M r. BOLTONS FOVRE LAST THINGS: DEATH, IVDGEMENT, HELL, HEAVEN.
ISA. XXVI. ‘In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah, &c.’
WE have here in this Chapter, First, A Consolation for GODS people in the time of their Captivity. The Summe whereof is this: Though all things seeme to threaten ruine, and tend towards confusion; yet the issue wilbe, that GOD will most mercifully rescue and relieve His owne; who afterwards, will not onely themselves acknowledge [Page 2] and magnifie His miraculous hand in their preservation and support, but also stirre up others to rely wholly upon that mighty LORD, that never did, or ever will faile or forsake any that put their trust in Him. In the seven first Verses.
Secondly, An Institution or Instruction, How the godly should carie themselves in the time of crosses and chastisements; and what difference there is betweene them and the gracelesse in such Cases. From Ver. 7▪ to the end.
In the first Part we may take notice, and into our consideration these three Points.
- 1. Provision of a comfortable Song for the people to carie with them, as it were into Captivity, and the fiery Triall; that in the midst of their pressures they might be eased and refresht with a conceit, that the Day would come, wherein they should joyfully sing the song of enlargement, and salvation, Ver. 1. Though when they sate downe by the rivers of Babylon, their hearts would not serve them to sing any Song of Zion, but fell asunder in their brests like drops of water, yet assuredly, all GODS faithfull Ones, who believed His Prophet and Promises, would in the meane time secretly sweeten their sorrowes and sufferings, with a patient expectation of this happy Day, and heavenly mirth.
- 2. The Song it selfe, Ver. 1, 2, 3. Wherein we may consider, 1. The Time, when the Song shall be sung: In that Day] which we may vnderstand, 1. Historically, literally, typically, of the Israelites deliverance out of Babylon, and the miserable [Page 3] slavery thereof. 2. Anti-typically, of the blessed enlargement of GODS Elect out of the snares and bondage of the Devill. 3. And mystically also, as some Divines thinke, of the joyfull coming of Christians out of spirituall Babylon, Rev. 17. 5. and from under the tyrannie of Antichrist. 4. Complementally, of gathering the Saints out of this vale of teares, and from the eager pursuit of that great red Dragon, and the powers of darknesse, into Ierusalem which is above, where they shall joyfully sing triumphant Halelujahs in the highest heaven for ever and ever, Galat. 4. 26. 2. The Matter of the Song; which is, Salvation, Ver. 1. Peace; Ver. 3. Holy company, Ver. 2. Pure pleasure, comfort, sound contentment, &c.
- 3. An Exhortation, or exhortatory apostrophe, to trust in Iehovah. And there is added, for ever; lest upon Gods delay, and respiting reliefe, we should despaire, or have recourse unto the arme of flesh. Reasons to enforce this exhortation are three. 1. In Him is [...] rupes saeculorum, everlasting strength, Ver. 3. A rocke of eternity, upon which we may for ever sweetly and safely rest and repose our selves, amidst the many furious storms and boisterous waves of this troublesome world. 2. He is able to tame, take downe, and trample in the mire, the insolency and pride of the most raging persecutors, Ver. 5. And to raise His, though never so low and languishing, to set them upon a Rocke of safety and salvation for ever, and to give them the neckes of their enemies to tread upon, Verse 6. 3. Hee weighes and watches over [Page 4] the waies of the just, Verse 7. See Ieremie 17. 7.
Now whereas the Prophet in the first place doth furnish the people of GOD before hand with a strong counter▪comfort and cordiall against their faintings in the furnace of affliction, we may thence be instructed; that,
He that gathereth in Summer, (saith Salomon) is a sonne of understanding: But he that sleepeth in Harvest, is a sonne of confusion, Prov. 10. 5. If not by an immediate sense, yet by a warrantable analogy and good consequent this Place will beare this Paraphrase.
That man which now in this faire and seasonable Sun-shine of his gracious visitation is lull'd asleepe with the Syren-songs of these sensuall times upon the lap of pleasure; swims downe the temporizing torrent of these last and lewdest daies with full saile of prosperity and ease, against the secret wasts and counter-blasts (as it were) of a reclaiming conscience, as thousands do, to their utter undoing for ever; mis-spends his golden time, and many goodly opportunities of gathering spirituall Manna, in grasping gold, gathering wealth, growing great, greatning his posterity, clasping about the arme of flesh, satisfying the appetite, and serving himselfe: In a word, he that while it is called To day, turnes not on Gods side, and by forwardnesse [Page 5] and fruitfulnesse in His blessed waies, treasures up comfort and grace against his ending houre, shall most certainly upon his bed of death, and illumination of conscience, find nothing but horrible confusion and feare, extremest horrour, and insupportable heauinesse of heart: his soule must presently downe into the kingdome of darknesse, and bottome of the burning lake, there to lie everlastingly in tempestuous and fiery torments, the sting and strength whereof doth not onely surpasse the pens and tongues of Men and Angels, but the very conceipt of those that suffer them, which if a man knew, he would not endure one houre for all the pleasures of ten thousand worlds: His body (the pleasing and pampering whereof hath plunged him into such a sea of calamity and woe) must descend into the house of death, an habitation of blacknesse and cruelty: lie downe in a bed of dust and rottennesse covered with wormes, guarded and kept full sure by the Prince and powers of darknesse unto the judgement of the great Day: and then the whole man must become the woful object, of the extremity and everlastingnesse of that fiercest and unquenchable wrath, which, like infinite rivers of brimstone, will feed upon his soule and flesh, without remedie, ease, or end.
But that happy man, which in the short summers day of his miserable and mortall life, gathers grace with an holy greedinesse, plies the noble trade of Christianity with resolution and vndauntednesse of spirit, against the boisterous current and [Page 6] corruptions of the times; growes in godlinesse, GODS favour, and fruits of good life; purchases and preserves (though with the losse of all earthly delights) peace of conscience, one of the richest treasures and rarest jewels that euer illightened and made lightsome the heart of man in this world: I say that man, though never so contemptible in the eyes of the worldly wise; though never so scornfully trod upon and overslowne by the tyranny and swelling pride of those ambitious selfe-flattering Giants, who, like mighty winds, when they have blustered a while, breathe out into naught, shall most certainly upon his dying-bed meet with a glorious troupe of blessed Angels, ready and rejoycing to guard and conduct his departing Soule into his Masters joy. His body shalbe preserved in the grave by the all-powerfull providence, as in a Cabinet of rest and sweetest sleepe, perfumed by the buriall of our blessed SAVIOVR, untill the glorious appearing of the great GOD. And then, after their joyfullest re-union, they shall both be filled, and shine thorow all eternity, with such glory and blisse, which in sweetnesse and excellency doth infinitely exceed the possibility of all humane or Angelicall Quae lingua, vel quis intellectus cape [...]e sufficit illa superna civitatis quanta sint gaudia; Angelorum choris interesse, cum beatissimis spiritibus gloriae conditoris assistere, praesentem DE [...] vultum cernere, incircumscriptum lumen videre, nullo mortis metu affi [...], incorruptionis perpetuae munere laetari, &c. Gregor. Hom. [...]7▪ in Evang. conceipt.
Thus you see in short, what a deale of confusion that miserable man heapes up for his precious Soule against the Day of wrath, which spends [Page 7] the span of his transitory life after the waies of his owne heart: and how truly he is a sonne of understanding, who in the few and evill daies of short abode upon earth, treasures up grace and spirituall riches against the dreadfull winter night of death.
For I would have you understand, that by comfortable provision] I meane not,
Lands, livings, or large possessions; I meane not wealth or riches: Alas! These will not profit in the day of wrath, Prov. 11. 4. They certainly make themselves wings, and in our greatest need, will flie away as an Eagle toward heaven, Prov. 23. 5.
I meane not silver or gold: they shall not be able to deliver in the Day of the Lords wrath, Zeph. 1. 18. Will he esteeme thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength, Iob 36. 19.
I meane not top of honour, or height of Place: this (without religion) serves onely to make the downfall more desperate and remarkable. They are rais'd on hie, saith the very Poet, that their ruine may be more irrecoverable. But what do I meddle with the Poet? the Prophet is plaine and peremptory against the pride of ambition: Thy terriblenesse hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart: O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocke, that holdest the height of the hill: Though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence, saith the Lord, Ier. 49. 16.
I meane not the arme of flesh, or Princely favours. Assuredly, that man which gratifies great Ones to the wounding of his conscience by the [Page 8] formall slavery of basenesse and insinuation, or any ill offices of ambitious servitude in feates of irreligious policy, in justice, cruelty, turning Turk and traitour to those that trusted him, &c. shall at last receive no other recompence of such abhorred villany, when divine vengeance begins to take him in hand, than that which justly fell upon Iudas (in the extremity of his anguish and sorrow) from the chiefe Priests and Elders, Matth. 27. 4. If ever great men, or earthly Potentates did take their slattering slaves out of the hands of GOD, at that highest Tribunall, or were able to free a guilty soule from eternall flames; it were something to grow rich, and rise by vile accommodations, and serving their turne in the meane time. But such a man s [...]all certenly (in the day of his last and greatest need) be cast with horrible confusion of spirit, and [...] griefe of heart, upon Wolsies rufull complaint, and cry out when it is too late: Had I beene as carefull [...] serve the GOD of heaven, as my great Master on earth; he had neuer left me in my gray haires. Favours of greatnesse may follow a man in faire weather, and shine upon his face with goodly hopes and expectation of great things, but in shipwracks even of worldly things, where all sinks, but the sorrow to save them; or especially upon the very first tempest of spirituall distresse, they steere away before the Sea and Wind, leaving him to sink or swim; without all possibility of helpe or rescue, even to the rage of a wounded conscience, and gulfe many times of that desperate madnesse, which the Prophet describes [Page 9] Isa. 8. 21, 22. He shall fret himselfe, and curse his King and his GOD, and looke upward. And he shall looke unto the earth: and behold trouble and darknesse, dimnesse of anguish, and he shalbe driven to darknesse.
By comfortable Provision therefore, I meane treasures of a more high, lasting, and noble nature: The blessings of a better life, comforts of godlinesse, graces of salvation, favour and acceptation with the highest Majesty, &c. They are the riches of heaven onely which we should so hoard up, and will ever hold out in the times of trouble, and Day of the Lords wrath. Amongst which, a sound faith, and a cleare conscience are the most peerlesse and unvaluable jewels; able by their native puissance, and infused vigour, to pull the very heart (as it were) out of Hell, and with confidence and conquest to looke even Death and the Devill in the face. There is no darknesse so desolate, no crosse so cutting, but the splendor of these is able to illighten, their sweetnesse to mollifie.
So that the blessed counsell of CHRIST, Mat. 6. 19, 20. doth concurre with, and confirme this Point: Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt; and where theeves breake thorow and steale. But lay vp for your selves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where theeues do not breake thorow, nor steale.
By moth and rust those two greedy and great devourers of gay clothes, and glistering treasures, two capitall vanities upon which worldlings dote, and two greatest inchanters of mortall men, are insinuated, [Page 10] and signified unto us all those iron teeth, and devouring instruments of mortality, by which corruption eats into the heart of all earthly glory, wasts insensibly the bowels of the greatest bravery, and ever at length consumes into dust the strongest sinewes of the most Imperiall Soveraignty under the Sun. Somtimes, A day, an houre, Dies, hora, momentum, evertendisdominationibus su [...]icit, quae adamantinis credebantur radicibus esse fundatae. Casaub. Repentè quidem alta seculi co [...]unt, pulchra transe [...]nt. Nam cum stare in his floribus suis mundus cernitur, repentinâ fortunâ turbat [...]: aut festinâ, & omnia deturbante morte cōcluditur. Vana ergò sunt gaudia seculi, quae quasi manentia blandiuntur: sed amatores suos, citò transeundo decipiunt. Greg. in 1 Reg. Cap. 11. a moment, is enough to overturne the things, that seemed to have been founded and rooted in Adamant. The LORD of Heaven hath put a fraile and mortall nature, a weake and dying disposition into all worldly things. They spring and flourish, and die. Even the greatest and goodliest Politique Bodies that ever the earth bore, though animated with the searching spirit of profoundest Policy; strengthened with the resolution and valour of the most conquering commanders, sighted with eagle eyes of largest depths, fore-sights and comprehensions of state, crowned with never so many warlike prosperities, triumphs and victorious atchievements, yet like the naturall Body of a man, they had, as it were, their Infancy, youthfull strength, mans state, old age, and at last, their grave. We may see Dan. 2. 35. The glory and power of the mightiest Monarchies that ever the Sun saw, shadowed by Nebuchadnezzars great Image, sink into the dust, and become like the chaffe of the Summers threshing floores; upon a windy day. Vnto all Dominions GOD hath set their periods: who, though he hath giuen to man the knowledge of those waies, by which kingdomes rise and fall; yet hath le [...]t him subiect vnto the affections which draw on these fatall changes in their times appointed. S r Walter Rawleigh P. 1. Lib. 5. Cap. 3. Sect. 13▪ [Page 11] Heare a wise and noble writer speaking to this purpose, though for another purpose: Who hath not observed, what labour, what practice, perill, bloud-shed, and cruelty, the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, taken on them, and committed; to make themselves and their issues Masters of the world? And yet hath Babylon, Persia, Egypt, Syria, Macedon, The ruine of the goodliest Peeces of the world, f [...]re▪ shewes the dissolution os the whole. Carthage, Rome, and the rest, no fruit, flower, grasse or leafe, springing upon the face of the earth, of those seeds: No, their very roots and ruines do hardly remaine. All that the hand of man can make, is either over-turned by the hand of man; or at length by standing and continuing consumed. What trust then or true comfort in the arme of flesh, humane greatnesse, or earthly treasures? What strength or stay in such broken staves of reed? In the time of need, the Worme of vanity will wast and wither them all, like Ionahs gourd; and leave our naked soules to the open rage of wind and weather; to the scourges and Scorpions of guiltinesse and feare. It transcends the Sphere of their activity, as they say, and passeth their power to satisfie an immortall soule, to comfort thorow the length of eternity; either to corrupt or conquer any spirituall adversaries. For couldest thou purchase unto thy selfe a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world; wert thou able to empty the Westerne parts of gold; and the East of all her spices, and precious things; shouldest thou enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heaven to another, and fill this wide worlds circumference with golden heapes and hoards of pearle: diddest thou in the [Page 12] meane time sit at the sterne, and hold the reines in thine hand of all earthly kingdomes, nay, exalt thy selfe as the Eagle, and set thy nest among the starres; nay, like the sun of the morning advance thy Throne even above the starres of God; yet all these, and whatsoever els thou canst imagine, to make thy worldly happinesse compleate and matchlesse, would not be worth a button unto thee upon thy bed of death, nor do thee a halfe-penny-worth of good in the horrour of that dreadfull time. Where did that man dwell, or of what cloth was his coat made, that was ever comforted by his goods, greatnesse, or great men, in that last and sorest conflict? In his wrastlings with the accusations of conscience, terrours of death, and oppositions of hell? No, no: It is matter of a more heavenly metall, treasures of an higher temper, riches of a nobler nature, that must hold out, and helpe in the distresses of soule, in the anguish of conscience, in the houre of death, against the stings of sinne, wrath of GOD, and last Tribunall. Do you think that ever any glorified soule did gaze with delight upon the wedge of gold, that tramples under foot the Sun, and lookes All-mighty GOD in the face? No, no: It is the society of holy Angels, and blessed Saints, the sweet Communion with its dearest Spouse, that unapproachable light which crownes GODS sacred Throne, the beauty and brightnesse of that most glorious Place, the shining Body of the SONNE of GOD, the beatificall fruition of the Deity it selfe, the depth of Eternity, and the like everlasting Fountaines of spirituall [Page 13] ravishment and joy, which onely can feed and fill the restlesse and infinite appetite of that immortall Thing with fulnesse of contentment, and fresh pleasures, world without end.
Thrice blessed and sweet then is the advice of our Lord and Master IESVS CHRIST, who would have us to turne the eye of our delight, and eagernesse of affection from the fading glosse, and painted glory of earthly treasures; wherein naturally the worme of corruption and vanity ever breeds, and many times the worme of an evill conscience attends; the one of which eats out their heart when we expect an harvest; The other seizes upon the Soule in the time of sorrow, and sinks it into the lowest hell: And as Men of GOD, and Sonnes of Wisdome, to mount our thoughts, and raise our spirits, and bend our affections to things above; which are as farre from diminution and decay, as the Soule from death; and can be no more corrupted or shaken, than the Seat and Omnipotency of GOD surprised. For, besides that, they infinitely surpasse in eminency of worth and sweetnesse of pleasure, the comprehension of the largest heart, and expression of any Angels tongue; they also out-last the dayes of heaven, and run parallell with the life of GOD, and line of Eternity. As we see the Fountaine of all materiall light to powre out his beames, and shining abundantly every day upon the world without wearinesse, emptinesse, or end; so, and incomparably more doth joy and peace, glory and blisse, spring and plentifully flow every moment with fresh [Page 14] streames from the face of the Father of Lights upon all His holy ones in heaven, and that everlastingly. O blessed then shall we be upon our beds of death, if (following the counsell of our dearest LORD, who shed the most precious and warmest bloud in His heart to bring our soules out of hell) we treasure ap now in the meane time, heavenly hoards which will ever happily hold out, a stocke of grace, which never shrinks in the wetting, but abides the triall of the spirit, and touch-stone of the Word in all times of danger, and Day of the LORD: even that accurate, circumspect, and precise walking, pressed upon us by the Apostle, Eph. 5. 15. Though pestilently persecuted and plagued by the enemies of GOD in all ages: And that purity which Saint Iohn makes a property of every true-hearted Professour, 1 Iohn 3. 3. So much opposed and bitterly opprest by the world; and yet, without which none of us shall ever see the face of GOD with comfort. If while it is called To Day, we make our peace with His heavenly Highnesse, by an humble continued exercise of repentance; by standing valiantly on His side; by holding an holy acquaintance at His mercifull Throne with a mighty importunity of prayer, and godly conversation above; by ever offering up unto Him in the armes of our Faith (when he is angry) the bleeding Body of His owne crucified SONNE, never giving Him over, or any rest, untill He bepleased to register and enroll the remission of our sinnes in the Booke of Life, with the bloudy lines of CHRISTS Soule-saving sufferings, and golden [Page 15] characters of His owne eternall love. If now, before we appeare at the dreadfull Tribunall of the euer-living GOD, (and little know we whose turne is next) we make our friends in the Court of Heaven: the blessed Angels, in procuring their joy and love, by a visible constancy in the fruits, teares, and truth of a sound conversion. The Spirit of comfort by a ready and reverent entertainment of His holy Motions and inspirations of grace: the Sonne and Heire of the King of glory, the Foundation and Fountaine of all our Blisse, in this world and the world to come: from whose meritorious bloud shed and blessed mediation arise all those flouds of mercy and favour, which refresh our Soules in this vale of teares; and also those unknown bottomlesse seas of pleasure, peace and all unspeakable delights, which will superabound, and overflow with new and fresh sweetnesse for ever and ever in the Paradise of GOD. Blessed are they, that ever they were borne, who have already got Him their Advocate at the right hand of His Father. For, besides many other glorious priviledges thereby, in all their exigents and extremities, they may be ever welcome to the Seat of mercy, and be sure to speed. If a man had a suit unto the King, it were a comfortable and happy thing to find a friend in Court. But if the Kings speciall and choisest Favourite; nay, His own only Son were his Intercessour; how confident would he be to prevaile and prosper, to conquer his opposites, and crowne his desires? Why then should any poore Christian be discomforted [Page 16] and cast downe: nay, why should he not be extraordinarily raised and ravished in spirit with much joyfull hope, and sweet assurance, when he throwes himselfe downe at the Throne of grace; sith the dearest Sonne of the eternall GOD, the Heire of heaven and earth, the Mediator of the great Covenant of endlesse salvation is his Advocate at the hand of His All-mighty Father in the most high and glorious Court of Heaven? Wherefore when an humbled soule, and trembling spirit is sore troubled, and almost turned backe from his purpose of prayer, and prostration at the foot of heavenly Majesty, by entertaining before hand a feeling apprehension of his owne abhorred vilenesse, and the holy purity of GODS all-seeing and searching eye, which cannot looke on iniquity; let this consideration comfort and breed confidence, that IESVS CHRIST the Son of GODS love doth sollicite and tender the suit, who out of His owne sense and sympathy of such like troubles and temptations, doth deale for us with a true, a naturall, and a sensible touch of compassionatenesse and mercy. Shall that blessed Heb. 4. 1 [...]. Luke 23. 34. Saviour of ours call and cry for a pardon to His Father, for those which put Him to death; who were so farre from seeking unto him, that they sought and suckt his bloud; and shall He shut His eares against the groanes of thy grieved spirit, and heavy sighes of thy bleeding soule, who values one drop of His bloud at an higher price, than the worth of many worlds? It cannot be.
Thus that saying of Salomon, and this counsell [Page 17] of CHRIST makes good the truth of the Point, which may further appeare by these Reasons.
- 1. Taking this counsell betime, and hoarding up heavenly things in this harvest time of grace, mightily helps to asswage the smart, mollifie the bitternesse, and illighten the darknesse of the evill Day. It is soveraigne, and serves to take the venime, sting and teeth, out of any crosse, calamity, or distresse: and so preserves the heart from that raging hopelesse sorrow, which, like a devouring
Harpie, dries up, dissolves, and destroyes the bloud, spirits, and life of all those who are destitute of such a divine Antidote. What vast difference may we discerne betweene
Iob and
Iudas; David and
Achitophel, in the daies of evill? The two men of God being formerly enriched with his favour and familiarity, so behaved themselves, the one in the ship-wracke of his worldly happinesse, the other in the hazard of his Kingdome, as though they had not beene troubled at all:
The LORD
Iob 1.gave; and the LORD hath taken away, saith Iob, when all was gone, blessed be the name of the LORD. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, saith2 Sam. 15. 25. 26. 21David, He will bring me againe, and shew me both it, and His habitation. But if He thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold, here am I, let Him do to me, as seemeth good unto Him. But the spirits of the other two false and rotten-hearted fellowes in the time of trouble were so overtaken, nay, over whelmed with griefe, that they both hanged themselves.
- 2. This holy providence before hand may [Page 18] happily prevent a great deale of restlesse impatiency, reprobate feares, forlorne distractions of spirit, hying to the caves, crying to the mountaines, bootlesse relying upon the arme of flesh; Cursing their King and their GOD, and looking upward, roaring out with hideous groanes; Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings? &c. All which desperate terrours and tumultuations of conscience are wont to surprize and seize upon unholy and unprepared hearts, especially when GODS hand is finally and implacably upon them.
- 3. And we shall hereby excellently honour and advance the glory of Profession; when it shall appeare to the world, and even the contraryminded are enforced to confesse; that there is a secret heavenly vigour, undauntednesse of spirit, and noblenesse of courage which mightily upholds the hearts of holy men in those times of confusion and feare, when theirs melt away within them like water, and be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. Worldlings wonder, and gnash the teeth hereat: When they see, as Chrysostome truly tels us, the Christian to differ from them in this; that he beares all crosses couragiously; and with the wings (as it were) of faith, out soares the height of all humane miseries. He is like a Rocke, incorporated into IESVS CHRIST, the Rocke of eternity, still erect inexpugnable, unshaken, though most furiously assaulted with the tempestuous waves of any worldly woe, or concurrent rage of all infernall powers. But all the imaginary [Page 19] man-hood of gracelesse men doth ever in the day of distresse either vanish into nothing, or dissolve into despaire.
- 4. Expression of spirituall strength in the time of trouble from former heavenly store, is a notable meanes to move others to enter into the same good way, and grow greedy after grace; to draw and allure them, to the entertainment and exercise of those ordinances, and that One necessary thing, which onely can make them bold and unmooveable like Mount Zion in the day of adversity. I have knowne some, the first occasion of whose conversion, was, the observation of their stoutnesse and patience under oppressions and wrongs, whom they have purposely persecuted with extremest malice and hate. So blessed many times is the brave, resolute, and undaunted behaviour of GODS people in the time of triall, and amidst their forest sufferings, that it breeds in the hearts of beholders, thoughts even of admiration and love, nay a desire of imitation, and turning on the other side. When they represent to the eye of the world their ability to passe thorow the raging flames of fiery tongues untouched, to possesse their soules in peace, amidst scorpions, thornes, and rebels, to passe by basest indignities from basest men without wound or passion, to hold up their heads above water in the most boisterous tempests, and deepest seas of danger, to triumph over all adversary power in the evill day; I say, by GODS blessing, this may make many come in and glorifie GOD, marvelling and enquiring, [Page 20] whence such invincible fortitude, and bravenesse of spirit should spring; concluding with Nabuchadnezzar: Surely, The servants of the most high GOD. And so at length their affections may be so set on edge after the excellency and amiablenesse of IESVS CHRIST, who being, The mighty GOD, and The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, doth alone inspire all His with such a Lion-like courage; that they may seriously and savingly seek His face and favour; saying with those, Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, O thou fairest among women?—That we may seeke Him with thee. When they behold such a deale of Majesty and mi [...]th to shine in his face whom they make the marke of all their spitefull rage and revenge; their teeth with which they could have torne him in peeces, may water; and they industriously desire to know, what that is, which makes such a man so merry in all estates.
Vses▪ 1. This may serve to awaken and reprove all those secure and carelesse companions, who, if they may enjoy present contentment, and partake in the meane time of the prosperity and pleasures of the times, wherein they tumble themselves with insolency, luxury, and ease; take no thought, make no provision at all against a day of reckoning, provide no food against a foule day, treasure up no comfort against the LORDS coming, prepare no armour or aid for that last and dreadfull conflict upon their beds of death. Alas poore soules! Did they know and feelingly apprehend what a deale of horrour, astonishment [Page 21] and anguish dogs them continually at the heeles, ready and eager after a few daies of filthy and fugitive pleasures, to seize upon them like travaile upon a woman with child, suddenly, unavoidably, and in greatest extremity, and that so intolerable, that they shall never be able either to decline or endure, the very weakest biting of the never-dying worme, or the least sparkle of those everlasting flames; they would think all the daies of their life few enow to gather spirituall strength against that fearefull houre. Nay, some are such cruell caitifs and Cannibals to their owne soules, and so accursedly blinded by the Prince of darknesse, that instead of comfortable provision, they heape up wrath against the day of wrath; instead of grace, GODS favour, and a good conscience, peace, joy, and refreshing from the presence of the LORD, they lay up scourges, and Scorpions for their naked soules and guilty consciences against the time and terrour of the LORDS visitation. For, let them be most assured; all their lies, oathes, rotten and railing speeches; all their covetous, lustfull, ambitious and malicious thoughts; all their swaggering and furious combinations against GODS people, sensuall revellings, joviall meetings, &c. will all, When their feare commeth as desolation, and their destruction commeth as a whirlewind, like so many envenimed stings, run into their sinfull soules, and pierce them thorow with everlasting sorrow. Alas! What will the sonnes and daughters of pleasure do then? And all those spirituall beggers and bankerupts, who have greedily [Page 22] hunted, all their life long after these mortall things of this life, as if their soules had beene therein immortall; and utterly neglected those things which are immortall, as if their selves after the world had been but mortall? What do you think wilbe their thoughts upon the very first approach of the Port of death, to which in the meane time all winds drive them? Fullsad, and heavy thoughts (LORD thou knowest) then at leisure enough to reflect severely upon their former folly, though formerly beaten from them by their health and outward happinesse, and will pay them to the uttermost for all the pleasing passages of their life past. O then they shall lie upon their last beds like Wild Buls in a net, full of the fury of the LORD; And in the morning they shall say, would GOD it were even: and at even they shall say, would GOD it were morning, for the feare of their heart wherewith they shall feare, and for the sight of their eyes, which they shall s [...]e. Then (though too late) will they lamentably cry out and complaine: What hath pride profited us? Or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a Poste that hast [...]th by. And as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, and when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found: neither the path-way of the keele in the waves. Or as when a bird hath flowne thorow the aire, there is no token of her way to be found, but the light aire being beaten with the stroke of her wings, and parted with the violent noise, and motion of them, is passed [...]horow, and therein afterwards no signe where she went [Page 23] is to be found. Or like as when an arrow is shot at a marke, it parteth the aire, which immediately commeth together againe; so that a man cannot know where it went thorow: Even so we in like manner, assoone as we were borne, began to draw to our end, and had no signe of vertue to shew: but we consumed in our owne wickednesse. For the hope of the ungodly is like dust, that is blowne away with the wind, like a thin froth that is driven away with the storme. like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarieth but a day. If a Minister who labours industriously all his life long, to worke upon such as sit under him every Sabbath; Of which, some all the while preferre some base lust before the LORD IESVS: others will not out of their formality to the forwardnesse of the Saints, do what he can, or presse he them never so punctually and upon purpose; I say, if it were possible, that he might talke with any of them, some two houres after they had been in hell: Oh! How should he find the case altered with them? How would they then roare, because they had dis-regarded his Ministry? What would they not give to have a grant from GOD, to trie them in hearing but one Sermon more? How would they teare their haire, gnash the teeth, and bite their nailes, that they had not listened more seriously, and taken more sensibly to heart those many heavenly instructions, spirituall discoveries, secret (but well understood) intimations, that their state to GOD-ward was starke naught, by which he sought with much earnestnesse and [Page 24] zeale, even to the wasting of his bloud and life, to save the bloud of their soules? And yet for all this, you will not be warned in time, charme the charmers never so wisely: But some of you sit here before us from day to day, as senslesse of those things which most deeply and dearely concerne the eternall ruine, or welfare of your precious soules, as the sea [...]es upon which you sit, the pillars you leane unto; nay, the dead bodies you tread upon: others looking towards heaven afarre off, and professing a little, sit before us as though they were right and truly religious; and they heare our words, but they will not do them: For with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse. And loe, we are unto them, as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: For they heare our words, but they do them not. They are friends to the better side, may go farre, and even suffer somtimes in good causes, &c. But let us once touch them in point of commodity, about their enclosures, immoderate plungings into worldly affaires, detaining Church-dues, usury, and other dishonest gaine, and base niggardise; If out of griefe of heart for their shaming Religion, exposing the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST to blasphemy, and [...]dening others against Profession, we meddle with their fashions, their pride, their worldlymindednesse, and conforming to the world almost in every thing, save onely some religious formes; If we presse them more particularly upon danger of damnation to more holy strictnesse, precisenesse [Page 25] and zeale, knowing too well, by long observation and acquaintance, that they never yet passed the perfections of formall Professours, and foolish Virgins: Alas! We then find by too much wofull experience; if they politikely bite it not in, that this faithfull dealing doth marvellously discontent them; and these precious Balmes do break their heads with a witnesse, and make the bloud run about their eares; whereupon they are wont to fall upon us more foule, (such true Pharisees are they) than would either the drunkard or good-fellow, the Publicans and harlots do in such cases: they presently swelling with much passionate heat, proud indignation, disdaine, and impatiency to be reform'd, have recourse to such weake and carnall cavils, contradictions, exceptions, excuses and raving; that in nothing more do they discover to every judicious man of GOD, or any who doth not flatter them, or whom they do not blinde with their entertainments and bounty, or delude with painted pretences, and art of seeming, their formality, and false-heartednesse. And yet, as they are characteriz'd Isa. 57. 2. They seeke the LORD daily, and delight to know his waies, as a nation that did righteousnesse, and forsooke not the ordinance of their GOD: they aske of Him the ordinances of justice: they take delight in approaching to GOD: They may have divine Ordinances on foot in their families, entertaine GODS people at their Tables, fast and afflict their soules upon dayes of humiliation, as appeares in the fore-cited Chapter, Verse 3. Heare the word gladly, with Hero [...]; and [Page 26] with much respect and acceptation observe the messenger, &c. But they will not stirre an inch further from the World, or nearer to GOD, say what he will, let him preach out his heart, as they say. They will not abate one jot of their over-eager pursuit after the things of this life, or wagg one foot out of the un-zealous plodding course of formall Christianity; no, not for the Sermons, perhaps of twenty yeares, and that from him who hath all the while laboured faithfully so farre to illighten them, as that they might not depart this life with hope of heaven; and then with the foolish Virgins, fall (utterly against all expectation, both of themselves and others) into the bottomlesse pit of hell. O quàm multi cum hac spead aeternos labores, & bella descendunt! How many (saith one) go to hell with a vaine hope of heaven; whose chiefest cause of damnation is their false perswasion, and groundlesse presumption of salvation! Well, be it either the one, or the other; the besotted sensualist, or selfe-deluding formalist, could we speake with them upon their beds of death (their consciences awaked) or the day after they were damned in hell; we should find them then, though in the meane time they suffer many sowre apprehensions to arise in their hearts against us, in a much altered tune and temper. Then would they with much amazednesse and terrible feare, yell out those now too late hideous complaints: We fooles counted his life madnesse, &c. we wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction, &c. What hath pride profited us? &c. Then would they curse all [Page 27] dawbers, and justifie all downe-right dealers: contempt Se [...] Basil. Tom. 1. Pag. 469. of whose counsell, would now cut in peeces their very heart-strings with restlesse anguish and horrour, and mightily strengthen the never-dying worme; whereby the enraged soule will thrust its owne hands, as it were, into its owne bowels, and teare open the very fountaine of life and sense to feed upon it selfe. For, the worme of conscience (say Divines) is onely a continuall remorse and furious reflexion of the so [...]le upon its owne wilfull folly, and thereby the wofull misery it hath brought upon it selfe.
2. This may serve to stirre up all the sonnes and daughters of wisdome to hoard up with all holy greedinesse, instead of earthly pelfe, transitory toyes and shining clay, the rich and lasting treasures of divine wealth and immortall graces. For, these heavenly jewels purchased with CHRISTS bloud, and planted in the heart by the omnipotent hand of the HOLY GHOST, will shine comfortably upon our soules with beames of blessednesse and peace, amid all the miseries and confusions, the darknesse and most desperate dangers of this present life: nay, in the very valley of the shadow of death, their splendour and spirituall glory will not onely dissolve, and dispell all mists of horrour which can possibly arise from the apprehension of hell, the grave, those last dreadfull pangs, or any other terrible thing; but also illighten, conduct and carie us triumphantly thorow the abhorred confines of the King of feare upon the wings of joy, and in the armes of Angels, to unapproachable light, [Page 28] unknowne pleasures, and endlesse blisse. It may be, as yet, thou standest upright without any changes, unstir'd in thy state by any adverse storme, supposing thy mountaine so strong, that thou shalt never be mooved. Thus long perhaps the Allmighty hath beene with thee: His candle hath shined upon thy head, and His patient providence rested with all favour and successe upon thy Tabernacle; so that hitherto thou hast seene no dayes of sorrow; but even washed thy steps with butter, and the rocke hath powred thee out rivers of oyle, &c. Yet for all this, the day may come, before thou die, that thou maist be stript of all, and become as poore as Iob, as they say, by fire, robbery, suretiship, ship-wracke, the destroying sword, desolations of war, or by the hand of GOD in some other kind; Even, A day, an houre, a moment (saith one) is Dies, [...], momentum, evertendis dominationibus sufficit, quae adamantinis credebantur radicibus esse funda [...]ae. Casaub. enough to over-turne the things that seemed to have beene founded and rooted in adamant: Labour therefore industriously before-hand so to furnish and fortifie thine heart with patience, noblenesse of spirit, Christian fortitude, the mightinesse of Iobs faith, Cap. 13. 15. And his manifold integrities, Cap. 31. That if such an evill day should come upon thee (and who can looke for exemption when he lookes upon Iobs affliction) thou maist with an unrepining submission to GODS good providence and pleasure, take up his sweetest resolution and repose: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, Iob 1. 11. and naked shall I returne thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD. Though, as yet, by a miracle of [Page 29] rarest mercy, calmnesse and serenity rest upon the firmament of our state; yet who knowes how soone, especially, sith many of GODS dearest servants beyond the seas have lyen so long in teares and bloud, some dismall cloud and tempestuous storme may arise out of the hellish [...]ogs of our many hainous sinnes and crying abominations, and breake out upon us, and that with greater terrour, and farre more horribly, by reason of the unexpectednesse and our present desperate security: Though the Sun of the Gospell, and glory of a matchlesse Ministry shine yet full faire among us in the Meridian of our peace and prosperous daies, yet little know we, how soone and suddenly it may decline and set in a sea of confusion, calamity and woe: And therefore hoard up greedily in the meane time, and while the Sun shines, a rich treasury of saving knowledge, grace and good life; that if need require, thou maist then resolutely reply with blessed Paul against all contradictions and temptations to the contrary: I am ready not to be Acts 28. 13. bound onely, but also to die for the name of the LORD IESVS: Though at this present thou doest perhaps with much sweet contentment enjoy thy GOD comfortably, and His pleased face; many heavenly deawes of spirituall joy, glorious refreshings, and abundance of spirituall delights fall upon thy soule from the Throne of mercy every time thou commest neare Him; Thou canst say unto thy Dearest out of thy present feeling, I am Cant. 6. 13. my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine, and in some good measure keepe a part with the Saints of old, [Page 30] in such victorious and triumphant Songs as these▪ Oh that my words were now written, Oh that they were Iob 19. 23▪ 24, 25. printed in a booke! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rocke for ever. For, I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. We will not feare, Psal. 46. 2, 3. though the earth be remooved: and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the sea: though the waters thereof roare, and be troubled, though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. I am perswaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, Rom. [...]. 38. nor principalities, nor powers, &c. Yet for all this, that onely wise GOD of thine may hereafter for some cause seeming good to Himselfe, and for thy good, with-draw from thee the light of His countenance, and sense of His love, and leave thee for a time to the darknesse of thine owne spirit, and Satans [...]orest temptations, &c. Ply therefore in this prosperity of thy soule all blessed meanes; the Ministry, Sacraments, Prayer, Conference, Meditations, humiliation-dayes, holinesse of life, clearenesse of conscience, watching over thy heart, walking with GOD, sanctified use of afflictions, experimentall observation of GODS dealings with thee from time to time, workes of justice, mercy, and truth, &c. Thereby so to quicken, fortifie and steele thy faith, that in the bitterest extremity of thy spirituall distresse, thou maist be able to say with Iob, Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him, Iob 13. 15. A thousand crosses moe, calamities and troubles may over-take thee before thou takest thy leave of this vale of teares: It will be thy wisdome therefore, now in this calme to [Page 31] provide for a storme; to treasure up out of GODS Booke many mollifying medicines and soveraigne antidotes against all slavish and vexing forethought of them in the meane time, and their bitternesse when they shall come upon thee. Thou maist be assured, if thou be a sonne, thy heavenly Father will ever correct thee; 1. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Never before there be need: and alwayes in 2. [...]eb. 12. 9, 10. Isa. 2 [...]. [...]6, &c. Wisdome. 3. Isa. 27. 7, 8. And 28. 27, 28. [...]em 46. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Measure. 4. Prov. 3. 1 [...]. Hebr. 12. 5, 6. Rev 3 1 [...] Isa. 63 9. Psal 103. 13, 14 Hos. 11. 8, 9. Isa. 40. 11. And [...]. 13, 14, 15. And 54. 11. Psal. 56. 8. Love and tendernesse. 5. For Psal. 30. 5. & 103. 9 & 125▪ 3. Isa. 10. 25. And 54. 7, [...] And 57. 16. Ier. 3. 12. Mic▪ 7. 18. a moment onely. 6. To Deut. 8. 2. P [...]alme 66. 10. Proverb. 17. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7. [...]am. 1. 2. trie thee; what drosse of corruption, and what sound metall of grace is in thee. 7: To Isa 1. 25 And 4. 4. And 27. 9. Prov. 20. 30. Psal. 119. 67. purge out sinne. 8. To Dan. 11. 3 [...] ▪ & 12. 10, Zech. 13. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7. refine thee, and make the vertues of CHRIST in thee more shining and illustrious. 9. To Ioh. 15 2. Rom. 5. 3, [...], 5. Isa. 26. 9. Iam. 1. 2, 3. stirre up, quicken and increase all saving graces in thy soule. Of which see my Exposition upon the 26 Chapter of Isa. Amongst all the rest, Faith ever becomes most famous by afflictions. Witnesse that cloud of witnesses, Heb. 11, 10. To Iob 5. 17. Iam. 1. 1 [...]. And. 5. 1 [...]. Psal. 94. 12. make thee blessed. 11. To 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2 Cor 4. 17. save thee. 12. And He Isa. 41. 10, 11, 12. And 43 2. Psal. 91. 1 wilbe ever with thee in trouble. 13. He Iob 5 18, 19. Psal. 34. 17, 18, 19. And. [...]0▪ 1 [...]. And 91. 15. will deliver thee. 14. Nay, and never was Gold-Smith more curious and precise to watch the very first season, when his gold is thorowly refined and fitted for use, that he may take it out of the fornace; than our gracious GOD Isa. 30. 18. waits in such cases with an holy longing, that He may have mercy upon thee and deliver thee. But how soever, or whatsoever befall thee in this life, thou must upon [Page 32] necessity ere it be long, lie gasping for breath upon thy dying bed, and there graple hand to hand with the utmost and concurrent rage of all the powers of darknesse, and that king of feare attended with his terrours: and therefore let the whole course of thy life be a conscionable preparative to die comfortably: Suppose every Day thy last, and thereupon so behave thy selfe both in thy generall and particular calling, as though thou shouldest be called to an exact account at night for all things done in the flesh, before that last and highest Tribunall: In all thy thoughts, words, actions and undertakings in any kind, say thus unto thy selfe: would I do thus and thus, if I certenly knew the next houre to be my last: In a word, so live, that upon good ground thou maist bring Davids undaunted boldnesse to thy bed of death: Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no evill.
Here, upon this seasonable occasion, give me leave to commend and tender unto you some speciall preparatives, rules, motives and meanes to furnish before hand, and fortifie your spirits against all future evils, and terrible things that are towards.
1. Treasure up richly and abundantly before hand the precepts, practice and experimentall sweetnesse of patience, that most usefull and precious vertue, which may serve (when time serves) as a soveraigne antidote, to abate, and abolish the sting and venime of all crosses, afflictions, and mortall miseries; and as a comfortable cordiall to [Page 33] support and hold up thy heart in the bitternesse and extremity of the sorest.
Mighty and miraculous was the worke of this glorious grace in blessed Iob. By its heavenly and invincible influence upon his humble soule, it did not onely utterly extinguish (which was a very admirable and extraordinary thing) all that desperate anguish and slavish griefe, which such variety and extremity of greatest miseries, that ever befell any mortall man, would have naturally bred in the hopelesse hearts of impatient worldlings; least of which is many times enough to drive them to despaire and selfe-destruction; but also Quanta adversus eum jacula missa▪ Quanta admota tormenta? jactura rei familiaris infligitur: numcrosae sobolis orbitas irrogatur: Dives in censu Dominus; & in liberis Pater di [...]ior: Nec Dominus repentè, nec Pater est. Accedit vulnerum vastitas, & tabescentes, ac dcfluentes artus vermium quo (que) edax poena consumit, &c. Nec tamen Iob gravibus & densis conflictationibus frangitur, quo minus inter illas angustias & pressuras suas DEI benedictio victrice patientiâ praedicetur. Cyprian. de'bono Patientiae. Nihil in Domo remanserat, omnia in uno ictu perierunt, quibus opulentus paulò antè videbatur. Subitò mendicus in stercore sedet, a capite us (que) ad pedes vermibus scatens. Quid istâ miseriâ miserius? Quid interiore foelicitate foelicius? Perdiderat omnia illa quae dederat DEVS, sed habebat Ipsum qui omnia dederat DEVM.—Certè pauper est, certè nihil habet. Si nihil remansit, d [...] quo thesauro istae gemmae laudi [...] DEI proferuntur?—O virum putrem, & integrum; O foedum & pulchrum; O vulneratum & sanum; O in stercore sedentem, & in coelo regna [...] tem! August. de Temp. Serm. 105. enabled him with the sweetest calmnesse of a well-composed and unshaken spirit, even to blesse the LORD his GOD for taking from him these transitory things, of which he was the true Proprietary, and which in much undeserved mercy He had lent unto him so long. The LORD gave, (said he) and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.
With what infinite, implacable indignation, and bloudy rage would Shemeis railing have rent [Page 34] in peeces the heart of many a gracelesse King? And yet David by the helpe of this holy vertue, passed on along patiently without wound, or passion.
That heavy newes which was so horrible, that it made both the eares of every one that heard it, tingle, brought by Samuel to Eli immediately from GODS owne mouth, might have made many an earth-worme to have run mad with the very fore-thought of so much misery to come: But good old patient Eli, when he had heard it all, sweetly ejaculates: It is the LORD: Let Him doe what seemeth him good.
The taking away of two sonnes at once by a sudden and violent death, with visible vengeance from heaven, and in the middest of a most horrible sinne, is naturally matter of sorrow which cannot be exprest, and extremest griefe: yet Aaron in such a case having learned conformity of his owne will to the divine pleasure of the onely wise GOD; when Moses told him that the LORD would be sanctified in them that come nigh Levit. 10. 3▪ Him, and before all the people H [...] would be glorified; He held his peace: And Aaron held his peace. So quieting his heart because GOD would have it so. See further for this purpose, 2 Sam. 3. 15. 26. Isa. 39, 8. &c.
By these few precedents you may easily perceive what singular and soveraigne power patience hath to pull the sting, and extract the poyson out of the most grievous calamities and greatest troubles.
But now on the contrary: Impatiency and unpleasednesse [Page 35] with GODS providence in sending both good and In the equity of an holy and jus [...] proportion, wee must expect as well ill as good, at th [...] hands of GOD. What? ( saith Iob) shall wee receive good at the hand of GOD, and shall wee not receive evill? Cap. 2. 10. ill, yet ever in love, and for our good; For Magis timere debemus▪ si aut nullas, aut parvas tribulationes in hoc saeculo patimur: quia si DEVS flagellat omnem filium quem recipit, sine dubio quē non flagellat, non recipit: Aus [...] de Temp. Se. m. 105. what sonne is he, whom the Father chasteneth not? doth more afflict us than all our afflictions. The storme of GODS wrath breaks out sometimes upon the outward state of some greedy fretting mammonist, and He justly sinites him for his wicked covetousnesse and dishonest gaine, perhaps in the height and hot gleame of his prosperity and thriving, by some sudden visible consumption, or secret wasting curse: He (as such covetous wretches are wont) takes on extremely, farre beyond the rage of the maddest bedlam. He stamps and stares (as they say) roares and raves; g [...]asneth his teeth, teares his haire, bites his nailes, almost like a damned soule, that hath new lost heaven; untill at length the Devill lead him to lay violent hands upon himselfe. Now, are not these selfe-vexing tortures farre more rerrible than the taking away of his transitories? Is not the cutting of his owne throat incomparably worse than the crosse? A bird that is intangled amongst limetwigs, the more she stirres and struggles, the more she is made sure, and doubles her danger: A Quid indigna [...] Querclae & indignatio nil aliud, quam accessio mali sunt; nihil enim tam exasperat fe [...]vorem vulneris, quàm serendi impatientia. Omnis indignatio in tormentum suum proficit. Sic laqueos fera dum jactat, astringit; sic aves viscum, dum trepidantes excutiunt, plumis omnibus illinunt: nullum tam arctum est jugum, quod non minus laedat ducentem, quàm repugnantem Vnum est levamentum malorum ingentium etiam pati, & necessitatibus suis obsequi. Quid igitur mor [...]o corporis, animi morbum addere juvat, te (que) miseriorem facere murmurando, &c. repining reluctation, and angry striving (as it were) to get out of GODS hands, doth ever enveaime and exasperate the wound, and makes us ten times worse, and more miserable, than if we fairely and [Page 36] patiently submitted to his omnipotent and most mercifull will. Neither doth want of patience onely mightily enrage a crosse, but it also embitters all our comforts. The bare omission of a meere complement in Mordecai did not onely fill Hamans proud heart with many raging distempers of hatred, malice, revenge, foolish indignation and much furious discontentment; but also turned al the pleasure, and kindly relish in his courtly pleasures, riches, honours, offices, extraordinary advancements and royall favours, into gall and wormewood. And Haman told them of the glory of his Ester [...]. 11, 12, 13. riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the Princes and servants of the King. Haman said moreover, yea Esther the Queene did let no man come in with the King unto the Banquet that she had prepared, but my selfe, and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the King. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Iew sitting at the Kings gate. Whereas now David, a King, as I told you before, by the benefit of this blessed grace, did not suffer his Princely spirit to be un-calmed at all, no not by the traiterous and most intolerable reviling of a dead dog, and his baseft vassall.
2. Keepe off thy heart from the world, in the greatest affluence of wealth and worldly prosperity. Earthly-mindednesse ever sharpeneth and keenes the sting in all distresses. It gives teeth to the crosse to eat out the very heart of the afflicted. Had not Iob beene able to have professed, that in [Page 37] the height of his happinesse he was thus affected: If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the [...]ine gold, Thou art my confidence: If I rejoyced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much: [Here Hic subaudienda imprecatio, dispeream, &c. Mer [...] in Loc. say Divines, somthing is understood, as dispeream, then let me perish, or the like] If Quidam hoc ita exposuerūt, quasi Iobus profiteretur, se Solem & Lunam non adorasse: quià antiquis ea superstitio valdè usitata erat, praesertim in Oriente:—Is verò sensus verus quidem est, sed tamen loco praesenti non convenit: Iobus hic voluit aliâ similitudine uti, & equidem juxta sermonem, quem jam habu [...]mus de eo quod professus est se nullâ superbiâ & arrogantiâ laborasse, &c. Calv. in loc. I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse: And my heart hath beene secretly entised, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:—Then should I have denied the GOD that is above. If I grew proud, puft up, or pleased my selfe with the glistering brightnesse of my earthly abundance, let it be so and so with me: I say, except Iobs heart had beene thus Si laetatus sum, inquit, multis mihi affluentibus undi (que) divitijs, si recondidi aurum in pulverem, si spem in pretiosis lapidibus habui. Haecille. Proptereà nec quum erepta quidem omnia subitò essent, turbatus est, quippe qui praesentibus non delectantur, &c.—Quas omnes ob res mecum ipse plerum (que) admitari s [...]leo, quare in mentem Diabolo venit, exercitationes istius non ignoranti, tot tantos (que) adversus ipsum cogitasse labores. Cur igitur illi venit in mentem? Truculentissima certè bestia nunquam solet despera [...]e victoriam, quod ad condemnationem nostram spectat: nam ille nunquam, ut dixi, nostram desperat perditionem: nos de salute nostrâ saepius desperamus. Chrysost. Hom. 34. in M [...]. wained from the world, when as yet he wallowed in wealth; he had never been able to hold out in the evill day, and to have borne so bravely the ruine of so rich a state without repining. But now churlish Nabal, whose affections were notoriously nail'd to the earth; though perhaps once or twice a yeare he made a joviall and frolicke feast, as other cunning worldlings are wont to their good-fellow-companions, upon purpose to procure and preserve a Pharisaicall reputation of bounty with some flattering dependants, [Page 38] and for a cloke to colour their covetousnesse and cruelty; yet he was of a [...]linty bosome in respect of doggednesse and extreme niggardise, especially towards GODS people, and his heart by excessive rooting there, was turned wholly into earth: and therefore in the evill day, it died within him, and he became as a stone. To keepe off the world in a fit distance, that it do thee no deadly hurt, and undoe thee quite; keepe still fresh and strong in thy thoughts a true estimate and right conceipt of the Quid sunt [...]os humanae? Cinis▪ pulvis, sumus, umbra, solia [...]dentia, [...]los, somnium, fabula, ventus, aër, penna mobilis, [...]da decu [...]ens, & si quid istis inserius Chrysost In Epist. ad Heb. H [...]m. 9. Inquiramus, si placet, quae sunt illa prae sentis vit [...] p [...] [...] Divitiae, glo [...]ia, potenti [...], magnum ex [...] ab hominibus? Sed videbis nihil illis esse i [...]certius,— [...] vid [...]ti [...] in [...], aliqua pars ejus, eò quod [...] siunt ima, & ima summa: ita & nostra [...]um re [...]um imp [...]tus [...] ve [...]untur summa facit in [...]ma: ut videre [...] indivitijs, potenti [...], [...]. Nunquam enim in e [...]dem [...]atu manent, sed semper inflabiles, fluminum fluxus imitantur. Idem. Hom. de Nomine Abram. mutability of all things here below, and thine owne mortality. In their best condition and highest confluence, they are but 1. Vanity: We shall never [...]ind in them any solidity, or that good or comfort which we still with much eager pursuit and thirst expect and labour in vaine to extract from them: but upon triall and trust in them, they will ever proove empty clouds, broken staves of reed. Poma Gomorrhaea pulchra quidem sunt, sed cum frangu [...]ur in vagum pulve [...]em fatiscunt. App [...]s of Sodom, Wells without water. And when we graspe them most greedily, we embrace nothing but smoke, which wrings teares from our eyes, and vanisheth into nothing. 2: Vexation of spirit. Besides the emptinesse and absence of that imaginary felicity which we hunt after in them; there is also the presence and plenty of much [...] and hearts griese, which the [Page 39] slaves of pleasure, and lovers of the world little looke for, when they at first resolve to sell their soules for such transitory trash. Divitias invenisti? (saith one) Requiem perdidisti. Hast thou found riches? Thou hast lost thy rest. A man that will be rich, takes no more rest, than one upon a racke, or bed of thornes▪ like Anacreo [...] quin (que) talentis Poly [...]rate donatus, cum per duas noctes pro ipsis solicitus fuisset, reddidit [...]a, inquiens; no [...] tanti esse quatâ ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret. St [...]b. Cap. 39. Anacreon with his five Talents, still distracted with worldly thoughts, and continually prickt with cares and feares. 3. They cannot satisfie the soule. Gold can no more fill the spirit of a man, than grace his purse. Betweene heaven and earth, spirits and bodies, soules and silver, there is no proportion. And therefore no earthly excellencies, no carnall pleasures, no worldly treasures are fit matter, or a full object, for such an immateriall, immortall and heavenly borne-being to feed upon with any proper delight, true comfort, or sound contentment. Not all this great materiall world, or greatest masse of gold can possibly fill the mighty capacity and immeasurable appetite of this little sparke of heaven breath'd into us by the infinite power of an Almighty hand. A man may as well fill a bag with wisedome, as the soule with the world; a chest with vertues, as the mind with wealth. 4. They cannot helpe in the evill day. Their bloud (saith the Prophet) shalbe powred out as Zeph. 1. 17, 18▪ dust, and their flesh as the dung: neither their silver nor their gold shalbe able to deliver them in the day of the LORDS wrath. Put a man into a pang of any painefull maladie, and bodily torture; as into a fit of the Stone, Strangury, [Page 40] No torture of body like unto it, no strappado's, hot-irons▪ Phalaris Buls, all feares, griefes, suspicions, discontents are swallowed up and drowned in this Euripus, this [...]sh Sea, this Ocean of misery, as so many small b [...]ooks. This is th [...] Quintessence of humane adversity; all other diseases whatsoever are but flea-bi [...]ings to Melancholy in extent. 'Tis the pith of them all And a melancholy man is that true Prometheus which is bound to Caucasus the true Titius, whose bowels are still by a Vul [...]r d [...]voured, is Poe [...]s seigne, and so do [...]h Litius Gi [...]aldus interpret it, of anxieties, and those gripi [...]g [...]ares. In all other maladies whatsoeuer we seeke for help [...]: If a leg or an orme ake through any d [...]stemperature [...]r wound: or that we have any ordinary disease, above all things whatsoever, we desire helpe and health, a present recovery, if by any means possi [...]ly it may be procured We will [...]ly part with all our other substance, endure any miserie, drink▪ bitter pot [...]ons, swallow those [...] pills, suff [...]r our joints to be seared▪ to be cut off, any thing for future health; so sw [...]et, so dea [...], so precious above all other things in the world is life: but to [...] melancholicke m [...]n, nothing so ted [...]ous, nothing so odious; that which they so carefully secke to p [...]eserve, [...]e a [...]res; he alone, so intolerable are his paines. Bur [...]on of Melanch. pag. 274. deepe Melancholy, Gout, Cholicke, or the like: let some incurable devouring Ulcer, Canker, Elephantiasis, the Wolfe, the A most lothsom [...] and horrible disease in the haire, unheard of in former times, as Morbus Galli [...]us, and Sudor Anglicus; bred by moderne luxurie and excesse. it seizeth specially upon women; and by reason of a viseous v [...]imous humour, glues together (as it were) the haire of their head with a proaigious ugly implication and en [...]anglement: sometimes taking the for me of a great snaks, sometimes of many little serpents: full of [...]astinesse, v [...]rmine and noiso [...]e smell: And that which is most to be admired, and never eye saw before, pricked with a needle, they yeeld bloudy drop [...]; And at the first spreading of this dreadfull dis [...]se in Poland, all that cut off this [...]orrible and snakie haire, lost their eyes, or the humour fall [...]g dow [...]e upon other parts of the body▪ tortur'd them extremely. Heare my Author, that learned and famous Professour of Physicks in Padua, Hercules Saxonia, in his [...]wue word: Plica, est agglutinatio, vel invis [...]atio quaedam pilorum ex humido viseido, lento ac glutinoso. Nunc primum peruniversam ferè Poloniam grassatur; i [...]ò verò per quasdam Germaniae partes divagatur—Maximam partem [...]oeminas in▪ vadit: Eos etiam qui [...]orriginem capitis, quam vulgus tineam vocat, medicamentis [...]epercutientibus represserunt: Praetereà f [...]minas, quae menstruis temporibus nonsatis purgantur.—Quis non novum, mirabile, & horridum putet capillos ex prop [...]ia naturâ planos, denussos a [...] simplices, momento temporis sponte suâ sub coelo admodum [...]gido incrispari, paulo post e [...]igi, involvi, at (que) indissolubili [...]er conjungi, va [...]ias recipere sigmas, quando (que) maximi cujusdam anguis, aliquandò plurium & minotum se pentum, undi (que) vermes, [...] [...]oetorem (que) redolere: Quod (que) omnium maximum est, & a saeculo inauditum, a [...]u perpunctos, vel transfixos sanguinem essundere.—Expertum est, qui tales sas [...]iculos implicatorum peractè interse c [...]nium deraserint, eos oculis cap [...]. aut detluxibus ad alias partes corporis gravissi [...]e to [...]queri. It begun first not many yeares ago in Poland. It is now entred into many Parts of Germany. And me thinks, our monstrous Fashionists, both male and female; the one for nour [...]shine their horrid bush [...]s of vanity; the other for their most unnaturall and cursed cutting their haire should every houre feare and tremble, lest they should bring it upon their owne heads, and awor [...] us in this Kingdom [...] ▪ Plica, &c. take hold upon [Page 41] any part of his Body; and let him tell me then, what account he would make of all the Imperiall Crownes upon earth, attended with the height and utmost of humane felicities? Or what comfort could he take in the riches, glory and pleasures of the whole world? Or what ease and refreshing can large possessions, sumptuous buildings, pleasant walks, princely favours, dainty fare, choisest delights, or any thing under the Sun, afford in such a case? The very pricke of a needle, or paine of a tooth for the time, will take away the taste of all carnall contentments, and pleasure of the worlds Monarchy. If the LORD should let loose the cord of thy conscience, and set His just and deserved wrath a worke to enkindle flames of horrour in thy heart, what helpe couldest thou have in heapes of gold, or hoards of wealth? Remember Spira. They would be so [...]rre from healing the wound, or allaying the smart, that they would yet more horribly afflict thy already enraged spirit, and turne them even into fiery Scorpions for thy further torment. Let thy last sicknesse seize upon thee, and then say (for the houre of death, as they say, is the houre of truth) whether all the gold and goods in the world can any more deliver thee from the Arrest of that inexorable Serjeant, than can an handfull of dust? Nay, whether then the extremity of thy spirituall affliction, and anguish of soule, will not be answerable to the former excesse of thine inordinate affection to earthly things, and delights of sense? Or suppose thou shouldest be surprized [Page 42] by that last and great day, which the LORD in mercy hasten; how wilt thou then rescue thy free-hold, when the whole frame of the world is on fire? 5. They cannot possibly lead us beyond this life, or extend to eternity. If we see a servant follow two gentlemen, we know not whose man he is; but their parting will discover to whether he belongs; When death shall sever the owner from the world, then will riches and revenewes, offices and honours, stately buildings, and all outward bravery cleave to the world, and leave him to the world to come as poore a worme and wretch, as when he first came into this world: and therefore they are all the worlds Heireloomes, and none of his: Even as Absaloms mule went away, when his head was fast in the great Oake, and so left him hanging betweene heaven and earth, as a wofull spectacle of misery and shame to all beholders: So will all their wealth and worldly felicities deale with their most greedy ingrossers, and dearest minions upon their dying-beds. They will then most certenly (as Salomon Prov. 23. 5 [...]aith) make themselves wings, and flie away as an Eagle toward heaven: And leave their now forlorne former favourites to the fury of a guilty conscience for their cursed forsaking the Fountaine of living I [...]i. 2. 13. waters, all their life long, and hewing them out such cisternes, broken cisternes that could hold no water; nor help in the evill Day. We all stand at the doore of eternity; if death but once open it naturally or violently, or by any of his thousand thousand waies, we are presently stript of all, and immediately enter [Page 43] upon it, either that of everlasting pleasures, or the other of everlasting pains. And therfore it wilbe our wisdome in the mean time to value worldly vanities at no more than their own price; and industriously to ply all meanes which may enrich us with heavenly treasures of that divine stampe and lasting temper, which may attend us thorow all eternity. And as all these things here below are thus mutable and fugitive, so thy selfe art mortall and fraile. A creature as it were but of one daies lasting, like that Flos est, Hemerocallis, cujus vita & pulchritudodiaria est. Sed & volucris ad Hippanim fluvium est, Hemerovio [...] dicta, quae non ultra di [...]m vivit; sed [...]adem omnino luce, qu [...] lucem inchoat, si [...]it, mo [...]ienti (que) Soli commoritur: eodemdie, pueri, [...]uvenis, [...]enis aetatem experta manè nascitur, miridie & viget, vesperi consenescit & moritur. Animal [...]lo huic [...]millima est humana vita. Ad fluvium illa est perpetuò fluen [...]is temporis, sed & [...] est, magis quam avisulla, v [...]l [...], & saepè o [...]nissuae pompae di [...]m uni▪ cum, terminum habet, saepè horam, saepè pa [...]iò pr [...]ductius momentum. Quid ergò annos meditamur & saecula, saepè brevior is aevi quam flor [...] aut storum umb [...]a, aut si quid umb [...]ā vanius, brevius. Ae [...]ernit. Pro [...]ho. pag. 10. Flower and Bird which as naturalists report, receive their being and birth in the morning; but wither and die at night. Thy abode upon earth is like a vanishing Optimè Io [...]us: Et qui cum, inquit, viderant▪ dicent ubi est? Velut somnium a [...]olans non invenietur, (somniare ina [...]issimum, v [...]lare celerrimum) trans [...]et sicut visio noctu [...]na. Vita quid est' Flos est, sumus est, umbra est, & umbrae umbra; Bulla, Pulvis, Spuma, Ros, Stilla, Glacies est▪ [...]idis arcus deficiens cereus, surculus pertusus, ru [...]nosa domus, einis dolosus, Dies [...], April [...]s constantissimus, unicus testudinis tinnitus est▪ Hydria frac [...]a▪ [...] rota, aranea [...]m tela, maris guttula, vilis s [...]ipula, sols [...]itialis herba, brevis fabula, voluc [...]is, seintilla, tristis nebula, vesica ven [...]o plena, rut [...] lans ad solem columbula▪ vita, vit [...]um tenerrimum, follum levissimum, filum subtilissimum, p [...]mum aureum est, sed intus putridum, &c. Si nihil est umbra, di [...] quid umbrae somnium? Sexcenta mill [...] talia de vitâ [...]umanâ rectè pronunciantur. Mihi omnium rectissimè videntur dixisse, qui vitam vocant Somnium umbrae brevissimum▪ Compendio [...]em dicamus▪ vita est Somnus, Bulla, Vitrum, Glacies, Flos, Fabula, Foenum, Vmbra, Cinis, Punctum, Vox, Sonus, Au [...]a, Nihil. Ibid. Vita praesens figura est & deceptio, & a somnijs nihil dissert [...] Ergo mens ea est pu [...] rilis, quae ad umbras spectat, de somnijs superbi [...], & rebus fhixis alligatur. Chrysost▪ in Gen. Hom. 35▪ vision of the night, a flying dreame, the very dreame of a shadow, &c. This [Page 44] swift tide of mans life, after it once turneth and declineth, ever runneth with a perpetuall ebbe and falling streame, but never floweth againe: Our leafe once fallen, springeth no more; neither doth the Sun or the Summer beautifie us againe with the garments of new leaves and flowers, or ever after revive or renew us with freshnesse of youth, and former strength. Not onely Salomon ( Eccles. 1.) makes us in this respect more miserable than the Sun and other soule-lesse creatures; but even the Poet also by the light of naturall reason (whom I urge onely to make Christians, mindlesse of their owne mortality, athamed, who have thoughts of heaven and earth, as though eternity were upon earth, and time onely in heaven) tels us that, Soles occidere & redire possunt: Thus in English;
Which we must onely understand of returning any more to life and light in this world. Nay, in a word, lay thy selfe loaden with the utmost of all earthly excellencies and felicities in the one scale of the ballance, and vanity in the other, and vanity will weigh thee downe. Take heed therefore of trusting to the world in the meane time, lest it torture thee extremely in the time of trouble.
3. Take heed of weakening in the meane time, and unnecessarily over-wearying thy spirit:
[Page 45]1. By carking fore-thought of future evils, which forty to one may never fall out. Many men I am perswaded, (such is the naturall vanity of our minds) do more vexe themselves with feare and fore-conceipt of imaginary evils, which never befall; then they have just cause, to take on and trouble their hearts for all other true, reall, actuall troubles, which fall upon them. Thus many times do men torture themselves vainly with immoderate feare of forreine invasion, home-bred confusion, change of religion, the fiery triall, burning at a stake, distraction of mind, surprize by the Plague, Small Poxe, Purples, Spotted Fever, distresse and going backward in their outward state, losse of some child they love best, destruction of their goods by fire, robbery, ship-wracke, the frownes of greatnesse, hurt and revenge from those that hate them, hardnesse of heart, failing of their faith, spirituall desertion, overthrow by temptation, despaire of GODS mercies, sudden death, discomfortable cariage in their last sicknesse, the king of feare himselfe; what shall become of their children, when they are gone, &c. By these and millions moe of such causelesse and carking fore▪imaginations, the very flower and vigour of mens spirits may be much emasculated, and wasted wofully. A godly care to prevent them by repentance and prayer; and a carefull preparation by mortifying meditations, and Christian magnanimity to beare them patiently, if we be put unto it, is commendable and comfortable: but in the meane time to unspirit and macerate [Page 46] our selves with much distrustfull misery and needlesse torture about them, to our hindrance, distraction and discomfort in any businesses of either of our callings, or any waies, unchearefull walking; by slavish pre-conceipts to double and multiply their stings, and to suffer them so often before they seize upon us, is both un-noble and un-necessary: most unworthy the morall resolution of a meere naturall man, and the generous spirit of an honest Heathen; much more the invincible fortitude of any of CHRISTS favourites, and heires of heaven.
Or▪
2. Selfe-created crosses, that I may so call them. For so it often is, that many maried couples, governours of families (to instance there) having the world at will (as they say) and wanting nothing that heart can wish from GODS hand for outward things: and yet (I know not how) by reason of passion, covetousnesse, pride, waiwardnesse, frowardnesse, or something, they mutually embitter their lives one unto another with much uncomfortablenesse, discontentment and jarring. I would advise all such (and there are many and many such abroad in the world) punctually and impartially to examine their consciences; whether such secret sinnes as these, of which they take no notice, may not be the causes of it.
1. Matching, as being not mooved principally and predominantly with portion, parentage, personage, beauty, lust, riches, lands, slattery, friendship, greatnesse of family, forced perswasions, Parents [Page 47] covetous importunity, or some base and irrellgious by-respect and gracelesse ground. This the Apostle calleth marrying in the LORD: that is, for no by respect, but in the feare of GOD, 1 Cor. 7. 39. Without which all matches are miserable, though they should be made up with hoards of wealth and heapes of gold as high as heaven, crowned with honours transcendent to the starres. The basenesse, folly and iniquity of these times is not more visible and eminent in any thing, than in making, or rather marring of marriages. How often may we see by ordinary observation a little golden glue to joyne fast in the dearest bonds, pearles and clay? And silken fooles to carie away sufficiencies above their worthlesse weight in richest jewels? The world is stark mad in this Point. But they are rightly served; noble miseries and golden fetters are fit enough for such couples. For from this bitter root of a covetous, carnall, ambitious, or any wayes unconscionable choice, springs a world of misery and mischiefe; overthrow and ruine of great houses, scandalous divorces, unlawfull separations, dishonour, disturbance, jealousies, adulteries, bastardies, brawlings, mutuall exprobration of each others infirmities, deformity, portion, parentage, or some other cutting and netling matter of discontent; sinfull disorders in families, ill education of children, &c. And, without repentance, after a few and wretched dayes tediously worne out with much irksomnesse and hearts-breake, lying together everlastingly in the lake of fire, there banning each [Page 48] other with much desperate horrour, and many bitter despairefull gnashings of teeth, that ever they entered into that estate.
2. Predominancy of carnall love. Which may be justly punished with many fits of frowardnesse and falling out, from such small occasions and light grounds; that the Parties may well perceive, that the correcting hand of GOD is in it leading them thereby to the sight and notice, to remorse and reformation of the brutish sensuality and sinfulnesse of their matrimoniall affection; which should ever be rectified by reason, and spiritualiz'd with grace. Mariage is rather a fellowship of dearest amity, then disordered love. And love and amity are as different as the burning sicke heat of a fever from the naturall kindly heat of a healthfull body.
3. Immodest or immoderate abuse of the mariage. Which, though it lie without the walk of humane lawes, yet divine justice doth many times deservedly chastise it with variety of visitations upon themselves, families, outward state, good name: with miscariages, barrennesse, bad children, giving them over to unnecessary distempers and strangenesse in their cariage one unto another, and other such like discomforts and crosses. Which (though they may also befall GODS children for other ends, yet) let all guilty couples in such cases conceive, that they fall upon them for such secret sensuall exorbitancies and excesse.
4. Want of a comfortable communion in [Page 49] prayer, godly conference, mutuall communication of their spirituall estate, and how they stand to GOD-ward, daies of humiliation, helping one another towards heaven, and that joyfull forethought of most certaine meeting together in the ever lasting mansions of glory, joy and blisse above. Such divine fellowship would incredibly sweeten that dearest indissoluble knot, and make that state a very earthly Paradise to those few black Swannes, that love so sweetly and graciously together.
5. Ignorance, or negligence in the right understanding and practising both of the common and severall duties pertinent and proper to that estate. In all other Arts, Professions, and Trades of life, the Practitioners desire and endeavour to be ready in, and ruled by the precepts and directions thereof: but as concerning this great mysterie of managing the mariage-state with wisdome, conscience and comfort, the most are as ignorant in those Treatises which teach their Duties (of which there are many excellent ones extant) as they are basely insolent in clownish frowardnesse or imperious tyranny, to create a great deale of needlesse discontent and misery, both to themselves and their yoke-fellowes.
4. Helpe also we may have for the Point in hand, even from the wiser Heathen. Who out of the very light of nature and grounds of reason, did learne and labour to mollifie and asswage the stinging fore-thoughts of ills to come; [Page 50] and to Videntur omnia repentina graviora.—Praemeditatio futuro [...]um malorum lenit corum adventū. Tusc [...]. lib 3. Quoniam mul [...]um po [...]est provisio animi, & praeparatio ad minuendum do sorem, [...] s [...]mper omnia [...]omim [...] meditata. Haec est illa praestans & divina sapientia:—Nihil [...] acciderit: Nihil, antequam [...], non [...] ▪ venire posse a. bit [...]ari [...] Ib [...]d. Mani qui [...] aud [...]ta a docto me [...]inissem viro, Futaras [...] comment [...]bar miserias: Aut mo [...]tem acerbam, aut ex [...]lij moestam [...], [...] aliquam molem meduabar mah; Vt [...] invecta [...]as casu sor [...], Ne me imparatam [...] laceraret repens. [...]uripid. Quamobrem omnes, cum secundae sunt maximè, tum maximè Meditari secum opo [...]tet, quo pacto adversam aerumnam serant: Pe [...]ida, damna, exilia peregie reatens semper cogitet: Aut silij [...], aut uxo [...]is mortem, aut mo [...]bum sili [...]: [...] esse hec, fieri posse: ut ne quid animo sit novum: Q [...]quid [...]aeter spem evenia [...] omme id deputare esse in luc [...]o. Terent. Drumes a [...] th [...]s [...] and preparation, but upon better grounds, and by the rules [...] very powerfull to s [...]able us to passe more patiently thorow crosses when they coma. [...] ita praemedita [...] [...]; sucrat, ut ad omnia ingenti animo [...] to [...]ius substanti [...], & tam multarum terum [...]acturam, ad filiorum amarissimum obitum, ad uxoris affectum, ad acerba cornoris ulcera, ad injusta amicorum opprobrla, ad ancillarum contemptum at (que) servorum. Chrys [...]. in Mat. Hom. 34. Nullus sit casus, quem non meditatio tu [...] perveniat: nullus s [...]t casus, quite impatatum inven [...]t: Propone [...] esse quod tubi accidere non possit. Bern. de interiori Dom Cap 4 [...]. Mens solicita antequam agere quod libet incipiat, omnes sibi, quas pati potest [...] propo [...]at: quatenus Redemptoris sui probra cogitans, ad adversa se [...] Que nimirum venientia tantò fortius excipit, quantò se cautius ex praesci [...] [...] Qui enim improvidu [...] ab adversitate deprehenditur, quasi ab hoste [...] [...]nvenitur: e [...]ni (que) [...] inimiens necat, quia non repugnantem perforat. Nim qu [...] mala [...] per solicitudinem pernotat, hostiles incu [...]sus quasi in in [...] vigilans expectans: & indead victoriam valentèr accingitur, unde nesciens deprehendi putaba [...]ur. Solerter ergo an [...]us ante actionis siae primordia, cuncta de [...] adversa meditari ut semper haee cogitans, semper contra haec thorace patientrae manitus, & [...] acciderit, providus superet: & quicquid non accesserit, lu [...]rum [...]. [...]. lib. 5. Cap 31. prepare for a more easie and patient passage thorow them, by entertaining a resolution before-hand to looke for as no uncouth thing, any calamity crosse or casualty, incident to mortality, and the condition of man; and if they escap'd [Page 51] them, to hold it a gaine and advantage, and as it were, an exemption from ordinary frailtie, and common miserie of mankinde. If they fell upon them, the bitternesse would be much abated by their former preparednesse and expectation. But we who professe Christianity, and to whom the Booke of GOD belongs, have farre more soveraigne antidotes to allay the smart, more sacred and surer meanes to mitigate and take off the furyof feared future evils: even the sure Word of GOD, many exceeding great and precious Promises, confirmed with the oath of the All mighty, and sealed with the bloud of His Son. Every one of them is farre more worth (though the worldling thinkes not so) than all the wealth and sweetnesse of both the Indies. GOD is faithfull, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make away to escape, that ye may be able to beare it, 1 Cor. 10. 13. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8. 18. All things worke together for good to them that love GOD, Vers. 28. He that spared not His owne Son, but delivered Him up for us all: How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Vers. 32. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, Isa. 43. 2, &c. If thou truly feare GOD, feare nothing that shall hereafter fall upon thee; temptation, triall, disgrace, distresse in outward things, the face of man, fiery [Page 52] times, danger from men or Devils, Death it selfe, or whatsoever can be imagined most formidable to flesh and bloud. For assuredly, He that is afflicted with thee in all thy afflictions, will ever fortifie thee with sufficient strength before-hand, uphold thee with His all-powerfull presence in the middest of them, and at length most gloriously deliver thee in despite of all hell, and the whole world.
5. It is comfortable to consider; that GOD never puts His servants to suffer, but He furnisheth them with spirituall sufficiency to go thorow. If He meane to bring thee to the stake, He will undoubtedly give thee a Martyrs strength. It is His sweetest method and mercy, first to fit His children with divine ability and answerable endowments, and then sets them on work to do or suffer any thing for His sake. He suffers some to become extraordinary objects and the speciall aime of extremest malice, spiteful railings, and all the keenest arrowes of lewdest tongues; when He hath fil'd him first with so much Christian magnanimity and noblenesse of spirit, that he is able to passe by the most scurrill gybe of the impurest drunkard, or the disdainefull frowne of the proudest Haman, without wound or passion; and doth resolvedly and bravely contemne all contumelies and contempts for his conscience: taking them as Crownes and confirmations of his conformity to the LORD CHRIST: others to be afflicted with variety of worldly crosses, whose heart He hath already happily crowned with contempt of the world▪ some to be exercis'd with fiercest assaults, and Satans [Page 53] sieriest darts, having been formerly brought up in the Schoole of temptations: others to be exposed to the fury of Popish flames, when He hath so inflamed their hearts with the love of the LORD IESVS, that they dare undauntedly looke the bloudiest persecutor in the face. The prudent Commander makes not choice of fresh-water or whitelivered souldiers (as they say) for any hot service or high attempt; but of Veterans, and those of greatest experience and most approoved valour: A discreet Schoole-Master gives not the longest lessons and hardest taske to dullards and blockeheads, but such as are of pregnantest wits, and best capacity: the understanding armourer tries not common Armes with Musket-shot, but that of Proofe. The skilfull Lapidary doth not trie the tender Crystall or softer stones by the stiddy and hammer; but the Adamant, which is readier to bruise the hardest iron or steele: the carefull Husbandman thresheth not the fitches with a threshing instrument; Isa. 28. [...]7. neither turneth a cart-wheele upon the cummin: but beates out the fitches with a staffe, and the cummin with a rod. For his GOD (saith the Prophet) doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. Now if the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderfull in counsell, and excellent in working, give this discretion and wisdome to fraile man; Himselfe is infinitely more mercifully wise, to proportion and sit His trials to the state and strength of His Patients; singling out His valiantest souldiers for the strongest encounters; His best schollers, for the largest lessons; His choisest Armour, for the highest [Page 54] Proofe; His hardest Adamants, for the most steely Anvill: the most couragious Christians, for the [...]orest conflicts: His ablest Followers, for extraordinary service and sufferings. Abraham the Father of the faithfull, and Friend of GOD; Iob, the justest man upon earth; David, a man after GODS owne heart; Paul, abounding in the riches of grace, and the rarest revelations: I say, these eminent Champions thus highly favoured, and heroically [...]itted, were put to it indeed, as appeares in divine Story. The LORD in mercy did first infuse an invincible mightinesse of spirit and much flaming zeale into the brests of those three Christian Worthies, Athanasius, Chrysostome, and Luther, before He imployed them in His so glorious service, and exposed them to the rage of so Athanasius per sex annos va [...]iè afflictus, in [...] tandem, dum pet totum Orientis Imperium magna sedulitate exerci [...]ibus quo (que) ad investigandum eum conductis▪ quae [...]retur, delituit. Tantae molis erat CHRISTI consodere servum; ut omnis Imperij vis adversus unum hominem, qui DEVM habebat desensorem▪ commoveretur Proditus tandem per ancillam, quae ei ministrabat, ex dominorum suorum jussu, qui latebras Athanasio praeparaverant, divino admoni [...]us Spiritu, ea nocte quà eum comprehendere veniebant ministri, aufugit. Func [...]ius▪ A o. CHRISTI 343. Cur verear Chrysostomum appellare Marty [...]em, qui tot injurijs, tot contumelijs, tot afflictionibus, nec ad impatientiam perpelli, nec a propagandâ Christianâ pietate depelli potuit. Non percussus est securi, sed calu [...]nijs omni securi acutioribus non [...]emel ictus est. Hoc praemij vir optimus pro tam praeclaris in Ecclesiam meritis retulit per Episcopos Orthodoxos, & sub Imperatore Christiano. In vita Chrysost. per Erasm. Rhoterod. Quis non putasset Lutherum in tanto cunctorum odio, & invidiâ, cui totus penè mundus insidiabatur, etiam ille cujus pedibus Imperatores olìm cogebantur cervices [...] non [...]lle mo [...]tes occubiturum? &c. [...]rightm▪ in Cap. 3. Apo [...]aly. many implacable persecutions in their severall ages. The first stood at swords point (I meane the Sword of the Spirit) with the whole world: The whole world against Athanasius, and Athanasius against it, saith Hooker, out of the Ecclesiasticall Story; [Page 55] Halfe an hundred yeares spent in doubtfull triall, which of the two in the end would prevaile, the side which had all, or els the Part which had no friend, but GOD and Death: the One, a Defendour of his innocency; the other, the finisher of all his troubles. After the Church of GOD, (hunted like a Partridge on the mountaines by the Arrian Bishops) wofully wasted and wearied, had laid downe her head in the bosome of this blessed man ready to breathe out her last, he had never quiet day. Heare my Author: By the space of sixe and forty yeares, from the time of his consecration, to succeed Alexander Arch-Bishop of Alexandria, till the last houre of his life in this world, they never suffer'd him to enjoy the comfort of a peaceable day. The second was a mighty Thunderer against the corruptions of the times; feared not the face of the greatest woman in the world, armed as well with might, as enraged with malice, (I meane Eudoxia the Empresse.) but told her undauntedly of her raging, Ioannes per celebrem illam concionem in Ecclesiam recitavit, cujus exordium est: Herodias denuò insa [...]re, denuò commoveri, denuò saltare pergit: denuò caput Iohannis in disco accipere quarit. Socrat. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. Cap. 16. dancing, persecuting cruelty &c. Besides a world of wicked oppositions, insidiations and envy; (for by downe-right dealing in his Ministry, he had drawne upon him the hatred of Peccata tanta severitate arguebat, ac si ipse etiam per injuriam [...]aesus esset: & omnium ordinum delicta magnâ dicendi libertate taxabat: ita quidem, ut etiam Ducum ( Evtropij & Gain [...]) imò ipsius Imperatoris errata reprehenderet.—Omnes propemodum ordines in se concitavit.—Clerici & Aulici occultè suas & ipsi operas adjungebant. Osiand. Hist Eccl [...]s. Cent. 5. Lib. 1. Cap. 6. all sorts, Court and Clergy, &c.) He was divers times silenced, deprived and banished. But he was so much honoured of GODS people every where, that when he came into Taurocilicia, [Page 56] as himselfe reports, there flocked about him abundance of Christians, weeping and wailing most bitterly for his banishment, and said, Vbi autem in Cappadoci [...] provinciam vcnimu [...], multi sanctorum Patrum chori—juges lachrymarum fontes effundentium, & flentium, eò quod in exilium nos prosi [...]isci videbant; dicebant (que) Tolerabilius fuisse, Si Sol radi os suos retraxisset obscuratus, qua quod os I [...]hannis tacuit. Epi [...] 2. That it had beene better that the Sun had been deprived of her light, and all her glory turned into darknesse, than that the mouth of Chrysostome should be stopt from preaching. In the last banishment, by reason of the barbarous usage and immanities of the souldiers that led him along, Milites praefecti praetorij, qui illum deducebant, non dissimulabant sibi promissa praemia magnifica, si [...] in itinere moreretur. Ita (que) mensibus [...] bus per imbres, per aestus, sine ulla refrigeratione corpusculi durissimum iter pert [...]ht, Erasm in vitâ Chrysost. hired for that purpose, he sweetly and blessedly breath'd out his last. But how bravely he bore, and with what invincible divine resolution he passed thorow these indignities, oppressions, and cruell wrongs, we may well perceive by his owne words to another banished Bishop: Etenim ego cum a civitate fugarer, nihil horum cuzabam, sed dicebam intra memet ipsum: Si quidem vult Regina me exulem, agat in exilium. DOMINI & terra & plenitudo ejus. Et si vult s [...]care, secet. Idem passus est & Esaias. Si vult in pelagus mittere; Im [...] recordabor: Si vult in caminum in [...]cere, idem passi sunt [...] [...]lli pueri. Si [...] feris vult objicere, objiciat: Daniclis in lacum leombus object [...] [...]. Si me lapidare vult, lapidet me: Stephanum habeo primum [...] socium Si & caput tollere vult, tollat: habeo socium Iohannem Baptistam. Si & substantiam aufe [...]e, auferat. Nudus exivi de utero matris, nudus etiam abibo. Me adm [...]net Apostolus, Etsi adhuc hominibus placerem, servus CHRISTI uti (que) non essem. Armat me & David, d [...]cens: Loquebar coram Regibus, & non confundebar. Multa quidem adversus me consinxerunt, & dixerunt, quod ad communionem non jejunos receperim. Et si quidem hoc feci, expungatu [...] nomen meum ex Albo Episcoporum, & non scribatur in Lib [...]o Orthodoxae Fidei: Quoniam ecce si tale quid admisi, [...] me etiam CHRISTVS e Regno suo. Si autem pergunt hoc mihi objicere & contendere; Deponant & Paulum, qui postquam coenavit, totam domum baptizavit. Deponant & CHRISTVM Ipsum, qui postquam coenatum [...]st, Apostolis Communionem dedit. Dicunt quod cum muliere dormiverim: Exuite me, & inveni [...]tis membrorum meorum mortificationem. Sed haec omnia per invi [...]iam excogita [...]unt. Iohannes exul, Cyriaco Episcopo exuli. Tom. 5▪ Epist. 3 [...]. When I was driven from the City, none of these [Page 57] things troubl'd me, but I said within my selfe: If the Queene will, let her banish me: The earth is the LORDS, and the fulnesse thereof: If shee Psal. 24. 1. will, Let her saw mee asunder: Isaiah suffered the same. If she will, let her cast me into the sea, I will remember Ionah. If she will, let her cast me into a burning fiery fornace; or amongst wild beasts; the three Children and Daniel were so dealt with. If she will, let her stone me or cut off mine head; I have then S t. Stephen and the Baptist my blessed companions. If she will, let her take away all my substance: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked should I returne thither. The Apostle tels me, If I Gal. 1▪ 10. yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of CHRIST. And David encourageth me, saying: I will speake of thy testimonies also before Kings, and Psal. 119. 46. will not be ashamed. The third is the third Elijah of later times, I meane blessed Luther: Who by the invincible might of his heroicall spirit, and one of the greatest courages that ever dwelt in humane brest, did sustaine and subdue the hellish rage of that Man of Sinne, and all his bloudy Emissaries and Agents; stood upright and unshaken, like an unmooveable Rocke, against all the tempestuous stormes and swelling seas of the most furious persecutions that ever were rais'd by the powers of hell against mortall man: and did so shake the kingdome of Antichrist, that since that time, the most glorious light of the Gospell, and resurrection of Saving Truth hath broken out upon, and blessed the face of Christendome, that did ever shine upon earth, or was seene amongst the sonnes [Page 58] of men. Herein was he like unto Athanasius: As he opposed the Arrian, so Luther the whole Antichristian world; and they both in despite of all adversary malice, both from Man and Devill, Invitis, Diabolo, persecutoribus, Papis [...]s, Athanasius & [...]utherus, nobile Heroum par, placidissimâ morte ex hâc vitâ excesserunt. Heare the story: Athanasius post multiplicia certamina▪ (qualia vix ullum E [...] clesiae Doctorem sustinuisse legimus) placidissimá morte ex hac vitâ excessit: cum ab initio us (que) ad finem sui Episcopatus Alexandrinae Ecclesiae praefuisset quadraginta sex an [...]is: adversus quem [...]otus penè orbis conspiravit. Ne (que) tamen (ut D. D. Lutherum) eum violent [...] morte ex hoc mundo exturbare potuit. Osiand. Hi [...]. Eccles. Cent. 4. Lib. 2. Cap. 16. gave up blessedly their happy soules in peace into the bosome of IESVS CHRIST, whom they had formerly served so faithfully, and for whose sake they had gloriously suffered so much. Thus you see, when GOD singles out and designes any of His for some speciall services, and extraordinary sufferings, He ever furnisheth them before-hand with singularity of gifts, and sufficiency of spirituall abilitie to go thorow, and stand to it to death. But now on the other side, He will never breake a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flaxe, Isa. 42. 3. but will ever gather the Lambs with His arme, and carie them in His bosome, and gently lead those that are with young, Isa. 40. 11. I make no doubt, but that in Queene Maries daies He mercifully hid many a good soule from the implacable fury of those Popish morning Wolves: who, though they were in a saving state, and loved the LORD IESVS in sincerity, Ephes. 6. 24. yet they wanted strength to stand in the face of the fiery tempests of those times.
6. Beware lest any earthly contentment encroach upon, empaire, and eat up thy delight in heavenly things. But let thy spirituall joy ever utterly over-weigh all humane miseries, and overtop incomparably all worldly pleasures. And there is good reason for it: In respect, Of the 1. Object. The matter, whereupon earthly joy [Page 59] doth feed, is base and vile, filth and fashions, gaming and good-fellowship, revelling, and in our daies, even roaring, lust and luxury, &c. and other such froth and fooleries, the very garbage of hell; at the best corne, wine, oyle, gold, greatnesse, offices, honours, high roomes, Princely favours, &c. as transitory as an hasty headlong torrent, a shadow, a ship, a bird, an arrow, a Poste that hasteth by; or if you can name any thing of swifter wing, and sooner gone. But the object about which spirituall joy is exercised, are Nehem. Cap. 8. 10. Be not sorie, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Psalme 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth, that I desire besides Thee. IEMOVAH blessed for ever, Hos. 14. 4. I will love them s [...]eely Ier. 31. 3. I have loved Thee with an everlasting love. His free and everlasting love, Psal. 30. 5. In His favour is life. the light of His countenance, His Exo 34. 6. The LORD, The LORD GOD mercifu [...] and gracious, &c. sweet name, Luke 10. 10—Butrather rejoyce because your names are written in he [...] ven. That our names are written in heaven; the Col 1. 13 [...] Son of His Love, His Person, whose glory, beauty, amiablenesse, sweetnesse and excellency is somthing shadowed (but infinitely short) by outward beauties, Cant. 5. 10. Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountaine opened, &c. The preciousnesse of His meritorious bloud, 2 Pet. 1. 4. exceeding great and precious Promises, Isa. 40. 1, 2. Comfortye, comfortye, &c.—Her iniquity is pardoned. pardon of sinnes, Eph 4. 24. The new man after GOD is created in righteousnesse and true hol [...]nesse. CHRISTS glorious Image shining in our soules, Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. eternity of unconceiveable joyes. 2. Of continuance. Earthly joy is like the crackling of thornes under a pot, a sudden blaze with some noise, but soone extinct, and comes to nothing. Iob 20. 5. The triumphing of the wicked is short, and joy of the hypocrite but for a moment. But spirituall joy is like the fire upon the altar; it hath ever fewell [Page 60] to feed upon, though we do not ever feele it. Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of GOD is righteousnesse, and peace, and joy in the HOLY GHOST. Isa. 35. 10. The ransomed of the LORD shall returne and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse, and sorrow and sighing shall slie away. Psal. 32. 1 [...] Be glad in the LORD, and rejoyce ye righteous: and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. 3. Sincerity. Earthly joy is cruelly embittered with many slavish, stinging and envenimed mix [...]ures and marre-mirths: but GOD gives joy to the upright heart, and no sorrow with it. 4. Effects. Carnall joy utterly unfits for all holy imployments; but spirituall joy is to the faculties of the soule, as oyle to the joynts of the body; it makes quicke, active, and excellent for the discharge of any divine duty. 5. Calling to mind, carnall joy in the evill day torments extremely, and turnes it into gall and worme-wood: but remembrance of those sweetest glimpses, and heavenly deawes of spirituall joy which were wont to shine into, and refresh our humbled soules when we were conscionably busied in the waies and worke of the LORD, will serve as a precious cordiall, to re-comfort our spirits in sadder times, and surest pledge of their most certaine returne in due time. 6. Spirituall joy is many times much enlarged in times of tribulation: But the heart of the wicked is sorrowfull in laughter, and troubled with melancholy amidst their greatest mirth. 7. Spirituall joy is ordinarily most free, full, and at the highest in solitarinesse, soliloquies, and the [Page 61] most retired exercises of the soule: but carnall joy and want of company are for the most part incompatible. And it is kept in that poore little dying life it hath, by good-fellowship, and sensuall imployments. 8. Carnall joy ever ends in bitternesse, spirituall in blessednesse. As the rivers of fresh water run their course with an hasty current to fall into the salt Sea; so the Posting Sun of all worldly pleasures after a short gleame, and vaine glistering, sets in the Ocean of endlesse sorrow.
7. Make thy peace with GOD upon good ground in the meane time, and graciously walke with Him by a rule and daily direction. Watch over thine heart with extraordinary industry. Mortifie thy members which are upon earth; pride, choler, covetousnesse; selfe-love, hankering after the fashions, &c. Strangle thy lusts, stand at the Swords Point with thy most beloved sinne. Beare the yoke from thy youth, and Quum nem [...] in arenâ seipsum exerceat, quomodò aliquis in certamine insignis erit & conspicu [...]s? Quis unquam athleta non ab incunte adolescentia in Palaestrâ corrobora [...]s, potuit in Olympicis, excelso, ac magno animo adversarium aggredi▪ An non oportet quotidiè luctari at (que) currere? Nonne videtis [...]os quos quin (que) certaminum athletas appellan [...], quum nullum fortè reluctatorem repererint, ad saccum arenâ plenum, vires suas excitare.— [...]os imitari stude—sunt enim multa quae ad irae no [...] rabi [...]m incitant, multa quae concupiscentiae flammam incendunt. Insurge igitur contra passiones, vinca [...] animi labores, ut corporis quo (que) labores possis perferre. Chrys. In Mat. H [...]m. 34. exercise thy spirituall armes every day. Get a habit of heavenly-mindednesse and holy familiarity with GOD aforehand; and then shall we hold up our heads and our hearts with boldnesse and undauntednesse of spirit in the evill day. The strongest and stoutest creatures (saith a godly Divine, pressing this Point) [Page 62] are afraid of those things which are contrary to their natures, which other creatures never so weake, feare not, being of the same nature. No more fearefull creature than a [...]ish, flying at the shadow of a man; yet it feares not the Ocean Sea, because of its owne nature and acquaintance: which Lions, and the stoutest creatures feare.—A sheepe [...]eares not his shepheard, by reason of acquaintance, whom yet the beare and the wolfe feare: Whatsoever is strange and unacquainted, is fearefull. If we acquaint our selves with GOD, and walke with Him as His friends, we shall have the more boldnes with Him, when we have most need of Him. In a word, be very temperate, honest, holy. For, the Tit [...] 12. more conscionable thou hast formerly beene, the lesse power will the crosse have when it comes. It was the saying of a reverend man, where sinne lies heavy, the crosse lies light: and contrarily, that heart is like to be most lightsome in a storme, which hath beene the holiest in a calme.
8. Possesse thy mind betime of many mortifying motives and meditations, to master the immoderate feare of death the king of terrour, and then thou wilt be able with farre more patience and resolution to digest all petty troubles and miseries in the meane time. For which purpose Ponder upon these Points.
- 1. There is almost no man, but he hath suffer'd more paine in his life, than ordinarily he shall passe thorow in death. The pangs of death (saith M r. Ward) are often lesse than of the tooth-ache.
- 2. The covenant of GOD is offorce with us,
Life of [...]aith in death. pag. [...].as we lie in the dust of the earth, Mat. 22. 31, 32.
- [Page 63]3. Our union with CHRIST holds still, Col. 1. 18. As the Hypostaticall did, when CHRIST lay in the grave.
- 4. Death is but a sleepe, 1 Thess. 2. 13. Acts 7. 60.
- 5.
In CHRIST [...] morte mors obijt. Gregor. in 1 Reg. Cap. 2.CHRISTS death hath taken away the sting, and sweetned it to all His, Heb. 2. 15.
- 6. It is but a sturdy Porter, opening the Doore of Eternity, and letting us into Heaven [...] A rougher passage to eternall pleasures.
- 7. It is but like the fall of a wheat corne into the ground, and dying, that it may spring up afterwards more gloriously, Ioh. 12. 24.
- 8. It is but a Departing out of this world unto the Father, Ioh. 1. 31.
- 9. It is called in the Old Testament, A gathering to their Fathers.
- 10. Iacob made nothing of it. And Israel said unto Ioseph: Behold, I die. Gen. 48. 21. And when Iacob had made an end of commanding his sonnes, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yeelded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
9. Let us trimme our lamps betime, I meane try our spirituall states: for there are many foolish virgins; and many thousands, who for want of a true touch-stone and sound triall this way, find the pit of destruction to have shut her mouth upon them irrevocably and for ever, before they will acknowledge themselves to be wide of the right way to heaven. I have beene often upon this argument, at this time I desire onely to discover the d [...]lusion of the greatest part by an imaginary [Page 64] faith; and of understanding and worldly-wise men by a temporary faith, and that in short.
For the first sort; these foure Demaunds may easily discover and destroy the vanity of their spirituall selfe-cousenage and soule-deceit.
1. Aske them how they came by their faith, when they begun to believe, &c. and their ordinary answer wilbe this, or the like: We cannot tell: we are not such Atheists, or so prophane, but we have believed ever since we were borne: we have ever trusted in CHRIST, and made account of Him as our Saviour: We never doubted, but that He which made us, Nay, but beare the Prophet: It is a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them, will not have mercy on them; and He that formed them, wil shew them no savour. Isa. [...]7. 8 [...]. will have mercy on us, &c. but now these poore deluded ignorants are in the meane time meere strangers to any worke of the spirit of bondage, and pangs of the new-birth, which would have taught them with a witnesse to have taken notice what a mighty worke and admirable change the glorious Sun of saving faith is wont to cause wheresoever it comes. They could never yet sensibly and heartily cry, We are uncleane, we are uncleane; we are sicke, we are lost, we are heavy-laden, we are undone, we die, we are damn'd; except we drinke of the water of life, wash in that Fountaine opened for sinne and for uncleannesse, and have a blessed part in the passion and purity of IESVS CHRIST, &c. Whereas now the true believer can tell you readily and experimentally, that he was first enlightened, convinced and terrified with sight, sense, and sorrow for sinne; and so on, as you shall find it Instruct. for comfort▪ afflict. Consc. pag. 324. & seq. But especially [Page 65] faire fall one good token: ever when justifying faith is infused, there is a thorow-sale of all [...], The Pearle of great price will never be had, except all be sold: which is a matter so remarkable, a [...]d makes such a miraculous change in a man, that i [...] cannot chuse but be strongly remembred, and with greatest astonishment, and th [...] even for ever, both in this world and th [...] world to come. Sensuall pleasures and bosom [...] si [...]es are notoriously na [...]l'd and glued to a ca [...] [...]: they are as neare and deare unto it, as [...] dainty and delicious meat to the p [...]te; [...] (saith Zophar) is sweet in his m [...]th, he hi [...]es i [...] under his Iob. 20. 12. tongue; he spares it, and for sakes it not; but keepes it still in his mouth: not onely as ordinary garments, but as the most costly jewels, and richest chaine: Pride (saith David) compasseth them about as Psal. [...]3. 6. a chaine; violence covereth them as a garment: as the very limbes of the Body. Mortifie therefore (saith Paul) your members which are upon earth: fornication, Col. 3. 5. uncleannesse, inordinate affection, evill concupiscence, covetousnesse: nay, and as the most necessary and noble parts, the right eye, and the right hand; If thy right eye offend thee (saith CHRIST) plucke it out, and cast it from thee:—And if thy Mat. 5. 29, 30. right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: yea dearer then very life it selfe to flesh and bloud: For we may observe and see too often such sonnes of pleasure, and slaves of lust to have no joy in this life, after they have lost the joy of this life. Hence it is, that many times the wretched worldling being robbed one way or other of the very [Page 66] life of his life, his wedge of gold and hoards of wealth, makes an end of himselfe: that the wanton missing of his lustfull aime and much desired choise, finds no pleasure in this life; but cuts off himself by a violent and untimely death: that Achitophel being disgraced and over-top'd in a Point of Policy, the crowne and pride of his worldly happinesse, put his houshold in order, and hang'd himselfe. Well then, if it be thus, that parting from carnall pleasures be as painfull and vexing, as if a man should pull the meat from our mouth, the chaine from our necke, clothes from our backe, the limbes from our body, the right arme from our shoulder, the eyes out of our head, and as the losse of our life, that happy soule which bids adieu everlastingly to all earthly delights, must needs take extraordinary notice, and be able for ever to give a ready and most sensible account of such a mighty change and marvellous worke.
2. Aske them, how they keepe their faith: and they will tell you, they thanke GOD, they are not troubled about it. They find no such scruples, doubts, distrusts, feares, jealousies, terrours, temptations, desertions, wants, weakenesses, &c. as some preciser fellowes, who stand so much upon their profession, strictnesse, conscience, and other singularities above ordinary, so much talke of, and take to heart. They see no such necessity of running after sermons, so much reading, prayer, poring upon precise bookes, recourse to Puritan-Ministers, Humiliation-daies, &c. They can believe quietly, follow their businesse, and go to [Page 67] Heaven without so much adoe. Nay, they are so farre from being troubled in any of these kinds, that if any amongst them be troubled in mind, and extraordinarily visited with spirituall distresse, the portion many times of GODS dearest children; they presently please and applaud themselves, that they are free; and conceive and peremptorily conclude that the afflicted is an hypocrite, hath beene a more hainous sinner then others, or medled too much with Scripture-businesses and divine matters. But now the true believer holds the precious heavenly Iewell of justifying Faith with much adoe, difficulty and That Sa [...] may worke our finall over throw, it is his usuall custome to tell the true believing Christian that he is destitute of saith; and contrariwise the [...] worldling, that he hath a strong saith; whereas in truth, there is nothing in him, but secure pre [...] Down▪ Christ. Warf. Cap. 42. doubtings. He is as carefull and covetous (if it be possible) to preserve and save this Pearle, as the worldling his gold. For this purpose, he passeth thorow many fore and bitter conflicts with the fiercest assaults and fieriest darts of the Devill; (for he knowes full well, that that is the arme and power of GOD unto us, for all sound comfort and spirituall wellbeing, and therefore he is most furious to weaken us there) with infinite gaine-sayings and temptations of our inbred insidelity, native ignorance, diffidence, wisdome of the flesh, our owne sense and feeling, and a world of oppositions continually. He is driven many and many a time to the Throne of Grace with prayers, teares, and strongest wrastlings for auxiliary forces, and renewed strength. O how often doth he resort with extremest thirst, and dearest longings to all the blessed Fountaines, that feed his faith; the person of CHRIST, His meritorious bloud, the Promises, [Page 68] GODS freest love, His sweetest name; the covenant of grace, all the Ordinances, those Ones of a thousand, who are able to discover both the depths of the Devill, and the mysteries of Evangelicall mercy, &c. and for all this is glad many times to say unto his GOD: Though Thou slay me, yet will I Iob 13 15. Ma [...]k▪ 9. 24. trust in Thee: LORD, I believe, helpe Thou mine unbeliefe, &c. The difference then stands thus: They hold it the easiest thing of a thousand; but he finds it the hardest matter in the world, To believe.
3. Aske them, what it hath wrought upon them: and they cannot give an account of any alteration to any purpose, or sanctification at all. Imaginary Faith is but an idle Idea, a naked Notion, a meere fancy, a groundlesse presumption and true dreame; and therefore it is not active or productive of any reall effects, or true religiousnesse. But now saving [...]aith doth ever beget a blessed change in the whole man, body, soule, spirit, calling, company, conver [...], & [...] ▪ [...]f any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature: Old things [...] Cor. 5. 17. are passed away, Behold all things are new. It is ever attended with those three great works of grace: 1. An universall repentance and returne from all sinnes: from grosse ones in practice and action; and from the most unavoidable infirmities at least in allowance and affection. 2. An universall sanctification in all the parts and powers of body and soule; though not in height of degree, yet without exception of parts. 3. An universall obedience to all GODS commands; [Page 69] though not to perfection, yet in sincerity and truth: and with an heavenly traine of glorious graces▪ love, hope, vertue, knowledge, temperance, 2 Pet 1. 5, 6. Gal. 5. [...], 23. patience, godlinesse, brotherly kindnesse, charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, meeknesse, &c. And even in the lowest ebbe and greatest weakenesse, it is ever wont to discover it selfe at least by poverty of spirit, hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse, striving against doubting, bitter complaints for want of former feelings, industrious seeking to be setled in believing, earnest and greedy longing after grace, highly prizing the LORD IESVS, and preferring Him infinitely before all the pleasures, profits and felicities of this life, resolving rather to die ten thousand deaths, than to returne any more to folly; selfe-deniall, contempt of the world, care to search out the sin that may possibly hinder comfort, and be rid of it, continuall watchfulnesse and holy jealousie, lest we should be deceived, and faithfull labouring to subdue corruption.
4. Fourthly, aske them, How they prize the object they apprehend imaginarily; for it is no better: and it is but thus: If you were able to assure them of wallowing in all worldly pleasures with constant health, and immortality upon earth: they would with all their hearts, part with all their hope of heaven hereafter: For they are yet but carnall, though selfe-confident. But now the divinenesse and excellency of spirituall delights which justifying Faith doth extract from the Objects about which it is exercis'd, doth so affect and [Page 70] ravish the heart of the true Believer; that well advised, in cold bloud, and out of temptation, he holds all the corporall felicities of ten thousand worlds, even world without end, in comparison of them, but as drosse, and dung, and dust in the ballance. Our part in the person of CHRIST, with the purchases of His dearest bloud, and possession of the Deity blessed for ever by His meanes, do more than infinitely transcend the utmost of all earthly contentments, rais'd above the highest possibility, by the most inventive and strongest imagination, and to be enjoyed thorow a thousand eternities.
The second sort, which are a generation of more understanding men; stand thus for their spirituall state, and thus fearefully couzen their own soules, and come short of salvation: They assay indeed to be religious, give up their names to Profession, and would go to heaven with all their hearts, so farre as the way holds, with enjoyment of temporall happinesse: and therefore, they put on a forme of godlinesse, and faire out-side; furnish themselves with an artificiall habit of talking well; take part in all companies with the better side; follow and frequent Sermons with good forwardnesse; set up prayer and other religious exercises in their families; put themselves upon daies of humiliation; leave many sinnes, do many things, hold an universall outward conformity to all the ordinances and divine Duties at the instance of the Ministry. And if they be of ability, countenance godly Preachers, stand for them, and entertaine [Page 71] them into their houses with much affectionatenesse and bounty, especially such as (perhaps) by reason of too much charity, unacquaintednesse with their wayes, lothnesse to be accounted too pragmaticall and rough, or something comply with them in a false conceipt of their spirituall well-being, &c. But presse them further, over and besides all this, to the heart and life of religion, to the power and pith of godlinesse, crucifying of their corruptions, strangling their lusts, mastering their passions, parting with all sinne, unfashioning them to the times, abandoning for ever their darling pleasure, deniall of themselves, contempt of the world, daily walking with GOD, delight in the way of holinesse, an holy keeping of the Isa. 35. [...]. LORDS day, fruitfulnesse in all good workes, living by faith, an uncowardly opposition to the iniquities of the present, &c. which (they well know) wilbe necessarily accompanied with Drunkards songs, railings of the basest, discountenance from ungodly greatnesse, the worlds deadliest enmity, speaking against every where, &c. O then, Acts 28. 22. you strike them starke dead on the nest, as they say. These are hard speeches, very harsh, grating and ungratefull to their eares, and go to their very hearts: and therefore in such Points as these pressing more precisenesse, you may as well remoove a mountaine of brasse with your little finger, as stirre them an inch. Say what you will, and preach out your heart, (as they say) they will no further. Thus farre as they go already, shall either serve their turne for salvation, or they will [Page 72] venture their soules with thousands that are worse than themselves. They pitch upon a safe, wise, moderate and discreet temper of religion, as they conceive and call it, and neither desire, or endeavour to go any further, or grow any better. A faire day mends them not (as they say) and a soule day paires them not. As they are peremptorily consident, the Pearle wilbe had at their price; so they are constantly peremptory never to become more precise. And if it fall out sometimes, that they meet with some faithfull man of GOD, who hi [...]s right upon their humour; discovering the insufficiency of their present spirituall state, for future happinesse; and perswading them upon a necessity of salvation, to an universall resignation of themselves with unreservednesse and zeale to all the world, and will and waies of GOD; they are wont to put it off thus, or in the like manner: The man is a good man, and of good parts, one whom I love well; but a little too hot, too boisterous and rough, and pinches too much upon precisenesse and particularizing mens spirituall states; that is all his [...]ault: I must confesse, I am of such a nature and disposition, that I shall be more mooved with milder sermons, and calmer cariage in the Pulpit: I do not see [Page 73] how this Ministeriall severity and roughnesse, And yet the Apostle saith, [...] [...]. 1. 13. Reprove them sharply, severely, cu [...]gly; of [...] Quemadmodū m [...]us, qui b [...]li vult mede [...]i, amaris utitur pharmacis, ita obdurati, prae [...]racti, at (que) contumaces homines duris & severis verbis arguendi sunt: malo enim nodo malus quaerendus est [...]unens. Mega [...]der in [...]. Vt caro quae callo obdu [...]uit non sacilè accipit vib [...]ces plaga [...]um, nisi improbis & crebris ictibus▪ ita animus assuetus peccatis, non commovetu [...] correctione nisi seve [...]ā & ac [...]i. Idem Ibid. Haec [...]hementia & severitas, quam hic Paulus in Pastore requirit, non vacat omni i [...]á: quam & CHRISTVM invasisse Evangelista testis est. Ma [...]. 3. 5. Haec autem justa est, & pia [...]ra, quam Scripturae vocant Zelum DEI, cum sit iracundia amore DEI & pietatis excitata: qualis CHRISTVM invasit cum negotiatores expulite Domo Patris sui. Ioh. 2. 15. Hoc loco non alienos dicit, sed domesticos esse coarguendos. Theophylactin L [...]c Ne (que) alienos solùm hic taxat Paulus, sed cos nominat [...]m qui CHRISTO nomen dederant. Calvin. in Cap 1. ad Tit. For of all others, those which give their names to religion, and are unsound at the heartroot: who mony times also most fearefully and scandalous [...]y shame their P [...]osession, and cause the good way to be evill spoken of, by their worldlinesse, pride, fashions, [...] tonguednesse, passions [...]y, detaining Church dues, cowardlinesse in good causes, impatiency of Ministeriall reproofe, i [...] it crosse them in their commodit [...], strangenesse of apparell, intimate correspondence with the prophan [...], &c irreligiousnesse of their servants and f [...]llowers, &c. are to be scarched thorowly, and most severely censured, that they may be saved at the length, truly humbled, Christians indeed, and not onely in their owne conceipt, and such as GOD would have them. sharpnesse of reproofe, and such searching into, and peremptory censuring mens state to GOD- ward, doth so much good, &c.
My whole Discourse of true Happinesse is a touchstone and looking glasse for a triall and discovery of the unsoundnesse and spirituall selfe-deceit: and therefore thither I remit them.
10. A serious and fruitfull meditation upon the foure last things, hath been ever holden very materiall, and of speciall moment, to make us (by GODS blessing) more humble, un-worldly, provident and prepared for the evill Day. Give me leave therefore, to select and propose some profitable [Page 74] Considerations thereabouts, and Conclusions thence, which may serve to mortifie our affections to the world, take off the edge and eagernesse in pursuit after earthly things; mollifie, and make fit our hearts for a more easie entrance, and effectuall entertainment of all saving impressions, and motions of the Word and Spirit, for our spirituall good; that in times of terrour, we may stand like Mount Zion, unmooveable and magnanimous.
About DEATH, Consider:
1. That all the pleasures, treasures, and comforts of this life, wife, children, goods, gold, great friends, lands, livings, possessions, offices, honours, high roomes, brave situations, faire prospects, sumptuous buildings, pleasant walkes, and even the world it selfe, upon which thou hast lost so much labour, time, care, thought-fulnesse, and doted so long, holding a divorce, as death it selfe, must all, upon the stroke of death, Orbis medicos ad te convoca; Podaly [...]ios, Machao [...]as▪ Aesculapios, Hippocrates & Galenos omnes reviviscere [...]ube, non hi omnes vel horulam annis tuis apponent, ultra quam velit DEVS. Pharmacopolia exhau [...] as, aurum & uniones glutias ut vitam extendas, tamen terminos, qui praeteriri non poterunt, non promovebis. Cautus sis, quantum velis, vitae pericula omnia declines, morborum principijs obstes, numerum mensium non augebis. Op [...]es, vovea [...], roges, nihil agis; vitae tuae termini jam constituti sunt, nec unquam, (quicquid resistas) praeteriri poterunt.—Ciborum tibi praestantissimorum copia sit & selectus; vini slorem bibas; nunquam labores nisi ad sanitatem; [...]artum somni capias, quantum & I ex Archiatrorum, & ratio valetudinis poscit; Ad numerum caleas & algeas, nihilo-minùs mortalis eris, & ubi vitae tuae metam contigeris, age, valedie rebus humanis, & ad rationem reddendam te para: Tribunal te vocat. which not heaven and earth, or any created power, can any wayes possibly prevent, divert, or adjourne, be [Page 75] suddenly, utterly, and for ever left, never more to be minded, medl'd with, or enjoyed in this world or the world to come. When our breath goeth forth, and we returne to our earth, all our thoughts perish: Even the thoughts of the greatest Princes, and mightiest Monarchs upon earth, who happily may have in their heads whole common-wealths, and the affaires of many kingdomes. Put not your Psal. 146. 3, 4. trust in Princes (saith King David) nor in the sonne of man, in whom there is no helpe. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish. And therefore let it be thy wisdome, to rent and weane thine affections from the world with an holy resolute violence in the meane time: Contemne vivens, quae post mortem habere non potes▪ Dissicile est, imò impossibile ut praesentibus quis [...]rnatur bonis, & futuris; ut hic ventrem, & illic mentem impleat, ut de delicijs tra [...]seat ad delicias, ut in terra & in coelo gloriosus appareat. Bern De interiori Domo. Cap. 45. Disdaine and scorne to set thine heart upon those things here, which thou canst not, thou must not have in the second life. And there is good reason for it. For they are all (as I said before) at the best, and in the height: 1. But vanity. And 2. Vexation of spirit. 3. They cannot satisfie the soule. 4. They will not profit in the day of revenge. 5. They reach not to eternity. 6. There is no man so assured of his honour, wealth or any worldly thing, but he may be depriued of them, the very next moment. 7. Thou needs to feare no want: There is no man (saith CHRIST) that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or Mar. 10. 29, 30. father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake and the Gospels; but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternall life. Of eternall [Page 76] life, the point is cleare: But how shall they be so manifoldly remunerated in this life? 1. In the same kind, sometimes, and [...], as they say. Abraham, at GODS command, left his countrey, kindred, and fathers house: and he was afterwards (as you know) crowned with riches and honour abundantly, and became a great and mighty Prince: Iob for the glorifying of GOD, and confounding of Satan, bore patiently, and blessed GOD for the losse of all: and how richly was he after repayed with a large and singular addition, and excellency of goods and children. [...]ertur Idianum cum summam [...] Romani administ [...]et, istum Valentinianum, qui praefectus [...] erat, ex Albo militum qui in exercitu Ioviniani vocabantur, ex emisse, & [...] addixisse exssio: simulatione quidem quòd milites sibi subjectos, cum contra hostes pugnandum esset, parum commodè instruxerat, sed revera hinc inductus est. Cum Iulianus ad [...]ue in Gallia, que ad occidentem solem vergit, aetatem ageret, ad quoddam delubrum ivit sacrificatum: simul (que) cum eo fuit Valentinianus. Nam Romanis vetu erat mos, ut praefecti militum, qui Ioviani & Herculiani vocabantur Imperatorem proxime a tergo praesidij causâ sequerentur. Valentinianus autem [...]um esset lime delub [...]i transgressurus, & sacerdos ritu Gentilitio virides olivae ramusculo madefactos manu tenens, introtuntes illos aspergeret guttâ in suam vestem dela [...]â, aegre admodum & graviter tulit. Christianus enim erat, & propterea sacerdotem, qui ipsum aquâ asperserat, & convicijs adoritur. Aiunt preterea cum etiam Imperatore Iuliano inspectante tantum vestis suae cum ipsa guttâ excidisse, abjecisseq, quantum gutta madefecerat. Vnde Iulianus ei admodum incensus, iratus (que) non multo post condemnavit exilio, ut nimirum Melitinam, utbem Armeniae perpetuo incoleret, causa quidem simulatâ, quod milites sibi subjectos negligenter admodum gubernasset. Noluit enim videri propter religionem ullo cum afficere incommodo, ne inde aut martyris, aut consessoris honos illi tribueretur: siquidem hac de causa alij [...] etiam Christianis pepercerat, quia videret eos ex periculotum susceptione (uti supra demonstratum est) tum gloriam sibi consequi, tum religionem ac fidem CHRISTI vehementer confirmare. Ac simul ut imperium Romanum Ioviano delatum est, iste Valentinianus ab exilio Nicaeam revocatus, mortuo jam fortè Iuliano, & consilio ab exercitu & his qui tum primos magistratus ge [...]ebant, inito, omnium sussragijs Imperator deligitur. Sozom. Histor. Ecclesiast. Lib. 6. Cap. 6. Valentinian the Emperour was put from his place of command in the army, by Iulian, and banished for [Page 77] the profession of CHRIST: but afterward was called backe from banishment, and with much honour and applause advanced to the height of the Imperiall dignity. The Apostles forsaking all for CHRISTS sake, had afterwards for one Apostolis, postquam domi reliquissent omnia, omnium fidelium domus erant apertae, ut loco unius aediculae centum haberent dominos: omnes (que) fidelium agri Apostolis quo (que) suum fructū &c necessaria ferebant, ut rectè Paulus scripserit, 2 Cor 6 10. Apostolos esse tanquam nihil habentes, & tamen omnia possidentes. Sic ubi unum patrem, unam matrem, pauculos fratres, & sorores reliquerunt, alibi centum fideles invenerunt, qui paterno, materno & fraterno animo eos prosecuti sunt. Harmon. Evang. Cap. 132. poore cottage, the houses of all the faithfull Christians in the world, to which they were farre more welcome, than ever any Haman was to his proudest palace: and so all godly Ministers in all ages ever find heartier entertainment, amongst the Houshold of Faith, (truly so called) than ever any naturall father, mother, sister or brother could possibly affoord; because, as yet they can see no beauty in the image of CHRIST in others, or in their feet who bring glad tidings, nor love spiritually. 2. Or in equivalence, by Centuplaigitur ista, hoc est multò plura animus recipit, non centuplo modosed infinito, majore tum volup [...]ate utens mod [...]eis illis, quaecun (que) ad vitam praesen, tem in persecutione DOMINVS dederit, quantilibet tribulationibus circundatus. quam ante cognitum Evangelium, usus suerat ijs, quae reliquit Bucer. in Cap. 29. Matth. Interim suos exh [...]rat DEVS, ut illis pluris sit, longè (que) suat vius tantillum boni quo fruentur, [...] si extra CHRISTVM illis asslueres immensa honorum copia. [...]. [...] [...]. i. e. Quae centie tanti sint, nempè quod ad verum usum, & commoda hujus etiam vitae attinet: si modo [...]lla non ex copijs & cu [...]tate nostra, sed ex DEI nostri voluntate, (quae una est certissima bonorum Regula) metiamur: adeò ot fideles in media etiam egestate hujus promissionis eventum sentiant: Ita (que) perridiculus erat Iulianus ille Apostata, quum hunc locum exagitans, quaerere nicentum etiam uxores habituri essent Christiani. Beza in Cap. 10. Marti. contentment, which doth incomparably both in sweetnesse and worth surpasse and over-weigh all worldly wealth. Witnes that worthy reply of the most famous Italian Marquesse, Galeacius Caracciolus (having [Page 78] left the rich and pleasant Marquesdome of Vico, all Imperiall, Popish, Princely, Courtly favours, and other proportionable felicities attending upon such humane greatnesse for the Gospels sake) to a wicked Iesuite tempting him with a great summe of gold, to returne out of Zion to Sodom; from Geneva into Italy; The life of Galeacius Caracciolus, the noble Marquesse of V [...]o in the kingdome of Naples. Cap. 23. [...] Fore dicit, ut in medijs etiam persecutionibus centuplo sint foelicrores, quàm unquam artea, qui CHRISTVM omnibus hujus vitae [...]ommedis antepesuerint. I. Let their money perish with them, who esteeme all the gold in the world, worth one daies society with IESVS CHRIST, and His HOLY SPIRIT. I make no doubt but to any of our learned and holy men, exiles for CHRIST in Queene Maries time, of whom many after returned, and received an hundred fold according to the letter of the Text, browne bread and the Gospell in Germany, during that bloudy five yeares, were infinitely more sweet and deare, than all the Bishopricks of ENGLAND with Subscription to the six Articles. 3. Even in in I [...]d. E [...]e qui reliquerit pauem, & elegerit sibi Patrem Div [...], uno ei plus, [...] centuplum constat recepisse, &c—Qui reliquerit fratrem, ut habeat CHRISTVM fratrem, nonne meli [...]n erit ei quam centum fratres?—Si dimittit substantiam, ab omnibus diligitur, ab omnibus honoratur, a quibusdam autem & timetur. Nam ipse DEVS cui se tradidit, dat ei gratiam coram omnibus: Nonne melius est ei hoc, quam universa terra? Incertus Author in Mat. Hom. 33. Ne quis suspicetur quod dictum est solis congruere Discipulis: dilatat promissionem ad omnes qui similia faciunt: Habebunt enim pro carnalibus cognatis, familiaritatem & fraternitatem cum DEO; pro agris Paradisum; & pro lapideis aedibus supernam Hierusalem, &c. Theophylact. in Cap. 19. Mat. Quamvis pios semper in hoc mundo persecutiones maneant, & quasi eorum tergo crux adhaereat, tam dulce tamen est condimentum gratiae DEI, quae ipsos exhilarat, ut illorum conditio regum delicijs optabilior sit. Calv. Ibid. an overflowing and transcendent manner, in a pressed and heaped, and even over-inlarged measure by spirituall joy, peace of conscience, contentment of soule, more familiarity with GOD, nearer communion with IESVS [Page 79] CHRIST, fuller assurance of His love, and our portion in Him, more sensible experience of His all sufficiency, extraordinary exercise of faith, sweeter taste in the Promises, closer cleaving to the Word, clearer sight of divine excellencies, heartier longing for heavenly joyes, &c. One drop of which spirituall refreshing deawes distilling upon the soule even in greatest outward distresse; one glimpse of such glorious inward joyes shining from the face of the Sun of salvation into the saddest heart in the darkest dungeon, doth incredibly surpasse all the comfort which wife, children, wealth, or (in a word) any worldly good, or mortall greatnesse can possibly yeeld. 4. Or in posterity; by a very remarkable, if not miraculous providence and care for them. Consider for this purpose, that GOD-fearing Prophet, 2 Kings 4. who upon the matter, and in the true meaning, denied himselfe, and forsooke all for GODS sake. ( Relinquere aliquid propter nomen CHRISTI, sive propter CHRISTVM, est CHRISTVM praeronere omnibus, & super omnia amare: ita eum esse cha [...]um pectori nostro, ut illius gratiâ parati s [...]nus omnia relinquere quantum is chara, quae nos alliciunt, aut inducunt, aut etiam cogunt, ut aliquid faciamus, quod fit contra ejus gloriam. Musc. For he doth so also, who preferres the glory of GOD, the Gospell, the cause of CHRIST, and keeping of a good conscience, before any, or all earthly things; holding fast unfainedly a resolution, if he be put to it, and times require really and actually to leave all for CHRIST.) This good man might have Colligemus ex hâc paupertate virum illum fuisse constantem in verâ & sanâ religione: quia si deficere voluisset, ad cultum Iezabelis, & impij regis, victus & justae facultates ei non defuissent. Pet. Mart. in loc. applied himselfe to the present, served the times, sought the Court, and sate at Iezabels Table with her other temporizing trencher-chaplaines. But it is said in the Text, that he feared the LORD, and so disdained, and abhor'd to gaine by humouring greatnesse, to grow rich and rise by basenesse and [Page 80] flattery. And therefore did chuse rather to die a begger, to leave his wife in debt, and expose his children to the bondage of cruell creditours, than any waies to make ship-wracke of a good conscience, or consent and concurre to the adulterating of GODS sincere and purer worship. But mark what followes: rather than the wife and children of such a man, who preferred GODS glory before his owne preferment, shall suffer want; they must be relieved by a miraculous supply, as appeares in the story. 5. Or in good I will give them an ever lasting name that shall not bee sut off. Isa. 56. 5 Prov. 22. 1. name; which is rather to be chosen than great riches, saith Salomon. For instance, compare together Bradford and Bonner. The name of that blessed man shall be of most deare and glorious memory to all that love our LORD IESVS CHRIST in sincerity, untill His second comming: and it is like we shall looke upon him, and the rest of that royall Army of Martyrs in Queene Maries time, with thoughts of extraordinary sweetnesse and love in the next world thorow all eternity. But now the remembrance of that other fellow, who (like a bloud-thirsty Tyger) made such horrible havocke of the Lambs of CHRIST, shalbe had in a most abhorred, execrable, and everlasting detestation. The name of the fore-named noble Marquesse, Heare Calvin in his Epistle to him, before his Commentary upon the first to the Corinth. Etsi ne (que) tu plausum Theatri app [...]tis, uno teste DEO contentus ne (que) mihi propositum est laudes tuas ena [...]are: Quod tamen cognitu [...]le est a [...] fructuosum, non prorsus celandi sunt Lectores: Hominem primariâ familiâ natum, honore & opibus florentem; nobilis [...]imâ & castissima [...]xore, numerosâ sobole, domesti [...] quiete & concordia, toto (que) vitae statu beatum, ultro, u [...] in CHRISTI castra mig [...]aret, pat [...]iâ cessisse: Ditionem fertilem & amoenar [...], lautum Patrimonium, commodam non minùs, quàm voluptuosam habitationem neglexisse: Exuiss [...] splendo [...]em domesticum; Patie, conjuge, liberis, cognatis, a [...]sinibus sese pri [...]asse, &c. who left and [Page 81] and lost all with a witnesse for the Gospels sake, shall be infinitely more honoured of all honest men, so long as any one heavenly beame of GODS eternal truth shall shine upon earth, than his uncles Paul the fourth, or all that Rope of Popes from the first rising to the finall ruine of that Man of sinne. Nay, theirs shall rot everlastingly; but his shall re-flourish with sweetnesse, and fresh admiration to the worlds end.
2. That, to die, is but to be once done; and if we erre in that one action, we are undone everlastingly. And therefore have thine end ever in thine eye. In cunctis quidèm rebus necessari [...] est providentia; in ijs tamen maximè, quae amplius quam semel fieri n [...] queunt: ubicunq▪ pes lapsus fuerit, actum est: unu [...] error multa trahit errorum millia. Haec ratio mortis est; unicus in eâ error, infinitos trahet errores: Hic semel errasse, aeternum est peri [...]sse. Lamachus Centurio, admissi erroris increpabat militem, qui ut culpam dilueret, de [...]nceps nil tale admissurum se promisit. Cui Centurio: In bello, inquit, Bone vir non licet bis peccare Plutarch. in Lacon. In morte, eheu, nec vel semel quidem peccare licet. Nam hoc tale peccatum est i [...]evocabile. Semel mortuuses, semper mortuus es: semel malè mortuus es, semper damnatus es. Hanc mortem corrigere, han [...] damnationem excutere, per omnem aeternitatem non poteris. Let all our abilities, businesses, and whole being in this life; let all our thoughts, words, actions, referre to this one thing, which (as it shall be well or ill ended) is attended either with endlesse plagues, or pleasures; with eternity of flames or felicity.
3. That thou maist looke upon thy last bed, tobe full sorely terribly assaulted by the king of feare, accompanied with all his abhorred horrours, and stinging dread; by the fearefull sight of all thy former sinnes, arrayed and armed in their grisliest formes, and with their fieriest stings; [Page 82] with the utmost craft and cruelty of all the powers of darknesse, and the very powder-plot of the prince of hell, that roaring Lion, who hath industriously laboured to devoure thy soule all thy life long; with the terrour of that just and last Tribunall [...] which thou [...] ready to passe to reckon precisely with Almighty GOD for all things done in the flesh. What manner of man ought thou to be [...] i [...] the meane time; in all holy care, fore-cast and cas [...]g about to give up thine account [...] comfort at that dreadfull houre? Be so farre from Caveamus [...] op [...]lum [...]. Quot hominum nu [...] lia v [...]l han [...] [...] nam ob cau [...]am male [...], quia distulerant minime disserenda. Q [...]d crastinum, quid perendinum saluti tuae destinas? Crast [...]us dies t [...]s non est: Hodiernus est. Hodiè queso, ha [...] ho [...], jam age quod agendum est. Cras, [...] ub [...] tu [...]? deserring repentance in this Day of visitation, and patting off till that time; (For how canst thou possibly attend so great a busines, when thou art beset with such a world of wofull worke, and hellish rage?)▪ That [...]hou [...]hould est in this thy day, like a sonne of wisdome, constantly ply and improove all opportunities, occasions, offers, every moment, Ministry, mercy, motions of the Spirit, checks of conscience, corrections, temptations, &c. To store thy selfe richly with spirituall strength against that last encounter, and of highest consequence, either for eternall happinesse, or unconceiveable horrour.
4. That thy body, when the soule is gone, wilbe an horrour to all that behold it; a most loathsome and abhorred spectacle. Those that loved it most, cannot now find in their hearts to looke on [...], by reason of the griesly d [...]formednesse which death will put upon it. Downe it must into a pit of carions and confusion, covered with [Page 83] wormes, not able to wagg so much as a little finger, to remoove the vermine that feed and gnaw upon its flesh; and so moulder away into rottennesse and dust. And therefore let us never for the temporary, transitory ease, pleasure, and pampering of a r [...]inous, and rotten carkasse, bring everlasting misery upon our immortall soules. Let us never, for a little sensuall, short and vanishing delight flowing from the three filthy puddles of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, drowne both our bodies and soules in a dungeon, shall I say, nay in a boyling Modò jam discamus pericula vicina nosse, quae facilè cavet, qui praevidet. Non parùm interest [...] terrâ spectes naufragium passi sunt, & irreparabile, quot quot ad orcum praecipitati sunt; nec in portum unquam pervenient. Aeternitatis igneum mare, carcer aeternus hos naufragos jam sepelivit. sea of fire and brimstone, where we can see no banks, nor feele no bottome.
5. That when the soule departs this life, it carries nothing away with it, but grace, GODS favour, and a good conscience. The Sun of all worldly greatnesse, prosperity, and joy then sets for ever: Even Crownes, Kingdomes, Lands, Livings, and all earthly Possessions are everlastingly left. And Si conscientia sit inquinata, nihil [...]spiam nec in r [...] bus conditis, ne [...] in conditore solatij est reperire: Omnia a cerba, Fellea omnia: Et quò profugias? Ad DEVM? Hostis est. Ad conscientia [...]? [...] est. Ad coelites? Offensi sunt. A [...] socios? Augebunt cruciatus. Ad delitias & voluptates? Conscientiam magis inquinabunt. &c. what will an immortall soule, destitute of divine grace, do then? Then will that now newly-separated soule, finding no spirituall store or provision laid up in this life against the evill day, with an irksome and furious [Page 84] reflexion, looke backe upon all its time spent in the flesh; and beholding there, nothing but abominations, guiltinesse and sinne: Presently awakes the never dying worme which having formerly had its mouth stopt with carnall delights, and mus [...]'d up with outward mirth, will now feed upon it with horrour, anguish, and desperare rage, world without end. O then, let these precious, deare, everlasting things breath'd into our Bodies for a short abode in this Vale of teares, by the All-powerfull GOD, scorne with infinite disdaine, to feed upon Earth, or any earthly things; which are no proportionable object, either for divinenesse, or duration, for so noble a nature to nestle upon. But let them ply and fat themselves all the dayes of their appointed time, with their proper, native, and celestiall food: At that great Supper made by a King at the mariage of a Kings sonne, Luke 14. 16. Mat. 22. 2. And therefore must needs be most magnificent and admirable: At that Feast of fat things, that Feast of wines on the lees; of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined, Isa. 25. 6. The founder and furnisher whereof is the LORD of Hosts. He that made Heaven and Earth, makes it; and therefore it must needs be matchlesse and incomparable: At the Well-head of Wisdomes richest Bounty; who hath killed her beasts, mingled her wine, and furnished her table, Prov. 9. 2. In and by these and the royallest [...]east that can be imagined, are shadowed, but infinitely short, and represented unto us, but nothing to the life, all those inexplicable [Page 85] divine dainties, delicates, sweetnesses; those gracious quicknings, rejoycings and ravishments of spirit; which GOD in mercy is wont to communicate and convey thorow all the ordinances and meanes of grace to truly humbled soules, for a mighty increase of spirituall strength and invincible comfort. O how deliciously may a heavenly hungry heart feed and fill it selfe; 1. In the powerfull Ministry unfolding all the sacred sense and rich mines of GODS owne meaning in His blessed booke. 2. In the precious promises of life, by the applications and exercise of Faith. 3. In the LORDS Supper, by making the LORD IESVS surer to our soules every time; and every time by feasting afresh upon His body and bloud spiritually, with exultations of dearest joy, and sweetest glimpses (as it were) of eternall glory. 4. In fruitfull conferences and mutuall communications of gifts, graces, prayers, duties with GODS people, which the LORD doth usually and graciously water with the deawes of many sweet and glorious refreshings and quickning, much increase of Christian courage, and an holy contentation in the good way. 5. In meditations upon the mystery of CHRIST, the miracles of mercy upon us for our good all our life long, and the eternity of joyes and blisse above. 6. Upon the LORDS Day, when showers of spirituall blessings are accustomed to fall from the Throne of grace all the day long, upon those who sincerely endeavour to consecrate it as glorious unto Him. 7. Upon [Page 86] those soule-fatting daies of humiliation; which, who ever tried For secret and private, many thousands of Christians can speak very admirable, glorious, and extraordinary things: Of publike thus speakes a learned Doctor. To GOD [...] glory, and to the [...]opping of our adversaries mouthes, the Papists, (who kn [...]w not what the true exercise of fasting meaneth) it is to be acknowledged, that howsoever we have not beene so frequent in this exercise, as were to be wished▪ yet notwithstanding, upon diverse publike occasions▪ there have beene publike Fasts observed and sol [...]nized among us with good and happy successe: As for example; In the time of the great Plague▪ Anno 1563. After the great Earth-quake, Anno 1579. After intelligence had of the Spanish Invasion, Anno 1588. In the time of the great Famine, Anno 1596 & 1597. And [...]ow of late in this time of the Pestilence, Anno 1603. Besides the private and secret fasting of the [...]aithfull, as it hath pleased GOD [...]o moove them, either by private, or publike occasions. D •. Downam, now Bishop in Ireland. The Christians Sanctuary. Sect. 54 pag 54. Nay, Heare King CHARLES Himselfe▪ graciously acknowledging GODS extraordinary goodnesse in hea [...]ing our prayers in publike Fasts blessedly appointed by His owne royall Command: And whereas the greatest confidence men have in GOD▪ ariseth, not onely from His Promi [...]s, but from their experience likewise of His Goodnesse, you must not [...]aile often to re-call to the memory of the people with thankefulnes, the late great experience we have had of His goodnes towards us: For, the three great and usuall judgments which He darts dow [...]e upon disobedient and unthankefull people, are Pestilence, Famine and the Sword. The Pestilence did never rage more in this Kingdome than of late; And GOD was graciously pleased in mercy to heare the prayers, which were made unto Him; and the ceasing of the judgement was little l [...]sse than a miracle. The Famine threatned us this present yeare, and it must have followed, had GOD rained downe His anger a little longer upon the fruits of the earth. But upon our prayers he stoyed that judgement, and sent us a blessed season, and a most plentifull Harvest, &c. Instructions directed from the Kings most excellent Majestie, &c. pag. penul [...]. either secretly, privately, or publikely; either by himselfe alone, with his yokefellow, in his family or congregation, and found not GOD extraordinary, according to the extraordinarinesse of the exercise?
About the last IVDGEMENT, Consider,
1. How Nota quo demùm tempore conspiciant improbi ac obstinati CHRISTI gloriam, nempè non priùs quàm ipsum persequ [...]i suerint, ac tum quidèm cogentur [...]um videre cum admiratione maximā & stup [...]e; & cum dolore conscientiae ineffabili, cum videbunt judicem sibi constitui cum, quē tàm indignis modis tractârunt in vitâ istâ. Nemo est▪ qui non id serat aeg [...], si quem interfecit, [...]um habeat sibi judicem. Ro [...]oc. In Iohan. Cap. 8. mihi pag. 518. cuttingly, and how cold the very first sight of the Son of Man comming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, will strike unto thine heart, who hast refused to turne on His side, and take His part all the time of thy gracious visitation. Then wilt thou begin with extremest griefe and bitternesse of spirit to sigh and say within thy selfe: Oh! He that I now see sitting downe upon yonder flaming white and glorious Throne, is that IESVS CHRIST, the mighty GOD, the Prince of Peace, that sweetest Lambe, whose precious bloud was powred out as water upon the earth, to save His people from their sinnes. And He it was, who so fairely invited and wooed me (as it were) by His faithfullest Messengers, and intreated me with termes of dearest love, all my life long; but even to leave my lusts, and bi [...] the Devill adieu; and He, even He, would become my all-sufficient and everlasting Husband; and now as at this time have set an immortall crowne of blisse and glory upon my head with His owne all-mighty hand. But I alas! like a wilfull desperate wretch, did not onely neglect so great salvation, forsake mine owne mercy, and so judge my selfe unworthy of everlasting life: but I also (a bloudy butcher to mine owne soule) all my few and evill dayes, basely and bitterly oppos'd His blessed kingdome; the purity, power and holy precisenesse thereof, as quite contrary to my carnall heart, and that current of pleasures and worldly contentments [Page 88] into which I had desperately cast my selfe: I indeed wretchedly and cruelly against mine owne soule persecuted all the meanes which should have sanctified me, and all the men which should have sav'd me. Happy therefore were I now, if I could intreat the greatest Rocke to fall upon me, or be beholding to some mighty mountaine to cover me; there to lie hid everlastingly from the face of Him that s [...]teth on the Th [...]one, and from the wrath of the Lambe. O that I now might be turned into a beast, or bird, or stone, or tree, or aire, or any other thing! Blessed were I, that ever I was borne, if I could now be unborne: That I might become nothing, and in the state I was, before I had any being! Ah that my immortall soule were now mortall, that I might Flammas infernales sustinebit, ubi est fletus & st [...]idor dentium, ubi [...]lutarus, lamentatio & poeniten [...]a sine ull [...] reme dio, ubi est vermis ille, qui non moritur, & ignis qui nunquam extinguitur; ubi mors quaeritur, & non invenitur. Quare in inferno mors quaeritur & non invenitur? Quà quibus in hoc saeculo rita offertur, & nolunt accipere▪ in inferno quae [...]uat mortem, & non poterunt invenite Vbi e [...]it nox sine di [...] ▪ amaritudo sine [...], obscuritas sine lumine, &c. Aug. de [...]emp. Serm. 152. die in hell, and not lie eternally in those fiery torments, which I shall never be able either to avoid, or abide! Let us then betime in the name and feare of GOD, kisse the Son, lest he be angry at that Day; and so we perish everlastingly. Let us now, while the day of our visitation lasts, before the Sun be s [...]t upon the Prophets, addresse our selves unto Him▪ 1. With hearts burdened and broken with sight of si [...]ne, and sense of divine wrath, Mat. 11. 28. 2. Prize Him infinitely and above all the world, Matth. 13▪ 46. 3. Sell all, part with all sinne, Ibid. Out of Egypt quite, leave not an hoofe behind, Exod 10. 26. 4. Take Him as our Husband and LORD, whereby we become the sonnes of GOD, Iohn 1. 12. 5. Take his yoke upon us, and learne to be meeke and lowly, Matth. 11. 28. 6. Enter into the way, [Page 89] which is called the way of holinesse, Isa. 35. 8. 7. And there continue Professours of the Truth, and of the power of the Truth, and of the power of the Truth in truth: (For otherwise, thou mayest be a Professour, and perish eternally:) That CHRIST may owne thee, at that Day. Many professe the Truth, and not the power of the Truth: some professe both the Truth and the power of it, but are false-hearted. Where then shall the non-Professour appeare? Nay, the Persecuter of the Sect, which is spoken against every where, Acts 28. 22.
2. That thou must presently passe to an impartiall strict, the highest and last Tribunall, which can never be appeal'd from, or repeal'd: there to give an exact account of all things done in the flesh: Thy conscience shall then be suddenly, clearely, and universally irradiated and enlarged with extraordinary light, to lookt upon all thy life at once, as it were: Causae cognitio sita est in revelatione omnium, quae quis (que) per vitam universam fecerit, dixerit, cogitârit. Voss de Iud. Extr. p. 2. Thes. 1. Atq [...]id est quo [...] [...] de aperiendis libris de Apoc. 20. 12. Nempe per apertionem librorum [...]gnificatur, ut uni [...]ui (que) conscientia sua (nec enim opus erit testibus externis) sugge [...]ura si [...] omnem suam vitam Idem. Ibid. Iuditium sedit, & [...] &c] Conscientiae & opera singulorum in utram (que) partem, vel bona vel mala omnibus [...]cvelantur▪ Hieron. In [...]an. 7. Quaedam igitur vis est intelligenda divina; quâ fiet, ut cui (que) opera sua, vel bona, vel mala cuncta in memoriam revocentur, & mentis intuitu m [...]â celeritate cernantur: ut accuset, vel excuset scientia conscientiam▪ at (que) it a simul & omnes & singuli judicentur. Aug. de Civit DEI Lib. 20. Cap. 14. Necesse igitur non e [...]it, ut manifestatio fiat voce sensibili ac humanâ; sed satis erit, si menti representetur, & ma [...]festetur. Hugo Victorin. Lib. 1 de animâ. cap 11. In hoc judicio fiet ape [...]tio Librorum, sc. conscientiarum, quibus merita & demerita universorum sibi ipsis & cae [...]eris innotescent, faciente hoc virtute illius Libri▪ vitae; verbise. incarnati. Bon. Brevilo Cap. 1. For, every thought of thine heart, every word of thy mouth, every glance of thine eye, every moment of thy time, every omission of any holy duty, or good deed, every action thou hast undertaken, with all the circumstances thereof, every [Page 90] office thou hast borne, and the discharge of it in every point and particular, every company thou hast come into, and all thy behaviour there, every Sermon thou hast heard, every Sabbath thou hast spent, every motion of the Spirit which hath been made unto thy soule, &c. Let us then, while it is called To Day, call our selves to account, examine, search and trie thorowly our hearts, lives, and callings, our thoughts, words, and deeds: let us arraigne, accuse, judge, cast and condemne our selves: and prostrated before GODS Mercy-Seat, with broken and bleeding affections, lowlinesse of spirit, and humblest adoration of His free grace, upon the same ground with the Aramites, 1 Kings 20. 31. ( We have heard that the Kings of the House of Israel are mercifull Kings: let us I pray thee, put sack cloth on our loines, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the King of Israel, peradventure he will save thy life.) Let us there give our mercifull GOD no rest, untill we have sued out our pardon by the intercession of the LORD IESVS, &c. And then we shall find the reckoning made up to our hand, and Hine sidelium peccata non prodibunt in judicium: quum enim in ist hac vita per sententiam justificationis [...] ▪ te [...]ta sunt & ablata; & ultimum illud judicium confirmatio erit, & manifestatio ejusdem sententiae; non esset consentaneum, ut in lucem denuò tum temporis proferantur. Ames Medul Theol Lib. 1 Cap 4 [...] ▪ [...]ect. 22. all matters fully answered before-hand. And (which is a Point of unconceiveable comfort) He that was our Qui modo est Advocatus noster, ipse tune erit Iudex noster.—Si haberes causam apud aliquem judicem agendan, & instrue [...]es Advocatum esse, susceptusab Advocato, ageret causam tuam sicut posset▪ & si non illam [...]inisset, & audires illum in judicio venturum, quantum gaude [...]es, quià Ipse potuit esse Iudex tuus, qui fuit paulò antè Advocatus tuus?—Quià Advocatum praemisimus, securi Iudicem venturum speremus. August, de Tem. Serm. 119. Advocate [Page 91] upon earth, and purchased the Pardon with His owne hearts bloud, shall then be our Iudge.
3. That all the beastly and impure abominatitions of thine heart; all thy secret sinnes and closet-villanies, that no eye ever looked upon, Sed tu quem times major est omnibus. Ipse timendus est in publico, Ipse in secreto. Procedis, videris: intras, videris. Lucerna a [...]det, videt te: Lucerna e [...]tincta est, videt te. In cubile intras, videt te. In corde versaris, videt te. Ipsum time, illum cui cura est, ut videat te, & vel timendo castus esto Aut si peccare vis, quaere ubi te non videat, & fac quod vis. Idem de Verb. Dom. Serm 46. but that which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun; shall all then be In [...]quitates tuae omnibus populis nudabuntur, & cunctis agminibus patebunt universa scelera tua, non solum actuum, verum cogitationum, & locutionum▪ Multa verò tune venient ex improviso, quasi ex insidijs, quae modò non vides, & forsitan plura & terribiliora his quae vides. Vndi (que) erunt tibi argustiae, hinc erunt accusantia peccata, tremenda justitia, subtus patens horridum chaos, desuper iratus Iudex, intùs ve [...]mis conscientiae, foris ardens mundus. Bern. de corsc. Ad Fin. Scio quod anima tamamaram, non aequè sert memoriam, sed cogamus cam, & constringamus. Melius est nanc eam ipsa morderi memoria, quàm per illud tempus, supplicio▪ Si nunc peccatorum sis memor, & ea continuò proferas, & pro ipsis depreceris, ea citò delebis: si nunc verò fueris oblitus, tunc & invitus [...]oram omni mundo [...]orum commonefies: ipsis in medium seferentibus, & coramostentantibus, & amicis & inimicis & Angelis. Chrysost Ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 41. Cum hosrelinquat, & captos Angeli quidam invitostrahant, & lachrymis perfusos, & deorsum tacentes in gehennae flammas, priùs coram toto terrarum orbe ad dedecus productos▪ quantum dolorem esse putas? Idem. Hom. 48. detremendâ Iudicij die. Pensant sancti viri quanta sit illa verecundia in conspectu tunc humani generis, Angelorum omnium Archangelorum (que) confundi. disclosed and laid open before Angels, Men, and Devils, and thou shalt then and there be horribly, universally, and everlastingly ashamed. Thou now acts perhaps securely some harefull and abhorred worke of darknesse, and wickednesse not to be nam'd, in thine owne heart, or one way or other in secret, which thou wouldst not for the whole world, were knowne to the world, or to any but thy selfe, or one or two of thy cursed companions curbed by their obnoxiousnesse: but be well assured in that Day, at that great assize, thou shalt in the face of heaven and earth, be laid out in thy colours to thine eternall [Page 92] confusion. Never therefore go about, or encourage thy selfe to commit any sinne, because it is mid-night, or that the doores are lockt upon thee; because thou art alone, and no mortall eye seeth thee, neither is it possible to be reveal'd: (And yet I must tell thee by the way, secret villanies have and may be discovered, 1. In sleepe. 2. Out of horrour of conscience, or in time of distraction.) For, suppose it be concealed, and lie hid in as great darknesse, as it was committed, untill that last and great Day: yet then shall it out with a witnesse, and be as legible in thy fore-head, as if it were writ with the brightest starres, or the most glittering Sun▪beame upon a wall of Crystall.
4. In what a wofull case thy heavy heart will be, and with what strange terrour, trembling, and desperate rage, it must needs be possest, and rent in peeces, when thou shalt heare that dreadfull sentence of damnation to eternall torments and horrour, pronounced over thine head: Depart Mat. 25. 41. from me Though the sentence be pronounced generally, yet every reprobate wi [...] take it to himselfe with infinite anguish of spirit by particular application. Quaeritis a scholasticis, utrum unâ general [...] sententiā, & electi recipiendi sint in coelum, & reprobi con [...]iciendi in gehennam. Sanè sic videtur, quià non nisi generalis a Mattheo sententia adfertur. Tamen dixerit aliquis, opus esse, ut sua singulis sententia dicatur, quià & praemiorum & poena [...]um ce [...]i erunt gradus. Ad hoc pleri (que) respondent, sensibili quidem voce pronunciatum i [...]i sententiam generalem▪ [...] eam, quià particulatim omnes sciant, quantum praemium, quant [...]e poena maneat ipsos, id cujus (que) menti esse representandum, ita ut ejus [...]e manifestationis non minùs aperta alijs futura sunt judicia, quàm si singulis sua diceretur sententia. Vossius de Iud. extr. The. 3 [...]. thou cursed wretch into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his angels: Every word breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone, vengeance and woe, bites deeper, and terrifies more [Page 93] than ten thousand Scorpion stings. To depart from that glorious presence were hell enough: but thou must also go with a curse: nor onely so, but into fire: and that must be everlasting, fed continually with infinite rivers of brimstone, and kept still in flame and fiercenesse, by the unquenchable wrath of the most just GOD, thorow all eternity. And in that horrible dungeon and fiery lake, thou shalt never have other company or comforters but wicked devils, and they insulting over thee everlastingly with much hellish spite, and stinging exprobrations, for neglecting so great salvation all thy life long; and losing heaven, for some base lust, and believing their lies. If the drowning of the old world, swallowing up of Korah and his complices, burning up of Sodome with brimstone, were attended with such terrours, and hideous out▪cries: How infinitely transcendent to all possibility of conceipt, expression, or beliefe, will the confusions and tremblings of that Day be; when so many millions of men shall be drag'd downe with all the Devils of hell, to torments without end, and past imagination. There was horrible scryking, when those five filthy cities first felt fire and brimstone drop downe upon their heads; when those rebels saw the ground cleave asunder; and themselves and all theirs go downe quicke into the pit; when all the sonnes and daughters of Adam found the floud rising and ready to over-flow them all at once▪ But the most horrid cry that ever was heard, or ever shalbe in heaven or earth, in this world, or the world to come, will be then, [Page 94] when all the forlorne condemned reprobates, upon sentence given, shalbe violently and unresistably haled downe to hell, and pulled presently from the presence not onely of the most glorious GOD, the LORD IESVS, Angels, and all the blessed Ones, but also of their Fathers, Mothers, Wives, Husbands, Children, Sisters, Brothers, Lovers, Friends, Acquaintance; Beati coelites non tantum non cognatorum, sed nec pare [...]tum sempiternis suppliei [...]s ad ullam miserationem [...]entur. Imo verò [...]tabuntur [...]usti cum viderint vindictam; Manus s [...]as [...] in sanguine pecc [...]to rum. Malum autem quem [...] ▪ [...] DEVS om nes [...] ▪ bo [...]i habebunt odio, ut [...] [...]ilius quidem pietatem habe [...] de [...] in poenis conspecto. [...]. de similitud. Cat. 62. who shall then justly and deservedly abandon them with all detestation and derision: and forgetting all nearenesse and dearest obligations of nature, neighbourhood, alliance, any thing, rejoyce in the execution of divine justice in their everlasting condemnation. So that no eye of GOD o [...] man shall pitie them; neither shall any teares, prayers, promises, suits, cries, yellings, calling upon rocks and mountains, wishes never to have been, or now to be made nothing, &c. be then heard or preva [...]e i [...] their behalfe; or any one in heaven or earth be found to mediate or speake for them; to reverse or stay that fearefull doome of eternall woe: but without mercy, without stay, without any farewell, they shall be immediately and irrecoverably cast downe into the bottomlesse pit, of easelesse, endlesse, and remedilesse torments, which then shall finally shut her mouth upon them. Oh! What then will be the guawings of the never▪dying worme; what rage of guilty consciences; what furious despaire; what horrour of mind; what distractions and feares; what bitter looking backe upon their mis-spent time in this world; what Damnati DEVM, Sanctos, seips [...]s, [...] ash [...]uis execrationibus dev [...]vebunt: pa [...]entem [...]ilius, [...]ilium parens, matrem [...], [...] ma [...]er execrab [...] omnes vi [...] dies, annosque, & ipsam qua quis (que) [...]tus est ho [...]am maledictis onerabit. banning of their brethren in iniquity; what [Page 95] cursing the day of their birth; and even blaspheming of GOD Himselfe blessed for ever; what tearing their haire and gnashing of teeth; what wailing and wringing of hands; what desperate roaring; what hideous yellings, filling heaven, and earth, and hell, &c. No tongue can tell, no heart can thinke! Be fore-warned then, in a word, To thirst, long and labour infinitely more to have IESVS CHRIST in the meanetime, say in the Ministry to thy truly humbled soule; I am thy salvation; than to be Possessour (i [...] it were possible) of all the riches, glory and pleasures of moe worlds, than there are starres in Heaven.
About HELL, Consider,
1. The Paine of losse. Privation of GODS glorious presence, and eternall separation from those everlasting joyes, felicities and blisse above, is the more Poena damni, [...] divinae visionis privatio, omnium omninò supp [...]orum summum est, quo DEVS hominem punire potest. Nam [...] videre DEVM, ipsissima beatitudo est: Ità, DEVM videre non posse, maxima damnatorum poena est, equâ inexplicabilis in eorum voluntate na [...]itur tristitia. Inter supplicia omnia hoc futurum est summum, maximumquè, a Conditoris aspect [...] vel brevi morulâ detineri. Si jam ab eodem exclusus sis aeternùm, Hoc tibi tormentum [...]rit infandum prorsus & inexplicabile. horrible part of hell, as Divines affirme. There are two parts (say they) of hellish torments; 1. Paine of losse; and 2. Paine of sense: but a sensible and serious contemplation of that inestimable and unrecoverable losse, doth incomparably more afflict an understanding soule indeed, than all those punishments, tortures, and extremest sufferings of sense. It is the constant and concurrent judgement of the ancient [Page 96] A DEO [...]balienari ac separati, poenis etiam gehennae gravius est: sicut oculo, luce, etiamsi dolor absit, & animanti vitâ privari molestum est. Basil. Ascet. Cap. 2. mihi pag. 255. Intolerabilis est gehenna & illa poena: tamen licet quis innumeras ponat gehennas, tale nil dicet, quale illâ foelici excidere glo▪ riâ, a CHRISTO odio habeti: Audire, Nesciovoi. Chrysost. Ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 47. mihi Col. 329. Omnia verò gehennae supplicia superabit▪ DEVM non videre, & bonis carere, quae in potestate habuisti obtinere. Bern. de inter. Domo. Cap. 38. Videtur una tantum modò poena esse, comburi. Siverò aliquis diligentèr expendat, duplex hoc invenit esse supplicium. Qui enim in gehennâ uritur, & coelorum regnum prorsus amittit: quae cettè poena major est, quàm cruciatus ille flammarum. [...] Chrysost. in Mat. Hom. 24. Intolerabilis quidèm res est etiam gehenna: Quis nesciat, & supplicium illud horribile? Tamen si mille aliquis ponat gehennas, nihil tale dicturus est, quale est a beatae illius gloriae honore repelli, exosum (que) esse CHRISTO, & audire ab allo: non novivos. Ibid. Fathers, that the torments and miseries of many hels, come farre short, are nothing, to the shutting out everlastingly from the kingdome heaven, and unhappy banishment from the beatificall vision of the most soveraigne, onely, and chiefest Good, the thrice-glorious Iehovah, blessed for ever. For, by how much the degrees of infinite good and happinesse in GOD, exceed the finite wickednesse and misery of men: by so much greater is the sorrow and griefe, (being rightly conceived) for the losse of that, than for the sense of this. Assure then thy selfe before-hand, though thou little thinke so in the meane time, the losse but of the least raye of that Sun-like resplendent Body, we should have in heaven; but of a taste of those over-flowing rivers of pleasure, and un-utterable blisse of that happy soule which should dwell in such a Body; but of one foot-breadth of the pavement of the Empyrean Heaven, to which the Starry Firmament is but a Porch, or out-house; but one houres company with all the crowned Saints, and glorious inhabitants of that happy Place; but of one glaunce upon the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST; but of one glimpse of that unapproachable Light, and Iehovahs face in glory; [Page 97] I say, the losse but of any one of these would be a far dearer and more unvaluable losse, than that of ten thousand worlds, were they all compos'd of purest gold, and brim-full with richest jewels. What will it be then (think you) to loose all these, nay, the full and absolute fruition of all heavenly excellencies, beauties, glories, pleasures and perfections, and that eternally: I know full well that carnall conceipts and worldly-wise men will wonder at this; For having no sight but by sensuall eyes, they cannot possibly apprehend, or will by any meanes acknowledge any such thing. Eagle-ey'd they are, and sharpe-sighted enough into things of earth; yet blinder than a mole (as they say) in beholding any spirituall or celestiall beauty. But had we but the eyes of Austin, Basill, Chrysostome, and some other holy Fathers, (and why should not ours be clearer and brighter, considering the greater splendour and illustriousnesse of divine knowledge in these times?) we should easily confesse that the farre greatest, and (indeed) most unconceiveable griefe would be, to be severed for ever from the highest and supreme Good: And that a thousand thousand rentings of the soule from the body, were infinitely lesse than one of the soule from GOD. Nicostratus in Aelian, himselfe being a cunning artisan, finding a curious peece of worke, and being wondred at by one, and ask'd, what pleasure he could take, to stand as he did, still gazing on the picture, answered: Hadst thou mine eyes, my friend, thou wouldest not wonder, but rather be [Page 98] ravished, as I am, at the inimitable art of this rare and admired peece. [...] ▪ It is proportionably so in the present Point. Or were we vouchsafed but one moment of Pauls heavenly rapture, that we might s [...]e but a glimpse of that insini [...]e glory, and drinke but one drop of those ever-springing Fountaines of joy; then should we freely acknowledge and feele the truth of what I say; and that all I say comes farre short of what we shall find. If it be so then, that the losse of the presence of GOD, and endlesse pleasures be so painefull, irrecoverable and inestimable; and that it hath beene many times made manifest unto you by Scriptures, Fathers, Reasons, convincing, familiar, easie resemblances; and the same also appeares, and may be clearely concluded by the third exhortation before the Sacrament in the Common Prayer Booke; to wit, that living and lying wittingly and willingly in any one sinne against conscience, robs us of all these infinite, ever-during, unutterable joyes, and beatificall vision, and fruition of GOD Himselfe for ever: I say, sith it is both thus and thus: Let every one of us in the name and feare of GOD, as we would not for a few [...] pleasures, nay, sometimes one vile lust in this vale of teares for an inch of time, lose [...] knowne delights thorow all eternity in another world, with an unshaken invincible resolution oppose all sorts and assaults of sinne, with all motions, enticements, and temptations thereunto: Let us hold with holy Chrysostome: [Page 99] Etsi multi gehennamomnium malorum supremum at (que) ultimum putant [...] Ego tamen s [...] censeo, sic assid [...]è p [...]dicobo, mul [...]ò acerbius esse CHRISTVM ossendere, qu [...] gehennae malis vexari. Idem in Mat Hem 37. ad sin. That it is worse and a more wofull thing to offend CHRIST, than to be vexed with the miseries of hell. Let us professe with Anselme: Si hin [...], inquit A [...]peccatt pudorem, & illine cernerem inferni horrorem, & necessatiò uni illorum haberem immergi, priùs me in insernum me [...]gerem, quàm peccatum in me immitterem. Mallem enim purus a peccato & innocens gehennam intrare, quàm peccati sorde pollutus coelorum regna tenere. Anselm. de similitud. cap. 190. That if we should see the hatefulnesse of sinne on the one side, and the horrour of hell on the other, and must necessarily fall into the one, we would rather choose hell t [...]an si [...]. Potius, aiebat, in ardentem rogum insiluero, quâm ullum peccatum in DEVM commisero. In marg. It is reported also of Edmund his successor; that he was wont to say: I will rather leape into the siery lake, than knowingly commit any sinne against GOD. Let us resolve with another of the Ancients: Rather to be torne in peeces with wild horses, than wittingly and willingly commit any sin. See for this purpose twenty curbing Considerations to keepe from sin. Instr. for comf. afflict. Consc. pag. 108.
2. The Paine of sense. The extremity, exquisitenesse and eternity whereof, no tongue can possibly expresse, or heart conceive. Consider before▪hand, what an unspeakable misery it would be (and yet it would not be so much as a slea▪biting to this) to lie everlastingly in a red hot scorching fire, deprived of all possibility of dying▪ or being ever consum'd! I have some where read of the horrid execution of a Traitour in this manner: being naked, he was chained fast to a chaire of brasse or some other such metall, that would burne most furiously, being fil'd with fiery heat; [Page 100] about which was made a mighty fire, that by little and little caused the chaire to be red and raging hot, so that the miserable man Tyrannis prisca vix acerbio. es cruciatus ullos reperit, quam vivu [...] slammis tradere, lentè exu [...]ere, ass [...]re. [...]gnia suppliciorum ultimum, gravissimum. Sed ô mitem gehen [...]am, ò temperatas [...]lammas, v [...]l millies vivum comburi! Feralis haec sententia: mille h [...]ras tole [...]are stammas, c [...]ptiv sinferor [...]m longè [...], quàm si reo [...] plecte [...]do vi [...]u fiat gratia roared hideously many houres for extremest anguish, and so expired. Tormentum horribile prorsus, [...]e▪ verb [...], homm in i [...]ne emi [...]us ac lent [...] admoto tribus h [...]is torreri vivum. Quodnam igitu [...] [...] o DEVS, quàm [...]fandum, quàm incomprehe [...]sum▪ non duas, [...], non unum al. [...], non annum, a [...]squè mille, [...]d aere nitate to [...] (qu [...] [...] [...]n [...]unquam tota [...]) & corpus & animam u [...]i, necunquam comburi! Hi [...] [...] & [...]. But what an horrible thing had it beene to havelien in that dreadfull torment eternally: And yet all this is nothing. For, if the blacke fire of hell be truly corporall and taken properly, as some of the Fathers suppose; yet it is such (say they) that as farre passeth our ordinary hottest fire, as ours exceeds the Ignis [...] & nost [...] nimium quantum diss ru [...]t, & primò quidèm urendi [...]. Noster ig [...]is Augu [...]tino pict [...]s▪ [...], sed ille alter, verus Discrimen ingens, imò v [...] ulla simili [...]do verae, ae pictae flam [...]ae Quicquid hic [...], fabula est, [...] est: quicquid hìc pateris, me [...]issimus ludus [...] ig [...]ium umbia sunt ignes nostri ad illa inserorum incendia; poenae quas hîc dependimus delic [...]ae suut, ad illa nunquam desitt [...]ra tormenta. fire painted upon the wall. And it must be so, I meane, as farre surpasse our most furious ordinary sire, immeasurably, unconceiveably in degrees of heat, and fiercenesse of burning. For, the one was created for comfort; the other purposely to torment: the one is made by the hand of man; the other tempered by the angry arme of almighty GOD, with all terrible and torturing ingredients, to make it most fierce and raging, and a sit instrument for so great and mighty a GOD to torment everlastingly such impenitent reprobate rebels. It is said to be prepared, Matth. 2 [...]. 41. Isa. 30. 33. as if the allpowerfull [Page 101] wisdome did deliberate, and (as it were) sit downe and devise most tormenting temper for that most formidable fire: the one is blowne by an aiery breath; the other by the angry breath of the great GOD, which burnes farre hotter than ten thousand rivers of brimstone: The pile thereof (saith the Prophet) is fire and much wood, the breath of the LORD, like a streame of brimstone, doth kindle it. What soule doth not quake and melt with thought of this fire, at which the very Devils tremble? There is no proportion betweene the heat of our breath, and the fire that it blowes. What a fearefull fire then is that which is blowne by a breath dissolved into brimstone? which a great torrent of burning brimstone doth ever mightily blow? If it be Dicerem quidèm sic arsuros sine ullo corpore spiritus, &c. Nisi coavenientèr [...]sponderi cernerem, talem fuisse illam slammam, quales oculi quos [...]evavit, & Laz [...]n vidit, qualis lingua cui humorem exiguum desideravit infundi, qualis digitus Lazari, de quo id sibi fieri postulavit, ubi tamen erant sine corporibus animae. Aug. de Civit. DEI. Lib. 21. 10. Metaphoricè loquitur de exitio reproborum, quod satis alioqui complecti non possumus, quemadmodum nec beatam, & immortalem vitam percipimus, nisi sub siguris quibusdam ingenio nostro accommodatis adumbretur: unde apparet quàm inepti & ridiculi sint Sophistae, quide illius ignis naturâ & qualita [...]e subtilius disscrunt▪ at (que) in eo explicando variè se torquent. Explodendae sunt crassae hujusmodi imaginatione [...], cum figuratè Prophetam loqui intelligamus▪ &c. Cal. in Isa. c 30 v. [...]lt Quod igni cruciandos dicit, nuper met aphoricam esse locutionem admonui: id (que) ex membro adjuncto apertè liquet. Ne (que) enim fingendi sunt è terrâ vermes, qui infidelium corda arrodant. Idem in Cap. 66. v. [...]lt. Qui aeternum illum ignem, materialem & elementarem fingunt; nature inferioris, & superioris; temporis & aeternitatis modum consundunt. Cum enim nihil materiatum & physicum capax sit proprietatum hyperphy sicarum, fieri non potest, ut corporeus ignis, quem Pontificij Scholasticorum auctoritate fre [...], (nam Patres hic dubitantèr loquuntur) in tartaro statuunt, aeternitatis sit capax.—Ad haec▪ cum idom ignis sit paratus Diabolo & hominibus impijs, Mat. 25. 41. Ignis autem corporeus non possit agere in spiritum; planum fit, ignis imagine spirituale supplicium adumbrari.—Porrò nulla omninò causa est, cur ibi statuatur ignis corporeus, cùm vermis morsus, quo mentis aestum figurari docent Scholastici, ignis ustionem longè exuperet, exipsorum sententiâ. Til. adhuc Orthodox. Syntog. P. 2. Cap. 68. metaphoricall, as Austin [Page 102] seemes some where to intimate, and some moderne Divines are of mind: and as the gold, pearles and precious stones of the wall streets and gates of the heavenly Ierusalem ( Rev. 21.) were metaphoricall; so likewise it should seeme that the fire of hell should also be figurative: And if it be so; it is yet something els, that is much more terrible and intolerable. Scie [...]dum Scripturam [...]es futuri saec [...]li rerum [...] symbolis & imagin [...]bus adumb [...] so litam; quemadmodum [...] l [...]a p [...]dia, rerum [...] & [...] typ [...]s; [...]à d [...]a o [...]um cruciatus [...]erum [...] & acerbissima [...]um [...] ▪ [...]me, [...], [...] dentium, ca [...]e [...], [...]agno sulphu [...]eo, &c. nobis depinge [...]e. Idem. Ibidem. Thesi. 40. For as the Spirit of GOD, to shadow unto us the glory of heaven, doth name the most pretious, excellent and glorious things in this life, which notwithstanding come infinitely short; so doth He intimate unto us the inexplicable pai [...]es of hell, by things most terrible and tormenting in this world, fire, brimstone, &c. which yet are nothing to h [...]llish tortures. Whether therefore it be materiall or metaphoricall, I purpose not here Curio [...]orum imo suri [...] [...] ignem hunc contentionis gladio, ul [...]rà quam [...]as est, f [...]dere. N [...]s, aculeati [...] quaest [...]onum [...]icis, apinis (que) tanquam Aegyp [...]s [...] [...]n Sophista [...]m [...] [...]elictis, in hanc potius curam, toto pectore incumbere dece [...], [...]t igne [...] i [...]ium s [...]ei [...] extingua [...]as; ne qualis sit, tandem experiamur. Idem Ibid▪ Thesi 51. to dispute, or go about to determine: neither is it much materiall for my purpose. For, be it whether it will, it is infinitely horrible and ins [...]fferable beyond all compasse of conceipt, and above the reach either of humane or Angelicall thoughts. It doth not onely exceed with an incomparable disproportion [...]ll possibility of patience and resistance; but also even ability to beare it; and yet notwithstanding, it must upon necessity be borne so long as GOD is GOD. Take in a word, all that I intend to tell you in the point at [Page 103] this time. Potest quis sibi representare, quicquid unquam illaetabile, luctuosum, crudele, miserandum, horribile vidit & audijt, quicquid ab orbe condito [...]aeva tyrannorum crudelitas excogitavit, quicquid ad usquè mundi occasum saevissimorum hominum immanitas invenire poterit, hoc autem omne si velut in fasce colligatum cum aeternitate damnatorum componere—cum Chrysostom [...] proclamabit▪ Haec omnia quae hic patimur, merus ludus acrisus sunt, si cum illis supplicijs in contentionem veniant. [...]one, si libet, ignem, ferrum, & bestias, & si quid his difficilius: atramen, nec umbra quidèm sunt haec ad illa tormenta—Nonne videmus terrenos milites principibus serv [...]entes, quomodo ligant, quomodò [...]gellant, quomodò per [...]odiunt costas, quomodò faces tormentis adhibent: sed haec omnia [...], & risus ad supplicia. Chrysost. ad Pop. [...] Hom. [...]9. If the severall paines of all the diseases and maladies incident to our nature, as of the stone, gout, colicke, strangury, or what other you can name, most afflicting the body: nay, and add besides all the most exquisite and unheard of tortures, (and if you will, even those of the Spanish Inquisition) which ever were or shalbe inflicted upon miserable men, by the Consider here all the horrible tortures in [...]cted upon Christians in the Primitive times: That man in the brazen chaire: Ravillacs torments; French Story, pag. 129 [...] All the monstrous cruelties thorow the Turkish Story: the [...]iery and bloudy miseries executed upon our blessed Martyrs in Qucene Maries time: the barbarous and prodigious butcher [...]es of the Spanish Inquisition, which the Poet brings in as the fourth Fury. bloudiest executioners of the greatest tyrants, as that of him in the brazen chaire mentioned before, &c. and collect them all into one extremest anguish; and yet it were nothing to the torment which shall for ever possesse and plague the Because all the members of the body and powers of the soule have beene weapons of unrighteousnesse, man shall be plagued in all the parts of the body, and faculties of the soule by that horrid instrument of hellish torment; called by CHRIST, Fire prepared for the Devill and his angels, Mat. 25. least part of a damned body! And as for the soule: let all the griefes, horrours and despaires that ever rent in peeces any heavy heart, and vexed conscience; as of Iudas, Spira, &c. And let them all be heaped together into one extremest horrour; and yet it would come infinitely short of that desperate rage and restlesse anguish, which shall eternally torture the least and lowest faculty of the soule! What then [Page 104] do you think wilbe the torment of the whole body? What wilbe the terrour of the whole soule? Here both invention of words would faile the ablest Oratour upon earth, or the highest Angell in heaven. Ah then, is it not a madnesse above admiration, and which may justly amaze both heaven and earth, and be a prodigious astonishment to all creatures, that being reasonable creatures, having understanding like the Angels of GOD, eyes in your heads to fore-see the approaching wrath, hearts in your bodies that can tremble for trouble of mind, as the leaves of the forrest that are shaken with the wind, consciences capable of unspeakable horrour, bodies and soules that can burne for ever in hell; and may (by taking lesse paines in the right way, than a drunkard, worldling, or other wicked men in the wayes of death and going to hell) escape everlasting paines: yet will sit here still in the face of the Ministry with dead countenances, dull eares, and hard hearts, as senslesse and unmooved, as the seates you sit on, the pillars you leane to, and the dead bodies you tread on, and never be said, (as they say) never warn'd, untill the fire of that infernall lake flame about your eares! O monstrous madnesse and mercilesse cruelty to your owne soules! Let the Angels blush, heaven and earth be amaz'd, and all the creatures stand astonished at it.
3. When sentence is once irrevocably past by that high and everlasting Iudge, and the mouth of the bottomlesse pit hath shut it selfe upon thee with that infinite anguish and enraged indignation, [Page 105] thou wilt take on, teare thy haire, bite thy nailes, gnash the teeth, dig furiously into the very fountaine of life, and (if it were possible) spit out thy bowels: because having by a miracle of mercy beene blessed all thy Occasio tibi nunquam defuit, tu semper occasioni. Potuisti, & noluisti: Lue, jam lue nequitias. En tua tot tam (que) gravia flagitia; cum tamen longè suavius virtu [...]i licuisset operari quàm vitijs. En perditissime, inter jocos & [...]udos perdidisti regnum: Potuisses esse f [...]lix aeternum▪ modò voluisses: brevi [...]c leni labore beatam immortalitatem tibi parasses, modò voluisses. En [...], pro carnis voluptatul [...], pro spurcâ, & momentaneâ oblectatiunculâ immensas vendidisti voluptates. Nimi [...]m tua tibicaro, quàm coelum carior erat. Sentis jam, quas delicias sectatus fueris? Praedixi, monui, vellicavi. Sed actum egi, nihil profeei, oleum & operam perdidi. Nunc vindico, nunc [...]pes & res abs te segregant, sed [...]uâ solius culp [...]. En impurissime ut delectatiunculas pauxillo tempo [...]is retineres, perdidisti omnia. Procul nunc a te honores, thefauri, voluptates beatorum; ad quas om [...]is tibi via intercepta est. Haec tibi tormenta [...]ibidines tu [...] para [...]unt, in ho [...] ignes tua te ptaecipitavit incontinentia: tuam illam hilarem, sed brevem insaniam, nunc lui [...] ae [...]erno luctu. Desperatè ploras Paradisi gaudijs privatum? Tu ipse te privasti. Ac acerbissimè doles perenne coeleste epulum neglectum? Tu neglexisti.—Differendo & neglige [...]do huc sponte irruisti coecus & a [...]ens, hic nunquàm exiturus amplius. Nulla hic libertas, nulla salus. Despera centies, sexcenties, despera millies, aeternùm desperaturus, aeternum moriturus, & ad mortem nullis saeculis proventurus. life long in this gloriously illightened Goshen with the fairest noone-tide of the Gospell that ever the Sun saw, and either diddest, or mightest have heard many and many a powerfull and searching Sermon; any one passage wherof (if thou haddest not wickedly and wilfully forsaken thine own mercy, and suffered Satan in a base and beastly maner to blindfold and ba [...]le thee) might have beene unto thee the beginning of the new-birth, and everlasting blisse: yet thou, in that respect a most accursed wretch, diddest passe over all that long day of thy gracious visitation, like a sonne or daughter of confusion, without any piercing or profit at all; and passed by all those goodly Hoc laccrabit cordamnatorum, quòd gratiam millies oblatam recusarunt millies Indè in sei [...]sos fur entèr exardescent miseri, & assiduò sibiipsis lugubrem hanc cantilenam occinent: ó tempus rerum omnium pretiosissimum! [...] di [...] ô horae plusquàm aureae, quò evanuistis aeternum nonrediturae! Nos coeci & excord [...]s, obstructis oculis & auribus libidine furebamus, & mutuis nosmet exempli [...] trah [...] ▪ bamus ad interitum. offers and opportunities, with an inexpiable neglect [Page 106] and horrible ingratitude; and so now liest drown'd and damn'd in that dreadfull lake of brimstone and fire, which thou mightest have so easily and often escaped. Non min [...]s tuncquàm [...] [...]os exag [...]abit, qui [...] [...] spatio [...] non [...], [...], [...] inessabil [...]us bonis [...] n [...]s in [...] [...] in Mat. [...] [...]st qui de [...] [...] assequi [...] adeund [...] hereditate, sed ille [...]gnavissimus causae suae indo [...], ita (que) haeredita [...]em tam opulen tam neglexit; [...]am (que) [...]alibus serae [...]oenitentiae [...]ijs a [...]tatur, u [...] ipse sibi immineat, ve [...]t ipsum discerp [...]urus. Et nonnunquàm mo [...]s indè violenta sequitur. Haud alitèr damnatorum quilibet scipsum sic allatrat: Potuissem; auxilia non deerant, vocabar: Potuissem, Eheu! Potuissem; sed nolui. A summo b [...]no exclusissimus sum in omne aevum; & us (que) in aeternum non videb [...] lumen, quia nolui videre. Sentire tanto se bono privatum esse, & quidèm su [...] culpâ inexplicabilis, in [...]andus erit dolor [...]. This irksome and furious reflexion of thy soule upon its owne wilfull folly, whereby it hath so unnecessarily and sottishly lost everlasting joy, and must now live in endlesse woe, will vexe and torture more than thou canst possibly imagine, continually gnaw upon thy heart with remedilesse and unconceivable griefe; and in a word, even make an hell it selfe. O then, having yet a price in thine hand, to get wisdome to go to heaven, lay it out with all holy greedinesse, while it is called To day, for the spirituall and eternall good of thy soule! Improve to the utmost, for that purpose, the most powerfull Ministry, holiest company, best bookes, all motions of GODS Spirit, all saving meanes, &c. Spend every day, passe every Sabbath, make every prayer, heare every S [...]imon, thinke every thought, speake every word, do every action, &c. As though when that were done, thou wert presently after to passe to judgement, and to give up an exact account for it, and whatsoever els done in the flesh.
4. That the conceipt of the everlastingnesse of [Page 107] the torments, when they are now already seiz'd upon the soule, and hopelesnesse of ever coming out of hell, wilbe yet another hell. If thou once come there, Ite furiosi, [...]e & d [...]litiis af [...]luere supremam foelicitatem credite; hodiè vino & plumis vos mergite, cras forsitan me [...] gendi flammis. and there most certainly must thou be this night, if thou diest this day in thy naturall state, and not new-borne; I say then (so terribly would the consideration of eternity torture thee) that thou wouldest hold thy selfe a right Si nobis faltem [...] ut arenosus quispiam mo [...]s extolle [...]etur amplitudine terras coaequans, fastigiocoelum attingens, ex quo, post centum millia annorum advolans avicula rostro non plus au [...]erret, quàm est decima unius a [...]enulae pars, & [...]sus post alterum centum ann [...] rum [...]lle, aliam arenul [...] unius▪ decimam partem, & pari modo aliam at (que) aliam, ita ut [...]atio decies cen [...]um millium annorum, tantum unicum arenulae unius [...] de monte illo a [...]enoso minue [...]etur: quàm laeti, quàm alacres essemus, quòd post ultimam sal [...]em montis to [...]ius ablat [...]onem, damnationis nostrae fi [...]em aliquem haberemus happy man, if thou mightest endure those horrible paines, and extremest horrours no moe millions of yeares, than there be sands on the sea-shore, haires upon thine head, starres in the firmament, grasse piles upon the ground, and creatures both in heaven and earth. For, thou wouldest still comfort thy selfe incredibly with this thought: My misery will once have an end. But alas! This word Ah, vel mus [...]ae, vel culicis [...]unctiuncula, si tamen sit [...]terna, quam inexplicabil [...]s cruciatus pronunciabitur? Quis igitur horror exercebit damnatos, vel ob unam hanc, sed assiduam cogitationem? Hi [...] ignis aeternùm serendus, hic ululatus aeternùm audiendus; hic [...] sempiternus. Never will ever rent thine heart in peeces with much rage and hideous roaring; and give still new life to those insufferable sorrowes, which infinitely exceed all expression or imagination. Let us suppose this great body of the earth upon which we tread to be turned into sand, and mountaines of sand to be added still, untill they reach unto the Empyrean Heaven, so that this whole mighty creation were nothing but a sandy mountaine: [Page 108] let us then further imagine a little wren to come but every hundred thousandth yeare, and carie away but the tenth part of one graine of that immeasurable heape of sand; what an innumerable number of yeares would be spent, before that world of sand were all so fetcht away? And yet, woe and alas that ever thou wast borne! When thou hast lien so many yeares in that fiery lake, as all they would amount to, Damnati sic calculum ponunt: Elapsis decem millibus anno rum, adjicientur centum millia, post haec centum millia, tot jungentur myriades, & milliones quot in firmamento sunt stellae, & in littore maris arenae. Post quae longissima annorum spatia, quasi nihil de poenis nostris accisum esset, sic iterum ab initio pati tormenta incipiemus: at (que) ita sine interruptione, sine fine, sine modo, volvetur assiduè nostrorum tormentorum rota. Ex quo poli sunt perfecti, A [...]de numero complecti Stellas coeli, stillas roris, Vnd as aquei fluoris, Guttas imbris pluvialis, Floccos velleris nivalis Quot sunt vere novo flores, Quot odores, quot colores, Quot vinaceos Autumnus, Poma legit & vertumnus: Quot jam grana tulit aestus, Frondes hiemis tempestas. Totus orbis animantes Aer atomos volantes, Pilos ferae, pecus villos, Vertex hominum capillos: Adde littoris arenas, Adde graminis verbe [...]as, Tot myriades annorum Quot momenta saeculorum: Heus adhuc Aeternitatis Portus fugit à damnatis. Metire semel, ite [...]ùm saepiùs: post decem annorum milliones, post centum mille myriadum annotum, post decies centies millena millia milliorum annorum; necdum finem, necdum medium, imò nondum Aeternitatis principium designasti: junge ad illa omnes hominum & Angelorum cogitationes, omnes motus & mutationes quarumvis rerum creatarum: adde his a [...]enulas, quot non possent millenarum terrarum vastissimo sin [...] contineri: collige deni (que) in unum omnes numeros Arithmetic [...] quadratos, cubicos quosvis: nunc imple his numeris volumina chartarum hinc ad supremos coelos usqu [...], nondum Aeternitatis durationem mensuses, tantum abest, ut [...]isemensus. Quamdiu igitur durabit Aeternitas? Semper. Quandò finietur? Nunquam. Quamdiu coelum erit coel [...]m; Quamdiu inferi erunt inferi; Quamdiu DEVS erit DEVS, tamdiu durabit Aeternitas: tamdiu coelum beabit Sanctos; tamdiu improbos torquebunt inferi. Ne quaeso, molestior sis quaerendo: Apprehende saltem, si comprehendere non potes. thou art no nearer coming out, than the very first houre thou enteredst [Page 109] in. Now, suppose thou shouldest lie but one night grievously afflicted with a raging fit of the stone, collicke, strangury, tooth-ache, pangs of travaile, &c. Though thou haddest to helpe and ease thee a soft bed to lie on, friends about thee to comfort thee, Physitians to cure thee, all cordiall and comfortable things to asswage the paine; yet how tedious and painfull, how terrible and intolerable would that one night seeme unto thee? How wouldest thou tosse, and tumble and turne from one side to another, counting the clock, telling the houres, esteeming every minute a Sumamus noctem unicam quam à curis, alijsvè sodicantibus cogitationibus insomnem aut quam infestante calculo, urente podagrâ, torminibus aut dentium doloribus in nos saevientibus, turbata exigimus. Quàm haec talis nox longa, & instar hebdomadis, aut mensis est! Quid si anno toto sic inter dolores jacendum, quid si annis centum, quid si mille annis, si sex aut decem millibus annorum? Quid si aeternum & sine fine? moueth, and thy present misery matchlesse and unsupportable? It w [...]ld proove an extreme misery, as it seem [...]s, to lie eternally upri [...], and never stirre, even upon a bed of roses; what would it be then, to sit for ever in that fiery chaire mentioned before? But then above all degrees of comparison, what will it be roare everlastingly in bellish slames! Heare my A [...]our. Memini melegere, nec [...]ne admiratione, [...]uisse hominem, qui Aeterni [...]atem animo sic perspexerit: Quis [...] ortalium est, aicbat ipse secum, qui quidem san [...] mentis sit & ratione [...], qui regnum Galliae, Hispaniae, Poloniae, reg [...]a sanè [...] sibi vendicet eâ p [...]ctione, ut quadraginta continuos annos in l [...]ctulo [...] strato, eo (que) mollissimo [...]supinus jaceat? E [...] licet forsan non def [...]us sit, qui ad hanc condi [...]ionem descendat; is tamen non totum triennium (res certa) sic decumbet, quin abrumpat & dicat: sin [...]e, [...]; malo carere regnis, non [...] bus, sed omnibus quàm sic continue, [...] m [...]lissimè jacere, vel decem tantùm annis; ne [...]dum vigia [...]i, aut [...]iginta, veluti pactio fiebat, annis quadraginta. Itńe res se habent, ut nemo sanus reperiatur, qui ut t [...]iplici regno donetur, triginta vel quad aginta annis [...] lege decumbere velit? Quàm ergò coeca, quàm suriosa est insan [...], [...] lacerum [...], [...]btres aviculas, ob crepundia vilissima, illud petulantèr [...] periculum, & tale designate facinus. ob quod in candente crate, in fereti [...] stammeo, non solis quadragi [...]ta, non quad [...]gentis, nec quatuor millibus, sed nec quater centenis millibus, sed aeternum torquearis furijs; [...] mortales, intemperantissimis agimur, nisi jam maturè, & in rem nostram sapimus. In mollissimo jacere sed semper jacere & aeternum jacere supplicium soret inexplicabile Quid jam omnium apud inferos suppliciorum erit cumulus ac conge [...]ies sormidabilissima? What will it be then (thinkest thou) to lie in fire [Page 110] and brimstone, kept in highest flame, by the unquenchable wrath of GOD, world without end? Where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darknesse and horrour, wailing and wringing of hands, Apud inseros singula [...]ssimum erit tormentum [...] c [...]ntenorum millium horribilissim [...]s mugitus, planctus, [...]; perinde [...] meri boves assent [...]r vivi, aut si rapidi ca [...]es cate [...]as [...], [...] [...]ssint. [...]; aur [...]m [...], [...] hominum, [...] [...] num, l [...]porum ululatus, mug [...]tus [...], [...] l [...]onum, aliarum [...] [...]emitus, fragores nubium, dejectus aquarum, & quicquid [...] singi potest: ah qu [...]m id omne nihil est ad Orcinia [...]ae [...] desperatiss [...]m sletum, cujus auctarium est stridor dentium. desperate yellings and gnashing of teeth: thine old companions in vanity and sinne to ban and curse thee with much bitternesse and rage; wicked Devils to insult over thee with hellish cruelty and scorne; the never-dying worme to feed upon thy soule and flesh for ever and for ever. O coe [...]itas [...]umane gentis nullis sa [...] lachtymis deploran la! Ex omnibus templorum [...] clamatur, Aeternitas, Eternitas, Aeternitas. Nos nihilominus praesenti ducim [...] volup [...]ate. Adeò perire s [...]ve est. Quis exprimat quid sit aeternitas? Quis concipiat quid sit Aeternitas? Est unum perpetuum Sum, quod praeteri [...] [...] & [...]. Est circulus, cujus centrum femper, circumferentia nunquam. Cogito mille annos, cogito tot annorum millia quot sunt momenta, [...] puncta in toto [...] à condito mundo us (que) ad ejus consuminationem, & de [...] ate nihil habeo. O Aeternitas! Quis poterit par esse Aeternitati in tormentis? Et [...]mus tormenti ipsorum ascendet in saecula saeculerum, Apoc. [...]. Quid est in sae [...]ula saeculor [...]m? Volo dicere, & nescio dicere. Illud tantùm scio id ipsum esse, quod DEVS solus suâ infinitate a [...] b [...] & complectitur▪ O Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! Sith it is thus then, that upon the little ynch of time in this life, depends the length and bredth, the height and depth of immortality in the world to come: even two eternities; the one infinitely accursed, the other infinitely comfortable; losse of everlasting joyes, and lying in eternall flames; sith never ending pleasures or paines do unavoidably follow the well or mis-spending of this short moment upon earth; with what unwearied care and watchfulnesse [Page 111] ought we to attend that One nec [...]ssary Thing all the dayes of our appointed time, till our change shall come? How ought we as strangers and pilgrims to abstaine from fleshly lusts? What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse? How thriftily and industriously to husband the poore remainder of our few and evill dayes for the making our Calling and Election sure: In a word, with what resolution and zeale to do or suffer any thing for IESVS CHRIST? Quid agis miser, perire vis? Facillimo istud impe [...]dio fiet: ho [...]ulâ u [...]a, imò vel unicâ parte [...]rulae; imò momento vel unico per iram vel libidinem patras, quod aeternùm doleas. Hic seriò cogitandum: Itáne homines etuditi, & humano sensu sancti accusantur, judicantur, damnantur? Quid mihi fi [...]t misero? Ergò animum quantis possum industrijs cu [...]abo. Alij se, suam (que) cuticulam cu [...]ent aeternitatis obliti; vigeant, floreant, cras fo [...]sancinis & favilla Hos ego mo [...]es nihil mo [...]or, hanc ego viam non ingredior, nam & alium viae terminum quaero. With what industry and dearenesse to ply this moment, and prize that eternity!
Concerning the joyes of HEAVEN,
Let me tell you before hand, that the excellency, glory, and sweetnesse thereof, no mortall heart, finite braine, created understanding can possibly conceive and comprehend to the life. For,
1. Paul t [...]ls us, 1 Cor. 2. 9. That neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, neither heart of man conceived the incomprehensible sublimity and glorious mysteries of that heavenly wisdome, and inexplicable divine sweetnesse revealed in the Gospell: (For I take that to be his naturall immediate [Page 112] meaning:) How transcendently (then) unutterable and unconceiveable is the complement, perfection, the reall, actuall and full fruition of all those Evangelicall mysterious revelations, accomplished to the height in the highest heavens thorow all eternity? Where we shall enjoy the face and beatificall presence of the most glorious and all susticient GOD, as an object wherein all the powers of our soules wilbe satisfied with everlasting delight.
The eye of man hath seene admirable things: Coasts of Pearle, Crystall mountaines, rocks of Diamond, Golden mines, Spicy Ilands, &c. (so Travailers talke, and Geographers write.) Ma [...]soleum. Mauso [...] regis Cariae sepulchrum, ab Ar [...]emisiâ uxore extructum, tantâ operis magnificentiâ, ut inter septem orbis miracula suerit numeratum. Mausolus Tombe, Dianaes Temple, the Egyptian Maximae hujus genetis in Aegypto fuisse memorantur circa Memphim, structurae ex quadratis lapidibus admirand [...], fastigiatae ultra omnem excelsitatem, quae manu fieri posset. &c. Paramides, and all the wonders of the world.
The eare hath heard the most delicious, exquisite, and ravishing melody. Such as made even Alexander the Great transported with an irresistable pang of a pleasing rage as it were, and delightfull Spiritus qui in corde agitant, tremulum, & subsulfantem recipiunt aerem in pectus & inde excitantur: A spiritu musculi moventur, &c. Scalig. Exercit. 202. dancing of his spirits, that I may so speake, Carda [...]. Subtil. lib. 13. Exilire è convivio, &c.
Mans heart can imagine miraculous admirabilities, rarest peeces, worlds of comforts and strange felicities. In conceipt it can convert all the stones upon earth into pearles, every grasse pile into an unvaluable jewell, the dust into silver, [Page 113] the sea into liquid gold, the aire into crystall. It can clothe the earth with farre more beauty and sweetnesse, than ever the Sun saw it. It can make every Starre a Sun, and all those Suns ten thousand times bigger and brighter than it is, &c.
And yet the height and happinesse of Evangelicall wisdome doth farre surpasse the utmost which the eare, eye, or heart of man hath heard, seene, or can possibly apprehend. And this so excellent light upon earth discovering the inestimable treasures of hidden wisdome in CHRIST, is but as a graine, to the richest golden mine, a drop to the Ocean, a little glimpse to the glory of the Sun; in respect of that fulnesse of joy hereafter, and everlasting pleasures above: with what a vast disproportion then doth the inimaginable excellency of heavenly blisse surpasse and transcend the most enlarged created capacity? Infinitely, infinitely.
2. Our gracious GOD in his holy unsearchable wisdome doth reserve and detaine from the eye of our understandings a full comprehension of that most glorious state above; to exercise in the meane time our faith, love, obedience, patience, &c. As a father shewes sometimes, and represents to the eye of his child, a glimpse and sparkle (as it were) of some rich orient jewell, to make him love, long, pray and cry for a full sight of it, and grasping of it in his owne hand: So our heavenly Father in this case. If celestiall excellencies, and those surpassing joyes, arising principally from the visible apprehension of the purity, glory and [Page 114] beauty of GOD, were clearely seene and fully knowne, even by speculation, it would be no strange thing, or thanksworthy for the most horrible Beliall, Tan [...]a est autem pulchtitudo justitie, tanta jucunditas lucis aeter nae, hoc est, incommutabilis veritatis, at (que) sapientiae, ut etiamsi non lice [...]et ampliùs in ea manere, quàm unius diei mo [...]a propter ho [...] solum innumerabiles anni hujus vitae pleni deliciss & circumslu [...]ntiâ temporalium bono [...]um rectò, meritó (que) conte [...]neretur. August. de Lib. Arb. Lib. 3. Cap. ul [...]. to become presently the holiest Saint, the worlds greatest minion, the most mortified man. But in this vale of teares we must live by Faith.
3. It is a fruit of our fall with Adam, and the condition of this unglorified mortall state here upon earth, to know but in part: From which our knowledge above shall differ, as the knowledge of a child from that of a perfect man: as knowledge by a glasse, from apprehension of the reall object: 1 Cor 1 [...]. as knowledge of a plaine speech, from that which is a riddle. It is not for us (saith Induci in nubes▪ penetrare in plenitudi nem lumin [...], [...]umpere [...]la ritatis al ys [...]s, & lucem hab [...] tare maccessibilem, nec temporis est [...]us ne [...] [...] ribi in novissimis [...] eservatur, cum [...] mihi exhibuero gloriosum non habentem maculam aut rugam, aut aliquid [...] Be [...]n. Sup [...]r Ca [...]l. Serm. 38. one) in these earthly bodies, to mount into the clouds, to pierce this fulnesse of light, to breake into this bottomlesse depth of glory, or to dwell in that unapproachable brightnesse: This is reserved to the last Day; when CHRIST IESVS shall present us glorious and pure to His Father without spot or wrinkle.
4. Our understandings upon necessity must be supernaturally irradiated and illightened with extraordinary enlargement and divinenesse, before [Page 115] we can possibly comprehend the glorious brightnesse of heavenly joyes and full sweetnesse of eternall blisse. It is as impossible in this life for any mortall braine to conceive them to the life, as to compasse the heaven with a span, or containe the mighty Ocean in a nut-shell. The Philosopher could say; that as the eyes of an Owle are to the light of the Sun, so is the sharpest eye of the most pregnant wit to the mysteries of nature. How strangely then would it be dazeled and struck starke blind with the excessive incomprehensible glory and greatnesse of celestiall secrets, and immortall light?
But although we cannot comprehend the whole, yet we may consider part. Though we cannot take a full draught of that over-flowing fountaine of endlesse blisse above, yet we may taste; though we cannot yet enjoy the whole harvest, yet we take a survey of the first fruits. For, the Scriptures to this end shadow unto us a glimpse, by the most excellent, precious and desireable things of this life.
Thus much premis'd; let us (for my present purpose) about the joyes of Heaven, consider;
1. The Place, where GOD and all His blessed ones inhabite eternally.
But how can an infinite GOD be said to dwell in a created heaven?
GOD from all eternity when there was nothing, to which He might manifest and make knowne Himselfe, is not said to dwell
[Page 116] As for the place of GOD before the world created, the sinite wisdome of mortall men hath no percep [...]i [...]n of it: neither can it limit the s [...]at of infinite power; no more than infinite power it selfe can be limited; for, His Place is in Himselfe, whom no magnitude else ca [...] containe. S r. W. Rawleigh. Lib. 1. Cap. 4. Non est quod quaeras ultia, ubi [...]rat ante quam mundus tieret? P [...]eter ipsum nihil erat, ergo in seipso [...]. Be [...]. de consid. Lib. 5. Cap. 6. Antequam faceret DEVS coelum & terram, ubi habitabat? In Se habitabat apud Se habitabat, & apud Se est DEVS. Aug [...]in Psal. 122. Ante omnia DEVS erat solus, Ipse Sibi & mundus, & locus, & omnia. Solus autem: quia nihil extrinsecus praeter Illum. T [...]rtull. adversu [...] Praxean. non procul ab initio any where, either to have been out of Himselfe, or in any thing, but onely in Himselfe. He was therefore an heaven to Himselfe. But when He pleased He created the world; that in so large and goodly a Theater He might declare and conveigh His power, goodnesse and bounty, some way or other, to all creatures. Especially, He prepared this glorious heaven we speake of, not that it might enclose or enlarge His happinesse: But that He might unspeakably beautifie and irradiate it with unconceiveable splendour of His Majesty and Glory; and so communicate Himselfe beatifically to all the Elect, Saints and Angels, even for ever and ever. I said, not that it might enclose, conclude and confine Him: For, He is as truly without the heavens, as He is in them: And He is where nothing is with Him. He was when nothing was, and then He was, where nothing was beside Himselfe. Before the Creation there was properly, neither when nor where, but onely an incomprehensible perfection of indivisible immensity and eternity; which would still be the same, though neither heaven nor earth, nor any thing in them should any more be. F [...]st DEVS it a ubique, ut non tantum omnes hujus universi partes permeet, sed etiam immensa illa spatia quae sunt supra coelos, (qua est naturae infinitate) penetret▪ non tamen existimes DEVM ibi ess [...], tanquam in loco posi [...]ivo repletivè, sed tantum per immensitatem essentiae. Eustachius De DEO. [...]. [...]. But we may not so place Him without the [Page 117] Heavens, as to cloath Him with any imaginary space, or give the checke to His immensity by any parallell distance locall. He is said to be without the heavens, in as much as His infinite Essence cannot be Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot containe Thee. 1 King. 8. 27. contained in them, but necessarily containes them. He is so without them, or (if you will) beyond them, that albeit a thousand moe worlds were heaped up by His all-powerfull hand each above other, and all above this; He should by vertue of His infinite Essence, not by free choyce of will or mutation of place, be as intimately coexistent to every part of them, as He now is to any part of this heaven and earth we enjoy. In a sober sense, Vbi est? Quid diximiser? Sed ubi non est▪ Altior est coelo, inferno profundior, latio [...] terrâ, mari diffusior. Nusquam est, & ubiquè est: Quià nec abest ulli, nec ullo capitur loco. Bern. mihi Col. 363. Bernard saith true; Nusquam est & ubi (que) est: He is no where; because no place, whether reall or imaginary can comprehend or containe Him: He is every where; because no body, no space or spirituall substance can exclude His presence, or avoid the penetration (if I may so speake) of His Essence.
This glorious Empyrean Heaven (where nothing but light and blessed immortality, no shadow of matter for teares, discontentments, griefes, and uncomfortable passions to worke upon, but all joy, tranquillity and peace, even for ever and ever doth dwell) is seated * above all the visible Orbs, and Starry Firmament. See Deut. 4. 39. & 10. 14. Iosh. 2. 11. Pro. [Page 118] 25. 3. 1 King. 8. 27. 30. 39. 43. 49. Luke 24. 51. Acts 1. 9. & 7. 69. Eph. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 2. where it is called the third heaven.
- 1. The first is that whole space from the Earth to the Sphere of the Moone; where the birds fly; whence raine, snow, haile, and other Meteors descend. See Gen. 7. 11. Psal. 8. 8. Mat. 8. 20. Deut. 28. 12. Mat. 6. 26. where they are called [...].
- 2. The second consists of all the visible Orbs. See
Gen. 1. 14, 15. where he cals the whole
[...],
Expansion, Firmament, Heaven. And in this He placeth the Sun, Moone, and other Starres,
Deut. 17. 3. Within this second
Extension we comprehend three other Orbs, represented to our knowledge by their motion. Of which see
Communis quidem opinio est decem tantùm esse coelos mobiles: nempè 7 coelos Planetarum, Coelum Stellatum, Coelum Cristallinum, & primum mobile. Verùm mihi valdè probabilis visa est recentiorum Mathematicorum sententia, undecim esse coelos mobiles: ita ut inter firmamentum, & primum mobile, pro unico Coelo Cristallino, duplex coelum constituatur. Nam (que) pro unico motu trepidationis, qui Coelo Cristallino tribuebatur, quem admitti non posse demoastrant, ponunt duplicem motum librationis: alterum ab Ortu ad Occasum, & è contrà, quem tribuunt nonae spherae. Alterum à Septentrione ad Austrum, & è contrà, quem decimae Spherae assignant. His additur undecima Sphaeraseu primum Mobile Deni (que) Theologi praeter Coelos mobiles, admittunt supremum Coelum immobile, quod Empy [...]um appellant, quod sit sedes Beatorum. D [...] Coelo. 2. 6.Eustachius Table, at pag. 94.
- 3. The third is that where GOD is said specially to dwell; whither CHRIST ascended, and where all the blessed Ones shall be for ever.
[Page 119]No Ne (que) ex sensu, ne (que) ex motu, ne (que) ex effectu, aut adjuncto aliquo, sed ex solâ DE [...] per Scripturas revelatione nobis innotuit. Tilen. naturall knowledge can possibly be had of this heaven: neither any helpe by humane arts, Geometry, Arithmetike, Opticks, Hypotheses, Philosophy. &c. To illighten us thereunto. For, it is neither aspectable nor moveable. Hence it is that Aristotle, the most eagle-eyed into the mysteries of nature of all Philosophers, and whom they call Natures Secretary; yet said, that beyond the moveable Heavens, there was neither body, nor [...]. De Coelo. Text. 99. time, nor place, nor vacuum. But GODS Booke assures us of this Heaven of happinesse, and House of GOD, above all the aspectable mooving Orbs. 2 Cor. 3. 2. Eph. 4. 10. 1 Kin. 8. 27. 30. 39. 43. 49.
And, it is the biggest and most beautifull Body of the whole creation, incorruptible, unmooveable, unalterable: wholly shining with the most exquisite glory and brightnesse of purest light: wherein, as in a confluence of all possible felicities, Iehovah, GOD blessed for ever, doth familiarly and freely communicate Himselfe to be beatifically seene, and fully enjoyed face to face of all the elect, humane and Angelicall spirits for ever. Where the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST shines with unconceiveable splendour above the brightnesse of the Sun, &c.
This place most excellent replenished with those unknowne pleasures which attend everlasting happinesse, where GOD, blessed for ever, is seene face to face, is made admirable and illustrious by its bignesse and beauty.
Guesse the immeasurable magnitude and beautifull signes of it,
[Page 120]1. By its Statum Ecclesiae conti [...]uum a suo tempore in omnem us (que) aeter [...]itatem de [...]cripsit Iohannes, sicut Prophetae Iesaias & Ezechiei [...] quae causa est, cur non omnia ista vaticinia, vel de solâ Ecclesiâ, vel de solo Coelo, sed de utro (que) simul intelligi possint, out debeant; verùm servatâ moderatione. Nequè enim omnia quae de Ecclesiâ sunt, [...]a etiam de coelo intelligi possunt. Nequè vicissim omnia, quaede Coelo, ea ad Ecclesiam accommodari queunt. But ye are to observe, that it is not the purpose of the HOLY GHOST to set forth the just and full composse of the Hea [...] enly Ierusalem: (For it is immeasurable to our capacity) but by this great measure. He giveth us, as it were, some t [...]ste of the largenesse thereof. Gyffard upon Rev. Cap. 21. description, Rev. 21. It is called Ver. 10. by an excellency, That great City, &c. Which if it be immediately meant (as many learned and holy Divines would have it) of the glory of the Church here on earth, when both Iewes and Gentiles shalbe happily united into one Christian Body and Brother-hood, before CHRISTS second comming, it is no lesse pregnant to proove, that the Heaven of Heavens is a place most glorious above all comparison and conceipt. For, if there be such goodlinesse, amplitude, beauty and majesty in this Militant Church; how infinitely will this beauty be yet more beautified, and all this glory glorified with incredible additions in the Church Triumphant. If there be such excellency upon earth, what may we expect in the Heaven of Heavens.
2. By those many Habitationes sunt in coelis, quae sufficiant infinitis mundis capiendis: imò virtus est in as [...]ēsione CHRISTI, ad praeparandum locum infinitis etlam mundis, nedum omnibus hominibus qui in hoc uno mundo sunt. Sed causa est in hominibus ipsis qui desunt sibi, nequè [...]edunt in illum sanguinem quo praeparantur nobis illa in coelis loca. Rolloc. in Io [...]n. Cap. 14. Mansions prepared for many thousand thousands of glorified Bodies after the last Day, Ioh. 14. 2. Besides the numberlesse numbers of blessed Angels; the present inhabitants of those heavenly Palaces.
[Page 121]3. By the incredible distance from the earth to the Starry Firmament. If I should here tell you the severall Mathematici alij distantiam Coeli Stelliferi, seu firmamenti metientes, numerant 16538562. milliaria Germanica: alij, ut Bernardinus & Rosetus numerāt 65257500. Age igitur [...] Quantam dicis Astrologe à centroterrae, ad coelum octavum seu firmamentum vulgò appellatum dista [...]iam. Vulgò intervallum dicitur continere Diametros terrae 10040 11/24. Terrae verò Diametro tribuuntur partes 120. Vni [...]ui (que) parti milliaria 6a. Quae ducta in totum Diametrum conficiunt summam milliariorum 7440. Qui numerus multiplicatus per 10040 11/24. ostendit distantiam terrae ab orbe octavo, nempè 74703180. milliariorum See Casman. Ouranogra. Be it so, that the adventure of Mathematicians in this Point be too audacious and peremptory: and that the sublimily, and how many miles it is distant, cannot be certainly knowne: yet you must n [...]eds be of [...]y Authors mind: Dubitari non potest magnam esse Expanss coelestis intercapedinem & altitudinem: siquidem, id testatur cùm visus ipse, tùm passim sacra Scriptura: Ioh 11. 8. Dicuntur coeli altissimi; ideó (que) quantitas corum est impervestigabilis, & al [...]itudo homini inscrutabilis. Idem. Ibid. computations of Astronomers in this kind, the summes would seeme to exceed all possibility of beliefe. And yet besides, the late learnedst of them place above the eight Sphere, wherein all those glorious lamps shine so bright, Maginus was the man, who by his admirable ar [...] of latter times added a tenth mooveable Heaven▪ so that now there are three mooveable Heavens above the Firmament, as our Masters in that Profession teach us. S [...]c Maginus his Theoriques. Eustachius followe [...] him. De Mundo & Coelo. pag. 64. 65. three mooving Orbs more. Now the Empyrean Heaven comprehends all these; how incomprehensible then must its compasse and greatnesse necessarily be?
4. By considering, what a large Expansion and immensity the mighty LORD of heaven and earth is like to chuse for revealing His glory in the highest and most transcendent manner to all His noblest creatures; infinitely endear'd unto Him by the bloudy death of His dearest Son, even [Page 122] the Son of His love, thorow all eternity. Who doth all things like Himselfe: if He love, it is with a fr [...]e, infinite, and eternall love: if He worke, He makes a world: If He go out with our Hosts, the Sun shall stand still if need be, and the Starres must fight: if He come against a people, He will make His sword devoure flesh, and His arrowes drinke bloud: if He be angry with the world, He brings a sloud over the whole face of the earth. If He set His affection upon a mortall worme, that trembles at His Word, and is weary of sinne; He will make him a King, give him a Paradise, crowne him with eternity: if He builds a house for all His holy Ones; it must needs be a None-such; most magnificent, stately and glorious, farre above the reach of the thoughts of men.
5. What a spacious and specious inheritance; what a rich, super-eminent and sumptuous Purchase and Palace do you thinke was the precious bloud of the Son of GOD by its inestimable price and merit, able to procure at the hands of His Father, for His Redeemed?
Let us here also lay hold upon some considerations, whereby we may behold (at least) some little glimpses of the admirable glory of its light.
1. To say nothing of that glorious projection and transfusion of Aethereall light, both of the Sun and of the Starres, of the six magnitudes, which by Astrologicall computation, constitute See Casman. Astrol. p. 1. cap. [...] ▪ Vt in nullum numerum ponamus, aut Veneris, aut Mercurij sydera, nec computemus stellas novem, quas obscuras, aut quinque, quas rubeas appellant, vel nebulosas: nullo etiam numero habeamus infinitas alias, quae sexto ordine sunt minores. three [Page 123] hundred Suns at the least, (whence ariseth a masse of shining beauty) upward into the Empyrean Heaven; which Patricius endeavours industriously to proove; I say, to passe it by as a groundlesse Nihil temerè hic vel asseverare, vel inficiari debeo. Novi interim, Beatorum domicilium illud, supremum coelū d [...] pingi lucidissimum sub imagine novae Hierosolymae. Apoc. 21. 23. Dicitur: Non eget Sole & Lunâ, ut luc [...] ant in eâ. Nam gloria DEI illustrateam: & Lucerna ejus est Agnus. Quid hinc mi Patrici? Desententiâ Iohannis: Aliam esse lucem coelestis gloriae; aliam Solis & Luna: Non opus esse Sole (ait) & Lunâ: Negatio est sydereae lucis. Opponitur ci affirmatio divinae lucis & gloriosae, quae proficiscitur à DEI gloriâ & Agno Filio DEI. Ibid. Ne (que) vrbi ista eget Sole, &c.) Non negat, quin Sol & Luna in firmamento suum retentura sunt lumen: sed ait supremum illud coelum, longè praestantio [...]i luce splendere, nec opus habere tali Sole & Lunâ. Gloria inquit DEI [...]. Discrimen facit inter [...] gloriam DEI, & inter [...] quo ipsa urbs illustratur. Gloria DEI majestas est DEI, lux (que) illa, Deitasipsius, quam inhabitare DEVS dicitur. Ea omnibus est inaccessa, & corporeis oculis invisibilis. Ab hac majesta te verò pro bene placito voluntatis DEI, lumen creatum proficiscitur, quo tota urbs splendet: & quo electis etiam communicato, efficit DEVS, ut ipsum plenè, & quas facie ad faciem cognoscant. Zanch. De Coelo beato. Cap 4. conceipt; let us take a scantling, as it were, and estimate of the incomparable brightnesse and splendour of the highest heaven; by that which Orthodoxe Divines soberly tell from Rev. 21. and other places; to wit, that it is verus [...], wholly light, not like the Starry Firmament, bespangl'd here and there with glittering spots: but all as it were, one Coelum Beatorum est imprimis lucidis [...]imum, eó (que) verus [...]: Hoc est totum & omni ex parte luminosum ac splendidum. Non enim est sicut firmamentum varijs ornatum [...]ellis, eó (que) alibi lucidum: alibi verò non it a lucidum, sed totum est pellucidum. Est enim perindè at (que) si totum sit quidem Sol maximus, & omnia suo ambitu complectens. Ne (que) lux illa est similis luci stellarum, ne (que) etiam ejusdem generis. Sed est lux verè divina, licèt creata: idcircò quià lux est alterius generis, & lux est gloriae, non penetrat huc ad nos us (que): oculis tamen corporeis futuro saeculo à nobis videbitur. Ide [...] Ibid. great Sun. From every Point powring out abundantly whole rivers, as it were, of purest heavenly light, &c. Hence with allusion to brightest things below; it is said to have a wall [Page 124] of Iasper, building of gold, a foundation of precious stones, and gates of pearles. Being cleare as Cristall; shining like unto glasse; transparent in brightnesse as a molten looking glasse. It may be, those places may also in latitude of sense intimate and include this glorious visible light I speake of. Coloss. 1. 12. Psal. 36. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 16.
Ancient Divines also apprehended this glorious beauty and brightnesse in the blessed heaven.
The eternall City (saith Incomparabilitèr clara est civitas eterna: ubi victoria, ubi veritas, ubi dignitas, ubi sanctitas, ubi vita, ubi aeternitas. De vitâ aeternd. Oh how brave, how beautifull, how glorious, how glittering, how gorgeous, how admirable a City is this! For, if the gates be of pearle, and the streets of g [...]ld; then what are the inner roomes? What are the dining chambers? And what are the lodging roomes? O how unspeakable is the glory of this city; that Kings shall throw downe their Crownes and Scepters before it, counting all their pompe and glory but as dust in respect of it? And the magnificence and pompe of all the Potentates of the earth shall here be laid downe. And albeit none of the Kings and Nobles of the Gentiles might be admitted into the old Ierusalem, yet all the Gentiles that believe shalbe admitted into this new Ierusalem, and made free Denisons thereof for ever. Dent upon the Rev. I might tell you here of many other probable singularities about this celestiall palace, and that from the hand of some godly and learned Divines: To wit, [That this third Heaven is not penetrable by any creature; whereas the other two are passable by the grossest Bodies; so that it is said to open to the very Angels. Ioh. 1. 51. Who, though they be able to penetrate all things under it, yet are they no more able to enter that Body▪ than they are to passe into one anothers natures▪ Hence it comes to passe, that the third Heaven gives way to Angels, soules and bodies of men to enter in by miracle: GOD making way by His power, where nature yeelds no passage. For, it is without pores, and cannot possibly extend or contract it selfe into a large or straiter compasse. That, Tertium hoc & summum coelum, in medio non est corpus solidum: sed inest aura aliquis coelestis quae supplet defectum aeris corporibus glorificatis: In qua etsi pori non sunt, in nobis tamen porierunt, in quibus erit haec natura coelestior; qu [...] etiam aeris vicem supplebit ad sermonem. In coelo enim usuri sumus Hebr [...]â linguâ: 1. Nam natura ibi redibit, quae primitùs hanc linguam tenuit. 2. Confusio linguarum maledictior fuit. And this aura coelestis ( say they) shall maintaine life eternally; and be answerable to our constitution, even as this atre is, &c.] But as I would my selfe by no means confidently entertaine, so will I never ebtrude upon others any thing in this or any other divine point; but that onely which i [...] grounded ( either directly and immediately, or by good and sound consequence) upon GODs sure Word. Austin) is incomparably bright and beautifull; where there is victory, verity, dignity, sanctity, life, eternity.
[Page 125] If those which be condemned (saith Basill) be cast into utter darknesse; it is evident that those which walked worthy of GOD, have their rest in supercelestiall light.
2. Besides the superexcellency of its native lustre, that I may so speak, this blessed heaven wil yet be made infinitely more illustrious and resplendent by all the most admirable and amiable shining glory of that dearest ravishing object, to a glorified eye, the glorified Body of IESVS CHRIST. In respect of the beauty and brightnesse whereof, all sydereall light is but a darksome mote, and blackest mid-night. See Mat. 17. 2.
3. Adde hereunto the incredible and unspeakble splendour of many millions of glorified Saints, whose bodies also will out-shine the Sun. See Mat. 13. 43. Phil. 3. 21. Dan. 12. 3. Who are said to shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament, as the Stars, Dan. 12. 3. As the Sun, Mat. 13. 43. To be like CHRIST Himselfe, Iohn 3. 2. And to appeare with Him in glory, Col. 3. 4.
Now, what a mighty and immeasurable masse of most glorious light will result and arise from that most admirable illustrious concurrence, and mutuall shining reflexions of the Empyrean Heaven more bright and beautifull than the Sun in his strength, the Sun of that sacred Pallace, and all the blessed Inhabitants? All which every glorified eye shalbe supernaturally inlarged, enabled, and ennobl'd to behold and enjoy in a kindly and comfortable manner with ineffable delight and everlastingnesse!
4. If the porch and first entry be so stately and [Page 126] glorious, garnished and bespangl'd with so many bright shining Lights and beautifull Starres: What workmanship and rare peeces, what majesty and incomprehensible excellencies may we expect in the Palace of the great King, and the heavenly habitations of the Saints and Angels? * How full of beauty and glory are the chiefe roomes and Presence-Chamber of the great and royall Monarch of Heaven and Earth?
O with what infinite sweetest delight may every truly gracious soule, bathe it selfe before-hand, even in this vale of teares, in the delicious and ravishing contemplation of this most glorious Place, wherein he hath an eternall blisfull mansion most certainly purchased and prepared for him already, by the bloud of IESVS CHRIST! Let us therefore (as an holy Divine would have us) spend many thoughts upon it; Let us enter into deepe meditations of the inestimable glory of it: Let us long untill we come to the fingering and possession of it: even as the heire longeth for his inheritance.—Let us strive and straine to get into this golden Citie; where streets, walls and gates, and all is gold, all is pearle: nay, where pearle is but as mire and dirt, and nothing worth. O what fooles are they, who deprive themselves willingly of this endlesse glory for a few stinking lusts! O what mad men are they, who bereave themselves of a roome in this Citie of Pearle, for a few carnall pleasures! O what bedlams and humane beasts are they; who shut themselves out of these everlasting habitations, for a little transitory pelfe! O what intolerable sots and senselesse wretches are all such, who wilfully barre themselves [Page 127] out of this Palace of infinite pleasure, for the short fruition of worldly trash and trifles?
2. In a second place, let us take notice of some names, titles and epithetes attributed to heavenly joyes, eternall glory, which may yet further represent to our relish their incomparable sweetnesse and excellency. They are called,
- 1. A
Kingdome, Mat. 25. 34.
Luke 12. 32. Now a Kingly Throne is holden the top and crowne of all earthly happinesses: the highest aime of the most eager and restlesse aspirations and ambitions of men. A confluence it is of riches, pleasures, glory, all royall bravery, or what mans heart can wish for outward welfare and felicity.
Who hath not observed what labour▪ practice, perill, bloud shed, cruelty, the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, taken on them and committed; to make themselves and their issues Masters of the world. S. W Rawleigh.What stirres and stratagems, what murders and mischiefes, what mining and counter-mining, what mysterious plots and machivillian depths, what strange adventures and effusions sometimes even of bloudy seas, to catch a Crowne? Witnesse Lancaster and Yorke, nay all habitable parts of the earth, which from time to time have become bloudy cock-pits in this kind.
- 2. An Heavenly Kingdome, Mat. 7. 21. And 18. 3. to intimate, that it surpasseth in glory and excellency all earthly kingdomes, as farre as heaven transcendeth earth, and unconceiveably more.
- 3. The Kingdome of GOD, Acts 14. 23. A Kingdome of GODS owne making, beautifying and blessing; who doth all things like Himselfe, as I said before: replenished and shining with Majesty, pleasures and ineffable felicities, beseeming the glorious Residence of the King of Kings.
- [Page 128]4. An Inheritance, Acts 20. 32. Not a tenement at will, to be possessed or left at the landlords pleasure: but an inheritance setled upon us, and sealed unto us by the dearest and highest price that ever was payed, which wilbe as orient, precious and acceptable, after as many millions of yeares, as you can think, as it was the very first day it was powred out and payed.
- 5. A rich and glorious inheritance, Eph. 1. 18. Fit for the Majesty and mercy of Almighty GOD to bestow; the un-valuable bloud of His Son to purchase, and the dearely Beloved of His Soule to enjoy.
- 6. An Inheritance of the Saints in light, Coloss. 1. 12. Every word sounds a world of sweetnesse.
- 7. An Inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 1. 4. There can never possibly be the least diminution, much lesse any abolishment of the least glimpse of heavenly glory. But all blisse above wilbe as fresh and full innumerable yeares hence, as at our first entrance, and so thorow all eternity.
- 8. A Crowne of righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 4. 8. Fairly come by, and full dearely bought. A crowne of life, Ia [...]. 1. 12. A Crowne of glory, 1 Pet. 5. 4. Glory it selfe, Rom. 9. 23. Nay, an exceeding exceeding eternall waight of glory, 2 Corinth. 4. 17. Which Crownes, Kingdomes, Pearles, Iewels, Feasts, &c. do but weakely shadow out unto us. A superlative transcendent Phrase (saith one) such as is not to be found in all the Rhetoricke of the Heathens, because [Page 129] they never wrote of such a theme, nor with such a spirit.
- 9. Fulnesse of joy, everlasting pleasures, Psal. 16. 11. A swift flowing river and torrent of pleasures, Psal. 36. 8. The very joy of our LORD and Master, Mat. 25. 21.
3. In a third place, let us consider the beauty and blessednesse of glorified Bodies.
I do not here curiously enquire with the Schoole-men; whether the glory of the body doth spring originally out of the blessednesse and beautifull excellency of the soule, and so redounds upon the body, by a continued constant influence, as Aquinas thinks. Or, (which I rather follow) that those excellent endowments and heavenly splendours are originally and dispositively implanted by GODS hand in the reformed body, onely perfected and actuated (as it were) by the glorious soule, as Bonaventure supposeth. Sure I am in generall, they shalbe made like the glorious Body of CHRIST, Philip. 3. 21. And that is happinesse and honour enough, inexplicable, supereminent.
Besides their freedome from all defects and imperfections, diseases and distempers, infirmities and deformities, Restat ergò, ut suam recipiat quisque mensuram, quam vel habuit in juventute, [...]msi senex est mortuus [...] vel fuerat habiturus, si antè est defunctus. Aug. de Civit. DEI. Lib. 22 Cap 15. Circa triginta annos desinierunt esse, etiam saeculi hujus doctissimi homines, juventutem. Idem Ibid. Resurgent omnes tàm magni corpore, quàm vel erant, vel futuri erant in juvenili aetate. Idem. Ibid. Cap. 16. Quibus omnibus pro nostro modulo consideratis & tractatis, haec summa conficitur, ut in resurrectione carnis in aeternum eas mensuras habeat corporum magnitudo, quas habebat, perficiendae sive perfectae, cujuscun (que) indita corpori ratio juventutis, in membrorum quo (que) omnium modulis congruo decore servatur. Ibid Cap 20. All the bodie [...] of the Elect shall arise in that perfection of nature, whereunto they should have attained by their naturall temper and constitution, if no impediment had hindered: and in that vigour of age, that a perfect man is at about three and thirty yeares old, each in their proper sexe. So saith some worthy Divine, whose name I forgot to note when I tooke his Saying. maimednesse and monstrous [Page 130] shapes, infancy, or decrepitnesse of stature, &c. From want of meate, drinke, mariage: for we shalbe like the Angels of GOD in heaven, Matth. 22. 30. We shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, Rev. 7. 16. of sleepe; for, there shalbe no wearying of the body, or tyring the spirits; for, we shall live by the all-sufficient Spirit of GOD, which never needs refreshing: of physicke; for, we shall enjoy A ssruere licet, sanitatem vitae futurae ità vigere, & immutabilem, ac inviolabilem fore▪ ut inessabili quadam dulcedine suavitatis totum hominem repleat, & omne quod alicujus in se vicissitudinis, mutabilitatis, aut laesionis suspicionem praetendere queat, procul ar [...]at, at (que) repellat. Anselm. de simililitud. Cap. 54. perpetuall impregnable health: a glorified body cannot possibly be distempered; either by inward contrariety of elementary qualities; or any outward contagion, or hurtfull impression: of aire; to coole our heat, or keepe us from stifling: of clothes; for, we shalbe clothed with long white robes of immortality, Rev. 7. 9. which can never be worne out; but shall be so beautifull and glorious; that like the Sun, we shall be best adorned, when we have no other covering, but our owne resplendent Majesticall brightnesse: of Sun; for the glory of GOD shall illighten that heavenly city; and the Lambe shalbe the light thereof, Rev. 21. 23. Of any thing; for, GOD shalbe unto us All in All, 1 Cor. 15. 28.
I say, besides an everlasting exemption, and priviledge from all ils, paines, miseries; our bodies shalbe gloriously crowned with many positive prerogatives, marvellous excellencies, high and heavenly endowments.
1. Immortality, 1 Cor. 15. 54. Glorified bodies can never possibly die. They shall last as long as GOD Himselfe, and run parallell with the longest line of eternity. In which respect also, our [Page 131] condition is a thousand times more happy and glorious, than if we had stood still with Adam in his innocency and felicity. If so, he could but have conveighed unto us bodies immortall Immortalitas sumitur quadrifariam: Pro 1. Impotentia moriendi absoluta, & natura. Sic solus DEVS immortalitatem habet, 1 Tim. 6. 16. 2. Impotentia moriendi ex gratia creationis: sic Angeli & animae humanae sunt immortales. 3. Impotentia moriendi ex gratia doni: sic coelum novum, terra nova, corpora beatorum immortalitatem habebunt. 4. Potentia non moriendi ex aliqua Hypothesi, licet in se sit mortale. Sic homo ante peccatum erat immortalis corpore, ex Hypothesi unionis cum anima originaliter perfecta, immortali. potentiâ non moriendi ex Hypothesi, as they say; that is, endowed onely with power of not dying, if so and so: but now they shall be immortall impotentiâ moriendi, that is, shine for ever in the highest heavens with impossibility of ever perishing.
2. Incorruptiblenesse, 1 Corinth. 15. 42. 54. For, every glorified body shall for ever be utterly impassible, and un-impressionable with any corruptive quality, action, or alteration. Whether, 1. By the power of some peculiar glorifying endowment implanted in the body, or redounding from the soule upon the body for that purpose: Or, 2. From an exquisite temper and harmony of the Elementary qualities freed everlastingly from all possibility of any angry contrariety and combate: Or, 3. Which seemeth most probable and approoved by the learned'st Schoole-men, from an exact subjection of the body to the soule, as of the soule to GOD: I say, whether [Page 132] so or so, I doe not here enquire or contend; but leave all alterations in this kinde to the curious disquisitions of such idle and ill-exercis'd Divines. The testimony of GODS never-erring Spirit (in the cited place) is more than infinitely sufficient to assure every Christian heart, that our raised bodies, reformed by the All-mighty glorious hand of GOD, shall never more be exposed to violence or hurt from any externall agent: or obnoxious to the least disposition towards any inward decay, putrefaction or dissolution.
3. Potency, 1 Corinth. 15. 43. Our soules are in nature, substance, and immateriality like the Angels of GOD: One of which killed in one night an hundred fourescore and five thousand, 2 Kings 19. 35. And therefore little know we, though the edges, excellency and executions may be dul'd and drown'd in our heavy, fraile, sinfull bodies, of what might and power they may be originally. But then, when to the soules native strength, there is an addition of glorifying vigour, and GODS mighty Spirits more plentifull inhabitation; and it shall also put on a body, which brings with it, besides its owne peculiar inherent power, an exact serviceablenesse and sufficiency apted and apportion'd to the soules highest abilities [Page 133] and executions; In futuro igitur, ut jam praelibavimus, & sie justus ortus erit, ut etiam si velit, terram commovere possit. Anselm. de similitud. Cap. 52. Verùm praestabunt viribus, quicun (que) supernis viribus associantur civibus, in tantum, ut nullatenus illis quisquam obs [...]stere valeat, vel si movendo quid, aut evertendo voluerit, a suo statu quin illicò cedat. Nec in eo quod dicimus majori laborabunt conatu, quàm nos modò in oculorum nostrorum motu. Ne quaeso similitudo illa Angelorum nostro excidat ab animo quam adepturi sumus in futuro; quatenus si in hac forticudine, aut in his quae dictu [...]i sumus ad exemplum non occurrit, vel ipsa per quam Angelis adaequabimur, ad ea comprobanda prosit. Si igitur in quibus Angelos valere constat, nostra nihilominus fortitudo valeat: neminem autem qui dubitet puto existere, Angelos ea quae volunt fungi fortitudine. Cum igitur similes eis fuerimus, nunquam imbecilliores illis crimus. Sed fortassis quaereret aliquis, quid nobis tune illa fortitudo praestabit, [...]um singulis tam convenientèr, ut convenientins nequeant ubi (que) dispositis nihil immutandum, nihil evertendum, nihil statuendum sit, in quo vires suas exercere possit? Qui hoc dicit, paucis nobiscum quid in hujusmodi habeat usus humanus attendat, & videbit quia non semper omnibus quae habemus, & quae nos habere non parum gaudemus actu utimur. Sicut verbi gratia, ipso visu potestate aliqua nonnulla [...]um scientia rerum, & multis in hunc modum: sic & tune de qua agitur fortitudine erit. Sola nam (que) possessio nobis grata erit, & exultatio grandis: licet in actu nequaquam sit necessaria nobis cunctis, ut dictum est, in suo statu convenientèr locatis. Haec eadem quaestio, si aut de velocitate, aut de aliquâ beatitudinis partium movetur, hac solutione, si non aptiorem lector invenerit, solvatur. Ibid. how incredibly powerfull and mighty may we suppose a Saint in heaven shalbe?
4. Spiritualnesse, 1 Cor. 15. 44. Not that our bodies shall be turned into spirits, but imployed spiritually. Or more fully thus:
1. Because they shalbe fully possessed with the Corpus gloriosum perfectè movebitur Spiritu DEI: sicut movetur ab animâ: non quod animâ tune sit cessatura movere aut a gere: sed quod ipsa quo (que) plena spirituali luce, & perfectione corpus spiritualiter tune movebit, ut cibo, potu, vestitu. Aere, calore nullo in ligeat amplius. Par. Excitatur corpus spirituale] Hoc est vitam & Esse suum non tam habens ab animâ istâ ejus (que) facultatibus naturalibus: (Quanquam etiam tum eadem haec anima nostra conjungetur cum eodem ipso corpore nostro, & peream etiam tum vivemus) tamen corpus quod excitabitur, non tam habebit vitam & Esse suum ab eâ quam â Spiritu illo CHRISTI, quià ità ut sic loquar, animabit & animam istam & corpus istud, ut totus homo gloriosus instar ipsius CHRISTI conspiciendus sit. Rollocin Iohan. Cap. 5. Spirit, which dwelling primarily and above [Page 134] measure in CHRIST our head, is communicated from Him to us His members; so that then we shall no more live by our animall faculty, nor need for preservation of life meat, drinke, sleepe, clothing, physicke, or the former naturall helpes. In which respect they cease to be naturall bodies, being freed from those animall faculties of nourishing, increasing, and multiplying by generation. They shall no more live by vertue of food and nourishment thrice concocted: first, in the stomach, &c. but shalbe spirituall and heavenly, living without all these helpes, as the Angels in heaven do.
2. Because they shall in all things become subject to the Spirit of GOD; and be wholly, perfectly, and willingly guided by Him, with a spirituall, Angelicall, most absolute, and free obedience. As the spirit serving the flesh may not unfitly be called carnall; so the body obedient to the soule (saith Sicut spiritus carn [...] serviens non incongruè carnalis, ita caro spiritui serviens rectè appellatur spiritualis: non quia in spiritum convertetur, sicut nonnulli putant; eò quod scriptum est: Seminatur corpus animale, rejurgit corpus spirituale: Sed quià spiritui summâ & mirabili obtemperandi facilitate subdetur, us (que) ad implendam immortalitatis indissolubilis securissimam voluntatem omni molestiae sensu, omni corruptibilitate & tarditate detracta. Non solum enim non erit tale, quale nunc est in optimâ valetudine, sed nec tale quidem quale suit in primis hominibus ante peccatum. Qui licet morituri non essent, nisi peccassent, alimentis tamen ut homines utebantur, non spiritualia, sed adhue animalia corpora gestantes. De Civit▪ DEI Lib 13. Cap 20. Non potestas, sed egestas edendi ac bibendi talibus corporibus auferetur. Vnde & spiritalia erunt, non quià corpora esse desistent, sed quià spiritu vivisicante subsistent. Idem. Ibid. Cap. 22. Austin) is rightly termed spirituall.
3. By reason of their Corpus Sanctorum resurget spiritale, quià velocitate, levitate, perspicuitate spiritibus erit aequale. Idem. Tom. 9. p. 2. Mihi pag. 1084. activenesse, nimblenesse, agility: whereby they shalbe able to moove from [Page 135] place to place with Erunt illa corpora, ut animus agilia, ut Sol, perspicua. Quam citò enim nunc animus ab Oriente in Occidentem cogitatione pervenit; tam citò, tune illud corpus illuc pervenire poterit. Ibid. Sed velocitas quae pulchritudine non minus amatur tanta nos comitabitur, ut ipsis Angelis DEY aequè celeres simus, qui à coelo ad terias & è converso dicto citiùs dilabuntur.—Hujus quo (que) velocitatis exemplum in radio Solis licet intueri, qui statim orto Sole in plagâ Orientali pertingit us (que) ad ultima plagae Occidentalis, ut in eo perpendamus non esse impossibile, quod de nostrâ dicimus futurâ velocitate: praesertìm cum rebus animatis soleat inesse major velocitas, quàm inanimatis. Huic etiam Radio Solis simile exemplum velocitatis habemus in nobis. Radius quippè oculorum nostrorum in sublevatione palpebrarum us (que) ad coelum pertingit, & ictus earum totus in semet ac integer redit. Anselm de similitud. Cap. 51. incredible swiftnesse and speed; not being at all hindered by their weight. An heavy lumpe of lead, that sinkes now to the bottome, being wire-drawne as it were by the workman into the forme of a boat, will swimme, (saith Austin:) And shall not GOD give that ability to our bodies, which the Artificer doth to the lead? &c.
Here some of the Schoolemen moove an idle unnecessary question: to wit; Whether glorified Bodies moove from place to place in an instant?
For they may well know out of the Principles in Philosophy, and Rules of sound reason, that it is utterly impossible, and implies contradiction:
That a body should in an instant be in many places at once.
But if a glorified body moove from place to place in an instant: it will necessarily follow that the same body is in an instant, In termino à quo, locis intermedijs & termino ad quem simul; in the beginning, middle, and end of the space, thorow which it passeth at once; which is more than utterly [Page 136] impossible, and quite destroyes the nature of a true Body.
I would rather interpret those words of Austin; [ Certè ubi volet spiritus, ibi protinus [...]rit corpus; the body will presently be there where the soule would have it] of extraordinary speed, and incredibly short time; Aquinas cals it Corpus gloriosum movetur in tempore, sed imperceptibili propter brevitatem Supplem. 3. pag. 84. Ar [...]. 3. imperceptible. So that I doubt not, but that a glorified Saint desiring to be in such or such a place a thousand miles off, after the very first bent of his will that way, would be there in an But not in an [...] [...]stant, as A quinas his argument demonstrates unanswerably thus: In motu locali spatium & motus & tempus simul dividuntur, ut demonstrativè probatur in 6 Physic. Sed spatium quod transit corpus gloriosum pe [...] suum motum, est divisibile: Ergo & motus divisibilis est, & tempus divisibile, instans autem non dividitur. Ergo & motus ille non crit in instanti. Ibid. Sed contra] Bellarmine then errs in his Art of We [...]-dying translated into English by O. E. pag 215. saying: The Saints having the gift of agility ca [...] in a moment passe from place to place—from East to West, &c. ( [...]f he speake prop [...]rly.) incredibly lesse time, than thou wouldest imagine.
5. Glory, 1 Corinth. 15. 43. The bodies of the Saints in heaven shalbe passingly beautifull, shining, and amiable.
Two things (according to Omnis corporis pulchritudo est partium congruen [...], cum quadam coloris suavitate.—Proindè nulla erit deformitas, quam facit incongruentia partium: ubi & quae parva sunt corrigentur: & quod minus est quàm decet, undè Creator novit, inde supplebitur: & quod plus est quàm decet, materiae servatâ integritate, detrahetur. Coloris po [...]ò suavitas quanta [...]rit, ubi justi [...]ulge bunt sicut Sol in regno Patris sui? De Civit. DEI. Cap. 19. Austin) concurre to the constitution of beauty:
- 1. A due and comely proportion; an apt and congruent symmetry and mutuall correspondency [Page 137] of all the parts of the body: or in a word, wellfavourednesse.
- 2. Amiablenesse of colour; a pleasing mixture of those two lively colours, of white and red. I add a third:
- 3. A cheerfull, lively, light some aspect. When the two former materials (as it were) are pleasantly enliv'd and actuated by a lively quicknesse and modest merrinesse of countenance. Whereupon, (saith the Moralist) it is not the red and white, which giveth the life and perfection of beauty: but certaine sparkling notes, and touches of amiable cheerefulnesse accompanying the same. In beauty (saith another) that of favour is more than that of colour; and that of decent & pleasing motion, more than that of favour. That is the best part of beauty, which a picture cannot expresse, &c.
All these concurre in eminency and excellency in glorified bodies.
- 1. An exquisite feature and stature, beautified by GODS owne blessed all-mighty hand, with the utmost of created comlinesse, and matchlesse proportion.
- 2. Not onely sweetest mixture of liveliest colours; but also a bright shining splendour of celestiall glory.
- 3. And both these actuated to the life, preserved in perpetuall freshnesse and oriency, and quickened still with new supply of heavenly activenesse and amiablenesse by a more glorious soule; (for, if the brightnesse of the body shall match the light of the Sun; what, do you thinke, will be the glory of the soule?) and by an
[Page 138] infinitely more glorious spirit, which shall plentifully
Vt anima ista dum exercet functiones suas in corpore impertit eicolorem & totam hanc externam corporis gloriam: ita tum cum DEVS erit omnia in omnibus, Spiritus CHRISTI in nobis habitans, indu [...]t corpora nostra gloriosissima, quibus (que) qualitatibus. Rolloc. in Iohan. Cap. 5.dwell in them both for ever.
Amplifie the glory of our bodies in heaven from such places as these: Dan. 12. 2. Mat. 13. 45. Phil. 3. 20, 21. Col. 3. 4.
From which the ancient Fathers also thus collect and affirme:
If we should compare (saith Si vel cum micantibus Solis radijs futura nobis corpora contul [...]imus, nihil tamen pro illius splendoris dignitate explicabimus. Serm de misericordi [...]. Chrysostome) our future bodies even with the most glistering beames of the Sun; we shall yet say nothing, to the expression of the excellency of their shining glory.
The beauty of the just in the other life (saith In illâ siquidem vitâ pulchritudo justorum Solis pulchritudini, qui septemplicitèr, quàm modò sit, splendidior erit, ▪adaequabitur. Vnde scriptum [...]st, Fulgebunt justi, sicut Sol incouspectu DEI. De similitud. Cap. 50. Anselme) shalbe equall to the glory of the Sun, though sevenfold brighter than now it is.
The Hujus quo (que) corporis claritas tantum Solem excellit, quantum Sol in claritate nostrum corpus praecellit. Apud August. Tom. 9. p. 2. Mihi pag. 1085. brightnesse of a glorified body doth as farre excell the Sun, as the Sun our mortall body.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sunne, in the Kingdome of their Father] [Page 139] Not (saith Tunc fulgebunt just [...], sicut Sol in regno Patris corum] Non quià Solis etiam splendorem non superabunt; sed quando nihil fulgentius Sole videmus, proptereà re apertissimâ nobis ad exprimendum usus est. In Mat. Hom. 12. Chrysostome) because they shall not surpasse the brightnesse of the Sun; but, because that being the most glittering thing in the world, he takes a resemblance thence towards the expressing of their incomparable glory.
But how can there be so much beauty and delightfull amiable aspect in such intensive and extraordinary brightnesse? Or what pleasure can we take in beholding such extremely bright and shining bodies! Sith we find by experience, that there is farre more content and delight in looking upon a well-proportioned object, beautified with a pleasant mixture of colours, than in seeing the Sun, though it should not so dazle, and offend the eyes.
For satisfaction herein, we must know, that the Ne (que) in eo loco claudendi erunt oculi, nè fortè à nimio splendore laedantur: nam & ipsi oculi beati erunt, ac per hoc impassibiles & immortales; qui enim lumine gloriae confortabit oculos mentis, ne videntes DEVM facie ad faciem, opprimantur à gloriâ; idem etiam dote impassibilitatis confortabit oculos corporis, ut sine [...]aesione cernant non Solem unum, sed innumerabiles. glorified eye shall become impassible, elevated farre above all mortall possibility, and fortified by an heavenly vigour, to apprehend and enjoy all celestiall light and glory with much ravishing contentment and inexplicable delight.
Secondly: that omnipotent mercifull hand of GOD, which will raise our bodies out of the dust, and reforme them anew, can cause light and colour [Page 140] to concurre and consist in excellency, in glorified bodies.
Those things which according to nature can consist together; the one or both being in gradu remisso, (as they say) abated of their height, can by divine power consist together in gradu intensissimo suae speciei, in their excellency: but it is so with light and colour according to nature: ergo, &c. as Lib. 4. Dist. 44. Q. 8. Durandus one of the acutest Schoolemen makes good by arguments. Whether shall colour or light be seene? Corporis gloria naturam non tollet, sed persiciet: unde color qui debetur corporiex naturâ suarum partium, remanebit in eo, sed superaddetur claritas ex gloriâ animae. Sicut etiam videmus corpora colorata ex naturâ sui, Solis splendore relucere, vel ex aliquâ aliâ causâ, extrinsecâ, seu intrinsecâ. Aquin. Supplem. 3. p. Q. 85. Art. 2. ad 3 •. In noctilucis simul stant color & lux, ut apparet ad sensum, & sic videtur quod virtute divina corpora gloriosa possunt simul esse colorata & lucentia. Dur. Lib. 4. Dist. 44. q. 8. Why not both in a most delicious admirable mixture?
Here the Schoolemen according to their wont do curiously inquire, discusse and determine the manner of the acts, exercise and objects of all the senses. They say not only; 1. That the eye shall delightfully contemplate CHRISTS glorious body, the shining bodies of the Saints, the beauty of the Empyrean Heaven, &c. 2. The eare drinke up with infinite delight, the vocall harmony of Hailelu-jahs, &c. But also audaciously undertake to define without any good ground or found warrant, many particulars about the other senses, not without much absurdity, and unspiritualnesse. But let it be sufficient for us, without [Page 141] searching beyond the bonds of sobriety, to know for a certaine that every sense shalbe filled with its severall singularity and excellency of all possible In illa futura vita delectatio quaedam ineffabilis bonos inebriabit, & inestimabili dulcedine sui totos eos inenarrabili abundantia satiabit. Quid dixi totos? Oculi, aures, nares, os, manus, guttur, cor, jecur, pulmo, ossa, medullae, exta etiam ipsa, & cuncta sigillatim singula (que) membra eorum, in communi ram mirabili delectationis & dulcedinis sensu replebuntur, ut verè totus homo torrente voluptatis DEI potetur, & ab ubertate domus ejus inebrietut. Anselmede similitud. Cap. 57. pleasure, and perfection.
4. In a fourth place; let us take a glance of the unutterable happinesse of the Soule.
I should be infinite and endlesse, if I did undertake to pursue the severall glories, felicities, and excellencies of every faculty of the soule: and when I had done, ended with the utmost of all both Angelicall and humane understanding and eloquence, come infinitely short of expressing them to the life; I will at this time but give you a taste onely, in the understanding Part:
And that shalbe extraordinarily and supernaturally enlarged and irradiated with the highest illuminations, largest comprehensions, and utmost extent of all possible comfortable knowledge, of which such a creature is capable.
1. Humane knowledge of Arts, Nature, created things, is delicious and much desired: Witnesse,
- 1. The wisest Heathens, and best Philosophers, who were so ravished but even with a dimme glimpse of this knowledge, that in comparison thereof they have contemned all the riches, pleasures, and preferments of the world.
- [Page 142]2. That wise saying: A learned man doth as farre excell an illiterate, as a reasonable creature a brute.
- 3. The extraordinarily exulting and triumphant cry of the famous Mathematician, hitting after long and laborious disquisition upon some abstruse excellency of his Art:
[...].I have found it, I have found it.
- 4. That passage in an Epistle of
Aeneas Silvius to
Sigism. D. of
Austria:
Cujus facies, si videri possit, pulchrior est quàm Luciser, & Vesperus.If the face of humane learning could be seene, it is fairer and more beautifull than the Morning and Evening Starre.
- 5.
For the pleasure and delight of knowledge and learning (saith
Advancement of Learn. Lib. 1. pag. 44.another) it farre surpasseth all other in nature: for shall the pleasures of the affections so exceed the senses, as much as the obtaining of desire and victory exceedeth a song or dinner? And must not (of consequence) the pleasures of the intellect or understanding exceed the pleasures of the affections? We see in all other pleasures, there is a saetiety; and after they be used, their verdour departeth; which sheweth well, they be but deceipts of pleasure, and not pleasures; and that it was the novelty which pleased, and not the quality. And therefore we see, that voluptuous men turne Friers; and ambitious Princes turne melancholy. But of knowledge there is no satiety: But satisfaction and appetite are perpetually interchangeable; and therefore appeareth to be good in it selfe simply, without fallacy or accident.
Now this learning shall then be fully perfected, and raised to the highest pitch: so that the least and lowest of the Saints in heaven shall farre [Page 143] surpasse: in cleare contemplation of the causes of all naturall things, and conclusions of Art, the deepest Philosophers, greatest Artists, and learnedst Linguists that ever lived upon earth.
There are many difficulties and doubts in all kinds of humane learning, which have from time to time exercised the bravest wits: but by reason of the native dimnesse of our understanding, never received cleare resolution and infallible assent. As,
Whether the Elementary formes be in mixt Bodies; 1. Corrupted. 2. Remitted only. 3. Or, Entire? Whether the celestiall Orbs be moved by Angels, or internall formes? Whether there be three distinct soules in a man; 1. Vegetative. 2. Sensitive. 3. Rationall: Or one onely in substance, containing vertually the other two? How all the Peculiaritèr apud Astrologos [...] dicuntur, quae apparent in coelo. Arat. [...], Appearances in the Aethereall Heaven, may be truliest, and with least exception maintained: whether by Excentricks and Epicycles: or onely by Concentricks: or the Earths motion: or the motion of the Starres in the heavens; as fish move in the sea, and birds in the aire? &c. So the best wits are inextricably pusl'd also, about the Sympathy and Antipathy of things, Alchymie, cause. of Criticall daies.
The mysts about these and many things moe, shalbe dispel'd out of our minds, by a cleare sunne of a new and excellent knowledge: so that we shalbe exactly acquainted with the causes, natures, beginnings, of-springs, and ends of all creatures, and created things.
[Page 144]2. We shall clearely see and comprehend the vanity and rottennesse of all Hereticall cavils, Antichristian depths, Popish imposture, the very bottome of that most wicked and abhorred Mysterie: the true, full, and sweet meaning of all GODS blessed Booke; whether Iobs wife bid her husband blesse or curse GOD: whether Iphtah sacrific'd his daughter, or onely consecrated her to virginity: whether Naaman was a true, or unfound convert: what is the meaning of that place, 1 Corinth. 11. 10. And that, 1 Cor. 15. 29, &c.
3. We shall with wonderfull ravishment of spirit, and spirituall joy, be admitted to the sight of those sacred secrets and glorious mysteries: 1. Of the holy Trinity; into which some Divines may audaciously dive, but shall never be able to explicate: 2. Of the Vnion of CHRISTS humanity to the divine nature; and of the faithfull to CHRIST: 3. Of the causes of GODS eternall counsell in Election and Reprobation: 4. Of the Angels fall: 5. Of the manner of the creation of the world, &c.
4. We shall know one another: For,
1. All comfortable knowledge shall be so farre from being abolished, that it wilbe inlarged, increased, and perfected:
But, &c.
Therefore
Our knowledge shalbe perfected: For, We shall know as we are knowne, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Which is set out by comparison of the lesse: That our knowledge then, shall differ from that now, as the [Page 145] knowledge of a child from that of a perfect man: by a glasse, from seeing the thing it selfe: that of a plaine speech, from a riddle: Why then should we doubt of knowing one another? especially, sith our Saviour CHRIST setteth forth the state of the blessed by the knowledge one of another, Mat. 17. And as the knowledge is perfect, so the memory. In nothing must our knowledge be empair'd but better'd.
2. We shall then enjoy every good thing, and comfortable gift, which may any way increase and inlarge our joy and felicity:
But meeting there, knowing then, and conversing for ever with our old deare Christian friends, and all the glorious Inhabitants of those sacred Palaces, will mightily please and refresh us with sweetest delight.
Therefore, &c.
Society is not comfortable, without familiar acquaintance: Be assured then, it shall not be wanting in the height and perfection of all glory, blisse, and joy. Nay, our minds being abundantly and beatifically illuminated with all wisdome and knowledge, we shalbe enabled to know, not onely those of former holy acquaintance; but also strangers, and such as we never knew before; even all the faithfull, which ever were, are, or shall be. We shall be able to say: this was Father Abraham, this King David, this Saint Paul: this was Luther, Calvin, Bradford, &c. this my Father, this my Sonne, this my Wife, this my Pastour, this the occasioner of my conversion, &c. as may be [Page 146] gathered by proportion out of GODS Booke.
1. If Rectèhinc colligitur nos in vita a [...]erna, deposi [...]s omnibus [...] antia▪ & [...] tis▪ ch [...]lis [...]iam no [...] invic [...]m, & [...] Sanctos, quos nunquam vidimus agnituros. Si enim Adamus virtute [...] divinae concreate [...]van. de corpore suo sump [...]am, cum è somno evigilasset, illi [...]o agnovit. Quomodo no [...]tiam, secundum ea [...]dem imaginem t [...]ansmutati de gloria [...] gloriam, a DOMINI Spiritu, Sanctos & beatos ejusdem corporis memb [...] agnosceremus? Kem [...]it Harm. Evang. Cap. 87. [...] invitá [...] se mut [...]ò agnituri? Vti (que) qui plem su [...]mi sunt SPIRITV SANCTO & sapientiâ, sicut Adam ante l [...]psum ad huc [...]tmeri integritatem imaginis DEI, Evam, quam nunquam viderat, & undenam esset, nemine dicente, agnovit. Gen. 2. 23. Bucan. Loc. 39. Adam before the fall had that measure of illumination, that he knew Eve, and from whence she came, at the first sight: much more shall our knowledge in heaven, and highest happinesse be enlarged in this kind.
2. If the Apostles accompanying CHRIST in His transfiguration, and vouchsafed but a taste and glimpse (as it were) of glorification, were Petrus & qu [...] cum ipso e rant, videntes Mosen & Eli am in gloriâ, cos noverunt, licèt priùs illos nunquam viderint. Vndè verò hoc? Non certè ex imagimbus & statuis, quibus uti Iudaeis non fuit concessum: nec ex notitijs naturalibus, quae in rebus c [...]lestibus penitus sunt coe [...]ae: sed ex sola gratia DEI, quae incredibilem hanc sapientiae & cognitionis lucem animis Apostolorum infudit. Vt ergò Samuel ex DEI inspiratione Saulem agnovit, nunquam anteà visum, 1 Sam 9 17. Et quemad modum Ioha [...]nes in utero intra alvum B. Virginis, CHRISTVN DONINVM suum agnovit: ita SPIRITVS SANCTI [...]adijs horum etiam mentes fuerunt illustratae. Kem [...]it. loc suprà cit. Petrus in monte in mortali corpore Mosem, & E [...]iam, quos nunquam viderat, revelatione interna cogno [...]it, Mat. 11. 34. Bucan. loc. suprà cit. able thereby to know Moses and Elias, whom they had never seene: how much more shall we, being fully illuminated, and perfectly glorified in heaven, know exactly all the blessed ones, though never acquainted with them upon earth?
3. CHRIST tels the Iewes, Luke 13▪ 28. That [Page 147] they shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdome of GOD, and therefore know them: Boni bonos in Regno, & mali malos in supplicio agnoscunt. Si enim Abraham Lazirum minimè recognovisset, nequaquam ad Divitem in tormentis positum de transacta ejus contritione loqueretur, diccus, quòd mala receperit in vita sua. Et si mali malos non ecognoscerent, nequaquam Dives in torrnentis positus, fratrum suorum etiam absentium meminisset. Quomodò enim praesentes non posset agnoscere, qui etiam pro absentium memoria curavit exorare? Qua in re illud quo (que) ostenditur quod nequaquà [...] ipse requisisti: Quià & boni malos, & mali cognoscunt bonos. Nam Dives ab Abraham cognoscitur, est diviti cognitus, quem mitti precatur ex nominedicens: Mitte Lazirum, [...]t intingat extremum digiti sui in aquam, & refrigeret linguam meam. In qua videlicet cognitione utrius (que) partis cumulus retributionis excrescit: ut & boni amplius gaudeant, qui secum cos laetari conspiciunt quos amaverunt; & mali dum cum eis torquentur, quos in hoc mundo, despecto DEO, dilexerunt, eos non solùm sua, sed etiam eorum poena consumat. Greg. Dial. Lib. [...]. Cap. 33. And Dives is said to know Abraham and Lazarus in so great a distance, Luke 16. Whence I argue thus: if the damned know those who are saved, though they have never seene them; much more shall the glorified Saints, now plentifully endued with all knowledge, and supernaturally illightened by the HOLY GHOST.
Many of the ancient Fathers are of the same mind: (Whose authority I never urge for necessity of proofe; GODS blessed Word is ever more than infinitely all-sufficient and super-abundant for any such purpose: but onely; either, 1. Somtimes in some singular Points to shew consent: or 2. In our controversies against the Antichristians, Antinomists, Neopelagians, &c. Or, 3. When somehonest passage of sanctification, or seasonable opposition to the corruption of the times, is falsely charged with novelty, singularity, and too much precisenesse.)
[Page 148]1. There was a Widow in Austins time, who craved very importunately both by word and writing, some consolations from him, to support her under that incomparable crosse of her husbands losse, and widow-hood; and as it may seeme, she desired to know whether she should know him in the second life. For the first, he hits upon the sweetest, mightiest, and most soveraigne comfort which could possibly be imagined. Non te desolatam putare debes, cum in inte [...]ore homine habeas praesentem CHRISTVM pe [...] fidem in corde tuo. E pist. 6. ad Italicam. You can by no meanes (saith he) thinke your selfe desolate; who enjoyes the presence and possession of IESVS CHRIST, in the inmost closet of your heart by faith. About the other, he answers peremptorily: Hic autem & conjuxtuus, cujus abscessu vidua diceris, tibi [...]otissimus erit.—Cùm vene it DOMINVS, & illuminaverit a [...] ondita tenebrarum, & manifestaverit cogitationes cordis, tunc nihil latebit prox [...]mum in proximo; nec e [...]it, quod suis quisque aperiat, abscondat alienis, ubi nullus erit alic [...]us. Ibid. This thy husband, by whose decease thou art called a widow, shalbe most knowne unto thee. And tels her further, that there shall be no stranger in heaven, &c.
2. In Fit autem in electisquiddam mirabilius, quia [...]n solùm [...]os agnos [...]unt, quos in hac vitâ novera [...]t; [...]d velut v [...]os viso [...] ac cognitos, recognoscunt bonos quos nunquam viderunt. Greg. loc. suprà cit. the Elect (saith another) there is somthing more admirable; because they do not onely acknowledge those whom they knew in this world; but also, as men seene and knowne, they know the good, whom they never saw.
3. There (saith Ibi a singulis omnes, ibi ab omnibus singuli cognoscentur: Nec quemquam omninò latebit, quâ patriâ, quâ gente, quâ stirpe quis ed [...]us fuerit, vel quid etiam in vitâ suâ fecerit. Anselm. de Similitud. Cap. 59. Anselm) All men shalbe knowne of every severall man, and every severall man shalbe knowne of all.
[Page 149]Againe, Perpende, si vales, quàm grata [...]it sapientia ista, quâ tu sicut ab omnibus, sic omnes à te cognoscentur in vitâ illâ. Ibid. Cap. 61. Conceive if thou canst, how comfortable that knowledge wilbe, by which, as thou of all others, so all others shalbe knowne of thee in that life.
Yet let me tell you before I passe out of the Point; that this for the most part is the curious Quaere of carnall people; who feeding falsly their presumptuous conceipts with golden dreames, and vaine hopes of many future imaginary felicities in the world to come, whereas in the meane time they have no care at all, use no meanes, take no paines, to enter into the holy path, which leades unto that blessed place. It is even, as if one should busie himselfe much, and boast what he will do in New-England when he comes thither; and yet (poore man) he hath neither ship, nor money, nor meanes, nor knowledge of the way, nor provision before hand for his comfortable planting there.
To coole and confront such lazie, idle, and vaine curiosities; take notice: that we shall not know our old acquaintance by former stature, feature, favour: so vast a distance and difference will there be betweene a mortall and glorified body: neither in a worldly manner. In which respect saith Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 16. Henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea though we have knowne CHRIST after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. Our mutuall knowledge one of another in heaven shall not be in outward and worldly respects, but divine and spirituall, as we know [Page 150] them in CHRIST, by the illumination of the Spirit.
5. We shall know the spirituall substances, offices, orders, excellencies of the Angels: the nature, immortality, operations and originall of our owne soules, &c. In a word, all things Sapientia quam omnes in hac vitā non utiliter amant, tanta in futurà vitā bonis erit, ut eorum quae s [...]ire voluerint, nihil sit quod ignorent. Bonus enim perfecta quae DEVS est sapienti [...] replebitur, [...]amq, facie ad faciem intuebitur, quam dum it à perspexerit, creaturae totius naturam videbit, quae in DEO melius quàm in seipsâ constitit. Tunc [...]enim just [...] cuncta scient quae DEVS fecit scien la, tàm ea quae praeterita, quàm ea quae postmodùm sunt futura. Ans [...]lm de similitud Cip 54. Cum electi antiquos patres in illa aeterna haereditate viderint, eis incogniti per visionem non erunt, quos in opere semper noverunt. Quià enim illic omnes commu [...] claritate DEVM conspiciunt; quid est, quod ibi nesciant, ubi scientem omnia sciunt? Greg. Dialog. [...]ib. 4 Cap. 33. Ne (que) sola visio DEI sanctis hominibus in coelo promi [...]itur, sed etiam omnium rerum, quas secit DEVS. Hic quidem in terris cernimu [...] per sensum videndi, solem, & lunam, & stellas, & terras, & maria, & slumina, & animantia, & arbores, & metalla. Sed mens nostra nihil omninò cernit; i. e. nullam substantiam creatam perfectè nos it, non differentias essentiales, non proprietates, non vires▪ ac nè animam q [...]i▪ sem suam homo videt, sed mo [...]e coecorum palpando effecta, & discurrendo per rationem aliquid cognitionis acquirit. Quale ergò gaudium erit, cum intelligen [...]a nostra revelata fa ie manifestè videbit naturas omnium rerum differentias, proprietates, vires? Et cum quanta exultatione obstupescet, cùm videbit exerci [...]um Angelorum innumerabilem, quorum nullus cum al [...]o in specie convenit, & differentias omnium & singulorum perspicu [...] intuebitur? De ae [...]ern. Foelicit. Lib. [...]. Cap. 2. When we shall know GOD in heaven, we shall in Him know the manner of the worke of creation, the mysteries of the worke of our Redemption: yea, so much knowledge as a creature can possibly conceive and comprehend of the Creatour and H [...] workes. P. P. knowable.
6. We shall be beatifically illightened with a cleare and glorious sight of GOD Himselfe: which Divines call Beatificall Vision.
About which the Schoolemen audaciously discoursing, fall upon differing conceipts.
1. Some say, GOD shall then be knowne by [Page 151] a Species representing the divine Essence: and by a Light of glory elevating the understanding by a supernaturall strength.
2. Others, That the divine Essence shall be represented to the glorified understanding, not by any Species, but immediately by It Selfe: yet they also require light of glory to elevate and fortifie the understanding by reason of its weakenesse, and infinite disproportion and distance from the incomprehensible Deity.
3. Others hold, that to the cleare vision of See Durand. Lib. 4. Dist. 49. q. 2. GOD, there is not required a Species representing the divine Essence, as the first sort suppose; nor any created light elevating the understanding, as the second sort think: but onely a change of the naturall order of knowing. It is sufficient (say they) that the divine Essence be immediately represented to a created understanding. Which, though it cannot be done according to the order of nature, as experience tels us: (For, we so conceive things; first having passed the sense and imagination.) Yet it may be done according to the order of divine grace, &c.
But it is sufficient for a sober man to know, that in heaven we shall see Him face to face.
Upon my Patron.
And here by your good leaves, I will be bold to make benefit of the instant occasion, because it is very seasonably coincident with the Point. And presse from that the practice of this last mortifying motive. These artificiall Formes of sadnesse, and complementall representations of sorrow in blacks and mourning weeds, are nothing for my purpose: neither do I desire to stirre up or renew in any man thoughts of heavinesse, or griefe of heart, which he might conceive and nourish by reason of some particular interest in the bounty, love, person, and worthy parts of the departed: many times men are too forward and overflowing in those tender offices, and last demonstrations of natural affection. And therfore my counsel in such cases is; that we would shew our selves Christians: and by the sacred rules of Religion ever prevent that unseasonablenesse and excesse, which many times with a fruitlesse torture doth tyrannise over the hopelesse hearts of meere naturall men.
The Point that I would principally presse, and perswade unto, is a Christian, and compassionate taking to heart, the publike losse, that every one of us may upon that occasion be truly humbled in himselfe, and bettered in his owne soule. And I tell you true, especially in these times, this losse is great.
He was a revexend and learned Iudge, a Prince, [Page 153] and a great Man in Israel: nay a God upon earth, All I say, is cuber from my owne certaine knowledge; or concurrent testimony above exception. I would not speake a word, which I think not in my conscience to be true, to be heire of his possessions. It may be affection may make me deliver things something passionately, and more unto the life. for so are Iudges stiled by the Spirit of GOD, Psal. 82. 6. Though he be departed this life like a man, and fallen as one of the Princes.
But these are nothing; they are but bare titles, in respect of any true worth.
He was really remarkable, and renowned for very speciall judiciary endowments, and sufficiencies; and those aided and attended with many worthy additions of morality, and subordinate abilities. As first,
1. Such calmnesse in his affections, and moderation of his passions (as I never saw) even in his ordinary cariage. He might have been a mirrour (me thinks) in this point even amongst the exactest Moralists. And they say, that appeared most eminently in his publike passages and executions of justice. And how needfull a vertue this is to a Iudiciall Place, those may best conceive, who either feele, or but consider what a cruell and intolerable thing it is for an ingenuous man to stand before a Iudge, who is prejudicately and passionately transported with anger, malice, or hatred against the party to be sentenced.
2. Patience to heare the basest, both parties, all they could say. And unwillingnesse to lend his eare to the one, without the others presence.
3. A great and happy memory.
4. Singular sagacity in searching and diving into the secretest and utmost circumstances (so farre as was possible) of the causes that came before him, that he might give the more righteous judgement.
[Page 154]5. A marvellous tendernesse, and pitifull exacttnesse in his inquisitions after bloud. Holding, on the one side, the life of a man very precious: and yet, on the other side, perswaded of the truth and terrour of that place, Numb. 35. 33. For bloud, that defileth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the bloud that is shed therein, but by the bloud of him that shed it. But yet all these, whatsoever you apprehend, in my conceipt had not beene much worth, though good in their owne nature; neither (to tell you true) should I have so much as nam'd them, had they not been aided, (as it were) and managed with three other most noble and necessary vertues, especially in these times, which actuated them (as it were) and gave them their life and lustre.
1. A love to integrity, the right and truth in all his judiciall courses, which (for any thing I know, or could ever heare) no man living upon just ground can or will contradict.
2. With a constant and resolute heart-rising against bribery and corruption; the cursed bane of all goodnesse, honesty, and good conscience, wheresoe'er it comes. And to this, that high place he worthily held about the Prince, can give royall attestation: where he qualified fees to his owne losse; and protested his resolution, and all possible opposition to all offers for offices, with this reason: he would have them come in clearehanded, that they might deale honestly in their places. And his owne followers, to whom he gave a charge at his first entrance to a judiciall [Page 155] place, that they should not meddle, nor make any motions to him, that he might be secur'd from all appearance of corruption. And, as I am credibly inform'd, his ordinary reading of great letters, and rejection of gratuities after judgement given.
3. With a noble and unshaken resolution, and mighty opposition of Popery: and that without respect or feare of any greatnesse, as we have evident demonstration. Now of this we need no further testimony (though there be very pregnant and plentifull besides) than the present triumph of the Papists; and barbarous insultations of that bloudy and murdrous generation. And especially in yonder Country of Lancashire, and those Northerne Parts; where he shooke the pillars of Popery more valiantly and succesfully, than any these many yeares. Officers in those Parts observ'd, that in his two or three yeares, he convicted, confin'd, and conform'd moe Papists than were in twenty yeares before. And that last charge he gave at Lancaster in his last Circuit but one, for I meddle not with the last of all, for lawlearning, earnestnesse and excellency against Popery, prophanenesse, non-residency, and other corruptions of the times, and for the extraordinary heartning and encouraging all good men and godly Ministers was such, that I am perswaded, it wilbe remembred with dearenesse and love, while any honest man that heard it or heard of it, is alive in those Parts. To go no further then: and this I now say, I speake of him as he was growne in his latter time; and out of hope he would have [Page 156] continued: and I speake it also in compassion of mine owne countrey; which I know by too good experience how pitifully it lies bleeding under the insolency of Papists, and multitude of Priests: and then I say, the redemption of the life of such a Iudge, in such times as we live, for the good of such a country, if we go no further, if that had consisted with GODS pleasure, had beene worth a Kings ransome.
I lay these things thus together upon purpose to aggravate the losse, that a compassionate consideration of the greatnesse thereof in those respects I have told you, may be as powerfull in begetting a godly and profitable sorrow and taking it to heart in all truly religious and loyall hearts: as I know rejoycing in his fall will create in the insolent spirits of the enemies to GOD and the King, (I meane the Papists) barbarous insultations and triumph. I am perswaded, if we get as much humiliation out of the sense of a true losse, as the Papists hardning and obduration by apprehension of their imaginary gaine, we shall make a good use of his death. I am a little more earnest, because I perceive the Papists begin already to calumniate and slander.
Here is yet another Point of profitable consideration from the present occasion. When any worthy man in a State, especially who takes a faithfull discharge of his place, and the publike good to heart, is cut off by the hand of GOD; it is in a Christian jealousie, and out of spirituall wisdome to be holden as a presage of some more fearefull [Page 157] generall judgement to succeed. I have my ground, Isa. 3. 1, 2, 3, &c. And therefore my counsell is, and in the present case for one: when any good Patriote which in some high place like a strong Pillar opposes the corruptions and Popery of the times: or any faithfull Pastor, which by his prayers (like a Moses) stands in the gap against the indignation of GOD, is taken away; that we take it to heart, as a M [...]mento, to make our selves ready against an evill day. And to tell you my mind, I am much afraid some heavy thing is preparing for us, our sinnes are growne unto such a height. I am no Prophet, nor the sonne of a Prophet; yet out of a comparative contemplation of GODS proceeding with His owne people in all former ages, I cannot but concurre with the judgement of a great Doctor delivered in an high place: The White, pag. 80. at Spittle. sinnes of this Land are come to that elevation, that there is scarce left any roome for the mercy of GOD to helpe us. They are even full ripe for His revenging Hand. To his foure reasons I add two more: his are taken, 1. From the greatnesse and crying of the sinnes, which are very horrible; Atheisme, whoredome, Sodomy, bloud-shed, oppression, sayes he; I add pride, drunkennesse, usury, &c. 2. From the generality of them. All sorts are wrapt in them. 3. From their impudency: with brazen browes, and whorish foreheads they out-face the Sun. 4. From their impatiency of admonition and reformation: they grow so upon us, that all the Pulpits in ENGLAND cannot beat them downe. Adda 5 t. from 2 Chron. [Page 158] 36. 16. And a 6 t. from Isa. 3. 1, 2, 3. & seq. I meane the dropping away of many worthy men; and few take it to heart, or consider that they are taken away from the evill to come. We have lost many a godly man within this few yeares. The Princes Court was not many yeares since disrob'd and bereft of one of the noblest men that ever trod upon English mould, besides other noble ornaments, his eminency of grace made him so. For, Christian Nobility is best and truest, where GOD Himselfe is top of the kin, and Religion the root; in regard whereof all the rest (I meane that of riches, birth, learning or morality) are but shadowes and shapes of noblenesse. And the other yeare, a very worthy Doctor, and triumphant Champion against the Giants of Rome. Against whom they have since sent out an illiterate libell, cal'd, White dy'd Black; fit for the foule and black mouthes of such railing Rabshekaes. And now of late, to say no more, of a Chancellour of rare and remarkable integrity in his Place. I have not yet done, and yet the time is done: onely a word or two therefore, and so I'le make an end.
And yet let no man thinke, that I am come hither;
- 1. Either to smooth and mollifie any faults or frailties; any falls or infirmities; any personall sinnes or imperfections that might be in this great Man. I dare not go about to cover them; that's not my office; I leave that to the precious bloud of the Son of GOD, and tender-hearted mercies of our gracious Father. I would rather in this point [Page 159] advise great men to walke warily. For, their greatnesse makes their sinnes greater, and their mightinesse will make them mightily tormented, except they stand constantly on GODS side. Height of Place ever adds two wings unto sinne: Example and Scandall; whereby it soares higher, and flies much further. If the Sun be ecclips'd and obscur'd; a thousand eyes gaze upon it: a lesser Starre may be darkned, and no man take notice.
- 2. Or to fasten upon him any false praises in a flattering funerall Panegyrick. I dare not dawbe for a world of gold. Himselfe abhor'd that. And not long before his last sicknesse complain'd much against slattery, as a grievous iniquity of the times.
- 3. Or to make a solemne and formall narration of all his noble commendable parts. When I undertooke this businesse first, I studied onely, and bethought my selfe, how I might speake most profitably, and make the best use of the present occasion to my living Auditors. And had I not found pregnant matter for that purpose, I had not beene here this day. And therefore for conclusion, and as the last and best service I can now do unto him, to whom I owed as much as any man alive: I will labour from the occasion to work some heavenly good (if GOD so please) upon the hearts, presented here this day as a selected and choice number of his worthiest and dearest friends. And to this end give me leave to single out, and propose for imitation, some worthy and noble parts of [Page 160] his, and onely those which I conceive may be most seasonable and suitable to the exigency of my Auditory. And I must also crave the aid of your loves unto him, and those softned thoughts of mortality which are wont to attend these times; that I may conveigh and commend them to your liking, and practise with more successe and stronger impression.
And the first I shall commend unto you, is,
- 1. His singular integrity and honorable purpose in disposing those Ecclesiasticall Livings he had in his power. And in this Point I my selfe can say more than any, who tasted deepliest of his worthy dealing this way. When I never sought after, as it is famously knowne, nor thought upon any such thing, he sent for me, and bestowed that which I presently enjoy most freely. Which, though every Patron ought proportionably to do, yet the horrible corruptions abroad in the world in such cases do (as it were) by a kind of Antiperistasis make a duty a transcendent vertue. And this was not all. Though incrochments upon the Church be like the breaches of the sea; a thousand to one never returne: yet did he restore to a farthing all that which had a long time beene detain'd from the Church; and parted with it most freely; though he had as much wit and power as any other to have continued it so, if he had pleas'd. And I said Ecclesiasticall Livings, though I instance but in one; because I partly knew his purpose for the rest. For, he gave me himselfe this message to as worthy and reverend a [Page 161] man, as I know unprefer'd in this Land; that if he would come unto him, he would give him the first that fell; and for no other reason in the world, but because he heard he was a reverend and worthy man. Now lay these things to the practice of the times, wherein there is such sinfull and Simoniacall packing together, compacting, secret covenanting with the party or friends for present money, or after-gratifications: some part of the tithes, or his owne must be reserv'd to the Patron; or he must be the Farmer at his owne price; or pin a wife upon the sleeve of the parson, as they contemptuously speake, (a base also and unworthy respect) or the like such wretched combinations to helpe one another towards hell: my disacquaintance must excuse my ignorance in the termes: and then tell me if this was not a noble part in him worthy the imitation of the best. I am perswaded in this Point, he might be a patterne not only to all here present whom it might concerne, (though I looke upon the faces of some who have dealt also very nobly this way) but to all the Patrons in ENGLAND. Be pleas'd then, you that lov'd him to tread in his steps herein; and the rather because your unconscionablenesse in so high and important a point for the glory of GOD, and the good of the Church, may not only bring upon your owne heads, your houses and posterity, the curse of GOD in the meane time: but also a company of poore soules cast away by reason of your corruption, against you at that last and great day: who will then cry out upon you before the [Page 162] face of GOD, Angels, and men; that you were the men who for a little bloudy gaine put upon them an ignorant, idle, dissolute, non▪ resident, or some way unfaithfull Minister; (For, it is too common, that those who enter corruptly, deale unconscionably in their places) whereby they must now perish everlastingly; whereas if you had been honest and uncorrupt, there had beene hope they might have liv'd in the endlesse joyes of heaven. And what a vexing cry in the eares of all sacrilegious Church-robbers will that be of a damned wretch in hell; when he shall complaine everlastingly, that his soule had been sav'd, if such a man had not been Symoniacall.
- 2. His forbearing travell upon the Sabbath in his Circuit. Whereby he wan a great deale of honour to his name over all this Kingdome; prevailed in the same with others of his owne reverend ranke; and by his example (as hath been observ'd) wan much encouragement, increase and regard to religion in those Countries thorow which he past. I would I might so much prevaile with you, as that upon this occasion you would be content to take nearer to heart a more holy and heavenly spending of the LORDS Day. Not onely in forbearing sin, the workes of your calling, idlenesse, vaine sports; this is but onely flying evill, and privative good: but also to ply with conscience and reverence all GODS holy Ordinances; prayer, reading, singing of Psalmes publikely and privately; the Word preached specially, conference, meditation, and the like: and to feed [Page 163] and satisfie your prepared and hungry soules with all that sweetnesse, comfort, and spirituall strength; which they are wont to conveigh into humble hearts upon GODS holy Day; this also is doing of good and positive piety. For, a thousand to one, a constant keeper of the Sabbath is soundhearted towards GOD: and as great odds, a common Sabbath breaker (howsoever he may deceive his owne heart) is in truth and triall a stranger to the power of grace, and life of godlinesse.
- 3. His patient yeelding, and submission to private admonition. A vertue, ordinarily as farre out with great men, as flattery is familiar. Yet in him so as I tell you. Something there was, to which his private affection was very much endear'd; and his reputation thereabout in the respect of the world was also entangled in some more publike engagement. And yet when I in zeale and love to his soule and salvation, prest upon him in private as a Minister of GOD, and in the humblest manner I could, tendering my reasons against his resolution; after he had well thought upon't, it never went further, all was dasht for ever. Yet let me tell you, he had formerly given me encouragement hereunto; intreating me once in private, to deale plainly with him. And now I am griev'd at heart, I did not more in this kind. Now I would to GOD, you would imitate him in this also; especially you that are great ones. Alas! You'le give the Physitian leave to tell you the diseases of your body: the Lawyer to shew you any flaw [Page 164] that is in your state: your Horse-keeper to tell you the surfets of your horse: nay, your Huntsman the surrances of your dogs: and shall onely the Minister of GOD not tell you your soules are bleeding to everlasting death? Now GOD forbid.
- 4. His taking his high place to heart. I meane his extraordinary industry and indefatigablenesse in his judiciary imployments. His painefulnesse this way was wonderfull even after his last sicknesse had seaz'd upon him. If I should report unto you the particulars from eye-witnesses, you would marvell. And I rather name and commend this unto you, because the contrary is cause of great misery in a Common-wealth. Oh it is lamentable, when men mount into high roomes only in a bravery, and vanity, and desire to be ador'd above others; or follow the execution of their places, and administration of justice, onely as a Trade, with an unquenchable and unconscionable thirst of gaine; which justifies the common resemblance of the Courts of Iustice to the Bush; whereunto, while the sheepe flies for defence in weather, he is sure to lose part of his fleece: when cunning heads hunt after greatnesse and promotion, purposely to execute the lusts of their owne hearts, and attaine their owne ends. Oh! this is the curse and cut-throat of worthy States; the bane and breake-necke of all honest government. Formalities of justice without a reall care and conscience to search the truth, and deale uprightly, do but serve to smother innocency and right: and [Page 165] that which was necessarily ordain'd for the common good, is through shamefull abuse made the cause of common misery. I would all the Magistrates in the Country were my hearers in this Point; I would hence intreat them with all earnestnesse and contention of Spirit, as they love either GOD or their Country; that they would with all noblenesse of a free spirit, and clearenesse of a good conscience, take their Places of Iustice to heart; be active, conscionable, resolute; not onely formall and cyphers; hunters after praise and plausiblenesse; that they would abominate even all appearance of bribery and partiality to the pit of hell: that they would not be angry with us when we presse and perswade them to round courses against the Papists, and dejection of Alehouses; upon which point His royall Majesty, and the worthy Iudges so much beat; and when all's said, are the sinkes and sources of all villany, &c. otherwise, howsoever they may please themselves with the common applause: it were better the Common-wealth had never knowne them.
- 5. His resolutenesse against rising by corruption and bribery. Whereupon (as I have heard) when he was first presented to that place of honour about the Prince, it pleased our gracious Soveraigne to stile him the Iudge which would give no money. A blessed thing it were, were this heart in all. Then should we not have vines, olive trees, and figge trees wither away in obscurity, and brambles brave it abroad in the world. We [Page 166] should not have servants by insinuation and bribery clime on Horse-backe, when Princes like servants walke upon the ground. And this worthy Part in Him, was a very convenient Companion, and necessary Consequent as that was of the former. For I [...]e never beleeve, that a Man which purposes from his Heart to be faithfull in a publick Charge, will ever be very forward in an ambitious pursuit of it. The illumination of Nature taught the Heathens so, and therefore they condemne it by a law de ambitu. Hunting after one hie roome even morally is most unworthy a Man of honour and worth, and He cannot better expresse His insufficiency, and weakenesse of Spirit, who is transported with an impotent and impatient Humour this way. But now if to this ambitious basenesse there be an addition of bribery, it makes the matter a great deale more vile, and dishonourable. Of this hatefull Merchandizing, besides other infamies and iniquities, which mingle with it, it is commonly said, That He which liueth in grosse, selleth by retaile. And therefore if a Man would continue truly Noble, and Worthy, comfortable in His conscience, and faithfull in His Place, if He be advanc't, let him either rise fairely, or els thanke GOD, and be content with His present station.
- 6. An easinesse of accesse, affablenesse of cariage: A faire, loving, kind deportment towards all. I never saw a Man of such worth and greatnesse looke more mildly upon a meane Man in my life. And yet with so grave a presence, that neither the authority of his Person, nor due attributions
[Page 167] to His Place receiu'd any disparagement or diminution. I omit not even this, because even in this also He might have beene a notable Precedent to take downe the haughty imperious carriage of many abroad in the world of farre more inferiour Worth and Ignoble birth. For amongst all the
See [...]asill 406. ad fincm▪degenerations of our gentility; (I speake not of all, wee have many truly so called and worthy Gentlemen) from that true noblenesse and ancient Worth which dwelt formerly in the Gentle brests of English Nobles, this is not the least: That they thinke to beare downe all before them with an artificiall affected impetuousnesse, as it were, of Countenance; a disdainfull neglect and contemptuousnesse in their Cariage, with a kind of outbraving & brow-beating of their Brethren. As though brave Apparell and a big looke were demonstrations of a Noble Spirit, whereas very often they only guild over a worthlesse, weake and gracelesse Inside. As amongst Professors of Religion, Hee's the best Christian, which is most humble: so in the Schoole of Morality he hath been holden the truest Gentleman, which is most Courteous.
- 7. His happinesse in having religious Followers. Follow Him also in this. He tasted the fruit of it in his last extremities. For being cast by Gods Providence upon that Place in the Country where He had not such meanes, and Opportunities for those last comfortable Spirituall Assistances, which a dying Man would desire; They were both able, and did pray with Him to the Occasion, and present necessities, where with He seemed to be [Page 168] much affected, and spoke seasonably unto Him out of the Booke of GOD. Whereupon I must tell you; (Let as many prophane scornefull Spirits iy be or gnash the Teeth at it, as will) Those Followers of His whosoever they were, call them Puritanes, or what you will; Howsoever they might misse in some complementall circumstances, by reason of those amazments and griefe which sate fresh upon their Hearts for the losse of their so Noble a Lord, yet they did Him in those last Agonies more true service and Honour then all the swaggering Good-fellow Serving men will doe their Masters unto the worlds end: Let them follow you, as long as you will.
- 8. A right conceit and commendation of profitable and conscionable Sermons. He hath beene often heard of late times reply thus or in this sence to contradictions: I cannot tell, saies He, what you call Puritanicall Sermons; they come neerest to my Conscience, and doe Mee the most good. This of all the rest, I had purpos'd to have prest most upon you. If you were but thus affected, to say the least; you would begin to looke towards Heaven. But I have already trespast too much upon your Patitience. And therefore I conclude this Point with that of Paul, Philip. 4. 8. Finally, Brethren, &c.
A SERMON PREACHED AT LENT ASSISES, Anno Domini, MDCXXX. At Northhampton before SIR RICHARD HVTTON AND SIR GEORGE CROOKE, His Majesties Iustices of Assise, &c.
THE blessed Apostle Saint Paul perceiving, that his preaching, and plantation of the Gospell of CHRIST received strong and mighty opposition in the City of Corinth, a famous Mart Towne, seated betweene two Seas, the Aegaan and Iönian, and so fit [Page 170] for commerce with other Nations, full of wealth, knowledge, glory, and the rest of earthly excellencies, labours in this Chapter to abase, and dishonour the pride, and vanity of all humane greatnesse, and to advance the neglected Mystery of his heavenly Doctrine, and the glorious power of downe-right preaching, which the great men amongst them esteemed foolishnesse, yet indeed such as by which the LORD of Heaven and Earth saveth those that beleeve. And he so farre acquaints them with the counsell of GOD in the point: that he gives them to understand that upon the matter, whereas the noble, the mighty, and wise after the flesh, with all the bravery and selfe-confidence vanish and perish: Meaner men of lower ranke, and more contemptible are converted. In the words I read unto you he appeales to their owne experience in the point, and bids them look about, and view well, the worke of the Ministery amongst them, survey, and search throughly that goodly flourishing body of the Church, which he had there created, and collected by his eighteene months presence, and paines: And they shall find, that not many wise after the flesh, nor mighty, nor noble, gave their names unto CHRIST, or became Professors of the Gospell. But the foolish, and weake things of the world carrie all away in matter of salvation, and entertainement of CHRIST. He renders two Reasons in the Verses following: 1. That the wise men of the world may be confounded: 2. And that GOD himselfe blessed for ever may have all the glory. [Page 171] The words then being plaine: Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, I build directly, and naturally this point upon them: Few great men goe to Heaven: Or Doctrine. thus, Great men are seldome good. I here understand greatnesse according to the world: In respect 1. Of excellent learning. 2. Worldly wealth and height of place. Both make mighty, nay many times gold is the more powerfull commander. 3. Worldly honour and nobility. 4. Worldly wisedome.
Greatnesse in any of these kinds is rarely accompanied with goodnesse, few such great men as these are called, converted or ever come to heaven. I say Few: for I finde Divines, both Ancient, and Moderne upon this Text, to make Not Many, and Few equipollent: In Loc. Sicut non omnes sapientes damnantur: ita nec omnes, qui è vulgo sunt, salvantur. Sed qui agnitione suae indignitatis humiliantur, reverenter se subi [...]ciunt verbo, & Christum in Evangelio amplectuntur: Hi salvantur, sive sint ex primoribus, sive ex vulgi fece. Sed illud fieri in pluribus ex vulgo, in paucioribus verò ex sapientibus, Christus affirmat. Primasius, and Anselme, Calvin, and Piscator.
For proofe of the point:
First by Scripture: Looke upon such places as 1. these.
1. Matth. 11. 25, 26. At that time IESVS answered, and said, I thanke thee, O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. CHRIST who knew full well the bosome of his Father casting his eye seriously upon the condition of his followers, and fruit of his [Page 172] Ministry: and seeing the Scribes, Pharisees, and great ones of the world, not onely not entertaine and countenance, but out of their proud and prophane malice disdaine, and contemne the glorious Gospell, and divine Messages hee brought from Heaven; and a company of poore fishermen, and some few other neglected underlings with an holy violence lay hold upon his Kingdome: He brake out into this thankefull acknowledgement and admiration. I thanke thee, O Father, LORD of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to Babes: And then ascends to the well-head, and first moover of all his Dealings with, and differences amongst the Sons of men; the sacred and unsearchable depth of this [...], Beneplacitum, the good pleasure of his will: Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. In an humble adoration of the inscrutable, and immutable courses whereof we must finally and fully rest with infinite satisfaction, silenced from any further search, and carnall curiosities, by that awefull checke, and countermaund of Paul: Nay but O Man, who art thou that repliest against Rom. 9. 20. GOD? Flesh and bloud hath it old ages grumbled and repin'd, kickt and cavil'd about this point; but ever at length by measuring this deepest Mysterie by the line of humane reason, and labouring to fathome this bottomelesse sea by the pride of their owne wits, they have become wretched opposers of the grace of GOD. We behold the Sun, and enjoy the light, as long as we looke towards it, but tenderly, and circumspectly: We warme our [Page 173] selves safely, while we stand neere the fire. But if we seeke to outface the one, or enter into the other, we forthwith become blinde, or burnt. It is proportionably in the present point.
Heere by the way from our Sauiours words wee may extract a soveraigne Antidote against those temptations, and discontented reasonings which are wont to arise in our hearts sometimes, when we see those great ones of the world, who looke so big, and carrie their heads so high, not onely to carrie all before them, to wallow, and tumble themselves with all bravery and applause in the glory, wealth, and pleasure of the world, to swimme downe the current of the times with full saile, and prosperous winde, though many times against the secret murmure, and counterblasts even of their own Consciences. In a word, in these worst times to have what they list, and do what they will: but also lay about them with the fist of wickednesse, and scourge of tongues, to trample if it were possible the lambes of CHRIST even into the dust, with the feete of malice and pride, by a plausible tyranny, and aide of the times iniquity to keepe them downe still, and still in disgrace: hunting them continually with cruelty and hate like a Partridge in the mountaines, as the Pharisees did CHRIST: I say when we see this, let us never be troubled and take offence: let us never be grieved or grow discontent or out of heart. But pitty them, pray for them, and possesse our owne soules in patience, and peace. And after the precedencie of our blessed [Page 174] Saviour, goe in private, and say: I thanke thee, O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast revealed the Mysteries of CHRIST, and secrets of the saving way to me a poore wretch, and worme, troden under foot as an obiect of scorne, and a contemptible outcast, and hast hid them from the wise, and the noble, and the mighty: from the boysterous Nimrods, and proud Giants of the world, Even so Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. And there staying a while, ever magnifie, admire, and adore with lowliest, humblest, and most thankefull thoughts that dearest and dreadfull Depth of GODS free and incomprehensible love which made thee to differ. Which is as it were the first ring of that golden chaine, Rom. 8. 29. 30. which reacheth from everlasting to everlasting, and gives being, life, and motion to all the meanes that make us eternally blessed. Out of the rich, and boundlesse treasurie whereof, came that inestimable Iewell, IESVS CHRIST blessed for ever, and by consequent, all those heavenly happinesses which crowne the glorified Saints through alleternity. For so GOD loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life, Iohn 3. 16.
2. Iohn 7. 47, 48. Are yee also deceived? have any of the Rulers, or Pharisees beleeved on him? Heere the chiefe Priests and Pharisees boyling with much envie and indignation against CHRISTS preaching, (for he preached with Matth. 7. 29. power, and not as the Scribes) And because the people Luk. 4. 32. [Page 175] so flocked after him, (for there followed him Matth 4. 25. great multitudes of people) had sent officers to apprehend him, and bring him before them. Who when they came to him, and heard him preach, they were so strucke and astonished with the most piercing Majesty of his Ministry, that they had no power to lay hands or hold upon him at all. Upon their returne, these great men gathered together in counsell against him; like so many morning Wolves thirsting eagerly for his bloud, calls hastily, and impatiently unto them, before their officers could say any thing: Why have yee not brought him? They doe not examine them about his doctrine, or inquire whether he be guilty or no: but like unjust, and tyrannicall wretches they labour to lay hold upon him, though most innocent, to stop his mouth, and make him sure. But the Officers answered: Never man spake like this man. Whereupon the spirit of prophane malice being yet further enraged in them, they reply: Are yee also deceived? What? Are you turned Gospellers too? Will yee also gad with the giddie multitude after this new Master, &c. And then being frighted least they should fall from them, goes about to take them off with a very foolish argument, saith Theophylact, (though Argument [...] stul [...]o. Theoph. the Minor would be true, and is the sinew of my proofe) Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeved on him? Alas! No. They are so blinded with an opinion of their devout, and deeper learning: so puft up with the pride of their high places, so swolne with selfe-conceitednesse of their [Page 176] owne formes and false glosses, and so possest with prejudice against the spirituall and heavenly Doctrine of CHRIST: that the very Publicans and Matth. 21. 31. Harlots goe into the Kingdome of GOD before them: That is, when they goe not.
And thus it is in all ages of the Church: There is a Lecture I will suppose; To which many of the meaner sort especially, resort for spirituall foode, as to the Market for corporall. Some of which happily wrought upon by the saving influence of that Ministery, begins to blesse GOD for the benefit, and magnifie his mercy for such meanes: but some By-standers, like pestilent opposites interpose: yea but which of the great men of the Countrey come to it, when doe you see any of the Nobles, Knights, or Gentlemen there? No, alas! They are afraid of hearing of their sins, being made Melancholicke, and to be tormented before their time: and therfore they most wretchedly neglect so great salvation, forsake their owne mercies, and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life▪ Bowling-greenes, gaming-houses, horse-races, hunting-matches: Their curs, and their Kites: their cock-pits, and their covetousnesse, or something doe too often eate up and devoure that blessed fat, and marrow of time, those golden, and goodly opportunities, which GOD in great mercy affords them in the Ministry, to make their peace with him before they goe into the pit, and bee seene no more. For one houre whereof, to heare but one Sermon after the irrecoverable day of visitation is past and expired, they [Page 177] would be content to live as precisely and mortifiedly as ever man did upon earth so long as the world lasts, but it shall not be granted. A thousand worlds will not purchase it againe. And besides, when your soules shall then furiously reflect upon their owne wilfull folly in this respect, and the wofull misery they have brought upon themselves thereby: it will sharpen infinitely the bitings of the never-dying worme, and torment moreterribly than ten thousand Scorpions stings. Remember this (I pray you) all ye that forget GOD: before that wrath be kindled in His bosome against you, which will burne unto the very bottome of hell, and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines: before He gird about Him those arrowes which will drinke bloud, and that sword which will eat flesh; and come against you (as the Prophet speakes) like a beare robbed of her whelpes, and rent the very caule of your hearts, and teare you in peeces, when there is none to helpe.
3. Nehem. 3. 5. But their Nobles put not their necks to the worke of the LORD. Others (as you may see in that place) were industriously busie in building up the wals, and repairing the holy City, for the wonted worship and service of their GOD, but the Nobles would do just nothing. And thus it hath beene in all times, and is just so in our dayes. Meane men many times contribute very liberally, and farre above their ability to the procurement and maintenance of a profitable and powerfull Ministery: but the rich, worldly-wise, and gentlemen thereabouts, will not part with a [Page 178] penny for any such holy purpose. Such great men as these will by no meanes put their neckes, their power, and their purses to any such blessed worke of the LORD: though it be for the erecting of the Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST amongst them: for the illumination and refreshing of a darke and barren place with the light of the Gospell, and waters of life, where both their owne soules, and many more about them are starving and bleeding to eternall death for want of heavenly food and ministeriall helpe. Nay, too many of them detaining the Churches Patrimony, will neither restore it to the proper native use and end: nor (which is very lamentable) part with a little portion of a large revenew in that kind towards a competency. Before you receive encouragement to go on in this course with comfort, I pray you procure us (from your partakers, if there be any such) Answers to those many learned Treatises extant upon this argument, and (for any thing I know) utterly unanswered: especially, M r. Bernards, D r. Sclaters, and D r. Fields. I know well some excellent spirits of late meerely out of the gracious freenesse of their truly noble dispositions, to their great honour, and adorning profession, have given backe to the Church for ever (I meane nothing about buying in Impropriations, one of the most glorious works in that kinde (for any thing I know) that ever was undertaken in this Kingdome) diverse Church-livings, some an hundred pound per annum, some sixe or seven score, some threescore, some one; so many as amount to the [Page 179] value of above seven hundred pounds yearely. But I must tell you also, they are onely such as you mis-call Puritan-gentlemen (for I neither heare nor know of any other that stirs this way) and how few such are to be found in a Countrey, every eye spiritually illightened may clearely see, and heartily bewaile. For, I meane none but such as are (in true search and censure) GODS best servants, and the Kings best subjects.
I come in a second place to make the point appeare yet further by reasons. And first, such as are peculiar to the severall sorts of greatnesse▪ all w ch (once for all) I understand such secundum mundum, secundum bominem, secundum carnem, according to the world, according to man, according to the flesh.
And first for excellency of learning understood still after the flesh, implyed also by the Apostle in this place: as appeares by the former words: Where is the Scribe? Where is the Disputer of this world? Where are the learned Rabbins of the Iewes? Where are the profound Philosophers of the Gentiles? Let us take notice that learning of it selfe is a very lovely and illustrious thing, which made Aeneas Silvius in his Epistle to Sigismund Duke of Austria, say, If the face even of humane learning could be seene, it is fairer and more beautifull than the morning or the evening-starre. But notwithstanding bent the wrong way, and spent upon private and pernicious ends, it becomes the fowlest fiend the Devill hath upon earth, and his Degeneratio optimi pessima. mightiest agent to do a world of mischiefe. No corruption is worse than of that which is best [Page 180] mis-imployed: it is of wofull consequence, proportionable to its native worth. And the longer and more prosperously it is imployed as an instrument of all, and in the service of Satan ever the more pestilently, which is for my purpose, doth it harden and enrage the heart against all means of grace, the power of godlinesse, and possibility of conversion.
Secondly, men of this world for the most part in the attainement and exercise of learning and knowledge propose to themselves, and finally rest upon many bastard, base, and degenerate ends: as, pleasure of curiosity, quiet of resolution, refining and raising the spirit, ability of discourse, victory of wit, gaine of profession, ornament, and reputation, inablement for imployment and businesse. Thus whereas variety and depth of knowledge should properly and principally serve to prepare, fit, and furnish the soule wherein it is seated: First, for a higher degree, and agreater measure of sanctification in it selfe: secondly, to do GOD more excellent and glorious service: Thirdly, to do more nobly in Ephratha, and be more famous in Bethlehem: I meane, by an edifying and charitable influence to illuminate and better all about them: The most learned men have these worthy ends, and comply exactly with the world: hunting onely after by their knowledge, and aspiring towards (as their utmost aimes) certaine second prizes: as though they laboured onely by their learning to find (as one sayes well:) a cowch whereupon to rest, a searching [Page 181] and a restlesse spirit: or a tarrasse for a wandring and variable mind, to walke up and downe with a faire prospect: or a tower of state, for a proud mind to raise it selfe upon: or a fort or commanding ground for strife and contention: or a shop for profit or sale: and not a rich store-house for the glory of the Creator, and the reliefe of mans estate. And so by the abuse and misapplying of it, they put their great engine, very powerfull either for excellency of good, or excesse of ill, as it takes, into the Devils hands for the enlarging and advancement of his kingdome: and turne the edge of it to the dangerous hurt of others: and so by consequent and by accident, it prooves a mighty barre to keepe CHRIST and His kingdome out of their hearts.
Let me in a word by an instance intimate unto you the traines and temptations to which they expose themselves, the snares and curses which they incurre, who bend their abilities of learning, closing with the corruptions of the time, to raise and enrich themselves; the two maine ends of the most in these covetous and ambitious dayes.
First, there is a plant in the nurceries of literature of great expectation and hope: which being watered, and warmed at the well-heads of Academicall learning, and with the fruitfull heat of Polemicall exercises and agitations in the Schooles, wherein the true worth and excellency of a Scholler consists, growes ripe and becomes remarkable; so that he heares after him in the streets a secret murmuring: This is the man: Dignum est monstrarier & dicier Hic est: Now by this time he begins [Page 182] to reflect with the eye of selfe-love, and many vaine-glorious glaunces upon his personall worth and publike applause: and then casts about what course to take. GODS principle and path is: It is better to be good, than great; religious, than rich: And therefore He would have him imploy and improove all his naturall and acquired endowments, all the powers and possibilities of body and soule upon His glory and service that gave them, and where they are more than infinitely due. And that when the good hand of divine providence shall bring him to any place for the exercise of his gifts and ministeriall imployment, he would there spend himselfe (like a shining and burning lampe) in the illumination and salvation of GODS people: and so hereafter shine as the brightnesse of the firmament in the highest heavens, and as the starres forever and ever. Nay, (saies the Devill) that's a sowre, strict, precise way: It is not meet, that such admired eminency of learned parts should be confined to such obscurity, that such rare gifts and depth of knowledge should be lost upon high shoes, and amongst a number of rude, ignorant, and uncapable clownes: and therefore he labours to raise his spirit to higher hopes: and would have him plunge presently into the current of the times, and become somebody in the world. Hereupon (his heart already ravisht with the pleasing apprehension of worldly glory and humane greatnesse, represented by Satan in the most alluring formes to his ambitious imagination) he resolves fearfully against his owne soule, to follow [Page 183] the streame, to ply the present, and plot all meanes and wayes of preferment: after which ordinarily every step towards an high roome, or to be hastily rich, is a snare and curse unto him: and therefore at the height, he must needs be holden fast in the clutches of Satan. He now begins upon all occasions to disclaime all things that tend to precisenesse, and in his deportment drawes nearer to good fellowship: he remits and interrupts his care and constancy in study, and studies how to understand the world, negotiate for advancement, and humour the times: He merrily derides Doctrine and Vse, as they scoffingly call it: all edifying plainnesse and foolishnesse of preaching: and now he digs with much adoe perhaps a whole quarter of a yeare into the rotten dunghils of Popish Postillers, and phantasticall Friers, and from thence patches together many gayish and gaudy shreds of painted bables, and frothy conceipts and tricks of wit; and at length comes out with a selfe-seeking Sermon: just like that discourse which King IAMES compares to a corne-field in harvest, pestered with red and blew flowers; which choake and eat up all the good graine. For, he well knowes this is the way to ingratiate himselfe into the times, and gratifie those great ones who desire farre more to have their eares tickled, than their consciences toucht; and would rather have pillowes sowed under their arme-holes by such deceiving dawbers, that they may lie more softly upon the bed of security; than the keene arrowes of righteousnesse and truth fastned in their sides [Page 184] by GODS faithfull messengers to drive them to si [...]cerity: and yet after this, he must serve his time in serving the times: and through many miseries of secular martyrdome, as Peter Blesensis cals it, and many shipwracks of a good conscience, by basenesse, flattering, attending, depending, and undoing his soule. At last (if he die not in the pursuit, as many have done) besides all these precedent miserable meanes, by present simony, or some other vile services: he comes into some high place, or at least becomes a negligent, non-resident, or insatiable pluralist. Which wicked entrance being accompanied with GODS curse, his heart already so hardened, his ministeriall strength and veine of learning so wasted and dried up by discontinuance, desuetude, and worldly dealings: having now attained his ends, he drownes himselfe over head and eares either in secular businesses, or sensuall pleasures to muffle up the mouth of his horribly guilty conscience: cries downe preaching, opposeth the power of godlinesse: and so becomes rather a wolfe than a shepheard.
In a second place. The rich worldling also is in a wofull case this way, as appeares by CHRISTS owne words, Matth. 19. 23, 24. which is further confirmed by casting our eyes upon Luk. 16. 14. and 1 Tim. 6. 9. Luke 16. 19. And the Pharises which were covetous heard all these things, and derided him. And what heard they from CHRIST? That it was impossible to serve GOD and Mammon. So that there are some passages ever in a faithfull [Page 185] and searching ministry, which covetous worldlings deride, and will not downe with by any meanes, but resolutely reject in their carnall wisdome as very foolish, unnecessary, precise, and no waies to be given way unto. Especially such as these. 1. That they must restore whatsoever they have any waies gotten, or detaine wrongfully and wickedly. 2. That they must rather themselves starve, and leave their children in beggery, than put their hands to any unlawfull waies or meanes of getting: so much as to tell a lie, &c. 3. That godlinesse is great gaine, and that it is incomparably better to be religious than rich, good than great. 4. That there is a life of faith which will keepe a man in sweet contentment in any estate, should he be never so poore. 5. That Iob was truly richer with CHRIST alone, than when before he was loaden with abundance of thicke clay. 6. That riches are nothing, Proverbes 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? 7. That they must leave all for CHRIST. 8. That if they part with all for Him, they shalbe recompenced an hundred fold in this life. 9. That if they had no recompence at all in this world, yet the reward that they shall have in the world to come, wilbe a super-abundant recompence.
Notwithstanding these satisfactory and uncontrollable principles, they will be rich in the Apostles sense; after they have gotten a golden heape, will be more rich still: and therefore are easily tempted unto, and taken in the snare of that execrable [Page 186] and most abhorred trade of usury. In the exercise whereof they still negotiate with the Devill, and receive all their increase at the Devils hands: and therefore how is it possible they should turne on GODS side? And that usurers trade with the Devill, and have their usurious money from him. Heare the judgement of the Hom. Vol. 2. Church of ENGLAND, to which ordinarily all Hom. 17. pag. [...]. Ministers subscribe; Verily so many as increase themselves by usury, &c. They have their goods of the Devils gift. Heare also the judgement of the State even of the King, the Nobility, and the whole Body of the Kingdome in Parliament; and in that Statute whence usurers take very falsly some encouragement, as though it were allow'd; which is most untrue. These are the words in the beginning of the Statute: Forasmuch as all usury being forbidden by the Law of GOD, is a sinne, and detestable, 13. Eliz. cap. 8. &c.
Thirdly, though an high place be holden in the false opinion of vaine men, the onely heaven upon earth: yet in truth, and upon triall, by accident it prooves Satans surest hold to hamper them in his strongest and most inextricable snares, untill he tumble them hence with a more desperate and headlong downefall into the pit of hell. For, as those of truest worth are ever timerous, and most retiring in such cases; so the worst men ordinarily are most ambitious and aspiring. Consider for the purpose the unambitious modesty and magnanimity of the olive-tree, fig-tree, and the vine: but the base and worthlesse bramble, a dry, empty, Iudg. 9. [Page 187] saplesse kex and weed, apt and able only to scratch, teare, and vexe, must needs be up and be hoised into an high room, and domineere over others▪ Men of most prostituted consciences are for the most part the most pragmatical prowlers after undeserved preferments: and the only men to serve themselves vijs & modis, (as they say) into offices, honours, and places of advancement. For, they want honest wit to conceive and fore-see the waight of the charge, & conscience to discharge it faithfully. Now then, where there is a concurrence of corrupt times, a wicked wit, a wide conscience, and a vast gluttonous desire to domineere. What will not be done to attaine their ends? They will not sticke to lie, dissemble, breake their words, forsweare, machiavellize, practise any policy or counterpolicy to honesty, reason, religion, to flatter, raise a faction, humour the times, supplant competitours, gratifie the Devill, do any thing. We may proportionably conceive the malignity of inferiour ambitions by the monstrousnesse of higher aspirations. Now who hath not observed (saith that learned Knight in his Preface to the History of the World) what labour, practice, perill, bloud-shed, and cruelty the Kings and Princes of the world have undergone, exercised, and taken on them to make themselves and their issues masters of the world? Oh by what plots, by what forswearings, betrayings, oppressions, imprisonments, tortures, poysonings, and under what reasons of State, and politicke subtilty have these fore-named Kings, &c. By this time these men by these meanes are mounted (I will suppose) on horsebacke, [Page 188] and have left many Princes walking as servants upon the earth: And folly is set in great dignity. And what then? Then do they begin so to swell with pride, untill they are ready to burst againe with over-weening of their owne worth, selfe-opinion and selfe-estimation: and to toyle extremely with revengefull inward indignation against all good men: whose hearts (as they conceive) and their consciences tell them (there was just cause) did rise against their growing great and rising. Being thus empoysoned at the first entrance with pride, selfe-conceiptednesse, prejudice, revengefull jealousies, and other exorbitant and base distempers they begin to consider and resolve how to behave themselves in their new purchased place. And we must know there is too much truth in that principle of policy in Tacitus: Never any came to an high roome wrongfully, and unworthily: Nemo unquam imperium flagitio quaesitum bonis artibus exercuit. Hist. lib. 1. pag. 417. but he exercis'd his power and authority wickedly and unjustly. They therefore pitch presently upon such conclusions as these: We will pleasure our friends, though we prey upon the publike, or pinch some peevish precise fellowes, which can well beare it: we will plague our enemies; we must above all, manage matters with a fit correspondency to accomplish our owne ends; especially to enrich our selves, raise our kindred, make way to rise higher, and greaten our posterity; we must looke big, and sometimes amaze the multitude with some acts of awfulnesse and terrour, to procure and preserve respect, feare, and all attributions proper to our place: and let me tell [Page 189] you by the way; He that suspecteth his owne worth, or other mens opinions, thinking that lesse regard is had of his person, than he believes is due to his place, holds it good policy to spend all the force of his authority in purchasing the name of a severe man. For, the affected sowrenesse of a vaine fellow doth many times resemble the gravity of one that is wise: and the feare wherein they live which are subject to oppression, caries a shew of reverence to him that does the wrong, at least it serves to dazle the eyes of underlings, keeping them from prying into the weakenesse of such as have jurisdiction over them, &c. Beside all this, men in great place are liable, and expos'd daily to moe and stronger temptations, than men of lower ranks. Honour, wealth, worldly reputation, earthly favours, &c. are Satans snares to entangle and tie them faster to their fooles paradise and admired folly; and as golden fetters, to chaine them unmooveably to their noble slavery.
Secondly, great men are for the most part (and it is one of their greatest miseries) so enclosed and beleager'd with flatterers, the basest of slaves, with sycophants, false-hearted followers, selfeseekers, &c. that very hardly (if at all) can any honest man or faithfull Micaiah have accesse, come neare them, or at any time be heard with patience, especially either to tell them the truth, or wisely and humbly reprove them for their faults.
Thirdly, those that are verst in story, shall find many and many a time this property put upon Mallent cadere quàm loco cedere. men in high place; to be throwne into the grave, or from their greatnesse, is both one to them. For [Page 190] first, they so delight in domineering, and dote upon their high roome as their dearest Idoll: And withall they know full well, that as in naturall privation there is no returne to habit, so it is very rarely seene in the privation politique, and point of preferment; that they would even rather die, than be dejected.
Lay now these two points together: and count all the snares from which poorer and private men by reason of their meaner condition are happily exempted: And no marvell though not many mighty, either in heapes of wealth, or height of places, be converted, or go to heaven.
In the fourth place: what a strong hold for the powers of hell, and mighty barre to keepe out grace, worldly wisdome is; may appeare by taking notice of the nature of it, and so of its notoriously pestilent properties. This wisdome of the flesh springing from the principles of carnall reason, and precepts of humane policie, and receiving continuall influence and instigation from that old wily serpent to go on still in his and the worlds waies, doth with a proud disdainfulnesse and imperious contempt scorne the great mysteries of godlinesse, foolishnesse of preaching, simplicity of the Saints, and society of the brotherhood: crosseth directly, and contradicts the counsell and commands of GODS Spirit, in all motions to good, and matters of salvation: accounts in good earnest holinesse hypocrisie, sanctification singularity, profession and practice of sincerity precisenesse, the great things of GODS Law as a strange [Page 191] thing: In all its consultations concludes ever things pleasing to flesh and bloud; and ends at last with extremest folly and utter confusion. Witnesse Achitophel, who was wise enough to set his house in order, and yet wanted wit to rescue his owne life out of his owne hands: he was curious to provide for his family after his death, and had no care at all to preserve himselfe from eternall death: was not this a madnesse even to miracle, Amentia usquè ad prodigium. as Divines speake? He got him home to his house, put his houshold in order, and hanged 2 Sam. 17. 23. himselfe; and is hanged up in chaines as a dreadfull spectacle to all posterity, for all worldly-wise men to take warning by to the worlds end.
The Spirit of GOD intimates unto us the pestilency of its properties, Iames 3. 15. It is, First, Earthly. Secondly, Sensuall. Thirdly, Devillish.
Devillish: for, it imitateth the Devill in plotting and contriving mischiefe and ruine against the glory of GODS Majesty, and Ministry of His Word. It tasts of his hellish wilinesse in close conveyances and secret infidiations, for the undermining, supplanting, and confounding of the passage of the Gospell, and plantation of grace in the hearts of men. Satan (you know) is ever fierce and furious, when he spies but the least glimpse of GODS truth, or sparke of grace to peepe our and breake forth at any time, or in any place. When the glorious sun-shine of the Gospell did in these latter times of the world (according to the Prophecie in the Revelations) arise out of the darksome▪ [Page 192] night, and dangerou fogs of Popery, and begun graciously to inlighten many thousand soules which lay in darknesse, and under the shadow of death, with what strange and prodigious rage did the great Dragon presently ascend out of his bottomlesse pit.
Since that time what furious martyring of the Saints, what horrible murthering of Kings, what bloudy massacres, what invincible Armadoes, what hellish powder-plots, what devouring of Martyrs, by that bloud-thirsty monster the Spanish Inquisition, what hatefull imprisonings, what desperate conspiracies, what a deale of hell hath vext and rent the face of Europe, and shaken the pillars of this part of the world: as though all the fiends in hell, and whole armies of those damned spirits were broke loose, to cast the Christian world into a new Chaos of darknesse, combustion and confusion. And all this hath beene the Devils doings of pure spite and malice against the light of the Gospell, and power of the Word. The Pope, Iesuites, and their wicked adherents have beene indeed the instruments and executioners of all these bloudy miseries, but Satan himselfe was the principall agent. The cursed influence of all this wrath and rage was inspir'd from him, and every particular and circumstance of all these mischiefes was first plotted in hell, before they were acted upon earth.
2. In our owne kingdome also his spite and malice against the light of the Gospell hath beene notorious and transcendent since the Word of [Page 193] truth hath growne powerfull amongst us. With what strange fury and malice hath Satan bestirred himselfe? What a deale of deare and innocent bloud did that red Dragon drinke up in Queene Maries time? For five yeares space the fire of persecution did flame in this land, and the sacred bodies of our glorious blessed Martyrs were sacrificed amids the mercilesse fury thereof: Afterward what a blacke and bloudy catalogue of most hatefull and prodigious conspiracies did run parallell with that golden time of Queene ELIZABETHS life, that (now) glorious Saint of dearest memory? But in all this hellish rage the Devill never played the Devill indeed, untill he came to the gun-powder-plot; that was such a piece of service against the light of y e Gospell, as the Sun never saw before; the sons of men never heard of, hel it self never hatcht. Since Satan fel from heaven, and a Church was first planted upon y • earth, there was never any thing in that kind which made the Devils Malice more famous, GODS mercies more glorious, that Priest of Rome and his bloudy superstition more odious; or that cast such a shame and obloquy upon the innocency of Christian Religion. And all this was the Devils doing of pure spite and malice against the glory of the Gospell, the power of the Word, and the Saints of GOD. I say he was the archplotter and first moover of all these mischiefes. The Pope, and Iesuites, and their cursed confederates were indeed his instruments, executioners and agents, as we well know, and some of the Priests themselves confesse. See Quodl. 7. Act. 8. pag. 199.
[Page 194]Scarce was that blessed Queene and incomparable Lady warme in her Princely Throne; but Satan sets on the Pope Pius Quintus, he sends from Rome two Popish Priests, Morton and Webbe with a Bull of excommunication; whereby the subjects and people of the Kingdome were in a Popish sense discharg'd and assoil'd from their allegiance, loyaltie and obedience to her Majestie. They sollicit the two traiterous Earles of the North, Northumberland and Westmerland, to be the executioners of this bloudy Bull, which indeed was the fountaine and foundation of all the succeeding horrible plots and barbarous treacheries. See Bells Anatomy of Popish tyrannie, in his Epist. Dedic. a little booke called The executioner of justice in England, &c. I pray GOD now at length turne these Popish murderous hearts from whetting any moe swords to shed the bloud of the LORDS annointed: or returne the sharpe swords from the point with a cutting edge on both sides, even up to the very hilts into their owne hearts bloud. O LORD, let the King flourish with a crowne of glory upon his head, and a Scepter of triumph in his hand, and still wash his Princely feet in the bloud of his enemies.
3. This spitefull rage and furious oposition of Satan against the power of the word, appears also by daily experience in those towns & parishes; where by the mercies of GOD, a conscionable Ministry is planted; before, while Satan ruled and raigned amongst them, by his wicked deputies, ignorance, prophanenes, Popish superstitions, sinful vanities, [Page 195] lewd sports, prophanation of the Saboth, filthines, drunkennes, and such other accursed Pursevants for Hell: Why then all was well, all was in quiet and in peace. O then that was a merry world, and as good a Towne for good-fellowship, as was in all the Country. And no marvaile: when a strong armed man keepeth his Pallace, the things that he possesseth are in peace. Luke 11. 21. While Sathan sits in their hearts, and rules in their Consciences; he suffers them to have their swings in their furious vanities and wicked pleasures, without any great disturbance or contradiction. And commonly he never sets prophane people together by the eares and at odds, but when his owne kingdome may be more strengthened, and their soules more endanger'd by dissention, than by their partaking in prophanenesse, and brotherhood in iniquity. Let it not seeme strange then, when townes and parishes where conscionable meanes are wanting, live merrily and pleasantly; for, they walke together in the knot of good-fellowship, through the broad way, they follow the course of their owne corruptions, and swing of their corrupt affection, and swim downe the current of the times, and are at Satans beck to do him any desperate and notorious service at all assaies, in all passages of prophanenesse, and offices of impiety and rebellion: but bring amongst such a powerfull Ministerie, which takes a right course for the plantation of grace, and salvation of their soules: and then marke how spitefully and furiously Satan begins to bestirre himselfe; besides [Page 196] his owne malice and machinations, he presently sets on foot and on fire too all that belong unto him in his instigation. They band and combine themselves with great rage and indignation against the power of the Word, and the faithfull messengers of GOD. They fret, and fume, picke unnecessary quarrels, raile, slander, and indeed foame out filthily their owne shame, in disgracing the truth of GOD without all truth or conscience: and il Satan spies any poore soule amongst them to be pulled out of his clutches and kingdome of darknesse by the preaching of the Word, he presently sets all the rest upon him as so many dogged curres, or rather furious wolves (for so our blessed Saviour makes the comparison) upon a harmelesse lambe; he whets (like sharpe razors) all the lying and lewd tongues in the towne, and tips them with the very fire of hell; so that they plead for prophanenesse, prophaning the Sabbath, and many sinfull fooleries and vanities in all places where they come. He makes those who have a little more wit, his close factors and under-hand-dealers: for that stands not with Satans policy, and the reputation of the worldly-wise, that themselves should be open actors in childish vanities, and profes'd enemies to the Law of GOD: they do him sufficient service by being secret patrons and protectors of impiety, counsellers and countenancers of the works of darknesse: he fils the mouthes of the ignorant with slanderous complaints and cries, that there was neuer good world since there was so much knowledge: that there [Page 197] was never more preaching, but never lesse working: whereas (poore soules) they never yet knew what grace or good work meant, or scarce good word: but their naughty tongues, and hatred to be reformed, are true causes why both the world and places where they live, are farre worse. Those that are desperately and notoriously naught, he inforces and inrages like mad dogs; so that they impudently and openly barke at, and with their impoysoned fangs furiously snatch at that hurtlesse hand which would heale and bind up their bleeding soules: they are like dogs barking at the moone; for, GODS Ministers are starres in the right hand of CHRIST, Revel. 1. 16. If they would do them any deadly harme, they must plucke them thence; but let them take heed how they be bold and busie that way, lest at last they take a beare by the tooth, and awake a sleeping lion.
Thus you see what a stirre the Devill keepes when he is like to be driven from his hold by the power of the Word: and how he playes the Devill indeed, when the light of the Gospell begins to shine in a place which himselfe hath long kept in darknesse and errour by those twofold fiends, ignorance and prophanenesse. Perhaps at the very first rising of that glorious sun of the Word of life unto a people that hath sit in darknesse and under the shadow of death, it breeds onely astonishment and amazement, they are for a while onely dazelled with the glory and beauty of so rare and extraordinary a light, but when after some little [Page 198] space they be thorowly heated, and it begin to burne up their noy some lusts, to gall their guilty consciences, to sting their carnall hearts, to vexe and disquiet their covetous affections, then begins all the stirre, and Satan to play his part: the sudden infliction of a wound is not so very painefull, and while it is greene it is not so grievous, but after, when it comes to be searched in cold bloud, to have tents put into it, and corrasives applied, then it goeth to the heart: When the sword of the Spirit first strikes the carnall heart, it may perhaps beare away the blow reasonable well; but if the Chirurgion of the soule, I meane the Minister of the Word follow his cure faithfully, and open the wound wider, as he sees need, apply spirituall cor [...]osives to eat away the ranknesse of the flesh, and the poyson of sinne, then begins the prophane man (if the LORD give him not grace to suffer his soule to be saved) to rage and rave with the smart of it, and perhaps with malice and fury to fly into the face of his soules Physitian.
See the humour of prophane men against the power of a conscionable Ministery, Ier. 44. 15, &c. Acts 13. 8. and Cap. 14. 2, &c. and Ver. 19. and Cap. 16. 19. and Cap. 17. 5. and Ver. 32. and Cap. 19. 2 [...]. and 24. 5.
This spite and malice of Satan against sincerity and grace is to be seene also in private families: if the governours of the house, the children and servants be all prophane (as it is very true of very many in most places) then they are passing well met for matter of Religion, and were there nothing [Page 199] amongst them to breed difference and dissention, but GODS service, they would never fall out: for they are all content to heare no more, or more often of the affaires of heaven, judgements for sin, the wayes of GOD, and reformation of their life, than they must needs: they are all willing and forward to prophane the Sabbath, in one kind or other; some by absenting themselves from the house of GOD, some by worldly talke all the day long, some by idlenesse, some by sinfull sports, &c. They are well content to lie downe at night, like wild beasts in their dens, without lifting up their hearts together unto that mercifull GOD which hath preserved and prospered them all the day: to rise up also in the morning, prayerlesse, or onely with formall prayers. They all joyne in malice against the Ministry of the Word, in slanderous lies against the messengers of GOD, in base and reviling speeches against the professours of Christianity. The reason is, they are all possessed with the same spirit of prophanenesse, love of pleasures, hatred to be reformed, and carnality of heart. But if it once please the LORD to plant grace in the heart of the Master of the family; so that he begin to plant in his house reformation, houshold instruction, prayer, sanctification of the Sabbath, and other holy orders, and godly exercises; then presently begins the Devill to stir in the hearts and tongues of their prophane servants: they begin to be furiously impatient of such precisenesse, strictnesse, and restraints (for so they wickedly and wrongfully call the pleasures of [Page 200] grace and way to heaven) they can by no meanes digest such new fashions: they'l not be troubled with giving account of Sermons they heare: they'l have their recreation on the Sabbath, that they will: they'l not be mew'd up at home, when other mens servants are at their sports abroad, &c. Nay perhaps even their owne children (except the LORD season them with the same grace) may grow stubborne and refractory, and very rebellious and disobedient to the best things: so that in a holy sense, CHRISTS words may be there truly verified, Matth. 10. 34, 35. Thus was zealous David troubled with the vanity of a scornefull, proud, and prophane wife, 2 Sam. 5. 20. Abel with a bloudy brother, Gen. 4. 8. Iacob with a prophane Esau, Gen. 27. 41. Isaac with a mocking Ishmael: And many a gracious heart in families where grace beares not sway, with the lewdnesse, malice, and ungodly oppositions of those among whom they live.
Or if it so fall out that the power of grace seaze on the heart of a servant or sonne, so that he begin to be sensible of the ignorance, disorders, prophanenesse, and sinfull confusions of the house where he dwels: desires to spend the Sabbath as Christians use to do: then presently begins Satan to put rage into the heart, and frownings into the face of the father or master of the family: he then takes on, tels him, that such precisenesse is not for his profit, hee'l have no such inferiour fellow to be a reformer of his family: hee'l not be controlled and contradicted in his owne house, hee'l governe [Page 201] his people in the old fashion as his father did before him, &c. so that there is no longer biding for that new convert under such a crabbed master, without a very great deale of patience. All this, and a thousand more mischiefes are the blacke broods and bloudy effects of Satans malice against the power of the Word, and the plantation of grace.
GOD Himselfe is the GOD of peace, CHRIST IESVS the Prince of peace, and the blessed Spirit is the fountaine of peace, that passeth all understanding, the holy Word is the Gospell of peace, the faithfull Ministers are the Messengers of reconciliation and peace, the Saints of GOD are the children of peace: The Divell and the rebellious corruptions of prophane men are indeed and truth the true causes of all these stirs and strong oppositions, which are raised any where, at any time, any waies in the case and cause of Religion. The fault I confesse, and imputation of troublesomenesse is lai'd upon GODS children by the lewd tongues of gracelesse men. See Ier. 15. 10. utterly without cause. 1. Kings 18. 17. Act. 24. 3 &c. but these and the like are lies hatch't in Hell, and managed by the malice of carnall men. And that was most true, which the blessed Prophet of GOD Elijah, and the holy Apostle Saint Paul answered in such cases, 1. Kings 18. 18. Act. 24. 13, 14. and so proportionably may all Christians answer all prophane wretches amongst whom they liue: It is you and your prophane families, your proud ignorance, hatred to be reformed, malice against the [Page 202] Ministery, &c. which trouble Israel, are the true causes of all Dissentions and disquietnesse, and bring upon us all these plagues and judgements which any way afflict us. A godly Minister stands at staves end with all the world, and hath the most enemies of any man. He must warre not onely with desperate swaggerers and notorious sinners, but also with civill honest men, formall Professors, counterfeit Christians, unsound converts, relapsed creatures, &c.
5. Lastly, That particular person, whom it pleases the LORD to sanctifie and set apart for his service, hath good experience of Satans fury and rage against sincerity and grace: there is not a man that passeth out of the powers of darkenesse and Satans bondage, by the power of the word, but he presently pursues him farre more furiously, then ever Pharaoh did the Israelites, to recover and regaine him into his kingdome. See my discourse of Happinesse, pag. 60.
Thus I have given you a taste of the Divells malice and machinations against the light of the Gospell, the power of GODS truth, and the Ministery of the Word: now you must understand that worldly wisdome is his very righthand, nearest counsellor and chiefest champion in all these mischievous plots and furious outrages against GOD and goodnesse. This hath beene more then manifest in all ages of the Church: In those great Politicians, the Scribes and Pharisees; in the States-men of Rome; in our times, and amongst us daily: worldly-wise men, that are only [Page 203] guided by carnall reason, they imploy their wit, their power, their malice, their friends, their under-hand dealings, their policy and their purses too, unlesse they be too covetous; to hinder, stop, disgrace, and slander the passage of a conscionable Ministery and the Messengers of Almighty GOD, of whom the LORD hath said, Touch not mine annointed, and doe my Prophets no harme, Psal. 105. 15. They ever imitate and follow to a haires bredth their Father the Divell in malice and practise against grace and good men; except sometimes they forbeare for a time for advantage, for reputation; or such other by-respects and private ends: except naturally they be extraordinarily ingenuous, and of very loving and kinde naturall dispositions; or bee restrained by feare of some remarkable judgement, from persecution of the Ministers.
2. As worldly wisdome is divelish, as Saint Iames calls it, and ever mixed with a spice of Hellish malice and virulency against the Kingdome of CHRIST: so it is also earthly, for it mindes onely earthly things, and though that casts beyond the Moone for matters of the world, yet it hath not an inch of forecast for the world to come: But though a man be to passe, perhaps the next day, nay the next houre, nay the next moment, to that dreadfull Tribunall of GOD, and to an unavoideable everlasting estate in another world, either in the joyes of heaven, or in the paines of hell, yet it so glues and nailes his hopes, desires, projects, and resolutions to transitory pelfe, and [Page 204] things of this life, as though both body and soule at their dissolution, should be wholly and everlastingly resolved, and turned into earth, dust, or nothing.
To give you a taste of this earthlinesse of worldly wisdome, give me a worldly-wise man, and,
1. Put him into discourse of the affaires of the world, and the businesse of his calling, and you shall find him profound and deepe in this argument, able to speake well and to the purpose, if it were a whole day, and that with dexterity and cheerfulnesse: But divert his discourse a little, and turne him into talke of matters of heaven, of the great mystery of godlinesse, the secrets of sanctification, cases of conscience, and such like holy conference; and you shall find him to be a very infant, an ideot: it may be, he may say something of the generall points of Religion, of matters in controversie, of the meaning of some places in Scripture: but come to conferre of practicall dignity, experimentall knowledge, passages of Christianity, and practices of grace, and you shall find him, and he shall shew himselfe to be able to say just nothing with feeling and comfort: many a poore neglected Christian, which in the spirit of disdainfulnesse, and out of the pride of his carnall wisdome, he tramples upon with contempt, and would scorne to be matcht with in other matters: yet would infinitely surpasse him in this case; quite put him downe, that he would have nothing to say.
[Page 205]2. Let him come to some great personage with a suit, to intreat his favour and countenance, or to give him thanks for some former good turn: and he will be able to speake well, plausibly, pleasingly, persuasively, and seasonably: but put him to pray in his family unto Almighty GOD for the pardon of his sins, and a crowne of life, for the remoovall of damnation and an everlasting curse; to powre out his soule in thankfulnesse for every good thing he enjoyeth (for he holds all from Him) and such a wise man (which is strange and fearefull) in a businesse of so great weight, will not be able to speake scarce one wise word without a booke.
3. Come into his family, examine the estate of his house, you shall find all things in good order, every affaire marshalled and disposed for the best advantage, a provident fore-cast, and present provision of things necessary for their bodies: Every one busie in their severall imployments, and carefull in the workes of their calling: but search also into the estate of their soules, what heavenly food is ministred for their spirituall life, how the Sabbath is sanctified among them, how it stands with them for houshold-instructions and familyexercises, &c. And (GOD knowes) in that regard, that way there is no providence at all, no care, no conscience about any such matters.
Walke also amongst his husbandry: you shall find his arable carefully dunged, tilled and sowne: his pastures well mounded, bankt and trencht; his trees pruned, his gardens weeded, his cattell [Page 206] watchfully tended: but inquire into the spirituall husbandry at home in his owne conscience, and you shall find his heart over-growne with sinne, as the wildest wast with thistles and briars: no fence to keepe the Devill out of his soule, many noysome lusts growing thick and ranke, like so many nettles and brambles to be cut downe and cast into the fire; so that his silliest lambe and poorest pig is in a thousand times more happie ease, then himselfe the owner, and well were he if his last end might be like theirs, that is, that his immortall soule might dye with his body: but that cannot be; except in the meane time he repent, and renounce his carnall reason, hee must be destroyed with an everlasting perdition, from the presence of GOD, and from the glory of His power.
4. Consider His care and affection towards His children; you shall finde that to be all earth: for whereas perhaps with farrelesse toyle and travaile, by the mercies of GOD, by teaching them the feare of GOD, instructing them in the wayes of godlinesse, restraining them from prophanenesse, and prophaning the Sabbath, by his owne example of piety and godly conversation, he might plant grace in their hearts, and provide a crowne of glory for their heads hereafter: yet (wretched man) he doth not onely wickedly neglect these meanes of everlasting comfort: but with too much worldlinesse, variety of vexations (and perhaps for his very wickednesse that way, if there were nothing else) with the great danger of his owne soule; he heapes up for them those hoards, [Page 207] that will hereafter heape coales of vengeance on their heads; and purchases and provides for them those greene pastures of a prosperous state in this world wherein they are fatted for the same slaughter, and thorow which they prophanely passe into the pit of the same endlesse destruction with himselfe.
5. Aske his judgement about the Sabbath, and ordinarily you shall find his resolution to be this; that he sees no reason but mens servants and children may enjoy some houres of recreation and sport even upon the Sabbath, especially with exception of times of Divine Service: what would they have us to do, (will he say) or what would they make of us? I hope they doe not looke we should be Angels upon earth: they know, we are but flesh and bloud. It is too true indeed, this cavilling against the keeping of the Sabbath savours full rankly of flesh and bloud.
GOD out of the abundance of His owne goodnesse, and compassionate consideration of our weakenesse hath allotted and allowed unto us six dayes for our owne businesse, and reserved but one to be consecrated in speciall manner, as glorious unto Him; and yet wretched men, they must needs clip the LORDS coyne, encroach upon His sanctified time, and unthankfully and accursedly spend those holy houres in which they should treasure up knowledge and comfort against that fearefull day, in idlenesse, worldinesse, and prophane pastimes, whereby besides the particular curse upon their owne soules, they many times [Page 208] draw many miseries and plagues upon the place where they live. This reason is carnall indeed, this wisdome is earthly with a witnesse.
6. Add another out of Luke 12. 39, 40.
Thus you see worldly wisdome in all that consultation and cariages inclines unto the earth, provides ever with greatest care for the world, and savours rankly of flesh and bloud.
3. It is also sensuall: for, it doth senslesly preferre the pleasures of sense and pleasing the appetite, before the peace of conscience and sense of GODS favour. It provides a thousand times better for a body of earth, which must shortly upon an unavoidable necessity, feed the wormes, and turne to dust; than for a precious immortall foule, the immediate issue of GODS almightinesse, and which can never possibly die: It doth with greater sweetnesse and hold-fast, relish, apprehend and enjoy the furious delights of some bosome-sinne, which it hath in present pursuit, taste and possession, than spirituall graces, GODS favour, joy in that blessed Spirit, and a crowne of life hereafter; for which it hath GODS Word and Promise, if it would be wise to salvation. In a word: it doth so highly preferre a few bitter-sweet pleasures for an inch of time in this vale of teares, before unmixed and immeasurable joyes thorow all eternity in the glorious mansions of heaven: Is not this wisdome strangely nailed and glued unto sense, and stupidly senslesse in spirituall things, that though many times fore-told and fore-warned by the Ministry of the Word, yet will needs for the [Page 209] temporary satisfaction of its carnall, covetous, or ambitious humour, with filthy vexing, transitory pelfe, with vanity, dung, nothing, run wilfully and headlong upon easelesse, endlesse, and remedilesse torments in the world to come? And that which is the just curse and plague of worldly wisdome, (this spirituall madnesse commonly called) it is confident that it doth wisely, and takes the best way, and thereupon becomes incorrigible and obstinate: For there is more hope of a foole, than of him that is wise in his owne conceipt, Prov. 26. 22. And, Though thou shouldest bray a foole in a morter, yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him, Prov. 27. 22. How fearefull then is his case, that to his worldly wisdome joynes confidence in his wayes? But the day will come that hee'l see and bewaile the vanity of his wisdome, and the truth of his folly, and that with bitter griefe and horrible anguish even in hell fire, as it is notably set downe in the booke of Wisdome, Cap. 5.
But the word which here in Iames is rendred sensuall, is the same which is used, 1 Corinth. 2. 14. The naturall man receiveth not the things, &c. [...].
So that worldly wisdome is in that sense naturall: that it can neither relish nor receive the things of the spirit: it cannot possibly conceive and comprehend the immediate meanes and mysteries of salvation: let a man otherwise be never so faire and comely in body, never so proportionable, personable, or goodly to look upon, and in the eye of others, yet if himselfe want eyes (the [Page 210] instruments of light, he cannot possibly behold and gaze upon with delight the goodlinesse and glory of this great frame of the world about him: he cannot see the brightnesse of the Sun, the beauty of the earth, and the delightsome variety of the creatures: so a worldly-wise man, though he be never so gracefull for his other parts, never so admirable to carnall eyes, or mightily magnifi dby his flatterers or favourites: yet wanting the saving sight of GODs sanctifying Spirit, and the eye of spirituall understanding, is starke blind in spirituall matters, and cannot possibly behold the rich paradise of the kingdome of grace, the secrets of sanctification, and the incomparable glory and excellency of Christianity. This wisdome of the flesh serves the worldling (like the Ostrich wings) to make him to out▪ run others upon the earth and in earthly things; but can helpe him never a whit towards heaven: nay, is rather like a heavy millstone about his necke, to make him sinke deeper into the bottomlesse pit of hell.
The reason why these great politicians and jolly wise men of the world (as they are called) for all their depths and devices, with all their wit and windings, cannot understand one tittle of the things of GOD, is, because this spirituall knowledge is hid from them, for so saith our Saviour CHRIST, Mat. 11. 25. I give thee thankes O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding, and hast revealed them unto babes. And this reason our Saviour rendreth why he spake to worldlings [Page 211] in parables, and to his Disciples plainely, because to these it was given to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven, but to them it was not given. And indeed it is just with GOD, that,
1. Sith they (when the glorious sun of the Word of life shines surely upon their faces, do wilfully shut their eyes against it, that He should strike them starke blind, so that for matters of salvation they should grope even at noone-day, as the blind gropeth in darknesse, and stumbleth in the darkest night.
2. Sith they depend on their owne policy, depths, and turning devices, GOD justly turnes them loose to follow the swing of their carnall reason; and suffers them to lie and delight themselves in the sensualmists, and self-conceipted fooleries and vanities of their own naturall wisdome: while the Moone lookes directly upon the Sun, from whom she borrowes her light, she is bright and beautifull, but if she once turne aside, and be left to her selfe, she loses all her glory, and enjoyes but onely a shadow of light which is her owne: so while men with humility and teachablenesse turne their faces toward the Sun of righteousnesse, CHRIST IESVS, and those Starres which he holds in his right hand, the faithfull Ministers, to receive from them illumination in heavenly things, and instruction in the wayes of GOD, GOD doth graciously vouchsafe unto them the glorious light of saving knowledge: but when they turne their backs upon Him, betake themselves to their owne plots and projects, devices and policies, and [Page 212] seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the LORD: then they are justly left to the darksome giddinesse of their carnall reason, and walke towards fearefulnesse and horrour, thorough the windings and turnings of their worldly wisdome.
3. Because they are proud of their earthly policy, the LORD will not give them prudence in heavenly matters: because they are wise in their own conceipts, they are justly given over to follow the deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts: with an imperious disdainfulnesse, they scorne the simplicity of the Saints, and therefore they are justly blinded, to thinke the wayes of their salvation foolishnesse.
4. Worldly men make an Idoll of their wisdome: both in respect that they wholly repose themselves upon it, for their provision and protection, and because they secretly desire to be admired and adored for it, as men of extraordinary endowments, and oracles of discretion and policy: and it may be, that they are so by their favourites and flatterers: but they must give GOD His Word, and good men leave to censure them truly and justly to be the notoriousest fooles upon earth, because they are infants and ideots in the matters and mysteries of salvation. Now I say, because they make an idoll of their wisdome, GOD and this earthly Dagon cannot possibly dwell together in one soule, but in his just judgement suffers them with such doting devotion, selfconceipt to sacrifice unto it, that they want both understanding and hearts to do him any acceptable service.
[Page 213]This naturall and sensuall wisdome being thus hoodwinked from al heavenly light by GODs just judgement, and by the pride, prejudice, wilfulnesse, selfenesse of the owner doth proportion and measure all its conceipts and considerations of Religion and religious men by the unsound and sensuall principles of our corrupt nature, and by the false scantling of carnall reason.
We may see this carnality of worldly wisdome in censuring spirituall things in Nicodemus, Ioh. 3. See also a carnall conceipt of worldly wisdome in my Discourse of true happinesse, pag. 58, 59.
Hence it is also that we find it to be a constant property of a worldly-wise man to conceive or censure a zealous profession of GODs truth, and sound practice of sincerity, to be nothing but hypocrisie and humour: an affectation of singularitie, precisenesse, and a kind of odnesse from other men. The reason is, when he lookes upon himselfe in the flattering glasse of selfe-conceipt, he judges himselfe to be a very jolly fellow: thinkes he within his owne heart; I go for a sufficient man in the world: the best make good account of me: Quis (que) in alio supersluum esse censet, ipse quod non h [...]bet, nec cu [...]at: That which he hath not himselfe, or doth not esteeme, he accounts superfluity, an idle quality, a meere foppery or hypocrisie in another. I am well beloved of my neighbours: my sufficiency for wisdome, moderation in Religion, civility for cariage, justnesse in dealings with men, are both knowne, and well spoke of by the most: and what would you have more in a man? Hereupon, out of this practicall survey of his owne counterfeit worth, and because he is starke blind in spirituall matters, and the affaires of heaven, he presently concludes, whatsoever zeale, singularities [Page 214] of grace and spirituall excellencies are supposed by some kind of men to be in others, especially, if they be of lower rank and lesse account for worldly wisdome than himselfe, to be nothing but onely outward shewes, pretences and hypocrisies: he is furnished in his owne conceipt with a competency, if not an extraordinary sufficiency of naturall and morall endowments▪ and he never felt either the power of grace, neither can possibly see or acknowledge those holy operations in others: and therefore he cannot be perswaded, but he is fully as good as the precisest of them (for that's the language of prophanenesse against grace) and that there is no worth worth naming, or any true reall goodnesse in those they now call Christians, over and besides that which he findeth in himselfe.
5. Concerning greatnesse of nobility, understand that by nobles I meane both the greater and lesse nobility, according to D r. Smiths distinction Cap. 17, 1 [...]. in his Common-Weale of England: And this double nobility is of diverse sorts. 1. Personall. 2. By descent.
6. There is yet another nobility, which is divine and super-naturall; in regard whereof all other kinds whatsoever are but shadowes and shapes of noblenesse. Here GOD is top of the kin, and religion is the root. These are truly and the onely noble indeed, and so accounted by King David, though of no account in the world at all. How rarely is the glorious image of the LORD IESVS (which onely creates this excellency) [Page 215] seene shine in their soules, or show forth it selfe in their holy conversation, who glister in outward glory, and are lifted up above others by eminency of noble birth, or indulgence of highest favours. Such noblemen and gentlemen are blacke swans, and thinly scatter'd in the firmament of a State, even like starres of the first magnitude. For, saith my Text, Not many noble, &c.
And that no marvell, for many reasons. And yet I will not here trouble you, in telling how miserably and extremely ill those who be better borne are ordinarily educated. Alas, they are too often brought up in ignorance, idlenesse, excessive pursuit of sports and vaine things: in drinking, carnall loosenesse, riotous excesse, in sensuality, pride, prophanation of the LORDS Day: In strange fashions, healthing, gaming, good-fellowship: in frequenting Playes, those grand impoysoners of many hopefull plants, with universall, prophane, unnaturall dissolutenesse, melting unhappily the vigour of their spirits into effeminatenesse, lightnesse and lust. And almost ever in a constant opposition to the good way, the power of godlinesse, and strictnesse of the Saints, who are the ordinary objects of their greatest distast, jesting and scorne: and whereas they (of all others) have best meanes, largest maintenance, most time, capacity, and pregnancy of wit, and other encouraging advantages whereby they might become excellent schollers, of eminent abilities, proportionable to their precedency in birth: yet for want of a conscionable care in their education, of choice [Page 216] for godly and worthy Schoole-masters, Tutors, Teachers, Consorts, Ministers, and restraint from the corruptions of the times: and by reason of their perverting and empoysoning by the forenamed youthfull aberrations, or rather exorbitancies. They passe through those famous nurceries of learning and law, without any materiall impressions of Academicall worth, or wisdome of State. At length returning many times unto rich inheritances, and faire estates, and then reflecting upon their lost time with late repentance, and finding in themselves neither any competent sufficiencies to serve their Countrey, or to little purpose, and very poorely; norany solid stocke of sound learning for their working spirits to be exercis'd in, and feed upon with contentment: they resolvedly languish and dissolve into idlenesse and pleasures, as though they were put into the world, as Leviathan into the sea, to take their pastime therein. And so at last in respect either of personall worth, or the publike good, they become but unprofitable burdens of the earth: and by their exemplary ill expence of time, if not farre baser trickes; the very bane of the Countreys that bred them, and great dishonour to the families that owne them. For assure your selves, to be well borne, and live like an humane beast, is a notorious blemish to a noble House: and let never any be so vaine, as to brag of their birth, except they be new-borne: this honour of birth (saith Charron) may light upon a vicious Pag. 2 [...]1. man, &c.
[Page 217]Neither will I here take up a complaint of the much lamented degeneration of our moderne Nobility and Gentry (I ever except the truly worthy and noble) from even the civill worthines, military valour, and noble deportment of former times. Now adaies, if a man looke big, be first in the fashions, shake his shag-haire in aboisterous and ruffian-like manner, carie himselfe with a disdainfull neglect and proud bravery, and with an affected, and artificiall haughtinesse of countenance, outbrave others, and brow-beat his brethren, better than himselfe, he is the man. But alas! How farre distant is this, and degenerating from true generousnes, and that sweet amiable courtesie and affability which is wont to dwell in the gentle breasts of the ancient English Nobles? I am afraid if we go on, our posterity will find in the next age the basest generation of English that ever breathed in this famous Kingdome. Sir Walter Rawleigh, I confesse in his excellent Work having discoursed and discussed of this Question, Lib. 5. pag. [...]61. & seq. whether the Romans could have rectified the Great Alexander, makes good in a second place to the matchlesse honour of this Nation, that neither the Macedonian nor the Roman souldier was of equall valour to the English. But when were those times? When his Father sent to the Blacke Prince, fighting (as it were) in bloud to the knees, and in great distresse this message: Let him Histor. of Frame pag. 196. either vanquish or die. When Warwicke, Bedsord, and that famous Talbot, and such other victorious English Commanders with their valiant [Page 218] armies walked up and downe France, like so many invincible Lions. But oh the mighty, and unconquerable manhood and magnanimity of the ancient English! Whether art thou gone, and where art thou buried, that we might visit thy Tombe? But I say, to let these passe, I onely lay hold upon that which is most pregnant and punctuall to my purpose. These Nobles in my text, and ordinarily in all times swallow downe so many bai [...]s from the Devils hands, are so surrounded with variety and strength of temptations: so ill brought up, and so vainely puft up with insolency and selfe-estimation because they are lifted up above others: They are so lined with inextricable ensnarements, by pleasures, riches, honours, ease, liberty, earthly splendour, bravery, applause of the world, and pride of life; that commonly, by such time as they come to the strength of body and mind, corrupt affection obtaines its full strength and height, and hardnesse in their hearts: And then, and by that time, in what danger they are for salvation, you may perceive by well weighing the condition of this Devillish engine, and its cursed companion, which I am wont to describe thus:
It is the ripened and actuated strength and rage Corrupt affection defined. of originall corruption that furiously executes the rebellious dictates of the Devill, and desperate projects of mens sensuall hearts: stands at defiance, professes open hostility against grace, goodnesse, good men, good causes, and all courses of sanctification: seeds upon so long, and fils it selfe [Page 219] so full with worldly vanities and pleasures, that growing by little and little incorrigible, and hating to be reform'd, it breeds, and brings forth (as its naturall issue) despaire, horrour, and the worme which never dies.
And this corrupt affection is of it selfe, and naturally, First, untameable; Secondly, insatiable; Thirdly, desperate.
1. Untameable. The heart of man is naturally No workes, signes or miracles are able to change the hardnesse of mans heart, but grace from GOD onely. of the hardest flint, hew'd immediatly out of the sturdy and stubborne rock of the race of Adam. It owne corruption, the just curse of GOD upon it, and the accursed influence of hellish malice, fill it so full of iron sinewes, and of such adamant and prodigious hardnesse, that no crosse or created Ioh. 12. 37, 38. power, not the softest eloquence or severest course; nay, not the weight of the whole world, or the heavinesse of hell, if they were all pressed upon it, could possibly bend and breake it, make it yeeld or relent one jot from it obstinate and outragious fury in it owne waies: this is onely the worke of the holy Ghost, with the hammer of the Word. The stubborne Israelites were heavily laden, with an extraordinary variety of most grievous crosses and afflictions: there was nothing wanting to make them outwardly miserable; and no misery inflicted upon them, but upon purpose to humble and take downe their rebellious hearts. See Isa. 1. 5, 6, 7. How the Prophet paints out to the life the rufull and distresfull state of their fresh-bleeding desolations: The whole head (saith he) is sicke, and the whole heart is heavy, &c. for the [Page 220] place is meant, not (as some take it) of their sins, but of their sorrowes. But all the blowes and pressures were so farre from softning their hearts, that they hardned and emmarbled more and more. Wherefore (saith the Prophet) should ye be smitten any more, for ye fall away more and more? What created power can possibly have more power upon the soules of men, than the sacred Sermons of the Son of GOD, who spake as never man spake? And yet these deare intreaties and melting invitations which sweetly & tenderly flow'd from that heart, which was resolved to spill that warmest and inmost blood for their sakes moved those stiffe-necked Iewes never a jot: Ierusalem, Ierusalem, saith he, which killest the Prophets, &c. Mat. 23. 37. Isaiah that noble Prophet, whose matchelesse eloquence surpasseth the capacity of the largest created understanding; and to which the powerfull elegancies of prophane writers is purebarbarisme, shed many and many a gracious and golden shower of softest and sweetest eloquence upon a sinfull nation and rebellious people, which was fruitlesly and vainly spilt as water upon the ground, or lost upon the hardest slint: many a piercing and powerfull Sermon had he spent amongst them, to the wasting of his strength and spirits; which yet was to them as an idle and empty breath, vanishing into nothing, and scatter'd in the aire. The LORD (as He saies Himselfe) made His mouth as a sharpe sword, Cap. 49. 4. and Himselfe as a chosen shaft; and yet that twoedged sword was full often blunted upon their hardest hearts; and his keene arrowes discharged [Page 221] by a skilfull hand, rebounded from their flinty bosomes, as shafts shot against a stone wall. And that made that Seraphicall Oratour, the unmatched Paragon of sacred eloquence, thus to complaine, Isa. 47. 4. I have laboured in vaine, I have spent my strength in vaine, and for nothing: A course of extraordinary severity and terrour was taken with Pharaoh; he was not onely chastised with rods, but even scourged with Scorpions: and yet all the plagues of Egypt were so farre from piercing and softening his hard heart, as that every particular plague added a severall iron sinew, and more slintinesse to his already stony heart. And as the heart is naturally thus hardened towards godlinesse, so also hollow towards the godly: See Sauls cariage towards David. No materiall waight can more crush the heart of man, than braying in a morter; and yet saith Salomon, Prov. 27. 22. Though thou shouldest bray a foole, a desperate sinner, a rebellious wretch in a morter amongst wheat brayed with a pestill; yet will not his foolishnesse, his sinfulnesse, which is the greatest, depart from him, no more than the skin from the Blacke-moore, or the spots from the Leopard by washing him. Shame an old obstinate beaten sinner with his horrible ingratitude; show him the ugly face of his hainous sinnes, tell him of the losse of the happinesse of heaven; affright him with the feare of hell and damnation: in all this he is like a Smiths anvill, that growes harder and harder for all his hammering. Lastly, a damned spirit, though he lie in the lowest dungeon of utter darknesse, laden with that [Page 222] burden of sinne, which prest downe a glorious Angell of light and all his followers from the top of heaven into that lowest pit, with the full weight of the unquenchable and everlasting wrath of GOD; with all the heavy chaines of that infernall lake; and with that which (me thinkes) is farre worse and more cutting than many hels, than ten thousand damnations, even with despaire of ever having ease, end, or remedy of those most bitter, everlasting, intolerable hellish torments: I say, though a damned soule be thus laden, and thus heavily prest downe with all this cursed waight, and hainousnesse of hell; yet he is still as hard as a stone. So certaine it is, that no curse, or created power, not the softest eloquence or severest course, not the waight of the whole world or the heavines of hell; if all were prest and laid upon the heart of a man; could possibly breake that stubbornesse, or tame that rebellion. This is onely the worke of the blessed Spirit with the hammer of the Word.
This hardnesse of heart had attained a strange height even in the worlds infancy: into what a prodigious rocke is that growne now then by length of time, in so many ages, sith every generation since, by invention of new sinnes, and addition of hainousnesse unto the old, have every one added thereunto a severall iron sinew, and a further degree of flintinesse. What a heart was got into Cains breast, who was first cut out of the stony rocke of corrupt man-kind; remorse of shedding the guiltlesse bloud of his murthered brother, [Page 223] which was able to have melted an adarnant into bloudy teares, moved him never a whit. Nay, the presence of Almighty GOD, at which the Psal. 114. 7. earth trembles, the hills melt like waxe, which turneth Psal 47. 5. the rocke into water-pooles, and the stint into a fountaine Psal. 114. 8. of water, (as David speakes) yet made his stony heart relent never a whit. Nay, yet further, GODS mighty voice immediately from His owne mouth, which breakes the cedars, and shakes the wildernesse, which was able with one word even in a moment to turne the whole world into nothing, and the sonnes of men as though they had never beene; yet (I say) this powerfull and mighty voice did not at all amaze or mollifie the un-relenting stubbornenesse of this bloudy wretch: but in a strange dogged fashion he answers GOD Almighty even to His face. For, when GOD mildly and fairely asked him what was become of his brother Abel, he answered, I cannot tell: Nay, further, as though he had bid GOD go looke, he faith, Am I my brothers keeper? Where take this Gen. 4. 9. note by the way; Let not Christians thinke much to receive dogged answers and disdainfull speeches from prophane men: you see how doggedly this fellow answers even GOD Almighty: The Disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord: It is enough for the Disciple to be as the Master, and the servant as his Lord: if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his houshold? Mat. 10. 24, 25.
What a strange stony heart lodged in the breast of the tyrant Pharaoh? When the Prophet (1 Kin. [Page 224] 13.) cried to the altar of Ieroboam, O altar, altar, the altar clave presently asunder at the Word of GOD in the mouth of the Prophet; but this mighty hammer of the Word, ( Ier. 23. 29.) with ten miracles gave ten mighty strokes at Pharaohs heart; and yet could find no entrance, could not pierce it; but rebounded backe as an arrow shot against a stone wall. Let no man then thinke it strange to see many stubborne and rebellious wretches run on in their courses, and rage against the waies of GOD, though they have both the Ministry of the Word of GOD to reclaime them, and be many times singled out particularly by the hand of GOD with some speciall judgement, for the abatement of their fury. For, the rebelliousnesse of mans nature can never possibly be tamed, corrupt affection can never be conquered, untill the heart wherein it sits inthron'd, be crusht and broke in peeces: and this hardnesse of heart can never be mortified, no created power can possibly pierce it, untill the Almighty Spirit take the hammer of the Word into His owne hand; that by His speciall, unresistable power He may first breake and bruise it, and after by sprinkling it with the bloud of CHRIST, dissolve it into teares of true repentance, that so it may be softened, sanctified, and sav'd. And let no man marvell, that the powerfullest Ministry doth produce by accident the most pestilent scorners, cruellest persecutors, and men of most raging cariage against the meanes of their salvation; for these reasons.
1. From the nature of the glorious Gospell [Page 225] of IESVS CHRIST, the sunn of righteousnesse, which shining upon one that hath spirituall life, will more reuiue and quicken him: but in one dead in sinnes and trespasses, causes him to stinke more hatefully before the face of GOD and man.
2. From the cruelty of Satan: who laies more burdens and heavier chaines upon him; that the Ministers labour to pull out of h [...]s snares.
2. Vnsatiable. Corrupt affection is unsatiable in all it sensuall pursuits for the empoysoned,
1. Fountaine of originall pollution is bottomlesse, restlesse, and ever working; it sends out uncessantly fresh desires, new longings, and more greedinesse, for the grasping, engrossing, and devouring of earthly delights and carnall pleasures.
2. When the heart of man forsakes the blessed and boundlesse Fountaine of living waters; of which if it should drinke heartily and sincerely, and every drop should be in it a well of water springing up to everlasting life; and digs unto it earthly pits; wherout to suck the muddy▪ and troubled streams of vanity and sensuall delights; then GOD in his just Iudgement makes those pits bottomlesse, that they'le hold no water; so that it shall seeke and never bee satisfied: it shall toile and tire out it selfe in waies of wickednes and destruction, and shall never find end and rest; but in endlesse woe and restlesse torments.
3. Never was jaylor so jealous over his prisoners, as Satan is watchfull over every wicked man. [Page 226] And therefore least he should waxe weary of his way to hell, he failes not by a secret accursed influence to fill his sinfull heart, with an unquenchable thirst after pleasures of the earth. And he doth not onely put this insatiable thirst into the soule of a carnall man; but also by his jugling and art of imposture, he gilds over sensuall objects, with lying glory, and a deceitfull lustre, and puts a violent, strong inticing power into wordly vanities, that they may continually feed his greedy appetite with fresh succession, and an endlesse variety of sensuall sweetnesses. Satan himselfe is infinite in malice against the majesty of GOD. Hee drinkes up sinne, and devoures iniquity with as insatiable greedinesse, as Behemoth the river Iordan. Of all those huge mountaines, the numberlesse number, and purple seas of sinnes and transgressions, which have at any time, any where, by any creature been committed since himself first fell from heaven unto this hou [...]e, or shall be from thence untill the day of doome, or from thence everlastingly in hell, by bannings, cursings and despaires amongst those damned fiends: I say, of all these sinnes Satan is guilty one way or other: and if he might have his will, he hath malice enough to make an infinite addition both in number and hainousnesse. Where one sinne is committed, he wisheth there were ten thousand. Hee would have every sinfull thought be a sin of Sodomy: every idle word a desperate blasphemy: every angry looke, a bloody murther: every frailty, a crying sinne: every default, a damnable rebellion. Now as Satan himselfe is thus infinite [Page 227] and insatiable in the waies of darknesse; so doth hee inspire every limbe of his with a spice of this sinfull greedinesse, and restlesse pursuit of their owne wicked waies. To give an instance of trembling and terrour in this kind, and of Satans mercilesse malice that way. I knew a man which in his life time was given to that fearefull blasphemous sinne of swearing, who comming to his deathbed, Satan so fild his heart with a madded and enraged greedinesse after that, most gainelesse and pleasurelesse sinne) that though himselfe swore as fast and furiously as he could; yet (as though hee had beene already amongst the bannings and blasphemies of hell) he desperatly desir'd the standersby to helpe him with oathes, and to sweare for him. Incredible rage, prodigious fury! Now if Satan be able to beget such insatiablenesse after sin wherein there is no profit or delight at all; how fiercely & fearefully will he enrage carnall men in the pursuit of gainfull, pleasure full and advancing sinnes?
You see then how the insatiablenesse of corrupt affection springs out of the fountaine of originall naughtinesse, from the just curse of GOD and malice of Satan.
It is cleare and evident by ordinary experience, and observation in the world, with what insatisfiable desire and greedinesse, corrupt affection doth feed upō that sensuall object, and earthly pleasure, upon which with speciall apprehension, and delightfull taste, it seazes and sets it selfe.
1. If it fall in love with honour and high [Page 228] roomes; it begets ambition, which is an unsatiable thirst after glory, and a gluttonous excessive desire after greatnesse. Of all other vicious passions which doe possesse the heart of man, it is the most powerfull and unconquerable. As it is superlative and transcendent in it object and aspirations; and seated in the highest, and haughtiest spirits; so is it resolute and desperate in it undertakings furious and head-strong in it pursuits and persecutions. It is ventrous to remove any let, and hardned for all meanes; many times without remorse or teares, it takes out of the way by some cruell contriuance, their dearest friends, and tramples the neerest blood, as we see ordinarily in the Turkish Emperours, to get up into an high place, and grasp an Imperiall Crowne. It is victorious over all other affections, and maisters even the sensuality of lustfull pleasures, as we may see in many great men of the Heathens, Alexander, Scipio, Pompey, and many others; who being tempted with the exquisitenes and varieties of choisest beauties, yet forbare that villanie, not for conscience sake, or for feare of GOD, whome they knew not; but least thereby they should stop the current of their uictorious atchieuements, and obscure the glory of their remarkable valour. It preferres a high roome in the world before a temporall life; yea, and eternall life too. How many great mens hearts have burst, at the displeased and frouning countenance of a King? how many either by desperate practices or their own violent hands have brought themselves to untimely ends, because they were [Page 229] impatient of the lower places they had formerly enjoyed. Achitophel, when hee was like to loose the reputation and ranke of a Privy Councellour, sadled his Asse, went home, put his house in order, and hanged himselfe. How many daily runne great hazards, to domineere for a while in their undeserved dignities? And prepare against the day of wrath, by an unconscionable purchasing of highest roomes amongst the sonnes of men?
Lastly, it is uncapable of society, and sharpned by the enjoyment of that it desireth. Give roome to Caesar, and heele ambitiously pursue the Soveraignty of the whole world: Let Alexander conquer the whole world, heele aske for moe; let those be subdued; he would climbe towards the starres, if he could aspire thither, he would peep beyond y e heavens. For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire like hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, &c. Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse gulfe of hell, or stop the insatiable jawes of death? neither can the greedy humour of a haughty spirit be satisfied. Let a consideration of that crowne of endlesse joy and glory, which the Christian hath in pursuit; be unto him a counterpoyson to uphold his heart in comfort and contentment against the vanity and venome of such endlesse ambitions; and if men be so infinitly ventrous for an earthly crowne, which (as one sayes) if wee well weighed with what feares, jealousies, cares, insidiations, &c. it is thick set, if we found it before us in the way, we would not take it up. I say then, how eager should wee bee [Page 228] [...] [Page 229] [...] [Page 230] after the glory of Heaven?
2. If corrupt affection fall in love with riches, and the wedge of gold, it begets covetousnesse, the vilest and basest of all the infection of the soule: as ambition haunteth the haughtiest spirits, so covetousnesse lodgeth in the most dunghill disposition, it turnes the soule of man, that noble and immortall spirit into earth and mud: whereas it might live in heaven upon earth, and by holy meditation, by a sweet familiarity and acquaintance (as it were) with GOD, and conversing above, and in that everlasting heaven of endlesse happinesse hereafter: It lies in hell upon earth, and by restlesse torture of unsatiable greedinesse, makes way by it rooting to descend into the hell of wicked devils in the world to come. This devouring gangrene of greedinesse to get riches, doth not onely by a most incompatible antipathy, keepe out grace and GODS feare; but also by it venomous heat wast and consume all honest and naturall affection, both to man, and beasts, to parents, kindred, friends and acquaintance. Nay, it makes a man contemne himselfe body and soule, wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enjoyment of this short time of this present mortality, and all hope of th [...] length of that blessed eternity to come, for a lit [...]le transitory pelfe, which he doth neither enjoy or use; except it be for use which enlargeth his covetous thirst as mightily, as it brings forth money monstrously.
Besides, covetousnesse pierceth thorow the soule with a thousand torments, and the riches of [Page 231] iniquity ingender in the heart of man many tortures, envies and molestations, as their proper thunderbolt and blasting. And of all other vile affections it is most sottishly and senslesly unsatiable, Eccles. 4. 8. For, how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall and heavenborne spirit of a man? It cannot be: and the Spirit of GOD hath said it shall not be; Eccles. 5. 9. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, &c. Hence it is, that the deeplier the drowsie heart of this covetous man doth drinke of this golden streame, the more furiously it is inflam'd with spirituall thirst. Nay, it is most certaine, that if the covetous man could purchase a monopoly of all the wealth in the world; were he able to empty the Westerne parts of gold and silver; and the East of pearles and jewels; should he enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heaven to the other; and heape his hoards unto the starres: yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches, as if he had never a penny, and much more: Such is GODS curse upon that man which makes his gold his god. And this insatiablenesse in the covetous man begets cruelty and oppression of others, and perpetual want of contentment and comfort in that he hath already. Sweetnes of gaine makes him many times drinke the bloud & eat the flesh of the oppressed. He begins first (if he be of power and place) to grind the faces of the poore; then to pluck of their skins, then to tear their flesh, then to break their bones, and chop them in peeces as flesh for the pot, and at last even to eat the flesh of GODS [Page 232] people. That is; first to weary them out with petty wrongs and extraordinary occasions, to vexe them with new conditions, and unconscionable encroachments: and at last to wring their pensive soules from their wasted and hunger-starv'd bodies, with extremity of oppression, and cruelty of covetousnesse. And that which is a just curse upon the covetous man; he is ever infinitely more tormented with the want of that which he doth immoderately and unnecessarily desire, than contented and comforted with the enjoyment of those things he doth presently possesse. The ambitious man, if he be disgrac'd and over-top'd by any grand opposite and counterfactionist, or derided and revil'd with baser and inferiour contempt, or neglected by omission of some due observance and ceremony of state: he (I say) is more griev'd, if he want grace, for some such little default in the attributions of his place, and want of complementall respect in that measure, and of such men as he desires; than he hath glory and pompe in his highest place. This is cleare in Haman; though he was compassed and crown'd with such undeserved and extraordinary precedency and pompe; yet this one little thing, because Mordecai would not bow the knee and do reverence to him at the Kings gate, did utterly marre and dissweeten all the other excellencies of his new advancement, and extraordinarinesse of the Kings favour: See Hester 5. 10, 11, 12, 13. And Haman told his wife and friends of all his glory, &c. But all this (saith he) doth nothing availe me as long as I see Mordecai the [Page 233] Iew sitting at the Kings gate. As it is thus in ambition, and in great men that are gracelesse; they many times take more to heart (out of the pride of their hearts) the want of some one circumstantiall observance, and of reverence from some one man; than they heartily enjoy all the other glory of their place: so it is also with the covetous man; though already he hath more than enough; yet some greedy wish of a new addition doth more torture his heart, than the rowing amongst al his other wealth can rejoyce it. Ahab, though he had already 1 King. 21. 4. in his hand the riches, glory, pleasures, & soveraignty of a kingdome, yet after he had cast his covetous eye upon poor Naboths vinyard w ch was near his palace, his heart did more afflict and vex it self with greedy longing for that bit of earth; than the vast and spacious compasse of a kingdome could counter-comfort. He could take no joy in the beauty of a crowne, and largenesse of his royall command, because his poore neighbour would not deprive himselfe and all his posterity of the inheritance of his fathers, which his ancestors had enjoyed time out of mind.
For a counterpoyson against the greedy gangrene of hoarding up riches; consider in what stead thy riches will stand thee upon thy bed of death; consider that speech of a poore distressed woman afflicted in conscience, whom I heard thus say in the agony of her grieved spirit, I have husband, goods, and children, and other comforts; I would give them all the treasures of the earth if I had them, and all the good I shall have in [Page 234] this world or in the world to come, to feele but the least taste of the favour of GOD in the pardon of my sinne: she would in this case with all her heart haue giuen the warmest and dearest bloud of her heart for one drop of CHRISTS bloud to do away her sinnes.
If corrupt affections fall in love with worldly pleasure, such as are surfeiting and drunkennesse, chambering and wantonnesse, lust and uncleannesse, unlawfull sports and recreations, it begets a strange furious thirst and heat in the carnall appetite, which cannot be satisfied, but like the two daughters of the horsleech, which cry still, give, give; which is set on fire by hell: and therefore it is as unsatiable as that bottomlesse infernall pit; every taste of sensuality serves as fewell to increase the flame and fury of concupiscence: We see it in drunkards, who by drinking do not quench their thirst, and satisfie their appetite, but by their immoderate swilling both increase the burning thirst of their bodies and inraged intemperance of their minds. We heare it of wantons, Wisd. 2. Come let us enjoy the pleasures that are present, &c. Let us crowne our selves with roses before they wither, let there be no pleasant meadow which our luxuriousnesse doth not passe over; let us leave some token of our pleasure in every place, for that is our portion, and this is our lot. Every Carnalist feeles it in himselfe after once he hath given the reins to his concupiscence: he is like a strong man running headlong downe a steepe hill, though he would never so faine, he cannot stay himselfe, but run still faster and faster, [Page 235] till he breake his neck at the bottome: If once he suffers the fountaine of originall pollution which naturally flowes out of his rocky heart, to have that free and full course: it will shortly gather in its passage many strong and heady streames of stub bornenesse and rebellion, untill by growing by little and little in strength and swiftnesse, it swell into a mighty and furious torrent, so at last fall with fearefull noyse and horrour into the gulfe of irrecoverable misery. In a word, after the heart of a man be set upon any sensuall delight, it feeds upon it as greedily as the horsleech upon corrupt bloud, it will burst before it give over. It will by no meanes part with its hold untill it either be broken with the hammer of the Word, or burst with the horrour of despaire. It drinkes so deepe and long of the empoysoned cup of carnall pleasures, untill the LORD fill it unto its brim, full of the cup of wine of his indignation, and bid it drinke, be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, Ier. 25. 27.
A counterpoyson against this greedy wolfe of devouring earthly delights; consider that at our conversion Mutantur gaudia, non tolluntur, Heavenly succeed carnall joyes: See Iackson of Iust. Faith, pag. 340, 341.
4. If it fall in love with revenge, it begets a base, a cruell and wolvish disposition, and an unnaturall thirst of bloud: of all the sinfull passions of the soule, desire of revenge is the most base and cowardly: it ever breeds in the most hatefull and weakest minds. And of all kind of revenge, that [Page 236] is most execrable and deadly, which (like a serpent in the greene grasse) lies lurking in the flatteries and fawnings of a s [...]iring face; which kisses with Iudas, and kils with Ioab; entertaines a man with outward formes, and complement, and curtesie, but would (if it durst or might) strike about the third rib, that he should never rise againe: When a mans words are to his neighbour as soft as oyle and butter, but his thoughts towards him composed all of bloud and bitternesse, of gall and gun-powder: for we commonly see, that the basest and most worthlesse men are most malicious and revengefull: seldome doth it find harbour in a well-bred and generous spirit: but as thunder, and tempests, and other fearefull motions in the aire do trouble onely and disquiet those weaker fraile bodies below, but never disturbe or dismay those glorious heavenly ones above: so wrongs, disgraces, and wrongfull usages doe vexe and distemper men of baser temper and conditions: but the causelesse spite and prophane indiscretions and childish brawles of fooles, wound not great and high minds. Above all others, the true Christian which is onely of a true noble spirit, contemnes, scornes, and disdaines to be revenged upon any, though his undeservedly basest and greatest enemy: For,
1. He is completely fortified with the armour of proofe of his owne innocency against the malice and mischiefe of wicked men, and comforted continually with that inward spirituall feast of a good conscience, against all the lies and [Page 237] slanders of lewd and spitefull tongues.
2. He leaves them to be scourged of their owne consciences for their causlesse ill-wils against him, and wrongfull dealings: then which, (except they repent and be reconciled) there is no more certaine and severe revenger and executioner: no scourges, no scorpions can so lash and torture a man, as his owne foule and guilty conscience.
3. He is kept in awe by an holy feare from presuming to take vengeance out of GODS hands: It is one of GODS royall prerogatives, we must not meddle with that, or incroach upon it, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it, saith the LORD, Rom. 12. 19.
4. He will not pollute so farre, and defile the glory and noblenesse of his Christian resolution, as to be mov'd and disquieted with the rage of any dogged Doeg or railing Shimei, by procuring temporall punishments to the spirituall afflictions: and outward vexations to the inward wofull misery of the soule of his prophane malicious opposite: except he see it probable, that by suffering justice to have its course, the party may be humbled, and others terrified.
5. He knowes out of his Christian policy, that a couragious and undaunted insensibility in suffering injuries, is the way to tame and stop the rage and fury of the wrongers, and to make them to returne and rebound wholly like heavy blowes upon their owne pates. For, a prophane malicious man cannot be possibly more vext, than to see [Page 238] himselfe direct particularly his hate and contempt against his supposed adversary a good Christian, and yet he is able to beare it away without wound or passion; nay with reputation and comfort.
As revenge is base, so it is bloudy and unquenchable, and prodigiously thirsty that way: I will give instance in the most revengefull wretch (I am perswaded) that ever lived: It is reported of a man, or rather a Bodin. de Rep. lib. 5. cap. 6. monster of Millaine in Italy; when he had surprised upon the sudden one whom he deadlily hated, he presently overthrew him, and setting his dagger on his breast, told him, he would presently have his bloud, except he would renounce, abjure, forsweare, and blaspheme the GOD of heaven; which, when that fearefull man (too sinfully greedy of a miserable life) had done; in a most horrible manner he immediately dispatch'd him, as soone as those prodigious blasphemies were out of his mouth: and with a bloudy triumph insulting over his murdered adversarie, as though his heart had beene possest of all the malice of hell, he added this horrible speech: Oh (saith he) this is a right noble and heroicall revenge, which doth not onely deprive the body of temporall life, but bring also the immortall soule to endlesse flames everlastingly.
3. Desperate: corrupt affection is strangely desperate to run headlong upon the damnation of hell, for a little earthly delight: if we should see a naked man in some furious moode, as prodigall of [Page 239] his temporall life, runne upon his owne sword, or throw himselfe from some steep rocke, or cast himselfe into some deep river, and teare out his owne bowels, we should censure it presently to be a very desperate part and ruefull spectacle: what shall we say of him then, who thorough the fury of his rebellious nature, to the endlesse destruction of the life of his immortall soule, doth desperatly throw himselfe upon the devouring edge of GODS fiercest indignation: upon the sharpest points of all the plagues and curses in his Booke, and into the very flames of everlasting fire: It is a very fearefull thing, to see a man bath and embrue his hands in the blood and butchery of his owne body, and with his murderous blade to take away the life thereof: but of how much more horrour and wofulnesse is that spectacle, when a desperate wretch with the empoysoned edge of his owne enraged corruption, doth cut the throat of his owne deare immortall soule, so that a man may teach him all his life long, by the blood thereof in the sinfull passages of his life, untill at length it bee stark dead in sinnes and trespasses, for how can a soule all purple red with willfull sheading its own blood, looke for any part in that pretious blood of that spotles lambe? Nay, assuredly such bloody stubbornnes and selfe-murthering cruelty will be paid home at last, by the severe revenger of such cursed desperatnesse. Hee will judge such a man after the manner of them that shed their owne blood, and give him the blood of wrath and of jealousie.
[Page 240]Lord it is prodigiously strange and lamentably fearefull, that so noble and excellent a creature as man, prince of all other earthly creatures, by the priviledge of reason and enlightned with the glorious beame of understanding, nature should be so furiously madded with its owne malice, and bewitchedly blindfolded by the Prince which rules in the Aire; as, for the momentany enjoyment of some fewglorious miseries, bitter-sweet pleasures, heart-vexing riches, or some other worldly vanity at the best, desperatly and wilfully to abandon and cast himselfe from the unconceivable pleasures of its joyfull place where GOD dwels, into an infinite world of everlasting woefulnesse. For let a carnall man consider in a word his prodigious madnesse in this point. He might not onely in this vale of teares bee possest with a peacefull heart, which is an incomparable pretiousnesse surpassing all created understandings: For I dare say this, I know it to bee true: One little glimpse of Heaven shed sometimes into the heart of a sanctified man, by the saving illumination of the comforting spirit, whereby he sees and feeles, that in despight of the rage of divels, & malice of men; let sin and death, the grave and hell doe their worst, his soule is most certainely bound by the hand of GOD in the bundle of the living, and that hee shall hereafter everlastingly inhabite the joyes of eternity: I say this one conceit being the immediate certificate of the spirit of truth doth infinitely more refresh his affections, and affect his heart with more true sweetnesse and tastfull pleasure, then all carnall delights, [Page 241] and sensuall delicacies can possibly produce, though they were as exquisite and numberlesse, as nature, art, and pleasure it selfe could devise, and to be enjoyed securely as long as the world lasts. Besides this heaven upon earth, and glorious happinesse even in this world, he might hereafter go in arme with Angels, sit downe by the side of the blessed Trinity amongst Saints and Angels, and all the truly worthy men that ever lived, with the highest perfection of blisse, endlesse peace, and blessed immortality: all the joyes, all the glory, all the blisse, which lies within the compasse of heaven, should be powred upon him everlastingly: and yet for all this he doth not onely in a spirituall phrensie desperately deprive himselfe, and trample under foot this heaven upon earth, and that joyfull rest in heaven, world without end: but also throwes himselfe into a hell of ill conscience here, and hereafter into that hell of Devils, which is a place of flames, and perpetuall darknesse, where there is torment without end, and past imagination.
The day will come, and the LORD knowes how soone, when he will clearely see and acknowledge with horrible anguish of heart, his strange and desperate madnesse. See Wisd. 5. 2, &c. For, after the moment of a few miserable pleasures in this life be ended, he is presently plunged into the fiery lake; and ere he be aware, the pit of destruction shutteth upon him everlastingly: and if once he find himselfe in hell, he knowes there is no redemption out of that infernall [Page 242] pit: then would he think▪ himselfe happy, if he were to suffer those bitter and intolerable torments no mo thousands of yeares, than there are sands on the sea shore, haires on his head, starres in heaven, grasse piles on the ground, and creatures both in heaven and earth: for, he would still comfort himselfe at least with this thought, that once his misery would have an end: but alas, this word, never, doth ever burst his heart with unexpressible sorrow, when he thinks upon it: for, after an hundred thousand of millions of yeares there suffered, he hath as farre to suffer, as he had at the first day of his entrance into those endlesse torments: now let a man consider, if he should lie in an extreme fit of the stone; or a woman, if she should be afflicted with the grievous torture of child-bed but one night; though they lie upon the softest beds, have their friends about them to comfort them, Physitians to cure them, all needfull things ministred unto them to asswage their paine; yet how tedious, painfull, and wearisome would even one night seeme unto them? how would they turne and tosse themselves from side to side, telling the clocke, counting every houre as it passeth, which would seeme unto them a whole day? What is it then (think you) to lie in fire and brimstone, inflamed with the unquenchable wrath of GOD world without end? Where they shall have nothing about them but darknesse and discomforts, yellings and gnashings of teeth: their companions in prophanenesse and vanity to ban and curse them: the damned fiends of hell to scourge them and torment [Page 243] them: despaire and the worme that never dies, to feed upon them with everlasting horrour.
If carnall wretches be so desperate, as wilfully to spill the bloud of their owne soules: let us set light by the life of our bodies, if the cruelty of the times call for it, for the honour of the Saviour of our soules.
Let me give one instance of dangerous snares, wherein such as these are ordinarily entangled and holden fast, from which inferiours are for the most part free. Let us come into a towne or countrey▪village, and we shall find all the rest not so exorbitant but enter into the Noblemans, Gentlemans, or Knights house, (if there be any there) there shall we find a nest of new-fangl'd fashionists; naked breasts, and naked armes, like bedlams, saith that excellent and learned Gentleman, in his Oyle of Scorpions. Bushes of vanity in the one Pag. 109. sexe, which they will not part with (said Marbury) untill the Devill put a candle into the bush: and cut haire in the other, stirs against the Ordinance of GOD, and nature in both: and many other such deformed lothsome, and prodigious fashions, censured by that stinging and flaming place against fashion-mongers, Zeph. 1. 8. And these are the more pernicious, because it were many times more easie for us of the Ministerie. I speake out of some experience: to undertake by GODS blessing ( caeteris paribus, as they say) the driving of an impure wretched drunkard, from his beastly and swinish sin, which would be a very hard taske, [Page 244] than to draw such as delight in, and dote upon these miserable fooleries, from the abhorred vanity of strange fashions: nay, and though somtimes they would be thought to looke towards religion.
And thus I have done with the reasons peculiar to every severall sort of greatnesse: I now come to those which are common to them all.
1. All the great ones according to the flesh in any of these kinds: I say, ye are all as yet deadly Psal 24. 4. enemies from the very heart-root to the profession Mat. 5. 8. and practice of the holy men, without which Heb. 1 [...]. 14▪ holinesse we cannot see GOD: you cannot endure to be called puritans; much lesse to become such: and yet without purity, none shall ever see the face of GOD with comfort.
Mistake me not. I meane CHRISTS [...], CHRISTS puritans, and no other, [...] Matth. 5. 8. [...]. Ioh. 13. 11. & [...]. 15. 3.
Secondly, I meane onely such as Bellarmine intimates, when he cals King IAMES puritan: for, he so cals him, saith D. Harkwit against Carrier, Cap. [...]. pag. 258. because in the first booke of his Basilicon Doron, he affirmes, that the religion professed in Scotland was grounded upon the plaine words of the Scripture: And againe in his second Booke, that the reformation of religion in Scotland was extraordinarily wrought by GOD. Gracious and holy speeches (as you see) with men of the world are puritanicall. And if a man speake but holily, and name but reformation, Scripture, conscience, and such other words which sting their carnall [Page 245] hearts, it is enough to make a man a puritan.
Thirdly, I meane the very same, of whom Bishop Downam one of the greatest schollers of either Kingdome, speakes thus in his Sermon at Spittle, called Abrahams Triall: And even in Pag. 7 [...] ▪ these times (saith he) the godly live amongst such a generation of men, as that if a man do but labour to keepe a good conscience in any measure, although he meddle not with matters of State, or Discipline, or Ceremonies, (as for example, if a Minister diligently preach, or in his preaching seeke to profit rather than to please, remembring the saying of the Apostle▪ If I seeke to please men, I am not the servant of CHRIST, Gal. 1. 10. Or if a private Christian make conscience of swearing, sanctifying the Sabbath, frequenting Sermons, or absteining from the common corruptions of the time) he shall straightway be condemned for a Puritan, and consequently be lesse favoured than either a carnall Gospeller, or a close Papist, &c.
Fourthly, I meane none but those whom the Communion-Booke intends in that passage of the prayer after confession: That the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy.
Now these come by their purity by preaching the Word. Now saith CHRIST, ye are [...], cleane by the Word which I have spoken unto you, Ioh. 15. 3. The Word must first illighten, convince, and cast them downe: so that out of sight of sinne, and sense of divine wrath, being weary, sicke, lost, wounded, bruised, broken-hearted, (these are Scripture-phrases) and thereupon casting their eyes upon the amiablenesse, excellency, [Page 246] and sweetnesse of the LORD IESVS, and the Allsufficiency of His bloud to cure them, resolve to sell all, to confesse and forsake all their sinnes, not to leave an hoofe behind: and then taking him offered by the hand of GODS free grace, as well for an Husband, Lord, and King, to love, serve, and obey Him, as for a Saviour to free them from hell. They put on with the hand of faith the perfect purity of His imputed righteousnesse, attended ever with some measure of inherent purity, infused by the sanctifying Spirit, and after entring the good way, their lives are ever after pure and holy. These are CHRISTS [...], and the Puritans I meane. And these men of purity some never meane to be: nay, they heartily hate the very image of IESVS CHRIST in them, they speake spitefully against them, David was not onely the drunkards song, but those also that sate in the gate spoke against him: they are your musicke, and matter of your mirth; I am your musicke, saith the Church in the person of Ieremie, Lam. 3. They will many times call upon a roguish vagabond at your feasts to sing a song against them, whom they should rather set in the stockes; they are transported, and inwardly boyle with farre more indignation and heart-rising against their holinesse, purity, precise walking, and all meanes that lead thereunto, though enjoyned upon paine of never seeing the face of GOD in glory: than more Heb 12. 14. simple, poorer, and meaner men; and that's a reason Psal. 24. 4. Mat 5. 8. they sticke faster in the Devils clutches than Ioh. 3. 3. they, and that few of them are called, converted, Eph. 5. 15. [Page 247] and saved, according to my Text.
Secondly, ye that are thus the worlds favourites, are very loth to become fooles; and therefore in the meane time he lockt full fast in the Devils bands, and cannot escape except ye be such. I speake a very displeasing thing to worldly-wise men, but they are the very words and wisdome of the Spirit of GOD, 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let no man deceive himselfe: if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a foole, that he may be wise.
Let no man deceive himselfe; such caveats as this are wont to be premised when men out of their carnall conceipts are peremptory to the contrary, and would venture their salvation (as they say) that it is not so. See Ephes. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Mat. 5. 2. And did not most of your hearts rise against these words of mine (you must become fooles, or never be saved) untill I brought Scripture? Give me here leave (I pray you) to intimate in a few instances the meaning of the place, and the truth of your false and selfe-couzening hearts in obnoxiousnesse to the point. Suppose a messenger of GOD should deale faithfully with you, and tell you, that upon the LORDS Day you must not serve yourselves, and your owne turnes, in idlenesse, travailing, sports, gaming: in any earthly businesse, or mis-imployment whatsoever: but spend that whole blessed Day wholly and onely in spirituall refreshing, heavenly businesses, divine worship, and holy duties: in meditation upon the creatures spiritually, upon the great worke [Page 248] of redemption and resurrection of CHRIST: and upon that everlasting rest above: of all which the Christian Sabbath is a remembrancer unto us, in both publike and private prayer, reading, singing of Psalmes, hearing Sermons, conference, &c. and in ruminating, and (as it were) chewing the cud upon Scripture points. I say, ruminate (as it were) and chew the cud: for, it is the very phrase of the Church of England in the Homily for reading Scriptures. And those reverend and godly men which composed them, expresse the benefit thereof emphatically: Thus run the words; Let us ruminate of the Scriptures sc.) that we may have the sweet juyce, spirituall effect, marrow, honey, kernell, taste, comfort, and consolation of them. I say, suppose ye were thus prest, would ye not presently out of your worldly wisdome and impatiency to be so snaff [...]d at, to be tied all the day to spirituall exercises, and restrain'd from ordinary recreations, conceive of it, and cry out against it as a puritanicall novelty, and foolish precisenesse? Because you mention precisenesse and novelty; I could (as I am wont, and to make you without excuse) appeale unto, and implore the aid of antiquity, which will utterly take off such aspersions. And here (were it incident and seasonable) I were able to procure Councels, and Fathers, and other authorities concurrently to testifie and take my part, that upon the LORDS Day, we are to recreate our selves onely with spirituall delights: onely then to ply divine businesses, and to do those things alone which belong to our soules salvation. Heare their owne words.
[Page 249]We ought upon that Day, Solummodò spiritualibus gaudijs repleri. Concilium Parisiense. Anno 829.
Tantùm divinis cultibus serviamus. August. de Temp. Serm. 251. Soli divino cultui vacemus. Idem Ibid.
Ea (que) tantum faciat quae ad animae salutem pertinent. Hierom. in Cap. 56. Isa.
Nay the whole Church of England hath this threescore yeares and above complyed exactly with antiquity in this point in the Hom. of the place and time of prayer: These are the words, GODS people should use the Sunday holily, and rest from their common and daily businesse: and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of GODS true religion and service. And yet for all this, you are so wise in your owne conceipts; ye will none of this saving folly, you are no such fooles, as after so long liberty to fall [...]o any such strictnesse.
Secondly, suppose a Minister should counsell you when you come home from the house of GOD, to take your Bibles, and call both your wives and children to the comparing together, and conferring upon those things which were taught: That the husband should exact of the wife, and the wife aske of the husband those things that were there spoken and read, or at least some of them: That you should set this law to your selves to be kept inviolably, and not onely to your selves, but also to your wives and children: that you would spend that one whole Day of the whole weeke, whereon you meet to heare the Word, in meditation [Page 250] of those things which are delivered: I say now in this case your carnall wisedome would resolutely condemne such counsells, as contrary to the counsell of great houses, as a way to become a By-word to the whole Country, and as savoring too rankly of a foolish strictnesse, and needlesse singularity. And yet this was totidem verbis, wise, holy advise above twelve hundred yeares agoe: For it giving the counsell, I have but rendred Chrysostome word for word in diverse places. Hom. 5. in Matth. In Eph. Serm. 20. Hom. 2. in Ioan. Hom. 5. ad Popul. Antioch.
Thirdly, If Preachers should presse you to plant, and preserve Family Duties in your house, Prayer, and reading Scriptures, evening, and morning, Singing of Psalmes, &c. and you of greatest meanes may best spare time for such blessed businesses. Would not your wisedomes thinke this more then need: And that it would bee a foolish thing, and much against your profit, to rob your selves, and servants of so much time from your worldly affaires? And yet here I could produce foure or five Fathers above a thousand yeares ago, pressing this point, and punctuall for my purpose. [Page 251] Besides Ambrose quoted in my Book of Walking with Quid beatius esse poterit, quàm in tetrâ tripudium Angelorum i [...] mitari, mox orto die ad precationes properantem, hymnis & odis venerari Creatorem. &c Basil. Epist. 1. Docens & admonens, atque formam ostendens, & tunc filijs suis; & tunc omnibus nobis in perpetuum; ut confestim diluculo ex noctis requie exsurgentes; ante omne opus▪ vel verbum, ante omne colloquium, vel conventionem, primitias resurrectionis nostrae Deo exhibeamus in sinceris orationibus, at (que) precibus▪ in matutinis deprecationibus, at (que) gratiarum actionibus. Origen lib. 1. In Iob sol. 7. A mensa non ad lectum, sed ad deprecationem vertamur, ne brutis animantibus simus magis bruti▪ Novi fore multos, qui damnent ea, quae nunc dicuntur, veluti qui novam quandam & miram consuetudinem inveham concionandi; At ego magis damnabo pravam consuetudinem, quae nunc obtinuit. E [...]enim quòd post cibum, & mensam non ad somnum oporteat ire, nec ad cubile▪ sed oporteat cibo preces, ac divinarum Scripturarum lectionem succedere, manifestiùs declaravit ipse Christus, qui quum immensam multitudinem accepisset convivio in deserto, non remisit illos ad lectum, aut somnum, sed ad audiendos sermones divinos invitavit. Chrysost. conc. 1. De Lazaro. Nec solum vobis sufficiat quòd in Ecclesiâ divinas lectiones auditis; sed etiam in domibus vestris, aut ipsi legite, aut alios legentes requirite, & libentèr audite. August. de Tem. Serm. 55. Pag. [...]77. God, pag. 67. Here other Fathers, Basil, Origen, Chrysostome, August.
Fourthly, If you were moved by the Ministery, to restore every halfe penny that you have any waies, at any time got wrongfully, or by any wicked meanes, or that you detaine unjustly from any man: And then casting your eye backe, and considering, How you are growne hastily rich, and by what waies you are come to a great deale of wealth, should finde very foule workes: would you not force your selves by a strong counter-plea of carnall reason, not to beleeve the point, and thinke it extreame madnesse at the instance, and prating of a precise companion, which understands not the world (for so or in the like manner would you speake) to part perhaps with a good part of [Page 252] your estate? And yet Austins Rule of above twelve hundreth yeares standing, and confirmed concurrently by all Divines to this day, is, That Non tollitur peccatum nisirestituatur ablatum; No restitution, no remission. And our owne Church tels us in the second exhortation before the Communion: That without readinesse to make restitution, and satisfaction for wrongs done, the Sacrament as often as you come, doth nothing else but increase your damnation.
Thus might I passe through all the points of Sanctification, and passages of holy life: And all the great men of the world, either in Learning, Wealth, Nobility, or Wisedome according to the flesh, would passe these censures upon them, and entertaine conceits of them proportionable to that of Nicodemus about the New-birth. They will not become fooles in the Apostles sense: And therefore they are soakt, and fast fettered in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity; and that above ordinary.
Thirdly, All ye great ones of the world in the sense I have said, As yee are very wise in your own conceits, and it may be truly so according to the flesh, so you are selfe-conceited, and soule-couseners about your spirituall state. For you thinke all better then you, too precise, and all worse then you too prophane; and your selves onely to have happily hit upon the golden meane; and pitch upon that well-tempered moderation in Religion, wherby you may enjoy temporall happinesse here, and eternall hereafter. Sleepe in a whole skin (as they [Page 253] say) and with a good conscience: Live the life of pleasures, and die the death of the righteous. Whereas to be so conceited, is the very complement and perfection of folly: And the very same attempt as to make two parallel lines to meet. You thinke yee have a reach beyond the Moone: To lie in some sweete sinne, and yet to nourish in your selves some hope of salvation. To have two heavens, one in this world, and another in the world to come, which was never heard of: to weare two crownes of joyes: whereas IESVS CHRIST himselfe had the first of thornes. But alas! Beloved, if you be saved in this condition, you must have a new Scripture, and there must bee found out another way to heaven, then any of the Saints ever went since the Creation or shall doe to the end of the world. And therefore we may say of you as Quintilian some where, of some deluded with an overweening conceit of themselves. That they might have prooved excellent Schollers if they had not beene so perswaded already: So if you did not thinke falsly, your selves safe already, you might be saved. But while you thus hugge the golden dreame of your mistaken states to GOD-ward like the Pharisees, the very Publicans and Harlots shall goe into the Kingdome of heaven before you, Matth. 21. 31.
Fourthly, you that are great in the world in the foure forenamed respects, and meant in the Text; cannot possibly downe with, and digest downeright dealing and the foolishnesse of preaching as it is called, vers. 21. And that vtterly undoes you. [Page 254] You like well enough, nay and much approve, and applaud such Sermons as King IAMES censures, in the reasons of his directions for preaching, &c. which he there cals a light, affected, and unprofitable kind of preaching, which hath beene of late years (saith he) taken up in Court, University, City, and Countrey,—whereby the people are filled onely with ayrie nourishment, &c. and I warrant you, not especially hating to be reformed or disquieted, for these are not wont to discover your consciences, nor disturbe you in your present courses, they never terrifie you with any forethought of the evill day, neither torment you before the time: but now let a man come with the foolishnesse of preaching, by which it pleaseth GOD (saith the Apostle) to save them that believe, with demonstration of the Spirit, and of power, and come home to the conscience: if he suffer not Satan to revell in the bloud of your soules without resistance, nor see you post furiously towards eternall fire, but will tell you that the pit of hell is a little before you: In a word, if he take the right course to convert you, and shew you therefore onely your spirituall misery, that you may be fitted for mercy, &c. O such a fellow is a dangerous man, a terrible and intolerable Teacher, able to drive men to distraction, despaire, selfe-destruction; he breaths out nothing but damnation, and his searching Sermons are as scorching as the very flames of hel! Fit phrases for the Devil himself, railing in a drunkard, or scoffing Ishmael against faithfulnesse in preaching; and if you know where or [Page 255] when such men preach, (and it may be you entertaine some intelligence for that purpose to prevent the torture) you will not, you dare not heare them for your hearts, except you cannot decline it for starke shame; or for a time or two to satisfie your curiosities, but as S. Paul saith, you become their enemies, because they tell you the truth: to which truth not to have listened in this day of your visitation, will herafter (when it is too late) torment you more than ten thousand fiery Scorpions stings, and gnaw upon your consciences with unknowne and everlasting horrour. Alas! Beloved, what meane you? You will give your Physitian leave to tell you the distempers of your body: the Lawyer to discover unto you any flaw in your deeds: your horse-keeper to tell you the surfets of your horses: nay, your hun [...]sman the surrances of your dogs: and shall onely the Minister of GOD not tell you that your soules are bleeding to eternall death? Preposterous and prodigious incongruity!
If it be thus then, that of all the severall sorts of Vsex. great men mentioned before (by reason that they are beset with such variety of snares, entangled in so many temptations, so much taken up by the world, and for other reasons rendred already) very few are called, converted and saved, my counsell in a word unto all such, is CHRISTS owne word, Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, lay violent hands upon flesh and blond, strangle your lusts, contend and [...]. wrastle as for the Garland in the Olympian Games, to which the word seemes to allude, become fooles in the [Page 256] worlds censure, that you may be wise in the mystery of CHRIST; be little and vile in your own esteeme, that you may be great and gracious in the eyes of GOD. In a word, submit your soules to the sword of the Spirit, and foolishnesse of preaching, (as the Apostle cals it) that you may be wrought upon savingly, and brought into the good way, and that by such works, and waies as these.
Upon which before I enter, give me leave to give you an account, why at this time I labour rather to work upon your consciences for your personall conversion, than as heretofore to tender unto you counsels and considerations, for a more conscionable deportment in your severall publike places. When I well weighed with my selfe, the truth of that principle and position in Hooker, That it is no peculiar conceipt, but a matter of sound consequence, that all duties are by so much the better performed, by how much the men are more religious, from whose abilities the same proceed. And finding by experience of all ages, and most of all in these worst and wofull times, that men of publike imployment and in high places, untill there be infused into their soules by the Spirit of grace an internall supernaturall principle and divine habit to worke by, untill aliquid CHRISTI (as they say) be planted in them by the power of the Ministry, they cannot possibly be universally thorow, and unshaken. Some strong affection, feare, favour, or some thing, will make them flie out and faile in some particular very fowly. Upon extraordinary temptation they will serve the times, and their [Page 257] owne turnes: for▪ alas! as yet their spirits are not steeled with that heavenly edge, and mighty vigour, as to set to their shoulders against the torrent of the times, and not to be overflowen with it. I say, upon this ground I have advisedly chosen to assay and follow this way at this time: for, if once you turne on the LORDS side in truth, you are won for ever to an invincible constancy, and conscionablenesse in an uniforme, regular and religious discharge of your publike duties: and will ever hold fast without partiality, cowardlinesse, or feare of mans face, that brave and noble resolution, Vt fiat justitia, ruat coelum, let heaven and earth be blundred together with horrible confusision, before I make shipwracke of a good conscience, or be any waies drawne to do basely. Being incorporated into the rock of eternity IESVS CHRIST blessed for ever, you will stand (like unmooveable rocks) against the corruptions of the times, and all ungodly oppositions; and never before. For, in the meane time (say Ministers what they will) you will not be moved; but you heare our discourses of a faithfull discharge of your places, as ye would heare a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice; they leave no more impression upon your consciences, than a sweet lesson upon the Lute in the eare, when it is ended; for, then both the vocall and instrumentall sweetnesse dissolve into the aire, and vanish into nothing: It is too truly so with our Sermons upon your soules. Heare your character in GODS own words unto the Prophet; They come unto thee, as the people commeth, and they sit before me as my people, and they heare thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse: [Page 258] and loe, thou art unto them, as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for, they heare thy words, but they do them not. Let us lift up our voices never so high, or cry never so lowd: and [...]ll Iudges, That they ought not to be afraid Deut 1. 17 of the face of man, for the judgement is GODS: that in judgement, they must neither respect the person of the [...] it. 19. 15. poore, nor honour the person of the mighty: that they should not onely hold their hands from grosse bribes with Epaminondas, who (as the story tels us) refused [...]. chron. sol. [...]7. great presents sent unto him, although he was poore, saying, If the thing were good, he would do it without any bribe, because good: if not honest, he would not do it for all the goods in the world. But they must also be of Austins judgement, that not onely money, gold and silver, or Psalm. 25. presents (as they call them) are bribes; but the guilt Pag. 144. of bribery also may be justly imputed, even to any exorbitant affection, which sways a man aside from an impartiall execution of justice: as love, feare, hatred, anger, pusillanimity, worldlinesse, desire of praise and applause, which is Austins instance, &c. That they beware of bringing more bloud upon the Law by sparing the spiller of bloud. For ble [...]d (saith GOD) it desileth the land: and the land cannot be clea [...]sed of the bloud that is shed therein, but by the bloud of him that shed it: that they must not looke upon the ca [...]ses which come before them only through the spectacles of a favourite, &c, and tell Iustices of Peace, that they must be truehearted patriots, and not servers of themselves, and their owne turnes: that they must be serious, reall, and grave; not onely formall, not cyphers, not unnobly light in their behaviour on the Bench: that they must ever aime at the publike good, and never at their owne [Page 259] particular and private ends: that they should disdaine and scorne at any time to combine factiously, or for a petty bribe to uphold a rotten cause, apestilent alehouse, or lewd companion; and ever joyne with an unanimous magnanimity to honour GOD, and do their Country good. And tell the Lawyers, that they should not make hast to be rich, for so saith Salomon, they shall not be innocent, nor swallow downe gold too greedily, least it turne to grauell, and the gall of asps within them; and they be enforced to vomite up the riches (as Iob speaketh) they have heaped together so hastily, either by remorse and restitution in the meane time, or with despaire, and impenitent horrour here after: that to oppose and wrangle against a good cause, or undertake the defence of a bad; are both equally most unworthy the very morall vertue of an honest Heathen; that they must not learn to spin out the causes of their clients from Terme to Terme, and wire-draw their suits untill they be utterly undone; that they should not now be taking instructions from their clients, when they should themselves here in the House of GOD be instructed to the kingdome of heaven: had they this morning received a message from the Almighty, that at night they should appeare before that high and everlasting Iudge to give an account for all things done in the flesh; if they be not Atheists, or Papists, O with what eagernesse and violence would they have attended, addrest, and applied themselves to the present opportunity! and little do we know what the evening may bring forth. For, assure your selves, there is no man so assured of his riches, or life, but that he may be deprived of one or both the very next day or houre to come. And tell the jurors and sworn-men, [Page 260] that they should rather die than draw the bloud of any mans life, livelihood, or good name upon their owne consciences, either by acqui [...]ting the guilty, or betraying the innocent. Here (had I time) I would intimate unto you a mysticall, but mischievous packing sometimes in choice of j [...]ry-men. I have seene (I speake of that which was long since, and at a Sessions) some of the choicest drunkards in a Country chosen for that service. Now is it not a pitifull thing, that Country businesses should be put into the hands of such as labour industriously, and with equall cunning, to plague an honest man, and deliver a drunkard? I say now, all this while, we thus discourse unto you, earnestly endeavouring, and with a thirsty desire to do you good, and direct you aright, and by a divine rule in the severall duties proper to your places: we do but plow in the sea, and sow in the aire (as they say) except the immortall seed of the Word hath first moulded you anew, and ye be brought by the foolishnesse of preaching out of the warme sun into GODS blessing, and from the fooles paradise of worldly wisdome, into the holy path of sincere professours; and thereupon prize and preferre the peace of a good conscience before all the gold in the West, and preferments in the world; which blessed change from nature to grace, is wrought by such stirrings of the soule, and footsteps of the spirit as these: lend me, I beseech you, (while I passe along them) something more than ordinary attention: for, I know they will seeme strange things to all such great ones as are intended in my Text, and those who live at rest in their possessions, and have nothing to vex them. The naturall stoutnesse of their spirits will disdaine and scorne to stoupe to such uncouth humiliations, [Page 261] and this mighty change. And the more they are men of the world, and wise according to the flesh, the greater repugnancy and reluctation shall they find in their affections against these spirituall workings, which makes the point good which was proved before. But yet without them in truth and effect (I define not the measure and degree, GOD is a most free agent) they can never become either gracious men, or good Magistrates. They must upon necessity become such fooles, or they can never be wise unto salvation.
1. If any of you then would come out of Satans clutches into the armes of CHRIST, he must be illightened, convinced, and cast downe with sight, sense, and trouble for sinne, as in my art of comforting afflicted consciences I have shewed.
2. Secondly, the point may teach us not to be greedy of greatnesse, nor hunt ambitiously after high roomes.
3. The point may serve as a soveraigne antidote against all discontent or fretting, when we see men of the world carrie all before them, &c. We may entertain an holy indignation to see folly set in great excellency, so many servants on horse-backe, and Princes walking as servants upon the ground. But I am prevented by the time from prosecuting these two latter Uses. Let me briefly say two things more, and I have done.
- 1. The first concerning what I have said: I have spoken much (as you have heard, my Text naturally and directly leading me thereunto) of the true misery, and spirituall madnesse of all great men in learning, wealth, nobility, wisdome according to the flesh. Least any be unjustly angry, and mistake, or caussesly grumble [Page 260] [...] [Page 261] [...] [Page 262] and gainsay, let me take up the words of that ancient holy Father Salvianus about a thousand yeares ago in the like case. He having impartially discovered the horrible impieties of the noble and rich men in those corrupt times, tels them by the way, and it is my just apologie at this time. I do not (saith he) speake thus of any, but onely such as know these things to be in themselves. If their consciences be free, nothing that I say tends to their disparagement and disgrace: but if they know themselves to be guilty, let them know also, that they are not my words, but their owne consciences which vexe them. And in another place thus. Sith I speake not these things of all, but those who are such, none of you ought to be angry at all, which findeth not himselfe to be obnoxious; least thereby he make himselfe seeme, and be suspected to be of the number of those that are naught. Rather let so many as being guiltlesse and truly noble, abhorre such unworthy courses, be angry with them who disgrace the name of Nobility by their base and wicked behaviour: because although others be much worse, and scandaliz'd by them, yet especially they bring a great deale of shame and dishonour upon those who are of the same noble ranke. Take notice by the way, that by the Fathers words, those men are much too blame, who go about to dawbe over the disorders, and smother up the scandalous exorbitancies of delinquents in their owne profession, or to be concurrents for their deliverance from deserved shame and punishment. To give instance in the highest calling: A Minister which fals to drunkennesse, and ale-house-haunting, should rather be publikely sham'd and censured, than a fellow of an inferiour calling. We do not honour the Ministry by having our hands in helping out such, but by disclaiming, and not owning them; well may we by [Page 263] so medling incurre suspicion of obnoxiousnesse: but never bring credit to our so holy a calling. I knew a Knight did penance at Pauls-Crosse, but at the same time I heard that many of his ranke in the City labour'd to have him dis-knighted first, before he so publikely disgraced their order. Me thinks all wellminded should be so minded.
- 2. The other is to my Lords the Iudges. My reverend and noble Lords, give me leave to cloth the thoughts of the Countrey in a word or two. We much rejoyce in you, and blesse GOD for you, as men of singular and knowne integrity, speciall friends to the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST, and a great honour, and happinesse to these parts, and heartily pray that we may hold you still: and therefore my intreaty unto your Lordships is, that you would couragiously advance forward, and do like your selves, and nobly still. Draw our your dreadfull swords against the torrents of Belial, as David cals them, which even threaten a deluge; and be your selves as mighty torrents, armed both with j [...]st and holy lawes, and the godly resolutions of your owne noble spirits, to beare backe, and beat downe the common crying, and raigning sins of our Countrey. In a word, be unto the oppressed and innocent as a refuge from the storme, but as a terrible tempest upon the face of every humane beast, and sonne of Belial. And O that you could helpe us, that GODS people might not perish for want of bread: Is it not a pitifull thing, that in such a deare yeare specially, it should be almost as hard a worke to get downe a wicked ale-house, as to win Dunkerke? That Maultsters should snatch (as it were) the graine from the mouthes of the poore in the market place, to [Page 264] uphold these hell-houses, these nurceries of the Devill: that Magistrates should be so unmercifull, as neither for GODS sake, nor the Kings sake, nor the poores sake, nor their owne soules sake to take the utmost penalties for blasphemies, ale house-hauntings, drunkennesse, and prophanations of the LORDS Day? And were it not an honourable course, and worthy to have an universall contribution over the Countrey to pull downe something the excessive prizes in market-townes for the poore thereabouts, during this extremity? But I leave it to your Lordships charitable wisdome to do the best you can possibly; that the bloud of the poore this yeare be not added to the already crying sinnes of the Kingdome, to hasten GODS judgements upon us, and our long since deserved ruine. And in the meane time you need not feare the face of the proudest Devill, whether incarnate, or in his owne shape. For, while you thus advance GODS glory, and truly honour the King, assure your selves, the hearts, and teares, and prayers of all good men shalbe for you, and yours shalbe the crowne and comfort; when all prophanenesse and prophane opposites to the good way, all the enemies of GOD, and pestilent packings and complotments of the Devils agents against GODS people, shalbe buried in hell.