. W. ut anteà. well rigged, trimmed and tackled, man'd and munition'd, with her top and top gallant, and her spread fails proudly swelling with a full gale in fair weather, putting out of the Haven into the smooth Main, and drawing the Spectators eyes with a welwishing admiration; but soon after to hear of the same Ship, splitted against some dangerous Rock, or racked by some dysasterous Tempest, or sunk by some leak sprung in her by some accident; this were a suddain change:Brevis e [...]t magni fortuna favori [...]s. Silius Ital. And just such is the Court Favourit's condition, to day like S [...]anus, he dazleth all mens eyes with the splendor of his glory, and with the proud and potent beak of his powerfull Prosperity cutteth the waves, and plougheth through the prease of the vulgar, scorning to fear any Remora at his keel below, or any cross winds from above; and yet to morrow, in some storms of unexpected dis-favour, springs a leak in his honour, and sinks on the Syrtes of disgrace, or dashed against the Rocks of displeasure, is splitted and wracked in the Charibdis of infamy, and so concludes his voyage in misery and mis-fortune.

825 Every Man haunted with one evill spirit or other.

THere is a story of a Country-man of ours,Neubrigens. Hist. one Kettle of Farnham, in the time of K. Henry the second, who had the faculty to discern spirits, by the same token that one time, he saw the Devil spitting over the Drunkards shoulders into their Pots, at another time laughing at a rapacious Usurers elbow, S. Athanius Alexand. in vita ejus. whilst he was piling up Gold in his Coffers; the same faculty is reported of Anthony the Hermite: And Sulpitius reports the same of S. Martin; These were the wonders [Page] of those dark times; B. Hall Contemplat. but there's no such matter of admiration in these ill-spirited times of ours to see,1. Tim. 4. At (que) hi sun [...] manes quos patimur. and clearly discern both De [...]ils, and divellish minded men, Hell may now seem to be broken loose; What natural Man is free? One hath the spirit of errour, another the spirit of sornication, Hos. 2. another the spirit of fear, 2 Tim. 1. another the spirit of slumber, another the spirit of giddiness, all spiritum Mundi, the spirit of the World, every man is haunted with one ill spirit or other.

Want of Maintenance, the waste of Religion.826

ONe asked sometimes how it was,S. Ben. Rydiard speech in Parliam. 1625. that in Athens so good and great a City, there were no Physitians; to whom this Answer was made, because there are no Rewards proposed to them that practise Physick: The same Answer may be made for our times; the cause why the Church of God is so forsaken, why Religion and the profession thereof is so much undervalued, is, because of the want of zeal in them that should either for their courtesie, or for their ablility, be fosterers of Learning, and encrease the Livings, Impropriators. where occasion is, and give hope and comfort to learned Men; What said I? encrease? Nay, the Livings and Provisions which heretofore were given, are now quite taken away, so that he which [...]eedeth the flock, hath least part of the Milk; and he that goeth a warfare, hath not halfe his wages; and he that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, hath his hire abridged and abated; hence it is that scandalous livings make scandalous Ministers, and scandalous necessitated Ministers, make the Ordinances of God vilipendious.

Spoilers of Church and State, condemned.827

WHen Augustus had beautified Rome, with setting up many fair buildings, he said,Phil. Nepos in vita Augusti. In [...] Carleolensis. In [...]e [...] lateritiam, marmoream reliqui, I found it made of brick, but I leave it made of Marble: Such was the Inscription set upon the Cathedrall at Carlisle, (as relating to Dr. Robinson, then Bishop of that See) Invenit destructum, reliquit extructum, he found it ruined, but left it repaired: Here was a good exchange, Marble for Brick, Reparations for Ruine. But O the sad inversion of late times, as concerning both Church and State, the ruines of the one, and dilapidations, nay the extirpations of the other, where Religion was become Rebellion, Faith faction, Reformation deformation; where Temples were turn'd into Stables, Princes Palaces into guards of unruly Souldiers; Monarchy into Anarchy, and the well compacted body of Government both in Church and State, into a licentious looseness of life and conversation.

God regardeth and rewardeth his People.828

WHen Ahasuerus read in the Book of the Records of the Chronicles, and there found how Mordecai had discovered a plot of Treason against his Person,Esther. 6. Jos. Caryll Ser. at Westm. he did not lay the Book aside, and slightly passed by such a piece of service, but enquires, What Honour, and what Dignity had been done to Mordecai? It seems if the King had thought on, or read him sooner, he had rewarded him sooner: But God hath ever in his eye all the Records and Chronicles of his Peoples actions, he reads their journalls every day, and where he meets with any that have done or spoken any thing aright for him; Deus absolut [...] [...]onum perpetu [...] beneficus. Athego [...]as. in legal. &c. the enquireth what honour, what dignity hath been done for this Man? If none hath been done, he will do it himself; if any thing hath been done, he will do yet more: Not a sigh, not a tear, not a thought for the glory of Christ, shall fall unregarded, unrewarded.

829 Gods wisdom, to be attended with Patience.

[Page]

IT is a great burrhen to wait upon a [...]ool; but we can easily stay for the Resolutions of the wise, Dr. Micklethwaites Serm. at Temple, 1634. who we are sure have the compass of a businesse in their heads, and are skilled in timing and ordering every circumstance thereof. How blessed then are they, who while they work for things below, can attend upon the great God both of Heaven and Earth, whose Moderation, and Judgement, and Wisdom are such, as will not suffer them either to do any thing before the set, appointed, fit time come; nor to stay the doing of it, one minute after; never any man repented his waiting patiently upon Gods disposal of him.

830 A worldly minded Man, no publique spirited Man.

IT is recorded of the K. of Navarre, then a Protestant,Melch. Adamus in vita Bizae. being pressed by Beza, to appear more in the cause of God, and to own Religion to the purpose: He makes answer to this effect, That he was their friend, but he resolved to put no further to Sea, then he might get to shore if a storm should arise▪ he resolved not to hazard his hopes of the Crown of France, and it is well known what became of him: So when men will make Religion as Twelve, 2 Tim. 4. B. Potters Serm. at St. Mary Spittle Lond, 1640. and the World as Thirteen, it is no marvail if with Demas, they forsake the cause of God, and embrace the world; and with those Potters in 1 Chron. had rather work with the King for good wages, than build up the house of the Lord.

831 Time present to be well husbanded.

UPon the Dyall-peece of the Clock,R. Wingfeild Mount Tabor. in the Colledge Church of Glocester, are pourtrayed four Angels, each of them seeming to say something to those that look up to see what a Clock it is, the whole inscription being made up of two old Latine Verses after the riming manner.

1. An labor, an requies.

2. Sic transit gloria mundi:

3. Praeterit iste dies,

4. Nescitur origo secundi

Which may be thus Englished,

Whether we rest or labour, work or play,

The world and glory of it passe away.:

This day is past, or near its period grown,

The next succeeding is to us unknown.

And most sure it is,Labitur [...], falli [...] (que) volubilis [...]tas. Ovid. Met. l. 10 whether we sleep or wake, the Ship of our life goes on; whether we do well or ill, live frugally or prodigally, our time with the whole World and glory of it, is transitory, and continually wheeling about like the minutes to the hour, or the hours to the time of the day in the Clock; so that time past, is irrecoverable, time to come uncertain; and all the time we can reckon of, is the present time, this moment of time, whereupon dependeth Eternity.

Mortalitie's Memorandum.832

[Page]

THe noble Lord Chancellor,R. Wingfield Mount Tabor. Egerton, comming down the stairs at York-house, to go to Westminster-hall, in the Term-time, observed to be written upon the wall, (belike by some one or other, that feared oppression by some mignty adversary) these three words, Tanquam non reversurus, as though he should never return again; hinting thereby unto his Lordship, to do justice. And it may serve for a good memorandum to all good Christians, to make them the more wary and watchfull of their actions, when they go abroad out of their houses, chambers,Non est (crede mihi) sap [...]entis dicere, Vivam. Martial. 11. or lodgings, even for this reason, because they may happen, not to return again: there would be condiscension in the Plantiff's heart, reconciliation in the Defendant, truth in the Lawyer, conscience in the Judge, plain dealing in the Tradesman, in every man and womans heart, an avoiding of evill doing, Did they but think on these few words, Tanquam non reversurus, and consider, whether they would speak or do thus and thus, if they were presently to die; or whether thus and thus behave themselves abroad, if they were not to return again to their homes.

Worldly men are easily taken off from the service of God.833

THere is a pretty story of a company of People, Strabo. Geograph. lib. 14. that met at the market together; amongst whom there was one, that played excellently upon the Harp, so that all crouded to hear him, as being ravished with the musick: But no sooner did the market-bell ring, but they were all gone, onely one stayed behinde, that was thick of hearing, to whom the Harper was much beholding,Mr. Andrews Ser. at. S. Jam. Clark. Well by Lond. 1619. and told him, that he much honoured his musick, by staying to hear it, when the rest were gon, at the ringing of the market-bell. VVhat! the market-bell! hath that rang? said the deaf man, Nay then farewell, I must be gon too. Thus it is with too too many of us, If the Exchange-bell, or the Market-bell ring but once, yet at the sound of them, what running is there? happy is he that can get thither first; but for the Church-bell, that may ring again and again, yet, nondum venit tempus, Mul [...]i vocem Pradicatoris audiunt, sed post vocem vacui recedunt Greg. in Ezek. much ado there is to get men and women to Church; and when their bodies are wrung in thither, it is a thousand to one, but their minds are roving abroad in the world. Let the Charmer charm never so sweetly, the Preacher instruct never so comfortably▪ their ears, the spirituall ears of their souls, are like the deaf Adder, so stopped, that they will not listen at all to his Doctrine, though never so sound and Orthodoxall.

The reverence of Man more than God, a true signe of a decaying State or Kingdom.834

AMyris being sent by the Sybarites, Suidas in vita. to the Oracle of Delphos, to consult, how long their Common-wealth should stand, it was answered, That it should continue ever, untill they reverenced man more than the gods. He seeing one day a slave beaten by his Master, and flying to the Al [...]ar of Refuge, yet his Master spared him not there;Mr. Goddard Ser. at S. Greg. Lond. 1652. then the slave fled to the Tomb of his Masters father, and then his Master spared him: Which when Amyris perceived, presently he went, and sold all that he had, and went to dwell at Peloponesus: For now I see, said he, that, men are more reverenced than the gods. But certainly, if that the reverence of Man more than God, be a true signe of a decaying State or Kingdom, then this of ours must needs be in a sinking condition: What crying up is there of the Acts and Ordinances of men? and in the mean time, what sleignting and contempt of Gods VVord and Commandements? What mean those base complyances with men, when God is set [Page] by,Melius est obedire Deo, quàm hominibus. as not worthy of our notice? What? but to bring down heavy judgments upon such a People or Nation.

835 The honour and dignity of the Ministry, and why so?

THere is a story,Gerv, Markhams Decad. of honour. how the Castle of Truth being (by the King of Ierusalem) left to the guard and keeping of his best servant, (Zeal): The King of Arabia (with an infinite Hoast) came against it, begirt it round with an unresistible siege, cuts off all passages, all reliefs, all hopes of friends, meat, or ammunition. Which Zeal perceiving, and seeing how extremity had brought him almost, to shake hands with Dispair, Joh. Theutonici Sylva similit [...]inum. he calls his Councill of War about him, and discovers the sadnesse of his condition, the strength of his enemy, the violence of the s [...]ege, and the impossibility of conveying either messages or letters to the great King his Master, from whom they might receive new strength and encouragement. Whereupon (the necessity of the occasion being so great) they all conclude, there was no way but to deliver the Castle (though upon very hard terms) into the hands of the Enemy. But Zeal staggers at the resolution, and being loth to lose Hope, as long as Hope had any thread or hair to hold by, he told them, he had one friend or companion in the Castle, who was so wise, so valiant, and so fortunate, that to him, and to his exploits alone, he would deliver the management of their safety. This was Prayer, the Chaplain to the great King, and the Priest to that Colony. Hence Prayer was called for,Et dominum mundi fle [...]tere vota valent. Martial. ep. ad. Domitian. and all proceedings debated▪ He presently arms himself with Humility, Clemency, Sincerity, and Fervency; and in despight of the enemy, makes his way through, came to the King his Master, and with such moving passions, enters his ears, that presently forces are levied, which returning under the conduct of Prayer, raise the siege, overthrow the King of Arabia, make spoile of his Camp,, and give to the Castle of Truth her first noble liberty: Which performed, Zeal crowns Prayer with wreaths of Olive, Oak, and Lawrell, sets him on his right hand, and saies for his sake, Divinity shall ever march in the first rank of honour. And certainly, Ministers of Gods VVord, such as apply their spirits most to the glory of God, and the publick good; especially such Divines, as are Timothies in their Houses, Chrysostoms in their Pulpits,Grandis dignitas▪ Sacerdotum, &c. Hieron. in Ezek. and Augustins in Disputations; such as are just in their words, wise in their counsells; such as are vigilan [...], diligent, and faithfull, in the execution of their place. Who (that is not Royall) should seek in honour to precede them?

836 How Enemies are to behated.

IF a Generall of an Army, And. Harwoods Serm. at S. Alphg. Lond. 1649. laying siege to some great Fort or Castle, and being upon the storming of it, the guns from off the walls playing fiercely upon him, should do abundance of execution; were it not madnesse in him, upon goining of the place, to cast away those guns? It were so. VVhat doth he then? He lets flie at the gunner that fired them, but preserves the guns, as serviceable for himself. Thus must we deal with our enemies: They abuse us, they evilly entreat us, they spitefully use us,Bellum cum vitiis, sed pax cum personis. Isidor. they seek to destroy us, and utterly to ruine us: What, shall we hate them, abuse them again? No, we must love them, and do good unto them; preserve the guns, but destroy the gunner; love their persons, they may be afterwards instrumentall to Gods glory; but hate their vices, that will be the undoing of our souls. This is that perfect hatred, wherewith David hated his enemies, Psal. 139. 22.

837 The great good which commeth by Enemies.

IT was the saying of Socrates, Diog. Laert. in vita. that every man in this life had need of a faithfull friend, and a bitter enemy; the one to advise him, the other to make him look [Page]about him. In dealing with a friend, a man is often deceived; but if he have to do with an enemy, Josh. Shute Serm. at S. Pauls. Lond. 1622. then he is wary of his proceedings, and placeth his words discreetly. Hence is it, that much good comme [...]h by enemies, and a good use may be made of them▪ They are the workmen, that fit us, and square us for God's building; they are the rods, Mulio [...] inimiiciti [...] illustr [...]runt qui ob scurmansissent, &c. that beat off the dust; and the skullions, that scoure off the rust from our souls. Were it not for enemies, F. Petrarcha Dialog. how could we exercise those excellent graces of love and charity, of patience and brotherly kindnesse? Had it not been for enemies, where had been the crown of Martyrdom? Yet further; Enemies are the fire that purgeth, the water that cleanseth the drosse and filthinesse of our hearts. Much every way is the good that commeth by enemies, if we make a right use of them.

Prayers for the Dead, unavailable.838

LOok but upon one, D. Wincop Ser. at S. M. Spittle, 1627. that plaies a game at bowles, how no sooner than he hath delivered his bowle, what a screwing of his body this way and that way, what calling doth he make after it, that it may be neither short nor over, nor wide on either side; but all in vain, the bowl keepeth on his course, and reacheth to the place, not where the mind, but the strength of the bowler sent it. Thus it is with those that pray for the dead, they pray, and call unto God, and sing Requiems and Diriges, for the soules of men departed, that they may be sent into Purgatory, not Hell; a course altogether unwarrantable, unavailable: For, as the body is laid down in the dust, so the soul is gone to God that gave it, there to receive according to the deeds done here in the flesh; whether it be to life or death eternall.

Knowledge without Practice, reproved.839

IT is by some observed,Ulyst. Aldrovand. hist. de serpent. that the Toad, though otherwise an ugly venemous creature, yet carries a pretious stone in his head, which for the excellent vertues thereof, is worn in gold-rings, and otherwise. Such Toads, such ugly creatures, are most of men; they have the excellent jewell of Knowledge in their heads, they can speak well: O, but they act ill, they live not according to that knowledge, their life and conversation is rotten, and infectious to the whole neighbourhood about them.

Blamelessnesse of life, enjoyned.840

A Certain Roman, R. Clerk Ser. the windowes of whose house being so very low, that every one which passed by,Marc. Drusus. might easily see what was done within, being profered by a workman,Vell. Pater [...]. at such a rate, to make his windowes higher, and so more private, replyed,Integer vit [...] [...]celeris (que) purus, &c. Horat, Ode. 22. lib. 1. I had rather give thee as much again, to let them alone; for I do nothing in my house, but what I care not, who knowes it. And such an one ought every good Christian to be, so to carry himself, as that he need not blush, to tell his very thoughts, if he were asked of them; and so to demean himself, as if he had pectus fenestratum, a glasse-window in his bosom, that every one might read his mind there.

The tedious length of Law-suits.841

AS Ioshua said of the building of Iericho, Joh. Squire Serm. at S. Leona [...]d Shorditch. 1637. Josh. 6. 16. He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates there of: So there may be a Suit at Law, commenced in the birth of our first-born, and yet our youngest son shall not see the gates thereof, that is, the end of it.

841 The true Christians safety in danger.

[Page]

VVHen the Grecians had won Troy, Da [...]res. Phryg. de bell [...] Trojano. before they fell to plunder it, they gave every man leave to bear his burthen out, of what he would: and first of all, AEneas marched out, carrying his houshold gods; which when they saw, and that he did them no great dammage thereby, they bad him take another burden, Jacob Merchantii Hortus Pastorum. which he did, and returned with his old father A [...]chises on his back, and his young son Ascanius in his hand; which the Grecians seeing, passed by his house, as Ioshua did by the house of Rahab, saying, That no man should hurt him, that was so religious. And thus, that man that hath his mind set on his God, shall receive no hurt by his enemy: When his waies please the Lord, Prov. 16. 7. his very enemies shall become his friends. Nay, he shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the wood shall be at peace with him. And which is yet more,Job 5. 23. God will break the bow, Hos. 2. 18. and the sword, and snap the spear assunder: He will make all those terrible instruments of war, so unserviceable, that they shal lie down quietly by him, not offering the least hurt that may be.

842 Godlinesse, the best friend.

SUppose a man be cast in prison for some notorious crime,Phil. Diez. Summa praedicat. and is thereupon sentenced to death, he sends for one of his friends, intreating him to sue to the King for a pardon. He answers, He cannot do it. This he will do for him, he will give him a winding-sheet, and a coffin. Then he sends to another, Pictas ad omnia utilis. he tells him, All that he can do for him, is, to see him buried. But a third goes to the King, and gets a pardon for him. Even so, riches, they can do nothing for us, but give us a winding-sheet, and a coffin; and our friends, they can onely see us buried: But Godlinesse is the true fast-friend, at a dead lift▪ 1 Tim. 4. 8. that gets us a pardon for our sins, having the promise both of this life, and that which is to come.

843 When the Hypocrite is discovered.

AS long as the Hedge-hog lies on the dry ground, Wil. Strong, [...] Ser. at Westm. 1651. she showes nothing but her prickles; but put her into the water, then she showes her deformity. Thus an hypocrite, so long as he is on the dry ground of prosperity, then he is humble and patient, and shewes nothing for a time, but the prickles of repentance; but let him be thrown into the waters of affliction, or the fire of persecution, then he sheweth himself what he hath in him, which before was kept close.

844 Manna, the heavenly food of God's Word, how to relish it.

IT is observed,Uly [...]. Aldrovandi Ornithologi [...]. that when the beak of the Eagle is grown so big, that she cannot eat any meat, so that thereupon the becommeth very poor and bare of her body, she goeth to a rock, and there she dasheth her beak so long against it, till she have broke off the end of it; and then she feeds with much more ease, and so recovereth her strength again. Thus, when we have lost our taste, and cannot relish that heavenly M [...]nna, Honorii Ser. de Circumcisio [...]e. the pretious food of our soules, we must repair to the rock Christ Iesus, and there knock off all those domineering lusts, and disordered affections, that irregularity of our wills, and perversnesse of our judgments; and then, and not till then, shall we taste, how good the Lord is, and come to our selves again.

The joyes of Gods Children, invisible.845

[Page]

IT is St. Augustines own relation of a certain Gentile, that shewed him his Idoll-Gods, saying, Here is my God? Where is thine? then pointing up at the Sun, In lib. Con [...]es. he said; Loe, here is my God, where is thine? so shewing him [...] divers Creatures, still upbraided him with, Here are my Gods, where are thine? But as the Father answered him, I shewed him not my God, Tho. Whi [...]es Serm. at St. Giles Crippleg. Lond. 1653. not because I had not one to shew him, but because he had not eyes to see him: Thus the joyes of a Christian, though they cannot be seen with bodily eyes, though the wicked cannot so much as discern them, yet is there nothing so delightful, so comfortable as they are; witness that Peace of Conscience, that joy in the Holy Ghost which is so unspeakable, such as eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of Man to conce [...]e them as they are.

Gods trial of his Children by Afflictions.846

THere is a custome amongst the Germanes, Sebast. Munster Cosmagraphia. that they might know whether their Children were bastards or not, to throw them in Fluvium Rhenum, into the River of Rhine; if they floated above, then they acknowledged them to be their own; but if the water carried them away, then they esteemed of them but as bastards: So God casts his Children into [...]u [...]ina afflictionis, Imposuit te alto Fortuna, &c. Ovid. [...]d Laurum. floods of afflictions; those that swim to Christ by a true and lively faith, them he acknowledgeth as his; but those which by the violence of lust are sunk and drencht in sin, he looketh upon them as bastards, not as Sons.

The silent coming of Gods spirit into the heart of Man.847

RIvers that at first run out of the Sea are not heard, because of the extraordinary noyse of the Ocean, they run out no Man hearing them, nor seeing the place where the main brancheth its selfe into Rivolets:Jerem. Leech Serm at St. Mary le Bow, Lon [...]. 1619. but as they run back into the Sea, being swelled with the new access of Land-waters, make a great noyse in their return: Even so is the Spirit of God, it comes quietly and silently into the heart of Man, so that the Man that hath it, knoweth not when it came to him, of the day and hour knoweth he nothing; yet at the return thereof unto God that gave it, there is a voice of praise and thanksgiving.

Gods trial of his Children by cleansing their hearts.848

VVHen the Queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, 2 Chr. 10. the more to scarch out the same,J. Plantavitii, Florileg. Rabbini [...]uin. as the Rabbines do observe, she dressed Boyes in Womens apparell, and Girls in Mens apparell, asking of him which were the Boyes, and which the Girles; whereupon he bids them all to wash their hands and their faces, and those which he perceived to wash the more, them he judged to be boyes, the other girls: Thus the Lord maketh a difference to be seen betwixt his children, the children of light, and the children of darkness, by how much the more his children do purifie and cleanse themselves, to be kept unspotted of the world; it is not a little smearing will serve the turn with them, but rather than they shall seem not to be sufficiently cleansed, they will cry out with [...], Amplius lava me Domine, Lord wash me throughly, &c. Psal. 51.

849 The Sinners security.

[Page]

SUppose a Travailer in a stormy night,Arn. Pontani Biblioth [...]c. concion [...]. should take up his lodging in some Cave in the Woods, where are nothing but Serpents and Adders, and such like venemous Creatures, he because he sees them not, sleeps as soundly as if he were at home in his own bed; but when the morning comes, and he sees what companions are about him, he useth all the means possible, and maketh all the haste he can to get away: In the same case is every impeni [...]ent sinner, beset with as many Serpents as he hath sins, though he cannot see them, and therefore fears them not, but sleeps as soundly as if he were in Solomons bed, Nemo securus esse debet in vita ista &c. Augustin de lib. arbit. l. 2. about which was a guard of threescore thousand valiant Men, of the valiant of Israel, Cant. 3. 7. but when it shall once please God to open his eyes, then he sees the dangerous condition of his Estate, and labours to get out of it as fast as he can.

850 Man, the best and the worst of Creatures.

THe Philosopher being asked, which was the best member of the body, answered, The Tongue; Laert. Diog. in vitis [...]hilos. And being asked again, Which was the worst, answered, The Tongue; if good, the onely Trumpet of Gods glory; if bad, a very Fire-brand of Hell: So if it were asked,Prae [...]mnibus malis, homo est pessimum malum &c. Chrys. Which Creature of God were the best, the answer would be, Man in honour before his fall; And what the worst Creature, Man in his fall, which hath not understanding, but is compared to beasts that perish.

851 The fall of Man described.

MAn was once the mirrour of all understanding, the Hieroglyphick of wisdom;G. Goodman Glocestrens. Fall of man. but now quantum mutatus ab illo? there is a great alteration; we see that the tallest Trees first dye at the top, and the highest Cedars have the greatest lapse: So it hath happened in this; Man of Men, who at his Creation was Cedrus Paradis [...], Gods sweet wood; but now aspiring up, not onely through folly lop'd off from what he was, but even cut down to the ground; so that as it was said of the Philosopher, Sanctius his animal mentis (que) capacius altae, &c. Ovid 1. Met. Aristotelem in Aristotele; and of Rome, Roman in Roma quaerere; So may we say of Man, Hominem in Homine quaerere, & quaerentes non invenire; for what was Imago dei, the very Image of Heaven is now larva Diaboli, the vizard of Hell, he that was gloria terrae, the glory of the Land, is now inutile pondus, the very burthen thereof; He that was entituled Dominus mundi & [...]delitiae Domini,. the Worlds Lord, and the Lords darling, is now captivated and made a servant; He that was Master of knowledge, Heu tristis & lacrymosa mutatio &c. Bern. in Cant Ser. 25. and wonder of Understanding, perfect in the science of all things, is now grown sottish and senseless; not onely as Calvisius, forgetting those things which he was well acquainted withall, but even losing the knowledge of himselfe; he that to whom before all the beasts of the Forrest, and every living Creature came (as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon) to admire his wisdom, must now go to the beasts, and birds, and creeping things, to learn severall lessons for instruction; to the Pisemire for providence, Prov. 6. 6. to the St [...]rk, and to the Swallow, for to make a right use of time, Jer. 8. 7. to the Oxe, and to the Ass for knowledge, &c. Esay 1. 3. to the Fouls of the Air for confidence, Matth. 6. &c.

The sloathful Christian, reproved. 852

[Page]

MAjor Lepidus, a loose Roman, whilst his Camerades, upon a very hot day were exercised in the Army,Ph. Bosquieri Ara Coel [...]. he laid himselfe down in the shade, saying, Utinam hoc esset laborare, I would this were all the duty that I were to do: So it may be said of many idle, sloathfull Christians amongst us; such as with Balaam, wish to dye the death of the Righteous, but they will not take any care to live the life of the Righteous; they would fain enter in at the straight Gate, but they would be loath to croud for it; they have longing desires to be in the Church triumphant, which is in Heaven, but care not whether they ever make a step or nor into that which is militant here upon earth.

Prosperity of the wicked, destructive. 853

PRosperity to the wicked is as wind to a bladder,Tho. de Prugillo, Thesaur. concion. which swels it untill it burst, like a Ship when she is top and top gallant soonest cast away; like a Spider in a Kings house, soonest swept down; When a wicked man is at the highest, then he is nearest his fall; and usually when he is in the ruffe of all his bravery, God so orders it, that he is humbled on a suddain.

Gods acceptance of Sinners through Christ.854

THemistocles on a time having highly offended K. Philip, and not knowing how to regain his favour,Plutarch in vita. goes and takes young Alexander his Sonne in his arms, and so presents himlsef before the King; which when he saw, and perceiving the young child to smile upon him, his wrath was soon appeased towards him; Thus we have all of us highly offended and provoked the King of Kings, God himselfe; Hier. Drexelii Zodaicus Christianus. What shall we do to regain his favour? No way so ready as to take his Son Christ Iesus in our arms, and upon the bended knees of our hearts, to prostrate our selves before him, and then we shall find to our comfort, that as one looking through a green or red glass, all things will seem to be of the same colour; so God looking through his Sons Righteousness upon us, will for his sake accept us for Righteous, and so be reconciled unto us.

The Christians heart never quiet till it be in Christ.855

THe Needle's point in the Seamans Compals never stands still,R. Clark. Serm but quivers and shaks till it come right against the North-pole; The Wisemen of the East never stood still, till they were right against the Star which appeared unto them, and the Star it selfe never stood still, till it came right against that other star which shined more brightly in the Manger then the Sun did in the firmament:Math. 2. 9. And Noahs Dove could find no rest for the soal of her foot, all the while she was fluttering over the floud, till she returned to the Ark with an Olive-branch in her mouth:Gen. 8. So the heart of every true Christian, which is the Turtle-dove of Iesus Christ, can find no rest all the while she is hovering over the waters of this world, till it have silver wings of a Dove, and with the Olive-branch of faith, fly to the true Noah which signifieth, Rest, till Christ put forth his hand out of the Ark, and taking it in, receive it to himself.

856 Christ, the proper food of the Soul.

[Page]

EVery kind of living Creature, Phil. Diez Sum. Pradicant. hath a kind of food proper to it selfe; offer a Lion grass, and he will have none of it, but give him flesh and he ears it; Fodder is for the heards, and the flocks of the field; but flesh for the beasts of the Woods that hunt for their prey: Thus offer a Christian heart all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory thereof, which is but as the flower of the grass, they will not down, there is no relish in them; but give it Christ, who saith, My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, then it falls to very eagerly, and makes a comfortable meal thereof

857 Prayers of the wicked ineffectuall.

IT is said of the precious stone Diacletes, Vine. Burgund Biblioth. mundi. though it have many excelling So [...]eraignties in it, yet it loseth them all if it be put into a dead mans mouth: And certainly Prayer, which is the onely Iewel of a Christian, though it have many rare vertues in it, many excellencies belonging to it; yet it loseth them every one, if it be put in a Mans mouth who is dead in sins and trespasses.

858 The ingratefull Christian, reproved.

WE would think that begger intolerably impudent,Bernandin▪ Sen [...]nsis. that coming to our doors to ask an Alms, and when we have bestowed on him some broken bread and meat; yet,Psal. 59. 15. (like those impudent persons the Psalmist speaks of, that grudge and grumble if they be not satisfied, if they have not their own will, and their own fill) Quam [...] Mortalibus beneficium perit? Sophocles in A [...] jace. he should not hold himselfe contented, unlesse he might have one of our best dishes from the Table: But this is the case of very many amongst us, We come all as so many beggers to Gods mercy seat, Quantumvis dives, dives Dei mendicus est; Annon mendicus, qui panem petis? saith S. Augustine, And God gives us abundance of many good things, as life, liberty, health of body, &c. yet we cannot be quiet, nor think our selves well, unless we be cloathed in Purple, and fare deliciously every day as such and such do, not considering in the mean time, many that are below us, and above us too, wanting those things which we comfortably enjoy.

859 The great danger of little Sinnes.

A Little rope sufficeth to hang a great Thief; Phil. Bo [...]kieri Codrus Evang. a little dross abaseth much Gold, a little poyson infecteth much wholsome liquor; a little Heresie corrupteth much sound doctrine, a little fly is enough to spoil all the Alablaster box of ointment: So the smallest sin, the least peccadillo without Gods mercy, is sufficient to damn our souls to all eternity.

860 A worldly minded Man, no heavenly minded Man.

THe Lark as long as she sits on the ground,Berchor. Moralitat. is very silen [...] and still, but being once mounted up into the air, hovering in the golden beams of the delightful Sun, then she se [...]s up her pretty little throat, and chants it out merrily: It is just so with worldly minded Men, whilst their thoughts and affections are le [...] out upon the things of the world, Mundus mundan [...] quarit [...] ▪ they are faint and dull, and as even dead to all good works; but when their minds are raised up to higher things, and their thoughts set upon Heaven, then their notes are changed, they are put into such a tune, as is both sweet and pleasant to God himself.

The great power of fervent Prayer.861

[Page]

IT is Martin Luther's saying,In Catech. ma [...]jore. That Prayer is bombarda christianorum, the christians gun-shot. As then a bullet out of a gun, so prayers out of the mouth, can go no further, then the Spirit carrieth them: if they be timidae, put out faintly, they cannot fly far; if they be tumidae, hollow-hearted, then they will not p [...]erce much: onely the fervent, humble, active devotion, hits the mark, and pierceth the walls of Heaven, though like those of Gaz [...], made of brasse and iron, &c. Esa. 45. 2.

University-Learning, to be countenanced by men in Authority.862

THe University of Cambridge hath for her Arms,Mr. Millers Serm. at St. Pauls, 1627. A Book clasped, between four Lions; and Oxford, a Book open, between three Crowns; hereby signifying, That English-men may not onely study the liberall Arts, closely and quietly, but also professe them publickly and openly, being guarded with the Lion and the Crown, protected thereby, and encouraged thereunto, by royall Charters, and princely priviledges. And thus the University of Heidelbergh hath for her Arms, a Lion holding a Book in his paw, Theophrast. Eres. de Plantis. intimating, that persons in authority, ought to be favourers of all good literature. Hence it comes to passe, that Universities are the Nurseries of all sorts of learning, like the Persian tree, which at the same time buds, and blossoms, and bears fruit; some there are ripe for the Church, others drawing on to maturity; some in the flower, others in the bud of hope; all advancing themselves for the service of God and their Country.

The life of Man, miserable▪ 863

THe life of man may very well be resembled to a River, Chr. Fonseca Ser. Quadrages. which as it comes from the Sea, so it returns thither again: And thus the beginning and ending of our daies,Nascimur in lacrymis, &c. Anonymus. may be said to be full of salt-water, full of crosses, full of misery; our first voice a cry, our last a groan. There may be happily some fair, fresh, clear water in the way, some lucida inter valla, some seeming delights and pleasures in the middle age of our life; but it passeth away so swiftly, that it is no sooner seen, but gone. Iob 4. 14.

Ministers, of all men, to be painfull in their Calling.864

ARt thou put to be a preacher of the Gospell, thou art a labourer. Elders that rule well, are worthy of double honour.In his Serm. bef [...]re K. Edward 6. Many (saies Bishop Latimer) can away with praesunt, but not with benè, if that benè w [...]re out of the Text, all were well. If a man might eat the sweet, and never sweat, it were an easie matter to be a preacher, if there were not opus, but bonum, all were well too. But every Clergyman is, or ought to be,Pensate fratres, quanta damnationis est sine labore, &c. Hie [...]on. [...]; that, as St. Augustine saies, is nomen operis; to be a steward and overseer in Gods house, is an office of great employment. Well, art thou a student in any profession? then, as Cato said of Scipio, thou must be least idle, when thou art most idle; thou must read diligently, confer often, observe daily. Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.

865 Joy, how to be regulated.

[Page]

AS an able workman, Pet. Aba [...]lard, in Rom. being to build an house, would not have too many windows, left thereby he should weaken the house too much; nor too few, left it should darken it too much: So should no man be overjoyed, upon the accesse of some prosperous fortune,P [...]ne modum L [...]tis. Stat. 2 Theb. nor over-much transported upon the income of some happy tidings; left his too much outward joy should weaken his inward rejoycing: Neither must he not rejoyce at all, left his spirit become dull and stupid. But as the windowes of the Temple were broad without, yet narrow within; so in the matter of joy, he must be full within, but somewhat contracted without.

866 The study of Divinity, most necessary.

HE that hath a Garden-plot, Joh. Spencers Ser at Sepulch. Lond. 1616. doth as well sow the pot-hearbs as the marjorom, as well the leeks as the lilly, as well the whol some hysope as the sweet carnation gilliflowre; the which he doth to this intent, that he may have wholsome hearbs, as well to nourish his inward parts, as sweet flowers, to please his outward senses; as well fruitfull plants, to refresh his body, as fair shews to please his mind. Even so,Theolegia est d [...]ctrina necessaria homini, &c. Th. Aquin p. 1. q. 1. art. 10. he that hath a capacious brain, a pregnant wit, a fancy that is luxuriant; let such a head-piece apply it self as well to the sacred knowledge of Divinity, as to Philosophy, to a Creator-knowledge, as well as a creature-knowledge, that so he may reap, not onely pleasure, but profit; not onely contentation in mind, but quietnesse and peace of conscience.

867 Severall varieties to be found in Scripture.

AS in Noah's Ark were to be numbered all sorts of creatures; or,Joh. Camero de Script. as in eodem prato, in the same meadow, the ox may lick up grasse, the hound may find a hare, the bird may pick up seeds, the virgins gather flowers, and a man find a pearl: So in one and the same Scripture, are varieties to be found, for all sorts of conditions: In them, the Lamb may wade, and the Elephant swim, children may be fed with milk, and meat may be had for stronger men; there's comfort for the afflicted, ease for those that are weary and heavy laden, &c.

868 Ministers, how to preach profitably.

AS in building of a house,Ro. Willan Visitat. Serm. in Essex, 1622. first, there must be a respect had to the scituation; next, to the foundation; then, to the superstructures, the contriving of lights, and severall rooms; lastly, the covering, to keep all dry. So every Minister is to consider the scituation of his Text,Qui ad vera praedicationis verba se praeparat, necesse est &c. Greg. in. Moral. what's the coherence, what's the context; and then omitting the working of curious cobwebs in the top of the house, he must lay the foundation of sound doctrin, raise it upon strong pillars of reason, glaze it with naturall demonstration; and lastly, to cover all with usefull application.

869 The Scriptures but a dead letter, without operation of the Spirit.

IT is reported of a great person, Pier. Charron. de la sagesse. that being desirous to see the sword wherewith Scanderbeg had done so great exploits, when he saw it, replyed, He saw no such great matter in that sword, more then any other sword. It is truth; (quoth one standing [Page] by) you see the sword, but not the arm that wielded it. So,Nisi Spiritus sanctus [...] cordi legentis, &c. Greg. in Evang. when we look upon the Scriptures, the bare word, whether printed in our Bibles, or audible in the Pulpit, we shall finde no such businesse in it, more then in other writings; but when we consider the arm of Gods power, that joynes with it, when we look upon the operation of his holy Spirit, working therein, then we shall change our thoughts, and say, Nec vox hominem sonat, O Deus certe! as Iacob did of Bethel, Surely of a certain, God is in this Word.

The falls of good Men, presage the Nation's ruine.870

WHen a man cuts down his chiefest timber-trees, Lud. Carbo Interior hom [...]. it is an argument, that he intends to part with his land. And hath not God of late cut down many of the tallest Cedars, in this our Lebanon? And what can we expect, such and so many are our wickednesses, but that he will either part with, or depart from, this sinfull Nation of ours? It is high time therefore to lay hold upon him by faith, saying, Help Lord, for there is not one godly man left, &c. Psal. 12. 1.

Neutrality in Religion, dangerous.871

THere is mention made of a kind of bastard-Eagle, Plin. Nat. hist. that hath one leg like the Goofe, close at the foot; the other open, and armed with talents, like that of the ordinary eagle: with the close foot she swimmeth on the water,Ulyss. Aldrovandus [...]itholog. and dives for fishes there; with the open foot she soareth into the air, and seizeth on her prey there. But so it is, that participating thus of two severall natures, her strength is weakened, and she her self made at last a prey to every ordinary crow. Thus fares it with all Neuters, Andr. Harwoods Ser. at S. Alphag. Lond. 1649. all Hermophrodites, all Ambo-dexters in Relig [...]on; such as have one close foot for sea and land, for the world and worldly things; and another open-foot for the aire above, for heaven and heavenly things: so that they may not be seen to float on the sea of this world altogether, they take themselves to their wing, and will seem to be religious, and make some small fluttering up of their hearts towards Heaven, but all in vain; for being divided in their thoughts, the act of their souls being not set upon the onely object, God, and the powers and faculties thereof not contracted to Himward, no marvell, if they wax faint in their duty, and weak in all holy performances; so that the devill, like the ordinary crow, set upon them, conquer them, and lead them captive at his will.

The Devill most busie in time of Prayer.872

IT is an usuall custom,Joh. Ferus Conciones. that two being at law together, when the suit comes to tryall, the Plantiff by his Counsell, labours all that he can to hinder the Defendant, that the Judge may not hear him speak out, what he is to say in his own defence. So the devill, the common plantiff and accuser of all mankind, when he sees us upon our knees in addresses unto God, who is the Judge of all the earth, pleading for our selves by prayer, and seeking the favour of God, in the remission of our sins, by the merits of his Son Christ Iesus; then doth he stir most to interrupt us, by weakening our evidence, by throwing strange thoughts into our hearts, so distracting our devotions, that we may not be heard in what we pray for.

Sense of sin, is from God onely.873

AS when the pool of Bethesda was troubled,Paul de Palatio in Matth. the poor Cripples that lay there for cure, did absolutely conclude, that it was not any naturall motion of the water,Joh. 5. 2. but an Angell that came down at a certain season, and did it: So when [Page] the heart of a sinner is troubled for his sin, let him know for his comfort, that this shaking of his soul, Natura suî conservatriae. ariseth not from any principle of corrupt nature, that will defend it self; nor from the devill, he will not destroy his own Kingdom; but from some seeds of grace, sown in the heart, which the Spirit of God greatly breathing upon, the soul is thereby made sensible of sins and transgressions committed.

874 Leud Ministers, what they are like unto.

LEud debauched Ministers, whose doctrin and lives are as distant, Ro. Willan Serm. at Visitat. in Ess [...]x. 1627 as the two Polar Lines, cosmographically described on the Globe terrestriall, are like those statuae Mercuriales on the road, that point out unto a man which is the way to London, but move not a foot thitherward themselves; like those Carpenters, that built the Ark to save others,Qui Curios [...]imulant, & Bacchanalia vivunt. and were drowned themselves; or like Porters of great mens gates, that let in others, but lodge without themselves. So that what was said of Christ falsly and malitiously, may be spoken of them really and truly, He saved others, himself he cannot save: For [...] as another by his good life, Qui sana docet & turpiter vivit, &c. Greg. Nazian. sets a seal to his doctrin, he by his bad life, puts a lie upon the truth; his words prove unprofitable, because his life is abominable.

875 Not to admit of impediments in our way to Heaven.

A Certain Heathen making an Oration,Phil. Bosquler. Tab. naufragii. as he was sacrificing to his god, in the midst of his devotion, word was brought him, that his onely son was dead: whereat being nothing at all moved, Anaxagoras. he made this answer, Scio me genuisse mortalem, I did not get him to live for ever, and so went on with his businesse. Thus when we are entring into the sight of Gods favour, it may so please him to try us by afflictions, there may newes come of a ship wrack'd at sea, of a chapman broke in the country,Gabr. Inchini. Scala c [...]li. of the death of friends and allies, &c. Yet ought we not for all this, to leave off our course in the service of him, but rather whatsoever comes crosse, make it as it were a Parenthesis, an ornament, not remora, an hinderance, in our progresse to Heaven.

576 But one sure way to Heaven.

THe Phrygian Fabulist hath a story,De Vulpe & Cato. of a Fox and a Cat, as they w [...]re discoursing their evasions in the midst of danger: I (saies the Fox) have many holes to earth in, if hindred of one, I have another to run to. Let me alone to shift for my self, to save my life, and sleep in a whole skin. Well, (saies the Cat) I must do as well as I can. I have but one way to save my life, and that's to climb for it. As they were thus conferring, the toiles were laid, the dogs began to open, the hunt was up, and the Fox for all his cunning, for all his tricks and devices, was torn in pieces by the hounds; whilst the Cat getting up into a tree, secured her self from danger. Thus, there may seem to be many waies to Heaven, Andr. Harwoods Ser. at S. Alphage Lond. 1647. but there is one onely true safe way. There's many a man in these daies, that thinks to go to God by the way of two Religions, one at home, another abroad; one publick, another private: And whilst he is thus divided, and halting betwixt two, the Hunt is up, that roaring Lion the devill laies hold upon him, and devoures him: Whereas the true, reall, well-affected Christian, cleaving close unto one God, one Faith, one Baptism, gets upon that scala coeli, and so by prayer and meditation, climbs up to Heaven, where the enemies gun-shot shall never be able to reach him.

Love of the World, enmity to God.877

[Page]

THere's no one sublunary thing in the World, can make an Eclipse of the body of the Sun, but the interposition of the Earth, Jac. Acontii Str [...]gem. Satanae. betwixt it and the Moon: So there's nothing can eclipse the Sun of Righteousnesse, Christ Iesus, but the Earth, the love of earthly things, the love of this world being Enmity to God;Mundi amor & Dei, pariter in uno corde habitare non possunt, &c. Cyp. If then our Conscience tell us, that the love of some worldly matter hinders our confidence, darkens our knowledge, and clouds our understanding, so that we cannot see God as he is; let us remove it, and stand up from the dead, that Christ may give us light.

The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions &c.878

IT was a very malicious plot of the Philistines, to stop the Wells of Abraham, Fr. Whites Way to the true Church. and to fill them up with earth, that so the memoriall of them might be quite dam'd up, whereby Isaac his Son might not have the least inkling that ever they belonged to his Father, and so they make a challenge to them as their own. Thus the Papists have (as much as in them lies) stopped up the veines of the springs of life, Gen. 26. 18. which flow every where in the sacred word of God, with the earth of their own Traditions, false glosses, and unfit Allegories; all this to Monopolize the Bible to their own use, shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven, neither entring themselves, nor suffering others to enter therein.

Who fit for Government in point of temporall estate.879

VVHen Servius Sulpitius Galba, and Aurelius the Consull,Val. Max. lib. 6. 14. did strive in the Senate, which of them should be sent into Spain against Viriatum; the Senators differing amongst themselves, and waiting which way Scipio would encline, he said; I give my voice that neither of them be sent: his reason was this, alter nihil habet, alteri nihil sat est, the one hath nothing, and the other will never have enough; intimating thereby, that it was a dangerous thing to put the Government either into the hands of a rich wretch, B. Smith Serm. or a wretched poor man: And most true it is, that the ballance of Iustice, whether it be in the hands of a covetous rich man, or a man of a low estate, it will be very apt to tite on one side; Necessitas cogit ad turpia, poverty is a great temptation to corruption, and Riches an incentive to oppression: one therefore qualified like Agur in his prayer, that hath neither Poverty nor Riches, but a competent estate, is fit for the management of great affairs,Prov. 31. and the most likely to do justice according to the merits of the cause before him.

The unthankfull Husbandman, condemned.880

THe Heathens when they went to plow in the morning,Joh. Wheems Ceremon. Law. they laid on one of their hands to the stilts of the plough, and they lifted up the other to Ceres, the Goddess of Corne; this did they do by the dim light of Nature: What a sad thing then is it in such times of light, that so many Husbandmen manuring the ground,Vivite contenti casulis & collibus if [...]is. Juvenal. 14. should be but as so many fungi, [...], sprung up out of the ground, like Toad-stools, affixi glebae, filii terrae, having their minds fixed to the Earth, never elevating them higher then the Oxe which laboureth with them? but had they hearts to look up to God, and to eye him in the wayes of his providence, O beat [...]s Agricolas, how happy would they be?

881 The providence of God, to be eyed at all times.

[Page]

WHen Lazarus was dead,Newsham's Serm. at Fun. of Sr. F. Vincent. his two Sisters, Martha and Mary came to Christ with a doleful noyse, and pittifull complaint, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not dyed, (saith one); Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not dyed, (said the other) Ioh. 11. 21, 32. And is not this the note and common language of the world, when a Man is dead? if such a Phisitian had been here, if he had been let blood, if he had not taken such a potion, or eat of such meat, or lived in such a [...]oggy air; Providentiâ Dei omnia gubernantur, &c. Hieron. in Ezek. if he had not done thus or thus, or so and so, he might have been a live man to this day; not considering with Iob, that the dayes of Man are determined, and his bounds appointed which he cannot passe, the time, the place, and every circumstance of his dissolution is decreed from all Eternity, that one Man dyes in the field, another in his bed; one at Sea, another on the shore; one in this manner, another in that; this, and all this, it is fore-ordained in Heaven, the hand of God is in all, and he it is that having brought us into the World at his pleasure, will take us hence at his own appointment.

882 To make Christ our Lord and Master.

IT is said of Mr. George Herbert that divine Poematist,Preface to his Poems. that to satisfie his Independency upon all others, and to quicken his diligence in Gods service; he used in his ordinary speech, when he made mention of the blessed name of Iesus, to add, my Master; And without all doubt, if men were unfeignedly of his mind, their respects would be more to Christ's command, to Christ's will, to Christ's pleasure; could they but lift up their eyes to God, to him that dwells in the Heavens; then as eyes of servants look unto the hands of their Masters, and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hands of her Mistress, Psalm. 12. 32. so would their eyes wait upon, and their hearts be in a dutiful frame of obedience unto the commands of Christ their Lord and Master.

883 A wanting Ministery will soon become a contemptible Ministery.

PLutarch in his Moralls,Plutarch. Moral. tells us of a Laconian, who seeing a Collector going about, and gathering the Peoples devotions for the use of their Gods; O sayes he, I will now make no more reckoning of the Gods, so long as I see them go a begging, and to be poorer then myselfe: And this will be the case of the service of the great God of Heaven, if ever we live to see that the Ministers maintenance shall depend upon the Peoples courtesie, or that ever the off alls of any repining Labans revenues, or churlish Nabals purse, become the stay of the Ministerial function: This may be so by Gods permission, yet, great pitty it is that ever it should be so; but if it must needs be so, then take another story by the same Author, of one Philippus, a Priest amongst the Heathen, Tho. Adams Serm. so poor, that he begg'd for his living, and yet he would go about and tell how happy he should be; When, quoth one, will this be? When I am dead, saies he; Then poor fellow, quoth the other, thou art too blame thou dyest not quickly, that thou maist be happy; And thus it will be with the poor, despised, distressed Ministers of the Gospel of Iesus Christ; The Lord is our portion, (say they) and we shall be happy; Ecclesiam frudare sacrilegum est. Hieron▪ ep. 31. but when? sayes the World; When we dye, say the Ministers; Why then, sayes the World, ye are too blame that ye [...] dye not quickly to be happy in Heaven, whom the World hath taken an order with, never to he happy upon Earth; this will be the voice of the Sons of Belial, who have an evill will at Sion, and had rather put a Church into their purse, then any way empty their purse towards the Churches maintenance.

God to have the glory of all.884

[Page]

THat Martial King Edward the third outwent his fame,Polyd. Virgil. lib. 19. and was accompted to have done things more commendable then his Victoryes; for having vanquished the French King by force of battle, he put off from himselfe the whole glory, and gave it devoutly to God, causing to be sung Non nobis Domine, non nobis Domine, Not unto us Lord, not unto us, Lord, but unto thy name be the glory given, &c. Psalm. 115. 1. And thus must every one do, be his atchievements never so great, whether private or publique, let God have the glory of all; for it is no less then blasphemy in Man, to attribute either the strength or the glory of success unto himselfe; St. Pauls omnia possum had been over-presumptuous, had he not added, by him that strengthneth me. Phil. 4.

How it is that one Man censureth another.885

THat divine Spaniard in his pleasant,Pag. 1. lib. 3. cap. 5. but useful fictions of the life of Gusman makes his Rogue wittily discourse of the unconscionable [...]ss of the Genowayes, and their prying into, and censuring of other mens lives; That when they are young, and go first to School, they play away, and lose their Consciences, which their Master finding,R. Burton of Melancholly. he layes them up carefully in a Christ; but because he hath the keeping of so many, and they mixed one with another, he gives to his Schollers when they go away, such Consciences as come first to hand, which they take to be their own, but are indeed somebodies else; Whence it comes to pass, that no man bearing his own Conscience in his own bosome, every Man looks and pryes into that of another Mans: The truth of this story may be questioned, but the Morall is true without all question, and we have need sometimes of such pleasant passages to tell us the truth,Aliena judicantes meliùs quam [...]ua. Terence. that we may understand our selves the better: There's hardly the Man to be found, that is not curious in other Mens faults, blind in his own, partial to himself, never without matter against others, still complayning of the badnesse of the times, the decay of Trade, the ripenesse of sin, but will not be perswaded that he is any way the occasion of the same.

To be thankfull to God as well in Adversity as Prosperity.886

THemistocles was wont to tell his ingratefull Country-men the Athenians, Plutarch in vita. that they used him like a shady Tree, under which when a storm happened, they would run and take shelter; but when the storm was over, they would be ready to cut it down and burn it: When there were any Tumults or uproares in the Common-wealth, who but Themistocles? all the People would flock to Themistocles for succour; but when there was a calm in the State, and all things at peace through his good advice and industry, then who more base? Who more contemptible then poor Themistocles? And is not this the case of many at this day? they will pray unto God in time of Adversity, but they will not praise God in time of Prosperity, While the corn is growing,Joh. Preston of Mortification the hedge is well fenced, but when it is in'd, the fields are thrown open; when they stand in need of any blessings, then they are all upon the spur, somewhat carefull to please God; but when they have caught what they fished for, Si ven [...]rint mala, bene dicite, &c. Chrysost, in Symb. then they let the reyns slack, & are not so forward in the ways of obedience; so that it is a great blessing of God that we are kept in want of one blessing or other, were it otherwise, he were likely to have but a little of our company.

[Page]

[...]

[Page]

[...]

887 The doctrine of Seducers dangerous.

[Page]

VVE may read of a Woolfe taken in a snare, which when a Man went about to kill with his hunting speare,Joh. Alsted Theol. nat. p. 2. cap. 28. p. 556. the Woolfe breathed in his face, and poysoned him in such a manner, that he presently began to swell all over his body, and was very hardly recovered again: Such is the contagion which the soul of the Hearer receives by the poysoned breath of Seducers doctrine; if so be that coming near such kind of Vermine, R. Abbots Serm. at Cranburn in Kent. a Man do not wind them, that is, not draw up into his Soul the sweet breathings of the Spirit, it is great odds but that he is totally infected thereby to the irreparable loss both of soul and body toge [...]her.

888 God seeketh his People more especially in his own House, the Church.

VVHen we receive summons from any supream Authority, Dr. Laurence Serm. at Court, 1629. the Messenger or Offi [...] of the Court, seeks us not in idling places, he pursues us not into the fields, neither doth he come to our sports to warn us, but to our houses, and there reads his message as if we were there, because we should be there, and then without any further enquiry, departs, fastning the script or writ upon the door▪ In like manner the Ministers of the Gospel are Gods Ambassador, and Gods Messengers: God supposeth every Man to be at home, 2 Cor. 5. 10. Mal. 2. 7. and so do they, because at hours and times set apart for his worship, they are presumed to have no houses but his house, whom they shall meet no where, nor more certainly find than there; there it is that more especially when two or three are met together in his name, he will be in the midst of them, there he will teach them his wayes, and there he will give them grace too,Hist. lib. 1. cap. 15. to walk in his waies; nor can a Sermon have any influence upon such as are not there; so true is that of venerable Bede, That he that comes not willingly to Church, shall one day go unwillingly to Hell.

889 The sincere Preachers comfort.

IN a great Festivall, when the expectation was not less then the concourse, both very great,Gill [...]bert in vita ejus. St. Bernard having preached a very eloquent Sermon, (as that heavenly tongue was able beyond expectation) while the People admire and applaud, the Abbot walks sadly with a mind not ordinarily dejected: The next day he preaches a lively Sermon full of profitable truth, plain, without any Rhetorical dress, whereupon his meaner capacited Auditors went away very well contented, but curious itching ears were unsatisfied, but he walks cheerfully with a mind more then usually pleasant. The people wonder why he should be sad, when applauded; and when not,R. Holdsw. Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1626. merry; but he returns this answer, Heri Bernardum, hodiè Iesum Christum, yesterday I preached Bernard, but to day Iesus Christ: It is the same with all Preachers of Gods word: There can be no feast within, when a Man is conscious to himself of dallying with God; Integrity is that which furnisheth out the sweet banquet and heavenly repast of joy: That Preacher shall have m [...]st comfort, that preacheth most of Christ; Franc. Godwinus de Praes. lib. Angliae. and so shall he too that lives most to Chr [...]st, when a rotten-hearted Wolsey, whose Conscience tells him, he served the King his Master better then God his Maker, shall languish away in discontent, and vexation of spirit.

God afflicts his Children for their good 890

[Page]

IT is the observation of an excellent Preacher yet living, who passing by on a dark night in the streets of London, T. F. in a Ser. of Assurance. and meeting a youth who had a lighted Link in his hand, who being offended thereat, because it burnt so dark and dim; and therefore the better to improve the light thereof, he beat, bruised, and battered it against the wall that the weike therein might be spread out, and the pitch with other combustible matter (which before stifled the light with its over-stifness,)Aurem cordis tribulatio aperit quam saepe prosperitas claudit. Greg. in moral. might be loosened, which presently caused the link to blaze forth in a bighter flame: Thus God deals with our Souls, that they may shine the brighter before Men, he buffets and afflicts us with severall Temptations, to give us occasion to exercise those graces, which otherwise would lye dormant within us, and such corrections will in fine greatly add to our spirituall light and lustre.

The Godly Man is Gods favourite.891

LUther was known to pray oft with intention of mind,Joh. Sleidain. Comment. and zealous fervency, that so long as he lived, Germany might be quiet, and had often profest that he firmly believed it would be so, that so Gods word might have a little Freedom and space to spread it self; Whereupon one Nich. Mark, a Citizen of Francfort, was wont as oft as he heard of any rumours of War, to say; I fear it not so long as Luther lives; this was the esteem that Luther had of all good Men, they thought that God would deny him nothing:Ephr. Udall's Serm. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1634 And certainly the Godly man is Gods favourite, God will hear him in a time of trouble, it is he that must stand in the gap to prevent, and that must stand up to take off the hand of God when it lies heavy upon a sinful Nation or People, be the Judgement near or afar off, imminent or [...] cumbent, it is the godly man (if any) that must be instrumentall for delivery.

Christians and their Knowledge, to be communicative.892

THe Naturalists do observe, that the Pismires, Plin. nat. hist. which are reckoned amongst the most sagacious creatures; and the Bees, which are amongst the most usefull; and the Elephants, Tho: Muffety Hist. Insectorum. amongst the potent, are for communion, and do gather and keep together: And the excellency of other creatures, lies in the communication of themselves, the Sun raying out his warm and cherishing beams, the Fountain bubling out his purling streams, the Earth yielding forth soveraigne herbs and plants, all for the benefit of others. Such are all true Christians, they are then in their excellency, when they are communicative and usefull; nay, they encrease by communicating, and gain by giving away,Pet. Mart. hist. Indiae occident. and imparting their gifts. There is a story, of some mountains of Salt in Cumana, which never diminished, though carried away in much abundance by the Merchants; but when once they were monopolized, to the benefit of a private purse, then the salt decreased, till afterwards all were allowed to take of it, it had a new accesse and encrease. The truth of this story may be uncertain,Reyn. de Pisis Pantheologia. but the application is true, He that envies unto others the use of his gifts, decaies them; but he thrives most, that is most diffusive.

The waies of Hypocrites, not easily traced.893

AN horse may be known by the track, and where a cart hath gone, you may perceive by the print of the wheel: but we know not the way of a ship, though Hondius, Mercator, and others, have delineated in their Maps, the severall voyages [Page] of Captain Drake, Cavendish, Scouten, &c. yet the marriner can see no such path upon the fea,Sam. Torshel Hypocrisie unmask'd. as they have drawn out. Such are the waies of all hypocrites, though a man may have some directions and marks to follow them, yet may he misse of them at the very last: you may search all the rooms of their hearts, and yet be at a l [...]sse; they have secret and back doors to go out at, they are cunning to keep their secrets, Vincent. Specul. l. 25. c. 10 as an harlot doth her lover. The sister of the Emperour Henry the third, when a great snow fell, carried her lover upon her shoulders, that the fact might not be discovered; the lover is entertained, [...]ntus Nero, foris Cato. but nothing can be seen but the print of the Ladies feet; and the hypocrite harbours his lust, but there is nothing to be found but the steps of the upright in heart. It is harder to discover the rottennesse of his soul, than the tricks of a horse-courser, in the open market of Smithfield.

894 Mans Inconstancy.

THere is a Fable,Sam. Torshel ut ante [...]. how that Inconstancy would needs have her picture drawn, but none would undertake it, because her face and shape altered so often: But at length, Time took a pencill in hand, and because he had no other Table to do it upon, he printed her picture upon Man: And most true it is, that all men and women since that time, have had too much of her resemblance, & too too many men have her very face to the life;H [...]rod [...]s devotionem promittit, sed gladium acuit. Chrysost. they will be religious, and they will not be religious; there's no body knowes what they will be, nor what to make of them; they are constant in nothing but inconstancy, they have their gales of devotion, their breathings of love, one while; at another time, when the fit is upon them, then there's nothing but lumpishnesse of spirit, and dulnesse of affection; now, faithfull to their promise; anon, fallen off, for one by-respect or other.

895 The sincere Preacher's courage.

THere was a Noble-man,Abrah. Musculus in [...] patris. one Reinard, at Rotenburgh, that much loved Wolfg. Musculus, and was very tender of his safety, as knowing that he had many enemies, because of his revolt from Popery: and perceiving that he was gone abroad (as his use was) into a village to preach, he disguising himself, because he would not be known, and taking many of his Horse-men with him, came rushing in at the Church-door, and in a threatning manner bids him come out of the Pulpit; Musculus thinking they had been the servants of a Popish Bishop, Sam. Torshel ut [...]. who was his violent Adversary, desired he might have leave to finish his Sermon, and then he would go with them whithersoever they would carry him; And so he went on being nothing at all daunted, exhorting the People to constancy in the faith; and withall to pray for him, who was now (as he thought) in his Enemies hands: When Sermon was done, the Nobleman discovers himselfe, hugs him in his arms, admires his courage, tells him he did it to try his spirit, and withall to warne him how easily he might be endangered: See here the courage of sincerity, how the Righteous are as bold as Lions; —hic m [...]rus a [...]en [...]us esto, Nil con [...]cire [...]bi, &c. Vigil. It is a gracious God and a good cause that supports them; but on the other side, How do the wicked fear? even where no fear is, he hath nothing at all left to sustaine him, nothing to cover his head when the Cloud breaks in upon him, yea before the appearance of any actuall trouble, he creates both feares and jealousies to himself, sonus excitat omnis suspensum, he trembles at every motion.

To make God our Counsellor.896

[Page]

AN ancient able Divine, reports it of Sir Thomas Thin a Religious western Knight, M. Ber [...]ard of Barcomb. that he would undertake [...]o business before he was fully perswaded of the lawfulness of it, both by clear Texts of Scripture, and approbation of the Learned; he made scruple of committing not onely the least known sin, but of embarking into any action which was questionable amongst those that love the truth in sincerity; This was in him a good frame of spirit, and it were heartily to be wished, that Mens actions were sutable to their professions; Quicquid vel dicious vel facimus, id testimonio Script [...] rae confirmari debet. Basil. in Reg. mon. that they would consult with God in all things, that as they carry a Bible in their hand, so they would make that their Master to direct them, not listening to the close whisperings of the Iesuite in one ear for matters of Religion, or to Nicholas the Florentine at the other ear in point of Policy; but in all the changes and chances of this mortal life▪ commit themselves to Gods guidance, and so they shall be sure to prosper.

Minding of the great day of Judgement, a meanes to live Godlily.897

WHen Sapores King of Persia raised a violent persecution against the Christians, Usthazanes an old Nobleman, a Courtier,Pet. Pizarus de r [...]bus Per [...]cis. that had Sapores Government in his minority, being a Christian was so terrified, that he left off his profession: But he sitting at the Court-gate, when Simeon an aged holy Bishop was leading to prison, and rising up to salute him, the good Bishop frowned upon him, and turned away his face with indignation, as being [...] to look upon a Man that had denyed the faith: Usthazanes fell a weeping, went into his Chamber, put off his courtly attire, Nihil est quod mag is proficiat ad vitam [...]onestam quàm ut credam [...]s Christum judicem &c. Ambros. and brake out into these or the like words; Ah, how shall I appear before the great God of Heaven whom I have denyed, when Simeon but a Man will not endure to look upon me; if he frown, how will God behold me, when I come before his Tribunal? The thought of Gods Iudgement seat wrought so strongly upon him, that he recovered his spiritual strength, and dyed a glorious Martyr: Thus, did but Men consider that they must one day stand before the bar of Gods Tribunal, B. Winui [...]e's at Court, 1637. they would then be casting up how things stood betwixt him and their own Souls; Would any man loyter away the day, when he knows that he must shew his work to his Master at night? Let every Man then in all his doings reme [...]ber his end, and so he shall never do amiss; remember that all must come to a reckoning in that great day, and that though here in this world, a Man may wear white gloves upon foul hands, and a crooked body may be bolstered under a silken gown; yet when they shall consider that these gloves shall be plucked off in that day, and the body be shewed naked before God, with whom they shall then have to do, it will be a meanes to order and regulate their lives, so that their appearance may be with comfort.

The great power of faith seated in the heart of Man.898

THe Philosoper when he would perswade the King to settle his Court and place of residence in the heart of his dominion, Joh. Bodin. de [...]. laid before him a Bull hide ready tan'd, upon which when he stood upon any one side of it, and so kept down that, the other side would rise up; when he removed to the side that rose up and kept down that, Quid non inveniat fides? Attingit inaccessas, deprehendit ignotas. &c. Bern. in Cant. then the side he came from would rise as high; but when he stood in the middle, he kept down all alike: Thus Faith is this great King, which being seated in the Heart, makes provision against every Rebellion, keeps down every mutiny, marshals and orders every action and affection, takes a Man off from all servile dependances, and by-respects, and makes him profess Gods name boldly, evenly, and [Page] without halting; it cleanseth the whole heart, seasons every affection, alters the taste of every appetite, strengthens every propension to good, and fortifies the Soul against all evill.

899 Blasphemous language condemned.

CAto being very much struck in years, T. Fullers Serm. at St. Clem. Lond. 1647. would by all means study the Greek tongue, and being asked by one, Why in his old age he would set upon such an exotick language; O (said he) I am informed that the Greek is a copious and fluent tongue, and withall, such a tongue as the Gods speak in; I would therefore learn it, that I may be able to converse with the Gods in their own Dialect:Non minus pec [...]ant, qui blasphemant Christum regnantem in coelis, quàm qui crucif [...]xerunt ambulantem in terris. August. This was Catoes conceit in those darker times of Nature; but there is a generation amongst us in these clearer times of Grace, Ranters, Roaring boyes, such as are great proficients in all manner of blasphemous language, such as belch out nothing but oathes, and direful execrations, in the very face of Heaven; What can this else be, but to practise here on Earth, what by a sad Prolepsis they are sure to come to hereafter, that is, to be roaring boyes and girls in Hell to all eternity.

900 Drowsiness in Prayer to be avoided.

IT is reported of Queen Katharine, Nich. Caussin la Cuan. seincte. Dowager of King Henry the eighth, that in her devotions to God, she was poplite flexo nudo &c, on her bended knees, naked upon the bare floore; it was without doubt that she might be the more watchfull over her heart,Sit oratio pura fervida, &c. Prosper. which otherwise might be apt to slumber, and take a nod in the performance of so holy a duty: It is not hereby meant, to take away the use of Cushions, but to mind us that we do not lay cushions of sloath under our knees, nor pillowes of idleness under our elbowes, nor to be drowsily devoted, but to be active and sprightly upon the bended knees of our hearts, when we approach unto God in the spirituall exercises of Prayer and heavenly meditation.

902 The least measure of true faith, rewarded.

A Man having many Children, Joh. Gor [...] Ser. at St. Peters Cornhill Lond. 1631. and one amongst the rest a small undergrowth, a very weakling; Doth he cast off this child? doth he cease to be a Father therefore? No, his bowels are the more enlarged, he provides for it, supports it, cherisheth it more than all the rest, till in some measure it be enabled to help it selfe: Thus God, if we be weak in faith, though we be but as younglings of Christ's flock, we must not therefore be discouraged, he will take care of us, not cast us off, he hath a Crown for the least works; Rev. 2. if there be but singultus fidei, a sob or a sigh of faith; nay which is less, if but a pant of faith present it self, Surgam dicit Dominus, &c. I will up (saith the Lord) help them and set them at rest:Psal. 2. yet further, which is the least of all, though the pulse of faith beat not at all, though David be like a deaf Man, that heareth not, or as one that is dumb, not opening his mouth; yet God will look down from his Sanctuary and make deliverance for David, Psal. 102. as he did also for t [...]e poor Man sick of the Palsie, Mat. 19. 2.

903 Hypocrisie, the generality of it.

THe Emperour Frederick the third,Imperat. vitae. Plutarch Apophthegm. who when one said unto him, he would go find some place where no Hypocrites inhabited; he told him, He must travell then far enough, beyond the Sauromatae, or the frozen Ocean; and yet when he came there, he should find an Hypocrite, if he found himselfe there: And it is true,Esa. 19. 15. that omnis homo Hypocrita, every Man is an Hypocrite. Hypocrisie is a lesson [Page] that every Man readily takes out, it continues with age, it appeares with infancy,Sam. Torshel [...]t ante [...]. the wise and learned practise it, the duller and more rude attain unto it; All are not fit for the Wars, Serpit hodie putrid [...] [...]. by hypocri [...], &c. Berna [...]d. Learning must have the pick't and choycest w [...]s, Arts must have leasure and pains, but all sorts are apt enough, and thrive in the mystery of dissimulation; The whole throng of Mankind is but an horse-fair of Cheaters, the whole world a shop of counter [...]eit wares, a Theater of Hypocriticall disguises.

The justice of God what it is, and how defined.903

IN the Raign of King Edward the first,Th. Walsing. ham. Hist. there was much abuse in the alnage of all sorts of Drapery, much wrong done betwixt Man and Man, by reason of the diversity of their measures, every Man measuring his cloath by his own yard, which the King perceiving,Ephe. 1. 5. being a goodly proper Man, took a long stick in his hand, and having taken the length of his own arm, made Proclamation through the Kingdom, that ever after the length of that stick should be the measure to measure by,Tho. Fullers Serm. at St. Clem. Lond. 1647. and no other: Thus Gods Iustice is nothing else but a conformi [...]y to his being, the pleasure of his Will; so that the counsell of his Will, is the standard of his Iustice, whereby all Men should regulate themselves as well in commutative, as distributive Ius [...]ice, and so much the more Righteous than his Neighbour shall every Man appear, by how much he is proximate to this Rule, and lesse Righteous as he is the more remote.

Iustification by Christ, the extent of it.904

AS the Sun by his beams doth not onely expell cold, Reyn [...] de Pisis Pantheologia. but works heat and fruitfulnesse also: Thus in the Iustification of a sinner repenting, there's a further reach then [...]ollere peccata, the taking away of sin, there is also infusion of grace and virtue into the sinners heart. The father of the Prodigall did not onely take off all his Sons rags, but put on the best he had, and a Ring on his finger; And to say truth, our Iustification doth not consist onely in the taking away of sin, but in the imputation of Christs Righteousness and obedience; for though the act be one, yet for the manner it is two-fold: 1. By priva [...]ion. 2. By imp [...]tation.

How is it that the proceedings of God in his Justice, are not so clearly dis [...]erned.905

TAke a streight stick, and put it into the water, then it will seem crocked, Why because we look upon it through two mediums, T. Fuller ut ant [...]a. air and water, there lies the deceptio visus, thence it is that we cannot discern aright: Thus the proceedings of God, in his Iustice, which in themselves are streight without the least obliquity seem unto us crooked; that wicked men should prosper, and good men be afflicted; that the Israelites should make the bricks, and the Egyptians dwell in the houses; that servants should ride on horse-back, and Princes go on foot; these are things that make the best Christians stagger in their judgements▪ And way,R. William's Serm. at Fun. of L. Bayning 1629. but because they look upon Gods proceedings though a double medium of Flesh and Spirit, that so all things seem to go cross, through indeed they go right enough: And hence it is that Gods proceedings in his justice are not so well discerned, the eyes of Man alone being not competent jugdes thereof.

906 Resolution in the cause of God, very requisite.

[Page]

IOhn Duke of Saxony, Cyriac. Spangenberg. in chron. who might have had the World at will, if he would not have been a Christian, resolved rather to pass by much difficulty, nay rather death it selfe, then [...]o desert the cause of God, which afterward he did heroically maintain against all opposition in three Imperiall Assemblies; And when it was told him that he should lose the favour of the Pope, and the Emperour, and all the world besides, if he stuck so fast to the Lutheran cause; Here are two wayes, said he, I must serve God or the World, and which of these do you think is the better? And so put them off with this pleasant indignation: Neither would he be ashamed to be seen which way he chose to go; for when at the publique Assembly of the States of the Empire, it was forbidden to have any Lutheran Sermons, he presently prepared to be gone, and profest boldly, He would not stay there, where he might not have liberty to serve God: Jer. Whitakers Ser. at Westm. 1644. Thus must every good Christian be throughly resolved for God, and for the truth which he takes up to profess, Resolution must chain him as it did Ulisses to the Mast of the Ship, must tye him to God that he leap no [...] over-board, and make shipwrack of a good Conscience, as too too many have done; It is Resolu [...]ion that keeps Ruth with her Mother, it makes a Man a rocky promontory, that washes not away, though the Surges beat upon him continually; Resolution in the waies of God is the best aggio [...]ta of a Christian, and a resolved Christian is the best Christian.

907 To be carefull in the censure of others.

IT is reported of Vultures, Ulisses Aldro. vand. Or [...]itholog. that they will fly over a Garden of sweet flowers, and not so much as eye them, but they will seize upon a stinking carrion at the first sight; In like manner Scarabs and F [...]yes will passe by the sound flesh; but if there be any gall'd part on the horses back, there they will settle. Thus many there are that will take no notice at all of the commendable parts and good qualities of others;Sam. Torshel H [...]pocrite dis [...]overed. but if the least imperfections shall appear, there they will fasten, them they will be sure to single out of the croud of Virtues, and censure; but let such know, that Aquila non capit muscas, the Eagle scorns to catch at flyes, so that they discover what dunghill breed they are come of, by falling and feeding upon the raw parts of their brothers imperfections, without any moderation at all.

908 Prejudice in Judgement, very dangerous.

THe mad Athenian standing upon the shore,Ro. Willam's Serm. at Visita [...]. in Essex, 1627. thought every Ship that came into the Harbour to be his own: Pythagoras Schollars were so trained up to think all things were constituted of Nombers, that they thought they saw Nombers in every thing: Thus prejudice in judgement, and prejudicate opinions, like coloured Glass, make every thing to seem to be of the same colour, when they are looked through; And it is most true, that when Men have once mancipated their Iudgements to this or that error, then they think every thing hits right, whether pro or con, that is in their fancy; all the places of Scripture that they read, all the doctrinall parts of Sermons that they hear, make for their purpose; and thus they run into monstrous absurdities, and dangers inevitable.

909 The Hypocrite Characteristically laid open.

HYpocrites are like unto white Silver, but they draw black lines? they have a seeming [...]anctified out-side, Erasmi. Similia but stuff'd within with malice, worldiness, [Page] intemperance; like window cushions made up of Velvet, and perhaps richly embroydered, but stuff'd within with Hay; Sam. Torshel Hypocrite cured Or like some mockbegger halls, or houses in the Country that are built with lofty Turrets, that are presently in the Travailers eye; and if they draw nearer to view, they find them built with stately Porches, neat Galleries, fine Stair-cases, curious Gate-houses, but not one convenient lodging Chamber, nor any Hospitality at all; They have much to entertain the Passenger, Herodes devotionem promittit, sed gladium acuit. and the Viewer; they will entertain you with fine notions, choice discourses; but if ye dwell with them, ye shall find very ill accommodation, ye shall hear of them as ye ride through the Country, they have the name amongst Professors, they carry it away from others:Chrysost. in Math. 2. but you shall experience it, that they are not such as are spoken, they are not furnished indeed to be Hospitable to the weary Christian, they cannot close with any godly spirit, because they move by a clean contrary Principle.

The policy of Tyrants, in doing many good things for the publique.910

RIchard the third, that great Master of mischief, as Sir Walt. Raleigh stiles him, having made his way to the Crown through an Ocean of innocent bloud, by the advice of his Parliament,In praefatione, Hist. mund. enacted many good Laws, (as yet unrepealed) for the benefit of the People, as the setling of Trade, damning the grievous tax of Benevolence, V [...]ltu tyrannus est quidem [...] rectifying the credit of Iurors, &c, Thus have done all Tyrants from time to time, they knowing that their actions stink in the nostrils of God, and the World, do so perfume them with favours, and spice them with acts of grace, that the People can hardly scent them, and by this means ingratiate themselves in such manner, they that work their own safety.

To make good use of Opportunity.911

IN times of dearth, the poor Man picks up every grain of Corne that falls besides; O saith he,Quirin. Salazar. Com. in Proverb. it is dear, none must be lost: but he that should in the time of Famine give his corn to the Hogs, were worthy to be hanged at his own barn-door: So are they worthy to lose the reward of weldoing, that lose the opportunity thereof; Let no Man omit to do seasonable courtesies, because the least crum of time wherein a man may have occasion to do good, is not to be lost, the salve must not be deferred, —data tempore prosunt. Ovid. till the s [...]re doth putrifie, nor the potion kept back till the patient be endangered; A penny given now, may do more good then an hundreth pounds hereafter, serò d [...]t qui roganti dat, those benefits are slow of foot, that come not till they are called for.

Not to talke of our good Deeds.912

A Friend of Caesars had preserved a certain Man from the Tyranny of that Triumvirate proscription, Tacitus. but he did so talke of it, that the poor Man was enforced to exclaim, Redde me Caesari, Prethee restore me up to Caesar again, I had rather undergo a thousand deaths, than to be thus continually upbrayded by thee with my life: And to say truth, the frequent commemoration of a benefit doth wrack the mind of him that doth receive it.Eximi [...] est virtus praestare [...] lentia rebus. We must not therefore make our selves the trumpet of our benevolence, nor enter our liberalities upon Record, or in a Calender register the dayes of our good deeds; the Ovid. l. 2. ar [...] but let them be like Iohn Baptist, the speaking son of a dumb parent, speak to the necessity of our brother, but dumb in the relation of it to others;Dan. Tuvills Essayes. It is for triobolary Empiricks to stage themselv [...]s in the Market, and recount their cures, and for all good Christians to be silent in their cha [...]itable transactions.

913 God, a mercifull God.

[Page]

THere happens sometimes in England such Assizes as are called the Maiden-Assizes, Tho. Fullers Serm. at St. Clem. Lond. 1650. that is, when the offences brought to the bar, do not reach to the taking away of life, so that there is not any Execution: Whereupon the high Sheriffe of the County presents the Iudges at their departure with white Gloves, to wear in commemoration of the mercies then shewed to offenders, which perhaps by the strict rule of Iustice might have been cut off: Such an Assizes as this God now keeps,Quid est peccatum ad Dei miserecordiam? Tel [...] [...]rane [...], &c. Chryso [...]t. in Psalm. 50. we sin daily, we offend hourly, and therefore guilty of death eternall; but God woes, and entreats us to come in, promiseth life eternall, nay binds it with an Oath, As I live, saith he, I will not the death of a sinner. Let us then return unto him, white han [...]s, candid thoughts, clean hearts, and then rest assured that he will look upon us, neither black with revenge, nor red with anger, but with a smooth brow, and smiling countenance, receive us into mercy:

914 Change of Government, not to be affected.

A Certain Rustick having blamed Antigonus while he lived,Conr. Lycosthenes Apoth [...] grew after some trial had of his successor, to recant his error, or to recount his crime; and digging one day in the field was questioned, What he did there? O said he, Antigonum refodio, I seek Antigonus again:Dan. Tuvill ut ante [...]. And is there not many a Man at this time, that would be glad to delve and dig for Peace, if he might have it? would be joyfull to see order and decency both in Church and State restored▪ but

Saturnus periit, perierunt & sua jura;

Sub Iove nunc mundus, jussa sequare Iovis.

Thus Englished,

Saturn is dead, his Lawes are all decay'd,

Iove rules the World, and Iove must be obey'd.

What then is best to be done? [...] Horat 1. ep. 17 seeing the day grows cloudy and over-cast, let every Man betimes withdraw himselfe to shelter, and there remain till the storm be past, not complaining of the violence of the tempest, because it may be followed with a worse, not to repine at the present Government, but take it as it is; and since he cannot reform it, by no means be induced to provoke it, leaving all to Gods good will and pleasure.

915 Like to like.

AUgustus Caesar being present at a publique prize, with his two Daughters, [...] via and Iulia, Sue [...]. in vita. observed diligently what company came to court them, and perceived that grave Senators talked with Livia, but riotous and wanton youths with Iulia, whereby he discerned their severall humours and inclinations, according to the Italian proverb,

Dimmi con chi tu vai,

Et sapro quel che fai.

Tell me with whom thou goest,

I'le tell thee what thou doest▪

[Page]And most true it is, that Custome and Company are Cousin-Germans, and that manners and meetings for the most part sympathize together; he that walks in the Sun is sure to be tan'd, Dan. Tutevils Essayes. and he that touchet [...] pi [...]ch shall be defiled, or at least he shall be thought so;Simi [...]is [...]. for all flesh will resort to their like, and every Man will keep company with such as he is himself, saith the Wiseman, ch. 10. v. 15.

A Man full of talk, full of Vanity.916

A Prating Barber asked King Archelaus how he would be trimmed, Plutarch de g [...]rrulitate, Owen Feltham's Resolves. the King replyed, Silently: Surely in much talk there cannot chuse but be much vanity, Loquacity is the Fistula of the mind, ever running and almost incurable; Let every Man therefore be a Phocion or Pythagorean, to speak briefly to the point or not at all; In ga [...]rulo, v [...] borum [...]umen, mentis gutt [...]. Stobaeus. let him labour, like them of Crete, to shew more wit in his discourse then words, and not to power out of his mouth a fl [...]ud of the one, when he can hardly wring out of his brains a drop of the other.

How to read with profit.917

AS it is not the best way for any that intendeth to make himselfe a good Statesman, to ramble and run over in his travells many Countries, J. Downham [...] Christ's [...] seeing much, and making use of li [...]tle for the improving of his knowledge, and experience in State-policy; but rather stay so long in every place, till he have noted those things which are best worthy his observation: So is it also in the travels and studies of the mind, by which if we would be bettered, in our judgements and affections, it is not our best course to run over many things slightly, taking onely such a generall view of them, as somewhat encreaseth our speculative knowledge; but to rest upon the points we read, Hoc leg [...] quo [...] Possis dic [...]re jure, me [...]m e [...]. Martial. [...]0. that we may imprint them in our memories, and work them into our hearts and affections, for the encreasing of saving knowledge; then shall we find, that one good Book often read, and thorowly pondered, will more profit, than by running over an hundreth in a superficial manner.

The severall expressions of God in his Mercies, and why so?918

AS Lawyers in this captio [...]s age of ours, when they draw up any Conveyances of Lands,Tho. Fuller▪ ut ante [...]. or ther writings of concernment betwixt party and party, are fain to put in many aequivocall terms of one and the same signification, as to have and to hold, occupy and enjoy, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, Profits, Emoluments; to remise, release, acquit, discharge, exonerate of and from all manner of actions, suits, debts, trespasses, &c. and all this to make sure work, so that if one word will not hold in Law, another may: Thus God when he shews himselfe to his People in love, he varies his expressions as he did to the Israelites, Exod. 34. 6, 7. The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodnesse and truth, keeping mercies for thousands, forgiving iniqui [...]y, transgression and sin, &c. Here's an homonomy of words, all Synonymaes; And why so? to raise up the drooping soul, to bind up the broken-hearted, that if it chance to stumble at one expression, it may be supported by another; if one word will not reach, another may; his mind is that the poor soul may rather leave then lack, when it comes to draw comfort out of the breasts of Mercy.

919 Love to Christ, how to be recovered when it is once lost.

[Page]

A Man upon the way having accidentally lost his Purse, H. Peters Ser. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1651. is questioned by his fellow-Travailler, where [...]e had it last; O, saies he, I am confident that I drew it out of my pocket when I was in such a Tow [...], at such an Inne; Why then (saies the other) there's no better a way to [...]ave it again, Psalm. 4. then by going back again to the place where you last had it. This is the case of many a Man in these loose unsetled times, they have lost their love to Christ and his truth, since their corn and wine and oyl have encreased, [...]ince outward things are in abundance added unto them; they have sleighted the light of Gods countenance, the love of Christ is defective in their souls; but when they were poor and naked of all worldly comforts, then they fasted and prayed, then they sought Gods face both early and late, nothing was more dear and precious unto them than the truth of Christ, O how they loved him! What then is to be done, to recover this lost love of Christ? back again, back again, directly where you last had it, to the sign of the broken and contrite heart, there it was that you drew it out into good words and better works, and though it be since lost in the croud of worldly imployments, there and no where else you shall be sure to find it again.

920 The generality of Gods knowledge.

IT is said of King Edward the sixth,Sir Joh. Heyward in vita. that he knew all the Ports, Havens, Harbours, and Creeks, in and about the English coasts, together with the depth and shallowes of the water, as also the severall burthens of every ship that could ride therewith safety; yet this was but a puny knowledge in that young King; when we look upon the general knowledge of God. He knows all things, all Creatures, nothing is hid from his knowledge, he knowes the thoughts of Man afar off, he knowes what he will think many years hence if he live to it;Tho. Fullers Serm. at St. Clem. Lond. 1650. he knowes the stars by their names, whereas our eyes are dim, they small, the distance great, yet his infinite essence is a vast Nomenclator of them all; such and so general is the knowledge of our all-knowing God, that he knows all things, also Simul, semel, & uno intuito, all at once, both things past, present, and to come.

921 Gods goodness, and Mans ingratitude.

IT is storyed of a certain King, Specul. Ex [...]mplorum. that fighting a desperate battle, for the recovery of his daughter injuriously stollen from him, found but ill success, and the day utterly against him; till by the valour of a strange Prince, disguised in the habite of a mean Souldier (that pittied his loss, and bore love to his daughter) he recovered both her and victory: Not long after, this Prince received some wrong in the point of houour, Tho. [...] Kempis Serm. which he deservedly prized: He made his complaint to the King, desires Iustice; the forgetfull King puts him over to a Iudge: The Prince replyes▪ Know this, O King, when thou wast lost, I stood betwixt thee and danger, and did not bid another save thee, but saved thee my selfe, Ecce vulnera! behold the scars of those wounds I bore to free thee, and thy state from ruine inevitable: And now my suit is before thee, dost thou shuffle me off to another? Such was our case, Sa [...]han had stollen our dear daughter,Greg▪ Nuza tract. [...]. our Soul, in vain we laboured a recovery; Principalities & Powers were against us, weakness and wretchedness on our side; Christ the Son of God took pitty on us, and though he were an eternall Prince of peace, disguised himselfe in the habit of a common Souldier, Induens formam servi, putting on him the likenesse of a Servant,Ingratitudo est hostis gratiae, i [...]imica salutis. Bern de 7. mis [...]re [...]ordiis. undertook the War against our too strong Enemies, set himselfe betwixt us and death, bore the w [...]unds in his own person, which should have light upon us: Now his glory is in question, his honour much concerned in the transactions of these times; We stand by, and behold it, he appeals to our censure, remembers [Page] us of the wounds, passions, sorrows, he endured for us, we put off from one another, and let the cause of him that saved us fall to the ground; W [...]o shall plead for our ingratitude? Heaven and Earth, Sea and Stars, Orbs and Elements, Angels and Devills, will cry shame upon us.

The right use that is to be made of Dreams.922

THere are many People that find out more mysteries in their sleep, Guil. Malmsburiens. Hist. than they can well expound waking; The Abbot of Glassenbury, when Ethel [...]ld was Monk there, dreamt of a Tree, whose branches were all covered with Mo [...]ks cowles, and on the highest branch, one cowle that out-to [...]t all the rest, which must be expounded the greatnesse of this Ethelwold: Somnia fallaci ludunt temeraria [...]. Tibul. 3. 4. If they dream of a green Garden, then they shall hear of a dead corps; if they dream that they shake a dead man by the hand, then there's no way but death: All this is a kind of superstitious folly, to repose any such confidence in Dreams; but if any man desire to make a right use of dreams, let it be this; Let him consider himself in his dreaming, to what inclination he is mostly carried, and so by his thoughts in the night, he shall learn to know himselfe in the day;Nat. Shures Serm. at St. Mildr. Poultrey, Lond. 1633. Be his dreams lustfull, let him exam [...]e himself, whether the addictions of his heart run not after the byas of Conc [...]piscence: Is he turbulent in his Dreams, let him consider his own contentious disposition; be his dreams revengefull, they point out his malice; Run they upon gold and silver, they argue his covetousnesse: Thus may any Man know what he is by his sleep, for lightly Men answer temptations actually waking, as their thoughts do sleeping.

Consultation with flesh and bloud, in the waies of Heaven, is very dangerous.923

LOok upon a Man somewhat thick- [...]ighted, B. Potters Serm. at St. Ma [...]y Spittle Lond. 1641. when he is to passe over a narrow bridge, how he puts on his spectacles to make it seem broader, but so his eyes beguile his feet that he falls into the brook. And thus it is that many are dro [...]ed in the whirle-pool of sin, by viewing the passage to Heaven, onely with the spectacles of [...] and blood; they think the bridge [...] broad, which indeed is narrow, the Gate to be wide, which indeed is straight, and so ruin [...] themselves for ever.

The sad condition of adding sin to sin.924

Mr. Fox in his Martyrology,Page 1404. hath a story of the Men of Cock [...]am in Lancashire: by a threatning command from Bonner, they were charged to set up a Rood in their Church; accordingly they compounded with a Carver to make it; being made and erected, it seemed it was not so beautiful as they desired it, but with the hard visage thereof scared their Children; Hereupon they refused to pay the Carver: The Carver complained to the Iustice; the Iustice well examining and understanding the matter, Tho. Adams [...]xposit. on [...]. 2. Pet. answers the Townsmen: Go to, pay the Workman, pay him, get you home, and mark you Rood better; if it be not well-favoured to make a God, it is but clapping a pair of horns on't, and it will [...]erve to make an excellent Devill: Thus when any man adds one sin to another, when they add superstitious dotage, covetous oppression, Montibu [...] accumulant [...], & [...]. Ovid. Me [...]. and racking extortion to their worldly desires, whereby they gore poor Mens sides, and let out their very heart-bloods, they shall find no peace of God to comfort, but Devil enough to confound them.

925 Preaching and Prayer, to go together.

[Page]

IT is observed by those that go down into the deep,Pet. Nonius de arte [...]avigandi. and occupy their business in great waters that when they see the Constellation of Castor and Pollux appeare both together, then it is the happy omen of a successfull voyage; but if either of them appear single, actum est de expeditione, there's small hope of thriving: Thus it is, that when Preaching and Prayer do meet together, and like Hippocrates's two twins, live arm in arm together, not all praying, and little or no preaching, as some would have it; nor all preaching, and little or no praying, as others would have it, then is offered up that Sacrifice which unto God is made acceptable:Dr. Mart. Day lect. at S. Pauls 1619 For, praying and no preaching, would not so well edifie his Church, because where Visions fail the People perish;Quam bene conveniunt? and preaching without pr [...]yer would not well beseem his Church, which is called an house of prayer, Rom. 12. 1. but both together will do exceeding well,Prov. 29, 18. the one to teach us how to pray, Mat. 21. 13. the other to fit us how to hear.

926 Man losing himselfe in the pursuit after knowledge Extraordinary.

HOunds that are over-fleet, often out-run the prey in the pursuit, or else tyred and hungry,M. Goffe Ser. at St. Mary Spittle, Lond. 1626. fall upon some dead piece of carrion in the way, and omit the game: Thus Man, who onely hath that essentiall consequence of his Reason, Capacity of Learning; though all his time he be brought up in a School of Knowledge, yet too too often lets the glass of his dayes be run out, before he know the Author he should study; hence it is, that the greatest Epicures of Knowledge (as Children new set to School,Librorum helluon [...]s. turn from their lessons to look upon Pictures in their Books) gaze upon some hard trifle, some unnecessary subtilty, and forget so much as to spell God; How great a part of this span-length of his dayes doth the Grammaticall Critick spend, in finding out the Construction of some obsolete word; or the principal verb in a worn-out Epitaph, still ready to set out a new book upon an old Criticisme? How doth the Antiquary search whole Libraries, to light upon some auncient Monument, whilst the Chronicles of the Lord, who is the Ancient of dayes, are seldom looked into? all of them so wearying the faculties of their understandings before hand by over-practising,Dan. 7. 9. that when they come at the race indeed, where their knowledge should so run that it might attain, it gives over the course as out of breath,I Cor. 9. 24. before it have begun.

927 Slanders of wicked men, not to be regarded.

LIvia wrote to Augustus Caesar, Sueton. Octa. Augustus. concerning some ill words that had passed of them both, whereof she was over-sensible; but Caesar comforted her; Let it never trouble you, that Men speak ill of us, for we have enough that they cannot do ill to us: And to say truth,Convitia quis facilè tole [...]at &c. Greg. lib. 3. moral. above Hell there is not a greater punishment, then to become a Sannio, a subject of scorn and derision: Ill tongues will be walking, neither need we repine at their violence;R. Holdsworth Serm. at Me [...]c. Chap. Lond. 1627. we may well suffer their words, while God doth deliver us out of their hands: Let it never trouble us that Men speak evill of us, for we have enough that they can do no evill to us: And withall, whilst that the Derider dasheth in a puddle, the dirt flyes about his own ears, but lights short of Innocence; the Mocker, Multi cum aliis maledicunt, sibi [...] conviti [...] faciunt. Sen. ep. 76. that casts aspersions on his brother over night, shall find them all on his own cloaths next morning.

How to be truly Humble.928

[Page]

EPaminondas that Heathen Captain,Plutarch. Apophihegm. finding himself lifted up in the day of his publique triumph, the next day went drooping, and hanging down the head; but being aked, What was the reason of that [...]is so great dejection, made answer; Yesterday I felt my selfe transported with vain glory, therefore I chastise my selfe for it to day; thus did Hezekiah; thus David; thus Peter, and many others: And so must it be with every truly humbled Man; 2 Chron. 32. 25 If he have not the proposed or fore-humility, 1 Chron. 21. 1. to levell all his thoughts at the glory of God in the suppression of all self-conceit, nor the opposed or mid humilitie, Dan. Cawdry Serm. at S. Ann Black [...]y. Lon. 1624▪ to banish all selfe-confedence and presumption uppon his own strength, let him be sure to double the imposed or after-humility, making Pride it selfe to humble him the more;Psa. 115▪ 1. And thus it was, that the Psalmist doubles, nay trebles his words, Non nobis Domine, non nobis Domine, &c. feeling some thought of Pride (like some fly) alighting upon his Soul, he beats it away with a Not unto us O Lord; If it lights a second time, he flaps it off again, Not unto us O Lord; Erubescant elati, ubi credunt locum habere superbiam &c. Cassiodo [...] in Luc. 2. but if it comes the third time, he kills it dead with the next word, Sed nomini tuo, but to thy Name give the glory; This is the exercise of a threefold Humility, and if in any of these there be a failing, the best of our actions will be so far tainted, that there will be no remedy to supply that defect, but with doubling our after-humility, that as Pride grew up out of Humility, so Humility may spring out of pride again.

Men of other Callings, not to meddle with that of the Ministry.929

BY the Lawes of the Land,Ferdinand. a person occupying the craft of a Butcher, Poultons abridgm. title Brewers, [...]utchers &c. may not use the occupation of a Tanner; and a Brewer may not deal in the occupation of a Cooper; none prescribe Physick, but such as are Doctors, at least Practitioners in the faculty; None plead at the Bar,When a Ha [...]er Will go smatter in Philosophy, Or a Pedler Wax a medler in Theology. but such as are learned in the Law: It must needs then be a great fault (as Hierom complains in an Epistle to Paulinus) when every ordinary Mechanick takes upon him exact knowledge in Theology, and will teach both Clark and Priest what they should say, what they should do; when artless Men will judge of Art, nay enter upon the work of the Ministery, instructing others,Sir T. Moore inter juvenilia. when they have need to be instructed themselves.

Charity mistaken.930

IT is reported of those Indians in Iamaicai who refusing to furnish Columbus that Genoese, Gasp. Ens. Sam. Purchase Voyages. (the first discoverer of that new American world) with provisions; but he seeing the People idolatrously devoted unto the Moon, and foreseeing her Ecclipse by his Ephemerides,Hacluitus [...]osthumus. told them; that if they did not speedily supply him, the Divine anger would suddainly consume them, a sign whereof they should see in the darkned face of the Moon within two dayes; They, silly wretches, being ignorant of the cause, were so terrified at the beholding of the Eclipse, that they came to beg pardon of him,Assentatori decemtalenta scor to talentum, sed Phil [...]sopho triob [...]um. Laert. in vit [...]C ratis. and brought him provision in abundance; He made use of their ignorance, supplyed his own necessity, and engaged them much unto us: Thus, many there are to be found amongst us simple men & silly women, ignorant of the wiles of their seducing Teachers, laying down all they have at their feet, thinking nothing good enough, all too litle to throw upon them; when (such is their preposterous zeal) they will not willingly part with a penny that is due,2 Tim. 3. 6. to maintain him that is more Orthodoxall.

932 The necessity of [...]umane Learning.

[Page]

WHen S. Paul undertook to make the Corinthians know who was the Lord God,M. Goffe. Ser. at St. Mary Spittle. Lond. he profest a wealthy variety of much other knowledge besides the Scripture, and thanks God for it, that he spake with tongues [...], more then they all did;Rom. 14. 18. he cites their own Poets amongst the then learned Athenians, and applies a Satyrical verse out of Epimenides, 1 Tit. 12. Acts 14. to reprehend the lying and bestiall manners of the Cretians; so powerfull was his language amongst the Lystrians, that he gain'd the repute of Mercury; And questionless, the sitting so long at the feet of Gamaliel, made him vas electionis, a Vessel fit to hold that divine treasure, which the Holy Ghost powred into him: It is but folly then for any one to be transported with the pangs of so indiscreet a zeal, Mat 3. 3. as to extinguish those first lamps of knowledge, polite and numane studies; for they are like the Cryer in the Wilderness before our Saviour, to prepare his way; and though they do not directly teach us to know God, yet are the fittest spectacles for unripe years, and tender sights to put on,2 Cor. 12. 2. who are not able to endure at the first, vehemens sensibile, so excelling an object as God is: It is true, that S. Paul was wrapt into the third Heavens, but God leads Men now with a more apprehensive and ordinary hand, then either by taking them up, or sending down lights and visions from himselfe, to make his Spirit to be at the command of every obstreperous,Nam videas in Ecclesia imperitiss [...]mos quos (que) &c. unletter'd Extemporist, who will undertake to teach before themselves have learnt, whereby it often falls out, that whilst such Ignaroes are about to make known the knowledge of God, though their bodies be confi [...]'d within the compass of the Pulpit, yet is their stragling invention fain to wander for matter,1 Sam. 9. as Saul did over the Mount Gilboa, and many other Mountains to seek his Fathers Asses, and yet never found them.

933 No Man able to free himself from Sin.

JT is reported of a Prince, Tonc. Zuinger theat. hum. vitae. with whom a mighty neighbour-King used to pick quarrels by making impossible demands; otherwise threatning War and ruine to him: Amongst the rest one was, that he charged him to drink up the Sea; which a Counsellor hearing, advised him to undertake it; The Prince replyed, How is it possible to be accomplished? The Sage answered, let him first stop up all the Rivers that run into the Sea (which are no part of the bargain) and then you shall perform it.T. Adams exposit. on 2 Pet. Nemo [...]ine crimine vivit. Much more impossible is it for our selves to consume and dry up all the Ocean of Sin in us, so long as lusts remain like so many Rivers to feed it: For still sin breeds lusts, and lusts encrease sin, as the sea sends forth springs that run into Rivers, and those Rivers return to the Sea again; So that to bid a Man clear his heart from all sin, is to impose upon him opus Dei, the peculiar work of grace omnipotent:Prov. 20. 9. Who can say, I have made my heart clean? That can I, saies the proud Pharisee; and that can I, saies the Popish Iustitiary, Non [...]abeo Domine quod mi [...]i ignoscas, Psa. 130. 3. I have nothing Lord for thee to pardon, said Isidore the sinfull Monk;J [...]b 9. 30. but so could neither David, Iob, Rom. 7. 15. nor St. Paul say, for in many things we sinne all.

934 To promise much and perform little, reproveable.

LIvy said of Hannibal, Plutarch. in vita Paul. A [...]mil. Erasm. Adag. that he never stood to his promise, but when it made for his profit; And Antigonus was called Doson, in the future tense, as being about to give, yet never giving: whereupon grew the Proverb upon him that promised much and performed little, that he was a Doson: The World is at this time surely full of many such, such as one would think were born in the Land of Promise, who feed their Prisoners of hope with future promises, as Ephraim with [Page] wind;Hos. 12. 1. Math. 4. R. Senhouse Serm. at Court, 1617. meer Alchymists whose Promises are gold, payment but dross, putting off, as the trick is, either with improbable rever [...]ions, or Promises of Promises, like the Devills omnia dabo, imaginary and delusory; whilst their Patients, like that Man of many years infirmity in the Gospel, fainting by the pool, and none to put him in, lie languishing at Hopes Hospital, Joh. 5. 7. like a hungry man dreaming of meat, and when he awaketh his soul is empty; Esay 29. 8. or like Men in a swoon, cheared with strong water, they revive onely to beweary their eyes with further expectation, and to witnesse the fallibility of Promise.

Partiall Hearers of Gods word, reproved.935

IT is observable that in great Fayrs and Markets, the Pedlar and the Ballad singer are more thronged than the wealthy [...]radesmen▪ Auris bona est quae libenter audit u [...]ilia, &c. Bern. in Epist. Children and Fools hang upon them who sell toyes, and neglect those who have their shops furnished with rich and Merchantable commodities: And such is the partiality of many Hearers of Gods word, that they will croud to hear a Sermon abroad, when they may hear one (perhaps a better) at home, and that too with a great deal more ease; and herein they wrong both God, Mat. Styles D. D. at St. Greg. Lond. 1631. Mat. 24. 5. his Word, and his Ministers; God, to whom onely Iudgement belongs in this case, for though some may judge of the Minister eloquence, many of his industry, yet none of his faithfulnesse, which is the chief thing required in a Steward. His word, in having the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ, in respect of persons, Iam. 2. 5. Lastly, They offer indignity to the Preachers of his word, in overvaluing one man, and too much sleighting another.

Afflictions happen both to good and bad, but to severall ends.936

THe stalk and the ear of Corne, Hect. Pintus in Dan. fall upon the threshing floor under one and the same Flayl, but the one shattered in pieces, the other preserved; from one and the same Olive, and from under one and the same press, is crushed out both oyl and dregs, but the one is tun'd up for use, the other thrown out as unserviceable; And by one and the same breath, In eadem afflictione mali Deum detestantur, & blaspemant; boni autem precantur & laudant. Aug. de civit▪ De [...]. l. 1. c. 8. the fields are perfumed with sweetness, and annoyed with unpleasant favours. Thus Afflictions are incident to good and bad, may and do befall both alike, but by the providence of God not upon the same accompt; Good Men are put into the Furnace for their tryal, bad Men for their ruine; the one is sanctified by Afflictions, the other made far worse then before; the self- [...]ame Affliction is as a Load [...]stone to the one, to draw him to heaven, as a Milstone to the other to sink him down into hell.

The study of School-divinity, not altogether necessary.937

THere is an Italian Tree mentioned by Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. 16. cap. 16. called Staphylodendron, whose wood is fair and white, like our Maple, the leaves broad and beautifull, the fruit sweet and pleasant;In vita ejus prae [...]ixa operibus. yet Dodone [...]s, a good Herbalist, saith of it, that it is good for nothing: Such is the study of School-divinity, (I will not say good for nothing) but as Dr. Whitaker, a learned Man in his time, said; That School-men had plus argut [...]arum quàm doctrinae, plus doctrinae qu [...]m usus, a goodly kind of learning that whetteth the wit with quaint devices,Dr. Holdsw. and filleth the head with nice distinctions: Multa dicunt sed nihil probant, Mr. Mosse Ser. at S. P. 1619. said another learned Man; yet giving them Christian freedom, we may use them as sweet meats after a feast, rather to close the stomack, and to delight with variety, then to satisfie the appetite, or support Nature.

938 Atheism condemned.

[Page]

PRotagoras Abderites, Laert. Diog. in vita. because he began his Book with a doubt, De Diis, ne (que) ut sint, ne (que) ut non sint, habeo dicere, was banished out of Athens, and his Books solemnly burnt to ashes. And the same Athenians committed Anaxagoras to prison, and but for Pericles had put him to death, for but writing a book of the Moon's Eclipses, after they had received her for a Goddess. Then, do we find such jealousie of the Heathens over their fained Gods, Non est cum Dei hostibus societas coeunda. Zonar. in Gratiano. and shall the denyall and disparagement of the Honour of the one true and ever-living God be tolerable among Christians? No, let us know that Atheism is the main disease of the Soul, not only pestilent to the person in whom it is harboured, but to the whole Land where it is permitted.

939 Heaven, the inheritance of Gods children.

IT is observable, that whereas Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of his Concubines, and so sent them away,Gen. 25. yet the Heritage he reserved for his son Isaac, in whom the Covenant was established, the Son of Promise: So if God (as oftentimes he doth) give secular things,Marc. de Pise Theolog. moralis. common gifts unto bastard-children; yet the Inheritance of Heaven, the Crown of life, he preserveth for them, who after the manner of Isaac are children of promise, Rom. 9. 8. as St. Paul speaks, to his Isaacs, his laughters in whom he takes pleasure, Jam. 1. 12. to those that love him, saith St. Iames; to those that love his appearing, [...] Tim. 4. 8. saith another; all which hinteth thus much, that Heaven is the proper inheritance of Gods children.

940 God in wisdom ordering all things to work together for the good of his Children.

LOok upon the revolution of the Heavens, Tho. Hering Panacea Christian [...]. how every Planet moves in its proper Orbe, their motions are not all alike but various, nay opposite each unto the other; Hence those different Conjunctions, Oppositions, and Aspects of the Planets; yet by the wheeling round of the Primum mobile, they are brought about to one determinate point: Or, do but observe well the wise and politique carriage of a provident Governour, who meeting with opposite factions in the State, while each man takes his own way, one seeking to undermine another; he serves his own ends of both, so wisely managing the good, so powerfully over-awing the bad, that all turns to the common good: Thus it is, that though many and sundry Agents are found in the world, whose course and scope, whose aims and ends, and actions, are not the same, Providen [...] Dei omnia gubernantur & quae putatur poena medicina est. Hieron. in Ezech. yea divers; nay adverse, one thwarting and crossing the other; yet the over-ruling providence of God so swayes all subordinate and inferiour instr [...]ments; that in the midst of their mutuall jars, they conspire in a sacred harmony, as if they were entred into an holy league, or some sacred combination for the good of his chosen; where-ever the Enemies be in respect of their places, whosoever they be in regard of their persons, Rom. 8. 28. howsoever dis-joynted in regard of their affections, all their projects and practices tend and end in the good of his Elect.

941 The unprofitable Rich man.

IT is observed by the Mineralists, Hect. Pin [...]us in Dan. such as dig for treasure, that the surface of that Earth is most barren, where the bowels are most rich, that where veyns of Gold and Silver swell the biggest, the body of that Earth (as if the treasure had eaten out all its fatnesse) is made so poor, that it is not capable of the least improvement: Thus it is (not alwayes) but most usuall with rich Men, they have full [Page]purses, Quid prodest arca plen [...] si inanis fit conscientia? &c. but empty souls; great Incomes of wealth, but small stocks of Grace; Iudas carried the bag, he was good for nothing else; and a rich Man laden with thick clay, having outward things in abundance, is good for no body but himself; so true it is,Augustin. that as Greatness and Goodness, Joh.▪ 13. 29. so Gold and Grace [...]eldom meet together. Hab. 2. 6.

To beware of erronious Doctrine.942

IT is recorded by Theodoret, Hist. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 20. that when Lucius an Arrian Bishop came and preached amongst the A [...]tiochians, broaching his damnable errours, the People forsook the Congregation, at least for the present, having indeed been soundly taught before by worthy Athanasius: Thus it were to be wished, that the People of this age had their wits thus exercised to distinguish betwixt truth and falshood,J. Denisons Sr. at S. Pauls. then false doctrines would not thrive, as they do now amongst us; and Errours, though never so closly masked with a pretence of zeal, would not so readily be received for Truths, as now they are by the Multitude, nor so much countenanced by those that make profession of better things.

Atheism punished.943

IT was somewhat a strange punishment,Wolfg. Lazius de Magist. Rom. which the Romans inflicted upon Parricides; they sewed them up in a mail of leather, and threw them into the Sea; yet so, that neither the water of the Sea could soak through, nor any other Element of Nature, earth, air, or fire approach unto them. And certainly every Creature is too good for him that denyes the Creator; nor can they be further separated from Heaven, or pitched deeper into Hell, than they deserve, that will believe neither; The God they deny shall condemn them, and those Malignant spirit [...] whom they never feared, shall torment them, and that for ever.

Truth beloved in the generall, but not in the particular.944

AS the Fryer wittily told the People,Ph. Bosquier. Cod. Evang. that the Truth he then preached unto them, seemed to be like Holy-water, which every one called for a pace; yet when it came to be cast upon them, they turned aside their face as though they did not like it. Just so it is that almost every Man calls fast for Truth, commends Truth, nothing will down but Truth, yet they cannot endure to have it cast in their faces;R. Senhouse Ser. at S. Pauls 1618. They love Truth in universali, when it onely pleads it selfe, and shewes it self, but they cannot abide it in particulari, when it presses upon them, and shewes them themselves; they love it lucentem, but hate it redarguentem; they would have it shine out unto all the world in its glory, but by no means so much as peep out to reprove their own errors.

The confident Christian.945

THe Merchant adventurer puts to Sea, Tho. Hering Panacea Christiana. rides out many a bitter storm, runs many a desperate hazard upon the bare hope of a gainful return: The valiant Souldier, takes his life into his hands, runs upon the very mouth of the Cannon, dares the Lion in his Den, meerly upon the hope of Victory: Every Man hazards one way or other in his Calling, yet are but uncertain venturers, ignorant of the issue; But so it often falls out, that the greedy Adventurer seeking to encrease his stock,Confidentia semper est cau [...]a & circumspecta, nec ideo minus loseth many times both it and himself; The covetous Souldier gaping after spoil and Victory, findeth himselfe at last spoiled, captivated: But the confident Christian, the true child of God, runs at no such uncertainty, he is sure of the Goal [Page] when he first sets out, [...] Paschal. in Eth [...]. 1 Sam. 17. 37. Judg. 7. 15. certain of the day before he enter the field, sounds the Trumpet before victory, and when he puts on his harnesse, dares boast as he that puts it off; witnesse Davids encounter with Goliah, Gedeons march against the Midianites, and the christian resolution of those three Worthies, Dan. 3. 17.

947 To take Time, while time serves.

IT was a curious observation of Cardinal Bellarmine, R▪ Bellarm. de As [...]entione grad. 7. when he had the full prospect of the Sun going down, to try a conclusion of the quicknesse of its motion, took a Psalter into his hand: And before, saith he, I had twice read the 51 Psalm the whole body of the Sun was set, whereby he did [...]onclude, that the Earth being twenty thousand thousand miles in compasse, the Sun must needs run in half a quarter of an hour, seven thou [...]and miles; and in the revolution of twenty four hours, six hundred seventy two thousand miles, a large progresse in so short a time.Temporibus semper cautus servire memento. Phocilides. And herein, though the Cardinal's compute (as well as his doctrin in debates Polemicall) doth very much fall short of truth; yet his experience in this, gives some proof of the extraordinary swiftnesse of the Suns motion. Is then the course of the Sun so swift? is time so passant? then let time be as pretious, lay hold upon all opportunity of doing good, labour while it is day for night will come, and time will be no more. The Sun was down, before the Cardinal could twice read the Psalm, Miserere mei Deus; and the light of thy life (such is the velocity thereof) may be put out, before thou canst say once, Lord be mercifull to me a sinner.

948 The workings of God and Man, very different.

THe first and highest Heaven drawes by its motion the rest of the Planets, R. Gardiner Serm. at St. Pauls. and that not by a crooked, but by a right motion; yet the Orbs of the planets so moved, move of themselves obliquely. If you enquire whence is the obliquity of this motion in the Planets? Certainly, not from the first mover, but from the nature of the Planets. Thus in one and the same manner, Man aimes at one end, God at another; the same that man worketh sinfully, Haeremus cuncti superis. Lucan. God worketh most holily; and therefore they work idem, but not ad idem. The motion of our wills do exceedingly vary from Gods will, and seem to drive a contrary end, than that which God aimeth at; yet are they so over-ruled by his power, that at last they meet together, and bend that way where he intendeth.

949 A wicked life hath usually a wicked end.

THere is a story of one,T. Stapleton in vita Tho. Mori. that being often reproved for his ungodly and vitious life, and exhorted to repentance, would still answer, That it was but saying three words at his death, and he was sure to be saved; perhaps the three words he meant, were Miserere meî Deus, Lord have mercy upon me. But one day riding over a bridge, his horse stumbled, and both were falling into the River,Caepta mal [...] infaelix exitus usque mane [...]. Ovid. and in the article of that precipitation, he onely cryed, Capiat omnia diabolus, Horse and man and all to the devill: Three words he had, but not such as he should have had; he had been so familiar with the devill all his life, that he thinks of none else at his death. Thus it is, that usually a wicked life, hath a wicked end: He that travells the way of hell all his life-time, it is impossible in the end of his journey, he should arrive at heaven. A worldly man dies, rather thinking of his gold than his God: some die jeering, some raging, some in one distemper, some in another. Why? They lived so, and so they die. But the godly man is full of comfort in his death, because he was full of heaven in his life.

The telling of Truth, begets batred.950

[Page]

AS the Turk taunted some Christians at Constantinople, Phil. Bosquier Orat. [...] sancte. who said, That they came thither to suffer for the Truth, tells them, That they needed not to have come so far for that; for had they but told the truth at home, they could not have missed suffering for it: Telling truth needs not travell far for enmity, enmity will encounter it at home,Loc. Com. wheresoever it be. Hence is that definition that Luther made of Preaching, Praedicare nihil est quàm derivare in se furorem, &c. That to preach, and preach home, as he did, was nothing else, but to stir up the furies of hell about their ears. Mr. Dering telling Queen Elizabeth in a Sermon, that it was once Tanquam ovis, but now it was Indomita juvenca, was never suffered to preach more at Court. Tell a Polititian Papinian's truth, that, That's the best reason, which makes most for Religion; that the best policy, that makes most for piety: Why, this truth crossing his projects and purposes, the teller may take his bill, and sit down quickly, and write enmity. Tell a covetous man St. Pauls truth, that the love of mony is the root of all evill, you offer him losse, you touch his freehold, y'are a trespasser to his trade, an enemy. Tell the luxurious man that Theorem of truth, that Temperance is the razor of Superfluities, and the rule of necessaries, and that this whole lif [...] ought to be a kind of a Quadragesimal abstinence: Away with your thred-bare Scholars posies,Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit. Terence. what, do you bring us into the Wildernesse to starve us? You are an enemy. Thus, let the truth-teller never dream of comfits and sweet-meats, but make account to eat his Passeover with sour herbs; let him never feed himself with vain expectation, that the trade of truth-telling is a plausible, winning, welcome profession,R. Senhouse Serm. at Court. 1620. An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur? Let him rather account himself to be born, as Ieremy, a contentious man, one that striveth with the whole earth, a troublesom companion, an enemy.

Men not repairing to the Church of God, reproved.951

THe renowned Captain Huniades, when he felt himself in danger of death, desired to receive the Sacrament before his departure,R. Knoles Turk. hist. and would in any case (sick as he was) be carried to the Church to receive the same, saying, That it was not fit, that the Lord should come to the house of his Servant, but the servant go rather to the house of his Lord and Master. Psal. 24. 7. Davids desire was, to dwell there; and Nicodemus (though a Ruler) did not send for Christ, but go unto him: Whose modesty condemns many amongst us,Joh. Boys Postills. who will not vouchsafe to come to Christ, (if he will be served) Christ must come to them, the Supper of the Lord must be brought to their table, the Ministers of Christ must Church their wives at home, baptize their children at home; vainly imagining, that they do God a great favour, when they tread in his Courts, and a grace to his Ambassadours, when they lend their ears to an hours audience.

Grace seemingly lost in the Soul.952

THe two Disciples talked with Christ, yet knew him not; Mary with her blubber'd eyes,Luk. 24. 16. mistakes Christ for the Gardiner; Hagar, in the very midst of her distresse,Joh. 20. 2 [...]. had a fountain of water before her,F. Bellers Ser. at S. Pauls. yet could not see it, till God was pleased to open her eyes, Gen. 21. 19. Thus, the least cloud of Gods displeasure may, as it were an Ecliptick li [...]e, seem to darken the splendour of his graces within us: Christ may so hide himself from our hearts, that knowledge or faith shall not be able to reach him, and much of the Spirit may be so darkned, that though a man have Christ in the promise, O strange detention, yet he shall not be able to discern him.

953 Men, not to run themselves into trouble.

[Page]

THere is mention made in the Ecclesiasticall story, Hist. tripartita. of a silly woman, that must needs spit in the Emperour's face, that so she might suffer Martyrdom. And it is said of the Lion, that to provoke himself to anger, when there is none to hurt him, he beateth himself with his own tail. But thus must no good Christian do, we must take heed that we do not wilfully run our selves into troubles, J. Downham Guide to Godlinesse. but rather use all lawfull means to prevent them before they come, and to be freed from them when they are come: For he shall have sorrow that loves it, and he that runs into danger, Non est nostrum persecutiones arripere, sed illatas ab aliis, &c. Hieron. super Ioh. shall perish in it, and he that voluntarily laies a crosse upon his own shoulders, when he needs not, hath no promise that God will take it off. It is true, that we must drink of this bi [...]ter cup, but we must stay till God put it into our hands; otherwise we cannot say, that we are chastised by him, but that we scourge our selves with whips of our own making.

954 How to behold our selves in the Glasse of Gods Law.

ONe of the Persecutors in Queen Mary's daies,Joh. Fox Act. and Mo [...]. pursuing a poor Protestant, and searching the house for him, charged an old woman to shew him the Heretick. She points to a great chest of linnen,Lex divina tanquam in specula peccata monstrat. Augustin. on the top whereof lay a fair Looking-glasse. He opens the chest, and asks, where the heretick was. She suddainly replyed, Do you not see one? meaning, that he was the Heretick, and that he might easily see himself in the glasse. And thus, God's Law is the glasse, that shews us all our spots, let us hold it right to our intellectuall eye; not behind us, as the wicked do, they cast Gods word behind them; Psal. 50. 17. not besides us, like the rich worldling that called to Christ; not to turn the back-side of the glasse towards us, Matth. 19. 18. which is the very trick of all hypocrites; Luk. 18. 11. nor lastly,T. Adams on 2 Pet. to look upon our selves in this glasse, when we are muffled, masked, or cased, for under those vails, we cannot discern our own complexions. But let us set the clear glasse before our face, and our open face to the glasse; and then we shal soon perceive, that the sight of our filthinesse, is the first step towards cleannesse.

955 Men of all sorts to stand up for the Truth.

IT was the great praise of learned Fulgentius, Lib. de Orthod. fide. upon young Donatus, that being set upon by the Arrians, though he had not the skill to defend the truth with his tongue, yet he had a will to maintain the truth in his heart; though he could not unloose all their cunning tricks, he could yet hold fast the conclusion, Truth: And he that (for he could neither write nor read) could not clerkly subscribe his name to Truth's confession, Acts and Monuments. could yet manly draw blood of himself, wherewith to set his mark to it. And he that for want of learning, could not dispute Christ's cause, could yet be content to die for it: And were every hair of my head a man, I would burn them all,R. Senhouse Serm. at Court. Gal. 4. 16. said a third, rather then go from Truth. Thus it is to be wished, that as this was the first Nation, that universally received the truth of the Gospell, so to the last it may continue constant for the truth; that every man would stand up for the truth, fight and die for the truth; and happinesse it will be found in the end, thus to suffer for so good a friend as truth is, to continue truth's friend, who ever he be that shall become an enemy therefore.

Kingdom of Christ, a peaceable Kingdom.956

[Page]

A Captain sent from Caesar unto the Senators of Rome, Plutarch. to sue for the prolonging of his Government abroad; understanding (as he stood at the Councill-chamber-door) that they would not condiscend to his desire, clapping his hand upon the pummel of his sword; well, said he, seeing you will not grant it me, this shall give it me. So when the Citizens of Messana, despising Pompeys jurisdiction, alleadged ancient orders in old time granted to their Town, Pompey did answer them in choller; what, do you prattle to us of your Law, that have swords by your sides? Calv. Turciam lib. 1. cap. 4. And thus it is that Mahomet dissolveth all Arguments by the sword, and thus all Tyrants and Potentates of the World end all their quarrels, and make their Enemies their foot-stool by the sword: But the Scepter of Christs Kingdom is not a sword of steel, but a sword of the Spirit; He ruleth in the midst of his Enemies, and subdueth a People unto himself,Rom. 1. 16. not by the sword, but by the word; for the Gospel of peace is the power of his arm to Salvation.

Recreation, the necessity thereof.957

IT is reported of a good old Primitive Christian, S. Joh. Evang that as he was playing with a Bird, two or three youths as they were passing by, observ'd it; and one of them sayes to the other,Laur. Surius, in vita Rhemi [...] See, how this old man playes like a child with the bird; which the good Man over-hearing, calls him to him, asks him what he had in his hand? A bow, saies he;Joh. Cassion, col. 24. cap. 21 What do you with it, and how do you use it? said the other; whereupon the young Man bent his bow, and nock'd his Arrow as if he had been ready to shoot, then after some short time unbent his bow again; Why do you so, said the holy Man? Alas, sayes the young Man, If I should alwaies keep my bow ready bent, it would prove a slug, and be utterly disabled for any further service; Is it so, said the good old Man? Then, my son take notice, that as thy bow, such is the condition of all human Nature, should our thoughts and intentions be alwaies taken up, and the whole bent of our minds set upon the study of divine things, the wings of devotion would soon flagge, and the arrows of Contemplation fly but slowly towards heaven: And most true it is, that there is Otium as wel as Negotium, —Nec semper Cnossicus arcu Destinat, exempto sed laxat cornua nervo. Lucan. Tho. Fullers Holy State. Major post o [...]ia virtus. Sil. Ital. a time of taking pleasure, as well as a time of taking paine, ne (que) semper arcum tendit Apollo, the bow that stands alwaies bent will become unserviceable; And let but the frame of this body of ours want its naturall rest, the roof will be soon on fire; Recreation is a second Creation; when weakness hath almost annihilated the spirits, it is the breathing of the Soul, which otherwise would be stifled: Lawfull Recreation (such as that [...] of the Philosophers) strengthens labour, and sweetens rest, and the blessing of God may be expected therein as well as in doing the work of our Calling.

The great benefit of Devotion at bed time.958

OVens that have been baked in over-night, are easily heated the next morning; The Cask that was well seasoned in the Evening, Jo. Downhams Guide to Godliness. will smell well the next day; The Fire that was well raked up when we went to bed, will be the sooner kindled when we rise: Thus, if in the Evening we spend our selves in the examination of our hearts, how we have spent the time past, Sera seriò. and commit our selves unto the good guidance of God for the time to come, we shall soon find the spirituall warmth thereof, making us able and active for all good duties in the morning, and by adding some new fuel to this holy fire, we shall with much facility and comfort cause it to burn and blaze in all Christian and religious duties.

959 To accept the event of things with Patience.

[Page]

THe Censurers of the World, by way of Apologue, being met together, consulted about the redress of divers enormities.J. Walchrius decas [...]ab. One with the countenance of Heraclitus, was ever weeping for the disorders: another with the face of Democritus, was ever laughing at the absurdities: a third, of a more pragmatical spirit, was busie where he had no thanks: They all studied, and plotted how to reform the ataxie of things, and to bring the World into some peace and order: Princes were implored, Philosophers consulted, Physitians, Souldiers, the eminent in all Professions were convented; many stratagems were devised, still the more they projected to stil the worlds troubles, the more troublesome they made it: One would have it this way, another that, the next differs from both, a fourth opposeth them three, a fifth contradicteth them all:Scinditur incertum studia in contraria, &c. So that there was nothing else but crossing one another, Physitians with their Recipes, Commanders with their Precipes, Iesuites with their Decipes, all the rest with their Percipes, could do no good at all; At last a Grand-father in a religious habite, presented them an hear [...] of such soveraign vertue, that when every one had tasted of it, they were all calm and quiet presently: The herbs name he called Bulapathum, the herb Patience. And let but this be our dyet continually and we shall find a strange alteration in our selves;T. Adam [...] on ep. 2 Pet. Gaudet patientia dur [...]s. Lucan. No troubles abroad, nor discontents at home shall break our peace, if we be but armed with patience; The Church and People of God are thrown upon sad times: Blessings are not denyed, though they be not presently granted: Some while God is not fit to give, the time for his greater glory is not yet come: Another while, we are not fit to receive, the time of our preparedness and capacity is not yet come. The Lord looks to be waited on, Psalm. 27. 14.

960 To be carefull in the prevention of Danger.

THe Boare in the Fable being questioned, Why he stood whetting his teeth so, when no body was near to hurt him, wisely answered, That it would then be too late to whet them, when he was to use them, and therefore whetted them so before danger, that he might have them ready in danger; Thus as Demosthenes advised the Athenians, R. Senhouse Serm. at Court. [...], that they would not expect till evill came, but prevent it; and to deal with dangers as Men do with Serpents and vipers, of which though happily they never have been stung or bitten, yet seeing any of them,Venienti occurrite morb [...]. they tarry not till it sting or bite, but before harm done, forthwith seek to kill it, to crush the Scorpion at the first appearance; not waiting and gaping after event (the School-master of fools) as Fabius calls it;In poemat. but ante bellum auxilium, and ante tubam tremor, to be affected with what is not yet effected, wary before they be wounded, and prudent in seeing a danger a far off and shunning it, Prov. 22. 3.

961 The folly of late Repentance.

THat Carryer must needs be taken for a fool,Joh. Boys Postills. who being to go a farre and foul journey, will lay the heaviest pack upon the weakest horse: So that Christian cannot be held any of the wisest, that layes the great load of Repentance upon his faint and feeble dotage, whereas in the chiefest strength of his youth he cannot lift it easily, but is ready to stagger under it.

Watchfulnesse of life, rewarded.962

[Page]

THat famous Apollonius, Philostratus in vita. held in his time for an Oracle of the World, coming very early in the morning to Vespasians Gate, and finding him awake, conjectured thereupon, that he was worthy to command an Empire, and said to his Companion that went along with him [...], undoubtedly, this Man will be Emperour, because he is so watchfull. Psal.▪ 63. 1. Thus whosoever thou art, that with David, dost seek God early, and with those three women that looked after Christ very early in the morning;Mark. 16. 2. Vigilare decet hominem, Qui vult sua tempori conferre officia. Plaut. thou that remembrest thy Creator in the days of thy youth, that art circumspect in walking, careful of thy life and conversation, diligent in thy way, be assured that thou shalt stand before Princes, that thou hast not laboured in vain, nor spent thy strength for nought, for thy judgement is with the Lord, and thy work with thy God, who will fully reward thee.

How to behave our selves in the hearing of Gods word.963

IT were a great unmannerliness for a Man that is invited at a solemn feast,I. Downhams Guide to Godlinesse. to rise before the Table is taken away, unless in case of sickness, weakness, or some important affair: And it were an high contempt even to the most inferiour Iudicature, that a man being lawfully summoned thither, would depart without licence, till the Court were risen. And shall Men dare to sneak out of the Church before the Sermon be ended? or make haste away after the Sermon be ended, rushing out (like Prisoners or School-boys, when the doors are open) without craving a blessing of God, or attending the blessing from God by the mouth of his Minister: If this be not a contempt of Gods word▪ and Commandements, let any man judge.

Learning and Honesty to go together.964

FRanciscus Petrarcha, that Scholarium Tetrarcha, a Man famous in his time, was put upon the scrutiny of Mens judgements;In vita proefix o [...] per. per. Hieron. Scharzafichum Four Men undertook the task: One had no Learning, the other had a little, a third not much, the fourth somewhat, but intricate and perplexed: (Good Man! he was not tryed by his Peers). All their opinions were sum'd up in this sentence, Petrarcha sine literis, vir bonus, Petrarch an illiterate good Man. The King stormed at this sentence; the Nobles fretted, his friends were vexed, and almost all Men threatned revenge upon such sawcy Judges; But Petrarch himselfe applauded their judgement, saying; O utinam non vere dixerunt, &c. Vita bona [...]ine doctrina gratiam habet, doctrina [...]ine vita integritatem habet. Glos. in ep. ad Philippens. The end of all my study was to be a good Man; if Learning came in upon the by, I did not refuse it; but now seeing by their sentence, I may without Learning have goodnesse; what a comfort is this to me, and thousands more of no better knowledge? And most true it is, that of two unhappy dis-junctions, it were better to see an honest Man without Learning, then a Learned Man without honesty: but quam ben [...] conveniunt? when Learning and honesty meet together; Where Learning is as the sowing of the ground, and vertuous and holy life is as the Harvest; Where knowledge is but for breed, but being marryed to Grace, brings forth a glorious issue, a race of Heavenly fruits, a posterity of good Works.

Carnall Security reproved.965

IT is observable of the Smiths dogge, R. Senhouse Serm. at Court, 1623. that neither the noyse of hammers by him, nor the sparks of fire flying about him, nor some that light upon him, do any whit awaken him, but he snorts and sleeps on securely: Saint Paul speakes [Page] of men [...],Ephes. 4. 19. Prov. 23. 35. & 7. 22. such as are past all [...]eeling: And Solomon brings in one so insensible, that if he were striken, he was not sick; if beaten, he felt it not: Another going like a fool to the stocks, not knowing of the danger that he was running into. Such are they, that dally and fool with dangers, even spirituall dangers, the harlotry of sin; so that whether it be, that they are besotted with carnall security, or engrossed with covetous secularity, Mater negligentiae solet esse securitas. Greg. in Pastore. or deafed with the durdam of wordly vanity; Nescio quid teneros fascinat, one thing or other so stupifying and deadning the faculties of their souls, that they are as it were benum'd with carelesse security, that they have little or no sense of any spirituall hazard at all.

966 The time of our Youth to be given up to God.

ALmighty God ever required in his service the first fruits, Joh Boys Postiils. Exod. 3. 19. and the first born, Exod. 13. 2. The firstlings are his darlings, Gen. 4. 4. the fa [...]ttest lambs are fittest for his facrifice. If the King of Babel would have young men, well favoured, without blemish, and such as had great ability, to stand before him, Dan. 1. 4. shall the God of Israel, Honor adolescentum est, timorem Dei habere, &c. Ambros. de [...]fficiis. even the King of Glory, have none to stand in his Courts, but the halt, lame, and blind, such as the soul of David hated, 2 Sam. 5. 18. Ye shall not see my face, saith Ioseph to his brethren, except you bring your younger brother with you, Gen. 43. 3. And how shall we behold the face of our blessed Iesus, if we do not remember him in the daies of our youth, if we dedicate to the devill our lovly young years, and offer unto him nothing else, but the dregs of our loathed old age.

967 Time, the least moment thereof cannot be assured.

ALexander being much taken with the witty answers of Diogenes, Lae [...]t. Diog. in vita. bad him ask what he would, and he should have it. The Philosopher demandeth the least proportion of Immortality. That's not in my gift, saies Alexander. No, quoth Diogenes? Quocunque mod [...] rem. Nemo sibi perire diem, & nunquam rediturum causatur. Bern. ad Scholares. then why doth Alexander take such pains, to conquer the World, when he cannot assure himself of one moment to enjoy it? What the Cynick said to this great Conquerour, may very well be retorted upon many in our age; How do many men turmoil themselves, in the pursuit after riches, honours, and preferments, per fas & nefas, no matter how they come by them; yet when all's done, they cannot add one cub [...]te to their stature, not one minute to their live, wherein he may take comfort in them.

968 Lawfull Recreation, the benefit thereof.

THe strings of a Lute let down and remitted,J. Downhams Guide to Godlinesse. do sound sweeter, when they are raised again to their full pitch: And fields being every year sowed, become at length very barren; but being sometime laid fallow, repay the Husbandmans patience with double encrease.Vires instigat alit (que) Tempestiva qui es. Stat. So our bodies and minds, if they have no remission from labours, will make but dull musick; and if we do not sometimes let them lie fallow, and give them a summer-tilth of seasonable recrea [...]ion, they will soon become barren and fruitlesse.

969 A man not well principled in his Religion, unstable in all his waies.

THe intemperate man now sucks the grape of Orleance, T. Adams on ep. 2 Pet. anon that hotter fruit of the Canaries, then he is taken with the pleasant moisture of the Rhenish plants, sometimes the juice of the pressed apples and pears delights him, which he [Page] warmeth with the Irish Usquebath; Bene vivere loco positum est. Senec. in epist. and then quencheth all with the liquor made of English barley. Thus, a man not well principled in his Religion, is unstable in all his waies, he reeles like a drunkard from place to place; he hath put so much intoxicating scrupulosity into his head, that he cannot stand on his legs: A drunkard indeed, not so much for excesse, as change of liquors; for his soul doth affect variety of Doctrines, more than the intemperate body doth variety of drinks: He takes in a draught of Religion from every Country, so much of Anabaptism, as may make him a rebell; so much of that loving Family, as may make him an adulterer; so much of Rome, as may make him a traitor; so much of Arrianism, as may make him a blaspheamer: Onely he will stand to nothing, as the drunkard can stand at nothing: He knowes what he hath been, he knowes not what he will be, nay, he knowes not what he is.

The want of Zeal in the cause of God, reproved,970

IN the sacking of Troy, Homer. Aeneas is said first to have exported [...], then [...], to have carried out his gods, even before his dearest father. Look upon the Turks eagernesse,In Alcoran. in defending and propagating that their Law, Non disputando, sed pugnando, as Mahomet their Prophet hath taught them: Or if Christian instances may be more operative, look upon the Romanists, their Iesuites own expression, shall evidence their earnestnesse: Campian in his Epistle to the Councill of Queen Elizabeth, Quandiu unus quispiam [...] nobis supererit, qui Tiburno vestro fruatur, &c. saith he,B. Senhouse Serm. at Court. That so long as there was any one Iesuite of them remaining, to enjoy Tiburn, any one of them left for the gallowes, torment, and imprisonment, they had vowed never to desist,Si videris Ethnicum vitae temperatae, &c. Bas. Serm. de Zel [...]. endeavouring to set up that Religion in the Nation. Shall Turks then, and Heathens, and Papists, solicite their bad cause so earnestly, and we our good cause, our Go [...]'s cause, so faintly? O let it not be said, Acri [...]s ad pernitiem, quàm nos ad salutem, that they should drive like Iehu, fiercely, and we like Egyptians with their wheeles off, heavily; they clamour out for their woodden and breaden god, and we by our sluggishnesse, prejudice and betray the cause of our great and glorious God.

How Faith alone may be said to justifie.971

JUdith cut off Holofernes's head alone,Chap. 13. 3. J. Boys Posti [...]s. the commandeth all her attendants, as well great as little, to stand without her Tent, and to go forth of her presence; but when once the deed is done, when the Serpent's head is broken, and trodd under foot, her whole troop runs to her, and stands about her. Thus, albeit Faith, apprehending Gods sure mercy, for the full and free pardon of sins, is in our justification sola, yet in our conversation it is not solitaria, but ever accompanied with cleannesse of hands, which is ready to do that which is right; and with a graciousnesse of tongue, Bucer, Moller, Calvin, Ballarmin, Genebrard. &c. which is ready to speak that which is true, neither deceiving our neighbour, nor blaspheming God, by lifting up his soul unto vanity; i. e. taking his Name in vain, as some Divines expound it.

The Commandements of God, the reasonablenesse of them.972

THere is mention made of one,J. Cassian. de Institut. renunciant. lib. 4. c. 24. who willingly fetched water, neer two miles every day, for a whole year together, to poure upon a dry dead stick, upon the bare command of a Superior, when no reason could be given for so doing. How ready then should every one be,Pater adsum, impera quid vis. Plau [...]. to do God service, to be at the command of Iesus Christ, whose service is perfect freedom, whose commands are back'd with reason, [Page] and whose precepts are attended with encouragements. Never did any man serve him in vain, never was any mans labour, in, or for the Lord, forgotten: Nay, as he doth not let Obedience go unrequited,Luk. 6. 38. so doth he not require it with a little, or measure out his rewards by inches or scantlings, but such as shall be pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

973 To be servent in Prayer.

AN Arrow, Jos. Hall Contemplat. Wom. of Canaan. if it be drawn up but a little way, it goes not far, but if it be pull'd up to the head, it flies strongly, and pierceth deeply. Thus Prayer, if it be but dribled forth of carelesse lips, it falls down at our feet; It is the strength of ejaculation that sends it up into Heaven, and fetches down a blessing thence. The child hath escaped many a stripe, by his loud cry; and the very unjust Iudge cannot endure the widow's clamour. Heartlesse motions do but be speak a denyall, whereas fervent suits offer a sacred violence both to Earth and Heaven. It is not the Arithmetick of our prayers, how many they are; nor the Rhetorick of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor the Geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the Musick of our prayers, the sweetnesse of our voice; nor the Logick of our prayers, and the method of them; but the Divinity of our prayers, which God so much affecteth: He looketh not for any Iames, with horny knees, through assiduity of prayer; nor for any Bartholomew, Non ch [...]rdis [...]usica, sed c [...]r. with a century of prayers for the Morning, and as many for the Evening; but St. Pauls frequency of praying, with f [...]rvency of spirit; that's it which availeth much, Iam. 5. 16.

974 Parents not to be over carefull, to make their Children rich.

THere is a true story of a rich oppressour, J. de Wann Ser. deTempore. who had stored up a great masse of wealth for his onely son: This man falling into sicknesse, and thereby into some remorse, called his son to him, and told him, how abundantly he had provided for him; withall asking him, whether he did truly and really love him. The son answered, That nature (besides his paternall indulgence) bound him to that. The father being now in his sick bed, further puts him to it; How he would expresse his love to him. The son answered and said, In any thing that he should command him. Hereupon his father chargeth him, to hold his finger in the burning can [...]le, but so long as he could say one Pater noster, without removing it. The son attempted it,Quocunque modo [...]em. but could not endure it. Yet, saies his father, to get thee wealth, and a large estate upon Earth, I have hazarded my soul to Hell; for the vvelfare of thy body, I have ventured my soul: Thou canst not suffer the burning of a finger for me, I must burn body and soul for thy sake; thy pain is but for a minute, mine must be unquenchable fire, even torments for ever. By this consideration, being melted into repentance, he re [...]ored all the gains of his injustice, made the poor partakers of his riches, abandoned all worldlinesse, and vvas recovered both in soul and body to the Lord. As this man hath many follovvers in his base avarice, so it vvere to be vvished of God,Mal [...] parta mal [...] dilabunt [...]r. that he had some in his gracious repentance. Little do gripulous fathers think, that vvhat vvas forty years a gathering, should be spent in a few daies revelling. And so it comes to passe, (as by daily experience may be seen) that vvhen men are over carefull to provide for their ovvn, by taking avvay another mans, vix gaudet tertius haeres; He that buies a Patrimony for his child, vvith the losse of his own soul, hath but a dear purchase, a very hard bargain.

975 To be zealous in the cause of God.

MEmorable is that christian resolution of Martin Luther, Joh. Sleidan Com. lib. 3. that he vvould enter into the City of Worms in the Name of the Lord Iesus, though there vvere as many devills, In epist. as tiles to cover the houses. And that of Calvin, Ne decem [Page]quidem maria, &c. That it vvould not grieve him to sail over ten seas, about an uniform draught for Religion. And the blessed Apostle vvas not onely ready to be bound, but to die also,Act. 21. 13. for the Name of the Lord Iesus. And thus must ever good Christian do, be zealous in the cause of God, contend for the truth of his Word,Phil [...]. Jud. de [...] contemplat. spare no cost, leave no stone unmoved. Ubi de Religione, ibi quoque de vita agitur, holding even their very lives to hold upon Religion, serving God vvith all their might, and, as is commanded, ready to run through fire and vvater, for their holy profession.

Christ to be received into our hearts by Faith.976

IN the Gospels history we find,Joh. Boys Postills. that Christ had a four-fold entertainment amongst the sons of men; some received him into house, not into heart, as Simon the Pharisee,Luk. 7. 44. who gave him no kisse, nor water to his feet; some into heart, but not into house,Matth. 8. 34. as the gracelesse swinish Gergesites; some both into house and heart,Joh. 11. 15. as Lazarus, Mary, Martha. And thus let every good Christian do, endeavour that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, Ephes. 3. 17. that their bodies may be fit Temples of his holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 19. that now in this life, whilst Christ stands at the door of their hearts, knocking for admission, they would lift up the latch of their souls, and let him in. For if ever they expect to enter into the gates of the City of God hereafter, they must open their hearts, the gates of their own City, to him here in this world.

Sermon not done, till practised.977

IT is reported of a good man,Ph. Goodwin Evang. com. that comming from a publick Lecture, and being asked by one, whether the Sermon were ended, made this answer, fetching a deep sigh, Ah! it is said, but not done. And to speak truth, the Sermon cannot be said to be done, till it be practised: But herein, the Lord be mercifull to most of us,Audire, est obedire. Isidor. we are apt to think, that when a Sacrament day is over, all the Sacrament duties are over too; when the discourse from the Pulpit is finished, the Sermon is finished; as if when the Ordinance were at an end, there were an end of the Ordinance, and of us with the Ordinance also.

Christ, the poor mans Object, as well as the rich mans.978

A Low man, Jos. Hall Contemplat. if his eye be clear, may look as high, (though not so far) as the tallest; the least Pigmee may from the lowest valley, see the Sun or Stars as fully, as a Gyant upon the highest Mountain. He that stands by, may see as far into the milstone, Zacheus. as he that picks it. Christ is now in Heaven, it is not the smalnesse of our person, nor the meannesse of our condition, can let us from beholding him; the soul hath no stature, neither is Heaven to be had with reaching: If God be but pleased to clear the eyes of our faith, we shall be high enough to behold him.

Ministers to be encouraged and protected against the plots of wicked men, and why so?979

PHilip of Macedon besieging Athens, Plutarch in vita Demosthenis. sent Legates to the City, conditioning with them, that if they would deliver into his hands ten of their Oratours, such as he should choose, whom he pretended to be the disturbers of the Common weal, he would raise his siege, and be at peace with them.Justinus ex Trogo. But Demosthenes smelt out his plot, and with the consent of the Athenians, returned him this apologeticall answer: The Woolvs came to treat of a league with the Shepheards, and told them thus; All the feud and discord betwixt you and us, ariseth from a certain generation of Doggs, which you maintain against us, deliver up those dogs, and we [Page] will be good friends with you. The dogs were delivered up, the Peace was concluded, the shepheards (as they thought) secure. But oh the wofull massacre that was presently made amongst the poor Lambs, they were all devoured, the shepheards undone, and all by parting with their dogs. Thus, if the Popish or the Peevish party, could but once get the Ministers of the Gospell to hold their peace, or procure them to be muzzled by Authority, or to be delivered over to their woolvish cruelty, vvo vvere it to the souls of the poor people; errour vvould then play Rex, darknesse triumph, hell make play-day, truth vvould languish, and all goodnesse fall flat to the earth: As little as they are novv regarded, men vvould then misse them, and wish for them, and be glad to protect them, if they had them.

980 Meditations of Death, the benefit thereof.

PEter Waldo, Flac. Illiric. Cat. Test. verit. a rich Merchant of Lyons in France, being invited to a great supper, where one of the company fell suddainly dead at the table, he was so taken with the sight, that he forsook his Calling, and fell to study the Scripture, trading for the Pearl of the Gospell, whereby he became an excellent Preacher, and the first founder of those antient Christians, calledSuch as lately suffered in Savoy, Anno 1655. Waldenses. Such is the benefit that commeth by the meditation of death. Let but a man behold the bones of the dead, and make a Christian use thereof, he must needs fall into a patheticall meditation within himself; as thus, Behold these legs, that have made so many journeys; this head, J. Potter at Fun. of L. Seamour. which is the receptacle of wisdom, and remembereth many things, must shortly be, as this bare skull, and drie bones are. I will therefore betimes bid worldly things adieu, betake my self to repentance, and newnesse of life, and spend the rest of my daies in the service of my God, and thoughts of my dissolution. Away then with that sad, and too too usuall expression,Ipse jubet mortis te meminisse Deus. Chilo per Ausonium. I thought as a little of it, as of my dying day: Let Otho think them cowards that think on death, but let all good men think and meditate on death, what it is unto all men by nature, what unto good men, what unto bad; and great will be the comfort arising thereupon.

981 Men to be helpfull one to another.

IT is reported of Harts, S. Augustin in Psal. 41. that being to travail far by heards on the land, or else to passe over some great water, then they go behind one another; and when the foremost is weary, then he resteth his weary head upon the hindmost; and so mutually bearing one anothers burden,Plin. hist. nat. lib. 8. cap. 32. they come happily to the place where they would be. Thus, as the souls of holy men long and thirst after God, with whom is the well of life,Psal. 42. 1. like as the Harts desire the water-brooks, let them as Deer support the sick head, and heavy hart of one another, bear up a Brother which is falling, Concors sic praestat uterque. Alciati Emblem. rear up a Brother which is fallen, strengthning one another in the way of this earthly pilgrimage, untill they all rest upon Gods holy mountain, where they shall be satisfied with the pleasures of his house,Psal. 36. 8. drinking out of the comforts thereof, as out of a River.

982 Graces, to stock them up against a day of trouble.

ST. Chrysostom suffering under the Empresse Eudoxia, Epist. 125. ad. Cyriac. episcop. tells his friend Cyriacus, how he armed himself before hand, [...], &c. I thought, Psal. 24. 1. Will she banish me? The earth is the Lords, and the fulnesse thereof. Take away my goods? Job. 1. 21. Naked came I into the world, and naked must I return. Will she stone me? I remembered Stephen. Act. 7. 59. Behead me? Mark 6. 24. Iohn Baptist came into my mind, &c. Thus it should be with every one that intends to live and die comfortably, they must (as we say) lay up something for a rainy day, they must stock themselves with graces, store up promises, and furnish themselves with experiences of Gods loving kindnesse to others, and themselves too, that so when the evill day comes, they may have much good comming thereby.

Man since the fall of Adam, subject to the Creatures.983

[Page]

ACteon in the Fable,Ovid. Met. l. 2. goes abroad a hunting, but unhappily lights upon Diana in the midst of his game, as she was naked bathing her selfe in a fountain; The Goddess is angry, and transforms him into the shape of a Hart, the dogs not knowing their Master, being thus changed, hunt him down, & tear him all in pieces. Thus Man, before his fall, was Gods Vicegerent over all his Creatures, they did homage and fealty unto him, as their leige Lord and Soveraign, but since Satan hath obliterated the Image of God, wherein he was first created; and drawn his own in the room;Hieron. Drexelii Zodaicus. the Creatures seeing him thus altered, one snaps, another snarls at him; nay the weakest of all the Creatures are able to undoe him, as the spider to poyson him, and the [...] to choak him; But for our comfort, we may recover our selves by the second Adam, Christ Jesus, get but an interest in him, and then that Lion which tore the Prophet in pieces, shall do us no more hurt, than he did Daniel when he had him in his Den;1 King. 13. 24. and those Dogs which eat up Iesabell, Dan. 6. 10. shall lick up our sores, as they did those of Lazarus; no Creature shall have power to hurt us without Gods especiall dispensation.

To trust in God onely.984

THe Forresters knowing that the Elephant useth to sleep leaning against some Tree,T. Adams Seron ep. 2. Pet. are wont to cut the likeliest Tree with a Saw so deep, that the unsuspecting beast thinking to rest upon it, falls down with it, and so is surprised by them: Thus they that put their trust in Man, or in any other Creature, shall soon find him hewen down by Death, and then there lyes all their hope in the dust: It is ill sticking to any thing but God, all other props will fail us: we are sheep apt to wander; we shall not, if we keep to our shepheard: There's no trust but in God onely, Psalm. 33. 18.

Insensibility of Death, reproved.985

IN a good Pasture where many good Oxen are, the Butcher comes and fetcheth away one and kills it;Alphons. ab Avenden. Com. in Matth. c. 6. next day he fetcheth away another, and kills that too: Now those which he leaves behind, feed and fat themselves, till they are driven to the slaughter, not considering what is become of their fellows, or what shall become of themselves: So when Death coming amongst a multitude of Men, here taking one, and there another, we pamper up our selves till he overtake us also; We live as though like Adam & Abel, we never saw a Man dye before us, whereas every Church-yard, every age, every sickness should be a Preacher of Mortality unto us.

Men to bear with one anothers Infirmities.986

A Blind Man, and a lame Man (as it is in the Fable) meeting upon the way; the lame Man said,Aesop [...]s in fabula de caeco & claudo. If thou wilt be feet unto me, then I will be eyes unto thee; so the blind Man carrying the lame, and the lame guiding the bind, both arrived at their journies end in a good hour: Thus it is that Men, especially Christian men, must bear with one another, yea bear and forbear; If a brother in his unadvised anger use thee roughly, rudely, bear with him, & thou bearest his burthen; If thou be too silent in thy conversation, and thy brother on the contrary too full of prattle, bear thou with his loquacity, Primasius. Anselm. in Gal. 6. 2. that he may bear thy pertinacy. A Magistrate in the Common-wealth, and a Master in his Family, must have patience to see many things, and not to see them; hence is that Motto of Frederick the first, Qui nescit [Page]dissimulare, nescit imperare, Reusneri Symbola. may be digested easily with a little salt; For when small faults are winked at in time and place wisely, Soveraign and Subject, Master and Man, one and another according to that Apostolical injunction, may be very well said to bear one anothers burthen, Gal. 6. 2.

987 The great danger of sleighting the least Sinne.

GEnerall Norris, Tho Fullers Serm. at St. Clem.. Lond. 1650. one of the Ancients of that Noble Family, having (as he thought) received a sleight wound in the Wars of Ireland, neglected the same, presuming belike, that the balsome of his own body, without calling in for those other Auxiliaries of Art, would have wrought the cure; but so it was, that his arm gangrened, and both arm and life were lost together: Thus it was with him in the body natural, and thus it will be too in the body spirituall; the least of Sin therefore is to be avoyded, the least growth of sinne to be prevented, the Cockatrice must be crushed in the egge,Principiis obsta. else it will soon become a Serpent; the very thought of sinne, if not thought on, will break out into Action, Action into custom, custome into habit, and then actum est de Corpore & Anima, both body and soul are [...]recoverably l [...]st to all Eternity.

988 Marriage to be sought of God by Prayer.

IT came so to pass,S. Fawcers Ser. at S. Alphage, Lond. when Men began to multiply upon the face of the Earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the Sons of God (Men well qualified) saw the daughters of men, (very lewd ones) that they were fair (that's all they aimed at) and therefore they took them wives (hand-over head) of all which they chose; but being not of Gods providing, they had better been without them, Gen. 6. Thus when Men send out lusts to seek them wives, and unclean spirits to woo for them;Sic dos non uxor amatur. Juvenal. Sayr. 6. When Men send out Ambition to make their houses great, and Covetousness to joyn house to house, and land to land; When Men send out flattery, lying and deceiptfull speeches, and do not send out Prayers and loud cryes unto Almighty God, to direct them in their choyce, they may thank themselves, if they meet with wives, but not such meet helps as God otherwi [...]e intended for them-

989 The heighth of Patience.

QUeen Ann Bullen, S. R. Baker Collect. of hist. of Engl. the Mother of the blessed Q. Elizabeth, when she was to be beheaded in the Tower, thus remembred her thanks to the King; From a private Gentlewoman, he made me a Marquiss, from a Marquiss a Queen, and now he hath left no higher degree of earthly honour for me, he hath made me a Martyr: Here was Patience in the highest degree, such a Patience as had its perfect work, and came up to its full growth; Gaudet patientia duris. Lucan. when punishment becomes preferment; when for Christs sake and his Gospels, persecution shall be held an honour, and misery a dignity, ipsam (que) crucem, coronam, and the very Cross a Crown; This is the Patience of the Saints.

990 The prevalency of a good Example.

JUstin Martyr confesseth,Euseb. hist. lib. 4. cap. 8. that he left Philosophy, and became a Christian Scholler, through the admiration that he had to behold the innocent and godly lives of the Primitive Christians, hearing them pray unto God, for the good and welfare of those, Qui sanctum v [...]rum imitatur, &c. Isid. de sum. bono. I. 1. cop. 11. who to the utmost of their power, endeavoured and wrought their ruine. Thus forcible, thus effectuall, thus prevalent is the Example an holy life; When Men and Women live so chastly, walk so circumspectly, and order themselves [Page] so holily, so meekly, so blamelesly, that Men that are even strangers to a godly life, are strongly wrought upon,1 Pet. 2. and very much affected with, and won to Christ by their religious and gracious conversation.

Faults in manners, and Errours in Doctrine, to be distinguished in the matter of Reproof.991

IT is observable,P. Mart. lo. com. p. 1. c. 17. that Almighty God, hath in old time dispensed with some precepts of the second Table concerning our duty to Men, as in bidding Abraham to kill his Son Isaac, Gen. 23. 2. contrary to the sixt Commandement; and in suffering the Fathers to have many Concubines, contrary to the seventh Commandement; and in advising the Children of Israel to rob the wicked Egyptians, Exod. 2. of their Jewels, contrary to the eighth Commandement: But he who cannot deny himselfe, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Tim. 2. 13. never dispensed with any Precept of the first Table, concerning his own true honour, worship, and holinesse: Thus it is that there must be a difference put betwixt Faults in manners, M. Lutheri lo. com. tit. de Zelo. and Errours in doctrine; for principles of faith are like a Mathematicall point, which admits of neither ademption, nor addition;Prov. 9. 11. to be patient in suffering a private wrong, onely concerning our own Persons is commendable, Discamus exexemplo Christi &c. S. Chrys. in Mat. yea Noble. But when once the quarrell is made Gods and the Churches, injurias Dei dissimulare nimis est impium, it is too great impiety for any man to bear: In such a case the Prophet Eliah called for fire from Heaven upon his Enemies.2 King. 1. In such a case St. Paul in the sight of the whole Church of Antiochia, Gal. 2. 11. withstood Peter to his face: In such a case (God assisting me saith Luther) I am and ever shall be stout and stern;In vita ejus per Anonym. herein I take upon me this title, Cedo nulli, Answ. to Hardings pref. I give place to none; And in such a case renowned Iewel, sweetly to the same purpose, I deny my learning, I deny my Bishopwrick, I deny my selfe, onely the faith of Christ, and truth of God I cannot deny; with this faith, and for this faith, I trust I shall end my dayes.

Judgement-day, the terrors of it to the wicked.992

IT is reported of Zisca, Hist. persec. Eccles. Bohem. Dubravius. lib. 36. that valiant Captain of the Bohemians, that he commanded, that after his decease, his skin should be flead from his body to make a drum of it, which they should be sure to use, when they went out to battail, affirming that as soon as the Hongarians, or any other of their enemies should come within the sound of that Drum, they would never be able to abide it: Now if Zisca's Drum, and the beating thereof was so terrible to the poor Hongarians, how fearfull shall the sounding of the last Trumpet be to the wicked, when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heaven with his mighty Angels to judge the quick and the dead? Saul was astonished, when he heard Iesus of Nazareth but calling unto him.Act. 22. 8. Herod was affrighted, when he thought that Iohn Baptist was risen again.Mark. 16. 6. The Carthagenians were troubled, when they saw Scipio's sepulchre: The Saxons were terrified,Hollingsheds Chron. when they saw Cadwallon's image; The Philistims were affraid,1 Sam. 21. 9. when they saw Davids sword: The Israelites were appalled, when they saw Aarons rod: Dion. lib. 44. The Romans were dashed,Numb. 7. 10. when they saw Caesars bloudy robe. Iuda was ashamed,Gen. 38. 2. when he saw Thamars signet and staffe: Baltazar was amazed, when he saw the hand-writing on the wall: Dan. 5. 9. And all the Enemies of God and goodnesse, Heu miser peccator, quo fugies, &c. look they never so high, Anselm. wax they never so bigge in this World, shall be then confounded, when they shall see Christ appearing in judgement.

993 Christ seen more clearly under the Gospel, than under the Law.

[Page]

AS a King in his progress coming to some great City,Iudaei legi studentes quasi candelae assistentes &c. Chrysost. hom. 54. in Genes. divers of his train ride before him, and many more come after him, yet all come to the same place; but those that are before, do not see what entertainment is made in the way, so wel as they that come behind: Thus it is that Christ is seen more clearly under the Gospell, than under the Law; The Patriarks, and the Israel of God, saw somewhat of Christ as they were before him, but not one half which we see that are behind; Moses was then under a cloud, but his face is now unveyled; It was a good observation of an acute Preacher (now with God) then lying on his death-bed;Dr. Holdsw. O how happy, said he, are the Peopl of this age, that see more of Christ than ever their Predecessors did, more than the Patriarks and People of old, They had onely Moses, Psalms, and the Prophets, but we the Books of the new Testament, setting out Christ before us.

994 Not to give occasion that Religion be ill-spoken of.

WHen a Pagan beheld Christians receiving the blessed Sacrament, T. Adams Ser. on ep. 2. Pet. and observed with what reverence and devotion, they demeaned themselves in that holy businesse, he was inquisitive what that action meant: It was answered by one of them; That God having first emptied their hearts of all their Sins, as pride, envy,Conrad. Zuingeri the atrum hum. vitae. covetousnesse, contention, luxury, and the rest, did now enter into them himself, with a purpose to dwell there. He was silent for the present; but followed and watched them, whom he saw to be Communicants in that action, for two dayes together: And perceiving some of them to fall into quarrells, uncleanness, rapacity, and drunkenness so soon, he declared his censure of them with this exclamation, I confess that your Religion may be good, your devotion good, your Profession good; but sure your hospitality is stark naught, Apud quos ne Deus quidem biduò commorari permittitur, that you will not give your God two days lodging: Here now was a sad occasion given for the Enemies of God so to judge of them, that seem to make profession of his holy name: This the shame of Christians, the disparagement of Religion, when it is forced against the nature of it, to encourage lewdnesse; This an abuse of the promises of Grace, Scandalum Proximo nec in vita nec in doctrina ponendum est. Beda. of the Covenants and pledges of Grace, which are the Sacraments, when encouragements to evill, are derived from so mercifull Indulgence: Again, it is a dishonour done to the honour of Grace and Godlinesse, when from the Sermon which forbiddeth such a sin, we shall immediately run into the sin forbidden by the Sermon, 2 Pet 2. 3. and so give an unhappy occasion for weak ones to be offended.

995 The loss of a faithfull Ministery, not to be sleighted, And why so?

GAlinus the Emperour, when tydings was brought him of the loss of Egypt; Well said he,Imperator vitae per. Phil. Nepotem. let it go, Cannot we live without the Flax and hemp of Egypt? And when he had also lost France, two great and mighty Countries: What, said he, Cannot the Land stand sine sagis trabeatis, Fl [...]ius Vopiscus in Hist. without those Souldiers Cassocks which France doth send us? Mat. 9. 36. This was a piece of Heathenish stupidity: But if ever it shall come to pass (quod avertat Deus) that the Ministers of the Gospel should be driven into corners;Esay, 40. 1, 2. let no good Christian make slight of it but be deeply affected, Act. 4. 36. and affectionately taken with the loss; 1 Cor. 4. 16. For, they are such as watch for our souls, the comforters of Sion, the Sons of Consolation, Esay 58. 12. spirituall fathers, repairers of the breach, such as stand in the gap of Gods anger, Ezek. 22. 30. spirituall Physitians, Jer. 8. 22. Rom. 10. 13. Doves which bring the Olive leafe of peace [Page] to the troubled soul, and what not? They are sanguis mundi, when they dye or fail; a Man may justly feare the World's a dying; they are the butteresses and pillars to uphold it from ruine and confusion, grievous then must it needs be, and matter of great concernment, when such are taken away.

The secure Worldlings suddain ruine.996

LOok upon a weary Traveller, T. Stapleton Prompt. moral. scorched with the heat of the Sun, how he resteth himselfe under the shady leaves of some fair spreading Tr [...], and there falls asleep so long, that the Sun coming about, heats him more then formerly, so that he is ready to faint, his head akes, and all his body is as it were, stewed even in its own sweat:Saepe mens dum virtutis suae securitate resolvitur, insidian [...]e adversario &c. Greg. in moral. Thus it fares with the Men of this World, such as having wearied themselves in heaping up the things thereof, lye down and sing a foolish Requiem to their Souls, mean while the course of their life runs on, the Sun comes about, Death overtakes them, and instead of a comfortable shade to refresh them, they may easily perceive the fire of Hell, if God be not the more mercifull, ready to consume them.

A child of God preserved by God, though never so much slighted by the World.997

THey that work in Gold or Silver, S. Fawce [...]s Serm. at St. Alphage. Lon. Mundus Dei officina. Aug. let fall many a bit to the ground, yet they do not intend to lose it so, but sweep the shop, and keep the very sweepings safe, so that that which they cannot at present discover, the Finer brings to light: Thus, the World is Gods Work-house, many a dear child of God, suffers and falls to the ground by banishment, imprisonment, sorrow, sickness, &c. but they must not be lost thus, God will search the very sweepings, and cull them out of the very trash and preserve them;Psalm. 68. 13. What though they be slightly set by, here in this world, and lie amongst the pots, no better accompted of-than the rubbish and refuse of the Earth? God will finde a time to make them up amongst the rest of his Jewels, Mal. 3. Ult.

True knowledge never rests on the Creature, till it center in God the Creator.988

AS the Legend speaks Historically (which is onely true Symbolically) of St. Christopher, T. Adams Ser. on ep. 2 Pet. Surius in vita. Aloys. Lippoman in vitis Fatrum. that before he was converted to the faith, he would serve none but the strongest; He had for his Master, a Man of great strength and puissance, but a King subdued him; Him he forsook for that King, but finding him to be overcome by a Neighbour, he betook himselfe to that other Pagan Conquerour: This Conquerour was also tyrannized over by the Devill, to whom he was a meere slave, doing all his base commands: This he could not endure, but entered into service with the Devill; For awhile he admired the power of his new Master, and what a dominion he exercised over the sons of Men, but in a short space he found out his weakness also: so feeble and fearfull was he of a piece of Wood, he durst not passe by the Cross; but when that stood in his way, he must by all means back again: Now the weary servant longed to know what this Cross meant, that he might find out a more potent Lord; It was told him, that Christ was the Lord of that Ensign, Haec tota scientia hominis, scire, q [...]ia ipse nibil est, &c. Aug. super. Psalm. 70. and that the Cross was his Banner; Thither then he flyes, and there he found out a most mighty, yea an Almighty Master. So true knowledge never rests on the Creature, till it center in the Creator, aims at none but the highest, and climbs from strength to strength, from height to height, till it appear before God in Zion; higher than Riches in their Treasury, then Princes on their Thrones, [Page] then stars in the Firmament, fetching all her light and comfort from God in Christ Iesus.

999 How it is that wicked men are said to hasten death.

BErnardinus Senensis, Tom. 2. in Dom. 2. Quadragesimal. Serm. 17. a devout man, tells of a stripling in Catalonia, being eighteen years of age, that having been disobedient to his parents, fell to robbing; and being hanged on the Tree, and there remaining, for a spectacle to disobedient children; on the next morning, a formall beard and gray hairs appeared on him, as if he had been much struck in years; which the people hearing of, and wondering at the suddennesse of the change,Cunctis slat terminus ae [...]i. urging how young he was at his death: A grave reverend Father of the Church being then present, said, That he should have lived to have been so old, Silius. as he then appeared, had he not been disobedient. The devout man (it's probable) may be out in the story, but the other was in at the application: For, Stat sua cuique dies, every mans daies are determined, the number of his months is with God, Job 1 [...]. 15. he hath appointed him his bounds, that he cannot passe;Psal. 39. 4. there is a measure of his daies, in respect of Gods prescience and providence: But in respect of the course of nature, the thread of life which might have been lengthned, 1 Sam. 3. 33. is cut off by Gods command for sin, as in the Family of Eli, and the People of the Amorites, Gen. 15. 16. not living half their daies, Psal. 55. 23.

1000 How to be made like unto Christ.

HE that intends to have his picture drawn to the life,T. Stapleton Prompt. moral. must not wrest and writhe his body this way and that way, but sit still, with a composed setled countenance, having his eye fully set upon the Painter; otherwise the resemblance will be false, and the work much mis-shapen. So, he that would have the image of Christ truly stamped on his soul, must eye Christ, as he is the perfection of all graces; do as the Prophet did by the Shunamites child,2 King. 4. 34. lay his mouth to his mouth, his eyes to his eyes, his hands to his hands; say as he said, do as he did, Sic oculos, sic ille manus; Virgilius in lib. 2. Aeneid. propose him as a pattern in all things imitable: Otherwise, if he gaze upon the vanity of the creature, and spread his thoughts at large upon earthly things, there will be much of Mammon, but little or no likenesse of Christ appearing upon his soul.

1001 The certainty, not the time of our Calling, to be so much looked into.

WHat a deal of do did the Pharisees make with the poor man,S. Faw [...]et Ser. at S. Alphage Lond. 2644. that was born blind? Ioh. 9. first, his neighbours, they begin with him, How were thine eyes opened? vers. 10. then the Pharisees asked him, How he had received his sight? vers.Joh. 9. 15. The poor [...]an tells them, That one called Iesus made clay, and annointed his eyes, &c. After many questions, they bid him give God the praise, for they knew that that man Iesus was a sinner, vers. 24. Well, (saies the poor man) whether he be a sinner or not, that's more then I know; but so much I know for certain, that whereas I was blind, now I see: It matter'd not with him, what the man was that cured him, nor the place where, nor the time when; this he took notice of, that he was blind, but now he did see. So the question is not, When, or, How any man is called of God; but the main will be, Whether he is yet called. A woman with child, if the babe stir in her womb, she takes no thought, when it was that the child first quickned, but is glad that it is quickned. If a man can but see marks and signes of salvation within him, and perceive that the blessed Spirit of God, hath wrought wonderfully on his soul, he may certainly conclude, that he is called, let the time, place, and manner be never so uncertain.

Without Faith, impossible to please God.1002

[Page]

OF all the Virgins presented to Ahasuerus, T. Adams Expo [...]t. on ep. 2 Pet. none was so pleasing as Hester, Let the maiden that pleaseth the King be Queen, in stead of Vashtai. When that Decree was published, what strife, what emulation (may we think) was amongst the Persian Damosells, Hest. 2. 4. that either were, or thought themselves fair? every one hoped to be a Queen. But so incomparable was the beauty of that Iewesse, that she was not onely taken into the Persian Court, as one of the selected virgins, but had the most honourable place in all the Seraglio allotted unto her: The other virgins passe their probation unregarded: When H [...]sters turn came, though she brought the same face and demeanour,Sine fide nemo ad filiorum Dei numerum pervenire potest, &c. Aug. de fide ad Petrum. that Nature had cast upon her, no eye saw her without admiration; the King was so delighted with her beauty, that contemning all the other vulgar forms, his choice was fully fixed upon her. Thus, Faith is that Hester, to which God holds out his golden Scepter: He is pleased with all graces, hot zeal, and cool patience please him; cheerfull thankfulnesse, and weeping repentance please him; charity in the height, and humility in the dust please him:Heb. 11. 6. but none of them are welcome to him, without faith in Christ Iesus.

All alike in Death.1003

AS Trees, Alphons. ab Avendano. Moralitat. in cap. 5. S Matth. while they grow, are apparently known by their fruites, by their severall kinds, and so are commonly called by their names; but when once the Ax comes amongst them, that they be felled, fired, and consumed, none can distinguish of their ashes. So when men, whilst they live, do very much differ in office, title,Aeqvo pede p [...] sat pauperum tabernas, &c. Horat. place, and power; but when they be dead, and resolved into cinders, their dust admits of no seperation, it can by no means be divided: As there is the like ashes of the Shrub and the Cedar, so the like dust of the King and the Beggar. Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat. Death is the head of the Levelling party, makes all men alike, the mightiest have no more priviledge, than the meanest.

Ingratitude reproved.1004

AN empty bucket that is let down into a well,T. Stapleton Prompt morale. doth, as it were, open its mouth, to receive the water; but being drawn up full, sheweth his bottom onely to the well that gave it: The sea receives her moisture from Heaven, sweet and pleasant, but returns it salt and brackish: The clouds by the power of the Sun-beams, are exhaled from the earth;Adverte homoquia limus es & non fis superbus, &c. Beza. but being once mounted, they darken that aire, and obscure that Sun that raised them: The frozen Snake in the Fable, stingeth him that refreshed it. Thus it is with all unthankfull men, men ingratefull to God; he ladeth them daily with benefits and blessings, Psal. 68. 19. and they lade him with sins and trespasses. God would have them to be righteous, Eccles. 7. 29. but they will not part with their inventions: So ingratefull, so swinish are they, that having acorns to feed on, mercies to encourage them, promises to support them, they will not so much as look up to the Tree, not be thankfull to God, that hath so richly provided for them.

Gods fundamentall love of Election, and actuall love of Adoption, how distinguished.1005

IT so falleth out sometimes,S. Fawcet Ser. at S. Alphage Lond. 1645. that a great person of quality, hath a purpose to marry a poor kitchin-maid; he provides her cloths and all things suteable for such a state: She (poor wretch) little dreams of any such matter, is in the kitchin about her drudgery, and it cannot be said, but that he loves her still: Here now is an [Page] intentionall love, a virtuall and fundamentall affection; but there will be another manner of love, when she comes to be his wife, and lie in his bosom. Thus wretched sinfull Man, he is under wrath, a very bond-slave of Sathan, in a sad condition by nature, hath nothing in him that may deserve love; yet God intending to adopt him for his son, looks after him, and treasures him up in Christ Iesus. The poor sinner all this while knowes little of it, he is not justified, because he is not called; Rom. 8. but when God shall be pleased to manifest himself, by the operation of his blessed Spirit, the love of Election, which was virtuall and fundamentall from all Eternity, will break out, and he shall be actually adopted, a child of God, and heir of eternall salvation.

1006 Faith, the root of all Graces.

THe root of a tree is a ragged and a jagged thing,T. Adams Exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. no shape, no proportion, no comlinesse in it, and therefore keeps it self in the earth, as unwilling to be seen; yet all the beauty that is in the tree, the streightnesse of the bulk and body, the spreading fairnesse of the branches, the glory of the leaves and flowers, the commodity of the fruits, proceed from the root, by that the whole subsisteth. So Faith seemes to be but a sorry grace, a vertue of no regard: Devotion is acceptable, for it honours God;Fides radix est omnium virtutum, & quod sup [...]r hoc fundamentum, &c. Ambros. de Cain & Abel. Charity is noble, for it does good to men; Holinesse is the Image of Heaven, therefore beautious; Thankfulnesse is the tune of Angels, therefore melodious. But, ad quid fides? what is faith good for? Yes, it is good for every good purpose, the foundation and root of all graces: All the prayers made by Devotion, all the good works done by Charity, all the actuall expressions of Holinesse, all the praises founded forth by Thankfulnesse, come from the root of Faith, that is the life of them all. Faith doth animate Works, as the body lives by the soul. Doubtlesse faith hath saved some without works, but it was never read, that works saved any without faith.

1007 The Ministers partiality in the reproof of sin, condemned.

THere is mention made of a sort of people,Coelius Rho dogin. Var. elect called Gastromantae, such as speak out of their belly, so hollow, that a stander by would think, that some body else spoke, in the next room unto them. Just such are those byas'd Ministers, the trencher Chaplains of our daies, that when they speak of sin, (especially in great ones)Dan. Featly Ser. at S. Pauls Lond. 1621. they may be said to speak out of their bellies, not out of their hearts; a dinner, or a great parishioner, or a good Dame, will make them shoot the reprehension of sin, like pellets through a Trunk, with no more strength, than will kill a sparrow. Hence is it, that there are so many no-sins, so many distinctions of sins, that with a little of Iesabels paint, Adams weaknesse, in regard of his wife, is called tendernesse; Abraham's lye, equivocation; Lots incest and adultery, good nature; Noahs drunkenness, the weakness of age; Aaron & Solomons idolatry, policy; oppression, justice; treason, religion; faction, faith, madnesse, zeal; pride, handsomenesse; and covetousnesse, good husbandry: whereas sin should be set out in his right colours, and the sinner pointed out, as Nathan did David, Thou art the man, 2 Sam. 12. 7.

1008 To be charitable Christians, and why so?

IF a man should at his own proper cost and charges,T. Stapleton Prompt. moral. build a fair Bridge, upon some River, in a convenient place thereof, leading the ready way to some City or Market-town; can it be thought amisse, if he should demand a small kind of tribute or pontage, for horse or man, that should passe over, whether it were to keep the Bridge in repair, that so posterity might have the benefit thereof; or for the acknowledgment of so great a benefit, or for the satisfaction of the builder? Surely it could not. Thus, Christ Iesus, our blessed Saviour and Redeemer, hath with [Page] the price his own most precious bloud, built a bridge of mercy to pass over, and is himselfe become a new and living way for all repentant sinners to walk in, there being no other way, Dis [...]e ad singula dona gratias agere. Bern. super Cantic [...]. no other bridge for passage into Heaven; It is but just then, that something should be done on our parts, not that he hath any need, but because he looks for it; some tribute, something by way of acknowledgement, something as a Toll-penny for the reliefe of his poor distressed Members, with this assurance, That Eleemosyna, Viaticum in Mundo, thesaurus in Caelo, What we lay out in this world by way of Charity, shall be doubled in the next by way of Retribution.

Regeneration, the necessity thereof.1009

ONe bargain'd with a Painter, to paint him a Horse running as it were in a full careere;R. Skinners Serm. at St. Greg. Lo. 1623 The Painter having done his work, presents it with the heels upward; Why, said the Man, I bespake the Picture of a running Horse, but thou hast brought me a horse kicking up his heels; O but (quoth the Painter) turn the frame, set the picture right, and then you shall find it to be a running horse, such an one as you bespake. Such is every son of Man in his naturall condition, his head and his heart is all downward, groveling on the Earth, whilst his heels are kicking at Heaven; but let the Table be once turned, let but God come into his Soul by the operation of his blessed spirit, then there will be a renewing of the mind, then that Tongue which ere-while was set on fire in Hell, —Sunt res non tempora re rum Observanda tibi. Mant. wil become a Trumpet of Gods glory; those hands which were once reached out to do wickedly, will now work that which is honest; those feet which were swift to shed bloud, will now walk in the paths of peace; instead of an itching ear, there will be an attentive ear; instead of a wanton eye, there will be a covenanting eye not to look upon a strange woman; there will be a new will, new affections, new qualities, a new disposition, all new.

A man of Learning speaks little.1010

VVHen a Rabbi, little learned, and lesse modest, usurped all the discourse at Table;T. Adam [...] e [...] posit. on ep. 2 Pet. one much admiring him, asked his friend in private, Whether he did not take such a Man for a great Scholar: to whom he plainly answered, For ought I know, he may be learned, but I never heard Learning make such a noyse. So when a modest Man gave thanks to God with a low and submiss voyce, an impudent criticall Gallant found fault with him, that he said Grace no louder: but he gave him a bitter reply, Make me but a fool, and I shall speak as loud as you, but that will marre the Grace quite. Vir, lequitur qui pauca, sapit. Thus it is that the Sun shews least, when it is at the highest; that deep waters run most silent; But what a murmur and bubling, yea sometimes what a roaring do they make in the shallows? Empty Vessels make the greatest sound, but the full ones give a soft answer; Profound knowledge sayes little; and Men by their unseasonable noyse are known to be none of the wisest, whereas a Man of parts and learning sayes little.

Death, the end of all.1011

MAn is, as it were, a Book, his birth is the Title-page, his Baptism the Epistle Dedicatory; Charles Fitz-Geffery Serm. at a Fun. 1622. his groans and crying, the Epistle to the Reader; his Infancy and Child-hood, the Argument or Content of the whole ensuing Treatises; his life and actions are the subject; his sinnes and errours, the faults escaped; his Repentance, the Correction; As for the Volums, some are in folio, some in quarto, some in Octavo, &c. some are fairer bound, some plainer; some have piety and godlinesse, for their subject; othersome (and they too many) mere Romanees, Pamphlets of [Page] wantonness and folly;Mors utima linea rerum est. Horat. 1. ep. 16 Eccles. 7. 2. but in the last page of every one, there stands a word which is, Finis, and this is the last word in every Book: Such is the life of Man, some longer, some shorter, some stronger, some weaker, some fairer, some coorser, some holy, some prophane; but Death comes in like Finis at the last, and closes up all; for that is the end of all.

1012 The incorrigible Sinners stupidity.

IT is reported of Silkworms, Th. Stapleton. Prompt. morale. Ulys. Aldrovandus Hist. de Insectis. l. 2. that at the noyse of Thunder, they are oft-times even terrified unto death, insomuch that they which keep them, use to beat a drum amongst them, that they being accustomed to the softer noyse of the drum, may not be daunted with louder claps▪ of Thunder. Thus it is with incorrigible sinners of all sorts, they are so affected with the whisperings of wordly pleasures, so taken up with the jingling noyse of Riches, so delighted with the empty sound of popular applause, Consuetudo pec candi tollit [...]ensum peccati. Isidor. and secular preferments; so sottish and besotted are they, that they are not sensible of Gods anger against them, the very custome of sinne hath taken away the sense of sin; that they do not so much as hear that which all the world besides heareth with trembling and amazement, the dreadful voyce of Gods wrathful and everlasting displeasure.

1013 Regeneration the onely work of Gods spirit.

IT is said of the Bear, Ulys. Aldrovan. lib. de Quadruped. Gesnerus. that of all Creatures she bringeth the most ugly & mishapen whelps, but by licking of them, she brings them to a better form, yet it is a Bear still. Thus all of us are ugly and deformed in our inward man: 'Tis true, good breeding, learning, living in good Neighbourhood, may lick us fair, and put us into a better shape, but shall never. change our nature, without the operation of the blessed Spirit: A Man may be able to discourse of the great mysteries of Salvation, yet not be changed; Nulla in discen [...] do mor [...] est, ubi Spiritus. doctor adest. Beda. hom. 9. in Luc. may repeat Sermons, yet not renewed; pertake of the Ordinances, yet not regenerated; not any of these, nor any of all these put together, will stand in stead till it hath pleased God to square them, and fit them, and sanctifie them unto us by the blessed assistance of his holy Spirit.

1014 Scripture-comforts, the onely true comforts.

IT is storyed of an ancient and Reverend Rabbi, T. Adams Exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. who that he might by some demonstration win the People to look after Scripture-knowledge, put himselfe into the habit of a Mountebank, or travelling Aqua-vitae man; and in the Market-place made Proclamation of a soveraign Cordial, or Water of life that he had to sell: Divers call him in, and desire him to shew it;Nihil in hac vita dulcius sentitur, nihil avidius sumitur &c. Hug. lib. de anim. whereupon [...]he opens the Bible, and directs them to several places of comfort in it. And to say truth, there is the greatest comfort to be had, being the word of the everliving God; The waters of life, which are to be thirsted after, whereby we may learn to live holy, and dye happy.

1015 The deaths of friends and others, not be sleighted.

THe Frogs, in the Fable, desire a King; Iupiter casteth a stock amongst them which at the first fall made such a plunge in the water, Aesopus. that with the dashing thereof, they were all affrighted, and ran into their holes; but seeing no further harme to ensue, they came forth, took courage, leapt on it, and made themselves [Page] sport with that which was first their fear, Charles Fitz-Geffery Serm. at a Fun. Lon. 1622. till at length Iupiter sent a Stork among them, and he devoured them all. Thus it is that we make the death of others, but as a Stock that somewhat at first [...] affecteth us, but we soon [...]orget it, until the St [...]rk come, and we our selves become a miserable prey. Do they who close the eyes, and cover the faces of their deceased friends, consider that their eyes must be so closed, their faces thus covered? Or they who shrowd the Coarse, remember that they themselves must be so shrowded? Miser hom [...], quare omni [...]ora te non disponis? &c. Bern. in Serm. Or they who ring the knell, consider that shortly the bells must go to the same tune for them? Or they that make the grave, even while they are in it, remember that shortly they must inhabite such a narrow house as they are now a building? Peradventure they do a little, but it takes no deep impression in them.

Prayers to be made unto God in Christs name.1016

JOseph gives strict command unto his brethren,Th. Stapleton Prompt. morale. Gen. 43. that if ever they looked for him to do them any good, or to see his face with comfort, they should be sure to bring the lad Benjamin their brother along with them. Thus if ever we expect any comfortable return of our Prayers, we must be sure to bring our elder Brother Christ Iesus in our hearts by faith, and to put up all our requests in his Name, They of old called upon God, using the names of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, three of Gods friends.Gen. 48. Afterwards, they entreated God for his servant Davids sake: Others drew up Arguments to move God, Esay 3 [...]. drawn from the Creation of the World: and from his loving kindnesse. Job 10. These were very good wayes then, and very good to engage the great God of Heaven to us;Psalm. 79. But unto us is shewed a more excellent way, Esay 63. by how much the appellation of an onely begotten Son exceeds that of friend and servant; ler. 31. and the benefit of Redemption excells that of creation and favour: 1 Cor. 13. 21. Dulce nomen Christi, Ioh. 14. O the sweet name Iesus Christ! no man ever asked any thing of God truly in that Name, but he had his asking.

To be mindfull of Death at all times.1017

THere was once a discourse betwixt a Citizen and a Marriner; My Ancestors (sayes the Marriner) were all Seamen, S. Fawcet Ser. at S. Alphage, Lon. 1646. and all of them dyed at Sea; my Father, my Grand-father, and my Great-grand-father, were all buried in the Sea; Then sayes the Citizen, what great cause have you then, when you set out to Sea, to remember your death, and to commit your soul to the hands of God; yea but, sayes the Marriner to the Citizen; Where, I pray, did your Father and your Grand-father dye? Why, sayes he, they dyed all of them in their beds; Truly then, sayes the Marriner, What a care had you need to have every night when you go to bed, to think of your bed as the grave, and the clothes that cover you, as the Earth that must one day be thrown upon you; for the very Heathens themselves that implored as many Deities as they conceived Chimaera's in their fancies,Cael. Rhodogin. var. lect. yet were never known to erect an Altar to Death, because that was ever held uncertain and implacable.Sera nimis vita est crastina. Martial. Sic mors ipsa q [...]um venerit vincitur, &c. Greg. l. 4. mor. Thus whether it be at Sea or Land, that Man is alwaies in a good posture of defence that is mindfull of death, that so lives in this World as though he must shortly leave it, that concludes within himselfe, I must dye, this day may be my last day, this place the last that I shall come in, this Sermon the last Sermon that I shall hear, this Sabbath the last Sabbath that I shall enjoy, the next Arrow that is shot may hit me; and the time will come (how soon God knows) that I must lay aside this cloathing of Mortality and lie down in the dust.

1018 Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice.

[Page]

MUsicall Instruments, D. Westfields Serm. at St. Batth. [...]. 1 [...]17. Me pl [...]s didicit qui plus facit. Hieron. i [...] Psalm. 22. without handling, will warp and become nothing worth; a sprightly horse will lose his Mettall, by standing unbreathed in a Stable, Rust will take the sword that hangs by the walls; The Cynick rather then want work, would be still removing his Tub: Thus it is not Gods meaning, that any Grace should lie dead in us, much lesse the knowledge of divine Truth, that should break out into practice; for happinesse is not entitled to those that know, but those that do what they know.

1019 Gods Omniscience.

PLiny makes mention of a silly Bird,Ph. Edlin Ser. at St. Mich. Bashshaw. Lon. 1653. that if she can but get her head into a hole, she thinks no body sees her, and that all's safe, whilst she becomes a miserable prey to her common Adversary. And this is the folly of many Men amongst us, such as would be counted wiser than indeed they are;Lipsius in Plinii Paneg. Aug. super close Polititians, that digge deep in their Counsells, and draw the Curtains over their deeds of darknesse; subtile Machiavillians, that spin their mischievous design as fine as a Spiders web,Matth. 7. and many times under the veyl of Religion too; Painted Hypocrites, that under the pretence of gravity think they dance in a Net,Prov. 7. 14. unseen of all Men, Prostitute strumpets, Matth. 23. 14. that first sacrifice and then commit lewdnesse; foul Dissemblers, that under the pretence of long Prayers devour Widows houses; And such as with demure looks think to deceive Christ Iesus himself.Jonah 1. I King. 14. 6. Deo nihil est [...], Comin. lib. 4. de bello Neopolitano. But let such know, that God can find Ionah in the bottom of the ship, and Ieroboams wife in her disguise; he sees and knows of the diversity of Weights and Measures in Tradesmens shops and Warehouses, the least dash of an erring pen in the matter of Accompts, the least sin of loosenesse; And on the other side, our Alms, though perhaps they make no great noyse in the World, are in debentur with him; he hath a bottle for our teares, Psalm. 36. a book for our deeds, whether good or evill; The whole world is to him as a Sea of glass, Corpus diaphanum, a clear transparent body: There is nothing hid from his eyes, Rev. 4. 6. so that find but out a place where he sees not, then sinne and spare not.

1020 Worldly things cannot really help us.

IT was wittily painted by way of Emblem upon the Dutch Ambassadours Coach.Mine Her. Paw An. 1652. A woman sitting in a forlorn posture, close to the body of a Tree, on the shady side; the Sun shining out in the strength of its heat, with this Motto, Trunco non frondibus; intimating thereby, that she was more beholden to the Trunk, then the leaves of that Tree for succour: Thus it is, that all good Men make God onely to be their support in the midst of danger, their refuge in time of trouble, the Rock of defence, [...] hic [...], finis dubius exitus horribilis, &c. Pet. Bles. and their strong Tower, whereas others cleave close unto the leavy Creature, trust in uncertain Riches, put their confidence in an arm of flesh, and bear themselves high upon their friends in Court, their preferments in the State, and such like miserable comforters, which will nothing avail them in the day of wrath, when they should have most need of them.

1021 Whether it be lawfull to desire Death.

IT is written of Martyrius, Salp. Sev. Hist. Sacra. that being on his Death-bed, he desired that God would be pleased to release him out of the miseries of this sinful World; but his [Page] Auditors standing by, said, What will become of us, and our poor souls, when you are gone? your losse will be a great prejudice to us, you cannot conceive, what hurt we shall receive by your death. Well, saies he, if my life may be profitable to Gods people, I will do any thing that he will have me to do. S. Faweet Ser. at S. Alphage Lond 1646. He desires to live, so as it may stand with Gods good pleasure. And a man may wish to die, for it is good or sinfull so to do, as the the grounds are, whereupon the desires are setled. It is an expression of faith to be freed from sin, and to have a more neer communion with God. Thus it is, that the Bride in the Revelation saies Come, and the Spirit saies Come; and both the Spirit and the Church take hands together▪ Rev. 22. and say, Come Lord Iesus, come quickly. No man, saies Christ, can see may face,Nonne mori satius, vitae quam ferre pudorem? Claudian. and live: O then, saies the Church, let me die, that I may see thy face. But such is the frailty of man, that even strong desires, and unadvised wishes, are to be found amongst the people of God, such as wish for death, in regard of carnall ends;1 King. 19. 4. thus Eliah, because of Iesabels frownes, cries out, Lord take away my life, &c. and Ionah, Jon. 4. in a pettish humour, thinks it better to die than to live, not considering, that Patience is the daughter of Hope, and grandchild of Faith; so that he that believeth, maketh no [...] haste. There is Heaven, saies Hope; It is mine, saith [...]; Yea, but saith Patience, I will wait till Gods appointed time come.

Knowledge in Politicall affairs, very uncertain.1022

THe Chirurgion that deals with an outward wound,T. Adams Exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. can tell whether he can cure it, & guesse in what time; but the Physician that undertakes the cu [...]e of a feavour, can neither see the time of his patients recovery, nor assure him, that he shall be recovered at all:Ince [...] quo [...]ata fera [...]t. Virgil. The Artizan, with his convenient shop & tools, can make up his daies work, if he be not hindered; but the Merchant Adventurer can promise to himself no such matter; he must have one wind to carry him out of the Haven, another to carry him about to the lands end, and perhaps another to drive him to the place of traffick; so that he can promise nothing, neither for the time of his return, Anceps eventus [...]. Aul. Gellius. Horatius. nor the vending of his commodity; but as the wind, and the weather, and the marriners, and the Seas, and the time of trade, will give him leave. Thus, the uncertainty of our knowledge, in secular and politicall businesse doth appear, the most wise God hath hidden from us the event of things, Caliginosa morte premit. All politick successes are conjecturall, not demonstrative, they stand in need of the concurrences of many things and causes, which are casuall; and of many mens minds, which are mutable; and of many opportunities, which are accidentall, so that we cannot build upon them. There's no policy so provident, no providence so circumspect, but is subject to errour and much uncertainty.

Sacramentall Bread and Wine, how differenced from others.1023

AN Instrument, Ph. Edlin Ser. at S. Mich. Ba [...] s [...]shaw. L [...]nd. 1652. or Conveyance of Lands from one party to another, being fairly engrossed in parchment, with wax fastned unto it, is no more but ordinary parchment and wax; but when it comes once to be sealed and delivered, to the use of the party concerned, then it is changed into another quality, and made a matter of high concernment. Thus, the Elements of Bread and Wine, are the same in substance with the oth [...]r bread and wine, before and [...] the Administration is past; the same in quality, the bread dry, the wine moist; the same in natur [...], the bread to support, the wine to comfort the heart of man: But being once seperated, (not by any Spells,Accedit verbum ad elementum & fi [...] sacramentum, &c, Aug. tract. [...]. in Io [...] or signing with the signe of the Crosse; not by any Popish carnall, sensuall Transubstantiation, nor any Lutheran Consubstantiation) from a common to a holy use: when Christs Name is set on them, in regard of Institution, consecration, operation, and blessing attending on them; then they become [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] Christs Bread, and Gods Wine, and the Table Gods Table too: not the bread of the buttery, but of the Sanctuary; not the wine of the grape, but of the Vine Christ Iesus sealing unto us the pardon and remission of our sins. So that in the right receiving thereof, we must make it a work, not dentis, but mentis; not so much to look on the Elements what they are, but what they signifie; look through the bush, and see God; through the Sacrament, and see Christ Iesus to our comfort.

1024 Worldly things, their suddain downfall.

AMongst many other significant devices,Hollanders at Amstered. some, beyond the Seas, have the picture of a man, with a full blown bladder on his shoulders, another standing by and pricking the bladder with a pin; the Motto, Quam subitò? hinting thereby, the suddain downfall of all worldly greatnesse. Res nullae stabiles sunt, quae cum fluxu hujus temporis confluxibiles sunt. Aristor. How soon is the Courtiers glory eclipsed, if his Prince do but frown upon him? and how soon the Prince himself become a Peasant, if God give way unto it? How soon are the windy hopes of sinfull men let our, upon the least touch of Gods displeasure? Riches, honours, preferments, if God be but pleased to blow upon them, are suddenly reduced to nothing.

1025 Magistrates called to do Justice at all times.

IT was a piece of good counsell that Mordecai gave unto Hester; D. Votier Ser. at S. Pauls, 1619. she was fearfull to go in to the King, because he had made a Law, That whosoever came into the inner Court without his leave, should be put to death. But what saies Mordecai? What is it that troubles thee?He [...]t. 4. 14. why dost thou shrink for fear? Who knowes whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? So it may be truly said of all Magistrates, of all that are in place of Government, whether it be in Church or Common-wealth, that they are in their places for such a time as this, that occasiones Dei nutus, Preachers travells. occasions are Gods beckonings: As it is said of a King of Persia, that he would many times alight off his horse,Non differends judici [...]m, q [...]ousque marsupia eorum qui c [...]nsantur exhauriant. Isidor de sum bono l. 3. onely to do justice to a poor body; a good coppy for Magistrates to write by, to be ready to do justice and judgment at all times, upon all occasions, while they have time, that is, while they have season. They may have time to live in, but they may out-live the season to do good in, to work for God, and act for Christ, to relieve the oppressed, and therein not to be over-poysed by any power, or byas'd by any respects whatsoever.

1026 All Knowledge but in part.

AMong the Romans, Caecilius. Nasica was called Corculum, for his pregnancy of wit; among the Grecians, Diog. Laert. Democritus Abderita was called, not [...], but [...]; not Wise, Joh. Baleas de Script. but Wisdom it self: among the Britans, Gildas was call'd Gildas sapiens, Gildas the sage: among the Iewes, Aben Ezra was called Hechachan; they said of him, That if Knowledge had put out her candle, Joh. Plantavitii Biblie theca Rabbinica. at his brain she might light it again, and that his head was the throne of wisdom. Before him among the Israelites, Achitophel was the man,2 Sam. 16. 23. his counsell an Oracle. Here now was a pack of wise men, but why Nilus should overflow in the Summer,Dum cognitionem universalem [...]abemus, decipimur particulari. Arist. l. 2. de Resolut. when waters are at the lowest; or why the Loadstone should draw Iron [...]o it, or incline to the Pole-star; which of them with all their knowledge, can give a reason of either? And as in human, so in divine knowledge, the most acute and judicious, have, and must acknowledge their ignorance, and deplore their errours in divers points; We know but in part. Then if he that learned his Divinity among the Angels,1 Cor. 13. 9. yea to whom the holy Ghost was an immediate Tutor, did know but in part, it is well with us, if we know but part of that part.

To be deliberate in our Prayers unto God.1027

[Page]

IT is observable, [...]. White Se [...]. at S. Giles Cripplegate Lond. 1644. that when a man is to swim over some River, having thrown himself into the water, he passeth as far as he can, by the strength of his first stroke, and then being as it were at a stand, he fetcheth another stroke, and so a third, and a fourth, till he come to the place where he would be. So in the marter of prayer, Act and Mon. in our addresses unto God, we must do, as that godly Martyr of Christ, Mr. Iohn Bradford was said to do, not to ramble from one petition to another, till he had brought his heart into a perfect frame of prayer, Non erga Deum afficitur qui aliud cogitat, aliud rogat. Thryveri Apoph. 75. so that every passage of prayer had its full work. As for instance. In the Lords prayer, when a man shall say, Thy kingdome come, and then shall be thinking with himself, O, but if it should now come, what a case am I in, that am thus unprovided? Then in the midst of these thoughts, say, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaver, letting the tongue go on, whilst the heart is on somewhat else; this is an errour, a green wound easie to be cured, being one good thought in stead of another, which is to be done by serious and deliberate attendance, and carefull dwelling on one particular, till another be presented.

Merit-mongers confuted.1028

THose of the old World,J. King B. Lond Ser. at S. Pauls before K. Jam. to get them a name upon earth, made Brick of their own devising, and built them a Babel, a Tower that must reach up to Heaven; and when they had all done, they had but brick for stone, and slime for morter, and the end was confusion. Gen. 11. And such there are, who to get them a name, and an opinion of being more holy than other men,Si vis excidere gratiâ, jacta tua merita, Aug. in Psal. 31. (Touch me not, I am of purer mold than thou art) make brick of their own pure naturalls, and inherent righteousnesse, to build up a Babel of Merit, that shall gain them the Kingdom of Heaven: And when they shall have all done, it is but the brick and slime of mortall corruption, and they can prognosticate to themselves no fairer end, than that of Babel was, Confusion.

Humility occasioned, by the consideration of our former and present condition.1029

JAcob humbles himself,S. Fawce [...] Ser. at S. Alphage Lond. when his brother Esau came against him; he knew himself to have been poor, and in a low condition: O Lord, saies he, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all thy truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant: For with my staffe I passed over this Iordan, Gen. 32. 10. and now I am become two bands. And are there not many in this great City, that came hither with a stick in their hands, a freez-coat on their backs, and a little spending mony in their purses; poor servants then, God wot!Tanto quisa (que) debet esse humili [...]r, &c. Greg. homil. 9. in Matth. 15. but now they have gotten two bands, wife and children, mony and trading. The consideration of these things, how God hath dealt with them from time to time, in the time of [...]icknesse and sorrow, in the time of health and prosperity; how he hath brought them from one condition to another, from a condition of want, to a condition of plenty; and from a condition of abundance, to a condition of want again: I say, the consideration of these things, (if they have any grace) is matter enough to humble them.

1030 Profession to be joyn'd with Practice.

[Page]

IT is commonly seen upon those Bells, T. Adams Ser. at S. Greg. Lon. Anna 1619. that hang out for signes,Exod. 28. 34. upon the one side is written, Fear God; on the other, Honour the King. Aaron the high Priest had upon his vestment Bells, as well as Pomgranats. O that those bells might strike on both sides, with an holy profession, which is one stroke; and an holy conversation, that's another stroke. While we onely say, We fear God, and glorifie Christ, Omnis virtus in actione consistit. Cicero de Officiis lib. 1. all this while the bell doth but toul, it strikes but on one side. But when we come to honour the King, to do good to all men, which is the practise and exercise of [...]oly works, then the bell rings out to Gods glory; if otherwise, we shall be no better then dissolute Choristers, that sing Gloria Patri in the Queer, but chant Carmina Bacchi in the Tavern. And indeed, to have a good heart to God, as some speak, and a leud life to the world, as some suppose they may. And that, Intus si rect [...] non laborandum, if all be well within, they need care for no more; so they wear holinesse next their skin, no matter what prophane stuffe their lives be made of. This is not to joyne profession and practice together.

1031 Time, to be well husbanded.

IN the Country,Ez. Culverwel Time wel spent. if a man have a thousand acres of ground, he can then spare so much of it to lie waste, so much for a bouling-green, so much for a tennis-court, so much for a court-yard, and so much for his mansion-house, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging: But let a poor man have but an hemp-pleck, a small burgage, or garden-plot, Vtendum est [...]tate, citô pede tabitur aetas. Ovid. 3. Art. he cannot spare one foot of it, but looks to it, and husbands it to the best advantage: And so ought we to make much of that little time, which we have in this world, Hoc est momentum. Eternity rides upon the back of Time, then not to squander that little time away, aut male, aut nihil, aut aliud agendo; so that the candle of our life burning low, we play it (like foolish children) out, and then go darkling to bed, comfortlesse to our graves.

1032 The sad condition of Church and State, not to be sleighted.

WHen the body of slaughtered Azahel was left in the high-way side,2 Sam. 2. Gen. 37. Sueton in vita Caesaris. there was not a man which came by, but stayed. When Iacob had the sight of Iosephs bloody coat, he mourned, and would go down into the grave after him, refusing to be comfort. The shewing of Caesars bloody robe in the market-place, set all the Romans in a tumult. And is it possible, that any true hearted Christian now living,Tu quibus ista legas, incertum est, lector [...]cellis. can vvith drie eyes behold the scissures and maimes, which every corner both of Church and State are subject to? to see the tattered rags and relicks of a wounded, bleeding, dying Church; to see Churches made dunghills, and the Temple a stable for horses;Ipse quidem siceis scribere non pot [...]i. Ovid. Horresco referens. The stories of the Antients, are full of examples of this nature; and, which is to be lamented, we were not, till of late years, unfurnished therewith.

1033 The great comfort of a good Conscience.

A Prisoner standing at the Bar,J. Squire Ser. [...]t S. Le [...]nard. Shord. Middlesex. 1639. in the time of his tryall, seemed to smile, when heavy things were laid against him; one that stood by asked him, Why he did smile? O, said he, it is no matter what the Evidence say, so long as the Iudge saies nothing. And to speak truth, it is no matter what the world saies, so long as Conscience is quiet; no matter how crosse the wheeles go, so as [Page] the Clock strikes right; unspeakable is the comfort of a good Conscience, unconceivable is the joy, [...] b [...] na, h [...]rtus Deliciarum, thesa [...] rus Regis, aula Dei &c. Hugo. l. 2. de [...] when God and a good Conscience smile upon a Man in the midst of Reproach and trouble, and false Imprisonment; for those cannot be scandals where a good conscience speaks fair; that cannot be a Prison where a good conscience is the Keeper; but that's a sad case, when there are clamours abroad, and a noyse within, when a Man is outwardly smitten with bitter things, and inwardly tormented with a guilty conscience.

Active Christians, the onely Christians.1034

EPhorus, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. an ancient Historian, and Scholler to Isocrates, had no remarkable thing to write of his Country, and yet was willing to insert the name of it in his History, and therefore brings it in with a cold Parenthesis: Athens did this famous thing, and Sparta did that;Cicero de cl [...]r. Or atoribus & ad Attic. And at that time my Conntry-men the Cumins did nothing: God forbid, that England and English-men should be so recorded in Ecclesiasticall story, as to have their names put in with a blank;Quintilianus Victorius. l. 18. var. lect. c. 4. Such a Church did thus nobly, and such a People suffered thus pittifully, and at that time the Men of England did just nothing: to be more particular, such a Man did so much, and such a Man gave so much for the glory of Christ, Convenit, omni ratione & arte Amantes patriam salutem ejus moliri. Euripid. and succour of poor Christians; and at that time thou didst nothing, thou gavest nothing; Thou professest thy selfe to be a Christian, be an active Christian: There be not onely walls upon Earth, but a Book in Heaven wherein the names of Christian Benefactors are written, let it be thy care of find thy name there, otherwise it will be no more honour for thee to be put into the Chronicle, than it was for Pontius Pilate to have his name mentioned in the Creed.

Sin not consented unto, excusable before God.1035

IN Moses Law it is provided,Ba [...]lius Monnerus de Matyim. that if a woman being in the field, shall be forced by a Man against her consent, if she cry out, the Man shall be adjudged to death [...]; but she shall be free, [...]. King. lect. on Jonah. as having done nothing worthy of death. As it was well observed upon the Rape, committed by Tarquin upon Lucretia that gallant Roman dame, Duo fuerunt, De ut. 22. 25. in actu &c. there were two in the act, and but one in the Adultery: So that sinne, Ha [...]d est nocens, quicunque non sponte est nocens. Sen. Hercul. which a Man abhorreth from his heart, and consenteth not unto, but so farre forth as infirmity and weaknesse of flesh gave way, cannot properly be called his sinne but the Devils sin, it being the Devills Rape upon the precious Soul; for being tempted, he cryes out unto the Lord for help, his heart smites him speedily, and he fals to Repentance immediately,Rom. 7. 23, 24. so that it is no more He, but sin that dwelleth in him, that [...] that other Law in the Members [...], Ann [...]tat. Minist Lond. in locum. that [...], that body or remaines of sin, according to which he is confident, that God will not judge him, but according to the better and sounder part, which is that of the Spirit most prevailing within him.

Humility advanced.1036

THat little humi repens, Royal-Exch [...] in London. the Grashopper, (the silliest of all Creatures) is for all that advanced in the principal City, and in a principall street of that City, and a principall building of that street,Excel [...] est patra, humilis est via; Ergo qui quarit patriam quid recusat viam? Aug. ad Di [...]scorum. and in a principall place of that building, as a golden object of Magnificence to be gazed on: Such a thing is Humility, that like the Violet, is poor in shew, grows low by the ground, and hangs the head as willing to live unseen, yet is never out of the way of preferment, is still upon the advance, as may be seen in the lives of Ioseph, Moses, Mordecai, and many others in all succeeding ages.

1037 Negligent hearing of Gods word, condemned.

[Page]

IN the twelfth Chapter of St. Lukes Gospel,S. Fawcets Serm. at St. Alphage, Lond 1626. you shall find Christ preaching an excellent Sermon; one would think, that when he preach'd, all should be ready to hear; One of the company in the midst of the Sermon, thought him too long, his mind being on something else; Whilst Christ was encouraging his Disciples that in the discharge of their dudy, they should not fear the face of Man, he runs upon his face with an impertinent demand;Luk. 12. 14. Master, sayes he, speak to my brother, that he may divide the Inheritance with me, as if he had said, My Father dyed, and left me a portion, I would have thee to set all down, and be an Arbitrator betwixt us; The motion was good; and might in all likelihood have wrought with Christ at another time, but now in the midst of an Heavenly Sermon, to talke of an Earthly Inheritance, was that which Christ reproved: Thus there are many that though they do not ask down-right questions of the Minister, yet they sleep, or gaze and prate out the Sermon, Matth. 21. 12 they sit on their seats in the Church, but their hearts are rambling out of the Church; Nec retinent patulae commissa fideliter aures. like those that were buying and selling in the Temple; they, whilst the Ministe [...] is proposing the best bargain, the Riches that are to be found in Christ Iesus, are trading with the D [...] vill about worldly contentment, and earthly vanities;Ho [...]at. ep. 18. And thats the reason they benefit so little by what they heare, and have so little comfort in the performance of all other religious duties.

1038 To persevere in goodness to the end.

THe Philosopher being asked in his old age,T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2. Pet. Why he did not give over his practice, and take his ease, answered, When a Man is to run a Rrace of forty furlongs, would you have him sit down at the nine and thirtieth, and so lose the prize? We do not keep a good fire all day, and let it go out in the Evening when it is coldest, but then rather lay on more fuell, that we may go warm to bed: Thus he that slakes the heat of zeal in his age,Non progredi est regredi. will go cold to bed, and in a worse case to his Grave; To continue in giving glory to Christ, is no less requisite, than to begin; Though the beginning be more then halfe, yet the end is more then all; The God of all perfection looks,Finis coronat opus. that our ultimum vitae, should be his optimum Gloriae, that our last works should be our best works, that we should persevere in goodness to the end.

1039 Prayer, the onely meanes to supply all defects.

IF a Man lose all his Personall Estate,Th. Whites Serm. at St. G. Cripple. gate, Lond. 1652. and save his reall; If he be rob'd of al his Goods, and save his Lands, he may buy more goods, and supply the loss with the Income of his Rents: Or suppose one that being an able Penman, should by his writing get fifty pounds per annum, and lending his supposed friend such a like sum, should lose it, he would in a short time make it up again; but if his hand were cut off, there would be small hopes of any further earnings: Thus Prayer is as it were the Right hand, the onely means to supply all defects, it gets all, and makes up the loss of all;Omnes medici pecuniis, Deus autem sola oratione placatur. Chrysost. in Matth. a. As a poor Woman said in her distress, I have no friend, but I have a Prayer, that will get favour with my God, so long as I can find a praying heart, God will I am sure of that, find a pittying heart, and a helping hand; And thus it is that when all outward comforts fail, and sorrows multiply on all sides, then it will be found that great is the benefit of Prayer.

The faithfull Servants of God, well Rewarded.1040

[Page]

WHen a Man hath spent himselfe in some great Mans service, Tho. Sutton Military Serm. 1617. either he will not do him the good he can, or cannot do him the good he would, or if both willing and able, yet is ignorant what is best to do; Mordecai wears the Kings apparell, rides upon the Kings Horse with a Royal Crown on his head,Esth. 8, what could be done more? Yes, all this and much more shall be done to him that serveth God, he shall be sure to have whatsoever is good. Imagine the happinesse of Haman in his Princes favour, the contentment of Sampson with his Delilah, the comforts of Eliah preserved by Ravens,Psalm. 34. 10 the joy of Paul and Stlas visited by Angels, the honours of David, Jud. 14. 7. advanced to a Crown; such honours, such pleasures, such comforts, such inward joyes, 1 King. 17. 6. such and infinitely greater,Acts 16. lasting and everlasting happinesse will God bestow upon all those that faithfully serve him.

Sinnes of infirmity, how to be known from other sins.1041

A Traveller in his journey,2 Sam. 5. 3. thinks of nothing so much as his journies end, if he stumble by the way, that's against his will, and more then he intended;T. Westfields Serm. at St. Barthol. great Lond. 1628. And if he chance to get a fall, or to go out of his way, he rests not till he be up, and in again. So look but upon a Hunter, he hath no design to follow his way at all, whether in the way or out of the way, his mind is upon the game; An Archer bends his how, delivers his arrow, and though it fall short or over, on one side or other, his aim was at the mark: Thus it is with the Children of God, their aime is at Heaven, their thoughts upon Zion, Jer. 50. 5. their looks towards Ierusalem, and their facc [...] thitherward; and if there be any aberrations, or turning aside, it is no more they, but Sin that dwelleth in them:Rom. 7. 17. Non sic Impii non sic, it is not so with the ungodly, they have no such design at Gods glory, the desire of their hearts is the satisfaction of their lusts and sinfull pleasures, they aim at nothing else but Sin, and so in the end reap the wretched fruit of their own wicked wayes.

Christ the onely object of the devout Soul.1042

A Stationer being at a Fair,T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 P. hung out the pictures, or small printed counterfeits of Men famous in their kinds; among which he had also the picture of Christ divers Men bought according to their severall fancies; The Souldier buyes his Caesar, the Lawyer his Iustinian, the Physitian his Gallen, the Philosopher his Aristotle, the Poet his Virgil, the Orator his Cicero, and the Divine his Augustine, every Man after the addiction of his own heart; The picture of Christ hung by still, of lesse price then the rest; A poor Chapman, that had no more money then would purchase that, bought it, saying; Quando quis (que) Deum abstulit suum, &c. Now every one hath taken away his God, let me have mine, Thus whilst the Covetous repair to their Riches like birds to their nests;Nihil aliud desiderat anima, nihil aliud a Deo quaeritquam Deum ipsum. Bern. Serm. de d [...]versis affect. anim. and the Lustfull to their Brothels, like flesh-flyes to the Larder: the Ambitious to their honour, like Butterflyes to a Poppey; the strong to their holds, as Snayls creep into their shels; the Learned to their arts, as Bees to their hives; Atheists to their sensual refuges, as Dogs to their kennels; and Polititians to their wits, as Foxes to their holes, the devout Soul will know no other Sanctuary, [...]ix upon no other object but Christ Iesus, not pictured in her Chamber, but planted in the inner Chamber of her heart.

1043 God a just God, as well as a merciful God.

[Page]

AS the Lion hath his paw to imprison,John Daltons Ser. at S. Pauls Ulys. Aldrovand, Plinius. his voyce to terrifie, and his teeth to tear his prey, yet satis est prostrasse, commiserateth the woes of the prostrate, and suffereth no ravenous beast to devour that which he hath protected: The Eagle hath his talons to strike, and his wings to shadow from danger: The Leopard hath comely spots, but an ill-favoured countenance: The Panther hath a sweet-scented breath, but a rotten deceiptfull heart: Thus God is just as well as merciful, the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah, that can as well encounter his foes with terror, as entertain his friends with peace; He that threats to chastise, and favours to encourage; A terrible countenance to beget a dread of his might, and variety of Mercies to breed a delight in his Majesty; And whomsoever the beams of his bounty cannot warm in affection, the flames of his fury shall pursue to destruction.

1044 The Ministers duty.

IT is reported of the Nobles of Polonia, Abrah. Bucholcer. in Chronol. Anno 965. that when the Gospel is read, they clap their hands upon their swords, and begin to draw them out; intimating that by that Ceremony their resolution to defend the faith, and willingnesse to hazard their lives for the Gospels safety: Qui animarum curam pro Domino suscipit, ut errantes doceat, &c. Glof. super Prov. 11. Thus God hath given every Minister a sword to slay Agag and all his Cattle, originall impurity, and all his droves of unhallowed thoughts; he must maintain the Faith, by preaching truth, and confuting errour; by commending virtue, and disparaging vice; by confirming the weak, and confounding the obstinate; by proving of Orthodox conclusions, approving Innocency and goodness, improving labour and pains, reproving sinne and prophanenesse; If he do otherwise, he is not Praeco but Praedo, not a Pastor but Impostor; not a keeper, but a deceiver of the People.

1045 God bringing Order out of Confusion.

PAul and Barnabas continued a long time in the work of the Ministery together, S. Fawcets Ser. S. Alphage, Lond. 1647. Acts 15. at last they fell out about a motion to visite the Churches, where they had formerly preached; Barnabas will by all means have Mark along with him; No, says Paul, that shall not be, because he was not at the planting of the Churches; One will not go without him, and the other will by no means go with him; The Contention at last grows so high, that it comes to a Non-communion, they departed asunder one from the other;S. Augustin. Dissociantur isti, sed ea occastone plures invisuntur, & confirmantur in do [...]rina. Gualth. in locum. one went one way, and the other went another, and by this means the knowledge of God was more spread abroad, the Gospell of Iesus Christ further dispersed; O faelix contentio &c. (said a good old Christian) O happy falling out of two, that was the falling in of so many unto Christ: And thus God, when his own time is, can bring good out of evill, light out of darkness, and order out of confusion, in making up the breaches, and composing the differences both in Church and Common-wealth.

1046 The lawfulnesse of Stage-playes questioned.

VVHen one accused the Comicall Poet, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. that he brought a lewd debauched Ru [...]ian on the Stage, and so gave bad example to young Men: He answered; True, I brought such a Man on, but I hang'd him before he went off, and so gave good example to young men: Thus it is to be supposed, that he that goes to see a Play, intends not to see a Truth, but a Fable, a Morall presented to his eye, that [Page] should convey some profitable document to his heart.Lucianus de saltatione. But that any man should say, He can learn as much good at a Play, as at a Sermon, this is a wretched blasphemy, able to rot out the tongue of him that speaks it. Again, when a Tyrant objected to a Player his sawcinesse, that he durst personally tax men on the Stage, he made him this answer,In omni [...]o [...]inis & intentio spectari de [...]et. Polyb. lib. 1. Be content; for while the people laugh at our foolery, they never mind your villany. Thus, there are some that seek to defend Stage-playing, saying, Cities are populous, and vvhere are many men, are most commonly many leud men; if their time were not spent so, it might in all likelyhood be spent Worse. But this is no argument, to defend sin by sin, to prevent an evill not allowable, by allowing an evill that is preventable. In a word, that which makes a man evill, is his own evill mind.

Ministers to be painfull, in the discharge of their duty.1047

THe Waldenses, in an apology of theirs, [...]ac. Usserius de Eccles. Christ. statu. make mention of a better kind of Abbey-lubbar, Qui ex sacerdote, agricola factus est, that of a Priest, became a Husbandman; Gen. 3. and his reason was, because he found it written, In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread: a strange humour. Had he so diligently discharged his calling as he ought,Vos quoque abesse procul jubeo, discedite ab aris. Tibul. 2. 1. he never should have needed to have turned Husbandman; he might have eaten his bread in the sweat of his brows, and his brains too. But, as haply he, so a number there are, that live with such drie browes in the Ministry, that drie bread in another calling would yield them more comfort and content, then all their fulnesse in the Ministry, because they make no conscience to fulfill their Ministry.

Danger of distracted Prayer.1048

AS long as Dinah stayed at home in her fathers house,Gen. 34. 2. she remained a chast and beautifull Damosell;T. Fletcher Ser. at S. Mich. Bassishaw. Lon. 1649. but when a gadding fit came upon her, that she must range abroad to see fashions, Shechem, Prince of that Country, met with her, and forced her virginity. This is the right condition of every prayer, that men put up unto God Almighty; so long as we commune betwixt God and our own hearts, and keep close unto him, there will be a comfortable return made, of that we pray for;Despiciuntur orationes leves, saecuti curae anxiae, &c. Ambros. in Psalm. but if Dinah-like, our hearts must needs be roving after vanity, and taken up with the thoughts of worldly things, then it is no wonder, if the devill, that Prince of the air, seize upon us, and lead us captive at his will: so that it were better not to have prayed at all, then to have offered the sacrifice of such foolish and distracted devotion.

The danger of Self-confidence.1049

IT is storied of two men named Denton and Wolsey, J. Fox Act. and Mon. that the one was very fearfull that he should deny the cause of Christ, were he but called to make profession thereof. The other, which was Denton, shewed a great deal of confidence, as being able to stand upon his own legs: But being both cast into prison, and put to the tryall, Wolsey stands up for the cause of God, and having no other foundation, but what was laid in Christ Iesus, Expedit mult [...] benè timer e quam malè timere, &c. Aug. de sing. Cleric. suffers Martyrdom: whilst Denton, for all his great shew, plaid the Renegado, and turned like a weathercock with the time. But it so fell out, that he which would not willingly burn for religion, was afterwards unwillingly burned, in the saving of his own house then on fire. Thus, it is a very dangerous thing for any man, to rely upon his own strength, the danger of self-confidence is very great, it hath but one foot to stand on, and therefore apt to stumble, and catch a fall: whereas a child of God, just like a little child, will desire the hand of Gods good guidance, if he be to passe over the bridge of any difficulty whatsoever.

1050 The Devills plot, to root out Learning.

[Page]

SAd was the condition of the Israelites, 1. Sam. 13. Phil. Edlin Ser at St. Mich. Bas [...]ishaw Lond. 1653. under the tyrannicall government of the Philistins, when they voted, that there should be no smith in Israel, lest they should make them swords and spears; nay, when the lawfull use of plowes, coulters, axes, and mattocks, instruments of husbandry, were to be laid aside, except they would come to their forges to wh [...]t them. Such is and hath been the Devills policy, and of his instruments, such asQui Christianorum si [...]iis literarum cultu interdixit, &c. Sozomen. l. 5. Iulian, and the like, in all ages, to put out (if possible) the eyes of Learning, and to dam up the fountains of good literature, left men should make them swords and spears, furnish themselves with arguments and reasons, to confute and convince the Iesuiticall doctrines, the Athesticall practises, and Schismaticall opinions, of such as are the grand sticklers and promoters of his diabolicall Kingdom.

1051 Ministers of Gods Word, to be constant in the preaching thereof.

ERnostus Duke of Luneburg caused a burning Lamp to be stamped on his coin,Rerum Germ. Scriptores. with these four letters, A. S. M. C. by which was meant, Aliis Serviens Meipsum Contero, By giving light to others, I consume my selfe. Now if he thought this to be the duty of a secular Prince, Act. 13. 2. how much more of a spirituall Prophet, one that is set apart for the holy f [...]nction of the Ministrey, to spend his strength in Gods service,2 Tim. 4. to preach in season and out of season, never to give over, but to run the race with cheerfulnesse, being constant unto the end; knowing, that his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

1052 The Heart of Man, author of all good and bad actions.

A Pollodorus dream't one night,Plutarchi Moralia. Plura machinatur cor uno moment [...]. &c. Hugo de anima. lib. 1. that the Scythians took him, and flea'd off his skin, with an intent to boyl him; and as they were lifting him into the Caldron, his Heart said unto him, [...], It is I that have brought thee to this sorrow, I am the cause of all the michief that hath befallen thee. And it is most true, that the heart of man is the forge, where all our actions are hammered out at large: It is out of the abundance of the heart, that the mouth speaks, either good or bad. The Centurion had not readier servants at command, then the heart hath upon all occasions; the eye, ear, tongue, hands, feet, knees, all of them move, and are at the hearts devotion.

1053 Custom of sin, no excuse for the committing of sin.

IT is said of a prisoner, S. Fawcer Ser. at S. Alphage Lond. that standing at the Bar indicted for Fellony, was asked by the Judge, what he could say for himself. Truly, my Lord, saies he, I did mean no hurt when I stole; it is an evill custom that I have gotten, I have been used to it ever since I knew any thing. Why then, saies the Judge, if it be thy custom to steal, it is my custom to hang up thieves. So, if it be any mans custom to swear upon every sleight occasion,Nil consuetudine pejus. Ovid Art. lib. 2. it is Gods custom not to hold them guiltlesse, that take his Name in vain: Is it any mans custom to whore and be drunk? it is Gods custom to judge them. Whatsoever the sin be, there's no pleading of custom to excuse it, as that they meant no harm, it was against their will &c. All the fig-leaves that can be gathered, and sewed never so close, will not hide their nakednesse from the eyes of Heaven▪ God will certainly bring them to judgment.

Peoples ingratitude to their Minister, condemned.1054

[Page]

WHen Homer had spent many lines,R. Skinner Ser. at S. Greg. Lond. 1628. in dispraising the body of Thyrsites, he briefly describes his mind thus, That he was an enemy to Ulysses, a wise and eloquent man. And there can be no more said of a bad man, than this, That he is an enemy to his Pastor, that's enough to brand him. Vaeilli qui minxerit in Fo [...]tem, There is a curse pronounced against him, that shall pollute the fountain, cast aspersions on the Minister; 1 Sam. 16. 23. who, like David, is tuning his Harp, to drive away their melancholly, and they, like Saul, dart their Javelins the whilst at his body: Whilst he is studying to apply the warm blood of Iesus Christ to their hearts,Occasiones ingratitudinis investigantes. Bern. in die Iejunii. they are endeavouring to vex the best blood in his heart; he is taking care how to save their souls, and they, ingratefull men! are troubled, how they may vex and perplex his very thoughts, which are meerly intended for their good.

Self-seeking men reproved.1055

IT is said of Hadrian the sixth,David Pareus in ep. 1. ad Cor. cap. 3. ver. 6. that having built a stately Colledge at Lovain, he set this Inscription on the front, in golden letters, Trajectum plantavit, Lovanium rigavit, sed Caesar dedit incrementum: Utrecht planted me, for there he was born; Lovain watered me, for there he was bred; but Caesar gave the encrease, who from the [...]erula brought him to the Crosier, of a Schoolmaster, made him Pope of Rome. A merry Passenger reproving his folly, under-wrote, Hic Deus nihil secit, Here was no room for God to do any thing. Thus God may be said, not to be in all the thoughts of self-seeking men, Psal. 10. 4. they do not with those Antients, preface to their works, [...],Cael. Rhodogin. ex Pausania. but intervert a great part of the price, with that ill couple, turning Gods glory into shame, loving vanity, seeking after lies; such as (in the Originall) will deceive their expectations;Act. 5. 2. of which sort, by a specialty, is that smoak of popular applause, Psal. 4. which the higher it mounts, the sooner it vanisheth, and comes to nothing.

The true cause of Christian thankfulnesse.1056

PLato looking through the dim spectacles of Nature, Mars. Ficinus in vita. gave thanks unto God for three things: First, That God had created him a Man, and not a Beast. Secondly, That he was born a Grecian, not a Barbarian. Thirdly, That not onely so, but a Philosopher also. But Christians, that are better bred and taught, turn the stream of their thanks into another manner of channell: First, That God hath created them after his own Image. Secondly, That he hath called them out of the common croud of this world, and made them Christians. Thirdly, and more especially, That amongst those that bear the name of Christ, 2 Tim. 1. 19. he hath made them faithfull ones; like a few quick-sighted men, amongst a company of blind ones;Joh. Baily Spi rit. Marriag a Ser. ut Westm. like the light in Goshen, when all Egypt was dark besides; or like Gideons fleece, onely watered with the dew of Heaven,Exod. 10. 22. whilst the rest of the earth was dry,Judg▪ 6. 40. and destitute of his favour. Great cause of thankfulnesse indeed.

Perjury attended by Gods Iudgments.1057

ULadislaus King of Hongary, one that professed Christ, Rich, Knol [...]s hist. of Turks in the life of Amurath 2. covenanteth with Amurath Emperour of the Turks; Articles are drawn up betwixt them, a Peace is concluded for ten years; Uladislaus swears to the agreement, signes it as his act and deed, and delivers it to the Emperour. But the Pope Eugenius not well liking the businesse, dispenseth with the Kings oath: Whereupon provision is [Page] made for war, the Turk is met with a great Army, the Battle is joyned, the service grew hot on both sides, and the Turk is worsted at the first: which Amurath their Emperour perceiving, drawes the Articles out of his bosom, spreads them in the face of Heaven, with these words, O Iesu Christ, these men call themselves Christians, and they have sworn in thy Name, not to have war upon us for ten years. If thou be Christ, as they say, and we dream, shew thy self upon this People, in the breach of their Covenant. Dii sunt perjuriorum vindices Just. hist. l. 14. Whereupon the Battle turned, and there were eleven thousand Christians slain upon the place in that day. Thus it is, that perjury hath ever been attended with Gods judgments, who will not part with his honour, though it be in the midst of a company of Infidells. Can a perjured man prosper? Was it ever neard, that any false, forsworn, perjured wretch did prosper? (and if he did, all that he got by it,Ezech. 17. was put into a bag with holes) witnesse Zedechiah. Where was it that the flying Role of curses light?Jer. 34. where? where but in the house of him that swearesh falsly. Zach. 5. Perjury may be carried off smoothly here in this world; and walk up and down with an impudent face; In prolem dila târunt perjur [...] patris. Claudian. but yet for all that, judgment dogs it at the very heeles, so that one may casily read the fathers fault many times, in the sons punishment, even to the ruine of posterity.

1058 Swelling big words of wicked men, not to be regarded.

AFter the defeat of that great Armado in 88.T. Adams Ser. on ep. 2. Pet. the Duke of Ossuna presented himself to the King of Spain, with a distaff at his side, and a spindle at his back, in stead of a sword and dagger; the King hereby understanding, that Dux foemina facti, a Woman had foil'd them, hastily stept to the Altar, and taking a silver candlestick up in his hand, swore a monstrous oath, That he would waste all Spain, yea his whole Indies, to that candlestick, but he would be revenged on England. But, praised be God, those high words were but the effects of his malice, without Englands ruine: An Regini R. Jac. 1. And had not a seasonable Peace not many years after been concluded, he might, for all his far streich'd greatnesse, have been reduced to a Kingship of Oranges and Lemons. Praeterostentationem & ventosam jactantiam nihil habent superbi. Piin. And thus the swelling big words of wicked men are not to be regarded. It were no living for any good man, if the hands of foul mouth'd men were as bloody as their hearts. Men and devills are under the restraint of the Almighty, neither are their words more high, or their designes more lavish, than their atchievments be vain, and their executions short; like the reports of Ordinance, they blaze, and crack, and smoak, and stink, and vanish away.

1059 Men of self-ends condemned.

IT was a sweet and savoury saying of Oecolampadius, Melch. Adamus in vita. Nolui aliquid loqui vel scribere, &c. I should be loath to speak or write any thing, that Christ should dsiallow; he is that Master, to whom every man must stand or fall; one good look from him is beyond all vulgar acclamation, according to that of the Apostle, Not he that commendeth himself 2. Cor. To. ult. (nor he whom the world commends) is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth. Reprovable then are the Gnosticks of old, who gloried in themselves,Iren l. 1. c. 24. and our modern Iesuits, who vaunt, that the Church is the soul of the world,Sr. Edwin Sands Relation of West. Relig. the Clergy of the Church, and they of the Clergy. And many amongst our selves, that have (as our English Seneca said) Eve's sweet tooth in their heads, would be more then they are, [...], or [...], the man, or some body; such as are never well, but when they are setting their good parts a sunning, Jos. Hall Exon to gain the applause and admiration of the world; such as turn the Perspective-glasse, see themselves bigger, others lesser then they are,Hab. 1. 16. sacrificing to themselves, as those Babylonians, and setting up, and serving themselves of Christ and his service, as Iudas and his successors, that rob him of his rents, and run away with his glory.

Good Christians alwaies thankful unto God.1060

[Page]

IT was an ancient custome amongst us (though now much sleighted) upon every New-years day, G. Buchananus Poemat. mutually to give and receive Gifts, as lucky pledges of an hopefull year to come, according to that of the Poet,

Mos vetus est Iani dare mutua dona Calendis,

Annus ut auspicio prosperiore flua [...].

yet good and faithfull Christians are not contented to give thanks unto God onely on the first day of the year,Ad singula dona gratias agunt. Bern. in Cant. the first moneth of the year, the first week of the Moneth, the first day of the week, or the first hour of that day; but alwaies, at all times, upon all occasions, they do but,A Motto often reiterated in Mercers Chap. Lond. Think and Thank; God lades them [...]ayly with benefits, and they press him dayly with thanks; Be it Prosperity, they look upon it as a pledge of his favour; be it Adversity, they entertain it as a tryall of Patience, still thankfull.

Parents to be carefull what they say in presence of Children.1061

ELiah was taken up to Heaven in a fiery Charior, and having left Elisha behind him in his room,S. Faweets Ser. at S. Alphage, Lond. there was no want of mockers and jeerers in Israel, that were ready to laugh at any goodnesse, such as made themselves sport with the Prophets of God, saying, that Elisha should be taken up into Heaven too; and this they did in the hearing of their Children; No sooner was Elisha come to Bethel, but a company of Children meet him, saying, Goup thou bald pate, go up thou bald pate; do as thy Master did, thou must be in his room forsooth, then thou mayst mount as he did; The Propher hearing this, turned back and looked on them (it had been better for them, if he had looked another way) and cursed them, whereupon there came forth two she-bears out of the woods and tore forty two of them asunder, 2 King. 2. 24. Here was a company of ill-bred Children; Their Fathers had in their hearing abused the Prophet,Corrumpunt vitiorum extmpla domestica. Juvenal. and they like ready Schollers, were not long in taking our such a lesson, though they paid very dear for their learning; Let Parents therefore be carefull what they say or do in presence of their Children, it cannot be imagined what large ears such slender pitchers have, how apprehensive, how imitable they are, especially in that which is bad.

To beware of Relapses in sin.1062

THe Workmans first care is to lay the foundation sure ne corruat, left it fall like the house built on the sands: the next, to perfect the roofe, T. Adams exposit. ep. 2 Pet. ne perpluat, that it do not rain through and rot the principals: The Poet did put no lesse virtue into Tueri, than into Quaerere; nor will the Lawyer pass a Conveyance with a meer Habendum, but he will have a Tenendum too; The Physitian ends not the cure of his Patient with the cure of his disease; but after all, minds the preventing of a Relapse: And so must we, though we stand, take heedlest we fall, beware of Relapses in sin; St. Peters Cavere ne excidatis, is but an exposition of his Masters, Memores estote, both as fortifications against Recidivation: we may fall, therefore let us look to our standing, 2. Pet. 3. 19. we may be lead away,Luk. 17. 32. the Devil will ventureto try us; therefore let us not budg, nor give him one foot of ground, but if he beckens one way, be sure to take the other; He labours to trip up our heels, and it must be our care to take heed of falling: And as we desire to have our faith blessed into vision, our hope changed into fruition, our love into perfect comprehension, our Repentance comforted with [Page] pardon, our Charity crowned with glory,If▪ Bargraves Serm. at Court, 1627. and all our services rewarded with eternal life; let us keep the Graces of Gods holy spirit ever in breath and motion, alwayes in the Ascendent, Omnis in a [...]tione virtus consistit Cic. 1. offic. climing higher and higher, till they come to the top of immortality: And as when Rivers towards their end approach near unto the Sea, then the Tide comes and meets them; So when the course of our Piety draws near to the end of our life, God comes and meets us, comforts us with a taste of Heaven before our death, and gives us after death the everlasting possession of it through Iesus Christ.

1063 Excellency of the Scripture-phrase.

EUripides (saith the Orator) hath in his well-composed. Tragedies more sentences then saying;Cicero. And Thucidides hath so stuff'd every syllable of his History with substance, that the one runs parallel along with the other; Lysias his works are so well couch't, that you cannot take out the least word, but you take away the whole sense with it;Plurarch in vita Demosth Plato de leg. lib. 1. And Phocion had a speciall faculty of speaking much in few words; The Cretians in Plato's time (however degenerated in S. Paul's) were more weighty then wordy; Tit. 1. 12. Xenophon. memorabil. l. 1. Timanthes was famous in this, that in his Pictures more things were intended, then deciphered; And of Homer it is said, that none could ever peer him for Poetry: Then how much more apt and apposite are these high prayses to the book of God, rightly called, The Bible? As if it were, as indeed it is, both for fitnesse of terms,Com. in Gen. can. 19. and fulnesse of Truth, the onely Book, to which (as Luther saith) all the Books in the World are but waste-paper; It is called, the Word; by way of eminency, because it must be the But, and boundary of all our words; And, the Scripture, Major est Scripturae outhoritas &c. Aug. in Gen. as the Lord Paramount above all other words, or writings of Men collected into Volums, there being (as the Rabines say) a Mountain of sense hanging upon every tittle of it; whence may be gathered flowers and phrases to polish our spceches with,2 Tim. 1. 13. even sound words, that have a healing property in them, far above all filed phrases of humane [...]locution.

1064 Christian Apparrelling.

THey that put on the Lord Jesus are cloathed with a fourfold garment; First, With a Garment of Christs imputed Righteousness. 2.John Baylies Sp. Marrriage, Serm at Westm With a Garment of sanctification. 3. With a Garment of protection. 4. With a Garment of Glory. The first Garment may be called a winters Garment, quia tegit, because it covers us. The second, a summers Garment, quia ornat, because it adorns us. The third, a Coat armour, quia protegit, because it keeps us safe. The fourth, a wedding-Garment, quia admittit, Luk. 14. because there's no admission to the supper of the Lamb without it. The first three may be called our work-aday suits, because we must put them on all the dayes of our lives;Psalm. 84. 6. but the fourth our Holiday-suit, because we must not put it on till the week of our Pilgrimage in Baca be ended, and the Saboth of our eternall rest in the new Jerusalem begun.

1065 Changing of this life for a better, no matter of griefe.

IF a Man should come to a Merchant, Chrysostom. ad popolum. Antiochen. 38. Pretiosa mors tanquam [...]inis laberum, vitae janua &c. Bern super Cant. and of two stones laid before him, the one false and counterfeit, the other true and precious, and laying down the price of the worser should get the better; Would ye think the Merchant had dealt hardly with him? No, he could not, but would rather admire his love and courtesie in the bargain: In like manner there are two lives proposed to all Men, the one temporall, the other eternal; both these he sets to sale, but he sels us the eternall: Why then, like silly Children, are we sad, because we have received the best, it being a great favour to be taken from the evill to come?

Drunkennesse, Whoredom, &c. the generality of them amongst us.1066

[Page]

THere is a tale of St. Bridget, Cat. test. verit. tom. 2. that she heard the blessed Virgin say to her Son, Rome is a fruitful Land; to whom he answered, sed zizaniae tantum, onely fruitfull of tares: And as Hugo Cardinalis said of Innocentius, when he departed from Lyons in France; That whereas there were four stews at his coming thither, he had left them but one, Mat. Paris in vita. Hen. 3. urbs tota lupanar, that one reached from one end of the City to the other. Thus it is, that Drunkards were heretofore as rare as Woolvs in England, now they are as common as Hogs: Whores were like Owls, onely night-birds; now they keep open house, Seb. Munsters Cosmograph. pay scot and lot with their honest Neighbours: Heretofore we had but some Families of Papists, Schismaticks, and Sectarians; now there's whole Colonyes, Streets, Lanes, and Parishes of the brood of that spotted, Harlot, and crooked Generation.

Ministers to preach plainly as well as learnedly, to the capacity of their Hearers,1067

IT is observable, that the profoundest Prophets accommodated thems [...]lves to their Hearers capacities, as of Fishes to the Egyptians, droves of Cattle to the Arabians, Trade and traffique to the Tyrians; So our blessed Saviour tells his Fishermen, that they shall be Fishers of men; And after many plain Parables to the People, (as if the father, the essential word, had been at a losse for a fit word, familiar and low enough for our dull and shallow apprehensions); Whereunto, saith he, shall we liken the Kingdom of Heaven? Mark. 4. 30. Yea, the Evangelists spake vulgarly many times for their Hearers sakes, Ioh. 17. 2. even to a manifest incongruity. In after ages (those two great lights of the Church) St. Augustine, Rev. 1. 4. and St. Ambrose, Beza in locum. the one confesseth that he was fain to use some words sometimes to those Roman Colonies in Africa, Edw. Brerew. Enqu. into Languages. where he preached that were not Latine, as ossum for os, dolus for dolor, floriet for florebit, to the end they might understand him; And the other remembring that he was a Minister, stood not alwayes upon the pureness of his style, Lud. Vives. lib. 2. & 3. de tradend. disciplinis. Debent ad infirmitatem audientium descendere &c. Greg. moral. super. Iob 29. but was farre more solicitous of his matter, then of his Words: Thus as Children use money to jingle with, and Men use flowers for sight and scent, but Bees for hony and wax, not to gild their wings as the butterfly, but to fill their Combs, and feed their young; In like sort there are those that tip their tongues and store their heads, some for shew, and some for delight; but Ministers above all men, have these talents in trust, that therewith they may save themselves, and those that hear them, they must condescend to the capacities of their Hearers, 1 Tim. 4. 16. stoop to the apprehensions of the meanest, become all things to all Men,1 Cor. 9. 22. in S. Pauls sense, that they may win some. Hence was that saying of a reverend Bishop,Arth. Lake Bath. Lord send me learning enough, that I may preach plain enough.

The Sinners wilfull blindness, condemned.1068

THe Lionesse will not company with the Lyon, after her commixtion with the Leopard, Ulys. Aldro v. de quadruped. till she wash her selfe in water, unwilling that her Adultery should be manifested by her scent: And the Viper is so wise, that before its copulation with the [...]ish Muraena, Oppian. de piscat: & venat. it first vomits, and casts out all the pernicious and venemous poyson that is within it: But O the wilfull blindnesse of poor sinfull Man! by nature more adulterous than the Lionesse, ô pectora caeca. Lucret. lib. 2. de nat. rerum. more venemous than the Viper, going a whoring after every sort of vanity, full of hatred and malice, suffering strange Lords to tyrannize over him without repugnancy, yea and such cowardly Lords, [Page] that if but resisted would flee from him; yet he gives way to them, not fearing that his disloyalty shall be perceived, and revenged by his Righteous Lord and Master, whose patience will at last break out into fury, and break him too into a thousand pieces:

1069 The hasty unexpected death of friends, not to be matter of excessive sorrow.

A Bijah the Prophet meets with Jeroboams wife,1 King, 14. 6. and tells her that he was sent with heavy news,R. Stocks Serm at L. Harringtons [...]. and with that especially, Thy childe shall die: And which might add the more unto her sorrow, Thy childe shall die assoon as thou enterest thy foot into the City, so that she could not so much as speak to him, or see him alive; And it was so, which was the occasion of a Nationall mourning, there being in him bound up the hopes of all Israel: And thus it is, that many judge it very heavy tydings, to hear of the early, untimely deaths of friends and acquaintance, that like grapes, they should be gathered before they be ripe, and as Lambs slain before they be grown. But why should they judge so? Why take on so with grief and sorrow? It is true, [...] tollito luctum. Horat. ode 16. that Tears are sutable to an house of mourning, so that Moderation lends a Napkin to dry up the excess of weeping: Consider then that nothing hath befallen them, but that which hath done, may do, and often doth betide the best of Gods dear Children. No Man grieves to see his friend come sooner then ordinary, more speedily then usually others do, to be Rich and Honourable, or to see his friend or childe outstrip others in learning and wisdom, to have that in a short time which others long labour for: Why then should any Man be troubled, Illi deplorandi sent in morte, quos miseros infernus ex [...]ac vitd recepit &c. [...]. 3. de sum. bon [...]. but rather count it matter of joy, when their Children or friends by death obtaine so speedily such a measure of spirituall Riches, and such a height of heavenly glory in so short a time; besides, they have this benefit before those that live longer, they are freed from the violence of the Wine-press that others fall into, and escape many storms that others are fain to [...]ide through.

1070 Death, the meditation thereof profitable to the Souls conversion.

THere is a story of one that gave a young Gallant a curious Ring, Theod. [...]. 27. with a Deaths head in it, upon this condition, That for a certain time, he should spend one hour every day in looking and thinking of it; He took the Ring in wantonnesse, but performed the condition with diligence, it wrought a wonder on him, and of a desperate Ruffian, he became a conscionable Christian. It were to be wished,Nihil [...] frequens mortis meditatio. Aug. lib. ex [...]ortat. that Men of all sorts would more think of death then they do, and not make that the farthest end of their thoughts, which should alwayes be the nearest thought of their end; but to spend some time fixedly every day on the meditation of death, and then by Gods grace, they would find such an alteration in their lives and conversations, that there would be gladnesse in the Church, peace in their own souls, and joy before the Angels in heaven for their Conversion.

1071 The great usefulnesse of Scripture-phrase.

IT is very remarkable,T. Cartwright in [...]. how God himself, the greatest Master of speech, and maker of it too, Exod. 4. 11. When he spake from Heaven at the Transfiguration of his Christ, our Iesus, made use of three severall texts of Scripture in one breath, as in Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son, Psalm. 12. 7. In whom, I am well pleased, Esay 42. 1. Hear ye him, Deut. 18. 15. No doubt, but God could have expatiated [Page] as he pleased; but this may reprove the curious quea [...]inesse of such nice ones,Joh. Malcolmus in Acta. Qui verè praedica [...] necesse est u [...] omne quod laquitur ad divinae authoritatis fundamentum revocet, & in eâ aedificium locutionis firmet. Greg. lib. 8. Moral. as disdain at the stately plainnesse of the Scripture, and to shew of what authority Scripture-phrase is with God. Happy then is that man, that Minister, that can aptly utter his minde in pure Scripture-phrase, in that heavenly dialect, the language of Canaan. It is not the froath of words, nor the ostentation of learning, (though usefull in its time and place) nor strong lines, that will draw men up to Heaven; but strong arguments, and convincing [...]own-right truths, drawn out of the treasury of Gods Word; as when a Sermon is full of the [...]owells of Scripture, so that God and Christ may (as it were) seem to speak in the Preacher.

Conversion of a sinner, painfully wrought.1072

IF a woman cannot be delivered of her child, Step. Denison Ser. at S. Pauls. which she hath carried but nine months in her womb, without pain and perill of life, though she conceived it in great pleasure; we must not think then to be delivered of sin, which is a man, an old man, a man that we have carried about in our hearts, ever since we were born,Psal. 51. without any spirituall pain at all. The conversion of a sinner is no such easie matter, there must be the broken heart, the contrite spirit, the mourning weed, the pale countenance, Str angulat inclusus dolor atabque; cor aestuat intus. the melting eye, and the voyce of lamentation; pain for sins past, pain for the iniquities of the wicked, pain for the abominations of the land and place where they live,Ovid. trist. 5. pain to see the distractions both of Church and State, and finally pain for their absence from their heavenly country. These are the pangs and throws of the second birth, the dolours that attend the conversion of a sinner.

The Hypocrite characterised.1073

THere is mention made of a Beast,Deut. 14. 5. Plin. nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 18. called by the best Translators Chamois, by some others Camelo-pard, a kind of Camell, that hath an Horses neck, an Oxes foot, a Camells head, and is spotted like a Panther or a Leopard. Just such are all hypocriticall wretches, they have many shapes, wherein to act the part of their deep dissimulation: If you look upon their devotion, Corn. [...] lapide in Deut. they appear to be Saints; in their dealings, you shall find them Devills: Oracles in their discourse, Goats in the bed, snares at the board, heavy censurers of others for sleight faults, boasters of their own goodnesse; the beating of whose pulse in matters of piety is unequal; In publick actions, hard, strong, and quick; in private matters, weak, soft, and dull; shrinking in persecution, for painted faces cannot endure to come nigh the fire.

Scripture-knowledge and Scripture-practice to go together.1074

ERasmus, in a Dialogue,Des. Erasmi colloquia. makes mention of a swaggering Ruffian, that would be thought a good Christian, whom he calls Cyclops Evangeliophorus, and saies of him, that he had hanging at his girdle on one side, a new Testament, fairly gilt and bossed; on the other side, a bottle of rich Sack. To convince him, he is asked, What if he were tyed to carry that bottle alwaies at his girdle,Egens benignae Tantalus [...]emper dapis, Horat. Epod. 17. and never to taste of it; or to taste it onely, and never to drink it down; were not this a punishment as reall, as that of Tantalus was poetical? But what if he did (as his manner was) drink soundly of it, would it not then warm his heart, quicken his spirits, and chear his countenance? Yes. But much more would that Book do so, if he would but spiritually feed thereon, concoct, digest, and turn it into nutriment in his life and conversation. Otherwise, it was but a poor use and benefit, that he made of his Bible, when one day in a rage he broke a fellowes head with it, that inveighed against the Gospell. Thus, alas, to carry a Bible in our hands, and not to have a lesson of it in our hearts, not to be mindfull of the doctrin in our practise, [Page] were but to be like that Asse, that carries rich burthens, and feeds upon thistles. In effect, [...] a man knowes no more than he does. Two things are the Esse of a Christian, Profession, and Practise of the truth. The best argument of our conversion, is our good conversation. The Apostles did not onely preach heavenly Sermons, but did gracious deeds, and thereupon a whole Book was written of them, called, The Acts of the Apostles.

1075 Eloquence, if not affected, an excellent gift of God.

IT was certainly a great fault it Spyridon, Theod. Beza in locum. Niceph. [...]i [...]t. lib. 8. cap. 42. Bishop of Cyprus, (though otherwise a very godly man) that when Triphilli [...]s his brother Bi [...]hop (more eloquent haply then himself) was preaching on that Text of the Paralytick, Take up thy bed and walk, Mar. 2. 4. where in stead of [...], he read [...], (the words being synonymous) not brooking that he should vary the least tittle of the Text, though for another of the self-same signification, said unto him, What, art thou better than Christ himself, that used the word [...]? And thereupon rose up off his seat,Rostra disertus amat. and departed in great discontent. This was somewhat too much; for certainly, there is some latitude, some Christian liberty left, wherein to expatiate. Eloquence, without all doubt, is a singular gift of God, if not affected, idolized, abused; and becomes no man better then a Divine, whose part it is, by the tongue of the Learned, Esa. 5. 4. to time a word, and to set it upon its circumferences, to declare unto a man his Righteousnesse, Prov. 25. 11. when not one of a thousand can do it like him; to seek to find out acceptable words, Job 33. 32. such as have goads and nails in them, Eccl. 12. 10, 11. being neither lecta, nor neglecta, too curious, nor too carelesse, because that Gods holy things must be handled, sanctè magis quam scit [...], with fear and reverence, rather then with wit and dalliance.

1076 Profession without Practice, signifieth nothing.

WHen we see an Image stand still without motion,Hen. Lesly Ser. at Court. 1627. be it the effigies or portraiture of any Emperour or King, or (if possible to be contracted within the bounds of humane limits) the picture of some Common-wealth, exquisitly graven in mettall, or painted out in lively colours; we know, that for all the eyes, and mouth, and nose that it hath, it hath no life in it. So, when we see professors of religion, without the powerfull practice of godlinesse; and supream Officers of State, without the administration of Iustice, we know, and can safely conclude, that the life of God is not in them, that they are not acted by any divine principle within, but are meer Idolls, and Images of vanity.

1077 The heart of a true Christian restlesse, without Christ.

THe Sea works, T. Bowyer Ser. at S. Lawrence Iury Lond. 1631. the Heavens move, the Fire is active, onely the Earth stands still. Thus, the heart of man is alwaies in motion, and never rests, sleeping or waking; it fancieth more in a moment, then all the men in the world are able to compasse in many years: Lust enticeth it, vanity possesseth it, curiosity leads it away, anger disquiets it, concupiscence polluteth it, pleasure seduceth it, envy torments it, sorrow and sadnesse vex and molest it. Atque hisunt manes quos patitur; for having set it self upon the right object, Christ Iesus, it is despersed and scattered through many things, seeks for rest, and finds none, till it return back unto him that is the true rest indeed.

A b [...]sie-body described.1078

[Page]

THe Squirrell (as Naturalists say) is a witty nimble creature,Ol [...]u [...]. Mag. lib. 18. cap. 18. and some write of her, that because she cannot swim well, when she would crosse a brook, she gets a piece of the bark of a Tree, puts it into the water, and her self into it, as in a b [...]at, Aliena c [...]rand [...], & quae [...]ihil ad illum pertinent. Terent. and then holds up her bushy tail, instead of a sail, that so the wind may drive her over: A busie active creature it is. And thus the pragmaticall b [...]sie-body, hath an [...]ar in every mans bo [...]t, an eye on every mans window; is here, and there, and every where, but where he should be; is still busie, but never hath any thanks for his labour.

God rewarding the least of faithfull service done unto him.1079

NEbuch [...]dn [...]r the tyrant,J. Trapp. G. Love- [...]kens. going upon Gods er [...]and, shall have Egypt as his pay, for his pains at Tyre; and Simon of Cyrene, for that involuntary service he did our Saviour, in carrying his Crosse,Ezek. 29. 18. shall not onely himself, but his two sons also,Mar. 15. 21. Rufus and Alexander, have a nail and a name in Gods house, Theod. Beza in locum. better then that of sons and of daughters. How much more then will God gratifie, graciously accept, and liberally reward the small offerings of his w [...]ak [...]ervants, when he sees them to proceed from great love? He takes goats hair from some hands, as well as Iewells; and two [...]tes from a mean body in as good part,Ante Dei oc [...]los [...] [...] e [...]t m [...]n [...]s à m [...]nere, &c. Greg. Mor. Mal. 1. 10. as two millions from those that are more able, to note▪ that a ready heart [...]ets an high price with him, upon a low present. Doth Iob serve God for nought? chap. [...]. 9. Doth any so much as shut the door, or kindle a fire upon his Altar, unrewarded? They do not. God is a liberall pay-master, and all his re [...]ib [...]ions are more then bountifull, even for the least of service that can be done unto him.

God accepts the meanest of Graces.1080

ABel offers unto God the firstlings of his flock,Gen. 4. and God had respect unto Abel and his offering; though the earth was but newly curfed for the sin of man, yet God accepts the first fruits thereof, well knowing they were no such things, as were in the offerers power to perform,Hen. Lesly Ser. at Court. 1627. but that which he had commanded the earth to yield. So shall those mean graces that are in us, be accepted of God, though too too much they savour of the [...]aughtinesse of our nature: And why so? but because they proceed from his speciall blessing, and are the work of his Spirit. A great comfort for such, as feel in themselves reluctancies, and spirituall assaults, by reason of the corruptions and imperfections, that [...]leave unto the best things they do:

The Name of God to be had in reverence.1081

JEHOVAH is a Name of great power and efficacy,D. Rayment Ser. at S. Olaves So [...]thw. 1630. a Name that hath in it five vowells, without which, no language can be exprest: A Name that hath in it also three syllables, to signifie the Trinity of Persons, the Eternity of God, One in Three, and three in One: A Name of such dread and reverence amongst the Iews, that they tremble to [...] it, and therefo [...]e they used the name Adon [...]i, Lord, in all their devotions. And thus ought every one to stand in [...]we, and sin not, by taking the Name of God in vain, Psal. 4. & 148. 13. but to sing praises and honour, to remember, to declare, to exalt, to praise and blesse It; for holy and reverend, onely worthy and excellent is his Name.

1082 Slanderers discovered.

[Page]

IT is Aelians observation, how that men being in danger to be stung by Scorpions, In var. hist. Ephr. Udall Ser. at S. August Lond. 1639. use to place their beds in water, yet the politick Serpents have a device to reach them; they get up to the top of the house, where one takes hold, the next hangs at the end of him, a third upon the second, a fourth upon the third; and so making a kind of Serpentine rope, they at the last wound the man. And thus it is, that amongst scandalizers and slanderers, one begins to whisper, another makes it a report, Inimici famam non i [...]a, ut nata est, ferunt. Plaut. a third enlargeth it to a dangerous calumny, a fourth divulgeth it for a truth: So the innocent mans good name, which, like a Merchants wealth, got in many years, and lost in an houre, is maimed, and so secretly traduced, that it is somewhat hard to find out the villain that did it.

1083 God onely to be eyed in the midst of Afflictions.

JAcob, when he saw the Angells ascending and descending,Gen. 28. 13. enquired who stood at the top of the ladder,J. Trapp G. Love tokens. and sent them. David, though he knew the second cause of the famin that fell out in his daies,2 Sam. 21. 1. to be the drought, yet he enquired of the Lord, what should be the cause of that judgment. And Iob could discern Gods arrowes in Sathans hand, and Gods hand on the arms of the Sabaean robbers, chap. 1. So should we do in like case, see God in all our afflictions: In the visible means,I [...]a ferenda tibi est, sic erat in fatis. Ovid fast 1 Sam. 6. 9. see by faith the invisible Author, and not look so much upon the malice of men, or rage of devills, as if either of them were unlimited; not upon chance, as if that idoll were any thing in the world, or that things casuall unto us, were not fore-appointed by God, even to the least circumstance of the greatest or least affliction, to the falling of a hair off from our heads, Matth. 5. 37.

1084 Great sins attended by great judgments.

WHen Calice was taken from England by the French, Imperatorum vi [...] per Ph. Nepotem. in the time of Charles the fifth, one asked the English by way of scorn and derision, When they would win Calice again? A wise Captain hearing it, made this answer, Cum vestra peccata erunt nostris majora, When your sins shall be greater than ours, then there will be large hopes of gaining Calice again. And what then can we expect in this sinfull Land of ours?Joh. Hampton a Serm. at S. Pauls. 1626. Were but our fore-fathers alive, they would bl [...]sh to see such a degenerate posterity; their sins were ignorance, ours presumption; theirs omission, ours commission; they were righteous in respect of us, their hospitality is now converted into riot and luxury, their frugality into pride and prodigality, their simplicity into subtlety, their sincerity into hypocrisie, their charity into cruelty, their chastity into chambering, Ingentia flagitia, ingentia supplicia, &c. Augustin. their modesty into wantonnesse, their sobriety into drunkennesse, their Church-building into Church-robbing, their plain-dealing into dissembling, their works of compassion into works of oppression. It is almost (if not altogether) out of fashion, to be an honest man. Such and so great, so transcendent, so superlative, so ripe are the sins of this Nation, that it is high time for the Angel to put in his sickle, and reap; for God to pour down the heaviest of his judgments up [...]n us.

1085 The mystery of the blessed Trinity unconceivable.

IT is (though somewhat fabulously)Laurent. Surius in vita S. Ang. 28 recorded, that when St. Augustine was writing of the blessed Trinity, walking by the Sea-side, he saw a little child digging a hole in the ground, and taking water with a spoon out of the Sea, powred it [Page] into the hole; S. Augustine demanded of the Childe, why he did so, and he answered; that he would lade the whole Sea into it; The Sea, said he, is too great, and the hole, the spoon and the [...] too little▪ To whom the Childe replyed thus; Iust so art thou, to write of the holy Trinity, and so vanished: Thus, Whosoever thou art, Canst thou empty the Ocean of this great mystery into thy Oyster-shell? Canst thou define, how the Begetter should not be before the Begotten? Canst thou dream how Generation and Proceeding differ? How there should be a Trinity in unity, and unity in Trinity, Three in One, and One in Three? This is a mystery of mysteries, not farre to be dived into;Inquirere de Trinita [...]e perve [...] sa cuirositas est; sed credere & tenere [...] sancta Eccle [...], [...] des & securitas est. Bern. in separat. Serm. It is impossible to sound the bottomlesse depth of such divine mysteries with the plumme [...] of our short lived and short ly [...]'d Reason, or think to pierce the Marble hardnesse of Gods secrets, with the leaden point of our dull apprehension, yet so farre as the Scriptures have revealed necessarily to be understood, we may look into it; And to be sure, He that hath two or three walks a day upon Mount Tabo [...], and with holy Moses, converseth with God in three Persons, on the Horeb of both [...]estaments, shall find the peace of God the Father, the love of God the Sonne, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, to his eternall comfort.

A Man to be wise for himselfe as well as for others.1086

VVHen an Orator, with great store of Wisdom, had bitterly declaimed against folly, T. Adams exposit. [...]n ep. 2. P. and somewhat abused his Auditors; it was afterwards replyed upon him by one of them; Sir, your discourse of folly may well be divided into three parts: One part you have declaymed against in all Men, one part you have bestowed upon us, and the other part you have kept to your selfe; Here was some wit in this; But when a Man shall commend wisdome to all his Hearers, and keep no part of it to himselfe, Hoc non est parta tueri. for his own exercise, Is it not great madnesse? For a Man to have a full brain, and an empty heart; a Library of Divinity in his head, and not so much as the least Catechism in his Conscience, is, as if one were to tell heads, and to number the company, and should forget to reckon himselfe: When an Inheritance is be divided among many Children, will any Coheir set out the portions of the rest and forget his own? We say for temporall things, When a Man spends or gives away all, it was but his kind heart: But in the distribution of things spirituall, Bonum sui diffu [...]vum Arist. to leave our selves none, argues not a kind but a stupid heart; Heavenly knowledge is not lost by communicating, we may give all and keep all; Lord enable us therefore to give so much as may make others rich in grace, and yet keepe so much as may make our selves rich in glory.

To be Patient under Gods afflicting [...]and, And why so?1087

SAmuel having told Eli of the destruction of his house,1 Sam. 3. 18. J. Trap Gods l [...]ve [...]. Psalm. 39. he said; It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good: I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, saith David, because it was thy doing. He knew that Gods hand should be no further stretcht out to smite then to save; that as he might do what he pleased with him, so he would not overdo: Pater est, si Pater non esset; this cooled the boyling rage of the young Man in Terence. Thus let every Man sit down with the like consideration, & say within himself;Componite mentes Ad magnae virtutis opus magnos (que) labores. Lucan. Pharsal. lib. 9. Shall I not drink of the Cap that my Father hath put into my hands? stand under the Cross, that he hath laid on my shoulders? sto [...]p unto the yoak, that he hath laid on my neck? Bears and Lions take blows from their keepers, And shall not I do the like from the keeper of Israel? If I contend with my Maker, worse will come of it; I cannot ward off his blow, nor grott my self up against his fire, I will therefore with meeknesse and silence, buckle and bow under his hand, and not make my crosses heavier than he hath made them by frowardness and impatience.

1088 Sin, of a destructive nature.

[Page]

VVHen Nicephorus Phocas had built a mighty strong wall about his Palace for his own security,Ced [...]ni Annales. in the night time he heard a voyce, crying out unto him,Felix criminibus nullus erit diu Ausoni [...]s. [...] &c. O Emperour, though thou buildest thy wall as high as the Clouds, yet if sinne be within, it will o [...]erthrow all. And most true it is, that all sinne is of a destr [...]ctive nature; What though our Nation be in as good a posture as heart can wish, out Navy ready, our Ports and Block-houses well fortified, our Coasts guarded,Jos. Shute Ser. Anno 1630. all our Beacons wa [...]ched, all our Castles repaired, all our Men armed and our Land environed with a wall of Iron about it, yet if sinne be within, if Bribery, Oppression, self-interest, [...]atred, malice, &c. be in the midst of us, like those Traytors in the Trojan horse, any one of them will do more hurt in one night, then ten thousand open Enemies in ten years.

1089 Mans happinesse consisteth onely in Gods free Election.

OF Adams three Sons,Gen. 4. J. Simson Ser. at S. Olaves Hart-street. Lond. Cain the eldest was extream wicked. Of Noahs three Sons, the youngest was wicked; of Terahs three Sons, the middlemost was wicked. Thus it is neither the elder, nor the younger; neither birth nor parentage; age or condition, that can claim any interest in Heaven, except they be elected of God before the beginning of the world; Happinesse is not entayled upon any worldly Relation, but he that hath made his Election sure is a happy Man.

1090 Glory, to be given unto God onely.

PHaroah ascribes much to Ioseph, but Ioseph quickly rids it off from himselfe, and sends it away to the right owner. Gen. 41. 16. So Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar, He blesseth God for the knowledge he hath, and so does not deny it,Dan. 2. 23. but he returns the praise to him that gave it.In vita ejus l. 3. cap. 6. David had his Non nobis Domine. And it is writthen of St. Bernard, that having done many wonders in France, he did thus put off all glory from himself; I have learned in the Scriptures (saith he) that signs are done,Haud equidem tali me dignor honore. Virg. Diog. La [...]rt. in vita. vel per fictos, vel per perfectos, Ego nec [...]tionis, nec perfectionis mihi conscius sum, Let them have a good opinion of me, but give all the praise to God: Thus it is the greatest and the highest part of divine Wisdom, to give God the glory of all our actions; It is his own, why should he not have it? As when Thales Milesius had imparted to some other Philosopher an admirable discourse of Heaven, he freed his Schollar from all reward but this; That whensoever he divulged this secret, Tibi non ascripseris, sed me ejus repertorem praedicaveris; The Invention it selfe, he was willing to communicate to others,Q [...]id habe [...] quod non recepisti? 1 Cor. 4. 7. but the honour of the Invention, he would keep to himselfe, Ubi mea legis, me agnosce. We have received all our Wisdome, strength, honour, and wealth from God, he requires no more but that we acknowledge the Author,Bern. in Serm. Ubi meis uteris, me agnosce, Take thou the comfort of them, give me the glory. To do this, summa ratio docet, & Christianos decet; The whole world is a great book of Gods mercy, every benefit is a lesson, and wheresoever we read it, let us be surethat he may have the glory.

Children to be begged of God by prayer.1091

[Page]

IT is a Rabbinicall observation, that there are four speciall keyes, which the Lord reserveth in his own power;J. Plantavir. Fl [...]rileg. Rabbinicum. First, the Key of rain, Deut. 27. 12. Secondly, the key of food, Psalm. 104. 28. Thirdly, the key of the Grave, 1 Sam. 2. 6. Fourthly, the key of the heart, Acts 16. 4. To which may be added, the key of the wombe, Gen. 30. 22. Hence is it, that Abraham being Childlesse, made his moane unto God; Isaac prayed for his wife, because she was barren; Hannah, Samuels mother poured out her Soul,Gen. 15. when she had no childe. This is the true course, this is the right way;Gen. 25. 21. first to the Lord,1 Sam. 1. 10 then to the meanes; and let all those that desire [...] blessing of encrease, seek it of God; It is he that openeth and shutteth the wombe,Psal. 127. 3. & 113. 9. the fruit of the wombe is his Reward, he maketh the barren woman to dwell with a Family, and to be a joyfull Mo [...]her of Children.

Parsimony in times of publique danger, condemned.1092

WHen that Imperiall City of Constantinople, R. Knoles hist. of T [...]rks. was besieged by Mahomet the great, the good Emperour did what he could to the utmost of his power for the defence of the place, sold the very Church-plate, and all his own Jewels to pay the Souldiers; then with tears in his eyes, besought his covetous subjects to lend him supplies; They pleaded poverty, protested they had it not, that they were grown poore for want of Trade; And thus for want of what they might have well spared, both they and their City were lost, a City of that great wealth, that it is a Proverb amongst the Turks at this day, if any Man grow suddainly rich, He hath been at the sacking of Constantinople: R. Willan. Eliahs wish. Such was the State of Constantinople then, and such will be hereafter the condition of any place, or People; when like silly Passengers, they shall more regard their trifling Fardels, then the Ship they go in, fortiùs diligentes res suas, qu [...]m seipsos, loving their wealth more then themselves, more then their lives, their wives, their children, their country, nay more then the Gospel it selfe, keeping their goods, for their Enemies to make merry withall, refusing to part with any thing for their just defence; it is just with God that they should be exposed to all sorts of misery.

The Devils policy to defile the Soul with Sin.1093

IT is said of the Badger, Bartholomaeus de proprietat. rerum. otherwise called a Brock, or a Gray, that the Fox and he cannot agree together by any mans, for the Fox will have him out of his hole, and what he cannot compass by might, he doth it by slight; The Badger is no sooner gone out of his Den to seek his food, but the Fox goes in and pisseth there; whereupon the Badger returning, and smelling out the Foxes basenesse, leaves his Den to him, who enters and brings up all his Cubs there: such is the policy of the Devill to defile the Soul of Man, he goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour, his main design is to throw Christ out of the Soul, which is Gods Den,Ph. Edlin. Ser. at S. John Zachary, Lond. 1640. Gods Temple, Gods House, and Gods dwelling place; but because he cannot put him out by force, he therefore dealeth craftily, by defiling the Soul with noysome lusts, such as are a stink in the nostrils of God, whose pure eyes can endure no uncleannesse; so that he departing thence, the Devill enters therein, bringing forth sin upon sin, till all be brought to shame upon shame, and in the end confusion of face for ever.

1094 Reconciliation with God in Christ, to be made sure.

[Page]

A Runnagate Sonne, leaving his Father, and living in forraign Countries, was brought to want; and finding little charity among strangers, he was driven to work for his living; Industry brought in gains, and the sweetness of gain whetted on Industry; soon he grew Rich, became a Merchant, and dealt in Traffick with divers Nations; and among the rest, with some of that Nation where his Father lived, hearing news how potent and opulent his Father was grown, of his wealth and Authority in the City,Paul Wanns Ser. de tempore he resolves to steere his course thitherward: Four businesses he put into his head; One was to congratulate with his friends and Allyes, another to be merry with his old companions, the third to gather up his debts, th [...] last and principall, to be reconciled to his Father: Being arrived there, he follows his three former employments close, he fails in none of them; but these did so wholly take up his time, that he quite forgot the main, the Reconcliation to his Father; The Marriners on a suddain call aboard, the Tyde tarries no Man, presently he must be ship'd, and so leaves that businesse utterly undone. [...] we are all strangers on Earth, Vnum necessarium saepissime oblitum. our Father is the Almighty King of Heaven; we are charged but with four businesses here in this World; First, Honestly to provide for our selves and families: Secondly, To perform all just duties to our Neighbours: Thirdly, To solace our hearts with the sober and thankfull use of Gods Creatures: Alphons. ab Avendano in Matth. Fourthly, and chiefly of all, To serve our Maker in all holy obedience, to acknowledge our sins with humble penitence, to get his pardon through the merits of his Son Iesus. Now so it is, that we are diligent in the rest;Marc. de Pise Encyclopaedia mo [...]alis. we heap up Riches, we sa [...]e our selves with Pleasures, we are indalgent to our bodies; But for the matter of most moment, that of greatest concernment, The pleasing of God, the saving of soules &c. we are as negligent as if they were not things considerable;Multi sunt qui minus diligenda magis diligunt, &c. August. Death calls us aboard, carries us away in his deep bottom, and the main businesse we came about is left un [...]ffected; We cannot but confesse all this, let us then amend it; and whatever become of our Riches, of our Pleasures, of our bodies, let us be sure of our Reconciliation made with God in Christ Iesus.

1095 Husbands not to be Uxorious.

HIerom reporteth out of Senec [...], S. Hieronim. l. 4. adver. Iovinian. circa finem. of one that was so uxorious that when he went broad he would gird himselfe with his Wives hose-garter, and could not [...]ndure her out of his sight; and must by all means drink of that side of the cup, that she drank of, as the Poet said of Paris, Et quâ [...] biberas, hac ego parte bibi; Where thou laist thy lips, there will I drink also: but the good old Father concludes thus; Sapiens [...]ir judicio debet amare non affectu, A wise man must not love by fancy and affection,Nunquam [...]perte [...] virum sapientem [...] muli [...]riremittere frae [...]um. Cant. 5. 9. but by judgement and discretion. Thus (as the Proverb is) A Man may love his house well, but not ride on the ridge of it, he may delight in the beauty, and accept of the person of his Wife, and say of her as the friend of the Spouse in the Canticles, O thou fairest among women; but he may not idolize her, he must not be so uxorious as Sampson was, that was so besotted with foolish fondnesse to his wife, that he opened unto her the secrets of his heart to his own confusion.

1096 Restitution, the necessity thereof.

THere is a story of a Man,Speculum Ex [...]mplorum. that gave much Alms to the Poor, who walking one day very solitary, an Angel met him in likeness of a Man, & walking along with him, brought him at last to a deep valley, where was a pit burning [Page] with fire and brimstone,Anton. Dauroltii Catech. historialis. and therein three gibbets, upon one of them did hang a man by the tongue, upon another a man by the hands, on the third hung no man at all. The good man much marvelling at the strangenesse of such a sight, asked the Angel, what the men were, that hanged in those tormenting flames? He told him, that he which hanged by the tongue, was his grandfather, which purchased the land and house wherein he now dwelt, by false oaths, lying, and perjury, and was therefore hanged by the tongue; and that the other was his own father, who by strong hand, kept that which his father before him had wickedly gotten; and that the third gallowes was prepared for him, unlesse he made restitution; and so the Angel vanished. The man being left alone, went sadly home, and the next day sent for the true owners, and restored the lands unto them; whereat his wife and children were much amazed, saying, That he would make them all beggers. O, saies he, it is better to beg a little while in this world, than to burn for ever in the world to come; better to lose house and lands here, than to be deprived of God and goodnesse hereafter. This may be a story,Ephr. Udall Serm. at Merc. Chap. 1640. Vivitur ex rapto. Ovid. but the Morall is good, and setteth out unto us, that ill-gotten goods never prosper in the end, and that there is a necessity of restoring, what hath been unjustly taken away. There are many stollen goods abroad, but few brought home to the right owners. Mens hands are like the fishers flew, yea, like hell it self, which admits of no return. But let all men know, that ill gotten mettalls are a strong bar, to bolt Heavens gates against them; but when they are dissolved by a seasonable beneficence and restitution, those gates of glory fly open, to their eternall comfort.

Riot and excesse, condemned.1097

THere is an old Apologue,T. Adams Exposit. on 2 Pet. how Honestum, Utile, and Iucundum, would needs keep house together; Honestum was to govern all, Utile to provide for all, and Iucundum to dresse or prepare all: They had a very great houshold, yet maintained their charge, relieved, the poor, and laid up somewhat for their posterity. All things went sweetly on, while Cheerfulnesse was the Cook, Thriftin [...]sse the Caterer, and Honesty the Steward. If any of the Family were disordered, Honesty reform'd them; if any lavish and unthrifty, Frugality recovered them; if any melancholick, Iucundum revived and cheered them. But after a while, this Iucundum getting a little head, begins to exceed in mirth, and falls out with Utile for short provision; he had invited a number of Fidlers, Jesters, Players, Tumblers, Dancers, and must have extraordinary chear for them. Utile refused to allow it, Iucundum would have it, and the quarrell grew hot. While Honestum was call'd to moderate the matter, this rabble came in, took Iucundums part, snatcht the keyes out of Utile's hands, ransack'd the coffers, exhausted the treasures, turned Honesty and Thrift out of doors, sung, danced, and drunk, and threw, as they say, the house out at the windowes.Genetrix virtutum frugalitas. Justin. lib. 3. Thus the Family broke, for just as Honestum and Utile went out, Beggery came in; onely these two erected a new house, and repaired their estates; to whom not long after Iucundum came a begging, but might not be admitted as one of the Family, onely was sent for, some times to make them merry, and lived on their alms. The Morall is easie, Frugality is the best fewell of Hospitality; riot and excesse are condemned, whereby many a good Family hath been ruined; let all the rest take warning.

How God may be said to will and nill the death and punishment of a sinner.1098

A Marriner in a storm would very fain save his goods; Jac. Merchantii. Hort. Past. but to save the ship, he heaves them over-board. A tender-hearted mother corrects her child, whereas the stripes are deeper in her heart, then in its flesh. As it was said of a Iudge, that being to give sentence of death upon an offender, Bonum quod nolo, facio, I do that [Page] good which I would not. Thus God, more loving then the carefull Marriner, more tender then the indulgent Mother, and more mercifull then the pittifull Iudge, is willingly unwilling, that any sinner should die; He punisheth no man as he is a man, but as he is a sinfull man; He loves him, yet turns him over to Justice. It is Gods work to punish, but it is withall his opus alienum, his strange work,Esa. 28. 21. his strange and forrain act, not his Eudochia, his good will and pleasure, his nature and property being to have mercy on all men.

1099 Morning Prayers commended.

ST. Origen going to comfort and encourage a Martyr, Th. de Trugillo Thesaur. C [...]nci [...]nat. that was to be tormented, was himself apprehended by the Officers, and constrained either to offer to the Idolls, or to have his body abused by a Blackamore, that was ready for that purpose; of which hard choice, to save his life, he bowed unto the Idoll: But afterwards making a sad confession of his life, he said, That he went forth that morning, Orati [...] matutina cl [...]is diei, &c. without making his prayers unto God, which he said, he knew assuredly to be the cause of his falling into evill. And to say truth, he that committeth not himself to Gods good guidance in the morning, may very well be without Gods good blessing all the day after. The first thing that a man doth, is to seek God, never think himself drest, till that be done, Let his soul have a mornings draught, as well as his body, I mean, a morning prayer, to fence it against the infectious aire of the world;P [...]ov. 27. Solomon tels the reason, Who can tel what a day (a big bellied day) may bring forth, whether judgment or mercy, good or bad. Therefore to make sure work, pray to God in the morning, and then come what will come, all shall be for the best.

1100 Faithfull servants of God, the paucity of them.

A Gentleman having but one servant, Mr. Goddard Ser. at S. Greg. Lond. 1651. thought him over-burdened with work, and therefore took another to help him; now he had two, and one of them so trusted to the others observance, that they were often both missing, and the work was not done: Then he chose another, now he had three, and was worse served then before; therefore he told his friend, When I had one servant, I had a servant, when I had two, Quae (que) domus servis est plena superbis. Juven. I had but half an one; now I have three, I have never a one. Thus God hath many servants, but little good service done; men do so trust, and thrust his work one upon another, that still it is not done: They say, That many hands make light work; but it is usually seen, that many hands make sleight work. Gods holy Name is blaspheamed, the Hearer saies, Let the Magistrate look to it; the Magistrate saies, Let the Minister reprove it; the Minister saies, Let the Hearer reform it; the Company saies, Let the Offendor himself answer it; the Offendor saies, Curet nemo, Let no man mind it. God hath so many seeming servants, that when his businesse comes to be done, not one of them can hardly be found, that is faithfull.

1101 Men and Women are not to wear each others Apparell.

THere was never yet to be found any occasion lawf [...]ll,Lib. [...]. de Virginitate. for the changeable use of men and womens garments, but one, and that St. Ambrose speaks of; thus it was. A certain Virgin of Antioch being condemned to the St [...]ws, because she would not sacrifice to the Idolls, prayed thus unto God: Lord, thou which couldes [...] stop the mouths of Lions against Danie, thou also canst bridle the raging lusts of men. Rich. de Medi [...]vill [...] Clavis c [...]li. And having thus prayed, there came in a Souldier, and changed garments with her, using these words, Quasi adulter ingressus; si vis, Martyr [...]gre [...]ar; I came in as an Adulterer, and if thou wilt, will go out as a Martyr; Let us change garments, [Page] thy vesture shall make me a true souldier, mine shall keep thee a [...]irgin: take thee an habit, which shall hide thy womanhood, and consecrate my Martyrdom▪ And by this means, the virgin escaped, and saved her virginity. But such occasions as this seldom fall out. And certainly, for women in Masks and Shewes, to be apparel'd as men, and men as women, hath been alwaies a thing distastfull to them which are more sober minded,lib. de Idolatri [...]. as Tertullian condemneth it directly, Nullum cultum à Deo maledictum invenio, &c. I find no apparell (saith he) cursed of God, but a womans in a man, according to that of Deut. 22. 5. especially in Showes and Plaies;lib. de spectac [...] lis. further adding, out of another place, Non amat f [...]lsum Author veritatis, &c. The God of verity loves not falsity; every thing that is counterfeit before him, is a kind of adultery.

Sorrow that is true, is for the most part silent.1102

ST. Bernard bewailing Gerhardus the Monk,Ser. 26. in Cant. and his dearest brother, saith; At his death my heart failed me, sed feci vim animo, with much ado I dissembled my griefe, lest affection should seem to overcome religion; and whilst others wept abundantly,Ille dolet ver [...] qui sine teste dolet. Ovid. Secutus ego siccis oculis invisum funus, my self followed with dry eyes the happy Hearse; by-standers with watry cheeks admiring, whilst they did not pitty him, but me that lost him. Indeed, whereas tears and words fail, the blood leaveth the cheeks to comfort the heart, and speech giveth place to amazement. They are small miseries, when he that hath them can presently tell the world of them.S. Ambros. Ser. 46. Sorrow that is true, is for the most part silent. That observation of St. Peter is good, Flevit sed tacuit, he wept, but was silent, as if his eyes would in some sort tell, what his tongue could in no sort utter.

The known Law of any Nation, to be the rule of Obedience.1103

IT was the observation of a wise (but unfortunate) Peer of this Nation,Tho. Wentworth E. S [...]ff [...]rd. An. 16 [...]1. at the time of his Triall, before an honourable Assembly, That if a man should passe down the Thames in a boat, and it be split upon an Anchor, and a Buoy being not set as a token, that there is an Anchor there; that party that owes the Anchor should, by the Maritime Law,L [...]x à legendo quia publice debet leg [...]. Isidor. give satisfaction for the dammage done: But if it were marked out, then he must come upon his own perill. And thus it is, that the known Lawes of a Nation, are made the rule of obedience to the People; the plain Law and Letter of the Statute, that tells where and what the crime is; and by telling what it is, and what it is not shewes how to avoid it: For were it under water, and not above, skulking onely in the sense of some musty record, and not divulged, no human providence could avail, or prevent destruction.

No true cause of Rejoycing in this world.1104

THere is a story of a certain King, Dr. La [...]rence Ser. at S. P [...]ls 1624. that was never seen to laugh or smile, but in all places, amongst all persons, at all times, he was very pensive and sad. His Queen being much troubled at his melancholly, requested a brother of his, that he would ask him, what was the cause of his continuall sadnesse. He did so. The King put him off till the next day for an answer, and in the mean time caused a deep pit to be made, commanding his servants to fill it half full with fiery coals, and then causeth an old rotten board to be laid over it, and over the board to hang a two edged sword, by a small slender thread, with the point downwards; and close by the pit to set a table, full of all manner of delicacies. His brother comming next day for an answer, was placed on the board, and four men with drawn swords about him, and withall, the best musick that could [Page] be had, to play before him. Then the King called to him, saying, Rejoyce and be merry, O my brother, eat, drink, and laugh; for here is pleasant being. But he replyed and said, [...] aspicio nihil est ni [...], &c. Ovid de trist. O my Lord and King, how can I be merry, being in such danger on every side? Then the King said, Look how it is now with thee, so it is alwaies with me; for if I look about me, I see the great and dreadfull Iudge, to whom I must give an account of all my thoughts, words, and deeds, good or evill. If I look under me, I see the endlesse torments of hell, wherein I shall be cast, if I die in my sins. If I look behind me, I see all the sins that ever I committed, and the time which unprofitably I have spent. If I look before me, I see my death every day approaching nearer and nearer unto my body. If I look on my right hand, I see my conscience accusing me, of all that I have done, and left undone in this world. And if I look on my left hand, I see the creatures crying out for vengeance against me, because they groaned under my iniquities. Now then, cease hence forward to wonder, why I cannot rejoyce at the world, or any thing in the world, but continue sad and heavy. Thus, Miscentur tristia laetis. Ovid did but men consider their estates, then would they find small cause to rejoyce at any thing, which the world shall present, as a thing delectable, but rather employment enough for Argus his eyes; yet all little enough to weep for the miserable estate wherein they stand, by reason of sin and wickednesse.

1105 Controversies, especially in matters of Religion, dangerous

ON the Tomb-stone of the learned, Sr. Henry Wotton, late Provost of Eaton Colledge, it is thus inscribed; Hic jacet hujus sententiae Author, Pruritus disputandi fit scabies Ecclesiae.

Here lies the Author of this sentence:

The itch of Disputation becomes the scab of the Church.

And very true.W [...]lter Curle Winton. Ser. at Court. 1632. How is Religion in a manner lost, in the controversies of Religion? For who is there, that had not rather seem learned in the controversies of Religion, then conscionable in the practice of Religion, and that sets not more by a subtle head, then a sanctified heart; that had not rather disputare quam bene vivere, dispute well, than live well? So that distraction in Religion, becomes destruction of Religion.

1106 Daily Examination of our selves, the comfort of it.

SEneca tells of aSextius. Roman, that kept his soul as clean, as the best housewife keeps her house, every night sweeping out the dust, and washing all the vessells, examining his own soul, Quod malum hodie sanâsti? qua parte melior es? What infirmity hast thou healed? what fault haste thou done and not repented? in what degree art thou bettered? Then would he lie down with, O quàm gratus somnus, quàm tranquillus! With how welcome sleep, and how quiet rest, do I entertain the night!T. Adams Exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. And it were to be wished, that all men would do the like, to keep a day-book of all their actions and transactions in the world; to commune with their own hearts, and not to sum up all their words and works in the day passed, with an Omnia bene, (as Church-wardens were wont to do, when they gave up their presentments) then would their nights rest be quiet, and then might they lie down in safety, for God himself would keep them.

Repentant tears purging the Heart from pollutions of Sin [...] e.1107

[Page]

THere is mention made of a certain King that had an Oxe-stall,De [...]. [...]rasmi A [...]g. chil. 2. Cent 4. A [...]gi [...] b [...]ile. Luci [...]n [...]s in Pse [...]domante. which had not been cleansed in many years, and at last was grown so foul, that it was thought all the industry of Man could not clean it in a life time; The King perceiving that, considered with himselfe, that if he could bring the River, which ran hard by his house, to run through it, that then it would quickly be emptied; No sooner was this conceived thus in his mind, but he sets upon the worke, and after much expence both of labour and money, brought the River to run through the Ox stall with a very sw [...]ft curren [...], Rich. de Mediavilla. Clavis Caelt. Lavant lachrym ae delictum. Aug. super Luc. lib. 9. so that in three dayes the house was cleared, and all the filth removed: Thus the heart of Man, like that Augaean stable, is filled with rottennesse and pollution, but if true repentant tears do but run through it with a forcible current, they will drive down all putrefaction and uncleanness before them; they are of such a purging nature, that as Rain distilling from the clouds, clarifies the air, so they purifie the Heart, insomuch that if the Men of this world were truly perswaded of the great benefit of true Repentant tears, they would not by any means be hindred from weeping.

Scandalous and seditious Books and Pamphlets fit for the fire.1108

Agesilaus, Xenophon. when he saw the Usurers bonds and bills set all of a light fire, said; Nunquam vidi ignem clariorem, I never saw a brighter or a better fire in all my life. And it were heartily to be wished, that of all such scandalous, blasphemous, seditious Books and Pamphlets, that are dayly vended amongst us, such as are fraught full of nothing but pestilent and bitter malice, Walter Curle Winton Ser. at Court, 1631. and the most shamelesse desperate untruths, that the Devill, the father of lyes can help to invent, there were a fire made of them, as was of the Books of curious Arts, Act. 19. the flames whereof perhaps might expiate some part of the Authors offences, which otherwise would one day help to encrease their torment in Hell fire.

Men easily drawn by their own Naturall corruption.1109

CAlista the Strumpet thus bragged against Socrates; A [...]lian Var. hist. lib. 13. All thy Philosophy cannot alienate one of my Lovers from me, but my beauty can fetch many of thy Schollars from thee: He made her this answer, No wonder, for thou temptest Men to the pleasing path of perdition, but I perswade them to the troublesome way of virtue; And it is observed, that Philosophers of divers sects turned to the Epicures, but never did any Epicure accept of any other sect of Philosohpy. Vnicui (que) dedit vitium Natura creato. Propert. lib. 1. eleg. 23. Thus it is that Men are easily drawn by their own natural corruption; Men are naturally disposed to be evill, to be holy and good is the difficulty; We are all of us born sinners, there is much ado to make us Saints: For corrupt Nature to adhere unto a doctrine that holdeth out carnall liberty, facilis descensus, there's no more wonder in it, then for stones to fall downward, or sparks to fly upward; but to mortifie our Earthly members, to deny our selves, to forsake this present world, and cleave unto God, hic labor hoc opus est, this goes against the hair, fain we would be Saints, but we are loath to be holy.

1110 To be affected with the falling of others into Sin.

[Page]

St. Bernard makes mention in one of his Homilies of an old Man, who when he saw any Man to sin,Homil. de Resurrect. Do [...]. Regia res est miseris succu [...] bere [...]. wept and lamented for him; Being asked, why he grieved so for others, answered, Hodie ille, cras ego, He fell to day, I may fall to morrow: Thus if Men could be but affected with the falling of others into sin, it would rather draw blood then joy from their hearts,Dr. Laurence Ser. at S. Pauls 1624. not knowing how soon God may withdraw his Grace from them, and suffer them to fall as foul as any other; besides there is no greater sign of a Reprobate, then to laugh at sinne and sinners; for he that can make wickednesse his chiefest pastime, and the faults of oth [...]rs his gr [...]atest joy, is no better then the Devill that rejoyceth at the failings of Gods children.

1111 The World to be contemned in regard of Heaven.

THe Eagle a Princely bird,C. Jansen. harm. Evang. cap. 123. of a piercing sight, a swift and lofty flight mounts upwards, setting light by the things that are below, never condescending to any of these inferiour things, but when Necessity compells, not when superfluity doth allure;Ulys [...]es Aldrovand. Ornitholog. Such an Eagle was Zacheus, that left his Extortion, Matthew his Tollgathering, Peter all, such as used this world as if they used it not, wherewith to supply their necessary wants and no further: O happy change! when Men leave all for him that is worth more then all;S. Bernard in pr [...]fat. affix. lib. de consil. ad Eugen. though Riches encrease, yet they set not their hearts upon them, though their Estates be changed, yet they are not changed, their desire is not to be rich unto this world, but unto G [...]d; their bodies are be low, but their hearts are above; their lives here, but their Conversa [...]ions in Heaven.

1112 Christian Modesty, commendable.

IT is a worthy observation what Paulinus a good Man,S. Augustin. ep. 8. answered to Sulpi [...]ius Severus, when he wrote unto him to send him his Picture, Erubesco pingere quod sum, non audeo pingere quod non sum, modestly dispraising his own feature; I must blush, said he, to picture my selfe as I am, and I scorn to picture my selfe as I am not: Here was a modest Man, and a modest disposition well met;Modesti [...] san [...] dece [...] omnes omnium ordinum homines. P. Comin. l. 1. T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 P. And it were heartily to be wished, that the like frame of spirit were in the p [...]ffe-paste Titulado's of our times, rather to confesse the unworthinesse they have, then arrogantly to boast the worthinesse they have not, pretending sanctity at the root of the Tree, when no fruit but wickednesse is seen on the branches, flattering themselves that their garments are of the holy fashion, their goings of the holy pace, their language of the holy style, and their hair of the holy cut, whilst their heart is all this while of an unholy metal.

1113 Not to be daunted at Afflictions.

IT is related of that valiant Commander Sr. H [...]race Vere, Triumphs of Nassau. J. Shute. late Baron of Tilbury, that when in the Palatinate, a Councell of War was called, and there being debate, whether they would fight or not; some Dutch Lord said, that the Enemy had many pieces of Ordinance planted in such a place, and therefore it was dangerous to fight; he replyed, My Lords, if you fear the mouth of a Cannon, you must never come into the field. Thus it is that in the service of God, Men must not shrink or give back, because of difficulties in the way; and though it oftentimes so falleth out, that Men fall into divers Temptations, and those great ones too, as to dispair of Gods [Page]mercies, and so to lay violent hands upon themselves;D. Rogers Ser. at Cant. 1633. Superand [...] omnis fortuna ferend [...] est. Vir. Aeneid. lib. 5. yet a Christian courage must not be daunted at any crosses or afflictions, but endure constant to the end; for God is faithfull and just, and will not suffer any Man to be tempted above what he is able to endure, nor lay any more upon him then what he shall be able to bear.

The Law bringing Mento the sight of themselves.1114

THe Swans of Thames and Po, beholding with a retorted neck their goodly feathers, think themselves Rarae aves interris; but when their black leggs and feet are become the object of their sight, then they find that they are nigris Cygnts simillimae: So when Men behold their lives in what they are commendable or tolerable, the Pharisee himselfe is not more proud then they, when they hear of the two Tables of Gods Commandements, they can carry them as easily, as Sampson did the Gates of Azzah. Judg. 16. 1. But when they look into the glass of the Law of God, they find their strength to be but as other Mens,Lo. Com. tit. Antinom. then goes the hand to the breast, and the word from the mouth, O God be merciful to me a sinner; Away then (as Luther once said) with those Antinomian conceits, that the Law need not be taught in the times of the Gospel; Rom. 10. 4. S. Augustin. contra advers. legis. l. 2. c. 7. It is confessed That Christ is the end of the Law. What end? Finis perficiens non interficiens, an end not consuming, but consummating, as himself said, I came not to destroy the Law, but to teach and do it, Mat. 5. 17.

The painfull Preachers poverty, the idle Impropriators plenty.1115

BEes make the honey,D. Valentines Serm. at St. Pauls▪ 1633. and drones suck the Hive, It is said in Iob, ch. 1. v. 14. The Oxes were ploughing, and the Asses feeding by them. What? Oxen plough the ground and Asses reap the Harvest. This is somewhat preposterous, yet so it is; That laborious Oxen, —Aselli Ornantur phaleris dephalerantur equi. painful Preachers; spend their time in plowing and preaching; and lazy Asses, idle Impropriators eat up all their labours, being alwayes feeding; Great revenues belong to the contemplative covent, while the devout and active Preacher is a Mendicant, the diligent Preacher lives in want of necessaries, whilst the lazy Impropiator swells in all aboundance.

Every Man to be perswaded of his own death.1116

TWo Ships meeting on the Sea,D. Rogers Ser. at Cant. 1633. the Men in either ship think themselvs stand still, and the other to be swift of sayl, whereas they both sayl onwards toward the Port intended, but the one faster then the other, Even so, Men are as Ships; see we an old Man with a staffe in his hand stooping downward? Alass, poor old Man, say we, he cannot live long: Hear we a Passing-bell toll? There's one going out of the world: Ante omnia cogita fragalitatem propriam. [...]ern. in Serm. Joh. 20. 4. Visites we a sick [...]friend? We think he can hardly live till morning: Thus we think all other Men are a dying, and we onely stand at stay; Whereas, God knows it, they may go a little before, and we are sure to follow after; Iohn out-runs Peter to the Sepulchre, but Peter is not far behind him. Let every Man then be thus perswaded of himselfe, that he shall and must dye; None can be so sottish as to be perswaded that they shall never dye, yet (which is a sad thing) there is none so old, but thinks he may live one year longer, and though in the generall he say, All must die; yet in the false numbring of his own particular days, he thinks to live for ever.

1117 The great danger of any one Sin unrepented of.

[Page]

MAny Planks well pinn'd and calk'd,Sam. Buggs at S. Pauls 1624 Suetonius. make the Ship to float; one and but one leak not stopped will sink it, One wound strikes Goliah dead, as well as three and twenty did Caesar, 2 King. 4. 40. Gen. 2. One Dalilah will do Sampson as much spight as all the Philistins, One wheel broken, spoyls all the whole Clock, One vein's bleeding will let out all the vitals as well as more; One fly will spoil a whole box of Oyntment, One bitter herb all the pottage,1 Sam. 14. 33. by eating o [...]e Apple Adam lost Paradise, One lick of honey endangered Ionathans life,Josh. 7. One Ac [...]an was a trouble to all Israel, One Ionah if faulty, is lading too heavy for a whole ship: Thus one sinne is enough to procure Gods anger, and too much for one Man to commit; And if God then take an accompt of one sin, let Men have a care of all sin.

1118 Curses usually fall on the Cursers own head.

DIog [...]es warned the Bastard,Laert. Diog. in vita. when he saw him throwing stones at randome among the People, to take heed he did not hit his own father. Such is the condition of all cursing Men, such, whose tongues run with great speed on the Devills errand, whose Maledictions are shot out of their mouths, just like fools bolts, not regarding where they light, whereas many times they fall upon their friends, their children, and very often upon themselves; or like ill made pieces, which while Men discharge at others, .—nec enim lex justior ulla est. they recoyl in splinters upon their own faces, so that if every curse should stick a visible blister on the tongue, as it doth insensible ones, on the Soul; How many Mens tongues would be too big for their mouths, and their mouth sas an open Sepulchre full of rottennesse and putrefaction.

1119 To be alwayes prepared for Death.

IT is reported of Sir Iohn Burgh, D. Rogers Ser at Cant. 1633 a brave Souldier, and a Gentleman of a good Family, who receiving a mortall wound in the Isle of Rees, and being advised not to fear Death, Ann [...] 1617. but to prepare himselfe for another world; answered, I thank [...]od, I fear not Death, these thirty years together, I never rose out of my bed in the morning, that ever I made account to live till night: Vive memor mortis, uti memor sis & salutis. Auson. A religious and Christian-like practise well worthy imitation, that every day when a Man awaketh, he should commend himselfe to Gods protection, whether he live or dye; for at the Evening none knoweth, whether that nights bed shall be his grave, or that nights sleep shall be his death; Therefore before his eyes do sleep, or his eye-lids take any slumber, or the temples of his head takes rest, make his peace with God for all his sinnes, that whether he live or die, he may live and dye to the Lord, and Iesus Christ may be to him advantage.

1120 The sad condition of Man falling away from God.

COmets and Meteors that hang in the ayr, so long as they keep aloft in the firmament of Heaven, Joh. Gore Ser. at St. Pauls, 1632. they glitter and shine, and make a glorious and caelestiall lustre in the eyes of all beholders; but if once they decline from that pitch, and fall down to the Earth (as many times they do) they vanish and disappeare, and come to nothing; Such is the case betwixt a Man and his God, as long as a Man holds in good tearmes with God, and sets his affections upon [Page] things above, Col. 3. 1. Phil. 2. 15. so long will God cast his favour upon him, and he shall sbine as a light in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation: But if once he decline from that pitch, and fall down from a godly conversation, into an earthly, idle, ungodly disposition;2. Pet. 2. 2 [...]. 'tis a venture, but his prosperity will fall away, and his latter end grow worse than his beginning.

The madnesse of Ministers, Magistrates, &c. not to be guided by that Counsell they give to others.1121

IT is fabled of a mad-man, Oth. Melandri I [...]co seria. that talking with a lean meagre Cook, he understood from him, what dainty dishes he dressed for his guests; and hearing that they were all fat, and fair liking, and thrived with it, he asked him, Why he did not feed on those meats himself, that he might be fat too? The Cook answered, That for his part, he had no stomack. But the mad-man replies, Take heed how thou come near Bedlam, Turpe est doctot ri cum culpa [...]edarguit ipsum. if the Corrector find you, your punishment will be very sharp; for certainly you are madder, then ever I was. Thus, it is no better then madnesse for Ministers, Magistrates, and others in place of eminency, to give light to others, and walk themselves in darknesse; to distribute portions of meat to the Family, and starve their own souls; to rescue others from the enemy, and suffer themselves to be taken; to forwarn others of the pit, whereinto themselves run headlong; to give good counsell to others, and not to be guided by that counsell themselves.

Christ nothing but Love all over.1122

IT is the observation of Sr. Walter Rawleigh, Preface to Hist. of World. that if all the pictures and patterns of a mercilesse Prince were lost in this world, they might all again be painted to the life, out of the story of K. Henry the eighth. But on the other side, the Iewes had such an high esteem of Esdras, I. Plantavitii Florileg. Rabbini cum. that if mercy, love, and knowledge had put out their candle, at his brain they might light it again. Behold yet a greater then Esdras, Christ Iesus himself: If all our love were extinguished, at his love we might easily rekindle it: Christus amor is amor. Jac. Billius in Antholog. sacra. Not a word that he spoke▪ not a work that he did, not a passion that he suffered, but was an argument, a character of his love: He brought love, he bought love, he exercised love, he bequeathed love, he died in love: He is all love.

Needfull Requisites, to make up a profitable Hearer of Gods Word.1123

IT is said of that Princely Iosiah, Acts and Mon. King Edward the sixth, that his carriage in the publick service of God was such, that he constantly stood up at the hearing of Gods Word, took Notes, which he afterwards diligently perused, and wrought the Sermon upon his affection, by serious meditation. Thus, it is not a bare sitting under the Ordinance, I. Trap. on Prov a meer formall hearing of the Word, thinking, (as too many do) that when the Sermon is ended,Auris b [...]na est, quae libenter audit u [...]ilia, &c. Bern. epist. all is done: But there must be attention of body, intention of mind, and retention of memory, which are indispensably required of all Wisdom's schollars, and are the most needfull requisites, to make up a profitable hearer of Gods Word.

1124 Friendship to be made with God in Christ Iesus.

[Page]

THe men of Tyre and Sidon (two rich and antient Cities of Phoenicia, Joh. Gore Ser. [...] S. P [...]ls. 1633. on the costs of Syria) when they heard that Herod was displeased with them, and intended to make war upon them, they made friendship with Blastus the Kings Chamberlain, and sought by all means possible to get into favour with him again:Act. 12. And why? Bec [...]se, said they, our lan [...]s are nourished by the lands of the King. And this is our case;Omni [...] h [...]bemus in [...], &c. Ambros. Psal. 78. 40. our lands, our lives, our liberties, and all that we have, are nourished and sustained by the King of Heaven; therefore when we know that he is displeased with us, as justly he may, for (as David saith) we provoke him every day, then let us do as they did; as they made a friend of Blastus, so let us make friendship with Jesus Christ, and desire him to help us into Gods favour and protection.

1125 Heaven, Men desirous to be there, but will not take pains to come thither.

SAbellicus, T▪ Adam [...] [...]. on ep. 2 Pet in his History, brings in C. Flaminius playing upon Philoxomenes, that he had pulchras manus, & pulchra crura, sed ventrem non habuit, he had goodly arms, and strong thighs, but he had no belly: He meant, that Philoxomenes had brave and valiant souldiers, fair Troops of Horse and foot, but wanted that which is the sinews of War,Tit. Livius. O si, Osi, [...]. he had no money to pay them. It may be inverted upon us, for we are all belly, full of appe [...]i [...]e and desire to happinesse; but we have neither hands nor feet, we will neither move nor labour to attain to that happi [...]ess [...]; we have fat desires, but lean endeavours; fain we would be in Heaven, but we will take no pains for it, Non [...] mollis è terris Vi [...] S [...]n. H [...]re f [...]r. nor seek the way to it; we make account to go up to Heaven in a whirlwind, or as Passengers at Sea, be brought to the Haven sleeping; to win Heaven without working, to be crowned without striving, to dine with the Devill, and sup with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacobin the Kingdom of Heaven; by all means we must die the death of the righteous, but by no means live the life of the godly; nay, if death do but offer to prefer us to Heaven, we will none of it,Mortem [...], malum, tim [...]re pej [...]s. Sen. Oedip. we thank him heartily, we refuse him with deprecations, and fortifie our sel [...]es against him with antidotes and preservatives: So that it may very well be put to the question, Where is our desire for Heaven, when we rather die, necessitatis vinculo, quam voluntatis obsequio; instead of looking for it, we look from it, and then onely pre [...]end a faint desire to it, when we can make no other shift, but that we must needs vent [...]e on it.

1126 To be Charitable to the poor and needy.

THe Iewes at this day, [...]. Plantavi [...] Florileg. Rab. though outed their own Country, and destitute of a Leviticall Priesthood, yet those that will be reputed religious amongst them, distribute the tenth of their increase unto the poor, being perswaded, that God doth blesse their encrease the more; for their usuall proverb is, Decima, ut dives [...]ias, pay thy Tithes, that thou maist be rich.Philo d [...] Sacerdot. [...] lib. 2. Nay, saies Philo the Jew, They came so willingly to give up their Tithes unto God, as if they had been to have received a gratuity from men. If then there be such devout Iewes, that having neither house nor home, [...] semper clemente [...] p [...]rrige dextram. Eccles. 7. Priest or Temple, and without Christ in the world, so charitable to the poor, then how much more suitable will it be for Christians, that live in Gospell-times, to relieve the poor members of Iesus Christ, to honour the Lord wi [...] their substance, freely expending it in pious and charitable uses, whereby their barns shall be filled, and they made great gainers in the end.

Why God suffereth the dearest of his Children to want outward things.1127

[Page]

IT is written of the Pine-tree, Theophr [...]st. de Pl [...]tis. li [...]. 3 that if the bark be pulled off, it will last a long time; else it rots. So God sees, that many a man, if he had his bark [...] him, if he had the wealth of the world about him, [...] a penny in his purse, and a friend at Court, it would rot him, corrupt him, and make him worse; therefore God is fain to bark him, and peel him; to keep him naked, and bare, and poor, that his so [...]l may prosper the better: For indeed, many times it so falls out, and a man shall find it so, that his soul prospers best, when his body prospers [...]orst.

Men to be compassionate one towards another.1128

IT was an act of Licinius, Coccius S [...] belli [...]s lib. 8. En. [...]. P. Laetus de Repub. Rom. one of the Roman Tribunes, whether more cruell or foolish, let the world Judge, that when Christians were put to their torture, he forbad all the lookers on to shew the least pitty towards them, threatning the same pains to them that did shew it, which the Martyrs then suffered. His malice was greater then his power; for he could not hinder those from suffering with them, Rich. de Mediavilla Clav. Davi [...]. that daily suffer in them. And this is the way that all good Christians are to walk in;Si doles condol [...]o, &c. Bern. de cons [...]l [...]. ad Eugen. if they cannot, through disability, relieve others with their goods, which is the mercy of contribution▪ yet what can hinder their confortable words to them, which is the mercy of consolation; or their prayers and tears for them, which is the mercy of intercession; or their pitty and sensible sympathy of their grief, which is the mercy of compassion.

The impartiality of Death.1129

IN the reigne of K. Henry the sixth, Guil. Halli Chron, in vita Hen. 6. there is mention made of Henry Bea [...]ord, that rich and wretched Cardinall, vvho lying on his death-bed, and perceiving his time to be but short, expostulated with himself thus: Wherefore should I die, being thus rich? If the whole world were able to save my life, I am able either by policy to get it, or by riches to buy it. Fie, fie, said he, will not death be hired? will mony d [...] nothing? No, such is the impartiality of death, Ri [...]i [...]m jus est & inevitabile mortis. Ovid. ad Livi [...]m. that ready mony will do nothing; there's no protection against the arrest of death. So true is that, which one writeth vvittily of the Grammarian, of every son of Adam, that being able to decline all other Nouns in every Case, he could decline Death in no case. Never vvas there Oratour so eloquent, nor Monarch so potent, that could either perswade or withstand, the stroak of death, vvhen it came.

Unhappy prosperity of the wicked.1130

IT is Davids observation,Psal. 37. 35. that the vvicked are in great prosperity, and flourish like a green bay-tree, J. Gore Serm. at S. Pauls. 1633. vvhich is vvell knovvn to be green all the vvinter long, vvhen Oak-trees and Apple-trees, and all other far more profitable and fruitfull trees do wither, decay, and shed their leaves, stand naked and bare, and look as if they vvere rotten and dead;Prosperum [...] foelix scel [...]s. Sen. then it is, that the Bay-tree looks as fresh and green, as it vvere in the midst of the Spring. So fares it with all wicked men, in such vvinter-times of the vvorld as vve are novv in,Ple [...] caec [...] men [...]s tume factaque crura sec [...]ndis. Silius [...] 1. they prosper, and God sends them no crosse, nor disease, nor judgment, to interrupt them, but lets them take their svving in the very height of their rebellions against him▪ vvhen many a [...]oor Christian is fain to fast and fare hard, and go with many a hungry meal to bed: [Page] then it is, that God suffers a company of flagitious villains, such as ar [...] Mercatores humanarum calamitatum, that make merchandise of poor mens miseries, to have their will without controle, and to thrive, and have a great deal of outward unhappy prosperity.

1131 Heaven, the way to it through tribulation.

JOnathan and his Armour-bearer, being upon their march against the Philistins, 1 Sam. 14. 4. T. Adams Exposit. on 2 ep. Pet. were to passe betwixt two rocks, the one called Bozez, which signifies dirty; the other called Seneh, which signifies thorny; a hard passage: But on they went (as we say) through thick and thin, and at last gained the victory. The Israelites were first brought to the bitter waters of Marah, 1 King. 19. 11. before they might taste of the pleasant fountains, or the milk and honey of Canaan. And in vain shall any man expect the River of Gods pleasures, before he hath pledged Christ in the cup of bitternesse: When we have pledged him in his gall and vinegar, then he will drink to us in the new wine of his Kingdom. Luk. 22. 18. He that is the Door and the Way, hath taught us,Ioh. 10. 7. that there is but one way, one door, one passage to Heaven, and that a strait one; Matth. 7. 13. through which, though we do passe with much pressure and tugging, having our superfluous rags torn away from us here,Itur ad aetherea [...] per magna▪ pericula sedes. Verinus. in the croud of this world; yet we shall be happy. He that will be Knighted, must kneel for it; and he that will enter in at the strait gate, must croud for it; a gate made so on purpose, narrow and hard in the entrance; yet after we are entred, wide and glorious, that after our pain, our joy may be the sweeter.

1132 The Scriptures not to be plaid withall.

IT was simply done of Cardinall Bobba, Ang. Roccha descript. Bibliothec. Vaticanae. who speaking in commendation of the Library at Bononia, (which being a very spacious room, hath under it a victualling house, and under that a wine-cellar) thought he had hit it, in applying that text,Prov. 9. 2. Wisdom hath built her house, hath mingled her wine, and furnished her table. The rudenesse of this application, did not in the least become the gravity of a red Hat.Procul hinc, procul este prophani. Ovid. But let all such know, that non est bonum ludere cum sanctis, there's no jesting with edge-tools, no playing with the two-edged sword of Gods Word. Is there no place but the Font, for a man to wash his hands in? no cup but the Chalice to drink healths in?Th. Fuller Holy State. Certainly they were ordained for a better use, and the Scriptures pen'd for a better end, then to be plaid withall.

1133 Vncertain prosperity of the wicked.

A Man that stands in lubrico, Ioh. Gore Ser. at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1634. in a slippery place, as on Ice or Glasse, shall have much ado to keep himself upright, though no body touch him; but if one should come upon him unawares, and give him a suddain justle, or a suddain rush, he hath no power in the world to uphold himself, but must fall, and that dangerously. And this is the case of wicked wealthy men, Tu, quoque fac timeas & quae tibi laeta videntur, Dum loqueris, fieri tristia posse puta. Ovid such as are laden with ease and honour; such as are blest, like Esau, with the dew of Heaven, and fatnesse of the Earth. Such gracelesse Ruffians, as feast without fear, drink without measure, swear without feeling, live without God, thinking that they are [...], unmovable, and fastned on a Rock, that never shall be moved: But they are deceived. God, that knowes their standing, tells us, he hath set them in slippery places, Psal. 73. 18. and it will not be long, ere he send some death, some judgment, [Page] some evill Angell or other to give them such a suddain justle, such a suddain rush, that without great mercy on [...]is part, and great Repentance on their part, they must fall irrecoverably into the pit of Hell for ever.

Atheism will unman any Man.1134

TAke a Dog, and marke what a generosity and courage he will put on, when he is maintained by a Man, who is to him instead of a God, or at least melior Natura, Gab. Inchini [...]cala Caeli. whereby it is manifest that the poor Creature, without the confidence of a better Nature then his own, could never be so couragious: Thus it is with Man,Psalm. 14. 1. when he roleth himselfe upon God, and resteth on his divine protection, then he gathers a force and ability, which humane nature it selfe could never attain; But when with the fool, he shall say in his heart (though he believes otherwise) that there is no God, then he destroyes the Nobility of Man; for Man is a kin to the beasts by his body, and if he be not a kin to God by his soul, he is a base and ignoble Creature; Atheism will unman any Man, and deject any thing that is the advancement of humane Nature.

Riches ill gotten, never prosper.1135

IT is related of Tecelius, J. Trap. Com. on Proverbs. the Popes pardon-monger in Germany, that having by sale of Indulgences scraped together a vast sum of money, and returning for Rome, was met and eased of his cash by an odd fellow, who being afterwards apprehended, and prosecuted as a fellon, produced a Pardon not onely for sinnes past, but sins to come granted unto him by Tecelius himselfe, and being thereupon acquitted by the Judge, enjoyed the booty, which being ill gotten was as wickedly spent: And thus it is that ill gotten goods seldome prosper, they have a poysonfull operation in them,Iob 20. 15. bringing up the good food together with the ill humours. He that hath any such, hath but lockt up a Thief in his closet, that will rob him of all that he hath;Job 27. 16. He may heap up silver as the dust, and prepare Rayment as the clay; he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the Innocent shall divide the silver. For when a man out of a covetous desire of gain, De male quaes [...] tis vix gaudet, &c. shall make a Marriage with Mammon, and give a bill of divorce to Iesus Christ, care not which way nor how he scrapes up wealth, so as he have it, then it is just with God to blast his hopes, and blow upon his estate that all shall come to nought.

God onely heareth and answereth the Prayers of his People.1136

IT is a pretty observation,Luke 11. Joh. Gores. Serm. S. Peter Corn-hill, Lon. 1634. that St. Augustine makes out of the Parable proposed by our Saviour, where he that knock'd at Midnight to borrow bread of his Neighbour, found all the whole family asleep, onely the Master of the house was awake, and he answered and opened, and gave him that he craved, though it was an unseasonable time, Nullus de Ianitoribus respondit, none of all the Porters, none of all the Servants, none of all the Children made him any answer, they were all asleep,Precis est justae exauditor Deus solus Menand. onely the Master was awake, and heard when he called: Just so it fares with us when we knock and call at the doors of Heaven for any Mercy, none of all the Prophets or Apostles, none of the blessed Saints departed make us any answer, Alasse they hear us not, they sleep in peace, and are at rest from their labours, onely God Almighty, who is the Master and Maker of that blessed Family, he and onely he doth hear and answer at what time soever we cry unto him; call when we will, he is alwayes awake to heare us.

1138 Happiness and blessednesse, the onely things esirable.

[Page]

St. Augustine hath the story of an Histrionicall Mountebank, T. Adams exposi [...]n [...]. 2. P. that to get Spectators and mony by them, promised to tell them the next day what they most desired: The Theater being full of People, and their minds full of expectation, What was the device? Vili vultis emere, & charè vendere, you would all buy cheap, and sell dear; But by Mr. Mountebank's leave, this holds not; for the good Man in a famine will buy corn dear, Qui deum habet, habentem omnia habet. Aug. and sell it to the poor cheap; And on the other side, the unthrift will sell his Inheritance cheap, and buy vanities at a very dear rate: Now if he had told them, Beati vultis esse, you would all be happy, this had been a full satisfaction: Blessednesse is every Mans desire; Now whosoever hath the Sun, hath the light of the Sun; He cannot want water that hath the fountain, and he that hath God, shall be sure of blessednesse; It is therefore every Mans part, to cleave to this blessed God, who will deliver him from sin and hell, which is blessednesse begun, and bring him to salvation and Heaven, which is blessednesse consummate.

1139 The just Reward of Treachery, and false dealing.

PHilip Duke of Austria, David. Parei hist. prophan. medul. Hect. Boethii hist. Scot. paid the Ambassadours of Charles the fourth (who had betrayed their trust) in counterfeit coyn: whereof when they complained, it is answered, That false coyn is good enough for false Knaves; Iames the first, King of Scots, was murthered in Perth, by Walter Earl of Athol, in hope to have the Crown, and crown'd he was indeed, but with a Crown of red hot Iron clap'd upon his head, being one of the tortures wherewith he ended at once his wicked dayes and devices;In his examination before the L. L. of his Majesties councell, M. S. Psalm. 2. And Guy Fawkes that Spanish Pyoneer, should have received his Reward of five hundred pounds at an appointed place in Surrey, but instead thereof he had been paid home with a brace of bullets for his good service, if Iustice had not come in with a halter by way of prevention: Thus Traytors have alwayes become odious, though the Treason were commodious; Let those Kill-Christs, and those State-Traytors, I. Trap Com. on Proverbs. Sheba, Shebna, &c. all disturbers of present-Government, be never so industrious in contrivance, never so confident in the effecting of their treacherous designs, [...]quam brevibus pereunt ingentia causis Imperium tanto quaesi tum sanguine &c. Claud. 2 Ru [...]. let them plot on, whet their wits, beat their brains, associate, confederate, take counsell together, break vowes, promises, and Covenants, swear and forswearr, yet all shall come to naught, toto errant Coelo, they are Heavenly wide, quite out, they shall miss of their purpose, and meet with disappointment, and the just judgements of God upon them and their Posterity in the conclusion.

1140 The great danger of sleighting Church-assemblies.

St Augustine out of the Parable concerning the Man that fell amongst Theives and was wounded and left halfe dead,Luk. 10. 30. notes of him, that he was going down from Jerusalem to Iericho, M. Gores Ser. at St. Pauls 1634. from the Church, I warrant you; Ierusalem was the Church of God, Psalm. 87. 3. the holy City: Jericho was a cursed place, branded with an ancient curse since the days of Joshua, Iosh. 6. 17. and thither lay his journey; Whereupon St. Augustine notes, Si non descendisset, fortasse in latrones non incidisset, Had he not been descending, and going downward from God, and from his Church, peradventure he had not fallen into the hands of Thieves; Templa petas supplex & ven [...]rare Deum. G. Lilius de moribus. God would have protected him, the Lord would have safe-guarded him, that no evill should have betided him; But becaus he was going from the Church to a cursed place, & like enough about a naughty businesse, therefore God gave him over; As many therefore as desire Gods protection, and blessing, let them resort to the Church to serve and seek him.

Conversion of a Sinner, not wrought all at once.1139

[Page]

SUppose it now Mid-night, and the Sun with the Antipodes; He doth not presently mount up to the height of our Heaven, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 P. and make it Noon-day, but first it is twilight, then the day dawns, and the Sun rises, and yet looks with weaker eyes, before he shine out in his full glory: We do not to day sweat with summer, and be shaken with the fury of the Winter to morrovv; but it comes on with soft paces, the day grovvs shorter, the Suns force weaker, cold dewes and white frosts precede the extremity of hardnesse. Now it is most true, that Christ is able in a moment, of Sinners on earth, to make men Saints in heaven, as he wrought upon that dying Male [...]actor: Luk. 23. 43. & 19. 5. Some may make suddain leaps, and of furious sinners become zealous professors in a trice; Of such we may be charitably jealous, yet Non ad altum per sal [...]um, ch. 4. 6. Holinesse shoots not up like Ionahs Gourd in a night, God is the God of order, not of confusion, and Nature is not suffered to run out of one extream into another, but by a medium; Tres modi sunt conversorum, inchoatio, medietas, at (que) perfectio, &c. Greg. 24. mor. That ordinary way whereby Men walk from the state of sin, to the state of Glory, is the state of Grace; So our Conversion is by soft and scarce-sensible beginnings, albeit no part after part, yet degree after degree; in every part, by gentle soakings in of goodnesse; in every degree, by growing up to maturity and ripenesse.

Not to answer one angry word with another.1140

ADrian the Emperour,Dio. in vitâ Adriani. gave the Cryer great thanks, who when he was bidden to quiet the tumultuous People with an imperious [...] Hold your tongues, Xyphilin. he held out his hand onely; And when the People listned with great silence (as the manner was) to hear the cry, Hoc verò, inquit, Princeps vult, This is that, said he, the Emperour requires of you, viz. To be silent: And this is the ready way to make all quiet,Prov. 15. 1. A soft answer pacifies wrath. It was Abigails gentle Apology that disarm'd Davids fury; 1 Sam. 25. 32. Judg. 8. and Gedeons mild and modest answer that still'd the hot and hasty Ephramites. Lay but a flint upon a pillow and you break it easily, but hard to hard will never do the deed:male cuncta ministrat Impetus. Stat. 8. Theb. It is not the vying one angry word vvith another; grievous words stirre up strife, harsh and angry words cast oyl upon the flame, set the Passions afloat, and then [...]ertur equis auriga, there's no hope, not one wise word to be expected.

The compleatest armed Man of War, naked without Gods protection 1141

IT is said (Exod. 32. 25.) That Moses saw the People were naked after their great sin.Franc. Junius in locum. How naked? Non veste sed gratia & praesidio Dei, they vvere naked not so much for want of cloathes, arms, and other furniture of War, as for want of Grace, favour and protection of God Almighty, and no doubt (asJ. Ferus. one very well observeth) Si tunc irruissent hostes, if their Enemies had then fallen upon them, they had most shamefully foyled them: Sed quod dolendum est, quaeritur belli exitus, non causa. Sen. Herc. fur. Protegente Deo, bene armatus est homo. Aug. Then let those that are Souldiers, and Men of War, if they desire that their warfare should prosper, and that God should cover their heads in the day of battel, let them be sure of the goodnesse of their cause, that their quarrell be proveris & licitis, for things true and lawful, that they seek to God, before they set upon their Enemies; For let a Man be never so well cloathed, never so well armed, and weaponed, if he be stripp'd of Gods protection, by sin, he lyes naked and open to all dysasters whatsoever.

1142 Works of Mercy, very rare to be found amongst us.

[Page]

THere are a kind of Almanacks, R. Harris Ser. at S. M. Spittle 1642. (such as Stationers call blanks) full of letters red and black on the one side, but on the other side there is fair paper, a waste empty page to write whatsoever a Man pleaseth, though seldome it is that any word of God be there inserted: Such are the Day-books that most Men keep; On the one side you shall find, Item so much spent upon Pride and so much plaid away at Game, [...]terras Ast [...] reliquit. Ovid. so much upon Revenge, so much upon Hawkes, so much upon Hounds, and so much upon something else, that sounds somewhat near that way; But when it comes to a work of mercy, what hath been done for God, what for Christ, what for his poor distressed Members, Philosoph [...] triob [...]lum▪ Erasm adag. what for the advancement of Religion, or any pious work or service; O then the Book appears blancatus quasi lilius, a meer blanck, Cyphers, or little else to purpose are to be seen in it.

1143 Eloquence not to be abused.

EDward Duke of Buckhingham being dispatched with instructions from the Court,Sr. T. More, in vita. came to the City of London, and there at a common Hall spake largely on the behalfe of that Usurper Rich. the third; but all the commendations that he got for his labour, was; That no man could deliver so much bad matter in so goods words and quaint phrases, Eloquentiae satis, sapientiae parum, that he shewed a great deal of wit, but little wisdome in so doing: Thus it is that the tongue was given to a better purpose; `twas Davias glory, and he used it accordingly. Eloquence wisely ordered is very commendable and availeth much,Prov. 15. 2. T. Cartwright in locum. Optimà est eloquentia, quae non ostentat ingenium docen [...]is sed rem optisst [...]ne &c. Aug. in simil. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright .i. deals kindly with her, offers her no abuse by venting her unseasonably, and making her over-cheap and little set by; But eloquence abused, fits the Pulpit rather with words then matter, and makes others, that (more is the pitty, might better improve their education) instead of Christian Lawyers, become Heathen Orators; so that it may well be termed the Atturney generall, that makes a good cause seem bad, and a bad far better then in truth it is.

1144 The poor Debitors comfort.

THere came a Man of God to Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25. 9. and forbids him, that by no means he should take the Ephramites into the battel against the Edomites, because God was not with them; O, but then, sayes Amaziah, What shall I do for the hundreth Talents which I gave them for their help, (every Talent of silver being worth 375 l. and that of gold 4500 l. a very considerable summe) No matter, saies the Prophet, Cannot God give thee more then this? So it may be said to all that tremble at the inundation of debt that is upon them, that are perplexed and entangled▪ in a labyrinth of engagements, so that they can see no outgate, no passage, no way to escape; God if he be truly sought unto,Providebit Deus can give a happy issue, more then the debt comes to, can do more then they are a ware of; when they know not how to be delivered; In mon [...]e videbitur Jeb [...]ua [...] when they know of no evasion, nor have any means or power in their view, let but earnest prayer be joyned with frugality, skill and industry, and they are sure to be delivered.

Works of mercy, not to be put off from one to another.1145

[Page]

IT is usuall, that when men meet together at a Tavern or Alehouse, upon some occasions,R. Harris Ser. at S. Maries Spittle 1642. by way of kindnesse, to drink or feast together, then happy is that man, when the reckoning is brought, that can be rid of [...]is mony first: I'le pay, saies one; I'le pay, saies another; you shall not pay a penny, saies a third; I'le pay all, &c. and so i [...] growes sometimes very neer unto a quarrell, because one man cannot spend his mony before another. Thus in works of kindnesse, and merry meeting: But come to a work of mercy, Quum nemini [...]btrudi potest itur ad inferiores. how is it then▪ Is the mony upon the table? is every man ready to throw down, and make it a leading case to the rest of the company? No such matter, one puts it off to another: Alas, I am in debt, saies one; I have no mony about me, saies another: Then every finger is a thumb, and it is such a while, before any thing will be got out, that it would trouble any one to behold it. Then the question is not, Who shall be first? but, Who shall be last? A sad thing! that in way of courtesie any man should be thus free, and when it comes to a work of mercy, thus bound up.

God, to be [...]eared in his Judgments.1146

IT is said of Queen Elizabeth, Guil. Cambdeni Elizab. she was so reserved, that all about her stood in a reverent awe of her very presence and aspect; but how much more of her least frown and check, wherewith some of them, who thought they might best presume of her favour, have been so suddainly daunted and planet-strucken, that they could not lay down the grief thereof, but in their graves: One of these was, Sr. Christopher Hatton, Lord Cnancellor, who died of a flux of urin, with grief of mind; neither could the Queen, having once cast him down with a word, raise him up again, Amos 3. 8. though she visited and comforted him in the time of his sicknesse. O! but when the Lion roars,Esa. 26. 10. shall not the beasts of the forrest tremble? Shall the judgments of God be abroad in the world, and the people not learn righteousnesse? Shall the frowns of any mortall Wight be matter of discontent, and shall the angry countenance of the immortall God, be passed by unregarded? It must not be. He that was,Esa. 9. 6. and is Wonderfull, the Counsellor, made it out for comfortable advice, Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, Matth. 10. 28.

Conscience to be looked on, as a Register of all our actions,1147

IT is recorded of that reverend Martyr,Acts and Mon. M. Carpenter Ser. at Taunton Assizes. 1628. Bishop Latimer, that he took especiall care in the placing of his words before Bonner, because he heard the pen walking in the chimney, behind the cloath, setting down all (it may be more) then he said. So ought we circumspectly, to look to all our sayings and doings; for Conscience, as a Scribe or Register, sitting in the closet of our hearts, with pen in hand, makes a Diurnall of all our waies, sets down the time when, the place where, the manner how, Conscientia est codex in quo peccata qu [...]tidiana scribuntur. Bern. in Cant. things were performed; and that so clear and evident, that go where we will, do what we can, the characters of them shall never be cancelled or razed out, till God appear in judgment.

1148 Trades and occupations, the wisdom of our fore-fathers, in the invention and keeping them up.

[Page]

IT is observable, that the Athenian Common-wealth prospered, so long as the People were in action and employment; but when they once tasted the pleasures of Darius Court, and brought home Persian gold, then they fell to wantonnesse, and so to nothing. 1. Nash. Qu [...] ternio. Whilst the Assyrians did set forth themselves, they flourished; but when Sardanapalus (whom Boccace would have to be the first, that brought idlenesse into the world) began to invert the course of Nature, by turning daies into nights, and nights into daies, in riot and excesse, then the Commonwealth began to decline. Ingenuas didicisse [...]ideliter artes, Emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros. Ovid. And such was the condition of the Roman State, when they had vanquished the Carthage [...]ians. It was therefore the great prudence of our fore-fathers, to find out the knowledge of the Liberall Arts and Sciences, and to institute Mechanicall Trades and Occupations, well knowing, that it is Action which gives a well-being to every living creature, that Industry hath raised the most flourishing Common-wealths out of the dirt, and Idlenesse levelled them with the dust, and brought them to nothing.

1149 Not to rejoyce at the afflictions of others.

JOhn Denly, Acts and Mon. one of the Martyrs in that Marian persecution, being set in the fire, with the burning flames about him, sang a Psalm: Whereupon Doctor Story commanded one of the Tormentors, to hurl a faggot at him; but being hurt therewith upon the face, that he bled again, he left his singing, and clapt both his hands upon his face: Truly, said the scossing Doctor to him that threw the faggot, thou hast marr'd a good old song. Yet so it happened, that this Story, after the comming in of Queen Elizabeth, being catch'd in a mouse-trap at Antwerp, was hoisted away for England; and being questioned in Parliament for many foul crimes, and particularly for persecuting and burning the Martyrs, he denyed not, (still keeping up his jeering humour) but that once he was at the burning of an Herewig at Uxbridge, where he cast a faggot at his face, and set a bush of thorns under his feet to prick him. But he was hang'd at Tyburn for all his flamming, (being just then new built three square, after the manner of his three corner'd cap) and so made good that Proverb of Solomon, He that is glad at calamities, shall not go unpunished. Chap. 5. 5. And thus, he that rejoyceth at the afflictions of others, is sick of the Devills disease, [...]; and such were the Edomits, Ammonites, Philistins, and others of Sions enemies, Lam. 1. 21. that heard of her trouble, and were glad of it. Such were David's adversaries, Psal. 40. 15. that wished him evill, and cried, Aha, aha; and such the Iewes, Matth. 26. that scoffed at Christ on the Crosse.Chap. 31. 29. But Iob was of another spirit, he rejoyced not at the destruction of him that hated him; and so must all good Christians be; otherwise, he that sitteth in the heavens, will have them also in derision, and laugh when their fear commeth.

1150 Cares attendant on the Kingly office, and men in Authority.

IT was,H. King, cicestrensis, In [...]ugurat. Serm. at Court. 1640. no doubt, a sad experience, that wrung those words from Caesars mouth, when you would name a masse of cares and crosses, Cogita Caesarem, Think upon Caesar. Ah! little do the shrubs, and they that live in the humble valley of a private life, take notice of the loud tempests, or feel those incessant storms, which beat upon the Cedar, whose exalted top raise him neerer to the lightning, and rage of the upper Element; they look onely upon the glittering matter of a Diadem, and the lustre of the Jewells set in it, and so apprehend somewhat, [Page] that may delight the eye; but could they understand, how many cares are lodged and concentred,Hen. 4. R. Angliae. within the pale and circle of that Crown, (as a great King said once) They would scarce take it up for their wearing, though it lay in their way. What are dignities, Honos onus. but difficulties? and the rent of labour considered, the good man hath but a hard bargain of his honour. No wonder then, if the wise man be, as it were, haled out of his privacy to such preferment; for he weighs the charge as well as the credit, the danger more then the gain, and knowes his chayr of State to be as tickle,Sub te [...]ni membrana dignitatis, multum latet mali. Sen, ep. 115. as Eli's stool, from which he may easily break his neck; that he must drink wormwood in a cup of gold, and lie in a bed of Ivory, upon a pillow of thorns; so that he may well say of his glory, as one said of his roab, O nobilem magis quam felicem pannum! or as Pope Urban said of his Rochet, That he wondered it should be so heavy, being made of such light stuff.

Prayer, turning Earth into Heaven.1151

IT is said of Archimedes, Th. Venatorius in epist. ad Senat. Norimberg. that famous Mathematician of Syracuse, who having by his Art framed a curious Instrument, that if he could but have told how to fix it, it would have raised the very foundations of the whole Earth. Such an Instrument is Prayer, which if it be set upon God, and fixed in Heaven, it will fetch Earth up to Heaven, change earthly thoughts into heavenly conceptions, turn flesh into spirit, metamorphose nature into grace, and earth into heaven.

To passe by the offences of our Brethren.1152

DAvid was deaf to the railings of his enemies,Psal. 35. and as a dumb man, in whose mouth were no reproofs. Socrates, Varinus. when he was abused in a Comedy, laughed at it; Phavorinus. when Polyargus, not able to bear such an indignity, went and hanged himself.Aelian. Sueton in vita Augustus sleighted the Satyrs and bitter invectives, which the Pasquills of that time invented against him; and when the Senate would have further informed him of them,Ex [...]timandus ille praestantissimus, Injurias qui ferre novit plurimas. he would not hear them. Thus, the manlier any man is, the milder and readier he is to passe by an offence, as not knowing of it, or not troubled at it; an argument, that there is much of God in him, (if he do it from a right principle) who bears with our infirmities, and forgives our trespasses, beseeching us to be reconciled.Si vindicare vis, file, & funestam dedisti plagam. Chas. in Matth. When any provoke us, we use to say, We will be eeven with him; but there is a way, whereby we may not onely be even, but above him, and that is, forgive him. We must see and not see, wink at small faults especially. Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit vivere, may with some grains of allowance passe current, He that cannot dissemble, is not fit to live.

Kingdomes and Common-wealths, their successions from God.1153

THe Romans closing in with that permanent errour of Mankind, to mistake the Instruments and secundary Agents in Gods purposes, Eutropii hist. lib. 7. for the main Efficient, were wont variously to distinguish the derivation of their Empire; Fenestella de Mogist. cap. 4. as by force, so Iulius Caesar was invested; by the Senates election, so Tiberius; by the Souldiers, so Severus; and by Inheritance, so Octavius Augustus. But most true it is, that to what means soever they imputed their Emperours, were it Birth or Election, Conquest or Usurpation, 'tis God who gives the Title to Kingdoms and Commonweales by the first, and it is he also that directs and permits it by the last.

1154 The whole Heart to be given to God.

[Page]

SOme great King or Potentate,T. Stapletons Prompt. Morale having a mind to visit his Imperiall City, the Harbinger is ordered to go before, and mark out a house suitable to his Retinue; and finding one, the Master of that house desireth to have but some small chamber, wherein to lodge his wife and children: It is denyed. Then he intreats the benefit of some by-place, to set up a Trunk or two, full of richer goods then ordinary. No, saies the Harbinger, it cannot be; for if your house were as big again as it is, it would be little enough to entertain the King, and all his royall train. Now so it is, that every mans body is a Temple of God, and his heart the sanctum sanctorum of that Temple.1 Cor. 5. His Ministers are sent out into the world to inform us,2 Cor. 6. that Christ is comming to lodge there, and that we must clear the rooms, that this great King of glory may enter in. O, saies the Old man, carnall yet, but in part renewed, give me leave to love my wife and children. No, it cannot be; having wife and children,1 Cor. 7. 29. he must be as having none. Then he desires to enjoy the pleasures of the world, vers. 31. That's denyed too; he must use this world, as if he used it not: not that the use of these things is prohibited, not that the comfortable enjoyment of our dearest relations, is any way to be infringed; but the extraordinary affection to them, when they come into competition with the love that we owe unto God: For he will have the whole heart, COR. Civitas Omnipotentis Regis. the whole minde, the whole soul, and all little enough to entertain him, and the graces of his holy Spirit, which are attendant on him.1 King. 3. Nec mihi nec tibi, sed dividatur, was the voice of a strange woman; and such is that of this present world: But God will take nothing to halfs, he will have the whole heart, or nothing.

1155 The good Christians comfort, in time of the Churches trouble.

MArtin Luther perceiving the cause of the Church to go backward,Abrah. Shulteeti Annales. puts pen to paper, and writes to the Elector of Saxony, where amongst other expressions, this was one; Sciat Celsitudo tua, & mhil dubitet, &c. Let your Highnesse be sure, that the Church's businesse is far otherwise ordered in Heaven, than it is by the Emperour and States at Norimberg. And, Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est, &c. I am glad that Christ is King, for otherwise, I had been utterly out of heart and hope,Joh. Calvini ep. & resp. p. 53. (saith holy Myconius, in a letter to Calvin) upon the view of the Church's enemies. Thus, it staggers many a good Christian at this day, to see Sion in the dust, the Church under foot, the hedge of government and discipline broken down, all the wild beasts of Heresie and Schism crept in, such as labour to root out true Religion, to dethrone Christ, and to set up the idle fancies, and enthusiasticall conceits of their own phanatick brains; some crying out against the Church with those Edomites, Psal. 137: Down with it, down with it even to the very ground; others casting dirt upon her harml [...]sse ceremonies. But let the Churches friends rest assured, that God sees, and smiles, and looks, and laughs at them all; that the great counsell of the Lord shall stand, Psal. 2. when all's done; that Christ shall reigne in the midst of his enemies, Prov. 19. 21. and that the stone cut out of the mountains without hands, shall bring down the golden Image with a vengeance, and make it like the chaff of the summer floor, Dan. 2. 35.

1156 The sad condition of People, under Tyrannicall Government.

IT was a just complaint of Draco's Lawes in Lacedemonia, that their execution was as sanguin, as their character, for they were written in bloody letters: And [Page] the Romans lamented the cruelty of those Tribunalls, where the cheap proscription of lives,Esay 29. 21. made the Iudgement-seat little differ from a Shambles; A Man made Offender for a word,H. King. Poor Men sold for shooes; Or as the Turks at this day sell heads,In [...]gur. Serm. at Court. Anno 1640. so many for an Asper: Such is the condition of People under Tyrannicall government, under such as make low accompt of Mens lives, that destroy where they might build hopes of amendment,A [...]os 2. 6. and down with root and branch, where they need but pare the leafe; such in discharge of their place, are govern'd more by Custome then Conscience, who take dark circumstance, and lame surmise for evidence, rashly giving sentence, and as precipitately proceeding to Execution.

Graces of Gods spirit not given in vain.1157

THe Husbandman, T. Stapletoni Prompt. mor. the more he improves his ground, the greater crop he looks for; the completer the Souldier is armed, the better service is required of him; The Scholler that is well instructed must shew great fruits of his proficiency: Thus the Earthly part of Man soaks in the sweet showers of Grace that fall upon it.Heb. 6. The bleffed Spirit of God puts upon us that Panoplia, that whole Armour of God.Ephes. 6. And the same Spirit teacheth us all things, leads us into all Truth, and brings all things to our Remembrance, which Christ hath spoken for our good: Shall we then being thus manured, Joh. 14. 16. thus armed, thus instructed, not bring forth fruits in some measure answerable to so great Indulgence? Shall such blessings of God be received in vain? It must not be; we may read these and the like expressions in Scripture, Occupy till I come, Luk. 19. 13. & 16. 2. 12. Give an accompt of thy s [...]ewardship, To whom much is given, much is required; What's the meaning? Cum crescunt dona, rationes etiam crescunt donorum, We must give an accompt as well of Graces received from God, Greg. hom. 9. in Evang. (Whether they be those summer Graces of Prosperi [...]y, Joy and Thansgiving; or those winter Graces of Adversity, Patience and Perseverance; or the Grace of Humility, which is alwayes in season) as of Sins of what kind soever committed against him.

Sacriledge justly rewarded, to take heed of committing it.1158

IT was a suddain and sad end that befell Cardinall Wolsey, whilst he sought more to please his Soveraign,Acts and Mon [...]. then his Saviour; And the revenging hand of God pursued his five chiefe Agents, that were most instrumentall for him in his sacrilegious enterprise; One of them killed his fellow in a Duell, and was hang'd sor it; a third drowned himselfe in a well;Abrah. Schult [...]ti Annales tom. 2. a fourth fell from a great Estate to extream beggery: Doctor Allen, the last and chiefest of them, being Arch-bishop of Dublin, was cruelly slain by his Enemies, Utinam his & similibus exemplis &c. saith the Author of this story, I would men would take heed by these and the like examples, how they meddle with things consecrated to God: for if divine Justice so severely punished those that converted Church-goods (though not so well administred,-quis enim laesos impune putar [...]t to better uses doubtlesse) And why, but because they did it out of selfish and sinfull self-interested Principles and [...]nds;Esse Deos? What shall become of such as take all occasions to rob God, Lucan. that they might enrich themselves? Spoliantur Ecclesiae & Scholae, Com. in Genes. cap. 49. &c. was Luthers complaint of old, Parishes▪ and Churches are polled and robbed of their maintenance, as if they meant to starve us all.

The comfortable Resurrection of Gods poore despised People.1159

WHen we see one in the streets,Walt. Balcanquels Serm. at St. M. Spittle, 1623. from every dunghill, gather old pieces of rags and durty clouts, little would we think, that of those old rotten ragges beaten together in the Mill, there should be made such pure fine white Paper as afterwards [Page] we see there is: Thus the poor despised Children of God, may be cast out into the world as dung and dross, may be smeared and smooted all over with lying amongst the pots, Par est, ut [...]icut omnis creatur [...] lugubre doluit, &c. Aug. in Ser. de Pasc. they may be in tears, perhaps in bloud, both broken-hearted and broken-boned; yet for all this they are not to dispair, for God will make them one day shine in joy, like the bright stars of Heaven, and make of them Royall, Imperiall Paper, wherein he will write his own name for ever.

1160 Conversion of a sinner, matter of great rejoycing.

IT is observable,Gen. 21. that Abraham, made a feast at the weaning of his Son Isaac, not on the day of his Nativity, T. Stapletoni Prompt. moral. not on the day of his Circumcision, but on that day when he was taken from his Mothers breast, from sucking of Milk to taste of stronger meat; This made a festival in Abrahams family, and may very well make a feast in ever true Repentant sinners heart: Nascimu [...] car [...]ales allactamur spirituales; We are all of us conceived and born in sinne, Majus de peccatore conver [...]o, quam de justo stante gaudium, &c. Greg. hom. 34. and with our Mothers milk, have sucked in the bitter juyce of corrupt Nature; but when it comes so to passe, that by the speciall illumination of Gods holy Spirit shining into our hearts, that we are weaned from the things of this World, and raised up to those things which are at Gods right hand, that we are new Creatures, new Men, &c. This hath alwayes been matter of great rejoycing to the Angels of Heaven, 2 Cor. 5. 17. and must needs be the like to every sinner that is so converted. Ephes. 5. 24.

1161 Childrens Christian instruction, the great benefit thereof.

IT is reported of the Harts of Scythia, that they teach their young ones to leap from bank to bank,Ulys. Aldrov. de quadruped. from Rock to Rock, from one turfe to another by leaping before them, which otherwise t [...]ey would never practise of themselves, by which meanes when they are hunted, no Man or beast can ever overtake them: So if Parents would but exercise their Children unto Godlinesse,Si parentes boni benè instituent filios, ipsos servabunt. principle them in the wayes of God whilst they are young, and season their tender years with goodnesse, dropping good things by degrees into their narrow-moutn'd vessels, and whetting the same upon their Memories by often repeating.Chrys. in Heb. Deut. 6. 6. Sathan that mighty Hunter, should never have them for his prey, nor lead them captive at his Will, they would not be young Saints, and old Devils (as the prophane Proverb hath it) but young Saints, and old Angels of heaven.

1162 The joyes of Heaven, not to be expressed.

St. Augustine tells us,Dionis Carthusian. de, 4. novissim. part. 4. a [...]t. 10. in fine. that one day while he was about to write something upon the eighth verse of the Thirty sixth Psalm; Thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures; And being almost swallowed up with the Contemplation of Heavenly joyes, one called unto him very loud by his name, and enquiring who it was, he answered; I am Hierom, with whom in my life time thou hadst so much conference concerning doubts in Scripture, and am now best experienced to resolve thee of any doubts concerning the joyes of Heaven; but onely let me first aske thee this question, Art thou able to put the whole Earth, and all the waters of the Sea into a little [...]? Canst thou measure the waters in thy fist? and mete out Heaven with thy span? or weigh the Mountains in scales, and the hills in a ballance? If not, no more is it p [...]ssible, that thy understanding should comprehend the least of those joyes: And certainly, The joyes of Heaven are inexpressible, so sayes St. Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 9. The eye may see farre, it may reach the Stars, but not the joyes of Heaven; the ear may extend it selfe a great deal further then the eye, as to know the glory of all the Monarchies that are past, [Page] the glory of all things that now are, and all the things that are foretold shall be, & yet our ears have never heard of any thing like th [...]s joy; Hic loeus est quem Re. Ovid Met. lib. 1. but the understanding apprehendeth things that are and are not, and by a divine power calleth things that are not as if they were, Disputat de quolibet ente & non ente, it imagineth Mountains of Gold, and Heaven to be a place of infinite joy, and yet the heart of Man cannot comprehend this joy; Such are the great expressions of the impossibility of expressing it at all.

Love to be preserved with all Men.1163

VVHen the King of Babylon sack'd Ierusalem, 2 Mach. 1. it was observable, that whereas the Priests might have had what they pleased, yet they preserved onely the fire of the sanctuary, Dilige & fac quicquid voles. Aug. de verb. D [...]m. and hid that in a pit, because this fire (as its said) came down from Heaven upon the first Mosaicall Sacrifice, & was kept to that day, Thus must we do with Love, (that divine spark of a farre greater flame, which streaming from God, hath by the illumination of his holy Spirit from the beginning of the world warmed the Sons of Men); Above all these things (sayes the Apostle) put on Charity, Col. 3. 14. Love Friends, love Enemies, love all, Amicum in Domino, inimicum pro Domino, S. Augustin Confes. l. 9. c. 4. Love our friends in the Lord, our foes for the Lord; So that whatsoever else we do amiss, as in many things we sinne all, admit the opinions and [...]udgements of Men be different from ours, yet let not us differ in affection, but keep up and maintain love one towards another.

Every Man to labour that he may be a new Creature.1164

VVE look upon Guns and Printing as new inventions;Joh, Funccii Chron [...]logia. the former found out by Birchtoldin the Monk, Anno 1380; the other by one Faustus a Fryer, Anno 1446. Others say that Iohn Guthenburg a German, was the first inventer thereof;Polyd. Virgil. de invent. rerum But for certain the first Press was set up at Mentz, and the first book there imprinted, was Tullies Offices; afterwards one [...]onradus set up a Press at Rome; Con [...] Zuinger theatrum hum. vitae. Nicholas Ienson added much to the art; and William Caxton a Merchant, free of the Company of Mercers [...], London, propagated the same in England, in the Raign of K. Edward the fourth, having his Work-house in the Sanctuary, near the Abbey of Westminster; Belgick Com. Wealth. p. 57. Now the Author of the Belgick Common-weal, will have one Laurence Ians, a Rich Citizen of Harlem in the Low-Country, to precede all these, and sets out the manner how; That he walking forth one day into the neighbouring Woods for Recreation, began to cut in pieces of wood the letters of his Name, printing them on the back of his hand; which pleasing him well, he cut three or four lines which he beat with Ink, & printed them upon Paper, wherwith he was much joyed, and determined to find out another kind of Ink more fastning, and so with his Kinsman one Thomas Peters, found out another way to print whole sheets, but of one side onely, which are yet to be seen in the said Town; Yet for all this, It is said, that the Chineses had the use both of Guns and Printing long before we in these Western parts had any notice of them. Why then should Christians so eagerly hunt after Novelties, when Solomon by the Spirit of God sends a peremptory challenge to all Mankind,Eccles. 1. 10. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, l. Trap. Com. on Ecclesiast. Esa. 62. 2. This is new. Let every one then labour to get spirituall eyes, to behold the beauty of the new Creature, Ezek. 4. 36. the bravery of the new Ierusalem, get into Christ that he may be a new Creature, Ephes. 2. 14. and so he shall have a new Name, a new Spirit, new Alliance, Psal. 91. 11. new attendance, new wayes, Esa. 62. 11. and new work, 1 Ioh. 2. 8. a new Commandement, Heb. 10. 20. a new way to Heaven, Joh. 14. 2. and new Mansions in heaven.

1165 Vnder-agents and Instruments to be looked unto, in matters of Justice.

[Page]

A Clock, Rich. Carpenter Serm. at T [...]unton Assizes 1623. let it be of never so good mettall and making, will not strike orderly and truly, but much therein will be out of frame and fashion, if the lesser wheeles as well as the greater, keep not their due and regular motion: So in the curious Clockwork of Iustice, there will be many exorbitances (albeit the chiefe Agents and movers therein be never so sound in their integrity) if the under-agents and Instruments of Iustice, (as witnesses in proving the Action, Counsellors in pleading and prosecuting the cause, Jury-men in sifting and censuring the Evidences and allegations) do not also take care, and make Conscience in discharge of their severall duties.

1166 Remedy against Vain-glory.

THe Naturalists observe,Pliny hist. lib. 3. cap. 10. that the Eagle building her nest on high, is much maligned by a kind of venemous Serpent, called Parias, which because it cannot reach the nest, makes to the windward and breathes out its poyson, that so the ayr may be infected, and the Eagles Chickens destroyed; But by way of prevention, the Eagle out of a naturall instinct,Spartam nactus hanc orn [...]. keeps a kind of Agath stone in her nest, which being placed still against the wind, preserveth her young ones from infection: Thus with the like care and industry, we must labour to preserve the honour of any good work that we do, keep up the credit of any religious act that we perform; And least the Devill should taynt them, and make us famam aucupari to hunt after the applause of Men, [...] we must place Christ and the glory of God betwixt our good Works and the noysome breath of Mans flattery and commendations.

1167 The sad condition of a Worldly-minded Man at the time of Death.

IT is reported of a wretched Rich Man, Jer. Burroghs in a Serm. on Psal. 17. 14. who when he heard that his sickness was deadly, sent for his baggs of Money, and hugg'd them in his arms, saying, Oh must I leave you? oh must I leave you? And of another, who when he lay upon his sick-bed, called for his baggs, and laid a bagge of Gold to his heart, and then oad them take it away, saying; It will not do, it will not do: A third also being near death, clap'd a Twenty-shilling piece of Gold in his mouth, saying, Some wiser then some, I'le take this with me however. Now if these mens hearts had been rip'd up aster they had been dead,Neh. Rogers Treat. of Love. there might have been certainly found written in them, The god of this present world; a sad condition, wherein may be seen the corruption of nature discovering it self: When men are so wedded to the things of this world, that they do as it were incubare divitiis, sit hatching upon their riches, as the Partridge upon her young,Ier. 17. 12. Res suas cum moritur di [...]as, &c. Greg. [...]om. (especially if gotten by their own industry) then they think much to be divorced from them by death, and to leave them to others, to whom many times they know not, and usually to them that will never give thanks for them.

1168 Not to regard what men say Ill, if Conscience say Well.

IT was a good saying of one,Secretary [...]eoil. that in those daies was known to be an able speaker, when he was to make his reply to some, that had unjustly maligned him: I will rest (saith he) hence forward in peace, in the house of my owne conscience; and if I do any good deeds, it is no matter who knowes them; if bad, knowing them my self, it is no matter from whom I hide them; they [Page]will be recorded before that Iudge, from whose presence I cannot flee: If all the world applaud me,Hic murus abeneus este. Nil conseire [...]ibi. Virg.and he accuse me, their praise is in vain. And thus let every man, in all his intents, projects, and ends, as a conscionable Christian, look to the Lord, as the searcher of his heart, and regarder of his work; not caring for the houling of dogs, the slaunderous reports of leud and wicked men, so as the little bird within sings clear; not discouraging himself at whatsoever men think or speak of him, and his doings, so as God and his conscience do approve them; nor contenting himself with mens approbation, when the testimony of Gods Word and his own conscience, gainsaies them.

All sin to be repented of, and the reason why.1168

IF seven thieves shall enter a mans house,Th. Stapletoni Prompt. morale. six of them being overcome, and the seventh lie lurking in some secret corner, the Master of that house cannot but sleep in danger. A Bird falling into a snare, or a Mouse being taken in a trap; if the one be but held by the claw, or the other by the end of the tail, they are both in as much danger, as if their whole bodies were surprised. Thus it is, that all sin, and the least sin, Exod 10. must be repented of. Pharaoh being smitten with many plagues, is willing at last to let the People go, so as they would leave their sheep, and their cattle behind them. No, saies Moses, that cannot be; all the flocks and heards shall go along with us, ne ungula quidem, not a hoof shall be left: And Sathan, like Pharaoh, would keep something of sin in us, which may be as a pledge of our returning to him again; though sin be taken away, yet he would have the occasions of sin to remain: Leave gaming, (saies he) but let not the cards and dice be burnt; thou maist cease to be a fornicator, but do not pull out thy wanton eye; thou must not hate thine enemy, yet what necessity is there, that thou shouldest love him? This is the voice of Sathan. But God be speaks the sinner after another manner, he will have all sin to be repented of; non remanebit ungula, not so much as the occasion of sin shall remain; which if it do, Sathan will make a re-entry, and then the end shall be worse then the beginning.

Publick Worship of God, not to be entered upon, without due preparation.1169

AMongst many other rites and ceremonies of the Iewes, Ant. Margarita de ritibus Iudaeorum. Steph. Menochius de Rep. H. it is related, that before the doores of their Synagogues, they have an iron plate, against which they wipe and make clean their shoos, before they enter; and that being entered, they sit solemnly for a season, not once opening their mouths, but considering who it is, with whom they have to do. Thus it was of old. But of late, though they come to the Synagogues with washen hands and feet,Edwin Sands Relation of R [...] lig. in West. parts yet for any shew of devotion, or elevation of spirit, they are as reverend (saith one that was an eye witnesse) as Grammer-boyes are at a School, when their Master is absent. This is the Iewish garb of outward devotion, and it is to be wished, that Christians were not faulty therein. As to the matter of preparation, how do most men and women rush into the publick service of God, tanquam in haras sues, as Hogs into their styes,Eccles. 5. 1. without any preparation at all? Keep thy foot (saith Solomon) when thou enterest into the house of God; that is, Keep thy senses and affections with all manner of custody, from the mire of wicked and worldly pollutions; take up some time to trim up thy soul, and rush not out of the croud of worldly employments, into the Church of God: Come thither with the first, and stay there till the last, Psal. 84. 10. as door-keepers use to do, which in David's estimate, was an office of high preferment. And then, when thou art there, let thy deportment be, as in Gods presence, being ready to hear and obey, what shall be proposed for thy souls good.

1170 Man to be a sociable, communicable Creature.

[Page]

THe members of the body were made to do one another service, Sam. Buggs military Serm. at Coventry. 1618. the stones in an arched building were to support each other, & woman was made to be a meet help to man, mutually communicating and participating weal or wo, for better or for worse.Aristotle. So should each man be one to another, [...], and not [...], a rationall, not a wrangling creature, to bear and forbear one another, to cast his garment over his brothers nakednesse, and not to turn that sacred ditty, Homo homini Deus, into that hideous voice, and balefull croaking, Homo homini Daemon; instead of helping one another, to destroy each other.

1171 Papists and Sectaries, seducing their followers.

PLutarch, Polyznus l. 2. in the life of Agesilaus King of Lacedemonia, maketh mention, how that being to draw his Army into the field, and the better to embolden them to fight, with a certain juice wrote this word Victoria, in the palm of his hand; and afterward, being at his devotions, as the manner of the Heathens then was, he laid his hand so written, closely and secretly upon the heart of the sacrifice, and printed on it the said word Victoria, and immediately shewed the same to his Captains and Souldiers, as if it had been written by the gods: The simple souldiers not understanding the policy, and thinking the whole matter had been wrought by minacle, grew full of courage, not doubting, but that their gods, Joh. Jewell against Harding in preface. that had written victory, would also give them victory. By the like policy, and to the like purpose, do the Papists and Sectaries deal with their miserably seduced followers: what they cannot do by strength, they make out in craft; and what they want in reason, they make up in words: Let Scripture be never so clear, Arguments never so full, and Authorities of Fathers, Councills, and Learned men, never so pat against them, they cry Victoria, all's on their side, it must be as they say; so that there is no truth like their glosse, and no presumption like their invention, whereby their followers are fouly abused, whilst victory, not truth, is the thing that they contend [...].

1172 Not the length, but the fervency of Prayer, required.

IT is said of Alcibiades, Plutarch in vita. that he was [...], one that could talk much, but speak little; but, O quam multa quam paucis! Oh how much in a little! said Tully of Brutus his Epistle. On the other side, Corniculas citius in Africa, &c. That Jack-dawes are sooner to be found in Africa, then any thing of worth in the writings of Turrianus, Lib. 2. cont [...] Turrianum. was the censure of Berengarius. So may we say of the Publicans prayer, much more of the Lords prayer, set in flat opposition to the Heathenish Battologyes, and vain repetitions of some, that would be held good Christians.Non tam multum, sed tam bene. It is not the length, but the strength of Prayer, that is required; not the labour of the lip, but the travell of the heart▪ that prevails with God. The Baalites prayer was not more tedious, then Eliah's short, yet more pitthy then short. Let thy words then be few, Eccles. 5. 2. (saith Solomon) but full, Hos. 14. 2. to the purpose. Take unto you words, saies the Prophet, neither over-curious, nor over-carelesse, but such as are humble, earnest, direct to the point, avoiding vain [...]ablings, needlesse and endlesse repetitions, heartlesse digressions, tedious prolixities, wild and idle impertinencies: such extemporary petitioners, as not disposing their matter in due order by premeditation, (and withall being word-bound) are forced to go forward and backward, just like hounds at a losse; and having hastily begun, they know not how handsomly to make an end.

Division, the great danger thereof.1173

[Page]

IF two ships at sea,Sam. Buggs military Serm. at Coventry. 1618. being of one and the same squadron, shall be scattered by storm from each other, how shall they come in to the relief of each other? If again they clash together, and fall foul, how shall the one endanger the other, and her self too? It was of old the Dutch device, of two earthen Pots swimming upon the water, with this Motto, Pra [...]gimur si collidimur, If we knock together, we sink together. And most true it is, that if spleen or discontent set us too far one from another,In dissentione nulla salus conspicitur. Caes. Com. lib. 5. or choller and anger bring us too near, it cannot be, but that intendment or designe, whatsoever it be, like Ionah's gourd, shall perish in a moment, especially, if the viperous and hatefull worm of dissention, do but smite it.

Desperation, the Complement of all sins.1174

THere is mention made in Daniel's prophecy, J. King on Jona [...]. chap. 7. of four beasts, the first a Lion, the second a Bear, the third a Leopard, but the fourth without distinction of either, kind, or sex, or name, is said to be very fearfull, and terrible, and strong, and had great iron teeth, destroyed and brake in pieces, and stamped under his feet,Desperare, est in infer [...] descendere. Isid. de sum [...]. and had horns, &c. Such a thing is desperation; others sins are fearfull and terrible enough, and have as it were the rage of Lions, and Bears, and Leopards, to spoil and make desolate the soul of man; but desperation hath horns too, horns to push at God with blasphemy, at his brethren with injury, and at his own soul with distrust of mercy.Thom. quaest. 2. art. 3. Desperation is a complicated sin, the complement of all sins: The greatest sins are said to be those, which are opposed to the three Theologicall Vertues, Faith, Hope, and Charity; infidelity to faith, desperation to hope, hatred to charity; amongst which, infidelity and hatred, the one not believing, the other hating God, are in themselves worse; but in regard of him that sinneth,Augustin. desperation exceedeth them both, in the danger that is annexed unto it; for, Quid miserius misero non miseranti seipsum? What can be more miserable, what more full, then for a poor miserable wretch, not to take pitty of his own soul.

A covetous man never satisfied.1175

IT is said of Catiline, Sueton. Cicero pra Coel [...]o. that he was ever alieni appetens, sui profusus, not more prodigall of his own, as desirous of other mens estates. A ship may be over-laden with silver,Semper av [...]rus eget Horat. ep. lib. 2. even unto sinking, and yet compasse and bulk enough to hold ten times more. So a covetous wretch, though he have enough to sink him, yet never hath he enough to satisfie him, like that miserable Cariff, mentioned by Theocritus, first wishing—Mille me is errent in montibus agni, That he had a thousand sheep in his stock; and then when he has them, Pauperis est numerare pecus, He would have cattle without number. J. Trapp com. on E [...]clesiast. Thus a circle cannot fill a triangle, so neither can the whole world (if it were to be compassed) the heart of man; a man may as easily fill a chest with grace, as the heart with gold. Non plus [...] cor a [...]ro quam [...]orpus aura, The air fills not the body, neither doth mony the co [...]tous mind of man.

A true child of God, half in Heaven, whils the is on Earth.1176

TEnorius, Joh. Lorinus prefatio c [...]m. [...] Eccles. Arch-Bishop of Toled [...], making question, whether Solomon were saved or damned, caused his picture to be drawn in his Chappell, half [Page] in Heaven, and half in Hell. Now what was painted of Solomon imaginarily, may be said of Gods children truly, though they dwell upon Earth, yet their Burgesship is in Heaven. Phil. 3. 20. Earth is patria loci, but Heaven patria juris; just like Irishmen, that are dwellers in Ireland, but Denisons of England; half in Heaven, and half on Earth; Sam. Bugg [...] Ser. at S. Pauls. in Heaven, by their godly life and conversation; in Heaven, by reason of their assurance of glory and salvation: But on Earth, by reason of that body of sin and death which they carry about them, having the flesh pressing with continuall fight, and oppressing with often conquest.

1177 Hope in God, the best hold-fast.

FAmous is that history of Cynegirus, Plutarch. a valiant and thrice renowned Athenian, who being in a great sea-sight against the Medes, cap. 1. paral. spying a ship of the Enemies well man'd,Justinus lib. 2. and fitted for service, when no other means would serve, he grasped it with his hands to maintain the fight;Sabellicus lib. 4. cap. 6. and when his right hand was cut off,J. King on Jonah. he held close with his left; but both hands being taken off, he held it fast with his teeth, till he lost his life. Such is the hold-fast of him that hopes in God, dum spirat sperat, as long as there is any breath he hopes. The voice of hope is according to her nature, Spes mea Christus God is my hope. In the winter and deadest time of calamity, Hope springeth, and cannot die; nay, she crieth within her self,Magna tamen spes est in bonitate Dei. Ovid. de Pont. Whether I live or die, though I walk into the chambers of death, and the doors be shut upon me, I will not loose my hope; for I shall see the day, when the Lord shall know me by my name again, righten my wrongs, finish my sorrowes, wipe the tears from my cheeks, tread down my enemies, fulfill my desires, and bring me to his glory. Whereas the nature of all earthly hope is like a sick mans pulse, full of intermission, there being rarely seen sperate miseri on the inscription, but it is subscribed, Cavete foelices.

1178 An account of Gods knowledge, not to he made out by the wisest of men.

THere is a place in Wiltshire, Guil Cambdeni Britannia called Stonage; for divers great stones lying and standing there together: Of which stones it is said, That though a man number them one by one never so carefully, yet that he cannot find the true number of them, Cujus virtus totum posse. Cujus sensus totum nosse. Hildebert Poemat. but finds a different number from that he found before. This may serve to shew very well, the crring of mans labour, in seeking to give an account of divine wisdom and knowledge; for all his Arrowes will fall short, if he have no other Bow but that of Reason to shoot in; though his diligence be never so great, his learning never so eminent,M. Adamus in vita. and his parts never so many, in making up the reckoning, he will be alwaies out, and not be ever able to say, as Martin Luther, when he had been praying in his closet, for the good successe of the consultation about Religion, in Germany, Vicimus, vicimus, We have prevailed, we have prevailed; but rather cry out with the Apostle, [...] &c. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! Rom. 11. 13. How unsearchable are his judgments, and his waies past finding out!

1179 Atrue child of God being delivered out of the bondage of Sathan, made more carefull for the future.

IT is reported of the Turks, Timberlake Travells. now inhabiting the (sometimes famous) City of Ierusalem, and having an old prophecy, that the City shall be retaken and entred at the very same place, where formerly it was assaulted and conquered, have in or near that breach, immured all passage, and prevented all probability of entrance again. Ictus piscator sapit, The burnt child dreads the fire. [Page] And a child of God, Exiguo per [...]ssus [...]nlminis ict [...]. who by Sathans malice, and over-reaching policy, is brought into sin, and by Gods mercy brought out again, doth passe the remainder of his time more warily; Fortior ut possis &c. Ovid. so that if Sathan, his mortall enemy, have heretofore made assault upon his soul, be it at the privy door of his heart, by sinfull imaginations, he'l be sure to keep his heart with all diligence; Prov. 4. 23. if at the too too open dore of his lips, by filthy communication,Psal. 141. 3. he'l not fail to set a watch before his mouth; if at the ears, which often prove carelesse sentinells,Psal. 38. 13. by admitting and entertaining idle talk, and slanderous reports, he'l rather become a deaf man, and hear not, then ever that raging and malitious enemy shall soyl him at the like advantage.

Riches, Beauty, Wisdom, &c. in comparison of God, are lying vanities.1180

AUlus Gellius writeth of a vain Grammarian, Noct. Attic. lib. 18. cap. 4. that made himself very skilfull in Salusts works: Apollinaris to try his skill, met him on a day, and asked him, What Salust meant, (if he were so expert in his writings, as he professed himself to be) by saying of C. Lentulus, that it was a question, Whether he were more foolish or vain? The Interpreter made answer, The knowledge I take upon me, is in antient words, not those that are common and worn thread-bare, by daily use. For he is more foolish and vain then Lentulus was, who knoweth not, that both these words note but one and the same infirmity. B. King on Ionah. Apollinaris not satisfied with this answer, makes further enquiry, and thereupon concludes, that they were called foolish vain men, not such as the people held to be dullards, blockish, and foolish, but such as were given to lying and falshood, such as gave lightnesse for weight, and emptinesse for that which hath not true substance. Thus it is, that all the things of this world, described in that Triumvirate of S. Iohn, 1 Ep. chap. 2. whether they be pleasures, riches, honours, &c. if they once come into competition with the honour of God, they are not onely foolish, Iob 31. 24. but lying vanities, such as the covetous mans wedge of gold, the arrogant mans industry, Hab. 1. 6. the politick States-mans brains, the confident mans strength, the ambitious mans honour, Ezek. 28. 4. or any thing else that displaceth God of his right, Esa. 37. 24. and carrieth out mans heart and hope after it, is a lying deceitfull vanity, Hest. 6. empty as the wind, and as fleeting as the mist in the air.

Joy in the midst of Affliction.1181

IT is storyed of Andronicus, R. Knoles Turk hist. pag. 164. citat è Niceph. Gergor. hist. the old Emperour of Constantinople, that all things going crosse with him, he took a Psalter into his hand, to resolve his doubtfull mind, and opening the same, as it were of that divine Oracle to ask counsell, he lighted upon Psal. 68. 14. When the Almighty scattered Kings, they shall be white as snow in Salmon; and was thereby comforted, and directed what to do for his better safety.Sin. de Muis in locum. Now it is to be understood, that Salmon signifies shady and dark, so was this Mount, by the reason of many lofty fair-spread Trees, that were near it, but made lightsom by s [...]ow that covered it. Hence, to be white as snow in Salmon, is, to have joy in affliction, light in darknesse, mercy in the midst of judgment; as for instance. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth, saith God to the Woman;Gen. 3. she shall have sorrow, but she shall bring forth, that's the comfort. Many are the troubles of the righteous, that's the sadnesse of their condition; but the Lord will deliver them out of them all, there's their rejoycing. There is no sorrow, no trouble, no temptation, that shall take any godly man,Dol [...]r hic tibi proderit olim. but he shall be as snow in Salmon; God will not suffer him to be tempted, Ovid. Amor. 10. above that he is able, but will with the temptation also make a way to [...]scape, that he may be able to bear it.

1182 Reverend and devout behaviour to be used in the Church of God.

[Page]

ADaman in Bede tells,Hist. ge [...]. Ang. lib. 5. in his discourse of holy places, from the mouth of a Bishop who had been there, that in a Church erected in that place, from whence our Saviour ascended, there rushed annually in those times, asilent gale of wind from Heaven upon Ascension day, which forced all those it found standing, to fall prostrate on the earth. The story may not be justifiable, yet 'tis antient; and it were to be wished, that when we enter into the house of God, we needed no wind to blow us upon our knees, but that falling down by the dejection of our bodies, we may rise up again by the exaltation of our souls. D. Lawrence Serm. at Court. 1630. Besides, let all men take notice, that he which comes thither, as he is without preparation, goes away as he was, without a blessing; and he that praies, as if God were not there, when he hath prayed, shall find him no where. We must enter all ear, while God speaks to us; all heart and tongue, whilst we speak to him; because if the heart go one way, and the tongue another;Josephi antiquitat. l. 13. c. 16. if we turn Gods house into an Exchange or Stewes, by thinking on our gains and lusts, we defile not the Temple, as Antiochus did, by painting unclean beasts on the doors without, but by bringing them within, into the body of the place.

1183 No Promise to be made, but with reference to Gods good pleasure.

PHilip threatned the Lacedemonians, S. Walt. Raleigh Hist. of World. that if he invaded their Country, he would utterly extinguish them. They sent him no other answer back again, but this word, If; meaning, that it was a condition well put in, because he was never likely to appear against them.1 Cor. 1. Thus St. Paul promised the Corinthians, to come by them in his way to Macedonia, and did it not; for he evermore added in his soul that condition, which no man must exclude, If it stand with the pleasure of God, and he hinder me not. Jam. 4. So that according to the old Verse: ‘Si, nisi, non [...]sset, perfectum quidlibet esset.’

If it were not for condition and exception, B. King Serm. on Ionah. every thing would be perfect; but that cannot be: therefore every man hath his reserve of Gods good will and pleasure, to back him in all his promises and undertakings, in a good way. So that he which speaketh with concition, as relating to Gods mind, may change his mind, without suspition of levity.

1184 All men to be highly affected with the Name of Jesus.

IT is said of Iohannes Mollius, [...]. Trapp Com. on Matth. whensoever he spake of the Name of Iesus, his eyes dropt:M. Welse Act. and Mon. And another reverend Divine being in a deep muse, after some discourse that passed of Iesus, and tears trickling down abundantly from his cheeks, before he was aware, being urged for the cause thereof, confessed ingenuously, it was, because he could not draw his dull heart to prise Christ aright. Mr. Fox never denyed beggar, that asked in the Name of Iesus Christ. And religious Bucer never disregarded any, (though different in opinion from him) in whom he could discern aliquid Christi, any thing of Iesus Christ. None but Christ, saies John Lambert at the stake: And, My Master, saies Mr. Herbert, that divine Poet,Poems in preface. as oft as he heard the Name of Iesus mentioned. How then should our hearts rejoyce, and our tongues be glad? and how should we be vext, at the deadnesse and dulnesse of our naughty natures, that are no more affected with the [Page] sweetnesse of the Name Iesus? a Name above all names. [...],Phil. 2. 9. Cicero in Verrem. Such a word, saith the Heathen Orator, and so emphaticall, that other tongues can hardly find a word to expresse it.

To attend upon God in his Ordinances.1185

IT is usuall for ships to ride a long time in a road-steed,Joh. Brinsley Serm. at [...]armouth. when they might be in the Haven; and wherefore do they so? wherefore, but that they may be in the winds way, to take the first opportunity that shall be offered, for their intended voyage. Even thus should all good Christians do, anchor, as it were, in the house of God, even then when they seem to be becalmed, that they cannot stir and move themselves about holy duties, as they were wont to do; yet even then, ride it out, hearken what God will say to their souls, wait upon him in the use of Means; not in an Anabaptisticall phrenzy, refusing to attend upon duty, till the spirit move them; but look up unto God for life, and seek it from him, in their attendance upon his holy Ordinances.

To see a necessitated Minister, matter of great grief.1186

ANtigonus seeing Cleanthes, a learned Philosopher,Diog. Laert. in vita. and a painfull student at his book, as he was helping a Baker to grind corn at the Mill, said unto him, Molis tu Cleanthe? What, Cleanthes, dost thou grind corn? I, sayes he, I do so, or else I must starve for want of bread; If I do not labour, I must not eat. Antigonus by this answer, noted a great indignity, that those hands should be galled at the Mill,J. King lect. on Ionah. wherewith he wrote such excellent things, of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. And it must needs be then matter of greater griefe, to any good Christian, to see able Ministers in necessity, to see what shifts they are driven to, (almost like the Popish Priests of old, that said dirges for their dinners) who are otherwise able to labour in the Word, and do the work of right good Evangelists: Idque vitae sustentandae causa, not to grow rich thereby, but to put meat in their mouths, and in the bellies of their distressed families.

Baptism renounced, by the leudnesse of life and conversation.1187

THe Spanish Converts in Mexico, Edw. Brerewood Enquiries. remember not any thing of the promise and profession, they made in Baptism, save onely their name, which many times also they forget.Jos. Acostae I [...] dia occident. Abbots Geography. And in the Kingdom of Congo in Affrica, the Portugalls at their first arrivall, finding the People to be Heathens, and without God in the world, did induce them to a profession of Christ, and to be baptized in great abundance, allowing of the principles of Christian Religion, till such time as the Priests prest them, lead their lives according to their profession, which the most part of them in no case enduring, returned again to their Gentilism. Such Renegadoes are to be found in the midst of us at this day, such as give themselves up to Christ, quoad Sacramenti perceptionem, by externall profession; but when it comes once advitae sanctificationem, to holinesse of life, there they leave him in the open field, forsaking their colours, renouncing their baptism, and running away to the enemy; so that Baptism is not unto them the mark of Gods child, Eccles. 5. 3. but the brand of a sool, that makes a vow, and then breaks it. And better had it been, that Font-water had never been sprinkled on such a face, that should afterward be hatch'd with such impudent impiety, Ier. 3. 4, 5.

1188 Sinfull Prayers, not heard by God.

[Page]

A King of the Saracens by his Ambassadour,Max. Tyrius. demanded of Godfrey of Boloign, then in the holy War, how he had his hands, [...]am doctas ad praeliandum, so able to fight;Despiciuntur o rationes leves, diffidentes, inanes, &c. Aug. in Matth. 6. who returned him this answer, Quia manus semper habui puras, &c. Because I never defiled my hands with any notorious sin. Thus is it, that men prosper not outwardly, because they look not to themselves inwardly; they pray, and speed not;Joh. Squire they lift up their voyce, but not holy hands: They pray, but they do not with the Ninivites, Serm. at St. Pauls, 1637. turn every one from the evill of his way, and from the wickednesse that is in his heart: 1 Tim. 2. 8. So that regarding iniquity in their hearts, God will not hear their prayers. Jer. 3. 8. The Loads [...]one loseth its vertue, besmeared with garlick, and our prayers with sin; Psal. 66. 18. that's the onely Remora, that stops our prayers, under full sail, to the throne of grace.

1189 The blessed guidance of Gods holy Spirit, to be implored.

MEmorable is that passage betwixt Elisha the Prophet,2 King. 13. and Ioash the King of Israel; J. King lect. on Jonah. he directed the hand of the King of Israel to shoot, and the arrow of Gods deliverance followed thereupon; and then, so often as he smote the ground, by the appointment also of the Prophet, so often, and no longer, he had likelyhood of good successe.Nulla in discendo mor [...] est, ubi Spiritus sanctus doctor adest. Even so, the Spirit, that is it that must direct our tongues and hearts, in all that proceedeth from them; for where that ceaseth to be as a guide, Psal. 73. 22. there will that of the Prophet certainly be verified, Every man is a beast by his own knowledge. Hence was it, that the good old Christians sang, Come holy Ghost eternall God, Beda hoin. 9. in Luc. comforter of us all, &c. and so must we, if ever we look for Gods assistance, to go along with our endeavours.

1190 Angells, ministring unto Gods people for their good.

IN the stories Ecclesiasticall,Socrat. hist. lib. 3. cap. 16. there is mention made of one Theodorus, a Martyr, put to extream torments by Iulian the Aposta [...]e, and dismissed again by him, when he saw him unconquerable.Ruffin. hist. lib. 1. cap. 36. Ruffinus, in his history, saith, that he met with this Martyr a long time after his tryall, and asked him, Whether the pains he felt were not unsufferable? He answered, that at first it was somewhat grievious, but after a while, there seemed to stand by him a young Man in white, who with a soft and comfortable handkerchief, wiped off the sweat from his body, (which through extream anguish, was little lesse then blood) and bad him, Be of good chear; insomuch as that it was rather a punishment then a pleasure to him, to be taken off the Rack, sith when the Tormentors had done, the Angell was gone. Thus it is, that the blessed Angells of God have ministred from time to time to his People, in the daies of their distresse, it may be, bringing food to their bodies, 1 King. 19. 5. as once to Eliah; but certainly, comfort unspeakable to their souls, as to Iacob, J. Trapp expesit. on Matth. Angeli ad minist erium pro nostr [...] salute semper mittuntur. Hagar, Daniel, Zecharias, Ioseph, Cornelius, Paul, &c. and to our modern Martyrs, in their prisons, at the stake, and in the fire: They pitty our human frailties, and secretly suggest comfort, when we perceive it not; they are as ready to help us, as the bad Angels are to tempt us; alwaies they stand looking on the face of God to receive orders,Greg. hom. for the accomplishment of our good, which they no sooner have,Dan. 9. 21. than they readily dispatch, even with wearinesse of flight.

Men are apt to be unthankful in Prosperity.1191

[Page]

IT is said to be the saying of Frederick the Emperour, I. Squier's Ser. at St. Pauls 1636. concerning Siginbird Flisk, after wards called, Innocent the fourth, advanced by him to the Popedom; I have lost a Cardinall a friend, and have gotten a Pope a foe: It is to be feared, that God may say the same of many Men, so long as he kept them in a mean estate, they sought unto him, and he had humble thank [...]ull Servants of them; but so soon as he raised them to Prosperity, they kicked, and became unworthy thanklesse wretches, forgetting themselves and the Rock from whence they were hewen, even God their great and bountiful Benefactor.

How it is that the strength of Imagination prevailes so much in matters of Religion.1192

IT is observable,Sam. Torshels design to Harmonize the Bible that when some Men look up to the rack or moving clouds, they imagine them to have the formes of Men, of Armies, Castles, Forrests, Landkips, Lions, Bears, &c. wher as none else can see any [...] things, nor is there any true resemblance of such things at all; And some again there are, that when they have somewhat roules and tumbles in their thoughts,Ioh. Fienus de viribus imaginations. they think that the ringing of bells, the beating of hammers, the report that is made by great guns, or any other measured, intermitted noyse, doth articulately sound, and speak the same which is in their thoughts: Thus it is that a strong Imagination or fancy, becomes very powerfull as to perswasion in the matters of God and Religion; Hence it is therefore,1 Pet 3. 16. that most of those that are unlearned and unstable, wrest the Scriptures, thinking they find that in them which indeed is not there to be found, perswading themselves that the Scripture represents to them such formed opinions, such and such grounded tenets, when (without all doubt) they do but patch and lay things together without any reason at all;Aug. Philastrius de haerestbus Iude 8. from whence have proceeded the senselesse dotages of Hereticks, visibly recorded by the Ancients in elder times; and of late the whimsicall conceits of some Dreamers, that have flown about in their most ridiculous papers, wherein they bring Scripture with them, but no sense, fancying the holy word of God to strike, to ring and chime to their tunes, to eccho out unto their wild conceptions, and answer all their indigested notions.

Submission to the Will of God in all things enjoyned.1193

APersonage of some note, lying on his death-bed, was desired by some of his friends then standing by,Ia. Cranfords Serm. at St. Antholines, Lond. 1649. to speak some observable sentence, to throw out himselfe in some one good passage or other, to leave behind him one remarkable saying or other; so that when he was dead and gone, they might remember both it and him; After a while he spake unto them in the words of St. Peter, ep. 2. ch. 5. ver. 6. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; An excellent saying, and worthy to be received of all Men; That in all strairs, under all pressures whatsoever, Men should lye down in the dust, submit themselves to the good will of God, and humble themselves under his mighty hand; and then without all doubt, he will (not, when they think it a fit time, but) in his own due time, when it shall be most sutable for his glory, and most advantageous for their eternall welfare, ease and exalt them.

1194 Every day to be looked on as the day of Death.

[Page]

PUt the case that one Man should give unto another many loaves of bread, Alphons. ab Ave [...]dano in Math. cap. 24. conditioned that he should every day eat one; but if the party should come to know that in one of them lay hid a parcell of deadly poyson, yet in which of them it was he should be utterly ignorant; O how carefull would he be in tasting any of them, lest he should light upon that which might prove his fatall destruction. Thus it is that God hath given unto us many dayes, to some more, to some lesse, but in one of these he hath, unknown to us,Mors in olld. conveyed the bitter sting of Death, and it may so fall out, that in the very day of jovissance, in the day of our greatest rejoycing, a deadly cup of poyson may be reached out unto us; Death like an unbidden guest may rush in upon us, and spoil all our mirth on a suddain; O how watchfull, how diligent, should the consideration of these things make every one of us to be▪ to look upon every day as the day of our death, every breathing the last breathing we shall make, to think upon the ringing of every passing-bell, that ours may be next; upon hearing the Clock strike, that there is one hour lesse to live in, and one step made nearer to our long homes, the house appointed for all living.

1195 It is Grace, not place, that keeps a Man from sinning.

IT is said of Lot, Gen. 19. 30. that he removed from Zoar to a neighbouring mountain, and dwelt in a cave therein,Caelum non animum mutant. which is shown to Travellors at this day; Now it was that a hole in a hill could hold him and all his Family, whose substance formerly was so great, Gen. 13. 7. the whole Country could not afford room for his flocks and heardmen, without striving with those of his Uncle Abraham. And here it was, that he was made drunken by his Daughters practice upon him, with whom he committed incest; So that it is Grace, not place, can secure Mens souls from sinne; seeing Lot fasting from lust in wanton & populous Sodom, surfeited thereof in a solitary cave, and whilst he carefully fenced the Castle of chastity, even to make it impregnable against the battery of forraign force, he never suspected to be surprised by the treachery of his own family.

1196 Every peaceable frame of Spirit and confident perswasion of Gods love, is not a sure testimony that such a one is in the state of Grace.

IT is St. Pauls saying of himselfe, That he was alive without the Law, i. he had great quietnesse and ease of mind,Ant. Burges. Serm. on Joh. 8. 54. all things went well with him, he was Cock a hoope, sound and safe, he thought himselfe in a sure and s [...]fe way; but alass, this was his ignorance, his blindnesse; just like a Man in a Dungeon, that thinks himselfe safe,Petrus dormit securus. when there are Serpents and poysonous Creatures round about him, onely he doth not see them: Or as a Man in a Lethargy, feels no pain though he be at the selfe same time near unto the gates of Death. And such is the condition of many persons, They thank God they have no trouble, their Soul is at much ease and quietnesse, they doubt not of Gods favour and love unto them; hence in the midst of their afflictions, when they are (but as it were) peeping into the furnace of tryall,Nihil hic nisi [...]erba supersunt. they will say; I thank my good God, this is his doing, I will submit thereunto, &c. When (alass) here's nothing but words, no assurance; and it may be said of such, as Christ of the Iews, You say he is your Father, but you have not known [Page]him; so they know nothing powerfully and practically, concerning the Mercies of God in Christ Iesus.

True comfort in the Word of God onely.1197

SEneca going about to comfort his friend Polybius, Fas tibi non est de fortuna [...] conqueri, salvo Caesare. perswades him to bear his afflictions patiently; And why, but because he was the Emperours favourite, and tells him, That it was not lawful for him to complain, whileNero Caesar Seneca de consolatione ad Polybium. Caesar was his friend; cold comfort was this, a poor Cordiall (God wot) to raise up a drooping spirit; Good reason too, For Caesar himselfe a little while after was so miserable, so destitute of all outward comforts, that he had not a friend to relieve him in the midst of his greatest extremity, much lesse was he able to help his friend: O but the sure word of God affords a better Cordiall, Edm. Calamy Godly mans Ark ep. ded. that which is true comfort indeed; It bids every true Child of God, not to be over-much dejected under the greatest of afflictions, because he is Gods favourite, Gods Iewell, Gods child, Gods Inheritance; It tells him that it is not lawfull for him to complain, Fas tibi non est conqueri, salvo Deo & promissionibus ejus. while God is his friend, his refuge, his Rock of defence, his safeguard, his What-not in the way of reliefe and succour; and the Promises of God are his rich portion and inheritance: so that like Iob, though he lose all that he hath, yet he loseth nothing, because he loseth not his God, in having of whom he hath all things.

God afflicting his Children for the improvement of their Graces.1198

IT is reported of the Lionesse, Ed. Wottonus de different. Animal. that she leaves her young whelps, till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and yelling, and then at last gasp when they have almost spent themselves, she relieves them, and by this means they become more couragious: And thus it is that God brings his children into sadnesse, sorrow, nay even into the very deeps of distress, Ionah 4. he suffers Ionah to be three dayes and three nights in the belly of a Whale,Psalm. 69. 3. David to cry out till his throat be dry, his Disciples to be all the night in a great storme till the fourth watch; and then it is that he rebuketh the winds, Matth. 14. 25. and relieveth his children, by which means he mightily encreaseth their Patience and dependance upon him, improveth their Graces, and enlargeth their faith and hope in Christ Iesus.

The readinesse of God to pardon poor Repentant Sinners.1199

IT was a custome amongst the ancient Romans, Ascon. Pedianus in orat. pro Milone. that when the Judges absolved any accused person at the Barre, they did write the letter A upon a little Table provided for that purpose. i. Absolvimus, We absolve him; If they judged him guilty,Alex. [...] Alexandro. Ien. dierum. lib. 3. c. 14 they writ C. i. Condem [...]amus, We condemn him: And if they found the cause difficult and doubtfull, they writ N. L, i. Non Liquet, We cannot tell what to make of it; not much unlike unto the term, Ignoramus in our Common Law, which the grand inquest writes upon a bill of Inditement, when they mislike their Evidence as defective, or too weak to make good the presentment: But it is otherwise with the all-knowing God, Esay. 63. 16. with whom we have to do, he cannot be said to be ignorant of the many sins wherewith we provoke him dayly; Abraham may be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, but he knoweth us and all things else, he knoweth us to be wretched and miserable, so that he may well write Condemnamus, and doom us to perpetuall torments with the Devill and his Angels; yet such is his mercy to poor Repentant sinners, that he invites and woes them to come in, that they may be saved, and so ready to pass by offences, [Page] that instead of Condemnamus, Psalm. 85. 5. he takes up the Pen and writes Absolvimus, My Son be of good chear,Luk. 7. 48. thy sins be forgiven thee.

1200 How it is that Ministers find so little success of their labours in Preaching the Gospel.

AS the Husbandman, Ant. Burgesse Serm. on ler. 23. 22. though he should be never so laborious in ploughing, sowing, and fitting the ground; though he be never so careful to provide precious and good seed,Augustin. in Psa. 58. coat. 2. yet it the nature of the ground be barren, as it will bear no seed, or cause it to degenerate into Cockle, all the labour is in vain; Or as the Gardiner, though he water and dress never so carefully, yet if the Tree be dead at the root, it is all to no purpose: So though the Ministers of God are very earnest in praying, preaching, informing, rebuking; yet when the ground is barren, the Tree dead at the root, if the People be of a froward and indisposed temper, if the God of this World hath blinded their eyes, that they do not see, nor understand, nor feel the power of God working upon their souls; What hope is, or can there be of such a People?

1201 Christ the eternall Son of God, properly and significantly called, The Word, Iob. 1. 1.

FIrst,Io [...]. Howes Christ God-Man a Serm. at Northampt. 1656. because his eternall generation is like the production of a Word; For as a word is first conceived in the mind, and proceeds thence without any carnall operation: So the Son of God had his conception in the understanding of the Father, and proceeded thence without any corporeall emanation. Gr. Nazanz. Orat. 2. 2. As a word is immateriall and invisible (for no Man can see verbum mentis, Id. in orat. 36. the Word of our thought:) So Christ is immateriall and invisible,1 Cor. 1. 24. in regard of his divine Nature, for no Man hath seen that at any time. Hier. Zanchius de 3. Elo [...]im lib. 5. cap. 8. 3. As a Word (if you take it for verbum mentis, Ioh. 1. 18. cannot be separated from the understanding, but as soon as there is [...] the Understanding, there must be [...] the Word:) So Iesus Christ, the second person in the blessed Trinity, cannot be separated from the Father, but soon as even there was a Father (if it may be so spoken of Eternity) there was necessity of a Son, Ioh. Ferus in Ioh. 1. 1. and so he is co-eternall with him. 4. As a Word is not expressed till it be cloathed with Air, and articulated by the Instrument of speech: So the Word of God which is the second person in the [...]rinity, was not manifested to the Sons of Men, untill he was cloathed in flesh, and born of the Virgin Mary.

1202 True Christians are fruitfull Christians.

LOok where you will in Gods Book, Io [...]. Hall Exon. Serm. at Westm. 1634. you shall never find any lively member of Gods Church, any true Christian compared to any but a fruitfull Tree; Not to a tall Cypress, the Emblem of unprofitable honour; nor to the smooth Ash, the Emblem of unprofitable Prelacy, that doth nothing but bear keyes; nor to a double-coloured Poplar, the Emblem of Dissimulation; nor to a well-shaded Plain, that hath nothing else but forme; nor to a hollow Maple, nor to a trembling Asp; nor to a prickly Thorn; nor to the scratching Bramble, nor to any plant whatsoever, whose fruit is not usefull and beneficiall; but to the fruitfull Vine, the fat Olive, the seasonable Sapling planted by the Rivers of waters.Psalm. 82. 8. & 1. 1. Yet it is most true, that the goodly Cedars, strong Elms, fast-growing Willows, sappy Sycamores, and all the rest of the fruitfull Trees of the Earth. i. all fashionable and barren Professors [Page] whatsoever,Arbores sylve ad fructi [...]candum steriles, &c Ad fructum velut ad ultimum finem omnes [...]onae arboris partes ordinantur. Pet. Berchor. they may shoot up in heighth, spread [...]ar, shew fair, but what are they good for? Yes, they may be fit for the forrest, the ditches, the hedge-rowes of the world; not for the true saving soil of Gods Israel, that's a soyl of use and fruit, that's a place for none but Vines, for trees of righteousnesse, fruitfull trees, fruitfull Christians. He that abideth in me, bringeth forth much fruit, saith our Saviour, Ioh. 15. 5.

Christ making himself and all that be hath over, to the good of his Church and People.1203

WE read in our Chronicles,Sam. Daniel hist. of Eng. l. 1. that Edward [...]irnamed Ironside, (in whom England was lost) and Knute, the first Danish King, after many encounters, and equall fights, at length embraced a present agreement, which was made, by parting England betwixt them two, and confirmed by Oath and Sacrament, putting on each others apparell and arms, as a ceremony, to expresse the attonement of their minds, as if they had made transaction of their persons, each to other;Joh. Trap Exposit. on Zech. cap. 3. Knute became Edmund, and Edmund, Knute. Even such a change (as it may be said) is of apparell, betwixt Christ and his Church, Christ and every true repentant sinner; he taketh upon him their sins, and putteth upon them his righteousnesse: He changeth their rags into robes, their stained clouts into cleaner clothing: He arraies them with the righteousnesse of the Saints; that two-fold righteousnesse, imputed and imparted; that of Iustification, and the other of Sanctification; that is an under-coat, this is an upper; that clean and pure, this white and bright; 1 Cor. 1. 30. and both from himself, who is made unto them, not onely Wisdom, but Righteousnesse, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Sanctification, and Redemption. Yet further; He puts upon his Church, his own comelinesse, decks his Spouse with his own Jewells, as Isaac did Rebecca; cloaths her with needle-work, and makes her more glorious than Hester ever was, in all her beauty and bravery; rejoyceth over her, as the Bridegroom over his Bride;Cant. 4. yea, is ravish'd in his love to her, with one of her eyes lifted up to him in prayer and meditation, with one chain of her neck, that very chain of his own graces in her.

How it is, that every man hath one darling sin or other.1204

IT is a Maxim in Philosophy,Ven. Bedae Axiomata Philosophica. That though all the Individualls of one kind, agree in one specificall Nature, yet every one hath a particular difference, whereby it is distinguished from another, which is called Hecciety. And so it is, that though Originall sin be the seed of all kind of wickednesse, and there cannot be an instance given of any horid crime in the world, but this would carry a man unto it: Yet this poyson in every man,Trahit sua quemque volupta [...]. Virgil. vents it self rather in one way, then another; so that there may be many sins acted in common by all, yet severall men have their severall particular corruptions, their Dalilahs, their beloved sins, which like the Prince of devills,Ant. Burges Ser. on Ier. 18. 11. command all other sins. As in every mans body, there is a seed and principle of death; yet in some there is a pronenesse to one kind of disease more then other, that may hasten death. So though the root of sin and bitternesse, hath spread it self over all, yet every man hath his inclinations to one kind of sin rather then another; and this may be called, a mans proper sin, his evill way, which unrepented of, will inevitably draw down vengeance upon his head, that hath it.

How to make a right use of Gods Promises.1205

IT is said of Tamar, Edm. Calamy Godly mans Ark. 1657. that when Iudah her father in law lay with her, she took as a pledge his signet, bracelets, and staffe; and afterwards, when she was in great distress, and ready to be burn'd as an Harlot, she then brought out her staff, and signet, [Page]and bracelets, Obsignatis agen dum est tabulis. Terentlus. and said; By the man whose these are, am I with child; and thereby she saved her life: So must all of us do, in the time of health, study our interest in the promises of the Gospell; and in time of sicknesse, live upon that we have so studied: Then it is, that we must bring forth the staff, the signet, and the bracelet, produce our Evidences, rely and make use of the Promises, as so many spirituall props and butteresses, to shore us up, and keep us from falling into dispair of Gods mercies and love unto us in Christ Iesus.

1206 God looking upon His Church, with a more speciall eye of Providence.

THere is much waste ground in the world,Jos. Hall Exon Serm. at a Fast before the L. L. at Westm. 1634. that hath no owner; our Globe can tell us of a great part, that hath no Inhabitant, no name, but Terra incognita, unknown: But a Vineyard was never without a possessour. Come we into some wild Indian Forrest, all furnished with goodly Trees, we know not whether ever man were there; Gods hand we are sure hath been there, perhaps not mans: But if you come into a well dressed Vineyard or Garden, there you may see the hillocks equally swelling, the stakes pitched in a just heighth and distance, the vines handsomely pruned, the hedge-rowes cut, the weeds cast out: Now we are ready to conclude, (as the Philosopher did, when he found figures) Here hath been a man, and a good husband too. Thus it is, that as Gods Israel, Gods Church, is a Vineyard, so we may safely conclude, that it is Gods vineyard, Gods Church, God's in a more speciall manner. It is true, that there is an universall providence of God over all the world, [...], &c. Sophocles Cant. 8. 11. but there is a more especiall hand and eye of God over his Church; in it, God challengeth a peculiar interest. Solomon may let out his Vineyard to keepers, but God keeps his Church in his own hands; he may use the help of men, Ecclesia quae per omnes gentes crescit in srumentis Dom. conservate est. Aug. in ep. 48. but it must be as tools, rather then as his agents; he works by them, they cannot works but by him; so that in spite of the gates of hell, his Church, his Vine, shall flourish. Even so, return O God of hosts, look down from heaven, and visit this Vineyard of ours, thy Church, which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch which thou hast made strong for thy self.

1207 The sad condition of all impenitent Sinners.

IT is said of Antoninus, In summa [...] de manifest. Vsurariis. Arch-Bishop of Florence, that after he had heard the confession of a wretched Usurer, he gave no other Absolution than this: Deus miseratur tui, si vult; & condonet tibi peccata tua, quod non credo, &c. God be mercifull to thee, if he please; and forgive thee thy sins, which I do not believe; and bring thee to eternall life, which is impossible: i. rebus sic stantibus, if God doth not wonderfully work a strange conversion in his heart. And such and so sad is the condition of every unregenerate man, Rom. 9. 22. every impenitent sinner, they are no other then bondslaves of Sathan, firebrands of hell,Ephes. 2. 12. vessells of wrath, men without God in the world. No wonder then, that as long as they continue in such a wretched estate, God cease to be mercifull unto them, deny them forgivnesse of sins here in this life, and admission into his Kingdom of glory hereafter.

1208 God, as he is a God of mercy, so he is a God of judgment, and therefore not to be provoked.

NOthing so cold as Lead, Joh. Trap Exposit. on Zach. cap. 1. yet nothing more scalding, if molten; nothing more blunt then Iron, and yet nothing so keen, if sharpned: The aire is soft an [...] tender, yet out of it are ingendred thundrings and lightnings; the Sea is calm ana smooth, L [...]sa patientia fit furor. but if tossed with tempests, it is rough above measure. Thus it is, that mercy abused turns to fury: God, as he is a God of mercies, so he is a God of judgmen; [Page] and it is a fearfull thing to fall into his punishing hands: Psal. 2. & 90. 11. He is loath to strike, but when he strikes, he strikes home: If his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, wo be to all those on whom it lights; how much more, when he is sore displeased with a people or person: Who knowes the power of [...]is anger, saies Moses? Let every one therefore submit to his Iustice, Heb. 10. and implore his Mercy. Men must either burn or turn; for even our God is a consuming fire.

Promises of God, the excellency and comforts that are to be found in them.1209

IT is said of Mr. Bilney, Joh. Fox Act. and Mon. that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus, that being much wounded in conscience, by reason of the great sin he had committed, in subscribing to the Popish errors, M. Adamus in vita. he was much comforted, by reading those words, 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, &c. Thus was Beza supported under his troubles, by the words of Christ, Ioh. 10. 27, 28, 29. Mention is also made ofR. Bolton of Kettering in Northampt. one, that was upheld under great affliction, and comforted from that of Esay, chap. 26. 3. of another in the like condition, from that of the same Prophet, chap. 57. 15. of a third, a young Maid, upon the knowledge of aMr. Edm. Calamy. reverend Divine yet living, that went triumphantly to Heaven, by the refreshing she found in that well known Text, Math. 11. 28. Many also are the drooping spirits, that have been wonderfully cheared, by reading the eighth Chapter of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans; and by that Text of St. Iohn, in his first Epistle, chap. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life, &c. And thus it is, that great is the excellency, transcendent the comforts, that are to be found in Gods Promises, they are the good Christians Magna Charta for Heaven,Promissa sunt pabulum & anima fidei. Aug the onely assurance that he hath to claim by. There is no comfort, no true, reall, virtuall comfort, but what is built and founded upon a Scripture-promise; if otherwise, it is presumption, and cannot properly be called true comfort. The Promises are pabulum fidei, & anima fidei; the food of faith, and the very soul of faith: They are a Mine of rich treasures, a Garden full of choise flowers, able to enrich the soul with all celestial contentments, & to sweeten the sourest of conditions. The truth is, there is no promise of God, but if he be pleased to illighten unto us, and shew us our interest in it, will afford a plentifull harvest of everlasting joy, and that which is true and reall contentment indeed.

The griping Usurer and his Broker, characterised.1210

IT is commonly known,M. Powell Positions of Vsury pag. 48. that the neather Milstone stands or lies still, and stirs not: So the wretched, rapacious, griping Usurer sits at home, and spends his time in a kind of diabolicall Arithmetick, as Numeration of hours, daies, and monies; Substraction from other mens estates, and Multiplication of his own, untill he have made Division between his soul and Heaven, and divided the Earth to himself, and himself (if God be not the more mercifull) to a worser place. And for his Broker, he is not much unlike the upper Milstone, (without which, the neather may seem to be unservicable) that is quick, stirring, and runs round; so he is still in action, like the Iackall, yelping before the Lion for a prey, ever contriving how he may bring grist to the Mill, mony into the Usurers bank, and sorrow to his own soul.Esa. 3. 15. Hence is that phrase of the Prophet, Grinding the faces of the poor, who like corn are ground to powder betwixt them. But let all such know, that it were better for them, if they endured all temporall punishment whatsoever,Mat [...]h. 18. 6. that a milstone were tyed about their necks, and so cast into the bottom of the sea, than that both body and soul should be cast into hell fire for evermore.

1211 The danger of fleshly lusts to be avoided.

[Page]

CLemens Alexandrinus hath a story,In admonit ad Gentes. that the first who found out fire, was a Satyre, a wild man; and perceiving it to be a creature beautifull and resplendent, like a hot suitor, he offers to kisse it: But the fire speaking to him, said, Take heed, Ambros. de poenit. l. 1. c. 13. Satyr, come not near me; for if thou dost, I shall burn thy beard. The meaning is, that unclean lust being a fire, which l [...]st f [...]ll be arts have found out they a [...]e told, if they meddle with it, they are sure to be burnt by it. Can a man go upon hot coals, and not be burnt? take fire in his bosome, and his cloaths not be consumed? go in unto a strange woman, Edax libidinis flamma, &c. Bafil: Iib. de Virginitate. and be innocent? come near such a she-fire, and not be sindg'd? He cannot, it is impossible: He may tread upon coals, thinking to tread them out,Homo & m [...]lier ignis & palea. Hierom. in ep. ad Dam. but he will first tread the fire into his own feet; he may think to take fire in his bosome, and his cloaths not be burnt; to embrace the conversation of a strange woman, and his chastity, the pure white garment of human nature, not be defiled; but he may withall think as well, to fall into the bosome of hell fire, and there not be tormented for ever more.

1212 A prudentiall piece of State-policy, for the continuance of Peace.

MEmorable is that ingenious and honest contrivement,Tit. Livius in hist. Rom. of Pacuvius Calavius, a wise Magistrate in Capu [...], who perceiving the people to be much bent against the present Government, and ready to break out into some outrage, made the Senate acquainted therewith; and having throughly terrified them, by laying open the danger hanging over them, he promised neverthelesse to deliver them all, and to set things at quiet, if they would freely put themselves into his hands, offering his Oath, or any other Assurance, that they should demand for his faithfull meaning. They all agreed. Then shutting the Court, and placing a guard of his own followers about it, that none might enter in, or issue forth, without his leave, he called the People to assembly; and speaking as much ill of the Senate, Sr. Walt. Raleigh hist. of the World. l. 16. c. 13. as he knew they would be glad to hear of, he told them, that these wicked governours were surprised by his policy, and all fast, ready to abide what sentence they would lay upon them: Onely thus much he advised them, as a [...]ning which necessity required, that they should chuse a new Senator, before they satisfied their anger upon the old. So rehearsing the names of one or two Sena [...]ors, he asked, What their judgment was of those: All cryed out, They were worthy of death. Chuse then,Scinditur in certum studia in contraria vulgus said he, first of all, some new ones into their places. Hereunto the Multitude, unprovided for such an election, was silent; untill at last, some one or other ad [...]entured to name whom he thought fit. The men so nominated, were utterly disliked by the whole Assembly, either for some known fault, basenesse, and insufficiency; or else because they were unknown, and therefore held unworthy. This difficulty in the new election appearing more and more, whilst more were to be chosen, (the fittest men to be substituted having been named amongst the first, and not thought fit enough) Pacuvius intreated, and easily prevailed with the People, that the present Senate might at this time be spared, in hopes of amends hereafter, which (doubtlesse) they would make, having thus obtained pardon for all offences past. Henceforth, not onely the People, as in former times, honoured Pacuvius, and esteemed him their Patron, but the Senate also were governed by him,O fortunatos nimi [...]m, bona si sua norint, &c. to whem they acknowledged themselves indebted, for saving all their lives. Here now was a prudentiall piece of policy, such as the sage and prudent some years since amongst us, might have well improved, to the curing of many distempers, composing of much difference, and preventing of great disorders, whereby we were then become even so distracted, that England was called the Bedlam of Europe, and London the Bedlam of England.

How it is that Age becomes truly honourable.1213

[Page]

PHilo the learned Jew noteth, that although many in the beginning lived to a great length of time,Philo in locum. so that they more then trebled the years of Abraham, yet none is mentioned, and named to have been an old Man in the Scripture, untill Abraham, of whom it is said, That he dyed in a good old age, Gen. 25. 8. Whereof Philo conceiveth the reason to be, because though his years were fewer, his virtues were more;Canities tunc est venerabilis quan do [...]a gerit, &c. Chrysostom. and because he was gone farther in the way of Righteousnesse, though his course were shorter in way of life: And this it was,Prov. 16. 31. that made his old age to be good, this it was that made it to be a Crown of glory; for it is a Reproach to be able to prove our old age, onely by numbers of years, and not by increase of knowledge and goodnesse; it being so, that Age will never become truly honourable, nor the hoary head as a Crown of glory, till it be found in the way of Righteousnesse.

To commit our selves to God in all things, and to be thankfull to his holy Name.1214

IN the play at Tennis, Vnus jacit alter verò refert pilam. Chrysost. orat. 8. it is observable, that the one tosseth the ball, the other tosseth it back again, and so long it is that the sport hanlomly continueth, as the ball tossed to and fro between the hands of both, doth not fall to the ground; And he is said to be the best player, that doth not onely skilfully and readily take the ball, but nimbly and expertly sends it back again: Thus it is, that all of us are to reveal our works unto the Lord,Seneca de benefic. l. 2. c. 17. to cast or tumble our works before the Lord, Prov. 16. 3. to put them over to the Lord; and whatsoever we do well, let him have the praise and the thanks for it, not to let the ball of benefits fall to the ground, but bandy it back with a speedy return of submissive acknowledgement; Nich. de Lyra in Prov. 16. 3. for the true comfort of that which we have received, will be happily continued so long as we shall return thanks for things which we have so received; And then it is too, that we shall be looked on as good and worthy receivers, when we cast back praise and glory unto God, and speak good of his holy Name.

The good of Quietnesse, and evill of Contention.1215

LOok but upon a pleasant Pond, full of sweet Fish, how do they sport themselves up and down in it,Mich. Iermin, exposit. on Prov. 16. 3. and multiply continually unto a great encrease? But let the sluce be once taken up, the Fishes are quickly gone, the waters stay not till they be gone also, and nothing but mud and mire is left behind. So it is that in a quiet life, the affairs and endeavours of Men do prosper, and their estate is encreased to plenty and abundance, so that they even bathe themselves in the comfort and contentments that they find therein;Greg. de cura past. part. 3. a [...]m. 15. but let the waters of strife break in, the gap of Contention be opened, all comforts fleet away, and usually the estate sinks lower and lower, untill it be dryed up to beggery and misery:Dimittens a quam caput jurgiorum. Ambr. ep. lib. 3. Such is the good of Quietnesse, and the evill that attendeth upon contention, I is therefore good Counsell to make up all breaches assoon as they doe appear, or rather by watchfulnesse keep all so firm, that no breach may appear, for the evill of contention is a great deal better prevented then remedied.

1216 The sin of Bribery, condemned.

[Page]

IT is mentioned of Frederick Duke of Saxony, that being offered a great mass of Gold by the Agents of Archduke Charles, Erasmus in A pophthegmat. even after he had given his voyce to be Emperour (and indeed made him Emperour) he would not so much as look upon it; And when they were instant upon him, at the least to give them leave to bestow a largesse upon his Gentlemen and followers; his answer was, That they might take something if they would; but I tell you, and I tell them, (said he) That not one of them that taketh a penny, shall stay one day in my house: This was now a worthy Heroicall mind in him,Lib. 4. de considerat. but sooner praised then followed: and as St. Bernard said in another case, exemplum alterius s [...]culi, an Example fitter for a lesse corrupt age, than this wherein we live; It is well now, if nothing be given or promised before hand; The Rulers love to say with shame, Bring ye, Hos. 4. 13. The Iudge asketh for a Reward, Mich. 7. 3. Many are the Gehezies that run after Rewards: Many like Samuels two Sons turn aside after lucre, Acceptio [...]unerum causa pervertendi judicii. Oreg. in [...]ocum. and takes bribes to pervert Judgment, 1 Sam. 8. 3. But where is the Man, that like Samuel, can say, Whose Oxe, have I taken, or whose Ass have I taken, or whom have I defrauded, whom have I oppressed, or of whose hands have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith, 1 Sam. 12. 3?

1217 Commendable silence.

IT was the wisdom of Sulpitius Severus, who being deceived by the Pelagians, and acknowledging the fault of his loquacity, In catalogo virorumillustrium was carefull of silence afterwards unto his death, and good reason too, saies St. Ierom; Ut peccatum quod loquendo contraxerat, tacendo penitus emendaret, That the sin which he had committed by overspeaking, might be amended by holding his peace ever after: Thus it may be, & often is the infirmity of the wisest, to be too hasty in speech, to be somewhat too forward in their expressions; it must therefore be their wisdoms to shut the doors of their lips, to be wary of what they say, and to be more silent and watchfull over themselves for the time to come.

1218 The distemper of Sin, not easily cured.

IT is said of Nero's Quinquennium, Aurel. Victor. Sueton in hist. that it was such, that in the excellency thereof, as to the point of Government, few of his Predecessors did ever equal him; yet at last, that which glistered so much, did not prove to be true Gold: He fell into courses most exorbitant, and amongst the rest, so shamelesse in his bribery and extortion, Procul differre cunctos Frincipes, &c. that he could not passe an Office, but he must be well pay'd for it, before the Seal was gotten, and then as a Trumpet of his own basenesse, cry out to the party; Scis quibus sit opus, Thou knowest what I have need of: And thus it is, that when Men are distempered with sin, habituated, and, as it were, rooted in sin, they are not very easily cured; It is a difficulty to be weaned from the sweet breasts, where Sin hath a long time sucked; or to be divorced from those criminall courses to which a Man hath once espoused his affections;Vitia mores [...]iunt. Greg. Vices oft-times become Usages, and a practised sinner is even incorrigible, Ier. 4. 14. Ezck. 13. 27.

Men to stand up for the credit of their places.1219

[Page]

LEwis the 11th of France, desiring to thrust an Abbot injuriously out of his place,In vita ejus. commanded him Cedere, to give up his Right, and to yeeld up the possession to one that he should nominate; the Abbot thinking the King to have no absolute power to dispose of Church-rights, without some high crime, or the Parties voluntary consent, resolutely told him; That he had been forty years learning the two first letters of the Alphabet, A. B. Quadraginta annis vix priores duasliteras Alphabeti A. B. percepi, &c. Aegid. Corrozetus de dictis memorabil. that is, how to be made an Abbot and he should be forty years longer before he should learn the two next letters, C. D. by which he meant C E D E, that he could not understand how to yield up an Abbo [...]ship so easily: Thus it is that the greater Men are, the greater care ought they to have in keeping up the credit of their places; be as great as their Parentage and Pedigrees, Ties and Titles; be as great as their great Crea [...]or hath made them to be; and as God hath had the bringing of them forth, let not the Devill have the bringing of them up; Tho. Reeve, Gods plea for Ningveh. as they tender their dignities, leave them as dignities, lose not a cubit of their stature, embesell not their stock, lose their birthright, nor be inferiour to themselves, as some in these dayes are, that have such a Lethargy, Vertigo, or palpitation of the heart, that they have forgotten every thing that should be near and dear unto them, and even tremble to be their own Propugnators.

The great mystery of the Hypostaticall union in Christ, shadowed out by way of Similitude.1220

MAny are the similitudes used by both ancient and modern Writers to illustrate the mysterious Union of God and Man in one Person of Iesus Christ our Mediator. As that of the Body and Soul, Just. Mart. in exposit. Fidei. Bazil in Nativitat. making but one Man; Of the primordiall light in the first Creation,Alex. Alens. sum. Theolog. p. 3. q. 7. mem. 1. art. 1. and of the body of the Sun, in which that light was afterwards seated, both making one Luminary; Of a sword fired and enflamed; Of one Man having two accidentall formes or qualities, as skill in Divinity and Physick; Of a Cion or branch grafted into a Tree: But these and some others have been long since noted as defective in one part or other, That therefore of the Misletoe in the Oak, or in the Apple-tree, seemeth to hold out the best: For,

First,Damascen. de fide orthodox. lib. 3. cap. 11. The Apple-tree and Misletoe, are two perfect and different Natures in one Tree, the Misletoe wanting no integrall part that belongs to Misletoe: So the God-head and Manhood are two perfect and different Natures in one Person, in one Christ our Lord.

Secondly,R. Field of she Church. l. 5. c. 12 The Misletoe never had a separate and distinct subsistence of its own, but onely subsist [...]th in union with the Apple-tree, which susteyneth and main [...]aineth it: So the humane nature of Christ never had any distinct and separate subsisience of its own; but, from the first conception, subsisted in union with the divine subsistence.

Thirdly, The Apple-tree and Misletoe are so one Tree, that their two different Natures are neither confounded together, nor changed one into another to make up a third Nature, but are so individually unitea, that retaining their different Natures, they are but one Tree; So the two Natures of Christ, are without confusion or commutation united in one person, and yet still retain they reall differences.

Fourthly,Fr. Roberts, my sterium & medulla Biblierum. l. 4. c. 6. Aphor [...]m. 2. Po [...]it. 1. The Apple-trce and Misletoe though one Tree, yet having different Natures, bear different fruits, as Apples and berries: So the God-head and Manhood of Christ, though but one Person, yet being different Natures, perform disinct actions peculiar to each of them.

Lastly, As we may truly say by reason of this union, This Apple-tree is a Misletoe, and this Misletoe is an Apple-tree; and consequently, This Misletoe beareth [Page] Apples, and this Apple-tree beareth Berries: So we may truly say by reason of the personall union in God and Man, in Christ; This Son of Mary is the Son of God, and this Son of God is the Son of Mary; the Son of God was crucified, and the Son of Mary created Heaven and Earth.

1221 Rich men to consider their beginnings, and be thankfull.

IT was the saying of Chrysostome, Erasmus in vita Chrysostomi. to Gaynas the Arrian Bishop, Cogita quo cultu transieris Histriam, & quibus nunc utaris vestibus &c. Bethink thy selfe in what poor attire thou didst once pass through Histria, and how richly thou art now apparelled: So let all such as are advanced in the worlds eye, such as are arrived at great estates, such as heretofore not worthy to sit with the Doggs of the flock, are now seated with Princes; consider the simple weeds, perhaps that were once upon their backs, and now God hath given them change of Apparell; What a small stock they had once to begin withall, Quantum muta tus ab illo. and how God hath conveyed unto them hidden Treasures; What Minums they were once in the World, and what Grandees they are now become; That whilst others have poverty, they have prosperity, Whilst others are empty, they are full; whilst others have a narrower border, theirs is enlarged; whilst others have neither means nor meat, their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous: Io [...]l 2. 28. When therefore they eat in plenty, and are satisfied, let them praise the name of the Lord their God, which hath done wonderfully for them, and say with David, All that we enjoy, cometh of thine hand, and all is thine own, 1 Chron. 29. 6.

1222 Sloathfulnesse and luke-warmnesse in Religion, forerunners of evill to come.

IT is said of Alexius Comnenus, Nicetae hist. l. 1 that when upon the day of his Inauguration, he subscribed the Creed in a slow trembling manner; it was an ominous sign to all, What a wicked Man he would prove, and, how nigh the ruine of the Empire was at had: And when Philip, the last King of Macedon, a little before the great battle which he fought with Flaminius, Plutarch. in Flaminio. [...] stepped up upon the top of a Sepulchre to make an Oration to his Souldiers, it foretold a sad event of the issue of the battle: Thus we which have violated the faith, and are come to such a sloathfulnesse and lukewarmnesse in performance of Religious duties, it doth presage that our very inwards are corrupted, and the foundations of our Welfare shaking; We that have trod upon the heads of so many famous Martyrs, which first conveyed unto us our faith and worship,Tho. Reeve, Gods Plea for Nineveh. it is a kind of Prediction, that this at last will be fatall to our Church; There is time yet to amend, but how long God knows; It is to be hoped that our sinnes have not yet made God to abhorre the excellencies of Iacob, nor left us naked before the Lord: We have yet much in our keeping, all is not gone; let it be our care to preserve what is left, and be thankfull for what we have in the present enjoyment.

1223 Mans great Vanity in proposing to himselfe long life.

WHen God revealed to Nehuchadnezar, how little a while his Empire was to last,Dan. 3. 4. he shewed him a statue of divers mettals, the head of Gold, the breast silver, the belly brass, the leggs iron, the feet clay, and a little stone descending from the Mountains dash't the Statue in pieces: But instead of taking this as a fore-warning of his end,Nazianzen. and to have it still before his eyes, he made another statue of Gold from top to toe, which is held to be a durable and lasting mettal; so that the more God fought to undeceive him, the more was he deceived [Page] with his vain hopes.Congestum cespite culmen. And this is a fit resemblance of that, which daily hapneth unto us; for God advising us, that in the midst of all our magnificent structures, and costly edifices, that of our body, our best building, is but rear'd up of a little dirt,Tanquam mors nulla sequatur. an house of clay, that daily moulders away, and will be ere long reduced to little or nothing; yet our idle thoughts, and vain hopes, imagine it to be of gold, to be built of strong and lasting materialls; Palvis & umbra sumus. which cannot be, when as mans life is so short, that it is no more, then to go out of one grave into another, out of the womb of our particular Mother▪ into that of the earth, the common Mother of us all. Dust we are, and to dust we must return, Gen. 2.

How it is, that a prudent man may lawfully comply with the Times.1224

IT is said of the Yeale, Plinii nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 21. a certain wild beast in Aethiopia, that he hath two horns, of a cubit long, which he can in fight move as he list, either both forward, to offend; or both backward, to defend; or the one forward, and the other backward, to both uses at once: So should wise men apply their counsells and actions to the times, Non cursum cundem sed portum, &c. Lips. polit. lib. 4. and either to put forth the horns of their power, or pull them in, as occasion offers; yet, with this caution, that as the Marriner changeth his course, upon the change of the wind and weather, but still holdeth his purpose, of getting into the harbour▪ so should all prudent men, States-men especially, as upon every new occasion they alter their sailes, and veer another way, they should still make their course to the point of the publick good and safety, not once minding their own private benefit or advantage.

The difference betwixt a good and bad Memory.1225

AS the stomack is the storehouse of our corporall food,Basil in Bibl. S. S. Patrum. Tom. 1. Serm. 2. and keeping therein our present meat, the body takes from thence its sustenance, whereby its life and being is maintained: So the memory is the stomack and magazine of the soul, and sets before our eyes the obligation, wherein we stand, the good which we lose, and the hurt which we gain; and representing thereunto the species and shapes of things past, Chr. Fonseca Ser. in die Cine rum. they sometimes work that effect, as they would have done, had they been present themselves; whence is ingendred the love of God, which is that good blood wherewith the soul is nourished. And then again, as from the disorder and disagreement of the stomack, painfull diseases do arise, and divers infirmities hang upon the body; so from the forgetfulness of our memories, rise those manifold disorders and distempers in the soul, such as deaden the graces of the Spirit, and flat the motions thereof, bringing the soul into a labyrinth of perplexity, untill God be pleased to bring such things into mind again, as may relieve it.

Oath, or Covenant-breakers, not to be trusted.1226

THe Lawes divine and human,Summum crede nefas, &c. Juvenal sat. 10. have left no such bond of assurance, to tie and fasten one to another, as that of an Oath or Covenant, which are to be taken in sincerity, and kept inviolably: But seeing the deprivation of our nature hath perverted these Lawes, and abused this lawfull act, by equivocations, and mentall reservations, making it like a Gipsies knot, fait or loose at their pleasure; or like a Tragedian buskin, Fronum est sup [...]ros contemnere test [...]s. Id. sat. 13. equally fitting each foot. The Law of State prescribes us this remedy, to trust no man of noted falshood and duplicity, but upon good caution; and good reason too: For he that hath passed the bounds of modesty, and made no Religion of Oath or Covenant, for his proper advantage, never after makes scruple in his cauteriate conscience, to offend in like sort, as often as like occasion shall be offered.

1227 The unresolved mans inconstancy.

[Page]

THe River Novanus in Lombardy, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 2. cap. 103. at every Midsummer Solstice, swelleth and runneth over the banks, but in mid-winter Solstice, is clean and dry: Such is the nature of men unresolved, to several fortunes; they swell in the Sunshine of their prosperity, and look big in the daies of their advancement; but when storms of danger and troubles arise,O verè galeati lepores, &c. Homer. they are dried up with dispair, and hang down their heads like a bulrush: For a mind unprepared for dysasters, is unfurnished to sustain it when it commeth; he that soareth too high in the one for [...]une, sinketh too low in the other. Insolent braving, and base fear, are individuall and infeparable companions: But the resolved man is ever the same, even in the period of both fortunes.

1228 The truly noble Souldier.

THe Getulian captive (as Pliny relateth the story) escaped the danger, Nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 16. of being devoured by many Lions, through her humble gesture, and fair language, as saying unto them, That she was a silly woman, a banished fugitive, a sickly, feeble, and weak creature, Regia res est succurrere lopsis. Ovid. an humble suitor, and lowly suppliant for mercy. As therefore the Lion is the most noble of all the beasts of the Forrest, who never shewes his force, but where he finds resistance; satis est prostrâsse, do but yield, and he is quiet: Such is every truly noble souldier, every generous souldier, (the most honourable of all other professions) who holds it as great a glory to relieve the oppressed, as to conquer the enemy that is in arms against him.

1229 How it is, that the self-conceited vain-glorious man deceives himself.

IT is usually so,Foeli [...] (que) mantb [...]. that the vain-glorious man looks upon himself through a false glasse,Quis neget hoe? Ovid. which makes every thing seem fairer and greater then it is; and this flatulous humour filleth the empty bladder of his vast thoughts, with so much wind of pride,Sr. Rob. Dallingtons Aphorisms. that he presumes, that fortune, who hath once been his good Mistresse, should ever be his hand-maid: But let him know, that the wings of self-conceit, wherewith he towreth so high, are but patched and pieced up of borrowed feathers, and those imped too, in the soft wax of uncertain hope, which upon the encounter of every small heat of danger, will melt and fail him at his greatest need:Et tantùm constans in levitate s [...]â est. For fortune deals with him, as the eagle with the Tortoise, she carries him the higher, that she may break him the casier. It would be therefore good advice, that in the midst of his prosperity, he would think of the worlds instability, and that fortune is constant in nothing, but inco [...]stancy.

1230 How it is, that Children are very bardly drawn from their naturall inclinations.

DO but set the eggs of divers fouls under one Hen, Daily observations by a Person of honour. and when they are disclosed, the Kite will be ravenous, the Dove harmlesse, the Duck will be padling in the water, and every one will be prosecuting its naturall inclination and condition. Or take the youngest Woolf-whelp, imploy the greatest art, use the utmost skill that may be,Naturam expellas furca licet usque. &c. to make it gentle and loving, and you shall find it but labour lost, a thing altogether impossible; for it will never be forced or intreated from its naturall curstnesse and cruelty. Thus it cannot be denyed, but that education hath a considerable power to qualifie, breeding in a good family may civilize, but never nullifie the proper nature of any thing or person. It is therefore the duty [Page] of Parents, earnestly to pray, that God would be pleased to infuse such souls into their children, as may be endewed with sweet and gratious inclinations; if otherwise, to use all fit means to temper the worst, not presuming to effect an absolute extirpation thereby, but by the miraculous power of him, who can make from bitter fountains, to deflow sweet and pleasant waters; from the worst of nature, the best of grace and goodnesse.

The different conditions of men in the matter of Society, laid open.1231

DIvers and sundry are the conditions of men in society, L. Capells observat. divine morall, &c. but three are most remarkable i. e. The open, the concealed, and the well-tempered betwixt these: As for the first, they are of so thin a composition, that a man by a little converse, may see as easily through them, as if they were made of glasse; for in every discourse, they are ready to unbosome their thoughts,Nec retinent patul [...], &c. Vox fa [...]cibus h [...]eret. and unlock the very secrets of their hearts. The second sort are so tenacious, so reserved, and closely moulded, that they seem like those coffers, that are shut so fast, that no discovery can be made, where they may be opened; so close, that as they are of lesse delight for society, Opportun [...] loquitor. so of lesse hazard to be trustud. But the last and best composed, and like some [...]abinets, that are not with difficulty unclosed; and then discover unto you many things, pleasant and profitable; but yet so cunningly devised, so artificially contrived, that there will be some secret box, that neither your eye nor wit can take notice of, wherein is deposited a most proper and incommunicable treasure, something that will give grace and much advantage, to those that hear it.

Ministers to be accountable unto God, for what they have received.1232

AS by the Law of Nature,Joh. Gee Holdfast, a Ser. at S. Pauls 1624. Redde depositum, doth bind every such fiduciary, engage every such Trustee, not to use the pledge deposited, as his own proper goods, but to be accountable for it, and restore it when it shall be called for; if otherwise, he is guilty of injustice, and violating those dictamina rationis, the very principles of naturall reason.Liberè enim & juxt a veram fidem Christum praedicantes, &c S. Ambros. super 1 Cor. So it is with the Treasures of Gods truth, committed to the hands of his Ministers, they must acknowledge themselves to be but deposi [...]arii, trusted as pledge-keepers, not as proprietarii, Lords and Masters of it; for they are to be responsible in that great day of generall Audit, how they have discharged their trust.

How it is, that the People, as to the generality, are incompetent judges of the Preacher and his Doctrin.1233

IT is related of a [...]ertain Bishop, Th. Granger Crown of Rejoycing, a Serm. at S. Fauls, 1616. that a Visitation preached a very godly Sermon, and withall so learned and plain, that the descended to the capacity of the meanest hearers: He was thereupon very much commended, for his grave gesture, for his distinct and sober delivery, for his fatherly instructions, speaking plainly and familiarly, as a father to his children, not so earnest; and vehement, and hot, as many young Novices are, &c. For their Minister, he was but a youngling, and as good as no body, in comparison of him; and if they had but such a Preacher, they would give I know not what, to enjoy him.

[Page] This great and generall commendation was signified to the Bishop in private, who, to make tryall of the peoples judgment, came the next year after in the attire of an ordinary and poor Minister, offering himself to be their Preacher, it being noysed abroad,Populus maledicentia deleetatur. Pindarus. that their own was upon his remove to another place. The Bishop having gained the Pulpit, purposely chose another Text, differing from his former in words, but not in matter; so that in a manner, he preached the very self-same Sermon. But the same persons, that did so much commend him before, did now as much discommend him, and said; That he had no good gesture, but a heavy kind of moving [...] body; that he bended too much forward, and stood not upright; that he was nothing ripe and ready in his delivery; that he could be no Scholar, because he was so plain spoken; that almost any man might make as good a Sermon; that it differed little from ordinary talk; S [...]vit (que) animis ignobile vulgus. Virg I. Aencid that he enforc'd nor followed his exhortations, with vehemency and earnestnesse of spirit; and that his words had no life in them, to stir up the attention, or move the affections of the hearers; that none of them would give a penny for his maintenance; and that they would have another kind of Preacher than he, or they would have none. Here now was the same Sermon preached, [...] ex incerti [...] sumit anim [...]. L [...] vii decad. 1. l. 6. but here not the same People that heard it; the first Sermon Cryed up, the second cryed down, yet still the same Sermon; the Preacher much commended at the first delivery, and as much discommended at the second, yet still the same Preacher. Hence is it, that the generality of the people are not to be looked on, as fit and competent judges, of the Preacher and his Doctrin, for they are usually led by passion, not by discretion, so that oft-times they commend they know not what, and discommend they know not whom.

1234 How it is, that at the second comming of Christ to Judgment, the frame of the World shall not be consumed, but repairednew.

AS when that gold or silver is cast into the furnace, T. Draxe Ser. at St. Pauls 1612. and so tryed in the fire, the substance remaineth, but the drosse is that which onely perisheth: So in the last day, the fire of the Iudgment shall consume and abolish the corruptible and drossy quality of the Creature, but the substance (being subtilized and refined) shall abide and continue.I Cor. 7. 31. What though that [...], the fashion of the world passe, and be skowred away, by the fire of that generall conflagration; yet the matter and substance shall remain: The heavens indeed shall passe away with a noise or rushing, or shrink together like a skroul of parchment; the Elements like lead, shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Yet the World shall not be consumed to nothing,Psal. 102. but onely trans-changed into a new form, and converted to a Sabbaticall and better use. God, out of the very ashes of it, will produce a new world, even a new Heaven and a new Earth, wherein shall dwell righteousnesse, 1 Pet. 3. 13.

1235 To be warned by the miseries of others.

AS some School masters have used that disciplin, Joh. Donne Serm. at Court 1625. to correct the children of great persons, whose personall correction they finde reason to forbear, by correcting other children in their names, and in their sight; and have by this means so wrought upon good natures, that they have amended what was amisse at present,Exod. 2. and taken more care for the future: Thus the Iewes were by God corrected, in the punishment of the Egyptians; for, the ten plagues of Aegypt were as Moses ten Commandements to Israel. And so it is, that other mens harms ought to be our arms: Every judgment [Page] that falls upon a another, -alien [...] pericula ca [...]tum. should be as Catechism to us by way of instruction; When Iudgements are abroad in the world, shall not the People learn Righteousnesse? Shall the Lion roar, and the beasts of the Forrests not tremble? Shall Gods hand lie heavy upon others, and we stand by as idle spectators, nothing at all minding what is done? Shall our very next Neighbours house be on fire,-pa [...]ies cum proximus [...]. and we look on as Men unconcerned in the danger? It cannot, it must not be; there is without all doubt, the same combustible stuffe, the same (if not greater) sins lodged in our hearts, and the same punishments hovering over our heads, it is therefore high time to look about us.

Repentance not to be put off till old Age.1236

WInter-Voyages are very dangerous and uncertain, by reason of the North-wind, Hen. Kings Serm. at Court, 1626. which is then let loose upon the Earth; And sure, he were not wise, that might take his journey in the Summer; yet by delaying his opportunity, would expose himselfe to the durty deepnesse of the way, and inclemency of the weather in winter: Now so it is, that old Age is mans Winter, witnesse that Snow which covers his head,Periculosum est & interitui vicinum. Ambr. l. de poenitent. more cold & lasting then the Russian frosts, which the raging Dog-star can scarcely thaw; And Youth is his Summer, wherein the better temper of the ayr, the clearnesse of his sky, wherein are fewer clouds, lesse storms to hinder his prospect to Heaven, promise a successfull voyage: Can it be thought then that God, who preceded all time, will take it well at our hands, to be put back unto the last minute of time? How can he that requires the first frui [...]s of our Lands, be content with the latter harvest of our lives? How can he that expects a sacrifice of sweet smell, but distaste our unsavory zeal, when for a fragrant flower, Poenitentia sera raro vera. we present him with a dry stalk and withered branch, the lees of our old age for the vintage of our youth? yet by the way, this is not to prejudicate a gray-headed Repentance, though the younger must needs be preferred; That may be true, but this more safe; A Man may hope well of the one, but believe better of the other.

In all Deliverances spiritual and temporall, to give God the Glory.1237

THeodosius▪ being told of the wonderfull over-throw of the Usurper Iohn his Adversary,Templum [...]ratorium. he, and all his followers, resorted to the Temple where they passed over the day with praise and thanksgiving, Socratis hist. Eccles. l. 7 c 23 acknowledging that God by his arm had cast down that Tyrant: And Fl. Heraclius being delivered from Cos [...]oe, the King of the Persians, and Kingdom freed from Tyranny, did in the heighth of his Triumph at Bizantium, Reusner in Symbol. Coes. Rom. clas. 2. openly praise God for his delivery, And the more to shew his thankfulesse, did cause to be stamped on his coyn with his own Image, these words, [...], &c. Glory be to God in Heaven, because he hath broken the Iron doors, and hath delivered the holy Kingdom of Heraclius. And thus must all of us do, if we be freed from persecution, from a sword-power, from a Government Tyrannicall; Plalm. 3. 8. let us confesse with David, that Salvation is of the Lord; If we be brought from the jawes of death, and the gates of the grave, or recovered from some mortall disease, let us say with Hezekiah, The Lord was ready to save me; Esay 38. 20. Or if, like so many brands suatch'd out of the fire, we be brought from the deep of destruction, Jonah 2. 9. the very gulf of Hell; let us acknowledge with Ionah, That Mercy and Salvation is of the Lord; In all deliverances spirituall and temporall, let God still have the glory.

1238 Self-conceitednesse in matters of Religion, condemned.

[Page]

IT was in the Leviticall Law so ordered by God,Levit. 21. 19. that he which had a blemish of white in his eye,Will. Loe, blisse of brightest beauty, 1614. was debarred from the Priest-hood, and compared to the Owl, of whom the Naturalists yield the reason, that she cannot see in the daytime,Prov. 30. 12. because of the exceeding great whitenesse she hath in her eyes,Esay 24. which so scattereth the sight, that the Opticks thereof cannot perfectly discern the objects: And such are all those that are self-conceited of themselves in matters of Religion, that are pure in their own eyes, wise and pru [...]ent in their own sight, yet are not washed, In li [...]. ad Novation. from their filthinesse, that stink in the nostr [...]lls of all that come near them; such as the Novatians, of whom St. Cyprian speaketh, qui aurum se pronunciant, that pronounce themselves to be pure gold; But if they be gold (saith he) it is then that gold in quo delicta populi Israelis, &c. Ulys. Aldrovand. Ornitholog in which the sinnes of the People of Israel are denoted; they are but golden Calves, or rather golden Asses; It it better therefore to be at Sea tossed with a tempestuous storm in the ship with those that humbly professe themselves to be Sinners, than on the shoare with the rabble of those that justifie themselves, and are so self-conceited of their own graces, that they think no one, good enough to be their fellow.

1239 The wrath of God to be appeased by timely Repentance.

SEasonably and timely came in the provision of Abigail, I Sam. 25. 18, 19, 20. when for her Husbands churlish behaviour, David in his wrath had girded his sword upon his thigh, and threatned destruction to his whole houshold; she delay'd not the time, but made haste and went out to meet him with Asses laden with frails of Resins, bottles of wine, and sheep ready dressed to appease his wrath, which David took so kindly at her hands, that he forgot his anger, and gave order that she should be returned in peace and safety to her husband and family: So it is that Davids Son according to his Humanity,Tho. Cheast's Ser. at S. Pauls 1609. and Davids Lord according to his Divinity, even David the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the great God of Heaven and Earth is angry with every Son of Man for his unthankful and ingratefull behaviour towards him; He hath bent his bow, and whetted his arrowes, girded his sword on his thigh, and (which is much to be feared) hath already drawnit out to punish us;In tribunal mentis tuae ascende contra t [...], &c. Aug. in lib. de utilitat. agend. ponit. let us then by a seasonable and timely Repentance, go out and humbly meet him in the way; And as Abigail had her Asses laden with fruit, so let us have our bodies laden with Repentance and contrition, even these bodies of ours, which have been too too long Porters to carry the heavy burthen of Sin and wickedness; And as she had her bottles of Wine, so let us have our eyes as two bottles, nay rather two fountains of tears to bewail the sadnesse of our lost condition; And as she had her sheep ready dressed, so let us have our hearts ready prepared and addressed to serve the Lord, and then the Lord will say unto us, as David to Abigail, Return again unto your houses in peace, be of good chear, your Sins are forgiven you.

1240 Rash, inconsiderate Service or worship of God, condemned.

IT is observed by Physiognomists,Aristot. Ethic. ad Nicoc. &c. [...]. that the most couragious and discreet Men, have not the speediest pace, but rather a quiet, decent and setled kind of gate; whereas an hasty pace is looked on as a certain sign of a rash, foolish and illiberall Man: Thus it is that rashnesse is not altogether so hurtfull in other businesse, as it is most dangerous in Gods service, and the duties of Religion; All rashnesse must be banished [Page] from Gods service, it must not be any suddain work; yea rather it is such a businesse as requireth our exactest care,Adamant. Phis [...]ogn. I. 2. c. 28. our greatest attention, our bestwits, nay wisdome it selfe to go about it; the greatest care we can take is not enough;Ephcs. 5. 15. Hence is that charge of the Apostle,I Thes. 4. 12. [...], [...] to it have a care take heed that you walk [...] circum spectly, exactly, warily,Rom. 13. 13. not as fools, but as wise .i. to do the service of God advisedly, J. Brownings Serm. of reverence in Gods house. 1636. to walk decently and orderly, [...] with a comely pace, and that with another caution too, [...] as in the day time, when all Men see us, that so we may not be ashamed of what we do.

Faith, though weak, yet rewarded; And why so?1241

THey that did look on the brazen Serpent but with one eye, yea, but with half an eye, were as well and as fully cured of the deadly stings of the fiery Serpents,P. Ba [...]ne Mirror of Gods mercy, on Joh. 3. 16. as those that beheld it with both: And again, suppose that a Prince be disposed to bestow on sundry and severall Malefactors, a pardon of grace, or some precious Iewels, (as signalls of his civill respects) unto meer beggars; Is not the one as fully acquitted from his offences, and the other made as actually rich by the possession of such Jewels, though but received with a palsie-shaking hand, as they that receive them with one that is more strong and lusty: Even so the case is here; Hast thou (whosoever thou be) but a dimmish,Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides. Ovid. epist. 16. darkish faith, a weak, waterish eye of faith; yet, for thy comfort, if it be such an one as doth look up to Christ, and onely to him, for Salvation; such a hand as doth reach out unto Christ, and the pardon of lins offered in and by him; and dost clasp it about him with all thy feeble strength, Make not doubt but that thou art justified in the sight of God, and dost stand clearly acquitted from all thy sins, and shalt be healed from the deadly stings thereof; for it is the possession of the Iewell, not the strong holding of it, that made those beggars rich; and the Kings pardon relieveth none but such as are willing to accept of it, and plead to it; and so it is not our strong or weak faith, that is our Righteousnesse, and full discharge before God, but Jesus Christ and his obedience, that is it that doth all; This only is required on our part, that we accept of Christ offered in the Gospel, and relye on him for full Righteousnesse and Redemption; all which a weak and feeble faith doth as truly and intirely (if not more) as the strongest; Non opus est ver bis, credite rebus ait. Ovid. 4. Fast. Nay, which is yet more for the comfort of such as are weak in faith, and cannot yet in an express and explicite manner believe on Christ; they have Christ, and enjoy him unto Righteousnesse, and the pardon of all their sinnes and transgressions committed.

All must dye.1242

THe Heathens usually compared the Sons of Adam, to Counters, the game at Chesse, and Stages-playes, because that Counters have their severall places and use for a time, but in the end they are jumbled into a heap; In a game at Chesse, some are Kings,Rob. Harris, Sam. Funeral. 1612. some Bishops, some Knights &c. but after a while, they go all into one and the same bagge; On the stage one is in his raggs, another in his robes; One is the Master, another is the Man, and very busie they be; but in the end the Play ends, the bravery ends, and each returns to his place: Such and no other is the estate of Man, either weeds or flowers, and both wither; whether Trees good or bad, both die; as dyeth the wise, so the fool; Rich Men dye, and poor too; Death is unavoydable, life and death take turns each of other; the Man lives not, that shall not see death, Longius out propius mors sua quem (que) manet. Prop [...]rtius. be he a King with Saul, a Prophet with Ieremy, a wise Solomon, a foolish Nabal, a holy Isaac, a prophane Esau; be he of what rank soever, he must dye; Nay, let there be a concurrence of all in one; let Samuel, both a good Man, a good Minister, a good Magistrate, have as many priviledges as are incident to a Man, yet can he not procure a protection against Death; his Mother [Page] may begge his life, but none can compound for his Death; so sure it is that all must lie down in the dust and dye.

1243 Why it is that we must be Charitable to all Men.

IT is written of that Moses Atticissans, Plutarch in Apophtheg [...]. that when he did give Alms to a poor profligate wretch, his friends were much admired that [...] Plato, the great divine Philosopher would take pitty on such a wretched Miscreant; but he like himself, in such misty dayes as those were, made answer, Humanitati non homini, I shew mercy on the Man▪ Sanguinis conjunctio devincit h [...]mines charitate. Tull. Gal. 3. 28. not as he is wicked; but as, and because he is a Man of my own nature. His answer was good and warrantable; for if we consider our first Parents, we shall find our selves bound, (though [...] longinquo) by the same obligation to do good unto all men; There is neither Iew or Graecian, bond nor free, Male or Female, but all are one in Christ Iesus; neither Indian, whether of the East or West, neither Barbarian of Morocco, nor Inhabitant of Monomotapa, but all are brethren, whom, as we have opportunity, we must embrace with Charity; such as are true Saints,Arch. Symnier sp. Posie for Sion, 1629. with joy for their Sanctification; those that are not such, in the judgement of Charity, with hearty and earnest supplications to the great God of Heaven and Earth for their true and timely conversion to the faith, that is to be found onely in the Lord Iesus.

1244 Not to grieve or be troubled at the worlds discourtesies; And why so?

SUppose a Man, by birth Noble, and by revenues Rich, that as travailing home-wards through a forraign Country,P. Bain M [...]racle of Gods love on Joh. 3. 16. he should be way-laid, fall into the hands of Thieves and villains, and by them be robbed of his Mony, and stripped of his rich and Courtly apparell, and besides that have many indignities and base unworthy affronts put upon him, and yet should passe by all as little or nothing concerned in the businesse; And why so? but because he considers, that he is not in his right Ubi, he hath no long time to abide with such wretched People; and that if he can but make some shift for a time, [...] famus dulcis. till he came to his own Country, and place of aboad, there he should have his friends about him, monies and all things necessary to supply his want and necessities: The same is our case, Why should any of us grieve and be troubled at the worlds discourtesies, at the Reproaches and wrongs that are put upon us by the World and worldly Men;-manet altera C [...]lo. For (have we but so much faith as to believe it) we have an Heavenly home, and an eternall life by C [...]rist prepared for us; at the which when we once arrive, we shall be sure to meet with friends enough, even God, his blessed Saints and Angells, who will honour us; Riches and treasures inestimable, that will store us; joy and glory unspeakable, that will for evermore refresh us.

1245 To regulate our Wills by Gods Will.

IF a Man lay a crooked stick upon an eeven levell ground, the stick and ground ill suit together,S. Augustin. in Psal. 44. 6. but the fault is in the stick; And in such a case, a Man must not strive to bring the even-ground to the crocked stick, but bow the crooked stick eeven with the ground: So is it between Gods will and ours, there is a discrepancy and jarring betwixt them; But where is the fault, or rather, Where is it not? Not in the will of God, but in our crooked and corrupt affections, in which case we must not like Balaam, seek to bring Gods will to ours, but be contented to rectifie and order the crookednesse of our Wills, by the rectitude and sanctity of the Will of God, which must be the Ruler and Moderator of our wills; for which cause we are to [Page] cry out with David, Teach me, O Lord, to do thy will; and with the whole Church of God,Psal. 143. 10. in that pattern of wholsom words, [...]iat voluntas tua, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; never forgetting that too of Christ Iesus himself, in the midst of his agony and bloody sweat, Non mea sed tua siat voluntas, Father, Not my will, but thine be done, Luk. 22. 42.

To appear before God in all humility, how high soever our condition be.1246

IT is observable of Rebecca, Rudinius in Gen. 24. that all the way of her journey, she was mounted on a Camell, and rode amongst the Servants; but when she had once set her eye upon Isaac, then she lighted down from the Camell, and put her self into a posture of all humble and low obeysance. So must the men of this world do, however it be,Templa petas supple [...]. that many of them bear up their heads on high, stand upon the upper ground of riches and preferment, and are therefore bold and carelesse, not so much as once minding those that are below them; yet, when they come into the Lords presence, J. Smith on L. Prayer. and are to deal with the great God of heaven and earth, then they are to come down from their Camells, fall down and kneel before the Lord their maker, and be as humble, lowly, and vile in their own eyes, as possibly may be.

How it is, that Faith is the first act of Repentance.1247

AS a prisoner, R. Stock Doctrin of Repent. that lies in hold for debt, if a man should come unto him, and promise him, that he would take order to pay his debt, and thereby discharge him of his imprisonment; he first believes, that he is both able and willing so to do it; then he hopes for it; and lastly, he is as it were dissolved into love, ravished with the thoughts of such an unexpected reliefe; Nemo rectè possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui speraverit, &c. Ambros. de poenit l. 1. c. 1. and therefore seeketh to do all things that may please him. So is it with a repenting Convert, he first believes, that God will do what he hath promised, that is, pardon his sins, and take away his iniquities; then he resteth, that what is so promised shall be performed; and from that, and for it, he leaves, sin, forsaketh his old course of life, which was displeasing, and for the time to come maketh it his work, to do that which is pleasing and acceptable in his sight.

The comfortable art of spiritualizing the severall occurrences of the world and observing God's providences therein.1248

IT is storied of Mr. Dod, T. Whit [...] Treat. of the power of Godlinesse. (a painfull Preacher in his time) that intending to marry, but being troubled with fears and cares, how he should be able to live in that condition, in regard that his Incomes were but small, enough onely to maintain him as a single man; looking out of the window, and seeing a Hen scraping for food, to cherish her numerous brood about her, thought thus with himself, This Hen did but live before it had the chickens, and now she lives with all her little ones. Upon which, he added this thought also: I see the fouls of the air neither sow, nor reap, Matth. 5. nor gather into barns; and yet my heavenly Father seeds them. Thus did he, and thus many ofS. Augustin. Estie, Dering, Bolton, &c. Gods servants have done before him; and thus did our blessed Lord and Saviour himself, who took occasion of the water fetch'd up solemnly to the Altar, from the well of Shilo, on the day of the great Hosanna, to meditate and discourse of the water of life: And so must all of us do, get this sweet and comfortable art of spiritualizing the severall occurrences in the world, and observing the providences of God therein, drawing, like the Bee, sweetnesse from every flower, and turning every thing that we hear or see into holy meditation; the omission whereof cannot be, without the neglect of God, his creatures, our [Page] selves: [...] Hall Art of divine Me [...]i [...]tion. The Creatures are half lost, if we onely employ them, not learn something of them; God is wronged, if his creatures be unregarded; We most of all, if we read this great volume of the Creatures, and take out no lesson for our own instruction.

1249 Men hardly drawn out of old customs and forms in Religious Worship.

IT is reported of the King of Morocco, Pet. Heylin Cosmography. that he told the English Ambassadour, in King Iohns time, that he had lately read St. Pauls [...], which he liked so well, that were he to chuse his Religion, he would embrace Christianity: But, saith he, every one ought to die in the faith wherein he was born. So it is with many amongst us, they are perswaded they ought, and are resolved they will live and die in those customs and waies, Ade [...] à teneris assuescere multum est. Virg. Georg. lib. 2. wherein they were born: and so they may do, nay, so they must do; provided that such customs and forms, whereunto they seem to be so fast glued, be according to the pattern in the Mount, the revealed will of God: But it is to be feared, that such are more addicted to Customs then Scriptures, chusing rather to follow what hath been, though never so absurd and irregular, then consider what should be, though never so orthodox and uniform.

1250 The great love of Christ, to he at an high esteeem; and why so?

THere is a story of an Elephant, Aeliani varia hist. who being fallen down, and unable to help himself, or get up again, by reason of the inflexiblenesse of his legs; a forrester comming by, helped him up, wherewith the Elephant (a creature otherwise docible enough, by the very instinct of nature) was so affected, that he tamely followed the man up and down, would do any thing for him, and never left him till his dying day.Magnes am [...]ris amor. Now so it is, that if there be such love exprest by bruit beasts, to those which have done them any good, should not we much more love and prise Christ, that hath done so much for us? For we were fallen, and could not recover or help our selves; and Christ hath lifted us up, and redeemed us with his own most pretious blood, when we were even lost and undone: Let us then think nothing too much to do, too great to suffer, too dear to part withall, for such a Christ, such a Saviour, that thought nothing too much to do, or too grievous to suffer, Christ. Love Wrath and Mercy, a Serm. on 1 Thes. 5. 9. that so he might accomplish the work of our Redemption: He left Heaven for us, let not us think much to lose Earth for him; He came out of his Fathers bosom for us, let not us be unwilling to leave father, or mother, or friends, or any thing else, for him; He underwent sufferings, reproaches, afflictions, persecutions, yea, death it self, for us, let not us repine at, or be impatient under, any trouble or misery we shall meet with here in this world, for h [...]s sake, but still be praising, blessing, and magnifying the love of God in Christ Iesus, who hath done so much for us.

1251 Faith to be preserved as the head of all Graces, and why so?

IT is observed,Ulys [...]es Aldrovand. de Serp. Serpens minium curat si corp [...]s incidatur &c. Chrysost. homil. 24. in Matth. that the Serpent is of all things most carefull of his head, because he well knowes, though he be cut and mangled never so much in the body, or any part of it, yet if his head be but whole, it will cure all the wounds of the other members. And such wisdom ought all of us to have, to labour above all things to keep our head, our faith, whole and sound, to make sure of that, whatsoever we do; because if any thing else receive a wound, if any other of our graces have, as it were, even lost their spirituall strength and vigour, faith will renew them again; but if this once suffer shipwrack, it will cost many a sigh, many a tear, many a groan in the spirit, before it be recovered again: for, [Page] without it, all other graces decay and perish, are as in a winter-condition of barrennesse without it; yet, if it do but appear, there will be a spring-tide of all spirituall blessings whatsoever.

Troubles and vexation of spirit, not to be allayed by wrong means and waies.1252

IT is said of Cain, that being in trouble of mind, and terrour of conscience, for his bloody sin of fratricide,Ede, bibe, lude, post mortem nulla voluptas. he went to allay it, by building a City, Gen. 4. And there was no way to drive away Saul's melancholy, but by David's tuning of his Harp. Thus it is with most of people, when they are under trouble of mind, or vexation of spirit, they use sinfull and wrong means to quiet themselves; they run to merry meetings, to musick, to building, to bargaining, to buying and selling; but they run not to God on the bended knees of their hearts, who is the onely speedy help in such a time of need. It cannot be denyed, but that a merry meeting, musick, or the like, may allay the trouble of mind for a while, but it will recoil with more terrour then before: A sad remedy, not much unlike to a man in a seavou [...], that lets down cold drink, which cools for the present, but afterwards increaseth the more heat; or like a man rubbing himself with Nettles, to allay the sting of a Bee; or not much unlike to one, that hath his house a falling, and takes a firebrand to uphold it, whereby the building is more in danger.

Prosperity will discover what a man is.1253

IT is said of Pius Quintus, Vix [...]ius intus. so called, because that when he was a mean man, he was looked on as a good man; but when he came to be a Cardinall, he doubted of his salvation; Magistratus indicat virum. and when a Pope, he dispaired of it: So hard a thing is it for a good man, to use a prosperous estate well. Prosperity is that which will tell you, what a man is, it will soon find him out; give him power, and he will soon shew what grace is in him; put him into an Office, and he will presently be seen in it. Hence it is observable,Non fa [...]ile est aequâ commoda mente pati. Ovid. 2 Art. that the same word that signifies prosperity, [...], schalvat, in the Hebrew, is rendred by the Arabick, Investigatio; and by the Septuagint, [...], Inquisition, or Examination, to make a strict search, or to examine throughly. So that whereas Adversity tries but one grace, that is, Patience; Prosperity will try all graces; it will try a mans love, whether he love God or the world; it will try his zeal, whether at a dead lift he will venter Christ or his estate; it will try his hope, whether it be on Heaven or Earth; it will try his charity, whether it be at home or abroad; it will try the whole Man, and suddainly discover to the world, what mettall he is made of.

Gods ends, and mans ends, as to the persecution of his Church, the vast difference betwixt them.1254

A Physician letteth a man blood,Jer. Whitaker Ser. at Westm. 1647. by the application of Leeches, and they suck much blood from him; but the Physicians ends are one thing, and the Leeches ends are another thing; the Leech draweth blood from the man, onely to satisfie it self; but the Physi [...]ian letteth the man blood, to cure his distemper. Such is the difference between Gods ends, and wicked mens ends, in the persecution of his own people; God, by suffering his own Church and People to be persecuted, it is for to purge a way their evill distempers of sin and security, or whatsoever it is that may offend, that thereby he may make his people better by their afflictions; but wicked and ungodly men, by troubling the Church, it is for to destroy them, and root them out, that they may be no more a People, to accomplish their own wicked designes, and to satisfie their rage and malice upon them, [Page] in their utter ruine and overthrow. These are their ends, Saepe tulit lassis uccut amaru [...] opem. Ovid. but God hath other ends; as Ioseph said to his brethren, You did intend me hurt, but God did intend me good;Amor. so it may be said concerning all ungodly wicked men, they do intend evill against the Church and people of God,Gen. 45. but God intends his People's good; they intend to persecute and destroy, but he intends (maugre all their contri [...]ments whatsoever) to preserve,Magne est veritas & praeval [...] bit. keep, and continue his Church, to the end of the world. Let the Church's enemies plow never so deeply, and make furrowes on the backs of Gods people never so long; yet Gods ends are grace, and mercy, and peace, to do them good in the latter end.

1255 The serious confession of one sinner to another, may be the conversion of one the other.

IT is related of St. Iohn the Evangelist,Eu [...]ebius in historia. l. 3. c. 22. that being upon his return from Pathmos to Ephesus, after the death of Domi [...]ian, he was set upon by a company of Thieves, amongst whom was a young man their Captain; to him St. Iohn applyed himself, by way of wholsom counsell and advice, which took so good effect, that he became a new man, Olim meminisse dolebit. and was converted, and went thereupon to all his fellow thieves, and besought them in the Name of Iesus Christ, that they would not walk any longer in their former wicked waies. He told them withall, that he was troubled in conscience for his former wicked life, and earnestly entreated them, that as they tendred the eternall welfare of their own poor souls, they would now leave off their old courses, and live more conscionably for the time to come. The counsel was good, and well taken, so that many of those great Robbers, became great Converts. Thus it is,Numen confessis aliquod patet. Ovid. that one Sinners confession of his faults to another, may happily prove the conversion of one the other. Hence is it, that the meaning of that Apostolicall precept, Confesse your faults one to another, Iam. 5. 16. is made out by some Interpreters to be, That those that have been partners together in sin, they should go one to another, and seriously confesse their sins each to other: He that hath been a drunkard, let him go to his companion, and tell him, that he is troubled in mind, because of his former excesse: And let the unclean person go to her partner in sin, and tell her, God hath troubled his conscience for his lust; and it may be, this may awaken her conscience too, so that she may bethink her self of her wicked courses, and be converted.

1256 The not laying of the Church's troubles to heart, reproovable.

IT is worth the taking notice of,Rev. 7. how that when the holy Ghost doth reckon up the Tribes of Israel for their renown; as, Of the tribe of Iudah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand, &c. But if you mark the enumeration, you shall find one Tribe left out, and that is the Tribe of Dan: And why is it so? Much ado there is to find out the reason of Gods omission of that Tribe; one reason is, and that a true one too, because this Tribe made a defection from the true worship of God,Judg. 18. 30. and fell to Idolatry: Another reason there is, (and that probable enough) because they did not lay to heart the calamities of Gods Church; for when the other Tribes were jeoparding their lives in the highest places of the field, they remained in ships, let the rest of the Tribes shift for themselves, they would not lose their trading so, they would follow their Merchandizing. And for this it was, that God sets a brand of obloquy upon them, in not allowing them so much as a name amongst their brethren and companions. And thus,E terra spectantes naufr [...]gium & de mars judicanses Achivos. Erasm. in Adag. reprovable are all they too, that lay nothing of the Church's calamities to heart; let Religion sink or swim, the Gospell stand or fall; the Church of God prosper or prosper not; they are but as so many Gallio's, they care for none of all these things, like the Tribe of Dan, they remain in their ships, at their trades, at their bargaining, buying and selling; though the Church's sorrowes come on never so fast, they look on as altogether unconcerned, not in any way contributing to the support thereof.

Heaven, the poor Saints comfortable inheritance.1257

[Page]

VAlens the Emperour threatned S. Basil, That let him go whither he would, yet he should neither by Sea nor Land,Niceph. in hist. Eccles. be safe from his power; Well, said the good man, be it so; For all the Emperour's rage, I shall be either in Heaven, or under Heaven; And in the like manner, there was a Cardinall threatned Luther, That there should not be a place left for him in all the Empire of Germany, Joh. Sleida [...] in Com. wherein he should be free from danger; O (saith Luther smilingly) If Earth cannot keep me safe, Heaven shall: Thus it is that many of the dear servants of God, such as perhaps have no place in the World wherein to put their heads, or such as heretofore had better accommodations, Locùm virtu [...] habet inter astra Se [...]. Hercules. but are now glad to live in poor Cottages, smoaky houses, &c. or such (as it may be) are driven to and fro by Sea and Land, as having no abiding place of rest or safety, where to repose themselves; yet here's their hope, here their comfortable assurance, that maugre the malice of Men and Devils, they shall be either in Heaven, or under Heaven; though they have no abiding place on Earth below, yet they have one prepared for them eternally in the Heavens above.

The not growing in Grace, reproved.1258

LOok but upon a company of Ants, or Pismires, how busie they are about a Mole-hill, Chr. Love, Growth in grace how they run to and fro, and weary themselves in their severall movings, yet never grow great, but as to the slender proportion of their bodies are still the same: And such are many Christians in these dayes, many Professors in our times, who go from one Ordinance to another, and yet make little progresse or encrease in Religion;2 Pet. 3. [...]18. such as run from one Church to another, from one Preacher to another, and it may be from one opinion to another, but never grow up to the true Grace; and in the true knowledge of the Lord Iesus.

Whilst we are here in this World to provide for Heaven hereafter.1259

THere is mention made of a Nation, Sparta. that use to chuse their Kings every year, and whilst they are in their annuall government, they live in all abundance of State, have all the fulnesse their hearts can wish; but when the year is once over, all their pomp and glory is over too,Implentur veteris Bacchi &c. and they banished into some obscure remote place for ever: One King hearing this, being called to rule over that Nation, made such use of his time, that in the year wherein he raigned as King, he was not lavish in spending his Revenues, but heaped up all the Treasure he could get together, and sent it before him to that place, whither he should be banished; And so in that year of his Goverment, made a comfortable provision for all his life time afterwards:—se casus componit ad [...]mnes, Quum viderimus aliq [...]em servum Dei providere &c. Aug. in lib. de Serm. Dom. in mon. Thus it is that God hath given to every one of us a time to live here in this world, and but a little time at the most, it may be not a week, not a day, not an hour; It will be then the greatest part of our wisdome, that whilst we are here in the way to salvation, and suck at the breasts of those Ordinances that may feed us to eternall life, and draw at those Wells, called in Scripture, The wels of Salvation; now to lay up for the time of our banishment, before we go hence and be no more seen; and be sure that whilst we are in this world, to provide for Heaven hereafter.

1260 As we are called Christians, to bear up our selves like Christians.

[Page]

ALexander the great, [...] when he was invited to run a Race amongst the common Multitude, He gave them this answer; Were I not the Son of a King, I did not care what company I kept; but being the Son of a Prince, I must employ my selfe in such company, as is s [...]table to my birth and breeding: Thus stood he then upon the honour of his Family, and would not disgrace his Princely nature so farre, as to be familiar amongst the vulgarrabble; And thus must every one of us do; We have each of us a race to run,Non [...]ati sed facti sumus Christi [...]ni. for so the waies of Christianity are called; We are as Alexander was, Kings and Princes in all Lands: Now so it is that Sin, as a Vagabond and loose Companion, would seek to converse with us; The Devills aim is that we should mixe our selves with such lusts and such sins as he presents unto us;Delinquend [...] materia debet praescindi. Cyprian. lib. 1. epist. 2. Lust would have our hearts, and Sin would have our affections, both of them strive to be familiar with us; But let us answer them from a noble and generous mind as Alexander did: That we will not so abase and dishonour our selves, as to mix or joyn our selves with the base and common things of this World, Phil. 3. 14. but stand upon the honour of our spirituall birth, and do nothing that may any way be dishonourable to the excellency of our high Calling in Christ Iesus.

1261 To take especial care for the Soul's safety.

IT is observable,Bernardin. Sen [...]nsis, de more glorioso. that if Merchants venture a great, or most part of their Estates at Sea, where there may be hazzard in the voyage, they will run speedily to ensure a great part of their Commodities; And thus should all of us do, [...]his bodie of ours is the ship, the Merchandize and freight in this ship is no lesse then our most precious soul [...]s; Glory caelestiall is the Port, whereat she would arrive, but many dangers there are in the way, storms and Tempests of Temptations are on every side, she may chance to run upon the Rocks of Presumption, or sink into the quick sands of [...]ispair, What is the [...] to be done? By all meanes go to the ensuring Office, [...] let us run to the Testimony of Christs spirit in our own spirits, by the Word to evidence, and make it out clear unto us, That the Ship shall be safe,Meander. the Commoditie brought secure to the Haven, that ship, body and soul and all, shall anchor safely in Heaven, there to rest with Christ in glory for evermore.

1262 Idlenesse, the very inlet to all Temptations.

IT was the speech of Mr. Greenham (sometimes a painfull Preacher of this Nation) That when the Devill temp [...]ed a poor soul,R. Greenham in his Works. she came to him for advice, How she might resist the Temptation, and he gave her this answer: Never be idle, but be alwayes well employed; For in my own experience I have found it, when the Devill came to tempt me, I told him that I was not at leasure to hearken to his Temptation, and by this means I resisted all his assaults: Thus must all of us do, when the Devill comes to tempt any of us,Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse &c. say; I am not at leasure to lend an ear to thy Temptation, I am otherwise employed, I am in the work of my God, busied in the work of my lawfull Calling, and taken up with the thoughts of Gods blessings thereupon, then he will never be able to fasten upon thee; for so it is that he never gets advantage of any Man or Woman, but either when they are out of Gods way, In p [...]omptu causa est de [...]idiosus erat. Ovid. or idle, or have their hands in some sinfull action, then it is that they do even tempt the Tempter to tempt them, and lay themselves open to a world of sinne and wickednesse.

Action, the very life of the Soul.1263

[Page]

WHilst the stream keeps running▪ it keeps clear; but if it comes once to a standing water, Hier. Dre [...]elii Zodiacus Christianus. then it breeds Frogs and Toads, and all manner of filth: The Keyes that Men keep in their pocke [...]s, and use every day, wax brighter and brighter; but if they be laid aside and hang by the walls, they soon grow rusty; Thus it is that Action is the very life of the Soul; Whilst we keep going and running in the wayes of Gods Commandements, we keep clear and [...]ree from the Worlds pollutions; Emolli [...] otium vires, sicut rubigo ferrum. but if we once flagge in our diligence and stand still, Oh, Wha [...] a puddle of sin will the Heart be? How rusty and uselesse will our Graces grow? How unserviceable for Gods Worship, how unfit for Mans, by reason of the many spirituall diseases that will invade the Soul? Just like Schollers that are for the most part given to a sedentary life, whose bodies are more exposed to ill humours then any others; whereas they whose livelihoods lye in a handicraft Trade, are alwayes in motion and stirring, Omnis virtus in actione consis [...]it. Cic. 1. offic. so that the motion expells the ill humours that they cannot seize upon the body: So in the Soul, the lesse any Man acts in th [...] matter of its concernment, the more spirituall diseases and infirmi [...]ies will grow in it; whereas the more active and industrious Men are, the lesse power will ill distempers have upon them.

The true Repentant sinners encouragement, notwithstanding all his former wickedness.1264

IT is very observable in the Genealogy of Christ, that there are but four women mentioned (it being not usuall to mention any) and the blessed Spirit of God sets a mark of infamy upon them all;Chr. Love, Zealous Christia4. Mat. 11. 12. The first is Thamar, Mat. 1. 3. She was an incestuous Woman, for she lay with her Father in law, Gen. 38. 38. The second is Rahab, vers. 5. she was an Harlot, Heb. 11. 31. The third is Ruth, vers. 5. she came of Moab, the Son of Levi by incest, begotten of his own Daughter, Gen. 19. 37. The fourth is Ba [...]hsheba, vers. 6. she was guilty of Adultery: And why was this so done,—suprema pericula semper, Dant veniam culpae. Claudian 2. Eutrop. but for the comfort of the most infamous Sinners to come in to Christ, and to take notice for their better encouragement, that though they have been above measure sinfull, yet by their conversion to God, and aversion from Sin by a serious and hearty Repentance, all infamy of their [...]ormer wayes is quite taken away, and their names entered in the book of life and eternall Salvation.

Not to be troubled at the Prosperity of the Wicked; And why so?1265

VVOuld it not be accounted folly in a Man, that is Heir to many thou [...]ands per annum, Lud. de Carbone, Interior homo. that he should envy a Stage-player cloathed in the habite of a King, and yet not heir to one foot of Land? Who though he have the form, respect and apparel of a King or Nobleman, yet he is at the same time a very begger, and worth nothing: Thus wicked Men, though they are arrayed gorgeously, and fare deliciously, wanting nothing, and having more then heart can wish, yet they are but onely possessors, the godly Christian is the Heir; What good doth all their Prosperity do them?Prospera hujus mundi [...]speritatem habent veram. S▪ Aug. in Matth. Serm. 29 It doth but hasten their ruine, not their reward; The Oxe that is the labouring Ox, is longer lived then the Ox that is put into the pasture, the very putting of him there doth but hasten his slaughter; And when God puts wicked Men into fat pastures, into places of Honour and power, it is but to hasten their ruine; Let no Man therefore fret him because of evil doers, nor [Page] be envious at the Prosperity of the wicked; For the Candle of the wicked shall be put out into everlasting darknesse, they shall soon be cut off, and wither as a green herb, Psalm 37. 1, 2.

1266 Godly and wicked Men, their difference in the hatred of Sinne.

AS it is with two Children, Gab. Inchini. seale Caeli. the one forbears to touch a coal because it will black and smut his hand; the other will not by any means be brought to handle it, because he perceives it to be a fire-cole, and will burn his fingers: Thus all wicked and ungodly Men, they will not touch sin, because it will burn; They may be and often are troubled for sin,Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae. but their disquietnesse for sin ariseth more from the evill of punishment, the effect of sin, then from the evill that is in the Nature of sinne, They are troubled for sinne, but it is because sinne doth destroy the soul, and not because sinne doth defile the soul; because God pursueth sinne, not because he hates sinne; more because it is against Gods justice that is provoked, then because it is against the Holinesse of God, which is dishonoured; because God threatens sinne, not because God doth forbid sinne; because of the Hell for sin, not because of the Hell in sin: Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore. But now on the other side, all good and godly Men, they hate and loath sinne, because it is of a smutting and defiling nature, because it is against the nature of God, because God loathes and hates it, more because it is aagainst Gods command, then because God doth punish it; not because of the damning power of sin, but because of the defiling power of [...]in, &c.

1267 Custome in Sin, causeth hardnesse in Sin.

LOok but upon a Youth when he comes first to be an Apprentice to some Artificer,Obad. Sedgw. Serm. at Westm. 1644. or Handy-craft Trade, his hand is tencer, and no sooner is he set to work but it blis [...]ers, so that he is much pained thereby; but when he hath continued some time at work, then his hand hardens, and he goes on without any grievance at all: It is just thus with a Sinner, before he be accustomed to an evill way, Conscience is tender and full of Remorse, like a queazy stomack, ready to keck at the least thing that is offensive: O, but a continued Custome, and making a Tr [...]de of sin, that's it that makes the Conscience to be hard and brawny, able to feel nothing; As it is in a Smiths forge,Consuetudo pecc [...]di tollit sensum peccati. a Dogge that comes newly in, cannot endure the fiery sparks to fly about his ears; but being once us'd to it, he sleeps securely: So let wicked men be long used to the Devils Work-house, to be slaves and Vassails to sinne, the sparks of Hell-fire may fly about them, and the fire of Hell flash upon their souls, yet never trouble them, never disturbe them at all; and all this ariseth from a continued custome in a course of evill.

1268 The more a Man is now troubled for sinne, the lesse shall he be troubled hereafter; And why so?

IT is well known, that if a Land lord take a great Fine at the first coming into the house, Hier. Drexelii Gymnasium paenitent. he doth take the lesse Rent for the future: Thus as Land-lords deal with their Tenants, so God with his people, He puts them to a great Fine at the first, he makes Sin cost them many a [...]ear, many a nights trouble, many a dayes disquiet,—d [...]l [...]r hic tibi prod [...]rit olim. many a [...]igh, many a groan in the Spirit; but here's the comfort, The greater the Fine, the lesser the yearly Rent; the more a Man is troubled for sinne at the present, the lesse fear and perplexity shall be his portion hereafter; for he shall have the joy and comfort of believing, he shall have the more perfect peace at his [Page] death, so that when he comes to dye, he shall have little else to do, but to lye down and dye, committing his Soul into the hands of a faithfull Creator and Redeemer.

How it is that the singling out of one beloved Sin, makes way to a full sight of all sin.1269

VVHen Christ went about to bring the woman of Samaria to remorse and sorrow for sin, he singled out one sin amongst all the rest, and t [...]ld her, Thou art an Harlot; Joh. 4. 7. and the Scripture gives us this hint, That the singling out of that one sinne, so farre opened her eyes, that she saw all other sinnes, whereupon she said; Loe, behold the Man that hath told me all that ever I did, and yet Christ told her onely of her Adultery: vers. 9. So let every one of us take notice, that the singling out of one beloved sin, makes way to the full sight of all sin; Let us examine then, What is that Dalilah, that darling sin that we play withall, and hugge so much in our bosomes; single but out that, and the coast will be so clear, the mists and fogs of darknesse so much expelled, that we shall have a distinct view of all the sinnes that ever we committed; not a generall and confused apprehension of sin, which onely brings in a generall humiliation of sin, and hath, without the great mercy of God, been the undoing of many a precious Soul for ever.

Assured Christians, must be patient Christians.1270

IT is mentioned, that in the time of that Marian persecution, there was a woman,Joh. Fox, Acts and Monuments who being convened before Bonner, (then Bishop of London) upon the tryall of Religion; He threatned her that he would take away her Husband from her; saith she, Christ is my Husband; I will take away thy Childe; Christ, saith she, is better to me then ten Sons; I will strip thee, saith he, of all thy outward comforts; yea, but Christ is min [...], [...]aith she, and you cannot strip me of him: The thoughts of this bore up the womans heart: spoil her of all, and take away all, yet Christ was hers, and him they could not take away. Thus when the soul lives in the assurance of Gods love, In tor [...]en [...]is beatus est sapiens. Lactant. Instit. lib. 3. and of its calling to Grace and glory, it cannot but make a Man very patient, to endure with chearfulnesse whatsoever of opposition he shall meet with here below; There is a remarkable phrase in that of the Prophet,Esay 33 24. The Inhabitants of Sion shall not say, I am sick, the People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity: A strange passage! He doth not say, They were not sick, but the Text saith, They should not say so; And what's the reason? Why should the People forget their sorrowes,Saepe levan: paenas, &c. and not remember their pains? This was it that did it, The Lord hath forgiven them their iniquities; The sense of pardon took away the sense of pain; And thus should all of us walk to shew, that trouble can not daunt us, nor any any way startle us, but as assured Christians to be patient under all sufferings whatsoever.

Worldly-mindednesse, a great [...]inderance to the comfortable enjoyment of spirituall graces.1271

WHat the Philosophers say of the Eclipse of the Sun, Aristot [...]les. [...]ypr. Lect. Joh. Magirus Mundi amor & Dei pariter in uno corde habitare non possunt. Cyprian. de 12. Abus. that it is occasioned by the intervening of the Moon, between the Sun and our sight, is true in this case; If the World get between Christ, the Sun of Righteousnesse and our sight, it will darken our sight of Iesus Christ, and bring Eclipses upon our comforts and Graces: Again, those Men that dig deep into the bowels of the Earth, they are oft-times choaked and stifled by damps that come from the Earth: So it is with [Page] Christians, those that will be ever poring and digging about the things of this World, it is a thousand to one, that if from worldly things a damp doth not arise to smother their Comforts, and quench their Graces: Lastly, A Candle, though it may shine to the view of all, yet put it under ground, and (though there be not the least puffe of wind) the very damp will stifle the light of the flame; & so it is that Men may shine like Candles in their comforts, yet bring them but under the Earth,, and a clod of that will stiflle their Candle, will damp their spirituall comforts, and bereave them of those joyes that are in themselves unspeakable.

1272 God so ordereth it, that few or none of his People live and dye without assurance of their Salvation.

IT is reported of one Mrs. Honywood, R. Boltons Instruction for comforting af [...]licted Consciences. a famous professor of Gods truth, and one that for many years together, lay under the burthen of a wounded Spirit, and was much troubled in mind for the want of her Assurance as to the matter of Salvation; At length there came a Minister to her, who endeavoured to settle her hopes and comforts in Iesus Christ; and urging Promises of the Gospell unto her, she took it with a kind of indignation and anger, that he should offer to present any Promises to her, to whom (as she thought) they did not belong; And having a Venice glasse in her hand, she held it up, and said; Speak no more to me of Salvation, for I shall as surely be damned, as this poor brittle glass shall be broke against the wall, Qui nihil protest, sperare, de [...]peret nihil. Sen. Medea. throwing it will all her force to break it: But it so pleased God, that by a miraculous Providence, the Glass was preserved whole; The Minister seeing this, made a happy use of the accident, took up the Glass, and said unto her; Behold, God must work a miracle for you before you will believe; And from that day (saith the story) she was a woman very strong in the Assurance of Gods love and favour.—dabit Deus his quoque finem. Virgil. Thus did God indulge the infirmity of his poor dispairing servant at that time: and rather than that any of his People now or heareafter, shall live or dye without assurance of their salvation, he will work it even by a Miracle, or some unusuall, extraordinary way to them altogether unknown.

1273 Grace in the heart is certain, though the feeling thereof be uncertain, And how so.

AS the Aire is sometimes clear,Christ. Love, with-drawing of the Spirit. on Gen. 6. 3. and sometimes cloudy; THE Sea sometimes ebbing, sometimes flowing; ebbing in our comforts, as well as flowing in our Graces; Or as the Trees of the [...]ield, sometimes flowring, green, and growing; another time naked, withered, and as it were even dead; So are all Christians in the feeling of their Graces, Rob. Abbot, contra Pet. Bertium de amissione gratiae. their apprehension of Graces is subject to much change, though their Graces be not so, for Grace in it selfe is certain and unchangeable; All the Devils of Hell cannot pluck one Believer out of Gods hand; Those whom thou hast given me, Joh. 17. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 19. I will keep (saith Christ) and none shall take them from me; The foundation of God stands sure, though our knowledge, that we build upon that foundation be not sure to us: The Lord knoweth who are his, though we do not; And hence is it, that though Grace itselfe be an unshaken foundation, yet our feeling of Grace is not so, but subject to many alterations and changes.

The great danger of taking up a false perswasion of our effectuall Calling.1274

[Page]

AS a Man that is in a pleasant sleep,Lud. de Carbo de sui-ipsius cog [...]nitione. l. 2. c. 3. dreams that he is a King, hath loyall and obedient subjects about him, a large Revenue, with a Treasury full of gold and silver; yet when he awakes, behold the Man is a very Begger, and hath nothing: Just such is a Man that takes up a false perswasion of his effectuall Calling, when (God knows) he is not called at all: Or like a Man that is asleep upon the Mast of a Ship,Jerem. 7. he is in a golden dream, and his thoughts are all upon Kingdomes and thousands which he seemeth to have already in possession;Prov. 1 [...]. but happily, or rather unhappily, in that very moment, wherein he solaceth himselfe in his imaginary happinesse, a storm ariseth, the Ship is in danger to be overwhelmed, and the Man is tumbled into the Sea,Aureos s [...]bime [...] ips [...]s pollicentur montes. and so drowned: Thus it is with many Men and Women, they nourish golden dreams, and have very strong hopes, that Heaven is theirs, and Christ theirs, When as (alass) they do extreamly befool themselves, being all this while upon the very brink of Hell, and so are tumbled in before they be aware.

Sin committed with deliberation, premeditation, &c. greatly provoke the Spirit of God.1275

AS it is with a Friend, Rich, de Mediavilla in progress [...] c [...]esti. if you give him a blow at peradventure, or strike him by chance, though he may be very angry, and take it ill at the first; yet when he shall understand that it was done against your will, he is soon pacified; but if he perceive that you plot & contrive his death, that makes him look about him, and resolve that he will never come into your company any more: Thus it is with the blessed Spirit of God, when he sees thee fall into sinne unadvisedly and inconsiderately,Peccati velut areem facti [...]iam Jos. [...]angius, in Polyanthea. he will not withdraw from thee for this; but if he perceive that thou dost way-lay him, dost deliberate and contrive sin; this highly provokes him, if not for ever, yet for a long departure from thee: Hence it is, that a deliberate will to sinne without the Act, is more sinfull then the Act of sin without a deliberate Will; as in the case of St. Peter, That Man does worse who purposeth to deny Christ, though he never do it,Tale erit opu [...] tuum, qualis fuerit inten [...]io [...]ua. Isidor. in folioquiis. lib. 2. than St. Peter that did actually deny Christ, and never intended it; Let every Man therefore look to his purposes and deliberations; for if he sin deliberately and advisedly, the Holy Ghost is highly provoked, and he is upon the very next step to the sin of those, against whom the Prophet prayes, Lord, be not mercifull to those that sin maliciously.

A Reprobate and Regenerate Man, their different enjoyment of the motions of the holy Spirit.1276

WIcked Men (sayes one) partake of the Spirit, as Cooks do of the meat they dresse, Rob. Bol [...]on on Psalm. 1. Heb. 6. 3. Summis tantum labris pi [...]issare. they taste as much onely as will relish their palates, but do not eat so much as will fill their bellies, whereby Nature may be strengthned and refreshed; But the Regenerate are as the invited guests, and they not onely taste the meat prepared, but also make a full meal thereof: Wicked Men, they have but a taste onely; They are just like Men going by an Apothecaries shop, they may smell the sweet scents of his Pots, but it is the sick Patient that gets benefit by his Cordials: Thus it is with the wicked, God may and doth give them tasts of his Spirit, but they have not so much as will do their Soules good thereby;Phil. 1. 11. It is only the Godly, that have the saving participations of Grace here, and shall be sure of the fulnesse of Glory hereafter.

1277 The motions of Gods Spirit in wicked Men, tend to outward formality.

[Page]

IT is reported of one that could fast seven days in a Monastery,In speculo Exemplorum. Herodes devotionem promittit sed gladium acu [...]it, &c. Chrys. in Matth. 2. but not half a day in the Wildernesse, and being asked the reason, He gave this answer; When I fast in the Monastery, I feed upon vain-glory and the applause of Men, but not so in the Wildernesse: It is just so with many Professors, The motions of Gods Spirit in them are such as tend to formality, such as put them upon outward and visible good, but never upon inward and secret duties, as to examine their hearts to watch over their waies,Ulys. Aldrovan [...] di Ornithologia. and to keep close communion with God in secret; As it is said of the Nightingale, that if it see a Man listen to her, it will sing the more sweetly; So they are better to Men then they are to God, and devouter in the Church, then they are in the Closet; they are for good things done in publique, not in private; so as Men applaud them, they care not what or who it is that disallowes them.

1278 How it is to be understood, That the Holy Spirit dwelleth in us.

THe Sun that is in the firmament, we use to say is in such a part of the house, or in such a window; P. Charron, trois verites. but when we say so, we do not mean, that the body of the Sun is there, but onely that the light, heat, or influence of the Sun is there: So, though the Scripture telleth us,Spiritus Dei habitat in nobis, quia regit gubernat & sanctificat. That the Holy Ghost, or Spirit dwelleth in us; the meaning is not, that the Essence or Person of the Holy Ghost is in us, (as the Familists would have it) but onely the Motions and Graces of the Spirit are there, guiding, governing, and sanctifying our Words and Works, which otherwise of themselves would be but vain and foolish;D. Pareusin locum. The meaning therefore of those two places in the Apostle, Ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. and the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you, 2 Tim, 1. 14. are not literally but Metaphorically to be understood, as many other expressions of the like kind in the Book of God, are to be.

1279 To take heed of smaller sinnes, as bringing on greater.

THere is a story of a young Man, Christ. Love With-drawing of the Spirit. that was tempted by the Devill, and his own wicked heart, to commit three sins, as to kill his Father, lye with his Mother, and to be drunk: The two former he would by no means do, as being things abhorrent to Nature; but (thought he) I will yield to the last, because it was the least, which was enough; for being drunk, he killed his Father, and ravished his own Mother: Here now were two horrid ugly sinnes, Murther and Incest ushered in by one that was not of so deep a dye; It concerns us then to take heed of falling into lesser sinnes, they being as in lets to greater; A little Thief put in at the window, may open the doors for stronger and greater to come in;Noli contemne re [...]venialia qui [...] minima sunt, &c. Aug. de decem. chordis. A wedge small and thin in one part, makes way for a greater, and little sinnes will draw us on to greater; our own hearts will prompt us to all sinne at first, but will labour to draw us on by degrees from lesser sinnes to greater; from sinnes l [...]sse obnoxious, to sinnes more scandalous, untill we be become abhominable therein, and so without Gods mercy perish everlastingly.

Corruption of Nature, left even in the most Regenerate Men to humble them.1280

[Page]

GOd hath so ordered it in Nature, that Creatures of the greatest excellency, should have some manifest deformity, Ulys. Aldrov. Ornithologia. Cont. Gesnerus de Quadruped. Whether it be in Birds or Beasts; Among birds, the Peacock, a bird of the gayest feathers, yet it hath the foulest feet; The Swan, a bird of the whitest feathers, yet of the blackest skin; The Eagle, a bird of the quickest sight, and of the highest flight, yet the most ravenous among birds; And among Beasts, the Lion, the goodliest of all the woods, yet the most fierce and cruel; The Fox, most subtle, yet a Creature of the foulest smell: Thus God hath ordered it even amongst the Creatures irrationall; and thus it is with his own People in respect of Grace, though they have many excellent endowments and guifts, yet he suffers some corruptions of Nature in them, to humble them; So that Humiltty, Superbia etiam in rectè factis est cavenda. Aug. de Natura & Gratia. the best of Graces, comes from the worst root, our Sin; And Pride, the worst of sinnes comes from the best root, our Grace, which caused that saying of Mr. Fox the Martyrologist, That his Graces hurt him more then his sins, meaning, That many times he was proud of his guifts, but humbled by reason of his sinnes and natural infirmities.

Not to consult with Gods secrets, but his revealed word.1281

IT was a good saying of Mr. Bradford, that famous Martyr of Christ Iesus: That a Man should not go to the University of Predestination, The Martyrs Letters▪ untill he were well grounded in the Grammer-school of obedience and Repentance: And most sure it is, that we are not to consult with Gods secret decrees, but with his revealed Word; Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but revealed things to us and our Children for ever, Quae Deus [...]culta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda. Pro [...]per. de vocat. gent. Deut. 29. 29. We are not to look to the decrees of God, and upon them, either do or not do our duty; but we are to look to his revealed will, which bids us to be conversant in holy duties of Religion and Godlinesse; We are not to search the secret Records of Heaven, but the revealed will of God, which is able to make us wise to salvation.

The consideration of Mercies formerly enjoyed, an excellent means to bear up our spirits under present Afflictions.1282

THere is a story of a Man, aged fifty years, Christ. Love, Withdrawing of the Spirit. or there abouts, who lived forty eight of that time, and never knew what sicknesse was▪ but so it was, that all the two last years of his life, he was sickly, and impatient under it; yet at last he reasoned the case thus with himself: The Lord might have given me forty eight years of sicknesse, and but two years of health, yet he hath done the contrary, I will therefore rather admire the mercy of God in giving me so long a time of health, —neque enim ignari sumus ante malorum, O passi graviora, &c. Virg. 1. Aeneid. than repine and murmure at him for giving me so short a time of sicknesse: And thus must all of us consider, that we have had more Mercies in our life to chear us up, than we have had crosses to discomfort us; What though the Lord doth now visit us with sicknesse, we have had more years of health then we have had of sicknesse: What though this or that comfort be taken from us, yet we have a great many more left us still: Hence is that advice of the Wiseman,Eccles. 7. 14. In the day of Adversity, consider: What must we consider? That God hath set the one against the other, (that is) Though we are in Afflictions now,Meminisse [...]uvabit. yet he hath given us Mercies heretofore; and, it may be, will give us Prosperity again; he hath ballanced our present Afflictions with former Mercies; so that if we should set the Mercies we have enjoyed, against the present Afflictions [Page] we suffer, we should soon find the tale of our Mercies to exceed the number of sufferings▪ be they of what Nature or quality soever imaginable.

1283 Not to mourn excessively for the losse of any worldly enjoyment whatsoever; And why so?

IT is related of a Minister of Gods word,Christ. Love, Christi [...]s Directory. that visiting a Neighbour (whose child lay a dying) he endeavoured to comfort her; but she being much grieved and dejected with sorrow, would by no means be comforted; The Minister said unto her, Woman, Why do you sorrow so much, pacifie your selfe▪ If your Child should live, it may be so, that God might make it a scourge and vexation to you, by taking wicked and sinful courses: She answered, that she did not care, if her Child did recover, though he were hanged afterward. This Son of hers did recover, and was afterward executed for some villany co [...]mitted: Now let any one judge, whether it had not been a greater mercy, and a thousand times better for her, to have seen him buryed before her, then that he should have come to such an unhappy end: Thus it is, that that comfort, M [...]igat vim dolorts considerata [...] feritentis. Greg. in mor which any of us all shall so excessively mourn for the want of it, may be would have proved a greater cross and trouble, should but God have continued it still unto us; whether it be the l [...]sse of life or estate, of a lo [...]ing Wife, or an onely Son, 2 Sam. 12. 16. as it was in Rachels case, Gen. 30. 5. and in Davids, that if God had given him the life of his Child, it would have been but a living Monument of his shame, and all that knew the Child, might have said, Yonder goes Davids Bastard: The consideration whereof should allay and take off the edge of all excesse of sorrow, for the losse of any temporall comfort, any worldly enjoyment whatsoever.

1284 Not to be troubled at Afflictions, because God intends good by them.

SUppose a Man very much in debt, and in such need of Money, that he knew not well how to subsist, P. Moulin de l'amour de Dieu. without throwing himselfe upon the sa [...] charity of others, that might (if they had but hearts) possibly relieve him, should go to some especiall in [...]imate friend, and make known unto him the lownesse of his condition, and crave relief accordingly: Now if this friend of his (which is somewhat strange) should go presently to his Ch [...]st, and take out a considerable bag of Mony, and throw it at him, and in the throwing of it breake his head, or give him some slight scar; Can it be imagined that he would take it unkindly? No, certainly; Thus it is that every Affliction that God is pleased to lay upon us,Gen. 45. shall work for our good: We may say as Ioseph did to his brethren, Though you intended all this for my hurt, Post afflictiones, vit [...] tranquilli [...]r. Nazianzen in orat. de Cypriano. yet God intended and turned it for my good, and will work benefit and advantage to me by it, and promote my spiritual good; that as Afflictions do abound, my Consolations in Christ shall abound much more: Every Affliction, like Ionathans rod, having hony on the top, and therefore let us bear them patiently.

1285 How to know whether we are more grieved for sin, then for worldly Sorrow and Trouble.

WHen a Man is brought to a low Condition, and a great decay in the world, so that his Trade is quite fallen, and his stock spent: Now if such a Man be more troubled for his sin that brought him to so low an ebbe in the World, then for the Affliction and trouble it selfe;Rich▪ de Mediavilla. Clavis David. then he will not commit a fin to repair and make up his losses, though he did know assuredly, that the committing of such a sin, would make up all again; As in the story of a Nobleman, whose Son and Heir was supposed to be bewitched, and being advised to go to some Wizard or Cunning-man, [Page] (as they are called) to have some help for his Son, that he might be unwitched again; He answered; O, by no means, I had rather the witch should have my Son, then the Devill: But i [...] a Man make no Conscience to avoid, or remove an Affliction; If he will break the hedge of a fair Command, to avoid the foul way of some heavy Affliction, it is a sign that he mourns more for the cross that lies upon him, then for his Sins and Trespasses, and that he never grieved so much for his corruptions, as for his corrections.

Worldly-crosses turned into spirituall advantages.1286

AS little Children, when they see a heap of beautifull and sweet Roses lying upon a Table before them,Christ. Love, Christians Directory. and their Mother goes and pus them in a Mortar, and therein beats them all to pieces; The children cry out, and think the Mother spoils them, though she does it meerly to make a Conserve of them: that they may be more useful and durable: Thus it is, that we think we have comforts like beds of Roses; yet when God takes them from us, and breaks them all to pieces, we are apt to conceive that they are all spoiled and destroyed, and that we are utterly undone by it; Whereas God intends it to work for our greater benefit and advantage, Rom. 8. 28.

How to become true Possessors of Riches.1287

POssessions and Riches of this world, are like a Rose in a Mans hand, if he use it gently, Aurum erog [...]re bonum est repon [...]re inalum, &c Per. Raven. in Ser. Psa. 62. 10 it will preserve its favour, and its scent, and colour, a great while; but if he cr [...]sh it, and handle it roughly, it loseth both its colour and its sweetnesse: Thus if a Rich man, use and employ his Wealth well, he will possesse it the longer; but if he set his heart too much upon it, he will quickly lose it; He may possesse it, but by no means must he let his Wealth possesse him; If Riches encrease, he must not set his heart upon them; his eye, or hand, or tongue may be upon them, but not his Heart; Seneca in lib. de beneficiis. His Money must come no nearer his heart then his hands; Hence was that saying of the Heathen, Rebus non me trado sed commod [...], I may lend my selfe, but I will not give my selfe to my Wealth; And so must all of us do, if ever we intend to become true possessors of worldly riches and endowments.

All Wordly comforts, transitory.1278

IT was a Custome in▪ Rome, that when the Emperour went by upon some grand day in all his Imperiall pomp;Wolfg. Laziu [...] Com. Reip. Rom. there was an Officer appointed to burn flax before him, crying out; Sic transit gloria mundi, which was purposely done to put him in mind, That all his honour and grandure should soon vanish and passe away, like the nimble smoak, raised from that burning flax. And it was a good Meditation that one had, standing by a River side; saies he, The Water which I see, now runs away, and I see it no more; and the comforts of this world are like this running water, still gliding and running away from us: So, most true it is, that all Men, and such as do most indulge themselves with those bitter sweets that the World doth,Fallax est hic mundus, [...]inis dubius exitus horribilis. Pet. Blesensis. or can present; they are but like smoak, that soon vanisheth away, transitory, either ebbing or flowing, never at any certain; but fleeting and fading, coming to us with Sparrows wings, slowly and with much difficulty; but flying away with Eagles wings, hardly discoverable which way, or how they took their flight on such a suddain: It must therefore be our care so to use this world as if we used it not for the fashion of it passeth away; 1 Cor. 7. 31. and seeing we cannot enjoy the comforts thereof any long time, let us use them well to Gods Glory that gave them, and not abuse them to our own prejudice.

1289 How it is, that a Man may be said to abuse the lawfull comforts of this life.

[Page]

IT is a good observation that is made upon that place of Iob 38. 22. where God thus challengeth Iob, Joh. Calvinus in locum. Hast thou entred into the Treasures of Snow, or hast thou seen the treasures of the Hail? Where the Observator noteth out, That all the Comforts of this world are but like the treasures of Snow; Do but take a handful of Snow, and crush it in your hands, it will melt away presently; but if you let it lie upon the ground, Ante oculos tibi pone Deum, sedesque beatas; Sic Mundi su bito fracta cupid [...] ruet. it will continue for some time: And so it is with the things of this world, If you take the comforts of this life in your hands, and lay them too near your hearts in affection and love to them, they will quickly melt and vanish away from you; but if you leave them in their proper place, and do not set an inordinate affection upon them, they will continue the longer with you; As if you should line a garment with linnen▪ it would do very well; but if you line it with pitch or glew, that will stick fast to the body, and in all likelihood, spoil both the garment and the Man that wears it; So when the world is glewed to your hearts, it spoils the comforts of all the Mercies that you enjoy;Ja [...]. Billius in Antholog. sacra. and so it may be said, that the otherwise lawful use of them is abused, when they are either used too afflectionately in making Gods of them, or being too eagerly bent in the gaining of them, Iam. 4. 13.

1290 The things of this World, vain and uncertain.

IT is an observable note,Aloys. Lippomannus in Catena Pat. that a learned Man hath upon the names of the two first Men that ever were born into the World, Cain and Abel; Whence, saith he, we may learn a very good lesson, and that from the very interpretation of their Names; Ca [...]n signifies, Possession; and Abel, Vanity; to shew that Adam and Eve, who had all the World before them, did see nothing but vanity in all their possessions: And it were well, if the Sons and Daughters of Adam, that have a great [...]eal lesse of the World then Adam had, would not set their hearts so much upon the vanities and uncertainties thereof,Col. 2. 22. Ecce mundus, qui diligitur fugit. Greg. in homil. being such as perish with the using, such as are gone before we have almost any hold of them; like a flock of Birds, that no Man can say they are his own, though they sit in his yard; so vain, uncertain, flitting, ading are all the thinge, all the comforts of this world, be they whatsoever they are, whatsoever they can be.

Present occasion of Time to be made use of.1291

THe Sun by its annual Revolution, Arch. Symmer▪ Spirit. posie for Sion. makes the day and the year: The Moon by her [...]unary course, draws up the Months and quarters: The Pleiades and Hyades, make the Seasons of the years, and the Dog-star brings in the heat of the Summer: And all of these do labour by their ordinary passages, to shew us that Orient Ovall, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 37. cap. 9. that precious Pantaur, [...] the present occasion of Time, this very moment which is yet ours, and ought to be made use of accordingly; extream sottishnesse were it therefore to defer the practise of Wisdom till the next opportunity, and to procrastinate Repe [...]tance upon the groundless hope of a few uncertain dayes; Tolle moris semper nocuit differr [...] Lucanus. yet for our comfort, there▪ is this priviledge in the Nature of Time, that though that which is past cannot be recalled again, yet it may be redeemed by the double diligence of the wise, Ephes. 6. 15. Hence it is that the penitent Redeemer of Time, may be lively set out in Medea, with two contrary affections appearing in his face; on the one side sorrow for the lamentable losse of that occasion which is past, and on the other side, joy for the Redemption of opportunity present.

The sick Mans sorrow.1292

[Page]

AS a Traveller that rides a tired horse is utterly disappointed, and cannot reach but with much difficulty the end of his journey:R. Harri [...] Hezeki [...]hs recovery. And so by sicknesse, this body of ours is deprived of all chearfulnesse and activity; and our Souls so farre [...]rustrated, that they can neither receive that good, nor do that good which otherwise they would perform; Such is the sick-mans sorrow, that no Man knows it, but he that feels it; what a disadvantage it is to the Soul, to be so ill lodged in a ruinous body,Quam m [...]le con veniunt. being even stifled within its selfe for want of motion, and move it cannot for want of Organs but very lamely, because the understanding is clouded, Memory weakned, Judgement dazled, phantasie distracted, Affections distempered; and in brief,Malum contristivum; affectus vitiant actionem Galenus. the whole frame of nature dis-joynted, that like broken bones, it can neither rest nor move; Nor is the stroak onely upon natural actions, but upon Morall also; In diseases chronicall, the Body becomes lazy, listlesse, neutrall, that it hath no mind to pray, no stomack to food, no heart to do any thing for it selfe; And in diseases more acute, is so taken up and transported with pain and anguish, that it minds nothing but what cannot be had,Diogenes. as sleep, ease, &c. Hence may be put that difference betwixt sick and jound, as the Heathen put between poor and rich; The healthfull Man may walk when he will, eat when he will, sleep when he will, work, play, [...]ast, feast, ride, run when he will; But the sick-man must travell,Atque hi sunt Manes quos patitur. eat, drink, sleep, when [...]e can, He is not his own to command, he is deprived of himself, He hath wit, but not the use of it; Memory, but not the benefit of it, so that he is almost turned into an image; he hath eyes and scarcely sees; ears, and hears not; mouth, and speaks not; feet, but walks not: Nay, which is more, those senses and parts, which let in comfort to the sound, occasion the [...]ick Mans trouble, the sight of his Cups, Glasses, Boxes, make him sick: the smell of his meat sick, Mille mali species, &c. Ovid. the taste of his drink sick; the least noyse offends him, the lest aire pierces him, his bed tires him, his chayr troubles him, his friends disquiet him, their absence offends him, so does their presence, their silence troubles him, so doth their talk; somewhat he would have, but he cannot telll, What; to be short, he is not well, and therefore nothing is well about him.

True saving faith, though never so weak, is all in all.1293

AS a dim dazeling eye, that looked on the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness, was of more avail to a poor Israelite, (then stung with a fiery Serpent) than any use that could possibly be made of all his other Members; little could the swiftnesse of his feet, strength of body,Paul Bayne, Mirror of Mercy nimblenesse of hands, volubility of tongue, quicknesse of the ear, or any thing else have prevailed, had there not been an eye to have looked on it: So without faith, Epes. 2 we lie dead in sins and tresp [...]sses, and cannot but perish of the mortal stings, which Sathan hath blistered us withall; so that had we perfect Repentance, sound knowledge, and sincere Love, not one of them, nor all of them together,Fides est radix vir [...]utum omnium Ambros. in lib. de Cain & Abel. could possibly cure us, if there were not faith to apprehend Christ for our satisfaction, and a propitiation for all our sins: It is onely faith in Christ, a true faith (though a weak dim-sighted faith) that looking up to the typified Serpent Christ Iesus, can cure our wounded sin-sick souls, and make us here to live unto God, and hereafter in all happinesse with him.

1294 God onely to be sought unto for safety, in the time of eminent distresse.

[Page]

THe Poet describing the manifold miseries of Aneas that Trojan Prince, Virgil. Preci [...]ites me [...]us acer agit, &c in his long and weary voyage, sheweth the great perill that he and his Company were in, and the great speed they made to escape the danger of the cruel Cyclops, who together with his Gigantick Army mustered on the shoare, as strong as so many sturdy Oaks, and tall as lofty Cedars, whose very Countenances threatned death and destruction to all that came near them: It was then no time for them to stay there, [...]validis incumbere remis. but high time to hoist up the sayls, nimbly to betake themselves to their Oars, and rather then the Giants should offer violence to them, to lay violent hands on their Tackle, and so quit a dangerous coast that could promise nothing but mischief: So the onely way that we have to prevent any eminent danger,A [...]dera Teiorum pulchra colonia. which by our sins we draw upon our heads dayly, and such as are even at the shoare ready to assault us; nay such as have already even boarded these our poor brittle barks of Mortality, is, swiftly to sayl away in the waters of unfeigned Repentance, and every Man of us to betake himselfe speedily to the Oars of true contrition and invocation to Almighty God,Strabo. in lib. Geograph. and to row painfully in the Sea of our sinfull hearts, seeking and never giving over till we are upon the Rock of our defence, and have found the God of our salvation.

1295 The abundant love of Christ in dying for our Sins.

IT is said of the Pellican, [...]lys. Aldrov. in Ornit [...]olog. beholding her young ones to be slain by the Serpent, much thirsting after their bloud, she is so much grieved, that she beats her sides with her own wings in such a manner, that the blood issues abundantly, which being as yet warm, falleth upon the young ones so slain, and restoreth them to life again: Thus the soul of Man, being the true bird of Paradise (for there was her nest first built by God) having (as it were) her lively blood suck'd out by that old Serpent the Devill; Christ became that Heavenly Pelican, that with the wings of his Love and Mercy, shed out of his most precious side, his dearest heart-blood, to revive us that we might live for ever.

1296 How it is that the Hypocrite deceives himselfe in seeking after God.

IT is said of Zeuxis and Parrasius, Fulgosus lib. 8 [...]p. [...]1. ex Plin that the one deceived his fellow Painter with the picture of a sheet, and the other deceived birds with his counterfeit grapes: Thus the Hypocrite,Quid magis est vanum quam j [...]sti nomen habere, &c. whose devotion is like a shadow, something in shew, but nothing at all in substance, deceives himself with a sheet, or shadow of Holiness, thinking that to be currant which is but counterfeit, and those to be true Grapes, which are but meere pictures of Grapes: And thus going about to seek the Lord with outward Holinesse,Antholog. Jac. Billii. and external behaviour, not with internal purity and sanctity of the Heart,Gen. 4. 3. he may well be said to offer sacrifice with Cain, and yet have no good zeal; 1 Reg. 21. 9. 1 fast with Iezabel, and yet not leave his sins, humble himself with Ahab, yet have no true repe [...]tance: 1 Reg. 21. 27. lament with the tears of Esau, yet not be sorry for his sins; kisse Christ with Iudas, Matth. 26. 49. yet have no love in his heart; pray with the Pharisee, yet have no devotion; Luke 18. 11. present an oblation with Ananias, yet keep the best part from God which is his heart:Act. 5. 2. And thus after all his seeking, find God in justice to condemn him, not in Mercy to save him.

Men covering their Sins with specious pretences, reproved.1297

[Page]

AS when Adam had tasted of the forbidden Fruit,Gen. 3. he espyed his own nakednesse, poverty, and how that he was miserably fallen; For remedy whereof, he went about to hide it with Fig-leaves, and to shrowd himself amongst the Trees of the Garden:Prodigus vult se credi liberalem, avarus diligentem, temerarius sortem, &c. So it is, that too too many of Adam's sons now living, go about to cloak their Sins with the Fig-leaves of their foolish inventions, and to hide their treacherous designs in the thicket of their wicked imaginations, covering their Vices with the cloak of Virtue; And hence it comes to passe, that Murther is accompted Manhood; Prosper. de vita contem. lib. 4. Pride looked on as Decency; Covetousnesse as Frugality; Drunkennesse as good Fellowship, &c.

Miseries attendant on the Haters of Gods People.1298

AS in Princes Courts, P. Baine Mirrour of Mercy. they are looked on but as silly, shallow-brain'd Men, that professe open and mortal hatred to the greatest Favourites of the King; Nay, in so doing, they take the right way to ruine themselves and Families; Whereas such as are politiquely wise, and intend to raise themselves a Fortune, will be sure to observe the Favourites, love them, and insinuate into their acquaintance: So it is a most sottish Folly in Men of the World to hate Gods People, in whom his Graces are most apparent; For the Lord will look upon them as Enemies to himself, so that they shall want many a blessing from the King of Heaven, which the prayers of the Godly would otherwise obtain for them; yea, many plagues, much sorrow will light upon them in this respect; But if they ever intend to be wise for their Souls and bodies too, it is their best way to love and embrace with all kindnesse such as are the Lords People; which if they do, God will take it as a token of Love to himself, and they shall be sure to have their reward in the Kingdom of Heaven.

All out of Order.1299

IT is observed of the Romans, Wolfgang. Lazius de Rebus gestis Romanorum. That in the time of their Civill Wars, some followed Caesar, and they were the weakest; some Pompey, and they were thought the Wisest; some Crassus, and they were accounted the worst of all: So now it is, that some follow the Flesh, and are led by the corrupting allurements thereof; some are Favourites and Minions of the World, carried away with its glittering preferments: some are meer Factors for the Devill, fulfilling his crafty and cruel designments;—Terras Astraea reliquit Ovid. Met. lib. 1. All of them set on work under the command of this cursed Triumvirate, and that so intently, that every where there is a Consumption of Grace, through the corruption of Sin; Piety complains, that she is sick, Charity very near dead; good Works buried, Prayer and Preaching neglected;B. Carpenter conscionab [...]e Christian. Honesty and Sobriety derided, Iustice and Equity abandoned, Truth and plain dealing imprisoned, Faith and a good Conscience banished: As for Religion, Malunt disputare homines quàm vivere. Men delight rather to argue and discourse of it, then seriously to reduce the principles thereof into practice and action; much form of Godlinesse there is, but little power thereof amongst us, Totus Mundus in maligno positus, All is out of Order.

1300 The excellency of godly Sorrow for Sin.

[Page]

AS water that runs through Mines,Jos. Simonds Case and cure of a deserted Soul. hath a tincture and touch of them; Or as a Vessell that is seasoned with some exquisite liquor, will a long time after retain the scent, and smell of that which was poured into it: So sorrow that is for Sin, meets with much in us, by which accidentally it becomes hurtfull; but as it is in it self, is, as all other Graces, for the perfection of Nature; and so far from being an oppression of it,—dolor hic [...] pr [...]de [...]it. that, in the judgment of some Wise Men, it is not altogether improbable, but that it shall be in Heaven; For if our Memories abide there to recollect the wayes of this life, and our Understanding and Will be fully taken up in the sight and fruition of God, then it is considerable, that since a little sight and taste of God in the World do work sorrow for Sin, whether an abundant sight and full taste will not also do it in Heaven, when a Man shall remember his sins against so good a God, which he hath offended.

1301 Evill Company, a great hinderance in the wayes of God.

AS one that is a Suitor to a Woman,T. Watson Unum necessarium. and being very earnest in the prosecution of his love, another should come and tell him, that he knowes something of the Woman by way of ill report, some impediment or other; the Man hearing this, is presently taken off, and the suit ceaseth; So it is with many a Man, who begins to be a suitor to Religion, fain he would have the match made up, and he growes very hot and violent in the suit, and falls a working his Salvation, but then there comes some of his old consorts, Melius esthabere malorum odium quam consortium. Bern. and they tell him, that they know something by Religion, that is of ill report; As that there must be much of strictnesse and Mortification, that he must never see good day more, and hereupon he is discouraged, and the Match broken off; So that evill Company like the water in a Smith's forge, quencheth the Iron, be it never so hot, and cooleth the affections to God-ward, be they never so ardent.

1312 The difference betwixt a Spirituall and Worldly Man, in the wayes of God and goodnesse.

IT is observable, That in the Courts of Kings and Princes, children and ruder people are much taken with pictures and rich shews, and feed their fancies with the sight of rich hangings, and fine things; but the wise and grave Statesman passeth by such things,Discite in hoc mundo supra: mundum esse [...]t si corpus geriti [...], voli [...]et in vobis ale, interior. Ambros. de Virginis. as not worthy taking notice of, his businesse is with the King. Thus it is, that in this World, most Men stay in the out-rooms, and admire the low things of the World, and look upon them as pieces of much excellence; but the Spiritually-minded Man, whose eye, desire, and wayes are unto God, looketh over all these things that are here below, his businesse is with his God; let them doat upon the World that are in love with it, Whom hath he in Heaven but God? and there is none upon Earth that he desireth besides him, Psalm 73. 25.

Parents to be careful in the education of their Children.1303

[Page]

JUlian the Apostate had two great Schollers, Mardonius and Maximus to his Tutors,Ennapp [...]us in in Maxim. Sozomen. lib. 5. c. 6. Prov. 23. 15. but being prophane Heathens, and scoflers at Christian Religion, they laid the foundations of that desperate Apostacy, whereby he fell from Christ to the Devill. Thus he that begets a Fool, or by carelesse breeding maketh one, hath been the Author of his own sorrow, and his child's also, who may have just occasion to cry out at the last day, Parentes sensimus Parricidas, Our Parents have been our Parricides: Probum parentem esse opo [...]et qui gnatum [...]uum p [...]obiorem, &c. Plaut. It must therefore be the care of all Parents so to provide for the breeding up of their Children unto Wisdom, as that they forget not the chief thing, to have them seasoned with the knowledg and fear of God, which is the onely true Wisdome, Iob 28. 28.

Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ, above all humane Learning whatsoever.1304

THemistocles, Augustin. in epist. 36. though he was ignorant of Musick, yet knew he how to govern a State. And a Believer, though he be ignorant of all other Learning, yet by the knowledg of Christ onely will be a blessed Man; whereas all the Learning in the World without,Quid mihi proderit ingeni [...]m per [...]llas doctrinas, agil [...], &c. Aug. con [...]ess. lib. 4. cap. 16. lib. 1▪ cap. 8. will leave a Man miserable: To know the whole Creation, and to be ignorant of the Creator; to know all Histories and Antiquities, and to be unacquainted with our own hearts; to be good Logicians to other purposes, and in the mean time to be cheated by Satan with Paralogisms in the businesse of our own Salvation; To be powerful Orators with Men, and never to prevail with God; To know the Constellations, motions, and influences of Heavenly bodies, and have still unheavenly Souls; To know exactly the Laws of Men, and be ignorant and rebellious against the Lawes of God; To abound with worldly Wisdome, and be destitute of the fear of God, which makes wise to Salvation, is all but a better kind of refined misery; The Devills have much more then all this comes to, and yet are damned. We must study therefore to improve our Learning unto the use and furtherance of Holinesse, Ed. Reynolds Serm. of humane Learning, &c. 1657. to better our minds, to order our affections, to civilize our manners, to reform our lives, to adorn and render our Profession the more amiable, to consecrate all our other endowments as spoyls unto Christ, to lay our Crowns at his feet, and make all other abilities and acquirements Hand-maids unto his glory: When Learning is thus a servant unto Godlinesse, Godlinesse will be an honour unto Learning.

How it is that we must follow the things that make for Peace.1305

AS Christ is set forth in the Scripture to be a Leader, Rom. 12. 18. a Man of War, a Captain, a Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, Heb. 2. 10. the Victorious Tribe; so is he as a Prince of Peace too;Mich. 5. 2. Honoured at his birth with the style of Immanuel, a name of Peace; Crowned in his Baptism, Exod. 15. 3. with a Dove, the Emblem of Peace; being in the building caput anguli, Rev. 5. 5. a Corner-stone, the place of Peace; Iud. 1. 2. coming into the VVorld with a song of Peace; Esay 9. 6. going out of the world with a Legacy of Peace; in one word,Ephes. 2. 14. a perfect Moses, the meekest Man,Matth. 1. 25. & 3. 16. and yet the mightiest Warriour; a true David, Rom. 10. 15. a man much vers'd in battel, and yet made up all of Love, sending a sword in one place,Luke 2. 14. and sheathing up a sword in another; carelesse of offending in case of Piety, and tender of offending in case of liberty. Thus He, and thus his Church too, Salem, a place of Peace; Ierusalem, a vision of Peace, and [Page] yet therein a Fort, and an Armory for shields and bucklers, Cant. [...] And such must all of us be,Pax cum personis, bellum cum vitiis. like Nehemiah's builders with a trowell in one [...] but a spear in the other hand; to be at Enmity with the vices, but at Peace with the persons of all Men; to be sure to distinguish concerning Persons, and concerning things;Gal. 5. 1. As to compassionate the weak, but withstand the obstinate. And for things, though the Heathen man spake truly; Nihil minimum in Religione, yet we know our blessed Saviour distinguished between Mint or Cummin,Val▪ Max. and the Great things of the Law;Matth. 23. 23. And the Apostolical Synod, between things necessary, and unnecessary; Act. 15. 2 [...]. And S. Paul between meats and drinks, and the Kingdom of God,1 Cor. 3. 10, 11. and at another time between the Foundation and superstructures of Religion: And this is the onely right way to follow the things that make for Peace.

1306 How it is, that War there may and must be, in the Church of God, but not Contention.

IT is recorded of Meletius, Epiphan. Haeres. 68. and Peter Bishop of Alexandria, both Confessors of the Christian Faith, both Martyres designati, and condemned ad metalla for their Profession, who upon a very small difference, touching the receiving of the lapsi into Communion,Conr. Zuingerus in theat. hum. vitae. fell unto so great a Schism, that they drew a partition between each other in prison, and would not hold Communion in the same worship of Christ, for which notwithstanding they joyntly suffered; which dissen [...]ion of theirs did the Church of God more hurt by causing a great rent and Sect among the Members thereof, then any persecution the Enemy could have raised: Now so it is, that War, there may and must be in the Church; War in a spiritual sence, War with Principalities and Powers, and spiritual Wickednesses: For the Church is Militant, and hath weapons of spiritual Warfare, given of purpose to resist Enemies, Greg. Naz. Orat. 1. pag. 35. and a sword that Christ came to send against all dangerous Errors of mind or manners: But for all this, Contention and inward jars there must not be, and that for this very Reason, because there is War, open War with Forreign and potent Adversaries,Apud veros Dei cultores, etiam bella parata sunt. such as Satan, and all other Enemies of the Church are, who by the advantage of intestine Commotion, would save himself the labour of drawing the sword, and become rather a Spectator, then a Party in the Conquest.August. in lib. de verbo Dei. Greatly therefore doth it concern every Man in his place, all Men in their several orders, to put to all their power, prayers, interests, for preserving the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, that in nothing they give offence to the Church of God; but rather be willing to silence and smother their private [...]udgments, to relinquish their particular liberties and interests, to question and distrust those domestica judicia, (as Tertullian calls them) their singular conceits and fancies, [...], chrysust. Hom. in Gen. 4. then to be in any such thing stiffe and peremptory against the quiet of the Church of God: The weak to be humbled and tractable; the strong to be meek & merciful; the Pastours to instruct the ignorant, to reclaim the wandring, to convince the froward with the spirit of meeknesse and compassion. The People to obey, ho [...]our and encourage their Ministers by their docible and flexible disposition, to suspect their own judgment, to allow their Teachers to know more then they; not to hamper themselves, nor to censure their breathren, nor to trouble their Superiours by ungrounded scruples, or uncharitable prejudices, or unquiet, and in the end uncomfortable singularities; To take heed of strife, vain-glory, and pride in their own conceits, to have such humble judgments, as that they can be willing to learn any, though unwelcome Truth; to unlearn any, though darling Error; have such humble lives and purposes, as that they can resolve to obey with duty, whatsoever they are not able with reason to gainsay; And thus it is, that War may be in the Church, but not Contention and jarring.

Difference of Judgment hath, and ever will, be in the Minds of Men; And why so?1307

[Page]

THere was never any Instrument so perfectly in tune, in which the next hand that [...]ouched it, did not amend some thing: Nor is there any Iudgment so strong and perspicatious, from which another will not in somethings find ground of Variance; See we not in the ancient Churches, Euseb. Soz [...]men. Nicephor. those great lights in their severall Ages at variance amongst themselves? Ireneus with Victor, Cyprian with Stephen, Ierome with Austin, Basil with Damasus, Chrysostome with Epiphanius, Cyril with Theodoret. Desired it may be,Isid. P [...]lus. lib. 2. ep. 90. Desired it may be, but hoped it cannot, That in the Church of God there would be no noyse of Axes and Hammers, no di [...]erence in judgments and conceits; For while there is corruption in our Nature, narrownesse in our Faculties,Aug. epist. 105. sleepinesse in our Eyes, dif [...]iculty in our Profession, cunning in our Enemies,Juel against Hard [...]ng. art. 8. [...] hard things in the Scripture, and an envious Man to superseminate, there will still be [...], Men that will be differently minded; In this hard necessity therefore, when the first evil cannot be easily avoided, our Wisdome must be to prevent the second, that where there is not Perfection, yet there may be Peace; that dissentions of Iudgments break not forth into dis-union of hearts, but that amidst the variety of our several conceits, we preserve still the Unity of Faith and Love, by which onely we are known to be Christ's Disciples.

Men not to be Censurers of one another.1308

IT was an old trick of the Gentiles, (as Gregory, Nazianzen, Arnobius, and Minutius tell us) to object illiteratenenesse unto the Christians;S [...]udiorum rudes, literarum prophani, &c. But a very unfit way certainly it is for Christian Men amongst themselves, to refute adverse opinions, or to insinuate their own, by their mutual undervalewing of each others parts and persons,Hoc est [...]astidium vestrum, &c. Arnob. to censure every one for dull and bruitish, who in judgment Varieth from their own conceits; If then they must needs be censuring, let them look to what is wanting in themselves, and to what is usefull in their brethren; The one will make them humble, the other charitable, and both peaceable.

The joyful coming of Christ Jesus in the Flesh.1309

WHen Solomon was made King,Ed. Reynolds Ioy in the Lord; A Serm. at S. Pauls. they did eat and drink with great glad [...] before the Lord, 1 Chron. 29. 42. And at the solemn Inaugurations of such Kings and Princes, the Trumpets sound, the People shout, the Conduits run wi [...]e, Honours are dispensed, gifts distributed, prisons opened, Offenders pardoned, Acts of Grace published, nothing suffered to eclipse the beauty of such a Festivity. Thus it was at the coming of Christ Iesus in the Flesh; Ioseph. antiquit. lib. 7. Wisemen of the East brought Presents unto him, rejoycing with exceeding great joy, Matth. 2. 10, 11. The glory of God shines on that day,Turnebi Adversar. lib. 24. and an Heavenly hoast proclaim that joy, Luke 2. 9, 14. Iohn the Baptist leapeth in the Womb, Mary rejoyceth in God her Saviour, Zachary glorifieth God for the Horn of salvation in t [...]e house of David; Luke 1. 41, 47. Simeon and Hanna blesse the Lord for the glory of Israel; And after when he came to Ierusalem, the whole Multitude spread garments, strewed branches, cryed before him and behind him, Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest, Matth. 21. 9. And the Psalmist Prophesying long before of it, said; This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoyce and be glad in it, Psal. 118. 24.

1310 Hard to be drawn from Custome in Sin.

[Page]

WAter may be easily dam'd up, Naturam expellas [...]urca licèt, &c. but no art or industry can make it run backward in its own channel; It was by a Miracle, that the River Iordan was driven back: And it is very near, if not altogether a Miracle, that a Man accustomed to do evil, should learn to do well; That the Tyde of Sin, which before did run so strong, should be so easily turned; That the Sinner which before was sailing Hell-ward, Defficile est, longum subito depon [...]re amorem, Cat. Tibul. and wanted neither wind nor tide to carry him, should now alter his course, and tack about for Heaven, Hic labor hoc opus est, this is a work indeed, and that a hard one too; To see the Earthly Man become Heavenly; to see a Sinner move contrary to himself in the wayes of Christ and Holinesse, is as strange, as to see the Earth fly upward, or the bowl run contrary to its own byass.

1311 The commodity and discommodity of Learning.

AS the juice of the same Earth is sweet in the grape,Basil. Hexam▪ Homil. 5. but bitter in the Wormwood, Or as the same odour is a refreshment to the Dove, Gr. Nyssen in Cant. but a poyson to the Scarabaeus: So the same Learning, qualified with Charity, piety and meeknesse, may be admirably usefull to edifie the Church; which with Pride, contempt, and corrupt judgment, may be used unto harmfull purposes, (as the Philosopher speaks) Nothing is more dangerous then Wickednesse in armour; Arist. Rbet. Hence is it that Satan hath usually set on work, the greatest Witts in sowing Errors in the Church; Aug. ad Licentium. ep. 49. as Agrippina gave Claudius poyson in his delicatest meat; Or as Thieves use to pursue their prey with the swi [...]test horses; so the Devill made choyce of Licentius, a Man of rare parts, but a corrupt mind: Wherein Satan would fail of his end,Ep. 119. if Men would make no other use of their Gifts and Learning, then to make them as engines and Instruments, for the more happy promoting of Piety and pure Religion.

1312 Holinesse, an excellent thing.

ALexander coming with his Army against Ierusalem, A. Gellius. Quintus Curtius. Jaddus the high Priest went out of the City to meet him, adorned with his Priestly robes, an upper garment of Purple embroydered with gold, and a golden Plate on the fore-side, wherein the Name of God was written; The sight was so grave and solemn, that the Emperour fell to the ground, as reverencing the Name that was thereon inscribed. Thus it is,Pietati summa tribuenda laus est. Solinus. that in Holinesse there is such a sparkling luster, that whosoever behold it, must needs be astonished at it; Nay, even those that oppose it cannot but admire it; Holinesse is an excellent thing, a beautiful thing, it carries a gracefull Majesty along with it, wheresoever, or in whomsoever it is truly and sincerely professed.

1313 The least Man in the Ministery, not to be contemned.

AS in a building, some bring stones, some timber, others morter, and some perhaps bring onely nails; yet these are usefull, these serve to fasten the work in the building. Thus the Church of God is a spiritual building,1 Cor. 3. 9. some Ministers bring stones, are more eminent and useful; others Timber, others lesse,T. Watson Christian's Charter. they have but a nayl in the work, yet all serve for the good of the building; The least starre gives light, the least drops moystens, the least Minister is no lesse then an Angell, the least nayl in the Ministery, serves for the fastning of Souls unto Christ; there is some use to be made even of the lowest parts of Men, [Page] the weakest Minister may help to strengthen ones Faith; Though all are not Apostles,1 Cor. 12. 29. all are not Evangelists; all have not the same dexterous abilities in the Work, yet all edifie: And oftentimes so it cometh to passe, that God crowns his labours, and sends most Fish into his net, who, though he may be lesse skilfull, is more faithfull; and though he have lesse of the brain, yet he may have more of the Heart, and therefore not to be contemned.

The Minister and Magistrate to go hand in hand together.1314

IT is reported of Queen Elizabeth, that coming her progresse into the County of Suffolk, W. Gurnall The Magistrates power. when she observed, that the Gentlemen of the County, who came out to meet her, had every one his Minister by his side, said; Now I have learned why my County of Suffolk is so well governed, it is, Quam benè conveniunt. because the Magistrates and Ministers go together. And most true it is, That they are the two leggs on which a Church and State do stand; And whosoever he be that would saw off the one, cannot mean well to the other; An Anti-Ministerial spirit, is an Antimagistratical spirit; The Pulpit guards the Throne; Be but once perswaded to take that away, and you give the Magistrates Enemies room to fetch a full blow at them,J. Speed Chronicle. as the Duke of Somerset in King Edward the sixth's dayes, by consenting to his Brother's death, made way for his own, by the same ax and hand.

The great danger in commission of little Sins.1315

WHat is lesser then a grain of [...]and; yet when it comes to be multiplyed, T. Watson Christian's Charter. What is heavier then the Sands of the Sea? A little sum multiplyed riseth high: So a little Sin unrepented of will damn us, as one leak in the Ship, if it be not well lookt to, will drown us: Little Sins, as the World calls them, but great Sins against the Majesty of God Almighty, who doth accent and inhance them, if not repented of; One would think it no great matter to forget God, yet it hath an heavy doom attending on it,Navis si unam habuerit tabulam per [...]oratam, &c. Aug. de sal. doct. Psal. 50. 22. The non-improvement of Talents, the non-exercising of Graces, the World looks upon as a small thing; yet we read of him, that hid his Talent in the earth, Matth. 25. 25. he had not spent it, onely not trading it, is sen [...]enced; such and so great is the danger of the least Sin whatsoever.

The Worldling's inordinate desires; And why so?1316

THe Countryman in the Fable would needs stay till the River was run all away,Rusticus expectat dum de [...]uat amnis, at ille Labitur▪ &c. and then go over dry-shod; but the River did run on still, and he was deceived in his expectation: Such are the Worldling's inordinate desires, the deceitfull heart promiseth to see them run over and gone, when they are attained to such a measure; and then they are stronger and wider, more impotent and unruly then before: For a Covetous heart grasps at no lesse then the whole World, would fain be Master of all, and dwell alone, like a Wen in the body, which drawes all to it self; let it have never so much, it will reach after more,Esay 5. 8▪ Ex libidine orta sine termino sunt. Ari [...]o [...]. adde house to house, and field to field, till there be no more place to compasse; like a bladder, it swells wider and wider, the more of this empty World is put into it; so boundlesse, so endlesse, so inordinate are the corrupt desires of Worldly-minded Men.

1317 To beware of masked specious Sins.

[Page]

IT is said of Alcibiades, Plutarch in vita. That he embroydered a Curtain with Lyons and Eagles, the most stately of Beasts and birds, that he might the more closely hide the picture that was under, full of Owls and Satyrs, the most sadly remarkable of other Creatures. Thus Satan embroyders the Curtain with the image of virtue, that he may easily hide the foul picture of Sin, that is under it;Peccata splendida, August. Sin, that in the eye of the World, is looked on as Grace; coloured and masqued over with Zeal for God, good intentions, &c. such as hath a fine glosse put upon it, that it may be the more vendible; Wherein the Devill like the Spider, first she weaves her Web, and then hangs the Fly in it; So he helps Men to weave the web of Sin with specious shews, and Religious pretences, and then he hangs them in the snare, and sets all their Sins in order before them.

1318 No true Happinesse to be found in the best of Creatures here below.

SOlomon having made a Critical enquiry after the excellency of all Creature-comforts, In libr [...] Ecclesiast. gives this in as the Ultimate extraction from them all, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity: And have not all of us great experience, how loose the World hangs about us? If you go to the Creature to make you happy, the Earth will tell you, that happinesse growes not in the [...]urrows of the Field; the Sea, that it is not in the Treasures of the deep;Fallax est hic mundus, finis dubius, &c. Pe [...]. Blesensis. Cattel will say, It is not on our backs; Crowns will say, It is too pretious a gem to be found in us; we can adorn the head, but we cannot satisfie the heart. It is true, that these Worldly earthly things can benefit the outward and the Natural Man; but to look for peace of Conscience, [...]oy in the Holy Ghost, inward and durable comfort in any thing which the World affords, is to seek for treasure in a Cole-pit, a thing altogether improbable to be found there.

1319 How it is, that Faith challengeth a superiority above other Graces.

TAke a piece of Wax, T. Watson Christian's Charter. and a piece of Gold of the same Magnitude, the Wax is not valuable with the Gold; but as this Wax hangs at the labell of some Will, by vertue of which, some great Estate is confirmed and conveyed, so it may be worth many hundred pounds. So Faith considered purely in it self, doth challenge nothing more then other Graces, O [...]thesaurus omnibus opulentior Fides, &c. Aug. lib. de Virgin. nay, in some sense it is inferiour, it being an empty hand; But as this hand receives the pretious Alms of Christ's Merits, and is an Instrument or channel, thorow which the blessed streams of life flow to us from him; so it doth challenge a superiority over, and is more excellent then, all other Graces whatsoever.

1320 Men not living as if they had Souls to save, reproved.

SOcrates in his time wondred when he observed Statuaries, Diog. Laert. in Socrate. how careful they were, and how industrious to make stones like Men, and Men in the mean time turning themselves into very blocks and stones; The case is ours; Men walk not as Men that have Souls to be saved, many walk as if they had nothing but bellies to fill,—tanquam Mors nulla sequatur. and backs to cloath, fancies to be tickled with vanity, eyes and ears to look after pleasure, brains to entertain empty notions, and tongues to [Page] utter them; as for their Souls, they serve them to little other purpose, then as Salt to keep their bodies from stinking.

Honour and Greatnesse, the Vanity of them.1321

IT was foretold to Agrippina, Neroe's Mother,Suetonius in vita. that her Son should be Emperour, and that he should afterward kill his own Mother; to which Agrippina replyed, Occdat modò imperet, Let my Son be so▪ and then let him kill me and spare not. So thirsty was she of Honour: Alas, what are swelling Titles but as so many rattles to still Mens ambitions? And what is Honour and Greatnesse in the World? Honour is like the Meteor which lives in the Ayre; Honor est in honor ante non in honorato. so doth this in the breath of other Men; It's like a gale of Wind which carries the Ship; sometimes this Wind is down, a Man hath lost his Honour, and lives to see himself intombed: sometimes this Wind is too high: How many have been blown to Hell, while they have been sailing with the Wind of popular applause; [...]. So that Honour is but magnum nihil, a glorious fancy, Acts 25. 23. It doth not make a Man really the better, but often the worse; For a Man swel'd with Honour (wanting Grace) is like a Man in a dropsy, whose bignesse is his disease.

Present Time to be well husbanded.1322

AS it is observed of the Philosopher, Diog. Laert. in Thalete. that fore-seeing a plentifull year of Olives, he rented many Olive-yards, and by that demonstrated that a learned Man, If he would aim at worldly gain, could easily be a rich Man too; It is noted as an excellent part of Wisedome to know and manage time, to husband time and opportunity; For as the Rabbi said, Nemo est cui non sit hora sua; Pirke Aboth. Every Man hath his hour, and he who overslips that season,Luke 19. 42. may never meet with the like again. The Scripture insists much upon a day of Grace, 2 Cor. 6. 2. Heb. 13. 15. The Lord reckons the times which passe over us, and puts them upon our account,Nemo vestr [...]m parvi aestimet tempus, &c. Bern. Luk. 13. 7. Rev. 2. 21, 22. Let us therefore improve them, and with the impotent persons at the pool of Bethesda, to step in when the Angel stirs the water: Now the Church is afflicted, it is a season of prayer and learning, Mic. 6. 9. Esay 26. 8, 9. Now the Church is inlarged, it is a season of praise, Psalm 118. 24. I am now at a Sermon, I will hear what God will say: now in the company of a learned and wise Man, I will draw some knowledg and counsell from him: I am under a Temptation, now is a fit time to lean on the name of the Lord, Esay 50. 10. I am in place of dignity and power, Let me consider what it is that God requireth of me in such a time as this is, Esth. 4. 14. And thus as the Tree of life bringeth fruit every Moneth, Rev. 22. 2. so a wise Christian, as a wife husbandman, hath his distinct employments for every Month, bringeth forth his fruit in its season, Psalm. 1. 3.

Frequent Meditation of Death, the great benefit thereof.1323

IT is said of Telephus, that he had his Impostume opened by the dart of an Enemy which intended his hurt;Dyctis Cre [...]. lib. 2. Roses, they say, are sweetest, which grow near unto Garlick, so the nearnesse of an Enemy, makes a good Man the better; And therefore the wise Roman, when Carthage the Emulous City of Rome was destroyed, said;Plutarch de capienda ab h [...]stibus utilitate. Now our affairs are in more danger and hazard then ever before; When Saul, Davids Enemy eyed and persecuted him, this made him walk more circumspectly, pray more, trust in God more; He kept his mouth with a bridle while the wicked were before him, Psalm 39. 1. An hard knot in the Wood drives a Man to the use of his Wedges; A malitious Enemy that watcheth for our halting, Vive memor quam sis aevi brevis. will make us look the better to our wayes: And so it is that Death by the nearnesse [Page] thereof, and by the frequent meditation thereupon, makes us more carefull of our great accompt, more sollicitous to make our peace with God, to wean our hearts from Worldly and perishing comforts, to lay up a good Foundation for the time to come, that we may obtain eternal life, to get a City which hath Foundations; whose builder and maker is God.

1324 The great difference betwixt life naturall, and life Spirituall.

THe ordinary Manna which Israel gathered for their daily use,Exod. 16. 20. did presently corrupt and breed worms; but that which was laid up before the Lord,vers. 33. the hidden Manna in the Tabernacle did keep without putrefaction: So our life which we have here in the Wilderness of this World, doth presently vanish and corrupt;Col. 3. 4. but our life which is kept in the Tabernacle, our life which is hid with Christ in God, that never runs into Death: Naturall life is like the River Iordan, Ez [...]k. 47. empties it self into the dead Sea; but spirituall life is like the waters of the Sanctuary, which being shallow at the first, grow deeper and deeper into a River,—Haec brevis est, illa perennis aqua. which cannot be passed thorow; Water continually springing and running forward into eternall life; So that the life which we leave is mortall and perishing, and that which we go unto is durable and abounding, Joh. 10. 10.

1325 Men not to hasten their own Deaths, but submit to the Will of God, And why so?

IT is observeable,Ed. Reynolds Serm. at the Fun. of Pet. Whaley at Northampton. that when of late years Men grew weary of the long and tedious compasse in their Voyages to the East-Indies, and would needs try a more compendious way by the North-West passage, it ever proved unsuccessefull: Thus it is that we must not use any compendious way, we may not neglect our body, nor shipwrack our health, nor any thing to hasten Death, because we shall gain by it. He that maketh hast (even this way) to be rich,Psal. 31. 15. shall not be innocent Prov. 28. 20. For our times are in Gods hands, and therefore to his holy providence we must leave them. We have a great deal of work to do, and must not therefore be so greedy of our Sabbath day, our rest, as not to be contented with our working day, our labour; Hence is it, that a composed frame of Heart, like that of the Apostles, Phil. 1. 21. wherein either to stay and work, or to go and rest, is the best temper of all.

1326 Assurance of Gods Love, the onely Comfort.

IT is commonly known,Will. Gurnal Christian in compleat Armour. that those who live on London Bridge sleep as soundly, as they who live at White-Hall, or Cheapside, well knowing that the Waves which roar under them cannot hurt them; This was Davids case, when he sang so merrily in the Cave of Adullam, My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise, Psalm 57. 7. And what was it that made him so merry in so sad a place? He will tell you, vers. 1. where you have him nestling himself under the shadow of Gods loving wings of Protection, —hic murus abeneus esto, Nil conscire sibi, &c. and now well may he sing care and fear away: Thus it is that a Man perswaded and assured of Gods love unto him, sings as merrily as the Nightingale with the sharpest thorn at his breast, lyes at [...]ase on a hard bed, sleeps quietly over the stouds of trouble and sorrow, nay of Death it self, and fears no ill, Psalm 23. 5.

A Faithfull, modest Friend, very hard to be found.1327

[Page]

THere are some drugs very wholesome, but very bitter; good in the operation, but unkind in the pallate, as the common saying is, Wholesome, but not toothsome; Such are some Friends in the World, reall in their love, but morose in their expressions of it, that a Man is almost afraid of their very kindnesses; but to meet with a Man that shall be as full of sweetness as [...]idelity, whose love is not like a pill that must be wrapped in something else before a Man can swallow it, but whose candor and serenenesse, make his love as amiable, as usefull to his friend; so that he may very well be said to deserve the character given to one of the Roman Emperours, Neminem unquam dimisit tristem; of such a disposition made up of love and sweetnesse, of such a balsome Nature, that is all for healing and helpfulnesse.

The good Names of Gods people, though now obscured, yet hereafter will be cleared.1328

EVen as it was with Christ, the Iews rolled a great stone upon him,T. Watson Christian's Charter. and as they thought, it was impossible he should rise again; but an Angel came and rolled away the stone, and he arose in a glorious triumphant manner: So it shall be with the People of God, their good Name oft lyes buried, a stone of ob [...]oquy and reproach is rolled upon them, but at the day of Judgment, not an Angell, but God himself will roll away the stone, and they shall come forth from among the pots, where they have been blacked and sullied, Psal. 68. 13. as the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver, and her feathers with yellow Gold; Now it is, that many of them are called the troublers of Israel, seditious, factious, Malignants, rebellious, and what not? But a day is shortly coming, when God himself will proclaim their innocency; For the Name of a Saint is pretious in Gods esteem, it is like a Statue of Gold, which the polluted breath of men cannot stain; and though the wicked may throw dust upon it, yet as God will wipe away tears from the eyes of his People, so he will wipe off the dust that lyes upon their good Names, And a happy day must that needs be, when God himself shall be the Saints compurgator.

Men to be thankfull for the little strength of Grace that God affordeth.1329

AS soon as ever Moses with his Army was through the Sea,Exod. 14. they strike up before they stir from the bank [...] side, and acknowledge the wonderfull appearance of Gods power and m [...]rcy for them, though this was but one step in their way; a howling Wildernesse presented it self unto them, and they not able to subsist a few dayes with all their provision, for all their great Victory, yet Moses, he will praise God for this handsell of Mercy; Now this holy Man knew, how to keep credit with God, so as to have more, was to keep touch, and pay down his praise for what was received: Thus it is with thee, O thou poor, weak, trembling Christian; If thou wouldest have fuller communications of divine strength, own God in what he hath already done for thee; Art thou weak? blesse God thou hast life; Dost thou through feeblenesse often fail in duty, and [...]all into temptation? Mourn in the sense of these: yet blesse God that thou dost not lye in a totall neglect of duty,W. Gurnall Christian in compleat Armour. out of a prophane contempt thereof, and that instead of falling through weaknesse, thou dost not lye in the mi [...]e of Sin, through the wickednesse of thy heart; Art thou not of that strength of Grace, to [Page] run with the foremost, and hold pace with the tallest of thy brethren, yet art thou thankful that thou hast any strength at all? although it be but to cry after them, whom thou seest to out-strip thee in Grace, this is worth thy thanks, though it be but a little strength of Graoe, that God is pleased to afford thee.

1330 True real Friendship very hard to be found.

THe Friendship of most Men in these dayes is like some plants in the water, which have broad leaves on the surface of the water, but scarce any root at all;Amicus certus in re incerta. like Lemons, cold within, hot without; full expressions, empty intentions; speak loud, and do little; Like Drums and Trumpets, and Ensigns in a battel, which make a noyse and a shew, but act nothing; meet Friendship in pretence and complement,Aristot. that can bow handsomely, and promise emphatically, and speak plausibly, and forget all: But a true, reall, active Friend, whose words are the windowes of his heart, [...], the notifiers of his affections; such a Friend is rare and hardly to be found.

1331 How it is, that the Preaching of the Gospel is of a double and contrary operation upon different persons.

EVen as it is with the Proclamation of a Prince, which he sendeth out to his Rebellious Subjects, wherein he maketh offer not onely of pardon, but of Grace and favour to those that will lay down their Arms, and come in, shewing themselves loyall and obedient; but on the other hand threatneth extremity of punishment to those that shall yet stand out: Now this Proclamation, with the same breath,Joh. Brinsley Emblems of Iesus Christ. breatheth out both life and death; Life to those which will hearken to it (which is the main end and intent of proclaiming it) but death to those that oppose themselves against it. Even so it is with the Evangelical Proclamation, the preaching of the Gospel, it reacheth out life and death after the same manner; life to penitent Believers, who readily accept the offers of Grace and Mercy there tendered; but death to obstinate and Rebellious Sinners, who reject them;2 Cor. 2. 16. To the one it is [...], to the other [...], to the one, a savour of life unto life, Rev. 22. 16. to the other a savour of death unto death; to Believers the Morning Star, bringing light of Grace here,Ioh. 3. 18. and of Glory hereafter; to others the Evening Star, leading to everlasting darknesse; Not that it is so in it self, being in its own Nature, the Word of Life; but accidentally it becometh so to them through their unbelief and rejection of it.

1332 Tongue, the Hearts interpreter.

VVHen the Pump goes, we shall soon know what water is in the Fountain,Quotidiana fornax lingua, &c. August. lib. 10. confes. Matth. 12. 34. whether clear or muddy; When the clapper strikes, we may guesse what mettall is in the bell: Thus the tongue of Man becomes the Interpreter of his heart; the inward motions of the mind have vent at the mouth as sparks from a furnace, and the Souls conceptions are brought out by its busie Midwifery: The Tongue is the key that unlocks the Hearts treasury, out of whose abundance it speaks; so that the corruption of Mens minds (not much unlike the inflammation of a Feaver) ordinarily breaks forth and blisters upon the tongue: J. Meriton ep. to Edw. Reyners Government of the Tongue. He that is rotten in his heart, is commonly rotten in his talk; And as evil words corrupt good manners, so they also discover corrupt manners; the foul stomach betrayes it self in a stinking breath, and a wicked heart in wicked communication; But where Grace is in the heart, it will manifest it self in holy, Heavenly, and savoury speeches.

The Sin of Bribery condemned.1333

[Page]

IT is reported of Sir Thomas More, (then Lord Chancellor of England, that when two great silver Flaggons were sent him by a Knight,R. Young Philargu [...]iae mastix. that had a Suit depending in Chancery, (though gilded with the specious pretence of gratuity) sent them back again filled with his best Wine, saying; If your Master likes it, let him send for more: And when his Lady at another time offered him a great bribe in the behalf of a suppliant, he turned away with these words; Gentle Eve, I will none of your apple. —terras Astraea reliquit. Ovid. An upright Man he was in the place of Judicature: And it were to be wished, That all those who succeed him on the Bench, were not almost, but altogether like him in the matter of Iustice distributive: but so it is, (and which is to be lamented) the Rulers love to say with shame, Bring ye, Hos. 4. 18. their right hands are full of bribes, Psalm 26. they are ready to transgresse for a piece of bread; they love gifts, Prov. 28. 21. and follow after rewards, and like the Horse-leeches daughter they cry, Give, give; so that by woful experience,Esay 1. 23. the ballance of Equity is tited too too often on the one side,Prov 30. 15. and the cause of the poor out-vyed with power and greatnesse.

No Man free from Temptations.1334

A Countryman riding with an unknown Traveller (whom he conceived honest) over a dangerous Plain;T. Fuller on Christ's Temp [...]at. This place (said he) is infamous for robbery but for my own part, though often riding over it early and late, I never saw any thing worse then myself: In good time, replyed the other, and presently demanded his purse,—Sub dulci melle ven [...]na latent. Ovid. amor. 1. and robbed him. Thus it is, that no place, no Company, no Age, no person is Temptation-free, let no Man brag that he was never tempted, let him not be high-minded, but fear, for he may be surprised in that very instant wherein he boasteth that he was never tempted at all.

The Holy Scriptures to be made the rule of all our actions.1335

IT is written of Boleslaus, one of the Kings of Poland, that he still carried about him the picture of his Father, Cromerus lib. 6. Joh. Gerson in orat. ad R. Gallic. and when he was to do any great work, or set upon any design extraordinary, he would look on the picture and pray, That he might do nothing unworthy of such a Fathers name. Thus it is, that the Scriptures are the picture of Gods Will, and therein drawn out to the very life; before a Man enter upon,Ob. Sedgwick Serm. at Elect. of L. Mayor, Lond. 1648. or engage himself in any businesse whatsoever, let him look there, and read there what is to be done, what to be undone; and what God commands, let that be done; what he forbids, let that be undone: let the ballance of the Sanctuary weigh all, the Oracles of God decide all, the rule of Gods Word be the square of all, and his glory the ultimate of all intendments whatsoever.

Charity rewarded to the full.1336

THere is a story of a certain godly and charitable Bishop of Millain, who journeying with his servant,Con [...]. Zuingerus in theat. hum. vitae. was met by some poor People, that begg'd an alms of him: The Bishop commanded his Man to give them all the little money that he had, which was three Crowns: But his servant thinking to be a better husband for his Master, gave them but two Crowns, reserving the third for their expences at night: Soon after, certain Noblemen meeting the Bishop, and knowing him to be a good Man, and one that was liberal to the poor, commanded two hundred Crowns to be delivered to the Bishop's servant for his Master's use; The Man having received the money, ran with great joy, and told his Master of it: Ah, said the Bishop, Si enim tres dedisses, trecentas accepisses; What wrong hast [Page] thou done to me,Sam. Clark Serm. to the Natives of Warwickshire, 1655. and thy self! For if thou hast given those three Crowns as I appointed thee, thou shouldst have received three hundred. And most true it is, that such open-handed, and such open-hearted Christians have more then once Gods Word of promise for such ample retribution; Bounty is said to be the most compendious way to plenty;Benefacere homini, est beneficium magnum apud Deum depoacre, Chrys. homil. in Gen. neither is getting, but giving, the best way to thrift; For in works of Charity, our scattering is our encreasing; no spending, but a lending; no laying out, but a laying up, Prov. 11. 24.

1337 Why it is, that they which have the strongest Graces are subject to the strongest corruptions.

IT is observable in Nature, That those Creatures which have the most excellency in them,Chr. Love Lect. on 2 Tim. 2. 1. have something also of defect and deformity in them, as if the God of Nature did it to keep them humble, in a posture (as it were) of condiscension: The Peacock hath glittering feathers,Plin. and yet black feet; The Swan hath white feathers,Ulys [...]. Aldrovandus. but under that a black skin; The Eagle hath many excellencies, quicksight, and high flight, but yet very ravenous; The Camell and Elephant are great and stately Creatures, but of a deformed shape: So it is in the state of Grace, God doth suffer some strong and unsubdued lusts and corruptions to remain in the dearest of his Children, (and that even in such who have not onely truth, 2 Cor. 12. 7. Quantum quis crescit in gratia, &c. Bern. in Cant. but strength of Grace in them) the Messenger of Sathan to busset them, and a thorn in the flesh to let out the impostumated matter of pride out of their hearts, whereby they become more condescending to the weak, lesse depending upon their own Righteousnesse, and so are brought to think better of others then themselves,Serm. 3. yea to judge themselves the least of Saints,2 Cor. 12. 17. and greatest of Sinners that may be.

1338 Grace and goodnesse to be highly esteemed even in Men of the lowest condition.

THere is mention made of an ancient King, who made a great Feast, and invited a company of poor people which were Christians, Aloys Novarini tractat. Evangel. and he bade his Nobles also; Now when the poor Christians were come, he had them up into the Presence-Chamber; but when the Nobles came, he set them in the Hall: Being thereupon demanded the reason, he answered; I do not this as I am their King here, for I respect you more then them; but as I am King of another World I must needs honour these as Gods dear C [...]ildren, and such (as though dejected now) shall be Kings and Princes with me hereafter, and I would have you esteem of them according to their worth, and shew it. And so without all doubt, great is the worth of true Christians: Greg. Naz. in ora [...]. 16. de pauperum amore. A Pearl upon a dunghill is worth stooping for, and a gratious Man or Woman (though outwardly cloathed with raggs) worth looking after. Sure it is, that God looks on them as his Iewels, Mal. 3. 17. as a chosen generation, a Royal Priesthood, 1 Pet. 2. 6. an holy Nation, a peculiar People, his delight, his chosen ones, his dear Children, Tit. 2. 14. and what not? It much conc [...]rns us then to set a true value upon them,Prov. 11. 20. make a true estimate of them, and (as much as in us lyeth) to be mindfull of them, Matth. 5. 9. comfortable to them, and willing on all occasions to do them good.

Love, Vnity, and Peace, the best supporters of Kingdoms, Common-weals, &c.1339

[Page]

THere is mention made of a dispute betwixt Mars and Pallas, which of them should have the honour to give the name to the City of Athens; Joh. Bodin. methodus hist. cap. 6. at length it was resolved, That he should give the name, who could find out that which might most conduce to the benefit of the City: Hereupon Mars presents them with a stately horse, which signified, Wars, Divisions, Tumults, &c. but Pallas came in with an Olive branch, the Emblem of Peace, Love and Unity; the City chose Pallas to be their guardian, rightly apprehending, That Love, unity, and peace would make most to their prosperity and safety: Nihil pernitiosius Re [...]pub. quam divisio, nihil melius quam unio, Plato de l [...]g. And questionlesse, great must needs be the happinesse of that Nation, Kingdom, or Common-weal, where they are made supporters; Love and Unity to cement all affections, and Peace to compose all differences that can be found amongst them.

Self-seekers, reproved.1340

IT is reported of one Cnidius, a skilfull Architect, who building a sumptuous house,Ptolomeus Philad. or Watch-tower for the King of Egypt, (to discover the dangerous rocks by night to the Mariners) caused his own name to be engraven upon a stone in the wall in great letters, and afterwards covered it with Lime and morter, and upon the out-side of that wrote the name of the King of Egypt in golden letters,Plinius Aelian. as pretending, that all was done for his honour and glory: But herein was his cunning, he very well knew, that the dashing of the water, would in a little time consume the plaistering, (as it did) and then his name and memory should abide, and continue to after-generations. Just thus; there are many in this Nation of ours, who in their outward discourse and carriage, pretend to seek onely the glory of God, the good of his Church, and the happinesse of the State; Ed. Calamy [...]p. ded. in Serm, at S. Pauls, Lond. 1655. but if there were a window to look into their hearts, we should find nothing there written but self-love, self-interest, and self-seeking: Many such would be found out, who instead of loving God to the contempt of themselves, love themselves to the contempt of God; Many who seek their own, and not the things of Jesus Christ, or which is as bad, if not worse,Phil. 2. 21. who seek their own under the hypocritical pretence of seeking the things of Iesus Christ.

How it is, that Men are so much mistaken in the thoughts of long life.1341

IT fareth with most Mens lives, as with the sand in an hypocritical hour-glasse; look but upon it in outward appearance, T. Fuller Fun. Serm. at Chelsey, 1652. and it seemeth far more then it is, because rising up upon the sides, whilest the sand is empty and hollow in the midst thereof; so that when it sinks down in an instant, a quarter of an hour is gone in a moment. Thus it is, that many men are mistaken in their own accompt, reckoning upon threescore and ten years,Nihil ita decipit, quàm cum ignorent homines spatia vivendi Hieron. ep. 79. the age of a Man, because their bodies appear strong and lusty. Alas, their health may be hollow, there may be some inward infirmity and imperfection unknown to them, so that Death may surprize them on a sodain.

1342 The generality of Men, nothing mindfull of Death.

[Page]

THere is a Bird peculiar to Ireland, Fynes Morison's Travels. Qu [...]tidie morim [...]r, quotidiè commutamur et tamen aeternos nos esse credimus, Hieron. ad Heli [...]d [...]r. called, The Cock of the wood, remarkable for the fine flesh and folly thereof; All the difficulty to kill them, is to find them out, otherwise a mean marks-man may easily dispatch them: They fly in woods in flocks, and if one of them be shot, the rest remove not but to the next bough or tree at the farthest, and there stand staring at the shooter, till the whole covey be destroyed; yet as Foolish as this bird is, it is wise enough to be the Emblem of the wisest Man in the point of Mortality; Death sweeps away one, and one, and one, here one, and there another, and all the rest remain no whit moved, or minding of it, till at last a whole generation is consumed and brought to nothing.

1343 Beloved Sins hardly parted withall.

LOok but upon a Rabbets skin, R. Vines Serm. at Westm. 1650. how well it comes off, till it come to the head, and then there is haling and pulling, and much ado before it stirs: So it is, that a Man may crucifie a great many lusts, subdue abundance of imperfections, and may perform many good duties, and all this while come smoothly off; but when it comes once to the head, Hic labor hoc opus est. Virg. to the Dalilah, the darling, the bosome beloved Sin, then there is tugging and pulling, great regret, loath to depart; but if God have any interest interest in such a Soul,Rom. 6. 12. he will pull the skin over his ears, either break his neck, or his heart, before that any such Sin shall reign in his mortal body, or have any dominion over him.

1344 The Wicked Rich Mans sad condition at the time of Death.

IT is observable,Hier [...]n. Drexelius de damnatorum rogo. lib. 5. That a Sumpter-horse, or a pack-horse, which all the day long hath gone nodling with abundance of treasure, hath at night all taken from him, and been turn'd a grazing, or put into a stable, so that all the benefit he hath gain'd by it, is, that he hath onely felt the weight of it, and probably got a gall'd back for his labour. Thus many rapacious, wretched, rich Men, such as are little better then pack-horses, —Extremos currit mercator ad Ind [...]s. that all their lise long carry the things of this World, lade themselves with thick clay, rise early and late, and eat the bread of carefulnesse to get a little pelf, and a gall'd Conscience to boot, are on a sudden either for ill using, or ill getting their wealth, turned (unles [...]e God be more mercifull) into a filthy stable, into Hell, where their pay is everlasting torment.

1345 Conscience spoils the wicked Mans mirth.

THere is a story of one,T. Fuller on Christ's Temptat. who undertook in few daies to make a fat sheep lean and yet was to allow him a daily and large provision of Meat, soft and easy loding, with security from all danger, that nothing should hurt him: This he effected, by putting him into an iron grate, and placing a ravenous Woolf hard by in another, alwaies howling, fighting, senting, scratching to come at the poor sheep; which affrighted with this sad sound and worse sight, had little joy to eat, Multa miser timeo, quia feei multa protervè lesse to sleep, whereby his Flesh was sodainly abated: And thus it is that all wicked Men have the terrours of an affrighted Conscience constantly not onely barking at them, but biting of them; which spoils all their mirth, dis-sweetens their most delicious pleasures with the sad consideration of the Sins they have committed, and punishment they must undergo, when in another World, they shall be called to an accompt for what they have done here in the Flesh.

Sathans subtilty in laying his Temptations.1346

[Page]

AN Enemy before he besiegeth a City,T. Fuller ut antià. surroundeth it at a distance, to see where the wall is the weakest, best to be battered; lowest, easiest to be scaled; ditch narrowest to be bridged, Diabolus quando decipere quenquam tentat, prius naturam, &c. Hug. lib. 2. shallowest to be waded over; what place is not regularly fortified; where he may approach with least danger, and assault with most advantage: So Sathan walketh about, surveying all the powers of our Souls, where he may most probably lay his temptations, as whether our Understandings are easier corrupted with errour, or our Fancies with levity, or our Wills with frowardnesse, or our Affections with excesse, &c.

How it is that Soul and Body come to be both punished together.1347

IT is mentioned of two Travellers, Prosper de bono timoris. lib. 2. that walked together to the same City, whereof the one was wise, the other foolish; And when they came where two wayes met, the one broad and fair, the other strait and foul, the Fool would needs go the broader way; but the Wise man told him, though the narrow way seemed foul, yet was it safe and would bring them to a good lodging, and the other seeming fair was very dangerous, and brought them to a desperate Inn; yet because the Fool would not yield to any reason, but believed what he saw with his eyes rather then what he heard with his ears; The Wise man for companies sake was contented to go the worser way; and being both robbed by thieves, detayned in their company, and at last apprehended with the Robbers, and carried before the Magistrate, these two began to accuse one another, and each to excuse himself; The Wiseman said, he told his fellow the dangers of that broad way, and therefore he onely was to be blamed, because he would not yeild unto his Counsell; but the Fool had so much wit to reply,Pares culpae pares poenae. That he was a very silly Creature, and knew neither the way nor the dangers of the way, and therefore [...]e was to be excused, and the wise Man to be condemned, because he would follow such a Fools counsell; Whereupon the Judg, having heard them both, condemned them both; the Fool, Gr. Williams S. Peter's Charge, A Serm. at Wesem. because he refused to follow the Counsell of the Wise; and the Wise Man, because he would not forsake the Fools Company: So it is that when the Soul, which is the Wise man, and doth know the dangerous issues of the wayes of death and Sin, and the pleasant fruits of Vertue and goodnesse, will notwithstanding follow the vain delights of Foolish Flesh, and walk in the paths of unrighteousnesse; no marvell, if the righteous Judg condemn both body and Soul together.

A blessed thing to have Riches and a Heart to use them aright.1348

IT is credibly reported of M. Thomas Sutton (the sole Founder of that eminent Hospitall commonly known by his name) that he used often to repair into a private garden,T. Fuller Church Hist. of Britain. Anno 1611. where he poured forth his prayers unto God, and amongst other passages, was frequently over-heard to use this expression. Lord thou hast given me a liberall and large estate, give me also a heart to make good use thereof; which at last was granted to him accordingly: And thus (without all doubt) a great blessing it is for any Man to have Riches and a heart to use them aright,Jos. Hall D. D. dec. 5▪ ep. 7. to M. Tho. Su [...]ton. to be rich as well in Grace as in Gold, rich in good works as great in riches, not so much a Treasurer as a Steward, whose praise is more to lay out well, then to have received much; otherwise he may have Riches, not goods, not blessings; his burthen would be greater then his estate, and he richer in sorrows then in mettals.

1349 The great danger of Use in jesting at Religion and Piety.

[Page]

WHen Iulian the Apostata had received his deaths wound,In hist. tripartit. Nauclenis Marcellin. he could not but confesse that the fatall arrow which shot him, came from Heaven, yet he confessed it in a phrase of scorn, Vicisti Galilaee, The day is thine O Galilean, and no more; not as he should have said, Thou hast accomplished thy purpose O my God, O my Maker, O my Redeemer, but in a style of contempt, Vicisti Galilaee and no more. And thus it is, that many who have used and accustomed their mouths to Oaths and blasphemies all their lives,J. Donne, D. D. Serm. at Fun. of the L. Danvers. 1627. have made it their last syllable and their last gasp to swear they shall dye. And others there are too, that enlarge and ungird their wits in jesting at Religion and Goodnesse, but what becomes on't? they passe away at last in negligence of all spiritual assistances, and scarcely find half a minute betwixt their last jest here in this life, and their everlasting earnest in that which is to come.

1350 Service of God, perfect Freedome.

AS a Man that buyeth Freehold-land,E. Calamy Serm. at Westm. 1644. though he pay dear for it, yet it is accompted cheaper, and a far better purchase, then if he had laid out his money upon that which is held by Coppy of Court-role; And why so? because it freeth him from many services and duties which Coppy-hold-Land is obliged unto, all which the Lord of the Mannour may justly challenge according to custome: So it is that the service of God is perfect freedome, and will free a Man from all other services whatsoever; so that, be but a true servant of God, whosoever thou art,Bonus [...]tiamsi serviat liber est, &c. Aug. lib. 4. de Civitat. Dei. thou art free indeed, free from the service of Sin and Sathan, and free from all those domineering lusts, that would fain be ruling in thy mortall body; but on the contrary, if thou be not a true servant of Jesus Christ, thou shalt be a slave to every thing besides him. Either thy belly will be thy God, or thy Gold will be thy God; Pleasures, Profits, Preferments, all that is besides God, Hieron. in epist. ad Simplicianum. will put in to make up a God; And then, O quam multos habet ille Dominos qui unum non habet, How many Lords must that Man needs have, that hath not God for his Lord and Master?

1351 The excellency of Resolution in the cause of God.

EXcellent is the story of St. Basil, Theodoret. who when the Emperour sent to him to subscribe to the Arrian heresy, The Messenger at first gave him good language, and promised him great preferment if he would turn Arrian; To which Basil replied;Hist. tripart. lib. 7. cap. 36. Alas, these speeches are fit to catch little Children withall, that look after such things, but we that are nourished and taught by the Holy Scriptures, are readier to suffer a thousand deaths, then to suffer one syllable or tittle of the Scripture to be altered: The Messenger offended with his boldnesse, told him he was mad; He answered,Qui totius orbis impetum sus [...]inuit. Sleidan. Opto me in aeternum sic delirare, I wish I were for ever thus mad; Here was a stout resolved Christian, that Luther-like opposed all the World of contradiction; And such another was Nehemiah, who met with so much opposition, that had he not been steeled by a strong and obstinate resolution, he could never have rebuilded the Temple, but would have sunk in the midst of it; Such a one was David, that would not be hindred from fighting with Goliah, though he met with many discouragements; And it is heartily to be wished that God would make us all such, i. e. resolved Christians to put on divine fortitude, and Christian resolution, which if we do, it will make us like a wall of brasse to beat back all the arrows of strong perswasion, that can be shot [Page] against us, like an Armour of proof against all the Anakims and Zanzummins, Scyllas, and Syrens temptations on the right hand and on the left, like the Angell that roled away the stone from before the dore of the Sepulchre it will enable us to remove the great mountains of opposition that lye in our way, or else to stride over them; yea, like the ballast of a Ship, will keep us steddy in the cause of God;Iam. 1. 8. and his Church, who would otherwise be but [...] like those mentioned by the Apostle, men of double minds, unsetled, and unstable in all our wayes.

Gods omniscience necessarily demonstrated from his omnipresence.1352

SUppose we in our thoughts a Sphere of infinite greatnesse and efficacy, whose center were every where, and circumference no where, it must necessarily follow, that whatever thing or things be, besides this Sphere, must needs be within it, encompassed by it, and contained in it; and all things existing within this Sphere it will follow,Nihil agi posse quod ab illo, non sentiatur Ar. Mont. in hist. nat. That there can be no action nor motion but this Sphere will perceive it. Such is God, a Sphere of infinite being, who filleth all things that he hath made, as spirits, bodies, things above and below, things in Heaven and Earth, all; that encompasseth all things, is above all things and susteyneth all things, neither doth he [...]ill them on the one side and encompasse them on the other side;Augustin. de fide lib. ad Petron. But by encompassing doth fill them, and by filling doth encompasse them, and by susteyning them he is above them, and being above them, he doth sustain them; then must it needs be that God that thus filleth, encompasseth, and susteineth all things, doth also know all things.

To be Zealous for the honour of Jesus Christ as he is the eternal Son of God.1353

IN the dayes of Theodosius, the Arrians through his connivence were grown very bold, and not onely had their meetings in Constantinople, the chief City of the Empire, but would dispute their opinions etiam in foro, and no man could prevail with the Emperour to lay restraints upon them,Theodorer. lib. 5. cap. 18. because (saith the Historian) he thought it nimis severum et inclemens esse; At length comes to Constantinople one Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium, Cedreni hist. in vitae Theodosii Imp. a poor Town; an honest Man, but no great Politician for the World, he petitions the Emperour to restrain the Arrians, but in vain; Next time he comes to the Court, finding the Emperour and his son Arcadius (whom he had lately created joynt-Emperour) standing together, he doth very low obeysance to the Father, but none to the Son, yet coming up close to him in a familiar manner stroaketh him on the head, and saith; Salve mi fili, God save you my child; The Emperour taking this for a great affront, being full of rage, bids turn the Man out of dores; As the Officers were dragging him forth, he turning to the Emperour, saith; Ad hunc modum existima, ò Imperator, &c. Make an accompt O Emperour, that thus, even thus is the Heavenly Father displeased with those that do not honour the Son equally with the Father, Which the Emperour hearing, calls the Bishop back again, asks him forgivenesse, presently makes a law against Arrianism, forbids their meetings and disputations, constitutâ paenâ: Here was a blessed artifice by which the Zeal of this Emperour was suddenly turned into the right channel: and he was taught by his tendernesse over his own honour, and the honour of his Son to be tender over the honour of God, Matth. Newcomen Serm. at Westm. 1647. and his Son Christ Iesus. Now, so it is that much of Arrius is at this day in England; and more then ever was since the name of Christ was known in England; yet it is much hoped and heartily wished for, that as there hath been some actings for God, that men may no longer impun [...] wickedly, and pertinaciously blaspheme his glorious essence and attributes, [Page] so to shew the like Zeal for the glory of his eternall Son and spirit; This being the will of God, that all men should honour the Son, as they honour the Father, he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father. Ioh. 5. 23.

1354 Politicians spoyled in the height of wicked designs.

AS the Potters clay, Ph. Edlin Serm. on Temptat. 1656. when the Potter hath spent some time and pains in tempering and forming it upon the wheel, and now the Vessell is even almost brought to its shape, a Man that stands by may with the least push, put it clean out of shape, and mar all on a sudden that he hath been so long a making: So it is that all the plots and contrivances of leud and wicked Men,Esay 29. 15. all their turnings of things upside down shall be but as the Potters clay; For when they think they have brought all to maturity, ripenesse, and perfection, when they look upon their businesse as good as done, on a sodain all their labour is lost, the designs they travell so much withall,Parturiunt montes, &c. shall be but as an abortive birth, for God that stands by all the while and looks on, will with one small touch, with the least breath of his mouth blast and break all in pieces.

1355 Consideration of Gods omnipresence, a strong motive to Christian confidence.

THere is a story of that holy Martyr of Jesus Christ, B. Latimer, that having in a Sermon at Court in Henry the eighth's dayes much displeased the King,M. Newcomen Serm. at Westm. 1647. he was commanded next Sunday after to preach again and make his recantation: according to appointment he comes to preach, and prefaceth to his Sermon with a kind of Dialogisme in this manner; Hugh Latimer, doest thou know to whom thou art this day to speak? to the high and Mighty Monarch; the Kings most excellent Majesty, &c. that can take away thy life if thou offend, therefore take heed how thou speak a word that may displease; But as it were recalling himself, Hugh, Hugh (saith he) dost know from whence thou comest, upon whose message thou art sent? and who it is that is present with thee and beholdeth all thy wayes? Even the great and mighty God that is able to cast both body and Soul into Hell for ever, therefore look about thee, and be sure that thou deliver thy message faithfully, &c. and so comes on to his Sermon,Quid dignum tanto fe [...]e [...] hic promissor? and what he had delivered the day before, confirms and urgeth with more vehemency then ever; Sermon being done, the Court was full of expectation what would be the issue of the matter; After dinner, the King calls for Latimer, and with a stern countenance asked him, How he durst be so bold as to preach after that manner? He answered, That, duty to God and his Prince had enforced him thereunto, and now he had discharged his Conscience and duty both, in what he had spoken, his life was in his Majesties hands: Upon this the King rose from his seat, and taking the good Man from off his knees, embraced him in his arms, saying, He blessed God, that he had a man in his Kingdome that durst deal so plainly, and faithfully with him. Thus,Cave Deus videt. Bern. did but all Men, especially Ministers, Preachers of the Word, such as are immediately employed by God, seriously take notice of his Omnipresence, and continually remember how his eye is alwaies upon them,2 Cor. 2. 17. O how diligent! how confident! how abundant, would it make them in the work of the Lord! how faithfull! how couragious! how unbyassed! how above the frownes and smiles of the greatest of the Sons of Men! &c.

The consideration of Gods omnipresence, to be a disswasive from Sin.1356

[Page]

IT is well known what Ahashuerus that great Monarch said concerning Haman, Esth. 7. 8. when coming in, he found him cast upon the Queens bed, on which she sate; What (saith he) will he force the Queen before me in the house? There was the killing emphasis in the words before me, will he force the Queen before me? What will he dare to commit such a villany and I stand and look on? Thus it is that to do wickedly in the sight of God, is a thing that he looks upon as the greatest affront and indignity, that can possibly be done unto him; What (saith he) wilt thou be drunk before me? swear, blaspheme before me? be unclean before me? break my Laws before me? this then is the killing aggravation of all sin, that it is done before the face of God, in the presence of God, whereas the very consideration of Gods Omnipresence, that he stands and looks on, should be as a bar, a Remora to stop the proceeding of all wicked intendments, a disswasive rather from Sin, then the least encouragement thereunto.

Courts of Iudicature to be free from all manner of Injustice.1357

IT is said of that famous Athenian Judicature,A. Gell. lib. 12. Valer. lib. 2. cap. 1. where once Dionysius sate as a Judg, and thereupon called (The Areopogite) that they did excell so much in authority, that Kings laid down their Crowns, when they came to sit with them; that they were of such integrity, that they kept their Court and gave judgment in the night, and in the dark, that they might not behold the persons wh [...] did speak, least they should be moved thereby, they onely did hear what was said; Here it was that the Pleader must not use any proeme, nor make any Rhetoricall expression to move the affections, so that the People did bear as much reverence to the sentences and decrees promulged there, as they did to their sacred Oracles: Such was the strictness, such the Iustice of that though then Heathen Councill, that it may very well serve as a miroir to look in, as a pattern for the imitation, and as a coppy for the most Christian Courts of Iudicature to write by; For, were but Causes evenly weighed in the ballance of Justice, there would not be so much complaining of the often titing on the one side or the other, as now there is; Were men but Christian Lawyers, they would not be so often looked on as Heathen Orators; Were Laws but justly put in execution, the sword would not so often be born in vain; neither would great ones bear down those that are lesse, nor mighty ones confound the mean, but all would be subservient to the Supream, serviceable and respectfull one to the other.

Ministers advised in the method of Profitable Preaching.1358

AS the Physitian himself gives not health, R. Bax [...]er Saints Eternal R [...]st. but onely gives some helps to bring the body into a fit temperament and disposition, so far as to help and strengthen Nature; So the Preacher cannot be said to give knowledg, but the helps and motives by which natural light being excited and helped, may get knowledg: And as he is the best Physitian, that doth not oppresse nature with a multitude of medicines, but pleasantly with a few doth help it for the recovery of health. So he is the best Preacher, Gibieuf. in Praefat. lib. 2. de libert. citat. ex Aquin [...]te p. 1. q. 117. not that knoweth how to heap up many mediums and Arguments to force the understanding, rather then to entice it by the sweetnesse of light; but he that by the easy and gratefull Mediums, which are within reach, or fitted to our light, doth lead Men as by the [Page] hand unto the Truth; in the beholding, or sight of which Truth onely, knowledg doth consist and not in use of Arguments; Non tam eleganter dicentes quam utilia docentes sunt audiendi. Zeno. hence is it that Arguments are called Reasons by a name of relation to Truth; And why so? but because they are a means for finding out of Truth, and discovery of Errour.

1359 Fear of Hell to be a restraint from the least Sin.

THe passage in Scripture is well known how Nebuchadnezzar erected a Golden Image with this terrible commination,Dan. 3. 6. That whosoever would not fall down and worship it, should be cast into the fiery Furnace; This now was so terrible to every one that heard it, that unlesse it were three or four, there were none that did resist, the very fear of a Fiery Furnace made them do any thing; And shall not then the fear of those eternall flames, the fear of that great day wherein God shall reveal all wrath without any mercy to the Wicked man, shall not this turn him out of the wayes of Sin? shall not this make him with bitternesse bewail his former lusts? and to hate those bitter-sweets of pleasure, [...] Chrysost. which er'st he so much delighted in, saying with Ionathan, I have tasted a little honey and I must dye, I have had a little pleasure of Sin, and I must be damn'd for evermore.

1360 Daily amendment of life enjoyned to the making up of the new Creature.

IT is said of Argo (the then Royal Soveraign of the Asiatique Seas) that being upon constant service; Plutarch in Theseo. she was constantly repaired, and as one plank or board failed, she was ever and anon supplied with another that was more serviceable, insomuch that at last she became all new, Alex. ab Alexandro, lib. 3. cap. 1. which caused a great dispute amongst the Philosophers, of those times, whether she were the same ship as before or not: Thus it is that for our parts, we have daily and hourly served under the commands of Sin and Sathan, made provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof,Rom. 13. 14. drawn iniquity with cords of Vanity, and sin as it were with a Cartrope,Esay 5. 18. and daily like Ephraim increased in wickednesse, insomuch that there are not onely some bruises and brushes,Hos. 12. 1. but as it were a shipwrack of Faith, and all goodnesse in the frame of our pretious Souls; What then remains but that we should dye daily unto Sin,Ph. Edlin in his last Serm. on 2 Cor. 5. 17. at S. Mich. Bassishaw, Lond. 1656. and live unto Righteousnesse, put in a new plank this day, and another to morrow; now subdue one lust, and another to morrow; this day conquer one Temptation, and the next another; be still on the mending hand, and then the question needs not be put, Whether we be the same or not.2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 5. 24. Psal. 40. For old things being put away, all things will become new; we shall be new Men, Ezek. 18. 31. new Creatures, we shall have new hearts, new spirits, and new songs in our mouthes,Rev. 21. 2. be made partakers of the new Covenant, and at last Inheritors of the new Ierusalem.

1361 Gods great patience, notwithstanding Mans provocations.

SUppose a Man should come into a curious Artificers shop,S. Bolton Sin the greatest evil; A Serm. on 2 Sam. 24. 10. and there with one blow dash in pieces such a piece of Art as had cost many years study and pains in the contriving th [...]reof: How could he bear with it? How would he take on to see the workmanship of his hands so rashly, so wilfully destroy'd? He could not but take it ill and be much troubled thereat. Thus it is that as soon as God had set up and perfected the frame of the World, Sin gave a shrewd shake to all, it unpin'd the frame, and had like to have pull'd all in pieces again; nay, had it not been for the promise of Christ, all this goodly frame had been [Page] reduc'd to its Primitive nothing again, Man by his Sin had pull'd down all about his ears, but God in mercy keeps it up; Man by his Sin provokes God, but God in Mercy passeth by all affronts whatsoever; Oh the Wonderfull Mercy! O the Omnipotent Patience of God!

How it is, that there may be partial desertions of Spiritual Grace in the Souls of Gods dearest Children, but never totall nor final ones.1362

AS it was with Sampson, when his locks were cut off, his strength was gone; and therefore though he thought to go out, and do great things as formerly he had done, yet by woful experience he found there was no such matter; he was become even as another Man. So it is with the best and dearest of Gods Children,S. Bolton Love of Christ to his Spouse, A Serm. on Cant. 4. 9. When God is gone, their locks are cut, their strength is gone, as not lying in their hair, but in their head; yet this is but a partial, a temporary, not a total and final desertion of divine assistance and Spiritual Grace in the Soul: For God may forsake a Man in respect of his quickning presence, and leave a Man to such barrennesse, flatnesse,Psal. 88. deadnesse of his Spirit for a time, that the Soul cannot pray, hear, meditate, do any thing as formerly it hath done; And God may forsake a Man too in respect of his comforting presence, Iob. he may eclipse his joyes, damp his comforts,David. withdraw the beams of his Countenance, and leave him in da [...]kn [...]sse and trouble;Heman. yet for all this God never forsakes such a Man in respect of his supporting presence, then it is, that in the saddest condition, in the darkest night, in the stormiest day, the Soul hath support from him; As he told S. Paul, so he tells all Men, all of the election of Grace, all that love and fear him; His strength shall be seen in their weaknesse, and his Grace is sufficient for them, i. e. sufficient to bear them up in the tryall, and sufficient to bring them out of all tryalls whatsoever.

Compleat Christian duty.1363

IT was the speech of Mr. [...]radford, That he could not leave a duty, till he had found communion with Christ in the duty, J. Fox Acts and Monum. till he had brought his heart into a duty-frame; He could not leave Confession, till he had found his heart touched, broken and humbled for Sin; not Petition, till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired, and carried out after them; nor could he leave Thanksgiving, Nunquam abs te a [...]s (que) te recedo. Bern. meditat. till he had found his Spirit enlarged, and his Soul quickned in the return of praises; just like that of S. Bernard, who found God in every duty, and communion with him in every Prayer; This was true, sincere, compleat Christian duty. And thus it is, that the Soul taken with Christ, desires converses with him in prayer, Esay 58. 9. in hearing, and meditation; And such too is the Genius of a Soul taken up with Christ, that duty doth not content it, if it find not Christ in the duty; so that if the end of a duty hath not left it on this side Christ, it hath left it so far short of true comfort.

Directions for both strong and weak in Faith how to demean themselves as to the matter of Gods Providence.1364

WEe may read,Coel. Rhodog. le [...]t. antiqu. lib. 28. that Ulysses, when he was to passe the coast of the Syrens, he caused his Men to stop their ears, that they might not be inchanted by their Musick to destroy themselves; But for himself, he would onely be bound to the Mast, that though he should hear, yet their Musical sounds might not be so strong, as to allure him to overthrow himself by leaping into the Sea. Thus there are some of Gods people that are weak in Faith, so that when they see [Page] Gods outward proceedings of Providence seemingly contrary to his Promises, they are apt to be charmed from their own steadfastnesse. It were therefore good for them to stop their ears,S. Bolto [...] Gods wonderfull working for his Church and People. Serm. on Exod. 15. 11. and to shut their eyes to the Works, and look altogether to the Word of God: But for those that are strong, such as in whom the pulse of Faith beats more vigorously, they may look upon the outward proceedings of God; yet let them be sure to bind themselves fast to the Mast, the Word of God, lest when they see the seeming contrariety of his proceedings to the Promise, they be charmed from their own stedfastnesse, to the wounding of their own most pretious Souls, and weakning the assurance of their eternal salvation.

1365 How it is, that the strength of Imagination perswades so much out of the way in matters of Religion.

IT is observable,S. Torshell Design to harmonize the Bible, 1647. that when some Men look up to the Rack or moving clouds, they imagine them to have forms of Men, of Angels, of Armies, of Castles, Forrests, Landskips, Lyons, Bears, &c. where none else can see such things, nor is there any true resemblance of such shapes; And some there are too, that when they have somewhat roules and tumbles in their thoughts, J. Fienus de Viribus Imaginat. they think, that the ringing of bells, the beating of hammers, the report that is made by great Ordinance, or any other measured, intermitted noyse, doth articulately sound and speak the same which is in their thoughts. Thus it is, that a strong Imagination or Fancy becomes very powerfull, as to perswasion in the matters of God and Religion; Hence is it, that most of those that are unlearned and unstable, wrest the Scripture, thinking they find that in it, which indeed is not there, perswading themselves that it representeth to them such and such formed opinions, when questionlesse they do but patch and lay things together without any reason at all; from whence have proceeded the senselesse dotages of Hereticks in elder times;S. Philastrius de Haerefibus. Iude. and of late in the ridiculous papers of some Dreamers, that have flown about, and bring Scripture with them, but no sense, fancying the holy Word of God to strike, to ring, or chyme to their tunes, to eccho out unto their wild conceits, and joyn with them in their rude indigested notions.

1366 How it is that so many deceive themselves in their not rightly searching the Scriptures.

AS the Apes in the story,H. Drexelii Gymnasium [...]atientiae. who finding a Glo-worm in a very cold night, took it for a spark of Fire, and heaped up sticks upon it, to warm themselves by; but all in vain: So do they lose their labour, that in the warrantable search of Divine truth, busie themselves about sounds of words, and incoherent Scripture-sentences; When partly from depravednesse of mind, partly from ignorance, partly from instability, suddennesse and haste, they take a snatch and run away with that which looks somewhat like the sense of Scripture, and so deceive their own Souls, crying out like the Mathematician in Athens, Archimedes. I have found, I have found it, when indeed they have found nothing to the purpose, nor any thing to the true information of themselves or others in the wayes of God and goodnesse.

1367 The Subtile-Hypocrite.

TH [...]re is mention made of Parrhasius and Xeuxis, Fulgosus lib. 8. cap. 11. ex Plinio. (a pair of excellent Painters in those times (that being upon tryall of their skill, how to excell each other in the matter of their Art; Xeuxis drew out a bunch of grapes so fair and well colour'd, that the birds came and pecked at them, to the great admiration of the beholders, even as if they had been of a naturall and lively growth: And the expectation was great, what it could be, that Parrhasius should [Page] draw to out-do so exquisite a piece of Workmanship; He thereupon falls to his pensill, and makes upon his Table the resemblance of a white sheet, tack'd up with four nayls, one at each corner, so artificially, that being offered to view, Xeux [...] bade him take away the sheet, that they might see the excellency of his A [...]t that was behind it; Whereupon it was adjudged, That Parrhasius had gone beyond him in so doing: And but good reason too, For the one had onely deceived silly birds, but the other had put a trick upon a knowing Artist himself. And so it is with the close reserved Hypocrite, —rapido gestans sub pect [...] re Vultum. Pers. Sat. 5. such is his subtilty, that he doth not onely delude silly birds, poor ignorant Souls, but knowing Men, experienced Christians, and if it were possible the very Elect themselves; He can compose his forehead to sadnesse and gravity, whilest he bids his heart be wanton and carelesse, and at the same time laugh within himself, to think how smoothly he hath cozened the believing beholder.

The danger of immoderate Zeal against those of another judgment; And how so.1368

THere is in the Nature of many Men a certain [...],Is. Casaub. Exercitat. in Ba [...]onium. 14. Sect. 6. an heat and activeness of spirit, which then principally, when conversant about Objects divine, and matters of Conscience, is wonderfull apt, without a due corrective of Wisedome and knowledg, to break forth into intemperate carriage, and to disturb Peace; It was Zeal in the women that persecuted S. Paul, Act. 13. 50. and it was Zeal in S. Paul, Phil. 3. 6. who persecuted Christ before he knew him: For as the Historian saith of some Men,Tacitus. that they are sola socordia innocentes, bad enough in themselves, yet do little hurt, by reason of a flegmatique and torpid constitution, indisposing them for action; So on the contrary, men there may be; Nay, without all doubt, some there are,Spiritus magni magis quam utiles. Liv. dec. 3. lib. 10. who having devotion like those Honourable Women, not ruled by knowledg; and Zeal, like Quicksilver, not allaied, nor reduced unto usefullnesse by Wisedome and mature learning, may be, as Nazianzene saith, they were in his time, the causes of much unquiet; Insomuch, that Truth it self hath been stretched too far,Basil. ep. 41. Jos. Acosta de Hierony. citante Rivet. in Psalm 16. Sext. Senens. lib. 5. in prooemi [...]. so that by a vehement dislike of Errour on the one side, Men have run into an Errour on the other, as Dionysius Alexandrinus being too servent against Sabellius, did lay the grounds of Arrianism, And Chrysostome in Zeal against: the Manichees, did too much extoll the power of Nature; And Illiricus out of an hatred of the Papists lessening Originall Sin, ran another extream to make it an essentiall corruption, &c.

The All-sufficient Goodnesse of Christ Iesus.1369

ALl the good things that can be reckoned up here below,Ed. Reynolds Ioy in the Lord; A Serm, at S. Pauls. have onely a finite and limited benignity, some can cloath, but cannot feed; others can nourish, but they cannot heal; others can enrich, but they cannot secure; others adorn, but cannot advance; all do serve, but none do satisfy; They are like a beggars coat made up of many pieces, not all enough either to beautify or defend: But Christ is full and sufficient for all his People, He ascended on high that he might fill all things, Ephes. 4. 10. that he might pour forth such abundance of Spirit on his Church,Omnis mihi copia, quae Beus meus non est, Egestas est. Aug. confes. lib. 13. cap. 8. as might answer all the conditions, whereunto they may be reduced; Righteousnesse enough to cover all their Sins; Plenty enough to supply all their wants, Grace enough to subdue all their lusts; Wisedome enough to resolve all their doubts; Power enough to vanquish all their Enemies; Vertue enough to cure all their diseases; Fullnesse enough to save them, and that to the utmost; Over and besides,Non bonus Angelus, sed Bonum Bonum. Id. de Trin. lib. 8. cap▪ 3. there is in Christ something proportionable to all the wants and desires of his People; He is bread, Wine, Milk, living waters to feed them, Ioh. 6. 5, 7, 37. He is a garment of Righteousness to cover and adorn [Page] them, Rev. 13. 14. A Physitian to heal them Matth. 9. 12. a Counsellour to advise them, Esay 9. 6. a Captain to defend them, Heb. 2. 10. a Prince to rule, a Prophet to teach, a Priest to make attonement for them, an Husband to protect, a Father to provide, a Brother to relieve, a Foundation to support, a Root to quicken, an Head to guide, a Treasure to enrich, a Sun to enlighten, and a Fountain to cleanse; So that as the one Ocean hath more waters, then all the Rivers of the World, and one Sun more light then all the Luminaries in Heaven; so one Christ is more all to a poor Soul, then if it had the all of the whole World a thousand times over.

1370 Men easily taken off from their Holy Profession upon removall of Iudgment, condemned.

JOsephus tells us, that the sons of Noah for some years after the floud, dwelt on the tops of high Mountains,In lib. antiquitat. Iudaic. not daring to take up their habitation in the lower ground, for fear of being drownd by another floud; yet in processe of time (seeing no floud came) they ventured down into the plain of Shinar, where their former modesty we see ended in one of the boldest, proudest attempts against God,Gen. 11. 2. that the Sun was ever witnesse to; The building of a Tower whose top should reach up to Heaven; They, who at first were so maidenly and fearfull, as not to Venture down their Hills, for fear of drowning; now have a design to secure themselves against all future attempts from the God of Heaven himself. Thus it is oft seen, that Gods Iudgments leave such an impression in Mens spirits, that a while they stand aloof from their sins (as they on their hils) afraid to come down to them, but when they see fair weather continue and no clouds gather towards another storn; then they can descend to their old wicked practises, and grow more bold and Heaven-daring then ever; O how nice and scrupulous are they while the smell of Fire is about them,In minimis [...]auti, in maximis negligentes. Hieron. de hom. perfect. and the memory of their distresse fresh, they are as tender of sinning, as one that comes out of a hot close room is of the air; they shrink at every breath of Temptation; but alas, how soon upon the least remove of Iudgment, are they hardned to commit those Sins without remorse, the bare motion of which, but a little before, did so trouble and afflict them.

1371 Humility appeaseth Gods anger.

IT was an high piece of ingenuity and clemency in Augustus Caesar, Suetonius in vita. that having promised by Proclamation a great sum of Money to any one, that should bring him the head of a famous Pyrate, did yet when the Pyrate (who had heard of this) brought it himself to him, and laid it at his foot, not onely pardon him for his former offences against him;O sancta venerabilis (que) humilitas, &c. Augustin. in Serm. de superbia. but reward him for the great confidence that he had in his Mercy. And thus doth God, though his wrath be revealed against all sin and unrighteousnesse, yet when the Soul it self comes freely and humbles it self mightily before him, his anger will be soon over, neither will he stretch forth his arm to strike such a Soul that giveth so much glory to his Mercy.

1372 Pleasures of Sin, the miseries of them.

SIns pleasure is like the pleasure,S. [...]Purchas Pilgrimage. which a place in the West-Indies affords them that dwell in it; There grows in it most rare luscious fruit; but these dainties are so sauced with the intollerably scorching heat of the Sun by day, and the Multitude of a sort of creatures stinging them by night that they can neither well eat by day, nor sleep by night, to digest their sweet-meats; which made the Spaniards call the place, Comfits in Hell; And truly, What are the pleasures of [Page]Sin, but such Comfits in Hell? there is some Carnal pleasure they have, which delights a rank [...]e [...]sual pala [...]e;Impia sub dulci mell [...] venena la [...]ent. Ovid. amor. 8. but here's the misery of i [...], they are served in with the fiery wrath of God, and stinging of a guilty, restlesse Conscience, so that the fears of the one, with the anguish of the other, are surely able to melt and wast away that little joy and pleasure they bring to the sense of any Man that shall enjoy them.

The People of God to be at Peace one with another, and why so?1373

THe unseasonablenesse of the strife, betwixt Abrahams Heardsmen and Lots, is aggravated by the near neighbourhood of the Heathens to them; And there was a strife (saith the Text) between Abrahams herds-men, and the herdsmen of Lots Cattel; And the Canaanite and Perizite dwelled in the Land: Now to fall out,Gen. 13. 7. whilest these Idolaters looked on, this would be Town-talk presently; and put themselves and their Religion both to shame; And it may for our parts be very well asked;Papistae, Rapistae. Who have been in our land all the while the People of God have been scuffling? Even those that have curiously observed every uncomely behaviour amongst us, and told all the world of it; Such as have wit and Malice enough, to make use of it for their wicked purposes; They stand on tip-toes to be at work, onely we are not yet quite laid up and disabled (by the sorenesse of these our wounds, which we have given our selves) from withstanding their fury. They hope it will come to that; and then they will cure us of our own wounds, by giving one, if they can, that shall go deep enough to the heart of our life, Gospell and all.Tunc tuares agitur. Let us then consider where we are, and among whom; Are we not in our Enemies quarters; so that if we fall out, what do we else but kindle a Fire for them to warm their hands by; It is an ill time for Marriners to be fighting, when an Enemy is boring a hole in the bottom of the Ship; The Sea of their rage will weaken our bank fast enough, we need not cut it for them; Then to close up all,Luke 13. 12. shall Herod and Pilate put us to shame? They clap'd up a Peace to strengthen their hands against Christ; And shall not we unite then against a common Enemy, such a one as seeketh to raise himself by our uneven, and unkind quarrelling amongst our selves.

The emptinesse of all Worldly delights without Christ.1374

AS a cup of pleasant Wine offered to a condemned Man, in the way to his Execution; As the Feast of him who sate under a naked sword, hanging perpendicularly over his head by a slender thread;Damocl [...]. Dan. [...]. 25. As Adam's forbidden fruit, seconded by a flaming sword; As Balthazar's dainties overlooked by a handwriting against the wall. Such are all the empty-delights of the World, in their matter and expectation, earthly; in their acquisition, painfull; in their fruition, nauseous and cloying; in their duration dying and perishing; in their operation,Delitiae cadunt et praetereunt, vulnerant et transeunt. Ambros. hardning, effeminating, leavening, puffing up, estranging the heart from God; in their consequences seconded with anxiety, solicitude, fear, sorrow, despair, disappointment; in their measure shorter then that a Man can stretch himself on, narrower then that a Man can wrap himself in; every way defective and disproportionable to the vast and spatious capacity of the Soul of Man, as unable to fill that, as the light of a Candle to give day to the whole World, nothing but emptinesse attends them all, unlesse they be found in Christ Jesus.

[Page]

[...]

[Page]

[...]

1375 People to shew love to their Ministers in the Vindication of their credits.

[Page]

IT is said of Constantine, that he was a great honourer of the Ministery, Eusebius in vita. and so favourable in the entertainment of any complaint against them, that he would not read any accusations brought in against them, but did burn them; And it was a Law amongst the Egyptians, that if a Man found another in the hands of Thieves, and did not deliver him when it was in his power, he was condemned to dye. So it is, that Ministers fall too too often among Thieves, who would rob them of their good names, and labour much to clip their credit, that so they might weigh the lighter amongst the People; Nay, it is counted by some a piece of their Religion, neatly and handsomely to defame the Minister. And some there are too, who would be thought more modest, who (though [...] they do not raise a report) yet they can receive it, as a welcome present; but all this is contrary to that Apostolical rule, 1 Tim. 5. 9. If others seek to rob them of their good names, we are to seek to deliver them. If others clip their credits, let us put some grains into the scales, that they may weigh the heavier; if they open their mouths to God for us, let us not shut our mouths in their just defence; if they labour to save our Souls, let us be forward to save their credits.

1376 Every Man to be wise for himself, as well as for others.

AS Shell-fishes which breed pearls for others to wear, but are sick of them themselves; As a Mercury Statue, which shews the way to others, but stands still it self; Or as a Whetstone which sharpeneth the knife, but is blunt it self. Thus many Men like Plutarch's Lamiae, In lib. Morali [...]m. Prov. have eyes for abroad, but are blind at home, are wise for others, but not for themselves: If thou be wise, (saith Solomon) be wise for thy self: It is not enough for a Man to do good to others, though he could to all, if he remain an Enemy to himself; Purchas Pilgrims. He must be like a Cynamon-Tree, which lets not out all its sap into leaves and fruit which will fall off, but keeps the principall part of its fragrancy for the bark which stayes on; like a Tree planted by the water side,Psalm. 1. which though it let out much sap to the remoter boughs, yet is specially carefull of the root that that be not left dry: And to speak truth, What profit would it be to a Man, if he could heal and help all the sick Men in the World, and be incurably sick himself? If he could get all the Men on the Earth, all the Angels in Heaven to be his Friends, and have still God for his Enemy? If he could save others, and then lose his own Soul; to be like the Ship, Acts 27. broken to pieces it self, though it helped others to the shore? Or like those that built the Ark for Noah, Gen. 6. 14. Luke 10. 14. and were drowned themselves; this is to have the cares of Martha upon him on the behalf of others, and never mind that one thing of Mary, the care of his own Salvation.

1377 Neglect of the main duties of Christianity, reproved.

SUppose a Master before he goes forth,W. Gurnall Christian in compleat Armour. should charge his Servant to look to his Child, and trim up the house handsomely against he comes home; But when he returns, will he thank this servant for sweeping his house, and making it trim (as he bade him) if he find his child through negligence fallen into the fire, and so kill'd or cripled; No sure, he left his child with him as his chief charge; to which the other should have yielded, if both could not be done. Thus, there hath been a great Zeal of late amongst us about some circumstantials of Gods [Page] worship; but who is it that looks to the little child, the main duties of Christianity? Was there ever lesse love, charity, self-denyal, Heavenly-mindednesse, or the power of Godlinesse to be found then in this sad Age of ours? Alas, these like the child, are in great danger of perishing in the fire of contention and division, which a perverse Zeal in lesse things hath kindled amongst us.

Pleasures of Righteousnesse, not discerned by unrighteous Men; And how so.1378

THe Roman Souldiers, Conr. Zuingerus in theat. hum. vitae. when at the sacking of Ierusalem, they entred the Temple, and went into the Sanctum Sanctorum; but seeing no Images there, as they used to have in their own idolatrous Temples, gave out in a jeer, that the Iews worshipped the clouds. And thus because the pleasures of Righteousnesse and holinesse, are not so grosse, —quantum mortal [...]a pectora caecae Noctis habent. Ovid▪ Met. lib. 6. as to come under the cognisance of the Worlds carnal senses (as their brutish ones do) therefore they laugh at the Saints, as if their Ioy were but the child of Fancy, and that they do but embrace a cloud instead of [...] her self, a phantastick pleasure for the true; But let such know, that they carry in their bosome, what will help them to think the pleasures of a holy life more reall; and that the power of Holinesse, is so far from depriving a Man of the joy and pleasure of his life; that there are incomparable delights and pleasures peculiar to the holy life, Prov. 14. 10. which the gracious Soul finds in the wayes of Righteousnesse, and no stranger intermeddles with his joy: The truth is, they lie inward, and therefore it is that the World speaks so wildly and ignorantly of them.

Gods different disposal of his blessings.1379

WHen a Prince bids his Servants carry such a Man down into the Cellar, Will. Gurnal The Christian in compleat armour. and let him drink of their Beer and Wine; this is a kindnesse from so great a Personage to be valued highly: But for the Prince to set him at his own Table, and let him drink of his own Wine, this, no doobt, is far more. Thus i [...] is,Psalm 4. that God gives unto some Men bona scabelli, great Estates, abundance of corn and wine and oyl, the comforts of the Creature, yet in so doing, he entertains them but in the common Cellar; they have none but carnal enjoyments, they do but sit with the servants, and in som sensual pleasures, they are but fellow-Commoners with the beasts; but for his People, they have the bona throni, his right-hand blessings, he bestowes his Graces on them, beautifies them with holinesse, makes them to drink of the Rivers of his pleasures, Psal. 36. 8. and means to set them by him, at his own Table with himself in Heavenly glory.

The encrease of Atheism amongst us at this day.1380

IT is reported to have been the saying of Mr. R. Greenham (a good man in his time) That he feared rather Atheism then Popery would be Englands ruine; Jo [...]. Shute, in a Serm. at S. Mary Wolno [...]h, Lond. 1624. Had he lived in our dismal dayes, he would have had his fears much encreased: Were there ever more Atheists made and making in England, since it was acquainted with the Gospel, then in the compasse of some few years past? There is reason to think there were not; When Men shall fall so far from profession of the Gospel,Victa j [...]cet pietas. Ovid. Met. lib. 1. and be so blinded, that they cannot know light from darknesse, righteousness from unrighteousness; Are they not far gone in Atheism? This is not natural blindness; for the Heathen could tell when they did good and evill,Rom. 2. 14. and see Holiness from Sin, without Scripture-light to shew them: No,Ioh. 4. this blindnesse is a plague of God fallen on them for rebelling against the ligh [...] when they could see it: And if this plague should grow more common, which God forbid, woe then to England.

1381 Men to be willing to have their Sins reproved; And why so.

[Page]

THere was a foolish (it may be said cruel) Law among the Lacedemonians, Plutarchi Moralia. That none should tell his Neighbour any ill news befallen him; but every one should be left, in processe of time, to find it out themselves: And it is to be supposed, that there are many amongst us, that would be content, if there were such a Law, that might tye up Ministers mouths from scaring them with their Sins, and the miseries that attend their unreconciled estate; The most are more carefull to run from the discourse of their misery,Auris bona est quae libenter audit Utilia. Bernard. then to get out of the danger of it; are more offended with the talk of Hell, then troubled for that sinful state that shall bring them thither: But alas, when then shall the Ministers shew their love to the souls of Sinners? When shall a loving Man have a fitting time to tell his Friend of his faults, if not now, in the present time? And why? because that hereafter there remains no more offices of Love to be done for them; Hell is a Pest-house, Psal. 6. 5. there cannot be written so much on the door of it, as, Lord have mercy on them, that are in it: Nay, they, who now pray for their salvation, and weep over their condition; must then with Christ vote for their damnation, and rejoyce in it, though they be their own Fathers, Husbands and Wives, they shall see there tormented.

1382 The great danger of not reconciling our selves unto God.

SIr Thomas Moor, W▪ Cambden Remains. whilest he was a Prisoner in the Tower, would not so much as suffer himself to be trimmed, saying; There was a controversie betwixt the King and him for his head, and till that was at an happy end, he would be at no cost about it; Let us but scum off the froth of his Wit, and we may make a solemn use of it: For certainly, all the cost we bestow upon our selves, to make our lives pleasurable and joyous to us,Nil pla [...]idum est fine pace Deo, nec munus ad aram, &c. Mantuan. is but meer folly; till it be decided what will become of the Suit betwixt God and us, what will be the issue of the Controversie that God hath against us, and that not for our heads, but Souls, whether for Heaven or Hell: Were it not then the wisest course, to begin with making our peace, and then we may soon lead a happy life? It is said, He that gets out of debt, growes rich: Most sure it is, that the pardoned soul cannot be poor; For as soon as the Peace is concluded, a Free Trade is opened between God and the Soul; If once pardoned, we may then sail to any Port that lies in Gods dominions, and be welcome; where all the Promises stand open with their treasure, and say; Here poor Soul take full lading in of all pretious things, even as much as thy Faith can bear and carry away.

Ringleaders of Faction and Schism, their condition deplorable.1383

[Page]

VVHat would the Prince think of that Captain,Rich. de Mediavilla Progres. Coelestis. who instead of encouraging his Souldiers to fall on with united Forces, as one Man against the Common enemy, should make a speech to set his Souldiers together by the ears amongst themselves; surely he would hang him up for a Traytor: Good was Luther's prayer,In vita ejus per Anonymum. A Doctore glorioso, à Pastore contentioso, et Inutilibus quaestionibus liberet Ecclesiam Deus; From a vain-glorious Doctor, a contentious Pastor, and nice questions, the Lord deliver his Church; And we in these sad times have reason to say as hearty an Amen to it, as any since his age; Do we not live in a time, when the Church is turn'd into a Sophister's School, where there is and hath been such a wrangling and jangling, Will. Gurnal Christian in compleat Armour. that the pretious truths of the Gospel are lost to many already (whose eyes are put out with the dust these contentions have raised) and they have at last fairly disputed themselves out of all their sober Principles; as some ill husbands that light among cunning Gamesters, and play away all their money out of their purses. Woe then to such vile Men, who have prostituted the Gospel to such Divellish ends: God may have mercy on the cheated Souls, to bring them back to the love of the Truth; But for the cheaters, such as have been the Ring-leaders into Faction and Schism, they are gone too far toward Hell, that we can look for their return.

When it is that a Man is said to thorowly forsake his Sin.1384

EVery time a Man takes a journey from home about businesse,W. Gurnall ut suprà. we do not say, he hath forsaken his house, because he meant, when he went out, to come to it again: No, but when we see a Man leave his house, carry all his goods away with him, lock up his doors, and take up his abode in another place, never to dwell there more, this Man may very well be said to have forsaken his house indeed. Thus it is, that every one of us are to forsake sin so, as to leave it without any thought of returning to it again. It were strange to find a Drunkard so constant in the exercise of that Sin, but sometimes you may find him sober; and yet a drunkard he is, as if he were then drunk. Every one hath not forsaken his Trade, Delinquendi materia debet praesci [...]di. Greg. lib. 5. moral. that we see now and then in their Holy-day Suit; then it is that a Man is said to forsake his Sin, when he throwes it from him, and bolts the door upon it, with a purpose never to open any more unto it, Ephraim shall say, What have we to do any more with Idols? Hos. 14. 8.

Mortification, the excellency thereof.1385

THere is mention made of one of the Cato's, Laur. Beyerlinc [...] in theatre magno Concionatorum. That in his old age he drew himself from Rome to his Country-house, that he might spend his elder years free from care and trouble; And the Romans as they did ride by his house, used to say, Iste solus scit Vivere, This Man alone knowes how to live: What art Cato had to disburthen himself (by his retirement) of the Worlds cares, is altogether unknown: But most sure it is, that a Man may go into the Country, and yet not leave the City behind him; his mind may be in a crowd, while his body is in the solitude of a wildernesse. Alas poor Man, he was a stranger to the Gospel; had he been but acquainted therewith, it could have shewed him a way out of the crowd of all Worldly employments, even in the midst of Rome it self,Col. 3. 5. and that is by mortifying his heart to the World, both in the pleasures and troubles thereof; And then that high commendations, That he alone knew how to live, might have been given him without any hyperbole at all; [Page] For to speak truth, He onely knowes aright how to live in the world, that hath learnt to die to the World, such is the excellency of Mortification.

1386 Consideration of the brevity of life, to work the heart of Man to Contentment.

IF a Traveller hath but enough to bring him to his journeys end, he desires no more;Quid opus est ad brevem vitam longis opibus. Hyper. We have but a day to live, and perhaps we may be now in the twelfth hour of that day; And if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night, it is sufficient: Let us be content. If a Man had the Lease of an House or Farm, but for two or three dayes, and he should fall a building and planting, would he not be judged very indiscreet? So when we have but a short time here, and Death calls us presently off the stage, to thirst immoderately after the World,Brevis est vita, &c. Aug. and pull down our Souls, to build up an estate, were it not extream Folly? Therefore as Esau said once in a prophane sense concerning his birth-right,Gen. 24. Lo, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right do to me? So let us all say in a Religious sense, Lo, I am even at the point of Death, my grave is going to be made, and what good will the World do me? If I have but enough till Sun-setting, I am content.

1387 The Scripture discovering Satan and Sin in its colours.

IT is reported,Melch. Adamus in vita. That a certain Iew should have poysoned Luther, but was happily prevented by his picture which was [...] to Luther, with a warning from a Faithfull friend, that he should take heed of such a Man when he saw him, by which he knew the Murtherer, and so escaped his hands. Thus it is, that the Word of God shews us the face of those lufts, which Satan employes to butcher our pretious Soul;Psalm 19. 11. By them is thy servant forewarned, saith David, Psal. 19. 11. Let a Man be but carefull to read the Word of God with observation, and in it he shall have the History of the most remarkable battels, Scriptura schola est coelestis, eruditio vitalis, &c. Cassiodor. super Psal. 15. that have been fought by the most eminent Worthies of Christ with Satan that great Warriour against their Souls, how Satan hath many times foyled them, and how they have recovered their lost ground; In it you shall have all Satan's Cabinet-counsels opened, there's not a lust, which you are in danger of; not the least Sin which presseth down, but you have it de [...]cryed and laid open in its proper colours; not the least Temptation which the Word doth not arm you against, &c.

1388 Sathan's policy in keeping us off from timely Repentance.

AS the Paper which came to Brentius from a Senator his dear Friend,In vita ejus ut suprà. took him as he was at Supper with his Wife and Children, and bade him flee citò, c [...]tiùs, citissimè, which he did, leaving his dear company and good chear; So must we do from our dearest bosome Sins, or we may repent our stay when it is too late: For Satan labours to while us off with delayes; floating, flitting thoughts of Repentance he fears▪ not, he can give Sinners leave to talk what they will do; Laur. Justinianus de vita Monastica. cap. 14. so he can beg time, and by his Art keep such thoughts from coming to a head, and ri [...]ening into a present resolution; few are in Hell, but thought of repenting before they came there, yet Satan so handled the matter, that they could never pitch upon the time in earnest when to do it; If ever therefore thou meanest to get out of his clutches, citò, citiùs, citissimè, fly out of his doors, and run for thy life, where ever this warning finds thee, stay not, though in the midst of thy joyes, with which thy lusts shall entertain thee.

Men through spiritual Pride preferring one Preacher before another, reproved.1389

[Page]

ZAnchy tells of one in Geneva, who being desired to go hear Viretus, that preached at the same time with Calvin, W. Gurnal ut ant [...]à. answered his Friend, If Paul were to preach, relicto Paulo Calvinum audire [...]n, I would leave Paul himself to hear Calvin; Now can it be imagined, that Pride in the gifts of another, should so far transport any Man, as to the very borders of Blasphemy; yet so it is, and so it hath been of old,2 Cor. 3. 4. one was of Paul, another of Apollos; and now one for this Preacher, another for that: Prudens auditor omnes libenter audit, &c. Chrysost. in Heb. It is not every Sermon, though wholsome food, nor every Prayer, though savoury, will go down, they must have a choyce dish, that must have an exquisite hault-goust for their curious pala [...]s; And are such ever like to get good by Preaching? Thus Pride makes them take parts, and make sides as they fancy one Preacher to excell another; so that Pride destroyes Love; and Love wanting, edification is lost: The Devil hath made foul work in the Church by this engine, it is high time to look about us.

The weaknesse of a Christian without Christ.1390

IT is said of one Mr. Benbridg, that being at the stake ready to suffer Martyrdome; his heart failed him,J. Fox Martyrol. Qui pro nobis mortem semel vicit, &c. Aug. his heart failed him, so that he thrust the faggots from him, and cryed out; I recant, I recant; yet this Man, when re-inforc't in his Faith, and indued with power from above, was able within the space of a week, after that sad foyl, to dye at the stake cheerfully. Thus the stoutest Champions of Christ, and for Christ, have been taught from time to time how weak they are, if Christ steps aside, or if he should withdraw his Grace, and leave them to their own cowardise and unbelief, they would soon shew themselves in their own colours.

Men seeking after the Vanities of all Worldly things, reproved.1391

SOlomon had more variety of all Worldly things, and more Wisedome to improve it, then any now have; and he made it his businesse critically and curiously to examine all the Creatures, and to find out all the good which was under the Sun: And the product and result of all his enquiries, amounted at last to a totall made up all of Cyphers, Vanitas vanitati; omnia vanitas. of meer wind and emptinesse, Vanity of Vanities, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. So he begins his book, and to shew that he was not mistaken, so he concludes it, Eccles. 1. 12. And so it is, that whereas many seek for joy out of the broken Cisterns of the Creatures, as in secular wealth and greatnesse; Others in sensuall pleasures, feasting, gaming, luxury, excesse;Nihil est in vita durabile; non opes, non imperium, &c. some in Titles of Honour, others in Variety of knowledg, some in stately Structures, magnificent retinue, goodly provisions; others in low, sordid, and brutish lusts; Unto all whom may be said, as the Angel unto the Women, Why seek ye the living amongst the dead? or as Samuel did unto Saul, Luke 24. 5. 1 Sam. 9. 20. Set not thy mind upon the Asses, there are nobler things to fix thy desires upon.

1392 The true Christian's desires are all for Heaven.

[Page]

IT was a notable speech of Erasmus, if spoken in earnest, and his wit were not too quick for his Conscience;In vit [...] praefixa operibus. Nihilo magis ambio opes et dignitates, quam e-lumbis equus graves sarcinas. He said, he desired Wealth and Honour no more then a feeble Horse doth an heavy Cloak-bag; Thus every good Christian ought to be of his mind; And indeed all the Christian hath or desires, as a Christian, is Heavenly; Psal. 38. Iob 6. the World is extrinsecal, both to his being and happinesse; it is a stranger to the Christian, and intermeddles not with his joy nor grief; Heap all the Riches and Honours of the World upon a Man, they will not make him a Christian; heap them on a Christian they will not make him a better Christian; Again, take them all away, let every bird have his feather, when stript and naked he will be still a Christian, and it may be a better Christian then otherwise he would have been.

1393 Men to keep up the credit of their Names.

IT is observed by an ingenious Divine,Joh. Gaule in his Votive Speculat. on Iohn Bapt. Nativity. that the name of Iohn is next to the name of Iesus; It was God that first gave them both, Iohn and Iesus signifying as much as Grace and Salvation; Iohn prepared the way to Iesus, hinting out thus much unto us, that there is no way to Salvation but by Grace, Iohn's name was an honour to him, nor was Iohn a disgrace to his Name, He both was, and was called Gratious; But so it is that many of us (by our bad manners) slander and bely our good Names; We have fair appellations and filthy conditions; Nay, have nothing to betoken us Christians, Nomina cum reconsentiant. Plato de sapient. but the Name: usurping the style whereof we want the Truth; so contrary are our lives to our callings, and titles of our persons so unlike the works of our Profession. What skilleth it to be called Clement, Conveniunt rarò nomina, &c. Urbane, Pius, and yet to be cruell, uncivill, evill? to be called Christian, Prudence, Grace, Faith, and yet to be Unchristian, unwise, ungratious, unbelieving? Let us not therefore be a scandal to our Calling, not a reproach to our own Names, but let us be mindfull of our Vow and duty so oft as our Names are mentioned: and as ready to answer to our Faith as to our Names.

1394 Negligence in the wayes of God, reproved.

THere is mention made of a Prince in Germany, R [...]rum Germanicarum Vet. Script. who being invaded by a more potent Enemy then himself, yet from his Friends and Allies (who flock't in to his help) he soon had a goodly Army, but had no money (as he said) [...]o pay them, but the truth is, he was loath to part with it; For which cause some went away in discontent, others did not vigorously mind his businesse, and so he was soon beaten out of his Kingdome; and his coffers (when his Pallace was rifled) were found to be thwack't with treasure; And thus was he ruin'd, as some sick Men dye,Omnes sumus in minimis cauti▪ in maximis neglig [...]ntes. Hieron. de hom. perfect. because unwilling to be at cost to pay the Physitian: Now so it is that few or none are to be found, but would be glad their Souls might be saved at last; but where is the Man or Woman, that makes it appear by their Vigorous endeavour that they mean in earnest? What Warlike-preparation do they make against Satan who lyes between them and home? Where are their Arms, where their skill to use them, their resolution to stand to them, and conscionable care to exercise themselves daily in the use of them? Thus to do is a rarity indeed, if woulding and wishing would bring them to Heaven, then they may likely come thither; but as for this diligence in the wayes of God, this circumspect walking,Osi, osi, otiosi. this Wrestling and fighting, this making Religion our businesse, they are far from these, as at last in so doing they are like to be from Heaven.

No way to Happinesse but by Holinesse.1395

[Page]

ONe fitly compares Holinesse and Happinesse to those two sisters Leah and Rachel; W. Gurnall Christian in compleat armour. Happinesse like Rachel seems the fayrer (even a carnal heart may fall in love with that) but Holinesse like Leah is the elder and beautifull also, though in this life it appears with some disadvantage, her eyes being bleared with tears of Repentance, and her face furrowed with the works of Mortification, but this is the Law of that Heavenly Country, that the younger sister must not be bestowed before the Elder: We cannot enjoy fair Rachell Heaven and Happinesse,Non est ad astra mollis. except first we embrace tender-eyed Leah, Holinesse with all her severe duties of Repentance and Mortification? If we will have Heaven, we must have Christ; If Christ, we must like his service as well as his Sacrifice; there's no way to Happinesse but by Holinesse.

Men deluded by Satan in not taking the right notion of Sin.1396

IT is with men in sinning as it is with Armies in fighting; Captains beat their Drums for Voluntiers, Hieron. Drexelius de Militia Christiana. and promise all that list pay and plunder, and this makes them come trowling in: but few consider, what the ground of the War is, or for what; Thus Satan enticeth Men to Sin, and giveth golden promises of what they shall have in his service, with which silly Souls are won: but how few ask their Souls, Whom do I sin against? What is the Devills design in drawing me to Sin? Sine permissione Dei, Diab [...] lum nocere non posse cognoscas, &c. Greg. lib. 2. Moral. Shall I tell thee? Dost thou think, 'tis thy pleasure or profit he desires in thy sinning? Alas, he means nothing lesse, he hath greater plots in his head then so; He hath by his Apostacy proclaimed war against God, and he brings thee by sinning to espouse his quarrel, and to jeopard the life of thy Soul in defence of his pride and lust; which that he may do, he cares no more for the damnation of thy Soul, then the great Turk doth to see a company of his slaves cut off for the carrying on of his design in the time of a siege: If therefore thou wilt not be deluded by him, take the right notion of Sin, and labour to understand the bottome of his bloudy design intended against thee.

Gods love to his Children in the midst of spirituall desertions, And how so?1397

AS Ioseph, when he spake roughly to his brethren, and made them believe he would take them for spyes,Gen. 42. still his heart was toward them, and he was as full of love as ever he could hold, he was fain to go aside and weep. And as Moses his Mother, when she pu [...] her child into the Ark of bul-rushes, and went a little way from it, yet still her eye was toward it,Exod. 2. The babe wept, I and the Mother wept too; So God when he goes a side as if he had forsaken his children, yet he is full of sympathy and love towards them; It is one thing for God to desert, another thing to dis-inherit; How shall I give thee up O Ephraim, Hos. 8. 11. This is a Metaphor taken from a Father going about to dis-inherit his Son, and while he is going to set his hand to the deed, his bowels begin to melt; and to yearn over him: though he be a prodigall child, yet he is a child, I will not cut off the entail; So saith God, How shall I give thee up? though Ephraim hath been a Rebellious Son, yet he is my Son, I will not dis-inherit him; Gods heart may be full of love when there is a vail upon his face; The Lord may change his dispensation towards his children, but not his disposition. So that the believer may confidently say, I am adopted, and let God do what he will with me, let him take the rod or the staff, 'tis all one to me so long as he loves me.

1398 The day of Death becomes the good Mans comfort; And how so?

[Page]

THe Persians had a certain day in the year,Brisson, de reg. Pers. lib. 2. which they called Vitiorum interitum, wherein they used to kill all Serpents and venemous Creatures; Such a day as that will the Day of Death be to a Man in Christ; this day the old Serpent dyes in a believer, that hath so often s [...]ung him with his Temptations; this day the sins of the Godly, these venemous Creatures shall all be destroyed, they shall never be proud more, they shall never grieve the Spirit of God more; the death of the body, shall quite destroy the body of death; so that Sin, which was the Midwife that brought Death into the World,Mors mihi lucrum. Death shall be the grave to bury sin: O the priviledg and comfort of a true believer! he is not taken away in his sins, but he is taken away from his sins, and death is made unto him advantage.

1399 Heavenly happinesse not to be expressed.

NIcephorus tells us of one Agbarus a great Man,In hist. Eccles. that (hearing so much of Christs fame, by reason of the Miracles he wrought) sent a Painter to take his picture, and that the Painter when he came was not able to do it, because of that radiancy and divine splendor, which sate on Christs face. Whether this be true or no, penes sit authorem; but to be sure, there is such a brightnesse on the face of Christ glorified, and that Happinesse, which Saints shall have with him in the highest Heavens, as forbids us that dwell in mortal flesh to conceive of it aright, much more to expresse it; 'tis best going thither to be informed, and then we shall confesse we on Earth heard not half of what we there find; yea, that our present conceptions are no more like to that vision of glory we shall there have, then the Sun in the Painters Table, is to the Sun it self in the Heavens.

Men to be constant in the performance of holy Duties.1400

IT is observable,Hic magnus sedet Aeneas, secum (que) volutat That many who have gone into the Field▪ and liked the work of a Souldier for a battel or two, but soon have had enough, and come running home again from their Colours, whereas few can bear it as a constant Trade; War is a thing that they could willingly wooe for their pleasure,Eventus belli varios. Virgil. but are loath to wed upon what terms soever. Thus many are soon engaged in holy duties, easily perswaded to take up a Profession of Religion, and as easily perswaded to lay down; like the new Moon, which shines a little in the first part of the night, but is down long before half of the night be gone; the lightsome Professors in their youth, whose old age is wrapt up in thick darknesse of Sin and wickedness: O this constancy and persevering is a hard word!Hic labor, hoc opus est. this taking up the Crosse daily, this praying alwayes, this watching night and day, and never laying aside our cloaths and armour, i. indulging our selves to remit and unbend in our holy waiting upon God,Alacriter incumbendum est inchoatis, &c. Cassiodor. lib. 5. ep. 15. and walking with God; this sends many sorrowful from Christ; yet this is the Saints duty, to make Religion his every-dayes work, withou [...] any vacation from one end of the year to the other.

How it is that there are so many Professors of Religion, and so few Christians and Practisers of Religion.1401

[Page]

ALl Israel came joyfully out of Egypt under Moses his conduct, yea, and a mixt Multitude with them,Exod. 9. but when their bellies were a little pinched with hunger, and their greedy desires of a present Canaan deferred; yea, instead of peace and plenty, nothing but Warr and pen [...]ry appeared, they (like white-liver'd Souldiers) are ready to fly from their colours, and make a dishonourable retreat into Egypt. Thus the greatest part of those, who professe the Gospel, when they come to push of pike,—E [...] [...]uga Cervis, A patribus datur, et patrius pavor incitat ar [...]us. Lucretius. to be tried what they will do, deny, endure for Christ, grow sick of their enterprise: Alas, their hearts fail them; they are like the waters of Bethlehem; but if they must dispute their passage with so many Enemies, they will even content themselves with their own Cistern, and leave Heaven to others, that will venture more hardly for it.

Gods comfortable presence in the midst of spiritual desertions.1402

THe Gardiner digs up his Garden, pulls up his fences, takes up his plants, and to the eye,Jos. Symonds Case and cure of a deser [...]ed Conscience. seems to make a pleasant place, as a waste piece of ground; but every intelligent Man knowes, that he is about to mend it▪ not to mar it; to plant it better, not to destroy it. So God is comfortably present with us, even in our spirituall desertions, and though he seem to annihilate, or to reduce his new Creation,Hag. 2. 9. yet it is to repair its ruines, and to make it more beautifull and glorious: Or, as in the repairing of an house, we see how they pull down part after part,Diruit, aedificat, &c. as if they intended to demolish it quite; but the end is to make it better; it may be some posts and pillars are removed, but it is to put in stronger. It may be some lights are stopped up, but it is to make fairer. So though God take away our props, Fortior ut possit cladibus esse suis. Ovid. Amorum. it is not that we may fall, but that he may settle us in greater strength, he batters down the life of sense, to put us upon a life of Grace: And when he darkens our light that we cannot see, it is but to bring in fuller light into our Souls; As when the Stars shine not, the Sun appears, repairing our losse of an obscure light, with his clear bright shining beams; So that though God do forsake his people,O amor [...]o Boni [...]as, nostris bene provida rebus. J. Picus Mirandula. yet not totally, not for ever, not ceasing the affection of Love, but the acts of Love for some time: And when he seems to be turning a Man into a desolate and ruinous condition, yet even then is he building and preparing him to be a more excellent structure.

The Christians spiritual growth, when seemingly dead and declining.1403

AS in the lopping of a Tree, there seems to be a kind of diminution and destruction, Omnis medicina habet ad tempus amaritudin [...]m; sed &c. Hieronym▪ yet the end and issue of it is better growth; And as the weakning of the body by Physick, seems to tend to death, yet it produceth better health, and more strength; and as the ball, by falling downward, riseth upward; and Water in pipes desc [...]nds, that it may ascend: So the Christians spiritual growth, when seemingly dead and declining,Descendit ut ascendat. and to stand a stay, is still carried on by the hidden method of God to encrease: For every true Christian is a member of a thriving body, Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. in which there is no Atrophie, but a continual issuing of spirits from the head, so that life being wrought by the Spirit of life, never dyeth; [Page] but is alwayes upon the growing hand, ripening and encreasing, even in the midst of tentations and trouble.

1404 Backwardnesse in the service of God, reproved.

AStone needs not to be driven downward,Ubi cadaver ibi erunt et Aquilae. because that motion is suitable to it, and it affects the Centre; the Eagles fly willingly to their prey; an hungry Man needs not either perswasion or compulsion to eat his meat: So did but Men delight in God,Jos. Symonds Case and cure of a wounded Canscience. What means their hanging back from him; How is it that the Counsels and thoughts of their hearts, the pressing perswasions of the Word, the strong motions of the Spirit, the shining Examples of the godly, the wise advice of Faithful friends, the sweet inducements of pretious Promises, the sad menaces of fearfull Evils; yea,Te pater Aeneas et avunculus excitat Hector. Virg. the heavy strokes of an angry God: yea, the tender Mercies of a melting Father, yea the bleeding wounds of a crucified Redeemer; How is it that none of these do more prevail with them to a more ready walking with their God: Surely, such backwardnesse, such unwillingnesse in the service of God, cannot but be hatefull unto him.

1405 Religion consisting in duty both to God and Man.

AS the Boat cannot move rightly, Qui Deum amare negligit, proximum diligere nescit. Greg. lib. 10. moralium. when the Oars onely on one side are plyed; Or as the Foul, if she use onely one wing, cannot fly up: So Religion consisteth of duties to be performed, some to God, and some to Man; some for the first Table of the Law, some for the second; otherwise that Religion will never profit, that hath one hand wrapped up, that should be towards Man in all offices of Charity, though the other be used towards God in all offices of Piety.

1406 The paucity of true Believers.

IT is the observation of a Learned Man,Edw. Brerewoo [...], Enquiry in La [...]guages. That if the World were divided into thirty equall parts, nineteen of those thirty would prove to be overspread with Heathenish Idolatry, six of the eleven remaining with the doctrine of Mahomet, so there would remain but five parts of the thirty, wherein were any thing of Christianity, And among those Christians, so many seduced Papists on one hand, and formal Protestants on the other, that surely but few are saved: Nay, such is the paucity of true believers, Esay 17. 6. that as that Olive-Tree, (mentioned by the Prophet) with two or three berries on the uppermost bough; Satan may be said to have the harvest, Horat. Ode. 1. and God onely a few gleanings. It should therefore make us strive the more tanquam pulvere Olympico, that we may be of the number of those few that shall inherit Salvation.

1407 Spiritual sloath in the wayes of God, reproved.

THere is mention made of certain Spaniards, S. Pulchas Pilgrimage. that live near unto a place where there is great store of Fish, yet are so lazy, that they will not be at the [...]ains to catch them, but buy of their Neighbours: And such is the sinful stupidity of most Men,Non dormi [...]ntibus provenit regnum Coel [...] rum, n [...]cotio et desi [...]iâ tor [...]enti us, beatitudo acternitatis ingeritur. Prosp. de vita contemplat. such the spiritual sloath upon them, that though Christ be near them, though Salvation be offered in the Gospel, and (as it were) brought to their very houses, yet they will not work out their salvation; This was the case of the Israelites, It is said, that they despised the pleasant Land, Psal. 106. 24. And what should be the reason? Canaan was worth the looking after, for it was a Paradise of delight, a type of Heaven; I, but they thought it would cost them a great deal of trouble and hazard in the getting, and they would rather go without it; And thus many had rather go sleeping to Hell, then sweating to Heaven.

To be more carefull for the Body then the Soul, a thing justly reproveable.1408

[Page]

THere is a Parable of a Woman, which travelling with child brought forth a twin, and both children being presented to her, she falls deeply and fondly in love with the one, but is carelesse and dis [...]respectfull of the other; this she will nurse her self,Paul de Wann Serm. de tempore. but that is put forth; her love grows up with the child she kept herself, she decks it fine, she feeds it choicely; but at last, by overmuch pampering of it the child surfets, becomes mortally sick, and when it was dying, she remembers her self and sends to look after the other child that was at nurse,Speculum Exemp [...]orum. to the end she might now cherish it, but when the Messenger came, she finds it dying and gasping likewise, and examining the Truth, she understands that through the Mothers carelesnesse and neglect to look after it, the poor child was starved, thus was the fond partiall Mother to her great grief, sorrow, and shame, deprived of both her hopefull babes at once: Thus every Christian is this Mother, the children are our Body and Soul; the former of these it is, that Men and Women fall deeply and fondly in love with, whilst indeed they are carelesse and neglect the other, this they dresse and feed, nothing is too good or too dear for it; but at the last the body surfets, comes by some means or other to it's death-bed, when there is very little or no hope of life, then Men begin to remember the Soul, and would think of some course to save it, the Minister he is sent for in all haste to look after it; but alasse,H. Hardwick ut anteà. he finds it in part dead, in part dying, and the very truth is, the owner through neglect and carelesnesse hath starved the Soul, and it is ready to go to Hell before the Body is fit for the Grave. And so the foolish fond Christian to his eternal shame and sorrow loseth both his Body and Soul for ever.

The nature and properties of the Holy Spirit set forth for our instruction in the similitude of a Dove.1409

THough Pliny and all the Heathen writers were silent,L. Andrews Winton. Serm. at Court on Whitsonday, 1615. the Holy Word of God hath enough to set out unto us the nature and properties of the Dove; There is first of all Noahs Dove with an Olive branch in her mouth, a peaceable one. 2. Davids dove for the colour with Feathers silver white,Gen. 8. 11. Psal. 68. not speckled as a bird of divers colours, but white, the emblem of sincerity, and there's Solomons dove for the eye a single and direct eye, not learing as a Fox, and looking divers wayes. 3. Esayes Dove for the voice in patience, mourning; not in impatience, murmuring,Esay 38. and repining. Lastly, our Saviour Christs Dove for bill and claw,Matth. 10. innocent and harmlesse, not bloudy or mischievous: Now qualis species talis spiritus, as the Dove so the Holy Ghost. 1. A Spirit that loves [...], men of one accord. 2. Et qui [...]ugit fictum, Act. 2. cannot abide new tricks, meer fictions indeed, feyned by feyned Christians, party-propositions, half in the mouth, and half in the mind. 3. And when he speaketh, he speaketh for us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed,Rom. 8. Act. 2. such is his love and so earnest. 4. And hurts none, not when he was in the resemblance of a Dove; No not when he was Fire, he was harmlesse Fire at the same time. And thus it is that the nature and properties of the Holy Spirit are set forth for our instruction in the resemblance of a Dove teaching us to be peaceable, to love singlenesse in meaning, speaking and dealing, to suf [...]er harm, but to do none.

1410 Magistrates, Ministers, &c. to be Examples of good unto others, and why so?

[Page]

NAturalists report of the bird Ibis, Conrad. Gesnerus hist. lib. whereof there are many in Egypt, especially in the City of Alexandria, that it [...]ateth up all the garbage of the City, but leaves somewhat behind it, that is more noysome then any filth it had eaten; Others write that it will devour every Serpent it meets with; but from the egge of this bird cometh the most hurtfull of all Serpents,Oppiana. Pierius Hieroglyph. Strabo. l. 17. the Basilisk, the sight whereof killeth: Thus it is to be heartily wished that those who are entrusted for the Peoples good, whether in Church or State be not like unto this bird, seem to do something good but much hurt withall; but that in them as they are Gods upon Earth, may alwaies be found that which the Psalmist hath of God in Heaven, Thou art good and dost good, Psalm 86. 5. that their lives may be Examples of good, —In vulgu [...] manant exempla regentum▪ Claud. because that otherwise their authority will be lesse prevailing for suppressing those evils whereunto their bad Examples give encouragement.

1411 God to have all the glory.

JUstinian is said to have made a Law,Joachim Mynsingerus in Iustitut. lib. 1. in tit. de recum. that no Master-workman should put up his name within the body of that building which he made out of another Mans cost; And our own History tells us that when William of Wickham then Chaplain to Edward the third, was by him made overseer of the work for the repair of Windsor Castle, that those three words, which he caused to be inscribed upon the great Tower,Fr. Godwinus d [...] Praesul [...]bus Angliae, in vita ejus. This made Wickham, had not he construed them another way (as that no he made the work, but the work made him) had quite lost him the Kings favour: Thus it is that God is jealous of his honour, he cannot endure that the Creature should have any share primarily therein, but as derived and participated onely; let every Man then, especially, such whose greatnesse makes them too apt to take too much unto them selves,D [...]o datori sit [...]us, honor, &c. ascribe all unto God, give all the glory to God, and when they begin to give unto God, never give over giving, Psal. 115. 1. till they have given all that they are, all that is his due, all honour and glory, praise, power and dominion for evermore.

1412 Man to be thankfull unto God upon consideration of the Creatures.

IT was a divine saying of Epictetus that Heathenish Philosopher,Joh. Alstedii Theolog. nat. admiring the singing of birds, Si luscinia essem, &c. If I had been made a Nightingale, I should have sung like a Nightingale, now that I am made a Man, a reasonable Creature, shall I not serve God, and praise him in that station wherein he hath set me? Thus he an Heathen,Iustum est ut creatura laudet Creatorem; Ipse enim ad laudandum se creavit. Aug. and thus we Christians are to consider the Creatures leading the way unto the duty of thankfulnesse. First, what they are mutually to each other, and then what they are to us, and lastly what they are to God, in their kind ever thankfull; so that it is conceived, that one of the foulest and shamefullest things, that the Creatures shall lay to mans charge at the day of Judgment,Origen. is, that all other Creatures from the Creation have been obedient to God without the least digression, onely Man (for whom and for whose service all else were made) hath failed in his service and proved rebellious and unthankfull.

Riches, the danger of them being not well used.1123

[Page]

IN an Artichock, S. O [...]es exposit. on Iude. there is a little picking meat not so wholesome as delicious, and nothing to that it shews for; more then the tenth part is unprofitable leaves; and besides, there's a core in the midst of it, that will choak a Man if he take not good heed. Such a thing is Wealth that Men so covetously desire; It is like some kind of Fish, so full of bones and unseen, that no Man can eat of them without great danger: The Rich Mans Wealth is very troublesome to the outward Man like a long garment that is too side,Si rectè frueris, non est ut copi [...] major Ab Iov [...] donari possit tibi. Ausonius. Prov. 10. 15. if he tread upon it, he may chance to catch a fall, a fall into much discontent and envy of the World; But to the Soul, Riches, if not well imployed prove very pernitious, making a Man vainly confident; thinking that he is so wal [...]'d and moated about, that he is out of all Gunshot, when he is more open to danger then a poorer Man; then they make him proud: And Pride, saith S. Bernard, is the Rich mans cosen, it blows him up like a bladder with a quill, then he growes secure, and so falls into suddain ruine.

Mortification, the great necessity thereof.1124

SOme Physitians hold,The Newlanders cure. that in every two years, there is such store of ill humours and excrementitious matter ingendred in the body of Man, that (if not by Physick purged out) a vessel of one hundreth ounces will scarce contain them, so that according to this accompt in a short time the whole body would be morbus complicatus, nothing but diseases: If it be so then in the Body, What shall we think of the Soul? Certainly,Scelerum coll [...]vies, farrag [...] vitiorum, errorum turba▪ Isid. de Sum: bono. there's a World of Wickednesse, and superfluity of naughtinesse, even a bed of spirituall diseases, daily gathered and got together in the Sin-sick Soul; purged therefore it must needs be by the practice of Mortification, according to that of the Apostle, Morti [...]ie therefore your Earthly members: Col. 3. 5. not as those Religious Roman Bedlams that whip and lash their bodies, but to dead that body of Sin, that it may not have dominion over us, nor reign in our mortal bodies.

The excellency of Vnity in Church and Common-weale.1125

PLiny writes of a certain stone called,Nat. hist. lib. 2. Lapis Tyrrhenus, that grandis innatat, comminutus mergitur; While it is whole and entire, it swims aloft, but if it be broken into pieces, every piece and parcel sinks to the bottom: So the Church and Common-weal by Unity float and swim aloft, and are supported and kept above water; but if they crumble into sects and factions,M. Adamus in vita. Strigelii. and divide into parts and parties, like those that fled to Franckford in Q. Maries dayes, or that uncommunion-like Sacramentarian difference, Dr. Elborow Visitat. S [...]rm. 1637. that made Strigelius wish himself in his grave, they are near unto destruction: For Unity is the life and Soul of both Church and State, Daunum et Populus est, tolle unum et turba est, a disgregation rather then a Congregation; Confusion rather then Order or Government.

Love, the great want thereof to be deplored.1126

AS in the dayes of Deborah there was neither Spear nor Shield.Iudg. 5. As in the dayes of Saul there was no Smith in Israel.1 Sam. 13. 8. As in the dayes of Solomon, 1 Kings 8. there was no Manna to be found.2 Sam. 1. 21. As on the Mountains of Gilboa no rain. In [Page] Gilead no Balm. No flowers in Bashan; in Sichem no corn,S. Otes explanat. on ep. of Iude. being sowed with salt. In Tyrus no ships.Ier. 8. 22. In Cimmeria no light: So in England no Love, Iudg. 9. 45. or (which is to be deplored) but a little; We have plenty of all things but of Love; If there be an hundred Men in a Town or place,Ezek. 28. scarce two love together and agree as they should; and in this worse then Devills, seven of them could agree in Mary Magdalen, and a Legion in another, Matth. 26. —Rara est concordia fratrum. Ovid. 1 Thess. 4. 9. which is seven thousand six hundred twenty two, as Vegetius and Varro affirm; but scarce seven Men of seven hundred love as brethren: It cannot be said with S. Paul; As touching brotherly love you need not that I write unto you. For most Men in our dayes are either brethren and not good fellowes, or else good fellowes and not brethren; The composition is rare, there be few Philadelphians in the World; Schismaticks are all for the brotherhood, and nothing for Fellowship: on the contrary, wicked Atheists are all for Fellowship, and nothing for Brotherhood; So that such are the divisions that are to be found in the midst of us, not as Labans sheep into three Companies, some white, some black, some speckled, but into threescore (if possible into more) so that there is little Love, and lesse agreement; but God (it is to be hoped) will make us Friends in Heaven, where all Injuries shall be forgotten.

1127 Alms-giving, how to be regulated.

SElymus the great Turk, R. Kooles hist. Turk. as he lay languishing, (his incurable disease still increasing) leaning his head in the lap of Pyrrhus the Bassa, whom of all others he most loved; I see, said he, O Pyrrhus, I must shortly die without remedy: Whereupon the great Bassa took occasion to talk with him of many great matters; And amongst others, that it would please him to give order for the well bestowing of the great wealth, taken from the Persian Merchants in divers places of his Empire; perswading him to bestow the same upon some notable Hospital for relief of the Poor: To whom Selymus replyed; Wouldst thou, Pyrrhus, that I should bestow other Mens goods, wrongfully taken from them, upon works of Charity and devotion for my own vain-glory and praise? Assuredly, I will never do it; Nay, see they be given again to the right owners; which was forthwith done accordingly: What a shame then is this to Christians, who minding nothing lesse then Restitution, Dejustis laboribus saciendae sunt Eleemosynae, &c. Aug. de divit. make ex rapina holocaustum, out of a world of ill-gotten goods, they cull out some small fragments to erect some poor Hospitall, having cheated Thousands, build Alms-houses for some few, and then set a glorious Inscription in the Front; whereas this one word, Aceldama, would be far more proper: But this is not the right way of Alms-giving; Take [...]eed how you do your Alms, Matth. 6. 1. Notae Ministr [...] rum Lond. in loc. saith our Saviour; where the word Alms, is in the Syriack, Justice; shewing, that Alms should be of things well gotten, when a Man is able to say, This,Aug. lib. 1. Serm. Dom. in monte. by the blessing of God, is the fruit of my own labours: And then too, He that gives Al [...]s to the poor, must do it with discretion, omni petenti non omnia petenti, to every one that doth ask, but not every thing that he doth ask.

1128 Vnanimity, the excellency thereof.

DAvid and Ionathan had but one heart. Eusebius and Pamphilus Martyr [...]ut one name: Pilades and Orestes but one life: Ruth and Naomi but one affection,1 Sam. 18. S. O [...]es explanat. on Iude. Basil and Nazianzene of whom it is said, that anima un [...] erat inclusa in duobus corporibiu, there was but one Soul shut up in two bodies; And there was a whole Multitude but as one Man. O the excellency of Unanimity, Act. 4. 32. Unanimity of Truth, not of Error! Happy dayes were those, when amongst the People there was Cor [...]unum, via una; One heart and one way to walk in, when they were all but as one Man, which made their very Enemies to say of them, Ecce ut invicem se diligunt, Eusebius in hist. See how these Christians love one another, how they knit and cloze together: But now it is come to Ecce ut invicem se oderunt, behold [Page] how they hate one another, divide and separate one from another, the Master to the Church, the Mistress to the Chamber▪ the Servant to the Fields, yet all in one house; some to the Sacrament, —en quò discordia cives Perduxit miseros! Virg. Eclog. 1. some to breaking of bread, and some to neither, yet all in one Parish; their hearts are divided, the cord of Love is untwisted; they may sing and say, Come holy Ghost; but no marvail that he comes no faster, they are not of one mind; Accord is wanting, and therefore not fit for the Spirit to come into them.

The formal Christian described.1129

IN the History of the World encompassed by Sir Francis Drake, Anas redivivus. by Ph. Nichols. Joh. Trap Com. on [...]vang▪ it is recorded, that in a certain Island to the Southward of Celebes, among the Trees, night by night did shew themselves, an infinite swarm of Fiery-seeming worms, flying in the Ayr, whose bodies, no bigger then an ordinary fly, o [...]d make a shew and give such light, as if every twigg on every Tree had been a lighted Candle, or as if that place had been the starry sphere. This was but a semblance, but an appearance; no more is that of all Formal Christians, but a flaunt, but a flourish, Odi virum duplicem natum. their knowledge is but a form, their Godlinesse a figure, their Zeal a Flash, all they do but a shadow of what they should do; They make use of God for their own purposes,Bonum sermonibus, inimicum moribus. Pers. Sa [...]. 5. and care onely to make divine Authority, a colour for their own hypocritical designs: In whose silent faces are written the characters of Religion, which their tongues and gestures pronounce, but their hands recant, whose mouthes belye their hearts, and fingers oppose their mouths.

God afflicting his Children to try their sincerity.1130

AS a Father will sometimes crosse his Son,T. Gataker Davids remembrancer. A Sermon. to try the Childs disposition, to see how he will take it, whether he will mutter and grumble at it, and grow humorous and wayward, neglect his duty to his Father, because his Father seemeth to neglect him; or make offer to run away and withdraw himself from his Fathers obedience, because he seems to carry himself harshly and roughly towards him, and to provoke him thereunto: So doth God oft-times crosse his Children,In fornace ardet palea; et purgatur aurum, &c. Aug. in Psal. 60. and seemeth to neglect them, to try their disposition, what mettall they are made of, how they stand affected towards him, whether they will neglect him, because he seemeth to neglect them; cease to depend on him, because he seemeth not to look after them; and say with Ioram's propnane Pursivant, This evill is of God, 2 Kings 6. 33. and why should I depend upon him any longer? or whether they will constantly cleave unto him, though he seem to cast them off; and say with Esay, yet will I wait upon God, Esay 8. 17. Iob 13. 15. though he hide his face from us, and I will look for him, though he look not for us. And with Iob, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: And with the Heathen,Seneca ad Marc [...]l. cap. 13. iratum colere numen, to worship even an angry God; and with the Cynick to his Master Antistenes, Nullus tam durus erit baculus, &c. There shall be no cudgel to be found so crabbed,Diog. Laert. as shall beat me from you.

The Original and excellency of the Hebrew Tongue.1131

THere are three Tongues that are in a more especiall manner,Edm. Leigh. Critica Sacra in vet. Test. in praesat. famous all over the World, The Latine, Greek, and Hebrew: The first propter Regnum, because of the Monarchy of the Romans; who as they subjected the people which they did conquer to their Laws and Customs, so did they force▪ them to learn their Language: The second propter doctrinam, because in it, the great Philosophers and wise Men of the World left the Monuments of their Wisedome [Page] dome and Learning to Posterity: The third propter Deum, because in it God delivered his Law, and the interpretation of it by Moses and the Prophets, to the People of Israel his chosen; The Latine is a common tongue,Joh. Buxtorph. de origine, &c. the Greek a copious tongue; but Hebrew the most ancient and holy tongue; For antiquity, the tongue of Adam; for sanctity,Joh. Drusii observ. sacrae. lib. 15. the tongue of God. In this tongue, God spake to the Prophets and Patriarks; In this tongue, the Angels spake to Men; In this tongue, the Prophets wrote the Old Testament; And in this tongue, as is thought,Will. Fulk on Rhem. Test. Apoc. 19. 4. shall the Saints speak, and sing praises unto God in Heaven.

1132 Justice commutative, to do as we would be done by.

SEverus the Emperor had that sentence of our Saviour often in his mouth,Wol [...]g. Lazius de reb. gest. Romanorum Aelius Spartianus. Quod tibi non [...]vis fieri, alteri ne feceris, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, Matth. 7. 12. and commanded it to be proclaimed by the Cryer, whensoever he punished such of his Souldiers, as had offered injury to others: And without all doubt,Quod sibi quis noli [...] fieri, non inferat ulli. Prosper. For a Man to do as he would be done by, is the Royall Law, the standard of Equity, the golden Rule, according to which we must square and frame all our actions and transactions with others; And were but Men as Faithful Disciples of active charity, as they are for the most part Doctors of the passive, the work would soon be done: It is confessed,J. Trap on Evang. that Charity begins at home, How is that? In regard of order, but not in regard of time; For so soon as a Man begins to love himself, he must love his Neighbour as himself, neither may any Man at any time hide himself from his own flesh,Esay 58. 7. that is, from his Neighbour of the same stock with himself.

1133 God exercising the Graces of his Children.

THe Nurse goeth aside from the Child to teach it to find its feet,Bas. Sel [...]uc. Ho [...]. 21. and see how it will go alone; The Eagle, when her young ones are fledg'd, turneth them out of the nest, not beareth them on her wings, as at other times she was wont to do; but that she may enure them to flie, flyeth from them, and leaveth them to shift for themselves: Thus God seems to withdraw himself from his Children,Tentat ut probet Deus. Aug. no exercise those excellent Graces of Patience and confidence in him, that like Tapers burn clearest in the dark; to teach them to swim without bladders, and to go without crutches; as not to trust in themselves, so not to trust in the means, but in him that worketh by them, and can as well work for them without them, when they fail.

1134 Inhumanity condemned.

BEnzo relating the Spaniards cruelty upon the poor Natives of America, saith,In hist. novi orbis. that in one of their Islands, called Hispaniola, of twenty hundred thousand, when the People stood untouch't, he did not think that at the time, when he penn'd his History, there were above one [...]undred and fifty Souls [...] alive; Whereupon he breaks out into a passionate exclamation upon the horror of such Inhumanity; O quot Nerones, quot Domitiani, quot Commodi, quot Bassiani, Ah nimiùm saciles! qui tristia crimina caedis, Flumineâ tolli posse putatis aqua? Ovid. Fast. 2. quot immites Dionys [...]i eas terras peragravêre! O, How many Neroes, how many Domitians, with other the like infamous, egregious Tyrants, have harrowed those Co [...]ntries? But had Benzo lived to have written the history of our times, he might have truly said; Barbarous and inhumane Christendome! Men of blood and cruelty! whose hearts are so bound and confirm'd with sinews of Iron, that they are no more moved with the life of a Man, then if a dog had fallen before them; so fallen from their kind, as if Rocks had fathered [Page] them, and they had suck'd the Dragons in the Deserts, rather then the daughters of Men; Non in compendium, Seneca de Clem. lib. 2. sed occidendi causa occidentes, murthering upon every occasion, and killing because they delight in killing; whereas the care and study not only of Christians, but of Civil and good natur'd People, should be, Parce Civium sanguini, spare the bloud of Men, because they are all Kinsmen and Brethren in the flesh.

How far there may be a lawful compliance with others of different Judgment.1135

ST. Augustine preaching to the Roman Colonies in Africa, Conr. Zuingeri theatrum [...]um. vitae. spake broken bar [...]arous Latine, to the end they might understand him: When I come to Rome, saith S. Ambrose to Monica the Mother of S. Augustine, I fast on the Saturday; When I am at Millain, Theod. Beza in vita. I fast not: Calvin was cast out of Geneva for refusing to administer the Lords Supper with Water-cakes or unleavened bread; de quo, restitutus, nunquam contendendum putavit, of which, being afterwards restored, he thought best to make no more words, but to yield; though he let them know, that he had rather it were otherwise: Thus it was, that Christ himself is said to come eating and drinking; Matth. 11. 19. Luk. 5. 30. and to sit at me [...]t with Publicans and Sinners. And thus must all of us do, with S. Paul, be all things to all Men,1 Cor. 9. 22. J. Trap Com. on the Evangel. Romae Tiburamo, &c. that we may win some; to turn our selves into all shapes and fashions both of speech and spirit to win Men unto God, to make use of things indifferent, to do what we can to preserve our good esteem with others, that we may the sooner prevail with them: And whatsoever Church we come to, ejus morem servare, to do as they do, not giving offence carelesly, nor taking offence causelesly; the defect whereof is charged upon the best,Luk. 16. 8. when Christ said, The Children of this World, are wiser in their generation then the Children of Light.

Rulers and Men in Authority, subject to many failings in Government.1136

THe Bythinians being convented before Claudius the Emperor,Tacitus. Suetonius. Xyphilin. in Claud. cry down Iunius Clio, that he may be President over them no longer: The noyse being somewhat confused, the Emperor understood not their desires, and thereupon demanded of those next him, What the People would have; Narcissus a Familiar, or rather an auricular buzze of the Court, answered, like a false Eccho, That the People gave his Excellency great thanks for their last President, and requested the continuance of him to be still over them: The Emperor meaning well, but ill-informed (to gratifie them as he thought) assigned them their old President again, whereby the Emperor was abused, and the People still oppressed, whereas they had been eased, had it not been for the mis-interpretation of a crooked Interpreter: Thus it is that Rulers and Men in power,Geo. Strodes A [...]at. of Mortality. by reason of Flesh and blood do travail with infirmity, and bring forth escapes: The wisest Governors that in speculation of Iustice are admirable, in their practice may be quite transported; They that in thesi are sharp, in the application are oft-times very dull: They may do wrong non voluntate nocendi, Magistratus est medicus civitatis; bene (que) praeest, qui juvat, &c. Thucid. lib. 6. not with purpose to do ill; sed necessitate nesciendi, because they cannot come to the knowledg of the right; Many byasses they have to draw them awry; Affection at one time may dazle their eyes, and wrong Intelligence at another time abuse their ear.

1137 The least degree of true saving Faith, accepted by God.

[Page]

SMoake is of the same nature with flame; J. Trap exposit. on Matth. For what is flame but smoake set on fire? The least spark of Fire, if cherished, will endeavour to rise above the ayr, as well as the greatest: So, a little Grace may be true Grace, as the filings of Gold are as good Gold (though nothing so much of it) as the whole wedge: A Reed shaken with the wind is taken for a thing very contemptible at the best, Matth. 11. 7. How much more when it is bruised? The wick of a Candle is little worth, and yet lesse when it comes to smoak, as yielding neither light nor heat, but onely stink and annoyance, such as men bear not with, but [...]read out: So doth not God, Tarda s [...]let magnis rebus in [...]sse fides. Ovid. ep. 16. who hath a singular sagacity, and can soon resent the least of provocations, yet the bruised Reed he will not break, and the smoaking Flax he will not quench; Nay, the very pantings, inquietations, and the unsatissiablenesse in the matter of Grace spring from the truth of Grace, and are such as God makes high esteem of.

1138 Gods Children afflicted, to make them perfect.

A Physitian or Surgeon, T. Gataker. Davids Remembrancer. A Sermon. when he meeteth with a soare festered, or full of dead fl [...]sh▪ he applyeth some sharp Corrosive to eat out the dead flesh, that would otherwise spoyl the cure; Which being done, the Patient, it may be, impatient of anguish and pain, cryes out to have it removed; No, sayes the Surgeon, it must stay there till it have eaten to the quick, and effected that throughly for which it is applyed; commanding those that are about him, to see that nothing be stirred till he come again to him;Nihil prodest medicamentum, nisi qui [...] ejus prius concoxerit amaritudinem, &c. Thryver. in Apophthegm. In the mean time, the Patient being much pained counts every minute an hour till the Surgeon come back again; and if he stay long, thinketh that he hath forgotten him, or that he is taken up with other Patients, and will not return in any reasonable time; When as it may be, he is all the while but in the next room to him, attending the hour-glasse purposely set up till the Plais [...]er have had its full operation: Thus in the self-fame manner doth God deal oft-times with his dearest Children,Psal. 3 9. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 17. as David, and S. Paul. The one was instant more then once or twice to be rid of that evil; and the other cryes out as fast, Take away the plague from me, for I am even consumed, &c. but God makes both of them to stay his time. He saw in them as in all others much dead flesh, much corrupt matter behind, that was as yet to be eaten out of their Souls, he will have the Crosse to have its full work upon us, not to come out of the fire as we went in, not to come off the fire as foul and as full of scum, as we were first set on.

1139 Resurrection of the Just, asserted.

TRees and other Vegetables in the Winter time,Geo. Strode Anatomy of Mortality. appear to the eyes and view of all men, as if they were withered and quite dead; yet when the Spring time comes, they become alive again, and (as before) do bring forth their buds, blos [...]oms, leaves and fruit; the Reason is, because the body, grain, and arms of the Tree are all joyned and fastned to the root, where the sap and moisture lies all the Winter time, and from thence by reason of so [...]ear conjunction, it is derived in the Spring-time to all the parts of the Tree: Even so the bodies of Men have their Winter also,Surrexit Christus, exultet Universus mundus, &c. Aug. in Paschate. and that is in Death, in which time they are turned into dust, and so remain for a time dead and rotten; yet in the Spring-time, that is, in the last day, at the Resurrection of all Flesh, then by means of the mysticall Union with Christ, his divine and quickning Virtue, shall stream and flow from [Page] thence to all the bodies of his Elect, and chosen Members, and cause them to live again, and that to life eternall.

The inestimable valew of Christ Jesus.1140

CHarles Duke of Burgundy being slain in battell by the Swissers at Nantz, Joh. Henr. Al [...]tedii Chr [...] nologia. Anno 1476. had a Iewel of very great valew, which being found about him, was sold by a Souldier to a Priest for a Crown in money, the Priest sold it for two Crowns: Afterwards it was sold for seven hundred Florens, then for Twelve thousand Duckets, and last of all for twenty thousand Duckets, and set into the Popes triple Crown,Prov. 8. 11. Omnia [...]abemus in Christo et omnia in nobis Christus, &c. Ambros. Matth. 13. 46. Gen. 27. 37. where it is to be seen at this day: But Christ Iesus is a commodity of far more value, better then Rubies, saith Solomon, and all the things that may be desired, are not to be compared to him; He is that Pearl of price which the Merchant purchased with all that ever he had. No Man can buy such gold too dear; Ioseph, then a pretious Iewell of the World, was far more pretious, had the Ishmaelitish Merchants known so much, then all the Balms and Myrrhes that they transported, and so is Christ, as all will yield that know him.

To depend upon Gods bare Word.1141

THe Earth that we tread on,T. Gataker. David's Remembrancer; A Sermon. though it be a massie, dull, heavy body, yet it hangeth in the midst of the ayr, inviron'd by the Heavens, and keepeth its place steady, and never stirreth an inch from it, having no props or shores to uphold it, no beams or barrs to fasten it, nothing to stay or establish it, but the Word of God; In like manner, must we learn to depend upon the bare Word of God. Nil desperandum Christo duce, &c. Juvenal. And when all other ayds and comforts have taken their leaves of us, then to rest and relye upon God himself, and his infallible, unfailable Word of promise, not on the outward pledges and pawns of his Providence, nor on the ordinary effects and fruits of his favour; so shall we see light even in the midst of darknesse, and be able to discern the sweet Sun-shine of his blessed countenance through the thickest clouds of his fiercest Wrath and displeasure.

The day of Death better then the day of life.1142

PLato maketh mention of Agamedes and Trophonius, In Axico. who after they had builded the Temple of Apollo Delphicus, they begged of God, that he would grant to them, that which would be most beneficiall for them; who after this suit made, went to bed, and there slept their last, being both found dead the next Morning; Whereupon it was concluded, That it was better to die then to live; Guil. Cambdeni Elizab. Whilest I call things past to mind, (said that incomparable Q. Elizabeth) I behold things present; and whilest I expect things to come, I hold them happiest that go hence soonest: No [...]ne mori sa [...]ius, &c? Claudian. Numb. 10. 15. And most true it is, that Death being aeterni Natalis, the birth-day of Eternity, as Seneca at unawares calls it; And if Death like unto the gathering Hoast of Dan come last into the Field to gather the lost and forlorn hope of this World, that they may be found in a better, needs must then be the day of Death better then the day of life; Therefore as a wittySir Fr. Bacon. Man closed up a paper of Verses concerning Worldly calamities, and naturall vexation [...],

What then remains, but that we still should cry

Not to be born, or being born, to dye?

1143 Men to be prepared for Crosses, Afflictions, Troubles, &c.

[Page]

IN or about the year 1626, A book formerly printed and entituled; A prepara [...]on to the Crosse of Christ, composed by Iohn Frith, Martyr, was brought to the M [...]rket in Cambridge, in the belly of a Fish, and that a little before the Commencement time, when by reason of the confluence of much People, notice might be given to all places of the Land,Jer. Dyke [...]ast-Serm. at Westm. which (as a late Reverend Divine observed) could in his apprehension be construed for no lesse then an Heavenly warning, and to have this voice with it, England prepare for the Crosse; A great work of God it was to be sure, and a fair warning to us of this Nation before the sad dayes of trouble came, had but Men made good use of it; but, surdo narratur, No Man prepar'd for the Crosse; since which time here hath been enough of the Crosse, Crosse-doing, and Crosse-dealing one with another, and much ado hath been about pulling down and defacing material▪ Crosses, (such as in themselves were but Civill, K. Charles [...]. not Religious marks, as that Princely Iob defin'd them) when they should rather have been busied in pulling down the old Man out of their hearts, and so made way for spiritual Crosses, and been prepared for the worst of times that could be.

1144 Mans Extremity, Gods Opportunity.

PHilo the Iew being employed as an Ambassador or Messenger to Caius Caligula, Eusebii hi [...]t. lib▪ 2. cap. 5. Joseph. Antiqu [...]t. l. 18. then Emperor of the Romans, his entertainment was but sleight; for he had no sooner spoke on the behalf of his Country, but was commanded to depart the Court; Whereupon he told his People, That he was verily perswaded, that God would now do something for them, because the Emperor was so earnestly bent against them: And certainly, Gods help is then nearest, when Mans is furthest off; the one's extremity made the ot [...]er's opportunity; Ubi desin [...]t P [...]ilosophus, Quum duplicantur lateres, tunc venit Moses. August. incipit Medicus, &c. Where the Philosopher ends, there the Physitian begins; and where the Physitian endeth, there the Minister beginneth; and where Mans ayd endeth, there Gods beginneth; Deliverance is oft nearest, when destruction seemeth surest.

1145 Parents not to be too much dejected for the death of an onely Sonne or Child.

ABraham was ready to have sacrificed his onely son Isaac. Geo. Strode's A [...]at. of Mortality. And God gave his onely Sonne Christ Iesus to death for our salvation. It is most true, that the death of an onely Sonne must nee [...]s be grievous, and the cause of great heavinesse and lamentation: [...] But let all disconsolate Parents take notice what Elkanah said to Anna, Am not I better to you then ten Sons? So doth God say, What though I have taken away your onely Sonne, the child of your delight, there is no just cause of complaint, I have taken but my own, I will be better then ten hundred sons to you, and you shall one day find, that he is but gone before, as your Feo [...]ee in trust to take possession, and keep a place for you in Heaven.

How it is that Men may be said to learn of little Children, dumb shews, &c.1146

[Page]

SExtus Tarquinius, Polyaenus lib. 8. the sonne of Lucius, being suborned by his Father, pretending to be banished, fled fraudulently to the Gabii, where having screwed himself so much into their bosomes,Frontinus lib. 1. cap. 1. Plin. junior de viris illustribus. as he thought was sufficient for his design, sent secretly to know his Fathers pleasure, who leading the Messenger into the Garden, walked a while, and not speaking one word, with his staffe strake off the heads of the Dazies which grew there;Horat. lib. 16. the Messenger reports this to his Son, who thereupon put the chief Noble-men of the Ga [...]ii to death, and so by force and Injustice usurped a power over that Common-weal: Such was the tacite Counsell that Periander the Corinthian gave unto Thrasibulus the Tyrant of Athens, Aristotel. Polit. lib. 3. cap. 13. when pulling the upper ears, he made all the standing corn equall; intimating thereby, what a Tyrant must do, that would live safe and quiet: Thus it was, but in a better way,Benedict. Aretius in [...]c. Matth. 18. 4. and a far better sense, that when the Disciples were building Castles in the ayr, quaerentes non quaerenda, seeking who should be highest in Heaven, when they should rather have been enquiring how to get thither, Christ sets a little Child before them, who neither thinks great things of himself, nor seeks great things for himself; con [...]uting hereby their preposterous ambition and affectation of Primacy: And thus it is, that dumb shews may be said to speak out much to the purpose; and speechlesse Children read many a significant Lecture to the Sons of Men; as of simplicity, humility, innocency, ignoscency, &c. not of childishnesse,Abrah. S [...]ku [...] [...]eti annales. Sedul. lib. 3. cap. 1. peevishnesse, open-heartednesse, &c. Non praecipitur ut habeant aetatem, sed innocentiam parvulorum, not of their age, but innocency; Whereupon some mis-understanding the Text in a Nichodemicall way, (as one Goldsmith an Anabaptist, and Masseus a Franciscan Fryer) to abundance of more then childish folly.

Gods Judgments, the causes of them to be considered.1147

LAy a book open before a Child,T. Gataker. Davids Remembrancer. or one that cannot read, he may stare and gaze upon it, but he can make no use of it at all, because he understandeth nothing in it; yet bring it to one that can read, and understandeth the language that is written in it, hee'l read you many stories and instructions out of it; It is dumb and silent to the one, but speaketh to, and talketh with, the other: In like manner it is with Gods Iudgments, as S. Augustine well applyes it; All sorts of Men see them, In Ioh. cap. 24. Nocumenta, documenta. but few are able aright to read them, or to understand them what they say; Every Iudgment of God is a reall Sermon of Reformation and Repentance; every Iudgment hath a voice, but every one understands not this voice; as S. Paul's companions, when Christ spake to him,Act. 9. 7. they heard a voyce and no more. But it is the duty of every good Christian, to listen to the Rod and him that sent it,Mich. 6. 9. to spell out the meaning of Gods a [...]ger, to enquire and find out the cause of the Crosse, and the ground of Gods hiding his face; Why it is that he dealeth so harshly with them, and carrieth himself so austerely towards the [...] ▪

The Love of God, the onely true Love.1148

EVery beam of Light proceeding from the body of the Sun, Tho. Staplet [...]ni. Prompt. moral. Dom. 17 post Pentecost. is either direct, broken, or reflex; direct, when it shineth out upon the Center in a lineary motion without any obliquity; broken, when it meets with some grosser body, so that it cannot shine out-right, but is enforced to incline to one part or other, and therefore called a collaterall or broken light; reflex, when lighting upon [Page] some more grosse body, it is beaten back, and so reflects upon its first principle: Thus let the Sons of Men pretend never so much to the Love of God, their Love is either a broken or reflecting Love, seldome direct; broken, when it is fixed upon the things of this World; reflex, when it ayms at self-Interest; Whereas the Love of God is the onely true Love, Illi diligune Deum qui non non aliud, &c. Aug. de vita Christi. Psal. 73. 25. a direct Love without obliquity; a sincere Love without reflexion; such a Love as breaks through all impediments, and hath nothing in Heaven but God, and desireth nothing on Earth in comparison of him; such a Love as looketh upon the World by way of subordination, but upon God by way of eminency.

1149 The Active Christian, object of the Devil and Wicked Mens malice.

LUther was offered to be made a Cardinal if he would be quiet: He answered, No, not if I might be Pope; and defends himself thus against those that thought him haply a proud Fool for his pains;Epist. ad Staunc. Inveniar sane superbus, &c. Let me be counted Fool, or any thing, said he, so I be not found guilty of cowardly silence. The Papists, when they could not rule him, rayl'd at him, and called him an Apostate; He confesseth the action, and saith; I am indeed an Apostate, but a blessed and holy Apostate, one that hath fallen off from the Devil: Then they called him Devil; Epist. ad Spalatinum. But what said he? Prorsus Sathan est Lutherus, &c. Luther is a Devill, be it so; but Christ liveth and reigneth, that's enough for Luther; So be it: Nay, such was the activity of Luther's spirit, that when Erasmus was asked by the Elector of Saxony, Why the Pope and his Clergy could so little abide Luther? [...]e answered,J. Trap exposit. on S. Iohn. For two great offences▪ Medling with the Pope's triple Crown, and the Monks fat paunches: and hence was all the hatred, If he would have been quiet and silent, they would have never medled with him: Thus it is that a Woolf flies not upon a painted Sheep, and Men can look upon a painted Toad with delight: It is not the softly pace, but the furious march of the Souldier that sets Men a gazing, and doggs a barking; let but a Man glide along with the stream of the World, do as others do, he may sit down and take his ease;—non est mollis ad astra via, Ovid. But if he once strive against the stream, stand up in the Cause of God and act for Christ, then he shall be sure to meet with as much despite and malice as Men and Devills can possibly throw upon him.

1150 When lighter Afflictions will not serve the turn, God will send heavier.

THe Physitian, Jul. F [...]rmicus de errore Gentil. when he findeth that the potion, which he hath given his Patient will not work, he seconds it with one more violent; but if he perceive the disease to be settled, then he puts him into a course of Physick; so that Medicè miserè, he shall have at present but small comfort of his life; And thus doth the Surgeon too, if a gentle plaister will not serve, then he applyes that which is more corroding; and to prevent a Gangrene, he makes use of his cauterizing knife, and takes off the joynt or member that is so ill-affected: Even so God, when Men profit not by such crosses, as he hath formerly exercised them with, when they are not bettered by ligher Afflictions, then he sends heavier, and proceeds from milder to sharper courses; if the drosse of their Sin will not come off,Quando hâc non suc [...]ssit aliâ aggredienda est vi [...]. Terent. hee'l throw them into the melting-pot again and again; crush them harder in the presse, and lay on such Irons as shall enter more deep into their Souls; If he strikes and they grieve not, if they be so foolish that they will not know the Judgment of their God, hee'l bring seven times more plagues upon them, crosse upon crosse, losse upon losse, trouble upon trouble, one sorrow on the neck of another, till they are in a manner wasted and consumed.

Zeal of Heathens to their false Gods, condemning that of Christians to their true God.1151

[Page]

THere is mention made of Five Men of the Tribe of Dan, T. Stapleton promp. moral. Dom. Pasch. Iudg. 18. that rushed into the house of Micah, and took away his carved and his golden Images; He followes them with a loud cry; The Danites ask him, What he ayles, wherefore he made such a noyse; O, sayes he, ye have taken away my gods which I made, and what have I more? And, What is that you say unto me, What ayleth thee? Poor man! How sadly doth he bemoan the losse of his false Gods! And, what have I more, sayes he; concluding, that in taking away of them they had taken away all that he had: But which of us are so zealous for the true God, as he was for the losse of his false one? We daily lose the sight of his comfortable presence, Sin deprives us of him, Who layes it to heart? In losing of him, we lose all,Nich. Felton D. D. Serm. at S. Antholines, Lond. 1612. and yet we are no more moved then if we lost nothing at all; One said of the Papists, I pray God that their charitable blindnesse do not one day rise up against our uncharitable knowledge; so it may very well be said of too too many, God grant that the ignorant zeal of Pagans and Infidels to their false Gods, be not matter of condemnation to those that are better instructed in the knowledge of the true and onely God.

Ministers to be carefull in the practice of that which they preach unto others.1152

IN a certain battle against the Turks, there was a Bishop, that thus encouraged the Army; Play the Men, Joh. Manlii loc. com. Fellow Souldiers, to day, and I dare promise you, that if you die fighting, you shall sup to night with God in Heaven: Now after the battell was begun, the Bishop withdrew himself; And when some of the Souldiers enquired among themselves, what was become of the Bishop; and why he would not take a Supper with them that night in Heaven; Others answered,Multi Sacerdotes, et pauci Sacerdotes; multi nomine pauci opere, &c. Hodiè sibi jejunium indixit, &c. This is Fasting-day with him, therefore he will eat no Supper to night, though it were in Heaven: Thus it is a sad thing when Ministers like those Pharisees of whom Christ himself spake, shall say and do not, have tongues to speak by the talent, and hands that scarce act by the ounce, have Heaven like that ridiculous Actor of Smyrna at their tongues end,Chrysostom. in Matth. but Earth at their fingers end; Whereas Christ was full of Grace as well as Truth; Iohn Baptist a burning and a shining light; It was Origen's Iussit et gessit, his teaching and his living were both one; And that's the best Sermon surely,Bernardi ep. 22. that's digg'd out of a Mans own breast, when he practiseth what he preacheth: the want whereof occasioned Campian our Jesuited Countryman to write,In epist. Ministris eorum nihil vilius, their Ministers are most base.

No comfortable return of Prayer till Sin be removed.1153

A Man that is wounded, Isid. de sum. bone lib. 3. cap. 7. may cry and call upon the Surgeon to have some ease of his pain; but if he will not endure to have the splinter or the Arrow head pull'd out that sticketh fast in the flesh,O quàm falluntur, sua qui jucunda Tonanti and causeth the grief, he may cry long enough, but all in vain: And if People should pray to God to stay the rage and fury of the burning, when a house or Town is on fire, and themselves in the mean time pour on oyl, or throw on fuell,Vota putant; cum sint pectore nata mal [...]. there will be but small hope of quenching the same:Hest. 7. 14. So there can be no comfortable return of our Prayers unto God till Sin be removed; It is but folly to seek unto God by Prayer, Esay 9. 12. till the partition-wall[Page]of Sin that is betwixt us and him be broken down;Psal. 66. 18. It is Sin that crosseth and hindreth the effect and fruit of Prayer, like those Heathens of whom the Cynick made this observation,Diog. La [...]. lib. 6. That they prayed indeed to their Gods for health, but at the very same time when they prayed, they used such excesse, as could not but greatly impair their health, and so wilfully deprived themselves of that they prayed for.

1154 Knowledge and Learning to be owned wheresoever they be found.

IT is observed, that the Egyptians had Idols and very heavy burthens, these the Israelites detested; but they had withall vessels of gold and silver, and these according to Gods command, Exod. 11. 12. Rob. Holco [...] in Sap. they made a Religious use of. One seeing Virgil very studious in a dull piece of Ennius Poetry, asked him, what he did with that book? He answered, Lego aurum in stercore, I am gathering gold out of a dunghill. Thus it is, that Knowledge is to be owned wheresoever or in whomsoever it is found; fas est et ab hoste doceri, A man may learn of his Enemy; nay, aliena pericula, another Man's harms may teach us how to beware: Much of Morality may be picked up from the Heathens, much of the Knowledg of God from Philosophers, much of Learning from the Poets, and much of Divine truth from some of our well-read Adversaries of Rome, of whom it may be said, as it was sometimes of another,Origen. Ubi bene, nemo melius; ubi male, nemo pejus; Where they have written truth,T. Fuller Serm. at S. Clem. Lond. 1649. as in meer speculative points of God, the blessed Trinity, &c. th [...]re no Man better, and there it is that, as the Israelites, so we may go down to the Philistims forges to whet our swords and spears,1 Sam. 13. 19. to be [...]urnished with sharp arguments, and solid reasons to the confutation of false and heretical opinions; but where they have roved from the Truth, as in the doctrine of Merit, Indulgences, &c. where you shall be sure alwaies to find a Matthew sitting at the receipt of Custome, there no Man worse; and there we may and must forsake them.

1155 Merit-mongers condemned.

A Gardiner offering a Rape-root (being the best Present the poor Man had) to the Duke of Burgundy, J. Trap on Evang. was bountifully rewarded by the Duke; Which his Steward observing, thought to make use of his bounty, presented him with a very fair horse; the Duke,Sufficit ad meritum scire, quod non sufficiant merita. Bern. Serm. 68. in Cant. ut perspicaci erat ingenio, being a very wise discreet Man, perceived the project, received the horse, and gave him nothing for it: Right so will God deal with all Merit-mongers, that think by their good works to purchase Heaven, which cannot be, the work being finite, the Wages infinite; so that Merit must needs be a meer fiction, sith there can be no proportion betwixt the Work and Reward: There is indeed mention made of a Mercy-seat in the Temple, but there was never heard of any School of Merit, but in the Chappel of Antichrist.

1156 He that truly feareth God, passeth not for the affronts of Men.

NOah is commanded by God to make such a Vessell as should save him and his from a floud which should drown all the World beside, he sets upon the work, the People laugh at him, and think the poor old Man doated, and had dreamed,Ralph. Hollinshed Chr [...]. in He [...]. S. An. 1524. not as we say, of a dry Summer, but a wet Winter, and that he was no wiser then the Prior of S. Bartholomews, who upon a vain prediction of an addle-headed Astrologer, went and built him a House at Harrow on the Hill to secure [Page] himself from a supposed floud that that Astrologer had foretold; Many a br [...]ad jest, many a bitter scoffe was, no doubt, broken upon Noah; yet for all that he went not onely about, but through t [...]e work, that God had enjoyned; so did Abraham, Lot, Gen. 12. 19. 2 Sam. 16. David, Esay, Chap. 20. Ieremy, Chap. 19. Ezekiel, ch. 4. H [...]sea, ch. 1. And thus he that truly feareth God, passeth not for the a [...]ronts of Men; He is a fool, we say, that will be laughed out of his Co [...]t, but he's a fool indeed that will be laughed out of his skin, Charles Pinner of Cat [...] chism. nay out of his Soul, out of his eternal salvation, because he is loath to be laughed at by lewd and wicked Men: No,A [...]quo animo audiend [...] sunt imperitorum convitia. Sen. ep. 76. no, the true Fear of God will make a Man set light by such Paper-shot, it will carry him through the pikes not of evill tongues onely, but of the most eager opposition that either Sathan himself, or any limb of his shall at any time be able to raise against him.

How every good Christian is to order his life.1157

IT is said of the Israelites in their Travells through the Wildernesse,Exod. 11. 17. Rob. Holcot in lib. Sap. that they wandred like Pilgrims without house or home, they fought like Souldiers the battels of the Lord, and they called upon the Name of the Lord their God, who heard them in the midst of their distresse: And thus it is that every good Christian is to order his life, as a Pilgrim not seeking high things for himself,Ier. 45. 5. 1 I [...]h. 4. 15. but having food and rayment therewith to rest contented; As a Christian Souldier not to be ashamed to confesse the Faith of Christ crucified, but to fight manfully under his banner against the three Arch-enemies of Mankind, the World, the Flesh, and the Devill▪ Lastly, as the true Servant of God to tread often upon the threshold of his Sanctuary, to frequent his Ordinances, Psal. 147. to be alwaies in such a frame of Spirit as to blesse, and praise, and magnifie, and speak good of his holy Name.

Men to hear the Word of God, though they come with prejudicate thoughts.1158

WHen one Henry Sutphen was Preacher at Breme, the holy Roman Catholiques were not idle,Joh. Sleidani Comment. but sent their Chaplains to hear every Sermon, that so they might trap him in his words. But God (whose footsteps are in the midst of the floud) would have his marvellous power to be seen in them, by the conversion of them; Insomuch, that the greatest part that were sent to hearken, did openly witnesse his doctrine to be the truth of God, against which no Man could contend, and such as in all their life they had not heard, perswading them also that sent them, that forsaking all impiety, they should stick to the Word of God, and believe the same, if they would be saved: Thus it is good to come and hear the Word, though it be with ill intent, to sit under the Ordinance, though a Man be, as it were, upon thorns all the while he is there; They that come to see fashions, as Moses came to the bush, may be called as he was; They that come to sleep, Anno 1550. as old Father Latimer said in a Sermon before K. Edw. 6. may be catch'd napping; They that come with a resolution to steal, peradventure the first word they hear may be,Exod. 20. Ephes. 4. 28. Thou shalt not steal; or, Let him that hath stole, steal no more, and so become honest Men; They that are sent upon any wicked design,1 Sam. 19. as Saul's Messengers were to take David, the Spirit of God may come upon them. And they that come to catch at the Preacher, may be catch'd themselves,Lib. Confes. 5. cap. 14. as Augustine was by S. Ambrose: Lastly, they that come as it were in despight of Christ, may become lovers of Christ; as the Officers that were sent to apprehend Christ, were so taken with his parts, their malice being turn'd to admiration, that they were made Proclaimers of his divine excellencies, saying; Ioh. 7. 46. Never man spake like this Man.

1159 The great work of Repentance not to be deferr'd; and why so?

[Page]

GOd spake thus unto Noah, T. Gataker Noah's Remembrancer. An hundred and twenty years hence will I bring in a Floud, that shall drown the whole World; and therefore if thou wilt be saved, go thy way out of hand, and build thee such an Ark as I will shew thee, Gen. 6. He was then 500 years old, and might have thought thus with himself, I am 500 years old, and it will yet be one hundreth and upwards before the Floud do come; Why? I may be dead and rotten in my grave before that time, or at leastwise very near the end of my dayes; And who would go moyl and toyl so about building a Vessel of such bulk and bignesse to prolong his life for so short a time? And if it must needs be done, I may go and take pleasure for these hundreth years yet, and then set upon it twenty or ten years before, and get more help then, and dispatch it the sooner: But Noah did not, he could not, he durst not defer the doing of it, but fells his wood, sawes out his planks,2 Pet. 3. 7. Cic. de nat. Deorum. Justin. apolog. Lactant. de ira Dei. Athenagoras de Resurrect. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ephes. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Mortalium nemo est, qui crastinum sibi audeat polli [...]eri, Euripid. hewes out his timber, and so falls to work. The same case is ours, God foretells us, that a second general destruction shall come, not by Water, but by Fire, the fiercer Element of the twain, which even Heathens have taken notice of; And that none shall then be saved, but those that have a spirituall Temple, or Sanctuary built in their Souls, an house for the blessed Spirit to dwell in, as hard and difficult a work, as ever the making of the Ark was; For before the spiritual building can be raised, we must pull down an old Frame, of the Devills rearing, that standeth where it must stand, and rid the place of the rubbish and remainders of it. Let us then fall to work betime, we are so far from being able to promise to our selves a hundreth years, that we cannot assure our selves of one hour, no not of one minute.

1160 Likenesse to be a motive to lovelinesse.

THe Naturall Philosophers and others,Ulyss. Aldr [...] vand. Ornith. R. Holcot in lib. Sap. cap. 11. v. 25. Virgil. AEneid. lib. 4. write of a monstrous bird called an Harpy, which having the face of a Man, is of so fierce and cruel nature, that, being hunger-bitten, will seize upon a Man and kill him; but afterwards making to the water to quench her thirst, and there espying her own face, and perceiving it to be like the Man, whom she had devoured, is so surprized with grief,Similis simili gaudet. that she dies immediately: Thus our likenesse to Christ, and his likenesse to us in all things (sin onely excepted) ought to be an argument of Love, not of hatred; —savis inter se convenit ursis. Virgil. Birds of a feather will flock and keep together; Beasts, though by Nature cruel, yet will defend those of their kind: How much more should one Man love another, bear with one another, and stand by one another in the midst of any dang [...]r or difficulty whatsoever, they being all fellow-members of that mystical body whereof Christ Iesus is the Head.

1161 Spirituall and corporall blindnesse, their difference.

A Blind Boy that had suffered imprisonment at Glocester not long before,Act. and Monum. was brought to Bishop Hooper, the day before his death; Mr. Hooper, after he had examin'd him of his Faith,Coe [...]um terram (que) non aspicit; sed coeli terrae (que) Dominum spectandi facultas non cripitur. Petrarch. de Coecitate. and the cause of his imprisonment, beheld him very steadfastly, and tears standing in his eyes, said unto him; Ah poor boy, God hath taken from thee thy outward sight, upon what consideration he in his Divine wisdome best knowes, but hath given thee another sight much more pretious; For he hath endued thy Soul with the spirituall eye of understanding: O happy change! doubtlesse there is a wide difference betwixt corporeall and spiritual blindness, [Page] though every Man be blind by Nature, yet the state of the spiritually blind is more miserable then that of the other blind; The bodily blind is led either by his Servant, Wife, or Dogg, but the spiritually blind is mis-led by the World, the Flesh,Joh. Passeratius de coecitate. and the Devill; The one will be sure to get a seeing guide; but the other followes the blind guidance of his own lusts, till they both tumble into the ditch; The want of corporal eyes is to many divinum bonum, albeit humanum malum; but the want of Faith's eyes, is the greatest evill which can befall Man in this life; For Reason is the Soul's left eye, Faith the right eye, without which it is impossible to see the way to God, Heb. 11. 6.

Good Conscience, a Mans best Friend at the last.1162

IT is a witty Parable,Greg Mag. moralia. which one of the Fathers hath of a Man, that had three Friends, two whereof he loved intirely, the third but indifferently; This Man being called in question for his life, sought help of his Friends: The first would bear him company some part of his way; The second would lend him some money for his journey, and that was all they would or could do for him: But the third, whom he least respected, and from whom he least expected, would go all the way, and abide all the while with him; yea, he would appear with him, and plead for him: This Man is every one of us, and our three Friends are the Flesh, and the World, and our own Conscience: Now when Death shall summon us to Judgment, What can our Friends after the Flesh do for us, they will bring us some part of the way, Mr. Hughes Serm. 1622. to the grave, and further they cannot; And of all the Worldly goods which we possesse, What shall we have? What will they afford us? Onely a shrowd,I [...]ar omnium conscientia bona. Sen. ep. 69. and a coffin, or a Tomb at the most: But welfare a good Conscience, that will live and die with us, or rather live when we are dead, and when we rise again, it will appear with us at Gods Tribunal; And when neither Friends, nor a full purse can do us any good, then a good Conscience will stick close to us.

The captivated Soul, restless till it be in Christ Iesus.1163

THere is mention made of a certain Bird in Egypt near the River Nilus, Alb. Magnus lib. 3. called Avis Paradisi, (for the beauty of its feathers, having in it, as we say, all the colours of the Rainbow) the Bird of Paradise,Conrad. Gesner. de avibus. which hath so pleasant and melodious notes, that it raiseth the affections of those that hear it: Now this Bird, if it chance to be any way ensnared or taken, it never leaves mourning, and complaining till it be delivered: Such is the Soul of every Regenerate Man, if it be taken by Sathan, or overtaken by the least of Sins, weaknesse or infirmity, it is restlesse with the Spouse in the Canticles, no sleep shall come into the eye, nor any slumber to the eye-lids, till Reconciliation be made with God in Christ Iesus.

Sin, of a dangerous spreading Nature.1164

A Mongst many other diseases that the body is incident unto,Nath. Cannon's Serm. at S. Pauls, 1617. there is one that is called by the name of Gangrena, which doth altogether affect the joynts, against which there is no remedy but to cut off that joynt where it settled, otherwise it will passe from joynt to joynt, —vires (que) acquirit eun [...]o. Virgil. till the whole body is endangered; Such is the nature of Sin, which unlesse it be cut off in the first motion, it proceedeth unto action, from action to delectation, from delight unto custome, and from that [Page] unto habite; which (being as it were, a second Nature) is never, or very hardly removed without much prayer and fasting.

1165 Lex talionis.

MAxentius that cruel Tyrant,Eusebii hist. lib. 9. cap. 9. Joh. Cuspinianus in hi [...]. de Caesaribus. coming with an Army against Constantine the Great; To deceive him and his Army, he caused his Souldiers to make a great bridge over Tyber, where Constantine should passe, and cunningly laid planks on the Ships, that when the Army came upon the planks, the ships should sink, and so drown the Enemy; but Maxentius hearing of Constantine's suddain approach, in a rage rushed out of the gates of Rome, and commanded his followers to attend him, and through fury forgetting his own work, led a few over his bridge; And the ships sinking, himself and his followers were all drowned: Thus it is that the mischiefs of wicked Men fall usually upon their own heads,Will. Jemmat Sp. Trumpet. their plots recoyl upon themselves, they do but (as it were) twist a cord to hang themselves, whilest they digg a pit for others, the Earth falling in beats out their own brains; This is that Lex talionis, that retaliation which Christ threatens,Matth. 7. 2 [...] Psal. 62. 11. and that David asserteth. Nec enim lex justior ulla est, Most just it is, that he which breweth mischief, should have the first draught of it himself.

1166 Anabaptisticall spirits, their madnesse.

SUppose a Man invited to Dives his rich Table,Ph. Edlin. Serm. at S. Mith. Bassishaw, Lond. furnished with all sorts of delicacies, and delicious fare, and that he should passe by all the provision, and sit sullenly at the Table, not eating a bit of the meat, but staring about him, should look for a second course to drop down from Heaven, or to be usher'd in by a Raven,1 Kings 17. 6. as it was to the Prophet Eliah; Would not one think such a one to be a kind of Mad-man? Yes surely; And such have been at all times, and are the Anabaptistical spirits of our times; Whereas God hath in his Word, set before them a plentiful Feast of holy and sacred vyands, full and clear discoveries of himself, yet they must needs gape after new Revelations, and Enthusiasticall inspirations, not much unlike to the Man that pull'd out his eyes, and then put his Spectacles on his nose, that he might see the better.

1167 Not to be at peace with Sin.

CRoesus being taken captive of Cyrus, Xenophon Herod [...]tns lib. 1. used this one reason to prefer Peace before Warre, namely, because in the time of Peace, the Children might in all likelihood bury their Parents; but in Warr, the Parents with much heavinesse buried their Children. Now in the spiritual Warfare we may use the same argument to prefer Warr before Peace, because in Peace our Children and wicked off spring,Joh. Bayly Serm. at Hamsted, 1608. that is, our Sins do, as it were, bury us alive; whereas if we make but warr against them, we bury them, and get Peace with God; So that he which hath Peace with his Sins, the Lord proclaimeth Warr against him, the issue whereof will be most uncomfortable.

1168 Ministers, to be had in respect by the People.

IT was a good speech of an Honourable Person,W. Cecyl L. Burleigh. when some others were undervaluing the Ministers of Gods Word and Sacraments; Well, said he, God blesse them by whom God blesseth us; Sir Henry Croke. And a great Judge giving the charge at an Assizes, professed in open Court, That he would assoon bind a Man to his good behaviour for contempt of a Minister, as for contempt of a Magistrate: This was a [Page] good Resolution then, but in these licentious dayes of ours,Quis home est tanta confidentiâ, most fit to be put into Execution, wherein Men have taken upon themselves a sinful liberty, both by words and deeds to throw dirt in the very face of the Ministry; How comes it to passe else,Qui Sacerdotem audeat violare? that the Calling is made so contemptible above all others? that the name of Priest is become so odious?Plaut▪ Well, they will one day find, that God hath made them Fathers, Abrah. Gibson, a Visitat. Serm. 1628. (so Micah called the young Levite) Teachers, Seers, Guides, such as watch for the good of Mens Souls, &c. let Men then highly esteem of them, Iudg. 17. 10. whom God hath thus honoured.

The good Mans comfort in Death.1169

IT is reported of S. Anselm, D. Anselmi. similitud. that riding abroad, a Hare that was almost hunted to death, squatted down betwixt his horses leggs; The good Man conceiving that the poor languishing Creature made to him for shelter, relieved her from the rage and violence of the Huntsman and his doggs; They that stood by wondred, that he should spoyl their game, and some of them laughed at it; which the good Man perceiving, wept, and said unto them; My Friends, this is no laughing matter: and thus he applyed it, This Hare may very well be compar'd to every Christian Soul, when he is at the point of death, then it is that the Devill labours all that he can to make his passage out of this World uncomfortable;Dan. 3. 22. then it is that Nebuchadnezzar-like he heats the oven of his persecution seven times hotter then before;Quanto propinquius m [...]rtem hominis videt Diabolus, tanto crud [...]lius persecutiones exer cet, &c. Isid. de sum. bono. lib. 1. and then it is that like a subtile Sophister he brings out his strongest arguments to drive the poor Soul to desperation: In the midst of this great extremity, the poor Soul looks about for comfort, but finds none, none in any outward things, miserable comforters are they all; but then by the eye of Faith looking up unto Iesus, is rescued out of the snares of the Devill, and is saved.

To beware of Errors and erronious Teachers.1170

IT is said of Spondanus, Deg. Whear. de methodo legend. bist. (the same that epitomised Baronius) that he gives his Reader Popish poyson to drink so slily, quasi aliud agens, as if he were doing something else, and meant no such matter: And Schwenkfeldius, who held many dangerous heresies, did yet deceive many, by his pressing to an holy life, prayi [...]g frequently and fervently, &c. by his stately expressions ever in his mouth,Erasmus in Ephes. 4. 14. as of Illumination, Revelation, Deification, the inward and spiritual Man, &c. so cunning in the cogging of his die, as S. Paul phraseth it; so wily in the conveyance of his collusion, that like a Serpent he stung with hissing: Such are therefore to be avoided, how slily soever they seek to insinuate with their Pithanology and seigned humility, whereby they circumvent, and beguile the simple, there is no dealing with them; Shun their society as a S [...]rpent in the way, as poyson in your meat; For such is the nature of their erronious doctrine, that as a Noble Writer saith,L. Brook. It is like the Ierusalem-Artichoaks, plant it where you will, it over-runs all the ground, and choaks the heart of it.

The way of Religion irksome in the beginning, but comfortable in the end.1171

AN Heyser that is not used to the yoke struggles, Jos. Shu [...]e Serm. before East-India Company. 1630. Omnia dum incipias, gravia sient, &c. Ter. Heaut. the yoke pincheth the neck, but after a while she carries it more gently: A new Suite, though never so well fitted to a Mans body, is not so easie the first day, as aft [...]r it is worn awhile: Two Mill-stones, after they be made fit, do not grind so well at the [Page] first, as afterwards; As we see it is with a Man, when he goes to bathe himself in the midst of Summer, there is a trembling of his body, when he first puts into the water, but after he hath drench't himself all over, he is not sensible of any cold at all; So the way of Piery and Religion,Greg. Mag. moralia. is irksome at the first, but after it gives great comfort and contentment; It is called a yoke,Matth. 11. 29. Matth. 7. Grave cum t [...]llis, &c. grievous when a Man takes it up, but after it is born awhile, both easie and light: It is a straight way, yet try it, put into it however, do but disgest the di [...]iculty of the entrance, Prov. 4. 12. and then thy feet shall not be strait [...]ed, thou shalt find more and more enlargement, every day more comfort then other.

1172 Lewdnesse of the Preachers life, no warrant to sleight the Ordinance of Preaching.

IT was an unhappy meaning,Abrah. Gibson, a Visitat. Serm. 1638. that Sir Thomas Moor had, though he spake it pleasantly, when he said of a vitious Priest, That he would not by any means have him say the Creed, lest it should make him call the Articles of his Faith into question: Thus too too many are apt to call the Truths of Gods Word into question because of the lewdnesse of the Preachers life. One will not have his children baptized by such a one, it goes against anothers stomach to receive the Sacrament from the foul hands of such a one; others care not for their doctrine, because they say and do not, &c. A preposterous Zeal,1 Kings 17. Loc. Com. tit. de Ministerio. God wot! Eliah received comfortable food from a Raven, as well as from an Angel. If God speak to thee as he did to Balaam by the mouth of an Asse, thou must have so much Patience (saith Luther) as to hear him; If God will have thee to be saved by one, who peradventure shall be damned, hear what he saith, and look not what he doth; if thy Pastor live lewdly, Erret non erret ille, tu non erras si [...]redideris, Luther. ut supra. that is his own hurt; if he preach well, that is thy good, take thine own and go thy way; Good water, which passeth into a Garden through a channel of stone, doth the Garden good, though it do the channell none; and so may the Word and water of life, conveyed by a bad instrument of a stony heart, do good to the Church of God, though it work not upon himself; And good seed, though it be cast into the ground with foul hands, will [...]ructifie; One may be a bad Man, yet a good Seeds-man both in the Field and the Church; yet woe be to him by whom the offence cometh, by whose means the offerings of the Lord are so sleighted; Eli's sons smoked for this. And to many,1 Sam. 11. which have prophesied in his Name, Christ will say in his just displeasure,Luke 13. 27. Away from me ye workers of iniquity.

1173 Wicked Men, made by God instrumentall for the good of his People.

LEwes of Granada that devout Spaniard, Lib. 3. de orat. et meditat. maketh mention of a very poor diseased Man dwelling in Italy, that was brought so low, that he could stir neither hand nor foot; and seeking for a skilful Physitian to heal him, he found a potent Enemy to torment him, who to adde unto his misery, cast him into prison, and there kept him with a very small allowance of bread and water, so much onely as should keep life and soul together: But it so happened, that there being a new face of Government in that Province, he was released from his imprisonment and his disease together; For the want of Food, intended to take away his life, proved the onely remedy to preserve it: And thus it is that God makes use of Wicked Men for his Peoples good;Dan. 7. The Wicked cast them into the Furnace thinking to destroy them, but they rise out thence more glorious then before: They plow deep Furrowes on the backs of Gods people, but that makes them more fruitfull in good works; put them to death, that proves their advantage; vex, grieve, trouble and torment them; yet do what they can [Page] do,Rom. 8. 28. they are still gainers, not losers; so true is that of the Apostle, [...], &c. All things work together for the best to them that love God.

How it is that one Man may be said to be punished for another Mans sin.1174

A Man that hath f [...]d high for a long time,Jos. Shute Serm. on Exod. Plague of Frogs, &c. comes to have a plethory of crude and indigested humors in his stomach; It so falls ou [...], that this Party riding afterwards in the wet, and taking cold begins to shiver and shake, and after falls into a durable lasting Feaver; If the Physitian be a wise Man, one that hath parts and skill, ask him, What was the cause of this sicknesse? and he will tell you, The ill humours of the body, and the abounding of them: yet it is like enough it had not turned to a Feaver so soon, if he had not took cold of his feet, or been some way troubled in his journey: So when God brings punnishment upon People, the proper cause is in every Mans self; There are personall sins in every Man to make him obnoxious to the curse of God; yet may the sins of the Father or Parent, or Neighbour, be the occasion that God will punnish Sin; so that it may be said, that the personal Sins of Men are the primary, internal, antecedent, dispositive cause of Gods Iudgments, but the Sins of other Men as they are Members of the whole may be the external irritating, excitating cause of Gods Iudgments upon a People or Nation.

The Souls comfortable enjoyment of Christ.1175

IT were a great grace,T. Gataker Deaths advantage, A Sermon. and such as would minister much comfort to a Courtier, lying sick at home of the gowt, to have the Prince not onely to send to him, but in person also to visite him; but much more comfort and joy would it be to him to be able, being recovered, to repair to the Court, and there enjoy his Prince's presence, with such pleasures and favours as the place may afford: How much more then in this case is it a grace and a comfort, that God vouchsafeth to visit us here by his Spirit; sometimes more familiarly and feelingly, but alwaies so effectually; as thereby to support us even in the greatest of extremity; but how much more exceedingly, shall our joy and comfort be encreased, when being freed from all infirmities, we shall be taken home to him, that we may enjoy him for evermore? As that Courtier having assurance given him of recovery by such a time, would exceedingly rejoyce to think of the joy of that day, and count every day a week, if not a year to it, wherein he should, being recovered, return to the Court, and be welcom'd thither in solemn manner by all his Friends there, and by the Prince in a more especiall manner; So well may the faithful Soul, not a little joy to fore-think with it self, what a joyfull hour that shall be unto it, wherein by Death parted from the body, it shall solemnly be pr [...]sented before the face of I [...]sus Christ, and entring into the Heavenly place, shall be welcom'd thither by the whole Court of Heaven, the blessed Saints and Angels.

Unhappy Prosperity, happy Adversity.1176

IT is a Philosophical observation of Turtle Doves and some other birds,Pet. Berchorii Re [...]. moral. that use to take their flights into other parts beyond the Seas, that if the Southwind blow, they will be sure of a good guide to direct them; but if the wind be Northward, then they venture of themselues, without any conduct at all: This may note unto us the unhappy Prosperity of the Wicked, Luxuriant animi rebus plerun (que) secundis▪ Ovid. 2 Art. and the happy Adversity of the Godl [...]; He that spreads his sailes before the Southwind of Prosperity, blowing honours, riches, and preferment into his lap, had need of a good Pilot, the special Counsel of God to lead him, and the extraordinary mercies [Page]of God to support him, Omnis qui ad Paradisum redire desiderat, [...]p [...]rtet tran [...]re per ignem et aquam, &c. Aug. in Serm. ad Lippium. if ever he intend to arrive at the port of eternall blisse: Whereas he that sets out whilest the North-wind of Adversity and trouble beats fiercely upon him, minds his way, rides through the storm, well knowing that the way to Heaven is by the gates of Hell, and that by many tribulations he must and shall at last enter into happinesse.

1177 Every Wicked Man, a curse to the place he lives in.

BIas the Philosopher,Diog. Laert. in vita. being at Sea in a great Tempest with a number of odd fellowes, some of them very rake-shames and naught, they began (as men in such a case usually do) to call upon the gods; which he perceiving, comes to them, and saith; Sirs, hold your peace, lest the gods take notice that you are here, and so not onely you, but we also suffer for your sakes: And it is observed, that S. Iohn leap'd out of the Bath,Ireneus lib. 3. cap. 3. because Cerinthus was there, his reason was, le [...]t the Bath should fall for his sake onely, being a wretched blasphemous Heretick: Thus it is,Jos. Shute Serm. on Exodus. that a Wicked Man, though he thinks he hurt no body but himself, is a Plague and a curse to the place he lives in, let him be never so Noble, never so Honourable, potent or wealthy, if he be a prophane Man, a lewd loose Libertine, he engageth the place of his abode to the wrath of God, and hastneth his Judgments thereon.

1178 The Souls restlesnesse till it be united unto Christ.

A Virgin being espoused to one that is shipt for the East-Indies, T. Gat [...]ker Death's advantage, A Sermon. or some such long-winded Voyage, if she do indeed faithfully and unfeignedly affect him, though she joy to read a letter, or to see some token from him, yet it is nothing in that kind that can give her contentment, Nil mihi rescribas, nothing will serve her turn but his presence; O how she hearkens after the Ships for his return, and joyes to think of that day, wherein they shall be so fast knit together, that nothing shall separate them but Death: Thus the Christian Soul contracted to Christ, may receive many favours and love-tokens from him, such as are all the blessings she enjoyeth, whether spiritual or temporal, yet they cannot all of them give any true contentment, but help rather to enflame her a [...]ection towards him, and make her, if she sincerely love him, as she profess [...]th and pretendeth to do, the more earnestly and ardently to long for that day, wherein she shall be inseparably linked unto him, and everlastingly enjoy his personal presence, which above all things she most earnestly desireth.

1179 Partiality of affection in hearing Sermons, condemned.

A Scholler coming to Paul's Church-yard, Griff. William's true Church. asked a Book-seller, Whether he had Abulensis Works? and the Man said, No, but he had Tostatus, which was as good: The Scholler replyed, Tostatus would do him no good, unlesse he had Abulensis; which indeed was the same book, Alphonsus Tostatus being Episcopus Abulensis, Veniun [...] ut audiant, non ut disc [...]n [...]: non id agunt ut aliqua illo viti [...] dep [...] nant, sed, &c. Sen. ep. 20. Bishop of Avila in Spain: Thus it is with the partiall and prejudicate opinions and fancies of many Men and Women, when they rather respect quis praedicat, then quid praedicatur, who preacheth, then what is preached; For if the self-same Sermon were preached by divers Men, the Sermon should never be respected according to its worth, but according to the fancy, opinion and affection which they hear unto the deliverer; because commonly they know no other difference but the names, voyces, and faces of their Teachers; [Page] Sure it is that Christ made the best Sermons that ever were preached, and yet they were not best liked, because they liked not the Preacher.

Every Man to confesse that his own Sin is the cause, though not alwaies the occasion, of punishment.1180

IT is said of Prince Henry, Jos. Shute Serm. on Exod. 8. that delitiae generis humani, that darling of Mankind, (as it was once said of Titus Vespasianus) whose death was then to this Kingdom as so much of the best blood let out of the veins of Israel; When it was told him, That the sins of the People caused that affliction on him; O no, said he, I have sins enow of mine own to cause that: So should we all confesse, though God take occasion by another Man's sin, or by the neglect of another person to fire my house, Ille ego qui s [...]ci, &c. yet the cause is just, that it should be so, and that I my self have deserved it, whatsoever the occasion be; God had cause against the seventy thousand that dyed of the Plague, though Davids sin were the occasion, yet the meritorious cause was in them; therefore whensoever it pleaseth God to lay his hand of anger upon us, though another may be the occasion, yet Ille ego qui feci, let every Man in particular acknowledge, that it is he that hath sinned, and so justifie God in his sayings, and clear him when he is judged.

Ministers of the Gospel, to be of godly lives and conversations.1181

AS the Iews in their preparation to the Passeover,Tho. Godwin's Moses and Aaron, lib. 3. cap. 4. did for four hours search out all leaven out of their houses, and then for two hours cast it out; and lastly, cursed all the Leaven that they had not seen, and could not find: So let all the Priests of the Lords house, all the Ministers of the Gospel of Iesus Christ, be carefull to search,R. Abbot Visit. Serm. at Cranborn in Kent. Bene vivend [...] et bene populum docendo, &c. Chryso [...]. in Matth. to purge, and to execrate all the leaven of wilful and reigning Sin, and to oppose and mortifie the least sins, that so they may be Priests after Gods own heart, Stars in Gods right hand, such as Greg. Nazianzene of whom Basil speaks, that he did thunder in his doctrine, and lighten in his conversations, and that having an inward principle of the light of Holinesse in them from Christ, they may shine out holily unto others, not onely in the Pulpit and prayer, but in the whole course of their lifes also.

The right use of humane Learning.1182

MAgnus, Hieron. epist. tom. 2. a Roman Orator accused S. Hierome for bringing too many uncircumcised Greeks into the Temple, and by that means defiling candorem Ecclesiae sordibus Ethnicorum, the unstained candor of the Church of Christ, with the impure sentences of Heathen Orators; But the good Father with sufficient Reason doth clear himself from those aspersions: And so it is to be desired that every one may do the like, and not to shew themselves to be greater disciples of Nature, then Schollers of Grace; or to have studied more in the School of Humanity, then in the University of Divinity, because humane Learning is to be used, not as the means to satisfie our stomach, but as the sauce to provoke our appetite, not to adde strength unto the Truth, but ornament to our speech, being (as it were) Trimming to a plain suit, and garnish to a good dish of meat; And indeed,R [...]ch. Edes Serm. Duty of a King. to speak the best of it, It is but a learned kind of Ignorance, which yet being guided and bridled by the Spirit of God, may be wrought (as one well observed) to speak like Balaam's Asse to good purpose.

1183 Happinesse of him that hath the Lord to be his God.

[Page]

S. Augustine hath this passage of one that passing by a stately House,Jos. Shute Sermon on Exod. 8. which had fair demeans about it, and asking another that he met, to whom that House and Land belonged? He answered, To such a one: O, sayes he, that's a happy Man indeed: No, sayes the other, Not so happy as you think for, It is none such happinesse to have that House and Land; but he is happy indeed that hath the Lord to be his God, It is a priviledge that exceeds all things whatsoever; For he that hath Honour and Riches may go to Hell for all them; but he that hath God to be his God is sure to be everlastingly happy.

1184 Catechizing, an excellent way to instruct Youth.

THe Iewish Rabbies observe a very strict method in the instruction of Children and others according to their age and capacity; At five years old they were [...]ilii Legis, Raym. Martinus de Rep. Heb. Sons of the Law to read it; At thirteen they were called [...]ilii Praecepti, Sons of the Precept to understand the Law, then they received the Passeover as a Sacrament, (for even Children did eat it, as a remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt) and then also they were purified; At fifteen years old, they came to be Talmudistae, and went to deeper points of the Law, and Talmudick doubts: Thus did the Iews, and let no Christians lagg behind them, in propagating the truths of Iesus Christ their Master: Let Children be well instructed, principled, and catechised, in the Fundamentals of Christian Religion; For without Catechising, the People perish in the want of knowledge, and become fit matter for every Priest, Jesuite and Sectary to work upon. The Papists have confessed,J. Dons Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1621. that all the ground we have gotten of them is by Catechisme; and the little ground they have gotten of us, is by a more diligent requiring and practising of it; In a word, Catechising is as well a Family, as a Church-duty; were but the Family well-instructed, the Minister would have lesse work to do; there would not be so many uncatechised heads, nor so many Weather-cock Christians, as now are to be found amongst us.

1185 To rest contented with Gods good will and pleasure.

THere is a Story of two Neighbours, Joh. Bromyardi [...]um. praed. the one of them threw himself upon the providence of God in all things; but the other by his industry and pains would be making out a Fortune to himself, so that if any thing fell crosse, A [...] (que) Deos at (que) astra vocat crudelia, he would nothing but murmur and repine; Now so it happened, that the grounds and granaries of the one were fertile and full; of the other, barren and empty; Many wondred at it, but one wiser than the rest,Deus est; Faciat quicquid vult. made answer; Do not marvail at this thing, The one hath enough, because he dependeth on God; the other little enough, because he will be wiser then God who disposeth all things. And many such there are now adayes to be found amongst us, such as although they pray daily, Thy Will be done, Sorte tua contentus abi— yet are restlesse and discontented, if it be not done according to their own will; Whereas all true Children of God submit themselves to his most wise, powerfull, and good will; and that too like the good old Patriark,Gen. 40. 36. even in those things which may seem unjust, in such things as may thwart and crosse their intentions, well knowing▪ that to throw themselves upon Gods will, is the readiest way to have their own will in all things.

The Poorest Man may in his Calling do very very good service unto God.1186

[Page]

IT is reported of an Abbott, Speculum exemplorum. that lived after a most strict and severe kind of life, and being desirous to know with whom he should be associated in Heaven, was informed in a vision, that such a one in such a Town, should be his next Companion in the joyes of Heaven; Whereupon the Abbot went and enquired, What such a one should be: and understanding that he was but a poor Tradesman, that lived uprightly in his calling, and brought up his Children honestly in the fear of God; He went home and learn't humility, making this conclusion to himself, That God is no respecter of persons, but is far better pleased with him that is faithfull and diligent in the meanest o [...]ice, G. Williams of Church, Egentes in mundo sed lecupletes Deo, vitiis vacui, sed virtutibus pleni, &c. Cassiodor. in Psalm. then with him that is careless and negligent in the highest employment. And thus it is that the poorest Shepherd, and the meanest Plowman are necessary and usefull in the Church of God, and may, by performing the duties of their calling, do as acceptable, though not as excellent service unto God, as any other in a higher place; the Fidelity of the service, and not the Excellency of the service being that wherewith God is most affected: But what then shall become of such, who though otherwise born of gentile bloud, and bred up at the feet of Gamaliel in the Schools of the Prophets, Men of pregnant capacities, and able bodies, yet live out of all honest Vocations, sacrificing their pretious time either to Morpheus the Minister of sleep, Bacchus the god of Wine, or Venus, the Goddesse of beauty; as if neither the true God, nor the Common wealth deserved any service at their hands, but that all were due to the Bed, the Tavern, and the Brothel-house.

The happy succession of a Christian Family.1187

IT was accompted a great honour,Plin. nat. hist. lib. 7. cap. 41. nay the very height of felicity, that in one house and race of the Curio's, there were known to be three excellent Orators one after another, by descent from the Father to the Sonne; And the Fabii afforded three Presidents of the Senate in course, one immediately succeeding the other; the like hath been amongst us in severall high places of Government and Judicature: But if this kind of succession be so Honourable, so happy; How happy, how Honourable doth the succession of Religion from Father to Sonne make Families to be? there it is that the Name of Christ may be said to live for ever: [...]iliabitur nomen ejus, so the words are,Psal. 72. Sim. de M [...]is. in loc. It shall be begotten as one generation is begotten of another, and so make a happy succession of Christs Name; so that it must needs be then a bless [...]d Tenure, where Christ is held in Capite; a happy Family, where Christ and the name of the Family go hand in hand together.

No Salvation but by the Mercies of God in Christ Jesus.1188

THere is a Story of one, [...]aur. Sucius in vitâ Dominici. that falling asleep, dream't that he was in a large Field, hedg'd in on all sides with Thunder, Lightning, Hail-storms and the like tempestuous weather, and that he saw certain houses afar off, and making towards one of them, crav'd admittance till the storm were over; What art thou, said the Master of the House; I am such a one, sayes he, telling him his name: And I, sayes the Master, am called Iustice, thou must not look for any comfort from me, but rather the contrary; At another house he was answered,Joh. Bromiardi sum. Praedic. That there dwelt Truth, one that he never loved, and must therefore expect [Page] no shelter there: Well, he goes to the third, the house of Peace, and there he finds the like entertainment; In the midst of this distraction, he lights upon the house of Mercy, and there humbly desiring entrance, was made welcome and refreshed: This may be but a dream,Misericordiae tuae, Dominae Iesu, ultima sunt refugia. Bern, in Cant. imaginary; yet the application is a reall Truth; Then thus, It is not the sewing up together of some few Fig-leaves of Merit (as some suppose) that will cover the nakednesse of a poor distressed Soul; nor the outward varnish and goodly splendor of morall virtues, and humane performances, (as others think) that can adde any thing of comfort to the wounded Conscience; When the habitations of Iustice, Truth, and Peace are bolted fast upon the drooping Soul, then are the Gates of Mercy wide open to receive it, there being no Salvation, but by the Mercies of God in Christ Iesus.

1189 An Hypocrite being true to none, is beloved of none.

THe Griffon in the Fable,Aesop. Fab. when the battel was to be fought betwixt the beasts of the Field, and the Fowls of the Ayr, would partake of neither side, but stood neutrall, untill he could perceive which [...] did get the best of the day; and therefore shewed his fore-part like a Fowl unto the Birds, and his hinder part like a four-footed beast unto the beasts, thereby to gull them both; but his deceit being perceived of both, he was hated and rejected of both, as unworthy to be trusted on either side: Thus it fares with the Hypocrite, who being desirous to serve two Masters, G. Williams of Church. Odi virum duplicem natum; Bonum Sermonibus, inimicum moribus, Pers. epigr. 1. and to retain the favour both of God and the World, is hated both of God and the World; The Devill hates him, because he retaineth unto Christ; and Christ hates him much more, because he doth but onely retain unto him; The World cannot abide him, because he professeth Godlinesse; and God can worse abide him, because he doth but professe it: neither of them doth love him, because he hath been true to neither, nor yet indeed unto himself, but hath betrayed Christ for the Worlds sake, and the World for Christs sake, and himself for Sin and Sathan's sake.

1190 The Churches sad condition to be laid to heart.

IT is reported of Alexander, Q. Curtius. lib. 7. that being in extream thirst, when a draught of water was offered unto him, he thought it a hard thing, and no way suitable to the dignity of a Prince, that he alone should que [...]ch his thirst, when others in his Army had not wherewithall to abate theirs, wherefore he returns the cup with this speech, Nec solus bibere sus [...]ineo, &c. I cannot endure to drink alone, and here's not enough for every one to wet their lips: Thus Uriah, while the Ark and his Lord Ioab was in the Field, will not go down to his house,2 Sam. 11. no not so much as to refresh himself. And what sayes old Anchises, when Aeneas would have saved his life,Virgil. Absit ut, excisa, possim supervivere, Troia, Far be it from me, that I should desire to live when Troy suffers that it does; And thus, Far let it be from any true-hearted Christian to live deliciously, when not Troy, but the Church of God is under a clowd of sorrow and affliction, so that what betwixt the Popish and the peevish party, She is ready to be overwhelmed; too too blame then are all they, that with those Iewish Priests at the taking of Ierusalem by Titus the Roman Emperour, Josephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. have not onely a desire to live, but to live in pomp, in bravery, in giving liberty to themselves in all sensuall delights, in abating nothing of their carnal contentments, when they see and hear of the Church of God suffering grievous things, and brought unto lamentable streights, under the burthen of sore and most heavy pressures.

Mercies of God in Christ Jesus, the danger of dallying with them.1191

[Page]

ONe that hath plyed his cups hard,S. Fr. Bacon uat. hist. and coming home drunk finds a Candle lighted on the Table, but through the swiftnesse and violence of the spirits being oppressed to and fro, he seeth things double; instead of one Candle he sees two, and going, as he thinks, to put out one of them, he finds himself in the dark, and cryes out,Lud. Granatens. Dux peccato [...]m. Where is the other Candle? but all in vain. Thus carnall-minded Men being, as it were, intoxicated with the delights and pleasures of this World, do through the multiplying glasse of their own deceitfull fancies, see not onely one or two, but the many and superabundant mercies of God, yet extinguishing and not seasonably applying the sweet and tender Mercies of God in Christ Iesus to their Souls, Joh. Bromiardi sum. praed. like Children that have played away the Candle, and go to bed darkling; so they having abused the time of Mercy, are cast out into utter darknesse to all Eternity, and then when it is too late, they cry out, as the Drunkard did for the Candle,Psalm. 88. Lord, where are thy Mercies of old?

God, not to he set out by any Representation or Image to the eye of Man.1192

IT is recorded of Zeuxis, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 35. cap. 9. one of the best Gentile Painters in the World, that going about to draw the pourtrayture of Iuno, he singled out five of the fairest Virgins in Agrigentine, and paint [...]d her according to that which he saw most commendable in any one of them; but when he went about to make the picture of Venus, he selected fifty of the fairest Maids in Sparta, and said,M. Tul. Ci [...]. de Invent. lib. 2. Fifty more fairer then those were not sufficient patterns to afford him form and beauty to expresse the perfection of such a Goddesse; And therefore when his art was not able to reach her excellency,Coel. Rhodoginus. Var. lect. lib. 4. he drew on his Table a large picture of a Temple, with a door open, and the Goddesse, as it were, going in, so that the beholder could see nothing but her back-parts. Now if so excellent an Artist, could not expresse the excellency of Flesh and bloud, How shall any man be able to paint or set out by any presentation to the eye of Man the spirituall and invisible God? And therefore let Demetrius the Silversmith,—Procul hinc Zeuxis, procul es [...]o Licippus. Horat. and Alexander the Coppersmith, and all the other Carvers and Painters pack and be gone, and nev [...]r employ their skill to resemble the Image of the Incomprehensible God; because the drawing of his Image, will but rather shew the greatnesse of their folly, then be able to expresse the least part of his glory.

In time of Prosperity to provide for Adversity.1193

THe Naturalists observe,Ulyss. Aldtovandi Ornithol. lib. 20. Plin. nat. hist. lib. 10. cap. 32. Tu quo (que) sac timeas, et quae tibi laeta videntur, Dum loqueris fieri tris [...]ia posse puta. Ovid. 4. Pont. 3. that whiles the Halcyon Bird is brooding her egs, and bringing forth her young ones, there is usually fair weather (from whence we call good times, Halcyon-dayes) she neglects not any of those dayes, but sits close upon her nest, and is very diligent in bringing forth, lest if there should be a change of weather, the waters should grow high, and her young ones be in danger of drowning: Thus in the times of Prosperity, we must provide for Adversity, lay hold upon the opportunities of peace and liberty to ed [...]fie our selves in the most holy Faith; This was the Churche's care, Act. 9. 31. and this must be ours, while our Ship is in the Haven to mend it there, when it is out at Sea in a storm, it will be too late then; there is yet some hope, (but how long there will be, God knowes) let us provide for worser times, that we be not surprised on a suddain when they come upon us.

1194 Mercies of God in Christ Jesus to be sought while they may be found.

[Page]

HEE that intends to speak with any one in a well fortified Castle, Joh. Bromiardi summa Praedicant. must come by day whilest the draw-bridge is down, otherwise being once up, there will be no entrance at all, Thus many a Man loseth Mercy as Saul did his Kingdom by not discerning the time; Esau came too late, and the foolish Virgins did not lay hold upon the first opportunity; He therefore that resolves for Heaven, must in the time of this life make good his passage, strive to enter whilest the bridge of Mercy is let down; For if it be once drawn up, Fac b [...]ne dum vivis, post mortem, &c. there's no by-ward, no loop-hole to creep in at: And that Soul must needs then be exposed to the Iustice of God, where Mercy hath shut up her tender bowels of compassion.

1195 A great fault in Women not to nurse their own Children.

IT is reported of Gracchus a Noble-man of Rome, Val. Max. lib. 4. cap. 6. Conr. Zuinger. theat. hum. vitae. that when the Nurse brought home his Child, he gave her a pearl of very great price, and another of far lesser valew to the Mother; And being demanded, Why he respected the Nurse so much, and the Mother so little? answered; That the Mother bare the Child but nine moneths in her womb, and the Nurse bare him above thirty moneths in her arms. It was otherwise with Anthusa the Mother of that Golden-mouth'd Father, she was able to draw Arguments to disswade her sonne from leading a Monastick life,G. Williams of the Church. by his drawing of her breasts, when he was an Infant; But now, it is much to be feared, that very few Women can make out any such Reason to perswade, or disswade their Children, which is the cause many times, that as Parents have shewed little love and affection in the nursing of their Children, so their Children in like sort do perform little regard and obedience to the honouring of their Parents.

1196 The implacable malice of Wicked Men against Professors of the Gospel.

FElix, Flac Illiric. cat. Test. veritat. Earl of Wartenburgh, one of the Captains of Charles the fifth, swore in the presence of divers at Supper, That before he dyed he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of Lutherans; but God soon cool'd his courage; For, that very night he was choked and strangled in his own blood. After Iohn Hus was burnt,Acts and Monuments. his Adversaries got his heart, which was left untouched by the fire, and beat it with their staves; And the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius were taken up and burnt, after they had a long time been buried in silence: O the desperate madnesse and malice of all Persecutors, such as burn in anger against the Godly! It was S. Paul's prayer, that he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men; 2 Thess. 3. 2. the word is [...], absurd Men, such as put themselves upon wayes of opposition against all Reason and common sense; nay, such is their rage and bitternesse of spirit, that it makes them break all bonds of humanity, and go against Lawes or any thing, so as they may but torment the dear servants of God.

1197 The Multitude, not to be guided by them.

IT is reported of a certain Duke of the Saracens, Joh. Bromiardi summa Praedicant. and he none of the wisest, that being almost perswaded to be a Christian, would needs be baptized; but being brought to the water side, and having one foot in, before he would [Page] wet the other, he demanded of the Baptizer, Where his Father, Mother, Kindred, and Friends were that dyed without Baptisme? It was answered,Conr. Zuingeri theat. hum. vitae. lib. 7. That they were all in Hell, with a Multitude of Unbelievers besides; But whither shall I go, sayes he, when I am baptized; To Heaven, sayes the Priest, if you live a good life; Nay then, sayes he, pulling his foot out of the water, Take your Baptism to your self, let me go to that place, where the many, not where the few, where my Friends and acquaintance, Turba tremens s [...]quitur fortunam. Juven. and a great number of others of all sorts are, I love see my Friends about me: And this is just the fashion of this present wicked World, Men are much taken with the Many, they choose rather to follow the Multitude to do evill, then to close with the remnant, that shall be saved, to do any good: A sad choyce,—pauci quos aequus amavit Iupiter. Ovid. God wot! to be so far taken with the common rabble that know not God, and run headlong to Hell, rather then to joyn with the little flock of Christ that shall be assuredly saved.

Every Man to think the best of his own Wife.1198

XEnophon being demanded,In appendice Xenophontea adject. operibus. if his Neighbour had a better house then himself, and that he might have his choyce of them, which would he have, his or his own? he answered, His; so being demanded the like question of his horse,—Uxor bona chara supellex. Ovid. of his Field, and the like, he still answered, His; But being asked, if his Neighbour had a fairer or a better Wife then himself, Which of them he had rather have; Hic Xenophon ipse tacuit, he either said, His own, or said nothing; silently concluding,Quicun (que) bonus maritus et p [...]udens, suam amat et curat. Homer. That she was the best: Thus it is, that every Man must think his own Wife to be the fairest and the faithfullest that he could find, esteeming of her as of the best treasure he hath, loving her above all others; not like the Egyptian Frogs croaking in other Mens chambers; but, as the Adamant turns onely to one point, so keeping to his own Wife so long as they both shall live.

To be ready to suffer persecution by Christs Example.1199

THere is mention made of a Roman servant, who knowing that his Master was sought for by Officers to be put to death,Jer. Burroughs Moses choyce, pag. 91. he put himself into his Masters cloaths, that he might be taken for him, and so he was, and put to death for him; Whereupon in memory of his thankfulnesse to him, the Master erected a brazen Statue with this Inscription, Servo fideli, To the trustly servant: Thus Christ who was not a Servant, but our Lord and Master, yet when he saw we were like to die, he took upon him the form of a Servant, he came in our likeness [...], that he might die for us, and he did so; Now he requires not of us to [...]rect any brazen Monument in memory of him, or in honour to him, but that we should be ready and willing to suffer for him, Philip. 1. Qui in Christs credimus, Christi sectemur exemplar. when he calls us thereunto: Certainly, his Example in humbling himself so much to suffer for us, should be mightily prevalent with us, that if he emp [...]ied himself so much to become the Son of Man, how much more should we (having so fair a Copy to write by) be much more willing to empty our selves, Hieron. epist. 9. that we may be the sons of God.

Pride, the vanity thereof.1200

VAlerius Maximus, Val. Max. Qui [...]tus Curtius. de reb. ge [...]is Alexand. an eminent Observer of Times and Persons, sayes; That Alexander the Great had three ill qualities; First, That he looked upon his Father (though otherwise well enough qualified) as a Man of no d [...]sert at all. Secondly, Though he was a Macedonian born, yet he put himself into the Persian garbe, because more rich and costly then his own. Thirdly, His conquest [Page] had so swelled him, that he would be no longer a Man, but he must be a God forsooth, and no lesse then the Son of Iupiter: Such is the nature of Pride, and natural condition of all proud Men, whether it be in relation to things spirituall or temporall, that they think no Man good enough to be their fellow; Stand further off,Joh. Feri Postillae. sayes one, I am holier then thou; Keep your distance, sayes another, I am Richer, greater, &c. then thou: Let a Man be but once got upon a Foot-cloath, how bigg doth he look upon inferiour passengers? And if he have purchased a little more Land then his Neighbours, you shall see it in his garb; if he command, it is imperiously; if he salutes, it is with a surly and silent nod; He thinks with the Pharisee, Quid superbis terra et cinis, &c. he is not like other Men, he looks upon himself as a Gyant, Origen. homil. in Ezech. and upon all the World besides as dwarfs, as if made for nothing but to be laughed at; when himself is but a Man, and, God knowes, a foolish one too, whom a little trash can a [...]ect so deeply, not remembring, that as the King, so the beggar; as dyeth the wise Man, so the fool; and that the Rich and the Poor shall both meet together in the grave, Eccles. 7. 15.

1201 More Teachers then Learners.

A Certain King desirous to know,Cassiani Collat. lib. 2. What Professors he had most in his Kingdom? one of his Courtiers answered, Physitians; That's impossible, said the King: But to make it good, the King being disguised, he went along with him the next day amongst a Multitude of People, and feigning himself not well, but troubled with such and so many diseases, that he could not tell what to do without remedy; Then every one began to tell him, What was good for such and such a disease; some one thing, some another; none heard his complaint, but prescribed a remedy; and he was a Fool that was not then a Physitian: So it is now amongst us,G. Williams. of the Church. Miser est qui docet antequam didicit, &c. Sidon. cp. lib. 4. He is no body that is not a Teacher; Teaching Coblers, teaching-Tradesmen, teaching-Souldiers, all Teachers and Preachers; all got into the upper form, when their place is in the lower; they are up in the Mount with Moses, when they should stand below with Aaron amongst the People; they are teaching others, when it is fit they should be taught themselves, their foolish heads like over-seething pots, casting out the froth of their own shame.

1202 Prosperity of the Wicked, not to be envied at.

WHen a Souldier was to die for taking a bunch of grapes against the Genera [...]'s command,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce, pag. 99. and going to Execution, he went eating his grapes; one of his Fellows rebuked him, saying; What? are you eating your grapes now? The poor Man answers, I prethee Friend do not envy me these grapes, for they do cost me dear; so they did indeed, for they cost him his life: Thus let no Man envy the Prosperity of the wicked, not fret at the Men of this World who live in pleasure,Quid proderit area pl [...]na, &c? Aug. de verb. D [...]m. Serm. 12. and wallow in the sensual delights of this life, they know no better, they seek after no better things; there's little cause, why any Man should grudge what they have, for they must give a sad accompt of what they have received, and pay dear at the last; even, without Gods preventing Mercy, the losse of their immortal Souls to all Eternity.

1203 To be Watchfull in the performance of holy Duties.

IT is said of the Cranes, Ulyss. Aldrovand. Ornith [...] l [...]g. lib. 1. that roosting by the Water-side, one of them is alwayes upon the Watch, with a stone in her claw, so that upon the approach of their Enemy, down falls the stone into the water, wherewith being awakened, they take themselves to flight for farther safety; And that natural Musick-Master [Page] the Nightingale, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 10. being to delight her self with her Night-songs, and fearing lest that by sleep, she should endanger her self to birds of prey, lets her breast against a thorn to keep her waking: And thus must we be watchfull over our selves in all things,ut t [...]psum serves non expergisceris? especially in the performance of holy duties, Horat. ep. 7. whether it be in Prayer when we speak unto God, or in Hearing when God speaks unto us, or in Sacramental actions, wherein God off [...]reth himself freely unto us, or when we be about to sing the songs of Sion, Col. 4. 4. then it is that we must use all good means to keep us waking, because we are every hand-while apt through our sluggishnesse to take a nap, and thereby to endanger our Souls to those ravenous and hellish Fowles, who take their chief delight in the works of darknesse, and are ready to seize upon us, if they find us sleeping.

Magistra [...]es, Ministers, &c. to be Men of courage.1204

ELvidius Priscus being commanded by Vespasian, Sue [...]onius in vita. either not to come into the Senate, or being there to speak nothing but what he directed; made answer, That being a Senator, it was sit he should go into the Senate, and being there, it was his duty, to speak in his Conscience what he thought to be true; and then being threatned, if he did so, he should die, further added; That he never as yet told him that he was immortal; and therefore, said he, Do what you will, I will do what I ought; Reipub. causa te exponens et non cedens ne (que) fugiens, &c. Aquin. de regim. princip. And as it it in your power to put me unjustly to death, so it is in my power to die resolvedly for the Truth: Here now was a brave spirited Heathen, sit for Christian imitation; For he can never be a Faithfull Man, that is afraid to speak his mind: Men of publique employment for the Peoples good, must and ought to stand up for the Truth, to be Men of courage, Men of resolution, not fearing the frowns of any whatsoever; not ecchoing out the dictates of others, but freely speaking their own thoughts without any fear at all.

To be Temporate in meat and drink.1205

DAniel was afraid of taking liberty to his Flesh in eating the Kings meat; [...]. 1. 8. Mean was the provision of Iohn the Baptist, his fare was locusts and wild honey,Matth. 11. 11. epist. ad Iulianum. and yet there was not a greater born of a woman before him. A few loaves and a little bread was Basil's provision.Epist. 22. ad Eustach. And Ierome reports of Hilarion, that he never did eat any thing before the Sun went down, and that which he did eat at any time was very mean; nay, Ierome himself lived very abstemiously with cold water, and a few dry'd Figgs, for to eat any thing so much as boyled was accompted Luxury; And to make up the Messe, S. Augustine hath such an expression concerning himself as this;Lib. 10. Confessionum. Hoc me d [...]cuisti, Domine, &c. Thou Lord, hast taught me this, That I should go to my meat as to a Medicine; he meant, as not to satisfie his appetite, but to repair Nature: Thus it hath been the care of all Gods, dearest Servants, to keep down their bodies, to club them down, so signifies the word [...], 1 Cor. 9. 27. to deny contentment to the Flesh, David Paren [...] in locum. not making the least provision for it; so that they have in their severall generations become eminently instrumental to Gods glory; whereas they that cater onely for their bellies, Vina venus (que) nocent. Horrendum (que) human [...] in corpore monstrum est. Mantuan. have their brains sunk down into the quagmire of their bellies, so that their parts, those g [...]fts of understanding they were wont to have, are as the light of a snuffe fallen down into the socket, even drown'd with the filth of their Intemperance, being fit for nothing.

1205 Consideration of the shortnesse of life, to be a Memento of Death.

[Page]

IT is reported of the Birds of Norwey, Olaus Mag. hist. Septentrional. that they flie faster then the Fowles of any other Countrey, not because Nature hath given more nimblenesse or agility to their wings, but by an instinct; they knowing the dayes in that Climate to be very short, not above three hours long, do therefore make the more haste to their nests: Thus should every one of us do,Vive memor quam sis aevi brevis. and strange it is that we do not so; Shall birds make such use of their observation, know their appointed time, Ier. 8. 7. Then let us practically, knowing the shortnesse of our lives, by a speedy and seasonable Repentance make haste to our home, the house appointed for all living, Iob. 30. 23.

1206 Practice of the Law abused.

FErdinando King of Spain, Rerum Ger. Scriptores. when he sent Pedrarias to be Governor of the Western Islands, forbade him to take any Lawyer or Advocate along with him; his reason was, that they mig [...]t no [...] sow the seed of suits, where there were none before: And it was usually put on by K. Iames, in a cautionary way, upon the convention of any Parliament, that they should have a care of the wrangling Lawyer, (and another sort of peevish People) in a more especiall manner; not but that the Lawes are right, but the practice of them is much abused; God and Men have made them Righteous, but the Lawyers have found out inventions; They are Virgines in calamo, pure Virgins as they were first penned, but Meretrices in foro, R. Willan. Conspiracy against Kings, Gods laughter. A Sermon at Court, 1627. prostituted whores as they are pleaded; Lawyers being now like the Physitians in Christs time, on whom the poor Widow had spent all that she had, and was never the nearer to her health; so Men may spend their money, and lose a great deal of pre [...]ous time in running after Lawyers, and in the end be in a far worse case then they were at the beginning.

1207 Flesh and bloud not to be hearkned unto.

IT is reported of a Young Man, Joh. Cassiani Collat. lib. 2. that had devoted himself to a Religious life; whereupon his Parents disl [...]king that way, wrote divers letrers unto him, to disswade him; but he being resolved to go on, when any letters came afterwards directed to him, he would not so much as open them, but threw them into the fire: And thus it is, that a Man is no sooner entred into a trade of Godlinesse, and shall give up his name unto Christ, but Flesh and bloud will be ready to come in and say; Spare your self, What need you to do thus and thus, you may do well enough at last: This now is destructive Counsel, Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. pleasing damnation; hearken not to it, throw away these letters, these carnal suggestions; do not by any means answer them; but be resolved in thine heart, and say; I know in whom I have believed, I did not choose this way rashly, but I felt the power of God upon my heart before I made my choyce, and I had grounds and Arguments for my so doing, and whatsoever can be suggested to the contrary, I will not give ear unto it.

1208 The benefit of Meditation, as to the mollifying of the Heart.

WAx, J. Downham Guide to Godlinesse. when it is laid in cold places becomes so hard and stiffe, that it will break rather then bow; but being laid in the Sun becomes soft and plya [...]le,M. Ficinus in Dionys. Areopagite, de div. nom. fit for any impression: So when we neglect the duty of Meditation on good things, our hearts being changed from God, wax hard and obdurate; but when by Meditation, we draw nigh unto him, the beams of his favour shining [Page] upon our hearts do make them soft and flexible, and fit for any holy impression that he shall be pleased to stamp upon them.

A good Wish to good Government.1209

PTolomy King of Egypt, feasting on a day seven several Ambassadors, requested each of them to name three of the best Customes that they had in their several and respective Common-wealths;G. Williams of the Church. And first the Roman Ambassador said; We do greatly reverence our Temples, We do faithfully obey our Governours, And we do severely punish all lewd livers. Secondly,Conr. Zuingeri the atrum hum. vitae. the Carthagenian said; With us the Nobles are ever warring, The Commons ever labouring, And the Philosophers ever teaching. Thirdly, the Sicilian said; With us Iustice is exactly kept; Merchandise is truly exercised; And all Men accompt themselves equall. Fourthly, the Rhodian said; With us old Men are honest, Young men are shamefast, And Women are silent. Fifthly, the Athenian said; With us Rich men are not factious, Poor men are not idle, Governours are not ignorant. Sixthly, the Lacedemonian said; With us Envy reigneth not, for all Men are equall; Covetousnesse corrupteth not, for all Goods are common; And Sloath dwelleth not; for all that can, do labour. And lastly, the Syconian said, With us Voyages are not permitted, left they should bring home new fashions; Physitians are not suffered, lest they should kill the sound; And Orators are not entertained to maintain and plead causes, Gubernatio recta est cum fit gratiâ gubernati non gubernatoris. Marsil. Ficinus in Plat. de Regno. lest they should make the good evill, and the evill good. Here now are Governments of all sorts, and it is to be heartily wished, that the Civil Magistrate, and such as are intrusted with the Peoples interests, would truly imitate what is good in any of them, that when the Governor of all Governors shall come to Iudgment, he may say unto them, Euge boni servi, Well done ye good and faithfull servants, enter into your Masters joy.

The wayes of Godlinesse more comfortable then Worldly Men can imagine.1210

PEter Martyr in his Sermons on 1 Cor. hath a passage (which occasioned the Conversion of that Noble Marquesse Galeacius Vico): If [...]o be,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. sayes he, one should see a Company of Musitians that are playing and dancing, according to their art, upon some Hill a great-way off, he would think that they were a company of Mad-men out of their wits; but if he come nearer and nearer, and hear the melodious sound of the Musick, and observe their art in all they do, how the Musitians keep their time, and the Dancers their measures; then he will be of another mind: And so Men of the World look upon the wayes of Godliness as very uncomfortable, Coecus non judicat de coloribus. and upon the People of God as afar off, and think them Mad-men to take such strict courses; but if they would come nearear and observe their wayes, and see the equity and reason, and observe the excellency and beauty that is in them, they would soon be of other minds; and find for certain, that the service of God is per [...]ect freedom, and that his Servants are the onely merry People in the World.

The necessity of divine Meditation.1211

IT is generally observed,J. Downom's Guide to Godlinesse. that a Man which casteth up his food soon after he hath eaten it, may by the vertue of some small reliques that remain behind in the stomach, live for a good time in a weak estate and poor plight, but will never be fat, healthy and strong, if the meat be not retained, concocted and applyed to the several parts: Thus Meditations is the food of our Souls, or the very stomach and natural heat whereby it is disgested; Well may our Souls live a kind of spiritual life by hearing and reading the Word,Animae Viaticu [...] est meditatio. Bern. in Cant. yet for want of Meditation, and thinking of it afterwards, they retain little of that spiritual food, but cast up all again, saving some small remainders which upon occasion will come [Page] into their minds; yet for all this, they cannot be in any good plight, or have any spiritual growth, unlesse they disgest what they hear and read by Meditation, and making it truly their own by applying it home to their own Souls and Consciences.

1212 A Wife to be an House-Wife.

THe Graecians had a custome, that when the new married Wife was brought home to her husbands house, Coel. Rhodegin. le [...]t. Var. Carolus. Sigonius de Repub. Rom. they burnt the axel-tree of the Waggon before the doors, to shew, that she must now dwell there, and not depart thence; And the Romans had a custome, that when the Bride came to the entry of her Husbands house, the Bridegroom took her by the wings of her gown, and lift her so high, that she struck her head and the door-post together, and so set her within the doors, to teach her by the remembrance of that blow, not to go often forth out of her Husband's house;Plutarch. moral. And the Egyptians did give no shooes unto their Wives, but suffered them to go barefoot, because they should abide at home: Hence it is that a Woman is compared to a Snayl, that never goes abroad but with her house upon her head;Uxor bona chara sup [...]llex. When her Husband provides things necessary abroad, she must be carefull to order them at home, not to be gadding abroad, but to keep at home, her greatest Virtue being not to be known of any but her Husband.

1213 Few or no Friends to be found in time of Adversity.

AS it is with the Deer that is hunted,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. when the Huntsman goes into the Park, he rouzes the whole herd, and they all run together; but if one be shot, and they see the bloud run down, they will soon push him out of their Company: Or as a Man being in his travell upon the Road, and there being a Sun-Dyall set up in the way; If the Sun shine, he will step out of his way to take notice of it, but if the Sun do not shine, he will go by a hundred times and never regard it: So let but the Sun of Prosperity shine upon a Man, then who but he? Multos numerabit amicos, he shall have Friends more then a good many; but if a clowdy day come and take away the Sun-shine, solus erit, he may easily number his acquaintance; And so when a Man goes on in the credit of the World, he shall be well come into all Companies, and much made of by every one; but if he come once to be shot, Nil tamen attuleris, &c. and disgrace put upon him, then he shall soon perceive a clowd in every Mans face, no one so much as regarding him.

1212 Divine Meditation, the beginnings thereof in the matter of practice, very difficult.

DOctrinae radix amara, Jo. Downam's Guide to Godlinesse. fructus verò dulcis, is a saying as old as true, Children in all Ages have found it so; What discouragements and difficulties have they ever found in their first entrance to Learning? But having made some progresse therein, the nut being once crack'd, and they tasting the sweetnesse of the Kernell, go on with chearfulnesse and delight, through all difficulties whatsoever, and so in time become eminently instrumentall in Church or Common-weal. So the greatest difficulty is in the first beginnings of the exercise of divine Meditation, Aegrè quidem, sed faciamus tamen. it being a thing so harsh to corrupt Nature, so repugnant to carnall Principles; yet for all that, use and practice will make it easie familiar; besides, the sweetnesse that we shall find therein, and the benefit that we shall reap thereby, will make a rich return for all our pains and labour; the thought of tediousnesse will be taken away, so that we shall perform the work with alacrity of Spirit here in this World, and be fitted for Saints in that which is to come.

Men to bear with the Infirmities of their Wives.1215

[Page]

KIng Taxiles said unto Alexander, when he came to warr against the Indians, Plutarch in vita Alexandri. [...], &c. Why should we make war one against another, neither of us want either food [...] [...] If thou be lesse then I, receive benefits of me; and if thou art greater, I will take courtesies from thee; Hereupon they were both Friends: So if our infirmities be more then our Wives, Why should we be grieved to bear with theirs, Nath. Shute Serm. at S. Mild. Poultry Lond▪ 1636. seeing they bear a great deal with us? If their infirmities be more then ours, Why hath God made us the stronger, but to be the better able to bear the infirmities of a weaker Vessell? If we bear with one another, Patience healeth what offence wounded; But if the one be Fire, and the other Fl [...]x, then nothing can follow but combustion, even the flames of contention and debate.

Piety, not promotion, that makes up a Godly Minister.1216

IT was the speech of Boniface that was a Martyr,Laurent. Surius in vita. one asking him, Whether it were law [...]ul to give Sacramental Wine in a woodden cup: Time was, said he, when there [...]ere woodden Chalices and golden Priests, but now there are golden Chalices and woodden Priests: Thus it was of old, they thought then to gain Mens devotion by outward pomp and bravery, yet when woodden Chalices came in, that things were carried in a lower way, the Ministery lost nothing of its lustre; Whereas many Ministers think, if they should be poor and mean, every one would contemn their Ministery, hence they fondly imagine, that the way to have the Ministery respected, is to get great [...] but they are quite out, that will not do it; For it is Piety not promotion that makes up a godly Minister; And a poor godly man that exerciseth his function conscionably, will gain more respect then any other Dignitaries whatsoever.

Friendship tryed in times of Affliction.1217

IT is reported of Herodius, Wife to Herod the Tetrarch, who when the Emperor had deprived her husband of the Tetrarchy, Josephi Antiquit. Iud. lib. 19. cap. 9. and banished him into France, understanding that Herodias was Agrippa's Sister, gave her all her husbands estate, supposing, that she would not go along with him; but she answered the Emperour, saying, There is a cause that hinders me from partaking the benefit of your bounty, The affection I bear to my husband, because I have shared with him in his Felicity: Whereupon the Emperour being displeased with her answer, banished her likewise. Memorable is that also of David's brethren, and those of his Fathers house,1 Sam. 22. 1. who when they heard of his being in the Cave of Adullam, sleighted the forfeiture of their goods, and venturing the displeasure of Saul, Amicus certus in re incerta, &c. went down to comfort him: And thus it is, that true Friendship is best tryed in times of Affliction and distress; Prov. 17. 17. A brother, a Friend, a Wife, is, for the time of Adversity. Away then with those Summer-birds, those false-hearted Friends, that like ditches are full in the Winter-season, but dry in the heat of Summer when we have most need of them.

1218 Natural Wants and weaknesses, not to be objected against the practice of Divine Meditation.

[Page]

MEn that are sick and weakly in their bodies,J. Downham Guide to Godlinesse. do not altogether abstain from food and Physick, but rather use them, that they may recover their strength again; and though their appetite is small, yet they force themselves, that by eating a little and a little, they may get a stomach: Shall a Man that is dim-sighted, shut the windowes because the house is dark? Shall he not rather open them to let in the light, that he may the better see to go about his business? And the colder a man feels himself, the more needful he thinks it to come to the fire and warm himself, or use some exercise, that so he may recover his natural heat. Thus in like manner, the sight of our own natural wants and weaknesses is not a sufficient plea to barre us from the exercise of divine Meditation, —sed contra audentior ito. but rather incite us thereunto, it being an excellent means to clear up our sight, to enlighten our minds with more knowledge, to get spiritual health and strength, and to warm our cold and frozen hearts, that so by Gods assistance, we may perform service unto him with more heat of Godly Zeal and fervour of devotion.

1219 The greatest boasters, the smallest doers.

ERasmus in his Adagies reports of a young Man, that had travailed many Countreys, and at last returning home, began to praise himself in every Company; and amongst many his other excellent feats that he had done, he said, that in the Isle of Rhodes, he out-jumped all the Men that were there, and all the Rhodians could bear him witnesse of the same: Whereupon a stander by said; [...], If thou sayst true, think this to be Rhodes, and jump here; And then he could do just nothing, but hid his face for shame: Thus,Hieron. Thryverus in Hippocrat. aphorism. as those sticks that send forth most smoke, do afford least heat; So those Men that are the greatest boasters, are for the most part the least doers; according to our English Proverb,Minima possunt qui plurima [...]actant. Great boast, Thryverus. and small roast. Alas! what are words? meer van [...]ty, if not attended with deeds; hence is that saying, Loquere ut te videam, so speak, that I may see you; make no more words, but what may be demonstrated by deeds in the view of all Men.

1220 God rewarding the least of good done to his People.

IT is reported of Herod Agrippa, Josephus de Antiquitat. Iud. lib. 18. cap. 8. (the same that was eaten up of Worms, Act. 12. 23.) that being bound in chains, and sent to prison by Tiberius for wishing Caius in the Empire, one Thaumastus a servant of Caius, carrying a pitcher of Water, met him; And Agrippa being very thirsty, desired him to give him drink;☞ which he willingly did: Whereupon Agrippa said; This service thou hast done in giving me drink, shall do thee good another day: And he was as big as his word; for afterwards, when Caius was Emperor, and Agrippa made King of Iudea, he first got his liberty, then made him a chief Officer of his houshold; and after his decease, took order that he should continue in the same Office with his Sonne: How much more then shall Christ reward those that shall give to his distressed members but a cup of cold water (one of the least,Grave nimis est ut fructu laboris sui fraudetur bonus, &c. Matth. 10. 42. readiest and meanest refreshments that may be) in the midst of their Afflictions? Shall not he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, have a Prophets reward? Yes, surely, they shall not be unrecompenced; when Christ shall appear in his glory, he will own them before Men and Angels.

Want of matter not to be pretended against the practice of Divine Meditation.1221

[Page]

LOok but upon an Earthly-minded Man, and hee'l have matter enough to think and meditate upon in worldly things,W. Strong, Serm. at Westm. 1652. if it were for a whole year together, building as it were Castles in the ayr, busying himself about things that are not, or ever shall be; and herein they are such quick Workmen too, that they can both gather their straw, and burn their brick in full tale: Strange then! that any Man should object the want of matter, or barrennesse of invention in the Meditation of things spiritual; whereas did he but resort to Gods store-houses, (like the Egyptians to Iosephs) did he but open the large volume of the Creation, and unclasp the book of holy Scriptures, —monstrat quaelibe [...] herba Deum. he might find abundant matter of Meditation; besides, the consideration of his own misery, his manifold sins and corruptions, wants and imperfections, Gods great Mercies and blessings, the admin [...]stration of his Judgments, the workings of his Providence, &c. so that there is no want of good seed, no cause to complain of any thing, but the barrennesse of heart, and aversnesse to good things, if there be not bringing forth fruit in a plentifull manner.

More comfortable to have a strong Faith, then a weak one.1222

AS two Ships sailing together, the one sound and well tackled; the other leaking and wanting sailes, G. Williams of the Church. though both do arrive at the same port; yet not both alike disposed; the one comes in merrily and confidently, the other with much difficulty and doubting: So the strong in Faith doth singingly walk towards Heaven, goes on comfortably and with full assurance, when they of little faith do but, as it were, creep thither with many doubts, great fears, and small joy; And therefore as it is no Wisdom for any Man to continue poor that may be Rich, or to live in Fear, when he may be free from it; So it is no point of Wisdome, no piece of Christian Prudence for a Man to content himself with a weak Faith, when by any means he may encrease it.

Men to be forward in promoting the cause of God and Religion.1223

FAmous is the Story of one Terentius, a Captain in the Emperour Valens his Army,Theodoret. hist. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 23. who returning from Armenia with a great Victory, the Emperour bade him ask what he would; He onely desired as a Recompence for all his service, That there might be granted a Church to the Orthodox in Antioch, (where, to the honour of the place, Christ did, as it were, at first spread his glorious banner, Act. 11. 26.) that they might freely meet there, and publiquely joyn together in the service of their God; The motion, he could not but know, must be exceedingly unwelcome to the Emperor, Si perit Ecclesiae causa, periisse juvabit. because he was an Arrian; Prosper. and so it proved: For the Emperor tore his Petition, and bade him ask something else; but Terentius gathered up the torn pieces of the paper, and said; Hoc tantum desidero, &c. This I ask as a reward of my service, and I will ask nothing else: Here was a [...]ree sp [...]rited Man, a true Christian Souldier, that sum'd up all his service for the publique, in an humble Petition for the Churche's good, Dic mihi Musa virum, S [...]ow me such another: Do men improve their Interest in great ones, and make such use of opportunities as may conduce to the good of Gods cause and Religion? They do not; It is too too apparent, that Men are too much byassed, too much [...]-ended, seeking, quae sua non quae Christi, their own things, not [Page] the things of Iesus Christ, Phil. 2. 21. Theophilact, Anselm. in [...]. preferring their own private gain, and Worldly profit before the advancement of Gods true Religion.

1224 Gods Omnipresence, the consideration of it to be a restraint from Sin.

IT is the perswasion of Seneca to his Friend Lucilius, Epist. 11. for the better keeping of himself within compasse of his duty, to imagine, that some great Man, some strict, quick-sighted, clear-brain'd Man, such as Cato or Laelius did still look upon him: And being come to more perfection, would have him to fear no Mans presence more then his own, nor any Mans testimony above that of his own Conscience; and addes this Reason, because he might flee from another, but not from himself, Jo. Downame Guide to Godlinesse. and escape another's censure, but not the censure of his own Conscience: Thus, did but Men set God before their eyes, and alwaies remember, that his eyes are upon them, it would be a notable bridle to pull them back,Deus totus oculus est, &c. and to hold them up when they are ready to fall into any Sin; it would make them to watch over themselves,Aug. in Psal. 120. that they did not do any wickednesse in his sight, who is greater then their Consciences; and so upright in his Iudgments, that though Conscience may be silenced for a time, and give no evidence, or be a false Witnesse to the truth, yet it is impossible to escape his sentence, either by flight or any appeal whatsoever.

1225 The holy Scriptures to be valewed above all other Writings.

JOsephus in his book of the Antiquities of the Iews, Lib. 20. cap. 4. maketh mention of one Cumànus, a Governor of Iudea, that though he were but an Heathen, and a Wicked Man, yet he caused a Souldier to be beheaded, for tearing a Copy of the Book of Moses Law, which he found at the sacking of a Town; And venerable in all Ages, and amongst all Nations, have been the books that contained the Laws either of their Belict or Politie;R. Holdsworth Serm. 1632. as the Jews, their Talmud; the Romans, the Laws of the twelve Tables; the Turks, their Alcoran; and all Pagans, the Laws of their Legislators: And shall not Christians have then an high esteem of the holy Scriptures, and deem them (as the good old Christians did) to be the Miroir of divine Grace and Mans misery,Schola coelestis, eruditio vitalis, &c. Cassiodor in Psal. 115. the Touchstone of Truth, the Shop of remedies against all evill, the Hammer of Hereticks, the Treasury of Virtue, the Displayer of Vanities, the Ballance of Equity, and the most perfect Rule of all Truth and honesty.

1226 Men to be forward in frequenting the Ordinances of God.

IT is a note of Mr. Calvin's upon that Text,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. Seek ye my face, Psal. 27. 8. That Superstitious People will go on Pilgrimage to the Image of such a Lady, or such a Saint, or to visite the Monument of the Sepulcher at Ierusalem, and they will go over Mountains, and through strange Countries; and though they be used [...]ardly, and lose much of their estates, sometimes in perils of false brethren, other times in the hands of Arabian Robbers, they satisfie themselves in this, I have that I came for. Alas! What came they for? the sight of a dumb Idol, a meer nothing. If they then will endure such hardship for the sight of a meer empty shadow, How much pains should we take to see God in his Ordinances? Psal. 84. 6. —Per ardua Virtus. What though the way to Sion lie through the valley of Bacha; Surely, when God moves the hearts of Men to joyn with his People, a little [Page] difficulty cannot hinder them, they will be content to go through the valley of tears, so as they may appear before God in Sion; they will go through thick and thin, rather then not go to Church at all: And thus as it is prophesied of the Church of God, that she should be called, Sought out; i. e. sought unto, or sought after,Notae divers. Ministr. in locum. Esay 62. 12. It is heartily to be wished, that it might be so, a place had in high estimation and regard, which out of respect and devotion, Men would repair and resort unto, encouraging others also so to do, saying; Come let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, that our hearts may be refreshed with the consolations of our God, in the way of his Ordinances.

Experimental Knowledge, the onely Knowledg.1227

IT is well known, that the great Doctors of the World by much reading and speculation,Jos. Shute Serm. ut Merc. Chap. Lond. 1629. attain unto a great height of Knowledge, but seldom to sound Wisdome, which hath given way to that common Proverb, The greatest Clerks, are not alwaies the wisest Men; It is not studying of the Politiques that will make a Man a wise Counsellor of Estate, till his Knowledge is joyned with experience; which [...]eacheth, where the Rules of State hold, and where they fail; It is not book-knowledge that will make a good General, a skilfull Pilot, no not so much as a cunning Artizan, Experientia docet. till that knowledge is perfected by practice and experience; And so surely, though a Man abound never so much in literal knowledge, it will be far from making him a good Christian, unlesse he bring precepts into practice, and by feeling experience apply that he knowes, to his own use and spirituall advantage.

The Church of the Gospel, it's amplitude above that under the Law.1228

THe Samaritans Inne was called [...], because it gave entertainment to all strangers,Edm. Leigh. Crit. Sacra in loc. Luk. 10. 34. In S. Peter's sheet were all sorts of Creatures, four-footed Beasts, and creeping things, Act. 10. 11. The Net, mentioned in S. Matthews Gospel caught all kind of Fish, Chap. 13. 47. Ahashueru's Feast welcom'd all comers, Esth. 1. 4. Such is the Church of the Gospel in its amplitude; The Prophetical Gospel was hedg'd in and limited within the pale of Palestine; but the Apostolical Gospel is spread over the face of the whole Earth; Then it was lux modii, Matth. Stiles Sermon. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. a light under a bushell; now lux mundi, the light of the World: Then the Prophets sang, In Iudaea natus est Deus, In Iury is God known, his Name is great in Is [...]ael; but now we sing, Laudate Dominum omnes gentes, Praise the Lord all ye Nations.Psal. 76. 1. Then the Name of Christ was an oyntment kept close in a box; but now it is an oyntment poured out. Psal. 117. And lastly, then the Church was a Garden enclosed, a Fountain sealed up; but now it is a springing Well, that overflowes the World to renew it, as Noah's floud did to destroy it.

The Company of Wicked Men to be avoided.1229

IT was once the Prayer of a good Gentlewoman, when she was to die, being in much trouble of Conscience;Jer. Burroughs Moses choyce, O Lord, let me not go to Hell, where the Wicked are; For, Lord, thou knowest I never loved their Company here: the same in effect, though not in the same words, was that of holy David, Lord gather not my Soul with Sinners.Psal. 26. 6. Thus if Men would not have their Souls gathered with Wicked Men hereafter,☜ they must take heed of joyning with them here; Can God take it well at any Mans hands, to go and shake hands with his Enemies? God himself will not so much as reach out his hand to the Wicked.Biblia vulgat. edit. Iob 8. 28. Why then should any of us do so? Can we be in any place where we see God dishonoured, and sit still as though not concerned therein? Certainly, the sight of Sin, [Page] wheresoever,Psal. 119. 5 [...]. or by whomsoever it is committed, should cause horror in the Soul, it should make us forbear coming into such wretched Company.

1230 Time mis-spent, to be carefully redeemed.

IT is observable,J. Downam's Guide to Godlinesse. that when Men have mis-spent their youth in Riotous living, neglected all means of thriving, and prodigally wasted their Estates; but coming to riper years, and being beaten with the rod of their own experience in the sight of their folly, do not onely, desist from their former lewd courses; but are sorry and ashamed of them, and set themselves with so much the more care and diligence to recover and repair their decay'd estates, and with the greater earnestnesse use all good means of thriving; —Validis incumbere remis. And he that being to travell about important businesse nearly concerning his life and estate, if he have over-slept himself in the Morning, or trifled out his time about things of no worth, when he sees his error and folly, he makes the more haste all the day following, that he may not be benighted, and so coming short of his journey, be frustrate of his hopes: And thus must every good Christian do, labouring with so much the more earnestnesse after the spiritual riches of Grace,Plus vigila semper, &c. and assurance of his Heavenly hope, by how much the longer he hath neglected the spiritual thri [...]t; And tra [...]elling so much the more speedily in the wayes of God, by how much the longer he hath deferred his journey, and loytered by the way, fearing (as the Apostle speaketh) lest a promise being left of entring into Gods rest, he come short of it, Heb. 4. 1.

1231 Sacriledg, the heavy Iudgments of God depending thereon.

POmpey the Great,Josephus lib. 14. cap. 8. A [...]tiquitat. who is noted by Titus Livius, and Cicero, to be one of the most fortunate Souldiers in the World, yet after he had abused and robbed the Temple of Ierusalem, he never prospered; but, velut unda s [...]pervenit undam, as one wave followeth another, so ill successes succeeded to him, one on the neck of another, till at last he made an end of an unhappy life by a miserable death; Many more Examples of the like nature are recorded to posterity: To what purpose? To forewarn them of the heavy Iudgments that depend upon all Sacrilegers, that as the A [...]k of God could find no resting place amongst the Philistines, A sacris abstinendae manus. but was removed from Asdod to Gath, from Gath to Ekron, and so from place to place, till it came to it's own proper place; so shall it be with the goods of Gods Church, of what nature soever, being wrung out of the Churche's hands by violence, Quae malignè contraxit Pater, pejori fluxu refundet haeres, Pet Blesens. Epist. 10. That which the Father hath so wickedly scraped together, the Sonne shall more wickedly scatter abroad, and so it shall passe and repasse from one to another untill it be far enough from him and his, for whom it was collected, so t [...]at the out-side of all his goodly purchase will be the Iudgment of God against himself, and the curse of God to remain upon his Posterity.

1232 Nothing but Eternity will satisfie the gratious Soul.

WHen there were severall attempts made upon Luther, Melch. Adamus in vita. to draw him back again to the Romish side, one proposed a summe of Money to be offered unto him; No, that will not do, sayes another; Illa bestia Germanica non curat argentum, &c. That German beast cares not for money, nor any temporal thing whatsoever,B [...]sil. magn. hom. in 40 Martyres. and so they ceased any further tampering that way; Such was the Christian resolution of those Four [...]y Martyrs under the persecution of Lici [...]ius the Emperor, Anno 300. that when Agricolaus his chief Governour, [Page] and one of the Devil's prime Agents, set upon them by severall wayes to renounce Christ, and at last tempted them with money and preferments, they all cryed out with one consent, [...], &c. O Eternity! Eternity! Give money that may last [...]or [...], 1 Cor. 2. 2. and glory that may never fade away; Nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified will serve S. Paul's turn; And thus it is, that nothing but Eternity will satisfie the gratious Soul; Let all the World, the things of Heaven and Earth, present themselves to the Soul by way of satisfaction, it will say; What are ye? Temporal, or Eternal? If temporal, away with them; but if they bring Eternity along with them, if the Inscription of Eternity be set on them, then it closes with them, and is satisfied in the sweet enjoyment of them.

The Ranters Religion.1233

IT is reported of the Lindians, a People in the Isle of Rhodes, Herdotus. Strabo. who using to offer their Sacrifices with curses and execrable Maledictions, thought their unholy holy-Rites were prophaned, if that in all the time of the solemnity, vel imprudenti alicui exciderit verbum bonum, Lactant. de vero Dei cultu. A [...] (que) Deos al (que) astra vocant crudelia, &c. Virgil. any one of them at unawares should have cast out or let fall one good word: Such is the irreligious Religion, and desperate carriage of a wretched crew, called Ranters, whose mouthes are fill'd with cursing, and blasphemous speeches, and that in such an [...]orrid and confused manner, as if Pythagoras his [...] were to be credited, a Man would think Rabshekah's Soul had been transported into their bodies, their Dialect being alike Divellish, their language semblable.

Flatterers to be avoided.1234

WHen Xerxes with his multitudinous Army marched towards Greece, and asked of his Friends,Trog. Pomp. hist. What they feared most; and one said, That when the Greeks heard of his coming, they would fly away, before he could come near them; another said, He feared the ayr had not room enough for the arrowes of his Army; another feared, All Greece was not sufficient to quarter his Souldiers in; And then Damascerus the Philosopher said, He feared that all those Parasites would deceive him: And no wonder, For many Men have been eaten up, and cheated out of their whole estates by such dissembling and devouring Caterpillars: adulationis unctio est domorum emunctio, the oyl of Flattery hath soaked up many a good Family; Plus nocet lingua adulatoris quà [...] gladius persecutoris, saith another, A Flatterers tongue, S. August. in Psal. 56. doth more mischief then a Persecutors sword; so that better it were for Men to live [...], amongst Ravens, then [...], amongst Flatterers; For Ravens fe [...]d onely upon dead carcasses, Diog. Laert. in vita Diog. Cyn. and Flatter [...]rs feast upon living Men; Adulatores sunt hostes et scintillae Diaboli. Hieron. in Prov. 1. they are therefore to be banished from our ears, or at the least no wayes trusted, and by no means countenanced; which if they be, it is to be feared they will not onely deceive us, but also destroy us, Prov. 26. 28. and mislead from the wayes of goodnesse.

The Vanity of temporal things compared with those Eternall.1235

A Bulensis setting out the Vanity of all Worldly excellency,Com. in 2 Reg. cap. 15. qu. 20. et in cap. 17. qu. 21. observes; That those who have been the most glorious in what Man accounts excellent, have had inglorious ends, whereby their splendor hath been much eclipsed; As in Sampson for strength, and what a contemptible end had he? Absolon for beauty, Achitophel for Policy, Azahel for swiftnesse, Alexander the great for Conquests, yet poysoned in the end; And he instanceth also in Kingdoms, as that of the Assyrian, the Chaldean, Persian, Graecian, and Roman; How soon [Page] were they gone? He might have added, Common-wealths; For be they never so well settled, they must have their ending too.

1236 Crowns have their periods, length of dayes their date, Triumphs their tombs, Felicity it's Fate.

SUch then is the Vanity of all temporal things, Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. Sic parvis est componere magna, &c. compared with those Eternal; The beauty of all Wordly things being but as a fair picture drawn upon the [...] that melts away with it; The fashion of this World passeth away; And d [...]d but Worldly Men consider, what is become of all those, that have had as great dealings, and as many merry-meetings as they, and have indulged the Flesh as much as they, that they are gone, rotten in their graves, and their Souls (it may be) crying under the wrath of an infinite God, and all their bravery and delights at an end, they would then leave doating on the World, and fix their hearts upon things that shall make for their Eternal and everlasting good.

1237 Ceremonies of the Church, not to be any cause of Separation.

PLiny in his natural history reporteth of Hedg-hogs, Will. Barlow Defence of Art. of Relig. that having been abroad to provide their store, and returning home laden with nuts and fruit, if the least Filbert fall but off, they will in a pettish humour, fling down all the rest, and beat the ground for very anger with their bristles: And such is the peevish fancy of many strait-laced Christians amongst us, (such as in themselves are bells of passing good Mettall, and tuneable enough, though by the artifice of some, miserably rung out of tune) that will leave our Church, W. Laud ep. ded. in Reply to Fisher. and remain obstinate for trifles and accidents, Ceremonies, things in themselves adiaphorous, indifferent, and harmlesse, that Fire hath tryed them to be but stubble and straw-controversies, 1 Cor. 3. easie to be moderated, if Malice and Prejudice make not men irreconcileable.

1238 The Tongue for the most part a mischievous member.

AESop being sent by his Master, to buy all the best meat he could get in the Market,Ia vita Aesopi. bought all Tongues; And being sent again to buy all the worst, he bought all Tongues again: being demanded, Why he did so, answered; That no flesh was better then a good Tongue, nor any worse then a bad Tongue: And most true it is,Plutarch. as Bias told Amasis King of Egypt, The Tongue is the best and worst member of the body, for the most part, an unruly michievous member lambit et laedit, Li [...]gua mali pa [...]s p [...]ssi [...]a servi. Juvenal. a killing and destroying Member; a dangerous weapon, and the worst of all other weapons; the stroke of a sword may be born off, the shot of an arrow may be shunn'd; or if not, the wounds may be healed; but there is no way to escape a poysoned Tongue, Sainctes Paginni thes. ling. sanct. no salve to cure it; hence it is well observed, that a Word, and a Pest grow upon the same root in Hebrew, signifying, that the Plague and an [...] Tongue go together.

1239 In the midst of Worldly enjoyments to mind Eternity.

THere is a notable Story of one Theodorus a Christian young Man in Egypt, who,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. when there was a great deal of Feasting with Musi [...]k in his Fathers house, withdrew himself from all the Company, and being got alone, thus [Page] thought with himself; Here is content and delight enough for the Flesh, I may have what I desire, but how long will this last? this will not hold out long; then falling upon his knees to God in prayer; O Lord, sayes he, my heart is open unto thee, I indeed know not what to ask, but onely this, Lord let me not dye Eternally, O Lord, thou knowest I love thee, O let me live Eternally to praeise thee: And then when his Mother came to him, and would have had him come in to the rest of the Company, he made an excuse and would not, onely upon this Meditation, because he saw, this could not hold out long: And thus it is heartily to be wished, that the Sons of Men, when they find their hearts beginning to be let out upon any temporal good, when they are in the midst of all their Worldly delights and pleasures would think upon Eternity, Sursum corda. and reason with themselves thus; I am now in the midst of all temporal enjoyments, but will they hold out? I was made to abide for ever, I was made for that God that must abide for ever; What are a sew hours here? if years, they were nothing to Eternity; Those that abide longest in the fruition of health and prosperity, their time is but a bubble, they are gone, and the memory of them is perished; Xenophilus in Pliny lived an hundred and five years without any sicknesse; lib. 7. cap. 5. but what is that to Eternity?

Popery, a meer heap of Confusion.1240

IT is said of the Nabis, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 7. cap. 18. a beast in Egypt so called; that it hath the shape of severall beasts; and of Hanniball's Army, that it consisted ex colluvie omnium Gentium of the very scum of all Nations. Thus the whole body of Popery is nought else but a very amassed lump of Pagan Rites, and old Heretical dregs, as in their Purgatory, Idolatry, Sacrifice for the dead, holy Water, Free-will, challenge of the Church, merit of Works, renouncing of Scriptures, &c. so that as Iosephus said of Apion's writings,lib. 1. that they were [...], a meer dunghill of shamelesse untruths, rather then Orthodox verities, a meer heap of trash and trumpery.

Children to have a care how they marry without consent of Parents 1241

TErtullian the African Father, writing to his Wife concerning Marriage, closeth all with a piece of admiration,G. Williams of the Church. U [...]de sufficiam ad e [...]arrandam foelicitatem ejus Matrimonii, quod Ecclesia conciliat, confirmat oblatio, &c. O how shall I be able suffciciently, to describe the happy state of that Couple, whom the Church hath joyned, Prayer and thanksgiving have confirmed, Angels in Heaven proclaimed, and the Parents on Earth approved; Gen. 24. Such were those of Rebecca, Iudg. 14. and the Woman of Timnah; the one for Isaac, the other for Sampson, though both appointed by God, yet consented thereunto by Parents on all sides: But on the other side, O how miserable is the state of that pair, which by contemning the advice and consent of their Parents, do so highly offend God, that they can expect no blessing from God, Phil. Bosquieri tabula naufragii. till with weeping tears they have sued unto God for pardon, and by all possible means of submission and humiliation (which is the b [...]st plank after Shipwrack) sought to be reconciled to their Parents, and labour in what they can to make a compensation for their former disobedience, with a care of Conscionable walking before them.

Afflictions of this life, the comfortable use that is to be made of them.1242

A Ship after a long Voyage,Jer. Burroughs Moses choyce, being come into Harbour, springs a leak, the Master is somewhat troubled at it, and is never at quiet, till it be stopped, so that it is an evill to him; yet he comforts himself in this, that it did not happen [Page] unto him, when he was out at Sea, that had been a great deal worse, and might have proved the ruine of them all: And thus it is for troubles and sorrows, there is a comfortable use to be made of them, so long as they happen to us in this life, We may say, They are upon us; but, (blessed be God) they are upon us here in this World, Dabit Deus his quo (que) finem. Virgil. Aen. 1. so that by a sanctified use to be made of them, they shall never be eternally upon us in the World to come. Hence is that prayer of S. Augustine, and of all good Men, in his words; Domine, hic ure, hicfeca, ut in aeternum parcas, Here Lord do what thou wilt with me, but spare me hereafter; and that of Fulgentius, Di Domine patientiam hic, &c. Give patience here Lord, and pardon hereafter; Whatsoever my grievances are here upon Earth, let me rejoyce with thee in Heaven.

1243 Constancy of holy Duties makes the performance of them easie.

IT is easie to keep that Armour bright which is daily used, but hanging by the Walls till it be rusty, Jo. Downame Guide to Godlinesse. it will ask some time and pains to furbish it over again; If an Instrument be daily plaid upon, it is easily kept in tune; but let it be but a while neglected, and cast in a corner, the strings and frets break, the bridge flies off, and no small labour is required to bring it into order again: And thus also it is in things spiritual, in the performance of holy Duties, if we contiue them with a settled constancy, they will be easie, familiar, and delightful to us;usus promptos facit. but if once broken off, and intermitted, it is a new work to begin again, and will not be reduced to the former estate, but with much endeavour and great difficulty.

1244 Men to be Provident Christians.

IT is said,1 Kings 4. 26. Nat. Shute Serm. [...] S. Mild. Poultry Lond. 1627. that in the dayes of Solomon, Iudah and Israel dwelt safely, every Man under his Vine, and under his Figtree, from Dan, even to Bersheba, i. e. from one end of the Country to the other: But then at the very next verse following, it is said; And Solomon had fourty thousand stalls of Horses for his Chariots, and twelve thousand Horsemen; What! Peace and plenty, Horses and Horsemen, Quam male conveniunt? How can they stand together? Very well;P [...]v, 22. 3. No doubt, but this was one of the greatest points of Solomon's wisedome, to foresee à danger, and shun it; in times of Peace, to provide for Warre: And thus it must be the care of all good Christians, to be provident Christians, with Ioseph, in times of Plenty to lay up for times of Dearth; now in the strength of Youth, to provide for the weaknesse of Age; now in the time of Gospel-light and knowledge to be stocked and stored with Graces and Gospel-promises to live upon in worser times.

1245 Hell-torments, the Eternity of them to be considered.

IT is reported of a Voluptuous young Man, that could not endure to be craossed in his wayes; and of all things he could not bear it, to be kept awake in the dark: but it so happened, that being sick, he was kept awake in the night, and could not sleep at all; Whereupon he had these thoughts; What, is it so tedious then to be kept from [...] and to lye a few hours in the [...]? Oh, what is it then to be in torments and everlasting darknesse! Hieron, Drexel consid. de aeternitate. I am here in my own house upon a so [...]t bed in the dark, kept from [...] but one night; but to lie in flames and endlesse misery, How dreadfull must that needs be? These and such like Meditations were the happy means of that young Mans Conversion; [...] and by the bl [...]ssing of God may be the like unto divers others, when they shall consider the Eternity of Hell-torments, that they are everlasting, for ever and ever, (a fatall Soul-wounding expression) [Page] when there shall be a suffering of as many years as there be sands on the Sea shore, and Stars in the Firmament for their number, yet no comfort at all: Oh this Eternity of torments is the Hell of Hell. In the curse of Adam there was a donec reverteris, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, untill thou return, &c. there's no donec, no time limited, no bounds set to the Torments of the damned in Hell, they are for evermore.

Christian perfection to be attained by degrees.1246

MEteors, Jer. Whitaker Serm. at Westm. 1650. soon after their first appearing, make the greatest shew; A Fire of thorns, as soon as it is kindled, gives the fairest blaze, and makes the most noise and crackling, and both of them decrease by little and little, till they disappear, whereas the Morning light shineth more and more unto the perfect day.Prov. 4. 18. Mushromes come to their perfection in one nights growth, but trees of Righteousnesse of Gods right planting, are still in growth, and bring forth most fruit in old age, Psal. 92. 14. Summer-fruits are soon ripe, and soon rotten; but Winter-fruits last longer: Infants in the Womb that make more haste then good speed, prove abortive; whereas those that stay their time, come to their growth by degrees: And thus it is, that we must think to aspire unto Perfection, but in a graduall way; not imagine, that we can the first day, & in the beginning of our first conversion attain unto it; For as, Nemo repentè fit pessimus, No Man is made the worst at the first;S. Bernard. in Cant. so, Nemo repentè fit optimus, No Man is made the best all at once; which made a good old Christian cry out, Nolo repentè fieri summus, &c. I would not upon the suddain attain to my highest pitch, but grow towards it by little and little;Phil. 3. 14. Nondum apprehendi, I have not yet attained, (sayes the blessed Doctor of the Gentiles) but I presse hard forward, &c. and so must we, from knowledge to knowledg,Festina lentè. from virtue to vertue, from Faith to Faith, from one degree of grace to another, unto a perfect Man, and unto the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ, Ephes. 4. 13.

The Lyers reward and punishment.1247

AESop tells us a tale, how a Town-Shepherd ran to the Village where he dwelt twice or thrice, and told the People the Wolves came, and were devouring their sheep; but when they came out to rescue their Cattle, they saw there was no such matter: At last, the Wolves came indeed, and the Shepherd ran into the Town, as before, crying out, That his Sheep were all at the mercy of the cruell Wolves; but the People being formerly deceived by this lying Shepherd, would not believe him, nor step one foot out of doors to save their goods, untill they were all destroyed by the salvage beasts; his accustomed lyes made them so diffident to believe the truth, that they were all undone by the bargain: And such is the reward of all Lyers, that they shall not be believed when they speak the truth;Aristotle. apud Diog. La [...]rt. lib. 5. as Demetrius Phalerius being asked, What was the fruit and reward of lying? answered; Quod ne vera quidem dicentibus, deinceps, fides adhibeatur, That after a Man is known to be a Lyer, every thing is question'd that he speaks; let him have never so much gold in his Chest, his words are but brasse, and passe for nothing; yea, he is no better then a dumb Man in effect; For it is all one, whether one cannot speak, or cannot be believed when they do speak.

In all our doings to think upon Eternity. 1248

AMongst many other Rites and Ceremonies of elder times in the Consecration of Bishops,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. they had this speech made unto them, Habeatis aeternitatem in omnibus cogitationibus vestris, Have Eternity in all your thoughts; Whether it were so, penes sit Authorem; but certain it is, that at the decollation of the late Archbishop of Cant. Jan. 10. 1644. there stood on either side as he was to passe, a generation of People that ecchoed out unto him the like saying,In vita ejus per Anonym. Remember Eternity; [Page] (a sweet breath, had it not come from corrupt lungs; a good Memento, had it proceeded from sanctified hearts; but it is much to be feared, that they spake rather ex livore malitiae, quàm ex Zelo justitiae, rather out of malice, then love to his Soul, being not silent many dayes after in quarrelling his Salvation,) However, there is a right good, and godly use to be made of the thoughts of Eternity; so pretious are they, that if Men would but spend one quarter of an hour of every day therein, thus thinking with themselves;Hieron, in Drexclii, con [...]iderat. de aeternitate. This body of mine though frail and mortal, yet must live for ever; and this Soul of mine must live eternally; It is too too much time that I have spent in seeking after contentment for the flesh; but what have I done for my Soul? what for Eternity? It cannot be imagined, what good such thoughts would do; For without all doubt, there is many a blessed Soul now in Heaven praising and magnifying God, that they were so well employed; and too many in the neglect thereof, howling in Hell for ever.

1249 Gluttony, reproved.

CLemens Alexandri [...]us in his Book called Paedagogus, maketh mention of the Sea-Asse, Lib. 2. cap. 1. Hist. animal. lib. 9. cap. 17. Ulyss. Aldrovandus de Piscibus. and citing Aristotle for his Author, saith; That amongst all other living and sensible Creatures, this onely hath his heart in his belly, whom Epicharmus, an ancient Poet, termeth, [...], such an one as varies from the ordinary course of Nature: And such are all they that do Indulgere genio, pamper themselves, quorum animi in patinis, who mind nothing but their guts; and are so given over to their carnal appetite, that they take more pains to satisfie it, then to please God, [...], whose belly is their God, Phil. 3. and as Tertullian sets them out,Lib. de jeju [...]io. —ó prodiga rerum [...] stomach is their Altar, their belly is their God, their Priest is their Cook, their holy ghost is the smell of their meat, the Graces of the Spirit are their sauces, their Kitchen is their Church, &c. thus being transformed from Men to beasts, they are led more by their sense and appetite, then by Reason and Religion, and have their gluttonous panch the chief seat of their Souls, not their hearts where it should be.

1250 Innovations in Church or State, very dangerous.

AMongst the Locrians there was a Statute of that strictnesse, that whosoever desired to bring in a new Law, G. Williams of the Church. he should come and declare it publiquely in the Market-place before the People with an halter about his neck; that if his Law was not thought meet to be enacted for the good of the Commonwealth, he might presently be hang'd for his desire of Innovation. And good reason too; For it is very dangerous to innovate any thing either in Church or Common-wealth; not but that it is in the power of Supream Authority to change and correct such Lawes, as shall seem fit to be changed for the good of the People; yet according to the strict Rules of Policy that is not to be done neither, but upon pure necessity, what apparent profit soever may be pretended to the contrary.

1251 To be carefull how we come under the evill of a reviling Tongue.

DAvid upon sad experience, compareth a wicked, reviling Tongue to three [...]atall weapons,Jer. Boroughs Moses Choyce. a Razor, a Sword, and an Arrow; to a Razor, Psal. 52. 2. such an one, as will take off every little hair; so a reviling Tongue will not onely take advantage of every grosse sin committed by others, but those peccadilio's, the least infirmities, which others better qualified cannot so much as discern. Secondly,Psal. 57. 4. to a Sword that wounds; so the Tongues of reproaching Men [...]ut deeply into the credits and reputations of their brethren; but a sword doth [Page] mischief onely near hand, not afar off; And therefore it is in the third place compared to an Arrow, Psal. 64. 3. that can hit at a distance: And so revilers do not ill offices to those onely in the Parish or Town where they live, but to other far remote. How much then doth it concern every Man to walk circumspectly? Plena victoria est acclamatione tacere, &c. Val. Episcop. in Serm. to give no just cause of reproach, not to make himself a scorn to the Fools of the World; But if they will Reproach, (as certainly they will) let it be for forwardnesse in Gods wayes, and not for Sin, that so the Reproach may fall upon their own heads, and their scandalous language into their own throats.

Correction of Children and Servants, how to be moderated.1252

ST. Hierome writing to Celantia, Epist. de institu [...]ione Matris-Familias. a worthy Matron, amongst much other good Counsell that he there gives her, thus adviseth; Famili [...]m tuam ita rege et con [...]ove, &c. That she should so govern her Family, and cherish it, as that she should rather seem their Mother then their Mistresse; and draw from them Reverence rather by loving benignity, then rigorous severity: and he addes this reason; For that obedience is alwaies more faithful and acceptable, which floweth from love, Cunctapriùs teutanda, &c. then that which is extorted by fear: Thus in the correction of Children and servants, Ovid. (if there be no other help) Iustice must be observed: First, [...] parciùs utereloris. Id. lib. 2. Met. that there is a fault committed, and that the fault so committed deserveth punishment, and that the punishment do not exceed the quality of the fault; which will otherwise seem to rage and revenge, then to chastise [...]or amendment.

Christians not to revile and reproach one another.1253

IT is a notable speech of one Nemon, Plutarch. in vita Alexandri. that was a Generall of the Persian Army, that when he was fighting against Alexander, one of his Souldiers run upon Alexander's face with much ill language, and many opprobrious terms, the General hearing of it, smote him on the face, saying; I did not hire thee to reproach Alexander, but to fight against him: Thus if an Heathen could not endure to hear that his Enemy should be reproached, How much lesse will God bear it, to have his Children reproaching one another? It was therefore a brave speech of Calvin, Melch. Adamus in vita. Etiamsi Lutherùs vocet me Diabolum, &c. Although Luther call me Devill, yet I will honour him as a dear Servant of Iesus Christ; And so, though those that are our brethren do cast Reproach upon us, we should honour the Grace of God in them, and not cast reproach upon them again: It is more then enough, that the briars and thorns of the Wildernesse, such as are without, do tear the Flesh, and rend the good names of Christians, let not them do it then one unto another.

A Child of God bettered by Afflictions.1254

STars shine brightest in the darkest night; Torches are better for the beating; Grapes come not to the proof,Sam. Cle [...]k Preface to Martyrology. till they come to the Presse; Spices smell sweetest, when pownded; young Trees root the faster for shaking; Vines are the better for bleeding; Gold looks the brighter for scowring; Glow-worms glister best in the dark; Iuniper smells sweetest in the Fire; Pomander becomes most fragrant for chasing; The Palm-Tree proves the better for pressing; Camomile, the more you tread it, the more you spread it: Such is the condition of all Gods Children, they are then most triumphant, when most tempted; most glorious, when most afflicted; most in the favour of God, when least in Man's; as their Conflicts, —Dolor bit tibi proderit olim. Ovid. Amor. 3. so their Conquests; as their Tribulations, so their Triumphs: True Salamanders, that live best in the Furnace of Persecution; so that heavy Afflictions [Page] are the b [...]st Benefactors to Heavenly affections; And where Afflictions hang heaviest, corruptions hang loosest: And Grace that is hid in Nature, as sweet water in Rose-leaves, is then most fragrant, when the fire of Affliction is put under to distill it out.

1255 The great benefit of repentant Tears.

IT is reported of a River in Sicily, Jul. Solinus. 2 King. 5. wherein if black sheep be but bathed, their wooll immediately will turn white: And it is well known, that the waters of Iordan cleansed the Leprosie of Naaman the Syrian. So whosoever he be that bathes himself in the pure Fountain of Repentant tears, shall be purged from all the filthinesse of Sin; though it be as red as scarlet, yet it shall be made as white as wooll: S. Ambrose in Luc. lib. 19. —Lachrymae pondera v [...]cis habent. Ovid. de Ponto lib. 3. And the reason is given by S. Ambrose, Quia lacrymae tacitae quaedam preces sunt, non p [...]stulant, sed merentur, non causam dicunt sed consequuntur, Our tears are a kind of silent Prayers, which, though they say nothing, yet they obtain pardon; and though they plead not a Man's cause, yet they procure Mercy from Gods hands, as we find in S. Peter, Non legitur quid dixerit, &c. he said nothing that we can read of, but wept bitterly, and obtained Mercy.

1256 How to bear the Reproaches of Men.

DIonysius having not very well used Plato at the Court,M [...]rsil. Ficinus in vita Platonis. when he was gone, he feared lest he should write against him, and therefore sent after him, to bid him have a care, how he set out any thing prejudiciall unto him: Tell him, sayes Plato, I have not so much leisure as to think upon him. So we should let those that reproach us know so much from us, that we have not leisure to think of them; and though we should not be insensible, yet not to take too much notice of every Reproach that is cast upon us;Nihil utilius quàm tacere provocatis, &c. Valer. Episcop. in Serm. but as when the Viper came upon S. Paul's hand, he shook it off; so when Reproaches come upon our good names or credits, shake them off; For it is a dishonour to think upon them, as if we had nothing else to do.

1257 The true Love of God will cause a Man to love his Ordinances.

IF the wounded Iew in the Parable should have cast away the two pence, Luk. 10. 35. Tho. de Trugillo [...]hesaurus Concionat. Rex non diligitur si odio lex ejus habetur. I [...]dor. which the Samaritan left to provide for him, it had been an Argument, that he neither regarded him, nor his kindnesse. And it was a sign that Esau loved not God, because he esteemed not his birthright: Thus the true Love of God is far from us, if we set not an high esteem upon his Ordinances, those pledges of his favour which he hath left with us, to wit, the Word and Sacraments; the Word, wherein we hear him speak lovingly; and the Sacraments, wherein we see him speak comf [...]rtably to us.

1258 The Vanity of gay Apparrell.

IT is a pretty observation of a Iewish Rabbi, Joh. Plantavit. Floril [...]g. Rabbinicum. That it was good policy for husbands to attire themselves below their ability, for so they might the sooner [...]hrive; and to cloath their Children according to their ability, so they might the better match them; but to maintain their Wives beyond their ability; for so perhaps they might live in more peace, Mollia indumenta animi mollitiem indicant. then they should otherwise do: But now it is so, that Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants are very vain in the matter of Apparell, Bern. in Apollon. all of them antick and fantastick in garb and fashion; of many whereof it may be truly said, That when they have their best cloathes on, they are in the very midst of their Wealth; Whereas a modest discreet Man goes in a plain Suit, but hath rich Linings.

Reproaches to be born chearfully, because God is concerned therein.1259

[Page]

AS a Man going to Sea, if he know that the Martiner hath skill, that he loves him,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. and hath promised, that he will have a care of him, and that many others have had experience of his former industry, this is much; But when he considers, that his life is the Marriners life, that being both in one bottom, if the one perish, the other cannot be safe; this now is full assurance, that as far as the Matriner can do it, it shall be well with him: Thus in the matter of Reproaches, and the cheerful bearing of them; Were it that we onely did know, that God had a love to us, and were mercifull to us, that were enough to assure us: But when we shall find, that as God hath loved us, so he hath engaged himself that he will stand by his People in the time of their suffering: adde hereunto our own experience of Gods gracious dealing with us in the day of our trouble;Contumeliae sunt Christi insig [...]a, &c. Thryverus. In vita ejus. this is somewhat more. But lastly, to rise somewhat higher, when we shall consider, that it is Gods own case, so that our Reproaches and Sufferings are his Reproaches and Sufferings (as Luther writing to Melancthon at that time much distracted with fears con [...]erning the Churche's good, Si nos ruimus, ruit et Christus, If we fall, Christ falls with us) this may fully assure us in the chearful bearing of them, because he is chiefly concerned in them.

The true Love of God, will cause familiarity with God.1260

WHere there is Love free from jealousie betwixt Man and Wife, they are,Root of Thankfuln [...]sse; A Sermon at S. Pauls, 1627. as it were, incorporated; they think themselves never better, then when they are in one anothers Company, talking and discoursing together, laying open each others griefs, and making one another partaker of each others comforts. So, we must have such interest in God, if we love him, we must in an humble distanced manner be familiar with him. Let never a day passe over our heads,Iob 12. 21. wherein we have not fetched a walk or two in the gallery of our he [...]rts with him, and there [...]aid open our selves before him, both concerning our miseries and our Sins, saying after this or the like manner; Thou [...]eest, O Lord, what sorrowes I endure within and without, I be [...]eech thee give me grace, so to carry myself, as that thou mayest have the glory of thy own work; And thou knowest, O my God, that I have this infirmity, or that weaknesse; and that were it not for thee, I should fall into fearfull breaches of thy Law; but, Lord, help me against this or that sin, us against Pride, deceit, vain-glory, and the like, that I may in a more settled and constant course honour thee, my God, to whom I am so infinitely bound, &c.

No Man too good, to learn.1261

ST. Augustine writing to Auxilius his fellow Bishop about the matter of Excommunication, Ep. 57. in all humility saith; Senex à juvene co-episcopo, et Episcopus tot annorum à Collega nec dum a [...]niculo, paratus sum doceri, Though I be an old Man, and a Bishop, of so many years standing, yet I am ready to be taught of a young Man, my Companion, scarce of one years growth: Thus, dimly (in their own conceits) have those great lights from time to time shined out in the Firmament of the Church, having been ever glad of any auxiliary to adde unto their lustre. Then if the greatest Clerks have need to be instructed, Omnis aetatis homines Scholae admittit. Sen. ep. 76. What shall we think of the meanest? How much knowledge do they want, that know almost nothing, when they that think they know so much, do notwithstanding want so much as that they may be taught something by the meanest? No age superannuated, no condition of Man so exalted, but may in one thing of other in ordine[Page]ad Deum, learn of the youngest; and the meanest, either by bringing to their mind what hath been forgotten, confirming in what they have already learnt, or instructing in what (for all their parts) they never as yet heard of.

1262 Consideration of the Name of Christ to be a motive from Sin.

SUppose one were set upon going to do mischief, Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. and his Father and Mother should throw themselves down in the path, that if he goes on, he must tread upon them, and they should say thus; You shall tread upon the bowels out of which you came, upon the loyns that begat you, this would certainly be a great stop; And thus when we find our hearts begin to stirre, and corruption boyl, the Name of Christ calls, Stay, and sayes; If you go to sin, you shall tread upon me, trample upon me and my bloud, and bring reproach upon me; this must needs be a great stop in the wayes to sin. In all the Word of God, there is scarce a stronger argument to keep Man from sinning, then the consideration of Christs Name lying prostrate before us, that the Name of Christ shall suffer by it; For the People of God to suffer by our sins, is an evil thing; For a Man to have his kindred ashamed of him, is a sad thing: But for a Man to be a Reproach to Iesus Christ, to be a grievance to the blessed Spirit of God, this, if he have any ingenuity, any spark of Grace left in him, any love of Christ remaining in him, will take him quite off from the wayes of sin and wickednesse.

1263 How to be truly thankfull unto God.

PEr brachium [...]it judicium de corde, Hippocratis aphorism. is the Physitian's Aphorism; And therefore when they passe their judgments of Mens hearts, they do it by the pulse beating in their arms, and not by the words that proceed from their mouthes;Act. 1. 1. So wise Me [...] will look more to doing, then to saying, (though both are good, and both must be done) remembring, that Iesus did and said. And then it is that men are truly thankfull unto God, Root of Thankfulnesse; A Sermon at S. Pauls, 1627. when they act what they say; as Noah is no sooner out of the Ark, but he builds an Altar for the Lord, before he provides an house for himself; he talks not of it, but does it: For to thank God with our tongues, and not to live answerably thereunto, is no better then to say, All hail, King of the Iews, and to spit upon him; Hosanna with one breath, and Crucifie him with another; to have Iacobs smooth tongue, and Esau's rough hands; a great deal of formal hypocrisie hanged out at the sign of the lips, and no reality at all in the heart and hand where it should be.

1264 A Man to be clear of that fault he reproves in another.

IT was Plutarch's shame,G. Williams of the Church. when his Servant could thus upbraid him, Non est ita ut Plutarchus dicit, It is not as my Master saith, his opinion is, that it is a shame for a Philosopher to be angry, and he hath often reasoned of the mischiefs that come thereby,de cohibenda iracundia. and hath written a book of not being angry, et ipse mihi irascitur, Turpe est doctori, &c. yet he is angry with me. A great fault it was in Plutarch then, and it is no lesse in those that are guilty of the same sin they reprove in others now, and little good will come thereby; For the eye which is filled with dust, can never see clearly the spot, that is in anothers face; nor that hand which is besmear'd with mire, wash any other member clean; nor that Man which is corrupted with Sin, do any good when he reproveth his own Sin in another. As when one Thief reproves another, one Drunkard condemns another, they may shame one another, Gregorii homit. but seldome mend one another, Mundus à vitiis esse debet, qui [Page]aliena corrigere curat, He must needs be clean himself, that goes about to cleanse another.

Reproaches and Sufferings for the Name of Christ, marks of Salvation.1265

THere is mention made of one Eschylus, Jer. Boroughs Moses Choyce. who being condemned to be stoned to death, and all the People being ready to do Execution upon him, his brother ran in unto him, and shewed them that he had but one hand, and that he lost the other in defence of his Countrey; whereupon there was none that would throw a stone at him: And thus it is that Reproaches and Sufferings in the cause of Christ, are notable marks to safe-guard us in the time of trouble; It was Ieremiah's plea, O Lord, thou knowest, remember me and visit me, know, that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke: Ier. 15. 15. This is the evidence that a gracious heart hath to its self, that God will spare him, when others shall suffer from his wrath: For the more any Man is called to suffer in the cause of God, and when he finds his heart ready and willing to yield to God in suffering, the more evidence he may have to his Soul, that when others be called to suffer from wrath, he shall be spared; this being the bottom of the Psalmists prayer, Remember, Lord, the Reproaches of thy servants, Psal. 69. 9. how I do bear in my bosome the Reproach of thy mighty People.

Mercies of God to be particularly recorded to Posterity.1266

THe Iews (as the Rabbines do observe) the night before the Passeover, are wont to confer with their Children on this wise;Joh. Menochius de Repub. Heb. The Child said, Why is it called the Passeover? The Father answered, because the Angell passed over, and destroyed us not; The child said, Why do we eat unleavened bread? The Father answered, Because we were forced to make haste out of Egypt. The Child said again, Why eat we sowr herbs? The Father said, To put us in mind of the afflictions in Egypt, &c. Thus ought we to deal in all the great and marvellous kindnesses of God, to speak publiquely of them for the generations to come; with David to tell what God hath done for our Souls; Psal. 66. 16. to declare his glory among all Nations, and his wonders amongst all People. The Prince must speak of them to his subjects, Psal. 96. 3. the Minister to his People, the Master to his servants, and the Father to his Children.

Parents not to be forsaken, though they be Infidels and Wicked.1267

WHen S. Iohn had baptized Chrysippa, the Governour's Wife of Pathmos, she presently thereupon would forsake her unbelieving husband: Prochorus in vita S. Ioh. cap. 21. By no means that must not be. S. Iohn told her that he had a Commission to joyn her to Christ, but no warrant to keep her from her husband; and therefore he suffered her not to depart, but commanded her to return unto her house again. It is also written of S. Martin, that he lived with his Parents that were Gentiles, and performed all good offices to them as became a good Christian Child, Sulp. Sev. hist. because the Church of God, when she receiveth any one to Christ, doth by no means acquit the obligation of that Law, which bindeth a Sonne unto his Father: Thus we are not with the Prodigal to run out of our Fathers house,G. Williams of the Church. not to contemn them that begat us, but to condemn their impiety, if they seek to mislead us; For it is not to be believed, that God which commanded us to honour Father and Mother, would ever bid us to forsake them: And therefore if any Man hath an Infidell to his Father, let him not be perswaded by him to do any disservice unto God, but [Page] continue his obedience to him, and in so doing, he shall receive the reward of his duty, and the Father shall find the punishment of his Iniquity.

1268 The Martyrs Wellcome to Heaven.

WHen a Father sends his Sonne abroad about some earnest businesse,Lud. Granatens. Meditat. and he meet with much difficulty in the way, and come home in rainy, tempestuous weather, How gladly doth he entertain him? the whole Family are ready to tend upon him, one makes a fire, another gets him dry cloaths; a third is busie in preparing somewhat to comfort his wear [...]ed spirits: And thus the People of God, when they meet with hardship in the Pilgrimage of this World, and suffer even unto death for Righteousnesse sake,Ro. Willan Eliahs Wish; A Funerall Serm. 1629. whether they be Martyrs in will, and in deed, as S. Stephen; In will and not in deed, as S. Iohn; In deed, but not in wil, as the Innocents, When they come and meet with Christ, for whom and in whose cause they have suffered, How shall they be received? With what wellcome shall they be entertained? What Riches of glory shall they enjoy in the highest Heavens for evermore? They shall have Crowns upon their heads, palms in their hands, long white robes upon their backs, and shall sit at the right hand of God, when all their Persecutors shall stand like so many base unworthy Creatures before them.

1269 The Formal Christian, discovered.

LOok but upon a Pageant, Jer. Leech Sermon at S. Mary le Bow, 1627. on some triumphant day, what a goodly shew it makes without, how it is carried on Mens shoulders; Oh, but look then again within it, and you shall find little substance, onely a few gilded laths and pastboards, things of small concernment: Then again, a May-pole stands on high, deck'd with ribbons and garlands on the top, gazed upon by all Men; O, but it hath no rooting, no sap to preserve it. Such are all Formal Christians, top and top-gallant,Col. 2. 7. they have fair gilded out-sides, some certain general notions swimming in their heads, but as the Apostles phrase is, they are not rooted, not principled, their heads are uncatechised, and their hearts unsanctified, they make a goodly shew, have abundance of form, but no power of Godlinesse in them.

1270 The Printing of Learned Mens Works instrumentall to Gods glory.

IT is the opinion of some Learned Men,Ed. Calamy epist. Dedic. be [...]ore Dr. Taylor's posthume-works. that the Saints who are now triumphing in Heaven, have an augmentation of glory bestowed on them, according to the good they do after their deaths, as by Sermons preached, or books printed, while they were living; Instance is given in the Apostle S. Paul, whose glory in Heaven, say they, is increased, according as Men are converted by reading of his Epistles: Which doctrine, if it be true, will be a might [...]y encouragement to perswade the Friends of deceased Ministers, and other Learned Men to publish the Sermons and Works they leave behind them. Howsoever, whether this be true or no, sure it is, that by the publishing thereof, especially when perfected, after their deaths, much glory is brought unto God, and much benefit to the Souls of the living.

Reproaches and Sufferings made Honourable by God.1271

[Page]

IT is said of Ioan Conntesse of Shrewsbury, Edw. 3 [...]. Guil. Cumbdeni Britt [...]nnia in Co [...]. Berk. that in the midst of a dance at Court, she let her garter sall at unawares; and blushing at the accident, the King took it up in his hand, whereat the Nobility smiled: Well, sayes he, I will make this an honourable ornament ere long; and upon that came the Order of the Knights of the Garter; the Garter being an Ornament of the highest Nobility, such as Kings wear about their necks, as an Ensign of their Princely Order. Thus if Man can put honour upon such mean things, then God muc [...] more; It is he that ennobleth Reproaches, and sanctifieth Afflictions to his Children, and maketh the sufferings of his servants, as so many ensigns of Heavenly Nobility, so that if Men had but the true skill of Christianty, they would be ambitious of the Crown of Martyrdome, Matth. 5. 11. look upon it as a blessed thing, when Men speak all manner of evil of them;Heb. 11. and with Moses rather choose of su [...]er with the People of God, then enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season.

God shewing Mercy, onely for Christ Iesus sake.1272

DAvid after his Victory over the Philistines, Jer. Leech; Sermon at S. Maryle Bow, 1631. calls Ziba before him, and asks him, Whether there were not yet any Man left of the house of Saul, that he might do him kindnesse for Ionathan's sake; whereupon they presented unto him Mephibosheth, a poor lame impotent Man, who no sooner sees the King, but he falls on his face, and looks upon himself as a dead dog, far below the Kings favour: No matter,2 Sam. 9. 7. sayes the King, Fear not, for I will shew thee kindnesse for Ionathan's sake, &c. And thus if there be any for lorn Ioseph that is fallen into the pit of dispair, let him but cast up his eyes to the hills from whence cometh his salvation, and God will shew him Mercy for Christ Iesus sake; If there be any lame impotent Mephibosheth, any wounded spirit, any of the household of Faith that is distressed, God will enquire after them, and do them good for Christ Iesus his sake.

Gods goodnesse to us, to be a Motive from vain Swearing.1273

POlycarp, Eusebii hist. lib. 2. cap. 15. that Religious Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna, in the time of the Fourth Persecution under Marcus Antonius Verres, When he was commanded to swear but one Oath, made this answer; Fourscore and six years have I endeavoured to do God service, and all this while he never hurt me; How shall I speak evill of so good a Lord and Master, who hath thus long preserved me? And added further, being thereunto urged by the Proconsul; I am a Christian, and cannot do it; let Heathens and In [...]idels swear if they will, I cannot do it, were it to the saving of my life. Thus it is,Te pater Aenea [...] et avunculus excitat Hector. Virgil. that if nothing else will keep a Man from idle swearing, and taking of the blessed Name of God in vain, the very consideration of benefits received from him, should be motive and disswasive sufficient, not to lade him with oaths, that hath so laden us with Favours, and that whilest he is every moment doing good for our Souls and Bodies, we should dare to return him evill for the good he doth unto us.

1274 The sword of Warre, impartiall.

[Page]

WHen the Duke of Medina Sidonia was armed by the King of Spain his Master,Hispan, rerum Scriptores. against the Protestant party, he spoyled all before him, and flew as well upon those of his own Religion as others; One asked him, Why he had no more care to spare those of his own Religion? his answer was, My sword knowes no difference betwixt Catholiques and Lutherans: Thus it is,Tutius est igitur fictis contendere verbis, Quam pugnare manu. that whensoever God shall be pleased for the sins of a People or Nation, to give the Sword [...] a Commission to eat flesh, and drink bloud, it will make little or no difference at all betwixt the precious and the vile, the godly and prophane, the bullet will not distinguish betwixt the Commanders, Ovid. Metam. and the commanded: No argument was found so forcible, as to perswade the enraged Babylonians to spare the poor captived Iews. And at another time,2 Chron. 36. 17. it was neither the Religion of God himself, the memory of ancient Prophets, nor the glory of their Temple, nor the beauty of their well-compacted City, Josephus de bell [...] Iud. Egesippus de excidio Hierusalem. nor the multitudes of People, nor any respect in the World could move the incensed Romans to have the least pity on them: But there's no such need to step over our own threshold to prove the truth of this assertion, It is yet in fresh and bleeding Memory, that the sword of Warr is impartiall, sparing none that come before it, and pitying none that come nigh it.

1275 Afflictions [...]it us for Heaven.

IT was a notable expression of Master Hawks, Acts and Monuments. writing a consolatory Epistle to Master Philpot, then a prisoner in the Bishop's Cole-house; This Bishop's Cole-house, sayes he, is but to scowr you, and make you bright, and fit you to be set up, upon the high shelf, meaning Heaven; As when good Housewifes would set up vessels of brasse or iron, they first take cinders or ashes and scowr them, whereby they are fitted to be set up. So all Afflictions and troubles of this life are but means that God useth to furbish his People withall, Post afflictiones vit [...] tranquillior, post tenebras venit lux. Greg. Nazianzen. in orat. ad Cyprian. to make them bright and clean, that so they may be set on high, they must not come on the high shelf till all the rust be taken off; not enter into Heaven till they have been in the furnace of Afflictions, and are washed and cleansed, and purified from the filth and drosse of sinfull pollutions.

1276 The great weight of Government.

IT is a Morall that is given of Aaron's apparrell, Lanc. Andrews Winten. Serm. at Court, 1617. that he carried the twelve Tribes in his breast-plate next his heart, to shew, that in care he was to bear them; But he had them also engraven in two Onyx stones, and those set upon his shoulders; to shew, that another while he was to bear them in Patience also. And it was so with Moses too,Exod. 28. at one time he bears the People as a Nurse doth her child,Numb. 11. 14. that is, full tenderly. But when they fall a murmuring, (as they did often) he bare them upon his shoulders in great patience and long suffering; yea, he complained, Non possumportare, I am not able to bear all this People. Thus it is,Onos, onus. that Governments may well be said to have their weights, be heavy, when shoulders and all must be put to them, when they need not onely a good head, but good shoulders that sustain them; yet that not so much while they be in good tune and temper, then they need no great carriage; but when they grow unweildy, (be it weaknesse or way wardnesse of the governed) in that case they need: And in that case there is no Governor, Chrysostom, ad populum Antioch. but that at one time or other, he hath load enough upon his shoulders, and finds the weight of Government, onus humeris Angelorum non leve, unsupportable.

New inventions of Sin, condemned.1277

[Page]

SArdanapalus, Plutarchi Sympos [...]ac. that wretched Epicure, made Proclamation through the Coasts of Assyria, that he should be well rewarded, who could devise some new way of delight, never thought on before; And as he was industrious to find out new wayes of Pleasure, Coel. Rhodogin. lect. so was Perillus as carefull to invent a new way of Punishment, by the making of a brazen Bull at the command of a Tyrant, by whose means he was the first that bellowed out his life in the same. Thus it is with us, We are all for invention, and new devices of Sin, altogether unknown to the Ages of our Forefathers; New Lords,—cun [...]arum novitas gratissima rerum. new Laws; new lights, new doctrines; new fashions, new faces; nay almost new kinds of Men and Women, Hic mulier, haec vir, Ovid. 3 Pont. 4. scarce discernable by their habits whether Men or Women, or neither, or some kind of Monster betwixt both; new devices for gain, new wayes of cheating, new wayes of breaking; So that without all doubt, God is devising some new manner of Iudgment, as was said of Korah and his complices, Numb. 16. 29.

To blesse God for all.1278

THere is a kind of Dialogue betwixt one Doctor Thaulerus, Franc. de Sali [...]. introduct [...]on à la vie devot. and a poor Man that lay begging by the high-way side; Good morrow poor Man, [...] the Doctor. I never had any bad morrow, said the beggar. No, sayes the Doctor? Thou art a miserable poor Man, thou art as good as naked, without any cloaths on thy back, no Friends, nor any one to relieve thee, How can it then be true, that thou sayest thou never hadst any bad morrow? I'le tell you, sayes the beggar, Whether I am sick or in health, whether it be warm or cold weather, whether I be cloathed or naked, rich or poor, I blesse God for all. O but Friend, said the Doctor, What if Christ should cast thee into Hell? If he should, sayes he, I would be contented; but I have two arms, the one of Faith, the other of Love, wherewith I would lay such fast hold on him, Semper Deo gratias agere studeamus, &c. Augustin. de verbo Dom. that I would have him along with me, and then I am sure that Hell would be Heaven if he were there. And thus it is, that we should blesse God at all times, in all places, upon all occasions, and in all conditions, as well for years of Dearth, as years of Plenty; times of Warre, as well as times of Peace; for Adversity, as well as P [...]osperity; in sicknesse and in health, in weal and in woe, in liberty and restraint, whether it be that the Lord giveth, or whether he taketh away, still to blesse the Name of the Lord.

Godlinesse, a great mystery, and why so.1279

THe World hath her mysteries in all Arts and Trades (yea,L. Andrews Winton. Serm. at Court, 1614. Mechanical appertaining to this life) which are imparted to none but filiis scientiae, Apprentices to them; These have their mysteries; have them, nay, are nothing but mysteries: So they delight to stile themselves by such and such a Mystery, 1 Tim. 6. 6. 7. such and such a Craft, &c. Now if Godlinesse be great gain, and profitable unto all things, a Trade of good return, and in request with all good Men, then to be allow'd her Mysteries: At least such as all other trades have: And the rather for that,2 Thess. 2. 7. that there is Mysterium iniquitatis, a Mystery of iniquity; so that it would be somewhat hard if there were not Mysterium pietatis, a My [...]ery of Godlinesse to encounter it: That Babylon should be allowed the name of a Mystery, Apoc. 17. 6. and Sion not; that there should be profunda Satanae, deep things of Satans, and there should not be deep and profound things of God and Godlinesse for the Spirit to search out and dive into, Apoc. 2. 24.

1280 How a Man should demean himself, being fallen into bad Company.

[Page]

IT is said of Antigonus, Plutarchi moralia. that being invited to a great Feast, where a notable Harlot was to be present, he asked Counsel of Menedemus, a dis [...]reet Man, What he should do, and how he should behave himself in such Company? Who bade him, onely to remember this, that he was [...], the Son of a King: Ante circumspiciendum est cum quibus edàs et bibas, quam quid edas et bibas. Sen. ep. 11. So good Men may be invited where none of the best may [...]eet; Many an honest Man may fall into a Knaves company; the best counsel is, Keep ever in mind, that they are Kings Sons, Gods Children; and therefore it were a base thing for them to be allured by the Wicked to do things unseemly, and that they should much degenerate, if they should make any sinfull compliance with such as are notoriously wicked.

1281 The desperate Sinner's madnesse.

ST. Ambrose reports of one Theotymus, Com. in Luc. cap. 4. that being troubled with a sore disease upon his body, when the Physitian told him, that ex [...]ept he did abstain from intemperance, as drunkennesse and excesle, he was like to lose his eyes; his heart was so desperately set upon his sin, that he said, Vale lumen amicum; Farewell sweet light then, I must have my pleasure in that Sin, I must drink, though I drink out my eyes, thea farewell eyes, and farewell light and all. O desperate madnesse, for Men to venture upon Sin, to the losse not onely of the light of the eye, but the light of Gods loving Countenance for evermore! It is to be supposed,—quae te dementia cepit? Virg. that no Man will be so far owned by his words, as to say, Farewell God and Christ, and eternal life and all, I must have my Sin; yet though directly they say not so, they do in effect say it; They know that the Scripture saith, that no Drunkard, Whoremonger, nor Covetous, Ephes. 5. 5. nor unclean person shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; then whosoever that knowing this, goeth for all that in such a way, doth as it were say, Farewell God and Heaven, and farewell all that God hath purchased by his bloud, rather then I will lose my Sin, I will lose all.

1282 Christ-masse day to be held in remembrance.

AS Kings keep the day of their Inauguration; L. Andrews Winton. Serm. at Court, 1616. As Cities have their Palilia, when the trench is first cast up; And Churche's their Encaenia's, when they are first dedicate; As Men their [...], when they first came into the World: So all good Christians celebrate the day of Christ's Nativity, a day of Joy both in Heaven and on Earth;Luc. 2. In Heaven for a day of glory unto God on high; On Earth, for a day of Peace here below, and good-will towards Men: A day of joy to all People past, present, and to come; such a day as wherein after long expectation, the best return was made that ever came to the poor Sons of Men,Psal. 118. such a day as the Lord himself made, let us therefore rejoyce therein.

1283 How to Feast comfortably.

JOseph had his Tomb in his Garden,Geo. Sandy's Travels. Coel. Rhodogin. lect. Var. Convivium à precatione caeptum, &c. Chrysoft. hom. de fide anima. to season his delight with Meditations of his death. The Egyptians had a Skeleton or carcasse brought into their Feasts for the same purpose; At Prester-Iohn's Table a Deaths-head is the first thing set on; And Philip had not onely a Boy every Morning, but a Dead-Man's skull on his Table every meal, to put him in mind of his Mortality: And thus ought we all to do, mingle our Feasting with the meditation of our Farewell out of this wretched life, when we sit at dinner, to think of our dissolution, and ever [...]o set our own carcasse before the eyes of our mind, saying within our selves; [Page] Alas! this feeding and Feasting is but a little repairing and propping up of a poor ruinous house, that ere long will fall down to the ground, and come to nothing.

Heaven not to be found upon Earth.1284

IT is storied of a King of Persia, Jer. Borroughs M [...]ses Choyce. that he must have an imaginary Heaven, and thereupon he is at the charge of a stately brave Pallace, where in the top he caused the Heavens to be artificially moulded, and the Sun, Moon, and Stars to be painted, and under them the clowds, that by art moved up and down, distilled rain, and made great cracks of Thunder; Above that was placed a great Throne, glistering with all the Art that Nature could afford: This might be sufficient for an Heathen, that knew no better things; But how sad is the condition of a Company of drossy-spirited Men, Phil. Comines hist. that (with that Duke of Bourbon in France, who if he might but have his Palace in Paris, would not change it for Paradise) can be content to take the things of this World for their portion; If they had but this or that thing, it were Heaven to them; It argues they have low thoughts of an Immortal Soul, and are ignorant of what an immortal Soul is capable of, that can think themselves satisfied in any Creature, and have loose thoughts of God, as if there were no Treasures in him, but onely a few temporary Earthly delights; as Meat and Drink and Sports, and whatsoever the vanity of this world calls delightfull.

Afflictions, if any thing, will make us seek God.1285

THe Persian Messenger,L. Andrews Winton. Sermon at Court, 1614. (though an Heathen) as Aeschiles in one of his Tragedies observeth, said thus, When the Graecian Forces hotly pursued our host, and we must needs venter over the grea [...] Water Strymon, frozen then, but beginning to thaw, when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it, with mine eyes, I saw, saith he, many of those Gallants, whom I had heard before so boldly maintain, There was no God, every one upon his knees, and devoutly praying, that the Ice might hold till they got over. And Pharaoh was at high terms with God, but when Extremity came upon him, then he was humbled. Thus it is, that many Men,E [...]od. 5. 2. like the Dromedary of exceeding swiftnesse, (the Female especially) run over hill and dale,Esay 60. 6. take their whole swing of pleasure,Esay 2. 34. and snuff up the ayr of all sensual delights; Age, death and sicknesse are afar off; Youth, health and strength possesse them, there's no coming to them then; no medling with them till their Month come,Ier. 2. 24. till Winter come, a day of sorrow and distress overtake them,Afflictiones humiliter sustinentes c [...]eles [...]ia mustiplicant. Greg. homil. super Evang. then they will seek unto God. And herein is Folly condemned even of her own Children, and Wisdome justified of her very Enemies: That they, that greedily seek sin, are at last glad to be rid of it; and they that merrily scorn Religion, at last are glad to be sheltered under the protection thereof.

Deceipt and Unfaithfulnesse in Trade and Commerce, condemned.1286

LYsander the Lacedemonian, Joh. Bodin. Common-weal. held for a main Principle of his Religion, that Children were to be deceived with trifles, as rattles and guegawes; but old Men were to be gul [...]'d with oaths, and held on with fair promises: And it is now almost grown a Trade for Men to be so slippery in their dealings one with another,Plutarchs that they can find loop-holes to wind out of the most cautelous contracts for advantages, break faith,—non hospes ab hospite tutus. Ovid. promises, bonds, run away with Mens goods; so that Turks and Iews are more trusty then such hollow shifting Christians: And hence it is, that Gods Iustice, and his just revenge on all Trades at this day is such, that scarce any prosper in them, God having divorced his blessing from them, because they have turned their Trades into craf [...]s, not for the help, but the overthrow one of another.

1287 The great danger of living in any one known Sin.

[Page]

THere have been Prodigalls in all Ages, such as having a fair Inheritance, have lost it all upon one cast of the dice; A man may escape many wounds and shots in the Wars, and yet may be kill'd at the last with the stab of a pen-knife, or the prick of a pin or needle. S. Fr. Bacon by way of discourse. It is reported of Sir Francis Drake▪ that having compassed the World, and being in a Boat upon the Thames in a very rough tide, said; What have I escaped the violence of the Sea, and must be now drown'd in a Ditch? Thus many a Man that hath escaped many grosse sins, may by some little secret lust be deprived of the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. Moses came within the sight of Canaan; Exod. 22. but for one Sin, not sanctifying Gods Name at the water of Meribah, he never set foot within it. A great Affliction it was, no d [...]ubt,U [...]itata culpa obligat mentem ut nequ [...]quam surgere possit, &c. Greg. moral. lib. 24. u [...]to him to be so near, and yet so far off from entring. And no lesse will it be to any Man, that for one Sin, not sanctifying the Name of God as he ought, shall come short of Heaven; not but that there may be some remainders of sin, and yet the Heart be taken off from every Sin: but if there be any secret closing with any one Sin, all the profession of Godlinesse, and leaving all other Sins, will be to no purpose, nor ever bring a Man to happinesse.

1288 Rich Men to be mindfull of what they have received at Gods hand.

ST. Gregory confesseth thus much of himself,L. Andrews Sermo [...] at Court, 1616. that never any sentence entred [...]o deep into his Soul, as that Text, Fili recordare, &c. Son remember, that [...]hou in thy life-time receivedst thy pleasure or good things, and likewise Lazarus pains;Luke 16. 25. And that as surgite mortui was ever in S. Hierom's ear; and non in commessationibus, Rom. 13. 3. not in surfetting, in S. Augustine's, by which he was first converted; For he sitting in the See of Rome, when it was grown rich, and of great revenue,In moral: super locum. was, as he saith, still afraid of this Text, Whether his exalting into that chair might not be his recompence at Gods hands, and all that ever he should receive from him for all his service, mercedem non arrham, his portion of Earth, not the earnest of Heaven: Thus did the good Father. And would God his example herein might make a due impression,Disca [...] divites non in facultatibus, &c. Ambros. in Luc. and work the like fear, in so many as hav [...], in the eyes of all Men, received the good things of this life: For it is too apparent, that divers that have so received, and that in a measure even heaped up, and running over, carry themselves so without remembrance of themselves, as if no such Simile were in all the Bible,Matth. 19. 24. as that of the needles eye; no such Example as that of the rich Glutton, no such Memento as that of Abraham to him; but that they have learned a point of Divinity, such as Abraham never knew; Balaam' [...] divinity,2 Pet. 2. 15. (it is to be feared) to love the wages of unrighteousnesse; Numb. 23. 10. and yet they must needs into Abraham's bosome, dye the death of the Righteous.

1289 Sin unrepented of, heavy upon the Soul, at the time of Death.

A Massy piece o [...] Timber floating upon the water,Hect. Pintus in Daniel. may be easily drawn towards the shore so long as it swimmeth, any one may turn it this way or that way at pleasure; but if it be once grounded, not many Men can move it, but with great pains and industry. Thus Man's life is the water; Death the shore; and Sin the piece of Timber: Whilest we live in strength and health, born up [...]y the streams of Worldly pleasure and delight,Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vast [...]. Sin seems but light unto us, great Sins appear as little Sins; and little sins as no sins at all: but at the time [Page] of our dissolution, when we are ready to touch upon the brink of Death, then sin appears in its colours, in its true proportion; small ones so great in the magnitude, light ones so ponderous in the weight, that the poor miserable Sinner finds them a burthen unsupportable, too heavy for him to bear; and looking about for help, cryes out with S. Paul, Miserable Man that I am, Who shall deliver me! &c. Rom. 8.Rom. 8.

Godlinesse, a very gainful Trade.1292

A Merchant that drives a rich Trade, Tho. de Trugillo. Serm. will, by a bargain in one Morning, get an hundred pounds or more; whereas many other poor People are fain to work hard to get a shilling or eighteen pence a day: Now every one would be of the gaining side, It is the common voice of Nature, Who will shew us any good? How shall we come to be Rich? Oh, prize the Trade of Godlinesse then, therein is great gain to be had: As for the Works of Morality and common grace, Nulla Deo merces est melior ea quae habet pietatis munera. Ambros [...] in lib▪ de Viduis. they are like the Trade of the poor labouring Man, that earns some small matter, that works hard and gets onely some outward blessings from God; but Godlinesse is a full Merchants Trade, that brings in hundreds and thousands at a clap; and such a Trade God would have us set our hearts upon, to look after great and glorious things: As Cleopatra, Plutarch. in Antonio. that Egyptian Princess said to Marcus Antonius, It was not for him to fish for gudgeons, but for Towns, Forts, and Castles; so it is not for those that are acquainted with the wayes of Godlinesse, to be trading for poor things, for temporal, transitory trash; but for eternal life, glory and Immortality.

Consideration of our secret Sins, a motive to Compassionate others.1293

WE may read of a Iudge in the Primitive times,R. Abbot, Secret Sins discovered. who when he was seriously invited to the place of Judgment to passe Sentence upon another, withdrew himself; and at last, being earnestly pressed, came with a bag of sand upon his shoulders to the Iudgment Seat, Conr. Zuing [...]ri theat. hum. vitae. saying; You call me to passe Iudgment upon this poor Offender; How can I do it, when I my self am guilty of more sins then this bag hath sands in it, if the World saw them all: This was not so well done as a publique Magistrate, being invited to do Iustice; yet as becoming a Conscionable Christian. And thus ought all good Men to do, the consideration of their bosome Sins, should work in them Compassion towards others, saying within themselves;Gen. 38. 25. Can I be as Judah to cry out upon Tamar, Let her be burnt, when I remember the Ring and the Staffe, laid in pawn to her in secret? How can I be extream against my weak brother, when if my faults were written on my forehead, I might deserve as severe a censure my self.

Ministers to preach the Gospel, notwithstanding the discouragements of their Auditory; And why so?1294

TUlly maketh mention of Antima [...]hus, Libr [...] de claris Oratoribus, et in Brut [...]. a famous Poet of his time, who having penn'd some excellent quaint Piece, read it openly before a Iudicious Auditory; but whether through disaffection to the Person, or disregard of the Poem, Plato erit instar omnium. they all left him except Plato; which he perceiving, resolved to go on with this confidence, that Plato being there alone, he cared not though all the rest were absent. Thus Ministers are to preach the Gospel of Christ, Qui animarum curam pro Domin [...] suscipit, &c. Gloss. super Prov. 11. though they [...] with many discouragements to the work of their Ministery; though the Congregation be so thin, that there may seem to be more Pews and Pillars in the Church then People, and they as stupid and senselesse in the matter of attention as the [Page] Seats they sit on, some high-way side, some thorny, some rocky hearers, yet for all that,Mark 4. there may be one Plato, one good grounded Hearer, who may prove the Crown of all his labours, and in whose conversion, he shall have much cause of rejoycing before Men and Angels in Heaven.

1295 The mis-giving Thoughts of a Worldly-minded Man, in reference to the enjoyment of Heaven.

A Begger asking an Alms,Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. if a Man put his hand in his pocket, and take out a penny or two pence, he hath hope to have that; but if he chance to pull out a piece of gold, then his heart fails, because it is too much: Cast a bone to a dog, he falls to it presently, but for a joynt of meat before him, well drest, in a fair large dish, he dares not venture upon that: So, for these sublunary things, as Riches, Honours and preferments, such as God casts many times to dogs,—hau [...] tali se dignatur honore. Worldly men may fall upon them, and think they are for their [...]ooth; but when they come to the dainties, and infinite treasures of God; Can a Drunkard that prizeth nothing but a little swilling drink, Can a swinish filthy base low-spirited Man, that never minded any thing but the satisfying of his unclean lusts, think, that God should make it the greatest work that he hath in the World, to communicate the Riches of his goodness and grace to such a one as he is? He cannot but have mis-giving thoughts, and think that he hath no part in them.

1296 An Heavenly-minded Man looks through and beyond Afflictions.

TRavellers tell us,Relat. di Bot [...]ro. that they that are on the top of the Alpes, may see great showns of rain fall under them, which they over look, but not one drop of it comes at them. And he that is on the top of some high Tower mindeth not the croking of Frogs and Toads, the hissing of Serpents, Adders, and the like venomous. Creatures;—quò [...]ata trahunt retrahunth sequnti, Virg. they are below. Thus an Heavenly-minded Man, who dwells in Heaven on Earth, looks through and beyond all Troubles and Afflictions, rides triumphantly through the storm of disparagements; nay, he boldly stares Death in the Face, though never so ugly disguised; as Anaxarchus said to the Tyrant,Diog. Laert. in vita. Tunde, tunde, Anaxarchum non tundis, beat him, and bruise him, and kill him it may, but he will keep up his Soul in the very ruines of his Body.

1297 Deliberation to be used in all our wayes.

HE that is to climb up some high ladder, must not think, that setting his Foot upon the lowest rownd, he can skip over all the rest and be at the top, without evident danger to himself: Such is the course of our life, just like a Ladder of many rownds set up to some high place: the first step is (or of necessity should be) the thought of God and goodnesse; and the last step, the full assurance of Heaven; but there are in the middle many other steps, as of means, consideration, deliberation, &c. how to love God above all things, and our Neighbours as our selves, and how to demean our selves in the midst of a crooked and froward generation; which if we miss, and step over, no marvel if we never come to the top, but perish in the mid-way to all Eternity.

Heavenly mindednesse of a Child of God.1298

[Page]

IT is recorded of Edward the First,J. Speed's Chronicle ex Walsingh. that he had a great desire to go to the Holy-Land, but being hindred by a domestick [...]arre, he gave his Sonne a strict charge upon his death-bed, that after his death he should cause his heart to be conveyed thither, and to that purpose he had prepared two and thirty thousand pounds to defray the charge, and ordered that sevenscore Knights with their several retinues should attend it thither. Propter Deum fastidit omnia terrena. Thus the Saints and dear Childr [...] of God, though they have not their bodies in Heaven, yet their hearts are there; Muscul: in Psal. 73. v. 5. they are like Eagles, alwayes mounting upwards, their treasure is in Heaven, and there will their hearts be also, they may have many weights of corruption without, that presse them downwards, yet they have an inward Principle that works upwards: A speciall work of God so ordering it, that their Conversation is altogether in Heaven; Phil. 3. ult. cant. 3. 6. and that though with the Church they be black and dark in regard of their infirmities, yet they are like unto pillars of smoke that ascend upwards.

To be carefull of our pretious Souls.1299

CHarles the Fifth,Val. Rothm. Carolid. lib. 3. when he was solicited by a great Counsellor Antonius de Lena, to cut off all the petty Princes of Germany, and then he should rule alone, cryed out; Anima, anima, My Soul, my Soul; Nay, sayes the Tyger,Paul. Jovii hist. lib. 27. If your Majesty have a Soul, give over your Empire: The Emperour had some care of his Soul, the bloody Advocate had none. Oh the pretious Soul of Man! the Master-wheel of all our actions,O anima insignita Dei imagine, decorata, &c. the chief Seat of the Image of God; that, for which Christ emptied himself of glory; that, wherein Christ desires to dwell by faith; How ought such a Iewell to be kept with all diligence; let the Men of the World prise their Soul at never so low a rate, Bern. in Medit. yet let all good Men set an high value upon theirs.

The Worlds uncertainty.1300

AS it cannot be otherwise,Jer. Leech Sermon at S. Maryle Bow, 1624. but that the Sun shining out in our Horison, must needs be the occasion of darknesse in another, so that our day is their night; and when it is day with them, it is night with us: Thus it is with the things of this World, they are at no certainty, many are made poor, that a few may become rich: One is made Honourable by anothers disgrace; Rara si constat sua forma mundo, Si tantas variat vices, Bo [...]th. deconsolat. lib. 2. this Man full by that Man's emptinesse: If the day of Prosperity smile upon one, the night of Adversity lowres upon another; one weepeth, and another rejoyceth; one gains by anothers losse; Why then should any Man think that to be certain with him, that is so inconstant to all besides him.

How to know whether a Man be Heavenly or Earthly-minded.1301

ALL things in Nature, Jer. Burroughs Moses choyce. have a principle to carry them to their pr [...]p [...]r place; As for example, take Earth and close it in a vessell; and tak [...] Fire and put it in another vessel; then open the vessels, let them out, and they'l both go to their proper place, the one upward, the other downward, because the place of Fire is on high; hence is it that sparks fly naturally upwards: And because the place of Earth is below, thence is it that it tends downward. Thus if the place and center of the Heart be in Heaven, then certainly it will move upwards towards Heaven; but if on Earth, E [...]itus acta probac. then it will bear downward; So likewise the Souls of Men, when they are gone out of the body, they go to the place, where they had a Principle to carry them, not a Principle that shall be put into them [Page] when they die, but a Principle, that they were led by before; so that if their hearts he press'd down by Earthly things, when they die, they will fall down; but if Heavenly-minded, they will mount upwards: It stands therefore upon every Man to know how his Soul worketh.

1302 Children to be ready in relief of the Parents Necessities.

LUther hath a Story of a good Father in Germany, L [...]t. Com. tit. de amore ergae Parentes. that had made over all his estate to his Sons, reserving onely to himself a power, by turns to come and take his diet at their Tables: One of the Sons being at dinner, and having a goose before him, espied his Father coming, and set the goose underneath the Table, till his Father was gone again: Then takes he up the goose, which God had miraculously turned into a great Toad, which leaped into his face, and notwithstanding all his striving,R. Abbot Secret Sins discovered. it could not be removed, till it had stifled him: Let all Children seriously look upon this Example, and look to it, that they relieve their Parents; For Parents helped them, when they were not able to help themselves;Deut. 27, 16. Let Parents not be sleighted,Prov 30, 17. not mocked,Levit. 9. 10. not cursed,Exod. 21. 15. not smitten;Ioh. 19. 26. but submitted unto,Sam. 22. 3. and relieved by the Examples of Christ,Gen. 47. 12. of David, and of Ioseph, and of divers others, that for their filiall love, are recorded as famous in their several generations.

1303 Captious Hearers of the Word, condemned.

SUppose a company of People coming (not to an elbow, Hector Pintus Com. in Isaiam. but) a working Goldsmith's shop; One buyes a chain, another a Diamond Ring; this buyes a Iewell, that a rich piece of Plate; And that there should be one amongst them so self-conceited, should take up a coal, from off the floor, and handle it so long, till he had all to besmear'd his Fingers, refusing what the Shop afforded, so as he might but have that coal along with him; Were not this great absurdity? Yet such and more is the condition of those Captious Hearers of Gods Word, that whilest others carry away good and wholesome doctrine, pretious promises, such as is food for their Souls; they come onely to carp and catch at their Minister, that so they may more easily traduce him, and brand him with the black coal of Infamy and disgrace; but they shall one day find, that the more they throw dirt in his face, the more they bespatter their own.

1304 Things of Heaven to be waited for with Patience.

IN the way of Trade, Jer. Leech, Sermon at S. Mary le Bow, Lond. 1622. if a Man go and buy a commodity of five or ten shillings price, he layes down ready money; but if the price rise high, and come to a good round summe, then he doth but give something in earnest, the great payment (it may be) comes six or twelve moneths after: So when Men will bargain with God for their obedience, to have credit and esteem in the World, these are but poor trifling matters, and God gives them presently; but because the Covenant that is betwixt God and Christ, and so betwixt Christ and Us, is about great matters, and God intends to reward his People with glorious things eternally in the Heavens, Persert patientia palman. we have but the first fruits of them at present, and must not expect the fulnesse of them suddenly; they are great things, and must be waited for with Patience till they do come; and being once come, they will make amends for all our tarrying.

Children to be Religiously educated.1305

[Page]

IT was the saying of Aulus Fulvius to his Son,Val. Max. lib. [...]. cap. 8. R. Abbot. Secret sins discovered. when he was discovered to be a Complo [...]er in Cateline's conspiracy, Ego te non Catelinae sed Patriae genui, I begot thee not for Cateline, but for thy Country; And indeed too too often it falls out, that Parents may be said to get Children for the Devill rather then God; for the ruine, rather then the raising of their Countrey; they must therefore look to it, that they be well educated, religiously trained up, that they may appear to be Gods Children as well as theirs.

How the Devil is said to know our thoughts.1306

AN Angler having baited his hook, R. Holdsworth Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1626. the Fish having espyed the bayt after two or three vagaries about it, nibbles at it, and after a while swallows down the bayt, hook and all: The Fisher sees none of all this; but by the sinking of the cork he knowes that the Fish is taken. Thus the Devil (though a most cunning Angler) knowes not the thoughts of Men, Pr [...]us complexionem unius cujus (que) adversarius perspicit, et tunc tentationis laqueos apponit. Greg. moral. lib. 9. such as are meer pure thoughts, that's Gods peculiar, it is he that se [...]rcheth the heart, and tryeth the reins; but if we write or sp [...]ak, if the cork do but stirre, if our Countenance do but change, he is of such perspicuity, and so well experienced withall, that he will soon know what out thoughts are, and suit his temptations accordingly.

Faithful and seeming Servants of God, diffeferenced by way of Reward.1307

GReat Men have usually two kinds of Servants; Jer. Borroughs Moses Choyce. some that they hire by the day, or the moneth, or the year, and they shall have so much or so much wages paid unto them every night, or, it may be, every week: Other Servants there are, that are not paid off presently; but that which they se [...]ve for, is the expectation of some great Office, or some reversion of La [...]ds that should fall unto them after a certain time expired, and thereupon they go on in doing faithfull service, though there come nothing of it at present: This is the difference of Faithful and seeming servants of God in reference to the matter of Reward; They who live the best lives, such as Morall, civill honest Men, who cannot yet be called truly gracious, though in some measure they may be said to do God some service, it is but such as poor labouring Men do, that are paid for their dayes labour, and so they have their daily pay of meat and drink, and cloaths such comforts as the Creature can afford;Certantes in [...]adio numerosior [...]ona glorificat. Cassiodor. lib. 8. cp. 22. But God hath other manner of Servants better qualified, such as are Godly and true Christians indeed, who though they have not so much present pay as the other, yet there are Reversions and some glorious things that they expect hereafter: Hence is it that they go o [...], not envying them that have their daily pay in outward things, but wait patiently for better.

Wicked persons may be in a godly Family.1308

ST. Augustine writing to the Clergy and Townesmen of Hippo, Quantum libet vigilet disciplina domus meae, &c. in Epist. saith, Although the discipline and government of my house be strict and vigilant, yet as I am a Man, and live amongst Men, I dare not arrogate to my self, that my house should be better then the Ark of Noah, the house of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and of Christ: Thus may it be also with many a good Man; yea, there have been no worse Men in the World, then they that have had the best means of Grace in Christian Families; As in Adam's, there was a murthering Cain; In Abraham's, a persecuting Ishmael; Rich. de Mediavilla Progres. culestis. In Noah's, a scoffing Cham; In Isaac's, a prophane Esau; In David's. an undutiful Absolon; In Mephibosheth's, a Faithlesse Ziba; In Elisha's, a lying Gehezi; And in the Colledg of Christ, a treacherous Iudas: And no wonder; [Page] For Religion is not hereditary, Rom 9. 17. yea, Religion is the Work of God, and he hath other en [...]s in means of Reformation then conversion, as may be [...]en in Phara [...]h, and in Eli's sons.1 Sam 2. 15.

1309 The Soul of Man pretious in the sight of God.

A Skilfull Ieweller having taken a great deal of pains to make up some exquisite piece of Art,Hector Pintus in Ezcki [...]l. cannot choose but be much troubled, when he sees his Workmanship fallen into the hands of children and fools that have no understanding, such as cannot value what work is, and therefore sleight it. Such a rare piece is the Soul of Man, framed by God after his own divine Image, so pretious and transcendent in the estimate, that the Spirit of God is, as it were, at a stand to find any thing to equal it,Matth. 16. What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? Now, to speak after the manner of Men, How is the holy Spirit of God grieved, when that which he hath made a Temple for himself to dwell in, shall by sin be made a den of dragons, 1 Cor. 3. 17. a cage of unclean birds, a harbour for impure thoughts? to see that sleighted, which himself holdeth so near and dearly beloved unto him.

1310 Christians having an eye upon the Heavenly Rewards, not to be daunted at any outward troubles.

JUlius Caesar, Sueronius in vitae. that great Roman Emperor, when he was at any time sad upon the thoughts of some disaster, that besell him in the way of his dominion, was w [...]nt to say, Cogitate esse Caesarem, Think that thou art Caesar; and that was it that put him into a more joyous temper: And memorable is that place of holy Writ,2 Sam. 13. 4. Annotat. in [...]iblia. Angl. When Ionadab said to Amnon, Why art thou lean from day to day, being the King's Son? Intimating, that he could have no just cause, to pine and fret away himself, being the King's son, and heir apparent to the Crown, whose present condition, and future hopes, might make him easily dispence with such matters, as would be grievous to others; besides, he was of that power and authority, that he might easily remove any obstacle that lay in his way. Thus it may very well be said of every true-hearted Christian, that having an eye upon the Reward, they should not be daunted at any outward thing whatsoever, but to think upon their Crown and glory, Heb. 11. 26. not to have their hearts troubled, and to walk dumpishly and heavily in the wayes of God; For they are the King of Heaven's Sons, Heirs of God, Co-heirs with Christ, the Children of the Bride-Chamber, and therefore to rejoyce and go on with an holy and heavenly chearfulnesse and courage in all the wayes of God.

1311 The mystery of the blessed Trinity, shadowed out in familiar resemblances.

IN a fiered Coal, R. Abbot's Catechism. Damascen. lib. 2. orthodox. fidei. cap. 4. there is the substance of the Coal, the light of the Coal, the heat of the Coal, and yet but one fiered Coal; So soon as the Coal is fiered, there are these three, substance, light, and heat; So in the divine Essence (though in a more transcendent way) is there, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Again, it may be shadowed out in a Man's self; Assoon as ever he is born into this World, he is a Creature to God, a Child to his Parents, a Subject to his Prince, and yet he it but one; So, so soon as ever that God is, (that is from all Eternity) he is Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, yet but one God.

How to be truly Rich, and truly Honourable.1312

[Page]

THere is mention made of a Painter, Plutarch▪ moral: that having drawn the picture of a Horse, would needs have him foaming at the mouth, but could not by any means do it: Whereupon in a great rage, he took the sponge wherewith he made his pensils clean, and thr [...]w it at the picture, intending to have utterly defared it: but it so fell out, that the spunge having sucked in severall sorts of colours, effected that by chance, which the Artist by all his industry could not compasse: Thus it is with them that strive to make themselves great and eminent in the World, [...] How do they cark and care, flatter, lie and dissemble, and all to be thought some body, amongst their fearful Neighbours? But all in vain; this is not the way to do it: for as Charles and Fifth told his sonne, That Fortune was just like a Woman, the more you woe her, the further she flings off: Let every good Christian then, take up the spunge of contempt, and throw it at these outward eminencies. Moses did so,Heb. 11. and found to his exceeding joy, that the abjection of vain glory was the acquisition of that which was true and reall.

The difference of good and bad Men in their preparation for Death.1313

A Wife that hath been faithfull to her Husband, and waits his coming home, let him knock when he will, [...] she is alwayes ready to open the door unto him; but another Woman that is false to her husband, and hath other Lovers in the house; if her husband chance to knock at the door, she does not immediately go to the door and let him in, but there is a shuffling up and down in the house, and she delayes the time till she have go the others out of the way: Thus it is when Death knocks at the door of these Earthly Tabernacles of ours,Piis mors ultrà non est mors, sed nomen tantum habet mortis. Chrysost. Homil. in Math. cap. 10. here's the difference; A good man is willing and ready to open to Death; his Heart is in such an Heavenly frame, that he is alwayes prepared for Death; and seeing [...] Death, that so he may take possession; Whereas the Atheist, he dares not die, for fear of a Non esse, that he shall be no more; the prophane Person is afraid of Death, because of a male esse, to be made miserable; and every wicked ungodly Man is loath to die for having espoused himself to the things of this World, he shrinks at the very thought of Death, and cryes out to his Soul, as sometimes Pope Adrian did;P. Jovius in Adriano. O my Soul, whither goest thou? thou shal [...] never be merry more. Or as those ten Men, Stay us not, for we have Treasures in the Field of Wheat and of Barley, and of Oyl and of Honey, &c. Jer. 41. 8.

Christ to be the summe of all our Actions.1314

THere is mention made of one in the Primitive times,Rich. de M [...] diavilla. who being asked, What he was? answered, A Christian. What is thy name? he answered, Christian. What is thy Profession? He answered,Clavis David. Christian. W [...]at are thy thoughts? He answered, Christian. Thy words and deeds, What are they? He answered, Christian. What life leadest thou? He answered still, Christian. He had so digested Christ into his Soul by Faith, that he could speak nothing but Christians. And thus it is, that Christ is to be made the summe and ultimate of all our actions; we must labour that Christ may be made one with us, and we with him, that in all our Works begun, continued and ended, we may still conclude with that expression of the Church,In Liturgia Eccles▪ Anglicanae. Through Iesus Christ our Lord.

1315 Gods Immutability.

[Page]

A Man travelling upon the Road, [...] espies some great Castle, sometimes it seems to be nigh, another time afar off; now on this hand, anon on that; now before, by and by behind; when all the while it standeth still unmoved: So a Man that goes in a boat by water, thinks the shore moveth, whereas it is not the shore, but the boat that passeth away. Thus it is with God, sometimes he seemeth to be angry with the Sons of Men, another time to be well pleased; now to be at hand, anon at a distance; now shewing the light of his Countenance, by and by hiding his face in displeasure; Mal. 3. 6. yet he is not changed at all. Numb. 23. It is we, not he that is changed.Tho. primae part. sum. He is Immutable in his Nature, in his Counsels, and in all his Promises; whereas all Creatures have and are subject to change, having their dependance on some more powerfull Agent, but God being onely independent, is (as the School-men say) omninò immutabilis, altogether immutable.

1316 The Godly Man rejoycing in Death.

IT is storied of Godfrey Duke of Boloigne, Matth. Paris in hist. Ang. Foelicissimae justorum mors tanquam fin [...] laborum, &c. Bern. de transitu Malathiae. that when in that his expedition to the Holy Land, he came within view of Ierusalem, his Army seeing the high Turrets, goodly Buildings, and fair fronts (though but, as it were, as so many Skeletons of far more glorious bodies) being even transported with the joyfulnesse of such a sight, gave a mighty showt, that the Earth was verily thought to ring with the noyse thereof. Such is the rejoycing of a Godly Man in death, when he doth not see the Turrets and Towers of an Earthly, but the spirituall building of an Heavenly Ierusalem, and his Soul ready to take possession of them, How doth he delight in his dissolution? Especially, when he sees Grace changing into Glory, Hope in [...]o fruition, Faith into vision, and Love into perfect comprehension; such and so great are the exultations of his Spirit, such mighty workings and shoutings of the Heart, as cannot be expressed.

1317 Sin to be looked upon as the cause of all sorrow.

IN the course of Justice we say,L. Andrews Winton. Serm. at Court, 1617. and say truly; When a Party is put to death that the Executioner cannot be said to be the cause of his death, nor the Sheriff by whose command he doth it; neither yet the Iudge, by whose sentence; nor the twelve Men, by whose verdict; nor the Law it self, by whose Authority it is proceeded in, (for God forbid that we should endite these, or any of these of Murther) Solum peccatum Homicidae, Gloria peccati nulla petenda tui est. Ovid. de remed. Sin, and sin onely, is the cause and occasion of all sorrows; It is not the looking upon any accidentals, any Instrumentals of our Miseries and vexations, but upon the principal, the prime Agent, and that's Sin, to take a wreak or holy Revenge upon that, to send out an enquiry in our Souls after that, and having found it, to passe sentence thereupon.

1318 The Good Mans comfort in matter of Worldly losse.

IT was a handsome conceit of a great Duke of Florence, Hector Pintus in Daniel. cap. 4. that had for his Arms a fair spread Tree, having one branch onely lopped off, with this Motto, U [...]o avulso non deficit alter; intimating thereby, that as long as the Trunk or body of the Teee was well rooted, there was no fear, though a branch or two were withered: Thus a good Man bears up himself in the matter of temporal losse, As to the matter of Government, if a David be gathered to his Fathers, a Solomon may succeed him in his Throne. If a Iohn be cast into Prison,1 Kings 2. rather then the Pulpit shall stand empty, a greater then Iohn even Christ himself will begin to preach. What if a Sulpitius die at Rome, Ma [...]k 1. 14. a Tully is left behind. What [Page] though a good King, a good Minister, a good Magistrate be removed, he chears up himself,2 Cor. 4. 18. that as good may succeed;Luke 6. 22. however he lies down with patience, expecting the event: If God take away his estate in this World, manet altera caelo, he looks for a better in Heaven; If he be traduced by Men, he shall be cleared by God;Matth. 16. 25. If he lose his life here, he shall find it hereafter.

Men, upon hearing of the joyes of Heaven, to be much taken therewith.1319

THe Gaules, Plutarch. in vita Camilli. an ancient People of France, after they had once tasted of the sweet wine of the grapes, that grew in Italy, inquired after the Country where such pleasant liquor was, and understanding of it, they made towards the place, and never rested till they came thither, where such pleasant things grew. Thus when the Minister hath endeavoured to lay open the rich and pretious things of God, and brought unto our Souls some of the clusters of Canaan, and some of that Wine which is to be drunk in the Kingdom of Heaven, let it be our parts to close in with him, in the pursuit after such good things, and not to let out Hearts rest, till we come to taste the sweet, and enjoy the benefit thereof.

Order to be in the Church of God.1320

AS there is an Order in God himself,Will. Artersoll on Numb. in preface. even in the blessed Trinity, where, though the Persons be co-eternal and co-equall, and the Essence it self of the Deity indivisible, yet there is the first, second, and third Person; And as in God, so in the whole Creation, Angels have their Orders, Thrones and Dominions, Principalities and Powers, and an Arch-angel, that at the last shall blow the Trumpet. So it is amongst the Saints, Ephes. 1. 12. the Souls of Just men perfected,Col. 1. 16. all of them have enough,1 Thess. 4. 16. none of them want; yet there's a difference in the measure of their glory,1 Cor. 3. 8. because every one hath his own Reward according to his labour.Dan. 12. 3. Stars are not all of one Magnitude,1 Cor. 15. 41. one differs from another in glory. As for things below, some have onely a being; some, being and life; others, being, life, and sense; and others besides all these have Reason and Understanding: All Arts and Sciences, before they can be learned, must be reduced into Order and Method; A Camp well disciplined is a perfect pattern of good Order; Nay,Eph. 6. 12. there is a kind of Order even in Hell it self,Matth. 12. 24. a place of disorder and confusion. And shall then God and Belial, Angels and Men, Saints and Devils, Heaven and Earth, be all in Order; and the Church, out? It cannot be, The Church is to be as an army with banners, to consist of Governors and governed, Cant. 2. some to teach, 1 Cor. 14. 40. and some to hear, Ordine quis (que) suo, all in decency and in Order.

How the Humane nature may in some sort be said to excell the Angelical.1321

A Chain that is made up of coorse gold, Hector Pintus in Ezech. may in some sense be said to outvalue that which is made up of [...]iner, not in respect of the Nature and perfection of the gold; but because there is a very rich Iewell fixed unto it: So the Angelical nature, may in respect of its pure and undefiled quality, be said to excell that which is humane; yet the humane in another way excells it, because there is that sparkling Diamond of the Divine Nature fastned unto it, Verbum caro factum, The Word made Flesh, the Son of God made like unto the Son of Man in all things, (Sin onely excepted) passing by the Angels, taking the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2. 16.

1322 Mention of the joyes of Heaven to be a winning subject upon the Souls of Men.

[Page]

IT is reported of Adrianus, Laurent. Surius in vita Adriani. an Officer unto Maximinianus the Tyrant, that seeing the constancy of Martyrs, in suffering such grievous things for the cause of Christ, was very earnest to know what was that which caused them so willingly to undergo such exquisite torments; One of them (there being at that time two and twenty under the Tormentors hands) made answer in that text of St. [...]aul, 1 Cor. 2. [...]. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not he [...]rd, neither hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive, what is laid up for them that love God. Upon the hearing whereof, Adrianus was converted to the Christian faith, and s [...]aled the profession thereof with his bloud. Thus ought the very mention of the joyes of Heaven to be as a winning argument to work upon the Souls of Men, not to [...]it down contented with the greatest things in the World, if they once appear in competition with the things of Heaven; Shall Mens hearts stirre when they hear of Gods wrath, and dreadfulnesse of his displeasure against Sin? And shall not their hearts burn within them for joy, when they hear of the goodnesse of God, and of the Riches of the grace of God, and of the wonderfull thoughts that he hath for the everlasting good of Mankind?

1323 Reverence to be used in the Worship of God.

WHen Moses had received the Law from the mouth of the Law-giver himself,Will. Attersol on Numbers. and had published the same, and finished the Tabernacle of the Ark and Sanctuary, he musters up all the Tribes and Families of Israel, from twenty years of age upwards: The number of the whole Army was six hundred and three thousand, five hundred, and fifty Men of War, besides Women and Children, and strangers that followed out of Egypt; these he divides into four grosse and mighty Battailions;Templum portatilo. In the midst of them, the Tabernacle (as it were a portable Temple) was carried,Isidor. de summ. bono. being surrounded by the Levites, and the Levites by the other Tribes; so that not onely the Pagans and Heathens were forbidden accesse unto it, but the sentence of death passed upon every Soul of the Israelites themselves, that durst be so bold as to approach it, such who were not Levites, Numb. 3. 8. to whom the charge was wholly committed. So sacred was it, and with such reverence guarded and regarded, that two and twenty thousand Priests were dedicated to the service and attendance thereof, which was performed with such dutifull observance in the preserving and laying up of the holy vessels, J. M [...]rtinus de Repub. H [...]b. the solemn removing, together with the prudent and provident defence of the same, that it might well procure all due reverence to the holy things of God, and encrease zeal and devotion in such as drew near unto him; This was their devotion to the Ark of God then, and afterwards to the Temple, and ought to be continued amongst all good Christians to the house of God, R. Holdsworth Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1624. the house of Prayer, now in times of greater light; But (which is to be lamented) whereas most of our Ch [...]rches have two doors; Superstition crept in long since at the one, and Prophanesse hath of later dayes shouldered in at the other; so that had there been more fear and Reverence in the hearts of Men towards the worship of God, and the parts thereof, there had been lesse sleighting of his Ordinances, and much lesse contempt of his Word and Commanments.

A good Christian will rather part with his life, then his Integrity.1324

[Page]

PIerius Valerianus in his book of Egyptian Hierogliphicks, Lib. 13. maketh mention of a kind of white Mouse, called an Armenian Mouse, being of such a cleanly disposition, that it will rather die, then be any way [...], so that the passage into her hole being besmeared with any filth, she will rather expose her self to the mercy of her cruell Enemy,Hector Pintus in Ezckie. then any way seek to save her life by passing so foul an entrance. And thus every well-grounded, true-hearted Christian will with those three Nobly spirited Hebrews, choose rather to be cast into the Fiery [...], then worship the golden Image; Dan. 3. with Moses rather suffer affliction with Gods people,Exod. 2. then live a pleasant life in Pharaoh's Court; with Daniel rather he fed with water and pulse, then eat of the Kings portion; In a word, rather part with estate, liberty, life and all, then part with his Integrity.

To have Children male and female, Gods great blessing.1325

AS it is with the Soul and the body, though the Soul be far more excellent then the body, Jos. Caryll on Iob, Chap. 2. yet the Soul alone is not so perfect, as when Soul and body are together; because though the body be not so strong in Constitution, and noble in Condition as the Soul, yet Body and Soul in creation were joyned together; hence is it, that their greatest perfection consists in Unity: So likewise is it in a Family, though Sons in Nature are more perfect, yet because it was the first Institution of a Family, Male and Female, therefore the fulnesse and compleatnesse of the blessing is in the Union of both; Sons without daughters may bear up the Name, and Daughters without Sons may enlarge the Family: but where there are Sons and Daughters both, is the perfection of the blessing,Gen. 2. because Man was so made at the first, Male and Female created be them.

The Multitude alwaies desirous of change in Government.1326

LIvy maketh mention of the Citizens of Capua, that being gathered together in a mutinous manner,Decad. 3. lib. 3. they would needs depose the Senate; and being weary of their Government, agreed to put them to death; But Pacuvius Calavius the head Magistrate, being willing to save them; When they had passed sentence upon one of them to have him executed, bade them first in his stead to choose a good and Righteous Senator: Sir Walter Rawle [...]gh hist. of the World. At the first, they were all silent, not knowing how to find a better; After, when some odde fellow of the crew, past all shame and reverence, seemed to nominate one to succeed, by and by they grew to loud words and great out-cryes; Some said flatly, they k [...]en not the Man: Others laid heinous things to his charge: Some said, he was of a base and beggarly condition; Others objected his Trade and way of living: T [...]us they grew more and more vehement upon the Proposals of a second and third t [...] their choice: Whereupon they bethought themselves, and repented of what they had done already, considering how much they failed, and were to seek upon every new Election, and so at length they were content to keep their ol [...] Senators still. And just thus is it with theBellua multorum capitum. many-headed Multitude, Neutrum mo [...], Mas mod [...] vulgus, as changeable, unconstant, and variable as the weather [...] never at any certain; discontented with the present Government, which if changed for another, they like that no better, weary of present things, desirous of change and alteration; Either they serve basely, or rule proudly. As for Liberty, [Page] that is the mean betwixt them both, they have neither the skill to desp [...]se with Reason, nor the Grace to entertain in any proportionable measure.

1327 Worldly Policy, not to be prejudiciall to the honour of God.

DAvid, 1 Sam 21. 13. coming to the Court of Achish King of Gath, saw himself in danger, and thereupon feign'd himself mad, which though he did in a politique may to save his life and liberty,P. Martyr in locum. yet he had no warrant so to do, because it tended not onely to his own disgrace, being King of Israel, but it was also dishonourable to God himself, whose Majesty he should have represented: Thus there are some that think it good Policy (and so it is good Worldly Policy) to rise [...]ly,Matth. Griffiths Bethe [...]. and go to bed late, to eat the bread of care, and work full hard; yea, they have s [...]t hours for working, eating, resting, &c. but this their Policy (as it is much to be feared) eats up the service of God, it leaves them small or no time wherein they may offer up the calves of their lips in the morning,H [...]s. 14. 2. or at night to come before him with an Evening sacrifice; Psal. 141. 2. and therefore prejudiciall to his honour, and, as the Apostle speaks of Wisdome in the same respect, earthly, sensuall,Iam. 3. 15. and Divellish.

1328 To be thankful unto God in the saddest of times and conditions.

IT was a pretty sweet passage that was once betwixt a distressed Mother and a Child about eight or nine years of age,Jos. Ca [...]yll on Iob, cap. 2. who being reduced to such a straight, that hunger began to pinch them both; the Child looking earnestly on the Mother, said; Mother, do you think that God will starve us? No, child, answered the Mother, He will not: The Child replyed, But if he do, yet we must love him and serve him. Here now was language from a little child, which being from the heart, might well become and argue a child of Grace, a well grown Christian: Iob 13. 15. Such an one was Iob, though God slay him, yet he will trust in him. And the rod and staffe of God shall be Davids comfort; Psal 23. 4. and S. Paul had so learned the art of thankfulnesse, P [...]il. 4. 11. as in all conditions to be contented. And so must every one labour to have the same frame of spirit, that in the worst of times, in the saddest of conditions, whether publique or private, National or personall, they be thankfull unto God, and speak good of his most holy Name.

1329 Ministers to be Men of gravity and experience.

IN the art of Navigation, G. Nazianz. in laude [...] [...] Basilii. it was a Law, wont to be seriously observed, that none should be Master of a Ship, or Masters Mate, that had not first been a sculler, and rowed with oars, and from thence been promoted to the stern: And in Military discipline, a Man is first listed a Souldier, then riseth by degrees, before he come to be a Commander; Will. Attersol on Numb. cap. 8. The Levites under the Law, were first Probationers, before they were allowed to be Practitioners. Such ought all Ministers to be,Ier. 23. 21. Men of gravity and experience, not such as run before they are sent, and thrust themselves into the vineyard before they be hired, that come from Iericho before their beards be grown, that are young in years, and as young in qualities and qualifications relating to the Ministery, young Timothy's, and possibly old Demasses, that have not shed their Colts teeth, nor scarce sowed their wild oats, so that it may very well be said of them, The Prophet is a fool, the spiritual Man is mad, Hos. 9. 7.

Worldy Policy, not to prejudice the truth of a good Conscience.1340

[Page]

RAchel having stollen her Fathers Idols,Gen. 31. 19. when he pursued her, and came to search for them in the Tent;Lippoman. in Genes. she having hid them in the Camels litter, and sitting upon them, entreated him not to be angry, though she rose not up to him; For she was sick, as she pretended, and said; It was with her after the manner of Women: If by the custome of Women, she would be understood to be in travell, then she told a flat lie; but if by a trick of mental reservation, she did use that ambiguous phrase, with an intention to deceive, then at the best she did but Equivocate; and even in so saying, and so doing, she made a flat breach of Conscience. Thus many amongst us desire to be at as little charge as may be possibly,Seneca de beneficiis whether to the State or to the Church; And therefore when they are pressed by or for either of these, then they are politickly s [...]k in the purse, make themselves poor and needy, and will hardly part with a penny, (if they can but with common civility or shamelesse impudency keep it) which favors not onely of unthankful hearts to God, Gesp. Melo in Matth. 22 cap. but shews, that they have most wretched Consciences, caring not what they do, so as they may keep that, which (falsly) they call their own.

Holy duties call for holy Preparation.1341

DAvid washeth his hands in Innocency, before he compasseth Gods altar, Psal. 26. 6. and Iob intending to sacrifice unto God, on the behalf of himself and his Children, sends to them solemnly to prepare themselves, chap. 1. v. 5. Nay, the very Heathens themselves would not admit any to come to their Religious services, Virgil. lib. 2. Aenead. unlesse they were first prepared; as that of Aeneas to his Father Anchises, Coel. Rhodogin. lect. Var. upon his returrn from the Warrs, Tu genitor cape sacra manu, therefore they had one that cryed out to the People, Procul hinc, procul, este prophani, All you that are unclean and prophane depart hence and come not near us. And shall Christians then who have learnt better things,Jos. Caryll on Iob. touch holy things with unholy hands, or unholy hearts? No, they must not, they ought not; Holy Duties call for holy Preparation; they must be sanctified within and without, before they come to the performance of any holy duty: It is true, that the duty sanctifies; but it is as true, that the duty seldom sanctifies, unlesse Men be sanctified for the duty; And they get most holinesse from the duty, who are most holy before they come to it.

Attention in Hearing Gods Word, commanded and commended.1342

MAny there are in our days,Plautus in Poenulo. that delight to have Rings and Jewels hanged at their ears, and they account it a great ornament unto them; whose Vanity the Poet long since in a scoffing manner, answered; It is (saith he) because they have no fingers on their hands, as if the fingers not the ears were made for Rings: However, this may be said,Plutarch in Rom. antiquitat. that if we had the richest Iewels the East or West could afford us, if we have not an ear bored through to the Heart, a hearing ear to hear the Word of God, they are no better then Iewels in a Swines snowt: Jos. Shute Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. Oh the excellency of the Iewell of attention! when audire terminates in obedire, when we hear the Word of God and do it, when we understand, believe and practise what we hear.

1343 Worldly Policy, not to be in any thing prejudiciall to commutative Iustice.

[Page]

KIng David was very Politick in contriving how to work himself out of the shame of Adultery, Matth. Griffiths Bethel. and his child by Bathsheba out of the shame of bastardy; and therefore he so closely carried it, that Uriah was slain, and then he took her to Wife; but because it did not stand with Justice, first to deprave the Wise, then to deprive the husband, this his supposed Master-piece of folly, and Worldly policy, 1 Kings 15. 5. is (amongst many other good characters) brought in as a cressebarre in his arms, and a foul blemish in his Coat.Per sas et nesas. Thus it is that few of us make any Conscience at all of that Iustice which is commutative, due unto our Neighbour; Do we not sometimes swear and lie, and swear falsly, and lay our Foundation in the bloud of the Innocent, rather then we will not build and enlarge our Houses? Yea, Are not many of our buildings raised out of the ruines of S [...]on? Numb. 12. What care we to take advantage of our brothers simplicity? We look upon Inferiors with contempt and scorn, use them but as stirrops to mount up into the saddle of our own private ends;Geo. Downam Sermon at Norwich, 1640. or like so many ladders to reach our designs, and when we have got so high as they can help us, then, no matter, though (ladder-like) they be hung up by the walls: As for Superiors, we either not know, or will not acknowledge any, living like the Locusts, as if we had no Supream Authority, Prov. 30. 27. no Law, no Government, to the great prejudice of the place wherein we live.

The best of Men not free from Sin in this life.1344

AS a Man,Jos. Caryll on Iob. who in the Morning washeth his hands, and goes abroad about his Worldly businesse, though he doth not puddle in the mire, or rake amongst dunghills, yet when he returns home again at dinner, or at night, if he wash, he finds that he hath contracted some uncleannesse, and that his hands are foul; Nullus sanctus et justus caret peccato, &c. Aug. de Eccl [...]s. dogmat. There's no Man can converse with an unclean and filthy World, but some uncleannesse must needs fasten unto him. Even so it is with the Souls of Men, such is the universal corruption of human Na [...]ure, that the Souls of the best, of the purest, of the holies [...], though they do not rake in the dunghill, and wallow in the mire of Sin basely and silthily; yet they do from day, yea from moment to moment, contract some filth and uncleannesse; they may be clear from sinning wil [...]ully, 1 Ioh. 3. 9. and with delight, (in which sense it is said, He that is born of God sinneth no [...],) and free from scandalous sins, whereinto many of Gods dear children have through inadvertency fallen; but they can never acquit themselves from Sins of infirmity, such as do inevitably and inseparably cleave unto the best of Men, especially considering the state and condition wherein they are, having corrupt flesh and bloud about them.

Children of persons excommunicate to be Baptized.1345

ST. Augustine writing to a young busie Bishop called Auxilius, Epist. 75. on the behalf of one Classicanus, saith; That for the offence of the Master of the house, whom he had excommunicated before, he should not therefore exeommunicate the rest of the Family, and deny them the benefit of the Sacrament: For (saith he) herein the Man may perish that is a Friend, Nallus à baptismo prohibendus [...], &c. Aug. in enchirid. and the Devil be glad that is an Enemy. Thus in a manner do they offend, who refuse to baptize the Children of those that are excommunicated, and such as are born in Fornication, because their Parents are impenitent; as though the Sonne should bear the Iniquity of the Father, or the Wife of the Husband; or he that is not yet born, the iniquity of them that are born, contrary to that of Ezekiel, Chap. 18. 20.

No Man so old but he may learn something.1346

[Page]

CHarles the Fifth gave for his Arms,Impp. Rom. vitae▪ Hercules Pillars, with this Motto, Plus ultra, meaning, that those pillars, which are two hills at the entrance of the Straights mouth, Ad discendum▪ quod opus est, nulla aetas sera videri potest, &c. Aug. should not bound his Empire, which he intended [...]o extend further (as indeed he did afterwards) to America: Thus it is, that old Men should do well, if they did s [...]yl by his Compasse, never to set any bounds to their knowledge, not to hugge themselves in their great experience, as it there were not a plus ultra; S. Augustine in his old age studied [...] Greek, and Cato the Rudiments of Grammer:Conr. Zuingeri theat. hum. vitae. As for Gods School, that doth not only teach the Principles, but also the perfection of Divine Wisdome; which, not being attained unto even in oldest age, S. Iohn writes as well to you Fathers, 1 Io [...]. 1 [...] 13. as to you young Men and Children; intimating, that the Fathers themselves have as much to learn as the Children.

Religion not to be made a stalking horse to Policy.1347

ONe of the Trent-Doctors, Matth. Stiles Sermon at S. George Botolph Lane, Lond. 1636. being a Fisherman's son born, whilest he was of some inferior Order, would alwaies cause a net to be spread under his Table-cloth, when he was to sit down at his meat, and this was to put him in mind from whence he came, that so he might not at any time be puffed up with any high conceit of his own worth: A good meaning, had it been reall; but it so fell out, that being saluted with a red hatt from the Conclave, the Net was presently laid aside; and being desired to tell the reason, why it was so? made answer;Simulata sanctitas. I have now caught what I fished for: Thus it is, that Religion is too too often made a stalking horse to Worldly Policy, so that when they have gotten enough (as they think) from God, they care not for God; and when the Fish is caught, they lay by the Net; For they do but a go a Fishing with holinesse, and the profession of Religion; and when they have their ends, there's an end also of their Profession.

The painfull Ministers joy at the time of his death.1348

IT is said of Gregorius, sirnamed Thaumaturgus, G. Nyssenus in vitâ. Wonder-worker, When he asked the question, being now ready to die; How many Infidels yet remained in the City Neocaesaria? answer was returned unto him, Seventeen: that he rejoyced greatly, and comforted himself, and gave thanks unto God, saying, Totidem erant Fideles, &c.Ruffin. lib. 2. cap. 9. There were onely so many Faithful and believers, when I was made Bishop of that place: A great work of God by a Wonder-working Man!Bene agente populo u [...]usquis (que) pro suo merito remuneratur sed Sacerdos pro bonis omnium. &c. Chrysost. in Ma [...]h. 25. And such will be the Crown and rejoycing of all painful and laborious Ministers of Gods Word and Sacraments, that when they shall be ready to give an accompt of the Souls committed to their charge, that they can do it with joy, and not with grief, that they have been Faithfull, and looked more after the Flock, then the Fleece, and that it is not with them (as it often falls out with too too many) whose rising hath been the fall of the Church, and mightinesse the miseries thereof.

Parents to shew good Examples to their Children.1349

WEE may read in the Fable,Dialogo Creaturarum. What the Mother-Crab said to the daughter, Go forward my daughter, Probum esse oportet patrem qui gnatum suum, &. Plautus. go forward; the daughter replyed, Good Mother, do you shew me the way; Whereupon the Mother crawling backward [Page] and sideling as she was wont, the daughter straight cryed out; Loe Mother, I go just as you do: Matth. Griffith's Bethel. Let Parents then be sure that their carriage be just and justifiable, especially in the sight of their children, lest instead of being their Correctors, they prove their corruptors; let them never be able to stop their mouths, and twit them in the teeth (when they reprove them) with their own vitious pattern; As if where the Parents were naught themselves, the Children should hold it a kind of sawcinesse to be good, and had rather be bad for company, then their mannerly carriage should seem to teach their betters.

1350 The tryall of true and false Professors.

AS it was with Naomi and her two daughters in law, Orphah and Ruth; All the while that she was Naomi, beautifull and had enough, they both stayed with her; but when Naomi became Marah, bitter and empty, then Orphah took her leave of her,Jos. Caryll on Io [...], cap. 3. but Ruth abode with her still, Chap. 1. Here was the tryall, whether Orphah or Ruth had the more sincere affection to Naomi, Ruth loves her Mothers person, Orphah her outward estate and preferment: Thus while Religion and Prosperity go together, it is hard to say which a Man followes; but when they are forced to a separation, where the Heart was, will soon be manifest; Many will hold on with God as long as the Sun shineth, as long as it is fair weather, Matth. 7. 27. as long as the profession of the Gospel is countenanced; but if the storm arise,Ruth. 4. and troubles come, then they pull in their heads, then they deny and forsake God, then they drawback from, and betray his Truth: But the upright in heart are like Ruth, whatsoever becomes of the Gospel, they will be sharers with it in the same condition, be it affliction, or be it consolation; be it fair weather, or be it foul; be it light, or be it darknesse; they will take their lot with it, whatsoever it be.

1351 The necessity of being found with Christ's Righteousnesse.

IT is the observation of S. Ambrose, De Iacob lib. 1. cap. 2. though he were not by birth the first-born, yet hiding himself under his brothers cloaths, and having put on his coat which smelled most sweetly, came into his Fathers presence, and got away the blessing from his elder brother:Gen. 27. 36. So it is very necessary that we lye hid under the pretious purenesse of Christ our elder brother, 2 Cor. 2. 15. that having the sweet savour of his garments, our sins may be covered with his perfections, and our unrighteousnesse with the Robes of his Righteousnesse, that so we may offer up our selves unto God a living and acceptable Sacrifice, Rom. 12. 1. not having our own Righteousnesse, but that which is onely to be found in Christ Iesus.

1352 The scoffing Drunkard's sad condition.

THere is mention made of a notable Soaker, Plutarch. in vita Pyrrhi. who being brought before Pyrrhus for railing against him in his cups, said; It is true, that I spake somewhat against thee; and much more should I have spoken, had not the Wine failed me: Thus it appears ex confesso, that where Men do swill immoderately, they will make every Object they light upon, matter of Reproach; no person shall be free from their derisions; Math. Griffith's Bethel. they will observe no Laws, reverence no Magistrates, respect no Friends, spare no cost, regard no Religion, keep no Church, fear no God; tell them of Gods displeasure, Esay 5. 11. like so many Michols they will jeer you to your face:Prov. 29. 23. & 29. 30. Tell them of Solomon's induction, like so many Edomites they will make songs of you, all and every of these are but a May-game and a mocking-stock unto them.

Graces of the Spirit to be held fast in the midst of temporall losses.1353

[Page]

AS it is with a Man in a wrack at Sea, when all is cast over-boord, the Victuals that feed him, the cloaths that should keep him warm, yet he swims to the shoare with his life in his hand; Or as it is with a valiant Standard-bearer, that carries the banner in the time of battel, if he sees all lost, he wraps the banner about his body, and chooseth rather to dye in that as his winding-sheet, then let any man take it from him, or spoyl him of it; he will hold that fast, though he lose his life with it. Thus Iob in all his troubles is said to hold fast his Integrity, Chap. 2. vers. 4. And so must all of us do,Jos. Caryll in [...]ocum. hold our spirituals, whatsoever becomes of temporals: When Wife and Children, and Friends, and liberty, and life and all's going, say unto peace of Conscience, to Innocency and Integrity, as Iacob said to the Angel, (whether they be those Summer-graces of Prosperity, as Joy and Thanksgiving;T. Fuller Serm. at S. Clem. Lond. 1652. or the Winter-graces of Adversity, as Patience and Perseverance; or the grace of Humility that is alwaies in season) We will not let ye go; For indeed there is no blessing without them: There's not a Man upon the face of the Earth, but if he be of an Heavenly temper and spiritual resolution, will in the greatest storm, in the hottest assault, wrap himself round about with his Integrity, and will not let it go, till he go along with it.

Children not to marry without their Parents consent.1354

CYrus, Xenophon Cyroped. lib. 8. an Heathenish King, having conquered Babylon, and returning home in Triumph, was offered by his Uncle Cyaxares, to have his daughter in Marriage; but he thanked his Uncle, prais'd the Maid, liked well of the Portion; as for consent to the Match, he returned this answer: Uncle, I commend the Stock, and the Maid, and the Portion; Howbeit, (saith he) by the Counsel of my Father and my Mother, I will assent unto you: As if he had said, Without their advice I can do nothing. And thus all dutiful Children are content to submit to their Parents directions, Will. Attersol. on Numb. and to be ordered by them, especially in the matter of so high concernment as Marriage; thus did Iacob, and Sampson, not as it is the manner of Children now adayes,Gen. 27. who consult with their Parents last of all, nay regard not their Parents consent at all, Iudg. 14. 3. but make their choyce after the lust of their eyes, and delight of their own deceitful hearts, making up a Match in great haste, and repenting at leisure.

How it is that Wicked drunken Men think well of themselves.1355

THere is a Story of a French-man, that lodging one night in a Curtizan's house at Rome, Othon. Melandri Iacoseria. when in the Morning he took his gold Chain, he found it would go but thrice about his neck, whereas it was formerly wont to go four times: And thereupon he guessed, that the Curtizan had (as she had indeed) taken away some of the links▪ but she cunningly dissembling to excuse her fault, would needs make the French-man believe, that his head was much swollen that night; and to confirm her words, she caused him to view himself in a false glasse, which made all things seem a great deal bigger then indeed they were; And so not knowing how to help himself, he was fain to perswade himself, Nath. Shute Serm. at S. Mild. Poultry Lond. 1633. that all the fault was in the growth of his head. To this chain may be likened the Soul of Man, which being sober, perceives that, by Intemperance, the Memory [Page] and Understanding (which are two main links of it) are taken away; but the Devill (like a cunning Curtezan) as it were by a false glasse, makes Men believe it is nothing so;Multum me [...]um pauca cogit sapere. Menand. but on the contrary, that all things are greater then they were, their Memory greater, their understanding greater, their strength greater, their wits riper; whereas it is nothing so, their Understanding is infatuated, their Will perverted, their Memory enfeebled, their Comelinesse deformed, all out of order.

1356 The evil of Division.

THe Rabbines have a conceit,Jos. Caryll on Iob. why after the work of the second day was finished, God (beholding what he had done) did not adde any approbation to it; When he made the Light, which was the first dayes work, he approves it, God saw the Light, and said, It was good: but to the work of the second day, God subjoyned no approbation, Joh. Plantavit. Florileg. Rabbinicum. by saying; It was good: The reason which they give of it, is this, because then was the first dis-union, that made the first second that ever was; All before was one (sub unissimo Deo) under the One-most God: But to leave this fancy to the Iewish Doctors, amongst many others of the like Nature, there is somewhat in the notion it self, namely, that Division and Disunion are the evils of the Creature, all natural dis-unions are the Afflictions of natural things: And so Civil dis-unions and Civill dissentions are much more the affliction of People and Nations; Christ assures us, that the strongest Kingdome divided, Mark 3. 14. cannot stand. Whereas contrarily, Weak things are strong by union, Vis unita fortior. and that not onely by union with the strong, but by union amongst themselves; And things obscure, united, are Honourable, especially when united to things that are Honourable.

1357 The persons of Poor Men not to be sleighted.

IT is reported of Master Fox the Martyrologist,Rich. Greenham's Works. when it was told him, that a certain Man (of none of the highest or greatest calling) who had received much comfort from him in the dayes of his trouble, was desirous to acknowledge his thankfulnesse towards him, and asked him, Whether he remembred such a one? He answered, I remember him well; I tell you, I forget Lords and Ladies, Will. Attersol on Philemon. to remember such as he is. But now it is otherwise in the World, Many there are that look so high, that they cannot discern their lower brother, whom notwithstanding God loveth, for whom Christ dyed, and to whom the Word of Salvation is preached: Nil habet infoelix paupertas [...]urius in se, Quàm quod ridiculos homines facit. Juvenal. Nay, so supercilious and lofty are most Men, that they look upon a lower, a poorer Man, no otherwise then if God had made them so on purpose to be laughed at: but let all such know for a certain, that they are the same with them, and though they have not vestem communem, the same coat, yet they have cutem communem, the same skin, and that, He that mocketh the poor, reproacheth him that made him.

1358 To be carefull of extraordinary drinking.

CYrus, the Persian Monarch,Xenophon in Cyropadia. being demanded of his Grandfather Astyages, Why he would drink no Wine? answered; For fear lest they give me poyson; For, quoth he, I noted yesterday, when you celebrated your Nativity, that some body had poysoned all the Wine they drank, because at the taking away of the Cloath, not one of all those that were present at the Feast, arose in his right mind. Let all Men take heed then how they multiply their cups, Est [...]. 1. 8. as in that Feast of Ahashuerus at Shushan, where every Man drank as much as he lift; but content themselves with Timothy's Modicum prescribed by S. Paul. One cup is enough, 1 Tim. 2. two are too much, and three too little: but How may that be? When a Man hath taken off three, Lud. Vives in exercitat. ling. L [...]t. he is fit (if possible) for three hundred, and then ab hilaritate ad ebrietatem lubricus est gradus, He shall find to his sorrow, that from mirth to madnesse the step is very slippery.

The great pains that Wicked Men take to go to Hell.1359

[Page]

IT is observed of Antiochus Epiphanes, one of the Kings of Syria, that he was a most cruel Persecutor of the Church,Joh. Buntingus Itinerarium Patriarch, &c. and undertook more troublesome journeys, and went upon more hazardous designs meerly to trouble, vex, and oppose the Church of the Iews, then ever any of his Predecessors did about any other conquest, or noble enterprize; that he travelled more miles to do mischief, (as he that compareth their journeys) then any of the Saints did to do good, And thereupon concludes the Story of him; with this general truth concerning all wicked Men; That they go with more pains to eternal death, then the Saints to eternal rest; that they toyl themselves more, and suffer more hardship to work out their own damnation, then the godly do to work out their Salvation. Thus it is,Jos. Caryll on Iob. that a Wicked ungodly Man is said to travell with pain all the dayes of his life, and wearying himself in the way to Hell doing the Devils drudgery: And whereas a good Man is mercifull to his beast,Iob 15. 20. he is unmercifull to himself, and tires himself more then a good Man will tire his beast; For he that will follow Sin and serve his own lusts, Prov. 12. 10. (especially the lust of Pride and oppression) serveth a hard Master, one that will make him sweat for it, and pay him home at last with eternal death;1 Cor. 15. so that the work of Sin is bad enough; but (as to the Sinner) the wages is worse.

Proper Names of Men, not to be so much regarded as Appellative.1360

A Poor Shepherd in Germany, T. Adams on ep. 2 Pet. when divers observing the Cardinal of Colein, and admiring his pomp as a Prince, whereas his calling was but a Bishop; O, sayes the Shepherd, Cum damnatus fuerit Rex, quid fiet de Episcopo? If the great Duke should go to Hell for pride, What would become of the humble Bishop? Thus as with Titles, so is it with the Names of Men; It is not the proper Name, Ex nominis significatione non est judicandum de moribus. Demosth. but the Appellative; not the Nominal, but the Reall that makes a good Construction in Gods grammer; Abraham is a good Name; but the Father of the Faithfull is a better: Moses, a good Name; but the servant of God much better. David, a good Name; but a Man after Gods own heart, far better: so it may be said of S. Iohn, he had a good Name; but to be the beloved Disciple of Iesus Christ, was much beyond it. Paul, a good Name; but to be a chosen vessell of the Lord, much more: So that Grace is not tyed to Names; Theodorus, Theodosius, Dorotheus, Theodatus, Deodatus, Adeodatus, R. Holdsworth Serm. at S. Pet. poor, Lond. 1632. all signifying the gift of God, may well be given to our Children; but it is the Grace of God that maketh happy; No Man hath the mystery of his Fortune written in his Name; Names are not Propheticall, much lesse Magicall; yet the Civill use of them is for distinction, Nomen quasi Notamen; and the Religious use of them hath by good antiquity been alwaies observed in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Excessive drinking, condemned.1361

A Nacharsis had a saying,In Sopholog. that the first draught of Wine is for thirst, the second for nourishment, the third for mirth, the fourth for madnesse; Whereupon Calisthenes being pressed to quaffe off a great Bowl of Wine (which bowl they called Alexander) gravely replyed;Theopompus in hist. That he would not for drinking of Alexander, stand in need of Aesculapius, i. e. he would drink no more then what should do him good. And it were heartily to be wished, [...] &c. Philemon. that all Men were of his mind; but so it is, that now adayes, a drunken health (like the Conclusion in a Syllogism) must not be denyed; yea, such and so excessive is the custom of high drinking, [Page] that S. Basil makes it a wonder,Homil. 13. in ebrietat. et luxum. How the bodies of Drunkards, being by Nature framed of Earth, do not with so much moysture dissolve into clay and water.

1362 Books of Piety and Religion, testimoniall at the great day of Iudgment.

IT is usual in Scripture to ascribe a testimony to the more notable circumstances and accidents of humane life,Iam. 5. 3. as to the rust of hoarded money, to the solemn publications of the Gospel, Matth. 10. the dust of the Apostles feet. And so downward in the Primitive times,T. Manton in praesat. Com. in Iacobum. when grown persons were baptized, they were wont to leave a stole or white garment in the vestry for a Testimony and witnesse of their Baptism: Wherefore when one Elpidophorus had revolted from the Faith, the Deacon of the Church came and told him,Nicephorus in hist. Ecclesiast. l. 3. O Elpidophorus, I will keep this stole as a Monument against thee to all Eternity. And thus it is, that Books of Piety and devotion, being publique Monuments, are much of this Nature, a testimony likely to be produced in the day of Iudgment, not only against the Authors, but the Persons, into whose hands they shall happen to be perused, in case on either side there be any defection in Iudgment, or manners, from the Truths therein expressed.

1363 Atheistical Wicked Men, at the hour of Death forced to confesse Gods Iudgments.

IT is the report of a Reverend Divine (now with God) concerning an Atheist in England; Dr. Westfield. A young Man, sayes he, was a Papist, but soon fell into dislike of their superstition? He became a Protestant, but that did not please him long; England could not content him, he reels to Amsterdam, there he fell from one sect to another, till he lighted upon the Familists; The first Principle they taught him was this; There is no God; (as indeed they had need to sear up their Consciences, and dam up all natural light that turn Familists) hereupon he fell to a loose life, committed a Robbery, was convicted, condemned, and brought to die; At the Execution he desired a little time, uttering these words, Say what you will, surely there is a God, loving to his Friends, terrible to his Enemies. And thus it is,Julianus. Antiochus. that the lewdest Reprobates, the most wretched Atheists that spit in the face of Heaven, and wade deepest in bloud, are forced at the time of Death, Dan. 5. 5. when they see the hand-writing of Gods Iudgments upon the wall,Rev. 15. 3. to confesse there is a God, who is just in all his wayes, and wondrous in all his works.

1364 Fleshly-lusts, the danger of them.

IT is said of the Torpedo, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 32. cap. 1. a kind of dangerous Sea-fish, that it is of so venomous a Nature, that if it chance to touch but the line of him that angles, the poyson is thereby derived to the Rod, and thence to the hand of him that holds it; whereupon the Party is so benummed and stupified on a suddain, that he loseth the use of his limbs: Even so, when inchanting lusts insinuate themselves into, or indeed but barely touch upon voluptuous minds,Ovid. Met. they grow (with the Companions of Ulysses) not onely bruitish, but withall so senselesse, that they have not the power to think a good thought, or to do any good action.

1365 The grand impostory of pretended Revelations.

MAhomet, Frid. Sylburgii. that grand Hellish Impostor, often pretended Visions from Heaven; And the Story assures us,Mahometica. that he cunningly made use of the disease of his body, to perswade his Disciples of the soundnesse of his doctrine: For being [Page] afflicted with the Falling-sicknesse, when at any time a fit was upon him, he made the People believe, that he was in an ex [...]asie, or ravishment of the Spirit at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel, who revealed many mysteries unto him: And having by long use and familiarity taught a Pidgeon to feed at his ear, he by art prevailed with the People to feed at his poysonous mouth, as if his words had been the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, Iude 8. who (as she affirmed) came then to him in the form of a Dove, and taught him those secrets: Thus it is,Jos. Caryll on Iob, chap. 4. that when vain Men, such as the Apostle calls filthy dreamers, would put a new-nothing upon the World, as an infallible Truth, and have it swallowed down without chewing, received without disputing, then usually they pretend that it is quid Divinum, a Doctrine or Message come down immediately from God; and so shaping their own dark conceptions, by the light of Divine Revelation, do with the more estimation, put off either such points of doctrine, or such rules of Policy as themselves have onely invented.

To be favourable in the Censure of our brother.1366

IN Freesland there was a false Prophet,Joh. Sleidan's comment. one George David, who called himself Gods Nephew, and said; That Heaven was empty, and that he was to choose some to fill it, Quid de quo (que) viro et cui dicas saepe caveto. and none (forsooth) must come there but whom he liked. And we have some amongst us, such mad Prophets, that will elect and damn whom they please; But as themselves say, The Pope hath no power to make Saints, so we may very well say,Horat. ep. 1. They have no Authority to make Devils; Every Man is to be reputed honest, till he be disproved; Charity thinks no evil, 1 Cor. 13. 5.

The Worlds Deceitfulnesse and Treachery.1367

IT is said of the City of Athens, Treasury of ancient and modern times. that it was a goodly place for a Philosopher to passe through, for there he should see and hear many things that might better his understanding, (it being as it were the Nurse and Mother of all Learning) but it was not good for him to stay there, because he could hardly live in safety: So may it well be said of this World, that if a Man do but onely passe through it,Matth. Griffiths Bethel. he may behold many admirable works of God to better his knowledg; but if he take up his abode here, then he is in jeopardy of his life; For the World salutes Passengers after a friendly manner, and bids them welcome, but with that Proviso to his Servants, which Iudas gave to his Complices, Whomsoever I shall kisse, that is he, hold him fast; Matth. 26. 48. treacherously kissing and killing them, entertaining them with a Smile, but sending them home not by Chearing-, but by weeping-crosse: It gives them for a while the liberty of the house, to call for what they list, they may have all the deadly sins at their service; but they shall have a cutting reckoning in the end:Conscientia codex est in quo, &c. Conscience keeps the barre, and will make them pay with a Witnesse: For in the very height of their Contentments, they shall be arrested upon an action of Riot, Chrysost. in Psalm. and (if Gods great mercy prevent not) be cost into Hell without bayl or mainprize, for ever.

Commonnesse of the Death of others, taking away the sense of Death.1368

IT is said of Birds that build and roost in Steeples, Jos. Caryll on Iob. ch. 4. being used to the continual ringing of Bells, the sound disquiets them not at all; or as those that dwell near the fall of the River Nilus, the noise of the Water deafens them so, that they mind it not. Thus it is, that the commonnesse of the death of others, is made but as it were a formall thing; Many have been so often at the grave, that now the grave is worn out of their hearts;—Vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequaiu [...]. they have gone so often to the house of Mourning, that they are grown familiar with Death, they look upon it as a matter of custome for Men to die and be buried; And when the solemnity is over, the [Page] thoughts of Death are over also; as soon as the grave is out of their sight, preparation for the grave is out of their mind, then they go to their Worldly businesse, to trading and dealing, yea to coveting and sinning, as if the last Man (that ever should be) were buried.

1369 Silence, in the cause of Gods honour, condemned.

HErodotus writes of a dumb Son that Croesus had,In Clio. lib. 1. cap. 85. who when his Father was endangered in a battel, on a suddain his tongue was loosed, and he cryed out, Parce, Rex est, O spare him, hee's the King; So, when Gods glory is in question, what a numbnesse, what a dumbnesse is it, not to say, O spare him, hee's the Lord? In epist. ad Staupium. Luther will be accounted proud, passionate, Enemy to the Pope, or any thing rather then to be found guilty of sinfull silence, when the cause of God suffereth. To hear Blasphemers wound and tear the sweet and sacred Name of Christ in pieces, would make a dumb Man speak, though there be a time (yet an evill time) when a Prudent Man is to hold his peace, Amos 4.

1370 The deepest Dissembler at one time or other discovering himself.

XEnophon writes of the Persians, Lib. de Instit. Cyri. that they taught their Children to lye to their Enemies, and to speak truth to their Friends; but they soon forgot their distinction, and so discovered themselves: As it is in the Fable, A Woolf being crept into a Sheeps-skin, went so long to School, till he came to the spelling of his Pater-noster; Laur. Abstemius in Mytholog. And being asked, What spells P and a, he answered, Pa; Then what spells t, e, r. he answered, ter; Put them together, said the Master: The Wolf cryed, Agnus; Ore protulit quod in corde fuit, saith the Morall; intimating, that the deepest dissembler will at one time or other discover himself. Nem [...] potest personam fictam diu [...]erre, &c. Se [...]. ep. ad Ner [...]nem. No Man can personate another long, neither can any so transform himself, but now and then you shall see his heart at his tongues end: The Devill may transform himself into an Angel of light, and Men may seem to be zealous in a good Matter, when their hearts are ranging after their lusts; yet mark them well, and at one time or other, you shall find that true, which the Damsel said unto Peter, Thou art a Galilean, thy speech bewrayeth thee, &c. Mark 14. 70.

1371 Wise Men dying as well as Fools.

IT is observed concerning Paracelsus, T. Fuller Holy. State. (a great Physitian, and a Man exceedingly well verst in Chymical experiments) that he bragg'd and boasted, that he had attained to such Wisdome in discerning the Constitutions of Mens bodies,Christoph. Pezelii mellificium [...]ist. and studying remedies, that whosoever did follow his rules, and keep to his directions, should never dye by any disease; casually he might, and of age he must; but he would undertaker to secure his health against all diseases: a bold undertaking! But he, who by his art promised to protect others to the extremity of old age from the arrest of death, could not by all his art and skill make himself a protection in the prime of his youth, but dyed even as one without wisdome, before or when he had seen but thirty: Thus it is, that Wisemen many times do not onely dye as well as Fools, Eccles. 2. 16. Jos. Caryll Serm. on Iob, cap. 4. v. 21. but as Fools without Wisdome. They who have most Worldly wisdome, usually die with the least, in not preparing wisely for death; they may be said to have had Wisdome, but they die as if they never had had any;Iob 4. 21. that is, they apply not their Wisdome while they live, to fit themselves for their death; they die before they understand what it is to live, or why they live; and so dying unpreparedly, they die foolishly.

Neglect of Restitution, condemned.1372

[Page]

A Great Lady in Barbary, T. Adams Serm. on cp. 2 Pet. being a Widow, called to her an English Merchant, trading in those parts, with whom she knew her husband had some commerce, and asked him if there were nothing owing to him from her deceased husband? He after her much importunity acknowledged what, and shewed the particulars; She tendered him satisfaction, (yea and after his many modest refusals, as being greatly benefited by the dead Barbarian) forced him to take the uttermost penny; saying thus, I would not have my husbands Soul to seek your Soul in Hell to pay his debts. Here now was a Fire in a dark Vault, great Zeal in blind Ignorance, Si in ignem mittitur, qui non dedit rem propriam, ubi putas mittendus erit, &c. Aug. de Verb. Dom. cap. 20. seeing that by the Candle-light of Nature, which S. Augustine delivered long since for a doctrinal Truth, Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum, thus in Master Latimers old English, Either restitution, or Hell. But O the sadnesse of these grasping Times! Where is the Man that restoreth what is unjustly taken away, what hath been indirectly gotten? The estates, credits, goods and good Names of Men are taken away, by exactions and slanders; but where is the Man that maketh Restitution? Zacheus may very well rise up in Judgment against such a griping and exacting generation as this is, Luke 19. 8.

Wives to love their Husbands cordially.1373

IT is not without some significancy, Matth. Griffith's Bethel. that the Church in the solemnity of Marriage, ordaineth, that there shall be a gold Ring; of gold it must be, intimating, that Love should abound betwixt the Married couple, Love the best of graces; and round it must be, to shew, that Love must continue to the end; besides,Pet. de Clavis rubeis. this Ring must be put by the Man upon the fourth finger of the Woman, signifying also thereby, that as there is a vein in that finger which correspondeth with the Heart; so she should be cordially affected to her Husband, having no thought in that kind of any other man as long as he lives, whom God by his Ministery hath given unto her.

The Wicked Mans Folly in his Worldly choyce. 1374

WHen an Heir is impleaded for an Ideot, the Judge commands an apple or a counter, Swinburn Court of Wards and Liveries. with a piece of gold to be set before him, to try which he will take; If he take the apple or the counter, and leave the gold, then he is cast for a Fool, and so held by the Judgment of the Court, as one that is unable to manage his estate, because he knowes not the valew of things, or how to make a true election of what is fittest for him in the way of subsistency: This is the case of all Wicked Men, —mutant quadrata rotundis. thus foolish, and much more; When Bugles and Diamonds, counters and gold are before them, they leave the Diamonds and the gold, and please, themselves with toyes and baubles: Nay, when (which is infinitely more sottish) Heaven and Hell, Life and Death are set before them, they choose Hell rather then Heaven, and death rather then life; they take the mean, transitory, trifling things of the World, before the favour of God, the pardon of Sin, a part in Iesus Christ, and an Inheritance amongst the Saints in light coelestiall.

Custome in Sin hardly broken off.1375

THere is an Apologue, how four things meeting, boasted their incomparable strength:Laurent. Abstemii Mytholog. The Oake, a Stone, Wine, and Custome. The Oke stood stoutly to it, but a blast of wind came and made it bow, the Axe felled it quite down. Great is the strength of Stones, yet gutta cavat, a continual dropping wears them away, and a hammer beats them to pieces. Wine overthrowes Gyants and strong Men, Senators and Wise Men, et quid non pocula possunt? yet sleep overcomes [Page] Wine. But Custome, invicta manet, remains unconquered: Hence it was, that the Cretians, when they cursed their Enemies, did not wish their houses on fire, not a sword at their hearts, but that which in time would bring on greater woes,—Laqu [...] tenet ambitiosi Consuetudo mali. that mala consuetudine delectentur, they might be delighted with an ill Custome; And to say truth, Custome in Sin is hardly broken off; When Vices are made manners, Juvenal. the disease is made incurable; When through long trading and Custome in Sin, neither Ministery nor misery, nor miracle, nor Mercy, can possibly reclaim; a Man may very truly write on that Soul, Lord have mercy on it: Nath. Shute Serm. at S. Mildred Poultry, Lond. 1627. For Custome is not another nurture, but another Nature, and what becomes Natural, is not easily reduced; It is the principall Magistrate of Mans life, the guide of his actions, and as we have inured our selves at the first setting out in this World, so commonly we go on, unlesse we be turned by Miracle, and changed by that which is onely able to do it, the Grace of God.

1376 Wives to be subject to their Husbands.

WHen the Sun is down, the Moon takes upon her the Government of the Heavens, and out-shines the Stars, yet not without borrowing her best light from the Sun; but when the Sun appears she vailes her light, and by degrees vanisheth out of sight:Horatius. So the Wife in her husbands absence shines in the Family, tanquam inter ignes Luna minores, like the fair Moon amongst the lesser Stars; but when he comes in, it will be her modesty to contract and withdraw her self,R. Burton's Melancholy. by leaving the Government to him onely; Cardinall Wolsey's, Ego et Rex meus, I and my King, is insupportable in the Politiques; so I and my husband is insufferable in the Oeconomicks; For let but the Moon get the upper hand of the Sun, the Wife over her husband, the glory of that Family must needs be eclipsed.

1377 The Safety of Gods people.

PLutarch in the relation of Alexander's Warrs, Plutarch. in vita. saith; That when he came to besiege the Segdians, a People who dwelt upon a Rock, or such as had the munition of Rocks for their defence, they jeered him, and asked him, Whether his Souldiers had wings or not? Jos. Caryll on Iob. Unlesse your Souldiers can fly in the ayr, we fear you not. Such is the safety of Gods people, he can set them upon a Rock so high, that no ladders can be found long enough to scale their habitations, nor any Artillery or Engine strong enough to batter them down; so that unlesse their Adversaries have, and those more then Eagles wings, Esay 33. 16. to soar higher then God himself, they cannot do them the least annoyance; Their place of defence is the munition of the Rocks; safe enough from all dangers whatsoever.

1378 Not to Consent unto Sin.

WHen Lucretia, Sueton. in vita. that gallant Roman Lady, was ravished by Tarquin, Augustus makes this observation, Duo fuerunt et unus adulterium admisit; there were two persons, and but one Adulterer; a conjunction of bodies, but a distraction of minds: This is the direct condition of every Regenerate Man, Sin is rather done on him, then of him; there will be sensus, but his care is that there shall not be consensus, T. Adam's on [...]p. 2 Pet. not the least Consent unto sin; Though lust yield, and Sin must be bred, yet he is sure to lock up the Midwife of Consent, that it may prove an abortive brood,Prov. 1. 10. be stifled in the womb and still-born: And thus ought all of us to do,Rom. 7. 24. If Sinners entice us, not to consent unto them. All of us have lust about us, a very body of death: Sathan the Father is ready, Lust the Mother is willing, keep away Consent the Midwife, that though Sin be done upon us, we may have this inward comfort, that we consented not.

Children to submit to their Parents Correction.1379

[Page]

IT is said of Aelian, Coel. Rhodogin. lect. Var. lib. 22. cap. 22 that after he had been long absent from his Father, and being asked, What he had learned? answered; He should know that ere long: and in the mean time his Father correcting him, he took it in good part, and said; Sir, you see I have learned somewhat, For I have learned to bear with your anger, and patiently to endure what you please to inflict upon me. Thus it is that Children should shew their obedience, in quietly bearing their Parents Corrections. The Rod of Correction being Monile ingenuorum, Prov. 15. 5. Nazianz. d e plaga grandinis. such a Jewel that it makes Gods Iewels of so many as willingly submit thereunto; It is the unum necessarium, a most necessary lesson to be learned; necessary for Parents, because they are bound to do it, and for Children, because they are by God commanded to suffer it.

The different effects of the Gospel preached.1380

AS the same light of the Sun offendeth weak eyes, but comforteth those that are stronger sighted; And as the heat thereof hardens clay, but softens wax; Or as the same Starre is to some [...] to others [...] to some a Morning Star ushering in light and day; and to others an Evening Star, bringing darknesse and Night:Annotat. of sundry Divines, on 2 Cor. 2. 1. So the Gospel is preached indifferently to all manner of Persons, [...] to all People, but it works in a different manner, it hath not the like effect on all People; Forasmuch as being received by the Faithfull, it produceth in them life and salvation, as containing all the causes thereof in its self; but being rejected by unbelievers, it becometh in them the occasion of a greater condemnation, and makes their perdition inevitable; to some it is a comfort, to others a terrour; the rise of one Man, and the fall of another, Luc. 2. 34.

Content with Gods good pleasure, a great blessing.1381

VVHen Aesop with the rest of his Fellow-slaves, were put to carry burthens to a City,In ejus vitae. One chose to carry this Merchandize, another that, every one had his choyce, and Aesop chose to carry the Victualls: Every one laught at this, that he being the weakest, had elected the heaviest burthen; Away they went together, and after some miles they went to breakfast, his bu [...]then was the lighter for that; Then to dinner, it was lighter still; then to supper, now it was easie; the next day, they had eaten up all his burthen, and he went empty to the City, whither they being laden could not reach. Thus it is in the World,—trabit sua quem (que) volun [...]as. the Covetous Man chooseth gold for his burthen; the Proud, fine cloaths; the Ambitious, Mountains of honour; every Worldling, his several luggage; but a Child of God contents himself with Gods good pleasure, and sets up his rest with that of S. Paul, 2 Tim. 6. 15. If he have food and rayment, therewith to rest contented, and so he goes the lighter to Heaven.

Children to be carefully educated by Parents.1382

IT was a saying of Alexander, that he was as much beholden to Aristotle for his breeding,Plutarch. Apophthegm. as to Philip his Father for begetting him; For the one, said he, gave me a being, the other a well-being. S. Paul was brought up at G [...]naliel's feet, Timothy was instructed in his youth; And King Saul tells David, that Goliah [...] Sam. 17. 33. was a Man of Warr from his youth up. All this to shew, that Children should be carefully and Religiously educated by their Parents;Jer. Leech Sermon at S. Pauls, Lond. 1624. For they can never fight the Lords battels as they should, that are not sworn Souldiers in their very swadling clouts. What a guard lies that Man open at, that wants manners and [Page] Religious education? Every one espies, and either jeers or pities his breeding, every step he treads, and word he speaks, bewrayes him to a kind of Nothing in the habit of Some-body; He is commonly used like a Whetstone for every one to sharpen their wit upon; And if at any time he counterfeit and look big, yet he may be easily discovered to be an Asse, for all the Lyons skin that he stalks in.

1383 God loveth a cheerfull giver.

IT is Pliny's observation, that never any good came to a Man by offering a beast in Sacrifice, renitentem et se trahentem ab aris, such a one as violently drew back from the Altar, and could not be brought to it, but as it is said, (like a Bear to the stake) with much force: [...]is est gratum si quod opus est ultrò feras. Thus it is in the matter of Charity and Liberality, that which is extorted from a Man, he properly giveth not; Liberality implyeth liberty;Annotat. of sundry Divines, &c. and Necessity and Liberty in this kind cannot well stand together; God loveth a cheerfull Giver, because he gives his heart first to him,2 Cor. 9. 7. before he give his Alms to the poor, and giving that with lightsome countenance, he more refresheth the Receiver, giving him hope of future bounty; Bis dat qui citò dat, (said the Heathen) He that gives quickly, gives twice, first to the expectation, then to the necessity of his wanting brother; and with such a Giver God is well pleased.

1384 An uncharitable Rich Man, no Heavenly-minded Man.

VVHen Dionysius the Syracusian Tyrant,Justin. lib. 51. saw what heaps of gold and silver his Son had hoarded up in his Closet; he asked him, What he meant to let it lie there, and not to make Friends with it to get the Kingdome after his decease? O fili, non est in te animus regni capax, Son, (sayes he) thou hast not a spirit capable of a Kingdom.Nibil miserius est quàm propter nummos Deum contemnere, Ambros. in epist. And thus we may safely conclude, Wheresoever we see a wealthy Rich man pilling up his baggs, and purchasing the whole Country about him, and yet perceive no Works of Charity or Piety in him, that he is no Heavenly-minded Man, and justly say of him, Non est in illo animus Regni coelorum capax, He hath not a Soul capable of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1385 Children to set their hands to all honest employments.

THe Patriarks of old were principal Men and Princes in their generations,Matth. Griffiths Bethel. yet their tender daughters were brought up in doing Houshold businesse; Rebecca went with her pitcher on her shoulders, to give drink to her Fathers Camels.Gen. 24. 17. And the seven daughters of the Priest of Midian, accustomed themselves to draw water, Exod. 2. 16. and fill the troughs to water their Fathers sheep. And some say (how true, is uncertain) that Christ himself wrought as a Carpenter at his Fathers trade: Such was the harmlesse simplicity of those dayes, and such was the obedience of Children, that even she that was appointed to be the Mother of Patriarchs, Prophets, and Kings re [...]used not to set her hand to ordinary employments. But how is the case altered in these dayes of ours? Our delicate Damsels are ready to urge Rebecca's example for the wearing of Bracelets and Iewels about their necks, but they will not hear of Rebecca's carrying the pitcher upon her shoulders, they would be cloathed like the Lillies of the Field, but they cannot endure to spin, not work at all: So that whereas Solomon's good Huswife laid her hands to the wheel; Prov. 31. they for want of taking pains (especially if once married) set all upon wheels, and while they do nothing, they undo themselves, and bring all to nothing.

The right use of humane Learning in Divinity.1386

[Page]

IT is seen by Experience, Basilius. that when a Man crops a flower from the Earth, he can get nothing out of it but the sweetnesse of the smell, or delightfulnesse of the colour; but when the diligent Bee comes, he will make another manner of work with it, he will extract honey, Dan. Featly. clavis mystica. which is (as it were) the very spittle of the Stars: So when simple carnal-minded men read the Poets and the Philosophers, they gather nothing but delight and pleasure; but when the diligent Bee comes, a Wise man, a serious considerate man, he drawes honey and comfort out of them: Or (which is more to the purpose) as a man that cometh into a Garden of Roses, and seeing them blush upon him, is not afraid to pluck one, Greg. Nazianzen. yet in the mean time he hath a great care that he do not prick his fingers: So in reading of Poets and Philosophers, we should pluck the Rose, but shun the thorn or prickle; alway take the best, and be sure to avoid that which is harmfull; For the mixture is such, that as the Rose growes in the midst of thorns, so the doctrine of the Poets is mixt with Barbarism, superstition and corruption.

Drunkennesse a great punishment of it self.1387

THere is mention made of a Monk at Prague, who having heard at shrift the Confessions of many Drunkards, Radulph. Fo [...] nerius select. lib. 3. wondred at it, and for experiment would try his brain with this Sin; so accordingly stole himself drunk; Now after the vexation of three sick dayes; To all that confessed that Sin, he enjoyned no other penance but this; Go and be drunk again: Surely his meaning was like that of Seneca, Sceleris in scelere supplicium, that Drunkennesse was a torment and affliction to it self. And most certain it is,Ubi regnat ebrictas ratio exulat, &c. Raven. that besides all other plagues, Drunkennesse is a Woe to it self. When the Carowser pours in his Wine, it troubles him, and he would give somewhat to avoid it; when it offends the stomach, it troubles him worse; Prov. 23. 29. When it comes up again, it troubles hiw worst of all, so that the merry madnesse of a few hours is paid home with the afflictions of a tedious age.

1388 Men to be carefull in the choyce of Servants.

COnstantius, the Father of that good Emperour Constantine, gave it out upon a time,In hist. tripart. that all such Christians as would not leave their Religion and deny the Faith, should be deprived both of their honours and their Offices, and thereupon some (with Demas and Diotrephes, loving preheminency) forsook Christ, and embraced this present world; 2 Tim. 4. 10. Others stood confidently to it, accounting all but dung and drosse in comparison of Christ, 3 Iob. 9. with whom they chose rather to dye, then for life or liberty, honour or offices to deny him; When the Emperour had by this means made a perfect discovery, who were true Christians, and who false, by a publique Edict he banished all the halting Hypocrites out of his Dominions, saying; They would never be faithfull to him, who were false unto their God. And what he then said of Subjects, may as truly now be said of Servants; They can never be faithful to their Masters, that are false to their Maker. It doth therefore concern Men to take up David's resolution, Math. Griffith's Bethel. Psal. 101. 6, 7. to be careful in the choyce of their Servants, and to entertain such onely as have been well principled in Religion, such as have been well instructed in their duties to God and Man; if otherwise they may prove to be poyson to their Children, Moaths to their Wardrobes, Thieves to their store, and an ill Example to the whole Family.

1389 The necessity of using humane Learning in Divinity.

[Page]

IT was the saying of Menander, that lived 300 years before S. Paul, Evil words corrupt good manners; 1 Cor. 15. of Aratus, We are the workmanship of God; and of Epimenides, Mart. Day on 1 Cor. 15. The Cretians are alwayes lyers, evill beasts, slow bellies. All three of them, Men famous in their generations,Act. 17. though such as knew not God, nor had any glimpse of the Gospel of Iesus Christ, Tit. 1. yet the great Doctor of the Gentiles scorns not their sayings, but brings them into the Garden of God, and there makes as so many flowers of them:Diog. Laert. Nay, Christ himself owns Socrates and Plato, the one for that golden rule, Quod tibi non vis fieri, &c. Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you,Matth. 7. 12. do ye even so to them. And the other for that excellent caution,Luke 4. 23. Medice cura teipsum, Physitian heal thy self. Vain then must needs be the opinion of such, that think there is nothing to be uttered in Sermons or other divine discourses but Scripture. Alas! they understand not what perfection God requires to be in him that is truly called,Saterdotis est, in omni doctrina esse versatum, &c. Ambros. in Hexam. A Man of God, one fitted to every good work, that can speak to a Poet after the manner of a Poet; and to a Philosopher in the language of a Philosopher, which unlesse he can do, and so accommodate himself to the party with whom he deals, it is impossible he should be a fit and compleat Man in the service of God, the neglect whereof hath been a great inlet to Idlenesse, negligence and ignorance in the study of Divinity.

1390 Blessednesse of the Poor in spirit in the matter of Hearing Gods Word.

IT is fabled,Imagines Deorum, per Cartarum. that when Iuno on a day had proclaimed a great Reward to him that brought her the best present; there came in a Physitian, a Poet, a Merchant, a Philosopher, and a Beggar; The Physitian presented a hidden secret of Nature, a prescript able to make an old Man young again: The Poet, an Encomiastick Ode of her bird, the Peacock; The Merchant, a rare hallow Iewell to hang at her ear: The Philosopher, a book of strange Mysteries, The poor quaking Beggar, onely a bended knee, saying; I have nothing that is worth acceptance, Accipe meipsum, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. Take my self. Thus it is, that many come unto God in the hearing of his Word with prescripts of their own; they have receipts enow already, they care for no more: Others like the Poet, come to admire Peacocks, the gawdy Popinjayes and Fashionists of the time, all to be dawb'd with gold and silver Feathers; Others like the Merchant present Jewels, but they are hallow, they come with criticall or hypocritical humours, like Carps to bite the net, and wound the Fisher, not to be taken; Some like the Philosopher, bring a book with them which they read, without minding the Preacher, saying; They can find more Learning there then he can teach them: But blessed are the poor in spirit, that like the Beggar give themselves to God, Iuno gave the reward to him, and God gives the blessing to these.Luke 1. 53. It is a poor Reverently devoted heart that carries away the comfort, Godlinesse in the humble dust of adoration, that shall be lifted up by the hand of Mercy.

1391 Christ to be our Example and Pattern of Imitation in life and death.

ST. Hierome having read the life and death of Hilarion (one that lived most Christianly,Hieron. Guadalupense in vita. and dyed most comfortably) folded up the book, saying; Well, Hilarion shall be the Champion that I will follow, his good life shall be my Example, [Page]and his godly death my President. How much more then should each of us first read with diligence the life and death of Iesus Christ, and then propound him to our selves, as the most absolute pattern for our Imitation, resolving by the Grace of God, that Christ shall be the copy after which we will write, the pattern which we will follow in all things that he hath left within the sphear of our Activity; Dan. Price Sermon at Chr. Church, Lond. 1619. so also in that necessary duty of Preparation for death; He did so, Iob. 14. and we must do so; For as in shooting, there is a deliberate draught of the bow, a good aym taken before the loose be given; so if ever we look for comfort in death, we must look at death through the preparation for it.

The greatest of things wrought by God without means.1392

AS when Gedeon was to fight with the Midianites, Iudg. 7. pretending that his Army was but a few, How many hast thou, saith the Lord? So many thousand: They are too many; The Lord will not have them all, but commands them to be reduced to one half, and yet there were too many; the Lord would not work by them, they were too strong. At last he comes to make choyce of them by lapping in the water, then they came to three hundred Men, Mart. Day on 2 Cor. 15. to fight against three hundred thousand; For it is said, they covered the Earth like Grashoppers: And now the Lord begins to work by these Men. And how doth he work? by Weapons? No, but with a few broken pitchers in their hands, and they had the day of it; the Midianites be delivered up into their hands as a prey: This was a wonderful act of the great God, who not tyed to means, wrought out Victory by his own arm. It is true, that means and second causes he hath much honoured in the World, and commands them to be used; but when he comes to effect great things, such as was the Redemption of Mankind by Christ, such as shall be the Resurrection of the dead at the last day, then such means and causes as seek to set him forward, he rejects them, and works not by them, but the clean contrary. The greater stench the bodies have sustained in the grave, shall work it unto greater sweetnesse; and the greater weaknesse it had, the greater strength shall accrew unto it, and wondrous puissance shall God work unto that part that lacked honour, according to his blessed dispensation in all things.

Not to be Angry with our Brother.1393

A Railing Fellow fell very foul upon Pericles, Plutarchi Apophthegm. a Man of a Civil and Socratica [...] spirit, and he left him not all the day long, but continued till he had brought him to his own doors in the Evening somewhat late at Night; He all this while not returning one unbeseeming word, commanded one of his Servants with a Torch to light the brawler home to his house: Thus did he by the dim light of Nature.Vince animos iram (que) tuam. Ovid. ep. 3. And therefore if a brother offend us upon ignorance, let us neglect it; if upon infirmity, forget it; if upon malice, forbear it; upon what terms soever, forgive it, as we would have God to forgive us: It is a saying, That every Man is either a Fool or a Physitian; so every Christian is either a Mad-man or a Divine; A Mad-man, if he give his passions the rein; a Divine, if he qualifie them.

The Natural Mans blindnesse in Spirituall things.1394

WHen Xeuxes drew his Master-piece, and Nicostratus fell into admiration of the rarenesse thereof,Coel. Rhodog. Var. lest. lib. 17. highly commending the exquisitenesse of the work, there stood by a rich Ignorant, who would needs know what he had discovered [Page] worthy of so great applause? To whom Nicostratus made this answer; My Friend, couldst thou but see with my eyes; thou wouldst soon see cause enough to wonder as well as I do. Aeliani Vat. hist. Thus it is, that the dear Children of God have inexhaustible treasure, even in the midst of their poverty, transcendent dignity in the midst of their disgraces, heighth of tranquillity in the very depth of tribulation; their pulse and Locusts relish better then all the Gluttons delicious fare; their Sheep-skins, Goat-skins, and Camels hair wear finer then all the Purple and soft rayment;W. Strong, Serm. at Westm. 1650. the Worlds hate makes them happier then all the applauses of the Capitol; Now the sensual, carnal Naturalist sees none of all this, he perceives not the things of the spirit, neither indeed can he, for they are spiritually discerned, no Man knowes them,Act. 7. but he that hath them; but had he spirituall sight, were but the scales fallen off from his eyes, as they did from S. Paul's at the time of his Conversion, then he would clearly see and say, as the same S. Paul did, That though we suffer tribulation in all things, 2 Cor. 4. 8. yet we are not distressed; we are brought into perplexities, yet we are not forsaken.

1395 Negligent Hearing of Gods Word, condemned.

A Servant coming from Church,Nat. Shute Sermon at Merc. Chap. Lond. 1627. praiseth the Sermon to his Master; He asks him, What was the Text? Nay, quoth the Servant, it was began before I came in. What was then his conclusion? He answered, I came out before it was done. But what said the Preacher in the midst? Indeed, I was asleep in the midst. Thus many there are that crowd to get into the Church, but make no room for the Sermon to get into them, commend the Preacher to other mens ears, but commend it not to their own hearts, audiunt sonum sed nullam vocem, they hear a sound, but for sound doctrine, that's the least part of their attention.

1396 God himself to be only expected as a Reward of all good endeavours.

THe Doctors of Doway (in their edition of Thomas of Aquines Summs) have pictured him on the Title page,D. Griffith's Bethel, or Gods House. kneeling before a Crucifix, which they feign to speak unto him thus, Bene scripsisti de me Thoma, &c. Thou hast written well of me, Thomas, Say what reward wilt thou have? To which he seems to reply, Nullam Domine, nisi teipsum, None, Lord, but thy self. Now quod illi pictiè et fictè, that which they forge and feign of Aquinas, must be true of every one of us thus far, We must expect and desire no other Reward for all our service of God (both in life and in death) but onely God himself, for he is all in all.

1397 Hope of future joy sweetneth present sorrow.

THe slaves that serve the Turks in their gallies,Alphons. ab Avendam. Com. in Matth. cap. 6. if they could but think, that at seven years end, some Christian would come and redeem them, they would be better affected and tugg at the Oar with more chearfulnesse and alacrity of spirit, especially if they could be assured of their delivery. If Iacob serve the churle Laban seven years longer, if he think he shall have Rachel at the end of it, it will be but as seven dayes, and he goes on with comfort, and is content that God shall use him to his hand as it pleaseth him.Gen. 29. Thus it is, that the hope of better things sweetneth the present sadnesse of any outward condition, There is no grief so heavy, but if a Man tye Heaven at the end of it, it will become light; put but them together,Rom. 8. 18. and the one will be swallowed up in the other. If the times be bad, hope for better, the expectation whereof will be an excellent lenitive to allay the smart of present calamity.

The Law abused by Libertinism.1398

[Page]

AS upon some great Solemn Feastival day, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. Verus amor Christi, vera est custodiae legis. Anthol. sac [...]a. the bells in all Steeples are rung▪ but then the Clocks are tyed up; there is great untun'd confusion and clangour, but no Man knows how the time passeth away: So at this time in the universal allowance of Liberty by the Gospel, (which indeed rejoyceth our hearts, had we the grace of sober usage) the clocks that should tell us, how our time passeth, Truth and Conscience, which shew the bounded use and decent form of things are tyed up, and cannot be heard; Men give so general an acclamation to the Gospel, and the salvation by it, that they keep not the Law at all.

How to think of God in Prayer.1399

THere is mention made of a Gentile and a Christian, Nich. de Cusa. [...]ial. de Posses. and the Christian being upon his knees unto God in Prayer; the Gentile (using to have the Image of his false God before his eye) asked him, Who do you pray to? The Christian replyed, That he knew not. How? sayes the Gentile, pray to you know not whom! O, sayes the Christian, Ideo adoro quia ignoro, I do therefore adore him, because I am ignorant of him; For could I but either apprehend or comprehend him, he were not worthy of Prayer, he should be my God no longer: Thus when we make our addresses unto God in Prayer, we must have a care that we do not frame any thing in our thoughts of his Essential property, that were to set up some Idolatrous Image in our hearts;Tho. White Sermon at S. Giles Cripple gate Lond. 1653. but to think of him in his Attributes, especially those of his Majesty, goodnesse, power, mercy, &. such as may raise our confidence to draw more nigh unto him; And then, being as it were in a divine rapture, non-plus'd, and overwhelmed with admiration of him, is the only time of adoration and supplication unto him.

A Child of God triumphing over Death.1400

IT hath been an ancient Proverb, Mart. Day on 1 Cor. 15. when a Man had done some great matter, he was said to have pluck'd a Lyon by the beard; but when a Lyon is dead, even to little Children it hath been an easie matter. As boyes, when they see a Bear, a Lyon, or a Woolf dead in the streets, they will pull off their hair, insult over them, and deal with them as they please; They will trample upon their bodies, and do that unto them being dead, which they durst not in the least measure venture upon whilest they were alive. Such a thing is Death, a furious beast, a ramping Lyon, a devouring Woolf, the helluo generis humani, eater up of Mankind, yet Christ hath laid him at his length, hath been the death of Death, so that Gods Children triumph over him,In me convertite ferrum. such as those refined ones in the oare of the Church, those Martyrs of the Primitive times, who cheerfully offered themselves to the Fire, and to the sword, and to all the violence of this hungry beast; and have played upon him, scorned and derided him by the Faith that they had in the life of Christ, 1 Cor. 15. who hath subdued him to himself.

To be diligent Hearers of the Word of God, and remember what we hear.1401

IT is said of our Country, That we have fair houses, but bad Chimneys, because there is so little smoke of Hospitality. J. Squire Serm. at S. L [...]n. Shord. 1637. And it may as truly be said, That we have excellent ears, but bad Memories; quick conceptions, bad retentions, Not a Nation under Heaven hears so many good Sermons, not a Nation under Heaven sooner forgets them. Many Arts are taught amongst us, of quick-reading, of short-writing, where, by Brachygraphical characters they will take a Sermon, verbatim: But there is one Art, it were heartily to be wished, that some [Page] good body would teach it us, It is the Art of Memory; That as Sermons are taken word for word in our papers, Memoria sit scriba intus manens. Aristot. so they might be written sense for sense in our hearts.

1402 Reconciliation to be made with all Men.

SUppose a Creditor to whom a Man is engaged by bond or otherwise,Abulens. in cap. 5. v. 25. S. Matth. Prideaux in idem. and upon Forfeiture should put the bond in suit, the Law is open, the Judge must do right, the penalty is Imprisonment; Were it not then an high part of Wisdome by way of arbitration, or otherwise to come to some agreement, before the matter come to tryall, that so by withdrawing the Action, the Party concerned may be drawn out of danger. —Pone vesanos animi tumoros, te (que) pietati refer. Sen. in Theb. The like is every Mans case here in this World in the point of brotherly Reconcilement, whether thou be wronged, or have wronged, seek peace and ensue it, and that now in the acceptable time, speedily without demurs; For thou art way-lay'd by Death, and knowest not how soon thou shalt be arrested; If thou come out of Charity before Gods Tribunal Seat, the Angels are his Sergeants, Hell his prison, Devils his Hangmen, Fire and Brimstone his Rack, Judgment must passe, Execution will follow, and then to desire a Composition will be too late, the Law must passe, and the Judge will prove inexorable.

1403 The Saints everlasting Peace.

THere was in Rome a Temple dedicated to Ianus, Plutarch. de Numa et Rom. sato. the Tutelar god of that City, the doors whereof stood open all the while they were in Warre, and shut all the time of Peace; but they were so cumbred with Enemies abroad, that in eight hundred years together, the doors were but thrice shut; They were open, to shew, that the Wars were open, and therefore they gave their God leave to go out and in to succour them, or else they thought his arm could not reach, —Coelestis pax optima re [...]im. Auson. his power could not extend to their relief; And when the Warrs were ceased, they shut the doors to keep in their god, as having no occasion to use him: A ridiculous and foolish conceit! But for the Saints comfort, When God shall be pleased to give to this corruption, incorruption; and to this Mortal, immortality, then there shall be for ever a [...]essation from Warre, the Temple of Ianus shall never be opened again, it shall be shut to all Eternity, there shall be no cause of Warre, but the People of God shall live in perfect peace, under the defence of his protection shall they be secured for ever.

1404 To make our Calling and Election sure.1404

THere is a Tale of an old Usurer, Speculum Exemplorum. that had nothing in his mouth, but, It is good to be sure; If his Servant went to receive money, he would follow him; Why? O it is good to be sure: Though himself had locked the door, yet he must needs rise out of his bed in the cold, to feel it fast; Why? O it is good to be sure. Let him have told his money never so often over, yet he will tell it again; Why? O it is good to be sure. It came to passe that he fell very dangerously sick; and his servant perceiving little hope of life in him, asked him, Master, Grannatens. dux peccatorum. have you said your prayers? Yes, I have said them. Nay▪ but say them again, Master, you know, It is good to be sure. No, sayes the Worldling, It is more then needs, I am sure enough of that. He bids his Servant open his chest, and bring him all his gold in it, to look upon. The honest Servant willing to work his Master to Repentance, having opened it, told him; Master, the Devil is in the chest, he layes his paw upon all the gold, and sayes it is all his, because it was extracted out of the life-bloud of Widowes, Orphans, and poor Wretches. Sayes he so, quoth the Extortioner? Then bring me the gold, the chest, the Devill and all, It is good to be sure. And hence, it may be, it is, That usually Wicked Men are said to get the Devil and all: Thus the voyce of Nature is all for the matter of security in [Page] all Purchases,—Quarenda pecunia primùm est, Virtus post nummos. bargains and sale, but as for the things that concern eternal bliss, how to make out Evidences for Heaven, to make their Calling and Election sure, no care is taken at all for that; but a day will come, when the purchase of their Lands, the Leases of their houses, bonds and specialities of their Moneys, with the great care of keeping their Shop-books exactly, will be as so many bills to rise up in Iudgment against them.

Repentance not to be put off till old age.1405

COmmon experience teacheth, that a Ship the longer it leaketh, the harder it is to be emptied;J. Prideaux Sermon at Oxon. 1636. An house the longer it goes to decay, the worse it is to repair: And a nail, the farther it is driven in, the harder it will be to get out: Such is the condition of Repentance put off till old age. Let us not then think to sacrifice our health and youth to the service of Sin and Sathan, and leave God onely the Dog-dayes of our age, Senectus ipsa totus morbus, &c. Terence. a body full of sores, and a soul full of sin; Is it to be thought, that the trembling joynts, the dazeled eyes, the fainting heart, the failing leggs of unweildy, drooping, and indisciplinable old age, may empty, repair, pluck out, the leaks, the ruines, and nails of so many years flowing, failing and fastning? and so make that the task of our old age, which should be the practice of all our life, settling our everlasting, our onely, our surest making or marring, upon so tottering, sinking and sandy foundation as old age is.

The uncertainty of temporal Victories and Successe.1406

WHen Philip of Macedon had obtained a great Victory at Cher [...]nia, Tit. Liv. hist. lib. 31. being puff'd up with successe, he wrote to Archimedes in such lofty expressions, [...]hat enforced this sleight answer; Sir, saith he, you write very stately to me, an [...] in very high terms, Incerti quò fata ferant, ubi sistere detur, Virg. the reason I partly know; but if you will but take so much pains as to measure your own shadow, you shall soon find that it is no more, no longer, no larger, then it was before your victory; you were as great a Man then, and as many inches about as you are now, &c. and what you may be, and how soon, you know not. Such and so uncertain is Chance, Mart. Day on 1 Cor. 15. (as Men call it) and Successe so variable, that no man can tell, how he shall begin, or where he shall end; Inter utrum (que) volat, so mutable are the smiles of the World, that there is no Victory constant, but still she hovers about, moves and changes her Tent and Tabernacle from one side to another. Hence no boasting or bragging in these Earthly conquests, which have made the great [...]st Emperours of the World after a full gale of Fortune, for fear of crosse blowes to retreat, and leave their honours, and betake themselves to a solitary Monastick life, lest they should have a foul end after so fair beginning.

The place of Purgatory, a meer dream.1407

SOme of the Geographers, for the proving of a black Rock many hundred miles about, [...]odocus Hondius in ta [...]. univers, mundi. seated directly under the North pole, send us to Gyraldus Cambre [...]sis, he to a Priest of Norway; the Priest to an Oxford Magician, who was carried thither to see it by the Devil, if we will believe the Narration: So the best proofs of our Adversaries for their subterranean Purgatory, comes by many deductions from the same Author,Rob. Bellarmin de Purgat. lib. 1▪ cap. 7. as it appeareth by the divers apparitions they so confidently alledge of it. One of their greatest Champions is fain to rake Hell it self to find out Purgatory, and like that Lunatick in Atheneus that thought all the Ships to be his own,In fine lib 12. that arrived in the Haven at Athens; so wheresoever there is of Fire doubtfully mentioned in Scripture, it is straight-waies conveyed by him to heat Purgatory Kitchin. Lomb▪ dist. 45. lib. 4. The Fathers father not (howsoever the great Cardinal marshal them) any glowing or locall Purgatory, but rightly understood, are as far from it, as it from Truth; S. Augustin. de peccat. remis. cap. 28. take one for all, Non est ullus ulli locus medius, ut possit esse nisi cum Diabolo qui non est cum Christo, There is no medium place, He [Page] must needs be in Hell with the Devill, that is not in Heaven with Christ.

1408 Men by Nature, desirous of things unlawfull and prohibited.

IT was the saying of an Ingenious witty Divine,T. Adams in a Serm. at S. Gregories by Pauls, Lond. 1623. that our Grandmother Eve got such a cold in Paradise, that all her Posterity have ever since had a cough of the Lungs, nothing will down with them but forbidden fruit; Would you have a Book [...]ell well? the Stationer will soon find a way for that, let it be but prohibited and call'd in by Authority; The onely way to make a Woman be a blab of her tongue, Non quia cocta sed quia c [...]pta. is to bid her keep Couns [...]l. Venison is nothing so sweet (they say) as when it is stollen, and then it comes to be dear many times with a Witnesse: Thus it is, that nothing more enflames the Natural affections of Men, then the prohibition of things they desire; they long to be medling with the forbidden morsels of sin; they love to eat that on Earth, which they may chance to disgest in Hell. It is quite against the Nature of Man to be confin'd, to be limited; he will have his own Will, though it be contrary to the Will of God; though he get Hell for his Will, he will have his will. And so much the stronger the interdiction is of any thing,Nitimur in vetitum semper, &c. Ovid. so much the more (such is the exorbitancy of his Nature) he is enflamed with desire, till he have accomplished it.

1409 Christs Wounds, the onely hiding place of a Christian.

THere is an Apologue,Laur. Abs [...]emius in Mytholog. how the Dove made moan to her fellow Birds of the Tyranny of the Hawk; One counsels her to keep below; but the Hawk can stoop for his prey: Another adviseth to soar aloft; but the Hawk can mount as high as she. Another, to shrowd her self in the Woods, there she shall be sure; but alas, that is the Hawk's Mannour, the place where he keeps his Court. Another bids her keep the Town, there she was sure from the Hawk; but so she became a prey to Man, and had her eyes put out to make the Hawk sport. At last, one bids her rest her self in the holes of the Rock, there she should be safe, Violence it self could not surprise her. This Dove is the Soul of every Man, she would gladly be secured from Sathan: Come to me, saith Riches, here thou shalt be sure: No, Wealth is the Devil's stirrop, whereby he gets up and rides the Covetous Man: Come to me, saith Pleasure, here thou shalt be safe; as if she were not as very a Whore as Dalilah to betray thee to the Philistines. Honour sayes, Come to me, here thou art sure; as if the Devill durst not come near the Court gates, or greatnesse were a Supersedeas to sin, or a protection against the arrest of Judgments; No, there is no assurance in any of these;Cant. 2. 4. yet there is a Rock of safety, clefts in that Rock, the wounds of Iesus Christ, there and there onely the Soul shall be in safety.

1410 No Safety to be expected in the midst of publique danger.

IT is the observation of Platina, that when one Facimus Canis was hired by the Gibellines to suppresse the contrary faction of the Guelphs in the City of Papi [...]; In vita P. Ioh. 24. and the convenant was, That he should have the goods of the Guelphs for his pay: He obtaining the Victory, falls a rifling the Gibellines also without any distinction at all; and being accused therefore, as not standing to his promise, made this answer; That themselves indeed were Gibellines, and should be safe; but their goods were Guelphs, and must go to wrack as well as those of their Adversaries. Just like that of Garnet the Provinciall, who being questioned by [Page] Catesby, Arraignment of Traytors, 1606. Whether with a safe Conscience they might proceed in their power-project, seeing that in blowing up of the King and Protestants, divers also of their own party must necessarily go the same way? replyes very profoundly, that No doubt it might well be done, Joh. Prideaux Serm. on Nov. 5. at Oxon. seeing it would redound to the good of the Catholique cause. What, not spare their own side to do ours a mischief? No, it will not be, there's no safety; there can be no immunity from damage in the times of publique danger; The truth of this assertion hath been experimen [...]ally felt in these late differences amongst us; If our Persons were on the right side, our Goods were on the wrong, all proved Fish that came to the net; whether Friend or Foe, the goods were sure to suffer.

How it is that the Law is said to be the strength of Sin.1411 1 Cor. 15.

AS when a Physitian that is skilfull in his Profession doth all that belongs to the best of his Judgment;Mart. Day exposit. on 1 Cor. 15. 47. the druggs that he gives, and the ingredients that [...]e infuseth, are able to work their effect, if they fall into a suitable body: But if the Patient be froward, and will not be ruled, or his body be distempered, he is never the better for it▪ Now the fault is not in the Physi [...]ian, nor in the Physick, they be both very good; but in the Party that was not prepared for it, or that would not receive it, Index peccati lex est, plectenda vetando. Billii Antholog. and convert it to that use for which it was prepared. Thus it is, that God gave the Law for a good Law, an holy and just Law, as a true direction for the reformation of life and manners; but the Party that received it, did not take it thus, so that occasionally, not from the Nature of the Law, but by the ill acceptance of the Party, it comes to be the strength of Sin. The Law of it self is said to be a light unto our feet,Psal. 119. 105. and a lanthorn to our paths; and the light of it self, were we but able to follow it; but because of our own Natural indisposition, it comes so to passe, that the Law which should pull down Sin, gives strength unto it; and being made to kill sin, gives life unto [...].

Gods Promises are for the most part conditional.1412

A Proclamation is read,Jacobi Merchanti hor [...]us Pas [...]orum. wherein a Christian King grants honour and Wealth to certain of his Subjects, with assurance of donation upon their just demand: One amongst the Multitude leaps at the news, springs away, and stayes not to hear it out; there is a Condition following, provided first, That they put on Arms, and expell the Turk which infests some part of his dominions. This Man comes one of the foremost to demand the promised honours, he is asked for a testimony of his Valour and service in the Warrs. Alas, He never tarried to hear that condition, and therefore lost the Retribution. Thus it is, that God promiseth etern [...]l life to M [...]n; but withall chargeth them to believe in Christ, and to do him faithful service against the World, the Flesh, and the Devill; but so it is, that many are quite lost, for not staying to hear the Proclamation of the Gospel out, they run away with opinion of sufficient belief, and never think of obedience; Whereas the Promises of God are conditional, made up with Provisoes. As there is a reward promised, so there is a Condition premised; It must be our Obedience first, and then comes in Gods recompence; Our devotion goes before, and his Retribution followes after.

To be careful of Vowes and Promises made in the time of Extremity.1413

THeodoricus, Archbishop of Colen, when the E [...]perour Sigismund demanded of him the directest and most compendious way how to attain to true happinesse,Aen. Sylv. lib. 2. Com. made answer in brief, thus; Perform when thou art well, what thou [Page]promisedst when thou wast sick. David did so, he made Vows in Warr, and paid them in Peace.Psal. 116. And thus should all good Men do, not like the cunning Devill, of whom the Epigrammatist thus writeth:

Aegrotat Daemon, Monachus tunc esse Volebat,

Conval [...]it Daemon, Monachus tunc esse nolebat.

Well Englished:

The Devill was sick, the Devill a Monk would be,

The Devill was well, the Devill a Monk was he.

Nor like unto many now adayes,J. Prideaux Higgaioa Selah. that if Gods hand do but lie somewhat heavy upon them, O what Promises, what engagements are there for amendment of life? How like unto Marble against rain do they seem to sweat and melt, but still retain their hardnesse; let but the Rod be taken off their backs, or health restored, then as their bodies live, their Vows die, all is forgotten; Nay, many times it so falleth out, that they are far worse then ever they were before.

1414 The good Christian's absolute Victory over Death.

WHen the Romans had made Warre upon the Carthagenians, Historia Roman. and often overca [...] them, yet still within eight of ten years, or lesse, they made head again, and stirred up new Warrs, so tha [...] they were in successive combustion; And it hath been the same in all the Nations of the World, he that was erst an underling, not long af [...]er becomes the Commander in chief, Joh. Xyphilin. in vita Vespasiani. and the same thing that the Lord hath now made the [...]ayl, may be the head in time to come. As for Example: Cerealis gets a great Conquest over the Cymbrians and the Tutons, and shortly after Sylla had the like over him; And Sylla no sooner shines out to the World, but is eclipsed by Pompey; And Pompey, the glory of his time, is, by the conquering hand of Caesar, Plutarch in Caesare. outed both of life and honours: And Caesar, in the height of all his pompous state, falls by the hands of bloody Conspirators in the Senate-house. Thus in the course of this World, As one Man is set up, another is pull'd down, the Conquerour is oft-times conquered himself; but in the Victory that every good Man hath over Death, Piis mors non est mors, sed nomen tantum habet mortis; imò et ipsum nomen sublatum est. it is so absolute, that it is without any hope or comfort on Death's part, and without any fear or suffering on their part: For it is so taken away, as if it had never been; and that which had the greatest triumph, the mightiest Trophies in the World, unto which all Kings and Princes have bowed their heads, and laid down their Scepters, as so many morsels [...]o [...]eed on,Chrysost. in Matth. 10. shall by the hand of Iesus Christ be turned into nothing, shall have no Name or nation, and be ber [...]ft of all hope of recovery, 1. Cor. 15.

1415 To be alwaies prepared for Death.

WHen Harold King of Denmark made Warr upon Harquinus, Conrad. Lycosth [...]n [...]s de Prodigiis, et o [...]tis—Vive memor mortis, uti memor sis et salutis. Ausonius. and was ready to joyn battel, a dart was seen flying into the ayr, hovering this way and that way, as though it sought upon whom to rest; when all stood wondring to know what would become of this strange Prodigy, every Man fearing himself, at last the dart fell upon Harquinus his head, and slew him. Thus Death shoots his arrowes amongst us, here he hits one that is Rich, there another that is poor; Now he shoots over at one that is elder then our selves; Anon he shoots short at one that is younger; Here he hits one on the right hand, our equal; another on the left, inferior; And none of us know how soon the Arrow may [...]all upon our own heads, our turn will come, let it be our care then we be not surprised on a sodain.

Religion pretended, Mischief intended.1416

[Page]

CElsus the Philosophe [...] upon his defence of Paganism, Origines contra Cels. lib. 1. setteth an Inscription o [...] the Word of Truth; Manicheus, that blasphemous Heretick, taking in hand to write to the Church his damnable Paradoxes, doubteth not to begin thus,Augustin. contra ep. fundament. cap. 1. Manicheus Apostolus Iesu Christi, &c. Manicheus the Apostle of Jesus Christ; The [...] H [...]reticks were alwayes saying, Nos recta [...]fide i [...]cedimus, We wa [...]k in [...] right Faith; All of them seeking the cloak and coverture of Religion; It is the old Prove [...],Chrysostom. sanct. ep. In nomine Domini incipit omne malum, well Englished; In my name have they prophesied lies, Ier. 23. Thus it was with them; and is it not the [...]ame ( [...]ay worse, considering the abundance of means afforded to be better) with us now,Cambden. Elizab. and but some few years ago; Parsons, that Arch-traytor, when he was hatching mis [...]hief against his Prince and Native Country, set forth (as if he had been wholly made up of devotion) that excellent piece of Christian Resolution; And now, For Sio [...]s sake, I will not hold my tongue, sayes one, &c. So, sayes another; and so a third; Sion at the tip of the tongue,—sub dulci melle v [...]nena latent▪ Ovid. amor. 1. but Babel at the bottom of the Heart; Religion prete [...]ded, Mischief intended; like Sons of Simon, rather then children of Sion, writing P [...]rmaca medicines, where they should write venena poysons; And by this means they do sugar the brims of their intoxicated cups, that Men the more gr [...]edily, and without suspition, may suck in their venomous doctrines, that are administred unto th [...]m therein.

Why God suffers his Children to be in a wanting condition.1417

SEverus the Emperour was wont to say of his Souldiers, Aelius in vita. That the poorest were the best; For when they begun to grow rich, then they began to grow naught. Hence is that of the Poet, Martem quisquis amat, &C. If you will bring up a boy, or young Man to be a Souldier, learn him first to endure poverty, to [...]e hard, and fare hard, and to encounter all the hardship that Necessity can present unto him, and then hee'l deal the better with his Enemies: So in the School of Christ, the Lord suffers his People to be in a wanting condition, Mart. Day on 1 Cor. 15. not because he doth not intend to supply them, not because he cannot provide for them; but the reason is, to bring them up in the discipline of Warre, to train them up as weaned Children, lest they should be taken off with the things of this World, and (as it were) drowned in the vanities of this life, and so forget God and their own Soul's health, which is most of all to be regarded.

All Men alike in Death.1418

LUcian hath a Fable,Lucianus. the Moral is good; Menippus meeting with Mercury in the Elizian-fields, would needs know of him, which amongst all th [...] ghosts was Philip the great King of Macedon? Mercury answers, He is Philip that hath the hairlesse [...]scalp. Menippus replyes,T. Adam's on ep. 2 Pet. Why, they have all bald heads. Merc. Then he with the flat nose. Menip. They have all flat noses. Merc. Then he with the hollow eyes. Menip. They all have hollow eyes, all have naked ribs, disjoynted members, all are car [...]asses. Why then, says Mercury to Menippus, Omnia mors aequat. Claudian de raptit Pros [...]rp. In Death there is no difference betwixt the King and the Beggar: And it is true, Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat. Men upon Earth, as in the game of Chesse, supply different places; One is a King, another a Queen, another a Bishop, another a Pawn; But when the game is done, and they are shuffled into one bagg into the grave, they are all alike.

1419 Ignorant Worldly Purchasers.

[Page]

IN the Parable of the Supper,Luke 14. 18. and the ghests that were bidden, we find one that had bought a Farm, and he must needs go see it, Another had bought five yoke of Oxen, Alphons. ab Avendano. [...]om. in [...]vang. S. Matth. and he must by all means go try them: strange Purchasers! What, buy a pig in a poke? Land and Oxen unsight, unseen: but we may read of another manner of Purchaser, and that a Woman too, Prov. 30. that first considered a Field, and then bought it; she cast up the price, considered the soyl, the tenure, the situation, then drives the bargain, and takes possession. Now the Wordly Purchaser buyes hand over head, considers not what he buyes. The voluptuous Epicure eats, drinks, and is merry, but he never looks after the reckoning, that after all this he must be brought to Iudgment. Eccles. 11. The Drunkard swills and carowses, and rises up early to take his fill of Wine, never minding the shot, that there is Mors in olla, in the end it will bite like a Serpent, and sting like a Co [...]katrice. Prov. 23. The Luxurious Man that spendeth his time in dalliance, little thinketh that there is a sting in the tayl of his Wantonnesse,J. Brown Serm. at S. Faith, Lond. 1629. Nocet empta dolore voluptas, that he is but as an Oxe to the slaughter, and a Fool to the correction of the stocks. The griping Covetous wretch that joyneth house to house, and Land to Land,Prov. 7. 22. making his barns bigger, takes no notice that he is but a Fool for his labour, and shall be suddenly snatch'd away from all. All these and many more like these,Luke 12. 20. poor Ignaroe's, take upon trust, and pay dear in the conclusion: Whereas the serious Christian sits down, casts up his charges, considers what it will cost him, to be Rich in this World, what his Honour and greatnesse will come to, and then purchaseth accordingly.

1420 Men to be careful of what they promise unto God in the matter of Charity.1420

IT is usual with Men,Mart. Day Sermon on 1 Cor. 15. 16. that when they are to go upon some long Iourney, or Voyage into a fat Countrey, they promise, that if God be pleased to return them safe, they will give so much or so much to the Poor; Or as a Man passing by an Hospital, promiseth the poor People, that as [...]cometh back again, he will give them something towards their relief; but when he comes back, he passeth by, not so much as thinking of them. This is the case of many Men in these promising dayes of ours;Fit ut saepenumero promptiores in promittendo homines sint, quàm in exequendo. Dion. lib. 38. If they may be but prosperous in such a Voyage, successefull in such a design, If God will but do thus and thus by them, then they will do thus and thus unto him, they will relieve the Poor, there's no act of Mercy, but they will be one of the foremost to put it on; yet when their turn is served, they never think of their promise at all: But let all such know, that their Promise stands upon Record in Heaven; they may seem to forget it, and sneak away, not paying the shot of their engagement here in this life; but God will call them to a Reckoning for it, and take it upon their bodies and Souls hereafter: Let none think therefore to passe a Vow to the Lord in a good mood for a good purpose, but that he will take it, and exact it at their hands.

1421 Things of the World, not to be so highly prised.

IT is a Rabbinical conceit, that Moses being a Child, had Pharaoh's crown given him to play withall,Joh. Plantavit. Florileg. Rabbinicum. and he made no better then a Football of it, cast it down to the ground, and kick'd it about; as if it were a sign of his future vilipending temporall things, That he should esteem the reproach of Christ, greater then all the Treasures of Egypt. Heb. [...]. 26. Thus ought we all to do, (especially when Riches stand in compettion with Christ) away with them, or they will make away with us. Lu [...]. 18. 22. It is Christ's own Counsell, Sell all thou hast and give it to the poor; sell it; or if no Man will buy it, give it: Or if no Man will take it, leave it; It [Page] is not worth thy keeping, Hieron. in locum. especially not worth thy carking; do thou part from it, rather then it shall part thee from Christ; For he that impoverisheth his Soul to enrich his body, is more mad then he that kills his Horse to [...]ose his Money at a race.

How it is that Godfathers and Godmothers undertake for Children in Baptism.1422

AN Infant being born to an estate of Inheritance cannot actually take possession, Ph. Edlin. Serm. at S. Mich. Bassishaw, Lond. 1651. but is carried to some part of the Land in the Nurses or some other's arms, where the Guardian of the Child taketh Livery and Seisin for its use, and promiseth fealty, and to do such service as the Premises are bound to; All which the Heir (though but then an Infa [...]) is fully to make good, when he comes to years of discretion, Thus in the Sacrament of Baptism, the Child is conditionally received into the Congregation of Christ's flock; but the Godfathers and Godmothers answering to the Stipulation of the Church proposed unto them, and undertaking on the Childs part, the Child coming to years of understanding, is engaged to perform in as full a manner to all intents and purposes, as if it had been able to have answered for it self.

The Poors relief, Heavens treasure.1423

AS when a Man is outed in England, Mart. Day on 1 cor. 1 [...]. whether it be by banishment or otherwise, if he have but laid up a bank at Venice, Amsterdam, or some such like place, he goes thither with more comfort, and much more confidence then otherwise he should have done, because he shall meet with that there in safe hands, which will [...]ellcome him when he comes to it: Hence is it that we are called upon to lay up treasure in Heaven, 1 Cor. 16. Luke 16. 9. to make unto our selves Friends of unrighteous Mammon, such are our good Works and Alms-deeds, which being sent before, are laid up as a stock of Money in a faithful [...]and, Plus valet amicus in vid quàm d [...]narius in corrigia. Gorran. not in a Bankrupt or Mountebank's hands, but in the trusty hand of God Almighty, which will repay us again with interest. And thus it is that all good Men have made sure, that when they shall come to dye, they have sent their Charity before them, to lye in bank for their better refreshing.

Ill-gotten goods, never prosper.1424

IT is an observation set upon the house of Desmond in Ireland, Fines Morisons Travells. That Maurice Thomas the first Earl raised it by Injustice, and by Injustice Girala the last Earl ruined it.De malè quaesitis vix gaudet, &c. The crafty Fox in the Fable hugg'd himself, to think how he had cosened the Crow of his breakfast, but when he had eaten it, and found himself poyson'd with it, he wished that he had never medled with it. Thus Wealth got by deceit, it like a piece of butter'd spunge, (an Italian trick) it goes down glib, but in the stomach swells, and will never be got up again. The gains a Man gets by cheating and basenesse, at last he may put it all in his eye, yet see himself most miserable.

Men to be careful of their principles in Religion.1425

AS in the things of this life,R. Abbot Serm. at S. Mary. Oxon. 1610. Men have great care to gain the skill to know Money, whether it be currant and lawful; and Wares, whether they be good and Marchantable; and Meat, whether it be wholesome and [...]ound. Much more then may we think it concerneth us (there being so much counterfeit, false, and un [...]ound doctrine abroad) to learn skill and knowledge of the true Religion, to beware of our Principles, to stirre up and sharpen our endeavour upon the search [Page] and tryall of the true Faith, and to gain ability to judge and discern of that which is erronious and false.

1426 To be fruitfull in Children, a great blessing of God.

LUdovicus Vives maketh mention of a Town in Spain, In Com. super August. de civit. Dei. lib. 15. cap. 8. consisting of about one hundred Families, all of them inhabited by the seed of one old Man then living, so that the youngest of them knew not what to call him; and he giveth this reason, Quia lingua Hispanica supra Abavum non ascendit, because the Spanish tongue hath not any word of expression higher then the great Grandfather's Father: Such as this must needs be then a numerous issue, a prolificall and fertile brood,Levit. 26. 9. Psal. 127. 3. and without all doubt a great and inestimable blessing of God; especially when they are not so much the fruits of their bodies, as of their Prayers; such as was promised to Abraham, Gen. 13. 16. & 26. 5. to Isaac, to Iob, and to the Man that feareth the Lord. Yet let none trust too much in this blessing, Iob 42. 16. it was Haman's fault, and his Childrens ruine;Psal. 128. 6. nor any grumble and count them a crosse or a curse to their faint estate;Hest. 9 10. not look upon them as a Bill of Charges, when God hat [...] put them upon the Accompt of Mercies: Esay 47. 8, 9. Neither let the barren womb de discouraged; For that God that knowes how to raise good out of evill, doth sometimes blesse an a [...]ulterous copulation with increase; and sometimes to the chast embraces of hones [...] Wedlock denyes it.

1427 Better to be Honestly, then hastily Rich.

THe Poet feigned Pluto to be the God of Riches and of Hell, (as if Hell and Riches had both one Master) and to be lame,Homer. yet withall swift and [...]mble as Fire: When Iupiter sent him to a Souldier or a Scholler, he went limping; but when to one of his Bawds or Mistresses, he flew like Lightning. The Morall is thus, The Riches that come in Gods Name, and are sent to honest Men, come slowly; but they that come by unjust dealing, flow in apace. He that resolves to be evill, T. Adam's on ep. 2 Pet. may soon be Rich; When the spring of Conscience is screwed up to the highest pin that it is ready to crack, When Religion is lock'd up in an out-room, and forbidden on pain of Death, to look into the shop or Ware-house, then is the Devill on his Throne: Dives qui fieri vult, Et citò vult fieri. Juvenal. But more safe and welcome is the gain that comes in the slow Wayn of Honesty, then that which comes hurrying in the swift Chariot of Iniquity.

1428 Gods Watchfulnesse over his People for their good.

THe Egyptians had an Idol,Exod. 14. 2. Abulens. in locum. called Baal-Zephon, which is by interpretation, Dominus speculae, Lord of the Watch-Tower▪ his office was to fright such Fugitive Iews, as should offer to steal out of the Country; but when Moses and the People of Israel past that way▪ and pitched their Camp there, this drowsie god was surely fast asleep, for they all marche [...] on their way without let or molestation; Tho. Pestell. Visit. Serm. at Lei [...]est. 1630. Whereas He that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth; He kept his Israel then, and since; He made good his Title then, and will do the like to us; his eyes run to and fro through the World, He is Watchfull over his People for their good.

Husband the Head of the Wife.1429

[Page]

THe Persian Ladies have to this day some resemblance of a foot, worn in the top of their Coronets, Pet. Bizari. Rer. Pe [...]sic. hist. in token, that the top of their glory must stoop even to their Husbands feet, Hest. 1. 20. remembring that of Vashtai. And who knowes it not, but that the Virgin, when she is married, leaveth to be called after her Fathers Name, and from thence forward is owned by her Husbands; besides, Women are said to be under Covert-Baron, so that whatsoever Contracts or Bargains they make, are of no force, either by the Lawes of God or Man, except the Husband do approve the same:Ephes. 5. 22. Hence it is that the Husband is called the Head of the Wife. And Man is more excellent then Woman,Lib. de cura rei [...]amit. (not to go so far as Aristotle, to say, she is onely [...], the aberration of Nature) and surely more eminent, respectu originis et ratione finis, The Man was not created for the Woman; but the Woman for the Man; 1 Cor. 11. 19. and then, ratione dominii, God gave him not onely power to rule over the beasts, Gen. 3. 16. but the Woman too. And every School-Boy can say, The Masculine is more worthy then the Foeminine; so that obeying Husbands, and commanding Wives, may be well said to live very unnaturally, and contrary to the Order of Creation.

Riches, the danger that attends them.1430

AeSop hath a Fable of the two Froggs, D. Valentine at S. Pauls, Lond. a Serm. 1623. that in the time of drought, when the the plashes were dry, consulted what was best to be done; One advised to go down into a deep Well, because it was likely the Water would not fail there; The other answered, But if it do fail, How shall we get up an again? Thus, Riches are a pit, whereinto we soon slip, but can hardly scramble out: Small puddles, light gains will not serve some, they must plunge into deep Wells, excessive profits; —Opes irritamenta malorum. but they do not consider how they shall get out again, they do not mind the great dangers, that are attendant upon Riches, whereby it comes to passe, that they are either famished for want of Grace, or drown'd in a Deluge of Wealth: If then, this World be a Sea, over which we must swim to the Land of Promise, there will be no n [...]cessity of such abundance of luggage, except it be to make us sink the deeper.

The unconstancy of Worldly honours and preferments.1431

WHen Alexander in the height of his glory kept (as the History saith) Conventum terrarum orbis, Plutarch. J. Denison, Souls Safety; a Sermon, 1621. a Parliament of the whole World, himself was summon'd by Death to appear in another World; And it was Res spectaculo digna, (saith another Historian) a wonderful precedent of the Vanity and variety of humane condition,Justin. to see mighty Xerxes to flote and fly away in a small Vessel, who but a little before wanted Sea-room for his Navy: But if ever there was a lively spectacle of the Worlds Vanity and misery,2 King. 25. 7. it was in Zedekiah. This is the Worlds inconstancy, the Worlds grand Impostury, the Flux and reflux of Honours and advancement:Nihil est in vita durabile: non opes, non imperium. Men erewhile shining in glory like Stars in the Firmament, now vanishing like Comets. How hath the Moon of great Mens honours been eclipsed at the Full? Const. Manass. Annal. and the Sun of their pomp gone down at Noon? such is the incertainty of all Worldly honours and preferments whatsoever.

1432 God fetching testimonies of Truth out of the mouths of Adversaris.

[Page]

THe Egyptian Sorcerers were forced to confesse, that the finger of God was in the miracles that Moses wrought before Pharaoh. Nebuchadnezzar, Exod. 8. 19. as stiff as he was against the three Children, yet when they are freed from the flames, God extorteth this speech from him,Dan. 3 [...]. 28. That no god could deliver like their God. The Wife of Haman, as ill-affected as she was towards Mordecai, yet she saith; If Mordecai be of the seed of the Iews, Dan. 6. 13. before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him. The Officers that were sent to apprehend Christ, instead of bringing Him,Ioh. 7. 46. Acts and Monuments. they brought a testimony of him, Never Man spake like this Man. But to come nearer; Stephen Gardiner, sometimes a great Man of this Nation, and Bishop of Winchester, lying on his Death-bed, and the Bishop of Chichester his old acquaintance, coming to visit him; When the promises of the Gospel, and salvation by the blood of Christ was laid to his Soul, made answer; Nay, if you open that gap once, then farewell all. Not much unlike hereunto, is the close of that learned Cardinal,Rob. Bellarm. de Iustific. lib. 5. cap. 7. who after the expence of many Arguments to the contrary, concludes; Sed, propter incertitudinem propriae justitae, et periculum inanis gloriae [...]utissimum est, &c. that because of the uncertainty of our own Righteousnesse and the danger of vain-glory, the most safe way is to rely upon the Merits of Christ Iesus. Thus it is, that God can fetch light out of darknesse, testimonies of Truth out of the mouths of very Adversaries, Magna est veritas et praevalebit, so great is the Truth, that it will prevail, and so powerful is God, that he hath not onely the tongues of Men, but their hearts also, and turns them as the Waters of the South which way soever he please; Psal. 126. 4. Numb. 22. 36. so that Balaam shall blesse those whom Balaac curseth, and the Midianites thrust their swords into one anothers bowels: Mad-men must they needs be then, to lock up the Truth, for it will break forth, maugre all opposition whatsoever.

1433 God the onely searcher of the Heart of Man.

THe Poets feign,Homerus. That when Iupiter had made Man, and was delighted with his own beauteous Fabrick, he asked Momus, What fault he could espy in that curious Piece? what out of square or worthy blame? Momus commended the proportion,T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. the complexion, the disposition of the lineaments, the correspondence and dependance of the parts; and in a word, the symmetry and harmony of the whole; He would see him go, and liked the motion; He would hear him speak, and praised his voice and expression: But at last, he spyed a fault, and asked Iupiter, whereabout his Heart lay? He told him, within a secret Chamber like a Queen in her privy lodging,Conr. Zuingeri theat. hum. vitae. whither they that come must first passe the great Chamber and the Presence, there being a Court of guard, Forces and Fortifications to save it, shadows to hide it, that it might not be visible; Th [...]re then is the fault, (saith Momus) thou hast forgotten to make a Window into this Chamber, that Men might look in and see what the Heart is a doing, and whether her Recorder, the Tongue, do agree with her meaning: Thus Man is the Masterpiece of Gods Creation, exquisitely and wonderfully made, but his Heart is close and deceitful above all things, Ier. 17. 9. Had he but pectus Fenestratum, a glasse-window in his heart, How would the black devices which are contrived in tenebris, appear palpably odious? How would the coals of festring Malice blister the tongues, and scald the lips of them that imagine mischief in their hearts? Psal. 140. 2. Then it would be seen, how they pack and shufflle, and cut, and deal too; but it is a poor game to the Innocent: In the mean time, let all such know, that the privy Chamber of the Heart hath a window to Gods, Ier. 17. 20. though not to Man's or Angels inspection.

The Vnion and fellowship of Gods Children one with another.1434

[Page]

THe least drop of Water hath the nature of its Element, hath the entire properties of it, partakes of the round figure of that Element, and best agrees and unites it self to Water; In like manner it is with Fire,Sermon o [...] Josh. 4. 15. per Ignotum. and the rest of the Elements, being Homogeneall bodies, every part doth suscipere rationem totius participate of the name and Nature of the whole, shuns what is contrary to that Nature, and most willingly gathers it self to that which is of the same kind: So it is with the true members of that mystical body whereof Christ is the head; such is the Union, Unanimity, association and fellowship of the People of God one amongst another, that they cannot suffer themselves to be combined with wicked persons and unbelievers; No, they will associate none unto themselves by their good-wills, who are not endowed with Grace and goodnesse and a godly conversation being the true qualities and marks of that true Church whereof they themselves are true Members.

Excellency of the Crown of glory.1435

MAny were the sorts of Crownes which were in use amongst the Romane Victors; Wolfgang. Lazius in Com. Reipub. Rom. lib. 9. As first Corona Civica, a Crown made of Oaken bowes, which was given by the Romans to him that saved the life of any Citizen in battel against his Enemies. 2. Obsidionalis, which was of Grasse given to him that delivered a Town or City from siege. 3. Muralis, which was of Gold, given to him that first scaled the Wall of any Town or Castle. 4. Castralis, which was likewise of Gold, given to him that first entered the Camp of the Enemy. 5. Navalis, and that also of Gold, given unto him that first boarded the Ship of an Enemy. 6. Ovalis, Clem. Alex. p [...]dag. lib. 2. cap. 8. which was given to those Captains (and that of Myrtle) that subdued any Town or City, or that won any Field easily without bloud. 7. Triumphalis, which was of Lawrell, given to the chief General or Consull, which after some signal Victory came home triumphing; These with many other, as Imperial, Regall, and Princely Crowns, (rather Garlands or Corone [...]s then Crowns) are not to be compared to the Crown of glory which God hath prepared for those that love him. Who is able to expresse the glory of it? Or to what glorious thing shall it be likened? Ingenium fateor transcendit gloria, Sic parvis est componere magna. If I had the Tongue of Men and Angells, I were not able to decipher it, as it worthily deserveth; It is not onely a Crown of glory, but hath divers other titles of preheminency given unto it,2 Tim. 4. 6. of which all shall be true partakers that are Godly; A Crown of Righteousnesse, by the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse; A Crown of Righteousnesse, by the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse; A Crown of life, because those that have it, shall be made capable of life Eternal; A Crown of Stars, because they that receive it,Rev. 2. 10. Iam. 1. 12. shall shine as Stars for ever and ever.

The slavery of Sin to be avoided.1436

WHen Alexander found Diogenes in his Tub, and disputed with him, Whether was the freer estate,Diog. Laert. in vita. Diogenis. With Alexander to command th [...] World, or with Diogenes to be confin'd to a ba [...]rel? The Cynick answered: Latior tua potestas non felicior, Thou commandest others, I command my self; I am a servant to the King, the King is a servant to his slave; yea even to my slave; I am Emperour over those affections that exercise a dominion over thee: And surely most true is that undeniable Axiome,Impius non unius hominis▪ sed, quod gravius est, tot dominorum quot vitiorum servus est. quot Vitia tot Tyranni, Sin and slavery cannot be separated, The Dog runs at the Masters whistling, but for the Master to go at the Dogs commanding, is a preposterous servility; Great cause have we then to abandon that service which must be obsequious to the Vilest, proudest, basest grooms in our Family, our own carnall lusts, which are no better (though they dwell with us) then the very limbs of Belial. Aug. de ci [...]it. Dei. lib. 4.

1437 How to use the World rightly.

[Page]

A Servant, whilest a stranger walks with his Master, Joh. Denison Soul's Safety, A Sermon, 1621. followes them both; but when the stranger takes his leave and departs from his Master, he leaves the stranger, and followeth his Master; Thus whilest the World doth any way concur with the Lord, and conduce to the Salvation of the pretious Soul, so far we may accompany it; but if it once depart from that, then let us give the World a Farewell, follow God, and have a care of our Souls. Again, as Almighty God by bounding and confining the waters to their proper places,Gen. 1. 9. hath made the Sea a garment, which was before a grave to the whole Earth: So we by bounding and ordering our affections towards the World, and actions in the World, may make it a help, Da tua dum tua sunt— which otherwise would be an hinderance in our way to Heaven, Fac trajectitium (saith S. Augustine) meaning, that we should employ these Earthly things to the glory of God, and the good of our brethren, that like provident Merchants, we may have those temporals returned in Heaven, by bill of Exchange, into things Eternal.

1438 Christianity the best Nobility.

HErmodius, Plutarch. a Nobleman born, upbraided the Valiant Captain Iphicrates, for that he was but a Shoomaker's sonne; My bloud (saith Iphicrates) taketh Beginning at me, and thy bloud at thee now taketh her Farewell; intimating, that he not honouring his house with the glory of his virtues, as the house had honoured him with the title of Nobility, D. Winnick Dean of S. Pauls. Lond. a Sermon, 1634. was but as a woodden knife put into an empty sheath, to fill up the place; but for himself, he by his valorous atchievements, was now beginning to be the raiser of his Family: Thus in the matter of Spiritualty, He is the best Gentleman, that is the best Christian: The Men of Berea who received the Word with all readinesse, were more Noble then those of Thessalonica. Act. 17. 11. The Burgesses of Gods City be not of base linage, but truly Noble;Gal. 4. 26. they boast not of their Generation, Heb. 2. 11. but their Regeneration, which is far better; For by their second birth,Ioh. 2. 27. they are the Sons of God▪ and the Church is their Mother, Heb. 1. 14. and Christ their elder Brother, Psal. 8. 6. the Holy Ghost, their Tutor; Angels, their Attendants; 1 Pet. 2. 11. all other Creatures, their Subjects; the whole World, their Inne; and Heaven their Home, John 14. 2.

The Devill rewarding his Servants.1439

CHarls King of Swede, Mart. Cromerus in hist. Polon. a great Enemy of the Iesuites, when in the time of Warr, he took any of their Colledges, would first hang up all the old Iesuit [...]s, Quod quis (que) fecit patitur, authorem scelus repelit. Sen. Herc. fur. and then put the rest into his Mines; saying, That since they had wrought so hard above ground, he would now make a tryall, how they could work under ground: Thus the Devil, when the Wicked have done him what evil service they can upon Earth, he confines them to his lower Vaults in Hell for evermore: A sad reward! to sow trouble, and reap nothing but horror and vexation of spirit, still bringing fewell to that Fire, which must burn themselves to all eternity.

1440 Every thing in specie made perfect at one and the same time in the Creation.

ALL Artists in what they do have their second thoughts (and those usually are the best);Tho. White Sermon at S. Giles Cripplegate, Lond. 1653. As for Example, A Watchmaker sets upon a piece of Work, (it being the first time that ever Men were wont to carry a Passe-time in their pockets) but having better considered of it, he makes another, and a third, some ovall, some round, some square, every one adding lustre and perfection to the first invention, (whereas heretofore they were rather like Warming-pans to weary [Page] us, then warning-pieces to admonish us how the time passed;) The like may be said of the famous art of Printing, Painting, and the like, all of them ou [...] doing the first copies, they were set to go by. But it was not so with God in the Creation of the several species of Nature, he made them all perfect simul et semel, at one and the same time, every thing pondere et mensura, so just, so propo [...] tionate in the parts, such an Elementary harmony, such a symmetry in the bodies of Animals, such a correspondency of Vegetals, that nothing is defective, neither can any thing be added to the perfection thereof.

Men to argue themselves into a mood of Contentment.1441

ALexander, that great Monarch of the World was discontented, because Ivy would not grow in his gardens at Babylon; Diog. Laert. in vita. but the Cynick was herein more wise, who finding a Mouse in his sachel, said; He saw that himself was not so poor, but some were glad of his leavings. Thus, had we but hearts to improve higher providences, we might soon rock our peevish spirits quiet, by much stronger Arguments;T. Watson Art of Conten [...]ment. As to take notice of Gods bountiful dealing with us, that we are lesse then the least of his Mercies, that though we be not set in the highest form, yet there are many below us, that God is our good Benefactor; this would bring us to that passe,Psal. 145. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 5. as to conclude with our selves, Having food and rayment, therewith to be content; and though we were many times cut short of Creature accommodations, yet this would limit our desires after them, and make us rest assured, that nothing is withdrawn or withheld from us, which might be really advantagious to us.

To do good for evill.1442

A Malefactor, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. in birth and person a comely Gentleman, was sentenced to death by a Iudge, deformed in body; Hereupon he turned all his prayers unto Heaven, into curses and revilings of the Iudge, calling him a stigmaticall and bloudy Man; The patient Judge for that time reprieved him, still he continued the same language of Invectives, and blasphemies against him: The next Sessions, being brought again to the barr, the Judge asked him, If his choler were any thing boyled away and spent; but then he redoubled his railings; yet he reprieved him again, as loath to let him die in so uncharitable and desperate condition of Soul: Inimicis non est malè faciendum, vel ulciscendum injurias. Ficinus in Plat. Crit. Before the third Assizes, he sent for him to his Chamber in London, and asked him, If he were yet more pacified? still nothing came from him but words of in veterate rancour; Whereupon said the Judge, God forgive thee, I do; and withall threw him a pardon; Whereat he was so astonished, that being hardly recovered from a swoon that he fell into, he refused the pardon for his life, unlesse the Judge would both pardon his Malice, and admit him into his service; He did so, and found him so faithful, that dying, he gave him the greatest part of his Estate. Here now was extream evill overcome with extraordinary goodnesse; a conquest without blood, the best of all Victories; Love overcoming evil with good: Rom. 12. 21. This is to be like God, whose Image we bea [...] in our Creation, and to whose Image we are restored in our Redemption.

Gods dwelling in the Humble spirit.1443

A Gentlewoman (of more then ordinary quality and breeding) being much troubled in mind,Tho. White Sermon at S. Giles Cripple-gate Lond. 1653. and cast down in her Soul with the sad thoughts of spiritual desertion; her husband (with the assistance of others better experienced in such cases then himself) did all that he could by prayers unto God, and otherwise by perswasion to reduce her to the knowledge of Gods mercy and goodnesse to her; but all in vain, she could not be drawn either to hear or read any thing that [Page] might work for her spiritual advantage; At last her Husband, by much importunity prevailed that he might read but one Chapter in the Bible unto her; the Chapter was Esay 57. And when he came to the fift [...]enth V [...]rse in these words; For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity, wh [...]se name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, Quamvis habitet in excels [...] Deus, non desinit habitare in humili spiritu. Gab. Alvarez. in loc. to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones: O, sayes shee, Is it so that God dwells with a contrite and humble Spirit, then I am sure that he dwells with me; For my Heart is broken into a thousand pieces, O happy Text and happy time that ever I should hear such comfort; and she was thereupon recovered: Thus it may be very well concluded, that God makes his dwelling in an Humble heart, not with him that is proud and high-minded, one that looks high and speaketh big words, such shall be pulled down from their seats,Luc. 1. when the lowly and the meek shall be exalted, and made a fit habitation for the high and mighty God to dwell in.

1444 The quietnesse of Contentment.

THe wheels of the Charriot move, but the Axletree stirs not; the Circumference of the Heavens is carryed about the Earth, but the Earth moves not out of its Center;T. Watson Art of Contentment. The Sails of a Mill move with the wind, but the Mill it self stands still: All Emblems of Contentment; And thus it is, that a Christian is like Noah in the Ark, which though tossed with the waters, he could sit and sing in it, and a Soul that is gotten into the Ark of Contentment, sings and sits quietly, and sails above all the waves of trouble; when it meets with motion and change in the Creatures round about on every side, it stirs not, nor is moved out of its place; When the outward estate moves with the wind of Providence, yet the Heart is setled through holy Contentment; And when others like Quick silver shake and tremble through disquiet, the Contented spirit can say with David, O God my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, Psal. 57. 7.

1445 The most silent Conscience will speak out at last.

IOhn the Baptist was called the Voice of Christ, Vox clamantis, Alphons. ab Avendan. in Matth. the voice of him that cryes in the Wildernesse: Herod did cut off his head: Now Christ spake not many words to his apprehenders and accusers, not many to the high Priest, nor to the Judge Pilate; but when he came before He [...]od, he spake never a word at all: Among other reasons, this is wittily given, He spake not a word to Herod, because Herod had taken away his Voice in beheading Iohn; And how should he speak without a voice? There may be a voice without speech, but no speech without voice: Now the tongue of the Soul is Conscience, the voice with which she is best acquainted; but men for the most part, have tongue-tyed their Consciences, taken away her voice, and who shall controul them? yet when God shall un [...]y those strings and unmuzzle their Consciences, Et si clausis parietibus [...]is coopertus tenebris, sine teste; habes tamen Conscientiam facti▪ &c. Aug. ep. ad Constant. she will be heard, and ten Consorts of Musick shall not drown her clamorous cryes. Now it is that their Conscience is bound, and they are loose; but in the day of trouble themselves shall be bound, and God shall let their Conscience loose; It shall be hard for them with that frantick Musician, to fall a [...]uning their Viols, when their house is on fire about their Ears. When all the dores are shut up to the Voyces of men, Conscience will speak within, and that with a language loud enough to be heard, easy enough to be understood.

1446 Excellency of the Soul of man.

WHen God Almighty had in six dayes made that common-diall of the World the Light; Joh. Donne Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. that Storehouse of his Justice and his Mercy, the Firmament; that Ferry of the World, the Sea; Mans workhouse, the Earth; Charriots of Light, the Sun and Moon; the a [...]ry Choristers, the Fowles; and Mans s [...]rvants [Page] the Beasts; yet had he one more excellent piece to be made, and that was Man, a Microcosm, even an Abstract of the whole, to whom having fashioned a body, proceeding by degrees of Perfection, he lastly created a Soul; And as the Family of Matri was singled out of the Tribe of Benjamin, and Saul out of the Family of Matri, 1 Sam. 10 20. being higher then the rest by the shoulders upwards. So is the Soul singled out from the other Creatures,Pet. Gal. lib. 2. cap 8. [...]en. 1. 21. far surpassing them all in Excellency, whether we consider the efficient cause of its Creation, Elohim the blessed Trinity being then in consultation; or the material cause a quinta essentia, noble and divine substance more excellent then the Heavens; or the cause Formall, made after the Image of God himself; or lastly the cause Finall, that it might be the Temple of God, 1 Cor. 6. 19. and the habitation of his blessed spirit.

The spirituall benefit of Poverty.1447

THe Naturalists, T. Watson Art of Divine Contentment. such as write concerning the several Climates, observe; that such as live under the Frozen Zone, in the Northern parts of the World, if you bring them to the Southward, they lose their stomachs and die quickly, but those that live in the more Southern hot Climates, bring them into the North, and their stomachs mend, and they are long lived: Thus bring a man from the cold starving Climate of Poverty, into the hot Southern Climate of Prosperity, Aurem cordis tribulatio aperit, quam saepe prosperitas hujus mundi claudit, Greg. moral. 16. and he begins to lose his appetite to good things, he grows weak, and a thousand to one, if all his Religion do not dye; but bring a Christian from the South to the North, from a rich flourishing estate into a jejune low Condition, let him come into a more cola and hungry ayre, and then his stomach mends, he hath a better appetite after Heavenly things, he hungers more after Christ, he thirsts more after Grace, he eats more of the bread of life at one meal then he did at six before, and such a Man is like to live, and hold out in the way of Gods Commandements to the end.

A foul polluted Soul, the object of Gods hatred.1448

THe rheumatick and spawling Cynick, Diog. Laert. in vita Diogen. when he was entreated by the dainty Mistresse of the house, where he was entertained, that he would spit in the foulest part of the house, did thereupon very unmannerly spit in the Mistresses own face, because that in his opinion it was the foulest: Thus, as it is the honour of the Holy, Omnis decor ab in [...]ùs, to be all glorious within, what outward wants soever seem to disgrace them;D. Howell Serm. at S. Steph. Walbro [...]k Lond. 1637. so it is the disgrace of the Worldly, Omnis faetor ab intus, they are filthy within, what outward abundance soever doth seem to honour them; God requires truth in the inward parts; but alasse, we may say truly of these, their inward parts are very wickednesse, so that when he sees their houses kept neat and clean, —Ad candida tecta Columbae. the floores swept, the walls hung, the vessels scowred, their Apparel brushed, their bodies adorned, all curiously highted, onely their hearts filthy and polluted, he will certainly spit his contempt upon that Heart; Therefore wash thy heart from iniquity, O Ierusalem, that thou mayest be saved. 2 Kings 9. 12.

The high price of the Soul.1449

PLato that divine Philosopher,Lactant. lib. 3. cap. 4. travelling to see the wonders of Sicily, was (upon some discourse had betwixt him and Dionysius the Tyrant) apprehended and clapt up in Prison, his fact was made capital, but by the favour of some near the Tyrant, he was adjudged to be sold: one Annecerts buyes him, layes down twenty pounds, and sends him home to Athens; Seneca quarrels the price, censures Anneceris for undervaluing so worthy a Man, ballancing one of such high parts with such a low sum of Money. But this censure cannot light upon our Saviour,Chrysostom. in Psal. 48. who gave not for the Soul of Man, the Earth, the Sea, the World; but that which was of infinite Value,1 Pet. 1. 18. even his own dearest bloud. [Page]Propter Animam Deus secit mundum, Chromatius in Matth. hom. 25. &c. It was for the Souls sake that God made the World; And it was for the Souls sake that the Son of God came into the World, made himself of no Reputation, was like unto man in all things (sin onely excepted) scorned, scourged, derided, &c. and at last submitted himself to Death, even the Death of the Crosse, Phil. 2. 8.

1450 Prosperity for the most part draws Envy to it.

SHeep that have most Wool, T. Watson Divine Art of Contentment. are soonest fleeced; The fattest Oxe comes soonest [...]o the slaughter; The barren Tree grows peaceably, no Man meddles with the Ash or Willow; but the Appletree and the Damosin shall have many rude suiters: David a Shepheard was quiet; but David a Courtier was pursued by his Enemies: Thus it is,Noverca virtutis Prosperitas, &c. Chrysolog. lib. 1. de nugis Curial. that Prosperity is an Eye-sore to many, and a prosperous condition for the most part draws Envy to it, whereas he that carries a lesser sail, that hath lesse Revenues, hath lesse Envy; such as bear up with the greatest Front, and make the greatest shew in the World are the White, for Envy and Malice to shoot at.

1451 Liberty the cause of Licentiousnesse.

IT was a grave and smart answer of Secretary Walsingham, Sir R. Nanton Fragmenta Regalia. a great Statesman of that time, when he was consulted by the Queen, about the lawfullnesse of Monopoly-Licences; Licentiâ omnes deteriores sumus▪ We are all the worse for Licence: And most true it is, let but the golden raynes of Law and Religion lye any thing loose upon the People shoulders,—Suadet (que) licenti [...] luxum. Claudian. they will soon be licentious enough; If the well-compacted hedge of Discipline and Government be broken down, neither Church or State shall long want those that will intrude upon their Priviledges, and trample all Authority under their feet.

1452 The Folly of Men in parting with their Souls for trifles.

WE laugh at little Children to see them part with rich Jewels for silly trifles: And who doth not wonder at the Folly of our first Parents,Joh. Denison Soul's Safety, A Sermon, 1610. that would lose Paradise for an Apple? and of Esau that sold his birth-right for a messe of Pottage? yet alasse, daily experience doth proclaim it, that many are so childish to part with such rich and pretious Jewels as their immortal Souls for base unworthy trifles; and so Foolish as to lose the coelestial Paradise, the kingdome of Heaven for Earthly vanities, Suetonius in vita. of whom it may be truely said, as Augustus Caesar in another case; They are like a Man that fishes with a golden hook, the gain can never recompence the losse that may be sustained.

1453 The spiritual benefit of divine Contentment.

ZEno (of whom Seneca speaks) who had once been very rich, hearing of a Shipwrack, and that all his goods were drowned at Sea, Fortune, saith he,Seneca de Tranquil. (speaking in an Heathen Dialect, Iubet me Fortuna expeditiùs Philosophari) hath dealt well with me, and would have me now to study Philosophy; He was content to change his course of life, to leave off being a Merchant, and turn Philosopher; And if an Heathen said thus,Discite in hoc mundo supra mundum esse, et si corpus geritis, volitet in vobis ales interior. Ambros. lib. de Virg. shall not a Christian much more say, When the World is drained from him; Iubet Deus mundum derelinquere, et Christum expeditiùs sequi, God would have me leave off following the World and study Christ more, and how to get Heaven, to be willing to have lesse gold and more goodnesse, to be contented to have lesse of the World, so I may have more of Christ, to sit down with a little, so much as shall recruit Nature, and if that fail, so that the slender barrel of Provision fall shorter and shorter, not to murmure and say [Page] with Micah, Have ye taken away my gods, and do ye ask me, What I aile? Judg. 18. 24.

Hope, to be kept up in the midst of all Perplexities.1454

PAndora, Hesiodus. a beautiful Woman (as the Poets [...]eign) was framed by Vulcan, to whose making up, every god and goddesse gave a contribution;Coel. Rhodogin. Var. lect. lib. 9. They put into the hand of this fair Inchan [...]resse a goodly box fraught and stuffed with all the Woes and Miseries that might be, onely in the bottom of it they placed Hope; It was presented to Prometheus, but Providence refused it; then to Epimetheus, and After-wit accepted it; Which he no sooner rashly opened, but there came out a swarm of Calamities, fluttering about his ears; This he perceiving, clap'd on the cover with all possible speed, and so with much ado, saved Hope sitting in the bottom. Such an Army of Miseries, T. Adam's exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. like the troop issuing from the womb of the Trojane horse, invaded the World, by opening the box of Pandora, by tasting the apple of Eve, that if the Mercy of God had not left us Hope, solam solantem spem, in the bottom, such a Hope as should be able to buoy us up out of the depth of misery wherein we were involved, our case had been most desperate; let us therefore keep up our Hope in the very midst of all Perplexities whatsoever.

The losse of the Soul, irrecoverable.1455

ST. Chrysostome hath well observed with the Anatomists,Homil. 22. ad Populum A [...]tioch. Omnia Deus dedit duplicia, God hath in the frame of Mans body given him two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, and the like, that the failing of the one might be supplyed by the help of the other; Animam verò unam, yet he hath given him (saith he) but one Soul, so that if It be lost, there is no supply to be had;Dan. 4. Nebuchadnezzar may lose his Kingdom, and it may be restored. Ioh, his health and wealth, and they may be recovered, Chap. 2. 7. & ch. 42. Lazarus, his life;Id. in Plat. hom. 50. and he may be r [...]vived: But for the losse of the Soul, Nullo modo sarciri, nullo pretio redimi potest, No means can repair it, no price can redeem it, all the World cannot recompence it; being once lost, it is lost irrevocably.

The Hypocrite and true Christian, their difference in growth of Grace.1456

A Poysonful weed may grow as much as the Hysope or Rosemary;T. Watson Art of Divine Contentment. the Poppy in the Field, as the Corn; the Crab, as the Pear-main; but the one hath a harsh, sowr taste, the other mellowes as it grows: Thus an Hypocrite may grow in outward dimensions as much as a Child of God; He may pray as much, prosess as much, but he grows onely in magnitude, he brings forth sour grapes, his duties are leavened with Pride; the other ripens as he growes, he grows in love, humility, Faith, which do mellow and sweeten his duties, and make them come off with a better relish.

Christ Jesus, the good Mans chief portion.1457

WHen Alexander the Great passed into Asia, Plutarch. in vita. he gave large donatives to his Captains and Men of merit, insomuch, that Parmenio asked him; Sir, What do you keep for your self? He answered, Hope; And Iohn of Alexandria sirnamed the Almoner, did use yearly to make even with his Revenues,Surius de vitis SS. and when he had distributed all to the Poor, he thanked God, that he had now nothing left him, but his Lord and Master Christ Iesus, to whom he longed to fly [Page] with unlimed and untangled wings: Thus we can want nothing if we want not Christ, he is the good Mans chief portion: Crosses, calamities, poverty may take from us all the goods of this World,Lam. 3. 24. or our Charity may give them away; The Worldlings ask us, VVhat we have left for our selves? We answer, Onely Iesus Christ, and in him we have all things.

The Soul not to be starved in the want of means.1458

IT was a poor equivocating trick of the Duke D' Alva, Hist. B [...]lg. lib. 9. at the Fuyck Sconce before Harlem, when having promised the Souldiers their lives, he caused them to perish with hunger; and being challenged with his promise, answered; That he had given them assurance of their lives, but never promised that they should have meat or drink. And such is the Folly of him that talks of saving his Soul; D. Valentine a Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1624. and yet denyes unto it the means of Salvation, being negligent in hearing of the Word, cold and carelesse in Prayer, remisse in the actions of Mortification, and dull in the ent [...]rtainment of those Christian duties and Graces, whereby the pretious Soul is not onely preserved and nourished, but also adorned and beautified.

1459 Sicknesse, immediately inflicted by God.

HIppocrates gave this Counsel to all Physitians that resorted unto him,Jan. Cornarus in vita. that when they went upon any occasion to visit their Patients, they should consider with themselves, Whether there were not Divinum quiddam in morbis, the stroak of God in the sicknesse; because then (as it should seem) he held the cure to be desperate, J. Gosson. M. S. and that it was but in vain to administer any Physick: Well! This was but one Doctors opinion, And by the leave of so eminent a Man, the disease was not Mortal; For then no Sicknesse were curable, because that in every disease there [...]s the stroak of God, Quicquid patimur venit ab alto, There is no Si [...]knesse so l [...]t [...]e, but God hath a Finger in it, though it be but the a king of the little Finger: And though there be in the body but onely one disease that is called sacer morbus, yet is it most certain, that there is sacrum quiddam in omni morbo, the hand of God in every Sicknesse, and yet every sicknesse is not unto Death, as Christ himself t [...]stifieth, Ioh. 11. 4.

1460 Good and bad Hearers of the Word, their difference.

TWo walking together found a young Tree laden with fruit; Alphons. ab Avendan. Com. in Matth. cap. 16. both did gather and satisfie themselves for the present; One of them took all the remaining fruit, and carried it away with him; the other seeing him gone with the Fruit, took up the Tree it self, and planted it in his own ground, where it prospered, and bore plentifully every year: The first had more fruit at the present, but the other sped best; For he had Fruit when the other had none. Thus it is with Men at the hearing of Sermons, some have large Memories, and can gather many Observations, which they keep awhile, to rehearse, not to practise: Another hath a weaker capacity; but he gets the Tree it self, the root and substance of the Text, plants it in his Heart, feeds on the Fruits with comfort, and his Soul is thereby nourished unto life eternal.

1461 The Soul's Safety and Danger.

THe Fowl that flyes low is quickly taken,Ambros. d [...] bono Mortis. cap. 5. but that which soars aloft, nec laqueis capitur, nec visco fallitur, is neither entrapped in the snare, nor entangled in the lime-bush: So the Soul whilest it is hovering about these Earthly vanities, and stooping down to catch at Wordly preferments, is easily and [Page] quickly ensnared by Sathan; but when it soars and mounts aloft in divine Meditations, is seldome taken in the snares of Temptation.

Wicked Men reserved for Exemplary punishment.1462

THere is a story of a bloody Murtherer, Tho. de Want. Sermones de tempore. that after the fact, went to sleep under a rotten wall all night; but had a Vision presented unto him to bid him awake and begone for fear of further danger; which he did, and presently the Wall fell; The Murtherer thereupon thought, that his fact was acceptable with God: The next night following he had another Vision, and heard a Voyce, saying; O Wretch, thinkest thou that I care for Wicked Men? No, I would not have thee die sleeping, but have reserved thee for a halter, whereby thou shalt end thy dayes with pu [...]lique shame and disgrace; and so it happened accordingly: Thus many notorious Malefactors, who draw Iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a Cart-rope, Esay 5. 18. contriving mischief on their beds, and committing all uncleannesse even with greedin [...]sse,Mich. 2. 1. of [...]en escape great dangers in their drunkennesse and other outrages,Ephes. 4. 19. yet in the [...]nd some Fearful and Exemplary Iudgment overtakes them.

Youth to be seasoned with Grace, not giving the least way to the Devill.1463

THere was an Abbot of this Land,T. Adams exposit. on [...]p. 2 Pet. which desired a piece of ground that lay conveniently for him; The owner refused to sell it, yet with much perswasion, was contented to let it: The Abbot hired it for his Rent, and covenanted onely to farm it for one Crop; He had his bargain, and sowed it with Acorns, a Crop that lasted three hundred years. Thus Sathan begs but for the first crop; let him sow thy youth with Acorns, they will grow up with thy years to sturdy Oaks, so bigg bulked and deep-rooted, that they shall last all thy life; Sin hath a shrewd title when it can plead prescription; —Iuvenilibus annis Luxuriant animi. Ovid. ep. 4. And Sathan thinks his Evidence as good as eleven points at Law, when he hath once got possession; let him be sure of thy Youth, he will be confident of thy Age: Poma dat Autumnus, he well knowes, that the blossoms in the Spring, are the Fruit in Autumn; and that in thy Youth thou art not Cloath but Wooll; so that the deepest Purple sins are those which are died in the Wooll: Let thy Soul therefore like Gedeon's fleece drink up betimes the dew of Grace,Quo semel est imbutarecens, servabit od [...] rem, Testa diu— Judg. 6. 37. For younger years well led, are as the sweetnesse of a Rose, whose smell remains in the dry leaves. Take then the first opportunity of Gods gracious motions and monitions; or if thou have omitted the first, embrace the second; or if many have passed by, unanswered of thee, embrace the present Invitation, and even now with Faith and Repentance turn unto God thy Maker.

A good Conscience, the best Friend.1464

WOrldly Friends are uncertain, J. Denison, Serm. at Court, 1621. they go and come, and stand afar off when they should be most near; they love not in time of trouble, they are loath to come to a sick Man's bed side; or if so, they cannot abide to hear his groans; And by no means to see a dead Man; at the most they can but follow one to the grave,Bona C [...]nscientia hortus d [...]liciarum, aula Dei, &c. Hug. l. 2. de anima. cap. 9. and there leave him. But a good Conscience will make one's bed in sicknesse, and cause him to lye the softer; will stand by him when he groans, and do him comfort; will hearten him upon Death when it's coming, and say; Thy Redeemer liveth; will whisper to him when departing, and say; Thy Warfare is accomplished; will lodge the body in grave as in a bed; mann the Soul to Heaven, and make it able to look God in the face without any terrour; yea, so [Page] fast a Friend is a good Conscience, that when Riches, Husband, Wife, Parents, Friends, Breath, Life, nay, Patience, Hope, Faith have left us, in some measure, it will stick close unto us.

1465 Christians to be carefull, that they may find comfort in Death.

ORators, Ephr. [...]dall Serm [...]n at S. Pauls, Lond. 1638. though in every part of their speech, they use great care and diligence, yet in the close of all, they set forth the best of their art and skill to stirre up the affections and passions of their Hearers, that then they may leave, at the last, the deepest impression of those things which they would perswade: Thus ought all of us to do, our whole life being nothing else, but a continued and perswasive Oration unto our God, to be admitted into his Heavenly Kingdom;Una tamen spes est, quae me solatur, &c. Ovid. but when we come to the last act and Epilogue of our age, then it is, that we must especially strive to shew forth all our art and skill, that so our last words may be our best words, our last thoughts our best thoughts, our last deeds our best deeds, whereby stirring up (as it were) all the affections of God, and even the bowels of Compassion unto us, we may then as the Sun, though alwayes glorious, yet especially at its setting, be most resplendent, when we draw near unto our Western home, the house appointed for all living.

1466 Purity and the Heart of Man seldome meet together.

IT is observed of the word Conscientia, T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. that it ever had ill luck in the Church, and could never be found at once, in full syllables: Conscientia altogether may be called Devotion; take away the first syllable, it is Scientia, Knowledg: cut off the next, it is Entia, Means or Worldly maintenance: First, in the time of Prophanenes [...]e, there was Sci and Entia, Learning and Living, Knowledg and Maintenance; but Con was left out, Devotion was wanting, they were ungodly Men: In the next Age there was Con and Entia, Devotion and Exhibition, a Rich and Religious, yea, a superstitious number; but Sci, Knowledg was wanting, they were none of the learned'st Clerks. In the third Age, Con and Sci, Learning and Devotion were both lost, and onely Entia was left, they had the Honors and Mannors, the fat of this Land: But now in this last Age, it is come quite round; We have, and not long since in a better measure had, Con and Sci, a Learned and Religious Clergy, onely Entia is taken from them, their livelihood and subsistence is by sacrilegious hands exhausted: The like Fortune hath a Pure Heart in the VVorld,Desi [...]it in piscem. Purenesse goes one way, and the Heart another way, and these two have much ado to meet: There is no lack of Hearts, every Man hath one, some have more then one: And for Purenesse, it abounds, proud Dames will have pure houses, pure cloaths, pure meat, &c. Hypocrites will have pure eyes,Puritas cordis i [...] qu [...]renda gloria Dei, et utilitate proximi. Bern. in Apol [...]get. pure tongues, pure habits, garbs and gestures; And the Prophane sort are all for brave Hearts, they make a pish at Purenesse: This is the Devils plot, to keep purenesse and the Heart asunder; Purity will do well in nothing without the Heart; the Heart can be happy in nothing without purity: It is great pity, two such sweet Companions should be kept asunder. The God of all purity bring them together.

Sin of the meanest Man in a Nation may be the destruction of it.1467

[Page]

EVery particular individual Man is a part of the City and Kingdom wherein he was born,Rob. Harris a Fast-Sermon at Westm. 1628. be it never so ample; as a l [...]tt [...]r is part of a word; Some be like to C [...]pital or Text-letters, as great Men; some to smaller characters, as Men of low degree; some be like to Vowels, as Men in Authority; some to mutes and liquids, as the Vulgar sort: All Men go to the making of a City, or Kingdome, as all letters go to the making up of words. And as in a Word, if one letter be amisse, though but a Mute, it may indanger to marre the word, though not so much as if a Vowell be defaced: So in a City or Nation, if any one Man be blotted with Sin, let it be but a mean Man, it may bring a destruction to that place, yet not so soon as if a Man of higher place were blurred with iniquity.

The Secure, carelesse Sinner.1468

IT is said of those that are taken with the Phrenetique disease, Aristot. de Anima, lib. 3. cap. 7. that by how much the more the malady doth affect them, so much the more secure they are; carelesse of any thing, presumptuous in all things; fearing nothing, as having lost the very use of common sense; by which they should judge of the Nature of things, what is convenient, and what is not sitting for them: So it is with those that are laden with the phrenzy of Sin, by how much the more they are infected with the poysonous Nature thereof, so much the more are they carelesse and secure from sinning; so that the greater the guilt, the lesse is the sense of sin: just like Agag, Prov. 3. 18. when he was ready to be hacked in pieces,Holcot in lib. Sap. 1 Sam. 15. 32. concluded,Esay 47. 8. that the bitternesse of Death was past; Luke 12. or pernitious Babylon, that sits like a Lady in her Palace minding nothing, when much of destruction was at the Threshold: or the Rich Fool in the midst of his abundance. Such is the carelesse, heedlesse, headlesse Phrenetical condition and Constitution of all Sin and Sinners.

The Keys of Knowledg much abused by those that keep them.1469

IT is feigned of Pope Sixtus Quintus, That after his death he went to Hell, but by good luck the Porter would not let him in,T. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. though he had [...]ighly deserved it, but sent him to a place under his own command, Purgatory; this he long sought, but could never find: At last he took heart, and went to Heaven, fearfully knocking at the gate. S. Peter asked him, Why he knocked, considering he had the Keys? He answered, Because the Wards were altered, and they could not now unlock the door. It were to be wished, that the Morall of this fiction were not too true: How are the Keys of Knowledg abused by many that have the keeping of them? The Pontificians have so bruised the keys with breaking Mens heads,Sunt qui scire volunt, [...]o fin [...] ut scire valea [...]t, &c. Be [...]n. super Cant. Serm. 16. and so furr'd them with the bloud of Innocents, that they are not able to open the gates of Heaven; Some let them rust in their hands for want of use, Teachers that do not teach, that can neither open the doors of Heaven for others, nor for themselves; Some alter the Wards by false and erronious doctrine: Others, like Gallio, care not which end goes forward, let the Church-Keys hang in the Town-House, let who will preach, all's one to them; But some there are (God increase the number) that keep them bright with fair and continual usage, whom God blesseth in the way of their Ministery, with the letting in of many Souls to himself.

1470 Humility appeaseth Gods Anger.

[Page]

IT is reported of Iulius Caesar, Sue [...]onius in vita. That he never entertained hatred against any so deeply, but he was willing to lay down the same upon the tender of submission; As when C. Memnius put in for the Consulship, he befriended him before others of the Competition, notwithstanding that C. Memnius had made bitter invectives against him. Thus the great God of Heaven, to whom all the Caesars and Kings of the Earth are Tributaries and Homagers,—Satis est prostrasse, &c. doth never hate so irreconcileably, but that true Humiliation will work a Reconciliation, satis est prostrasse, let but the Sinner appear before him in a submissi [...]e posture, and his anger will be soon appeased.

1471 The extream Folly of Sin.

SUch is the foolishnesse of a Frantick Man, (the disease being got into the Cock-loft of Reason) that when he is in greatest misery, he seems to be as one that had no misery at all; [...]. Preston Sermon at Lincolns-Inne. 1624. and when most oppressed with the strength of his malady, laughing and smiling as if he were not oppressed with any disease at all: So is it with him, whose Soul is (as it were) drench't in a deluge of Sin, when he is extreamly miserable, and that the strength of his Sins are able to throw him down to destruction;Prov. 7. 22. yet you shall see him like Solomon's Fool go to the correction of the Stocks full of jollity; such was the state of Ierusalem, not discerning the time of their Visitation, Luk. 19. 42. that when Christ wept for them, they could not do so much as throw out one sob of sorrow for themselves; such too was the condition of the old World, nothing but Mirth and merriment, marrying and giving in Marriage,Gen. 12. till the Floud overtook them, and such we may see to be the daily custome of all desperate Sinners, such as walk with lifted up countenances, and hugge themselves in the perpetration of their wicked designs, when destruction is at the very pits brim ready to overwhelm them.

1472 The Scripture to be onely rested upon.

AThaneus tells us,Deipnosoph. lib. 12. that the Stoicks had an opinion, that no Man could do well but a wise Man, not so much as make good Lentill-broath but after his Receipt, and that was so exact and curious that it prescribed the twelfth part of a Coriander seed: Thus there are in the World many simple Men, and more simple and more sinfull Weomen, that have little besides a VVill and a Tongue,2 Kings 4. 40. yet are so conceited of doctrine, that if Zeno, or one of their Zanies prescribe it not, the broath is naught Mors in olla, death is in the pot, and for every sup of broath, they must run to Zeno, when (God knows) all at the best is but a poor messe of pottage; such are those humane traditions, Constitutions, and Impositions of Usurpers, Rob. Harris Fast-S [...]rm. at Westm. 1628. but as meer artificial Paper-walls set up against the Apostolicall Cannons; such the Inventions of Men (though of those pure brains that pretend most, yea mainly for the Word.) For sometimes they prove but Lapwings that cry, Here 'tis, here 'tis, when their nests are far enough off; And such the Morality that drop't in verse from the pens of the Poets; but not any of these,Ioh. 5. 39. nor all of these (though they may be made use of in a subservient way) are to be rested on, but onely the Word of God.

1473 God a Merciful God.

THe Rainbow is an Emblem of Gods mercy, 'tis planted in the Clouds, as if Man were shooting at God,Notes of sundry Divines in loc. Exod. 25. 21. and not as if God were shooting at Man: The sci [...]uation of the Propitiatory, or Mercy-seat, was a strong Argument of his Mercy. God commanded it should be planted over the A [...]k, in which was the Testimony, the book of cursings; that so Mercy might be near at hand to pronounce [Page] sentence of Absolution, when Iustice was ready to denounce Iudgment: It is Gods nature and property to have Mercy; Longanimity is as Gods natural child, the holy Trinity is in travell with it;2 Cor. 1. 3. Even as any thing great with young doth desire to be rid of the burthen, so doth God desire to pour out his Mercy; Never any Nurse, when her breasts were full of Milk, was in greater pain for Children to suck them, then God is in pain to have his Children draw Mercy from him;Alphons. a [...] Avendan. in Psal. 119. He spins out the thred of his goodnesse to an unmeasureable length, and though his Angle be in Heaven, yet he lets down the line of his Love, and baits it with his Mercy, to try whether men will swallow, that so he may save their Souls; Justice cometh from him as a sting from a B [...]e, constrainedly; Mercy floweth from him, as honey from a Bee, most willingly; Mercy is as [...]s [...]entiall to him as light is to the Sun, or as heat is to the Fire; He delights in Mercy, as the senses and faculties of the Soul do in their several actions; Patience and Clemency and Mercy, and compassion, and peace are t [...]e Fruits of his bowells the Off-spring which the Divine nature doth produce; Fury and rage, and anger, and impatience, VVar and fire and sword are forced into him by the provoking exorbitances of the VVorld.

Faith not alwaies sensible.1474

IT is said of Eu [...]ychus, Tho. de Trugillo thesaur. Conci [...]nat. that, falling down out of a VVindow, was taken up dead, his Friends were much troubled at the sodainnesse of the accident; but Saint Paul being then preaching in an upper chamber, went down and fell upon him,Act. 20. 8. and embracing him, said; Trouble not your selves, for his li [...]e is in him; though he seemed dead, yet he was alive; And as substance may be said to be in an Elm or an Oak tree,Esay 6. 13. when they have cast their leaves, and there is VVine to be found in an unlikely cluster, and one saith;Esay 65. 7. Destroy it not, For there is a blessing in it. Such are the beatings of the pulse, the trances and the swoonings of Faith, beating many times so slowly, and drawing the breath of life so inwardly to it self, that no man can perceive any life at all; so that, unlesse the goodnesse of God should embrace it as Saint Paul did Eutychus, it would never recover strength again: such was the trance of Adultery in David, of Idolatry in his son Solomon, of Apostacy in Peter, of Recusancy in Ionah, &c.

Minding of good things, a notable way to encrease Grace.1475

DOmitian perceiving many of his Predecessours in the Empire to be so hated of the People,Impp. vita per Phil. Nepotem. asked; How he might so rule as to be beloved? and wa [...] answered, Tu fac contrà, Mind and examine what they did, and do thou the contrary: Thus if Men would but truly mind the Law and the Prophets, they would find themselves miserable;J. Wood, A Sermon at S. Iames Dukesplace, Lond. 1636. (For totus homo est inversus Decalogus) that they stood in a full contrariety to all the Law, and that is the very definition of Man: Now this minding will work a Godly sorrow, will make Men like those that after Iohn Baptist's Sermon was ended came with materiall Quaere's, What shall we do? and to make the conclusion up in their own hearts,Luke 3. 10. Is it comfort that we hear of; Repent, and it's ours; Is it Iudgment? Repent and it is none of ours; if any Vertue be commended, we shall fall to practise it; if any Vice be condemned, we shall labour to avoid it; if any Consolation be insinuated, to appropriate it; any good Example be propounded, to follow it; Where good things are minded, Graces will be encreased.

1476 The Mercies of God to be recorded to all posterity.

[Page]

SAint Augustine relateth of a certain Platonist, De Ci [...]it. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 29. that should say (as Simplicianus his good friend told him) that those words of Saint Iohns Gospell, In the beginning was the Word, Ioh. 1. 1. and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, the same was in the begining with God; were fit to be written in letters of Gold, and to be set up to be read in the highest places of all Churches; his reason was, because 'tis such a strong Text to confirm the Divinity of Christ; For as Saint Ambrose saith,In lib. de fide contra Arrianu [...]. Erat, erat, &c. Saint Iohn saith four times, Erat in principio, And where doth Arrius find, that it was not in the begining? And thus verily that Scripture where God proclaims his Nature by Adjectives, ought to be recorded to all Posterity l The Lord, Exod. 34. 6. the Lord God, mercifull and gratious, long suffering and abundant in goodnesse, and Truth; keeping Mercy for thousands, [...]orgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin, &c. Now, What is meant by all these Synonomaes, and Equivocall expressions, but that as an Act of Oblivion and pardon of Grace the abundant Mercies of God might be set out to the comfort of all Repentant Sinners.

1477 The Providence of God, not secondary causes, to be rested on.

SAint Ambrose speaking of great drought in his time,In Hexam. [...]ib. 4. when the People talked much of rain, he sometimes comforted himself with this hope, Neomenia dabit pluvias, the new Moon will bring us rain; yet, saith he, though all of us desired to see some showers, yet I wished such hopes might fail, and was glad that no rayn fell, donec precibus Ecclesiae data esset, &c. untill it came as a Return upon the Churches prayers, not upon the influence of the Moon, but upon the provident Mercy of the Creator: Such was the Religious care of that good Saint then, and the like w [...]re to be wished for now, that Men would be exhorted, not to be so much taken as they are with the Vanity of Astrologicall predictions, A [...]ra regunt homines, sed regit astra, Deus. to read the Stars lesse and the Scriptures more, to eye God in his Providence, not the Moon so much in it's influence, still looking up unto him as the primus mot [...]r, and upon all other Creatures whatsoever as subordinate.

1478 Hell broke loose by the swarms of Sectaries, Ranters, &c.

IN a City of Spain, T. Adams [...]xposit. on ep. 2 Pet. a Jesuite in the midst of his Sermon fell into a Trance (if we had but faith enough to believe him) and starting up he told his Auditory, that he had been in a dream, and the Scene lay in Hell: There he saw many Souls of all conditions (naming them whom he thought fit to traduce) from Coblers to Kings; Amongst the rest, he pretended to see abundance of Franciscans, whereat he stood amazed, that Men so holy and strict of life should come thither: This dream of his stuck in the Franciscans stomachs, till they could requite him with another; Therefore on the next occasion in the same Pulpit a Franciscan preaching,In lib. cui titulus, Beltum Iesuiticum. fell into the like trance, and waking told them, that he had also been in Hell, and could not deny, but some sprinkling of Franciscans and other Orders were there: But his wonder was that in all Hell, he saw never a Iesuite; at which Belzebub laughing, told him his errour. That the number of Jesuites in Hell did exceed all other Societies, put them all together; Where are they? replies the Franciscan; Alas, saies the Devil, they are in a room below, the Common Jayl is too good for them, they are safe bound in the Dungeon, [Page] stowed in the hold under hatches; For if they were suffered to come to the upper decks, they would set all Hell in an uproar. It was well it was but a d [...]eam for their sakes, and not so well that it is not a Truth for the Church and Common-Weal's sake: Many dreamers there are that say, The Spirit of God is come down amongst us in these latter times; but by the lives and practices of leud and Wicked Men, it may be concluded that Hell is rather broke loose, and the Devill let out for a season; Else what mean those swarms of Jesuites, Sectaries, Ranters, Hereticks, &c. that are found amongst us, Men of desperate Principles, Ephr. [...]dall Serm. 1627. and loose Conversa [...]ions, fitter for the dark rooms of Bedlam to recover their stragling senses, then the open ayre to walk in, whereby others may be infected.

Young raw Ministers to be reproved.1479

UNder the Law the Levites had their appointed times for their ages,Steph. Menoch [...]us, de Repub. Heb. before which they might have no admittance to the service in the Tabernacle, though they were never so ripe and pregnant; It was not well with Sacrifices, when Priests boyes were suffered to intermeddle; they never came to do any good service to God and his Church,1 Sam. 2. 13. J [...]r. [...]hillips Sermon at Southwell in N [...]rthamp [...]onshire, 1623. but they came with their Flesh-hooks to fetch sweet morsels from the Altar, and there caused the Sacrifices of the Lord to be despised. Whe [...] the young sons of the Prophets shall be set to gather herbs to make pottage for the food of Gods houshold, they may happily instead of wholesome pot-herbs, bring in Colloquintid [...], that when the broth is served in, they that taste of it may say,2 Kings 4. 40. Mors in [...]lla, O Man of God, death is in the pot. Thus are they worthy to be reproved, that being called to be Disciples, streightwaies run to the Apostolick function, 1 Tim. 3. 6. contrary to the Apostles rule, Neophytus ne sit, [...]aking upon them to divide the Word of God to his People before years and experience, reading and other helps, bring them to maturity of Iudgment; so that for their Forwardnesse it may be said of them truly, what the Factious company said to Moses mutinously,Numb. 16. You take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. No doubt, but God may enable some as he did young Timothy; but it is not common, not ordinary: Et da mihi talem, (saith S. Bernard) Give me such a one, and I will feed him with gold and silver; intimating, that there was none such before, and hardly since to be found amongst us.

A good Man, Merciful to the very beasts.1480

IT is said of God, Gen. 8 [...]. that he remembred Noah, Jos. Shute S [...]rm. to the East-Ind [...]a C [...]mp [...]ny, 1629. and every beast;Psal. 36. 6. yea such is his Mercifull providence, Prov. 12. 10. that he watcheth not over Men but beasts;Aelianus de Var. hist. lib. 13. and a Righteous Man regardeth the life of his beast. Nay, Xenocrates, a very Heathen, who had no other light but what the dim spectacles of Nature did afford, is commended for his pitifull heart, who succoured in his bosome a poor Sparrow, that being pursued by an Hawk fled unto him, and afterwards let her go, saying; Se supplicem non prodidisse, that he had not betray'd his poor suppliant. And such is the goodnesse of every just Man, that he is Merciful to his very beast; Alas, it cannot declare its wants, nor tell its grievances, otherwise then by mourning in its kind; so that to an honest heart, its dumbnesse is a loud language, crying out for relief; this made David rather venture upon a Lyon, then lose a Lamb. Iacob will endure heat by day,1 Sam. 17. 34. a [...]d cold by night,Gen. 31. 40. rather then neglect his Flocks. Moses will fight with odds, rather then the Cattle shall perish with thirst. It is onely Balaam and Bedlam-Balaamites Exod. 2. that want this Mercy to their faultlesse beast; and it is ill falling into their hands, whom the very beasts find unmercifull.

1481 Negligent Ministers, advised.

[Page]

WHen the People of Rome heard,Plin. nat. hist. that the Fields of some of their Colonies waxed barren, their advice was, that the Husbandmen should, meliùs arare et mi [...]ùs serere, plow better, and sow lesse: So when Gods Field waxeth barren,Jer. Phillips Serm. ut [...]. and the People profit not by Preaching of the Word, by reason of a negligent kind of Preaching thereof, it cannot be accounted ungodly Counsel to such as cannot speaken often, and well too, that they spend more [...]ime in their studi [...]s, and be lesse seen in their Pulpit; If they have fished all night and caught nothing, it were not amisse, that they should sit down a while upon the shoar and mend their nets, afterwards with Gods blessing, they may fish with better successe.

1482 Sin may be excused here in this World, but not hereafter.

IT is said of S. Anthony, L [...]u [...]. Surius in vita. that being upon his Travel, and set down to Supper, his Host set a Toad before him on the Table, and told him, That it was written in the Gospel,1 C [...]r. 10. 25. De omni quod tibi opponitur comedes, Thou shalt eat of such things as are set before thee. The holy Man, weighting with himself the irreligious entertainment of his Host, signed himself (as the Legend hath it) with the sign of the Cross, and immediately the Toad was turned into a well-dress'd Capon. This he did, as the Story lieth. But can it be thought possible, that a Leopard should change his spots, or a Blackamore be washed white? then may a Man Metamorphize Satans poisons,Dan. Tutevil Serm [...]n at S [...]tons Hospitall, 1631. Toads, and Serpents, banefull Sins and transgressions into nutrimentall Vertues and spirituall Graces; It cannot be. For Sin is crafty and full of delusion, living still upon the cheat with the Sons of Men, Usury walks in Alderman Thrifties gown; Pride gets the name of Decency; Idolatry praiseth it self for pure Devotion; Homicide marcheth like a Man of valour; Lust professeth it self Natures Scholler; Covetousnesse is Nabals Husbandry; Inclosing of grounds is Master Usurper's Policy; Drunkennesse gets the name of good fellowship; so that whereas it hath been said, that black could never be turned into white, the Devill hath found out some Painters that will undertake it,

—Errore sub illo,

Pro viti [...] Virtus crimina saepe tulit;

Vertue shall bear Vices faults, and Vice shall have the credit of Vertues goodnesse; but when all's don, the best of the Worlds Wisedome, is Vitia non abscindere sed abscondere, to excuse Sin here in this World, which will be sure to accuse the Sinner hereafter.

1483 To be carefull in the keeping and presenting our Souls clean at the time of death.

ONe that hath some choice Jewell, T. Gataker Serm. at a Funerall, 1629. that he purposeth at the time of his decease to leave to some special Friend, How chary is he of it? How carefull to keep it fair and clean, when he is at some time (as occasion serveth) to wear it and make use of it? And if it should against his VVill, and besides his purpose upon such occasion, by some occurrent or over-sight take any soil, How diligent is he to wipe it, or burnish it to get the soil off it, and to reduce it to its former lustre again: Such is the care that every Man is to have of his Soul, that pretious piece, that he purposeth at his departure out of this VVorld to commend to his God, Ia [...]. 4. 8. to his Christ, I [...]r. 4. 14. to make it clean and keep it clean.1 C [...]r. 10. 3. And because that by daily occasions, whilst he liveth here in the Flesh, and is conversant in this VVicked VVorld, it will be gathering soyl, let him be never so [Page] carefull; he must ever and anon be washing it with the tears of Repentance, and fetching off the soyl by serious contrition and hearty remorse; that when the time shall come, which he knoweth not how soon or sodainly may come, it may be presented pure and spotlesse to him, whom he intendeth it now unto.

Progresse in Piety to be endeavoured.1484

PRogresse in Piety and Religion is not unfitly compared to a building,R. du Moul n. Combat Christien. Iudg. 20. to a Race,1 Cor. 9. 24. to the Morning light,Prov. 4. 18. and to the Moon that waxeth.Cant. 6. 9. Houses are raised from the Foundation to the walls, from the walls to the roof; In a Race, Men run on to the goal; The Morning light is brighter and brighter, till the Noon day; And the Moon encreaseth more and more till it come to the Full; Habent et omnes virtutes suas conceptiones, nativitates, incunabula, &c. And all virtues have their conceptions, births, infancies and encreas: So must every good Christian have,Iosh 10. 13. he must not stand still in Religion,1 Kings 10. 11. like the Sun in Gibeon, Psal. 19. 5. or go back, like that on Ahaz's dyall; but as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber, that rejoyceth as a strong Man to run a Race, he must go forward, make still some progresse in Piety; It is not enough that he receive a Talent, but he must employ it, and gain by it like good ground, that giveth not the bare seedcorn back again,Mat [...]h. 25. but fructifieth in abundance;1 Th [...]ss. 4. 1. He must encrease more and more, as S. Paul exhorted the Jews of Thessalonica, and to grow in Grace, and in the Knowledg of God, 1 Pet. 3. 18.

Resurrection of the dead, asserted.1485

OUt of the Earth comes the bread that we eat; that bread, after it passeth several concoctions, is alter'd, and changed into bloud, then conveyed throughout the parts of the body, and at last attains to be even of the very same substance and Nature with the body: Thus that which was Earth, and sprung out of the Earth,R. Gardiner Serm. at S. Mary. Oxon. 1638. becomes Flesh in substance, which before, it was not; In the Numerical Resurrection, that, which was Flesh, and after turn'd into Earth, becomes Flesh again in the same Nature, which before it was; If that were not daily and ordinary; the difficulty would appear no greater in the one then in the other. Again, We daily see a tall, fair spread, losty Tree, to have risen out of a little seed;Moral, in Iob. cap. 19. If you demand, saith Gregory the Great, Ubi latet fortitudo ligni, asperitas corticis, &c. Whence was derived the solidity of the Wood, the superficial hardnesse of the bark, the flourishing greennesse of the leaves? Experience testifies, it proceeded from the spreading virtue which lay treasured up in the seed: What marvel then, if he that out of a small seed daily extracts the Wood, Fruit, and leaves in the trunk and branches of a Tree, doth likewise reduce bones, veins, and hair out of the least remainder of our dust? And having grafted them into the former stock of the same Flesh, commands again breath and warmth into that Flesh, bloud into those veins, strength into those bones, and beautifies those hairs with a fresher hew.

The Souldiers calling, Honourable.1486

HE [...]hat in these dayes of the Gospel styleth himself,Matth. Stiles Serm. to the Artil. Company, Lond. 1625. Deus pacis, Iosh. 5. 14. the God of Peace,Iob. 25. 3. did in the dayes of old under the Law call himself,Luke 2. 13. Deus exercituum, Cant. 6. 3. the Lord of Hoasts;2 Tim. 2. 3. The Scriptures make Christ, Nulla fides pietas▪ &c. Impius haec tam culta Novalia? &c. The Captain of the Lords Army; the Angels, Souldiers; The Church, a Squadron of armed Men; every Bishop or Superintendent of the Church, a Souldier, and the Church upon good grounds hath listed every Child in Baptisme as a Souldier of Christ Iesus; Eques, that formerly signified an ordinary Trooper, is now our Knight; Miles that was wont to be a private Souldier, is now our Esquire or Gentleman; such and so Honourable is the Condition and Calling of a Souldier, that though the Poets have inveighed against it, yet they must so far yield, that whatsoever of [Page] rubbish, and dirt is thrown upon it, it is vitium personae non rei, the fault of the Persons, not of the Profession, since God himself hath graced it, our Saviour hath approved it, the Apostles have commended it, the Saints have practised it, and our Ancestors gloried in it.

1487 Women Reformers, intolerable.

IT was a witty answer that St. Bernard gave to the Image of the blessed Virgin at the great Church of Spire in Germany; Rob. Wilkinson Merch. Royall; A Serm [...]n at the Nuptials of L. Hayes. Bernard was no sooner come into the Church, but the Image straight saluted him, and bad him Good morrow Bernard; Whereat, Bernard well knowing the jugling of the Fryers, made answer again out of St. Paul; O (saith he) your Ladiship hath forgotten your self, It is not lawfull for Women to speak in the Church: Thus it is commendable in a Woman, when she is able by her wisdome to instruct her Children, and to give at opportunities good Counsell to her Husband; but when she-Apostles, Women shall take upon them (as many have done) to hold out the Word in publique, and to chalk out Discipline for the Church, this is neither commendable nor tolerable;Prov. 31. 19. for her hands should handle the spindle or the Cradle, but neither the Altar nor the Church; the commendations that St. Iohn's elect Lady had, was not so much for her talking, as her walking in the Commandements of God, 2 Joh. v. 5, 6.

1488 When it may be said to be the best time for Prayer.

SUiters at Court observe mollissima fandi tempora, T. Goodwin Return of Prayer. their times of begging, when they have the King in a good moode, which they will be sure to take the advantage of: but especially if they should find, that the King himself should begin of himself to speak of the businesse, which they would have of him, then they take that very nick of time, and seldome or never come off but with good successe: Thus when God speaks secretly to the heart to pray, fashioneth and composeth it into a praying frame and disposition, observe such a time, Post est Occasio calva. and neglect it not, strike whilst the Iron is hot, lay hold upon such a blessed opportunity, such a one as thou maist never have the like againe; for it is a great signe that he intends to heare thee, and answer thee gratiously, when he himself shall thus prepare and indite the Petition, and frame the Requests that thou shalt put up unto him, This must needs be the best time of Prayer.

1489 Magistrates and men in Authority to be Exemplary to all others.

IT is observable in the very course of Nature, Ro. Wilkinson S [...]rm. ut anteà. That the highest Spheres are alwayes the swiftest in their motion, and carry about with them the inferior Orbes, by their [...]elerity; The biggest Stars in the Firmament are evermore the brightest, and give lustre unto those of a lesser magnitude. Thus Men that bear Authority, that are eminent in power and dignity, that excell in Riches and command, are placed in the highest sphere of humane Society, to this end, that (like sons of God) they might shine brightly unto their Inferiors, by their godly life and Example.

Ministers to be acquainted with the state of Mens Souls.1490

[Page]

MEn are careful that the Physitian should be well and throughly acquainted with the Constitution of their bodies, Arth. Hildersam on Psal. 5 [...]. before he administer any Physick unto them; And their case shall be fully known to their Lawyer, before he come to plead it; Nay, if their [...]aylor come but to make them a Suit of Cloaths for their bodies, he must be sure to take exact measure: Thus solicitous are Men in corporal things; and it would be better with them in their spiritual estates, did they but know them that labour amongst them, such as are set over them in the Lord. Would they but acquaint themselves with their Ministers, 1 Thess. 5. 12. it would much advantage their poor Souls. Da [...]id knew this well, and though he was a Prophet himself, yet he kept three Seers and Prophets about him,2 Sam. 7. 2. & 4. 11. Nathan, 2 Chron. 35. 15. Gad, and Ieduthun; the reason was, that they might know him well, and so far observe his wayes, that they might do more good by their Ministery; For indeed, How is it possible, that they that are strangers to Men, and know not their wayes, should ever apply the doctrine so particularly, or meet so well with their speciall and beloved Sins, as they would the more exactly do, were they better acquainted with them.

The Christians Library.1491

OF making many Books there is no end,Eccles. 12. 12. Ioshuah's Resolution; A Serm. per Anonym. (saith Solomon) and much study is a wearinesse of the flesh; every Art abounding with books of its own way and profession; yet as Aquinas chose rather to have Chrysostome upon S. Matthew's Gospel, then all the huge City of Paris. And as Iustinian out of two thousand Authors reduced the body of the Civill Law into a more near compendium: So it is,Lapide in Eccles. cap. 12. that the Christians Library is the soonest furnished of all other; it requires no more books but two; the one, the book of Gods Law, containing the Theory; the other, the book of his own Conscience, which contains the practice of his duty; And what a happy Student must he needs be in the School of Grace, that keeps for himself a true Concordance out of them both.

The Worldlings Woe, and the Iust Mans joy at the time of Death.1492

IF a poor Man that had all his wealth about him,Arthur Hildersam on Psal. 51. should fall into the hands of Thieves, and be robbed, and rifled by them, he must needs cry out and take on pitifully; For alas, he is quite undone, he hath nothing left at home to succour him and his poor Family withall: But a Rich man that hath store of Money at home, safe locked up in his Chest (unlesse he be some base, miserable wretch) will never complain much, or be disquieted, when he hath thirty or fourty shillings taken from him: Thus for Worldlings to rage and take on, when they must lose their life, or their Peace, or their Wealth, it is no marvel; For alas, when these things are gone, they have nothing left, they are at a desperate loss; but a Christian that knowes and considers what he is born unto, and what he shall enjoy when he comes home to his Heavenly Fathers house, Philip. 1. 21. he cares not though he be stripp'd out of all, here in this World, and rejoyceth in Death that hastens him to a better possession.

1493 The excellency of Christs intercession.

[Page]

IT is an usual term amongst those that be graduates in the University,Rob. Wilkinson, A Marriage Sermon, 1616. Respondebit prome Aristoteles, that Aristotle the eye of Nature, and heart of Philosophy shall answer for them, and justify them in that wherein they cannot otherwise so well stand by: Thus it is that we are but Vermiculi, poor creeping Worms; nay Vernaculae, Vassals and slaves of Sin, Et quid caenum Caelo? How shall we be able to answer the great God of Heaven and Earth? We have no other Anchor-hold but this, Respondebit pro me Iesus, that Iesus our blessed Saviour will intercede and mediate for us, his Wisedome will answer for our Folly; his Humility for our Pride; his Meeknesse for our C [...]u [...]lty; his Righteousnesse for our sin and Wickednesse.

1494 The force of Justifying Faith.

AS the Earth, Michael Jermin on Ecclesiastes. though it be made soft by those showers that fall upon it in the Winter time, and bring forth a blade, some kind of visible appearance of the Seed, that is cast into it, yet is it not thereby made fruitfull unto Man; It never yeildeth any good or perfect fruit, till it have received the sweet heat of the Sun into the bowels of it in the Spring time: Even so is it with the heart of Man. Iob 23. 16. It may be and is oft softned by the judgments of God [...]nd terrours of the Law, Exod. 10. 16. so that some beginnings of Goodnesse and Reformation may be wrought thereby, as in Pharaoh and the wicked Israelites, and in many a wretched Man in the time of his sicknesse; yet all this while there is but a little blade, Mal. 4. 2. a very slender shew of Grace, till such time as Jesus the Sun of Righteousnesse, (like the comfortable and quickning heat of the spring) do shine upon the Soul by justifying Faith, and then it doth bring forth fruit that is good indeed, and unto God acceptable.

1495 No true Ioy to be found in Worldly things.

COpernicus that thought the Earth moved,B. Duppa B. Sarum in Serm. before the King. 1648. and the Heavens stood still, was not yet so mad as either to look for Trees in Heaven, or Stars upon the Earth; And should not we think that Man to be either directly mad, or grossely mistaken in his way, that should knock at a Grave-stone for a Companion, or go down into a Charnel-house to make merry: And such are all they that quaerunt gaudium in loco non suo, that look for Joy in the honours or pleasures of this World; For, What is Honour? Lyes it not in the breath of others? A thin Cabinet of ayre which every Man hath a key to, but himself; Let but them above him agree, not to think him Great, or Wise or Noble; let but his fellow worms forbear to honour him, He that holds the Plow shall not change joyes with him; Look but upon the joy of the Voluptuous, Doth not sorrow often wait so close as to tread upon the heels of it?Nulla est sincera voluptas. The Epicure crying out of his gowt, even at that time when he is feeding his disease with riot: The Israelites were struck with meat betwixt their teeth, and Zimri slain in the embraces of his Cozbi; So that if a Man should share in all the goodnesse that is under the Sun, it were at the best but Indolence, a privation of grief, an acquiescence, a kind of resting of the Mind, no true joy at all.

1496 The destructive quality of Envy.

THere is a story of two Men that dwelt in a certain City,Nich. de Ly [...]a in cap. 3. Gen. the one very Covetous, the other very Envious; The Ruler therefore of the place sent for them both, wishing them to desire what they would, and it should be granted them, adding withall, that he who did ask first, should have his asking granted, but the other should have the same doubled: The Envious Man would not [Page] ask first that his Companion might not have more them himself; But the Ruler pressing upon them to ask, the Envious Man desired, that one of his eyes might be pulled out, —Anerius rebus macrescit [...]pimis. Horat. ep. 1. that so his companion might lose both his eyes: Such is the destructive quality and condition of Envy, and every Envious Man; Envy is the consumption of the possessour of it; The Envious Man is he that foldeth his hands together, and as a Man discontented for the contemtment which another hath, ever studying and plotting how he may bereave him of it; He it is that eateth his own Flesh, not sparing to hurt himself, that he may destroy him whom he hateth.

Not to be dejected, though the Joy of the just be not perfect in this life.1497

AS Gold keeps the name in the leaf as well as in the wedge, Bryan Duppa B. Sarum, ut anteà. in the coin as in the bullion; or as he that sees a beam or two shine through the crevice of a Wall, may say, he sees the Sun shine, as well as he that walks abroad: So neither are we so destitute of all comfort, as because the Earth is not our Heaven, Gaudia principium nostri sunt saepe d [...] loris. Ovid. Met. 7. to make it therefore our Hell; but we may say, there is a leaf of joy, the Tinfoil of it here in this life, some few glimpses that shine in upon us; As for the full, the solid, the Jubilating joy, it must not be looked for in this Valley of tears; There is joy, but not here; true joy, but not yet; tarry till the Harvest we must, then we shall reap in joy, when Heaven is our dwelling, the Angels our partners, Incorruption our change, Immortality our garment; the Earth is not the place of such joy, nor dull flesh the subject of it.

A little with Content, sufficient.1498

ABbot Macarius hath a story of a certain Barber, who trimming for three pence a piece,Ca [...]ian. collat. 24. cap. 13. had many Customers, and found his Estate to encrease well thereby; but hearing that in a City not far off, there was twelve pence given for trimming a Man, he would needs go thither: but when he came and found it to be so, going to the Market to buy provision for his Family, he found that to be so dear, that his great hire for trimming went all away in Victuals, so that he had nothing to lay up for old age, which made him to think himself better in the former place, though his hire was lesse, and to conclude with the Wise Man, Better is an handfull with quietnesse, then both the hands full with travell and vexation of Spirit. And certainly it is so;Eccles. 4. 6. that a little, even no more then a Man can hold in the hollow of his hand, being spread abroad, is better then much, which a Man holdeth in both his hands, bended and folded to hold so much as they can: But then the little must be a fulnes [...]e also, it must be an handfull, plenitudo Volae quietis, the fulnesse of the hand of quietnesse and content, Vivitur exigu [...] melius: Natura &c. fully so much as shall be sufficient for needfull and convenient occasions, that want and distresse may not disquiet the Spirit; And then in this sense, a little gotten and possessed; where Content layes up the comfort of it, is better then much, quod curae arrodunt, solicitudines imminuunt; the jovisance whereof cares gnaw away, and troubles diminish; a little that the hand of quietnesse and Content doth reach out, than much fulnesse, which travel holdeth ou [...] with one hand, and Vexation with another.

For a Man to be sorry, that he cannot be sorry for Sin, is a part of Godly sorrow for Sin.1499

THe Mother of Peter Lombard must needs be in a great strait,Bryan Duppa [...]. Sarum; A Sermon at the Isle of Wight▪ 1648. when having transgressed her Vow of Continency, she told her Confessour plainly, That [Page] when she saw what a Son she had brought forth, she could not repent, that she had sinned in having him; A hard condition! but her Confessour sadly answered her, Dole saltem quòd dolere non possis, be sorry at least that thou canst not be sorry: And the like may be said to every troubled Soul, that crying out for comfort, saith; you tell me Heavenly things of Repentance, What power a Religious sorrow hath, that God himself is pleased therewith, but Wretch as I am, I cannot sorrow; If one should tell me that all the joyes of Heaven were to be bought for one single tear, VVhat is that to me if I cannot shed it? VVell, for thy comfort; If thou findest but so much impression made as to grieve really, that thou canst not grieve; know that thou art already come to a degree of that, which thou grievest thou art not come to; thy very being sorry that thou canst not be sorry is in some measure a true godly sorrow for Sin.

1500 Kings, Princes, and Rulers, to hearken to good Counsell.

ORigen speaking of Moses embracing the Counsell of his Father in law,Homil. 11. in Exod. 18. 24. saith; Accepit consilium inferioris, ut forman humilitatis Principibus populorum daret, He received the Counsell of an Inferiour, that he might leave to Rulers over people a pattern of Humility: And it is said of Amal [...]sentha Queen of Italy, that being deprived of her Husband and Son together, and joyning her brother Theobald in the government of the Kingdome with her,Cassiodor. var. lect. lib. 10. she wrote thus to the S [...]nate of Rome; Exultate et factum nostrum supernis commendate Virtutibus, &c. Rejoyce and commend our action to the divine Powers; VVe desire to do nothing that shall deserve reproof, who have chosen to do all things by the advice of good Counsell; Vis Consilii expers mole ruit sua Horat. carm. lib. 3. A happy Princesse and a more happy People under such a Government, yet both Heathen! Be wise therefore, O ye Kings and Rulers of the Earth; For there is nothing doth make the actions of any to deserve reproof so much, as when themselves in their actions refuse to be reproved, at least-wise by good Councel; To refuse admonition, is in none a greater folly then in a Ruler, because it is in none more pernicious, to none more dangerous, more scandalous, being worse then a poor Child that receiveth instruction, Eccles. 4. 13.

1501 The least proportion of Godly sorrow for Sin, accepted by God.

SIx times Eliah's servant looked towards the Sea,1 King. 18. 44. before he could see any thing, the seaventh time he saw but a cloud no bigger then his hand, yet that cloud within few hours covered the Heaven with darknesse, and the Earth with rain.Vers. 45. Just so may be the case with many a Man when he is praying to his God,Iudg. 1. 15. Bryan Duppa. B. Sarum ut antea. as Calebs daughter did unto her Father, dedisti mihi terram aridam, &c. thou hast hitherto made me the owner of a dry, a barren heart, but give me now some springs of water, some feeling at least, some sorrow for my Sins; VVell, though at six times bending of thy knees,O lachryma humilis! tua potentia, tribunal Iudicii non veretur, &c. Hieron. in epist. God doth not grant it, and though at the seventh there appear but one smal drop swimming in thy eyes, yet be not discomforted, that drop may prove a shower, the beginning of that thaw may at last dissolve the very heart to water; or if not so, from the small drop, that spot of sorrow, there is made (as the least piece of a broken glasse may serve to reflect the face that is before it) a reflexion of true Repentance; And as there is full joy for the totall,In mag [...]is voluisse sat est. the full conversion of a Sinner; so there is a proportion, a measure of joy for one tear; nay, for one desire of a tear, of any one Sinner that repenteth.

Rash, inconsiderate Prayers, reproved.1502

[Page]

IT is reported in the Moscovy Churches,Mascovit. Russorum &c. re [...]gio, ritus &c. that if the Minister mistake in reading, or stammer in pronouncing his words, or speak any word that is not well heard, the Hearers do much blame him, and are ready to take the book from him, as unworthy to read therein: And God is no less offended with the giddy, rash, precipitate, and inconsiderate Prayers of many, who send their Petitions in post haste unto him; Whereas the Prophet David saith,Psalm 39. 3. At last I spake with my tongue; his tongue came after his heart; his words came after long-looking; what he would say, what he should say: And it is the advice of Solomon his Sonne, Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God. Eccles. 5. 2. Where he putteth the mouth before the heart, when he forbids the rashness of them because he would not have thee to put it before the heart in using of it; not to tumble out thy words when thou speakest unto God, but that they be distinctly digested into order, understanding well what thou say'st, that others may understand thee also.

Insensibility of Sin, the sadnesse thereof.1503

IT is reported,Bryan Duppa B. Sarum in a Serm. before K. Charls at Isle Wight 1648. That the Grecians had an Hill so high above that Region of the ayr, where winds are bred, that he that had drawn his name in the ashes of the last years Sacrifices, might at the next year of his return, find the letters unblown away: But thou, O Man, whosoever thou art, if thy heart be so calmly seated, that the Devil may at the same instant, read in the sluttish dust of it, the Sins which long ago he wrote there, if no Thunder have cleared the ayre about thee, or any wind scattered those guilty characters, if all be hush'd,Athaeneus lib. 12. cap. 6. silence and sleep and rest about the Conscience (like the sad Country of the Sybarites, where not so much as a Cock, the Remembrance of Saint Peter, was left alive to trouble them); If so, know then, that so long as thou art thus senselesse of thy sins, that thy Soul is utterly benu [...]'d, thy God hath given thee over, he will not so much as favour thee with a frown, or blesse thee with his anger.

The Vanity of using many Words.1504

TErtullian expressing the nature of Dreams, saith; Conspice gladiatorem sine armis, Lib. de Anima cap. 45. vel Aurigam sine curriculis, &c. Look but upon a Fencer without weapons, a Coach-driver without his running Chari [...]t, acting and practising all the postures and feats of his skill; there is fighting, there is a stirring; but it is an empty moving and gesturing, Notwithstanding those things do seem to be done, which are not seen to be done; They are done in the acting of them, but not in effecting any thing by them: So it is in many words, there is often much Fencing, but no Weapons wherewith the Enemy is wounded; there is much running, Tho. Turner Serm. at Court. 1637. but no Chariot that winneth the race. Much seemeth to be said, but it is to as much purpose, as if nothing were said, all is an empty moving of the tongue; And if there be any matter of worth in the multitude of Words, —Foliis leviora caducis Verba. Ovid. Amor. 2. it is but by chance, as when a blind Man shooteth many arrows, perhaps one may be near the mark; And so in the multiplying of many words▪ perhaps some there may be which carry some weight, some matter with them; but usually in a multitude of Words, th [...]re is no multitude of matter, and in the idle tossing of many words, what can there be but a fulnesse of Folly, when a Fools voice is known by them, Eccles. 5. 3.

1505 Not to repine at the losse of Friends or Children.

[Page]

ANytus a young Spark of Athens, Athaeneus Deipnosoph▪ lib. 12. Plutarch. in Alcibiade. came revelling into Alcibiades house; And as he sate at supper with some strangers, he rose on a sudden and took away one half of his plate, the guests stormed and took on at it; He bad them be quiet and told them, that he had dealt kindly with him, since that he had left the one half, whereas he might have taken the whole: So let no Man repine for that Friend, that Child which is taken away by death, but be thankfull to God for those that are left; He that taketh one, might aswell (if he would) have taken all, All are in his hands, and it is his great Mercy that he hath left any at all.

1506 Men of few, and Men of many Words, their difference.

HOmer in his Iliads hath appointed unto Dreams two dores,Michael Jermin Com. on Eccles. cap. 4. the one a dore of horn, which was the dore of Truth; the other a dore of Ivory which was the dore of deceipt; For, Horn (as they say) may be looked through; but Ivory being thick and dark is not transparent: These dores may very well be applyed to the mouths of men, which are as the Indexes and Tables of the Heart; For to some it is a dore of glasse, which is soon broke open, and easily giveth passe to a Multitu [...]e of words,Modum verborum quibusdam tenere, difficile est. Curt. lib. 6. wherein the Folly of their hearts and minds is discerned; to others it is a dore of Brasse, firm and solid in keeping in their words with more care and circumspection, and shewing the firm solidity of their hearts and minds.

1507 Why it is, that the Children of God die usually sooner then others.

SHould any of us have a Child, T. Gataker a Funerall Serm. 1627. an onely son in France, Holland, or some such like place of distance abiding there to learn the language, to see fashions or the like, and should hear that the Countrey were all in an uproar, ready to fight on [...] against another; What course should we take in this case? should we not in all hast write to have him home, where he might be in more safety? In like manner doth God with his people that he hath (as it were) at Nurse or at School here in this World;Alba ligustra cadunt &c. Virgil. When trouble and danger is toward those places, where they make their abode, he calleth for them away, he taketh them home to himself, wh [...]r [...] they are sure to be safe, far out of Gun's shot, and free from touch or view of evil.

1508 All Men must die, and lye down in the dust.

JAcobus Emissenus a famous writer and Tutor to Ephraem the learned Syrian, Andr. Masius in cap. Ult. Iosh. v. 32. reporteth; that when Noah went into the Ark, he took the bones of Adam along with him, and coming thence he divided them amongst his sons, giving the skull to Shem his first born, saying; Let not this delivery from the Floud make you secure, behold your first Parent, and the beginning of all Mankind; you must all (Nati natorum et qui nascuntur ab illis, and all that come from you) go unto the dust to him:Scriùs aut citiùs sedem [...]roperamus ad unam. And without all doubt, All Men must dye, and lye down in the dust, they may desire to stay long here in this valley of tears, and to live in this thin shadow of Mortality, when by the course of Nature, they are driven on, and carried out to their last home; the very encrease of their life [Page] tendeth to a decrease,Eccles. 6. 6. till they meet all in one place, that which Adam hath provided for all his Posterity, and where himself being already laid, all shall be brought unto him.

How it is that the Sins of Parents are visited on their Children.1509

IT is reported of a Persian Emperour,Plu [...]arch. Artaxerxes the long-handed, that for such faults as his Nobles and Captains committed, he enacted; That whereas their hair was wont to be pulled, their head [...] tire or turbants should be so used; and for such offences as their bodies had been wont to be beaten, their robes should be publiquely scourged: In like manner God dealeth with men, when they offend of themselves, he punisheth not themselves alwaies in their persons, but oft-times in their possessions, Iob 1. 1 [...]. Salvian de provident. lib. 3. in their goods and chattels, and in their temporal estates; And if in their possessions, no marvel, if in their children too, they being part of their possessions, nay part of themselves, Witnesse that indulgent Master, Math. 15. 22.

Reproofs of a Wise Man, not to be sleighted.1510

IT is storyed of Alexander the Great,Plutarch in vita. that having had a Philosopher a long time with him, at length said unto him; Recede [...] me prorsus, consortium tuum nolo, Be gon from me, I desire not thy company; And being asked why, made answer; Quod quum tantopere mecum degeris, &c. because having lived so long with me, thou hast not reproved any vice in me; For either thou hast observed me not to erre, which is a great argument of Ignorance; because being a Man, I know my self to be exposed to many errours; Or else, thou hast known me to erre, and hast held thy peace, which is a proof of thine unfaithfullnesse: It was the praise of that great Monarch thus to do, and in this he jumped, even with the Preacher,Eccles. 7. 5. Dr. Jermin on Ecclesiastes. Si merito objurga [...]erit te aliquis, Scilo quia pro [...]uit, &c. Se [...]. in epist. It is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise Man, &c. It may be not so pleasant, but sure it is better, and there is lesse hurt, and more good that ariseth from it; There is in Reproof, a jarring and harsh Musick, because it opposeth the fault that is committed, it disagreeth with the mind of him that hath committed it; but yet it soundeth sweeter then the melodious songs of flattering Parasites, who leading on to Wickednesse, do lead into destruction.

Magistrates to be Men of Understanding.1511

HEraclitus being sick,Diog. Laert. in vita. examined his Physitian concerning the cause of his sicknesse; but finding that he was ignorant thereof, he would take none of his Physick, saying; If he be not able to shew me the cause, he is lesse able to take away the cause of my disease: Thus there are many sores and sicknesses in a Common-wealth, mille nocendi artes, Sam. Garev Serm. at Assiz [...]s Norfolk. 1623. a thousand wayes of cheating, the generality of Men is (as Ovid said of Autolycus) furtum ingeniosus ad omne, witty in all kind of wickednesse; [...]ay, mundus in maligno positus, the World is set upon Mischief. And such is the subtilty too of Offenders,1 Iohn 5. 9. that Tertullus his trim tale for the Iews goes currant, till the Apostle comes after him and unstarcheth it; Act. 24. How easy is a fair glove drawn upon a foul hand? a bad cause smoothed over with goodly pretences? so cunning, so wary, and so wise are the Many, that (as Caesar said of the Scythians) difficilius invenire quàm interficere, it is harder to find them then to foil them; Pl [...]n nat. hist. lib. 9, cap. 29. Foelix civitas ubi praeses est Philosophus. Arist, Rhet. 2. like the Fish Sepia, they can hide themselves in their own mud, cover themselves close in their own devices; The Magistrate then, that Physitian of the body-Politick, had need to be Wise and learned, to get and keep that [...] one ear open for the defendant, to be a Man of great experience, [...], and judgement, to catch all such with the hooks of Iustice, who [Page] are crafty and slippery to avoid them, and by this means take away the causes of Corruption.

1512 Men to be carefull how they make Oath, in Iudicature, or otherwise.

IT is said of Alexander the great,Plutarch in vita. that being about to destroy Lampsacum, an eminent Port-town in Bithinia, Anaximenes the Philosopher, and his former Master, being a Native of the place came to meet him, and to entreat him in the behalf thereof; which being foreseen by Alexander, He swore that he would not do that which Anaximenes should ask him: Whereupon Anaximenes told him, That which I desire is, that thou wouldest destroy Lampsacum; Now Alexander being so taken by his word, for the reverence of his Oath, did not destroy the place: Most Noble was it in this great Man to keep his Oath, and necessary is it for all inf [...]riours to keep theirs; For an Oath is not a slight businesse, although it be despised,Phil. de [...]ecalogo because Men are accustomed thereunto; namely, being the testimony of God concerning things doubtfull,—Tantum perjuria vita. Ovid. 1. Amor. and therefore to cite God as the Witnesse to a Lye, must needs be a foul Wickednesse and horrible Impiety.

1513 Tedious length of Law-suites condemned.

IT is said of Hippocrates the famous Physitian,Soranus, in vita. that he was never seen to be in choller with any Man; And that he had many Schollers, yet permitted none to practise, before they had taken an Oath at the Altar of Apollo, to abbreviate the cure of all diseases to the utmost of their power: A good President for Physitians then, and a good Pattern for Lawyers now to dispatch their Clients cause with expedition,Sam. Garey, ut anteà. not to spin out time in the suit donec evacuata Marsupia, till all their Money is gone. In the Iewish Common-wealth, Judgment [...]ea [...]s were placed in the gates of the Cities, Ruth. 4. 2. intimating quick dispatch, that causes should not depend so long, as to become aged and gray-headed in Courts, lest they force the poor Client to say unto his Lawyer as Balaams Asse did to his Master, Am not I thine Asse which thou hast ridden upon, since thy first time till this present day, Numb. [...]. 30?

1514 Cruelty of the Wicked, no prejudice to the Godly.

IT is reported of Constantine, Caes. Baronii annales, an [...]o Ch [...]is [...]i. 324. that being spoken to by many to punish some who had thrown stones at his Image, saying that with the stones they had bruised all his face; he wiping his Face with his hand, and smiling with his Countenance, gave them this answer; Ego ver [...] vulnus nusquam in fronte factum video, &c. I do not feel any hurt about me; or any wound made in my face, but my head is sound, and all my body likewise. Plainly, so it is with them that keep the Commandements of God, all the evill which the Devil or any wicked man can work or do against them, it is but like an evil done to their Pictures, they feel it not.Eccles. 8. 5. For how should they feel evill, to whom all things work together for their good? It is true, they may know sorrow, but not so to know it as to take care for it;—Est ipsis injuria passis Utilis interdum. Ovid. in epist. they may find the dealings of Wicked Men to be evil, but they shall not much feel the evill of them; Nay they shall receive much good for the evill that they suffer; For, as it is an exercise of their Patience, so shall it be the encrease of their glory.

Goodnesse not Greatnesse, that holdeth out to the last.1515

[Page]

WHen a wealthy Merchant bragged to Lycon a Wise Philosopher,D. Laertius of the multitude of his great Ships, and Furniture for Sea, being able to trade into all parts,Jos. Shute Serm. at S. Mary woln [...]h, Lond. 1626. the Wise Man made this answer; I esteem not that to be Felicity, which hangs upon ropes and cables: Thus, when a Man is at the last cast, it is Piety and the true fear of God, not plenty and Prosperity (which are tra [...]sitory) that shall stand a Man in stead;Non amo illam fortunam rudenti [...]us ap [...]am The smoak of a Great Mans sacrifice, smells never the sweeter before God, because he is cloathed in silk, or like the Bird of Paradise adorned with pl [...]mes and fine Feathers; No it is the inside that God regards, He looks on Mans obedience requires his service, loves his thankfulnesse, respects his holinesse, and will reward his Faithfulnesse.

How it comes to passe, that Death is more generally excused then accused.1516

IT was a Fable amongst the Antients in former times,Imagini de gli. Dei d' Antichi per Cartari. that God appointing to every thing it's office and function, he gave order unto Death to take away the lives of Men; but Death refused the employment, and gave this reason, because he should be by every one accused, They would all be ready to say, that he had killed them; No, sayes God, they shall all be forward to excuse thee; Nay then, sayes Death; let me alone to undertake the service: Hence it comes to passe, that of such a one we say, He died because he was an old Man; of another, because he was intemperate in his diet; of a third, because he was carelesse of his Health; a fourth, might have been a living Man, had he not gone such a journey by land, or such a Voyage to Sea, so that with one thing or other, Death that Prince of terrours, though he have his name in Latine Mors, à mordendo, yet he is more generally excused by all Men, then accused by any.

A Minister to keep close to his Text.1517

THe Poet was witty,Sam. Garey. Serm. at Norfolk Assizes 1623. who made this fiction; A Client having fee'd his Lawyer, to plead for the recovery of his two Hogs: His Counsellour tels him, it should be his first motion, and so steps to the bar, and there makes a long Oration so far from the matter, that the poor Client thinking he had been upon another businesse, pulls him by the sleeve, saying; Domine jam age de Porcis, Sir, now plead for my Hogs: This is a great fault in Lawyers▪ that many times in their Pleadings they are so far from the matter, that neither Judge nor Jury can well tell what to make of it; But the like may be said of some bold Ignaroe's, such as in the Pulpit after they have repeated the Text, shake hands with it, and so part, never coming at it again, In ventum verba proferunt, their discourse i [...] like wind.Iob 6. 26. Act. 27. 14. And yet the people are much taken with these Euroclydons, Men of more tongue then Judgment; O, sayes one, He is a very ready Man, he was never out, and that's true, For he was never in; O sayes another, He never looked on his book; And that's as true; His Tutor (if he had one) could never get him look upon any; It were therefore to be wished, that as the Lawyer was advised to come to the point; so he, to keep close to his Text.

1518 Kings, Princes, Protectors, &c. subject to Death, as well as the lowest of the People.

[Page]

IT is written of Alexander, that having heard of Paradise, and that it was upon the Earth, he was very eager in seeking of it out, and to that end coming into the East part of the Earth, an old Man meeting with some of his Souldiers, bad them to tell Alexander, Quint. Curtius. that he sought Paradise in vain. For the way to Paradise was the way of Humility, which he did not take; But, saith he, take this stone and carry it to Alexander, and tell him, that from this stone he shall tell what he is: Now the stone was a pretious stone, and of such a quality that whatsoever thing was weighed with it, that was still the heavyer, onely if it were covered with dust, then it was as light as straw: The meaning of the thing did easily appear, as shewing Alexander and all others in power like unto him, that though in their lives they outweigh others by greatnesse of their Authority,Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat. yet that in Death all their greatnesse signifies as much as comes to nothing, and then they weigh as light as any other, they may forbid things by the Laws of their Nations, but they cannot banish Death by any Law they can make; they may dispatch away their Ambassadours to treat with Men, but not with Death; they may send out their Military forces to withstand their Enemies, but they cannot resist Death, Eccles. 8. 8.

1519 Magistrates, to be impartial in Justice.

SEleucus that impartial Law-giver of the Locrians, made a Law against Adulterers,In Cham. tom. 2 operum. that whosoever should be found guilty thereof, Exocularetur (they are the words of Reverend Bede) should have his eyes put out; It so hapned that his Son proved the first offendor, sentence was pronounced, execution ready to be done;Par [...]re subjectis et debellare superbos Virgil. Whereupon the People [...] submissis precibus rogitabant, &c. earnestly entreated the Judge his Father that he would pardon the fact; Who, upon serious deliberation, put out one of his own eyes, and one of his Sons, and so shewed himself, pium Patrem, et severum Iudicem, a Godly Father and an upright Judge together:Jer. Leech Serm. at S. Mary le Bow. Lond. 1627. Thus it is that Magistrates, like the Earth, should be immoveable, though the Winds should blow at once from all the points of the Compasse; not to favour Friends, nor fear the frowns of enemies, but proceed impartially according to the merits of the cause that is before them, Prov. 18. 5.

1520 The greatnesse of Kings, Princes, Protectors, &c. no protection from Death.

THere is a Relation of Alexander the great, Plut [...]rch Apoph. that as he went on conquering the World, coming near some Wise men, he called them unto him; and upon asking them some questions, he found them to be Wise men indeed. He bad them to ask some gifts of him, and they should have them; Whereupon one of the Philosophers said, We desire of thee certain Immortality; At which Alexander laughing, said; I accounted you to be Wise men, but now I perceive you to be ignorant. I cannot give that unto myself; How can I then give it unto you? Are you Mortall then, say they unto him? I am, said he; Then, replied they, Why dost thou disturb the whole World, seeking the dominion of it, as if thou wert Immortal? Thus it is,—Rigidum jus est, et inevitabile, mortis, Ovid. ad Iiviam. that the greatnesse of Kings, Princes and Rulers of the Earth, may do great things at home and abroad, may protect others from dangers imminent but cannot give themselves a supersedeas from Death approaching. They are said to be like tumbling Seas, whose boyling, swelling, overflowing waves bring terrour and trouble to all that are near them; But God hath said unto them, Hither [Page]shall ye come and no further, here shall your proud waves be staid, here in the midst of your march (be it never so fierce) shall the wheels of your Charriots be knocked off, and here in the ruffe of all your greatnesse shall Death arrest you.

Marriage not to be made for Money onely.1521

THere was a Rich Man in Athens, which had a daughter to marry, and he asked counsel of Themistocles, A Marriage Serm. 1632. per Anonym. how to bestow her, telling him that there was a very honest Man that made suit unto her, but he was poor; And there was a Rich Man, which did also defire her, but he was not Honest; Themistocles answered, that if he were to choose, he would prefer Monilesse Men, before Masterlesse money; Virum po [...]us pecunia indigentem, &c. Intimating thereby, that Marriage is not to be contracted for Money onely; yet the question is now, with what money, not with what honesty, the party (whom they seek) is endowed whether they be rich, not whether they be godly; What lands they have on Earth, not what Inheritance they have in Heaven; It is dos not Deus, all's good enough if there be goods enough, it is Money that makes the Match; But let such know, that as their Money wasteth, so their love weareth, neither is there any Love or Friendship constant, but that which is grounded on constant causes, such as Vertue and Godlinesse which will hold out to the last.

The day of the last Judgment, a terrible day.1522

THere is a story of two Souldiers that coming to the Valley of Iehosaphat in Iudea, Rob. Holcor. in lib. Sap. and one saying to the other, Here in this place shall be the generall Iudgment, Wherefore I will now take up my place where I will then sit, and so lifting up a stone, he sate down upon it, as taking possession before-hand: But being sate, and looking up to Heaven, such a quaking and trembling fell upon him, that falling to the Earth,Dies irae dies illa &c. Manilius. he remembred the day of Iudgment with horrour and amazement ever after: And to say truth, so fearfull and terrible, shall be the appearance of that day, that our Saviour in some sort describing the same, saith; that then the powers of Heaven shall be shaken: Math. 24. 29. Serm. in feria 6. Parasc [...]. de Angelis hoc dicit (saith S. Augustine) Christ here speaketh of the Angels, that trembling and great fear shall surprise them; so that if those glorious spirits shall tremble at the horrour of that day, who being guilty of no sin, shall not then be judged, How shall poor Martals stand amazed, especially the wicked, whose Iudgment and condemnation shall then be pronounced.

The benefit of History.1523

LUcius Lucullus being appointed Captain General over the Romane Forces against Mithridates, Praefat. ad vitam Pluta [...]chi. had not great experience, or knowledg in War, but onely what he had gotten by reading History, yet proved a discreet and Valiant Commander, and vanquish't at that time two of the greatest Princes in the East. Thus it is that History is, and may be the director of meanest Men in any of their actions, how others have behaved themselves upon several occasions, and what hath followed thereupon;Hist [...]riae Utilitas est magna foelicitatem participat &c. Diodor. Si [...]ul. lib. 1. de [...]abul [...] sis g [...]stis. It is a trusty Counsellour of State, by whose advice and direction, a Common-weal may be framed, governed, reformed, and preserved; an Army may be ordered, Enemies vanquished, and Victory obtained; In it, as in a glasse we see and behold Gods providence guiding and ruling the World, and Mens actions which arrive often at unexpected events, and even some times reach unto such ends as are quite contrary to the Actor's intentions; It is a punisher of Vice, presenting aged Folly,Joh. Crompton Marriage-Sermon. 1632. green and fresh to Posterity; not suffering Sin to dye, much lesse to be buried in Oblivion; It is also a Re [...]arder of Vertue, reserving worthy deeds for Imitation; A good Work, though it dye in doing is a Reward to it self, yet that some dull Natures might [Page] be stirred up the more, and all benefited by seeing gratious steps before them, this onely is exempted by a firm decree from the stroke of Death, to live in History.

1524 Men usually judging others to be like themselves.

IT is said of Moses and Ioshua, Mich. Jermin on Eccles. ch. 7. that when they were coming down from the Mountain, and heard a noise in the Camp, Ioshua said; There was a noise of War; Exod. 32. 17. But Moses said, the noise of them that sing do I hear. Here was now great difference of these two great Mens Iudgments; but the reason was, that Ioshua being a Martial man, therefore judgeth the noise to be a noise of War; but Moses being a Man of Peace, judgeth the noise to be a noise of Peace, each of them judging according to their several dispositions: Hence is that of the Philosopher, Qualis quisque est, tales existimat alios, Aristot. polit. lib. 3. cap. 6. such as every one is, the same he thinketh others to be, measuring of other Mens actions by his own bushel; The Lascivious Man thinketh others to be lascivious, The Covetous person thinks others to be Covetous, the Fool thinks every Man to be as arrant a Wise man as himself,August. in Psalm 118. Conc. 12. hoc proclivius suspicatur in alio, &c. Every Man readily suspects that of another, which he findeth in himself.

1525 Neglect of the Soul reproved.

THere is a story of one Pambo, Euripid. that on a time looking out at a Window, and perceiving a Woman to spend a great deal of time in trimming her self, fell a weeping; And being demanded the cause, answered; Have not I a great cause to weep, to see yonder poor creeping worm, consume so long time in decking and adorning her poor Earthly carcase to the sight of Man, Jame [...] Forsith Serm. at S. Pauls 1617. O Anima Christiana, evigila, &c. August. de doct. Christ. and I spend so small time in preparing my Soul for God? But were this Man alive now, he would do nothing else but lament, and take on to see how people of all sorts from the highest to the lowest, are taken up with high thoughts of their bodies, little thinking of their Souls, Men and Women trifling out whole dayes inter pectinem et speculum in finifying of their Fantastical Phis [...]omies, and not bestowing one hour in smoothing and rectifying of their most pretious Souls.

1526 To Compassionate others miseries.

THere is mention made of some Mountains,Cassiodori var. lect. called Montes Lactarei, the milky Mountains, on which the Beasts that feed, do give such nourishing milk, that Mens bodies, (though much consumed away) do thereby, not onely receive strength and health, but fatnesse also, whereas the beasts themselves are exceeding lean; so that after a wonderfull manner the beasts do not profit by that grasse, by which the bodies of Men come on and prosper; they go up and down near the thickets of the Mountains meagre and thin, and as it were, sustaining the condition of those who are healed by them: Like to these beasts should Charity make every one of us,Si doles, condoleo &c. Bernard de consolat, &c. Catena Grae. Pat. in Eccles. 11. 2. that as we comfort the Poor with the milk that we give them, the relief that we afford them, and that when we bestow our Alms, it should be cum sympathia et lacrymis, with tears and sympathy of grief, as having a Fellow-feeling with them, and bearing part of their distressed burthen, so that as passion wringeth tears from them, Compassion should do the like from us.

Folly to repent the choice of a Wife, Marriage being once past.1527

[Page]

WHen Caesar was to passe Rubicon against Pompey, Lucan. he left the Land with this Resolution That a Man could be undone but once: As it is in the government of a Common-weale, or in the ordering of an Army, Non licet in bello bis peccare, a Commander can erre but once (which is a miserable happinesse) overthrow and ruine following so close, he cannot have leisure to be twice faulty: So often-times it falls out in the choice of a Wife, Joh. Crompton, A Wedding Sermon, 1632. Men have not leave to change often; once blest or curst, must be for ever so; for better or worse during life, What is tyed by the tongue cannot be untied by the hands. It will be good therefore for Men to look before they leap, to be very wary in the point of Wiving, For if they marry they know not whom, they may (for ought any Man knows) mend their choice they know not when.

Charity attended by the certainty of Reward. 1528

VVHen Alexander set forward upon his great exploits,Plutarch in vita. before he went from Macedonia, he divided amongst his Captains and Friends all that he had; For which when one of his Friends reproved him, saying, that he was prodigal, because he had reserved nothing for himself; the answer which Alexander gave, was this, that he had reserved much unto himself; namely, Hope of the Monarchy of the World, which by the valour and help of those his Captains and Nobles he hoped to obtain: In charitate pauper est dives, fine charitate, &c. August. de laude charitat. And thus surely, He that giveth to the Poor may seem to be Prodigal, yet in respect of the hope that he hath of Profit, he is frugally Wise; Neither is his hope such as Alexander's was, which depended on the uncertainty of War, but such as is grounded upon the certainty of Gods Word, Prov. 19. 17.

Ministers to be careful in reproving Sinners. 1529

IT is written of Domitian the Emperour,Suetonius in vita. that a boy holding for a mark a far off, his hand spread abroad with the fingers severed, he shot his arrows so artificially, that every arrow did hit on the empty spaces betwixt the Fingers, and that not any one Finger received damage thereby: Such must be the care of every Faithfull Minister of Gods word, how he shooteth his arrows, how he placeth his words,Ad sit Regula peccatis, quae poenas erog [...]t aequas. Horat. especially in the matter of reproving Sin, so that the empty spaces thereof, and which by Sin are made empty of all goodnesse, may be hit and wounded; but that he leave the Hand and Fingers, that is the mind and desire of working and doing well, not wronged, nor impaired; Whilst he fisheth▪ for Mens Souls,Greg. de cura past. cap. 10. he must have a great care how he baits his hook, too harsh an Increpation (like an Axe that flies from the handle) may kill a Saint, when it should onely cut down the Sinner; Reproof being irksome to humane Nature, a violent and fierce manner in the using of it, will much hinder the good successe that should come thereby.

Uncertainty of Worldly things. 1530

IT is written of Sesostris, a King of Egypt, that he had his Coach drawn by four Kings, Paul. Diaconus de reb. Rom. lib. 17. Fallax est hic mundus, finis dubius, &c. Pet. Blesens. which he had lately overcome in battel, and one day perceiving one of them to look often back, demanded the reason, why he did so, who returned answer; I do behold and observe that part of the wheel which was lowest, becomes by and by the highest, and the highest, lowest; Cogito de mutatione Fortunae, &c. I note the instability of things in this World, &c. And most true it is, that the World is at no certain, now up now down, and the things thereof now here, [Page] anon there, so that nothing is stable under the Sun; Honours, preferments, Riches, strength, beauty, parts, all momentany and uncertain, subject to alteration; Greg. moral. lib. 33. cap. 7. Nay, Life it self, like to the waters in the River, quae velut à fontis sui origine, rising from the Fountain to the heighth, falls into the Mare mortuum of Death, and never returneth again.

1531 Christian watchfulnesse, enjoyned.

WHen the holy things belonging to the Sanctuary, Numb. 4. R. Sibb's Serm. at Grayes-Inne, 1630. were to be removed. God commandeth Aaron and his Sons, that there should be a speciall care had to cover them all over, lest in the journey, dust should any way soil them: In like manner, such as are the Children of God, and vessels of Mercy, ut teipsum serves non expergisceris? Horat. belonging to his Sanctuary, must walk circumspectly, and it must be their great care, while they are in the way of this life, that they be covered close with a diligent Watchfulnesse; otherwise the dust of Sin, or the pollution of some uncleannesse will easily fasten unto them, and braid even the best of their performances.

1532 How the Vanity of Worldly things may be easily discerned.

A Man that walketh in a great mist, James Forsith, A Sermon at S. Pauls, 1617. or some thick Fog, cannot perceive whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; but if he go up to the top of some high hill, or Mountain next adjoyning, he shall soon discern, that it is nothing but a vapour, arising from the cranies a [...]d intrails of the Earth, thickning in the clouds and vanishing in the ayre:Quod sine miserabili gemi [...]u d [...]cendum non est, &c. Bern. super Cant. And thus it is, that so long as the Earthly minds of covetous worldly men, are overshadowed with the darknesse of Ignorance, and thickned with a greedy desire of wordly things, they cannot see, perceive, nor understand the things that are of God, nor the Vanity and frail [...]y of the Creature; but if they would take a turn or two on the top of Mount Sion, and be Lifted up in their minds with holy Meditation, they would soon perceive, that all things of this life are sublunary, and proceed from the bowels of the Earth, and that all the glory of the World must passe away and come to nothing.

1533 Occasion of Sin to be avoided.

IN the time of the Law, the Nazarite was not onely commanded to abstain from Wine and strong drink, but he also might not eat Grapes, whether moist or dry,Numb. 6. 34. nor any thing that was made of the Vine-tree, from the kernels to the very husk. Strange! that su [...]h small things as these in which there could be no appearance of danger, Will Artersol in loc. should be forbidden! yet not so strange as true; lest by the contentment of these, they might be drawn to the desire of Wine, and so be carried on to Sin: Thus, the remote occasion was forbidden to shew how carefull every one should be to avoid the least occasion of Sin; hence is that Prayer of David, Remove from me the way of Lying. By, the way, meaning the o [...]casion of Sin; Psal. 119. And Heathen Seneca could say, Q [...]antum possumus à lubrico recedamus, &c.Epist. ad Lucillum. As much as we can, let us keep our selves from slippery places, for even on dry ground, it is not very strongly that we stand.

1534 Christ, the best shelter in times of affliction.

AVicen writeth,Lib. 8. that in the Country of Chaldea, there are many Rivers, and that the Hart being almost hunted down, makes to the River side, and being not able to passe▪ [...]oeth to the first Man he seeth, brayes and weeps to him for relief, and so is [...]aken; Which let every Christian man learn to [Page] follow this example, that seeing himself beet with innumerable Enemies, wearied with the burthen of Sin,Passio tua, Domine Iesu, ultimum est refugium, Bern. in Cant. and as it were overwhelmed with a deluge of sorrow and distresse, turn to the Man Iesus, who is able and willing to deliver him from all dangers imminent and incumbent, who is the onely shelter in time of trouble and affliction.

A Rich Man pleading Poverty, condemned.1535

ALexander the fifth,Mich. Jermin. exposit. on Ecclesiast. ch. 7. Pope of Rome, said of himself, That when he was a Bishop, he was Rich; when a Cardinal, poor; and when a Pope, a very beggar: And plainly, so it is in these strait-laced times of ours with too many wretched Rich men; who the Richer they are, the more wretched they are; as their store is enlarged, their Charity is contracted; such as having a M [...]le in their Flock, sacrifice to the Lord a corrupt thing, Mal. 1. 14. such as ride on Horses with golden chains, lye on beds of Ivory, eat of the fattest, and cloath with the softest, yet when they come to the matter of Charity, Prov. 13. 7. Magnas inter opes inops. Horat. to the relief of the Poor, pauperrimis redduntur pauperiores, they plead Poverty and make themselves more Poor then the poorest.

Magistrates to be active Examples of good unto others.1536

IT is said in the praise of Moses, that he was a mighty Man both in word and deed;Act. 7. 22. Serm. be [...]ore P. Cha [...]ls at S. Iames's, 1622. not mighty in word onely, as many Governors are to command strongly; but mighty also in deed, to do it accordingly. As Tully reports of Iulius Caesar, that he was never heard saying to his Souldiers, Ite illuc, Go ye thither, as if they should go into service, and he to stay behind in the Tent; but venite huc, Come ye hither, Let us give the onset, and adventure our lives together; A great encouragement for the Souldier to follow, when he sees his Captain march before! Quicun (que) proprium corpus subegerit, &c. Ambros. super illud Psalmi, Anima mea in manibus, &c. Thus it is, that if the Magistrate will perswade the People to any thing, he must shew the experience of it first in himself; Or if he will command the People any thing, he must do it first upon and by himself, otherwise if he exact one thing, and do another, it will be said that he is like a Water-man, that rowes one way, and looks another.

Sin, the destruction of any People or Nation whatsoever.1537

SEragastio, a servant (in one of Plautus Comedies) asking another, Ut munitum tibi visum est oppidum? Plautus ex Persa. How doth the Town seem to be sortified? The answer given was this, Si Incolae bene sint morati, pulch [...]è munitum arbitror, If the Inhabitants be well governed and good, I think it to be well fortified: And then reckoning up many Vices, he concludeth; haec nisi inde aberunt, &c. unlesse these be absent, an hundred walls are but little enough for the preservation of it: And to say truth, such is the destructive Nature of Sin, that it will levell the walls of the best and most polite Governments whatsoever; so that it is no more the walls and Bullwarks, the secret Counsels, the subtile contrivements, the valour of the Souldiery, or the greatnesse of Commanders, will be guard sufficient to a Nation or People, unlesse Sin, that is, reigning, beloved Sin, be first removed.

Magistrates not to be guilty of that which they do forbid in others.1538

ALexander the great Conquerour took one Dyonides a Pyrate upon the Sea, and asked him,Plutarch. Quid sibi videretur, ut Mare infestum faceret? What he [Page] meant in that manner to trouble the Sea? Sermon at S. Iames's before P. Charls, 1622. The Pyrate answered him boldly and truly; Yea, What do you rather mean to trouble the World? but because I rob and steal in a small Cock-boat, which you do in a great and Roya [...] Navy, I go for a Pyrate, a [...]d you for an Emperour: And when it is thus with the Magistrates in a Nation or Common-weal,Turpe est doctori, &c. when they punish that Sin in others, whereof themselves are notoriously guilty; though no Man dare speak, yet every Man will matter; And Socrates will laugh, because he sees Magnos latrones ducentes parvos ad suspendium, the great Thieves leading the little ones to the Gallows.

1539 Not to be disquieted at the Prosperity of the Wicked.

IT is S. Augustine's instance of One,Enarrat. in Psal. 92. that considering himself to be cast into Prison, and there to be carefull to do the works of Righteousnesse, whilest he that laid him there, lay wallowing in the abundance of outward Pleasures and delights, though he lived in all kind of excesse in Sin; the consideration whereof caused him to vent such or the like expressions, Deus! quare tibi servio? &c. O God,Iob. 21. 7. Mal. 3. 15. why do I serve thee? Why do I obey thy voice? I think the Wicked please thee, and that thou lovest those that work Iniquity: Such a Spirit as this hath from time to time possessed the best of the Sons of Men; but David came off well,Psal. 92. 5. 2 Sam. 30. 16. when he said; O Lord, how great are thy works, and thy thoughts are very deep. Deep indeed! so deep, that no humane plummet can fathom such a bottom, as that the Wicked should flourish,Psal. 37. 1. and the Godly suffer tribulation; yet by way of direction, let us not suffer our selves to be seduced with the Felicity of the Wicked, not to be taken with the flower of the grasse, nor gaze so much upon them who are happy for a time, and (it may be) eternally miserable.

1540 The greatnesse of Motherly affection to an onely Sonne.

SAmuel was not in his Mothers keeping, S. Price Serm. at White-hall, 1619. but in the custody of the high Priest, much better sure then in his Mothers; yet see how Motherly affection works; For, though he wanted neither meat nor cloaths, yet lest too much wind should blow upon him, she makes and brings him every year a little coat, 1 Sam. 2. and she goes up every year to Shiloh to offer Sacrifice; yea, and withall, to sacrifice a little to her eyes, that is, to see Samuel too; For if the Sonne be but a little missing, as out of sight, Sisera's Mother looks and looks out at a Window, and Why [...]arry the wheels of his Chariot, Iudg. 5. 18. 2 Kings 4. 20. and why is his Chariot so long a coming? If he be sick, then the Shunamite sets him upon her knee; But if the Son be dead and gone, then a voyce is heard in Ramah, Rachel weeping for her Children, and will not be comforted. So dear and tender is an onely Son in the sight of his Mother: Men are said to abound in Reason, but Women in Affection; such as flaming out like Fire cannot be concealed, out it must like Solomon's Mothers, What my Son, and what the Son of my Womb, and what O Son of my desires! As if she had said, O thou my Son, whom once I bare in my womb, and whom I ever bear in my heart, born of my body by course of Nature, but still unborn by strength of Love; The Father saith,Luke 15. 31. Son, thou art ever with me: but the Mother saith, Son, thou art ever within me; such and so great is the power of Motherly love and affection.

1541 To have a perfect Knowledg of God, impossible.

WE read in the Prophet Esay of the S [...]raphins standing about the Throne of the Lord, and that each of them had six wings; that with twain the [Page] Cherub covered the face of God, with twain his feet, and with twain he did fly;Origines exp [...]sit. in Isaiam, cap. 6. 2. intimating (as one well noteth on the p [...]ace) that with twayn they covered his face, the face of God, not their own face; with two wings they covered his feet, not their own feet; They covered his face, his beginning being unknown; they covered his feet, his end being incomprehensible, onely the middle are to be seen; the things which are, whereby there may be some glimmering knowledg made out, What God is. Thus as the Wiseman hath it, That which is a [...]ar off, and exceeding deep,Eccles. 7. 24. Who can find it out? Who can find out, What God is? The knowledg of him à priori is so far off, that he whose arm is able to break even a bow of steel, is not able to reach it; so far off, that he who is able to make his nest with the Eagle, is not able to fly unto it; Deus res quaedam est captu et venatu difficilis, &c. Clem. Alex. Strom, lib. 2. And so exceeding deep, that he who could follow the Leviathan, could not faddom it; that he who could set out the center of the Earth, is not able to find it out. And who then is able to reach it? In a word, so far of [...], and so deep too, that the depth saith, It is not in me: And the Sea saith, It is not with me: deep to Men and Angels, as exceeding the capacity of both;Augustin. de fide, contra Arrianum, cap. 6. Insomuch, that S. Augustine saith, making out the question; What God is? gives this answer, Certè hic est de quo et quum dicitur non potest dici, &c. Surely, such a one is he, who when he is spoken of, cannot be spoken of; who, when he is considered, cannot be considered of; who, when he is compared to any thing, cannot be compared; and when he is defined, groweth greater by defining of him.

Parents to be carefull in the Instruction of their Children.1542

THough Solomon was dear and tender in the eyes of his Parents, Prov. 31. Sermon at Court▪ per Ignotum, 1619. Gen. 18. yet they did not cocker him up, but taught him what he should do, and what he should not do. God knew that Abraham would teach his Children. Alexander's Father provides Aristotle to be his Tutor; And Theodosius finds out Arsenius to be his Son's School-master: Thus it is, that good and careful Parents have from time to time been careful to have their Children well instructed, ever whetting the Law upon their hearts, and seasoning their tender years with Religious Principles. O! but there is a love in too too many Parents, a doating love, which teacheth nothing; and there is a government in Parents, which looseneth all the reins,Parentes qui rectè liberos suos instituunt, &c. Laert. in vita Aristotel. and suffereth to riot and excesse; And there is a pity in Parents, a Foolish pity, which pardoneth all, and punisheth nothing, till God come with the sword of his Judgment, as he did to the Sons of Eli, and kill where the Parents leave uncorrected; A strange love to kill their Children with too much kindnesse! But good carefull Parents truly love their Children; and to prove that love, they teach them, as thinking them much bet [...]er unborn then untaught.

Fervency in Prayer, the prevalency thereof.1543

IT is observed of S. Augustine, De visitat. Infirmorum, lib. 2. That coming as a Visitant to the house of a sick Man, he saw the room full of Friends and Kindred, who were all silent, yet all Weeping, the Wife sobbing, the Children sighing, the Kinsfolks lamenting, all mourning; The good Father sodainly uttered this short ejaculatory Prayer, Domine quas preces exaudis, si non has? Lord, What Prayers dost thou hear,Iam. 5. 16. if not these? And certainly, It is the fervent effectuall Prayer that availeth much. It is Zeal that puts the heart into a good temper, and apts it for motion, which cannot be without an heat, it feathers the wings of Prayer, and makes it fly swift into Heaven:Nullum Deo tale est sacrificium quàm Zelus, &c. Greg. homil. in Ezek. Well may Prayer be the weapon with which we fight and struggle with God; but Zeal is that which sets an edge upon devotion, and makes it prevalent; hence are those usual Phrases of crying, wrestling, and striving with God, all which argue an holy importunity, and sacred violence unto Heaven.

1544 How Christ is said to be the end of the Ceremonial Law.

[Page]

THe Earth bringeth forth fruit of it self, but first the blade, then the ear, af [...]er that the full corn on the ear.Ma [...]k 4. 26. J. Ge [...]ha [...]dus in Locis Com. de Lege. Ioh. 12. 14. So did the blade or hearb spring out of the Law of Nature; the ear or culm, in the Law written; but we have in the Gospell, the pure grain or full corn, which is Christ Iesus. Therefore as the stalk or ear, are of necessary use till the corn be ripe; but the corn being ripe, we no longer use the chaffe with it; So till Christ was exhibited in the Flesh, which lay hidden in the blade and spike of the Law, the Ceremonies had their use; but since that by his death and passion, this pure wheat is threshed and wi [...]nowed, and by his Ascension laid up in the garner of Heaven, they are of no further use:Gal. 5. 12. Ephes. 2. 15. The Jews were taught by those shadows that the body should come, and we know by the same shadows that the body is come; The Arrow moveth, Col. 2. 14. whilst it flyes at the mark, but having hit the mark, resteth in it: So the Law which did level, and shoot at Christ with so many moveable signs and Sacraments, doth (as one may say) cease from her motion of practising them any more, having attained to her full end in Christ Jesus.

1545 Carnal, Unregenerate Men, unserviceable both in Church and State.

IT is the fashion of some vain-glorious,Sam. Torshell Serm. of Humiliat. Braggadochia-Courtiers, that when they go down into the Countrey, they do nothing but talk of what Friends they have in Court, what power they have with the Lord Protector, the Council of State, the Lords Commissioners, &c. filling their mouthes with the names of greatnesse and eminency; whereas indeed, they have neither command, nor the least of power to do any good, where they most pretend it. Such are all Carnal, Plerum (que) minima possunt, qui plurima Jactant, Thryverus. unregenerate Men, let their pretences be never so specious, and their discourses never so Heavenly, they have no interest with God, no encouragement to appear before him, no knowledg or acquaintance in the Court of Heaven, and therefore no confidence to be helpfull or serviceable to the place or Common-weal wherein they live.

1546 The Knowledg of God through Faith in Christ, the way to true Happinesse.

THere is a dangerous Harbour in our Seas (as Marriners say) at whose mouth is the Goodwin; Aurigarii speculum Nauticum. out of which the Pilot cannot make forth, but he must strike upon the sands, unlesse he so steer his Ship, that he bring two steepls, which stand at a distance, so eeven in his sight, that they may seem to be but one. And doubtlesse, we cannot come to true happinesse without the Knowledg of God through Faith in Christ; We shall sink into endlesse errour, unlesse we believe God the Father and God the Son to be the same in substance, the same true and living God,Rom. 8. 4. Ioh. 14. 26. who is our onely Pilot to guide us in this way, and teach us all things; if all things, then this Truth, the ground of Truth, the Knowledg of the Father and the Son Christ Iesus blessed for ever.

God, a jealous God of his Honour.1547

[Page]

VVHen the Empresse of Constantinople had let slip some words of Contempt against the Valiant Narses, Cedreni Annales. Niceph. Gregor. de Impp. Rom. lib. 6. that she would make him spin amongst her Maidens, It so enraged the injur'd Captain, that he protested in his anger, he would weave such a web, as all their power should never be able to undo; And thereupon in a deep revenge brought the Lombards into Italy: Thus, if the generous, of all other injuries can least bear disgraces, can it possibly be imagined,—Quis enim laesos impunè putaret Esse Deos? Lucan. 3. but that if we speak contemptibly of Gods power, if undervaluingly of his Wisedome, if complainingly of his provisions, if murmuringly of his providence, or if impatiently of his corrections, but that we do all things that we can to disgrace him, and that he will be highly provoked for the same?

Christ freely discovering himself to all that truely seek him.1548

WHen Ennius sought his Friend at his house,Lil. Gyrald. syntagin. and asked his servant, where his Master was, the Master said to his servant; Tell him, I am not at home: Which speech Ennius over-heard, but took the answer from the servant; Next day, the same Man comes to Ennius his house, and asked his servant, where his Master was; Ennius spake aloud, Tell him I am not at home; S. Torshell of Humiliation. What, sayes, he, will you deny yourself with your own tongue? Why not? said Ennius; I believed, when but your Man told me you were not at home, and will not you believe me which say so myself? Thus the Ministers and servants of Iesus Christ, should shew Christ to all that diligently seek him; but if there be any such as that servant, which denied his Masters presence, when he knew where he was (as some, which for belief in God bring Men to Romanam Ecclesiam Catholicam, the Romane Catholick Church; for Faith in Jesus Christ, to Papa non potest errare, the Pope cannot erre) yet Christ is like Ennius, he cannot deny himself, Ioh. 18. 8. he shewed himself to those wicked trayterous Iews that sought his life, and surely he will make a gratious discovery of himself to those that truely seek him.

Sin to be looked on, as it is fierce and cruel.1549

IT is usual with us to conceive of a Lyon or a Bear, S. Torshell Serm. before the King's Children at S. Iames's, 1647. or a Dragon, as (indeed they are) fearfull and terrible beasts; but if we should see them painted on a wall, they would not in the least dismay us; though the Painter should use, and bestow the best of his Art, and the utmost of his skill in the laying of his colours to make them look most fierce; And why? because we know they are but painted: And thus it is that the most of men look upon Sin as a dead thing, onely painted out by the Oratory of witty Preachers, and therefore they are nothing at all troubled; Multi evidenter peccant, quia turpitudinem peccati perspectum non habent. Thryverus in Apoph [...]hegm. But if they should chance to meet a living Bear or Lion in some open place, gaping and ready to devour, it would amaze them. Just such is Sin, of a murthering, destroying Nature, let every Man labour to see the life of it, the danger of it, the fierce gaping mouth of it, and then it will make them to run for safety by repentance.

The book of Scripture to be preserved above all other books.1550

FRancis the first,James Connyers Serm. ut S. Pauls, 1635. King of France, questioned Budeus (a good Scholler of his time) that if all the Volumes in the World were doomed to the fire, what one would he have, his answer was; Plutarch's works; because they had the [Page] impression of all sciences; And Thomas Aquinas chose rather to have Saint Chrysostome on Saint Matthews Gospel then the huge City of Paris; Here now was a couple of Schollers choice;Sint Scripturae divinae semper, in manibus, &c. Chrysost. in Psal. 95. But if the like Quaere were put to a sincere downright Christian, his reply would be, Epistolam Creatoris ad Creaturas, the Epistle of the Creator to the Creature; i. e. the book of holy writ; not Lipsius de Constantia, not Seneca de tranquillitate animi, nor Boethius de consolatione animae, would he make choice of, but the holy Scriptures, knowing very well, that in them he shall find the way to everlasting life.

1551 Sin and the Sinner, very hardly parted.

OBserveable is the story of Phaltiel. 2 Sam. 3. 15. M. Stiles Sermon at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. David had married Michol, Saul injuriously gave her to another: When David came to the Crown and was able to speak a word of command, he sends for his wife Michol, her husband dares not but obey, brings her on her journey, and then not without great reluctancy of spirit, takes his leave of her: But what? Was Phaltiel weary of his wife that he now forsakes her? No, he was enforced, and though she were gon, he cast many a sad thought after her, and never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Bahurim, weeping and bemoaning her absence. Thus Carnal and Unregenerate Men,Vitia quae amamus malumus excusare quàm excutere. Sen. epist. 117. though for fear or some other Reasons, they shake hands with their Sins, yet they have many a longing heart after them, they part and yet they are loath to part assunder: Hence it is, that as the Merchant throws away his goods in a storm, because he cannot keep them; So they in the times of sicknesse and distresse, when the Sea grows high and the Tempest rageth, when they begin to apprehend what Death is, and what Hell is, and know unlesse the Vessel be leighed, they cannot be safe, then they are hard at work, heave overboard their Usury, their drunkennesse, their swearing, and such like stuffe, not out of hatred to them, but love to themselves; For if they could but continue in their Sins and be saved when they have done, they would never part with them all.

1552 How it is, and why God loves us.

THe Ethnicks feign,Lil. Gyraldus de Diis gentium. that their Gods and Goddesses for some lovely good loved certain Trees; Jupiter, the Oak for durance; Neptune, the Cedar for stature; Apollo, the Laurel for greennesse; Venus, the Poplar for whitenesse; Pallas, the Vine for fruitfulnesse: But what should move the God of all gods to love us poor Wildings in this Fools Paradise here below? Trees indeed but such as Saint Jude mentions,Vers. 12. corrupt, fruitlesse, twice dead and pluck'd up by the roots, S. Bernard resolves it in three words, Amat quia amat, he loves us because he loves us; The root of Love to us lieth in himself, and by his communicative goodnesse the fruit is ours.

1553 Naturall perswasions, the invalidity of them in the point of true believing.

A Roman writ to Tully, Mr. Collings 5. Lessons. to inform him in something concerning the Immortality of the Soul; Tully writ back again unto him, Evolve librum Platonis, et nihil amplius est quod desideres, Read, saith he, but Plato upon the same subject, and you will desire no more; The Roman returned him answer, Evolvi, iterum at (que) evolvi, &c. I have read it over, saith he, again and again, but I know not whence it is, when I read it, I assent unto it; but I have no sooner laid the book out of my hand, but I begin to doubt again, Whether the Soul be Immortal yea or no. So it is with all perswasion from Natural principles, as to that extent of Doctrine it would perswade us of, the perswasion that ariseth from them is faint and very weak; It is true, that Nature hath principles to [Page] perswade the Soul by,Praesent [...]mque refert quaelibet herb [...] Deum. to some kind of assent, As that there is a God, and he must be worshipped; Look upon me, (saith Nature) I have not a spire of grasse but tells thee, there is a God; See the variety, greatnesse, beauty of my work; Read a great God in a great Whale or Elephant; A beauteous God in a glorious flower; A wise God, in my choyce of Works; Behold a God in the order thou hast seen in me;Rom. 2. 15. See him in my Law, written in thy heart. From these and such like things Nature bequeaths a kind of Faith to the Soul, and learns it Credere Deum▪ to believe that there is a God; but this is far from Credere in Deum, Faith in the point of true believing.

Christ's Humanity, asserted.1554

AS Alexander the Great, Plutarch. in vita. however the Popular sort deified him, yet having got a clap with an Arrow, said; Ye style me Jupiter's son, as if immortal, sed hoc vulnus clamat me esse hominem. this bloud that issues from the wound, proves me in the issue, a Man; this is [...], the bloud of Man, not of God; and smelling the stench of his own flesh, asked his Flatterers, If the gods yield such a sent? So it may be said of Iesus Christ our Saviour, though Myriads of Angels and Saints acclaim he is a God, Gabriel Prateoli elenchus Haeret. ergo, Immortal; And a crew of Hereticks disclaim him to be a Man, as the Manichees denying the truth of hi [...] Humanity; the Marcionites averring, that he had a phantastical body; Ape [...]es, who conceived that he had a sydereal substance: In symbolo Athanasii. yet the streams of bloud following the arrow of Death that struck him, make it good, that he was perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and humane flesh subsisting.

Sinners crucifying the Lord of life daily.1555

THere is a story of one Clodoveyus, a King of France, that when he was converted from Paganism to Christianity, while Rhemigius the Bishop was reading in the Gospel concerning the Passion of our Saviour, and the abuses he suffered from Iudas and the rest of the Iews, he brake out into these words; O that I had been but there with my Frenchmen, Nich. Caussin en la Court Sa [...]ncte. I would have cut all their throats; In the mean time not considering, that by his daily sins, he did as much as they had done. And thus it is, that most of Men, all sinfull Men, condemn the crucifiers of Christ for their cruelty,Hinicinarus in vita Kh [...] migii. but never look into themselves, who by their daily sins make him to bleed again afresh; The proud Man plats a Crown of thorns upon his sacred Head; the Sweater nails his hands and feet; the Scorner spits upon him,Agnosce homo quam gravia sunt vulnera, &c. Bern. Serm. 3. in nat. Dom. and the Drunkard gives him gall and Vinegar to drink; Our Hypocrisie was the kisse that betrayd him; the Sins of our bodies were and are the tormentors of his body; and the Sins of our Souls were they that made his Soul heavy to death, that caused the withdrawings of his Father's love from him, and made him in the heavinesse of his panged Soul to cry out, My God, Matth. 27. 46. my God, Why hast thou forsaken me?

To blesse God for the Revelation of himself in the Scripture.1556

IT is recorded of Ptolomey King of Egypt, Eusebii hist. lib. 5. cap. 8. that however he had then gleaned up two hundred thousand Volumes, he sent Demetrius the Keeper of his Library to the Iews, to have a Copy of their Law, the Book was sent, and Seventy learned Men along with it,Irenaeus. that they might translate the same into Greek; Ptolomey sets them to work, puts them into severall Cells or Chambers, that they might not converse together: After some time and large expence, every one returned his papers, not varying in the least from the truth of the Original. Such was the Love that Ptolomey had to the Law of God at that time, that he spared no cost or pains till he had it, being called the Septuagint at this day. [Page] But how are we then bound to blesse God, James Connyers Serm. at S. Pauls, 1635. that we need not send so far, or spend much to have the Book of the Law and the Gospel too, the whole Scriptures, not onely in our houses, but in Gods house, where they are read, and orthodoxally expounded, that it is but opening the casement and light flowes in upon us, so that if the height of our thankfulnesse to God, and the best of our desires be not thereto to know and to do, we are not worthy the name of Christians.

1557 Ranters, Roaring boys, &c. their conversion not confusion to be endeavoured.

THeodoret maketh mention of the antient Donatists, Haeret. Fab. comp. lib. 4. that they were so ambitious of Martyrdome, (as they accounted it) that many of them meeting with a young Gentleman, requested of him, that he would be pleased to kill them; He, to confute their folly, condiscended to their desire, on condition, that first they would be contented to be all fast bound, which being done accordingly, he [...]ook such order, that they were all soundly whipt, but saved their lives: Thus when we hear (such as they call) Ranters, Roaring, Dammy-boye [...], &c. wish, that God would damn, sink, or confound them, hope that God will be more mercifull, T. Fuller Wounded Conscience. then to take them at their words, and grant their desires, and withall heartily desire; that he would be pleased sharply to scourge them, and soundly to lash them with the frights and terrors of a wounded Conscience, the pain whereof would be so grievous unto them, that they would, without all doubt, revoke their wishes, as having little list, and lesse delight to [...]aste of Hell [...]ereafter.

1558 Christ the true Light.

THe Rabbines have a conceit concerning Noah, Joh. Plantavit. Florileg. Rabbinicum. that whilest the window of the Ark was shut, he made use of some resplendent stone, by whose rayes, the objects of the sights presented themselves to the Organ of the eye, being, as it were, the light of some Lamp or Candle unto them. However the conjecture may be curious, yet true it is, that Christ is that stone, which albeit the builders refused, is now become the head of the corner, a bright shining stone, Ioel 2. 10. Wigmore Serm. [...]at a Vis [...]tat. 1633. at whose presence the Moon is darkned, and the Stars withdraw their light; he is that lux illuminans, at whose approach the light of the Moon becomes as the light of the Sun; lux innata, that true light, that light of life; not lux modii, but lux mundi, that light of the World, in whom there is not so much as the least shadow of darknesse.

1559 Small buddings of Grace in the Soul, an argument of greater growth.

VVHen we behold Prime-Roses and Violets fairly to flourish,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. we conclude, the dead of the Winter is past, though as yet no Roses or Iuly-flowers do appear, which long after lye hid in their leaves, or lurk in their roots; but in due time will discover themselves. Thus if some small buddings of Grace do but appear in the Soul, it is an argument of far greater growth, if some signs be but above-ground in sight, others are under-ground in the heart; and though the former started first, the other will follow in order: It being plain, that such a Man is passed from death unto life, by this hopeful and happy spring of some signs in the heart.

Magistrates, Rulers, &c. the great comfort of good ones.1560

[Page]

THe People of Rome were very jocund,Corn. Nepos in vita Galbae. Suetonius. when they had made Galba their Emperour; but he had not been long in, till they began to change their note: For, they found by woful experience, that they had met with a carelesse and cruel Gover [...]our. A sad thing, when it is either with Magistrates or Ministers, as Pope Urban writ to a Prelate in his time very scoffingly; Monacho fervido, Abbatic calido, Episcopo verò tepido, et Archiepiscopo [...]rigido, still the higher in means,J. Gray a Serm. at Assizes Newcastle, 1636. the worse in manners. But, there is then good hope, when Men in power and authority can say, Non nobis sed populo, that they aym at the publique good: And happy is that People, that place, that Common-wealth, whose Rulers think no time too long, no pains too great, nor no patience too much, whereby they may glorifie God, and seek the publique good in the appointed places of their dignity.

Godly Company, the benefit thereof.1561

IT is observable of many houses in the City of London, T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. that they have so weak walls, and are of so slender and slight building, that were they set alone in the Fields, probably they would not stand one hour; which now ranged into streets, receive support in themselves, and mutually return it to others: Such is the danger of solitarinesse, Omnium so [...]ietatum nulla praestantior. est, nulla firmior, &c. Sen. ep. 11. and the great benefit of association with good and godly Company; Such as want skill or boldnesse to begin or set a Psalm, may competently follow tune in consort with others; and such are the blessed fruits of good Society, that a Man may not onely be reserved from much mischief, but also be strengthened and confirmed in many godly Exercises, which he could not perform of himself alone.

The excellency of Sonday or Lords day, above other dayes.1562

WHat the Fire is amongst the Elements,D. Hackwill Serm. at Oxon. 1641. the Eagle among the Fowls, the Whale among the Fishes, the Lyon amongst the beasts, Gold among the other mettals, and Wheat amongst other grain; the same is the Lords day above other dayes of the week, differing as much from the rest, as doth that wax to which a Kings great seal is put, from ordinary wax; Or that silver upon which the King's Arms and Image are stamped, from Silver unrefined, or in bullion; It is a day,A [...]hanas. in ep. ad Orthod. Ignat. ep. ad Magnesios. the most holy Festival in relation to the Initiation of the World, and Mans Regeneration, the Queen and Princesse of dayes, a Royall day, a day that shines amongst other dayes, as doth the Dominical letter clad in scarlet among the other letters in the Calender; or as the Sun imparts light to all the other Stars, so doth this day, bearing the name of Sonday, afford both light and life to all other dayes of the week.

Men to be as well industrious in their Callings, as zealous in their devotions.1563

THe Inhabitants of the Bishoprick of Durham pleaded a Priviledg,Guil. Camdeni Britan. in Durham. In qua quis (que) educantus est arte, in hac se exerceat. That King Edward the first had no power, although on necessary occasion, to presse them to go out of their Country, because (forsooth) they termed themselves Haly-work-folk, onely to be used in defending the holy shrine of S. Cuthbert. Thus it is, that many in the World are much mistaken, thinking, [Page] that if they be but once entred into the trade of Godlinesse, they may cancell all Indentures of service, and have a full dispensation to be idle in their Callings; whereas the best way to make the service of God comfortable within their own Souls, is to take pains without in their lawful Vocations, there being ever some secret good accrewing to such who are diligent therein.

1564 Variety of gifts in the Ordinance of Preaching.

IT is a received Aphorism amongst Physitians,Tillinghast Serm. 1642. that the Constitutions of all Mens bodies are of a mixt nature, hot, dry, cold, and moyst; and yet the Wisdom of God hath so diversly tempered these, that scarce in the World are two Men to be found, in every point of like temper; The face of a Man is not above a span over, yet let ten thousand Men be together, and their countenances shall all differ. —Quot capitum vivant totidem studiorum millia, Horat. Serm. l. 2. Matth. 25. 15. So in the Church, as to the variety of gifts in the matter of Preaching, let divers Men take one and the same Text, yet scarce two of a hundred (though all soundly and to the Point) are to be found, that have in all things the like gift, either for matter or utterance; some having five talents, some but two, some but one; some have a more excellent gift of Conference, some of Prayer, some of Exhortation, some in opening of a Text, some in application, &c. every one (though not all alike) some one way or other profitable unto Gods people, to help onward the building up of the body of the Lord Iesus, in the edification of those that are committed to their charge,

1565 To be more strict in the holy observation of the Sabbath then heretofore; and why so?

SOme Popish People make a superstitious Almanack of the Sonday by the fairnesse or foulnesse thereof,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. guessing of the weather all the week after, according to that old Monkish rime;

If it rains on Sonday before Messe,

It will rain all week more or lesse.

However, it may be boldly affirmed, That from our well or ill spending of the Lord day, a probable conjecture may be made, how the following week will be employed; yea, it is to be conceived, that we are bound (as matters now stand in England) to a stricter observation of the Lords day, then ever before: That a time was due to Gods service, no Christian in this Nation ever did deny; That the same was weekly dispersed into the Lords day, Holy-dayes, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, some have earnestly maintained; seeing therefore all the last are generally neglected, the former must be more strictly observed, It being otherwise impious, that our devotion having a narrower channel, should also carry a narrower stream along with it.

Gods gracious return of his Peoples Prayers in the time of their distresse.

IT is said of Martin Luther, Joh. Sleidani Comment. that perceiving the cause of the Gospel to be brought into a great strait, he flyes unto God, layes hold on him by Faith, and offers violence to him by Prayer, never leaving to wrestle with him, till he received comfort from him; at length rising up cheerfully from his devotion, comes out of his Closet triumphantly to his Fellow-labourers, saying; Vicimus, vicimus, We have overcome, we have overcome; At which time it is observed, that there came out a Proclamation from Charls the Fifth, that none should be further molested for the profession of the Gospel. Thus there's not any Age [Page] but affordeth Examples of Gods gracious assistance in the conscionable use of Prayer, T. Westfield Sermen at S. Pauls, 1619. when great things are to be effected; when crying Sins have awakened his Justice, and broken the viall of his anger upon the heads of a People or Nation, so that drops of bloud hang hovering in the ayr like clouds of Vengeance ready to break down upon them; When the dark and misty Fogs of Wickednesse, have been gathered from sundry places, threatening some great tempest of thunder and lightning,Et Dominum mundi flectefe vota valent. Martial. epigr. lib. 8. a black and fatall day near at hand, then hath the wind of his Peoples devotions, together with the swift gale of sighs and tears, by Gods special assistance so cleared the ayr, that they have not fallen upon them.

Patiently to wait on Gods good Will and pleasure.1567

PRodigious was the patience of Eliah's servant in obedience to his Masters command,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. 1 King. 8. 18. He went several times to the Sea (it were too tedious to tell, what was not troublesome for him to do, to be seven several times sent down steep Carmel with danger, and up it again with difficulty) and all to bring news of nothing, till his last journey, which made recompence for all the rest, with the tydings of a clowd arising. Thus we must not be disheartened, as though comfort would not come at all, because it comes not all at once, but patiently attend Gods pleasure; The Mercies of God are not styled the swift, but the sure Mercies of David. Esay 55. 3. And the same Prophet saith, The glory of the Lord shall be thy Rereward; this we know comes up last to secure and make good all the rest;1 Kings 18. Nube solet pulsa candidus ire dies, Ovid. trist. For where Grace leads the Front, Glory at last will be in the Rear, and the thirsty Soul long parched with drowth for want of comfort, though late, yet at last shall be plentifully refreshed with the dew of consolation.

Magistrates to stand up in the cause of God against all opposition.1568

WHen Theodosius the Great set forth a Law among the Egyptians, against their sacrificing to the River Nilus, Joh. Yong, A Fast-Serm. at Westm. 1644. it so fell out, that the River that year did not rise to the usual height in overflowing the Land; The poor Heathen (knowing no better) ascribed it to their not sacrificing, and blamed the Imperial act; the Governor fearing an insurrection, timely informs the Emperor, but withall hinting, that it had been well, if he could but have connived at that time; but the Emperor answered resolutely like himself, That it was better to remain faithfull to the Lord, then to prefer the overflowing of Nilus and the expectation thereof to Piety and Religion; yea, he would rather that it should never flow again. Here was a Law seasonably declared, and an Heroical resolution thereupon,Sudandum est iis qui Magistratum gerunt, &c. Cic. pro Sestis. not upon any pretence whatsoever to repeal that Law which was conformable to Gods Word. With the like courage ought all Magistrates to maintain and stand up for warrantable Laws, to bear up for Gods honour in defence of that which is good in Gods sight, and by no means be induced to sin against God, either under hope of gain, or fear of approaching danger, to let those good, antient and fundamental Laws to sink, whereby Religion and the Common-wealth have been upheld.

Men to pray for others as well as themselves.1569

WHen David had prayed, O my God, I trust in thee, let me not be ashamed; In the next verse (as if conscious to himself,Psal. 25. 2. T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. Gen. 10. 11. that his Prayers were too restrictive, narrow and niggardly) he enlargeth the bounds thereof, and builds them on a broader bottom, yet let none that wait on thee be ashamed. Thus it is that Charity in the midst of our Religious devotions must have Rechoboth, Room enough to expatiate in, Our Petitions must not be pent or confind to our own private good, but extended to the benefit of all Gods servants in what condition soever.

1570 Not to converse with Hereticks, Seducers, &c.

[Page]

MArcion the Heretick meeting with Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna, Ensebii hist. lib. 4. cap. 14. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 3. desired of him, that he might know him; The good Man made answer, As for thee, I know thee to be the first born of the Devil; the like we may read of S. John, who coming to a Bath found Cerinthus there, but presently went out again, saying; that it was impossible such a place should stand, where such an Heretick remained: Thus the Saints of old, according to that of the second of S. John, W. Strong, a Fast-Sermon 1646. vers. 10. received not such into their houses, or bad them, God speed; And so should we, not favour such as are deceivers and false Teachers, nor out of love to the Errour, or an affectation of novelty, countenance or converse with them; but in testimony of our Zeal for God, and constancy in the Truth reject them, avoid them that they be not encouraged in their Sin, nor we partakers thereof, as abettors of their evill deeds.

1571 Prayer for others in the same condition with our selves, prevalent with God.

BEggars when they crave an Alms constantly use one main Motive,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. that the person of whom they beg may be preserved from that misery, whereof they themselves have had wofull experience: If they be blind, they cry; Master, God blesse your eye-sight; If lame, God blesse your limbs; If undone by casual burning, God blesse you and yours from Fire. Tu quoque fac simile, let every good Christian do the like, and reason good; For Christ, though his Person be now glorified in Heaven, yet he is still subject, by sympathy of his Saints on earth, to hunger, nakednesse, imprisonment, banishment, and a wounded Conscience, and so may stand in need of feeding, cloathing, visiting, comforting and curing. So that when we pray to Christ for any favour, it is a good plea to urge, edge and enforce our requests withall, Lord grant us such or such a grace, and never maist thou, Lord, in thy mystical members, be perplexed, vexed or tormented with such or such an extremity, further then may make out for thy glory, and their everlasting good.

1572 Ministers to be (as they are called) Spiritual Men.

IT is said of the Angels that they are Spirits,Psal. 104. 4. Fenner Christ's alarm, 1646. Spiritual Creatures; their Communion, spiritual; their food, spiritual; their delights, spiritual; their affections and minds, spiritual; Thus it is, that the Minister (though he be a body as well as his People) yet he should be a spiritual Man in an especial manner, he should have animam separatam, a Soul separated and sequestred from bodily things, Casta placent superis purà cum veste venite. Tibull. 2. 1. taken up with spiritual affairs, holding forth the fruits of the spirit; his Sermons should not onely be Moral but spiritual; his carriage, spiritual; his discourse, spiritual; If otherwise, his own phrases will rise up in Judgment against him; Ministers are called the Spiritualty, as though the People were carnal in comparison of them,Hos. 9. 7. whereas the truth is, Many are spirituall Mad men, being nothing lesse then what they professe to be, spiritual Men in a mockery, such, as prophane ones call a spiritual Pig, that is, the poorest of all the ten, such a one as hath no substance in it; so no substance, no goodnesse, no holinesse at all in them, whereas they should exceed all others.

Fatherly Counsel, hath and ought to be prevalent with Children.1573

[Page]

ARistotle that great Philosopher, tells us of Archilocus; who being desirous to give some prevalent Counsell, Lib. de Republica. and effectual advice to Lycambes, whose Father was dead, did while he was writing his admonitions, by an elegant Prosopopeia bring in his Father, and (as it were) so put the pen into his Fathers hand, that Lycambes might receive those Instructions from one, who by his very Relation, was much more probable to prevail than himself; The like passage is also in Cicero, that Prince of Oratory and Eloquence, as the former was of Philosophy;Ad Atticum, li [...]. 12. that he being to read a lecture of Modesty and Temperance to his Friend Clodia, raised up her Father Appius Caius from the grave, and in his name delivered his directions to the daughter: Both of these in this practise of theirs intimating thus much to all succeeding ages, that it is neither the Philosophers wisedome be it never so deep, Pater, adsum▪ Impera quid vis, &c. Plaut. Trin. nor the Orators eloquence, be it never so winning is so effectual in the hearts of Children as the voice of Fatherly Counsell, being (as it ought to be) more perswasive and powerfull then any other Argument or Rhetorick whatsoever.

Ministers to be earnestly Zealous in Preaching Gods word.1574

IT is a pretty story of Demosthenes when one told him, that he was beate [...] and abused by such a Man;Joh. Combesii Enchirid. Apophtheg. Philosoph. It seems he told it very dreamingly and coldly shewing no affection at all; Why, saith Demosthenes, Hath he beaten thee? I do not believe it; No? saith the Man, and so grew into a very great passion, I am sure thus and thus he did to me, And do not you call this beating? Nay, saith Demosthenes, Now I believe that he hath beaten thee indeed, now thou speakest as if it were true what thou saydst: So when a Minister preacheth unto People in a dreaming manner, standing in a Pulpit as though he were saying of his lesson, Rectitudinis Zelo contra Vitia hominum accendendus est. Greg. in Ezech. hom. 5▪ though the things he saith be never so weighty, yet the People will not believe him; but when he is earnestly zealous in Gods message, when he preacheth as one having Authority, then it is that the Peoples hearts may be said to burn within them, Luke ult.

How far Self-safety may be consulted.1575

THere is an Apologue of an Asse, David Hume hist. of Douglas and Angus. which a certain silly King did love so dearly, that he had a great mind to have her to speak, they told him it was a thing impossible and against Nature; but he being impatient, and not enduring to have his desire crossed, slew them, because they told him the truth: At last trying about, what others could do; one, who was made wise by their example, being required to do it, he undertook it, but withall he shewed him the greatnesse of the charge, and difficulty of the work. The King being eager to have it done, told him he should have what allowance he pleased, and bade him spare for no charges, and that besides he would reward him liberally. The Physitian also told him, that it would be a long cure, and could not be done in a day, ten years were the fewest that could be allotted to perfect a work of that Nature; so they agreed, and the Physitian began to fall to work about his Asse; His Friends hearing of it, came to him, and asked him, What he meant to take in hand a thing so utterly impossible; He smiled and said unto them, I thought you had been wiser, then to ask me such a question; If I had, sayes he, refused to have taken it in hand, he had put me to death presently, now I have gained ten years time, and before that he expired, Who can tell what may happen? The King[Page]may die, the Asse may die, or I myself may die, and if any of these happen, I am in freedome and safety▪ Malè sapit qui sibi non sapit. Thus in the midst of temporal dangers, whether imminent or incumbent, self-safety may and ought to be consulted, if a Man be persecuted in one City,Matth. 10. 23. he may lawfully fly into another; but with this Proviso, that if the cause of God and Religion be therein concerned, then farewell life and liberty and all, for in such a case, he that layeth down his life shall preserve it; he that lo [...]eth all shall find all, Matth. 10. 38.

1576 The World not to be trusted unto.

THere is a facetious story of a Copyholder dwelling on the Sea side near Plimouth, Dr. Loe, A Serm. at Funerals of Dr. Featly, 1645. who perceiving that divers of his Neighbours trading to Sea, came home gallant and rich, and lived in a plentiful manner, would by all means to Sea too; He puts off his stock, makes money of all that he had, and leaves his Wife and Children with Friends; his trading was into Spain, the fraight return'd was in Figgs; A great flaw of Wind comes, the Ship was in danger, she must be leightned, over-board go the Figgs, the poor Man cryes out, O there goes my Oxen, my Sheep, and all that I have in the World; Home he comes poor, his Neighbours pity his folly, one lends him an Ox, another a Horse; after some few years he picks up his crums again, and being at Plow on a very fair day, cryes Hoe to his boy that did drive, and standing still, looks on the Sea, and seeing it very calm, said; A wannion on you, How is't you look so smooth now?Mari justè comparatur hic mundus, &c. Casciodor. super Psalm. 44. you long for more Figgs, do you? your fair looks shall never deceive me again, I warrant you; drive on, boy. Thus the World is like unto the Sea, very uncertain, there's no trusting to it, like that Sea mentioned in the Revelation, a glassy and Crystalline S [...]a, Chap. 4. v. 6. brittle as glasse, Ubi splendet, frangitur, where it is most shining and resplendent, there it soonest cracks and breaks asunder, gulling with its transparency, ebbing and flowing according to the influence of its Lunary Mistresse, one while lifting up to Heaven upon her billows and anon sinking down her Favourites as it were to Hell, Psal. 107. 27.

1577 Wherein the true Valour of a Captain or Souldier in Warre consisteth.

IT was the saying of Scipio, Sir Walt. Raleigh hist. of the World. that warlike African, who being reproached by a certain Man, that he was not so forward a fighter as he could have wished; That his Mother had born him to be a Commander, not a Fighter; intimating, that a Captain's chief place was to command all, and to choose fit times, places, and means for fighting; not that he should account it his honour to fight upon the request of his Enemy, but as he found most expedient and convenient for himself, —Fortissimus ille est, Qui promptus metuenda pati, si cominus instent, Et differre potest. Lucan. lib. 7. in wisdome choosing the form, the Field, the time, the place, and all for the advantage of his Army, giving not the least foot of advance to his Enemy, whereof he could possibly hinder him. And thus it is, that many (though otherwise high-spirited enough) do erre in a false opinion of their own valour, and thereby lose both themselves and their honours; so that whilest they affect to be called gallant Fighters, do prove indeed to be but foolish Commanders, and ill Captains, not getting that Honour and Va [...]our which they so eagerly seek, but the blame of temerity and rashnesse, which they should mostly avoid.

1578 Ministers to be active and vigorous in the reproof of Sin.

SUppose a Town to be all on fire, Mr. Fenner Christ's alarm, 1646. Should we not count the Man ridiculous, that should come and tell us a cold story, saying; Sirs, let me tell you a thing, there is a great Fire in the Town, and I verily think it may burn all the Town, and you [Page]should do well to go and quench it. This Man tells us so indeed; but should not we think him a Fool for telling us such a thing in such a cold and carelesse manner? Nature it self teacheth another course in such a case, Fire, Fire, help, O help, for the Lords sake; water, water in all haste; Alas, alas, we are undone, quickly, quickly, unumquen (que) Christianum zelus dom [...]s Dei comedat; probibe quas potes, &c. Aug. tract. 20. in Ioh. run for ladders, run for buckets, run for wet cloaths; Ah you lazy Villain! run apace for Iron hooks, and the like. So it is in the matter of Preaching, What weighty things doth the Word contain? Truths that should make the very bowels of the Minister to yern, and pour out his affections in the Pulpit, to rouze up the Peoples thoughts, and awaken them from the sleep of Sin and security, wherein they have a long time snorted; otherwise when they hear of matters of life and death, eternal life, salvation and damnation, they sit like blocks on their feats, as though it were no matter of concernment.

Not to be hasty in the matter of Revenge.1579

IT is reported of Iames the Fourth,David Humes Hist. of Douglas and Angus. King of Scotland, that being much offended with the Earl Crawford, he vowed to pull down his house from the top to the bottom; but the Earl by his timely submission took off the edge of the Kings anger against him; Insomuch, that the King (that he might in some sort be as big as his word) went up to the top of his house, and without doing any more harm at all, threw down a little stone which was closed to the Fabrick, which is to this day kept as a Monument of the Kings favour to that Family. And thus it were to be wished,J. Preston Sermon at Lincolns-Inne, 1626. that Men in the height and heat of their passion would throw themselves down at the footstool of him to whom vengeance belongeth, not to be hasty in matters of Revenge, and upon every sleight occasion, or the least punctilio of honour to be ready to sheath their swords in the bowels of one another;Noli imitari malum virorum sed justitiae relinque vindictam. Phocilides. Ioh. 8. 50. thus to do, is sawcily to seat themselves upon Gods throne, and as much as in them lyeth, to wrest the sword out of his hands; But let all such know, that the lesse any Man strives for himself, the more God is his Champion; and he that said, I seek not my own glory, addes, but there is one that seeks it and judgeth. God takes his part ever that fights not for himself.

More Converts made by Preaching, then by Reading.1580

A Man may be converted by Reading,S. Clark Marrow of Eccles. hist. In lib. confession. Rom. 13. 14. as Luther said he was; It is the confession of Luther, that the reading of Iohn Hus's Works, was the main cause of his Conversion; And S. Augustin's, tolle, lege, taking up of the book, and reading that of the Apostle, Not in chambering and wantonnesse, was, by Gods especial favour, a means to draw him out of that puddle of Sin, wherein he had a long time wallowed. Rev. 1. 3. Thus there is a blessing for Readers. And there may a Fish or two hang on the Net, being let down on a heap; but that's a chance; It is not the Net lapped up together that bringeth in the draught, Lectio lecta juvat, sed praedicata plus ad pictatis affectum movet. Phil.▪ Diex. sum. praed. but hailed out at length and spread all abroad that closeth in the Fish; So it is the spreading of the Word, the stretching of it out upon every Soul present by the work of the Ministry, that is the way to catch many; so that the reason of such ill successe in many Ministers is, not spreading the net, not dilating upon the matter in hand, whereby their Preaching seems to be little better then Reading.

Magistrates, Rulers, &c. of all Men, to be resolved in the cause of God and their Country.1581

JAmes the Third King of Scotland, Geo. Buchan. historia Scortica. waving the wholesome advice of his Nobility; betook himself to the Counsels of some few unworthy Men, insomuch that all things were out of order, so that the Nobility fell upon consultations [Page] for the good of their King and Country; Archibald Earl of Angus contrives the way, how the wicked Counsellors might be fe [...]ch'd off from the King; all approve it, onely the Lord Grey perceiving the forwardnesse of the People, told them the Fable of the Rats and Mice, who consulting in a publique meeting, how they might be secured from the surprisal of their publique Enemy,Rex est qui metuit nihil, quem non lancea militis, &c. Sen. traged. 2. the Cat, found out (as they thought) a very good way for their safety, which was to hang a bell about every Cats neck, that so they might have warning of their approach, and shift for themselves; But when it was put to the question, Who should und [...]rtake to tye the bell about the Cats neck, they were all at a stand, not one durst undertake to do it: The Earl of Angus sodainly smelt out his meaning, and what application was to be made upon the matter, and thereupon made answer, I will bell the Catt, and what your Lordships shall conclude fit to be done, D. T. Jones Serm. at S. Peter Pauls-Wharf, 1647. shall not want for Execution; which fell out accordingly. And thus it is, that Resolution in the cause of God and the Country becomes all Men, especially Christian men, such as are in places of power and authority, that when their Religion and liberties lye at the stake, they would not stand shall I, shall I; but bell the Cat, stare in the face of any opposition whatsoever, and boldly seize upon the Enemies of their peace and safety.

1582 The Ministers calling, to be owned from God.

VVHen the Danites asked the Levite in Mount Ephraim, Who brought him thither? and what he made in that place? he made no other answer, but that Micah had hired him, and dealt well with him, &c. he knew well enough that he put himself there, sought for the place himself, It was maintenance that brought him thither: His own Conscience told him, He was an Hireling, he came not in by the door, but at the Window, he could not say that the Lord brought him thither. A caveat for Archippus, A Serm [...]n, 1618. And thus it is, that no Man can be said to enter into the Ministery in a right way, but by God; he must have his letters of Orders from him, his Institution and Induction from him, he must not intrude into Gods heritage,—Grandis dignitas est Sacerdotum, &c. Hieron. in Ezek. lib. 2. Act. 4. 13. It must not be gain that makes him take up a Living, not advantage that makes him chop and change, he that doth so, never went to Christ f [...]r approbation; And whereas it is said of the Apostles, that the Rulers and Elders perceived, that they had been with Iesus; no Man by his life or doctrine can perceive that he had been with Iesus, that ever he had any allowance from him, and yet he will be crowding into the Ministry.

1583 Good and Bad Kings and Princes, &c. their difference.

WE see all the motions of superiour bodies, J. Wilson's Life of K. James. in what excellent order and perfection they move, and if some exhalation starts up amongst them from grosse and putrid matter, whose course is not yet known, What horrid trepidations bring they with them? And, what prodigious calamities are they the forerunners of? yet they hold not that station long, but blaze a little there, and then extinguish. And all that can be said of them is, That we know not for what mischievous intents these Meteors did appear: Whereas the other Coelestial bodies beget no wonder, are no Prodigies, but keep a constant course in their own spheres, and are not contaminated with things below them, yet they retain a powerfull influence over them:Reg [...]andi [...]causa Regum fere omnium mos est, ut ne (que) pietate ne (que) verecuvdia promoveantur. Paul. Jovius lib. 3. So Kings and Princes alwayes shine in glory and a noble Soul, when they loath to soyl themselves in sordid things; But when they grovell her [...] for trash and trumpery, and trade away that gallant stock of Love, hous'd in their Peoples hearts, for some false coyn, minted by passion, mutable affection, or misled Reason, they do deg [...]ade themselves so far, that the onely difference betwixt a King and a mean Man is, that the one by his trade cosens a few, the other a great many, but himself most.

Ministers not to be Verball, but Reall in their expressions.1584

[Page]

THe Lacedemonian in Plutarch said, when he heard how sweetly the Nightingale sang,Mr. Fenner christ's alram. O that I had this bird, surely it is a rare dish; and after a while when he had taken it, and eat it, and found but a little picking meat, he concluded with that Proverbial saying, Vox es & praeterea [...]ihil, Now I see thou art meer voyce, and nothing else: And such are they that go up into the Pulpit with Stentorian voyces,Oportet ut Praedicatores sint fortes in praeceptis, compatientes infirmis, in exho [...]tationibus blandi, &c. Greg. in Ioh. mor. 30. that have bigg words, but small matter, so that the People may be said to hear a sound, but know not what it means; Whereas a Faithful Minister of Iesus Christ is not verball, but reall in his expressions, such as Iohn the Baptist, who was more then a voyce, a burning and a shining light; there was life and heat in his Ministery; so that a Man may be said to preach much, yet preach little; but it were far better to make lesse use of his lungs, and more of his heart, which will at the last prove to be a great comfort to his own Soul, and advantagious to those that hear him.

Not to take notice of every angry Word that is spoken against us.1585

IT is reported of Titus Vespasian, that when any one spake ill of him, he was wont to say,Suctonius in vita. That he was above false reports; and if they were true, he had more reason to be angry with himself, then the Relator. And the good Emperour Theodosius commanded no Man should be punished that spake against him;Eusebius. For what was spoken slightly, said he, was to be laught at; what spitefully, to be pardoned; what angerly, Iratus nihil nisi crimina loquitur. Sen. in Thy este. Chrysostom. sup. Ma [...]th. 5. to be pitied; and if truly, he would thank him for it; O that there were but such a frame of spirit in this carping age of ours, wherein Men, like tinder, are ready to take fire upon the least spark that falls, to quarrel sometimes the most inoffensive word that can be spoken; whereas the best way is to be silent, Sile et funestam dedisti plagam, Say nothing, and you pay a talking Man to the purpose. Thus it was that Hezekiah would not answer Rabshakeh, nor Ieremy Hananiah, Chap. 28. 11. nor our blessed Saviour his railing Adversaries, Matth. 26. 26. he reviled not his revilers, he threatned not his opposites, 1 Pet. 2. 23.

The excellency of a good Memory.1586

IT was the saying of an eminent Scholler, That an excellent Memory was needful for three sorts of Men;P. Charron de lasagesse. First, for Tradesmen, for they having many businesses to do, many reckonings to make up, many Irons in the fire, had need of a good Memory. Secondly, great Talkers, for they being full of Words, had need to have a good store-house in their heads to feed their tongue. Thirdly, for Lyers, for they telling many untruths, had need of a good Memory, to be able to remember what untruths they have told, lest afterwards they be taken in their lying, contradicting themselves: All this is true, but as to the excellency of a good Memory indeed,Fenner's Serm. at S. Mary Camb. 1637. the principal of all is, that it is a great blessing of God in ordine ad spiritualia, in order unto spiritual things, the more we have of it, the more advantage we have unto our eternal good; as to know that ever which we knew once, to bring our knowledge into action upon all occasions, to have God before our eyes;Omnis disciplina Memoria constat; frustra (que) docemur si quicquid audimus, &c. Quintil. lib. 11. It is like a Mercurial finger to put a Man into his way when he is once out; a great help to belief and sound knowledg; Many and excellent are the benefits and Priviledges of such a Memory.

1587 Some one sinful quality predominant more then other in the Heart of Man.

[Page]

AS in a ground that lyeth untilled amongst the great variety of weeds, T. Ga [...]akor Apology against Lilly, Astr [...] log. there is usually some master-weed, one amongst the rest, that is rifer and ranker then all the rest; And as it is in the body of Man, that although in some degree or other, more or lesse, there be a mixture of all the four Elements, not any of them wholly wanting; yet there is some one of them predominant, that gives the denomination, in regard whereof some are said to be of a sanguine, some of a Phlegmatick, some of a Cholerick, and some of a Melancholick Constitution. So it is also in the Souls of Men, though there be a general mixture and medly of all evil and corrupt qualities, —Trabit sua quem (que) libido. yet is there some one usually, that is Paramount, more powerful and prevalent, that swayeth, and sheweth forth it self more eminently and more evidently, then any other of them do; and from this therefore, more frequently and apparently discovering it self is the denomination wont to be given, Whereby some are styled, Ambitious; some, lascivious; some, envious; some malitious, some haughty, some hasty, and the like.

1588 The general badnesse of Memory in good things.

AS it it with a Sieve or bowlter, D. Gouge Serm. at S. Pauls, 1636. the good Corn and fine flower goes through, but the light chaffe and coorse bran remains hehind: Or as a Strainer, that the sweet liquor is strained out, but the dreggs are left behind. Or as a grate, that lets the pure water run away; but if there be any strawes, sticks, mud, or filth,Memoria hominis ade [...] labilis est, ut agrè reperias duot quiquae semel audierunt, &c. Erasm. in Apophthegm. that it holds. Thus it is with most Mens Memories, by Nature they are but, as it were, pertusa dolia, meer riven tubs, especially in good things very treacherous, so that the vain conceits of Men are apt to be held in, when divine Instructions and gracious Promises run through; trifles, and toyes, and Worldly things they are apt to remember, tenacious enough; but for spiritual things they leak out, like Israel they soon forget them, Psal. 106. 13.

1589 Sin, the remainders thereof even in the best of Gods Children.

AS in a piece of ground, Methodius de Resurrect. apud Epiphan. heres. Sect. 28. cap. 64. even after the best and most accurate tillage, some seeds and roots of those noysome weeds, wherewith it was formerly much pestered will still remain, and will be springing up, be it never so sedulously, never so assiduously managed; So after the gracious work of Regeneration there will be a smatch of all Sin in some degree or other; hence it it that Methodius, an ancient Bishop of the Church,Nullus sanctus et ju [...]us caret peccato, &c. Aug. de Eccles. dogmat. compares the inbred corruption of Man's heart to a wild Fig-tree, growing upon the wall of some goodly Temple, or stately Pallace, whereof albeit the main trunk of the stem be broke off, and stump of the root be plucked up, yet the fibrous strings of it, piercing into the joynts of the stone-work, will not utterly be extracted, but will be ever and anon shooting and sprowting out, untill the whole frame of the building be dissolved, and the stone-work thereof be disjoynted and pull'd in pieces.

Four sorts of Men undertaking the work of the Ministery.1590

[Page]

MArcus Antonius de Dominis that shufling Archbishop of Spalato, then Dean of Windsor, Savoy. and furnished with a fair Mastership besides, would needs put on for a good fat Parsonage, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of that Church; Dr. Thomas White (the same that founded Sion Colledg London) being one of the Prebends, opposed the motion, hinting to the greedy Bishop the unevennesse of his desires, by telling him that there were four sorts of Men that undertook the work of the Ministery, quorum pascere quidam nec volunt-nec valent; quidam valent sed non volunt, T. Ga [...]aker Apology against Lilly s Lyes. quidam volunt sed non valent; quidam et valent et volunt, some that neither would nor could discharge it, some that could but would not, some that would but could not, some that both would and could And thus it is that some are to be found in the midst of us,Sartores, sutores, Oino-polae, Pharmacopolae, id (que) genus hominum, &c. who (such is their ignorance) that they neither will nor can divide the word aright, such as leaping from the shopboard, leave sowing of garments to make a rent in the Church; or if by chance they looked upon the university, they think themselves as su [...] ficiently inspired with the gift of Prophecy as he did with the gift of Poetry tha [...] dream't upon the top of Parnassus; Others there are (such is their unworthinesse) that can but will not; Plus vellus quàm gregem spectantes. Sin. de Cassia in Evang. Vita sonantes et ardentes, Greg. moral. that are able but sloathful in the work of the Lord, and look more after the Fleece then the Flock committed to their charge; some also (such is their unhappinesse) that would but cannot, as hindred by some natural imperfection, in the want of Utterance, weaknesse of Memory or the like; Other some again (such is their glory) that both can and will deliver the whole truth of God, preach in season and out of season to the great comfort of themselves and those tha [...] hear them.

How the Heart of Man may be kept up steady in troublous times.1591

TO make a Ship ride steady in the midst of a tempe stuous Sea,Joh. B [...]insley's Serm. at Yarmouth, 1647. Four things are required; First, she must be well-built, strongly, well-timberd, not weak, artificially, well-moulded, not tender-sided; Secondly, she must be down ballasted with some sad and ponderous lading; Thirdly, low-maste [...] (and low-built may be added too) for high-carved, and Tant-masted Ships wil [...] fetch way in a stresse; Fourthly, Sure Anchor'd, by which means though moved, she may be said to live and keep her station.Rebus angustis animojus at (que) Fortis appare. Horat. 2. carm. 10. Thus the Heart of Man, if ever we think to have it steady and fixed in the midst of troublesome times, if eve [...] we labour for stable and composed spirits, that whatever Hurricano storms, or raging Tempests come down upon the World, upon the Church, upon the places where we live, or upon our selves we may be able to ride it out; We must be built upon a sure foundation, 1 Cor. 3. 11: and that is Jesus Christ, well-timberd with sanctifying Graces, down-ballasted with sound Iudgment and true Christian direction,Quod super fundamentum christi aedificatur, &c. Ambros. de Cain et Abel. Low-masted, to be humble and lowly, not heady and high-minded; And lastly, sure Anchored, having a sound, solid, and substantial Faith; Faith not fancy; Hope, not like that of the Hypocrite, which shall be cut off, Iob 8. 13. 14.

To keep close to the word of God, especially in times of trouble.1592

IT is reported by Mr. Fox of one Gregory Crow a Seaman, that being wracked at Sea, Acts & Mon. An. 1556. and having cast all overboard, he kept his New Testament about his neck, and so floating upon his broken mast, was after four daies discovered by [Page] some Passingers, taken off all Frozen, benummed, and as it were sodden by the continual washings of the water;Recurre [...]dum est ad solas divinas Scripturas. P. de Alliaco. but, which was most observeable▪ he kept his book close to him: Thus, if ever we intend to keep our heads above water in the Sea of this troublesome World, we must be sure to keep close to the Word of God, and not to suffer it to depart from us, let money, wares, Ship, and all go ere we forego that; Nehem, Rogers practical catchism. So likewise in all our doubtfull Cases whether Vowes, Oaths, Marriages, dealing with Men, entercourse with God, or any difficulty whatsoever, go to the Law and to the Testimony for resolution, being glad that God hath found out a way to cast the wavering scale,Esay 8. 20. and to direct our conversation.

1593 Faith, a sure Anchor-hold in time of distresse.

AN Anchor being let fall,Joh. Calvini com. in Heb. 6. 19. it passeth through the Water, and violently maketh its way through all the waves and billows, never staying till it come at the bottom, where taking hold of the ground which lyeth out of sight, thus by a secret and hidden force staying the Ship, so as though it be moved, yet it is not removed, Ut anchora jacta de navi, haud permittit cam circumserri, licet venti commoveant, &c. sic et Fides. but still keepeth her station: Of such use is Faith to the Soul of Man; when it is in a stress tossed with the waves and billows of Temptations and trials, threatning to swallow it up, Faith breaks through all, never resting till it come at God himself, who is invisible and taking hold upon him, by a secret force it stayeth the Soul, and keepeth it from being driven upon the rocks or sands of desperation; An Anchor it is, and a sure Anchor, t [...]at [...] that Sheat Anchor which the Soul must trust to,Ch [...]ysost. in Heb. homil. 11. Heb. 6. 19. which it may ride and live by in whatsoever stress can come down upon it.

1594 The exceeding love of God to Mankind admirable.

IT is reported of a certain Merchant in London, that he made much of a poor Cobler that dwelt near him, and did as good as maintain him, though he were a Papist in the matter of his Religion, yet this unthankfull Fellow went about to betray him to death; but the Merchant having escaped his hands, meerly out of love to his Soul, used all means to be Friends with him again, and invited him to his house: All this would not do, his heart was so embittered, that he would shun the way of him, and not so much as look at him; It fell out so at length,Nehem. Rogers practical Catechism. that he met him in such a narrow lane, that he could not balk him, but must needs talk with him, The good Merchant takes him to him, tells him he was glad he had met with him, and wondred that he was grown so strange! What, said he, do you think me your Enemy? If I were, Could I not crush you with a word speaking? Alas, I am not offended with you, if you be not with me, and, for all your treachery against me will forgive and forget it; These kind words were no sooner spoken, but the Cobler melted into tears, and falling down upon his knees, confessed his villany, and repenting of it, told him; This love of yours shall bind me to you for ever, to serve you in all that I may or possibly can: This Popish Cobler is the heart of every child of Adam, this Royall Merchant is the great God of Heaven, O aet [...]rna veritas, et vera charitas, et [...] aeternitas! [...] es [...] meus ad [...] suspiro die [...] nocte. Aug. conses. lib. 7. this narrow lane is the streight of Conscience beset with sins and curles, this kind behaviour is the tender of Grace; Let us not then be worse to our poor Souls then the Cobler was to his, but break our hearts by Repentance, and sorrow for our sins, that ever we should offend so good a God, so gratious and loving a Master, and with Saul to David, say; Where shall a Man find such love, as to spare his Enemy when he had him in his hand, and to be content to cut off onely a lap of his garment, to correct him here in this World with some temporary Iudgment, when he might have cut his throat, and cast him into Hell-torments for evermore.

God raysing up Instruments for the deliverance of his People.1595

[Page]

MEmorable is that Vision of Zachary; I lift up mine eyes (said the Prophet) and saw,Rhemigius Alrissiodorus in locum. and behold four horns. Chap. 1. vers. 18. And the Lord shewed me four Carpenters. vers. 20. Now what were these four horns, What, but the Enemies of the Church? vers. 19. Horns, so called for their power, and said to be four in reference to the four parts of the World, East, West, North and South, from all which they came; And what are the Carpenters? Why,Isidor. Clarius in loc. Instruments raised up by God to break, and batter those horns, to oppose, to overthrow that adverse power, vers, 21. and they are said to be four, to import an equality of strength and power. Thus when God hath a work to do, be it to beat down Babylon, or build up Ierusalem, he can raise up Carpenters, Instruments that shall be sufficient for the work; though never so mean, yet they shall effect great work; I [...]sh. 6. 20. Trumpets of Rams horns if they do but blow, down go the walls of Jericho with a Vengeance. Nay, though Instruments fail, yet the promise shall not fail, though the Carpenters should not strike one stroke,Fata vians invenient. yet God hath waies to take off the horns of his enemies, though his People should be destitute of all humane protection, yet he will find out a way to deliver and secure them, no Temptation, no crosse, no trouble shall so far seize upon them, 1 cor. 10. 13. but he will find a way to esape that they may be able to bear it.

All endeavours to be sanctified by Prayer.1596

THere was a certain Husbandman that alway sowed good seed, S. Smith Essex Dove. but never could have any good corn, at last a Neighbour came unto him, and reasoned, What should be the cause, he sowed so good seed, and r [...]aped so bad corn? Why, truly, said he, I give the Land her due, good tillage, good seed, and all things that be fit: Why then, replyed the other, It may be you do not steep your seed; No, truly, said he, nor ever did I hear that seed should be steeped: Yes, surely, said the other, and I will tell you how, It must be steeped in Prayer. When the Party heard this, he thanked him for his good counsel, put it home to his Conscience, reformed his fault, and had as good corn as any other Man whatsoever. Thus it is, that if ever we look to have a good improvement of our labours, Egredientes hospitio, armet Orati [...]; regredientibus de plate [...], &c. Hyer. in epist. and to have a blessing upon what we undertake, we must have recourse unto God by Prayer; Otherwise we may trade and trasfick, fight and warre, and get nothing; Nay, let us get ever so much, it is all in vain, because we ask not aright, Iam. 4. 2.

Universal Obedience unto God, injoyned.1597

AN Instrument,Tho. Cheshire Sermon at S. Pauls, Lond. 1641. if one onely string be out of tune, although the rest be well set, yet that one keeps such a jarring, and harsh sound, that the lesson plaid thereon, will relish as unmusically in a skilful ear, as if all the strings were out of tune: And thus if a Man should abstain from swearing and drunkennesse, yet if he were given to lust; or if from those three, and yet addicted to Covetousnesse,Iam. 2. 10. it comes all to one reckoning. Let every Man therefore look into his bosome sin, observe diligently that one jarring string, and never leave screwing and winding of it up, till it be brought into right tune; and if that cannot be effected, Matth. 5. 29. break it, pluck it out. For God will have a compleat harmonious consent, a resolution for Universal obedience, otherwise no acceptance.

1598 To be more careful for the Body, then the Soul, reproveable.

[Page]

THe Iews have a Story of a Woman that took two Children to nurse,Joh. Plantavit. Florileg. Rabbinicum. the one, a very mean deformed, crooked, blind, and not likely to live long; the other as goodly a child as may be, beautifull, well-favoured, and likely to be long-liv'd: Now this foolish Woman bestowing all her care and diligence, pains and attendance upon the worst child, never so much as minding the best, must needs be ignorant and very foolish in so bad a choyce, and of so great neglect: Thus it is,Si magnae mercedis est à morte [...]ripere carnem, quanquam morituram; quanti est meriti, à morte animam liberare [...] &c. Greg. hom. 26. that the most of Men are herein to be reproved, who having taken two Children to nurse, their bodies and their Souls, and well knowing, that the Soul is infinitely far better then the body, more beautiful and of longer continuance, yet like the foolish Nurse; they bestow all their care, labour and pains for the worst, they make provision for the Flesh, pamper up the body, which must ere long lye down in the dust, and starve the Soul, which doth and must live for ever.

1599 The great danger of Repentance put off till old age.

HE cannot be otherwise looked on then as a very Unwise Man, Alphons. ab Avendan. Com. in Matth. that having made a burthen of sticks, and finding it too heavy for his shoulders, should lay it aside, and go and cut down more and adde unto it; And him little better then a Mad-man, that having a great journey to go, and a great burthen to carry, and having choyce of many lusty horses, should let them all passe empty away, and lay his carriage upon a poor feeble Iade, that could scarce bear himself; And him also none of the wisest, Jacob Merchantii bort. Pass. that shall neglect to passe over the Foord in the morning when the water is low, and think to go over it at night, when the banks are full. Yet such are all they, that put off Repentance till old age, that think to serve Sathan and their youthful lusts with full dishes, and reserve a few abject scraps of old age for Gods Table;Sera nimis vita es [...] crastina, &c. but let such seriously consider, Whether it will be easier for them now to repent and amend in the time of their youth, then hereafter in old age; now in health, then hereafter in sicknesse; now when the burthen of their Sins is lesser, then hereafter when it shall be greater: In a word, now whilest Grace is near, or when it shall stand at a further distance; In the midst of delay the accompt is encreased, Tolle moras nocuit differre. Lucan. the debt augmented, the Enemy more strong, themselves more feeble, and all the difficulties of Conversion daily more and more multiplyed upon them, having a day more to repent of, and a day lesse to repent in.

1600 The danger of sleeping out Sermons.

A Certain Maid went to Church,Joh. Angier Help to better Hearts, &c. with a purpose to sleep from day to day as she confessed afterwards, thinking she could sleep more sweetly there, then any where; It so pleased God, that one night she fell into a dream, and imagined her self to be walking; two wayes were presented unto her, in the one way was a great Fire, that way she would not go; the other way she took, it led her by the Church, she awaked with this application of her dream; That she had been wont to sleep much at Church, and if she did not amend that fault, she must expect no other but Hell-fire; Cave, serve Dei, ne sit somnus tuus non reparatio, sed spiritûs extinctio. Greg. Mor. This dream thus applyed made her leave sleeping, and fall to Hearing, and from Hearing to believing and repenting. Thus it is that Hell is made for Sermon-sleepers, torment being the just recompence of sinful ease, that they who sleep when they should awake, must make accompt to awake with pain when they would be at rest.

Reall Thanksgiving to be made unto God for benefits received.1601

[Page]

THe Covetous Husbandman, when he se [...]s a plentifull Harvest towards; or the Merchant a good return in trading, Tho, Cheshire Serm [...]n at S. Pauls, Lond. 1641. they will perhaps afford a, God be thanked; bu [...] it comes off so poorly, with such a squint-ey'd relation to their profit, that a Man may easily perceive, had not all things happened aright, he should have had little thanks at their hands, as if they were no more bound to give God praise, then he to give them present benefit: But it was otherwise with holy Iob, he did not onely sacrifice for his Children, his health, and wealth, whilest he enjoyed them, but when they were taken away from him, Chap. 1. And herein a good Man imitates the bells, that ring as pleasantly at a Funerall, as at a Wedding; When it goes well with him,Quando benè sibi [...]st, laudat misericordiam Dei, quando malè justitiam, &c. he praiseth the Mercy of God; when ill with him, he magnifies his Iustice, he is thankfull in all Conditions, not sleightly, as the manner of the World is, but cheerfully, and with a good courage, Psalm 33. 3.

Plots and Contrivances of the Wicked turning to the good of Gods People.1602

TUlly maketh mention of one Phereus Iason, whom his Enemy running through with a sword intending to kill him,Lib. 3. de nat Deorum. by chance opened an Impostume in his body, which the Physitians could not by any means cure; Such was that confederacy of Ioseph's brethren, they sell him into Egypt, thought all cock-sure; but God so ordered it, that the wickednesse of their cons [...]ltation was the stirrop whereby he mounted into greater exaltation.Ge [...]. 45. 3. Thus it is, that all the Plots and contrivances of wicked men shall turn to the good of Gods people; the vexations,Collings 5. L [...]ssons. troubles, sorrows, or any Affliction whatsoever, wherewith the Sons of Belial are wont and do usually exercise the Children of God, are but as so many spurs and goades in their sides to drive them forward to their Heavenly Father; And though by his permissive Providence it hath, and doth often so fall out, that they have a very large Commission to touch their bodies, their goods, and their good names, —Dolor hic [...]ibi proderit olim. Ovid. 3. amor. nay, their very lives, yet all shall be for the good of their pretious and immortal Souls.

The sad effects of not giving unto God his due Glory.1603

IT was the frequent affirmation of the late Heroick and Victorious King of Sweden, Will. Hall. A Serm. at S. Barthol. lesse, 1642. That he feared the Peoples ascribing too much of that Glory to him which was duè to God, would remove him before the work was finished. And for ought as any Man knowes, it was a speech too Prophetical: Thus it is, that there is not any way speedier to bring Iudgments upon Rulers and Nations, then when the due honour shall be taken from God, and ascribed to Men, which are but secondary,De omni bono apparenti, à nobis rescrantur soli Deo laudes. Bern, in Cant. subordinate Instruments to convey them: It is the onely way to forfeit all favours, when we ascribe too much to the second causes, and too little to the first, by looking more to them for safety, then to him from whom all deliverance cometh.

1604 Invocation of▪ Saints and Angells condemned.

[Page]

ERasmus amongst others of his pleasant conceits,I [...] colloqu. reporteth a story of one at Sea, where (as their manner is) every Man in a wrack, flieth to his Saint, as it were a Tutelar God; There was one (saith he) amongst the rest, when he saw the present and imminent danger,Phillips Serm. at Feversham, 1625. and that there was no time of delay; In the midst of his distraction thought with himself thus, If I should pray to Saint Nicholas, it is uncertain whether he hear me, and it may be, he is busy in hearing and dispatching some body else; or if not so, yet it may be, he cannot have so speedy accesse to mediate for me, Non vatat exiguis rebus adesse Io [...]i. as my pres [...]nt necessity requires. I will therefore take the safest and the surest course, and go directly to God himself by Christ Iesus, according to that of the Psalmist, O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Psal. 65. [...] 2. And without all doubt, it is a manifest derogation, and robbing of God, even of his peculiar right, who is the sole hearer of his Peoples prayers,Ch [...]nit. exame [...]. pag. 3. when solemn addresses are made unto Saints and Angells by way of Invocation; there being no warrant in all the Scr [...]ptures for the same, as Eckius and other Pontificians do confesse. Nay more, that it is the safer and better way to call upon God onely in the name of Iesus Christ, as another of them, out of a work ascribed to S. Augustine, Augustin. de visi [...]t. inform. concludes the question thus, Tutius et jucundius loquor ad meum Jesum, &c. More safely and more sweetly do I speak in Praye [...] to my Iesus then to any of the Angels, or Saints departed.

1605 Curious Inquisitors into Gods secrets, deservedly punished.

IT is recorded of one Sir William Champney in the Reign of King Henry the third,Joh. Stow's Survey of London. that living in Tower street London, he was the first Man that ever builded a Turret on the top of his house, that he might the better overlook all his N [...]ighbours; but it so hapned that not long after he was struck blind, so that he which would see more then others, saw just nothing at all; A sad judgment! And thus it is just with God, when Men of towring high thoughts must needs be prying into those A [...]cana Dei, T. Fuller Sermon at S. Bot [...]lph Bishops-gate, Lond. 1653. the hidden secr [...]ts of God, that they should be struck blind on the place, and come tumbling down in the midst of their so curious enquiry; At the Ascension of Christ, it is said that he was taken upo in a Cloud; being entred into his presence Chamber, a curtain, as it were, was drawn to hinder his Disciples gazing, and our further peeping; yet for all that a Man may be pius p [...]lsator, Quae Deus occulla esse voluit non sunt scru [...]mda Prosper. though not temerarius scrutator, he may modestly knock at the [...]ounsel door of Gods sec [...]ets, but if he en [...]er further he may assure himself [...]o be more bold [...]hen welcome.

1606 Gods comfortable appearance to his People in the hour of Death.

MAster Dering, S. Clark in vita. a little before his death, being raised up in his bed, and seeing the Sunshine, was desired to speak his mind, said; There is but one S [...]n that giveth light to the whole World, but o [...]e Righteousnes [...]e, one Communion of Saints; As concerning Dea [...]h, I see such joy of spirit▪ that if I should have pardon of life on the one side, and sentence of Death on the other, I had rather choose a thousand times to dye then to live: S. Price Serm. in Sh [...]pshir [...], on Rev. 7 17. And another, one Mr. Iohn Holland lying at the point of Death, said; What brightnesse do I see? and being told it was the Su [...]shine; No, saith he, My Saviour shines, Now farewell World, welcom [...] Heaven, the Day-star from o [...] high hath visited me▪ Preach at my Funeral, God dealeth comfortably and familiarly with Man, I feel his Mercy, I see his Majesty, whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell, God he knoweth, but I see things that are unutterable: [Page] Thus it is, that the People of God have the comfortable appearance of him self at the time of their dissolution, the door of Heaven standing then as it were a charr, they are ravished with the very glimpse of those things that are at Gods right hand;P [...]eti [...]sa san [...] sanctorum mors est, tanquam vitae [...]anua, [...]t perfectae securitatis ingressus. Bern. in Cant. Whether they look up to God w [...]om they have offended, or downward upon Hell which they have deserved, backward upon Sins committed, forwards upon Iudgments to be feared, the Spirit helpeth their Infirmities, Christ intercedeth for them, and God standeth by with the arms of his Mercy ready open to receive them.

A good Man denominated from the goodnesse of his Heart.1607

IT is one of Aristotles axiomes, that the goodnesse or badnesse of any thing is denominated from its Principle;Geo. Vetterus in Psalm 51. Hence it is that we call that a goo [...] Tree, that hath a good root, that a good house that hath a good foundation, that good Money that is made of good Mettal; that good cloth▪ that is made of good [...]ool; But a good Man is not so called,Laconici quoties b [...]um quen [...]am virum commendare volunt Divinus hic vir, aiunt, Plato in Men. because he hath good hands, a good head, good words, a good voice, and all the lineaments of his body similar and compose [...], as it were in a Geometrical symmetry, but because he hath a good Heart, good affections, good principles of Grace, whereby all the faculties both of Body and Soul are alwaies in a posture of readinesse to offer up themselves a living and acceptable Sacrifice unto God Almighty.

Faith and Repentance to be daily renewed and encreased.1608

AS the natural life of Man doth consist upon that which by the Physitians is called Humor radicalis and Calor naturalis, Natural heat and radicall moysture; for indeed all life is sustained by motion, and motion is between contrarieties: J. Case Serm. of Repent. 1616. So in the life spiritual, there must be of necessity two contrary qualities; Repentance, continually to put off our own Unrighteousnesse, and Faith to put on Christ's, the one to work upon the other, so to preserve life by motion; Not to sit down with those Anabaptistical, and fanatick spirits that limit a certain time for sorrow and Repentance; Ne [...]o potest esse [...]am prudens et circumspectu [...], ut aliquando non laba [...]ur, erg [...] re [...]erat pedem &c. Lactant. for the best of us all are but leaking Vessels, and we must ply the Pump daily for fear of drowning, as long as there is excesse of evill and defect of good within us, Repentance must be renewed, and Faith increased daily, Death onely being the end and complement of our Repentance and Mortification, even as our R [...]surrection shall be the period and ultimate of our Faith and Vivificati [...]n.

To be much more carefull of the Soul than body.1609

IT was provided in the old Law, that the weight of the Sanctuary should be double to the ordinary weight, Exod. 30. 13. N [...]h. Rogers practical C [...] chism. and that the shekell of the Sanctuary should be worth as much again as that of the Common-wealth which was valued at Fifteen pence: And all this to hint out unto us, that God must have double weight in matters that appertain unto him in the salvation of our Souls; Steph. Menochius de Rep. Heb. lib. 7. cap. 11. double care, double diligence, that is twice as much care of our Souls as of our bodies, begging oftner for Spiritual then temporal things: hence is it that there is in the Lords prayer but one Petition for Earthly things and two for Heavenly linked as it were together; but one for daily bread, and two for pardon of sins and Graces to fight against them.

1610 The Crown of Perseverance.

[Page]

S. Chrysostome makes mention of the Women of Corinth, Homil. in 1 Cor. 4. Dan. Price Serm. at Spittle, 1617. who had a custome to set up lights or tapers at the birth of every child, with proper names, and look what name the taper bare which lasted longest in the burning, they transferd that name to the Child; But the Lord doth put up a perpetual burning lamp to be as a Monument, for all those that shall persevere in well-doing to the end; It is not enough to begin in the spirit, and end in the flesh, It is not for him that runneth, but for him that runneth so, that runneth to the end, that persevereth, Non p [...]gnanti sed vincenti corona. Augustin. that the Crown is reserved; It is he that shall eat of the hidden Manna, he that shall have the white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no Man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it, Rev. 2. 17.

1611 How to discover our thoughts in Preparation to Prayer.

IN the Levitical Law, things that crept upon all four were forbidden, yet if they had feet to leap withall,Levit. 11. 7. Peir. du Moulin de I' amour de Dieu. they were judged to be clean. Even so howsoever some of our thoughts are taken up about the things of this World, our trades and businesse, yet if we have leggs to leap up with, that we can raise up our hearts to God and better things▪ when we come to pray, and prostrate our selves before him,Ibi maximè [...]portet observare pec [...]um ubi [...]asci solet. Vid. in cogitatio [...]ibu [...], &c. Hieron. in ep. ad Demet. it is not to be condemned, they may passe for clean well enough: But if they alwayes creep on the ground, if never raised higher then the Earth, if no good thoughts of God, if no looking up to better things; then without doubt, they are unclean, not legally unclean as the beasts were, but really unclean in the fight of God and his [...]oly Angels.

1612 Wherein the true Knowledg of Christ consisteth.

MAry, when she went in quest of her Saviour, stopt not at the empty Monument, but searches and follows him so far,H. King Serm. at Court, 1626. that she discovered him under the disguise of a Gardiner, and then casting her s [...]lf at his feet, takes possession of him, with this acclamation, Rabboni; which is in effect as much as Thomas his congrat [...]lation,Ioh. [...]0. 28. My Lord, and my God. Thus it is, that true Knowledg doth not alwayes hunt objects at the view, nor doth it stop at the numerous effects wrought by the Creator;Haec t [...]ta est scientia [...]ominis, scire quod ipse ni [...]il est per se [...]et qui [...] quid [...]x Deo est, et prop [...]er Deum est. Aug. in Psal. 70. It is not a shallow or supersicial knowledg, that God is, in a general consideration, the cause of all things, a Creator at large, but in a nearer, My God, my Creator; So that Religion and Faith are but aery empty sounds, if a Man possesse nothing of them beyond the words; the fruit of either consists in their application; 'Tis true, that Christ is the Saviour of the World, so much I know, but this is an uselesse truth to me, if my knowledge reach no further, unlesse my Faith entitle me to him, and by appropri [...]ting his work, be able to call him my Lord, my God, my Rede [...]mer, &c.

1613 To beware how we come into the debt of Sin.

A Wary discreet Traveller, when he comes to his Inne, calls for no more then he means to pay for,S. Smith Essex Dove. though he see a great deal of good chear before him in the house, yet he considers how far his purse will reach, otherwise if he call in for all he sees,S [...]ltus est debitor qui gaudens pecunias accipit, et tempus quo reddere d [...]beat non attend [...]t, Greg. in moal. and never take any thought of the reckoning, he shall not onely run into a great deal of disgrace, but of danger also. So fareth it with most Men in taking up more then they are able to pay for; but let every good Man howsoever h [...] sees a number of goodly things in this World, which may allure him, and set his desire on Fire, causing expence both of time and Mony, be carefull how he comes into debt, especially the debt of Sin, the worst of all [Page] other; For though by death he may be out of the Usurers hands, yet Death cannot free him from the debt of Sin, neither can he escape out of the hands of a just and all-knowing God.

Infant-Baptism, asserted.1614

A Ristotle was so precise in admitting Schollers to his Moral Lectures,In lib. 8. Polit. H. King Serm. at Court, 1626. that he would first have them past their Wardship, as thinking that their green capacities would not be mellow enough for his Ethiques till Thirty at least: But Christ our Master was of another mind, his Sinite parvulos, Suffer little ones to come unto me, and sorbid them not, encouraged Parents and Supervisers of Children to enroll them in his bands,Mark 10. 14. Si pr [...] [...]o [...]ui respondere potest, alius respondeat, non tantum valet; Ex quaregula illud Evang [...]lii dictum est; Aetatem habet, ipse pro se loquatur. Aug. de Baptism. his Church, before they were Masters of so much tongue as to name Christ; well knowing, that though their narrow apprehensions could not reach the high mysteries of Faith, yet in a few years their understandings being elevated with their statures, would grow up to them, and the accession of a little time digest those precepts which their Infancy drew in, into the constant habit of a good life, not [...]owing themselves into any crooked postures of Error, nor forgetting that streight form into which their first education brought them.

Grace to be communicated.1615

IF a Man had a thousand tuns of Wine stored up in a Cellar, Aloys Novori [...]i tractat. Theolo [...]icitom. 2. which he had no use of, but should be kept up close, What were any Man the better for it? but if he would make a large Cistern, and turn out a Conduit cock into the street, that every one that passed by might be refreshed, then would they commend his bounty, and be very thankfull unto him: So when it hath pleased God of his goodnesse to afford us the graces of his holy Spirit, and we should keep them to our selves,Omne b [...]num sui diffusivum. not being profitable to any in the communication of them, it would be matter of rebuke and reproach untill we let the Cock run, untill we tell others what God hath done for our Souls; For Grace like oyl is of a diffusive nature, like Mary's box of oyntment which she brought unto Christ, that filled all the house with the sweet scent thereof;Ma [...]th. 26. 7. so that God smells the savour, and others receive good thereby.

To be patient under Afflictions, because they will have an end.1616

AS an Apprentice holds out in hard labour,Web. Co [...]. in ep. 2. S. Petri. and (it may be) bad usage for seven years together or more, and in all that time is serviceable to his Master without any murmuring or repining, because he sees that the time wears away, and that his bondage will not last alwayes, but he shall be set at large, and made a Freeman in the conclusion. Thus should every one that groaneth under the burthen of any crosse or Affliction whatsoever bridle his affections, possesse his Soul in patience, —Dabit Deus his quo (que) finem. Virgil. and cease from all murmuring and repining whatsoever, considering well with himself, that the rod of the Wicked shall not alwayes rest upon the lot of the Righteous;Psal. 125. 3. & 30. 5. that weeping may abide at Evening, but joy cometh in the Morning; and that troubles will have an end, and not continue for ever.

Every Man to find out the impediments of Repentance in himself.1617

THey who have Water running home in Conduit-pipes to their houses, as soon as they find a want of that which their Neighbours have in abundance,Nehem. Rogers pra [...]tical ca [...]ec [...]ism. [Page] by and by they search into the causes, run to the Condui [...]-head, or take up the pipes to see where they be stopt, or what is the defect, that so they may [...]e supplyed accordingly: Even so must every Man do, when he finds that the Grace of Repentance flowes into other Mens hearts, and hath no recourse or accesse into his Soul, by and by sit down and search himself, what the cause should be,In tribunal mentis tuae ascende contra te, et reum te constituito a [...] te te, &c. Aug. de utilit. agend. poenitent. where the Remora is that stayes the course, where the rub lyes which stoppeth the grace of Repentance in him, seeing they that live (it may be) in the same house, sit at the same Table, lye in the same bed, they can be penitent for their sins, sorry that they have offended God, and so complain in bitternesse of Soul for their Sins; but he that had the same means, the same occasions, more sins to be humbled for, mor [...] time to repent, and more motives to draw him to the duty, is not yet moved with the same, nor any way affected with the sense of Sin, this must needs be matter of high concernment to look about him.

1618 Murmuring at Gods doings, the prejudice thereof.

IT is reported of Caesar, Seneca. That having prepared a great Feast for his Nobles and Friends of all degrees, it so falling out, that the day was extream foul, t [...]at nothing could be done to the honour of the meeting with comfort, he was much displeased, and so far enraged at present, that he willed all them that had bowes, to shoot up their arrowes at Iupiter (then their chief god) as in defiance of him for that rainy weather;Discat non murmurare qui mala patitur, &c. Isid. lib. 3. de sum. [...]ono. Which when they accordingly did, th [...] arrows fell short of Heaven, and full upon their own heads, so that many of them were very sorely wounded: Even so do our muttering and murmuring words, either for this or that which God sendeth, they hurt not him at all, but return upon our own pates, and wound both deeply and dangerously.

1619 Gospel-invitation to comfort.

A Party of the Syrian hoast,L. Scalabon moralia in passionem Christi. as they were forraging about, light upon a little Hebrew Maid, they brought her to Naaman, their Commander in chief, he bestowes her upon his Wife; the Girle perceiving that he was infected with Leprosie, said unto her Mistresse, Would to God, my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, he would soon deliver him of his Leprosie. Such is the voyce of the Gospel to every unrepentant Sinner,2 Kings 5. 3. O that you would come unto Christ, seek after him by a lively Faith and Repentance for your sins,Rom. 1. 16. he would deliver you from the threatenings of the Law, and release you of those impossible conditions, 2 Cor. 3. 8. which you are there bound unto, he hath conquered Death and Hell for your sakes,Col. 4. 11. paid the ransome for your sins, and in the end by his Redemption, will bring you to life everlasting.

1620 The moderate use of Worldly things.

PLiny maketh mention of Cranes, that being about to fly over the Seas, they take up stones in their feet,Nat. hi [...]. lib. 10. cap. 23. and sand in their throat, to poyse them against the wind, and as they come near the Land, by little and little cast them down; so lightning themselves, that the desired shoar seeth the last stone not [...]aken away, but let fall.—Quanto [...]aelicior hic qui. Thus it is, that good Men use the World as if they used it not, they take up the care of Riches as a Viaticum to serve them in this life, [...] cupere [...] quam qui totum [...] posceret orbem. Juvenal. they know that en [...]ugh is useful, too much a burthen, and therefore as they come nearer and nearer to their desired R [...]st, they more and more disburthen themselves, and cast off every thing that hindreth in their way thither.

The work of the Law preceding the Work of the Gospel.1621

[Page]

IF a Man have a corrupt and dangerous sore in his Flesh,Tho. de Trugillo t [...]esaur. Concionat. if he will be cured, or prevent the danger of a Gangrene, he must prepare himself both for trouble, pain, and many other inconveniencies; as first the lancing of it, then the cutting and squeezing out the filthy and corrupt matter, then corrosives to eat out the proud Flesh; and lastly, (if need be) searing and cauterizing, before any healing plaister be applyed: Even so in the spiritual healing of our Sins, the work of the Law must precede the work of the Gospel: Dulcia non m [...]ruit qui non gustavit amara. First, that of the Law to humble us; then that of the Gospel to comfort us, before there be any obtaining of pardon, any comfort in the hope of Redemption, the Law must take [...]s in hand, search our frailty, lance our Sins, squeeze out the Corruption of our Natures, make us cry and roar again with the smart of our wounds. And then it is that the gentle Cataplasms of the Gospel may be applyed, and the comforts of Remission ministred unto us from the Physitian and Surgeon of our Souls, Christ Iesus.

Divisions in Church and State to be prevented.1622

TAcitus in the life of Agricola his Father in Law,D. Price Serm. at S. James's before P. [...]en. 1608. describing the figure, form, fashion, complexion, chivalry and resolution of the Britai [...]s in that time, observeth this also, that they were then drawn into petty partialities and factions; and the greatest help the Romans had, adversus validissimas gentes (as he calls our Warlike Nation) was, that they had no Common-Councell, they did not cons [...]lt together, but each City fought against their Neighbours, Et ita dum singuli pugnant, universi vincuntur (they are his own words) whilest one by one sighteth, all are subdued: And it is much to be feared, that the Romans are again entring our Land, they expect an advantagious succ [...]sse by our home-bred factions and divisions, W. L. C. at the time of his death. Et scissagaudens v [...]dit d scordia pallens. Virg. Ae [...]eid. 8. so that the Pope may well be said, never to have had hopes of a greater harvest in England; For, how can it otherwise be? How shall the Church of Christ, the body of Christ, the houshold of Faith, the Kingdome of Heaven upon earth stand, if there be so many Sizers and Concisors, and cutters and carvers of her Members.

Sorrow for Sin must be in particulars.1623

PHysitians meeting with diseased bodies, when they find a generall distemperature, they labour by all the art they can to draw the humour to another place,Hieronym. Guadalupens. Com. in Hoseam. and then they break it, and bring out all the corruption that way; All which is done for the better e [...]se of the Patient: Even so must all of us do, when we have a general and confused sorrow for our Sins,Nemo dicat occultè; poenitentiam ago apud Deum, novit Deus qui me agnoscit, &c. Aug. de cura mil [...]. labour as much as may be to draw them into particulars; as to say, In this and in this, at such and such a time, on such an occasion, and in such a place I have sinned against my God; For it is not enough for a Man to be sorrowful in the general, because he is a Sinner; but he must draw himself out into particulars, in what manner, and with what Sins he hath displeased God, otherwise, dolus latet in generalibus, he may deceive his own Soul.

Perseverance in goodnesse, enjoyned.1624

IT is said of Hannibal, that notwithstanding the rough Rocks, and craggy clifts of the Alpes, Sir Walt. Raleigh hist. of the World. he proceeded onward in his design for Italy with this resolution, Viam inveniam aut faciam, I will either find or make a way, that is the terminus ad quem, and thither I will go. Thus it is, that God being Alpha [Page] and Omega, he will have his servants to run from [...] to [...], from the beginning to the end, in the constant profession of the Faith; They that were marked to be preserved in Ierusalem, were distinguished by the character [...],J. Menoch. Com. in Ezek. cap. 9. v. 4. which is the last of all the Hebrew letters, teaching them, that they must run their race even to the last, that their Profession must be Sacramentum militare; or like to that in the Covenant of Marriage, Till death us depart; with the Spouse in the Canticles, Cant. 3. 4. Ioh. 20. 21. Matth. 15. 22. not to leave their hold; with Mary Magdalen, to stand, wait, and stay at the Sepulcher; and with the Woman of Canaan, to cry, and continue in crying. And why? because that as they have heaped Sin upon Sin, and drawn the threds thereof so bigg,Esay 5. 8. so long, till they made them cords of Vanity, and after wreathed those cords,Perseverandum est et assiduo studio robur addendum, &c. Phil. 3. 1. till they became Cart-ropes of Iniquity; so that now being called unto Sanctification (there being alwaies in Christianity [...], a Furthermore) they should encrease more and more from Faith to Faith, from vertue to vertue, crying out with S. Paul, Nondum apprehendi, I have not yet attained, &c.

1625 Sorrow for Sin must be proportionable.

HE that falleth into the midst of a deep River, Marcel. de Pise. Encyclopaed. Theolog. must labour and take more pains to get out, then he that fell in but at the brink thereof, the one must swim hard for it; whereas the other catching hold upon the bank, or something else growing thereupon, more easily draweth himself out: Thus, if we fall into great Sins, it must and will cost us more sorrow and tears, then if we fell into lesser; 2 Chron. 32. Matth. 24. Manasses sin was great, and his sorrow was proportionable. Peter's sin was great, and his sorrow was suitable; so must ours be, if our sins be many and great, our sorrow must be so much the greater; if but few and little, our sorrow may be the lesse, and we sooner attain the peace of Conscience.

1626 Non-proficiency in the wayes of God and Religion, condemned.

SIr Thomas Moor makes mention of a drowsie devoted Monk in his time, who in his quotidian devotions was wont to say the first day, Gloria Patri, the second, et Filio; the third, et Spiritui sancto, and in the end it was, Sicut in principio, doubling over his Orisons, not much unlike to the ignorant Countryman, that yawning out his thoughts unto God,Dan. Price Serm. at S. James's before P. Hen. 1608. unbuttons his doublet with, Our Father which art in Heaven, and steps into his bed with, I believe in God the Father Almighty, never labouring to understand what the one or the other meaneth: This is to be like the Sun in Ioshuah's time that stood still; or rather the Sun in Hezekiah's time that went backward; or Fabia in Quintilian, who for thirty years together would not confesse that she was one year elder:Non progredi est regredi. But God cannot abide such halting in his service, any such delaying in Religion, any such loytering in Profession, any such limits in Christian profession, he cannot but distaste any Snail-like withdrawing, any piece-like recoyling, any hypocriticall feigning, any wearisome fainting, any dyall-like staying, any pool-like standing, any Ephraemite starting, any foolish-Virgin neglecting, or any drowsie-Apostle sleeping.

1627 To be patient at the time of Death, and why so?

IT is well-known that when a Goaler knocks off a Prisoners bolts,Nehem. Rogers practical Catechism. fetters and Irons, that the constant wearing them, hath put him to a great deal lesse pain, then the knocking of them off doth at the present; yet though every blow go to the very heart of him, he never smayes at it, but is quiet and well-contented, because he knows that the pain will make a compensation for the ease [Page] that he shall afterwards enjoy: Thus it is that all Men here in this World lye fettered and gyved with the bolts and irons of Mortality and Sin, —Mors ultima poenaoest, Nec metuenda viris. Lucan. in which case it may be, when God comes to knock off those Irons by death that they feel more pain and extremity then before; yet because this brings to ease and everlasting rest, Rev. 14. 13. let them be patient in this the time of their dissolution.Esay 51. 2.

How it is that Wicked Men are said to be none of Gods children.1628

AS in Nature, when Children are neither in outward feature of the body, nor inward quality of the Mind like to their Parents, which begat and brought them forth,J. Reeks, A Serm. at S. Mary-Spittle, 1624. we say, that such Children degenerate and grow out of kind; neither can they be outwardly judged to belong to their Parents, by reaso [...] of that great dissimilitude, and unlikenesse of Manners: Even so, when we see Men in the World, walking in by-paths of their own, and no way like to their Heavenly Father,Inde tu miraris si patrisset filius? Plaut. in Pseudolo. in Holinesse and Righteousnesse, no way resembling him which hath begot them in Christ, in doing of good, we may (and that justly) say of such, that they degenerate, and grow out of kind, that they do not Patrizare, tread in their Fathers steps, going about alwaies doing of good after the example of Iesus Christ their elder brother.

Things unlawful not to be asked of God in Prayer.1629

IT is written of V [...]ellius the Emperour,Corn. Nepos in vita Vitellii. that one of his Friends being denied a Petition that was not reasonable, waxed angry and said unto him; What avails me thy Friendship, seeing I cannot obtain that which I crave? Whereunto the Emperour replyed, And what is thy Friendship to me, if for thee I must do that which is unlawfull? Despiciuntur orationes leves, pl [...]nae rerum corporalium, &c. Prosper. Now if such equity hath been found in Man, What shall we think of our God? With what face dare we seek that from God, which is not lawfull to be given? Hence it is that many times we ask and get not, because we ask amisse and not for the right end;Iam. 4. 2. Whereas did we ask in Faith, we should be sure to have that thing which we desire or a better.

God alone more powerfull then all the Enemies of the World.1630

ANtigonus King of Syria being ready to give battel near the Isle of Andros, Plutarch in Pelopida. sent out a squadron to watch the motions of his Enemies, and to descry their strength, return was made, that they had more Ships, and better man'd then he was: How, sayes Antigonus, that cannot be, Quam multis meipsum opponis? For how many dost thou reckon me? intimating that the dignity of a Generall weighed down many others, especially when poysed with Valour and experience:Matth. Stiles Sermon before the Artil. And where is Valour? VVhere is Experience to be found if not in God? He is the Lord of Hosts with him alone is strength and power to deliver Israel out of all her troubles,Lond. 1627. he may do it, he can do it, he will do it, he is wise in heart and mighty in strength, besides him there is no Saviour, no deliverer, he is a shield to the Righteous,Iob 9. 7. strength to the VVeak,Esay 43. 11. a Refuge to the oppressed,Psal. 5. 12. & 22. 12. & 99. he is instar omnium, all in all, and who is like unto him in all the VVorld?

Charity to be well-ordered.1631

MOses being commanded of God to make an holy anointing Oyl, was to take a certain quantity of some principall spices, such as Myrrhe, Cynamon, Calamus,Exod. 30. 3. and Cassia, then to compound them after the Art of the Apothecary. [Page] And thus it is,J. Reekes, A Sermon at S. Mary-Spittle, 1619. Charitas ad cuncta virtutumfacta dilatatur, &c. that the oyl of our Charity must be rightly ordered; Every Christian Al [...]s-giver must be a kind of spirituall Apothecary; First, his Alms must be like Myrrhe, which distils from the Tree without cutting or the least incision, so his Charity to be free without the least compulsion; Secondly, Cynnamon, hot in taste and hot in operation, so his Alms, neither stone-cold as Nabal, nor luke-warm as Laodicea, but hot as it was said of Dorcas, Greg. in cura pa [...]oral [...]. that she was full of good works; Thirdly, Cassia, as sweet as the former, but growing low, the Emblem of humility, so giving but not Vaingl oriously: Lastly, Calamus, an odoriferous pouder, but of a fragile reed; so giving, but acknowledging his Weaknesse, thinking it no way meritorious; For periculosa dom [...]s eorum qui meritis sperant, saith St. Bernard, Dangerous is the state of that [...]ouse which thinks to win heaven by keeping house, &c.

1632 Times of Trouble and danger distinguishing true Professours from false ones.

THe Samaritans as long as the Iewish Religion flourished and was in honour,Joseph. hist. lib. 13. caused a Temple to be built on a high Mountain, named Garazin, that therein they might not be inferiour to the Iews, Car. Sigo [...]. de Repub. Heb. They boasted themselves to be of the Progeny of Ioseph, and worshippers of God also with them; but when they perceived, that the Iews were c [...]nelly afflicted by Antiochus Epiphanes for the worshipping of God, then fearing lest they should be also handled in like manner, they changed their coat and their note too, affirming that they were not Israelites but Sidonians, Ignis [...]rum probat 3 adversitas ver [...] virum fortem. Lips. in epist. and had built their Temple not unto God but Iupiter: Thus it is that times of Trouble and danger easily distinguish the counterfeit and true Professour; Trouble is a kind of Christian Touch-stone, a Lapis Lydius that will try what Mettal men are made of, whether they be gold or drosse, whether they be reall or [...]arnall Professours, sincere Christians, or rotten-hearted Hypocrites.

1633 The hardnesse of a Rich mans Conversion.

IT is observed amongst Anglers,William Holbrook Serm. at S. Pauls, 1609. that Pickerils are not easily nor often taken, a Man may take an hundreth Pinks or Minums before he catch a Pikeril; For he preyeth [...]o sore at his pleasure upon the lesser frye, that he seldome or never hath any stomach to [...] at the bait: And so fareth it with the Rich Men of this World, their stomachs are so cloyed and surfetted with the things of this life,Argentum divitibus [...] et sangu [...]s est. Euripid. that when the doctrine of Salvation is preached, they have no appetite unto it; tell them of selling all that they have and giving it to the Poor, then with the young Man in the Gospell they cry out, durus est hic sermo, this is a very hard saying,Ioh. 6. 60. Who can bear it? and it is as hard for such to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, whilst the Poor run away with the Gospell.

1634 A small plat of ground, sufficient for the greatest landed Man at the time of Death.

SOcrates carried Alcibiades, Joh. Combes Apoph▪ hegm. Imperat. &c. as he was bragging of his lands and great possessions, to a Map of the whole World, and bad him demonstrate where his land lay; he could not by any means espy it, for Athens it self was but a small thing to the World, where his lands at that time were: Thus many there are that bear themselves very high upon their lands and livings; so much in one place,Recipit populos [...]rna citatos. so much in another, such a Lordship in this shire, and such a Mannour in that;Sen. Herc. sur. but Saint Basil tells them truly where their land lyes, and what [...] be said to be really theirs, Nonne telluris tres tan [...] cubiti te expectant? So much measure of ground to the length and breadth of their bodies,B. King F [...]n. Serm. as may serve to [Page] bury them in, or so many handfulls of dust as their bodies go into after their consumption; that is terra sua, terra mea, and terra vestra, their land▪ and my land, and thy land, and more then this no man can absolutely claim.

Riches very dangerous in the getting of them.1635

SUppose a Tree, Aloys Novarini Matth. expensus. whose leaves and boughs were clog'd and hung with honey, unto which an hungry Man coming, falls a licking one bough and leaf after another, untill he is carried so high from one to another through the greedinesse of his hunger, that he slips and slides, and cannot stay himself, but down he comes, and breaks a leg or an arm, and it is well if he escape with his life: So dangerous is it to climb up the Tree of Riches; For most commonly Men lay hold so upon one hundreth after another,Quocun (que) modo rem. one thousand after another, per fas et nefas, no matter how or which way they do it, though they endanger themselves sore, even to the loss of their pretious and immortal Souls to all Eternity.

A great blessing of God to be gently used in the matter of Conversion.1636

IN some Corporations, T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. the sons of Freemen bred under their Fathers in the same Profession, may set up and exercise their Fathers Trade, without ever being bound Apprentices thereunto; And whereas others endure seven years hardship at the least, before they can be free; they run over that time easily, and are encorporated by their Father's Copy. Thus it is, that they who never were notoriously prophane, Gal. 4. 26. such whose Parents have been Citizens of the new Ierusalem, and have been bred in the mystery of Godlinesse, Ephes. 2. 29. are oftentimes entred into Religion, and become Children of Grace without any Spirit of bondage seizing upon them, and though otherwhiles they taste of legal frights and fears, yet God so preventeth them with his blessings of goodnesse,Psal. 21. 3. that they smart not so deeply as other Men; A great benefit and rare blessing to that Soul, where God in his goodnesse is pleased to bestow it.

Perfection of Grace to be endeavoured.1637

AS the Waters spoken of in Ezekiel grew up by degrees, first to the ancles, then to the loynes, and lastly, to the head. Or as that gradual Wheat our Saviour spoke of,Ezek. 47. 4. Vine. de la Nuza Tract. Evang. First, there was the blade, then came the stalk, after that the full Corn, but lastly, came the Harvest. Even so like that Water, we must grow higher and higher, till we come to our head Christ Iesus, and like that Corn riper and riper untill the end of the World,Mark 4. 28. Nemo perfectus, qui persectior esse non appetit. Bernard. when God shall come to winnow us; We must resolve, endeavour, contend and strive for Perfection, as for a prize, though there may be many hindrances, as Worldly allurements, the Devils temptations, and our own sinful provocations, ever adding one grace unto another,Phil. 3. 3. Hugget Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1615. till we are in some sort, secundum hujus vitae modum, according to the capacity of our humane Nature, perfect Men in Christ Iesus, Matth. 5. 48.

The pain of a Wounded Conscience greatned by the Folly of the Patient.1638

SHeep are observed to flye without cause, scared (as some say) with the sound of their own feet,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Consci [...]nce. Their feet knack because they flye, and they poor silly Creatures, fly, because their feet knack. An Emblem of Gods children under the pains of a Wounded Conscience, self-Fearing, self-srighted: For as it is, [Page] that the pain of a wounded Conscience amongst other reasons thereof assigned, (as from the heavinesse of the hand that makes the Wound, an Angry God; from the sharpnesse of the sword, wherewith the Wound is made, the Word of God; from the tendernesse of the part it self, which is wounded, the Conscience) becomes intolerable; so from the Folly of the Patients themselves, who being stung, Sonus ex [...]itat omnis Suspensum. Virgil. have not the Wisdome to look up to the brazen Serpent, but torment themselves with their own Activity; Hear they but their own Voyce, they think it to be that which hath so often sworn, lyed, talked vainly, wantonly, wickedly, their own voyce being a terror to themselves; See they their own eyes in a glasse, they presently apprehend, These are they which shot forth so many envious, covetous, amorous glances, their own eyes being a terror to themselves, and as it was threatned to Pa [...]hur, themselves become a terrour to themselves, Ier. 20. 4.

1639 No true Content to be found in the things of this World.

THere is an old Apologue of a Bird-catcher, Sam. Whaley Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1615. who having taken a Nightingale, the poor Bird pleaded for her self as well as she could, and seeing divers go to the pot before her, said; Alas, I am not worth the killing, I have little or no flesh on my back, therefore you may well let me go; No, sayes the Fowler, One bird in hand is worth two in the bush: The Bird replyes, that her notes were more worth then her corps, and that she would chant him out three Songs, for which he should fare the better all the dayes of his life, if he kept them, then if he kill'd her: The bargain was made, and the Bird let fly; The Songs were these,

1. Strive not beyond thy strength,

2. Grieve not too much for the losse of that which cannot be recovered.

3. Believe not that which is incredible.

Now whilest the wise Bird-catcher was conning these Lessons,Conr. Zuingeri theat. hum. vitae. the Bird flying over his head, told him, that he had lost a great treasure; For she had within her head a pretious stone as bigg as an Estridge-egge. At this news the Birder began to ply the Nightingale with fair words, and told her, That if she would come again to his hand, he would spare the meat out of his own belly to feed her. Then answered the Bird, Now I see thou art a Fool indeed, that canst make no good use of my Counsel; For, first, Thou labourest for me which thou canst not reach. Secondly, Thou grievest for that which is irrecoverable. And thirdly, Thou believest that which no wise Man will, that I have a Pearl in my head as bigg as an Estridge-egg, whereas all my whole body is not so bigg: Thus surely, there are many of these Fowlers, Fallax est hic mundus, fi [...]is dubius, exitus horribilis, &c. Pet. Blesens. or rather Foolers in the World, such as doate in their reposals, setting up their rest in the things of this World, where it is not to be found, and in the mean time neglect to seek where it is; For the World hath no more sufficiency to Mans desire, then the Nightingale had the true pearl with in her to give him content; All the advantages of outward things being to Mans desire, but as sharp sauce to the appetite, which doth not satisfie hunger, but provoke the stomack to hunger after more.

1640 A good Man, tedious to bad Company.

WHen an hunted Dear [...] runs for safeguard amongst the rest of the Herd, T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. they will not admit him into their Company, but beat him off with their horns, out of principles of self-preservation, for fear the hownds in pursuit of him, fall on them also: In like manner, when a knot of bad-good-fellows perceive one of their Society become a New man, Loripes rectum de ridet; A [...] thiops [...]. Juvenal. they will be shut of him as soon as possibly they can, preferring his room, and declining his Company, lest [Page] his goodnesse prove infectious; He shall no longer be welcome in their Society, then he is able to sing his part in their Joviall [...] do as they do, and then he is a boon-Companion.

Pride, the vanity and sinfulnesse thereof.1641

IT is well known,Rich. Middleton Heavenly Progresse. that rotten wood and Glow-worms make a glorious shew in the night, and seem to be some excellent things; but when the day appears, they shew what they are indeed, poor, despicable and base Creatures: Such is the Vanity and sinfulnesse of all naughty, proud, high-minded Persons, who though now shining in the darknesse of this World, through the greatnesse of their Power, place and height of their honour,Omni vitio deterior est sisterbia, &c. Isidor. de sum. bo [...]o. lib. 3. When the Sun of Righteousnesse shall appear and manifest the secrets of all hearts, then they will be seen in their own proper colours, and appear to be but rotten stuffe, and stinking S [...]pulchers, For to have nothing, derogates nothing from the worth of true Grace, but to have power without Piety, greatnesse without goodnesse, is a scorn to him that confers it, and a sin to him that receives it, but both shamefull and sinfull to him that waxeth proud by it.

Greatnesse of the torture of a Wounded Conscience.1642

AS long as Adam did fast in Paradise, he stood fast, but having once eaten the forbidden fruit,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. he tarryed a while there, but took no contentment therein; The Sun did shine as bright, the Rivers ran as clear as ever they did, birds sang as sweetly, beasts played as pleasantly, Flowers smelt as fragrant, herbs grew as fresh, Fruits flourisht as fair; no punctilio of Pleasure was either altered or abated; The objects were the same, but Adam's eyes were otherwise, his nakednesse stood in his light, a thorn of guiltinesse grew in his heart, before any thistles sprang out of the ground, which made him not to seek for the fairest fruits to fill his hunger, but the biggest leaves to cover his nakednesse: Such is the torture of a wounded Conscience, that it is able to unparadise Paradise; Nihil est miserius quam animus hominis laesus. Plaut. and the burthen thereof so importable, that it is able to quail the courage, and crush the shoulders of the bugest Hercules, of the mightiest Ma [...]upon the face of the Earth: Who can bear it? Prov. 18. 14.

The Proud mans Memento.1643

ALexander having compassed and conquered a great part of the World,Joh. Combesii Apophthegm. Imperat. &c. came into an Island of the Brachmans, a People that used no habit but breasts skins, no houses but caves, no Meat but such as Nature produced, and demanding the reason of this their strange kind of life, they answered; We know that we shall dye, Co [...]. Sabellicus. in hist. whether this day or to morrow we know not, And therefore why should we take care for power to rule, honour to be esteemed, or Riches to live in pleasure; With which answer he was so affected, that he bad them ask what they would, and he would give it them; they presently demanded, Not to dye; to which he replying, that he could not give that, For he himself must dye: Why, then, said they, art thou so foolish to live in such Pride, seeing thou knowest thou shalt dye? Thus if rude, barbarous People by the onely meditation of Death, could so easily contemn all the thoughts of Power and Honour, Is it not more then time that such as professe themselves to be Christians, who having so many Noble restraints and retractives to beat down the pride of power and honour, —nimium ne exede colori. Virg. Eclog. should now cease to fall in love with their own shadowes not to doat upon greatnesse, and popular applause which will last no longer then the giver pleaseth, not to look big or be proud upon the accesse of any preferment whatsoever.

1644 Patiently to wait Gods time for deliverance.

[Page]

COnsiderable are the causes,T. Fuller Cure of a wounded Conscience. why a broken leg is incureable in a horse, and easily cureable in a Man; The horse is incapable of Counsell to submit himself to the Farryer, and therefore in case his leg be set, he flings, he flounces, and flies out, unjointing it again by his misemployed mettal, counting all binding to be but shackles and fet [...]ers unto him; VVhereas a Man willingly resigneth himself to be ordered by the Chirurgion, preferring rather to be a Prisoner for some dayes,Omnia am [...]ra et gravia patienter feras. then a Cripple all his life: Thus it were heartily to be wished, that Men would not be like the Horse or Mule, which have no understanding, but let Patience have its perfect work in them, Psal. 32. 9. so that when they are as it were overwhelmed in a deluge of distress, —dolor hic tibi proderit. Ovid. finding no way to get out, they would tarry Gods time, and though deliverance come not at an instant, yea though it be irksome at the present, in due time they shall certainly receive comfort.

1645 Pride, a main Engine of the Devill.

AS when a City or a Castle is besieged,Rich. Middleton Heavenly Progresse. amongst other stratagems and devices, Men use to undermine the Foundation, and blow it up with Gunpowder, that being (as they think) the surest way to gain it: So the Devill laying battery to the Fort of Mans Soul, undermines it, and puts the Gunpowder of Pride into it, knowing that as he himself was blown up, so will that pretious Fortresse be easily scaled, if that powder once take fire in it: And as those that fish with nets in standing Rivers, where they pitch down their net, do blunder and trouble the water, Superbia Diaboli est instrumentum, &c. Cassiod. in Psalm. 18. that the Fish may not see the net, and then with poles beat and dash the streams above, to drive the Fish into the net; So Satan setting the net of disobedience, muds and troubles the heart of Man by Pride, and so beats him down the stream of his own affections, till he have caught him in his deadly Net of destruction.

1646 Nature cannot work out Peace of Conscience.

THere are a sort of foolish Country people,M [...]. Collings 5. Lessons. that think Nature will work out all distemperatures, and they need no Physick; Some of them are confuted by their graves, others of more strength, and healthier Constitutions possibly recover their former vigour; but their diseases make a truce onely, not a peace with their bodies; the latent cause remains and watcheth its advantage of the next heat or cold the body takes, or the next intemperate season that comes; And thus many deal with their Souls, never regarding when their Spirits are troubled to heal up the wound with the balm of Gelead, but go on in their Worldly natural way, and at last their troubled Spirits are quiet again, so they get their Peace of course, —latet anguis in herba. but all this while the hidden cause of their trouble watcheth the next advantage, their Souls fester within and on a sodain they are ready to despair, and to lay Violent hands on themselves.

1647 Men to set an high Valew upon their Souls.

WHen Praxiteles a cunning Painter had promised unto Phryne one of the choicest pieces in his shop,Plutarch. she not knowing which was the best, Moral. lib. 4. began to think upon some plot, whereby to make him to discover his Judgment which of them was the piece indeed, suborned one of his Servants to tell his Master (being then in the Market selling his Pictures) Pausanias [...] Atticis. that his house was on fire and a great part of it burnt down to the ground; Praxiteles hearing this, presently demanded of his Servant, If the Satyre and Cupid were safe, whereby Phryne standing by; discovered which was the best Picture in the Shop: And shall a silly [Page] painter, set so high an esteem upon a poor base Picture, the [...]ubber'd work of his own hands.Animam cura tuam ipsius in quantum potes. Menander. And shall not we much more value the Soul, that is of an Immortall being, the most pretio [...] piece that ever God made, the perfect pattern and Image of himself; let Riches, honours and all go, if nothing but this escape the fire, it is sufficient.

Peace of Conscience, not wrought out by merry Company or drinking.1648

SOme there are that if they be in an ague, Colling [...] 5. Lessons. or the like distemperature, will drink hot waters, or good store of Sack to prevent their cold [...]it and out-burn Nature; but alasse, all the good that comes of it, is onely that they fall into a burning Fever, and perhaps consume their dust into ashes: So there are such prophane wretches, that if their Conscience alarums them, if their Spirit troubles them, or if crosses multiply upon them, think there is no other way to wind out of the Devils fingers but by throwing themselves into his arms,Matth. 23. 15. making themselves twice more the Children of the Devil then they were before; they must needs to the Tavern, or to the Alehouse, seek out some boon Companions, drink away their sorrow; but had Zimri peace that slew his Master? Damning a Soul cannot surely be the way to save it. 2 Kings 9. 31.

The vast difference betwixt Pride and Humility.1649

SPectacles that are of an antient sight,Rob. Bodius conc. in Ephes. if the young go about to use them, they shew all things lesse then they are; but unto old Men they present all things greater then they are: Such is the difference betwixt Pride and Humility, that Pride is like the old Mans spectacles, and makes things bigger then indeed they are; but Humility like the spectacles worn by young Men, causeth every thing to seem lesse then it is;—impa [...] congressus Achilli. Virgil. A Proud man thinks no man better then himself, an Humble man none worse; The one lifteth up himself on high, the other layeth his mouth in the dust, Lament. 3. 29.

Much Learning to be found in a small compasse of expressions.1650

THe Learned Heraclite no lesse elegant then Aenigmatical amongst other his quaint speeches,Henry C [...]es difference of Age [...]. hath this saying of special remembrance and observation; That the greedy Mettal mongers in their too too eager search for the Worlds wealth, after long toil and trouble find parvum in magno a little pure substance in a great deal of unprofitable Earth: But it fareth otherwise in the Inquisition and pursuit after Learning, Litera sementem faci [...] et sententi [...] [...]. For there a well grounded Scholler shall find with a little abstractive speculation magnum in parvo much matter in few words; every short golden sentence and particle thereof containing incredible store of most pure substance; every short Aphorisme, every Axiome, every Maxime, nay almost every contracted line comprehending matter sufficient to fill whole Volumes.

The true Nature of Humility.1651

RUffin [...] the Companion of S. Francis, having a Revelation that a Crown of glory was laid up for that holy Man,Bonavent. in legenda S. Francis. told him one day that it would very much rejoyce him, if he would let him understand, What he thought of himself; To whom S. Francis gave this answer; I esteem my self the greatest Sinner of any in the World, and that I serve God lesse then any other man: How can that be, said Ruffinus, Marul. lib. 2. seeing some are Thieves, some Murtherers, some Adulterers, [Page] and many most prophane and Wicked wretches, such as are in the very gall of bitternesse, such as never think of God or goodnesse; and thou art not onely free from all these, but withall a Man of much sanctity, and holinesse? But he replying, said; Out of doubt if God had been so mercifull to them, as he hath been to me, Recta facere, et inutilem se reputare, apud pauc [...]s invenitur. Bein. they would have shewed themselves more thankfull then I have been; And besides if God had forsaken me, I should have committed far greater Sins then they have done. Here was a good Man though a Papist, a rare pattern of Humility, so far imita [...]le as being a Man arrived at a most excellent degree of self-denyal coming from an inward and high knowledg of God and himself, so that all the Vertues that he hath, and all the good works that he doth, though never so worthy and deserving, yet they seem unto himself little or none at all;Jos. Hall Chara [...]. of Virlues and Vices. And such is the Nature of every man that is truly humble, He admires every thing in another, whiles the same or better in himself he thinks not unworthily contemned; His eyes are full of his own wants, and others perfections. No man sets so low a value of his worth as himself; not out of ignorance or carelesnesse, but of a voluntary and meek dejectednesse. Well may it be said of him, that he is a lowly valley sweetly planted, and well watered; the proud Man's earth, whereon he trampleth, but secretly full of Wealthy Mines, more worth then he that walks over them; a rich stone set in lead; and lastly, a true Temple of God built with a low roof.

1652 Impossible to arrive at a full perfection of Learning in this life.

IT was well said of Sigismund the Emperour, to a Doctor of Law, whom, for an excellent stratagem against the Enemy,Rerum German. Script. incogniti. he had Knighted not long before; When at an Assembly of Peers and Counsellors the Doctor doubted whether side he might with greater credit joyn unto,Sylvius lib. 4. com. in reb. gesti. to his own of the Togati, or the other of the Militia; Is it doubtfull, said the Emperour, Whether Learning or Military experience is more Honourable? Alfonsi. I can in one day make a thousand good Souldiers; Drake. but I am not able in a thousand years to make one tolerable Doctor; Implying, That the whole course of a Man's life was not time sufficient to arrive at a full perfection of Learning. Cavendish. We may read of them that have sailed about the World in three years, but as yet never heard of any, who in the whole course of their life, how laboriously soever passed over, were able to compasse the whole Circle of the Liberal Sciences;Aristoteles. Pet. Abaelardus. There was one called sometimes in regard of the excellency of his parts,Ars long [...], vit [...] brevis. A walking Library; another was said to dispute de omni Sc [...]bili; meer Hyperboles. For Socrates on his death-bed confessed, he had many things to learn, nor shall any Man after him come to the requisite perfection of Learning.

1653 The Excellency of Humility.

IT is storyed of Homer, Per. Crinitus. de Poat. Grae. the Prince of Poets, That all the Cities of Greece contended to have the honour of his Nativity; every one affirming, that he was born there, as thinking themselves sufficiently honoured, if a Man in Philosophy so learned, in Poesie so singular, should be born amongst them: Thus it may be said of Humility, all the Virtues, as, Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, &c. contend for the right of it,O sancta venerabilis (que) humilitas. Aug. and think themselves much graced, if they may get it but to be theirs, so excellent an Ornament they accompt it; excellent indeed; so that a Writer defining of other Virtues, was so amazed at the consideration of it,Rich. Middleton Davids Key. that he was fain to call it, donum sine nomine, in some sort like unto God, who wants a definition, and cannot be expressed what he is; The wisest of Philosophers never knew or understood it, and therefore amongst all the antient Latines it wanted a name, and amongst the Greeks they could not expresse it as we do, but called it [...], the abjection or lowlinesse of the Mind.

Christ voluntarily engaging himself to take away the Sins of the World.1654

[Page]

LOok but upon a poor Man, that lying under an arrest for debt more then he is any way able to compasse by way of satisfaction,Alphons. ab Avendan. Com. in cap. 9. Matth. so that there is no way but one, either pay, or to prison; What though his Friends be never so rich, never so potent, the Creditor cannot charge one farthing of the debt upon them, there's no Justice for it; But if this poor Man hath some able Friend that will so far undertake for him, that the debt shall be paid at a certain time and place appointed, the Prisoner is released, the engagement is entred in the Creditors book, and from that day forward he looks upon the Surety, not so much as once minding the poor Debtor at all.Col. 2. 14. Thus it is, that a Writ of Vengeance was issued out of the Court of Heaven, Mankind was ready to be arrested and thrown into an everlasting Prison, from whence he should never have been released, till he had paid the utmost farthing, which he was never able to do with all the Friends and means that he could make; Yet such was the happinesse, tha [...] Iesus Christ seeing some of his elected Friends that his Father had given him, having their names in the Writ, steps in, and sayes; Father, these are my Friends, Esay 63. 8. surely they are my People, Children that will not lye, (so he was their Saviour) I will pay the debt, Gal. 4. 4. charge it upon my accompt, it shall be paid in the fulnesse of time. The Father accepts the tender, Matth. 3. desires no better security, then that of his beloved Sonne,Mark 1. 7. in whom he is well pleased.

The Virtue of Humility.1655

AS the Amathist is said to represse Drunkennesse,Vincent. speculum morale. and breed sobriety; the Iasper to expell dreams; the Saphire to heal tumors and swellings; the Onyx to make Men valiant: Thus it is, that as several stones, and Minerals have proper and peculiar Virtues in themselves, the grace of Humility is that Panacea, O medicinam omnibus consulentem, omnia tumentia comprimentem, &c. Aug. de verb. Dom. that Catholicon of the Soul, that cures all diseases whatsoever, it beats down the drunken fumes of windy conceits, puts away the earnestnesse of desire after transitory things, which are nothing else indeed but dreams and shadows; It cures the risings of heat and passion, and makes a Man valiant to fight against those three Arch-enemies of Mankind, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

God onely able to work Man to Will and to do▪ 1656

A Great Emperour buyeth a Woman that is a slave, which he intends to marry, and will so do,Collings. 5. Lessons. whether she will or no; yet he will woe her, and, if possible, marry her Will as well as her Person, yet whether she will or no, he will and may marry her, for she is his purchase; she is his Wife in his determination before he hath married her: This is a Simile, that at the first view may seem to hold out much of Gods ability in the working of Man to Will and do; yet being put into the ballance will be found light; For though this Emperour hath power to force the Womans body to the action, yet he hath no power to force her Will, to be willing to the action: The Will is alwayes independent sui juris, but God hath power not onely to marry the Soul, which he hath bought from being a slave to the Devill, but to make it ready and willing to marry him.

1657 Pride in Riches, honours, preferments, &c. the vanity thereof.

[Page]

A Bladder being puff'd up with a little wind, if but two or three beans or pease be put into it,Laurent. Sealabonii moralia in passionem Christi. they make a mighty sound and ratling, insomuch that a good mettall'd horse, which not otherwise afraid to enter the troops of ten thousand armed Men, will be so scared with the strangenesse of the noyse, that the Rider shall be scarce able to sit him; yet if this bladder be but prick'd with a pin, it comes instantly to nought. A true resemblance of such whom God enricheth with his blessings,Divitiae honores, &c. superbis exhibiti, in eorum commutantur ruinam. Greg. 7. Moral. casting into their bosoms some beans and pease of extraordinary gifts and graces, of authority, honour, wisdom, and the like, with which they make such a ratling, that even valiant hearts are daunted with the sound thereof, and they themselves drawing in the wind of popular applause, begin to swell as big as any bladder with presumption of their own merits; but if their Princes displeasure do but breathe on them, or some feaver or distemper seize upon them, this great wind is abated, their Souls are galled with impatience, and they sing their part with those wretched ones; What hath Pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of Riches brought us? Wisd. 5. 6.

1658 Security the cause of all Calamity.

IT was well observed,Seneca in Epist. that it was as necessary for Rome, that Cato should be born as well as Scipio; the reason was, Alter cum hostibus, alter cum vitiis bellum gessit, the one kept Warr with their Enemies, the other with their vices, so that being alarm'd on both sides, they were ever in a posture of defence: Thus it is,Nemo securus esse debet in [...]ita ista. August. Vel▪ Pat. hist. Rom. that what with the sword of the Spirit drawn against the exorbitance of the time, and that of the Militia to defend the Frontiers, the People rouze up themselves, and become vigorous, well considering, that no Man is sooner overthrown, then he that feareth nothing, and most usually it so falleth out, that Security is the main cause of all calamity.

1659 Riches, Honours, &c. the different use that is made of them.

IT is said of the seeds of Henbane, that they kill all birds saving Sparrows, and to them they are nourishing food; the reason given is this, their veins are so narrow, that the fumes thereof cannot passe to the heart and surprise it so soon as it doth other Creatures: Such is the condition, property, quality, and use of Riches, Avice [...]a de medicin, cordialibus. honours, preferments, or any other outward thing whatsoever, they do nothing at all hurt the Godly, such as know how to make a right use of them; but to the Wicked and Ungodly, such as know no other Heaven upon Earth, but the bare enjoyment of them, they are but as so many [...]nares and temptations to entrap them, so that what is one Man's meat, becomes the others poyson;R. Holdsworth Serm. before the East-India Company, 1632. And why so? because the Godly have certain private veins of Knowledg and goodnesse, whereby that deadly fume of Henbane, the love of the World cannot passe to the heart; Let Honours mount never so high, Riches encrease never so much, they look above them, they set not their hearts upon them, but take up that of the Wiseman, Omnia bonis in bonum, All things to the good are turned to good, Wisd. 39.

The soveraign Vertue of Humility.1660

[Page]

PHysitians and Naturalists do say, that there is nothing of the Mul [...]erry tree but is medicinal,Plin. nat. hist. lib. 16. cap. 26. Isidor. and usefull in some sort or other, the fruit, the root, the bark, the leaf and all; Such is the soveraigne Vertue of Humility, that every part of it,Dioscorides. as well the root of affections, and the bark of Conversation, as the leaves of words and the fruit of Works heals some diseases or other, of the drooping Sin-sick Soul. Hence is it that the great Physitian of our Souls (as if they could never be at rest or quiet otherwise) prescribes us this Recipe against all spiritual qualms and agonies, Learn of me, that I am lowly and meek, and you shall find rest to your Souls. Matth. 11. 29.

The love of Riches, very dangerous.1661

A Tree when it is half cut through deceives the Elephant when he leans unto it;Plinius in hist. nat. Mandrage if duly taken is good Physick; but if immoderately, it casts into a dead sleep, congeals the spirits, and deaddens the Natural faculty; And asSir Franc. Bacon. one said of Parliaments in England, that they are very good purges to evacuate the ill humours of the body Politick, but very bad Diet-drink to live upon, weakning the vigorous spirits thereof, and making it liable to much inconvenience: Such is the immoderate love of Riches and the things of this life,Rich. Middleton Heavenly Progresse. they deceive all that lean unto them, there's no safety in living upon them, no rest in the acquiring of them; They cast their Favourites and all such as dote upon them into strange dreams, their reason and understanding being stupified, their devotion and goodnesse congealed, and in fine their bodies and Souls in great jeopardy to be everlastingly damned.

Worldly honours and greatnesse, their Vanity to be considered.1662

THe Romans to expresse the Vanity of Worldly honour and greatnesse, painted Honour in the Temple of Apollo as representing the form of a Man,Wolfgang. Lazius de rebus Rom. with a Rose in his right hand, a Lilly in his left, above him a Solsequy or Marigold, and under him Wormwood, with this Inscription, Levate, Consider; by all this declaring, that Man in this World flourisheth as a Rose in delights and Riches, but at night, that is, in the time of Death or adversity he is dryed up, rejected and set at nought as a dryed Rose which all the day long is carried in the hand with contentment,Discite in hoc mundo suprà mundum esse, &c. Ambros. in lib. de Virg. but being once withered is cast away on the dunghill; The Lilly, excelling Solomon in its glorious cloathing, but the leaves falling, it becomes sordid; aptly denoting the favour of Man whilst in worldly honour, but once clouded by misfortune made of no accompt: The Marigold, opening and shutting with the Sun,Dr. Staughton Serm. at Mer [...]. Chap. Lond. 1635. shewing that when the Sun of Prosperity shines, he sees all things delectable, but the Sun setting, Death or Adversity approaching, then appears nothing but darknesse and horrour of the grave: The Wormwood signifying, that all the delights in this World are sweet in the execution, but bitter in the retribution, no better then a bitter potion, and the very gall of Dragons, Esay 24. Lastly, the word Levate, is very necessary, lift up your heads and consider, ye that are proud of your honours and greatnesse, ye are but Roses that will wither, Lillies that will lose their beauty, Marigolds that open and shut with the Sun, and your portion without Repentance will be but Wormwood and bitterness.

1663 The Heart of a VVorldly-minded Man, never satisfied.

[Page]

ALexander on a time having many Philosophers with him at a Banquet,Phil. Nepos in vita Plutarch. would needs have it put to the question, what was the greatest thing in the World? some of them said, the hill Olympus, some the Sun, some the Earth, some one thing and some another; but one of them said, that surely the Heart of Man must needs be the greatest, because that in a moment it passed through the whole VVorld, Heaven, Earth, Sea and all: And such is the Heart of every Worldly-minded Man,Hugo lib. 1. de anima. though in the substance of it, such a bit as will hardly give a Kite a breakfast, yet of that extent as to the desires thereof, totus non sufficit Orbis, Jer. Leech Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. the whole World is not able to satisfy it; If an Earthly-minded Man should gai [...] unto himself the whole World, and being placed in the middle of it, so that, if possible, he might at once view his purchase, he would Alexander-like ask whether there were any more Worlds, any more land, any more Wealth that he might grasp that into his hands also.

1664 Pride in Apparel, condemned.

OUr Chronicles record it of William Rufus, Sir Joh. Heyward 3. Norman Kings. one of the three Norman Kings, who in his time was held for one sumptuous in his Apparrel, that when his Chamberlain had brought him a pair of new breeches to put on, and he demanding what they cost? it was answered, Eight shillings; The King being offended, bade him begone like a beggar, and bring him a pair of a Mark price. Now it is much to be feared, that Histories for the time to come shall have little or no cause at all to commend our sober moderation in this kind,T. Adams Sermon at S. [...]ennet. 1635. Impudicus quis (que) ut videatur magnificus, satagit vestiri pr [...]tios [...]ibus, &c. Justin. but rather complain of the most intolerable and damned excesse that ever reigned amongst Christians, such being the Vanity thereof, that S [...]xes can hardly be distinguished; and when one sees Men and Women in their bravery, they may safely conclude many of them to be in the midst of their Wealth, the basest of them wearing more in gold and silver-lace, or a sett of points, then would in times past have bought one of our ancient Kings a Suit of Apparrel.

1665 Carelesse, Worldly hearers of Gods Word, to be reproved.

IT is said by the Naturalists,Plin. hist. nat. lib. 16. cap. 35. Ben. Victo [...]. Empyrica. (how true, let them look to it) that a Vessel being made of the I [...]ie-Tree, i [...] Water and Wine be poured into it together, the Wine will leak out, and leave the Water behind it: Such are all carelesse, worldly Hearers of Gods Word, they hold a true resemblance with this Wood for receiving into them the Wine of Gospel-dispensations, which should inebriate them with the love of God and goodnesse, and also taking in the Water of [...]orldly apprehensions, they leave out all the Wine, forget all the good, so that not [...]ing remains behind but the pudled water of Vanity, Pride, Ambition, Luxury, and such other pests of the Soul, which without the mercy of God upon true Repentance, will endanger it to all Eternity.

1666 Pride and Ambition the Folly thereof.

IT is reported of a certain Philosopher, Greg. de la Nuza. Tra [...]t. Evang. who dying, demised a great sum of Mo [...]y to him that should be found most foolish, and left another Philosopher [...]is Executor; It fell out so, that travelling many Countreys to find out a Man exceeding all others in Folly, that he came to Rome, where a Consul abusing his place, was adjudged to death, and another immediately chosen, who joyfully [Page] t [...]ok it upon him; to this Man the Philosopher delivered the sum of Money, telling him that he was the most foolish Man in the World,Conr. Zuingerus in theat. [...]um. vitae. lib. 16. who seeing the miserable end of his Predecessor, yet was nothing daunted therewith, but joyfully took upon him the succession of his Office. O how Foolish then are the most Men of this World,Nat. Shute S [...]rm. at S. Mild. Po [...]ltry, Lond. 1638. that live and see the miserable wrack that Pride and Ambition have made every where! In Heaven, in Paradise, and through the whole World and every part thereof, (especially that of the Court of great ones, where but few prosper, and those that prosper perish) yet dare adventure with joy and contentment to hoyse out their sayls,Aulae culmen lubricum. and run themselves upon such dangerous rocks, ruine and destruction.

Men by Nature looking more after their bodies, then their Souls.1667

SOcrates one day meeting Zenophon the sonne of Coryllus in a certain angiport,Diog. Lae [...]t. in vita. or Haven-street, and seeing him a youth of great hopes, stayed him with his staffe, and asked him this question; Where was the place where severall Merchandizes and Commodities were to be sold? To whom Zenophon readily replyed; In such a place he might be furnished with all sorts: Then Socrates demanded of him another question, Where was the place where Men were to be made good? To this his answer was, That he could not tell. Then saith Socrates to him, Follow me that thou mayst learn it. Math. Stiles Serm. at S. Greg. Lond. 1639. And so from that time he began to be Socrates's Scholler. Now as it was with Zenophon at that time, so it is now with most part of Christians, they know readily, and are very well verst in all the waies of Worldly Trade and Commerce, as having special care to be ignorant of nothing that belongs to profit or pleasure; but if the demand be made concerning the Pearl of price, the rich Merchandize of the Soul, the graces of Gods holy Spirit, and where and how one may purchase them, they answer with Zenophon, they cannot tell; And why? because they never made it their work to enquire after things of that Nature.

Magistrates, Ministers, &c. their rule to walk by.1668

THe Sea-men have a Proverb,Joh. Apostol. Paroemiae. or rather a Riddle, Mare ab imbecillibus victum, fortior a vincit, that the Sea is overcome of things weak, but the strongest are overcome of the Sea; which is thus to be understood, That those [...]abulous, dirty, and fenny places about the Sea, are by aggregation and access of mire, sand and other things falling into them continually enlarged, and so the Sea about such places is contracted, restrained, and as it were overcome; but the rocky, strong, and hard places are by the Sea strongly assaulted, and by little and little so battered and eaten out, that it gets much ground there, and overcomes that stony-hearted opposition: A good Rule for Magistrates, Ministers and Men in power to walk by,Tho. de Trugillo thesaur. Conciona [...]. to be gentle and loving, and of a yielding disposition to the humble, virtuous, and Religious persons, and suffer such to be overcome by them; but to the stubborn, stiff-necked and proud rebellious spirits to extend the waves and billows of their Iustice and power to break down their oppositions, and bring under their aspiring thoughts; but with this Proviso, that their Sins may be hated, not their Persons, and that to be done too, not with a desire of Revenge, but of healing and curing their Infirmities.

1669 Graces of the Spirit to be made the Souls furniture.

[Page]

ALexander having conquered Darius, Phil. Nepos in vita. there was a box brought unto him from the Kings Cabin, curiously wrought with gold and pearl; And asking of them (who were not ignorant of the Persians profusednesse and vanity) What use there was of so pretious a Vessel? It was answered; That the King used therein to keep his Oyntments, which as soon as he understood, he gave order forthwith,Rich. de Mediavilla progressus Coelestis. that it should be the keeper of a more pretious Iewell, meaning the Iliads of Homer, and be no more called [...], but [...], not the box of Oyntments, but the box of Homer. Now, how much rather should every Christian make his most pretious Soul (which hath for a long time been no better then a cage full of unclean birds, the keeper of Vice and all kind of vanity) a Temple fit for the Holy Ghost to duell in, a Vessell and preserver of the Graces of Gods holy Spirit.

1670 Discretion, the guide of all Religious actions.

THere is a story,Cassian. collat. 2. cap. 2. how divers ancient Fathers came to S. Anthony, enquiring of him, What Virtue did by a direct line lead to perfection, that so a Man might shun the snares of Sathan: He bade every one of them speak his opinion; One said, Watching and Sobriety; Another said, Fasting and Discipline, A third said, Humble prayer; A fourth said, Poverty and Obedience; And another, Piety and works of Mercy; but when every one had spoke his mind, his answer was, That all these were ex [...]ellent Graces indeed, but Discretion was the chief of them all. And so without all doubt it is, being the very Auriga Virtutum, the guide of all Virtuous and Religious actions,Bern. Serm. in Cant. 49. the Moderator and Orderer of all the Affections; For whatsoever is done with it, is Virtue, and what without it, is Vice; Discretio virtutibus modum imponit, sine qua, &c. Pet. Ravis in Serm. An ounce of Discretion is said to be worth a pound of Learning; as Zeal without Knowledg is blind, so Knowledg without Discretion is lame, like a sword in a Mad-man's hand, able to do much, apt to do nothing; Tolte hanc et virtus vitium erit, He that will fast, must fast with Discretion, he must so mortifie, that he do not kill his Flesh; Nich. Gorran. in Rom. 12. He that gives Alms to the poor, must do it with Discretion, Om [...]i petenti non omnia petenti to every one that doth ask, but not everything that he doth ask;Augustin. haeres. 57. so likewise pray with discretion, observing place and time; place, lest he be reputed an Hypocrite; time, lest he be accounted an Heretick. And thus it is, that Discretion is to be made the guide of all Religious performances.

1671 Humility exalted.

THe Naturalists do observe,Plin. hist. nat. lib. 13. cap. 7. that the Egyptian Fig-tree being put into the Water, presently sinks to the bottom; but being well soaked with moysture, contrary to the nature of all other wood bwoyes it self up to the top of the Water:Theophrast. Dioscorid. So we may say of humble-minded Men, they keep the lowest place and degree in every thing; but when in such places they are sooked with the waters of grace and devotion, with the waters of tears and compunction of heart, with the waters of pitty and compassion of other Mens miseries, then do they (after death especially) swim up to that incomparable weight of glory which God hath assured to the poor in spirit, Io [...] 22.

No Worldly thing must hinder the Service of God.1672

[Page]

IT was a good saying, out of a Wicked Man's mouth, When Balaac put hard upon Balaam to curse the People of God,Ralph. Venning Serm. at S. Olaves Southw [...]rk, 1654. No, sayes he, I cannot do it, If Balaac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot do it, I cannot go beyond the Commandement of God to do either good or bad of my own mind,Numb. 24. 13. but what the Lord saith, that will I speak. And thus it is, that when a Man is put upon any sinfull design, such as shall not be agreeable to the Word of God, nor suit with the dictates of his own Conscience, let him desist with that resolution of Ioseph, How can I do this great Wickednesse, and so sin against God? Avoid Sathan, away with Riches, Honours, Preferments, &c. if they once appear to dis-engage me from the service of my God; If not onely a house full of gold and silver, but all the Kingdoms of the World were to be at my dispose, I would forgoe them all, forsake them all, that I might stick close unto the service of so good a Master, as God is.

Every Man is to make himself sure of Heaven and Heavenly things.1673

IT is related of a Man, that being upon the point of drowning in a great River, Alard. Aemstel. redami select. Similitud. he looked up and saw the Rainbow in the Clouds, and considering that God had set it there as a sign of his Covenant, never more to drown the World by water, makes this sad conclusion to himself; But what if he save the whole World from a deluge of Waters, and suffer me to be drown'd here in this River, I shall be never the better for that; when I am once gone, all the world is gone with me. Thus it is in the matter of Heaven and Heavenly things, as in the point of Calling and Election;Matth. 10. 30. whereas it is said, That many are called, but few chosen; so that if a Man cannot make out unto himself, that he is none of the Many so called, and one of the few that shall be certainly saved, he must needs be but in a sad condition. What is the bloud of Christ, though in it self sufficient to save ten thousand Worlds, if it be not efficient in the application thereof unto his Soul? He shall be never the better for it. What if the Gospel come to him in Word onely, and not in power, not in the Holy Ghost and full assurance? it would do him little good. What are Promises, if he be not Heir of them? VVhat are Mercies, if he be no sharer in them? VVhat is Heaven, if he have no Evidence for it? And, what is Christ, (though all in all in himself, yet nothing, nay the further occasion of damnation to him) if he he not in him? Iob. 3. 19.

The deaths of Faithful Magistrates, Ministers, &c. to be lamented.1674

IT is reported in the Life of S. Ambrose, That when he heard of the death of any holy Minister of Christ, In vita; per Paulinum. he would weep bitterly; The like may be read of Philo the learned Iew, That when he came to any Town or Village, and heard of the death of any good Man there dwelling, he would mourn exceedingly, because of the great losse, Lib. de vita Mosis. that that place and the whole Church of Christ had received thereby. How much more cause have we then of this Nation, to lament our sad Condition, who have in few years lost so many Reverend, learned and Godly Ministers, Ed. Calamy Preface to M. Ash Serm. at Fun. of Jer. Whitaker, 1654. Magistrates, and others; Needs must we languish, when the breath of our nostrils is expired; needs must the Church be in a tottering estate, when her props and supporters are taken away; and such a one is every good Magistrate in his place, every painful Preacher in his Parochial charge, every [Page] child of God in the Precinct where he dwells; And if the taking away of any of these be not matter of sorrow, I know not what is.

1675 Antinomian madnesse.

IT is said of Lycurgus, Apollodor. de origine Deorum lib. 3. that being cast into a phrensy by Dionysius, in that distemper thinking to have cut down a Vine, with the same hatchet slew his own Son: So the Antinomist being possest with a spiritual phrensy, which he calls Zeal; when he lifts up his hatchet to cut off some errours, which like luxuriant branches have sprung up about the Law, cuts down at unawares the very Law it self, both root and branch, making the observation of it arbitrary in respect of Salvation,In the Preface to Lanc. Andrews Wi [...] ton. on Command. or as a Parenthesis in a sentence, where the sense may be perfect without it; For under colour of advancing Gods free Grace in Mans salvation, and affecting Christian liberty, they abrogate the whole Moral Law, as if it were worthy of no better entertainment among Christians then Iehojakim gave to Ieremies prophecies,Ier. 26. 23. when he cut the roul in pieces and threw it into the fire to be consumed.

1676 The Devills policy to root out Learning.

IT is said of Iulian the Apostate,Sozomen. lib. 5. cap. 5. Theodoret. lib. 3. cap. 7. that he might the better root out the name of Christianity, he did disgrace the Orthodox Bishops, cast an odium upon the honour and office of Priesthood, make away Church-maintenance, and Church-priviledges, forbad Christian Schools and places of Learning for instruction of their youth, permitted not the Christians to meet together, not to have any benefit of Law, any share in Government, or any degree of dignity; and all this, that he might the better advance his own wicked designes.E. Waterhouse Apology for Learning. Thus the Devill by such and the like artifices projecteth the dishonours of Learning and Learned men, that so in the dark of Ignorance and decay of Arts, he may form and compleat the modell of his own Diabolical Kingdome, that having put out the eye of good instruction, he may seduce the poor silly People as Captives at his Will.

1677 The excellency of a good Name.

THere is mention made by S. Basil [...] of a certain art of drawing of Pidgeons to their Dove [...] in [...] Countries,Epist. 175. ad Julittam. by anoi [...]ting the Wings of one of them with a sweet ointment, and it being sent abroad, doth by the fragrancy of that ointment, (as it were dequoy) invite and allure others to that house, where it self is a domestick: Thus as a good Name is bonum Utile, Prov. 22. 1. a second Patrimony, and bonum Honestum, one of the requisites that makes up a compleat Christian,Phil. 8. so it is bonum Iucundum, better then a pretious ointment,Eccles. 7. 1. then an ointment poured forth, drawing all good Men after the savour thereof,D. We [...]tfield Sermon at S. Pauls, Lond. 1 [...]41. so that a Preacher well-reported of, shall not want Hearers; A Physitian of good report shall not want Patients; The Lawyer that hath a good report shall not want Clients; Nor the Schoolmaster, Schollers; Nor the Tradesman, customers; Nor the poor Man, friends; such is the attractive faculty of a good Name, Cant. 1. 3.

1678 Wicked Children, a great grief to their Parents.

S. Augustine reports of his mother Monica, In [...]. Confess. that as often as her Children did sin against God, so often she did, as it were, travell in birth of them again, every evill report she heard, did, as it were, cause a new throw; Nay, it is verily thought, the pains and pangs of Childbirth are not so tedious to the Mother, [Page] as those after-pains, that are caused by the leud conversation of their ungratious Children. For those pains, though they be sharp, they are soon over, and there is some comfort in the midst of them, that a Child is coming into the World.2 Tim. 1. 5. Curas pariunt liberi magnum malum si quid humanitus eis accidat. But when a good Eunice, a careful Mother shall do her best endeavour to train up her Children in the fear of God, acquainting them with the holy Scriptures, which are able to make them wise to Salvation, and yet at last shall find all her labour lost, her hopes frustra [...]e, her Children carried away with leud and vicious Company into all manner of loose conversation, this must needs bring her gray head with sorrow to the grave, Prov. 10. 1.

Gods Omniscience. 1679

PIerius in his Hieroglyphicks wittily resembles God by the picture of an eye standing upon the top of a staff,Lib. 33. ex Cyrillo et Eucherio, To [...]us oculus est Deus, &c. the staff being an Emblem of [...] power an [...] scepter wherewith he governs; And the eye as an expresse of his all-searching Knowledge, whereby he dives and pierceth into the secrets of all hearts: Thus it is that no man can entertain a sinfull thought, though slumbring upon his bed; nor effect a wicked purpose, though bolted in his lodging when the windows are closed and the Curtains drawn,Virgil. Eclog. 6. but ad Lunae lumina visus erit, the eye of Heaven sees it, knows it, and writes it down in the book of Accompts, yea and at the last day will summon and warn that Soul to a reckoning for it.

The lawfull use of humane Learning in Sermons.1680

QU. Elizabeth, Sir John Harrington View of the Church of England. of ever blessed memory, having heard Dr. Thomas Dove B. of Peterborough preach before her at her Mannour of Richmond (he being a mo [...] eloquent and facetious Scholler) said; That she thought verily the holy Ghost was descended again in this Dove: And surely, whatsoever others may think of humane Learning as Rhetoricall figures and tropes, and other artificiall ornaments of speech taken from prophane Authours to be but paintings fitter for wanton strumpets, then habits for chaste Matrons; more beseeming the stage then the Pulpit; yet let such know, that Iudith did attire her head as well as Iesabell, Scientia natural [...] Theologiae ancilla. Tho. p. 1. q. 1. and that seeing now the extraordinary gifts of Tongues and Miracles are ceased, and that knowledg is not infusa but acquisita, Eloquence may serve as an Handmaid, and Tropes and Figures as Iewells and Ornaments to adorn the chaste Matron, Divinity.

God the onely searcher of the secrets of the Heart. 1681

ARam King of Syria by the advice of his Councell, secretly layeth an ambuscado for the hoast of Israel, but God revealed the whole plot to Elisha the Prophet,2 Kings 6. and he to the King of Israel whereby they all escaped, there being not a word spoken in their Enemies bed-chamber, not a thought or intimation of a thought but God discloseth it for their good: And thus though the Heart of Man be seated in a darksome Closet,Tho. Sutton Second Summ [...]ns for England. wall'd round about with flesh, swadled up and covered with the richest hangings of Natures wardrobe, so charily attended, so shrowded with vails, that though he bear it in his bosome, feed it with his own goods, study to delight and please it, though it be his own, yet if he would give a world for the sight of it, he could not have it; yet neither is the Heart so close imprisoned, 1 Kings 8. 39. but God beholds it, nor a thought so privily conceived but he descries it,1 Chron. 28. 9. nor a spark of Lust so softly blown and kindled, but he discerns it,Psalm 139. nor the smallest seed of Ungodlinesse so warily covered, but he reveals it.Heb. 4. 13.

1682 The Devill's cunning to deceive.

[Page]

IT was antiently said of Eucrates (a crafty Companion that would do any thing for advantage)Erasmi Adagia. Vias novit quibus ef [...]ugiat Eucrates, Eucrates has more tricks then one,Aristophan. in Equitibus. there's no trap will easily catch him. So may we say of that subtle Serpent the Devil (whose Agent every Godlesse Man is) that mille habet nocendi artes, he hath a thousand wayes to deceive, he can either fingere personam, 1 Sam. 28. 14. as when he appeared in Samuels mantle, or sumere personam when he gave that fatall rout to all Mankind;Gen. 3. so it may make for his Hellish improvement, he can transform himself into any shape whatsoever; nay, he knoweth how to be an Angell of light to deceive (if it were possible) the very Elect.

1683 Men seeking after high Preferment, not fit to be entertained therein.

SCipio being made General of the Romane Army, was to name his Questor, or [...]r [...]asurer for the Wars,Plutarch. Apophthegm. whom he thought fit, it being a place in those daies, as is now in these, of great importance; One that looked upon himself to have a special interest in Scipio's favour, becomes an earnest suiter for it, but by the delay mistrusting he should be answered in the Negative, importun'd him one day for an answer; Think not unkindnesse in me, said Scipio, that I delay you thus; For I have been as earnest with a friend of mine to take it, and cannot as yet prevail with him; Intimating hereby that high preferments, offices of charge and Conscience are fittest for such as shun them modestly,Nec abnuendum, si dat imperium Deus; Nec appetendum▪ Sen. in Thyeste. rather then such as seek them greedily: And without all doubt, he that hunteth after any place or dignity, whether in Church or Commonweal, that doth omnem movere lapidem, leave no stone unmoved, no means unattempted, no Friend unsolicited, doth but declare himself as one byass'd to his own, not the publique Interest, and so a Man unfitting; whereas he that lyes dormant, till Preferment awaken him, that humbly carrieth an inferiour condition, till he hear the Governours voice, Friend sit up higher, Luk. 14. 10. is the onely Man fit to be entrusted.

1684 Prayer and endeavour to be joyned together.

THe Pagans in their fabulous Legend,L. Gyraldus de Diis Gent. synt. 10. have a story of Hercules (whom for his strength they counted a God) how a Carter, forsooth, had overthrown his Cart, and sate, in the way, crying; Help Hercules, O Hercules help me; At last Hercules, or one in his likenesse, came to him, and laid on him with a good cudgel,Porphyrii quaest. Homeri. saying: Ah, thou silly lazy Fellow, callest thou to me for help and dost nothing thy self? Arise and set to thy shoulder and heave thy part, then pray to me for help, and I will do the rest: Thus in the matter of Prayer unto God, we must do somewhat on our parts; It is not, as we say, lying in a ditch and crying out, God help us, that will [...]bring us out; Shall a Scholler pray to God to make him learned, and never go to his book? Shall a Husbandman pray for a good Harvest and throw his Plow into the h [...]dg? No, no, as aW. Day Winton. reverend B. said once in a Sermon before Q. Elizabeth, It is not a Praying to God, but a tempting of God to beg his blessing without doing our endeavour also.

1685 Men to be ready to die for Christ.

IT is reported of anM. Jerem. Whitake [...]. able Minist [...]r (now with God) that riding with an intimate Friend by Tyburn (which he had not know, or not observed before) demanded what that was, and answer being made; This is Tyburn, where many Malefactors have lost their lives;Sim Ash Serm. at his Funera [...], 1654. he stopped his horse, and uttered these words with great affection, O what a shame is it that so many thousands should die [Page]here for the satisfaction of their [...]usts, and so few be found willing to lay down their lives for Christ; Why should not we in a good cause, and upon a good call be ready to be hanged for Iesus Christ? it would be everlasting honour, and it is a thousand times better to dye for Christ, to be hanged, to be burnt, then to dye in our beds: And most true it is, that it were every way more glorious to die for Christ then to live without him, such was the Christian temper of the blessed Apostle, that he was not onely willing to be bound, A [...]t. 21. 13. but to dye for the Lord Jesus. And after him those Primitive Christians, How ambitious were they of Martyrdome in the cause of Christ? And of late in the times of that Marian persecution, How many cheerfully,Joh. Fox Martyrology. and willingly laid down their lives, mounting Eliah-like to Heaven in Fiery Charriots? And so must every good Christian be ready to do, to dye for Christ, willingly to endure the Crosse, and not to shrink back for any torment whatsoever.

The generality of Men, not enduring to hear of Death.1686

DOctor Rudd then B. of S. Davids, preaching before Q. Elizab. An. 1596. on Psalm 90. vers. 12. O teach us to number our dayes, Sir Joh. Harrington View of the Church of England. &c. fell upon some sacred and mystical Numbers, as three for the Trinity, three times three for the Heavenly Hierarchy, seven for the Sabbath, and at last upon seven times nine for the grand Climacterical year; but the Q. perceiving whitherto it tended, began to be much troubled in her mind; which the B. discovering, betook himself to treat of some more plausible Numbers, as of the Number 666, to prove the Pope to be Antichrist, and of the fatal number 88, blessing God for hers and the Kingdoms deliverance, not doubting, but that she would passe her Climacterical year also. Sermon being ended, the Q. as the manner was, opened the VVindow, but she was so far from giving him thanks, that she said plainly; He should have kept his Arithmetick for himself, and so went away for the time discontented, though upon second thoughts she was pacified: And thus it is,Phil. Morney of Life and Death. that the generality of Men and Women cannot endure to hear of Death, or to entertain any thoughts of their latter end; you shall have them cry out upon the miseries of this wretched life, Nemo tam imperitus est, ut nesciat sibi quando (que) moriendum, Sen. ep. 78. and yet when Death appears, be it but in the bare apprehension thereof, they do as little Children, who all the day complain, but when the Medicine is brought them, are nothing sick at all; or as they who all the week run up and down the house with pain of their teeth, and seeing the Barber come to pull them out, feel no more torment.

Wit, how to make a right use thereof.1687

IN the Levitical Law, Deut. 21. 10, 11, &c. there are directions for the usage of a Captive taken to Wife; When thou goest forth to ward against thy Enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thy hands, and thou hast taken them Captive, And seest amongst the Captives a beautifull Woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldst have her to thy Wife; Then thou shalt bring her home to thy house, and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; And she shall put the rayment of her Captivity from of [...] her, and shall remain in thy house, and bewail her Father and Mother a full moneth, and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy Wife. Thus by way of Allusion,Jos. Hall Contemplat. Solom. and Q. of Sheba. this Captive-Woman is Witt, as yet unsanctified, Witt without VVisdome, Wit, (as they say) Whither wilt thou? When speeches are witty, whilest the behaviour is wicked, when deeds are incongruities, whilest words are Apothegms; VVhat must then be done? shave the hair, pare the nails, take off the abuse of Witt, pare off such evils as usually are concomitant. 1. Blasphemy, as in jesting with the sacred Scriptures. 2. Lasciviousnesse, as in wanton discourses. 3. Insolence, as in trampling on Men of weaker parts. [Page] 4. Contention, as in making Policy to eat ou [...] Piety; this being done, Wit is become Wisdome, then marry her, and use her as thy own.

1688 Ignorant-Reformers whether in Church or State, reproved.

HE must needs be looked on as an unskilful Chymist, Joh. Gauden Apology for Mini [...]t. in Preface. who cannot refine from drosse without consuming what is pretious; And that Man is a pitiful Empirick, who cannot purge without casting into bloudy Fluxes: And such an one is every ignorant, inexperienced Reformer, whether it be in Church or Commonweal, who knows not how to shave his Fathers beard, without cutting his throat, nor pare his nails without cropping off his hands, that cannot distinguish betwixt the use & abuse of things, not moderate the ancient discipline of t [...]e Church, nor regulate the wholesome Laws of the Nation, except he strike at the root and branch of the one, and dig up the Fundamentals of the other.

1689 The Devill and a griping Usurer compared together.

ONe of the Antients thought,Ambros. de Tobia tom. 4. cap. 4. that there was no fitter Creature to compare the Devill himself to, then the griping Usurer; For as the Usurer doth make sure to himself, and get into bonds the Patrimony and Inheritance, and so sometimes the very life of the borrower, for a little Money, which he lends to satisfie his need for the present: So the Devil for a little fleshly or worldly content, which he lends a Man for a moment, gets the very Soul of that Man into bondage, and makes the poor Sinner make over unto his use and service the whole Patrimony of the powers of his most pretious Soul.

1690 Drinking, the excesse thereof reproved.

IT was the complaint of the Prophet Hoseah in his time,Hieron. Zanch. in locum. that the Princes upon their Kings day, (that is, upon a solemn day of mirth and Festivity celebrated for the King) did make him sick with bottles of wine, Hos. 7. 5. But if the same Prophet were now alive, he would complain, that both high and low, Men and Women, old and young, do not onely upon some solemn Festival day, but upon every usual day, yea upon the King of Heaven his day, the blessed Sabbath-day, Rodolph. Goclen. de luxu. pag. 97. make both themselves and others drunk with bottles of Wine, and other strong drinks, abusing those good Creatures of God so prodigally, so prodigiously, as if they were born to no other end, but thus to abuse themselves and the good blessings together, and as if there were no other Heaven or happiness but the pouring of strong drinks into their bodies.

1691 The great danger of relying upon Forraign ayd and assistance.

THere is a Fable, how that the Horse being too weak for the Stagg, required the help of a Man, B. Barlow Serm. at S. Pauls, on the next S [...]nday after the discovery of the Gun-powder-Treason, 1605. which was easily granted; Who getting upon the Horse back, put the Stagg to flight; but after that, Non equitem dorso, non fraenum depulit ore, he could never quit his back of the Rider, nor his mouth from the bridle bit. So it is with the helps of all Worldly Potentates, meer beneficia viscata, just like the poor bird, that having escaped the snare, percheth upon the Tree for refuge, and there she finds bird-lime to intangle her, from whence she cannot fly, but with the losse of her feathers, if not of her members. And thus it is with the helps of States and Nations, Ask their help in time of distresse, they will grant it; but withall, either they exact a tribute, which [Page] exhausteth the Treasury, or impose conditions which infringe the Liberty, or require a future ayd which weakneth the power,—ibi fas, ubi maxima merces, Lucan. or betray▪ upon advantage, which redoubles the misery, or upbraid the benefit, which exulcerates the Mind, so that it is matter of danger to make any reliance upon such ayd and assistance.

The Christians growth in Grace, enjoyned.1692

THe Eagles Emblem is sublimius, D. Price, The Spring; A Serm. before P. Hen. at S. Iames's, 1609. to fly higher, even to behold the Sun in its splendor; The Suns Emblem is celerius, swifter, as a Gyant refreshed to run his course. The Wheat in the Gospel hath this Emblem, perfectius, riper, first the blade, then the [...]ar, then full Corn. Ezekiel's Emblem is profundius, deeper, first to the ancles, then to the knees, then to thighes, Ezek. 47. 4. Christ's Emblem was superius, Psalm. 19. sit up higher. Charls the fifth had for his Emblem,Mark 4. 28. ulterius, go on further;Luke 14. 10. The Woman with child hath this Emblem, plenius, fuller untill she bring forth; And so ought every Christian, that is not heavy, dull and sluggish,Haud est virile terga fortunae dare. to mount loftier with the Eagle, to run swifter with the Sun, to wax riper with the VVheat, to wade deeper with Ezekiel, to sit up higher with the guest,Sen. trag. 6. to passe on further with the Emperour, to wax fuller with the Woman, to be still growing in Grace, till they come to the height of Perfection in Christ Iesus.

Gods blessing upon the means doth all.1693

AS in a course of Physick, a diseased Man is prescribed to boyl certain medicinable herbs in running water, D. Swale, Iacob's Vow, A Sermon at Court, 1621. and then to drink a quantity of that water, and so is cured of his disease; And yet we know, that it is not the Water, but the decoction or infusion which cureth the Patient: So it is not the bread that nourisheth, nor the abundance of outward things which enricheth or contenteth, but the infusion of Gods blessing, which is the staffe of life, without which a Man may starve for hunger with bread in his mouth, suffer the extremity of cold with good cloaths on his ba [...]k, and dye like the Children of Israel with the Flesh of Quails in his mouth.

Other Mens sins, the good Mans sorrow.1694

IT is said of Marcellus, a valiant Romane, that when as after a long and tedious siege,Plutarch. Cic. orat. in Verrem. he entred by composition into the great and rich City of Syracuse, the tears trickled down his cheeks to see so famous a place, and such a multitude of Inhabitants brought into Captivity: This was much to be done by an Heathen,1 Sam. 15. 35. and many of the dear servants of God have not been without example in the like kind;Psal. 11 9. 36. Nay,Ez [...]k. 9 2, 3. Christ Iesus himself wept for the security of Ierusalem: Ier. 13. 17. And whose bowels that hath in him any spark of Grace, any dram of goodnesse,2 P [...]t. 2. 8. would not yearn within him?Act. 17. 16. VVhose heart would not melt to see whole swarms and millions of People trooping to Hell,Pia est t [...] stitia vi [...]iis alienis tribulari, non implicari, Aug. in epist. led as so many bondslaves by the Prince of darknesse, and not bemoan it▪ surely there can be no Religion where there is not such compassion.

Husband and Wife, each others Crown.1695

IN elder times, the Pagans worshipped all the powers of their Deities in two Images;Macrob. Saturnal. lib. 1. The one whereof was the image of a Man, called Adra, pierched aloft; the other of a Woman, called Adergidis, seated below: From the Image of the Man issued Sun-beams after the fashion of a Crown, Ephes. 5. meeting in the head of the Woman; And from the Image of the Woman,1 Pet. 3. streamed up goodly rayes in the form also of a Crown, collected on the head of the Man: All this to hint out unto us, how the Wife (as Civilians speak) shineth in the beams of her Husband, and the Husband is made glorious in the reflected[Page]beams from his Wife, both being, as it were, Crowns of glory one unto the other.

1696 The Churches distresse, and comfort.

IT is said of Mytilene, Vitruvius, lib. 1. cap. 6. a magnificent stately City near the borders of Phrygia, that it was rarely builded, but very badly scituated; For when the South-wind blew, the Inhabitants grew sick; when the West-wind, they did cough; but when the North-wind blew, they were all well. Thus the Church Militant is rarely builded, but badly scituated, as it were, in the unhealthy Marishes of Egypt; One while the South-wind blowes, and it is sick, that is, when Heresies spring up with the Gospel, as in the first five hundred years after Christ; Another while the Church cougheth, Matth. Brooks Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. and labours for life under the strength of some violent disease, as in those Ten Bloudy [...] Persecutions next following Christ's Ascension: Adde hereunto the sad distresse that she is in at this very time, rent and torn in pieces with Sects and Schisms, and groaning under the burthen of an unsupportable Toleration thereof:Nube solet pulsa candidus ire dies. Ovid. But the Churches comfort is, That God, the great Physitian, will in his good time, turn about the Wind into another corner, that it may be healed.

1697 Sin in its original easie to be found.

THere is in Italy, In lacu Acuni. or some part of the Apennine Hills, not far from the hole Avernus, an herb called Aconitum, one of the mortallest poysons in the World, and withall so deadly, that the Poets held it too bad to be naturall, and would have it to come from some supernatural cause or curse, which not being within their compasse to apprehend,Ovid. Met. Will. Crashaw Parable of Poyson. they therefore feigned, That when Hercules drew Cerberus out of Hell, look where the filthy froth and foam fell out of the ugly jawes of his troubled mouth, there grew that deadly herb, the poysonous Aconite; Thus do they, poor Heathens, make a great deal of do to devise a beginning for the most earthly poyson; But for Sin, the spiritual poyson of Man's Soul, we need not go to fancies and fables to find the original matter of it; For the Holy Ghost tells us directly, That Whosoever committeth Sin, is of the Devil, 1 Ioh. 3. 8.

1698 The Commands of God to be obeyed, not questioned.

IT was judiciously said by a Wise man of later dayes,P. Charron trois verites. That if he were enjoyned by his Superiours to put forth to Sea in a Ship, which had neither Mast nor Tackling, nor any other furniture, he would do it; And being asked, What wisdome there were in so doing? answered; The Wisdome must be in him that hath power to command, Imperare Principis est, et subditorum obtemperare. not in him which is bound to obey. Thus it is, that Men having an expresse Commandement in Gods Word to do thus and thus, must not gainsay and overthrow all with their own Worldly wisdome and Fleshly reason; Obedience must be no disputant, no framer of excuses; If the Captain command the Souldier a piece of service,Matth▪ 8. 9. Must he tell him why? Is it not enough for the Centurion to say to his servant, Do this, and he doth it; Must the Subject obey his Prince in nothing, but when he is of his Councel? But if with Men it were so, yet with God it may not so be, of whom it is sufficient for us but to know, that we are commanded to obey whatsoever his Will and Pleasure is.

Tyrants, Infidels, &c. forced to acknowledg the Providence of God.1699

[Page]

JUlian, that wicked Apostate, though as Politique to obscure, as malicious to oppose the Truth of I [...]sus Christ, Eusebii hist. was yet in the end constrained to shut up his Tyranny,Rich. Knoles hist. of Turks. with a Vicisti Galilaee, Thou hast overcome, O Galilean; In like sort we read of Mahomet the Second, the first Emperour of the Turks, That at the Siege of Scodra against the Christians, in the defence of so small a City against his mighty Army, finding God his Enemy, he blasphemously asked by way of scorn, Whether God had not enough to do in H [...]aven, that he should interpose himself in his affairs on Earth. And thus the most cruel of Tyrants, the most irreligious Heathen, through the thick clouds of Ignorance, have often espyed the glimpse of Gods dreadful lightning, and as oft quaked at his Thunder;Nath. Carpenter Achitophel. They have felt his finger in their wounds, and acknowledged his strength in their weaknesse; yea, such is the power of the Almighty God to expose their own Wicked actions as a table of their Confession, and extort an acknowledgment of his Victory out of their blasphemy;Nec vox hominis sonat ô Deus ce [...]è. For he that will not deny a God, must of necessity grant a Providence; and whosoever he be that knowes himself,Agitante calescimus illo. and sifts into his own Will and Actions, must needs acknowledg a supernatural power, which determines them to good or evil.

The wicked Polititian discovered.1700

PLiny in his Naturall History maketh mention of a certain beast of Scythia, that is able to change it self into all variety of shapes and colours,Nath. Carpenter, ut aateà. yet returning to his own form, expresseth the resemblance of an Asse: A good Emblem of a wicked Polititian, who sitting, as it were, at the stern of State, and holding the helm in his hands, must of necessity vary himself a thousand wayes to obey all winds, and second all rides: But Nature, which is the worst dissembler of guilty actions, will one time or another betray it self to discovery, or at least, plain dealing: Death will strip him naked, and lay him open to shame, and leave him as a Fool to Mens contempt, and Gods vengeance.

Inconstancy in the wayes of God, reproved.1701

IT is said of that humi repens, the Grashopper, that it hath wings, but they are such as cannot lift it up from the Earth;J. Gerson Meditat. 7. circa ascensi Dom. Or if they do, it is but per sal [...] um, not per volatum, they onely serve them to hop, not to fly withall; no sooner up from the Earth, but by and by down again. And such are all they, whose devotion is soon hot, soon cold again; they could like it well, if they might go to Heaven per saltum, as it were at one jump, without any more ado; but per volatum, by flying, (by a constant course of well-doing) that's too laborious for them, they cannot, they will not endure it.

The Carnal Professor described.1702

IT is observed of the Ostrich, a kind of a bird-beast, half a bird of the ayr, and half a beast of the Earth,Joh. Calvin. in Iob 39. 16. that he hath such a weighty body, that he cannot raise up himself to flye aloft, yet flickereth in such wise, and moveth so fast by the help of his wings, Aquin. 1. 2 [...]de. q. 102. art. 6. that he cannot be out-gone by some of the swiftest of oth [...]r [...]reatures: And such are all Carnal Professors, all holy unholy Worldlings, that will needs mingle Heaven and Earth together, that will seem to have their conversation in Heaven, when yet their affections weigh them down to the Earth,2 Tim. 2. so that contrary to the Apostles rule, they will Deo militare et saeculo se implicare, be Gods Souldiers, and the Worlds Solicitors; Nay, [Page] contrary to our Saviours rule. Deo, & Mammonae servire, divide their service betwixt God and Mammon.Matth. 6. 24.

1703 Certainty of the Good Mans Reward from God.

DIonysius causing Musitians to play before him,Justini hist. promised them a great Reward; having plaid a long time, they expected their pay; but he told them they were paid already, since as they had pleased him with Musical sounds, so he them with windy hopes of Reward. But God deals not so with his servants, he feeds them not with vain hopes, but sure accomplishment of his gracious promises, there being a Reward for the Righteous, and he Faithful that hath promised it, who saith, Behold, I come quickly, and my Reward is with me, Rev. 22. 12.

1704 God onely to be served.

WHen the Souldiers had chosen Valentinian to be their Emperour they were consulting how they might joyn a Partner with him;Theodorer. in hist. To whom Valentinian replyed: It was in your power to give me the Empire, when I had it not; Now I have it, it is not in your power to give me a Partner. Thus if God be our God, Omnis (que) potestas Impatiens consortis. Mammon must be our slave; He that is the servant of God must be Master of his Money; If God be our King, he must be our King onely, for the Bed and the Throne brook no Rivalls,Plutarch. God must be our God alone: Augustin. Aequum est Deos fingere, ac Deum negare, It is all one to chuse new Gods, and to deny the true God; No let the Heathens chuse new Gods, and forsake the true God, but let every good Christian say, Thou O Father of Mercy, and Lord of Heaven and Earth be my God, and my onely God for ever and ever.

1705 To be at Gods will and disposall, is the best condition.

IT is storied of a young Virgin, that at a great Princes hands, had the choice of three Vessels; Speculum Exemplorum. One whereof was Gold, richly wrought, and set with pretious stones; and on it was written, Who chuseth me shall have what he deserveth; The second was of silver; superscrib'd thus, Who chuseth me shall have what Nature desireth; The third was of Lead; whose Motto was this, Who chuseth me shall have what God hath disposed. The former pleased her eye well, but not her understanding: It offered what she deserved; She knew that was just nothing, therefore refused it. The second considered, offered w [...]at Nature desires: She thought that could be for no solid good; Leon. d [...] Utino. Quadrages. mal. For Nature desires such things as please the carnall lust; This she also refused. The third had a coorse outside, but the sentence pleased her well: offering what God had disposed. So the Faithfull Soul put her self upon Gods Ordinance, Tho. Adams Spirit. Garden. and chose tha [...]. The Virgin is Ma [...]s Soul: The Golden Vessel is the Worlds riches; contentfull enough to an avaritious eye: Too too many chuse this, but being opened, it was full of dead Mens bones, and a Fools bable, to set them down for very Ideots, which cleave to the present World, and at last have all their hopes rewarded with Folly. The silver Vessel is the lust of the Flesh those fond and vain delights which Concupisence so much hunts after; So saith the Motto, It gives what Nature desireth; This Vessel opened was full of wild fire, Paul. de Wann. Serm. and an Iron [...] whip, intimating that God will scourge the lustfull with the whip of Judgments, as diseases of body, infamy of name, over [...]hrow of estate, and vexation of Conscience. The leaden Vessel is, as the sense and sentence declares it, The blessing of God; The chuser of it shall have what God hath disposed for him, shall be contented with the providential penny that comes in daily: And in a blessed, happy condition is that Soul that makes this Election: for opened, it was found to be full of Gold [Page] and pretious stones, every one more worth then a World, the immortal graces of Gods Spirit: The Virgin chose this, and she was married to the Kings Son, and so shall every Soul that makes the like choice: No matter, though it seems lead without, and glister not with outward Vanities, it is rich within, the wealth thereof cannot be valued, though all the Arithmetical Accomptants should make it their design to cast it up.

Neglect in the Hearing of Gods Word, dangerous.1706

HErodotus hath a merry tale of a Piper, how he came to the water side, and piped to the fishes, In Polymnia. lib. 6. but they would not dance, then he took his net, and caught some of them, and being thrown upon the land, they began to leap and skip up. Nay (quoth the Pipe [...]) I offered you Mu [...]ck before and you would none, now you shall dance without a Pipe. Dr. Joh. Br [...]wn Sermon at Court, 1627. Thus it is that most Men commonly regard the songs of Sion, the preaching of Gods Word, as some men do Musick heard late at midnight in the streets, whilst they are in bed, perhaps they will step to the window and listen to it a while, and presently to bed again; step from the couch of their lusts to Church, hear the Sermon, commend the Preacher for a good Man,N [...]c retin [...]nt patulae, commissa fideliter aures, Horat. in ar [...]e Poe [...]. and then to bed again, lulling themselves in their former security; but let such know, that if God have given them Musick, and they will not dance, if God have afforded Orthodoxall Preachers, and they will not hear: as Christ reproved the Iews, they shall mourn in sadnesse for their obstinate refusall of proffered mirth, and say with heavinesse of spirit, There was a Prophet amongst us.

How Sins may be said to out-live the Sinner.1707

IT is said of a Lawyer, that resolving not to be forgotten, he made his Will, so full of intricate quirks and quillets, T. Adams genera [...]. of Serpents. that his Executors (if for nothing else) for very vexation of Law might have cause to remember him. Thus the Incloser of Commons sinneth after he is dead: even so long as the poor are deprived of that benefit: He that robbbeth the Church of a due, and so leaves it to his heir, Sins after he is dead; even so long as God is made to lose his right: The unjust decree of a partial Judg may out-live him; even so long as the judged Inheritance remains in a wrongfull possession: Vivit post Funera Virtus. but e [...] contrà we say of a charitable good Man, that he doth good after he is dead, his alms maintain many poor Souls on Earth when his Soul is happy in heaven.

Heaven to be alwaies in our thoughts.1708

IT is reported of a Reverend Preacher that sitting amongst other Divines, and hearing a sweet consort of Musick, R. H. as if his Soul had been born up to Heaven took occasion to think and say thus;T. Adams Sinner's pas. Bell. What Musick may we think there is in Heaven? Another taking a serious view of the great pomp and state at Court upon a Collar-day, spake not without some admiration; What shall we think of the glory in the Courts of the King of Heaven? And thus must we do, as we read the book of Nature, be still translating it into the book of Grace, as we plod on the great Volume of Gods works, Qu [...]cun (que) tempore non cogitaveris Deum, p [...]ta illum diem amissum. be sure to spell on the word of use, of instruction, of comfort to our selves; the spiritualizing of Earthly things is an excellent art, And that's a happy object, and well-observed that betters the Soul in grace.

1709 A Non-resident sloathfull Minister, worthily discouraged.

[Page]

THere was a certain idle Monk in Winchester, who complaining to King Henry the second,Mat [...]h. Paris. that the Bishop had taken away three of their dishes, and left them but ten, the King replyed, That the Bishop should do well to take away the ten and leave them the three; Pensate [...]ratres, quanta damnationis est, [...]ine labore mercedem laboris, &c. Hieron. And i [...] is just with all Men, especially Ministers of Gods Word and Sacraments, that if they have crimen immane, and nomen inane, that they should have mercedem [...]enuem, a slender recompence; if inertes, then justly inopes; especially cum valuerint, et non voluerint praedicare, when they are able and are not willing to Preach, then let double honour which is countenance, and maintenance be kept from them.

1710 The true comfort of Election.

A Man may have his name set down in the Chronicles, Tho. Adams Happinesse of Church. yet lost; wrought in durable Marble, yet perish; set upon a Monument equall to a Colossus, yet be ignominious; inscribed on the Hospital gates, yet go to Hell; written in the front of his own house, yet another come to possesse it: All these are but writings in the dust, or upon the waters, where the characters perish so soon as they are made; they no more prove a Man happy then the Fool could prove Pontius Pilate because his name was written in the Creed. Luke 10. 20. But the true comfort is this, when a Man by assurance can conclude with his own Soul, that his name is written in those eternal leaves of Heaven, in the book of Gods Election, which shall never be wrapped up in the cloudy sheets of darknesse, but remain legible to all Eternity.

1711 How to be assured of our Election.

A Senator relating to his Son the great honours decreed to a number of Souldiers, Tacitus. whose names were written in a book; the Son was importunate to see that book: The Father shews him the outside, it seemed so glorious, that he desired him to open it; No, by no means, it was sealed by the Councell; Then, sayes the Son, tell me if my name be there? The Father replied, the names are secretted to the Senate; The Son studying how he might get some satisfaction, desired him to deliver the merits of those inscribed Souldiers. The Father relates to him their noble atchievements, and worthy acts of Valour, wherewith they had eternized their names; Such are written, said he, and none but such must be written in this book; Conr. Zuingerus in theat. hum. vitae. The Son consulting with his own Heart, that he had no such Trophyes to shew; but had spent his time in courting Ladies, rather then encountring Knights, that he was better for a dance then a March, that he knew no drum but the Tabret, no courage but to be drunk. Hereupon he presently retired himself, repented, entered into a combat with his own affections, subdued them, became temp [...]rate, continent, valiant, vertuous; When the Souldiers came to receive their wreaths, he steps in to challenge one for himself; being asked, upon what title? he answered, If honours be given to Conquerours, I have gotten the noble conquest of all: Tho: Ad [...]ms ut anteà. Wherein? These have subdued strange Foes, but I have conquered my self: Now whosover thou art, that desirest to know whose names are written in Heaven, who is elected to life eternal, it shall not be told thee, This or that undividuall person: but generally thus, Men so qualified, faithfull in Christ and to Christ, obedient to the truth, and for the truth, that have subjected their owne affections, and resigned themselves to the guidance of the Heavenly will: These men have made noble conquests, and shall have Princely Crowns, Lud. Penestal. de Magistr. Rom. Find but in thy self this Sanctimony, and thou art sure of thy Election. In Rome the Patres conscripti were distinguished by their Robes, as [Page] the Liveries of London from the rest of the Company; so thy name is enrolled in the Legend of Gods Saints, if thy Livery witnesse it, that thy conversation is in Heaven, 1 Joh. 3. 16.

No time to be mis-spent.1712

THere were three speciall faults, Theod. Zuingerus, theat. hum. vitae. whereof Cato professed himself to have seriously repented, One was passing by water when he might have gon by land, another was, trusting a secret in a Womans bosome; but the main one was, spending an hour unprofitably: But how many hours not onely on common dayes, but upon the Lords day, that concerns the businesse of our Souls, have and do we still unprofitably lavish? Let us then embrace the counsell which Ierome▪ gave to Rusticus: Be ever doing, Ut quando Diabolus veniat, occupatum inveniat; that when the Devill comes with [...]is businesse, he may find us at our businesse; It is the sitting bird that is so easily shot, so long as she is flying in the Ayre, the murthering piece is not leveld at her; and let us be going on in good employment, and then we shall not be so fair a ma [...]k for the Devill to aym at.

The happinesse of good Government.1713

IT was a smart invention of him, that having placed the Emperour, and the Pope reconciled in their Majestick thrones;T. A. Barren Tree, A Serm. at S. Paul's Crosse, 1623. he brought in the several states and conditions of the World before them: First came a Counsellour of State with this Motto, I advise you two; then a Courtier; I flatter you three▪ then a Husbandman; I feed you four: then a Merchant; I cozen you five: then a Lawyer; I rob you six: Then a Souldier; I fight for you seaven: Then a Physitian; I kill you eight: Lastly a Priest; I absolve you nine: This was his Satyre, but happy is both that Church and Common-weal, where legall Authority doth govern in truth and peace; T [...]e Counsellour advise, the Judge censure, the Husbandman labour, Merchant traffique, [...]he Lawyer plead, the Souldier bear Arms, the Divine preach, Recta domus ubi vir imperat. Aug. in epis [...]. all bring forth the fruits of Righteousnesse, so that they become an exemplary encouragement to their Neighbours, children may be blessed after them, En [...]mies convinced, Aliens co [...]verted, Sathan confounded, the Gospell adorned, and their Souls eternally saved.

The Laity abused by the Roman Clergy in the matter of Confession.1714

IT is mentioned in a Fable, how the Woolf, the Fox, and the Ass went to shrift together,In lib. vocat. Poenitent. Asini. to do penance: The Woolf, confesseth himself to the Fox, who easily absolveth him; The Fox doth the like to the Woolf and receiveth the like favour: After this the Ass comes to Confession, and his fault was, that being hungry he had taken one straw from the sheaf of a Pilgrim travailing to Rome, whereof he was heartily penitent; but that would not serve, the law was executed severely upon him, he was slain and devoured. By the Woolf is meant the Pope: by the Fox, A chi manca [...]n asino facia metter la cella, &c. his Cardinals, Iesuites and Priests; these quickly absolve one another, how hainous soever their offences are: but when the poor Ass, that's the Romish ridden Laity come to shrift, though his offence be not the weight and worth of a straw, yet on his back shall the rigour of the Law be laid, he shall be sure to pay for all.

The want of Hospitality, reproved.1715

A great Man of the new modell had curiously engraven at the gate of his Pallace,T. Adams on ep. 2. Pet. the Image of Bounty or Hospitality; The needy Travailer with joy spying such a sight, makes his approach thither in hopefull expectation of [Page] succour; but still silence, or an empty Eccho answers all his cries and knocks: For Hospitality [...] stand at the gate, but to be sure there's none in the house: Then comes another, who having his hungry trust often abused, resolves to pluck down the Image, with these words, If there be neither meat nor drink in the house, What needs there a sign? Thus great portalls in the Country, and colour'd posts in the City (like so many Mock-beggars) promise relief, but they are often found but Images, dumb and lame signs; For Hospitality is not at home, you shall have Divinity at their gates,Fores habent [...]ritas ut pas [...]orum [...]asae. Diogen. but no humanity; wholesome counsel, but no wholesome food; much exhortation, little compassion; charging the weary Travellers ear, but in no wise overcharging his belly, they have Scripture against begging, but no bread against famishing; The bread of the Sanctuary is common with them, but not the bread of the buttery; If the poor can be nourished with the Philosophical supper of morall Sentences, they shall be prodigally feasted, but if the bread of life will not content them, they may be packing.

1716 Multiplicity of Law-Suits condemned.

IT is related to the honour of Sir Thomas Moor, then Lord Chancellor of England, and the charitable constitution of those Times wherein he lived (as a thing never seen either since,Tho. Stapleton de [...]ribus Thomis, in vita Mori. or before) that he having ended a Cause then before him, did call for the next to be brought; but answer was returned him, That there was never another Cause behind, and so with thanks unto God the Court was dismist at that time; whereupon in perpetuam rei memoriam, it was ordered, That the proceedings of that day should be registred in the Roles of the Chancery, as may be seen at this instant. What a charitable disposition? What a peaceable frame of spirit was upon the hearts of Men in those darker times? And what a raging Torrent of dissention is broke in upon us in dayes that are far more clear? Ubi Causidici multi, ibi lites multae. Plato. Every Man almost lives like a Salamander in the fire of Contention; Witnesse the multiplicity of Law-Suits, the swarms of Lawyers, the sholes of Clerks and Registers that are to be found in the midst of us; witnesse the crowds of Clyents, dancing attendance upon the Courts of Iustice in the severall Judica [...]ures at Westminster and elsewhere; so that what the Apostle said to the Corinths, 1 Cor. 6. 7. Is there not a wise man amongst you, why do ye go to Law? may very well be inverted upon us, We are all mad, or else the Lawyers would have lesse employment.

1717 The Sin of Sacriledg, condemned.

AN Italian Seignior came with his Servant to one of our Ladies Images (no matter which,Tho. Adams exposit. on ep. 2 Pet. for they do not scant her of number) he threw in an Angle of gold; the humble picture, in gratitude, made a courtesie to him: The Servant observing and wondring at her Ladiships plausible carriage, purposed with himself to give somewhat too, that he might have somewhat of her courtesie as well as his Master; So he put into the basin six pence, and withall takes out his Masters Angel; the Image makes him loving courtesie, and seems to thank him kindly.Cum diis pugnant Sacrilegi. Q. Curt. lib. 7. Thus it is too too common now adayes, to take away the Clergies Angel, and lay down six pence in the stead thereof, to take away their just maintenance, and put [...]hem upon the Peoples benevolence, like those that steal a goose, and stick down a feather, or those that have undone many, then build an Hospital for some few; so they having made a sad purchase of Church-lands, having taken away a Talent of Church-maintenance return a mite of popular Contribution.

1718 Truth commended, Falshood condemned.

PYrrbus and Ulysses being sent to Lemnos, to take from Philoctetes Sophocles in T [...]ag. Philoctetis. Hercules arrowes, the two Legates advised by what means they might best [...]rest them out of his hands; Ulysses affirmed, that it was best to do it by lying and deceipt; No, said Pyrrhus, I like not of that course, because I never used it, but alwayes loved [Page]the Truth, at my Father and my Ancestors have ever done. Whereunto Ulysses replyed, That when he was a young Man, he was of his mind too; but now being old, he had learnt by long experience dearly bought, that the surest way▪ and safest art in Mans life is,Tuta f [...]equenque via, &c. Fallere et mentiri, to lie and cheat. Surely many of this Age are of Ulysses's mind, they speak one thing, intend another; they are all courtesie in promise, no honesty at all in performance: but true Israelites are of Pyrrhus's spirit; Magna est Veritas et praevalebit, Great is the Truth, and will prevail, is the sweet Poesie of their profession, both in themselves, and those that relate unto them, and they resolve upon the doctrine of Christ Iesus their Master, Ioh. 8. 32. that the Truth shall make them free.

Piety and Policy not inconsistent.1719

FAbles are not without their usefull Moralls;Tho. Adams exposi [...]. on ep. 2. Pet. A Boy was molested with a Dog; the Fryer taught him to say a Gospel by heart, and warranted this to allay the dogs Fury. The Mastiff (alias Maze-Thief, in the original Saxon) spying the boy, flyes at him; he begins (as it were) to conjure him with his Gospel. The Dog (not capable of such Gospel-doctrine) approacheth more violently: A Neighbour passing by, bids the boy take up a stone, he did so, and throwing at the dog, escaped: The Fryer demands of the Lad, how he sped with his charm? Sir, (quoth he) your Gospel was good, but a stone with the Gospel did the deed. And most true it is,Ambros. [...]ffic. lib. 1. cap. 27. that prayers and tears are good weapons, but not the onely weapons of the Church. It is not enough to bend the knee, without stirring the hand; Shall Warr march against us with thunder; and shall we assemble our selves in the Temple, lye prostrate on the pavements, lift up our hands and eyes to Heaven, and not our weapons against our Enemies? shall we beat the ayr with our voyces, and not their bosoms with our swords? onely knock our own breasts, Quam benè conveniunt. and not their pates? Sure, a Religious Conscience never taught a Man to neglect his life, his liberty, his estate, his peace: Piety and Policy are not opposites; Matth. 10. 16. He that taught us to be harmlesse as Doves, bad us also be wise as Serpents.

Progresse in Piety enjoyned.1720

THe Prophet Elias after he had travelled a dayes journey in the Wildernesse,Lud. Grana [...]ens. lo. com. sate down and slept under a Juniper Tree, and there God calls upon him, Up, and eat; and when he found him a second time, Up, thou hast a journey to go; and when he had travelled fourty dayes, and was lodged in a cave, What doest thou here, Elias? Go and return unto the Wildernesse by Damascus, and do thus and thus. So, whether we be entred in our way, or have proceeded in it, whether we be babes in Christ, or stronger men, whether carnal or spiritual, we must up and eat, and strengthen our selves first with milk, and then with stronger meat; We have still a greater journey to go, we must walk from grace to grace, from vir [...]ue to virtue, from knowledg of knowledg, and alwayes think that we hear a voyce that calleth us forward, and saith; Thou hast yet a greater journey to go, What dost thou here, Non progredi est regredi. Elias? Why standest thou here loytring all the day long? There is no time of standing in this life, we must still forward, and take notice, that every blessing of God bestowed upon us, is a further calling on, and a greater engagement to duty.

The service performed unto God must be personall.1721

THere is an old Tale, idle in it self, the use may be good; A certain Man that would never go to Church, Speculum Exemplorum▪ when he heard the Saints-bell ring, would say to his Wife; Go thou to Church and pray for thee and me: One Night he dreamt, That both he and his Wife were dead, and that they knocked together at Heaven[Page]gate for entrance: St. Peter (by the Legend's leav [...]) is Porter, and suffered the Wife to enter in, but kept the husband out; answering him; Illa intravit prose et te, She is gone in both for her self and thee; As thy Wife went to Church for her self and thee, so she is gone to Heaven for her self and thee: The Morall instructs every one to have a personality of Faith, and a propriety of devotion, not to have their Faith pin'd upon anothers sleeve, not to think to go to Heaven upon another Mans score, but that himself serving God, himself may be blessed of God both here and hereafter.

1722 Saving Faith, the onely Faith.

AS a cunning Lapidary that shews the buyer an Orient pearl; Joh. de Rampegolis Fig. Bibl. and having a little fed his eye with that, our-pleaseth him with a Saphire; yet out-values that with some Ruby or Chrysolite; wherewith ravished, he doth lastly amaze him with a sparkling Diamond transcending them all: Or as Drapers shew divers colours, yet at last for a Master-piece exceed all with a rich piece of well-dyed Scarlet. So there are divers Graces and Virtues like to Iewels, but the most pretious of all,Tot sunt [...]ides quot in cythara. is Faith. And there are divers degrees and sorts of Faith, as divers coloured cloaths, but the saving Faith is arrayed in the Scarlet robe, hath dipped and dyed her self in the bloud of Iesus: yet she is white, pure white, Rev. 7. 14. as the snow of Lebanon: The Faith that believes Gods Word to be true, is a good Faith, but not illa fides, that saving Faith; The Faith that believes many Men shall be saved, is vera fides, no illa fides, a true Faith, but not the Faith; Onely that Faith which believes a Mans own Soul redeemed, justified, saved by the merits of Christ Iesus, Chrysost. in symb. Apost. and that not without works answerable thereunto, is the onely Faith, and the Queen of all other Graces.

1723 Covetousnesse in the Clergy, condemned.

THere is a Fable of a Widow, that being thick-sighted, sent to a certain Physitian to cure her;Joh. de Wan. Sermones de tempore. he promiseth it to her, and she to him, a sum of money for satisfaction: The Physitian comes and applyeth medicines, which being bound over her eyes, still as he departs, he carries away with him some of her best goods; so continuing her pains and his labour, till he had robbed the house of her best substance: At last he demanded of her, being now cured, his pay agreed upon: She looking about her house, and missing her goods, told him that he had not cured her; for whereas before she could see some good Furniture in her house, now she could perceive none at all, she was erst thick-sighted, now poor-blind. And are there not such spiritual Physitians to be found amongst us?Hieron. in ho [...]il. such as with long or (at least) tedious prayers, prey upon the poor, and devour their houses, the purse is still the white they level at; Miserable men, that look to their own good more then the Churches; Sine labore mercedem lab [...]ris percipientes, &c. serving God with their parts, themselves in their hearts; working like those builders in the Ark, rather for present gain, then future safety: but as they desire rather nostra quam nos, so they preserve rather sua quam se, loving like Demas, the World; losing like Iudas, their own Souls.

1724 Riches, how to be used.

LOok but upon a Fly coming to a platter full of sweet and pleasant honey, Hect. Pin [...]u [...] in Dan. if she thrust not her self altogether into it, but onely touch and taste it with [...]er mouth, and take no more then is necessary and needful, she may safely take [...]ing, and fly to anoth [...]r place: but if she wallow and tumble in the honey, then is she lymed, and taken in it; and whilest she is not able to fly away, she doth [...]here lose her life. Divitii [...] utare tuis, &c. T. Mori Epigram. Thus if a Man take onely so much of his Riches as may su [...]tain, and honestly maintain his estate, bestowing the rest well, and in a Christian [...]anner, then they cannot hold him back, or barre him from the Kingdome of [Page] Heaven, but if Covetousnesse shall bewitch him, and prick him on to scrape and rake together more and more, then he shall never be satisfied, but fall into many snares and temptations.

The incorrigible Sinners desperate condition.1725

IT is written of the Elephant, that (as if guilty of his own deformity, and therefore not abiding to view his snowt in a clear spring) he seeks about for muddy and troubled waters to drink in.Ulyss. Aldrovand. de Quadruped. Thus the incorrigible Sinner, that hates to be reformed; because he knowes his wound is deep, he will not suffer the Chirurgion to search them, willing rather to kill his Soul, then disquiet it; He refuseth to look into the glasse of the Law, or to come to the clear springs of the Gospel, Qui male agit, odit lucem. or any perspective that may present his evill Conscience to his eyes, but seeks rather to muddy and polluted channels, such as misty Taverns, clowdy Ale-houses, vapouring Tobacco-shops, Societies of Sin, and all this to drown the thoughts of former iniquities, with flouds of new: And if he be inforced to any such reflection, he spurns and tramples that admonition, as Apes break the glasse that shews their deformity; He runs himself prodigally into so many arrears of debt, that he cannot endure to hear of a reckoning; and thus dispairing to pay the old score, he recks not into what new and desperate courses he precipita [...]es himself.

Wisdome, how to be regulated.1726

AS God appointed the Iews a measure,Joh. Weemse Ex [...]rcitat. Exod. 16. 1 Cor. 10. how much Manna they might gather, so St. Paul appointed the Romanes a measure, how much Wisdome they might gather, Let every Man understand according to Sobriety. The Iewish measure of Manna was as much as an Omer would hold, what they gathered over, turned, into Worms and pu [...]refaction; So the Wisedome which men gather beyond sobriety doth no good, but puff them up, and corrupt them, and put them upon strains of Machiavillian policy;Pleri (que) accepta scientia literarum, &c. Chrysost. de summ. bono. lib. 3. Wisedom not well regulated, is like a dangerous knife in the hands of a Mad-man; and to speak truth, there is nothing so much to be feared, as Knowledg accompained with Injustice, & armed with power; Meat indigested for want of Exercise, will rumble in the stomach; and Knowledg not ballast with Sobriety, will elevate the brain: Serpentine wisdome, and Dove-like innocencie must go hand in hand together, or else we shall drown in our own Knowledge like a Candle that is quenched in his own Tallow. Matth. 10. 16.

Affectation of Novelty in the way of Religion, reproved.1727

THere is mention made of two Men, that meeting at a Tavern, fell a tossing about their Religion, Joh. Manlii Lo. Com. as merrily as their cups, and much drunken discourse there was about their Profession: One protested himself of Dr. Martin's Religion; the other swore, he was of Dr. Luther's Religion; whereas Martin, and Luther was but one Man. Thus some are for this Preacher, some for that; such doctrine as is begot in Thunder, Fidem ex personis, non person [...]s ex fide existimantes. full of Faction and Innovation, if it smell not of novelty, it shall not concern them, they regard not Heaven so much whence it comes, as who brings it; such a Man, or no Man; otherwise be the Doctrine never so wholesome, they spew it up again, as if their Conscience were so nice and delicate, as that ground of Colein, where some of St. Ursula's eleven thousand Virgins were buri [...]d, which will cast up again in the night, any that have been interred there in the day, Cas. Baronii Annal. except of that company, though it were a Child newly baptized.

1728 Not to be over-carefull for the place of our Buriall.

[Page]

THat of Monica, Her. Spondanus de re s [...]pul [...]brali. Aug. confes. lib. 9. cap. 7. the Mother of S. Augustine, is worthy of remembrance; She had with great care provided her a Sepulcher near unto her Husband, who dyed at Tagasta in Africa, and was there buried, purposing to l [...]e by him; but the Lord so disposed, that she left her life at Ostia in Italy, and being ready to depart, she said unto her sonne, Ponite hoc corpus Ubic [...]n (que), nihil vos ejus cura a conturbet, Bury my body where you think good, take no great care for it; And being asked, If it grieved her not to leave her body so far off from her own City? she gave this answer; Nihil longè est à Deo, ne (que) timendum est ne ille agn [...]scat in fine saeculi unde me resuscitet; No place is nearer to God then other, neither am I to fear lest the Lord should not as well raise me up in this place, as in my own City: Thus let none be troubled with the thoughts of their Burial-place. Ubicun (que) sep [...]li amur; Domini est terra et plenitudo. Ch [...]ys. What though the distance be great betwixt them and them to whom they are more especially related, and that without great charge and expence they cannot be buried near together; All places are alike unto God, he can raise them up as well out of Country clay, as out of finer City-dust, and bring them and all their Kindred and Acquaintance together in a comfortable Resurrection.

1729 The Christians claim to Heaven, what it is.

OUr Common Law distinguisheth between two manner of Freeholds; Tenures de Little [...]o [...]. A Free-hold in deed, when a Man hath made his Entry upon Lands, and is thereof really seized: A Free-hold in Law, when a Man hath right to possession, but hath not made his actual entry: So is the Kingdome of Heaven ours, not in re but in spe, our's tenore juris, though not yet j [...]re tenoris; ours in the inheritance of the possession, though not in the possession of the Inheritance; habemus jus ad rem non [...]dum in re, we are heirs to it, though now we be but Wards. Our minority bids and binds us to be servants, Gal. 4. but when we come to full years, a per [...]ect growth in Godlinesse, then we shall have à plenary possession.

1730 How the Devill makes use of the World to destroy Man.

IT is reported of the Irish, Fyn. Morrison's Travels. that they dig deep trenches in the ground, and pave the surface over with green turves, that their suspectlesse Enemies may think it firm ground and so fall in, to their utter ruine: Thus the Devill makes this World his fatall Vault which he strows over with pleasures and delights, Facili [...] descensus Averni. the way seems smooth, but is slippery, his intention is mischievous, ut lapsu graviore rua [...]t, that Man may have the surer and the sooner fall, then doth he laugh to see a knot of Gallants lye all a long on their backs, that have ru [...] headlong at P [...]ide; a Corporation of Citizens that have run at Riches; a rabble of Drunkards that ran apace to the [...]avern; a crew of Cheaters that posted as [...]ast to the gallows; all of them sinking to the bottomlesse pit of destruction.

1731 Not to repine at a great charge of Children.

THere is a story of a certain worldly,Leon. de Utino S [...]rm. Quadrage [...]ma. distrustfull rich Woman, that being at a poor Womans labour, the Child being new born, and nothing to be had for the comfort of it; See (said she without any pitty or compassion) Here is the mouth, but where is the meat? Not long after it so fell out, that the same Woman drawing near her time was delivered of a dea [...] child, which being well observed by another Woman, that was then present at her labour; See [Page] (said she) here is meat enough, but where is the mouth? Let none therefore grudg or repine at their issue be it never so numerous, not grumble at the greatnesse of their charge, God never sent a mouth but he sent meat for that mouth, he can as well feed many as few, make the poor Mans pe [...]ny go as far as the Rich Mans pound; Psal. 145. 15. He is the great House-keeper that giveth every living thing, meat in due season, and if so, then those little ones that bear his Image are by no means excluded.

The least of Sin to be resisted.1732

THe Trees of the Forrest held a solemn Parliament, Joh. R [...]fensi his Parable to King Hen. S. wherein they consulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axe had done them, therefore made an Act, that no Tree should hereafter lend the Axe an helve, on pain of being cut down. The Axe travels up and down the Forrest, begs wood of the Cedar, Oak, Ash, Elm, even of the Poplar, not one would lend him a chip: At last he desired so much as would serve him to cut down the bryers and bushes, alledging that such shrubs as they did but suck away the juice of the ground, and hinder the growth, and obscure the glory of the fair and goodly Trees: Hereon they were all content to afford him so much, he pretends a thorough Reformation, but behold a sad deformation, for when he had got his helve, down went both Cedar, Oak, Ash, Elm, and all that did but stand in his way: Such are the subtile reaches of Sins and Sinfull Men, T. Adams Serm. of the contagion of Sin. give but a little advantage on their fair promises to remove the troubles of the body, and they will cut down the Soul also. Therefore obsta principiis, crush the Cockatrice in the egge, refuse all iniquity at the first, in what extenuation of quantity, or colour of quality soever it be offered; For if Sathan cannot get leave for his whole Army of lusts, yet he will beg hard for his Weak ones, Turpius [...]jicitur, &c. his little ones, sins of weaknesse and infirmity, which if once admitted will soon unbolt the dores of the heart, let in all the rest of their Company, and so make a surprisall of the Soul, and endanger it to all Eternity.

Not to admit of delayes in Religious performances 1733

EXcellent is that comparison of St. Ambrose; Com. in Lucam. lib. 7. If (saith he) I should offer thee gold, thou wouldst not say, I will come to morrow and fetch it, but thou wilt be sure to take it out of hand; yet Redemptio animae promittitur, nemo festinat; the Redemption of our pretious Souls more worth then thousands of gold and silver is daily offered, Tolle mor [...]s, semper nocuit differre. Seneca. and no man hastneth to lay hold thereon: How true may this speech of the Father be returned upon the cunctators, such as procrastinate in the matters of Religion; For Earthly things no Man will take time till to morrow, but is very hot in the pursuit, never resting till he have one way or other compassed them; yet for spirituall things, such as accompany salvation, most Mens states are Weak, and like Men ready to break are taking order for two, three, four, six Monthes time, and so as far from making satisfaction as ever.

Humility appeaseth the wrath of God incensed.1734

IT is recorded of an English King,Stowes Chron. Edward the first, that being exceeding angry with a servant of his, in the sport of Hauking, he threatned him sharply; The Gentleman answered, that it was well there was a River betwixt them. Hereat the King more incensed, spur'd his horse into the depth of the River, not without extream danger of his life; the water being deep, and the banks too steep and high for his ascending: yet at last recovering land, with his sword drawn, he pursues the servant, who rode as fast from him; but finding [Page] himself too ill-horsed to out-ride the angry King, he reyned, lighted on his knees, and exposed his neck to the blow of the Kings sword; The King no sooner saw this, but he puts up his sword and would not touch him: A dangerous water could not hold him from Violence,Arma [...]ura tutissima, animi mode [...]ia, Evagrius. yet satis est prostrâsse, his servant's submission pacified him▪ Thus whilst Man flies stubbornly from God, he that rides upon the wings of the wind posts after him, with the sword of Vengeance drawn, but when poor dust and Ashes humbles it self, and stands to mercy, the wrath of God, though ever so much incensed, is soon appeased.

1735 A faint-hearted Christian described.

A Certain Colliar passing through Smithfield, Joh. Fox Acts and Monuments. and seeing some on the one side hanging; he demands the cause, answer was made; For denying the Kings supremacy; on the other side some burning, he asking the cause, was answered, For denying the reall presence in the Sacrament; Some, quoth he, hanged for Papistry, and some burnt for Protestancy? Hoyte on a Gods name: [...]hil be nere nother: Such an one is every timerous faint-hearted Christian, another Gallio, a new Nichodemus that would fain steal to Heaven, if no body might see him; one that owes God some good will, but dares not shew it; his Religion is primarily his Prince's, subordinately his Landlord's; Whilst Christ stands on the battlements of Heaven, Prov. 10. and beckens him thither by his Word, his heart answers; Lord I would fain be there, but that there is a Lyon or a Bear, some trouble in the way; All his care is for a ne noceat, let him but sleep in a whole skin, then omnia bene, whether right or wrong, all's one to him.

1736 The Devills hard dealing with the ensnared Sinner.

IT is not unknown how the Spanish Index deals with Velcurio who commenting on Livy, Index Hisp. [...]ab. 158. saith; That the fifth age was decrepit under the Popes and the Emperours; The Index favourably takes out the Popes, and leaves the Emperours wholly obnoxious to the imputation: Thus the Devill winds out himself at the last from the wicked, refusing to carry the burthen any longer, but leaves it wholly to their supportation; he that flattered them before with the paucity of their sins, now takes them in the lurch, and over-reckons them, he that kept them so long in the beautiful Gallery of Hope, Jac. Acontii stratagemata Satanae. now takes them aside and shews them the dark Dungeon of despair, and ingrossing all their iniquities in great text-letters hangs them on the curtain of their beds feet, to the wracking amazement of their distracted and distempered Souls.

1737 The great Folly of costly Apparel.

LOok upon a Man that dwels but in a borrowed house, Jer. Whitaker Sermon at S. M. Magd. B. 1649. expecting every hour when he shall have warning to avoid; he doth not trouble himself to bestow any cost, either in repairing or trimming up thereof, because he hath no time in it, no Lease for tearm of years to come: Such is the condition of every living Man, his body is but as it were an House, lent unto the Soul, from whence it looketh daily and hourly to depart; Why should he then be so carefull to cloath this body with rich and brave Apparell, when (God knows how soon) it must be laid down in the Earth, there to rot and perish, and in the mean time neglect to adorn and beautify his pretious Soul with Heavenly graces, which is immortal.

How the wounded Sinner is to be cured.1738

[Page]

THere is a story (nothing worth but for the Morall) of a great King that married his daughter to a poor Gentleman that loved her:Joh. de Wann Se [...]m. d [...] [...]empore. But his grant had a condi [...]ion annexed unto it; that whensoever the Gentlemans side looked black, or he lost his Wedding Ring, he should not onely lose his Wife but his life also: One day pursuing his sports, he fell into a quarrel; where at once he received a bruise on his left breast, and lost his Ring in the scuffle: The Tumult over, he perceived the danger, whereinto his own heedlesnesse had brought him, and in bitternesse of Soul shed many tears;Speculum Exemp [...]orum. In his sorrow he spied a book, which opening, he found therein his Ring again, and the first words he read was a Medicine for a bruised side, it directed him to those hearbs, whereof a plaister applyed would not fail to heal him; He did so, was cured, was secured: Thus applied. The great King of Heaven marries to Man, poor Man, hi [...] own daughter, Mercy or e [...]e [...]lasting kindness; but threatens him, that his side mus [...] not look black, his heart must not be polluted with spiritual Idolatry, nor must he lose his wedding Ring, love to God and his Saints, least he forfeit both Gods mercy and his own salvation: Man in pursuit of Worldly affairs, quarrels with his Neighbours, and scuffles with Contention; So his heart gets a bruise, looks black with hatred; And Charity his wedding Ring is lost in these willfull turbulencies and Vexations; What should we do but mourn? Lo, God in his goodnesse directs him to a book, the holy Gospell; then the spirit helps him to his Ring again, his former love; and to heal his bruise, prescribes him these speciall herbs of Grace, Repentance, Thankfulness, and Meekness, which being well applied, will keep his Ring of Faith sure from losing, and his Heart from the self-procured blows of Contention, and so hold for ever his dear espoused Wife, the beautifull daughter of the King, Gods everlasting goodness and mercy.

Minding of the day of Judgment, an excellent means to prevent Sin.1739

IT is reported of a certain Christian King of Hongary, St. Marshall Serm. at Fast. who being on a time marvailous sad and heavy, his brother that was a resolute Courtier, would needs know what he ailed; Oh brother, quoth he, I have been a great Sinner against God, and I know not how I shall appear before him, when he comes to Iudgment; These are, (said his brother) Melancholly fits, and so makes a toy of them, as Gallants use to do: The King replies nothing for the present; but the custome of that Country was, that if the Executioner of Iustice came and sounded a Trumpet before any Mans door, the Man was presently without any more ado, to be had to Execution: The King in the dead of the night, sends for his Deaths-Man, and causeth him to sound his Trumpet before his brothers dore; who seeing and hearing the Messenger of Death, springs in pale and trembling into his brothers presence, and beseeches the King to tell him wherein he had offended him: Oh Brother, replies the King; Thou hast loved me and never offended me, and is the sight of my Executioner so dreadfull to thee? And shall not so great a Sinner as I, fear to be brought to the Iudgment seat of God? Thus, did but Men stand in S. Ieromes posture, alwaies hearing the Trumpet sounding in their ears, Surgite mortui, venite ad judicium, they would make more Conscience of their waies, they would then strike upon their thigh, and cry out, quid faciam? What shall I do? And thus in all their doings remembring their latter end, they would never do amisse.

1740 Man and Wife to be speak one another kindly.

[Page]

SUch was the spiritual hatred of the Iews to the Lord Iesus, Jer. Boroughs Gosp. Light. that they would not vouchsa [...]e to give him his name, when they talked of him, or with him; and to shew the utter dislike they had of him, they used to say, Is this be? Art thou be that wilt do such a thing? Whither will he go that we shall not find him? They would not say, Is this Iesus Christ? or the Son of God: This now was a spitefull kind of speaking, and did bewray abudance of malice that lay hidden in their hearts: and so it sometimes falleth out betwixt Man and Wife, contempt, disdain, anger, and malice will not suffer the one to afford unto the other their names and titles, least they should be put in mind of such duties as those names and ti [...]les require, whereas the very names of Husband and Wife doth greatly help to perswade the mind, and to win the affections, yea the very mention of these names doth often times leave a print of duty behind in the Conscience, Ioh. 7. 11. 15. 35.

1741 The experimental Christian, the undaunted Christian.

HE that hath been at Sea and often escaped the many dangers of wind and weather (even then when both conspired to make a wrack of himself and the ship he went in) is the more bolder and readier to entertain a [...]ew Voyage;M. S. And why? because he hath by the assistance of his God, made way for deliverance in times of such eminent danger; such an experimentall, bold, Logical Christian was David, when he made a Lyon his Major, a Bear his Minor, He that delivered me from the Lion and the Bear, will also deliver me from this uncircumcised Philistine. 1 Sam. 17. 34. And such are all good Christians upon whom the Cross hath layen the heaviest, upon whose shoulders the persecuting plowers have made the deepest furrows, whose feet have been often in the stocks, and into whose Sculs the Irons have made a deep impression, they having had from time to time the experience of Gods deliverance from, and assistance in the time of their trouble, are as bold as Lyons, and ready to meet death in the face, though it come in the most gastly figure or shape that may be conceived.

1742 Sin, the strange nature thereof.

IT may seem strange,J. Magiri Physica. which is written of the Nature of Thunder and Lightning, that it bruiseth the tree, yet breaks not the bark; it cracketh the blade, yet never hurteth the scabbard; melteth the money in a Mans purse, yet never toucheth his Person; Such a thing, and of such a Nature is sin, it will bruise and wound the heart, but never harm the eyes, or the ears, or hands; it will [...]i [...]rce and afflict the Conscience, but never hurt the outward Man; it is even a Plague unto the Soul, yet a pleasure to the body.

1743 Gods goodnesse, Mans unthankfulnesse.

IT is observeable,Tho. Westfield Serm. at S. Barth. great. 1619. that there are but three main Rivers in this Land, whereof that of Thames is held the best; Insomuch that when a Courtier gave it out [...] that Queen Mary being displeased with the City of London, threatned to remove the Term and Parliament to Oxford; An Alderman asked, Whether she meant to turn the channel of Thames thither, or not; If not, saith he, by Gods grace we shall do well enough: And in truth that River is such a prosperity to that Ci [...]y, it is such a loving Meander, that it winds it self about, and shews its silver arms upon her sides, ebbing slowly eight, but flowing merrily four hours, as if [Page] she longed to embrace her beloved City with rich presents of M [...]rchandise; But what r [...]turn doth the City make? what thanks for all this Love? She sweeps all the dirt of her streets in her face; and chokes her up with soyl and rubbish: This is Man's case, God crowneth him with blessings, protecteth [...]im with his power, carries him on from Mercy to Mercy, &c. sed u [...]i fructus? Pertusum vas est ingratus homu [...]cio. Co [...]narius. The swelling River of Gods favours by the surfet of a tide doth no sooner bring in the encrease of outward things, but that encrease doth breed in his mind another swelling, and in his body another surfetting, he swells in Pride, and surfets in Wantonness: And thus Peace breeding Wealth, Wealth breeds Pride, and Pride makes Contention, and Contention kills Peace, and by this mea [...]s a Civil War is raised to the ruine both of Church and Common-wealth.

Popish Miracles condemned.1744

IT is recorded, that at Amesbury in Wiltshire, when Q. Elianor the Wife of King Henry the third lay there, a Man that feigned himself to have been long blind, came to her, and told her, that he had now his sight restored at the Tomb of the King her deceased husband.Chron. Rob. Amesburiensis. The Mother easily believed it, but her sonne King Edward the first, knowing this Man, that he had ever been a dissolute Wretch, and a vile Impostor, disswaded her from giving Faith unto it: protesting, That he knew so well the Iustice of his Father, that if he were living, he would sooner put out both the dissembler's eyes, then restore sight to either of them. So without doubt, those Saints, to the Virtue of whose dead bones, Qui expectat miraculum, miraculum ipse, Aug. they of the Church of Rome attribute the glory of Conversion, and enlightning, and restoring of limbs, would (if they were living) rather say, These Men had no eyes of Grace at all, no lineaments of Piety, then that any light was given them, any health restored out of their dead dusts, or painted resemblances.

The great danger of the least Sin.1745

A Dram of poyson diffuseth it self to all parts,T. Adams Contagion of Sin. till it strangle the vital spirits, and turn out the Soul from the body; How great a matter, a little fire kindleth? Iam. 3. 5. It is all one, whether a man be killed with the prick of a little thorn, or with the hewing of a broad sword, so he be killed: We have seen a whole arm impostumated with the prick of a little finger; Nolite contemnere venialia, quia minima sunt, sed timete, quia plura. Aug. de decem [...]ho [...]dis. A little Postern opened, may betray the greatest City. Thus a little Sin infects a great deal of Righteousnesse; If Sathan can but wound our heel, (as the Poets feign of Achilles) he will make shift to kill us there, even from the heel to send Death to the heart; If the Serpent can but wriggle in his tayl by an ill thought, he will soon get i [...] his head by a worse action; hence is it, that Christ calls hatred, murther; a wanton eye, adultery; because that besides the possibility of the Act, they are the same in the intention of heart; let no tang of corruption come to the least part, i [...] thou desirest to preserve the whole.

The Heart of Man, the very seed-plot of all Sinne.1746

THat which we call Gun-powder, R. Sibbs. S. Cordiall. is made of the salt and fatter Ear [...]h; in the ground are the materialls, which when Art hath concocted, chym'd, prepared, charged and discharged, it overturns Towns and Towers, Forts and Cities: So the Heart of Man is the Seminary of all mischief, the seeds of all Sins are naturally in us; not so much as Treason, Murther, Perjury, but are in us quoad potentiam, Plura mac [...]inatur cor Uno momento. Hugo de anima, lib. 1. yea, quoad naturam et propensionem, there is in our Nature a proclivity to them; Nay, the Heart is so apt ground to produce and mature these innata mala inbred seeds to Actualls, that without the preventing grace of God, unlesse the reason of a Man, and Religion of a Christian, keep them under from eruption, there's no avoiding of them.

1747 The vanity of Man, in seeking after great things, condemned.

[Page]

VVHen Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, was solicited by the Tarentines and other People of Italy, Plutarch. in vita to be the head of their League against the Romans; whilest he sate musing on these affairs, Cineas his great Favourite came in upon him,Sabel. lib. 8. Aeneid. 4. and desiring to be acquainted with his thoughts, to which he was never made a stranger; Pyrrhus gives him notice of the Embassee of the Tarentines, and asketh his advice; yet his purpose was to joyn with them against the Romans, and doubted not but to prevail; The Orator demands, If he should have the battel, What would he do then? He answered, That then Sicilia and Sardinia would be at his command: The other consented, but still asked, What then should be done? He then replyes, that Africa could not hold out, but might be easily conquered; But Cineas still pursued him with his old question, What he would do then? He again answered, That when all these Countries were subdued,Nec tibi regnandi [...]eniet tam dira cupido. Virg. Eclog. Graecia would soon come in. But being again demanded, What he proposed to do then? He apprehending the Orators intention, and smiling, replyed; Then Cineas we will rest and be merry. The Orator answered, That he might do so presently wit [...]out any trouble to himself or others, if he would but sit down, and be contented with his own. This Heathen by the light of Nature and Reason easily saw, and excellently taught the miserable Folly of wicked Men, who projecting bey [...]nd the Moon, seeking great t [...]i [...]gs, and vexing themselves and thousands of others by their wicked engagements, at length with much fishing catch a Frog, and attain no more then what they might have long enjoyed with lesse labour and trouble to themselves and others.

1748 All Sin must be hated, and why so?

THere is mention made by a good old Christian, Ambros. in Hexameron. lib. 6. cap. 4. of a certain Dog, whose Master being slain by one of his Enemies, he lay by him all the night with great lamentation, howling and barking; In the morning many came to see the dead Corps, amongst the rest he also came that slew his Master; The Dog no sooner saw the Homicide, but made at him, and held him fast, whereby the wickednesse of so close a Murther was discovered: See here the Love, the Faithfulnesse of a poor brutish Creature for a piece of bread, that was so incensed against the Murtherer of his Master: And shall poor sinfull Man make much of those Enemies, those Sins that kill'd his Lord and Master Christ Iesus? cherish those Sins that apprehended him, that bound him, that scourged him, that violently drew him to the Crosse, and there murthered him? It was neither Pilate, nor the Ie [...]s, nor the Souldiers, that could have done him the least hurt, had not our Sins like so many butche [...]s and hangmen come in to their assistance;Agn [...]sce homo quàm gravia sint vu [...]nera, &c. Let therefore our Fury be whetted against all Sin, let that be the Object of our hatred, be sure to be the death of that, that hath been the death of so good a Master, and will, if not prevented, be the death of thy poor Soul to all Eternity,

1719 The sad condition of borrowing upon Usury.

LOok but a silly Sheep, Arn. Pontani. Bibliothec. Concionum. how it makes for succour and shelter under a thorny bush in the midst of stormy and tempestuous weather, but still as she goeth away, she leaveth part of her Fleece behind, and the oftner she goeth, the barer and nakeder she is; so that at last she is able to abide neither bush, nor storm: Such a bush of thorns is every griping Usurer to the poor borrower, Curas curis accumulat, &c. Greg. Nyss. he will leave him at length no Fleece on his back, no house over his head, no money in his purse, no bed to rest upon, no Flesh on his bones, no credit with the World.

Christians to walk worthy the Name of Christ.1750

[Page]

IT is said of Alexander the Great,Plutarch. in vita. that spying in his Army a lusty proper fellow, yet when he came to tryall, he proved a very Coward; he asked him, What was his name? He answered, Alexander; Nay then, said Alexander, either deny thy name, or by some valorous exploit or other redeem thy credit, I will not have a Coward of my name. Franc. Raworth Serm. at S. Botolph. Alders. Lond. Thus it may be said of many Christians, such as by outward profession are so accompted; If ye be Christians, Why are ye drunk? Why are ye covetous? Why are ye proud, envious, malicious, uncharitable? Aut occultetur nomen, aut mutentur mores; either wave your names, or change your manners in life and conversation.

Afflictions, Gods Love-tokens.1751

A Gentleman hath a Hawk which he prizeth highly, he feeds her with his own hand, is very carefull in the pluming of her feathers, sets her upon his Fist, and taketh great delight in the sight of her; but for all this he puts vervells upon her leggs, and a dark hood upon her head, Et quare capititium? quare compedes? Bernard. (saith the Father) Why is she hood-wink'd? why fettered? lest she should fly away, he would not by any means have her out of call, but that she might be alwayes within the lure. Thus God deals with his children, there cannot be a more evident sign of his love, then when he chastiseth them, nor a greater evidence of his hatred and rejection, then when he gives Men over to do what they list,Praesens indulgentia [...]uturam poenam accersit. Isidor. Pelusio [...]. to go on and prosper in all wicked and licentious courses; When he lets Men neglect all duties without controlement, he makes it manifest, that his purpose is to turn them out of service; and when he lets them feed at will in the pleasant pastures of Sin, it is more then probable, that he hath destinated them to the slaughter.

God, not the Author of Sin.1752

AS a Man that cutteth with a dull knife is the cause of cutting, but not of the ill cutting and hackling of the knife,Lud. de Carbo Inter homo. the knife is the cause of that; Or if a Man strike upon an Instrument that is out of tune, he is the cause of the sound, but not of the jarring sound, that's the fault of the untuned strings: Or as a Man riding upon a lame horse,Detestanda & ab hominanda est opini [...] quae D [...]um cujusquam malae acti [...]nis credit authorem. Aug. respons. ad art. stirres him; the Man is the cause of the motion, but the horse himself of the halting motion: Thus God is the Author of every action, but not of the evill of that action, that's from Man: He that makes Instruments and tools of Iron or other metal, he maketh not the rust and canker which corrupteth them, that's from another cause; nor doth that Heavenly Workman God Almighty bring in sin and iniquity, nor can he be justly blamed, if his Creatures do soyl and besmear themselves with the foulnesse of sin, for he made them good, Gen. 1. 10. I [...]h 34. 11. Psalm 5. 4.

The appropriation of Faith is all in all.1753

IN Gedeon's Camp every Souldier had his own Pitcher; amongst Solomon's men of Valour every Man wore his own sword; Iudg. 7. 1 Chron. 26. 30. The five wise Virgins had every one oyl in her lamp: Luther was wont to say, That there lay a great deal of Divinity couched up in Pronouns, Matth. 25. as meum, tuum, suum, mine, thine, his. Thus Faith appropriated is all in all; a bird shall assoon fly with anothers wings, as thy Soul mount to Heaven by anothers Faith; Whosoever will go to God, August. de fide. whether it be in Prayer, or in any Religious performances, he must have a Faith of his own, it must be fides tua, thy Faith; It is not enough to say,Matth. 7. Psal. 18. Lord, Lord; but to say with David, my Lord; with Iob, my Redeemer; with the blessed Virgin, my Saviour; not to say, Credimus, but Credo; not We believe, but I believe in God: [Page] Every Man must profes [...]e and be accomptant for his own Faith: When a Man believes his own Reconciliation by the merits of Christ Iesus, and strengthens this belief by a desire of pleasing God, this is Fides sua, the right appropriation of Faith.

1754 Gods Judgment, and Mans, not concurrent.

IT is observable,Tho. Ad [...]ms Contagion of Sin. that when the Moon is lightest to the Earth, she is darkest to Heaven; And when lightest to Heaven, the darkest to Earth; Thus they that seem best to the World, are often the worst to God; they that are best to God, seem worst to the World; and Men most glorious to the World, are obscurest to the Divine approbation; others obscure to the Worlds acknowledgment, are principally respected in Gods favour; The Samaritans were condemned by the Iews, Luke 17. 13, 28. yet nine Iews are condemned by one Samaritan. The Iews thought, that if but two Men were saved in the world, the one should be a Scribe, the other a Pharisee, but Christ saith, that neither of them both shall come into the Kingdom of Heaven. Samuel was mistaken in Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah: for the Lord had chosen David. Isaac preferreth Esau, 1 Sam. 16. but God sets up Iacob; All this to justifie, That Gods Iudgment is not as Mans judgment; his thoughts not as Mans thoughts, neither are his wayes as Mans wayes, Esay 55. 8.

1755 The uncharitable Christian described.

DIogenes, Diog. La [...]rt. in vita. a witty beggar, would usually walk in a place, where earthen Statues were erected in honour of some that dyed for their Country; To them he would pray, to them reach out his hand, bow, and begg; being asked the Reason, he answered; Nihil aliud quam repulsam meditor, I think of nothing but a repulse, or denyal: We have many such living Statues in these strait-laced times of ours, meer Idols that have mouthes and speak not, eyes and pity not, hands and give not, the Poor are sure of nothing but a repulse; They are just like St. Peter's fish,—Deus emit sanguine serv [...]s; M [...]rcari exigu [...] nos piget [...] Deum. Bislius. it had money in the mouth, but not a hand to give it; like Dives his doggs, they can lick a poor Man with their tongues, else give him no relief; The Papists will rather lose a penny, then a Pater-noster, these will give ten Pater-nosters before one penny; They give the words of Nephthali, pleasant words, but no meat; as if the poor were like Ephraim, to be fed with the wind; or as if their words were Verbum Domini, Hos. 12. 1. Matth. 4. 4. the Word of God that men might live by it.

1756 The great danger and disgrace of lying under the guilt of one eminent Sin.

WHen one commended Alexander for his many noble acts, Qui [...]. Curr. another objected against him, that he killed Calisthenes; He was valiant and successefull in the Wars;Plutarch. in vita. true, but he killed Calisthenes; He overcame the great Darius; so, but he killed Calisthenes: His meaning was, that this one unjust act poysoned all his better deeds: And there was Naaman the Syrian, a Man plentifully commended, 2 Kings 5. 1. When he was cured and converted by Elisha; First hee's charitable, offers gold, and garments, but he excepts bowing in the house of Rimmon; he is devout, and begs earth for sacrifice, but excepts Rimmon; he is Religious, and promiseth to offer to none but the Lord, yet excepts Rimmon: This Rimmon, In facie plus offendit navus, &c. Plutarch. in Moral. like the Fly in the Alablaster-box, spoyled all the good intentions. Thus one spot in the Face spoyls all the beauty, one Vice in the Soul disgraceth a great deal of Virtue; O such a Man is an honest Man, a good Man, but—Let every Man take heed, this is that, but, which the Devill ayms at; 'Tis true, we must hate all sin, and every sin sowrs, but to the repentant Christian it shall not be damnable, Rom. 8. 2. there is in all [Page] corruption, to most affliction, to none damnation that are in Christ; One Sin may disgrace us, and sowr us, but to our comfort upon true Repentance we are mad [...] sweet again by the all-perfuming bloud of our Saviour.

The sinfulnesse of Sin.1757

THere was a great Prince intending travel into a far Country,Joh. Br [...]iardi summa praedicant. left his daughter to the tuition of a Servant; Him he made chief, and set under him a Contro [...]er, and five serviceable Guardians. The Prince no sooner gone, bu [...] the Servant falls to lust and riot, forceth the Lady, the Controller, and the Guardians to the like intemperance; which they refusing, he dispoyles her of all her Robes and Jewels, them of their weapons, and turns them out by begger [...] or pillage to seek their lives in the wide world. This Servant is Man, Peccatum est de [...]orme malum. Veri [...]. God i [...] the P [...]ince, his daughter the Soul, the Controller is Reason, and the five Senses th [...] Guardians; Whilest these hinder Man from spoyling his Soul with riot and excesse, he abuseth them, turns Reason to madnesse, and makes all his senses bu [...] as so many Instruments of Wickednesse; but woe to that Servant, who when his Lord cometh shall find so doing.

The several degrees of Faith.1758

AS meat digested turns to juice in the stomach,T. Adams Faith's Encouragement. to bloud in the liver, to spirits in the heart; So Faith is in the brain, knowledg; in the Reason, assent; in the heart, application: As the child in the womb hath first a vegetative life, then a sensitive, lastly, a rational; So Faith as meer knowledg hath but a Vegetation; as allowance, but sense: onely the application and apportioning the merits of Christ to the Soul by it, this is the rational, the very life of it. To exemplifie this Similitude yet further; The vegetative Soul is the Soul of Plants▪ and it is a true Soul in the kind, though it have neither sense nor reason. The sensitive Soul is the Soul of beasts, a true Soul, includes Vegetation, but is void o [...] Reason. The rational Soul is the Soul of Man, a distinct Soul by it self, comprehends both Vegetation and sense, having added to them both the perfection of Reason: So there are three kinds or degrees of Faith,Interrogo te, utrum credas; dicis, Credo: fac tu quod dicis, et fides est. Aug. in Ioh. 1. To believe there is a God; this is the Faith of Pagans, and it is a true Faith, though it believ [...] neither the Word of God, nor mercy from God. 2. To believe what God sayes is true; this is the Faith of Devils and Reprobates, and a true Faith, including the Faith of Pagans, and going beyond it, yet it apprehends no mercy 3. To believe on God, to rely upon his mercy in Christ, this is the Faith of the Elect, comprehends both the former, yet is a distinct Faith by it self.

The uncertain comfort in Riches.1759

CAst but your eye upon a vagrant Fellow, T [...]o. L [...]ghtfoot Serm. at Uttoxe [...]er in Staffordshire, 1624. whom because he is big-bon'd and well limb'd, and able to go through his work, a Man takes in at his doors, and cherisheth; It may so be, that for a while he takes pains, and plyes his work: but when he spyes opportunity, the Fugitive servant is gone, and takes away with him more then all his service came to. Thus the Riches and preferments of this World may seem to stand a Man in some stead for a season, Nil prodest pondus mihi divitis auri. Tibul. lib. 3. but at last they irrecoverably run away, and carry with them all his joyes and worldly comforts; As Iacob stole away Laban's Idols, so they take away the peace and content of heart, and leave him desperate.

1760 As to beware of all Sins, so especially of beloved Sins.

[Page]

LOok upon a City besieged, how wise Governors will take care of ever Posterndoor, and so every part of the Wall, St. Marshall Se [...]m. at Westm. and repair the least decayes thereof; but it one Gate be more likely to be entred then another, or if any part of the Wall be weaker, or more easily to be thrown down then another, they will be sure to set the strongest Watch in that place, where the danger is most. And so it is, or should be with us in respect of our most pretious Souls,Gravius est pecca [...]um diligere quam porpetrare. Hieron. in epist. We have here a Fort to keep, which is every day assaulted by our Enemies, and we have a diseased Soul of our own, distempered with many spiritual maladies, but some of them are worse then other, and some parts of the Fort are weaker, and more in danger then others are, that is, there are some sins, as sins whereunto by constitution of body we are most inclined, such as are Dalilah, bosome, beloved-sins, by which the Devil more easily surprizeth and captivateth our Souls: And therefore as we should set diligent Watch against all sins, so we should especially bend our forces against those that do or may in a more especial manner breed our harm, and hinder our Salvation.

1761 The uncertainty of Mans life.

IT hath been usual with Cathedral Churches, M. S. and is still in use with Colledges, to let Leases of houses and Lands for the term of three lives, so that the Purchaser knowes the certainty of his time, and that if one life will not hold, another shall: But it is not so betwixt God and Man, there is no Man but is Gods Tenant at will, he may put him out of house and home when he list, he never deviseth any Tenement longer then for one life, the which being expired, shall never be renewed again, [...]revis est vita et ipsa brevi [...] as in [...]erta. Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 16. nor will he suffer us to dwell any longer in the best and strongest of his houses then above seventy years; if happily some continue eighty, their term is exceeding long: and yet of all this time they cannot be secured of one half hour, not the peaceable possession of one moment, so many and so mighty are the Enemies that way-lay them,

Ferro, Peste, Fame, Vinc [...]is, Algore, Calore [...]

Mille modis miseros Mors rapit una viros.

By Sword, Plague, Famine, by Bonds, by Heat and Cold,

And a thousand other wayes, Death brings us to his Fold.

What then remains? since that our Enemies are so strong, our Earthly houses so weak, the coming of our Landlord unknown, and the term of our Lease so uncertain, let us be sober and watching in prayer, and then happy shall that servant be, whom when his Master cometh, he shall find so doing.

1762 The biting Vsurer described.

SAd was the condition of the Egyptians, Dan. Price, Sermon at Christ-Church. Exod. 8. 24. when the plague of Flyes was upon them, they did so bi [...]e and sting them, that they were weary of their lives: Such are all biting Usurers, that gorge themselves with the spoyl of their poorer brethren, the suckers of their sap, the bibbers of their bloud, the pinchers of their hearts,Similis est pec [...]ia Us [...]rarii morsu [...] [...]spidis. Brya [...] in Ma [...]h. and the stingers and the wringers of their very Souls, who with Noverint universi, &c. make an universal ruine of many a Man's estate, and so fetch him still within the Condition of the Obligation, that in the end his Condition is wofull, and his heart breaketh with the b [...]ter grief of, Be it known unto all men.

How to deal with Sin, being once committed.1763

[Page]

AMmon when he had deflowred his Sister Thamar, N [...]t. Sh [...]te Serm. at S. Mild. 2 Sam. 13. 15. forthwith hated her, and that in a far more exceeding manner then he loved her before, then puts her out of doors, and lo [...]ks the door after her, lest she should return again. Thus must we deal with Sin, being once committed, hate it with a deadly hate, put it far from us, lock up the doors of our hearts, shut up the windowes of our eyes, and take up a Resolution of never sinning again.

How to make a right use of the doctrine of Predestination.1764

CArdinal Pool, T. Fuller Serm. at S. Cl [...]m. Lond. a good Man, though a Papist, being desired by one to tell him how he might come to understand the former part of S. Paul's Epistles, which are for the most part doctrinal positions, made this answer; By a careful practising of the latter part of the same Epistles, which consist much in Precepts, and directions how to lead a life in all godlinesse and holinesse of conversation: And thus if any Man desire to know the former part of Predestination, whether his name be written in the book of Life, whether he be of the Election of Grace, whether he be predestinated to life eternal, let him but look into the latter part of Predestination, the means as well as the end of Predestination, whether his Conversation be in Heaven, whether his life be suitable to the profession of the Gospel of Christ, and though he meet with many rub [...] in the way, and through frailty stumble and fall, yet riseth again and presseth on to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus; Thus if a Man do, he may conclude himself to be within the number of the Elect: and this is the right use that is to be made of the doctrine of Predestination; but it is otherwise with too too many in these all questioning dayes of ours: For whereas S. Paul presents us with a chain let down from Heaven, Rom. 8. Election and Predestination at one end of the chain, and Glorification at the other end thereof; both which ends God keepeth fast in his hand, as for the middle links of the chain, Calling and Iustification, those he leaves for them to lay hold on; but they cannot be quiet, but must be [...]ugging and labouring to wrest those parts out of Gods hand, and so misse of the right use and comfort that is to be found in the abstruse, yet sweet doctrine of Predestination.

The Relation of Parents, Wife, Children, to be sleighted if they once appear in competition with the Commandements of God.1765

IT was a pious (though erronious) spirit,In vita ejus, per A [...]ony [...]. that lodged in the breast of Sir Thomas Moor, once Lord Chancellor of England, being at that time a Prisoner in the Tower of London, meerly upon the account of denying the King's supremacy who regarded not the Prayers, and passed by the tears of his loving and tender Wife, when she perswaded him with the forfeiture of his Conscience to endeavour the restauration of his liberty: And thus it is that the relation of Parents, Wife, Children, &c. are to be sleighted when they once appear in competition with the Commandments of God,Hieron. Matth. 10. 37. Luke 24. Pietas est, impium esse pro Domino, It is piety towards God to be unnatural to our Friends, nay, which is a more harsh expression, to hate them. Strange▪ that love it self should require ha [...]red, but yet just, not in an absolute,Nath. Hardy Serm. at Fun. of Mr. John Rushout, 1648. but a comparative sense; we must not love Father or Mother more then God, yea when their desires come in competition with his Will, we must hate them for his sake, we must say as Levi, nescio vos I know you not; or with Christ to his Mother, Quid mihi tecum, What have I [Page] to do with thee? trampling underfoot all naturall Relations, which would hinder us from obedience [...] divine injunctions.

1766 The sincere upright Man, described.

IT is said of Pachomius a Religious Abbot,Niceph. hi [...]. lib. 9. cap. 14. that digesting his numerous Monks into various Classes according to the letters in the Greek Alphabet, suited the names he gave them to the Natures he observed in them; As, for those whom he found Politicians and dissemblers,Cassiani. annot. in Pachomii regulam. he compared to the letters ζ and ξ which are full of crooked turnings; those whom he observed to be plain-hearted and upright, to the letter ι, which is carried right upward without any obliquity at all:Integer vitae sc [...]leris (que) pur [...]s Horat. 1. Car. And thus it is, that the sincere upright Man is carried in a streight line to the performance of all Religious duties, he levells all his actions to a right end, the Loadstone of his Soul is not self-interest but Gods honour, he casts no squint-eye at by-respects, but looks directly forward at his Creator's glory.

1767 Wives to be beloved of their Hus-bands, as Wives.

WHen Martia Cato's youngest daughter had buried her husband,Hieron. advers. Jovin. lib. 1. it was after some competent time demanded, why she did not marry again? she made answer, Non se invenire virum &c. she could not find a Man that would love her more then hers: Thus it is heartily to be wished, that this might not be charged on too many Men,Facies, non uxor amatur. Juvenal. Sat. 6. they love onely with their eyes, and their fingers, becaus [...] of the beauty they see in, or the Money they receive with their Wives, not with their hearts out of an ingenious or rather pious respect to that relation of a Wife, wherein they belong to them.

1768 Ignorant, upstart Preachers, reproved.

PLutarh tells us,In lib. Moral. that the Virgins, which were to attend Diana's Temple, were for many years, as it were brought up in a School, and called [...], such as should administer sacred Rites, and then being sufficiently instructed, they were called [...], admitted to their divine mysteries, and afterwards they became [...] Instructors of others:N. Hardy Sermon at funeral of R. Goddard, at S, Gr [...]g. Lond. 1653. Then surely if the light of Nature taught them to use so much care in educating those who were to perform the worship of a false Goddesse, How shamefull is the blindnesse of those Christians, who think some natural abilities of Memory and Elocution sufficient to quali [...]y a Priest of the true and most high God, such who whilst they can lay no just claim to an immediate inspiration,Leo apud Gratian. sodainly and unpreparedly enter upon so high employment; Sacerdotes momentanei, such as in a day, in a moment turn Priests;Greg. Naz. Orat. 22. modo Idiota, mox Clericus, how Laicks a [...]on Clerks; such as skip from the shop-board to the Pulpit, and owe more Sacrifices for their own then the Peoples ignorance.

1769 Men or Women painting them-selves, condemned.

WH [...]n a Carpenter or Ioyner hath made some accurate piece of work, Cyprian. Pet. Lilie. Serm. 1619. Delet pictoram Dei, qui vul [...]um suum materiali [...]blinit. Ambros. in Hex [...] mer. he will not think well that any one should discommend, or rend and deface it: And can it be otherwise then a great disgrace, when God hath in a wonderfull manner framed and fashioned both Men and Women, but they must needs be tampering, and overlay his work with the Devill's colours? What is [...]is but in a sort to make Christ a lier; For whereas he saith, yet cannot make [Page] one hair white or black, Math. 5. 36. they have a way to make them all of what colour they please.

Neutrality in Religion, reproved.1770

THe Bat, like the Woman with the adulterous eye, watcheth for the twilight, Prov. 7. 9. such are all Equivocating Hermophrodite Christians, Religious Neuters, who love the twi-light of Truth better then the noon-light, whose Religion may well-enough be declined with the Article (Hoc) for it is of the Neuter-Gender; Hist. nat. lib 35. cap. 9. Not much unlike him (in Pliny) whose picture was so ambiguously drawn by Polygnotus Thasius a cunning Painter, that it was doubted, whether he had painted him climbing upward or going downward with his shield; And so slily do these Utrinquetaries carry their shield of Faith (as the Apostle calls it, Ephes. 6.) that it justly may be doubted whether it be to defend us or our adversaries,Franc. Rawlinson Se [...]m. at Cou [...]t, 1625. They have one foot within the gates of Sion, another within the gates of Babylon; one within the Church of England, another within the Church of Rome; one wing to fly to us, another to fly from us upon the least advantage that may be.

To be carefull in the keeping of our Vow made in Baptism.1771

THe Romans in times past,Justus Lipsius de Milit. lib. 1. dialog. 6. when they prest any Souldiers, ministred an Oath of Fidelity unto them which they called, Sacramentum militare the Oath of their military service, without which Oath they made a scruple to bear arms; And we, when we take up Souldiers, do not alwaies swear them, but they receive Prest-money which binds them sufficiently; What then is to be thought of a Souldier, that after he is admitted into pay, and enrolled in the Muster-book, shall forsake the Camp without leave of his General, or perhaps revolt and run to the Enemy, or staying in the Camp entertain private conference with the Enemy, and as opportunity serves betray the trust committed to his charge, as divers in our times perfidiously and basely have done? Or if he do none of these,Pet. Lilie, ut anteà. yet either out of cowardise or contempt, never fights blow, nor performs any duty commanded. Do not such Souldiers deserve punishment, greater then if they had refused to serve notwithstanding their Allegiance doth bind them? So is it in the matter of Baptism, We receive Gods Prest-mony, then we begin to be his Souldiers,Cul [...]or D [...]i memento [...]ontis et lava [...]ri Rorem subisse sanctum. Prude [...]t. and by that mystery do bind-our selves as fast as any Vow or Oath can tye us; And being thus bound, if we be desertores Militiae forsakers of our Christian profession, and become Apostata's or disobedient Souldiers, whose standing is in Gods camp, but fight the Devills battels, or such as carry Gods mark in their foreheads, but are the Devills servants in their actions, or such as under pretence of fighting Gods battels, betray the whole Army to the Enemy, then we are more guilty then if we had never contracted with God to serve him.

Men and Women to be knowing in the Scriptures.1772

IT is said of Angelus Politianus, that he would not vouchsafe the reading of the Scriptures, [...]. Vives de verit. fidei. lib. 2. cap. de Vet. Test. as not containing elegancies suitable to his wit and stile, as if he meant to be saved by Criticisms, and quainter phrases; And St. Augustine (whilst unconverted) valued Tully above all compares, as worthier of his study,Lib. 3. cons. cap. 5. then any of the inspired Authors; A sad choice God wo [...]! But let all of us be heartily affected with the excellency of the Scriptures above all other w [...]itings whatsoever,2 Tim. 3. 19. let us be such as Timothy, to know the Scriptures from [Page] our youth, such as Apollos, mighty in the Scriptures, much learned and versed in them,Act. 18. 24. Ant. White Sermon at S. Mar. Oxon. 1628. even to the stopping of the mouths of all gainsayers, and not to suffer our selves to be bewitched with such Authours with whom Aristotle is more frequent then St. Paul, making them our solemnest and devoutest studies, and the Bible onely read at some by-hours, rather because we would not be altogether ignorant, then that we should be very skillfull in it.

1773 The vanity of an unguided Multitude.

IT was a good Emblem of Cardinal Farnese, Ro. Willan Sermon at We [...]m. N [...]v. 5. 1622. A Beechtree with the top off, the Motto, Ruina relinquor, I am le [...]t in ruine; For as that Tree withers when it is lopped, so Multitudes vanish without leaders,Mul [...]itude non ratione ducitur sed impetu. Silv. whose power being not directed, is at the best but armed Folly, so that they suddenly upon the first opposal become a burthen to themselves, and a prey unto those that pursue them.

1774 A Wife and no Wife

AS a learned Man said sometimes of Rome, Jos. Scaliger▪ having been some while there, That a Man might seek Rome in Rome, and yet not find it there, Rome was so much altered from what it had been; Or as the Orator said of Sicily after Verres had governed there,Cicero in Verrem. 3. Lanc. Win [...]on. [...]polog. adv. Bellarmin. Eu [...]ipid. Helena. Erasm. adag. that Men sought Sicily in Sicily, it was by him so impoverished; Or as a Reverend Prelate of ours said of Bellarmines latter works. That many missed Bellarmine in Bellarmine, they were so much unlike unto, and came so far short of his former: So may a Man find much want of a Wife in a Wife, much misle of a Wife in a Wife if he maketh his choice amisse, and so consequently do himself great wrong, embracing with Ixion a cloud instead of Iuno, or with Paris a shadow without substance, a sorry help, a cold comfort, a Wife and yet no Wife in regard of any joy or comfort in her, in regard of any help or assistance from her, so that it were much better to be altogether without; Plutarch. de Avarit. For, what can be more miserable, then to have a Wife as Covetous wretches have wealth, to have the burthen of a wife, and want the blessing of a Wife, to have the care and not the comfort; Whereas the Man that liveth single, as he misseth of the one, so he is yet withall freed from and eased of the other.

1775 The bountifull goodnesse of God to his Children

IT is said of Cyrus the great Monarch of Persia, that he never sate down at the Table to eat, but whatsoever dish liked him best, he would send part of it to his Friends, or such as deserved best of him, semesos anseres, semesos panes, sometimes the meat off his trencher, and sometime the bread that himself did taste of,Cyrus tibi ista, &c. Xenoph. de institut. Cyri. lib. 13. with this kind and loving salutation; The King sends you this, because he likes it best himself, and holds it choice and dainty: But God intreats his Friends, his Children and servants after another manner, he makes them eat and drink at his Table, or rather makes himself their meat and drink, who is the bread of life,J. Wall Serm. at We [...]m. 1623. and Well spring of Salvation; there is nothing so dear to him but they shall have part with him; his own joy, his own secret, his own sweetnesse, his own comfort, his own robe, his own justice, his own cloathing, his own Righteousnesse; nay they shall have his very life and spirit as a seal and pledg of extraordinary Grace and favour.

1776 Graces of Gods Spirit though seemingly lost, yet found at last.

[Page]

THere is a story of a poor Man that served God faithfully, and yet was opprest cruelly,Speculum Exemplorum. having all his goods taken from him by an exacting Knig [...], Whereupon in a Melancholy humour he perswaded himself that God was dead who had formerly been so faithfull to him, and now (as he thought) had left him; An [...] old Man met him, and desired him to deliver a letter into the hands of his oppressour, upon receipt and perusal of which, the Knight was so convinced, N. Hardy a Valedict. Serm. [...]o Sir T. Bendish, 1653. that immediately he confessed his fault and restored the goods, which made the poor Man say, Now I see that God may seem to sleep, but ca [...] never dye: Thus it is that God in the dispensation of his Graces may withdraw himself for a time, yet he will return at last, he may in his great Wisdome for a time hide his face,Esay 54. 2. yet at last he will in mercy lift up the light of his Countenance to the great joy of that poor Soul that seems to be deserted, and make bare the arm of his power for comfort.

Men to be active in regaining their lost Souls.1777

IT is said of Xerxes, the greatest of the Persian Princes, that when the Graecians had taken from him Sardis, Plutarch. in vita Themisto [...]l. a famous City in Asia the lesse (in S. Iohn's time one of the seaven Churches) charged, That every day at dinner, some one or other speaking with a loud voice, should remember him, that the Graecians had taken the City of Sardis from him:J. Rowlandson Serm. at East-Tysted in Hampshire, 1623. But what shall poor Sinners do, that have lost more then a City, even their pretious Souls, which are of more worth then all the World besides; Let them then give their Redeemer no rest by incessant Prayers, till he deliver them, and repair their ruines, let them still be calling upon him to remember his losse and theirs (for theirs are his) till they have regained by him that which was at first taken from them by the Enemy, [...]ven the Image of their God, after which they were created.

Hypocrites discovering their own shame.1778

IT is said of the Peacock, Fulgent. My [...]holog. whose pleasant wings (as holy Ioh calls them chap. 39. 16.) are more for ostentation then for use, For whiles he spreads out his gaudy plumes, he displayes the uglinesse of his hinder parts: Such are many Hypocritical dissembling wretches a [...] this day, who yet differ from the Peacock in this, that whereas he is said to have Argus his eyes in his tail, they (it should seem) have them in their heads, else how could they espy so many faults in others,Franc. Rawlinson Se [...]m. at Court, 1625. none in themselves; yet whilst they spread out their gay plumes, whilst they simper it devoutly, and rail Jesuitically against Church and State, whilst they hear Sermons, pray, give Alms, make a sowre Lenten face, all to be seen of Men; What do they else but discover their own shame?Matth. 6. shew the uglinesse of their hinder parts? bewray the fearfulnesse of their latter end?

Sin, the chief cause of a Nation or Cities ruine.1779

PHysitians make the Threescore and third year of a Mans life,J. Bodin Com. Weal. a dangerous Climacterical year to the body Natural; And Statists make the Five hundreth year of a City or Kingdome as dangerous to the body Politick, beyond which (say they) Cities and Kingdomes cannot stand: But (which is matter of Wonder) Who hath ever felt a Cities languishing pulse? Who hath discerned the fatal diseases of a Kingdome? found out their Critical daies? Do they wax weak and heavy, and old and shriveld and pine away with years as the body of Man? No, they may flourish still and grow green, they may continue [Page] as the daies of Heaven,J. Gren [...]. Burthen of Tyre; A Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1627. and be as the Sun before the Almighty, if his wrath be not provoked by their wickednesse; So that it is not any divine aspect of the Heavens, any malignant Conjunction of Stars and Planets, but the Peoples loose manners, ungratious lives, and enormous Sins, which are both the chief cause and symptome of a Kingdome or Cities sicknesse, and they, indeed, soon bring them to a fearful end and utter desolation.

1780 Wherein the poysonfull Nature of Sinne consisteth.

IT is credibly reported,Joseph Sealiger in Theophrast. de Plantis. That in some parts of Italy there are Spiders of so poyso [...]ous a Nature, as will kill him that treads upon them, and break a glasse if they do but creep over it; This shews clearly, that the force of this Poyson is not in measure by the quantity, but in the Nature by the quality thereof: And even so the force of Sin consists not in the greatnesse of the subj [...]ct or object of it,W. Crashaw Parable of Poyson. but in the poysonful Nature of it, For that it is the breach of the Law, violation of the Iustice, and a provocation of the wrath of God, and is a present poyson and damnation to Mens Souls; therefore as the least poyson, as poyson, being deadly to the body, is detested; so the least sin, as sin, being mortal to the Soul, is to be abhorred.

1781 Our own Natural corruption, the cause of Sin.

AS corruption and infection could not by the heat of the ayr ambient enter into our bodies, if our bodies did not consist of such a Nature, as hath in its self the causes of corruption; No more could Sin, which is a generall rot and corruption of the Soul, enter into us through the allurements or provocation of outward things,T. Bastard Serm. 1612. if our Souls had not first, of themselves, received that inward hurt, by which their desire is made subject to Sin, as the Womans desire was made subject to her Husband,Gen. 3. 16. and (as the Philosophers say) the Matter to the Form.Iam. 1. 13. The causes of Sin are to be ascribed to our own Concupiscence; the root is from our own hearts; It is confessed, that Sathan may instill his poyson, and kindle a Fire of evil desires in us, yet it is our own Flesh that is the first Mover, and our own Will which sets the Faculties of the Soul in combustion.

1782 Death of the Soul more to be lamented, then the death of the body.

ST. Augustine confesseth,Confess. lib. 1. cap. 13. That in his youth (as many Wantons do) he read, that amorous discourse of Aeneas and Dido with great affection, and when he came to the death of Dido, he wept for pure compassion; But, O me miserum! (saith the good Father) I [...]ewailed (miserable Man that I was) the fabulous death of Dido, forsaken of Aeneas, and did not bewail the true death of my Soul forsaken of her Jesus:J. B. A Serm. at request of Sir Rich. Blunt, 1616. Thus it is, that many unhallowed tears are sacrificed to the Idols of our eyes, which yet are as dry as Pumices in regard of our Souls, We bewayl a body forsaken of the Soul, and do not grieve for the Soul abandoned by God; Hence we are to learn from every Corps that is buried, what the daughters of Israel were to learn from Christ crucified, Weep not for me, but weep for your selves, Luke 23. 28. not so much for the losse of your bodies, as for the death of your immortal Souls.

Not to wait Gods good pleasure in times of Affliction, very dangerous.1783

[Page]

A Man that is unskilful in swimming, Cyr [...]l. Alex. Epist. 29. having ventured past his depth, and so in danger of drowning, hastily and inconsiderately catcheth at what comes next to hand to save himself withall; but it so happeneth, that he oft layeth hold on sedgy weeds, that do but intangle him, and draw him deeper under water, and there keep him down from ever getting up again,T. Gataker A Sermon before the Iudges, 1623. till he be (by that whereby he thought to save himself) drown'd indeed. Thus it is, that whilest many through weaknesse of Faith, and want of Patience, are loath to wait Gods good pleasure, and being desirous to be rid in all haste of the present Affliction, they put their hand oft to such courses as procure fearful effects, and use such sorry shifts for the relieving of themselves, as do but plunge them further and deeper, into such a Labyrinth of evils, out of which they seldome or never get out again.

The great benefit of timely accompting with God.1784

A Merchant or Tradesman,Isocrates ad Demoni [...]. that at leisure times casteth up and ballanceth his Accompts, and brings all to one entire summe, is at any time ready, if on a sodain he be called to a Reckoning, though he have not time or leisure then amidst many distractions, otherwise to run over Accompts, or to cast up the particulars; yet to tell how things stand with him, it requires no more then the bare reading, he needs not stand to recount it, being sure it was well and truly cast up before:T. Gataker Davids Remembrance [...], A Serm. 1623. So he that hath before-time truly examined his own estate, and made up the Accompt betwixt God and his own Soul, may thereby know how it standeth with him in regard of God, by calling to mind onely the issue of his former Examination, when by reason of disturbance and distraction through the violence of Temptation, he shall have small liberty, and lesse lei [...]ure, to take any exact tryall or proof of it at the present.

Ignorance, especially in the wayes of God, reproved.1785

SOcrates being asked,S. Maxim. Serm. 17. What was the most beautiful Creature in the world? He answered, A Man deck'd and garnished with Learning: And Diogenes being demanded, What burthen the Earth did bear most heavy? replyed, An ignorant and illiterate Man. Now if these Philosophers did thus judge of the excellency of Knowledge, Im. Bourne Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1622. and vilenesse of Ignorance, How should Christians blush for very shame, that having lived so long in the School of Christ, trod so often upon the threshold of Gods Sanctuary, and sate so many years under the droppings of Gospel-dispensations, they should yet be found ignorant of Christ, and of the wayes to everlasting happinesse.

All the Creatures subservient to the good Will and Pleasure of God.1786

IT is reported of the River Nilus, Loys de [...]rretta hist. de Ethi [...]pia. lib. 1. cap. 20. that it makes the Land barren, if in ordinary places, it either flow under fifteen cubits, or above seventeen; And therefore that Prester-Iohn (through whose Country it runneth, and in which [Page] it ariseth from the Hills called, The Mountains of the Moon) can at his pleasure drown a gre [...]t part of Egypt, by letting out into the River certain vast Ponds and Sluces, the receptacles of the melted snow from the Mountains; Which that he may not do,G. Sandy's Travels. The Turks, who are now the Lords of Egypt, pay a great tribute unto him, as the Princes of that Land have done time out of mind; which tribute when the great Turk denyed to pay, till by experience he found this to be true, he was afterwards forced with a greater summe of Money to renew his peace with that Governour of the Abussines, and to continue his ancient pay. The truth of this Relation may be questionable; but this we are all bound to believe, That the great Emperour of Heaven and Earth, who sits above us,J. Rowlandson ut anteà. can at his pleasure make our Land, and all the Regions of the Earth fruitful or barren, by restraining or letting loose the influences of his blessings from above; At his Command the winds blow, and again are husht, the Ayr pours down rain,Cui cuncta assis [...]unt acta et agenda simul. Prosper in sentent. or sends Mildews upon the Earth, and it rests in his power to make our Land barren, if we continue disobedient, or to fructifie it more and more if we repent; He hath dams and ponds, yea, an Ocean of Judgments in store, which he can (when it seems him good) let down upon us to make both the Land fruitlesse, and the Soul it self accursed that rebelleth; Not onely Fire, or hail, or lightning, or Thunder, or Vapours, or Snow, or stormy winds, blasting or Mildews, but even whole Volleys, or Volumes of Curses more then can be numbred, are prest to do his Will to af [...]lict and vex them that grieve his holy Spirit by their sins, and daily pr [...]vocations.

1787 Heaven, a place of Holinesse.

IT was a good Inscription which a bad Man set upon the door of his house,Diog. La [...]rt. in vita. Per me nihil intret malt, Let no evil passe through me; Whereupon said Diogenes, Quomodo ingredietur Dominus? How then shall the Master get into his own house? A pertinent and ready answer! How it agrees with our Mansions upon Earth,J. Wall Serm. at Westm. 1623. let every Man look to that. But most sure it is, that no unclean thing can enter into Heaven, whatsoever is there, is holy, the Angels holy, the Saints holy, the Patriarks holy, the Confessors, Martyrs, all holy; but the Lord himself most holy and blessed, to whom all of them, as it were, in a divine Antheme sing and say, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of the glory.

1788 God, a sure fast Friend.

IT is usuall with Men to make towards a Sun-dyall, whilest onely the Sun shineth; And with Women to make much of Flowers, and to put them in their bosomes whil [...]st they are gr [...]en and flourishing; but when once withered, they cast them upon the dunghill: But the Almighty deals not so with his Friends; yea, when their danger is greatest, his help is nearest; And though oft-times the case is so desperate, that Friends society can onely afford pity, not succour; they may look on, they cannot take off; but the presence of God is ever active and powerfull;N. Hardy a Valedict. Serm. to Sir T. Bendish, [...] 1653. And whereas most Faithful Friends part at death, this Friend will not leave us; David knew, he would be with him in the shadow of death; and S. Paul assureth us, that neither death nor life shall separate his love, not onely when we walk through the pleasant meadow of Prosperity, but when we go through the salt-waters of A [...]liction, nay, when we passe Mare mortuum, the Sea of death, he will be with us. It is the deriding question which the Saints enemies put to them in the time of Affliction,Psal. 79. 10. Ubi Deus? Where is now their God? but they may return a confident answer, Hic Deus, Our God is here, nigh unto us,I [...]sh. 1. 5. round about us, in the midst of us. It was his promise to Ioshua then, and is since repeated by S. Paul, as belonging to all the Faithful, I will never leave thee, Heb. 13. 5. nor forsake thee.

To rely upon Gods blessing notwithstanding all opposition.1789

[Page]

WHen an Alderman of London was given to understand by a Courtier, Rich. 3. that the King in his displeasure against the City, threatned thence to divert both Term and Parliament to Oxford; he asked, Whether he would turn thither the channel of the Thames, or no? if not, said he, by the grace of God we shall do well enough. Thus when either Envy of meaner Men repi [...]eth, or the Anger of greater persons rageth against our lawful thriving, we shall do well to remember,Joh. Rowlandson ut anteà. Psal. 46. 4. That there is a River which shall make glad the City of God; a current (I mean) of Gods blessings, which whilest he vouchsafeth to our honest labours, and legal Callings, no malice of Man or Devill shall be able to stop or avert; For, whilest this blessed River of God keeps its course, we shall do well enough; but if his hand for our Sins turn it aside (as it were) into another channell, no wonder then if we thrive backwards, if we prosper not in the labour of our hands.

Regeneration, the excellency thereof.1790

ST. Augustine maketh this observation of Demosthenes, Augustin. epist. 56. ad Dioscorum. that being asked, What was the first and chiefest amongst the Precepts of Rhetorick? he answered, Elocution (or good utterance); what, the second? He answered, Elocution; what, the third? He answered still, Elocution: After the same manner saith the good Father, If you ask me, What is the first, the second, or the third, among the Precepts of Christian Religion? I must answer, Humility; And what S. Augustine attributes to Humility in the praise and commendations thereof,Im. Bourne ut anteà. may justly be given to Regeneration, or the new Creature, and to the excellency and dignity of that: If it be asked, What is the first, or the second, or the third, amongst the Graces of Gods holy Spirit? the answer will be [...], our new Creation; And good reason too, For without this new Creation, there is no Freedom from damnation, no happinesse to be obtained, if any Man be in his Natural condition, and would have any benefit by the death of Christ, he must be a new Creature.

Ignorance, especially in the wayes of God, condemned.1791

IT is related of Bion the Philosopher,Plutarch. Apophthegm. That meeting with one of his Friends, who was somewhat too curiously busied to have his Picture hewed out to the life in a piece of stone, but over-carelesse in the study of Learning, he reproved on this manner, Tu ut tibi similis lapis sieret, &c. Hast thou been carefull, that the stone might be made like thee, and art thou not as careful, that thou by thy Ignorance S. Maxim, Serm. 1. be not like unto the stone. The like may be said of all the Sons of Vanity, such as are stocks and stones, rather then Men, then Christian Men, that are carefull to fulfill their lusts, which will prove their destruction, and negligent to be filled with divine Knowledg, which will bring them to eternal happinesse.

A Caveat for bloudy-minded Men. 1792

IT was a Christian-like gallant resolution of Anastasius the Emperour,Evagrii hist. cap. 3. Quod nihil velit aggredi, &c. That he would adventure on no exploit, though never so Honourable and glorious, if he thought it might cost him a drop of bloud. Then let all such know,Ah uimiùm faciles qui tristia crimina caedis, &c. Ovid. Fast. that wallow in Flesh and bloud, the bloud of their Sins, and the bloud of their Iniquities, that delight in bloud, and make no Conscience how they spill innocent Christian bloud, that are set upon miracles, and labour to convert water into bloud, colour Seas, die Rivers, as if they would sayl and [Page] swim to Heaven through the hearts-bloud of their Enemies;Johan. Wallei Pretium mundi. that Christ's bloud may witnesse against them, and charge them with the bloud of their slain, quocunque sub axe, whether it were at home or abroad; that as his bloud calls for pardon, so theirs for vengeance, and may one day come upon the desperate Malefactor, without Repentance, to his ruine and confusion.

1793 Sincere, upright Men, the scarcity of them.

IT is storyed of Diogenes, Diog. Laert. in vita. That at Noon-day he went about the streets with a Candle lighted; And being asked, Why he did so? returned this answer, Hominem quaero, I seek for a Man; meaning one that might deserve the name of a Man, but all in vain. It is the same with us at this day, God commanded the Prophet, that he should run to and fro through the streets of Ierusalem, Ier. 35. and seek in the broad places thereof to find a Man that executed Iudgment. Psal. 37. And the Prophet David bids us, behold the upright; but where shall we find one upright Man to behold? Pretenders to perfection, Professors of sanctity,N. Hardy Sermon at Funeral of Sir Joh. Gayr, 1649. this Age swarms with, but few Practisers; Facings of Religion were never more in fashion, but the linings of Piety and goodnesse never more out of request; so that we may well take up that of the Psalmist, Help, Lord, for there is not one Godly Man left, Psalm 12. 1.

1794 The Borrowers duty, and comfort.

A Poor Labourer being taken to fell Timber for the building of a house for the Children of the Prophets,2 Kings 6. 5. As he was felling of a Tr [...]e, the Iron fell from the helve into the Water; Then he cryed, and said to Elisha, Alas, Master,Sam. Cotiesford, Soveraign Oyl to restore Debtors. it was borrowed; as if the poor Man should say, The losse of the Axe-head doth not so much grieve me, as that I borrowed it, and must restore it again. Just thus must it be betwixt the Borrower and the Lender; the Borrower's care must be how to make Restitution; if he have not wherewithall, and therein if he speak simply from his heart,Domus aut famu [...]itium abjiciendum ut [...]re liberemur alieno. Plur. moral. then si non effectu tamen affectu, If he cannot come any thing near to pay the whole debt, yet come as near as he can, he must shew his readinesse out of that little that is remaining, if not any thing near to a full, yet towards satisfaction; And then however perhaps it will not please Men, yet in having a good Conscience, God will be well pleased.

1795 The Time and place of a Mans spiritual Calling, very uncertain to be known.

HE that is locked up in a dungeon, Aelredi Similitud, selectae. or otherwise immured within some darksome place, can and may easily discover the very moment of time, when either the least beam of the Sun, or glimmer of sky-light shall break in upon him; Whereas on the other side, He that is in the open ayr, is very sensible that the Day is broke, that the Sun is up, but cannot make out any certain accompt of the springing of the one, or rising of the other. Thus it is in the matter of our spiritual Calling, It is possible that a Man may know the very time and moment, when the day-spring from on high did visite him, when it was the good pleasure of God to dart into his Soul the graces of his blessed Spirit, as in the case of S. Paul, the good Centurion, the Iaylor, the Iewish Converts, and some others;Act. 2. 37. but this is not ordinary, The wind bloweth where it lifteth, (yea, and when it listeth too) even so the Spirit, both time and place uncertain; Some are called at the first hour, that is, in their Infancy or Childhood, as Samuel, Ieremy, and Iohn the Baptist; Some in the third hour, that is, in their youth, as Daniel the Prophet, and Iohn the Evangelist; Others at the sixth hour, in their middle age, [...]. Boys Postills. as Peter and Andrew; Others at the eleventh hour, in their old age, as Gamaliel and Ioseph of Arimathea; And some again not onely in the last hour of the [Page] day, but even in the last minute of that hour, as the Thief upon the Crosse. Again,Luke 23. our Calling is uncertain in respect of place; For God calls some from their Ships, some from their shops, and some from under the hedges,Matth. 4. 15. & 9. 9. and other some from the Market; so that if a Man can but make out unto his Soul,Luke 14. 23. that he is certainly called, it matters not much for the time when, nor the place where,Matth. 20 3. both of them being so uncertain.

The Ministers Calling full of labour and toil.1796

THe Vocation of an Husbandman admits of little or no Vacation from his daily labour,Nat. Rogers Sermon ou 2 Cor. 13. 11. the end of one work is but the beginning of another, every season of the year bringeth its several travel with it; And the harvest Labourers are of all other the sorest Labourers, N [...]hil est in hâc vita difficilius, la oriosius, periculosius, &c. Presbyteri vita. Aug. de verb. Dom. no labour more toilsome then theirs: Such is the Calling of every Faithfull Minister, Hath he broke up the fallow ground of his Peoples hearts, then must he sow the pretious seed therein? Hath he sowed seed, then he must water what he hath set and sowed; yea, tares and weeds will grow, and soon sprowt up, sleep he never so little, and therefore great need of daily weeding; so that surely the sweat of the Ministery (be it followed as it ought) exceeds the sweat of other Callings, and with the sorest labour doth the Minister eat his bread in the sweat of his brows,Onus humeris Angel [...] um non live. S. Chrysostoin. his Calling is not easy but painfull and laborious; as it is an honour so it is a burthen, and such an one too as requireth the strength of Angels to bear it.

True brotherly Love, scarce to be found.1797

HIstories make mention of one Ursinus a Christian Physitian,Hieron. Rubei hist. Ravennat. who being to suffer Martyrdome for the Gospell of Christ, began to waver and faint; Which when Vitalis a holy Man saw, he step't to him, And though he knew it would cost him his life, comforted and encouraged him; saying; Wha [...] have you been heretofore so industrious to preserve Mens bodies, and will you now shrink at the saving of your own Soul? Nich. de Lyra in loc. Be couragious, &c. For which Faithfull Counsell, he also was condemned to death and suffered accordingly:—Fratrum quo (que) gratia rara est. But now so it is that brethren have forgot that they are brethren, and almost every Man stands aloof, Ovid. 1. Met. when necessity requires his succour; they flinch away as Demas and others did from Paul, leaving him to answer for himself; Few such Friends as Vitalis are to be found, that will lay down their lives, or hazard them to the relief of their distressed brother.

Men to be Compassionate one towards another, And why so?1798

IT is observed of the Bees, Plin. nat. hist. lib. 11. cap. 17. that aegrotante unà lamentantur omnes, when one is sick they all mourn; And of the Sheep that if one of them be faint, the rest of the flock will stand between it and the Sun, untill it be revived: Thus it is that God hath hewen us all out of one Rock,Cujus pectus tam [...]erreum, cor tam lapideum, ut patienti non compatiatur. tempered all our bodies of one [...]ay, and spirited all our Souls of one breath; We are all Sons of one Father, members of one body, and heirs of one Kingdome, in respect of which near linking together, there should be Compassion and sympathy betwixt us; If one Member do but grieve, all suffer with it, When a thorn is got into the foot, 1 Cor. 12. 26. how is it that the back bows, the eyes pry into the hurt,Junius de utilit. co [...]dit. humanae. and the hands are busied to pluck out the cause of the anguish; And we being Members of one another, should bear with, and forbear one the other; the not doing whereof will stick as a brand upon our Souls, Annotat. Minist. divers. in loc. that we are of the number of them that have forsaken the fear of the Almighty, Ioh 6. 14.

1799 Men to be at Peace one with another.

[Page]

IT is reported of two Noble Lacedemonians, Suid [...] hist. that being at mortall hatred, were met by Archidamus, their King, in the Temple of Minerva; he requires them to put the matter to an indifferent Umpire;Plutarch. in Laconicis. They choose the King himself, He makes them swear to abide his order, which accordingly they do: Now, saith the King, I order that you shall not go out of this Temple untill you be Friends; And so they patted Friends (For an Oath taken in that Temple was unlawfull to be broken:) Now it were heartily to be wished, that we who are the Temple of God, Nat. Rogers ut ante [...]. and such as usually meet in the Temple of God, and there partake the holy things of God, would keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, not to be unpeaceable with the peaceable, which argues a devillish mind; not unpeaceable with the unpeaceable, Candida pax homines, trux decet ira [...]eras. Ovid. 1. amor. which argues a corrupt mind; nor yet content our selves in that we are peaceable with the peaceable, which argues but a civill mind; but if it be possible, and as much as in us lyeth to be peaceable with the unpeaceable, which is that that argues onely a true Christian, and Heroicall mind; And so should we make it good that we are endowed with true Grace, and are true Subjects of that Kingdome which is the Kingdome of Peace, whose King is Peace.

1800 Men to labour that they be Regenerated.

S. Augustine relateth of the Serpent,Lib. 8. cap. 6. de Civit. Dei et in Psal. 56. that when she groweth old, she draweth her [...]self through a narrow hole, and by this means stripping off her old skin, she reneweth her age; Thus it is our Saviours directions to be as wise as Serpents, Math. 20. 6. and if in any thing, then sure it is in this, that we should follow their Wisedome, that forsaking the b [...]oad waies of vices, we may passe through the narrow and strait way of Repentance and leaving off our old Coat of Sin, we may be cloathed anew with the Rich garments of Righteousness, and so become new Men in Christ Iesus.

1801 The Ministers and Magistrates duty in the suppression of Vice.

IT was a good Christian resolution of S. Basill, In lib. de Spirit. sancto. cap. ult. who writing to Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium, hath these words; [...], The People through ambition are fallen into grievous Anarchy, Whence it comes to passe, that all the exhortations of the Rulers are in vain, No man will submit, but all would reign being puffed up with pride growing from ignorance. Shall I then keep silence? I may not; Though some supplant, others insult over me being down, and the rest applaud them that do insult; Saevis inter se convenit ursis. How can it be otherwise since Charity is decayed? Hence some sit no lesse implacable and bitter examiners of things amisse, then unjust and malevolent Iudges of things well-done, so that we are become more bruit then the very beasts, for they are quiet amongst themselves, but we wage cruel war against each other, Shall I then hold my peace? Charity will not suffer me; The Children in Babylon discharged their duty, though they were but three; Having God then for my Patron and Protector, Ile not be silent, &c. And thus it is, that both Minister and Magistrate in their respective places are to beat down the vices of the time; Pa [...]cere subjectis et aebe [...] lare superb [...]s. Virgil. Where the reins of Government lye [...]lack upon the People shoulders, there they must needs be straitned; Where wickednesse and Sin have put on a Whores forehead, it is high time to unmask them; Nay, if Gods people and the house of Iacob will be doing that which is not right, it is the Ministers duty to set up his throat, and tell the one of their sins, and the other of their transgressions, Esay 58. 1.

Peace linking the Church and Common-weal together.1802

[Page]

THe Secretaries of Nature say, Plin. Dioscerid. Theophrast. That the Solsequy or Marigold opens with the Su [...], and shuts with the shade: Even so, when the Sun-beams of Peace shine upon the Common-wealth, then by the reflection of those beams; the Church dilates and spreads it self.Act. 9. 31. And on the other side, when the Countreys glory is once eclipsed, then is the Churches beauty clowded, as all Men (whom the God of this World hath not blinded) must of necessity confesse;M. Griffith Serm. [...] P [...]ace at S. Pauls. Lond. 1642. the Church and Common-wealth being so closely linked together, that the peace or distraction of the one doth redound to the welfare or ruine of the other.

A Caveat for Flatterers.1803

IT was a significant and well deserved punishment,El. Lampridius in vita. that Alexander Sever [...] allotted to Turinus, a fawning Flatterer, (one that could lick a moath in a Gnathonicall sordid way) to be tyed to a stake, and stifled with smoak, with an Herald standing by and proclaiming to all the People; Fumo punitur qui fumum vendidit, He lived by smoak blinding Mens eyes, and by smoak let him dye: A good Caveat for those that think to purchase and preserve love and favour,W. Price Sermon at S. Mary Spittle, 1642. by deifying the undeserved and crystallizing dusty sordid actions, They may chance to plead, that he that will not flatter, shall hang under the wheel, that he that dares to tell a great Man,Isto maximè tempore regnat vitium adulatio [...]s, &c. he is not just; or a General, that he is not valiant; or a Lady, that she is neither beautifull nor virtuous; shall never be Counsellor, Commander or Courtier: but Solomon, a wiser Man, is rather to be believed, who bids us take it on his word, that he that rebukes a Man,Tul. ad [...]elant. (though for the present he may storm) shall afterwards find more favour, then he that flattereth with his tongue, Prov. 28. 3. Prov. 28. 3.

The non-performance of Vowes, Promises, &c. condemned.1734

IT is said of Andreas, Car. Bonfinius de reb. Hongaricis. one of the Kings of Hungary, that having engaged himself by promise to go to the holy Warrs, (as they then called them) went with all his Forces, and coming to Ierusalem, onely bathed himself there, as one that had washed off his promise, and so returned back again without striking one blow. Such is the case with many Men at present, their Promises, Covenants, ut mundus sic sunt mund [...] promissa, &c. and Agreements with others, (though sealed and subscribed) prove too too often as brittle as the glasses they drink in, No bounds will hold them, they rob the Graecians of their Proverb, and own it themselves: For let but the worst of Men say, They will do this or that, is as much as if they had sworn,Jac. Bil. Antholog. They would not do it, Graeca sides, Erasmi Adagia. unlesse it be when they embarque themselves in some unwarrantable actions, and the Sun may sooner be thrust out of his sphear, then they diverted from their adamantine resolutions.

Justice duly administred, the Peoples benefit thereby.1805

IT is said of Francis the first of France, Jean. de Seres hist. that when a Woman kneeled to him to beg Iustice, He bade her stand up; For, said he, Woman, It is Iustice that I owe thee, and Iustice thou shalt have; if thou beg any thing of me, let it be Mercy. A happy place and People surely, where Iustice (as it seemeth) was not extorted, but dropt as kindly as honey from the comb; where there was no sale of [Page]Offices, no enhaunsing of Fees, no subtleties of delay, no trucking for expedition, no making snares of petty penal Statutes, where Iustice had scales in her hand, not to weigh gold, but equity; Where Judges and Magistrates were as Noah's Ark to take in weary Doves,W. Price ut anteà. and as the hornes of the Altar, for opprest Innocency to betake it selfe unto; where Lawyers, Advocates, Pleaders did not call evill good, and good evill, bitter sweet, &c. Where Plaintifts or Accusers did not informe or prosecute through malice, envy or for advantage; where subordinate Officers durst not help potent delinquents out of the bryers, nor suffer poor men tempest-tost in Law to languish in their businesse within ken of harbour for want of giving a sop to Cerberus, or sacrificing to the great Diana of expedition; where those setting-doggs, such as base promoting Informers, were not countenanced, and severely punished upon any false, unjust, or malicious information; To close up all, where the Magistrate ought Iustice to the People, and paid it, where the people begg'd for Mercy and had it.

1806 The Sate-Polititians Religion.

THere is mention made of a River in Spaine, Athaenei Deipnosoph. lib. 2. cap. 6. whose upper waters are sweet and pleasant, but towards the bottome very Salt and brackish: And such is every wicked State-Politician, he is onely superficiall whilst others are fundamentall Christians, Advers. haeres. lib. 2. he likes the humour of the Samseans in Epiphanius, that were neither Iews, Gentiles, nor Christians, but preserving a commodious correspondence with all, whatsoever he acts in reference to Heaven is meerely theatricall and done in subordination to some other interest;Modern Policy. 'Tis to him indifferent whether the Religion he personates, be true or false, so it be but popular; And like the strictnes [...]e of that notable Theife, who alwayes before he went about the work of his calling (for so he called Thieving) went to prayer, that God would blesse and prosper him; so he sayes grace to his design, be it never so wicked and gives thanks for his successe, be it never so bloody.

1807 The evill of Excesse.

HOny is very sweet and comfortable,Columnella de re Rust. but too much hony causeth gripings in the belly, breedeth choller and bringeth diseases; Fragrant flowers are sweet to smell to, and much refresh the braine if used moderately, but too much smelling of them causeth paine in the head, as experience testifieth; how delightfull is the light to our eyes? but too much Staring into the Sun-beams, is the dazling of the eyes,Omne nimium vertitur in Vitium. if not the blinding of them: Thus it is that the excesse, even of good and lawfull things may be evill and unlawfull; we may take of the good Creatures of God (as it were upon a Knives point, or a spoonefull at a time, that is, in a stinted moderate quantity) in due measure; but if we fall a grasping with both hands, eate great morsells, or drink down great draughts at once, we may easily surfet unto death, unlesse wee evacuate one way or other after our exceedings; And the rule in Philosophy holds true,Ari [...]otel. vehemens sensibile laedit sensorium, Moderate sounds, such as in Musick, may much affect the eare with delight, but vehement sounds, as in ringing of Bells neere hand, beating of Drums, ratling of Guns, Maurit. Bohem. medit. matut. loc. Script. sele [...]t. or blowing of Trumpets, dulls the hearing: Thus it is that moderate joyes and delights are ever best, least hurtfull, most contentfull and comfortable to our Spirits; whereas intemperance, immoderatenesse, and Excesse, marrs all pleasures and delight, though in themselves never so pleasant and delightfull.

1808 The State-Polititian siding with all parties.

THere is mention made of Marques Paulet, of Winchester, S. R. Nanton Fragm. Regal. who having successefully served foure Princes, and still in the roome of favour, unshaken with the vicissitudes he had run through, being asked by one, by what meanes he preserved his fortune, he replyed; that he was made ex salice non ex quercu, [Page] of the pliant Willow, not the stubborn Oak, alwaies of the prevailing Religion and a Zealous Professour:Paratus ad omni [...] quare. Observat. ex Machiavel. Borgia, &c. Thus it is that the wicked State-Polititian sides with all parties. If Religion be fashionable you can scarce distinguish him from a Saint. He will not onely reverence Godly Ministers, but (if need be) he will preach himself; If cunctation prevail, he acts Fabius; If the buckler must be changed for a Sword, he personates Marcellus; If mildnesse be usefull, Soderini of Venice was not more a Lamb then he; If Severities are requisite, Nero's butcheries are Sanctities compared with his. Thus like a subtle Proteus he assumes that shape which is most in grace and of most profitable conducement to his ends,Simulata sanctitas. onely he hath so much advantage of the Camelion that he can turn himself into white, For he is often to be found wearing the Vest of innocency to conceal the uglinesse and blackness of his attempts.

Tyrants raysing themselves by a seeming compliance with the People.1809

A Thenaeus tells a pretty story of one Athenion, born obscurely, who as long as he was private and poor,Deipnosoph. lib. 6. cap. 13. excel'd in a soft and tractable disposition; but when by jugling he had obtained the Athenian government, there was none more odious for a cruell,Sueton. barbarous, covetous Tyrant: Nero's quinquennium will never be forgotten, not that which is reported of Caligula, that there was never a better servant and a worse Master: Thus it is by wofull experience made out,Modern Policy. that Tyrannically-minded Men personate goodnesse till they have accomplished their ends, make a shew of all goodnesse, till they have wrought themselves into the good liking of all those whom they intend to deceive; And then off goes the Vizard of dissimulation, and they appear in their native colours what indeed they are, bloudy, barbarous, inhumane.

True Obedience.1810

IT is reported of the old Kings of Peru, that they were wont to use a Tassell, or Fringe made of red Wool,Levinus Apollon. de Regn [...] Peruano. which they wore upon their heads, and when they sent any Governour to rule as Vice-roy in any part of their Countrey, they delivered unto him one of the threads of their Tassell and for one of those simple threads, he was as much obeyed as if he had been the King himself; yea, it hath so happened that the King hath sent a Governour onely with this thread to slay Men and Women of a whole Province, without any further Commission; For of such power and authority was the Kings tassell with them, that they willingly submitted thereunto, even at the sight of one thread of it: Now it is to be hoped, that if one thread shall be so forcible to draw Infidel-obedience, there will be no need of Cart-ropes to hale on that which is Christian; Exemplary was that Obedience of the Romans, Maurit. Bohem. ut antcà. which was said to have come abroad to all men, Rom. 16. 19. And certainly Gospell-obedience is a Grace of much worth, and of great force upon the whole Man, For when it is once wrought in the heart, it worketh a conformity to all Gods will; be it for life or death; one word from God will command the whole Soul assoon as Obedience hath found admittance into the Heart.

The true improvement of Peace.1811

IT is observeable in Scripture, that Moses Altar was but five cubits in length, and five in bredth,Exod. 27. 1. 2 Chron. 4. 1. M. Borrhaius in locum. and three in heigth; but Solomons Altar was much larger, Now the reason hereof seems to be this, because Moses was in a warfar, in an unsetled condition, in the Wildernesse, in continual travel, full of troubles and could not conveniently carry about an Altar of that bignesse; But Solomon was on his Throne in a tranquill estate, setled in quiet possession of his Kingdome, [Page] and as his name was, so was he a true Solomon, that is, Peaceable: Thus it ought to be with all good Men,M. B. A Christian's delight. that when they have more Peace and prosperity then others, their service of God should be proportionable; Solomons Temple must out-strip Moses his Tabernacle in beauty and glory, and Solomons Altar must exceed the bignesse of Moses his Altar; In their Peace and plenty, their holinesse should out-shine others that are in want and misery, when God layes not so much sorrow upon them as upon others, they should lay the more duty upon themselves; If God send them fewer Crosses and more comforts, they are to return more service and commit lesse evill.

1812 The true Christians confidence and contempt of Death.

OBservable is that speech of King Agag, when Samuel sent for him, Surely the bitternesse of Death is past. 1 Sam. 25. 32. Fr. de Mendoza in loc. Now the ground of this speech was either his [...]alse hope, as thinking that the worst was past, because he was fetched off the Kings guard of Souldiers and brought to Samuel the Prophet who was Vir togatus a Man of Peace; Or else if the Messengers did tell him, why he was sent for, then he set a bold face upon it, and spake out of stomach intimating his resolutenesse and contempt of Death, that he was resolved to die bravely and like himself;P. Martyr in locum. This now was carnall gallantry; And thus many a man may Agag-like contemn Death and all Gods judgments out of stoutnesse and stiffness of heart; But all true believing Christians may and do gratiously despise Death, and say thus from a principle of Faith and cer [...]ain hopes of Heaven, Surely the bitternesse of Death is past, Non potest malè mori qui benè vixit. August. de doctrina Christ. certainly Christ by his Death hath taken away the bitterness of Death, and hath sweetly perfumed our graves by the burial of his own blessed body, so that we shall taste nothing but the sweetness of Death, and may now couragiously and triumphingly sing and say not as Agag did, Surely the bitternesse of Death is past, but as S. Paul did, O Death where is thy sting? &c. and to me to dye is gain,1 Cor. 15. 55. Phil. 1. 21.

1813 Mans Nothingnesse.

JOsephus Phavorinus a learned Physitian of Italy, In lib. de Hom. excellent. marvelled at nothing in the World but Man, and at nothing in Man but his mind; And Abdala the Saracen King of Toledo being asked what he most wondred at upon the stage of the World?Leo. Heb. dial. de amore. Pythagoras. answered, Man; One calls God an immortall Man, and Man an immortall God; Another sets him out as [...] a little World, and the World [...] a great Man: Now these Men were not certainly so wellknowing of Gods word and Mans sin, and of the matter that Man was made of, as they should have been, Whereas such as know God in his most excellent glory, and Man in his best estate to be but Vanity, turn'd from his Innocency to Iniquity;Gen. 28. 27. must and do acknowledg themselves to be less then the least of Gods mercies, Psalm 39. 5. such as he created being Nothing, recreated being worse then nothing, and without great Mercy on his part are like to fall again to Nothing.

1814 Men of corrupt Judgments.

AS those that have the Iaundise see all things yellow by reason of the humour of that di [...]ease,Ioh. Fernelius de humorib. lib. 6. corrupting the sight by the overflowing of the gall over the whole body. So men of corrupt Iudgments misapply matters and persons, and are not able to give a right Iudgment according to truth, but run on according as their Fancy leads them, just like a blind Man that can see no more light at noon-day then at mid-night, and must needs there mis-judg day for night and night for day.

Wanton Hearers of the Word reproved.1815

[Page]

SUch as have weak and sickly stomachs are alwaies finding fault with the Cater,S. Croke Visi [...]. Serm. at Ba [...]h, 1615. Cook, or Carver, and think they could feed a great deal better, if there were better provision. And thus there are some queasy wanton Hearers of Gods Word, Nisi Spiritus sanctus auditorum [...]rda repleat, ad aures corporum vox doctoris incassum sonat, &c. such as find fault with their Pastor, and think they could edify much better by such or such an other, Wherein they say they know not what; For it is neither Paul nor Apollos that can edify, that is, give encrease, make the Word effectual, God hath reserved that work to himself that so his Ordinance not the gifts, his blessing not the commendations of the Preacher might be regarded; that the Treasure might not be esteemed for the Vessel, but the Vessel for the Treasure, and so neither Paul magnified, nor Apollos despised, nor either or both relyed upon, and God himself neglected; Nor Hearing severed from Prayer, for that makes Prayer abominable;Greg. in pastore. nor Prayer from Hearing, for that makes Hearing unprofitable, but that both being joyned together, our obedience in Hearing may make our Prayers accepted, and our fervency in praying may procure our hearing to be blessed.

The vast difference betwixt the Power of God and Man.1816

IN matters of Arithmeticall accompts, Steph. Go [...]on Sermon at S. Pauls, 1598. set one against ten, ten against an hundred, an hundred against a thousand, a thousand against ten thousand, although there be great oddes, yet there is some comparison; but if a Man could set down an infinite number, then there could be no comparison at all, because the one is finite, the other infinite: So it is betwixt the Power of God and Man, set all the Princes and Powers of the Earth in opposition to God, they shall never be able to withstand him;Plutarch. in vita Pomp. It was once the saying of Pompey, That with one stamp of his foot he could raise all Italy up in arms; And the mighty Men of the World may have Nations, Kingdoms, and Common-wealths, at their command, but yet God is more powerfull then them all, If he do but arise, they shall all of them flye before him. If he once fall to fettering of Princes, Psal. 68. it shall be done so sure, that no flesh shall be able to knock off their bolts again. If he but once make fast the barrs of our City gates, Psal. 147. we may trust to it, they shall be so fast, that no Invader shall be able to break them open, so infinite is his power, that in Davids thoughts it was not to be matched, Psal. 89.

The great danger of Apostasie.1817

IN the affairs of this life, it is a shame for a Man to begin an enterprise, and not to go through; to begin a piece of Work, and leave it off in the middle, it will give just occasion for every Man to point at him with his finger, deride and jeer him, saying; This Man began to build, and was not able to finish, Geo. Jay Sermon at Court, 1632. that he hath taken a great deal of pains to no other purpose, but to leave a Monument of Fol [...]y and Vanity for the World to laugh at. And thus he that hath received the common graces of God, and many good gifts of his Spirit, which have enabled him to do much good and faithful service, and then takes the grace of God, and turns it into wantonnesse, Tunc vir Apostolicus nunc vilis Apos [...]ata. factus. and smothers and quenches the Spirit; Or having been in a fair way to Heaven, having some time walked on Religiously and faithfully, till he come within some sense of his Reward, and within view of the Crown prepared for him,Sedul. de Iuda prodit. then to turn out of the way, and Apostatize in the broad way, What is it else but to tread in a path, that without Repentance will lead to utter destruction, Heb. 6.

1818 Wicked Thoughts to be carefully washed off from the Heart.

[Page]

IT is the part of a skilful Surgeon or Physitian, R. Maverick Serm. at S. Pauls, 1617. not onely to take away any appearing Ulcer, or to cool the heat of a burning Feaver with outward applications, but to look into the inward causes and malignity of the disease, and so to order the matter, that the cause being taken away, the effect may necessarily follow. Now it is well known, that the seed of all sins, and the Wellspring of all Wickednesse ariseth from the Heart of Man; Matth. 15. 19. the Heart is therefore to be washed as from all wickednesse,Ier. 4. 14. so from all wicked thoughts, they being the Sources and originals of all unrighteousnesse, not that they are all so, For they may be sometime accompanied with horror and detestation of Sin, Aquini. sum. part. 2da. 2dae. quaest. 154. or cast into our Hearts by Sathan, yet not consented unto; but Men think too little of such thoughts: the thoughts therefore that are to be thought on, and cleansed from the Heart, are such as proceed from our own corrupt Nature, or suggested into our minds by the malice of Sathan, whereunto we give consent and liking, or else they be the allurements of the World which we cherish and delight in.

1819 The high price of Mans Redemption.

AMongst the Romans th [...]e their proper goods and estates which Men had gotten in the Wars with hazard of their lives were called Peculium castrense, Wolfgang. Lazius de Repub. Rom. or a Field-purchase▪ Well then may the Church and every true Member therein be called Chris [...]s Peculium castrense, Maurit. Bohemus. delit. Christ. his purchase gotten not onely by the jeopardy of his life, but with the losse of his life and bloud, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. And if it were possible, he would rather lose his life a second time, ere he would lose the least limb for which his life was so laid down.

1820 Gods great tenders of Mercy to repentant Sinners.

IF a Iudge of an Assize should say to a Felon, Joh. Hill Penitent Sinners entertainment. or some Malefactor in the Goal, Confesse but your faults, and become an honest Man, I will pardon you, and not onely so, but you shall be made a Iustice of Peace, or some great Man, whereby you shall have power to judge and examine others. Surely, he would upon this promise be moved quickly to confesse the Felony,P [...]nitentia est spes salutis, per quam De [...]s ad misericordiam provocatur, &c. and forgo his theft: Thus it is, that the Iudge of all the World makes great tenders of Mercy, that if a Sinner will truly, and from his heart confesse his sins, and resolve to leave them, he shall have pardo [...], and not onely so, but he shall be made a King and Priest unto God the Father, an heir of God, Isidor. de sum, bon [...]. and joynt-heir with Christ Jesus, Rom. 8. 17.

1821 The fulnesse of Reward reserved till after this life.

PLutarch, though an Heathen, yet of Honourable esteem even to this day amongst us, hath a story,In lib. de Consolat. ad Apollon. ex Homer [...]. How that upon a time, a Complaint was sent from the Islands of the Blessed to the Judges of the superiour Courts about certain Persons sent thither who formerly had lived impiously; humbly intreating that this abuse thus offered unto them might speedily be redressed; Whereupon these impartiall Iudges taking the businesse into their considerations, found not onely the complaint to be true, but withall the reason and cause thereof, which was, that Iudgment and sentence was passed upon them here below in this life; Whereupon it oft fell out, that many Persons cloathed with Honourable [Page] titles, Riches, Nobility and other like dignities and preferments brought many Witnesses with them, who solemnly swore in their behalf, that they deserved to be sent to the Islands of the Blessed, when the truth was they deserved the contrary; To avoid which inconveniency, it was decreed by an eternal doom, that for the time to come no Iudgment should be passed till after death, Tym. Oldn [...] aya Sermon at the Fun. of Ed. Lewknor, Esq, 1636. and that by Spirits onely, who alone do see and plainly perceive the spirits and naked Souls of such upon whom their sentence and I [...]dgment was to passe, that so of what estate and condition soever they were, they might receive according to their works: Here now was a great deal of light in a dark vault, the divine eye of a meer naturall Man discovering an Heavenly truth, which is; That definitive sentence is not to be passed upon any here below, not that any whosoever shall receive his full Reward of what he hath done, whether it be good or bad till after this life be ended.

Good meanings of bad Men, destructive.1822

THe Poets prate much of Plato's Ferry-boat, that never rested to carry Men through the infernall River to the infernall place: So that what was then feigned is now verified; For if there be any Ferry-boat to Hell, it is the thing that Men call, a good Meaning; This is that which carries Men and Women down to Hell by multitudes,Maurit. Bohem. medit. in loc. select. Script. by Millions; There cannot be found so many Passengers in all the boats upon any River, as there are in this one Wherry wafted down to the pit of perdition; Many in all Ages have had their good meanings, and to this day, the Iews, Turks, Pagans, Papists, the worst of them all do not want for good meanings. It is the good meanings of bad Men, that brings them to an evill end, they think they do God good service by abusing his People, but they are sure to find and feel one day what disservice they have done to God and their own Souls for ever, and that their good meanings before Man shall never excuse their bad actings before God.

Gods readinesse to maintain the cause of his Church.1823

AS in publique Theaters, when any notable shew passeth over the stage, you shall have all the spectators rise up off their seats and stand upright with delight and eagernesse,St. Gosson ut ant [...]à. that so they might take the better notice of the same. Thus it is, that though by an article of our Faith we are bound to believe, that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, Mark 16. 19. as a Iudge to pronounce sentence; Yet he is said in the Scripture to stand upright at the sufferings of his People, as at the stoning of S. Stephen, Act. 7. either as an Advocate to p [...]ead the Church's cause,Ambros. lib. 10. ep. 82. or as one in a posture of readinesse to take revenge upon all her Enemies.

Men not to be proud of Honours and Preferments.1824

IT is Pliny's observation of the Pidgeons, that taking a pride in the excellency of their feathers, Nat. hist. lib. 10. cap. 36. and the height of their flying, they towr it in the ayr so long, that at last they become a prey to the Hawk, whereas otherwise if they would but fly outright, they are swifter of wing then any other bird. Thus Men that take a pride in the height of that honour whereunto they are advanced, are many times made a prey to the Devil, and a laughing stock to Men, whereas did they but moderate their flight, and make a right use of their preferments, they might become serviceable to God and their Country.

1825 Moderation, the fore-runner of Peace.

[Page]

IT is the observation of S. Hilary, In Matth. Can. 4. that Salt containeth in it's self the element both of Fire and Water, and is indeed (saith he) a third thing compacted out of both; It is water, lest we should too much be incensed unto heat and passion; It is Fire, lest we should grow too remisse and chill with neglect and carelesnesse: Hence is that advice of our Saviour to his Disciples, Have salt in your selves, and peace one with another, Mark 9. 50. that is,Col. 4. 6. as S. Paul interprets, Let your speech be alwayes with grace, seasoned with salt, let it not be rancid or unsavoury, larded with bitter and unchristian Invectives,W. S [...]later Remedy of Schism. but tempered alwayes with sobriety, meeknesse and temperance: And then when the salt is first set upon the Table, Peace as the best and choycest dish will follow after.

1826 The Saints Infirmities.

AS all Men, dwelling in houses of clay, and carrying about them the earthly Tabernacles of their bodies, between whiles (will they, nill they) sleep, by reason of bodily infirmity,Sam. Croke The Waking Sleeper; A Serm. 1615. and by a kind of unwelcome heavinesse nod towards the Earth, as it were pointing at their natural Element, whereunto they must in a short processe of time be reduced: So even the best of Gods children, compassed with Flesh and bloud cannot but at times bewray their folly and unsteadfastnesse; The best Artist hath not alwayes his wits about him, quando (que) bonus dormitat Homerus; —Non arcum semper tendit Apollo. and the most watchful circumspect Christian doth not alwayes stand so fast upon his guard of Faith and a good Conscience, but he may at one time or other be taken napping.

1827 God onely to be trusted unto in time of distresse.

AS when little Children do first learn to go alone, and feeling the weaknesse of their feet, Nature [...]eacheth them to thrust out the hand to the Wall, and trust it onely for a stay unto them.Steph. Gosson ut ant [...]à. And thus it is, that especially in times of distresse, Nature and Religion teach us to trust to a stronger then our selves, that we shall have help at Gods hands, and that without him there is no reall, true help at all; Esay 30. 3. none in the smooth tongue of Man, Ier. 7. 4. nor in his fair looks; not in the strength of Man, nor in his Riches; Ezech. 16. nor in the wit of Man, that may be turned into Foolishnesse; Ier. 17. 5. but in God alone, 1 Tim. 6. 12. who is able and willing to relieve his People in the time of their distresse. 2 Sam. 15. 31.

1828 The great heat of Ambition.

IT is reported of Iulius Caesar, that as he passed over the Alpes in his journey to Spain, he took up his quarters one night in a little, poor inconsiderable Village, where one of his Company came unto him,Coc. Sabel. lib. 5. E [...]nead. 6. & asked him merrily, If he thought there would be any contention in that place for the Soveraignty? Whereunto he made this stout answer, I had rather be the first Man here, then the second at Rome. Now it is much to be feared, that there are many at this day thus affected, that they had rather be Kings, though it were but of a Mole-hill, then to be in subjection unto any;Regnandi dira cupido, Quid non? yea, such is the heat of their Ambition, that the intemperancy of Nero's Mother may seem to be revived again, who being very desirous that her Son might be Emperour; And being certified by the Sooth- [...]ayer, that if he were so, he should kill her; she brake out into this unstayed and outragious speech,C. Taci [...]. annal. lib. 14. Occidat, dum imperet, Let him kill me, and spare not, so he may be Emperour; so they stick not to say, Let us perish, so we may but bear rule and sway over others.

Dead Men soon forgotten.1829

[Page]

IT is a memorable Example,Matth. Paris hist. amongst many others that we have, of William the Conquerour's Successor, who being unhappily kill'd, as he was hunting in New-Forrest, all his Nobles and Courtiers forsook him, onely some few that remained, laid his body in a Collyer's-Cart, which being drawn with one silly lean beast through very foul and filthy way, the Cart broke, and there lay the spectacle of Worldly glory, both pitifully goared and all to bemired. Now if this were the portion of so mighty a Prince, whom immediately before so glorious a troop attended;Tym. Oldm [...]yn ut anteà. What then must others of meaner rank expect and look for, but onely with Death's closing up of their eyes to have all their Friends excluded, Mortu [...]s e [...]iem gr [...]t [...] sermones d [...]serunt. Menand. and no sooner gone, but to be as sodainly forgotten; Hence is it, that Oblivion and neglect are the two Hand-maids of Death, and her Kingdom where she principally tyrannizeth, is Terra oblivionis, the Land of Forgetfulnesse, Psalm 87. 8.

Man by Nature, lawlesse and ill-advised.1830

ORpheus in the Poet had no sooner tuned his Instrument, but all the birds and beasts assembled; Ovid. Met. lib. 10. and forgetting their several appetites, though some were of prey, some of game, some of quarrel, yet they stood all together in a sociable manner listning unto the sweetnesse of the Musick, the sound whereof was no sooner ceased, or drown'd by some lowder noyse, but every beast returned to his Nature, Gens human [...] rui [...] in Vetitum ne [...]as. ready to devour and to be devoured one of the other. Such is the Nature and condition of Man, lawlesse and ill-advised, full of savage and unreclaimable desires of profit, lust, power, and Revenge, yet as long as he gives ear to Precepts,Fr. Bacon de augment. Scient. lib. 1. Laws and Religion, sweetly touched with Eloquence and divine perswasions, so long is Society and peace maintained; but if these Instruments be silent, or that sedition and tumult make them not audible, then all things dissolve into Anarchy and meer confusion.

God the onely object of his People's trust in time of distresse.1831

THe Fish distressed slides into the Water, St. Gosson Serm. at S. Pauls, Lond. 1598. and is relieved; The bird flyes to the Dam, and is shrowded under her wings; The Child runs to its Parents; strike the Dog, and he runs to his Master; Wound the Souldier, and he flyes to the A [...]my; And by way of Antiperistasis, cold makes the heat retire into the Fire, and the force thereof is greater. Thus if meer natural causes, whose goodnesse is finite;Tu vita, et geni [...]or vitae, lucis (que) prosundae, Tu [...]ux vera Deus, &c. Mar. Victor. do cherish their effects, How much more shall God, whose goodnesse is infinite; It is he, and he onely, that is the object of his Peoples trust in the midst of their distresse, he is the first cause of all things, and all things have recourse unto him, Psal. 145. 15.

How it is, that God is more powerfull then all the Creatures.1832

IT is a Rule in Philosophy, That, that is most active, which is most separated from Earthly parts, Ven. Beda axiomata Philosoph. most elevated à materia; The Physitian distills his simples into waters, he makes his extractions and quintessences, that the more they be elevated à materia, Imbec [...]llis est omnis homo, si cum Dei manibus conferatur. Const. annal. the more they might be active, and work the better; hence is it, that Water is stronger then Earth, Fire stronger then Water, Angels stronger then Men, God stronger then them all; And why? but because he is actu purus, above and over all, so full of activity, that none is able to inflict the least of passion upon him.

1833 In the apprehension of Fear and courage, Mans mistaking of the Object spoils all.

[Page]

HE that stands below and looks up to the top of St. Pauls London, or some such high place, they that are upon the top of the steeple, appear to be out of small stature, though in themselves they be tall and great, and they that are at hand upon the same flat, seem to be great, and all this by reason of the distance of the one and the nearness of the other: But è contrario if a Man stood upon the top of S. Pauls and should look down, then they that are above would seem great, and they that are below would seem little: So it is with Men in time of trouble, if their eyes be fastned upon the Earth, their Enemies will appear to be great and mighty, and God which is higher then the highest Heavens, small and impotent; 2 Chron. 20. 12. but if their eyes be in Heaven, as Iehosaphats were, and that they look down from thence upon their Enemies, then God will appear strong and mighty, Animalia multa agunt, &c. Aristot. and the Enemy weak and withered: It is the misapprehension of the Object that makes many living Creatures here below do and suffer many things more then they need to do. The Sheep at the first sight of the Woolf apprehends him for a terrible object of fear, whereas the Lyon passeth by him and all other beasts of the Forrest with an honourable scorn and disdain; As for Men, the three spies that were sent out to discover the Land of Promise having a sheeps eye spied out more danger then they needed, Whereas Caleb having a Lyons Heart apprehended no terrour at all.Numb. 13. The Nobleman upon whom the King leaned in the siege of Samaria had so base an eye,T. Jaggard. Serm. at Petworth in Sussex, 1638. that looking upon the present miseries, he took them to be greater then God, and perswaded himself that although God should rain Victuals out of Heaven, the Famine could not speedily be removed; But Elisha had his eyes in Heaven and looking down from thence despised the present calamities, in respect of the present help of God, that by next day would make the price of Corn to stoop so low at the gates of Samaria, that it should be there at a very easy rate,2 Kings 7. and the siege removed. And there was a flattering Courtier, that looking upon the Royall person of the King, held a Paradox,1 Esdras 4. That the King is the strongest thing in the World. But the good old Prophet saw no such great matter in Kings and Princes, when they be compared with God, they were in his esteem but as so many Grashoppers skipping and leaping up and down the Field.Esay 40. 22. By all which may be easily concluded, That in the apprehension of Fear and courage, Mans eye mistaking of the Object spoyls all.

1834 Ministers to be Men of Knowledg and Understanding.

THe Archer first takes a view of his mark, Tho. de Wann Se [...]m. de tempore. then considers the distance of the ground, after that he carries his eye over all the shafts in his quiver, he pulls out and puts in one after another, untill he have made choice of his Arrow; then he proves it with his finger and judges by his ear whether it be fit to fly to the mark; then he considers how the Wind si [...]s, whether to help him or to hinder him; When he hath put his Arrow into the bow and begun to draw, if there come a gust of contradiction in his way, he hath the discretion to bear with it, till it have spent it self; When the blast is over, he sets his foot to the ground,Oportet ut Pra [...] dicatores sint fortes in praeceptis, terribiles in minis, &c. draws his Arrow up to the head, and sticks it up to the Feathers: Thus it is that Preaching is a kind of Artillery exercise that requireth strength and knowledg, Ministers a kind of A [...]chers, and the Souls of Men are the fairest marks that can be shot at; but it so cometh to passe that many for want of growth to draw the Bow of the Prophets and Apostles,Greg. moral. in Job. or want of skill to shoot, or care to shoot when they have taken their aim, many times miss the mark being either short or wide and so become despised.

Christ to be made our Example in bearing the Crosse.1835

[Page]

VVHen Alexander the great marched through Persia, his way was stopped with Ice and S [...]ow, insomuch that his Souldiers being tyred out with hard marches, were discouraged and would have gone no further; Which he perceiving, dismounted his horse, and went on foot through the midst of them all,Quin. Curt. lib. 5. making himself a way with a pick [...]xe; VVhereat they all being ashamed. First his Friends, then the Captains of his Army, and last of all the Common-Souldiers followed him; So should all men follow Christ their Saviour by that rough and unpleasant way of the Cross that he hath gon before them,Te pater Aeneas et avunculus exci [...]et Hector. Virgil. He having drunk unto them in the cup of his Passion, they are to pledg him when occasion is offered; He having left them an Example of his suffering, they are to follow him in the s [...]lf- [...]ame steps of sorrow, 1 Pet. 2. 21.

The slavery of Sin.1836

IT is the observation of a learned facetious Italian, Petrarch. de vita solitaria. That they which lead a servile life, as bodily servants in Princes Courts, and meniall in other houses; who being occupied in other Mens businesse, are ruled by the Will of another Mans beck, and learn in another Mans countenance, what they must do; All that they have is another Mans, another Mans threshold, another Mans House, another Mans sleep, another Mans meat, and which is worst of all, another Mans mind; They neither weep, nor laugh at their own pleasure, but they cast off their own and put on another Mans affections; M. Pemberton Serm. at S. Fo [...]ers, 1653. besides, they do another Mans business, think another Mans thoughts, and live another Mans life: Such and worse is the slavery of Sin and Sathan; Malus etsi regnat s [...]rvus est; nec unius hominis, sed quod gravius est, [...]ot dominorum quot vitiorum, Aug. de civit. Dei. lib. 4. Never was there any Vassall endured greater villany and drudgery, though never so hard and cru [...]ll, then every impenitent Sinner doth under Sin and the Devill, who hath them at such command, that if he bid them but go, they are ready to run, he leads them as a Dog in a chain, he ruleth over them like a Prince, and worketh in their hearts as in a shop, causing them to fulfill the will of the flesh, Ephes. 2. 23.

The great danger of not keeping close to Gods Word.1837

IT is a thing very well-known in the great and populous City of London, that when Children, or some of bigger growth newly come out of the Country, and so not well-acquainted with the streets, are either lost, or found straying from their home, there is a sort of leud wicked People, (commonly called Spirits) that presently fasten upon them, and by falshood and fair language draw them further out of their way,St. Marshall Serm. at Westm. 1651. then sell them to forreign plantations to the great grief of their Parents, and Friends, who in all likelihood never afterwards hear what is become of them. Thus it is that when Men and Women are found stragling from God their Father, Ioh. 13. 16. the Church their Mother, and refuse to be led by the good guidance of the blessed Spirit, Esay 8. 20. when they keep not to the Law and to the Testimony, nor stick close to the Word of God, which is in it self a lantern to their feet, Psal. 119. and a light unto their paths, then no marvell if they meet with wicked Spirits, seducers and false teachers that lead them captive at their will, and that not receiving the Truth in the love of the Truth, God give them over to strong delusions to believe alye, 2 Thes. 2. 11.

1838 How it is that Men fail so much in the true service of God.

[Page]

THe Sun-beams collected in a burning-glasse, kindle a fire upon certain conditions; viz. that the Object be combustible and apt to take fire, that the glass be held still and steddy, and that it be in a just distance, neither too far off,Luke 12. 46. nor yet too neer, but so as the beams may best unite their force: Such a burning glass is Christ. Through him Gods Fatherly love shineth upon us, he standeth as Mediatour betwixt God and us,J. Bery serm. at Exeter Assizes, 1615. receiving the beams of his Father as his natural Son, and transfusing them altogether upon us, his adopted brethren: Being then in so clear a Sun-shine, and having so perfect a burning glass; How comes it to passe that so many of us continue so cold, so key-cold, so much failing in the true service of God? Surely, there is some defect in the conditions, some hold the glasse too far off, and think of the Mercies of God in Christ, but slightly and confusedly; some hold it too near, and being all upon Mercy, Mercy, make remission of sins a plaister for presumption in sinning; Some hold it not still by steddy and fixed Meditations, but superficially glance upon it by spurts and flashes; And some others are not of such combustible matter, not so fit to be fixed with the fear of his Mercies, as to be feared with the fire of his Iudgments.

1839 Dissention, the Forerunner of Confusion.

IT is observed that when Sheep fall a butting one against another,Plin. nat. hist. lib. 1I. cap. 17. Aug. Hill Serm. at S. Pauls, 1640. a storm follows not long after; And they say of Bees, that when they stir and strive amongst themselves, it is a sign that their King is about to remove and leave the hive: Surely then prodigious must needs be all intestine Enmity; when the sheep of Christ are so malignant one against another it is a fearfull presage of an ensuing ruine, when there are such stirs and schisms in the Church, such tumults and hurliburlies in the State, it may be justly feared, that God is about to remove from us.

1840 Hypocrisy discovering it self in the end.

COunterfeit Diamonds may sparkle and glister,S. Bond, A Serm. before the Assembly of Divines, 1646. and make a great shew for some time, but their lustre will not last long; And experience shews that an Apple, if it be rotten at the coar, though it have a fair and shining out side, yet rottennesse will not stay long, but will taint the outside also; It is the nature of things unsound, that the corruption stayes not where it begun, but putrifieth and corrupteth more and more, till all be alike: Thus it is that Sincerity tells the Christian,Nemo potest personam fict [...]m diu ferre, &c. Sen. in cp. ad Neronem. Nil fictum est diuturnum, Nothing counterfeit will last long, and that Man that hath a rotten heart towards God, his want of sincerity will in time be discovered, and his outside be made as rotten as his inside; Fraud and guile cannot go long unspied, dissembling will not alwaies be dissembled, and Hypocrisy will discover it self in the end.

1841 The Devills rage an argument of the day of Iudgment near at hand.

AS some ill-minded Tenant, R. Pack Serm. at Exeter, 1632. whom if you should see to make havock and spoil of every thing upon the Tenement he holds, as to fell the Trees, rack out the ground, grub up the hedges, tear down the gates, rifle the house, would you not be ready to think; Surely, this Mans lease is almost expired, else he would never play such [...]eaks as he doth: So now, that the Devill so [Page] ruffles abroad, stirs up contentions, conspiracies, tumults, wars, labours to bring all kind of Sin into fashion, Sa [...]vitia Diaboli pr [...]d [...]omus est judicii extremi. Bern. in Serm. quodam. to convert the World all into Pride, drunkennesse, Whoredome, Epicurism, Atheism, and attempts above all former wont, to do all the villany and mischief that he can; What implies it, but that the date of his time is even almost out, his Lease very near out, and Christ near at hand, to Iudgment.

The Simonist discovered.1842

THere is mention made of a certain sort of Indian people near unto the River Ganges, Strabo. Geograph. lib. 5. called Astomi who have no mouths, but a kind of hole instead thereof, whereby they receive the sweet sent of flowers which is all the sustenance they receive for the support of Nature: And just such are all Simonists and Simonaicall parties, who have no mouths to shew forth the prayses of God,Plin. lib. 2. cap. 7, 16. but onely a tonguelesse hole; by which they suck up the sweetnesse of Church-livings, purchased by bribery at Steeple-fair; such as make their Profession a meer Mechanick trade or Occupation,Franc. Rawlinson Serm. at Court, 1611. and their Ministery a ladder onely to climb to preferment; Mercenaries, no true Pastors; Creepers in through the Window, no true Preachers; Men easily to be known by their works, For they seek their own not Christ's; they feed upon the fat of the Flock, and cloath themselves with the wool, but suffer the sheep to starve for want of food; the People to perish for want of due Instruction.

The excellency of Justice.1843

THe Sages of elder times seated the Virgin Iustice amongst the Constellations of Heaven, Patricius de Regno. lib. 8. cit. 1. ex Nigid. Figulo. betwixt the signs of the Lyon and the Ballance, 1. Power and Equity, receiving the Comforter of the World, the Sun in Harvest time, and bearing in her hand an ear of Corn, in token of Plenty to the Husbandman; And before her walks or stalks Bootes, the Heard or Pasture-man, holding up one hand as triumphing and blessing his security under the protection of Iustice, Omnes Virtutum species uno justitiae nomine continentur. Hieron. ad D [...]met. and with the other guarding the Crown against the Gyant and the Serpent. 1. Violence and Treachery; Wisely shewing as by an Emblem, visible to the eye of the World, that Iustice, Laws and Magistracy are Divine and Heavenly things, Mothers and Nurses of Piety, Security, Felicity; Iustice being the very life-breath, Augustin. de civit. Dei. lib. 4. cap. 4. which many thousands draw, who else would be a very burthen to themselves, and a prey unto others; Do but take away Iustice, and what are great Kingdomes but great Thieveries? Justice is that which tames and bridles the fiercest, defends and strengthens the weakest, keeps all quiet, secure, peaceable, happy.

God Predestinateth to the means as well as to the end.1844

THere is mention made of one Ludovicus, D. Maxey Serm. on Rom. 8. 30. who was a learned Man of Italy, yet wanting the guidance of Gods spirit, and so never considering advisedly of the means of his salvation, grew at last to this resolution, Sisalvabon, salvabor, It's no matter what I do, or how I live, For if I be saved I am saved, If I be predestinated to life I am sure of Salvation, if otherwise I cannot help it; Thusbewit. ched with this desperate opinion, he continued a long time, till at length he grew very dangerously sick, whereupon he sent for a Skillfull Physitian, and earnestly requested his help;Laur. Beyerlinck in theatro magno Concionat. The Physitian aforehand, made acquainted with his former leud assertion, how he would usually say; If I am saved I am saved, directed his speech to the same purpose, and said; Surely it will be altogether needless to use any means for your recovery, neither do I purpose to administer any thing unto you; For if the time of your death be now come, it is impossible to avoid it. [Page]Ludovicus musing in his bed of the matter, and taking the Physitians speech into serious consideration, mak [...] out this conclusion to himself. That if means were to be used for the health of the body, then much more had God also ordeined means for the Salvation of Mens Souls. And so upon further conference (with shame and grief) he recanted his former opinion, took Physick, and was happily cured both of Soul and body together: Thus it is that the determinate Counsell of God in the matter of Predestination doth not take away the Nature and property of secondary causes, nor exclude the means of Salvation, but rather sets them in order, and disposes of them to their proper end; And common sense and Reason teach,Aristor. Rhet. lib. 7. that in every action the end and the means of the end must go together; Now the end which every one of us doth aim at, is,Hac itur ad astra. Eternall life, we must be sure then to lay hold upon Calling and Iustification as the means ordained to come to this end, For God hath chosen us from everlasting, there is Predestination, yet there he doth not leave us, but then he doth teach us by his word, there is Calling; This Word (through his Spirit) ingendreth Faith, there is Iustification, And Faith lifts up unto God, there's the Ultimate of all, Glorification.

1845 Man by refusing the tenders of Grace, becomes the cause of his own destruction.

A Man being sick and like to die,Gab. Inchini scala Coeli. the Physitian knowing his case, takes with him some preservative to comfort him, and coming to the dore falls a knocking; Now if he either will not, or be not able to let him in, he must of necessity perish, and the cause cannot properly lye at the Physitians door, who was ready and willing to relieve him, but in himself that is not willing to be relieve [...]: Thus it is that Sin is a disease, [...], Plato de leg. 10. whereof we are all sick, we have all [...]; Now Christ is the great Physitian of our Souls, he came down formerly from Heaven on purpose to heal us, and he comes down daily to the door of our hearts, and there he knocks,Augustin. in Matth. 9. 12. Musculus in Matth. Rev. 3. 20. He bringeth with him [...] the bread of life, his eternal word to comfort us, and if we but open the dore of our [...] he will come in and sup with us, as he did with Mary, and forgive all our sins, Luke 10. but if we will not let him in, or through long contagion of Sin be not able to let him in, we must of necessity dye in our Sins, and the case is evident, not because he doth not offer Grace, but because we receive it not when it is offered.

1846 Otherwise thus.

IN the Fourteenth Chapter of St. Matthews Gospell, our Saviour walking on the Sea, bade St. Peter come unto him, who being not any thing acquainted with such a slippery path, and seing a great storm arise, his heart failed him, and he began to sink, but crying out for help,D. Maxey ut anteà. Mari justè comparatur hic mundus. Christ who was onely able to give it, stretched forth his hand, took him into the Ship, and saved him: This World (we know by experience) is a Set of trouble and misery, Our Saviour, as he did to Peter, so he most lovingly willeth every one of us to come unto him, but as we walk towards him,Cassiod. super Psalm 44. storms and tempests do arise, so that through frailty of our flesh, and the weaknesse of our Faith, we begin to sink, Christ stretcheth forth his hand, he giveth us [...], his Word, his Sacraments, the good motions of his Spirit to save us from sinning, to keep us in the Ship of the Church, If we refuse these means, we perish, we sink in our sins; And why so? Not because Christ doth not most kindly put forth his hand unto us, but because in want and distresse we lay not hold upon him. Iob. 3. 19. It is he that invites all Men to his great Supper, but if they make excuses, or willfully refuse to come, he may justly pronounce, None of them that were bidden shall ever tast of my Supper, Luk. 14. 24.

The giddy uncertain disposition of the Multitude or common People.1847

[Page]

IT is said of the Roes and Hinds, that they are most tender and fearful of all beasts,Philo ratus. Plin. lib. [...]. cap. 53. affrighted with any noise, checked with the least foyl, turned out of course with the snapping of a stick, presently make head another way, and when they are once out of their wonted walk, Erranti in via nullus est terminw, they run they know not whither, even to their own death. Solinus Such is the natural disposition of the Multitude or Common People, soon stirred up, quickly awry, sometimes running full head one way, on a sodain turned as much another, easily set a gogg, delighted with novelties, full of alteration and change, one day crying Hosanna, the next day, Crucifie him; Whilest the Viper is upon S. Paul's hand, he is a Murtherer; but no sooner off,Act. 28. in the turning of a hand, a God; One while the People wept, Tho. Westfield Serm. at S. Barth. great. Lond. 1634. Ezra 3. 12. because they had no Temple; and when the Temple was built again, they wept as fast, because the glory of the second was not like the first. In the sad time of Q. Mary, there was lamentation and crying out, That Idolatry was set up, the Church polluted, and the Gospel taken away: Afterwards, in the time of that famous Q. Elizabeth, when through the great mercy of God, the Gospel was advanced, and the light thereof did comfortably shine throughout the whole Kingdom;Populi turba rerum novarum avida. T. Liv. dec. 1. then they murmured and cryed out as fast again, That we had no Church, no Ministery, Truth was wrapp'd up in Ceremonies, and all was Antichristian; so giddy and uncertain, nay such is the madnesse of the People.

Sectarian, schismatical Seducers, their Company to be avoided.1848

AS a Man that travelleth with a great charge of Money in a way where many Robbers haunt; Or happens to be in some great Market or Fair, where many Cheaters and Cutpurses resort, had need look well about him, be very wary and circumspect; J. Clark Serm. at Lincoln, 1645. Or in times and places of the Pestilence, where many be infected, shut up and dye of the Plague, had need be very carefull of himself in the provision of Antidotes, to comfort and preserve his Spirits, and corroborate the vitals. So had every sober,Melius est habere malorum odium quam consortium. Isid. Soliloqu. humble, discreet Christian, that carrieth in him a pretious, immortal, invaluable Soul, blesse himself out of the Company, and carefully avoid all contagious, schismatical Seducers, who truly are what Tertullus falsly said, S. Paul was [...], pestilent Fellows, Act. 24. 5.

Sins Lethargy.1849

IT is said of those that are fallen into a Lethargy, Aegineta Trallianus. that their bodies are subject to a continual drowzinesse, and their Memories so taken off, that they do not remember any thing of what either they speak or do, nay they forget the very necessary actions of life.G. Ressoldi Serm. de Peccati contagion [...]. So deals Sin with the Soul of Man, it drawes upon it such a deadly and fearful sleep, that it makes Men to forget the most necessary thing, the Unum necessarium, that which in a special manner concerns them, even all the wayes of God, all reverent fear and obedience to his Majesty, all peace of Conscience, all salvation of their Souls, all eternal joy and Felicity; in a word, all consideration of their lamentable estate and condition.

1850 The glasse of the Law, truly shewing Men what they are.

[Page]

AS it is with some old, foul and wrinkled Dame, that is soothed up by her Parasites in an admiration of her beauty, to whom no glasse is allowed but the Picturers, that flatters with a smooth fair and young Image: Let such a one come casually to the view of a true glasse, she falls out first with that Miroir, and cryes out of the false representation;Jos. Hall Exon. Serm. on Prov. 29. 23. but after when upon stricter examination, she finds the fault in her self, she becomes as much out of love with her self, as ever her flatterers seemed to be enamoured on her. It is no otherwise with us, we easily run away with the conceit of our spiritual beauty, of our innocent Intergrity, Index peccati lex est Jac. Billii Anthalog. every things feeds us in our overweening opinion; but let the glasse of the Law be brought once and set before us, we shall then see the shamefull wrinkles and foul Morphews of our Souls, and shall say with the Prophet, We lye down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, Ier. 3. ult.

1851 The great danger of cherishing wicked thoughts.

AS the stream in the River Iordan doth carry the Fish swimming and playing, till on a sodain they fall into the dead Sea, where by reason of the brimstone and other bituminous matter, wherewith that Sea is infested, they presently [...]ye. Joseph. in lib. contra Apion. So there are many in the world, that suffer themselves to be carried away so long with vitious thoughts; Plin. nat. hist. lib. 5. cap, 15. and wicked imaginations, that on a suddain the powers of the Mind be generally tainted and infected; It may seem a small matter to lend the Devill an evill thought: but it is very dangerous so to do; For he dares not tempt any one unto murther, treason, or any such gri [...]us sin, till he hath sent an evill thought before, to try whether he shall be welcome.

1852 Custome in Sin, not easily removed.

IF a Man take in the Spring three or four plants, and set them altogether at one time,Sh. Simson Serm, at S. Marg, new-Fish-street, 1629. if he come by and by, or within a while after, he may easily pull up one of them; if he stay a Fortnight or a Moneth, he may pull up another, but it will be somewhat harder; If he stay a year or two till it have taken deep root, then he may pull and pull his heart out, his labour is all in vain, he shall never be able to move it. And thus it is, that one Sin, one offence, if we labour to pull it up in time, it may be forgiven, it may be taken away; And if we let that one go on to two or three, yet with unfeigned Repentance, with bleeding tears, with uncessant out-cryes to a gracious God, they may be raced out, and wiped away,—Longa (que) alit assuetudine flammas Ovid. Met. lib. 10. but with greater difficulty: but if a Man give up himself unto Sin, accustome himself to do evill, so that it take deep root in the heart, and be settled in the Soul, he shall never be able to pull it up, nor arise from the death of Sin, which hath so fast seized on him.

1853 Sectarian subtilty, Diabolical delusion.

AS common Drunkards, when they get in a temperate Man upon their Alehouse-bench, entice him, tempt him, tole him on, first to taste, then to pledg them, then when he is well whitled and come on, cup after cup, this health and that health,R. Hooker's Eccles. polit. in preface. till he be fully fudled, and his brains intoxicated. Thus the subtile Sectarians are modest at the first, and very Maiden-like, they will not force upon their Proselytes a full carouse of their Circean cups, but by degrees, by little and little, they wind into their hearts, and privily bring in damnable heresies. They do not violently rush, but slily creep into houses, and there they begin at [Page] the apronstrings, with illiterate Mechanicks, silly women, such as are led more by a [...]ection then Iudgment, Mr. Edwards Antopology, p. 296. then they let fall an apple to see if Atalanta will take it up, some general received Truth, but withall secretly foyst in some [...]rronious opinion, or poysonous principle, 2 Pet. 2. 1. scatter some sparks of their mild-sire, to see whether they will heat or enflame; And having their methods and wayes,Ephr. Pagett Heres [...]graph. Ephes. 6. 11. [...] rules to go by: they grammer and ground their deluded Followers, [...] admission in general and Fundamental principles of their black art, but let them not see at what they drive, acquaint them not at the first dash the mystery of Iniquity, the depths of Sathan, Rev. 2. 24.

Men not to be proud of their Lands and Livings.1854

WHen Socrates saw Alcibiades proud of his spatious Fields and wide Inheritance, he calls for a Map of the World,Aeliani Var. hist. looks for Greece, and finding it, asks Alcibiades, Whereabout his Lands lay? When he answered,Jos. Hall Exon. Sem. at Court, 1632. They were not set forth in the Map: Why, saith Socrates, are thou proud of that which is no part of the Earth? And to speak truth, Why should any Man bear himself high upon the greatnesse of his Revenue, the largenesse of his demesnes; For if the dominion of a King be but a poor spot of Earth, What a nothing must the possession of a Subject be? some small parcell of a Shire, not worthy the name of a Chorographer; Quid superbis terra ac cin [...]s? Bern. in Serm. And had he with Lycinius as much as a Kite could fly over, yea, if all the whole Globe were his, six or seven foot would be enough to serve his turn in the Conclusion.

Repentance to be Universall.1855

IF a Ship spring three leaks, and onely two be stopped, the third will sink the Ship;W. Jores Serm. in the Isle of Wight, 1633. And if a Man have two grievous wounds in his body, and take order to cure onely one, that which is neglected will kill him: Even so, if we having divers lusts, which fight against our Souls, do mortifie but some of them, 'tis to no purpose; If the guilt of many Sins lye upon us, (as in many things we sin all) and we repent but of some of them, it will not avail us any thing; Hence is that Counsel of Solomon, Prov. 4. 25. Universal [...] debet esse poenitentia, &c. Let all thy wayes be ordered. He that will make a true search, must search all his wayes, and try all his thoughts, words and deeds, repent of all Sin; For he that favours himself in any one Sin, be it never so small, that Man hates no Sin, perfectly, what shew soever he makes to the contrary.

Wicked Men see the miseries, but not the Joyes of Gods People.1856

AS a Man standing upon the Sea-shore sees a great heap of waters, one wave riding on the back of another,Ben. Needler Serm. at S. Giles Cripp [...]egate, 1655. and hears too (especially if it be in stormy weather) the lowd roarings thereof but all this while, though he see the waters, he doth not see the wealth, the gold and silver, the infinite Riches that lye buried in the bottom thereof. So it is that Wicked Men see the want, but not the wealth of Gods People; Gaudium est Quod non datur impiis, nec ab impiis videtur. Isid. de sum. bon. their conflicts, but not their comforts; they easily take notice of the miseries and troubles that usually attends upon the bodies of the Children of God, but they cannot possibly discover the joyes and rejoycings of the Spirit that are in their Souls, neither indeed can they; For they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14.

1857 Magistrates and great Men not to raise themselves by the ruine of the Church.

[Page]

IT is reported of Sabbacus, Herodoti Clio. a King of Ethiopia, who being by dreams admonished, that he could not possesse himself of the Kingdom of Egypt, otherwayes then by Sacriledge, and the slaying of the Priests; He chose rather to lay aside his claym and advantages of Warr which he had gotten,Joh. Servilius de mirandis. and to refer the Government of that Kingdom to twelve wife Men, who erected to that Prince's piety one of the stateliest Pyramides of Egypt, which yet remains: How much more will it become Christians in any way of power and Magistracy, D. Joh. Gauden Apology for the Ministery. not to make their way upon the spoyles, nor lay the Foundations, or to carry on the Fabrick of their greatnesse and dominion upon the carcasses and ruines of any, much lesse of the Church and Church-men, such as are able, true, and faithful Ministers of the true God, and the Lord Iesus Christ.

1858 How it is that the sweet fruits of Grace come to grow on the bitter root of Nature.

IT is a question put by Plutarch, Quaest. 9. Symposiat. lib. 6. How it comes to passe, that the Fig-Tree, being of that extream bitternesse, the root, the branches, the leaves, the stock and stem, being all of them so bitter, the fruit should be so sweet and pleasant to the taste? The like may be proposed, How it is that the sweet fruits of the Spirit, should ever grow upon the bitter stock of Nature: how Man by Nature being in the very gall of bitternesse, should ever become a sweet smelling favour in the nostrils of his God;Pier du Moulin traicte de l'amour de Dieu. Surely, no otherwise, but that by Faith an Repentance, being ingrafted into the stock Christ Iesus, he sucks in juicy sweetnesse from thence, and so is made a Tree of Righteousnesse in Gods Garden.

1859 How it is that Afflictions lye oft-times so heavy.

IT is said of Hagar, That when her bottle of Water was spent, she sate down and fell a weeping,T. W. A Fast-Serm. at S. Giles Cripplegate, Lond. 3655. as if she had been utterly undone, her provision and her patience, her bottle and her hope were both out together: O what must she do? What? Why there was upon the very place, and that near at hand, comfort enough; a Well of water to refresh her, had she but had her eyes open to have seen it, Gen. 21. 19. Thus it is, that in the midst of A [...]lictions and distresse, Men whine and repine, as if they were quite lost, they eye t [...]e empty bottle, the crosse that is at present upon them, but for want of spirituall sight, Iugum Christi grave cum tuler is, leve cum tulitur. they see not the Fountain of living waters, Christ Iesus with the open arms of his Mercy ready to relieve them; they, as it were, groan under the heavy burthen of oppression, but for want of coming to Christ and believing on him, they misse of that speedy refreshing, which otherwise they might happily enjoy.

1860 The supernatural workings of the Spirit.

PHilosophers observe,Aristoteles Is. Ambros. de Regenerat. that the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, is by virtue of the Moon, she flings her fainting beams into the Sea, and being not able to exhale them as the Sun doth, she leaves them there, and goes away, and that drawes them, and when they grow wet, they return again, so that the Sea ebbs and flowes not from any principle in its self, but by virtue of the Moon. Thus the heart of every poor Creature is like the Water, [Page] unable to move towards Heaven to think a good thought, much lesse [...] act any thing that is good, till the holy Spirit of Grace bring in its beams, and leave a supernaturall virtue by them upon the Soul, and thereby drawes it up to it self.

Afflictions, Not to be altogether taken up with the sense of them.1861

IT is very observable of Iacob, That when his Wife dyed in Childbirth, she called the child Benoni, Gen. 35. 18. that is, a son of sorrowes; But Iacob, in all probability, thought thus with himself, If I should call this Child Benoni, every time that I name him, it would put me in mind of the death of my dear Wife, which will be a continual affliction to me, and therefore I will nor have my child of that name, Is. Ambrose ut suprà. but will from henceforth call him Benjamin, that is, the son of my right hand. And this of Iacob may serve to shew us thus much, That when Afflictions befall us,Tu ne cede malis sed contra aud [...]ntior ito, Quà tua te fortuna si [...]et. Virgil. we should not give way to have our thoughts continually upon them, alwayes poring on them, ever thinking and speaking of them, but rather to have our thoughts on those things that may comfort us, or that may stirre up our thankfulnesse to God for mercies, even in the very midst of our Afflictions afforded unto us.

To suffer any thing for the Cause of Christ.1862

IT is said of Hormisda, a Nobleman of great eminency in the King of Persia his Court, that because he would nor deny Christ, he was degraded of all his honours, stript out of his Lordly habit, cloathed with sordid rags, and so turn'a out to keep the Camels; After a long time, the King seeing him in that base, slavish condition, and remembring his former estate, took pity on him, caused him to be brought into his Pallace,Si me hujus causa pietat. &c. Theodoret. hist. Ecccles. lib. 5. cap. 28. suited him like himself in rich attire, and then perswadeth him to deny Christ; at which he rent his silken cloaths, and said; If for these silly things you think to have me to deny my Faith in Christ, take them again, Ile none of them; And so with great scorn and reproach he was the second time cast out. Thus it is, that all of us should be ready to suffer any thing for the cause of Christ, be contented to be made a by-word and laughing-stock for Christ, and to bear with willing shoulders the most disgraceful things that can by the malice of Men and Devils be put upon us for Christ: Perfer et [...]bdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. nay, to bear up our spirits, though all the World should frown upon us, cast us off, scorn us,Ovid. 3. amor. and accompt us as a disgrace unto them.

The sins of our Religious duties corrected by Christ, and then presented to God the Father.1883

AS a Child that is willing to present his Father with something or other that might please him, as a Poesie or Nosegay, goes into the Garden, and there for want of judgment gathers sweet smelling Flowers, and noysome stinking weeds together; but coming to his Mother, she picks out the weeds,Is Ambrose Media. and thus it is, that whether we pray unto God, or hear God speak unto us in his Word, or are otherwise employed in the performance of any Religious action,Pro nobis apud Patrem interpellans ut Advocatus noster, &c. Christ comes and picks out the weeds, takes away the iniquity of our holy things, observes what evil, or failing there is in duty, and draws it out, and so presents nothing but flowers, nothing but what is pleasing and acceptable to God his Father.Rom. 8. 34.

1864 The comfortable sight of Christ Iesus crucified to the poor Repentant Sinner.

[Page]

IMagine that you saw some Malefactor led along to the place of Execution, wailing and weeping for his mis-spent time, for his bloudy acts, for his heynous crimes, and that his wailings and his weepings were so bitter, that they were able to force tears from others, and to make all eyes shoot and water, that did but look upon him; but then if this Man in this case should sodainly see his King running and riding towards him with a pardon in his hand, What a sight would this be?Is. Ambrose ut suprà. Surely, none like it. Thus, thus it is with Man, sorrowing and repenting for Sin, Whilest he is weeping over the sadnesse of his condition, Christi passio, solatium in tribulatione, internae devotionis exercitiam, &c. and confessing what a little step there is betwixt him and damnation (as if he were even dropping into Hell) in a maze he looks up unto Christ, whom he sees with a Spear in his side, with thorns in his head, with nayles in his feet, and a pardon in his hands; this were a sight indeed, a most pleasant ravishing, Heavenly sight, such as all the rich and curious sights on Earth, Tho. a K [...] pis not all those glittering spangles in Heaven could afford the like.

1865 Heart-Communication, the want therof deplorable.

IT was the ingenuous confession of aR. J. Lightfoot in a Serm. before the House of Commons on Psalm 4. 4. learned Divine, sensible of his neglect, but more especially of the difficulty of the duty of Heart-communication; I have lived (said he) Forty years and somewhat more, and carried my Heart in my bosome all this while, and yet my Heart and I are great strangers, and as utterly unacquainted, as if we had never come near one another; Nay I know not my own Heart, I have forgotten my Heart; Ah my bowels, my bowells, that I could be grieved at the very Heart, that my poor Heart and I have been so unacquainted: Thus he then,Aut nibil aut. malè, aut aliud agendo. in a pious and conscientious manner expressing himself; but mutato nomine, it is the condition of most Men now in this Athenian age of ours, such as spend their time in nothing more then in telling and hearing news, How are things here?Redi ad cor tuum, et subtiliter discute [...]eipsum, considera unde venis, qu [...] tendis, &c. how there? how in this place? how in that? None almost enquiring, how things are with their poor hearts, few or none debating the matter, nor holding a serious communication, clear intelligence, and acquaintance, with their own hearts, saying; Heart, how doest thou? How is it with thee for thy spiritual estate? Heart, how wilt thou do? or what doest thou think will become of thee, Hugo de anima lib. 3. when thou and I must part, and never have the happinesse to talk with one another again.

1866 Faithfull Soul and an Unbeliever, their difference in relying upon God.

LOok how it is with two Watermen, the one hales his Boat about the shore, and cannot g [...]t off, but tugs and pulls hard, yet never puts her forth to the [...]ide; the other having more skill puts off presently, [...] up his Sail, and then sits still committing himself to wind and tide, which ea [...]ly carry him whither he is to go:Is. Ambrose ut anteà. Just thus it is with a Faithfull Soul, and an Unbeliever, all the care of the one is to puchimself upon the stream of Gods providence, to set up the Sail of Hope, Per fidem attingit inaccessa, deprehendit ign [...]ta, comprehendit immensa, &c. to take the gale of Gods Mercy, and so he goes on cheerfully. And why, but because he is not moved by any externall Principle, it is Faith in Christ Iesus that puts him on, it is by Faith that he hath got a skill and a kind of slight to put over all cares to another; and though he take up the Crosse, yet he hurls all the care upon Christ, and then it is an easy matter to lye under the burthen when another bears the weight;Bern. super Cant. But the unfaithfull, unbelieving Soul, thinking by his own wit and power, to bring things about, tugs and puls hard, yet finds neither ease [Page] nor successe, but sinks under the pressure of every carnal, Worldly, [...]rrent that betides him.

Self-deniall, the excellency thereof.1867

THere is mention made of a certain godly Man, that was in his time sore tempted by Sathan, Tho. de Wann Serm. de tempore. the Man was much in duty, to whom Sathan said, Why takest thou this pains? thou dost watch, and fast, and pray, and abstainest from the sins of the times; But O Man, What dost thou more then I do? Art thou no Drunkard, no Adulterer? No more am I; Dost thou watch and fast? Why let me tell thee, I never slept, I never ate nor drank, What dost thou more then I do? I will tell thee (said the good Man) I pray I serve the Lord, nay more then all this (which is indeed the sum of all) I deny my self: Nay then, saies Sathan, thou goest beyond me, For I am proud, I exalt my self, and so vanished: O the excellency of self-deniall, when Christ may be said to rule within a man, when in every way a Man subjects himself to Christ, Is. Ambrose ut anteà. in his understanding to know Christ, in his will to choose and embrace Christ, in his thoughts to meditate upon Christ, [...] cis satu est si coetera nescis. in his fear to serve and honour Christ, in his Faith to trust and depend upon Christ, in his love to a [...]ect Christ, in his joy to delight in Christ, in his desires to long after Christ, in his endeavours to exalt Christ, in all his duties, graces, gifts and abilities to make them serviceable to Christ, so that he may be said to live, yet not he but Christ that liveth in him, Gal, 2. 20.

Graces divine, not parts humane, hold out in the end.1868

AS it is with two Children playing together in the day, when night comes, one Child goes to his Father; and the other to his Father: Hier. Drexelius in Zodaico Christiano. It may be all the day they are so like that you cannot say, whose Child is this or that, but when night comes, the Father then cometh to his Child, and saith; Come my Child come in at dores, And if the other do but offer to come in, No child, you must go home to your Father: Rich. de Mediavilla Progres. Coeleslis. Gratia, sine qua nec insantes, nec aetate grave [...], salvi fieri posunt. So while we are living, Grace and gifts are mingled together, some men have gifts and some Men have graces, and they look very like; Ah, but when night comes, when Death comes, then saith God to those that have Grace, Come my Children, enter in; but if those that have gifts onely come, he sends them another way; so that if a Man have never such parts and gifts yet if he have not Grace withall,Aug. [...] nat. et. gratia. he may go to Hell and perish to all Eternity.

How it is that Graces of the Spirit may at present seem to be lost.1860

AS in a Fire, the fewel may be quite burnt out, the flame abated and quite extinguished; but yet there still remains an heap of Coals on the hearth,Jer. Dyke Sermon on 1 Th [...]ss. 1. 19. and in them a good Fire, though all may seem to be quenched; And it is obvious to every eye,1. Thess. 1. 19. that the Sun doth not alwaies shine out in its lustre, a cloud may interpose, and so intercept its beams, yet for all that the body of it is in the Heavens as the Fountain of all other light whatever: So it is that the Graces of the Spirit, such as Faith, Hope, Love, Gaudium salutis a [...]ittere, gratiâ Dei non excidere possunt eecti. G. Frbricius in Psal. 51. 14. cannot be finally and totally extinguished in the Soul, when they are once wrought there by the Spirit, yet their lustre, their radiancy, their shine and flame may be clouded for some time; And so it comes to passe that though a Man cannot lose his hope, yet he may at present lose the comfort and confidence of his hope; though he cannot lose his Love, yet he may cool the heat and fervour of his Love; The flame of the Spirit, the feeling and sense of it may in the secondary causes thereof for a time be quenched, but yet the Spirit it self, and the Cardinal graces thereof remain still in their full glory and splendor.

1870 Sin to be removed, as the cause of all Sorrow.

[Page]

IF a Man have a thorn in his foot, it puts him to a great deal of pain, Paul Wann Serm. de 7. Vitiis. it swells and is full of anguish; Now let him anoint his foot, let him lap it up and keep it warm, let him sit still and not walk upon it; yet all the while the thorn is still in his foot, he hath no ease, but it akes and throbs, and goes to the very Heart of him; The way then for ease in such a case, is to remove the cause of the sorrow, Alphons. ab Avendan. Com. in Matth. by all means to get the thorn pluck'd out, to get that drawn forth: So when a Mans Conscience is in trouble and disquiet, he may use plaisters of ease, may seek to quiet his Spirit with merry Company, good fellowship, following his Pleasures, minding his businesse, he may be padling with these plaisters and Poultesses that Men of the World seek ease by; Delinquendi materia debet in omnibus praescindi. but yet so long as the thorn is in the Heart, guilt in the Conscience, and Sin in the Soul, all these slabberments will do not good, the [...]horn must be pluck'd out, Sin must be removed as the cause of all sorrows whatsoever. Cyprian. lib. 2. ep. 2.

1871 Means in the attainment of Grace, and the use thereof enjoyned by God.

IT was as easy for Boaz, Jer. Dyke Sermon on Prov. 23. 23. and might have been done with as little charges, to have given Ruth as much corn at once, Ruth. 2. 15. as would have yielded her an Ephah of Barly, and so have sent her home without any more ado; but he would have her to use her endeavours, to gather and to glean it, and bear it out too when shee had gleaned it. Thus God gives grace and the knowledg of his Truth as Boaz gave Ruth corn, not but that he can (if it so please him) give knowledg by immediate Revelation, Illud quod medium est, at (que) inter utrum (que) probatur. Martial. and Grace by immediate infusion, yet he will have us to use the means of hearing, reading, conference, &c. and so leave the issue of all our labours and endeavours to his good Will and pleasure.

1872 The great benefit of Hearing and practising Gods Word.

AS we see in the siege of some strong hold, when Men have been long coop'd up, and have not had meat to eat, they have come out like so many dead carcases, as it were so many Sceletons, so weak, so poor, with such gastly looks, as it were enough to scare any Man with the sight of them; But now eating mends all this,1 Kings 19. 8. Aloys Novari [...]us in Elect. Sacrit. upon eating follows strength to walk, and strength to work, upon eating follows fatnesse, and goodnesse of Complexion. And thus it is upon eating of the Word, when Men with r [...]adinesse and forwardnesse receive the Word of God,Nehem. 9. 25. and practise what they hear,Dan. 1. 13. then it is that they have strength in their Souls to walk in the wayes of God,Ier. 15. 16. then it is that they grow up,Rom. 15. 24. as Calves of the stall; full of good; fat and flourishing; and then it is that they have fair and good complexions, Psalm 92. 14. their Wisedome and other Graces cause their faces to shine in the fair and lovely carriage of their lives and conversations.

1873 Meditation, the difficulty in the first entrance thereupon.

AS in the heating of an Oven, the Fewel is set on fire, yet not without some pains to blow it up into a flame; T. White Art of Divine Meditation. but afterwards when the Oven begins to be somewhat hot, the Fewel will catch and kindle of it self; and no sooner is it [Page] thrown in,Nihil est quod ampliorem curam postulet, qu [...]m cogitare quid gerendum sit. Auson. but it is all in a blaze on a sodain. Such is the difficu [...] of Meditation at the first, When there is but (as it were) a little spark of Love in the heart, it will cost a Man some pains to blow it up into a Flame; but afterwards when the heart is once heated with those flames of Love, then it will enflame all the thoughts, and set the affections on fire, In so much, that the duty of Meditation will not be onely easie and delightfull, but so necessary, that a Man cannot tell how to avoid it.

Sathan's subtilty to ensnare.1874

THere is a story of an excellent Painter, Phil. Diez sum. Praedicant. that to shew the rarily of his Art. drew a white line so small, that it could hardly be discerned; Whereupon another that was looked on as a very able Artist, to shew that he could excel him, drew a black line through the middle of it so exactly, that it required an exquisite sight to discern either. Mille-a [...]sex est Satonas, Varias illius fraudes res [...]rare nemo potess. Laur. Justinianus de vita Monast. c. 12. Thus it is that the Devill slily insinuateth into, and craftily worketh upon, the hearts of the sons of Men, the thread of his Policy being so finely spun, the train of his subtilty so privily laid, and the black line of his Temptations made so small, that it is almost impossible to discover the secret destruction that runs through the plausibility thereof.

Purity of Heart, no comfortable sight of god without it.1875

AS the eye that hath dust in it without,Vinc de [...]a Nuzae tract. Evang. or thick vapours stopping the nerves within, cannot see except it be cleansed from the one, and purged from the other; And as the Glasse, on which there is a thick mist, does not represent ones face clearly before it be wiped off: So neither can we see God in his Creatures, in his Word, in his Sacraments, or in those secret, inward and sweet manifestations of comfort and joy, whereby he often reveals himself even in this life to them that love him,Hinc illud H [...]rmenii, Malo mori quàm corde foedari. so long as there is any impurity cleaves to us; The pure in Heart are the onely ones that shall see God, Matth. 5. 8. It is not Learning, nor a clear understanding, not Religious education, not any one of these, not all of these together, but holinesse and purity of Heart, that fits a Man for such a blessed Sight at God is.

Active Christian, the best Christian.1876

PLutarch speaks of two Men, that were hired at Athens for some publique work,In libra Politic. whereof the one was full of tongue, but slow at hand; and the other blanck in speech, yet an excellent Workman; Being called upon by the Magistrates to expresse themselves, and to declare at large, how they would proc [...]ed, When the first had made a large speech, and described it from point to point, the other seconded him in few words, Ioh. B. of Lincoln, Serm. at Funeral of K. James, 1625. saying; [...]; Ye Men o [...] Athens, What this Man hath said in words, that will I Make [...] in true performance. And as he was adjudged the better Artisan, so is the Man of action the better Christian: It is not the Man of words, but the Man of deeds; not the learie, but the fruitfull; not the discoursing, but the doing Christian, that shall be blessed here in this world, and happy in that which is to come.Ioh. 13. 17.

The good Christians Hope at the death of a Child of God.1877

AS Papinius Statius reports of the old Arcadians, Thebaid. 4. That mourning all night for the setting of the Sun, they were comforted notwithstanding at the break of day when they saw him in his sphere again; And as the People enraged at [Page] the death [...] [...]omulus, were quieted by and by with Proculus his newes, that he saw him in glory riding up to Heaven; Plin. Secund. de viris illustribus, cap. 2. So it is that such as are without Hope are extreamly troubled at the death of their intimate Friend and acquaintance, as if he were lost, Piis mors ultrà non est mors, sed nomen tantum habet mortis, &c. Chrysost. in Matib. and they should never see him again; but the good Christian remaines full of Hope at the death of any Child of God, well knowing, that Mors janua vitae, he had no way but by this Mortality, to cloath himself with Immortality, and that as he is gone before into glory, they shall both meet in Heaven with comfort.

1878 Blessing of God attendant on People listning to the doctrine of their own Minister.

PHysitians say, That the Mothers milk, Hippocrat. de n [...]t. pueri. though not so weighty as anothers, if no noxious humour be tasted in it, is more proper for the Child then any strangers can be,W. Gurnall Christ. Compl. Armour. in Epist. ded. because it is more natural; And certainly, it would not be an error, if a Man should say as much of the milk which the Minister gives to his own Flock; and that a People conscientiously lying at the breasts of their own Minister, (if the milk he gives be wholesome, the doctrine preached be sound and Orthodox) may expect the blessing of God for their nourishment, though it hath not so much lushiousnesse to please the curious raster, so much of Rhetorick to tickle the itching car, as some others have.

1879 State of Nature an absolute state of impotency.

IF a Ship that is lanch'd,Hieron. Drexelii Gymnasium Patientiae. rigg'd, and with her sayls spread, cannot stirre till the wind comes fair and fills them; much lesse can the Timber that lyes in the Carpenters Yard, hew and frame it self into a Ship; If the living Tree cannot grow except the root communicates its sap, much lesse can a dead rotten stake in the hedg, which hath no root, live of its own accord. And thus if the Christian's strength be in the Lord (as most certainly it is) and not in himself,Natura, i. corrupta nec dum regenita, nihil per se potest boni, &c. Eucher. Lugdunens. then the Christlesse person must needs be a poor, impotent Creature, void of all strength and ability of doing any thing of it self towards its own salvation; If a Christian that hath a spiritual life of Grace, cannot exercise that life without strength from above; then surely one void of that new life, dead in Sins and trespasses, can never be able to beget it in himself, or any way concur to the production of it; so helplesse is the state of unregeneracy, so impotent the condition of every Man by Nature.

1880 The state of Nature for all its specious out-side, a state of Friendship with Hell.

AS it is with the fighting of two Fencers on the Stage,W. Gurnall Christian in compleat armour. you would think at first they were in earnest; but observing how wary they are where they hit one another, you may soon know they do not intend to kill one another; And that which puts all out of doubt, when the prize is done, you shall see them merry together, sharing what they have got from their deluded Spectators, which was all they fought for. Thus you shall have a carnal heart, a Man in the state of unregeneracy make a great bussle against Sin, by complaining of it, or praying against it, so that there seems to be a great scuffle betwixt Sathan and such a Soul; but if you follow him off the Stage of duty (where he hath gain'd the reputation of a Saint, the prize he fought for) you shall see the Devil and him sit as Friendly in a corner as ever.

The Sinner's desperate madnesse.1881

[Page]

TErtullian stood, as it were,In lib. de corona Militis. amazed at the folly of the Romans ambition, who would endure all manner of hardship in Field and fight, and run through any difficulty whatsoever, and for no other thing, but to obtain at last the honour to be Consull, which he aptly calls, Unius anni gaudium volaticum, O caecas hominum mentes, O pectora dura! a joy that flits away at the years end: Desperate then must needs be the madnesse of all wretched sinfull Men, who will not endure a little hardship here, but entayl on themselves the eternal wrath of God hereafter for the short Feast and running-banquet their lusts entertain them here withall, which often is not gaudium unius horae, a joy that lasts an hour, nay so transient, that it hardly feems to be at all.

The difference betwixt Sermons preached, and Sermons printed.1882

THere is as much difference between a Sermon in a Pulpit, and printed in a book,W. Gurnall Christian compleatly armed, in the Epi [...]. dedicat. as between milk in the warm breast, and in a sucking bottle, yet what it loseth in the lively taste is recompenced by the convenience of it; The book may be had at hand, when the Preacher cannot; And that's the chief end of Printing, that as the bottle and spoon is used when the Mother is sick or out of the way; so the book, to quiet the Christian, and stay his stomach in the absence of the Ordinance; Praedicatoris vox, corda torpentia hominum excitat plus quam lectionis, &c. Greg. super Evang. yet he that readeth Sermons and good books at home to save his pains of going to hear, is a Thief to his Soul in a Religious habit; he consults for his ease, but not for his profit, he eats cold meat when he may have hot: He hazards the losing the benefit of both by contemning of one, offering sacriledg for Sacrifice, in robbing God of one duty to pay him in another.

The bare enjoyment of Church-priviledges doth not make up a true Christian.1883

VVHen a Statute was made in Q. Elizabeths reign,Anno 1. Eliz. Pulton's Collect. of Statutes. that all should come to Church upon penalty of being looked upon as in a way of Recusancy and so punishable by Law, The Papists sent to Rome to know the Popes pleasure,W. Cambdeni Annal. Reg. Elizabet. He returned them this answer; Bid the Catholiques in England give me their Hearis, and let the Queen take the rest; And withall a dispensation was granted; so that very many came to Church, but it was more for fear then love, more for the saving of their purses, then any thought at all of saving their poor deluded Souls: W. Gurnall Christian in compl. armour. And thus it is, that as Christ had his Saints in Nero's Court, so the Devill his servants in the outward Court of his visible Church so that a Man must have something more to entitle him to Heaven, then living within the pale of the Church, and giving an outward conformity to the Ordinances of Christ; Re non nomine Christiani. There must be an inward conformity of the mind to the laws of God, a subjection to the Scepter of Iesus Christ, and a readinesse to be led by the guidance of the blessed Spirit, otherwise he may be of the Church, but not in the Church; a Partaker of Church priviledges, but no true Proprietor of the Graces and benefits thereby accrewing.

1884 Acknowledgment of Mercies received, the ready way to have them further enlarged.

[Page]

IT is and usually hath been the manner of great Men (such as from basenesse and beggery have ascended to Kingdomes and Empires,Agathocles. Willigis. see B. Smith's Sermons. and from sitting with the hirelings and dogs of the flock have been seated on Thrones of State and Tribunals of Justice) to be delighted to speak often of their poor and mean beginnings, to go and see the low roof'd Cottages, Dr. Prideaux late B. Wigorn. where they were first entertained and had their birth and breeding; yea, there wasDr. Prideaux late B. Wigorn. one of late years that being got by desert into the Divinity chair, did without superstition hang up in his Closet, some part of that mean apparell wherein he first saluted his Oxford Mother: A good way no doubt, and being done with a good mind, the ready way to have Mercies and blessings enlarged; Beneficia Dei omnibus boris, et omni tempore consider and a sunt. Chrys. in Gen. hom. 67 It would not be unusefull therefore for the Christian to look in at the grate, to see the smoaky hole where once he lay, to view the chains wherewith he was laden, and to behold the snares of Sin and Sathan wherein he was once entangled; but then to open his mouth with thanks unto God, who will be sure to fill it with his tender and loving kindnesses.

1885 The excellency of Christ Jesus.

IT is observeable, that when some great King or Potentate draweth near unto his Royall City, the Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Lords, and others of the Nobility and Gentry ride before him; Now if a stranger standing by should ask, Who is this Man? and who is that? What power hath that Man at Court? What place hath this? What means hath a third? It would be answered; This is my Lord Duke, Alphons. ab Avendano moralitat. in cap. 1. S. Matth. that, such an Earl, the other, such a great Lord, such a one is the Lord Treasurer, that, the Lord Admirall, and that other the Lord Chancellour, &c. but when the King comes, he saith no more but onely, That's the King; And why so? And why no more but so? because in that one slender word,Incassum laborat in acqui. sitione Virtutum, qui eas alibi quàm in Christo quaerit. Bern. in Cant. all the greatness of the rest is included, the King being the Fountain of Honour from whence all their glory is derived: Thus it is that if all the created goodnesse, all the Priviledges of Gods children, all the Kingdomes of the Earth and the glory of them, were to be presented at one view, they would all appear as nothing and emptiness in comparison of the excellency and fullness that is to be found in Christ Iesus.

1886 The Ministers joy in the conversion of Souls.

IF it cannot but delight the Husbandman when he seeth his plants grow, Sen. ep. 24. his fruits ripen, his Trees flourish; If it must needs rejoice the Shepheard to behold his sheep sound, Ven. Beda. in ep. 1 Ioh. 2. 4. fat, and fertile; If it glad the heart of a Schoolmaster or Tutor to observe his Schollers thrive in Learning and encrease in knowledg, It must needs be matter of abundant joy to any Minister of the Gospell, when People are brought to Fellowship with God in Christ Iesus when they are (as it were) snatched out of the slavery of sin, the jaws of Death and Hell,Auditores benevoli, alacres reddunt Pradicatores. and brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; then it is that he may be said to reap the fruits of his labours in the great comfort of his own Soul.Chrys. in Heb.

Gods pardoning other Repentan [...] Sinners, a great motive to perswade us that he will pardon us also.1887

[Page]

IF one should come to a Physitian, J. Preston Breast-plate of Faith and Love. of whom he hath had a large report of his skill, and should meet with hundreths by the way, such as were at that time his Patients, and all of them should tell him how he hath cured and healed them of their severall infirmities, this must needs encourage him to go on with confidence of his skill,2 Chron. 33. 13. that he will recover him also: So should every Repentant Sinner run to Christ, Lu [...] 7. 32. the great Physitian of his Soul, because so many thousands have been healed, Act. 9. 18. so many great Sinners have been forgiven, such as Manasses, Mary Magdalen, O p [...]enitentia quid de te novi, referam, &c. Cyprian. S. Paul, &c. This may be a great motive to perswade us all, that upon Repentance he is and will be ready to forgive us also, according to that of the Apostle; He hath shewed Mercy unto me that others might believe in God.

Men to be carefull in the triall of their Faith, Whether it be sound or not.1888

IF one be told that his Corn is blasted, that all the Trees in his Orchard are dead, Treat. of Effect. Faith, ut suprà. that all his Money is counterfeit, that the deeds and Evidences, upon which his Lands and whole estate depend are false, it must needs affect him much, and make him look about him to see if these things be so or no. And shall not Men look then to the Faith they have,Non bove mactato, calestia numina gaudent, sed fide quà praestanda est. Ovid. upon which depends the eternall Welfare of their immortall Souls, seeing God accepteth none except it be sound, effectuall, lively, and accompanied with good works, such a Faith as worketh by love, purifieth the heart, and shews it self in fruits worthy amendment of life, 1 Thes. 1. 3.

Men not to be ashamed of their Godly Profession, though the Wicked speak evill of them.1889

SUppose a Geometrician should be drawing of lines and Figures, and there should come in some silly ignorant fellow,J. Preston Golden Scepteer. who seeing him should laugh at him; Would the Artist think you, leave off his employment because of his derision? Surely no; For he knows that he laughs at him out of his ignorance, as not knowing his Art and the grounds thereof: Thus let no Man be ashamed of his godly Profession, because Wicked Men speak evill of it; And why do they so,1 Pet. 4. 4. but because they understand it not, it is strange to them; they see the actions of Godly Men,Id ma [...]ice quod in [...]ergo est non vident. but the rules and principles that they go by, they know not, and hence is it that they throw dirt in the face of Religious profession, but a Wife man will soon wipe it off again.

God ordering all things for the good of his Church.1890

PUt the case, all were turned upside down,Rudis indigesta (que) moles. Ovid. as it was in the confused Chaos, wherein Heaven and Earth were mingled together, and the waters overcoming all the rest, yet as when the Spirit of the Lord did but move upon the Waters, Serm. at Linc. Inne, on Gen. 22. 14. ut suprà. many beautifull Creatures wee produced, and the Sea divided from the rest, so that those waters which then seemed to spoil all, serve now to water [Page]all, without which [...] cannot possibly subsist: Even so, were the Church in never so confused [...], yet God will in his great Wisedome so order the things that seem to undo us, that they shall make much for us, and bring forth something of speciall use for the Churches good, something to water and make fruitfull the house and People of God.

1891 Sin, the godly Mans hatred thereof.

IT is said of the Dove, that she is afraid of every Feather, that hath grown upon on Hauk, and brings as much terrour upon her, as if the Hauk were present,Ulysses Aldrovandi Ornitholog. lib. 14. such a native dread is (as it seems) implanted in her, that it detests and abhors the very sight of any such feather: So the Godly man that hath conceived a detestation against Sin, cannot endure any thing that belongs to it, or that comes from it; No not the least motion or inclination, though it bring along with it never so fair pretences, never so specious shews shall have the least welcome or entertainment.

1892 Vanity of the Creature without God.

TAke a beam of the Sun, the way to preserve it, is not to keep it by it self, the being of it depends upon the Sun, take the Sun away, and it perisheth for ever;J. Preston Churches Marriage. but yet though it should come to be obscured, and so cut off for a while, yet because the Sun remains still, therefore when the Sun shines forth again, it will be renewed again. Such a thing is the Creature compared with God, If you would preserve the Creature in it self, it is impossible for it to stand, like a broken glasse without a bottom,Esse accidentis plus est in subjecto, &c. Aristo [...]. it must fall and break: It is well known, that the being of an accident is more in the subject then in it self, insomuch, that to take away the subject, the very separation is a destruction to it. So it is with the Creature, Creatura sine Deo ni [...]il potest, &c. I fidor. which hath no bottom of it self, so as the sepaeration of it from God, is the destruction of it; as on the contrary, the keeping of it close unto God, (though in a case that seems to be the ruine of it) is its happinesse and perfection.

1893 How it is that God is to every one of his Children, alone.

IT is observed,Pier du Moulin traicte d'Amour de Dicu. That a Mathematicall point hath no parts, it is one indivisible. For let a thousand lines come to one point, every one hath the whole, and ye [...] there is but one that answers all, because it is indivisible, and every one hath all. So it is with God, though there be many thousands that he loves dearly, yet every one of them hath the Lord wholly; For that which is infinite hath no parts, and therefore he bestowes himself not partly on one, and partly on another; but he bestowes all himself on every one, and expects that every one should do the like unto him.

1894 Excesse of Apparrell, condemned.

WHat heavy things are thundred against those curious Dames of Ierusalem by the Prophet Isaiah, who being himself a Courtier, inveighs as puncutally against the Noble vanity of Apparrell, as if he had late viewed the Ladies Wardrobes; And our Saviour finds fault with the Scribes that loved to go in long cloathing. Mark 12. 38. But to come nearer; In the year 1580, great ruffs with huge wide sets, and cloaks reaching almost to the ancles, no lesse comely then of great expence,In vita Elizab. were restrained here by Proclamation, saith Mr. Cambden; And need we not the like Law now, when so many Prodigals turn Rents into ruffes, and lands into lace, singulis auribu [...] bina aut terna pendunt Patrimonia, as Seneca hath it, hang two or three Patrimonies at their ears, a pretty grove [Page] upon their backs, Joh. Trap Com. on Matth. 6. 29. a reasonable Lordship or living about their necks, from whence both S. Cyprian and S. Augustine drew up this conclusion, That superfluous Apparrel is worse then Whoredome, because Whoredome onely corrupts Chastity, but this corrupts Nature.

God to be seen in the works of the Creation. 1895

A Godly Antient being asked,Ant. Eremita apud Augustin. a [...] doct. Christ. lib. 1. by a Prophane Philosopher, How he could contemplate high things, sith he had no books? wisely answered; That he had the whole World for his book ready open at all times, and in all places, and that he could therein read things Heavenly and divine: And most true it is, that God is to be seen and admired in the works of the Creation, there's not a Flower in the Field, not a pile of grasse we tread on but sets forth God unto us in very lively colours;—resert quaelibet herba Deum. Ovid. so that not to see him, is to incur the curse he hath denounced against such as regard not the work of the Lord, i. the first making; neither consider the operation of his hands, i. the wise disposing of his Creatures for our good, Esay 5. 12.

To keep close to the Word of God in seeking after Christ.1896

IT is the observation of a good Man now with God,B. Hooper in a Letter to Mistr. Anne Warcup. That the Wise-men travelling to find Christ, followed onely the starre, and as long as they saw it, they were assured that they were in the right way, and had great mirth in their journey; but when they entred into Ierusalem, (whereas the starre led them not thither, but unto Bethlem) and there would be instructed where Christ was born;Acts & Monuments of the Church, by J. Fox. they were not onely ignorant of the place, Where, but they had lost the sight of the Starre that should guide them thither. Whereof we learn in any case, that whilest we be going to learn Christ, to seek Christ, which is above, to beware we lose not the Star of Gods Word, which onely is the mark that shews us where Christ is, and which way we may come to him. These are the good Man's own words; whereunto may be added,Psalm 119. That whereas David made the Word of God a lanthorn to his feet, and a light unto his paths, we would not suffer our selves to be led aside by every ignis fatuus, Recurrendum est ad solas Scripturas. P. de Alliaco in Sent. every false fire that presents it self unto us, but to keep close to the Word of God, which will bring us to the Knowledg of Christ here, and the full enjoyment of him hereafter.

What it is to trust in God really and truly.1897

THere was a King of this Land,J. Preston of Effect. Love on the 1. Thess, 1. 3. that being engaged in Warre, sent to the Generall of his Army to spare such a City, yet he had a command under the broad Seal, and the King's own hand to do it, and to disobey his warrant was death; but withall, the King gave him private instructions to destroy the City, and in so doing, he would save him harmlesse; The Generall did so, and trusted the King for his life, so that if he had failed him, he had been utterly destroyed.Si saeviat mundus, si fremat malignus, &c. Tu es spes mea Domine. Barnard. Thus if a Man be brought to such an exigent, if he will trust God in such a case, as wherein if he fayl him, he is undone; so to lean upon God, that if he slip away, he sinketh; so to be unbottom'd off himself and every Creature, so to cast himself upon God, that if he step aside, he is like to perish; this is to trust in God really and truly.

The monstrous Sin of Ingratitude. 1898

Q. Elizabeth in a letter of hers to Hen. 4th. King of France, amongst many other expressions,Gulielm. Cambd. Eliz. hath this upon the sin of Ingratitude, That if there were any unpardonable sin in the World, such as the sin against the Holy Ghost, it was, Ingratitude; Call me unthankfull, (said another) and you call me all that naught [Page] is▪ And without all doubt,Ingratum si dixeris, &c. David Pareus in Matth. cap. 5. v. 6. such a Vice it is, that Nature frowns at, though she smile at many others; Nay, It is a Monster in Nature, a Solecism in manners, a Paradox in Divinity, an ugly sinl Insomuch, that Christ himself joyned the Evill and unthankfull together, Luke 6. 35.

1899 How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by Works.

AS one that professeth, J. P. Treat. of Effectual Faith. That he hath an art, and that he is able to do this, and that, by his art; Now if he make up some exquisite piece of Workmanship, by that he is said to make good his Art; Or as when we say, such and such Trees are good, because they have sap in them, they are not dead Trees, yet for all this the Tree is made perfect by the fruit. So Faith by Works is made perfect;Per fructum dignoscitur arbor. Not that works put life into Faith; the sap must first be in the Tree, and then it bringeth forth fruit; so there must be first a life in Faith, and then it bringeth forth good works; So that when it is said, Faith is made perfect by Works; the meaning is, that Faith is made good by Works, that Works declare Faith to be right, as the Fruit doth declare the Tree to have sap.

1900 How to make tryall of Faith, whether it be right or not.

TAke a cup of Wine,Rich. de Mediavilla clavis David. and if you would know, whether it be good or not, drink it off; but if it heat you not, warm you not at the Hear [...], quicken you not, nor in any way revive your spirits, you will say, It is [...]aught, flat and dead, had it been good Wine, it would have done all this; Then if you come to Plants, and find no fruit, nor leaves, you say, This plant is dead; If you come to take a dram of Physick, Tune enim fidel [...]s veraciter sumus, &c. Greg. hom. 29. Tu dicis quod credis, sac quod dicis et fides est, &c. Aug. in Ioh. and it do not work, you say, It is bad Physick; And so if you take leaven, and put it into the dough, if it sowr not the lump, you say, it is a dead leaven, a counterfeit: Thus if a Man find not Faith in the operation thereof, that it works not a generall change in the Soul, that it fire not the heart with love to Christ, if there be no life in it, then let such a Man know, that he is deceived, his Faith is not right, not effectuall, not any way conducing to life eternal.

1901 The proposall of Rewards and punishments, very usefull to the bringing into Christ.

A Spouse that is considering with her self, Whether she should marry such a Husband or not? beginneth to consider, What she should be without him, and what she shall have with him: she considers him perhaps as one that will pay her debts, and make her Honourable, &c, and yet, it may be, she considers not the Man all this while: however, these considerations are good preparatives to draw her on to give entertainment to him; but after some converse and acquaintance with the person, she comes to like the Man himself so well, that she is content to have him, though she have nothing with him, and so she gives her full and free consent to him,J. Preston Golden Scepter. and the match is made up betwixt them, out of true and sincere free love and liking. Thus it is, that the proposals of Rewards and punishment are,Praemiis etiam magnorum virorum animi excitantur. as it were, a beginning, a Prodromus, a good introduction to the full sight and frui [...]ion of God, When it is that Men begin at first to consider their own misery most, and that if they should apply themselves to other things as remedies,Arn. Ferron. lib. 2. they would be still to seek; For there is a Vanity in all things; And if to themselves,Eccles. 1. 5. that they cannot help themselves in time of Trouble; therefore they judge, that they must go to Almighty God, who is able to do more than all, and to rid them out of misery; And they consider, that going to [Page]him, they shall have Heaven besides; yet all this while they consider not the Lords power; however, this consideration makes way, that God and they may meet and speak together, it brings their hearts to give way, that the Lord may come to them, it causeth them to attend to him, to look upon him,Iob. to converse with him, to admit him as a Suitor, and to be acquainted with him; And whilest they are thus conversing with him, God reveals himself; And then being come to the knowledg of him in himself, they love him for himself, are willing to seek his presence, to seek him for a Husband, though all other things were removed from him; Iam (que) opus exegi, &c. Ovid. ult. And now the Match is made up, and not till now, and then they so look upon him, that if all other advantages were taken away, they would yet still love him, and not leave him for all the Worlds enjoyments.

No Man a loser by giving up himself unto. God.1902

IT is said of Vapours, that arising out of the Earth, the Heavens return them again in pure water, much clearer, and more refined then they received them;Gab. Inchin [...] scala Coeli. Or as it is said of the Earth, that receiving the Sea water and puddle-water, it gives it better then it received it in the Springs and Fountains; For it strains the water and purifies it, that whereas when it came into the bowels of the Earth, it was muddy, salt and brinish, it returns pure, clear and fresh, as out of the Well-head, waters are well known to come.Et tibi (crede mihi) tempora veris erunt, Ovid. Fast. 1. Thus if Men would but give up their hearts desire, and the strength of their affections unto God, he would not onely give them back again, but withall much better then when he received them, their affections should be more pure, their thoughts and all the faculties of Soul and Body should be renewed, cleansed, beautified, and put into a far better condition then formerly they were.

Ignorance and Wilfulnesse ill-met.1903

IT is a Maritime observation,T. Fuller Serm. at S. Brides, Lond. 1655. that if a thick Fogg darken the ayr, there is then (the great God of Heaven and Earth, having in his providence so ordered it,) no storm, no Tempestuous weather; And if it be so, that a storm arise, then the sky is somewhat clear and lightsome;occasioned by a motion of bringing in of the Iews into England. For were it otherwise, no Ship at Sea, nor Boat in any Navigable River could ride or sayl in safety, but would clash and fall foul one upon another. Such is the sad condition of every Soul amongst us wherein Ignorance and Wilfulnesse have set up their rest together; And why? because that if a Man were Ignorant onely, and not Wilfull, then the breath of wholesome Precepts and good Counsell, might in time expell those thick mists of darknesse, that cloud his understanding; And were he Wilfull, Eheu, quàm miseros tramite devio Abducit ignorantia, &c. Boet. 3. 8. and not Ignorant, then it were to be hoped, that God in his good time would rectifie his mind, and bring him to the knowledg of himself; but when the storm and the fogg meet, when Wilfulnesse and Ignorance (as at this day amongst the Iews, and too too many Christians) do close together, nothing without the greater Mercies of God, can befall that poor Shipwrack't Soul, but ruine and destruction.

1904 Unsteadfastnesse, giddinesse, &c. in the profession of Religion, reproved.

IT is said of an intoxicated Man, Athenaeus. who (the liquor being busie in his brain) fancied himself at Sea in a great storm, in present danger of Shipwrack, and thought there was a necessity of lightning the Ship, and throwing some of the lading over-board, and so threw the goods of his house out at the Windows. Thus it is, that this Age hath been taken with an unhappy Vertigo, which hath made [Page] some Men not keep the ground they first stood upon; and wanton delight hath possessed many Men to be medling,Geo. Hall Serm, at s. Pauls, to the Sons of Ministers, 1655. trying of experiments, and ringing changes; Nay, so distempered have divers been, that like the drunken Man they have fancied a great necessity of abolishing and throwing away, what they would have done better to have kept.

1905 Men in the midst of their Worldly contrivances, prevented by Death.

AS it is with a Man, being come to some great Fair or Market, with a con, siderable summe of money about him, who whilest he is walking in the throng,St. Marshall Serm. at Westm. 1651. considering with himself, how he should lay out his money to the best advantage; some sly fellow either cuts his purse, or at unawares dives into his pocket, and there's an end of all his marketting. So it is with the most of Men, that whilest they are in the midst of all their secular employments, and, as it were, crowded in the throng of Worldly contrivances, Heu mortem invisam, &c. Maph. Vegius in appendice Virgil. how to secure such a Ship, advantage trade, compasse such and such a bargain, purchase such and such Lands, &c. (things in themselves with necessary cautions not unlawful) in steps Death, cuts the thread of their life, spoyls all their Trade, and layes their glory in the dust.

1906 Riches, their uselesnesse in point of Calamity.

NUgas the Scythian King, despising the rich Presents and Ornaments that were sent unto him by theMich. Pale [...]logus. Emperour of Constantinople, asked him that brought them, Whether those things could drive away sorrow, diseases, or Death? looking upon them as not worthy presenting, that could not keep off vexation from him. And such are all the Riches and glories of this world, they cannot secure from the least calamity,T. Brooks Unsearchable Riches of Christ. not make up the want of the least Mercy: It is not the Crown of gold that can cure the head-ache, not the gilded Scepter that can stay the shaking hand; not the Honourable garter that can ease the gowt, nor the Neck-lace of Pearl that can take away the pain of the teeth; And a bag of gold will prove but a hard pillow to rest on; miserable Comforters are they all; onely the usefull Riches of Grace that are to be found in Christ Iesus, give ease and refreshment under all pains and torments whatsoever.

1907 Apparrel, whether richer or plainer, the necessity thereof.

AS Crates reproved by the Athenians, Diog. Laert. lib. 6. cap. 6. because (to countenance his professorship) he wore [...], that is, a Mantle of Estate (being but a Philosopher) which Theophrastus before him was never seen to do, answered them again, that Theophrastus (whom they all thought so well of) did many times wear a lighter garment;Lib. 5. cap. 4. The which when the Magistrates would not believe, he brought them to a Barbers shop, and shewed him unto them, all dight as he sate in his pyed napery; Intimating hereby, that costly Apparrell and other cloathing in themselves are things indifferent, but grow often necessitated by the circumstances of time and place,Aquin. 1a. 2ae. qu. 169. art. 1. ad 3. as soft cloathing for the Court, and that which is courser for the Cart; a fine suit for the Citizen, a plainer for the Countryman; every one wearing that which is fitting for his place and Calling.

True comfort in God onely.1908

[Page]

GReat was the grief or C. Figulus who to his Friends that came to comfort him about the losse of the Consulship,Val. Max. lib. 9. cap. 3. said, Omnes consulere scitis, Consulem sacere nescitis; All can give me counsell, but ye cannot make me Counsull. And could outward things rid us from the troubles of this life,Dr. Stough [...]on Serm. at S. Pauls, Lo [...]d. 1624. from death the end of this life, from damnation after death, then said they something worth the hearkning to; but this they cannot do, they cannot make us happy, there's no true comfort to be drawn out of the standing pools of outward sufficiencies, but out of the living Fountains of the All sufficiencies of the Lord Almighty.

The resolved constant Christian.1909

IN the Salentine Country is mention on made of a Lake brim full,Plin. hist. lib. 2. cap. 103. put in never so much it runneth not over, draw out what you can it is still full: Such is the condition of a resolved,Rob. Dallington Aphorisms Civil and Military. constant child of God, tide life, tide death, come what can come he is still the same, so true to this primitive institutior, that if Adversity frown, he entertains it as a tryall of his patience; if prosperity smile upon him, he looks upon it as a blessing extraordinary; whether it be peace or war abroad, sicknesse or health at home he is resolved: Sorte sua contentus abi. Superbus secundis, dij [...]ctus adversis. Thucid. Whereas a carnal Man who bears his Prosperity neither with moderation not prudence, but is full blown like a bladder, with the wind of his own Pride, he seldome in Adversity shews either courage or constancy: one small prick of distaster empties his swola heart of all hopes, and like an unskillfull and dejected Sea-man upon every little storm,—sonus excitat omnis Suspensum. Virgil. he cuts Cable and Mast, and throws all overboard, where but the flaking of a few sails would serve the turn, Godly Resolution would do the deed.

The rage of War in the richest Countries.1910

IN natural bodies,Hippocrat. aph [...]ris. 3. the longer they subsist in perfect health, the more dangerous is the disease when it cometh, and the longer in curing, as having none of those humours spent, which by distemper give foment, and force, to the approaching malady: Rob. Dallington ut suprà. So it is in bodies politique, when War once seizeth on a Country, rich in the plenties of a long peace, and full with the surfets of a continuall ease, Nulla salus bello. Virgil. it never leaves purging those superfluities till all be wasted, and consumed.

The grace of God is all in all.1911

VVE get Aqua-Vitae ready against qualms,Rob. Harri [...]s Peter's Enlargement. Bezoar stone and Cordiall against fits; It was well said of Reverend Dr. Lake Lake B. of Bath. when in the time of his sicknesse a Cordiall was tendered unto him; O (said he) the Cordiall of Cordialls which I daily take, is this; The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins; I Iohn 1. 7. And it is true, that Art is blind and often posed; Nature weak and often foyled (like a bow that must not be drawn beyond compasse):Ephes. 2. Onely the Grace of God is all in all, helps all, get but that and you may sleep in a Dungeon; want all, and yet have all: want that, and a Flea may break your sleep, and a hand-writing dash all your mirth in pieces.

1912 Promises without abilities of performance not to be regarded.

[Page]

IN the country Carinensis of Spain, Plin. hist. lib. 3. cap. 103. Sir Rob. Dallington Aphorisms. there is a River that shews all the Fish in it to be like Gold, but take them into your hand, they appear in their natural kind and colour: Such are Promises, and specious pretences of love in his mouth, that would obtain his purpose; bring them to the touch, and thou shalt find, All is not Gold that glisters: Great boast and small roast will never fill the belly; Heu pati [...]r telis vulnera facta meis. Ovid. [...]p. He therefore that will engage himself into any great action, upon promise of great assistance if he be not as sure of his Friends ability in power, as readinesse in Will, he reckons without his Hoast, and sits down with the losse.

1913 The workings of God in the deliverance of his People are Various.

WHen God said to Paul, Act. 7. that all the souls with him should be safe, there were divers means used, all were not able to swim to the shore,J. Preston Covenant. and the Ship was not able to bring them all to the shore, but yet by broken boards, and by one means or other all got to the shore: So the Lord brings things to passe in a strange manner, sometimes by one way, sometimes by another, if one way do not hold,Fata viam invenient. Virgil. another shall; he breaks in pieces many times the ship that we think should bring us to the shore, but then he casts us on such planks as we little thought on, opens a dore for our deliverance that we little dream't on.

1914 Kings, Princes, Governours, &c. to be regarded by those that are under them.

ALl the members of the body have care one of the other, but especially of the Head, and the Heart: If the Head do but ake, all the humours of the Arms run to the Head, and therefore the Arms become small and slender, because they want their proper nurture:Joh. Evans Treat. of Nature and Grace. And so if the Heart be sick, or in danger, or in fear, the outward heat retires inward to comfort the Heart, so that the body looks outwardly pale: yea if the Head, or the Heart be in danger (periculis se exponunt) the other members will hazard limb and life to save them: Thus should all subjects do for the King their Head, they ought to have speciall care of him; They are to care one for another,1. Tim. 2. 2. to pray one for another, and to do good one for another, but especially for Kings and Princes, and those that are in Authority, they are to prefer their lives before ten thousand of their own, as the People of Israel did;2. Sam. 18. 3. for if a Member, or some of the inferiour Members, be cut off, yet the body may live, and do indifferently well, but if the Head be taken off, if the King be set aside, actum est de Republica, that Kingdome, that People cannot long stand▪

1915 Christ the proper object of the Soul.

THere is no Agent that takes any rest or contentment but in its proper Object; Aristor. Physica. If a man had all the Musicall raptures, and melodious Harmony in the whole World before him, he could not hear it with his eyes, because it is the proper object of the Ear; If never so triumphant shews, or Courtly Masques, he could not see them with his Ears, because they are the proper Object of the Eye: So it is with the Soul of Man, if it were possible that all the treasures, pleasures, [Page] honours, preferments, and delights which the World doth affect were presented, and tendered to the Soul, yet would they not afford unto it any true satisfaction, because they be not the proper Object and Center of the Soul; Acts and Monuments. it is the Lord onely, or as a godly Martyr said once, None but Christ, can compasse the Soul about with true content and comfort.

Sathans aim at those that have most of God and Religion in them.1916

PIrats and such as are Robbers at Sea, slightly passe by smaller Vessels that are but poorly fraighted,Gab. Inchini scala coeli. whilst ships that are richly laden, and furnished with Merchantable commodities, become the object of their greedy thoughts, at whom they make the strongest opposition, and for the gaining of whom (rather then fail) they will hazard their lives to the utmost of danger imaginable: Thus it is that Sathan, that Arch-Pirate, lets poor silly ignorant Souls alone,Aquila non capit muscas. Frasm. adag. such as by their own defaults are but as so many empty Vessels floating on the Sea of this World; Oh, but when he spies out a rich Soul laden with the fruits of the Spirit, that hath much of god, Christ, and Heaven in it, there it is that he bends all his Forces, Validis incum bit remis, omnem movet lapidem, &c. and against such a Soul it is, that he raiseth all his strength, that so, if possible, he may bring it under his more then miserable subjection.

Sin to be abhorred as the cause of Christs Death.1917

AFter Iulius Caesar was treacherously murthered in the Senate-house, Antonius brought forth his coat, all bloudy, cut and mangled, and laying it open to the view of the People,Niceph. Gregor as de vitis Caesarum. said; Look, here is your Emperours coat, and as the bloudy-minded Conspirators have dealt by it, so have they also with Caesars body; whereupon they were all in an uproar, crying out to slay those Murtherers, then they took the Tables and stools that were in the place and set them on fire, Agnosce homo quam gravia sint vulnera tua, &c. Born. and ran to the houses of the Conspirators, and burnt them down to the ground; But behold a greater then Caesar, even the Lord Iesus himself all bloudy, rent, and torn for the Sins of the World; How then when we look on Sin as the cause of his death, Tho. Brooks Pretious Remedies against Sathan's Devices. and seriously consider that Sin hath slain the Lord of life, should our hearts be provoked to be revenged on Sin? How should we loath and abhor it, as having done that mischief that all the Devills in Hell could never have done the like.

A lesser Sin given way unto, makes way for the committing of greater.1918

IT is S. Augustines story of Manicheus, Exposit. in Evang. S. Ioh. tract. cap. 1. tom. that being tormented with flies, was of opinion that the Devill made them and not God; Why then, said one that stood by; If the Devill made flies, then the Devill made Worms; True, said he, the Devill did make worms; But, said the other, If the Devill did make worms, then he made birds, beasts, and Man; He granted all; And thus saith the good old Father, by denying God in the fly, he came to deny God in Man, and consequently the whole Creation: And thus it is that the yeilding to lesser Sins, Obstare primum est Velle, nec labi via, &c. Sen. Hippol. draws the Soul to the commission of far greater, as in these licentious dayes of ours is too too apparent; How many have fallen, First to have low thoughts of the Scripture and Ordinances of God? then to slight them, afterwards to make as it were, a Nose of Wax of them, and in conclusion to cast them quite off,Tho. Brooks ut anteà. lifting up themselves, their Christ-dishonouring, and Soul-damning opinions above them, so that falling from evill to evill, from folly to folly, and as it is in all other cases of the like Nature, from being naught to be very naught,A malo ad pejus. and [Page] from very naught to be stark naught, till God in his most just Judgment sets them at nought for ever.

1919 Men to prefer suffering before Sinning.

IT is reported of that eminent servant of God Marcus Arethusus, Suidas. who in the time of Constantine, Niceph. hist. Eccles, lib, 10. cap. 9. had been the cause of overthrowing an Idoll-Temple, but Iulian coming to be the Emperour, commanded the People of that place to build it up again; all were ready so to do, onely the good Bishop dissented, whereupon they that were his own people, to whom he had formerly preached, and who (as in all probability any one would have thought) might have learn't better things, fell upon him, strip't off all his cloaths, then abused his naked body and gave it up to children and, School-boyes to be lanched with their penknives, but when all this would not do, they caused him to be set in the Sun, having his naked body anointed all over with honey, that so he might be bitten and stung to death by Flies and Wasps, and all this cruelty they exercised upon him,Ut exiguam pecunia portionem daret. Theodoreti [...] hist. lib. 3. cap. 6. because he would not do any thing towards the re-building of that Idol Temple; Nay, they came so far, that if he would give but an half-penny towards the charge, they would release him, but he refused all, though the advancing of an half-penny might have been the saving of his life, and in doing thus he did but live up to that principle, that most C [...]ristians talk of, and few come up unto. And thus it is that all of us must chuse rather to suffer the worst of torments that Men and Devills can inflict, then to commit the least Sin, whereby God should be dishonoured, our Consciences wounded, Religion reproached, and our Souls endangered.

1920 Discretion, a main part of true Wisedome.

A Father that had three Sons was desirous to try their discretions, Tho. Brooks of Assurance, in Ep. dedicat. which he did by giving to each of them an Apple that had some part of it rotten, The first eats up his Apple, rotten and all; The second throws all his away, because some part of it was rotten; But the third picks out the rotten, and eats that which was good,Tolle discretionem, et virtus vitium erit. Isidor. so that he appeared the wisest: Thus some in these daies for want of Discretion swallow down all that is presented, rotten and sound together; Others throw away all Truth, because every thing delivered unto them in not Truth; but surely they are the wisest and most discreet, that know now to try the Spirits, whether they be of God or not, how to chuse the good and refuse the evill.

1921 The difference betwixt true and feyned Love unto Christ.

VVhat Alexander said of his two Friends Hephestion and Craterus is made good in the practice of too too many in these daies;Qui [...]tus Hephestion, Curtius. saies he,Diodorus lib. 17. loves me as I am Alexander, but Crat [...]rus loves me as I am King Alexander, so that the one loved him for his Person the other for the benefits he received by him: Thus some Nathaniels there be that love Christ for his Person, for his personall excellencies, for his personal, beauty, for his personall glory, they see those perfections of grace and holin [...]sse in Christ, that would render him very lovely and desireable in their eyes, though they should never get a Kingdome, or a Crown by him;Vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum. Aug. But so it is that most of those (which is to be lamented) do it onely in respect of the benefit they receive by him, scarce any loves Christ but for his Rewards, some few there are that follow him for love, but many for the loaves; few for his inward excellencies, many for his outward advantages, and few that they may be good by him, but many that they may be made great by him.

The dangerous use of Riches.1922

[Page]

IT was a wise and Christian speech of Charls the fifth,Phil. Nepos Impp. vile. to the Duke of Venice, who when he had shewed him the Treasury of S. Mark, and the glory of his Princely Pallace, in stead of admiring it, or him for it, onely returned this grave and serious Memento, Haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori, &c. These are the things that make Men so loath to dye,Matth. 17. so that they cry out with S. Peter, Bonum est esse hîc, Phil. 1. 23. It is good to be here; but that of S. Paul, Cupio dissolvi, &c. I desire to dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is best of all, they cannot abide to hear of. Thus it is, that Riches not well used prove very dangerous; If Poverty with Saul has kill'd her thousands, Riches with David has kill'd her ten thousands; they are called thorns, and that not improperly, as piercing both head and heart,Tho. Brooks Unsearchable Riches of Christ. the head with cares in getting them, and the heart with grief in parting with them; Many are the Souls that Riches have pierced through and through with many sorrows; Many are the Minds that Riches have hlinded; Many the hearts that Riches have bardened; —Plures nimia congesta pecunia cura Strangulat. Juvenal. Sat. 10. Many the Wills that Riches have perverted; Many the Affections that Riches have disordered; Whereas the Riches that are to be found in Christ Iesus, are such as will neither harm not hurt the Soul, there was never any that was ever made worse by them.

God's Mercies to the worst of Sinners repenting.1923

There is a story concerning a great Rebell, Joh.. Bodin. Com, Weal. that had made a great party against one of the Roman Emperous; A Proclamation was thereupon sent abroad, That whoever could bring in the Rebell dead or alive, he should have a great sum of Money for his Reward; The Rebell hearing of it, comes and presenting himself before the Emperor, demands the sum of Money proposed; The Emperor bethinks himself, that if he shouldput him to death, the World would be ready to say, that he did it to save his Money, and so he freely pardoned the Rebell, Quid est pecca [...]um ad Domini misericordiam? and gave him the Money. Here now was light in a dark Lanthorn; Mercy in a very Heathen; And shall such a one do thus, that had but a drop of Mercy and compassion in him?Tela arancae quae vento flante nusquam apparet Chrys. in psal. 50. and will not Christ do much more, that hath all fulnesse of grace and Mercy in himself? Surely, his bowels yearn to the worst of Sinners repenting, let them but, come in, and they shall find him ready to pardon; yea, one that is altogether made up of pardoning Mercies, Nehem. 9. 17.

Rulers, Magistrates, &c. to be Men of publique spirits.1924

IT is written of Augustus Caesar, Macrobil Saturnal. (in whose time Christ was born) that he carried such an entire and Fatherly affection to the Common-wealth, that he called it Filiam suam, his own daughter; and for that cause refused to be called Dominus Patriae, the Lord or Master of his Country,Suetonius. because he ruled not by fear, but by love, so that at the time of his death, the People were very much troubled, and, much lamenting his losse, said; Utinam aut non nasceretur, &c. Would he had never been born, or never dyed; And such were Titus and Aristides, and many others both inMoses. N [...]hemiab. Daniel. divine and humane story, that have been famous in their generations for prefering the publick good before their own private advantage.Nec ti [...]i nec tua te moveant sed publica veta. Claud. 4. Hono. And it were heartily to be wished, that all Rulers, Magistrates, &c. may be so spirited by God, that they may be willing to be any thing, to be nothing, to empty and deny themselves, and to trample their sinfull selves under foot in order to the honour of God, and the publique good; that so neither [Page] Saints nor Heathens may be Witnesses against them in that day, wherein the hearts and practices of all the Rulers of the Earth shall be laid open and bare before him, that shall judge the World in Righteousnesse and true Judgment.

1925 The heavy weight of Government ill attained.

SIdonius Apollinaris relateth,In operibus cum Com. Joh. Savar. how a certain Man, named Maximum, who arriving at the top of greatnesse, and that by means sufficiently indirect, was the very first day of his Government much wearied and perplexed in his thoughts, insomuch, that fetching a deep sigh, he broke out into this expression; Oh, Vultu Tyrannus possit esse latissimo, Intus dolores sed fovet gravissimos. Sophocles. Damocles! how happy wast thou for having been a King but a dinnerwhile, Whereas I have been so one whole day, and cannot possibly bear it any longer: Thus without all doubt his heart and head too must needs ake, whose browes are empailed with a Crown that is ill acquired, his shoulders bow whereon lyes the weight of a Government usurped, and his hands tremble that swayes the Scepter of an ill-gotten power and dominion.

1926 Worldly Professors of the Gospel, reproved.

MElancthon tells a story of an Abbot that lived strictly, Exposit. in Evang. S. Matth. cap. 6. walked demurely, and looked humbly, so long as he was a Monk, one in somewhat a lower form in the Monastery, but when by his seeming extraordinary sanctity, he got to be Abbot, he grew intollerably proud and insolent, that being asked the reason of it,Tho. Brooks Pretious Remedies against Sathan's Devices. he confessed, That his former lowly looks were but to see, If he could find the keyes of the Abby: Such is the case of many Worldly Professors at this day, they lo [...]k low, that they may ri [...]e high, they put on Religion but as a Cloak to cover their foul designs, so that they are not acted from spirituall and intrinsecall Principles, as from the sense of divine love to act for God, sweetnesse of the Promises to wait on God, excellency of Communion with God, and pretious discoveries that the Soul hath formerly had of the beauty and glory of God; but from poor, low, vain, externall motives, as the ear of the Creature, the eye of the Creature, the rewards of the Creature, and the keeping up of a Name amongst the Creatures, and a thousand such like considerations; as in Saul, Iehu, Iudas, Demas, the Scribes and Pharisees, &c.

1927 Riches of Christ, inexhaustible.

IT is said of a Spanish Ambassador,Gui [...]iardino hist. di Italie. that coming to see that so much cryed up Treasury of S. Mark in Venice, fell a groping at the bottom of the Chests and Trunks, to see, Whether they had any bottom; And being asked the reason, Why he did so? answered, In this among other things my Masters treasure differs from yours, Terrena substantia aeternae foelicitati comparata, Greg. in homil. in that his hath no bottom, as I find yours to ha [...]e; alluding to the Mines in Mexico, Peru, and other parts of the Western India: So it may be said, and Scripture, History, and Experience, do abundantly testifie, That Mens Baggs, Purses, Coffers, and Mints may be exhausted and drawn dry; but the Riches that are to be found in Christ Iesus have no bottom, N. de Carbo de certitud. gloriae. all his baggs are bottomlesse; Millions of thousands feed upon him, and he feels it not; he is ever giving, yet his purse is never empty; alwayes bestowing himself, yet never wanting to any that faithfully seek him.

1928 Men created for the service of God.

AS we see Birds make their nests and breed up their young;B. P. The Prentices practice in Godlinesse. beasts make a ss [...]ffle for their fodder and pasture; Fishes float up and down Rivers; Trees bear fruit; Flowers send forth their sweet odours; Herbs their secret Virtues; Fire with all its might ascending upward; Earth not resting, till it come into [Page] its proper center; Waters floating and posting with their waves upon the neck of one another, till they meet in the bosome of the Ocean; And Ayr pushing into every vacuity under Heaven. Shall we then think, or can we possibly imagine, that God the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, having assigned to every thing in the World some particular end, and (as it were) impressed in their Nature an appetite and desire to that end continually, as to the very point and scope of their being;O [...] homini sublime dedit caelum (que) tueri, &c. that Man (the most noble Creature) for whom all things were made, should be made in vain, as not having his peculiar end proportionably appointed to the noblenesse of his quality? yes, doubtlesse, that God that can never erre, Ovid. M [...]t. 1. nor over-see in his Works, hath allotted unto Man the Worship and Service of himself, as the main object and ayming point, whereto he ought to lead and refer himself all the dayes of his life.

Prudentiall part of a Man to do as well as he may.1929

PAlinurus in the Poet,Vir [...]il. Aeneid. lib. 5. finding that he could not sayl against the wind into Italy, steered his course by the approbation of Aeneas into Sicily, a place where they had before been friendly entertained. Thus it is a great point of Wisdome, the onely prudentiall part of any Man, who when he cannot sayl by a fore-wind where he would (and happily where he should) to tack about, —Qu [...] fata trabunt, retra [...]uns (que) sequamur. Virgil. and sayl by a bowling or side-wind, or at leastwise to cast anchor where he with most safety may, however to strike sail, rather then perish in the storm, and to sit down contented with what he can do, when he cannot do what he otherwise would.

Gods dwelling in the Soul that truly fears him.1930

IT hath been an usual observation, that when the Kings Porter stood at the gate,Rich. de Mediavilla Progres. Coelestis. and suffered none to come in without examination, What he would have, that then the King was within; But when the Porter was absent, and the gates open to receive all that came, then it was an Argument of the Kings absence. So in a Christian, such is the excellency of the Fear of God, that when it is present, as a Porter shutting the doors of the senses, that they see not, hear not what they list, it is an Argument, the Lord of that house, even God himself is within; but when this Fear is away, a free entrance is given to all the most dissolute desires, so that it is an infallible demonstration of Gods removall from such a Soul.

The praise-worthinesse of reading and enquiring into the Scripture.1931

MAny have thought Agesilaus, Panormit. Xenophon in orat. de Laud. Agesilai. that most wi [...]e and excellent King of Sparta' worthy of all commendations, that he would never go to bed, not rise up before he had looked into Homer, whom he called Amasium suum, his Sweetheart; but others have extolled Alphonsus King of Arragon, for reading the Scriptures fourteen times over with glosses and expositions; And the Emperor Theodosius the second, for reading Prayers, and singing Psalms every Morning with his Family;Socratis. hist Eccles. Plutatch. Moral. Nay, Scipio Africanus was thought worthy of commendations, that he had usually in his hands the books of Xenophon's Institution of Cyrus, which yet were rather written according to the form of a just Empire, then the truth of the history. O, but how much more praise-worthy are they that read and enquire into the holy Scriptures, such as with David make the Law of God their delight and Counsellor, such as consult those blessed Oracles of Truth, and with those noble Bereans are upon the search, Whether the things spoken, or any otherwise delivered as concerning God, be so or not, Act. 9.

1932 Truth of Religion, lost (as it were) in the crowd of many Religions.

[Page]

AS ingenious Florists, Ed. Water-house to pick the purses of witty persons, delighted with their art, have so heightned flowers by transplantations, preparations of mold,Discourse of the Piety, Charity, &c. of elder Times. adumbrations of them at unbenigne seasons of the year, by cutting their roots, and sundry such, not uncommendable, feats of their skill; so that out of one single root of a Lilly, hath come forth an hundred and odde blowings, and am [...]ngst Roses, gilly-flowers, and Pionies, incredible Varieties. So out of the doctrines, the glorious and pure doctrines of Faith, which the Apostles and their Followers comprised in, Repent and believe, there is put forth such an Ocean of points of Religion, and all of them pressed on the People to be believed, that that it is hard to find Truth in the crowd of contests about her, and easie to mistake, Io [...]. 20. 15. as Mary did the Gardiner for Christ, Error for Truth, both pretending their Ius Divinum's, their authoritative confidences, as their just titles to Mens beliefs, and blaming Men as restive and sottish, if they resign not themselves to a senselesse, and universall credulity; When all this while, the truth of Religion, is in the heat of so much contention, and in the midst of so much contradictory Profession (as it were) quite lost and over-clowded.

1933 Ministers of all men, not to be found trucking for Preferment.

IN the time of King Rufus, there was an Abbots place void,Radulph Hollingshed, Chron. pag. 18, 19. and two Monks of the Covent went to the Court, resolving to bid largely for it; The King perceiving their covetise, lookt about his Privy-chamber, and there espyed a private Monk that came to bear the other two company; and looking on him, guessed him the more sober and pious Man: The King calling him, asked; What he would give to be made Abbot of the Abby: Nothing, Sir, (quoth he) For I entred into this profession of meer Zeal, to the end that I might more quietly serve God in purity and holinesse of Conversation; Sayest thou so, replyed the King, then thou art he that art worthy to govern the whole Covent. Thus it is, that every good Man is contented to be in his station, to sit below till he hear the Governours voyce calling unto him,Luke 14. 10. Friend, sit up higher, to walk before God in the light of his own candle, to keep in the warrantable circuit of his Vocation, and if he see dangerous honours pursue him,Psal. 55. 6. he flyes for it, and with David wishes, that he had the wings of a Dove,Ed. Water-house, ut anteà. that he might flye away and be at rest: But what a sad thing must it needs be then, to see Ministers, Men in holy orders, greedy after and trucking for Church-preferment, ravelling out their lives in progging after great Friends and Fortunes, as if Godlinesse were a Bustrophe, a course of going backward and forward to the right and left hand for advantage sake.

1934 God onely able to perswade the Heart fully.

A Smith that undertakes to make a Key to open such a lock that is out of order, must of necessity first know all the wards, J. Preston Sermon on Eccles. 9. 1, 2, &c. else he may make a key that will not fit; he may endeavour, but not be able to turn the lock. Thus it is, that whereas there are in the heart of Man so many windings, so many turnings, such a Labyrinth, such a depth in it, that in the eye of humane reason there's no possibility to find out the bottom thereof; How then is it to be imagined, that the most knowing quick-sighted Man should be able fully to pers [...]ade the Heart? Act. 1. 2 4. Gomarus. He cannot; that's peculiar to God onely, He is that great [...] that onely knowes all the inwards, all the secret passages, all the cunning contrivances, and all the crosse-wards of the Heart, to him onely belongeth [Page] that especiall key of David; Apoc. 3. 7. It is he that can best unlock the Heart, answer all objections, enlighten all the corners, turn all the wheels of the Soul, suit and fit the Heart with such arguments as shall be effectual to Perswasion.

Ingratitude condemned.1935

PHilip of Macedon, hearing of one in his Kingdom,Plutarch. moral. that refused most unthankfully to receive a stranger, of whom he had been formerly succoured in a time of extream need, as having lost all he had by a wrack at Sea, caused him to be worthily punished, by branding in his Forehead these two letters,Th. Zuingeri, [...]eat. hum. vitae. J. H. i. e. Ingratus Hospes, The unthankful guest. Now if every unthankful Man were thus used, there would be many a blistered Fore-head amongst us; O the unthankfulnesse that we shew unto God, who, when we were strangers to him, ship-wrackt even in an Ocean of Sin, sent his Son Christ Iesus to deliver us,Quam cit [...] mortalibus Beneficium perit, &c. Sophocles in Ajace. yet we refuse to receive him, to relieve him in his distressed Members, and to be obedient to his blessed commands; And then our Ingratitude to one another is such, that though we come off with smooth fronts here in this World, yet such characters of shame and confusion are engraven on our Souls, that Men and Angels shall read them with amazement, when the books shall be laid open, Dan. 7. 10.

The unhappinesse of a disordered Family.1936

IT is said of that right Religious and worthy George Prince of Anhalt, That his very Bed-Chamber was a Church,Abrah. [...]. a University, and a Court,Phil. Melancthon in Praefat. 5. tom. oper. M. Luther. wherein besides the dispatch of civil businesse, there was daily praying, reading, writing, yea and preaching too; so that it cannot be imagined, that the noble Earl having a Church for God in his Chamber, should suffer a Temple to Bacchus in his Cellar. But (which is to be lamented) in too too many Families, Venus hath her Altar in the Chamber, and Bacchus his Sacrifice in the Buttery, which two having shared their Devoto's, What a poor third must be left for God and his People to delight in? Ioshua's resolution for the better ordering his houshould;Iish. 24. 15. Psalm 101. and Davids vow for reformation of his Family are little set by; Let but a servant fail in the neglect of his Masters profit, or in the carelesse performance of his place, what ado is there? yet in the mean time, though the same servant be ignorant, scandalous, and what not? altum silentium, there's no notice taken of it at all.

Signs of Heaven, as Sun, Moon, with their Eclipses, &c. as we are not to be dismaied at them, so not to be contemners of them.1937

PEricles the great and famous Athenian, who in the beginning of the Peloponesian war,Plutarch in vita. being ready with a great Fleet of an hundreth and Fifty Ships to Loyse up sail, was presented (even as he went up into his Gally) with a great and terrible Eclipse of the Sun, which made the sky so dark that some of the bigger Stars appeared; At which the Governour of the Ship was sore affrighted, and the reupon with therest of the company refused to set sail; which when Pericles perceived (either truly contemning the threatnings of the Stars, or fearing that the hearts of his Souldiers should fail) he put his cloak for a while before the Governours eyes, and then by and by taking it away again, asked him; If that which he had done with his Cloak portended any thing; To whom the Governour answered, No; No more, saith he, maist thou think is signified by this Eclipse though the Moon be now betwixt the Sun and our sight: Which being said, he commanded that they should hoyse up Sail and be gon about the intended expedition: But this of Pericles was surely an overbold presumption, as in the end appeared, [Page] there being soon after not onely misery brought upon his own Country and dishonour upon himself, but all Greece wasted under the sad calamity of a long lasting War: Thus it is, that; as the signs of Heaven, such as the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon, Comets, &c. are not things whereat we should after an Heathenish manner be dismaid, so should we not contemn them nor the signification intended by them,Joh. Swan Signa Coeli, Serm. 1652. they are called by the name of influences, Iob 38. 31. from the Greek word [...] from [...] and [...] super et fluo, that is to flow into or upon; they must needs then have some object to flow into, or work upon, and by their working they speak to all those who will but lend an Ear to hear them,Praestat tamen teipsum cognoscere quam siderum cursus, vim herbarum, &c. Bern. medit. that is to us who are here below, who inhabit this dull dark Globe of Mortality, over whose heads they hang, that casting our eyes upon them, we may not onely behold them, but according to that Wisedome which God hath given us look into their significations by considering their motions, configurations, Risings, Settings, Aspects, Occultations, Eclipses, Conjunctions, and the like.

1938 The severall books of God, slighted and neglected by the most of Men.

IT is usual and well-known that Children sport themselves and play with the pictures in a book, gaze upon the golden cover, Psalm. 19. 1, 2. and admire the Silken strings, but all this while they little mind what is in the book: Thus it is that whereas God hath four especiall books, S. Rutherford Serm. at Westm. 1643. First that of the Creation a large and visible book. Secondly, that of ordinary providence, which is a kind of Chronicle or Diurnal of a God-head and a testimony that there is a God.Act. 14. 7. Thirdly,Dan. 6. 26. that of the extraordinary works, Conscientia codex est, in quo peccata conscribuntuy, &c. reaching upon occasion even to Nations without the borders of the visible Church. Lastly, the book of Mans Conscience, a book that though here by reason of our sinfull blindnesse, it may seem to be uncorrected, dim printed,Chrysoft. in Psalm. and written with white and waterish ink, so that God is not at present s [...]en distinctly in it, yet this book together with the rest are but plaid withall, slighted and neglected, the most of Men looking upon them but not into them, are able to discourse of them, but have no mind to be truly informed by them; so that if the Heathen be left without excuse, Rom. 1. 20. What shall become of Christians, knowing Christians, to whom is shewed a more excellent way, Psalm 19. 7?

1939 Gods decree of Election, not to be made the proper object of Faith.

SUppose a rope cast down into the Sea for the relief of a company of poor ship-wrack't Men ready to perish, and that the People in the Ship or on the shore should cry out unto them to lay hold on the rope, S. Rutherford ut suprà. that they may be saved; Were it not unseasonable and foolish curiosity for any of those poor distressed Creatures, now at the point of death to dispute, whether did the Man that cast the rope intend and purpose to save me or not, and so minding that which helpeth not, neglect the means of safety offered; Or as a Prince proclaiming a free market of Gold, fine linnen, rich garments, pretious Jewells and the like to a number of poor Men upon a purpose to enrich some few of them, whom of his meer Grace he purposeth to make honourable Courtiers, and great Officers of State; Were it fitting that all these Men should stand to dispute the Kings favour, but rather that they should repair to the Market, and by that means improve his favour so gratiously tendered unto them: Thus it is that Christ holdeth forth (as it were) a Rope of Mercy to poor drowned and lost Sinners, and setteth out an open Market of Heavenly treasure, it is our parts then without any further dispute to look upon it as a Principle afterwards to be made good, that Christ hath gratious thoughts towards us, but for the present to lay hold on the [Page] rope, ply the Market, and husband well the Grace that is offered. And as the condemned Man believeth first the Kings favour to all humble supplyants, before he believe it to himself; so the order is, being humbled for sin to adhere to the goodnesse of the promise, not to look to Gods intention in a personall way, but to his complacency and tendernesse of heart to all repentant Sinners; this was S. Pauls method, embracing by all means that good and faithfull saying; Iesus Christ came to save Sinners, before he ranked himself in the front of those sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15.

1940 Justice moderated.

IT is observeable that by the place of that sign in the Zodiack, which (according to the doctrine of the Astronomers) is called,Jos. Caryl Inaugurat. Serm. at Westm. 1643. The Virgin; the Lyon is placed on the one side, and the Ballance on the other; The Lyon bidding (as it were) the Virgin Iustice, be stout and fearlesse; the Ballance minding her to weigh all with moderation and be cautious: Thus it is that Iustice may be said to be remisse when it spares where it ought to punish, and such sparing is Cruelty; And Iudgment may be said to be too severe, when it punisheth where it ought to spare; and rigorous, if at any time it be more then the Law requires and if at all times it be so much. Extream right often proves extream wrong,Summum jus summa injuris. And he that alwaies doth so much as the Law allows, shall often do more then the Law requires; —Adsit Regula peccatis, quae poenas irroget aequas. Horat. Whereas the Righteousnesse of God, calls not for an Arithmeticall proportion, i. e. at all times and on all occasions to give the same award upon the same Law, but leaves a Geometricall proportion, that the consideration of circumstances, may either encrease or allay the censure.

Neutrality in Church or State, condemned.1941

THere is mention made of a certain Despot of Servia (which in the Eastern parts of the World is as much as a Governour or Ruler of the Country) that living among the Christians, kept correspondence with the Turks, R. Knoles Turk. hist. was a publick worshipper of Christ, yet a secret circumcised Turk, so that the Turkish mark might save him if need were:Intus Nero, [...]oris Cato. And such are all Neutralists whether in Church or State, such as under pretence of benefactors for Christ, drive a Trade for the Devill and Antichrist,St. Marshall Serm. at Westm. 1643. such as Trade in both India's, have a stock going on both sides, that so they may save their own stake which side soever win or lose, and live in a whole skin, whatever become of Church or State, and by this means procuring external safety with the certain ruine of their most pretious and immortall Souls.

The great danger of not standing fast in the Profession of Religion.1942

IT is observeable that an heard of Cattel being ship' [...] for Sea, when the storm doth roll the Ship on the one side,Joh. Bond, Eshcola; A Serm. at Westm. 1648. the brutish heard run all over to the other, thinking thereby to avoid the tosse; but their weight soon brings back the Vessel, and then they flee over to the old side again, and so the ship is oft-times over-set, and all are drown'd at last: And such is the danger of all those who do not stand fast in their holy Profession, that do not maintain their ground, keep close to their station, and stand upright in the wayes of God;Frequens migratio instabilis est animi. For whilst they are not true to their Principles, but affected with every novelty in Religion, now of this Church or Congregation, anon of that, and it may be after a while of neither; Paschal. de Virt. et vitiis. no wonder, if being given over to strong delusions, they believe a lye, and make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience to their eternall ruine.

1943 Life, liberty, estate, &c. to be undervalued, when Religion is in danger of losing.

[Page]

IT is storied of Epaminondas, that exquisite Theban Commander,Trogus lib. 6. Plutarch in Parallel. that having received his deaths wound by a spear in a battel against the Lacedemonians, the Spears head remained in the wound, till he heard that his Army had got the Victory, and then he rejoycingly commanded it to plucked out; his bloud and life issuing out both together, with these words in his mouth; Satis vixi, Aemil. Pr [...]b. in vita. invictus enim morior, I have lived enough, that dye unconquered; And being told a little before his death, That however he had lost his life, yet his shield was safe; he broke out by way of exultation, Vester Epaminondas cum sic moritur, non moritur, your Epaminondas thus dying, doth not dye. Thus it is, that life, liberty, estate, relation of Wife, Children, Friends and all must be laid aside, Qui (que), perit Christi causa, periisse juvabit. when the Cause of God suffers, when Religion lyes at the stake bleeding even to death: And certainly that estate is well weakened, that strengthens the power of Religion; and that life well lost, that helps to save the life of Truth; and yet a life so lost, is not lost at all, but saved, Mark 8. 35.

1944 The Churche's Fall, the Churche's Rise.

Suppose a stranger, Joh. Green Fast-Serm. at Westm. 1644. one that never heard of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, should come to some Navigable River, as to the Thames side at an high water, and should there observe how much it fell in six or seven hours, Would he not conclude,Nihil violtentum est perpetuum. Osiandri, Cent. 4. cap. 5. That after that rate the River would run it self dry in a short time? Whereas they that are acquainted with the Tides, know for certain, that when the Ebbe is at the lowest, the tide of a rising Water is upon the return. Thus it is with the Church of God, it may seem to be at a dead low water, and in a sinking condition, but even then its lowest estate is an immediate Fore-runner of its raising again: As for instance, the most raging and violent of those Ten bloudy Persecutions,Seth Calvisuis in Chronolog. 298. was that of Dioclesian, but (by the great mercy of God) attended by the mild and peaceable times of Constantius the Father, and Constantine the Son; All Ages from time to time making this out for a Truth, that the darkest and saddest night of sorrow that ever befell the Church of God, hath been followed with a gladsome and comfortable morning of joy, that its worst condition was but as a leading card to bring in dayes of more rejoycing.

1945 Prayer, a spirituall prevailing sword.

IT is said of Constantine the Great, That after God had blessed and honoured him with many Victories,Niceph hist. Eccles. lib. 12. whereas the Effigies of other Emperours were engraven upon their loynes in a triumphant manner, he would be set in a posture of Prayer, kneeling, to manifest unto the World, that he attributed all his Victories more to his Prayers then his Sword. Iudg. 20. 2. And surely Prayer is a prevailing sword,Esay 37. 36. it can give Victory in doubtful battels, it can raise the most confident and desperate Siege;Psal. 57. 5. What was said of the Wicked, their tongue is a sharp sword, swords are in their lips, may be truly said of the tongues and lips of Gods people in Prayer, Fl [...]ctitur iratus voce rogante Deus. Ovid, Amor. they are as two-edged swords in their hands to execute Vengeance; And without all doubt, Gods enemies have often found the power of this sword of Prayer; and those which are the Lords people, may say of this, as David once said of that which was Goliah's, There is none like that, give it me, 1 Sam. 21. 9.

The losse of good Men not laid to heart, condemned.1946

[Page]

AS you may see a silly Hen go clocking and scraping in the midst of her chickens; then comes the Kite and snatcheth away first one, then another, after that a third, till all are gone, And the Hen brustles and flutters a little when any of them is so snatched away, but returns instantly to her scraping and picking,Funerall Sermons. as if she had lost nothing. Even so do the most of Men, God hath in these later times made many great and lamentable breaches amongst us, top'd the greatest Cedars in this our Lebanon, depriv'd us of many excellent Men both in Church and State, and we (it may be for a moment) bewail their losse in some such like passionate expression,Pretiosa debet esse mors bonorum &c. There is a brave Man lost, I am sorry such a Man is dead,Isid. de sum. bono. &c. and then every one goeth on again in his own way, presently forgetting the losse; but no Man sitteth alone by himself to enquire, What God hath done, and What he meaneth to do with us, or What we have done to provoke him thus far against us; We thrust such thoughts far away from us, passing by on the other side, as the Priest and Levite did by the wounded Man, as if it nothing at all concerned us.

The woful gradation of Sin.1947

AS Marriners setting sayl, first lose sight of the shore, N [...]mo fit repentè p [...]ssimus. Juvenal. then of the houses, then of the steeples, and then of Mountains and Land; And as those that are way-laid by a Consumption, first lose vigour, then stomach, and then colour. Thus it is, that Sin hath its wofull gradations, None declines to the worst at first; Lust having conceived, brings forth Sin, and so proceeds to finishing: as thus,Iam 1. 15. Sin hath its conception, that's delight; and its formation, that's design; and its birth, that's the acting, and Custome is the education of the brat, then followes a reprobate sense, and the next step is Hell to all eternity.

The great danger of admitting the least Sin.1948

As when Pompey could not prevail with a City to billet his Army with them he yet perswaded them to admit of a few weak maimed Souldiers, but those soon recovered their strength,Plutarchi vitae. and opened the gates to the whole Army. And thus it is,Will Price Serm, at Wesim. 1646. that the Devill courts us onely to lodge some small sins, a sin of infirmity or two, which being admitted, they soon gather strength and sinews, and so subaue us; How many have set up a trade of swearing with common interlocutory oaths, as Faith and Truth? How many have begun thieving with pins and pence? How many drunkennesse with one cup more then enough? How many Lust with a glance of the eye? and yet none of them ever dreamt they should be prostituted to those prodigious extremities, they afterwards found themeselves almost irrecoverably ingulfed in.

Destruction is from our selves.1949

AS Noah was drunk with his own Wine; Goliah beheaded by his own swords;R. Vines Serm, at S. Laurence-Iury, Loud. 1654. The Rose destroyed by the canker bred in it self: the breast by a self-bred wolf: the apple by the worm: the dams belly eaten through by the young Vipers; Agrippina kill'd by Nero, to whom the gave breath. So we are undone by our selves, our destruction is of ourselves. Hos. 15. 9. The cup of the bitter waters of Marah and Meribah, that we have and do drink so deep of, is of our own mingling and embittering, the rods that scourge us are of our own making; Sin like a Fryer whips its self; Lipsius. Punishment is connate, innate to Sin; Fools, because [Page] cause of their Iniquities are afflicted, saith David. Psalm 107. 17. We may thank our own Folly for our own bane.

1950 Man not to be trusted unto.

IT is reported of Caesar Borgis, Guicciardin. hist. di Ital. one of Pope Alexander's ungodly bastards, that having built infinite projects upon his interest in so holy a Father, when news was brought him of his sodain death, cryed out, This I never thought upon, O fallacem hominum fragilem (que) Spem. Cic. de orat. now my designs are all lost; which fell out accordingly. Thus for a certain, Whoever it be that looks for much from Men, how great, how potent, how excellent soever, will prove like those who go to Lotteries with their heads full of hopes, and return with their hearts full of blanks, and be forced to lay his hand upon his mouth, and say; What a Fool was I to expect any great things from Man, whose breath is in his nostrils, Isay 2. 22.

1951 Afflictions though grievous, yet profitable.

SUppose that a Man were driven to great straights in the want and need of these outward things, as not knowing at present which way to turn himself, so that walking sad and solitary in the streets, some Friend of his taking notice of his condition,Alphons. Salmeron de miracul. in Ioh. 3. should from a Chamber-window, or the like place, throw down a bag of money unto him, and by the fall thereof should hurt his hands, or break his head, so that the poor Man not perceiving at present what his matter was, should be much daunted and grieved, at the multiplying of his sorrows; but after some small time having recollected himself, and finding the bag not to be filled with stones but silver, whereby he should be enabled to pay his debts and have somewhat to spare for the better maintenance of himself and Family, Would he not soon forget the breaking of his head, love his Friend never the lesse, and fall into a serious and hearty thanksgiving, that ever he was so happily wounded▪ Thus it is that there is no Affliction so grievous but it brings comfort with it, there is no persecution be it never so bitter but brings a bag of Gold,Sol nubibus obtectus, laetius postea splendet, &c. Nazianz. in orat. de Cryprian. joy unspeakable to Gods people, and though it may somewhat hurt them in the fall, yet by that time they have picked out the Gold, tasted of the comfort thereof, they will love God the more, and cry out with David; It is good for me that ever I was afflicted, Psalm 119.

1952 The excellency of divine Meditation.

LUther relates a story of two Cardinals riding to the Councel of Constance; Mart. Luther declamat. popularis de tertio praecepto, tom. 1. by the way they heard a Shepheard weeping and bewailing himself bitterly; One of the Cardinalls moved with compassion, turned aside out of the way to comfort him as his necessity should require, and he found him looking on an ugly Toad; and he told him, he could not but weep in consideration of the goodnesse of God and his own unthankfulnesse, that God had not made him, such a Creature as that Toad, with which the Cardinal was so affected that he fell off his Mule in a swound, and coming to himself again, he continually cryed out; Well said S. Augustine, Indocti rapiunt coelum, &c. The unlearned take Heaven by violence,W. Strong Sermon at Westm. 1646. and we with all our learning, wallow in the delights of Flesh and bloud: Thus it is that the meditating Christian makes out some spiritual advantage upon all that he hears and sees, if he see nothing of God in those things which the World counts great, Adversa rerum, vel secunda praedicat, Meditanda cunctis comicus Terentius. Auson. he looks upon them as nothing, as Honour a bubble, Wordly pomp a Fancy, the Rich man a lye; There's not a beast of the Field, a Fish in the Sea, a Foul of the Ayre, no not the least pile of grasse that he treads on but affords him a meditation; And as to the matter of Providence, there's not the falling of a Sparrow, the turning of the wind, the changing of Counsells, the alteration of affections, or the answer of [Page] the Tongue, b [...]t he takes notice of them in a way of Spirituall improvement.

God onely to be worshipped as the great Creator of Heaven and Earth.1953

IT is the observation of one well skil'd in the Iewish learning,Joh, Weemse Christ. Synag. that there is onely one verse in the Prophecy of the Prophet Ieremy which is written in the Chaldee tongue, all the rest being in the Hebrew, Chap. 10. 11. viz. So shalt thou say to them,Iustum est ut creatura laudet Creatorem [...] &c. Aug. in lib. support. part. 3. Cursed be the Gods who made neither Heaven nor Earth; and this so done by the Holy Ghost on purpose, that the Iews when they were in captivity and solicited by the Chaldeans to worship false Gods, might be able to answer them in their own language, Cursed by your gods, we will not worship them, for they made neither Heaven nor Earth: Thus it is that God onely is to be worshipped as the great Creator of all things, God must have the glory in all, being the maker of all; The whole scope of Psalm 147. & 148. tend to this effect, that God must be praised because he is Creator of all things; Let any make a World and he shall be a God,De civitat. Dei. lib. 5. cap. 20. saith S. Augustine; hence is it that the holy Catholique Church maketh it the very first Article of her Creed to believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth; and particular Churches abroad begin their publique devotions thus, Our help be in the name of the Lord who hath made both Heaven and Earth; Let us then with the four and twenty Elders fall down before him and say; Thou art worthy O Lord to receive honour, glory and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created, Rev. 4. 11.

The Religious Hypocrite discovered.1954

IT is observeable, that the Eagle soareth on high, little intending to fly to Heaven, but to gain her prey: And so it is,pet. Bales Serm. on Iam. 3. 2. that many do carry a great deal of seeming devotion in lifting up their eyes towards Heaven; but they do it, onely to accomblish with more ease, safety, and applause their wicked and damnable designes here on Earth; such as without are Cato's, within Nero's; hear them, no Man better; search and try them, no Man worse; they have Iacob's voice,—Verbis aliud prodit quam mente volutat. Lat. [...]x Homer. but Esau's hands; They professe like Saints, but practise like Sathans; they have their long prayers, but short preyings; They are like Apothecaries gally-pots, having without the title of some excellent preservative, but within they are full of deadly poyson; Counterfeit holinesse is their cloak for all manner of Villanies and the Midwife to bring forth all their Divellish designs.

Men by Nature hardly brought to the Confession of their sins.1955

IT is said of the Elephant, that before he drink in the River,Plin. hist. lib. 7. cap. 4. he troubleth the Water with his feet, that so he may not see his own deformity; And it is usual with such as are well struck in years, not so much to mind the Looking-glasse; least therein they behold nothing but hollow eyes, pale checks, and a wrinkled front,Biga salutis Dom. 8. post Pentecost. the ruines of a sometime more beautifull Visage: Thus it is, that Men by Nature are hardly drawn to the confession of their sins, but every Man is ready to hide his sins by excusing them with Aaron, by colouring them with fair pretences, as did the Iews, by laying them on others as Adam did, or by denying them with Solomons harlots, they are ready to decline Sin through all the cases (asT Adams in a Serm. at S. Greg. Lond. 1619. one said wittily,) In the Nominative by Pride: In the Genitive by Luxury; In the Dative by Bribery; In the Accusative by Detraction; in the Vocative [Page] by Adulation; In the Ablative by Extortion, but very loath to acknowledg them in any case, very hardly brought to make any Confession of them at all.

1956 Not to murmure under Affictions, And why so?

SUppose a Man to have a very fair house to dwell in,Seneca de tranquil. animi. with spatious Orchards and Gardens set about with brave tall Trees both for use and ornament; What a most unreasonable thing were it in this Man to murmure, because the wind blows a few leaves off the Trees, though at the same instant of time, they are fully laden with fruit?—Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est. Thus if God take a little and leave us much, shall we be discontent? If he take an onely Son, and give us his own Son; if he cause the Trees to bring forth fruit; shall we be angry if the Wind blow away the leaves? —dabit Deus meliora. Virgil. Shall we murmure and repine at light and momentary afflictions when God at the same time is preparing for us a far more exceeding weight of glory?

1957 A great exceeding mercy to be one of Gods dearest Children.

IT is observeable in Scripture, that God hath alwaies had Saints be severall degrees and sizes,R. Venning Canaans flowings. Luke 9. 28. and that some of them have had more communion with him then others; From among the multitude he chose twelve to be with him; from among the twelve he chose three (Peter, Iames, and Iohn,) which were è secretioribus of the privy Councell; from among the three he chose out John as his peculiar darling and bosome Favourite, of whom it's said five times, that he was the Disciple whom Jesus loved: Ioh. 21. 7. 20. So now to this day, God hath his babes who eat milk and nothing else,Matth. 21. 16. his Children who know their Fathers will and are assured of his love,1 Sam. 25. 12, 36. his young Men who go out to war; and the Fathers in Israel, whose gray-headed experience and wisedome abounds, for they knew him from the beginning; But is it not a great mercy to be one of Gods, though but one of his little ones, Praestat esse serus Domini quam servorum Dominus. Aug. yea the least of all, to be a Star though not of the first magnitude, to be a Disciple though not a John, nor one of the three, nor one of the seventy; but to be a John, a darling, to lean on his breast, to lye in his bosome, O how great a mercy? 'tis mercy to be new born, though one be but newly and as one newly-born, but to grow up to a perfect stature, to be a Man in Christ Iesus, O how great a mercy.

1958 Removall of Good men by Death, a Forerunner of Judgment.

EVen as a carefull Mother, Ed. Dunstervile, A Serm. at the Fun. of Sir Sim. Harcourts, 1642. who seeing her child in the way when a company of unruly horses run through the streets in a full carrere, she presently w [...]ips up the child in her arms and takes him home; Or as the Hen seeing the ravenous Kite hovering over her head, she clocks and gathers her chickens under her wings: Even so when God hath a purpose to bring a lingring heavy calamity upon a Land, it hath been usuall with him to call and cull out to himself such as are his dearly beloved; When some fatall Judgment hovers like a flying fiery scrole over a Land, or people, he gathers many of his choice servants unto himself,In vita per Anonym. that he may preserve them from the evill to come; Thus was S. Augustine removed a little before Hippo (wherein he dwelt) was taken; Paraeus dead before Heidelberg was sacked;Melch. Adamus in vita. And Luther taken off before Germany was overrun with war and bloud-shed; Nay, what else can be the meaning, [Page] that of late so many lights, so many eminent ones have been extinguished in this Nation, but to fore-signify the great darknesse that without Gods great mercy is inevitably coming upon us.

Worldly-minded-Men little think of Heaven, And why so?1959

THere is a fable, how that a Wools being exceeding hungry,Meland [...]i Ioco-seria. came into a Tanners yard, and there espying raw hides in the pit, had a great mind to have eaten of them, but being covered with water could not tell how to come at them; at last he resolves to drink up the water, but after a while his belly was so full, that he had no mind at all to the hides:Alphons. ab Avendan. in Psal. 119. This is the case of all Earthly-minded-Men that being filled with the things of this World, they have no stomach to the things that are more Heavenly, having dined with all the dainties as Earth can present, such as honours, riches, and the like, they have no appetite to the supper of the Lamb Christ Iesus, at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Christ ready to revenge himself upon the Enemies of his Church.1960

IT is said of Lions, Aeliani Var. hist. lib. 2. cap. 5. citat. per Ulyss. that as they are mindfull of courtesies received (witnesse the story of Androdus that fugitive servant of Rome) so they will be sure to revenge injuries done to them, They will prey on them that would make a prey of them;Aldrovand. de quadruped. When Iuba King of the Moors march't through the desart of Africa, a young Man of his Company wounded a Lyon; but the year following when Iuba returned, the Lyon again meets the Army, and from among them all singles out the Man that hurt him, and tears him in pieces, suffering the rest to passe by in peace and safety: Thus it is, that Christ Iesus that Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah is alwaies ready to revenge the cause of his Church, and take Vengeance on all that have wounded him, or his People, Ecclesiae suae Deus judex est et vindex. such as will prey on them shall be made a prey to him; And though they wound them in their passage through the Wildernesse of this World,Isid. de sum. bono. yet certainly, when he comes again to judg the World, he will single out all that shoot their arrows at him or his, or him in his Members, and will without mercy tear them in pieces; But as for the peaceable, peace be to them and the whole Israel of God.

Christ, the Saints wonder and admiration.1961

THe Sun is gazed on by all the World with admiration, yea it is so admired that by many it is adored, Matth. Dresserus de statu Relig. in Persias. and worshipped for a God, as by the Persians at this day: And many insensible Creatures (some by opening and shutting, as Marigolds and Tulips; others by bowing and inclining the head as the Solsequy and Mallow flowers) are sensible of its presence and absence; there seems to be such a sympathy, that, if the Sun be gon or clouded, they wrap up themselves, or hang their heads, as unwilling to be seen by any eye but his that fills them: Thus it is, and that in a far more larger sense,Esay. that Christs name is Wonderfull; Angels and Saints for love, the World and Devills for fear wonder at him; The Saints (duly and truly) adore him for their God,R. Venning Myst. and Revelat. and were there ten thousand Suns, the Saints would admire Christ ten thousand times more then them all; He doth so attract and ravish their hearts by the beaming forth of his love-rayes on them, that they seem to be sick and dying if they be not with Christ, they open when Christ comes and shut when Christ withdraws, and will not be kiss'd by any lips, nor embraced by any arms but his, Cant. 5. 8.

1962 Christ's Watchfullnesse over his People for Good.

[Page]

IT hath been a tradition that Lyons are insomnes, Oppianus. Plin. hist. lib. 3. cap. 5. that they sleep not; It may be they sleep not so much as other Creatures do, yet that they sleep not at all were absurd to think; however their eye-lids being too little to cover their great eyes, they do sleep with their eyes somewhat open, and shining, which hath occasioned it to be supposed that they slept not at all:Ulyss. Aldrovandi. lib. de Quadrup [...]d. But most true it is that Iesus Christ, who is the keeper of Israel, neither slumbreth nor sleepeth, never shuts his eyes but hath them alwaies open upon the Just, he winks not so much as to the twinkling of an eye; He alwaies stands Centinel for his People, and ever looking about him to see if any danger be approaching, he watcheth over his People for good.

1963 Times redemption.

THere is mention made of Archias a Lacedemonian, Plutarch in lib. Moral. that whilst he was riotting and quaffing in the midst of his cups, one delivers him a letter, purposely to signify, that there were some that lay in wait to take away his life, and withall desires him to read it presently, because 'twas a serious businesse and matter of high concernment;Th. Zuingeri, theat. hum. vitae. Oh, said he, seria cras, I will think of serious things to morrow; but that night he was slain: Thus it is very dangerous putting off that to another day, which must be done to day, or else undone to morrow; Nunc aut nunquam, Qui [...]on est h [...]die, cras minus aptus erit. Hora senescimus, effugit aetas. Sen. Hippolyt. Now or never was the saying of old; If not done now, it may never be done, and then undone for ever; Eternity depends on this moment of time, What would not a man give for a day, when it is a day too late: Let every Man therefore consider in this his day, to day whilst it is day to do the things of his peace, least they should be hid from his eyes, and so, whilst like a blind Sodomite he grope to find a dore of hope, sire and Brimstone rain about his ears from Heaven against which he hath so highly offended.

1964 Men not easily brought to believe the Worlds vanity.

A Gentlewoman (some piece of Vanity no doubt) being told that the World and all the glory thereof was but Vanity, R. Venning Milk and Honey. Vanity of Vanities all's but Vanity, so said Solomon; 'Tis true (said she) Solomon did say so, but he tried first whether it were so or not, Vanitas vanitatus omnia vanitas, &c. and so will I: Thus it is that most of us are very hardly drawn to believe the Worlds vanity, as that he Wisedome thereof is but enmity with God, Hunc versiculum si saperent homines, qui in potentia et divitiis versantur, &c. the riches thereof nothing available, the Honours thereof but dependant and apt to lye in the dust, the pleasures thereof but momentany, and all of them such, whereupon may be truly written, Vanity; but here's the misery Men will not take Gods word for it that it is so, they cannot believe till ( [...]or scarce when) they see,Chrys. in Matth. hom. 20. The World hath bewitched them before they will believe it to be a Witch, neither will they believe it to be a poyson till they are poysoned therewith.

1965 Every one to strive for eminency in Christianity.

A Ristides was so famous amongst the Athenians for his Justice,Plutarch. in lib. Moral. that he was called Aristides the just; when two came before him, said he that accused the other, O Aristides this Man did you such an injury at such a time, as thinking by such a suggestion to have made him partiall in the businesse; Whereunto Aristides made answer, Friend I sit not here to hear what he hath done against me, [Page]but what he hath done against thee. O that Christians were so famous for holinesse and Justice,Frequen [...]ius (quod dolendum est) boni imita [...]tur [...]al [...]s quam m [...]li bo [...]os. Erasm. Apophtbegm. that it might be said, There's such an one, The humble; such an one, The meek; such an one, The holy; such an one, The just; such an one, The patient; It could have been said so of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Iob, &c. And why should not every Man strive to be the like?

The Will of God to be resigned unto in all things.1966

THere is mention made of a good woman, who when she was sick, being asked, Whether she were willing to live or dye? answered, Which God pleaseth: but saith one that stood by,R. Venning Canaans Flowings. If God should refer it to you, Which would you choose? Truly, said she, If God should refer it to me, I would ee'n refer it to him again. Here now was a good Woman, and a good resolve, well met; And it were to be wished, that there were many such in these loose licentious times of ours, that would not be almost, but altogether perswaded to lay aside themselves and their self-will, and in all occurrences of time, and all occasions of Interest (whether publike or private) to lye down in the dust,Fi [...]t voluntas tua, Domine. and to submit to the good will of God, whether it be for good or evill that shall in this life happen unto them.

The great benefit of Faith truly appropriated.1967

IN the Book of Iudges there is mention made of a War betwixt the Men of Gilead and the Ephraimites, Chap. 12. wherein the men of Gilead had the Victory and pursuit upon the Ephraimites, but the men of Gilead having gain'd a passe upon the River Iordan, over which the Ephraimites were to run homewards, it so fell out, that every single Man was forced to beg his way; whereupon the men of Gilead question'd their Country, Whether they were Ephraimites or not? They poor Creatures being struck with fear, answered in the negative, They were no Ephraimites; but the men of Gilead distrusting them, commanded that every Man as he passed,Stella in Luc. cap. 3. should clearly pronounce the word, Shibboleth, (which signifies a Foord or passage) whereby the Ephraimites were discovered, for pronouncing Sibboleth instead of Shibboleth, two and fourty thousand of them were put to the sword in that day. Thus it is, that all of us are to passe through the gates of Death, and to give an accompt for what we have done here in the Flesh, whether it be good or bad; And then he that can clearly pronounce Shibboleth, that can say with David, Daniel, and many others, My Lord and my God, C [...]. [...]9. 25. that can by Faith appropriate the merits of Christ Iesus unto his own Soul, and say with holy Iob, I know that my Redeemer liveth, shall enter into his Masters joy; whereas he that lispeth out Sibboleth, that with those five foolish, Virgins, and those other hopelesse Creatures,Matth. 25. II. shall without the least sense of Faith barely cry out,Luke 13. 25. Lord, Lord, shall be shut out for evermore.

True Grace in the Soul may be seemingly, but not really at a losse.1968

AS it is amongst us in a Court of Record, the Seal being once passed is as true a Seal, J. R. in lib. cui titulus [...] vel sponsa coe [...]estis. and as good evidence in Law, (though the print be defaced, diminished, and not so apparent) as any that is most fair, fresh, full, and not defaced at all. So it is, that the least drop of true Grace in the Soul can never be exhausted, nor the least dram of true spiritual joy be quite dryed up or annihilated; And why so? because that in the Court of Heaven, when on a sealing day the Graces of Gods Spirit are stamped on the Soul, it may, and doth, oftentimes so fall out, that there may be afterwards a dimnesse of the Seal, and the [Page] marks,Quoad apos [...]asia [...] Sanctorum, in illis gra [...]a possit suspendi non [...], &c. as it were, may be worn out, so that the fair impression, once so visibly seen, may not at present appear; yet all this marrs not the evidence, nor ought to weaken the assurance of Heaven, for there it shall go currant, and hold out in the matter of right as a greater, fairer, and fuller, because it was once as good as any; and once loved, ever loved to the end.

1969 Christ, a sure pay-master.

IT is reported of a certain godly Man, that living near to a Philosopher,R. Venning Cana [...]n [...] Flowings. did often perswade him to become a Christian: Oh but, said the Philosopher; If I turn Christian, I must, or may lose all for Christ: To whom and to which the good Man replyed, If you lose any thing for Christ, he will be sure to repay it an hundred fold. I but, said the Philosopher, Will you be bound for Christ; that if he do not pay me, you will; Yes that I will, said the other; So the Philosopher became a Christian, and the good Man entred into bond for performance of Covenants: Some time after it so fell out,Bonus ille Samaritanus qui persolvit omnia. Isidor. that the Philosopher fell sick on his death-bed, and holding the bond in his hand, sent for the party engaged, to whom he gave up the bond, and said; Christ hath paid all, there's nothing for you to pay, take your bond and cancel it. Thus it is that Christ is a sure, willing able Pay-master; whatsoever any Man ever did for him, hath been fully recompensed; and put the case so far, that a Man should be a loser for Christ, yet he shall be no loser by Christ, he will make amends for all in the conclusion.

1970 The Soul [...]s neglect, condemned.

THere is a story of a Woman, who when her house was on fire, so minded the saving of her goods, that she forgot her onely child, and left it burning in the fire;Rich. de Mediavilla Progres. Coeles [...]is. at last being minded of it, she cryes out, Oh my child, Oh my poor child. So it is, that the most of Men here in this World scrabble for a little pelf, and in the mean time let their Souls be consumed with cares, and then at the time of their death cry out,uidin decentius qu [...]m ourvam re [...]to corpore gerere animam, &c. Melius est corpus quam animum agrotare. Menand. Oh my Soul, Oh my poor Soul; so mad are they, so bewitched with the things of this life, that while they pamper their bodies, they starve their Souls; great care is taken to neati [...]ie the one, when the other goes bare enough, not having one rag of Righteousnesse to cover it, so that many times under a silken and Sattin Suit; there's a very coorse Soul; in a clean house a sluttish Soul; under a beautifull face a deformed Soul; but all such will one day find, that he that winneth the world with the losse of his Soul, hath but a hard bargain of it in the conclusion.

1971 How our love to the Creature is to be regulated.

RIvers that come out of the Sea, as they passe along, do lightly touch the Earth,Jer. Dyke Com. on Philem vers. 5. but they stay not there, but go on forward, till at last they return again into that Sea from whence they first came. Thus it is, that our love must first come from God to the Creature, yet being so come, it must not rest and settle there, (however, like a River it may in passage touch it) no, it must return back again into that infinite Sea, even God himself, whence it first came: All Creatures therefore are to be loved in God,Omnia propter Deum, sed Deus propter seipsum aman dus est. Bern. and for God onely; so that the love of the Creature must be so far from taking any thing from the love of God, that rather it must confirm and encrease the same; And then is the love of the Creature truly regulated, when it is referred to the Creator, when it may be said, We love not so much the Creature, as the Creator in the Creature.

How to demean our selves after we are sealed by the Spirit.1972

[Page]

LOok but upon a poor Countryman, how solicitous he is,L. Andrews Winton. Serm. at Court on Whitsonday, 1613. if it be but a bond of no great value, to keep the Seal fair and whole; But if it be of an higher nature, as a Patent under the broad Seal, or the like, then to have his box, his leaves and wooll, and all care is used, that it take not the least hurt. And shall we then make slight reckoning of the Holy Ghost's seal, vouchsasing it not that care, do not so much for it, as he for his bond of five Nobles, the matter being of such high concernment? Let us then being well and orderly sealed by the Spirit, Spartam nactus hanc orna. Erasm. Adag. be careful to keep the signature from defacing or bruising, not to suffer the evill Spirit to set his mark, put his print with his image and superscription upon it; then not to carry the seal so loosely, as if we cared not what became of it: And whereas we are signati, to be close and fast, not to suffer every trifling occasion to break us up, not to have our Souls to lye so open, as all manner of thoughts may passe and repasse through them, without the least reluctation.

Rulers, Magistrates, &c. to stand up for the cause of the Poor and needy.1973

IT is an Honourable memorial,K. James Basi [...]icon Doron. that Iames the fifth K. of Scots hath left behind him, that he was called, The poor Man's King: And it is said of Radolphus Habspursius, Schickardus de Jure Reg. H [...]b. citat. ex Claud. Bern [...]q. ad cap. 4. Suetonii. that seeing some of his Guard repulsing divers poor persons that made towards him for relief, was very much displeased, and charged them to suffer the Poorest to have accesse unto him, saying; That he was called to the Empire not to be shut up in a chest, as reserved for some few,Joh. Cuspinian. hist. but to be where all might have freedom of resort unto him. And thus as great Persons are in Scripture expressed by the Sun▪ which affordeth his influence so well to the lowest shrub, as to the tallest Cedar, shines as comfortably upon the meanest Cottage, as the stateliest Pallace, that amongst other good things done by them, they may be renowned to Posterity for being the Poor man's Advocate, Prov. 31. 8. Iob. eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, alwayes ready to right and relieve those that have no other means to right and relieve themselves, but by flying to them for shelter.

The Vanity of all Worldly greatnesse.1974

AS it is in a Lottery, H. Hardwick Serm. at Funerall of Rich. More, Esq. 1644. the Place with the great basin and ewer make a glistering shew, and are exposed to the publique view of all, and if a Man by chance light on a prize, it is usually no great matter; onely it is drummed out and trumpetted abroad, to tell the World, and this is the glory of it. Even so, if some of those many that venture hard for Honours, and struggle for greatnesse, do speed, it is no such great matter, onely the businesse is trumpetted out, told abroad, and the World hath some apprehension of it, but the wisest of Mortals found this also, amongst other things, to be vanity, a supposed excellence,Ardua per pr [...] ceps gloria vadit iter. Ovid. trist. which hath no true being, accompanied with cares and cumber, the object as well of Envy as esteem, the happinesse of all such greatnesse consisting in this, that it is thought happy, rather then that it is so indeed.

1975 The welfare of the Soul to be preferred before any Worldly enjoyments whatsoeuer.

[Page]

THere is a story of one Marinus, a Souldier,Th. Zuingeri, theat. hum. vitae. who having hopes of preferment to some place, being a Christian, it was suggested unto him, that he must first forsake his Religion, before he should be invested in his place; It was so strong a temptation to him, that he began to stagger betwixt his Preferment and his Christianity: but by the good providence of God, there cometh one Theodistus unto him, brings him into the Temple, and layeth by a him a Sword, and the Gospel, the Sword being the ensign of his place and preferment; Now saith he, whether had you rather have the Gospel, or the Sword? and dealt so seriously with him,Tho. Hill Spittle Serm. 1644. that it pleased God to overcome him, so that he chose the Gospel, and let the Sword go; forsook all Worldly pomp, that so he might save his Soul, and preferred the welfare there of before any Earthly enjoyments whatsoever, And it is heartily wished, that there were many at this day to be found in the midst of us, raised up to the pitch of such an Heroick resolution, that whatsoever the competition be, whether place, preferment, Office, &c. they would lay the Bible by it,Vis ut animae tuae caro tuae serviat, Deo serviat anima [...] Aug. and seriously consider, that if ever they mind the saving of their Souls, they must let go their hopes and possessions, and deny themselves in them, rather then let go their share in the Gospel of Christ Iesus, whereby they have a firm title for the eternal happinesse of their immortal Souls.

1976 Silence, when, and how comendable.

IT is said of the Ambassadors of the King of Persia, Conrad. zuingeri theatrum hum. vitae. that coming to Athens (the then Metropolis of learning) in the time of the seaven Wisemen, they desired that every one would deliver in his sentence, that they might report unto their Master the wisedome of Greece, which accordingly was done, onely one of them was silent, which the Ambassadors observing, entreated him also to cast in his symbole with the rest; Tell your Prince (quoth he) there are of the Graecians that can hold their peace. and certainly there is a time, though an evill one, when a Prudent Man is to hold his peace,Amos. 5. 13. that is, when speaking will do no good; nor can he be wise that speaks much,Conticuisse nocet nunquam. [...]ocet esse loquutum. Bil. nor he known for a Fool that says nothing; It is a great misery to be a Fool, but it is yet a greater that a Man cannot be a Fool but the must needs shew it; Some there have been, which have scorned the opinion of Folly in themselves, yet for a speech wherein they have hoped to shew most wit,Jos. Hall Med. and Vows, cent. 3. medit. 32. have been censured of extream folly, by one that hath thought himself wiser; and another hearing his sentence again, hath condemned him for want of wit in censuring; Surely then, he is not a Fool that hath unwise thoughts, but he that utters them; Even concealed Folly is wisedome, and sometimes Wisedome uttered is Folly: therefore while others care how to speak, let every Mans care be how to hold his peace.

1977 No pains to be thought too much for the getting of Heaven.

IT is almost incredible to believe how they that travell in long pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Jos. Hall ut suprà. Cent. med. 34. What a number of weary paces they measure, What a number of hard lodgings and known dangers they passe, and at last when they come to the view of their journies end, what a large tribute they pay at the Pisan Castle to the Turks; And when they are come thither, what see they? but the bare Sepulchre wherein their Saviour lay, and the Earth that he trod upon to the encrease of their carnall devotion; O but then, what labour should every [Page] Christian willingly undertake in his journey to the true Land of Promise, Audendo bella expedias, pigra extulit astris. Haud unquam [...]ese uirtus. Val Flac. the celestial Ierusalem, where he shall both see and enjoy his Saviour himself? What tribute of pain or death should he refuse to pay for his entrance, not into his Sepulchre, but his Palace of glory, and that not barely to look upon it but really to possesse it.

Why it is that God affords some glimps of Heaven even in this life.1978

THe Iewish Rabbies report (how truly is uncertain) that when Ioseph in the times of plenty, had gathered much corn in Egypt, Joh. Plantavit. Florileg Rabbinicum. he threw the chaff into the River Nilus, that so flowing to the neighbour Cities and Nations more remote, they might know what abundance was laid up, not for themselves alone, but for others also: So God in his abundant goodnesse to make us know what glory there is in Heaven, hath thrown some husks to us here in this World,N. Waker, A Sermon at S. Pauls, 1629. that so tasting the sweetnesse thereof, we might aspire to his bounty that is above, and draw out this conclusion to the great comfort of our most pretious Souls, that if a little earthly glory do so much amaze us, What will the Heavenly do? If there be such glory in Gods foot-stool, what is there in his Throne? If he give us so much in the land of our Pilgrimage, What will he not give us in our own Country? If so much to his Enemies, What not to his Friends?

Comfort nearest, when Afflictions are at the highest.1979

IT may seem a strange course in the eye of common reason which Christ took at the Marriage Feast in Cana of Galilee, the guests wanted wine, Ioh. 2. 1. he bids them fetch Water; cold comfort, when Wine was expected, to call for water, yet for all that Wine was then nearest, when the Water-pots were filled with water even to the brim: So oftentimes comfort is then nearest us,Jer. Dyke Six Euang. hist. when our Afflictions are at the highest; God works by contraries, as light out of darknesse, at the Creation; life out of death, glory out of shame, as in the Redemption; the blind Mans sight out of clay and spittle; yea Heaven out of Hell,Cum duplicantur lateres tunc venit Moses. Aug. for when he brings his children into Heaven, he throws them first down into Hell, first humbles them, and then exalis them; It is not then for any one to be discouraged, though Christ pour never so much water on them, for look what their water is, that shall their wine be, what their crosses such their comforts, Psalm 90. 15.

The comfortlesse Hypocrite.1980

AS a Man can have very small comfort, to be thought by the World to be rich, because he hath a shop full of wares and driveth a great trade,Joh. Downam Preparat. to Sacrament. when in the mean time, he knows, poor Man, that he is worse then nothing, and oweth much more then he is worth; or because he maketh a counterfeit shew of rich wares, when as he hath nothing but empty boxes with false Inscriptions, or but pieces of wood and brickbars made up in paper instead of silks or other costly wares: So is it with all those that seem to be Religious, that make a goodly shew of Godlinesse, yet in the mean time are very Bankrupts in Grace, Prov. 137. Si castum me simulo, et aliud est in conscienti [...], habeo gloriam mercenatiam, &c. Aug. in Matth. and like one of Solomons Fools that boast themselves of great Riches, when they are indeed exceeding poor; but cui bono? Why do they so? what get they by it? What comfort reap they by it? None at all, their Consciences bearing them witnesse that they are none such as the World takes them to be.

The losse of an onely Son or nearest relation, not to be over-much lamented.1981

[Page]

IT is said of Cleobis and Biton, Is. [...] V [...]. hist. Plutarch in [...]at. c [...]nsolat. that in absence of the Horses, they drew their Mothers Chariot to the Temple themselves, for which obedient act▪ of thei [...]s she prayed, that they might be both of them rewarded with the greatest blessings, that could possibly happen from God to Man, but so it hapned that they were both of them found dead in their beds the next morning; News thereof was brought to their Mother, as matter of great misfortune, which she in a manner slighted, saying; I will never account my self unfortunate, that was the Mother of two such Sons whom the Gods have invested with immortality for their pious and obedient actions: And shall then a Pagan Mother,Noli autem tuam et filii tui [...]ptimam sortem [...]ugere, ille iter ambiguum à tergo habet, &c. Petrarch. in dialog. 48. having no other light but that of dusk nature, take it for a divine favour, that her two Sons did so early quit this life? And shall Christian Parents, or any others within the pale of the Church, such as are better enlightned, pule and repine, and look sowre upon Heaven, and upon God, when in mercy he hath done for theirs, not what is pleasing to them, but what is most fit and commodious for both, nothing being done but for the best to them that love him, so that for the most part, life is not so much taken away, as death given for a speciall favour and advantage.

Noreturn from Hell.1982

THere is a story of an ignorant Man,Paul de Wan. Dom. infr. Oct. Alcea. Serm. 47. that being at Church, and hearing the Preacher set out the pains of Hell as a just reward of all those that forget God, said; That he would not believe there was any such thing as Hell, or any such pains at all; —Faci [...]s discensus Averni, Sed revocare gradum, &c. To whom the Preacher replied, That if one should come thence, and tell him the truth thereof, yet he would not believe, or take any care to avoid it. For as the party came thence to tell him of it, so he would hope to do as much, when he was there to warm another: But let no Man be deceived, that cannot be, Vestigia null a retrorsum, there's no return from Hell; Dives being there may make it his suit,Iob. 7. 9. Prov. 15. 11. Psal. 9. 17. but all in vain, Luk. 16. For as the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave or Hell (as it is sometimes expressed) shall come up no more, i. e. shall never converse, or transact any businesse upon the Earth again.

Powerfull Preaching of the Gospell.1893

IT is said in the Revelation of S. Iohn, Did. Stella i [...] Luc. cap. 10. that amongst many other visions, He saw an Angell fly in the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting Gospell to preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth, and to every Nation and Kinred, and Tongue, and People, saying with a loud Voice, Fear God and give glory to him, &c. And what next followed? Another Angell, saying, Babylon is fallen is fallen, Babylon the great City is fallen, &c. Apoc. 14. 7. 8. See here now the efficacy and power of Gospell preaching, let but the Gospell be sincerely preached, Babylon must down; the Devill and Dagon must fall before the Ark of Gods presence; Whatsoever the purposes, projects, pretences, policies, conspiracies, combinations, and consederacies of l [...]ud, Atheistical, and wicked men be; yet they shall never be able to stop the stream of Gods word, [...] dam up the wells of Salvation, or hinder the free passage of the Gospell, no more then to bind up the wind in their fists, or stop the rain of Heaven from watering the Earth; It is true that the Ministers of the Gospell, [...] may be the Instruments of Sathan, be stocked, stoned, hewen asunder, burned with fire, slain with the sword, clap'd up in Prison, fettered in chains, sequestred, plundred, decimated, &c. yet the Gospell it self may be, nay [Page] is in lively operation, a light that cannot be put out, a heat that cannot be smothered, a power that cannot be broken; For even then the constant sufferings and patient bearing of the crosse, doth as by a lively voice publish and proclaim the truth of the Gospel for which they suffer, and serveth to win many to the Faith of Christ Jesus.

Punishments of the Wicked in this life nothing in comparison of those in Hell hereafter.1984

IT is said of Christ that going up to Ierusalem, Stephan. Menochius. Fr. Tollet in locum. Intende nunc quascun (que) seculi poenas, dolores, &c. et compara totum gehennae, &c. Bern. med. and finding in the Temple those that sold Oxen and sheep, and Doves, and the changers of Money, sitting; he made a scourge of small cords, quasi flagellum, as it were a scourge (saith the vulgar translation) made up of small cords, such as he gathered up from amongst the People in the binding of their Sacrifices, bearing the likenesse and form of a Scourge, and with this he drove them out of the Temple: And so it is that the sorrows, troubles, vexations and punishments that befall the Wicked in this life, they are but quasi tales, as it were such; they are but the type, the Figure, the similitude of such, the meer beginnings of sorrows, but flea-bitings in comparison of what shall befall them hereafter; For when Christ shall come to Judgment, he will make a whip indeed, such an one that by the stripes thereof the Wicked shall be whipped into Hell and all such as forget God.

Faith and Love, inseparable.1985

IT is a Rule published by the Heathen,Cic. de. offic. de quaest. lib. 3. that all Vertues are so interwoven and linked together in a chain, that he that hath one hath all, and he that wanteth but one wante [...]h all. So it is with that worthy pair of Graces, that Heavenly couple, Faith and Love; Faith not without Love, nor Love without Faith, but both together; Not Faith without works, nor works, without Faith, but the one must be fruitfull to bring forth works, and the other thankfull to confesse them, Faith must work by Love, and Love live by Faith, Vincent. de la Nuza tractatus Evang. for Faith without Love is but seeming, and Love without Faith is disordered; Then as it is Christ's own rule, that the things which God hath joyned together no Man should put a sunder, so Faith and Love being lodged as two guests in one house and locked up as two Iewels in one Cabinet, they should by no Man whatsoever be dis-joyned or divided.

Sacrilegious persons, condemned.1986

THe antient Romans by the light of Nature disliked and checked Quint. Fulvius Flaccus, Tit. Liv. Decas 2. lib. 5. because he had uncovered a great part of Iuno's Temple, to cover another Temple of Fortune with the same tiles; they told him that Pyrrhus and Hannibal would not have done the like, and that it had been too much to have done to a private dwelling house, being a place far inferiour to a Temple; and in conclusion forced and compelled him by a publique decree in Senate, to send home those tiles again: What a shame then is it for Christians such as pretend to be knowing Christians to come behind the Heathen,Coc. Sabel. hist. lib. 1. Ennead. 8. who did more for their Idols, then they will do for the honour of the true God, such sacrilegious wretches as rob the Church and enrich themselves with the spoils thereof, such as take the houses of God into their own possession,Quis enim laesos impune putaret Esse Deos? Lucan. and with that Whore in the Proverbs, wipe their mouths as if they had done no hurt at all; but let all such know, that their wealth so gotten shall melt as Snow before the Sun; and their Fields of bloud purchased by the spoil of Christ, shall prove as [Page] unfortunate to them and theirs as the Gold of Tholose did to Scipio's Souldiers,Aurum Tholosanum. Erasm. Adag. of which whoever carried part away never prospered afterwards.

Prosperity attended by Fears and cares.1987

AS Winters thunder is,Did. Stella in Luc. c. 12. in a Proverbiall speech, held to be the Worlds wonder, so in the extremity of Summers heat, it may chance to thunder as it were afar off; but the main claps and noise of Thunder, usually fall out in the Spring and Autumnal part of the year, when the face of the sky is at the clearest: So it is that fears and Jealousies, Feriunt (que) summos Fulgura montes. Horat. restlessenesse of Spirit and distractednesse of mind are usual concomitants with the prosperous conditions of men, and attendant upon such as in the flourishing spring of temporall successe, and fruitfull Autumn of Wordly encrease, are lifted up on high, and puffed up with the vain conceit of their own acquired greatnesse; whilest he that is pinched with the winter of Adversity, Cantabit vacuus, &c. and scorched with the heat of persecuting necessity, sings care away, comforts himself in the Lord his God, lives contentedly and dyes comfortably.

Perseverance in goodnesse, enjoyned.1988

IT is the part of a good Workman not to leave his work imperfect; Jerem. Whitaker Serm. at S. Mary Magd [...]len Bermondsey Southwark, 1631. A good Physitian will not forsake his Patient when he hath done but half his cure; The Husbandman gives not over, when he hath sowen but some part of his ground; And he that doth but half build an house, is but half a Carpenter: So he that entereth into the way of Christianity, and standeth still is but half a Christian, the greatest part of his-work is yet behind; It is not enough to begin well, but to continue in well-doing, It is not so much the entrance into, as the Perseverance in goodnesse that is required; God left not that great work of the Creation in the first or second day thereof, but in six dayes finished it to the glory of his name; nor as then in the generation of the Creatures, but now also in their Regeneration,Ioh. 13. 1. Phil. 1. 6. Whom he loveth, he loveth to the end; and the good work that he hath begun in any shall be perfected; having then so fair a coppy to write by,Incassum quippe bonum agitur, si ante vitae terminum descratur. Gerg. moral. so good an example to live by, let us so run that we may obtain, so sail in the Sea of this World that we never give over till we arrive in the desired Heaven, so to begin as to be sure to make an end; that it may be never said to our great and just reproach, This Man began to build, but was not able to finish, Luk. 14. 30.

Temptations from within, or without, how to be dealt withall.1989

IF a Man find weeds growing in his Garden,Joh. Downam Christian Warfare. addit. M. lib. 3. [...]h. 11. and naturally springing out of his own ground, he taketh much pains to weed them out; but if he seeth that they have no rooting there, and are onely cast over the wall by some ill-willer, he careth not much for it, because he can with as small pains cast them out again, as they took that cast them in: So, if we perceive that the weeds of Temptation are rooted in our sin [...]ull Nature, and spring from our corrupt Flesh, we must take the more care and pains to weed them out, but if they be onely injected by the malice of Sathan, we are not to be so much moved therewith, but to cast them out of our minds and hearts, as often and as easily as he cast them in.

Justice to be purely administred.1990

[Page]

THe Graecians placed Iustice betwixt Leo and Libra, Coel. Rhodog. Var. lect. Joh. Pierii Hieroglyph. Nich. Causin. thereby signifying, that there must not be onely courage in executing, but also indifferency in determining; The Egyptians expresse the same by the Hieroglyphical figure of a Man without hands, winking with his eyes; whereby is meant an uncorrupt Judg, who hath no hands to receive bribes, no eyes to behold the person of the poor, or respect the person of the Rich: And before our Tribunals, we commonly have the picture of Man holding a ballance in one hand, and a sword in the other, signifying by the ballance, Just Judgment; by the sword, execution of Judgment; For as the ballance putteth no difference between Gold and Lead, but giveth an equall or unequall poyse to them both, not giving a greater weight to the gold for the excellency of the mettal because it is Gold, nor a lesse to the Lead for the basenesse of it because it is Lead: So, they were with an eeven hand to weigh the poor Mans cause as well as the Rich;W. Perkins Com. on Gal. ch. 6. Psal. 122. 5. but it is most notably set out by the Throne of the House of David, which was placed in the gate of the City towards the Sun-rising; In the gate, to signify, that all which came in and out by the gate of the City, might indifferently be heard, the poor as well as the Rich, and might have free accesse and regresse to and from the Iudgment seat: And towards the rising of the Sun, in token that their Iudgment should be as clear from corruption, as the Sun is clear in his chiefest brightnesse.

There's no fighting against God.1991

THere is mention made of the Psilli, a people of low stature and lesse wit,C. Plin. hist. nat. lib. 7. cap. 2. silly ones no doubt, that being troubled with the Southern wind, went out on a day to make war against the same; but the farther they went, the more it blew, untill at last it covered them all with the sands, and so they perished. And the same end or worse, will betide all those that dare adventure to stand at Variance with God, such as with the Pigmies dare contend with Hercules, and with the Gyants in the Poet [...] make War against God;Gr. Williams Delights of Saints part 2. but let all such know that impar congressus, there's no fighting against God, no standing out against his power, no resisting his will, never any that did so, prospered; It were then the best way to sue for conditions of peace, to lay down arms, forbear all acts of hostility, and seek unto Iesus Christ, the blessed peace-maker betwixt Man and God offended.

Death put off from one to another.1992

PLutark in the life of Solon tells a story, that on a time the young men of Ionia, standing by the River side, where the Milesian Fishermen had newly cast in their net, bought of them that present draught. And it so happened that when they drew their net unto the shore, they found therein,Suidas. D [...]iog. Laert. in vita Thaletis. besides their Fishes, a Golden Table or Trivet, which Helena had let fall in that place as she sailed towards Troy; Whereupon the buyers required the same as part of their bargain, but the sellers would part with nothing but their Fishes; The contention grew hot, and would have come to a height, had not both sides concluded to rest satisfied with the arbitration of Apollo, who determined it should be given to the Wisest of all Men, [...], & so they sent it to Thales Milesius then looked on as the Wisest Man in all Greece, but he refusing the same, caused it to be sent to Bias Prienaeus, and he returned it to a third, the third unto a fourth, and so from one to another, till at last it came to Solon, And he judging Apollo to be the wisest, caused it to be presented for an Altar in the house of his Oracle: Now so it is that as these Men did in modesty with the Golden Trivet, so all Men out of fear [Page] deal with Death; M [...]rtis diem o [...]nes affuturum [...]; [...]um tamen o [...]nes aut pene o [...]nes differr [...] conantur, &c. Aug. de gratia No. Test. When it knocks at the poor Mans door, he sends it to the Rich mans gate; The Rich man payes dear to translate it to the Scholler; He with his learning perswades it to the City; the Citizen will carry it himself to the Court; the Courtier hath no desire to bid it welcome, and therefore he poasteth it over to his Page; he like a wild Buck runs away, and leaves it to take hold of his Lord; the Lord had rather it should carry away his Lady, and the Lady would more willingly prefer her Maid, and so of all the rest, all refuse it, none will accept of it, every one puts it off to another.

The sad condition of the fearlesse Hearthardned Sinner.

IT is said of Nero that bloudy Tyrant,Vita Neronis ex variis collecta. when Seneca his Tutor disswaded him from his Villanies, and exhorted him so to demean himself, Ut facta Superi comprobent sua, that the Gods might approve of his works, answered like a dogged Atheist and a wicked wretch; Stulte, verebor ego Does, cum talia faciam? O fool, Dost thou think that I believe there be Gods when I do such things? And this is the case of every Fearlesse Heart-hardned Sinner, who is so accustomed to his wicked wayes,S. Chrysostom de David, cant. tom. 2. and so delighted with his own works, that he will believe nothing, know nothing, fear nothing, being herein worse then the very Devills themselves, for they believe and tremble; they believe there is a God, and tremble to think that there is one, but the brawny-hearted, seared, obdurate Sinner if he believe, doth not tremble; or if he do believe, yet doth not fear to commit the greatest wickednesse; were it otherwise he would fear more and Sin lesse.

Charity to be well and rightly ordered.1994

AMongst other things in the learning of the Egyptians, Ioh. Pierius. Horus Apollo. Nilietus. Tacitus. there is to be seen the picture and figure of Charity Hieroglyphycally set out like a Child that is naked with a Heart in his hand, giving Honey to a Bee that wanteth wings. 1. A Child, humble and meek as Moses, not churlish and dogged like Naball; 2. Naked, because the charitable Man must not give his Alms for ostentation to be seen of Men. 3. With a Heart in his hand, because the Heart and the hand of a charitable Man must go together,2 cor. 9. 7. he must be a chearfull giver. 4. Giving honey unto a Bee, not to a Drone, relieving poor Men that will labour, not lazy beggars that will take no pains,Gr. Williams 7. golden Candlesticks. Serm. 12. And lastly to a Bee without wings, to such as would gather honey if they were able, would work if they could, but the want of wings lack of strength, health, and other the like abilities make them unable to help themselves; thus to do is not Charity mis-taken, mis-applyed, ill-bestowed but seasonable, suitable, and well regulated.

How it is that Truth doth not alwayes apear.1995

TIme was when Truth lived in great Honour, but through the envy of her Enemies,Peraldi sum. 7 virt. et vit. she was disgraced, and at last banished out of the City; where sitting upon a dunghill, sad and discontented, she espied a Chariot, attended with a great [...]roop, coming towards her; she presently perceived who it was, her greatest Enemy, the Lady Lye; clad in changeable colour'd Taffaty, her Coach covered with clouds of all the colours in the Rainbow; Impudency and Hypocrisy were on the one side, Slander and Detraction on the other as attendants; Perjury Usher'd all along,Speculum Exemplorum. and many (more then a good many) were in the train; When she came to Truth, she commanded her to be carryed as a Captive for the greater triumph; At night she fared well, and would want nothing; but when Morning came, she would be gone and pay for nothing, affirming [Page] she had paid the reckoning over-night, the Attendants upon examination of the matter justified their Lady; onely Truth confessed there was nothing paid and was therefore compel'd to pay for all; The next night the Lady did the like, but withall committed a great out-rage, and being for the same brought before the Judg, Impudency and Hypocrisy began to justify their Lady, Perjury cleared her, Slander and detraction laid all the fault on poor Truth, who must now suffer death for that it never did; The Judg demands what she had to say for her self, she could say nothing but, Not guilty, neither had she any friend that would plead for her; At last steps up Time, a grave experienced Counsellour, and an Eloquent Advocate, and desires favour of the Court to sift and search out the matter a little better,Temporis silia veritas. lest the Innocent might suffer for the nocent; The motion was granted, then Time began to expell the clouds from the Ladies Chariot, unmask'd her ugly face, unvail'd all her followers, Gr. Williams ut anteà. and made it appear at last that the Lady Lye was guilty of all the Villany,—In apricam proferet aetas. Esay 49. 14. and poor Truth was thus by the help of Time cleared and set at large. And thus it is that though Truth is great and will prevail at last, yet it doth not alwa [...]es appear, but may fall down in the street, and be trampled under-foot for a time, may be abused, banished, and made to come behind lyes and falshood, yea executed, buried when it cannot have time to clear it self, untill it be too late to save it; hence is it that the Apostle doth not say, Now remaineth Truth, Rom. 13. 13. because Truth is often banished, but now remaineth Charity; Faith, Hope and Charity, graces which give a being to every Christian, of which sort, Truth mainifested is none, for I can believe in Christ, hope for Heaven, and love my Enemies, though I be belyed, but without these I can be no Christian.

Body and Soul sinning together, lyable to be punished together.1996

THere was a Master of a Family, which committed the custody of his Orchard unto two of his servants, Pet. Mart. in 2. Reg. cap. 4. citat. lib. Iud. Rabbinieis. whereof the one was blind, and the other lame; and the lame servant being taken in love with the beauty of the fruit, presently told his blind fellow, that if he had but the use of his limbs, and his feet to walk as well as he had, it should not be long ere he would be Master of those apples; The blind Man answered, He had as good a mind to enjoy them as himself, and if his eyes had not failed him; they had not rested all that while upon the Tree: Whereupon they both agreed to unite their strength, and joyn their forces together; the whole-blind Man took the well-sighted-lame Man upon his shoulder, and so they reached the Apples, and conveyed their Masters fruit away; but being impeached for their fault, and examined by their Master, each one framed his own excuse; The blind Man said,Pares culpae pares poen [...]s. he could not so much as see the Tree whereon they grew, and therefore it was plain he could have none of them: And the lame Man said, He could not be suspected, because he had no limbs to climb, or to stand to reach them; but the wise Master perceiving the subtle craft of the two false servants, put them, as they were, one upon the others shoulders, and so punished them both together.S. Ambrose de fide et resurrect. cap. 19. Heidel sel. de peccat. Thus it is, that Sin is neither of the body without the Soul, nor of the Soul without the Body, but it is a common act both of Body and soul, they are like Simeon and Levi, brothers and partners in every mischief; like Hippocrates twins, they have idem velle et idem nolle, they do commonly will and nill the same thing, and therefore God in his just Judgment will punish both body and Soul together, if they be not repaired and redeemed by Christ.

How Christ by his death, overcame death.1997

[Page]

IT is said of the Leopard, Ulyss, Aldrovandus de Quadruped. Aeliana. de animal. lib. 2. cap. 23. that he useth a kind of policy in killing such Apes as do molest him; First, he lyeth down as dead, and suffereth the Apes to mock him, trample upon him, and insult over him as much as they will; but when he perceiveth them to be weary with leaping and skipping upon him, he revives himself on a suddain, and with his claws and teeth tears them all in pieces. Even so our Saviour Christ suffered the Devill and death, and all the wicked Iews, like so many Apes to mock him, to tread upon him, and trample him under foot, to crucifie him, to bury him, to seal up his grave, and set a guard of Souldiers to watch him,Psalm 78. Col. 2. 15. that he should not rise any more, and did indeed what they list with him; but when he saw they had done their worst, and that they could do no more, Then he awaked as a Giant out of sleep, and smo [...]e all his Enemies on the cheek-bone, spoyl'd Principalities and powers, led Captivity captive, and brought them unto shame and confusion of face for ever.

Confession of Sins, irk some to the Devill.1998

THere is a story, how that on a time,Paul de Wann Serm. de tempore. a Sinner being at Confession, the Devill intruded himself, and appeared unto him; And being demanded by the Priest, Wherefore he came in? made answer, That he came to make Restitution; Speculum Exemplorum. being asked, What he would restore? He said, Shame; For it is shame that I have stollen from this Sinner, to make him shamelesse in sining, and now I am come to restore it to him, to make him ashamed to confesse his sins. And thus it is that he deals with the most of Men, he makes them shamelesse to commit sin,2 Sam. 16. 22. even with Absolon in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the Sun; but he makes them ashamed to confesse any sin, he perswades them to commit sin, and he also perswades them to conceal sin, he cannot endure by any means that they should confesse their sins;Ioh. 1. 19. And why? but because God is merciful and just to forgive them.

To depend upon Gods All-sufficiency in time of trouble.1999

ABraham considering that God ws El Shaddai, a God of All-sufficiency did assure himself,Gen. 17. 1. that although Sarah's womb was dead, yet God. was not dead, but was as able to raise him a living son out of her dead womb, as he is to raise out dead bodies out of the senselesse Earth: So Moses, when he had six hundred thousand People and upward to provide for in a sandy desart, which yielded them neither bread nor water,Exod. 16. 47. considering the power of God, did believe, that he could bring drink out of the Rock, as out of a River; and meat out of the clouds, as out of a Cubbard: So Ionathan, when he went against the Philistins that were thousands,1 Sam. 14. 6. had this resolution for his encouragement, That God could deliver with few, as well as with many: And so Asa went as far as he, when he had a huge Army of Ethiopians consisting of thousand thousands, besides three hundred Chariots, (the greatest Army that ever was read of) come against him, he cryed unto the Lord his God, and said; Lord, 2 Chron. 4. 11. Gr. Williams 7. golden Candlesticks, part. 2 ch. 4. it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power, &c. And so it is, that every Man should depend upon his God, who can help with few Friends, or no Friends, with small means or no means, as well as if he had all the means, or all the Friends in the World; And therefore let no Man be dismay'd in the time of Affliction, nor faint in the hour of [Page] temptation; but if his troubles be great, let him remember, that God is greater; If his Enemies be mighty, let him know, that God is mightier then they, his hand is of Iron; and his feet of burning brasse, not onely to tread upon,Rev. 1. 15. but trample under foot the Enemies of his Church and People.

Simplicity of Men to be more affected with the losse of things temporal, then spiritual.2000

IT is said of Honorium, Jo [...]. Zonaro hist. [...]om. 3. Car. Sigonius lib. 2. Impp. occident. a Roman Emperour, that when one told him Rome was lost, he was exceedingly grieved, and cryed out, Alas, Alas; for he supposed it was his Hen, so called, which he exceedingly loved; but when it was told him, it was his Imperial City of Rome, that was besieged by Alaricus, and was taken, and all the Citizens rifled and made a prey to the rude, enraged Souldier, then his Spirits were, revived, that his los [...]e was not so great as he imagined: Now can it be otherwise thought, but that this disposition, of Honorius was most simple and childish? yet the most of Men are under the same condemnation, as being too too much affected with the losse of a poor silly Hen, O vanas homiinum mentes▪ 6 pectora caeca▪ with the deprivation of things temporall, nothing at all minding the want of those which are spiritual; If they lose a little wealth, the least punctilio of Honour, a little pleasure, a little vanity, things of themselves good for nothing, because of themselves they can make nothing good, (and then as the Proverb goeth, That is too dear of a farthing, that is good for nothing) yet for these things, they will vex and fret, weep and wail, and their mourning shall be like that of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo; Zach. 12. 51. but when they lose their pretious Souls in the desarts of Sin, and God for Sin, when they are rifled and strip'd naked of Grace, not having the least rag of Christ's Righteousnesse to cover them, then with the Israelites, they sit down to eat and drink,Exod. 32. 6. and rise up to play; so foolish are they and ignorant, even as the beast which perisheth, Psalm 49. 20.

The sufferings of Christ, as so many Examples to teach us to suffer.2001

IT is said of Antiochus, that being to fight with Iudar, 1 Mocha [...]. cap. 6. v. 34. Captain of the host of the Iews, he shewed unto his Elephants, the bloud of the grapes and Mulberries, to provoke them the bette [...] to fight. And so the Holy Ghost hath set down unto us, what injuries, contumelies, and torments our Saviour Christ hath born, and how patiently he did bear them, to encourage us to endure whatsoever calamities shall betide us, during this our pilgrimage here on Earth; It is well known, that he came into the World without sin, but he went not out without sorrow; And therefore, What if we suffer reproaches, poverty,Christo duce, et auspice sequar. shame, death? What matter of shame can it be to us, seeing Christ hath suffered all for us? Nay, What a shame is it,Chrysostom. in Matth. cap. 27. if we will not be ready to su [...]er any thing for his Names sake, that hath suffered so much for our Sins, that leaving us so fair an Example, we should not follow his steps.

2002 God hardly accepting of late service done unto him.

[Page]

IT is observable,Levit. 23. that there were three payments of first Fruits amongst the Iews; The first was primitiae spicarum, the first Fruits of their ears of Corn early about Easter; St. Menochius de Repub. Hebraeorum li [...]. 2. cap. 16. The second was primitiae panum, the first-Fruits of their loaves, and that was somewhat early too, about Whitsontide; And the third was primitiae Frugum, the fruits of all their latter fruits in general, and that was very late, about the fall of the leaf, in September; In the two first payments, which were offered early, God accepted a part for himself; but in the third payment,Tolle moras; semper nocuit differe paratis. which came late, God would have no part at all. Even so, if we offer the first Fruits of our young years early unto God, he will accept of them as seasonably done; but if we give our best years unto Sathan, sacrifice the flower of our youth unto sin,Lucan. 22. serve the World, and follow after the lusts of our flesh while we are young, & put all the burthen of duty upon our weak, feeble and decrepit old age, give our first years to Sathan, and the last, unto God, sure it is, that as he then refused such sacrifices under the Law, he will not easily receive them now in the time of the Gospel.

2003 Why it is that late service done unto God is seldome accepted.

IT would seem preposterous, nay,Gr▪ Williams ut ante [...]. ridiculous, that some inferiour Man should present his Prince with a Horse that were lame, a Clock out of order, or a Book that were torn and imperfect; Yet thus all of us do, Our Flesh is our beast, the course of our life is our Clock, Poeniten [...]ia sera, rarò vera. and the history of our actions is our book; And shall we offer then our Flesh unto God, when it is lame, and tyred out with excesse of Wa [...]tonnesse? shall we commend our lives unto him, when all the whole course thereof is out of order? or shall we present the story of our actions unto him, when as a thousand sins of our own, (for which we should be sorrowfull) and a thousand blessings of God (for which we should be thankfull) are quite defaced and rased out of our Memory? Or,Ph. Bos [...]ier tab. Nau [...]ragi. if we should offer such unto God, Why should we think it strange that he should reject them? We cannot: for continency, abstinency, temperance, and such like, are in old age, no virtues, but a disability to be vitious; as to leave good Fellowship when we are sick, and many other sins when we are old, is not so much a leaving of Sin, as Sin leaving us; and surely such service will be but hardly accepted.

Honesty, the best Policy.2004

[Page]

THemistocles at a meeting of the Athenians, told them,Plutarch in vita Aristidis. That he had found out a way, which would make very much for the advance of their glory and dignity, but it was not fit to be published to all the People; The Senate thereupon determined, that it should be revealed onely to Aristides, and if he approved thereof, they would all receive it; so Themistocles told Aristides, That the burning of al the Navall stations, that is,Diodorus, lib. 11. all the shipping and Havendocks of the Graecians, would prove a notable design to make the Athenians Masters of all Greece; Aristides having his errand, told the Athenians in brief, Themistoclis consilio nihil esse utilius, sed &c. That there could not be a more profitable Counsell for them than that of Themistocles, but withall there could not be a more dishonest; Whereupon the People charged Themistocles, that he should never speak of it any more. A most excellent example of a Virtuous,Jos. Shute, Serm, at S. Pauls, Lond. 1624. though Heathen People, that would utterly refuse all profit that came not in by the way of Honesty, hearken to no Counsel that tended to any kind of turpitude, nor lend an ear to any advice that was not just: And it is heartily to be wished, that all such as professe themselves to be Christians, would learn so much of the Heathen, as not to do evill that good may come of it, Probus quasi probatus. not to make Religion a stalking horse to Policy, not to raise themselves by the ruines of others, nor to make use of their weaker brother as a stirrop to mount them into the saddle of their so much desired greatnesse; but to be honest, to do righteous things, do as they would be done by, alwayes remembring that of ourK. James. English Solomon, Honesty will prove to be the best Policy in

THE END.

An Alphabetical Table, pointing out the whole Matter.

[Page]

[Page]

A

FOr the Abuse of a thing, the use is not to be taken away, 47.

How it is that a man may be said to abuse the lawfull comforts of this life, 358.

Adoption of Gods Children known by their Sanctification, 155.

Gods-fundamental love of Election and actual love of Adoption, how to be distinguished, 261.

The great benefit of timely accounting with God, 609.

The glory of God to be the aym of all our Actions, 14.

Contemplation and Action, requisite for every good Christian, 18.

To be active in the service of God, 169.

Every man to be active in his place, 196.

Active Christains, the onely Christians, 271.

Action, the very life of the Soul, 349.

The active Christian, object of the Devil and wicked Mens malice, 410. The best Christain, 637.

Christ, to be the sum of all our action, 463.

Men to be active in regaining their lost Souls, 607.

The good of Adversity, and ill of Prosperity, 79.

Adversity seeks God, 112.

Adversity rather then Prosperity, is the advancer of Piety, 118.

Great promises in Adversity, without performance in Prosperity, condemned, 148.

In times of Prosperity to provide for Adversity, 425.

To be affected with the falling of others into sin, 296.

Our Affections to be regulated, 105.

A Child of God best known by his affections to God, 120.

Afflictions from God for his Childrens good, 4.

Not to be a [...]raid of Afflictions, because God sends them, 10.

The godly Man's a [...]lictions, corrective, not destructive, 43.

A [...]lictions, the ready way to Heaven, 47.

The very approaches of A [...]lictions torment the Wicked, 73.

Afflictions, if any thing, will make us seek God, 455.

A good Man is bettered by his Afflictions, 74. 174. 445.

A true Christain, the more he is Afflicted, the better he thriveth, 79.

Afflictions and crosses not to be sleighted, 84.

Afflictions, crosses, &c. a surer way to Heaven, then pleasures, 85.

How it is that afflictions lye oft-times so heavy, 632.

Afflictions to be looked on as coming from God onely, 93.

Afflictions lead to Heaven, 97. 452.

Afflictions add unto the beauty of a Christian, 105.

God by afflictions drives us to Heaven, 114.

The thoughts of Gods omnipresence, a great comfort in affliction, 118.

Afflictions follow the godly Man close in this World, 159.

Gods tryall of his children by afflictions, 202. 215.

God afflicts his Children for their good, 227.

Afflictions happen both to good and bad, but to severall ends, 241.

God onely to be eyed in the midst of afflictions, 286.

Not to be daunted at afflictions, 296.

Not to rejoyce at the afflictions of others, 308.

God afflicting his Children for the improvement of their graces, 325.

Not to be troubled at afflictions, because God intends good by them, 356.

God afflicting his Children to try their sincerity, 403.

[Page]Gods children afflicted, to make them perfect, 406.

Men to be prepared for Afflictions, crosses, &c. 408.

When lighter Afflictions will not serve, God will send heavier, 410.

Afflictions, the comfortable use that is to be made of them, 441.

Christ the best shelter in time of Affliction, 530.

Afflictions, Gods Love-tokens, 599.

Not to wait Gods good time in Afflicting us, dangerous, 609.

Not to be altogether taken up with the sense of Afflictions, 633.

Afflicti [...]ns, though grievous, yet profitable, 660.

Not to murmur under Afflictions; and why so? 662.

Comfort nearest, when Afflictions are at highest, 669.

How it is, that Age becomes truly honorable, 331.

The dissolution of all ages past to be a Memento for Posterity, 100.

Get but God, and get all, 47.

All things come from God, who is therefore to be praised, 181.

All sin to be repented of, and why so▪ 315.

Alms [...] gi [...]en to the poor, are the givers ga [...], 31.

Alms-giving, how to be regulated, 402.

Ambition proves its own ruine, 41.

The poysonous nature of Ambition, 82.

The great heat of Ambition, 622.

Anabaptistical spirits, their madnesse, 416.

Angels ministring unto Gods people for their good, 322.

God is not to be provoked to Anger, 16.

Not [...]o answ [...]r one angry word with another, 305.

Not to be angry with our brother, 485.

Not to take notice of every angry word that is spoken, 547.

Not to conti [...]ue angry, 72. 165. 196.

How God is said to be angry with his children, 86.

Antinomians compared to Thieves, 46.

Their madnesse, 576.

The great danger of Apostacy, 619.

Wantonnesse in Apparrel, [...]eproved, 167.

Excesse of Apparrel, condemned, 192. 642.

Christian Apparrelling, 280.

Men and Women not to wear each others Apparrel, 292.

The vanity of gay Apparrel, 446.

The great [...]olly of costly Apparrel, 594.

Apparrel, whether richer or plainer, the necessity thereof, 646.

No Appeal from Gods tribunal, 141.

The poor distressed Man's comfort, by his appeal unto God, 198.

Gods comfortable appearance to his people at the time of their death, 554.

The whole Armour of God to be put on, 115.

The best Christian is the best Artist, 137.

Not the Assurance, but the joy of Salvation, gives content, 81.

Assured Christians, must be patient Christians, 351.

God so ordering it, that few or none of his people live and dye without assurance of their salvation, 352.

Assurance of Gods love, the onely comfort, 370.

Atheism advanced by the distractions of the Church, 152.

Atheism condemned, 243.

Atheism punished, 242.

A [...]heism will unman any Man, 303.

Atheisticall, wicked men, at the hour of death forced to confesse Gods Judgments, 476.

The great danger of relying upon forraign ayd and assistance, 580.

B.

BAptismal water, the power and virtue thereof, 186.

Bap [...]ism renounced by the lewdnesse of life and conversation, 321.

Children of persons excommunicate, to be baptized, 470.

How it is, that Godfathers and Godmothers undertake for children in Baptism, 495.

Infant-baptism asserted, 557.

To be careful of our Vow made in Baptism, 605

Better live amongst beasts, then beastly-minded Men, 161.

God to be consulted at all times; but more especially in the beginning of all publique concernments, 1.

The paucity of true Believers, 398.

Bitter spirits, are no gracious spirits, 21.

Blamelesnesse of life, enjoyned, 113.

The sins of Blasphemy and swearing, the commonnesse of them, 122.

Blasphemous language condemned, 230.

[Page]A good Neighbour is a great blessing, &c. 6.

Governors, as they are qualified, are a curse or a Blessing to a People, 9.

A little with Gods blessing goes far, 11.

Blessings turned into curses, 63.

The blessing of God, more to be eyed then our own endeavours, 70.

The Ministers blessing after Sermon to be attended, 71.

Gods blessing upon the means doth all, 92. 581.

Outward blessings do not alwayes make a blessed Man, 107.

A blessed thing to have God for our Lord, 136.

God hath a peculiar blessing for his children, 169.

Gods spiritual blessing upon a Mans employment in his calling, 200.

To rely upon the blessing of God, notwithstanding all opposition, 611.

The blessing of God, attending on people listning to their own Minister, 638.

To blesse God for all, 453.

The Devils aym to strike every Man with spiritual blindnesse, 12.

The Sinners wilfull blindnesse, condemned, 281.

Spiritual and corporal blindnesse, their difference, 414.

The naturall Man's blindnesse in spirituall things, 485.

The guilt of innocent Bloud crying to Heaven for vengeance, 19.

Bloudy-minded Men, condemned, 130.

A Caveat for bloudy-minded Men, 611.

The greatest boasters, the smallest doers, 434.

More care for the Body then the Soul, condemned, 11. 552.

The Sinner's care is more for the Body then the Soul, 171.

Deformity of body not to be contemned, 193.

Young Schollers to mind their books, 40.

Scandalous and seditious books and pamphlets fit for the fire, 295.

Books of Piety and Religion, testimonial at the great day of Judgment, 476.

The several books of God, sleighted and neglected by the most of Men, 656.

The bountiful goodnesse of God to his children, 606.

The exceeding bounty of God, 119.

The borrowers duty and comfort, 612.

The sin of Bribery condemned, 332. 373.

The word Brother, how far extended, 172.

Not to be over-carefull for the place of our buriall, 592.

Busie-bodies, condemned, 136. 147.

A busie-body described, 285.

C.

THe great danger of taking up a false perswasion of our effectual Calling, 353.

The certainty, not the time of our spirituall Calling, to be so much looked into, 260. 612.

The necessity of Catechising, 119.

Weak ones, how to be catechised and instructed, 133.

Catechising, an excellent way to instruct Youth, 422.

Distrust [...]ull cares reproved, 125.

Censurers condemned, 20.

Not to censure others, but look to our selves, 46.

Censures not to be regarded, 69.

The Worlds hard censure of the godly Man, 128.

How it is that one Man censureth another, 225.

To be carefull in the censure of others, 232.

Men, not to be censurers one of another, 365.

To be favourable in the censure of others, 477.

The danger of introducing uselesse Ceremonies in the Church, 168.

Ceremonials and circumstantials in Religion not to be much contended for, 93.

Why God delivered the Law with such Majestick Ceremonies, 93.

The Romanists errour in the point of antiquity of Ceremonies, 151.

Ceremonies in the Church, not to be cause of separation, 440.

It is Man, not God that changeth, 117.

Charity to the poor, to be reall, not verball, 8.

The Charity of former times, abused by these times, 198.

Charity mistaken, 239.

To be well ordered, 561. 674.

To be Charitable Christians, and why so? 262.

To be charitable to the poor and needy, 300.

Why it is, that we must be charitable to all Men, 342.

Charity rewarded to the full, 373.

Men to be carefull of what they promise unto God in matter of Charity, 494.

Charity attended by the certainty of reward, 529.

[Page] Children of God, must have Gods qualities, 9.

Why God suffereth the dearest of his children to want these outward things, 301.

A true child of God, half in Heaven, whilest he is upon Earth, 317.

Being delivered out of the bondage of Satan, made more careful for the future, 318.

Children to be brought up in the fear of God, 48. 461. 481.

To be well principled, 57.

To be begged of God by prayer, 289.

Childrens Christian instruction, the great benefit thereof, 312.

How it is that Children are very hardly drawn from their naturall inclinations, 336.

Children, to be ready to relieve their Parents necessities, 460.

To have Children Male and Female, Gods great blessing, 467.

Children, to submit to their Parents correction, 481.

Children, to set their hands to all honest employments, 482.

To be fruitfull in children, a great blessing of God, 496.

Wicked children, a great grief to their Parents, 576.

Not to repine at a great charge of Children, 592.

Christ voluntarily engaging himself to take away the sins of the World, 569.

Men to be ready to dye for Christ, 578.

The comfortable sight of Christ Iesus crucified to the poor Repentant sinner, 634.

The excellency of Christ Iesus, 640.

Christ, the Saints wonder and admiration, 663.

Christs watchfulnesse over his people for good, 664.

Christ a [...]ure pay-master, 666.

Christ fully revealed in the New Testament, 6.

Christs Victory over Sathan, 24.

Christ and the good Christian are companions inseparable, 18.

Christ is the true Christians, All in all, 63.

How Christs sufferings are made ours, 69.

Wisdome of Christ above all other wisdome, even to admiration, 102.

Christ in all his excellencies, to be the Christians object, 142.

S. Augustines. Judgment of the time of Christs birth, 157.

Christ compared to an Eagle, 174.

All have not the same measure of Christ, 175.

The excellencies of Christ are theirs that are in him, 185.

Nothing but Christ to be esteemed, as of any worth, 195.

Christ is the proper food of the Soul. To make Christ our Lord and Master, 224.

Christ, the onely object of the devout Soul, 273.

Christ, nothing but love all over, 299.

Christ, the eternall Son of God properly and significantly called, The Word, Ioh. 1. 1. 326.

Christ making himself and all that he hath, over to the good of his Church and People, 327.

The great love of Christ to be at an high esteem, and why so? 344.

Christ, the true light, 538.

The joyfull coming of Christ Iesus in the flesh, 365.

The all-sufficient goodnesse of Christ Jesus, 385.

The inestimable value of Christ Iesus, 407.

Consideration of the Name of Christ, to be a motive from sin, 448.

The necessity of being found with Christ's righteousnesse, 472.

Christ's wounds, the onely hiding place of a Christian, 490.

Christ Iesus, the good man's chief portion, 505.

The excellency of Christ's intercession, 518.

Christ freely discovering himself to all that truly seek him, 535.

Christ's humanity, asserted, 537.

A true Christian to be a true picture of Christ, 92.

The worth of a true Christian, 123.

The best Christian is the best Artist, 137.

True Christians are fruitful Christians, 326.

As we are called Christians, to bear up our selves like Christians, 348.

The weaknesse of a Christian without Christ, 393.

The good Christians Library, 417.

The Christians claim to Heaven, what it is. Christianity, the best Nobility, 592.

Every one to strive for eminency in Christianity, 664.

The Churches distresse and comfort, 582.

Gods readinesse to maintain the cause of his Church, 621.

The bare enjoyment of Church-priviledges doth not make up a true Christian, 639.

God ordering all things for the good of his Church, 641.

The Churches fall, the Churches rise, 658.

[Page]Christ ready to revenge himself upon the Enemies of his Church, 663.

Ruine of the Churches enemies to be desired, 119.

The fiery tryall on the Church of God, 130.

The Churche's enemies, become the Churche's good, 131.

Spoylers of Church and State, condemned, 209.

Men, not repairing to the Church of God, reproved, 245.

The sad condition of Church and State, not to be sleighted, 270. 424.

Reverend and devout behaviour to be used in the Church of God, 320.

God looking upon his Church with a more especiall eye of Providence, 328.

Gods ends and Mans ends, as to the persecution of his Church, the vast difference betwixt them, 345.

The not laying of the Churches troubles to heart, condemned, 346.

How it is, tha War there may, and must be in the Church of God, but not contention, 364.

The Church of the Gospel, its amplitude above that under the Law, 437.

The good Christians comfort in time of the Churches trouble, 310.

Church of God, still on the decaying hand, 6.

The Churches Enemies in Gods hands, 13.

The Church robbed of her maintenance, upon pretence of Reformation, 17.

Peace of the Chruch, precious, 32.

Prayers and tears are the Weapons of the Church, 52.

The Churches complaint for want of maintenance, 63.

Order both in Church and State commanded and commended, 101.

Carelesse Church-men to be condemned, 62.

The Churche's conditions under the two Testaments, 174.

Church-spoylers condemned, 201.

God seeketh for his own People, more especially in his own house the Church, 227.

The great danger of slighting Church-Assemblies, 304.

True comfort in God onely, 647.

A Caveat for unworthy Communicants, 109.

The danger of unworthy Communicating, 111.

Unworthy Communicants condemned, 142. 151. 156. 164.

A good Man tedious to bad Company, 564.

Godly Company, the benefit thereof, 539.

How a Man should demean himself in bad Company, 454.

Ill Company to be avoided, 45. 187. 437.

A godly Man is bettered in evill Company, 106.

Man to be of Company, or sociable, 188.

How to come off well in ill Company, 190.

Evil Company a great hindrance in the wayes of God, 362.

The confident Christian, 243.

Confes [...]ion of sins, irksome to the Devil, 676.

The Laity abused by the Roman Clergy in Confession, 587.

Men by na [...]ure hardly brought to Confession of sin, 661.

Contempla [...]ion and action, requisite for every good Christian, 18.

Gods savour above all Worldly contentment to a godly Man, 7.

Content is a great blessing of God, 29.

To be Content with our present condition, 41.

A contented Christian is a couragious Christian, 66.

A contented Man, no base spirited Man, 105.

Contentment brings in all things on a sudden, 106.

Contentment keeps up the Soul in the saddest of conditions, 107.

A contented mind suits with all conditions, 2 [...]0.

Consideration of the brevity of life, to w [...]r [...] the heart of Man to contentment, 392.

To rest contented with Gods good will and pleasure, 422.

Content with Gods good pleasure, a great blessing, 481.

Men to argue themselves into a mood of Contentment, 501.

The quietnesse of Contentment, 502.

The spiritual benefit of divine Contentment, 504.

A little with content, sufficient, 519.

No true content in the things of this World, 564.

Commandements of God, the reasonablenesse of them, 251.

The commands of God to be obeyed, not questioned, 582.

To compassionate others miseries, 528. 301. 613.

How far there may be a lawful compliance with men of other Judgments, 405.

The pain of a wounded Conscience, greatned by the folly of the patient, 563.

Greatnesse of the torture of a wounded Conscience, 565.

[Page]Peace of Conscience not to be wrought out by Company, &c. 567.

Not to regard what men say ill, if Conscience say well, 315.

Conscience to be looked on as a Register of all our actions, 307.

To blesse God for the peace of Conscience, 33.

The security of a good Conscience, 55.

The Hell of a guilty Conscience, 75.

The terrours of a guilty Conscience, 151.

The sad effects of a wounded Conscience, 199.

The great comfort of a good Conscience, 270.

Conscience spoils the wicked Mans Mirth, 376.

Good Conscience, a Mans best Friend at the last, 415, 507.

The most silent Conscience will speak out at last, 502.

Not to consent unto Sin, 480.

Consideration to be had in all undertakings, 169.

Consideration of eternal pain, to deter from the commission of Sin, 122.

Consideration of Gods omnipresence, to be the sinners curb, 128.

Consideration of death, will cure all distempers, 134.

God to be consulted with upon any great undertaking, 148.

Controversies, especially in matters of Religion, dangerous, 294.

Corrections, Instructions, 141.

Correction of children and servants, how to be moderated, 445.

No true comfort but in God, 166.

A godly Christian is a constant Christian, 41.

The danger of Conventicles, 115.

The hardnesse of a Rich mans Conversion, 562.

Conversion of Heathens to be endeavoured, 36.

Conversion of a Sinner, wrought by degrees, 188, 305.

The meditation of Death, profitable to the Souls conversion, 282.

Conversion of a Sinner, painfully wrought, 283.

Conversion of a Sinner, is matter of great rejoycing, 312.

The serious confession of one sinner to another, may be the Conversion of one the other, 346.

The Ministers joy in the Conversion of Souls, 640.

More Converts made by Preaching, then by reading, 545.

A covetous Man good for nothing till he be dead, 67.

Ministers and Physitians, of all Men not to be covetous, 72.

Covetousnesse and contentment, inconsistent, 199.

A Covetous Man, never satisfied, 317.

Covetousnesse in the Cleargy, condemned, 590.

A great comfort to have a Faithfull Counsellour, 54.

To make God our Counsellour, 229.

Every thing in specie made perfect at one and the same time in the Creation, 500.

God to be seen in the works of the Creation, 643.

Man since the fall of Adam, subject to the Creatures, 255.

No true happinesse to be found in the best of Creatures, 368.

Vanity of the Creatures without God, 642.

All Creatures subject to God pleasure, 166, 609.

All the Creatures are at peace with good men, 96.

The Use of the Creatures is conditional, 102.

Not so much to eye the Creature as the Creator in all occurrents, 170.

Gods power, Wisedome, &c. to be seen in all the Creatures, 205.

The Creature moves not, but in and by God, 59.

Cares and Crowns, inseperable, 202.

Curses usually falling on the Cursers head, 298.

Custome in sin, makes content in sin, 90.

Custome of sin, no excuse for the committing of sin, 276.

Men hardly drawn out of old customes and forms in Religious worship, 344.

Custome in sin, causeth hardnesse in sin, 350.

Hard to be drawn from custome in sin. 366. 479, 630.

D

THe true Christians safety in danger, 214, 490.

To be careful in the prevention of danger, 248

That it is lawful to praise the dead, 45.

A Man dead in Sin, is a senselesse Man, 45.

To speak well of the dead, 206.

Dead Men, soon forgotten, 623.

Commonnesse of the death of others, taking away the sense of Death, 477.

How it comes to passe, that Death is more generally excused, then accused, 325.

[Page] Death strips us of all outward things, 33, 123

Encompassed by Death on all sides, 39.

To look on every day as the day of Death, 66.

In death there is no difference of persons, 84.

At the time of Death, to be mindfull of Heaven, 103.

To be mindful of the day of Death, 119.

An argument of extream folly not to be mindful of death, 121.

Death, the good Mans gain, 123.

A good Man is mindful of his death, 126.

Extream folly, not to be mindfull of death, 137.

Death is the true Christians advantage, 153.

How the good and the bad look upon death in a different manner, 159.

To be alwayes prepared for death, 182, 298, 492.

Meditation of death, the benefit thereof, 254.

Insensibility of death, reproved, 255.

Ho [...] it is that wicked Men are said to hasten death, 260.

All alike in death, 261, 493.

Death, the end of all, 263.

To be mindfull of death at all times, 265.

Whether it be lawfull to desire death, 266.

Every Man to be perswaded of his own death, 297.

The impartiality of death, 301.

Every day to be looked on as the day of death, 324.

Frequent meditations of death, the great benefit thereof, 369.

Men not to hasten their own deaths, but submit to the Will of God, and why so! 370.

The generality of Men, nothing mindfull of death, 376.

The day of death, made the good Mans comfort, 396.

The day of death, better then the day of life, 407.

The good Man's comfort in death, 417.

A Child of God triumphing over death, 487.

The good Christians absolute victory over death, 492.

Christians to be carefull that they may find comfort in death, 508.

The smallest p [...]at of ground, sufficient for the greatest landed Man at the time of death, 562.

The generality of Men, not enduring to hear of death, 579.

Death of the Soul, mere to be lamented, then the death of the body, 608.

The true Christians confidence and contempt of death, 618.

Death put off from one to another, 673.

Christ by his death, overcame death, 676.

The poo [...] Debtors comfort, 306.

To beware how we come into the debt of sin, 556.

Not to admit of delayes in Religious performances, 592.

Deliberation, to be used in all our wayes, 458.

God is the onely object of his childrens, Delight, 23.

God is the onely delight of his childre, 139.

The Soul's delight once set upon God, hardly to be removed, 183.

Gods time, the best time for delive [...]ance, 5.

God doth not onely deliver, but comfort his Children, 25.

In all deliverances, spiritual and temporall, to give God the glory, 339.

God raising up Instruments for the deliverance of his people, 551.

The workings of God in the deliverance of his people, various, 648.

Spiritual desertions, no distractions to the child of God, 49.

How it is, that there may be partial des [...]rtions of spirituall grace in the Souls of Gods dearest children, but never totall nor final ones, 383.

Gods love to his children in the midst of spiritual desertions, 395.

Gods comfortable presence in the midst of spiritual desertions, 397.

Not to be over-hasty in the desire of Justice for wrongs sustained, 7.

The godly Man's desires are above his reach, 122.

The true Christian's desires are all for Heaven, 394.

Desperation, the complement of all sins, 317.

The desperate Sinner's madnesse, 454.

D [...]struction is from our selves, 164. 659.

Not so much the quantity, as the quality, of Devotion acceptable to God, 15.

The great benefit of devotion at bed time, 247.

The Devil a deceiver, deceived by Christ, 30.

The Devil suiting himself to all humours, 48.

Satan's restlesse, uncessant employment, 49.

Satan tempteth by degrees, 68.

Desp [...]rate Devils, 85.

Satan subdued by Christs death, 126.

His policy to defile the Soul with sin, 289.

[Page]The Devill rewarding his servants, 500.

The Devils cunning to deceive, 578, 637.

The Devils rage, and arguments of the Judgment day at hand, 626.

Why it is that the children of God, die usually sooner then others, 522.

All must die, 341, 522.

We dye daily, 162. Wisemen dye as well as Fools, 478.

Many seem to be willing, yet are loath to dye, 64, 76.

Man alwaies in a dying condition, 12.

We must learn to live well, before we desire to dye, 65.

D [...]scretion, the guid of all Religious actions, 574.

A main part of true Wisedome, 650.

Discord ill-becomes the Disciples of Christ, 43.

Discord in Church or Common-wealth, prejudicial, 58.

The deepest dissembler at one time or other, discovered, 478.

Civill Dissention attended by uncivill destruction, 13.

Dissention, the Fore-runner of confusion, 626.

Distractions will prove destructions, 8.

Englands distractions to be Englands peaceable directions, 193.

Dangerous to interpose with a divided People, 74.

Division amongst Christians is the disgrace of Christians, 44.

All divisions are against Nature, 75.

The danger of Divisions, 94, 317.

Divisions usher in destruction, 204.

The evill of Division, 474.

Divisions in Church and State to be prevented, 559.

The stu [...]y of Divinity, necessary, 220.

The study of School-divinity, not altogether necessary, 241.

False doctrine is treason against God, 44.

To do as we would be done by, is praise-worthy, 163.

Dreams not altogether to be sleighted, 1.

The right use that is to be made of Dreams, 237.

A drunkard hardly to be reclaimed, 87.

Drunkennesse cond [...]mned, 140.

Drunkennesse the shame of England, 190.

The encrease of drunkennesse in England, 206.

Drunkennesse, Whoredome, &c. the generality of them, 281.

The scoffing drunkards sad condition, 472.

To be careful of extraordinary drinking, 474.

Excessive drinking condemned, 475, 580.

Drunkennesse, a great punishment of it self, 483.

To be carefull of our Duty of God and Man, 10.

Not to rest in outward performance of duty, because dangerous, 178.

Compleat Christian duty, 383.

Neglect of the main duties of Christianity, reproved, 388.

Men to be constant in performance of holy duties, 396.

Constancy of holy duties, makes the performance of th [...]m easy, 442.

Holy duties call for holy preparation, 469.

The sins of our Religious duties, corrected by Christ, and then presented to his Father, 633.

E

GOds decree of Election, not to be made the proper obj [...]ct of Faith, 656.

Mans happinesse consistech onely in Gods free Election, 288.

The true comfort of Election, 586.

How to be assured of our Election, 586.

Election known by Sanctification, 76.

Gods fundamentall love of Election, and actuall love of Adoption; how distinguished, 261.

To make our calling and Election sure, 488.

Eloquence, if not affected, an excellent gift of God, 284.

Eloquence, not to be abused, 306.

Good endeavours assisted by God, 157.

All endeavours, to be sanctified by prayer, 551.

The Churches Enemies in Gods hands, 13.

A Forreign Enemy to be prevented, 34.

To love our Enemies and do them good, 73.

How it is that we may hate our Enemies, 138. 112.

The great good which cometh by Enemies, 112.

Not to envy each others gifts and prefermen [...]s, 29.

The great power of Envy, 173.

The destructive quality of Envy, 518.

The incorrigibility of Errour, 184.

To beware of erronious doctrine, 243, 417.

The obstinate Sinner deserving Eternity of punishment, and why so? 12.

Eternity of punishment in Hell, 97. to be considered, 442.

In all our doings, we should have our eye uppon Eternity, 103, 443.

[Page]Not to serve time, but Eternity, 202.

Nothing but Eternity will satisfy the gratious Soul, 438.

In the midst of worldly enjoyments to mind Eternity, 440.

The evill of Excesse, 616.

A wicked Man hardly drawn to examine himself, 107.

Daily Examination of our selves, the comfort of it, 294.

Gods choice of eminent persons to be Exemplary to others, 13.

Rulers actions, Exemplary, 32.

A good Man will be a good Example to others, 127.

The dangerous Example of wicked Governours, 192.

The prevalency of a good Example, 256.

Christ, to be our Example, and pattern of imitation in life and death, 484.

Wicked men, reserved for exemplary judgment, 507.

Magistrates and men in authority, to be exemplary to others, 516, 531.

Christ to be our example in bearing the Cross, 624.

The sufferings of Christ, as so many Examples to teach us how to suffer, 677.

Experience of Gods love, to be a motive unto better obedience, 126.

The experimented Christian, the onely undaunted Christian, 596.

Mans extermity, Gods opportunity, 408.

F.

A Factious-spirited Man, unfit for the work of the Ministery, 21.

Ring-leaders of Faction and Schism, their condition, deplorable, 391.

Factious hearers of the Word, condemned, 460.

The happy succession of a Christian Family, 423.

Wicked persons may be in a good Family, 461.

The unhappinesse of a disordered Family, 655.

How to make tryall of Faith, whether it be perfect or not, 644.

The great benefit of Faith truly appropriated, 665.

Faith and love, inseperable, 671.

Complaint of the want of Faith, an argument of true Faith, 35. More comfort in a strong Faith, then a weak one, 435.

The life of Faith, the happy life, 40.

Faith is the Fountain of all Graces, 51.

The gradation of Faith, 53.

The tryall of Faith, is the enlargement of Faith, 74.

Justifying Faith accompanied with good works, 98.

The certainty of Faith, 111.

Faith makes partakers of every good thing in Gods ordinances, 113.

Faith in the time of tryall, needful, 150.

How Faith justifieth alone, 163, 151.

The power of Faith, reviving the deadly sinsick Soul, 177.

The great power of Faith seated in the heart of Man, 229.

The least measure of true Faith, rewarded, 230, 406.

Christ to be entertained in our hearts by Faith, 253.

Without Faith, impossible to please God, 261.

Faith, the root of all Graces, 262.

Faith, though weak rewarded, and why so? 341.

How it is that Faith is the first act of Repentance, 343.

Faith to be preserved as the head of all Graces, and why so? 344.

True saving Faith, though never so weak, is all in all, 359, 590.

How it is that Faith challengeth superiority, over all the Graces, 386. The force of justifying Faith, 518.

Directions for the strong and weak in Faith, how to demean themselves as to the matter of Gods providence, 383.

Faith, not alwaies sensible, 511.

A sure anchor-hold in time of distresse, 550.

Faith and Repentance to be daily renewed and encreased, 555.

The appropriation of Faith is all in all, 599.

The several degrees of Faith, 601.

Men, to be careful in the triall of their Faith, whether it be found or not, 641.

The Faithfull servants of God, well rewarded, 273.

God rewarding the least of Faithfull service done unto him, 285.

Faithfull servants of God, the paucity of them, 292.

The Faithful soul, and an unbeliever, their difference in relying upon God, 634.

How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by works, 644.

The Court-Favourites condition, 208.

The Godly Man is Gods Favourite, 227.

[Page]A Man to be clear of that fault he condemneth in another, 448.

The apprehension of Fear and courage, mans mistaking of the object, spoyles all, 624.

Fears and jealousies, the danger of them, 94.

God to be feared in his Judgments, 307.

Gods dwelling in the Soul that truly fears him, 65 [...].

He that truly feareth God, passeth not for the affronts of Men, 412.

The sad condition of the fearlesse, heart-hardned sinner, 674.

There's no fighting against God, 673.

Flatterers to be avoided, 439.

A Caveat for Flatterers, 615.

Flesh and Spirit, their opposition, 185.

The danger of Fleshly lusts, to be avoided, 330. 476.

Flesh and bloud, not to be hearkned unto, 430.

Forgivenesse of others, an argument of Gods forgiving us, 49.

Injuries not onely to be forgiven, but forgotten also, 97.

Forgivenesse of one another commanded and commended, 114.

The great diffi [...]ulty of forgiving one another. 153.

A Formal specious Christian, no true Christian, 100.

Outward Formality onely, in the service of God, condemned, 187.

The Formal Christian described, 403, 450.

The deaths of Friends and acquaintance, not to be slighted, 264.

The hasty, unexpected death of Friends, not to be made matter of excessive sorrow, 282.

A Faithful, modest Friend, very hard to be found, 371.

Few, or no Friends to be found in time of Adversity, 432.

God, a sure fast Friend, 610.

Friendship to be made with God in Christ Jesus, 300.

True, reall Friendship, very hard to be found, 372.

Friendship tryed in the times of Affliction, 433.

G.

God loveth a chearfull giver, 482.

Excellency of the crown of Glory, 499.

Glory to be given to God onely; and why so? 15.

God is to have the glory of all things, 83. 225. 288.

The sad effects of not giving unto God, his glory, 553.

Gluttony reproved, 444.

How it is, that God is to every one of his children, alone, 642.

God alone more powerfull then all the Enemies of the World, 561.

God working the greatest of things without means, 485.

God in wisdome ordering all things to work together for the good of his children, 242.

The workings of God and Man, very different, 244.

An account of Gods knowledg, not to be made out by the wisest of Men, 318.

God's Immutability, 464.

Gods omniscience, necessarily demonstrated from his omnipresence, 379. Watchfulnesse over his people forgood, 496.

Consideration of Gods omnipresence, a strong motive to Christian confidence, 380. To be a disswasive from sin, 381. 436.

God, a mercifull God, 234. 510.

Gods speciall love to his children, 112.

God, slow to anger, 115.

God, a jealous God of his honour, 535.

The great goodnesse of God in sending Jesus Christ to save Sinners, 167.

Gods omniscience, 577.

Gods care over his children, notwithstanding their many aberrations, 171.

God onely to be served, 584.

God, a mighty God, 190. The onely searcher of Man's heart, 498.

Gods Justice, what it is, and how defined, 231.

How it is, that the proceedings of God in his Justice, are not so clearly discerned, 231.

The several expressions of God in his mercies; And why so? 235.

The generality of Gods knowledg, 236.

Gods great patience, notwithstanding Man's provocation, 382.

God onely to be worshipped as the great Creator, &c. 661.

God onely to be seen in Christ Jesus, 3.

God and his Graces go together, 22.

The manifestation of God in severall respects, 26.

God is All in all, 42,

Gods Eternity, 44. Omnisciency, 52. 266.

The certainty of Gods Will and promise, 69.

The fulnesse of God, 70.

[Page] God, the proper Agent in all things, 85.

God and his Attributes are answerable, 97.

Gods two hands of Mercy and Judgment, 130.

God onely wise 144. The onely searcher of the heart, 577.

God slow to anger, and of great patience, 146.

God, both powerful and merciful, 185.

God, a just God as well as a mercifull God, 274.

God to be feared in his Judgments, 307.

God's Judgments, the causes of them to be considered, 409.

God brings good out of evil for his Peoples good, 22.

To make good use of good Men while we have them, 43.

A good Man is the prop and stay of his Country, 43.

Carnal and spiritual Men, their difference in doing good,

The good Man's life, preserved for the good of others, 158.

The great difference of both good and bad Men in life and death, 158.

To do good for evill, 501.

Good Men, as the Pillars both of Church and State, to be preserved, 200.

The good Man rejoycing in death, 464.

The falls of good Men presage the Nations ruine, 221. 662.

Goodnese, not greatnesse, that holdeth out to the last, 525.

Goodnesse and greatnesse seldome meet together, 108.

The beginnings of goodnesse to be encouraged, and why? 150.

Goodnesse, or godlinesse, the best Friend, 214.

The wayes of Godlinesse more comfortable then Worldly Men can imagine, 431.

Godlinesse, a great mystery, and why so? 453.

Godlinesse, a very gainful Trade, 457.

Fears of the losse of Gospel light more at home then from abroad, 14. 95.

To joy in the light of the Gospel, 20.

Gospel-promises are the poor Man's supporters, 117.

How the Gospel propagateth it self, 193.

Christ seen more clearly under the Gospel, then under the Law, 258.

How it is, that the preaching of the Gospel is of a double and contrary operation upon different persons, 372.

The different effects of the Gospel preached, 481.

Gospel invitation to comfort, 558.

Powerfull preaching of the Gospel, 670.

Government of Christ, a peaceable government, 31.

Popular Government, popular confusion, 49.

The happinesse of good Government, 51. 587.

The excellency of good Government, 65.

Licentious Libertines impatient of Government, 77.

The good of Government, 122.

Who fit for Government in point of remporal estate, 223.

Change of Government, not to be affected, 234.

The sad condition of people under Tyrannicall Government, 310.

A good wish to good Government, 431.

The great weight of Government, 452.

The heavy weight of Government ill attained, 652.

Governours, as they are qualified, are a curse or a blessing to the People, 9.

Rulers and Governours support the Commonwealth, 29.

Princes, Governours, &c. to be prudentially qualified, 110.

Every peaceable frame of spirit, and confident perswasion of Gods love, is not a sure testimony, that such an one is in the state of grace, 324.

Grace in the heart is certain, though the feeling thereof be uncertain; And how so? 352.

It is Grace, not place, that keeps a Man from sinning, 324.

Grace in the heart cannot be smothered, 20.

A totall deprivation of Grace in the heart, deplorable, 23.

The doctrine of free Grace abused by licentious Libertines, 37.

Grace, not greatnesse, maketh Magistrates glorious, 43.

Grace of God above all Riches, 54.

The losse of Grace made up again in Christ onely, 72.

Saving Grace, and seeming Grace much resemble one another, 30.

True Grace is diffusive, 30.

True Grace is accompanied with humility 88.

Graces lost in the Soul, to be made up onely in Christ, 112.

Different measures of Grace in different persons, 139.

Grace sometimes seemingly lost to a Child of God, 145. 245.

[Page]Weak beginnings of Grace, not to be despised, 149.

A sense of the want of Grace, a true sign of grace, 156. 177.

Grace in the heart may be a long time concealed, 179.

Grace of God, the onely armour of proof, 184.

Graces to be stocked up against a day of trouble, 254.

God accepts the meanest of Graces, 285.

Graces of Gods Spirit, not given in vain, 311.

Minding of good things, a notable way to encrease Grace, 511.

Why it is that they which have the strongest graces, are subject to the strongest corruptions, 374.

Grace and goodnesse, to be highly esteemed, even in Men of the lowest condition, 374.

God exercising the Graces of his Children, 404.

Small buddings of Grace in the Soul, an argument of greater growth, 538.

Grace to be communicated, 557.

Perfection of Grace to be endeavoured, 563.

Graces of the Spirit, to be made the Souls furniture, 574. Though seemingly lost, yet found at last, 607.

Man by refusing the tenders of Grace, becomes the cause of his own destruction, 628.

How it is that the sweet fruits of Grace come to grow on the bitter root of Nature, 632.

Graces divine, not parts humane, hold out in the end, 635.

How it is, that Graces of the Spirit, may at present seem to be lost, 635. 665.

Means in the attainment of Grace, and the use thereof enjoyned by God, 636.

The Grace of God is all in all, 647.

The way to greatnesse is full of danger, 10.

Condiscension is the great Mans glory, 90.

Conversion of great ones to be endeavoured, 185.

Greatnesse and goodnesse, well met together, 191.

The vanity of Man in seeking after great things, 598.

Great Men and others, not to raise themselves by the ruines of the Church, 632.

Growth of sin to be prevented, 10.

The not growing in grace, reproved, 347.

The Christian's spirituall growth, when seemingly dead aed declining, 397.

The Hypocrite and true Christian, their difference in growth of Grace, 505.

The Christian's growth in Grace, enjoyned, 581.

H.

HAppinesse and blessednesse, the onely things desireable, 304.

No way to Happinesse, but by Holinesse, 395.

Happiness of him that hath the Lord to be his God, 422.

Others Mens harms to be our arms, 39. 67. 338.

Miseries attendant on the haters of Gods people, 361.

Not to be carelesse Hearers of Gods Word, 21. 572.

Sathan's endeavour to hinder the hearing of Gods Word, 34.

Curiosity in the hearing of Gods Word, condemned, 41. 135.

Unprofitable Hearers of the Word, described, 74.

Ministers to distinguish their Hearers, 103.

Hearers, and not doers of the Word, condemned, 165.

Hearing or listning after Vanity, reproved, 173.

Hearing the Word, and not meditating, thereon, dangerous, 187.

Partial Hearers of Gods Word, reproveable, 241.

How to behave our selves in the hearing of Gods Word, 249.

Negligent hearing of Gods Word, condemned, 272. 585.

Needfull requisites to make a profitable hearer of Gods Word, 299.

Men to hear the Word of God, though they come with prejudicate thoughts, 413.

Partiality of affection in hearing Sermons, condemned, 420.

Attention in hearing of Gods Word, commanded and commended, 469.

Blessednesse of the poor in spirit, in the matter of hearing Gods Word, 484.

To be diligent hearers of the Word of God, and remember what we hear, 487.

Good and bad hearers of the Word, their difference, 506.

Wanton hearers of the Word, reproved, 619.

The great benefit of hearing and practising Gods Word, 636.

How to know, Whether a Man belong to Heaven, 4.

[Page]A great folly not to provide for Heaven, 8.

The things of this World, a great stop in the way to Heaven, 11.

A poor child of God comforted with the hopes of Heaven, 13.

The true Christian's hopes of Heaven, 28.

The Saints knowledg of one another in Heaven, 68.

Heaven the best Inheritance, 80.

How to know Gods dwelling place, Heaven, 100.

A child of God is restlesse till he come to Heaven, 101.

At the time of death to be mindfull of Heaven, 103.

Hopes of Heaven, the good Mans encouragement, 104.

A good Christian to be Heavenly-minded, 136.

The reward of Heaven will make amends for all, 136.

Heaven, worth contending for, 155.

The Kingdom of Heaven an everlasting Kingdome, 175.

The great state of Heaven, 196.

How to get into Heaven, 196.

The Heavenly co [...]queror, the happy conquerour, 197.

Not to admit of impediments in our way to Heaven, 222.

But one sure way to Heaven, 222.

Consultation with Flesh and bloud in the wayes of Heaven, is very dangerous, 237.

Heaven the inheritance of Gods children, 242.

The World to be contemned in regard of Heaven, 296.

Men desirous to be in Heaven, but will not take the pains to come rhither, 300.

The way to Heaven through tribulation, 302.

The joyes of Heaven, not to be expressed, 312.

A true child of God, half in Heaven, whilest he is on Earth, 317.

Heaven, the poor Saints comfortable Inheritance, 347.

Whilest we are here in this World, to provide for Heaven, 347.

Heavenly happinesse, not to be expressed, 396.

Heaven, not to be found upon Earth, 455.

To be waited for with patience, 460.

Men upon hearing of the joyes of Heaven, to be much taken there with, 465, 466.

Every Man to make himself sure of Heaven, &c. 575.

Heaven, to be alwayes in our thoughts, 585.

Heaven, a place of holinesse, 610.

The signs of Heaven, as Sun, Moon, with their Eclipses, &c. as we are not to be dismaid at them, so not to be contemners of them, 655.

No pains to be thought too much for the getting of Heaven, 668.

Why it is that God affords some glimpse of Heaven, in this life, 669.

An Heavenly-minded Man looks through all Afflictions, 458.

Heavenly-mindednesse of a child of God, 459.

How to know, whether a Man be Heavenly or earthly-minded, 459.

Christians having an eye upon the Heavenly reward, not to be daunted at any outward troubles, 462.

God onely able to perswade the heart fully, 654.

How the heart of Man may be kept up steady in troublous times, 549.

The heart of Man, the [...]eed-plot of all sin, 597.

Heart-communication, the want thereof, deplorable, 634.

A good heart is a melting heart, 7.

Remedy for a hard heart to cure it, 145.

Heart and tongue to go together, 166.

God will have t [...]e whole [...]eart in his service, 182. 310.

Gods tryal of his children by cleansing their hear [...]s, 215.

The Christian's heart, never quiet till it be in Christ, 217.

The heart of Man, author of all good and bad actions, 276.

The heart of a true Christian, restlesse without Christ, 284.

The heart of a worldly-minded Man never satisfied, 572.

No comfortable sight of God without purity of heart, 637.

A faint-hearted Christian described, 139. 594.

No return from Hell, 670.

A wicked Man believes not that there is a Hell, till he be in it, 69.

Wicked Men take great pains to go to H [...]ll, 475.

Eternity of punishment in Hell, 97.

Fear of Hell to be a restraint from the least sin, 382.

One Man is to help another as God hath enabled him, 162. 254.

Job's true Heraldry, 135.

Heresies and moral vices to be timely avoided, 90.

The benefit of History, 527.

Holinesse, an excellent thing, 366.

[Page] Honour and greatnesse the vanity of them, 369.

Hopes of Heaven are the good man's encouragement, 104.

Hope well, and have well, 180.

Hope in God, the best hold-fast, 318.

Hope of future joy, sweetneth present sorrow, 486.

Hope to be kept up in the midst of all perplexities, 505.

The good Christian's Hope at the death of a child of God, 637.

Honesty, the best policy, 679.

Hospitality commended, 67.

The want thereof reproved, 587.

The Christians humiliation, the Christians exaltation, 53.

No harm in humility, 125.

An humble heart is a contented heart, 135.

Humility, the way to glory, 195.

Gods dwelling in the humble heart, 501.

How to be truly humble, 239.

Humility occasioned, by the consideration of our former and present condition, 269.

The true nature of humility, 567.

Humility advanced, 271.

The excellency of humility, 568.

To appear before God in all humility, how high soever our condition be, 343.

Humility appeaseth Gods anger, 386. 510. 593.

The soveraign virtue of Humility, 571.

Humility exalted, 574.

Husbands to bear with their Wives infirmities, 34. 433.

Not to be uxorious, 290.

The head of the Wife, 497.

Husband and Wife, each others Crown, 581.

Husband and Wife to bespeak one another kindly, 596.

Husbands to love their Wives, as they are Wives, 604.

Gods Husbandry, 90.

The unthankfull Husband-man, condemned, 223.

Hypocrisie may passe for a time undiscovered, 66.

Hypocrisie, the generality of it, 230.

The Religious Hypocrite discovered, 661.

The comfortlesse Hypocrite, 669.

Hypocrites discovering their own shame, 607.

How it is, that the Hypocrite deceives himself in seeking after God, 360.

The wayes of Hypocrite, not easily traced, 227.

Hypocrites, in their saying well and doing ill, condemned, 51.

The Hypocrites inconstancy, 52.

How to judge of an Hypocrite, 124.

The Hypocrite described, 169.

The Hypocrites discovery of himself, 174. 626.

Hypocrisie discovered, 206.

When the Hypocrite is discovered, 214.

The Hypocrite characteristically laid open, 232. 283.

The subtile Hypocrite, 384.

The Hypocrite being true to none, is beloved of none, 424.

I.

AN Idle Man subject to the least Temptation, 7. 348.

All men to be highly affected with the Name of Iesus, 320.

Ignorance of Gods mind will not excuse us at the last, 197.

Ignorant worldly purchasers, 494.

Ignorant, upstart Preachers, reproved, 604.

Ignorance, especially in the wayes of God, reproved, 609, 611.

God, not to be set out by any representation or Image to the eye of Man, 425.

The strength of Imagination, demonstrated, 196.

How it is that the strength of Imagination prevails so much in matters of Religion, 323.

Not onely the good, but the bad also are imitable in what they do well, 96.

An impatient condition is a discontented condition, 42.

The sad condition of all impenitent Sinners, 328.

Mans Inconstancy, 228.

The unresolved Mans inconstancy, 336.

Inconstancy in the wayes of God, reproved, 563.

No such thing as Independency in this life, 83.

Men to bear with one anothers infirmities, 255.

The Saints infirmities, 622.

Every Christian to be an ingenuous Christian, 57.

The basenesse of Ingratitude, 11.

Ingratitude of England unto God, 189.

The Ingrateful Christian reproved, 218.

Gods goodnesse, and Mans ingratitude, 236.

Ingratitude reproved, 261. 655.

Peoples ingratitude to their Minister, condemned, 277.

[Page]The monstrous sin of Ingratitude, 643.

Inhumanity condemned, 404.

Innovations in Church or State, very dangerous, 444.

Condonation of the Injured, is a conquest over the Injurious, 12.

Forgetting of Injuries past, required upon the making of Peace, 23.

The glory of a Christian to passe by Injuries and offences, 56.

Forgetfulnesse of Injuries, commendable, 85.

Injuries not onely to be forgiven, but forgotten also, 97.

Courts of Iudicature to be free from all Injustice, 381.

Interest in Christ, best of all, 145.

A good Christian will rather part with his life, then his Integrity, 467.

Ioy, how to be regulated, 220.

Ioy comes in the midst of Affliction, 319.

God's judgment not as Man's judgment, 600.

Men usually judging others to be like themselves, 528.

Men, though differing in judgment, yet not to differ in affection, 45.

Mans co [...]rupt Iudgment upon the bare appearance of things, condemned, 150.

Prejudice in judgment, very dangerous, 232.

Difference of judgment hath, and ever will be in the minds of Men; and why so, 305.

Men of corrupt Iudgments, 618.

Minding of the great Day of Iudgment, a great means to live godlily, 229. 595.

Iudgment-day, the terrours of it to the Wicked, 257.

The day of the last Iudgment, a terrible day, 527.

The state of a Kingdom or Common-wealth best known by the administration of Iustice, 3.

Not to be over-hasty in the desire of Iustice for wrong sustained, 7.

Magistrates to be impartial in justice, 526.

Excellency of the robe of Justice, 38. 627.

Judges and Magistrates are to be the Patrons of Iustice, 121.

Magistrates to be advised in the point of Iustice, 124.

Magistrates to do Iustice and right, 132.

Magistrates to be alwayes ready to do Iustice, 157. 268.

Iustice described, 176.

Iustice commutative, to do as we would be done by, 404.

Iustice duly administred to the People, the benefit thereof, 615.

Iustice moderated, 657.

Iustice to be duly administred, 673.

The Iust man's joy is more inward then outward, 54. 215.

Not to be dejected, though the joy of the Iust be not perfect in this life, 519.

Iustification by Christ, the extent thereof, 231.

K.

KIlling of Men, heretofore made ordinary, 24.

King, Princes, &c. good and bad, their difference, 546.

To be regarded by those that are under them, 648.

King and Corrivals are inconsistent, 204.

Cares attendant on the Kingly office and Men in authority, 308.

Kings, Princes, Rulers, &c. to hearken to good Counsel, 520.

Kings, Princes, &c. subject to death as well as the lowest of the people, 526.

The greatnesse of them, no protection from death, 526.

The state of Kingdoms and Common-wealths best known by the administration of Justice, 3.

A Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand, 195.

The Kingdom of Christ, a peaceable Kingdome, 247.

Kingdoms and Common-wealths, their successions from God, 309.

How it is to know, whether a Man belong to Heaven, or not, 4.

God knowes his own People, however distressed, 46.

Impossible for a Man to know all his sins, 57.

Impossible to know God perfectly in this World, 96.

How to know Gods dwelling place, Heaven, 100.

How to know, whether we are more troubled for sin, then for worldly sorrow and trouble, 356.

Knowledg very usefull in the matter of Reformation, 4.

Gods knowledg and Mans knowledg, the difference of them in the event of things, 5.

Zeal and knowledg must go hand in hand together, 15.

Difference betwixt a spiritual and carnall Man in point of knowledg, 58.

[Page]The Saints knowledg of one another in Heaven, 68.

Windy Knowledg and windy doctrine go together, 82.

Notional knowledg of God, no true knowledg, 100.

Minister of all men to be men of knowledg, &c. 134.

Experimental Knowledg, the onely knowledg, 156. 437.

The confidence of much knowledg, an argument of no knowledg, 159.

Knowledg, not to be reserved, 168.

Knowledg and practice must go together, 173.

The great danger of concealed knowledg, 192.

Knowledg without practice, reproved, 213.

Christians and their knowledg to be communicative, 227.

Man losing himself in the pursuit after knowledg extraordinary, 238.

True knowledg never rests on the Creature, till it center in God the Creator, 259.

Knowledg in political affairs, very uncertain, 267.

All knowledg but in part, 268.

The keys of Knowledg much abused by those that keep them, 509.

To have a perfect Knowledg of God, impossible, 532.

The knowledg of God through Faith in Christ, the way to true happinesse, 534.

Wherein the true Knowledg of Christ consisteth, 556.

L.

LAughter of the Wicked, but from the teeth outward, 52.

How it is, that the Law is said to be the strength of Sin, 491.

How it is that Christ is said to be end of the Ceremonial law, 534.

The work of the law, preceding the work of the Gospel, 559.

The Law of God, abused by Libertinism, 487.

Law of God, a perfect Law, 19.

The Law, Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of it; Man's duty to attend it, 133.

How to behold our selves in the glasse of Gods Law, 246. 630.

The Law of God, bringing Men to the sight of themselves, 297.

Multiplicity of Law-S [...]its, condemned, 588.

Good Lawes and good Men, are the pillars of State, 150.

Lex Talionis, 157. 416.

Good lawes obeyed, are the support of a Common-wealth, 175.

The great danger of Law suits, 207.

The tedious length of Law-Suits, 213. 524.

The known laws of any Nation, to be the rule of obedience, 293.

How it is that Men may be said to learn of little children, dumb thews, &c. 409.

Practice of the law abused, 430.

The downfall of piety and Learning to be deplored, 118.

Not to admire our own Learning or parts, 168.

University-Learning to be countenanced by men in Authority, 219.

The necessity of humane Learning, 240.

Learning and honesty to go together, 249.

A Man of Learning speaks little, 263.

The Devills plot to root our Learning, 276. 576.

Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ, above all humane learning whatsoever, 363.

The commodity and discommodity of learning, 366.

Knowledg and learning to be owned in whomsoever they be found, 412.

The right use of humane learning, 421.

No Man too good to learn, 447.

No Man so old, but he may learn something, 471.

The right use of humane learning in Divinity, 483. 577.

The necessity thereof, 484.

Much learning to be found in few expressions, 567.

Impossible to arrive at a full perfection of learning in this life, 568.

Liberty the cause of licentiousnesse, 504.

Christian liberty abused by the Sectarian party, 27.

How it is, that Men are so much mistaken in the thoughts of long life, 375.

Consideration of the shortnesse of life to be a Memento for death, 430.

The Life of Man subject to all sorts of calamity, 61.

The pretious life of Man to be preserved, 62.

An ungodly life, will have an ungodly end, 101.

The brevity of our life, may moderate our life, 104.

[Page]The life of Man miserable, 219.

Changing of this life for a better, no matter of grief, 280.

Man's great vanity in proposing to himself long life, 334.

The great difference betwixt life spirituall, and life natural, 370.

The uncertainty of Mans life, 602.

Like to like, 234.

How to be made like unto Christ, 260.

Likenesse to be a motive to lovelinesse, 414.

God must be loved for himself onely, 16.

Love for the most part is but complemental, 8.

Want of Love is the cause of all our sorrows, 36.

Love the bond of all perfection, 49.

The Love of Gods children is a sincere love, 75.

The wonderful Love of a true Christian to Christ Jesus, 106.

The strength of a true Christians Love to Christ, 112.

Want of Love to be deplored, 132. 401.

Great engagement to love one another, 152.

Love to Christ, how to be recovered when once lost, 236.

Christ, nothing but Love all over, 299.

Love, to be preserved with all Men, 313.

The abundant love of Christ in dying for our sins, 360.

Love, Peace and Unity, the best supporters of Kingdoms, Common-wealths, &c. 375.

The Love of God, the onely true love, 409.

The true love of God will cause familiarity with God, 447.

How it is, and why God loves us, 536.

The exceeding Love of God to Mankind, 550.

The Love of Riches very dangerous, 571.

True brotherly love scarce to be found, 613.

The difference betwixt true and feigned love unto Christ, 650.

How our love to the Creature is to be regulated, 666.

Christians ought to be loving one to another, 58.

No Man a loser by giving himself up to Christ, 38.

God being once lost, not easily found again, 185.

The losse of a faithful Ministery not to be sleighted; and why so, 258.

Losse of the Soul, irrecoverable, 505.

The good Man's comfort in matter of worldly losse, 464.

Not to repine at the losse of Friends and children, 522. 670.

Losse of good Men not laid to heart, condemned, 659.

Simplicity of Men, to be more affected with the losse of things eternal, 677.

Not to mourn for any outward losses, because all is made up in Christ, 55.

A sad thing to lose both body and Soul together, 111.

Not to mourn excessively for the losse of any Worldly enjoyment; and why so, 356.

To beware of the lusts of the Flesh, 141.

The lyars reward and punishment, 443.

M.

A Good Magistrate or Minister, is the support of the place where he lives, 111.

The great comfort of such, 539.

Magistrates to look to their attendants, 144.

To be Men of understanding, 523.

To stand up in Gods cause, 541. 545.

Not to be found guilty of that which they forbid in others, 531.

Magistrates, Ministers, &c. their rule to walk by, 573.

Their death to be lamented, 575.

Malice and Envy not fit for Gods table, 73.

The great danger of Malitious turbulent spirits, 79.

Not to be malitious in the exercise of holy duties, 102.

Matter enough within us to condemn us, 154.

A good Man, denominated from the goodness of his heart, 555.

The sad condition of Man falling away from God, 298.

Man's being is from God, 37.

Man, the best and worst of Creatures, 216.

The fall of Man described, 216.

Married Men better Common-wealths-men then Batchelers, 203.

Marriage to be sought of God by prayer, 256.

Children to have a care how they marry without consent of Parents, 441.

Marriage, not to be made for money onely, 527.

The Martyr's welcome to Heaven, 450.

Good meanings of bad men, destructive, 621.

Good means, how to be used, 114.

Gods blessing upon the means doth all, 92.

[Page]Want of matter not to hinder Meditation, 435.

Natural wants not to hinder divine Meditation, 434.

The great comfort of Heavenly Meditation, 191. 430.

The necessity of divine Meditation, 431.

The beginnings thereof very difficult, 432. 636.

The excellency thereof, 660.

God the proper object of Man's Memory, 62.

To blesse God for our Memories, 63.

Repetition of good things helpfull to Memory, 96.

Memory must be active, 106.

Memory ought to be the treasury of all goodnesse, 149.

The difference betwixt a good and bad Memory, 335.

The excellency of a good Memory, 547.

The generall badnesse of Memory in good things, 548.

Gods Mercies to the worst of sinners repenting, 651.

Gods Mercy above his Justice, 144.

To be mercifully-minded, is praise-worthy, 163.

To sin against the Mercies of God, is to double our Sins, 177.

V Vorks of Mercy, very rare to be found amongst us, 306.

Not to be put off from one to another, 307.

God, as he is God of Mercy, so he is a God of Judgment, and therefore, not to be provoked, 328.

The consideration of Mercies formerly enjoyed, an excellent means to bear up our spirits under present affliction, 355.

Mercies of God in Christ Jesus, the danger of dallying with them, 425▪

The mercies of God to be particularly recorded to posterity, 449.

God shewing mercy even for Christ Jesus sake, 451.

Mercies of God to be recorded to all posterity, 512.

The great tenders of mercy to Repentant sinners, 620.

Acknowledgment of mercies received, the ready way to have them further enlarged, 640.

A great exceeding Mercy, to be one of Gods Children, 662.

A good Man, merciful to his very beast, 513.

Merit-mongers condemned, 269. 412.

Ministers to be active and vigorous in reproof of sin, 544.

The Ministers Calling, to be owned from God, 546.

Ministers not to be verball, but reall in their expressions, 547.

A non-resident, sloathfull Minister, worthily discouraged, 586.

The Ministers calling full of labour and toyl, 613.

Ministers to preach plainly, as well as learnedly, to the capacity of their Hearers, 281.

The madnesse of Ministers, Magistrates, &c. not to be guided by that counsell they give to others, 299. 411.

To see a necessitated Minister, is matter of great grief, 321.

How it is, that Ministers, find so little success in preaching the Gospel, 326.

Ministers to be accomptable to God for what they have received, 337.

Ministers not to be afraid of the faces of Men, 59.

Ministers of all Men to be painfull in their calling, 219.

Ministers, how to preach profitably, 220.

Leud Ministers, what they are like unto, 221.

Ministers to be encouraged and protected against the plots of wicked Men; and why so? 253.

The Ministers duty, 274.

Ministers to be painfull in the discharge of their duty, 275.

Ministers of Gods Word, to be constant in the preaching thereof, 276.

Ministers, to preach the Gospel, notwithstanding the discouragements of their Auditory, 457.

Ministers to be wise Master-builders, 28.

To be Men of knowledg and understanding, 624.

Young, raw Ministers, blame-worthy, 30. 513.

The Ministers authority to be as much looked on as his sufficiency, 35.

An ill-lived Minister is a scandall to the Gospel, 56.

A fearful Minister is a Soul-murthering Minister, 60.

Ministers and Magistrates to be diligent in in their places, 63.

Young Ministers to be well principled, 64.

A Minister to be able and well furnished, 64.

Ministers to be Men of merciful dispositions, 76.

[Page]A Minister is to distinguish his Auditors, 103.

Every Minister to speak a word in season, opportunely, 110.

A Minister to be carefull in the delivery of Gods Message, 11.

Ministers to cry down the Sins of the time, 141.

Ministers to teach as well the practice as the knowledg of Religion, 176.

The Ministers labour though insuccessefull, yet rewarded by God, 176. To be acquainted with the state of Mens Souls, 517.

Ministers to live according to that doctrine they teach unto others, 189. To be Men of gravity and experience, 468.

The Minister and Magistrate to go hand in hand together, 367. To be Men of courage, 429.

Ministers to be of godly lives and conversations, 421.

The painfull Ministers joy at the time of his death, 471.

Negligent Ministers advised, 514.

Every Minister to keep close to his Text, 525.

Ministers, to be as they are called, spirirual Men, 542.

To be earnestly Zealous in the Preaching of Gods Word, 543.

A Factious-spirited Man, unfit for the work of the Ministry, 21.

Great safety in attending to the Ministery of the Word, 205.

The honour and dignity of the Ministery, And why so? 212.

A wanting Ministery will soon become a contemptible Ministery, 224.

Men of other Callings not to meddle with that of the Ministery, 239.

The least Man in the Ministery, not to be contemned, 366.

Four sorts of Men undertaking the work of the Ministery, 549.

Miracles, why ceased, 39.

Popish miracles, condemned, 597.

Moderation little set by, 178.

The fore-runner of peace, 622.

Christian Modesty commendable, 296.

Morning-prayers, commended, 292.

Mortalitie's memorandum, 108. 211.

The greatest of Men, subjects of Mortality, 123.

Mortality of the sinners life to be considered and deplored, 126.

All men and things, subject to Mortality, 194.

Sin mortified, the Devils terrour, 2.

Mortification of sin, br [...]edeth sense of sin, 127.

Mortification, the excellency thereof, 391.

The great necessity thereof, 401.

A great fault in Mothers, not to nurse their own children, 426.

The greatnesse of Motherly affection to an onely son, 532.

Every Motion towards God, is not a true motion towards God, 16.

The godly and ungodly, their different motions in goodnesse, 129.

Murmuring at Gods doings, the prejudice thereof, 558.

Uncertainty of the Multitude, 36.

The inconsiderate Multitude, 167.

The Multitude, not to be guided by them, 426.

The Multitude always desirous of change in government, 467.

The Vanity of an unguided Multitude, 606.

The giddy uncertain disposition of the Multitude, 629.

Tyranny, oppression, Murther, &c. not long [...] lived, 9.

N.

THe Name of God to be had in reverence, 285.

Christians, to walk worthy the Name of Christ, 599.

A good Name once lost, very hardly to be recovered, 137.

Men to stand up for the good Name and credit of their places, 333.

The good Names of Gods people, though now obscured, yet hereafter will be cleared, 371.

The excellency of a good Name, 576.

Men to keep up the credit of their proper Names, 394.

Proper Names, not to be so much regarded as Appellative, 475.

How the humane Nature, may in some sort be said to excell the Angelical, 465.

Nature cannot work out peace of Conscience, 566.

Our own natural corruption, the cause of sin, 608.

Nature of Man altogether sinfull, 19.

Sathan's policy to ensnare us by observance of our Natures, 180.

Men, easily drawn by their Natural corruptions, 295.

[Page]Men by Nature, desirous of things unlawfull and prohibited, 490.

Natural perswasions, the invalidity of them in the point of true believing, 536.

Men by Nature looking more to their bodies then their Souls, 573.

Man by Nature lawlesse, and ill advised, 623.

State of Nature, an absolute state of impotency, 638.

For all its specious out-side, a state of Friendship with Hell, 638.

Negligent hearing of Gods Word, condemned, 486.

A negligent Christian, no true Christian, 65.

Negligence in the wayes of God, reproved, 394.

A good Neighbour, a great blessing to all men, especially to a Minister of God's V Vord, 6.

Every Man to speak truth to his Neighbour, 11.

In the loving our Neighbour, we love God, 91.

Every Man to labour that he may be a New Creature, 313.

Daily amendment of life enjoyned to the making up of the new Creature, 382.

New Testament, an exposition of the old, 145.

Neutrality in Religion, enmity of Religion, 81.

Neutrality in Religion, dangerous, 221. Reproved, 605.

Neutrality in Church or State, condemned, 657.

Man's Nothingnesse, 618.

Affectation of Novelty in the wayes of Religion, reproved, 591.

O.

Oath, or Covenant-breakers, not to be trusted, 335.

Men to be carefull how they make Oath in Judicature, &c. 524.

Universal Obedience unto God, enjoyned, 551.

True obedience, 617.

The obstinate Sinner deserving eternity of punishment; And why so? 12.

Occasions of sin, to be avoided, 530.

To passe by the offences of our brethren, 309.

Officers to be honest in their places, 31.

Under-Agents and Officers to be looked unto, 314.

Opportunity of sinning to be avoided, 159.

To make good use of Opportunity, 233.

Tyranny, Oppression, murther, &c. are not long-lived, 9.

Order both in Church and State commanded and commended, 101.

God bringing Order out of confusion, 274.

All out of order, 361.

How every good Christian is to order his life, 413.

Order to be in the Church of God, 465.

An Orthodoxal Christian hath a like esteem of all Gods Ordinances, 129.

To attend upon God in his Ordinances, 321.

Lewdn [...]sse of the Preachers life, no warrant to sleight the Ordinance of preaching, 418.

Men, to be forward in frequenting Gods ordinances, 436.

The true love of God will cause love to his ordinances, 446.

Variety of gifts in the Ordinance of preaching, 540.

P

THe differences betwixt Papists and Protestants, not so easily reconciled, 186.

The Papists blind Zeal discovered, 189.

Papists and Sectarians, abusing their followers, 316.

Pardon of Sins, the onely comfort, 110.

The readinesse of God to pardon poor Repentants, 325.

Gods pardoning other repentant sinners, a great motive to perswade us, that he will pardon us also, 641.

The relation of Parents, Wife, Children, to be sleighted, if they once appear in competition with the Commandements of God, 603.

Though the graces of godly Parents cannot avail for bad children, yet their good example may, 66.

Parents care, onely to enrichtheir Children, reproved, 179.

Parents not to be over-carefull to make their children rich, 252.

Parents, to be carefull what they say in presence of their children, 279.

Parents, to be carefull in the education of their children, 363. 533.

Not to be much dejected for the death of an onely son or child, 408.

Parents, not to be forsaken of their children, though they be wicked and infidels, 449.

Parents to shew good examples to their children, 471.

[Page]How it is, that the sins of Parents are visited on their children, 523.

Parentall counsel hath and ought to be prevalent with children, 543.

Parity in the Church or State, not to be admitted, 28.

Parsimony in times of publique danger, condemned, 289.

To wait with patience Gods leisure, 119. 126. 541. 566.

Patience of God provoked, turns to fury, 125.

Gods wisdome to be attended with patience, 210.

To expect the event of things with patience, 248.

The heighth of Patience, 256.

To be patient under Gods afflicting hand; and why so, 287. 557.

To be patient at the time of death, and why so? 560.

Men or Women painting themselves, condemned, 604.

It is Peace that sets up Religion, 48.

A prudential piece of State-policy for the continuance of Peace, 330.

The people of God to be at peace one with another, 387.

Peace with Men, will make our peace with God, 17.

No Peace to the Wicked, 32.

Peace of the Church, pretious, 32.

The endeavours of Christ are all for Peace, 98.

How it is, that we must follow the things that make for peace, 363.

Not to be at peace with sin, 416.

The Saints everlasting peace, 488.

Men to be at peace one with another, 614.

Peace linking the Church and Commonwealth together, 615,

The true improvement of Peace, 617.

The Peaceable man's comfort, 4.

The peaceable disposition is a God-like disposition, 24.

Magistrates, Ministers, and People, to be peaceably-minded, 138.

Man to be peaceable, and why so? 143.

Christian perfection to be attained by degrees, 443.

People, to love their Ministers, 416.

How it is, that the people are no competent Judges of the preacher and his doctrine, 337.

People to shew love to their Ministers in vindication of their credits, 388.

Perjury attended by Gods Judgments, 277.

To be ready to suffer persecution by Christ's example, 427.

Perseverance is the Crown of all good actions, 109. 556.

To persevere in goodnesse to the end, 272.

Perseverance in goodnesse, enjoyned, 559. 672.

The Pharisee and the Publican, differenced, 208.

Philosophy to be subservient to Divinity, 57.

The downfall of Piety and learning to be deplored, 118.

Piety, not promotion, that makes up a godly Minister, 433.

Progresse in Piety to be endeavoured, 515. 589.

Piety and policy, not inconsistent, 589.

Carnal pleasures to be changed into spiritual pleasures, 26.

How to take pleasure safely, 27.

The very thoughts of former pleasures add to present sorrow, 86.

Temporal pleasures, a great hinderance to spiritual joyes, 87.

Pleasures of the World, counterfeit pleasures, 90.

Pleasures here in this life, usually attended with pains hereafter, 94.

How to take our pleasure, and serve God too, 127.

Momentany pleasure attended by sorrow eternal, 168.

Pleasures of sin, the misery of them, 386.

Plots and contrivances of the Wicked turning to the good of Gods people, 553.

Worldly policy, not to be prejudiciall to the honour of God, 468.

Not to prejudice the truth of a good Conscience, 469.

Not to be in any thing prejudiciall to commutative Justice, 470.

Policy above strength, 3.

Prudence and Worldly Policy uncertain, 154.

The Pope's policy to advance his Holinesse, 177.

A prudential piece of State-policy for the continuance of Peace, 330.

Satan's policy in keeping Men off from timely Repentance, 392.

Honesty, the best policy, 679.

Polititians spoyled in the height of wicked designs, 380.

The wicked Polititian discovered, 583.

The State-Polititian's Religion, 616.

The State-Polititian siding with all parties, 616.

[Page]Charity to the Poor, to be reall, not verball, 8.

A poor child of God comforted with the hopes of Heaven, 13.

Alms given to the poor, are the givers gain, 31.

Christ, the poor Mans object as well as the Rich mans, 253.

The persons of poor men, not to be sleighted, 474.

The poors relief, Heavens treasure, 495.

Rulers, Magistrates, &c. to stand up for the cause of the poor and needy, 667.

Popery, a meer heap of confusion, 441.

Popular Government, popular confusion, 49.

Great Men not to depend upon popularity, 50.

The vast difference betwixt Gods and Mans power, 619.

How it is, that God is more powerfull then all the Creatures, 623.

The benefit of spiritual poverty, 503.

How a Man may be said to pray continually, 25.

When it may be said to be the best time to pray, 516.

Men to pray for others as well as for themselves, 541.

Prayer and endeavour, to be joyned together, 578.

Prayer, the onely means to supply all defects, 272.

The danger of distracted prayer, 275.

God onely heareth and answereth the prayers, of his people, 303.

Prayer turning Earth into Heaven, 309.

Not the length, but the fervency of Prayer, required, 316.

Sinful prayers, not heard by God, 322.

Rash, inconsiderate Prayers, reproved, 521.

Prayer, a special prevailing sword, 638.

Worldly thoughts in time of prayer, condemned, 2.

Prevalency of servent prayer, 3.

The difference betwixt carnal and spirituall prayer, 5.

The blessed Trinity co-operating in the Righteous mans prayer, 30.

Prayers and tears are the weapons of the Church, 52.

Immediate-addresses unto God by prayer find acceptance, 60.

Prayers to be made for all Men, 86.

Prayers of a Sin-regarding sinner not heard of God, 86.

Prayers of the godly, the unanimity of them, 109.

Prayers not prevailing at present with God, how to be regulated, 116.

The certain prevalency of prayer, 143.

The great return of a faithfull prayer, 178.

The sloathful contractednesse of our prayers unto God, reproved, 184.

Gods moderate answer to the prayers of his people, 186.

Neglect of prayer unto God, condemned, 202.

Prayers for the dead, unavailable, 213.

Prayers of the Wicked, ineffectual, 218.

The great power of fervent prayer, 219.

The Devill most busie in time of prayer, 221.

Drowsinesse in prayer to be avoided, 230.

Preaching and prayer to go together, 238.

To be fervent in prayer, 252.

Prayers to be made unto God in Christ's Name, 265.

To be deliberate in our prayers to God, 269.

No comfortable return of prayer till sin be removed, 411.

How to think of God in prayer, 487.

Fervency in prayer, the prevalency thereof, 533.

Gods gracious return to his Peoples prayers in time of their distresse, 540.

Prayers for others in the same condition with our selves, prevalent with God, 542.

All things come from God, and therefore to be praised, 181.

Ministers to be advised in the profitable method of Preaching, 381.

Men through spirituall pride preferring one Preacher before another, reproved, 393.

Preaching and Prayer to go together, 238.

The sincere Preacher's courage, 228.

The sincere Preacher's comfort, 227.

Conscientious Preachers not to be sleighted, 207.

Rash, inconsiderate Preaching, condemned, 117.

Plain preaching is profitable, 73.

Preaching Tradesmen, preaching-Souldiers, not sent of God, 77.

The powerfull effect to Gods Word preached, 152. 178.

The great danger of not listning to the Word preached, 153.

The painful Preacher's poverty, the idle Impropriators plenty, 297.

How to make a right use of the doctrine of Predestination, 603.

God predestinateth to the means, as well as the end, 627.

[Page]Magistrates and Ministers, not to be forward for temporal Preferment, dignity, &c. 88. 654.

Men seeking preferment, not fit to be entertained therein, 578.

Preparation to Religious duties must be free from Worldly distractions, 74.

U [...]preparednesse for death, very dangerous, 102.

Preparation necessary before Prayer, 132.

Publique worship of God, not to be entered upon without due Preparation, 314.

The difference of good and bad men in preparation for death, 463.

Pride, the complement of all sins, 107.

The vanity thereof, 427. 565.

The folly thereof, 572.

A main engine of the Devill, 566.

The vast difference betwixt Pride and humility, 567.

Pride in Riches, honours, &c. the vanity thereof, 570, 621.

In apparrel, condemned, 572.

The printing of Learned Mens Works instrumental to Gods glory, 450.

Men to be carefull of their Principles in Religion, 495.

Heavenly Principles tend Heavenward, 48.

The benefit of keeping close to good Principles, 203.

A Man not well principled in Religion, is unstable in all his wayes, 250.

Profit is the Great god of this World, 198.

Prosperity attended by cares and fears, 672.

Prosperity of the Wicked, destructive, 31. 98. 191. 217.

Prosperity divides, affliction unites the hearts of Christians, 81.

Prosperity of the wicked, a stumbling-block to the Godly, 161.

Unhappy prosperity of the wicked, 301.

Uncertain prosperity of the Wicked, 302. 419.

Men apt to be unthankfull in time of prosperity, 323.

Prosperity will discover what a Man is, 345.

Not to be troubled at the prosperity of the Wicked, and why so? 349. 428. 532.

Prosperity for the most part draws envy to it, 504.

To promise much, and perform little, reproveable, 240.

No promise to be made, but with reference to Gods will, &c. 320.

How to make a right use fo God's promises, 327.

Promises of God, the excellencies and comforts that are to be found in them, 329.

Are for the most part conditional, 491.

To be careful of our Vows and promises made in extremity, 491.

The non-performance of vows and promises, &c. condemned, 615.

Promises without ability of performance, not to be regarded, 468.

The great danger of not standing fast in the profession of Religion, 657.

Worldly professors of the Gospel, reproved, 652.

The carnal Professor, described, 583.

Men, not to be ashamed of their godly profession, though the wicked speak evill of them, 641.

Profession without practice, not acceptable, 36. 194. 284.

Not to be ashamed of the profession of Christ, 188.

Profession to be joyned with practice, 270.

Men easily taken off from their holy profession upon removall of Judgment, condemned, 386.

How it is, that there are so many Professors of Religion, and so few practisers of Religion, 397.

The tryall of true and false Professors, 472.

Propriety in God, the onely comfort, 24.

The onely comfort of a Christian is his propriety in God, 72.

Men to be provident Christians, 442.

To be provident in the dayes of tryall, 47.

The providence of God to be eyed in all things, 224. 512.

God is not to be provoked to anger, 16.

The proud Man's Memento, 565.

Men not to be proud of their Lands and Livings, 631.

Prudentiall part of a Man, to do as well as he may, 653.

God to be consulted at all times, but more especially in the beginning of all Publique concernments, 9.

Publique Men to have publique spirits, 32.

The proposal of punishments and rewards, very usefull to the bringing in to Christ, 644.

Punishments of the Wicked in this life, nothing in comparison of those in Hell hereafter, 671.

The place of Purgatory, a meer dream, 489.

Purity and the heart of Man seldome meet together, 508.

Q.

THe vanity of needlesse and intricate Questions, 61.

No Quietnesse in the Soul, till it come to Christ, 19.

The good of Quietnesse, and evill of contention, 331.

R.

RAnters, Roaring Boys, their Conversion to be endeavoured, 358.

The Ranters Religion, 439.

Hell broke loose by swarms of Ranters, 512.

How to read with profit, 235.

Reason must submit to Faith, 125.

Reconciliation with God in Christ to be made sure, 290.

To be made with all Men, 488.

Recreation, the necessity thereof, 247.

Lawful recreation the benefit thereof, 250.

The high price of Mans Redemption, 620.

Men to labour that they be regenerated, 614.

Regeneration, the excellency thereof, 611.

Carnal, unregenerate Men, unserviceable in Church o [...] State, 534.

An unregenerate Man, a carelesse Man, 135.

Regeneration, the necessity thereof, 263.

Regeneration, the onely work of Gods Spirit, 264.

Corruption of Nature left even in the most Regenerate to humble them▪ 355.

To rejoyce with trembling, 157.

No true cause of rejoycing in this World, 293.

Relapses into sin, dangerous, 89.

Gods delight in a relapsed Sinner's repentance, 155.

To beware of relapses in sin, 279.

A cheap Religion, the Worldlings best Religion, 42.

A cheap Religion, the best Religion with most Men, 8.

Religion and Unity, the onely supporters of Church and State, 16.

Protestant Religion, the on [...]ly comfortable Religion to dye in, 21.

Peace sets up Religion, 48.

A seeming Religion, no saving Religion, 61.

Not lawful to fight for Religion, 77.

The Christians inside Religion and outside to be all one, 95.

Talk [...]rs and not doers of Religion, condemned, 98.

Religion pretended, mischief intended, 130. 493.

Religion, not Reason, is the square of all good actions.

Englands distractions as to the matter of Religion, 169.

Sin attendant on the best of Religious performances, 170.

How to walk circumspectly or Religiously, 206.

Religion wasted by the want of Maintenance, 209.

Not to give occasion that Religion be ill spoken of, 258.

Religion consisting in duty both to God and Man, 398.

The way of Religion irksome in the begining, but comfortable in the end, 417.

Men to be forward in promoting the cause of Religion, 435.

Religion, not to be made a stalking horse to policy, 471.

Satan's aym at those that have most of God and Religion in them, 649.

Truth of Religion lost, as it were, in the crowd of many Religions, 654.

Life, lib [...]rty, estate, &c. to be undervalued, when Religion is in danger of losing, 658.

Women-Reformers intollerable, 516.

Reformation pretended, deformation intended, 116.

Ignorant Reformers, whether in Church or State, reproved, 580.

Knowledg very useful in the matter of Reformation, 4.

The Church robbed of her maintenance upon pretence of Reformation, 17.

A bad Reformation of the Church, is the deformation of the Church, 26.

To find out the impediments of Repentance in our selves, 557.

The great danger of Repentance put off till old age, 552.

Repentance not to be put off till old age, 329. 414. 489.

The true R [...]pentant Sinn [...]r's encouragement, notwithstanding all his former Wickednesse, 349.

The great folly of late Repentance in any thing, 17. 248.

What true Repentance is, 29.

The time of Repentance not to be deferred, 34.

The vanity and danger of late Repentance, 68.

[Page]Nationall Judgments call for National Repentance, 68.

Repentance to be Universall, 91. 154. 631.

Our whole life to be a life of Repentance, 95.

Seasonable Repentance is safe Repentance, 122.

The fruits of Repentance are to be as well outward as inward, 146.

True Repentance will not admit of any sin, 160.

The prevalency of Repentant tears, 167. 446.

Christians not to revile and reproach one another, 445.

How to bear the Reproaches of Men, 446.

Reproaches, to be born chearfully, and why so? 447.

Reproaches and sufferings for the Name of Christ, are marks of Salvation, 449.

Reproaches and sufferings made honourable by God, 451.

Faults in manners, and errours in doctrine, to be distinguished in the matter of Reproof, 257.

The Ministers partiality in the reproof of sin, condemned, 262.

Reproofs of a Wise Man, not to be sleighted, 523.

Ministers to be carefull in the reproof of Sinners, 529.

Resurrection of the dead, asserted, 515.

Gods i [...]finite power in the Resurrection of the body, 14.

Resurrection of the body proved by demonstration, 148.

The happy meeting both of body and Soul in the Resurrection, 176.

The comfortable Resurrection of Gods poor people, 311.

Resurrection of the just, asserted, 406.

Excellency of Resolution in the cause of God, 378.

Resolution in the cause of God, very requisite, 232.

The Resolved Christian makes way through all difficulties, 105.

The Resolved Christian, 50. 647.

Restitution, the necessity thereof, 290.

Neglect thereof condemned, 479.

Revenge above all other passions is of a growing Nature, 80.

Not to be hasty therein, 545.

The grand impostory of pretended Revelations, 476.

Reverence to be used in the service of God, 25. 466.

Reverence of Man more then God, a true sign of a decaying State or Kingdome, 211.

Reward of Heaven, will make amends for all, 136.

God regardeth and rewardeth his People, 209.

God rewarding the least of good done to his people, 434.

Faithful and seeming servants of God, differenced by way of reward, 461.

Certainty of the good Man's reward, 584.

God himself, the reward of all good endeavours, 486.

The fulnesse of reward, reserved till after this life, 620.

The powerful effects of Rhetorical elocution, 109.

Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of the Law, 133.

Riches avail not in the day of Wrath, 3.

Riches honours, preferments, &c. transitory, 5.

Riches, the deceitfulnesse of them, 15.

Riches have wings, 29.

Riches without content, yield no comfort, 54.

Riches oft-times prove pernicious to the owners thereof, 55.

Riches without grace yield no true comfort, 87.

Riches are snares, 89.

The safest way is to trust God with our Riches, 95.

The Vanity of heaping up Riches, 99.

The readiest way to get Riches, is to trust God for them, 128.

The dangerous effects of Riches being not well used, 131.

Riches ill gotten, seldome prosper, 138. 495.

How to use Riches, 192. 590.

Riches, honours, &c. the Devil's bayts, 201.

Riches ill gotten, never prosper, 303.

Riches, beauty, &c. in comparison of God, are lying Vanities, 319.

How to become true possessors of Riches, 357.

A blessed thing to have Riches, and a heart to use them aright, 377.

[Page] Riches, the gr [...]at danger of them, if not well used, 401.

The great danger that attends them, 497.

Very dangerous in getting of them, 583.

Riches, honours, &c. the different use that is made of them, 570.

The uncer [...]ain comfort of Riches, 601.

Riches their uselesnesse in point of calamity, 646.

The dangerous use of Riches, 651.

Riches of Christ, inexhaustible, 652.

A Rich Man had rather part with God then his gold, 39.

A Rich F [...]ol described, 71.

A vain Rich Man, 125.

A Rich Man is Gods Steward, 129.

Rich poor Men, 165.

The unprofitable Rich Man, 242.

Rich Men, to consider their beginnings, and be thankfull, 334.

The wicked Rich Man's sad condition at the time of death, 376.

Rich Men, to be mindful of what they have received, 456.

How to be made truly rich, and truly Honorable, 463.

An uncharitable Rich man, no Heavenly-minded, 482.

Better to be honestly, then hastily rich, 496.

A Rich Man pleading poverty, condemned, 531.

Riot and excesse, condemned, 291.

Rulers and Governors are the supporters of a Common-wealth, 29.

Rulers actions exemplary, 32.

Rulers sins hasten the ruine of a State, 38.

A good Prince or Ruler, no advantage to a bad People, 106.

Rulers and Men in Authority, subject to many failings in Government, 405.

Rulers, Magistra [...]es, &c. to be men of publique spirits, 651.

S.

SEven Sacraments of the Papists, not of divine Institution, 27.

A special Sacrament-duty to blesse God for Christs death, 76.

Sacramental Bread and Wine, how better then ordinary, 104.

How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments, 149.

How to ben [...]t by the Sacraments, 152.

Worldly thoughts to be set aside before the Sacrament, 171.

Sacramental Bread and Wine, how differenced from others, 267.

The great danger of Sacriledge, 51. 438.

Sacriledge never thrives, 60.

Sacriledge cursed with a curse. 61.

Sacriledge condemned by the example of Cyrus, 70. 588.

Sacriledg justly rewarded, to take heed of it, 311.

Sacrilegious persons condemned, 671.

The safety of Gods people, 480.

A singular Saint is a pretious Saint, 14.

Saints in glory, what they hear and see, 189.

Invocation of Saints and Angels, condemned, 554.

Salvation is the Lords, 172.

No salvation, but by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, 423.

Sanctification not perfected all at once, 94.

Sanctification not wrought all at once; And why so, 144.

Sanctification wrought by degrees, 181.

The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture, 59.

The excellency of the Scripture in its fulnesse, 70.

Scripture-knowledge, the onely necessary knowledg, 89.

Speciall places of Scripture marked with Gods speciall authority, 103.

Harmony of the Scriptures, 116.

The excellent connexion of the Scriptures, 138.

The holy Scriptures not to be jested withall, 145.

The power of Gods Word, the Scriptures, 158.

How to read the Scriptures and Books Apocryphall, 160.

The Scriptures Rhetorick, 160.

Manna, the Heavenly food of Gods Word, how to relish it, 114.

Severall varieties to be found in Scripture, 220.

The Scriptures are but a dead letter without the operation of the Spirit, 220.

[Page]The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions, &c. 223.

Scripture-comforts, the onely true comforts, 264.

Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice, 266. 283.

Excellency of the Scripture-phrase, 280.

The great usefulnesse of Scripture-phrase, 282.

Scriptures, not to be plaid withall, 302.

True comfort onely in the Scriptures, 325.

The holy Scriptures to be made the rule of all our actions, 373.

To be valued above all other writings, 436.

How it is, that so many deceive themselves in their not rightly searching the Scriptures, 384.

The Scriptures discovering sin and Satan in their colours, 392.

The Scriptures onely to be rested on, 510.

The Books of Scripture to be preserved above all other books, 535.

To blesse God for the revelation of himself in Scripture, 537.

To keep close to the Word of God, especially in troublous times, 549.

And in seeking after Christ, 643.

Men and Women, to be knowing in the Scriptures, 605.

The great danger of not keeping close to the Scriptures, 625.

The praise-worthiness of reading and enquiring into Scripture, 653.

Scholers not to be unthankful to the University that bred them, 78.

Scholers to mind their books, 40.

No personal Security to be had in the time of publique danger, 9. 170.

Security in time of danger, condemned, 101.

The great danger of security in times of danger, 116.

God chastiseth his Childrens security, 142.

Carnal security, reproved, 249.

Security, the cause of all calamity, 570.

The Secrets of Gods Couns [...]ls, not to be pry'd into, 27.

Dangerous to pry into Gods secrets and Counsels, 162.

Not to consult with Gods secrets, but his r [...] vealed Word, 335.

Curious inquisitors into Gods secrets, deservedly punished, 554.

The Sectarian, schismatical seducers, to be avoided, 629.

Sectarian subti [...]ty, Diabolicall delusion, 630.

The doctrine of seducers, dangerous, 227.

Selfishnesse condemned, 33.

Self-praises condemned, 35.

Self-examination required, 53.

Self-tryal smooths the way to all other tryals, 112.

Self-conceited Men, blame-worthy Men, 129.

Self-conceitednesse, condemned as dangerous, 151.

The giving up our selves, an acceptable sacrifice unto God, 154.

The folly and danger of self-conceitednesse, 180.

The benefit of Self-examination, 207.

The danger of self-confidence, 275.

Self-seeking Men, reproved, 277. 375.

Men of self-ends, condemned, 278.

How it is, that the self-conceited, vain-glorious Man deceives himself, 336.

Self-conceitednesse in matters of Religion, condemned, 340.

How far Self-safety may be consulted, 543.

Self-denyall, the excellency thereof, 635.

No Man a loser by giving himself up to God, 645.

Men to be careful in the choyce of servants, 483.

God hardly accepting of late service done him, And why so? 678.

Men created for the service of God, 652.

Backwardnesse in the service of God, reproved, 398.

No worldly thing must hinder the service of God, 575.

How it is that Men fail so much in the service of God, 626.

Service performed unto God, must be personal, 589.

Service to God must be like Himself, 58.

[Page]Rash, inconsiderate service of God, condemned, 340.

Service of God is persect freedome, 378.

The Ministers repetition in Sermons, warrantable, 82.

The difference betwixt Sermons preached, and Sermons printed, 110. 639.

A Sermon preached many years before, may be the means of Salvation many years af [...]er, 115.

A good Sermon not to be so much questioned, as practised, 183.

A Sermon not done, till it be practised, 253.

How to recover spirituall sight, 82.

Sicknesse, immediately inflicted by God, 506.

Commendable Silence, 332. 668.

The Silent Christian, is the sound Christian, 23.

Silence in the cause of Gods honour, condemned, 478.

The Simonist, discovered, 627.

Slandering of our brother, the danger thereof, 134.

Slanders of Wicked Men, not to be regarded, 238.

Slanderers discovered, 286.

Not to be [...]econciled to God before we sleep, is very dangerous, 83.

The great danger of sleeping out Sermons, 552.

The sloathfull Christian, described, 217.

Sloathful [...]esse, and luke-warmnesse in Religion, fore-runners of evill to come, 334.

Spiritual sloath in the wayes of God, reproved, 398.

Man to be a sociable, communicative Creature, 316.

The different conditions of Men in the matter of Society laid open, 337.

The sincere, upright man, described, 604.

The scarci [...]y of such, 612.

How to deal with sin, being once committed, 603.

Wherein the poysonfull nature of Sin consisteth, 608.

Sins lethargy, 629.

Sin, to be removed as the cause of all sorrow, 636.

Sinne, the godly Man's hatred thereof, 642.

The woful gradation of Sin, 659.

The best of Men, not free from sin in this life, 470. 548.

Sin of the meanest Man in a Nation, may be the destruction of it, 509.

The extream folly of Sin, 510.

Sin may be excused here in this World, but not hereafter, 514.

Insensibility of Sin, the sadnesse thereof, 521.

Sin in its original, easie to be found, 582.

How sins may be said to ou [...]-live the Sinner, 585.

Sin, the strange nature thereof, 596.

All Sinne m [...]st be hated, and why so? 598.

God, not the author of Sin, 599.

How it is, that the singling out of one beloved Sin, makes way to a full sight of all sin, 351.

Sin, committed with deliberation, premeditation, &c. greatly provoketh the Holy Spirit of God, 353.

To take heed of smaller sins, as bringing on greater, 354. 649.

Men covering their Sins with specious pretences, reproved, 361.

To beware of masked specious sins, 368.

Beloved Sins, hardly parted withall, 376.

When it is, that a Man is said throughly to forsake his Sin, 391.

Men deluded by Satan in not taking the right notion of Sin, 395.

Every Man to confesse, that his own Sin is the cause, though not always the occasion of punishment, 421.

New inventions of Sin, condemned, 453.

The great danger of living in any one known sin, 456.

Sin unrepented of, heavy upon the Soul at the time of death, 456.

Consideration of our secret sins, a motive to compassionate others, 457.

No Man able to free himself from Sin, 240.

The great danger of sleighting the least Sin, 256. 597.

Sin not consented unto, excusable before God, 271.

Sins of infirmity, how to be known from other sins, 273.

Great Sins attended by great Judgments, 286.

Sin, of a destructive Nature, 288. 531. 607.

To be affected with the falling of others into Sin, 296.

[Page] The great danger of Sin, unrepented of, 298.

How it is, that every Man hath one darling-sin or other, 327.

The distemper of Sin, not easily cured, 332.

Godly and wicked Men, their difference in the ha [...]red of Sin, 350.

The more a Man is now troubled for Sin, the lesse shall he be troubled hereafter; and why so? 350.

The sad condition of adding Sinne to sinne, 237.

The least of Sinnes to be prevented, 46. 593.

Sin to be renounced as the cause of Christ's death, 59. 649.

Sin onely is the godly Mans terrour, 132.

Sins of Infirmity in the best of Gods Children, 143.

Sin overthrowes all, 1 [...]7.

The retaining of one Sin, spoyleth a grea [...] deal of good in the Soul, 149.

One Sin never goes alone, 172.

Strange Sinnes, strange punishments, 183.

Not to be in love with sin, 199.

One foul sin spoyleth a great deal of Grace, 203.

When sins are at the height, they come to destruction, 205.

The great danger of little sinnes, 218. 367. 659.

The sense of sinne, is from God onely, 221.

Sinne, of a dangerous spreading nature, 415.

How it is, that one Man may be said to be punished for another Ma [...] sin, 419.

Sin, to be looked on as the cause of all sorrow, 464.

The slavery of Sinne to be avoided, 499. 625.

Sin to be looked on as it is fierce and cruell, 535.

Sin, and the Sinner, very hardly parted, 536.

Some one sinfull quality or other, predominant, 548.

The great danger and guilt of lying under the guilt of any one eminent sinne, 600.

The sinsulnesse of sin, 601.

As to beware of all sins, so of beloved sins, 602.

The growth of Sin to be prevented, 10.

How Sin is made the prevention of Sinne, 39.

Sin trampleth on Christ, 50.

Little Sins, if not prevented, bring on great [...]r to the ruine of the Soul, 56.

Sense of Sin, is an entrance to the s [...]ate of Grace, 56.

Impossible for a Man to know all his sins, 57.

The difference of Sins as they are Men regenerate, and unregenerate, 60.

The weight of Sin to be seriously peysed, 77.

Remembrance of sins past, the onely way to prevent sins to come, 83.

Relapses into sin dangerous, 89.

Every impenitent Sinner is his own tormentor, 50.

A sinful Man is a senselesse Man, 80.

The Sinners estate miserable, 89.

A gracelesse Sinner will continue to be a sinner still, 92.

The wrath o [...] God best appeased, when the Sinner appear [...]th with Christ in his arms, 99.

The Devils charge, and the Sinners dis [...]harge, 131.

The Sinner's Meme [...]to, 204. Desperate madnesse, 639.

The Sinner's security, 216.

God's acceptance of Sinners through Christ, 217.

The incorrigible Sinner's stupidity, 264.

His desperate condition, 590.

The secure, carel [...]sse Sinner, 509.

Sinners crucifying the Lord of life daily, 537.

The Devil's hard dealing with the ensnared Sinner, 594.

How the wounded Sinner is to be cured, 595.

An ungrations Son not worthy to be his Fathers heir, 40.

The excellency of Sonday, or Lords Day, above other dayes, 539.

To be more strict in the holy observation of Sonday or Sabbath, then heretof [...]re; And why so 540.

Sorrowes of this life, not comparable to the joyes of another, 162.

The best improvement of Worldly sorrow, 185.

Sorrow that is true, is for the most part silent, 293.

[Page] The excellency of godly sorrow for Sinne, 362.

For a Man to be sorry, that he cannot be sorry for sin, is a part of godly Sorrow for sin, 519.

The least proportion of godly sorrow for sin, accepted by God, 520.

Sorrow for sinne must be in particulars, 559.

Must be proportionable, 560.

Other mens sins, are the good mans sorrow, 581.

A meer Souldier, an enemy to peace, 107.

The truly noble Souldier, 336.

The Soul [...]ier's Calling, honourable, 415.

Wherei [...] the true valour of a Captain or Souldier in War consisteth, 544.

The devout Soul will admit of none but Christ, 10.

More care for the body then the Soul, condemned, 11.

No quietnesse in the Soul till it come to Christ, 19.

If the Soul be safe, all's safe, 42.

The Souls comfortable Union with Christ, 44.

How the Soul lives in Christ onely, 44.

The Souls sleighting of Christ offering mercies, condemned. 37.

The winning of a Soul unto God, very acceptable unto God, 153.

The health of the Soul, is the true health of the body, 162.

To be careful for the Souls good, 182.

To take especial care for the Souls safety, 348. 458.

Men living as though they had not Souls to save, reproved, 368.

How it is that Soul and body come to be both punished together, 377. 675.

The captivated Soul restless till it be in Christ Jesus, 415, 420.

The Souls comfortable enjoyment of Christ, 419.

The Soul of Man, pretious in the sight of God, 462.

Excellency of the Soul of Man, 502.

A foul polluted Soul, the object of Gods hatred, 503.

The high price of the Soul, 503.

The folly of Men in parting with their Souls for trifles, 504.

The Soul, not to be starved in the want of means, 506.

The Souls safety, and danger, 506.

To be carefull in the keeping and presenting our Souls clean at the time of death, 514.

Neglect of the Soul, reproved, 528. 666.

To be much more careful of the Soul then body, 555.

Men to set an high value on their Souls, 566.

Christ, the proper object of the Soul, 648.

The welfare of the Soul, to be preferred before any Worldly enjoyment whatsoever, 668.

How the Spirit is said to be quenched in our selves, and in others, 18.

Every Man, haunted with one evill spirit or other, 208.

The silent coming of Gods Spirit into the heart of Man, 215.

The blessed guidance of Gods holy Spirit, to be implored, 322.

A reprobate and regenerate Man, their different enjoyment of the motions of the holy Spirit, 353.

The motions of the Spirit in wicked Men tend onely to outward formality, 354.

How it is to be understood, that the holy Spirit dwelleth in us, 354.

The comfortable art of spiritualizing the severall occurrences of the World, and observing Gods providences therein, 343.

The supernatural workings of the Spirit, 632.

How to demean our selves after we are sealed by the Spirit, 667.

The danger of Stage-Playes, 197.

The lawfulnesse of Stage-Player, questioned, 274.

The sins of swearing and blasphemy, the commonnesse of them, 122.

Gods goodnesse to us, to be a motive from vain-swearing, 451.

To su [...]er any thing for the cause of Christ, 633.

Men to prefer suffering before sinning, 650.

T.

A Man full of Talk, full of Vanity, 235.

Dangerous to be seduced by false Teachers, 64.

[Page] More Teachers then Learners, 428.

Repentant tears purging the heart from pollutions of sin, 295.

The condition of Temporizers, 25.

The Temporiser, described, 93.

Temperance cannot preserve a Mans life, when God calls for it, 171.

To be temperate in meat and drink, 429.

An idle Man subject to the least Temptation, 7.

No Man free from Temptations, 373:

Sathan's subtilty in laying his Temptations, 377.

Temptations from within and without, how to be dealt withall, 672.

Reall Thanksgiving to be made unto God for benefits, 553.

How to be truly thankfull unto God, 448.

Impossible but that a true Christian will be a thankfull Christian, 21.

Gods goodnesse satisfied with Mans thankful [...]esse, 37.

The not returning thanks for Grace received, is the ready way to be gracelesse, 83.

To be thankfull unto God at all times, especially in the time of Prosperity, 181.

Gods goodness ought to procure Mans thankfulnesse, 183.

To be thankfull unto God in all Conditions, 201. 225. 468.

The true cause of Christian thankfulnesse, 277.

Good Christians are alwayes thankful unto God, 279.

To commit our selves to God in all things, and to be thankfull to his holy Name, 331.

Men to be thankfull for the li [...]tle strength of Grace that God affordeth, 371.

Wo [...]ldly thoughts and distractions in the time of Prayer, condemned, 2.

How to discover our thoughts in preparation to Prayer, 556.

The very thoughts of former pleasures, add to pre [...]ent sorrows, 86.

The misgiving thoughts of a Worldly-minded man, in reference to the enjoyments of Heaven, 458.

How the Devil is said to know our thoughts, 461.

Wicked thoughts, to be carefully washed off from the heart, 620.

God's time the best time for deliverance, 5.

Time to be well u [...]ed, 18.

Shortnesse of Time, will not admit of long discourse, 40.

Time well spent, 120.

Time ill-spent, 128.

No time to be mis-spent, 587.

Not to make use of the present Time, dangerous, 133.

Gods time the best time, 140.

Time to be well husbanded, 161. 270.

Multitudes of Time-servers, 200.

Time present, to be well husbanded, 210.

To take time while time serves, 244.

The least moment of time cannot be assured, 250.

Present occasion of time to be made use of, 358. 369.

Time mis-spent, to be carefully redeemed, 438. 664.

How it is that a prudent Man may lawfully comply with the times, 335.

Government of the Tongue required, 22. 372.

An ill Tongue never speaks well of any one, 55.

Tongue prayer, not the onely prayer, 64.

Study of the learned Tongues, to be encouraged, 99.

A Tongue nimble to evill, slow to goodnesse, reproveable, 103.

Government of the Tongue, commendable, 146.

The Tongue is the hearts interpreter, 205.

The original and excellency of the Hebrew tongue, 403.

The tongue for the most part, a mischievous member, 440.

To be careful how we come under the reviling of an evil tongue, 444.

Men to be as well industrious in their trades, and Callings, as zealous in their devotions, 539.

Every Man to follow his own Trade, 84. 33.

Diligence in Trades and callings, required, 139.

Trades and Occupations, the Wisdome of our Forefathers in the invention and keeping them up, 308.

The poorest Man in his Trade or calling, may do very good service unto God, 423.

Deceipt in Trade and commerce, condemned, 455.

[Page] The danger of loose travell into forraign parts, 156.

The just reward of Treachery and false dealing, 304.

One God and three Persons in the Trinity, faintly demonstrated, 46.

The blessed Trinity co-operating in the Righteous mans prayer, 30.

The my [...]ery of the blessed Trinity, unconceiveable, 286.

Shadowed out in familiar resemblances, 462.

Many are the Troubles of the Righteous, 67.

Troubles not so much to be questioned, how we came into them, as how to get out of them, 79.

The Souls breathing after Christ in time of trouble, 186.

Faith in Christ, the onely support in time of trouble, 194.

Easie to come into trouble, hard to get out, 204.

Men not to run themselves into trouble, 246.

Troubles and vexations of spirit, not to be allayed by wrong meanes and wayes, 345.

God onely to be sought unto for safety in time of trouble, 360.

Why God suffers his Children to be in want and trouble, 493.

Times of trouble and danger distinguishing true Prof [...]ssors from false ones, 562.

To depend upon Gods All-sufficiency in time of trouble, 676.

The danger of trusting to Worldly greatnesse, 6.

To take heed whom we trust, 82.

To trust God, who is the great Lord Pro [...]ctor of [...]is people, 190.

To trust in God onely, 255. 623.

God onely to be trusted unto in time of distresse, 622.

What it is to trust in God really and truly, 643.

Man, not to be trusted unto, 660.

Every Man to speak Truth to his Neighbour, 11.

Truth seek no corners, 140.

Ministers to stand up for the Truth, 147.

Truth beloved in the general, but not in particular, 243.

The telling of t [...]uth begets hatred, 245.

Men of all sorts of stand up for the Truth, 246.

God fetching testimonies of Truth out of the very mouthes of his Adversaries, 498.

Truth commended, Falshood condemned, 588.

How it is, that Truth doth not alwayes appear, 674.

Tyranny, oppression, murther, &c. are not long-lived, 9.

The sad condition of people under Tyrannical Government, 310.

Tyrants, Infidels, &c. forced to acknowledg God, 583.

Tyrants raising themselves by a seeming compliance with the People, 617.

How it is that Tyrants are usually long-liv'd, 2.

The policy of Tyrants, in doing many good things for the publique, 233.

V.

VAin-glory, remedy against it, 314.

The Uncertainty of temporall Victories and successe, 489.

The convenience of Virginity, 142.

Prayers of the godly, the Unanimity of them, 109.

Unanimity, the excellency thereof, 402.

The Uncharitable Christian, described, 600.

The Devils endeavour to darken the Understanding, 131.

Not to be children in Understanding, 165.

The Souls comfortable Union with Christ, 44.

The great mystery of the Hypostatical Union in Christ shadowed out, &c. 333.

The Union and Fellowship of Gods Children, &c. 499.

Religion and Unity, the onely supporters of Church and State, 16.

The excellency of Unity in Church and Common-wealth, 401.

Unlawfull things, not to be asked of God in prayer, 561.

God's goodnesse, Man's Unthankfullnesse, 596.

Christians, not to upbraid, and revile one another, 445.

The great danger of use and custome in jesting at Religion and Piety, 378.

The biting Usurer described, 682.

[Page] The griping Usurer and his Broker, characterised, 329.

The griping Usurer and the Devil compared together, 580.

The fad condition of borrowing upon Usury, 598.

W.

THe sword of War, impartial, 452.

The compleatest armed Man of War, naked without God, &c. 305.

The direful effects of War, 81.

The event of War, uncertain, 166.

The rage of War, in the richest Countries, 647.

Watchfulnesse of life, rewarded, 249.

Christian watchfulnesse enjoyned, 530.

God gives warning before he smites, 192.

How to prevent wavering-mindednesse, 179.

Gods Way, the safe Way to walk in, 5.

The Way to God, crosse-way to the World, 100.

The difference betwixt a spiritual & worldly Man in the wayes of God and goodnesse, 362.

Non-proficiency in the wayes of God and Religion, condemned, 560.

Though a weak Christian, yet a true Christian, 42.

Stra [...]ge Women, Harlots, &c. the Devil's night-net to ensnare Men, 208.

Laughter of the Wicked is but from the teeth outward, 52.

God suffers wicked Men to torment his People, 161.

The Wicked-worker hat [...]th the light, 172.

Wicked Men, instrumental for the good of Gods children, 201.

A wicked life hath usually a wicked end, 244.

Wicked Men, made by God instrumentall for the good of his People, 418.

Every wicked Man, a curse to the place he lives in, 42 [...].

The implacable malice of wicked Men against prof [...]ssors of the Gospel, 426.

Cruelty of the wicked, no prejudice to the godly, 524.

How it is that wicked Men are said to be none of Gods Children, 561.

Wicked Men see the miseries, but not the joyes of Gods people, 631.

T [...]e Magistrate and Ministers duty in suppressing Wickednesse and Vice, 614.

A Wife and no Wife, 606.

To be careful in the choyce of a Wife, 18.

The Wi [...]e to be subject to her husband, 130▪ 480.

Every Man to think the best of his own Wife, 427.

A Wife to be an House-wife, 432.

Folly to repent the choyce of Wife, marriage being past, 529.

Wives to love their husbands cordially, 479.

God onely able to work Man to will and to do, 569.

To rest contented with Gods good Will and pleasure, 422. 584.

To regulate our Wills by Gods Will, 342.

Submission to the [...]ill of God in all things, e [...]joyned, 323.

The way to have our Will, is to be subj [...]ct to Gods, Will, 65.

God accepts the Will for the deed, 81.

To submit to Gods Will in all things, 152. 665.

God wills not the death of a Sinner, 203.

How God may be said to will and nill the death of a Sinner, 291.

Wit, how to make a right use thereof, 579.

Wisdome of Christ above all other Wisdome, even to admiration, 102.

Wisdome of the World proves solly, 163.

A Man to be wise for himself, as well as for others, 287.

Every Man to be wise for himself, as well as others, 388.

Wisdome, how to be regulated, 591.

Good Works are not the cause, but the way to true happinesse, 78.

Not to talk of our good Works, or deeds, 233.

Works of Mercy, very rare to be found amongst us, 306.

Men of few, and men of many words, their differ [...]nce, 522.

The vanity of using many words, 521.

To depend upon Gods bare Word, 407.

Swelling big words of wicked Men, not to be regarded, 278.

Riches cannot follow us out of this World, 6.

Gods favour above the Worlds con [...]ntments to a godly Man, 7.

The things of this World, a great stop in the way to Heaven, 11.

The true Christian takes no comfort in this World, 19.

The World like a Fisher-mans net, 22.

The works of God in the Creation of the World, are to and beyond all admiration, 53.

The Worlds dangerous allurements, 70.

In getting the things of this World, Gods way the best way, 124.

[Page] How to use the things of this World, 134. 500.

The Worlds opposition, no obstacle to a child of God, 164.

Gods people meet with many discouragements in the world, 191.

Love of the World, enmity to God, 223.

A Child of God, preserved by God, though never so much sleighted by the World, 259.

The World to be contemned in regard of Heaven, 296.

Why God suffereth the dearest of this Children to want the outward things of this World, 301.

How it is, that at the second coming of Christ to Judgment, the frame of the World shall not be consumed, but repaired new, 338.

Not to grieve, or be troubled at the Worlds discourtesies; and why so? 342.

The things of this World vain and uncertain, 358, 459.

The Worlds deceitfulnesse, 477.

Not to be trusted unto, 544.

Things of the World not to be so highly prised, 494.

How the Devil makes use of the World to destroy Man, 592.

Men, not easily brought to believe the Worlds vanity, 664.

A Worldly-minded Man speaketh of nothing but worldly things, 69.

Submission to the wisdome of God as concerning Worldly outward things, required, 87.

Worldly things dispensed by God in Wisdom, 89.

Worldly Men look after Worldly things, 108.

The danger of VVorldly-mindednesse, 155.

The competency of Worldly things, the best estate, 165.

A Worldly-minded Man, no publique-spirited Man, 210.

Worldly-Men easily taken off from the service of God, 211.

A Worldly-minded Man, no Heavenly-minded Man, 218.

The secure Worldlings suddain ruine, 259.

Worldly things cannot really help us, 267.

Worldly things, their suddain downfall, 268.

The sad condition of Worldly-minded Men at the time of death, 314.

Worldly-mindednesse, a great hindrance to the comfortable enjoyment of spirituall graces, 351.

Worldly-crosses turn'd into spiritual advantages, 357.

All Worldly things, transitory, 357.

The inconstancy of them, 497.

The Worldling's inordinate desires, and why so, 367.

The emptinesse of all Worldly delights without Christ, 387.

Men seeking after the vanity of Worldly things, reproved, 393.

The vanity of Worldly temporal things compared with those eternal, 439.

The wicked Man's folly in his Worldly choyce, 479.

The Worldling's woe, and the Just Man's joy at the time of death, 517.

No true joy in Worldly things, 518.

The uncertainty of VVordly things, 529.

How the vanity of Worldly things may be easily discerned, 530.

The moderate use of VVorldly things, 558.

Worldly honours and greatnesse, their vanity to be considered, 571.

Men in the midst of their worldly contrivances, prevented by death, 646.

Worldly-minded men little think of Heaven; and why so, 663.

The vanity of Worldly greatnesse, 667.

The danger of trusting to Worldly greatnesse in time of distresse, 6.

Dulnesse and drowsinesse in the service or Worship of God, reproved, 173.

The anger or Wrath of God best appeased, when the Sinner appeareth with Christ in his arms, 99.

Y.

THe folly of Youth discovered and reproved, 187.

The time of Youth to be given up to God, 250.

Youth to be catechized, 422.

Youth to be seasoned with grace, not giving the least way to the Devil, 507.

Z.

ZEal and Knowledg must go hand in hand together, 15.

Zeal in Gods, service, made the Worlds derision, 51.

Zeal Anabaptistical, condemned, 179.

Preposterous Zeal reproved, 197.

Want of Zeal in the Cause of God, reproved, 251.

Men, to be Zealous in God's Cause, 252.

To be Zealous for the honour of Jesus Christ, as he is the eternal Son of God, 379.

The danger of immoderate Zeal against those of another Judgment; And how so, 385.

The Zeal of Heathens of their false gods, condemning that of Christians to their true God, 411.

Information about this book

Title statement

Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

Edition statement

1658

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A61120

ID [STC]

Wing S4960

ID [STC]

ESTC R16985

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

11734066

ID [OCLC]

ocm 11734066

ID [VID]

48455

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A61120)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 48455)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 549:6)

Source

— Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ..., Spencer, John, d. 1680., Fuller, Thomas, (1608-1661).

Extent

[14], 679, [35] p.

Printed by W. Wilson and J. Streater, for John Spencer ...,. London :: 1658.. ("To the reader" signed: Tho. Fuller.) (Reproduction of original in Bristol Public Library, Bristol, England.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.