The First Century.

1. SOme men (would Profes­sors did not) mind this world so much as if it would never have an end; and the World to come so little, as if it would never have a beginning.

2. Professors need not be so much [Page 2]affected with the goods of this world, for the best is not good enough to make an Heaven: nor need they be so much afflicted with the evils of it, for the worst is not bad enough to make an Hell.

3. Any thing (the best) on this s'ide Heaven (compared with that) is misery; and any thing (the worst) on this side Hell, (compared with that) is mercy.

4. Saints should and doe (if they doe as they should) look upon all the commands of God as easie and pleasant; 1. because commanded by God that loves them; 2. because to be obeyed by them that love God.

5. Seeing God doth all things well, we should think well of all things which God doth.

6. Christians should not onely purpose to be religious, but they should be religious to purpose.

7. To worship God in spirit, is the spirit of our worship; flesh is [Page 3]unsuitable, and unacceptable.

8. If we should be much thank­full for a little mercy, what a shame is it to be but a little thankfull for much mercy!

9. Seeing God was so willing to put his son to death for our sakes; how (oh how!) willing should we be to put our sins to death for Gods sake?

10. If pleasures are (as indeed they are) displeasing, Eccles. 2.12. (Ves­patian was tired with a triumph) what then are displeasures? if our recreations are toylsome, what are our toyles? if our ease be painfull, what is our pain? on this side the enjoyment of God, there is no rest; for all the rest is vanity and vexation of spirit.

11. It behoves Christians to be often in self-trial, and to be alwaies in self-denial.

12. Sinners are alive to that which Saints are dead, viz. sin: and dead to that to which Saints [Page 4]are alive, viz. righteousnesse.

13. Sin may be in his heart who is a Saint, but his heart (who is a Saint) cannot be in sin.

14. The doctrine of the Gospel is not onely able to comfort, but 'tis a comfortable doctrine.

15. There are many who hold the truth which they are to do, but doe not doe the truth which they hold; thus holding truth in un­righteousnesse, they have the wrath of God reveald from Heaven a­gainst them, because they received not the love of the truth, which was revealed from heaven to them.

16. Much is but little, where more is expected; and good is not good, where better is expected.

17. Some men forget to pray, o­thers forget what they have prayed, and others forget that they have prayed; so little of their heart is in duty, and so little impression of du­ty is in their heart, that all comes to nothing.

18. They who deserve nothing, have good reason to be content with any thing; and they that deserve not any thing have no reason to be discontented, though they have no­thing.

19. God sometimes puts his peo­ple to a little pain, that he may give them much ease.

20. How desirable so ever the things be which we desire, we are to submit and surrender our desires to God, and say, Not my wil O Lord, but thine be done.

21. 'Tis a lovely sight to see a den of thieves turned into a house of prayer; but tis a lothsome sight to see an house of prayer turned into a den of theeves.

22. The least measure of grace is better then the greatest measure of gifts: for the greatest measure of gifts without grace is not, but the the least measure of grace (though without gifts) is acceptable to God in the discharge of duties.

23. 'Tis dangerous sinning against conscience, for such are in danger to make (at length) no conscience of sinning.

24. 'Tis no small mercy to be kept from small sins; but how great a mercy is it to be kept from great sins! Oh Lord, when from all sins? in the mean time, happy they who can in sincerity say, 'tis not we that sin, but sin that dwelleth in us.

25. Most men can easily remem­ber if they have any thing against their brother, that hee may right them: but few men care to remem­ber if their brother have any thing against them, that they may right him; which is the great command on a great peril, Matth. 5.23.

26. In prayer the heart should first speak the words, and then the words should speak the heart.

27. There are two, and but two kind of sins; the one of commission, in doing what ought not to be done; the other of omission, in not [Page 7]doing what ought to be done; for both these men shall be judged at the last day. For sins of commission, Jud. 15. for sins of omission, Matth. 25.41, 42.

28. God in the Covenant hath pro­mised to take away the flesh of the heart, and to give an heart of flesh.

29. Many ungodly men have e­nough, yet are not content; godly men are content with what they have, and that's their enough.

30. A part of the Christians Eve­ning prayer is, that he may not sleep in his sin, nor sin in his sleep.

31. When a Saint goes to bed, he should look on himselfe as buried alive in a grave above ground; and not knowing but that he may sleep the sleepe of death, he should com­mit his spirit into the hands of God, praying and hoping, either for a resurrection for the better in this world, or for a better resurrection in the world to come.

32. A part of the Saints morning [Page 8]prayer is, that seeing it hath pleased. God to renew his life, his life may be renewed to the wel-pleasing of God.

33. Wee should labour for rest, and follow our work while we live; for when we die, (if in the Lord) we shall rest from our labour, and our work shall follow us.

34. A Saint doth pray, not onely that the Word of God may sancti­fie the creatures to his use, but also that in and for the use of the crea­tures hee may sanctifie the God of the word.

35. A Saint doth pray, not onely that the curse which sin brought may be taken away, but also that the sinne may be taken away which brought the curse.

36. A Saint doth pray, not onely that God would shed abroad his love upon the creatures, that they may be serviceable to him, but hee prayes also that God would shed abroad his love in his heart, that hee [Page 9]may be serviceable to God.

37. Wee should shew mercy to the poore, not onely out of pitty to them, but out of piety to God.

38. A Christian wil willingly ac­knowledge that he owes his life to the death of Christ.

39. Wee should not onely beare the rod, but heare the rod; and did we heare the rod, and him that ap­pointed it, we should the better beare the rod which hee hath ap­pointed.

40. Time was when hee (that is now a Saint) griev'd that he could sin no more; but now he grieves for that griefe, and that ever he sinned so much; yea, might hee have his next prayer granted, it should be that he might sin no more.

41. He that will have his secrets kept, must keep his secrets.

42. Wee have no reason to com­plain of, or to be discontented with God, how ever he deale with us; for the least good is more then wee [Page 10]deserve, and the greatest evil is no lesse, nor no more then we deserve.

43. If when we have done all, we are but unprofitable servants; how unprofitable servants then are we, who doe not doe all, no nor scarce at all, what is our duty to doe?

44. Them goods wil doe no man good, with which a man doth no good. Goods are not good as ( [...]) things had, but as ( [...]) things used and improved, so as to make friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness or deceitfulness.

45. Wel may a Saint say that he cannot be without God, for he can­not be wel without God; vivere est valere, to live is to be well; and be­side wel being (which is to live, move, and have our being with and unto God) the rest of our life (though we live, move, and have our being in him) is death, or but little better.

46. A Saint would willingly be more affected with Gods goodness, & more afflicted for his own badnes.

47. A man should apply himselfe to Christ, to be delivered, not onely from sin, but from sinning.

48. Wise men, when they have not opportunities will make them; but fooles wil not take opportuni­ties when they have them.

49. Many persons have the grace of desire, and doe desire grace; and yet many times enjoy not the grace of their desire.

50. Providences that crosse our designes, are no crosse providences to Gods designes.

51. Christ's satisfaction, not our sanctification, is the ground of our justification; and yet where ever he is justification, he is sanctifica­tion also; or else there could be no salvation; for without holiness no man shall see God.

52. In the good-natured and wel­bred person, a little grace wil make a great shew; but in an ill-natured and a person not wel-bred, a great deale of grace wil make but a little shew.

53. I would not (saith one) be alwaies busie and doing, nor ever shut up in nothing but thoughts; yet that which some would call idleness, I would call the sweetest part of my life, and that's my thin­king time. Thoughts are good com­pany, if they be good thoughts; and so a man may be never less alone, then when most alone; that is, all alone, when all is but one.

54. God many times awakens them at a Sermon, who came to sleep at a Sermon, so that (I speak it seriously) God takes them nap­ping.

55. While we are in this world, we know but part, and but in part; hereafter we shall know more, and more fully; yet then the fulnesse wil not (cannot) be fully known.

56. Gods thoughts and purposes towards Sion, and Sions thoughts of Gods purposes, are many times clean contrary, Isaiah 49, 27, 28. My thoughts are not your thoughts, [Page 13]nor my waies your waies, saith the Lord, Isaiah 55.8.

57. Paul, Noble and Publique­spirited Paul became all things to all men, that all men might gaine by him; but many (and not now adaies?) base spirited and self-seeking men, become all things to all men, that they may gain by all men. Paul sought the good of other men, but these seek other mens goods.

58. We are unworthy for whom God should doe any thing, and un­worthy to doe any thing for God; but hee is worthy for whom wee should doe all things.

59. Though Gods waies are hid from us, yet our waies are not hid from God, Isai. 40.27. Though we know not the way that he takes, yet he knows the way that we take, Job 23.8, 9, 10.

60. Many men rejoyce in the light wherein they should walk, but doe not walk in the light wherein they rejoyce.

61. 'Tis not very safe to trust them with too great a power of the sword in their hands, who have not the power of the word (which is the sword of the spirit) in their hearts.

62. Where sin abounds, grace a­bounds; but where grace abounds, fin doth not abound; for (saith the soule) because God hath been mer­cifull to mee who sinned against him, I wil not sin against God who is mercifull to me.

63. Things done by men have a tendency to bring about Gods ends, though the men that doe the things, doe not intend it, Isai. 10.5, 7. Acts 4.27, 28.

64. It sometimes overthrows men to have done too much good, or too great service, for the Princes and Grandees of the world (though they are willing to have others behol­ding to them, yet are) unwilling to have themselves beholding to o­thers.

65. Many heare, and love to hear the things which they are to doe; but few doe, and fewer love to doe the things which they heare.

66. In an unregenerate estate a man is free from God, and a servant to sin; but in a regenerate estate, a man is free from sin, and is a servant to God: his first freedom was per­fect slavery, his second service is perfect freedom.

67. He is a foole that doth not say in his heart there is a God; but what a foole is he, that saith in his heart there is no God?

68. 'Tis a sin not to think that there is a God; but what a fin is it to think that there is not a God? yet alas! such wretches there are in the world as doe, if not in words, yet in heart and works deny God to have a being, though in him they live, move, and have their being; but though such are Atheists on earth, yet when they come to hell, they wil not be Atheists there, where [Page 16]they wil to their cost and pain, feele that there is a God.

69. 'Tis not enough to a Saint that he hath prayed for grace, unless he have the grace prayed for.

70. Life-Reformation, without heart-renovation, wil never attain to heaven-salvation.

71. There is such a connection between being in Christ Jesus, being a new creature, faith working by love, and keeping the Commande­ments of God, that they are put one for all, as appeares by comparing 2 Cor. 5.17. Gal. 5.6. Gal. 6.15. & 1 Cor. 7, 19. What therefore God hath joyn'd together, let no man put asunder: he that takes one for all; without all, will finde it nothing at all.

72. Christ doth not onely deliver his people from eternall condem­nation, but also from a sinfull con­versation; yea, he delivers them from a sinfull coversation, that he may deliver them from condemna­tion.

73. 'Tis a dangerous thing not to look over our waies; but 'tis much more dangerous to overlook our waies.

74. 'Tis a greater honour to us to serve God, then tis to God that we serve him. 'Tis not he, but we are happy by it; as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon's servants, 1 Kings 10.8.

75. The divels believe and trem­ble, and so do Saints, for they work out their salvation with feare and trembling; but with this difference, the divels tremble because of the judgement which sin wil bring; the Saints tremble because of the sin which brings the judgement; the divels and wicked men trem­ble because they have sinned, the Saints tremble that they may not sinne.

76. The head may remember what the heart forgets, but the head wil never forget what the heart re­members. The sense of mercy is the [Page 18]best memory, Deut. 4.9. lest they depart from thine heart.

77. Though one soule be more worth then a whole world, yet a whole world of soules is not worth one Christ; oh how great then is the love of God! that he would give his only begotten son to save the souls of men.

78. Though the prayer we make to God cannot, yet the God to whom we make our prayers can change our hearts.

79. As faith without works is, so works without faith are dead also; religion is not in believing or do­ing, but in believing and doing; 'tis not any one thing, but things which accompany or contain sal­vation, Heb. 6.9.

80. A Saint should daily and duely observe Gods dealings with him, and his dealings with God.

81. 'Twere better not to be born, then to be, and not to be new born.

82. How can we expect that God should heare us when we call on him, if we wil not heare him when he cals on us.

83. A Saint had rather suffer for the Gospel and religion a thousand times, then that the Gospel or reli­gion should suffer once by him.

84. He that would see God in ordinances, when hee comes to them, should seek God before he comes to the ordinances.

85. If we fall in with God, it matters not who fall out with us.

86. Many men have the things of their peace to consider of, but (a­las!) but few consider of the things of their peace; they hide their eyes so long from the things of their peace, that at last the things of their peace are hidden from their eyes.

87. Men should take heed of gi­ving themselves to lasciviousnesse, lest when they give themselves over, God give them up to lascivi­ousnesse and vile affections, as he [Page 20]did them, Rom. 1.26.

88. It were to be wished (provi­ded it crosse not the calling of God) that great men were good men, or that good men were great men.

89. Many persons as soon as Ser­mon is done have done with the Sermon, and as soon as prayer is done, have done with the prayer; when as they should then doe the Sermon, and practice the prayer.

90. A Saint doth good not onely because it pleaseth him, but be­cause it pleaseth God; nor doth he avoyd sin onely because it displea­seth him, but because it displeaseth God.

91. The work of the Gospel is to make bad men good, and good men better.

92. He that's most full of God, is most empty of himselfe; and he that's most full of himselfe, is most empty of God.

93. Though all graee be in all Saints, yet some grace scarce ap­pears [Page 21]in most Saints, and most grace scarce appears in some Saints.

94. Among them that have cal­led themselves shepheards, there have been found some idle, and some idol-shepherds.

95. A gracious heart doth not only hate sin when tis committed, but he hates to commit it, Rom. 7.15.

96. We should study not so much what shall become of us, as what becomes us; for what shall be­come of us is among the secret things which belong to God; but what becomes us is among the re­vealed things which belong to us.

97. As God-love is the fulfilling of God's law, or the law as to God; and man-love the fulfilling of mans law, or the law as to man; so self­love, or sin-love is the fulfilling of the law of sin: for the whole law is fulfilled in this one word, love.

98. Some would not seem evil, and yet would be so; and some would seem good, but would not [Page 22]be so; but tell me, thou hypocrite (said Chrysostome) if it be a good thing to be good, why wilt thou not be that which thou wouldst ap­peare to be? for that which is a shame for a man to appeare to be, is much more a shame to be it in­deed: either be therefore such as thou appearest, or else appeare such as thou art.

99. Some men had rather be of that religion, and of such opinions in that religion, which wil raise them; then be of that religion which wil save them: as if ad­vancement in this life were more worth then a resurrection unto and an ascention into eternall life.

100. Latimer saith of the Clergy, that they were so wise, that by their wisdom, they had almost made all the world fooles.

The second Century.

101. Man is not (true) as God, [Page 23]and therefore not to be trusted; God is not (false) as man, and there­fore not to be distrusted.

102. The promise is as satisfying to faith, as performance is to sense.

103. He that believes every thing that is reported, and reports every thing which he believes, wil report that which should not be believed, and believe that which should not be reported.

104. He that leaves all things, and denies not himselfe, forsakes no­thing; and he that denies himselfe, and sets not his heart on what he hath, forsakes his all, though he keep it all.

105. The best way to enjoy ones wil is to deny ones wil; not to own our wil, when our wil doth not own Gods: and then to be sure, he may doe what he wil, that wil doe but what he may.

106. Many men know the good they are to doe, but doe not doe the good they know, to them it is sin. [Page 24] Jam. 4.17. others doe they know not what; these may doe good, but the good they doe cannot be well done; others know not what they are to doe, but this wil not excuse them from doing; for every man should learn what he is to practice, and then practice what hee hath learnt. Practice without know­ledge is like Leah fruitfull, but blear-eyed; and knowledge with­out practice is like Rachel faire, but barren; when Rachels face, and Le­ahs womb, when knowledge and practice meet in the same person, then happy is he.

107. No man cares for sorrows, yet nothing works sorrows more then cares; for they that will be rich, pierce themselves through with many sorrows.

108. We should welcome God not onely when he brings good to us, for that is to welcome God for our own sake; but we should also welcome God when he brings evil [Page 25]upon us, for that is (which is better) to welcome God for his own sake.

109. How much soever good men suffer, and how ill soever it goe with them in this world, if they be found in waies of wel-doing, they shall doe wel; for Christ will say, Wel done thou good and faith­full servant.

110. Good Lord! into how many evils should we fall, didst not thou keep us from them? and how many evils would fall on us, didst not thou keepe them from us?

111. As nothing wil more dis­quiet us (as to publike affaires) then the consideration of mans disor­derly acting, so nothing wil more quiet us, then the consideration of Gods ordering mans actings: for God never so leaves the reins on mens necks, but that he keeps them in his own hand.

112. Inordinate affection brings extraordinary affliction.

113. 'Tis a great mercy to have [Page 26]any good thing in this world; what a mercy then is it to have many good things in this world? but what a misery is it to have all our good things in this world?

114. The old Saints, or the Saints of old time lived new lives; but alas! the new Saints, or the Saints of new and latter times, live old lives.

115. 'Tis hard to be conformable to the world in the outward man, and to be conformable to God in the inward man; 'tis hard to be like a sinner without, and not to be a sinner within.

116. A Saint begs of God that all Gods dealings may have love to him written upon them, and as heartily begs of God that all his dea­lings may have love and holinesse to the Lord written upon them.

117. A Saint is a man of another world in this, and therefore should live out of the world while in it, & have his conversation in Heaven.

118. If a man have not an appetite [Page 27]to pray, let him pray for an appetite; for neglect or omission of a duty ne­ver fits, but alwaies unfits for duty.

119. When the Apostle saith, I live, he doth not mean, that he liv'd alone without Christ; and when he saith, not I but Christ, he doth not mean, that Christ liv'd alone with­out him: but his meaning is, that by Christ he is what he is, according to that saying, 1 Cor. 15.10. by the grace of God I am what I am; and that, I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God; as if he had said, I owe not onely this, but my selfe be­side to Christ, I owe my life to Christ, who is the life of my new life.

120. A Saint doth but little of the good he doth, 1 Cor. 5.10. and he doth not much of the evil he doth, Rom. 7.20. 'tis true he lives and labours, yet not he; 'tis true he sin­neth, yet not he.

121. Meetings are then for the better, when we are the better for our meetings.

122. The image of the first crea­tion makes men excell other crea­tures, but the image of the second creation makes men to excell men.

123. Hee that begs of God for daily bread, begs food for his soule as wel as his body: for either a man should not take more care then need, because God knows we have need of these things, and doth give us richly to enjoy not onely for this life, but (which is better) for a better life.

124. What certain hazzards doe men runne for uncertain gain! 'tis uncertain whether men shall gaine or no, all are but adventurers: 'tis as uncertain whether they shall keepe what they have gotten: 'tis certain that if they have gotten much, and have kept it long, yet that they shall be taken from it, or it from them. No trade so gainfull as god­linesse, if it be closely followed.

125. The best and worst of this world puts us upon longing for [Page 29]Heaven; for if the best of the world be good, heaven is much better; and if the worst be so bad, who would not long to goe from bad to good.

126. If a Christian be called to be a Magistrate, 'tis not enough for him to be a Christian man, but he must be a Christian Magistrate: he should rather cease to be a Magi­strate, then cease to be a Christian: 'tis not enough to say, he is a Chri­stian and a Magistrate, but that he is a Christian Magistrate: when God hath conjoynd them, man must not disjoyn them.

127. The most (and most common­ly used) policy, is little better then circumstantiall dissimulation; be sure therefore not to act the serpent without the dove: 'tis better to act the dove without the serpent, then the serpent without the dove; 'tis better to be pious without policy, then to be politick without piety.

128. Its worse to be heart-tied, [Page 30]then to be tongue-tied in prayer; 'tis better to be straitned in expres­sion then in affection; if there be much of heart, it matters not how little of art there be in prayer, for what some men most admire, God least regards, viz. volubility of tongue, variety of expression, and ready utterance.

129. Time was when professors had heart to serve God, but wanted time and liberty; but now professors (and many of the former) have time and liberty, but want heart.

130. 'Tis an easie matter to teach others what to doe, but 'tis an hard matter to learn our own teaching, and doe what wee teach: Many know to counsel others how to walk, who know not how to walke by their own counsel. To such it may be said more truly then he to Job c. 4.3, 4, 5. Behold, thou hast in­structed many, and thou hast strengthned the weake hands, thy words have upholden him that was [Page 31]falling: but now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

131. They that stand in slippery places (as all in high places doe) had best be much on their knees, and then they are in no great danger of falling, at least of falling dange­rously.

132. Its fitter for youth to learn then to teach, and for age to teach then to learn; yet there are some young men old enough to teach, and no old man too old to learn.

133. Many men love the sin, that cannot abide the name; they love pride, but it must be called decen­cy; love covetousnesse, but it must be called thrift and good husban­dry; love flattering and dissem­bling, but it must be called civility, and good breeding: and many times the same persons love the name of grace, but cannot abide the grace; they hate godlines, yet would be called godly; loath Christianity, [Page 32]yet would be called Christians: let such know, that sin without the name will damne, and the name of grace without grace will not save. Lord, let me be more taken with godlinesse, then with the name; and not at all with sinne, though it have not the name.

134. To be so sorrowfull as to forget our selves is weaknesse, and to be so merry as to forget God is wickednesse.

135. A man should not lay up so much as to give nothing, that's co­vetousnesse: nor give so much as to lay up nothing, that's prodigality.

136. A good conscience alwaies keeps good cheare, for 'tis a conti­nuall feast, and he that hath it fares wel, though he have no other food: the fattest Capons doe not afford such merry thoughts as a good conscience. What a shame is it then to a Christian, if he cannot be merry without merriment, nor make me­lody without musick, nor dine [Page 33]and sup without dainties & sauce? shall not the light of Gods coun­tenance make us more glad then they that have their corn, and wine, and oyle? Lord, while others are like them in Job c. 21. from v. 7. to 16. let me be like-minded to Habucuk, c. 3, 17, 18, 19.

136. If God give us the use of mercy to pleasure us, 'tis but reason that we should use the mercy to please him.

137. If things fall not out as we would have them be, yet let it con­tent us that they fall out as God would have them be; God attains his end, though we misse ours: we know what we would have; but what we should, is better then what we would. Can we be better disposed of, then by wisdom, goodnesse, and faithfulnesse it selfe? doth not God doe all things wel? he looked upon all that he made, and behold it was good exceedingly. We therefore should not open our mouth (to com­plain) [Page 34]because it is his doing; but in every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us.

139. Some are foolish wise men, others are wise fools: the foolish­nesse of God is wiser then the wis­dome of men, for thats enmity a­gainst God. They are wise who are wise for their soules; and they are fools who are not so, how wise so­ever they are otherwise.

140. Seeing God doth not afflict willingly, we should not sin wil­lingly; seeing he delights not to grieve the children of men, the children of men should not delight in any thing that wil grieve him.

141. All the sufficiency of the Saints, and the sufficiency of all the Saints is from Gods alsufficiency; who is sufficient for these things? we are not sufficient of our selves to think one good thought: my grace is sufficient for thee.

142. Men should not come toge­ther [Page 35]barely to meet, least their meeting prove but a bare comming together; without true cordial sin­cere friendship to improve so­ciety, society is but a meeting; and without which (though it be good to meet, yet) the meeting wil not be good; such comming toge­ther wil rather be for the worse then for the better.

143. Many men would willingly be Gods sons, who care not to be Gods servants; but God knows none for sons, but such as serve him: many would willingly be retainers, and weare Gods livery, that doe not care to wait, and to goe and come at his bidding. 'Twill, (but alas!) 'twil be cold comfort to be called servant, when it shall be said, thou idle and wicked servant. Dives was never the better that Abraham called him sonne; nor Judas that Christ called him friend. Titles, when they are but titles, entitle to no­thing.

144. That preaching is most A­postolick, which is most like the A­postles preaching; when men come not with wisdome of words, but with the words of wisdom; when men come not with excellency of speech, or entising words, to evi­dence and demonstrate their lear­ning, but in the evidence and de­monstration of the spirit, to evince Gods teaching; for then the faith of men wil stand not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

145. A form of godlinesse and the power of sin may dwell toge­ther, but the power of godlinesse and a form of sin cannot dwel toge­ther, much lesse the power of godli­nesse and the power of sin.

146. A gracious heart can truly say, though I am not what I would be, yet I would be what I should be.

147. Whom God predestinates them he justifies, and not one more; and whom he justifies and glorifies, [Page 37]he did predestinate, and not one lesse.

148. Though God give us never so much, he hath never the lesse; and how much soever we give him he hath never the more.

149. The salvation of man, and the means to attain it, is not only Gods designe, but Gods work; 'tis not onely his will that it should be so, but 'tis his work that it is so: he doth not only wil that we should be sa­ved, but he doth save us; he doth not onely wil that we should be justified, but he doth justifie us.

150. At the Supper of the Lord 'tis not man that offers Jesus Christ to God, but God that offers Jesus Christ to man; and therefore by way of thankfulnesse man should offer up himselfe to God.

151. Did wee account of the things of this world as things that we must account for in the world to come, we should use them, if not lesse, yet better.

152. The lowest thoughts wee have of our selves, are not low e­nough; and the highest we have of God, are not high enough.

153. At such times when Gods dispensations are doubtfull, mens disputations about them are full of doubts.

154. A Saint prayeth that God wil not suffer him to take any work in hand but what he wil prosper, and then prayes God to prosper the work he takes in hand.

155. Many men doe by their Religion as Tradesmen doe by re­creation; never goe about it, but when they have nothing else to do; give God that time which they know not how else to bestow. Men put off God with any thing, yea with nothing. Offer it to thy Prince, and wil he accept it? we give him but the dregs, when the spirit is his due; we would not be served as we serve him: we would have God give us the best, and we [Page 39] (alas!) we give him the worst. How unjust is this! Lord, I have nothing good enough for thee; my best is too bad, mine all is too little; such as I am and have, I give unto thee; the Lord accept it.

156. 'Tis little lesse then a won­der, how some persons can be so wicked in good families, and how others can be so good in wicked families.

157. When a Saint is fit for a change, and a change fit for a Saint, (whether it relate to place, condi­tion, or imployment) it shal then be: and who would have it be­fore?

158. There are many persons of good quality, who yet (the more is the pitty) are persons of bad, very bad qualities.

159. If many that seek to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven shall not be able, what will become of them that doe not seek? not any of them shall enter; if seeking wil not [Page 40]serve the turn, strive then to enter, put all your strength to it, for straight, very straight is the gate; and narrow, very narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, Luke 13.24. compared with Matth. 7.14.

160. If God be with us, it matters not who be against us, it will goe well; but if God be against us, it matters not who be with us, it will goe ill.

161. Men many times wil give no more, because they have given something already; but God ma­keth his having once given, an ar­gument to give again: hee shewes mercy, because he hath shewn mer­cy; and doth good, because he hath done good. Heretofore-mercies are (to Saints) good ground of hope for hereafter-mercies.

162. He that looseth an hundred pound in the flesh, and getteth a thousand pound in the spirit, is a gainer by his losse: who would not change for the better? who would [Page 41]not become a foole that he may be wise? who would not become poor to enrich himselfe? if a man lose any thing for Christ, he shall lose nothing by Christ, he shall be re­paid in kind, or (which is all one, nay which is better) in kindness.

163. Our superfluities should give way to our brothers conve­niences, and our conveniences to our brothers necessities, yea even our necessities should give way to their extremity for the supplying of them.

164. A babe in Christ is a small thing, yet 'tis no small thing to be a babe, though but a babe in Christ.

165. Men should not glory in what they have received, but give glory for what they have received: not onely the talent, but the im­provement of the talent is to be attributed to God, Lord thy pound hath gained ten pound, Luke 19.16. not onely faith to work, but the [Page 42]work of faith; not onely grace, but the actings of grace is to be attri­buted to the glory of God, and not to the power or praise of man.

166. To be evil at good is bad, but to be good at evil is worse: they are wise to doe evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

167. While we have any thing to give, and any thing to be for­given, we should be willingly cha­ritable.

168. Adversity indeed is the more grievous, but prosperity is the more dangerous condition to the sons of men.

169. Some speak but little to the purpose, others speak but to little purpose; Now as the proverbe saith, as good not at all, as to no purpose, or not to the purpose.

170. God speaks much in a lit­tle, and man speaks but a little in much.

171. Christ was delivered for our sins, that we might be delivered from our sins.

172. A Saint prayeth that he may not be willing to doe any thing which God wils not; and that he may not be unwilling to doe any thing, but willing to do every thing which God wils.

173. Sorrows lie heavier then sin on the wicked, but on the godly sin lieth heavier then sorrows.

174. A Saint is more sorry that he should be discontented at any disappointment, then that he should be disappointed of any content­ment, or that which we call so, for there is no such thing under the Sun.

175. Many men act grace, when yet grace is not acted; they act hu­mility and self-denial, when humi­lity and self-deniall are not acted; they doe like Stage-players, appeare and make shew of another thing then they are: this is the art of grace, rather then the act of grace; and such persons are but artificiall Christians.

176. A believer is beholding to God for the Christ which he be­holds, and holds by faith; and for the faith whereby he beholds and holds the Christ.

177. Worldly sorrow breakes hearts, but godly sorrow heales broken hearts.

178. Though Christ free us from sin, yet not from sorrow; hee frees us from the sin we sorrow for, but not from the sorrowing for the sin he frees us from.

179. Christ is the Son of God, and therefore beloved, Matth. 3.17. we are beloved, and therefore the sons of God, 1 John 3.1.

180. If thou repent with a con­tradiction, God will pardon thee with a contradiction; if thou repent and not reform, that's repentance with a contradiction; God wil pardon thee, but send thee to hell, that's a pardon with a contradiction. Oh be not deceived, God is not mocked.

181. 'Tis more comfortable [Page 45]doctrine to heare that some shall be saved, as the doctrine of election tea­cheth; then to heare that its uncer­tain whether any shall be saved, as the doctrine of free will teacheth.

182. The love of God doth not know what 'tis to be idle, and idlers doe not know what 'tis to love God.

183. A man need not feare nor doubt to say, that there is a partial hypocrisie in some men at all times, and in all men at some times.

184. They that feare not God and his greatnesse here, will be a­fraid of God and his greatnesse hereafter.

185. God loves them that love him, and they that seek him shall finde him, Prov. 8.17. and yet there are some who shall seek him early, but that early wil be too late to finde him, Prov. 1.28.

186. God can supply the absence of any, yea of all creatures; but not any, no not all the creatures can [Page 46]supply the absence of God.

187. Though wee are lesse then the least of all Gods mercies, yet he thinketh not the best to be too good for us; he neither spared to send his Son, nor spared his Son when he sent him, but gave him up to death, yea it pleased the Lord to bruise him. This is love! Oh what a ma­nifestation, what a commendati­on of love is this! and how shall he not with him as freely give us all things?

188. We may say that we know no reason why we should have so many mercies; and the reason is, because mercy goeth not by rea­son, but by grace: and God sheweth mercy, when, where, and because he will; and that not because the creature, but the mercy pleaseth him.

189. Children is sometimes a name common to all the Saints, to all the sons and daughters of God; and thus a Babe-saint is a child, and [Page 47]among the children; and a Father­saint is but a child, and among the children: but sometime the name is appropriated to a certain sort and size of Saints; so that it may be truly said, all that are born of God are children, but all that are born of God are not children as soon as they are born.

190. It was once said of one, Oh that thy body prospered as thy soule prospereth; but it may be often said of many, Oh that thy soule did prosper as thy body prospers.

191. There are many that make good professions, but few that make their professions good, or make good their professions.

192. If God were at mans dis­pose, what a God would he be! and if man were not at Gods dispose, what a man (poore miserable man) would he be!

193. Tertullian saith that the Christians did so sup as if they were to pray, they did it with such [Page 48]vvatchfulnesse and heavenly min­dednesse: a good example for Chri­stians in our daies, who pray as if they sup'd with very supine and careless spirits.

194. If love finde fault, 'tis that there may be no fault to be found: God on this ground findes fault with his people, that his people may be without faults.

195. They are two choice mercies: 1. To have a broken heart for sin. 2. To have the heart broken off from sin.

196. How little doe wee make of much mercy, and how much doe wee make of a little misery! how little doe we doe for much mercy, and how great and much adoe doe we make about a little misery! A little misery afflicts us much, and much mercy affects us but little.

196. God hath two dwelling pla­ces, the highest heavens, and the lowest hearts; that's the habitation of his glory, this of his grace.

198. The Son of God became the son of man, that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

199. If we be just and faith­full in confessing the sins we would have forgiven, God will be just and faithfull in forgiving the sins we confesse.

200. If men will not doe what grace will have them doe, grace will not doe what men would have it doe; if men will not submit to graces teaching, men shall never enjoy graces salvation.

The third Century.

201. To be without many sins, is the holinesse on Earth; to be with­out any sin, is the holinesse of Heaven.

202. The things of this world are (and who would love such things as are) ever wheeling; he that was upmost but even now, is pre­sently [Page 50]undermost, as Haman; and he that was undermost is upmost, as Mordecai: trust not then to greatnesse, for no man is so fixed, but he may fall; despise no mans meanesse, for none is so low, but he may rise.

203. When Diogenes heard Zeno with subtile arguments endeavou­ring to prove that there was no motion, he suddenly starts up and walkes; Zeno asking the cause thereof, said Diogenes, Hereby I confute you, and prove that there is motion. Walking with God is the best way to confute them that think religion to be but a notion; walking will prove motion.

204. When we are doing Gods businesse, we should forget our own; our eyes and hearts should be fixed only on him: when we goe to heare, we should not em­ploy our eyes, but our eares. O Lord pardon the many wanton glances, vain thoughts, wande­ring [Page 51]eyes and desires, yea the wic­ked designes of many, that goe to Sermons, not to hear the Word, but to see their Mistresse.

205. He that's sure of Gods love to him, is sure of Gods power for him; what good cannot God doe when he will? and what good will he not doe for them to whom he bears good wil? They that know his name, may well trust him.

206. 'Tis not yet with us as well as it should be, if (though it be ill with us) we be not content with what we are: for we should learn in all estates to be content.

207. If a man be not converted, he may thank himselfe; but if he be converted, hee must thank God: that he is not converted is from mans free ill-will: that he is converted, is from Gods free good will.

208. Religion allows none to be idle; he that will not labour, must [Page 52]not eat; in Religion, as well as any calling else, we must work for our living: God hath not pro­mised to work for them that play. He is not like to be saved, that doth not like to work out his salvation. He that is found a faithfull and wel­doing servant, will finde a Well done good and faithfull servant, enter thou into thy Masters joy; but of the wicked, slothful, and unprofitable servant 'tis said, Cast ye him into utter darknesse.

209. If Esau were so much to blame to sell his birthright for a mess of Pottage, which yet was to save his life; how much more are they to blame that Ahab-like sell them­selves to work wickednesse, that for a title of Honour, esteem of men, or for a little white and yellow dust, which is called Gold and Silver, (meere vanities) will sell their souls? alas these ticklings will turn into stings, and the torment will be the more torment, the more plea­sing [Page 53]the sin was. 'Twill be but cold comfort for any man to goe to Hell with credit; or that others thinke him gone to Heaven, when he feeles himselfe in Hell.

210. 'Tis good to be prepared for that at all times, which may come at any time, viz. death: if it come unsent for, yet it should not come unlookt for. Setting a mans house and heart in order, will not make a man die the sooner: 'twill help a man to die the better. Hee that when he comes to die hath nothing to doe but to die, may well beg to be dissolved, for hee can say, I am ready to be offered, if the time of my departure be at hand.

211. A bad great man is a great bad man: for the greatnesse of an evill man makes the mans evill the greater; such a man will have many sins to answer for which he never committed, because his committing of one made many [Page 54]others to commit many, who haply had never done so, had they not been led by the exam­ple of their leaders. If we take not heed, other men may have cause to be sorry for our sins, and we have cause to be sorry for other mens sins; for they may become our-other-mens sins.

212. Some men are kind to o­thers, but for their own ends, and when they have once attained the end for which they were kind, there's an end of their kindnesse; they will serve you for their needs, and when you have served their needs, you shall observe that they will neither serve nor observe you any longer. Alas, doe not men serve God thus! doth not rich Jacob for­get to pay what poor Jacob did pro­mise?

213. Some men have much to use, who make but little use of what they have.

214. Were we as loving as God [Page 55]is lovely, how (Oh how) infinite­ly should we love him!

215. To some (as to Dives) death is the end of all comfort, and the beginning of all misery; to others (as to Lazarus) death is the end of all misery, and the beginning of all comfort. Lord, let my condition be such, that at death I may passe from torment to comfort, and not from comfort to torment.

216. Every man loves to be be­loved, and is apt to take pleasure in this, that others take pleasure in him; whence that which ought not, doth oft come to passe, men comply with mens humours, and that they may not be thought unci­vil will sin for company, and to please others, displease God. Oh Lord, let me never cease to be a good Christian, that I may be thought a good companion. Let me chuse rather with Moses to suf­fer reproaches, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; and ra­ther [Page 56]go to prison with Joseph, then to live a Laplin to the lust of the eye and the pride of life, or to be lull'd and husht asleep by the fawn­nings of this worlds flattery; Let it be enough to me to bee beloved of God.

217. Whatever talent, indow­ment or estate God hath given thee, improve it not for thy plea­sure, but to please him; not to honour thy selfe, but to henour him; for if he have not the glory, thou wilt have the shame, and cry out at last, Ino­pem me copia fecit, Oh that I had ne­ver been rich, my riches have made me poore; Oh that I had never been faire, my beauty made me proud and wanton; Oh that I had never been learned and witty, my wit hath made me a fool: abused good turnes to the greatest evil. Let not therefore the wise man glory in his wisdome, nor the rich man in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth and [Page 57]loveth, serveth and honoureth God.

218. Hee that promiseth what hee cannot doe, is a foolish man; and he that promiseth what he meanes not to doe, is a false man; the first deceives others most, the latter deceives himself most; and he that promiseth what he may not doe, is while courteous to o­thers, cruel to himself; while a friend to another, an enemy to his own soul.

219. A man may meditate of good, and yet his meditation may be evil; and a man may meditate of evil, and yet his meditation may be good: 'Tis good to meditate of good to doe it, and of evil not to doe it.

220. If it be good for us to draw neere to God, Oh how good is it when God drawes neer to us!

221. 'Tis good that a man should wait for God, Lament. 3.26. for God is good to them that [Page 58]wait for him, Lament. 3.25.

222. 'Tis better to spend ones time in doing good, then in getting goods; for the goods we get we must leave, but the good we doe will never leave us: When we rest from our labour, our workes shall fol­low us.

223. God stands in no need of us, for he is blessed without us; but we stand in need of God, for we cannot be blessed without him. Oh the gracious condescension of God!

224. If a man cannot be rich with honesty, he should be content to be poor; for 'tis better to con­tinue poore with a good consci­ence, then to grow rich with a bad one.

225. He that truly desires hea­venly joyes, or the joyes of Hea­ven, which shall never have an end, cannot but desire to have an end of earthly joyes which are but for a season.

226. 'Tis great reason that we [Page 59]should continue to pray, because ourwants continue; and 'tis as great reason that wee should continue to praise, because our mercies continue. Who is there so full, that wants nothing? and who so empty, but hath something? Let none give over praying, but hee that wants nothing; and let none give over praising, that hath any thing. Is not the mercy we want worth the asking? and is not the mercy we have worth the acknowledging? 'tis sin and misery to give over duty.

227. Hee can be no friend to thee, that is a friend to thy faults; and thou canst be no friend to thy selfe, if thou be an enemy to him that tels thee of thy faults. Wilt thou like him the worse that would have thee be better?

228. Christ hath commanded us to love our enemies, and to doe good for evill; which if we doe not, we wrong our selves more by not doing good to them (for [Page 60]that's our sin) then they did by doing us wrong, for that was but our affliction: and the evil of sin is worse then the evill of suf­fering.

229. Some men doe well, and say nothing, according to the rule of Christ, Matth. 6.1.-4. others say well, and doe nothing, according to the Pharisees, Matth. 23.3.

230. 'Tis strange to see how the Kingdom of sin is divided, and yet stands; there are divers Iusts; lusts that differ and dis­agree, as covetousnesse and pro­digality. Poore sinners! what an hard taske have they that serve divers lusts? that like Tapsters and Drawers must answer all: if pride call, here Sir; if lust call, anon Sir; if covetousnesse call, I come Sir; how can, and yet how doth the same sinner serve these severall masters? sad case when men are rul'd by unruly lusts.

231. To refuse Jesus Christ, and the tenders of grace and mercy by him, is the shortest way to Hell; some men ride the rode, the high way to Hell, while they drinke, sweare, lye, whore away their soules; but they that re fuse Christ Jesus, run by way of the plaine, they make a shorter cut; while others goe by the bow, these goe by the string: Lord, what haste do men make, and what pains doe men take to damne themselves!

232. Its better to beg ones bread with Lazarus on earth, then to beg ones water with Di­ves in Hell. Better to be tormented with sores in this world, then to be sorely tormented in the world to come. Better to goe from Lives doore to Abrahams bosome, then from Dives Table to the Divels Dun­geon.

233. Some men lend, looking for nothing again; such lending is giving: others give, looking for [Page 62]something again; such giving is but lending: others give and lend, for he that giveth to the poore, lendeth to the Lord; this is putting to use with­out usury; this is laying up by laying out.

234. Many men doe in words confess God, who do in works deny God; such men shall not be jud­ged by their words, but by their works. Satans condemnation will not be the lesse that he quoted Scripture, and called Jesus Christ the Son of God, that he believes, & trembles, and is transformed into an Angel of light: nor will it fare the better, but be far the worse with such men as have had a form of god­linesse, and denied the power there­of, seeing they have held the truth in unrighteousnesse; 'twil profit nothing to have been a professor of piety, seeing they were workers of iniquity: Nay, their condemna­tion will be the greater, for saying, I goe Sir, but went not. Oh re­member, [Page 63]if godlinesse be good, why wilt not practise it? if it be evill, why wilt professe it? if thou wilt name the Name of the Lord, depart from iniquity, for what else hast thou (thou bold brazen­faced sinner) what hast thou to doe to take Gods Name into thy mouth, and hatest to be reformed? Think on this ye that forget God, lest he teare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

234. Times Redemption.

Tis dangerous putting of that to another day, which must be done to day, or thou maist be undone to morrow. Now or never, now or never; if it be not done now, it may never be done, and then thou art undone for ever: Eternity depends on this mo­ment. The work thou hast to doe (viz. working out thy salvation) is great, thy life at longest is but short, and thou canst call no time thine, but the present time. I have read [Page 64]of one Archias a Lacedemonian, that while hee was quaffing and ryot­ting, one delivers him a letter, to signifie to him that some layd in wait to take his life, and desi­ring him to read it presently, be­cause 'twas a serious businesse; Oh said hee, seria cras, we will thinke of serious things to morrow; but that night he was slain. Oh boast not of to morrow, thou knowest not what a day may bring forth: Why wilt thou talke of many yeeres, when this night thy soule may be taken from thee. Oh what wouldst thou give for a day, when it may be a day too late. Consider therefore in this thy day, to day while 'tis called to day, the things of thy peace, lest they should he hid from thine eyes, and while thou like a blind Sodo­mite dost grope to finde a doore of hope, fire and brimstone rain about thine eares.

235. Clean contrary.

Many men instead of using the world as if they used it not, use the things of God as if they used them not; when as they should serve God and but make use of the world, they serve the world and doe but make use of God; they doe not love these things for Gods sake, but God for these things sake.

236. A Part no Portion.

The great fallacy with which Satan desudes many men, is that Logicians call à bene compositis ad male divisa; when he gets them to take Religion into peeces and then takes one peece for religion: one cries up Christ, another Faith, another love, another good works: but what is God without Christ, or Christ without faith, and what is faith without love, and what is love without workes? but now, take God in Christ by faith which worketh by love and keepeth the commandements of God, this is [Page 66] pure religion. 'Tis the whole that is the whole of man.

237. The new Command.

The command of loving one another, is not called new as to the thing to be done, for that was from the beginning, but as to the manner of doing it, or the rule ac­cording to which it is to be done. Formerly 'twas love thy neigh­bour as thy selfe, (there selfe-love was the rule) but here 'tis love one another as I have loved you (here Christs love is the rule) we should love one another better then we did, because Christ loves us better then we our selves.

238. Greater condemnation.

If sinning against the light of Gods workes had so great a con­demnation, Rom. 1. how great a condemnation will be to them that sinne against the light of Gods words? and if the law condemned much, the gospell much more; for if they escaped not, but dyed with­out [Page 67]mercy, who finned against Mo­ses, him that spake on earth, much more shall not they escape, but are worthy of a sorer punishment, who neglect the great salvation, and refuse him that speaks from Heaven, Jesus Christ.

239. The Sinner speechless.

No man can give any reason why he should sin against God; if God should ask men, as he did the man that had not on the wed­ding garment, Why camest thou bi­ther without a wedding garment? So, why art thou proud? and thou wanton? and thou unclean? and thou covetous, and thou drunk, and why dost thou swear, &c? Men would be as he, that is, speech­lesse; they could give no reason, for indeed there is no reason to give. One may say to sinners as Absolom said to Hushai. is this thy kindnesse to thy friend? Doe ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? What ini­quity [Page 68]have your fathers, may God say, or you found in me? What can you lay to my charge? Am not I a lovely and a loving God? Can any bid more for your love then I? Can any doe more for you then I? If you can speed better, and mend your market, go away and leave me; if not, why will ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? If you can finde no fault with me, why will you commit such a fault as to leave me? What cause have you to say, We will not come to thee? Is it a crime to feed you? Is it a crime to clothe you? Is it a crime to preserve you? Is it a crime to send my Son into the world to save you? Is it a crime to beseech and beg you (as for an almes) that you would be reconciled, and be hap­py? forgive me this wrong.

Be astonished, O Heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, Jer. [Page 69]2.11, 12, 13. Why? Whats the mat­ter? the matter! 'tis this, My peo­ple have committed two evils, they have forsaken me without a cause, and have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Oh sinners, let me say to you, as Saul to his ser­vants, 1 Sam. 22.7. Hear now ye Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give every one of you Fields and Vineyards, and make you Captains of thousands? Oh poor Souls, will sin, will Satan, will the world give you Heaven and Eternal life? Why will you be so unreasonable to sin against God, and wrong your own souls? Oh hear, and fear, and do no more so wickedly.

240. Come and see.

A sight (one sight) of Jesus Christ doth more ravish and overcome a soul, then all the reports that can be made of him; the tongue of men and Angels cannot set him forth so lively and lovely as a poor soul findes him. Who can believe honey to [Page 70]be so sweet, as he that hath tasted it knows it to be? the daughters of Jerusalem wonder at the daughter of Sion, when sick of love, and say, What is thy beloved, more then another beloved? Why so fond? Oh sayes the soul, his mouth is most sweet, yea, he is all desires —althogether lovely; this is my beloved, this, Oh this is my belo­ved. When poor creatures come to know him as by himself made known to them in his beauty, they then say as John 4.42. we believe not because of thy saying, for we our selves have heard him, and know (assuredly) that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world; yea, they say as the Queen of Sheba said of, and unto Solomon, 1 Kings 10.5. (Oh Lord) for in­deed a greater then Solomon is here, and therefore let me say, Oh Lord) since I saw thy wisdome, and the house that thou hast built, and the meat of thy Table, and the [Page 71]sitting of thy servants, and the attendants of thy Ministers, and their apparel, &c. there is no more spirit in me—to say the rest. Ah 'twas a true report that I heard of thee, when I (poor I) was in mine own (self) Countrey, but I believed not the words, till I came, (oh happy coming) and mine eyes (oh blest eyes) had seen it: and behold the half was not, no not the half was told me; thou exceedest, abundantly ex­ceedest the report which I heard. Happy thy men! happy thy servants, which stand continually before thee, to hear thy wisdome, which is able to make wise unto salvation! Blessed be the Lord thy God which de­lighteth in thee (in thee is he well pleased) to set thee on the throne of Israel, whom he loved for ever. Oh Lord saith the soul, help me to give, but what? Silver and Gold? Alas, what's an hundred and twen­ty talents of Gold? and of Spices [Page 72]very great store? and precious stones, though as many as the sand of the Sea? No, Lord, 'tis mine heart, such as 'tis, that I would be­stow, for indeed thou hast ravish'd me with one of thine eyes: Take it, Lord, 'tis wholly thine, Oh that not a vain thought might lodge in it any more; shall it be thus, Lord? then awake my glo­ry, and thou my soul, and all that is within me praise the Lord, and blesse his holy name. What shall I render to the Lord for all his be­nefits, and among all, for that, for that which is the worth of all, and more worth then all the rest.

241. When a poor soul consi­ders what God hath done for him, in admitting him into communi­on with himself, to eat bread at his Table continually, he cries out (even weeping for admirati­on) as Mephibosheth did, 2 Sam. 9.8. What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look on such a dead dog as I am! Such a God, on such a dog! And when he considers from what a low, to what an high estate God hath brought him, he saith as Ja­cob, Gen. 32.10. I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewn me, for with my staffe I went over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. And when Jesus Christ tells a soul, that he will make him a King, and a Priest to God, he humbly saith as Saul to Samuel, 1 Sam. 9.21. Am not I a [Page 74] Benjamite, [...]f the smallest of the Tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the Tribe of Benjamin? Ah Lord, wherefore speakest thou so to me? Yea, it sayes as Elisabeth said to Mary, the blessed Mother of bles­sed Jesus, when she heard the sa­lutation, that the babe (the heart of a poor believer) leapt within her, and she spake, yea, she spake a­loud; Blessed, yea blessed art thou, whence! Oh whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord (Oh saith the soul, that my God) should come to see me, even me, poor worth­lesse me! That it fares with them as with them, Luke 24.36--42. Je­sus stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you; and they were terrified and affrighted: but he said, Why are ye troubled? it is I; behold my hands and my feet, and they believed not for joy and wondred.

242. Devils incarnate.

Persecuters are called Devils, [Page 75] Rev. 2.10. and as they do the De­vils work, they shall have the Devils wages; they cast Gods Saints into prison, and the Saints God will cast them into prison, into an ever­lasting prison and dungeon of outer darknesse, unlesse they re­pent. Christ will say to them at last, as Gideon said to Zeba and Zalmunna, Judges 8.18, 19. what manner of men were they, whom you slew at Tabor? and they an­swered, as thou art, so were they, each one resembled the child of a King: then will Christ reply as Gideon, they were my brethren, the sons of my father, as the Lord liveth, had you feared me, and saved them alive, I would not slay you, I would not damn you; but now, away to prison, away to Hell. Woe (this woe) to him that offendeth one of Christ's lit­tle ones; it were better for him that a mill-stone were hung about his neck, and he cast into sea; I [Page 76]far better then to be cast into the bottomelesse pit of Hell.

243. The sins of professors quickly ripe.

The sins of a professing people or Nation, are sooner ripe, then the sins of the wilde world, as fruit that growes more in the Sun, they are concocted and come to matu­rity sooner: and therefore ('tis ob­servable that) God bears longer with the world, yea, and (in a sense) deals more gently in their punishment. The sin of the A­morites was long (many years) ere it was full ripe; but Israels was ripe in forty years; and seeing they were known of any people of the Earth, therefore God will visit upon them all their iniqui­ties, and that to their cost, they shall more intensely feel his wrath. How dear was this Israel unto God, by how many sweet, lo­ving and precious appellations were they called? his people, his [Page 77]spouse, his treasure, his Jewels, his darling, and yet God cast them to the dogs. Oh how should Eng­land hear, and fear, and do no more so wickedly, lest God make a quick dispatch, and do as by A­sia, remove the Candles and the Candlesticks out of their place.

244. The happy Adventure.

When a poore soul begins to be sensible of sinne and its danger thereby, though it lye downe in sorrow, yet it should not mourne as without hopes; but resolve as the Lepers. 2. Kings. 7.3. to prefer (though an uncertaine) hope, before a certaine death. Say as they, why sit we here untill we dye? if we enter into the City, the famine is there, and we shall certainely dye; if we sit still here, we dye al­so: now therefore come, let us fall (for the host of the Syrians, let the poore soul say) into the hands of God, if he save us alive we shall live, if he kill us, we shall but dye. [Page 78] Dye? Oh poore souls, never any came to God by Christ, but they were saved alive; Come to him then for he will not kill you, in­deed he will not. Come to him and say as the Prodigall, when he came to himselfe, how many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and goe to my Father &c. I, doe so, arise and goe, for there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. See how his father had compassion on him, how he ran, how he fell on his necke, how he kist him, and bid him welcome home. Say then as Hester c. 4.16. I will goe in unto the King, if I perish, I perish. What soul? perish sayst thou? no, no, the Golden Scepter is held out, thou mayst come and welcome. God will say as the King to Hester, c. 5.3. What wilt thou, and what is thy request? it shall be given thee, even to the Kingdom; whereupon Hester [Page 79]made a feast for the King, but God will make a feast for thee: Dost thou not heare what he saith: Luke 15.22. Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, put a ring upon his hand, and shooes on his feet, Kill the fatted Calfe, let us eat and be merry, for this soul was dead and is alive, 'twas lost, and is found; Oh who would not come to thee, thou, O thou lover of souls?

245. The smitting of Amalek.

A Saint should doe by his corrup­tions, as Saul was commissioned to doe by Amalek: 1. Sam. 15.3. Goe and smite Amalek, and utterly de­story all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both Man and Woman, Infant and Suckling, Ox and sheep, Cammel and Asse; yea he should doe as Ioshuah, c. 8. v. 26. who withdrew not his hand untill he had utterly destroyed the inhabitants of Ai. He that's mercifull to sinne is cruell to his owne soul.

246. Busie-idlenesse.

Mans idle time is the Devils working time, he doth most when men do least; for as Latimer said, the Devil hath more service done him in one holy-day, then in ma­ny working-dayes.

247. The hypocritical deceitful pleasures of sin.

The pleasures of sin say unto us, as Jael said to Sisera, turn in my Lord, turn in to me, fear not; and if we ask water, they will give us milk, and bring forth butter in a Lordly dish; but when we are turned in, they (as she did Sisera) cover us with a Mantle, and finding us (by their lullings) to fall fast asleep, they put their hand to the nails, and their right hand to the workmans hammer, and with this hammer they smite us, piercing and striking through our temples; at their feet we bow, we fall; where we bow, there we fall down dead, Judg. 4.18, 19. with [Page 81]5.25, 26, 27. their lips indeed drop like the honey-comb, and their mouth is smoother then oyl; but their end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword, their feet go down to death, and their steps take hold on Hell, Prov. 5.3, 4, 5. with much fair speech they cause us to yield, with the flatte­ring of their lips they force us, and little think we, that we go as an Oxe to the slaughter, and as a fool to the stocks, till a dart strike through our liver, as a bird hast­eth to the snare, and knoweth not that 'tis for his life, Prov. 7.21, 22, 23.

248. Not Heaven, but God in Heaven.

If a Saint were in Heaven, and saw not Gods face there, he would say as Absolom said to Joab, 2 Sam. 14.32. Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to be there still, unlesse I may see the Kings face. Though Heaven [Page 82]be Gods dwelling place, yea, his Presence-Chamber, yet a Saint could not be at rest there, if he saw not God: 'tis not the Jasper, nor the Chrystal, 'tis not the pure Gold wherewith the streets are paved, 'tis not the pearls, nor the precious stones that are precious in his sight, but the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, who are the light thereof: Whom have I in Heaven but thee?

249. God more then self.

A Saint cares not how ill it goe with him, so it goe well with Je­sus Christ; he saith, as Mephibo­sheth to David, 2 Sam. 19.30. yea, let him take all, inasmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace unto his house. So it may goe well with Gods name, Moses cares not though his be blotted out of the book of life: and said John, he must increase, but I must decrease, this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

250. Little faith in the world con­cerning the world.

A Gentlewoman being told that the world and the glory of it was but vanity; 'tis true said she, Solomon said so, but he tryed it first, and so will I. Alas, that we cannot take Gods word, we can­not believe till (nor scarce when) we see: the world bewitcheth us be­fore we will believe it to be a Witch; we believe it not to be poyson, till we are poysoned.

251. The custome of the Countrey.

God hath two daughters; the younger, which is Heaven, is fair and lovely, like Rachel, and cour­ted by all; the elder is Repen­tance, which (with tears) is blear­ey'd, like Leah, and neglected by most: but if men ask, as Jacob for Rachel, God will answer as Laban did him, 'tis not mos loci, 'tis not the custome of the place to marry the younger before the elder. He that will not marry the Leah of repen­tance, [Page 84]shall never have the Rachel of Heaven.

252. Not my will, but thine.

I have heard of a good Woman, who when she was sick, being ask­ed whether she were willing to live or dye; answered, which God pleaseth; but said one, if God should referre it to you, which would you chuse? truly said she, if God should referre it to me, I would e'n referre it to him again.

253. Plain Preaching.

Bernard Preaching one day very Scholastically, the Learned thankt him, but not the godly; but when another day he preacht plainly, the good people came blessing God for him, and gave him many thanks, which some Scholars wondring at; ah said he, Heri [...] Bernardum, hodie Christum; yester­day I preacht Bernard, but to day I preacht Christ; 'tis not Learning, but teaching; not the wisdome of words, but the evidence and de­monstration [Page 85]of the Spirit, that is welcome to Saints.

254. The lesse of man, the more of God.

I can (said Dr. Twisse of himself) take some pains in writing Con­troversies, but I cannot take pains in making a Sermon; and when I have taken most, I finde that I have lesse edified my people, though perhaps more pleased my self.

'Tis not mans explication, but Gods application of truth which edifies.

255. Savoury Salt.

Salt is the first set on, and the last taken off the table, that every dish from first to last maybe sea­soned. May not the Apostle refer to this, when he saith, let your speech be season'd with Salt. Col. 4.6. Let it be Savory, such as ten­deth to edifying. Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? or what tast is there in the white of an egge? Sales without Sal, the [Page 86]grace of speaking without speak­ing of grace, or a grace in speak­ing, without speaking grace is but unsavory: would God our ta­ble-talke might never want Salt.

256. Old men and Babes.

God hath Saints of severall de­grees and sises, and some of them have 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 Iohn as his peculiar darling and bosome favo­rite, of whom it's said five times, that he was the disciple whom Iesus loved. So now to this day, God hath his babes, who eat milk and nothing else; his Children, who know their Father and are assured of his love; his young men, who goe out to warre; and the Fathers in Israel whose gray-headed experi­ence [Page 87]and wisedome abounds: for they know him from the begin­ning.

'Tis a great mercy to be one of Gods, though but one of his little ones, yea the least of all; to be a Starre, though not of the first mag­nitude: to be a Disciple though not a John, nor one of the three, nor one of the twelve, nor one of the seaventy. But to be a John, a dar­ling, to leane on his breast, to lye in his bosome, Oh how great a mercy! ti's mercy to be new borne, though one be but newly & as one newly borne, but to grow up to a perfect Stature to be a man in Christ Jesus, Oh how great a mercy! Lord perfect all that which coneerns thy Ser­vant, yea, that which concerns all thy Servants.

257. A Dialogue between God and Abraham: Wherein is evinced

• 1. Abraham's faith, Heb. 11.17, 18, 19.
• 2. Abraham's fear, Gen. 22.12.

He feared God, but was not afraid of God: His faith was all tryed, yet not at all tired, but rejoyced as a strong man to run his race, which was the more to be admi­red, if we consider what ifs and ands, what put offs and objections, Abraham might have made, when God tempted Abraham and said.

Abraham my servant, my friend, where art thou? Come forth, attend to execute my Com­mands.

To which he said, be­hold me, here I am, speake Lord, for thy servant heareth, I am wholy at thy command and service, doe with me and mine what seemeth thee good; If thou bid me go, I [Page 89]will go; and if thou bid me come, I will come; whatever thou bid'st me doe, I will doe it.

Then God said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee to the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering, upon one of the Mountaines which I will tell thee of.

To this, he did not, but might have pleaded; why Lord, thou art blessed in thy selfe, and needest not any thing; thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it thee, and thou delightest not in burnt offerings 'tis true, Lord, thy sacrifices are a broken and contrite heart, and that I will wil­lingly offer, doe not despise but accept of that.

But saieth God, offer thy son.

Lord, If thou wilt have an offering, all my herds and flockes are at thy service; be­hold (as long after this Araunah [Page 90]said to David) here are Oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing in­struments, and other instruments for wood, all these things will I willingly give unto the King, and the Lord my God accept it.

No saith God, I will take no Bullocke out of thine house, nor he Goats out of thy fold, for every beast of the forrest is mine, and the Cattell on a Thousand hils; I know all the Fowles of the Mountaines, and the wild beasts of the field are mine; if I were hungery I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fulnesse thereof; will I eat the flesh of Bulls, or drinke the blood of Goats? No, Abraham No, but offer thy son.

Lord 'tis true, thou art above these, and he that offers thee praise honours thee; and therefore thou callest upon us, to offer unto God thanksgiving, and to pay our vowes to the most [Page 91]high; and Lord I am willing to pay my vowes in the great Congrega­tion. Accept of my thanks, and I will thanke thee the more; receive these Vowes as part of the debt, and I will vow and pay thee more.

No saith God, Nothing but thy Son, offer, Abraham offer thy Son.

Lord, If thou wilt have the flesh of man to be sacri­ficed, and his blood to be powred out, then take one of my servants, Doe not call my sinnes to Remembrance and slay my son: good Lord spare my son.

No saith God, offer up thy son.

Lord if thou wilt have a son take Ismael, Spare mine Isaac, Lord spare mine Isaac.

No saith God, take thy son even Isaac.

Lord, he is mine onely son, he hath not a Brother, nor are there any more in Sarahs wombe, [Page 92]Lord, I begge onely this, spare mine onely son.

No saith God, take thine onely son.

Why Lord, I have had him but a little while; if thou wilt take him, yet good Lord, let mine Isaac and I laugh together yet a while.

No saith God, take him now.

But Lord, I love him, and so, that to take Isaac is to take my life, which is bound up in the life of the lad; and if thou take him a­way, thou wilt bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Well saith God, I know thou lovest him, but must you not love me better? offer up this son, this onely son, this Isaac whom thou lovest.

But Lord, though thou art righteous when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee [Page 93]of thy Judgements. What will the wicked say, when they shall hear that thou delightest in blood? and that thy servants must offer their children unto thee; Lord, who will serve thee at this rate?

Well, saith God, I take but mine own, and I may do with mine own what I please; I that give may take; and therefore minde not you what the world will say, but what I say; and I say, offer thy son.

But Lord, hast thou not commanded me to do no mur­ther, and must I now imbrue mine hands in blood? and in mine own blood too? Oh happy I, might my blood go for his! Oh Isaac, Isaac, my son Isaac, my son, my son, would God I might die for thee, Oh Isaac, my son, my son! Lord, how can this stand with the Law which thou hast given me?

Abraham, saith God, such things are not first just, and then wil­led [Page 94]by me, but willed by me, and there­fore just. Abraham, doe you not know that I can repeal, or make exceptions? 'tis I that say it, there­fore doe it. Who is this that dark­neth counsel by words without knowledge? gird up now thy loins like a man, smite him, kill him; have not I commanded thee? be cou­ragious and a son of valour, goe and offer thy son.

But good Lord, thou hast made this exception, when thou didst shew man what was good, and pleasing in thine eyes, thou wouldest not that he should give his first-born for his trans­gression, nor the fruit of his body for the sins of his soul, but to do just­ly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God; to obey (thou sayest it) is better then sacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of rams.

Well then, saith God, hear­ken and obey, this is to do justice, [Page 95]this is (Oh wonder) to shew mercy; this is to walk humbly with thy God.

Seeing I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I will yet say, Lord, he is the son of the promise, in whom (thou hast said that) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; now Lord, if he die, and die a childe without children, where then is the bles­sednesse thou spakest of? what will become of the blessing?

Well Abraham, saith God, perform you what I command, and I will perform what I promise. What will Abraham, who was once not weak in faith, and considered not his own body, nor Sarah's, when 'twas dead, who staggered not through unbelief at my promise, but was strong in faith, and gave me glory, who was fully perswa­ded that what I had promised, I was able to perform, and was not disappointed of his hope, though [Page 96]against hope; will this Abraham now call me in question? hast thou known my name, and wilt thou not trust in me? am not I the Lord who change not? have I said it, and shall it not come to passe? is there any thing too hard for God? am not I able to raise up even out of stones, to raise up children un­to Abraham? Cannot I say to dry bones, live? thou hast received him from the dead in a figure, and were Isaac in the grave, could not I who am the resurrection from the dead, say, Isaac come forth? arise and walk, that thy father may receive thee with double joy, say­ing, Isaac my son, who was dead, (yea, who was twice dead) is alive. Abraham, offer thy son.

My dear Lord, seeing I who am but dust and ashes, have taken upon me to speak unto thee, Oh let not my Lord be angry, if I speak once more. If I may not prevail to (Oh that I might prevail to) [Page 97]save Isaac alive, yet let me intreat thee, that I may not be the Priest, let not mine hand be upon him, how can I see the death of the childe! Good Lord, let some other doe it, surely I cannot lift up my hand, or if I doe, shall I not wish it may wither, or be turned into a stone? will not these eyes run down with rivers of tears? Ah, Lord, I can speak no more, mine heart will break, mine hand will shake: Send by whom thou wilt send, let me, Oh let me not go.

Yes thou, take him thou, and goe thou, and offer him thou, none but thou.

Ah Lord, yet once more, but this once more, and I have done. I am old and full of daies, past travail, spare me a lit­tle, let me not goe so far as the land of Moriah; let it (if it must be, let it) be done at home.

No Abraham, take now thy son, thine onely son Isaac, [Page 98]whom thou lovest, and get thee into the Land of Moriah, and offer him there, no where but there.

Thus you have seen, if not a faith of Miracles, yet a Miracle of faith, that one who had so much, and more to say, should say nothing, but rise up early in the morning (after he had slept upon it, if sleep he could) and saddle his asse, and take two of his young men, and I­saac his son, and cleave the wood, and rise up and goe to the place; and lest he should be interrupted by his servants, he left them with the asses, and laies the wood upon his son, his son Isaac, (he must bear his crosse) and when this innocent soul, this Lamb did open his mouth (not to complain) but to ask for another, he tells him, (could Abraham tell him without a sigh?) that God would provide; and what's Abraham about to doe now? what to binde him? Ah, Abraham, was thine heart in thy [Page 99]hand, or thy hand in thine heart? What, and lay him on the Altar! Tears, Abraham, tears. What, and stretch forth his hand, and take the knife, to slay his son! Oh wonder! Yet Abraham is so far from holding or praying to God to hold his hand, that the Lord himself cries out, Oh Abraham, hold thy hand.

This is Abraham, of whom God saith, now I know thou fearest (lo­vest) me, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine onely son from me. How then with admi­ration, and adoration, may we say to God, now we know thou lovest us, in that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine onely son. Isaac was but a shadow (and the offering up of Isaac but a shadow of the offering [...]p) of the Son of God. Oh what a [...]ove-token is this! herein is the [...]ve of God manifested; in this [...]od commendeth his love, God [...] love the world, that he gave [...]s Son, and that to death, that his [Page 100]Son might give life to us. Was ever love like thine! That thou wouldst part with a Son, such a Son, so pre­cious in himself, so precious in thine eyes, who was thy Sabbath, thy rest, in whom thou wert well pleased, for sinners, for enemies, who did wickedly even as they could. Ah, Lord, never was there love like thine.

258. Boldnesse in Prayer.

God gives all men leave to pray, but he gives his people leave to be bold in prayer; and that not onely for themselves, to say, as Ja­cob, I will not let thee goe, but for others, as Moses for Israel; and as Luther said, thy will be done. Remarkable is the boldnes which Abraham used with God, in the case of Sodome, Gen. 18.23. where he seems at the first dash to charge God with a kinde of injustice, and [Page 101]yet but upon a peradventure; six times he comes to God, and al­waies with but a peradventure; he fell (a great fall) from fifty to ten, & that but with a peradventure, and yet God gives him the hearing; yea, seems willing to have taken lesse, if Abraham had but had the boldnesse to bring his fifty to five.

259. Let not the left hand know what the right hand doth.

When a Christian is about to perform any duty, he should say to himself, as Abraham said unto his yong men, Gen. 22.5. Abide you here with the Asse, and I and the lad will goe yonder and worship; [Page 202]onely let him leave out this and come again. Self tarry you here, flesh tarry you here, I and my spi­rit must goe and worship; a poor soul may say many times, the spi­rit is in him; but oh 'tis glorious when one can say, that he is in the Spirit, and can attend upon God without distraction.

260. An heavenly use of earthly things.

Use recreations, and that which is more necessary, very eating, and drinking, and sleeping, not as things [Page 203]which thou likest, but as things which thou lackest; not out of lust, but necessity: Look on all the plea­sures of this world, either as sins or snares, and then thou wilt not take too much pleasure in this world. Use all Earthly things as thou dost a pair of stairs, by which thou goest up to thy chamber, but still keepest them under thy feet; though thou put forth thine hand, yet keep in thine heart, and be sure that while the things of earth have thy body, the things of Hea­ven may have thy soul: though all things be lawfull to thee, yet come not under the power of any. Let not thy servants be thy masters: thou wert not made to serve thine estate, thy body, and thy sensual appetite, but they were made to serve thee. Use thine estate then to serve thy bodily-occasions, and thy body to serve thy soul-occafi­ons, and thy soul to observe Gods Commandements; thus all thou [Page 104]doest will be a glory to thee, be­cause all that's thus done (decently and in order) is done to the glory of God: and thus while others turn their service of God into a bodily ex­ercise, thou maiest turn thy bodily ex­ercise into the service of God.

261. Improvement.

Were men but as wise for eter­nity, as they are for time, and did they spiritually improve their na­tural principles for their souls, as they do naturally for their bodies and estates, what precious Christians might men be; for instance.

• 1. Principle. To believe good news well grounded. Why then is not the Gospel (which is the best and best grounded news in the world) believed?
• 2. To love what's lovely, and that most which is most lovely. Why then is not Christ the beloved of mens souls, seeing he is altogether lovely?
• 3. To fear that which will hurt them. Why then are not men afraid [Page 105]to sin, seeing nothing is so hurtful to them as sin?
• 4. Not to trust a known decei­ver; why then doe men trust 1. Sa­tan, the old Serpent, the deceiver of the world? 2. The world, and its deceitful riches. 3. Their own hearts, which are deceitful above knowledge. Alas!
• 5. To lay up for a rainy day; for old age. Why then doe not men lay up for eternity, treasures of faith and good works against the day of death and judgement?
• 6. He that will give most shall have it. Why doe not men give their love and service to God then? Doth not he bid most?
• 7. Take warning by others harms. Why do not men take heed of sinning from the sufferings and tor­ments which others undergoe for sin­ning?
• 8. To have something to shew under mens hands, because they are mortal. Why then will not men [Page 206]have something to shew under Gods hand for their security to salvation, seeing not God, but they are mor­tall? Ah, if men did but walk by their own rules, and improve such and many others of their own Principles, what an help would it be to godlinesse. But alas, God may complain of men as of his people of old, my people doe not consider, men do not consider.

262. How bad soever they are who professe the truth, yet the truth which they professe is never the worse; if they offend and wrong their souls, doe not thou be offended and wrong thine owne soul.

263. We many (alas too many) times have to doe with God, with­out confidering what we have, or with whom we have to doe.

264. Some good things come to the Saints in this life, but the rest and the best is reserved for the life to come.

265. Recreation.

Some men are so much at, and so much in recreations, that they lose the recreation of recreation, let it be but short and 'twill be the sweeter, especially if thou preserve thine heart, to be as free to goe off as to come on; else 'tis to be fear'd, that if thou worke at thy play, thou wilt play at thy work; for he that makes his recreation a busi­nesse, will thinke his businesse a toile; and if once thy calling be a wearines, thou wilt soon be weary of thy calling, and then ther's roome made for the next lust that offer's it selfe to thy service, that thou mai'st offer thy selfe to 'its service.

266. The day of Judgement.

The day of judgement will be to many dies deceptionis a day of deceipt, not that it will deceive any, but make it appeare that many have deceived themselves with vaine hopes of heaven, of which they will then be disap­pointed.

Many that have past mans day of approbation, may at that day meet with reprobation.

Many that have beene looked upon, and have looked like gold here, may be found drosse then, yea reprobate silver will he call them.

266. The teachings of God.

Some duties God teacheth us by precept, as saith and repentance; others he teacheth us by exam­ple, as love mercy &c. many are taught both these wayes, which yet are not taught of God, because they learne not what they are taught. Men are then properly taught when they are powerfully & effectual­ly taught, so as that they learne the truth as it is in Iesus.

267. Surely he that love's him­selfe will not hate his brother, for while he is out of charity with his brother, God is out of charity with him; and he loseth more for want of Gods Love, then his brother [Page 109]loseth for want of his love.

269. As he that provid's not for the reliefe of his owne family is worse then an infidel, and hath denied the faith; so he that re­lieves not them that are naked and destitute of dayly food, hath also denied the faith. James 2. The true believer therefore should so pro­vide for his owne family, as that he may relieve others & so relieve others, as not to wrong his own family; for though charity seek not her own, yet without offence or offending, charity may begin at home.

270. He that repents of a good act, turnes good into evill.

271. Many, because they can hide their sin from men, are apt to thinke that their sin can be hid from God; because they sin un­puni'sht, that sin hath no punish­ment, and because they can sin with ease, that 'tis an easie thing to sin: but ah when God shall reprove them, and set their sin in order be­fore [Page 210]their faces, and when the wa­ges of sin, which is eternal death, shall be their portion, and when the gnawing worm shall ever live as a sting in their consciences, they will then know how they have been deceived and hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin, that they might not be sensible what an evil & bitter thing it was that the fear of God was not be­fore their eyes.

272. Many men go about to mince, mitigate and lessen their sin, and s [...]y of it as Jonathan in another case, I have tasted but a lit­tle honey on the top of a rod, and I must die. I have stoln, I have lyed, I have taken a bribe, I have us'd false weights and measures, I have dissembled and equivocated, but 'twas but for a little, and must I die? Alas, they that sin for a lit­tle, will not finde their sin little; nay, the sinne is the greater that men would transgress the good Com­mands [Page 211]of the great God for so lit­tle. The lesse the temptation, the greater the sin; if thou canst finde it in thine heart to sin so high at so low a rate, at what a rate wouldst thou sin for more? If thou canst sell Christ for thirty pieces, what wouldst thou do for a greater price?

273. A man should not hate the person for the sins sake, nor love the sin for the persons sake.

274. 'Tis good to take the changes of this world without changing, not to be exalted when we are exalted, nor to be cast down, when we are cast down; but to carry it with an even frame towards God and man, as having learnt how to abound without pride, and how to want without murmuring.

275. Be not curious nor busie in enquiring after other mens bu­siness; he that mindes the doing of his own business, will finde bu­siness enough to do.

276. Some men never forsake their sin; till their sin forsake them, they do wickedly as they can, and as long as they can, and were their power as much as their will, they would neither leave sin, nor suffer sin to leave them: they will as much as they have power to do, though they have not power to do as much as they will.

277. A drunken and an angry man do both agree in this, that they speak they know not what, and afterward they know not what they spake.

278. There's little difference in Religion, between not giving to the poor, and taking from the poor, btween not saving and kil­ing, between not doing good, and doing evil; for in Matth. 25. the sentence of condemnation is past, not for opposing, or taking from, or killing, but for not relieving the poor; 'tis past-on sins of omis­sion, because indeed the omission of [Page 113]good is the commission of evil.

279. I have heard of a woman, that did grudge to give her hus­band obedience and honour, be­cause as she said he was unworthy; to whom it was answered, that how unworthy soever he were, yet the command of God was worthy to be o­beyed; whatever she had to say against her husband, she had no­thing to say against the command of God, which is holy, just, & good.

280. When a Chirurgeon comes to let us blood, we bid him wel­come, we thank him, and give him a fee beside: and shall we not wel­come God, when he comes by any affliction to let us blood, and to cut out our dead flesh? especially when we may say as a Maid, who lay under a Surgeons hand, and being ask't how she could endure such lancing, &c. she replied, 'twas her father, who loved her, and did it to do her good. They verily for a few daies chasten us after their own [Page 214]pleasure, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. And shall we not blesse him?

281. A Minister living neer to a Philosopher, 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 Minister replyed, if you lose any thing for Christ, he will 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 Minister: So the Philosopher be­came a Christian, and the Minister entred into bond, and became a surety for the Surety of the Cove­nant. When this new-Christian-Philosopher was on his sick and death-bed, he held this bond in his hand, and sent for the Minister, to whom he gave up the bond, saying, Christ hath paid all, there's nothing for you to pay, take your [Page 215]bond. Surely though a man should be a loser for Christ, he shall be no loser by Christ, he will make a­mends for all, Matthew 19.21.

282. When we know not what to do, we should not be discon­solate, nor discontent, but have our eyes to God; for though we are at a losse, yet God is not, he is where he was, when we know not where we are; though other men may master us, yet God is more mans master, then man is ours, yea, when wee are in our enemies hands, we are not out of Gods hands. Wait quietly on him, and he will bring it to passe, delight thy self in him, and he will give thee thine hearts desire; in all thy waies ac­knowledge him, and he shall di­rect thy path.

283. A stumbling block removed. Many men stumble at this stum­bling stone, that those who teach well, live ill; the good Lord remove the offenders, and the offence: Tush [Page 116]say they, we know them too well to think they are in earnest. Alas! alas! indeed 'tis true, they that Preach the Gospel of truth, should practise the truth of the Gospel; but if they will not, wilt not thou? is the truth the worse, because they are bad? the Doctrine which they Preach, may save thee, if thou believe it, and do it, though they that Preach the Doctrine may not be saved themselves. If they be so bad to go to Hell, wilt thou be so mad to follow them there? What said our Saviour of the Pha­risees, (bad men in good employment) after their sayings do ye, Matth. 23. and as the Proverb saies, do as they say, and not as they do, unless they do as they should do; 'tis not so much the Preachers Practise, as the Preachers Doctrine, that thou art to minde; if they teach what they should, that's to thee, if they do not, what they teach, that's to them­selves. But oh all you that speak [Page 117]in the name of the Lord, let me beg you, that we may all be living and walking Gospels; Our work is not onely to be Heavenly in the Pulpit: Shall we Preach Christ to others, and be without proof of Christ living in us? Shall we make our selves transgressors, by destroying the things that we build? How can we think that others will learn of us, if we will not learn our selves? Do we think to go Hea­ven any other way? Shall it al­waies be said in reproach, that when in the Pulpit, 'tis pity they should come out; but when out, 'tis pity they should come in? What! shall wee bring up an evil report upon the good Gospel? shall we take his name into our mouth, and not be re­formed? shall we that say to o­thers, live holily, live wick ed­ly? shall wee that teach Go­spel-faith, not believe and trem­ble? shall we that call upon o­thers to have their conversation [Page 218]in Heaven, minde Earthly things, and become enemies to the Crosse of Christ? shall we that make our boast of the Law, through break­ing of the Law dishonour God? for by this the name of God is blasphe­med among men. Oh that there­fore we may be an example of the believers, not onely in word, but in conversation, in charity, in spi­rit, in faith and purity, and so take heed to our selves, and our Do­ctrine, that we may save our selves and them that hear us. And you dear souls that are offended, let me beseech you in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, not to think the worse of Preaching, if Preachers be bad, nor to think that the Go­spel preacht is faulty, because the Preachers are in fault. Oh let your profiting be known to all men, do not refuse an Heavenly treasure, though in an Earthly Vessel; nor think the worse of the Gospel, though Judas be a Preacher. As [Page 219]thou lovest thy soul, do not be offended with that which is without offence, though he that brings it do offend.

284. He that gives most may do most good to others; but he that gives best, doth most good to himself.

285. Some persons passe their few daies here in an uncomforta­ble & wearisom sadnesse of spirit, and come to Heaven ere they are aware; others passe their daies in a golden dream of jollity, & drop into Hell afore they think of it. Its better to dream of Hell, and when one awakes to finde himself in Heaven, then to dream of Heaven, and when one awakes, to finde himself in Hell.

286. Its better to be a childe of Abraham, though called dog as the woman was; then to be a dog, and yet to be called a childe as Dives was. Empty titles have but em­pty comforts; Judas was more a Devil, though and when Christ called him friend, then Peter was though and when Christ called him Satan. Peter though called [Page 120]Satan, was Christ's friend, and Ju­das though called friend, was Christ's enemy. Peter though bid to get behinde, was not cast off, and Judas though kist, was not embrac'd. Minde not names, but things.

287. Who gives more?

God out-bids sin and Satan, and therefore surely if hee that will give most shall have us, we shall be [...] the Lords. Satan at most and best could (to Christ which was for all mankinde at once) but say, all this will I give thee. This? Is this all? This all is nothing at all to what God offers. God offers not onely these things, but greater and better things then these: for god­linesse hath the promise of this life, and of that to come. Who can bid more? Doth sin bid pleasures? God bids more and better; sins pleasures are but for a season, but at Gods right hand are pleasures for ever­more; ever and more. Do ye bid Crowns? God bids a Crown im­mortal [Page 121]which fadeth not away. Do they bid a Kingdome? Christ bids Kingdome and Glory. Oh for shame, let us not deny God our souls, seeing he bids most and best for them.

288. Praise dispraised.

He that riseth early to praise his friend with a loud voice, it shall bee a curse to him: when the Pharisees came to tempt Christ, they praised him: If they that praise thee to thy face, come not to tempt thee, yet a temptation comes with the praise: Be thou therefore so civil to thy self, as to begge thy friend that he would not be so ci­vil to thee; its better that thou by speaking shouldst silence him, then that thou shouldst be silent, while he is speaking: for though thou hear no ill, yet he doth not hear well, that hears his own praises. He doth thee more hurt that praiseth thee, though there be cause, then hee that dispraiseth thee when [Page 222]there is no cause; the one is thine enemy, though he be thy friend; the other is thy friend, though he be thine enemy.

289. Partiality.

'Tis strange to see how some strain at G [...]a [...]s, and swallow Ca­mels; make conscience of Tithing, Mint, and Cummin, and yet make none of neglecting the weightier things of the Law: Swear they will not, yet make no bones of ly­ing, dissembling, doing to others what they would not have others to doe to them; of selfe-seeking, though to the breach of their pro­mise, and to the hurt of others: Herod would not dispense with his Oath, but could dispense with his Conscience, and commit mur­ther without a scruple. Many per­sons make conscience of observing all Ordinances, (as they phrase it) which make little or no consci­ence of neglecting many duties, or doing them negligently, without [Page 223]sense or feeling: Dinah's bre­thren cannot in conscience marry their sister to an uncircumcised man, yet can without conscience marry their own souls to revenge and murther. Many cannot in conscience keep communion and maintain fellowship with such as they acknowledge godly, because they are not of their opinion, and in their way, who yet can maintain communion with such as they judge not godly, being of their opi­nion, and in their way. Is this re­gular conscience? True conscience is universal conscience; and there­fore Davids Prayer, make mine heart sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed, may well be joy­ned with, and expounded by Da­vids Principle, then shall I not be a­shamed, when I have respect to all thy Commandements. Surely if thou be not ashamed of thy partia­lity, thy partiality will bring thee to shame; the wisdome that's from [Page 124]above is not onely without hypo­crisie, but without partiality.

290. Wretch that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Even he whose body was delivered unto death, and over­came death by dying.

291. There are two strong argu­ments whereby to oppose tempta­tions to sin. The first and the greatest is this, how shall I do this wickednesse, and sin against God? Who can finde it in his heart to dishonour his God? The second is like unto it, how shall I doe this wickednesse, and wrong mine own soul? What, shall I be a self murtherer? get behinde me Satan, though thou wilt have to doe with me, yet what have I any more to do with thee?

392. 'Tis no wonder that the world care's not for Saints, for the saint is a man of another world in this; were he of the world, the world would love 'its owne: and 'tis no [Page 125]wonder that the saints care not for this world; For what should strangers, sojourners and pilgrims load themselves with bagge and baggage for? no, they declare plain­ly that they seeke a countrey, and would not alwayes stay in the world, for all the world. The world is crucified to me, and I unto the world.

293. Saying of prayer without praying.

Many men say the Lords-pray­er which doe not pray it; they (as Austine before Conversion when he prayed for Chastity) are afraid lest God should heare them; they doe not care that God should say A­men, or so be it, though they them­selvs wil say so; they say, Our father, but if he be their father, where is his honour? they say, which art in heaven, but did they believe it, how durst they sin as they doe on earth? they say, hallowed be thy name, yet take Gods name in vain; they say, thy kingdome come, yet oppose [Page 226]the comming of his Kingdome: they say thy will be done on earth as it is heaven, yet will not stand to their words, for this is the will of God their sanctification, but they will none of that. They say, give us this day our daily bread, yet minde not the feeding of their souls with the bread (Christ Jesus) which came downe from heaven. They say forgive us as we forgive others, but alas, if God should take them to their word, how undon were they, whose hearts burne with malice & revenge, even while they pray, or say thus; for forgivenesse they say, lead us not into temptation, yet run into it, and tempt the divell himself to tempt them. They say, deliver us from evill, and yet deliver themselves to evill, and give up themselves to fulfill the wills of the flesh, &c. yea, it hath bin obser­ved, that they sin most against this prayer, who stickle most for the saying of this prayer.

294. Much from a little.

Christians should be very shy of the occasions of evill, and take heed of the wine when 'tis red in the glasse, and have an eye to their eye when they looke on a maid. Dinah out of a gadding curiosity must needs visit the daughters of the land, and while she goeth to see the daughters, the son saw her, visamque cupit, and having seen her, he tooke her; having taken her, he lay with her; having layn with her, he defiled her; the report whereof comming to Jacobs sons, they were grieved; being grieved, they were wroth; being wroth, they meditate revenge; meditating re­venge, they speak deceitfully; spea­king deceitfully, they deceiv'd; having deceived, they slew; ha­ving slain, they spoil'd: see how great a fire a little matter kindleth, what great evils there issue forth from small beginnings. Take heed then.

295. Riches are called thornes, [Page 128]such riches may be touch'd, but not rested upon; can'st thou set thine heart upon a thorne, without pierce­ing thy selfe through with many sorrowes.

128. Selfe oondemned in another.

We many times condemne o­thers, and therein passe sentence against our selves; thus Judah said of Tamar, bring her forth, and let her be burnt, not considering that he spake the word against his owne soul: thus David to Nathan, the man that hath done this thing shall dye; not considering that he was the mau. Lord wherein I have sin­ned, helpe me to pull out mine owne beame, before I judge ano­ther for his moate; and wherein others have sinned, helpe me so to junge their frailties, as consider­ing my selfe least I also should be tempted, and then I should as much need their pity, as they now need mine.

297. Fiekle inconstancy.

Ah Lord, how much have we to do with our selves, poor way­ward, peevish, froward we are, not well either full or fasting: ei­ther its too hot, or too cold, too wet, or too dry, we would, & then we would not. We are discontented if we have not, and not contented with what we have; if we have health, we would have wealth; if wealth, we would exchange it for health; when in company, wee have a minde to be alone; when alone, we would we were in company; ‘Romae Tybur amo, ventosus Tybur [...] Romam.’

The City is too full of company and close, the Countrey is too so­litary and open aired.

We e'ne put God to it to know what to do with us; and if he did not crosse us, 'twould be a curse to us; 'tis well for us that 'tis all with us; if it were not bad, it would be worse; there's scarce any thing (though we scarce think it so) that we are more beholding to God for, then for crossing us; for woe to us, if he let us alone, 'tis ten to one but hearts desires and lean [Page 231]souls would go together.

298. Moderation.

A moderate minde will be content with a moderate estate, and nothing more conduceth to moderation then to know that the time is short, and the Lord is at hand; he that thinks seriously of these two, can neither be carelesse nor covetous: let us then be carelesly careful, and carefully carelesse: let us be careful of to day, and carelesse of to morrow, for suffici­ent to the day is the evil thereof.

299. 'Tis hard to be chearfull without levity, or serious with­out melancholy; we verge to ex­tremes. In conveniences and snares attend all constitutions and com­plexions (and like Syllogismes sequimur deteriorem partem.) Chear­fulnesse is most like to do the bo­dy good, and the soul hurt, and seriousnesse is most like to do the soul good, and the body hurt, if we take not heed; that therefore [Page 132]soul and body may receive good, and no hurt, let us be cheerfully se­rious, and seriously cheerful; while cheerfulnesse is the sall, let seri­ousnesse be the ballast of the Ves­sel; if we want ballast, we may move too swiftly; if we want sails, we shall move too slowly.

300. 'Tis not in man to direct his way.

'Tis hard to know what course to take to obtain an end, to be compos voti, and to enjoy ones de­sires: for that which sometime is to some the onely help, at other times is to others the onely hin­drance. Some denials had never been given, had it not been for the importunity of them that re­quested, and some requests had never been granted, if the reque­sters had not been importunate. Fabius (Cunctator) conquer'd by delaies. Caesar by expedition and quick dispatch. 'Twas but Veni, Vidi, Vici. There is uncertainty in [Page 133]wisdome as well as folly. The course we take to save us, kills us, and that which we fear will bee our undoing, proves our safety. What a simple thing is man! Wis­dom also is vanity. In all thy ways acknowledge God, and he shall direct thy paths.

The third Century.

301. God afflicts Saints, because he loves them; the Devil afflicts them, because he hates them; If God did not love them, he would not; if the Devil did love them, he would not afflict them. God afflicts them for their gain, that they may be sanctified and saved; the De­vil afflicts them for their losse, that they may sin and be damned: But this is their comfort, that God loves them more then the Devil can hate them, and that Gods love will doe them more good, then the Devils hatred can doe them [Page 234]hurt; and that God is better able to bring about his ends, then the Devil is able to bring about his. Lord, let me be a Saint, though an afflicted one, and loved of thee, though the world and the Devil hate me. Sanctifie; I do beseech thee, the Devils temptations, and mine own corruptions to me; I shall then know that all things work together for my good, when I am the better; and that they are san­ctified to me, when I am the more sanctified.

302. Death.

There were three Saints, Job, Eli­as, and Jonah, desiring to dye out of discontent, two Saints, Simeon and Paul, content to desire death, [Page 235]and two other Saints David and Hezekiah, not discontented, yet not content to dye: Lord, let me rather be content to dye, then be discontented to live; for though having with Simeon seen thy sal­vation, I desire to depart in peace; and with Paul, long to be with Christ, which is farre better; yet I dare not out-face thee as Jonah did, to say 'tis better for me to dye then to live; Surely 'tis not good to dye in anger, nor well to be angry unto death. Let this be the care of my soul, that while I live, I may live to thee, and then when I dye, I shall live with thee. So thou mayest be magnified, its no mat­ter whether it be by life or death; yet seeing (as Hezekiah said) 'tis the living praise thee, Oh (as Da­vid pray'd) spare me a little, and give me strength (to do thy will) be­fore I go hence and be no more seen.

303. We obtain nothing by the [Page 136]merit, but many things by the means of prayer.

304. 'Tis easie to tell a Lye, 'tis hard to tell but a Lye; 'tis hard to commit one fin, and but one sin.

305. While others fret at the prosperity of the wicked, and are envious at the foolish, because they abound in goods; my prayer for them shall be this, much good may they doe with it, and much good may it doe them; the first is the duty, the next is the blessing; if the duty be not done, the bles­sing will not come. If they doe not doe good, 'twill doe them no good. For not what one hath, but what one doth with what one hath, maketh happy or miserable.

306. Some men can say, as Esau; I have enough, or rather as 'tis in the Hebrew, I have much; but few can say, as Jacob, I have enough, or (as 'tis in the Hebrew) I have all, or God is all to me, he is mine all. He hath not enough how much [Page 137]soever he hath, that hath not God for his portion; and he that hath God for his portion, hath enough, how little soever he hath. 'Tis not happy are the people that are in such (a plentiful) case, but happy are the people whose God is the Lord.

307. The Alphabet or Crosse-row.

This Text, Matth. 16.24. is the Christians Alphabet or Crosse­row: We learn that first which we must alwaies use, as our letters and our vowels, we can spell no word without them. This lesson of self­denial must be first learnt, because alwaies to be practis'd; for with­out it we can doe nothing, that is, no­thing pleasing to God, or profita­ble to our selves: he that denies himself, doth himself most good, and he that seeks himself, doth himself most hurt. The reason we are such bad scholars, and non-proficients, is because we are so long in taking out this first lesson, dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet. He is more then [Page 238]half way, that learns this first line of Religion; till that be learnt, a man cannot proceed to take up the Crosse, and follow Christ; if therefore we would be Christ's di­sciples, let us deny our selves.

308. Comparison.

Few men judge themselves happy or unhappy, according to what they are, but by comparing themselves with others; where all goe naked, none are ashamed: Many augment their misery, by seeing others more happy; and yet think themselves happy when they see others more miserable. We many times gather our sorrowes from o­thers joyes, and our joyes from others sorrowes. We blesse our selves, when we see them below us, and yet think all we have to be no blessing, when we look on them that are above us. Lord, let not me think my good the lesse, be­cause others have more; or my evil the more, because others have [Page 239]lesse; but let me learn in all estates to be content, and to welcome the will, come how it will.

309. Some men while they are wits in jest, are fools in earness; for commonly they are the trifling things of the world, whom serious men have to doe withal, when they have nothing else to doe: their greatest businesse is to laugh, and their reward to be laught at.

310. We are to labour for what the Son of man giveth, and God will be sought for that which he will doe for the house of Israel; Gods promises and our prayers are middle things between Gods pur­poses and our attainments.

311. Gods being sometimes better then his word, (in doing that which he never engaged himself by promise to doe, and so doing above, exceeding abun­dantly [Page 140]above all that we were a­ble to ask or think, in being found of them that seek him not) is no indulgence to idlenesse, or dis­pensation from duty: We are not to minde what God can do, or doth do, but what God hath said he will do, and the way wherein: if ever we ex­pect to enjoy what's promised, we must doe what's commanded; la­boranti & speranti Deus dabit: Though God have promised to give to them that ask, yet he hath not promised to give without ask­ing: and seeing 'tis but ask, and have; we may not blame God for not giving, but our selves for not asking; and if we ask, and misse, we may blame our selves for ask­ing amisse.

312. The most things in the world are perfectly imperfect; and the best things in the world are but imperfectly perfect.

313. Saints have so learned Christ, and of Christ, as not one­ly [Page 141]to restrain their hands from hurting, but their hearts from hating their very enemies.

314. Prayer is the sould in Para­phrase.

Which is the sense of the soul enlarged and explained, 'tis the soul speaking its mind, and mind­ing what it speaks to God; and a gracious heart never thinks it wel done, but when every confession hath its weight of sorrow, and every petition its fill of grace.

315. Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? What turn-coats are these? But awhile since they would have pulled out their eyes for Paul, and now they would have pulled out Pauls eyes, who told them the truth. Light is pleasant, yet offensive to sore eyes; honey is sweet, but it makes wounds to smart; truth is most wholesome, but distasteful to distempered pallats: Lord, let me never hate them which tell me the [Page 242]truth, nor the truth which they tell me.

316. A mistake.

The world hath alwaies had thoughts of Religion clean con­trary to what it is and doth. Most men are so mad as to think a Reli­gious life madnesse; as if Religi­on did but make men melancholy and dull their spirits, and make them look wrinkled with sorrow and care long before they are wrinkled with age; as if it did but depresse mens spirits, put an end to all their joyes and plea­sures, and incapacitate men to be great and glorious in this world: insomuch that he who makes consci­ence of his waies, is lookt upon, but as one of God Almighties fools. Alas, what a mistake is this! Can there be greater and better joy then re­joycing in the Lord, joy in the holy Ghost, unspeakable and full of glory? Can there be better chear then a good conscience? If [Page 243]Saints mourn and are sorrowful, 'tis because they are no better, and they are the better for that; for god­ly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, never to be repented of; Religion takes no man off from any thing that is good; and is it not good to be taken off from evil? Is it cowar­dise to be afraid of sin? Blessed is he that so feareth alwaies: Is not he stronger that overcometh himself, then he that overcometh a City? Is it folly to be wise to salvation? Is it losse to be godly? When as indeed godliness is the great and onely gain. Is it not better to be poor with honesty, then to be rich by knavery? To which of the Saints will ye turn? Surely they that condemn Religion ne­ver were religious. Ask Abraham, Moses, &c. if the waies of God be not pleasantness, and his paths peace; if his yoke be not easie, and his burthen light? Ah Lord, whatever others call wisdome, let this be [Page 144]mine to fear thee, and to depart from evil; let godlinesse be my gain; while others take care to be great, let me take care to be good: while others seek Con­quests over men, let me fight the good fight of faith, whereby I may conquer the world, and the evil man my self; and if this be to be vile, let me be more vile; if this be to be a fool, let me be a fool. Dear Lord, if none will love thee, yet let me love thee. 'Tis better to goe to Heaven, though alone, then to goe to hell with company: as long as I am happy, I care not though the world think me mise­rable.

317. Worldly riches are like Nuts; many clothes are torn in getting them, many a tooth bro­ken in cracking them, but never a belly filled with eating them.

318. Love in descent is strong­er then love in ascent: hence (they say) parents are more loving to [Page 145]their children, then children to their parents: I am sure 'tis true between God and us, his descen­ding and condescending to love us is stronger then our ascending love to him.

319. Every variation from uni­ty is a step to nullity; and when men goe from one Religion to all, they are in the ready way to goe from all to none.

320. Whatever God gives to us, he gives freely, and whatever he takes from us, he takes justly; therefore where God is free to give, let us be just to use; and where God is just to take, let us be free to resign.

321. The Scriptures are to ma­ny in an unknown tongue, though in their own tongue.

322. Indirect means may some­times prosper, but its never blest.

323. Though a man should be so honest as to be plain, yet he [Page 246]should be so discreet as to be plea­sing when he reproves.

324. He speaks himself a fool, that doth that, which reason tells him is unreasonable; hence sin­ners call'd fools.

325. Love.

Causinus tells us of one Rai­mundus Lullus, who was so ravish'd with love, that being askt any thing, he would answer nothing but love: where dwellest thou? with love. To whom belongest thou? To love. Whence comest thou? From love. Whither goest thou? To love, &c.

Oh that we were thus taken with the love of our lovely and loving God!

'Tis likewise said of Mary, that by strength of love, she was dead to all the objects of the world; she had her thoughts so employ'd on her Jesus, that she was almost in­sensible: She had eyes, and saw not; ears and heard not; senses and felt not; she was not where she [Page 247]was, for she was wholly where her ma­ster was, though she knew not where he was: She knew no are but that of Love; all in her turned to the love of him whom she loved a­bove all.

Oh thus to love dear Jesus, is worth the name of Love: how cold and fro­zen is ours!

326. Hope against hope.

Many men have been destroyed by hoping against hope, and some have been preserved by it: hope undoes most wicked men, but the good may say, we are saved by hope.

327. The evil of evil company.

By being in ill company we suf­fer both in our names and our souls; 'tis both disgraceful and dangerous: if we could keep our souls free, yet our names will suf­fer; and if we could keep our names safe, yet our souls are in danger.

328. The Gull.

Cicero reports of Cato, that he wondred how Sooth-sayers could forbear laughing, when they met with one another, because they knew that they gull'd the people; and well might he jeer the Astro­loger, that told him he had cast his nativity, and would tell him what should befall him; tush said he, I have been new-born, since I was born.

329. Its unnatural to hate them that love us; 'tis natural to love them that love us; but 'tis super­naturall to love them that hate us.

330. The Religion that proceeds from an humour, is but an humorous Religion.

Men usually expresse them­selves & carry it in religion accor­ding to their naturall humor, and are apt to mis-judge others if they comply not with their temper: Some are so pitifull that they could [Page 149]save the damned, others so Cholericke that they could damne the saved: hence the melancholy christian is offended with the cheareful, and the chearefull with the melan­choly: so that not onely the world but saints themselves put false constructions, upon the car­rage of saints. The melancholly man lookes on John Baptist as a choise man, because of great absti­nence and austerity, as well in cloths as diet. For such humors are apt to thinke that religion consists much in sadnesse (Christ say they wept often, but we read not that he laught at all) and sc [...]rse will they believe him a good Christian, that is not somthing Hypocondriacall: yet the world passeth a cleane contra­ry sentence, and say he hath a di­vell. The more sociable sort of cheerefull saints, provided they they keep decorum, and be of Christs spirit, as well as christs ex­ample, doe doubtless most adorne [Page 250]and advantage religion: christ did not onely rejoyce in spirit, but was popular and disdained not the tables and conversations of the greatest sinners, for which the wicked world judg'd him as a wine-bibber, a great friend (and indeed he was) to Publicans and sinners. Now we should take heed, 1. That we take not our naturall tem­per and humour for religion: a man may be moderate by the heavines of his Phlegme, and zealous from the heat of his choler; our care therefore should be that our sor­row, moderation and austerity on the one hand, and our joy, cheer­fulnesse and zeale on the other hand, be truely spiritual and christian. 2. we should take heed not to condemne other saints, that are not of our natural humor; not to thinke the sociable and cheerfull to be but good fellows and geni­al-jovial blades; or to thinke the more deprest, sad dejected, and [Page 251]retired spirits to be discontented. God hath severall sorts of saints which he exerciseth (as severall members of the body or severall vessels in an house) most to that end to which they are appointed, his Beanerges's and his Barnabas, his Iohn and his Paul, every one in their owne place according to the gift and grace received (yea the same saint is sometimes in the exer­cise of one grace, at another time in the exercise of another grace, sometime most in selfe-abasing, at other times rejoycing in Christ Jesus, sometime in hope at other times in feare.) Now it may be his zeale doth best for him, and thy moderation for thee; his cheerfulnesse best for him, and thy sadnes best for thee: that which it may be is an occasion of sin to thee, is none to him, and that which would be an occasion of sin to him, is none to thee; judge not there­fore another by thy selfe, nor thinke that every one must be cast [Page 152]in thy mould.

331. We cannot give a reason of infinite things though (and in­deed because) there is infinite reason for them: 'tis not because ther's want of reason or too little, but because ther's such excesse of rea­son, or too much for our capacity.

332. A pure conscience is the safest safeguard in time of scan­dal.

Mine innocency shall be my brazen wall, the faultles man need not for fear looke pale.

333. Surely if we thought that God were good to us in every condition, we should have good thoughts of God in every condi­tion.

334. They that would avoid the evill of occasions, must avoid the occasions of evill, as Solomon inculcates by foure severall ex­pressions [Page 153]in one verse, Prov. 4.15. That you may not enter into the path of the wicked, and not goe in the way of evil men, 1. Avoid it: 2. Pass not by it. 3. Turn from it, 4. And pass away. They that play with wan­tonness, are like to play the wantons.

335. Gods dispensations are so checquer-wrought with blacks and whites, that many times a Saint hath cause to rejoice, but yet with trembling; and at other times to tremble, but yet with re­joycing.

336. It was a desperate saying of one (a Lawyer) that as he that will not adventure his body can­not be valiant, so he that will not adventure his soul cannot be rich. Men had better lay down their trades, then live by sinning.

337. Surely goods ill gotten will never be good; 'tis better a man should be able to say (as a good man once on his death-bed to his wife) I shall leave thee no great estate, but [Page 254]I shall leave thee a good estate; an estate well gotten, then to say, wife, or child, I shall leave you a great, but not good, because an ill-gotten estate. To have an estate with a curse, is to be miserably rich.

338. Heaven and Hell.

That which makes Heaven so full of joy, is, that Heaven is above all fear; and that which makes Hell so full of terror, is, that Hell is below all hope: Heaven is a day which shall never see any approa­chings of night; and Hell is a night that shall never see any dawnings of day.

339. Did we consider that both our good and evil were from God, it would make our good to be the better, and our evil not to be so bad.

340. A wise mans heart com­mands his tongue, but a fools tongue commands his heart.

341. Successe at first doth many times undo men at last; many may [Page 255]say, that they had never been un­happy, if they had not been hap­pie,

342. A Christian should not care much for what he hath, and he should care nothing for what he hath not: for what he hath, may not be, and what he hath not, may never be his.

243. Mans Preaching is but voice without power; but Gods is power without voice; Mans is word without work, Gods is work without word; man doth but speak, but God speaks and doth, every one of Gods words end in works; he said, Let there be light, and 'twas so.

344. God speaks of things that are to be done, and yet to come, as if they were already come and done. Many Prophesies of things to be, run in the Present Tense, as if they were in being. Babylon is fallen, it shall as certainly fall, as if it were fallen: by hope we are sav'd; we [Page 156]are as safe as if we were saved, and are kept safe that we may be sa­ved. He that believes not, is con­demned already; for he shall be as surely condemned, as if he were already in Hell. Them whom he predestinated, he called, justifi­ed, and glorified; they shall be as surely called, justified, and glo­rified, as if 'twere done.

344. All the glory of the world hath a stain, and all the beauty a spot; there is nothing that is all desires, altogether lovely but Christ Jesus.

The praises of all others are with a but, and an exception. Naa­man was a mighty man, but a Le­per; such an one, so and so, but &c. fair, but foolish; serious, but subtle: Let us lay out our hearts then, not on that which is lovely but in part, but on him who is lovely in every part.

346. Contentment.

347. We are so far from meri­ting by our works of mercy, that our works of mercy stand in need of mercy.

348. We can (alas we can) goe from heavenly things, to earthly things, and carry our hearts with us; but how seldome is it that we can goe from earthly things to [Page 258]heavenly, and carry our hearts with us?

349. Men appoint walls & bul­warks for salvation, but God ap­points salvation for walls and bul­warks: Salvation is often with­out walls and bulwarks, and walls and bulwarks are often without salvation. Salvation is the safer safeguard.

350. Saints desire not onely to receive the word into their liking, but to be received into its likenes; not onely to love it, but to live it.

351. God knowes the names of all the men in the world, and yet he knowes but few men by name.

352. To be a servant, is some­time put for a sin, as to be the ser­vant of sin, or servant of men; sometime 'tis put for a curse, as servant of servants shalt thou be, said Noah to Cham: Sometime 'tis put for an honour, when a man is called, and is the servant of God.

353. As there is joy in Heaven at the conversion of a sinner, so there is a kinde of joy in Hell, when one sins that is converted.

354. Its a great piece of wisdom so to order our condition and conversation in this world, that we may be able to attend upon God without distraction; a distra­cted man can do but little, and that little cannot be well done: duties are well done, when done with a pre­sent and sutable frame of heart, but the distracted man hath nei­ther.

355. The fear of man makes men to sin, but the fear of God keeps men from sin.

Gen. 3.5. Your eyes shall be o­pen'd, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.

356. Lawful things are often the occasion of unlawful things: we should use them then (for of them it may be said, as the Apostle of the Law, the Law is good, if a man use it) lawfully. The sins of the old world are described, Luke 17.27, 28. not by unlawful, or things e­vil in themselves, but becoming such by the abuse. They did eat and drink, &c. which things are necessary to preserve life, and yet by these they lost their lives; they in these things sinn'd away their lives from the earth, and their souls into bell.

357. Feasting times are too too often sinning times; 'tis true, its not sinful to feasi, if our feasting be not sinful; which that it may not be, we should not spend too much care like Martha, nor too much [Page 161]cost and time like Dives, who fa­red deliciously every day: while we are eating and drinking, wee may be dying, (in remembrance whereof the Egyptians us'd to serve in a deaths head at their feasts) and therefore in eating and drinking, we need be holy, and do that, and all to the glory of God.

358. That we might not think riches evil, God gives them to those who are good, yea, to the choicest, the chiefest, the very best of good men, to whom he ne­ver gives any thing that is in it self evil: and lest we should think ri­ches the chiefest good, the best good, God gives them to them that are evil, to whom he never gives the chiefest good.

359. Love of pleasure, and fear of suffering, are the two great things, which keep men from minding that which is their chiefe good; which if enjoy'd, would either free them from suffering, or [Page 262]fill them with pleasure in suffer­ing, and make them say, as Augu­stine, quam suave estistis suavitatibus carere, how sweet is it to want the worlds sweets.

360. It will much aggravate the condemnation of some, that they have been so careful of their bodies, and so careless of their souls; they are so taken up with [Page 263]the things of this world, (which are but half goods, for they reach but half, and the worse half of man) that ye rise early, go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulness, for their bodily accommodations, when their poor souls may sink or swim, that's left at six and seven, the soul is not in all their thoughts. One said he had so much businesse to do, that he must trust God with his soul, he could not look after it. Most men are like the woman, who when her house was on fire, so minded the saving her goods, that she forgate her childe, and left it burning in the fire; at last being minded of it, she cries out, oh my childe, oh my childe! So men scrabble here for a little pelf, and let their souls be consumed with the fiery heat of cares, and at death cry out, oh my soul, oh my soul! how (ah how) mad are most, that while they pamper their bo­dies, starve their souls, for so much [Page 164]eating and drinking takes away their stomachs to spiritual things. What care and pains do men and women take to clothe and neatifie the body, when the poor soul go­eth naked and bare, and hath not one rag of righteousnesse to cover it. So curious and nice about their dressing, and keeping their house, that there must not be one haire out of place, nor so much as a spot in a rubb'd room, yet so negligent of their souls, that that goes in its night-clothes, (undrest) all the day long; that many times under a silken and sattin sute, there's a very course soul; in a clean neat house, a sluttish soul; under a beautiful face, a deformed soul; under a fair out-side, a foul in-side; Would thou that readest beest not guil­ty. Ah dear hearts, if the body be more worth then raiment, surely the soul is more worth then the body. Oh what a weight doth the Scripture lay upon this word Soul, [Page 165]'tis the emphasis of the Text where 'tis: Hear, and your soul shall live; He that sinneth, wrongeth his own soul; Fear him that can kill the body, and throw the soul into Hell. What will it profit a man to gain the world, and lose his soul? Soul-mercy is the greatest mercy; Soul-promises the most precious pro­mises; Soul-salvation the greatest sal­vation; and therefore to neglect the soul, is the greatest neglect; and that men and women will know at that day, when they shall cry out, woe unto us, we have rewar­ded evil to our own souls.

361. There is scarce any one thing whereof men and women are more proud (at least wherein and whereby they shew their pride more) then apparel; though in­deed there's no one thing (sin it self excepted) that we have more cause to be asham'd of then our apparel, for they tell us that we are sinners: Adam and his wife were [Page 266]naked, and were not ashamed. Our ornaments are but badges of our sin and shame; and 'tis to this pur­pose observable, that the same word in the Hebrew which signi­fies a garment, signifies treachery and prevarication, to shew that wee have committed treason a­gainst God, else there had not been need of a fig-leafe-apron to cover our nakednesse. Who now can be proud of being a sinner? Who can finde in his heart to be proud of that, which tells him, that he hath lost his innocency? Surely he that hath sinned himself in­to shame, should be ashamed of his sin: and though it be a shame, and a sin to go naked, yet when we are clo­thed with our garments, wee should be clothed with shame as with a garment.

362. He that will have his mind satisfied with earthly things, must not thinke to attaine it so much by increasing the things he [Page 267]desires, as by decreasing his desire to the things. Latius regnes, avi­dum domando spiritum, quam, &c. mortificaton is the best way to satisfaction.

363. Few men get good, though most get goods by great­nes, many men grow much the worse, and I never read but of onely one Vespasian that was the better, solus imperantium vespasia­nus mutatus in melius. Magistratus jndicat virum. Of how many may it be said, as Tacitus of Galba, om­nium consensu capax imperii nisi im­perasset, no man sitter to be an Emperour, if he had not been an Emperour; how many have been good common-wealths men, gal­lant Patriots, till they came to be states men; as if men minded goodnesse onely to make them great, and then nuncium mittunt vir­tuti, bid it farewell, as he that all­wayes had a fishing net spread on his table till he got a Bishopricke, and [Page 168]then caused it to be laid aside, saying he had what he fished for.

364. All men came into the world alike, the poore as well as the rich, and all men shall goe out of the world alike, the rich as well as the poore; nothing more certaine then this, that we brought nothing into the world, nor shall we carry any thing out of this world: if therefore we have food and ray­ment, let us be content; for godli­nesse with a comp [...]tency (we read it with contentment) is great gaine.

365. Ʋnhappy happiness.

Some men are so unhappy in having happy wits, that they make their wit their happinesse, jeasting themselves out of all that is earnest, and like fooles make sport of every thing, even sin it self; alas! what pitty 'tis that men so witty, should have [...]o more wit then to destroy themselves! a jesting lie or a lie in jest may make a man lye in hell in earnest. Though [Page 169]such men looke on religion but as a nicety and an impertinent curio­sity, as that which imprisons their genius, yet they will one day finde to their cost and sorrow, what un­pleasant things the pleasures of sin are, and that it will be no brave thing to have sinn'd in braverie.

366. All temporall things are troublesome, If they be good it's trouble to forgoe them, and when we see that they must be parted with, either we wish that they had not beene so good, or that we had never injoyed them; as some did of Austine when he dyed. If they be e­vill, their presence is troublesome; and still we wish either that they were good, or that we were eased of them. Good things are trouble­som [...] in the event, and evill things in then [...] they in the future, because they shall come to an end, these in present, because they doe conti­nue: O [...] men would looke to things which are Eternall, for [Page 270]they are good here, and will be better hereafter.

367. What a madnesse is it in men to trouble themselves and the world about the Orthographie of a word, as whether we should write Faelix or Felix, and never study to be happy: to trifle away their precious houres about noti­ons, and dye fooles. They are but frivolous, idle and triviall writings, which are onely com­pact and held together with ex­quisite choise words, and ranged to just smooth cadencies, unlesse they be stuft full of notable saiyngs and wise sentences, by which a man doth become not onely more eloquent, but more wise, which teacheth us not onely to speake well but doe to well.

368. Philosophy no religion.

This was accounted among many purely true, and truely pure Philosophy, for a man to know him selfe, to enjoy himselfe, to center in [Page 271]himselfe. But I am sure 'tis true and pure religion, to know God, to to enjoy God, to center in God, so to live in contemplation of him, and in conversation with him, as if there were nothing else in the world to know: as if there were none to thinke of us, or for us to thinke upon; none to love us or for us to love.

369. All the Lords doings, but especially his doings in our hearts, should be marvelous in our eyes. According to the day of grace it shall be said, what hath God wrought?

370. The Hebrews have a say­ing, that deus magis delectatur adver­biis quam nominibus, God is more delighted in adverbs then in nounes: 'tis not so much the mat­ter that's done, but the manner how 'tis done that God minds. Not how much, but how well. 'Tis the well doing that meets with a well done. Let us therefore [Page 172]serve God not nominally or verbally, but adverbially.

371. We thinke it a great mat­ter to be knowne of a man and wish't well, and yet thereby we be­come neither white nor blacke, the better or worse, rich or poore, for our knowledge is small in ca­pacity, limited in effects and in­efficacious in operation: but 'tis not so with Gods Knowledge. Happy they that are knowne of God.

372. Science in most, consci­ence in the rest make all cry out, there is a God.

373. There is no truer misery then false joys.

374. Christians many times sin most when least tempted, and sin least when most tempted.

375. 'Tis punishment as well (or indeed as ill) to take away the good which was formerly in­joyed, as to inflict an evill which was not formerly suffered.

376. He is an happy man that's [Page 173]beaten when the stroake is a stroake of love.

377. Though God would have sinners hearts broaken, yet so ten­der is he that he would not have them breake their hearts, nor be swallowed up with over-much sorrow.

378. The good mans best and the bad mans worst is to come: Isaiah 3.9. I will say to the righte­ous it shall be well with them, they shall eat the fruit of their doings: say to the wicked, woe, it shal be ill with them, for the reward of their hand shall be given them. Oh this shall be; how sweet will it be to the godly, and how bitter to the ungodly! men that like sins work, will not like sins wages, they that are content to sin on earth will not find content in hell.

379. Man discovers himselfe to be a sinner by covering his sin.

380. He that seeks Philoso­phy in Divinity seekes the dead [Page 274]among the living, and he that seeks Divinity in Philosophy seekes the living among the dead; I may say as the Angel of Christ, religion is not here, she is risen.

381. Surely they doe not love God, who love any thing more then God; or, they love not God at all, who doe not love him more then all.

382. The love of God to any soul is good ground of glorying here, and to expect glory here­after.