Gather up the fragments, &c.

Non quod suos à labore, prohibeat, quo sibi quotidianum victum acquirant, sed terrenam hanc vitam caelesti posthaben­dam esse oportet, quia haec una.Christ calls for this duty from his dear Disciples, teaching them the price and use of the creatures, and in directing them instructeth us also, in the thriving trade of considerate colle­ction, for as we are bound by this precept and practice, to gather vp necessaries for our bodily subsistence, so are we to labour in improving time and means, for soule refreshing food, which abides to eternity, the argument is drawn from the lesse unto the greater, and is pressed home in this ensuing precept,Iohn 6.27. Vivendi pia causa est, ut in mundo pe­regrinantes festinent in caelestem patriam Cal. in Ioh. Labour not (sayth Christ) for the meat that perish­eth, but for that which endureth to eternall life, which the Son of man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed.

He doth not prohibit us to looke or labour, for the neces­sary nourishment of our frail and brittle bodies, but here and also in divers places, expresseth his care for their competent provision,Compassione no­stris doloribus con­dolet Christus. these earthly Tabernacles being the present resi­dence of the precious soule in her transitory pilgrimage, and therefore must be soberly and reverently respected, yea sup­ported and refreshed with fit accommodations, Now if the body in which the soule resides (as in a ruinous mansion) must continually be repaired,Comparatio est à minori ad majus. that it may be fit for those se­verall imployments which God and nature hath designed it [Page 3] unto, no doubt the Divine and Immortall Spirit, immediate­ly infused by himselfe into it, hath most precious cates provi­ded by his care to sustain it in life, even to all eternity.

Gather up, &c.Iohn 17.3.

Our weak meditations reflecting on this subject,Omnia namque gravia & difficilia fa­cit amor facilia. find va­rious excellencies comprized in collection, which for our more methodicall and orderly proceeding, wee reduce into two propounded generals.

1 Temporals, 2 Spirituall goods.

First, we handle temporals because this Scripture calleth us to gather up the fragments that remayne, and by this fru­gall precept of universall use,Hei mihi quam magnum sobrietatis opus! directs us in collecting and re­serving the creatures. Secondly, by vertue of the former ar­gument, drawn as I said from the lesse to the greater, sith we must not neglect the care of our bodies,Iohn 6.34. then much more must our souls have their due and fit provision.

The food of our bodies is one of those requisites,De cibis quidem agitur sed extendi o­mnes vitae partes de­bet haec sententia, Cal. in Ioh, cap. 6. which nature cals for to support her being, under which is com­prized when we crave our daily bread, all conducible neces­saries for our comfortable subsistence, and for this wee must labour in our lawfull callings, working with our hands the thing that is good, and humbly submitting to Christs sacred precept, in gathering up remaynders oft lost by remisnesse.

Wee see his Disciples were designed to the work,Discamus ergo non esse procrastinandum quin audit Dei voce strenuè quisque pro­peret quàm vocatur. Non parvam lau­dem meretur prom­pra eorum obedien­tia. which was presently performed by their painfull industry, who did not procrastinate nor delay the duty, imposed upon them by their Lord and master, his oecumenicall authority was no whit gainsayd, nor quarrell they at all with his sacred pre­cept, or affront they it by arrogance as any way incompati­ble, with the eminence and dignity of their high and holy calling.

Their practice presents us with profitable instructions, of humility, industry, and universall obedience,Iohn 6.13. that stooping to the ground for our necessary nourishment, wee might duly consider our dusty pedigree,Mortalis vitae, vl­talis mortis amara, il­licitum gustans gustat avarus homo. earth being the materiall of our mortall bodyes, which Death the period of perishing na­ture, resolves again to those originall principles from whence they came to which they must return.

Their industrious fr [...]gality, both collecting and reserving, those present remainders for future necessity, teacheth us with the Pismire to take the opportunity, of gathering and keep­ing things usefull and profitable:L [...]nc [...] in eremo na [...]tu [...], Christum expectat in solitudi­ne. Illi terrena sapiunt, qui promissa caelestia non habent. for though rectified nature be indeed content with little, renewing grace restraining all excesse, yet are we admonished by their sacred example, not greedily but gratefully to respect the creatures, avoyding those exorbitances which Epicures and Worldlings run headlong into for want of heavenly wisdome, who making a monopoly of pleasure or profit, are trapt up in the snares of profusenesse or penury.

Gather up &c.

Our Lord and Master hath designed us a work, condu­cing to our present and future emolument,N [...]gotia quidem aggredienda cunctan tor, sed insusceptis constanter inhaeren­dum. Prov. 24.34. which precept if wee practice with all painfull diligence, the benefit will countervail our industrious sedulity, but if we be deficient or remisse in duty, neglecting or contemning what time or means affords, our poverty will come like the posting travel­ler, and our necessity rush in like an armed man, Let us then by labour improve opportunities, tendred unto us by a hand of providence,Solicitudo diligen­tiae non diffidentiae laudatur. Opus est sobrieta­te, ne bona quae vi­demur habere, ver­tantur in perniciem nostram. Non opera illicita, sed charitatis vel ne­cessitatis agimus. Si verò aliqua est inter homines foeli­citas, ea nam sine la­bore existit. Non vir fortis est & strenuus qui per­territus laborem fu­git, sed cui crescit a­nimus in ipsa rerum difficultate. prizing and valuing the meanest of the crea­tures as much transcending what wee can merit, that every surplus of our plentifull saciety, may be an ingagement to dutifull obedience, and our daily enjoyment of these present favours, a firme obligation to divine bounty.

Our youth and health is compared to a harvest, wherein men gather in their Winter provision, which season being diligently and industriously improved; possesseth our garners with desired plenty, yea the poore and needy have a portion of it, even that which fals from the hand of the reaper, which they ought laboriously to glean and gather up, to relieve their present and future necessity, and therefore the wisest of men hath this maxime, as a motive inducing us to take opportu­nity, he that gathereth in Summer is a son of Wisdom, but he that sleepeth in Harvest is a son that causeth shame, The hand of the diligent (sayth he) shall beare rule, but the slothfull or negligent shall be under tribute, the one being dignified with designed honour, the other dejected in servile vassal­lage, [Page 5] which should cause us to coll [...]ct by painfull industry,Prov. 16 26. those scattered fragments which others count contemptible, and not by negligence to lose the least, vvhich might any vvay conduce to supply our necessity.

And here all vagrants and idle persons, are check't and censured by this frugall precept,Turpe est cedere oneri luctarique cum officio quod semel ac­cepisti. because they gather not by present diligence, what might prevent much ensuing penu­ry, but sottishly slumbring in the summer of their youth, are suddenly surprized by inevitable indigence, and overtaken unawares by declining age,Vae cordibus tre­pidis & manibus re­missis. for which they have made no seasonable provision, for alas we see many miserable crea­tures, instead of gathering by painfull industry, by sloathfull neglect contracting on themselves, the unnecessary burthen of wilfull poverty,Divina providen­tia in voluntate ho­minis non impenit necessitatem quia si omnia ev [...]nirent ex necessitate, praemia bonorum & poena malorum perirent. whilst indulging their bodies with ease and idlenesse, the epidemicall disease of these sinfull times, they bereave themselves of that sit refreshment, they ought to acquire by their honest labour, and surely where youth and health shall permit a painfull progresse in our lawfull callings, if it be neglected by extravagant courses, it contracts a curse both on soule and body. There is in this life no exemption from labour, for any estate or condition of men,Iob 5.7. the great and the small, the rich and the poore have a worke to doe while their day doth last, for as Eliphas sayth,Nil sine labore vita dedit mortalibus. Nemo piger quam­vis Deus in ore ha­bens, victum potest citra laborem acqui­rere. Eccles. 9.10. man is borne to la­bour, as the sparkes to fly upward from the nature of their element, let us therefore not wave nor decline by commissi­on, our duty in gathering what lies in our way, but what work soever our hand findes to doe, let us labour to doe it even with all our might, because in the grave unto which we are going, there is neither counsell, wisdome nor worke.

The event or successe of the labours of men is very various as experience sheweth,Causas corrupte­larum non illecebris sed in cordibus habe­mus. Illuc est sapere, non quod ante pedes mo­do est videre, sed e­tiam illa quae futura sunt prospicere. some rising early and going to bed late, eat rather the bread of carefulnesse then industry, some run like Asahell swift as a Roe, and yet attain not the end of their race, because they propound to themselvs in their aimes, the pleasures and profits of the presenc time, and some spend their strength both of brain and body, in gathering things impertinent and meerly superfluous, troubling themselves to conforme their garbe, to the Camelion change of all fanta­stick fashions.

Non magnas po­pulolautitias paravit Christus, sed pane hordeaceo & aridis piscibus cōtentos esse oportuit, Cal. Cum vult homo rectè agere non po­test, quia quando po­tuit noluit. De alio in aliud transit homo quae­rens, requiem ubi non est. Qui non est hodie, eras minus aptus e­rit.These follow not the precept of our blessed Saviour, in gathering for present or future necessity, because such indu­stry supplies not our want, but rather increaseth it, by pro­fuse expence of wealth, for that which we should gather to maintain the Gospel, to support the Common-weale, or supply the poors necessity, is miserably scattered in such paths of prodigality, of which wee may say what needed this waste?

We have but our day assigned unto us, which for brevity of life is like a hand breadth, and yet these few dayes are even full of trouble, and many counterblasts to scatter our com­forts, yet they are not embittered by lawfull industry, which puts us on the actions of laudable imployment, but rather by negligence which doubles our distresse, and draws on mise­ry by insensible degrees, for the sluggard lusteth and findeth nothing, Prov. 13.4. Prov. 10.4. Crastinus dies tuus non est, hodiernus est, Hodie quaeso hac hora, jam age quod agendum est. but the soule of the diligent shall be made fat, he be­commeth poore that slacketh his hand, but the hand of the di­ligent maketh rich, These Elegies which set forth the praise of industry, are used in Scripture as goods to excite us, to a­wake from the slumber of supine remisnesse, and to gather up supplies for our own and others wants.

Gather up, &c,

This precept of our Saviour should be alway prevalent to perswade us industriously to gather food by labour,Habemus colligen­di mandatum, ergo partes nostras non o­mittamus. sith severall expressions of divine favour, have been shewed to men in the way of their callings, for when Jacob was busied in that painfull service of deceitfull Laban his unkind Uncle, the Lord tooke a view of his labour and affliction,Non quod nos Deo placemus propter no­stram solitudinem, sed propter Christum: sine fide Deum pla­cere non possumus. and gave him comfort by a speciall providence, transferring upon him such outward blessings, as made others to envie his aug­mented riches, and calling him away did also provide for his peace and safety in the midst of dangers.

Acts 7 22. Act 7 29. Exod 3.1.When humble Moses whose Princely education, adorn'd him highly with all humane learning, became an exile in favour of Gods people, with whom he chose to partake of affliction,Vbi tuus amor es [...] Domine, labor non est sed sapor. He feeds the sheepe of Jethro and leads them, to the back-side of the desart even unto mount Horeb, where the Lord was pleased to reveale himselfe, by miraculous means [Page 7] to confirme his message, and to take him from that poore and obscure imployment,Acts 7.35. to become the Prince and judge of his people, which dearly proves his pious labours, were crowned with the comfort of divine approbation.

David was imployed in the trade of a sheepherd,1 Sam. 16.11. Psal. 78.71. 1 Kings 19.19. Amos 1.1. when Samuel was sent to anoint him King of Israel, and Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen, when the Prophets Mantle was cast upon him, So Amos was among the herds­men of Tekoa when the voice of the Lord first came unto him, and the Apostles were busied in mending their nets,Matth. 4.21. when called by Christ to be fishers of men.

Which examples prove not that men may aspire,Observato modum: nam rebus in omni­bus illud optimum e­rit, si quis tempus spectaverit aptum. Hesiod. Ester 2.17. above their present particular station, but that none are excluded by their painfull industry from the dignity assigned them by divine providence, for though Ester lived retired in the house of her kinsman, and went not to the Court to seeke for preferment, yet the state of royalty designed her by God, was conferred by his bounty in the appoynted time.

Labour we then to collect by industry what we formerly scattered by negligent omission,Verbum Domini viget in aeternum, non honor, non per­cunia, neque aliqua terrenasubstantia. Anguibus exuitur tenui cum p [...]lle vetu­stas, cur nos angusta conditione sumus. sith we have not onely the precept of our Saviour, but the practice of his Saints inciting us to duty, which should put us upon a strict inquisition, concerning our former deficiencie herein, that so being hum­bled for our manifold failings, our renewed repentance may produce a reformation.

Indeed our endeavours should be carryed on, in a consci­entious regard of Gods sacred precept, producing a princi­ple of internall dejection,Mille parit luctus, mortalibus una voluptas. Gen. 3.19. from the onely originall of all our labour, it being imposed on our father Adam, as a penalty inflicted for his pride and disobedience, that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread, till his returne to the earth from whence he was taken,Quia tui plenus non sum, ideo mihi oneri sum, Aug. 13. Eccles. 2.13. Magno animo for­tis perferre pericula fuerit, adeo à teneris assuescere multū est. and therefore Solomon▪ in his sa­cred retractations, having given his heart to search and finde out wisdome, draws this conclusion from his various obs [...]r­vation, of our miserable progresse in this painfull pilgrimage, This sore travell (sayth he) hath God given to the sonnes of men to humble them thereby, or▪ as is rendred by reverend Janius, to be exercised in, as our later translation hath it, [Page 8] Let us then I say from this internall principle,Hoc est verèsapere, dum exinanita omni confidentia & corre­cta pertinacia, nos Dei authoritas ad se rapit mentesque no­stras sic occupat, ut nobis nihil rectum sit, nisi quod illa praescribit, Cal. in Ioh. stoope down to gather up refreshing food by labour, and when outward successe shall not answer our industry, let us thereby exer­cise our faith and patience, which will be a signe that our humble hearts, have h [...]gher aimes then wealth or worldly honours, expecting approbation and satisfaction from him, who can only fill the soule with rest and true refreshment.

Gather up, &c.

This command to gather up the fragments which re­maine, presupposeth a scattering in our plentifull sacietie, for then are we prone to contemne the creatures, which other­whiles we prize to supply our necessitie, which hath been the cause that many of us, have so riotously abused these tempo­rall blessings,Sub velamine ne­cessitatis incidi in la­queos voluptatis, & dum ad quiet [...]m sa­tietatis & indigentiae molestia transeo, in ipso transitu mihi in­sidiatur laquaeus con­cupiscentiae. because we know not in our own experience, wha [...] wofull effects are produced by such want, for did we consider these outward mercies, as pledges and tokens of divine favours, it would cause us carefully to collect and im­prove them, to glorifie the Donor and purchaser of them, it being surely a crying sin, irreverently or intemperately to abuse such blessings, and a high provocation of exasperated justice, to plague us with indigence to our utter destruction.

2 Sam. 23.17. Major sum & ad major genitus quam ut mācipium sim mei corporis. Occasio nunquam tibi defuit tu semper occasioni. David would not drink of that desired water, presented unto him by his valiant worthies, but poured it out as a sacrifice to the Lord, esteeming it their bloud who purchased it with perill, and shall we neglect or abuse the creatures, to vanity, intemperance, excesse or riot, whose forfeited right is again bought in unto us, by a precious price, more worth then heaven and earth.

Ille placeret in mu­nere, qui placebatin corde. Magna custodia tibi necessaria est quoni­am ante oculus judi­cis vivis. Omnis fortuna in sensu habitat sapien­tis. Gen. 32.10.Have we then so reverently esteemed the creatures, as when being presented to our view or taste, we have lifted up our hearts and our eyes unto heaven, to magnifie his mercie that gives us food convenient, or have we not rather out of cu­stome then conscience, performed the duty remisly and cold­ly, or ingratefully omitted it to Gods dishonour, and to the danger and detriment of our selves and others.

Have we been so truly contented and satisfied, with what our estate and condition affordeth, that with holy Jacob we humbly acknowledge we are lesse then the least of all Gods [Page 9] mercies, or have we not rather repined & murmured,Est quaestus mag­nus pietas, cum ani­mo sua sorte conten­to. Numb. 11.10. Psal. 78.25. Psal. 78.31. Luke 16.19. Quamdiu quis per­mistus est turbis, & in multitudine fluctu antium volutatur, non vacat Deo, nec potest esse sanctus. Qui Deo appro­pinquas non vestium quaere ornamenta sed morum. Poenitentes serico & purpura induti, Christū induere sin­cerè non possunt. Christus ipse in mundum venit, & Patri se obedientem praeberet. Acts 10.38. weep­ing with the Israelites at the doores of their tents, who not content with the bread of Angels, had their palats pleased with Quails to their cost, so too many of us inordinatly de­siring, with voluptuous Dives to fare deliciously, have passed the limits of Christian sobriery, and contracted that want which attendeth wastfulnesse.

Have we taken pains to collect and gather up, the scattered fragments of our former superfluities, improving our food, our apparell and all things, for the fitting and furthering us to do God service? or have we not rather to our shame and rebuke, taken too much liberty in these times of humiliation, wherein being called to fasting and mourning, old hearts and new garments have proclaymed our folly? for if wee consider how cold and perfunctory, our performances have been, even when judgments lay at our doore, we may justly admire they are not cast back, as dung in our faces to our de­served confusion.

Consider we then in our serious meditation, what col­lections we have made in sincere obedience, and from what principles wee have proceeded, in the daily progresse of our painfull labours, that eying the footsteps of our blessed Sa­viour, who went about doing good continually, we make it a part of our joy and solace,Quum implos vide­mus tantopere in pravis suis actionibus satagere, pudcat nos torporis n [...]st [...]i. Matth. 20.6. Matth. 24.46. to finish the work which he set us to doe, and regardfully to veiw what profitable imployments, best sute with our generall particular callings, that nothing be omitted by pride or negligence, conducing to the benefit of our selves or others, shall our ill-fixt-eyes be gazing on the world, when our hands should be working in the vin­yard of our Master, or shall with the evill and slothfull ser­vant, suppose he defers or delaies his comming? no rather let us gather up what mercy afford us, and put into our hand by a precious providence, that we may with comfort heare his sacred approbation, well done good and faithfull servant.Matth. 25.23.

Gather up, &c.

The second generall propounded unto us is the gathering up of treasures for our spirituall state, consisting in precepts to direct our way, that we may not stumble in difficult pas­sages, [Page 10] secondly,Deus nos adjuvat & ut sciamus & ut a­memus, erga Pios in ultima rerū omnium desperatione, dum l a mors in oculis versatur, ab hominū & mundi intuitu se avertens, in Deum vitae & mortis arbi­trum conjecerit ocu­los. Colligit thesauros quae manent in aeter­num. in promises of severall kinds which serve for soule physick in every disaster, thirdly, in observations con­cerning the godly subject in this life to many revolutions, yet alwayes delivered from danger and distresse, as seemes fit in his wisedome, who knowes what is best.

A Christian is compared to that prudent housholder, who brings out of his treasure things new and old, and having ga­thered by painfull industry, a masse of divine and morall ex­cellencies, he is carefull also to collect opportunities, in dispen­sing and disposing them for his Masters honour, using all bles­sings conferred upon him not to serve himself in ambitious o­stentation, but counts it the sum of his terrene felicitie, to do good unto all in their various occasions, his care is not so much to gather things temperall, which sad and perish both in keeping and using, as to trade for the treasures of the new Ierusalem, even those durable riches which abide to eternity, and therefore he collects divine precepts, to direct his way as the shining light, Psal. 119.105. that when others stumble who walk in dark­nesse, he may not precipitate into sin and errour, this lampe and lanterne is able to direct us,Vna est in trepida mihi re medicina Ie­hovae, cor patrium os verax, omnipotens­que manus: O homoin pietate & puritate, incipe celeriter currere! when our paths unpaved are most dark and slipperie, for which cause holy David still ga­thered them up, as peculiar treasures for divine direction, yea all the Saints have esteemed it their honour, to stoope to Christs Scepter in his sacred preceptes, his divine Decalogue even limming to the life, the absolute perfection of a plenall purity.

Dominus per E­vangelium nos vo­cat, nos vocanti per fidem respondemus.The choicest expression of our dearest affection, is our cordiall obedience to Gods righteous precepts, as our Saviour witnesseth, saying to his servants, if ye love me then keep my Commandements, this is the touchstone which tries the gold transcending in its purity all others mettalls, the balance of the sanctuary, to prove its worth and weight, from those par­t [...]all performances which are lighter then vanitie, for though, hypocrite like Herod may do many things,Actum egi nihil pro [...]ci, [...]leum & o­p [...]tam perdidi, ne plas altia. seemingly ga­thering up some sacred precepts, yet universall obedience be­wraies his guile of spirit, for here he stands still and can go no further.

The practick part of Religion and holinesse, is the acting [Page 11] of precepts in a pure conversation,Psal. 119.100. Quomodo tenebit legi [...] doctrinam, qui legis animam quan­tum in se est extin­guit, nam lex sine Christo inanis est, nec quicquam habet solidi, quo igitur pro prius quisque novit Christum, tantun­dem profecit in Dei sermone, Calv. O homo in praece­ptione intellige, quid debeas habere, Aug. Iubet non juvat lex. Deut. 6.5. Deut. 6.13. Ier 4.2. Esay 26.4. Iames 1.6. Psal. 65.2. Psal 96.9. Levit. 26.2. not contenting our selves with a naked Theory, but clothing it comely with pious pra­ctice, that our doing and suffering in the cause of God, may outstrip all hypocrites and carnall professours, who please themselves in gathering the husk, or superficiall shell of seem­ing sanctity.

Preceptes for action are those divine dictates, that call for the duties of Piety and Charitie, being properly reduced into these two heads to which any of their branches may fitly be referred, precepts for suffering consider the cause, and cariage of the patient under the Crosse, that he suffer innocently re­specting the one, that he suffer patiently in regard of the other.

For pious action they are faithfull Monitors, calling us continually to particular duties, as to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soule, and with all our might, to feare him, serve him, and swear by his name, and that in truth, in judgement, and righteousnesse, to trust in the Lord, and that for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: to invocate his name, with faith and confidence, because he is a God that heareth prayer, to worship him purely with a holy worship, not defiled with the dictates of other mens inventi­ons, that we keepe his Sabbaths, and reverence his Sanctuary, Ezek. 20.12. which are sacred pledges of his precious favour.

Gather up, &c.

When holy David had sweetly set forth,Iubet Deus aliquid quae non possumus, ut novimus quid ab illo pettere debe­mus. the sacred pro­gresse of his zeale and piety, of which the 119 Psalme is a Christall mirrour wherein it may be seen, he comes to epito­mize those divine excellencies, so copiously set forth in seve­rall expressions, into this abridgement or concluding corrol­lary, This I had because I kept thy precepts. Psal. 119.56.

The indefiatigable industrie he used in gathering up such abounding store of these transcending treasures, appeares in his vigilance who would rise at midnight, Psal. 119.118. Psal. 119.62. to prayse the Lord for his righteous judgments, His eyes preventing even the night watches, to meditate in the Word his delightfull employ­ment, The law of Gods mouth being dearer unto him, Psal 119.72. then ma­ny thousands of gold and silver, neyther lost he ought by th [...]t [Page 12] painfull industry, when in casting his account hee concludes with comfort,Psal. 119.104. saying, by thy precepts have I got understand­ing, therefore I hate all the ways of falshood.

Iob 23.12. Bona conscientia est laetitia interna.So holy Job professeth his integrity, in prizing Gods word above his necessary food, as a conspicuous evidence of his sincere affection, and inevitable argument of his sound up­rightnesse, which may justly convince them of damnable impiety,Psal. 119.111. who slight and contemne Gods sacred precepts, looking upon them as Laws repealed, which are now of no force to obliege the conscience: but the righteous take these precepts, as their heritage for ever, because they account them the joy of their heart,Psal. 119.89. knowing that Gods Word is setled in Heaven, its power and permanence enduring to eternity.

Fides omnia in se continet.The benefit ensuing from such sedulity in collecting pre­cepts for divine direction, appears in the pure conversation of the godly, who use them as lamps in darknesse and diffi­culty,2 Chron. 20.2. thus pious Jehoshaphat being almost environed with a multitude of enemies though of severall Nations, threatning a direfull and destructive war, from which he could possibly make no evasion, yet goes not with Saul to the Witch at Endor, neyther to Baalzebub the god of Ekron, but being well principled in sacred precepts,Psal. 50.15. Prima quidem in precibus obtinet in­terior affectus. 2 Chron. 20 12. he repayres to the Lord by fasting and prayer, and that with abnegation of all carnall confidence, or humane help in his present necessity, not knowing whither to turn for succour, he fixeth his eyes upon God alone.

Gather up, &c.

Esay 50.10. Psal. 46 1. Psal. 88 1. Ester 4.16.When the righteous walk in darknesse and can see no light, the precept directs them and shews them a way, even to trust in the Lord, and stay on their God, who is a present help in the time of trouble, when these are afflicted with Haman, they will pray, and fast with Ester, when the Church is in cala­mity, the precepts of the Lord and practice of his Saints, be­ing held forth in Scripture as a guide unto us, for Gods pre­cepts should be those intimate Remembrancers, with whom we should consult in all our exigencies,Demonstratio ni­hil relinquit. using their assistance and familiar direction, which are able to furnish us with all heavenly wisdom.

If severall tentations on the right hand or the left,Hosea 6.1. shall carry us captive into any sinfull way, the precepts of repen­tance and sorrowfull contrition, must pave a path for our en­suing comfort, for as the deviation from divine direction,Optimus portus poenitentiae est muta­tio consilii, Hoc Poe­nitentiae initium est, hic ad pietatem in­gressus, tristitiam ex­peccat is nostris con­cipere, ac malorum nostrorum sensu vul­nerari. is the miserable cause of our many aberrations, so the pious progresse of sincere humiliation puts us in capacity of con­solatory refreshment: I know s [...]ch tenets are now traduced, as if they were Popish or did plead for merit, or should im­ply that our personall performances, are some way satisfacto­ry to divine j [...]stice, which we abhor as most derogatory, to the meritorious sacrifice of our al-sufficient Saviour, who having finished the wo [...]k of our redemption, presents us to his Father in his own imputed righteousnesse, and yet he cals us by his Word and Spirit,Iohn 4.29. Phil. 2.12. Ex pecca [...]i fumo ortae sunt lachrymae. Revel. 2.12. to work out our salvation with feare and trembling, yea, seasonably to remember from whence we are faln, commanding to repent and do our first works.

If errours in doctrine come masked unto us, in the specious pretext of sacred verity,Emoritur serpens hominis cōtracta sa­liva, sic vox veritatis, interficit errorem. we must speedily bring them to the light of Gods precepts, which will cleerly discover their palpable vanity, and therefore we wonder not that the sub­till Papists, present us the Script [...]re in an unknown tongue, nor that Sectaries prohibit us the publike Ministery, because it draws out the sword of the Spirit, for although this many headed Hydra, seem very formidable to the faint and fearful, yet these sacred precepts will so maule and wound her, that she shall not be able to do us prejudice,Lege operum dicit Deus, fac quod ju­beo, Lege fide [...] dici­tur Deo, Da quod [...]u­bes, & jube quod vis. Aug. but wee may not think that such knowledge collected, and onely reserved for vain ostentation, will prove a fit antidote to preserve us from infection, or secure our souls from the snares of errour, wee must therefore with David hide the word in our hearts, as a means to keep us from such contagion, that we be not led away with the evill of the times, nor fall from our stedfast­nesse into pits of perdition.

And as precepts for piety are comfortably collected, as lights to lead us through difficult passages, so precepts of charity are also fit monitors,Levit. 19 9. concu [...]ring together to call us to duty, for these call upon us to extend comp [...]ssion, to the [Page 14] poore the stranger,Deut. 26.13. Deut. 16.11. the fatherlesse and widdow, with whose sorrowfull condition we should daily sympathize, condo­ling their distresses with continuall pittie.

Homo inquam na­tus de muliere, brevi vivens tempore, re­pletur multis mise­riis. Esay 58.7. Oportet ut sciamus nostra abundantia sublevandamesse fra­t [...]um mopiam, Cal. in Ioh.We cannot enumerate the various calamities, which are daily incident to our frail condition, as sicknesse, poverty, imprisonment, banishment, desertions, dejections, and men­tall terrours, here precepts of charity have their proper ob­jects to reflect upon, in their fit opportunities, of feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, visiting the sick, and harbour­ing the stranger, and never had we more cause to excite, our dull depraved hearts unto duty, then now when our poore afflicted brethren, have endured such miseries by a savage civill Warre, how should we even collect all occasions, to appear in the posture of pitty and charity by gathering up the fragments of our own superfluities, to relieve the necessities of our suffering neighbours.

Non sciunt de lu­mine aliquid a stima­re, quorum est in te­nebris habitatio. Amos 6.1. Amos 6.6.But ah the stupidity which sin hath contracted, upon all estates and conditions of men, who gather not up such pre­cepts of charity, nor collect such motives of commiseration, but being themselves even at ease in Zion, they forget the ca­lamities of afflicted Joseph, having no bowels of mercie to alleviate their burthens, nor to succour and support them in such deepe dejections,Lacerati sunt viri, tractae sunt matronae, infantes necati, nul­li licuit in possessio­nibus suis secu [...]um esse, itinera non po­terant esse tutissima. Ezek. 16.49. yet the same distresses which others have endured in these sorrowfull times of our sad visitation, may prove our portion who have hitherto been spared, if we proceed to provoke an incensed Majesty, for England hath paralleld the sins of Sodome, in pride, fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse, and now if shee strengthen not the hands of the needy, shee aggravates her guilt and hastens her judgement.

Quod á Deo reci­piat pius, id rursus pro charitatem in si­num fratrum dispen­sat. O peccata nostra nunquam satis de­flenda, annon opor­tet quotidie hoc age­re!Hath it then been our care to collect such precepts, as the Word holds out for our ample direction, pouring forth our soules to satisfie the hungry, and drawing out our store to re­lieve the afflicted? have we contributed to them? not only with our purses, but also with the current of our prayers and tears, putting up frequently our passionate petitious, and sorrowfull supplications at the Throne of Grace, if we finde our selves thus fervently affected, with the sorrowfull suf­ferings [Page 15] of the Church of God,Rom. 12.5. it may prove us such members as are truly sensible, in partaking in the dolours of the my­sticall body.

Gather up, &c.

But a higher gradation in our charitable progresse,Studebant Pios quantum in se est, vagos & errantes colligere in ovile Domini, quicquid enim facultatis Deus singulis distribuit, charitatis exercendae vult esse organum vel adminiculum. Cal in Act. cap. 6. vers. 6. 1 Thess. 5.14. Nisi à semetipso deficiat, ad eum qui supra se est non ap­propinquat. is our care to collect soule comforts for them, which as they trans­cend in unvaluable excellencie, so are they permanent in end­lesse duration, and therefore we must gather with double di­ligence, what lyeth in our way by opportune occasion, re­serving distributions for particular exigencies, as providence shall call us to make dispensation.

Have we then been industrious in gathering up know­ledge, that we might be able to instruct the ignorant, or have we collected such zeale and courage, that we may be fit to admonish the unruly? have we laboured for strength to support the weake, and for moderation to be patient to­wards all men? or have we not rather been deeply defici­ent, or totally omissive in these charitable duties?

Have we studied to binde up the broken hearted,Dolentem non po­test cōsolari, qui non concordat dolori. Emollis debet ani­mus, ut afflictio con­gruat, congruens in­haereat, inhaerens trahat, Greg. in Mo­ra [...]. by ga­thering up balme to consolidate such fractures, and then ap­plyed it to to the wounded spirit, with the compassionate hand of a wise and charitable discretion? or have we not rather like unskilfull Chyrurgions, used Corrosives, when Lenatives had been more seasonable, or cauteriz'd to stupifie the sence of suffering, when we should have searcht into the root of the matter?

Have we laboured sincerely to reduce erring soules,Primordia conver­sarum blandis refo­venda sunt modis, nam qui sine lenitate erudit, exasperare potius quam corrige­re novit. pre­posterously transported by seducing spirits, by gathering up truths to tender unto them, as shining lights to shew them their mistakes, or have we not rather by bitter morosity, widened the breach and highthened our divisions, by paving a path for those schismaticall scandals, and sad separations which we justly grieve at.

Having thus collected for divine direction,Amabilis est sapi­entia in cognitione rerum. these practicall precepts of piety and charity, it resteth that we gather up some suffering instructions, to point at the way of our pas­sive obedience.

Gather up, &c,

Matth. 10.38.Our blessed Saviour prescribes the platforme, positively saying unto his Disciples, If any man will follow me, he must resolve to deny himselfe, Luke 9.23. Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia, sanguine coepit, sanguine suc­crevit, sanguine finis finis erit. yea not only so, but must take up his crosse, by a daily constant cont [...]nued endeavour, for there is no immunity in respect of persons, nor any exemption in re­gard of time, but as Christ first suffered, then entred into glory, so must all his members have their measure of con­formity.

Himself was that pure and immaculate Lamb, in whose bles­sed mouth was never found guile,1 Pet. 2.22. who did no iniquity, but fulfilled all righteousnesse, required by the Law in most ab­solute perfection,Matth. 3.15. yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him by af­fliction,Esay 53.10. and to put him to griefe by most passionate dolours, that he might be a Patron and pattern unto us, of humble patient and innocent suffering.Vt statua in sua ba­s [...], [...]c etiam vir bonus & virtutis studiosus in suo proposito con­stans & immobilis es­se debet.

This was the condition of the Prophets, Apostles and ho­ly Martyrs under all persecutions, who being innocent of those horrid imputations, which were fastened upon them by calumnious aspersions, yet suffered with patience what their cruell adversaries, in the evill of those times inflicted upon them,Heb. 11.36. Christi [...]nus despicit & contemnit omnia quae sunt in potestate mortalium. 2 Chron. 24.20. a catalogue whereof is presented unto us, by the Holy Ghost in Heb. 11, shewing the various and heavie af­flictions, Gods people have endured from persecuting ene­mies, Heb. 11.37 38.

They were tryed by cruell mockings and scourgings, by bonds and imprisonments in the lowest dungeons, both tempted with the flatteries of seducing Sycophants, and assaulted with the fears of their humane frailties;Quanta enim illa sunt indicia magni animi, cum quis cru­cem suam tollit & Christum sequitur, cum principium su­rias contemnit cum ferocia saevaque ver­bera aspernatur, cum coesus denique gladiis bidentis instar, neque murmure neque que­rimonia consternati­onem ostendit. yet sub­mitted to be stoned as was faithfull Zechariah, to be sawn asunder as was holy Isayah, to be slain with the sword as was James the Apostle, or beheaded as Saint Paul by flagitious Nero, to wander about in sheeps skins and goats skins, being destitute, aff [...]icted, and tormented with terrours, yea compelled to take up their wofull habitations, in deserts, dens, mountains, and caves of the earth: and as we may read in Ecclesiasticall Histories, were tryed with all various and exquisite tortures, yet never declined their pious profes­sion, nor turned their backs on Christs sacred precepts, but [Page 17] by constant perseverance, overcame all cruelties, being more then conquerours both in life and death: but having occasion in the subsequent discourse, to treat by observation of their severall afflictions; I only drinke here of the brooke in the way, referring the prosecution to its proper place.

Labour we then to gather up the precepts, of a holy harm­lesse and pure conversation, that we may by well doing a­dorne our profession, and put to silence the ignorant and foolish, for we ought not to suffer as evill doers,Porro dum confusè omnia miscentur, ut Diabolus tenebras spargēdo totum mū ­dum ordinem vide­tur evertere, sciamus sursum in Coelis luce­r [...] Dei providētiam, ut tandem quae tur­bata sunt, componat. or as prag­maticall busibodies, in other mens matters, but rather as Christians that we need not be ashamed, but may glorifie God in our cause and carriage: This wil convince the wick­ed of their folly, and give us encouragement to wayt on the Lord, committing our souls unto him in our sufferings, as a faithfull Creator who will vindicate our innocency.

Gather up &c.

In collecting treasures for spirituall emolument, which was the second propounded generall, we first considered pre­cepts both active and passive, as lights to direct us in univer­sall obedience, and now are to treat of the second branch, calling us to gather up the precious promises, which have various vertues in their severall effects, both in purging, pardoning, healing, and reviving, some serve like Physick to evacuate corruption, and other as cordials in the qualmes of desertion, some serve as props ro support our faith, or as brazen pillars to sustain our confidence,Vix centesimus quisque apprehendit quae unica est conso­lationis materia. in briefe they com­prize a sacred quintessence, of all transcending and desirable excellencies, which should cause us industriously to gather them up, and to keepe and use them both in weale and woe.

The promises of God are a rich revenue whereupon wee should live in our lowest condition, it being a prerogative peculiar to the Saints, to spend of this stock in their particu­lar pressures,Psal. 119.49, 50. Priv legium quasi priva lex aut benefi­cium. and therefore holy David who was well ac­quainted, with motives inducing to divine mercie, entreateth the Lord to remember his promise, wherein he caused him to put his trust, professing it was his comfort in trouble, even a quickning word to cheere and revive him, yea the joy [Page 18] of his soule,Psal. 119.121. and the soule of his joy, as he there declareth in patheticall expressions.

Great cause have the faithfull to rejoyce in the promises, as the Magna Charta of all their priviledges,2 Cor. 1.20. because in Christ Jesus they are Yea and Amen, to all that truly have an interest in him, these trusting in the Lord have his Word to assure them,Psal. 125.1. Matth. 16.18. that they shall be as mount Sion which cannot be removed, The very gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church that is built on this Rock, which implies not on­ly a generall promise,Secundum modum revelationis & com­municationis. of such sacred immunities to the mysti­call body, but is also applyed by particular members, infeoffed by the Spirit in this sacred Charter.

Gather up, &c.

Ita per gradus pro­missionum sursum as­cendunt ut tamen simplices maneant in sui dejectione.Let us then gather up these most precious promises, as our certain support in the saddest trials, and let us not hang on that broken reed, the arme of flesh which will surely deceive us, for what ever our state or condition be, we may finde su­table and seasonable promises to sustain our souls and supply our wants, with consolatory refreshments in every calamity.

When the spirit is broken with sorrow for sin, by an humble apprehension of our miserable condition, no earthly excellencies can give it true comfort, for it thirsts for those waters that flow from the Sanctuary,Habet enim Chri­stus omnes beatudi­nis & aeternae vitae partes se inclusas, quas nobis Evange­lium offert. then only Christ in the voyce of the Gospel, speaks life and peace and consolation to it, making it a cordiall of his mercifull promises, which revives and cheers it in the deepest distresses.

Gather we up then in the sunshine of propsperity, what may serve for soul shelter in stormes of desertion,In extremitate ma­xima me juvat & ju­vabit Iehovah. O sons vitae, vena aquarum viventium, quando v [...]niam a [...]a­quas d [...]lce [...]i [...]is ru [...], Aug in Sol. that when creature comforts shall fail us as a brooke, we may in this fountain finde full consolation, which will sweeten the cup of our bitterest calamities, by dropping in a word of joy and refreshment, even making our Baca a heaven upon earth, and changing the taste of those waters of Marah.

When corruption prevails like a mighty Gyant leading us captive to the law of sin, so that with the Apostle we cry out of our misery desiring to be delivered from this body of death, Rom. 7 23, 24. we have the Lord engaged by promise, not only to pardon but subdue our iniquities,Micah 7 18 19. yea, to cast our sins into the [Page 19] depths of the sea, for he retaineth not his anger but delighteth in mercie.

If Satan assault us with his fiery darts, dipt in the poyson of his cruell malice, to drive us to despair of divine succour,Peccata defleantur quo defleta debean­tur, Doleat reus & deleat Deus. Psal. 3.2. saying there is no help for us in our God, we have the pro­mise as a precious antidote against the venome of all such tentations, the Lord averring for our certain solace, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee, this promise was made unto valiant Joshuah, who led Gods people to their earthly Canaan, Iosh. 1.5. when he was to encounter with Gyantlike enemies, that hee might not doubt but be sure of victory, now the Apostle gathers up this word of comfort,Heb. 13 6. as of speciall use in all our necessities, inferring from it that to answer all tentations,Rom. 16.20. Haec vera fidei pro­batio est quum Deus homines quasi in te­nebris ambulare ju­bet, Cal. in Ioh. cap 6. we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, this only is he even the God of peace, who shall shortly tread Satan down under our feet, and cause us in confidence of his truth and faithful­nesse, even to trample on the necks of our spirituall enemies.

Gather up, &c.

If creature comforts shall deny their assistance, or prove deficient in our necessary supply, let us cast all our care, and fixe all our confidence, on him that is the maker and feeder of creatures, saying with Habbakuk, Though the figtree shall not blossome, Hab. 3.17, 18. Sed quia nos caro semper ad sua com­moda sollicitat, no­tandum est eorum sponte curam à C [...]ri­sto suscepi, quiscipsos negligunt. and though there should be no fruit on the vines, though the Olive should fail, and the fields yeeld no meat, and that there should be no herd in the stalls, though the flocks be cut off from the fold by famine, and nothing should remain for our bodily subsistance, yet faith will finde out a satisfying object, rejoycing in the Lord, even the God of our salvation, who is able and willing to support and sustainus, with means or without, as seems best to his wisdome,Matth. 4 4. sith man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of his moutb.

But some will say if divine contemplation,Obiect. Dicet aliquis non esse istud perpetuum quod saepe videamus pios dum prorsus re­gno Dei sunt addicti, fame tamen confici, & propemodum ta­bescere: Respondeo Christum etiamsi hoc modo fidem n [...]st am probare velit, respi­cere tamen è coelo nostram inopiam, & de ea sublevanda quantum nobis expe­dit esse sollicitū, Cal. could fill the hungry when food is wanting, or spirituall graces those li­ving waters, quench the most violent thirst of the body, then maximes of this nature might be sutable supports to keepe the creature from a perishing condition, and the gathering up of promises might haply help us in those heavy exigents [Page 20] not evaded by nature, but we see the devouring vulture fa­mine, seaseth promiscuously on the godly and the wicked, making a prey of them both without difference, by bringing them confusedly to the King of terrours.

We doe not aver that by gathering up the promises, as our certain support in severall calamities, we should plead an immunity from any tryall, incident to man in his transitory pilgrimage, for our life is a warfare wherein severall assai­lants, cast piercing arrows of heart-wounding pressures, the faithfull being the marke, which their malice most ayms at, whose innocence renders them obnoxious to such cruelty.

[...]uid indignatis quare & indignatio nil aliud quàm acces­sio mali sunt. Acts 17.25. Esay 51.20. Nihil enim exaspe­rat fervorem vulne­ris, quam ferendi im­patientia.Yet men that are sharers of like afflictions, may be distin­guished by their differing postures, which are as dissonant in the same distresses, as the suffering subjects are in opposite quality, the one still praying and praising God, like Paul and Silas in the the lothsome prison, the other murmuring and belching out blasphemies, behaving themselves like wilde Buls in a net, by which we may see the vitility of collecting, both precepts and promises for our various exigencies, the very crums and fragments of spirituall refection, being abun­dantly usefull in our bodily necessities.

Da nobis inter Scil­lam & Charybdem, ita tendere, & tenere medium, ut utroque periculo evitato sal­va perveniamus ad portum, Aug. Sol.The innumerable troubles of our care consuming life, both in mentall anxieties and obvious calamities, should put us upon an exact sedulity, in collecting and reserving the preci­ous promises, for these are Panchrestick or universall medi­cines, which serve for soul Physick in every disaster, they are hidden Manna to sustain the godly, who have meat to eat which the world cannot know of, these promises invest us by divine application,Ad te solamen uni­cum nostrum quem à longe quasi stellam matutinam, & Solem justitiae, vix lachry­mantibus oculis in littore, coelestis pa­triae nos expectantē videmus. with a robe of righteousnesse which covers our deficiencie, and convey unto us a plenall consola­tion, in the promised possession of our heavenly inheritance, these are our evidence giving cleere demonstration, what God hath decreed in his eternall purpose, yea teaching us to read all the glorious characters written in the records of his revealed counsell.

Having shewed the profit of collecting precepts, and also promises for our spirituall comfort, it rests that we gather up some holy observations, of the state of the godly in their va­rious [Page 21] revolutions, being somtimes oppressed by cruell enemies,Id ut fiat disca [...] non sapere, sed in re­bus confusis nihilo­minus sperare pro­sperum eventū quum Deum sequimur du­cem qui suos nūquam frustratur, Calvin. prevailing over them by power and policie, somtimes sorely lasht with the scourg of wicked tongues, piercing like swords into parts most sensible, somtime transported by gusts of ten­tation, and suddain counterblasts of erring passion in prospe­rous events in perill of security, and in adverse occurrents of deepe impatience.

Gather up, &c.

Such observations are especially usefull when we apply & appropriate them to particular occasions, and by calling to remembrance Gods wonderfull works, finde props to sustain us in our severall dejections, for as the meanest morsels of re­freshing food, are grateful & acceptable to the hungry captive,Qui enim impro­vidus ab adversitate deprehenditur, quasi ab hoste dormiens in­venitur. so the crums and fragments of such sacred observations, may prove reviving cordials in heart qualming trials, tis true, our scattered notions, while they lie dispersed, are like severed coals which be presently extinct, but being laid together, & blown up to be kindled, we enjoy the benefit of their heat and light.

When the sacred Psalmist had sweetly warbled forth the glorious promises of Gods gracious providence extended in the many particular extremities of exile sicknesse, captivity,Psal. 107. and shipwrack, he collects this conclusion from what he had gathered, in his true experience of those profitable passages, who so is wise will observe these things and they shall under­stand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Psal. 107.43.

In gathering observations we may wisely obtain the knowledge of Gods faithfulness extended to his own, whom he supporteth and sustaineth in all afflictions, relieving and rescuing them in the needfull time of trouble, they may indeed with Daniel be cast into the den,Dan 6.16, 22. Dan. 3.27. but God will shut up the mouthes of the lions, they may with those worthies be thrown into the furnace, and yet the fire have no power on their bo­dies, they may with Jeremiah be plunged in the dungeon,Ier. 38.5, 6. Consilium tamen Spiritus Sancti cer­tum est▪ quicquid ma­chinati fuerint impii, nihil omnino sine Dei nutu & provi­dentia fuisse actum, hic ergo optimum docemur, quantūvis effraeni lib [...]i [...]e Sa­tan exaltet cum im­pus omnibus domi­nari, tamen semper Dei manum ut invi­tos trahat quocun (que) valu [...]rit, Calv in Act. and stick fast in the mire an uncomfortable posture, till Ethiopian Ebed-melech compassionatly cōdoling, prevails by petition to procure his enlargment, wherein we may view what various occurrents, God makes subservient to his sacred counsell, the Prophet shall preach and proclaim the iudgements, inevita­bly ensuing to those rebellious Apostates the Princes and peo­ple [Page 22] shall combine together, in a cruell designe to put him to death, and the King shall abuse his Regall power by com­plying with them in their bloudy stratagem whose mercilesse intentions were not by fire or sword, to put a period to his painfull sufferings, but by a ling [...]ing torment of famine, cold, and stench, to macerate and torture his distressed body, yet in the depth of this dungeon would the Lord be seen, as once in the mount unto faithfull Abraham, using a Black-more as his gracious instrument, to deliver his servant from this dead­ly danger.Acts 12.7.

When imprisoned Peter was sleeping securely, notwith­standing the rage of his cruel persecutours,Quantò ille poten­tior est ad salvandum tanto ego sum secu­rior, Aug. man. cap. 22. being ready like a lamb to be brought to the slaughter, by the impetuous viru­lence of insulting Herod, that juncture of time (at the pray­ers of the Church) God wrought his deliverance by the mi­nistry of an Angel, and by an Angel also destroyed that cur­sed Tyrant, even then when he was Deified by flattering Pa­rasites, Act. 12.23.

Acts 23.12. Hic videmus ut im­piorum consilii Deus quasi ex transverso occurrat. Multa quidem si­nit eos machinare, & improbos etiā coelum conatus fluere, sed tandem ipso articulo demonstrat, se ex coe­lo ridere, quicquid in terra sa [...]agunt homi­nes, Cal. in Act.When those cruell conspiratours who bound themselves by oath, not to eat nor drinke till they had slain S^t. Paul, had carryed on their plot with such close contrivance, and Satanicall subtilty, as they supposed him their own, the Lord was pleased to infatuate their counsell, as erst hee did the Dictates of crafty Achitophel, detracting and defeating their cruell project, by the preventing policie of the prudent Captain, Act. 23.27.

Gather up, &c.

Thus we see it the portion of Gods dearest servants, to be brought by the wicked into dangers and distresses, being a­bused, contemned, and rejected by the World, who want eyes to behold their internall excellencie,1 Cor 4 9. and therefore the Apostle propounds it as his judgement, that the Saints are set forth in these later times, as appoynted unto death, yea to be made a spectacle,2 Cor. 6.5. to Angels and to men in their sor­rowfull sufferings,Operū Dei non sem­per exempla nobis apparent, sed postea tē ­poris successu consi­lium nobis suum ap­perit, atque hoc cohi­bendae nostrae auda­cia aptissimum est fraenum. enumerating many severall calamities, in­cident to Christians professing the Gospel, as afflictions, ne­cessities, distresses, imprisonments, stripes, tumults, labours, watchings and fastings, which shews our condition even [Page 23] limb'd to the life, in the due observation of these various tri­als, sharpned with labour in hunger and thirst, being con­temned as the filth and off-scouring of all things.

Which justly reproves those self-loving Christians, which cannot bear a reproch for their Master, but will rather com­ply with the wicked in their evill,Quare non mirum est, tam paucos ad fe­rendam crucem for­tes & strenuos inve­niri. Propone nihil esse, quod tibi accidere non possit, [...]on soli [...]: est prop [...]ium nosse futura Dei. then reprove by their pu­rity the unfruitfull works of darknesse, the cause of this is our being unacquainted, with casting up the cost of sincere profession, and by propounding to our selves such plausible conclusions, as are not compatible with these observations.

Indeed, next unto the soul whose invaluable worth, appears by the price which was payd to redeem it, we value fame, as an incomparable treasure, and precious jewell in our deare esteem, and therefore are very tender and sensible, of any wound or blemish therein, being deeply impatient when any obloquy, reflects injuriously upon our reputation, yet by ob­servation we may see the godly, most subject to this tryall in this valley of Baca, for those shall suffer calumnious asper­sions, to render them odious which shine cleer by integrity.Ester 3.8. Opprobria expro­brantium tibi, ceci­derunt superme.

There is never wanting some ambitious Haman, to tra­duce the Church even to Kings and Princes, representing them as he did the Jews to Ahashuerosh, under the bitter no­tion of refractory Rebels, and lading with burthens of guil­ty imputations, their precious candor by such cunning po­licy, that even Royall authority abused by misprision, may prove the stalking horse of unhallowed designes.

Gather up, &c.Nehem 6.1. Discamus quamli­bet modestè & tran­quille se gerant Chri­sti servi, & ab omni culpa remoti sint, mundi tamen probra effugere non posse.

When noble Nehemiah had improved his interest, in the Princely favour of great Artaxerxes, in building the wall and repairing the breaches, of ruined Jerusalem, the Saints desired residence, as his pious, heroick, and honourable at­chievements, have their due commemoration in Divine Hi­story story▪ we read what slanders, derisions and contumelies, were fastened upon him by Sanballat and Tobiah who with Geshem the Arabian their craftie confederate, assailed to de­feat him both by force and fraud, for which they are mark­ed as malignant enemies, with the blackest brand of perpetu­all infamie.

The most eminent in wisdome, courage and zeale, have been deeply depraved by the tongues of the wicked, witnesse our holy and innocent Saviour, causlesly affronted with im­pudent calumnies,Matth. 11.19. being called a glutton, a bibber of wine, a friend and patron of Publicans and sinners,Luke 23 2. Iohn 18.30. [...]uem nunc non modo despiciunt, sed etiam fastu suo con­culcant. Iohn 8.48. a perverter of the people, and an enemy to Caesar, a seditious malefactor, and ambitious innovator, yea such a heighth of impudence had his adversaries contracted, by the cruell custome of un­controld impiety, as they justifie their wickednesse, saying, say we not well, that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devill.

So the Prophets, Apostles, and Primitive Martyrs, had hatefull crimes still layd to their charge, as in the series of sacred and Ecclesiasticall histories, may be duly observed by the intelligent reader, which we ought the more carefully to collect for our instruction,Aufert vim prae­sentibus malis futura prospexit. in that they parallel those present calamities, which are fastned by the wicked on most eminent persons, to obscure their vertues and render them con­temptible.

Athanasius post mul­tiplicia certamina qualia vix ullum Ec­clesiae Doctorem su­stinuisse legimus, pla­cidissima morte ex hac vita excessit, cum ab initio ad finem sui Episcopatus Alexan­drinae Ecclesiae prae­fuisset quadraginta sex [...]nnis: adversus qu m totus pe [...]é or­bis conspiravit, Eu­seb. in Eccles. Cur verear Chryso­stomus appellare mar­tyrem, qui tot iniu­riis tot contumeliis tot afflictionibus, nec ad impatientiam per­pelli, nec à propagā ­da Ch [...]istiana pietate depelli potuit, Eras. Rh [...]Those orthodox Fathers whose zeale and courage, oppo­sed the current of the Arrian heresie, were grievously affli­cted with cruell contumelies and raging persecutions from the heterodox party, for holy Athanasius whose heroick spi­rit soared most high in his sacred confession, became thereby such an object of their malice, as they thirsted for his bloud and plotted his destruction, yet when he fully had served his generation, and finished his course, to the honour of his Sa­viour, he dyed in peace, and hath left for our comfort, a fragment memoriall of his zeale and piety.

Such was the condition of couragious Chrysostome, that admired elegant golden-mouthed Oratour, who set himselfe to oppose the impiety, of those times abounding with most horrid wickednesse, openly reproving those brazen-faced vi­ces, which were boldly committed in contempt of the Go­spel, which contracted upon him (notwithstanding his in­tegrity) the implacable hatred of the Empresse Eudoxia, her insulting tyranny exposed him to exile, in which he suffered most sorrowfull pressures, besides which cruelties they laid to his charge such horrid crimes as he never knew of. Yet the [Page 25] Lord was pleased to vindicate his innocency,Vbi autem in Cap­padociae, provinciam venimus multi san­ctorum Patrum Cho­rijuges lachrymarum fontes effundentiam & flentium, eò quod in exilium nos profi­cisci videbant, dice­bant tolerabilius fuis­se si Sol radios suos retraxisset obscura­tus, quam quod os Iohannis tacuit. Chrys. in Epist. Quare meritò in hanc amentiam pro­jecti sunt, ut sibi ulti­mum exitium accese­rent. Revel. 12.15. Hic est spiritus ver­tiginis quo reprobos dementat Satan, ubi in coecitatem à Do­mino proiecti sunt, Cal. Nullum nobis peius obstaculum est quam propriá arrogantia, quod scilicet sapere volumus plusquam oportet, ac inde Dia­bolica festu reiicimus, quod quid rationi nostrae non est expo­situm. and to cause it to shine in his darkest affliction, by making his name like a precious unguent, most sweet and odoriferous in the account of the godly.

Those famous instruments, which the Lord vouchsafed to use, when truth was detained in the prison of popery, even Wickliffe, Luther, Calvin, and Musculus, with many other of reverend memory, when these stood up as Christs faithfull witnesses, zealously contending for the precious faith, to set forth its luster as a new lighted lampe, which was formerly extinguished by Antichristian malice, the cruell dragon sent forth against them a revengfull torrent of raging persecuti­ons, threatning them not only with fire and sword, to be­reave them of their lives by barbarous cruelties, but also op­pressing their innocent fame, with slanderous figments and devised forgeries, representing them to the world under the horrid notions of Hereticks, Schismaticks, Impostors and Seducers, so contracting upon them by injurious aspersions, a generall odium from all estates of men.

Yet hath the Lord still frustrated their devices, and craf­ty machinations so closely contrived, that the vizor of hypo­crisie is puld off to their shame, and their folly detected in persecuting truth, the memoriall of those Martyrs and Con­fessors being blessed, and highly esteemed as venerable and precious, but the name of the adversaries putrid and rotten, and never remembred but with lothed detestation.

The carefull collecting of such observations, are very use­full for our present occasions, our times abounding with ma­licious spirits, that seeke to deprave the most pious persons, and now when the Lord by our valiant Worthies, hath done great things to the praise of his providence, we either in­gratefully contemne the benefits, or deprave the actors to eclipse his glory, not gathering for our comfort by a due ob­servation, how this Land hath been delivered from Hierar­chicall tyranny, that cruell bondage imposing upon us the insupportable burthen of superstitious ceremonies,Nihil magis est ini­qu [...]m, quam benefi­cium in crimen tra­hi, Cal. nor how the wicked were catcht in the snare, of their subtile malicious and cruell contrivements, falling in the pit which they dig'd [Page 26] for others, and snared in the grin of their destructive de­signes.

Doe we but observe how the Lord hath insatuated, the subtill projects of our cruell enemies,Hic vide nus ut im­p [...]orum consilii Deus quasi ex transve [...]so occurrat, ut praemia honoram & poenama lorum non periret. by breaking the snare whereby we are escaped, as birds out of the net of our apa­rent danger, this would be matter of joy and thankfulnesse, and the result a care to expresse true gratitude, in humble sin­cere and dutifull obedience, to our gracious God in our lives and actions.

Animi affectus cum irruperunt cūcta a mis­sent, superiora ad in­feriora detrahunt.But ah how malevolent and gainsaying spirits, requite the Lord and his gracious instruments, who by painfull industry have exposed themselves, to daily danger to secure our liber­ties, and yet when the worke is almost effected, by Gods gracious blessing on their faithfull endeavours,Apparet virtus ar­guiturque malis. their indefa­tigable labours are slighted with contempt, and secret mur­murings of malignant whisperers, & now when we are ready to reap the harvest of our long desired and happie reformati­on,Vides & ignis ab­sumit omnem obje­ctam materiam & af­fectus excandescens cortumpit quicquid fit obvium, Philo. it were just with the Lord even to blast all our hopes, by embroyling us in bitternesse, though our unnaturall divisi­ons, for these are the sins have cryed loud in his eare, being the sad effects of shaking hands, with verity from which many part now,Animus non capit veram voluptatem ni si liber metu, ac caete­ris affectibus, Plut. by closing with errour, and setting up Idols in their own evill hearts, for only by pride doe men make contention, to spin and lengthen out the thrid of our miseries, and to turn and twist it into cords of calamity, to fetter and hold us in a wofull condition.

Gather up, &c.

Gubernatores se ventorum mutationi­bus accommodant. Animi morbi cum saevium, cōpesci non possunt. Revel. 12.3, 4. Draco cauda sua [...]rahit, tertiam par­tem stellarum coeli. Psal. 104.20.This hath ever been the practice of those turbulent prag­maticks, who infested the Church in the time of her travail, when she either is under some great persecution, or labouring to bring forth some eminent reformation, then malicious Satan, that old red Dragon, appears and draws neer, to de­voure her fruit, atracting with his taile even the stars from heaven, and casting them to the earth to comply with his malice, and as when the Sun goeth down, and darknesse brings night, then all the beasts of the forrest creepe forth, so Hereticks and Schismaticks take troublesome seasons to disturb the Church in her greatest affliction, for even now [Page 27] when much of the Christian world,Omnes quidem vi­demus & privatim & publicè ad pravam aemulationem inten­tos, & in malum quasi mutua conspiratione absque voce invitant Calvin. in Harm. Ne terre at nos im­piorum furor & au­dacia, nam haec con­solatio non vulgaris est & scimus Deum nobis addesse. lies under the rage of Antichristian tyranny, they boldly break forth, like wolves of the evening, to devoure and scatter Christs silly sheep.

The sad impression of these considerations, reflecting on our soules by the view of such occurrents, may truly cheere us in our innocent sufferings, that we may with comfort hold fast our profession, for if we be deterred by the tongues of the wicked, and cannot abide the smart of that scourge, how shall we be able to resist unto bloud, in laying down our lives for the cause of the Gospel, wherefore collecting by due observation, what the godly have endured to keepe faith undefiled, it may ever incite us with fortitude and patience, to walke in the steps of their courage and constancie.

This collection is so conducible to the plenall consumma­tion,Praeclarares est ae­quabilitas in omni vita, sive laeti siue tristes vid [...]mur. of that mentall tranquility which the godly should aym at, that incessant labour is required herein, from the birth day of conversion, to our last concluding period, for little doe we know what need we may have,Nullum sine labor [...] est hominibus [...] opus, Phocyl. in the many revolutions of our transitory state, of the very fragments, and crums of re­freshment, both spirituall and temporall which we now un­dervalue,Iob 1.8. cap. 22.3. Nuncius nunc [...], cotingit vincere [...] ­minem. sith even holy Job whose heroick vertues could finde no parallel in times of prosperity, was yet so dejected in his deepe affliction, as his eminent graces were ecclipsed with passion.

Gather up, &c,

This appears in that he cursed the day of his birth, bit­terly expostulating in his sorrowfull complaint,Iob 3.1. whose bur­then was aggravated by those unskilfull Physicians,Quis enim dicat pi [...] in omnibus quae ab ipsis fiant esse imita­biles, non igitur in omnibus quae faciunt, sed sapienter & cautè debent laudam, ut sua D [...]o praerogativa ser­vetur, in cujusuti (que) laudibus, nemo potest esse nimius, quantum que laudare conetur, Neuburgensis. and mi­serable comforters his own unkind friends, for these should have applyed compassionate lenatives, to have cured the disasters of his disconsolate spirits, but instead of cordials to minister comfort, they gave him gall to augment his anxiety, taxing him with hypocrisie, and many other evils, which his innocent soule sincerely abhorred, the least of which pres­sures might have plung'd him in despair, had he not taken sanctuary in the name of the Lord, by which we may see that eminence in grace is no certain immunity from unjust asper­sions, nor the godly at all times competent Judges, to deter­mine infallibly of their own and others state, for both Iob and [Page 28] his friends had their various aberrations, and dangerous excursions in the paths of sinfull passion, which duly observed may furnish us with caution, against the time of approaching trials.

And as we are subject to sad dejections, when Gods rod lies heavy, upon our soules or bodies, so our prosperity is attended with pride and security,Psal. 30.6. Novit Deus mutare sententiam, si tu no­veris emendare vitā, calamitates infligit, non extinguere sed castigare. lulling us asleepe in the cradle of remisnesse, and thus was the kingly Prophet sur­prized, saying in his prosperity, he should never be moved, for he looked too much on the strength of his Mountain, which yet could not help him, when God hid his face, he after improves his gifts of faith and prayer, and brings out those treasures he layd up long before, till the voyce of his mourning was turned into sinning, and his sorrowfull sack­cloth to robes of joy and gladnesse, Psal, 30.11.

2 Kings 18.38. Rebus in angustis facile est contemnere vitam. 1 Kings 19.4.There was a time when zealous Eliah was highly honou­red in the presence of Gods people, his prayer being answe­red by the miraculous descent of that heavenly fire which consumed his sacrifice, yet after enforced to flee for his life, from the cruell persecution of Idolatrous Jezabel, he falls into impatience and passionate complaints, desiring death as an end of his afflictions.Solerter ergo animus ante actionis suae pri­mordia cuncta debet adversa meditari, ut semper haec cogitans, semper thorace pa­tientiae munitus, & quicquid acciderit providus superet & quicquid non acces­serit lucrum putet, Greg in Mosis. Matth. 16.17. There was also a time when holy Je­remiah, could exalt and triumph in the strength of his faith, that the Lord was with him as a mighty one terrible, and therefore his persecutors should stumble and fall, inciting the godly by his precept and practice, to sing praise to the Lord for his abundant mercies, in delivering the poore from the hand of evill doers, whose everlasting confusion shall ne­ver be forgotten, yet presently, alas, we see him transported, by a sodain Eurodydan of prevailing passion, and cursing the day wherein he was borne, as the sad originall of his labour and sorrow.

Gather up, &c.

Lapsus Pet [...]i qui hic narratur, illustre in­firmitatis nostrae spe­culum est, Cal. in Ioh. Matth. 26 72.The Apostle Peter whose sacred confession rendred him blessed from the mouth of his Saviour who put him in pos­session of the precious priviledges and divine endowments wherewith he was invested, yet being too confident of his seeming strength, and not wisely wary of his humane frail­ty, was fearfully foyld in a gust of tentation, that tript up his feet and layd him very low.

The Apostle Paul was wrapt into Paradise,2 Cor. 12 4. Qui minus delicia­rum novit in vita, mi­nus timet mortem, quae qui considerave­rit cadit superfaciem suam intelligens pro­cul sit à Majestate Dei, Hier. Quod defertur non aufertur. and honou­red with the happinesse of heavenly revelations, yet brought down again to converse on earth, and was buffeted by Sa­tan through assailing tentations, & as the Scriptures give am­ple testimonies of his various and vehement continued affli­ctions, which as it is supposed by learned Divines can scarce­ly be paralleld by any meer man, so to mee it seems as his forest triall, that he should again be tortured with inhabitant corruption, after he was elevated to such transcending ravish­ment, as was altogether inexplicable by the tongue of mor­tall man.

The use we should make of such sacred observations,In variis modis & assiduis certamnibus servum suum Deus exercuit, Hoc sibi an­te oculos speculum ponunt omnes Chri­sti servi, Cal. may become the matter of our comfort and caution, in the first we eye God in his truth and faithfulnesse, in the latter our selves in our frailty and weaknesse, he never fails us in our deepest distresses, but ever delivers us by life or death, wee wanting rectitude are prone to impatience, and ready to murmure in the sense of our sufferings, and because we ob­serve not the many revolutions, continually incident to our transitory state,Ier. 43.11. we make our bed in the bosome of the crea­ture, and fettle like Moab on the lees of our security.

This have we found by a sad experience,In summa hic poe­narum usus est, ut cautiores in p [...]sterum reddamur, nam si ad primos & secundos ictus opponimus ob­stinatam cordis duri­tiem septuplo gravi­us feriet. that when only oppressed with some bodily affl [...]ction, we have carryed our selves with bemoaning Ephraim like untamed heifers not used to the yoak, and thus for lack of that spirituall provisi­on, we should store up in time of health and strength, even patience, humility, and self-deniall, the inseparable con­comitants of faith in Jesus Christ, for as himselfe is the bread of life to feed and feast our souls to all eternity, so his precepts, promises, and effects of providence, are our daily viaticum, in our troublesome journey, Jer. 31.18.

Have we then in the dayes of our flourishing youth,Exteriora nempe pro corpore cuncta creavit Deus, ipsum vero corpus pro ani­ma, animam v [...]ro prose, ut sibi soli vacaret, Aug. in Sol. indu­striously laboured to sustain declining age, and with pious Joseph prudently gathered, a timely provision in the years of plenty, especially storing up such permanent treasures, as may serve to support us in the saddest trials, & with blessed Mary have hid up in our hearts, such prime passages of divine providence, we may then be sure in the houre of tentation, [Page 30] to stand fast in the faith,Animus magnus haeret origine suae. giving glory to God, still declining those by-ways of turbulent anxiety, which macerate others in times of affliction.

Our meditations having hitherto insisted on Christs fru­gall precept Gather up the fragments, consider we now his annexed reason, in the words ensuing that nothing be lost.

A free agent whose absolute authority, commands obedi­ence from every creature,Iob 33.13. can be no accountant as Elihu speaketh,Exod. 20.12. to render a reason of any of his matters, yet our glorious God is graciously pleased in a loving condiscention to our low capacities,Deut. 30.16. to incite our dulnesse by propounding, ends, prevalent to perswade us to the practice of duty, com­manding us to keepe his sacred precepts,Deut. 5.33. and that for our good unto all eternity,Deut. 10.13. all spirituall, temporall, and eternall blessings, being promised to excite us to a chearful obedience.

Vniquique opera­tioni est propria quae dam voluptas.Every man is prone by a naturall instinct to desire benefits and decline losses, the voyce of the first is Who will shew us any good, the complaint of the latter alas it was but borrowed, what was formerly medicated expresseth out benefit, in the considerate collection of conducible excellencies, this annexed reason is the end of our industry, by proposing this maxime that nothing be lost.

Qui bene dividit, bene docet. Quid vi [...]tus est & quid sapientia possit, utile nobis propositū est exemplar.First of the creatures from the greatest to the least, which are all at our service in their severall stations, secondly of time which our Lord and Master, betrusts us to trade with in fit negotiations, thirdly of our spirituall or temporall endow­ments, which must not lie hid like a Talent in the napkin, and fourthly a caution that we lose not our selves, in the in­tricate labyrinth of sin and errour.

We lose the creatures many severall wayes, especially by ignorance, intemperance and ingratitude in the first for want of that divine dexterity, whereby we should read in the vo­lume of the creatures,Oculus turbatus aliud pro alio cernit, & mens pravatum cogitationum confu­sione perturbata, idē patitur, Chrysost. in the second for want of a wise mod [...] ­ration, in their reverent, sober and sanctified use, and in the third for lack of an internall principle, rendring us sensible of our own unworthinesse, that humbled at the footstool of divine bounty, we may gather up these notions that no­thing be lost.

The Sun is the creature which excels in magnitude,Cur enim Soi & stellaem calolucent, nisi ut suum ministe­rium praebeant homi­nibus. Quid miserius quam scire omnia, praeter eum qui fecit omnia, & homini subiecit o­mnia. Pythagoras tanta eum veneratione prosecu­tus est, &c. Ioh. Pierii in Hier. lib. 4. cap. 2. Anaxagoras Solem Saxum cande factum arbitratus est. Quicquid excessit modum pendet in­stabili loco. In eo magis convin­citur hominum im­pietas si Deum non cognoscant, quòd non tantùm oculis e­orum sul iicit gloriae suae testimonia in suis operibus, [...] sed omnia etiam eorum usus de­stinat. Tantum seimus quantum in memoria. tene [...]us. all other that are visible in their severall dimensions, work­ing in the Sphere of its own activity, upon all Coelestiall and Terrrestiall bodies▪ communicating light to the Stars and Planets, and acting by his influence on plants and mettals, and doth these by an Ordinance from the all-Creator, who thus designed it to be serviceable to man yet the light of the Sun were even lost unto us, if our meditations should ter­minate in empty speculation, as Pythagoras who viewed it with such admiration, that he lost himselfe in his blinde su­perstition, supposing it a God, and therefore adored it, as a Deity capable of divine honour, again Anaxagoras in another extream, beholding it contemns it as no more but a stone, the one miscarryed in his lofty misprision, the other stupified in his belluine blockishnesse.

Let us therefore beware in contemplatng the creatures, that we raise them not too high in our intimate affections, but use them as stairs whereby we may ascend, to the sove­reign good our most glorious Creator, whose invisible and eternall power and Godhead, the Worlds Creation li­mits out unto us, being a vast volume wherein we may read, the various lectures of his immense power and wis­dome, there being such symmetry, order and comlinesse, in all the parts of this spacious structure, as may lead us to adore and admire him in all things, that they may not by ignorance be obliterate as lost.

Now as those excellent and beautifull creatures, styled in Scripture the Host of heaven, are to be contemplated or con­sidered of us, in their Philosophicall or Physicall relations, so are also the smallest to a grain of mustard seed, as usefull to supply our naturall necessity, having innate qualities which being known of us, doe comfortably contribute to our health and safety.

Thus the smallest of the creatures,Deus quidem à principio se per cre­aturam toti generi humano patefecit. have the prints and footsteps, of Gods power and providence engraven upon them, his beauty, bounty, magnificense and glory, shining in their excellent and various operations, and therefore the wisest of the sons of men, thought it not unworthy his royall [Page 32] dignity,1 Kings 4.33. to treat of plants from the Cedar in Lybanon, unto the very hysope that springs out of the wall, and thus the Psalmist having amply set forth,Psal. 104.2. the admirable frame of heavens glorious fabrike, comparing the expansion to a shadowed curtain,Magnifientiam ope­rum Dei, nunquam satis elogiis ornasse. wherein are involved invisible treasures, he descends to describe the earth, with its furniture, being much of it covered with the deep as with a garment, and the rest disposed of, by an ordering providence, into moun­tains,Neque tamen in­telligo subtiliter & Phylosophico more disseruisse ipsos de naturae arcanis, sed apud indoctum vul­gus simpliciter ali­quid proponere. hils, vallies, and fertile plains, the sea abounding with severall creatures from the great Leviathan to the little shel­fish, many of them being both meat and medicine, profi­table & necessary for our comfortable subsistence, the habi­table part of the earth being the basis of innumerable Cities and sumptuous buildings, her bowels and entrails replete with riches, of mettals, minerals and stones of great value, the superficies of it being clothed with a mantle embroyde­red with variety of plants and flowers,Iob 28.7. whose beauties and vertues have been the worthy subject of many discourses both pleasant and profitable,Fundavit Deus mundum supra nihi­lum, ut fundaret se mundus supra Deum. Yet this vast Globe so ponde­rous and weighty, God hangeth upon nothing as holy Job speaketh, his power being illustrated in bearing up the world, from sinking by ruine into a Chaos of confusion. Now sith all things concur in their silent harmony, to set forth the glory of an Almighty Architect, let not ignorance detain us from reading in this folio, nor from learning this lesson that nothing be lost.

Quae viri illi arca­norum naturae con­scii, ingeniis maxime omnium diligenter exploraverunt.Those eminent Philosophers who industriously extracted-the very spirit or quintessence of all humane knowledge, en­riched the world with their learned labours, in acquainting their Readers with the mysteries of nature, these did not lose so much of the creature as Ignorants doe in their senslesse, stupidity,Nihil esse in ulla arte rerum omnium quod nescirent, in o­re habent omnes eru­ditionis elegantiam Phylosophiae splen­dorem in luce consti­tuam cupiunt. but sought out by painfull and due observation, the occult operations of severall creatures, and finding out many marvellous qualities, in mettals, mineralls, stones, and plants, they communicated by writing what they collected by experience, to the benefit of present and future generati­ons, and although many of them have missed the mark, not propounding right ends in their curious speculations, yet [Page 33] their practicall proficiencie may convince those of negli­gence, who will not contemplate the visible creatures.Praeclara saepe la­tent.

The knowledge of the creation, makes it usefull to [...]us,In Aegypto omnes esse medicos, accessit huc ciborum absti­nentia, succorum her­barumque non incu­riosa cognitio. in the species of its naturall and artificiall influence, as herbs collected and fitly compounded, make precious Physick to e­vacuate ill humors, the paths we walke in presenting us with plenty of wholsome plants for our cure and comfort, in which are wrapt up such sovereign antidotes, and profitable preservatives as our bodies are in need of, and therefore we should learn in a rationall way,Vbi desinit Philo­sophus, ibi incipit Medicus. to know both their vertues and noxious qualities, that we may prudently provide fit supplies, and gather them in season that nothing be lost.

It is not in our power or purpose to insist,Cur terra producit fructos suos, nisi ut alimenta hominibus supperant, hominem ergo non posuit. Deus in terra, ut sit tanquā in theatro otiosus o­perum suorum spectator: sed ut in ejus ob­sequium homines ad­ducant. either on the names or nature of the creatures, which are so numerous and various in quality, as our life is too short for a worke of that length, our intentionall ayme being only to excite, both our selves and others, by a view of some creatures, to consi­der them all as emblems of his excellencie, whose bounty confers them to relieve our necessity, for though there be ma­ny whose venemous natures render them odious, in our or­dinary esteem, yet they carry with them a present remedy, against the poyson of their stings and teeth, neither is there any in all the Universe, from the greatest to the least but is some way profitable, either by removing things hurtfull from us, or by bringing in good to supply severall wants.

The Silk-worme doth furnish us with those materials,Quotidie videmus Deum pro immensa sua indulgentia plus largiri hominibus quam postulat corum necessitas non tantū quo reficiant vires sed quo etiam corda sua exhilerant, Cal. Hiaci [...]thus quem ab Appoll [...]ne in storem con [...]e [...]sum Poetae fa­bulantur, prudentiae, ac sapientiae, symbo­lum est, Iohan. Pi [...]rii vol. lib. 2. cap. 31. which serve abundantly for use and ornament, the Indian Nut hath severall properties, to cloath us, feed us, and quench our thirst, the little Emmet is instrumentally usefull for food to some creatures and for Physick to others, her eyes being a banquet to the delicate Partrich but ill used a purgative of vi­olent operation: So many creatures which have only vega­tion, for a little moment and then quickly perish, have a double use in affording us refreshment, and in giving a me­mento of our mortall condition, but we have no need of Egyptian hierogliphicks, to informe our judgements in such necessary, knowledge, though they may be somtimes of lau­dable use, and significant to those who want better instructi­on, in them there is truly many things observable, yet little [Page 34] that makes for our present purpose,Confusum est quic­quid in pulverem se­ctum est. In rerum natura quae spectissima flo­rent, celerrimè mar­cescunt, veluti rosae, lilia, violae, cum alia durēt, & in hominum vita quae florentissi­ma sunt, citissimè vertūturin diversum. Non decidunt folia Myrto perpetua fron de pubenti, Plinius. Contra serpentem & scorpionem ictus tripolia valere. Longè convenien­tius divinae literae per Bovem eos intelli­gunt, qui justitiae ju­gum trahunt, & fru­galibus operibus la­borem suum inten­dunt: Bovillo capite, labores sive res forti­ter gestas, ostentanti­bus. Ante alia autem tam ovis quam agnus hie­rogliphicum est inno­centiae, Hinc illud a­pud Cyprianum sapi­entissimè scriptum, meminisse debemus, ut innocentia Christi ana ovibus aequetur: Saepe summa ingenia in occulto latent, la­borantem Deus ad­juvat, Doctor Bright. Vias peculiares scru­tantur qui industrio sunt ingenio, inertis ergo est nescire quod liceat sibi, Epich. their learning leading them in another way, superstitiously to adore even the ba­sest creatures.

Neither shall we treat of those oecult qualities; mentioned by them that write of that subject, which are either in beasts, plants, mettals or minerals, because we dare not aver them for truth, Yet doe we not any way disparage those Authors, or question the verity of what they affirm, but rather take such testimonies as our daily experience, affords us for pro­bation of what we intend: Divine providence ordaining for our comfort, that wee are not infested with those cruell creatures, as Tygres, Beares, Wolves or Panthers, which are very frequent in other Climates, neither doth our land bring forth Lions or Elephants, but as they are brought us from other Countreys, but instead of these we abound with many more usefull and profitable to supply our necessity, of which for a taste I only name two, as serving to relieve us with severall benefits, The laborious Oxe first treadeth out the corne which fits us with provision both for hunger and thirst, and after hee hath spent and exhausted his strength, goes then to the stall and the shambles for our use, so the sheep an emblem of harmlesse innocence, both feeds us with its milke and clothes us with its wooll, and as I designed by di­vine bounty to be amply beneficiall to our necessitous condi­tion, it satisfies us with its flesh which is never unseasonable, but is always both fit and covenient nourishment.

But ayming at brevity in my weake meditations, I omit the mentioning of many creatures, though I reverence their memories who have positively concluded, that our enjoy­ments therein are abundantly various, and one whose learning hath rendred him eminent, and his zeal and piety worthy all honour, maintains in a Tractate the able sufficiencie, of Eng­lish drugs, for cure of all diseases, for which cause it is requi­site by rationall observation, to acquire some experience of their nature and vertues, sith the very bruits by infused in­stinct, can relieve themselves with them in their frequent necessity, and therefore man who enjoyed by creation, such an ample excellencie of universall knowledge, should la­bour by industry, to re-assume a moity of his pristine intelli­gence [Page 35] concerning the creatures,Multasque haec her­ba curatione similes vires habet, ut de illa tradunt Medici, Iris halitus pravum odo­rem corrigit, gratam­que & suavem reddit spiritum: & venena repellit, Iohan. Pierii. in Hierog. Nolite contemnere peccata quia minima, sed tim te quia plura timenda ruina multi­tudinis, etsi non mag­nitudinis: nonne be­strae minutae, si multae necant, guttae pluvi [...] flum [...]a implent, & domos deliciēt, Aug. Arcanum demens detegit aebrietas, & pudor & probitas & motus omnis abest. Hoc unum miser peccatum omnes mi­seros fecit. not ignorantly shutting the eyes of his intellect, nor sordidly stumbling in supine remis­nesse, but so willingly awaking, that he read in these cha­racters, this profitable lesson that nothing be lost.

And as the creatures are lost by ignorance, so especially by intemperance which wastes and consumes them, depriving us not only of their present comfort, but cutting the cable of our health and safety, for by this losse and abuse of the creatures, diseases and disasters like flouds breake in upon us, ruining our soules, our bodies, and estates, in the devou­ring gulfe of inevitable destruction.

But the miserable losse which most speaks our folly, is glut­tonie and drunkennesse, with their ushers and atendants, metamorphosing men like inchanting Circes, into swine the most sordid of all bruit creatures, yea basely bereaving them of their rationall faculty, and rendring them contemptible to the vilest objects, opening the sluces to let in a deluge, even to drown the soule in deepe abominations, For when men become vassals to this horrid vice, they are totally devested of all reall excellencie, and are stript and wounded by that cursed thiefe, the destroying Abaddon of the bottomlesse pit, he hardens their hearts like the nether milstone, and seares their consciences in a reprobate condition, leading them blindfold till they sodainly precipitate, into the hellish whirlpool of finall impenitencie.

Our riotous intemperance is one crying sin,Timemus in futuro ut homines famelica potius gemitabant, quàm saturi laetare, si Deus propter homi­num peccata, manum suum restringit, spon­te enim ad nos assi­duè flueret Dei libe­ralitas, nisi eam viti­orum nostrorum ob­stacula arcerent. which cal­leth for vengeance in the ears of the lord, superfluous excesse like a raging torrent, overflowing the banks of all modest sobriety, and indeed a plethory of peace and plenty, had in­troduced so deepe a distemper, as caused the Lord in his care of our safety, to lanch our tumour with a piercing sword, which heavie judgement hath lyen upon us by a civill War in our unnaturall divisions, turning our fruitfull land into barrennesse, for the wickednesse of us that inhabit therein, For men have been drunk with the bloud of the earth, and lately the earth hath been drunke with mens bloud, yet this hath not awaked them from their sottish ebriety, but still they will lose and abuse the creatures, yea though further ca­lamities be daily threatned to be thundred down from the [Page 36] seat of supream justice,Poenitētia non tam in abstinentia ciborū quam in mortificatio ne viti [...]rum consistit, Hierom. who takes it to heart by an humble sence of sin, or smites his brest saying, what have I done?

Is not this the day wherein the Lord of Hosts, cals us by our miseries to weeping and mourning, to fasting, abstinence, and humiliation, in the sorrowfull sence of our sinfull aber­ra [...]ions, yet loe instead of repentance, contention and deepe dejection for our multiplyed iniquities, there is joy and gladnesse, mirth and joviality, eating and drinking to ryot and intemperance, this frugall precept or annexed reason, hath found no place in the mindes or lives of men, who de­speratly take up the Epicures conclusion,Esay 22.13. Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die.

Lachrymae sunt te­stes naturae, non indi­ces diffidētiae, metus naturae est sed cura pietatis ex gratia est, Ambros.How have we lost those happy opportunities of hum­bling our soules in our solemne fasting dayes, when peniten­tiall sermons and sad relations did cause our ears to affect our intellect? but alas now the rod is but lifted from our backs, and we have little cause to expect a long cessation, we return to our intemperance abusing the creatures, and slighting Christs precept that nothing be lost.

Intemperance is a vice which contracts a detriment, up­on all estates and conditions of men, who lose the creatures by inverting their order,Quid genus aut virtus aut optima pro ficit illi, qui intempe­rantia accumulat sibi dolores. Noxiae mille modis. and bringing them into the bondage of vanity, Gods glory is obscured by wasting his benefits, and mans comfort abridged, doth mentall and bodily, yea the Church and Common-weale, are both sadly sensible, of the grievous guilt of this loud-crying sin, while some are devouring the fat of the land, and others are perishing in pi­ning indigence, some clothed like Dives, in silke and pur­ple,Nemo ex istis quos purpuratos vides ex hoc ipso foelix est, non magis quàm ex illis quibus sceptrum & Chlamydem in fabu­la assignant. while others are exposed to cold and nakednesse, elated with pride some revell in riot, whilst others sinke in dejected calamitie, abuse and excesse bringing murmuring confusion, and turbulent distractions upon all estates, and no marvell if miseries so much breake in upon us, and make an inundation to absorpe our tranquility, when impudent intemperance affronts even the Angel that stands with a brand: shed sword in his hand, for the Lord who hath smitten us with War and Pestilence, now threatens us with Famine the sorest of his rods, the heavens contesting by a confluence of tears, to check our intemperate abuse of the creatures.

How hath our food our apparrell and the rest,Difficile est i [...] impossibile, ut praesentibus quis feratur bo­nis, & futuris, ut hic ventrem & illic men­tem impleat. been per­vetted from their pure and pristine ordination, and abused as weapons to fight against the Lord, whose incensed fury flames out in fiery judgements, he gave us food for our re­liefe and succour, in our naturall necessities of hunger and thirst, and clothes to shelter us from heat and cold, as a mo­dest vail both to shadow and shroud us,Omnia terrena nec meliores servi, nec Domini deteriores. Hoc me ô Deus do­cuisti, ut quemadmo­dum medicamēta sic alimenta sumptutus accedam. Quomodo dicit se credere in Christum, qui non facit quod Christus facere prae­cepit. Nihil equius est quam Deo consecra­re nostra omnia. but we have abused them to riotous excesse, even to pride, prophanesse, lascivious­nesse and folly, while taking occasion of licentious liberty, we have made our selves the servants of corruption, From whence we may conclude to our shame and sorrow, that we are deeply guilty of the l [...]sse of the creature, being not only deficient in contemplative Theory, but also in the practice of sober temperance, for we have not considered how all was forfeited, and at what price bought in again unto us, which rightly remembred would duly direct us, in this pi­ous maxime that nothing be lost.

Thirdly, the creatures are lost by ingratitude, to our best Benefactor, who confers all upon us, requiring only his roy­all tribute, even the homage of humble and reall gratefulness, not only in verball or orall expressions, which present him with a formall externall complement,Quaecunquae in u­sum nostrum destina­vit Deus tanquam immensae ejus bonita tis & paterni in nos amoris symbola, ad eum celebrandū nos invitant- but in soule sincerity and mentall integrity, proceeding from a principle of inter­nall dejection, for poverty of spirit in a sence of our indi­gence will make us lie low confessing our indignity, and say­ing with Mephibosheth to his bountifull Sovereigne, What is thy servant to enjoy such favour? he counted himselfe a dead dog in comparison of many not meeting with such high pre­ferment, and so may we also esteem our condition, in our vast distance from the highest Majesty.

The Lord expostulateth with ingratefull Israel, Hosea 2.8. Sponte enim ad nos assiduè flueret Dei liberalitas. concern­ing the creatures conferred upon them, the corne, the wine, the oyle and the flaxe, their gold and their silver, which he multiplyed in mercie, yet loe what use they make of these favours,Hosea 2.12. which should have obliged them to divine boun­ty, even to ascribe unto Idols that honour and acknowledge­ment which they should have rendred to the Lord alone,Ostende mihi Do­mine quantum debeo te laudare. so many of us who have deeply drunke in the precious dew of his daily benefits, have returned rebellion instead of grate­fulnesse, [Page 38] and by slighting his favours have rendred them lost.

Our degenerate unthankfulnesse both for positive mer­cies, and private blessings proclaims our unworthinesse, the Lord hath in both enlarged his bounty,Dum omnibus coeli & terrae opibus frui­mur, in celebranda Dei bonitatis opor­tet esse exerce [...]ur. Sit igitur haec con­tinua piorum medi­tatio quum praemun­tur variis aetumnis, quum fame, aut nudi­tate, aut morbis labo­rant: quum injuriis vexantur & angustiis constricti tenentur quum videntur singu­lis momentis prope­modum à morte ab­sorbendi, hanc este sationem quae suo tē ­pore fructum profe­ret, Calvin. in Ioh. but we have for nei­ther expressed due gratitude, His gracious goodnesse is like himselfe infinite, even a boundlesse Ocean without brinke or bottome, but our dull stupidity is not capable of rendring, the debt which we owe him by a humble retribution, which is the cause that instead of gratefulnesse, we often grudge at our present condition, repining and murmuring at those se­verall taxations imposed by the State for publike necessity.

Let us now consider the condition of our brethren, whose insupportable pressures have so far exceeded ours, that there is no comparison berween our little taste, and their deepe draught of the cup of calamity, we are sadly sensible of pe­cuniary payments, which pare away the excressence of our former superfluities, but they are still pinched with most smar­ting penury, of hunger and thirst, of cold and nakednesse, the world at this day being in a combustion, and wars making waste by a cruell consumption, those horrid barbarismes in Germany and Ireland, not putting a Catastrophe to such tra­gicall relations, witnesse the wofull and heavy tydings we have lately heard, of their sorrowfull sufferings, and the Wars in the Northen and Western parts, where by sad devastation the creatures are lost.

How shall we ever returne a moity, of that thanks and praise which we owe to the Lord, who hath set his salvation even for walls and bulwarks, hedging us about with his Al­mighty protection?Esay 26.1. How should we praise him for our pre­servation, from the piercing sword which hath shed so much bloud,Praesertim nobis testis est nunquam cessare Dei benefi­cia, in quibus Pater nobis apparet. and for the enjoyment of our quiet habitations? when others are exposed to affrighting exile, we have rested in peace and risen in safety, when terrour and astonishment hath surprised such sufferers, the destroying Angell being charged to spare us, and to passe by our houses in these dayes of visitation, how should we praise him for the fruits of the earth now gathered in for our necessary sustenance, who have justly deserved to be deprived of those benefits, having forfeited the creatures by our former ingratitude, For we [Page 39] have opprest Gods incomparable patience,Petinde enim Pater familias cibum & po­tum filiis & domesti­cis suis distribuit, ita hoc juris habet Deus ut singulos tractet prout visum est, sive autem prosperis ex­hilarat, sive adversis humiliat. Beneficiorum me­moriam, nullo pacto senescere sinamus, nihil tam inhuma­num vel tam imma­ne, quam ingratitu­do: Gratitudo enim mater est omnium virtutum reliquarum: Equidem nihil tam propriū hominis esse, quàm non modo be­neficio, sed etiam be­nevolentiae significa­tione alligari, Cicero in Orat. by many wayes abusing the choicest of his blessings, and setting up Idols in our own evill hearts, to detract from the honour that is due unto his name, and in making our selves the end wee have aymed at, have ingratefully forgotten even the Lord our maker, sacrilegiously robbing him of his sacred prerogative, by sacrificing to the net of our own inventions, For he will not give his glory to another, nor permit the creature to share in his praise, but is jealous of his honour which admits no corrivall, to be shrined or adored in our intimate affections.

Wee live at his finding being dependent on him, for all our present and future felicity, and therefore should sing our Hosanna on earth, as hereafter Hallelujah in the heavenly Hierusalem, thus all the comforts conveyed by the creature, as a conduit unto us for continued refreshment, should run by gratefulnesse as streams into the Ocean, from whence they have flowed in abundance unto us.

When Plato his scholers presented him with gifts, as the ample expressions of their reall gratitude, poor Eschines con­freshing his indigent condition bestowed himself as a gift on his Master, which ingenuous Plato so highly valued, that he annexed a promise to his cordiall acceptance, that his en­devour should be to enrich him with vertue, and so render him more capable of desired felicity.

So our highest gratitude is to give up our selves, in all ho­ly service to our heavenly Master, in whose sacred Academy we have been instructed, in the saving principles of celestiall wisdome,Laus tua Domine incōprehensibilis est, corde non compre­henditur, ore non mensuratur, &c. Aug. Sol. Hoc divinitatis pro­prium est, quod sibi vendicat quemadmo­dum etiam Apostolus, Heb. 1.3. dicit cum o­mnia potenti suo nu­tu sustinere. Let therefore our souls as a living sacrifice be de­voted and consecrate unto him alone, who gave a being even when we were not, infusing into us an immortall spirit, and when we had defaced his glorious Image and razed out the Character of originall righteousnesse, he left us not to perish in that wofull condition, but sent his deare Son to redeeme and save us, The very pillars of the world were dissolved by sin, yet this mighty Atlas doth support and sustain them, bearing up the creatures by the word of his power, which else would soon sinke into ruine and confusion.

Had we been redeemed from some temporall bondage as once the Israelites from the iron Furnace, even this might [Page 40] oblige us to celebrate the memory of such a mercie in our thankfull remembrance,T [...]ss 1.10. but Jesus delivereth us from the wrath to come, even those endlesse, unutterable and incon­ceiveable horrours,Si homo non vicis­sic mimicum hominis non iustè victus esset inimicus, ergo qui extiteritagnus in passione factus est leo in resurrectione. that guilty souls not washed in his bloud, must suffer in hell unto all eternity, Yea he hath restored our right in the creatures, and given us a propriety in their peace­full possession, that they ministring supply to our severall ne­cessities, our senses may knock at the doore of our intellect, in briefe our interest both in heaven and earth, is all com­prised in his meritorious sacrifice, and therefore gratitude en­graven in our hearts, should be read in this lesson that notbing be lost.

Norma iustitiae di­vinae, est Dei volun­tas, quia enim vult ideo est iustum, non quia iustum ideo vult,The second propounded generall is time, a Talent which our Master betrusts us to trade with, & therefore we should not remisly lose it, but wisely employ it in fit negotiations, not wasting it in idlenesse, curiosity, or anxiety, the moths and cankers which consume our time, but piously redeeming it by the continued practice, of such holy duties as adorne our profession,Esay 1.16, 17. first ceasing from evill as the Prophet exhort­eth,O tempus rerum omnium preciossi­ [...]um! then learning to doe well to witnesse our sincerity, sith habituall vertues will operate by action, and take hold of oc­casion that time be not lost.

Idlenesse exhausteth this invaluable treasure, and irreco­verably wastes it in a way of omission, for although in sinne there be nothing positive, yet idlenesse especially is a meere privation, being an anonymy, ataxy, and inconformity, to the perfect purity of Gods righteous Law,Multa quae concu­piscentiae flammam incondunt. 2 Sam. 11.2. yea the pregant mo­ther and nurse of all vices, conceiving and bringing them unto maturity, for it hath been observed in divine History that some eminently famous have been caught in this snare, the bait of concupiscence covering the hook, of that guilt and infamie produced by idlenesse.

Inter caetera mala illud pessimū est, quod vitia ipsa mutamus, & ad otium diversa via mittitur, Sen. de vita beata. Themistocles was wont by a witty allusion to resemble idlenesse to an open Sepulchre, sending out continually a contagious aire, to the danger of all infected by it, who not only bury themselves in this grave, absorpt and swallowed up in sensuall pollutions, but contaminate others with their poysonous breath, and render them obnoxious both to guilt, and punishment, and therefore the light of nature detects it [Page 41] as loathsome and odious to ingenious persons,Venenata arbor rem è qua mel pessimum gignitur. and only em­braced by effeminate sluggards, the professed enemies unto worth and wisdome, for which cause Cleanthes though poor and obscure, was accounted by the vetruous more happy in his industry, then idle Domitian the luxurious Emperour who spent his time in catching of flies.

Idlenesse that devourer of our precious time, like a breach in the wall lets in thieves to destroy us,Omnia morte fini­untur, & in inferne non sit poenitentia, nec aliquis ad virtu­tes recursus, ergo dum in ipso saeculo, es, age, nequid pe­reat tempus. being a common road or randevouze of vices, which easily findes passage where this paves their way, for indeed the deficiencie or want of good, is the reall habit and presence of evill, which were it beleeved would deject and humble us, that have hitherto not viewed it in the notion of sin, yet so hatefull was it even to ethnike spirits, who had no more but the twi-light of nature, that Cynicall Diogenes would role his tub, to avoyd the cen­sure of simple idlenesse: for it is not only a personall disaster,Sicut amor veritatis sacram solitudinem requirat, ita charita­tis necessitas, rectum negotium. defaming the subject in whom it resides, but of pernicious consequence to publike concernments, which suffer a preju­dice when time is thus lost.

Time is offered as a precious benefit, in the present use and enjoyment of it, and therefore idlenesse which insensibly con­sumes it, is dangerous yea deadly in respect of its event,Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco. for as poyson kils by its venemous quality, diffusing its contagion into every part, so idlenesse woundeth yea slayeth poor souls, when it robs and bereaves them of the benefit of time, which should fasten upon us the Apostles precept,Col. 4 5. who bids us walke wisely redeeming the time, it being an abridgement of those documents of vertue, which adorne the conversati­on of most cautious Christians.

A curious wit conceiving a contest, twixt industrious Eu­phia and slothfull Argia, Armat spina rosas, molla tegunt apes. brings the first as an actour in the Scene of well spent time, the other as a factor, which trades in sloath and ease, now as vertue and valour give the prize to Euphia, for her pious, painfull and profitable labours,Voluptatem fuge, quae in posterum do­lorem parit. so the merit of infamy, and obloquy of folly, is the sordid encomium of slumbring Argia.

The present time should be valued most precious, respe­cting both our spirituall and temporall necessities, sith none can call back the day that is past, nor be sure of to morrow in [Page 42] respect of lifes brevity,Vigilare, decet ho­minem, qui vult sua t [...]mpori consicere of­ficia: nam qui dormi­unt libenter, sine lu­cro, & cum malo qui­escunt. and therefore the Egyptians in their Hierogliphicall Tables, painted Time with a forelock but all bald behinde, to shew we should be ready to catch op­portunity, and lay hold on time before it passe from us, for industry attends to graspe with advantage, the fruit which grows on the tree of time, which comming to maturity is delicious and savorie, to all but the sluggish who render it lost.

Now as idlenesse wastes and consumes precious time, so curiosity crumbles, and trifles it to nothing, for some im­ployments are so totally impertinent,Nam curiosus nemo est, qui non fit male­volus, Plaut. as they leave no foot­steps in the path of vertue, having neither precepts to regu­late their way, nor promises annexed for their happy conclu­sion, of which fort no doubt were those curious Arts, the converts repented of,Act [...] 19.19. when Christ was preached to them, for as soon as the scales of their sin and ignorance, began to fall off from the eyes of their minde,Qui utilia non qui multa novit is sapit. Vbi non quaeritur Dei veritas tota ex­terna species nihil est, & certè ubi non lucet Sol justitiae, te­nebrae animam ob­scurant. they saw such practices were Diabolicall, and altogether incompatible with Christi­an sincerity, It seems before they had highly valued the The­ory and practice of such curious follies, when the price of their books amounted to a sum so large and ample in those antique times, Act. 19.19.

No lesse is their madnesse who will try conclusions, to effect things unfensible both by Art and Nature, undervaluing the time wherein they make probation,Homo infoeliciter ad diversas vanitates à pueritia sua tractus est, ut in claro specu­lo videmus. of reallizing forms presented to their fancie, others lay out themselves and their short inch of time, in projects and monopolies for private emolument, few of these minding their concluding period, nor remembring this maxime that nothing be lost.

O mortales intem­peratissimis agimur nisi jam maturè. Quod fieri nequeat pedes hominis in a­qua obambulantes pingunt Aegyptii.Some search to finde the Philosophers Stone, endeavou­ring by Alchymy to produce perfect gold, both losing the benefit of their borrowed time, and substracting by Arith­metick their all into nothing. Some study Palmestry, and some Phisiognomy, others will calculate by Prognostication, losing by such practices the commendable exercise, of their wits and fortunes in more profitable employments: Some spend their studies in devising strange fashions,Chamaleon omnem imitatur colorem praeterquam album. in sophisti­cating food and disguising of apparrell, not considering how the Lord hath verified his threatning, in visiting these sins in this miserable Kingdom.

The use or abuse of this talent of time,Serum est tunc vive­re incipere, tum desi­nendum est. is the hinge on which our estate is so turned, that our day of nature is styled a moment, on which is impending our future eternity, for though the most excellent improvement of time, be no meri­tory cause of our ensuing felicity, yet the laying of it out in such impertinent follies, may prove a black indictment to aggravate our judgement: yet curious spirits will turne eve­ry stone till they weary themselves in the way of vanity,Varietas delectat certitudo prodest. like restlesse Sysiphus the embleme of their folly, whose doome is their destiny when time is thus lost.

And as idlenesse eats and curiosity consumes,Gratum est hospi­tium, sed grave ser­vitium curae. like devou­ring Harpies our precious houres of time, so anxiety melts and diminisheth continually, our few and evill dayes which are swifter then a poste, adding incessant, and unnecessary bitternesse, to our sorrowfull life by immoderate anxiety, which is only a care to fulfill those lusts,Humanum paucis vivit genus. against which we should rather contest by endeavour; for what is the flesh but a darling foe, which yet we indulge with too much endear­ment, it is a prison to the soule, which it fetters and man­nacles with the heavie chain and clog of concupisence, confi­ning that high borne immortall essence in a slavery unbesee­ming her pristine Nobility, and making her to drudge in the mill of anxiety,Innumer [...] quidem sunt noxarum species quibus miserè oppressos, sub pedibus de­jicitur anima. to purvey provision for her insolent hand­maid, thus Princes goe on foot and servants are mounted while the flesh usurps dominion in depressing the Spirit, and robbing us by care of that sweet contentment, which our time might afford us if it were not thus lost.

Our Saviour forbids all carking anxiety,Vitae nostrae sollici­tudines, rationem ip­sam obtenebrant. as a pest produ­cing all possible prejudice, the diseases and disasters in our mentull condition appearing in the symptomes of distracting diffidence, as what shall wee eate, or what shall we drinke, or wherewith shall we cloath us sayth unrectified nature, which cannot direct us to lift up our eyes to the liberall hand of Celestiall bounty, for which cause Christ sent us to the inferiour creatures, even to view in them the effects of pro­vidence,Matth. 6.26. sith God feedeth the ravens and clotheth the lil­lies, maintaining as the sensitive so the vegetative creatures, and will he not much more provide for his people, who have interest in his love, which is firm and immoveable, by making [Page 44] a gracious supply of our wants,Multi sunt qui vag [...] mentis errore, coelum & terram circuire, malant quam Deum se offerentem aspi­cere. Nulla magis re e­nim cruciatur homo, quàm rerum munda­narum cura. as his sacred wisdome seeth most convenient, for though care cannot adde a cubite to our stature, nor a mite to our state in the present or future, yet the gain of godlinesse is profitable to all things and confers con­tentation in every condition: O might we then cast our care on him who careth for us in our deepest dejections, avoy­ding, dividing and distracting anxiety, which devoureth our time and renders it lost.

Three sorts of worldlings are miserably macerated, with the mentall maladie of this anxious distemper, the covetous, ambitious,Angustus est ani­m [...]s quem terrena delectant. and voluptuous sort of men, who have nothing to feed on but the empty creature, and therefore no marvell their insatiable appetite is never filled with terrene enjoy­ments, sith the soules circumference is too large in its excel­lence, to be circumscribed in such poor dimensions.

Iosh 7.21. Poma Gommorhaea pulchra quidem sunt, sed cum franguntur in vagum pulverem fatiscunt. 2 Kings 5.21, 23. Quis dives, qui nil cupiat, quis pauper avarus? Hyaena vocem imi­tatur humanam, & nomen alicujus [...]dis­cit, quem evocatum lacerat. Quidam obsequio blandiuntur in perni­ciem trahant. Lupus animal est cani simile, nunc a­mico, nunc inimico, Iohan. Pi [...]rii Hiero. collect. lib. 1.Thus covetous anxiety corrupted Achan, and made him greedy of the wedge of gold, but discovered not the direfull event, to deter him from the sin of sacriledge which proved his ruine, so Gehazie hastened after noble Naaman, who freely gave him even more then he asked, but little was he aware of the spreading leprosie, wrapt up in the bribe he so cunningly gained.

Covetous anxiety consumes the precious time, by shri­ning up an idol in mans intimate affections, and making it like Michah an Ephod and Teraphim, that he may solemnly sacrifice to his golden god, this makes him also like a cruell Caniball, devouring living men in his quest of greedy gain, when spreading his net to surprise the needy, he makes all a prey which he gets into his fangs, yea such a proficient is the covetous worldling, that hee becomes a graduate in the schoole of Mammon, and falls from grinding the faces of the poore, to eat up himselfe by devouring anxiety, starving like Midas in heaps of wealth, because his desire is inlarged like hell, which puts him to the torture of wretched Tantalus, who sees but tastes not what should refresh him, Thus cru­ell to his soul, his body and his fame, he postes apace to the pit of perdition,Stultus est qui cor­tis relictis, sectatur incerta, semper ava­rus eget. anxious perplexity involving him about, yea consuming his time and proclaiming it lost.

So the ambitious person is anxious in aspiring, to that [Page 45] heighth of eminency he propounds as his end,Ad summum quic­quid venit, ad exitiū prope est. O fluxus mortali­tatis, quam tenue mo­mentum est inter o­mnia & nihil. 1 Pet. 5 5. Foeliciciter sapitis, qui al [...]eno periculo sapit. Luke 1.52. Par [...]us cinis modo est, qui magnus ig­nis fuit. Multum turbare non est multum age­re. Spes nostrae pluri­mum evanescunt, & minima quaque de causa homines ple­rum (que) exanimantur. Eadem res & utilis & perniciosa fit pro­ut ea uteris. Quid agis miser perire vis, horula una imò vel unica part [...] horulae, libidinem pa­tras quod aeternum doleas. En perditissime in­ter jocos & ludos perdidisti regnum, [...] stultissime pro ca [...]s voluptatulâ immen­sas vendidisti volup­tates: en impur [...] ­me ut dleectatiuncu­las pauxillo tempo [...]s retineres perdidisti omnia. Hic vitae innoxiae fructus est gratiam e­tiam apud extrareos, habere. Hosea 7.8. and swelling with the poyson of popular breath, he cracks like thunder to the amazement of mortals, such was the condition of aspi­ring Absolom, ambitious Haman, and haughty Antiochus, who fell like Lucifer from their heighth of glory, down into the Abysse of inexplicable misery, for the Word doth witnesse God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble, who enjoy his favour; He putteth down the mighty from their seats of dignity, and exalteth the meeke unto supream honour, which if men did consider, it would bridle their ambition, as Mi­nerva curbed her winged Pegasus, and not suffer them with Phaeton, in their insolent career, to set all in combustion in this lower Region, and indeed it is not easie to enumerate the evils, that ambition produceth in these sorrowfull times, sith the anxious pursuit of an ayrie eminence, hath miserably managed our multiplyed divisions, which should cause us now in a due regard, both of our personall and publike safety, to decline all the by paths of ambitious anxiety, in which pre­cious time is so sinfully lost.

So the voluptuous Epicure whose licentions principles, prohibits all labour as a professed prejudice, yet entertains anxiety to be a purveyor, or rather a pander to impudent in­continence, for not content with paternall provision, hee rangeth with the prodigall in extravagant pastures, and sup­posing a banquet of exorbitant pleasures, he feeds like a swine on sordid sensuall draffe, yet he findes no satisfaction to his poor deluded soule, in the anxious pursuit of all these empty husks, but like Sardanapalus writes his own Epitaph as a lasting monument of his luxurious infamie: for having de­vested his soule of right reason, his body of health, and his state of fit subsistence, he leaves little behinde him to solem­nize his funeralls, save a rotten memoriall which renders him lost.

Our precious time must be prudently redeemed, not only in the negative by ceasing from evill, but also in the positive or affirmative part, which is doing good in truth and since­rity, so shall we transcend those seeming Sedentaries, which are like a cake on the hearth not turned, being at the best but dow baked Christians, whose Religion relies on a private [Page 46] praise,Ille sapit medium qui bene utrumque tenet. for though ceasing from evill be an initiall premised, prohibiting those sins which consume precious time, yet the perfect progresse of all pious actions, are as prevalent pre­servatives that time be not lost.

The Preacher presents us with a various catalogue, of ma­ny generals produced by time,Eccles. 3.1, 2. from some of which no sex are exempted, as a time to be born, and a time to die, but to plant or pluck up to kill or to heal,Vana ergo sunt gaudia saeculi quae quasi manentia blan­diuntur, sed amato­res suos citò transe­undo decipiunt. to break down or to build, are not common to all, but as branches growing on this fruitfull tree, they are opportunely gathered to sute with our occasi­ons, our renting and sewing, our getting and losing, our war and our peace have their period prefixed: all things being beautifull, in their season by that lustre, which wisdoms rayes reflect on our actions:Bona conscientia est laetitia interna. for which cause the corollary or concluding application, drawn for our use from the former premisses, is summed into a Breviary comprized in two du­ties, that a man rejoyce and do good in his life, Eccles. 3.12.

Iubilū dicitur quan­do ineffabile gaudiū mente concipitur, quod ne abscondi possit, nec sermoni­bus aperiri, Greg.Joy is a beam of that sacred Son of righteousnesse, whose divine influence inspires true comfort, and therefore a stran­ger from the life of God, hath no claim or interest to joy in believing, the faithfull onely have internall principles, of peace and joy to revive and to cheer them, unto all the du­ties of piety and charity, wherein they rejoyce to do good in their life,Est gaudium quod non datur impiis sed iis solum qui te gratis colunt, Aug. in Con. and in this appears the apparent antipathy that is between the godly and the wicked, their actions running in an opposite current, and their conclusions as distant as Hea­ven and Hell, for the wicked cannot sleepe unlesse they have done evill which is unto them as a choice repast, but the righteous are impatient of delay in good duties,Validior est enim vox operis quam oris esteem-it their joy to do the will of God, This is indeed an improve­ment of time, being the errand we are sent of in our present pilgrimage, and should be attended as the important busi­nesse, and work of the day, that time be not lost.

There is a time of doing and a time of suffering, to be duly regarded,Multa facere mul­tas molestias cōtinet. and considered of us, some actions requiring our present performance, some causes calling for our passive obedience, but having in our way found occasion to insist, upon such duties in gathering up of precepts, I refer the Rea­der to that part of the Treatise, and onely instance in these few particulars.

Thus to vindicate truth when detained in unrighteousnes or imprisoned by errour is a redeeming of time,Tanta ab Augustino illo dictata & edita sunt, tantaque in Ec­clesia disputata, ad­versus diversos haere­ticos conscripta, ex Canoniciis libris ex­posita, & ea omnia vix quisquam studio­sorum nosse & perle­gere posset, Possid. in vita Aug. if by open confession, and undaunted resolution, wee stand up to mayn­tain it, both with tongue and pen, which was the work of those famous Worthies the godly Fathers in contesting with Hereticks, whose divine dexterity in defending the truth is admirable and imitable to succeeding generations.

So resisting unto bloud in Christs cause and quarrell, was graspt of many Martyrs embracing opportunity, who ac­counted it their glory by innocent suffering, to passe to the palace of heavenly felicity, these vindicated truth and redee­med time, improving and augmenting their betrusted trea­sure, and are entred already through the strait and narrow gate, into the immortall inheritance which they lookt and long'd for.

In brief the pious and prudentiall practice of all religious and morall actions,Convenientibus la­boribus vendunt no­bis omnia bona divi, quâ nil est melius nec utilius. mortalibus, Euripid, are a profitable employment of our pre­cious t [...]me, whereby it is redeemed from losse and detriment, and therefore sedulity and constant diligence is of great ne­cessity while our day continueth, because the night commeth when no man can worke, which should alway excite us that time be not lost.

And as we must be carefull that neither the creatures, nor time be lost for lack of fit improvement, so in the next place our regard must be expressed, that our gifts become subser­vient to our Lord and Master, for we consider those endow­ments spirituall and temporall, conferred upon us by divine bounty, as betrusted talents wherewith we must negotiate in the affairs of his Kingdom that nothing be lost.

Spirituall endowments are radicall graces,Tantū scimus quan­tum immemoria tenemus. Gal. 5.22, 23. Grande profundum est homo, euius ca [...]il­los tu Domine nume­ratos habes, & tamen capilli eius magis nu­mirabiles sunt quàm affectus & motus cordis, Aug. seated in the soule as their proper subject, as faith, love, patience, humility, and many like vertues called fruits of the spirit, of which should I treat in taking any of them as a Theam propounded to my serious Meditations, I should but even light a candle to the Sunne, and expressing my weaknesse illustrate others worth. For the Lord hath abundantly extended his favour, in stirring up the spirits of his many zealous servants, by their learned labours to limbe out the beauty, and expresse the effigies of those sacred excellencies.

Wherefore I proceed not to any definition, or quaint de­scription of those divine qualifications, but intentionally aym to shew that we are responsible for all our endowments both of grace and nature, not that any simply shall become an accountant, for the happy fruition of such transcending treasures, but for the use and improvement of them, which shall cleerly manifest their true proprietaries, for where the sincerity and truth of these graces, are infused by the spirit in­to the soule of man,Nunquam enim in eodem statu manent, sed saepe obumbrari pollunt. they cannot totally or finally perish, though their acts and operations be not always apparent.

It must then be received and retained as a principle, that spirituall endowments are of two sorts, either saving graces in their reall verity,Ambigua splendens nos fallit imagine for­ma, & veri specie nos l [...]dit opinio falsa. or common gifts in their reputed excel­lencie, sith both of these proceed from the spirit, being given to edifie the Church of Christ, and although they be various in their divers operations, yet are they concurrent as effects of one cause,Inanis est sermo docentis, nisi intus sit qu [...] docet. the former to build up our selves in the faith, and saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, the latter for the use and instruction of others, who are to be united to the mysticall body.

Now because there be shadows and pictures of graces, which much resemble their reall habits, we should daily be trying the truth of our endowments,Officium est fidei v [...]ritati Dei subscri­bere quoties & quic­quid & quocunque modo loquitur. that we be not cheated with counterfeit pearls, for there may be such an eminence of common gifts, where saving grace is not truly radicated, as may possibly deceive both our selves and others, with the meer dead shadow and image of faith.

Obumbrari potest gratia quia non est Deus, extingui non potest quia est à Deo, divinae voluntatis do num est, non humanae [...]agilitatis meritum.Again we may passe an uncomfortable censure, upon our selves in desertions or afflictions, as if we were bereft of those spirituall endowments, and totally devested of all sa­ving grace, which misery befalls us when Satans malice and our own incredulity conspire to betray us, assailing and bat­tering the fort of our faith, by falsly affirming that our gra­ces are lost.

It will therefore be usefull in the houre of tentation, to know that our graces be right and reall, our faith being built on no sandy foundation, but fixed on the rock whose strength is our confidence, and because we know there will come a time, wherein our gifts must abide a triall, let us prove and [Page 49] examine the truth of them all,Nunquam desperat Satan perditionem n [...]stram nos de salute nostrâ saepiùs despe­ramus, Chrysost. in hom. 34. in Matth. Non credit in De­um qui non in eo solo collocat totius foeli ci­tatis suae fiduciam. Zach. 28.1. Ier. 17.9. Iames 1.5. Si sola est fides qui purificat hominum corda, restitutionem Dei imaginis in no­bis per Christum de­clarat. by that rule of life the light of Gods word, for this is that pure and transparent glasse, which shews us the spots and defects of our endowments, even the weaknesse of our faith, the scantnesse of our love, the cold­nesse of our zeale, and poornesse of our patience, and as it manifests the blots and blemishes, which obscure the beauty of our brightest graces, so it shews us the pure aed most precious fountain, which stands open to purge away sin and uncleannesse: and sith it is impossible that naturall sagacity should fathome the depth of our deceitfull hearts, the Word directs us to aske wisdome of God, to discover our unsound­nesse and spirituall deficiencie, that driven from the props of all carnall confidence, in the seeming excellencie of our best endowments, we may lay all our weight by a holy depen­dance, on Jesus Christ our all-sufficient Saviour, for it is not the merit or worth of our faith, which justifies our persons in Gods sacred presence, but the object apprehended, even the Lord our righteousnesse, who renders us lovely which else had been lost.

This innocent pure and immaculate Lambe, hath sacrificed himselfe the price of our redemption and discharged the debt wherein we stood obliged,Fides impetrat gra­tiam qua lex imple­tur. to answer the exactnesse of inflexible justice, freeing us thereby from those infernall sorrows, which guilty souls must eternally suffer, and giving us the earnest of an immortall inheritance, reserved for ever in the heavens for us,1 Pet. 1.4. and because that nothing unclean or polluted shall enter the gates of that celestiall City,Revel. 22.27. we are washed and purified in his precious bloud, from all our ori­ginall and actuall defilements,1 Iohn 1.7. yea invested by him with the garments of salvation and robe of righteousnesse which co­vers our deformity,Esay 61.10. not from the eye of Gods sacred omni­science, but from the stroke of his revenging justice,Fides odor gratiae gustus indulgentiae, reconciliationis ju­cunditas, & serenatae conscientiae suavitas, so we see that faith is the roote which gives sap to the severall branches of our other endowments, by fetching from Christ the fountain of grace, such continuall supplies that they can­not be lost.

If then we desire to enjoy the comfort of lasting graces which may ever flourish,1 Pet. 1.23. they must be the off-spring of that immortall seed, which endures for ever and parallels eternity, [Page 50] and therefore beleeves who possesse by precious faith, those durable riches which cannot be exhausted, are especially cal­led as a peculiar people, to be forward and zealous in all good works, [...] 2 14. 1 Cor 13.8. Laudo fructum bo­ [...] operis sed in fide agnosco radicem. 1 Cor. 13.1, 2.3. for prophesying may fail, and tongues may cease, yea knowledge may vanish, and common gifts perish, but grace is permanent when produced from faith, being acted by love, and attended with humility.

That love acts our graces when they be sincere, most plain­ly appears from the Apostle his conclusion, who deciphered the vanity of such empty endowments, as are not acted by reall charity: for this pregnant grace like the tree of life, hath alwayes fruit which is fresh and flourishing, no heat of per­secution,Amor quae desinere potuit nunquam vera fuit. nor drought of affliction, can cause it to wither, to dye or decay, witnesse its continued and constant operations, in a speciall influence on all our duties, the love of God at­tracting like the Load-stone,Nihil nobis prae­stantibus à Deo pos­sedari, quam spirituo gratiam imo sin haec nihili reliqua omnia esse. our selves and our love unto him again, for it acts out faith, confirms our hope, perfects our patience, and regulates our zeale, animating and quick­ning those graces in the soule, as if love were even the soule of our graces, for as in the motion of some curious engine, one wheele artificially moves all the rest, so are our endow­ments in their divers operations, so acted by love that they cannot be lost.

1 Cor. 13.4, 1.Three ample eminencies are ascribed to charity by the Apostle Paul in his sacred Encominm, for first he extols it in a negative excellencie,O amor praeceps, amor flagrans, amor vehemens, dulciter capis, strenue strigis, sapienter erudis, nee consilio temperaris, nec pudore refrena­ris, affectus es desi­derabilis, experien­tia dulcis, jucundita­te plenus, & fruitione [...]ternus, Con. id. as never doing ought worthy of blame, secondly, he gives it an affirmative praise, as effe­cting all things deserving commendation: and thirdly, he admires it in its perpetuity, transcending in permanence all other endowments, and as he calleth it the fulfilling of the Law, so may we style it the mirrour of the Gospel, being a glasse wherein the truth of our graces are cleerly discerned to be right and reall.

The theory of love is a divine subject, befitting the dig­nity of an immortall soule, whose vast apprehensions were created capable of those finite comprehensions in their mea­sure and degree, for as nothing more manifests mans degene­rate misery, then his hateful antipathy to God and his Saints, so our regenerate happinesse is never more illustrated, then [Page 51] in shewing the effects of his love unto us,Amo unum bonum unum, in que su [...] o­mnia bona & sufficit, Desideria simple [...] bonū, quod est omne bonum & satis est. Aug. this leads us by an internall principle, to universall obedience both active and passive, quickning our endowments in their various ex­pressions, as the primum mobile of our sincere endeavours, and this put a difference between the Sacrifice of Cain and Abel, though the actions were alike, because they proceeded from contrary causes, and propounded ends as directly opponent, which shall teach us caution in religious duties, and charita­ble performances though eminently specious, that we looke what influence the love of God, sheds abroad in our hearts, to set our hands to worke.

Let then our compassion in condoling others miseries,Amor purgat men­tem subjicit spiritui carnem, corfacit contritum, & compassio­nem efficit veram. be acted and regulated by the law of love, which commands us so to sympathize in the sorrows of our brethren as we would have others to condole our distresses, not behaving our selves like the Priest and Levite, who would take no notice of the poore wounded man, but rather resemble we the good Samaritan, who extended pitty both in care and cost,Luke 10.31, 32, 33, 34 35. for what will it profit by a perfunctory complement, to bid the poore be warmed and filled, if we cover not their nakednesse,Iames 2.16. nor feed their hungry bellies, by a seasonable supply of their severall necessities, for love is bountifull and will not capitu­late, but goes to the price to perfect good beginnings,Prov. 3.28. not bid­ding the poore goe and come again to morrow, so making the eyes of the needy to fail.

Hath it then been our care to finde our compassion in the sence of others sufferings to be acted by love,Qui laudem homi­num intuens dedit si­bi, non pauperi dedit, aut si quid dedit vendidit, non dona­vit precium est illi vi­deri. Non tamen semper culpa videri, fed velle videri. hath no sinister end of applause or affection, been as flies in the oyntment to putrifie our pity, but that only eying with bowels of mer­cie, the bleeding condition of Gods poor afflicted, wee have sincerely assisted them, with such satisfying comfort, as our selves would desire in like time of adversity, for ostentation is lothed of love, which is not puft up with the blast of vainglory, but casts down her crown at the footstoole of her Saviour, whose love like an Adamant attracts her to du­ty, yet a cup of cold water shall not lose its reward, Matth. 10.42. Luke 21.3. Ele [...]mosyna par [...] magnum estopus. nor the widows mite be cast in undervalued, but even these shall stand registred in the records of love, which preserves the memoriall that it shall not be lost.

N [...]le [...]incendi ge­n [...] est p [...]ti [...]ntia, [...]in­cit qui pa [...]t si vis vincere di [...]ce p [...]ti, quia optima injurio ultio est oblivio, Sen. Heb. 12.1. Arcta est verè via, quae ducit ad gaudia vitae.And as our pitty so also our patience is acted by charity which directs it in suffering that it may truly transcend those morall excellencies, which many Ethnicks have eminently obtained, whom although we admire for their aequanimity both in prosperous calmes and stormes of adversity, yet dare we not propound their negative excellencie, as a leading principle to guide us in our way, for we have the Saints as a cloud of witnesses whose patience was acted by fervent cha­rity, and their tryals were as Trophies of the victorious conquest,Esay 53 7. they atcheived in contesting for a Diadem of glory.

Piissime Domine qui sic nos amasti & salvasti sic vivificasti & sublimasti: Nonne hic est ille innocens mi Domine quem ut servum redimeres fi­lium tradidisti. Nun­quid non auctor vitae hic est, qui ut ovis ad occisionem ductus u­bique obendiens usque ad mortem factus.But our highest precedent of love acting patience, is hee who was led as a lambe to the slaughter, or as a sheep be­fore her shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth in any murmuring impatience, Love brought him from heaven to converse on earth, and to beare the burthen of our sins and sorrows, by undergoing to the utmost, what the justice of God, or the malice of man might inflict upon him, and this was no involuntary or constrained patience, but spontane­ous in the ingresse and progresse of his life, love acting all his doings and sufferings, to the plenall consummation of our eternall redemption, so he is a mirrour of absolute perfection, in viewing of whom our eyes will be amended, and our souls illightened and enlivened by love, which acting our graces they shall not be lost.Commiseratione po­tius & emendatione, quam insectatione & perditione digni vi­deantur qui quaeren­do veritatis aberrâre à rectoscopo, Cass. in Epist. Haec autem justa & pia ira quam Scripturâ vocatur zelū Dei, cum sit iracundia a­more Dei & pietatis excitata, qualis Chri­stum invasit, cum ne­gotiatores expulit à domo pattissui.

And as love acts our patience so also our zeale, that it may not preposterously transport our affections, or lead us blindfold to the shelfe of temerity, on which so many have been wrackt and ruined: it rectifies zeale that her ardent opperation, may only act for God and for his glory, ascending heavenward like a flame from the Altar, which is sweetly perfumed with odoriferous incense.

Zeale acted by love like celestiall fire, burns up the drosse of our dearest corruptions, and consumes such combustibles as lie in the way, to hinder us from celerity in the paths of truth and peace, for as radicall heat in the naturall body, is our grand colume of life and motion, so zeale in the soule is of speciall concernment, by its quickning influence upon all our duties, and as our naturall heat is discerned, from that, which [Page 53] is adventiciall, by feaverish distemper, so pious zeale is di­stinguished by the effects, from that which is preposterous and not fitly principled: now as radicall heat is to be care­fully preserved, by diet, physick, good aire, and exercise,Haec vehementia & severitas non vacat omni i [...]â so must zeale be kept lively by the motions of the spirit, that it be not extinct and so rendred quite lost.

Our fire on the hearth is of much utility,Vnde enim tot er­rorum labyrinthi in mundo, nisi quod ho­mines proprio sensu nonnisi ad vanitatem & mendacium fe [...]un­tur, Cal. or rather neces­sity for severall occasions, and therefore we feede it with fuell continually, and blow it up to maintain and preserve it, but if it be in the roofe or seeling, where mischiefe is threatned if it come to a flame, we quench it speedily, even while it is smoaking, to prevent the feare of a future danger: so zeale is most precious when its sacred operations, move in the Sphere of its own activity, being guided by love,Profecto quaedam sunt tam absurda, ut refutari non merea­tur. and divinely regulated, by the dictates and directions of essenti­all verity, but if it wander in sinister paths, and declines the assistance of holy simplicity, it growes wilde and turbulent and impassionate fury, throws firebrands, arrows, and mor­tall darts, witnesse the distractions and exorbitant tumults, which have roared aloud from those bellowing brainsicks, who set Germany on fire by their odious insurrections,Quis titulum falsò ad evertendam salu­tis doctrinam praete­unt, sibique domina­tionem arrogant. and may ruine England if mercie prevent not, zeale is in these of no more concernment, then fiery mettall in a horse that is blinde, who rusheth himselfe and his too rash rider, on the rock of some violent inevitable danger.

Zeale acted by love invites moderation, and sacred sapi­ence to become her associates, whose sollid gravity and so­ber posture, are usefull to byas her swift agitation,Major pars saepe vincat meliora. Psal. 69.9. that her heavenly heat may reflect on fit objects, and not be exhau­sted in fanaticall distempers, for the zeale of Gods house is so pure and powerfull,Importabile est ze­lus absque scientia, nam unum lapsum multa trahit errorum millia. that it eats up all politick preposterous interests, this may we see in those holy Martyrs and coura­gious Confessors contending for the faith, being meeke as Moses in their own private quarrels, but ardent zealous in the cause of their Master.

Thus ayming at brevity in my limited lines, I willingly omit the many probations, wherein I might manifest how pious zeale being acted by love, hath her sundry operations, setting an edge upon all our endowments, and rendring them [Page 54] usefull in their heighth of improvement, [...]isti nos Domine [...] inquierum igi­t [...]r est cor nostrum, [...] requiescit in [...]. inciting our dulnesse and quickning our graces by this due memorandum that no­thing be lost.

And as our graces are produced from faith, and acted by love which gives life unto them so are they ever attended with humility, as the badge or Ensigne of sincere reality, for the humble apprehension of our spirituall indigence, is the first beatitude mentioned by our Saviour, which placeth this a­bove in the front of vertues, which men put below in the reare of disesteem,Matth 5.3. [...] gratis respicis humiles & misericor­diter salvos peccato­res. the poore in spirit being those humble soules, who lie low dejected in the sense of sin, knocking im­portunately by their prayers and tears, at the gate of mercie for a gracious answer.

Tanquam passer cu­lus pede alligato, ita g [...]mit anima sub one­re peccati.H [...]mility attended the specious endowments, of the Pa­triarks, Prophets, Apostles, agd Martyrs, who ingeniously confessed their frequent failings, as did holy David, Joh, Jeremy, and Daniel, these humbled their souls in the peni­tentiall practice, of duties conducible to their solemne occasi­ons,Psal. 51.8. and have left us a modell of their frame of spirit, deci­phered in the record of Divine History: There may we read of their broken bones,Psal. 38.8. their roarings groanings & wounded spirits, their mournfull tears and passionate complaints, pou­red out as expressions of their internall dolours:Ezez 9.6. Their fa­ces were covered with shame and confusion in the humble apprehension of the heinousnesse of sinne,Hab. 1.13. well knowing, that the Lord hath most pure eyes,Peccatum est de­sectus vel indignatio vel actio pugnans cum lege Dei offen­dens Deum, damna­ta à Deo, & faciens reos aeternae irae, & aeternarumpaenarum, nisi sit facta remissi­os, Chem. in loc. and cannot endure to be­hold iniquity, this causeth the soule to lie prostrate before him, amazed at the view of its own deformity, the loath­somnesse of sinne being so hatefull an object, as cannot be set forth by any humane skill, it being defective, infective, ac­cursed, shamefull, a leprosie, a gangrene, a frenzie, meere fil­thinesse, and therefore we have cause to be humbled conti­nually, while we carry about us this body of death, no mar­vell then though Gods dearest servants, were deeply hum­bled at the sight or sence of sin, when their brightest graces were often ecclipsed by the darke and dismall clouds of this contagion.

But some will suppose the similitude improper, to parallel their state with our present condition, they being under that [Page 55] yoake of the Law,More fidelium qua­druplex dicitur, ad peccatum quae morti­ficatio vocatur ad le­gem quatenus est peccati virtus ad mundū quia mundus iis mor­tuus est, deni (que) mors naturale quae est ini­tium vitae aeternae. Heb. 10.14. Acts 26.18. from which we are graciously freed by the Gospel, they living in darke and obscure days, before the time of Christs reall exhibition, we having the light to shine round about us, in the plenall consummation of what they expected: Why then should we (say they) be humbled for sin, when the debt is discharged, and the Bond also cancelled, our Acquittance sealed, and the worke fully finished, which puts us in possession of a Quietus est.

We gratefully acknowledge all this is true for Christ Je­sus hath compleated the worke of our redemption, and by one offering hath perfected for ever, all them that are sanctified by faith in his name,Nemo recte possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui speraverit in­dulgentiam. but from these premises to draw a con­clusion, that we ought not to grieve or be humbled for sin, is no due inference, or have we just warrant to omit the duty upon such ground, for our cleerer light is the greater engage­men to oblige us by love to the practice of penitencie, sith the mercy of God, and the merit of our Saviour, concurred to save even us that were lost.

None can deny that the godly of old, were wrapt even as we are in the mantle of pollution, for all mankind had sinned in Adam, and were thereby deprived of originall righ­teousnesse:Rom. 5.18. shall we then conclude that the second Adam was lesse powerfull to save then the first was to destroy, or that the efficacie of justification, was tyed to the time of Christs actuall suffering, this were to deny them the saving benefit of that free grace which they truly possessed, the Scrip­ture styling Saints and righteous, as being justified by faith in the promised Messiah.

Neither may we judge that all those which lived, in such times as the ceremonies of the Law were in force, were there­fore under that curse or malediction, which the Law denoun­ceth against them that breake it,Rom. 6.14. for all beleevers both then and now, being under grace are freed from that yoake,Gal. 3.9. and as Abraham was justified by faith in the promise, even so are the faithfull in every age,Iohn 8.56. he saw the day of Christ and rejoyced, embracing the comfort revealed far off, the Scrip­ture averring of the godly fathers, as their highest honour,Heb. 11 39. that they dyed in the faith.

Their eminent graces were attended with humility, and [Page 56] abnegation of themselves and their worth, for Abraham cal­leth himselfe dust and ashes, even presenting his Petition for sinfull Sodome, Gen 18.27. Jacob confesseth he is lesse then the least of all Gods mercies extended unto him, David is a worme in his own esteem and Heman accounts himselfe free amongst the dead,,Gen. 32.10. Psal. 22.10. Psal. 88.5. Io [...] 42.6. Ezra 9.6. Ier. 13.17. Dan. 9.3. Matth. 26 75. Rom. 7.24. so holy Job abhorreth himselfe, humbly repenting in dust and ashes, Ezra blusheth to lift up his face being asha­med of the sin which others committed, Jeremy mourneth and weepeth in secret for the pride and pertinacie of a stub­borne people, Daniel addresseth himselfe to the Lord in pray­er and supplication with fasting and sackcloth, Peter weeps bitterly for his heinous offence, and Paul is humbled for in­habitant corruption,Nobis dormit Chri­st [...]s, & nos suscitet à somno. Nemo Domine te quaere valet nisi te pejus invenerit. All such narrations being written for our learning, who have need of exemplary light to direct us, sith we are to ready to embrace such tenents, as shake off this practice as totally impertinent, But were we acquain­ted with the odiousnesse of sinne, and the deepe deficiencie of our best endowments, it would make us more humble in our approaches to the Lord, whose mercie it is that we are not quite lost.

Why should we thinke these Worthies incapable, of the saving benefit of justification, when the Lambe was slain from the foundation of the world,Revel. 13.8. in whose bloud they were washed from all their sins,Revel. 1.5. Christ Jesus being yesterday in the time past, to day and for ever a compleat Saviour, al­though the revelation of that sacred mystery,Heb. 13 8. be now more amply and cleerly made manifest.Ephes. 1 9. These were a part of that glorious Church, which hee purchased to himselfe with a price invaluable,Ephes 5 27. the Saints being only that selected number, which are living members of his mysticall body, shall wee then divest them of those sacred priviledges, wherein they were interested by the grace of adoption, or our selves of the benefit of their godly example, by a false supposition of a legall disparity, for either we must contradict the Holy Ghost which Paul spake by in his fixed confidence,Ephes. 5.30. saying, into thy hands I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth, Psal. 31.5. Expiatio Christi vi­get in aeternum. Heb. 11.1. or else we must confesse that by joy in believing, they had plenary possession of the promised redemption, faith being the ground of things that are hoped for, and the evi­dence of things which are not seen.

The eleventh to the Hebrews is not only a catalogue,Non credit in De [...] qui non in eo solo collocat, totius foelicita­tis suae fiduci [...]m. but a specious Chronicle of the faith of the Fathers, wherein the excellencie of their saving graces, are collected and proposed as a pattern unto us, shall we then decline that way of hu­mility, wherein they walked to the promised rest, by dream­ing of a happinesse in abandoning this grace, above the ca­pacity of our present condition: Nay rather know we while sin hath a being, that sorrow attends us even on every side, the godly still both humbled for their personall failings, and also for the evils of the times in which we live, These are the men which the Lord will have marked,Ezek 9 4. that approaching judgements may not seaze upon them, the mourners in Sion, being they that like Moses still stand in the gap,Psal. 106.23. to divert his displeasure, for though heaven be Gods Throne,Esay 66.1. and the earth his footstool, his glory transcending all finite compre­hensions, yet will he looke to him that is poor,Haec est nostra inte­gra & perfecta glori­atio in Deo, quando propriae justitiae nos inopes agnoscimus. contrite and humble, that trembles at his Word, how sweet is this pro­mise to a penitent soul, that seeth the deficiencie of all its en­dowments, and leans on the prop of this word of truth, which never failing he cannot be lost.

And as humility attends our addresses to the Lord, so it commends our graces in the view of men, as being an index of internall vertue, and a silent embleme of all sacred excellen­cies, examples whereof we have for our instruction, in the li­ving Library of the lives of holy men, whose lowly deport­ments are recorded to posterity, as a powerfull inducement to the practice of humility.

Holy Abraham became a petitioner to Lot, when their rustick herdmen were in contestation,Diversas voces componit humilitas, & concordi omnes tono temperat, Plut. craving with meek­nesse to compose a difference, which the Canaanite and Pe­rizite might else have derided, for such an opposition in a tri­viall occasion, might have opened the mouthes of those hea­thenish Idolaters,Gen. 13.8, 9. to blaspheme the Religion which they professed, who being one in their judgement, were at odds in their practice,Placidis & ap [...]o compositis verbis fe­ra hominum corda mitigarit, & agrestes moras explicaverit. Loe here the more emment prefers his inferi­our, and gives him the prerogative of chusing or refusing, pro­posing unto us an imitable precedent, of rare endowments attended with humility.

So his lowly carriage to the people of the Hittites, was al­so [Page 58] an evidence of his milde moderation,Ge [...]. 23 7. who being a stran­ger acquaints himself with them by a sweet insinuation both in words and gesture, giving them that reverence whereof indeed himselfe, was the true proprietary as they freely ac­knowledge, being reputed among them as a mighty Prince, or as Junius renders it a Prince of God. Gen. 23.6.

This vertue of humility hath ever attended the specious en­dowments of the excellent on earth, for holy Jacob who in­herited the blessing, was richly qualified, with this rare or­nament, and what could have been more usefull unto him in the many revolutions of his painfull pilgrimage,Gen. 27.27. then an hum­ble spirit submitting both to exile, and obscure employments from that Nabal Laban, Gen. 30.27. Numb. 14 2. How could meeke Moses have en­dured the murmurings of that proud perverse and stifneck­ed people, had he not been dignified with divine humility, which fitted him to beare all the burthens of their folly? How should holy Job so bravely have encountered the bitter brunt of such crosses and losses,Sapiens guberna­tor in tranquillitate tēpestatem expectat, & rebus tranquillis ad dolorem aliquem praeparandus, est ani­mus. Iob 1.21. 2 Sam. 16.10. if his humble soule had not former­ly meditated, on the naked condition of our birth and death? How should royall David so silently have suffered, the ra­ging reproaches of rayling Shimes, if his humble spirit had not stoopt so low, as it was out of the reach of that roaring Cannon.

But the heighth of excellence is our humble Saviour, who proposeth himselfe as our most perfect pattern, saying unto us,Matth. 11 29. 1 Iohn 5.3. and to all his Disciples, Learn of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart, adding a promise to his sacred precept that we shall finde rest, yea rest to our soules, for his yoke is easie and his burthen light, his comandements not greivous nor hard to be borne, no clog so heavie as the chain of pride, which hath made men companions to infernall spirits, nor no yoke so easie a [...] the love of humility, which attending our graces they cannot be lost.

Scimus Deum saepe mercedem repende­re umbris virtutum, ut o [...]tenda [...] sibi place­ri virtutes spias.Thus have I briefly though weakly treated of our spiritu­all endowments which are sound and saving, and in the next place shall propound common gifts, promiscuously conferred on the godly and the wicked, the one by vertue of a rectify­ing principle, returning all to the praise of the Donor, the o­ther receiving such expressions of bounty, but not using them rightly, they are rendred quite lost.

When Saul was called to be King of Israel, 1 Sam. 10.9. a spirit of government was bestowed upon him, and a spirit of valour which fitted him to vindicate,1 Sam. 11.7. Mark 3.14, 15. poore Jabesh Gilead from the affront of the Ammonites, so when Judas was called to Apostolicall dignity, he was endowed with abilities to preach and worke miracles,Acts 6.5. and Nicholas the Deacon was chosen being a proselyte, as a man reputed full of grace and wisdome, so Demes, Duatrephes, and many others,2 Tim. 4.10. 3 Iohn 1.9. Revel. 2 6. had tem­porary faith and eminent endowments yet proved Apostates, and by totall defection, have rendred themselves and their graces as lost.

These gifts are either mentall, bodily, or accessary,Nulli unquam de­trahas, nec aliorum vituperatione te lau­dabilem videri malis, Hieron. being the ornaments or tapestry of the lesser world, which is quaintly beautified with these transient jewels, that are va­riously valued in mens different esteeme, for some have pla­ced their summum Bonum in mentall riches, not knowing him that gives them, the Stoicks have supposed an immunity from passions, to be the very highest attainable felicity,Animus non capit veram voluptatem, nisi liber metu ac cae­teris affectibus, Plut. not considering that vertue teacheth men to regulate, but not to annihilate these forms of appetite, which are of most ex­cellent and laudable use, when rectified by wisdome from inordinate excesse.

The Epicure esteems a plentifull enjoyment, of sensuall pleasures as his sovereign good, the Mammonist counts gold his numen divinum, and the ambitious makes honour his adored Idol, the Machiavell gives maximes to circumvent by policie,Opus est fortitudine & prudentia contra passiones insurgere. and the Monopolist wrongs all to advance private gain, thus our rationall powers are miserably blinded, by the the interposition of prevailing passions, which subdue or suf­focate those specious excellencies, which by right should rule, not be ruled by them.

The most excellent gift is the understanding facultie,Voluntas libera est in maloquia malis de lectatur, in bonis ve­ro non libera est quia non liberata ab amo­re peccati. which sits Queen regent enthroned in the soule, the will and memory being those Noble Peers, with whom she consults in the affairs of this Microcosme, the affections and pas­sions are those turbulent Pragmaticks, that doe ill offices by misinformation, abusing those high and superiour pow­ers, to have their ends though they ruine all subser­vient to these are our bodily sences, which are by [Page 60] the soules immediate operation, being the organs whereby the species of things are heard or seene or perceived by us, the members of our bodies are inferiour agents, employed in their worke by the superiour powers,Discite ô miseri, & causas cognoscite re­rum! each totally vitiated in the fall of man, whereby not their essence but their excel­lencie was lost.

This causeth aberration and miserable ataxie, in our pu­rest naturals, till rectified by grace, and yet comman gifts may be very illustrious, in the admirable abilities of unsanctified nature, for here may reside the ample theory, of all divine and humane learning,Splendida peccata. brancht out by art into severall Ideas, resembling the habits even of reall graces, but alas they want an internall principle, to give them life in a spirituall existence, and therefore still are but common gifts, which being things transient may quickly be lost.

Providentia enim hominibus lucrum est maximum, Sophocles. Robor & murum & arma sapienti pru­dentia praestat, Py­thag.Mans intellect is capable of severall endowments, by grace or nature infused into it, the first wee have considered in their spirituall excellence, the later we shall briefly now view in their place, for knowledge doth not terminate in empty speculation, or the naked theory of divine or humane things, but must be attired in a habit of gravity, that may fute with the eminence of its birth and worth, for which cause those ingenious & active spirits, which acquired most of this much estemed treasure diffused it again for the benefit of others the light of nature directing them therein.

August. de Civit. Dei, lib. 8. cap 4. Socrates is sayd to excell in the active, Pythagoras in the contemplative part of Philosophy, but Plato conjoyned them in a perfect genus, which he subdivided into these three sorts, the morall which chiefly consists in action,Per arborem malis aureis fulgentem philosophiam & illum scientiarū orbem quo vis auro pulchriorem & pretiosiorem in­telligimus, quem mēs sapientiae cupida, perpetua vigilantia, & studio indefessò sectatur, Cass. Parm. in Or. the naturall as the subject of contemplation, and the rationall which teach­eth in a logicall way, to make a distinction between true and false: but with him to determine of the end of all actions, the cause of all natures, or the light of all reasons, Saint Au­gustine thought it both tedious to follow, and rash to affirme by a positive conclusion: yet admires his excellency as far transcending, the most eminent of others in Theologicall knowledge, and therefore fingles him from all the rest, as an absolute epitome of all Ethnick perfections.

So Aristotle & Pliny were very profound, in accute searching [Page 61] out many naturall mysteries, wherein they improved their acquisite sagacity, and enriched others both with light and learning, but he that translated Aristotles Problemes, hath lost the commendation of his art and industry, the vulgar tracing of such abstruse footsteps, being of perniciou conse­quence, to licentious Wantons.

Aeneus Seneca, who as some suppose,Homo doctus in se semper divitias ha­bet: nam sola omniū possessionum virtus homini auferri n [...] ­quit. both wr [...]te unto S [...]. Paul, and received writing from him, was free in taxing the turpitude abounding in the fabulous theology of the times wherein he lived, and though subtile discourse and solid judg­ment, be seldom inherent in the self-same subject, yet in Ci­cero and Seneca were found a concurrence, both of art and elegance in their highest apex.

The noble Mithridates, Hippocrates, and Galen, Mithridates maxi­mus primo invenitor antidoto, ex quibus unum etiam nomen ejus retinet, peruner enim haec scientia, ad Principes, & Reges illustrissimos. were fa­mous for their knowledge in the usefull art of Physick, so Gentius, Lys [...]machus, and Artimisia, had their Princely stu­dies much exercised this way, improving by experience what art or nature, presented to the view of the eye or intellect, their prudent observation paving us a path, to the precious fountain of that noble Science.

And as the improvement of the liberall arts,Omnium bonarum artium magistri erant have illu­strated the gifts of wise and learned Authors, so the curious handycrafts set forth the excellency of mans naturall inge­nuity in its sundry operations: Cain being the first that had skill in Architecture, and built a City in the infancy of time, calling it Enoch by the name of his son, to register his Po­sterity in the records of fame,Tubalem appellant, qui instrumenti mu­sicae inventor fuit. so from his family was deri­ved to others the musicall numbers, and arts of most antiqui­ty, though their ample excellence and polished perfection, were not brought to maturity untill after ages.

Now although both Philosophy, Physick, and Musick,Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amor. Astronomy, and Geometry be of great utility, yet practicall knowledge hath worn the garland, and her followers are ranked among the most eminent, for these have been famous for cardinall vertues, even Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude, and have by common gifts atteined such mo­rality, as rendred them exemplary to succeeding generations.

Fabricius was fortified in his c ndid integrity, as nothing could divert him from ingenuous dealing, for his solid mind [Page 62] being byassed with vertue,Roma patrem pa­tr [...], Ciceronem libera dixit. his actions swerved not by feare or favour, King Pyrrhus his gold, nor his promise of pre­ferment, in sharing unto him so much of his Kingdom, could prevail to make him perfidious to the State, or to go a hairs breadth from his innated honesty. How famous for vertues in their various kindes, were also those other noble Romans, as Regulus, the Catoes, the Scipioes, the Gracchi, whose admired excellencies are mentioned in history,Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 2. cap. 21. and therefore S. Augustine worthily wonders, that these were not deified in their blind superstition, sith the gods they worshipped, were vicious men, or rather Devils as he learnedly pro­veth: but in stead of such honour the valiant Scipio, the con­querour of Hannibal, and tamer of Carthage, was ingrate­fully banished from Rome, Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 3. cap. 21. which he preserved, to poor Lin­ternum where he dyed.

Nemo unquam im­perium flagitio quae­situm bonis arribus quandiu exercui [...].The revolutions which alter mens personall estates, have a speciall influence upon their common gifts, prosperity and adversity, dejection and dignity having their severall effects in the minds and lives of men, for as some are elated by their riches and honour, so others are cast downe in the sense of their sorrows, but vertue is expressed when humble conti­nence and resolved patience still regulates them both.

Seneca sayth of riches and power, that they are a large field for vertue to walk in,Natura nihil fru­ [...]a agit. where various endowments in their differing expressions, may take their turns and not justle one another, for here is a spacious and desirable way, to discover magnanimity in its utmost extent,Quanto regitur tan­t [...] magis aestuat ignis in the liberall distribution of those severall gifts, as are eyther of the minde, the body, or estate. Now though indigence cannot expresse munificence, nor obscurity manifest all mentall vertues, yet poverty may illustrate the endowment of patience, and limne it to the life in most orient colours, and though here be no arme of out­ward potency, to execute the dictates of distributive bene­ficence, yet want cannot suffocate internall excellence, but still it will shine in the midst of fortunes malice.

So valour is bright where apparent dangers and obvious difficulties occur to impede it, as in Hercules his labours, and Hannibal his marches,Quod fuit durum pa [...]i, meminisse dulce est. who cut his passages through the rocky Alps, for Alexanders atchievments had never been so [Page 63] memorable, if he had not vanquished a potent Darius, nor had Julius Caesar atteined such eminence, if Pompey his An­tagonist had been weak or obscure.

The tedious absence and troubles of Vlysses, Si nihil infesti du­rus vidisset Vlysses. Penelope foelix sed sine laude foret, Cir. illustrated the constancy of his prudent Penelope, and Admetus his misfor­tune even ministred matter, to his chast Alceste, to expresse her vertue: but contrariwise the height of prosperity and a surfet of pleasures proclaimed the infamy of great Agrippina and imperious Messalina, whose vices made them the mon­sters of our sex. Thus they which improved what natures light, & fit education infused into them, have set forth the pul­chritude of these common gifts,Consummat [...] est infoelicitas, ubi turpia delectant. conferred upon them by di­vine dispensation: but they which have quenched the speci­ous sparks of common ingenuity by impudent wickednesse, were convinced of their madnesse, and irrationall stupidity, from those rayes that shined in the lives of others. Hence see we that the Gentiles who knew not the law,Rom. 2.14, 15. did by na­ture the things cōtained in the law, these having not the law, were a law to themselves,Non decipitur ratio nec decipit unquam. the effect of the law being written in their hearts, but the other which had the same light of na­ture, and yet did not improve it, by like vertuous actions, be­came miserably vain in their imaginations,Rom. 1.21. and their foolish hearts were replete with darknesse. The use to be made of such informations should teach us the improvement even of common gifts,Actus voluntatis à voluntate produci­tur, sed à ratione suadetur. wherein many of them made such happy pro­gresse, as we come far short of their seeming excellency, and have cause to blush at our brutish ignorance, who live in the sunshine of Christs glorious Gospel, & yet have not answered by a holy conversation, the sacred means we have sweetly en­joyed: If they knew so much then we may know more, our light being derived from the meridian of mercy, w^ch though they walkt in darknes, and the shadow of death, hath guided our feet in the paths of peace.Sicut ad corporis sanitatem non est sa­tis ut peste quis v [...]l pleu [...]itide careat sic ad animae sani at [...]m requiritur omnium vitiorum abdicat [...]o. Luke 19.20. How should our piety excell their prudence, & our Christian purity their morall vertues, lest they rise in judgment, & condemn our remisnesse for non improvement even of common gifts, which may lie heavy on those slothfull servants who hide up the talent of their Lord and Master, bereaving themselves of the use of their endow­ments, which resting in the napkin are rendred quite lost:

Inquiramus quae sunt illa praesentis vitae praeclara, divitiae, glo­ria, potentia, magnū aestimari ab homini­bus, & videbis, nihil illis esse incertius, & s [...]cut in rota quae con­tinuò versatur, aliqua pars ejus eo quod crebtâ circumferentiâ, semper summa fiunt ima & ima summa, &c. 1 Cor. 6.20.Thus much for our common gifts that are mentall, our bodily and accessary are now to be considered, and they be both so obvious to sence, as every one may know the pos­sessours of them, for that men are young, strong, healthfull and active, is cleerly conspicuous to themselves and others, that they be rich, or honourable, or in eminent authority, is usually engraven in most specious characters, but the excel­lency of spirituall or mentall endowments, are not so easily or certainly known, for which cause we have laboured with such perspicuity as brevity permitted, to paint out their effi­gies, and make them discernable.

Neyther can wee without the possession of grace, enjoy the comfort of these accessary benefits, much lesse can wee use them as organs of righteousnesse, in giving up our all to God and his service,Miserias enim cu­mulat hominum in­gratitudo, nam Deū meritò provocat im­pio contemptu dono­rum suorum ad hor­ribilem excandentiā. Cal. in Act. 2. for these ornaments of nature were not given unto us, to gratifie Satan and our own concupiscence, but to be subservient to the reasonable soul, that the Lord may be glorified in our bodies and spirits, shall wee thinke that our wealth, our power or authority, were given us as weapons to contest with our Creatour, that we should with those Gyants which warred against Heaven, even fight with our God in abusing his gifts, No these are conferred as firm obligations, to ingage us more exactly to duty and thankful­nesse, in the pious improvement of all our endowments, which otherwise employed, are even rendred quite lost.

The transient mutability of our present condition expres­seth the decay of all our outward gifts, our bodies being tossed like brittle barks on the tempestuous Seas of succeeding cala­mities for a counterblast of sicknesse in the morning of our youth, will quickly wither our beauty and strength, and make us sensible of a sad revolution, as a monitor to minde us of our certain mortality,Solamen miseris so­ [...]es habuisse dolores. but if wee live till declining age, we are daily infested with severall infirmities, which rush in like waves till they ruine nature, and resolve us again to our original principles.

The keepers of the house will begin to tremble, and the strong men to stoop and bow by decaying, the grinders to cease because they are few,Eccles. 12.3. and they to wax dark that look out by the windows, The Almond tree shall flourish as old [Page 65] age its ensigne,Miser homo quare omni horâ te non di­sponis, cogitate jam mortuum quem sis necessitate moriturum, cogita qualiter oculi vertentur in capite, venae rumpentur, conscindetur. In tribunal mentis ascende ut rectè & sincerè judices illud bonum esse quod in Dei iudicio est bo­num, & illud malum esse quod in Dei iu­dicio est malum. Mala conscientia est spinain oculis, & sagitta in viscoribus, quo Siculi Tyranni non invenere tormentum maius. and the grashopper be a burthen where health is exhausted, and a deluge of distresses overwhelme by inundation, our abilities of nature til at length they are lost.

We may not suppose that the span of our life, which Job sayth is swift as a weavers shittle, is all our own, or to be dis­posed of, as we thinke fit in doing what we will, fith by ma­ny casualties we lose the use, of those instruments of action, even the members of our bodies, some being deprived of sight or hearing, others being lame or bereft of lims, and the most if they live till a length of years, are defective in all or in some of these, which should teach us to improve the best of our strength, health, wealth, & honour, in the service of our Master that when he shall summon us before his Tribunall, we may render our account with abounding comfort.

The cursed hypocrite may have common gifts, and so gain an esteeme by his seeming sanctity, but the spirituall im­provement even of temporall endowments, is only peculiar to the possessors of grace, for these are they that employ their talent, of naturall knowledge or acquisite wisdome, to finde out truths revealed in the Word, and to walke by that light as the guide of their lives:Iob 31.17, 18. Iob 31.20. Thus may we spiritualize our ac­cessary gifts, which sanctified unto us are of much utility, as did holy Job who used his riches to relieve the poore the fatherlesse and widow,Iob 29.15. and to clothe the naked whose loynes did blesse him, because they were warmed with the fleece of his sheep, his gracious abilities were as eyes to the blinde,Iob 29.8. and as feet to to the lame to succour and support them, at his honourable presence the young men withdrew,Iob 29.13. and the aged arose to render him reverence,Iob 29.17. Quanta adversus cum iacula missa, quanta admota tor­menta iactura rei fa­miliaris infligitur, Di­ves incensu Dominus & in liberis pater di­tior, nec Dominus repente nec pater est, Aug. de Temp. Ser. 105. for he used his power to vindi­cate the oppressed, and to deliver, him that was ready to perish, he brake the jaws of the wicked and ungodly, and plackt away the pr [...]y which he held in his teeth, Loe how a concurrence of riches and honour authority and power were improved by him, who when he was tossed with waves of calamity could comfort himselfe that he had walked in integrity, for al­though he humbly confesseth his failings, as not able to answer God one of a thousand, yet so wisely and innocently had he carryed himselfe, as Satan was non plust when he came to accuse him, Howbeit the Lord in his abundant wisdome, did [Page 66] try him by the losse of all these enjoyments, that as in in prosperity hee was eminent for vertue, so his radiant graces might shine in affliction, his admirable endow­ments had their daily exercise, and continued improvement in his justice and liberality, but his faith and patience were then most illustrious,Inter illas augusti­as & pressuras suas Dei benedictio vi­ctrice patientia prae­dicatur. Matth. 25.28. when nothing was left him but the Lord alone, and as he is a mirrour of exemplary excellence, teaching as to trade in the employment of our gifts so the end of his affliction was a diadem of comfort, and a double dow­ry of all accessary endowments, Job. 42.10.

Our Saviour commands to take away his talent, who hid it in the earth and would not negotiate, and give it unto him who improving the five had made them ten by his in­dustrious imployment: for to him that hath (sayth he) shall be given an abundance of blessings attending his endeavours,Matth. 25.29. but from him that hath not a care to use it well; even that which he hath shall be taken from him. This may we see verified by daily experience, in observing the passages that are obvious and apparent,Hosea 6.4. the gifts of some men being like Ephraim, his goodnesse as the dew of the morning, which soon goes away, but grace is a treasure which cannot be exhausted though health and wealth and honour should fail, her pre­cious effects being permanent riches, and these are the en­dowments can never be lost.

Mare terras & omnia percurre, scrutare u­niversa & ubique mi­fer eris, nil ad Deum refugeris.In the reason annexed to Christs sacred precept we gene­rally considered a prohibition of losse, first, of the creatures, secondly, of time, thirdly, of endowments spirituall or tem­porall, wherefore man being styled the lesser world, as com­prizing in his excellence all finite perfections a caution is given that he lose not himselfe in the intricate labyrinth of sin and errour.

Foelix qui potuit, rerum cognoscere causas.A man loseth himselfe when he loseth his way, wandring in some by path beyond his intention, he loseth himself when he walks in darknesse and sodainly falls into unexpected dan­ger,2 Kings 6.26. he loseth himselfe when others mislead him, as the Arami [...]s were led into the midst of Samaria, and he loseth himselfe by refusing a guide, which is able to direct him in the wayes of safety.

The metaphor of walking is frequently used for the pro­gresse [Page 67] of our lives either in good or evill,Vniversos nihil pos­se quàm creare, quam diu à Deo non reguntur, nam quumonines in tenebris coeci ver­sentur, Deus Verbi sui luce nobis afful­get, Ergo nisi malitia occupati occulos clausissent Christus con­spicuum facere pote­rat. the practice of ver­tue and pollutions of vice, being the opposite wayes of the godly and the wicked, which should teach us heedfully to shun all sinne, as the sad originall of all our miseries, and the intoxicating cup which so soon as we tasted, we went out of our way, and so became lost.

Errour and sin are terms so convertible, as they cannot be disjoyned nor easily distinguished, for mentall errours contaminate the soule, as vicious practices pollute soule and body, yea so are they involved and wrapped together as they cannot be untwisted by any division, but joyntly make up such cords of iniquity; as draw men insensibly into pits up perdition, for which cause the wicked are branded or stig­matized, with a note of infamy describing their folly,Prov. 2.13. in that they decline the streight wayes of righteousnesse, to walke in the by paths of darknesse and errour,Latet anguis in herba, & mertem species fallere saepe solet. which I wish were well considered of many in our times who looke not upon errour in the notion of sin, and therefore slight it with some poore evasion, as not guilty of censure by our selves or others.

Christ is the way the truth and the life, by whom alone we must go to the Father, therefore they that have no interest in Jesus Christ, are out of the way of life and salvation, the excellencie of his wayes, are set forth unto us,Prov. 3.17. Quod malum in se est, non potest esse modaliter bonum. as wayes of pleasure and paths of prosperity, which caused the godly to bee ever solicitous, of walking sincerely in that sacred way.

Mistakes in our way are the originall of errours, and the leading cause of our many aberrations, and therefore the godly have frequently inculcated, their desires herein, by va­rious expressions, somtimes by option breathing their devo­tions,Psal. 11 [...].4. O that my wayes were direct (say in the Psalmist) som­times by question in a case of such concernment, wherewith shall a young man clense his way? Psal. 119 9. Psal. 119.30. somtime declaring their constant resolution, I have chosen the way of truth, sayth ho­ly, David, as most eligible, [...] petitioning divine di­rection, to be taught the way where he should walke, Psal. 142.8. somtime professing his provident caution,Psal. 39.1. I sayd I will take heed to my wayes, somtime affirming by a positive conclusion, they doe [Page 68] no iniquity that walke in his wayes, Psal. 119.3. for the way of the just is like the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day: Prov. 4.18. Have wee not cause then to use all endeavour to be rightly informed concerning our way,Ier. 6.16. fith the Lord himselfe by his Prophet commands us to aske and enquire for the old and good way.

Porro non mirum est, tantam errorum ac superstitionum ca­liginem in mundo grassari, ubi tam pau­ci in Christum aspici­ant, Cal. in Ioh.The immortall soule created for felicity, by her naturall in­stinct seekes the sovereign good, but having by sin lost her pristine way, shee wanders like a vagrant till rectified by grace, for Adam lost by his sinfull defection the way of his comfortable created excellence, a Christian standing with a flaming sword to keep the way of the tree of life, but now Christ hath paved us a fresh and living way to the Throne of Grace through the vaile which is his flesh, and hath left us his Word and Spirit to direct us, in a perfect way to the heavenly Canaan, Scianus erga quum lucis obtinendae ra­tio, nobis in Christo ostenditur. but every errour is a crooked way, diame­trially opposite to the rectitude of verity, which neither de­clines to the right hand or left, but as a rule of righteousnesse still shews us our way.

Immortale odium & nunquam fanabile vulnus. Iuven. Satyr.Much is the trouble which at this time the Church grones under concerning a way, which though Satans malice and mans miserable at axie, hath ministred the matter of uncom­fortable contests, for what can be more grievous to godly souls then to see faithfull brethren fall out by the way,Difficilimum est, eos reconciliare, qui ex arctissima familiarita te in mutuum odium venerint. when they that are one in fundamentall truths, shall yet be divided in circumstantiall differences, this is not to contend for the precious faith, delivered to the Saints in the sacred Scriptures, [...]o it rather a deviation by unnecessary bitternesse, from walk­ing in the wayes both of truth and peace, which makes the hearts of the righteous sad, and strengthens the wicked in their pride and prophanesse, who tell it in Gath to disgrace the Gospel,Operarius iniqui­tatis, in mala gaudet. Haeresia-machia, in­star sagittarum ipso­rum corda vulnerant. and publish it in Ashkelon to reproach our Religion.

The fruit which grows on this tree of contention, hath a noxious quality and of dangerous consequence, and may be resembled to those poysonous plants, whose shadow proves deadly to those that sleepe under them, so dissentions have ushered in pernicious errours which haue slain and wounded many sleeping souls,Error magistri ten­tatio discipuli. rendring them obnoxious to those [Page 69] secret pitfalls, into which they are plunged t [...]a [...] erre from their way.

And as errour is a maze wherein we lose our way, so is it darknesse which involves us in danger,Arius in Alexandria seintilla una fuit, sed quia non statim op­pressa, totum orbem ejus flamma populata est. 2 Thess. 2.11. Haeret lateri, lethalis arundo. by the first we are transported from the path of precious truth, by the latter en­tangled in the trains of errour, for those strong delusions have prevailing influence, especially on them who believe not the truth, and the Word doth witnesse they are sent of God, as judgements to punish their impious aberrations: O then beware of rejecting verity, and slighting Christs voyce, in his lively Oracles, lest indulging a lye thou be made an ex­ample, of his justice in punishing one sin with another.

There is nothing more contrary then light and darknesse,Hieronymus Augu­stino gra [...]lans illi quod haereticorum o­mnium moruit odium quod quidem gaudet sibi cum illo esse commune. nor any thing more opposite then truth and errour, now for falsehood to put on the shape of verity, needs the cunning contrivement of some great Archimaga, and therefore Satan that subtile Sophister comes in with his fallacies to circum­vent us, and pretending new light so wraps us in darknesse, as we cannot discover our approaching danger.

His stratagems are many, and of direfull cons [...]quence,Laqueos posuit in verbo, & in opere, & in omni via nostra, ad capiendas animas nostras. all tending to the eversion of our spirituall comfort, not enduring the sway of Christs sacred Scepter, the Word of truth to di­rect and guide us, and therefore as he blindes the wicked and prophane, with the filthy foggs of all grosse abominations: so he darkens light to delude the simple, that errour embraced may render them lost.

One engine which he useth to advance his enterprizes,Venit tentator te­nebrosus, non defuit locus, non defuit tempus. Exit quidem aliq [...] splendoris specie [...] fed fulgori sim [...]l [...], quae nihil quàm ocu­los praestringat, Cal. in Ioh. cap. 3. Diversa Daemonum genera sunt, qui nihil aliud die noctuque o­perantur. Gen. 3.5. hath a double edge to circumvent and slay us, turning two wayes both besmearing the truth, and painting out errour in a borowed beauty, for one of his methods into cast asper­sions, like mire in the face of transparent verity, that her glorious lustre being thereby obscured, shee may seeme con­temptible in the view of the vulgar, but contrarywise hee adornes soule errour, in the grave and near mantle of a seeming sanctity, and so covers her deformity with a vail of vertue, that shee may in the darke be admired as amiable.

The Scripture is cl [...]re in proving this assertion, from the deceit he used in beguiling our first parents, to whom he ac­cuseth even the God of truth, as maligning the fruition of [Page 70] their attainable happinesse, whereas himselfe was that cursed Apolyon that bereft them of felicity by his murtherous lying,R vel. 9.11. tempting them to taste of forbidden fruit, which wrapt man in darknes thus wofully lost.Serò te amavi ô pulch [...]itudo antiqua [...]nova tu [...]intus eras [...]go f [...]ras, Aug. Thus hath he ever obscured the beauty, and depraved the dignity of divine truth, by ca­sting an odium on the most illustrious, as we formerly shew­ed in collecting observations, for the lustre of verity is so transcendingly ravishing, as all should be taken with the admiration of it, if the malice of Satan did not darken her resplendence, by casting in some prejudice to prevaricate our judgement.

Mihi satis est si Christo Domino meo & sanctis suis placue­to, Diabolo & suis squamis invisum me esse ex animo laetor & gratias ago Deo me [...], Lutherus. Iohn 8.40.It were easie to accumulate in the series of History, many severall examples to prove this maxime, for did he not move the Patriarks to envie, against poore Joseph who told but the truth, they thought to have prevented his Propheticall pre­dictions, revealed in his dreams which hee told unto them, but the Lord would not lose one tittle of that truth, which they sought to exterminate by their cruell malice. Gen. 50.20.

De tenebris euntes in tenebras, nesciunt ubi corruant, Miseri qui nesciunt quid a­mittant, & miseriores utique quisciunt quid amittant, qui cadunt apertis oculis, & de­scendunt infernum viventes.The voyce of him who is truth it selfe, confirms this con­clusion instead of many witnesses, when he tels the Jews that they sought to kill him, because he was a man that had told them the truth, against him as a man they could finde no accusation, but they stumbled at the truth which discove­red their darknesse, for they could not endure to heare of that excellence, the divine Deity that dwelleth in his man­hood, nor patiently would suffer the balme of his truth, to breake the head or heart of their vices: This was the origi­nall of all those aspersions, and bitter calumnies they fastned upon him, their hatred of that truth which so shone in his doctrine, that it bewrayed the darknesse which they lived and lay in: Which was obvious to Pilate that unjust Judge, who knew the high-Priests had delivered him for envie and yet had not courage to vindicate his innocencie but cru­elly condemned him against his own light,Matth. 27.18. Matth. 5.10. yet our Saviour told him though he were a King his regall power was not of this world,Iohn 18.36, 37. but that he was borne and came among men to bear witnesse to the truth,Heb. 9.16. which he sealed with his bloud, and as himselfe so many of his Saints, have lost their [Page 71] lives for witnessing the truth;Diaboli filii sunt qui homines ab Ec­clesia seducendo in­terficiunt, Cyril. their cruell enemies the ch ldren of darknesse declaring against them by malicious slanders.

And as Satan is malicious in depraving pure truth, so he paints out errout to advance his darke Regiment, and is very ambitious and active to adore her, to delude the sim­ple, with her seeming beauty, for these shee incounters like that impudent harlot, with flattering kisses and insinuating postures, making an ample and elegant Narration,Prov. 7.1. Serpens nisi edit Serpentem, D [...]aco non fiet. of the pleasure and profit is gained by her enjoyment, but that shee may bring in the prey to her net, shee promiseth peace offerings and paying of vowes, that seeming sa [...]ctity thus placed in the front, unhallowed policy may bring up the reare, after shee proceeds to ensnare with her ornaments,Prov. 7.16, 17, 18. the tapestry, carved works, fine linnen of Egypt, the perfu­ming of her bed, with myrrh aloes, and cynamon,Majoris minor esca ferae. and with all this variety satiety of love: So he followeth her indeed as an oxe to the slaughter, or a fool that goeth to the stocks for correction, not aware of a dart which strikes through his liver, nor knowing that her guests are in the depth of hell,Prov. 9.18. for errours den is both darke and deadly, being a lively embleme of the bottomlesse pit, for if any fall into it, they neither know when, nor where they shall stay in that dole­full danger.

The way of the wicked is resembled to darknesse,Hic est spiritus ver­tiginis, quo reprobos dementat Satan, ubi in coecitatem à Domino projectisunt. be­cause they know not whereat they stumble, and those that are involved in the darknesse of errour, have the feet of their affections tript up in their stumbling, so that they fall from one evill to another, and hardly are re­duced into paths of truth or peace, unlesse mercy dart in, some cleere Gospel light, to dispell that darknesse in which they were lost.

The Philosophers say there is no pure darknes, wherin there is not some mixture of light, so we may say there is no errour,Non dantur gurae tenebrae. wherein there is not some mixture of truth, for erroneous spi­rits have boasted of this, that they hold many principles of undoubted verity, yet the leven of their errour so sowreth the lump, that it makes no sweet bread of sincerity and truth: For as darknesse is a privation of light, so is sin or errour, there [Page 72] is nothing positive,Mala voluntas, est effici [...]ns causa ope­ris mali, male autem voluntatis efficietem causam nemo quaerit non enim est effici­ens sed deficiens causas vero deficientes velle invenire tale est, ac si quispiam ve­li [...] videre tenebras, vel audire silentium, quod tamen utrum (que) nobis notum est, ne (que) illud nisi per oculos, ne (que) hoc nisi pet au­res, Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 12. cap. 3. Luke 18.33. Iob 38.1. neither are they efficient but rather defi­cient, the evill of defect not admitting definition: yet we know there is darknesse where we see no light, and perceive there is silence, where we heare no sound, but to see the dark­nesse, or to heare the silence, transcends the activity of our eyes or ears.

The darknesse of errour is a dolefull condition, beset with dangers which are almost inevitable, because being insensible of this mentall malady, they seldome seek to the heavenly Physician, it is easie to convince grosse sinners of their evill, who somtimes with the Publican, will smite upon their breast, and say God be mercifull to me a sinner, as conscious to the guilt and weight of their sin, but to make men understand that they are in an errour, requires the ayd of a divine power, that may speak with a witnesse, as the Lord did to Job, even out of the whirlwind to declare his majesty: for hee was in an errour when hee thought hee might expostulate, to know the cause of his severe correction, or plead with God as a man with his neighbour, requiring satisfaction by the rule of equity, but when hee saw the errour of his rash request, hee was humbled for it even in dust and ashes, his deep appre­hensions of a dreadfull Majesty,Iob 23.5. deterring his soul from that lothed darknesse:Iob 42.6. So the folly of his friends and their rigid censure, in judging him an Hypocrite was a grievous errour, howbeit they thought they had pleaded for God,Iob [...]2.5. to vindi­cate his justice in Jobs condigne punishment, but the Lord plainly tels them,Iob 42.7, 8, 9. Non fit mare tran­quillam nisi cessave­rint venti, non extin­guitur ignis nisi ma­teriam incendii spi­narumque sacramen­ta detraxeris. Canes feroces ad ovem vocem irritan­tur. In oculo c [...]civitium nocte durante coeci­tatis est, sed non aspa­ret nisi luce veniente. his wrath was kindled, because they spake not the thing that was right, and bids them bring sacrifice, that Job may pray for them, to divert the judgments their sin had deserved,

I wish the godly in our present times, would acquaint themselves to consider such passages, that they might beware of erroneous mistakes, in contracting harsh censures on other of Gods people, for the bitter root of our sad divisions, bo [...]h in Church and State, hath by these how much fastned, and cannot be pluckt up, to end our calamities till darknesse be dispelled by the rayes of pure light: sith nothing hath so hindred our happy Reformation, not retarded the setling of [Page 73] a pious discipline,Diligite homines interfierte erro [...]e [...], si­ne superbia de veri­tate praesumite, sine saevitia pro veritate contendite, Atha [...]. as the miserable disturbance both of truth and peace, which darkning our counsels have rendred them lost.

Let this teach us caution in respect of our frailty, for errour is incident to man since the fall, and also compassion on them that are seduced, endeavouring to restore them by the spirit of meeknesse, for this would bring balme to binde up the wound, not multiplyed contentions to make it bleed afresh, if we were lesse confident, in maintaining our assertions, and more compassionate in reforming others.

One caution may be usefull in a double regard, that we-never extenuate the evill of errour, but abhor it as darknesse and be humbled for it, as a high provocation of divine ven­geance, again beware of despising or judging,Nolite ergo ante tempus judicare, quia fortasse quos vos lau­datis Deus reprehen­dit, & quos vos reprehenditis, ille lauda­bit, Petr. Chrysolog. the persons or finall estates of any, sith some by their gracious and humble retractations, have repaired those breaches, they made by their errours, witnesse those famous and admired Worthies, who sought Gods glory by such selfe denyalls, and advanced those truths by ingenious confession, they had formerly op­posed in the darknesse of errour, we may well be ashamed to patronize evill, but not to relinquish it when light expels darknesse, lest persisting in errour produce its gradation, from a failing of infirmity, to a fault of presumption.

Our indulging of errour is one of those sins, which the Lord hath visited in our sad castigation,Quare nihil melius cavere quam tibi in tempore ne vel mini­mum quicquam tibi indulgeus, qu [...] à Sa­tana tentaris. Quare discamus non alibi quam in Domi­no fortes esse. the greatnesse where­of he that runs may read, in the grievous calamities infl [...]cted upon us, yet we have resembled rebellious children, or in­corrigible servants not bettered by the rod, while hardning our hearts and stifning our necks, we refuse to return from errours darknesse, this hath occasioned our wretched stum­bling, and fearfull falling into many enormities, in that we have doted on indulgent errour, not dreading the event which may render us lost.

Neither have we only mistaken our way,Coufusis permix tis­que verbis, veritatem frequentissimè elu­dunt & medutorum au [...]esqono capiunt. by wandring unhappily in a labyrinth of errour, or been wrapt in the mantle of miserable darknesse, which hath made us obnox­ious unto deadly danger, but we have been also misled by others, who like blinde guides have deluded poor souls, and [Page 74] steered their course like unski [...]full Pilots, on Scylla and Cha­rybdis, to wrack us with ruine, for the only originall of our multiplyed contentions, was illegall tyranny obtruded in ceremonies,Per Puritanorum la­t [...]ra, orthodoxam vul [...]erant veritatem. in which such successe was atchieved in short time, as promised a progresse to their subtill machinations, for the enemies of truth then had cause to triumph, and glory in the power they received from the Beast, in working miracles metamorphosing men, into a bruitish stupidity, which renders them lost.

This was the condition of those ignorant souls, who li­v [...]d in places where preaching was cryed down,Ita alii alios mutuo decipiunt, and where the prohibition of a painfull ministery, introduced the prin­ciples of Atheisticall impiety, for men were taught by many of their leaders, to dash a commandement out of the de­calogue, yea to slight Religion and the power of godlinesse, as a main opposition of their ayms and ends.

Grave est non scite quod faceres, gravius auté non facere quod scies.Thus the leaders of Gods people have caused them to erre, the watchmen being blinde and delighting to slumber, so that no trumpet being sounded by these Sentinels, the Fort might be surprized without any resistance, for it was easie for Popery to slide in unawares, where prophanesse was porter to induce superstition: and affected ignorance entertained innovation, which came posting forward in the posture of Jehu.

Satan quaerit qua parte sep [...]m facillimè transcendere quibus machinis inclinatum currum possit ever­tere. Sirenum voces & Circes pocula nosti.But O the misery of our mentall darknesse, which leads us by errour into all extreams, that as soon as we escape the net of one danger, wee fall into another, being quickly misled, for we doe not ponder the path of our feet, nor weigh our gold in the ballance of the Sanctuary, but still take up te­nents on trust from others, who deceived themselves have deluded us also: this makes us loath that pure bread of life, the delicious banquet of our poore hungry souls, which once we prized as incomparably precious, hungring and thirsting to be satisfied with it.Quare meritò in hanc amentiam pro­jecti sunt, ut sibi ul­timum exitium accer­serent! And therefore it is the more sad and deplorable, that men who have been called by the preaching of the Word, should renounce or contemne that sacred or­dinance which they found efficacious in the work of their conversion, is the Lords hand shortned that it cannot save, [Page 75] or is his arme weakned in the power of the Gospell? hath the sword of the spirit now lost its edge,Heb. 6.7. or the armour of God is that grown unusefull? no surely the Word like the rain that descendeth,Matth. 13 8. hath its fructifying effect upon the good ground,1 Cor. 1.21. and the foolishnesse of preaching so deeply underva­lued shall have its operation on them that beleeve.

Woe then to all them that betray the trust of those poore blinde souls, which lean so much upon them,Pelle ovina conte­gi vis, ut si fieri po­test, prius te vulpis mordentem, sentiat, quam praesentiat ve­ni ntem. Iohn 10.27. by leading them aside from the streams of living waters, to those broken ci­sterns which can hold no comfort, how can they dispense with their consciences that tell them, that Christ is con­temned in the person of his ministers, sith he taketh the af­front as done unto himselfe, which is cast upon them by er­roneous spirits,Cant. 1.3. Christs sheep heare his voice and will follow him, rejoycing to find him in the odour of his oyntments, and dare not turn their backs on the preaching of the Word,Psal. 63.5. but are satisfied with it as with marrow and fatnesse.

Christ sayth to the Jews who rejected his Word,Christus non venit ut seliberaret qui sub servitute non erat, sed nos de servitute peccati redimeret. Et si non vultis ve­nire ad me ut vitam habeatis: iterum ex­probrat nihil illis praeter malitiam obstare quominus vitam in scripturis oblatā per­cipiant: nam quum eos nolle dicit igno­rantiae & coecitatis cansam pravitati & contumaciae assignat, Cal. in Ioh. cap. 5.40. Iohn 6.44. Prov. 8.34. Yee will not come unto me that yee might have life, a patheticall expression to shew the perversnesse, of gainsaying spirits which refuse precious means, for though no man can come to Christ of himselfe, unlesse the Father internally draw him, yet have we externall and rationall power, to go to the place where his Word is dispensed and in doing this with sincere affection, may expect the blessing which wisdome pronounceth to those which daily wait at her gates, and give attendance at the posts of her doors, for so we shall prove what our gracious God will vouchsafe to effect by his sacred Ordinance, which is no lesse powerfull to quicken dead souls, then his voyce to raise Lazarus who lay in the grave, and sure this will one day aggra­vate their judgement, who neglecting means have re­fused mercie, and following blinde guides were misled in darknesse, and absorpt in those errours which render them lost.

The Apostle puts a Quere to the seduced G [...]lathians,Maneat moralis be­nevol [...]ntiae, inter dis­cordes sententia. con­cerning the way of their receiving the spir [...]t, whether it were dispensed in the works of the Law, or communicated to them [Page 76] by the hearing of faith, and the like let a weake one by his holy example, be bold to propound to our seduced brethren, was the publike ministry the means of your conversion, or the private meetings wherein tis cryed down,Lingua vocata cha­at [...]er mentis. I mean not th [...]t sweet and christian society, wherein frequently the god­ly speake one to another,Mal. 3.16, 17. Ventus est validus & mirabilia efficit, arbores evellit saxa to [...]quet insublimo, ae­di [...]cia dejicit, sic spi­ritus sanctus efficacis­s [...]mus in verbo est, quia divina potentia operatur & ex cordi­bus lapideis facit car­nea, ex mortuis vivos. by holy conference and mutuall assistance, to build up themselves both in faith and love, for this is accepted and approved by the Lord, who registers such things in the booke of his remembrance, yea will own these and lay them up, as precious jewels, to be spared as a man spares his son that serves him, for no doubt there be many who assemble in private, to repeat what was delivered in the publike ministry, and to crave a blessing for internall efficacie, on the outward means to themselves and others: These doe not calumniate with reproachfull revilings the message or messengers of Christ in the Gospel, but doe wil­lingly subscribe to this undoubted truth, that the preaching of the Word is powerfull to conversion: Therefore to these I propound not the question, but to them that meet in another way, to erect a Babel or fabrick of confusion, to overtop or undermine the most faithfull ministry: Was it not, I say, the preaching of the Word, whereby ye were called out of na­tures darknesse, to enjoy the revelation of those sacred my­steries, which made known unto you the counsell of God? How is it then that ye loath the brest, out of which yee have sucked such sacred refreshment, and refuse the benefit of that sincere milke, by vertue whereof yee are grown to maturity: This plainly shewed the rock from whence ye were hewen, even the wofull estate whereunto Adam brought us,Non hic tempus timendi sed claman­di! ô peccata nostra nunquam satis deslen da! O misericordia tua Domine, nūquam satis praedicanda! O p [...]enitentia nunquam magis necessaria! O gratia tua Domine humillimè & jugiter impl [...]rand [...]! then made you partakers by divine dispensation, of those inesti­mable treasures are layd up in Christ: if you can any where finde food more preciou [...], then those divine delicacies the ministry affords us, I should not blame you although ye did travell even from East to West to finde soule satisfaction, but sith the Manna falls about our tents, Gods bounty vouchsa­fing it even at the door, let not our plenty now make us grow insolent, to contemne the blessing which we cannot value, no let it be our care to expresse true gratefulness, in embracing [Page 77] and obeying the voyce of the Word, that its active operati­on may reduce us from errour, and dispell all the darknesse in which we were lost.

In the last place we may lose ourselves, by refusing a guide which might lead us in safety; even the holy Scriptures wherein are revealed all necessary truths for our comfort and instruction, for in these are contained those sacred precepts, and precious promises we formerly mentioned,Veritas est per quam immutata qua sunt, quae fuerant, & quae futura sunt dicuntur. with those divine observations which we also collected, for the ample benefit of our selves and others, but my intentionall brevity admits me not to touch, what any have written in commen­dation of Scripture, nor to fall upon that argument by way of common place, which my weaknesse prohibite [...]h as too high and transcending.

This only I desire for my selfe and others, that we looke on Scripture as a continent of comfort,Sacrascriptura in se continet, sola & per­fectè totam veritatē communicabilem, er­go est instrumentum sacrum de veritate, ad salutem necessa­ria, per Prophetas & Apostolos tanquam Dei amanu [...]nses, fi­deliter & perfecte in libris canonicis per­scriptum, Trelcatius. because it hath a treasure contained in it, which cannot be exhausted, unto all e [...]ernity, and therefore though heaven and earth passe away, no tittle or jot of the Scripture shall fail, but its precepts, promises, and propheticall predictions, either of mercie or judgement shall be permanent for ever: for though Christ put a period to the legall ceremonies, which were types and shadows of good things to come, yet the law was not annihilated in respect of its morality, but stands in force as a rule for dire­ction: Himselfe was the substance prefigured in those sha­dows, and the reall Antitype of their signification: yea he came to fulfill the Law in full perf [...]ction, which shews it is a myrrour of perpetuall purity.

Looke we then on the Scriptures as our safest guide,Hinc & immediate Decalogum suo digi­to Deus inscripsit ta­bulis. Objectum est fidei adequatum omne v [...]r­bum Dei in genere. Fides est cognitio Dei veritatis, & fidu­cia eademque certis­m [...], terum speranda­tum. to lead us through the difficulties of every condition, consulting with them when reason is nonplust, and can finde no footing to direct us in our way: which was the practice of David, and Heman, of Job, Jehoshaphat and many other wor hies, what time they were oppressed, even beyond humane strength, repairing to the Word they found full consola­tion.

The Scripture is a cleere and transparent fountain, in which we may view our spirituall de [...]ormity, and understand [Page 78] the originall of all our misery,Non pendet recon­ciliatio ex dignitate paenae, ut scholastici somniant. Deut. 27.26. to be the depravation of our nature by sin, and that guilt bound us over to eternall punish­ment, for the due satisfaction of divine justice, being chain­ed to the curse as a miserable consequent, of our wofull de­fection, the bitter root of all.

Sic voluit Deus ruinam vasis fragilis reformare, ut nec peccatum hominis di nutterit impunitum, quia iustus est, nec in­sanabile, quia miseri­cors, Aug. G [...]n. 4.8.The Scripture declares that the Gospel was preached to man immediately after his fall, That the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head, and conquer the power of infernall darknesse: This was glad tydings to the humble soule, dejected in the sence of its sin and misery, that it might not sinke into the pit of despair but embracing the promise might never be lost.

The gathering of the Church was first in Adams family, wherein were a time, both the godly and the wicked, Cain slaying Abel his innocent brother,Mergitur interdum sed non submergitur unquam, salvificum Christi servans Ecclesia verbum. Protomartyr and emblem of the Church its persecution, after it was gathered into an Arke, to save it from drowning in the uni­versall deluge, when only Noah and them of his family, enjoyed the benefit of lifes preservation: These pas­sages of providence were not only recorded, by Histo­ricall narration in the sacred Scripture,Scriptum est crea­tionem mundi, simu­lachrum esse invisi i­lium Dei. but were also sig­nificant setting forth unto us the state of the Church in her militant condition: for which cause a collection of some passages of providence, were presented in the view of our weake observations, serving to illustrate the love of our God, extended to his people that they might not be lost

Perspicuitatem scriptura consideramus utroque modo, tum natura sua, quatenus à Deo inspirata est, tum ratione nostri quatenus inspitamur à Deo ad perceptio­ne illius. Rom. 7.13.A single eye is one of those requisites, which in view­ing the Scriptures will be usefull unto us, that the Lord may be lookt on as most wise and holy, and our selves as indigent, sinfull, and miserable, for in viewing the vast and inconceiveable distance, twixt his glorious greatnesse and our miserable basenesse, wee may see the necessity of such a Mediator, as might make an infinite meritorious satisfaction: This shews the grievous nature of sinne, so deservedly odious to the divine Majesty, as all the creatures in heaven and earth could make no answer to his absolute justice: Wherefore Christ is the sum or divine [Page 79] subject, which the Scriptures treat of as their highest ar­gument,Est spirituale os interioris hominis, quod nutritur recipi­ens verbum vitae, quod verbum est pa­nis qui descendit è Coelo. Quid enim est ora­culum, nempe volun­tas divina hominis ore enuntiara. Quid enim est humi­litatis fructus ubi de­trimentum est veri­tatis. Rom. 1.17. for which cause they are styled by a learned Fa­ther, the garments or swathing band of the babe Christ Jesus.

Our blessed Saviour himselfe was content to have his Doctrine examined by Scripture, and to call in their testimony as a witnesse to the truth, of those divine Ora­cles delivered by him, and as it is observed by them that know the Tongues, hee usually quoted the Septuag [...]nts Translation, which refutes their errour who will not admit, that ought is to bee used except the Ori­ginall.

So the holy Apostles use Scripture testimony, to con­firme the verity of their words and writings, reciting Moses the Psalmes and the Prophets,Hab. 2.4. in their Narrati­ons, Sermons, and Exhortations,Acts 13.17. 2 Tim. 3.15. Acts 18.11. Vtinam omnes face­remus illud, q [...]od scriptum est sc [...]uta­mini scripturas, Or. inciting their Auditors to the study of the Scriptures, which young Timothy had traded in, from his tender age, yea it was the com­mendation of those noble Bereans, that they searched the Scriptures to finde divine truth, and were wee so wise by their godly example, to try all Doctrines by the Touch-stone of Scripture, wee should not wander for want of a guide, misled in those errours which ren­der us lost.

All Scripture is given by divine inspiration,2 Tim. 3.16. Omnis enim scientia veritatis, est à prima veritate, cuius scrip­tura instrumentale symbolum est, Trel. being pro­fitable to teach and instruct in righteousnesse, nor is it of private interpretation, to be turned or twisted to the fancies of men, for the godly penmen of the sacred Scrip­tures, were acted or moved by the Holy Ghost, whose divine dictates they faithfully delivered, to direct the Church as a guide infallible.

It is called also a most sure word of Prophesie,2 Pet. 2.19. Non putomus scin­dendas Ecclesias esse, propter ea quae nos ex se ne (que) digniores, neque indigniores, coram Deo facere possunt, Cyp. unto which the Saints doe well to give heed, as unto a light that shineth in darknesse, untill the day dawn, and the day star arise: It is a comfort in this time of trouble, that there is such a Judge to stint every strife, for the word shall judge men in their ultimate triall, though now they refuse to be guided by it.

The Scripture is reverently esteemed by the righteous, as the sacred evidence of their heavenly inheritance, giving them here while it guides them in the way, a taste of the fruits of their promised Canaan, Saera scriptura lo­cum tenet ab autori­tate negativè. but the w [...]cked of the world contemne and despise it, and relish it no more then the white of an egge, as appears by those blasphemous and contempti­ble epithites, which some in these times have given unto the Scriptures,Grave praejudicium est quod non iudiciū s [...]d malitiam habet. no marvell though they rush into violent exorbi­tancies, and ruine themselves on the rock of temerity, when they dare adventure without this safe guide, in the uncoucht wayes of erroneous darknesse: The brightnesse of the Sun gives no light to the blinde,Deus dicltur indu­rare quando non e­mollit. nor can they rightly judge of the beauty of colours, but the hearing eare and the seeing eye, shall enjoy the benefit of the sacred Scripture.

Cautus auditor & lector cito deprel [...]ē ­deret in sidias, & cu­niculos quibus veri­tas subvertitur: & re­vera aperte in luce demonstrabit nam cū quaeque novitas ebul­lit statim cernitur frumentorum gravitas & levitas palearum, tunc sine magno mo­limme excutitur ab arca quod nullo pon­dere inter arcam te­nebatur.The Hereticks and Schismaticks in every age have perverted the Scriptures to their owne destruction, abusing their au­thority to mayntain those false tenets, which they flatly op­posed in their genuine sence, Thus did Arrius, Donatus, the Manichees, and others, against whom the godly made just opposition, detecting their falshood, and refuting their heresies, which they sought to patronize by wrested Scripture.

These erring spirits refused a guide, which occasioned the p [...]ogresse of their blinde illusions, because the further they erred from light, the more they were involved in the snares of darknesse, and while they contemned pure Scripture truth, they miserably doted on devised fables which drew them unawares into a labyrinth of errours in which circular maze they were miserably lost.

Clavis est scientia scripturarum, per quam apetitur ianua veritatis.Follow then the Scripture, as an infallible guide, which who so is led by shall never miscarry, because it is a key which openeth the cabinet of Gods sacred counsell concerning all mysteries: for the Scripture is the best expounder of it self, where the text is dubious, in our shallow apprehension, the precedent and subsequent serving to illustrate, the sence of Scripture in its true interpretation, but men should not touch it with polluted hands, defiled in the myre of sinfull prejudice, but wash them in innocency like holy David, [Page 81] what time he came neer to compasse Gods altar:In sacra scriptura non solum bonitas est quod praecipitur, & foelicitas quod pro­mittitur, sed etiam veritas est quod dici­tur. humbly imploring divine assistance, in viewing or meditating this divine subject, that the spirit may lead us into every truth, his sacred operation accompanying the Scriptures, For if we consult with fraile flesh and bloud, with carnall reason or meere humane knowledge, wee may possibly lose our selves [...] these woods, by declining or deserting this absolute guide, which is the cause that new minted errours, are stampt for currant though counterfeit coyne, and the basest bullion of exploded old heresies, now passing for payment, among men misguided, but orthodox truths are accounted thred-bare,Est natura hominis novitatis avida. and like antike fashions are quite laid aside in the deep dis­esteem which men have of the Scriptures, because their pure light detects each false way.

The Scriptures are sufficient to confirm every truth,Spiritus sancti do­ctrina est, quae cano­nicis literis prodita est, ergo si ad divinae traditionis caput re­vertantur, cessaterror humanus, Cyp. ad Pam. revea­led to Gods people for their comfort and instruction, and al­so to refute the most impudent errours, which are now gilded over to obscure their deformity: for habituall aberrations are of great antiquity, deriving their pedigree from Adams de­fection, even to us who improving that wretched patrimo­ny, are prone to drink in the most poysonous errours: espe­cially wee of the weaker sex,Haereses apud eos multum valent, qui in fide non valent, sed nihil valentes si in bene valentem fidem incurrant have hereditary evill from our grandmother Eve, on whom the subtilty of the insinuating Serpent, had a fatall influence to seduce and betray her, and therefore the Apostle to humble us the more, sayth, the wo­man was deceived and was in the transgression, placing her as principall in guilt and sin, who was created subordinate by divine institution:1 Tim. 2.13, 14. 1 Cor. 11 8, 9. 2 Tim. 3.6. for which cause he inweighs against those seducers, who lead away captive poor silly women, who armed with abilities to understand the Scriptures, become a prey to erroneous teachers.

Let me then in pity even petition our sisters, that they sub­mit to the guidance of the sacred Scriptures, from which pre­cious fountain flow those wholsome streams,Psal. 46.4. that refresh and make glad the city of our God, his Church being the pillar, which holds forth to our view,1 Tim. 3.15. the Imperiall Edicts of the highest majesty, even the sacred Scriptures wherin is proclai­med [Page 82] his divine dictates for infallible direction:V [...] capiat pisc [...]s pis­cato [...] no [...]te laborat, ut se [...]p [...]um servet sur­ [...] nemo parat. Let these be matter of sweetest meditation, to satiate our souls with en­during comfort, that we may not thirst for those puddle wa­ters, which instead of profit, prove poyson unto us.

It resteth now that we carefully collect, the scattered frag­ments of our dull meditations, and take a view what wee have observed, from the precept of our Saviour, and his rea­son annexed, in the first we considered his oecumenicall au­thority, in designing to his servants this gathering employ­ment, and also their humility, and dutifull obedience, in sub­mitting to his precept, in the work imposed.

In collecting we considered temporall necessaries, as the literall sence of this frugall precept, and then by an argument from the lesse to the greater, we inferred the necessity of spi­rituall provision, first sacred precepts, of piety and charity, directing our active and passive obedience, then promises purging, pardoning, and healing, salves fit to cure each wound of the soul, lastly, wee gathered up sundry observati­ons, to view in them the condition of the godly, in their ma­ny afflictions, miraculous deliverances, and various revolu­tions into different estates.

In the reason we considered how an absolute agent, con­descends to the weaknesse of our shallow capacity, pro­pounding our benefit as a speciall motive, inducing to the o­bedience of his sacred precept, sith every one sayth, Who will shew us any good? and laments the losse of what was but lent him, which illustrates the usefulnesse of this frugall precept, and annexed reason that nothing be lost.

Neyther of the creatures whose order is inverted, by ig­norance, intemperance, and base ingratitude, nor yet of time which is wastfully devoured, by idlenesse, curiosity, and wretched anxiety, nor of our endowments, spirituall and temporall, which were weakly considered in their various kinds, the donations of the spirit being of two sorts, eyther saving graces, or common gifts, the temporals we briefly re­ferred to these three, mentall, bodily, and accessary endow­ments, which of these be permanent, which subject to de­cay, wee formerly shewed to incite to their improvement, [Page 83] because wee are accountants for the talent of our master, wherewith we must trade that it may not be lost.

Lastly, a caution was tendred unto us, that we lose not our selves in the labyrinth of errour, into which we fall, when we wander from our way, when wee walk in darknesse, or are wrong misled, and when we refuse that infallible guide, the sacred Scriptures, that might lead us safely, we sodainly erre both from truth and peace, and turn into by-ways which render us lost.

Our compassionate Saviour whose miraculous mercy, hath been the matter of our poor Meditations, vouchsafe us the as­sistance of his sanctifying spirit, both to know and do what his word directs us, that our judgments being informed by the light of his truth, and our lives reformed from all sinfull obliquity, we may gratefully consecrate all to his prayse,Luke 19.10. who came to seeke, and save us that were lost.